Is Disneyland Paris Worth It?

Are you considering a trip to France and wondering is Disneyland Paris worth it? In this guide we give you all the information you need to work our if Disneyland Paris is worth visiting for you. In this guide we will look at what makes Disneyland Paris unique, its drawbacks and assess the park for the group you are traveling with to decide if it is worth it for you. you. 

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When looking at whether any destination is worth it, first you need to consider the type of traveler you are what the destination has to offer. 

In this guide I will first look at what is special at Disneyland Paris that might make the experience unique for you and not worthwhile just for the biggest Disney fans. Then I will break down what the park has to offer for different types of travellers with different time constraints so you can truly evaluate whether Disneyland Paris is worth it for you. 

What is Special at Disneyland Paris ?

So what is special at Disneyland Paris? We have visited many Disney parks around the world including Disneyland Anaheim, California Adventure, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disney and Disneysea as well as Hong Kong Disneyland. 

One of the reasons that some people think that Disneyland Paris is bad is because they are comparing it to Disney World. And purely from a size perspective, Disneyland Paris can not compare. Disney world for instance has 5 parks while Disneyland Paris has two, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. 

However the thing I love about visiting all of the Disney parks is there is something different and special at each one that somewhat reflects the local culture. Paris is no different. 

For me there are several things that make Disneyland Paris special, and these tend to be the unique things at Disneyland Paris which you don’t find in other parks around the world. These things include: 

The Castle

 I know there is a lot of debate and controversy over what is the best Disney castle around the world but for me it is hands down the Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant – otherwise known as the Castle of Sleeping Beauty to us English speakers. And other than being beautiful the best thing about the castle in my opinion is

The Dragon Dungeon

The dragon underneath the castle is one of my favorite things about Disneyland Paris’ castle. This is the only castle around the world that has it’s own dragon sleeping under it.

It may scare little ones or those of a sensitive disposition but it is mine and my children favorite unique thing at Disneyland Paris 

Shows 

The shows are some of the best things to do at Disneyland Paris. All the Disney’s around the world have great productions however Disneyland Paris has some great and unique shows that can’t be seen anywhere else around the world.

For instance Mickey and the Magician is a show that originated at Disneyland Paris in the Walt Disney Studios Park. This show that is conducted in English and French, tells the story of Mickey as an apprentice Magician, learning from some of the most magical Disney characters including The Fairy Godmother, the Genie and Elsa to name but a few. It truly is one of my favorite things to do at the park. 

Other great shows at the park include the Festival of the Lion King, Pixar Pals Together and the Frozen Singalong. 

Unique Attractions

Aswell as the shows there are also lots of unique attractions at Disneyland Paris.  There are several attractions and rides at Disneyland Paris that are completely unique to the park include the Cars Road Trip, Cars Quatre Roues Rallye, Casey Junior Circus Train, and the mysteries of the Nautilus to name but a few. 

On top of that there are some rides in Paris that are only found in the Asian Disney parks but not in the American ones such as:

• Crush’s Coaster,
• Slinky Dog Zig Zag Spin
• Toy Story Parachute Drop
• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth 

to name but a few. 

On top of this, there are rides in Paris that have different overlays and themes compared to other versions around the world. For instance Disneyland Paris has Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, a Stars Wars themed version of Space Mountain, Phantom Manor a take on the classic Disney Haunted Mansion and the Twilight zone tower of terror which is the scariest version of this ride around the world. 

On top of that Disneyland Paris has the best Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride anywhere in the world. 

Given all of these unique things I think it is worth visiting Disneyland Paris even if you have been to Florida or California. However if you still need convincing have a look below at the type of traveller you are and how it would fit into your travel itinerary to work out if it is a good idea for you to go to Disneyland Paris. 

Is A Day Trip to Disneyland Paris Worth it?

Is a day trip to Disneyland Paris worth it? I would say this depends on where you are coming from and how long you have at your desired destination as to whether it is worth taking a day out of your itinerary to go to Disneyland Paris. 

In my opinion there is really only one places that you can take a day trip to Disneyland Paris from and that is Paris. 

A day trip to Disneyland Paris from Paris is actually very easy to do and will only take an hour to get from central Paris to Disneyland Paris. If you have room in your itinerary to take a day trip from Paris to Disneyland Paris the I definitely think a day trip is worth it as it is easy to do. 

However, I don’t think a day trip to Disneyland Paris is worth it from further afield including London. That is not because of Disneyland Paris, but because of the amount of time you need in the park to make the most of your day.

Therefore if you are coming from further afield to make the most of your Disneyland trip I would recommend staying overnight to make it worthwhile.

It is also worth noting here that I think day trips are more worthwhile in summer as opposed to winter at Disneyland Paris. Now that isn’t because I don’t think you will have a great time at Disneyland Paris in December – because the truth is Christmas at Disneyland Paris is amazing but the park hours are greatly reduced to those in summer. 

For instance in Disneyland Paris in August the park opening hours are (at time of writing) 9:30am – 11pm, with the park opening for extra magic time at 8:30am and are 9:30am – 9PM at the Walt Disney Studios Park (with extended hours to 10:30Pm for the avengers campus). 

Whereas in the Winter Disneyland Paris tends to operate a reduce schedule such as 10.00 till 7PM on weekdays, up to 10PM at weekends  and opening until 6PM to 8PM at the Studios Park with extra magic hours. Therefore you get more time to make the most of only a day in the park visiting in summer to winter. 

So although I wouldn’t say it isn’t worth doing a day trip to Disneyland Paris in Winter, but you will get more time if you do it in summer. 

For our 1 day 2 parks itinerary check out this post which will maximise you time in the park. But if you have longer in the parks check out our other itinerary ideas:

• 1 day Disneyland Paris itinerary
• Disneyland Paris 2 day itinerary

For information on how to get from central Paris, specifically Gare Du Nord to Disneyland Paris check out this post. 

Is Disneyland Paris Worth it if you don’t speak French?

One of the biggest worries people have about visiting Disneyland Paris is that they won’t get the maximum out of it if they don’t speak French. However you needn’t worry about this. 

In our experience all cast members at Disneyland Paris speak English. While shows and rides with speaking parts such as Star Tours and even the character meet and greets in Disneyland Paris will be conducted in dual English and French. 

Therefore as long as you speak English or French you don’t have to worry about a language barrier at Disneyland Paris.

Is Disneyland Paris Worth it for Adults?

Disneyland, wherever you are in the world is commonly associated with children and family travel. However is Disneyland Paris worth it for adults? 

In my opinion it absolutely is.

There are lots of unique rides so adult travelers who have been to other parks will enjoy and rides with a high height requirement that really only adults can ride – I’m looking at you Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril roller coaster with your 1 metre 40 height requirement.

On top of that there are some great dining experiences and some great bars and restaurants that are more aimed at the adult audience. 

Therefore the combination of adult orientated scary rides and thrill rides as well as dining and other experiences for me makes a trip to Disneyland Paris worth it for adults.

You could also consider timing your Disneyland day trip for one of the special themed seasons such as Christmas or visiting Disneyland Paris in October for Halloween. 

Is Disneyland Paris Worth it for Pregnant Travellers

Are you considering traveling to Disneyland Paris pregnant and are worried that it isn’t worth it? Well the truth is that if you do decide to travel to Disneyland pregnant you will be limited in terms of the rides you can do. 

Many of the best rides at Disneyland Paris prohibit pregnant riders because of danger to unborn babies and will invalidate your insurance if you ride and there is a problem. The truth is if your aim at the park is to get on the rides then it really isn’t worth going to Disney pregnant because there is a lot you can’t do. 

However if you are interested in the shows, the character meet and greets and soaking up the atmosphere it can be worth it but it really depends on what you want to do in the park to whether it would be worth it for you. 

For more information on our tips for visiting Disneyland Paris pregnant check out this post. 

Should I go to Disneyland Paris with a baby

Should you go to Disneyland Paris with a baby? Will it be worth it? Similarly to traveling to Disneyland Paris pregnant, traveling to Disneyland Paris with a baby can be worth it but it really depends on what you want to do and achieve at your time in the park. 

Any baby at Disneyland won’t remember their time there but you will get some really cute shots at Meet and greets taking your baby to the park. Also you can utilise ride swap at Disneyland Paris when traveling with a baby but it will mean separating your party. 

So is it worth traveling to Disneyland Paris with a baby? I would say it depends on who else you are traveling with and what you want to do in the parks as to whether it will be worth it for you. 

Is Disneyland Paris Worth it For toddlers 

The is always an age about the best age to visit Disneyland Paris but for me one of the best times to visit Disneyland Paris is when your children are toddlers.  Visiting Disneyland Paris with toddlers or young children is a truly magical age for me as toddlers really appreciate the Disney magic in the parks. 

The meet and greets and special as your little one meets their favorite character and the shows and parades will have them enthralled. 

It is true that they won’t me able to go on every ride in the park but actually they will be able to ride more than they can’t. For me traveling to Disneyland Paris with toddlers is more than worthwhile. 

To find out more on visiting Disneyland Paris with toddlers including the best toddler friendly Disneyland Paris rides click here. 

Is Disneyland Paris Expensive to Visit? 

No trip to any Disney around the world is a budget friendly day out. However when looking at how expensive Disneyland Paris is to visit, I would say it depends on where you are comparing it too.

For instance a visit to Disneyland Paris is way cheaper than a visit to Disney World in terms of both park tickets and for staying at  Disney hotels. However it is more expensive than Tokyo.

It will also depend on the time of year you visit as to how expensive it is to visit. If you are worried about visiting Disneyland Paris on a budget check out this post.

Remember you need dated tickets for guaranteed Disneyland Paris entry! If you don’t have tickets included in your accommodation or package, check out ticket prices here. 

Is Disneyland Paris as good as Disney World?

Now we have looked at different types of travellers we will consider if Disneyland Paris is worth it if you have been to other parks. We are often asked “Is Disneyland Paris as good as Disney World?” And my answer is it is different. 

Disneyland Paris only has two parks – Parc Disney and Walt Disney Studios Park whereas Disney World has 4 (Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios). Therefore the experience isn’t as large however this doesn’t mean its worse. 

And even though the park is smaller there are still some unique things at Disneyland Paris. 

If you live in Florida or California I wouldn’t make a special trip to Disneyland Paris however if you are in Paris and want a day trip then I would still go. 

So now you know that you want to go to Disneyland Paris you may have other questions about the park such as is the Disneyland Paris meal plan worth it? 

We will look at some of the questions about visiting in detail here. 

Is Staying on site worth it at Disneyland Paris?

We always recommend staying on site at one of the Disneyland Paris hotels as opposed to a local hotel because of extra perks. 

By staying at an on-site hotel you get Extra Magic Hours, basically giving you an extra hour in the parks before off-site guests arrive. We usually get some of the rides with the longest queues done in the time such as the Peter Pan Flight in the Disneyland Park or Crush’s Coast in the Studios Park. 

On top of this, on-site guests also get in hotel meet and greets with some of your favorite characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Donald and Goofy to name but a few. 

For this reason we recommend staying on site if your budget can stretch to it. 

Is Walt Disney Studios Worth it?

Disneyland Paris has two parks, the Disneyland Park which is most akin to the original Disneyland park, and the Walt Disney Studios park. 

If you only have one day in the parks most people will choose to visit the Disneyland Park as it has the most attractions, parade and fireworks. But is the Walt Disney Studios with it? 

We think so! The Walt Disney Studios park has some of the most unique rides in the parks, and is great if you have a Pixar fan in your group. The Studios has rides and meet and greets relating to Toy Story, Cards and Monsters Inc. 

And if you are a fan of Marvel then this park is best for you with its newly opened Avengers Campus. 

Is the Disneyland Paris meal plan worth it? 

Whether or not the Disneyland Paris meal plan is worth it is dependent on a few factors. Firstly it depends on the budget you have, and how you plan to structure your itinerary. 

We tend to eat breakfast on the go and use mobile ordering to save time when we only have a few days in the park. Therefore for us it isn’t really worth it. 

However if you want to experience a range of Disney dining it may be worth it for you. 

Have you been to Disneyland Paris? Was it worth it for you?