Your Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Paris: Is It Worth A Day Trip?
After living in Paris for five years, I finally took my first day trip to Disneyland Paris – and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it, knowing that I had already been to the flagship location of the worldwide beloved theme park in Orlando, Florida.
View of Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland Paris; September 2025
Disneyland Paris is quaint, cute, and a sized-to-scale version of the classic Disney World in Orlando. However, for those who have already been the iconic park elsewhere in the world, such as Disneyland Tokyo or Anaheim, it begs the question – is a day trip to Disneyland Paris worth it?
I’m going to provide an in-depth guide, with my knowledge of being an American living in Paris having already been to Disney World in Orlando – on everything you’ll need to know for a day trip to Disneyland Paris, and whether or not it’s worth the adventure.
Entrance to Disneyland Paris theme park; September 2025
🎢 Who Should Visit Disneyland Paris? 🏰
✨ Disneyland Paris Is Worth It If:
- You're traveling with kids.
- You've never visited a Disney park.
- You're spending 5+ days in Paris.
- You're a big Disney fan.
- You're visiting Paris during Halloween or Christmas (the park has fun themes during this time of year).
🤔 Disneyland Paris May Not Be Worth It If:
- It's your first trip to Paris.
- You're only in Paris for 2-3 days.
- You're trying to maximize cultural attractions.
- You've recently visited Orlando, Anaheim, or Tokyo Disney, as they're all the same gist and Paris shouldn't be wasted on theme parks when short on time.
Things to Know Before Going to Disneyland Paris
Ticket Prices: Ticket prices for Disneyland Paris vary depending on the time of year you go. I know friends in Paris who have paid upwards of €120 per ticket for the summer, and people who have paid a low €55 for a ticket when going in the middle of winter. On average, it seems the usual price for a ticket to Disneyland Paris ranges between €85 and €110 euro.
Transportation: If you don’t already live in Paris or have a Navigo Pass, you’ll have to figure out the best way to get to Disneyland Paris for yourself, friends, or family. The RER A train from Paris is a great and efficient way to get to the theme park without switching trains or needing to take a shuttle, but keep in mind that if you’re a tourist – this is a separate train ticket, and the metro passes you have loaded on your tourist Navigo card won’t work. A single trip on RER A will cost €2.50, meaning it will cost €5 round trip to take the RER A train to Disneyland Paris and back to the city center. You could also take an Uber, which costs around €60 from the 7th arrondissement near the Eiffel Tower.
Two Theme Parks: Disneyland Paris has two theme parks: Disneyland Paris, and Walt Disney Studios Park. Unlike the parks in Orlando, Florida – you don’t have to take a bus shuttle to get between the parks. However, it is about a 20-minute walk from the center of Disneyland Paris to Walt Disney Studios Park – so be sure to plan your time accordingly if you plan to visit attractions at both parks during your day trip to Disneyland Paris. Ultimately, I found Walt Disney Studios Park to be more tailored towards toddlers and children under the age of 5 – with less thrilling rides or attractions. If you can only pay or do one of the two parks, definitely buy your ticket for Disneyland Paris Park.
Walt Disney Studios in Disneyland Paris; September 2025
Tips & Advice for Disneyland Paris
Disney Village: Similar to Disney Springs in Florida, Disney Village in Paris is a shopping center where you can enjoy a meal at a restaurant or peruse Disney merchandise without needing to pay for a ticket to enter the park. It is located just outside Disneyland Paris, near the RER A station Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy, and several hotels at Disneyland Paris are within walking distance.
Ride Popular Attractions Early in the Morning: If you’re set on going on classic Disneyland Paris rides such as Space Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain, try to go earlier in the day – as wait times can be as long as up to 70 minutes if you wait to ride these thrilling rollercoasters later in the afternoon.
Security is Simple & Easy: You’ll have to remove your phone or camera from your pocket when going through security, but you can easily bring things in like a portable battery, food, and water into Disneyland Paris.
No Cash or Coins Needed: In other theme parks in France, such as Parc Astérix, I found it would’ve been helpful to have cash or euro coins handy for the dryer after water rides. Luckily, I found Disneyland Paris to be a cash-free zone – every food stand, restaurant, and gift store happily accepted Apple Pay, debit, or credit card.
View of Disneyland Paris; September 2025
Is a Day Trip to Disneyland Paris Worth It?
