Planning a Trip to Disneyland Paris

Mickey told me that this is L’endroit le plus heureux du monde

Welcome to our guide where we explore the biggest tourist destination in Europe. While Paris is the most visited city, Disneyland Paris is the entertainment spot that attracts the most tourists in the region. I mean, it’s hard to find someone that doesn’t love Mickey Mouse. Je t’aime, grand Souris. Souris means Mouse, by the way. I think.

When we think of Disney, it’s easy to imagine the classic Disneyland in California or Disney World with its four major parks in Florida, but Disneyland Paris is a major player that welcomes millions of guests from around the world each year. It is a destination with many exclusive rides, exciting shows, and two main parks: Parc Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios Park. The Walt Disney Studios Park is currently undergoing a major renovation and will be renamed Disney Adventure World in 2026, with brand-new lands and attractions, including the World of Frozen for fans of Arendelle.

Before we move on, remember that you can always contact us with any questions about Disneyland Paris, from rides to hotels, park strategies, and more. Contacting us is free, and better yet, booking through us does not cost you a dime extra. You might even save money thanks to special deals available to our travel agents. We also have experts from Europe who are Disneyland Paris aficionados and can give you excellent tips about the parks, including their top favorite rides.

If you are here, there is a good chance that you are planning a trip to Disneyland paris or are at least curious about it. That’s fine. We are here to help you out! This guide will answer a lot of basic questions about Disneyland Paris, les meilleures attractions and much more. We will be answering things like:

• What is Disneyland Paris
• The Two Main Theme Parks
• Ticket Prices for Disneyland Paris
• FastPass Options for Disneyland Paris
• Best Dates to Visit Disneyland Paris
• Where to Stay at Disneyland Paris
• What can you do at Disneyland Paris?
• The Mobile App

Unfortunately, we aren’t giving tips about the best spots for baguettes in Disneyland, but hey, there is nothing that we can’t research. Let’s start!

What is Disneyland Paris?

Disneyland Paris is an entertainment complex located in Marne-la-Vallée, a suburb of Paris. It is about 45 minutes from the city center and significantly closer to Charles de Gaulle Airport. The entire resort is larger than Disneyland in California, but still smaller than Walt Disney World in Florida. It consists of two theme parks, seven Disney hotels, partner hotels, and the Disney Village entertainment and shopping district, which functions similarly to Disney Springs in Walt Disney World.

The two theme parks are Parc Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios Park, which will be rebranded as Disney Adventure World in 2026. Both parks are located right next to each other, similar to how Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure operate in California.

The Two Main Theme Parks

There are two main theme parks in Disneyland Paris: Parc Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios Park. Both parks offer a variety of rides, attractions, and shows. They are typically open from 9:30am to 9:00pm, but hours may change, so it is always a good idea to check in advance. Both parks are located at walking distance to each other.

Parc Disneyland is the main theme park at Disneyland Paris and is similar to Disneyland Park in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. It is by far the most popular theme park in Europe and one of the best Disney parks in the world. Parc Disneyland is home to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and several themed areas, including Adventureland and Frontierland. Here, you can enjoy classic attractions such as It’s a Small World and Big Thunder Mountain, as well as exclusive rides like Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril.

Walt Disney Studios Park more closely resembles Disney California Adventure and Hollywood Studios. It is a theme park with a strong focus on Marvel and Pixar, featuring exclusive attractions such as Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, Crush's Coaster, and Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin. Walt Disney Studios Park is set to be rebranded in 2026 following a major update and will be called Disney Adventure World. The rebranded park will include new lands such as the World of Frozen, Adventure Bay, and a new area based on The Lion King.

Ticket Prices for Disneyland Paris

Let’s start by saying that Disneyland Paris offers tickets that allow you to visit either one of the two theme parks in a single day or both parks in the same day. Tickets that allow access to both parks are often called Park Hopper tickets, even though Disneyland Paris does not officially use that term. If you are short on time and have the energy to visit both parks, this might be a good option, but most of the time, dedicating one day to each theme park is the best way to explore Disneyland Paris.

Children aged 3 to 11 pay about 10% less than the adult ticket price. Children under 3 years old enter Disneyland Paris for free.

