We recently spent two weeks exploring France with 13 month old Eloise. After spending a few days in Paris, we took the TGV to Strasbourg. To end the trip, we spent two days at Disneyland Paris, and had a magical time. As Los Angeles locals, we’ve spent a lot of time at Disneyland in Anaheim, and this was Eloise’s second trip to a Disney Park. We loved experiencing the familiarity of a Disney park, but with a French flair. We’ve compiled a guide to share our favorite tips and tricks for visiting Disneyland Paris with a Baby or young toddler.
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Getting to Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris is a quick train ride from Paris, and an even easier train ride from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to the Marne-la-Valle train station. The Marne-la-Valle train station is a 30 second walk to the Disney Parks security checkpoint.
Getting to Disneyland Paris from Paris
From central Paris, take the RER A train from Gare de Lyon to Marne-la-Valle. The journey takes about 35 minutes. Trains leave every few minutes.
Getting to Disneyland Paris from Charles de Gaulle Airport
If you are heading straight to Disneyland Paris from the airport, there is a simple, fast train that will get you to the parks in about ten minutes. The TGV is France’s high speed train network. Be aware that you need to purchase tickets for the TGV in advance at oui.sncf. Prices increase as you get closer to the date, and trains leave every 30 minutes to an hour.
After arriving at CDG and proceeding through baggage claim, proceed to Terminal 2, where the TGV station is. Once onboard your train, you will travel just one stop before arriving at the Marne-la-Valle train station.
If you are staying near Val d’Europe, you will transfer from the TGV to the RER at Marne-la-Valle station. Simply exit the train at Marne-la-Valle and follow the signs to the RER. From Disneyland, the RER only goes in one direction. Board the RER, take it one stop, and you will arrive at Val d’Europe.
Hiring a Private Transfer
If you are arriving after a long redeye flight, or have a lot of luggage, you can also book a car transfer. We love to use Welcome Pickups in Europe. Their professional drivers arrive on time, wear masks, and transport you in clean, comfortable cars. You can arrange for a carseat to be installed, eliminating the need to travel with a car seat. We arrived at CDG an hour before our scheduled transfer, and our driver was waiting for us with a car seat for Eloise. Their prices were also very competitive.
Where to Stay at Disneyland Paris
Onsite hotels
Disneyland Paris has 6 onsite hotels, as well as partnerships with several offsite partner hotels.
Disneyland’s onsite hotels include luxury options (Disneyland Hotel), midrange options (Sequoia Lodge, Art of Marvel, and Newport Bay), as well as budget options (Hotel Cheyenne and Hotel Santa Fe). The Disneyland Hotel sits on top of the entrance to Disneyland and looks stunning. Unfortunately, it was under renovation when we were there in late 2021.
While we considered staying at one of the onsite hotels, we found the room types very limited for families with small children. We opted to stay near Val d’Europe instead, where we could spend less money for a two bedroom apartment with laundry and kitchen facilities.
Partner hotels
Disney has partnerships with several offsite hotels. Many of these hotels require a shuttle or car to get there.
Val d’Europe
We found that staying near Val d’Europe was the best compromise for our family. Being just one RER stop from Disneyland, we were able to get to and from Disneyland quickly and easily, making it easy to return for a nap. For less than the price of a Disney hotel, we rented a 2 bedroom apartment with laundry, which was a better fit for our family.
When looking for hotels or apartments near Val d’Europe, try to find a place close to the train station. We walked about 30 seconds to reach the train station. The RER comes every 5-10 minutes, and the ride itself is less than 5 minutes.
How long to Stay at Disneyland Paris?
We found that two full days was the perfect amount of time to spend at Disneyland Paris. We traveled in October when crowds were low and lines were short. We could have seen most of the highlights in a day, but having two days allowed us to take our time and revisit favorite rides.
The Two Parks at Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris has two parks- Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios. If you have older kids, you may find more to do in Walt Disney Studios, but we found the park incredibly lacking. The park itself is very small, and rides are limited. We spent about an hour there before returning to Disneyland.
Disneyland Park, on the other hand, is stunning. If you have been to other Disney parks, the general layout will feel familiar. It felt more spread out than other parks, with lots of areas to explore. There are fewer rides than Disneyland in Anaheim, but the park itself is beautiful.
Our Favorite Rides with a Baby
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic- This fun 4D movie is a hit with all ages. Of course, babies have trouble keeping their glasses on, but it is still fun to enjoy the music.
- It’s a Small World- The best ride for littles! Eloise loved the bright colors and fun music. We went on it three times in two days!
- Playgrounds- Disneyland Park has two playgrounds- one in Frontierland and one on Adventure Isle. The Frontierland playground is aimed at younger kids and was a highlight for us. Days at Disneyland for toddlers involve a lot of time being carried and in a stroller. Giving your baby or toddler a chance to crawl around and play is important.
