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Seoul is one of my favourite cities in the world. The architecture is beautiful, the people are kind, and the food and shopping are to die for.
Seoul has a bit of a reputation for being an expensive county, but I think it doesn’t deserve that reputation at all. Not only is the city not as expensive as many people make it out to be, but there are lots of free things to do as well.
This post showcases 5 free things to do in Seoul. They are all centrally-located, and you can walk from one sight to the next.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is one of the most famous sights in Seoul. It is located in the centre of the city, so it is easy to get to no matter where you are staying. Entering the palace itself has an entrance fee of less than $5USD. It is worth paying the money to visit because it is a stunning and is full of history.
However, if you are on an extreme budget, you should still make a point to attend the changing of the guards ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace. The changing of the guards takes place every day of the week except Tuesday at 10am and 2:30pm. The ceremony takes place just inside the main gate. If you are planning on attending the ceremony, I would recommend arriving 5-10 minutes before it starts to get a good viewing spot.
The ceremony takes approximately 10 minutes. It is narrated in both Korean and English, so you will be able to understand the significance of what is happening.
The narration really helps to elevate the ceremony. Being able to understand what is happening throughout the ceremony helps give you a deeper understanding of the palace and Korean culture.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is definitely one of the best free things to do in Seoul. It gives an understanding of past and present Korean culture and traditions.
Just a few blocks away from Gyeongbokgung Palace is Insadong. This is a shopping street where tourists come to fulfill all their souvenir needs.
This street is lined with stalls selling every souvenir a tourist could ask for. From bookmarks to chopsticks to artwork, there is something for everyone. While there are plenty of opportunities to spend money in Insadong, wandering through the street and stores is free.
Insadong is a great place to people watch. Often times there are people walking around in traditional dresses called Hanbok because they get free entrance to the palaces when wearing the traditional outfit.
Insadong is also a great place to get food. While it does not have as many street food offerings as other neighbourhoods, it is my go-to neighbourhood for restaurants. The food is delicious, and it is relatively cheap with most meals costing between $11 and $15USD.
Seoul has many different free museums to choose from. There is the National Folk Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Korea, the National Palace Museum of Korea, the Seoul Children’s Museum, and the National Art Museum just to name a few.
All the museums have English text throughout them, so you will be able to read and learn about the artifacts you are seeing. The museums are also well organized, and you never feel overwhelmed with information. Every museum is well-curated and helps you to learn about Korean culture and tradition.
Korea has a long and complicated history, so it is important to take the time to learn about the beautiful country you are exploring. It is easy to get caught up in the incredible city that Seoul is now; however, it has an equally incredible history that deserves to be explored as well.
Most people opt to take the cable car or a bus up Namsan to take in the view, but I say climb that mountain! I will admit that the climb is a bit steep and involves a lot of stairs at times. However, the path up the mountain is beautiful, and the reward of a magnificent view will be worth it in the end.
Climbing Namsan takes between 60 and 90 minutes depending on how slowly or quickly you make your way up. I recommend making the climb in the evening because seeing the city lit up at night is spectacular. Plus it is less hot, and, trust me, you will get a bit sweaty on the climb.
At the top of Namsan is the N-Seoul Tower. You can pay to go up the tower; however, I think the views from the base of the tower are spectacular enough that you can save your money and simply stick to the free viewing area.
Namsan and the N-Seoul Tower are highlights of Seoul. They provide a unique view of the modern Seoul that you can’t get anywhere else.
Myeongdong is the main shopping area in Seoul. It is free to walk around and explore; however, if you manage to leave without spending any money, you are an amazing person.
Myeongdong is filled with cosmetic shops, cafes, street food stalls, and clothing shops. If you enjoy shopping, this is the place for you! If you love cute themed cafes, this is also the place for you.
Wandering around Myeongdong is an adventure in and of itself. The streets are normally lined with people, and there are always store associates yelling and trying to lure you into their stores. Yes it can be overwhelming when you first get there, but I promise that it will be a great time.
If you’re tired of the crowds on the streets, there are plenty of cafes on the second floor of the shops that you can visit. If you sit by a window in the cafe, you will be able to people watch as well as enjoy your coffee (or green tea latte, which I highly recommend).
As a word of caution, be sure you know what you want cosmetics you want to purchase in Myeongdong before you go. Having a plan will prevent you from overspending and buying product you don’t need.
Seoul deserves to be on everybody’s bucket list. It is a unique city that offers something for everybody to love.
I hope these suggestions for free things to do in Seoul help to convince you to book a trip and explore South Korea. I promise you won’t regret it!
The best part of Seoul is that the central part of the city is very walkable. All 5 of the free sights in this article are within walking distance from one another. Walking from sight to sight will help you take in the modern city of Seoul and walk through some neighbourhoods that you would not be able to see while on the train.
So strap on you’re walking shoes and put away your wallet because free activities in Seoul are waiting for you to explore them!
Let’s talk Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ tips and tricks that’ll make sure you have the best day in Hollywood Studios!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has undergone a huge transformation in the past few years. It went from a half-day park to a park that has some of the most sought after rides in all of Disney World!
Now that Hollywood Studios is an incredibly popular and busy park, you need to know the best Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ secrets.
You’ll waste a lot of time standing in line if you don’t use these Fastpass+ secrets! You may not even be able to ride all the attractions you want to!
So read on to become a Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ expert!
Just like in every Walt Disney World park, there are certain rides in Hollywood Studios you need a Fastpass+ for and some you don’t.
It is important you understand what rides don’t need a Fastpass+ for.
Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections are difficult to make, so if you know exactly what you don’t need a Hollywood studios Fastpass+ for, it will make your life easier.
The first step in figuring out what you do and don’t need a Fastpass+ for is understanding the Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ tiers.
Hollywood Studios has two Fastpass+ tiers.
You’re allowed to select one Fastpass+ for a ride in tier one and two rides in tier two.
So what rides are in each category?
There are certain attractions that you simply don’t need a Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ for.
I don’t suggest you get a Fastpass+ for the following attractions:
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that all of the attractions that you don’t need a Fastpass+ for are in tier two.
You can often walk up to these attractions and get on them within a few minutes. For the shows, you can show up 5-15 minutes before and generally get a seat.
It isn’t worth using your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections on these attractions when the rest of the attractions in Hollywood Studios always have a long line and are a much better use of a Fastpass+.
Hollywood Studios has the most single rider lines of any of Disney World parks. Technically, it is the same number of single rider queues as Animal Kingdom, so both parks are tied for the most single rider lines.
Fun fact: Magic Kingdom is the only park in Disney World that doesn’t have any rides that offer a single rider line?!
Check out this post if you’re interested in learning about how to perfect your Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ strategy since you can’t take advantage of single rider lines!
Single rider lines are one of the best ways to get a lot done in a short amount of time. They are often way shorter than the regular lines.
A single rider line is a queue that is used to fill vacant seats on popular rides.
Let’s say a ride vehicle seats three people, and there is a party of two in line. One person from the single rider line will be sat with that group of two, so the ride vehicle is always filled to capacity.
This helps the line move quicker and the ride operate efficiently.
You’re able to use the single rider line if you’re a party of two or more, but you will be separated when you reach the front of the line.
You will not be able to sit with your group if you use the single rider line. You will ride the attraction with a group of strangers.
The single rider line is a great option, but it isn’t for everybody.
I personally love it and use it all the time, but I also have friends who hate it. It really comes down to personal preference.
You may not enjoy using the single rider line if:
Good question! You may have read this entire section and been like thanks for the valuable information, but how exactly is this a Fastpass+ tip?
Well, if you take advantage of the single rider lines, you’re able to use your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections on attractions that don’t have single rider lines.
I’ve found the Millennium Falcom: Smugglers Run single rider line moves very quickly and is significantly shorter than the regular standby line.
If you want to ride all three rides in tier one and are comfortable using the single rider line, then you can use your tier one Fastpass+ selection for either Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway or Slinky Dog Dash.
Using the single rider lines strategically will help you make better Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ choices.
Every Disney guest is allowed to make three Fastpass+ selections per day.
Most people think that once they use their three pre-chosen Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections, they’re out of luck and have to use the standby line the rest of the day, but that isn’t true.
You can book a fourth bonus Fastpass+ as soon as you’ve used up your original three Fastpass+ selections!
Yup. You read that right! You can keep making additional Fastpass+ selections one at a time after you’ve used your three pre-selected Fastpass+ options.
This is a great way to see more of Hollywood Studios without spending a lot of time in line.
It is incredibly easy to make your bonus Fastpass+ selection!
You can either book it directly through the My Disney Experience app or use one of the Fastpass+ kiosks around the park.
You can book a bonus Fastpass+ for any attraction. It doesn’t have to be an attraction from tier two. You can book an additional Fastpass+ for a tier one attraction (if there are any left)!
As with all things Disney, there is a way to get the best bang for your buck.
Here are a few tips to help you make the most out of your bonus Fastpass+:
The best way to get the most out of your bonus Fastpass+ is to book it as soon as you’ve scanned your magic band or park ticket to use your last Hollywood Studios Fastpass+.
Book your next Fastpass+ while you’re standing in the Fastpass+ queue waiting to get on the ride!
This will allow you to maximize your time in Hollywood Studios, and you’re more likely to get a bonus Fastpass+ for the ride you want.
You can make as many bonus Fastpass+ selections as you want!
You can only book one bonus Fastpass+ at a time, but once you use it, you can book another one right away.
The competition to get a desirable Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ is fierce. It is difficult to get a bonus Fastpass+ for a tier one attraction or some of the more popular tier two attractions.
But keep trying as soon as you use your last Fastpass+, and you might just get lucky!
One of the best ways you can get the most out of your bonus Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ is by choosing a ride that has a return window that is close to the time you’re booking it.
If you have the choice to book a bonus Fastpass+ for a ride that has a Fastpass+ return time in an hour from when you’re booking versus a ride that has a return time that is five hours from when you’re booking, it is in your best interest to book the Fastpass+ for the ride you can get on in an hour.
This will help you get the most done in Hollywood Studios, and you can potentially book an additional bonus Fastpass+ for the ride that has a later return time once you’ve used your first bonus Fastpass+.
You’ll have a better chance of getting a good bonus Fastpass+ selection if your’e strategic about when you book your original three Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections.
The earlier in the day you’ve used your original Fastpass+ selections, the earlier in the day you can get a bonus Fastpass+. The earlier in the day you can get a bonus Fastpass+, the better your chances of there being a Fastpass+ available for the ride you want.
It is a win-win!
I suggest trying to book all your original Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections for before 2pm.
And even earlier than that if possible, but it can be difficult to get an early Fastpass+ return time for the attractions in tier one.
Hollywood Studios is the only Walt Disney World park where you can’t get a Fastpass+ to meet your favourite characters.
You can get a Fastpass+ to meet Mickey and Minnie in Animal Kingdom and a Fastpass+ to meet Minnie, Mickey, and Goofy in Epcot. There are tons of characters in Magic Kingdom you can get a Fastpass+ to meet. They include Mickey, Tinker Bell, and the princesses.
But no such luck in Hollywood Studios.
If you want to meet any characters in Hollywood Studios, you have to wait in line, and the line can get really long for popular characters.
You need to be strategic about when you book your Hollywood Studio Fastpass+ selections if you want to meet characters.
To have the lowest wait time to meet characters, you’ll want to meet them either right when they start greeting guests at 10am or wait until the end of the night and try to sneak into the line when everybody else has left for the day.
Fantasmic! is one of my favourite nighttime Disney shows (although the Disneyland version is way better), but it isn’t the best use of your Fastpass+.
There are a couple of reasons for this:
I’ve used one of my original three Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections for Fantasmic! in the past, and it wasn’t a great experience.
I got to the Fastpass+ line half an hour before the show starts (as it said to do on my Fastpass+), entered the theater, and discovered that nearly all the Fastpass+ seats were already filled.
The only seats left were in the very last section, and it was difficult to find a place for two people to sit.
The standard advice people tell you about Fantasmic! is that if you’re using the stand-by queue, to be there an hour early, so I don’t see the value of using a Fastpass+ selection for Fasntasmic! unless it is a bonus Fastpass+ I get the day of.
From my experience, you have to show up about 45 minutes early if you have a Fastpass+, so you’re not really saving that much time by getting a Fastpass+ for Fantasmic!.
There are much better ways you can use your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections. You can save a lot more time by using your Fastpass+ for a ride that normally has a queue that is an hour or longer than for Fantasmic!.
But you should still try to see Fantasmic! while you’re at Hollywood Studios. It is a lot of fun!
It is easy to lose track of time and then realize that your Fastpass+ window for your favourite attraction is nearly over!
It is an anxiety-inducing moment, but there is a sneaky way around it!
You simply go into your My Disney Experience app and alter the time of your Fastpass+. You can push it back (or even change what attraction it is for) in the app, and you don’t have to worry about losing your Fastpass+.
There is no guarantee that you will be able to push your Fastpass+ back and get a later Fastpass+ for the same ride, but it is worth a shot.
You probably won’t be able to push back your Hollywood Studios tier one Fastpass+ and expect to get another tier one Fastpass+ (there won’t be any left), but this strategy often works for the rides in tier two.
Even if you’re not able to get a Fastpass+ for the same ride, it is better to push your Fastpass+ if you’re going to miss your window.
It is better to have a Fastpass+ for something rather than for nothing!
Good question!
It is super easy to be running five minutes behind- especially when there is a kid in your group!
Disney World has a very short grace period. You can normally use your Fastpass+ five minutes before the start of your return time and 10-15 minutes after your return time has ended.
This is not guaranteed, and you should not rely on this policy.
A lot of the time it is up to the discretion of the cast member to decide whether or not you’ll be able to use your Fastpass+ once your window is over.
You can explain why you’re late and hope you win over the caste member.
The very best way to solve this issue is by not being late in the first place! You work hard to book your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selection in advance, and it would be a shame not to be able to use them!
You need to book your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections as soon as your selection window opens!
Of all the parks in Disney World, I think the Fastpass+ competition is the most fierce at Hollywood Studios. It can be extremely difficult to get the Fastpass+ selections you want, and you often have to be very flexible about what time you book your Fastpas+ for.
Basically, you need to scoop up the Fastpass+ selections you can even if they are at a less desirable time.
You can make your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections:
Your Fastpass+ booking window opens at 7 am EST.
This is true whether you’re allowed to book your Fastpass+ 60 days or 30 days in advance.
You have to be on your computer (or in the My Disney Experience app) at exactly 7 am EST, know what you want a Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ for, and make your selections as quick as possible.
It is quite the rush first thing in the morning!
Your chances of getting the Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections you want are way better if you’re on the computer at 7 am EST making your selections 60 days in advance.
You’ll still be able to get some good Fastpass+ selections if you book 30 days out, but you may not be able to get a Fastpass+ for every ride you want and certainly not at the times you want.
Your chances of getting a good Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ significantly decreases the longer you wait to book your Fastpass+. There will be basically no tier one Fastpass+ options 29 days before your vacation, and you’ll have trouble booking a Fastpass+ for some of the more popular tier two attractions.
That last section may have scared you a little bit, and you may be thinking that trying to get the very best Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections is a lost cause. But is isn’t.
You’ll be able to get some great Fastpass+ selections whether you book your Fastpass+ 60 days or 30 days in advance, but not matter what you do, you’ll never be able to get a Fastpass+ for everything you want to ride.
This is where taking advantage of park closing comes in.
It is similar to my tip about taking advantage of single rider lines. It isn’t really a direct Fastpass+ tip, but it helps you make good Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ choices.
Park closing is one of the best times to take advantage of short wait times.
Not many people stay until Hollywood Studios closes, and if they do, most of them are watching Fantasmic! or the fire works.
This means the ride lines are very short!
And that is great news for you!
You’re able to ride one of the most popular rides in Hollywood Studios (typically a tier one ride or Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster or Tower of Terror) with little to no wait time.
If you know that you want to stay until the park closes, you can plan to visit one of the most popular attractions at night and plan the rest of your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections around that.
I suggest trying to ride Slinky Dog Dash at the end of the evening because it is really fun to ride under the pitch black sky. The rest of the rides are indoors, so you won’t get a special experience by riding them at night.
This is a sneaky tactic used by Disney to deter a lot of people from jumping in a ride line just as the park closes.
A lot of the time rides will display a long stand-by wait time right at park close, but the wait is never as long as it says.
Sometimes it is only half as long, which can still be fairly long in some cases.
I once jumped into the Slinky Dog Dash line about five minutes before Hollywood Studios closed. The wait time was displayed at 60 minutes, but, in reality, it was only about 30 minutes.
That’s a pretty substantial difference!
It may not always be the case, but I’ve never had an experience where the wait time displayed just before park closing was completely accurate.
The wait was always shorter in reality. It just depends on the day how much shorter it is.
But you can guarantee that it will be shorter than if you were waiting in line in the middle of the day.
You will be allowed to ride a ride if the park is officially closed as long as you’re in the line before the park closes.
If Hollywood Studios closes at 9 pm, you can get in the Tower of Terror line at 8:59 pm and be able to ride it no matter how long the wait is!
So don’t think that just because a wait time is 30 minutes and the park closes in 15 that you won’t be able to get in line.
You can get in line, and you will be able to ride the ride!
It is a great little trick to squeeze just a little bit more out of your Disney day!
There are a number of different stage shows in Hollywood Studios that you can get a Fastpass+ for, but I don’t really recommend any of them.
The problem with them is that they are a time suck.
You have to show up to the show at least 15 minutes early, watch a 30-minute show, and then go about your day again.
I have nothing against watching the stage shows (some of them are quite fun!), but they aren’t the best use of your Fastpass+ for two reasons.
This is the same complaint as I have with the Fantasmic! Fastpass+.
You’re not really getting an advantage by having a Fastpass+ for a stage show.
You have to show up at the same time as people in the stand-by line. The only difference is what part of the theater you’re allowed to sit in.
In some cases, you can even show up just a minute or two before the show and get a seat in the stand-by line.
The fact that you have to dedicate extra time to take advantage of your Fastpass+ doesn’t seem like a very good deal to me.
In fact, I think it is a bit of a rip off.
You’re dedicating at least 50 minutes of your time to watching a stage show by the time you get there 15 minutes early, watch the show, and then get out of the theater.
This makes it quite difficult to know when to schedule your other Fastpass+ selections for.
You can easily make the mistake of getting a Fastpass+ for another attraction too close to the time of the show and then either have to run to your next Fastpass+ or miss it all together.
Not a great situation to be in.
If you do decide to get a Fastpass+ for a stage show, you shouldn’t make another Fastpass+ reservation for at least 75 minutes after the show starts.
That gives you 30 minutes to watch the show and then 45 minutes to funnel out of the theater, use the washroom, and get to your next attraction.
I enjoy the shows at Hollywood Studios, and I think you should consider taking some time to watch one or two of them.
My strategy when it comes to shows is to be aware of when their show times are and then go to the one that fits best into my schedule.
Maybe I have a multi-hour gap between my Fastpass+ reservations. Maybe I’m exhausted and want to sit for an extended period of time.
There will likely be a chunk of time in your day at Hollywood Studios that needs to be filled, and there is no better way to fill it than by watching a show.
It certainly beats standing in a long queue outside in Toy Story Land or wandering through the shops for hours on end.
You’ve heard me give a lot of advice in this post.
You shouldn’t get a Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ for this ride or shows aren’t a great use of your time. But it all comes down to what is important to you!
You can read every blog about Hollywood Studios Fastpass+, take all the advice, follows everything to exact detail, and have a crappy day in the park.
All because you took the advice of someone on the internet rather than listening to your gut and doing what is the best for you and your group.
You should educate yourself on how to get the most out of your Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections, but you should ultimately do what makes sense for you.
If you adore the Muppets (how could you not?!), then maybe it is worth it to get a Fastpass+ for Muppet 3D Vision on the off chance that there is a short line, and you don’t want to wait.
Or maybe you have a child in your party who adores Elsa and would be heartbroken if they didn’t get to see the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. Then get a Fastpass+ for that.
It all comes down to what will make your day the most magical.
Rise of the Resistance is the hottest ride at Disney World right now.
You can’t get a Fastpass+ for it, and it can throw your day for a complete loop!
The only way to ride Rise of the Resistance is to get a boarding group. The only way to get a boarding group is to be inside Hollywood Studios the moment it opens, log into your My Disney Experience app, and pray for a miracle.
If you’re lucky enough to get a boarding group, you will be notified on the app when your boarding group is ready to board the ride.
Once you get that notification, you only have a limited amount of time to get to Rise of the Resistance, or your right to ride the ride is lost.
You never know when your boarding group will be called, so it may unintentionally interfere with the Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections you made in advance.
You have to have a plan in place in case this happens. This is especially true if you’re traveling with children or people (like me) who aren’t great at going with the flow.
Decide ahead of time whether you’re willing to sacrifice riding a tier one attraction to ride Rise of the Resistance. And have a conversation with your group, so everybody knows the plan.
In a lot of cases, you’re able to work around your Fastpass+ selections and Rise of the Resistance to do both, but there are cases where that just isn’t possible.
Have a plan in place and know what is more important to you.
This will help you with any hard decision you need to make on the day you’re visiting Hollywood Studios.
Hollywood Studios is quickly becoming the park where you need a rock solid Fastpass+ strategy in order to conquer it.
Gone are the days where there were hardly any waits, and it had a more laid-back vibe.
Now it is filled with people eyeing up their favourite rides at rope drop, disappointment because you didn’t get all the Fastpass+ selections you wanted, and, frankly, not enough indoor quick service dining locations.
These Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ tips will help you plan the perfect Hollywood Studios strategy for you.
You’re armed with all the knowledge you need. All that is left to do is make the best Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ selections you can and enjoy your day at Hollywood Studios.
May the Force be with you!
No trip to Munich is complete without taking a trip to Neuschwanstein Castle. It is one of the most gorgeous castles in the world. It is easy to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, so there is no excuse not to go! It is truly the perfect day trip from Munich.
Over 1.3 million people visit Neuschwanstein Castle every year. With the majority of people traveling to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, the public transportation system is well developed and easy to us. From solo travellers to family travellers, everybody can been confident travelling to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich because it really is that easy.
Before we get into how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, we need to talk a little bit about the history of the castle. There is no point taking the time to travel to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich if you don’t know anything about what you’re going to see!
The palace was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Construction began in September of 1869 and ended in 1886 when King Ludwig II died. The palace was not complete when the king passed away, and no further work has been done on it.
King Ludwig II insisted that the palace be built using his private funds rather than Bavarian tax money. This lead to the complete date for the palace being pushed back multiple times because the cost of building the palace kept going up.
The palace was opened to tourists just 6 weeks after the king died, and there has been a steady stream of tourists ever since.
To get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich you have to take a train then a bus.
You need to take the train from Munich Haupbaunhof to Füssen. Munich Haupbaunhof is the main train station in Munich and is in the centre of the city. The train ride to Neuschwanstein Castle to Munich takes approximately 2 hours.
To get the most out of your money, you should take the 9:52 train. You will be able to buy and use a Bayern ticket if you take this train.
The Bayern ticket allows you to take a train or bus anywhere in Bavaria for an entire day for only €25! On weekdays, the ticket is valid 9am to 3am the next day. It is valid from 12:01am to 3am the next day.
That means that if you visit Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich on a weekend, you can catch any morning train. You won’t have to until after 9am to be able to us your Bayern ticket.
The best part about the Bayern ticket is that you are able to buy tickets for additional people in your group for only €5 each! It is an amazing deal that you should be sure to take advantage of.
Tip: If you want to be the first off the train and, therefore, the first to get to the bus, sit at the front of the train. This is allow you to be one of the first people off the platform because you don’t have to walk the length of the train.
You will have to take a bus from Füssen to Neuschwanstein Castle. The bus is located on the opposite side of the train tracks from where you get off the train.
You should be able to see the bus as you are leaving the train.
You want to get on bus 78. The bus ride takes approximately 20 minutes. After you exit the bus, you will have a short walk to the castle. Follow the throngs of tourists and you won’t get lost.
Your bus ride is included in the cost of the Bayern ticket, so you don’t need to purchase a separate ticket to ride the bus!
Tours to Neuschwanstein Castle are probably the most common day trips tour agencies sell. There are plenty of tour agencies that offer day trips to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich. They all offer basically the same trip for a similar price.
I am not going to recommend any particular tour agency because I haven’t taken them to know which tours are quality and which ones aren’t. I recommend you do your own research and find a tour agency that has a trip that works for your needs.
If you have a physical limitation that makes it difficult for you to get to Munich Haupbaunhof, ride a train for 2 hours, then ride a bus for 20, and finally walk a short distance to the castle ticketing area.
Many guided tours pick you up at your hotel (or a nearby hotel) and drop you off at the ticketing booth. This significantly limits the amount of walking and transferring you are required to do.
If you’re a new traveller and aren’t confident in navigating the train system by yourself, you may want to consider taking a guided tour.
When you take a guided tour, you don’t have to worry about getting off at the correct stop or getting on the wrong train because there is a guide there to ensure you successfully get to Neuschwanstein Castle and back again.
You will be carefree by taking a guided tour, and you will be able to enjoy the beautiful sights because you won’t be stressed about getting to the castle properly or missing your train home.
Most guided tours allow you to skip the ticket line, which is a huge advantage because the ticket line can get incredibly long- especially during the summer. You essentially pay for front of the line tickets when you take a guided tour. You will still have to wait until your designated entry time, but you won’t have to wait in line to buy a ticket.
Warning: Most guided tours do not include the entrance fee of €13. You will be required to pay the entrance fee above and beyond the cost of the tour.
The castle is open from 9am to 6pm daily from the beginning of April to October 15th. From October 16th to the end of March the castle is open from 10am to 4pm.
