Disneyland Paris extras: luggage, PhotoPass and Disney Premier Access

Premier Access Ultimate isn’t a ticket. It’s a paid add-on to your ticket that gives you priority access (fast lane) to every ride with Premier Access, once per ride, on a single day and at any time. It’s different from Premier Access One, where you buy access to just one ride for a specific time slot. Ultimate is worth it in peak season or if you want to make the most of a single day in the parks. The price of both options is dynamic: it varies with the date, the ride (for One) and the expected crowds. You can check it on the official Disneyland Paris website or in the app when you book.

Premier Access is the paid fast track service at Disneyland Paris. It comes in two options: Premier Access One (you buy access to a single ride at a set time, in the app on the day of your visit or at City Hall) and Premier Access Ultimate (a day pack that gives you priority access to all eligible rides in both parks, once each). My advice is to go for One when you only have one or two rides to secure, and switch to Ultimate when you want to go from ride to ride without thinking about it.

You have two options depending on your budget and how you like to visit. Premier Access One (bought one at a time in the app or at City Hall) is ideal if you’re only targeting one or two specific rides during the day. Premier Access Ultimate is the day pack that bundles all eligible rides in both parks into a single price: perfect for a short, intense 1-day visit where you want to do everything back to back without counting. As a rough guide, One costs between €5 and €23 per ride, and Ultimate between €110 and €230 for the day. For a first-time family visiting for 1 day, Ultimate can be worth it if the budget allows. Otherwise, One on the 2-3 rides you’re most worried about often does the job.

Several iconic rides in both parks are eligible for Premier Access. In Disneyland Park, you’ll find "it’s a small world", Autopia, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Orbitron, Peter Pan’s Flight, Phantom Manor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Tours and Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain. In Disney Adventure World, they are Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, Cars ROAD TRIP, Crush’s Coaster, Frozen Ever After, Raiponce Tangled Spin, Ratatouille, Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. A small detail worth remembering: Orbitron is only eligible for Premier Access One, not Ultimate. The up-to-date list and the minimum heights are shown in the Disneyland Paris app at the time of your visit.

Premier Access pricing is dynamic: it varies by ride, the date of your visit, the time slot you choose and how busy the park is. To give you a rough idea, allow between €5 and €23 per ride for One, and between €110 and €230 for the day for Ultimate. A very popular ride on a Saturday in the French school holidays will cost far more than the same ride on a Tuesday in January. The exact price is shown in the Disneyland Paris app when you book.

You buy Premier Access One on the day of your visit, in two ways: in the Disneyland Paris app (you sign in to your Disney account, open the Premier Access section to choose the ride and the time slot, then pay), or directly at City Hall in Disneyland Park and at Studio Services in Disney Adventure World if you don’t have a smartphone. Premier Access Ultimate, on the other hand, can be bought before your visit, including through the concierge desk of your Disney hotel. I recommend downloading and testing the app before you come, because you need to be comfortable with your Disney account on the day. All the details are in my Premier Access guide.

If your baby doesn’t need an entry ticket to visit the park (under-3s), they don’t need Premier Access either. They ride with you for free on the rides that accept them, with nothing extra to do. However, from the age of 3, a child has their own ticket, so they will also need their own Premier Access to use the fast lane, just like an adult.

Premier Access generally isn’t refundable once bought, even if you change your mind or miss your time slot. The only exception is if the ride breaks down during your time window. In that case, speak to a Cast Member on site. They will give you a paper ticket stating the problem, which entitles you to a new time slot later in the day. My tip: don’t book a slot too close to a meal or a show, because a missed slot can’t be made up.

PhotoPass+ is the one and only official photo service at Disneyland Paris. In practice, the official photographers at character meet and greets take your photo and give you a card with a barcode. Some thrill rides (Pirates of the Caribbean, Hyperspace Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, among others) also take photos automatically during the ride. Without PhotoPass+, you can see your photos in low resolution with a Disney watermark at the ride exit, but you can’t export them. With PhotoPass+, you unlock high-resolution downloads, sharing and printing of all your photos, linked to your account on the official Disney PhotoPass website. You can buy it during the day or even after your visit (a few days later): it unlocks all the photos taken before the purchase, as long as you’ve kept every card the photographers gave you. My tip: always keep every card, as that’s what links you to your photos.

The PhotoPass+ price is dynamic and depends on your profile. For a standard visitor, allow €90. As a Silver passholder, you get a discount (around -10%). With the Gold pass, PhotoPass+ is included free of charge. With the Bronze One and Bronze Max passes, you pay the standard visitor price. The exact price is shown on the official Disney PhotoPass website and in the Disneyland Paris app when you book. My tip as a blogger: if you take several photos with characters or you’re a large family, it very quickly pays for itself compared with buying photos individually.

The lockers are to the right of the Disneyland Park entrance, just before the turnstiles. In Disney Adventure World, there’s also a luggage storage point, but it only opens on very busy days, so don’t always count on it. Several sizes are available (backpack locker, large locker) at a daily price. My tip: take a large locker if you’re a family, it’s much more comfortable for storing coats and soft toys bought in the shops.

You can enter the parks with a backpack, a handbag or a changing bag of a reasonable size (small format category). Very large bags, suitcases and cabin bags are banned inside the parks and must be left in luggage storage. All bags go through the security check at the entrance (opened and quickly checked if needed). Avoid overloaded bags: you’ll be more comfortable on rides where you have to put everything in a tray (for example Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop), and you’ll avoid the longer queues at the security check at the park entrances.

A standard backpack (a school bag, a medium sports bag or a small day hiking pack) gets into the parks without any problem. With a bulky hiking pack or a cabin-bag-style bag, you may be sent to luggage storage or back to your car (large format category). On many rides, you have to put your bag in a tray when boarding or at your feet, so the more compact your bag, the more comfortable your day.

All the Disney hotels offer free luggage storage: you arrive at the hotel, drop your suitcases at luggage storage and head off to enjoy the park while you wait for the official check-in time. When you come back, your suitcases are either already taken up to your room (for Club rooms) or ready to collect. It’s a service I always use when I arrive in the morning: bags dropped at 8:00, and off I go to the park for opening without wasting a minute.

Yes, free Wi-Fi is available in both parks and in the Disney hotels. It’s useful for the Disneyland Paris app (buying Premier Access, checking queue times) without using up your mobile data. The quality varies with the crowds and the area of the park. My habit when I arrive: I connect to the Wi-Fi before opening the app, which avoids loading glitches.

Yes, power bank hire stations are available in both parks and in Disney Village. You take a charged power bank from one station and return it to any other station in the network during the day. The exact locations are shown on the official park map, handed out at the entrance and available in the app. My tip as a blogger: I always bring my own power bank and a cable. Between photos, the app for Premier Access and the weather forecast, your phone battery drains very fast during the day.

The Disneyland Paris app is essential to get the most out of your day. In it you’ll find the interactive park map, real-time queue times, show and parade times, Premier Access purchases (One and Ultimate), restaurant bookings and your scannable entry ticket. Note that the PhotoPass gallery isn’t available in the Disneyland Paris app. You have to use the dedicated official Disney PhotoPass website, where you create a separate account to find your photos. Download the app and create your account BEFORE you come, linking your tickets in advance, as it saves stress when you arrive.

The MagicPass is a personal card (with a digital version in the Disneyland Paris app) given only to guests staying in an official Disney hotel. Each family member gets their own at check-in (online check-in 7 days before in the app, or on the day at the hotel). It combines in a single card: your room key, your park entry ticket for the length of your stay, your meal voucher if you’ve booked a half-board plan and access to Extra Magic Time (early entry one hour before official opening for Disney hotel guests). It’s strictly valid only for the length of your stay, from check-in to check-out. Important: it’s not a gift card or a prepaid card, and it can’t be used to pay on site either.

The simplest option is the undated ticket (Billet Liberté in French), the one I recommend. It’s the only ticket the official ticket website flags as "Ideal as a gift". It has no date and stays valid for 1 year from purchase. Only three dates are excluded: 14 July, 31 October and 31 December. The person you give the ticket to then books their date in advance, depending on availability. If you already know the day of the visit, a dated ticket is usually cheaper. Allow around €75 per adult, for one of the two parks of your choice. For a gift to unwrap, there are also Wonderbox gift boxes. And to give the whole trip, book a hotel + ticket package, which you can put in the names of the people travelling.

City Hall, the Guest Relations service of Disneyland Park, is on Town Square at the park entrance: you go through the turnstiles, walk through the Main Street U.S.A. station, and the town-hall-style building is on your left. In Disney Adventure World, the equivalent is Studio Services, located at the park entrance. You go there for complaints, goodwill gestures, accessibility questions, picking up free birthday badges, a request for information or a problem with a Premier Access (the paid fast track option). The Cast Members (park staff) there speak several languages and are particularly attentive to families.

On site, go to the lost property office (at City Hall in Disneyland Park, at Studio Services in the second park) or tell a Cast Member. After you’ve left, report the item online on the official Troov platform. Add a photo and a precise description (colour, brand, contents, date and place) to improve your chances. Collecting it on site is free, only sending it by post is charged.

Yes, each park has a first aid post marked on the official map and staffed by healthcare professionals. Ask any Cast Member and they’ll point you in the right direction. You can go there for a minor injury (a grazed knee, dizziness, feeling unwell in the heat), to ask for a plaster, for emergency medication or if you feel a family member needs a quiet place. In a life-threatening emergency, alert a Cast Member immediately, who will call the emergency services by radio.

Yes, the park shops sell reusable Disney-themed rain ponchos, as well as Disney umbrellas. The prices are quite high compared with a regular shop, but kids love the designs and it’s a useful souvenir. My tip as a local from the rainy Paris region: slip two foldable rain ponchos into your bag before you set off (or at least into your car). You’ll save money and stay dry from the very first shower, without running to a shop in the downpour.

The parks stay open in almost any weather. In a heatwave, I recommend heading for the covered, air-conditioned rides ("it’s a small world", Phantom Manor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Ratatouille), drinking plenty of water and planning a break at your hotel or in an air-conditioned restaurant in the early afternoon. In a thunderstorm or strong winds, some outdoor rides may close temporarily for safety reasons (Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones, RC Racer), then reopen as soon as conditions improve. Keep an eye on the app to see ride statuses in real time and adapt your plan.

It’s one of the most special occasions to visit Disneyland Paris, and a few small touches make the day one to remember. The free thing not to miss: pick up a birthday badge at City Hall, at Studio Services or at the concierge desk of your Disney hotel. Cast Members and characters spot it and celebrate your child all day long. You can also get a phone call from Mickey at City Hall. For restaurants, you can order a personalised cake in most table-service and buffet restaurants (just mention it when you book or when you arrive). For hotels, say it’s a birthday when you book online: some hotels add a few special touches to the room, at their discretion. For a premium experience, some VIP packages are also available.

Pets are not allowed in the parks or the Disney hotels, except at the Davy Crockett Ranch, which accepts dogs in some bungalows, apart from guide and assistance dogs with proof. For other pets, a kennel near the parks will look after your animal for the day while you visit.

Yes, Disneyland Paris has a kennel right next to the parks, which takes dogs, cats and small animals for the day or for the length of your stay. Your pet must be up to date with its vaccinations and come with its health record. The price is per day, per animal, and you can visit to feed or reassure your companion during opening hours.

Disneyland Paris accepts a wide range of payment methods: bank cards (American Express, Visa or Mastercard), cash (in euros) and contactless Apple Pay and Google Pay. Standard bank cheques are generally not accepted. ANCV holiday vouchers (the Connect version included) are accepted in specific places. In the parks, they’re only accepted in restaurants and bars (except food carts and the Café Hyperion kiosks in Disneyland Park). In Disney Village, they’re accepted in all restaurants and bars. In the Disney hotels, they’re accepted in the hotel restaurants and bars, and at the kennel for pet care services. Important: holiday vouchers aren’t accepted in the shops or for parking. Personally, I almost only pay by contactless card with Apple Pay.

