Paris and Disneyland Paris: How to Plan the Perfect Family Trip
- Dani Garcia
- 6 days ago
- 10 min read
If you’re planning a family trip to Paris and wondering whether you should add Disneyland Paris to your itinerary, my answer is yes, with a little strategy.
I recently combined a few days in Paris with a stay at Disneyland Paris before continuing on to Geneva, and it ended up being such a fun way to experience both sides of France.
We ate our way through Paris, explored the city by boat and sidecar, stayed at the absolutely gorgeous Disneyland Hotel, spent full days in the Disney parks, and learned a LOT about how I would plan this trip differently for my clients.
My biggest takeaway? I absolutely think Disneyland Paris is worth visiting, but I wouldn’t necessarily make it the entire destination.
Instead, I think it is an incredible addition to a larger Paris or European vacation and with the right itinerary, you really don’t need that many days to experience it.
Here’s exactly how I would plan a Paris and Disneyland Paris itinerary after experiencing it myself.
How Many Days Do You Need for Paris and Disneyland Paris?
We spent three nights in Paris followed by three nights at Disneyland Paris. Looking back, I would change that slightly.
For most families, I would recommend spending at least four nights in Paris and two nights at Disneyland Paris.
Two nights at Disneyland Paris gives you enough time to experience both parks, especially if you strategically use Premier Access for one of your park days. Then you can head back to Paris, fly home, or (as we did) continue on to another European destination.
That’s one of the things I really loved about combining Disney with a European vacation. Disneyland Paris became this fun little Disney break between two completely different European experiences.
And if you already love Disney? It’s really fun getting to experience the similarities AND all the things Disneyland Paris does differently.
Where to Stay in Paris Before Visiting Disneyland Paris
We stayed in a junior suite at Hotel L’Echiquier Opéra Paris, a four-star hotel where we had wonderful service, even turndown service.
The location gave us the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood, stop for crêpes (obviously!), and really feel like we were in Paris rather than rushing from attraction to attraction.
One of my biggest pieces of advice for families traveling internationally is to remember that your arrival day may hit you harder than expected.
After the long flight, I was EXHAUSTED.
We arranged a meet-and-greet service at Charles de Gaulle Airport, and I was so glad we did. Immigration had massive lines, and we were able to get through incredibly quickly.
And the true lifesaver of our first day? A one-hour nap.
I tell my clients all the time not to overschedule themselves, and then apparently I need someone to remind me of my own advice.
Give yourself some breathing room when you arrive.
Best Things to Do in Paris Before Disneyland Paris
One thing I loved about this trip was that we didn’t experience Paris only by checking landmarks off a list. Some of our favorite experiences allowed us to actually experience the city.
Experience the Seine River on a Private Cruise….with Champagne (of course)!
One of our first activities was a private boat ride on the Seine, and it was an amazing introduction to Paris.
Seeing the sights from the water gives you an entirely different perspective of the city, and after a long travel day, I loved that we could see so much without immediately spending hours walking.
Take a Paris Cooking Class
We also did a six-hour cooking class at Le Foodist. Six hours sounds like a LONG cooking class, but it flew by.
We started by talking with the chef about the three-course meal we would prepare and then visited a local farmers market to select produce and cheeses. The chef taught us about the foods, cooking techniques, and even the origins of the different cheeses before we returned to cook and eat everything!
It was such a fun way to experience French food beyond simply making restaurant reservations. And during a Paris heat wave, the air-conditioning was a major bonus!
See Paris by Sidecar
We also took a sidecar tour around Paris, which was SO much fun. My only change? I actually wish we had done this on our first afternoon.
It was exciting, different, and definitely would have given me the adrenaline rush I needed to fight that first-day exhaustion.
Build a Rest Day Into Your Paris Itinerary
This may have been the biggest lesson of the Paris portion of our trip.
We originally had a tour to Versailles planned, but it was incredibly hot and we were exhausted. We made the decision to cancel it, slow down, sleep in, and have an easy day.
