December 2023
Guide to Visiting Disneyland Paris – Including How to Plan the Perfect Park Day
Being a veteran to the Walt Disney World parks, planning a Disney trip not in Orlando is a bit surreal. Things are familiar but they are completely different at the same time. Tickets, language, line cutting program, food – it is all different even though it is a Disney theme park. When we travel to Walt Disney World, it is ok to not get to do something because we know we will eventually return – it is so easily accessible for us. Whereas going to another Disney park has a different feel – we are not going back next year or may not be able to get there again so we had to plan this in a way we have not had to plan a Disney trip in, well for the first time in forever.
The Disney Resort
Originally called EuroDisney, Disneyland Paris Resort is made up of two theme parks – Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios. Disneyland Paris is the traditional Magic Kingdom theme park that sits around the world, and the Walt Disney Studios theme park has more of the newer Disney IP’s including Toy Story and Avengers Campus. We completed both parks in one day and I think for most travelers, that would be sufficient. If you are a completionist or going on this trip specifically for the Disney parks, then two or three days is a good amount of time for both theme parks. The castle as Disneyland Paris is especially unique and gorgeous so it is a definite do not miss.
When to Go
The parks are open all year round so it is certainly a seasonable preference. We visited in December and the parks were decorated for the holidays which definitely added a fun element to the trip. This is also the only theme park that routinely experienced snow so that is also another unique element to this visit. Avoid holidays and school breaks and if possible, visit on a weekday when you are there. We visited on a Friday and we were surprised that the crowd was pretty intense but we speculate that it is due to the holidays. The ticket prices are scaled to the expected crowd so if you pick a day that is more expensive than the surrounding days, perhaps you should expect it to be a more crowded day.
How to Get There
Disneyland Paris is shockingly easy to get to! It is only 10 minutes from the CDG airport and about 45 minutes from downtown Paris all by public transit. The Marne-la-Vallee Chessy train station is just steps away from the entry gates to both theme parks. There is also parking if you are driving but the public transit makes it oh-so-easy.
Where to Stay
If you are doing a day trip from the city, you can skip this part. But if you plan on doing an overnight for easy travel or staying multiple days at the parks, there are a few hotels on property. Hotel guests get an added perk of getting into the park an hour earlier than regular guests, which definitely helps knock out popular attractions. There are several hotels to pick from that vary in price, theme, and accommodation.
Language and Currency
While French is a primary language, everyone speaks English and the signs, maps, etc are all in English as well. This is certainly a benefit of this park being in the middle of Europe which is a melting pot of languages – but English is commonly shared among them all. So do not be concerned if you do not speak French – you English will get you where you need. But it does help to learn basic French phrases to be polite.
Your credit card will be all you need for visiting the theme parks. Make sure if you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee – highly recommend getting one if not – that will be fine for your trip. Have some back up Euro in case your card has issues but everywhere in the parks accepts credit cards.
Admission Tickets
Tickets can be ordered online and vary in price depending on the day and the type of ticket you purchase. If you buy an open-ended ticket with no specific day, then that will be more than if you commit to a day to purchase a ticket. Weekends and holiday times will be more expensive as well. If you want to visit both parks in one day, there is an added fee to park hop. The tickets are then issued with a barcode that can be used at the gate and also added to your account in the Disney app.
Disney App
Like other theme park visits, Disneyland Paris has its own app to help with your park day. I would say this app is a bit behind others we have used technologically but it is helpful for checking wait times and the map of the park.
Cut the Line Program
When it comes to cutting down wait times, there are a few options that you can use. The first is the Disney Premier Pass which gives you a ‘FastPass’ for every attraction that is eligible. It comes at a hefty price tag but if you only have one day and you are a completionist, this is definitely the way to go. You can also pay to jump the line for select attractions as another option. We did not use either and by going during the week and for rope drop were able to knock out our must-do attractions with no issue. There is also an extensive single rider program here that I would highly recommend taking advantage of – there are a number of attractions that have single rider here and it is amazing.
Food and Dining
What is not amazing is the food. With Paris being one of the gastronomic capitals of the world, it is baffling that the food here is not exciting. In fact, of all the Disney parks we have visited, this one had the most generic “theme park” food. Just go in with the right expectations – especially if you are familiar with the incredible food at the US parks. If there is a spot you are interested in dining – particularly sit down table service – make sure you make a reservation in advance of your trip.
Entertainment
This park offers several types of entertainment, including shows, parades, and nighttime drone show that I have heard great things about. Unfortunately, it was not scheduled for the night of our visit. We did get to see the Christmas parade – once during the day and once at night – and they were really fun. We also watched the performance of Mickey and the Magician and it was one of the best performances we have seen on a Disney property. The nighttime drone show is one of a kind so if it is going on during your visit, definitely prioritize it.
Must Do Attractions
Disneyland Paris
- Pirates of the Caribbean – longer story line
- Phantom Manor – their version of the Haunted Mansion
- Big Thunder Mountain – the coolest version of this ride we have been on
- Hyperspace Mountain – super intense rollercoaster that is nothing like the versions at the other parks (single rider!)
- Other classics like It’s a Small World, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth
Walt Disney Studios
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – the original of the one what is in Disney World (single rider!)
- Crush’s Coaster
- Avengers Campus
Other Things to Know
- Bag storage – We had our back packs when we visited and we were happy to see a full service bag check. A small fee had our bags safely stored for the entire day. Make sure to take advantage of this service if you are traveling between destinations when you plan on visiting the parks, you are in luck.
- Wait times – We were surprised here that wait times were definitely not as accurate so make sure you check lines carefully. Reminder to take advantage of those single rider lines as well.
- If you are taking the train – get train tickets for way home prior to leaving – lines for train tickets are wild at night, still no tap to pay option as of our trip December 2023.
- The park generally opens early – plan on arriving an hour before the listed opening time.
Perfect Day at the Parks
- This day is based on getting a one day park hopper pass.
- Go during the week and plan on arriving an hour to a half hour before the advertised park opening hours.
- First start at Disneyland Paris and prioritize hitting your must hit attractions – for us it was Big Thunder Mountain, Phantom Manor, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
- Once lunch time comes, take a break and grab food and browse merchandise on Main Street.
- Head over to Walk Disney Studios and prioritize your rides here. We hit Remy’s first (single rider) before exploring Toy Story land and seeing Mickey and the Magician. Then finish your time here in Avengers Campus.
- Return to Disneyland Paris to wrap up attractions you missed or others you want to ride again. If you did not pay for Premier Pass and it is crowded, remember to take advantage of the single rider options.
- Finish the night with the nighttime shows at Disneyland Paris.
