Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Disneyland Paris, Europe’s only Disney resort.

The next time you’re planning a trip to Europe, put Disneyland Paris on your must-see list! Located just 20 miles (32 kilometers) outside of the city of Paris, this Disney resort is actually situated in Chessy, France. While Disneyland Park is the heart of Disneyland Paris, there are actually two theme parks, plenty of resort hotels, and even a dining and entertainment complex to explore. And as a the most-visited theme park in all of Europe, it’s a can’t-miss experience – especially for Disney fans.

Originally Euro Disney Resort, home to Euro Disneyland and Disney-MGM Studios Europe, today Disneyland Paris is a destination that’s filled with just as much to do and see as any other Disney property. Of course, it’s also home to special touches, attractions, and experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.

Whether you’re planning your first trip to Disneyland Paris or simply want to learn more about this unique Disney destination, we’re sharing everything you need to know about the resort in our guide below.

• • Disneyland Paris Theme Parks
  • Disneyland Paris Resorts
  • The Best Time to Visit Disneyland Paris
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Disneyland Paris Theme Parks

Photo by Nick Barese

Disneyland Park

Originally opened in April 1992 as Euro Disneyland, Disneyland Park is the heart of the entire resort. Like Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida, this theme park is a larger-scale version of the original Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. The first theme park built at Disneyland Paris, it’s the central destination for many Guests.

Disneyland Park in Paris covers 140 acres, making it the second-largest Disney theme park based on the original Disneyland. Its layout will be familiar to anyone who’s visited either U.S. Disney resort. At the heart of the theme park is Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, or Sleeping Beauty Castle – but it’s nothing like the version at the original Disneyland Park in Anaheim. 

There are five lands within Disneyland Park in Paris:

• Main Street, U.S.A.
• Frontierland
• Adventureland
• Fantasyland
• Discoveryland

While most of these lands will be familiar to those who’ve visited the U.S. Disney resorts, Discoveryland is unique to Disneyland Paris. This land is themed after European thinkers and explorers, looking back at the visions of great minds like Leonardo da Vinci, HG Wells, and Jules Verne.

Attractions at Disneyland Park in Paris

At Disneyland Paris, you’ll find a mix of familiar attractions and fresh attractions exclusive to this theme park. Here’s a look at the different attractions found in each land:

Main Street, U.S.A.

• Liberty Arcade
• Discovery Arcade
• Horse Drawn Streetcars
• Main Street Vehicles
• Disneyland Railroad – Main Street Station

Frontierland

• Legends of the Wild West
• Big Thunder Mountain
• Phantom Manor
• Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing
• Rustler Roundup Shootin’ Gallery
• Frontierland Playground
• Disneyland Railroad – Frontierland Depot

Adventureland

• Aladdin’s Enchanted Passage
• Adventure Isle
• Swiss Family Treehouse
• Pirates Beach
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Pirate Galleon
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril

Fantasyland

• Sleeping Beauty Castle
• The Dragon’s Lair
• Lancelot’s Carousel
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth
• Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups
• It’s a Small World
• Storybook Land Canal Boats
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Meet Mickey Mouse
• Princess Pavilion
• Disneyland Paris Railroad – Fantasyland Station

Discoveryland

• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
• Orbitron
• Autopia
• The Mysteries of the Nautilus
• Hyperspace Mountain
• Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
• Discoveryland Theatre
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Disneyland Railroad – Discoveryland Station

Photo by Brian Shih

Walt Disney Studios Park

As the second of the two Disneyland Paris theme parks, Walt Disney Studios Park (or Parc Walt Disney Studios as it’s known in French) opened in March 2002. The park is themed around show business and movies, giving Guests a sneak peek into production and behind-the-scenes work within the movie industry – and it was originally created to be similar to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.

Over the years since its opening, however, Walt Disney Studios Park has moved away from the studio backlot theming it once had. Today, this theme park features iconic Disney stories and attractions centered more around characters from the films you know and love. Currently in the midst of a multi-year expansion and transformation that began in 2018, the park will feature film-centric new lands based on Marvel, Frozen, and Star Wars.

At the heart of Walt Disney Studios Park, you won’t find a castle but instead the Earffel Tower, a water tower with Mickey Mouse ears that looks like one that used to live at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 

There are six lands, or “studio lots,” within Walt Disney Studios Park:

• Front Lot
• Toon Studio
• Worlds of Pixar
• Production Courtyard
• Marvel Avengers Campus
• Kingdom of Arendelle (currently under construction)

Attractions at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris

At Walt Disney Studios Park, you’ll find a mix of familiar attractions and fresh attractions exclusive to this theme park. Here’s a look at the different attractions found in each land:

Front Lot

• Earffel Tower
• Disney Studio 1

Toon Studio

• Animation Celebration
• Animation Academy
• Flying Carpets Over Agrabah
• Mickey and the Magician (seasonal)

Worlds of Pixar

• Cars Quatre Roues Rallye (Cars Race Rally)
• Cars Road Trip
• Crush’s Coaster
• Monsters, Inc. Scream Academy
• Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy
• Toy Story Playland (includes RC Racer, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, and Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop)

Production Courtyard

• Studio D (home to Disney Junior Dream Factory and Stitch Live!)
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – A New Dimension of Chills
• Studio Theatre (home to Together: A Pixar Musical Adventure)

Marvel Avengers Campus

• Avengers Assemble: Flight Force
• Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure
• “Mission Control” Heroic Encounter Facility

Dining at Disneyland Paris

If you’re familiar with Walt Disney World’s popular Disney Dining Plan, you’ll be thrilled to know that Disneyland Paris offers a similar option. Called Meal Plans, these dining packages allow Guests who are staying at one of the resort’s hotels to prepay for their meals. 

Disneyland Paris’s Meal Plans are a great way to budget for your dining expenses, and they offer flexibility and customization just like the U.S.-based Disney Dining Plan. You can choose one, two, or three meals per day, and you can also opt to include treats or snacks if you’d like. With up to 33 restaurants to choose from, you can dine at a variety of different restaurants that accept the Meal Plans throughout Disneyland Paris Resort.

Not interested in a Meal Plan? You’ll find plenty of different dining options from quick-service spots to sit-down destinations in the theme parks, hotels, and at Disney Village. You can check out the complete list of restaurants – including all of the options at both theme parks, all of the resorts, and at Disney Village – on the Disneyland Paris website.

Special Events and More

Disneyland Park in Paris hosts two special seasonal events annually:

• Disney Halloween Festival
• Disney Enchanted Christmas

During these special seasonal events, you’ll have the opportunity to explore limited-time decor, see characters in themed attire, and potentially experience different nighttime spectaculars, parades, and other entertainment. Disneyland Paris has also offered special ticketed events during these times of the year, so keep an eye out for these if you’re planning a visit during Halloween or the holiday season.

Disneyland Paris Resorts

Photo courtesy of Disneyland Paris

At Disneyland Paris, you can choose to stay on-property at one of the beautifully themed resorts – including traditional hotels and nature resorts. There are a total of eight hotels or resorts to choose from, from 2-star budget-friendly options to luxurious 4- and 5-star alternatives.

Here are all of the hotels and resorts at Disneyland Paris:

• Disneyland Hotel: This 5-star hotel is luxurious and elegant, featuring fairy tale-inspired rooms and plenty of magical touches.
• Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel: You’ll feel like you’re in a high-end Manhattan hotel at this modern 4-star option featuring fun Marvel theming.
• Disney Newport Bay Club: A 4-star resort with classic New England style, Mickey and Minnie theming, and plenty of top-tier nautical details.
• Disney Hotel Cheyenne: Featuring Toy Story themed rooms, this Wild West style hotel offers great value and its very own old-fashioned boom town.
• Disney Sequoia Lodge: This 3-star hotel is a lodge set against pine and sequoia trees at the edge of Lake Disney, with Bambi-themed rooms.
• Disney Hotel Santa Fe: Themed after Route 66 and the Cars film franchise, this hotel is budget-friendly and within walking distance of the theme parks.
• Disney Davy Crockett Ranch: A 3-star resort set in the heart of the forest, featuring cabin-style accommodations. 
• Les Villages Nature Paris: Set out in nature, this “green” village is eco-minded and features five immersive worlds within its grounds.

The Best Time to Visit Disneyland Paris

If you’re hoping to visit Disneyland Paris during lower crowd periods, you’ll want to plan your visit during January and March. These are typically the months with the fewest crowds – but be warned the weather is chilly!

Don’t mind crowds, but want warmer weather? April and May tend to offer the most pleasant weather at Disneyland Paris. Late September through November tends to be another nicely temperate time of the year.

Additionally, like any Disney theme park, heading to Disneyland Park or Walt Disney Studios Park during the week often results in fewer crowds. Weekends throughout the year are the most crowded, while Monday through Friday the parks see lower attendance levels.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disneyland Paris

How many days are enough for Disneyland Paris?

While Disneyland Paris and its two theme parks may be quite large in size, there isn’t quite as much to see and do here as at Walt Disney World (after all, there are far more theme parks there!). You should be able to ride and experience most of what Disneyland Paris has to offer if you spend three days visiting. 

What should I not miss at Disneyland Paris?

When you’re visiting for the first time, make sure to check out the attractions that you can’t experience anywhere else! Rides unique to this theme park – like Phantom Mansion, Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, and Crush’s Coaster – are can’t-miss ones. You’ll also want to make sure to stop by the Dragon’s Lair inside Sleeping Beauty Castle for an experience not found at any other Disney park.

How do you avoid lines at Disneyland Paris?

Just like Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Disneyland Paris offers a paid service that’ll allow Guests to shorten the wait time for popular attractions. It’s called Disney Premier Access, and it puts you in “the fast lane” for attractions with no allocated time slots required. You can also opt for Disney Premier Access One, which is almost identical to Lightning Lane in the U.S. parks.

Do you need Euros for Disneyland Paris?

Euro is the only currency accepted at Disneyland Paris Resort. You will need to have Euros on hand if you’re planning to pay with cash rather than cards or a mobile wallet.