I hated losing the money we had already spent, but it was absolutely the right decision.
You do not have to see everything.
I tell my clients this constantly: build breathing room into your itinerary. Apparently, I need to start taking my own advice!
That evening, we had drinks at Four Seasons Hotel George V, which was absolutely magical, followed by dinner outside at Café de l’Homme (image below) with an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower.
Watching the Eiffel Tower light up while we ate dinner was a pretty good reminder that slowing down doesn’t mean missing out.
How to Get From Paris to Disneyland Paris
When it was time to head to Disneyland Paris, we had the option of taking the train or an Uber.
We chose the Uber. It was more expensive, but the difference in travel time was minimal, and with luggage in tow and not knowing exactly what we were doing, I preferred the convenience of getting into a car and going directly where we needed to be.
This is exactly why I always tell clients that the “best” transportation option isn’t necessarily the cheapest one.
Sometimes convenience wins… especially on a family vacation with kids, luggage, strollers, and everything else that comes along with them.
Where to Stay at Disneyland Paris: Is the Disneyland Hotel Worth It?
The Disneyland Hotel is unreal. I loved it!
The hotel is beautiful, light, airy, comfortable and incredibly convenient. In fact, I think it might even be better than Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at Walt Disney World and you know I don't say that lightly!
The service was top-notch, the rooms were spacious and gorgeous, and the location was easily my favorite part. When you’re spending long days in the parks, being able to quickly get back to your hotel is worth so much.
There were also thoughtful touches throughout our stay, including turndown service and a stocked minibar. The initial drinks in our minibar were complimentary, which was such a nice touch.
I also toured some of the other Disneyland Paris hotels, including Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel (images above) and Disney Sequoia Lodge (below).
But for me? There’s nothing like the Disneyland Hotel. If it fits within your vacation budget, this is absolutely where I would want my clients to stay.
Is Disneyland Paris Premier Access Worth It?
YES. If there is one thing I will recommend to my Disneyland Paris clients after this trip, it is purchasing Premier Access for at least one day.
We were strategic about it.
On our first park day, the afternoon of our arrival, we focused on attractions that weren't included with Premier Access. Then, on our full park day, we purchased Premier Access and focused on the attractions that were included. It was next level.
We spent that day in the parks from open to close and got SO much done.
By the end of our second day, we genuinely felt like we had experienced the parks.
This is also why I don't think most families need a long Disneyland Paris stay. With a smart park strategy and Premier Access, you can experience a lot in a relatively short amount of time.
Disneyland Paris vs. Disney World: What Surprised Me Most
As someone who knows the U.S. Disney parks very well, I loved seeing what felt familiar and what was completely different.
First, Disneyland Paris is beautiful.
The theming is incredible. There were areas where I genuinely felt like I had stepped into a movie. I also noticed how much SPACE there was. The walkways felt huge compared to what I’m used to in the U.S. parks, and there weren't the same bottlenecks everywhere.
Disneyland sells alcohol everywhere! It was so weird, but very cool, to walk down Main Street enjoying a glass of champagne.
The overall setup reminded me more of Disneyland California than Walt Disney World because everything is so close together. You can easily walk between the two parks and the nearby hotels.
And the music! I may actually like the music throughout Disneyland Paris better than the U.S. parks. It was a little louder, but the songs and soundtracks throughout the different lands were SO good.
Is Disneyland Paris Good for Toddlers and Young Kids?
Disneyland Paris is absolutely family-friendly, but this is one area where I noticed a difference from Walt Disney World.
There seemed to be more roller coasters and attractions geared toward tweens and older kids, while still having plenty for younger children. It felt more evenly split than Walt Disney World, which is something I would consider when deciding whether Disneyland Paris is the right Disney destination for your particular family.
That doesn't mean I wouldn't take little ones, I absolutely would.
It just means that your kids' ages matter when planning which Disney destination is the best fit.
And that's exactly the kind of thing I look at when helping families choose where to go.
Disneyland Paris Food, Parades and Nighttime Entertainment
Disneyland Paris has plenty of those little “we're definitely in France” moments.
