Our First Adventure to Euro Disney in Cassandra – Summer 1992
There are some journeys in life that stay with you forever. Not because they were luxurious or extravagant, but because they were filled with excitement, family laughter, and the thrill of discovering the world together for the very first time. Our summer trip to the newly opened Euro Disney in 1992 was exactly that.
Falling in Love with Cassandra
After a few unforgettable camping holidays in rented motorhomes, we began dreaming of owning one ourselves. A proper family camper, however, was far beyond our budget, so I started searching for something smaller and more affordable.
One evening, while browsing through the Autotrader, I came across a 1982 Volkswagen campervan in Hatfield. It was a bright yellow Westfalia conversion, advertised for £5,000. Something about it immediately caught my eye.
The following weekend, my wife Hansa, our son Nitin, daughter Shital, my mother, and I drove to Hatfield to see it. The moment we arrived, it was love at first sight.
The campervan was beautifully maintained and surprisingly well equipped. It had an elevating roof that converted into a double bed, while the rear seats folded down into another bed, comfortably making it a four-berth camper. Inside, it had everything we could possibly need — a cooker, sink with a battery-powered water tap, 12v/240v gas fridge, gas geyser with an outdoor shower attachment, portaloo, inverter, electric hook-up connection, extension cable, and even a long hose for filling the water tank.
For chilly evenings there was an underfloor gas heater, and the fitted cabinets were all in excellent condition. The fold-away dining table tucked neatly behind the driver’s seat completed the cosy interior.
The young couple selling it wanted a larger motorhome. I offered £4,500, they came down to £4,750, and after my mother gave an approving thumbs-up, the deal was done.
Just like that, Cassandra became part of our family.
Preparing for the Big Adventure
After bringing Cassandra home to Leicester, we had her fully serviced and carefully checked every little detail. We were eager to plan our first real adventure.
There was only one destination that truly captured our imagination — the newly opened Euro Disney near Paris.
Euro Disney had officially opened its gates on 12 April 1992, becoming Europe’s very first Disney theme park. At the time, it was one of the largest and most ambitious entertainment projects ever built in Europe, attracting visitors from all over the continent.
Our son Nitin was 14, Shital was 11, and although Cassandra was technically a four-berth camper, we somehow managed to squeeze in my mother as well, making us a happy group of five.
It was myself, my wife Hansa, son Nitin, daughter Shital, and my mother Shantaben. My father was in India at the time, so Mother was staying with us. We lived in adjoining semi-detached houses and always enjoyed being together as one big family.
We booked our P&O ferry tickets from Dover to Calais along with five-star European breakdown cover through the AA — something that felt very reassuring for a first-time campervan adventure abroad.
Day 1 – Leicester to France
It was summertime, and the evenings stayed wonderfully bright.
We left Leicester around 10am to catch our pre-booked 4pm ferry from Dover. The journey down south was relaxed, with plenty of excitement building inside the camper.
Arriving in Dover a little early gave us time to drive around and admire the stunning white cliffs and busy harbour. Although Hansa and I had visited before, for Mother and the children it all felt magical.
Soon we boarded the huge P&O ferry and sailed across the English Channel to Calais. The crossing took about 90 minutes, and suddenly we were in France — driving on the opposite side of the road for the very first time.
That alone felt like an adventure.
From Calais, we continued the 300-kilometre drive towards Euro Disney. French motorways were smooth, fast, and remarkably easy to navigate.
By around 9pm, while the sky was still glowing with evening light, we arrived at Caravaning des 4 Vents campsite, situated roughly 15 minutes from Euro Disney.
The campsite was peaceful and surrounded by open countryside. Even today, Caravaning des 4 Vents remains a popular campsite for families visiting Disneyland Paris because of its spacious pitches, friendly atmosphere, and convenient location.
We checked in, parked Cassandra near the washrooms, and settled in for the night. Sleeping five people inside a VW campervan was certainly a challenge, but somehow we made it work.
That evening, excitement filled the air.
Tomorrow, we would finally see Euro Disney.
