Disneyland Paris has a lot to do. And it makes sense when people are in the parks that they want to do as much as humanly possible in the time they have! And we encourage that (as long as you’re realistic alongside it). But, there are some things that we feel you should actively avoid doing in Disneyland Paris to ensure you have the best trip possible, and we’re sharing some of those in this blog.

Not being familiar with the Disneyland Paris app

We get it, not everyone wants to be looking at their phone while on holiday. That being the case, you might try to experience Disneyland Paris without using their mobile app at all, but that’s a big mistake!

Disney are progressively moving more and more functionality onto the Disneyland Paris app – and some of these are things you may need to do if you’re experiencing the resort at its fullest. Your hotel booking details? On the app. Restaurant reservations? On the app. Want to meet characters who have a virtual queue? You’re booking that on the app too! The same if you want to book a Premium Access to any of the rides, or to mobile order at the quick service restaurants. Ride wait times, show times, character locations… they’re all on the Disneyland Paris app. And if what’s going on over in the USA parks is anything to go by, it’s likely that Disney will be adding more functionality onto the app in the future.

Having said all that, I don’t think you need or should be staring at the app all day – after all you should be taking in the parks and having a nice time with whoever you’re with! So it pays to be familiar with the app so you can use it for what you need when you need it, and then put it away until the next time you need it.

We strongly recommend that you have the Disneyland Paris app on your phone – and that you download it before you arrive (not least because doing so will save you trying to do it on the busy Park Wifi or costing you a fortune in data!). And also familiarise yourself with it before you arrive too! Some things you’ll only be able to fully do once you’re in the parks on the day (like the virtual queues), but you can start looking at how to get to them and how the system works before, and it’s easy to check out things like wait times, character locations and more. Don’t view technology as an enemy here – it can be a key part of making your Disneyland Paris trip run smoothly!

(And side note, have battery packs on hand to ensure your phone doesn’t run out of juice during the day either! We’ve got recommendations over on our Amazon Storefront.)

Using flash photography on rides and shows

Disney brings a lot of key elements together in their rides and attractions – scenery, story, figures, soundtrack… and lighting. And nothing can ruin it quicker than someone using a flash on their camera or phone!

Using flash photography is to be discouraged on all rides and shows, but there’s two really big no nos for using it – dark rides and shows with live performers. Dark rides are rides that take place indoors. So think a lot of the rides in Fantasyland like Peter Pan’s Flight and Snow White’s Adventures, Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland, Phantom Manor in Frontierland, and WEB Slingers and Frozen Ever After among others in Disney Adventure World. In all of these indoors attractions the lighting is a key part of telling the story. If you use flash photography it does two things. One, it gives you a rubbish photo – it’ll be blurry and washed out. And two, it wrecks the lighting and so ruins the attractions for not only you but anyone around you – riders in the same ride vehicle and those in the same show scene. (So don’t think if you’re secluded in a ride vehicle on say Phantom Manor you can use a flash okay – I’ve spotted many another person using flash on this ride because of how it illuminates the scene!). You’ve just dazzled your fellow guests and completely killed the vibe. Really there’s no win in this scenario – you’re unpopular and your pictures suck, and it’s possible a cast member will pick you up on it too – ouch.

When it comes to the shows with live performers, using the flash is actually very dangerous. It can dazzle or blind one of the performers. If they can’t see and they’re in the middle of a big ensemble dance number or performing one of the aerial stunts you see in Rhythm of the Pridelands, you’ve just made them unable to see what they’re doing, so they’re more likely to make a mistake and potentially hurt themselves or someone else on stage. Obviously no one wants that! Plus copy and paste my points above about ruining the vibe and getting rubbish photos anyway, they apply here. (Also, if you use flash in one of the shows a cast member will be on you pretty quickly asking you to turn it off, and repeat offenders get asked to leave the theatres – you’ve been warned!)

One thing we do realise is that it’s easy to accidentally have the flash on – so we strongly recommend that before your trip you learn how to use your camera (whether that be on a phone or a stand alone one!) so you know how to check if the flash is on before experiencing an attractions – and if you’ve left it on by accident, you can swiftly turn it off again! Please don’t just keep using it regardless. And if you don’t know how to turn the flash off, stop taking photos! Figure it out once you get off the ride so you’re set for other attractions. It’s the better option for you and everyone around you.

