Top tips for visits to Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is the most visited theme park in Europe. Clearly everyone loves a little magic in their lives!

Being this popular could mean that getting in to enjoy all that Disneyland Paris offers, isn’t as much fun as you’d like. But that’s not the case if you sort your tickets out in advance. There no queuing up for tickets, you can scan the barcode for quick entry or if you prefer just show the e-ticket on your phone – you don’t even have to print your tickets.

Here are our top tips for how to make the most of your day at Disneyland Paris

Top tips for Disneyland Paris

It’s big. The Disney Village Paris covers a whopping 500,000 square feet. You won’t be able to see it all in one day, but you can cover a lot if you focus on what you really want to do.

With a mind-boggling 54 rides, focus on the ones you absolutely have to experience. The most popular rides include Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for thrilling rollercoaster action. Pirates of the Caribbean, where you’ll join Captain Jack Sparrow for a waterlogged ride and the Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain are firm favourites. Ratatouille is a fabulous 4D experience and one of the most popular experiences. In its first year, 4 million people enjoyed the wonder.

Take advantage of the Disneyland® Paris FASTPASS service. It’s free and basically gives you a ride time slot so you don’t have to queue for hours. Just insert your entry ticket into the FASTPASS machine of the attraction that interests you, return at the time indicated, and embark in a few minutes. If you have a baby, ask for a “Baby Switch” card at the entrance. This allows one of you to queue and ride while the other looks after baby and then use the card to ride without having to queue.

The evening fireworks show, lighting up the enchanting Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, is fabulous. Find your place for watching at least 15 minutes before the start as it can get a bit crowded on Main Street!

And finally, take a stroller for young kids or hire one. All that walking can make little ones tired and grumpy.

Day trips for Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is just a few stops from the city centre by train and super easy to do. Take the RER Line A to Marne-La-Vallee which stops right outside Disneyland Paris. If you want to stay for the fireworks display, be aware that in the summer it doesn’t start until dark so make sure you leave enough time to get the last train back to Paris or book a transfer in advance.

If you’re coming from Charles de Gaulle Airport you can take a train or book a private transfer between Charles de Gaulle and Disneyland Paris – if there are 3 or more of you, the vehicles take up to 7 so this can work out cheaper than the shuttle bus. You can also book a secure Paris airport luggage service which is super handy for those who are ending their Paris holiday on a high with a Disneyland Paris day out. Just get your luggage picked up from your accommodation, transferred to your Paris airport and collect when you’re ready.

Tips for saving money on your Disneyland Paris trip

Our top tip no. 1 to help you save money on your Disneyland Paris trip is to plan ahead as much as you can – and avoid peak times if at all possible.

You’ll find early booking advantages can make a big difference to ticket prices. School holidays and special events such as Halloween will mean increased ticket prices. And visiting mid-week is generally cheaper than visiting weekends.

There are lots of places to get a bite to eat in Disneyland Paris. However you can really cut back on costs by taking snacks with you. Lots of people think that you can’t take food in, not so. Cool boxes and picnic chairs aren’t allowed but snacks, sandwiches, bottles of drink etc are all fine and there’s a picnic area outside the main entrance. There are water dispensers throughout the park so simply top up your bottles as you need.

Souvenirs, toys and costumes can really rack up the cost at Disneyland Paris – especially when you have little ones. If you already have Disney gear at home, take it with you and save your money for the special items you might not be able to get elsewhere. And take umbrellas and rain macs and sunscreen according to the weather forecast, buying them on the go can prove expensive.