At a glance
Inspired by the unbirthday party scene in the film Alice in Wonderland, this ride lets you climb into oversized teacups. Shrunk to the size of a tea set, the guests whirl around at a frantic pace.
The ride is made up of eighteen teacups spread across a main turntable, which itself has three smaller turntables spinning in the opposite direction. Each cup has a central wheel that lets riders control and increase how fast their own cup spins, so you choose how intense it gets.
The ride’s architecture stands out for its large Baltard-style glass roof, which lets daylight in and shelters visitors. The surrounding scenery includes topiaries shaped like characters such as the water dragon and the caterpillar.
After dark, the atmosphere changes completely as lots of colourful lanterns hanging under the roof frame light up, recalling the quirky look of the Mad Hatter’s tea party.
The spinning teacups under a canopy. Giant cups that you spin yourself by turning the central wheel, all sheltered under a colourful canopy. You set the dizziness level, from a gentle turn to full-on spinning. The setting is inspired by the unbirthday tea party from Alice.
History
Opened on 12 April 1992 along with the park, Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups is the Disneyland Paris version of the Mad Tea Party, which appeared at Disneyland in Anaheim back in 1955, then at Magic Kingdom in Orlando (1971), Tokyo Disneyland (1983), Hong Kong Disneyland (2005) and Shanghai Disneyland (2016). It’s inspired by the film Alice in Wonderland (1951) and, in Paris, sits under a canopy.
Technical data
- Duration
- 1 min 30
- Opened
- 1992
- Type Spinning ride
- Opening date 12 April 1992
- Duration 1 min 30
- Number of cups 18
- Design Walt Disney Imagineering
- Inspired by Mad Tea Party (Disneyland, California, 1955)
- People per cup 5
Theme & story
Levels & accessibility
- Fear level none
- Thrill level low
- Emotional impact moderate
- Perceived wait moderate
- Minimum height None (open to all)
- Recommended age all ages
- Wheelchair access must transfer from wheelchair
- Pregnant visitors not recommended
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
- You control the spin speed with the wheel
- Beautiful to look at after dark
- Distinctive architecture with a glowing glass roof
Weak points
- Spinning may be too intense for some
- Can leave you disorientated
My verdict
Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups is 18 giant teacups in which each rider controls how fast they spin with a central wheel. It’s sheltered under a colourful canopy themed on the unbirthday party from Alice in Wonderland. It lasts 1 min 30 s.
My real tip is to ride it, or ride it again, after dark: the lanterns above the ride light up and it looks truly spectacular. Watch out if you’re prone to dizziness or have just eaten, as the spinning can get too intense. And yes, you can choose not to turn the wheel at all and it’s still fun.
Best time to visit
Calculated from the ride’s queue time history, updated every day.
Map & getting there
Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups is in Fantasyland, near Alice’s Curious Labyrinth.
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.
