Cheap Tickets to Disneyland Paris: how to buy, prices and discounts

The amazing attention to detail, the attractions and everything you can learn about cinema and special effects make Disneyland a unique visit for everyone, even if you don't go with children or even if Disney films are not your favourite.

Before you buy your ticket, you should know that there are two parks: the traditional park (Disneyland) and the Disney Studios park (Walt Disney Studios). They are next to each other and both have attractions: the cheapest way is to buy a 1-day ticket valid for both parks.

The best option

Disneyland® Paris 1-Day Ticket

One-day ticket for one or two parks

Choose whether you want to dedicate your day to just one of the two parks or you want to enjoy both parks and the best attractions of each one as many times as you want.

From £46 at Hellotickets

The one-day ticket to Disneyland Paris is not only the cheapest option to visit the Disney universe, but it also adapts to the preferences you have during your visit. Choose whether you prefer to dedicate your day to just one of the parks (the one you want) or if, for a little more money, you prefer to enter both parks, going from one to the other whenever you feel like it.

Of course, the ticket gives you access to all the attractions and shows in the park of your choice, or both if that's the case. Buying your ticket in advance will allow you to make the most of your time, as you will not have to queue at the entrance and, once you validate it, you will be able to enjoy everything the Disney Parks have to offer as many times as you want and in the order you want.

• Recommended if... you want to secure your entrance to the Disney Parks before your visit and not have to wait in line on arrival.

My advice is to buy your tickets in advance to get the best prices: you can also buy a one-day ticket, a combined ticket for two days - which is cheaper than buying both separately - and even a package which includes transport from Paris and is also cheaper than buying it separately.

After an exhaustive study of all the types of tickets available, this 1-day ticket to the park is the cheapest.

On my first visit, I thought that the Disney universe in Paris was limited to the two parks; I was surprised to realise that Disneyland Paris is a whole complex that includes, apart from the parks, shops, hotels, nightclubs, restaurants and squares.

Everything is taken care of with the same attention to detail as the parks (after all, the whole universe of Disney parks is characterised precisely by the meticulousness and care behind each element). With your 1-day Disney ticket you can explore it all, and it's well worth the visit to gawk at the sheer magnitude of it all. Once there, you will see that there are even guided tours to visit every corner of this Resort.

Does it pay to buy a two-day ticket?

If you're staying for two days, of course: the cheapest option is to take the 2-day Disneyland ticket from the start and spend a whole day at each park.

However, if you are only staying for one day, in my opinion it is best to see the main park and leave the second one for another visit, because if you try to see both in the same day you will miss a lot of details.

For those who are curious about the world of cinema and special effects, this park will be a paradise (and remember it's included in your 1-day park admission).

It offers different shows (with several shows throughout the day) that tell you how Disney films were made or which were the first special effects in the history of cinema. You can see an action car show, enter the Armageddon ship, ride the Aerosmith roller coaster or try the Tower of Terror free fall.

The park also has areas dedicated to Pixar films such as Toy Story, Monsters SA, Finding Nemo (the turtles' air currents attraction is a must-see) and Ratatouille. It is a smaller park than the main one, but it has nothing to envy in terms of attractions and shows. I strongly recommend that you do not exclude it from your visit.

Ana's Traveller Tip

If you are going to see both parks in one day, remember that Walt Disney Studios closes at 7pm, while Disneyland is open until 11pm.

If there's one thing we've learned in recent times, it's that flexibility when it comes to travelling and being able to change or cancel dates is an advantage. So, if you're thinking of travelling to Paris and you're not sure what day you want to visit Disney, you can choose this flexible ticket to Disneyland Paris with a year's duration.

How does it work? You buy it and choose the date you want and the ticket will be valid for one year from that same day. So a good tip is to book it for the first day you are going to be in Paris to make sure you can use it on the day that best suits you during your trip.

Whichever ticket option you choose, there are services that include transport to the park. The resort is far from the centre of Paris (in the Marne-la-Vallée area), and while you can get there on the RER trains (the cheapest option), you'll save a lot of time with a Disneyland ticket with bus transport included - and you'll get right to the park gates.

