'Single sight that stopped me in my tracks at Disneyland Paris'

I've been lucky enough to have visited various Disney parks over the years, but there was one detail that made my most recent trip more special than any other.

Christmas by now feels like a distant memory, and yet, I still get goosebumps when I think about the moment I was standing in the middle of Main Street USA in Disneyland Paris last December.

It was dusk, and fairy lights were twinkling up and down the street, while magical projections of snowflakes breezed past on the building fronts.

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It truly was a breath-taking sight. All I could do was stand still and take it all in as the music reached its crescendo.

Meanwhile, my two-year-old was fast asleep in her pram (no doubt dreaming of something equally magical).

Indeed, the magic of Disney really is something else. And at Christmas time it is next-level.

The magic of Disney at Christmas

For the first time last year, Mrs Claus joined Santa Claus in Disneyland Paris, alongside regular favourites Mickey, Minnie, Donald and co.

Belle, from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Beauty and the Beast, also made a special appearance in her winter dress.

At Town Square, the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony was thankfully something my little one didn't miss and it was worth it just to see the look on her face as the tree came to life.

At the heart of the Christmas experience at Disneyland Paris was Mickey's Dazzling Christmas Parade.

The light displays make this something extra special once the sun goes down.

While a front row seat to this is great for little ones to be able to interact with walking cast members (we did get a high five from a fairy), don't fret if you end up standing a fair way back.

The parade vehicles are quite high with the main characters waving down at the crowds, so it can be tricky for little ones to see them when right at the front.

Is it worth doing Disneyland Paris with a two-year-old?

Disneyland Paris really comes alive at Christmas time, but if the thought of visiting during the busy holiday period fills you with dread, there are some things you can do to ease that concern.

And before you come at me with "it's not even worth taking a toddler as they won't remember anything" - believe me, they will. And beyond that... I will.

For more on that argument, you can read my story here.

Even six months on, she still tells people about how she got a wave from Winnie the Pooh, and saw Santa Claus and his reindeer.

I'll always recommend spending the extra money for Disney Premier Access Ultimate to make the most out of your day and skip queue lines at the most popular rides.

It costs between €90 and €190 ($150-$300) per person per day, depending on the date of your visit and park demand.

If that's not within the budget, you can still be smart about the timing of certain attractions to save standing in an overly lengthy line.

We did this with our visit to Mickey Mouse, after scoping out the queue a few times we decided around dinner time would be a great choice and were in and out within 20 minutes.

A few other helpful tips with little ones:

• Children under three are FREE! Free to enter the parks. Free to eat from your plate at character meals. They are often offered free meals of their own as well. And there are plenty of rides they can join you on too.
• The Rider Switch allows parents to take turns on adult attractions without having to queue again.
• A Baby Care centre is available at both Disneyland Paris parks to provide a place to warm up bottles and meals and change children's nappies.
• There are change tables in all the female bathrooms around the parks as well.
• You are welcome to bring your own stroller, as we did, to Disney parks, as long as it meets certain size requirements. Strollers must not exceed 92cm x 132cm and wagons are not permitted.

What's new at Disneyland Paris

Since our visit Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris has now been renamed to Disney Adventure World.

As part of the transformation, Disney has also now unveiled the World of Frozen.

Visitors can go on a fully-immersive journey into the Kingdom of Arendelle, featuring the 36-metre tall North Mountain crowned by Elsa's Ice Palace, the village square and Arendelle Bay.

At the heart of the village, the new family attraction Frozen Ever After takes guests on a musical boat ride through landscapes and memorable scenes from the films.

The reimagination and expansion of Disney Adventure World sees the second park nearly double in size and introduces a host of other new experiences, including a Tangled-inspired attraction, 15 brand-new dining locations, and a lake that showcases an all-new nighttime spectacular.

At nightfall, the new Adventure Baylake transforms into an open-air stage for Disney Cascade of Lights.

The very first daily nighttime spectacular within the second park is inspired by Disney Animation's Moana, Mulan, Hercules, and Zootopia, Disney and Pixar's Up, and stories from the Marvel Universe.

Where to stay

Staying in a hotel on the actual Disney property doesn't come cheap. Plus accommodation tends to fill up quickly around the busy travel periods.

That's where Fabulous Hotels Group was a great option, as they are located off park but still feel like a Disney property. And there are options to suit all types of budgets.

Our pick was the four-star Hôtel Dream Castle, which offers 399 rooms and suites in an enchanting fairy-tale theme.

Plus, all the properties here have a direct and free regular shuttle service to the park entrance.

When you're finished visiting the park for the day head to Platform N. Free shuttle buses back to the hotels run every 20 minutes (40 minutes during off-peak hours), from 8am until two hours after the closing of the Disney parks.

How to get to Disneyland Paris

While not directly in Paris city, Disneyland Paris is only about 40 minutes away by public transport. So you could also stay at a hotel in the city and commute.

The RER A, the Eurostar and several TGV lines all stop at the Chessy/Marne-la-Vallée station at the park entrance.

There is also the Magical Shuttle, which takes you directly from the two main Parisian airports to Disneyland Paris. From Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, you can also take the high-speed TGV train to Disney in only 10 minutes.

The writer was a guest of Disney and Fabulous Hotels Group.

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