Disneyland Paris Strikes – what you need to know!

Recently, there have been a few Disneyland Paris strikes undertaken by cast members from across the park functions. And it looks like these are not going away soon. In this post we will tell you everything you need to know about Disneyland Paris strikes, when they are and how they could affect your trip. 

Important Note: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click through and make a purchase I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Note: this post will not provide or engage in commentary on the strikes but is just an informational post to help you navigate the parks while industrial action is taking place. 

Disneyland Paris Strikes

Disneyland Paris Strikes

The Disneyland Paris strikes have been publicly noticeable in the parks since early May 2023, and have been growing in size ever since. 

The strikers have requested an increase to the monthly allowance to be more in line with inflation and have more flexible schedules as well as mileage allowances. 

As of May 30th 2023, no agreement has been reached. So how could the Disneyland Paris strikes affect your Disneyland Paris vacation.

When are Disneyland Paris Strikes? 

Unfortunately no one can say for certain when the Disneyland Paris strikes will take place as there is very little in terms of advance notice required.

However having said that strikes do seem to be more commonly held on a Tuesday as opposed to any other day. 

For this reason I recommend trying to avoid Tuesday is you want to avoid strike days. However please note there is always the possibility of strikes being on other days. This is an observation based on recent strikes patterns but could change with little or no notice. 

Having said that the next strike has now been announced for Saturday 3rd June 2023. So you can never tell when the strikes will be held and it is worth keeping an eye on social media for announcements. I will do my best to update this post as new dates are announced. 

Also, currently the industrial action is still ongoing therefore there is no date for when the striking will end. However generally speaking in France new salary negotiations etc take place end of August or beginning of September, so it could continue until around this time. 

We will do our best to update this section as and when we get more information on when, where and how long the strikes will happen. 

How will strikes at Disneyland Paris affect my vacation?

So will the strikes at Disneyland Paris affect my vacation. The truth is that unfortunately it could affect your vacation. 

Ways in which other strikes have impacted day to. day operation at Disneyland Paris have included the below:

Please note: the below are ways in which the parks have or could be affected, but this does not mean there are not other ways the strikes could affect your vacation. As we hear more on the ground reports we will update as necessary. 

Parade Cancellation

Disneyland Paris Parade – Best Things to do in Disneyland Paris Bucket List

Parades are probably the thing that have been affected most by the striking at Disneyland Paris. 

Parade have been canceled due to lack of cast members to provide support for the parade, and most recently (30th May according to Le Parisien), because staff member have been picketing along the parade route leading to cancellations. 

The parades that have been cancelled are both the Dream and Shine Brighter Parade and the regular Parade at varying times of day. 

And in some instances, parades may go ahead with a slimmed down cast i.e. I have read online reports of one Dream and Shine Brighter Parade being held with just dancers and Mickey, without the usual cast contingent. 

When parades are cancelled you may have some advance warning however in many cases there is little notice and you may have spent time queuing along the route to hear an announcement of closure moments before scheduled start time. 

Industrial Action on Main Street

As I mentioned above, the parade may have to be cancelled due to industrial action and picketing on Main Street. 

Recently Main Street has become the gathering point for striking workers which means not only could the parade be cancelled but also that you may have to walk down the shopping arcades rather than Main Street when you enter in the mornings. 

Also, if you have little ones with you who are noise sensitive, or just generally feel a warning would be good I recommend prewarning them that there could be a gathering of people when you enter the park chanting or even blowing air horns. 

Character Meet and Greet cancellations 

Disneyland Paris Sequoia Lodge Review

Character meet and greets are undoubtedly one of the best things to do at Disneyland Paris with toddlers, babies and Disney fans generally. 

However some of these interactions could be cancelled with little or no notice, even once the queue has formed. 

