In this visiting Disneyland Paris in August Tips guide we will round up everything that will help make your vacation magical at the Happiest place on Earth even during one its busiest months of the year. We cover everything from where to stay, what to do and our best Disneyland Paris Hacks to get around the heat.
Is August a good time to visit Disneyland Paris?
visiting Disneyland Paris in August tips
Are you wondering “Is August a good time to visit Disneyland Paris”? The answer for me is Yes and No. We have been to Disneyland Paris throughout the year and the biggest downside to Disneyland Paris in August has to be crowds.
And the weather, depending on your tolerance for heat can be both a pro or a con. However would I go to Disneyland Paris inAugust again? Yes I would but there are definitely strategies that make it better – here they are
Is it Busy at Disneyland Paris in August? Disneyland Paris crowd Calendar
Disneyland Paris in August is actually one of the busiest times of year to visit – though not actually the busiest. Disneyland Paris in December is actually the busiest time in my experience, closely followed by Easter.
Visiting Disneyland Paris in August comes next in terms of business. However the crowds in August aren’t always the same.
The Disneyland Paris Crowd Calendar for August tells us that August is busier at the beginning of the month than at the end. That is because at the beginning of August the British, French, Dutch, Spanish and German school children have their summer holidays. Basically every European country has a holiday at the start of August.
However, although British schools don’t go back to school until September, other European countries go back to school from the middle to end of August so it will start to get quieter as the month goes on.
Another important date in the Disneyland Paris Crowd Calendar for August is the 15th August which is the Assumption of Mary day which is a national holiday.
Remember if your visit to Disneyland Paris spreads over two months be sure to check out our other monthly guide for further weather and special event information:
Therefore in answer to is is busy at Disneyland Paris in August the answer is undoubtedly yes. However it isn’t all bad
What is the Disneyland Paris in August Weather?
The Disneyland Paris weather in August can be both a pro or a con depending on your feelings about the heat. However you can mostly expect great weather and little rain at Disneyland Paris in August.
Is it hot at Disneyland Paris in August?
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Usually the weather at Disneyland Paris in august is on average around 20ºC but will often hover around the mid twenties and even reach the 30s on a hot year.
If you are from London, then you can expect the weather in Paris to mirror the weather in London. As you know we are known to get very hot days in August in London so you can expect the same from Paris so although the above are the averages you can definitely get outliers.
Last time we visiting Disneyland Paris in August there was a heatwave and I have to say it was hot hot hot. Therefore it is important to think through what you pack for Disneyland Paris in August and plan your day to make use of the shade and get out of the Midday sun.
The evenings usually drop to around 14 – 15ºC. This is perfect for those who want to take advantage of the longer summer opening hours and see some of the best things to do in Disneyland Paris at Night attractions such as the illuminations and the fireworks.
Does it rain at Disneyland Paris in August?
The answer to does it rain at Disneyland Paris in August is it can but it is rare especially compared to other months. On average Disneyland Paris receives about 65mm of rain in August. These are usually as showers rather than as huge downpours.
Therefore if you are visiting Disneyland Paris in August it is worth preparing for at least some showers. For more information on visiting Disneyland Paris in the rain tips check out this post.
Disneyland Paris in August Tips
Now that we have discussed what to expect from the weather in Disneyland Paris in August it is time to turn our attention to where to stay at Disneyland Paris in August, what to wear to Disneyland Paris and the best things to do in August at Disneyland Paris.
Note: For more general Disneyland Paris Tips and Tricks that aren’t season dependent click here.
Best places to stay at Disneyland Paris in August?
Now whatever time you decide to visit Disneyland Paris I recommend staying at one of the on-site hotels if you can afford to.
The benefits of staying at one of the on-site hotels is that
- It is closer to the park so most can be walked to
- you get early magic hours
Now these are important as if you are wanting to Disneyland Paris with toddlers or perhaps you are visiting Disneyland Paris pregnant there is a chance you may want to make use of your hotel room for naps etc especially given the long summer opening hours. This is much easier to do with a hotel that is in walking distance to the park. (Click here for our post on hotels you can walk to Disneyland Paris from).
Also, and perhaps my favorite reason to stay at a Disneyland Paris on-site hotel is the fact that you get Early Magic Hours. For those who don’t know, this means you get access to the park an hour before the people staying in an off site hotel.
This is a huge benefit anytime of year but especially in August when crowds are a peak. You will be able to do some of the Disneyland Paris rides with big queues such as Peter Pan’s Flight and Indiana Jones before the big crowds arrive. This is reason enough for me to stay on-site.
And as a third added bonus, some of the on-site Disneyland Paris hotels have pools which is a great way to cool down after a long and hot day in the parks. You can check out our Disneyland Paris hotels with pools post for more information on which ones have pools and which are the best.
Of course these hotels are at the pricey end so this is a nice to have but certainly not a necessity for visiting in August.
If you are visiting Disneyland Paris on a budget or the hotels on site are fully booked we recommend staying at Val d’Europe as this is very close to the parks and very convenient.
For more information on the best Disneyland Paris Hotel with toddlers click here.
What to pack for Disneyland Paris in August?
If you are wondering what to pack for Disneyland Paris in August my advice is to pack for heat but also have layers.
The days are hot at Disneyland Paris in August so you will want t shirts and shorts. We saw lots of people in denim shorts when we visited in August but I really don’t recommend this.
I would opt for looser fitting and breathable fabric shorts in place of denim. You will definitely be more comfortable in the heat in this type of short.
But above all you will definitely be wanting good shoes for Disneyland Paris. I usually opt for trainers or sneakers as the best shoes for Disneyland Paris. These are best for lots of walking.
And although it may be tempting to pack flip flops to keep your feet cool but these are not a good idea due to the lack of arch support. Therefore if you go for sandals I recommend something more breathable like Toms that also have good arch support.
I also recommend packing costumes and bringing them from home if your little ones wants to wear them. However I also recommend adding a spare outfit to your Disneyland Paris day bag as the material of the costumes isn’t very breathable so have something cooler for your little one to change into.
For a complete guide on what to wear in Disneyland Paris in August click here.
Best things to do at Disneyland Paris in August with air conditioning
There are lots of things to do at Disneyland Paris but in the August heat it is worth noting where the air conditioned attractions are and doing these during the worst heat of the day.
Watch Mickey and the magician
For me one of the best things to do at Disneyland Paris is watch the Mickey and the Magician Show at the Walt Disney Studios. This show isn’t all year but usually runs February – September and is a great thing to do in August at Disneyland Paris at it is an air conditioned attraction.
This spectacle is conducted in French and English simultaneously. It follows Mickey as he meets some of Disney’s most magical characters as he tries to learn the secrets of magic.
Top Disneyland Paris tip: The queues for this gets pretty long especially if you are there in summer. I’d get there at least 20 minutes before show time to ensure you get a good spot but it is great inside as it has great air conditioning.
Basically any of the indoor shows are a great thing to do in Disneyland Paris in August because they will have air conditioning (though I don’t like the Frozen show which you can read about later)
Ratatoutille
Disneyland Paris with toddlers and baby tips – best disneyland paris rides for toddlers – Ratattoille
Another completely unique attraction for Disneyland Paris that is located in the studios rather than main park. This 4d adventure will have you following Remy around on his culinary journey in Paris. And one of the best things about this ride is that most of its queue is interior.
I would normally advise riding this in Early Magic Hours as the queue gets long however due to its inside queue and air conditioning it is one of the more pleasant queues to be in.
Buzz Lightyear’s Astroblast
This is in my daughter’s top three favourite rides at Disneyland Paris and it is a great one for August as the queue is air conditioned.
Explore the Castle of Sleeping Beauty
Ultimate Disneyland Paris Tips and Tricks for a PERFECT trip including what to wear to Disneyland Paris
In my opinion the Castle of Sleeping Beauty at Disneyland Paris is in fact the most beautiful of all the Disneyland Castles on both the inside and outside. Be sure to fully explore the whole of the castle including
Meet the dragon under the castle
The Disneyland Paris Castle is the only castle in the world that has a dragon in the dungeons. It is one of my favorite things to do at Disneyland Paris but be warned it may be scary if you have sensitive little ones with you.
Watch the illuminations
The Disneyland Paris illuminations are an absolute must for your Disney bucket list and one of my favorite things about doing this in August is it is something that isn’t done during the heat.
Top Tip: If you are visiting during summer the illuminations and fireworks are on very late in the evening c.11pm. So if you are traveling with toddlers you may want to head back to the hotel in the afternoon to take a break.
Even if you aren’t traveling with littles it is worth thinking about heading back to the hotel especially if you have a pool at your hotel as a great way to break up the day and escape the August heat.
Meet the characters
Ultimate Disneyland Paris Tips and Tricks for a PERFECT trip – character meetings and photo passes
Meeting characters at Disneyland Paris is one of my favourite things to do in the parks. However if you are traveling in August you may want to consider prioritising character meet and greets who are inside i.e. the princesses in the princess pavilion or Mickey who has his own permanent indoor home.
When we were there last in August and my little girl wanted to meet Jessie – which is an exterior meet and greet we made sure we did this early in the day as there is not much shade nearby.
To get a great character interaction do check out our best questions to ask Disney princesses or our best questions to ask Disney Characters.
Have Lunch with the Princesses
Another great way to get out of the heat is to have a nice long lunch. There are many great restaurants at Disneyland Paris however if your budget can stretch to it we recommend doing the lunch at auberge de cendrillon.
If your littles are like my littles they really won’t want to be sitting down for a long lunch when there are rides and characters to meet however Auberge de cendrillon is the tonic to this.
This lunch is lunch with the princesses and is a great way to meet many of these characters without queuing at the Princess Pavilion.
Here you will meet a wide cross section of princesses and will mean you don’t have to wait at the Princess Pavilion which usually has a wait time of at least an hour no matter what time of year you go.
Do Some Shopping
Disney shops are amazing and are a disney lovers dream. Normally I would say wait until the end of the day to do my shopping but as the shops are air conditioned you might want to do them in the middle of the day.
Things to Avoid at Disneyland Paris in August
Frozen Show
Although the Frozen show is another air conditioned show however the queue is actually my least favorite in all of Disneyland Paris. It is unshaded and there is always a crush that gets hot and sticky. If you are desperate to do this make sure you do in the cooler parts of the day.
Also there are no seats in this show to add insult to injury.
Parade
Disneyland Paris Parade – Best Things to do in Disneyland Paris Bucket List
Ok this isn’t entirely a what not to do but just be sensible when you do this.
There are several parades at Disneyland Paris in August. The Parades are my favorite things to do in Disneyland Paris but I would recommend the evening ones if you are there during a heatwave as there is little shade on the parade route.
Outdoor Meet and Greets
If you want to do the outdoor meet and greets I recommend trying to do these early or later in the day as the outdoors meet and greets don’t offer any shade or cover.
Note: If you are visiting Disneyland Paris in a different month why not check out one of our other monthly guides:
Have you been to Disneyland Paris in August? What are your biggest tips for a trip in August?