Everything You Need to Know About Disneyland Paris: Your Ultimate First-Timer's Guide

Visiting Disneyland Paris had been an item on our bucket list for so many years. This year we set some goals and were able to make that dream come true. We spent a ton of time planning (make sure to read Part One of this article for an overview of DLP and how to plan a trip) and then set off for a new adventure. We know Walt Disney World and Disneyland really well, but this was our first visit to an international Disney Park. How do things compare to the U.S. parks? Well we have the scoop for you on attractions, food, service, and more. Read on for our detailed review of the good and the bad, and what makes Disneyland Paris different and special…

Quick Resort Overview

For those not familiar with Disneyland Paris (formally Euro Disney), it is a Disney resort built in 1992 located in the suburbs of Paris. The main Disneyland Park is similar to Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida. There is a second park called Disney Studios Parc which could be compared to Hollywood Studios in Florida. There is also a small shopping district called Disney Village (comparable in size to Downtown Disney in California), as well as Disney themed resorts (many seem inspired by Florida resorts built around the same time). It is good to note that we were visiting the resort for five days. We spent the majority of the time in the main Disneyland Park. We spent very little time in Hollywood Studios, and various bits of time at Disney Village as we would pass through everyday walking from our resort to the parks. The info below is about all the areas we visited but is mainly focused on the main park.

Design & Aesthetic

Since the Paris resort was built later than its’ U.S. counterparts, it seems that some original ideas were used but also expanded upon with some different design choices. We found Disneyland Park in Paris to be THE most beautiful park we have been too. The castle is absolutely stunning. Fantasyland bursts with whimsical buildings and detailed landscaping. Tomorowland evokes a steam punk vibe. For huge Disney fans, everywhere you turn there are details to take in and appreciate. We also appreciated many nods to Walt Disney and history that can be found within the Main Street area. Another cool design feature to note is the unique Arcade walkways behind both sides of the Main Street building to alleviate traffic and protect park goers from poor weather.

The outside of Small World has such beautiful colors.

A view of Skull Rock and the pirate ship in Adventure Isle.

One of the biggest things we noticed was the park was consolidated a little differently into lands. Discoveryland and Fantasyland were pretty similar. But in other areas attractions here had been moved into other lands. There is no equivalent to Liberty Square or New Orleans Square. Frontierland is bigger with Phantom Manor being tied into the western theming (complete with Cowboy graveyard). Adventureland is quite different with no Jungle Cruise, but an expanded Pirate area. It was really cool to take in all of the differences.

Pink princess views.

Art within the Arcade walkway.

Stained glass inside the castle.

Lanterns in Mad Tea Party.

While the architecture and design choices are gorgeous, one thing we noticed about Disneyland Paris is that up close it did seem a bit more run down than US parks. We noticed that things could have used more paint or repair (for instance the gazebo on Main Street had a stair that looked rotted and collapsed in). The good news is there is a huge initiative to start refurbing the park, so things should get better, but many attractions may be closed in the next couple years. We noticed closures the most in Disney Studios Park. This place was an absolute mess and we didn’t spend much time here. Much of the park looked lost in the early 90’s or shut down for construction. This park in general also felt a little more thrown together and full of concrete, lacking the vintage Hollywood charm that Hollywood Studios has in Florida. The newer areas like the Toy Story play area and the Ratatouille inspired section were by far the nicest theming and our favorites. We would be intrigued to see how this park develops in the next couple years when many Marvel additions will be added.

The Parisian street where you can find Remy.

The Toy Story area seems to be the original inspiration for a lot in FL.

Attractions

One of the top reasons we like to explore various Disney Parks is to ride attractions only available in that particular place or to experience the nuances between the same rides. Disneyland Paris reminds us the most of Disneyland in California and Hollywood Studios in Florida. There is a mix of familiar rides that you will see in both parks. We both agree that Disneyland Paris had some of the best versions of some of our favorites, and some cool additions too. There were a few misses, but overall we were really wowed. Here is a quick overview of most notable rides:

Elevated Classics (these rides exist at other parks but we found these versions the best!)

• Pirates of the Caribbean: this ride was expanded to include extra scenes and felt really long, it also ends in Jack’s restaurant. 

• Big Thunder Mountain: this ride is located on an island with an underground tunnel ride to start that was extra thrilling.

• Hyperspace Mountain: this Star Wars themed ride took normal Space Mountain up several notches. Being a launch coaster it is more comparable to Rock’n’Rollercoaster than the classic versions in the U.S. 

Big Thunder sits on an island.

Hypersapce Mountain is Star Wars themed.

Same Old, Same Old

A lot of interior kiddie rides we found to be identical such as Peter Pan and Buzz Lightyear. You will also find some rides from Disneyland here such as Storybook Boats and Casey Jr. train. Star Tours was the same (but kind of cool to catch C-3PO speaking French!). Tower of Terror was about the same, and perhaps not quite as good as the Florida version.

