Disneyland Paris Voyage Tips and guide

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Disneyland Paris, in the Paris suburb of Marne-la-Vallée, has the Disney Empire's European variant of their archetypal "Magic Kingdom" theme park. It was the second Disney theme park resort to open outside the United States, after Tokyo Disney Resort.

"To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Once upon a time, a master storyteller, Walt Disney, inspired by Europe's best loved tales, used his own special gifts to share them with the world. He envisioned a Magic Kingdom where these stories would come to life, and called it Disneyland. Now his dream returns to the land that inspired it. Euro Disneyland is dedicated to the young and the young at heart, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration for all the world." — Michael D. Eisner, April 1, 1992

"To all who enter the studio of dreams, welcome. Walt Disney Studios is dedicated to our timeless fascination and affection for cinema and television. Here we celebrate the art and the artistry of storytellers from Europe and around the world who create the magic. May this special place stir our own memories of the past, and our dreams of the future." — Michael D. Eisner, March 16, 2002

The Disneyland Paris Resort opened on April 12, 1992. It was the first Disney resort in Europe and the second international park after Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. The resort consists of two theme parks and a shopping/entertainment complex.

• Disneyland Park is the main draw of the resort and the first theme park to open in 1992. It is considered to be the most beautiful Disney park in the world and had 10 million visitors in 2022, being the most visited tourist attraction in Europe. The park draws guests from all over France and the continent. If you have only one available day to visit the resort it is recommended to visit Disneyland Park.
• Walt Disney Studios is the second theme park to open in the resort on 16 March 2002. Despite being quite underwhelming at first, it has turned the corner since then, capturing much of the magic of its sister park. It is still considered the "secondary" destination in the resort but is undergoing a multi-year refurbishment and expansion set to complete in phases from late 2024 to 2026. Set to be renamed to Disney Adventure World in 2025.
• Disney Village is a themed shopping and entertainment complex a few steps from the parks featuring restaurants, bars, shows, and a cinema.

Disneyland Paris is an excellent destination year-round with many festivals and seasonal offerings like Disney's Halloween Festival and Disney's Enchanted Christmas. Factors to consider however when visiting are prices and crowds.

The parks can get quite crowded on weekends (mostly Saturdays), July and August, French school holidays and Christmas week which is the busiest time of the year. High crowds mean longer lines to enter the park and for rides, shows and restaurants, as well as higher ticket and hotel prices. It is generally recommended to visit during the off seasons (January - March and most of autumn) but keep in mind that during these times the parks usually have shorter opening hours, some rides may be under refurbishment and many of the seasonal offerings will not be available. Ticket and hotel prices are variable: they fluctuate in accordance to demand and crowds. 1 Day - 1 Park tickets usually start from around €75 but it is always best to check the Disneyland Paris website for up-to-date prices and information on the day of your visit.

• Disneyland Paris website

Disneyland Resort Paris is connected to both international airports in Paris.

• From Charles de Gaulle International Airport, (CDG ^IATA), SNCF operates high-speed trains (TGV) to the resort from Terminal 2. The trip takes about 10 minutes.
  Some TGV notes:
  • Availability: The TGV has limited seats, so book the ticket in advance. You can do it online, in the ticket machines or in an SNCF office. Sometimes tickets may be terminated both online and in the ticket machines but you can still buy them in the SNCF ticket office.
  • Ticket machines: Most of them accept only credit card payments. Few of them accept cash, but only using small cut banknotes (€5/€10/€20).
  • Online payment: After buying a TGV ticket online, you will have to validate it in a ticket machine at the station. The validation requires your credit card used for that transaction, and its PIN. This is crucial, because of technical reasons the confirmation must be done automatically in a ticket machine and can't be done manually by TGV office operators, so e.g. don't forget your credit card and its PIN.
• From Orly Airport (ORY ^IATA), you will need to take three trains: Orlyval (from Orly Airport to Antony), RER B (from Antony to Chatelet-Les Halles), and finally RER A (from Chatelet-Les Halles to Marne-la-Vallee Chessy).

Alternatively, Magical Shuttle operates buses to Disneyland from both airports, costing €20 for adults and kids 7 and over, and €16 for children aged 3–6 one way. Under 3s travel free. The trip takes about 50 minutes.

One choice if you live in France or in a nearby region (Central Germany, southern regions of the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) is to drive. The highway system of France is extensive and often quiet. Disneyland is located just off junction 14 of the A4 (E50), about 35 km east of Paris (Porte de Bercy). You should keep a supply of cash and/or credit cards ready, however, as the motorway (autoroute) system is tolled and quite expensive. For example, a trip from Frankfurt to Disneyland can cost approximately €30 in toll fees.

If you are driving from the United Kingdom, note that France drives on the right.

Travel times to Disneyland Paris can vary depending on how you enter the country, but on average from Calais you can expect a journey time of 4 hours.

The best way to reach Disneyland Paris, which has its own railway station, is by train: they are reliable and run frequently. Note that when booking tickets the official name of the station is Marne-la-Vallée Chessy (that information is more useful for ticket machines as employees all know the station for Disneyland).

RER A runs from central Paris to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy, with frequent trains taking 35 min for the journey. Be aware that a Paris Metro ticket is valid on RER only for travel within Zone 1 (Disneyland Resort Paris is in Zone 5). If you use a Paris Visite, Mobilis or Navigo pass, make sure that it reads Zones 1-5 and not Zones 1-3. In either case, using an invalid ticket will result in a €25 fine.

The seven main rail terminals in central Paris, the trains that serve them, and directions from them to RER A are explained in the chart below. All of them are served by the Metro and/or RER.

Station	Services	Directions to RER A4
Gare du Nord	Thalys Eurostar TGV Transilien Paris-Nord TER Picardie	RER B or D to Chatelet Les-Halles
Gare de l'Est	TGV ICE TER Champagne-Ardenne Transilien Paris-Est Moscow to Paris Express	Paris Metro Line 4 to Les Halles
Gare Saint-Lazare	23 Transilien lines 4 Grandes Lignes lines	Paris Metro Line 14 to Gare de Lyon
Gare de Lyon	4 Transilien lines 3 Grandes Lignes lines TGV	Served by RER A
Gare de Bercy	TER Bourgogne Auto trains	Paris Metro Line 14 to Gare de Lyon
Gare d'Austerlitz	Paris-Orléans-Limoges-Toulouse main line	Walk to Gare de Lyon
Gare Montparnasse	TGV TER Centre TER Basse Normandie	Paris Metro Line 4 to Chatelet or Line 6 to Nation

Marne-la-Vallée Chessy is served by several TGV (high-speed train) lines from destinations across France such as Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lille and Strasbourg. The station is also the hub for the Ouigo network of low-cost TGVs.

You can still travel by train from the UK, changing from Eurostar onto the domestic network in either Lille or Paris.

Most international railways linking Paris with other countries arrive in central Paris: see the chart above.

Visiting Disneyland Resort Paris is about as expensive as visiting any of the other Disney parks around the world. There are four types of tickets sold. The 1 Day 1 Park Ticket allows you to visit only one of the two parks for a full day. In addition, there are three Park Hopper tickets, which allow you to visit both parks on the same day, available in 1-, 2- and 3-day increments. The 3-Day Park Hopper ticket represents the most economical deal; the ticket price per day is lowest.

There are day tickets with a specified date and day tickets with a flexible date (valid for a year) obviously the former are cheaper. The cheapest fixed date day tickets are €59 (12 and above) and €52 (3-11). In this list only the price for the latter will be listed. These are the prices for summer 2024:

Online Prices

Days	ages 3–11		ages 12+
	Total	Per Day	Total	Per Day
1 Day 1 Park Ticket	€89	€82	€89	€89
1 Day Park Hopper	€102	€102	€109	€109
2 Day Park Hopper	€165	€82.50	€179	€89.50
3 Day Park Hopper	€201	€67	€219	€73
4 Day Park Hopper	€238	€59.50	€259	€64.75

Children under age 3 are admitted free.

Also worth investigating hotel+ticket packages available. A hotel+ticket package offers a somewhat reduced price if you plan on staying in the resort than purchasing them separately and unlimited access to any of the two parks all the days of your visit. Staying at a hotel also includes perks like the Extra Magic Hours which are more thoroughly discussed in the Sleep and See & Do sections.

Disneyland Paris has multiple websites following the same format but with different ticket prices. For example the German version of the website might have lower prices than the English or French versions. It is always recommended to do research if you're planning on visiting the resort as cheaply as possible.

Once you get inside the resort the main mode of transportation will be walking. The parks' entrances are approximately 5 minutes from each other and most of the hotels are within a 15-minute walking distance with only Hotel Santa Fe being 20 minutes away.

Other modes of transportation are the Disneyland Railroad and free shuttles that carry guests from the hotels to the entrance of the Disney Village and the Marne-la-Vallée Chessy train station. The Disney Village is also a 5 minute walk from the parks. The Disneyland Railroad circles Disneyland Park with stops in Main Street U.S.A., Frontierland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland. The railroad is not available for guests without a park ticket.

Wheelchair accessibility is very good, and there are very few areas that have the usual obstacles, such as confined stairs, that make access impossible. A very good system of disabled access for most rides is in place, but for safety and evacuation reasons, some rides still require that the rider be able to walk or climb a ladder. It is a good idea to get a disability pass from the Information Center on arrival at the park; doing so makes it easier for staff to identify and assist disabled visitors. The pass will not grant a disabled person the right to jump the queue, but it does allow assisted access to rides via the exit gates rather than the more restrictive entrance gates.

