Seasons and events at Disneyland Paris: the year’s calendar

Disneyland Paris is never quite the same twice. Through the year, the park changes its decorations, parade and atmosphere with the seasons and events. Halloween, Christmas, the park’s anniversary, Star Wars Day: each highlight changes the whole visit. I go to the park all year round and it’s one of the things I love most.

In this guide, I give you the calendar of highlights, explain what each one changes for your visit and how to time your trip for the season you like most.

A season at Disneyland Paris isn’t just a handful of extra decorations. During Halloween or Christmas, the whole park switches over: new decorations, its own parade, special characters, seasonal menus, music and evening atmosphere. So much so that the same ride, done at Halloween and then at Christmas, leaves a completely different impression. For me, that’s why the park is worth several visits a year.

If you want to see every side of it, the best thing is to come back at least once in each big season: you’ll feel like you’re visiting a different place each time. Good to know: all of this is included in your ticket, at no extra cost. The flip side is that the big seasons are also the busiest times, and I’ll come back to that below.

Three words come up a lot, and here’s what they mean:

• Seasons. Long themed periods, like Halloween (about six weeks) and Christmas (nearly two months). The park changes in depth: decorations, its own parade, special meet and greets, menus.
• Special days and events. One-off occasions, often on a single day: the park’s anniversary, Star Wars Day on 4 May, the Bastille Day fireworks on 14 July or festivals depending on the year.
• Evenings. Entertainment in the evening. Historically, some were paid events with a separate ticket. I explain below what’s left of them today.

Unless stated otherwise, everything is included in your usual park ticket.

Here are the big highlights of 2026, in order. The dates of the seasons and one-off events can change from one year to the next, and I keep this calendar up to date.

These are the two big events of the year and the ones that change the park most. Halloween (from 26 September to 1 November) gives the park an autumn atmosphere, with the Disney Villains and its own parade. Christmas (from 7 November to 6 January) brings the winter decorations, the big tree and meeting Santa Claus. Each deserves a guide of its own, so I won’t sum them up here: you’ll find all the details (dates, programme, what to do, where to eat, crowds) in my complete Halloween guide and my complete Christmas guide.

Just remember that both are well worth the trip and draw bigger crowds than the rest of the year.

Outside the big seasons, several one-off events liven up the year.

Every 4 May, as a nod to the famous May the 4th Be With You, Disneyland Paris celebrates Star Wars, mainly in Discoveryland. The programme changes every year, but it generally includes meets with characters from the saga (R2-D2, the Mandalorian, Grogu or Stormtroopers), shows and entertainment in Discoveryland (such as a Stormtrooper march) and Jedi training for children aged 7 to 12 at the Jedi Training Academy.

It’s also one of the rare days when costumes are allowed for everyone, from the light side to the dark side. For treats, the park offers special food for the occasion (such as a Chewbacca doughnut) and limited-edition collector items in some shops.

Disneyland Paris celebrates its anniversary every 12 April, the day it opened in 1992. Ordinary years are low-key, but every five years the park celebrates a big anniversary with a special programme: dedicated decorations, brand-new shows and new additions. The last big milestone was the 30th, and the next will be the 35th in 2027. I cover the date and the programme in my article on the park’s anniversaries.

Every year, World Princess Week puts the Disney heroines in the spotlight, with dedicated meet and greets and entertainment. The dates and content change from one edition to the next. I cover them in my article on World Princess Week and keep track of past editions.

Depending on the year, the park adds shorter seasons, like the Disney Music Festival 2025 that livened up 2025. Watch out: this festival isn’t coming back in 2026. As the line-up changes every year, the safest thing is to check that year’s calendar before booking. I keep track of past editions in my dedicated articles.

This is often a source of confusion. For years, Disneyland Paris ran paid evening parties with a separate ticket, especially for Halloween and New Year’s Eve. That’s no longer the case: these special parties no longer exist. Today, both 31 October and 31 December are days included in that day’s dated ticket, with longer opening hours and a festive atmosphere. They’re two of the three big dates of the year, along with 14 July. On those days, the ticket costs more and the undated ticket (Billet Liberté in French) isn’t valid.

There are also events just for annual pass holders, but I don’t cover them here: they aren’t open to regular ticket holders.

The exact programme (current season, shows, parades, events of the day) is on the official website and in the Disneyland Paris app, under Calendar. You can also rely on this calendar, which I keep up to date, and check it against my crowd guide to pick the right day.

Depending on who you’re coming with, some seasons and events will appeal more than others:

• First visit: any big season (Halloween, Christmas) adds a lovely atmosphere to your discovery. It’s all in the first visit guide.
• With children: Halloween (no scares), Christmas and Santa Claus or the park’s anniversary go down really well. See the family hub.
• With teens: Star Wars Day on 4 May and the spooky seasons are made for them. Tips in the teens hub.
• With a baby: the seasons are gentle and visual, but keep the weather in mind (the heat in summer, the cold at Christmas). See the baby hub.
• With friends: Halloween and the festivals are great for a group trip. Ideas in the friends hub.
• As a couple: Christmas is the most romantic time of the year at the park. The couples hub has ideas for you.
• Disabled visitors or reduced mobility: the big seasons are superb but very busy, so plan your visit ahead. It’s all in the accessibility hub.

Beyond the big seasons, Disneyland Paris has run several themed festivals over the years, such as the Pirates and Princesses Festival, the Season of the Force around Star Wars and the Lion King and Jungle Festival. They don’t necessarily come back every year. As for daytime entertainment, the A Million Splashes of Colour parade ran at Disneyland Park from 7 February to 6 September 2026.