Planning a day trip to Disneyland Paris and eager to maximize your time on the best rides? Look no further! Just like many families, we decided to experience the magic of Disneyland Paris in a single day, armed with park hopper tickets and a thirst for adventure. This guide, inspired by our own whirlwind 16-hour visit, will provide you with a detailed ride itinerary to help you navigate the thrills and excitement of Euro Disney Paris Rides and make the most of your day. Whether you’re a seasoned Disney pro or a first-timer, get ready to discover the must-do attractions and create unforgettable memories.
Conquering Disney Studios Park: A Ride Blitz
Our day began bright and early with the intention of exploring Disney Village before park opening, based on information from the official DLP website. However, we quickly learned that only a few eateries like McDonalds and Starbucks open early, with shops opening later at 9 am. After arriving at around 7:40 am via the 7:20 am bus from Villages Nature and navigating the bag checks, we grabbed a quick breakfast at McDonalds to fuel up for the day ahead.
At 9 am, we positioned ourselves at the queue for Disney Studios Park. We opted to start here as this park typically closes earlier, and we wanted to ensure we experienced all the key attractions without rushing. Anticipating long queues, we were pleasantly surprised to be about 10th in line, allowing us swift entry when the park opened at 9:30 am and reaching our first ride by 9:35 am.
Enthusiastic children enjoying a thrilling ride at Euro Disney Studios Park.
Must-Do Disney Studios Rides for Thrill Seekers
Being a family of thrill-seekers, we had pre-selected the most exhilarating Euro Disney Paris rides within Studios Park. Here’s a rundown of our ride order and approximate queue times:
Avengers Assemble: Flight Force: Our first stop was a resounding success! With a mere 10-minute queue, we practically walked onto this incredible rollercoaster. Describing it is challenging – it’s simply a must-experience for any rollercoaster enthusiast. The initial G-force launch and subsequent plunges into darkness are intense. While it does include inversions, the darkness disorients you, adding to the thrill. The immersive sound system in the ride vehicles further enhances the experience.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: A relatively short 20-minute queue led us to this iconic drop tower. Despite watching videos beforehand, the actual experience was beyond expectation. The sheer force of the sudden drops and ascents induced uncontrollable giggles. The darkness within the elevator shaft amplifies the suspense, as you feel the rapid movements without fully seeing them. We were amused to see many younger children fearlessly enjoying this ride – true daredevils in the making!
Excited faces on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride at Euro Disney Paris.
Ratatouille: The Adventure: A personal highlight for our daughter Isla, a huge Ratatouille fan. While not everyone’s absolute favorite thrill ride, Isla could have ridden this charming attraction repeatedly. The ride is ingeniously designed, truly immersing you in the movie’s world. The culinary aromas experienced while navigating through the kitchen scenes are a delightful sensory detail. This popular ride had a 25-minute queue, which was well worth the wait for the immersive experience.
RC Racer: Its towering, U-shaped track appears intimidating, resembling a super-sized, adrenaline-pumping pirate ship ride. However, the actual ride experience was less intense than it looked, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The 20-minute queue was due to the single-car operation, contributing to its unique thrill.
Cars Road Trip: This ride offers a delightful surprise element that particularly captivated the kids. We won’t reveal spoilers, but it’s a charming and enjoyable experience for all ages. The queue was a manageable 15 minutes.
Following our Studio Park ride spree, we paused for a quick lunch near the Ratatouille area, enjoying packed sandwiches and snacks. The adjacent Ratatouille-themed gift shop proved tempting, especially the Remy ears, which we now slightly regret not purchasing!
What truly elevated the Euro Disney Paris rides experience was the meticulous theming. From the immersive queues to the costumed staff and the rides themselves, every detail is thoughtfully crafted, enhancing the overall enjoyment.
Disneyland Park Adventures: Classic Rides and Enchantment
By 1 pm, we transitioned to Disneyland Park, having conquered our desired rides in Disney Studios within approximately 3 hours. We commenced our Disneyland Park exploration in Frontierland, drawn immediately to the iconic Big Thunder Mountain – still a personal favorite.
Big Thunder Mountain: This proved to be one of the longer queues of the day, clocking in at 30-40 minutes. However, this runaway mine train rollercoaster is undeniably worth the wait. The thrilling dark sections and the ride’s extended duration are major highlights. The ride’s journey to and from an island in the middle of the Rivers of the Far West lake adds to its unique charm. The queue itself is richly detailed – did you notice the horseshoe imprints in the concrete, adding to the authentic Wild West atmosphere?
