Earlier this summer, while visiting Paris, my family spent a day visiting the two theme parks of Disneyland Paris. I know that Disney isn’t for everyone. Most people either hate Disney or love Disney. If you’re visiting Paris and are on the fence about allocating time to Disneyland Paris, here are some things to consider.
Cheaper than Disney Parks in USA
Tickets to Disneyland Paris are cheaper than tickets to the Disney parks in the United States. For example, for a single park-hopper ticket on a Saturday in October:
Disneyland Paris: $148
Disney World (Florida): $219
Disneyland (California: $224
Easy to Get To
Disneyland Paris is very easy to get to from Paris via public transportation. From our apartment near the Eiffel Tower, we rode on two trains for a total of one hour, including train transfer time. The train brings you right to the front gate.
Two Parks/One Day
Walt Disney Studios Park and Disneyland Park in Paris can easily be conquered in one day total, especially if you visit mid-week. We were there on a Thursday in late June, and we had no problem riding all the rides we wanted to ride. We didn’t even have to purchase Disney Premier Access (aka the paid version of the old Fast Pass system).
Different and More Thrilling Rides/Characters
One of the things I love most about visiting different Disney parks is comparing the rides and attractions. Many Disney fans know that even between the U.S. parks, the same rides are a little bit different. At Disneyland Paris, there are even more differences.
For example, Space Mountain has an inversion loop, as does the Indiana Jones ride. The park’s version of Pirates of the Caribbean is by far my favorite. Phantom Manor looks a bit different from the Haunted Mansion:
Pinnocchio and Geppetto are quite popular at Disneyland Paris:
As well as everything Alice in Wonderland:
And what is this?
Break from Museums and Monuments
Paris is full of wonderful museums, monuments, cathedrals and other really cool historic buildings. Those are great, but sometimes a family just needs a break from that. Visiting Disneyland Paris is a great way to experience some thrills and a change of pace from the typical Paris itinerary.
Now if you’re not a fan of Disney at all, I’d probably skip it. Instead, you can check out one of these other Paris theme parks for a change.
So, would you visit Disneyland Paris during a trip to Paris? Yay or Nay?
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
Coming from an Asia country, I have never been in Disneyland before T.T. Thanks for sharing
Awesome blog post! Thank you so much for sharing <3
Very interesting blog post to read and helpful also for travelers. Thanks for sharing.
Disneyland Paris is very nice but I highly recommend Parc Asterix. There is a paid shuttle bus service from CDG so you can easily get there without a car. It is a great park that felt very Disney-like because it is based on a comic book series called Asterix. It’s kind of like a blending of Six Flags with Disney.
@Fester My kids saw advertisements for Parc Asterix and really wanted to go! Unfortunately, we just didn’t have enough days in Paris. It looks cool, though.
You can also access Disney Paris via high speed train from CDG in about 11 minutes.
@DaninMCI Nice! That’s very quick.
That’s the very last thing I would do in Paris. But then again it is the last thing I would do anywhere. Seriously you have a enough amazing places to experience in Paris and you would waste a day waiting in lines to ride through dioramas? You can do that anywhere.
@Boraxo It’s not for everyone’s tastes. But it’s also not the Disneyland from the 1950s. There are plenty of coasters and thrill rides there, and the lines were very minimal at the end of June.
We also visited this summer, but in August and it was fairly crowded. Still managed to get on 9 major rides without paying for Premier Access. I really debated on whether to sacrifice one of our 2.5 days in Paris to go to Disney but it ended up being one of my favorite Disney days ever (and one of the best days of our two week trip to Europe). The Paris park is so beautiful! I’ve been there twice before but it had been 15 years and I was pregnant so couldn’t ride any of the thrill rides. Definitely enjoyed the inversions on Hyperspace, Indy, and Flight Force Avengers coaster this time as well as Big Thunder which is so cool how it’s on an island. Definitely my favorite version.
On our list, as well next Easter.
@Nat Yay!
It’s already on the list when we visit France in the spring. Two days, one for each park, because we have a mobility-impaired person and none of us have the stamina we used to be.
@Tracy I hope you enjoy both parks on your trip!
I’d consider it but a hundred and fifty bucks doesn’t exactly strike me as a raging bargain. Would you do it again?
Ha! I guess it’s only a bargain compared to the other Disney parks, relatively speaking. I’ve already been twice (once on honeymoon without kids, then with kids on this trip). I’d rather explore Disneyland locations in Asia before returning to Paris.