Disneyland Paris Holiday Guide: What We Spent & Is it Worth It?

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If you’re planning a Disneyland Paris holiday with the kids, here’s my honest guide to what it’s really like – including what we spent, how to save money and whether it’s actually worth it for families. Hopefully, I’ve answered loads of your questions to help with your Disneyland Paris holiday planning as this guide will also cover things like:

Whether you can do Disneyland Paris in 1 day
When’s the best time to visit
Where to stay (on-site vs off-site)
Transport and travel
Food prices and what to expect

Where is Disneyland Paris and how do you get there?

Disneyland Paris is located in Marne-la-Vallée, around 32 km (20 miles) east of central Paris. (Full address: Disneyland Paris Boulevard de Parc 77700 Coupvray France.) It’s easy to reach by car or train, with direct trains to Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy station, which is right next to the park entrance. If you’re travelling from the UK, there are a few straightforward options:

Driving is often the cheapest, with the ferry from Dover to Calais followed by a simple three hour drive to Disneyland Paris. For a quicker crossing, Le Shuttle from Folkestone to Calais takes around 30 minutes, though it’s usually a bit more expensive.
If you’d rather not drive, the Eurostar from London to Paris takes around 2.5 hours and avoids airport queues and luggage restrictions, making it a really convenient option for families.
Flying is also quick, with flight times from the UK typically just over an hour. Charles de Gaulle Airport is the closest airport to both Disneyland Paris and the nearby hotels / holiday parks, and from there it’s very easy to get to the resort. You can take a direct high-speed TGV train, which takes around 10-15 minutes, or use a shuttle bus service which takes around an hour.

Can Disneyland Paris be done in one day?

If you visit just the main park then yes you can absolutely do Disneyland Paris in one day, and that’s exactly what we did. We arrived early, stayed until the fireworks and managed to get on everything the kids wanted to do, as well as watch the parade. It was a long day (especially in 33 degree heat!) but it felt doable and we didn’t leave feeling like we’d missed loads. That said, it is intense. If you’ve got younger children, or you want a more relaxed experience, then 2 days is definitely the better option. It gives you time for breaks, shorter days and a bit more flexibility around queues, shows and character meet-and-greets. Queue times for us were around 45-60 minutes on average but busier periods will be longer, so if you’re visiting in peak season you may struggle to fit everything into one day. Check out my Disneyland in 1 day article for a full itinerary and more info.

With Premier Access (fast-track) the wait time for the rides could be as little as 5 minutes but it is really pricey. Though, you can buy cheaper passes for individual rides which can be useful if there’s something in particular that you really want to go on. However, these are available for free to people with disabilities (and their family) if you apply for a card in advance. I must add that Disney seemed very well set up to be accessible to people with disabilities – they’ve really gone out of their way to be inclusive which was brilliant to see.

Which park is better: Disneyland Park or Disney Adventure World?

There are two parks at Disneyland Paris, the main Disneyland Park and the second park, now called Disney Adventure World (previously Walt Disney Studios Park). If you only have one day, I’d still recommend choosing Disneyland Park. It has more rides, more atmosphere and it feels like the classic Disney experience that most people expect with the castle, parades and the best mix of attractions. That said, Disney Adventure World has had a major upgrade and is now much more appealing than it used to be. The addition of the new Frozen-themed land for 2026 is a big draw, especially for younger children, and there are more attractions and experiences being added over time. If you’re visiting for two days, it’s definitely worth doing both parks. But if you’re tight on time or budget, and have to choose, the main Disneyland Park is still the better option overall.

What is Disneyland Paris really like?

The park is split into themed lands including Main Street, Fantasyland, Adventureland, Discoveryland and Frontierland, each with its own rides, food and atmosphere. There’s a good mix of rides – from big thrill rides like Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain, to more relaxed ones like Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World. There’s also character meet-and-greets, parades and live entertainment. What stood out most for us was the attention to detail. Even the queue areas are themed, and there’s loads to look at as you walk around. We ended up doing over 24,000 steps in one day!

Is Disneyland Paris suitable for all ages?