- Alice’s Curious Labyrinth- This maze would be very fun with walking toddlers. It does not allow strollers, which makes it tough with babies that need to be carried as it is actually a pretty long walk (10-15 minutes). However, it is totally worth the walk. At the end, you climb a tower and get beautiful views of Fantasyland.
- Casey Jr Petit Train- This ride was faster than we anticipated, but Eloise loved it. It is a short, fun trip around the Storybook area.
- Storybook boat ride (Le Pays des Contes de Fees)- This quick boat ride takes guests to see miniature castles and lands from stories.
- Dumbo- A classic flying ride!
- Ratatouille- Maybe Eloise just loves screens, but she really enjoyed this ride. She was clapping and giggling as the rat we were riding ran through the kitchen. This was her second favorite ride of the trip, after It’s a Small World
Rides to Skip with a Baby
- Rollercoasters like Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain- But don’t skip these entirely! Use Rider Swap so both adults can ride. See below for more details about using Rider Swap.
- Fantasyland dark rides (Pinocchio and Snow White)- I know that these rides are meant for little kids, but they are just too scary for many babies and toddlers.
- Phantom Manor- We made a big mistake with this one! Being familiar with Disneyland in Anaheim, we expected this to be a spooky and silly ride with dancing and singing ghosts. In reality, it is darker and scarier than the US parks’ Haunted Mansion rides. Definitely don’t skip this ride, but use Rider Swap and leave the baby out.
Dining at Disneyland Paris
While we generally enjoy the food at Disney Parks in the US, Disneyland Paris food left a lot to be desired. We found options extremely limited. The restaurants that were open had small menus with typical theme park fare- chicken nuggets, hot dogs, etc.
We chose to skip the sit down restaurants on this trip. The prices were incredibly high, and we spent that money on delicious food in Paris instead. If you are planning to enjoy sit down meals at Disneyland, be sure to make reservations 2 months in advance.
Dining near Val d’Europe
An unexpected bright spot of staying near Val d’Europe was the restaurant selection. There were many great restaurants in the area, and prices were much more reasonable than the Disney parks. Each morning, we grabbed pastries and coffee from a bakery near the train station. We ate lunch at the parks, but then returned to Val d’Europe for dinner. We ate at:
- L’Emphase– Do not miss this! This was one of our favorite meals on our trip. The staff was friendly and the food was delicious. The menu is filled with upscale pub food- we chose the brie burger and fried truffle balls. We almost returned for a second dinner.
- Solo Pizza Napolentana– delicious pizza
- Vivi Nem– This Vietnamese restaurant was good, not great. If you have great Vietnamese food where you live, as we do in Los Angeles, you may not be super impressed. It was a great fast, inexpensive option, but not the best Vietnamese food we have had.
Tips for Visiting Disneyland Paris with a Baby or Young Toddler
- Use Rider Switch- Disneyland Paris has some great thrill rides that your baby won’t be able to ride. Rider Switch allows one adult to wait in line while the other waits with the baby. After the first adult rides, ask the ride attendant for a rider switch pass. They will give you a ticket to return through the exit so the second adult can ride without waiting in line.
- Visit the playgrounds- Disneyland Paris has some phenomenal playgrounds that allow your little one to stretch their legs and move around a bit. The playground near the Pirate Ship on Adventure Isle looked very fun for older kids, but the Frontierland playground was perfect for small kids. Eloise loved having a safe space to crawl around and play.
- Lock your stroller– We read many reports of stolen strollers at Disneyland Paris, so we brought a bike lock to lock the wheels together. We didn’t see any other strollers locked up, so this may have been a bigger issue before COVID. Either way, be sure not to leave valuables on the stroller.
Disneyland Paris During COVID-19
This information is current as of October 2021. Restrictions will change, so please visit disneylandparis.com for the most current regulations.
We felt very safe visiting during COVID as Disney follows strict safety protocols. At the time of our visit, vaccine rates in France were high and cases were low. All guests ages 12 and up were required to present a Health Pass proving full vaccination or a recent negative COVID test. Most people were not distancing in the lines, but masking was required for everyone 6 and older at all locations, including outdoors.
Protect Your Trip
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is that insurance is necessary to protect our travel investments and keep our family safe on the road. Depending on the policy that you choose, travel insurance can protect your family in the event of medical emergencies and canceled trips. It also takes the sting out of minor trip mishaps, such as lost baggage and delayed flights. Check out Squaremouth to compare plans and choose one that fits your family.
Planning a trip to France? Be sure to check out these other France travel posts:
- The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Paris with a Baby
- 7 Beautiful Sites when Visiting Strasbourg with Kids
- Baby Travel Gear- A Full List of Things You Need When Traveling with a Baby
