Hallowe'en in Disneyland Paris

If you're looking for an affordable holiday within easy reach for October half-term break, it's worth considering returning to the European home of Mickey Mouse, says Rhonda Carrier.

Even if you've been there, done that, don't rule out a visit to Disneyland Paris - this summer has seen the launch of the fabulous Toy Story Playland, a whole new section within Walt Disney Studios Park timed to coincide with the release of blockbuster family favourite, 'Toy Story 3.'

Brand-new attractions include the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, and RC Racing, set amidst oversized model toys from the much-loved movie series.

Combining a short city break in Paris with a couple of days at the theme-park makes for a perfect late-autumn break, as in addition to the new attractions, Disneyland really goes to town to celebrate Hallowe'en all through October.

Spooky events laid on for the occasion include evening fancy-dress parties (outside normal park entrance times and hence subject to an extra fee), and all month long the entire theme-park is decked out with pumpkins and ghostly scenes.

Characters from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' also do the rounds (but don't worry - it's done subtly enough not to put the frighteners on very young children). And, of course, eerie Phantom Manor in Frontierland - a strange melding of Wild Western ghost story and 'The Phantom of the Opera' - really comes into its own at this time of year.

Lots of the ghoulish scenes are tucked away in secretive corners, so your best bet is to leap aboard the Disney Railroad and do a circuit of the park to spot them.

This will also give you an overview of all the attractions and 'lands' and where they are in relation to each other, and will also whip your kids up into an even greater frenzy of excitement at the treats to come (something you may not have thought possible)!

My other main piece of advice for parents is to check height restrictions on all rides before promising kids a turn or joining a queue, as staff are hyper-vigilant about safety regulations and if a child misses the mark by as little as a millimetre, they'll be turned away.

We found that another benefit of coming in October is that queues are inevitably much shorter than in high summer. Indeed, our boys rushed onto even the major rides, including Pirates of the Caribbean, without having to queue for more than a couple of minutes, and were able to go on the rides they really loved several times in a row.

This obviously makes a Disneyland trip far better value for money than if you spend a large portion of the day in queues.

By Rhonda Carrier

P&O Ferries is offering one free 1-day-hopper adult ticket to Disneyland with every Dover-Calais car crossing booked by 30th September 2010 for outward and return travel by the end of 2010.

P&O Ferries' family travel expert, Rhonda Carrier, has written for Time Out and Lonely Planet and is author of 'Normandy with Your Family' and 'Brittany with Your Family'. Visit the P&O Ferries website for more of her advice about family holidays in France.

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