Disneyland Paris, in the Paris suburb of Marne-la-Vallée, has the Disney Empire's Europe variant of their archetypal "Magic Kingdom" theme park. It was the second Disney theme park resort to open outside the United States, after Tokyo Disney Resort.
"To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Once upon a time, a master storyteller, Walt Disney, inspired by Europe's best loved tales, used his own special gifts to share them with the world. He envisioned a Magic Kingdom where these stories would come to life, and called it Disneyland. Now his dream returns to the land that inspired it. Euro Disneyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration for all the world." <small> — Michael D. Eisner, April 1, 1992</small>
"To all who enter the studio of dreams, welcome. Walt Disney Studios is dedicated to our timeless fascination and affection for cinema and television. Here we celebrate the art and the artistry of storytellers from Europe and around the world who create the magic. May this special place stir our own memories of the past, and our dreams of the future." <small> — Michael D. Eisner, March 16, 2002</small>
Disneyland Paris consists of two parks, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, and a shopping district, Disney Village. Disneyland Park is the park everybody has heard of and expects, and Walt Disney Studios Park has a more general movie making theme - but it's still very Disney. The Village is comprised of stores and restaurants.
Disney's theme parks are famous for their "Audio-Animatronics," attention to detail, service mentality, crowds and high prices. The intention is to completely recreate the "magic" of the Disney franchise; employees are not "staff" but "cast members"; the park is kept insanely clean; and everywhere you will find a perfectly running machine. For example, you won't find the same Disney character twice within sight - there are no duplicates. Families are clearly the focus of Disneyland, so that no one feels neglected.
All the theme parks follow basically the same setup, but of course there are many regional differences.
The total commercialism is something you have to either accept, ignore or enjoy. Besides the merchandise stores at every corner, many rides are "sponsored" by various large corporations.
To make the experience even more magical and enjoyable, the City of Light is just a half-hour train ride away.
With 15 million visits in 2010, Disneyland Paris has overtaken the Eiffel Tower as the most popular tourist destination of the Paris region, and is the fourth most visited theme park in the world, behind Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneyland. Likewise, it is infamous for its crowds. At all attractions all over the park you will see barricades and signs along the lines of "Waiting time at this point - 45 minutes".
For an enjoyable visit to Disneyland Paris, it is essential to consider what time of year you plan to visit. Ideally, you want good weather and as few crowds as possible, but off peak times of year may have more limited entertainment shows, parades and firework shows. Some rides may also be closed for maintenance during the quieter times of year. If you really want the full Disney experience then July - August is best, but with most schools in Europe having their summer break during this time then it won't be a quiet visit!
With all things considered, the best time to visit Disneyland Paris is on weekdays outside of public holidays and school vacations. The quieter months seem to be September – October and May – June, but this can vary (especially during special events as Halloween). Considering the French weather, June is likely the safest bet, but warmer weather will bring bigger crowds. However, if you are lucky, you won't have to queue at all except for the very popular rides, and even then the waiting time can be as low as a few minutes. During the quieter times it can also to be easier to get cheaper travel packages - check online or with your travel agent.
Even when the park is not very crowded you will have trouble seeing all of the attractions in one day. For a more or less complete tour, you will need at least two days. It also saves time to stay at the Disney hotels as they are closest to the park and most offer shuttle buses.
It must be said that Disneyland Paris is a lot of fun but waiting for each ride for 45 minutes or more can be stressful, especially with small children. However, see below for the "Premier Access" service, which allows you to beat the queues.
After you arrive, first get to your hotel if you have booked one. You will get your tickets here, as well as information material (maps) and breakfast vouchers.
Disneyland Resort Paris is connected to both international airports in Paris.
Alternatively, Magical Shuttle operates buses to Disneyland from both airports, costing €20 for adults and kids 7 and over, and €16 for children aged 3–6 one way. Under 3s travel free. The trip takes about 50 minutes.
