Bare with me I promise this isn't as depressing as it sounds. See one of the only pictures I got of me on this trip via self timer as proof. 

Absolutely determined to write something again even although I don’t have a topic in mind. I’m sitting in Bar Postiguillo in Seville, the second tapas bar that came up on google maps and one that was luckily 3 minutes away from where I was when I was looking for respite from the rain. In the past 3 days I’ve hopped from Malaga to Granada to Seville and all three experiences were never going to be perfect, unfortunately Seville was the one took the hit. The rain is coming down sideways and has seeped through the laces of my shoes after I had spent the morning frantically finding the fastest/cheapest method of transport here from Granada after my initial 10am bus sold out burnt what little oil I had left in me after a few days of following a strict itinerary. That method ended up being a car share and was much more comfortable than any bus or train quadruple the price would’ve been, so never lose hope too fast. 

BUT - I’m here. I always joke about how my character gains a life or levels up each time I successfully solve a problem while solo travelling. Having dinner by yourself isn’t ideal by any means but you can eat where and when you want, and having turned my data off 10 minutes ago (75% of my way through the data that has to last me until early December) it’s dawned on me that it’s a literal sit down with yourself. Almost every word I’ve physically said today was piecing together a conversation with my Spanish speaking ride share driver, a woman I will always remember as being a complete lifesaver (and apparently “una salvadas” as opposed to “un salvidas” as she is not an object, but I still think that's wrong and I'm too embarrassed to ask anyone about it again hahaha). Speaking to people and constant introductions are equal parts completely routine and entirely strenuous. There is something so tiring in having to strip your life back to a few main points while still creating a decent image of yourself in another’s mind. Doesn’t matter whether it’s the start of a class, in a hostel or on a date. It’s exhausting.

Spending time by yourself when you are in a place where you can truly be happy in your own company is a blessing. It’s a chance to grow and recover and discover more of yourself than you had to time to figure out before. Walking every where this year has been a source of healing for me, and it’s provided training for manic tourism as a wee added bonus. I’ve become much more confident in myself in every aspect, which is ground I’ve covered in the last couple blogs so won’t bore myself or others with repetition but it’s still so true and proves itself so in the confidence to solve problems independently and to comfortably enjoy my own company for a few nights. 

It is unfortunate that Seville has suffered off the back of this trip but it’s what I get for cramming in as much as I can in such a short time. I’m still convinced I would have nailed this had the weather been better but you never know, I’m lucky I managed to get here at all. I still got to smell the citrus fruits (maybe orange, I don’t know if it counts as citrus but it smelled like it anyway) by the Real Alcázar and I got to climb the cathedral to spectacular albeit moody panoramic views of a city I’ve got so much yet to explore. 

Later in the day - from now on writing on the bus back from the airport in Palma - I went on to see the metropol umbrella which gave the cloudy and light polluted sky a wee bit of extra colour, I had the chance to dry off and I got to watch a flamenco show with the rare sound of heavy rain on the canopy roof incorporated into the performances. Unfortunately wasn’t able to cross a proper visit to the Alcazar off the list but that’s something for my eventual, now necessary, return. It was a funny and extremely memorable whistle stop trip - there isn’t an experience that can’t be salvaged (soggy feet and all), especially if you lost years off your life in stress trying to get to that point.