If you’re a tourist visiting Paris with limited time in the city, and have already visited another Disney theme park elsewhere in the world – I personally wouldn’t go out of my way to see Disneyland Paris, as it’ll be another iteration of what you’ve already seen elsewhere.
However, if you’re a massive fan of the Disney franchise and have several days in Paris – then it might be worth the trip to Disneyland Paris to experience another version of the beloved theme park.
Ultimately, I think if you live in Paris, find a good ticket price, and enjoy theme parks in general – you should definitely head to Disneyland Paris at least once. That being said, I don’t think the theme park can justify its higher-priced tickets – and I personally wouldn’t pay more than €90 for a ticket to go for the day.
Still need help deciding if a trip to Disneyland Paris is worth it? The interactive quiz below will help you decide whether or not to go to Disneyland Paris:
🏰 Should You Visit Disneyland Paris Quiz? ✨
✨ Are you a big fan of Disney?
⏱️ Are you short on time in Paris?
👨👩👧👦 Do you have kids who would appreciate a break from Paris?
🎢 Do you love amusement parks like Six Flags, Parc Astérix, or even small carnivals?
🏰 Even though you've been to other Disney theme parks like Disneyland Tokyo or Disney World in Orlando, does the thought of seeing Disneyland Paris still excite you — or does it feel repetitive?
✨ Your Live Results
🏰 Go score:
❌ Skip score:
If 🏰 is higher → you should probably visit Disneyland Paris.
If ❌ is higher → you may want to skip Disneyland Paris and spend more time in the city.
If it’s tied → go only if you have extra time in Paris or really want a Disney day.
View of Main Street on a rainy day in Disneyland Paris; September 2025
General Information on Visiting Disneyland Paris
Below I’ll provide some practical tips, advice, and information you might find useful before heading to Disneyland Paris.
What Time Does Disneyland Paris Open and Close?
Disneyland Paris doesn’t open as early as Disney World in Orlando, with opening hours starting at 9:30am and the park closing at 9pm on weekdays.
The opening and closing times for Disneyland Paris are as follows:
⏰ Disneyland Paris Opening & Closing Times
| Day | Opening Hours |
|---|---|
| Sunday | 9:30 am – 10:00 pm |
| Monday | 9:30 am – 9:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30 am – 9:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30 am – 9:00 pm |
| Thursday | 9:30 am – 9:00 pm |
| Friday | 9:30 am – 9:00 pm |
| Saturday | 9:30 am – 10:40 pm |
6 Things That Surprised Me About Disneyland Paris
Better castle than Orlando: Having been to Disney World in Orlando, I was expecting castle to be off-limits – but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that you can actually walk up the stairs of the castle in Disneyland Paris. This really aided in immersing myself in magical vibes for the day!
Easier security process: It was relatively straightforward to go through security at Disneyland Paris, and didn’t take all that long either – even on a busy Saturday morning.
Great vegan options: Having lived in Paris for years, I was bracing myself for Disneyland Paris to have minimal food options for vegans – but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Smaller Size: I knew that Disneyland Paris was small, but I didn’t expect it to be as tiny as it was – which wasn’t a bad thing. I appreciated how much more approachable and walkable it was than Disney World.
Less overwhelming than Disney World: Sometimes when visiting Disney World in Orlando, I get overwhelmed because of the sheer amount of things to do and see. Dinseyland Paris was a surprisingly pleasant middle ground, as you’ll get the “happiest place on Earth” atmosphere without all of the stress to do everything in a short amount of time.
Easier day trip than expected: Living in Paris, I know that sometimes day trips in the Île-de-France region can be a little on the tedious side – but Disneyland Paris was surprisingly straightforward and easy to get to. The RER A drops you off right in front of the park entrance, so no additional walking are shuttles are necessary.
Is there English at Disneyland Paris?
Yes, English is everywhere at Disneyland Paris!
I was impressed how all staff at Disneyland Paris, whether at restaurants, rides, or attractions – was bilingual in French and English.
You’ll often hear the speakers repeating things in both French and English at Disneyland Paris, as well as the staff for attractions repeating things in both languages when you enter and exit the rides. Sometimes, you’ll see somethings in the park only in French (such as “sortie” which means “exit”) – but for the most part – you’ll be just fine at Disneyland Paris, even if you don’t know a lick of French!
