Yes, you can enjoy Disneyland Paris in a thunderstorm, as long as you adapt your plans. The real trigger here isn’t the rain but lightning: as soon as a storm approaches, outdoor and high-up rides are shut down for safety, even if the downpour is only moderate. Strong wind can also trigger closures, regardless of lightning.
The covered rides keep running and become your refuges. One advantage worth knowing: many visitors head indoors to shelter, so the queues often empty. The right move: follow the Disneyland Paris app for live statuses and switch to an indoor plan. Once the lightning has moved away, the rides gradually reopen.
For everything about steady rain and staying dry, I go through the strategy in my guide to Disneyland Paris in the rain.
What a thunderstorm changes at Disneyland Paris
A thunderstorm mainly changes what’s running in the park, and the main trigger is lightning. As long as there’s a risk of strikes, anything in the open air or high up stops, including tall structures that have a roof over them. Strong wind is a separate cause of closures: even without lightning, heavy gusts are enough to stop the most exposed rides.
The fully indoor rides stay open and become your best refuge. As for shows, indoor shows go ahead, but parades and outdoor night-time shows may be cancelled or changed. Outdoor character meets are also scaled back, or even suspended during the storm, while indoor meets carry on.
When it comes to crowds, a storm often works in your favour: lots of visitors take refuge in the shops or go back to their hotel, and queue times drop. It’s a good chance to do the covered rides you wanted without the crowds. Important: these closures are temporary and follow the sky. Unlike heatwave closures (safety decisions by Disney that can last all day as long as the heat continues), a storm closure ends once it’s safe again. I cover the heat separately in my guide to heatwaves at Disneyland Paris.
Which rides and shows are affected
The rule is simple: the more exposed a ride is outdoors or high up, the more likely it is to stop during a storm. Here’s how it breaks down, so you know what to do straight away and what to save for later.
| Type | What happens |
|---|---|
| Outdoor rollercoasters: Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Crush’s Coaster (the second park) | Shut down for safety while lightning is nearby. They reopen once the storm has moved away. |
| Uncovered rides: Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Le Carrousel de Lancelot, Orbitron, Autopia | Stopped by storms and heavy rain, as they have no cover. Strong wind is also enough to stop them. |
| Tall structures, even covered: Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (the second park) | May stop during a storm because of the lightning risk, despite their roof. Keep an eye on the app. |
| Truly indoor rides: Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom Manor, Peter Pan’s Flight, Ratatouille : L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy (the second park) | Generally stay open: these are your refuges during the storm. |
| Indoor shows (Disneyland Park and the second park) | Go ahead at the scheduled time, even in bad weather. |
| Parades and outdoor shows: the daily parade, night-time shows | May be cancelled or changed in heavy rain, wind or thunderstorms. |
| Character meets | Outdoors: scaled back or suspended during the storm. Indoors (Meet Mickey, Princess Pavilion, Spider-Man in the second park): still on, and the queues are in the dry. |
What a thunderstorm triggers for each type of ride or show
How to plan your visit
Open the Disneyland Paris app and check which rides are running. Statuses change live as the storm moves through, and it’s your best tool for avoiding wasted trips across the park.
Switch straight away to indoor rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean or Phantom Manor. While others wait it out or head back, you move from one short queue to the next in the dry.
Save the outdoor rides for after the storm. Don’t waste your day in front of Big Thunder Mountain. Come back when the app shows it running again.
Also keep an eye on tall covered structures such as Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain. They can stop when there’s lightning, so check their status before you head over.
If you’ve paid for Disney Premier Access for a ride that closes during the storm, don’t worry: the app gives you a new QR code to use when it reopens, and depending on the situation Disney may offer another eligible ride. You don’t lose your purchase.
Don’t build your evening around the parade or the night-time show: have a plan B in case they’re cancelled.
Where to shelter and what to do instead
- Long indoor rides, ideal for sitting out a heavy downpour in the dry: Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom Manor, "it’s a small world" or Ratatouille : L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy (the second park)
- Indoor shows, which go ahead whatever happens, at Disneyland Park and at the second park
- Indoor character meets, such as Meet Mickey or the Princess Pavilion at Disneyland Park: the queue is dry and the character is definitely there
- The covered arcades of Main Street, U.S.A. (Discovery Arcade and Liberty Arcade) to walk up a good part of the avenue without stepping out into the rain
- The restaurants: a good moment to move your meal and let the storm pass quietly indoors
- The covered shops on Main Street, perfect for waiting and doing your shopping away from the crowds
What to bring
- A waterproof jacket with a hood or a poncho: more practical than an umbrella in queues and on rides. A poncho is on sale in the park (around €13 for an adult and €10 for a child), but bringing your own works out cheaper
- Shoes that can cope with water, or a spare pair if you’re staying on site
- A waterproof bag or pouch to protect your phone, power bank and documents
- A power bank: you’ll be using the app a lot to follow live statuses
For the rest of your bag, I go through everything in my packing list.
Should you visit Disneyland Paris in a thunderstorm?
A thunderstorm doesn’t mean giving up on your day, as long as you’re willing to change your plans. You probably won’t ride the big rollercoasters during the storm and you may miss the evening parade. In return, you enjoy indoor rides with much calmer queues, and the park in the rain has a special, more laid-back feel.
Good to know about tickets: the weather alone doesn’t entitle you to a refund. If you’d rather move your visit, a dated ticket can be cancelled up to 3 days before the date and an undated ticket is easy to move. I go through these steps in my guides to cancelling your holiday and the undated ticket. The right mindset: don’t fixate on what’s closed, make the most of what’s running.
And if you have several days on site, save the outdoor rides for a spell of better weather.
Further reading
- the Disneyland Paris weather guide
- Disneyland Paris in the rain
- Disneyland Paris in cold weather and snow
- heatwaves at Disneyland Paris
- Disneyland Paris in strong wind
- what to pack in your bag
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Frequently asked questions
01 Does Disneyland Paris close during a thunderstorm?
No, the park stays open. Only some rides stop: the outdoor and high ones, while lightning is nearby. Indoor rides keep running and become your shelter while the storm lasts.
02 Which rides close during a thunderstorm?
The trigger is lightning, and strong wind can also stop everything. Outdoor rollercoasters such as Big Thunder Mountain stop, as do open-air rides such as Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and even some tall structures that are covered, such as Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain. Truly indoor rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean or Phantom Manor stay open.
03 What happens to my Premier Access if the ride closes because of a storm?
You don’t lose your purchase. The app gives you a new QR code, which you can use when the ride reopens or transfer to another eligible ride with no set time slot. Premier Access isn’t refunded, but you can still use it once the storm has passed.
04 Do shows, the parade and character meets go ahead in a thunderstorm?
Indoor shows go ahead at the scheduled time, and indoor character meets carry on. However, parades, outdoor night-time shows and outdoor meets may be cancelled or shortened in heavy rain, wind or storms, for the safety of performers and visitors alike.
05 Can you get a refund or move your visit because of a storm?
Weather alone doesn’t entitle you to a refund at Disneyland Paris. A dated ticket can, however, be cancelled up to 3 days before the planned date, and an undated ticket is easy to move before your visit day. I explain these steps in my guides to cancellation and to the undated ticket.
