Gallery hopping, window shopping and sipping espresso on trendy sidewalk cafes are just a few of the elements that make Paris the world's favourite traveller city, but visiting with children means cutting some of the the grown-up attractions and adding a lot more fun and excitement into the agenda.  For a delightful mix of fairy tale, excitement and magic, look no further than Disneyland Paris.  Launched in 1992 as Euro Disney, this enchanting kingdom features two theme parks with hundreds of thrilling rides, roller coasters and water rides; one shopping district and a multitude of hotels.  To enjoy the true-to-form Disney showmanship here are some time and money-saving tips to make the most of your trip there.

Getting There
Situated in the small French village of Marne-La-Valle, some 30 kilometres east of Paris, Disneyland Paris is best approached by car via Autoroute 4 or high-speed TGV trains that connect the resort with major European cities and Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport. If you're making your way from downtown Paris, there's also suburban RER trains that stop directly at the resort. Many hotels offer round-trip shuttle rides, so it's best to ask beforehand.

Tickets
There are two theme parks to choose from within the complex (the original Disneyland Park and the newer Walt Disney Studios which opened in 2002) and it's recommended that you get passes for both to get the most out of your visit. That said, paying full price for Disneyland Paris is absurd, particularly in this economic climate.  You should always be able to get discounts and deals around the internet.  Initially you should check the promotions section of their site: http://offers.disneylandparis.co.uk, and if that fails get busy on the interweb.  The Eurostar tends to have deals for Disneyland hotels and entrance combined with your train ticket, or if you end up going there on a whim, just having a Eurostar ticket can sometime get you a two-for-one deal.  Otherwise check www.myvouchercodes.co.uk or www.moneysavingexpert.com.  Take advantage of this and plan in advance.

Money
Again, a little forward planning is going to be necessary here, depending on how much you want to spend.  If you have young kids and are anything like my parents were, you’re not going to want to burn all your money here – it really is very expensive.  Disneyland Paris has a whole section dedicated to restaurants, not to mention many places dotted throughout the park, but they’re not cheap, and if you want to avoid that then you’re going to have to bring your own food and drink.  If the kids cry, buy them some candyfloss – better that than a whole meal.  Know in advance that there are plenty of drinking fountains, so you can refill your bottles.

Timing
This is all about getting the most out of your day.  The park theoretically opens at 10am.  However, they will let people in at 9.30am, and if you’re staying at one of the official Disney hotels then you can get in from 9am – this includes walking past people queueing; just show your ticket to the man at the rope.  If you’re the type, queue up for your favourite ride before the hoards arrive.  Stay around for the evening parades with illuminated floats carrying beloved cartoon characters down Main Street – they are what Disneyland is famous for and they add a magical finish to the day-long fun.

Queueing
Brace yourself.  It’s not going to be pretty.  Many rides have long queues and patience (and entertaining of the children) is going to be required.  This is why it’s good to get in early and stay in a Disney hotel if possible (see above).  If you can possibly avoid going on a Saturday then I’d recommend it – things quiet down considerably mid-week, although of course in the holidays things kick off again.  Also bear in mind that they term “queue” is considerably more liberal in Europe than it is in other parts of the world, so either be highly vigilant about keeping your place or highly chilled out about people pushing in.  

Attitude
Remember that this is Europe.  It’s not Florida.  Staff are not going to be hyper-happy.  They will be pleasant enough.  Just don’t let it ruin your day.  Likewise it will be flooded with children, and other people’s kids are just not as cute as your own.  But otherwise the place is clean and tidy, absolutely adorable with a helping of cute overload and the cartoon characters will doubtless enthral your little ones.  And perhaps you, too.