Eating at the quick service spots at peak meal times

We humans are creatures of habit. There’s lots of things we want to do at the same time each day – and one of those things is eat. You may want to stick to your regular lunch of around 12pm-2pm or dinner of around 5.30pm-7pm. But you know what? So does everyone else!

The quick service restaurants at Disneyland Paris can be a great option for a decent, quick and cheaper (by Disney standards at least!) meal. But it also has to be said that most of them aren’t large enough to meet the demand of all the people who want to eat in them at peak meal times, particularly on very busy park days. Don’t be one of those searching frantically for a table or getting hangry in the 30+ minute wait for your order because you wanted to eat at 1pm.

Our advice? Eat outside of those peak meal spots. We end up with some kinda weird meal times in Disneyland Paris when we’re there. We’re often ‘rope dropping’ the quick service spots when they open! (Typically around 11-11.30 for lunch service). Early lunch? Yup. But much shorter waits and a chance to actually a grab a table make it worth it.

A couple of other tips – if the queues to order are really long regardless, check to see if you can order your food via mobile order on the Disneyland Paris app – it can help bypass longer waits. And another tip can be eating during a parade if you’ve already seen it (or don’t want to) – we were able to eat in some deserted restaurants on one trip because we were eating when the Christmas parade was on! (Which we’d already seen).

Getting stuck in ‘switchback hell’

‘Switchback hell’ is a term I coined for some theme park ride lines. Disney do a good job in some queue lines of making them spread out and having a lot to look at along the way – Star Tours is a brilliant example of this, and so are Pirates of the Caribbean and Frozen Ever After. But some of the rides have queues that are all tightly packed switchbacks in one room with little to see around you apart from a sea of people. If you’re someone who doesn’t like tightly packed crowds, it can feel like being stuck in your worst nightmare!

The worst offenders for this are some of the rides over in Fantasyland – notably Peter Pan’s Flight, Snow White’s Adventures and especially Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. The Pinocchio queue is an art form of leading people to think they’re near the end only for another double back which puts you straight into the middle of a sea of people again, or so it feels like. Fortunately the queue here tends to move reasonably quickly, but there’s no doubt can be an uncomfortable wait.

Avoiding these waits can be a little tricky. If you’re eligible for the Priority Pass for the differently-abled, especially because you have issues with queues like these, then make sure you use it – typically you’ll be directed to either the Premier Access entrance if it exists (so for Peter Pan’s Flight) or the Exit to wait and board the ride there. It’s worth noting this is not instant guaranteed access, you may still have a wait, but it will be a lot less and in much less cramped quarters! If you’re not eligible for Priority Pass then your best best is probably trying to hit these attractions up as early in the day as possible – for Peter Pan that’s typically during Magic Hour for the Disney Resort Guests (queues can easily climb to around an hour during this time and not drop again!). For Snow White and Pinocchio, try as soon as the park opens, or as soon as the ride opens for the day (it happens sometimes that either Snow White or Pinocchio will open a bit later, say at 10am). Another trick could be during a parade, or try later in the day when waits tend to drop off a bit. (Don’t wait too long though, as a lot of Fantasyland will close earlier than the rest of the park to allow prep for the Tales of Magic nighttime show!). Otherwise you might have to gauge it by eye and make a judgement call – thankfully the queues for Snow White, Pinocchio and Peter Pan are visible from within the park without having to enter the ride line.

If you can’t avoid the lines then a distraction can also be a great – a game, reading a book, anything that takes your mind off the people! Just bear in mind it needs to be something easily portable as queues keep moving. This isn’t a good time to break out a Monopoly set or the colouring!

Breaking out the selfie stick or professional camera equipment

Keen photographer? In Disneyland Paris as well as avoiding using flash photography (see my point above), bear in mind there’s certain pieces of equipment that you shouldn’t be using either!

Selfie sticks have been banned in Disney Parks for quite a few years now. This is a safety issue – despite common sense saying it’s a bad idea, unfortunately people kept pulling them out on rides like rollercoasters with tight loops or crossing pieces of track leading to a risk of them getting caught or worse. There’s also no denying that people holding phones up on selfie sticks to do things like record the fireworks and the parades is also a pain as it can block the view of a lot of people behind. Disney have signs up outside the parks as you enter reminding you of this. A very short handle for a camera is okay as long as it doesn’t extend, but if you’re caught with a selfie stick at security they won’t let it in with you, and if you somehow get it past them and into the park, cast members will pick you up on it pretty quick!

