35 Magical Tips for Visiting Disneyland Paris

Are you looking to make the most of your upcoming Disneyland Paris trip?

I recently took my daughter to Disneyland Paris for her 5th birthday, and we had such a magical time experiencing a Disney theme park outside of the United States.

I brought my mom and my mother-in-law, too, so we had a perfect multi-generational girls trip to Disneyland Paris!

We learned a lot during our trip, so I want to share a few things that might make your trip to Disneyland Paris go a little more smoothly.
With the right tips, you can make it a magical and stress-free experience for the whole family. Here’s everything you need to know to maximize the fun and minimize the meltdowns!

Here are my best Disneyland Paris tips if it's your first time visiting this park!

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Know Before You Go

There are 2 parks and Disney Village
- Disneyland Park - reminds me of Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. You'll find the classic Disney rides, plus Star Wars rides and experiences.
- Walt Disney Studios Park - this is where you find
Disneyland Paris is easy to reach from Paris or Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Magical Express - I booked tickets on the Magical Express shuttle bus from CDG to Disneyland Paris. It costs around $25/person, and it drops you off right at the front door of your hotel if you're staying on property. It's nice to be able to store your luggage below the bus and relax after a long travel day.
- Train - On our way back into the city, we took the RER A train. Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy station is a very short walk from the entrance to Disneyland Paris, so it's a great and cheap option to get to and from Paris city center. You can buy tickets right inside the train station.
Once you're there, it's very walkable

Disneyland Paris Tips for First-Time Visitors

Before You Leave

1, Use a Disney Travel Planner

A Disney-certified planner can help with hotel bookings, dining reservations, and Premier Access recommendations. This is a great option if you’re unfamiliar with Disneyland Paris or want a stress-free planning experience. This is how we booked our trip, and it was nice to have our Disney travel planner give us several options at different price points.

2. Plan to Stay 2 Nights

When you book a hotel and ticket package through Disneyland Paris, you'll get tickets for both the day of your arrival and the day of your departure.

We only planned a 1-night stay at Disneyland Hotel, which means we only had 2 partial days to explore the parks. We thought this would be plenty of time, but we realized afterward that it would have been nice to have one full day in the parks from start to finish.

If I had to book our trip again, I would choose a lower-tier Disney hotel but add one extra night to our stay.

3. Plan Your Outfits

Depending on the time of year, temperatures can really vary throughout the day in Disneyland Paris.

For example, we visited at the beginning of March, so when the sun was out in the afternoon it was very pleasant to walk around without a jacket. In the shade, or after the sun went down, however, we definitely needed a jacket, gloves, and a scarf.

Consider this when planning your outfits!

I brought a pair of mouse ears, so even if my jacket was covering my Disney sweatshirt, I still had a touch of magic.

4. Download the Disneyland Paris App

Make sure you download the Disneyland Paris app before you go! You can use it to check wait times, find dining locations, and get real-time updates to make navigating the park easier.

You can even use it as a room key to get in and out of your room at a Disney resort!

5. Book Restaurants in Advance

We like to snack our way through the parks, but if you're someone who enjoys a character dining experience or a nice sit-down meal on your Disney trip, make sure to book your dining reservations ahead of time.

This is something a Disney travel planner can assist you with! You can book dining reservations up to 60 days before your trip, so if you let them know ahead of time what restaurants you would like booked, they will handle it for you, which sometimes involves getting up early or in the middle of the night to be sure they secure the reservation for you.

6. Join a Disneyland Paris Facebook Group

I don't use Facebook much anymore for updating my life or checking in on people I know, but I DO love to use it to join Facebook groups to get insider tips for upcoming trips!

A Disneyland Paris Facebook group provides tips from people who are sharing their personal experience and opinions, so you can go beyond the official website suggestions and really get the inside scoop on the best rides for kids of different ages, fun dining options, photo spots in the park, quiet places to take a break, or underrated attractions.

7. Stay On Property for Convenience

I've tried staying on and off property at Walt Disney World in Orlando, and I learned my lesson the hard way. Staying on property is just so much more convenient, and keeps you inside the Disney bubble! Plus Disney Hotel guests get extra magic hours in the parks! You can ride the most popular rides without all the crowds.

Staying at a Disneyland Paris hotel means early access to the parks and easy mid-day breaks. It is by far the most convenient option, as it is located just steps from the park entrance, but it does come at a steep price. We loved our stay there, but as I mentioned before, on our next visit, I'll choose a cheaper option and stay for an extra night or two.
Sequoia Lodge is a budget-friendly, family-friendly option
Hotel Cheyenne is another middle-of-the-road option with a toy store Western theme.