(Okay so after reading few a couple of my past blogs I've realised that these always come either from a really happy place or a really sad one and this year has been an emotional rollercoaster, I promise to try and provide at least some decent content after this one lol)
I’m writing this at the side of a pool, enveloped in glorious sunshine on arguably one of the most pleasant days weather-wise since I landed in Orlando over two months ago. I start every one of these blogs saying that I only ever tend to write when trying to unravel my thoughts and this is no different. This summer has been physically (for lack of a better word) one of the best of my life. Although I’d still call Christmas my favourite time of year, Summer is the time where I feel the most free, and I’ve found in recent years especially that sunshine improves my mood dramatically. I’ve spent the past 10 weeks in one of my favourite places on the planet, with so many wonderful friends, and getting paid to be here. Shifts were (very) long and the work not always as entertaining as you’d imagine working at Disney World would be, but it was still the best job I’ve had and will likely ever have again. Why then have I spent a good part of the past few months fraught with anxiety and allowed myself to feel progressively more isolated and trapped within a body I’m just not happy to be in? (Which is a complete contrast with the note I finished my last blog on, are we surprised? Not really.) It’s definitely not all to do with physical appearance although I’m very much aware that it plays a major role - but more to do with a lack of acceptance for who I am, how I think and handle situations. My ability to manage multiple friendships while balancing and working on individual relationships has deteriorated over time and what time and energy I used to spend dedicated to others is now being put towards nothing but the anxiety of losing people. It’s a vicious cycle. This blog isn’t intended to reap any kind of solution or result, but more to acknowledge a flaw in myself that demands my time and attention in the coming months as I resettle into some kind of normality - and hopefully to try to explain to anyone who has felt me slip away over the past year in particular. It’s time to take a step back and truly appreciate how privileged I am to have been living in a literal dream for the past 9 months. It's not every day (or year) that you can run around Epcot a few times before work, or just jump on Space Mountain, or tipsily SCREAM along to your favourite Disney World songs at Jellyrolls while laughing at incredibly niche Disney World humour with best friends that you practically live with. All this a couple months off the back of skiing, hiking, going to multiple improv comedy shows, coffee shop crawls and the most stress free exam period of my educational career. AND (??!!) I've traveled down California; hiked halfway up Yosemite Falls (next time I won't be too ill to do the whole thing, mark my words), climbed the hills of San Francisco, went to vintage/thrift shops on Haight-Ashbury, had lunch on Santa Monica Pier, managed to end up the Griffith Observatory 3/4 times in a 3/4 day period, and DISNEYLAND! The ORIGINAL!!! - all with my best friend (the best person on the planet). The idea of going home and dealing with everything that comes along with it is a nightmare right now, and it feels selfish to say it. Returning to normality means accepting and processing negative emotions, loneliness and grief that I've been lucky enough to be able to put in an 'out of sight, out of mind' position over the course of this year. I always knew this wouldn't last forever, and I think that is where a lot of the anxiety I've been feeling for the past while stems from. Uncertain about the feelings people have towards me, uncertain about how my life will look when I get home, uncertain about who will still be there. That all being said, on the same note as I left my last blog about being 21, I’m excited for the opportunity to try and better myself again, placing a bigger focus on my mental health, education, fitness and reconnecting with and empowering and supporting friends.

A WHOLE MONTH. I can't believe January is over, and how much I did this month. Genuinely easily the busiest and most wonderful month of my life for so many reasons.

You can judge my general mood and spirit based on when I post blogs because they always come with some intense burst of emotion, and it's been nice to have a more positive motive to write compared with my last few blogs of 2018.

Vancouver has been the world's biggest blessing, and has mended a lot of stuff I was struggling with before leaving. I've pushed myself in a million different ways, pushing my fitness, testing my time management (I'm still not good but I think I've accepted that being chronically late is a part of my personality), pushing myself into a lot of scary new social situations, and putting myself in genuinely scary thrilling adrenaline fueled situations. I've met people who have restored my sense of self-worth, and demonstrated single-handedly the impact that new people can have in such a short space of time.

I've been all over, a bunch of different beaches, the space centre, art gallery, the lookout, Canada Place (x100), the aquarium, a bunch of parks, a bird sanctuary - this list goes on. I've seen the a million sunsets, a bunch of different viewpoints, walked along the Iona Beach jetty INTO the sunset and back (10k !!!!!), and I saw the Super Blood Wolf Moon over the Vancouver skyline. A FREAKING ECLIPSE!!!!! IN A CLEAR SKY!!!!!! I'm still not over it.

In the past two weeks alone I've had my first ski lesson in the ROCKIES!!!!, went dogsledding and have spent a good bit of time zooming around on the back of a motorbike, and it was all magical, and thrilling.

It's weird to think that a year from now everything will be a memory. Even at the time - when you're flying through Stanley Park in the dark on the back of a motorbike, with the driver's foot firmly on the accelerator, flying past through the trees and past fleeting glimpses of the bright city skyline in the distance through the breaks in the branches - nothing feels real.

It's shown me how much I'm capable of, and how many crazy amazing unbelievable experiences there are here and anywhere else. Life is wonderful, and the more I experience the more I get excited about it.

