Salut, Beth!
Welcome to planDisney, and thank you for bringing your question to us today. Your trip to
Disneyland Paris is just around the corner, you must be so excited! I have visited all the Disney Parks around the world, and in my opinion, Disneyland Park in Paris is the most beautiful of them all. I cannot wait for you to experience it!
When it comes to theme parks, we all worry about queues. As the most popular tourist destination in Europe, Disneyland Paris often welcomes many Guests, but with a little planning, you can make the most of your time. My top tip is to download the
Disneyland Paris app before your visit. This will help you familiarise yourself with the park layout, and you can even check wait times in advance to get a feel for them.
If you are staying at a
Disney Hotel, you will have access to
Extra Magic Time, which allows you to enter both parks an hour early. This is a great opportunity to enjoy some of the most popular attractions with little to no wait. I recommend taking advantage of this perk at least once in each park. In Disneyland Park, Fantasyland and Discoveryland typically open early, so I suggest heading straight to Peter Pan’s Flight. At Walt Disney Studios Park, head straight to Crush’s Coaster which is a must-do, it's unique to Disneyland Paris and one of my all-time favourites, but it builds up a queue quickly, even on quieter days. To fully maximise Extra Magic Time, I advise arriving at the parks about 30 minutes before it begins.
There are also plenty of experiences around the parks that do not require queueing, such as exploring La Cabane des Robinson, Adventure Isle, Le Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin, and the beautiful Sleeping Beauty Castle (and what lies beneath it!) You can also save time by using mobile ordering at select restaurants or dining outside of peak meal times. If you are planning to watch Disney Stars on Parade or the nighttime spectacular Disney Tales of Magic, my family usually likes to find a spot about 30 minutes before showtime for a great view, but there are also many spots you will be able to see these shows without a wait at all, just with a more restricted view.
Did you know Disneyland Paris also offers ways to skip queues at the most popular attractions?
Disney Premier Access One allows you to purchase fast lane access to a single attraction at a specified time, while
Disney Premier Access Ultimate provides fast lane access to each participating attraction once per day at both parks, with no specified times, which can be a huge time-saver!
However you choose to experience Disneyland Paris, Beth, it is truly a magical place where dreams do come true. My best advice is not to try and do it all, but to decide on your must-dos with your travel party and treat everything else as a bonus. Speaking of must-dos, I have to share one more, TOGETHER: A Pixar Musical Adventure is a wonderful show at Walt Disney Studios Park. The theatre has a large capacity, so you typically will not need to queue too far in advance for a seat.
I hope you have a brilliant trip to Disneyland Paris, Beth! If you have any more questions, please do
reach out to me, I'd love to help.
Have a magical day!
Matt