Disney princesses at Disneyland Paris: the line in the spotlight

At Disneyland Paris, you’ll see princesses everywhere: in the parade, in themed restaurants, and even at the Disneyland Hotel, which is entirely devoted to their royal world. But who exactly are they, and how many are there officially? Here’s what you should know about this franchise before you go and meet them.

This article covers the franchise itself and how the park celebrates it: the parade, the themed restaurants, the royal decor of the Disneyland Hotel, the Mon Rêve Royal experience, and World Princess Week in late August. If what you really want is to see the princesses up close, my practical guide is right here: how to meet the princesses at Disneyland Paris.

Disney launched the Disney Princesses line in 2000. The idea came from Andy Mooney, then head of Disney Consumer Products: rather than marketing each heroine movie by movie, why not group the most popular ones from the animated films under one shared brand? The very first Disney princess is still Snow White, star of the studio’s first animated feature in 1937.

The franchise highlights three values that keep coming back: courage, kindness, and a love of adventure. Over the years it has grown as new animated movies came out, until it reached its current lineup of 13 members.

Today there are 13 official Disney princesses. You’ll find their names below, in the order their movies were released. Twelve of them have made up the franchise for several years. Raya is the most recent addition: her movie came out in 2021, and she officially joined the line in 2022.

Don’t count on seeing Raya at Disneyland Paris on any given day, though. Her appearances are mostly limited to World Princess Week and special events.

Over my visits, I’ve run into most of the Disney princesses, whether in the parade, at the castle, or at a meet and greet. Here are my photos, in the same order as the list above.

No. Elsa and Anna aren’t part of the Disney Princesses line. They belong to the Frozen franchise, which Disney manages separately. That’s the main reason they’re left out, and it’s one of the most common mix-ups, since you often see them right next to the other princesses.

Another point people often bring up: Elsa becomes a queen during the story, and queens aren’t tied to the princess line. Other heroines are also outside the franchise, such as Giselle (Enchanted), Elena of Avalor, and Vanellope.

Disney hasn’t published a detailed rulebook, but these are the criteria generally accepted for joining the line:

These criteria explain why some princesses aren’t royal in the strict sense. Mulan is the only character included for a heroic act, with neither a princely birth nor a royal marriage. Pocahontas, a chief’s daughter, along with Merida, Moana, and Raya, also show how the line reaches beyond royal blood.

At Disneyland Paris, the princesses aren’t limited to one spot. You’ll come across them in several parts of the resort (the parks, the hotels, and Disney Village), depending on what you’re after: a meet and greet, a meal, a certain atmosphere, or a souvenir.

The Princess Pavilion, in Fantasyland (Disneyland Park), is the place set aside for meeting them in person. This is where the princesses take center stage for a quick chat and a photo. How to get in and how it works (virtual queue, time slots) is all explained in my guide to meeting the princesses.

Several princesses ride in the daily parade, each on her own float. It’s your chance to see them all at once, with no line, just by finding a spot along the route. Depending on the current schedule, cavalcades (short pop-up parades) may also feature the princesses at other times of day.

Some restaurants offer a meal with the princesses, such as Auberge de Cendrillon in Disneyland Park. You eat in a royal setting while the princesses go from table to table. I’ve had lunch there, and the big plus is that you combine a meal with meet and greets in a relaxed setting, without waiting in a separate line. You’ll find all the details on character meals in my guide to meeting the princesses.

The Disneyland Hotel, right at the entrance to Disneyland Park, reopened with a theme devoted entirely to Disney princes and princesses. Every floor and many of the shared spaces pay tribute to a heroine. No other place in the resort goes this far with the theme, right down to the smallest decor details.

Mon Rêve Royal is the makeover experience offered to kids: princess (or knight) hairstyle, outfit, and accessories, all handled by the team on site. It’s a separate service that’s in high demand, and the youngest guests love it most.

The resort’s shops give the princesses plenty of shelf space: outfits, dolls, accessories, plush, and souvenirs, with a range for each heroine. The selection grows even bigger during World Princess Week.

World Princess Week is an event held once a year for one week (usually in late August). The princesses get extra attention, and it’s also when you might spot rarer princesses like Raya.

The dates and the program change every year. You’ll find this year’s edition in the seasons and events calendar.

The Disney princess anthem is called "Starting Now". It came out in 2021 as part of the Ultimate Princess Celebration. Brandy sings the original English version, and the music video features around fifteen artists in several languages. In France, the song is titled "Aujourd’hui" ("Today" in English) and is sung by Cerise Calixte, the French voice of Moana.

To see and meet the princesses in person during your trip, follow my guide to meeting the princesses at Disneyland Paris. To discover all the other characters you can find in the parks, browse all the character meet and greets. And if the male heroes interest you, take a look at the list of Disney princes too.