Disneyland Paris in a Day: How We Did It (and Survived)

If you're wondering whether it’s possible to do Disneyland Paris in a single day—yes, you absolutely can. But should you? That’s another question entirely. Here’s how we planned it, what we packed, what worked, and what we’d do differently next time (spoiler: we probably won’t).

Why Sunday?

We started with research. Lots of it. Of the three days we had to choose from—Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—Sunday is often the quietest. Many weekend visitors start heading home, so queue times dip (a bit). It wasn’t ideal, with an early Monday start looming, but Sunday gave us our best shot at a smoother day.

First in line...

Rope Drop Tactics

We weren't planning to splurge on fast passes (now called Disney Premier Access), so timing was everything. Based on what I’d read, arriving 30 minutes before rope drop was the key to getting on the big rides without the big queues. Rope drop was 9am. So, alarm set for 6:30am, and off we went.

Staying near Gare du Nord helped. We had our Paris Navigo passes, so no faffing with tickets. We arrived in excellent time, Disneyland app in hand, queue times monitored, game faces on.

First Stop: The Mountain

No hanging about—we beelined to the mountain ride (Big Thunder Mountain), then zigzagged across the park all day. We didn’t try to “do it all,” but we did cover a lot. Feet: wrecked. Spirits: surprisingly high.

What We Packed (Highly Recommended)

• Baguette, pâté, ham, cheese (obviously)

• Crisps, cake, and snacks

• Loads of water

• Raincoats + sunhats (hello, unpredictable weather)

The food wasn’t just to save money (though that helped). It meant we didn’t waste precious ride time queuing for overpriced sandwiches.

We missed the big parade with the floats but we did catch Mini and her marching band

What We Didn’t Do

• Book restaurants: I considered it but was overwhelmed by the admin. We winged it.

• Buy Premier Access: It would have doubled the cost. We planned our route instead.

• Watch the parade: We caught a glimpse in the distance but didn’t realise it only happens once a day. Rookie mistake. Gutted.

One Park, One Day

Someone (shout out to Tanya!) had wisely advised us not to bother with Walt Disney Studios Park—especially if you’ve never done Disneyland before. And they were right. I honestly don’t know how people attempt two parks in a single day. We were wiped after just one.

Deep Adult Disney Fandom

Where We Ate

Lunchtime was a bit of a scramble—we grabbed a coffee and cake on Main Street and somehow snagged a seat. After the big concert at 8pm, we were ravenous and shattered. We exited the park and found Annette’s Diner in Disney Village. Surprisingly good value, lovely staff, and massive burgers. It was only when we sat down that I realised just how knackered the kids were. We didn’t go back in for the fireworks. We were done. Train station next door. Home. Bed.

Observations from the Magic Kingdom

• The fandom is intense. Hen dos, grown adults in matching ears, people dropping hundreds of euros in the shops. The love is real.

• If your child wants merch, do a full lap of the shops. Stock varies, and decisions change. Darcy wanted a hat… then a different hat… then a baseball cap. A kind cast member gently coached her through it. Bless them.

• Staff were amazing. Repeating the same safety messages over and over, dealing with tired tourists, and still smiling. I was fascinated by the scale of customer service—so I looked into it.

✨ Disneyland Paris manages tens of thousands of guests daily with remarkable consistency. The parks stay spotless. Cast members stay relentlessly upbeat. Read more about how they do it here.

And yes, there’s a darker side.

• Here’s how staff are coping with rising costs and stretched conditions

• Reddit thread: What it’s like to work at Disneyland Paris

Energy Dips Are Real

Around 3pm, our batteries ran low. We found a quiet corner by the Alice’s Labyrinth, split a giant ice cream, and regrouped. Much needed.

Regrets? Not Really.

• Would I stay in a Disney hotel next time? Nope.

• Would I do it again? Only if you made me. (Kidding. Sort of.)

• Was it the best theme park of the trip? Yes. We did Legoland, Tivoli Gardens, and Disneyland Paris, and this was hands-down the winner.

Grateful. Exhausted. Happy.

We did it!

Disneyland Paris in a Day: Top Tips

Looking for the best day-to-visit advice and crowd forecasts? Check out the DLP Crowd Calendar and Queue-Times.com to see what you’re in for.

• Get there before rope drop

• Use the Disneyland app to track queues

• Bring food so you can queue for rides instead of meals

• Take lots of water—hydration is key

• Wear a sunhat (or rain hat) depending on the weather

• Don’t try to do everything (obviously we did)

• Let the kids see all the shops before deciding on a souvenir

• Accept that you’ll miss some things—and that’s okay

  
  

Planning a Paris stay too? Read about our city adventures here.