On 30 September, Disneyland Paris’ 30th-anniversary celebrations come to an end. After that date, the shows, parades, and other activities unique to this celebration will be gone. So is this the time to go to Disneyland Paris? Or is it better to wait? This is our experience!
What is so different about the 30th-anniversary celebrations?
During birthday celebrations or seasons like Christmas and Halloween, a few things are different from normal. These are the extras unique to the 30th anniversary.
Gardens of Wonder
The Gardens of Wonder are moving statues of Disney characters that can be seen in front of the castle. The statues are abstract but easily recognisable, and thanks to the rotating movement, they add some excitement to the normally dull section in front of the castle.
Once during our visit, we took the time to look at and photograph all the sculptures. But we noticed that very few other people did. They looked at the statues and thought they were beautiful too, but did not take the time to stroll through them quietly.
Not surprising, of course, because with more than 40 attractions and shows, there are plenty of other things to do at Disneyland Paris.
Entertainment
Next, the entertainment. Normally, Disneyland Paris already has many shows, especially compared to other theme parks. You can also see these shows during the 30th anniversary, plus some extra shows!
The highlight was Disney D-Light, a show with 200 drones around the Disneyland Paris castle. Very nice to see!
There is also a special parade with lots of dancing and Disney characters that can be seen several times daily in Disneyland Park.
In the shops
For the 30th anniversary celebrations, special merchandise will be on sale. These include clothing and collectables.
Well, I must confess that I did not buy this merchandise myself, as I did not like it very much. What I did like was the retro collection, where they used the old logo and colours from 30 years ago.
Restaurants
Almost every restaurant in Disneyland Paris has special items on the menu for the 30th anniversary. These could be wines or cocktails, but also a dessert or snacks.
We tried several of these items and, quite honestly, were not very impressed. They were mostly nice items for the photo, but we didn’t find the desserts we had very tasty now. And that is quite a shame because they were not cheap.
Of course, it is still fun to taste and try new things. We will certainly continue to do so. But you don’t have to go to Disneyland Paris’ 30th anniversary just for the snacks.
What happens when the celebration is over?
On 1 October 2023, Disneyland Paris’ 30th-anniversary celebrations will be over.
The shows, merchandise, food and everything related to the 30th anniversary will be gone by then. And it won’t come back. You will then have to wait until the resort’s 35th anniversary – in 2027 – to experience such an event again.
By the way, that doesn’t mean it will be boring at Disneyland Paris then. Definitely not! Because on 1 October, the Halloween season starts; one of my favourite times to go to Disneyland Paris.
Until early November, the Disney theme parks, Disney Village and hotels are spookily decorated. You can have your picture taken with Disney Villains, which you can also see reflected in shows and parades. But there is no special Halloween night this year as there have been in the past. Anyone can now, without paying extra, celebrate Halloween at Disneyland Paris!
When Halloween is over, two weeks later, it is already time for the Christmas season at Disneyland Paris. This lasts until early January 2024.
After this, normalcy returns, and you will probably have to wait until Spring for special shows and other entertainment
Is the celebration really worth a visit?
This is a tough question to answer.
Have you been to Disneyland Paris once before and are looking for a good time to go again? Then the 30th anniversary is a perfect time for another visit. There are plenty of new things to experience and discover then, and your stay will be totally different from last time.
If it’s your first time, the 30th anniversary is also a good time to go. The theme parks are extra nicely decorated and there is much more entertainment than usual. Besides, it gives you a good excuse to go again and to experience Disneyland Paris without the celebration.
Can’t make it to Disneyland Paris before the celebrations end on 30 September 2023? Not to worry! Even without the celebration, Disneyland is a fun destination! And looking for a period to go with extra entertainment? Then choose the Halloween or Christmas period.
