Dizzy Disney

ESCAPE the grey of winter and indulge the whole family in a little touch of magic by paying a visit to the wonderful world of Disney. Just a 90-minute flight away is a land of sheer pleasure and make-believe that will leave mums and dads in awe, and their children dizzy with excitement.

There are few holidays where parents and small children can live the same dream, but at Disneyland you leave your age at the gates, along with your inhibitions. With fairground rides, attractions and facilities to suit all ages, it is sometimes difficult to work out who is actually having the best time, the youngsters or the grown-ups.

Disneyland Resort Paris launched its Kids' Carnival season earlier this spring with a cavalcade of colour which gave visitors a taste of the excitement to come at the Kingdom on the Continent.

All of Disney's famous names, from the Jungle Book characters and Donald Duck, to Mickey Mouse and Pluto, were out to meet the thousands of holidaymakers in elaborate and impressive parades that saw children dancing in the streets with their favourite characters.

Meanwhile, parents tried desperately hard, but unsuccessfully, to look cool while queuing up at every opportunity to get autographs and pictures.

In true Disney style, nothing was done by half measure, and the sheer size and scale of the costumes and routines was simply breathtaking.

But the parades and carnivals aside, Disneyland Park is bursting with attractions from the tots' favourite, It's A Small World, to action packed thrill rides more in tune with dads and courageous youngsters, such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril and Space Mountain: Mission 2.

And with a Fastpass system available to everyone these days, there isn't even a need to queue for hours for the pleasure of some of the biggest rides. In many cases, after a wait of just ten minutes, you are enjoying your ride.

The park is divided into five themed lands, Main Street USA, Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland - each area having its own unique architecture, decoration, costumes, music and landscaped scenery.

Meanwhile, for those who love the theatre, The Legend of the Lion King show is a live stage show set in the African Pride Lands where Simba's tale is re-enacted by African villagers.

And for the movie buffs and technical wizards, Walt Disney Studios will take you on a tour of animation and cinema, from the inception of some of the bestloved characters to the secrets behind some of the daring stunts.

Most parents would agree that the success of a holiday can rest on the suitability and standard of hotel accommodation and food.

But whether you stay at one of the seven Disney-themed hotels within the grounds of the site, or in Paris, 20 miles away, you can't go far wrong.

The on-site hotels are a five or ten-minute walk away from the Disney Village, where the array of restaurants and Disney shops begins, and the grand entrance to Disney Park itself is just beyond.

However, the resort is easily accessible with direct links to Paris via the RER train network and regular buses to and from both Chaules de Gaulle and Orly airports. There is no need to take taxis to and from the park.

Air France flies regularly from Newcastle Airport to Paris CDG and Eurostar's new high speed link takes just two hours, 50 minutes from London Waterloo direct to the resort, so you can have a weekend away with very little hassle.

As for food, there is no need to worry about what the children or the grown-ups will eat throughout your stay. It doesn't have to be burgers all the way.

There is a range of restaurants, cafes, sandwich shops and food carts offering something for everyone. And what was particularly helpful was the selection of hot and cold buffets in many of the hotels, including the Plaza Gardens restaurant in the park, where everything was available to suit all tastes, including a two-year-old's.

So, all in all, we were well fed, well occupied, and well happy.