1. When to go to Disneyland Paris
2. Where to stay when visiting Disneyland Paris
3. What to pack for Disneyland with a baby or toddler
4. To-do list before visiting Disneyland Paris with small kids
5. Best rides of toddlers or young kids at Disneyland Paris
6. Important things you need to know about visiting Disneyland with toddlers or babies
7. Watching the Character Parades & shows with a toddler or baby

1. When to go to Disneyland Paris

Tots City Guide recommends going to Disneyland Paris between the winter months as this is when the park is a bit less busy, and tickets cost less.

These are the months when tickets are at their cheapest, we got 49 euro tickets (per person) for February for example

• January
• February
• Early March (note this year, March 2026 should be very busy with the opening of the new Frozen world!)
• September
• Early November

Did you know? Kids under 3 get in free to Disneyland Paris!!

Benefits of going to Disneyland in the winter months

• As well as being cheaper in terms of ticket price (see above) …
• Queues are generally shorter for rides – some rides we walked straight on in February
• More chance to meet Disney characters as the queues for this will be shorter too
• It’s not scorching hot while you wait in the queues = less heat exhaustion while walking all over the park
• Easier to secure popular dining reservations, like the Disney Character Meet-and-Greet restaurants such as Auberge de Cendrillon which often books up over two months in advance. Same for the Disney hotels – you’re more likely to be able to book in at a hotel for a cheaper price, with more availability
• Generally, more options for well-located hotels (even the non-Disney ones), with them booking up less in advance and with better hotel rates. Check out the Tots City Guide hotel map for ideas

Negatives of going in the off-peak winter months

• If you’re avoiding the popular Christmas and Halloween holidays, of course you’ll also be missing the peak season entertainment like the themed decor, free shows and more that tie in with these events
• Chance of rain is of course always going to be hanging over you!
• These cheaper, less busy dates are likely to clash with school terms. But perfect for parents with kids in Kindergarden / creche / nursery!

Best days of the week to go to Disneyland Paris with kids

If you can, aim to go on one of the following week days when tickets are cheapest and queues are less busy.

• Tuesday

• Wednesday (although bear in mind kids in France don’t have school on Wednesdays, so this day could be busier than the other week days)

• Thursday

2. Where to stay when visiting Disneyland Paris

Where to stay when visiting Disneyland Paris is a matter of budget and personal choice. Of course the most convenient option is to stay on site at Disneyland. But of course this comes with a price tag. The Disneyland Hotel is the one that is literally right on site, so you literally need to roll down the stairs to enter the park. Perfect when travelling with small kids. See here for a full list of Disneyland Paris Hotels

When looking for a cheaper option, consider accommodation at Val d’Europe, as this is going to be just one stop on the train from Disneyland Paris . (The train will take you literally to the entrance of Disneyland).

Bear in mind, Disneyland Paris is not actually in Paris, so if you opt for a hotel in Paris city, it can be a long train journey (potentially over 1 hour) to get to the amusement park. If you’re planning on visiting both the park and Paris itself, consider booking a few nights near Disneyland and a few nights in central Paris.

3. What to pack for Disneyland Paris with a baby or toddler

Of course what to pack when visiting with kids under 6 will depend also on the weather.

Winter months:

• Spare change of clothes for kids (no wet rides, but in case of a full rain day)
• Umbrellas
• Rain jackets for the whole family
• Gloves and hats for super cold days

Summer months:

• Extra water bottles (although there are many water points around the park, come prepared just in case you get stuck in a queue!)
• Hats
• Sunscreen

What else to pack:

• Autograph book (we found this such a fun ‘extra’ thing to collect for a 3+ year-old that is a big fan of Disney characters). You can either source one in advance, make your own from a notepad and stickers, or buy one at the park for 10 euros.
• Mobile phone charger (because it’s a long old day for your phone to last, and you’ll be taking TONS of photos)
• Snacks / lunch for kids to last the whole day
• Empty food container for keeping any left over Mickey Mouse snacks and treats you buy – as we all know toddlers will take one bite and then get bored…
• Fun toy / magazine to keep amused in the queues
• Colouring pencils for lunch stops
• Princess and other Disney inspired costumes / Mickey Mouse ears (we bought ours in advance on Vinted) Bringing items with you instead of buying them in the park will save you TONS of money
• Buggy / attachment for back of buggy for older kids
• Baby carrier (for those long queues! As buggies aren’t allowed in the lines)
• Wet wipes, because.. toddlers!
• Ear defenders if you have them (the music can get really loud during the parade times)

4. To-do list before visiting Disneyland Paris with small kids

To do list 2-12 months before your trip

• First off, great! You’re reading this Disneyland with toddlers article – nice one, you won’t miss a thing!
• Buy tickets in far in advance as possible, the nearer to your desired dates, the higher the ticket prices go due to dynamic pricing. Last year, Disneyland launched a Bon Plan promotion with cheaper tickets for 2026, on 18 November 2025 – so keep an eye out this year around this date.

