The last time Marie-Claire Digbyvisited Disneyland Paris her son was too small to make the most of it. What will it be like second time around for her and Andrew Digby?
THE LAST TIME I took my son, Andrew, to Disneyland Resort Paris he was young and innocent enough to believe that the fire- and smoke-blowing dragon in Sleeping Beauty's castle was real and too short for the "cool" rides. While the rest of the gang conquered Space Mountain he waited, disconsolately, at the exit. Now, a week shy of his 14th birthday and an inch short of six feet, he's back, and looking for revenge by dragging me on to the tallest, fastest and most exhilarating rides.
And since our last visit there's a whole new park to explore, Walt Disney Studios, which bigger kids will gravitate towards. With its Aerosmith Rock 'n' Roller Coaster (really very cool, even for an ageing mum; we did it three times), Stunt Show Spectacular, Armageddon Special Effects and Car Race Rally, it's an adrenalin junkie's dream. Think Disneyland but louder and brasher, with High School Musical instead of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
As we pack our overnight bags and head to Paris to join in the park's ongoing birthday celebrations - only at Disney could you have a 15th-birthday party that lasts two years - I get the feeling this is going to be a hold-on-to-your-hat moment . . . Would Andrew have his revenge or would I remind him of another theme-park visit, when, after a sweltering wait in line for a ride where the screaming participants whizzed past us hanging upside down in their seats, again and again, he chickened out at the final moment?
Given that we'd queued for so long, I would have gone through with it rather than disappoint him. But, once it came to the point where those at the top of the queue had their shoes and bags removed, and we came within sight of the walking wounded at the exit, he whispered that maybe we'd do it later. We walked the walk of shame down the emergency exit. Anything rather than experience a ride that looked as if it was like being thrown off a mountainside in a tumble dryer.
But that was then and this is now, and armed with a VIP Fastpass ticket - available only to visiting dignitaries, occupants of Disney hotel suites and the occasional Irish impostor - which allows us to skip to the top of all the queues all day long, we're off to try out the newest and scariest ride at Walt Disney Studios Park, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which had its official launch in April.
For the faint of heart it's best not to know too much about this ride in advance, other than that it's a mystery story inspired by the classic 1960s US TV series The Twilight Zone. But if you're visiting the park this summer with teenagers in tow you won't be able to avoid it. For a start it's the tallest building at Disneyland Resort Paris - the 13- storey, 55m (183ft) structure is visible for kilometres around.
The ride itself defies description. Well, I did have my eyes closed for most of it. Unfortunately, they were wide open for the spine-chilling bit where, in the middle of the faster-than-gravity descent in a service elevator, the carriage is suddenly catapulted up again, and from the ride's highest point a solid wall opens to reveal a bird's-eye view of the park, far, far below.
"The Tower of Terror affects every one of the senses, leaving you feeling as if you really have been in your own episode of The Twilight Zone. We wanted the guest to feel completely out of control, not knowing what to expect next, and giving the die-hard fans a lot more to talk about," says Theron Skees, show producer. Well, tick that box: it's an out-of-body experience, all right.
A tip for first-timers: when, after the hair-raising build-up, the fateful service-elevator door opens, grab one of your companions and hold on for dear life. There are 21 seats in each elevator, so someone has to go through the whole terrifying experience without anyone to cling to. Don't let it be you.
You know you've been on a "good" ride when you stagger off at the end, really glad it's over, and your stomach takes a while to settle. With this in mind, Disney designers have provided a lavish shopping experience at the exit, so you can regain your equilibrium while buying a T-shirt.
Once we had recovered from the tower we headed for some less stomach-churning amusement at Walt Disney Studios Park's other new attraction, Stitch Live!, an interactive audience with the lovable alien from Lilo Stitch, aimed at younger visitors but with enough bells and whistles to keep the older visitor amused, too. Just a word of warning: unless you're the outgoing type, who won't mind your image being projected on screen and being referred to, for example, as "Steve from England - the one with no fur on his head", keep a low profile during this live link-up with the cheeky alien on his spaceship.
Having explored the all-singing, all-dancing studios park, we walked over to the original Disneyland Park, where we met up with an old friend - Space Mountain - and, after a long wait, Andrew finally got to conquer his Everest. "Actually, really good," he said afterwards. So maybe some things really are worth waiting for. MCD
Try to go without your mum or you'll end up black and blue'
WHEN MY FRIENDS heard I was going to Disneyland they all thought I was off to the US. We took a plane to France instead, and I really enjoyed it.
But if you're going to Disneyland Resort Paris, try to go without your mum or you'll end up black and blue from all the bruises - mine grabbed on to me during all the rides. I didn't mind so much during our trip on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - that is gut-churningly scary. Glad I didn't eat anything before going on that one.
It isn't my favourite ride, though. My all-time favourite is the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with Aerosmith, in Walt Disney Studios Park. It uses a jet engine to take off like a rocket, and during the ride they play all my favourite songs.
I also enjoyed Crush's Coaster, which is based on the movie Finding Nemo. Make sure you get into the front of the carriages, which are shaped like shells, facing forwards - that way you'll end up doing the whole ride backwards.
When you want to sit down for a bit, go and see Stunt Show Spectacular, a brilliant high-octane show where you get to see how the car and bike chases are done on movies. It takes about an hour from start to finish, but it's well worth seeing.
I really liked Stitch Live! - even for a 14-year-old it was quite funny. It is interactive, and the show is different every time.
I really, really wanted to see Armageddon, which is about how they did the special effects for the movie, but we ran out of time.
During our visit we met Peter McGrath, one of the top people in Disney worldwide. He is originally from Wexford and was the project engineer for Fantasyland in the Paris park. He has also worked in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and California. I want his job!
In the Disneyland Park, finally, after having waited seven years, I got to ride Space Mountain. It was absolutely worth the wait. The only disappointing ride I did was Phantom Manor, which was not at all scary.
Food in Disneyland Resort was very varied; you can get whatever you want. My favourite restaurant was Billy Bob's, in Disney Village, where the barbecue chicken and chips are tasty, and you get to listen to some cool country rock music - yes, really, it was cool. AD
Where to stay and where to eat on a trip to Disneyland Paris
Getting to the park
From Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, pick up one of the VEA shuttle buses (€17 for adults, €13 for children). The journey takes between 45 minutes and an hour, depending on traffic and on which hotel you're being dropped at. Check the timetable at www.vea.fr. If you plan to arrive on a Friday evening, there's a two-hour gap between the 8.25pm bus and the final one of the day, at 10.25pm; take a taxi (about €75) or jump on a TGV train in the terminal 2 station for the 10-minute ride to Marne
La Vallée, for which you'll pay about €25 per person (www.sncf.com). We tried it, and it worked a treat, taking about 40 minutes from touchdown to entering the magic kingdom. For a shuttle from Beauvais Airport, see www.ata-beauvais.com.
Where to stay
There are several advantages in staying at one of the five Disney hotels at the resort. You can enter the parks before they open to the general public, you can charge gift-shop purchases to your room and have them delivered, and if you find yourself flagging during the day you can nip back for a rest.
Adults might appreciate the level of comfort in the four-star French-themed Disneyland Hotel and the four-star American-styled Hotel New York, both just outside the gates of the parks, but it was the Wild West-themed two-star Hotel Cheyenne, with its log cabins and bunk beds, that appealed to my 14-year-old. In addition, there are two three-star hotels, the New England-themed Newport Bay Club and the forest-lodge- inspired Sequoia Lodge.
Prices start at €541 per person (based on two adults and including park admission) staying for two nights/three days at Disneyland Hotel, or €249 at Hotel Cheyenne.
Family rooms generally have two double beds, which might be okay for smaller children but might not go down well with teenagers.
Under-sevens "stay and play" free as part of the birthday celebrations, and at certain times of the year there are "extra night free" promotions.
If you'd prefer to stay elsewhere, the Holiday Inn in nearby Marne La Vallée has circus-themed family rooms with a queen bed and two bunks. It also has an indoor swimming pool and regular transfers to the parks (www.ichotels.com). Expect to pay about €180 per night for a family room, sleeping four, when you book ahead. See www.disneylandparis.com.
Where to eat
In the parks, the eating options mostly involve fast food, for which you'll stand in a queue for quite a while, then eat either in a dimly-lit dungeon or outside, exposed to the elements. We think it worthwhile getting a pass out and eating in Disney Village, a vast entertainment zone just outside the entrance gates where you'll find a branch of the excellent Rainforest Café as well as a Steakhouse, a Planet Hollywood, a US diner and, if the kids insist, a McDonald's. There's also a country 'n' western saloon, Billy Bob's, where the music is excellent and the kids can eat chilli or chicken while sniggering at the old folk trying to line dance.
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies to Paris-Charles de Gaulle from Dublin, Cork and Belfast.
Air France (www.air france.ie) flies to Paris- Charles de Gaulle from Dublin and Shannon.
Ryanair (www.ryanair. com) flies to Paris-Beauvais from Dublin and Shannon.