This blog is short and badly written but I have so much to say about this past month that I don't even know where to begin. It's been better than I could have imagined. The takeaway from this blog is that I urge the very few people that read it to seize every opportunity you get. It could be terrible, it could be the best experience of your life, either way, it's a good story to tell :-)

Lucy x

I've been in Vancouver for a week now!! and WOW has it been a long week.

The downside of mild social anxiety is that large groups of people are overwhelming and often look faceless to me, names and sometimes faces are difficult to distinguish, and that has been what the majority of this week has been for me. Like one giant storm of people, and it's difficult to get a grasp of.

In my first 3 weeks of uni, right at the very beginning, I tried to quit. Completely tried to drop out, for the same reasons as I've described above. I had no idea how to make friends, Freshers events seemed like my worst nightmare (and still are, wish me luck for this week coming), no one from high school was doing my course, and with a crowd of 300 odd students, it just seemed like a faceless crowd. It seemed impossible.

Turns out, it wasn't impossible. I've met the most wonderful pure lovely extraordinary people through uni, and I couldn't be happier, but it took time, and that's what I've had to tell myself this week.

BUT it's not all bad. Like I mentioned in my last blog, over the past couple of years I've become fiercely independent - and it's proving to be a blessing. Although having friends to physically interact and share experiences with is always preferable, I'm confident enough to venture out on my own, and because of it, I've been able to experience things I never would have been able to otherwise.

Travelling on your own allows you to navigate the day on your own accord, you can chop and change plans within a moments notice, you can dart from place to place without a second thought. If you want to see as much as you can that day, then travelling on your own is the way to go AND it's a lot easier to make friends with strangers this way. In one day I was able to have 4 different conversations comparing Scotland and Canada, and as a result I learned about family links and got offered a free coffee.

Spending more time with yourself allows you to discover your own capabilities and subsequent limits in the same way that you would be learning about a friend you would have taken with you. Be your own friend. Learn more about yourself. Push your own boundaries. If, like me - cripplingly so, you can struggle with confidence issues, then this is one of the easiest ways to gain self confidence. Taking ultimate responsibility for your own physical actions, with no one to help navigate in any sense, is incredibly enriching.

I'm not going to pretend it's an easy thing to do - especially for people who feel dependent on others for comfort and security reasons. The beauty of being fairly introverted is that I've become totally comfortable in my own company, and it's just fine. It doesn't happen overnight, and requires work and patience, and maybe the ability to prove to yourself that you can do it; but you can.

Everyone can. Everyone should. Travelling solo means limitless opportunities. Go wherever the wind takes you. (not to quote Pocahontas or anything lol)

Lucy x

My past couple of blogs have been a bit ~ negative ~ and I feel like that's a really bad representation of my year. I won't lie about it, it's been tough; I spent a good bit of the year feeling like I wasn't good enough for anything, suffered loss, rejection and I had my first real experience of grief, and it all took a bit of a toll on my mental health.

Krakow is a great city for so many reasons, rich in history, great prices and GREAT food. Most of our list that we set out to tick off involved food, and it was just as good (or better) than we expected. Surprisingly, this is a city of many (many) Italian restaurants, which we weren't expecting at all but suited me down to the ground anyway. The bakery culture was my favourite part, why can't every city run on pastries?

I debated making this blog a full food diary but considering my weird/restricted eating habits that would have made for an extremely dull and repetitive blog that even I wouldn't want to read over again, so why not summarise this into my favourite snacks across the trip!

- Obwarzanek



Arguably the most basic of the bunch, but you can't been extremely cheap (and relatively iconic) street food. This is a Krakow staple, you can find them in stalls literally all over the city - as a rule of thumb, always try something you can find on a magnet.
These are Krakowien bagels/pretzels, and they are one of the best ways to sample the local culture. We tried some from all over, and you can get all kinds of different toppings, poppyseed, salt, cheese etc. Prices vary slightly but they are all cheap (!!!!), for as little as 50p or less even. It's such an easy snack, or breakfast if that's what you're feeling - paired with a coffee from one of Krakow's many bakeries!