Neuschwanstein Castle is open daily throughout the year except January 1st and December 24th, 25th, and 31st.
You can purchase tickets at the ticket centre everyday 90 minutes before the castle opens for tours.
You will be given an entry time when you purchase your ticket, and you must go on the tour at the time printed on your ticket.
Neuschwanstein Castle is undoubtably the busiest during the summer months. Many people from around the world visit Neuschwanstein Castle when they are on holiday in Germany in the summer.
The castle can see 6,000 visitors a day in the summer months. If you can avoid visiting Neuschwanstein Castle during the summer months, you will have a more enjoyable experience.
Fall is a good option for visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. There were be fewer crowds than in the summer. The scenery will be stunning this time of year because the leaves are changing colours.
The only downside of visiting during fall is that weather. It can get cold at Neuschwanstein Castle, so you will want to have a jacket with you. Other than the weather, fall is a great time to visit Neuschwanstein Castle.
Spring is, in my opinion, the best time to visit Neuschwanstein Castle. There are smaller crowds, and the weather is normally pretty good. This allows you to explore the castle without feeling cold and wanting to go inside to warm up.
I would still bring a jacket to Neuschwanstein Castle if you visit in the spring, but you are less likely to need it than in the fall. Neuschwanstein Castle is located on a hill, so it can get windy up there.
Winter is a pretty good time to visit Neuschwanstein Castle. There are not many crowds, so you will be able to spend more time marvelling at the castle without having other tourists sneaking in front of you to snap a picture.
The bad part of visiting Neuschwanstein Castle during the winter is the weather. You have to walk outside a fair amount when visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. The pathways can be slippery and dangerous in the winter. If you have never walked on ice and snow before, winter may not be a good time for you to visit Neuschwanstein Castle.
As mentioned above, the entrance fee is €13. If you are eligible for a reduced fee, is is €12. You are eligible for a reduced fare if you are a student or senior citizen (65+). Children under the age of 18 receive free entrance to the castle.
You can also purchase a King’s ticket. This ticket gives you access to both Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwagau castle on the same day. This is a great option if you get to the castle early and have extra time to explore.
The final ticket option is called Königsschlösser (or combination ticket in English). This ticket costs €26. It gives you access to Neuschwanstein, Liderhof, and Herrenhiemsee. You can visit each location once during a 6 month time period.
Note: More information on the other castles to follow later.
You can purchase your ticket online before you arrive at the castle. It is highly recommended that you do this! You have to purchase your tickets at least 2 days before you visit the castle. If you don’t purchase them at least 2 days in advance, you will have to purchase them at the ticket booth.
You should purchase your tickets online as early as possible. The earlier you purchase your tickets, the more likely you are to get the time slot you want.
You’ve made it all the way to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich. Congrats! But now you’ve purchased your tickets and realize that here is a hill between Neuschwanstein Castle and you. There are 3 possible ways to get from the ticket centre to the castle.
If you’re able-bodied, I recommend walking. The walk is 1.5km from the ticket centre to Neuschwanstein Castle. You have to walk up a hill with a bit of an incline so make sure you’re in good enough health to make the walk.
Walking is a great option because you have time to enjoy the sights and not rush. You picked up your tickets 90 minutes before your tour, so you aren’t in a rush to get to Neuschwanstein Castle.
The walk is beautiful. There are trees and foliage all along the way, so you really start to take in the beauty of the area before you even get to the castle.
The walk takes 20-30 minutes. Once you reach the top, there is a bridge to get some great shots of Neuschwanstein Castle. The bridge is always very busy. If you want to get pictures from it, be sure to leave extra time to queue up and wait to get your shot.
You can take a bus to Neuschwanstein Castle if you don’t want to walk. The bus departs just up from the ticket centre a little ways up the hill.
It costs €1.80 for a one-way ticket and €2.60 for a return ticket. Purchasing a one-way ticket is a great option if you don’t want to walk up the hill but can walk down it. This allows you to see the scenery without having to exert yourself walking up a steep hill.
Note: This bus ticket is not included in your Bayern ticket. You have to pay for this bus ticket.
Your third option is to take a horse-drawn carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle.
I don’t support using animals for transportation and do not recommend this option. I’m not going to give you any more information on this option. If you are interested in taking a horse-drawn carriage to Neuschwanstein Castle, you have to do your own research outside of this article.
The only way you can enter Neuschwanstein Castle is by taking a guided tour. The ticket your purchased at the bottom of the hill has a time on it. That is the time of your guided tour. Be sure to show up to the tour meeting place 10-15 minutes to make sure you don’t miss your tour.
Your tour guide will take you through the castle and explain the history of Neuschwanstein Castle. The tour last approximately 35 minutes.
The tour is offered in either English or German. If you don’t speak either of those languages, you can request an audioguide that has 16 languages to choose from.
Only 14 rooms in Neuschwanstein Castle were completed. You will be able to see the most impressive rooms during your tour.
The guided tour can goes by quickly, and you can feel a bit rushed. You should try to stand either at the front or back of your group in order to get the most time in each room.
Note: You are not allowed to take photographs in Neuschwanstein Castle, so put your camera away and enjoy the beauty of the castle.
You should take some time to explore the area surrounding Neuschwanstein Castle after your guided tour. There is a forested area that you are able to walk through and take pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle from different angels. There is also a stream you can walk over.
It is an incredibly beautiful area, and you should not miss seeing it. You should set aside about an hour to walk around the area and take pictures.
Neuschwanstein Castle, unfortunately, not friendly to people living with a physical disability. You have to walk a short distance from the ticket centre to the bus and then again from where the bus drops you off to Neuschwanstein Castle. The tour also involves a lot of walking, and you have to walk up and down stairs.
If you require a wheelchair, scooter, or have troubles walking short and medium distances or using stairs, visiting Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich on a day trip is not a good option for you.
If you are uncomfortable with crowds, there are ways to visit Neuschwanstein Castle while minimizing crowds. You will encounter the least crowds if you take the first tour in the morning or book a tour after 3pm.
The less crowded times, unfortunately, do not coincide with optimal timing for taking a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich because the train schedule does not fit your needs.
I recommend getting a hotel in the nearby town Füssen. This is drastically cut down your commute time because you will only have to take a 20 minute bus ride from Füssen to Neuschwanstein Castle, which is a lot quicker and easier than travelling to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich.
Hohenschwagau Palace is located on the same property as Neuschwanstein Castle. It is located at the bottom of the hill and overlooks a lake.
While it isn’t as beautiful as Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwagau is still worth touring- especially since your are already in the area to see Neuschwanstein Castle.
Hohenschwagau Palace has the same opening times as Neuschwanstein Castle, and you are required to take a guided tour to see the palace.
If you have time on your trip to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, you should definitely take a tour of Hohenschwagau.
Hohenschwagau was King Ludwig II’s childhood home. After his father passed away, King Ludwig II moved into his father’s room. He disliked living with his mother, so he decided to build Neuschwanstein Castle high above his parent’s castle.
Note: If you use a tour company to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, you will not have the option to tour Hohenschwagau Palace. You will have time to take pictures of it from a distance but will not be able to go inside.
Liderhof Palace is a 50 minute drive from Neuschwanstein Castle. If you rented a car to visit Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, you may be able to visit Liderhof after you visit Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwagau Palace.
You will not be able to visit Liderhof Palace on the same day you visit Neuschwanstein Castle if you take the train to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich.
Liderhof Palace is the smallest of King Ludwig II’s castles, but it was the only one to be completed during his lifetime. The palace was inspired by Versailles, and you can see a lot of similarities between the two palaces.
Herrenchiesmee is located quite a distance from Neuschwanstein Castle, and it is best to do a separate day trip from Munich to visit it.
This was the last of King Ludwig II’s building projects, and it was also his largest project. Herrenchiemsee was also inspired by Versailles, and, just like Neuschwanstein Castle, construction was not completed during King Ludwig II’s lifetime.
Herrenchiemsee is a very popular tourist attraction in Bavaria, and you should consider visiting it if you have an extra day in Munich that can be used for another day trip.
You should definitely consider taking a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich. It is a beautiful part of Bavaria and has an interesting history. It should be on every castle lover’s bucket list.
I know this article was only supposed to be about how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich, but I figured I would create a one-stop article that gives you all the information you need to know about Neuschwanstein Castle. I hope you liked it and found it helpful!
Trakai Island Castle is an incredibly unique castle in Lithuania, and it is the perfect day trip from the Vilnius! I’ve been to countless castles, and I have to admit that Trakai has one of the most beautiful backdrops (Castle Neuschwanstein still has it beat though). The castle sits in the middle of Lake Galvė and makes for the most stunning photographs.
The castle was built in the 14th Century and restored to its original state in the 19th Century before it was eventually opened to tourists.
The best part of Trakai Island Castle is that it is extremely close to Vilnius, so you can easily see it on a day trip from Lithuania’s capital city. In fact, it is so close that if you wanted to, you could go to the castle in the morning and be back in Vilnius in the early afternoon.
Trakai is only 28km from Vilnius! You need to take a bus from the main Vilnius bus terminal to Trakai. The ride takes approximately 30-45 minutes depending on traffic, and you get off at the last stop. Or the stop where the rest of the tourists get off.
The buses run every 20-30 minutes throughout the day. Between 9am and 10am they run more frequently leaving every 10-15 minutes.
You can show up at the bus station whenever you are ready to leave and not have to worry about waiting a long time for the next bus. The first bus leaves at 5:40am and the last bus leaves Trakai at 9:45pm.
You purchase your tickets onboard in cash, and they cost €1.80 each way, which is a pretty good price! You can’t purchase a return ticket, so you will need enough cash to purchase another ticket on your way back to Vilnius.
There are multiple bus companies that have a route from Vilnius to Trakai and back. They are all basically the same, so you can get on whatever bus shows up first and know you’re in good hands.
Obviously the bus doesn’t drop you off at the castle, so you need to know how to get from the bus station to the castle. Luckily for you it is extremely easy!
It is a short 10-20 minutes walk depending on if you stop to take pictures or look around the town.
There is a large map at the Trakai bus station that you can take a picture of for a reference point while you walk. Trakai is a small town, so it is difficult to get lost. It is nice to have a picture of the map just in case though.
To get to the castle you turn right after you get off the bus. You know you’re going the right way if you pass a grocery store a few blocks away or you’re going the direction of all the other people that got off the bus.
Once you are on the path, you just keep following it through the town. You will come to a point where you have to turn, but there is a sign that tells you where to turn. Once you turn, you’ll be able to see the water. You can’t get lost from there!
You need to follow the same route to get back to the bus station when you’re ready to go back to Vilnius.
You can go inside and explore Trakai Island Castle. The entrance fee is €7 for adults. The castle offers discounts for seniors and students so be sure to about reduce pricing if you fall into one of those categories!
Trakai Castle is a mix of open air and covered areas. The middle portion is open air and doesn’t have a lot to see. Once you get away from the centre, there is more to see. You can explore the main level, parts of the second level, and parts of the underground level.
The exhibits explain the history of the castle and the area as well as its importance. They speak about why this location was chosen and the battles that were fought. The exhibits are interesting, but they aren’t terribly high quality.
I don’t personally think it is worth spending €7 to see the inside of the castle. I was underwhelmed by the experience and felt like I would have been happy just admiring the castle from the outside.
The inside of the castle is quite plain. It doesn’t offer any beautiful architecture or artifacts. The exhibits and information you learn are interesting, but you could also Google it.
For me, I was in awe of the outside of Trakai Castle and the surrounding landscaping, and I lost that enchantment when I walked inside the castle.
If you want to go inside Trakai Castle, you may want to do that first before you explore the outside of the castle. That will prevent you from being underwhelmed when you go inside.
The most obvious and most common this to do is walk around and take pictures from all the different angles. Your friends will be envious of your trip to the castle once they see them- especially if you’re there on a day with a clear, blue sky! You can easily spend an hour or two walking around taking pictures of the castle from different areas.
You can take a 30-minute boat ride around the lake for only €5! The boat trip lets you get a unique perspective of Trakai Island Castle. You will get to experience the castle in a way unlike you are able to while on shore.
You can walk up and book your boat tour. There are a number of people offer them along the pier, and there is no need to book in advance.
There is also a small market near the castle. The vendors sell various knick-knacks and souvenirs. The market isn’t large, and you won’t find anything spectacular there. But it is always fun to stroll through some vendor stalls and look at what they offer.
There are a number of restaurants you can eat at along the water. They offer a great view of Trakai Castle! The downside is that they are very expensive, so you’re definitely paying for the view.
I recommend skipping those restaurants and heading back into town if you’re looking for something to eat. You will have a better meal at a significantly lower cost.
Trakai Island Castle should be on your radar if you’re visiting Vilnius. It is the only island castle in Eastern Europe, and it is well worth the visit!
