It’s tricky to know when to do Disneyland if you have kids who love Disney.
Do you go while they’re young and cope with endless toilet trips, battles over things in the shop, and trying to fit in naps?
Or do you wait until they can hold their bladder, have a formed pre frontal cortex, and can carry their own bag?
If you go for the first option, and take them young, you get to experience the magic. They believe Belle really is Belle, and that Sleeping Beauty lives in the castle.
If you take them when they’re older you experience the big rollercoasters, can stay up to see the fireworks, and you don’t need to worry how much sugar they’re having so close to bedtime (or maybe you do?)
Is two too young for Disneyland Paris?
Martha is two and eight months. She naps three days out of seven. It’s a battle to get her in the pushchair.
There lies the problem.
Not that I wanted her to sit in the pushchair the whole time. I wanted her to run around and dance and be free. However, she wanted to have a cuddle and touch my hair.
I get it. It was over stimulating and obviously she felt safe cuddling one of us.
She’d run around for a little while, but then she’d want picking up. This was quite tiring.
HOWEVER.
There were some of the most magical bits with taking a two year old to Disneyland Paris.
She truly thought she was seeing the real Belle, Beast, Elsa and Anna. It was like she’d seen a celebrity.
Then there was the parade. As soon as she saw people lining up she’d join the crowd and start dancing.
She LOVED the shows, too.
She was fairly easy in the shop. She just wanted chocolate coins which were 3 Euros. I was fine with this compared to her sister who was after Elsa Dress and Boots at 100 Euros.
Martha also napped which was helpful. However, it was so exciting on the first day that she didn’t sleep until 4 pm and was quite hard work the few hours before that.
Martha isn’t in nappies. This is great news. But turns out at Disneyland Paris with a two year old I’d have liked her to be. You just can’t do a wild wee in Disney like you can in the park. This meant Matt was weed on twice and we were constantly on the look out for toilets.
Two year olds go free at Disneyland Paris
Yep. Under three’s go free. This is great news.
There are rides they can go on too, if they like rides that is!
Here are a few they’ll be OK to go on:
- Small World
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Le Carrousel de Lancelot
- Alices’s curious Labyrinth
- le pays des contes de fees (Little boat ride around iconic fairy tales)
- Les Mysteres du Nautilus
- Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups
- Phantom Manor
- Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing
- Cars
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Aladdin walk through
- Princess Pavillion
- Sleeping Beauty’s Castle
Disney Princess Breakfast with a Two Year Old in Disneyland Paris
The Disneyland Paris princess breakfast is free for under threes. The little one has to share with a parent.
If you have a foodie, I’d suggest paying for them to have their own breakfast. Thankfully there was enough for Martha as Ida didn’t want most of hers and I shared what I had, too. But if you’re going just adults and a two year old, you might want to get them something to eat.
The Princess Breakfast is worth it for a two year old in Disneyland though. Martha was patient waiting for them to come over and was very excited to have a photo with them.
Is it worth taking a two year old to Disneyland Paris?
Absolutely.
Yes she cried in the middle of the floor because she couldn’t put on her blue gloves.
Yes she wanted carrying.
Yes she napped at weird times.
Yes she was terrible at waiting in a queue.
Yes she was hot and bothered.
BUT.
The good times and the magic outweighed the bad.
Take them while they’re small and enjoy the magic. Take them again when they’re bigger and enjoy the coasters. You’ll have two incredible experiences with them.
Fromthemotherside 
Leave a comment