Before diving into what each theme park has to offer there are several things that may affect guest experiences:

1. The Extra Magic Hours allow guests staying in on-site hotels to enter the parks and select rides one hour before the official opening. Notable rides that are open during this time are Hyperspace and Big Thunder Mountains, Peter Pan's Flight, Crush's Coaster and Ratatouille Adventure.
2. Disney Premier Access is paid skip-the-line option that allows visitors to bypass the regular standby line in 16 rides and is categorised into to two options. The ultimate option is paid for once and allows premier access to all 16 rides only once, while the one option is paid for once per ride. The more popular rides have a higher price.
3. Single Rider is a separate queue for some rides, mostly rollercoasters, where the people waiting fill empty seats on the vehicles. It usually has much lower wait times than the regular queue but keep in mind your party will be separated.
4. Baby Switch is a system for parents whose children do not meet the height requirements of certain rides. Both parents can enter the queue and then one can sit with the child while the other one goes on the ride. When the first one returns the second parent goes directly into the ride without having to queue all over again

Disney characters are scattered throughout the parks. Except for those with their exclusive meet and greets like Mickey Mouse and the Princesses in Fantasyland, all the other characters do not have a set schedule of appearing and are either found near their respective rides and lands or wandering about the park. Some characters may only appear on special occasions and not everyone appears in the park every day. Also keep in mind that many characters can be found both at Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. The lines for meet n' greets may close quickly once the characters appear and except Mickey Mouse and the Princesses no other characters have set times of appearance. In general however, all of them will usually appear at any time between 10:00 and 15:00 before the main parade.

The wait times and advice given for some rides may not always be accurate and are highly dependent on crowd levels when you visit.

The main draw of the resort, Disneyland Paris opened on 12 April 1992 and is considered to be the most beautiful Disneyland in the world. With 21 rides, multiple stage shows, a parade and a nighttime fireworks display, the park has enough to keep someone occupied for a full day. What places it above other theme parks however is its very rich and elegant theming of every aspect of the park from buildings and rides to pathways and shops. It has a circular shape and consists of five thematic lands that are connected to the central plaza, where the Sleeping Beauty Castle is located.

The first land guests encounter, Main Street U.S.A. is a cobblestoned street that connects the entry plaza, called Town Square, to the central hub and Sleeping Beauty Castle. It is themed after an early 20th-century American town, inspired by Walt Disney's hometown, and its main draw are its multiple restaurants and shops.

• Disneyland Railroad — The Disneyland Railroad is a relaxing ride aboard four steampunk trains that start from Main Street do a 20-minute circle of the park with stops at every land except Adventureland. It is mainly a mode of transportation but also has some very good scenery and offers unique views on some rides like Pirates of the Caribbean. There is also a diorama between the Main Street and Frontierland stations where riders can see into the Grand Canyon! The station is directly above the park entrance.
• Main Street Vehicles — These unique vehicles go up and down Main Street and guests are able to hop on to any of them. They include a turn-of-the century fire truck, a double decker omnibus, a Cadilac limousine and a Mercer.
• Horse-Drawn Streetcars — Horse-drawn streetcars with same function as the Main Street vehicles.
• Shops — There are 12 shops on Main Street that sell all kinds of Disney-themed merchandise. The most popular and largest one is Emporium an early 20th-century department store that sells things like costumes, toys, accessories and pins. Other well-known shops are Flora's Unique Boutique (a Parisian-themed photography store), Plaza East & West Boutiques (sells a lot of Disneyland Paris souvenirs), Lilly's Boutique (with tablewear and decorative products) and the Boardwalk Candy Palace (with, you guessed it, lots of candy). You can even get a haircut at Dapper Dan's Haircuts!
• Liberty and Discovery Arcades — Two covered walkways running parallel to the east and west of Main Street. They are themed to the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Arcade) and the inventors of the 19th century (Discovery Arcade).

Probably the most recognizable place in the park, Fantasyland is located directly behind the Sleeping Beauty Castle and is the largest land in the park with the most rides. It is themed after a European village with a lot of fairytale elements and is dedicated to the iconic disney characters and stories such as Peter Pan, Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland. All of the Disney princesses can also be found here either roaming the land or in their exclusive meet n' greets. It is also home to many of the classic rides that the park is known for.

Fantasyland may close earlier than the rest of the park for the firework show.

