Our one-day Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park itinerary offers an efficient and enjoyable plan to spend a day exploring the most beautiful castle park in the world and its sister park. From visiting Phantom Manor to exploring the East Australian Current with Crush, this itinerary will provide you the opportunity to experience everything that Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park have to offer.
We highly recommend spending two days (three days if you are a die hard) at the Disneyland Paris Resort, with one day dedicated to riding the headline attractions and the second to make up anything you might have missed, such as shows or character meet-and-greets. However, if you only have one day to spend at Disneyland Paris, this itinerary is for you.
Unlike Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California, the Disneyland Paris Resort is small and on the lighter side for attractions. The best parts of both parks can easily be visited in one day, especially if you utilize Fast Passes correctly. Like Disneyland in California, both parks are right next to each other and are at most five minutes from gate to gate.
As for tickets, it is only about $20 – $30 more for a park hopper. Trust me, pay a little bit extra and you can visit both parks.
During our trip we originally planned to visit one park per day but found we had tons of extra time and ended up visiting both parks each day re-riding tons of attractions.
Lodging
If money is no object, we suggest staying onsite at one of Disneyland Paris’ official hotels. Staying onsite offers perks such as Extra Magic Hour and some room types even offer use-whenever-you-want Fast Passes.
Disneyland Paris features seven onsite hotels, ranging from the crazy expensive Disneyland Hotel to the bizarre Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe. Each one offers a different set of “luxury” like Walt Disney World’s Deluxe, Moderate and Value categories but not as clean cut.
During our visit, we stayed at Disney’s Sequoia Lodge. The hotel was a quick fifteen minute walk from the parks, allowed us to take advantage of Extra Magic Hour and we received a Fast Pass for each day of our stay
Disneyland Paris Fast Passes
Before we jump into the itinerary, it is important to go over Fast Passes at Disneyland Paris. Like Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California, all theme park tickets include access to the basic Fast Pass system we are used to in the US.
It is not as advanced as Disney World’s, but similar to the system over at Disneyland before Max Pass. Simply insert your ticket at the Fast Pass machine by the attraction to receive a return time.
However, which seems to becoming the norm, Disneyland Paris does offer a paid Fast Pass system (like Disneyland’s Max Pass or Shanghai Disneyland’s paid system). Unlike Max Pass, this paid system is way more expensive and is broken down into two choices: Super Fast Pass and Ultimate Fast Pass. Below is a breakdown:
Attractions | Super Fast Pass | Ultimate Fast Pass | ||
Family Attractions | Thrill Attractions | All Fast Pass Attractions | All Fast Pass Attractions | |
One Time Access | One Time Access | One Time Access | Unlimited Access | |
Ratatouille: The Adventure | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Peter Pan’s Flight | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Buzz Lighter Laser Blast | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Hyperspace Mountain | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Phantom Manor | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Tower of Terror | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Big Thunder Mountain | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Star Tours | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Low/High Season | $35.70 / $53.55 | $35.70 / $53.55 | $71.40 / $107.10 | $142.81 / 178.51 |
Based on our experience, we do not recommend purchasing your Fast Passes. Unless its some crazy busy day, you should be fine if you visit during Extra Magic Hours. Lastly, it is important to note that Phantom Manor is not apart of the traditional Fast Pass system. The only way to ride Phantom Manor with a Fast Pass is by paying.
Now, with all the pre-information settled, let’s drive in to the itinerary!
Morning: Extra Magic Hours
So, since you are staying onsite at one of the Disneyland Paris hotels, you qualify for Extra Magic Hour! Congrats! With the parks opening at 10AM, Extra Magic Hour start at 8:30AM. We recommend you eat and be ready to starting walking from your hotel by 8AM to head through security and walk through Disney Village (unless you are a baller and staying at the Disneyland Hotel).
For Extra Magic Hour, you will be starting your day at Walt Disney Studios Park. Why? Two words: Crush’s Coaster. Based on Finding Nemo, this amazing coaster has crazy long wait times during the day and sadly does not offer Fast Pass. Your best bet to ride it is first thing in the morning.
Since Walt Disney Studios Park does not have a Main Street like section, they will not let you in until 8:30AM. Hang out by the park gates and once they open, scan your ticket and head in. Once inside, use those legs and walk straight to Crush’s Coaster. Don’t worry, you will know where to go as EVERYONE will be heading there.
