My Disneyland Paris guides, tested in the parks

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.

Two big seasons shape the year: Halloween (from 26 September to 1 November) and Christmas (from 7 November to 6 January). On top of these come special days (the park’s anniversary on 12 April, Star Wars Day on 4 May, 14 July) and sometimes festivals.

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.

At least 30 minutes before official opening time, ideally 45 minutes at busy times. Once you’ve been through the security check and then the turnstiles, you’ll be in place at the park gates as soon as it opens. The first 90 minutes of the day are the most valuable: that’s when you can do 3 or 4 major rides back to back without much of a queue.

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.