• Sleeping Beauty Castle — The undeniable icon of Disneyland Paris, the pink-painted castle with its blue spires and beautiful gardens towers at over 50 m (167 feet) tall and is the tallest structure in the park. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful castles in Europe, taking inspiration from the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany and was constructed in a way that it could be seen from almost anywhere in the resort. Everyone can enter the castle and visit La Gallerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty Gallery), a walkthrough attraction that retells the story of princess Aurora through illustrated books, tapestries and stained glass windows. There is also La Taniere du Dragon (Dragon Cave), an atmospheric cave with an impressive animatronic dragon. It is accessible to from a pathway to the left of the castle (to the right from Fantasyland).
• Peter Pan's Flight (Premier Access) — One of the most iconic and famous disney rides anywhere has been enchanting people since opening day. In Peter Pan's Flight you board small pirate ships and fly with Peter Pan, Wendy and Tinkerbell above the nighttime sky and glittering lights of London to Neverland where you will see indians, mermaids and of course Captain Hook and his crew. The feeling of flying is achieved by holding the ships from the ceiling so that they never touch the ground. It is a truly beautiful and unmissable ride that will surely evoke nostalgia not only on children but probably on adults too. Due to its popularity however it usually averages wait times of 45-90 minutes most of the day. Better visited very early in the morning, at night or with Premier Access.
• It's A Small World — Jokingly called "happiest cruise on earth<", this ride is another classic where this time you board boats and set sail through colorful, sometimes cliche, displays celebrating different countries and cultures from around the world. It has pacifist, anti-racism message and there is a large number of animatronic dolls in every scene, meant to symbolize the children of the world, that also sing the ride's song. Rarely has a wait above 30 minutes due to its large capacity.
• Princess Pavillion — The Princess Pavillion small meet n' greet building next to It's A Small World, that hosts meet-and-greets with the disney princesses. The princess cast is not always the same but the most common princesses are Cinderella, Aurora, Belle and Ariel. The Pavillion has the longest lines in the park and the wait to meet the princesses can sometimes exceed two hours. If it's a priority better visit at opening (opens at 10:00) or before closing (it's usually closed by mid-afternoon).
• Meet Mickey Mouse — Another small building themed as a theater next to Peter Pan's Flight that houses a meet-and-greet, this time with Mickey Mouse. Guests head backstage to meet and chat with the famous mouse. Also a very popular and very crowded meet-and-greet. Better visited early (opens at 10:00) or at closing (closed by mid-afternoon).
• Blanche Neige et Les Sept Nains — A standard dark ride through the story of Snow White and how she defeated the evil witch with the help of the seven dwarves. While it has no height requirement, the ride has some scary scenes (a dungeon with hanging skeletons, a haunted forest, appearances from the evil witch) that may frighten younger children. Almost never has a long line.
• Les Voyages de Pinocchio — Another old-school dark ride located next to Snow White, this one goes through the story of Pinocchio and how he escaped the circus and returned back to this father Geppeto. Also has some scarier scenes (appearance from the whale Monstro and Pinocchio in a cage) that may frighten young children. Wait times usually below 30 minutes.
• Casey Jr Circus Train — A charming experience on a board a small train (called Casey Jr. hence the ride's name) that goes on a tour around miniature scenes from fairytales like Rapunzel's Tower from Tangled, Prince Eric's Castle from the Little Mermaid and Arendelle from Frozen. Lines above 30-40 minutes are rare. Opens later and closes earlier than the rest of Fantasyland.
• Le Pays des Contes Fees — The ride follows the same layout as Casey Jr, though this time guests are on boats with narrators and can get closer to the miniatures. Songs from the movies will be played on the boat when it is close. Less popular than Casey Jr always has short waits. Also opens later and closes earlier than the rest of Fantasyland.
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant — The iconic spinner ride (and the only ride to be in every disneyland park in the world) where you can board small elephants and spin above Fantasyland. You can also control how high your elephant is going through a lever on the vehicle. The ride can be skippable if you don't have small children. If you intend to ride it visit early or late as it can build a fairly long line (30-60 minutes) from mid-morning to the afternoon.
• Mad Hatter's Teacups — Another classic spinning ride this time on board teacups that spin around themselves, themed after Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. For people prone to motion sickness, the spinning of the teacups is controllable by the riders but some spinning is unavoidable. The ride can be skippable if you don't have small children. Always has short waits.
• Alice's Curious Labyrinth — An enjoyable labyrinth themed after Alice in Wonderland. It features appearances from 21 characters from the film including Alice herself and, sometimes, a meet-and-greet with the Red Queen. Be sure to head up the queen's castle for some amazing views.

In the north-west corner of the park resides Adventureland. A tropical-themed area with heavy Arabian and Asian influences and a small island in the middle, the land is dedicated to the more adventurous characters such as Jack Sparrow, Indiana Jones and Aladdin and their many stories.

• Pirates of the Caribbean (Premier Access) — Located within a stone castle is another iconic Disney ride. In Pirates of the Caribbean guests board boats and go on an adventurous journey through the beautifully crafted, 17th-century world of Captain Jack Sparrow, visiting iconic locations like Dead Man's Cove and Isla de la Muerta. The ride also features appearances from the famous characters of the movie series (which was inspired by this ride) like Jack Sparrow, Captain Barbossa and Davy Jones. It is an unmissable experience that is fun for all ages. Despite its popularity, Pirates of the Caribbean rarely has wait times above 45 minutes due to its high capacity (and has a very detailed queue). If it's still a lot ride it early, at night or with Premier Access.
• Indiana Jones et le Temple du Peril (1.40 m height requirement, Premier Access) — The other ride in Adventureland, an outdoor rollercoaster in an ancient jungle temple (the Temple of Peril) that is, vaguely, themed to Indiana Jones. It is a hit or miss but nevertheless a fun experience. The coaster has a full inversion and can be rough on some parts. The ride is popular so expect 30- to 45-minute waits in the afternoon. Ride it earlier or later in the day, with Premier Access or via Single Rider.
• Adventure Isle — The small island in the middle of Adventureland is fun to explore and has 3 attractions: La Cabane des Robinson (a large treehouse themed to the Robinson Family), the Pirate Galleon (a small pirate ship with interactive exhibits surrounded by a beach) and Skull Rock (inspired by the one in Peter Pan). It is one of the best places to let kids play in the park.
• Le Passage Enchante d'Aladdin — A walkthrough exhibit with miniature scenes retelling the story of Aladdin.

