Is Disneyland Paris worth a whole day?

We had the same question.
I asked my daughter who is a former cast member at Disney World. She reached out to folks she knows from all the parks who have been.
The answer from all of them was if you have been to a Disney Park then Paris will be Meh.
Comments were - There is nothing really special there. There is a reason it is mostly ignored by Disney. If you have done everything else in France then maybe, but I would still go back to another place.

There are still a number of museums open on Mondays. I've never noticed shops being closed but I am not a shopper. The big department stores will be open. There are also gardens, churches, Paris Walks (www.paris-walks.com), food tours although I don't think there is a birthday cake tour, hahaha!

I've not been to DLP. I used to live an hour from WDW and had season passes a few years so went several times a year.

Honestly, I'd pick what would make you very happy on your birthday! I love doing something interesting on that day especially if it's a big birthday, lol. I'm not in to high end experiences but many are.

I would typically say no. Former cast member here, and we visited with our kids one Christmas when there actually were lots of closures around Paris. It was our third time in Paris, and the park is quite small compared to the two US parks. Also the lack of traditional Disney hospitality was very disappointing. We were chatting with other guests that it was a huge difference between there and the FL parks.

However, you don't say where you're from or if you've been to Paris before? If you're from the US where the parks are more accessible (by plane) and you've not spent a lot of time in Paris before, then goodness no please skip it! BUT if you've been to Paris a lot or really want to see all the Disney parks worldwide, then maybe.

But there are at least 2 weeks of amazing Paris activities that I would choose to experience first before I added in Disney. Maybe more actually!

My opinion is that if you do go to Disneyland Paris, then it is a full day, otherwise it is not worth the travel time and admission cost. But coming from the US, you are already well-served with theme parks, so you can skip it, unless you are a Disney fan.

Hi Everyone! A little more concept, my partner and I are from FL we are Disney annual pass holders. We’ve been many times to WDW parks we thought since we were so close to an international Disney park it might be worth the visit. Yes It would be our first time in Paris thats why i kept going back and forth the decision because who knows when we will be back to Paris we want to see other countries before we revisit! I have spent many birthdays at the WDW parks since it’s an always a great experience however I’ll be in Paris and i feel like i should spend my birthday taking it in. I was researching and found many people recommending to visit le Marais district, however thats when i saw some YouTube videos saying on Monday many shops are closed and it would be dead. I also saw D’orsay is closed on Mondays, Is it worth a visit? I think I’ll take your advice and take that day to explore more of Paris rather than go to the disney park! If you guys recommend anything specific thats a must see or do please let me know! Thank You all!

On this forum you’ll overwhelmingly hear no, because it’s not a big Disney crowd.

We got a good deal and stayed there for part our our trip to Paris and we all agreed: ONE day would have been plenty. When we go back we’d leave a day for it if we have extra time- it was a lot of fun and unique experience as Disney fans.

There are some fantastic rides, and it’s an absolutely stunning property. The only bad is their food. Unless it very suddenly improved it is notoriously inedible. Eat a big early breakfast first and expect to just find mediocre at best food. Don’t bother with expensive meals you’ll be horribly disappointed unless you eat inside Disneyland hotel which was gr at.

Hi Mary! Thats so sad to hear the food at Disneyland Paris was horrible. I feel like when you’re paying so much money to go to a Disney park you expect them to have atleast decent food if not at the food carts maybe at the restaurants. Did you feel as it was very different compared to WDW in FL, if you have gone? I was looking at the list of the rides and the only ones i see that really spark my interest are the Alice in wonderland and dragon liar. I just don’t want to visit a park and then it looks the same as the WDW ones with the same shops etc. We are Disney adults thats why we were thinking on it, but then again It we will only be in Paris a handful of days.

Oh yes we’ve been many times DL and WDW. The thing perhaps you don’t know or don’t realize- the same rides are NOT the same at all. It’s super fun to compare to rides at home we must have ridden their version of thunder mountain 20 times. It’s so by far superior!!! Their haunted mansion is supposedly way better but it was closed when we visited.

It is VERY cool to go under the castle and see the dragon- but that’s not a ride. Nor was the very fun Alice maze.

It really just goes down to priorities. Is there a specific Paris site you’d rather see? Will you travel to Paris again, if so do you want Disney this first trip?

Just watched a video of the inside of the castle It looks so cool! Definitely dont have that at WDW lol! Thanks for the input on the rides not being the same I definitely thought they were and started crossing them off. I really think it’s more up to the fact that the Disney lover in me feels like i have a need to go and visit haha Disney adults will understand! I’m pretty sure we will be back to Paris maybe not super soon since we want to visit other cities and countries first. What did you think of the night shows and fireworks? Different from WDW or did they have a little more of a dramatic flair? Thanks!

I went to Disneyland Paris for the first time a few months ago for one day. For context, this was on my 4th visit to Paris. I have been to WDW and to Disneyland many times so I thought it would be fun to go to DLP. I had a good time and especially liked comparing rides and attractions to the familiar ones back in the U.S. That being said, I don't think it is nearly as good as WDW or Disneyland, but I'm still glad that I went. I agree with Balso, that if you go, go for the whole day, otherwise it wouldn't be worth it. Only you can decide whether it is worth taking time from other Paris sights and experiences on what I assume is your first time in Paris.

Paris is so much more than museums. You seem to be hung up on museums being closed as a justification to visit Disney. Why not take the day to do a little shopping? Buy a nice memento of your 22nd birthday that will last forever, like a scarf, small bag, wallet, or piece of art with the funds you would have spent on Disney? Stroll rue St Honore, go to the Galeries Lafayette and Grand Epicerie, go to Montmartre and check out the street artists, etc. Or book a cheese or chocolate tasting tour, or a cooking class….or do a bakery crawl and try as many different croissants as you can. Visit the Jardin des Plantes, go on a cocktail cruise on the Seine, spend the evening in a wine bar…….visit the Catacombs, or Pere Lachaise cemetery.

The Orangerie museum, home to Monet’s massive watercolor paintings, is def open on Mondays.

I agree that you're too focused on museums. There is SO MUCH to do in Paris, just walking around and experiencing the city!!! Not even a while day is enough for that!!

And having been to WDW, I would suggest skipping Disneyland. If you had already been to Paris many times, then it's ok, it's a nice park, but clearly not to the level of WDW.

Take in Paris!! Walk around, go shopping, go eating, just wander!

I agree that if you do Disneyland Paris, it has to be at LEAST a day. No use in doing less, its a waste of time going back and forth when you could be doing other things.

I grew up going to WDW, have been a CM and have had a WDW AP on and off for the past 15 years (just let it expire after the 3 trips last year, will do it sometime in the future to get a few trips in again), and have been to Paris twice and have been to DLP twice. I even went to DLP twice before I ever made it to DL in CA! I am planning on going to France this summer and am planning on another DLP visit.

I wouldn't go just because "I've heard most museums and shops are closed in Paris on a Monday". As others have said, there are way more things to do in Paris than museums and even shopping. You can find something to do and very likely even a museum to visit that would interest you if you want to without "resigning yourself" to go to DLP. We're going on a Tuesday this time because we wanted to go to the Musee d'Orsay (which I haven't been two YET in my first 2 trips! UGH) but Tuesdays are apparently a busier (by at least a little?) day as the Louvre is closed, so we are aiming for Wednesday to Orsay ourselves.

If you are a Disney fan, you ABSOLUTELY should go. I was on study abroad in Spain for a month the first time I went, and on one of our weekends, we went to Paris and my friend used his maingate to get us in, the main reason we went to Paris. Back in the days of cameras with film, I came back from study abroad with 2 rolls of film filled with pictures from Spain, and one from the 2 days we spent in Paris proper, and WHOLE ROLL from DLP. And I would say over 50% of those pictures were of the castle in DLP. It is AMAZING. And even the dragon! SO AWESOME. I have read so many blogs RAVING about the castle and the dragon, so its not just me :)

If you go wanting to compare with your expectations based on what you have experienced in the other parks, you will probably be disappointed (well, besides Tokyo DisneySea, if anyone is disappointed with that park, I will ask to have their heads examined hahaha). Heck, if I went to DisneyLAND with those expectations I would be disappointed (when I went, I was like "that's it?" haha). You have to go in with your mind clear and ready to experience DLP magic, not WDW magic, or DL magic. Each park in the world has something different to offer.

You don't have much time in Paris, so I would say do whatever you want to do on your birthday. I went to Disneyland for the first time on my 30th birthday!

You say you don't want to go with it looking the same as WDW, it won't. There are a few things like Casey's that are similar, but it won't be like its trying to be EXACTLY. You got a hub and a spoke.....and I hear Star Tours is the same, but only a few other things are EXACT copies. I bet ToT is the same, but I can't remember if its the DL or WDW version (I hate the loading for the DL version of now Guardians, so unnecessarily long!), and I think WebSlingers is the same as DCA for sure. If you're a Disney adult, you should go to DLP SOMETIME. Doesn't have to be this trip! I know there are some amazing things on the horizon there, which you wouldn't be able to enjoy this time around. You can go next time you have more days in the area!

You can visit the wonderful Paris parks on any day of the week - Jardin du Luxembourg, Tuileries, Parc Monceau, Jardin des Plantes, etc., etc.

Hi everyone! We do have planned to go shopping and wander around Paris. I will definitely add a bunch of the wonderful things you all have suggested especially visiting some of the parks. I appreciate all your input and suggestions thank you so much!

This may be a stupid question, but does Disneyland Paris sell out, and therefore you need to get your tickets in advance? If not, then maybe you can decide once you get to Paris. Since your birthday is at the end of your trip, maybe you will feel like you've seen and done all of the Parisian things you've wanted to do, and then you can head to DLP. On the other hand, you may be so enchanted with Paris that you can't imagine leaving for a day trip to DLP.

While I love all of the Paris museums, even just wandering the neighborhoods around the Seine is magical. Once you get to Paris, I think you'll understand. The city is about so much more than its musuems (which are all fantastic).

Bottom line, it's your birthday and you should do whatever will make for a fun and memorable day! I think you will have a fantastic time!! ENJOY!