Disneyland Paris offers three types of tickets:

• Family & Friends Tickets (1-Day, Dated): This limited-time option is only available for groups of 4 to 6 guests and is valid for a single day. Prices range from €58 to €80 per guest, depending on the day of your visit to the theme park. When selecting this option, you must choose the exact day you plan to visit Disneyland Paris. Weekends and holidays tend to be more expensive, while weekdays are usually cheaper.
• Dated Ticket (1–4 Days): This is the standard ticket for visits to Disneyland Paris lasting more than one day. You can choose whether your ticket is valid for a single theme park per day or opt for the Park Hopper option, which allows access to both parks in a single day. Prices range from €75 to €150. If you purchase multi-day tickets, the price will be based on the average of the first selected day.
• 1-Day Undated Ticket: This ticket does not require selecting a specific date. It is valid for one year, but cannot be used on July 14, October 31, or December 31. Prices are €119 for one park for one day and €144 for both parks for one day. This ticket also makes a great gift for friends and family.

FastPass Options for Disneyland Paris

Want to visit Disneyland Paris and save time on rides? Theme parks can get busy, and some rides, like Crush’s Coaster and Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, can have queues of up to 60 minutes, depending on the day of your visit.

Every Disney theme park, however, offers FastPass options that cost extra and help you save a lot of time. At Disneyland Paris, this option is called Disney Premier Access. Disney Premier Access is different from the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single-Pass you may know from Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and is mostly similar to the FastPass used at Universal Orlando.

Disney Premier Access comes in two different versions:

• Disney Premier Access Ultimate (prices usually start at €80 per guest): This is the top FastPass option at Disneyland Paris. You can use it once or twice at each participating attraction, and there is no need to book a timeslot. Simply get in the FastPass queue, scan your phone, and you are good to go. Not every ride is available for Disney Premier Access Ultimate, so it is always a good idea to check the official Disneyland Paris website or app beforehand.
• Disney Premier Access (prices usually start at €5 per guest): This option mostly resembles the Lightning Lane Single-Pass from Walt Disney World and Disneyland Park. It is valid for one use on a single attraction. You purchase it through the Disneyland Paris app, and you do not choose a timeslot - you are assigned the next available slot.

Best Dates to Visit Disneyland Paris

One good thing about Disneyland Paris is that the best dates to visit do not differ much from the best dates for Disneyland in California or Disney World in Florida. June through August tend to be bad months, as the parks are crowded with families and summer in Paris can be extremely hot. You certainly do not want to be under the scorching European sun in mid-July while waiting for your turn on Crush’s Coaster. This has become an increasing concern with the recent heat waves affecting Europe more than ever.

Some of the best months to visit are January, September, early to mid-October, November, and early December. Keep in mind that December and January in Paris can be quite cold, and a bit chillier than Disney World during the same period. January is also a month when many rides may be closed for maintenance.

Our top picks are September and early October. During these months, the parks are less crowded and the temperature is just right. Late November and early December are also good, though temperatures begin to drop.

Where to Stay at Disneyland Paris

Much like Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris also offers several official Disney hotels. In fact, there are seven Disney hotels in Paris - a number that, interestingly, surpasses the total in California. Below are the Disneyland Paris hotels, along with details such as their proximity to the parks and other key features.

• Disneyland Hotel (at the entrance of Parc Disneyland)
• Disney Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel (10 min from park, free shuttle service)
• Disney Newport Bay Club (15 min from park, free shuttle service)
• Disney Sequoia Lodge (15 min from park, free shuttle service)
• Disney Hotel Cheyenne (20 min from park, free shuttle service)
• Disney Hotel Santa Fe (20 min from park, free shuttle service)
• Disney Davy Crockett Ranch (15 min drive from park, no shuttle service)

Hotel Cheyenne and Hotel Santa Fe are the most budget-friendly options, with rates starting around $120 per night. Prices then rise with Sequoia Lodge, Newport Bay Club, and Hotel New York, before reaching the crown jewel, the elegant and luxurious Disneyland Hotel, where a stay can run close to $1,000 a night.

Disneyland Paris Hotel Perks

One of the main things we look at when staying at a Disney hotel is the perks we get. Here is what you get when you book one of the hotels listed above:

• Early entry to Disneyland Paris parks is available. Times may vary, but you can usually enter the park up to one hour before the official opening. The duration and which Disney parks participate in this perk are subject to change during what’s called Extra Magic Time.
• Free parking at your hotel and Disney parks.
• Meet & Greets at your hotel.
• Free shuttle to/from theme parks (except Disney Davy Crockett Ranch)
• Usually, the hotels are within walking distance of the theme parks, ranging from 2 to 20 minutes (except Disney Davy Crockett Ranch).

