With thrilling attractions, spectacular parades, delicious snacks and magnificent theatre shows, a visit to Disneyland Paris is action-packed! Here’s our guide to the 15 best things to do in Disneyland Paris.
1 | Rides and Attractions
Disneyland Paris boasts an array of amazing rides and attractions and there’s something for everyone in the parks.
For thrillseekers, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, and Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain are among some of the best rollercoasters and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Big Thunder Mountain are classic Disneyland Paris thrill rides.
Younger visitors will be wowed by the wide range of family attractions including Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Peter Pan’s Flight, Le Carrousel de Lancelot and It’s a Small World.
2 | Take in a Show
There are some incredible theatre shows at Disneyland Paris and we always schedule time for at least one or two shows on every visit. The current lineup includes:
Together: a Pixar Musical Adventure: the latest addition to the Disneyland Paris show lineup, this heartwarming musical features Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Coco and Monsters Inc.
Mickey and the Magician: Mickey and the Magician follows Mickey as he learns the tricks of the trade as a magician’s assistant. It features Belle, the Beast, Cinderella, Elsa and Olaf.
Frozen a Musical Invitation: a must for Frozen fans. Anna invites guests to help her surprise Elsa in this interactive show and the small theatres make for an intimate setting.
Lion King: Rythms of the Pride Lands: this Disney classic is currently running in the Frontierland Theater and is a spectacular mix of singing, dancing, and acrobatics.
Disney Junior Dream Factory: featuring Mickey, Minnie, Fancy Nancy Clancy, Timon and Vampirina this show follows Mickey and Minnie as they repair the factory’s dream-making machines.
3 | Meet the Characters
From Mickey Mouse and his friends to Marvel superheroes and Disney Princesses, there are opportunities to meet an amazing lineup of characters and superheroes at Disneyland Paris.
Mickey Mouse, the Princesses at the Princess Pavillion and Stitch are among the most popular meet and greets in the parks. There are also regular appearances from the likes of Donald and Daisy Duck, Pluto and Goofy as well as characters from Alice and Wonderland, Toy Story, the Lion King, Star Wars and Hundred Acre Wood.
Best things to do at Disneyland Paris tip: keeps your eyes peeled for surprise characters while you walk through the parks as there’s usually some unscheduled meet and greets taking place. Mickey Mouse often appears in his Phantom Manor uniform over by the attraction, Minnie Mouse and Goofy are Frontierland favourites and Jack Sparrow is often found wandering through Adventureland in the afternoons.
4 | Try some of the incredible snacks
There are lots of delicious snacks to indulge in at Disneyland Paris.
Our favourites include everything Mickey and Minnie Mouse-shaped, sipping champagne in front of the Castle, and the indulgent ice-creams from the March Hare.
5 | Stay at a Disney Hotel on-site
Staying in one of the onsite Disney hotels is a real treat at Disneyland Paris. With 6 hotels to choose from you can stay at the heart of the action and enjoy a magical Disney experience – check out the Disneyland Paris hotels here!
Check Disneyland Paris Hotel prices here!
There are so many benefits of staying at a Disneyland Paris hotel making it well worth staying onsite:
Extra Magic Time: one of the greatest perks of staying onsite at Disneyland Paris is Extra Magic Time. As a Disney hotel guest, you are granted early access to both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park an hour before the regular opening time.
Hotel Character Meets: another awesome perk is the hotel-specific meet and greets. Every morning or evening, a Disney character visits each of the 5 onsite hotels for a character meet and photos with guests.
Santa Fe
Wonderful Theming: the onsite hotels have some great theming and are a real treat to stay in. Santa Fe (Cars) and Cheyenne (Toy Story) are great for younger kids and the Art of Marvel is an obvious choice for Marvel fans. Sequoia (US National Park theme) and Newport Bay (nautical theme) also have strong themes although not Disney-specific.
Walk to park/free shuttle: we love being able to walk to and from both of the Disneyland Paris Parks. The Disneyland Hotel is right at the entrance to Disneyland Park and The Art of Marvel is less than 10 minutes walk, Newport and Sequoia are a 10 to 15-minute walk and Cheyenne and Santa Fe are around 15 minutes. The hotels all run frequent (and free) shuttles to and from the park if you prefer the bus option – the shuttles usually run every 12 minutes.
6 | Dine with Royalty
Princess Dining at Auberge de Cendrillion is one of the hottest reservations at Disneyland Paris. Guests are treated to a three-course French meal with the wonderful Disney princesses in attendance – read more about Princess Dining on the Disneyland Paris website
When the newly refurbished Disneyland Hotel reopens in late January 2024, there will also be the opportunity to dine with the Princesses and Princes at La Table de Lumiere, a magical setting inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in the Royal Palace of Versailles and Beauty and the Beast.
The hotel’s Royal Banquet will see Mickey, Minnie, and friends dress in royal attire as they host a sumptuous buffet banquet.
7 | Fireworks
Disneyland Paris ends the day with a spectacular finale of colour and light. As Disneyland Park closes, the castle (weather permitting) is illuminated in a magnificent show that combines fireworks, music, and illuminations. The nighttime extravaganza is a highlight of any visit to Disneyland Paris.
8 | Marvel Campus
With frequent appearances from the Marvel Super Heroes, two awesome Avengers-themed attractions and wonderful meet and greets, the campus is an absolute must for Avengers fans.
The Marvel theming is wonderful across the campus: as you pass through the entrance to the campus you become a ‘recruit’ – the campus was created by Tony Stark to recruit and train the next generation of Super Heroes.
There are two attractions within the Marvel Avengers Campus: Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure and Avengers Assemble: Flight Force.
9 | Parades
The Disney stars lead the parades at Disneyland Paris and it is one of the highlights of a day in the park. The parades are dependent on when you visit but recent highlights have included the Disney Stars on Parade and the special seasonal Halloween and Christmas parades.
10 | Animation Academy
The Animation Academy is a hands-on masterclass that teaches guests step-by-step how to illustrate a series of popular Disney characters. And when you’re done you get to keep your drawing as a souvenir.
11 | Take a boat ride
Take a charming boat ride aboard the Molly Brown or the Mark Twain on the Rivers of the Far West at Disneyland Paris. The 19th Century paddle boats sail by Frontierland and Big Thunder Mountain and are a lovely change of pace.
12 | Ride the railroad
The Disneyland Paris Railroad takes passengers on a leisurely journey around the park on an authentic steam-powered train. A long standing Disney tradition, the train departs from Main Street or Frontierland and passes attractions such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril and Pirates of the Caribbean.
13 | Sleeping Beauty Castle
Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant is a Disneyland Paris icon. Located at the end of Main Street U.S.A., the fairytale castle welcomes guests to the park.
La Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant, located upstairs in the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris, houses a stunning collection of stained glass windows that tell the story of Sleeping Beauty.
A huge animatronic dragon resides under the Castle and you can visit if you dare!
14 | Shops
Bring some of the Disneyland Paris magic home! There is a wonderful selection of shops throughout the parks and in the Disney village which stock Disneyland Paris merchandise, clothes, toys and souvenirs. There’s even a year round Christmas shop, La Boutique du Château, in Sleeping Beauty Castle.
15 | Dine with the Disney Characters
With the chance to meet Disney favourites such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Eeyore, Tigger, and Pluto and dine on a delicious buffet, the Character Breakfast and Dinner at Plaza Gardens are among our favourite experiences at Disneyland Paris.
Dinner is served as an all-you-can-eat buffet in the Victorian-style dining room at Plaza Gardens.
For more on Disneyland Paris
Check out our 21 best tips for first-time visitors to Disneyland Paris and the best time to visit Disneyland Paris.