“It’s the most crowded time of the year…” Okay that’s probably not in the spirit of the original Christmas song – but when it comes to navigating the holiday season at Disneyland Paris it’s certainly accurate! The Christmas season brings peak crowds to the Disneyland Paris parks. While in general our tip is to avoid crowded times, we realise that’s not always possible if you’re limited by school holidays, work leave – or at this time of year, just want to soak up the peak Christmas season! We’ve had to navigate Disneyland Paris at some of the busiest times in the past, so here’s our top tips to ensure your trip is still a success – and that you patience, Christmas spirit and Disney magic don’t go down the drain!

Get your park tickets sorted ASAP!

A lot of folks seem to think Disneyland Paris is like many other theme parks, where you can rock up and buy tickets on the day. But this isn’t the case – Disneyland Paris actively says to don’t do this and to buy in advance online instead! No biggie you might think, but beware – in popular seasons like Christmas the parks can and will hit capacity, and often sell out well in advance. That means if you don’t have ticket already, or no Disney hotel stay… then you’re out of luck.

Checking online just now, New Year’s Eve is already sold out in the parks. Honestly I’d expect Christmas to follow suit in the very near future. This Christmas season has already seen sold out weekend days!

So if you’re planning to go for Christmas, or honestly any busier season (so also Easter, summer, Halloween) then our advice is to get your ticket or you hotel stay booked as soon as possible! That way you know your entry to the parks is secured, and you won’t face any last minute disappointments.

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Prioritise your must dos

For most people the ideal Disneyland Paris trip is being able to do ‘everything’. But even at less busy times of year that’s not always realistic by the time you figure in other guests, ride down times, wait times, and so on. Add peak crowds into the mix and this is even more unlikely – realistically being in a packed parks means that it takes longer to get from place to place, longer waits for rides and shows, and even long lines to get food and use the toilet! So unless you have the luxury of a multi-week stay, our top tip is to prioritise.

Get everyone in your group to pick one or two things they’d like to do in each park, and then on park days prioritise getting those done. If you manage that, then everything else is a bonus! Make sure you hit up must dos for everyone in your group, not just a couple of people (or even just yourself). You might think you know the best attractions for your group, but blindly following what you think you should be doing and ignoring the wishes of others is a one way ticket to resentment (or in the case some of folks, meltdowns!)

Also when prioritising must dos don’t just think about rides either. Ensure that people consider things like the characters. Also, are you assuming folks in your group want (or don’t want) to do things like the theatre shows, the parade and Tales of Magic (the nighttime show)? Seeing these performances will involve a time investment for holding down spots and getting into lines, so make sure everyone is on the same page first! And if your group is split in opinion, don’t be afraid to split the group to make sure everyone gets their must dos done – just make sure that all little ones have an adult with them, and have a clear plan for meeting back up so no one wanders off or gets lost.

Our one caveat on splitting your group is don’t have one or two people wait in a ride or character line, or for a show, and then try to have a whole group of people join them at a much later time. Aside from the fact Disney doesn’t allow queue jumping (which is what this would class as), it’s also not fair to the folks behind who have patiently waited in line, or held down a spot for a show or character. Also if you try it don’t be surprised if other guests show their displeasure either! I will say an exception to this is if someone is taken ill or is struggling with the crowds, or someone needs a potty break as things like that happen. But again, you may find joining back up with your group tricky! (You might also be able to find support with queuing to reduce the likelihood of problems like this – see below for more information).

Also for prioritisation, any table service meals should be planned and booked well in advance (up to a year for resort guests, 60 days for offsite guests), and I’d even prioritise must do quick service restaurants and snacks because queues will be long!

Use methods for reducing wait times that are open to you

Yup, peak times at Disneyland Paris also means peak waits for shows and attractions. However, there are ways you may be able to manage your waits – at least to an extent!

