The comedown after a Disneyland Paris Holiday – Dealing with those post trip blues

There’s a moment that hits you like a rogue Mickey shaped waffle to the face, and it’s not while you’re queuing for Hyperspace Mountain, or juggling snacks, maps, and a toddler dressed as Minnie. Nope. It’s the moment you wake up in your own bed the day after coming home from Disneyland Paris and realise…

You are no longer at Disneyland. Cue the comedown.

It doesn’t matter whether it was your first visit or your fiftieth, there’s something about Disneyland Paris (or Disney anywhere) that wraps you in a glittery bubble. You live off adrenaline and Mickey magic. Every morning, you wake up with purpose: to see it all, ride it all, and somehow survive it all.

You walk 20,000 steps without complaining (much). You cry happy tears at fireworks. You take photos of your kids looking more angelic than they’ve ever looked before. You eat waffles for breakfast and justify it with “When in Disney…”

But then you come home. No more hotel buffet breakfasts. No more cheerful “Bonjour, princesse!” from every cast member. No more magic hours, just regular hours. With regular responsibilities. And regular children, who suddenly no longer resemble the happy little park troopers they were two days ago.

Walking into the kitchen, opening the fridge, and realise no one is offering you themed snacks or handing you a Mickey ice cream. You are the cast member now. And the laundry pile? It’s as tall as Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.

You’ll find yourself doing it, scrolling back through photos, watching ride POVs on YouTube, and even sniffing the souvenir macarons just to feel something. Your brain is still in that bubble.

And don’t get me started on the Disney music withdrawal. You’ll hum “It’s a Small World” in the supermarket queue and suddenly well up. Was it the song? Or the memory of your toddler clapping her hand joyfully on the ride and having happy feet for the first time in her short life so far? (Spoilers: It’s probably both.)

Don’t be surprised when your kids get moody, emotional, or just plain weird. They don’t know how to process this kind of magic ending. One minute they’re hugging Mickey or Princess Jasmine, the next, they’re being asked to unpack and go to bed without fireworks. Expect meltdowns. Yours or theirs, or possibly both at once.

Here’s the thing: the Disney comedown is real, but so is the joy it leaves behind. You made memories. You did the thing. And now, it’s time to decompress.

Here are a few gentle ways to land:

• Have a photo night. Project your photos onto the TV and relive the magic as a family. We did this litereally the day after we got back and the kids were so much happier while reliving these momories.
• Create a scrapbook or memory box. Let the kids help. It’s like crafting your own little souvenir shop. And don’t forget to print photos. You can create a photo album if a scrapbook isn’t your thing, and if a photo album isn’t your thing… it’s time you learnt about photo books. Seriously.
• Watch Disney+ together. Especially the movies tied to your trip. Bonus points if someone insists on wearing mouse ears (this one will for sure be me). Ratatouille is first on our list as it was the first ride we did
• Start planning the next one (even hypothetically). It’s never too early to dream. The spreadsheets can wait. My planning has already begun. Realistically, we are looking at 3-4 years time. But I’m also planning our hypothetical trips to Aulani and Castaway Cay.

The comedown after a Disneyland Paris trip hurts because the trip meant something. You stepped out of the world for a few days and lived in one where magic was normal, joy was everywhere, and even the rubbish bins were themed. Of course it’s hard to let that go.

Here’s the good news – the magic didn’t stay behind in Paris. It came home with you, in the memories, in your photos, and in the stories you’ll tell (again and again and again, sorry not sorry).

And if all else fails, you’ve got a drawer full of Mickey socks and a phone full of castle selfies to remind you that you were there. Not forgetting that Mickey shaped food cutters and waffle makers are a thing…

Oh, and you’ll go again.

Xx