How to get the most out of Disneyland Paris (tips for all ages)

Last updated on March 13, 2025

Disneyland Paris (formerly known as Eurodisney) is our closest Disneyland park and the obvious choice for people in Europe. But does it live up to its American counterparts? Is it worth a visit if you’ve already been to Florida and California? And if you’re going, how can you make the most out of your Disneyland Paris trip?

This post is here to answer all those questions and is packed with all my best Disneyland Paris tips. This was our third Disney location, and after writing detailed guides to Disney World and Disneyland in California, I’ve become something of a Disney expert! I make it my mission to find the best hacks for saving money and keeping queuing times to a minimum. So if you’re heading to Disneyland Paris, this post is your shortcut to an amazing trip.

I was at Disneyland Paris with my husband and two kids (ages 4 and 7), so it’s especially useful if you’re travelling as a family, but lots of the tips still stand even if you’re travelling without kids. I have a separate guide that focuses on the best rides and attractions at Walt Disney Studios Paris (but loads of the tips in this post are relevant for that too, so read this one first!).

An introduction to Disneyland Paris

What’s Disneyland Paris like?

Disneyland Paris has two theme parks: Disneyland Park (Parc Disneyland) and Walt Disney Studios (soon to be renamed Disney Adventure World). The parks are side by side with less than a 5-minute walk between the two. There’s also the Disney Village, a shopping area next to the two parks. It’s similar to Disney Springs in Florida, but smaller.

There’s also the Disney hotel area, which has six Disney hotels. There are two more Disney hotels (Davy Crockett’s Ranch and Villages Nature Paris) a bit further away.

The Disneyland Park is a classic Disney castle park, like Magic Kingdom in Orlando and the original Disneyland in California. In fact, it’s very similar to both of these and includes similar lands, like Fantasyland, Adventureland and Frontierland. It’s also home to the iconic Disney parade and nighttime fireworks.

Walt Disney Studios (WDS) was originally designed with movie studio-style theming (like Hollywood Studios in Orlando), and it still has a lot of that, but is slowly evolving as it becomes Disney Adventure World.

WDS has fewer rides than its neighbour, but it has more shows, and is also home to the majority of Disneyland Paris’ Pixar-themed rides. One of WDS’s biggest draws is the Avengers Campus, which is a superhero-themed land, similar to the one at Disney California Adventure.

The new World of Frozen land is set to open at WDS in 2026, which is when it will officially be renamed Disney Adventure World. Other renovation works are ongoing, including the entrance, Studio 1, which should be finished in Spring 2025.

Should you choose Paris’ Disneyland Park or Walt Disney Studios?

If you’re only going to do one park at Disneyland Paris, I’d suggest the main Disneyland Park as this has the most attractions. It’s also home to the castle and is what most people expect when they think of Disneyland.

That said, Walt Disney Studios is certainly worth a visit, and some of its attractions – like the shows and Avengers Campus – might mean it’s more of a priority for you. It depends on your preferences. Ideally, I recommend visiting both.

Is Disneyland Paris different to Disney World and Disneyland California?

Disneyland Paris combines elements of Disney World and Disneyland California, but also has its own special European flavour, especially in terms of some of the theming and architecture. Paris’ Disney Castle is widely considered the most beautiful of them all, and the same goes for It’s a Small World.

Some rides and attractions, like Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, are copies of their counterparts in America, but there are others that are entirely unique to Paris. And some of the copies, like Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World, are slightly different in Paris.

Here’s a list of attractions that are unique to Disneyland Paris:

• Indiana Jones and The Temple of Peril
• Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant (the Disneyland Castle, which you can wander around, including underneath in the Dragon’s lair!)
• Phantom Manor
• Avengers Assemble: Flight Force
• Cars: Road Trip
• Crush’s Coaster
• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth

Should you choose Disney World, Disneyland California, or Disneyland Paris?

This is another tricky question that depends on many different factors, but probably the most important is your location, followed by how many times you plan to visit Disney. If it’s a one-in-a-lifetime Disney visit then nowhere really compares to Disney World in Orlando. It’s by far the biggest (four separate parks!) and has the most to offer.

However, if you’re planning on visiting Disney multiple times, for example once when the kids are young and again when they’re older, I think Disneyland Paris or Disneyland California are the best options for little kids. They’re smaller so more manageable to navigate and they still have all the magic of Disney. Then, when the kids are older, do a full Disney World trip.

To choose between Disneyland Paris and Disneyland California, I would go for the one closest to you (although I must say Disney California Adventure is one of my favourite Disney theme parks).

Also remember there are three more Disney locations: Japan (Tokyo DisneySea), Hong Kong (Hong Kong Disneyland) and Shanghai (Shanghai Disneyland). They are all on my bucket list!

What themed lands does Disneyland Paris have?

The main Disneyland Paris Park has five worlds: the iconic Main Street, U.S.A; Frontierland, inspired by the Wild West; Adventureland, filled with pirate and jungle adventures; Fantasyland, home to classic Disney fairytales; and Discoveryland, a futuristic world with Stars Wars and space-themed rides.

Walt Disney Studios’ themed lands currently aren’t so distinct as Disneyland’s, largely because of the constriction work. There are five themed areas: Front Lot; Production Courtyard, Toon Studio, Worlds of Pixar and Marvel Avengers Campus. The Avengers Campus and Worlds of Pixar are the most distinct with the Worlds of Pixar area having similarities to Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios in Florida.

Is a trip to Disneyland Paris worth it?

The big question: is a trip to Disneyland Paris worth it? It’s such a big question and one that applies to all the Disney parks, so I’ve written a full post dedicated to that question. It’s something I’ve thought about a lot as I know a trip to Disney is a big investment, meaning there’s a lot of pressure for it to be good.

In a way, my answer is simple and will always be yes, but it comes with a lot of caveats, and partly depends on who you’re travelling with (it’s both better and more difficult with kids!).

There’s no denying, there’s nowhere quite like Disney. The heady mixture of beloved films, unbridled creativity, world-class rides and shows, and a mind-boggling budget that makes it all possible is something that can’t fail to impress. It’s a place filled with core memory potential.

What’s the perfect age for Disneyland Paris?

Disneyland Paris is good for all ages, but I personally think it’s best with young kids as it doesn’t have as many thrill rides as other parks, and definitely has more attractions aimed at kids under around 13. That said, there’s definitely enough for teenagers and adults too (around 7 rollercoasters/thrill rides).

If you’re going as an adult, I’d suggest combining it with a city break to Paris or another nearby destination and doing Disney as a day trip. There are enough attractions across the two parks to entertain adults for a day and it’d make for a fun day out. But I think you’d struggle to enjoy a pure multi-day Disneyland Paris trip without kids/teens (unless of course you’re a mega Disney fan, in which case go for it!). It’s not like Disney World where there are far more thrill rides and where places like Epcot are appealing for adults regardless of their propensity for Disney.

What time of year to go to Disneyland Paris

In an ideal world, you’d be at Disneyland Paris on a perfectly clear, sunny day, but there’s no way to guarantee that with Parisian weather. We went at the end of February and had 1.5 days of sun, one day of grey skies, and half a day of rain. I won’t lie, the grey skies, and especially the rain, really do affect the magic and our kids were far happier when the sun was shining.

Luckily, there are loads of rainy day options, like shows and indoor rides, but the lines for these, especially the shows, increase during the rain. Also, while most of the queues are undercover, quite a few rides, like Autotopia, Orbitron and Dumbo, are in the open air, so you still get wet riding them. If you’re at Disney when there’s a chance of rain, be sure to prioritise the open-air attractions whenever it’s dry.

Seeing as you can’t control the weather, I’d suggest avoiding the colder months, from November–February. While it might rain throughout the rest of the year, it’s easier to manage when it isn’t cold too.

As for crowds, this crowd calendar predicts average crowds throughout the year. I don’t think you need to worry about this too much as the reservation system means the crowds don’t differ hugely throughout the year. Even in February, we were there on days when the park was completely full.

Also, bear in mind that the pricing is different throughout the year, so you do pay more for peak times, and especially events like Halloween and New Year.

You might also want to consider timing your event with a special event like the Disney Music Festival that is coming to Disneyland Paris from 19 April – 7 September 2025.

How many days do you need at Disneyland Paris?

You can see the majority of Disneyland Paris in two days, but three would allow you to adopt a more leisurely pace and give you a higher chance of fitting it all in. Disneyland Park is bigger and requires more time for doing the rides, so you definitely need a day to see the majority of it. Walt Disney Studios has fewer rides, but it has a lot of shows, so you’d need a day there if you wanted to see the majority of them plus do the rides.

If you aren’t travelling with kids, you could probably do all the bigger rides in a day, especially if you have Premier Access. But if you do have kids, you’ll need to seriously prioritise what you want to do if you only have a day.

Get the Disneyland app to plan your day

The Disneyland app is essential to planning your day. Make sure you download it before your visit and link your tickets to the app. Once you’ve done that, you can use a QR code to access the park and don’t need to worry about losing paper tickets.

The app has a handy map of the parks that lists all the current wait times. It has a list of all the rides, including the live wait time, height requirements, if it’s currently open, who it’s suitable for, and the next available Premier Access One slot.

You can also use the app to buy your Premier Access passes. And to book restaurant reservations or order click and collect.

While the wait times aren’t always 100% accurate, they’re a handy guideline to help you jump on opportunities for shorter wait times.

All this said, I’d also pick up a paper map at the entrance if you don’t want to be glued to your phone all day. Our kids quite liked having this so they could help navigate too.

A guide to Disneyland Paris tickets

How to buy Disneyland Paris tickets

You can either buy your Disney tickets directly through Disney or through a third party seller like Attractions Tickets. There’s no set rule for which will be cheaper, so I recommend checking both. Be careful when choosing a third-party seller as some might be unofficial scam sites.

Types of Disney ticket

There are a few things to consider when choosing which Disney ticket to buy:

• Do you want a dated/undated ticket
• Do you want to visit more than one park in a single day
• How many days will you be visiting?

Dated/undated tickets

You can either buy dated or non-dated tickets. If you go with the undated option, you need to make an additional reservation once you know the date you plan to visit (you can’t just show up on the gate without that additional reservation). I’d recommend only buying a non-dated ticket if you’re giving it as a gift, as they tend to be more expensive.

When buying a dated ticket, the price varies depending on the day and its popularity. For example, at the time of writing, it costs between £40-125 for a dated ticket for a single park.

Multi-park tickets (park hopper)

You can either buy a ticket for one of the Disney parks (Disneyland Paris or Walt Disney Studios), or buy a ticket that allows you to hop between the two. The difference in cost between a single park and 2-park option is around £23 per day. I’d recommend getting the multi-park ticket to allow for more flexibility. The parks are side by side so it’s easy to hop between the two. All multi-day tickets are automatically park-hopper tickets.