- Pączki



I'd love to tell you that I took this picture but I wasn't that smart, and bought two donuts and only decided to take a photo of it once it had been smashed in my bag - so I thought it would be better to find a picture that actually resembles a doughnut.
I'm not sure whether it's just the icing that differs or whether the jam inside changes with the flavours too, but I chose a rose and a cinnamon (and because of how squished they got in my bag I honestly couldn't really tell the difference between them), and they were both BEAUTIFUL. If you don't like rose flavoured things, then obviously this won't be for you, but I'm lead to believe that the rose flavour is the most famous - and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. It's the perfect blend of both sweet and floral, and it's not overpowering or perfume-y. Definitely would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't stuffed my face on something else before buying them too lol
(p.s. we bought ours from Grodzka 6 which is just off the main square)

- Mixed berry sweet bread



Honestly don't know the real name for this bread but this will do, because it's exactly what it was. The blueberry jam in the middle was a bit much but I'd have it for breakfast ANY day of the year and I'm kind of sad it's so out of reach. (ft. my chubby hands, all the better for holding sweet breads and pastries with)

- Dark chocolate ice cream 



Obviously ice cream isn't exactly culturally unique or distinct to Poland, but no lie, this was the best ice cream I've had in my life. We stopped at Good Lood in Kazimierz after dinner nearby at Kolanko No. 6, and it might be the best decisicion I've made all year. When they said dark chocolate they weren't kidding, it was so intensely rich and creamy and I'm still dreaming about it more than a month later.
This photo is horrendous but I don't care, I'm immortalising it here. Was I high? No. Was I CONTENT? Yes. Best ice cream of my life (maybe). I love ice cream. Thank you and good night. 

- Poppyseed bun



My favourite discover of the whole trip was these poppyseed buns. I picked one up originally thinking it was a weird pain au chocolat but I have never been so happy to be wrong. The first bite is weird if you don't know what to expect, but the only description I can give is that it's subtly sweet, and delicate and soft which a little crunch around the outside and the added sweetness of the light icing on top (which only 1/3 of the buns I picked up had on them, but that didn't matter). These were GLORIOUS. It might be an acquired taste, and they do look a bit like "spider's eggs" (thanks to Erin for pointing this one out) but there's nothing like it. I could have eaten 10. If you're in and around Krakow (and I think a lot of eastern europe generally?) then PLEASE do yourself a favour and go and find one of these. Life changing.


COCKTAILS
I debated making a whole other blog about this and I might regret not doing that but I didn't want to write a half-blog on this when I have too much else to say (that ultimately I don't even think anyone else is going to read but o well this blog is for me anyway).

All I've done for this whole blog is gush over everything and I'm going to keep that going! These cocktails were the best I'd ever had, and some of the cheapest I've ever had too.

- Oriental Chacha / Rebecca's Touch


These were two very similar cocktails we got from Cheder in Kazimierz. They were some of the most original and simple cocktails that I've tried and I fell in love with them, although drinking it on an empty stomach wasn't my wisest move.
Oriental Chacha (pictured) is made with oriental liqueur, apple juice, honey and cinnamon - and it reminded me of how much I LOVE cinnamon. It makes everything taste better, and paired with apple? A holy combination.
Rebecca's Touch wasn't my drink but I tasted it and it was really similar to my drink, but instead of the liqueur it was made with Krupnik vodka, and the cinnamon was swapped for lemon. This one wasn't as suited to my tastes because vodka is disgusting (sorry), but the apple/lemon/honey made it work. It was still a gorgeous cocktail.

- HEVRE



Truthfully I can't remember the name of the pictured cocktail, but we had this round in a bar called Hevre in Kazimierz which I would recommend to anyone going to Krakow. It's an old synagogue that's been converted into a bar/night club and it was one of the most fascinating places I've been to. Plus it's got a whole range of unique and reasonably priced cocktails (although a little more expensive by Krakow standards).

- White Russian



Also pictured is a tequila sunrise which was good and reasonably priced but nothing spectacular compared with how the Polish (or at least in Krakow) does a White Russian. Something as simple as swapping milk for cream makes a HUGE difference. I can never go back. It was almost like a creamy chocolate milk. Simple and amazing and I don't know why other bars haven't conned on to how BEAUTIFUL this is.
We got these drinks from a bar called Baroque which we spent the whole trip looking for and found on the last night! It was great but you can get this standard of White Russian pretty much anywhere in the city that we tried. 