After the ride, the queues to get out of Disney are impressive and even longer to get on the train. If, in addition to including transport with your tickets, you are considering the option of investing a little more but having more freedom of schedule and movement, I advise you to consider the option of buying your ticket to Disneyland and booking a private transport to and from Disneyland, you will greatly appreciate it.

If you're looking forward to going to Disneyland but you're afraid that the visit will be too much for your budget, don't worry. We've already seen that there are ways to get your tickets cheaper, but if you'll allow me, here's a short list you can follow to make sure that your visit to the park is much cheaper while you enjoy yourself without worrying about your wallet:

With all the information on how to buy the cheapest tickets for Disneyland Paris, it's time to enjoy yourself by getting an idea of what you'll find in a park that (I repeat) is not just for children. Disney's strong point is not its attractions, although Space Mountain is a pioneer among indoor roller coasters; neither are its shows, although its rides are famous all over the world; not even the characters that interact with children.

In Disney Parks, constant innovation and attention to detail are the strong point and it is something that can be perceived in everything; that is why adults, aware of this, enjoy the visit even more than children. What are you going to find there?

Main Street USA

Disneyland Park is the main park. It is presided over by "Main Street USA": a "village" built around a main square from which to move around the park, full of different decorated shops and with a train stop at the entrance that takes you around the park.

Once you've walked down Main Street (and it's worth doing, don't think it's just a shopping area because you'd be wrong), you'll have at your disposal the four main areas of the park with their respective attractions and shows, each with a different atmosphere.

Fantasyland

This is the most classic Disney area and the one with the largest number of attractions for children. Behind Sleeping Beauty Castle you will find the Beauty and the Beast mugs, Alice's Labyrinth, Peter Pan's Flight, Snow White and Pinocchio's stories, Dumbo's Flight or the It's a Small World water carousel with characters from all continents.

Discoveryland

This is the area dedicated to the future and science fiction and therefore the one with the famous Space Mountain indoor roller coaster (it's a real blast). Here you will also find the Star Wars flight simulator, Buzz Lightyear's sabre game, Captain Nemo's ship, the Videopolis theatre and a car highway.

Frontierland

This is the cowboys and Indians territory. You'll find Big Thunder Montain, the haunted house (well worth a visit), Pocahontas' village and Woody's rodeo attraction.

Adventureland

Dedicated to the world of adventures, this area has large green areas such as the Robinson's hut or the pirates' beach. The star attractions are the Pirates of the Caribbean (which inspired the film) and the Indiana Jones roller coaster.

Ana's Traveller Tip

Once the nighttime ride is over, the queues for the train are endless. Leave the park a little early or hire private transport to your hotel.

Book in advance to get the best value tickets

There are huge queues at the park's ticket booths, and there's a lot to see in a short space of time - save yourself the nerves and go straight in with your ticket. The best way to save time and money is to buy your Disneyland Paris tickets in advance: you'll receive a voucher that you can exchange for your ticket at any of the automatic machines at the park entrance (there are plenty of them and you won't have to wait). You will enter the park directly through the turnstiles at the entrance without waiting in line at the ticket booths.

Ticket dates and times

Tickets are subject to a time of year, but not to a specific day. You can buy your tickets before your trip to Paris and, once there, decide which day you will use them depending on factors such as the weather. Also, by buying your tickets in advance, you will be able to choose ticket types and compare prices, which will allow you to save money and get them cheaper.

Once you validate your ticket at the gate of either park, you can enter as often as you like throughout the day, but bear in mind that the Studio Park closes earlier than the main park (around 7pm), which is open until after the night-time ride (approximately 11pm). Closing time may vary depending on the time of year, but the opening time is always 9.30am.

When to go

Disneyland Paris is open every day of the year (there may be exceptions that are announced on its website, but this is not common), but depending on the season you go, you will find some special events or others. There are periods of the year dedicated to different Disney films and special Christmas or Halloween celebrations.

When planning your visit to Disneyland Paris, bear in mind that it rains a lot in Paris, so it is a good idea to check the weather before your visit; you can visit the park in the rain, but you won't enjoy it as much. It's also a good idea to avoid the hottest days, which also coincide with the high season (summer). As for days of the week, the same rule applies as for other tourist sites: avoid weekends and public holidays.

How to get there

The Disney Parks are far from the centre of Paris, but you can get there easily on the RER (Paris train network). Line A (red) is the last stop and is posted at all train stations; it takes about 45 minutes from central Paris.

The real problem is usually getting back, as after the parade you may want to stay for dinner at one of the restaurants outside the park, and even if you don't, you'll have to rush to make sure the train doesn't close as trains don't run in the early hours of the morning in Paris.

I recommend booking a private shuttle to and from Disneyland in advance to avoid last-minute rushes and crowds when entering the park in the morning.

Duration of the visit

The parks open at 9:30am. Disney Studios closes at 19:00 and the main park closes around 23:00 after the nighttime ride ends. To see both parks well, you need a minimum of two days as there are many rides to ride, many shows to see and many details to enjoy.

It's not worth a rushed visit, but if you have no choice and you're only staying for one day, choose one of the two parks to enjoy it better (although if you have tickets for two parks you can switch from one to the other without a problem).

Save on meals

The Disney Resort is prepared for you to eat in one of its many restaurants, all of them decorated with different themes. Although there are some restaurants with menus, most of the food you will find is fast food (pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs) and you cannot bring food from outside the park.

Save on accommodation

If Disneyland is one of your main destinations during your visit to Paris, I advise you to stay close to the park for convenience. Accommodations within the Disney complex are wonderful, but also tend to be much more expensive. A good option to find the best value for money and save on your stay is to look for accommodation in the Chessy area, which is much cheaper but equally close to the park and with good and quick access to it.

Shows

When you enter the park you will be given the programme of shows. Take a few minutes to decide which ones you want to see (if you have any doubts about which one you might like to see, ask any member of Customer Service) and organise your visit around those schedules.

If you're going to see both parks, it's best to go to the Studios Park first, which tends to have fewer visitors in the morning, and queue for the first shows there.

Official application

With so much to see, organising your visit to Disneyland Paris can be a bit chaotic. At the entrance you will be given a map of the park, but when you get to the attractions you will see that many of them have different passes and sometimes long queues for them. The best tip: download the park's official App where you can see at all times how long you have to wait for each attraction and where each one is. You'll get more out of your time.

Avoid the queues

At the entrance of some attractions you have a machine to get a fast pass for a certain time. These attractions are marked on the map. Organise your time and, before you go on an attraction, get a fastpass for a nearby attraction so that you can go straight through to queue at your appointed time.

Be aware that fastpasses also "run out" and there is a certain time when you won't be given any more and you will have to wait in the normal queue. Keep this in mind, as well as the distances between the different attractions, to avoid spending the day running from one attraction to another.

Ana's Traveller Tip

Don't forget to install the park's official App so you can keep track of your waiting times at the rides; you'll save twice as much time.

If your main reason for coming to Paris is to go to Disneyland, don't miss out on seeing central Paris, even if it's just a day trip. If you don't, you'll regret not setting aside at least a day for it, and while you won't be able to fully appreciate Paris during this time, you'll get an idea of the wonders the city has to offer.

If you do decide to go all the way to Paris, a very cheap option for an overview is to book the sightseeing bus that will take you all over the city. Here is an article about Paris Hop on Hop off Bus Tours so you can organise your visit to perfection.

Whether you're travelling with children or not, taking a cruise on the Seine can also be a good option, as they'll be more entertained while you can all relax and enjoy the wonderful views. You have more information about Seine River Cruises in Paris in the guide I have prepared on the subject.

And finally, to make the most of your visit to Paris, I recommend that you consider buying the Paris Pass, a tourist card that gives you a "flat rate" to access the best attractions in the city. Here's the practical guide I've put together on the Paris Pass.