5 Tips for Visiting Disneyland in the Winter

Have you ever thought about visiting Disneyland in the winter? A few years ago, I took my little girl to Disneyland Paris. Our first visit to Disneyland was in February, during the cold winter season. We had the most magical holiday, staying in the Santa Fe Hotel and despite the cold weather we had a magical time.

Today I am offering 5 tips for visiting Disneyland in the Winter. It’s good to be prepared and to know what to expect whatever month you choose to visit Disneyland.

Choosing A Hotel Close To The Disneyland Parks

I’d recommend staying as close to the Disneyland Parks as possible. Sylvia and I stayed in the Hotel Santa Fe, which was a 5 minute shuttle Journey.

Winter in the Parks can be very cold and you may want to return to your rooms for a small break from the cold or to have a warm hearty meal before returning outdoors for the evening.

The Hotel we stayed in was warm and toasty and we made great use of the warm bath at the end of each day.

Plan your Meals In Advance When Visiting Disneyland

Food and Drinks can be very expensive at Disneyland. As a single mother on a budget, I prepared our drinks well in advance packing two boxes of capri sun drinks in my suitcase. I then took out how ever many drinks we needed each day and carried them in my bag.

As for meals, we had half board which meant we had a buffet style breakfast each morning. We ate warm croissants, porridge, cheese and hot chocolate before heading out to the Parks.

In the Winter you need to book well in advance, often the a day or two before your meals if you plan to eat in the parks. The weather will be cold and people will be wanting warm filling meals. Booking in advance was essential.

We really enjoyed eating in La Cantina, in the Santa Fe Hotel and visiting the Davy Crockett Ranch.

Make sure you plan and book your evening meals early each day when visiting the Disneyland parks. If your full board then thats sorted for you, however if your going to choose from a selection of restaurants, book early.

People want a break from the cold air and often spend a good amount of time in the warm toasty restaurants.

If you leave it too late as I did on our first day, you may find yourself struggling to find somewhere warm to eat.

Get an Early Start When Visiting Disneyland

If your staying in a Disneyland Hotel, you can visit the Park two hours earlier than others. This is a fantastic opportunity in Winter as this can reduce the time standing outside in the cold waiting in queues. L

later on in the day, take advantage of the Fast Pass rides, where you can get a ticket in advance and return at a certain time.

You could then try going to other activities such as an indoor show to break up your time outdoors.

We loved the Disney show Animagique and also enjoyed visiting several other indoor options such as Buzz Lightyear’s Laser Quest and visiting the Disney Princesses. These were all indoor activities. I would plan indoor activities part way through the day to allow time to keep warm.

Wrap up Warm When Visiting Disneyland In Winter

You will need to wrap up warm when visiting Disney Land in the February and during the Winter months.

I wore warm trousers, a jumper and a coat. I collected old Disney costumes from Ebay and Car boot sales in advance and my daughter wore a t-shirt and leggings underneath her second hand Disney outfits. She also wore her coat when needed.

You sure need warm clothes in this weather so may sure you have Disney costumes that are larger than your child so they can fit over warm clothing.

Wear Winter Woolies When Your Attending The Fireworks At Disneyland

When outside at Disneyland we needed to wear hats, scarfs and gloves in the morning and evening.

The weather was colder at night and I’d recommend taking a backpack or large handbag as the sun always comes out and you might  need to take off the hats and scarfs off in the day !

You wouldn’t want to be left carrying everything in your hands and it’s handy to be able to get your woolies back out when it’s cold and your waiting for the spectacular fireworks show at the end of the night.

Have Fun When Visiting Disneyland Paris

Disneyland in Winter can be wonderful. The nights get dark when it’s still early and younger children get to see the fabulous lights which create the magical atmosphere of Disneyland. You can still see this in summer but you don’t have to wait as late and then have the option of taking younger children to bed earlier after an exhausting day.

Disneyland is simply an amazing adventure one that can be enjoyed in all seasons but theres something about wrapping up warm and being in a such a magical place during the winter season that makes me want to return again during the colder months.