The first of these if that if you’re a Disneyland Paris hotel guest, to utilise Magic Hour. This is a time when the parks are open to Disney hotel guests only, for one hour before the park’s official opening time. (So if the parks are opening at 9.30am, Magic Hour will be 8.30am to 9.30am). While not every attraction in the parks are open at this time, some will be – including some heavy hitters that build up serious queues! In the Disneyland Park this can include Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. In the Studios Park (soon to be Disney Adventure World) current good options are WEB Slingers, Tower of Terror and Crush’s Coaster. Normally we’d add the Ratatouille ride onto that list but it’s closed for the moment for a refurbishment. We also don’t know if either of the new attractions opening in March will be part of Magic Hour – if they are then this’ll be a good option for these too! It’s worth noting that the Disney Hotels can hold thousands of people, so even in Magic Hour expect queues to build quickly at popular attraction in busy times. But it’ll still be a lot quieter than once the park is open to all the day guests as well!

Another option if you group is up to it is to stay later in the parks. A lot of folks (especially with little ones in tow) can’t manage full park days, and leave the parks early – meaning that wait times can drop in the last hour or two the parks are open. Note that in both parks some attractions will close before the park itself closes (especially in Fantasyland as they close down parts of the land to prepare for Tales of Magic), but for the rides that are open until closing time then riding these last thing in the day can mean greatly reduced wait times. Just note though that if you want to watch Tales of Magic you’ll need to choose if in the last couple of hours of your day (and certainly in the last hour of your day) you want to stake out a good spot for the show or ride rides, as you won’t be able to do both.

I mentioned in the prioritising session about folks who may struggle with waits in lines or large crowds. If that’s you or someone in your group due to neurodivergence or being differently-abled, look into if you qualify for the Priority Pass or the Easy Access Pass. Both can help reduce times spent standing in line for attractions, and are a great benefit for those that need them. Note that the passes do not guarantee instant access to attractions or shows – for the Easy Access Pass you need to book return times for attractions, and even for the Priority Pass you’ll need to wait with other guests with similar passes. But it’ll cut down your time spent standing in the actual line. For more information on these check our our guide to Priority Pass, and our blog on all the services Disneyland Paris offer the differently-abled.

Another potential way to help reduce waits is to use the Premier Access system, where you can pay to access shorter queues on the rides. You can either pay one fee to be able to access all the rides on the scheme in one day (which can be a very expensive option), or pay for one-off expedited line access for a particular ride, where you’ll have a set time window to access the ride in (normally an hour). If you’ve got the budget, these can be really helpful, but we realise it’s paying more on top of an already expensive trip so isn’t ideal! We’d probably recommend just paying for one-off rides on those that rack up the really long waits like Big Thunder or Crush’s Coaster, just be prepared that while using Premier Access substantially cuts down on your wait, it doesn’t remove waiting altogether. If you’re more worried about holding spots for the fireworks, parade and stage shows, you can also pay for expedited access to these. Note though that you’re still expected to turn up around 30 minutes in advance of the performance (and we’d recommend even earlier for Tales of Magic and the Parade) so there’s still some waiting! Reserved spots for Tales of Magic in particular often sell out so book as soon as you can.

If you have the ultimate deep pockets you can book a VIP tour, but this is getting into the thousands cost wise! We’ve never done it so can’t comment much on the service but we’ve heard it’s very good. (Although it should be for the price).

Be prepared for looooooong waits

We’ve been in the parks at relatively quiet times of the year and seen folks staking out spots for Tales of Magic for over 90 minutes. How long do you reckon they’ll be willing to wait at a peak time like Christmas?! The same goes for the parade, and outdoor performances like the Christmas tree-lighting. People are prepared to wait a long time for the best views. And if great views are a priority for you too then you best be prepared to be one of them!

The same goes for your priority rides. If folks in your group have their heart set on Crush’s Coaster and don’t have Magic Hour or Premier Access, then the only way to get on the ride unfortunately is to suck it up and wait. For popular characters people will stake out queue lines for a long time and so forth.

Even at quiet times of year we say go with a plan to entertain yourself and your group during ride and show waits. At busier times this is going to be even more important as you’re likely to not only be waiting for attractions but in lines at restaurants, shops and even toilets! So it’s best to be prepared with something in mind that can distract people, or to be willing to get something while in Disneyland Paris to placate an irate little ones (hey there’s a reason sales of balloons and bubble wands are so high!). Toys, puzzles, card games, books on phones or listening to audio books, mobile games, even planning ahead for things like placing a mobile order for lunch or checking restaurant menus for what you want to eat at dinner can help a long wait pass more quickly. Snacks can go down well too. You know your group best – if someone gets angsty standing too long or having to patiently wait normally, it’s unlikely they’ll suddenly snap out of it at Disneyland Paris. Especially during peak season when crowds can be very big and waits for shows feel unending.

Also we’d recommend having a chat with your group beforehand about how long the waits might be, especially for things like Tales of Magic – let them know that if they want the best view they’re probably looking at staking out a spot for at least a couple of hours. At least that way they can’t say they weren’t warned! And being honest and open with your travel group about likely waits may help stave off any shock on the day when they’re suddenly confronted by the peak Disney crowds.

Look out for the quieter spots and pace yourself

In Disneyland Paris in peak season, no where in the parks is ever really quiet. But there will be attractions that will have shorter waits, and places in the park where there might be less people.

In peak crowds good attractions to hit up are the walk through ones which generally have less of wait – try the Mysteries of the Nautilus, the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough, or Adventure Isle for example. Longer sit down attractions can also be a welcome break from the crowds and a rest for your feet – attractions like Mickey’s Philharmagic in Discoveryland, or the train. Even a ride like Pirates of the Caribbean can offer a ten minute or so sit down while you enjoy the attraction! And it’s important to pace yourself at busy times. Planning in longer attractions, a sit on a bench, or a retreat back to your hotel room isn’t giving up, it’s a sensible strategy for folks who feel tired or overwhelmed with all the people!

For quieter spots and places to escape, check out our previous blog on ways to manage sensory overload in Disneyland Paris – the tips here could be even more valuable during peak crowds. We also have a video sharing quieter spots in Disneyland Park. Use the tips here to help you escape the masses at times!

Listen to the cast members

The Cast Members at Disneyland Paris are at the heart of what keeps a very large and complicated system ticking along nicely. These are the folks that are keeping the rides running, answering queries, assisting characters, performing and laying out parades, serving food, keeping the place clean, and a lot more. It can be hard work at times. And it can be either harder at peak times when crowds are large, but tempers are short!

When crowds are large ride lines can overflow their designated queues, and large crowds block pavements waiting for shows and parades. Quick service restaurants quickly overflow with guests and folks are packed shoulder to shoulder trying to check out the latest merchandise. The Cast Members are in the midst of all this trying to keep order, and they’re the ones trained for it too. So if the queue line you’re in suddenly gets diverted by a cast member, follow the diversion – they’re likely just trying to get the queue as organised as possible. If they direct you up a particular path, follow it – even if it’s not the one you were planning to walk up. At times of large crowds, crowd control measures can mean putting in one way systems in the park to manage the flow of traffic. On the face of it this can look to us like we’re being diverted in the opposite direction of where we’re planning to go. But the Disney staff are used to this and they’re used to managing the crowds in the safest and most efficient way possible. If they say a path is the quickest way then believe them, even if it doesn’t look like it on paper – they’re probably trying to move you round a bottle neck. If an area is roped off and they say you can’t access it, believe them! Don’t try to climb into the area – it’s not fair on other guests or the cast members, and you might get in trouble for doing it. If they try to move you between registers in a quick service restaurant or shop, go along with it – they’re trying to disperse the crowd.

I could go on for a long time. But listen to the cast members. And try to be polite and friendly to them all, even if tempers are getting a bit frayed – 99% of the time any issues you’re having won’t be the fault of the cast member you’re talking to, and they’re honestly more likely to want to help you if you’re polite to them in the first place. And remember, they’re humans too – not just cogs in the corporate Disney machine. They have feelings, they get tired and stressed. Taking out your bad mood on them just isn’t acceptable. If you do have a serious complaint or concern by all means raise it, but do so at guest services and in a calm and direct manner. Yelling at the cast member in front of you isn’t going to get you anywhere at all.

Be aware of other guests

When folks are on a Disney trip, they’re mostly focused on ensuring that their group has the best possible time and disregarding almost everything else around them. And that’s fair enough to an extent – of course everyone wants their group to have the best time. But you know who else only cares about their own group having the best time? All the other park guests – and at peak times there’s tens of thousands of them!

Sadly while you’d like to think all guests in the Disney bubble are happy, jolly and willing to ensure they and everyone around them has the best time, that’s not always the case. Most other guests won’t even notice or remember that you exist to be honest. As such a lot of other guests can be thoughtless, or occasionally even downright rude – it’s a sad truth, but it’s still a truth.

We always think it’s best to be aware of what the other guests are doing around you at Disneyland Paris, but that’s even more the case when there’s a lot more folks to consider! A good example of this is to keep a watchful eye for wheelchairs, buggies, toddlers on reins, or just folks too glued to their phone to watch what’s happening in the crowd ahead of them. Being prepared to side step to get out of someone’s way could save you and them a lot of pain and trouble! If your group needs to stop in the parks to discuss something, then make sure you’ve stepped to the side as opposed to blocking the whole path. Only sit down in a quick service restaurant once you have food so you don’t stop another family from eating while you wait for your meal. Ensure your group is together before joining ride lines. Don’t block or push out the way folks who have patiently held down viewing spots for parades and shows for ages just so your group can have the best view (but also don’t let anyone else muscle in on your spot!) And so forth. A little bit of awareness of other guests could make both your and their day a little easier.

Another time to be aware of fellow guests, particularly at crowded times, is to ensure that you leave no bags unattended, and you are able to keep an eye on them in crowded places such as waiting for a show, or in the queues to leave the park at the end of the day. Pickpockets and thieves sadly have been known to target Disney guests, either taking bags and purchases left on buggies or wheelchairs outside rides, or helping themselves to items in pockets and backpacks when the crowds press in on all sides. The bigger the crowds, the more chance they have of getting away with something, so it’s best not to take the chance. Ensure you never leave belongings unattended outside rides or attractions, and keep valuable belongings in cross body bags or similar so you can keep your hand on them in large crowds. If you are wearing a backpack you might want one you can secure shut, or to buy a bag lock. An unnecessary precaution? Hopefully, yes! But being prepared can save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

Just leave more time. For everything.

I’ve already mentioned to expect long waits for shows, rides, and even food at Disneyland Paris. But during peak crowds, it’s best just to allow more time to do anything – that way you won’t be caught out. And this particularly goes for when you’re trying to get places.

It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to get across a park to make a dining reservation, get from your hotel to the park gates in time for rope drop, or trying to catch a train or flight to travel to or from Disneyland Paris, leave more time than you think you’re going to need. Larger crowds means a slower general walking place, and more people to navigate around when getting from A to B. As paths pack out your speed walk can easily turn into a slow crawl. There’s also likely to be longer waits for things like transportation and security.

And this isn’t unique to the Disneyland Paris bubble. We were in the Eurostar station at Gard du Nord on our last visit when one train was running late, and it made the crowds in the terminal… interesting. Actually it was horrible. And that wasn’t a time trains are going to be packed out. It made getting anywhere in the terminal a struggle, and of course queues quickly built at places like security and the station gates. Don’t let the crowds stop you from getting where you need to be – just leave more time, and hopefully you’ll reach your destinations in good time and with less stress!

So there’s some top tips at managing peak crowds in Disneyland Paris. Anything you’d add? Let us know! If you like this blog please subscribe below, you’ll receive future blogs in your inbox and a free copy of our Magical Different Guide to Disneyland Paris attraction Accessibility (typically £3). For more Disneyland Paris tips you can also subscribe to our YouTube channel. And if you’d like to support our work please consider leaving us a tip! Thank you.