When people picture a trip to Disney it’s normally under sparkling blue skies. I think in part this is due to the first two Disney parks in the USA being in California and Florida, two places known for their sunshine! But the reality of a Disneyland Paris trip can be very different. In Northern France, Paris has weather patterns similar to the UK – in that in the summer it can be very hot, in the winter it can be very cold (or even snow), there might be mist or fog, and rain can pop up any time. But miserable weather need not mean a miserable day in the parks! In this blog we’re sharing tips and tricks to make sure you have a great time – even if it does rain on your parade (literally!)

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Tip 1: Look at weather patterns and weather forecasts before you go

We all know weather forecasts aren’t always the most reliable (or accurate) – but it’s better to have at least some knowledge of what you might be facing weather wise than none at all!

We have a previous post breaking down what you can expect at Disneyland Paris through the different seasons which includes thoughts on the weather – so that’s a good place to start! (Click here to read it) The Met Office also has a really helpful web page that sets out the average maximum and minimum temperatures for each month, as well as humidity, rainfall and their own tips for when to visit. Starting closer before your trip you can also start checking the weather forecast – Accuweather starts having daily forecasts at 40 days out. Of course these predictions might well change, but at least it’ll give you an idea of what to pack for.

Tip 2: Be prepared with your packing!

It’s a lot easier to brace up against rough weather if you’re prepared and dressed appropriately, so think about what you might need to pack! Here’s some ideas:

Rain Protection – It can rain any time of year at Disneyland Paris, so some rain protection is a must. While you’ll be able to buy ponchos at Disneyland Paris, and maybe even some rain coats, they won’t be cheap! We’d recommend bringing either a rain jacket from home, or picking up some ponchos (possibly a better option in the summer when you’re not likely to want to wear a jacket all the time). You can pick up some on disposable ponchos on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/4220Gdi or if you prefer something more reusable: https://amzn.to/41Pk4eM We also like Dryrobe items, but they can be pretty pricey!

You might also want an umbrella – although they can be tricky in large crowds so a rain jacket or poncho might be better. If you do take an umbrella we’d recommend something compact you can easily pop in a bag when you’re not using it, like this one: https://amzn.to/41PZhYy

Thick socks – Decent socks are a must regardless of the time of year you’re visiting. In the winter they’ll help keep your feet warm, in the summer they’ll help wick away sweat, and all year round they’ll provide some much needed padding as you walk 20,000 steps or so! I’ve done really well with these socks in the past if you’d like any inspiration: https://amzn.to/443jdIK (They’re also diabetic friendly!)

Hand warmers – For winter visitors, chilly hands and fingers are a problem! A lot of folks have a lot of success with hand warmers, such as from Hot Hands. These are little packets that generate heat, and can be popped inside gloves, mittens or pockets to provide some much needed warmth! You can buy some from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3QSmN0z If you suffer from chilly feet there’s also a foot version you can pop in your shoes! https://amzn.to/43q9o7u (Side note for differently-abled folks, if you suffer from Raynaud’s or circulation problems these can be a life-saver!)

Touchscreen gloves – Another winter tip; gloves can be great for cold fingers, but you will need to use your phone quite a bit on Disneyland Paris – whether that be to take photos, check wait times, access Premier Passes or more. To avoid having to take your gloves on and off each time (which let’s face it, is annoying as heck) I’d recommend some touchscreen gloves. I feel like gloves are a pretty personal choice and there’s a lot of options at a lot of prices. These seem to be well-reviewed and are quite reasonable: https://amzn.to/4iM3mTC

Handheld fan – And now a summer tip! It can get very hot in Disneyland Paris in the summer (they had temperatures over 30 degrees for days on end last summer), and in that heat a little handheld fan could be really helpful. A lot of folks are liking these portable fans which double up as a battery pack – handy in a day with lots of phone usage! https://amzn.to/4iNCsuw (Fans like this can also be handy if you suffer from hot flushes or similar). Also if you’re going with a little one in a buggy / stroller in the summer, you might want to get them a fan too! We really like Ryobi products and their fans like this clip-on option are very good: https://amzn.to/4jcjIVp

