So you’re planning to go to Disneyland Paris? That’s great news! You’ll have a magical time. But you might be put off by planning a trip – it can seem very complicated! What do you need to consider? In this blog we’re sharing the key steps to help you plan the perfect holiday.

Step 1: Decide when you want to go

The first thing you’ll need to decide is when you want to have your trip. The good news is that whenever you got to Disneyland Paris, you can have an amazing time. But the seasons do vary!

The first things to consider are crowds and cost. Do you want to avoid crowds as much as possible? If so then you might want to think about travelling outside of the school holidays, and French public holidays. You might also want to consider having the bulk of your trip mid-week, as weekends are a lot busier. (Although we get the appeal of a weekend getaway!) Crowds are also intertwined with cost – the busier the parks are expected to be, the more a trip will cost!

The next thing to consider is the weather. Paris weather is, well… interesting. In the summer it can be very hot. In the winter it can be downright freezing! It can rain at any time (but more likely outside the summer). And the coldest and potentially wettest times (January and February) also tend to be the quietest, so there’s a balancing act there. If you can’t contemplate the idea of a Disney trip when it’s not warm and sunny, then you might want to think about the late spring to early autumn period. I will say though that the parks are built to handle horrible weather, and with the right clothing you can have a great time no matter what!

There are also the seasonal events to consider. Disneyland Paris tends to go all out for Halloween in October, and mid November to early January sees the Christmas festivities take over the park. They normally have special events from the late spring onwards too. Of course these seasonal events can also draw crowds, but there’s no doubting that they’re magical! And spring and summer adds a magical touch with flowers blooming around the resort.

Ultimately when you go is entirely up to you – you can have a great time no matter what, and even if you’re restricted to a weekend in peak season with some planning you can get the most out of your trip! For more information check out our ‘When to go to Disneyland Paris‘ blog.

Step 2: Decide where you want to stay

Once you know when you want to visit, your next thing to decide is where you want to stay. And the big choice here is, do you want to stay in a Disney hotel or not?

The Disney Hotels have a lot going for them. Most of them are in walking distance to the parks and offer free transportation too. They offer perks such as the magic hour (where you can get into the parks an hour before off-site guests), dining plans that allow you to pre-pay for some or all your food, priority booking for dining and experiences, and the ability to send shop purchases back to your resort. And of course they come with great theming, good customer service, and the all-encompassing feeling of being at Disney. Here you can really be in the ‘Disney bubble’. And they do come at a range of price points too – from the super deluxe Disneyland Hotel to the value hotels of Hotel Cheyenne and Hotel Santa Fe.

The downside? Well to quote Rumpelstiltskin in Once Upon a Time: ‘All magic comes at a price!’

There’s no doubt that the Disney hotels aren’t exactly a cheap option – even the value hotels can be on the pricey side. There are other hotels close to Disneyland Paris that offer shuttle services to the parks, and that are more affordable. Some offer a free breakfast, which is something you don’t get at the Disney hotels. But the downsides are that the quality may be more patchy, the shuttle service where it exists may not be as frequent as you like, and of course you don’t get those Disney perks and theming. So it’ll depend what fits your budget.

If you do go down the offsite route look at reviews to make sure you know what you’re getting, and look at the location and transport options to the parks too if you’re not taking your own car. Disney do include some ‘good neighbour’ hotels on their website to help give some guidance!

My last thought, unless you’re planning to only go to Disneyland Paris one day as part of a wider trip to Paris, I wouldn’t stay in central Paris itself. It’s a good 30-45 minute commute out to Disney on the RER, and that’s not taking into account potentially needing to change lines. It’s not all that practical for heading to the parks for multiple days!

Step 3: Decide how you’re going to get there

So you know when you’re going and where you’re going to stay? Great! Now it’s time to explore your transport options.

How you choose to get to Disneyland Paris will very much depend on where you’re travelling from. Of course driving is always an option from the UK and mainland Europe (UK folks can get the ferry or the Eurotunnel to cross the channel). This can be one of the cheapest ways to get to Disneyland Paris, but make sure you factor in toll road and fuel costs into any planning, and make sure your car is compliant with the rules for driving in France. Also factor in the amount of time it’ll take and whether you might need to break the journey up with an overnight stay!