Multi-day tickets

You can buy 1-4 day tickets, and the price per day goes down for each day you add. As soon as you buy a ticket for more than one day, it automatically becomes a multi-park (park hopper) ticket too. If you know you’re staying for longer than one day, definitely buy a multi-day pass upfront.

Packages

If you’re staying in a Disney hotel, it’s sometimes cheaper to book your hotel and tickets as a package. But it’s worth playing around with the options. For example, if you want to stay in two different hotels and go to the park for three days, it might actually be cheaper to book that as two separate packages for each hotel.

Annual pass

If you’re going to Disney for more than 3 days in a year, you might find that buying an annual pass is the most economical option. Compare the prices when making your booking.

Getting to and around Disneyland Paris

How to get to Disneyland Paris

The Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy train station is right next to Disneyland, which makes it super convenient to get to. This is especially true if you’re arriving via Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). The train from CDG to Disney only takes 12 minutes! To get to central Paris takes around 45 minutes.

Another option is the Magic Shuttle, which goes to CDG or Orly and takes around 45 minutes, stopping at the Disney hotels along the way.

How to navigate Disneyland Paris

The whole of Disneyland Paris is walkable, including the parks, village and hotels (aside from the two off-site ones). The parks are literally next to one another. The hotels are a maximum of around a 15 minute-walk from the parks.

Getting around the parks with kids

A day at Disney involves a lot of walking and time on your feet, so if you’re travelling with kids under 5, I’d recommend bringing a stroller. You can hire them at the park for €30 per day, so you’ll clearly save money by bringing your own. Plus they aren’t double strollers like you find in the US parks – instead they’re fairly clunky single-rider strollers that aren’t easy to manoeuvre.

Also, unlike in the US parks, you’re allowed to bring little carriages with you (like the one pictured above). These are a good alternative to strollers if you have multiple kids. It means they have somewhere to nap, plus they’re handy for carting all your stuff around too.

How to plan your time at Disneyland Paris

While Disneyland Paris doesn’t require quite as much strategizing as Disney World, it’s still definitely worth having at least a rough plan for your day. How you go about making your plan will depend on a few key things:

1. Do you have early access to the park for the extra ‘magic hour’ at the start of the day?
2. Are you going to buy any Premier Access passes?
3. Are you going to get there for park opening (‘rope drop’)?
4. Are there specific shows you want to see?
5. What are your ride/attraction priorities?

First, let’s look at the timings you need to think about…

Opening times and show times at Disneyland Paris

Not everything opens at once at Disneyland Paris. There are a selection of attractions open during the Extra Magic Time hour, and then most follow suit at the official opening time. For example character meet-and-greets tend to start at the official opening time.

We also found that some attractions open even later in the day. For example, Casey Junior’s Train only opened at 11am when we were there, and Mickey’s PhilharMagic didn’t begin until 12pm. Check the app before you go to see what times the rides open and close.

The other thing to take note of is the show times. There are a handful of shows (the parade, fireworks and Dr.Strange show) that only happen once or twice a day. If you want to see any of them, make a note of those times and make sure you plan around them.

The other shows, like Pixar Magic and Stitch Live, happen at specific times throughout the day. Again, make a note of these and make sure you fit them into your plans. Be aware hat some of the shows fill up quickly. We tried to go to Pixar Magic four times, but it was always full (the time it filled up varied by day, so we got caught out when that time got shorter each time we tried!). It’s worth building in extra chances to see the shows in case you have the same experience as us.

How to reduce your wait times at Disneyland Paris

The bane of any trip to Disney is the amount of time you spend waiting in queues. It’s true that some lines can reach the 2.5 hour mark. On the other hand, some lines are only 5 minutes. It depends partly on the popularity of the attraction, but there are also other factors at play, such as when the ride opens, what age it appeals to, if it’s lunchtime/parade time, and so on. And sometimes it’s also simply down to luck. We managed to get on the Dumbo ride within 15 minutes one morning when every other day, at the same time, the wait had been 50 minutes.

Here are some tips for reducing wait times at Disney Paris.

Disney Premier Access

There are two paid options for accessing shorter lines at Disneyland Paris: Premier Access Ultimate and Premier Access One. The system is similar to the Lightening Lane Passes (formerly Genie+) in Disney World.

By having these passes, you can get access to the Premier Access lane on a selection of rides, which is pretty much always shorter than the normal line, sometimes by a significant margin (for example, one day there was a 90-minute line for the Peter Pan ride, but we got on in 10 minutes with Premier Access). This isn’t always the case, and sometimes the two lines might only differ by around 10 minutes. Note you can’t use the passes during magic hour (more on that later).

Here’s how the two options work…

Disney Premier Access Ultimate

The ultimate pass allows you to use the Premier Access line for all the included Premier Access attractions. You can use the fast lane at any time throughout the day, but only once per ride. The Premier Access Ultimate Pass costs from €90 per person per day, and it varies depending on how busy the park is.

Disney Premier Access One

Premier Access One allows you to buy individual passes for each of the Premier Access lines. You book a time slot for a specific ride and then use the Premier Access line once within that time slot. This is handy if there are very specific lines you want to jump the queue for. It’s also the only option available for Orbitron, which isn’t included in the ultimate pass (no idea why not!).

With Premier Access One, you can only buy one pass at a time, but you can add a new one as soon as your current time slot begins. And you can buy three passes per ride per guest each day.

The cost for a Premier Access One pass varies depending on how busy the ride is at that time, but tends to be between €5-20 per person.

Which rides have Premier Access?