The rules on ‘professional’ camera equipment is a newer one that came in recently. Disney’s wording is that you’re not allowed ‘any equipment or material that may disturb the visitor experience, pose a danger, or be used for photography or filming (commercial, journalistic, or promotional purposes), as well as any device likely to compromise visitor safety or comfort’. It’s a bit vague, but essentially using a mobile phone, or small standard camera or small video camera should be fine. But large cameras like SLR’s, large lenses, or professional film cameras are a no go. So are large handheld microphones (although small clip on ones should be fine). Essentially Disney doesn’t want anyone doing a lot of commercial filming or photography in the parks – and they’d probably argue that large cameras and lenses can also ruin the experience for other guests. Which can certainly be true for thoughtless folks with this kind of kit! Our advice – stick to your phone or a small camera, and ditch any other equipment. Definitely don’t try to do a full live stream or photo shoot in the middle of Main Street USA – Disney will probably take a dim view!

Eating a meal at Au Chalet de la Marionette

The food at Disneyland Paris sadly has a bit of a bad reputation, one that we think is not wholly justified. We’ve had some genuinely very good meals here, and there are restaurants that we look forward to eating at again. And then there’s Au Chalet de la Marionette…

If you don’t know Au Chalet de la Marionette is a quick service spot in Fantasyland in Disneyland Park, themed to Pinocchio and serving German food. (Although Pinocchio is an Italian story but anyway…) Do I expect great German food at a Disneyland Paris quick service churning out meals en masse to feed thousands of people? Absolutely not. But I do expect it to at least be reasonably edible! And it might be that we’ve been super unlucky with Au Chalet de la Marionette but we’ve never had a good meal here. Food is often dried out and tough (even when we were nearly the first people in there after opening), the choice of seasonings is just plain weird. Even the Apple Strudel has been dry and the balance of flavours in the fountain soft drinks off. For whatever reason, Au Chalet de la Marionette just can’t seem to serve up a decent meal – at least for us!

Our advice? Don’t eat a meal here. Go elsewhere. Nearby in Fantasyland you have Toad Hall Restaurant and Pizzeria Bella Notte, both far better options. So are Restaurant Hakuna Matata and Colonel Haithi’s in Adventureland next door – and if you’re willing to walk a bit further Frontierland has Cowboy Cookout and Casa de Coco, two of the best quick service spots in the entire park!

The only time we’d consider going in Au Chalet de la Marionette is mid afternoon for a drink, as it tends to be quiet then and also has a lot of seating, and the theming in here is cute. But for meals? We’d go somewhere (anywhere!) else.

Paying over the odds for park essentials because you forgot to pack them!

I think everyone who has got into a Disney theme park at some point has probably realised they left something at home that they needed. It’s just one of those things. And the good news is that many items can be picked up on site at Disneyland Paris – but you’ll be paying a premium on them!

Disney know that the folks buying nappies, suncream, sanitary towels, another pair of shoes, ponchos and the like are the folks who need something then and there. And of course, you’re in a theme park. As a result the prices you’ll pay here are a lot higher than you’ll pay for it elsewhere, and that you would have paid for back at home too! If you are looking for some of those more sundries items try looking at the Stroller and Wheelchair rental stand – they have a lot of this type of thing at those spots. Just be prepared you’re going to be paying over the odds – and that might be worth it to save disrupting your Disneyland Paris day by heading offsite to grab something.

But there’s some things you can’t even grab on site at all – namely medicines. I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll need to keep saying it because I still see people getting caught out by this – you can’t buy medicines on site at Disneyland Paris. In French law all medicines, even common ones like paracetamol, can only be sold by a pharmacy. First Aid can normally hook you up with a single dose of a common med to help try to settle a headache or case of heartburn, but they can’t sell you packets and won’t keep dishing out regular doses either. To buy medicine you’d need to head to the nearest pharmacy at Val d’Europe – not too far away but still taking time our of your precious Disney holiday and could feel like a trek if you’re not feeling great.

