11 essential Disneyland Paris tips

4. Download the Parc de Disneyland app

This incredibly useful Disneyland app provides users with waiting times for nearly every attraction in both parks.

5. Pack a picnic

Prices for food and drink can be pretty outrageous (think €4 bottles of Coke, €8 sandwiches). Lucky, then, that you can eat anything you bring along in the specially set-up picnic tables outside.

6. Photography fiend? Don’t forget your charger

Smartphone batteries can be notoriously temperamental when photo-taking is involved. Some of you may have back-up battery packs, but if you don’t, you can find helpful plug sockets at Casey’s hot dog restaurant on the Main Street, Collonel Hathi’s Outpost pizzeria in Adventureland, and some more unusual places like the Queen of Hearts’ castle in the middle of the labyrinth.

7. Make sure to use your ‘Baby Switch’ priority

If you’re bringing along a baby, you should definitely ask for a ‘Baby Switch’ card at the entrance. This will allow one of the two adults to queue up, while the other looks after the baby. Once the ride’s done, the other parent can use the card to re-visit the attraction, this time without having to queue.

8. FASTPASS, FASTPASS, FASTPASS

Quite simply the best way to avoid the queues. Available to pick up as you go in, these passes are valid for only an hour, so in order to fit the most into your day, we suggest picking up passes every two hours or so, remembering you can move between the two parks as and when you wish. Some rides aren’t included in the FASTPASS scheme, so make sure to check out the list of those that are beforehand.

9. Make the most of the final hour of opening time

The crowds tend to die down before closing time, so this is the ideal opportunity for one final quick, queue-free go on one of the big guns like Space Mountain or Crush’s Coaster.

10. If you’ve got very little ones, Wednesday is the best day to come
 
Not so much a fan of head-spinning rollercoasters? Kids too small to do them anyway? Come on the ‘jour des enfants’ – ‘kids day’ – every Wednesday. This allows easier access to some of the more serene, toddler-friendly rides and attractions.

11. Start from the back of the park

With the majority of the park’s visitors choosing to go with the flow, clockwise or anti-clockwise around the park, try going against the grain: start from the back of the park and work your way forwards.

Visit the legendary theme park over several days to prolong your escapist minibreak. In addition to the impressive Disneyland Paris Hotel overlooking the park, you’ll find Disney’s Hotel New York, the most charming place to stay in the leisure complex.