At Disneyland Park, the rides with Premier Access are:

• Autopia
• Big Thunder Mountain
• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril
• It’s a small world
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Phantom Manor
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
• Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
• Orbitron (Premier Access One only)

At Walt Disney Studios Park, the rides with Premier Access are:

• Avengers Assemble: Flight Force
• Cars ROAD TRIP
• Crush’s Coaster
• Ratatouille: The Adventure
• Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Is Premier Access worth it?

I personally highly recommend you get Premier Access Ultimate (or at least some Premier Access One passes) when visiting Disneyland Paris, especially if you’re with little kids. Kids get bored with queuing quickly, plus standing in line for long periods means you fit in less overall. There are also many rides without Premier Access, so there’s no way to avoid all the queues. We really appreciated being able to break up those longer wait times with the Premier Access rides.

If you’re travelling in a group where some of you won’t be riding the bigger rides, it’ll probably make more sense for the thrill seekers to get Premier Access Ultimate, and the others to get a few Premier Access Ones. This is especially the case if you’re with little kids. A lot of the Premier Access rides will be too big for them, or they might not reach the height requirement. Check the prices and you’ll likely find it’s cheaper to buy individual passes for the kids and an ultimate pass for the grown-ups (if they want to ride the thrill rides too).

Whether or not it’s worth it, also depends on how long you’re visiting for. If you only have a day then you’ll be able to fit in a lot more with Premier Access passes, but if you’re going for three days, you can probably fit it all in without Premier Access, albeit with some long wait times.

A good strategy would be to do your first day without Premier Access, and then assess your situation for the next day. If you still have Premier Access rides to tick off, perhaps it’s a good idea to buy the ultimate, or a few individual passes, for your second day.

And finally, it also depends a little on whether or not you’re staying at a Disney hotel and have early access to the park with ‘Extra Magic Time’. If you do, you might be able to tick off a lot of the rides during that extra magic hour.

Which is better: Premier Access One or Premier Access Ultimate?

The main difference between Premier Access One passes and Premier Access Ultimate is that you don’t have to book a time slot, so you have more flexibility.

But the price difference isn’t huge. It varies a little by the day, but oftentimes you can buy all the Premier Access One passes for roughly the same price as the ultimate pass. The difference is around €30. This means it only makes sense to buy an Ultimate Pass if you definitely want to ride all the included rides and/or if you want the flexibility of not booking time slots.

Again, this is important to bear in mind for all members of your party. Because of height requirements and/or fear, it’s highly likely that it’s more economical to buy Premier Access One passes for younger kids rather than the full Premier Access Ultimate pass.

That said, the other thing to consider is that by buying only Premier Access One passes, you do run the risk of all the slots filling up by the end of the day and therefore missing out on some of the rides. If you go for this option, it’s worth doing the Premier Access rides ASAP.

How to buy and use Premier Access passes

Buy your Premier Access passes through the Disneyland app. For Premier Access One passes, the app has a list of rides available along with the next available time slot.

Once you have your pass, it’ll be stored on the app with a QR code that you scan at the entry to the Premier Access line for each ride.

How to plan your day when you have Premier Access passes

If you have Premier Access Ultimate, I recommend prioritising rides that don’t have Premier Access first. This is especially true if you’re going to be at the park when it first opens at the start of the day. This tends to be when the lines are shortest.

That said, don’t leave the Premier Access rides too late in the day as there’s always the chance they might break before you get the chance to ride them. Personally, I like breaking up the longer waits for non-Premier-Access rides with short waits in the Premier Access lines.

And as mentioned above, if you’re just buying Premier Access One passes, do these as soon as possible to avoid the possibility of them all selling out.

Extra Magic Time

If you’re staying in a Disney hotel, you get early access to the parks, for an hour of ‘Extra Magic Time’. This started at 8:30 am when we were there, but can vary throughout the year. You can check what time it is three months in advance on the website.

If you have Extra Magic Time, it’s a really good chance to get on as many rides as possible while the lines are relatively short. That said, the lines for popular rides still build up during the first hour, so it’s worth strategizing based on your priorities.

Bear in mind, not all of the rides and attractions are open during the Extra Magic Time hour and this can vary by the day.

How to plan your day when you have Extra Magic Time

There tend to be two main approaches to using Extra Magic Time. You can prioritise a popular ride and make a beeline for that straight away. Or try and fit in as many of the less popular rides as possible. I’d personally opt for the latter and pay for a Premier Access One Pass for the more popular ride later on in the day. This is because even the less popular rides get long queues as the day goes on. The exception is if your priority ride – for example RC Racer –isn’t included in Premier Access, in which case Extra Magic Time is an ideal chance to go on that ride.

Note that you can’t use Premier Access passes during the Extra Magic Time.  

If you do have Premier Access Ultimate or are planning to buy individual passes, prioritise the rides that don’t have Premier Access during the Extra Magic Time. For example, in Disneyland Paris Park, this would be a good time to ride Dumbo, Orbitron, Snow White or Pinnochio. And in Walt Disney Studios, good choices would be Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop, Cars Quatre Roues Rallye, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, RC Racer or Flying Carpets over Agrabah

A final option for your Extra Magic Time strategy is to use that time to start queuing for one of the attractions that opens at official park opening. This gives you a chance at being first in line. It’s a good option if any of the character meet-and-greets are a priority for you. None of these have Premier Access and some (like Stitch and the princesses) have incredibly long wait times (up to 3 hours!). By getting there first, you’d have an hour-long wait during Extra Magic Time, but at least you’d avoid the possibility of it being three hours. That said, some character meet-and-greets start later than park opening time, so do check in advance or else you might be waiting even longer.

