The best way to visit Disneyland Paris

The best way to visit Disneyland Paris

This article is for anyone who’s going to Disneyland Paris, whether it’s their first time or not. I will be sharing with you some tips I consider to be very useful for anyone who wants to spend an amazing time at Disneyland Paris, enjoying as many rides as possible, without worrying too much!

There are countless things to do in Disneyland Paris. First of all, note that the theme park is “divided” into three parts. You have the Disneyland main park, the Walt Disney Studios and the Disney Village. The parks open at 10 am and close at 10 pm, while the Disney Village opens at 8 am and closes at midnight. This area is perfect to spend the evening, enjoying great food still in the fun and magical atmosphere the Disney universe provides.

Although, if you book in a hotel, you will be able to enjoy the “Extra Magic Time” which allows you to gain exclusive access to both parks before the official opening hours each day of your stay. Indeed, since the parks are so big and there are so many attractions, it is impossible to do it all in just one day, so if you have the opportunity, consider booking at least one night in a hotel. If you can’t afford to book a room in the Disney Hotel, don’t worry, because there are plenty other Disney-themed hotels a little further from the parks that are very good as well! Check the hotels here.

Then, if you want to know every attractions of each park, where the ATMs, the toilets, the restaurants are at, where to find the Disney characters, but also the waiting time for a specific attraction or each ones are eventually closed for renovation, you will need to download the “Disneyland Paris app“, that you will easily find in your App Store or Google Play Store. This mobile application will definitely come in handy, because it provides real time information on the parks and where to find anything you need.

Now that I’ve introduced you to a few main tips about Disneyland Paris, read on and find out the best way to visit Disneyland Paris!

How to get there

If you’re wondering what is the best way to get to Disneyland Paris, I can tell you that the RER definitely is the best option!

In Paris, you will have to take the RER A line to get to Disneyland Paris. However, note that in the map, the RER station is called “Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy”. You can purchase your tickets at a ticket office or in one of the many ticket machines you will find in the metro. This is the RER station in which you will have to get down to get to the Disneyland parks.

I highly recommend you to buy a round trip, in case you’re staying in a hotel. Otherwise, at the end of the day, when the time comes to return to Paris, you will have to queue for a long time because of the people who forgot to buy the round trip. Also, do not lose your tickets. Keep them carefully in a safe place, like your wallet.

After buying your tickets, follow the signs that indicate the way towards Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy. It will be easy to find, since it is the last station of the A line. Once you get to the RER A platform towards Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy, you need to beware of a few things.

First of all, not every train will get you to “Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy”. So, play close attention to the monitors you will see on the platform. They will give valuable informations. Thanks to them, you will be able to check if you are actually on the right platform. As you can see, exemplified on the picture above, you’re on the right platform and the next train that will arrive is going to “Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy“. This one would have taken you to Disneyland Paris. Some monitors will even indicate how many minutes until your train arrives.

When is the best time to go to Disneyland Paris

Every year, Disneyland Paris receives around fourteen millions of visitors from all over the world.

Here are a few things you need to know regarding the best time to visit Disneyland Paris: the French work the whole week, so they usually go to Disneyland with their family during the weekend. So, if you have the chance to go to Disneyland Paris during the week, you definitely should! Avoid weekends, because the parks are much more crowded! If you go during the weekend, you won’t be able to enjoy as many rides and the waiting times for attractions will be much longer! Also, try to avoid French holidays!

You probably already know this, but I will tell it anyway, as a precaution. Come to the parks early in the morning! Because there is so much to see! One day won’t be enough to cover all the things there is to do in the parks, but as the saying goes “the early bird catches the worm“!

Buy your tickets in advance

The best way to visit Disneyland Paris is obviously to buy your tickets in advance! Do not buy them on site. You will have to queue and will be losing some precious time. Buy them beforehand and simply exchange them at the entrance.

Also, you need to know that it is important for you to buy the tickets months before your visit. Because Disneyland Paris tickets kind of work like airplane tickets. The earlier you buy it, the less expensive it will be. The prices can also vary from one version of the Disneyland website to another. Change your region and see if the pricing is different.

Check the weather forecast beforehand

The night before visiting Disneyland Paris, you should check the weather forecast and dress accordingly to it. If you’re not comfortable, if you get too hot or too cold, it might turn your magical day at Disneyland Paris into a nerve-racking experience, and you will get tired much faster.

If it rains, bring your own raincoat. At Disneyland Paris, the rain ponchos are very expensive! You can avoid unnecessary costs if you check the weather forecast beforehand.

Bring comfortable shoes. It doesn’t matter if they’re ugly or don’t match the outfit. They need to be extra comfortable, because you will walk a lot during the day from one attraction to another. Avoid sore feet and blisters by wearing comfortable shoes. Then, regarding the bag you should bring, you need to know that you will also have to carry it during the rides, even on the ones you go upside down. People usually put the straps of their backpack onto their legs, so that it stays “locked” and they don’t lose it during the ride. If you’re bringing a shoulder bag, then I think you will have no issues. The safety harness will lock your bag against your chest.

Avoid rush hours for lunch time

At lunch time, people rush to the restaurants to eat. There’s a lot of queueing lines at restaurants too. To avoid queueing, there are two things you can do. You can bring your own food from home, because I have to say that food at Disneyland Paris is pretty expensive. Or you can have a snack in the middle of the morning, wait for the rush hour to be over and then head to the restaurant to peacefully enjoy your meal. The choice is up to you! If you opt for the second suggestion, there will be fewer queues so you will be enjoying a few rides, while people will be eating.

Bring a stroller or rent one

If you’re coming with a baby or children to Disneyland Paris, bringing a stroller is a great idea! It’s no fun when kids get tired! A stroller will allow them to rest their little legs throughout the day.

Furthermore, if you are coming with a baby, ask for a “Baby Switch” card at the entrance. Both parents will be able to enjoy the rides thanks to the “Baby Switch” card! If you don’t manage to get the card, don’t worry, talk to the staff at each attraction explaining them the situation, they will help you.

While one of the adults look after the baby, the other can queue to do the attraction. Once the ride is over, it’s the turn of the adult who looked after the baby to visit the attraction, without queueing! Adults will only have to switch places. Both will be able to enjoy the rides! Everything is planned and organized for everyone to enjoy the best of Disneyland Paris.

Use the Fastpasses

As soon as you get in Disneyland Paris, try to get Fastpass passes. This will allow you to avoid queueing for hours.

You just need to scan your Disneyland ticket at a Fastpass terminal. A ticket will come out indicating the hour you need to come to the ride to avoid the waiting line. It’s very easy to use and very practical!

My article about the best way to visit Disneyland Paris is now over! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that it has given you plenty of useful tips and informations. Let me know if I’ve forgotten anything you think is important and would be worth mentioning. The Disneyland park is older than the Walt Disney Studios, so it has many more attractions.

It’s up to you to decide in which one you would like to start the day! But you definitely shouldn’t skip any of them, because both are amazing and magical! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information about anything. If you want more tips related to organizing a family vacation in Paris, read this article. At Discover Walks, we always want to make sure you enjoy the city as much as possible and create the greatest memories! I hope to see you soon in one of our tours in Paris!

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