How to celebrate Disneyland Paris’ 30th Anniversary

Whenever Disneyland is celebrating an anniversary, you know it is going to be the most magical event of the year, and with the bulk of the celebrations lasting until next year, why not consider Disneyland Paris for your summer holiday this year? We’ve had a look at some of the highlights and the best ways to celebrate, along with some accommodation in a few different price ranges.

What’s on?

Disney has created a character-packed show specially for its 30th anniversary named ‘Dream…and Shine Brighter’, which like the name suggests, is a shiny spectacle of a daytime show! The characters will be celebrating in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle in their brand new shiny costumes.

The park itself has been decorated to celebrate the event so if you’ve been before, expect some different décor floating around. Definitely photo-worthy.

The Gardens of Wonder has been created for the anniversary. There are 30 unique sculptures of iconic Disney characters to take in and enjoy, and according to their website, it is well worth a visit during the day and again at night to have two very different experiences, how exciting!

At night, there is a brand new show over the castle, lit by drone lights! They do note however that the drones are weather permitting and are only used for a limited time period.

As always with a Disneyland anniversary, there is exclusive merchandise, souvenirs, food and drink, so you definitely want to make sure you hit the shops and food courts to make the most out of your trip.

How should I get there?

Fights to Disneyland Paris from the UK are not too expensive, as you can fly to any Paris airport. Charles e Gaulle is the closest being only 13 miles away. Looking at easyJet which is a good middle of the road airline, here are some of the prices we can see.

From London Gatwick and Luton flights range from £40 - £95 per person on average, with morning outbound and evening inbound being the most expensive.

From Manchester, flights range from £75 - £200 on average. If you want to fly from Gatwick to save on the cost you could be paying just as much on transport to get there, with trains from Manchester Airport to Gatwick Airport costing £200+ for 2 adults and 2 children.

From Glasgow, flights range from £65 - £200.

When at Charles de Gaulle airport you can book many different types of transfers to take you from the airport to the parks, but we are using Magical Shuttle to give estimated prices. For 2 adults and 2 children booking a return shuttle, it will be €132.

Booking a return train ticket from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris would cost you on average £95 for the 2 adults and 2 children.

Where should I stay?

It’s no secret that a Disney holiday can be pricey, so we’re going to show you a few options all with different budgets in mind. For all of these examples, we are using a 4-night stay at the end of July when prices tend to be at their peak due to the summer holidays for 2 adults and 2 children.

Save the pennies

If you’re looking to make the most out of your pennies and not blow a massive portion of your budget on accommodation, have a look at Airbnb.

Accommodation there starts at just £85 a night, and booking more nights can get you a bigger discount. Surprisingly, there is still quite a few places to pick from for accommodation really close to Disneyland so it is well worth jumping on and booking sooner rather than later.

If you do book your accommodation separately, you will have to book your park tickets separately too. Looking at a 3-day ticket for the two parks which you could use during this example 4-night stay, it is £255.22 per adult and £236.41 per child. It’s worth noting here that children under 3 get to go free too, so factor that into your costs if it applies to you too.

The final thing you will have to consider if you book it separately is transport to and from the parks to your accommodation. Services like Uber are available in France, but depending on how close your accommodation is you could just walk there, though you do A LOT of walking during the day at Disneyland. There is also a train station at Disneyland Paris if you are slightly further afield, have a look on a map where your accommodation is in relation to the park to see what transport makes sense for you.

Also depending on where you book, if you’re in a B&B you will have to organise meals as they may not be offered by your accommodation.

Estimated total: £1408.26 (for accommodation and park entry only)

Modest pricing

If you’d like to stay in an official Disney Hotel they have a range of packages available, but they do come at a bit more of a premium. For this example, we’re including the hotels that come with a free shuttle to the park.

The least expensive hotel is Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe, a two-star hotel themed around route 66 and the movie Cars and the American South West. The parks are a 20-minute walk away, or you can utilize the free shuttle which only takes a few minutes.

You get a standard room with two double beds, character experiences, and the hotel also has the buffet Cantina and the Rio Grande Bar. Food is not included in the basic booking.

All the rooms have free Wi-Fi too for uploading all of your pictures to Instagram when you settle in for the evening.

Booking the package deal through Disney does mean that you get your accommodation, the shuttle, and your park passes included all in one price.

Estimated total: £2252.18 (not including additional food costs)

Splash that cash

If you’re wanting to go all in and have the most magical and extravagant experience you can for the 30th anniversary, consider booking Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel.

Included in your booking is a superior room with two double beds, a swimming pool, character experiences, a free shuttle, a fitness room, room service, and free Wi-Fi. Food is not included in the basic booking.

Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel is a swish four-star hotel with a contemporary Manhattan-style theme, celebrating Earth’s mightiest heroes, the Avengers. It’s a 10-minute walk away from the parks, or a couple of minutes on the free shuttle, and is a few steps away from the Disney Village.

There is the Manhattan Restaurant and the Parkside Diner, the New York City Bar, plus the Empire State Club which is a private lounge bar.

The Downtown Athletic Club has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna and steam, a fitness room, and outdoor tennis courts to name a few amenities.

There is also valet parking, a concierge, and a porter.

Estimated total: £4070.06 (not including additional food costs)

Overall, if you’re planning a visit to Disneyland Paris for its 30th Anniversary celebrations, there are a range of holiday plans to fit lots of budgets. We’ve only picked out 3 here, but Disney has a whole host of hotels available to book, all with different themes, price points, and perks. But one thing is for sure, you need to take your Caxton currency card with you because the collectables available in their stores are stunning!

Don’t have a Caxton currency card? Not a problem, apply for yours today, make your initial load, and receive your card in 3 – 5 working days. Perfect timing for your summer Disney trip.