Interest-free instalments are mainly offered online when you book a Disney hotel stay: between 2 and 6 payments, with a 15% deposit when you book and the balance due no later than 10 days before your arrival. PayPal also offers interest-free payment in 4 instalments, depending on your eligibility. On site, in the park shops and restaurants, you pay in one go. For annual passes, monthly direct debit is available for all four passes after an initial deposit, and it’s what I’ve used since 2016.

Disney+ isn’t automatically included with a stay in every Disney hotel: it depends on the TV equipment in your room. When it’s available, you can sign in with your own Disney+ subscription on the TV to enjoy the catalogue during your stay, which is very handy for calming the kids down at the end of the day. The equipment in each room is listed on my page about the Disney hotels on the blog.

The main "loyalty" programme at Disneyland Paris is still the annual pass (Bronze One, Bronze Max, Silver, Gold), which gives you regular perks all year round: unlimited entry depending on the pass, discounts in shops and restaurants, events for passholders only, parking and early access to some bookings. On top of that, some Disney partner bank cards (depending on the promotional period) may offer specific perks.

Make-A-Wish isn’t a commercial experience. It’s an international charity that grants the wishes of children with a serious illness. Disneyland Paris is one of the charity’s best-known partners in Europe: every year, many Make-A-Wish children come for a fully organised stay (special character meet and greets, dinner with a princess, a night in a Disney hotel, personal touches). The request isn’t made to Disneyland Paris directly but to the French branch of Make-A-Wish or the national branch in the family’s country, which handles the application and the stay.

The Disney Village cinema shows the latest releases, like any regular cinema, including screenings on a giant IMAX screen and sometimes re-releases of older films, including Disney films. The programme changes every week, so check the cinema listings for the screenings on your visit date.

Creating a Disney account is free. On the disneylandparis.com website, click "Sign in" at the top of the page, then follow the steps to register. In the Disneyland Paris mobile app, you create it in the "Profile" section. If you buy a ticket or a holiday without an account, the website will offer to create one when you pay. My tip: create it before you book, as it saves you time on the day you buy. And if you have a Disney+ account, you can use the same account.

Your Disney account is the single account that brings together your Disneyland Paris purchases and bookings (as well as all your Disney services, including Disney+). It lets you buy your tickets and book a holiday or an annual pass, then find and manage everything in one place. It’s also what protects your booking details with a password. In practice, it’s how you keep track of your booking before and during your visit.

First check your password: it’s case-sensitive. If you’ve forgotten it, click "Need help signing in?" on the sign-in screen to reset it. If you already had a Disneyland Paris account created before 25 February 2020, you need to reset your password to sign in for the first time. If the problem continues, Disneyland Paris customer service can help you.

If you bought your tickets or your holiday directly on the Disneyland Paris website, they’re automatically linked to your Disney account: you can see them as soon as you’re signed in. In the app, you can link them with your booking number or by scanning your ticket. Your tickets and holidays then appear in the "My bookings" section. If a ticket doesn’t appear, check the booking number you entered.

Yes, Disneyland Paris offers guided tours of Disneyland Park to learn more about its history and architecture. The tour lasts about 2 hours and starts from City Hall. You can book it in advance through the Reservation Centre, or on the day at City Hall. Prices and times are given on the official Disneyland Paris website. There’s also a premium service, the "VIP Tour", which lasts longer, gives you a guide for 6 hours and lets you skip the queues for rides and shows.

A paper map is available free of charge, in particular at the park entrances, at City Hall in Disneyland Park and at Studio Services in Disney Adventure World. My tip: the Disneyland Paris app also has an interactive map with queue times, which is handy alongside the paper map.

No, there’s no childcare facility in the Disney parks. However, guests staying in a Disney hotel can ask for a babysitting service at their hotel reception. For rides that aren’t suitable for young children, the free Rider Switch service (or "Baby Switch") lets parents take turns without queuing again. The Baby Care Centres in both parks also offer a suitable space to look after little ones.

