| It was the crowning moment
of an October half-term well spent, and the look on their faces said
it all. Initial disbelief turned to undisguised wonder as we pulled
into the car park and pointed to the overhead sign. For three gloriously sunny
days we had marvelled at the Mona Lisa, pounded the streets of
Montmartre, strolled through the Tuileries gardens and explored the
Left Bank. Then, after an early breakfast, we packed the car and �
supposedly � headed for Calais and home. But little did the three
figures in the back seat know that far from being over, the fun was
about to begin. �Welcome to Disneyland Resort Paris,� read the sign.
Like it or not � and I have yet to find a parent who does not � Disney
is now as essential a component of any family visit to Paris as the
Louvre. The two parks, Disneyland
and the adjoining Walt Disney Studios, plan special entertainment this
autumn � designed to ensnare adults as much as children � along with
the white- knuckle rides and regular attractions. Ghosts and ghouls come out
of the woodwork as the new Spooky Street in Main Street, USA is
transformed for Halloween until November 2. Arch-villains such as the
dastardly Captain Hook, Cruella DeVil and Aladdin�s evil enemy Jafar
will take part in the Disney Villain Parade every day at 4pm. Children can enjoy
ghoulish hair and make-up workshops as well as pumpkin-sculpting
classes. Later on there will be night-time entertainment at Disney�s
Halloween parties on October 25 and 31. Lake Disney will hot up
for fireworks extravaganzas on November 3, 5 and 7, when you can join
Mickey and his friends for music and entertainment in front of a huge
floating bonfire. To create the Christmas
spirit, Disney�s Fantillusion returns from November 8 to light up the
winter evenings while Disney characters, tales and legends all come to
life in a visual spectacular. As the Disneyland Park is plunged into
darkness, the sparkling procession of Disney�s Fantillusion floats
along Main Street, USA, featuring some of Disney�s most popular heroes
and villains. Presiding over the
entrance to the park will be a 25m Christmas tree decorated with
barley sugar sticks, marzipan figures, more than a mile of garlands
and 7,000 fairy lights. Every night the area will
come to life as Father Christmas and his sleigh and reindeers lead toy
soldiers and dancing dolls to the foot of the tree for a tree-lighting
ceremony. Each evening a child will be picked out of the crowd to
unlock a magical manuscript which, when opened, will release a cloud
of multicoloured fireflies, sending a cascade of light towards the
Christmas tree and then on to Sleeping Beauty�s Castle. A white Christmas is
guaranteed here, whatever the weather. Snowflakes will fall on Main
Street, USA and Father Christmas will make a daily appearance at his
Christmas Grotto. The doors to his wooden cottage will open several
times a day throughout the Christmas period. At Walt Disney Studios
Park, Father Christmas will be available for a souvenir photograph.
Goofy will be dressed in festive costume next to his Cadillac, with a
boot full of presents, while Mickey�s trailer will be themed on winter
sports.
When we finally turned for home a tired but happy voice from the back
seat said: �Next time, can we cut the culture bit and just stay at
Disney?�.
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