There’s something for all ages, but in my opinion it’s best suited to younger children. There are loads of rides and areas designed for little ones, along with character experiences and play areas. At the same time, there are some proper thrill rides for older kids and adults too – I came off Hyper Space Mountain feeling a bit green! 😂 – but there were fewer than I thought there would be. Our kids were 10 and 12 when we visited and, while they had a great time, we did feel like we’d slightly missed the peak “Disney magic” years. If you’re planning a trip, I’d say ages 4-8 are probably ideal.

Are the fireworks every night?

Yes, the fireworks run every night at Disneyland Paris, and they’re absolutely worth staying for. Ours started around 9.20pm and, honestly, it was the highlight of the whole day. Even though we were hot and tired, we were so glad that we stayed.

Is Disneyland Paris good? Highlights and negatives:

👍 Highlights

For us the light and firework show was the icing on the cake, and our favourite part of the day – it’s what makes Disneyland stand out from the crowd compared to other theme parks. The parade was fantastic too – Lola in particular absolutely loved it! The atmosphere, music and characters really bring everything to life, and it’s hard not to get swept up in it. The rides were also better than expected. Big Thunder Mountain was a favourite, it’s fast enough to be exciting but not too intense, and the ride length makes the queue feel more worthwhile.

❌ Negatives

The biggest downside is obviously the cost (I’ll guide you through what we spent further down) – a Disneyland Paris holiday can be extremely expensive. The tickets themselves weren’t too bad (we paid around £50 each off-peak), but once you’re inside everything adds up quickly and (unlike for a UK day out) travel and accommodation has to be factored in too. Food, drinks and snacks all add up quickly as well, and parking was an extra €30 on top. On another note, we also visited during a heatwave and there wasn’t much shaded seating, which made the day feel more tiring than it probably would have been otherwise. The cost of ice-cream was frustrating too when we were melting and desperate to cool down.

Can you leave and re-enter the park?

Yes, you can come and go as you like with your ticket. This is really useful if you’re staying nearby and want to head back for a break, especially with younger kids. We saw lots of people returning later in the evening just for the fireworks – eating dinner off-site is likely to be cheaper too!

Can you bring food into Disneyland Paris?

You’re not supposed to bring a full picnic to Disneyland Paris but snacks are absolutely fine. We brought fruit, flapjack and crisps, and had a big breakfast at our hotel before we arrived. (That way we only needed to buy one meal inside the park.) There are also places to refill water bottles, which helps to keep costs down.

How expensive is food at Disneyland Paris?

Food is expensive, there’s no way around it. Disneyland Paris offers a wide variety of dining options, from quick-service and snack kiosks to fine dining restaurants. You can enjoy cuisine from around the world as well as classic theme park / fast food type meals. The food onsite was very expensive – as were the meal plan options for Disney hotel guests – so we avoided the proper ‘restaurant’ type options. We spent around €60 on one fast-food meal for the four of us. Drinks were around €3, ice lollies €4 and ice creams around €7. Restaurant prices were even higher, we saw menus where a meal for four would have been around €170 (menu below). If you’re on a budget, bringing snacks and limiting what you buy inside inside the park will make a big difference.

Where to stay: on-site vs off-site

We stayed off-site at a nearby hotel (Novotel Marne La Vallee Collegien) about 15 minutes away, which worked really well for us and kept costs down – plus it had a pool which was great for the kids. If you’re staying longer than a day or two, nearby holiday parks can be a really good option as well. They’re often much cheaper than the Disney hotels, give you more space and make it easier to self-cater which helps massively with food costs. Here’s a few things to consider:

Staying on-site:

Closest and most convenient
Early park access and themed experience
More expensive
Good for ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ magic
Free parking

Staying off-site:

Much better value
More space for families
Often includes extras like pools & kids’ activities
Requires travel to the park
Parking fee

Check out my article on the 15 best places to stay near Disneyland Paris with kids – I’ve covered on-site hotels, budget-friendly hotels / apartments nearby and holiday parks. Eurocamp have 4 resorts close to Disneyland Paris (all mentioned in the guide above) and some are conveniently located for both the theme park and city sightseeing if you’d like to do some exploring there too. If you’re looking for a longer family holiday, and visiting Disneyland for just a day or two, then staying at a nearby Eurocamp or Center Parcs could be good fun! If you’d prefer to stay on-site, look out for hotel and ticket package deals. Here’s a glimpse at my 5 top picks for places to stay near Disneyland Paris:

1. Staycity Aparthotel Marne la Vallée: Best for self-catering hotel stays just a 10 minute drive from Disneyland Paris (or free shuttle bus).

