9 Highlights From Our Holiday Trip to Disneyland Paris 2021 (Including Photos, Video)

Hi everyone!

We returned last week from a wonderful holiday trip to Disneyland Paris. Disney’s Enchanted Christmas is scheduled to run through January 9th, 2021 and is anchored by the new Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade in Disneyland Park. While entertainment is not as abundant as during our 2018 trip, there is a lot to see and do at the parks.  I am still combing through thousands of photos for articles and we have many more videos to post to our Disneyland Paris Holiday 2021 YouTube playlist. First, here is our Mousesteps Weekly show #421 that we recorded today.

Here are 9 of our holiday highlights from Disneyland Paris this trip!

Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade – “Dazzling” is a perfect word to describe this daytime AND nighttime parade. With five all-new unique floats, two parade show stops and new costumes for the performers – this parade was a must-see every day that we were in Disneyland Paris. The nighttime show stop in Town Square incorporated the Christmas tree lighting by Santa. I will be posting even more about this parade in the coming week.

Here is our daytime video of Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade.

And at night, it comes alive in a different way.

Holiday Decorations in Both Parks – We will have a walk-through video that I shot of Town Square to Central Plaza with the beautiful decorations posted this week. Walking into Town Square is like a winter wonderland with the giant Christmas tree, lights and character decorations and near Central Plaza is decorated too.

Christmas Tree Lighting – The Christmas tree lighting ceremony is part of the nighttime version of Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade, but there is also a “tree lighting moment” that plays on the speakers every so often. And the music on Main Street U.S.A. is beautiful and traditional.

Let’s Sing Christmas – This show is different than when we saw it in 2018, without a choir – but it was lovely and included Disney characters with four performers singing Christmas songs.

Meeting Disney Characters – There are quite a few Disney characters in their holiday best around the parks. Santa Stitch was near the Plaza Gardens Restaurant, Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws near Phantom Manor, Chip and Dale outside Cowboy Cookout and more. Indoor “selfie spots” tended to be busier, including “Magical Christmas Selfie Moments” with Fairy Godmother, Cinderella and Mickey (the hours were pretty limited there as well).

Here is our video of Santa Stitch.

And our video with Sandy Claws.

L’Hiver Gourmand – Five chalets are along La Place de Rémy with two more in another area of Walt Disney Studios Park, serving up holiday favorites including chestnuts and mulled wine. We had a full meal at the chalets, including dessert (a salted caramel crepe and then we also tried a Buche de Noel on our last night). The very hot Vegan Butternut Soup was especially welcome when dining outside in 40 degree weather. L’Hiver Gourmand is scheduled to run through March 20th, 2022.

Everything we tried was delicious and reasonably priced.

Outdoor dining was a little(!) cold, but worth it.

“A Funny Snowy Winter” Show – This is a cute (short) show in the Production Courtyard at Walt Disney Studios Park featuring Donald and Goofy. Following the show, Goofy and Donald pose for photos.

Here is our video.

We Experienced Real Snow! – During our trip, I was hoping for snow and we did experience about 90 minutes of it one morning. It was a wonderful time in the park before our planned day in Paris.

Here is our video.

Santa’s Magical Control Room – Santa has a new, themed room this year at Disneyland Park in Videopolis. “We are in Santa’s office where he works, prepares and plans his trip all year to be perfectly organized,” said Emmanuel Lenormand, the show director in charge of Disney’s Enchanted Christmas season. We enjoyed stopping by except for most of the waiting was outside – and it was a cold and rainy day as winter days often can be.

Here is our video.

It was a chilly but magical time at the parks, including a lot of time with friends throughout our stay. Masks were required indoors and outside, and honestly I’ll always wear one in cold weather now (it kept my face so much warmer).

We will be posting a lot more videos, and I will have articles over the next few weeks including from a few things we did in Paris as well as a day visit to Reims for the G.H. Mumm Champagne house.