Is Disneyland Paris Worth It? The best and worst things about visiting Disneyland Paris

Planning a visit to Disneyland Paris can be expensive so it’s fair to ask the question is Disneyland Paris worth it? With two young children we’ve visited Disneyland Paris many times and have had plenty of experiences with the best and worst that Disneyland Paris has to offer. In this post we’ll cover the best and worst things about Disneyland Paris to answer the question – is Disneyland Paris worth it? 

Is Disneyland Paris worth it? The best and worst things about a visit to Disneyland Paris

The best things about Disneyland Paris

Attention to detail

The attention to detail at Disneyland Paris is amazing, everywhere you look there are small details that you probably wouldn’t notice if they weren’t there. From small details on the decor in the rides to the sounds playing on mainstreet you can tell that thought has gone into every single detail. One example of this is the dental school on mainstreet, as you’re walking past listen out for the sounds of the dentists at work. 

Theming

The theming at Disneyland Paris is spot on with each part of the park having a different theme that is specific to the area. Everything in the area is themed from the lights to the barriers, even the uniform that ride attendants wear are themed to the area. 

Atmosphere

I’m sure that for some this will be the worst thing about Disneyland Paris – the loud cheerful music playing from the second you walk into the park, children laughing and running around, bright and charming decor. For me this all adds to the fun and cheerful atmosphere that I love about Disneyland Paris! 

Ride times

Disneyland Paris does a good job at keeping the queue time down on most rides. Of course, there are some that are so popular that there is almost always a long queue but we’ve always found these to be few and far between. There are two reasons for this, the staff are pretty quick at turning rides around for the next group of people to go on and the rides are long with several carriages. Pirates of the Caribbean as an example is a good length ride and very popular but the queue is rarely over 20 minutes. This is down to the almost back to back boats and several staff members who move to get people on and off the rides quickly. 

Variety of activities

Even if you don’t like rides it’s still worth going to Disneyland Paris as there are so many other activities you can enjoy. From the train around the park, to taking in one of their truly incredible shows, or going on the hunt for some of the hidden gems. If you’re taking a break from rollercoasters and want to have a restful afternoon then there are plenty of cafes and bakeries on main street. 

The worst things about Disneyland Paris

Too many people

I can already hear the eye rolls as I write this one but Disneyland Paris is very busy. I know, that’s obvious but it needs to be included in the 5 worst things about Disneyland Paris. If you’re not a fan of crowds you could still enjoy a trip to DIsneyland but it would be hard to keep away from crowds at all times. This is amplified by 100 for the fireworks which leads us onto the next point. 

Rudeness from other park goers 

As you’d expect when so many people visit Disneyland Paris on a daily basis there is a considerable amount of people cutting in front, walking into you, and general rudeness. This is never worse than during the fireworks and parades. The parades are slightly easier, especially if you can get there a bit earlier and find a spot sitting on one of the kerbs at the front. The fireworks are a whole different ball game! People will try to fit into the tiniest gap and push past you. 

Can be expensive 

Unless you have a plan to do Disneyland Paris on a budget it can get pretty expensive very quickly. Either you can buy a food plan before you visit which will set you back over €50 per adult for a day, or you can buy food when you’re there which isn’t cheap at around €15 for a basic burger meal. 

Variety of snacks

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of delicious and unique snacks at Disneyland Paris. However, there are far too many basic yet expensive popcorn and ice cream stands when they could utilise these stands for other themed food. 

Is Disneyland Paris worth it? Final thoughts

While Disneyland Paris is a magical place with plenty of reasons to visit, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. 

When I think back to the fun we had, family time spent together and excitement on my kids faces I know that in my opinion yes, Disneyland Paris is worth it. However, this comes with conditions. I’m not about to stay at Hotel New York and pay upwards of £3,000 to stay for a few nights but I will pay less to stay at Hotel Cheyenne. Also, we always go in the summer because you get longer in the park with their summer closing times and it feels like we’re getting more value. 

So, is Disneyland Paris worth it? There will always be differing opinions on this topic, some love it and some hate it – a bit like marmite! The only way to see if it’s worth it for you is to try it for yourself.