Once you arrive at Crush’s Coaster, it should be about 20 minutes before you exit the ride. Once you finish, the next stop will be Ratatouille: The Adventure, based on the 2007 Pixar film. This also another excellent attraction. There shouldn’t be much of a line and you should board fairly quickly.
After Ratatouille, make your way back to the main entrance. We’ll be back later. Once you exit, walk towards Disneyland Paris. Walk under the Disneyland Hotel, scan your ticket and head down Main Street.
At the end of Main Street you will see the most unique of Disney’s castles, Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant (The Castle of the Beauty in the Sleeping Wood).
Morning Part Two: Frontierland
Once you finish taking pictures in front of the castle, walk towards the entrance of Frontierland. The next attractions on the list will be Big Thunder Mountain and Phantom Manor. With the park opening at 10AM, wait patiently for the rope to drop.
When the rope drops at 10AM, head straight to Big Thunder Mountain to score a Fast Pass. With the Fast Pass in hand, turn around and make the walk to Phantom Manor, Paris’ take on the Haunted Mansion.
Phantom Manor does not have Fast Pass so enter the standby line. Take some pictures of the really cool exterior before you head inside. Hopefully the line will not be long (it shouldn’t) and you’ll be on the attraction and on your way within 30 – 40 minutes.
After Phantom Manor, it will be time to use your Big Thunder Mountain Fast Pass. But first, walk to Discoveryland and score a Fast Pass for Hyperspace Mountain. After you grab it, walk back towards Frontierland (miss the apps for the American parks yet?) and board Big Thunder Mountain!
We think Big Thunder Mountain is average at the American parks but at Disneyland Paris it is our favorite attraction. The attraction takes you under the Rivers of America at high speeds before you emerge on Tom Sawyer’s Island zooming all the over the place. After building Big Thunder Mountain in California, Orlando and Tokyo, Disney Imagineering nailed it in Paris (Thank you Tony Baxter).
Morning Part Three: Adventureland and Discoveryland
After you finish riding Big Thunder Mountain, walk to Hyperspace Mountain and redeem your Fast Pass. Take in the sights as Hyperspace Mountain launches you outside and even features corkscrews and a loop!
Following Hyperspace Mountain, walk to Fantasyland and grab a Fast Pass for Peter Pan. It’ll probably be awhile before you can redeem it as Peter Pan is very popular in France. If you are like us and ride Peter Pan in the US, I would just grab another Fast Pass for Thunder Mountain.
The remaining Fast Pass attractions are Buzz Lightyear, Star Tours and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril. Other than Temple of Peril, we can ride those attractions in the US and have hundreds of times. Temple of Peril is lame. Just grab another Fast Pass for Thunder Mountain.
Anyway, grab another Fast Pass and walk to Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland. In our opinion, Paris has the best “classic” version of Pirates. By classic we mean not Shanghai Disneyland. There is no comparing the Shanghai Disneyland version.
Unfortuarely, Pirates in Paris does not have Fast Pass. At this time in the early afternoon, it may be a bit of a wait. For sake of simplicity, we’ll assume the wait is about 40 minutes to board the boat.
Enjoy the ride. Like Big Thunder, Paris has its own spin on this classic attraction. We liked it a lot and rode it several times during our trip.
Following Pirates, it will be time for lunch. Because of your busy morning, take your time to eat and relax. After all, this is France. But since this is France, dining is notoriously difficult in the parks It is a mysterious as to what will be open. You will have no idea unless you walk to the restaurant.
Afternoon: Eat and Relax
For lunch, we recommend you find a spot to eat somewhere in the park rather than heading back to the hotel or Disney Village. When we visited, we ate at Restaurant Hakuna Matata in Adventureland.
Themed to the Lion King, the restaurant serves basic foods like chicken strips, wraps and french fries. The food at Disneyland Paris is “known” for being terrible, but we found the food here to be on the same quality as any counter service restaurant in the US. The food is more expensive but at least the restaurants are really well themed.
If Restaurant Hakuna Matata isn’t opened, check with Guest Services to find which places are open and at what times. Again, this isn’t like the US. Nothing follows any sort of schedule so it doesn’t hurt to check.
After lunch, we recommend wondering the park and taking pictures. Disneyland Paris is the best themed of all Disney’s castle parks. Every land is perfectly themed down to the smallest details.