Reduced characters at Princess Dining 

Meeting Princesses at Disneyland Paris Auberge De Cendrillon

Luckily our experience at Auberge de Cendrillon, princess dining, was not on a strike day at Disneyland Paris. However there have been some reports online of reduced characters at this premium experience. 

Less Rides open during the Early  Magic Hours

There have been some reports that less rides have been opened on strike days at Disneyland Paris during Early Magic Hours. 

I put this here as a could happen, and on the next strike day I will monitor the open rides and wait times to see if and how badly the rides in EMH are affected by strikes. 

Am I entitled to compensation for strikes at Disneyland Paris?

Unfortunately no you are not entitled to compensation for strikes affecting your vacation. 

Parades are always liable to be cancelled in terms of bad weather and rain at Disneyland Paris, and shows and rides can be closed for refurbishment. Also in terms and conditions of tickets and vacations there is always small print that allows for some closures and cancellations. 

Therefore there is no compensation provided by Disneyland Paris.

However anecdotal I have heard of people who have gone to Princess dining and only seen two princesses instead of the 3-4 that are usually guaranteed, who have received some form of compensation.

The reports I have read, said people have had to queue and complain at City Hall and no specifics have been given in terms of recompense.

If this happens to you it may be worth complaining but there is no guarantee of any compensation or recompense.  

What can I do to avoid Disneyland Paris industrial action?

So now you know how you could be affected by the industrial action at Disneyland Paris, what can you do to mitigate the effects?

Do Parades on other days 

Disneyland Paris Strikes

If you have multiple days at the park we recommend prioritising parades and character meet and greets on days not affected by strike action. 

These seem more affected than rides so it is a good idea to plan your itinerary around the strikes in this way.

Head to Walt Disney Studios instead of Disneyland Park on Tuesdays

So far, strikers and pickets have been on Main Street at the Disneyland Park while the Walt Disney Studios has been less affected. 

If you and your family want to avoid seeing the strikes at Disneyland Paris we recommend heading to Walt Disney Studio Park on a Tuesday or strike day instead of the Disneyland Park. That is because there are no parades, just the Mickey and the Magician show and character meet and greets the can be cancelled. 

Note: this is of course liable to change and is advice based on previous action. During the strike on Tuesday 30th May there was a parade of strikers through the park. 

If you only have one day in the parks be sure to check out our itinerary for doing 2 parks in 1 day and choosing the version that starts in the Studio Park. 

Avoid character dining on Tuesdays 

Auberge de Cendrillon Disneyland Paris

As I Mentioned above character meet and greets do seem to be affected by industrial action and there are some anecdotal accounts of the princesses at Auberge Princess dining being reduced on industrial action days. Therefore if you can get your reservation on a day other than a Tuesday I would recommend it.

Note: obviously this can change and it is not guaranteed that industrial action will only be on Tuesdays. 

For more information on where to eat at Disneyland Paris check out this post.

Don’t Queue to Early

We usually like to get to the parade route early to bag a good spot. However if you are there on a strike day we recommend waiting till very close to the start time to grab your spot.

Sometimes the parades are cancelled with very little notice or as they are meant to begin. Therefore to save wasting time we recommend not getting into spot along the parade route too early. 

Do a day trip

There are lots of amazing places near Disneyland Paris. If you want to miss the stress of industrial action and have time in your itinerary you could consider doing a day trip into Paris or to see the Eiffel Tower on days when strikes take place. 

Postpone your trip

Not every booking at Disneyland Paris is refundable or moveable. If oyu are concerned about visiting during industrial action you could check the terms and conditions attached to your booking and see if you can reschedule. 

However do check if there are any additional costs associated with any date change. 

If you can’t postpone your trip then

Try and enjoy yourself and know there are things beyond your control

This is perhaps the hardest to do especially when you have spent a lot of money on a once in a lifetime trip but try and enjoy yourself whatever. 

Have you been to the parks and seen or been affected by the industrial action? Let us know in the comments below as we would love to keep this post updated with recent experiences from in the parks.