It is extremely easy to get to Trakai from Vilnius, and even an inexperienced traveller will be able to make the trip without getting overwhelmed. You don’t have to transfer on the bus, and it is a short walk straight through town to get to the castle. It can’t get any easier than that!
Admittedly, the most difficult part of the trip is getting from where you’re staying in Vilnius to the bus station. You can easily arrange for a taxi to take you, or it is only a short walk from the centre of Vilnius.
Visiting Trakai is one of my fondest memories of my time in Lithuania. I hope you get to explore its beauty and make your own memories there!
Congratulations! You just booked a trip to Disneyland Paris and now you have to figure out what items to put on your Disneyland Paris packing list.
Your Disneyland Paris packing list will look similar to your Disney World or Disneyland packing lists, but there are a few changes that you have to make. This guide will help you create the ultimate Disneyland Paris packing list, so you have everything you need with you in the parks!
Disneyland Paris has free, public WiFi you can use in the parks. You can use your phone to view wait times on the Disneyland Paris app and post all your amazing photos!
You’ll be on your phone a lot, and your battery will die quicker than on a normal day.
Having an external battery will be a life saver and should be on everybody’s Disneyland Paris packing list! I prefer to carry an external battery with multiple USB charging ports. You can bring a lipstick external battery if you want one that takes up less room.
I never travel to a Disney park without an external battery! They are small and lightweight, so they aren’t troublesome to pack.
You’ll want to take lots of photos at Disneyland Paris! You can use an iPhone, but I find cameras take way better photos, and you’ll want the best photos possible to remember your trip!
I used this Canon point and shoot camera for years and still use it to this day when I don’t want to carry around my larger camera. It takes incredible photos, is lightweight, and is so small you can stick it in your pocket!
I currently use this Olympus mirrorless camera when I want to get higher-quality photos. I love it because it is shockingly lightweight for a camera of its size. It is so easy to carry in my purse, and I don’t feel like it is weighing me down!
The Olympus is also super easy to use, and even somebody with little to know knowledge of photography and cameras can use it with no problem. It is the perfect starter camera for anybody looking to upgrade to a level higher than a point and shoot.
If you decide on the Olympus camera, I recommend also purchasing the zoom lens. The lens the camera comes with is good and has a decent zoom, but the zoom lens takes your photography to the next level!
You will need a backpack at Disneyland Paris. You’ll have a number of things you want to carry with you in the parks, and a purse probably won’t have enough space.
I prefer a backpack that is a neutral colour and goes with any outfit, but there are tons of cute Disney-themed backpacks you can use too!
I recommend taking a backpack that has a place to put a water bottle on the outside. You do a lot of walking in Disneyland Paris, so you’ll be drinking a lot of water.
You don’t have to worry about where you’re going to put your bag while on the rides. You’re able to take your bag on every single Disneyland Paris attraction and store it at your feet. Even on the more thrilling rollercoasters that go upside down!
It isn’t a day at a Disney park if you’re feet aren’t sore at the end of it!
Comfortable shoes are a must on any Disneyland Paris packing list. You’ll deeply regret it if you happen to bring the wrong shoes to the parks. You want to avoid flip flop sandals, heels, or any shoe your feet get sore it.
I always wear my Columbia hiking shoes to Disneyland Paris. I’ve gone through four pairs at this point, and I keep buying them because they’re so comfortable. They are, admittedly, not the cutest shoes on the market, but you’re at Disney and nobody is looking at your feet.
You’ll be thankful at the end of a long day of walking that you have comfortable rather than stylish shoes!
If you are in the market for a more stylish shoe, I recommend the Sketchers Cleo flat. I wear them all the time when I’m travelling and often walk 25,000+ steps per day and never have sore feet. They’re by far the best pair of flats I’ve ever owned.
Okay. Technically, a virtual private network (VPN) isn’t something you physically packing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t extremely important!
Disneyland Paris has free public wifi that you can connect to in the parks, which is amazing! You can use the Disneyland Paris app to check ride wait times, post on social media, and reviews menus to see where you want to eat.
I always connect to the free wifi at Disneyland Paris, but connecting to it also puts you at risk of having your data compromised.
Hackers love people who connect to public wifi networks because it is so easy to pop into their devices and steal their data and possibly sell it to people and advertisers.
A VPN protects you from those people!
It creates a security bubble around your device that prevents prying eyes from seeing your data and online activities!
You 100% need a VPN when you’re using any type of public wifi (including hotels and cafes)!
I love Nord VPN and trust it to protect all my devices.
You can connect up to 6 devices to one account, so you can easily protect all your devices (phones, tablets, laptops) with one account.
Plus Nord VPN often runs huge sales, so you can protect your data for just a few dollars a month. Seriously!
Nord VPN
You’ll be walking all day at Disneyland Paris and will need to hydrate yourself throughout the day. You can purchased bottled water in the parks, but it is much better to have a reusable water bottle on your Disneyland Paris packing list!
This will save you tons of money if you’re travelling as a family and is much better for the environment! There are water fountains all over both Disneyland Paris parks, so it is easy to refill your water bottle throughout the day.
Glass water bottles are not allowed in the parks and will be confiscated during bag check! Be sure you bring a plastic or stainless steel water bottle!
If you’re anything like me, your lips are constantly chapped, and you hoard lip chap like it is going out of style.
You don’t want to get stuck in Disneyland Paris without any lip chap. I’ve had to pay Disney prices for lip chap when I ran out, and it was three times more expensive than buying it at the drug store.
Learn from my mistake and make sure to add lip chap to your Disneyland Paris packing list. It seems like the sort of thing you always have lots of, but you’ll probably run out at the worst time and have to overpay for new lip chap at Disneyland Paris.
You’re outside in the sun all day while at Disney, so you need to make sure your skin is protected! Sunscreen should be on your packing list no matter where you’re going, and it is even more important at Disney.
I love and swear by this COSRX sunscreen. It is a Korean skincare brand, and I love all of their products but especially this sunscreen. I always feel so protected when I wear it, and it doesn’t leave that gross white/greasy layer on the top of your skin.
Your future self will thank you for taking care of your skin now so add sunscreen to your Disneyland Paris packing list. Then bold it and underline it, so you don’t forget!
You’re going to get hungry in the parks, and Disney food is expensive! You should put snacks on your Disneyland Paris packing list if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on food in the parks.
Carrying a few snack bars with you is the perfect way to get rid of that mid-day hunger when you’re not quite ready for a full meal.
This might just be me, but my hair always gets knotted and gross when I’m a Disney. It is a combination of sweat from being outside in the heat all day and going on thrill rides.
A few hours into a day at the parks, and my hair is a disaster in the back. I always pack a hairbrush in my Disney bag and end up using it mostly every day. I’m so thankful every time I pull my hairbrush out and look presentable again after using it!
I think my fellow longhaired people know exactly what I’m talking about!
These are three essentials that need to be included on everybody’s Disneyland Paris packing list! Disney is full of germs, and you’ll want to keep your hands clean in the parks- especially when eating!
Carrying Kleenex, wet wipes, and hand sanitizer in your Disney bag will come in handy more often than you would think. You never know when you’re going to spill ice cream all over the place (guilty) or accidentally touch a sticky handrail (so gross).
Even if you’re totally fine with germs most of the time, Disney is a different animal, and the germs are everywhere!
Disney parks are always moving towards being more sustainable, and you don’t always get a plastic bag with your purchase anymore. I recommend putting a small, reusable bag on your Disneyland Paris packing list.
This way you’re able to forego the plastic bag and carry your souvenir purchases in an environmentally friendly bag. Reusable bags take up no room in your backpack, and you can easily put it back in your backpack with your purchases assuming they are small enough to fit in your backpack.
Disney parks are also transitioning away from providing single use plastic straws, so you either get a paper straw or no straw at all. You should considering bring a reusable straw with you to Disneyland Paris.
You’re able to get tiny travel reusable straws that are so small they easily fit in your pocket! The straw itself is full size, but it collapses into itself and is stored in a travel container that is about has long as your pinky finger!
They’re absolutely perfect for travelling with, and I take one everywhere I go!
It is sunny in Paris in the summer, so you’re going to need a hat to keep the sun off your face! Your hat will not only save you from getting a sunburn, but it will also prevent you from squinting all the time.
There are a lot of outdoor activities, sights, parades, and shows at Disneyland Paris. You’ll be outside looking at things for hours every day, so you’ll need something to help keep the sun out of your eyes and stop you from getting pre-mature crow’s feet.
Minnie ears are an adorable addition to any Disney outfit no matter what age you are! You can bring ears from home, but it is even more fun to buy new ears while at Disneyland Paris!
They’re the perfect souvenir to bring home, and you’ll love wearing them at Disney parks around the world and feel special knowing you got them in Paris.
Technically, this is more of a souvenir suggestion, but if you love Disney ears like me and like to wear a different pair each day, you may want to bring a few pairs from home as well!
I love wearing Disney-themed shirts in the parks, and Disney t-shirts are always on my Disneyland Paris packing list! Disney shirts are super cute and a great way to show off your Disney style and support your favourite movies and television shows.
I like bringing my own Disney shirts from home rather than buying shirts at Disneyland Paris because I don’t care for having super branded and in-your-face Disney apparel.
I love that your’e able to get more subtle Disney shirts that can be worth both in the parks and casually around my hometown.
Pin trading is a popular hobby in most Disney parks, and Disneyland Paris is no exception! You can bring official Disney pins to Disneyland Paris and trade them with cast members and other guests.
It is a super fun way to get new Disney souvenirs and make great memories. Disneyland Paris also has a lot of unique pins that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Even if you don’t go to Disneyland Paris with a pin collection, it is quite possible you’ll be coming home with one!
Please be cautious about fake pins. Some people purchase fake pins cheaply online and then trade them for authentic Disney pins in the parks. Do your research before you start pin trading and know what to look for in a fake pin!
It is important to always travel with travel insurance. You never know what can happen while travelling, and it would be terrible to have an accident and then be stuck with a large medical bill you can’t afford to pay.
Spending a small amount of money up front and buying travel insurance is the smart thing to do. It doesn’t cost you very much, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run.
I always have travel insurance when travelling, and it is one of the few areas of travel that I’m not willing to skimp on to save money.
Disneyland Paris is one of my favourite Disney parks in the world. I love it’s charm and unique attractions. While you may thing travelling to Disneyland Paris is like travelling to any other Disney park, there are a few things on your Disneyland Paris packing list that may not be on your normal Disney packing list.
The best part of this Disneyland Paris packing list is that everything on it is small enough that you can put it in one medium-sized backpack and not have to worry about carrying multiple bags.
You can enjoy your time in Disneyland Paris and not have to worry about anything else because you have everything you need in one bag!
Disneyland Paris is the perfect day trip from Paris. It is easy to get to from central Paris and is tons of fun! There a lot of Disneyland Paris attractions. Many of them are similar to attractions in other Disney parks and some of them are unique to Disneyland Paris.
You will want to have an understanding of Disneyland Paris attractions before you go to the parks. You will be better able to optimize your time if you know what you want to ride before you get to the parks.
This article will go through all of the Disneyland Paris attractions available. It should help you create a game plan for your visit. There are a lot of Disneyland Paris attractions to choose from. If you are only in the parks for one day, you won’t be able to ride everything. You will have to pick and choose what Disneyland Paris attractions are most important to you.
I’m going to cover some general Disneyland Paris information before getting into discussing Disneyland Paris attractions. Feel free to skip right to the Disneyland Paris attractions content if you’re a Disney expert and know all about FastPasses and park hopping!
Before I start breaking down Disneyland Paris attractions, there are some general things you need to know about Disneyland Paris.
There are two different parks on Disneyland Paris property. Disneyland Paris park is the main park. It has most of the classic Disney attractions that you know and love. It has a similar vibe to Magic Kingdom and Disneyland California.
The other park is Walt Disney Studios Park. This park has a lot of Pixar-themed areas. It is also home to a number of more thrilling attractions. Disney Studios park is also home to a number of outstanding stage shows that you should try catch if you have the time.
It can be difficult to locate attractions if you are a first-time Disneyland Paris visitor or not familiar with the way Disney lays out their parks.
There are guide maps available at both parks. You can pick one up as you enter the parks. There is a stand shortly after you scan your ticket and go through the turnstile.
The maps are available in multiple different languages, so you won’t have to try to read a French map if you don’t speak French. You only need to pick up one map because the map contains information for both parks, which makes it easy to plan your day if you have a park hopper ticket.
Your guide map will show you where all the Disneyland Paris attractions and restaurants are located as well as what time the shows and parades are running that day. The guide map will also give you information about what characters are meeting that day and where to find them.
It is expensive to buy tickets to theme parks, and Disneyland Paris is no exception, unfortunately. You should consider purchasing a park-hopper ticket. This ticket gives you access to both Disneyland Paris parks on the same day.
The parks are very close to one another. You can easily walk from one park to the next in less than 5 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about building in transportation time like you have to in Walt Disney World.
Purchasing a park hopper ticket gives you a lot of flexibility and freedom. You are able to do what you want throughout the day without being confined to a single park. You are able to hop from one park to the other to avoid crowds and make the most out of your time.
