Discover Disneyland Paris with our ultimate guide for first-timers

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris is based on real castles found in the Loire Valley — Photo courtesy of Disney

While you might be familiar with Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Walt Disney World in Orlando, visiting the parks on a different continent can be an entirely new experience. Here are some key things to know before you head to Disneyland Paris for the first time.

How do you get to Disneyland Paris?

Disneyland Paris is about 30 miles east of Paris and about 30 miles southeast of Charles de Gaulle Airport. The easiest way to get to the parks from Charles de Gaulle is via the high-speed TGV train, which is only about 12 minutes away and arrives at the Marne-la-Vallée Chessy train station next to the parks. You can also opt for the Magical Shuttle Bus from the Paris airports to the parks.

If you’re already in Paris, take the RER A train and be at Disneyland in about 30 minutes or use the Disneyland Paris Express bus, which leaves from three major locations in the city.

How many days do you need to visit Disneyland Paris?

Alice & the Queen of Hearts: Back to Wonderland is a colorful attraction at Disneyland Paris — Photo courtesy of Disney

Disneyland Paris has two parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. They’re not as large as those in the United States and can be experienced easily in two days. However, if you are staying at a Disneyland hotel, Disney automatically packages tickets to the parks with your stay. They include a day for each night of your stay, plus one extra.

We stayed two nights and found three days’ worth of tickets more than enough. Check out the Disneyland Paris park map to get an idea of the layout and the number of rides.

How much are Disneyland Paris tickets?

Experience the magic of Disney a la France — Photo courtesy of Disney

Tickets start at about $64 per person for one park and around $93 for two parks during the least expensive time of year, which is January. However, you can also find some of the cheapest tickets on various days from September through March. The summer months tend to be the most expensive. Children younger than age 3 are free.

All tickets for two days or more are good for entrance to both parks; if visiting both parks, you’ll save money when purchasing more than one day.

A great way to save on Disneyland Paris tickets and hotels is to compare pricing on the main Disneyland Paris website with the European-based Walt Disney Travel Company site to see if you can find a better deal — though you’ll need to convert Euros to dollars when comparing prices. (This is how we found better pricing for our trip.)

Also, I highly recommend adding Disney Premier Access, which is similar to buying a “Lightning Lane” at U.S. Disney parks. It allows you to enter an expedited line at certain busy attractions anytime. You can choose between two options: the Ultimate Pass includes all eligible attractions, while the One Pass is good for a single attraction at a designated time. We purchased the Ultimate Pass during our June visit and found it helpful in bypassing some really long lines on a hot summer day.

Other add-ons include purchasing guaranteed viewing areas for parades and evening shows or a guaranteed spot at their Broadway-style shows.

What are the best Disneyland Paris hotels?

Disney Hotel New York: The Art of Marvel has all the comforts a superhero needs — Photo courtesy of Lyn Mettler

We stayed at Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, one of the top Disneyland Paris hotels. Based on Marvel superheroes and with a New York City theme, this hotel has spacious, clean accommodations and is just a few minutes walk from the parks.

However, the best Disneyland Paris hotel is the very pretty-in-pink Disneyland Hotel, which was under renovation during our visit. This rare Disney hotel opens directly into Disneyland Paris, which makes it very convenient. (It also makes it easier to take breaks during the day.)

The Disneyland Hotel is an elegant, five-star property with Disney fairytale themes; it’s like stepping into Belle’s castle in “Beauty and the Beast.” You can enjoy fine dining at La Table de Lumière, inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The hotel’s closest American counterpart in design would be Disney’s Grand Floridian.

There are other Disneyland Paris hotels at varying price levels and non-Disney hotels near Disneyland Paris, such as Les Villages Nature Paris.

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What to see and do at Disneyland Paris

Rollercoasters like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril bring the adventure at Disneyland Paris — Photo courtesy of Disney

One of the most exciting aspects of visiting Disneyland Paris is its unique attractions, which differ from those in U.S. Disney parks. The Sleeping Beauty Castle tops the list.

It’s not quite as tall as you’d expect, but it’s incredibly unique and designed to imitate nearby castles in France’s Loire Valley. Unlike the Disney World or Disneyland castles in California, you can walk through the interior where you’ll find a retelling of “Sleeping Beauty,” beautiful stained glass windows designed by local artisans, and even a dungeon where the castle’s dragon awaits.

Another fantastic Disneyland Paris ride is Phantom Manor, the European version of Disney World’s Haunted Mansion. It has an American West theme, as it turns out Europeans are fascinated with the Wild West! The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is also tons of fun and unique because the train goes underneath a body of water during the ride.

Avengers Assemble: Flight Force adds a superhero vibe to Disneyland Paris — Photo courtesy of Disney

Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, the Parisian take on Space Mountain, is another must-ride. This ride is quite the thrill. It’s similar to Disney World’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster but a bit more jarring.

Other Disneyland Paris rides include the European Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World (which is much more colorful than our version, in my opinion), and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril.

At Walt Disney Studios Park, you’ll find Ratatouille: A Recipe for Adventure and Spider-Man W.E.B Adventure, as well as several rides unique to Paris, like the super cute Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop from the movie, “Toy Story”; Crush’s Coaster; and the Avengers Assemble: Flight Force roller coaster.

What’s the best Disneyland Paris dining?

Bistrot Chez Rémy makes you feel like the famous mouse chef — Photo courtesy of Disney

Disneyland Paris dining must be magnifique, no? You’ll find the best dining options at Walt Disney Studios Park, which features a miniature version of Epcot with food booths serving delicious options from around the world. Another great option is Bistro Chez Rémy, where you’re the size of a mouse, and everything around you is adorably larger than life.

You can book Disneyland Paris dining reservations at select restaurants up to two months ahead of your visit on the official website or in the Disneyland Paris app. You also can purchase your food from many restaurants via the app and pick it up when it’s ready instead of standing in line.

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If you prefer to purchase your dining ahead of time, you can choose from multiple meal plans. However, unless you’re dining at many sit-down restaurants during your vacation, you’ll save by skipping the meal plan.

Is Disneyland Paris worth it?

Author in front of the Disneyland Hotel, which opens directly into Disneyland Park — Photo courtesy of Lyn Mettler

Disneyland Paris isn’t on the same playing field as its American counterparts in terms of quality, variety, and even the immaculate cleanliness of Disney World and Disneyland.

However, you’ll want to see Disneyland Paris if you’re a Disney fan. It’s tough to beat its stunning castle, and seeing a European take on an American classic is fun. Plus, who doesn’t want to go to Paris?