Other tips for reducing wait times

Rider switch

Rider switch is a really handy thing to know about if you’re travelling with little kids. It allows parents/carers to take turns on the rides without having to queue twice. One adult waits while the other queues and does the ride. After the first adult does the ride, they can collect a rider switch pass and hand it to the second parent who can then enter through the exit and ride straight away. This isn’t official, but normally, if you have an older child who wants to ride twice, they can go on with both adults.

Single rider lines

Some rides at Disneyland Paris have separate queues for single riders. These are always shorter than the main queue and a really good way to cut down on wait times if you don’t mind riding separately. The wait times are estimated at the beginning, just like they are for the normal queue. Rides that have single rider lanes at Disneyland Paris are:

• Hyperspace Mountain
• Crush’s Coaster
• Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop
• RC Racer
• Ratatouille

Broken rides

If a ride closes, it’s worth keeping an eye on the app to see when it reopens. If you happen to be nearby, this is a good chance to jump on while the line is short. We were lucky and walked straight onto It’s a Small World and Buzz Lightyear when they re-opened after a short closure.

Choose quieter times

The lines are often shorter during the parade and just before the fireworks, so if you’ve already seen the shows, this can be a good time to ride. There’s also sometimes a lull around lunch and dinnertime, but in our experience, this was less so.

How to choose your first ride at Disneyland Paris

I’ve already talked about how to choose a first ride if you have Extra Magic Time, and some of the same logic applies when you don’t.

The rides that tend to have the longest waits at Disneyland Paris are Hyperspace Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Peter Pan. If you’re not using Premier Access then one of these would be a good choice for a first ride. The ride you choose next can be based on proximity – for example, you could try and hoover up some of the Fantasyland rides directly after Peter Pan. Or go to Phantom Manor after Thunder Mountain. As things change daily, I’d keep an eye on the wait times in the app and make your choice accordingly.

If you’re using Premier Access, I recommend prioritising non-Premier Access rides for your first ride. Choose this depending on your party’s preferences. For example, we decided to prioritise Orbitron one day and Dumbo the next.

At Walt Disney Studios, the most popular rides are Ratatouille, Crush’s Coaster, RC Racer and Spider Man W.E.B Adventure. Any of these are good choices if you don’t have Premier Access. But if you do have Premier Access, prioritise the rides that don’t, such as RC Racer or the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop. Our kids didn’t want to ride either of these, so we prioritised Cars Quatre Roues Rallye for our first ride (it’s one of their favourites!).

The best rides at Disneyland Paris (for all ages and fear levels)

Here’s a guide to all the rides at the Disneyland Park in Paris, broken down into different ages/levels of fear. It’s a tricky thing to categorise as everyone has different things that scare them. For example, my older son isn’t keen on heights or going really fast, but he’s totally fine on all the simulators. My younger son is the complete opposite. In the section after this, I describe each ride in more detail, including reasons why people might find them challenging.

For information on the rides at Walt Disney Studios, see my separate guide and tips on Walt Disney Studios.

In the list below, I’ve also included the height requirements if there are any.

A quick note on dark rides

A dark ride at Disney is an indoor attraction where you travel through themed environments, often in a moving vehicle, with elaborate sets, animatronics, special effects, and storytelling. These rides typically take place in dimly lit spaces to add to the atmosphere. This means that kids who are scared of the dark might find them challenging.

This is especially the case when the scenes are a bit scary as the eerie lighting makes them even more frightening. We did the Pinocchio ride when the kids were around two and four and they found that scary (but it is a pretty creepy film!). They were fine on Peter Pan. I include more details of what to look out for in the section with detailed ride descriptions.

The most gentle rides at Disneyland Paris

• It’s a Small World
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
• Disneyland Railroad
• Lancelot’s Carousel
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Autopia (81cm)
• Casey Jr.
• Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups
• Horse-Drawn Streetcars
• Main Street Vehicles
• Le Pays des Contes de Fées (boat ride around miniature lands)
• Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing

Disneyland rides that might be a bit scary for nervous/young riders

• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains: The Fairest Ride of them All
• Les Voyages de Pinnochio
• Orbitron
• Phantom Manor
• Pirates of the Caribbean

Disneyland rides for daredevils

• Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain (120cm)
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril (140cm)
• Thunder Mountain Railroad (102cm)

Descriptions of all the best rides at Disneyland Paris

Here’s a guide to all of the rides in Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris. See our Walt Disney Studios guide for descriptions of the rides there.

Fantasyland rides

It’s a Small World

It’s a Small World is one of our family’s favourite Disneyland rides, and an all-time Disney classic. The charming boat ride takes you on a journey through a colourful, animatronic world of singing dolls, celebrating countries around the world. It’s pure Disney nostalgia and perfect for little ones, though the repetitive song might linger in your head for hours! We found the line fluctuated for this throughout the day – we saw it as low as 10 minutes and as high as 60. For me, it’s a must-do ride at Disney.

Peter Pan’s Flight

This is one of the most popular rides at all Disney parks and one where the line is nearly always at least an hour long. Only four people can fit on every boat so the queue is quite slow moving. It’s an iconic dark ride where you ride over London and into Neverland aboard a magical pirate ship. The gentle motion and enchanting visuals make it a dreamy experience, though the brief darkness might scare very young children.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Dumbo is another iconic ride that you’ll find in all Disney castle parks. You control the height of your elephant manually, so even children who are afraid of heights can comfortably sit down low.