It is important to purchase a park hopper ticket if you’re only going to be at Disneyland Paris for one day. There are unique attractions in each park that you won’t want to miss. There are must-ride Disneyland Paris attractions in each park, so you will definitely want to have a park hopper ticket in order to ride them all!
Information regarding ticket pricing can be found here.
To make the most out of your time at Disneyland Paris, you should use FastPasses. FastPasses give you front-of-the-line access to various Disneyland Paris attractions.
You have to scan your paper ticket at a FastPass kiosk located near the ride. FastPass kiosks are clearly marked, so you shouldn’t have any trouble locating them. Once you scan your park ticket, you will receive a FastPass that has a return time on it. You can return to that attraction during the designated time slot and go through the much quicker FastPass queue.
Your FastPass will tell you when you are eligible to get another FastPass. You normally have to wait 90 minutes or use your current FastPass before you are eligible to get a new one. This helps spread the FastPasses out to all the guests and prevents people from hoarding them.
FastPasses are included in the price of your ticket, so you should make the most out of them! You should try to get FastPasses for the rides that have the longest wait time. You can ride attractions that have a short wait time while you are waiting to use your FastPass at a popular attraction. This is the most time efficient way!
You are able to get a FastPass in Disneyland Paris then go to Walt Disney Studios while you are waiting for your return time and go back to Disneyland Paris to use your FastPass. You have a lot of flexibility with FastPasses. Just be sure not to miss your return time!
You have to take the RER A regional train to get to Disneyland Paris. The last station is Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy, and you will get off the train there. You will be able to see Disney Village when you exit the station.
It will take approximately 30-45 minutes to get from central Paris to Disneyland Paris using public transportation.
There is a shuttle bus Disney provides from central Paris to the parks, but it is overpriced and not as efficient as the train. I wouldn’t recommend using the shuttle unless you have an impairment that prevents you from riding the train.
Fantasyland is home to some of the most iconic and nostalgic Disneyland Paris attractions. It is filled with bright colours and child-friendly rides. This land is often what people think of first when they think of Disney. It is truly classic.
Fantasyland is located behind Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. It is located in the middle of the park. You are able to access it from Discoveryland, Adventureland, and Main Street, U.S.A.
This is the castle that you see as you are walking down Main Street, U.S.A. when you first enter Disneyland Paris. This castle design is unique to Disneyland Paris, and, frankly, it is one of the most beautiful Disney castles.
You are able to go inside the castle. There are scenes from Sleeping Beauty depicted inside the castle. You are also able to go outside on a balcony where there is a fantastic view of Fantasyland.
Note: You are required to walk up a flight of stairs to visit the inside of the castle. This may be difficult for people with mobility issues.
What would Sleeping Beauty’s Castle be without an evil dragon lurking underneath it?
You are able to walk through the bottom of the castle to see a sleeping (or is it?) dragon. Be sure to wait around for a few minutes: the dragon just might wake up.
You are able to access this attraction from both Main Street, U.S.A. and Fantasyland. It is dark in the cave, but the floor is flat, so this is one of the Disneyland Paris attractions that is suitable for people with mobility issues to participate in without having to be accommodated.
As I mentioned, it is dark in the cave, so children (and adults) with a fear of the dark may not enjoy seeing the dragon. It isn’t pitch black, but there is just enough light to see where you are walking.
This is a classic Disney attraction that is found in every Disney park in the world except for Shanghai Disneyland. This is a slow-paced boat ride that takes you through various scenes that shows people and animals from all over the world.
It is a brightly coloured attraction with tons of animatronics wearing clothing traditional to the part of the world they are representing. It is filled with classic, Disney nostalgia and is great for people of any age because there isn’t a height limit.
While It’s a Small World is popular amongst hard-core Disney fans, it normally doesn’t have a very long queue. It is a great option if you have a FastPass for a different Fantasyland attraction and have a few extra minutes to spare before their return window begins.
This is another classic Disney attraction. The Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups are themed based on the tea party scene in Alice in Wonderland. It is a colourful ride that is perfect for taking a picture of!
This attraction consists of various tea cups. You pick a tea cup, get in, and then spin around and around and around and around. The tea cups themselves spin, but there is also a wheel in your individual tea cup that lets you spin even faster if you choose to.
This attraction is beloved by both children and adults alike. It is a fun attraction that oftentimes doesn’t have much of a wait time.
You can get rather dizzy on this attraction, so you may want to give it a miss if you get motion sick or have just eaten.
Continuing with the theme of Alice in Wonderland, the next attraction is Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. This is a walk-through maze where you get to see all the main characters from the movie.
You get to choose your own path, so be sure to choose wisely otherwise you will have to retrace your steps to find the proper route!
This attraction is a lot of fun- especially if you have children in your group. It allows them to run around a little and burn off some energy.
The maze isn’t too long, so it won’t take you more than 10-20 minutes to complete depending on how long you spend looking at all the theming. It can get busy in the maze during peak times (aka mid-afternoon), so you may want to try to visit it mid-morning or early evening.
This is another one of the Disneyland Paris attractions that people with mobility issues are able to participate in without having to be accommodated. If you are able to walk through the maze, you will be able to experience it! You are able to walk as slow as you want, and you can stop and rest mid-maze if you need to.
There is one section of the maze that requires you to walk up a few stairs. You can easily bypass this portion of the attraction if you are unable to climb stairs. There is often a queue to climb the stairs, so many people bypass it in any event.
You aren’t able to bring motorized scooters or wheelchairs into the maze. You will have to walk by yourself if you want to go through the maze.
This translates to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It is a dark-ride where you board a wooden mine train and go through the scenes from the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
It is a slow-moving ride that is suitable for children of all ages and sizes. Other versions of this attraction can be found in Disneyland California and Tokyo Disneyland.
It can be a popular attraction, and it doesn’t offer a FastPass. If you really want to ride this attraction, I would recommend riding it in the morning before the park gets busy or in the evening after most of the children have gone home for the day.
Warning: This attraction has a number of scenes that may scare young children. The attraction focuses more on the relationship between Snow White and the Old Hag than on Snow White and her relationship with the Seven Dwarfs.
This attraction is the classic carrousel ride that you will find in the centre of every Fantasyland in every Disney park around the world.
Similar to any other carrousel, this attraction allows you to climb aboard a horse of your choosing and spin around slowing in circles. It is great fun for people of all ages. It has no height limit, there are seat buckles for smaller children, and parents are allowed to stand by their small child and help to hold them up.
The best part of the carrousel is that if you’re very, very lucky, you may get to ride with a Disney princess! Occasionally throughout the day a princess (normally Belle) will go for a ride on the carrousel. It makes for a very special memory if you are lucky enough to experience the attraction with a Disney character.
This is undoubtably the most popular attraction in Fantasyland. It is a cult classic amongst adult Disney fans and children love it too. This is one of the most popular Disneyland Paris attractions, so you will want to either ride it first thing in the morning or get a FastPass for it.
Peter Pan’s flight is a dark ride where you board a boat and soar above the story of Peter Pan. You start in the Darling children’s bedroom and end by defeating Captain Hook. You get to float through all the iconic scenes the make this movie the Disney classic it is.
Peter Pan’s Flight in Disneyland Paris is quite similar to other versions throughout the world. If you’re a huge Peter Pan’s Flight fan, you should definitely take the time to ride it. However, if you’ve ridden it in other parks throughout the world and are only a so-so fan, you may want to spend your time riding Disneyland Paris attractions that you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
This is a slow boat ride that takes you through miniature dioramas that depict your favourite Disney fairytales. You see scenes from Tangled, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and more!
The scenes are quite well designed. This attraction rarely has a queue, so it is a great way to relax during the middle of the day when your feet start to ache.
There is no height limit for this attraction, so it is suitable for children of all ages. The is a lot to see, so your young children will have lots of sensory stimulation (I mean, what at Disney isn’t sensory stimulation?).
This attraction is specifically geared towards young children. You board Casey Jr. and go for a fun ride through Storybook Land.
The train allows you to get an overhead view of Les Pays de Contes de Fées and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. You can get some great pictures of Fantasyland while your child is enjoying the train ride!
This attraction does not have a height limit because it was designed with children in mind. It doesn’t normally have much of a queue, so it is another great choice for the middle of the day when you and your child(ren) are getting tired and need a bit of a break.
This attraction is very similar to the Snow White dark ride in Fantasyland. The ride layout and vehicles are the same.
The difference is that you are riding through Pinocchio’s story on this attraction rather than Snow White’s.
This attraction is also a lot less scary for young children because it has brighter colours and fewer scary characters. There are still a couple of scenes that a young child might find scary but not nearly as many as in the Snow White attraction.
This attraction does not offer a FastPass and can be quite popular. You should try to ride it first thing in the morning or in the evening when most of the children have left for the day. This will allow you to experience the attraction without queuing for a long time.
This is the second most popular attraction in Fantasyland behind Peter Pan’s Flight. It is a staple attraction that is found in every Disney park in the world, and is a favourite among children.
The ride vehicles are in the shape of an elephant. You choose your elephant and are lifted into the air. The elephants go in a circle, and there is a controller in your vehicle that allows you to raise or lower your elephant, so it feels like you are flying.
You get amazing views of Fantasyland while riding the Dumbo attraction. You should make sure to have your camera ready to make sure you get a couple of great pictures.
This attraction does not offer FastPasses, which is surprising considering how popular it is. You should ride it first thing in the morning if you have a child that loves Dumbo and has to ride it everything s/he is at the park.
If you can’t ride it first thing in the morning, later in the evening is another good time to ride it. Many children leave the parks early in the evening, so the queue is shorter near the end of the night. There will still be a queue, but it will be shorter than during the day.
There is no height restriction for this attraction, so your entire family will be able to ride it with no problem. It makes for a great family memory and tradition!
Discoveryland is equivalent to Tomorrowland in the rest of the Disney parks around the world. It is home to futuristic attractions and metallic colouring.
It is located on the left-hand side of Main Street, U.S.A. You can enter Discoveryland either from Main Street, U.S.A. or Fantasyland.
This is the newest Disneyland Paris attraction. It is a 4D show that features Donald getting into trouble and Mickey helping save him.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic takes you on a musical journey where you get to hear your favourite classic Disney songs. Other versions of this attraction can be found in Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneyland.
This attraction doesn’t normally have much of a wait time and can fit a large number of people into one show, so it is perfect for people who are looking for something to do in the middle of the day when the queues are long. Or people who are looking to catch a midday nap (Disney really is exhausting!).
There is seating for people in wheelchairs, so this attraction is accessible to people with mobility impairments. If you have a wheelchair or motorized scooter, you will be shown into the theatre first, so you don’t have to try to fight the crowds and find your designated seating area.
This is a great attraction for people of all ages. It is a slow-moving game where you try to shoot targets with a laser gun to defeat evil Emperor Zurg.
Each ride vehicle has two laser guns, and you are competing to see who has the best score. This is one of the longer non-show Disneyland Paris attractions. The ride takes approximately 5 minutes. You are shooting the entire time, so five minutes goes by pretty quickly, and you might end up with a hand cramp by the end of it.
There is no height limit for this attraction, so anybody in your party can ride it. If you have a small child and two adults, the three of you will go into one car with the child seated in the middle for safety.
This is a very popular attraction in every Disney park around the world- including Disneyland Paris. FastPasses for this attraction don’t run out too quickly, so you can get FastPasses for another attraction you want to ride and then come back and get a FastPass for Buzz Lightyear later in the afternoon.
This is a walk through attraction where you board a submarine and explore the world Jules Verne created with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You get to explore the submarine and see some of the discoveries the crew has made deep in the ocean.
This is a fun attraction for people who are a fan of the novel or people who love sea-themed things. It isn’t the most engaging attraction at Disneyland Paris. You may want to give it a pass if you’re not into 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or submarines.
You don’t have to walk up or down any stairs in this attraction, so it is suitable for people with mobility issues. The hallways are wide enough for a wheelchair, but you will have to check with a cast member to see if wheelchairs are allowed in the attraction or not.
You get a bird’s eye view of Discoveryland on the Orbitron! This attraction is based off of one of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing of the solar system.
You board a space ship and shoot into the solar system. You are able to control the height of your space ship just like on the Dumbo attraction. The two attractions are very similar. The main differences between them are the theming and that the Orbitron lifts you higher into the air.
This attraction is similar to the Orbitron in other Disney parks around the world. If you aren’t a fan of the attraction at any other park, you should give it a pass in Disneyland Paris as well.
There is no height requirement on this attraction, so anybody is welcome to ride it.
This attraction doesn’t offer a FastPass. It can get pretty busy at times, so you should avoid trying to ride it during peak hours to limit your wait time.
Star Tours is a simulator attraction. You board a Starspeeder and go on a thrilling trip through the Star Wars universe.
The best part about this attraction is that the scenes are random. You never know what part of the universe you will be visiting until your Starspeeder takes you there.