Situated on the southwest corner of the park, Frontierland is themed after the wild west. It is based on the fictional city of ''Thunder Mesa'', an American mining town of the late 19th century around Big Thunder Mountain.

• Big Thunder Mountain (1.02 m height requirement, Premier Access) — The famed orange mountain is situated inside the land's lake and can be seen from across the park. Its ride is a mine cart rollercoaster that dives below the lake, then emerging and zig-zagging around the very detailed and well-themed mountain and then diving again to emerge back in Thunder Mesa (the ride's entrance is not on the mountain itself). The coaster is a must-do as it is thrilling but also smooth and family-friendly. Big Thunder Mountain is the most popular ride in the park frequently posting 1-2 hour waits. Better experienced around park opening, with Premier Access, Single Rider or at night (the ambience of the mountain at night cannot be understated).

• Phantom Manor (Premier Access) — This classic ride is Disneyland Paris' version of the Haunted Mansion found in other Disney parks. Tucked away in a dilapidated brown manor, guests board two-person omnimovers and go for slow tour inside the hallways, rooms and gardens of the house discovering its story and seeing all the ghosts that now call it home. The ride is more fun and wacky than scary but younger children may be frightened by a few scenes. High capacity attraction almost never has a line above 30-40 minutes so good to go all day.
• Thunder Mesa Riverboad Landing — A leisurely experience on board two large, 19th-century paddle-steamer boats, called Mark Twain and Molly Brown, that do a 15-minute circle of the river around Big Thunder Mountain. The cruise is especially beautiful in the afternoon and at sunset.
• Frontierland Playground — A kids playground themed after the indian village from Pocahontas.
• Rustler Roundup Shootin' Gallery — A shooting arcade with interactive moving targets.

The equivalent of the Tomorrowland found in other disney parks, Discoveryland is an idealized vision of tomorrow as imagined by European thinkers and explorers like Leonardo da Vinci, H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, with its retro-futuristic buildings and bright blue/brown colors.

• Hyperspace Mountain (1.20 m height requirement, Premier Access) — The highlight of the area and one of the highlights of the park as whole, Hyperspace Mountain is a large circular pyramid building located at the land's center. It houses an indoor rollercoaster that is now themed after the Star Wars franchise, taking the place of the original Space Mountain, where guests are launched on to high speed journey across the galaxy and see the battles between the Empire and the Resistance. An absolute must-do ride, be warned however that the coaster takes place in darkness and has 3 inversions so it may be rough for some people. Very popular ride with frequent wait times in the vicinity of 1 hour, it is better experienced early in the morning, at night and via Premier Access or Single Rider.
• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast (Premier Access) — An interactive shooter dark ride themed after Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. Guests shoot lasers from the guns on their vehicles at targets with the Z insignia throughout the ride, competing with each other about who gets the highest score. It's a really fun experience and many visitors ride it more than once trying to beat each other. At the end is the Star Command rank where everyone is given a rank based on their scores. Also a very popular ride same advice applies here as in Hyperspace Mountain.
• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (Premier Access) — Another Star Wars ride in the back of the land. This time it's a 3D-motion simulator (meaning that the vehicle also simulates movement seen on the screen) where guests board a spaceship and go on voyage with C-3PO in the world of Star Wars. The ride has more than 60 randomised scenes based on all the Star Wars movies and series so that every experience is completely unique. Not as popular as the previous rides. Its queue is also fun to wait built as an intergalactic space station with interactive talking robots.
• Autopia (Premier Access) — A car-driving attraction where you can board 1950s futuristic cars and go for a 5- to 6-minute drive. Riders can change only the speed of the car not its direction. It's especially fun for young children that can't drive but a skippable ride otherwise. Always has short lines except on the busiest of days.
• Orbitron — A spinner ride similar to Dumbo in Fantasyland but this time you board small spaceships and the height that your vehicle reaches is controllable by the riders. Very slow-loading with long lines, it is generally recommeded to skip this one as it is usually not worth the wait.
• Les Mysteres du Nautilus — A nice walkthrough attraction in the land's lagoon where you go down an actual submarine themed after the Nautilus from the stories of Jules Verne.
• Mickey's Philharmagic — A 12-minute, 4D show where Donald Duck leads a digital orchestra that plays famous songs from disney movies like Be Our Guest, You Can Fly and A Whole New World.