This ride was my nemesis at Disneyland Paris as it was so hard to find a way to beat the queue! I think the best way to do it would be during the Extra Magic Time at the start of the day – after that, the line was nearly always at least 45 minutes. That said, we were lucky on our final day and managed to get on within 15 minutes by getting there 5 minutes after the park officially opened. It’s worth keeping an eye on the line times if you’re keen to go on it.

Lancelot’s Carousel

Carousels are a staple of Disney’s Fantasylands, and Lancelot’s Carousel in Disneyland Paris is a beautiful example. It’s as gentle as it gets, with the hardest decision being which horse to choose. Adults need to stand beside and support younger kids. And there are also stationary carriages to ride in if they don’t want the up-and-down motion of the carousel.

Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups are classic spinning teacups that let you control the speed of your own dizzying adventure. It’s all light-hearted fun, unless you’re prone to motion sickness (like me!). Watch my Instagram highlights to see my reaction to this!

Casey Jr. – Le Petit Train du Cirque

This is such a cute ride for little kids who aren’t quite ready for a full rollercoaster. The cheerful mini rollercoaster-style train ride twists and turns through a charming storybook setting. It’s more of a lively jaunt than a thrill ride, making it a great first coaster for young kids. Both our boys loved this.

When we were at Disneyland Paris, it opened a bit later than the other Fantasyland rides, so we headed there as soon as it opened and waited around 15 minutes. The ride was longer at other times of day.

Le Pays des Contes de Fées

Le Pays des Contes de Fées is a peaceful boat ride through miniature fairytale scenes, from The Little Mermaid to Aladdin. It’s a great way to wind down and enjoy the Disney magic at a slower pace. And it’s a ride that’s suitable for even the youngest kids.

Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves)

This dark ride is a surprisingly dark take on Snow White, where you journey through the Evil Queen’s spooky castle. The sudden appearances of the Queen in disguise and shadowy woods make it more intense than you might expect from a kids’ ride. We’ve been on it before in California and didn’t go again this time as I knew it’d frighten my younger son.

Les Voyages de Pinocchio

This Pinocchio ride is another deceptively dark Fantasyland ride. It follows Pinocchio’s journey from puppet to real boy, and the scenes with Stromboli and Monstro the whale can feel quite intense for little ones (and big ones, to be honest). I find the story of Pinocchio a bit creepy and we didn’t enjoy the ride in the US, so decided to give it a miss in Paris.

Discoveryland rides

Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast

This is one of our family favourites. It’s an interactive dark ride where you shoot laser targets to help Buzz defeat Emperor Zurg. There are some dark sections and flashing lights, but the fun, game-like element keeps it engaging rather than scary. Our kids (and Steve and I) love trying to beat our highest score.

Autotopia

Autotopia is one of Disney’s iconic rides that’s been there since the early days. You get to “drive” a mini car on a track around winding roads using a pedal to stop and start. You can also use the steering wheel to move left and right, but movement is limited as the cars are on tracks. Kids love the feeling of being behind the wheel, although the stop-and-go motion can be a bit jerky for younger passengers. To drive alone you need to be 132cm (so you can reach the pedal) and the minimum height to ride at all is 81cm.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

We love this ride but have only done it in Florida as it was closed for refurbishment when we were in Paris. The Star Wars motion simulator takes you on a high-speed space adventure where you see favourite characters along the way.

There are different variations of the ride that cycle throughout the day, so you may experience a different one each time you ride. The realistic movements and sudden drops can be intense, and the 3D visuals might overwhelm younger guests, especially if they’re not keen on simulators.

Orbitron

Orbitron is similar to the Dumbo ride but it’s a bit faster and higher, which is why I put it in the category above. It also tilts a bit as you get higher. While not scary, the height and rotation can be a bit much for those uneasy with heights. Our oldest son who struggles with heights was scared of this ride and felt like he was going to fall out (he wasn’t!).

Mickey’s PhilharMagic

I think this is one of Disney’s most underrated attractions. I love the 4D musical show featuring Donald Duck’s misadventures through classic Disney films. Expect stunning animation, catchy songs, and some fun effects like wind and water sprays, but nothing too intense. It’s great for all ages, from babies up to adults.

Do note that it’s slightly different to the ones in the USA – for example, in the US version, when the lights come up, you can see the behind of Donald Duck who has just smashed through the wall. This isn’t the case in Paris and our kids were a bit disappointed.

Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain (120cm)

This is a classic Disney thrill ride that you’ll find in all Disney castle parks. The high-speed, indoor rollercoaster blasts you through an intense Star Wars space battle. Expect rapid twists, loops, and a powerful launch that make this one of the most thrilling and fun rides in the park. I love it, but all the twists in the darkness mean I get a bit motion sick.

Frontierland rides

Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing

This Disney staple is a gentle cruise on a classic paddle steamer around Frontierland’s scenic rivers. Perfect for taking a breather while admiring Big Thunder Mountain from the water.

Phantom Manor

A beautifully eerie haunted house ride with a rich backstory and ghostly illusions. It’s more atmospheric than terrifying, but younger kids might find the skeletal ghosts and dark rooms unsettling. It’s based on the original Haunted Manor in the USA.

Big Thunder Mountain (102cm)

A wild mine train coaster that races through dark tunnels and over rocky terrain. The sharp turns and thrilling drops make it exciting but not overly extreme—perfect for those looking to take their first step into bigger roller coasters. This was closed while we were there, but I’ve ridden on other versions in the USA.

