Ultimate guide to Disneyland Paris with kids
Disneyland Paris was our home away from home in Europe, and with our annual passes, we got to experience the parks every season.
On the blog, I have written the ultimate guide to Disneyland Paris with kids, along with some tips, so you can plan your family vacation to the happiest place on earth in Paris!
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*Staying in Paris? Read our Top things to do on a family vacation to Paris here.
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Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Paris with kids
Disneyland Paris essentials
When planning a Disney vacation, make sure to plan ahead and pack for the unexpected, especially when on a budget.
- One of the most important things when visiting a Disney park is having a stroller. You can easily spend the whole day walking for miles and having a stroller is a lifesaver.
- If you forget to pack one, you can rent one for 20€. The Stroller/Pushchair and Wheelchair Rental shop is located at Town Square Terrace, near the Disneyland Park entrance, and at Studio Services at the Walt Disney Studios Park entrance.
- Also make sure to bring a refillable water bottle, and lots of snacks. You can easily refill your bottles at the cafes in the parks.
- If you’re planning a summer visit, a spray fan is the best investment, as it can get quite hot, as well as extra clothes for the kiddos. Store the kid’s extra clothes in these Disney inspired wet/dry bags.
- If you’re visiting during the winter make sure to pack winter gear, the temps can get as low as the 20s, so pack accordingly. Hand warmers are a plus for the winter as well. Check out this post on how to dress the kids for winter weather.
How to get to Disneyland Paris
- From Paris, take the RER A train to Marne-la-Vallée. The RER A line also splits into Boissy-St-Legér, so make sure you are on the right platform going to Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy station!
- The train ride takes about 45 minutes from Paris, and the railway station is located right next to the main entrance to Disneyland Paris.
- Be aware that the Marne-la-Vallée train station hours are Monday to Saturday from 6:00 to 22:30 p.m, Sunday/bank holiday from 06:00 to 23:00.
- Free hotel shuttles run from here to all the major Disneyland Paris hotels, and Disney Partner hotels as well!
- From the Charles de Gaulle airport, you have the option of taking the Train, or the Magic Shuttle bus to Disneyland Paris.
- If you are coming in by car, Disneyland Paris is located at Boulevard de Parc, 77700 Coupvray, France. Disneyland Paris offers a car park which costs 30€ a day.
- If you’re staying at a Disney Hotel or any of their partner hotels in the area, park your car in the hotel parking, and take the free shuttles to the park.
Where to get tickets to Disneyland Paris
- When planning your visit to Disneyland Paris, purchase tickets online (tickets can not be purchased at the entrance).
- You have the option to purchase either a date-specific or non-dated ticket.
- Be aware that if you purchase a non-dated ticket, or plan to use an annual pass, you will have to register your visit date in advance to ensure admission on the day you choose.
- Choose your date in advance and save money! one-day dated tickets start from 93€, while a non-dated one-day ticket starts at 119.43€.
- If you plan on visiting Disneyland Paris multiple times in a year, I suggest purchasing an Annual Pass. You have several options to choose from and they range from 289€ – 699€.
How long to stay at Disneyland Paris
To make the most out of your visit, I suggest planning a two-day visit to Disneyland Paris.
A two-day itinerary to Disneyland Paris can be spent exploring one of the parks daily. It’s the best way to ensure you get to most of the rides, and a visit with your favorite characters.
You can easily spend one day in Disneyland Paris as well. I suggest planning all your must-do rides, and character meet and greets ahead of time to maximize your one-day visit to the park.
What to expect at Disneyland Paris
There are two parks at Disneyland Paris. Parc Disneyland is set up just like Magic Kingdom.
This is where you will find Main Street, and the Sleeping Beauty Castle, as well as your visit with Mickey and friends.
Familiar rides like Dumbo, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the It’s a small world ride are here as well.
Walt Disney Studios Park is home to the worlds of Disney and Pixar, and epic shows, such as the Mickey and the Magician, Kingdom of Arendelle, and the Disney Junior Live on Stage.
There are also lots of fun attractions as well. Toy Story land is here, including Crush’s Coaster, Ratatouille the Adventure, and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
The parades and the shows are all in French and English. It was cool to hear Disney songs you know by heart sung in French!