Walk around Adeventureland and take pictures with the full size pirate ship. The whole area is a playground offering plenty of spots for great photos.
After Adeventureland, walk to the castle and explore its dungeon with a full size dragon! The castle is open for exploring and it’s beautifully designed.
Like the castle, Fantasyland has great details. Take your time exploring and maybe find a dark ride like Snow White with a small line. Fantasyland hosts a maze themed to Alice in Wonderland. It’s a lot of fun and we highly recommend it.
Early Evening: Back to Walt Disney Studios Park for Attractions and Dinner
After exploring, walk back to Walt Disney Studios Park. Once inside, walk to the Tower of Terror. Themed to the old Terror of Terror that used to be at Disney California Adventure before it was rethemed to Guardians of the Galaxy, it is still a lot of fun and brings back old memories for Disneyland Passholders.
If you survived the Twilight Zone, you’ve pretty much done everything at Walt Disney Studios Park. It is currently Disney’s smallest park and with the closing of the back lot area to make way for Frozen and Star Wars themed lands, there isn’t a whole lot to do anymore.
There is a Toy Story area next to Ratatouille which is just okay. If the lines are small, go ahead and ride the attractions. If you don’t, trust me, you didn’t miss anything.
Once you’ve had your fill of Walt Disney Studios Park, it should be dinner time. The best restuarant in the park is Bistrot Chez Remy. Since you read our blog, you made a reservation 60 days in advanced and have a reservation.
Enjoy entering the resturant as you shrink down to the size of a rat and see all the larger than life items, like quarters that somehow seem much bigger than you rememdered. Order a bottle of wine, shall an entree and enjoy a great dinner at Disney’s European resort.
Evening: Back to Disneyland for Some Fireworks
Walt Disney Studios Park closes early so head back to Disneyland for the evening. With the fireworks scheduled before park closing, use this time to re-ride Big Thunder Mountain (yes it is THAT good) or Phantom Manor.
The attractions do have smaller wait times in the evening so it will be easy to get a last minute Fast Pass or wait standby. If you are done with attractions, use this time to take photos as the sun sets and darkness falls over the resort. With the lights shining, the castle looks even better.
Thirty minutes before the start of the fireworks, grab a spot in the hub or over by the entrance to Discoveryland. The castle is large enough you will have a great view from any angle around the hub or close to the different land entrances.
Right at show start time, enjoy the fireworks as the show is one of the longest of any Disney park. It even features Disney songs in both English and French!
Late Evening: Time for a Night Cap
When the fireworks are done, the park will close. Rather than head to your hotel, we recommend walking to the Disneyland Hotel (the hotel above the park entrance) for a night cap at its bar, Cafe Fantasia.
Themed to the classic Disney movie of the same name, the bar offers expensive cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere. Yes it is expensive but it’s fun and you may even see Disney characters as they leave Inventions, the character restaurant right next door.
Enjoy your cocktail as you reflect on your day at Disney Paris. You did a lot today and a cocktail is a great way to end the day and your trip to Disneyland Paris.
Conclusion
And there you have it. It is easy to visit both parks of the Disney Paris Resort in one day using our itinerary. As long as you make it to Early Magic Hour and ride Walt Disney Studios two most popular attractions, Crush’s Coaster and Ratatouille: The Adventure, you will be set. Recap below:
- Crush’s Coaster
- Ratatouille: The Adventure
- Big Thunder Mountain (Fast Pass)
- Phantom Manor
- Hyperspace Mountain (Fast Pass)
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Peter Pan (Fast Pass)
- Tower of Terror
The goal of this itinerary was to hit the best and most popular attractions first thing in the morning, just like we do in the US. From there, we collect Fast Passes and work our way around Disneyland.
Since Walt Disney Studios is small and lacks many attractions, most of your time will be in Disneyland. Disneyland offers much more and most of the big name attractions, shows and character meet-and-greets.
Thoughts?
Thanks for reading our One-Day Itinerary for both Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios Park! We hope it helps and allows you to experience the best of both parks. The resort and parks are small, making it easy to experience the highlights in just one day. Be sure to read our Trip Report from October 2018 HERE!
Have you visited Disneyland Paris before? Did you do it in one day? How awesome was Crush’s Coaster? Were any restaurants open during your visit? Let us know in the comments below!
