These handy travel tips can add a little magic to your next trip to Disneyland Paris.
Here we present 30 lesser-known features to discover at the French attraction, from the workshop where you can build your own lightsaber to the hidden symbols scattered throughout the park.
The list was compiled by British ticket website AttractionTickets.com to celebrate the park’s 30th anniversary, which ends in September this year. Scroll down to learn about the hidden features you might otherwise overlook…
1. Find the hidden Mickey Mouse icons
Visitors should be on the lookout for Mickey Mouse symbols – three connected circles – hidden among the rides, buildings, architecture and gates around the park. However, it’s worth noting that no one knows exactly how many Mickey Mouse icons there are to be discovered – Disney has never disclosed the exact number.
Here we present 30 surprise features to discover at Disneyland Paris. Visitors should keep an eye out for the Mickey Mouse icons hidden throughout the park
2. Get a new haircut from Dapper Dan’s Hair Cuts
Tucked away in a corner of the Emporium store on Main Street USA is the entrance to Dapper Dan’s Hair Cuts, a fully functional American style hair salon. Decorated with authentic pieces from a true Chicago barber, it offers traditional razor blades, hot towel shaves and neat haircuts.
3. Listen to a piano lesson
On Main Street USA there is a window with a sign that reads “Piano Lessons” – if you stand close you can hear the sound of a student practicing their scales during a piano lesson.
4. Plates with steaming coffee mugs
Look closely at the poster advertising The Coffee Grinder Café – you can see actual steam rising from the coffee mug inside the sign.
5. Pick up the old phone
At some Main Street USA stores, like Market House Deli and New Century Notions Flora’s Unique Boutique, you can pick up an old phone and listen to a conversation. The handy phones are meant to take visitors back to a time when numerous households or companies shared a common phone line – making eavesdropping easy.
6. The colors of the castle
The blue and pink colors of the Sleeping Beauty Castle were deliberately chosen to contrast with the gray skies common in this part of France. However, many also argue that the colors were chosen to reflect the colors of Sleeping Beauty’s dresses.
The blue and pink colors of the Sleeping Beauty Castle were deliberately chosen to contrast with the often gray skies of the Paris region
7. Get perfect lighting
All of the castles in Disney’s parks face south, so the sun can never ruin your shot, whether you’re shooting during the golden hour or early in the morning.
8. Find the golden snails
Look out for little golden snails nestled in the golden towers of Sleeping Beauty Castle – they’re a subtle nod to French culture, with ‘escargots’ (snails) being a very popular French delicacy.
9. Listen to the musical trees
The square trees next to Sleeping Beauty Castle are said to represent the notes in Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty Waltz – the tune that inspired the film’s trademark Once Upon a Dream.
10. Colorful armor in the castle
Go to the gallery on the top floor of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and you will find two suits of armor next to a statue of a crow. Take a photo of the armor with the flash on and they will reflect the colors associated with the fairies from Sleeping Beauty – pink, blue and green.
11. Look at the sparkling tapestry
Elsewhere in the Sleeping Beauty Gallery hangs a colorful tapestry depicting Princess Aurora sleeping. It’s actually animated – if you wait a few seconds, you’ll see the carpet sparkle with light.
12. Find the dragon’s lair
Under Sleepy Beauty’s castle you’ll find “La Taniere du Dragon”, a giant audio-animatronic dragon measuring 27 meters from head to tail. The dragon usually sleeps peacefully, but occasionally wakes up to see smoke and hear snarling noises.
13. Look at mr. Frog’s changing faces
View the digital portraits of Mr. Toad on the walls of Toad Hall Restaurant – these photos are constantly changing and show the Disney character as well as everyone else, from Vincent Van Gogh to the subject of the Mona Lisa painting.
14. The legends of the Old West
Take a loop tour of the “Legends of the Wild West” and you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view of Big Thunder Mountain
Once through the gates of Frontierland, head up the stairs for a guided tour of ‘Legends of the Wild West’. This walk-in attraction features wax figures of characters like Buffalo Bill and also offers great views of Big Thunder Mountain.
