Halloween or Christmas?

This is a big question for many Disneyland Paris goers at this time of year. Every year there are special occasions DLP make special such as valentines day and Easter. But two of the biggest occasions just so happen to fall like dominoes. Halloween and Christmas are, undoubtedly, the most exciting and extravagant events that are maximised at DLP.

Not all of us can afford to visit for both events, which leads me to the main question. Which do you pick?

For some people this question may have a direct answer, for others it's hard to weigh out. Personally I think it's very tricky, so let's break it down. 

Picture from @InsideDLParis

Halloween is an exciting time at DLP. Most Villains are out and about at this time, so it's perfect for character hunters. In fact, starting this year is a special Villain promenade where guests will be able to take pictures with their favourite villains. Oh and don't forget the grande finale: the Halloween party including "unexpected animations, terrifyingly delicious surprises and a “hellish” atmosphere". Not only this, the park is taken over by the Ghoulish residents of Main Street, U.S.A. along with giant pumpkins shaped into your favourite characters and of course you can't forget the pumpkin people! As you can see, there's a lot happening but if you're not a fan of the colour orange - DLP at Halloween isn't for you! 

I do not own this image. Image owned by (C) Disney. No copyright infringement intended.

Moving onto Christmas now and where to start.  First of all, Christmas is a really magical time so you will not be able to find one area in the parks that is NOT covered in decorations! At christmas, you'll be able to see Mickey and his friends light up a gigantic christmas tree right in front of the castle, and even meet Mr. Claus himself. If you're a fan of Dreams! (who's isn't?) then you can see a special Christmas edition of the show including a segment from Frozen. 

I do not own this image. Image owned by (C) Disney.
 No copyright infringement intended.

Speaking of Frozen, Anna and Elsa will both be moving into the Princess Pavilion this Christmas. So if you're a fan of queuing up to get a ticket to queue up again to meet them - this is unmissable! (slight tone of sarcasm?! ;) ). 

Not only are Anna and Elsa joining the other characters at DLP this christmas, the mighty Merida will have her own meet and greet location which is set to transport you to the highlands of Scotland. 

I do not own this image. This image belongs to (C) Disney.
No copyright infringement intended. Picture from @DLRPExpress on Twitter.

Are the big new character additions to the Christmas line up outweighing the Halloween season at DLP for you? Or is the opportunity to meet all your favourite villains more important? 

Let me know which one is your favourite out of the two in the comments or on Twitter/Facebook!

Also you can read the full articles about the characters joining DLP by clicking their names: Anna and Elsa, Merida

Thanks for reading

Merida is on her way to Paris! Rumours confirmed

For a long while now there have been many speculations and rumours about Merida arriving at DLP. Well after hearing the news that Anna and Elsa will be joing the princesses at Disneyland Paris yesterday, it has been officially confirmed today that Merida from Disney Pixar film 'Brave' will be arriving in Paris for this christmas!

Merida will have her own meet and greet location from November 9, 2014 at Casey's Corner. It will be decorated to make you feel like you've walked from Paris to Scotland and will be the perfect backdrop for guests to get their picture with this  feisty female. 

I do not own this image. This image belongs to (C) Disney. No copyright infringement intended. Picture from @DLRPExpress on Twitter.

So that's 3 new characters arriving at Disneyland Paris this christmas! This season is NOT one to miss. 

Check out yesterday's post about Anna and Elsa arriving at DLP here

Image of Merida is not owned by me. The picture belongs to (C) Disney. No copyright infringment intended.

Anna and Elsa 'freeze' the Princess Pavilion this Christmas!

We've already seen the amazing new editions to the Halloween season at Disneyland Paris, and now we're ecstatic to see a n-ice change to the Princess Pavilion line up this christmas!

If you hadn't guessed already by my terrible puns (sorry about that) the two main characters from 'Frozen', Anna and Elsa, will be joining the princesses in the Princess Pavilion. From the 9th of November, guests will be able to meet the dazzling duo as part of the Christmas celebrations at Disneyland Paris! 

I do not own this image, (C) Disney. No copyright infringement intended. 

Rumours are also speculating that Merida will be on her way to Paris soon, which I will keep you updated on if anything more develops around it. 

Are you excited to finally get the chance to meet these characters? Let me know in the comments or on twitter/facebook :)

I do not own the image used of Anna and Elsa, it is not my own image and belongs to Disney. No copyright infringement intended. 

Halloween 2014 at Disneyland Paris

Just as you thought summer had started it's just about to finish, depressing I know! But there is some light at the end of the tunnel as DLP have released a press release with all the latest spook-tacular events occurring for Halloween this year. 

Whilst there are not many changes, the new additions make it seem like an unmissable season in the parks. The main focus seems to be on the Sleeping Beauty villain Maleficent, not surprising seeing as she is the centre of attention in her own film which, in its opening weekend, earned $175.5 million worldwide. 

Down below you can find all the events going on at DLP this Halloween, which runs from the 1st of October to the 1st November 2014.

Last years Halloween decorations at Disneyland Paris (via @InsideDLParis)

NEW: The Maleficent Disney Villains Promenade

With Maleficent in the leading position, the Disney Villains will be the unmissable stars of Disney’s Halloween Festival.

The Maleficent Disney Villains Promenade

Every day, the Disney Villains will be happy to have their photos taken with guests to immortalize this fearsomely funny occasion forevermore.

Together with Maleficent, the Disney Villains will parade around Central Plaza to welcome guests.

NEW: Maleficent’s Court

In the Sleeping Beauty Castle Courtyard, Maleficent and her accomplices will create an unmissable spectacle, which will be the place to be seen!

Maleficent’s Court

This year, Maleficent will cast a spell on the Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Disneyland Park and will invite some of the Disney Villains to join her in the Castle Courtyard.

Maleficent, surrounded by her friends, the Disney Villains, will take over the place — it has now been invaded by imposing brambles, which guests will be able to pose in front of, next to the Disney Villains.

That is how huge brambles mysteriously appear in the Castle Courtyard. Shaped like the famous horns of Maleficent herself, these brambles form the outline of an imposing dragon.

As night falls, the bramble will take on a more disquieting look, immersing guests in a universe of bright, unsettling colours.

Mickey’s Halloween Celebration

To celebrate Halloween and to provide guests with a unique party, Mickey and friends will offer guests a cavalcade specially dedicated to the Harvest festival, and have naturally been inspired by the autumn and Harvest theme.

Several times a day, Mickey and friends will parade in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and along Main Street, U.S.A., surrounded by dancers wearing autumn colours.

This year, the lovely Daisy will open the cavalcade. The Three Little Pigs and Horace will join Mickey’s Halloween Celebration on their brand new float “Raise the Rafters!”.  Surrounded by owls, black cats, spiders and bats, the Three Little Pigs, Horace and Clarabelle will dance to country music in front of their farm. A tree and an enchanted mushroom will come to life as if by magic.

As for the Disney Characters, they will be showing off their most stunning seasonal costumes. Donald will explore the wonders of autumn in a world made of straw and pumpkins, together with his inseparable nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. Meanwhile, Uncle Scrooge will bring up the rear, determined to keep determined to keep careful watch over a strange pumpkin that appears to be worth its weight in gold…

Mickey and Minnie pay homage to the Harvest season from their huge horn of plenty, filled with autumn leaves, fruits and pumpkins. Behind them, Chip and Dale, accompanied by the charming Clarice, have taken advantage of the Harvest to steal and hoard as many hazelnuts as they can lay their hands on!

Ghosts invade Disneyland Park

They thought they could keep a low profile throughout Halloween month, but guests will only be able to unmask them and immortalise them in a photo!

The ghosts of the former residents of Main Street, U.S.A. will use Halloween as the perfect opportunity to make their grand appearance. Delighted to be able to make an appearance during Disney’s Halloween Festival, they will take over Main Street, U.S.A., trying to blend into the scenery. The Park’s apprentice ghost hunters will be invited to unmask them, armed with their cameras.

Hilarious encounters with Disney Characters

The Disney characters get dressed up to the nines to welcome guests in a vibrant and colourful Halloween atmosphere for those special photo opportunities with guests.

Halloween Costume Corner

Passionate about sewing and fashion, Minnie will invite guests to discover her amazing sewing workshop, specially created for Halloween. An extravagant, colourful world where everyone is encouraged to let their imagination run wild.

Minnie, in her fabulous Halloween-inspired dress will no doubt jump at the opportunity to pose with her admirers.

Goofy Bonbons

Halloween would not be the same without bonbons and spells. For that reason, Goofy has designed and created a truly amazing candy-making machine to dazzle those with a sweet tooth, young and old! Fans of bonbons and Goofy will not miss the opportunity to stop in front of this astonishing machine.

Goofy might even join them to make sure everything is in good working order. A moment to treasure and a chance for everyone to persuade him to share his confectionery secrets!

Jack and Sally’s Cemetery (from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas© Disney)

The famous couple created by Tim Burton will be at Disneyland Paris during Halloween for a mortally enchanting encounter. The set recreates the universe of the film The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Jack and Sally in person will welcome those who will be courageous enough to meet them. A reproduction inspired by the universe of Tim Burton, Jack and Sally’s Cemetery is a unique place.

NEW: Disney PhotoPass+

The perfect opportunity to capture your best moments with the Disney Villains.

Disney PhotoPass+ allows guests to collect all their souvenir photos taken on rides or with Disney Characters by Park photographers at photo locations in high definition in a virtual portfolio.

The photos are also available on a dedicated website (www.disneyphotopass.eu) and on a mobile app that enables guests to download them, share them on social networks and even purchase personalised photo products (photo albums, mugs, calendars etc.).

Disney’s Halloween Festival will therefore be the ideal time to capture the best poses next to the Disney Villains.

Disney’s Halloween Party: the grand finale on 31 October!

Guaranteed screams, even for the bravest guests. The most magical Halloween night will take place at Disneyland Paris!

The now famous Disney’s Halloween Party** will be held on 31 October 2014 in Disneyland Park. A unique experience to share with family or friends from 8.30 pm to 1 am.

 Disneyland Park will reopen its doors after dark and guests will see it as they have never seen it before — in a more mysterious atmosphere than ever,with unexpected animations, terrifyingly delicious surprises and a “hellish” atmosphere. The moon will bring out the ghosts, Disney Villains and other creatures for the party, who are all ready to play their tricks around the most mysterious of places. After enjoying the many attractions Disneyland Park has to offer, guests will be able to immerse themselves in the magical extravaganza of the Disney Dreams®! night-time show.

Where have I been?

Wow, this feels very strange! This is the first time I have sat down to write a blog post on here in so long. This post isn't disneyland paris related at all really, but I feel that this post is needed to apologise and catch up with my fellow DLP followers.

First I want to apologise for having been gone so long. I've been gone for a number of reasons. Firstly, I have been very confused about the direction of this site. Is it a news page? Is it a guidebook? Is it a friendly blog where I ramble on about DLP? The problem is there are already many other sites that do the same thing so I was left thinking 'where do I stand?'. This is starting to sound like an Agony Aunt column, so I won't go in to too much detail! 

Secondly, I have only just recently visited DLP in the last month (the first time in 2 years!) so it was hard for me to write about it, if I hadn't been in so long - if that makes sense. 

Thirdly, another factor which I think most fans of DLP share, is that there wasn't really much 'news' to report about and to be honest there never really is a great amount, so it was hard to continuously keep up with content. 

So here I am now feeling like I've just let a barrier down (I've never been so personal on here before). I think I've rambled on enough about me now so let's move onto you! Yes, you! I want to thank you for clicking on this link. There have been a surprising amount of people who have contacted me through Twitter to ask where I am, when the next post will be up, etc. And I am completely overwhelmed with the amount of support I have - something I lost sight of. I want to thank the people that have stuck around and been patient with me, I hope it will all be worth it soon. 

Now onto the future. What's going to be on this page? Well to be completely honest, I don't even know myself! All I know is that I'm not going to force myself to make posts, I want to enjoy doing this! I think this blog is going to become a lot more personal; sharing my opinions on news etc. not just reporting it. 

Once again I'd like to thank everyone who has stayed through this quite phase and I hope you enjoy reading my blog. 

Thank you for reading :) 

PS. Don't forget to follow me on twitter, I love chatting to people! 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Halloween has finished now which means something a lot more exciting is on it's way at Disnetland Paris!

The Christmas season at Disneyland Paris begins on the 10th of November which means the magical elves need to get to work to create a winter wonderland throughout the parks, and they've already started! 

Thanks to @InsideDLParis, we can see some of the changes that have already taken place including a rather large christmas tree! (All pictures on this post are from @InsideDLParis)

The brand new Town Square christmas tree has arrived!

The tree also contains many Disney details, including baubles and ornaments which can be purchased in the stores.

Main Street station looks bare in preparation for more holiday decorations! 

Town square is receiving the same snowy theme as previous years, plus speakers and snow machines have been added to prepare for "Magical Christmas Wishes" (a new ceremony that lights up the Christmas tree with the help of Pinocchio and Jiminy Crickett)

Are you excited for the magical christmas season to begin? What do you think of the new christmas tree? Let us know by commenting below!

Disney Dreams! will be Frozen this Christmas

The seasonal webpage for Disneyland Paris is now active in Belgium, which means a sneaky peak at what's to come this christmas at DLP.

The biggest treat of all is a whole new show replacing Disney Dreams! This will include characters from the upcoming film "Frozen". The new show "take you to an enchanted universe combining stunning effects and the presence of Disney characters to celebrate beauty in the magic a unique Christmas!"

Image above copyright (C) Disney (Source)

Not only this but there will be a special version of 'The Nutcracker' hosted by the Toy Story gang.

Princess Elsa and Anna will also feature in the Disney Magic on Parade!

Christmas at Disneyland Paris just got a whole lot more magical!

Wordless Wednesday

That's right! The Curious Labyrinth has joined the wonderful Wordless Wednesday blog hop hosted by the amazing Debs from Focused on the Magic .

Here at The Curious Labyrinth we love sharing photos from our wonderful home Disney park: Disneyland Paris. And we have found the most magical and fun way to share is through this incredible blog hop. Also we love to see other blogs posts and interact with other Disney bloggers.

This weeks theme is The Disney Inspired letter "N".

This was quite tricky, however eventually this image stood out from the album.

(C) The Curious Labyrinth

 This is a New York cab which can be found from the Car park entrance to Hotel New York in Disneyland Paris. Hotel New York is a wonderful hotel just 5 minutes from both parks at DLP, in fact the entire hotel has an apple fragrance throughout the whole building!

Thank you for reading, and we can't wait to read your comments and look at all the other blogs taking part!

Click the Wordless Wednesday icon below to see other magical blogs and their posts.

Don't forget to join our site!

Ratatouille Construction Update

With not long left now to wait for the new Disneyland Paris Ratatouille attraction to open, we can see many features of the attraction starting to take shape.

Thanks to the wonderful @InsideDLParis from Twitter (who is always keeping us up to date with all the latest photos from DLP) we can see these amazing pictures that show the new attraction in its ongoing construction progress.

Picture from @InsideDLParis

Picture from @InsideDLParis

Picture from @InsideDLParis

I don't know about you, but these pictures make me very excited! What do you think about the latest construction pictures? Let me know in the comment section below.

Did you enter our 1st year Anniversary competition? Find out if you're the lucky winner here!

The Curious Labyrinth 1 year Anniversary Competition

On Sunday, it will be 1 year since The Curious Labyrinth launched!

The original blog opened on different platforms with the first post being published on the 14th of July. 

Since then we've been bringing you the latest news, reviews and tips from the wonderful world we all love: Disneyland Paris. 

To mark our 1 year anniversary, we are giving away a very magical prize to thank you all for the support over the last year.

You could win this beautiful Disneyland Paris 20th Celebration Light-Up Castle from the Disney store!

Image from Disney Store UK

Here is Disneystore.co.uk's description of this wonderful collectible:

"Bring the magic of Disneyland Paris to any bedroom with this beautiful ornament. It's a resin model of the Disneyland Paris castle which lights up in seven colours when switched on."

Retailing at £90, this amazing ornament is sure to bring the magic of Disneyland Paris into your home. 

To be in with a chance of winning this amazing here's what you have to do:

1) Follow this blog by clicking this button and joining the site through your Google account.. 

2) Press this tweet button and tweet the automatic tweet (also make sure you're following us  - @The_CuriousLab)

Tweet to @The_CuriousLab

3) Like us on Facebook by clicking on the icon below

4) Post a comment below answering these two questions:

      - What's your favourite ride/attraction at Disneyland Paris and why?

      - What's your favourite thing about this site: The Curious Labyrinth?

It's that easy to win!

The competition ends on 16/08/13 at Midnight (GMT)

Good luck!

Please note you must follow all 3 instructions in order to be entered, all entries will be checked that you have followed this blog using the blogger friends connect, tweeted the automatic tweet and left a comment below. Competition is open worldwide.

Congratulations to the winner (who was drawn randomly): 'MickeyMouseears128'. Please send us your address through the Contact page!

Stay tuned for the latest DLP news, updates and reviews.

The Curious Labyrinth loves - June

This month, The Curious Labyrinth loves:
That Disney Lover

Laura Knighton is a Disney vlogger who keeps Disney spirit alive through her many amazing YouTube vlogs from DLP and other Disney parks! On her main channel: pixelpixie123 Laura has over 800 subscribers, which is a well deserved achievement!

Laura in front of her many Character meet 'n' greet photos 

Not only this, but Laura also has another channel (ThatDisneyLover) dedicated to reviews, news and her opinion on the latest Disney news along with videos guiding you through your trip to DLP. Laura has an amazing personality and always has her own personal side to all the latest DLP news, and her huge passion for Disney always shines through in her professional videos. We certainly love that Disney lover!

Posting weekly videos, you are certain to catch the latest Disney opinions and news!

Check out That Disney Lover's latest video below:  

   

Previous Post
Does the weather make or break your trip to Disneyland Paris?

Each month we post a review of something we have really loved that month in the world of Disney! 

From videos to merchandise and from blogs to podcast's! If you think we will love your Disney related subject, send us a message.

Does the weather make or break your trip to Disneyland Paris?

One thing that can always affect any holiday is the weather. But is the weather really important to you when deciding on when you go to Disneyland Paris?

Whenever I have been to Disneyland Paris, it has always rained so for me whenever it rains it reminds me of my trip. Personally the rain didn't affect my trip as most rides and attractions are indoors at DLP. 

Having said this, I would of really loved the sun to come out during my visit (you would of thought It would be sunny in August) to maybe sit back and relax a bit more and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

(C)TheCuriousLabyrinth

Another thing the rain spoiled for my trip was watching parades. Unfortunately I had to stand in the pouring rain with a waterproof jacket on to watch the parade, but the rain and dark skies did make it more magical; the rain reflecting the lights creating a pixie dust look! 

As I love Photography, it was hard to take pictures because of the constant rain drops on my lens and a greyish background when taking snaps of the castle, a lovely blue sky would have made a lovely back drop (as I've seen from other DLP lovers photos) for photos.

What do you think? Does it matter what the weather is like for you to enjoy your trip?

The Curious Labyrinth loves - May

This month, The Curious Labyrinth loves:
Dedicated to DLP Weekly

The already awesome podcast: Dedicated to DLP just got more awesome! Now you can catch up on all the latest Disneyland Paris news weekly with the enthusiastic DLP fan: Steve.

With pictures and short snaps of news, you're sure to catch up on all the latest Disneyland Paris news and rumors from the past week.

If you want a new, modern way to catch up on the latest news; this series is for you.

Check out #3 here::

       

Each month we post a review of something we have really loved that month in the world of Disney! 

From videos to merchandise and from blogs to podcast's! If you think we will love your Disney related subject, send us a message.

Exclusive look behind the scenes of Disney Dreams! and what goes onafter gates are shut

If you have ever experienced the magic of Disney Dreams! You will know that it is a truly magical show featuring projections, fireworks and water effects. But have you ever wondered how this magic is created?

Picture from @DisneylandPFans

And have you ever wondered what goes on after dark when the magical gates are shut? Well thanks to this video from PARKS Trip we can see the answer to both of these questions!

Please note: if you cannot see this video click here to watch it on YouTube

From this video we can see a behind the scenes look at mapping projections onto the Sleeping Beauty Castle, and safety checking rides in the parks. It seems the magic of Disneyland Paris never stops!