DLP Exclusives

• Phantom Manor: this was a twist on Haunted Mansion with a bigger Frontierland influence. We loved this ride and rode it a bunch. It was also probably the scariest compared to the other versions too. 

• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril: we were excited for this new-to-us thrill ride. Unfortunately, it was a letdown as it had the Indy name but really wasn’t themed or special at all. There was no temple of peril, it was a standard coaster you would find in a hometown park with no Disney magic.

• Ratatouille the Adventure: this ride was amazing! The technology uses a trackless car system and 3D screen effects to run around in Remy’s world. We loved it and can’t wait for it to come to the U.S. too!

• Crush’s Coaster: we were excited for this innovative coaster. You ride in a turtle shell that spins slightly as you whip around. The only problem is there are a handful of people per “shell” and the line is long with no Fast Pass available. While this was a cool ride, it was short and we felt the wait of almost an hour wasn’t worth it. Cool to do once, but we would wait 30 mins max next time.

Phantom Manor is extra spooky.

Crush’s Coaster puts guests in a turtle shell.

Wait, where is the temple of peril?

Walk Through Attractions

At Disneyland Paris there were a lot of attractions that aren’t actually rides but we still really enjoyed. We loved wandering these areas and being immersed in Disney details:

• Adventure Isle: near Pirates you will find a maze of caves and waterfalls with some Skeletons hiding inside.

• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth: this walk-through features manicured bushes and brightly painted characters from Wonderland including a castle with a cool view from the top.

• Les Mysteres du Nautilus: walk through this submarine with a view from 20,000 leagues under the sea.

• Le Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin: This attraction feels similar to a kiddie ride, but without the ride. Walk through and enjoy some detailed animatronic displays of the movie.

• La Tanière du Dragon: make sure to check out under the castle to see this impressive beast!

A view of Alice’s Curious Labyrinth.

Inside the Pirate caves.

This dragon is epic!

Entertainment

During certain times of the year you can find some special themed entertainment at the parks such as themed festivals. Otherwise there are some staples to consider:

• Moteurs… Action! Stunt Show Spectacular: We used to love this show at Hollywood studios and you can still catch it at its original home in Paris.

• Disney Stars on Parade: this day time parade was cute, but we honestly felt that the crowds weren’t really worth dealing with and could have skipped.

• Mickey & The Magician: this stage show was so good! It reminded us of some of the quality productions on Disney Cruise Line. Mickey and many other characters put on a show with Broadway style effort and plenty of effects performed back and forth in French and English.

• Illuminations: Disneyland Paris isn’t able to do large fireworks shows but has come up with a pretty impressive solution. Castle projections, lasers, fountain features, and smaller fireworks create this beautiful nighttime show.

• Characters: it seemed there were a lot of characters to find at DLP. The lines were long though so we didn’t do to many. (Make sure to check out the app “Lineberty” as some characters can only be met this way instead of a traditional line.)

Mickey and the Magician was a great show with many loved characters and songs.

Stars on Parade was cute.

The Queen of Hearts was fun to meet.

Illuminations was pretty spectacular.

Food

Do you remember in Beauty and the Beast when Lumiere sings a dinner in France “is never second best?” Well, unfortunately at Disneyland Paris that statement does not ring true. We had been warned that a lot of the food here was not as good as the U.S. parks. And that it is also expensive. Here is our experience:

Resort Breakfast

Anyone with a meal plan or concierge level receives breakfast at the hotel. The quality of your meal is in line with the level of resort. If you are at a value resort you receive a quick sandwich. With a higher level stay you can access a buffet. We had a concierge level room at Newport Bay and were super impressed with the spread. (You can see more info in our detailed hotel review here). We thought this was worth every penny to have a tasty, quality breakfast to start the day and not be as dependent on a park meal for lunch. It’s good to note if you do not have a plan with breakfast it looks like there are some good options in the Disney Village area as well.

We loved our concierge breakfast buffet each morning.

Disney Village has some great pre-park options.

Table Service Meals

We purchased a Premium dining plan to give us the most flexibility. We tried to pick restaurants that had themes that we would enjoy (Pirates, Ratatouille, etc.). Even though some of these were supposed to be top of the line options, sometimes they seemed to be really simple and just ok, but dressed up with a fancy price tag. Make sure to read all of our detailed dining reviews here:

• Captain Jack's Restaurant des Pirates

• Bistrot Chez Rémy

• Walt's - An American Restaurant

• Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Dinner Show

• California Grill

One of our favorite meals was at California Grill (located in the Disneyland Hotel)

Quick Service

Overall, we were super disappointed. There were a few instances where the food was just awful. It seems that people visiting the park want “American” junk food and you will see a lot of burgers, pizza, and such. The only trouble is a lot of it was pretty tasteless. We even noticed some menu boards outside had pretty uninspiring food photos (and if the photos were bad can you imagine the actual dish?) Here were a few experiences to note:

• Colonel Hathi’s Pizza Outpost: here we found a really long line for pizza. While the pizza’s looked cute they were like sad school cafeteria pizza with a huge doughy crust and not much taste.