Flying is of course also an option. Paris has several airports. None of them are that close to Disneyland Paris though so you’ll need to factor in transport from the airport to your hotel. Disney themselves partner with Magic Shuttle to provide bus transportation from Charles de Gaulle Airport to the resort. There are numerous firms offering private transfers too, and there’s always the option of taking a train. And speaking of trains…

Disneyland Paris has one advantage over its US Disney cousins – it has an onsite train station! This makes it easy to get the train from central Paris, elsewhere in France, and even further afield in Europe. And those travelling from the UK can also travel here by getting the Eurostar to Lille and changing to a mainland train, or going to Gard du Nord and then getting the RER. If you’re taking the Eurostar you can book as part of a package with Disney, but you might want to book with Eurostar direct as it gives you the chance to choose your own seats!

Step 4: Decide what you want to prioritise!

So now most of the logistics are sorted here comes the fun part, deciding what you want to focus on when you’re at Disneyland Paris! With the best will in the world it’s unlikely you’ll be able to do absolutely everything on one trip, so now is a good time to figure out what your priorities are.

This is a good time to research restaurants, rides, characters and more. The Disneyland Paris website is a good source of information. For differently-abled folks, the specific accessibility information on their website is great because it’ll let you know accessibility information for the different attractions and experiences. (Learn more about visiting Disneyland Paris when differently-abled in this blog). You also might want to watch ride videos, especially if you have nervous folks in the group, to figure out what rides they might want to do.

Researching menus is also a good idea at this point, to see what you might want to eat while you’re there. Food is part of the fun! But this is particularly the case if you have folks with dietary restrictions, or picky eaters, so you know what will be suitable when on your trip. If you think you want to eat at any of the table service restaurants you’ll particularly want to look at those, as you’ll want to book them asap! And speaking of booking…

Step 5: Get booking!

If you haven’t already booked your hotel and travel, now’s the time to lock that in! Check the Disneyland Paris website for any special offers that might apply to your stay – there are often offers for things like free resort nights or free dining packages. What’s available will vary depending on when you’re planning to go and how far in advance you’re booking.

Also make sure you book your park tickets ASAP! If you’re staying onsite and booking with Disneyland Paris, you’ll get these automatically included in your stay. If not you’ll need to buy them separately. When it comes to individual park tickets these are seldom discounted, so you’ll not often save anything by waiting. If you’re not buying from Disneyland Paris directly make sure you’re using a reputable third party (sadly there are scammers). It’s worth noting at peak times that the parks can and will sell out – and then if you don’t have park tickets you won’t be able to get in the parks. It’s as simple as that! It is worth noting that some park tickets can only be booked in person though – those booked with discounts for those who were in the military or who are differently-abled particularly.

Onsite guests can also book their restaurants, fireworks viewing packages, and activities like My Royal Dream up to a year in advance. Character meals and popular meals like Downtown Buffet can book up months in advance, so get those dates locked in!

A month before your trip, those who are eligible can also apply for the Priority Pass and Easy Access pass to support those who are differently-abled. You’ll still need to pick up the pass and show proof of your status once you arrive at the resort, but applying in advance can help speed the process up.

In theory you can also book the Premier Access pass, which gives you quicker access to some of the rides, in advance – but in this case I don’t think it’s really worth it! It’s very rare that these sell out, and you can typically judge lines when you’re there to see if the pass is worth the outlay for you or not.

Step 6: Ensure your travel documents are in order

France has rules about the length of time remaining on non-EU passport, and you may need to fill in other forms before your visit if you’re not a French national (or a country in the EU – now including the UK). It’s best to get these sorted as soon as you can so you can travel without worrying!

It’s also worth considering travel insurance at this point. Of course no one wants anything to go wrong on their trip, but delays, cancellations and mishaps can happen to anyone and travel insurance can give peace of mind.

And of course sort out other practicalities – make sure you have enough of any medications you need, and sort out who’s looking after your pets at home! And remember to pack – you can see our packing blog if you need any help on what you might want to take.

Step 7: Enjoy!

That’s it, you’ve planned your perfect Disneyland Paris trip! Now all you need to do is head there and have the most magical time possible!

Of course the unexpected may still occur and put a wrench in your plans. But hopefully with your priorities in place you’ll be able to adapt, and still have a wonderful time.

We hope that helps you plan your perfect trip! Have a great time – we’re jealous that you’re going! And make sure to look at our other blogs for more in depth information on rides, restaurants and more.