Adventureland rides

Pirates of the Caribbean

Did you know the film of the same name was based on this ride and not vice versa?! It’s a swashbuckling boat ride through eerie pirate-infested waters, complete with cannon battles and dramatic drops. While the animatronic pirates are fun, the dark atmosphere and skeleton-filled caves might spook sensitive riders. Plus the drops are real (like a classic water ride) and in the dark, so that makes them more thrilling (our 4-year-old didn’t like it). Steve, I, and our older son loved it!

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril (140cm)

This is a fast roller coaster through an ancient temple, complete with sudden drops and sharp turns. It’s intense and bumpy, ideal for adrenaline junkies but too rough for the faint-hearted. Our kids were too small and also afraid for this.

Main Street USA rides

Disneyland Railroad

A relaxing, scenic train ride around the park with views of different lands, including some fun diorama-style scenes. While it’s a perfect way to rest your feet while still soaking up the Disney magic, the lines tend to be really long (45 mins when we were there). We gave it a miss in Paris as we decided to prioritise other rides (I’ve really enjoyed it in Florida/California though).

Horse-Drawn Streetcars

You can ride in horse-drawn streetcars down Main Street, U.S.A., pulled by real horses. It’s ideal for those wanting a moment of old-fashioned charm while taking in the park’s lively atmosphere. But lines tend to be long.

Main Street Vehicles

These vintage vehicles are a fun way to explore Main Street. Whether it’s a fire truck or a double-decker bus, this is more about soaking up the ambience than thrills. And again, the lines are pretty long.

Shows at Disneyland Paris

One of the highlights of Disneyland Paris is the shows. They are world-class entertainment, varying from sing-alongs to Broadway-style shows. And then of course, there’s the parade and the fireworks! The majority of Disneyland Paris’ shows are at Walt Disney Studios, so read our WDS post for all the info on those.

Check the app for all the show’s timings.

Shows at Disneyland Park in Paris

The Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands

This is one of the best of all Disney’s live shows. Hosted in the Frontierland Theatre, the 30-minute show presents iconic songs from The Lion King in the style of the Broadway Show. Expect powerful vocals and impressive acrobatics. It’s great for all ages and is on at various, scheduled times throughout the day.

Disney Stars on Parade

I think watching the Disney parade is a must for any Disney visit. It’s a vibrant procession featuring beloved Disney characters on elaborate floats, set to lively music. This daily parade brings classic tales to life, and is also a brilliant way to see loads of characters at once.  

The parade starts at It’s a Small World and ends near the entrance to the park at the bottom of Main Street. If you want to beat the post-parade rush to get on rides, then try to watch it near the beginning. But if you’re planning to exit the park afterwards, then watch it near the entrance. We stood behind the VIP section, which was a good hack for getting prime views of the parade coming down Main Street!

Disney Tales of Magic

I was completely blown away by the nighttime show. Disney Tales of Magic launched in January 2025 and is a mesmerizing 20-minute nighttime spectacular that combines advanced laser technology, drones, synchronized fountains, and high-definition projections.

Set to a 100-piece orchestra, the show features scenes from classics like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Encanto. It’s seriously impressive. The only problem is, it’s on quite late (9 pm in February and even later in the summer), so it can be tricky to manage with young kids.

Mickey and the Magician

This wasn’t on while we were there (it was on scheduled break), but we heard it’s an enchanting stage show with illusions and music. It follows Mickey Mouse as he embarks on a magical journey, encountering characters from Disney classics.

Seasonal Shows and Parades

Throughout the year, Disneyland Paris celebrates special occasions with exclusive entertainment. The Disney Halloween Festival in October features mischievous villains and themed decor, while the Christmas season brings festive performances and parades, adding extra magic to the park. These special occasions tend to mean higher ticket prices too. In 2025, the Disney Music Festival is taking place from 19 April – 7 September 2025.

Other entertainment at Disneyland Paris

As well as the rides and shows, there are also some other fun things to do at Disneyland Paris. Here’s a round-up…

Sleeping Beauty Castle (Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant)

I think this is the most beautiful of all Disney’s castles (although my oldest son said he thought It’s a Small World was better!). It’s twice as tall as the original castle in California and it’s extra fun because you can explore it, climbing spiral steps to the first floor where you can see tapestries and stained glass windows telling the story of Sleeping Beauty.

La Tanière du Dragon: A Fallen Legend (dragon beneath the castle)

There’s a cool dragon’s lair underneath the Disney castle where you’ll find an impressive dragon animatronic. Our kids loved this so much and wanted to see it every time we walked past the castle. The entrance to the Dragon’s Lair is to the left of the castle (when looking at it from Main Street).

Adventure Isle in Adventureland

Adventure Isle is a cool area to explore with a network of caves connected by atmospheric passages and a hanging bridge, as well as waterfalls, skeletons and treasure.

Alice’s Curious Labyrinth

Alice’s Curious Labyrinth is a maze in Fantasyland that leads to a colourful tower with great views across the park. Our kids loved scampering around in here, and it was a nice break inbetween rides (the line to get in was never more than 5 minutes).

Liberty and Discovery Arcades

On either side of Main Street, there are two arcades in the style of the iconic passages you find in central Paris. They’re one of the prettiest parts of Disneyland.

La Cabane des Robinson (Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse)

This walk-through treehouse in Adventureland is inspired by Swiss Family Robinson. The multi-level treehouse has rope bridges, winding staircases, and great views over the park.

Pirate’s Beach

This was closed while we were there, but Pirate’s Beach is a pirate-themed playground, complete with rope bridges, shipwrecks, and slides.

