Disneyland Paris, explained by Julie

One day is enough to see the highlights of a single park if you pick your priorities. Two days is ideal to visit Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World at a relaxed pace, one day per park. Beyond that, the pace becomes more laid-back and you can go back on your favourite rides. For a first visit with kids, I recommend 2 nights / 3 days.

The quietest periods are January, March and September. If you don’t like crowds, avoid July-August, the French autumn half-term (Toussaint, Halloween season), the Christmas holidays and weekends in May. Midweek, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best days, and Saturday is the busiest. On the other hand, the Halloween and Christmas seasons bring extra decorations and shows, at the cost of bigger crowds.

As early as possible. Disneyland Paris prices are dynamic: the earlier you book, the less you pay. For dated tickets, aim for at least 3 months ahead, and 6 to 9 months for a Disney hotel on very popular dates (French school holidays, French bank holidays in May, Halloween, Christmas). Booking calendars often open even further ahead, so as soon as your dates are certain, book. For table service restaurants, you can book up to 2 months ahead in the official app if you’re visiting for the day, and up to 1 year ahead if you’re staying in a Disney hotel.

It all depends on your budget and your strategy. Disney hotel: you get Extra Magic Time (access to the parks up to 1 hour before official opening on some headline rides), delivery of your shopping to the hotel, the official shuttle bus and a themed atmosphere. Partner hotel (Explorers, Adagio or B&B, among others): prices are often lower, a free shuttle is usually provided but it isn’t an official Disney one, and breakfast isn’t always included in the price (check when you book). For a first stay, I’d tend to recommend a Disney hotel. To keep the budget down, a partner hotel.

Yes, I consider it an essential tool these days. It shows live queue times and show and parade times, and lets you book table service restaurants, manage your tickets and buy Premier Access. Remember to download it and log in to your Disney account before you arrive, as the network can be overloaded on some days.