The resort's second theme park opened on March 16, 2002 and is themed after the world of Hollywood, Pixar and Marvel. Originally considered a very subpar theme park, it is now home to some excellent rides and shows. It is also undergoing a multi-phase refurbishment and expansion expected to be completed from late 2024 to 2026. If you are visiting the theme park before this time expect to see a lot of construction and closed-off areas.

The Front Lot functions as the park entrance and is home to Studio 1, a large sound stage with an indoor boulevard, themed after a Hollywood studio with fake-facade buildings, restaurants and shops. Studio 1 will have a lengthy refurbishment and re-theme starting in April 2024 and will not be open to guests.

A small land that acts as the park's main plaza, Production Courtyard has two shows and the iconic Tower of Terror.

• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (1.02 m height requirement, Premier Access) — The park's icon and tallest building, the Tower of Terror is themed after the Hollywood Tower Hotel from the 1960s tv series The Twilight Zone. Guests enter the hotel to see the ride's preshow explaining how the hotel became cursed before boarding an elevator where they are visited by its ghosts. The elevator functions as drop tower launching and dropping riders on board multiple times inside the hotel (with some great views up top). The ride may be intense for some people. Very popular ride that can reach an hour worth of wait, plan to head here in the morning, late afternoon or with Premier Access.
• Disney Junior Dream Factory — A 20-minute live show in a steampunk factory setting where famous Disney characters sing and dance.
• Stitch Live — A show where a digital Stitch appears on a screen and, with the help of computers, interacts and talks with guests

This land is dedicated all-things Pixar. Guests can visit rides and eat at restaurants inspired by famous Pixar characters like Lightning McQueen, Ratatouille, Woody and Nemo.

• Ratatouille: The Adventure (Premier Access) — One of the two headliners of the land, Ratatouille: The Adventure is a 4D-dark ride where riders are "shrunk" to the size of a rat and travel through the world of Remy visiting the sewers, back alleys and Gusteau's Restaurant. It uses a mix of physical sets, projections and screens to give a more wholesome experience for the whole family and is the only one of its kind in the resort. Very popular with all guests the ride is best avoided from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, unless Premier Access is available (may sell out sometimes).
• Crush's Coaster (1.07 m height requirement, Premier Access) — The other major ride of the land, Crush's Coaster is an indoor, wild-mouse rollercoaster named after Crush from Finding Nemo. The 4-person, spinning turtle shells start calmly passing through a coral reef and an abandoned submarine, where guests meet Nemo and Bruce, before they start racing and spinning, simulating the feeling of being in the East Australian Current. Keep in mind that the ride is more intense than it seems and the spinning may affect guests with motion sickness. Crush's Coaster has by far the longest and most persistent lines in the park frequently staying at 60-90 minutes all day. Head there first thing in the morning or right before closing, or use Premier Access and Single Rider.
• RC Racer (1.20 m height requirement) — A flat ride based on RC Racer from Toy Story, it is an orange halfpipe rollercoaster where the vehicle travels up and down the semicircular track. The ride offers some thrills but it's short, around 1 minute. Head here early or otherwise skip it. It is usually not worth the long lines it gets during the day.
• Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop (81 cm height requirement) — A small drop ride with green parachutes geared towards children and inspired by the toy soldiers from Toy Story. While it offers some great views it is short and slow and like the RC Racer it may not worth its wait.
• Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin — A very small rollercoaster geared for younger children, where you board Slinky from Toy Story and go around a tiny circular track. Never has much of a wait.
• Cars Road Trip — A rethemed part of the now-closed Studio Tram Tour, guests are on a tram are wizzed through 3 scenes featuring characters from Pixar's Cars. Generally considered a bad ride and is unpopular with guests.
• Cars Quatre Roues Rallye — Another Cars attraction for young children, this time a flat ride with spinning cars. Never much of a wait.

Toon Studio is a very small land nestled between Production Courtyard and the World of Pixar. It has two attractions.

• Magic Carpets of Aladdin — A spinning flat ride, like Dumbo and Orbitron at Disneyland Park, but instead of elephants and spaceships this time riders are on magic carpets in front of painted backdrop. Never has much of a wait but, again, it is geared towards younger children.
• Animation Academy — A themed gift shop.

The first land to open as part of the ongoing expansion, Avengers Campus is themed after the Marvel Superheroes and took the place of the former Hollywood Backlot. The land has two rides and many character meet-and-greets with the Marvel characters.

• Avengers Assemble: Flight Force (1.20 m height requirement, Premier Access) — Set inside the Avengers Headquarters, this is an indoor rollercoaster where guests ride through space with Iron Man and Captain Marvel as they fight the Kree. The queue is very detailed and has a preshow with an impressive Iron-Man animatronic. Keep in mind that the rollercoaster is fast, takes place mostly in darkness and has multiple inversions. Waits above 40-45 minutes very rare.
• Spiderman W.E.B. Adventure (Premier Access) — W.E.B. Adventure is an interactive shooter ride themed after Spiderman where guests shoot webs into moving targets, like Buzz Lightyear in Disneyland. Unlike Buzz Lightyear though there are only digital screens, riders now wear 3D glasses and shoot the webs with their hands. Very popular ride, it is usually clogged by crowds at midday and afternoon.
• Shows and Meet n' Greets — There are many small outdoor, interactive shows and meet n' greets with the superheroes throughout the land. They are not timed and happen randomly throughout the day.

If there is one thing you will never have a problem finding in Disneyland Paris it's stores. Various themed and general stores are spread liberally throughout the park, selling Disney merchandise and general memorabilia. They carry everything from pencils to books, from Indiana Jones fedora hats to Cinderella costumes. The sky is basically the limit on the money you can spend at Disneyland Paris: you can buy glass/crystal trinkets and sword replicas in the central castle. If you come to Disneyland Paris with children, be prepared to reach deep into your pockets. A set of goodies for a child will probably set you back approximately €50. Add to this plush dolls, t-shirts and action figures, it's easy to spend €50-100 or more a head on "souvenirs".

The main shopping area of Disneyland Paris is Main Street USA. The largest store at Walt Disney Studios Paris is Disney Studio 1, which you will see straight ahead after you enter the park. Disney Village has a large collection of retailers, including a Disney Store. In addition almost every ride in the park has a gift shop that you pass through at the exit, selling memorabilia connected to it.

Because of the sheer number of stores there is some variation in what they will stock. For example, a shop in Frontierland may sell different cuddly plush toys when compared to a store in Fantasyland. If you are after merchandise of a specific franchise or character then speak to a cast member.

Pin-trading, while present, is not hyped as much as it is in the American parks. While you can still trade and buy pins and lanyards, you will find a smaller selection and fewer traders.

The main pin trading hub is the Pueblo Trading Post shop, found at the back of Frontierland next to the Pocahontas Indian Village play area. Except for special pin trading events, the shop is only open on Saturdays and Sundays. This is the only place in the entire park to buy Limited Edition or "mystery bag/box" pins, so if you're a pin fan then it's worth popping in for a look. There are also usually a few pin traders hanging around who are mostly happy to chat about pin trading and collecting.

Disneyland Paris sports many restaurants and bars that have mostly one thing in common: They're expensive, and in the parks themselves they're universally not very good. Vegan and vegetarian options are available in all restaurants. Takeaway food is easy to find thanks to the Disneyland Paris app. If you're not eating in your hotel then Disney Village offers better options, especially for lunch. Some are simple fast-food spots, others are quite fancy.

• The cheapest food on the premises can be bought at McDonald's. Unsurprisingly, they are much more expensive than any average McDonald's. The McDonald's in Disney Village is the largest in France and can become insanely busy at lunchtime.
• The primary place to eat, drink, shop and party is in the Disney Village, which contains some nicely-themed restaurants including King Ludwig's Castle, the very atmospheric Rainforest Café, and a nice steak house.
• Perhaps the most interesting ambiance can be had in "Captain Jack's — Restaurant des Pirates" which is built inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Prices are steep, but the atmosphere is very nice. You can also look in on the ride itself which can be very entertaining.
• If you booked yourself into a Disney hotel this includes breakfast - basically an all you can eat buffet of cereal, rolls, yogurt, and so on. The food is not fancy, but it'll feed you well. You should also get vouchers for food in the Park at least once (they may offer more than once depending on the booking situation). The food is the same, but you are admitted to the park one hour before it officially opens, giving you a head start to the rides. Not all the themed "lands" are open for this, you can get a list of the ones that are from your hotel. For instance "It's a Small World" doesn't open until 10:00 and Autopia (cars that the kids can drive) doesn't open until 12:30.
• There is the large shopping mall Val d'Europe located near the park (one stop west on RER A, also free parking is available). This may help if you are on a budget.
• Bring something to drink into the park with you - if you're walking around for hours, especially when it's hot, you will need a lot of liquid to avoid dehydration spoiling your day. Don't forget that drinks at kiosks are very expensive. If you bring a reusable water bottle you can refill it at various free drinking fountains that are scattered throughout the parks. The tap water is perfectly safe to drink.
• There are signs at the entrance stating that there is no picnicking inside the parks. However, this rule is not strictly enforced. Just don't climb all over the ornamental fenced-off grass.

The parks close early in the winter, spring and autumn so it is hard to eat dinner in the park after dark. Also, if you are visiting for a full day, it's a good idea to go to the park early then retire to the Disney Village for lunch, returning into the park later.