One choice if you live in France or in a nearby region (Central Germany, southern regions of the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) is to drive. The highway system of France is extensive and often quiet. Disneyland is located just off junction 14 of the A4 (E50), about 35 km east of Paris (Porte de Bercy). You should keep a supply of cash and/or credit cards ready, however, as the motorway (autoroute) system is tolled and quite expensive. For example, a trip from Frankfurt to Disneyland can cost approximately €30 in toll fees.
If you are driving from the United Kingdom, note that France drives on the right.
Travel times to Disneyland Paris can vary depending on how you enter the country, but on average from Calais you can expect a journey time of 4 hours.
The best way to reach Disneyland Paris, which has its own railway station, is by train: they are reliable and run frequently. Note that when booking tickets the official name of the station is Marne-la-Vallée Chessy (that information is more useful for ticket machines as employees all know the station for Disneyland).
RER A runs from central Paris to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy, with frequent trains taking 35 min for the journey. Be aware that a Paris Metro ticket is valid on RER only for travel within Zone 1 (Disneyland Resort Paris is in Zone 5). If you use a Paris Visite, Mobilis or Navigo pass, make sure that it reads Zones 1-5 and not Zones 1-3. In either case, using an invalid ticket will result in a €25 fine.
The seven main rail terminals in central Paris, the trains that serve them, and directions from them to RER A are explained in the chart below. All of them are served by the Metro and/or RER.
| Station | Services | Directions to RER A4 |
|---|---|---|
| Gare du Nord | Thalys<br/>Eurostar<br/>TGV<br/>Transilien Paris-Nord<br/>TER Picardie | RER B or D to Chatelet Les-Halles |
| Gare de l'Est | TGV<br/>ICE<br/>TER Champagne-Ardenne<br/>Transilien Paris-Est<br/>Moscow-Paris Express | Paris Metro Line 4 to Les Halles |
| Gare Saint-Lazare | 23 Transilien lines<br/>4 Grandes Lignes lines | Paris Metro Line 14 to Gare de Lyon |
| Gare de Lyon | 4 Transilien lines<br/>3 Grandes Lignes lines<br/>TGV | Served by RER A |
| Gare de Bercy | TER Bourgogne<br/>Auto trains | Paris Metro Line 14 to Gare de Lyon |
| Gare d'Austerlitz | Paris-Orléans-Limoges-Toulouse main line<br/> | Walk to Gare de Lyon |
| Gare Montparnasse | TGV<br/>TER Centre<br/>TER Basse Normandie | Paris Metro Line 4 to Chatelet<br/>or Line 6 to Nation |
Eurostar operates daily services from London's St. Pancras station and Ebbsfleet and Ashford in Kent direct to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy taking, on average, 2-4 hours (it depends on the time of day as for most services you will need to change trains at Lille station). You can then leave your luggage at the station and it will be moved to your hotel while you enjoy the parks.
Marne-la-Vallée Chessy is also served by several TGV train lines from destinations across France such as Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lille and Strasbourg. The station is also the hub for the Ouigo network of low-cost TGVs.
Most international railways linking Paris with other countries arrive in central Paris: see the chart above.
Visiting Disneyland Resort Paris is about as equally expensive as visiting any of the other Disney parks around the world. There are four types of tickets sold. The 1 Day 1 Park Ticket allows you to visit only one of the two parks for a full day. In addition, there are three Park Hopper tickets, which allow you to visit both parks on the same day, available in 1-, 2- and 3-day increments. The 3-Day Park Hopper ticket represents the most ecomomical deal; the ticket price per day is lowest.
There are day tickets with a specified date and day tickets with a flexible date (valid for a year) obviously the former are cheaper. The cheapest fixed date day tickets are €59 (12 and above) and €52 (3-11). In this list only the price for the latter will be listed. These prices, taken from the German version of the resort's website, were accurate as of summer 2020: | | | | Days | ages 3–11 | | ! colspan=2 | ages 12+ | | Days | ! Total | Per Day | ! Total | Per Day | | 1 Day 1 Park Ticket | €82 | €82 | €89 | €89 | | 1 Day Park Hopper | €102 | €102 | €109 | €109 | | 2 Day Park Hopper | €165 | €82.50 | €179 | €89.50 | | 3 Day Park Hopper | €201 | €67 | €219 | €73 | | 4 Day Park Hopper | €238 | €59.50 | €259 | €64.75 |
Children under age 3 are admitted free.
Also worth investigating is the Annual Pass - which appears to be cheaper for 12+ age groups than the 3 day park hopper. Buy a 1-day ticket and visit guest services once inside the park to get your annual passport (with its face price reduced by your 1 day ticket purchase price.)
You may want to check the different language versions of the site which will have different types of tickets available. The local French version often has specials that are unavailable on other sites, such as a €40 ticket with a 5-day advance purchase. Depending on the exchange rate, you may save by going to a different country's site.
Once you are in the park, your main mode of transportation will be walking. Disneyland is divided into four themed sections (Discoveryland, Frontierland, Adventureland and Fantasyland) and the central shopping and information area Main Street USA.
If you find yourself at the back of the park during heavy rain, there is an undercover walkway that will take you all the way from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride to the front of the park.
Bus services exist which can take you from Disney Village and the central entrance to the hotels. These buses are free of charge.
Wheelchair accessibility is very good, and there are very few areas that have the usual obstacles, such as confined stairs, that make access impossible. A very good system of disabled access for most rides is in place, but for safety and evacuation reasons, some rides still require that the rider be able to walk or climb a ladder. It is a good idea to get a disability pass from the Information Center on arrival at the park; doing so makes it easier for staff to identify and assist disabled visitors. The pass will not grant a disabled person the right to jump the queue, but it does allow assisted access to rides via the exit gates rather than the more restrictive entrance gates.
Disneyland Paris is mainly a place for doing, not for seeing. But this doesn't mean there are no good views.
Disney characters are spread liberally throughout the park. Characters will give autographs, but their main purpose is, of course, to pose for photos. Many are available around the clock - usually the more famous characters like Mickey, Donald Duck, and so on - but some are only available at certain times. Some characters are very rare and only appear for special events and race days. Certain characters will move around during the day or may appear in different outfits. Care is taken by the Disneyland administration that no character can be met twice at the same time, meaning that during parades you probably won't see many characters as they'll be too busy on the floats!
For information about the schedule of the characters, you can inquire at most stores or information outlet and some timings may also be listed on your park map. If you have a certain character that you absolutely must meet, then check in with City Hall at the entrance on Town Square. They can help you with this information, and even organize a "Meet N Greet" with your favorite character for a hefty fee.
Be aware that there will be queues for photographs with characters and they fill very quickly, sometimes within 5 minutes. Cast members strictly enforce the character appearance times and once the queue is closed then that's it. If you have characters you really want to see, especially popular characters like Stitch or Donald Duck, then find where they are going to be and ensure that you are in the area about half an hour before they appear so you can get into the queue quickly. It is often not possible for most characters for you to just turn up and take a photo, especially during busy times.
There are many shows available throughout Disneyland Paris.
Most "activities" in Disneyland Paris consist of various rides. However, there are discos and bars in Disney Village where people meet and dance.
Easily the primary attraction of Disneyland, rides can be quite crowded depending on popularity - even on otherwise empty days at the park.
Some notable rides are:
If you can plan your whole day and have specific rides you want to experience, you may wish to take advantage of the Premier Access system, which is not free. When you get to a ride, you can get a ticket that allows you to bypass the bulk of the queue at a set, later time. Even when the park is only moderately crowded, it's a good idea to get these for popular rides early (Big Thunder Mountain, Peter Pan and Tower of Terror, for example). Premier Access exists only for a few of the most popular rides, so check in advance.
You first go to the Disneyland Paris App and simply purchase there your access. You then have to come back in that given time frame to experience the attraction. If you don't like the proposed time frame, you need to either get in the regular line or come back for a Premier Access later. There is a limited number of Access available each day so you should take them before they are all gone - especially for Big Thunder Mountain, Peter Pan and Tower of Terror.
This is a great system for people with very young children. Both parents/carers join the queue with their child and one parent/carer rides while the other looks after the child. Once the first person has been on the ride, they take over caring for the child and the other adult can then ride without having to queue all over again.
If you are riding the Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, the Baby Switch process is slightly different. Once the first adult has been on the ride, they collect a ticket at the exit. The second parent then has to queue through the Premier Access entrance (although the ride attendant's recommendation is merely to push your way to the front of the queue), which can take some time.
If there is one thing you will never have a problem finding in Disneyland Paris it's stores. Various themed and general stores are spread liberally throughout the park, selling Disney merchandise and general memorabilia. They carry everything from pencils to books, from Indiana Jones fedora hats to Cinderella costumes. The sky is basically the limit on the money you can spend at Disneyland Paris - you can buy glass/crystal trinkets and sword replicas in the central castle. If you come to Disneyland Paris with children, be prepared to reach deep into your pockets. A set of goodies for a child will probably set you back approximately €50. Add to this plush dolls, t-shirts and action figures ... it's easy to spend €50-100 or more a head on "souvenirs".
The main shopping area of Disneyland Paris is Main Street USA. The largest store at Walt Disney Studios Paris is Disney Studio 1, which you will see straight ahead after you enter the park. Disney Village has a large collection of retailers, including a Disney Store.
Because of the sheer number of stores there is some variation in what they will stock. For example, a shop in Frontierland may sell different cuddly plush toys when compared to a store in Fantasyland. If you are after merchandise of a specific franchise or character then speak to a cast member.
Pin trading, while present, is not hyped as much as it is in the American parks. While you can still trade and buy pins and lanyards, you will find a smaller selection and fewer traders.
The main pin trading hub is the Pueblo Trading Post shop, found at the back of Frontierland next to the Pocahontas Indian Village play area. Except for special pin trading events, the shop is only open on Saturdays and Sundays. This is the only place in the entire park to buy Limited Edition or "mystery bag/box" pins, so if you're a pin fan then it's worth popping in for a look. There are also usually a few pin traders hanging around who are mostly happy to chat about pin trading and collecting.
Disneyland Paris sports many restaurants and bars that have mostly one thing in common: They're expensive, and in the parks themselves they're universally not very good. Vegan and vegetarian options are available in all restaurants. Takeaway food is easy to find thanks to the Disneyland Paris app. If you're not eating in your hotel then Disney Village offers better options, especially for lunch. Some are simple fast-food spots, others are quite fancy.
Remember that the parks close early in the winter, spring and autumn so it is hard to eat dinner in the park after dark. Also, if you are visiting for a full day, it's a good idea to go to the park early then retire to the Disney Village for lunch, returning into the park later.
Disney offers various hotels in and around the park. They vary in quality and style. All should offer a free safe to store your valuables during the day, including notebook computers (Laptops). Inquire at the reception. Most are within easy walking distance from the Park
An asterisk (*) indicates hotels that offer point exchanges to members of the Disney Vacation Club.
As well as the above, there are several outer hotels, all of these offer transport to the park but they don't have a Disney theme and may not be included in special offer packages. One such hotel is the Holiday Inn, which is situated alongside the official Disney hotels. It is also served by the Disney bus from Charles de Gaulle airport, and by the frequent shuttle buses to/from the parks. It has a circus theme throughout, and has good sized family accommodation.
A cheaper option than the official Disney Hotels would be the Disney partner hotels. They all offer a free shuttle to the parks and are only 10 minutes away from the parks. Most of these hotels also offer ticket packages.
Communication should not be an issue for English-speaking visitors. Although Disneyland Paris is mainly French as you'd expect, all menus and signs are also available in English and some in other languages. All Cast Members speak English; and as they are recruited from all over Europe, several of them speak more than three languages. If all else fails, your fellow park visitors are from all over Europe and across the world, so a bystander might be able to translate for you. Besides French, many signs are also written in English and sometimes German as they are the three most commonly used languages in Disneyland.
You can buy postcards and stamps at most shops in the park. Mailboxes exist in some central locations. Ask the shopkeepers about the postage required to your destination.
The park does offer wifi access thorough the parks. Use the official Disneyland Paris app.
Or visit the other Disneyland parks worldwide at:
Related: Walt Disney World
Related: Disneyland
Related: Tokyo Disney Resort
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