Things to Pack

8. Bring a Stroller (Even if They Don’t Normally Use One)

Disneyland Paris requires a lot of walking, and little legs tire quickly. Even though our youngest just turned 5 and is, for the most part, too old to be using a stroller, when we're visiting any of the Disney parks, I will still bring the stroller along.

Not only can you let your child nap if they have jet lag, or if the fireworks get too late for them, but you can also use the stroller as a place for them to take a little break from the overstimulation of crowds and rides. Plus, you can store your own water bottles, extra clothing layers, and snacks on the stroller, too.

Strollers are available to rent, but bringing your own ensures comfort and convenience. We brought our Zoe Tour stroller, which is by FAR my favorite travel stroller! It folds up easily with one hand, it's lightweight, and it handles tough terrain pretty well.

9. Bring a portable phone charger

You'll be using your phone a lot in the parks for photos and videos, using the app to check wait times and order food, and for entertainment when you're in a long line.

This is my personal favorite portable phone charger, but my mom has this one and loves it. I'm also considering trying something like this for my next theme park visit!

10. Pack a Princess Dress (maybe)

My daughter begged me to buy her a princess dress for our trip to Disneyland Paris, and I, being a mean mom, said no because it was going to be cold during our visit, and because we already had Disney dresses (though not princess dresses) at home.

When we arrived at Disneyland Hotel, I immediately realized that every single little girl was wearing a princess dress. My daughter noticed it, too. She didn't make a big fuss, but she did make a quiet comment about how she wasn't excited about her own dress anymore (it was a long-sleeved dress with little Minnie Mouse silhouettes on it).

Since both grandmothers were along with us on the trip, they decided to go in together on a Disney princess dress for her. It was not cheap (think 70 Euro), and I instantly regretted not buying a $20 princess dress ahead of time.

However, the princess dresses at Disneyland Paris are SO exceptionally well made, they are one of the few souvenirs from Disney that I felt were worth the extra money.

So just go in prepared. If you want to spend extra on a VERY high-quality princess dress that would make a great souvenir (and hopefully Halloween and dress-up costume at home), you can do that intentionally.

If budget is the biggest issue, then you can be prepared by purchasing a dress ahead of the trip, because now you know that almost every child in the park is dressed up in a prince or princess costume.

11. Prepare for Unpredictable Weather

Paris weather can be chilly and rainy, even in summer. Pack layers and rain gear just in case.

I always bring a stroller rain cover to Disney, and ponchos if rain is in the forecast. If you're visiting in winter or spring, it might be a good idea to bring gloves and a hat even if the daytime temperatures are in the 60s. It can get quite cold in the early mornings and evenings!

In the Parks

12. Prioritize Fantasyland First

This is where most small children's favorite rides are, like Dumbo the Flying Elephant and It’s a Small World.

Arrive early to avoid long wait times. If you're staying at one of the hotels on property, make use of Extra Magic Time before everyone else can enter the park!

13. Take Advantage of Character Dining

Meet Mickey and friends without long lines by booking a character meal at Plaza Gardens. This is one of the best ways to make character interactions stress-free and memorable.

You're getting a break from the parks, eating a meal, and meeting multiple characters in one fell swoop without long lines.

Be sure to book this experience in advance!

14. Utilize the Rider Switch System

If you’re traveling with another adult and want to experience thrill rides, Rider Switch lets one person ride while the other waits with the child, then switch without waiting in line a second time.

When you enter the queue, talk to the Disney Cast Member about how to utilize the Rider Switch program, and they will give you further instructions.

15. Pack Snacks & Water Bottles

Food lines can be long, and snacks help keep hunger-induced meltdowns at bay. My 5-year-old doesn't always recognize that she's starting to get hungry, so the meltdowns come on quickly and without warning if we don't have any snacks on hand immediately.

We arrived at the airport and found a small market on the way to the way to the Magical Express shuttle. We picked up some apples, baguettes, cookies, and other small snacks we could throw in our park bags to keep us satiated if we got stuck in long lines.

Bring refillable water bottles to stay hydrated. There are lots of water fountains throughout the park where you can refill your bottle.

If the weather is going to be hot during your visit, consider bringing hydration packets!

16. Explore Play Areas for a Break from Rides

Adventure Isle and Alice’s Curious Labyrinth are great spots for kids to run around and recharge. The more I travel with kids, the more I realize that having a little downtime in the day without anything on the schedule is essential to having happy kids. A little free play can help prevent overstimulation and crankiness.

Adventure Isle is located in Adventure Land in Disneyland Park, while Alice's Curious Labyrinth is located in Fantasyland in Disneyland Park.