• Research the Disneyland restaurants and decide if you want to book into a character dining experience. These slots can become available up to 12 months in advance for Disney hotel customers, and from 2 months from visit for non Disney hotel customers. So you need to book these dining. Those that book up fast include:
• Bistrot Chez Rémy
• Auberge de Cendrillon (character meals)
• Walt’s – an American Restaurant
• Plaza Gardens Restaurant (character meals)
• Captain Jack’s – Restaurant des Pirates
• Restaurant Agrabah Café
• Downtown Restaurant

To do list 1-2 months before your trip

• Order outfits / Mickey Mouse ears well in advance of your trip. Tots City Guide recommends apps like Vinted for finding outfits at a fraction of the cost of, say a princess dress at the park itself.

To do list 1 week before your trip

• Download the Disneyland Paris app (on here is everything from the Disney Character Parade times (as these change according to the season). It also includes a map of the park, a list of rides and attractions, pls a chance to book restaurants and experiences directly from the app.
• Some people may prefer to go old school and print a Disneyland Paris map out in advance, marking with a pen the key rides to visit. (The app although great, doesn’t seem to allow you to save your desired rides so they appear on your map, which is a shame, which is why it might be more practical for Disneyland first-timers to print a physical map out first.
• Now you have your apps and your maps – time to plan what rides you want to do with the kids (see section below – or click here for best Disneyland Paris rides of toddlers or young kids at Disneyland Paris). Tots City Guide recommends doing this in advance, especially if you only have one day at the park. This is because, with the queues, it’s good to have a ‘game plan’ so you can maximise quiet times

5. Best rides of toddlers or young kids at Disneyland Paris

It can be difficult as a first-timer to work out what are the best rides for toddlers at Disneyland Paris. Here are Tots City Guide’s top ride recommendations for small kids at Disneyland.

*Note – often there’ll be some rides closed for maintenence – you can check which ones are open during your visit via the Disneyland Paris app

Fantasyland

The Fantasyland area of Disneyland Paris is by far the best area for toddlers and small kids, with tons of appropriate rides just a few steps from each other. Tots City Guides recommends spending most of your day here if visiting with small kids. Almost all these rides are suitable for kids from around 2 years (depends on height for some rides)

All ages

• Alice’s Curious Labyrinth – a fun maze you can do on foot, so perfect for babies (although buggies not admitted)
• Meet Mickey Mouse at Fantasyland Theatre – meet and greet with Mickey – never too old or young!!
• Disneyland Railroad Main Street Station. An authentic steam-powered train takes you on a gentle ride around Disneyland Park! Note this is one of the only rides that shuts early at 5.30PM

From 2 years

• Le Carrousel de Lancelot – a failsafe carousel ride all kids will love, with huge and small horses. Often small queues and the carousel is covered so good for rainy days!)
• It’s a Small World – this gentle boat ride takes you on a lively journey around the world with miniature dolls singing you along the way, colourful and fun for the whole family. Plus we didn’t have queues for this ride at all.
• Le Pays des Contes de Fées – this gentle boat ride takes you on a fairytale adventure

Best from 3 years+

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant – for kids that are ok with going high up (although you can control the height of your Dumbo yourself)
• Peter Pan’s Flight – usually big queues for this ride from 25 minutes – aim to go to this one first thing in the day, during lunchtime or just after the character parade. This one is like a baby rollercoaster, and some kids could find the dark setting a bit scary.
• Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups – this iconic tea cup ride tends not to have too huge a queue. Bear in mind, this ride spins A LOT so make sure you and your toddler can handle it before you hop on (and maybe do this one before lunch!)
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey – again long queues for this ride so try to get in line during magic hours or first thing when you arrive. This ride could also be a bit scary for some kids – the big gaping shark mouth for one.
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – another one that has long queues. And another one that could be a bit scary for some kids that are not big fans of witches!

