%20(2).png)
Planning the Perfect Trip to Disneyland Paris
- Adventures with Alix
- Oct 7
- 4 min read
If you’re thinking about visiting Disneyland Paris, you’re in for a truly magical time! Whether it’s your first trip or your fifth, a little bit of planning can make a huge difference in how much you get to do (and how relaxed you feel while you’re there). I’ve been a *few* times now, and this is exactly how I like to plan my trips — including my ideal number of days, routes through the parks, and where I like to stay.
How Many Days Do You Need?
Personally, I find three days is the perfect amount of time at Disneyland Paris.
Day 1: Walt Disney Studios Park
Day 2: Disneyland Park
Day 3: Redo your favourite rides, see extra shows, and meet any characters you might have missed.
You can absolutely see both parks in two days, but three gives you enough breathing room to enjoy it all without rushing.
Best Days to Visit
My favourite days to go are Tuesday to Thursday — it’s much quieter than weekends (Friday–Monday), and you’ll often find shorter queue times and a more relaxed atmosphere.
Walt Disney Studios Park
Right now, you can comfortably do the bulk of this park in just over half a day, though that will definitely change once the new Frozen Land opens! Even so, there’s plenty to enjoy for a full day and evening.
Must-See Shows:
TOGETHER: A Pixar Musical Adventure (heartwarming and visually stunning)
Mickey and the Magician (a Disney classic you don’t want to miss)
Animation Academy – a fun creative break where you can learn to draw Disney characters
Character Meets:
There are loads here! Just remember that some have virtual queues on the app, so flexibility is key.
Rides Route (My Usual Plan):
Crush’s Coaster
Ratatouille: The Adventure
RC Racer
Parachute Drop
Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin
Cars Road Trip
Cars Rally
Magic Carpets Over Agrabah
Tower of Terror
Web Slingers
Avengers Assemble: Flight Force
Tip: Try to do Crush’s Coaster first — it’s extremely popular and the queue builds quickly! I plan shows, characters, and snack breaks between these rides depending on the time and location.
Bonus Tip: Ride Tower of Terror and Parachute Drop both during the day and night — the views are incredible!
Disneyland Park
This park has that quintessential Disney magic — the castle, the parades, the fireworks, the nostalgia. Here’s my ideal route to make the most of your day:
My Preferred Route:
Castle → Fantasyland → Adventureland → Frontierland → Discoveryland
Start your day at the Castle (especially if you have Magic Hours) — it’s the perfect photo spot before it gets busy. Most rides open early in Fantasyland, so I like to tick those off first while queues are shorter, this is the most popular area for young families and gets very busy by mid morning.
Lunchtime Tips:
Head to Adventureland or Frontierland around lunchtime — they have great food options and tend to be quieter than Main Street.
Colonel Hathi’s Pizza Outpost: hidden gem, lots of seating, delicious food
Casa de Coco and Silver Spur Steakhouse: both brilliant, but can get busy, so plan accordingly
I usually spend the bulk of my day here in Adventureland/Frontierland, riding my favourite rides and catching shows like The Lion King (Rhythms of the Pride Lands) — it’s seasonal but absolutely worth seeing, if it’s on.
Evening Plan:
I like to end my day in Discoveryland for rides and dinner.
Café Hyperion has lots of seating and a large stage which often has seasonal shows or plays Disney snippets on the big screen.
You can also grab something along Main Street, then do a bit of shopping before waiting for the fireworks. Make sure to access the shops using the arcades as Main St starts to fill up for the fireworks.
Pro Tip: If you've already seen the fireworks, ride Big Thunder Mountain during the fireworks! It’s often a walk-on at that time, and you’ll get a stunning view from the train — truly magical.
Planning Your Park Days
A solid plan saves you from wasting time wandering or checking maps. Here’s what I do:
Check show and parade times in advance
Work character meets into your day (some have short queues, others use virtual ones)
Keep your plan flexible — things change, and that’s okay!
A little research before you go can make a huge difference. I recommend:
Watching recent vlogs to spot new snacks, merch, and character meets, make a list of your must-dos.
Downloading the Disneyland Paris App for real-time wait times, mobile food ordering, and virtual queues
Even if the plan changes (and it probably will), having one gives you a great starting point and helps you make the most of your trip.
Where to Stay
Surprisingly, staying onsite often works out cheaper than booking offsite with tickets separately! Here’s my favourite 5-day itinerary that gives you 3 full park days:
Day | Plan |
1 | Travel day – stay offsite (ideally near the park) |
2 | Drop bags into onsite hotel, collect park tickets – Day 1 in park |
3 | Onsite stay – Day 2 in park |
4 | Check out, (leave bags/drop bags to offsite hotel) – Day 3 in park |
5 | Travel home |
Booking tip: Try Hotels.com or Disneyland Paris Direct for hotel + ticket packages — the 2-night stay includes 3 days of park tickets!
Travel Options
How you travel is completely down to personal preference, and really depends on where you live:
I personally fly, as I’m nowhere near the Eurotunnel or a ferry.
If you’re closer, Eurostar is amazing — great luggage limits, super convenient, and you have extra space for your bounds, bags, and merch!
Free Download!
If you’ve made it this far — thank you! To help you plan your own magical trip, I’ve created a free Disneyland Paris Planner you can download below. It includes:
A blank trip planner to fill in your route and show times
A Disneyland Paris checklist for rides and shows.
Download your free planner:
Alix,
Comments