Gentle rides at Disneyland Paris: for young children and seniors

Disneyland Paris has around forty gentle rides, in other words rides with no big thrills and, for most of them, no minimum height. They are slow, calm rides with no jolts and no drops. They suit young children and seniors just as well, and most remain accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

If you are visiting with a toddler or grandparents, or if you simply don’t like rollercoasters, you have more than enough to fill your day. In this article, I give you the full list of gentle rides, explain why they are perfect for young children and seniors alike and suggest a relaxed plan so you can enjoy the park without wearing yourself out.

Here is the list of rides classed as gentle, across Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World. None of them are thrill rides: no high speed, no drops, no loops. You stay seated and the ride stays calm from start to finish.

Almost all of them have no minimum height, but a few do have a low one. For the full details on heights, have a look at the minimum height for each ride.

For a first trip with a young child, these rides are ideal, for a few simple reasons.

Most have no minimum height, so even a baby can ride if they can sit up in your arms or against you. On most of them, nothing is designed to scare: no total darkness, no loud bangs, no sudden shocks. You ride with your child, you stay right next to them and they discover their first sensations gently.

Many of these rides are based on the Disney classics children already know, which reassures them straight away.

As soon as your child can sit up unaided, usually at around 6 to 9 months, they can ride most of these attractions, held snugly against you. Before they walk, go for boat rides and carousels, where you can hold them close without them having to hold on.

My safe bets for a very first ride: "it’s a small world" (a very calm boat ride, perfect for little ones), Le Pays des Contes de Fées (a boat ride past small scenes), Le Carrousel de Lancelot, Casey Jr. le Petit Train du Cirque and Dumbo the Flying Elephant (the little elephants gently go up and down, and you control the height). These are gentle, short rides with no surprises.

A practical tip for little ones: the park has a Baby Care Centre for changing, warming a bottle or breastfeeding in peace. Its location can change depending on construction work, so the easiest thing is to find it on the map in the app or ask a Cast Member. There are also toilets with baby changing tables all around the park.

At 2 or 3, almost all the gentle rides are open to them, most with no minimum height. At Disneyland Park, I recommend Peter Pan’s Flight, Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains and the whole of Fantasyland, home to the classics. Note that Peter Pan and Snow White have a few dark scenes, so it depends on how sensitive your child is.

At Disney Adventure World, two gentle rides are a big hit with kids this age: Les Tapis Volants (an Aladdin-themed ride that works like Dumbo) and Ratatouille : L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy (an animated ride with no big thrills, but worth judging for yourself, as some effects and the darkness can startle the youngest). They’re good safe bets for a gentle introduction to this park.

Even on a gentle ride, a few things are worth checking before you board:

• The minimum height. Most don’t have one, but a few do. Check on the spot or in the height restrictions guide.
• Darkness and effects. Some gentle rides have dim scenes, noises or a sudden effect (Peter Pan’s Flight, Snow White, La Tanière du Dragon, Pirates of the Caribbean). Nothing scary for most children, but worth knowing if yours is afraid of the dark.
• Can they sit up on their own? For a baby, this is the key milestone: until they can sit up, keep them against you on the calmest rides.
• Their mood at the time. A tired or hungry child will enjoy it less. Better a break before than a meltdown during.

If in doubt, ask the Cast Member at the entrance before you queue: they will tell you straight away whether the ride suits your child.

Gentle rides are also perfect for seniors and, more broadly, for anyone who wants to enjoy the park without wearing themselves out.

The idea is the same: you stay seated from start to finish, the effort is minimal and the ride is relaxing. Many of these attractions are indoors, so sheltered from the sun in summer and the rain in winter, which gives you a breather between walks. The sets and views are beautifully done, and some attractions are mainly a chance to sit down while seeing the park.

My recommendations for a relaxed visit: the Disneyland Railroad, the little steam train that goes round the park (ideal for crossing it without walking and enjoying the scenery sitting down) and the Riverboat, the paddle steamer gliding calmly along the river. You can also take the vintage vehicles on Main Street U.S.A. to go up the street without effort. The covered arcades on Main Street also let you walk along the street in the shade.

For relaxed rides, I recommend Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom Manor (the atmosphere is dark and a little mysterious, with a few sound effects, but you stay seated in a slow car, with no jolts or drops) and of course "it’s a small world".

A reassuring word on waiting: most of these attractions have a high capacity and fairly short queues ("it’s a small world", the Disneyland Railroad), so little time on your feet. Several queues are covered or shaded, which helps when your legs get tired.

For wheelchair users, it’s simple: on most of these attractions, you need to be able to transfer from your wheelchair to the ride seat, sometimes with help from a companion.

Some, such as the Disneyland Railroad or the Riverboat, can usually be done while staying in your wheelchair. Conditions vary from one attraction to another, so I’ll point you to the accessibility guide for the details ride by ride, as well as the priority access card.

For an older or frail person, a few things to plan for before boarding:

• Boarding. Do they need to step over something, step down or bend down? On boats and ride carriages, the step can be a little high or the floor may move. Take your time: a Cast Member can slow down the boarding conveyor.
• Transferring from a wheelchair. Most rides require you to move from the wheelchair to the seat. A few (Disneyland Railroad, Riverboat) can be done while staying in the wheelchair. The details ride by ride are in the accessibility guide.
• Jolts and darkness. Even though they are gentle, some rides shake a little or take place in the dark (Phantom Manor). Best avoided if you have back or neck problems or feel very anxious.
• Time on your feet. Go for high-capacity rides (the Disneyland Railroad, "it’s a small world") and indoor queues when legs get tired.

Here again, the right habit: ask the Cast Member at the entrance before joining the queue. They will tell you the access conditions and the best way to board.

A few practical pointers answer most of the questions from parents and carers.

The pushchair. You don’t take the pushchair on the rides: you leave it in the parking areas at the entrance to each ride (remember to take your valuables with you). If you haven’t brought your own, pushchairs can be hired at the park entrance, handy for a long day with a toddler.

The wheelchair. For a senior who can walk but tires quickly, hiring a wheelchair for the day at the park entrance makes all the difference: you save your energy for the rides rather than the walking. Numbers are limited, so it’s best to arrive early. For access conditions ride by ride, the details are in the accessibility guide.

Breaks. Work out in advance where to sit down: the covered arcades on Main Street for shade, around the castle and the Fantasyland lake to sit quietly and the covered terraces to catch your breath in the hottest hours. What tires you out most in the park is the walking, so better one break too many than one too few.

A good day with young children or grandparents is above all about pace. With a toddler or seniors, a well-filled half day is often better than a full day. If you are staying on site, heading back to the hotel mid-afternoon for a rest (or a nap) makes all the difference.

Here is how I would go about it to stay rested.

Two simple habits round off this plan. Group rides by land to avoid going back and forth: Fantasyland has the largest number of gentle rides, so do it all in one go. And use the train to cross the park: the Disneyland Railroad takes you from one side of the park to the other without walking, seated and in peace. A relaxed day is one where you take your time, without rushing to see everything.

To plan your visit, these guides go with this one:

• My top Disneyland Paris rides, if you want my ranking of the best, gentle and thrill rides alike.
• The minimum height for each ride, to know exactly what your child can do at their height.
• The accessibility guide, for everything about reduced mobility and the Priority Card.
• The rides guide, to browse the details of every ride in the park.