Three Days of Holiday Magic with My Daughter

After a few unforgettable days exploring Paris in all its holiday sparkle (see everything we did HERE), my daughter and I wrapped up our trip with something truly magical—a visit to Disneyland Paris. If you’re planning a trip of your own, especially during the festive season, here’s everything we learned, loved, and would totally do again.

I’ve always loved the smaller Disney parks—less overwhelming, easier to navigate, and you can actually enjoy yourself without feeling like you’re running a marathon. This was us at California Adventure, so we knew Disneyland Paris would be just our speed.

We visited Paris during our Christmas break in the U.S., but luckily, French schools were still in session—so I thought crowds would be light. Spoiler: they were not. Still, it was manageable, and the holiday decorations made every corner feel like a snow globe.

The snow falling on Main Street each day with Christmas music felt straight out of a Hallmark movie—pure magic!

We booked three nights at the Disneyland Hotel, and let me tell you—it’s a dream. A replica of Florida’s Grand Floridian, it sits literally at the gates of the park. But here’s where it gets next-level: we were Castle Club members, which meant:

• A private lift that dropped us straight into the park. (yes, really!)
• Full breakfast with the princesses every morning.
• Afternoon tea every day at 3 p.m.—we’re talking about a spread of pastries, breads, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate that was so good, I could fly back there just for the food.

We arrived on our first day right at tea time, got chauffeured to our room, checked out all the fancy features, then walked one floor down to the tea room—with its huge windows overlooking Main Street and the castle. Unreal. Maven felt like she’d stepped into a real-life fairytale, grinning from ear to ear the whole time. It was every kid’s dream come true!

After tea, we unpacked, bundled up (layers upon layers, people!), and headed into the park. Yes, it was crowded—but the magic still hit hard. We squeezed in a few rides, caught the parade, then walked to Rainforest Café in Disney Village for dinner. It’s just outside the park and made for a super convenient wrap-up.

A light sprinkle started on our way back—very Parisian vibes. We explored the hotel shops, then called it a night.

We were up by 7:30 a.m. and at breakfast with the princesses by 8 a.m. By 8:15 a.m., we were on our private lift into the park.

Gates officially open at 9 a.m., but hotel guests are let in early for Early Magic Hour — we were through by 8:20 and third in line for Peter Pan’s Flight. Pro tip: There’s no “rope drop” in Paris like in the U.S., so you really can be among the first.

We rode:

• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• It’s a Small World
• Phantom Manor
• Plus every “scary” ride Maven had her eye on (i.e. Big Thunder Mountain)

We lunched at Captain Jack’s (Pirates of the Caribbean)—definitely try to book in advance, but even without one, we didn’t wait long.

By 2 p.m., we needed a breather. We headed back for the ho ho hot chocolate with all the toppings at the Fleur de Lys Bar in Disneyland Hotel watching guests and princesses pass by. If you’re not staying there, it’s still worth walking through—it’s stunning.

Dinner was at Pizzeria Bella Notte for the famous mickey pizza inside Disneyland.  We walked around and rode more rides, then went to the The Disney Illuminations fireworks show at 10pm.  We caught the fireworks from the reserved private viewing area.  This was an extra cost of $20 per person and you stand right in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, then made the quick walk back to our hotel. Bonus: we avoided the post-fireworks chaos. From our balcony, we had the perfect view to end the day.

We woke early again, ate at the hotel, and made the 5-minute walk to Walt Disney Studios Park. Our goal: beat the crowd to Crush’s Coaster. We were in line at 8 a.m., ran to the ride when the gates opened, and still barely avoided a 30+ minute wait.

We hit every ride in the park (it’s tiny but fun) and had lunch at Bistrot Chez Rémy. The food was INCREDIBLE.  Book this one early if you can. Their drink menu was fantastic—my daughter was thrilled to find kombucha!

We spent the afternoon back at Disneyland Park, re-riding our favorites, stopping (again) for that amazing hot chocolate, and ending with a Main Street shopping spree with snow falling, followed by more shopping in Disney Village.

Two full days at Disneyland Paris was just right—enough time to see it all without rushing, plus moments to actually relax and soak up the magic. Our Castle Club experience truly made it stress-free, and the holiday charm added an unforgettable sparkle.

This mother-daughter trip was one for the books. And between the city of Paris and the magic of Disney, we couldn’t have asked for a better adventure.

If you are ready to plan your Paris + Disney dream trip, catch our full Paris itinerary HERE!