Don't forget to hit the 'Join this Site' button to be the first to get updates from our blog on the latest Disneyland Paris news and reviews.

St. Patrick's Day Review

On Sunday the 17th March, Disneyland Paris celebrated the Irish festival in style. Check out these pictures from the brilliant @InsideDLParis!

Throughout the day, the Chaparral theater hosted many shows to celebrate the special day.

Minnie and Mickey were dressed in yellow and green attire ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Also, there was a small pre-parade that made it's way through Disneyland Park.

The day was compete with a special St. Patrick's Day fireworks show!

Stay tuned for more Disneyland Paris news and reviews by clicking the 'Join this Site' button on the right of the the page! Also, why not Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook

P.S Sorry this post is slightly late! There was a technical difficulty with posting it which was out of my control.

Disneyland Paris officially announces "Ratatouille dark ride"

We've known about this new attraction for a while now, we've seen artwork and plans but now we finally know! Disneyland Paris officially announced the new Ratatouille attraction coming in 2014.

Disneyland Paris are always very secretive, and we've been hearing rumours for the past couple of years. Not only that, but we have seen a concrete building spring up in Walt Disney Studios Park.

Picture from @InsideDLParis

At the annual shareholders meeting, the Euro Disney Chairman Philippe Gas revealed:

"Our new family-focused Ratatouille attraction, which is scheduled to open in 2014, symbolises all of the creativity, innovation and emotion that guests associate with a Disneyland Paris experience. By developing this new Ratatouille attraction, we continue to ensure our guests can experience their favourite Disney stories in memorable ways that only Disney can provide.The theme, which is very français, is a tribute to our capital and the unforgettable characters that make Ratatouille the ideal choice for an attraction that fits perfectly at Disneyland Paris.’’

Along with this came a short description of what we can expect:

"Set to open in Walt Disney Studios Park, the attraction is part of the group’s long-term commitment to investing in high-quality guest experiences. That strategy has been fundamental to strengthening the appeal of the multi-day destination, which achieved record-breaking attendance of 16 million visits in 2012. This unique attraction will take guests into the world of the Oscar-winning Disney/Pixar movie Ratatouille which tells the tale of Remy – a talented young rat who dreams of becoming a renowned French chef. Disney storytelling and state-of-the-art technology will come together in this romantic, larger-than-life, Parisian experience."

From previous rumours and speculations, guests will become the same size as the famous rat and journey through the story with him from his point of view. Another rumour says it could be a walk through attraction.

With a 2014 opening year, can we expect that the next festival (after the extended 20th anniversary finishes) to be promoting this new ride? A Parisian theme would of course fit in with the location and also match the Ratatouille story.

Or will they have a Pixar themed festival? After all, once the Ratatouille ride is built there will be a lot to go with the Pixar title in the WDS park; e.g. Crush's Coaster, Toy Story Playland and a small Cars area. Even though this could be a good festival, Disneyland Paris have spoke about moving away from the Pixar franchise in the parks.

"Be my Valentine!" Review

On Thursday, fans of meeting and greeting characters at Disneyland Paris were in love!

Numerous Disney couples were in Disneyland Park to meet and greet guests, surprisingly quite rare couples as well. It wasn't just Princesses and Princes but less well known couples including: Bernard and Bianca from “The Rescuers”, Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy, Peter Pan and Wendy, Stitch and Angel plus Chip and Dale battled for Clarice's love! Also Phoebus and Esmeralda from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” appeared! In Walt Disney Studios Park Chicken Little and Abbey Mallard shared the love!

Pictures from @DisCharCentral

Pictures from @DisCharCentral

Picture from @DisCharCentral

 Marie, who has been seen at DLP before, was out along with her two menacing brothers: Berlioz and Toulouse from the Parisian style Disney classic "The Aristocats", which fitted perfectly with the decorated Town Square where photo shoots took place. Also the three kittens were the stars of the small "Be my Valentine!" Cavalcade through Main Street.

Picture from @DisneyMoi

Picture from @DisneyMoi

 Thank you to @DisCharCentral and @DisneyMoi for the wonderful updates and pictures!