• Fuente del Oro Restaurant: was a bad decision. Julie had a craving for Mexican and ordered some nachos. We were a bit surprised when she was served a small box of bland Doritos, with a 100-calorie pack of guacamole on the side. Who serves nachos with no cheese? 

• Café Hyperion: this place reminded us of Cosmic Ray’s and we were pleasantly surprised. We ordered a BB-8 themed burger which featured a buttery bun, bacon, delicious sauce, and some spring mix to be more elevated than a standard burger.

Overall it seems quick service can be playing roulette. We heard that there are some tasty fish and chips at Toad Hall, and a place that now serves waffles and crepes. But we honestly think some of your best bets are actually steps outside of the park in Disney Village or the resorts.

This pizza looked way better than it tasted.

This BB-8 burger was a happy surprise though.

Snacks

You will find popcorn and such, but you won’t find a ton of snacks here like Mickey Pretzels and ice cream bars. (There was however a lot of pre-packaged ice cream available.) When we found that the Main Street ice cream shop served Ben & Jerry’s we were happy to hear there was another option. Down one of the side streets on Main Street there is a smaller ice cream window that had delicious soft serve options. In the bakery we had hoped for some impressive French delights or cool Mickey shaped treats but everything looked kind of standard and lackluster. The candy shop was filled with marshmallow treats which is ok, but there wasn’t much variety. There were a few novelty snacks here and there (like a Groot tart) but nothing compared to the Insta-worthy items in the U.S. parks. Snacking here seems more of a quick necessity than a special experience and we found it better to bring our own snacks instead to save money and disappointment.

A marshmallow Mickey.

Ice cream on main street.

A Groot biscuit.

Cast Members

Disneyland Paris has a reputation for having Cast Members (CMs) that aren’t as magical as the ones in the states. The thing to keep in mind is that culture and expectations are different. Here is what we encountered:

• Resort CMs: we stayed concierge level and had impressive service from the check-in desk and the lounge/restaurant

• Restaurant staff: quick service restaurants were not very memorable at all. However, table service meals were our most memorable encounters. One thing to keep in mind is servers can seem distant and not friendly at first but that is just the cultural norm. We found that once we made an effort to get a server talking they would then engage back and we would have an enjoyable meal.

• Park CMs: Overall it seemed the park was a bit understaffed. It was hard to find a CM at times and if you asked a question many seemed not well informed and they weren’t that helpful. We don’t remember running into anyone rude per say, but there were certainly no “magic moments”.

• The “Vests”: in any other park these are your top of the pack, providing highest level service. The vests at DLP were atrocious. We found them less helpful and friendly than a standard CM. None seemed to have answers or gave us info that contradicted each other. When we had an issue with Photopass and weren’t getting anywhere Julie kept asking to speak to someone higher hoping someone would have an answer, and in the end just got tuned away with a shrug and no resolution. This would never happen in the U.S. 

Merchandise

The Disneyland Paris resort has much less merchandise than a U.S. park. We saw many items that were similar to anything at a standard Disney store so our mission was to finding unique items that were specific here. We also noticed there wasn’t a lot of high-end options here. No higher end jewelry/watches (other than Pandora), collectibles, or nicer clothes. Mainly just tees and sweats. But there were some basics and a few fun little things to bring home:

• Starbucks exclusive Disney coffee mugs for both parks

• Remy merchandise: there was a ton here and we came home with some kitchen towels and a cute cookbook

• Tees: there were way more cute options for women and Julie bought a few items, Andrew found nothing that he liked

• Accessories: very limited in the options for ears, but Julie did find some exclusive ears here and a DLP castle charm

• We also brought home a cool print of a vintage Euro Disney Map

Magical DLP ears.

An exclusive Pandora charm.

Starbucks mugs for our collection.

Photopass

We have a lot to say about Photopass. It is NOTHING like the U.S. parks. Please check out our article here for details (coming soon).

Final Thoughts 

It was an amazing experience to visit Disneyland Paris Resort. We had a great time just being there and soaking in the details. We loved seeing different twists on rides and entertainment, and broaden our horizons by being around different cultures. Some aspects we thought were more impressive, while others couldn’t quite compare to our favorites. But at the end of the day being able to check off a bucket list item was magical and we are so grateful for the experience. We really do recommend for Disney fans to add this to your list. Disneyland Paris is familiar enough to be comfortable (there is no issue if you don’t speak French), but different enough to feel like a new adventure. Hopefully our experience can help you set expectations and plan for the best trip. Until next time friends au revoir!