This is a very popular attraction. The queue can oftentimes being more than 60 minutes long. FastPass is available, so if you have a Star Wars fanatic in your group, you will want to make sure you get one!
Star Tours in Disneyland Paris is identical to Star Tours in other Disney parks around the world. The characters speak in French, so you won’t be able to understand them if you’re an Anglophile, but you will be able to follow along with the story line through watching the show.
This is a simulator attraction, so you shouldn’t ride it if you get motion sick.
What could be better than a mashup between Star Wars and on the most popular rollercoasters in the Disney universe? This attraction is amazing. It is one of the few Disneyland Paris attractions that is better than the original, classic version found in the US parks.
This attraction not only has a great theme, but it is also a lot more thrilling than the original version. The Disneyland Paris version has an upside down loop and a corkscrew, so it takes the thrill level up a notch.
Hyperspace Mountain is one of the few Disneyland Paris attractions that offers a single rider line. This line is normally shorter than the normal line. The only downside is that you will not be able to ride with anybody else in your group. You will be used to fill an empty seat when a party in the normal line has an odd number of riders.
Unsurprisingly, Hyperspace Mountain is a very popular attraction. It does offer a FastPass. If your party wants to ride the attraction together, you should get a FastPass or ride the coaster first thing in the morning.
If your family doesn’t mind splitting up, the single rider line is a great option. It allows you to ride a popular attraction with a short wait time while having a FastPass for another popular attraction. This is a great strategy for people trying to optimize their time in the parks.
Autopia is a driving attraction geared towards young children. Children are able to drive a motorized car through a closed course.
There is a metal track along the track under each car that prevents children from driving out of their lane, so you don’t have to worry about your child crashing the car or getting crashed into by another child.
Children love this attraction, so a long queue can form during peak hours. There is no FastPass for this attraction. You will have to strategize when you want to ride this attraction around all the other attractions you want to ride that don’t offer a FastPass.
Autopia in Disneyland Paris is the same as the Autopia attractions found in the US parks. There is nothing new or special about it, so you may want to skip this attraction unless it is a favourite of someone in your party.
Adventureland is located to the left of Fantasyland and the right of Frontierland. You can get to it from Fantasyland, Frontierland, or Main Street, U.S.A. It is one of the larger lands, and it has a number of popular and adventurous attractions.
This is a self-paced walk through attraction. You enter the world of Agrabah and get to see scenes from the movie Aladdin.
The theming of this attraction is great, and the dioramas you look at are intricate and colourful.
This is a self-paced attraction, which means that you can wander through it at your leisure. There won’t be a wait. Visiting this attraction while waiting for a nearby attraction you have a FastPass for or in the middle of the day are great options.
The passage you walk through is flat, so it is accessible to people with mobility impairments. You will have to check with a cast member to see if you have to transfer from a wheelchair or if you are able to take it into the attraction with you.
This is an outdoors rollercoaster that can only be found in Disneyland Paris and Tokyo DisneySea, so it is one of the more unique Disneyland Paris attractions.
This rollercoaster has an upside down loop and a couple of big drops (for Disney standards). It is a lot of fun, so you should plan to ride it while you’re in Disneyland Paris if you like coasters.
You are able to get a FastPass for this attraction. The FastPasses aren’t the most popular, so you can normally get FastPasses for another popular attraction and still be able to get a FastPss for Indiana Jones later in the day.
This attraction involves climbing up into a treehouse. It is based on the Family Robinson book. You get to walk through various areas of the treehouse and see how the family would have lived if this was their actual house.
There are a lot of stairs to climb. It is a great attraction for children that need to get rid of some energy, but it is not accessibly for people with mobility impairments. If you struggle with stairs, you will want to avoid this attraction.
There normally isn’t a queue for La Cabane des Robinson, so it is a great midday activity to do if you don’t want to wait in a long queue for a different attraction.
Ah, the classic Adventureland attraction. You board and boat and sail through different pirate scenes. It is a classic attraction that can be found in every Disney park around the world.
The Disneyland Paris version of Pirates of the Caribbean is slightly different from any other version. The layout and sequence of the scenes is slightly altered.
There is also a second small drop. This second drop does cause some disruption to the attraction though. The boats tend to get backed up waiting to go down the second drop, and you often get an extended viewing of the scene leading up to the drop.
This is a fairly popular attraction. It can often have a 30-45 minute wait consistently throughout the day. The wait time does tend to shorten as the day progresses, so riding it in the evening can save you some time standing in the line.
There is no FastPass for this attraction. You will have to wait in the queue every time you ride it, so you should try to avoid it during peak hours.
Frontierland is the smallest land, but it is home to two of my favourite Disneyland Paris attractions. It may be small, but it worth spending some time in!
It is on the lefthand side of Main Street, U.S.A. and is the first land you come to on the left when you enter the park. You can access Frontierland from Adventureland and Main Street, U.S.A. There is also a fairly quick way to get there is you leave Fantasyland near Peter Pan’s Flight and keep to the lower part of the path.
This is the classic boat ride that is found in most Frontierlands around the world. You board a life-size boat and sail around Frontierland. You get excellent views of Big Thunder Mountain, and you can snap some good photos on it.
This attraction sometimes has a long(ish) queue mostly because there is only one ride vehicle. You will have to wait the length of the attraction if you miss the boat by a few seconds.
People using wheelchairs or motorized scooters will have to transfer and walk onto the boat, so it isn’t totally accessible to people with mobility impairments, unfortunately.
This is one of my absolute favourite Disneyland Paris attractions. It is similar to the other Big Thunder Mountain attractions found in other parks in the world, but it is so much better!
It is longer and has more dips and turns than any other version in the world. This attraction is truly a highlight of Disneyland Paris. You should definitely make riding Big Thunder Mountain a priority.
It is outside and doesn’t have an upside down loop, so it is pretty tame compared to the other rollercoasters in Disneyland Paris, but it still extremely fun. Adults and children will love it, so it is perfect for the entire family!
Big Thunder is a popular attraction, so it has a long wait throughout basically the entire day. It is best to get a FastPass for this attraction. There is no single rider queue, and the queue area tends to get very warm and humid during the summer months. It can make for an uncomfortable wait.
Phantom Manor is Disneyland Paris’ version of Haunted Mansion. You board a doom buggy and tour through a old manor that is inhabited by ghosts.
It is a slow, dark ride, and there is no height restriction. It is a popular attraction that most guests visit during their Disneyland trip, but it often has a fairly short wait time. They are able to usher large numbers of people into the attraction at once, and that really helps cut down on the wait time. It does not offer a FastPass.
Just like Haunted Mansion, there is a narrator; however, this narrator speaks French. Not being able to fully understand that narration takes a little bit of the fun out of the attraction, but it is still worth going on.
The scenes you go through are similar to the scenes in the US parks, but there are a number of differences.
There is a lot information to sift through surrounding Disneyland Paris attractions, and it can be difficult to decide what is worth riding and what isn’t.
These are my list of must-ride Disneyland Paris attractions. Obviously this is subjective to my opinion and what style of attraction I enjoy, but it can be used as a starting point to get a quick sense of what attractions a young woman enjoys.
This is the largest and most popular land in Walt Disney Studios. It is home to some of the most popular Disneyland Paris attractions, which means it is often very busy in this area.
Toon Studio is located at the back righthand corner of the theme park. You will turn to the right after you enter the park and follow the path. Toon Studio is narrow at the front of the land, but it widens out significantly the deeper into the land you get.
You can easily access the back portion of this land by walking straight when you enter the park to the Backlot area and taking a right. This will give you quick access to the Toy Story attractions.
This is one of the most unique Disneyland Paris attractions. You board a turtle shell and go on an ocean journey with Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo. The ride starts off slow and calm then picks up when you start riding the East Coast current.
It is a rollercoaster-type attraction with dips and turns. The unique part is that your turtle shell spins as well, so you are turning in circles as you go along the coaster track. It is an amazing attraction. I hope one day it comes to another Disney park.
Crush’s Coaster is a very popular attraction, and it doesn’t offer a FastPass option. The queue is normally 45-60 minutes throughout the entire day.
There is a single rider line, but it is slow moving as well. The single rider queue is often 30-45 minutes long. You shouldn’t let the long line deter you from riding Crush’s Coaster. It is an amazing attraction, and one of the few Disneyland Paris attractions that I am willing to wait in a long queue for.
This attraction is designed for young children. The ride vehicle is a giant Slinky Dog chasing his tail. You go around and around in circles trying to catch Slinky’s tail.
Children seem to enjoy this attraction, and it regularly has a long wait. It is not unusual for the wait to be 30+ minutes. There is not FastPass offered, so you will have to watch the wait times on your Disneyland Paris app and try to ride it when there is a shorter wait time.
Les Tapis Volants is the same as the Dumbo ride in the Disneyland Paris park. The only difference is that this attraction is themed around the Aladdin movie.
You board a flying carpet and flying over Agrabah (or at least this section of Toon Studio). It is bright and colourful just like Dumbo. The views aren’t as great as the Fantasyland views you get on Dumbo, but they are still pretty good.
This attraction isn’t as popular as the Dumbo attraction, so it is a good option if your child loves this type of attraction, but you want to limit how long you wait in line.
This attraction allows you to board a giant car and room up and down a half-pipe. It is basically the same as the boat half-pipe attractions that are in nearly every local theme park.
If you like the feeling of your stomach dropping time and time again, you will enjoy this attraction. The theming is cute, and you get a thrill, but it isn’t any different than the standard version of this attraction. You should skip this attraction if you don’t like this style of ride.
This attraction is hit-or-miss in terms of wait times. Sometimes it has a short wait times and other times it can be close to an hour. This is another one of the Disneyland Paris attractions that has a single-rider queue, so that is a great option if you don’t mind being split from your party.
This is another one of the Disneyland Paris attractions designed specifically with children in mind. It is themed around the Pixar Cars franchise.
You choose which car you want to ride in and the cars move in a circles. There are three smaller circles that the cars run on, and they weave in and out of each other. The cars also swing a little bit to the left and right as they are moving.
It uses the same ride track as Alien Saucer Swirl at Disney World or Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree in Disneyland California.
There isn’t a FastPass offered for this attraction, but the line is often fairly short, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long if it is something you want to ride.
This is the last of the Disneyland Paris attractions that are themed around the Toy Story franchise. It is a child-friendly version of the drop of doom-type attraction.
You sit on a green seat that looks like it has a parachute above it, so it looks like you’re one of the green toy soldiers from Toy Story dropping into action.
It is very mild and designed for children.
There is often a fairly long queue. It can get upwards of a 60 minute wait, but that is pretty rare.
There isn’t a FastPass offered, but there is a single-ride line. If your child feels comfortable riding without you beside him/her, this is a great way to save some time. Each bench holds 4 people, so the single-rider line tends to move pretty quickly if there are lots of groups of 3.
This is one of the most popular (and best) Disneyland Paris attractions. It is so good, that Walt Disney World is bringing it to Epcot. You should 100% make this attraction a priority.
You shrink down the size of a rat and help Remy prepare a special meal. It is a trackless ride, so you never know where you will end up! Each time you ride the attraction, it will be a new experience. It is also a 3D attraction, so that adds another element of fun to the ride!
This attraction is, understandably, a very popular attraction at Disneyland Paris. It offers a FastPass, but they often run out early in the day- especially because not many attractions in Walt Disney Studios have a FastPass option.
There is a single-rider line that moves very quickly. The ride vehicle seats 6 people, so nearly every vehicle has a single rider in it. This is definitely a quickest moving single-ride line, so you should take advantage of it!
This is the smallest land in Walt Disney Studios. It consists of only one attraction and serves more of a gateway to the Backlot than an actual land.
You can get to Production Courtyard by taking the path that go to the left when you first enter the park. You will be able to see the single attraction in this land when you enter. It is quite tall, so you can use it as a visual reference point.
This is a thrill attraction where you board an elevator that stops working and you drop. It is basically a highly-themed drop of doom-type attraction. It is based on the Twilight Zone television show.
A version of this attraction can be found in many Disney parks around the world. It is always a fan favourite and normally has a long(ish) queue. There is now a Fastpass option available for Tower of Terror so be sure to snag one if you’re a huge fan of this attraction!
This version of the ride is similar to the versions found in Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios and Tokyo DisneySea.
If you love this type of attraction, you will want to make time to ride it. However, if you aren’t a huge fan of this attraction at the other Disney parks, you’re probably better off getting a Fastpass for a different, unique attraction.
This is the final land in Walt Disney Studios park. It is located behind and slightly to the left of Production Courtyard. You can access it either through the Toy Story portion of Toon Studio or by walking past Production Courtyard.
You can easily miss this land if you don’t know how to get there. Walt Disney Studios isn’t built in a circle like Disneyland Paris, so you won’t just stumble upon a land in this park. It isn’t difficult to find when you know where you’re going though.
This is basically a guided walk-through tour where you learn about special effects. You go through various rooms and see how some of your favourite movie effects were created.