Disneyland Paris is home to 6 onsite hotels and one offsite property. They vary in theming and pricing and all except the Disneyland Hotel and Davy Crockett Ranch offer free shuttle services to the parks and the Disney Village. Hotel guests are also eligible for free parking and the Extra Magic Hours, as referenced before, giving them one-hour early access to select rides in the parks.

• The Disneyland Hotel (5*) is the resort's signature hotel. The instantly recognizable building is the most expensive and lavish of them all having received a fairytale retheme and offers exclusive experiences like princess meet n' greets and dining with characters like Belle or Cinderella. It is also in an ideal location right on the entrance of Disneyland, with great views of the firework show at night and 5 minutes away from Walt Disney Studios.
• New York Art of Marvel (4*) is located on the upper side of Lac Buena Vista and is considered a luxury hotel. It has a distinct New York feeling and has been rethemed to include Marvel characters with exclusive meet-and-greets. It has a swimming pool and is a 10 minute walking distance from the parks.
• Newport Bay (4*) is located on the southern side of Lac Buena Vista and is also considered a luxury hotel. It has a nautical style decor with blue rooftops, a swimming pool and offers Mickey and Friends character meet-and-greets. Also a 10-minute walk to the parks.
• Sequoia Lodge (3*) is located on the eastern side of Lac Buena Vista and is considered a moderate hotel. It has a beautiful national park theme with wooden brown buildings and lots of trees. It also offers Mickey and Friends character meet n' greets, a swimming pool and a bar with log fire. 10-minute walk from the parks.
• Hotel Cheyenne (2*) is located on Rue du Boeuf Agile and is a value hotel with a Wild West theme. It is the resort's largest hotel with multiple buildings creating a small "town" and is located 15-20 minutes from the parks. Hosts meet-and-greets with Woody and Jessie from Toy Story.
• Hotel Santa Fe (2*) is located directly opposite Hotel Cheyenne and is also a value hotel and the cheapest. With the same small "town" feel and orange colored buildings, it has a Cars theme and hosts Mickey and Friends character meet n' greets. Again a 15- to 20-minute walk from the parks.
• The Davy Crockett Ranch is an offsite property situated 15 minutes' drive away. It is quite different from the other hotels and consists of separate motel style accommodation with cooking facilities. There is also a shop (open late), a swimming pool, horse rides and a petting zoo. There is no shuttle service to the parks.

All Disneyland Paris' hotels are generally expensive. The price for a double room in Hotel Santa Fe, the cheapest, can easily run up to €400-500/night. The luxury/moderate/value characterisations are made in comparison to the other on-site hotels and do not apply to the rest of Paris.

Except for the above there are many hotels around the resort mostly in Val d'Europe. Most of these offer transport to the park and have generally lower prices but they don't have a Disney theme and may not be part of special packages and perks provided for guests of the official Disney hotels. A special category are the 5 Disney Partner hotels:

• Hotel L'Elysee Val D'Europe
• Stay City Aparthotels Paris Marne-La-Vallee
• Ki Space Hotel and Spa
• Aparthotel Adagio Serris - Val D'Europe
• B&B Hotel

It is best not to limit yourself in Disney or Disney-affiliated hotels if you are travelling on a tight budget and planning to stay close to the resort, but expand your research to the entire Marne-La-Vallee area and the surrounding villages.

• 48.858552.786021 Aparthotel Adagio Serris - Val D'Europe, 18 Cours de l'Elbe, ☏ +33 164173200, fax: +33 164173201, [email protected]. Another cheaper, self-catering option. Free shuttle bus to and from the parks. Apartments spacious, comfortable and self-catering. Designed on the model of a private mansion house, with decor combining an urban style with the spirit of an English garden-city, the residence is next to one of Europe's largest shopping centres. 
• 48.855372.808192 Radisson Blu Hotel Paris, Marne-La-Vallee, 40 Allée De La Mare Houleuse, ☏ +33 1 60 43 64 00, [email protected]. The Radisson Blu hotel is ideal for those wanting a bit more space, this modern hotel also boasts the Disneyland Golf course on its door-step so it is ideal for golfing enthusiasts. 

Communication should not be an issue for English-speaking visitors. Although Disneyland Paris is mainly French as you'd expect, all menus and signs are also available in English and some in other languages. All Cast Members speak English; and as they are recruited from all over Europe, several of them speak more than three languages. If all else fails, your fellow park visitors are from all over Europe and around the world, so a bystander might be able to translate for you. Besides French, many signs are also written in English and sometimes German as they are the three most commonly used languages in Disneyland.

You can buy postcards and stamps at most shops in the park. Mailboxes exist in some central locations. Ask the shopkeepers about the postage required to your destination.

The park offers Wi-Fi access through the parks. Use the official Disneyland Paris app.

• Val d'Europe^{[dead link]} is the first stop from Marne-la-Vallee on RER A.

Or visit the other Disneyland parks worldwide at:

• Walt Disney World in Florida.
• Disneyland Resort in California.
• Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan.
• Hong Kong Disneyland in Hong Kong.
• Shanghai Disney Resort in China