COVID restrictions impair the experience
This was my fourth visit to Disneyland Paris in the past 25 years. This time, everything felt like it was affected by COVID protocols, and not in a good way. Many attractions were closed, although some of our favorites were still operating. A couple of the hotels are being renovated, although there was still enough choice as regards accommodation. But service quality felt like it was lower. For example, food service in particular has suffered. Buffets have been replaced by table service, presumably to avoid people mingling, but the result just doesn’t work as well. Menu choice was limited and food arrived too quickly, sometimes just 5 minutes after ordering, which is fine at a fast food restaurant but not for a sit down evening meal, especially at the prices being charged. It felt like we were paying 70 or 80 euros per person to eat in a military mess hall. Choice was limited and popular restaurants remained unavailable throughout our stay (it seems one needs to book one’s stay a couple of months in advance to get reservations at the more popular restaurants, which was just impossible for us given ever-shifting COVID-related travel restrictions). Food stalls throughout the Parks offered the same c. six types of beverages and little or no food. Many were closed or understaffed. Over the years, I’ve found that Disneyland Paris offers a unique and indeed “magical” experience but the various COVID-related compromises put in place, presumably to enable the Parks to open at all, really take the edge off the experience. And I don’t have the space to comment on the surreal burden of almost continuous mask-wearing. All-in-all, I think they should have left the Parks closed, if that was economically feasible for the Disney organization. Opening up with what they can offer under COVID restrictions just makes the product look bad. If this was your first time here, you would come away with a distinctly downbeat impression. Fortunately I have memories of the wonderful experience the Parks offered pre-COVID, but we won’t be returning until COVID is just a bad memory. Or until we have grandchildren, who probably don’t care about such things.
