{"id":18608,"date":"2026-04-09T18:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T18:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/18608\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T18:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T18:10:09","slug":"trump-family-takes-over-disneyland-paris-smiles-ensue-as-u-s-war-looms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/18608\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Family Takes Over Disneyland Paris, Smiles Ensue as U.S. War Looms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Disney parks have a way of showing up in the news when political figures decide they need a vacation.<\/p>\n

\"TheCredit: Robert GLOD, Flickr<\/p>\n

The most magical places on earth do not discriminate by party affiliation or approval rating, and the contrast between the business of government and the business of riding roller coasters has produced some genuinely striking images over the past several weeks<\/a>. Ivanka Trump was photographed at Disneyland Paris this week with her children, visiting the French resort while her father, President Donald Trump, was publicly threatening the destruction of Iran before ultimately agreeing to a two-week ceasefire.<\/p>\n

Senator Lindsey Graham was photographed at Chef Mickey\u2019s at Walt Disney World\u2019s Contemporary Resort during congressional recess,<\/a> while the government shutdown that his chamber has not resolved continues to create serious disruptions at airports across the United States. Two Disney parks, two political figures, two moments that captured something about the current distance between Washington and the rest of the country. And for guests planning a Disney vacation right now, the airport situation the shutdown is creating is the part that matters most practically.<\/p>\n

Ivanka Trump at Disneyland Paris<\/p>\n

TMZ reported that Ivanka Trump was spotted at Disneyland Paris on Tuesday with her children<\/a>, making her way through the French resort with a security presence that included at least one guard stationed outside an attraction with an earpiece while she was inside riding. The group was seen exiting Crush\u2019s Coaster, the spinning Finding Nemo themed roller coaster in the park, and were described by an eyewitness as \u201cgrinning ear-to-ear\u201d as they came off the ride. The group also reportedly rode the Tower of Terror<\/a>, the drop ride that sends riders plummeting thirteen stories.<\/p>\n

The visit took place approximately thirty minutes after President Trump had posted a threat on Truth Social warning of the potential total destruction of Iran. Ivanka\u2019s husband Jared Kushner has also been involved as a key negotiator in the Iran conflict. Trump subsequently announced a two-week ceasefire deal with Iran just before a self-imposed deadline.<\/p>\n

TMZ noted that the Disney getaway is consistent with Ivanka\u2019s current approach to her father\u2019s presidency. She has largely stayed away from his public events during his second term and has, at least publicly, created distance between herself and the day-to-day activity of the White House.<\/p>\n

Senator Graham at Chef Mickey\u2019s
\n\"MickeyCredit: Tokyo Disney Resort<\/p>\n

The Disneyland Paris visit follows closely on another political Disney sighting that generated significant attention. TMZ published photographs of Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, dining at Chef Mickey\u2019s at Walt Disney World\u2019s Contemporary Resort during the congressional recess period. He was seated at a back corner table with an unidentified younger woman and a child.<\/p>\n

PHOTOS: Lindsey Graham vacationing at Disney World amid shutdown \ud83d\udcf8https:\/\/t.co\/fwzuZSiNkR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TMZ (@TMZ) March 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Graham responded to the coverage by telling TMZ that he had visited to see friends after a meeting in South Florida with Steve Witkoff, President Trump\u2019s international relations envoy, regarding the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. He stated he was already back in South Carolina and added: \u201cI voted 7 times to fully fund the government. Call a Democrat.\u201d<\/p>\n

The images of Graham topping off his coffee while Disney characters and cast members clapped around him became part of a broader TMZ project documenting members of Congress enjoying themselves during recess while the government shutdown continues. Similar photos of Wyoming Senator John Barrasso and Texas Senator Ted Cruz were also published.<\/p>\n

The Shutdown Is Still Creating Serious Airport Problems<\/p>\n

For guests planning a Disney vacation right now, the most practically significant part of this story is not the celebrity sightings. It is the airport situation the ongoing government shutdown is creating, and it is not getting better.<\/p>\n

The shutdown, now in its sixth week, has placed TSA officers in the position of reporting to work without pay. The staffing pressures that result from that situation are producing extreme wait times at major airports across the country. Houston\u2019s William P. Hobby Airport reported average TSA wait times approaching three hours, with the airport advising passengers to arrive four to five hours before their flights. Houston\u2019s George Bush Intercontinental Airport reported 51-minute average waits. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport both clocked approximately one-hour average waits. Charlotte Douglas International Airport reported 47-minute average waits.<\/p>\n

The official Homeland Security X account posted: \u201c3 HOUR WAIT TIMES. TSA officers are not the only ones paying the price for the Democrats\u2019 DHS shutdown. Now, the American people are facing THREE hour wait times at airports. Democrats do not care about TSA officers going without pay, and they do not care about the millions of Americans missing flights and facing delays because of this reckless DHS shutdown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Sununu, CEO of Airlines for America, issued a statement: \u201cAs TSA officers are facing a $0 paycheck this week, we are seeing firsthand the significant strains that the current DHS shutdown is causing across the aviation system. The shutdown is having very real consequences, and hardworking federal aviation workers, the airline industry and our passengers are being used as a political football once again. This is simply unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n

TSA PreCheck has remained operational, which represents a meaningful advantage for guests who have it. Global Entry, however, remains suspended, meaning travelers returning from international destinations must use standard customs lanes.<\/p>\n

What This Means for Your Disney Trip
\n\"GuestsCredit: Disney<\/p>\n

For guests flying to Walt Disney World or Disneyland Paris in the coming weeks, the airport is currently the riskiest part of the trip. Arrival day logistics that normally feel straightforward require significantly more planning buffer right now.<\/p>\n

A guest flying in the morning expecting to arrive in Orlando for an afternoon park visit has almost no margin if a two-hour security delay pushes their departure back. An afternoon flight intended to land in time for a Disney Springs<\/a> dinner becomes a late-night arrival if the security checkpoint runs long. The first day of a Disney trip typically carries the most logistical weight, and losing hours of it before you ever leave your home city has consequences that affect the rest of the week.<\/p>\n

The most effective protection is building an extra travel day before your first park day. If same-day arrival is unavoidable, arrive at the airport significantly earlier than you normally would and check your departure airport\u2019s social media accounts the morning of travel for real-time wait time updates.<\/p>\n

The irony of political figures appearing at Disney parks while those same politicians have not resolved the shutdown creating chaos at the airports guests need to use to get to those parks is not lost on anyone following both stories simultaneously.<\/p>\n

We are tracking both the airport shutdown situation and updates from Disney parks as they develop. If you have a Walt Disney World or Disneyland Paris trip coming up, our travel guide has current advisory information and practical tips for navigating the airport situation before you leave home. Check it, add the buffer time, and get to the parks.<\/p>\n