Top tips for planning/preparing for Disneyland Paris

[littlecabbage]

We have just booked a three-day stay in Disneyland, Paris, in August. We are staying at Davy Crockett Ranch, and have 4 kids ranging from 1 to 8 in age.

Please may I have your top tips for dodging queues, not missing important shows/parades/events, where to eat, what to do and what to avoid, etc?

Have heard that military planning is the key to a good time for everyone!

Thanks in advance.

P.S. We will get the Extra Magic Time from 8.30am so will make use of that. Our package also gives us something like one fast pass per person for each of three rides I think? Need to double check the details of that one.

Hi op, if you want rides then yes it does take militarily planning. This is why I keep pushing annual pass because the first trip, its alot to take in and find feet.

You need to either speed up or Lower expectations!

The fact you already have some fast passes is brilliant. The fast pass are your friend
Try and get hang of them first day.... I can't remember the rules off head but you can use them really well to get on rides like ratatouille, big thunder mountain etc.

THERE are programs everywhere on entrance... Get program and plan around that.
As you cut across park you will catch parades and stuff as well... By our 3rd visit we were well oiled machine gliding from ride to ride

For eating we liked counter service in marionette... And belle note... Not too bad value for drink and main and pudding... About 45 euros for 4...

Hot dogs on main street ok....

Vapianos just outside park gates is supposed to be good and good value...

Ludwig was OK nothing special and rain forest was fun with aninatronics but food... Meh..

I loved hanging out in Disney hotel.
It's by entrance anyone can go in. I liked the lobby area and go upstairs to cafe fantasia. We sat in lobby there by piano. The hot chocolate with petit fours was good value for there! Sometimes piano player... See characters as they go in and out the restaurants there (two big buffet character dining is there).
We did book one in Disney hotel but I cancelled it as we saw those particular characters loads and it smelt funny in there.

Also crepes not bad value in cafe fantasia area.

Mosquito can be bad so take repellant and plenty of alcohol gel etc.

I don’t think you need military planning , just go with the flow a bit and enjoy . Do check what rides are closed before you go to avoid disappointment ( I think the Dumbos are closed at the moment ) .

Thanks Burpsandrustles, lots of useful info. Will make sure we grab a program early on, and figure out the fast passes.

Good to know we can go in the Disney hotel - I didn't realise. Crepes will be popular too! Also useful to know re mozzies.

What are annual passes? For multiple trips per year?!

Floralbunting, thanks. Will check the closed rides before we go.

Use the fast passes from the little kids to get spots in the queue s for the busiest rides for the big kids. So one adult and 2 littles do little kid rides that dont have huge queues, one adult and 2 big kids have 2 sets of fast passes for the morning to jump between rides and do all the big hits, then in the afternoon, all come back together and do the middling stuff as a family

Yes annual passes sometimes... Work out cheaper for one trip and nealry always workout cheaper for any return trips.

On Disney page... Annual pass. Checkout Disney for brits site as well for tips.

Thanks SeaToSki, that’s a great idea.

I guess we’ll consider annual passes for next time!

Download the app - it shows queueing times for all the rides (you sometimes see people scuttle off towards a popular ride with a short time 😁). It also tells you when the characters are available for meet n greet.

I had no idea there was an app ipswichwitch, thanks. Do you know it's name?

Disneyland Park
Big Thunder Mountain - if you can get to it right at 9:30 to avoid using a Fastpass for it, that's ideal. If you can't, know that Big Thunder Mountain often runs out of Fastpass tickets by 11AM.
Indiana Jones often is still giving Fastpass tickets into the afternoon, but plan for the other rides to be out by mid-afternoon.
Peter Pan’s Flight - this is often a Magic Hours ride.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril - an epic roller coaster in Adventureland. It has Fastpass, but you may not need it.
Pirates of the Caribbean - Fastpass is not available, so ride this one early to avoid a wait. It’s also in Adventureland.
Star Tours - Fastpass is available.
Hyperspace Mountain - in Discoveryland. Use a Fastpass preferably with a nighttime return window.

WD Studios
Ratatouille: The Adventure – You almost have to visit Walt Disney Studios Park just for this ride alone. You won’t find it at any other Disney park in the world and it’s so imaginative. Do it during Magic Hours.
Crush's Coaster - ride it early in the day, if possible.
Rock n Roller Coaster - Fastpass is available but it’s also a Magic Hours ride.
Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop - The single rider line is a good option with older kids (8 and up) who would rather ride fast than ride together.

Bring water bottles. Can refill all around park. We took the wee squeesy squash as mine preferred juice than water

Thanks Ricekrispie22, clearly I need to write out a ride schedule.

Really comfy shoes for everyone. Decent rainwear.

Enjoy your trip!

Are you on Facebook Op?

Join the Disneyland Paris for Brits Facebook group and scroll through lots of posts asking for tips.

Posted too soon.. doh ... there is a Facebook group with Disney tips and questions etc called Disneyland Paris for Uk guests worth joining

Firstly expect to queue, pushchairs are key (we rented a double one when they were 4&6!) we've been 3 times and it is busier each time. Get to the gates early each morning, the first couple of hours are quite. If weather is poor the movies park is better as a lot is inside, I prefer that park personally, the magic of the movies one is amazing and the rock n rollercoaster wasn't that busy late in the day. You queue or book character signing now, that's changed since our first visit. Big supermarket nearby, the queues to buy food were crazy, I assume you are driving so take what you can (eat in the inevitable queues. Single rider works for rides only the adults want to go on. Have fun but it's no holiday!

Indian Jones ride is quite tall, my 11 year old couldn't get on it.. So check ride heights.

Crush coaster traumatic for some so make sure anyone going on that is brave!

Pirates we found was easy to get on, through out day... The ride queue often dropped to 10 mins and if we were close we went on.

One morning devote to one park and the next to the next park.

Speed is key! People run to queues etc. To see princess in pavilion its called the Princess dash!
We did it one morning it was hilarious. Worth it though we only waited 20 mins and as we left queue was up to 2 hours and its solidly two hours or more all day.

Don't forget the shows... Micky and magician is brilliant if its back on, def don't miss as Princess in it.

We all loved star tours! It's brilliant, and rat, and big thunder.

There was another cartoon near star tours area I wouldn't miss.

Buggy hire is free with annual pass..

Thanks so much for all this advice - so many things I wouldn't have thought of. Hiring a double buggy is a great idea as little ones will be 1 and just 4. Where do we hire one from?

Will join FB group and ensure comfy shoes. Hope we don't need macs but will take them.

We'll avoid Indiana Jones as all kids on the short side! I guess I can check minimum heights for rides online before we go.

I'm not planning to book character signings as don't want to pay extra and I don't think kids will be that bothered.

I am so glad I started this thread!