View of colorful buildings in Disneyland Paris; September 2025
How Many Days Do I Need for Disneyland Paris?
If you plan to only do one of two the parks, it’s possible to do Disneyland Paris in a day – but it would require being there from park opening to closing, and maybe even utilizing fast passes to save on time. Ultimately, if you want to see, do, and eat everything available at Disneyland Paris – I would say 2 full days is enough.
🏰✨ My Ideal Day at Disneyland Paris ✨🏰
How Far is Disneyland Paris from the Eiffel Tower?
Distance wise, the Eiffel Tower is roughly 44 kilometers, or 27 miles, away from Disneyland Paris. Living a mere 3-minute walk away from the Eiffel Tower, it took me around 1 hour and 20 minutes door-to-door from my apartment to get to the entrance of Disneyland Paris.
To get to Disneyland Paris from the Eiffel Tower, the easiest way is to take the bus or metro to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile, which is right outside of the Arc de Triomphe, and hop on the RER A train all the way to the end of the line at Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy.
City Hall at Disneyland Paris; September 2025
Disneyland Paris Schedules & Crowds
What Time of Day is Disneyland Paris Most Busy with Crowds?
I found that Disneyland Paris was most congested between the hours of 12pm and 3pm, when people were coming into to the park around lunch hour. Luckily, these crowds died down again as we neared 4pm as people began to queue for the parade. Also, people that comes to Disneyland Paris with families will often take their kids home for naps – which results in a quieter park as you near the late afternoon.
What Time is the Parade at Disneyland Paris?
The parade at Disneyland Paris happens every day, ranging from around 5 to 5:30pm. The time of the parade at Disneyland Paris changes depending on the time of year and when the sunsets.
What Time Are Fireworks at Disneyland Paris?
Similar to the parade the time for fireworks at Disneyland Paris is bound to vary by season, happening anywhere from 9:00pm or closer to closing time at 10:20pm or 10:40pm during the summer months.
Want to see some of our day in Disneyland Paris in action? Checkout our Disneyland Paris vlog below!
What is the Difference Between Disney World, Disneyland Anaheim, and Disneyland Paris?
The table below will break down the differences to compare and contrast Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Disneyland Anaheim in California, and Disneyland Paris – formerly known as EuroDisney, to help you decide which of the Disney theme parks may be the best fit for you:
| Category | 🇫🇷 Disneyland Paris | 🇺🇸 Disney World Orlando | 🇺🇸 Disneyland Anaheim |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏙️ Main Street | Smaller, quaint, and charming with shorter buildings | Bigger and grander, with taller buildings and more detail | Also smaller and more intimate like Paris, with a nostalgic vibe |
| 📏 Size | Not expanding much, but Frozen Arendelle land coming Spring 2026 | Massive, keeps expanding with multiple theme parks | Compact park, doesn’t grow much but remains iconic |
| 💰 Prices | ~€62–€105 per day (≈$65–$110) | ~$140–$180 per day (≈2x Paris prices) | ~$120–$160 per day (slightly less than Orlando) |
| 🎟️ Annual Pass | ~€229–€499 depending on tier | ~$799–$1,499 depending on tier | ~$649–$1,449 depending on tier |
| 🌦️ Weather | Cloudy, grey, and rainy at times | Humid and hot, even in January | Likely the best year-round weather of all three |
| ⏳ Time Needed | Can be done in 2–3 days | 5 theme parks — you could spend over a week and still not see everything | Manageable in 2–3 days |
| 🏰 Castle | Sleeping Beauty Castle — you can walk inside and go up for views | Cinderella’s Castle — larger, but you can’t go inside | Sleeping Beauty Castle — smaller, can walk through inside with charming details |
Are the Rides Different At Disneyland Paris?
A lot of the rides at Disneyland Paris will be reminiscent of the classic rides and attractions you’ve seen at other Disneyland Parks – but there are some differences worth noting before heading to Disneyland Paris.
Breakdown of ride differences between Disneyland Paris and Disney World Orlando
Big Thunder Mountain: More darkness in the Paris ride than I remember in Disney World Orlando
Indiana Jones: Goes upside down in Paris
Avengers Campus: Goes upside down in Paris
Space Mountain: Goes upside down in Paris, does not go upside down in Disney World Orlando
Car Racing: Disney World has go-karting in Tomorrowland in Magic Kingdom, whereas Disneyland Paris has Autopia car riding (both are very similar)
Classic Rides: Teacups and Dumbo exist in both Disney World and Disneyland Paris; essentially identical in both locations
🎢✨ My 5 Favorite Rides at Disneyland Paris ✨🏰
🚂 Big Thunder Mountain
The best "easy thrill" at Disneyland Paris without overdoing it.
- Wait Time: Around 45 min
- Thrill Level: Moderate
- Worth It or Skip: Worth It
👻 Phantom Manor
Very unique and immersive, and an absolute must for people who love things like Hotel Transylvania or The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- Wait Time: Around 20 min
- Thrill Level: Medium
- Worth It or Skip: Worth It
🏴☠️ Pirates of the Caribbean
You can't go wrong. It's actually really impressive technology and an easy ride for people who don't like intense heart-in-your-throat moments.
- Wait Time: Around 20 min
- Thrill Level: Low
- Worth It or Skip: Worth It
🐀 Ratatouille
My absolute favorite ride at Disneyland Paris. If you're a big fan of the movie like me, you absolutely can't miss it, as it adds to the movie and gives you Remy's true POV in the kitchen as a rat!
- Wait Time: Around 20 min
- Thrill Level: Medium
- Worth It or Skip: Worth It
🏨 Tower of Terror
While I was too big of a baby to go on the actual ride, I did love the experience and storytelling beforehand — and that alone is worthwhile. You can always wait for your friends outside afterward like I did!
- Wait Time: Around 40 min
- Thrill Level: High
- Worth It or Skip: Worth It (if you like extreme thrills!)
View of Disneyland Paris from the top of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle; September 2025
Which is better: Disneyland Paris or Disney World in Florida?
There’s no questioning that Disney World in Orlando has dozens of more restaurants, rides, attractions, and experiences to offer theme park goers in comparison to Disneyland Paris.
When it comes down to Disneyland Paris or Disney World Florida, it’s a lot like comparing apples to oranges – as Disneyland Paris is an extremely miniaturized version of the original Disney World in Orlando. That being said, which theme park is better will come down to personal preferences – as Disneyland Paris is smaller and more “do-able” for a day trip, whereas Disney World in Orlando needs several days to the massive and infamous park justice.
The comparison table below reveals additional differences between Disneyland Paris and Disney World in Orlando:
🏰 Disneyland Paris vs. Disney World — Comparison
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 🏰 Castles | Disneyland Paris | You simply can’t beat this castle, as you can actually go up it and feel like a princess — whereas in Orlando, you can only look at it from afar and wonder. |
| 🍽️ Food | Disney World | There are twice as many food options in Disney World as Disneyland Paris, with over 200 restaurants to choose from in comparison to Disneyland Paris’s roughly 82 dining locations. |
| 🚆 Transportation | Disney World | Disney World has way more shuttle buses and requires transportation between parks, whereas Disneyland Paris simply requires arriving from the RER A station and then walking. |
| 👥 Crowds | Disneyland Paris | It’s not that Disney World in Orlando isn’t crowded — even during January, Orlando is packed — but Disneyland Paris definitely feels more crowded simply because it’s smaller and there’s less space for people to go. |
| 💸 Cost | Disneyland Paris | I did find things to be pricier at Disneyland Paris, such as souvenirs and eating out, than I did at Disney World. |
| 📏 Size | Disney World | There’s no question: Disney World is mortifyingly larger than Disneyland Paris — as it has four theme parks, two water parks, and an enormous resort complex compared to Disneyland Paris’s much smaller two-park setup. |
Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland Paris; September 2025
Should I Visit Disneyland Paris?
Overall, Disneyland Paris is a great day trip and is well worthwhile – especially if you’ve been to Paris several times, have never been to any of the other Disney theme parks, and have a soft spot for Disney princess and Pixar movies.
However, if you’re short on time in Paris – I would definitely say skip the trip to Disneyland Paris and focus on seeing the city of lights before heading to Europe’s Disney park.