Baby essentials, such as nappies, baby food, fruit juice, dummies or sun cream, are sold in the pushchair and wheelchair hire shops in both parks, as well as in the Disney hotel shops. My tip: still pack the essentials in your bag, as the choice on site is limited.

Yes, Disneyland Paris offers private celebrations through Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. This covers weddings, but also proposals, vow renewals and photo shoots. A ceremony can take place in various spots in the parks or the Disney hotels. For details and prices, your best bet is to contact the Disney Wedding Planners team directly, who support each couple with their plans.

PhotoPass photographers are found in various places in the park, especially at character meet and greet spots and at some iconic locations. For the exact locations and times, check the official Disneyland Paris mobile app. The locations and characters can change every day depending on availability and events.

PhotoPass+ is mainly worth it if you’re coming for several days and want to get as many photos as possible, if you love meeting Disney characters or if you want high-quality memories without relying on your smartphone. My tip: if you have an annual pass, PhotoPass+ may be included, which makes it even better value.

Yes, you can buy printed photos in the shops in the Disney parks. If you have PhotoPass+, you also get a preferential price on your prints.

Yes, you can pay all or part of the balance of your holiday with ANCV holiday vouchers, after a deposit of about 15% by card. They reduce the amount left to pay.

Yes, if you’re eligible, PayPal offers interest-free payment in 4 instalments. Its terms are separate from those of the Disneyland Paris instalment plan.

No, pushchairs aren’t allowed in rides or in restaurants. There’s an exception for restaurants if you have a baby with you.

You can park your pushchair outside rides or restaurants. There are dedicated areas nearby for this. Avoid leaving valuables in the pushchair. If it rains, don’t forget a rain cover for your pushchair, as there isn’t always shelter.

Yes, celebrating your birthday at Disneyland Paris as an adult is absolutely possible. Lots of adult visitors come to spend their special day in the parks. The birthday badge is available for all ages, just ask a Cast Member.

No, there’s no free fast track any more since FastPass ended in 2021. Today, only Premier Access lets you cut your wait, and it’s paid. There are still free ways to save time: arrive at opening, head for the big rides first, use Single Rider where available and ride during a parade or a show, when the queues empty.

After you buy, your QR codes are in the "Account" section of the Disneyland Paris mobile app. Make sure your ticket, your annual pass or your hotel + ticket package is linked to your account. Without this, the QR codes won’t show.

Yes, each Premier Access is linked to a specific ticket and can only be used by the holder of that ticket. It can’t be transferred to another visitor. So remember to buy one Premier Access per person who needs it.

Each visitor can buy up to 3 Premier Access One per ride per day. For groups, you can also buy up to 12 Premier Access One for the same time slot and the same ride. That way, everyone can go through together.

Disneyland Paris offers a live chat on its official website. It isn’t available all the time, but you’ll usually find it during the day, in the bottom right corner of any page on the website, in a window called "Need help".

Allow about twenty euros per person, paid once when you book, a little more for the comprehensive option, with a much lower price for little ones. The amount changes, so always check the price shown when you book.

It depends on your situation. A flexible booking can already be cancelled free of charge up to 7 days before arrival, so the insurance is mainly useful for a last-minute cancellation, a non-refundable price or an expensive holiday booked a long time in advance. Also check your bank card, which often already includes cancellation insurance.

Cancellation insurance refunds you if you have to call off your trip before you leave, for a covered reason. Comprehensive insurance includes this cover and adds assistance during your stay: medical care and repatriation, luggage and holiday interruption (nights not used).

It depends on your annual pass. With the Gold pass, PhotoPass+ is included free of charge, which is one of the big perks of this pass. With the Silver pass, you get -10% off the price. With the Bronze passes, there’s no discount and you pay the standard price, which is €90. Without a bundle, you can still buy your photos individually from €15. If you take a lot of photos, it’s a real reason to compare the cost of upgrading to Gold.