The attraction ends in a room where everybody stands in a circle and experiences an explosion effect. It is very loud, and you shouldn’t participate in this attraction if you have sensitive hearing.
This is a walk through attraction, but people using mobility devices such as wheelchairs or motorized scooters have to transfer and walk through the attraction.
There isn’t a FastPass offered for this attraction, but it isn’t a very popular attraction, so you won’t have a long wait.
The attraction itself is quite long, so it is best to avoid it if you are running short on time and need to get to a FastPass or dining reservation.
Overall, this attraction falls flat for me. It isn’t terribly engaging, and it feels tacky. I wouldn’t make this a priority. There are better Disneyland Paris attractions that you should focus your time on.
There are far fewer attractions at Walt Disney Studios than at Disneyland Paris, but it can still be difficult to choose what to prioritize. Many of the attractions at Walt Disney Studios often have a long queue and don’t offer a FastPass.
This is my list of attractions that are worth spending time waiting for at Walt Disney Studios. Again, this is coming from the perspective of a young woman. Your priorities will change if you have a family.
There are a lot of Disneyland Paris attractions to choose from, and it is difficult to know where to begin- especially if you’re not an experienced Disney addict like I am.
Everybody’s Disneyland Paris experience will be different based on what they prioritize and the style of attraction they prefer. Disneyland Paris attractions range from extremely thrilling to tame enough that an infant can ride.
Disney offeres FastPasses and single-rider lines to help limit how long you have to stand in a queue to ride a popular attraction. These are huge time savers and should be taken advantage of whenever possible. A properly-planned day that takes advantage of these two time savers will be a lot more productive than a day that doesn’t.
In terms of attractions, I hope this guide helped you better understand what each attraction is about. Knowing what an attraction is will help you choose what you do and don’t want to ride before you get to Disneyland Paris. This knowledge will also help you have a well-planned day at Disney.
Overall, planning a trip to Disneyland Paris is no more complicated than planning any other Disney trip. There are a number of Disneyland Paris attractions that are unique to the park that you should be sure to visit, and now that you know what they are, you will be able to make sure you visit them!
Disneyland Paris is one of my favourite Disney parks in the world. I hope you enjoy your time there. Have a magical day!
The Royal Mews is where Queen Elizabeth II houses some of her horses and carriages. It is a working stable to this day even though it has been in use for decades.
I went to London a dozen times before I visited the Royal Mews. I thought it wasn’t going to be anything special, and I wasn’t keen on seeing horses. But was I ever wrong! The Royal Mews was a great experience, and I am genuinely happy I decided to tour them.
I’m going to try to convince you to visit the Royal Mews with this post! These five reasons will hopefully sway you to visit the Royal Mews and enjoy all they have to offer! They are a pretty unique thing to do while in London.
The Royal Day Out package is a combination ticket you can purchase that allows you to tour Buckingham Palace, The Queen’s Gallery, and the Royal Mews all in one day.
The combination ticket gives you a slightly reduced fare compared to what you would pay if you purchased all of the tickets separately. It is with this ticket that I finally visited the Royal Mews.
The Royal Day Out ticket is great because you are able to see three amazing London attractions at a reduced price, and they are all in the same area! The attractions are within blocks of one another, so you don’t have to worry about navigating the London Underground (don’t forget to pick up an Oyster card if you do plan on using the Underground though)!
Please be aware that the Royal Day Out combination ticket is only available when Buckingham Palace is open to the public. The Palace is open every year in the summer when the Queen is in Scotland. You can find the opening times for Buckingham Palace here.
The Gold Stage Coach is without a doubt the most impressive part of the Royal Mews tour. It is an extravagant coach that members of the royal family use during special occasions.
This coach is normally reserved for coronations but is used from time to time for other very special functions. The Gold Stage Coach was last used in 2002 by Prince Philip during Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
It is impossible to describe how grand the Gold Stage Coach is, but it is a sight that should definitely be seen!
The coach is housed in the last area of the tour, and it is staged with horses and a driver in order to give viewers the full effect of the coach. You are able to walk around the entire coach and get a decently close view of it. You get a better view of this coach than the other coaches because of the way it is staged.
If you’re not sure on whether you want to go to the Royal Mews or not, the Gold Stage Coach should help convince you to visit.
The Royal Mews is still a fully-working stable. Employees groom the horses, train them, feed them, and clean up after them. The horses are taken out for exercise every morning.
The tour starts with a quick peak into the horse stables. You can take pictures of the horses and admire them. If you’re lucky, there will be an employee grooming or feeding the horses, and you can ask them questions about the horses or their job.
It is a bit unusual for a working stable to be in the heart of a major city, so it makes for a pretty cool experience. If you’re travelling with children, this makes for a great experience!
One of the reasons I waited for long to visit the Royal Mews was because I was reluctant to spend money on seeing horses in captivity. It just felt unsettling to me, but it ended up not being a worry.
There are only a few horses you can look at, and they are very well looked after. The majority of the tour involves looking at the coaches rather than the horses.
As mentioned above, the majority of the tour is spent looking at the different coaches that are on display. Each coach has a lengthy description that tells you the history of the coach and other interesting facts.
Touring the Royal Mews is a great way to learn about a part of royal and British history that isn’t always spoken about. You learn about the origins of the coaches, during what occasions they are used, and oftentimes told about a modern historic moment that they were used.
It is really interesting to learn all about the coaches and their history! The Royal Mews is the perfect attraction for an hard-core royal fan.
The Royal Mews also makes it fun for children to learn. They can put on costumes to look like the drivers, sit in a coach, and learn how to dress a wooden horse. The curators made it extremely easy for children to engage in the exhibit and learn from it.
There is a complimentary audio guide that is included in the price of admission. It is very well done and contains a lot of information while not being too dry. I really think the entire exhibit is put together is a way that makes it fun, informative, and accessible to everybody.
The Royal Mews are open to visitors from February to November each year. This means you’re able to visit them basically anytime your visit London unlike Buckingham Palace that is only open during the summer.
The fact that the Royal Mews are open nearly all year around gives you the flexibility to plan your trip to London at whatever time of year works best for you. This means you can snag a good flight deal whenever it pops up and still be able to see a royal attraction.
It is, unsurprisingly, most busy during the summer when Buckingham Palace is open. The Royal Mews are least busy when Buckingham Palace is closed, so if you can go in the spring, fall, or winter, you won’t have to worry about navigating the high crowds.
Being able to go to a royal attraction is a great benefit for royal fans like me!
Are you convinced yet?
You should be! The Royal Mews is an underrated attraction in London and is well worth visiting. I can’t understate how cool it is to see all the coaches. They are incredibly impressive and show you a different side to royal history.
Anytime of the year is a great time to visit! The summer season allows you to purchase the combination ticket and see the Palace, Mews, and Queen’s Gallery all in one day. Visiting outside the summer season will allow you to enjoy the Royal Mews with lower crowd levels.
No matter what time of year you visit you are bound to have a great time! Visiting the Royal Mews only takes 60 to 90 minutes, so you’ll be able to visit a number of other London attractions in the same day.
I highly recommend visiting the Royal Mews while in London. It took me years to finally visit it, but I’m very happy I did. I think you’ll have a great time at the Royal Mews as well!
Most international flights that land in London either land at Heathrow or Gatwick. Heathrow is the most popular airport in London, but it also the largest, so it is easy to be overwhelmed. You need to know how to get from Heathrow to Central London before you arrive in London to avoid stressing about figuring it out when you land.
There are some airports where you can wait to figure out how to get to your hotel until you land, but Heathrow is not one of them.
There are 4 ways to get from Heathrow to Central London. This post will only discuss 3 of them because the fourth option is not practical. All 3 methods of getting from Heathrow to Central London have their pros and cons. You may find that one option will fit your travel style more than the other 2, so you should choose whichever option makes you feel most comfortable.
The fourth option that won’t be discussed in depth is to take a taxi. This option isn’t advisable because it is extremely expensive and not very quick. It takes almost as much time as options 1 and 3 and is slower and more expensive than option 2.
You should choose one of the 3 options below to get to Central London and not even look into taking a taxi. It simply isn’t practical.
The London Underground is a great option depending on where you stay in London. If you are staying along the Piccadilly line, the Underground is the best way to get from Heathrow to Central London. You won’t have to transfer, so it is very convenient. You will have to transfer if you aren’t staying along the Piccadilly line, but transferring is very easy even if you have bags to haul around.
The Underground is the most cost effective way to get to Central London from Heathrow airport. It only costs £6 if you purchase a standard ticket or £3-£5 if you use your Oyster card.
The downside to taking the Underground from Heathrow to Central London is that it takes a long time. It can take over an hour, and this may not be what you want to be doing right after a flight- especially if it is a long-haul international flight.
The Underground is very busy during peak hours, so you may want to consider what time you will be travelling into London when choosing if the Underground is right for you.
The Heathrow Express is a fast-paced train that goes directly from central Heathrow to Paddington station. Central Heathrow is considered terminals 2 and 3, so if you land at a different terminal, you will have to first go to central Heathrow then board the train.
The Heathrow Express only takes 15 minutes and is by far the fastest way to get to central London! It is quick, efficient, and comfortable.
This transportation method is great for people who are in a rush or are staying near Paddington station or along the Underground lines that services Paddington.
You are able to get on the Circle & District, Bakerloo, and Hammersmith and City lines at Paddington. If you are staying along any of those lines, you should consider taking the Heathrow Express.
The downside to the Heathrow Express is the price. It can cost up to £25 if you don’t purchase tickets in advance! That is a serious cost and is something you should consider before choosing this option. The price does decrease if you purchase your tickets in advance.
The lowest standard ticket price is £12, so you are only spending double what the Underground would cost. That is an easier price tag to handle than £25 so be sure to purchase your tickets online 90 days in advance if you know you want to take the Heathrow Express. It will save you a lot of money!
The third option is to take the National Express bus to Victoria Station. This is the least popular option, but it is still a great option. It costs £6-£10 depending on whether you purchase your tickets in advance or not. The price is comparable to taking the Underground, so it is another great option for travellers on a budget.
The bus drops you off at Victoria station, which is along the Piccadilly line. It is a great alternative for people staying along the Piccadilly line close to Victoria. The bus is a stress-free option. Your bags are under the bus, so you don’t have to worry about them, and you know you will have a seat and not have to stand.
The National Express, on average, takes approximately 10 minutes less than the Underground to get from Heathrow to Central London. This, of course, depends on the traffic. The bus can take much longer if there is a traffic jam or accident.
One of the downsides of the bus is that it leaves as designated times, so you may have to wait around a while until the next bus departs.
If you are purchasing tickets online, you should build time into your schedule to account for getting through immigration, picking up your luggage, and walking to where the buses depart. You should book your bus time for 45-60 after your plane lands to allow for this.
Once you have decided how you are going to get from Heathrow to Central London, you should figure out how to get the best deal on your transportation.
You should get an Oyster card if you are taking the Underground. The Oyster card can be purchased at Heathrow before you get on the Underground. You get a discounted rate when you use the Underground, and it can be used throughout your entire stay in London. Even if you aren’t taking the Underground from Heathrow to Central London, you should still get an Oyster card for your time in London. It will save you a lot of money!
You should purchase tickets in advance and purchase roundtrip tickets if you take the National Express bus or the Heathrow Express. There is always a reduced fare when you purchase a round-trip ticket, and tickets are normally cheaper the further in advance you purchase them.
It is worth spending a few minutes to figure out the most cost effective option for whatever mode of transportation you choose. It can save you a lot of money- especially if you have multiple people in your group. As stated earlier, you can save £13 on Heathrow Express tickets just by purchasing them 90 days in advance. That’s a huge savings!
All 3 methods of getting from Heathrow to Central London have their pros and cons. The Heathrow Express is the quickest and most expensive method. The Underground and bus are comparable in both time and expense and come down to your preference.
You should take into consideration what type of travel experience you want to have and what your priorities are. You can’t go wrong with any of the options, but there will be one that is more suited to you.
The location of your hotel should be a factor in what transportation method you take. You won’t save much time if you take the Heathrow Express to Paddington then have to spend 30 minutes on the Underground to get to your hotel.
Alternatively, it may be worth the extra money to take the Heathrow Express rather than the Underground or bus if you are staying near Paddington. You will save a lot of time, and it will be a lot more convenient than having to transfer on the Underground.
There is a lot to consider when choosing what transportation method is best for you. You should take the time to figure out what method is best for you, so you have a good experience and don’t have to haul your luggage around too many Underground stations.
It is really easy to get from Heathrow to Central London, but it is something you will want to figured out before you land in London. It will save you a lot of stress to have everything sorted before you land and tickets purchased in advance if need be.
Taking a solo trip to Dubai is a dream for a lot of travel lovers. It really is a city like no other, and there are a few things you need to know before you travel to Dubai alone.
Even though Dubai is a relatively easy city to navigate as a solo traveller, it does present some unique challenges that I didn’t expect before I arrived in the city.