Every night you can experience the Disney Electrical Sky Parade, which is a dazzling drone display before the start of the nighttime spectacular, Disney Illuminations.
There will also be a new nighttime spectacular coming in January 2025! With state-of-the-art effects and fireworks, a one-of-a-kind experience.
It can get pretty crowded during these night-time spectaculars, so I suggest waiting close to the castle about an hour before the show starts to get the perfect vantage point to watch the show, It’s so worth the wait!
Disney Premier Access
Disneyland Paris has rolled out their new Disney Premier Access, which is a paid service that gives you fast access to some of their most popular attractions.
- Make sure to download the Disneyland Paris app and link your park tickets. You can only purchase Disney Premier Access once you’ve entered the parks.
- Choose an attraction and select all the guests that want to ride, and choose a time slot, (which depends on availability).
- Once you’ve made your purchase, head to the dedicated Disney Premier Access line at the attraction during your allocated time and present your QR code, which you can find in the Disney Premier Access section of the app.
- Disney Premier Access prices vary according to the attraction and day of visit from €8 to €15. You can purchase a maximum of 3 Disney Premier Access for each attraction per guest a day.
- Children under 3 do not need a Disney Premier Access as long as they are accompanied by a paying adult.
*Disney Premier Access is available for:
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Ratatouille the Adventure
- Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
- Star Tours: The Adventures continue
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- and Autopia.
Unique Disneyland Paris Attractions
Some familiar rides that you can look forward to, but are just a little bit different from other Disney Parks are: It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and the Haunted Mansion.
Be aware that the Haunted Mansion ride, in my opinion, was a bit spookier than other Disney parks. Something to think about with the littlest ones!
Some unique Disneyland Paris attractions are Alice’s Curious Labyrinth maze, the Pirate Galleon Play area, Ratatouille the adventure simulation ride, and the Robinson Family Treehouse.
Don’t miss a visit to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and explore the enchanting world of Sleeping Beauty and the beautiful stained glass windows. There’s also a dragon’s lair beneath the castle that you shouldn’t miss!
There is also an amazing playground for the kids when they need a break. The Frontierland Playground is perfect for when the kids have had enough rides and just need some downtime.
There are so many unique attractions that can only be found at Disneyland Paris. Check out the website for more attractions in the parks.
*Depending on when you visit, some of the attractions at Disneyland Paris may be closed. Visit the website to see which attractions are closed for the day.
Where to eat at Disneyland Paris
There are so many dining options at the parks at Disneyland Paris, Disney Village, and Disney Resorts. Make sure to download the Disneyland Paris app to make dining reservations!
You can also add character dining when booking your Disneyland Paris vacation through their website.
The parks at Disneyland Paris offer quite a few places to eat, with fast food choices, and sit-down restaurants.
A few of our go-to quick-service restaurants are:
- The Cowboy Cookout Barbecue located at Frontierland
- Pizzas at Pizzeria Bella Notte at Fantasyland
- Casey’s Corner on Main Street for their hotdogs, chicken nuggets and French fries!
* For more info on dining options inside the Parks click here.
Disney Village
If you want to escape the parks for your meal, there are lots of food choices at Disney Village.
Some of our favorite restaurants at Disney Village are:
- Planet Hollywood
- Rainforest Cafe
- Five-Guys burgers
- McDonald’s
- Starbucks
For breakfast we loved Annettes diner, serving a typical English breakfast, and other breakfast favorites.
*For more info on Disney village dining options click here.
Special Events at Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris 25th Anniversary celebration
We got to experience Disneyland Paris during its 25th-anniversary celebration, and it was quite spectacular! For this celebration, the Parks have been refurbished, shows reimagined, and are more dazzling than ever.
Halloween at Disneyland Paris
Halloween at Disneyland Paris is so magical. We’ve spent two Halloweens here and it’s always so amazing.
One year the park was decked out with the theme from the movie COCO, which was so cool.
All of Frontierland, including all of Main Street area, was decorated for Halloween, which was so cool!