- Raspberry Daquiri



Last but CERTAINLY not least, the best cocktail I've had in my life, this raspberry daquiri. We got them with our dinner at Da Pietro in the main square, and were speechless. These were like JAM. As if they just pureed straight rasberries and added some rum for a kick. I'd fly to Krakow for this cocktail ALONE. As someone who wants alcohol without the distinct alcohol taste, this ticks every box. It could almost pass for a smoothie, or a hard raspberry coulis. I'm still speechless, nothing I can say does this justice. I'm also aware that I've used the word "beautiful" to describe too many things on this list but I can't think of a better word to describe it - and I'm not even going to try to. So GOOD.

BONUSSSS
- Elderflower Fanta



It's not distinctly Polish by any means, or food, or a cocktail, but there was no way I was posting this blog without giving it a mention. This flavour is so common too? It is available pretty much everywhere in all kinds of different sizes and it tastes so fancy, I was so impressed. It was another highlight of the trip. I'm jealous of myself for ever being able to drink this casually without having to smuggle it onto a plane or something, and I'm jealous of anyone else who could just leave their house right now and pick up some like it's nothing. Liquid GOLD.

With that, I'm going to finish this blog with a plea to both the good people of Krakow and Coca Cola as a company to please send all the goods (everything in this list) my way :-)

Before I travel anywhere I look up these "____ in a day" blogs, as a means of highlighting the best, must-see attractions to place at the top of these itineraries, and I'd like to throw my hat into the travel blogging ring with my own take on these!

I'm hopefully going to do one of these kinds of blogs for all the cities (and other places, maybe theme parks etc) that I've been to and remember enough about to write something decent. It only makes sense to start with Krakow, while it's fresh in my head from last week :-)

FIRST THINGS FIRST - YOU CANNOT DO THIS CITY IN A DAY. 
This is purely down to the fact that if you are in Krakow, or anywhere in the vicinity, I would urge you to take a day out to visit Auschwitz - whether you have done it before or not, it is extremely important. I'm going to write a whole other blog about how thought provoking and moving the whole experience was. It's just too significant to miss out, and because of how far it is from the city (about an hour and a half at best), you can't just squeeze it in to an afternoon, and you shouldn't try to either.

However, if time truly is of the essence and you are really keen on one single day in Krakow, then here is my take on everything you should squeeze into a day:



Main Square (Rynek)
To make the most out of your day, start as early as you can. Maybe around 9am.
Head into the square and grab breakfast, it can be from anywhere - if it's warm enough you could sit outside at one of the many restaurants that line the square, or you could sample Krakow's copious amounts of bakeries and grab a fresh juice from down a side street.
Spend some time walking around and familiarizing yourself with the heart of the city, there's plenty to see. Wander in and out of the little churches and shops, or just spend time admiring the architecture. It's a BEAUTIFUL city.

It's here that you can hear the Hejnał (Kraków's Bugle Call), which is played from every side of the left tower of St Mary's Basilica every hour on the hour. This was honestly one of my favourite parts of the whole trip, something so simple and traditional that is a staple part of the culture of the city - and if you look up and spot the trumpet players, give them a wave. We got a little kick out of them waving back!
(I wish we knew the history of this beforehand, you can read up on it here: https://www.inyourpocket.com/krakow/The-Hejnal_3755f)

St Mary's Basilica
At 11.30am, the main church will open up to the public. Grab tickets in the shop just across from it, and head in. The church is breathtaking, lined with beautiful hand painted detailings from floor to the stars on the towering ceilings, long stained glass windows, and one of the largest alterpieces in Europe. It drips in gold, and while due to restoration works we couldn't see the bottom part of the alterpiece, you wouldn't even notice. There is so much to see, and so much detail and storytelling put into the art work that you could spend hours walking around and admiring it all.



Wawel (Krakow's Royal Castle)
Wawel castle is situated on a hill just south of the Old Town and boasts beautiful views, a cobble stone court yard and a number of architectural styles. The castle is also steeped in history, the first cathedral on site was built in 1000AD and was used by Polish royals until the 17th century. During WW2, the castle was used as the headquarters for the Nazi Governor General, Hans Frank.
If you are only in Krakow for a day, you won't have enough time to do all the exhibits, and as they are almost all ticketed, this might save you some money! We only did the main cathedral, which was free to enter.
I wish we could have done a few more exhibits, like armory, but we were pushed for time and money too - and hey, it gives me something to do the next time I'm in Krakow!



