Don't feel overwhelmed, you have 1,5 years and
Disneyland Paris is a lot easier as you don't have to pre-plan a lot in comparison to WDW.
Some of us are working on a new overall thread about the parks, that's a work in progress, but to give you some parts of the work, which might be helpful.
1. See links below for the school holidays, summer holidays for France start July 7th and end September 1st, so end of June would be your best pick during the summer. You will already benefit from great weather and long opening hours.
2. It depends on how many days of DLP you want. If you just want one day, it's very easy to stay in the city. Of course, no EMH then, but you can see the highlights in one day. With the longer opening hours you should be fine. I would suggest a hotel in Paris but near public transportation, so that when you get back to the city late at night after the fireworks, it doesn't take multiple transfers and a lot of walking.
If you go for more than 2 days, or want to have a short commute back to your hotel (if you have young kids or elderly people, people with difficulty walking, for example) than onsite might be preferable.
3. Yes, the website of Disney is most common. But another site that people use is Picniq
https://tickets.picniq.co.uk/disneyland-paris/
4. I know what I said under #2, but to be honest I would suggest 2 days as the bare minimum (still, perfectly fine to stay offsite, you can also split your days more easily and not do consecutive days). Just to make sure you can do it at a relaxed pace, see your favorite more than ones. Especially if you are show-people, it's hard to do all unique stuff plus shows in one day. See below for a list of unique/same but different rides.
Relax, don't be overwhelmed, you will be fine:
- Decide on how many days DLP
- Decide to stay in the city / on site
- Get your tickets online if not staying onsite.
- Make a rough plan of rides/shows you want to see.
That's it! No pre-booking FP, and if you only go 1 day, I won't do table service, so no ADRs.
No stress.
Have fun planning!
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Best/Worst times to travel
- Like any theme park the golden rule applies: Avoid public holidays and vacation periods.
- The French holidays and vacations are the most important. But you have to keep an eye on other countries as well. The other large groups are the Brits and the Spanish. It might not mean an immense increase if the Brits have a public holiday, however it might be a bit busier than normal.
French national holidays:
https://publicholidays.fr/2019-dates/
French school holidays:
https://publicholidays.fr/school-holidays/
For Spring & Winter breaks, keep an eye on Zone C as this is the Paris region.
UK national holidays:
https://publicholidays.co.uk/2019-dates/
UK school holidays:
https://publicholidays.co.uk/school-holidays/
Spanish national holidays:
https://publicholidays.es/2019-dates/
Spanish school holidays:
https://publicholidays.es/school-holidays/
- Like Disneyland in California, Disneyland Paris has a lot of local visitors. Going to DLP for a day is very easily done for people living nearby. Therefore the next tip: If possible, go during the week.
Like other Disney parks, Disneyland Paris uses different kinds of festivals and seasons to keep locals interested and to fill up low seasons.
See the Events calendar here:
https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-gb/events/
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Unique to Disneyland Paris & Studios
Studios
- Ratatouille- Speedy 3D ride - Fastpass available, Single Riders entrance available
- Crush Coaster – Coaster – Single Riders entrance available (not always open)
- Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin – Carnival type ride, not to be confused with Slinky Dog coaster in WDW
- Armageddon – Special Effects Show (Will be closed 31MAR19)
- Cars Quatre Roues Rallye - kiddie bumper car type ride without bumping.
Park:
- Alice’s labyrinth – Walkthrough Alice in Wonderland (1956)
- Casey Jr. – Le petit Train du Cirque – Kiddie Coaster
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril – Coaster with inversion, not to be confused with Indiana Jones in Disneyland Anaheim
- La Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant – Castle walkthrough (Balcony at the back sometimes closed)
- La Taniere du Dragon – Walkthrough with an amazing huge animatronic of a dragon.
- Le Passage Enchanté d’Aladdin – Walkthrough about the story of Aladdin
- Les Mystères du Nautilus – Walkthrough around Jules Verne’s Nautilus
- Les Voyages de Pinocchio – Kiddie dark ride, story of Pinocchio
Similar but different
Studios:
- RC Racer
- Rock ’n Roller Coaster – With inversion – Fastpass available – Photopass available
- Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop – Not available in the US parks, but copies can be found in Disneyland Hong Kong and Shanghai
Park:
- Big Thunder Mountain: The best Big Thunder Mountain of all Big Thunder Mountains. No competition. Photopass available
- Tower of Terror, identical to Disneyland Anaheim before the Guardians of the Galaxy layover. Photopass available.
- Autopia, similar to Tomorrowland Speedway
- Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast – Slightly different rooms and decor, blasters are not fixed to your starcruiser. Fastpass Available – Photopass Available
- Dumbo, Aladdin, Orbitron - it’s identical, but your view will be different
- It’s a Small World
- La Cabane des Robinson – Similar to Tarzan’s Treehouse, but then themed around the Swiss Family Robinson.
- Le Carrousel de Lancelot – Carrousel, but different theming
- Le Pays des Contes Fées – Similar to Storybook Land Canal Boats, but without a CM making jokes.
- Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Mickey’s Philharmagic – Some songs in English, most in French.
- Phantom Manor – Similar to Haunted Mansion but with a slightly different plotline and order of scenes
- Pirates of the Caribbean – Similar to the other Pirates rides (with Jack Sparrow addition) – 2 drops, Photopass available
- Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains – Snow White’s Scary Adventures
- Star Tours – Fastpass available
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain – Fastpass available – Single Riders available (not always open) – Photopass available
- Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing – Similar to Liberty Square Riverboat, but different scenery.
Fastpass:
Fastpass is available at the following rides:
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Peter Pan
- Hyperspace Mountain
- Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
- Indiana Jones
- Star Tours
- Ratatouille
- Tower of Terror
Phantom Manor should have a Fastpass entrance available after the refurbishment
Single Riders:
The following rides have a single riders access, however these are not always open. The entrances are clearly marked at the regular entrance.
- Hyperspace Mountain
- Ratatouille
- Crush Coaster
Rides with minimum lengths:
- Autopia – 81cm (31 inch, 2.6 foot)
- Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop - 81cm (31 inch, 2.6 foot)
- Star Tours – 1.02m (40 inch, 3.3 foot)
- Big Thunder Mountain – 1.02m (40 inch, 3.3 foot)
- Tower of Terror – 1.02m (40 inch, 3.3 foot)
- Crush Coaster – 1.07m (42 inch, 3.5 foot)
- RC Racer – 1.20m (47 inch, 3.9 foot)
- Rock ’n Roller Coaster – 1.20m (47 inch, 3.9 foot)
- Indiana Jones – 1.40m (55 inch, 4.5 foot)