There are also fun Halloween themed parades and shows, and meet and greets with costumed characters, which were pretty spectacular!
The Haunted mansion is the main event during the season but skipped it since we were there with a 5-year-old, it’s much spookier than the ones at Disneyworld.
Christmas at Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris during the holidays is even more magical. We visited during the holidays, and spent the weekend ringing in the New Year, which was such an amazing experience!
The best part about visiting any Disney Parks during the holidays is the fun Christmas decor and the holiday music.
The Holiday lineup is so spectacular as well, including the Christmas parade ending with Santa, and the amazing Fireworks show.
We also loved the giant Christmas tree on Main Street, it was just so beautiful, especially all lit up at night!
On your visit to Disneyland Paris at Christmas, make sure to stop by Disney Village.
The decor here is beautiful, and there’s a small Christmas Market selling some unique Disney Holiday sweets, roasted chestnuts, and of course hot cocoa to keep you warm.
We even spent the weekend ringing in the New Year at Disneyland Paris, and it was such a special experience.
Just make sure to bundle up, and bring hand warmers. There’s nothing like counting down the New Year at Disneyland Paris!
Disneyland Paris Tips
- First Aid centers can be found at Disneyland Park – in Main Street U.S.A. near Central Plaza, and at Walt Disney Studios Park – behind Studio Services.
- If you don’t mind skipping the parades and fireworks, I suggest you use that time to go on rides. It’s the best time to enjoy some of the most popular rides without the wait.
- I also suggest you eat dinner at less popular times, especially not after the parade. Most people leave the parks and head straight to Disney Village, or the restaurants within the parks, which means long wait times for dinner seating. Make sure to bring snacks to ward off hunger!
- If it’s your kiddo’s birthday head over to guest services and your child will receive a Happy Birthday badge they can wear, and will get extra special attention at the parks!
- If you like collecting photos at the end of rides, I suggest purchasing the photo pass.
- If shopping is on your agenda then visit the Val d’ Europe Marne La Vallee shopping center.
- If you’re into high-end luxury goods at outlet prices, visit La Vallee Village, where you can find Gucci, Chanel, and other luxury brands. Most hotels offer shuttles that can take you to these shopping centers for a small fee
- There are free shuttles that take you from your hotel to the parks. If you’re riding the train or the shuttle buses, beware of pickpockets. Keep your bags in front of your body and just be aware of your surroundings.
- It’s like a stampede trying to exit the Parks at the end of the day. I suggest just waiting for the crowds to leave! If you’re staying at a hotel nearby, the shuttles run till about 1 am, so you have plenty of time to get back. It beats getting pushed and shoved trying to exit!
Where to stay at Disneyland Paris
During our visits to Disneyland Paris, we have had the chance to stay in quite a few accommodations. There are so many choices when booking a stay in Disneyland Paris.
You can choose to stay in a Disney Brand Hotel, with a few choices to accommodate your budget. But Disney also partners with other hotels in the area that offer more affordable choices and free shuttles to the parks.
Best Family Hotels near Disneyland Paris
Explorers Hotel
- Explorers Hotel– This was our favorite hotel, It’s a pirate-themed hotel that features an indoor water park and play area. There are also various restaurants to eat and a Disney store.
- The hotel also offers free continental-style breakfast, just make sure you choose the rate that includes it. There is also a free shuttle from here to the Park.
Vienna House Dream Castle
- The Vienna House Dream Castle features a Chateau-style lodging, that offers upscale rooms with an indoor pool, and a free shuttle. Most family rooms feature bunk beds that the kids will surely love.
Vienna House Magic Circus Hotel
- Vienna House Magic Circus Hotel– A Circus themed hotel, which includes a pool, a small play area, and a lobby bar and restaurant.
- They also offer continental-style breakfast, just make sure to choose that rate when booking. There is also a free shuttle that picks up right in front of the hotel.
B&B Hotel
- B&B Hotel is a budget hotel that features no-frills rooms. This is a great budget hotel for larger families, that offers quadruple rooms with bunk beds as well. There is also a free continental-style breakfast and a free shuttle as well.
More Disneyland Paris hotels here:
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