Schindler's Factory
This museum is especially important if you can't get to Auschwitz while around Krakow. Not only does this museum tell the story of Oskar Schindler, and how he used his factory to protect as many Jews as he was capable of during the Nazi invasion, it also details how Krakow as a city was affected by the invasion, about the lives of the Polish people during this time, about Jewish ghettos and stories about the concentration camps. We spent 2 and a half hours in the museum and it didn't feel like that at all. So deeply interesting and an important part of history to learn about whenever you get the chance. I can't recommend the museum highly enough.



Kazimierz - Jewish Quarter 
We ended up going to the Jewish quarter for both a bit of lunch and dinner one day - and we had some of the best food and drinks that I'd ever tasted. I'll go into it a bit more in a later blog, but there are so many great cafes and restaurants around this part of the city. Alongside huge amounts of culture, nightlife and 500 years of history. Even just walking around this district, ducking into vintage shops and admiring the many murals, can take hours in itself - let alone the amount of wonderful cafes to pop into.
For lunch we popped into Cheder, which is a gorgeous cafe some adorned with books on Jewish history in a number of languages. They serve mostly middle Eastern/Israeli style food, and the most delicious cocktail that I think I've ever had. (order the Oriental Cha Cha or Rebecca's Touch - both beautiful and so unique, not overly sweet either.) 
For dinner we headed back to the Jewish Quarter and went to Kolanko No.6 - which had been recommended to me from 3 different sources before arriving in the city, and it completely lived up to my expectations. The restaurant is so much bigger than it looks from the outside, and even has a little garden in the centre. It's open all day, and if their breakfasts are as good as their dinners, I'd wholeheartedly recommend it (and cocktails too, I don't think I actually had a bad cocktail the whole time I was in Krakow).


Back to the Main Square


There is so much more to do than what I've included in this list, but from experience I think this is the best way to see the highlights of Krakow, and I know that doing all this in a day is also do-able! We spent a full 3 and a half days in Krakow and it felt like the perfect amount of time, we were able to pack so much in while still feeling relaxed - even if the service at the train station completely messed up our timing.
I hope this helps anyone at all, whether you've booked your trip or just contemplating it! :-)

Rain, wind, or shine, any trip to a Disney park is likely to be a magical one - and with Disneyland Paris not only being the closest park to Walt Disney's original Disneyland in California in terms of all the intricate and immersive details, but also being less than an hour from one of the most beautiful cities in the world, there is little not to love.
After having the most amazing trip to DLP recently, I compiled a list of tips for anyone thinking of, or looking forward to their own trip. These tips look to maximise the magic throughout your trip, whether you are travelling with a friend, with family or even on your lonesome.

For anyone who has never been to any Disney park before, regardless of location, there are a few things you need to know before you go;
1. Wear comfortable shoes, 90% of the day is spent on your feet.
2. The parks are expensive. There's no beating around the bush, from food to merchandise, Disney is expensive. Be prepared.
3. Make use of the Fast Pass system, I'll go into more detail below.
4. Buy a park hopper pass - there is much more to see when the day is split in two.


For Disneyland Paris specifically, here are my top tips to make your Disneyland Paris trip practically perfect in every way;

1. PRIOR TO BOOKING  CHECK THE ATTRACTION CLOSURES AT THE TIME OF YOUR TRIP.
- By far the biggest mistake made from my trip a few weeks ago, was not reading the LIST of refurbishments. The closures included Rock 'N' Roller Coaster, Big Thunder Mountain, Star Tours, Dumbo, Peter Pan's Flight and tons more, including various shops, restaurants, and walk through attractions. Although these refurbishments are likely to continue into early 2017, they are likely to clear up over the course of next year as the park gears up to celebrate it's anniversary. Still, the amount of closed attractions was hugely disappointing, and we may not have booked had we read over them beforehand.



2. If staying in a Disney hotel, be sure to GET A MEAL PLAN.
- The standard, most basic meal plan (although above the basic hotel restricted one), allows you breakfast, a 'tea time treat', and dinner. Due to the prices inside the parks, and of the restaurants for dinner, the meal plan is by far the best option - especially as at certain times of year, offers become available for the plan.
- Breakfast is a buffet of continental options such as pastries, cereals, and an albeit limited range of fruits at your hotel. Your 'tea time treat' allows you a small drink and a mini ice cream from various places around the park. Dinner allows you a buffet style meal at either the Plaza Gardens or the Agrabah Cafe in the Disneyland park, and Restaurant des Stars in the Studios park.
- Various different kinds of meal plan exist, look into them and decide what one would be best for you and/or your party.


