It doesn’t matter how old you are, at Disneyland you can get away with wearing Minnie Mouse ears.

I made my first trip to this European land of American dreams with an excitable six-year-old and her baby brother some years back and its magic is just the same now, even with a different, slightly-harder-to-impress eight-year-old, Rachel.

For Disney first timers, staying in one of the hotels affiliated to the company is quite an experience. Being in the four star Dream Castle, or its neighbour the Magic Castle, run by Vienna International Hotels, is like walking onto the set of one of the films.

It might not be every adult’s cup of tea, but there wasn’t a child in the place who wasn’t slightly overcome with excitement.

Our family room had a double bed, but even I opted for the bunk bed (the bottom) and can safely say it was more comfortable than my own at home.

You can get buses between the hotel and the parks every half hour, so it’s easy to get about. And they come in pink, of course.

We managed to squeeze in several rollercoasters, try the terrifying Space Mountain and see Sleeping Beauty’s castle, plus we ate at Planet Hollywood.

There are parades, with all your favourite characters, at regular intervals. And there is also a late-night show, including fireworks, every night.

Ideally, to see everything, a two-day trip is recommended.

There’s the traditional park, which features our favourite ride, Thunder Mountain – a rollercoaster set in Wild West-themed Frontierland – and the Walt Disney Studios park, where you can see Toy Story characters, learn about the corporation’s animation and try the Tower of Terror, inspired by the Twilight Zone.

This also has a new attraction, based on Ratatouille with the lovable Remy the rat. It opens in July.

When immersed in all things Disney it is easy to forget you are in France and surrounded by a wealth of history and culture.

Just under an hour away, there’s the medieval town of Provins, and half an hour away is Meaux old town, which has a garden (Jardin Bossuet) designed by the man who later created Versailles.

There, you can get your fill of history and architecture by looking around the ancient Notre Dame de Reims Cathedral and meeting The Brotherhood of Brie de Meaux, with their hats in the shape of whole brie.

For shopping, simply catch a bus from the hotel to La Vallee Village, a chic shopping outlet with 115 boutiques.

But the pull of Disney is strong, especially if you have little (or not so little) ones in tow.
My advice: throw yourself head first into the world of Disney, and make a separate trip for a culture fix.

Info: Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras, Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations.

Eurostar operates a daily direct service in each direction to the Gare du Nord, Paris. From there you will need a connecting train (RER) to the resort.

Fares from £69 return (adult), £49 return (child aged four to 11 on day of travel) and children under four travel free, (although not allocated a seat). See www.eurostar.com or call 08432 186 186

Accommodation: Dream Castle Hotel. Visit www.vi-hotels.com/dream-castle for details. rices range from 119 Euros a night for a family room, based on two adults and one child.
Another option is Magic Circus Hotel, www.vi-hotels.com/magic-circus

For park tickets see www.disneylandparis.co.uk. You can also buy them on board the Eurostar.