Discoveryland

Suitable from 2 years

• Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast – an interactive Buzz Lightyear themed ride. It’s a Tots City Guide favourite, but queues can be long, aim to do this during off-peak times or using magic hours.
• Autopia – for any toddler car fanatics this is a must-do. A circuit where you drive the car. But queues for this ride can be long.

Main Street, U.S.A.

• Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough – take a journey through THAT Disneyland castle and discover the story of Sleeping Beauty. TIP: There’s a dragon in the Dungeon (but some little kids might find this bit scary)
• Small town America themed street, with Disney shops and snack bars. A nice area to walk around while baby takes a nap

Adventureland

Most of the rides in this area are too intense for a 2 year old or young child. But what we recommend is taking a walk around the area as there is so much to look at.

• Le Passage Enchanté d’Aladdin – a walk through attraction, a perfect calmer activity with no queues, you can push baby around in the buggy on this one.
• Meet-and-Greet Characters (Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie) – if you get lucky! Check out the Disneyland app to see who you can meet on the day.

6. Important things you need to know about visiting Disneyland with toddlers or babies

• Buggies are not allowed in the queues, so consider bringing a baby carrier
• The day is extremely tiring, consider planning a long lunch break into you day plan to reset and so the kids can too.
• Luckily, there are tons of toilets everywhere and we found, with no queues) with baby change and water taps available too.
• You can now do virtual queuing to meet Disneyland Characters so save you queuing all day. Check out the Disneyland App to book your spot.
• On your birthday you can claim a FREE Birthday Badge. Head to City Hall (in Disneyland Park) & Guest Services (in Walt Disney Studios Park) to claim yours. Even easier, get it at your Disney hotel reception if you’re staying on-site. For an extra cost you can also have a Mickey Mouse phone call wishing Happy Birthday

7. Watching the Character Parades & shows with a toddler or baby

The Disneyland Paris Character Parades are no doubt one of the absolute highlights of visiting Disneyland. Here’s some top tips on where to watch the parades and how to make the most of them

Character Parades

• First, check the parade timings for your visit – this will vary according to the season so it’s important you visit the Disneyland Paris app
• Best place to watch the Disneyland Parade with a baby or toddler? Tots City Guide recommends getting a place right by the opening gates of the parade. So either head outside the pizzeria Bella Note (although there can be slightly bigger crowds here), or head as near to the actual gates as possible opposite the restaurant.
• As this is the first part of the parade, once you’ve watched it you can rush off to your ride of choice and enjoy a shorter queue ( see above list for the recommended rides to do during this less busy time!)
• Be sure to arrive around 20-15 minutes before the parade starts to get your spot. If your at the part right by the dates there are benches behind you – so perfect if you’re visiting with a small baby! (and it’s less busy here too, well compared to the end of the parade near the Disneyland castle)

Character shows

Tots City Guide admits, we didn’t get the difference between the Character Parade and shows before we visited. The Character Parades – an extravagant parade of floats and dancing Disney characters. The Disney Show – is outside and involves a mix of Disney characters dancing outside the Disneyland Palace (without floats) on the roundabout in Main Street, with fireworks and a change to high five characters. The location for this event is fixed, compared to the parade, which moves along the street to the castle.

• Be sure to get there 10 minutes before the show
• We must warn you that the music is super loud for the show so consider bringing ear defenders
• Tots City Guide recommends getting there early before the show begins and hopping onto the central roundabout opposite the palace. Once the show begins, no one else is allowed to get to the island so you’ll be one of the few there to watch the characters right up close (and high five them too if you’re lucky!)

8. The big finale – the Disneyland Paris Firework Show

The iconic Disneyland firework show although amazing, (with drones and all) may not work timings-wise if you’re visiting with young kids. The shows can start at around 9pm in the winter and as late as 10pm in the summer months. Tips for watching the fireworks if you do decide to stay and watch them

• Consider booking or planning dinner so you can rest for a bit before the firework show begins. Otherwise if it’s in the winter and raining or cold you may not have the energy to stay out until 9pm, this way you can stay in the warm and dry then leave the restaurant at 8.30 direct to watch the show!
• Aim to move away from the coveted palace area and roundabout to watch the show. Instead head way back to the beginning of Main Street so you can get a view of the palace but further back from the crowds. Then you can make a swift exit with your kids just before the end to avoid the mass of crowds.

How was your visit? Please share your own Disneyland Paris tips below or on Instagram @totscityguide