At a glance
Alice’s Curious Labyrinth is in the "British" part of Fantasyland, alongside Peter Pan’s Flight, Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups and the Toad Hall Restaurant. The attraction is inspired by the Disney animated film Alice in Wonderland, released in 1951 and adapted from the novel by Lewis Carroll published in 1865.
It’s a 366-metre hedge maze on foot, split into two sections. The first runs through Tulgey Wood and follows Alice’s adventures before she meets the Queen of Hearts: the drop down the White Rabbit’s hole, doors of every size, signs pointing in opposite directions, surprise water jets and the Blue Caterpillar smoking on his mushroom. The second section, the Queen of Hearts Maze, is much trickier: you get lost among the hedges, passing the card soldiers painting the roses red and the Queen herself bellowing her famous "Off with her head!". In all, the attraction has 10 scenes, 22 characters, 12 fountains and 24 decorative statues.
The final goal is to reach the Queen of Hearts’ castle, where you climb to the top for a panorama over Fantasyland and, on a clear day, all the way to Main Street U.S.A. Seen from above, the full layout of the maze traces the outline of the Cheshire Cat, whose head is formed by a flowerbed at the entrance.
The Alice in Wonderland hedge maze. A tangle of hedges dotted with animated characters, from the Cheshire Cat to the Queen of Hearts, all the way to the hilltop castle you can climb. A free-roaming route that kids love as they hunt for the right path, with a lovely viewpoint at the top.
History
Opened on 12 April 1992 along with the park, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth is a hedge maze in Fantasyland, inspired by the film Alice in Wonderland (1951). For more than twenty years it remained exclusive to Paris, until the Alice in Wonderland Maze opened at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016, itself based on Tim Burton’s 2010 film.
During the 2012 refurbishment, the original Thuja plicata hedges were replaced with cypresses.
Technical data
- Length
- 366 m
- Opened
- 1992
- Type Walk-through
- Opening date 12 April 1992
- Path length 366 m
- Design Walt Disney Imagineering with Adrian Fisher
- Duration 15-30 min depending on how much you explore
Theme & story
Levels & accessibility
- Fear level none
- Thrill level low
- Emotional impact low
- Perceived wait moderate
- Minimum height None (open to all)
- Recommended age all ages
- Wheelchair accessible
- Pregnant visitors suitable
Premier Access, Single Rider, PhotoPass
Not offered on this ride.
No Single Rider here. To save time, count on Premier Access or park opening.
No PhotoPass on this ride.
Not open during Extra Magic Time: it opens at the same time as the park.
Who it’s for
Pros and cons
Strong points
- Explore at your own pace
- Panoramic view over the land from the castle
Weak points
- Castle stairs not accessible to wheelchair users
- The water jets aren’t always switched on
My verdict
Alice’s Curious Labyrinth is a 366-metre hedge maze inspired by the film Alice in Wonderland, split into two sections: Tulgey Wood and its water surprises, then the trickier Queen of Hearts Maze. The attraction ends with a climb up the Queen of Hearts’ castle, where you get a superb view over Fantasyland. It’s exclusive to Disneyland Paris, with no equivalent in the other parks apart from Shanghai.
One of my personal favourite attractions, especially for the stroll and the photos. My real tip: climb to the top of the castle early in the morning or at sunset, that’s where you’ll get the best photos of the land. The castle stairs are not accessible to wheelchair users, which is worth knowing. And don’t be disappointed if the water jets aren’t working, they’re regularly switched off.
Julie’s tip
Map & getting there
Alice’s Curious Labyrinth is in Fantasyland, between Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups and Peter Pan’s Flight.
Your questions about this ride
01 How can you avoid long queues for the most popular rides?
To avoid long queues at Disneyland Paris, I combine several tactics. First, Single Rider is free and really speeds things up on the rides that offer it, including Crush’s Coaster, Flight Force, Ratatouille and Spider-Man, as long as you’re happy not to ride with your group. Next, Disney Premier Access is a paid service that gives you priority access to the headline rides. If you’re staying in a Disney hotel, Extra Magic Time lets you into the park before official opening, and it’s the best time to ride the popular attractions back to back without queuing. Finally, heading to the most popular rides during a parade or a big show empties the queues considerably.
02 Are the queue times shown in the park reliable?
Yes, the queue times shown in the app or on the screens around the park are generally reliable. They’re often the same as, or slightly longer than, the real wait, which helps you plan your day better.
03 How can I find out if a ride will be closed for refurbishment during my trip?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of rides closed for refurbishment on its official website, several weeks in advance. Because the parks are open all year round, the maintenance teams sometimes work on days when the parks are open, which leads to temporary closures. My advice: check this calendar (or the one on my blog) before booking, especially if there’s one particular ride you really care about.
04 Which rides might scare young children?
Several rides at Disneyland Paris can frighten young children even without a height restriction. Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, in Fantasyland, has dark scenes with the witch that can catch them off guard. Les Voyages de Pinocchio also has some unsettling scenes. La Tanière du Dragon, under Sleeping Beauty Castle, is home to a very impressive animatronic dragon. Phantom Manor, in Frontierland, plays on a ghostly atmosphere and is really intense for toddlers. Pirates of the Caribbean switches between cheerful moments and darker scenes. I’d suggest watching how your child reacts before you get on.
05 How far in advance does Disneyland Paris announce ride closures?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of ride closures around 2 to 3 months in advance. For major rides, the park tells visitors about planned construction work at least two months before it starts. I recommend checking the official calendar (or my dedicated page) a few weeks before your visit, as dates can change. That way you avoid the nasty surprise of finding out on the day that your favourite ride is being refurbished.