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril: A new ride experience for me since my last visit 20 years prior, and one I eagerly anticipated. Being an Indiana Jones fan, the queue’s theming immediately impressed me, with intricate details at every turn. The queue time was relatively short at around 20 minutes. This rollercoaster features an inversion and a compact train, delivering a series of rapid twists and turns, making it unsuitable for very young children.
Family enjoying the Indiana Jones ride at Euro Disney Paris.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Another longer queue, around 30 minutes, situated atmospherically within a dungeon-like setting. This classic boat ride is a must-do. While it offers a log flume-style experience with two small drops, the emphasis is more on the immersive scenes and animatronics. While wishing for longer drops (being a fan of flume rides), the existing drops were satisfying. The intricate details throughout the ride are captivating – did you spot Captain Jack Sparrow amidst the pirate scenes?
It’s a Small World: A quintessential Euro Disney Paris ride that cannot be missed. Be warned, the song is incredibly catchy! We experienced no queue for this gentle boat ride, which takes you through various international scenes with animatronic dolls singing the iconic song in different languages.
Colorful and whimsical scene from the "It's a Small World" ride at Euro Disney Paris.
Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain: The Star Wars makeover of Space Mountain is fantastic, enhancing an already thrilling ride. A 20-minute queue led us to this exhilarating rollercoaster in the dark. Having forgotten the ride’s intensity, I was thrilled by the experience. It features inversions and a powerful launch, solidifying its status as a top Euro Disney Paris ride for thrill-seekers.
Following Hyperspace Mountain, we paused for photos, coincidentally meeting friends and their family – obligatory Princess Castle photos ensued! Around 4:30 pm, we briefly explored a nearby shop near Hyperspace Mountain, where Isla started earmarking potential souvenirs. We then secured a spot along Main Street USA near the entrance to watch the Disney Stars on Parade, commencing at 6 pm. Afterwards, we circled back to Disney Studios for more ride action.
The kids were keen for repeat rides on Avengers Assemble (5-minute queue again!) and Tower of Terror (20-minute queue). I opted out of a second Tower of Terror experience. By nearly 7 pm, hunger struck, leading us to Adventureland for dinner at Colonel Hathi’s Outpost Restaurant. The carb-heavy meal was much needed after a day of park walking.
Our teenagers (ages 13 and 11, both over 150cm) declared Avengers Assemble, Tower of Terror, Hyperspace Mountain, Indiana Jones, and Big Thunder Mountain their top Euro Disney Paris rides.
As evening approached, we squeezed in more rides: Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Hyperspace Mountain, Phantom Manor, and one final run on Big Thunder Mountain. This brought us to 10:30 pm. Interspersed between rides were quick souvenir shopping stops, as Isla was determined to get a Stitch onesie and plush toy.
Screenshot of Disneyland Paris ride wait times on a mobile device.
Phantom Manor: An unexpectedly delightful dark ride. With no queue, the nighttime ride enhanced the spooky atmosphere. The initial stretching room illusion, creating the impression of a rising ceiling (actually lowering the floor), sets the stage for a haunted mansion tour. The subsequent ride-through in moving carriages showcases a series of eerie scenes – did you spot the weeping bride within the manor?
We then secured our spot for the night-time spectaculars. The Disney Electrical Sky Parade with drones was truly breathtaking, showcasing incredible drone choreography. This show commenced at 10:50 pm. We found a good viewing point near the pavilion close to the entrance. The Disney Dreams! fireworks display followed at 11 pm, a 20-minute magical finale that evoked tears during its emotional conclusion.
Crowd watching the Disney Dreams fireworks show at Euro Disney Paris.
While we missed some shows and numerous other rides, we successfully experienced most of our priority Euro Disney Paris rides, even re-riding our favorites two or three times.
Recap: From 9:30 am to 11:30 pm, we enjoyed a remarkable 17 rides, had dinner, spent around 30 minutes shopping, and watched the Disney Stars on Parade, Disney Electrical Sky Parade, and Disney Dreams! fireworks show.
Reflecting on our whirlwind day, we wouldn’t alter our plan significantly. The only rides we missed, Crush’s Coaster, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, and Peter Pan’s Flight, were sacrificed in favor of re-experiencing our beloved thrill rides.
Categories: Travel
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 30th, 2024
Tags: 17 hours at Disney, Days out with the kids, disney, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Paris in one day, DLP, france, French travel, paris, Ride guide, ride plan, Ride strategy, theme park
