Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Paris for Toddlers (including best Disneyland Paris rides for toddlers)

We have just got back from visiting Disneyland Paris with our toddler and had a fantastic time. However I know that a lot of people wonder what there is at Disneyland Paris for toddlers and whether this is the best age to visit Disneyland Paris. In this guide we round up what there is at Disneyland Paris for toddlers, our top tips for visiting Disneyland Paris with toddlers and of course the best Disneyland Paris Rides for toddlers.

Tips for Visiting Disneyland Paris With Toddlers or Babies 

You might be wondering is it worthwhile taking toddlers or babies to disneyland Paris and wondering how to make the most out of your time in the parks. IN this sections of the guide I will outline our top tips for visiting Disneyland Paris with toddlers or babies in tow 

Travel off peak

One of the benefits about visiting Disneyland Paris with a toddler is that you aren’t beholden to school holidays (unless they have older siblings). If you can travel off peak out of the school holidays you won’t have to face the crowds and are likely to get a better deal on accommodation and transport to the parks.

Decide if you want to visit one or two parks

Disneyland Paris is compromised of two sites – the traditional Disneyland Paris and the Walt Disney Studios Paris (most similar to California Adventure). If you only have one day in the park I would just choose to do one park – likely the Disneyland as this has most toddler friendly rides. However if you have two or more days then I would definitely recommend doing both parks! 

It is essential to book your tickets for Disney in advance to save on queuing. Click here for one park tickets and click this link for two park tickets options !

Decide if you want to stay on site

There are definitely advantages to staying on site. You don’t have to get public transport in the morning, you are a short walk from the park so if you need to pop back for nap times you can and above all you get Early Magic Hours (known as EMH in the Disney communities). This gets you in the park a hour before the non on-site guests. This means you can do things like the Princess Pavilion and rides that get big queues before the main crowds arrive. 

You can check the onsite hotels here! 

However the only downside to these hotels is they are more expensive than off site hotels. As we booked last minute during the summer holidays we stayed off site on our last visit at Val D’Europe. There are plenty of budget options available such as the Ibis Budget (where we stayed) – it is basic but we only used to sleep and shower in .

You can check reviews and pries for the Ibis Budget here!

For more tips on visiting Disneyland Paris on a budget check out this post. 

There are also Airbnbs and apart hotels available should you want to cater yourself. Val D’Europe is next to the train station and literally takes minutes to get to the park nd is a great option for families visiting Disneyland Paris on a budget. 

You can look at reviews for hotels in Val D’Europe here. 

Make Use of Early Magic Hours 

If you do decide to stay on site be sure to make use of the early magic hours and do rides that get big queues first – Buzz Lightyear, Ratatoille, Peter Pan, Dumbo. The princess pavilion is another that gets huge queues so this should be done in EMH if you have them. 

Use Lineberty

Lineberty is the way to book character interactions in the Walt Disney Studios. You can’t meet a character there without an appointment. Have this downloaded and be sure to keep refreshing as soon as the time hits as slots will book within a minute of opening. 

For a full list of apps you need for your Disneyland Paris trip check out our post. 

Take Snacks  

Snacks are expensive at Disney and there is nothing worse than a Hangry toddler in a queue. Be sure to pack plenty to keep your toddler happy and save your pennies. 

Book Character Dining in Advance and decide if you want a meal plan

Whenever I am travelling with my toddler one of my main concerns is about food. What good is available and what selection of food is available. At Disneyland Paris you can almost be overwhelmed bu the choices of food on offer. There are so many options in the parks to eat at but should you get a meal plan and do you want to do any character dining. Most of the reservation systems for  character dining and restaurant bookings at Disneyland Paris open 60 days before. Be sure to mark this date in your calendar if you have a particular experience and time in mind. 

Meal plans can be a great way of saving money if you are planning to eat at the park for most of your meals. As we were only there for a limited time we opted to just eat one meal at the park and took our own snacks and breakfast which was a great cost save. Next time we will use a meal plan however as we will be staying longer and eating more on site. 

To check out whether a meal plan will be a cost saving to you click here for rates and details. 

If you want some ideas for better Disney character interactions check out our post on questions to ask Disney Princesses. 

Bring Pull Ups 

Another big concern for me when travelling with my potty trained toddler is having access to toilets. My advice is to make sure you take a toilet break after every ride but have some pull ups in your backpack just in case they get desperate in a queue. 

Take Layers 

The weather at Disneyland Paris is far more temparemental compared to other Disneyland parks around the world so my biggest packing tip for the paris park is to have layers.

For more Disneyland Paris packing tips click here! 

Buy Costumes at Home in Advance 

One of the things I noticed was that when my little girl was in costume she got greater interactions especially during the parade when Ariel came over to her when dressed as the little mermaid. We bought the costume from home and it was much cheaper than the costumes on sail in the park. 

The best prices we found for Disney costumes were on amazon and there is a great range of characters. Click here for details. 

For more information on what to pack and what to wear to Disneyland Paris check out this post. 

Plan Plan and Plan Some More

One of the things I have come to accept about disney is that isn’t the most relaxing holiday especially in the lead up but in my opinion it is well worth it when you are there. Knowing which rides have a FastPass, what rides have the longest queues, knowing which characters you want to meet and which ones you have to use Lineberty for will definitely mean you can fit more into your day. We have a full Disneyland Paris Planning guide which will take you right from booking planning tips up to planning your time in the park here. 

One way to take the stress out of planning your day is to check out our one day and two day park itineraries and use that as a base for your day. 

Should I take a stroller to Disneyland Paris? 

This was one of the biggest debates we had before we went to Disneyland Paris was should we take a stroller. In the end we decided not to and this was the right decision for us. At 3.5 years old my daughter never uses a stroller at home anymore, doesn’t nap and both my husband and I are happy to have her on our shoulders. However do not underestimate the amount of walking involved at the parks and if in doubt I would say err on the side of caution and take the stroller with you. 

If you don’t and discover you need one while you are there there are strollers to rent for about 20 Euros a day. 

If you do decide to take a stroller I recommend taking a stroller lock with you – like this one – as there have been reported cases of stroller theft. 

For more Disney stroller hacks check out this post. 

Make use of the Baby Care Centre

If you are travelling to Disneyland Paris with baby or even a toddler you might want to use the Baby Care Centre located just off Main Street in Disneyland Paris or behind Studio Services at Walt Disney Studios. This is a great place to go if you need some downside to feed or get baby off to sleep. 

Make use of the Baby Swap 

If you are travelling to Disneyland Paris with a baby or toddler and want to go on some of the larger rollercoasters that they aren’t able to then make use of the baby swap. One parent queues while the other waits with the baby. This way you won’t have to queue twice for the same ride. 

Watch Disney Movies before you go 

One of the thing that really enriched my toddlers experience was being familiar with a range of Disney movies. Of course she had her favourites when we booked – looking at you Toy Story but being familiar with some other characters she’d not seen before really helped elevate her experience. 

Best Disneyland Paris Rides for toddlers 

Disneyland Paris has some great rides and some attractions are completely unique to Paris but not all of them are suitable for toddlers. In this section of the guide we will round up the best Disneyland Paris rides for toddlers and even break them down by category such as the best Disneyland Paris rides for 4 year olds, the best Disneyland Rides for 5 year olds, the best Disneyland Paris rides without height restrictions and those rides that you may want to exercise some caution in riding if you have a toddler with a nervous disposition. 

Fantasyland Rides for Toddlers 

If you are looking for the best Disneyland Paris rides for toddlers your first stop should be Fantasyland. Fantasyland at Disneyland Paris has the highest density of rides suitable for toddlers and many without any height restrictions at all. Here are the rides your toddler can ride in fantasyland with some added information about height restrictions, scary moments and more! 

• It’s a Small World 
  
  When I think about Disneyland one of the rides I always think about it It’s a Small World. It is a bit of a marmite ride with a song that will undoubtedly stick in your head for the whole day but it is a great ride for toddlers at Disneyland Paris as there is absolutely no height restriction. You can even go on this if you are travelling to Disneyland Paris with a baby. Another great thing about this ride is that you can sit 4 or 5 abreast meaning even larger families can sit together on this ride. 
• Peter Pan’s Flight
  Another iconic at Disneyland and perhaps the most popular ride in Fantasyland. This is the only ride in this area with a fast pass option and I recommend you using this. When we were there in August we waited 20 minutes to get on this ride even with a fast pass while the regular queue was 90 minutes long. This ride doesn’t have a height restriction but because of the bar you can not travel on this ride if pregnant. For this ride you will board a magical pirate ship and will soar through the Darling Children’s Bedroom, over London at night until you finally arrive at Neverland to see the events of the film unfold. For this ride we managed to sit two adults and our toddler on the same boat. 
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant 
  
  Another classic Disney ride. Unfortunately there was no fast pass available for this ride and the lowest queue time we saw when travelling to Disneyland Paris in August was 40 minutes. I therefore recommend trying to get this done during Early Magic Hours if you have them. On this ride you are in control of how high or low you want to fly which is great for toddlers who might be more nervous. This was another ride where we were able to sit two adults and a toddler in one elephant. 
• Lancelot’s Carousel 
  
  This is one of my toddler’s favourite rides at Disneyland Paris and has one of the shortest queues in the park. The longest we saw during our stay was a 20 minute queue. Please note with small children you may be asked to stand next to them while they ride. 
• Mad Hatters Tea Cups 
  
  This classic ride is another one on Fantasyland where the queues can get large and is advisable to get on early. Board your cup and decide how quickly you want to spin. Unfortunately for me my toddler likes to spin!
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (sometimes written as Blanche Neige et les Sept Nains) 
  Board a four person mining car and follow the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. While this ride doesn’t have a height restriction it is perhaps more suited as a ride at Disneyland Paris for 4 year olds. There are a couple of scary moments on this ride including where the Wicked Queen Transforms into an old hag which some younger toddlers might find scary. We did this ride with our 3 year old and she was fine but if your child is of a nervous disposition you may want to avoid this ride. 
• Pinnochio 
  This is another 4 person ride where you follow the story of the original film. The queue for this one also can get long so it is good to get this done during EMH. 
• Casey Junior – Le Petit Train du Cirque
  This ride is probably the closest you will get to a toddler friendly rollercoaster at Disneyland Paris. You will board the Casey Junior Circus Train from Dumbo and travel around a fairytale land (it shares landscape with the Story Book Canals). 
• Story Book Land Canal Boat (Le Pays des Contes de Fee)
  This gentle boat ride will take you around all of the fairytale landscapes from your favourite Disney films from seeing Belle reading next to her village fountain, Rapunzel in her tower to entering the Cave of Wonders from Aladdin. This ride has no height restrictions and is suitable for even the smallest children making this one of the best Disneyland Paris rides for 1 year olds.

Other Fantasyland Attractions for Toddlers at Disneyland Paris

In my opinion Fantasyland is the best land for toddlers at Disneyland Paris not just because of the wealth of rides with no height restrictions but also because of the other attractions for young children in this area. They include: 

• Mickey Mouse Meeting 
  Be warned the queue for this is usually long – the shortest wait time we saw for this was 60 minutes. However the great thing about this is that the queue is completely inside which makes this a perfect activity to do at Disneyland Paris in the rain or during the hottest part of the day. Please note: This is just Mickey Mouse not Minnie. 
• Princess Pavillion 
  The Princess Pavillion while we were at Disneyland paris consistently had the longest wait times of anything including rides with minimum waiting times between 75-90 minutes. If you have early magic hours and your toddler is a princess fanatic I would recommend heading straight to this. Otherwise be prepared for a wait but as with the Mickey Mouse Meeting the Princesses queue is interior making in perfect to hide away from rain or getting out of the worst of the heat!
  
• Disneyland Castle 
• We have been lucky enough to visit Tokyo Disneyland, Disneysea, California Disneyland and Hong Kong Disney with our toddler and I have to say that out of all the castles the Disneyland Paris castle is my favourite! It is spectacularly beautiful and there is lots to do inside from actually touring the castle and seeing the beautiful stained glass windows to visiting the dragon under the castle (this is a completely unique attraction for Disneyland Paris). However be warned the latter may scare some younger children. My three year old liked it but I can see that it might cause tears in some younger children. 
  
• Alice’s Labyrinth 
  Follow the white rabbit down the rabbit hole and into the Wonderland where you will meet the Queen of Hearts, and her shoulders and at the end will be awarded with great views of the park from her castle! 
  

Discoveryland Rides for Toddlers at Disneyland Paris

After Fantasyland the best area we found for toddlers was Discoveryland with two rides being especially great for littles They are: 

• Buzz Lightyear’s Laser Blast
  
  This ride was up there as one of my toddlers favourites so if you are looking for Disneyland Paris rides for 3 year olds then this one is going to be a big hit! On this ride you board your space cruiser (you can just about fit two adults and a toddler in a cruiser but it was a bit tight) where there are two laser blasters and a control for moving your cruiser. As you go round the track you have to blast the items with the logo of Emperor Zorg. There is a counter on your dashboard which will keep track of your score and I am sure would get competitive if you have older children. At the end of the ride you will be given a Space Cadet ranking. This ride gets exceptionally busy especially at peak times but it is one of the toddler friendly rides at Disneyland Paris that has a fast pass. My advice is to grab this as soon as you enter the park. When we went to ran to this ride got a fast pass, boarded the orbitron and then went on Buzz all before 11am. 
• Orbitron
  
  The Orbitron is similar to the Dumbo Ride in that it is a flying ride you control yourself for height but this time you board a rocket. Unlike Dumbo however you can only fit two people in a rocket.
• Autopia 
  The last ride in Discoveryland that is suitable for toddlers. Unfortunately on our visit and currently this ride is closed for maintenance. It is meant to reopen late 2019 and we are hoping on our next visit to Disneyland Paris in December that we will get chance to ride this. The basic premise of this ride is a drive yourself car experience. Toddlers are allowed on this ride if they are 81cm tall (32 inches) so long as they accompanied by someone over 132cm. Children who are 132cm or taller can ride by themselves.  
• Les Mysteres du Nautilus 
  Another ride that is currently closed. On this ride you go into the world of Jules Verne and board his submarine the Nautilus. We hope to ride this on our next visit as I think my toddler would really enjoy it. 

Adventureland Rides for Toddlers at Disneyland Paris

• Pirates of the Caribbean 
  This technically another ride that toddlers can go on but it is one that I would ride with caution. While some children will love it, the darkness, pirates and bangs may scare some younger children. We didn’t ride this on our last visit as the queue was quite long but I think on our next visit my little one will be ready to ride it as a four year old. 

Frontierland Rides for Toddlers at Disneyland Paris

• Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing 
  Another of the rides that is suitable for the whole family. Take the Mark Twain steam boat on a tour of frontierland and take in views of some of the lands best rides such as Thunder mountain. This is a nice tame ride so even if you have a toddler of a more nervous disposition they are sure to love this gentle tour of Frontierland. 

Walt Disney Studios Paris Rides for Toddlers

Disneyland Paris now has two sites. The first is the original Disneyland but the other is Walt Disney Studios. You have to buy tickets to include both sites otherwise you will just be allowed in one of the park. If you are wondering if it is with visiting Walt Disney Studios Paris as well as Disneyland with toddlers I would definitely say yes as there are great shows and also some rides and lands based on films toddlers love – Toy Story, Ratatouile and Aladdin to name a few. We were really glad that we got tickets to both parks. So without further ado here are the Walt Disney Studios Paris rides that are suitable for toddlers: 

• Flying Carpets over Agrabah
  This ride is very similar to Dumbo and Orbitron in the main park but this time you ride a carpet. There are two seats in the front and two in the back. One set of seats control the height while the other controls the tilt of the carpet. If you have one person who doesn’t want to ride then there is a great photo area next to the genie statue where you can take some really lovely photos of your toddler riding the magic carpet over Agrabah.
• Slinky Dog Zig Zag Spin
  Another of my toddlers favourite rides at Walt Disney Studios Paris. You can sit three abreast as slinky dog chases his own tail over a bumpy circular track. This is one of the best Disneyland Paris rides for 2 year olds.
• Ratatouille 
  
  If you want to ride this 4d adventure be sure to grab your fast passes for this on arrival as this ride has one of the longest waits in the studio. In this ride you can sit three abreast with your toddler and you are shrunk down to the size of a rat and follow Remy on his tour through the kitchen as you are chased and sprayed with water on this ride. It is a really lovely ride but if you get motion sickness it is one to avoid. 
  
• Cars Quatre Roues Rallye 
  A must for any Cars fan. Unfortunately this was closed during our stay and is in 2019 but we hope torrid on our next visit. ON this ride you will jump into your favourite vehicle and speed road the track. 
• Toy Story Parachute Drop
  If your toddler is over 81cm then there are free to go on this Toy Story soldiers themed ride. In this ride you learn to parachute with the toy soldiers. If your toddlers don’t like heights this would be one to avoid. I would say this is probably one of the better Disneyland Paris rides for 3 year olds than two year olds. 

The one ride that surprised me at Walt Disney Studios Paris was the Crush’s Coaster. This Nemo themed ride actually has quite a high minimum height requirement at 1.07m and my little girl was devastated she couldn’t go on the one Nemo ride. If you have a tall toddler then show them the ride first as it is quite quick and be sure to download the game to play in the queue which can get quite long. If you are going to do this I would go there during early magic hours if you can. 

What Else is there at Disneyland Paris for Toddlers 

Overall we found that are actually a lot od Disneyland Paris rides toddlers can go on. But rides aren’t the only attractions at Disneyland Paris for young kids. In this section we will look at all the other things that you can do in both parks at Disneyland Paris for toddlers. 

• Disneyland Railroad 
  I debated for a long time whether to include this in the ride section but for me it isn’t a ride but it is a great way of exploring the park without having to have your little ones walk great distances as it travels around the site. 
• Character Meetings 
  One of the best things to do at Disneyland Paris for three year olds and up is meeting the characters. We did  some character meetings on previous visits to Disney but now my little one is three she definitely appreciates them more. Mickey and the Princesses have their own indoor meeting areas in FAnstasyland but there are other meetings toddlers will love. The one we were desperate to do was Jessie in Frontier land. Be warned though if you want to do character meetings in the Walt Disney Studios Paris you will need to download the lineberty app and book a slot. These go very quickly (within a minute for character such as Buzz Lightyear and Minnie) so be sure to be on your phone for when the slots open at 9:45am and 12:30am. 
• Shows
  The shows at Disneyland Paris are spectacular and very toddler friendly. If you are travelling between February and September be sure to watch the Mickey and the Magician Show in the Studios and check your programme for what other shows are on during your stay. 
• Parades
  The parade at Disney is spectacular! If you want to get a good seat be sure to get there at least 30 minutes before. There is a seating area for children on the Discoveryland side of the Castle which is good for toddlers but not great for photos as you will be battling the sun. Our favourite place is to go outside Bella Note Restaurant as there are toilets nearby and your child can sit on the floor to watch. You are first to see the parade which means you can also get back into fantasyland very quickly when its finished. 
  

Is Disneyland Paris good for toddlers?

So is Disneyland Paris good for toddlers? Is Is Disneyland Paris good for 3 year olds? In our opinion absolutely yes! There are loads of toddler friendly rides at Disneyland Paris, and with the character meetings, shows and parades your toddler is sure to have a good time! 

FAQS about visiting Disneyland Paris with toddlers and Babies 

What are the Disneyland Paris rides for babies? 

If you want to know which Disneyland Paris rides for babies you can go on you will need to check which ones have no height restrictions. The Disneyland Paris rides for babies I would recommend are the ones on boats such as Its a Small World and the Fairytale Boats as this are very gentle with no loud noises and often have short queues. 

What is a good Disneyland Paris itinerary for toddlers? 

Great question – we have written down our one day and our two day Disneyland itinerary for you to follow. We got all of the above rides done on our trip and think we utilised our time well. 

What are the non scary Disneyland Paris rides? 

Of the toddler friendly rides at Disneyland Paris I would say only a few are scary (not counting if your child has a fear of heights). If you want non scary Disneyland Paris I would recommend avoiding 

• Pinocchio
• Pirates of the Caribbean 
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarves