There’s no doubt that Disneyland Paris is a vibrant place – it’s full of sights, sounds, smells and bustling people. For some this bustle is part of the heart and energy of the place, but for others it’s a sensory nightmare! Sensory overload, where you just feel overwhelmed by everything going on around you, is mostly associated with neuro-diversity. But those with mental health conditions can also be prone to it. And with so much going on, everyone can feel overwhelmed at times! But a risk of sensory overload shouldn’t ruin your trip for you or your family. So in this blog we’re sharing 7 tips to help manage it.

Please note: This blog contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Tip 1: Test out similar situations beforehand

Some folks will know their sensory sensitivities before heading to Disneyland Paris, and can plan for that. But if you or someone in your group or family might be unsure how the parks may affect them, it may be best to try out a similar situation first. Better to know what you’re in for so you can prepare, than to discover your limits while at Disneyland Paris!

If you have a local theme park, then of course that’s a good testing ground. Others might be a local fair, zoo, farm or even museum. Essentially if it’s likely to have a lot of people and a lot of action and noise going on, it’s a good test! Head out for the day and see how you get on. If someone becomes overwhelmed here, it’s a good bet they might have the same issues at Disneyland Paris. But at least you can go into your trip knowing what the triggers might be so you can plan around that.

Tip 2: Check to see if you qualify for the Priority Pass or Easy-Access pass

For folks who are differently-abled and who meet the criteria set out by Disneyland Paris, you may be eligible for the Priority Pass or Easy-Access pass. Both can give access to differen queue lines in the parks where needed to reduce the risk of being overcrowded or overwhelmed, and in the case of the Priority Pass you can also get access to special viewing areas for parades, shows and the night-time spectaculars. This can really help reduce the overwhelm that some folks might feel.

Bear in mind that in both cases there are strict criteria for qualification, and Disney will ask for proof that you qualify too. We’re planning a full blog on both Priority Pass and Easy Access pass soon, but in the meantime check out the information and criteria on the Disneyland Paris website.

Tip 3: Know possible trigger spots on your trip

While all of Disneyland Paris has a lot going on, there are some times that from our experience (and from what we’ve seen from commenting online) that are more likely to produce sensory overload. Generally speaking these are times when there’s a lot of people and a lot to see and do. If you know what they are you can plan accordingly – we don’t think you should miss out on all of these unless you really need to, but at least if you know about them you can go in aware of potential issues and prepared to handle them if need be!

Here are some triggers we think it might be helpful to be aware of:

• Park opening: A lot of folks (including us!) recommend trying to get to the parks for opening, or for the beginning of Magic Hour if you’re a Disney resort guest. While being in the parks earlier generally means they’re quieter; when waiting with other guests to get in at the park gates, or entrances at the park lands, there’s likely to be a lot going on – music, opening announcements, a lot of people rushing back and forth, the sights of Main Street and the park, and even alluring scents from the snack places on Main Street! As such it can be a bit overwhelming. If you do head into the parks at park opening we’d recommend either getting there very early (so you’re front of the crowd!), or taking a view of the ticket turnstile lines to see which is the least crowded before getting in line. If waiting within the park, pull over to the side where you’re planning to wait. You’ll be out of the biggest rush of people.
• Parades and shows: From our experience and what we’ve seen of the experiences of others, the indoor shows themselves don’t tend to be too bad for sensory overload, although some of them can be loud so ear defenders or plugs might be handy for some. The outdoor shows, like the seasonal entertainment offerings currently for the Music Festival, and particularly the parade are a different story. There’s typically a lot of people vying for spots, shouting to their families and more in the run up, and then the shows themselves tend to be full of music, dancers, colours, characters and more. Small wonder it can be a trigger for sensory overload! To help mitigate this we’ve found crowds are generally lighter for the parade where it kicks off (next to It’s a Small World in Fantasyland). Also, if you’re eligible for Priority Pass for the differently-abled you do get access to a special viewing area that’s much less packed.
• Nighttime shows: This I think is probably public enemy number one when it comes to sensory overload. Generally speaking there are a lot of people crammed into a not very big area, there might be some pushing and shoving, and then the show itself has loud music, projections, fountains, fireworks and even drones! It can be a lot for anyone to handle, but particularly those who are prone to sensory overload. (I put shows in here because the Studios park tends to have its own nighttime shows seasonally at the moment, and a new show is planned for when the park becomes Disney Adventure World in 2026 – so we’d expect the same issues). Of course one way round this is to not watch the show, although it’s a shame to miss out on it! If you do watch it we’d recommend either watching it from the back of Main Street, or to the side in Discoveryland to avoid the masses. If you’re eligible for the Priority Pass for the differently-abled, or able to buy the reserved viewing for the fireworks, you’ll at least be in a space that’s a bit less people-y. See our previous blog on where these locations are.
• Park close: In our experience park close tends to be worse than park open for sensory overload, probably because by this point everyone is tired, drained, irritable, and in a massive swarm of people that are also tired, drained and irritable all heading towards the park exits and transportation. It’s really a lot. Our tips for avoiding this is to either leave before park close if you’re not planning to see the nighttime show, or if you do see it then stay in the park for a bit longer and let the crowds die out a bit before you move. The shops on Main Street will be open (or the entrance courtyard in the Studios park) to browse, or just take in the sights and get some lovely last pics!
• Rides with very compact queues: Disney really have got designing a queue line down to an art-form now, with a lot of queue spaces having a lot of distract people in line without being too overwhelming. But that’s not the case for all rides. A few have what we lovingly call ‘switchback hell’ – when the lines just doubles back and forth so you end up in a mass of people with not much to look at than other people – who can be very overwhelming and noisy. Ken finds this a particular trigger. Big culprits in our experience are the small Fantasyland dark rides – particularly Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Snow White’s Adventures, Dumbo and Peter Pan’s Flight (the outside portion before you start winding your way inside). Some parts of the Buzz Lightyear queue are like this too, and in the Studios park be aware of the extended queue for WEB Slingers, the outside queue for Ratatouille, or the extended queue for Crush’s Coaster. The best way to avoid this is to hit these rides when the park is less busy! For some that could be in Magic Hour (we found waits for both WEB Slingers and Ratatouille to be short then, as well as Peter Pan, Dumbo and Buzz Lightyear). You might also want to try rides in the last hour or so of the day. The tricky ones here might be the Fantasyland rides because this area of the park tends to close earlier – so just keep an eye on wait times and try to hit them at their shortest. If you have the Priority Pass or Easy Access Pass for the differently-abled you may also have access to special queue lines that avoid the big crush!
• Disney Village at night: Once the parks close, Disney Village can be a hopping place as folks get in last minute dining and shopping. But it does mean the space can feel a bit overwhelmed at times! Our advice is to stick to the outer edges of the paths so you’re not in the middle of the crowds. And if you can, keep any shopping for earlier in a day when the shops will be a lot quieter!
• Resort shuttle buses at peak times: You may think the shuttle buses might be a better option to getting too and from your resort – but bear in mind they can get very busy (read utterly overwhelmed) with people around park opening and especially at park close. And most people sadly aren’t very kind about giving space to those that might need it either. We prefer to walk to and from our Disney resort – it might mean going through a busier Disney Village, but we prefer that than braving the buses!

Tip 4: Know the park’s quiet areas for an escape

If someone in your group is getting overwhelmed with all the noise, colour and bustle of the busy parks, it can be helpful to know where a few quieter spots are where you can retreat a bit from the worse of the crowds. We touched on a few of these in the quieter paths sections of our time saving tips blog (read it here), but we’ll touch on them again now.

• The Main Street Arcades: Main Street USA in the Disneyland Park always has a lot going on. While most people will walk down the centre of the street (normally oogling Sleeping Beauty Castle), they might miss that there are covered arcades that run down the back of the shops on either side – Liberty Arcade to the left as you look at the Castle, and Discovery Arcade on the right. While these are always a lot quieter than Main Street itself, sometimes in the middle of the day they’ve felt a bit deserted except for us! So they’re a good retreat from the Main Street bustle (and they also have seats which is handy).
• The covered path from Frontierland to Adventureland: If as you enter Frontierland you turn right (towards some toilets) instead of going straight through the Fort entrance, you find a covered path that runs all the way to the entrance of Adventureland. Not only is this path covered, but in our experience once you’re past the toilets it is almost always deserted – we use this a lot and the people we’re most likely to see are cast members! It’s not got much in the way of seating but it’s a good spot for a breather.
• Behind the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade: Most people don’t realise you can walk behind the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, but you can to a little area that overlooks the Rivers of the Wild West and Big Thunder Mountain. It can be a handy retreat from the bustle of Frontierland around Big Thunder.
• Boot Hill cemetery: As you exit Phantom Manor there are two possible paths – one that leads straight back to Frontierland, and another that leads to the Boot Hill Cemetery, a cool piece of Imagineering theming with fictional gravestones for those connected to the Manor. Most people opt for the direct path so Boot Hill tends to stay pretty quiet. Honestly it’s worth a walk through here for the theming alone, but it’s also a good quiet spot for a break – and has great views of the Riverboat and Big Thunder Mountain!
• Adventure Isle: Sat smack in the middle of Adventureland, Adventure Isle is a maze of caves, bridges, stairs and more. While some parts of the Isle can be pretty busy, with a little investigation you can typically find some quieter spots for a breather.
• Paths around Pirates of the Caribbean: With such a popular ride, as you’d expect the paths directly around the entrance and exit of Pirates of the Caribbean tend to be very busy. But the ride sits among some great fort theming, and some don’t realise there are extra paths and viewing points to explore here. While not as quiet as some of the other spots on our list, they can still be a handy breather from the masses.
• The path from Fantasyland to Discoveryland: While not hidden by any means, the very wide path that runs from Fantasyland to Discoveryland past Pizzeria Bella Notte can be a welcome relief from the smaller paths and choke points in the rest of Fantasyland. There’s a lot of seating here and some quieter toilets too. Just don’t expect it to be quiet around parade time!
• Past Casey Jr in Fantasyland: Casey Jr and the StoryBook Canal Boats sit in their own little area in Fantasyland. While the entrances to the rides can be busy, if you walk past the entrance to Casey Jr there’s a stretch of path before it hits the cast member entrance that tends to be quieter.
• Around the back of Space Mountain: Although not dead quiet by any means, if you want some space in Discoveryland then walk around the back of Space Mountain – this is quite a wide path with seating, and tends to be quieter than the rest of the land.
• In Avengers Campus next to Super Diner: Avengers Campus in the Studios is a bustling land for the most part, but if you turn right in front of Flight Force there’s a path that runs to the Super Diner quick service. This tends to be rather quieter than the rest of the land – especially when the Diner is closed!
• The path to Cars Road Trip: Cars Road Trip in the Studios is in a bit of a weird position at the moment, stuck out on its own path at the back of Toy Story Playland due to the construction work. While it can have quite a few people heading to and from the ride, it still tends to be a lot quieter than some of the other areas of the park.
• Disney Village during the day: Okay not technically in the parks, but during the day Disney Village tends to be quite quiet and can be handy to escape to when the crowds in the parks get too much!

Tip 5: Bring ear protection

Some love the sounds of laughing, rides, background music and more in Disneyland Paris. But for those that are sensitive it can be a cacophany of noise! If that’s you are someone in your group, then bringing some form of ear protection might be handy.

For little ones, ear defenders might be your best bet. They can be particularly helpful at times when there is going to be a lot of noise and sound – such as the parades or night-time shows. It’s not our area of expertise but it seems that the most recommended ear-defenders are either Ems for Kids, like these on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iU1Q0I or Alpine Ear-Defenders, like these: https://amzn.to/433UC4n Of course if you have a go to ear defender you know that works absolutely take that!

Of course adults can get sensory overload too, and one way to manage that is with ear plugs. We see a lot of folks recommending the Loop Ear Plugs like these ones: https://amzn.to/3SriM3V. Ken has also had a good experiences with the Flare Calmer ear plug alternatives: https://amzn.to/3RW2HD9

Of course if you really want to combat the sounds in the parks you might want headphones instead so you can play white noise or other music. If you do this then make sure you’re not playing anything that will be distracting to others – folks don’t want to hear your favourite tunes or podcast in a Disney park! We would recommend using wireless ones if possible just to save the faff of wires. Ken likes his Apple AirPods like these https://amzn.to/3EL6vEx, but we realise they’re expensive and really for folks with iPhones! A cheaper alternative could be Raycon, which we’ve heard a lot of folks recommend: https://amzn.to/4djIDVi.

Tip 6: Have distractions on hand!

When you’re being overwhelmed by what’s going on around you, it can be very helpful to have something on hand to focus on and distract you.

I personally love having a fidget ring – being a bit of a jewellery fiend it’s a great way for me to always have something on hand to fidget with. Mine is similar to this style: https://amzn.to/3Z5ltfi

Of course there’s a plethora of fidget toys available, so I’d recommend grabbing whatever appeals to your or your group! Ken likes a pop fidget toy, of which there are a lot of examples. There’s even this one that looks a bit like a certain mouse: https://amzn.to/4jPfnrS. Bubble wands and toys are another popular distraction method, and Disney does very well selling these in the parks! You can buy smaller packs of Disney themed bubbles instead in advance if you think it might be popular for your family: https://amzn.to/4jUX7xq (although admittedly they’re not as impressive as the shiny, light up and sometimes playing music Disney bubble wands!) A side note if you’re planning to fly with bubbles – don’t put them in hand luggage! They count as a liquid.

Another option that a lot of people find helpful for a moment of calm is colouring. This isn’t super practical while you’re waiting in a ride line admittedly because they tend to constantly move, but if you have a longer wait for something where you’ll be in one spot, like a show, then it can be a welcome distraction. It could also help keep folks focussed and entertained during table-service meals! There’s even a Disneyland Paris colouring book: https://amzn.to/4jRW8Ok

While we’ve shared a few items above, you know yourself and your group the best so absolutely get what you feel is right. The only thing we’d caution against is either anything too bulky, or anything that makes a lot of noise – you don’t want to be disrupting other people’s day or adding to their sensory overload!

Tip 7: Don’t be afraid to take a break

Disneyland Paris can be a lot for anyone. It’s long days, there’s a lot of walking, people often don’t sleep as well as they would otherwise, and eat or drink different things. It’s no wonder that it can all get a bit much!

With Disneyland Paris trips costing so much, it can be tempted to squeeze out every second you can in the parks. But if you or someone in your group is suffering from sensory overload, then it can be a recipe for disaster to just keep pushing. If someone’s feeling overwhelmed, take a break!

We used to be park open to park close people every day of our trips, but now a lot older and maybe a little wiser we’ve learnt that this can do more harm than good. So now we make sure breaks are planned in. Sometimes these are in the park – a table service meal, or even taking more time over a meal in a quick service might be enough for a brain break. Even just parking on a bench with a drink or snack can be helpful to take a step out of the go, go, go. But now we’ve accepted that some days we’ll leave the parks earlier. On other days we might have a lie on and get there later. And you know what? The world didn’t end. And while we tend not to take a break back at our hotel in the middle of the day (generally because we don’t want to do the walk there and back twice in a day!), we absolutely get that some people will need to. And if that’s you, do it! Or even take a full day at your hotel. Chill out in the pool if it has one. Explore the buildings. Pop some rubbish on TV or catch up on some z’s! No-one is going to judge you for doing what’s right for your group.

For us, planning these breaks are essential. Of the two of us Ken is more prone to sensory overload so he really benefits from pauses – but as someone with anxiety I appreciate them too! What you don’t want to do is derail a trip because someone has a complete meltdown through being too tired, hangry or over-stimulated. And with using some of the other techniques here (arriving at the parks some days for Magic Hour, utilising the Priority Pass, having distraction techniques on hand, retreating to quieter spots in the parks if need be) we probably get a lot more done than if we were just go, go, go all the time.

We hope this blog is handy for anyone planning a Disneyland Paris trip when they or someone in their group is prone to sensory overload. Hopefully our tips will help you have the best time possible! If you have any tips to share please do so in the comments. And subscribe to our blog at the top of the page if you’re interested in this type of content, because we have lots more blogs helping those who are differently-abled planned!