Yes, for a great day out with friends. A weekend with a night on site is the way to go if you’re travelling from far away or if you really want to party.

Allow half a day to a full day: the park still has a limited number of rides, so you have time to see everything without rushing, shows included. On a trip of several days, ideally give it day 2, after discovering Disneyland Park, then move freely between the two parks from day 3.

No, it’s free. You can pick it up at City Hall at the park entrance, or at the concierge desk if you’re staying in a Disney hotel.

Hiring a non-medical manual wheelchair costs €25 per day, with a refundable deposit of €200 returned when you bring the wheelchair back. The service is at the entrance to each park, in the same shop as the pushchairs (the pushchair and wheelchair hire shop), just after the turnstiles. It’s meant for visitors without a permanent disability who need to rest their legs over a long day (older people, recovery after illness, late pregnancy, a recent injury). Check the price and deposit on site, as they can change.

You can add PhotoPass+ to your booking on the official Disneyland Paris website, or buy it on site in the PhotoPass+ shops in both parks (for example New Century Notions on Main Street U.S.A.) and in some ride photo shops, such as Big Thunder Mountain.

Yes, and it’s actually what I recommend for a baby or toddler who is used to their pushchair: it’s more comfortable, it reclines for naps and you save on hire. It’s allowed as long as it stays within the maximum size of 92 cm wide and 132 cm long, and it’s accepted in the parks, in Disney Village and in the Disney hotels. Pull-along wagons are banned for safety reasons. When you board a ride, you leave the pushchair in the dedicated area outside and pick it up at the exit. Add something distinctive (a soft toy, a coloured ribbon) so you can find it easily.

No, ANCV holiday vouchers aren’t accepted for parking. ANCV gift vouchers, however, are. Be careful not to mix them up: they’re two different types of voucher.

No, Disneyland Paris doesn’t offer free entry on your birthday. That rumour comes from other parks around the world. However, the birthday badge, the sticker and the call from Mickey are free: just ask at City Hall.

No. A Magic Shot is a photo taken by a PhotoPass photographer in the park, with a Disney character or effect added afterwards (Tinker Bell in your hand, for example). A ride photo, on the other hand, is taken automatically during some thrill rides. They’re two different things, but you can get both with PhotoPass.

You get your photos on the official Disney PhotoPass website (disneyphotopass.eu). They can also be viewed in the Disney PhotoPass app, but the website is still the best place to download them in HD. You sign in to your Disney account, link your PhotoPass+ card number, then go to your gallery to download your shots in HD. Make sure all your photos are scanned to the right account on the same day. How long it stays valid depends on your profile. With a standard ticket, PhotoPass+ lets you add photos for 10 days, then online access lasts 1 year to download them. With an annual pass, validity is extended to 1 year.

Yes. If you’ve kept the cards the photographers handed you during the day, you can buy PhotoPass+ afterwards and get the photos already taken.

The main reasons are a health problem (illness, accident, hospital stay) that stops you from travelling, the death of a relative, redundancy, a work transfer, your home becoming uninhabitable or the theft of your documents. An "any sudden and unforeseeable event" reason is also included, refunded at 95%. Watch out: illnesses already known before booking are excluded.

Hire costs €30 per day, with no discount for longer stays: the price is the same however many days you hire for, and the Disneyland Pass gives no discount on this service. You hire at the entrance to each park, just after the turnstiles, at the pushchair and wheelchair hire shop. A deposit is only asked for if you plan to leave the park with the pushchair (around €60). They are simple pushchairs with 3 large wheels, stable but they don’t recline, so they aren’t well suited to babies who take long naps. For a little one, I recommend bringing your own pushchair.

Full costumes are banned for anyone aged 12 and over in normal times, but ears, crowns, accessories and matching T-shirts are allowed all year round.

At the very least the price of an entry ticket, plus the meal and, if you stay overnight, the accommodation. The bride-to-be usually doesn’t pay her share.

There’s no standard "group" discount on entry: everyone buys their own ticket, ideally on the best dates to pay less.