Disneyland Paris is definitely a great family friendly trip. Some people will try to squash a Disneyland trip into one day, but we really think you need at least two days (possibly even three) to do the parks justice.
Getting there
There are official Disneyland shuttle buses that can transfer you from the airport to your hotel, but it's faster to do the TGV (12 min journey and cheaper too). If you're short on time, trying to budget or you don't have too much luggage, TGV is the better option.
Where to stay
If you’re visiting Paris for a week and plan to spend a couple of days in Disneyland, you can stay in the city and take the RER to the park each day.
However, if you’re planning a strictly 'Disney' trip, staying in one of the nearby Disneyland hotels is a must. The obvious benefit is that they are really close to the parks, which means less time wasted on travel . Also, hotel guests are able to enter the park an hour earlier each day, which means you can get to the top of the queue for your chosen popular ride.
If you have young kids, we definitely recommend staying close to the parks – you’ll thank us when they wear themselves out with all the walking and excitement and need a nap.
The attractions
Disneyland Paris has two parks: Disneyland Park and the Walt Disney Studios Park. Disneyland Park is the priority for most people, as it caters for fans of the classic Disney movies and also has Sleeping Beauty’s castle.
However, in our opinion, Walt Disney Studios Park is well worth a visit. containing lots of exciting rides and attractions for fans of Disney Pixar movies, like Toy Story and Finding Nemo.
There's a huge selection of rides and attractions for kids or all ages. For slightly older children, some great rides include:
While some rides aren’t suitable for younger children, there are plenty of attractions that the whole family will enjoy. In fact, we refuse to believe there is a single person in this world that won’t fall in love with Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland.
Where we ate
Food at Disneyland has improved dramatically since our last family trip to the Parisian park. For years, food was awful and seemed to be just nuggets, burgers and chips, but now they have a variety of restaurants that have salads and healthier offering. While food can be pricey, you can actually feed everyone without breaking the bank just by being a little savvy.
On our first day, we bought hot dogs from a van for lunch to save time and money - we were then able to bring these with us while we watched the stunt show.
That night we ate at The Steakhouse in the Disney Village. It’s not cheap but they do have a kids menu and you can keep costs down for adults by just eating a main course and filling up on French baguette.
On our second day, we arrived at the park when it opened so we needed a big feed by the time lunch came around. We ate at the Pizzeria Bella Notte, which had a great salad and pasta offering. You can order from a set menu, which offers mains, salad, drink and dessert, or you can order individual courses. The kids loved it as characters wander through the restaurant messing with diners, which was fun.
That night we ate at the Blue Lagoon Restaurant and just had mains to keep costs down. This is a fab restaurant as it is on/in/beside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, which the kids really enjoyed. We ate here at 6pm to avoid queues.
MummyPages Tip: Ask for a waterside table, book ahead and just order mains.
The last time we were in Disneyland Paris, the coffee was shocking; however you'll be glad to know that they now make delicious cups of coffee, which make a welcome break for Mum and Dad.
Top tips from our trip
#1: It can be cold right up to and beyond May - bring a jumper or coat as there are lockers should the weather turn good. The alternative is to buy clothes there and they are great quality but as you'd expect they aren't the cheapest.
#2: If you really are on a budget, we did see people bringing their lunch from their hotels (i.e. fruit, rolls filled with ham, etc) for their lunches. You can then grab a hot snack from a cart if you want something that feels more substantial.
#3: If budget allows, stay in a Disneyland hotel as that extra hour in the park will allow you to get on key rides before the queues form.
#4: Avoid French school holidays - seriously.
#5: If anyone in your travelling party has a disability or is pregnant, check with the park to see if you can be given a pass to skip queues.
For more top tips and hacks, check out Smart tips for families visiting Disneyland Paris.