2. Center Parcs: Villages Nature Paris: Best for a full family getaway with loads of kids’ activities and year-round stays just a 10 minute drive from Disneyland Paris.

3. Novotel Marne La Vallée Collégien: Best for spacious family rooms with breakfast just a 15 minute drive from Disneyland Paris.

4. Eurocamp: La Croix du Vieux Pont: Best for a full family summer getaway with lots of kids’ activities, though it’s further away at around a 70 minute drive.

5. Disney Sequoia Lodge: Best for bigger budgets, on-site Disney stays and cosy winter getaways with extra facilities – it’s a 15 minute walk or a free 8 minute shuttle bus ride.

How much does Disneyland Paris cost?

Here’s what we spent for a 1 day Disneyland Paris visit as a family of four during our trip in September 2023:

Tickets: €200
Accommodation (2 nights with breakfast): £350
Food and spending: €100
Parking: €30
Total: €680 + travel

I didn’t include travel costs as our theme park visit was part of a longer road trip to the Netherlands so it was harder to keep track of it. As a general guide, you’ll need to also add on flights / train / ferry costs for your Disneyland Paris holiday – plus extras like public transport / transfers, fuel and tolls depending on your chosen travel method. (I think it would have been around £200 for the ferry, plus tolls and fuel for our trip.) The travel costs are likely to make up a big chunk of your budget so it can definitely be worth booking a slightly longer stay in Northern France, or nearby, to make the costs more worthwhile.

Is Disneyland Paris worth the money?

This really depends on your kids. If you’ve got younger children who love Disney, then yes, it’s would absolutely be worth it for the experience. It’s one of those “once in a lifetime” type trips and you’ll definitely make some amazing memories – the park really does feel magical. The extras like the parade and fireworks are definitely something special. For us, with slightly older kids, it felt more about enjoying the rides and atmosphere than the full Disney magic, which I think younger children would absolutely love. We still had a brilliant day, and it’s definitely a fun experience for families, but I think we’d have got even more out of it if we’d visited when they were little.

How to save money at Disneyland Paris

If you’re trying to keep costs down, make sure you check out my full Disneyland Paris on a Budget Guide – for lots of ways to save money on your holiday. For now, here are a few things that helped us:

Visit off-peak and avoid weekends if you can.
Turn it into part of a longer holiday to make travel costs worthwhile.
Stay off-site to save on accommodation.
Bring snacks and refill water bottles.
Set a budget for spending inside the park.

Final thoughts

I hope that my Disneyland Paris holiday guide has been useful, and hopefully my tips will help you to plan your own trip in an affordable way. We had a really good day at Disneyland Paris, and I do think it’s something every child should experience at least once. That said, it’s not brilliant value compared to other family holidays – it was a lot of money to spend for one day of entertainment. (We’ve spent less on a week than we did on one day! 😂) But, with a bit of planning, you can still have a brilliant time whilst keeping costs as low as possible. Realistically, you’ve really got to except early on that it’ll never be a budget-friendly holiday and sort of just go with the flow! You’ll also want to think carefully about the best time to visit – to get a good balance between the weather and manageable crowds.

For us, we’re pleased we went and it was lovely as a one-off but it wouldn’t be something that we’d do regularly. (Though we do know BIG Disney fans who visit frequently so it really depends on the individual family!) If you’re planning your own trip, it’s well worth thinking carefully about where you stay and how you structure your visit, especially if you’re trying to balance cost, convenience and making the most of your time in the park. But, for an easy road trip from the UK, it is great fun and a lovely magical experience – particularly for little ones. I hope that you have a fabulous time – make sure you check out my other articles to save you some money and guide you through your Disneyland Paris holiday planning: