Are you planning a trip to Disneyland Paris with young kids? These Disneyland Paris tips for toddlers and babies will help you enjoy this magical trip and make lasting memories!
There is no denying the nostalgia associated with Disney. It is an escape from reality, where adults can go back in time to relive the magic of their childhood. And the idea of sharing this with their children is pretty special.
That being said, to enjoy the park with young children, you really need to be prepared—both mentally and physically. Traveling with little kids can be anything but simple. Throw in an amusement park with exhaustion, long lines, and full days—it can be a recipe for disaster. This can be enough to ruin a trip. And let’s be honest, Disney is just too expensive for an immediate do-over, especially Disneyland Paris.
We spent three days at Disney and learned a lot! This is my honest review of our actual experience. Read more about how these Disneyland Paris tips for toddlers can help maximize your enjoyment and prepare for your upcoming trip with kids!
Disneyland Paris tips for toddlers and babies
1. Make plans to arrive at Disney ahead of time
Disneyland is not located in the heart of Paris
Disneyland Paris is about 45 minutes from the city and the Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport. Therefore, you do not want to book a hotel in Paris for your Disney trip.
How to get to Disneyland Paris from the CDG airport
Shuttle service
A Magical Shuttle can pick you up directly from the airport and drop you off at select Disney hotels.
Tickets for adults are 24 Euro, and children ages 3-11 are 11 Euro.
For terminals and ticket purchases, click here.
Train
We traveled by train, which was a bit confusing because Paris has such an extensive metro system.
The intercity TGV high-speed trains take about 10 minutes to reach Marne-la-Vallee/Chessy station, but tickets can sell out quickly. You can purchase tickets ahead of time here.
We traveled via the RER A / RER B trains from the main train station, which took an hour to arrive.
2. Use the luggage service at the train station
This is a really nice service if you stay at one of the Disneyland Paris resorts. Go to the Disney Express counter on the first floor of the Marne-la-Vallee/Chessy train station. Here, you can check into your hotel and drop off your luggage. You can also use this service on your departure day.
Although dropping off our luggage was nice, it took us much longer than expected
to arrive at the hotel. My husband did not have a great experience with the hotel staff in facilitating this either. This was only an issue because we were traveling with a baby and toddler and needed to put the kids down for bed. I would encourage you to check on your luggage before it gets too late in the day.
Related Post: The Best Toddler and Baby Packing List with Free Printable
3. Enjoy the benefits of staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotels
Although these Disneyland hotels can be expensive, they offer some really nice accommodations if you travel to Disneyland Paris with little kids.
Disneyland Hotel Accommodations
Extra magic hour
The park opens one hour earlier for hotel guests. This allows you to ride rides without the longer waiting times, which is one of the best ways to experience some of the more popular rides. This is probably one of the best things the hotels offer.
Tip: leave the hotel with at least 15 minutes to spare. This will give you ample time to walk and get through security. There will be a separate hotel entrance from the main park entrance.
Walking distance to the parks
The convenience of these hotels being within walking distance from the park is ideal for
families with kids. This removes the additional transportation stressors, especially when bringing strollers to Disney.
Take a break at the hotels
This is my main argument for splurging at the Disney resorts. Taking a mid-day break at the hotel is probably at the top of my Disneyland Paris tips for toddlers and babies.
Amusement parks are exhausting for the whole family. Spending a few hours at the hotel can be a nice break. Check out the swimming pools. We stayed at the Disney Newport Bay Club, which had a small indoor pool.
Character meet and greet
Sometimes, you can catch a meet-and-greet at the hotel. Unfortunately for us, the meet-and-greet was after our kids’ bedtime.
Tip: We purchased our hotel at a pretty decent rate. However, many add-ons quickly increase the price. Be mindful of this when booking through the Disneyland Paris website. You can purchase park tickets with the Disneyland hotel accommodation.
4. Consider the Disneyland Meal Plans
The Disneyland resorts offer these as budget food options for guests. Read more about them here.
We were unsuccessful in purchasing our meal plans ahead of time. They were going to charge us for our two-year-old and infant through the online system. Sadly, we didn’t have great customer service at the hotel, so we decided to forgo the meal plan option.
5. Visit both parks
I have read blogs that suggested Disneyland Park was the only toddler-friendly park. We did not find this to be true.
Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park has the Castle, many character meet and greet stations, parades, and rides.
Disneyland Studios
Disneyland Studios also has rides for toddlers and infants.
Both parks are within walking distance of each other and are connected by Disney Village.
Tip: When we first arrived from the train station, we grabbed a snack inside the Disneyland village; it was not crowded in the morning. In the afternoon, there were so many people that we only used it
to walk back and forth to the parks.
Related Post: Magical Experiences at Disneyland Paris for Babies and Toddlers
6. Download the Disneyland Paris app
The Disney app is everything you need! It shows the rides, wait times, restaurant
reservations, and more.
Tip: Be sure to download the mobile app when you book your trip.
7. Book far in advance for the Disneyland-themed restaurants
These restaurants book up months in advance.
Tip: Check the app for last-minute openings. We made a last-minute reservation at the PYM Kitchen, located in the Art of Marvel. The concept was really neat! It was buffet-style, with huge portions of food. Think from the perspective of Ant-Man.
It’s important to note that these restaurants charge around 50.00 euros a plate. I wasn’t impressed with the quality of the
food, but it was a fairly neat experience. Our two-year-old had a discounted rate.
8. Book a character meal
This can be a great option if you’re visiting Disneyland with a toddler and baby. The food was pretty good, allowing the kids to meet and greet selected characters without standing in long lines.
9. Plan your Disney itinerary in advance
There are only certain rides that permit infants and toddlers.
Before your trip, check the height restrictions for the rides in both parks and make a list of the rides you want to enjoy. This will help you stay organized and avoid wasting precious time. My son’s favorite rides were Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan’s Flight, and the Cars Road Trip. He had so much fun on these, and our infant could ride with us as well.
Tip: To get our son excited, we pulled YouTube videos of Disneyland. We quickly learned which ones he was most excited about and prioritized those.
10. Choose select meet and greets
The lines for the character meet, and greets can get quite long, especially to see Mickey Mouse. You can easily spend a lot of park time waiting in the queues for a photo and autograph.
I suggest picking select Disney Princesses and characters ahead of time. Prioritize those, and try to get in line early. Be sure to include these meet-and-greets in your Disneyland itinerary.
11. See a show
We really enjoyed the special shows at Disneyland Paris. We saw three shows: The Lion King, Mickey the Magician, and A Pixar Musical Adventure.
Adults should appreciate The Lion King more, but my son loved the other two.
We enjoyed the Pixar Musical Adventure the most as a family. These shows are great for both
younger and older children!
Tip: You will want to get in line for the shows early. We reserved the shows through the Disney app at an additional cost. This gave us priority in entering the building first and guaranteed good seats.
12. Consider the Disney Premier Pass
The Disney Premier Pass is a fast pass to get onto rides. Not every ride permits the use of the fast pass; in fact, many of the infant and toddler-friendly rides don’t. This is important to remember when purchasing the Disney Premier pass for the day.
We purchased it for one day, and it worked well for us, but we were also strategic in hitting the non-fast pass rides during the magic hour.
Another option is to purchase the Disney Premier Pass per ride through the Disney App.
13. Is Disneyland Paris stroller-friendly
Yes, Disneyland Paris is stroller-friendly. They even offer strollers for guests to rent.
We brought our Fuxtec Wagon and were very happy with our choice. We prefer the wagon over the stroller for theme parks.
14. Consider bringing a baby carrier
We don’t travel anywhere without our baby carrier. Even if you are bringing a stroller or wagon, the carrier can be ideal for standing in lines.
It can also be a great option for your baby to nap.
You can check out my recommended carriers here.
15. Reconsider the Disney photo package
In all honesty, we were very disappointed with the photo package. Only certain rides have photos, and very few are for infant and toddler-friendly rides.
The Disney photo package may be an excellent option for your family if you want to have professional photos with Disney characters.
16. Take turns with the baby swap
Take advantage of the baby swap for parent rides! This could be great to use in combination with the Disney Premier Pass. It gives you the opportunity to enjoy more adult rides, such as roller coasters. After one parent has ridden the ride, they can do the rider switch, which will allow the other parent to enjoy the ride without standing in line.
17. The fireworks show is earlier during the Winter
There is something so magical about the Disney fireworks show! Because it gets darker earlier during the winter months, the show starts earlier. This can be perfect for little kids.
18. Take advantage of the Disneyland Baby Care Center
Both theme parks have a baby care center, a great service offered by Disney. The center provides baby food and essentials for purchase and even offers a nice space for nursing.
Disneyland Park – Located on Main street USA
Studio Park – Located on the Front Lot
19. Be conscious of the safety bars on rides
This is important on rides that are safe for infants. Depending on the right, it can be best for the baby to sit over the safety bar. Be sure to consult the cast member for each ride.
20. Purchase your Disney apparel before your family vacation
Disney parks are so expensive. Another one of my Disneyland Paris tips for toddlers and babies is purchasing Disney apparel before your family vacation. This is one of my top tips for saving some money in the parks.
This can be such a good idea to get your small children excited for the upcoming family trip!
Related Post: The Ultimate Packing List for your Trip to Disney with Kids (Free Printout)
21. Find the Dragon under the Castle
La Taniere Du Dragon
Finding the Dragon under Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is like a hidden gem! There really isn’t anything advertising this at the Parks. My son loved finding it!
22. Bring snacks and drinks
Disneyland Paris is expensive, and the food is no exception. Grab a case of water to keep in your hotel room. Pack enough of your toddler’s favorite snacks. Buy food to bring in packed lunches. We weren’t impressed with the quality of the Parks food either. It’s about what you would expect from a theme park.
23. Bring all of your toddler and baby essentials with you into the park
They do have baby supplies at the baby care centers; however, it can get pretty expensive. Be sure to include an extra outfit for your small children.
24. Plan for the weather
Make plans around the weather. If you are expecting some rainy days, consider spending that time at the pool if you are a Disney hotel guest. When we were there, it rained every single day and we still made the most of it.
Top tip: Bring a small blanket for your younger children if the weather is cool. This will be especially helpful if they want to bundle up if it rains.
Related Post: What Essentials to Carry in Your Toddler and Baby Bag
25. Consider the best time to visit Disneyland Paris
Another Disneyland Paris tip for toddlers and babies is avoiding the French school holidays and Summer holidays. Planning your family trip around these peak times is a great way to experience the parks with fewer people.
Another best time to visit Disneyland Paris is during the Christmas season. Yes, there will be a lot of people, but Disneyland Paris during Christmas time is quite a magical experience! We really enjoyed the Disney Enchanted Christmas! There is something so magical about seeing the decorations, lights and Christmas parade!
I will say I was a bit disappointed in the large Christmas tree. Although beautiful, it is artificial. In my opinion, Europa Park, a theme park in Germany, is far more beautifully decorated during the holiday season.
When trying to determine the best time to visit Disneyland Paris for your family, I suggest looking at the Disneyland Paris app and website for specific dates. The app will be your Disneyland Paris guide, and can keep you updated on park hours, shows, and any special events.
Related Post: Magical Experiences at Disneyland for Babies and Toddlers
Related Post: The Best Travel Packing list for Babies and Toddlers
Related Post: The Ultimate Packing List for your Trip to Disney with Kids
Final thoughts on Disneyland Paris tips for toddlers and a baby
For many, Disney’s nostalgia can make these parks the happiest place on earth. However, even a family trip to Disney can be less than ideal. Traveling with small children is hard and exhausting. With the expenses of a trip to Disney, having a redo is not an option for most. With that in mind, planning ahead and making the most of your Disney family trip is important.
Traveling with a baby and toddler to Disney was hard on the entire family. But like most of our travels, we prioritized the needs and desires of our two kids, which ultimately helped us have a better experience. My husband and I opted not to go on adult rides. As much as we would have enjoyed them, they were not ideal for the entire family’s experience.
I hope these Disneyland Paris tips for toddlers and babies help you prepare for your upcoming trip! Expectation management and patience are essential for enjoying these big family trips!
I would love to hear about your experience. Do you have any additional tips from your visit to Disneyland or Walt Disney World?
Save this pin!
Thank you so much for this handy guide. My son is 10, but we’ll be visiting Disneyland Paris with his toddler cousins, so this will be a great help to us as a family group to coordinate it all. Can’t wait!
Chantal, that is so exciting! I hope you guys have so much fun!
This information is really useful. I had no idea about some of the tips that you have included here. Thanks for sharing this great information.
Thank you so much, Maryanne!
Amazing tips! It’s nice that they give strollers on rent and have baby care centers. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, Pradnya!