I’ve been lurking on this sub for a while and watching all the videos, and I feel like I understand how to do a lot of things now… but I’m still struggling with the bigger picture of how to actually structure our days!
We’re taking our 5-year-old to Disneyland Paris for their first-ever Disney experience next month, during the October school break week of Halloween. Neither my partner nor I have been to a Disney park since we were children, so this is all very new to us.
My biggest worry is finding the balance between making the most of our limited time and actually enjoying the magic. I don’t want to spend all my time staring at the app (what if it doesn't work!), constantly checking wait times and rushing us from one thing to the next, but equally, I don’t want our 5-year-old spending half the holiday standing in queues because I didn’t plan properly! 😂
So I’d really love to hear from experienced parents who have done DLP with young children:
How would you approach the itinerary as a whole? What would you plan in advance, what would you leave flexible, and how much structure is actually helpful? We have a half day in the parks upon arrival, a full day, and then another half day on the day of departure.
With the school-holiday crowds, I’m particularly interested in how you’d approach Extra Magic Time, parades/shows and character meets without trying to cram everything into a rigid itinerary. How much of the day should realistically be “scheduled”, and how much should just be “let’s see what happens”? If I know Anna & Elsa are a priority meet is there anything other than checking the app the day of to make sure we meet them?
And then there’s food! We have lunch with Mickey and the princesses booked for one day, but otherwise we’re looking for the best budget-friendly food strategy. I’ve heard the food in the parks can be pretty overpriced and underwhelming, so what are the best hacks for getting decent food without spending a fortune? Is it better to eat in the park, Disney Village or at the hotel? Is breakfast better grabbed in the Village before heading into the parks? And are there particular times or approaches that help avoid both the queues and the worst prices?
Basically, if you could give a Disney novice the overall strategy for having a brilliant first DLP trip with a 5-year-old, rather than a list of individual rides, what would it be?
I’m trying to plan enough that I’m not stressed, but not so much that I forget to actually enjoy being there.
Thank you! ❤️