Disneyland Paris with a baby (0-3): my park-by-park plan

Yes, Disneyland Paris works really well with a baby, as long as you fit the day around their routine and not the other way round. With a little one, you’ll do fewer rides, but the best bits are elsewhere: meeting the characters, the parades, the atmosphere of the lands, the shops and the restaurants. And the good news: entry is free for under-3s.

This guide is part of my resources for visiting with a baby. Here you’ll find my park-by-park plan, the rides that really appeal to the youngest, the ones to avoid and all the habits that make a difference on a day with a baby (naps, Rider Switch, Baby Care Centre).

If you’re still unsure about the right time, see also what age to visit. For the details on some topics, I point you to my dedicated articles rather than explaining everything again here.

For a single day, stick to one park: doing both back to back is too tiring for your baby and for whoever is pushing. For a longer trip, two days are often enough: one day at Disneyland Park, one day at Disney Adventure World. To decide which park to visit first, see my guide to choosing a park.

One park, no rushing. At Disneyland Park, I always follow this order with a little one, from the best suited to the easiest to manage at the end of the day:

1. Fantasyland (the heart of a visit with a baby)
2. Adventureland (playground and gentle walks)
3. Frontierland (the Thunder Mesa Riverboat, the paddle steamer)
4. Main Street (the Main Street Vehicles, the vintage vehicles, the shops)
5. Discoveryland (for the older ones in this age range)

This order lets you enjoy Fantasyland while your baby is still fresh, in the morning, before the crowds.

Day 1: Disneyland Park, in the order above (Fantasyland first).

Day 2: Disney Adventure World, in this order: World of Frozen, then Adventure Way, Worlds of Pixar, World Premiere Plaza and finally Avengers Campus. With a baby, these lands are mostly about strolling and meeting characters rather than rides: wander through World of Frozen to bump into Anna and Elsa, for example, rather than doing ride after ride. And that’s absolutely fine.

Go for gentle, bright rides, mainly in Fantasyland, which really appeals to little ones: Le Carrousel de Lancelot, Dumbo, it’s a small world, Le Pays des Contes de Fées and Casey Jr. Add walks, play areas such as Pirates’ Beach, the parades and character meets (don’t forget the souvenir photo).

On the other hand, avoid rides that are too dark and can be scary, such as Pinocchio and Snow White, as well as loud indoor shows that won’t interest babies. Stitch Live!, the interactive show at World Premiere Plaza in the second park, is the exception: it’s gentle and young children love it (check the app, as its show times sometimes change).

Let me say it straight away: with a baby, you’ll do fewer rides. That’s normal and it’s best to accept it from the start, otherwise the day turns into a race. For a little one, the best of Disneyland Paris lies elsewhere: meeting the characters, the parades, the restaurants, the shops and the atmosphere of the lands.

A baby meeting Mickey for the first time and leaving with a lovely photo is often the best memory of the day, far more than one more queue.

The trick for both of you to ride without queuing twice is called Rider Switch (Cast Members also understand the old name, "baby switch"). Here’s how it works: one parent waits with the baby while the other does the ride, then you swap.

In practice, the first parent goes through the regular queue and, at the exit, asks a Cast Member for a Rider Switch card. The second parent then uses a dedicated entrance without queuing all over again. It’s free, there’s no booking and it works on the day itself.

Worth knowing: Rider Switch isn’t triggered automatically when you go in through the Premier Access entrance. To combine the two, the first parent goes through Premier Access, then you still ask for the Rider Switch card. The second parent’s wait is then almost zero (with no guarantee of going straight on if other switches are ahead). If you’re expecting another child during this trip, see also visiting while pregnant.

• Rushing everywhere from one ride to the next: you wear out your baby and yourself for nothing.
• Trying to do everything: the best way to end the day in tears (theirs and yours).
• Skipping the nap: a tired baby means a ruined end to the day.
• Relying on Disney’s hire pushchairs, which aren’t suitable for little ones.
• Ignoring meet and greets and parades when that’s exactly what makes the biggest impression on a baby.
• Underestimating the heat in summer: plan indoor rides for the hottest hours.

• Your own pushchair
• A sling or baby carrier (the pushchair often stays at the ride entrance)
• A wristband with your phone number on your child’s wrist (if you get separated, the Cast Members and the Baby Care Centre’s lost children service take over)
• Something to cope with the heat in summer: water mister, hat, water
• A power bank (with photos, the app and queue times, your phone battery drains fast)
• Baby essentials (nappies, baby food jars): you can find them there if you run out, but at park prices

For the full list, see what to pack.

Where to stay. My pick with a baby is the Newport Bay Club: its shallow paddling pool is perfect for little ones and it’s close to the park, which makes it easier to head back for a nap. Travel cots and baby equipment are available on request. The Sequoia Lodge is a good alternative, except in 2026: a phased refurbishment is under way (the hotel stays open, but the building work can disturb naps). In that case, go for the Newport Bay.

Where to eat with the characters. Plaza Gardens, my long-time favourite for character dining, has been closed since 31 March 2026 for a long refurbishment (reopening planned for early 2027). In the meantime, with a baby I’d point you to Royal Banquet, at the Disneyland Hotel: you meet Mickey and his friends in royal outfits in a large, comfortable dining room, easier to manage with a pushchair than a restaurant in the middle of the park (allow around €100 per adult and €50 per child for lunch or dinner, price to be confirmed when booking). In Disneyland Park, Auberge de Cendrillon is another option, but check carefully which characters appear depending on the meal. At lunch and dinner (same budget), it’s the Disney Princesses (Cinderella is guaranteed, the others vary). To see Mickey in his royal outfit alongside the Princesses at the Auberge, go for breakfast (a shorter meal, around €60 per adult and €40 per child). Book ahead in the app, as these restaurants fill up fast. And remember PhotoPass so you can take home the photos of the meet and greet. To meet the characters without booking a meal, see also my guide to meeting Mickey.

When to visit. Aim for a mild, quieter period: spring (April to June) or autumn (September to October). September, just after French children go back to school, is one of the calmest times of the year. Avoid July and August (big crowds and hot weather) as well as Saturdays, the busiest day. Go for Tuesday to Thursday, outside French school holidays. To fine-tune, see my guide to crowd levels and, if you’re visiting in summer, my heatwave tips.