3. Make the most of BREAKFAST.
- If you have opted for a hotel breakfast, be sure to book for between 7-7.30am and BE THERE ON TIME. There is a huge difference in queue in only a matter of minutes after this time, and will hence delay your getting to the park.
- Despite the 'no picnic' signs in the parks, no one will stop you for bringing in your own food. Bring sandwich bags for your trip, and at breakfast, fill them with a few pastries to see you through until lunch.
- Similarly, stock up your bags with condiments like jam, butter and nutella. If you miss breakfast for any reason and decide to purchase a pastry in the park, none of these are likely to be available.


4. Make the most of your MAGIC HOURS.
- If you are staying at a Disney hotel, you will be given a pass at check in that allows you access to the park Magic Hours, where the Disneyland park opens to hotel guests at 8am, which is 2 hours before the public opening at 10am.
- Meet characters during this time. They usually send out more than they do during the day, and it wastes less ride-time during the day.
- Only a select few rides are open during the Magic Hours, so be sure to ask which ones before making a plan.


5. Arrive at the Studios park at least HALF AN HOUR BEFORE OPENING.- MAGIC HOURS DO NOT APPLY TO THE STUDIOS PARK. It is stated to open at 10am. However, as this park contains most of the rides with the longest wait, be sure to be there between 9 and 9.30am, in order to get close to the front of the crowd.
- The Studios park also has a habit of opening before the stated time to ease crowds, so the earlier you're there, the better.
- When you enter the park, head directly to Crush's Coaster. The line will become much longer later in the day, and for some reason, Fast Passes are unavailable.


6. Make the most of the FAST PASS SYSTEM.- As soon as you exit Crush's Coaster, head direct to Ratatouille, and get your Fast Pass. The line for Ratatouille (and even the queue to get a Fast Pass as soon as the park opens) can be seemingly miles long.
- While waiting for your Fast Pass, visit the attractions throughout the rest of the park. Personally, I didn't mind waiting in a long queue in between times (for example, the rides in Toy Story Land), because it meant you almost get two big rides in for the price of one wait.
- This can also be used in the Disneyland Park, but due to the closures and refurbishments, we didn't find it as necessary.


7. If a ride breaks down, WAIT IT OUT.
- Not only will the line diminish as people begin to leave, but if you wait long enough, a cast member will give you a special Fast Pass to use on the ride when it starts back up again later on in the day.

8. Pack for ALL WEATHERS.
- Unlike most other Disney parks, the weather is unpredictable.
- Everyday of our trip in early June, we had a taste of all weathers. We had hot. We had cold. We had sun. We had rain. We had wind. We had a thunderstorm.
- Pack sunglasses, layers, and a poncho. You'll thank me later.




9. DO NOT EXCHANGE CURRENCY within the Disney complex.
- Going with the same theme of Disney being very expensive, so is their exchange rate.
- The exchange rate is so poor it would be worth changing currency at the airport on your way, or taking a trip to Val D'Europe if you really need to grab cash.


10. DO NOT COMPARE DISNEYLAND PARIS TO OTHER DISNEY PARKS. (!!!!!!!)
- Countless times when I was little, I was told that "now that [I] had been to Disney World, Disneyland Paris would be a disappointment". Nevertheless, in 2008, I was taken to DLP and proved my mum and dad wrong, finding the same magic there as I found in Disney World.
- Do not go in with the attitude that you are going to be disappointed, or you probably will. - This park may be smaller, but the attention to detail is truly outstanding and immersive. It is a beautiful park in it's own right.
- This is a different park, and should be treated as such, and you will really see how magical the whole experience is.


Whether you take these tips on board or not, Disneyland Paris is always going to make a wonderful holiday. The parks and area itself are beautiful, the lines for rides are generally shorter, and for many people around Europe, it is all the magic of Disneyland/Disney World in the US only a couple hours flight away, and for people travelling from North America, it is that same magic you know and love, with a French twist.