Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
World
Helen Carter

What it's like to visit Disneyland Paris after coronavirus pandemic

Disneyland Paris is reopening after four months of lockdown and is welcoming guests back for the first time.

But things are not the same as they were before the measures were introduced in March as cases of coronavirus soared in Europe.

A range of health and safety restrictions have been added to the park in line with guidance from the French government and health authorities and in phases.

Disney's Newport Bay Club Hotel and its Hotel Cheyenne and Disney Village shopping and entertainment district have reopened.

The Disney Hotel Santa Fe reopens next month - on August 3 - followed by Disneyland Hotel on September 7.

Face coverings are mandatory for visitors aged 11 and older at all times except when eating.

Physical distancing of at least one metre in queues is enforced using colourful bilingual stickers on the ground.

Children can't hug their favourite characters anymore (Disneyland Paris)

Unlike some other Disney properties, there are no temperature checks.

But security remains tight and there are more than 2,000 hand sanitiser and washing stations dotted throughout the resort - particularly at the entrances and exits of attractions, restaurants, shops and theatres.

The characters of Mickey, Minnie and friends dance and wave from their prime vantage point on an elevated railroad platform.

Crowd capacity is limited in line with social distancing guidelines, through an online ticket system, that requires you to reserve admission for a specific date.

Parades are suspended as part of the restrictions (SHARED CONTENT UNIT)

Single rider queues and Fastpass services, which allow guests to pre-book a timed slot for eight key attractions, have been suspended to help queue management.

Popular rides like Peter Pan’s Flight and Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain often command wait times in excess of an hour. Now, the longest queue is 30 minutes.

Roller-coasters including Big Thunder Mountain and Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Peril have kept entire rows free to ensure physical distancing between families or groups.

Every time visitors remove face coverings for photos, a cast member reminds them of the rules and official attraction and ride photos are withheld if anyone in shot isn’t fully masked.

Capacity in restaurants is reduced, with takeaway options being actively promoted so people can dine al fresco.

The big crowd daily experiences such as the Disney Stars on Parade procession of floats have been suspended as they usually attract large numbers of onlookers. The Disney Illuminations with fireworks and light projections are also on hold.

Visitors are no longer allowed to hug their favourite characters at meet and greets. Instead there are selfie spots where they can take a few snaps on their own devices. At a distance.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.