“I hated Disneyland Paris. The park was awful and people were rude.” Comments like this are not uncommon from visitors who have been disappointed by Disneyland Paris. It’s the most divisive Disney park on the planet. It’s certainly not a place for everyone, and in this post I’ll highlight who is likely to love it–and who is not.
I’ll be up front: I love Disneyland Paris, and it confounds me a bit that other Disney fans do not feel the same way about it that I do. With that said, I realize different fans have different backgrounds, expectations, and touring preferences. Some people focus on attractions, others focus on atmosphere, others still on dining, and so on.
There are any number of ways to enjoy a Disney park, and my intent here is not to make a value judgment about individual interests and vacation priorities. Rather, I hope this post will shed some light on which touring styles are most conducive to enjoying Disneyland Paris…
From my perspective, Disneyland Paris has more in common with EPCOT or Tokyo DisneySea than it does the other castle parks. Like those, it is the ultimate “ambiance park.” A place best enjoyed with a slow stroll, sipped like a fine French wine. If I had to pick a park to visit without doing any attractions, Disneyland Paris would be my #2 choice, after only Tokyo DisneySea.
If you love roaming World Showcase in EPCOT, just exploring the hidden corners, shops, and meticulous details, there’s a strong possibility that Disneyland Paris is for you. The park has a treasure trove of brilliant design work, and even after numerous visits, I still stumble upon new things each trip. Disneyland Paris is such a satisfying park to explore.
If you’re the type who collects coffee table books about Walt Disney Imagineering or the design and architecture of the parks, Disneyland Paris is absolutely for you.
One of the great things about today’s social media era is that many high-profile current and former Imagineers have accounts where they share old photos and anecdotes. The park for which many of these celebrated Imagineers still have an intense passion is Disneyland Paris. Eddie Sotto put it best when he said that Disneyland Paris is “the park designed by WDI Disney fans…for Disney fans.”
While other parks were also no doubt designed by Disney fans within Imagineering, there are a couple of critical differences with Disneyland Paris. First, most of the original design remains. In a sense, other parks are victims of their own success: as the parks became more popular, new ideas were injected that strayed from their “pure” ambition.
Elsewhere, these additions were made with the goal of appealing to a more mainstream audience. Attractions like Avatar Flight of Passage and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (or Mission Breakout) are crowd-pleasers that play well with casual guests, but when viewed through the prism of the park’s objective and core thematic principles, they make less sense.
Ironically enough, the same financial struggles that have hampered the growth of Disneyland Paris over the years have also ensured that it has (largely) remained pure in theme. Outside of Discoveryland, there are few additions to Disneyland Paris that have hampered its design and thematic integrity.
If you are looking for an almost perfectly-preserved vision of Michael Eisner’s era of Disney design, look no further than Disneyland Paris. It survived the Iger IP-injection era largely unscathed, as attention was focused on fixing France’s second gate.
That resulted in the relaunched Disney Adventure World, which is the culmination of a 2-billion-euro investment to expand the park. In our review of that revitalized park, we explain why Disney’s worst park is finally worthy of the “Disney” name and legacy. It’s not perfect, and the reimagining is far from flawless, but we’re happy to report that Imagineers pulled off the impossible in reinventing the second gate into Disney Adventure World.
While Parisian Disney fans and locals have understandably lamented the lack of additions to Disneyland Paris, we’d argue that this is the best possible outcome. Significant investment has been made in Disney Adventure World, which is home to a grabbag of intellectual properties.
Meanwhile, a “don’t fix what isn’t broken” attitude has been applied at Disneyland Paris. If you’re a longtime Disney fan who remembers what the domestic parks were like in the 1990s, DLP is almost like stepping into a time machine and returning to that. Even if you don’t, it’s a exemplar of themed design that you’ll recognize when immersed in it.
The team behind the original buildout of Disneyland Paris was an all-star lineup of Imagineers, who had a good deal of creative latitude. The result is a park that feels like it contains the type of great ‘blue sky’ ambitions that often get cut from other projects.
At least in part because the lavish design and ambition of Disneyland Paris caused it to go over budget, subsequent parks (save the OLC-funded Tokyo DisneySea) were built in a more restrained sense. Animal Kingdom at its opening is a good example. It has the similar thematic purity and ambition, but Disney hedged its bets by building that park on a smaller scale and expanding it over time.
Disneyland Paris feels like the culmination of castle parks before it, with lessons learned from Disneyland, Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland, and applied to something new. Its ambition is undeniably impressive, and it’s a true treat to get lost in DLP, exploring its many details. Assuming, of course, that this is the kind of Disney park experience you’re after.
