The park is split into named sections. One of them is called Fantasyland, and that’s where we spent most of our time. It’s almost entirely designed around young children. The rides are gentle, the characters are recognisable, and the queues move faster than anywhere else in the park. If you’re visiting with a toddler for the first time, start here and build the day around it.

It’s a Small World

This was by far our daughter’s favourite ride. We went on it multiple times. The queue always seemed to be small, and she kept asking for it, so we ended up back on it a lot. She had a smile ear to ear from the moment the boat moved off, her head turning constantly to take in every scene. It’s open and bright and felt very safe and inviting to her. After we’d tried to queue for Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains (the Snow White ride) and realised within about ten minutes that the darkness was going to be too much for her, It’s a Small World was the complete opposite. There were no dark sections, and nothing that required bracing. Just colour, movement and music she could process at her own pace.

It’s been part of Disneyland Paris since opening day in 1992, and it shows. The building is a landmark in its own right, the pastel facade deliberately more colourful than other versions of the ride around the world because the designers knew exactly what the northern French sky looks like in February. Every 15 mins, a parade of puppets circles the clock tower outside, which is worth timing your arrival around if you’re approaching from Main Street.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

She spotted this one before we did. We were walking through Fantasyland, and she just pointed at it. You can’t miss it. It has sixteen elephants circling slowly above the crowds.

The joystick controls how high your elephant flies, and she wanted to go as high as it would go from the moment we got on. No hesitation. It’s a lovely ride with great views of all of Fantasyland and the castle. She was delighted the whole way round.

It’s been part of Disneyland Paris since the park opened in 1992, one of the original opening day attractions, and it’s easy to see why it’s never needed changing. The ride itself is only around 90 seconds, but at nearly three, that’s exactly the right length.

Le Carrousel de Lancelot

Every single day, without fail, she spotted it and wanted to go on. So we got on nearly every time we walked past it.

She always went straight for a horse. Sat up on it completely independently, held on, and looked absolutely thrilled with herself for the duration of the ride.

Le Carrousel de Lancelot is one of the more beautiful carousels you’ll find at any Disney park. The medieval Arthurian theming sets it apart from the standard fairground version, and it photographs beautifully in the evening light. Queue times are nearly always short, which is part of why we kept coming back to it.

Peter Pan’s Flight

The queue for Peter Pan’s Flight is always one of the longest in Fantasyland. Even in February, it builds quickly once the park opens. If you’re staying on site, Extra Magic Hour is the best opportunity to get on it without a long wait. We didn’t use it for this ride ourselves, and the queue was the one time we felt it on this trip.

The ride itself is worth it, though. You’re in a flying ship, and the floating sensation as you lift off over London at night is genuinely beautiful. There are stars covering the ceiling,  the city spreads out below you, and Peter Pan darts around above the rooftops. Our daughter had watched the film, so she knew exactly who he was, and spent the whole ride tracking him around the scene.

It has a similar feel to It’s a Small World, in that it’s gentle and visually immersive, but it’s slightly smaller and slightly darker. Nothing that frightened her, but it’s worth knowing if your toddler is particularly sensitive to low light. I think the darkness is atmospheric rather than threatening.

Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups

All four of us got in one cup. Three adults and our daughter, who we weren’t sure would work. They’re bigger than they look from the outside. The joystick in the middle controls how fast the cup spins, and our daughter’s position on that was clear from the start. Faster.

It’s one of those rides where the fun comes entirely from the people you’re with rather than any particular spectacle. But the decor is colourful and cheerful. There’s no height restriction and no darkness. It’s just a spinning cup and however much chaos you choose to create. For a nearly three year old who wanted to go as fast as possible, it was a highlight.

Pinocchio’s Journey

We went on this one without really knowing what to expect. She hadn’t seen the film, so there was no familiarity to lean on. It’s darker than most of Fantasyland, more story driven, and doesn’t have the same sparkle as Peter Pan’s Flight. Where Peter Pan feels like flying through a starlit sky, Pinocchio is moodier and more enclosed.

She was fine, but I’d say it’s one to gauge on the day. One thing I noticed is that the queue sets the tone more than people realise. The Pinocchio queue is open and fairly light, which means by the time you board, your child hasn’t already been primed for something dark and intimidating. That transition from a bright queue into a darker ride is much easier to handle than if the queue itself feels enclosed and foreboding.

I’d say it’s worth doing if your toddler is generally unfazed by lower light, but don’t feel like you’re missing out if you skip it, as there’s plenty in Fantasyland that I personally thought was better at this age.