Our advice? Bring with you what you can – all those boring essentials like medication, sun block, toiletries and the like. You don’t need to cart around an entire Boots store with you but it’s still better to pack a few things ‘just in case’ than to find yourself stuck in dire need! If you do that you can avoid paying Disney’s premium for them, or wandering offsite to find what you need! If you’d like some ideas check out our Amazon Storefront we recently launched, we have a number of ideas lists of things we’ve found helpful in the parks. (Note we are an Amazon Affiliate so if you make a purchase from our storefront we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

Letting the weather get the best of your Disney day

Disneyland Paris is in northern France (near Paris, unsurprisingly). If you’re used to the sunnier climes of Florida and California for your Disney visits, then you might be a bit shocked by the weather at Disneyland Paris. Sure, it may be sunny. It may also be bucketing down rain. It may be windy, or stormy. In the winter snow and ice are pretty common. So is freezing fog. Essentially, the weather is annoyingly like that in the UK in that the only thing it’s reliable on is unreliability! (And no that weather dome thing that some people seem to think all Disney Parks have is not real and Disney can’t control the weather. Yet.)

Sadly you see often people getting their Disney days completely derailed because they simply weren’t ready for what the weather was throwing at them. When packing for your trip it makes sense to check a weather forecast to at least get the idea what you might need to be dealing with. But we’d also recommend being prepared to vary from that because Paris weather is gonna Paris weather.

Our tips, regardless of the season bring some sort of rain gear. If you’re heading in summer be prepared with cooling towels and fans and other cooling items, in the winter pack those thermals and warm coats and gloves. But at all seasons it’s worth having some layers, so if the weather is surprisingly chilly you can layer up and be warm, or you can shed a layer or two to be cooler as needed. But unless it’s really atrocious we wouldn’t recommend cutting short your Disney park day – the weather that’s putting you off is also likely putting off other people too, meaning you could experience the parks with less crowds. And a lot of the attractions are designed to be indoors with covered queues on purpose, because Disney knew when they were designing the parks that the weather in Paris was pretty changeable. Just bear in mind that in severe rain, cold or blazing sun some of the outdoor entertainment like the parades and calvacades might be adjusted for the safety of the performers.

Joining the masses moving just after the park close, or parades or nighttime show ends

When you’re in Disneyland Paris, you’ll likely be focussed on making sure you and your group have the best time possible. But guess what? There’s thousands of other people in the parks each day trying to do the same thing! And there’s going to be some things that they’ll want to do as much as you – like the nighttime spectaculars and staying until park close, or the parades. And these are all things that are worth doing. But the aftermath? Yikes!

When one of the nighttime spectaculars or a parade ends, you’ve suddenly got thousands of people all moving en mass. The parades are a bit more bearable because the crowds are typically dispersing around the park, but there’s still going to be a lot of people close together trying to move. But after the nighttime spectaculars when the parks close? Then you’ve got thousands of people all moving in exactly the same direction – and they’re all as tired and sore as you are after a day of theme park fun. And sadly there’s some people at Disneyland Paris who aren’t shy of pushing, shoving, shoulder blocking and more in order to get where they’re going a split second or so before someone else. As a result leaving the parks can feel akin to leaving a large concert – shoulder to shoulder at a slow shuffle. It’s easy for groups to get separated, and for tempers to fray. And sadly the pushing and shoving doesn’t end for those heading for the shuttle buses back to their hotel at the end of the night either. If you’re easily overstimulated or don’t like crowds or a lot of people then these times can feel like a lot to deal with, especially if you’re already tired and cranky.

Our advice? Don’t move off when everyone else does! Stand to the side for a little bit and let the crowds disperse ahead of you. Not only will you avoid being squashed in with others, but if you’re doing this at park close while hanging back you’ll be able to get some lovely photos of a quiet park as you make your way out once the masses have gone (just don’t leave it too late – those cast members want to get home too!) The shops on Main Street USA and in World Premiere Plaza tend to stay open a bit after park closing time, so you could do a bit of browsing while waiting (although expect the shops to be busy still). But honestly just chilling and people watching at the side of Main Street USA has its advantages too. And if you’re able we’d also recommend walking back to your hotel to avoid the shuttle bus frenzy – it can feel like a bit of a slog at the end of the day but they can also be pretty. And less stressful than being shoved around!

So there you go – 9 things we’d recommend avoiding in Disneyland Paris! Anything you’d add? Let us know in the comments, and while you’re down there why not subscribe to this blog? You’ll receive our blogs in your email inbox, and a free copy of our Magically Different Guide to Disneyland Paris Attraction Accessibility (otherwise £3). We’d love to see you over on our YouTube channel too for more Disneyland Paris tips and tricks! And if you’d like to support our work, you can do so by leaving a tip. Thank you!