17. Plan for the Parade

The Disney Stars on Parade is the daily parade at Disneyland Paris, and typically runs at 5:30 p.m.

We didn't do our research ahead of time, and therefore didn't realize the parade fell in the early evening, so we missed it on our first day at the park.

And unfortunately, we planned to leave around 4 p.m. on our second day to get to our hotel in Paris before dark, so we ended up not getting to see the parade at all!

Knowing the parade time in advance is so helpful because it allows you to get to Disneyland Park and find a spot to view the parade ahead of time. The popular spots get crowded quickly!

Central Plaza or Main Street are both wonderful options for parade viewing.

18. Get to The Nighttime Show Early

Disney Dreams nighttime spectacular is a must-see, but you'll want to arrive early to claim your spot! It gets very crowded, and there are lots of kids perched on adults' shoulders once the show starts, so it can be hard to get a good view of the light show.

We ended up on Main Street (everyone crowds in the middle of the street for the fireworks), but the view wasn't the best. I would recommend arriving at least an hour early to get a spot closer to the castle. Or try to the left or right of the castle - it may be less crowded!

Once you've reserved your spot, send someone to get hot chocolate in the winter or ice cream in the summer to make the wait more bearable for the kids. I would also bring a blanket to sit on and something for the kids to do while you wait.

19. Bring Ear Protection for Fireworks

The nighttime show can be loud, and some kids are sensitive to noise. Consider bringing noise-canceling headphones.

One of our kids was very sensitive to noise when he was a toddler, so we always brought noise-cancelling headphones to Disney World with us. Know your kids, and if any of them get easily overstimulated, it might be a good idea to have on hand.

20. Character Meet and Greet at Disneyland Hotel

We were delighted to discover that there are special character meet and greet experiences at Disneyland Hotel.

During our stay, there was a Royal Encounter with Snow White in the early afternoon, but be sure to ask the cast members about what time character interactions take place on that day.

With a little research, I discovered that the other hotels on Disneyland Paris property also have character interactions that correspond with the hotel's theme! For example, Woody and Jessie may show up at Hotel Cheyanne, and you may encounter Marvel superheroes at Disney Hotel New York- the Art of Marvel.

21. Line up Early for the Frozen Show in Walt Disney Studios

If you want to see Frozen: A Musical Invitation at Walt Disney Studios, be sure to get in line right when the previous show begins. The theater is small and the capacity is limited. We missed the show 3 times before we finally figured out how early we had to get in line.

If you have a Frozen fan like I do, don't miss this adorable show that's put on in a mix of French and English, including Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven.

22. Experience rides that are different from the ones in the US parks!

Crush's Coaster - an indoor-outdoor spinning roller coaster. This is a kid-friendly coaster, but much of the ride takes place in the dark, and it can be a little intense for younger children.
Avengers Assemble: Flight Force - this Marvel-themed roller coaster goes upside down, so enjoy at your own peril!
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril - another high-speed coaster with twists, turns, and even inversions.
Cars Road Trip - a slow cruise through Cars vignettes. Great for preschoolers, especially if your little ones are obsessed with the movie Cars like my boys were when they were little.
Star Wars - Hyperspace Mountain - an indoor-outdoor coaster with inversions
Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop - a fun parachute drop ride in Toy Story Land in Walt Disney Studios

23. Experience rides that are similar to the ones in US Parks - but with a Parisian twist!

Some rides are very similar to the ones we have at Walt Disney World or Disneyland in California, but with slight differences.

For example, Phantom Manor is similar to Disney World's Haunted Mansion, but with slightly different theming. It's also a little spookier!

Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin is similar to Slinky Dog Dash in Disney World, but less intense. It's not a roller coaster, and kids of any height can ride.

24. Eat at Disney Springs

If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks, I would suggest heading over to Disney Village to grab a bite to eat.

It's far less crowded, and we walked all the way to the back of Disney Village to eat at Earl of Sandwich. It was nice to sit in peace and quiet for a bit before heading back to the parks for a few more rides and the fireworks show.

25. Try the Snacks Outside of It's A Small World

Right by the entrance to It's A Small World, there are snack kiosks from around the world. It's fun to grab a soft pretzel, a Belgian waffle, or chocolate-covered strawberries. Everyone can try something different, and you don't have to stop at a sit-down restaurant if you want to spend more time riding the rides.

26. Get a picture In Front of Disneyland Hotel

Everyone knows to get a picture in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Park, but another beautiful photo spot at Disneyland Paris is in front of the Disneyland Hotel!

