Are you going to Disneyland Paris for the first time? Do you only have one day to spend at the parks? Let’s look at how you can make the most of your day!
This week I visited Disneyland Paris for the first time. We decided last minute that we wanted to make this day trip so we didn’t have much time to plan! We are very familiar with Walt Disney World Orlando, as we visit multiple times a year, and found that the Paris park functions very similarly to its Orlando counterpart.
Arriving at the Park
Get to the park at opening. I would suggest arriving a half hour early. The first hour a Disney park is open is usually the least crowded. As more park goers start to trickle in, ride times increase. Before the gates open, have a game plan on what rides you want to prioritize and head there first.
The Parks
Disneyland Paris is made up of two parks, Walt Disney Studios Park and Disneyland Park. Unlike Walt Disney World Orlando, the parks are located right next to each other, no bus or transportation required. You are even already past security for both parks, you just need to scan in, and have a two park pass.
(For those who have been to Universal Orlando, the situation is just like that but closer together!)
Disneyland Park is home to the castle and the classic Disney rides like It’s a small world and Peter Pan. Walt Disney Studios Park is home to rides like those found on the Avengers Campus, Toy Story, Cars, and Crush’s Coaster.
Should I Get A Two Park Disneyland Paris Ticket?
I would definitely recommend getting the two park pass. It wasn’t a huge increase in money, and if you have both thrill seekers and those who want some tamer rides in your group it will be especially worth it to have this type of ticket.
Picking Attractions
If you have only one day at Disneyland Paris, you likely won’t be able to go on every single ride or see every show. What attractions are most important to you? If you are traveling with a group, I would suggest having each person pick their “must do” ride. Discussing prior to heading to the parks will cut down on any arguments and allow you to prioritize those rides over others that you wouldn’t mind missing.
Tip: Walt Disney Studios Park is typically less crowded in the afternoon. Around 2 or 3pm, many park goers start heading towards Disneyland Park and you will see a shift in wait times. To maximize your time, try and cover Disneyland Park as much as you can in the morning, then head over to Walt Disney Studios Park in the early afternoon.
Food
Are you all about the food or more about rides? Is having a sit down meal important to you? Sit down meals, especially character meals take a lot of time. For some, getting these moments with their favorites like the princesses create special memories. For others, they may find themselves tapping their feet hoping that the characters make their way over to their table more quickly. If you have just one day, think about what meals you will be eating in the park, and how long you would like to spend on each.
Use these food tips to maximize ride time:
- Bring your own breakfast to eat while waiting for the park to open on line. Bars, fruit, etc.
- Eat lunch a bit early if possible. Around 11:30am and order via the app for click and collect. As the crowds start to head for lunch at 12:30, you can hop on ride lines that will be less crowded!
- If you would like to do a sit down dinner, make a reservation ahead of time or order click and collect for dinner as well!
Disney Premier Access
Personally, I did not think that a Disney Premier Access Pass was necessary. If you are visiting during a summer weekend, you may find the pass well worth the money, however, you can also choose to buy single passes for rides when necessary. We bought a pass for Crush’s coaster and ratatouille and got on every ride we wanted to in one day, at both parks. If you are trying to stay on a budget, I would not recommend buying Premier Access.
Attraction Wait Times
At the time of posting, typically, the following rides have the longest wait times.
- Crush’s coaster
- Ratatouille
- Tower of Terror
- Big thunder mountain
- Peter Pan
- Hyperspace Mountain
However, new rides are constantly being added to the Disney Parks and a rides popularity can ebb and flow depending on new promotions, social media, and the type of visitors at the park. Download the park app leading up to your trip, and monitor the wait times on days similar to when you are visiting (Tuesdays will be different than Saturdays!) Doing so will allow you to have a better frame of reference on the wait times to expect and allow you to better plan you day.
An Example Itinerary for Disneyland Paris
Now, I believe that you should make your own itinerary if you choose to follow one at all, tailored to your expectations and desires. However, sometimes going to Disney can be a last minute decision. In that case, here is how I would suggest you plan your trip to accomplish everything in 1 day! This itinerary is fast paced, and tries to hit as many of the major rides one time. Feel free to substitute rides I put in with your favorites!
- 9:30– Rope Drop. Waiting outside on line for Disneyland Park. Eating breakfast bars, or have already eaten.
- 9:30-10:30– Discoveryland. You should be able to get on multiple rides including Hyperspace Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and Star Tours.
- Grab a snack or coffee if wanted!
- 10:30-11:30– head over to Fantasyland. Pick your favorite rides in this area like Small World, Pinocchio, and the Teacups. While waiting on your last line, look through the menus of quick service restaurants in this area and mobile order for pickup!
- 11:30-12:10– grab your preordered food without waiting on long lines and chow down!
- 12:10-2:00– Adventureland and Frontierland. Finish the park strong with these last two sections! If you want to go on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, for times sake you may want to buy a pass!
- 2:00– start to make your way out of the park and over to Walt Disney Studios Park!
- 2:30-3:30– check what rides have the lowest wait times, I would suggest going to Avengers Assemble, then Spiderman. Then grab a snack if you want one!
- 3:30-5:00– Head back to the Worlds of Pixar. As you finish up your last ride, check the wait times for Crush’s coaster, buy a pass for this one and time it so that you can head straight over.
- 5:00-5:45– Crush’s coaster and tower of terror.
- 6:00-7:00– grab dinner.
- 7:00– After dinner, consider the rides you skipped earlier. If you have time, head back to those rides (in either park), and shop around a bit on Main Street before the fireworks!
Depending on age level, or your need to check everything off your list, you may find that your itinerary is a lot slower paced. Younger children may enjoy the rides found at Disneyland park more than Walt Disney Studios Park. Younger children may also want to experience shows and parades more than teens do.
You may notice that the itinerary above does not list shows or parades, and focuses on rides. The shows at both Walt Disney Studios Park and Disneyland Park are truly amazing and the cast members performing are extremely talented. Check out the Disney app, and find the most up to date timing info before your trip and consider inserting your top picks into your own schedule!
The most important advice I can give you is to have fun! Planning your trip can be both exciting and stress inducing so remember to not sweat the small stuff and be ready to pivot if needed.