So you’re planning your trip to Disneyland Paris. You know what it is you want to do. But where, on site, can you do it? Disneyland Paris is a large site, and sometimes people miss things on their must do lists simply because they’re not sure where to head, and when. In this blog we’re highlighting some people’s Disneyland Paris must dos, and where you need to head to make sure you tick them off your DLP bucket list!

… meet Mickey Mouse?

Did you go on a Disney trip if you didn’t meet Mickey Mouse? Well, yes, but Mickey is so at the heart of everything Disney that it feels weird to contemplate a trip without him!

Mickey’s most known meet and greet is in Disneyland Park, in his ‘dressing room’ underneath the Fantasyland railroad station. It’s a fun meet and greet, and a popular one! As a result this meet and greet is only available via virtual queue. To meet Mickey here, queue slots are dropped into the Disneyland Paris app at 9.45am and 2pm. If you’ve already scanned into one of the Disneyland Paris parks, you can use the app to try and join the virtual queue. While meeting Mickey isn’t quite as competitive as trying to meet the princesses or Anna and Elsa, queue slots can still be snapped up quickly so we’d recommend being on the app at the time the queue slots drop to secure your slot (especially during peak seasons like Easter, the summer and Christmas). If you’re successful you’ll get a countdown to when you can meet Mickey. When the clock counts down make sure you’re at the Fantasyland theatre, cast members will check your reservation and you’ll be able to meet Mickey without much of a wait!

If you’d like to meet Mickey Mouse without the virtual queue drama, you can try the Mysterious Meeting next to Phantom Manor in Frontierland. Here you can queue up to meet Mickey at set times in the day (the times are on the app). You may want to check before you get in line though as sometimes Mickey is swapped out with Pluto here.

Over in Disney Adventure World, you can meet Mickey on Adventure Bay, between the Regal View Restaurant and entrance to World of Frozen. As with the meeting in Frontierland, queue times here are on the app and it’s a queue you can line up for – no virtual queues needed. Often Mickey only tends to meet here in the morning or early afternoon, so check your times and plan accordingly if need be!

If you only want to see Mickey and aren’t worried about an actual meet and greet then you should have plenty of opportunities. Of course he’s in Mickey and the Magician in Disney Adventure World, and heads up Stars on Parade in Disneyland Park. Also if there’s a seasonal show or parade the odds are Mickey is going to be in it!

A final note, you can sometimes meet Mickey at some of the hotels – notably Newport Bay, Sequoia Lodge and Hotel Santa Fe, although characters here rotate so you’ll need to check who you’re meeting! Also note that they’re getting stricter about only allowing guests staying at these hotels to meet the characters.

… meet a Princess?

The Disney Princesses are a popular lot, and meeting them is often on the must do list of folks visiting Disneyland Paris.

The main meeting spot for Princesses is the Princess Pavilion in Disneyland Park, next to It’s a Small World in Fantasyland. Like meeting Mickey above, you need to join a virtual queue for the princesses – and getting a slot for them is really a matter of being super quick and luck! If you want to meet a princess here make sure you’re on the app and ready to join the queue the second the clock ticks over to the virtual queue drop time, and then cross your fingers and hope! Note that if you’re successful, even when you return to the pavilion you might have a bit of a wait. And also note that you’ll be meeting just one Princess, and you won’t know who it is before hand.

Other than the Princess Pavilion, your best bet to meet the Princesses is going to be at one of the character meals where they appear – Auberge de Cendrillon in Disneyland Park, Regal View Restaurant in Disney Adventure World, and La Table de la Lumiere in the Disneyland Hotel. Again the princesses you can meet at these can vary, although more often than not Cinderella will be in Auberge de Cendrillon and Belle in La Table de la Lumiere. Speaking of the Disneyland Hotel, if you’re a guest here you can book a meet and greet spot with a princess at your hotel – again you won’t know who it is in advance, but it’s a valuable perk! And club level guests can also have Princesses visiting them during breakfast.

If you just want to see Princesses but aren’t so worried about the meet and greet, you’ll have a lot of opportunities thankfully! There’s the Princess Calvacade in Disney Adventure World, and a Princess float in Stars on Parade. They also often pop up in shows and seasonal entertainment. And they appear for story sessions in the lobby of the Disneyland Hotel. For a full list of everything Disney Princess related, check out our previous blog on the subject.

… ride a classic Disney attraction?

There’s an argument that any Disney attraction could be classed as a classic Disney attraction, but there’s no doubt that some attractions are more well known than others! Fortunately, while having a number of unique experiences, Disneyland Paris does have its own take on a number of ‘classic’ Disney rides.

Most of these are in Disneyland Park:

• Phantom Manor (Paris’ version of Haunted Mansion) – Frontierland
• Big Thunder Mountain – Frontierland
• Pirates of the Caribbean – Adventureland
• Peter Pan’s Flight – Fantasyland
• Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups – Fantasyland
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant – Fantasyland
• It’s a Small World – Fantasyland
• Lancelot’s Carousel – Fantasyland
• Space Mountain (currently Hyperspace Mountain in Disney Paris) – Discoveryland

Of course there are a lot more attractions than this in Disneyland Park, and many others are fantastic too, but these are the attractions that many seem to know as ‘Disney rides’.

While there’s less along this line in Disney Adventure World, there’s a strong argument for the Tower of Terror being a more modern classic Disney attraction, which is in World Premiere Plaza.

… find ‘Frozen land’ and meet ‘robot Olaf’?

The number of people who refer to World of Frozen as ‘Frozen land’ online never ceases to tickle me – but while the name may not technically right, it’s right enough that we know what they mean!

Anyway, World of Frozen is in Disney Adventure World (formerly the Walt Disney Studios Park). It’s actually found on the shores of Adventure Bay, right on the opposite side of the lake from the park entrance – so it’s a bit of a walk right to the back of the park to get there!

As for ‘robot Olaf’, the walking Olaf animatronic is awesome, but he doesn’t have set meet and greets. And that’s for a good reason – it means if the weather isn’t being kind (which, lets face it, pretty common in Disneyland Paris), or the animatronic isn’t working (we’ve all seen that video of it falling over!) it means no one is disappointed. All being well weather and tech wise, Olaf should be appearing in the Celebration of Arendelle show that takes place in World of Frozen several times a day. While it’s not guaranteed, Olaf seems most likely to make an appearance on foot in the land after the last Celebration show of the day in the late afternoon – so around 4.30ish (obviously depending on the season and the show!). It might be one of those things you just need to lurk for a bit in World of Frozen to hope catching!

Out rather more often than Olaf and roaming the land are Oaken and Mossie the troll, so even if you miss Olaf be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them in World of Frozen.

… watch the nighttime spectaculars?

Disneyland Paris offers two nighttime spectaculars – Disney Cascade of Lights over in Disney Adventure World, and Disney Tales of Magic in Disneyland Park. Both are typically performed at park close.

For Disney Cascade of Lights, the show is performed on Adventure Bay towards the back of Disney Adventure World. As this is a show ‘in the round’ (so you can see it from all angles around the lake), getting a good spot here isn’t as tricky as it is for Tales of Magic – if you arrive around 30 minutes before show time (more in busy seasons) you’ll probably grab a decent spot. If you have the Priority Pass for the disabled, you have a set viewing area that’s roughly between the main path leading to Adventure Bay from the rest of the park and World of Frozen, going clockwise around the lake. There’s also an area here for folks who pay for a better view and less crowded viewing conditions!

For Disney Tales of Magic in Disneyland Park, things are a bit more tricky as you really need to be on Main Street USA to see the show – and that gives a lot less space to watch it. For a decent spot you probably need to be on Main Street at least an hour before the show (probably more in peak season). As with Cascade of Lights, there are areas for the disabled and for those who pay to be in a viewing area. We actually did a blog all about how to watch Disney Tales of Magic which you might want to read next!

… do something spooky?

I had to throw in this point so close to Halloween! Of course Halloween season at Disneyland Paris brings out extra spooky fun, but for the vast majority of the year your options are a bit more limited. But still there!

The obvious attraction to point out here is Phantom Manor, in Frontierland in Disneyland Park. This wonderful dark ride tells the story of the Manor and the ghosts who haunt it – particularly the bride Melanie and the Phantom that follows here! As noted above, it’s Disneyland Paris’ take on Haunted Mansion, but has a different setting and much more focussed storyline than the USA takes on the ride! It’s well worth a visit.

