The King Reigns Supreme (Over Ronald!)

Picking up from last Friday and kicking off our fourth week in France, this weekend was one for the books—we visited the happiest place on Earth: Disneyland Paris! And it did not disappoint.

We left Saturday morning for a two-day stay at one of the Disney hotels to celebrate Hailey’s birthday weekend. From the moment we arrived to leaving the parks we had a blast. We kicked off the day at Walt Disney Studios and covered quite a bit before heading over to Disneyland Park. One unexpected highlight… A cone of fries topped with a giant sausage, the perfect breakfast at the park.

Here’s where it gets interesting—despite being peak season, the park didn’t feel overly crowded. Sure, the big rides had long waits, but they were still about half of what you’d expect at Disney World. And for the smaller kids’ rides, the max wait time hovered around 20–30 minutes, even during midday. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the park stays lively, but things noticeably quiet down around dinner time—American dinner time, that is. Hailey and I suspect it’s because many guests are locals who head back to the city in the evening. This has been the trend on all our visits so far, and we’re curious to see if it continues during the off-season.

We stayed at the Sequoia Lodge, where we had dinner at the Hunter’s Grill buffet—a solid spread – including mickey shaped pasta and soft serve ice cream. Sunday was a full park day: rides, shows, and Mickey shaped pizza before heading to bed. Finally we wrapped it all up with a swim before grabbing lunch at the golden arches in Disney Village. A perfect birthday weekend.

Back in town Monday night, we expected to see some patriotic spirit for Bastille Day, but there wasn’t much red, white, and blue out and about. Fireworks started around 11 p.m.—we couldn’t see them, but we definitely heard them echo through the city. Maybe next year we’ll catch the full show.

Tuesday: Hailey’s Birthday Picnic

Although I had to work during the day, I made a quick stop at the boulangerie for fresh croissants for Hailey and pain au chocolat for the kids. During the day they played around the apartment and hit up a nearby park. Hailey has always dreamed of a picnic at the Eiffel Tower, so that evening we made it happen. We met on the grass with baguette sandwiches, watermelon, and chips. The weather was perfect, and the view? Even better. Back at home, we celebrated with bakery treats—including a massive lemon tart topped with toasted meringue. The perfect end to a Paris birthday.

Moving Day… Almost

Today brought another big milestone: we finally got the keys to our apartment! It didn’t come without a little drama involving the relocation company and the deposit. The apartment still needs some cleaning and a fresh coat of paint before we can officially move in, but we’re getting close. Bonus: our shipment is expected to arrive next week—can’t wait to unpack and cook real meals again.

And Now, for Dinner… Long Live the King

Tonight, on the way back to the office, I saw an ad for Burger King and thought, why not? The ad showed a trio of mini burgers, each a different style—and I was intrigued.

I know, I know—betraying Ronald. But BK delivered. The place was clean (yes, even the bathrooms), had a play area for the kids, and the food rocked. Hailey and I tried the baby burger trio with fries and Perrier, while the kids went full-on big kid meal with burgers, fries, apple slices, juice boxes, and build-your-own DC hero toys.

My favorite of the trio? The “Baby Big King.” Hailey wasn’t a fan—probably a bit too much mayo for her—but overall, she agreed that Burger King might just become our go-to for a quick meal. That said, we’re still most excited to get into our place, unpack our kitchen, and enjoy some home-cooked meals again.