Yes, you can enjoy Disneyland Paris during a thunderstorm, as long as you adjust your plans. The real trigger here isn’t the rain but the lightning: as soon as a storm moves in, the open-air and high-up rides are stopped for safety, even if the downpour is only moderate. Strong wind can also cause shutdowns on its own, with or without lightning.
Covered rides, on the other hand, keep running and become your shelter. One perk worth knowing: lots of guests head inside to wait it out, so lines often clear. Your best move is to check the official Disneyland Paris app for live ride status and switch to your indoor plan. Once the lightning has moved away, the rides reopen little by little.
For everything about steady rain and staying dry, I lay out my approach in Disneyland Paris in the rain.
How a thunderstorm affects Disneyland Paris
A thunderstorm mainly changes what’s operating in the park, and the main trigger is lightning. As long as there’s an electrical risk, anything out in the open or up high stops, including tall structures even when they’re under a roof. Strong wind is a separate reason for shutdowns: even with no lightning, heavy gusts are enough to halt the most exposed rides.
Rides that are fully indoors, however, stay open and become your best shelter. For shows, the indoor theater shows go on, but parades and outdoor nighttime shows may be canceled or changed. Outdoor character meet-and-greets are also scaled back, or even suspended during the storm, while the indoor meet-and-greets carry on.
When it comes to crowds, a storm often works in your favor: many guests duck into the stores or go back to their hotel, and wait times drop. It’s a good chance to do the covered rides you wanted to enjoy without the crowds. Important: these shutdowns are temporary and follow what the sky is doing. Unlike closures caused by a heat wave (Disney safety decisions that can last all day as long as the high heat continues), a storm shutdown ends once it’s safe again. I cover the heat separately in the heat wave at Disneyland Paris.
Which rides and shows are affected
Here’s an easy rule of thumb: the higher up or the more out in the open a ride sits, the greater the chance it pauses during a storm. Below is the breakdown, so you can tell what to do now and what to leave until the sky clears.
| Type | What happens |
|---|---|
| Outdoor roller coasters: Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Crush’s Coaster (the second park) | Stopped as long as lightning is nearby, for safety. They reopen once the storm has moved away. |
| Open-air rides: Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Le Carrousel de Lancelot, Orbitron, Autopia | Stopped by thunderstorms and heavy rain, since they aren’t covered. Strong wind alone can also shut them down. |
| Tall structures, even covered ones: Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (the second park) | Even with a roof overhead, these can pause when lightning is a risk. Check their status in the app. |
| Fully indoor rides: Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom Manor, Peter Pan’s Flight, Ratatouille : L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy (the second park) | Usually stay open. They’re your shelters while the storm passes. |
| Indoor theater shows (Disneyland Park and the second park) | Go on at their scheduled times, even in bad weather. |
| Parades and open-air shows: the daytime parade, nighttime shows | May be canceled or changed in heavy rain, wind, or thunderstorms. |
| Character meet-and-greets | Outdoors: scaled back or suspended during the storm. Indoors (Meet Mickey, Princess Pavilion, Spider-Man in the second park): still happening, and you wait in line somewhere dry. |
Storm impact by ride and show type
How should you plan your visit?
Open the official Disneyland Paris app and check which rides are running. Ride status updates live as the storm moves through, so it’s your best tool to avoid walking somewhere for nothing.
Switch right away to indoor rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean or Phantom Manor. While everyone else waits it out or leaves, you can go from one short, dry line to the next.
Leave the open-air rides until the storm has passed. Don’t waste your day hanging around Big Thunder Mountain: come back when the app shows it running again.
Tall rides with a roof, such as Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain, are worth watching too: lightning can pause them, so look up their status before walking over.
Bought Disney Premier Access for a ride that shuts down because of the storm? Relax: a fresh QR code shows up in the app for when the ride is back up, and in some cases Disney may suggest a different eligible ride. Your money isn’t wasted.
Don’t build your evening around the parade or the nighttime show: have a backup plan in case they’re canceled.
Where can you take shelter, and what can you do instead?
- Lengthy indoor rides where you can wait out a big downpour and stay dry: Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom Manor, "it’s a small world" or Ratatouille : L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy (the second park)
- Indoor theater shows, which go on no matter what, at Disneyland Park and in the second park
- Indoor character meet-and-greets, such as Meet Mickey or the Princess Pavilion at Disneyland Park: the line is dry and the character is right there
- The covered arcades on Main Street, U.S.A. (Discovery Arcade and Liberty Arcade) to walk up much of the street without stepping out into the rain
- Restaurants: a good time to shift your mealtime and let the storm pass while you relax indoors
- The covered stores on Main Street, perfect for waiting it out and shopping without the crowds
What should you bring?
- A waterproof jacket with a hood or a poncho: easier to manage than an umbrella in lines and on rides. Ponchos are sold in the park (around €13 for an adult and €10 for a child), but bringing your own costs less
- Shoes that can handle water, or a spare pair if you’re staying on-site
- A waterproof bag or pouch to protect your phone, portable charger, and documents
- A portable charger: you’ll be using the app a lot to follow live ride status
For everything else in your bag, I cover it all in what to pack in your bag.
Should you visit Disneyland Paris during a thunderstorm?
Stormy weather is no reason to write off your day, provided you’re flexible about what you do. Chances are the big coasters will be off-limits while the storm is overhead, and the evening parade might not happen. The trade-off: indoor rides with far quieter lines, plus a rainy park with a slower, cozier vibe of its own.
Good to know about tickets: weather alone doesn’t entitle you to a refund. If you’d rather reschedule, keep in mind that a dated ticket can be canceled up to 3 days before the date and an undated ticket is easy to move. I go through these steps in canceling your trip and the undated ticket. The right mindset: don’t dwell on what’s closed, enjoy what’s running.
And if you have several days at the resort, save the outdoor rides for a window with better weather.
Dig deeper
- the Disneyland Paris weather guide
- Disneyland Paris in the rain
- Disneyland Paris in cold weather and snow
- the heat wave at Disneyland Paris
- Disneyland Paris in high winds
- what to pack in your bag
Affiliate link · Disney’s official prices
Frequently asked questions
01 Does Disneyland Paris close during thunderstorms?
No, the park stays open. Only some rides stop running: the outdoor and high ones, as long as lightning is nearby. Indoor rides keep operating and become your shelter while the storm passes.
02 Which rides close during a thunderstorm?
Lightning is the trigger, and strong wind can also shut everything down. Outdoor roller coasters like Big Thunder Mountain close, as do open-air rides like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, and even some tall structures that are actually covered, like Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain. Rides that are fully indoors, like Pirates of the Caribbean or Phantom Manor, stay open.
03 A storm closed the ride: is my Premier Access lost?
No, your purchase isn’t wasted. The app issues you a fresh QR code. Use it once the ride reopens, or switch it to another eligible ride without a set time slot. You won’t get a refund for Premier Access, but it stays valid after the storm clears.
04 In a thunderstorm, are shows, the parade, and character meets still on?
Indoor shows go on as scheduled, and indoor character meets carry on too. Parades, open-air nighttime shows, and outdoor character meets, however, can be canceled or cut short in heavy rain, wind, or a thunderstorm, for the safety of performers and guests alike.
05 Can you get a refund or reschedule your visit because of a thunderstorm?
Weather alone doesn’t entitle you to a refund at Disneyland Paris. That said, a dated ticket can be canceled up to 3 days before the planned date, and an undated ticket is easy to move before your visit day. I go over these steps in my dedicated guides to cancellation and the undated ticket.