Disneyland Paris Partner Hotels

Disneyland Paris also offers partner hotels near the parks that are often more affordable than the official Disney hotels, while still offering some great perks. These hotels have the Mouse’s stamp of approval and are known for excellent service. You won’t get the one-hour early entry perk when staying here, but you will enjoy free shuttle service to and from the Disney parks, as well as free parking at Disneyland. For a full list of Disneyland Paris hotels, make sure to check out this link.

Disneyland Paris Packages

Disneyland Paris also offers packages that combine both tickets and a Disneyland hotel, which can help you save money. There are also meal plans that can make your vacation even better… I mean, who could say no to those delicious French waffles?

One example is the Breakfast Buffet package. Our travel advisor Julie recently stayed at Hotel Santa Fe and added the breakfast buffet for each day ($25/day, all you care to enjoy), which is a pretty fair price considering it’s not that easy to find breakfast in the parks… oh, and you also get unlimited chocolate croissants!

Here are the Meals Plans at Disneyland Paris. Meal Plans give you Meal Plan Vouchers that are based on the number of days/guests.

• Breakfast Only: Enjoy an all-you-can-eat breakfast served at your Disney Hotel, including drinks (at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch, breakfast is served in a take-away breakfast basket).
• Half Board: Enjoy breakfast at your Disney Hotel, then lunch OR dinner in the restaurant of your choice (eligible restaurants included in your Meal Plan).
• Full Board: Includes three meals each day, which you can use for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What can you do at Disneyland Paris?

As with most theme parks, you can easily spend hours exploring Disneyland Paris. Arrive early  (and take advantage of Early Entry if you’re staying on-site), and chances are you’ll only be leaving once the sun goes down. 

Parc Disneyland is the larger of the two parks, and you’ll want to set aside two days if you plan to experience it all at a moderate pace. Walt Disney Studios Park is smaller, and you can probably see everything in just one day. That said, things may change once it transforms into Disney Adventure World in 2026, with the addition of World of Frozen and other new areas. At that point, you’ll likely need two full days to experience it all and handle the lines for the brand-new rides.

So, what exactly can you do at Disneyland Paris? If you’ve been to Disney or Universal before, you know you’ll be stepping into a theme park packed with entertainment options. There are live shows, meet-and-greets, shopping opportunities, restaurants, and, of course, plenty of rides.

We have detailed guides covering all the rides at Disneyland Paris, but here are some must-sees:

• Big Thunder Mountain
• Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
• Phantom Manor
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Crush's Coaster
• Tower of Terror
• Avenger's Flight Force

Disney Village

If Disney World has Disney Springs, then Disneyland Paris has Disney Village, an entertainment complex packed with shops, restaurants, bars, a giant balloon, and a great cinema. 

It’s the perfect place to grab a drink, enjoy live music, dance, and just have a fun time wandering around. The best part? Disney Village is only a few steps from the parks, similar to how Universal CityWalk sits near Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios in Orlando. Since it opens at 8:00am and closes later than the parks, it’s a great spot to explore after a full day of fun.

Admission to Disney Village is free, and hotel guests can even have their purchases delivered straight to their rooms.

The Mobile App

One of our top tips is to download the official Disneyland Paris app, and make sure to do it before your trip so you can get familiar with it. The app includes park maps, wait times, show schedules, park opening hours, and a place to store your tickets for scanning. You can also use it to book restaurants and purchase FastPass options.

Why Book Disneyland Paris with us?

Let’s say that, when it comes to Mickey Mouse, it’s hard to beat Famvia. We are experts on Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and now, Disneyland Paris as well! We have dozens of guides covering Disney parks from all over the world, along with in-depth reviews and scores for the most popular Disney rides worldwide. As you can see, we breathe and live the world of Disney, and it’s tout simplement magnifique.

Contacting us is completely free, and even better, you don’t pay a dime more when booking Disneyland Paris through us. In fact, you might even save money thanks to exclusive deals available only through our travel agents. We can help you with vacation packages, Disneyland Paris hotels, rides, general tips, how to say “please, can I have more ice cream” in French, and much more.