You see it a lot online – folks who have previously visited Walt Disney World in Florida planning to visit Disneyland Paris. In some ways of course the two resorts have their similarities – but they also have their differences that visitors should be prepared for! So here are some things that surprise Disney World visitors when they visit Disneyland Paris.

Everywhere on site is walkable!

For those unfamiliar with Walt Disney World in Florida, this resort is huge – roughly double the size of Manhattan! While of course that allows it to contain a wide variety of parks, shopping, resorts and more; it also means it can take some time to get from point A to point B!

In fact, resorts walkable to any of the Walt Disney World theme parks are few and far between, and those that are sit in the Deluxe range and its proximity to one of the parks is a big selling point. But here’s where Disneyland Paris has an advantage – of course it’s smaller and there’s less there overall, but on the main site everything is walkable!

All of the on site resorts, even those in the Value category are walkable to the parks. And the parks themselves are literally steps from each other, and also very close to the Disney Village. Of course some resorts are further away from the parks than others (and unsurprisingly it’s the cheaper ones!), but the benefit of being able to stroll to the parks in the mornings and back to your resort at night can’t be denied. If you’re comparing the size of Disney resorts to each other, Paris is closer in size to the original Disneyland in Anaheim as opposed to Disney World.

Side note, there is one Disney resort not in walking distance to the parks – but that’s because it’s also not on the main Disneyland Paris site! This is Davy Crockett Ranch, about a 15-25 minute drive away (depending on traffic).

Onsite train station

Another major plus for Disneyland Paris is the onsite train station!

This station not only links the resort via the RER service to the centre of Paris, but also other locations within France and mainland Europe! It makes travelling to the resort very convenient, and also makes it easier to visit other places in the area without having to hire a car or bring your own.

Quality of the attractions

Of course having two theme parks in Paris to four in Walt Disney World, the latter was always going to win on attraction quantity. And it can’t be denied that those attractions are amazing too! But some visitors to Disneyland Paris are surprised by just how good the attractions there are.

Many say that the Big Thunder Mountain in Paris is the superior version of all the Disney parks, being situated on its own island; and that Phantom Manor with its refreshed storyline and effects is an improvement on some of the Haunted Mansions. We’d also argue that Pirates of the Caribbean in Paris is better than the Walt Disney World version, being much longer and closer to the version in Anaheim. Whether its better than that is very much debated – although the updated auction scene makes a lot more sense in Paris than it does in the US parks! (In case you’re wondering, the pirates are bidding for jewellery and treasure as opposed to chickens!). While not being a fan on upside-down coasters myself, many do say that Paris’ Space Mountain is the most thrilling; and in a similar vein the Tower of Terror is the Studios park is thought to be the creepiest of all!

It’s also worth not underestimating the stage shows at Disneyland Paris – many can equal (or may even surpass?!) the quality of shows such as Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond over in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.

And Disneyland Paris has some original attractions too, such as the wonderful Alice in Wonderland maze or the plussed up version of Tom Sawyer Island (minus the rafts) that is Adventure Isle!

You can go in the Castle

In Walt Disney World the centrepiece of the Magic Kingdom is Cinderella Castle. And while undoubtedly gorgeous, the only ways to go inside the castle here are to have a booking at Cinderella’s Royal Table, a lovely but rather expensive character meal, or to go to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. (Which I’m too old for. Much to my annoyance!)

But over in Disneyland Paris the castle has two attractions you can walk through – under the castle lurks a Dragon, while above the entrance there is an attraction retelling the story of Sleeping Beauty through stained glass windows and tapestries. You can even go on a balcony overlooking Fantasyland!

The Food

The food at Walt Disney World is seen as a massive part of a holiday there. Some snacks even have a cult following! In comparison the food at Disneyland Paris is… interesting.

Going back in history the food in Paris did not have a good reputation – it was actually touted as being the worse of all the Disney resorts! Having said that though we’ve always had pretty good experiences at the restaurants here, particularly the table service spots, and we’re not sure its reputation was entirely deserved. But in recent years Disneyland Paris has undoubtedly upped its food game, adding in more Disney themed and tasty snacks, as well as introducing more luxurious dining experiences (particularly now the Disneyland Hotel has reopened).

So some people are pleasantly surprised by the food at Disneyland Paris compared to expectations. Others though are still a bit disappointed – the lack of staple Disney World snacks such as Dole Whip (although there is ‘pineapple whip’!) and Mickey Pretzel’s takes some aback. And despite recent improvements snacking is still less of a thing than it is in Walt Disney World! And Disneyland Paris does lack the breadth of cuisines that Walt Disney World offers (although to be fair its small size is partly responsible for that).

One thing we will say though regarding food at Disneyland Paris is don’t sleep on the theming in the restaurants – that really is second to none and you could spend ages just browsing the theming details in each of the dining spots!

Lack of quick-service dining and sundries at the Disney resorts

If you visit any of the Walt Disney World resorts you can always find at least one quick-service dining spot, and one gift shop that alongside souvenirs sells sundry items such as breakfast foods, medicines, toiletries and the like. But in Disneyland Paris that’s not the case!

All the resorts have dining for sure, but that dining is a buffet – not a quick service spot. Many of the resorts also have onsite Starbucks that offer a few grab and go food items, but don’t expect to grab a full quick meal at a Disneyland Paris resort.

Also, while most of the resort shops have a drinks fridge and a few snacks (chocolate bars, sweets and crisps mostly) you’re not going to find racks of toiletries or medicines, or a wider range of food and snacks. There are a few reasons for this. One is the amenities in the hotel rooms themselves. Many don’t have fridges so the resorts don’t sell items that have to be kept refrigerated. It is also less common in French culture to want to eat a lot in hotel rooms! When it comes to medicines, the reason these aren’t on sale in the resorts is because they can’t be! In France any form of medicine, including those that can be easily picked up elsewhere in other countries like paracetamol or indigestion remedies, can only be sold by pharmacies. This is why we always encourage people to take any medicines with them they think they might need – you won’t be able to get replacements onsite. As for other toiletries, some of them are sold in the gift shops but you need to ask cast members for them.

Customer service culture

Here’s the big one! In Walt Disney World the customer service is second to none. The cast members will fall over themselves to make sure you have a magical time. And in Disneyland Paris? It’s still good, but it is different and that surprises some folks!

Disney are well-known for their customer service. The customer service is Walt Disney World is extremely good American customer service, and the customer service in Disneyland Paris is very good French customer service! It pretty much comes down to a difference in culture. While we’ve found the vast majority of cast members in Disneyland Paris to be sweet, kind and very helpful, the level of customer service you find in Walt Disney World just isn’t really a thing in France. So expect service to be more relaxed, and perhaps a bit more abrupt that in the USA. Another thing to consider for non-French speakers is that the Cast Members are interacting with you in a second language, so briefer responses could simply be because of a more restricted vocabulary! And tipping isn’t such a requirement in France either, and meals are expected to be a more leisurely affair that in the US, and this is reflected in how the cast members are in the table service restaurants.

To be clear here – Disneyland Paris cast members shouldn’t be rude or aggressive, and truly bad customer service should be flagged with guest relations! But they may not be quite as bouncy and bubbly as their US counterparts, simply because it wouldn’t be expected in France!

These are just a few of the things in Disneyland Paris that surprise visitors more used to Walt Disney World! We love both resorts and think they have a lot to offer guests, but the culture and ethos behind them is a little different. Have you been to both? What differences have surprised you?