Vive la Difference: Disneyland Paris

Where do I start? In Paris they have two parks; Disneyland Park, which is similar in layout to Magic Kingdom, and the Walt Disney Studios. Note the first difference -- no "MGM" here! There is also a small area of shops and restaurants called Disney Village and a range of Disney-owned resorts on site.

The main difference you notice is that this is a dual language resort -- French and English. It means that many of your favorite rides are dubbed into French. It's a bit disconcerting the first time you hear a French Pirate of the Caribbean or a French C3PO!

They actually do the language thing pretty well. You can play 'identify the ride' from the French name...so who can guess "Cherie, j'ai retreci le public"? (In case your French is as bad as mine it's 'Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.)

The next thing many people notice is the castle. It's not Cinderella Castle, but Sleeping Beauty's Castle (Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant). It is smaller than the Magic Kingdom's castle; a pink confection of towers and turrets much loved by little girls and those of us who are a tad older.

There is no restaurant in the castle, but in the dungeons beneath you find a most impressive, enormous and very realistic Audio-Animatronics dragon. From time to time he awakes, roars, and blows steam from his nostrils. Lying in a pool in the cavernous dungeon, he is scary enough to frighten many a young guest.

• Tomorrowland is transformed into Discoveryland and is decorated with Jules Verne-style theming.
• The entrance to Walt Disney Studios is a huge undercover area that looks like Hollywood by starlight.
• Sad to say but the French just don't wear ears -- if you see anyone in Mickey Ears they are almost certainly British or American!
• In the parks you can hold unlimited FASTPASSes, so first thing the most speedy runners rush around and collect handfuls of them.
• The cast members do their best but struggle to get the ethos; no-one does Disney like a keen American cast member!
• There are no room-only reservations at the resorts; in common with most European hotels, all serve an inclusive and delicious Continental buffet breakfast.
• The Disneyland Paris premier resort is the Disneyland Hotel, which is right part of the park gates and looks at the railway and down Main Street beyond. At this resort characters come to breakfast every morning -- that's right, a free character breakfast!
• And last of all, Disneyland Park is the only 'Magic Kingdom' park worldwide that serves alcohol. (The French will not eat a meal without wine, and who can blame them?)