Ziploc bags – Okay we’re not suggesting anyone wear a ziploc bag, that’s probably not a great fashion statement. But they can be really handy in wet weather to protect phones, cameras and other tech gadgets. They can also contain soggy socks if you swap them out for a spare pair, or keep spare pairs of socks dry! Plus they’re handy for left-over snacks, storing fluids that might leak (such as sunscreen or hand sanitizer), or just keeping together items in a park bag. There’s a lot of different brands out there but we’ve always had the best results with Ziploc themselves, such as the ones here: https://amzn.to/3DZECrN

Layers – This is probably your best defence against the variability of the Paris weather, layers! If you have a variety of clothing layers, you can put more on when the weather is cold, and take some off when the weather gets warmer. Obviously in this case bring whatever works for you!

Tip 3 – Plan to stick undercover where possible

Fortunately for visitors for Disneyland Paris, when the imagineers designed the parks they realised they had the local weather to content with, and meant they designed the parks to accomodate it as much as possible! Most of the rides, and the bulk of their queues are undercover. And the shows are a great way to wait out a rainstorm too, at least the undercover ones are!

If you don’t want to stay out in the elements too long, here are the outdoors based attractions to avoid:

• Big Thunder Mountain (Frontierland, Disneyland Park)
• The outdoors parts of Adventure Isle including Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse (Adventureland, Disneyland Park)
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril (Adventureland, Disneyland Park)
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Fantasyland, Disneyland Park)
• Casey Junior (Fantasyland, Disneyland Park)
• Storybook Canal Boats (Fantasyland, Disneyland Park)
• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth (Fantasyland, Disneyland Park)
• Orbitron (Discoveryland, Disneyland Park)
• Autopia (Discoveryland, Disneyland Park)
• Flying Carpets over Agrabah (Toon Studio, Walt Disney Studios Park)
• Cars Four Roads Rally (World of Pixar, Walt Disney Studios Park)
• Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop (Toy Story Playland, Walt Disney Studios Park)
• Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin (Toy Story Playland, Walt Disney Studios Park)
• RC Racer (Toy Story Playland, Walt Disney Studios Park)
• Alice in Wonderland Show (Walt Disney Studios Park)

It’s also worth noting that Crush’s Coaster has a small section outside, although the bulk of the ride and queue are inside. Also on Cars Road Trip and the Disneyland Railroad, the cars run outside but they are sheltered, so you shouldn’t get too wet on these in the rain – but they could also be either very cold or very warm depending on the time of year!

Of course the parades and nighttime shows are also outside, and some character meet and greets.

It is possible outside attractions may close in severe weather – in our experience they tend to run in light rain but may close in torrential downpours, very strong winds, or snow and ice. It’s frustrating when this happens but it’s just Disney making sure the attractions are safe!

Tip 4 – Take advantage of sheltered pathways

While it’s inevitable you’ll need to be outside on some part of you Disneyland Paris day, there are a few undercover paths you can take advantage of:

• The Arcades at the back of Main Street – There are two covered arcades running parallel with Main Street USA, running along the back of the shops and restaurants on the street. As you look at the castle, on the left side is the Liberty Arcade, providing a sheltered path from the entrance hub to the entrance to Frontierland. On the right is the Discovery arcade, running to Discoveryland. As well as being full of turn of the century detail and charm, they also provide back entrances to the shops and restaurants. A great way to get out the weather, or dodge crowds!
• The covered path running from Frontierland to Adventureland – At the entrance of Frontierland before you walk under the Fort itself, there’s a path to the right leading to some restrooms. But if you keep following it, it’s a covered path that runs all the way to the Adventureland entrance! Not only is it sheltered, it also tends to be very quiet and is a great cut through to escape crowds. The only downside is the smoking area on the route (and folks seem to use it as a sneaky smoking spot outside of this too). Parts of this path will also get closed off a bit before the night-time spectacular time.
• Through the Castle – it may only be a brief respite from the rain or sun, but you can wander through the centre of Sleeping Beauty Castle to pass between Main Street USA and Fantasyland. Not only is it sheltered, there’s two shops here and the entrance to the Castle walkthough spots. And it’s gorgeous!
• Through the Caves in Adventure Isle – these provide sheltered paths from one side of Adventureland (Indiana Jones) to the other (Pirates of the Caribbean). It’s worth noting that not all the path will have caves, and the caves themselves can be a bit confusing! It’s also not the most accessible path and will probably close early in the park day. But for all that it’s a fun way to navigate Adventureland and get some shelter on the way!

Sadly the Walt Disney Studios Park doesn’t really have any covered paths (unless you count the soon to be World Premiere Plaza at the front of the park, but as everyone has to walk through it it’s not the quietest!). But a lot of the attractions here are designed to be longer experiences to help avoid bad weather!

Tip 5 – Plan in breaks

Pacing yourself during any Disneyland Paris visit is a must – if you keep pushing to do it all without any rest time, you’ll hit the wall! But if you’re facing very cold or very hot weather, or constant rain, then planning in some breaks can also give a much needed respite from the elements.

One way to break is to head back to your hotel. But if you’d rather take an in park break, how about a meal? A table service meal is a great way to spend some time indoors with a much needed sit-down, as well as fuelling up for more fun ahead. But even a quick-service meal can be a decent rest if you take your time over it a bit, and a lot of the quick-service locations have a lot of seating (particularly Cowboy Cookout and Cafe Hyperion in Disneyland Park, and Stark Factory and the coming soon quick service in World Premiere at the Studios park). You could even pop out the parks to the Disney Village for a meal – and the Village tends to be reasonably quiet at lunchtimes! We also quite like an afternoon break with a drink, snack and sit-down in one of the restaurants as a way to take a break from the elements.

Tip 6 – Go ahead and have fun!

I see a lot of posts online from people worrying because the weather is predicted to be cold or rainy during their Disneyland Paris trip. But please don’t let that stop you!

Dress appropriately and tackle the parks – they’ll probably be a bit quieter than they are on sunnier days, and it’s still your trip to make the most of. Skip down Main Street in the rain. Admire the creepness of Phantom Manor in the fog. Admire how stunning Sleeping Beauty Castle is in the snow. Yes you might have to think on the fly a bit, and be a bit flexible, but sometimes a touch of spontaneity is needed to make the best of it. And a bit of determination too! Were we eating ice cream in a very chilly February hiding under a bridge from freezing rain? Yup! Because it was our holiday and what we wanted to do. So go ahead and make those memories.

But what if I have to cancel due to the weather?

It takes a lot for Disney to close down their parks. Disneyland Paris has only ever closed completely for the Covid-19 pandemic. Bits of the park have closed due to weather in the past, but other experiences have remained open. As such if you cancel your trip, it’s likely to be because of transport difficulties getting to the parks for yourself, or it not being safe to travel.

Obviously if it’s not safe to travel, then don’t! Disney isn’t worth risking your life for. If you booked directly through Disney and you’re in this situation, give them a call. They will try to help if they can by rearranging dates (you may need to pay more or an amendment fee). If you didn’t book through Disney then the company you did book with are your first point of call. Also talk to transport firms if you booked that separately. But if it’s after the cancellation notice period for your booking for any of these, then sadly you may lose what you’ve paid for your trip. This is why we’d really recommend travel insurance – it’s there to cover you if things go wrong!

Hopefully with this advice you’ll be Singin’ in the Rain (or sun, or snow) on your next Disneyland Paris trip! Share in the comments any tips you may have for tackling the weather on a Disney trip too – it could really help someone out.