🏰🎢✨ FAQ on Disneyland Paris 🇫🇷
| 🚆 How Long Does it Take to Get to Disneyland Paris from central Paris? | It takes around 43 minutes on the RER A train to get to Disneyland Paris from the 1st arrondissement of Paris taking the RER A from Châtelet–Les Halles. Don’t worry, you don’t have to take any other trains or buses once you get on the RER A – as the last stop on the line drops you off right outside Disneyland Paris. |
| ✈️ Can I get to Disneyland Paris straight from the Paris Airport? | Yes! There is a TGV that runs from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport all the way to Disneyland Paris, so you can have a non-stop journey to “the most magical place on Earth”. This high-speed TGV train takes less than 15 minutes to get from the airport to Disneyland Paris. |
| 🏨 Where Should I Stay in Disneyland Paris? | There are several hotels a short 5 to 10-minute walk away from the park entrance that you can stay at, including Hotel New York, Disney Sequoia Lodge, Yellowstone Lodge, Sierra Lodge, and Disneyland Hôtel. |
| 💶 Is Disneyland Paris expensive? | Honestly, I didn’t find the prices inside the park at Disneyland Paris to be outrageous – it’s about what you’d expect from being at a theme park. Both souvenirs and food were appropriately priced. |
| 📅 When is the best time of year to go to Disneyland Paris? | Since Disneyland Paris is in France, it’s best to avoid going to Disneyland Paris during France’s scheduled school holidays – of which France has much more of than in the United States. Keep in mind that weeks from late October to early November (fall break), select weeks in February (ski week), and the weeks around Easter (spring break) could be especially crowded. We went in September and I found it was the perfect happy medium, knowing that Disneyland Paris is packed in the summer and benefits from calmer, off-season crowds between September and November. |
| 👥 How to avoid crowds at Disneyland Paris? | If you can swing going to Disneyland Paris in the middle of the week on a workday, such as a Tuesday or Thursday (maybe try to avoid Wednesday as kids in France have an early release day on Wednesdays) this would be the best way to enjoy shorter lines and rides and attractions at Disneyland Paris. Time wise, heading to the park as early as you can in the morning or staying until the end of the day can help you to avoid the bustling nature of the park in the middle of the day. |
| 🌱 Are there Vegan options at Disneyland Paris? | Yes! As a longtime vegan, I was stunned how nearly every single food cart or restaurant at Disneyland Paris offered vegan options, from vegan salads, vegan ice cream bars, cookies, and more. Therefore, there’s no need to worry about food for the day if you’re vegan and headed to Disneyland Paris! |
| 🥪 Can I bring food and water to Disneyland Paris? | Yes! I came into Disneyland Paris with packaged snacks, a full reusable water bottle, and a sandwich in a Ziploc bag with no problem. However, it is important to note that Disneyland Paris warns against bringing bulky containers. I did see a family with bento-boxes and lunchbox containers to feed their children outside of Indiana Jones, so it could depend on the day whether they’ll let you in with those – but bring those containers at your own risk. If you want to bring your own food to Disneyland Paris, bringing it in surfaces that can be flattened like paper or plastic bags is safest. |
| 🎢 Is Disneyland Paris worth visiting if you've already been to Disney World? | Yes, I definitely think it's worth going to Disneyland Paris even if you've done Orlando, as it's a much smaller, more intimate experience and allows for a different kind of adventure-theme-park day, especially for Disney lovers. |
| 🇫🇷 Can you do Disneyland Paris without speaking French? | Yes, you can go to Disneyland Paris without speaking French! Everyone in the park is incredibly bilingual, and the rides also repeat warnings and stories in both languages. Disneyland Paris is honestly the perfect mix of both English and French. |
| 📅 What is the least crowded month at Disneyland Paris? | Disneyland Paris is definitely quietest after the holidays and before spring, around January through March, before picking up again with the spring and warmer months. |
| 🛡️ Is Disneyland Paris better than Parc Astérix? | Yes, I personally prefer Disneyland Paris over Parc Astérix, as it's a little more family-friendly and has a more "magical" vibe than Parc Astérix, which at times feels a little more exclusive to French culture as opposed to the more international atmosphere at Disneyland Paris. |
| ❄️ Is Disneyland Paris worth it in winter? | I personally wouldn't venture to Disneyland Paris in the winter unless it's a sunny day, but as the weather is hard to plan, it's a bit of a toss-up. This is because Paris is infamous for extremely wet, rainy winters, which can make going to theme parks unpleasant. But if you're down for grey skies and slippery rides, I'd say enjoy the cheaper ticket prices! |
View of main road in Disneyland Paris with a view of the castle; September 2025
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Last updated: June 2, 2026