If you’re in Disney Adventure World, providing you don’t mind a thrill ride we’d recommend the Tower of Terror, where you can explore the hotel struck by lightning, causing 5 guests to head into the Twilight Zone. And you’ll encounter the ghost of one of them, a little girl, as you shoot up and down a lift shaft, falling faster than gravity! It’s not for the faint of heart but certainly brings the spooky factor.

There are more spooky and eerie thrills, so check out our blog on spooky things you can do year round at Disneyland Paris next!

… see that dragon everyone keeps talking about?

A lot of people now seem to know that there’s a dragon you can see in Disneyland Paris. Yet so many people still seem to miss actually seeing it!

I am of course talking about the dragon in the Dragon’s Lair, underneath Sleeping Beauty Castle. This impressive animatronic is huge in scale, mostly slumbering but occasionally waking up to roar at guests!

There are three ways into the Dragon’s Lair (typically). One is down a set of stairs at the back of the Merlin the Enchanter shop, which is inside Sleeping Beauty Castle itself (on the left if you’re walking through the castle from Main Street USA to Fantasyland).

There are also two other entrances (that are step free!). One is at the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle itself, below and to the left of the main bridge that goes into the castle from Main Street USA. Note that this entrance often closes if there are fountains or shows taking place on the castle (it’s also recently been closed due to the bridge refurbishment works).

The other entrance is off of the footpath that runs around the left hand side of Sleeping Beauty Castle (as you look at it from Main Street USA) to Fantasyland. If you walk up this path from Main Street USA, there will be a cave-like entrance on your right hand side about halfway along.

The dragon rarely (if ever!) has queues, so it’s easy to swing by and make a visit. And make sure you do, it’s one of those things that’s unique to Disneyland Paris and pretty awesome to boot!

… do something ‘not obviously Disney’?

My first instinct on this question is to ask that if someone doesn’t want to do Disney themed experiences, why are they in Disneyland Paris? However I recognise that families and large groups go, often taking with them someone who is not so into the Disney stories and intellectual properties.

If leaving them at home isn’t an option, thankfully there’s quite a few things they can do in the parks that are not obviously themed to Disney’s own intellectual property:

• Explore the two arcades along the back of Main Street USA for their historical detail
• Hop on the Disneyland Railroad for a scenic trip around the park
• Visit the ghosts at Phantom Manor in Frontierland
• Take aim at targets in the Frontierland Shooting Arcade
• Ride the ‘wildest ride in the wilderness’ at Big Thunder Mountain in Frontierland
• Dine at Silver Spur Steakhouse, Lucky Nugget or Cowboy Cookout in Frontierland for non-Disney film themed dining
• Explore the caves and bridges of Adventure Isle in Adventureland
• Although it does now have characters from the films, Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland is still very close to its non-film based roots!
• Explore the Nautilus submarine in Discoveryland (yes it’s themed to 20,000 leagues Under the Sea but the detail here doesn’t push the film into your face, and it’s rarer that folks have seen it these days!)
• While they might seem a bit ‘Disney’ in nature, both Orbitron and Autopia in Discoveryland aren’t themed to particular films or characters
• Appreciate the details of World Premiere in Disney Adventure World (and dine at Hollywood Gardens Restaurant).
• While it’s an IP, the Twilight Zone isn’t originally Disney so the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror might appeal.

Another thing I’ll mention here is that some folks that still don’t like ‘Disney’ are fans of Star Wars, Marvel and Indiana Jones. If that’s the case in your group then steering them towards Avengers Campus in Disney Adventure World, the Star Wars attractions in Discoveryland in Disneyland Park, and the Indiana Jones coaster in Adventureland might work. I didn’t include these above because they’re all now Disney Intellectual Property, but a lot of folks don’t consider them being very ‘Disney’.

We’d also give a shout out to folks to just slow down and appreciate the details in all the theme park lands, as the beauty and deep theming of the parks does take time to appreciate. And if all else fails there are bars in the Disney hotels and Disney Village where you can send them to entertain themselves for a while!

… get help with a medical issue?

I hope this is something you won’t need in Disneyland Paris, but if you do there are first aid stations in both theme parks.

In Disneyland Park, first aid is typically next to the Plaza Restaurant, at the top of Main Street USA (to the right of the entrance of Discoveryland if you’re looking at the castle from Main Street). However with the current refurbishment of the Plaza Restaurant, First Aid is currently located in Discoveryland, next to Mickey’s Philharmagic (behind Hyperspace Mountain).

In Disney Adventure World, First Aid is located in the Entrance Courtyard, down a path to the right (as you enter the park) just past guest services. The little path might make you think you can’t go down here, but you can!

In both locations, First Aid can help you with single doses of medicines for things like headaches, and help with minor injuries and illnesses. If there’s anything more serious they’ll help you access the medical care you need.

Hopefully this goes without saying, but if you’re in a medical emergency don’t try to get to First Aid. Call the emergency services and if possible grab the nearest cast member for help!

Also, you may be able to avoid first aid if you keep some basic supplies on you – plasters / band aids, blister plasters, pain killers and some other basic meds. Remember, you can’t buy any medicines onsite at Disneyland Paris!

… buy some sundries?

We’ve all been there – you arrive for your trip, and suddenly realise you’ve left something at home you meant to bring – deodorant, sunscreen etc. Or you suddenly realise you’re going to need something you didn’t plan for, like sanitary products. So what happens if you’re in a pinch and need something?

As noted above, if it’s medicines you’re out of luck! However for other sundries you might be able to get something onsite. The unsung heroes here are the Stroller and Wheelchair rental stands – as well as rentals, they often have some items you can buy – nappies, baby wipes, deodorants, sanitary items, sunscreen and lip balm are things we’ve seen there. If it’s supplies for a little one, it’s also worth checking out the Baby Care Centres. And if you’re at one of the Disney hotels, you can try asking at your Hotel Gift shop. Nothing will be out on display, but if you ask they sometimes have some bits behind the counter that you’re able to buy (I got lip balm this way!).

Other options you have on site are checking to see if anything is available in the train station, or visiting the petrol garage just outside the doors of Hotel Santa Fe.

Note that anything you get on property will of course be vastly more expensive than what you would pay elsewhere. If you’d like a larger choice or cheaper prices (or both) you can visit Val d’Europe, a short drive away or one stop on the RER. This vast shopping centre includes the Auchan Supermarket that sells a lot of items, and there’s a pharmacy here too if you do need medicines. But of course if you weren’t planning on going here, it’s a bit of a time suck from your trip. So pack what you can!

… Find good spots to eat and shop?

Phew, that’s a big topic. So big we’re not going to cover them in this blog!

If you’re interested in shopping, we’d recommend our blogs on a guide to shopping at Disneyland Paris, and where you can buy popular merchandise in Disneyland Paris. We also have a ‘Where to Shop at Disneyland Paris‘ video you can check out!

Eating wise, we’d recommend for a starter you check our Guide to Dining at Disneyland Paris video. But also do look at the lists of food related blogs and food related videos we’ve done – there’s a lot of them and hopefully they’ll give you the guidance you need!

… buy the champagne?

I had to include this one. So many people post photos of themselves drinking champagne at Disneyland Paris that it’s become something everyone wants to do!

The most famous spot is the champagne cart on Main Street USA. This typically parks next to the Gibson Girl ice cream parlour, so at the top of the shops on Main Street on the right as you look at the castle. The cart normally starts serving in the early afternoon.

In Disney Adventure World you need to look for Flutes and Treats. This is in World Premiere Plaza, on the right hand side of the path that runs down towards Disney Adventure World (so behind the Animation building and opposite the Tower of Terror courtyard on your left).

Note that at both locations you are paying for the champagne and the souvenir glass – and there are no cheaper refills! If you want another you’re paying for another souvenir glass, whether you want it or not!

So, hopefully this will help you track down what you need in Disneyland Paris. Anything you’d like to ask? Share it down in the comments! And while you’re down there please do subscribe to this blog, you’ll receive our blogs directly into your email inbox, and a free copy of our Magically Different Guide to Disneyland Paris Attraction Accessibility (otherwise £3). You can also find a lot of great Disneyland Paris information on our YouTube channel. And if you’d like to support our work please consider leaving us a tip, shopping our Amazon storefront, or booking your Disneyland Paris trip via the images in our banner and side bar. Thank you!