If the idea of spending an entire day in a theme park without doing any attractions sounds miserable to you, perhaps Disneyland Paris is not for you.
For me, this isn’t some vague hypothetical that is unfathomable in practice. I could be satisfied wandering a park all day taking photos, soaking up the experience, and taking in the details. In fact, I’ve done it and really enjoy it.
For many fans, the primary draw of theme parks is rides. This not my perspective, but it’s a fair one. After all, the parks wouldn’t exist without attractions (no one is waiting in line 90 minutes to stare at some details). For many people, a Disney trip is in large part judged by how many attractions were experienced.
If your primary objective is riding the rides, Disneyland Paris might not be for you. This is not to say it doesn’t have any good attractions, but Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland all have much more robust ride rosters. Paris is about on par with Shanghai Disneyland or Hong Kong Disneyland in terms of attractions.
With that said, Disneyland Paris is no slouch when it comes to iconic attractions. I would argue that it has the very best versions of both Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Pirates of the Caribbean, plus a fantastic Fantasyland, and a really fascinating reinterpretation of Haunted Mansion via Phantom Manor. And although I don’t love Hyperspace Mountain (it’s a rough ride), it’s likewise unique and well worth doing. Then there are the many walk-through attractions, all of which are superlative. If you’re a fan of classic Disney attractions, you’ll appreciate all of the twists offered on them by Disneyland Paris.
Although we’re primarily focused on Disneyland Paris here, I would add that the relaunched Disney Adventure World has a surprisingly robust ride roster. There’s a good mix of headliners and secondary attractions, some of which are unique to France. The only fan-favorite that I think is terribly overrated is Crush’s Coaster.
One of the strongest selling points of Disneyland Paris is entertainment.
Disneyland Paris arguably does stage shows, parades and other productions better than any other Disney resort complexes on the planet. The costuming is second-to-none, choreography is elevated, and there’s a distinctly Parisian sensibility to entertainment, as it aspires to be something more than standard Disney fare.
If you’re the type of person who just watches entertainment in passing or casually, you may not notice a difference. There’s also the possibility that you’ll dislike some of the more avant-garde productions at Disneyland Paris. But the discerning eye looking for something fresh will appreciate the unconventional approach and added emphasis.
The top three stage shows, without question, are Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands in Disneyland Paris, plus TOGETHER: a Pixar Musical Adventure and Mickey and the Magician in Disney Adventure World. All are 10/10 must-do productions. Beyond these stage shows, there are seasonal shows and parades, atmospheric acts, and nighttime spectaculars. The nighttime spectaculars often feature fireworks and drones, two things that anyone, regardless of discernment, can appreciate.
If food is an integral part of your Disney experience, and you find yourself combing the internet looking for new snacks to try or menu changes at restaurants at resort hotels, Disneyland Paris might not be for you. Not only does Disneyland Paris serve the worst food of any Disney resort in the world, but it also lacks counter service menu variety and there’s not much going on in the way of worthwhile snacks. It is far and away the worst Disney food park in the world.
This is not to say you cannot put together a respectable dining itinerary at Disneyland Paris that has some serviceable to good meals in it, you’re just going to have to work harder at it. You’re also going to have limited choices on the counter service front in that itinerary, along with limited operating hours. All of these issues have persisted for decades, and it’s shocking just how bad the food scene is at DLP given its proximity to Paris.
The plus side, though, is that Disneyland Paris has the best themed restaurants anywhere. Walt’s – An American Restaurant alone is like a visit to Club 33 (except with better history and open to the general public). Suffice to say, on your first few days at Disneyland Paris, you can having a fun culinary experience.
Once you’re on trip 2 or 3, you’ve pretty much depleted all of the good options and will be returning to old “favorites” (air quotes). We’ve eaten at Earl of Sandwich more than anywhere else at DLP, and that’s not because we’re huge sandwich enthusiasts. Dining is my biggest frustration with Disneyland Paris, and by a rather wide margin.
If you want an experience that includes a lot of cheery “have a magical day!” interactions, Disneyland Paris might not be for you. French culture is dramatically different than United States’ culture. This is something I’ve written about with regard to Disneyland Paris multiple times, so I apologize if you’ve already read it once or seven times, but it bears emphasizing since it’s such a common complaint from Americans who have culture shock upon visiting Disneyland Paris.
French ideas of service are different than those in the United States. A good example of this is at restaurants, where servers take a much more subdued approach, and are far more hands off. For many Americans, this is perceived as the server “shunning” them, and is construed as poor service.
For the French, this is part of the culture. I’m hardly an expert on France, but the ‘cafe culture’ is evident throughout the country. People go to restaurants to become engrossed in conversation, and any intrusion, including an assertive server, is an impediment to that. You’ll also see far fewer people playing on their phones in France’s restaurants.
In other words, what you might perceive as rude is through the prism of your culture. Part of international travel is necessarily temporarily becoming immersed in another culture.
Beyond service in restaurants, there’s the general demeanor of Cast Members. Part of this is an extension of French culture. Another part is that for most Cast Members, working at Disneyland Paris is just another job.
Disney is not part of the cultural fabric in France like it is in Anaheim, where there’s still a reverence towards Walt Disney or in Orlando, a place to which many people relocate to fulfill dreams of working for Disney. At least, this is the perception among American Disney fans.
Personally, I don’t feel there’s an appreciable gap between Anaheim and Paris. We’ve encountered so many passionate Cast Members over the years at Disneyland Paris, to the point that I view this as a flat-out misconception.
This was especially evident when recently visiting for the relaunch of Disney Adventure World. While there are undoubtedly many Cast Members for whom the role is just a job, there are as many or more who feel pride and a vested interest in upholding the Disney magic.
Like the other parks, some go the extra mile to make an indelible impression on guests. Many others do not, instead going about their jobs in a workmanlike manner, competently getting their work done. Parisians are also not big on feigned enthusiasm, so those throwaway “have a magical day” platitudes are less common at Disneyland Paris.
Between that cultural difference and the higher likelihood of Cast Members addressing guests in a more brusque or blunt manner, I think there’s often the misconception that Parisian Cast Members are rude. Make an effort to interact with more of them, and you’ll find just as many who view themselves as the keepers of Walt’s flame or makers of magic. Suffice to say, service at Disneyland Paris is not better or worse; it’s just different.
Hopefully this helped you determine whether Disneyland Paris is for you. If you’re still on the fence, I say go!
For many domestic Disney fans, foreign travel can be intimidating. Disneyland Paris is the perfect ‘gateway’ to the international parks, and easily the most approachable of the bunch. Thanks to English being such a common second language in France, that ‘barrier’ doesn’t really exist. Transportation is also easier, cuisine is more crowd-pleasing, and it’s just generally simpler to plan.
One of the secret strengths of Disneyland Paris is its ability to ‘unlock’ other international travel. This was the very first place we traveled outside North America, and we’ve now visited countless countries and even lived the digital nomad life abroad for a while. It was all thanks to that first trip to Paris, which not only allayed our fears, but made us eager to explore the world.
We’ve since traveled with a toddler to Disneyland Paris, and frankly, it was easier than Walt Disney World thanks to the layout of the resort. Ditto Paris as a whole thanks to transportation and walkability. (We now know where all of the best playgrounds in Paris are located!)
If you need assistance with overcoming planning hurdles, we highly recommend working with Be Our Guest Vacations, a no-fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, to help you navigate the ins and outs of Disneyland Paris.
Their agents have firsthand experience with DLP and can offer personalized and up-to-date advice, book your vacation, take advantage of the lowest DLP pricing, and help take the stress out of planning.
As an added bonus, once you’ve done DLP, it’s much easier to do Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai! Although Tokyo DisneySea and Disneyland are our two favorite parks in the world, we typically recommend fans who are intimidated by international travel start with Disneyland Paris to help with the learning curve.
The other thing not mentioned above is proximity to Paris, which is one of the greatest cities in the world. Any trip to Disneyland Paris should include as much or more time in Paris proper, and there is no shortage of incredible experiences to be had in the city. To be honest, this is why I never feel guilty about recommending a trip to Disneyland Paris. I think reasonable minds may differ on Disneyland Paris, but if you do not like Paris as a city, that’s on you.
For the basics of planning a visit to Disneyland Paris, check out our Disneyland Paris Trip Planning Guide. Find the best place to stay in Disneyland Paris Hotel Reviews. Check out 101 Disneyland Paris Tips for some (101, to be exact) of our best random tips for doing DLP like a pro. See Disney Park Tickets Tips & Tricks for ways to save on tickets. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. Finally, for advice beyond Disney, check out our Ultimate Travel Guide to Paris, France.
YOUR THOUGHTS
If you’ve visited Disneyland Paris, what’s your take on who it’ll appeal to most? Did you enjoy your visit, or would you rather stick to other Disney Parks? Anything with which you disagree in this post? Any questions? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
