Disneyland Park in Paris is split into “lands”, each with a different theme and the one that is probably most distinctive is Discoveryland where the Disney Imagineers have taken inspiration from the work of historical figures such as Jules Verne. This produces a unique area with the presentation of the future as seen from the past. In Orlando and Anaheim this area is known as Tomorrowland but a fresh new look was designated as a necessity for Paris.
Discoveryland is home to several very popular attractions so it does become very busy. It is a good place to start your Disney day before the crowds and the waiting times increase.
Dominating the area is the magnificent structure that houses Space Mountain: Mission 2. As riders you are blasted into deep space and with the accompanying music and light effects you are in for a breath-taking ride. Queues build up here early but a Fastpass is available. I am quite a fan of roller-coasters but this was not a favourite, the primary blast was not as exciting as in the Rock'n'Roller Coaster and I found it very jarring and came off with a headache. I have been known to ride big coasters 5 or 6 times in succession but once was enough on this one for me. I prefer the old version in Orlando which is tamer but more fun.
As you exit Space Mountain you can visit a walkthrough attraction which is a simulation of Captain Nemos famous submarine, make sure you take time to watch the squid through the porthole and enjoy looking at all the details. This does close earlier than the rest of the park so check your guide for details.
Orbitron is simply a futuristic themed version of the Dumbo ride. However it does look stunning and if the queue is short it is worth a quick whizz around for some great views of the park. Unfortunately the queue is slow moving as loading takes a while so pick your moment.
Star Tours is a Star Wars themed simulator ride; it is an exact replica of the ride at Hollywood Studios in Orlando and Disneyland California except that the dialogue is in French. It doesn’t matter if you have no grasp of the language as the antics of the new robot pilot are easy to appreciate and the simulation effects are good. This ride also offers Fastpass but the queuing area is interesting as there is lots to see and C3PO chatting in French was a novelty to me!
Autopia is a rather dated ride which allows you to “drive” a small car around a circuit. You can steer a little but you are basically following a track and occasionally you can get caught with a very slow car that takes the fun out of it. This is the same as Tomorrowland Speedway in Orlando but I did feel the track was slightly longer but I may have been mistaken. This is fun for younger children but does not offer a lot of excitement for adults.
Buzz Lightyear laser Blast is a ridiculously addictive family ride. You are sent off in your little car armed with your laser gun to tackle the evil Emporer Zurg. You can spin your vehicle around and you need to strike all of the targets as you go in order to increase your score. Competitive parents may want to take note that if you hit the first orange robot on the hand as you go in you will already have 10000 points on the scoreboard and you may win! We went on this several times in an attempt to better our scores and it was always good fun. Quite a bit of queuing is outside and we found it very hot as there was little shade. Fastpasses are available here too but they do run out early in the day so make sure you grab one early on.
Honey I Shrunk the Audience had just been closed when we visited but there will be a new presentation featuring Michael Jackson in a film at some point according to the information we could find.
When you are feeling hungry you can head to Buzz Lightyears Pizza Planet or the Rocket Cafe. The most obvious food outlet however is Cafe Hyperion which has a Jules Verne Airship sticking out of the roof. Here there is fast-food on the menu but there is lots of inside seating and the Cinema Mickey is inside which loops films of Mickey Mouse so you can eat, rest and be entertained.
I would have to say that this is definitely my favourite area of the park, the colours and theming are excellent and it is a delight to walk around. Space Mountain disappointed me but otherwise it is a great place to be!