The Happiest Place on Earth Is Just Outside of Paris

(11/8/22) Being a fan of British comic Paul Taylor has its perks, the best of which is that I am now one of a world-wide coterie of fans who are also friends. We chat often on Facebook Messenger, on a wide variety of subjects. One of the founders of the chat group is Kristen, a France-obsessed Californian whose love of French language and culture surpasses even my own. Another of Kristen’s obsessions is Disney. This has turned out to be a big plus for us.

The evening before, Bob and I had met up with Kristen and Naiva, another Paul Taylor fan, for dinner at Le Trumilou, traditional French restaurant and mainstay of the 4th Arrondissement. During dinner, both ladies had expounded on their mutual love of all things Disney, to include in Kristen’s case, being an annual pass holder both at Anaheim and in Paris! A benefit to annual pass ownership is getting friends in at a greatly reduced price, so when she told us she had plans to go the very next day and asked if we would like to come along, we jumped at the opportunity! Who could pass up a chance to visit the happiest place on earth, especially when it’s just an RER ride away?

The Euro Disney Resort, including hotels and its theme park, Euro Disneyland, officially opened in April 1992. Despite financial struggles in the early years, including low hotel occupancy, underwhelming attendance at the theme park, and large numbers of employees walking off the job complaining of poor working conditions, the company persevered. In 1994, Euro Disney changed its name to Disneyland Paris. Upgrades were made to restaurant menus, including adding beer and wine (this is France, after all), and new rides were added. In 1995, Space Mountain: De La Terre à La Lune opened, and the company actually turned a profit for the first time. (wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland_Paris)

Upon entry, we notice some obvious differences from our prior Disney experiences – announcements made in French, new color schemes, a few unfamiliar (to us) characters – but the overall ambiance is the same as at any Disney park. Crowds have arrived in great spirits ready to have a great time and, for the most part, that is exactly what we do!

A surprising lack of wait time draws us to our first ride, Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril, one of the very large looping roller coasters. We are strapped into the ride and a minute or two later, I’m struggling to regain my equilibrium. I’ve allowed my enthusiasm to overwhelm my common sense; I had always struggled with motion sickness, and this moment is no different.

After Indiana Jones, we slow things down a bit by downgrading to a few of the kiddy rides, which, no surprise, are now much more my speed. We then take a break for lunch at Walt’s – an American Restaurant, on Kristen’s recommendation. Service and food are excellent at Walt’s, although prices are predictably high.

As the day progresses, our enthusiasm doesn’t wane – it’s easy to feel jubilant when wait times are low and we are able to hustle from ride to ride. As always, my favorite is the haunted house, or Phantom Manor. There are some interesting differences here, but some of the classics remain, such as the mysterious stretching portraits in the entrance hall, the singing busts, the creepy talking head in the crystal ball, and the dancing holograms in the ballroom. The grounds of the mansion are well designed, with a spacious graveyard and tombstones of members of the Ravenswood family (the fictional family whose sad story the ride is based on).

Darkness begins to fall early at this time of year and that means the Main Street parade begins early. We position ourselves to get a good view among the gathered onlookers. I realize that most of the characters featured in the parade are from Disney movies that I’ve never even seen, but that doesn’t keep me from enjoying the music, the colorful floats and the talented performers.

Spectacle over -- it’s actually dark outside now -- we head, along with throngs of other visitors, for the park exits. Something that seems to be missing, or at least not so prominent, are the enormous parking lots that take up so much acreage at Disney parks in Anaheim and Orlando. Here, one of the first things you see as you exit is the RER station. The ease of egress is pretty incredible as we find ourselves comfortably seated within minutes for the 40-minute train ride back to Paris.

We thank Kristen profusely and wave goodbye as she exits the train at a station conveniently situated between Disneyland and the city. Thanks to her, we’ve just had another unforgettable day in this thrilling metropolis, my happiest place on earth.