Challenges that I haven’t experienced in any other country than the United Arab Emirates.
Of course I haven’t been to every country, and these challenges likely aren’t exclusive to Dubai and the UAE, but they were new to me.
I want to share everything I learned during my solo trip to Dubai, so you are more prepared than I was when you arrive.
And just because there are challenges and things you should know about before travelling to Dubai alone doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.
All things considered, Dubai is a relatively safe and easy city for solo travellers to navigate.
Now let’s get into it. Here are the top things I think you need to know when planning a solo trip to Dubai. I hope they help you plan your perfect trip!
I knew Dubai was going to be hot, but I was in no way prepared for just how unbearably hot Dubai is. And I visited Dubai alone during the cool season. I can’t even imagine how unbearable the city is during the summer.
There isn’t really any way around the heat or any way to prepare for the heat, but I do wish I had a better idea of how hot it is before taking a solo trip to Dubai.
It’s the type of climate where the moment you step outside you start sweating more than you thought you could sweat.
And this will impact your solo trip to Dubai.
I never thought a warm climate would impact a trip as much as the weather in Dubai did.
It was so hot and humid and unbearable that walking around to see the city was out of the question.
The metro and taxis/Ubers were essential to surviving Dubai.
I ended up relying on public transportation and taxis more than I ever thought I would. I’m so used to walking where I want to go when travelling that I was shocked to not be able to do that in Dubai.
I know it sounds like I’m whining about the weather in Dubai. And in some respect I am.
But, I’m telling you that it is extremely hot and humid, so you can know what to expect when travelling Dubai alone. So you can have a plan and budget a little bit more than you might think for transportation.
I don’t want you to be caught off guard and not have enough money to take public transportation or taxis to get around Dubai.
Speaking of transportation, I was surprised at how limited the Dubai metro is. It does cover a lot of ground, but it really only runs in a straight line through the heart of the city.
Unlike other metros where there are multiple lines that go multiple directions, there is only one metro line that runs along the city.
There is also a light rail system near the waterfront, but it is also quite limited.
Luckily, a lot of attractions are near the metro line, so that makes getting around a bit easier.
Attractions like the Museum of the Future, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and Expo City all have stops along the metro.
But, if you want to see attractions like the Etihad Museum, The Green Planet, the Frame, or Dubai Miracle Gardens, you need to rely on taxis or the bus.
It is possible to get to the light rail near the waterfront from the metro line, so that’s a big plus!
My recommendation is to stay near a metro station.
I stayed near Dubai Mall and found it to be the perfect place. I’m not a water person, so I didn’t really have an interest in staying near the waterfront. If you prefer the water, you’ll likely want to stay near the waterfront.
That way you’ll be able to take advantage of the metro on your solo trip to Dubai. Even though it doesn’t go everywhere, I found it really convenient to be a short walking distance from the metro whenever I needed it.
It would feel really isolating to stay somewhere that wasn’t walking distance to the metro.
It really limits your ability to get around Dubai and makes you completely reliant on taxis and the bus.
I don’t always think that hop on hop off bus tours are worth it, but Dubai is one of those cities where the Big Bus Tour is 100% worth it.
I purchased the two-day Dubai Big Bus hop on hop off ticket and loved it. It was super convenient, took me everywhere I wanted to go, and half the top was indoors. You got to experience the amazing sights from the top of the bus without melting to death.
Without a doubt the Big Bus tour made getting around Dubai way easier than the metro or taxi/Uber (we’ll talk about them a little later on).
There is also a night bus tour that is fantastic. Even if you don’t purchase the day tour, I highly recommend the night bus tour.
You can learn more about the Dubai Big Bus Tour here.
I promise this is the last transportation tip I’m going to give you!
I was super surprised to discover that taxis are less expensive than Ubers in Dubai. Not much cheaper than Uber but still a little cheaper.
This is important to know if you’re taking a budget solo trip to Dubai. Every penny counts!
With that being said, Ubers are more convenient if there isn’t a line of taxis outside where you’re staying.
It’s easier (at least in my opinion) to call an Uber on the app than it is to download a whole new app and create a new profile to call a taxi in Dubai.
If you’re staying at a hotel, the hotel will be able to hail you a taxi as well. If you’re staying at an Airbnb like I was, it’s a little more challenging to get a taxi.
That’s why I relied on Uber more than taxis in Dubai when I wasn’t using the metro. Simply for the convenience.
I guess the bottom line is that if you’re able to catch a taxi easily, take it. If not, you’re not paying that much more to take and Uber.
The biggest price differences is in the shorter rides. If you’re going a longer distance, the price is more of less the same.
But you’ll be paying more to take an Uber a short distance compared to taking a taxi a short distance.
Tips for travelling alone for the first time
I knew Dubai had a reputation of being expensive, but I was absolutely shocked at the prices during my solo trip to Dubai.
For some reason, I thought it would just be hotels that were more expensive, but it’s pretty much everything.
Minus transportation.
Food was more expensive in Dubai than it is back in Canada, and I was not prepared for that. I was scrambling with my budget trying to feed myself, and I don’t want you to be in the same situation I was.
Of course, it also depends where you eat. Fast food and eating in local, non-touristy neighbourhoods will be less expensive than eating at a sit down restaurant. Grocery store prices are expensive but not unreasonable.
I suggest budgeting about $25USD for every sit down meal you want to have. From my experience, that’s enough for an entree and water.
I didn’t have an alcohol, so I can’t comment on those prices. If you do want to drink, first, know the rules and societal norms around it, and, second, find a place that offers a drink special or all you can drink package.
Sightseeing is also more expensive than I thought it would be.
It is super expensive to go to the top of the Burj Khalifa. I honestly don’t think it’s worth it since you’re missing out on having the Burj Khalifa in your view, and it’s the most iconic part of the city.
The Museum of the Future is also very pricey. And be warned tickets sell out fast. Book them two to three weeks in advance. I didn’t book my tickets in advance and missed out on the museum, which was the number one thing I wanted to do in Dubai.
Just be prepared for a little bit of sticker shock on your solo trip to Dubai. It probably isn’t the place you want to get if you’re on a strict and small budget.
It might be best to safe Dubai for a later date when you have a bigger budget if that is the case.
It probably isn’t surprising to hear that Dubai is safe for solo female travellers.
There are low instances of crimes in Dubai, and you’ll feel safe walking alone, taking the metro alone, and being out at night alone.
Of course, there are always basic safety precautions you should take, but, in general, you won’t be fearful of your safety when on a solo trip to Dubai.
Please do be respectful of the rules in Dubai though. There are cameras everywhere, and you don’t want to be caught breaking the law.
This includes when it comes to alcohol. Keep that inside or in establishments. No need to be walking around with alcohol outside.
I knew going into my solo trip to Dubai that it is a muslim country, and that I should dress modestly.
I packed long skirts and shirts that covered my shoulders to respect the local culture and not offend anybody I walked past.
I cannot tell you how shocked I was to see how many women were wearing very small outfits. Short skirts, tight tops, and their stomach showing.
And I’m saying women because the dress code expectations are much easier for men to follow in their typical clothing than women.
A lot of the clothing I saw in Dubai would have been considered revealing even by North American standards.
But there wasn’t an issue. I didn’t see anybody say anything to anybody about dressing more modestly or people being rejected entrance to a place because of their clothing.
Of course, if you’re going to a mosque, you’ll be required to cover up and won’t be let in without being covered, but there aren’t really any tourist mosques in Dubai like Abu Dhabi.
I guess what I’m getting at is that I personally think you should dress on the modest side when on your solo trip to Dubai. I always like to try to respect the local customs and culture as much as I can when I travel.
That being said, if you do wear less modest clothes, it won’t be an issue.
Oh, and bikinis at the beach are definitely allowed. No need to worry about that!
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I like to learn a few words of the local language before I travel to a country, so in preparation for my solo trip to Dubai, I practiced some Arabic words.
Turns out I didn’t need to do that.
Dubai has a huge immigrant population, and everyone everywhere speaks English. It’s the default.
Even if you were to say hello in Arabic, it wouldn’t do you much favour in showing your appreciation and trying to understand the local language. Because there is a strong chance the person you’re interacting with doesn’t speak Arabic either.
So, while I always encourage you to learn a few words in the local language when travelling, Dubai is one place you don’t have to worry about that.
For such a modern, technologically advanced city, the Dubai Airport departures hall (specifically terminal 1) is an absolute mess.
I checked into my flight to Istanbul the night before thinking I would just get a bag tag and drop my bag off and be on my way in a few minutes.
I knew Dubai Airport was busy (even though my flight left at 6am), so I still got to the airport 2.5 hours early.
Turns out that the airport doesn’t offer the nice kiosks that print a bag tag and do bag drop. I had to stand in a very long line, get checked in again, and drop my bag off.
The process took forever. By the time I got through security and customs, the plane was already boarding.
And I was at the airport 2.5 hours early!
People were getting frustrated and angry. It didn’t help that there were only three check in agents for a very full flight.
And, of course, tons of people had to pay for extra baggage, but the payment place wasn’t at the check in counter. They had to run to another part of the airport, pay their baggage fees, and then come back to the counter.
During that time, the agent couldn’t help anybody else.
Now, that may have been partly a Turkish Airlines problem, but the fact that you had to manually check in and couldn’t just drop a bag was shocking to me.
I just take that for granted in major airports at this point.
Anyways, the moral of the story is get to the airport early. Earlier than you think you need to be there because it will be a long check in process, and you don’t want to be stressed before your flight.
I have heard that terminal 3 offers the kiosks and baggage drop, but, from my experience, most flights leave from terminal 1, so you probably won’t have that option.
Dubai is a very popular tourist destination, and I expected to really like it. However, I just didn’t like it that much.
It really is a city with huge buildings, a nice beach and water area, and that’s about it.
There aren’t that many tourist attractions outside of the malls and beaches. And the ones that they have are expensive.
Add in that it is expensive and excessively hot, and Dubai may not be all that you imagine it to be.
Or at least that’s how I felt after my solo trip to Dubai. And I’ve had a lot of friends say the same thing. They didn’t love Dubai, and they won’t be going back.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t travel alone to Dubai. You may fall in love with the city.
I’m just saying that if beaches and shopping isn’t something you really enjoy, you may not enjoy the city as much as you think you will.
If you’re looking for history, culture, and museums, Dubai might not be the best choice for you.
Again, I’m not telling you not to go to Dubai. I’m just saying to manage your expectations. It is a unique city that is unlike anywhere else in the world, and it may not be the city for you.
But it’s worth visiting to find out!
You’re going to rely on public wifi a lot when you’re in Dubai. Whether at a hotel, the airport, a mall, or a restaurant, you’ll be connecting to public wifi all the time.
And that puts your personal online information at risk of being stolen. Trust me, you do not want to deal with having your banking information stolen while you’re travelling Dubai alone. It is a headache that will ruin your vacation.
The only way to keep your private information and data safe when using public wifi is by installing a VPN on your devices.
A VPN essentially puts a forcefield around your devices that makes it impossible for prying eyes to see your personal information or access it.
It makes using public wifi just as safe and secure as using your home wifi where you’re the only person who knows the password.
Installing a VPN on your devices is a very small, simple thing you can do to protect yourself when travelling alone. You don’t have anybody to rely on if your personal information is stolen, so you need to take steps to protect it.
I’ve used a lot of different VPNs in my many years of travelling. VPNs are notorious for slowing down your devices, and I can honestly tell you that I’ve turned off different VPNs I’ve tried because they slowed my devices down so much that I couldn’t do anything on my phone or laptop.
That all changed when I discovered NordVPN.
NordVPN has been proven to be the fastest VPN on the market, and I can say from my experience that is absolutely true.
I’ve been using NordVPN for over four years now and have never once felt any slow down when trying to use the internet. And I put my laptop through a lot of stress uploading videos and having a million tabs open.
I have no plans of ever switching from NordVPN to another provider. That’s how much I love it.
The best part is that one subscription protects up to six devices, so you can secure all your electronics with one subscription.
The next best part? NordVPN is very affordable.
A two-year subscription costs less per month than a single Starbucks latte! It is a very small price to pay to protect your personal information.
I always say that if you can afford to travel, you can afford to protect yourself with a VPN.
I really hope this post helps you plan your solo trip to Dubai. There are certainly a lot of things in this article I wish I knew before visiting Dubai alone.
I know I talked a lot about the downsides of Dubai from the weather to the price. But that is only because I wanted you to have a realistic picture of what Dubai is like, so you can properly plan for your solo trip to Dubai.
I find that when I have a more well rounded idea of what to expect when I go somewhere, I have a better time and can plan better.
I want you to have the best solo trip to Dubai possible, and that’s why I’m maybe coming off a little more harsh than I normally do.
Dubai is a super unique city, and you have to experience it to understand it. I hope you have the best solo trip to Dubai and come home with tons of memories (and no sun burns).
PS- Don’t forget to download an Airalo esim to make you can share all your amazing pictures online any time you want!