As you're walking between Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios, you'll see a viewing area across the water from Disneyland Hotel. You'll have to walk down a few stairs from the main sidewalk to get there.

Walk right up to the fence, and you'll have the pink Disneyland Hotel, the fountain, and the gardens in the background of your photo!

27. See the Dragon Under the Castle!

As you walk toward Sleeping Beauty's Castle from Main Street, take the path on the left that will lead you underneath the castle.

You can see the dragon from Sleeping Beauty under the castle! Note that it's incredibly dark in there. So dark that I had to turn on the flashlight app on my phone to see where I was going. If you have kids who are scared of the dark or who might be spooked by a dragon, I would skip this.

Or at the very least, watch a video of it on the internet ahead of time so they know what to expect.

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28. Check out the Inside of the Castle, too.

A much more kid-friendly activity would be to go inside Sleeping Beauty's Castle. There are beautiful stained glass windows that tell the story of Sleeping Beauty, and if you go upstairs, you can even walk out to a balcony that overlooks the park.

29. Grab a physical map on your way in.

As wonderful as the Disneyland App is, it can be annoying to be on your phone the entire time you're at Disneyland.

My suggestion would be to grab one of the physical paper maps on your way into the park if you need help navigating where the different rides are.

That way, older kids can help you figure out where to go next instead of you feeling like you're constantly staring at your phone.

30. Best Attractions for Babies and Toddlers

If you're visiting with very young children, you might not be able to do all of the most popular attractions and roller coasters, but there are still so many fun rides and shows! Here's what I would recommend for kids ages 0-3:

It's a Small World (Disneyland Park)
Adventure Isle (Playground area, Disneyland park)
Alice's Curious Labyrinth (Playground area, Disneyland Park)
Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains® (Snow White and the 7 Dwarves - Disneyland Park)
Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast (Disneyland Park)
Cars Road Trip (Walt Disney Studios)
Disneyland Railroad (Disneyland Park)
Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Disneyland Park) - my daughter's favorite ride!
Le Carrousel de Lancelot (Disneyland Park)
Flying Carpets Over Agrabah (Walt Disney Studios)
Les Voyages de Pinnochio (Disneyland Park)
Peter Pan's Flight (Disneyland Park)
Phantom Manor (Disneyland Park) - may be a little spooky!
Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland Park)
Ratatouille (Walt Disney Studios)
Spider-Man WEB Adventures (Walt Disney Studios)
Character Meet and Greets

31. Best Attractions for Kids ages 4-6

Most of the rides for preschool-age kids are going to be similar to the baby and toddler rides, with a few extra additions. So include all of the rides listed above, plus:

Autopia (Disneyland Park)
Avengers Assemble - Flight Force (Walt Disney Studios) - HEADS UP, this is more of a thrill ride. It's fast with twists and turns, so know your child. They may not LOVE this if they don't love thrills.
Crush's Coaster (Disneyland Park) - This is also a thrill ride with twists and turns, and part of it is in the dark.
Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin (Walt Disney Studios)

32. Visit the Baby Care Center

If you're visiting Disneyland Paris with young children, you can make use of the Baby Care Center. It has changing tables, a feeding room, private places to breastfeed or pump if you want more privacy (or your baby gets distracted easily), a kitchen with a microwave and sink, bathrooms, and more.

33. Disney Premier Access

The best way to fit in as many rides as possible is to purchase Disney Premier Access for an additional cost.

Disney Premier Access Ultimate allows you to join the fast lane (skip the regular line) once for each attraction. And unlike the Lightning Lane system at Disney World, you don't need to book a time slot.

Disney Premier Access One allows you to join the fast lane for one ride of your choosing. We actually got to use this because our hotel room wasn't ready on time, so the Cast Member at Disneyland Paris hotel gave us one pass to use on one attraction of our choosing. We chose Spider-Man: WEB Adventures!

34. Try a Mickey Mouse Beignet

A Mickey Mouse beignet is one of the cheapest snacks to try at Disneyland Paris, and it's delicious, too! We chose one filled with Nutella right before we watched the fireworks at night, and it was the perfect snack to end our day.

35. Relax and Enjoy the Disney Magic

You're not going to fit in every ride and show during your visit to Disneyland Paris, so try not to stress about doing it all. Choose your priorities ahead of time, and create a loose itinerary around those attractions or experiences.

Disneyland Paris is SUCH a fun place to visit with kids!
With a little planning, visiting Disneyland Paris with a 5-year-old can be a truly magical experience. Use these tips to make the most of your trip and create unforgettable memories with your little one!

For more theme park tips and tricks, check out the following blog posts: