If you’re differently-abled and planning a trip to Disneyland Paris, it can be easy to be anxious about waiting in long lines and accessibility. The good news is that Disneyland Paris makes great effort to make the parks as accessible as possible to everyone. To help with this they offer two types of special passes to help differently-abled folks enjoy the parks. One of these is the Easy-Access pass, which we’ll cover in another blog. The other option is the Priority Pass, or Priority Card (Disney tend to call it the Priority Card, be we’ve seen a lot of people calling it the Priority Pass so we use both!).

The Priority card can give the holder and a select number of other people priority access to rides, shows, restaurants and more. We can speak from personal experience how much of a blessing this is to support trips to the parks – so in this blog we’re giving a complete guide. Read on to discover who it’s for, the documentation you need, how to apply, and how it can help in Disneyland Paris.

Who is it for?

The Priority Pass is for people who have a substantial, long-term conditions that would significantly impact their ability to wait for attractions in the park. This could be a mobility difference or something that impacts you physically, a mental health condition that can make queues and crowds a struggle, or neuro-divergence that can also impact how these guests can interact in the park.

Disney states on their website that the Priority card is for those with ‘officially recognised disabilities’. In other words, it’s for conditions that you have evidence for that it has an impact on you – and this can’t be a doctors letter. And yes you will be required to show this documentation when you arrive at Disneyland Paris to collect your card – so don’t think you can just say you have something and hope for the best when you turn up. Disney will ask for evidence! (And seriously, please don’t try to pretend you or someone else in a group are differently-abled to obtain either the Priority Pass or the Easy-Access pass when you visit. It’s a horrible thing to do – the people receiving these passes need them! And Disney will take a very dim view if they discover you tried to fake something to obtain a pass).

So what evidence do I need to apply for a Priority Card?

What is accepted will depend on the country you are from, and could change over time – so it’s worth double-checking before you apply if you haven’t had a card for a while what their current accepted documents are. If you go to apply for a card in the app (more details on that in a moment) then the first thing it does is ask you to select your country and then gives a list of the evidence it’ll recognise.

Essentially, chances are that if it’s something that has been officially issued to recognise the impact of a disability, health condition or neurodiversity, it could be accepted. From the UK list this includes proof of receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Indepence Payments, and other types of financial support for being differently-abled; a blue-badge (parking card); and an Access Card. Another accepted form of ID is the National Disability Card.

We just want to give a quick shout out to the National Disability Card. And no, it’s not an ad – we just think it’s awesome! This is a card that you can apply for in the UK if you have a long-term health difference. With it you have a proof of disability that is recognised by hundreds of venues – actually over 500! As well as Disneyland Paris, other places that accept it include the Warner Bros Studio Tour (heads up there for Harry Potter fans!) and Better Leisure Centres. It’s a small size so it’s easy to carry, or to be worn on a lanyard. And you can get great discounts with it too – including money off Disneyland Paris tickets! (There’s a fair few places in Paris that accept it for discounts too if you’re planning on exploring wider during your trip including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre). And in the next few weeks they’ll be announcing discounts at major national brands including supermarkets, restaurants and other retailers, in store and online. So there’s a lot to love about this card! If you’re interested in learning more about the National Disability Card make sure you visit their website, and also have a look at their page on Disneyland Paris.

How do I apply for a Priority card?

We’ve screenshot the application process for you via the Disneyland Paris app so you know the entire process. You can’t apply for the card until you’re within 30 days of your trip. When you’re in your time period open the app, make sure you’re logged in, and then click the ‘Account’ icon on the button right hand of the screen.

On your account page, you’ll need to scroll to the bottom of the page to find the Apply button. You can see it in the image below. To apply you then need to press the text to start the process.

Once you’ve hit the ‘Request a Priority Card’ you’ll bring up an information screen that gives you information on the stages of the process. We’ve included screen-grabs below, and at the bottom of the screen you’ll need to hit Next to move on.

The next screen you bring up will ask you to select your country from a dropdown list. By selecting the country you’ll then be given a list of the accepted documentation. At the bottom of the screen you’ll be asked to confirm if you have the documentation requested. (Side note, if you select no you’ll be directed to information on the Easy Access card).

Once you’ve selected that you have the documentation, you’ll then be asked your visit date. We recommend hitting the little calendar icon on the far right of the box where you can input the date, and then selecting it from there. Priority cards are typically valid for 7 days, although you can get them for the length of your annual pass (if you have one) by visiting the Annual Pass office at the Walt Disney Studios Park.

You can see both the select your country and select your date screens below:

From here you’ll then go in the second section of the application, your level of autonomy. The application explains that this section helps them to know what sort of support you’ll need. While that may sound a bit scary it’s essentially a series of yes / no questions! What you answer for these questions will dictate the colour of Priority Pass you get, which in turn shows cast members what you may or may not be able to do. A green card means you can access rides through the Premier Pass lane, while other colours will indicate that you have some level of mobility-difference. As a result of this you are likely to be directed to different entrances to board the ride, and there may be rides you won’t be able to go on as indicated by the coloured pass. While this is a bummer it is also essential for your safety so it’s worth answering honestly! To select your answer for each question just press on Yes or No, and then hit Next.

Here’s the first screen and question:

And below are the other questions! There are a few attractions when you need to be able to board or unboard in a set period of time, hence the question if you’re able to board or unboard quickly with help or otherwise. For the third question below, if you would have issues with steps or narrow paths it does mean you won’t be able to access a few attractions where this would be necessary. I’ve heard specifically that this covers Crush’s Coaster and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but there may be others (and of course it might always change are rides are redone etc).

After you’ve finished the questions, you’re then in the third part of the application, putting in your personal details! They ask for your first and last name (press in the text box on the app to open the keyboard on your phone to start typing). And then you’re asked to upload a photo. When you press the button to Upload a Photo you’ll be asked whether you want to select a photo from your library or to take a selfie, which you can do then and there. Just note the Disneyland Paris rules – show full face, be in portrait, not have a filter (sorry Instagram fans!), and not be wearing a hat. (From that wording I’m guessing that glasses would be fine to wear. I’m not sure about other head coverings though like scarves – you can always ask if you’d like to double check!). So it’s like a passport photo except you’re allowed to smile and they’re less fussy about the background!

After the photo you just next to input your email address (twice!), and then click next. Here’s some screenshots from the contact information screen:

We’re nearly there! The last steps are for you to confirm all the details you’ve input. This is a chance to double-check everything, and to be able to go back if you need to change anything. You also need to tick the box to say you’re happy with them having the data your sharing with them. When you’re happy, you can press submit! Here’s the confirm details screen (we’ve blurred our personal details but of course you’ll be able to see them when you apply):

And you’ve done it! When the application is submitted you will then get a confirmation screen, with information on where to collect your card once you arrive at Disneyland Paris, and links to more information like the accessbility pages. Here’s the confirmation screen:

You should also receive confirmation of your submission as an email.

So where do I collect my priority card from?

Once you arrive in Disneyland Paris you have a few options of where to collect your card from.

If you’re staying in one of the Disney resorts and will be heading there before going to the parks, you can collect the card from reception. If you have an annual pass, head to the annual pass desk outside the entrance of the Studios park. For everyone else (including resort guests who are heading to the parks first) head to guest relations outside of Disneyland Park – it’s towards the right hand side as you look at the Disneyland Hotel. There may be a bit of a queue, but in our experience it moves pretty quickly. (The Disneyland Paris staff seem to have moving people here down as a bit of an art-form).

Regardless of where you pick up your pass from, you will need to show the evidence of being differently-abled – one of the forms of ID that they approve (and again, a doctor’s letter won’t cut it in this case!) They’ll then check the details are correct and print the card for you.

At Disneyland Park they might also ask if you need tickets – that’s because folks who are differently-abled can save 25% on park tickets! You can order these in advance too, and then pick them up when you visit. (You can also get discounts on annual passes which could be great if you’re a frequent visitor).

Yay I’ve got my Priority card. What does it do again?

The formalities are over and you have your Priority card – now the fun can begin!

The Priority Card gives a number of benefits that really help differently-abled folks manage the parks:

• It gives the card-holder and up to four guests priority access to rides. Note that’s priority access – not immediate! What happens will depend on the ride and the colour of your pass. If you don’t have any mobility-differences and the ride has a Premier Pass lane (the paid for skip the line service), you’ll likely be directed there. For other rides or if you have mobility-differences you’ll be directed to separate entrance for the ride (this is often the ride exit). There should be signs with MagicALL written on them at the rides showing where the entrances are. You’ll then be boarded on the ride as soon as possible. If it’s a popular attraction there could still be wait in the Premier Pass lane or differently-abled entrance – but it’ll likely be a much shorter wait than the main queue. Also if you need a particular ride vehicle, you’ll need to wait until that vehicle comes round before boarding (for example, if you need the wheelchair accessible boat on It’s a Small World, you’ll need to wait for this to come to loading dock before boarding – if its in the middle of the ride somewhere they can’t magic it directly to you!)
• It can give quicker access to the characters – How you receive priority access for the characters varies by location. For those in set static places (like Mickey in his theatre) that are classed as attractions in the app, you are able to access a special line in a similar way to the rides. For other characters you need to book a time-slot to return – and they go quickly! If you have your heart set on a particular character we recommend getting to their meet and greet spot early and talking to a cast member as soon as you can. We have heard that for the new virtual queue being offered for Stitch they aren’t accepting priority cards at all, presumably because you already are in an (in theory!) expedited queue anyway. We’ve not experienced this directly for ourselves though, and it may vary as new virtual queues are rolled out. Watch this space!
• It gives the card-holder and up to four guests priority access to theatre shows. By this we mean shows with a sit down audience like Mickey and the Magician or Rhythm of the Pridelands. For these shows you’ll be directed to a special entrance to wait, and then you’ll be let into the theatre first to get seated before the other guests enter. While this is a great perk they don’t hold the other guests back forever, so it’s still worth getting to the theatre 20-30 minutes before show time to secure your spot.
• It gives the card-holder and up to two guests access to special viewing areas for the night-time spectacular and parades. These special areas are typically roped off around the Hub area in front of the castle. These areas tend to be a lot less crowded than other places and there also tends to be less pushing and shoving. Note though that the space in the assigned areas aren’t infinite and could still get pretty busy, so we still recommend arriving a reasonable chunk of time before show-time – perhaps 30-40 minutes. Seating is also very limited. We arrived about 30-40 minutes and found railings to rest on, and this worked well. Note the more limited number of people allowed in the space – please do not yell at or bully the cast members to try and let more people in! They’re trying to make it fair on everyone and enforce the company policy. We saw way to many cast members getting abused (and if you try to sneak into the viewing areas you’ll get swiftly removed!).
• You can get quicker service at quick-service restaurants – When you arrive at a counter-service restaurant, show the Priority pass to the cast member at the door or front of the queue lines, they’ll direct you to a special line where you should get quicker service. (In our experience mobile order can still be quicker where it’s offered though)
• You get expedited check-in at table-service restaurants – in theory the card allows you to go right up to the check-in desks for table-service restaurants. We’ve never used it for this – we’ve found the lines tend to move quickly enough and other guests don’t seem to be very understanding either! But definitely use this perk if you need to.
• You can get expedited check-out in shops – Showing the card in shops should allow you to be directed to a special line or to receive swifter service.

So there you have it, a complete guide to the Priority card at Disneyland Paris! We think these are fantastic, and really help make the parks accessible to as many people as possible. If you have any questions about the cards do let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to help!