Le Passage Enchanté d’Aladdin

A charming, under-the-radar attraction in Adventureland, this covered walkway brings Aladdin’s world to life through intricate, miniature scenes. Dioramas include the Cave of Wonders and Agrabah’s marketplace. It’s a quick, peaceful escape from the crowds –especially enchanting at night when the lanterns glow.

Les Mystères du Nautilus

In Discoveryland, near Autotopia, you can step aboard Captain Nemo’s legendary submarine for an eerie, atmospheric walk-through. Inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the steampunk-style walk is a nice thing to do in-between rides, but not overly impressive (it’s not a must-do).

Rustler Roundup Shootin’ Gallery (Extra Charge)

To be honest, I’m loathe to pay extra for attractions at Disneyland, and it creates tension when the kids are desperate to have a go. That said, this does look fun – letting you shoot rifles at moving and pop-up targets in a Wild West-themed shooting range.

Frontierland Playground

Tucked away in Frontierland, this rustic, Western-style playground is a good chance for kids to climb, slide, and explore. It was closed for refurb while we were there.

How to meet characters at Disneyland Paris

One of the things that surprised me most about Disneyland Paris is how difficult it is to meet characters, especially in comparison to the US parks. None of the character meet-and-greets are included in Premier Access and we never saw a line that was less than 30 minutes. Some of the lines for the most popular characters, like Stitch and the Princess Pavillion, were sometimes over 2.5 hours long!

We did see some characters (like the Genie) doing walkabouts where they were waving to guests, but they weren’t stopping for autographs. The exception was Goofy and one of the toy soldiers from Toy Story who we saw wandering around Walt Disney Studios and stopping for autographs.

Prime your kids for the fact that they’ll likely have to wait a long time to meet characters and try to encourage them to enjoy seeing them from afar. If meeting a particular character is really high on your priority list, consider booking character dining.

Here’s a list of the characters you could meet at Disneyland Paris at the time of writing. Check the website for the most up-to-date list.

• Meet Mickey Mouse (Fantasyland)
• Princess Pavillion (chance to meet princesses like Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Belle)
• Welcome to Starport: Star Wars Encounter (meet Darth Vader and other characters)
• Stitch (at the end of Main Street USA towards the castle)
• Winnie the Pooh and friends (at the start of Main Street USA)Winnie the Pooh and friends (at the start of Main Street USA)
• Timon (Adventureland)
• Baloo (Adventureland)
• Chip and Dale (Frontierland)
• Goofy (Frontierland)
• Genie or other characters (near Agrabah Café Restaurant)

Where to eat at Disneyland Paris

I have loads of tips on where to eat and how to save money on food, so I’ve written a separate post on where to eat at Disneyland Paris.

Where to stay at Disneyland Paris

There are six Disney hotels in the Disney area, plus two more that are off-site. The iconic Disneyland Hotel is right at the park’s entrance and I’m obsessed by its pink architecture!

There are quite a few things to consider when deciding where to stay, so I’ve written a separate guide to where to stay at Disneyland Paris.

We did a Home Exchange when visiting Disneyland Paris and feel as though we hit the jackpot with that. The apartment was fully themed with Disney memorabilia and décor, including a Ratatouille-themed kitchen, a superhero-bedroom and a Princess-bedroom too. It’s just a 20-minute walk from the parks, or 7 minutes on the local bus. Plus it’s also right next to a big shopping centre.

As well as Home Exchange, the apartment is also available on Airbnb as a rental. Check the latest prices here.

Best souvenirs at Disneyland Paris

There are tons of gift shops at Disneyland Paris and the temptation to buy stuff is everywhere. This is particularly challenging if you’re with kids. We gave our kids some holiday money at the start of the trip, so they had control over what they could buy. It saved us being asked for stuff every few minutes!

Some of the most popular and iconic souvenirs are:

• Shoulder pets – these little characters can be attached to your shoulder with a magnet under your clothes. There are loads of options – from Mickey Mouse to the Inside Out emotions. I very nearly bought ‘Anxiety’!
• Mickey Ears – these are pretty expensive (around 30euro), but they are well made and a pretty fun way to remember your trip. We bought some on our first trip to Disney California and now bring them on every Disney trip. To save money, you could buy some second-hand ones in advance, or there are lots of shops on Etsy and the like that sell handmade ones. This Vinted shop has some great ones.
• Build-your-own droid or light saber – this is a great one for Star Wars fans. Both our boys bought the droids and had fun building their own designs. They’re not super high quality, but as far as souvenirs go, they’re pretty cool.
• Pin badges – you can buy a Disney lanyard and use it to collect and display pin badges from all your Disney trips. There are loads available.
• Disney cups – when you buy a coffee or soft drink, there’s always the option to buy it in a Disney souvenir cup. These are pretty expensive for what they are, but lots of people love collecting all the limited editions.

Things to pack for a Disney trip

• There are water fountains all around the park, so make sure to bring your own water bottle.
• Bring a day sack so you have space for extra layers, snacks, water bottles, etc. And leave space for souvenirs!
• Bear in mind that only under 12s can dress up as Disney characters. I guess they don’t want people to get confused with the actual characters?!
• Take a portable charger for your phone. They do rent these out in the park, but will save time and money to bring your own.
• Top Trumps or some sort of entertainment for the queues are a handy way to help time pass.
• Bring your own raincoat as the Disney plastic ponchos are expensive, so you don’t want to get caught out.
• Ideally bring a spare change of clothes for the kids in case they get wet. There aren’t rides where this would happen, but our kids got drenched in a sudden downpour and I had to buy onesies for them to warm up!

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