15. Vintage original features
Check out the “Movie Posters” at Frontierland and you’ll see original posters from the theme park’s early years. You can recognize them by saying “Euro Disneyland” – that’s what the theme park was called until the mid-1990s.
16. Take a ride on the Molly Brown boat
Enjoy interesting views of Big Thunder Mountain while riding one of two 19th-century-style rowboats. Image courtesy of Creative Commons
While not necessarily a Disneyland secret, you’ll be rewarded with an interesting view of Big Thunder Mountain if you take a ride on one of the theme park’s two 19th-century-style pedal boats, Molly Brown or Mark Twain , take You will also experience a relaxed tour of the Wild West.
17. Track down the Baby Doe Mine
Near Big Thunder Mountain, you may see a facility that looks like a railroad track and a wagon titled “Baby Doe Mine” – this part is meant to pay homage to a planned ride that was never built.
18. Whisper in the shop
The domed ceiling at Harrington’s Fine China & Porcelains in Main Street USA was built with acoustics in mind. So when it’s not crowded, you and a friend can stand on opposite sides of the dome and whisper to each other, and the sound should be carried to the other side.
19. Find the Eiffel Tower
Go to the top of the Swiss family Robinson’s tree house and you might be able to see the Eiffel Tower. It must be a very clear day to see the tower much earlier in the summer, but it is always worth a look.
20. Where can you watch the parade?
To see the Disney Parade, head to Central Plaza where you can watch all the characters and floats from Main Street USA arrive and then spread out across the park.
To fully enjoy the parade, it is best to watch it from the Central Plaza. From here you can see the entire show from all four stages as all the characters and floats arrive from Main Street USA and then spread out across the park.
21. Retro attractions
Take a good look at The Old Mill in Fantasyland – it’s an unused Ferris wheel.
22. Display case
Be sure to check out the window displays behind the Constellations gift shop — one of the displays was installed on the theme park’s opening day, April 12, 1992, and has remained untouched since.
23. Take a shortcut
Take a shortcut through the covered walkway from the nearby Adventureland Bazaar to Peter Pan’s Flight. The trail is great when it’s raining and a short walk if you want to get somewhere quickly when the park is very busy.
24. Become part of the Toy Story
Toy Story Playland is decorated to look like the characters from Toy Story are wandering around
The layout of Toy Story Playland at Walt Disney Studios Park is designed to make Buzz and Woody’s giant talking models and toy-shaped rides come to life, just like in the movies. Visitors should feel like toy soldiers who are part of history.
25. Build your own lightsaber
Stop by Star Traders at Discoveryland to build your own lightsaber or souvenir droid. Even if you don’t want to buy one yourself, feel free to check out the lightsabers that other visitors are building.
26th birthday gifts
On your birthday, pick up a custom birthday badge at City Hall at Disneyland Park so all the staff know it’s your birthday – you’ll get lots of birthday wishes as you walk through the park, and it might even be your turn during a Birthday Drive.
27. Learn about the Statue of Liberty
In the Liberty Arcade (above) there is an exhibit that teaches you about the opening of the Statue of Liberty. Image courtesy of Creative Commons
In Liberty Arcade, there is a small room hidden behind large red curtains that contains a replica of the opening of the Statue of Liberty. The attraction includes wax figures and a recording of US President Grover Cleveland’s original speech accepting the statue’s gift from France.
28. Eat with the characters
One benefit of booking a stay at any of the Disneyland Paris hotels is the dining experiences on offer. With the ‘Extra Plus Meal Plan’, guests can enjoy lunch or dinner with Disney characters at the Auberge de Cendrillon and Plaza Gardens restaurants.
29. The best place for the light show
What’s the best place to catch the light show – complete with drone light choreography and fireworks – that takes place at the end of each day? It is apparently at the end of Main Street USA. If you stand to the right of the castle, you can see the Mickey Mouse drone appear in full rather than being obstructed by the castle itself.
30. Take an official tour
If you’re eager to learn all about life at Disneyland and hear more from the people who know it best, you can take a guided tour that reveals more features you may not have seen before. However, it is worth noting that the tour, which can be booked when you visit the Town Hall at Disneyland Park, has an additional cost.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
