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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 💥
Disneyland Paris is a magical destination that makes kids and grown-ups dream alike ✨. We all grew up with Disney cartoons, and some of them shaped our childhood (we’re all the same). We’re lucky to have one of the biggest theme parks in the world right near Paris, drawing millions of visitors every year 🌍. With its iconic rides, enchanting shows and unique atmosphere, Disneyland Paris is an unforgettable experience. But let’s be honest… it can get expensive fast! So to make the most of your stay and avoid nasty surprises, good planning is essential.
In this article, I’m sharing my take on the two parks at Disneyland Paris ✨, which offer different experiences, each with its pros and cons. We’ll compare these two worlds and see which one is the best choice for what you’re looking for. And if your budget and timing allow, doing both parks is a great option; in my opinion, it’s a must!
THE MAIN PARK: DISNEYLAND PARK 🥇
WHY CHOOSE DISNEYLAND PARK?
It’s pretty simple: Disneyland Park is the resort’s original park. It’s where it all began, and where the park is strongest when it comes to rides. It’s the perfect embodiment of Disney magic, with its enchanting settings, iconic characters and rides that make kids and grown-ups dream ✨.
THE PROS ✅
- An enchanting setting: the park is divided into five themed lands, with incredible attention to detail. As soon as you step onto Main Street, U.S.A., you’re immersed in a fairy-tale world, with Sleeping Beauty Castle straight ahead 🏰.
- Iconic rides, including the must-dos:
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- It’s a Small World
- Hyperspace Mountain
- And so many more
- Ideal for families: there are rides for all ages that everyone can enjoy. That’s the magic of Disneyland Paris too: making everyone dream, especially the youngest. It’s the perfect park for a first visit.
- Lots of shows and parades: there are tons of parades and shows in this park, especially the nighttime show with its drone finale, and of course the daytime parades 🎉.
THE CONS ❌
- Very crowded: it’s the most visited park in Europe, with lots of visitors. Go for the low season to make the most of it and avoid the crowds.
- Sometimes long wait times: some rides have long waits that can easily top 1 hour. If you want to avoid that, you’ll need to get Disney Premier Access ⏳.
- A family-oriented park: there are thrill rides, but they’re not the majority. When you go to Disneyland Park, it’s geared more toward a family, immersive experience than extreme roller coasters.
THE SECOND PARK: DISNEY ADVENTURE WORLD (formerly Walt Disney Studios) 🥈
WHY CHOOSE DISNEY ADVENTURE WORLD?
Disney Adventure World is the second park, with a real development plan to improve and expand it, as shown by the Frozen expansion (open since late March). In the coming decades, this park could grow to a size comparable to the main park. It also features newer worlds, like the Avengers area, and immerses you in the worlds of the Pixar, Marvel and Disney franchises 🎬.
THE PROS ✅
- Thrill rides: this park is perfect for those looking for a bit more adrenaline, with rides like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Crush’s Coaster, RC Racer and many more. If you love thrills, you’ll get them, while the rides stay accessible to all ages 🎢.
- The recent addition of Avengers Campus: it’s a land dedicated to Marvel, with rides like Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure and Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, where you dive into the world of our superheroes. The area is really well done 💥.
- Fewer people than Disneyland Park: it’s usually less crowded, so you can enjoy the rides more, except for Crush’s Coaster, which still has the longest wait. Plan to arrive very early, right at opening, to enjoy it 🕔.
THE CONS ❌
- A smaller park: compared with Disneyland Park, Disney Adventure World has fewer areas and can be explored faster. So there’s less to discover, although the park should grow in the coming years and decades ⏳.
- Less “classic” Disney magic: no castle or Main Street; the atmosphere is more urban and modern, with a completely different feel 🏙️.
- Fewer shows and parades: even though the park offers shows like Marvel: Avengers Power the Night, there are fewer shows. It’s getting better, but there are still far fewer than in the main park 🎭.
SO WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE? DISNEYLAND PARK OR DISNEY ADVENTURE WORLD?
The choice depends entirely on what you’re looking for, and above all on your budget and how much time you want to spend exploring! If you want to experience Disney magic with legendary rides, Disneyland Park is for you 🏰. If you prefer action, thrills and the Marvel/Pixar worlds, then Disney Adventure World will suit you better 🦸♀️.
Personally, I think Disney Adventure World (formerly Walt Disney Studios) can easily be done in half a day, so if you have to choose, the main park is the better pick. You’ll be able to enjoy it much more ⏳
WHY YOU SHOULD DO BOTH PARKS 🏰
It’s simple: even if you’re only coming for one day, I recommend getting a ticket for both parks. With fairly long opening hours, you’ll have the chance to explore both parks, which offer completely different worlds and a wide variety of rides. Of course, your budget has to allow it, but honestly, discovering Disneyland Paris over 2 days is perfect. In one day, you’ll miss things, especially if it’s crowded, which is very often the case. Here are the reasons why it’s better to get both parks:
- ✅ A perfect balance: you can switch between the fairy-tale magic of Disneyland Park and the dynamic rides of Disney Adventure World ✨.
- ✅ More variety: on one side, a fairy-tale atmosphere; on the other, newer worlds like Marvel and Pixar 🎬.
- ✅ Making the most of your time: with a 2-park ticket, you can juggle the most popular rides and avoid the longest lines ⏳.
HOW TO PLAN A DAY WITH BOTH PARKS
There are two ways to start: either you head straight to Crush’s Coaster at opening, since it’s the ride with the biggest crowds. You do it right away, then head over to Disneyland Park for the morning to do the many popular rides like Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, etc. 🎢
In the afternoon, you go to Disney Adventure World for the thrill rides, trying to keep wait times down if possible, and discover the new Marvel world while you’re at it.
In the late afternoon, you go back to the main park, Disneyland Park, to finish with a few rides that will be less crowded since some people will have left, and above all to catch the Disney nighttime show, before ending on a high note with the drone show ✨.
OUR REVIEW OF DISNEYLAND PARIS 💭
Disneyland Paris is a theme park that will dazzle you and give you an incredible experience. It’s one of the biggest theme parks in the world, and the magic is everywhere. Depending on the season, the immersion and the experience can vary, but the magic is always there. However, it’s worth noting that Disneyland Paris is still a very expensive park, and prices keep being excessively high, which can be a downside for some visitors. 💸
In any case, two days are more than enough to discover the park, whether with family, friends or as a couple, and to explore its many rides. 🎢
👉 What about you? What do you think of Disneyland Paris?
HOW TO GET TO DISNEYLAND PARIS 🚀
BY CAR
Disneyland Paris is easy to reach by car, with a huge parking lot a few minutes from the park. However, parking is expensive, at €30 a day for a car.
The exact address of the parking lot is: Boulevard du Parc – 77700 Serris/Coupvray. You can also use these GPS coordinates: Latitude = 48.876077 | Longitude = 2.79646
BY TRAIN OR RER
The great thing about Disneyland Paris is its Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy station, which lets you arrive right at the park without many transfers. You just get off the train and in 2-3 minutes, you’re at Disneyland Paris 🚉.
From Paris, the RER A line reaches Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy station in about 35 minutes from Nation.
There are also lots of TGV high-speed trains from all the main stations in France. 🚆
BY PLANE
It’s not the most convenient option if you’re coming from within France. You’ll land at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Orly (ORY) airport. Then there are several ways to get to Disneyland Paris:
- Take the official Magical Shuttle.
- Go for a private transfer (from €40 per person).
- Take a Ouigo or Inoui TGV train, less than 10 minutes to Marne-la-Vallée.
- Take the RER via Paris, but it’ll be a long trip…
WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEYLAND PARIS? 💤
THE DISNEY HOTELS
If you want to extend the magic of your day at Disneyland Paris, the Disney hotels are there to make you dream ✨. There are several Disney hotels, at different price points, to suit what you’re after in terms of comfort, theme or budget 🌟. It’s up to you to pick the one that best matches your ideal experience!
HOTELS & AIRBNBS
If you want to save money and pay less, there are lots of hotels and Airbnbs around Disneyland Paris.
These places to stay are quick and easy to reach by RER, and the prices can be very attractive. Be sure to compare the options, because the price differences can be significant.
MY MUST-HAVE TRAVEL GEAR 🧳
The question comes up all the time when getting ready for a trip: “What should I bring?” That’s why you’ll find below some must-have travel accessories for a stress-free vacation (with your documents kept safe) 🛡️ . Planning ahead and getting these items before you leave helps you save money and avoid buying some of them on the spot, where they’ll cost you a lot more 💸 These are the accessories we took on our travels and that we keep using for every destination we travel to 👇.
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