It’s mental health awareness week! This is a week that shines the spotlight on those who have mental health conditions, and the importance of being open and supportive about the impacts it can have. Disneyland Paris can be a great place for your mental health – it offers an escape from everyday pressures and what can be a very scary world, and a chance to let loose, have fun, and be a bit like a kid again. But it can also be crowded, busy and stressful! As we have mental health conditions ourselves, we offer some tips to help you look after your mental health at Disneyland Paris.

If you can, go when it’s less busy

There’s no doubt that Disneyland Paris gets very busy, pretty much all the time. But it’s also true that some times are far busier than others! If you’re someone who doesn’t like crowds, or who just wants a more relaxed trip, then going to the parks when they’re less busy can make for a much easier holiday.

Key crowd times in Disneyland Paris tend to be European school holidays – so the period over Christmas and New Year, around Easter, and the summer months. Crowds can also pile in for special seasons – so weekends in particular can be very busy during Christmas season (even though it starts in November, well before Christmas!), and Halloween season (essentially the entire month of October). If you have flexibility with when you can go, then avoiding weekends in general can be a good shout, as this often draws locals and folks on weekend breaks into the parks. And also remember to look out for French bank holidays, as you can bet the crowds will be out in force then!

The quietest time of year in general tends to be mid-late January and the first week of February. Crowds mid-week here tend to be lighter. The flip side of that is of course you’ll probably have some cold, potentially wet or potentially snowy weather to contend with! You also might find a few more attractions under refurbishment, as Disney tends to group these around the quieter time of year if they can!

Of course I do realise that not everyone has freedom to choose when to go to Disneyland Paris, you may be restricted to school holidays or similar. But if you do have flexibility, heading for quieter times of year could make for a much more relaxing trip, and easier on your mental health as well.

Don’t be afraid of spoilers!

Some folks when they visit Disneyland Paris want to avoid spoilers of the attractions, wanting to be surprised on their visit. And this can be fun! But for folks with anxiety or similar, this fear of the unknown could take a real toll on mental health, or lead to people avoiding attractions that they actually would have been fine on!

If you fall into this camp, or just want to feel prepared for your trip, then don’t be afraid to look at spoilers for experiences in the park. Read the descriptions online. Watch ride through videos on YouTube (you’ll find plenty of them on there). Ask people you know who have been. Do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable. At least with this knowledge you’ll be able to make an informed choice on whether an attraction is for you, so taking away the fear of uncertainty and allowing you to avoid attractions that may be triggering for you. (We have a blog on common triggers found in Disneyland Paris attractions that you may find useful too). In essence, don’t be afraid to do what you need to to have a great trip!

Have at least a rough plan

Another way to take away uncertainty is to have a rough plan of what you intend to do each day you in the parks. Note that we say a rough plan, not a minute by minute itinerary!

Very detailed itineraries can work, but they can also put undue pressure on a Disney park day, leading to the day feeling less like fun and more like a slog. Instead we’d recommend having a rough plan of at least what park you’re going to, where you’d like to eat, and some priority attractions. Of course if you want to do activities that have very fixed times (like the parade or nighttime spectaculars) then make sure you factor those in. But otherwise pick some priorities (say 3-5 each depending on the size of your group) and just focus on getting those done. Anything else? It’s a bonus! But having this rough plan and goals saves being overwhelmed by choices, or finding yourself slogging to get from one attraction to another due to a too detailed plan.

Share your needs with your group

Hopefully whoever you’re travelling to Disneyland Paris with will know about your needs and be more than happy to work around them. But that may not always be the case, say if you’re going a group where you don’t know everyone well. If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to speak up and share your needs with them. Your mental health is a priority which they need to know about!

Know that you’ll struggle with the crowds at certain times of day? Say so. Know an attraction is going to be unsuitable for you due to it being triggering? Share this! While some folks may not truly understand, most people are generally pretty good about understanding that some of us need accommodations for our mental conditions. And if they don’t know what your needs are, you may find yourself pressured to do something that you know just isn’t going to work for you! Never be afraid of self-advocating for your mental health – it’s important.

Look into options to reduce lines if they apply to you

One thing that can be an issue for some folks with mental health conditions are the long lines at Disneyland Paris, and waits for things like shows and parades. Those long waits can be frustrating, difficult, and see you surrounded by a whole lot of other people!

If you know that’s going to apply to you, then see if there are options for you to reduce the stress. Particularly see if you are eligible for the Priority Card for the differently-abled, which allows you access to expedited lines for rides and special waiting areas for shows that should be less crowded than the general waiting areas. The Priority Card isn’t for everyone, but if you are eligible it can be a great tool. We’ve found it great for helping to reduce some very crowded and stressful waits in the parks! You can learn more about the Priority Pass in our blog here.

If you’re not eligible for the Priority Pass, then it may be worth investigating if the Premier Access system is worth investing in. This is where you can pay to reduce your wait at certain attractions. You can either pay one rate to skip all the eligible attractions on a day, or pay individually for each ride as needed. Sadly there are costs involved, and they can be steep! We’d recommend probably using the Premier Access Once for individual rides as you need them, as it’ll probably work out cheaper. (Unless you’re going peak time when all the lines are going to be long regardless). It’s a righteous bummer that you may need to pay more to enjoy the parks, especially when you pay a lot of for Disneyland Paris anyway, but if you can afford to do it, it might well be worth it for your mental health. You can also pay for priority viewing for the parades and nighttime spectaculars for access to less crowded viewing areas if you feel you’ll need that.

Start your park days early, or stay late

The middle of each day tends to see the largest crowds in Disneyland Paris. But if you can get to the parks for opening (or for Magic Hour an hour before park opening if you’re staying at one of the Disney hotels), or you’re able to stay up until park close, then in the early or later hours you’ll often be able to enjoy the parks with far less crowds!

Not only does this mean lower waits for rides, but it also means less crowded walkways around the park, so you can feel you have a lot more breathing space! Not everyone wants to get up early on their vacation, or can stay late into the evening, but if it’s possible for you then we’d recommend it for a less crowded and stressful park. And as a bonus, you can get some really nice photos at these times too with less people around!

Have an escape plan!

Sometimes a day in the parks can get just too much. The crowds, noise, sights and smells can lead to overstimulation quite easily. If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed then have an escape plan in mind!

An escape plan doesn’t mean you need to leave the parks. There are quieter spots in the parks to be found that can make for a welcome breather, such as Boot Hill cemetery in Frontierland or the covered walkway between Frontierland and Adventureland. We have a video on these on our YouTube channel if you’d like to take a look!

Also some attractions draw a lot lower crowds than others – in the Disneyland Park you can try the Mysteries of the Nautilus or Adventure Isle for less crowded experiences, or Mickey’s Philharmagic in Discoveryland if your timing is good to catch a show. Disney Adventure World is a bit more awkward on this front, but the new gardens on Adventure Way seem good places where you might be able to take at least a bit of a breather from the crowds!

Something else that can be helpful is taking a break in one of the quick service spots, as long as it’s not a peak mealtime. At mid-afternoon (so say 2.30-5pm) these spots can be pretty quiet, so just grabbing a drink and taking a breather can be helpful. (This is probably the only time we’d recommend heading in Au Chalet de la Marionette in Fantasyland – the food isn’t great but there’s a lot of indoor seating and outside peak mealtimes its pretty empty!).

But if stepping out the parks is what you need, do it. Disney Village is right outside both parks, and around lunchtime and the middle of the day the dining here is going to be a lot quieter than in evening! But, if what you need is a break in your hotel room, then do it. This is a time when staying in one of the onsite Disney owned hotels can be great, because they’re much easier to retreat to when you just need a breather for a while. Especially in the summer when the park days tend to be long, a middle of the day break in the hotel might be the reset you need.

And if you’re just too overwhelmed in the parks and need to step out for the rest of the day, then do that. Is it a shame? Yes, but it’ll be a lot worse to push yourself past your own limits. Make sure you’re kind to yourself and are paying attention to your own mental health needs.

Pack those distractions!

Sometimes to get through a Disneyland Park day, a distraction can be a great help when the crowds get overwhelming. I have a fidget ring that I wear, and play with whenever I get stressed in the parks. But pack what works for you.

Feel that you need to cut down on the noise? The something like Loop or Flare Audio earplugs can be of great help to reduce the sensory overload. Small fidget toys can be popped into park bags or hung on a keyring, so they’re at hand when needed. It may be that in a long queue or long wait you may want to do something to distract from the crowds completely, like read an e-book on your phone, or listen to some music or a favourite podcast on headphones (if you’re doing the latter though, make sure you’re keeping the volume at a level no one else can hear – otherwise your sensory escape may trigger sensory overload in someone else!). Essentially, do what you need to do to help stop yourself become overwhelmed or spiralling.

Try people watching!

Sometimes it’s so tempting to rush from attraction to attraction in Disneyland Paris that we forget to slow down and just appreciate the parks around us.

I’d recommend taking regular sit down breaks in any park day, as a chance to hydrate and rest feet. But if you’re managing a mental health condition, this can also be an opportunity to disengage from the hustle and bustle and just pause to watch the parks for a bit. People watch for a little while. Look around at the depth of theming in the parks. Try to just have a mindful moment where you’re present without feeling the need to be doing something. Because quite often the magic of Disneyland Paris is just feeling the atmosphere and being there!

Hopefully there’s so helpful tips for looking after your mental health in Disneyland Paris. Remember that no price should be paid for your mental health, not even the ‘perfect’ Disneyland Paris day that leaves you overwhelmed and drained! Instead, try and make sure you feel a bit of that Disney magic just by being there.

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