There are few experiences in a child’s life that will inspire a look of wonder such as the first time they see Sleeping Beauty Castle at the heart of Disneyland®. Even the older students can’t resist their inner child when they encounter this magic. Now imagine seeing that look of wonder 30 times over on the faces of your pupils as you lead them into the place where dreams come true.
As a teacher, it’s useful to keep this vision in your mind – it makes overcoming the logistical challenges of a Disneyland® Paris school trip all worth it in the end. Planning a school trip to one of the world’s most popular theme Parks is not going to be easy, but with our support you can ensure that you offer your students an experience of a lifetime.
Prepare Yourself for Hours of Fun
Whether you are organising a three-night adventure or a one-day excursion from Paris, you’ll be amazed how quickly the time will pass within the Park gates. The site includes over 50 rides, shows, and exhibits.
One of the online tools that we recommend using is the interactive map on the Disneyland® Paris website. It allows you to filter by age bracket and interest, ensuring that you and your group can make your way straight to the star attractions. It also gives you a bird’s eye view of the site, which will help you to plan meet up points, find toilets, and schedule in lunch breaks.
The Key Areas
There are 5 themed areas within the Disneyland® Park, all of which have their own distinctive feel and signature rides.
- Main Street – you will enter into nineteenth-century America as soon as you’re through the turnstiles. You can catch the steam train clockwise around the Park from here.
Don’t miss: the Disney Magic Parade
- Frontierland – allow your students to indulge their Wild West fantasies in this area. It includes a huge lake called ‘The Rivers of the Far West’, which can be explored by paddle boat.
Don’t miss: Big Thunder Mountain
- Adventureland – pirates and adventurers inhabit this area, making it a great destination for those looking to let off steam.
Don’t miss: Pirates of the Caribbean
- Fantasyland – fairytale attractions can be enjoyed here under the spires of Sleeping Beauty Castle – it’s the place to look out for characters wandering through the crowds.
Don’t miss: It’s a Small World
- Discoveryland – older children will love this futuristic area of lasers, cars and space travel.
Don’t miss: Space Mountain
Our Disneyland® Paris school trips also give you access to the Walt Disney Studios® Park, and the ability to hop from one Park to the other. The cinematographic Park is an excellent introduction to the magic of film making and animation, as well as the home of the fastest ride on the whole site: the Rock-n-Roller Coaster, which reaches speeds of 60 mph.
Know Your Students
Of course all of the usual planning procedures apply when organising a Disneyland® Paris visit, but it’s worth finding out if any of your students have specific medical conditions or frights that are relevant to theme Park rides. These might include:
- Fear of heights or the dark
- Vertigo or motion sickness
- Epilepsy or sensitivity to flashing lights
- Asthma (be aware than many of the rides use smoke machines and other special effects)
By researching the main attractions you can pinpoint which rides are not suitable for students with limiting conditions and make them aware ahead of time.
If your party is splitting up, make sure that you have reliable phone numbers for at least one “leader” in each group, whether a teacher, chaperone or a responsible student (age dependent).
It’s All in the Accommodation
When we are planning a school trip to Disneyland® Paris, we always choose to stay in one of the Park’s partner hotels. Algonquin’s Explorer’s Hotel is an excellent choice – its adventure-themed decor and services keep the magic alive for students even after they’ve been dragged away from the amusements when the gates are shut. Better yet, the hotel offers a free shuttle to the Parks, ensuring that travelling in a large group is quick and easy.
TOP TIP: add to your trip with a sightseeing tour of Paris onboard the Bateaux-Mouches – the French capital is just 30 minutes away.
We all know that the key to making the most of a successful theme park visit is planning. A school trip doesn’t have to be a headache – our expert team has decades of experience organising itineraries to Disneyland® Paris. Give them a call today to find out how they could help you put together a truly special French adventure!