There seemed to be food everywhere, and the kiosks had options like crêpes, croque monsieur, macarons, pretzels and yes, wine.
Because, after all dear, this is France.
We ate at Walt’s, an American Restaurant, where I thought the atmosphere was better than the food, and we also had dinner at Bistrot Chez Rémy, which was SO cute. The theming made it feel like we had stepped directly into the attraction, and the food was good too.
We also loved the parades and nighttime entertainment.
The costumes in the parade were breathtaking, and one of our nighttime shows incorporated water and drones. It was my first time seeing a drone show, and it was incredible.
We paid for reserved viewing for some of the entertainment, and I would absolutely consider doing that again.
For the nighttime spectacular in Disneyland Park, I strongly recommend either purchasing reserved viewing or finding a spot where you can fully see the projections.
The crowds can get intense, and being strategic about where you watch makes a huge difference.
Do You Need to Speak French at Disneyland Paris?
This is one question I know families worry about, and we really didn't have an issue.
Most, if not all, of the Cast Members we interacted with spoke very good English.
I was also fascinated by how some attraction’s dialogue incorporated both French and English. Rather than saying everything once in French and then repeating the entire thing in English, different characters could respond to one another in different languages while communicating essentially the same information.
It made the dialogue feel much more natural.
So if the language barrier is one of the things making you nervous about adding Disneyland Paris to your vacation, I wouldn't let that stop you. I don’t know any French other than “merci”, “bon jour” and “bon appetite” and I didn’t have any issues.
The Best Paris and Disneyland Paris Itinerary
After experiencing it myself, here's the biggest thing I would change: I would spend more time in Paris and less time at Disneyland Paris.
Not because I didn't love Disney (I did)! But Disneyland Paris is compact enough that I don't think most families need three full days there.
For many of my clients, I would structure the trip something like this:
Paris, 4+ nights: Give yourself enough time to see the city while still leaving room to slow down, eat amazing food and actually enjoy being in Paris.
Disneyland Paris, 2 nights: Arrive early enough to enjoy the parks on your first day and focus on attractions that don't require Premier Access.
Full Disney day: Purchase Premier Access and use your full park day strategically to experience as much as possible.
Departure morning: Head to the airport, return to Paris for another night, or continue on to your next European destination.
That last option is exactly what we did by continuing on to Geneva, and I loved using Disney as a fun break between two European destinations.
Is Disneyland Paris Worth It as Part of a Paris Vacation?
Absolutely. But I think adding is the important word.
For most of my clients traveling from the United States, I wouldn't necessarily recommend flying all the way to France solely for Disneyland Paris. I would combine it with Paris or incorporate it into a larger European itinerary. That gives you the best of both worlds.
You get the food, culture, history and incredible experiences of Paris and then you get a few days of Disney magic that's familiar enough to feel like Disney but different enough to feel completely new.
And when it's planned strategically, you don't have to choose between a European vacation and a Disney vacation. You can do both.
Ready to Plan Your Paris and Disneyland Paris Vacation?
There are so many little decisions that can completely change how this trip feels: how many nights to spend in each destination, where to stay, when to use Premier Access, how to get between Paris and Disney, which experiences are actually worth paying extra for, and whether Disneyland Paris should be the end of your vacation or a stop on the way to somewhere else.
That's where I come in.
I help families plan vacations around how they actually want to travel, not a cookie-cutter itinerary that has you running from one reservation to the next.
If Paris and Disneyland Paris are on your family's bucket list, schedule a call with me and let's plan a European vacation that includes plenty of pixie dust without sacrificing the rest of the experience!
Dani Garcia is a professional Travel Advisor and the owner of Paradise & Pixie Dust Travel, specializing in stress-free vacation planning for families and travelers who want unforgettable experiences without the overwhelm.
With years of hands-on expertise, Dani creates personalized itineraries for Disney destinations, cruises, and luxury getaways. Dani handles every detail so her clients can focus on making memories.
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