How To Save Money at Disneyland Paris

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While it is true that a Disney holiday can be expensive, there are lots of ways to save money at Disneyland Paris!

Trips to Disney theme parks are a dream for many children (and adults!) and you may be considering visiting Disneyland Paris but worried about the costs involved.

Read on for my top tips…

How To Save Money At Disneyland Paris

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If you are a regular reader of The Purple Pumpkin Blog then you know we are all about our vacations to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida – you can read all of our Disney Trip Reports here.

I’m the person that friends and family (and you guys!) come to when they want to plan a trip to Walt Disney World.

What you may not know is that we’ve been to Disneyland Paris a couple of times now and have got another trip booked for Christmas weekend 2020! (Which was cancelled because of the pandemic.)

So I thought it was high time I tell you how you can save some money when visiting Disneyland Paris (DLP).

Quick Facts About Disneyland Paris

• Disneyland Paris opened on 12 April 1992.
• It was originally called Euro Disney Resort but has had several name changes over the years:
  • 12 April 1992 – 31 May 1994: Euro Disney Resort
  • 1 June – 30 September 1994: Euro Disneyland Paris
  • 1 October 1994 – 15 March 2002, and 4 April 2009–present: Disneyland Paris
  • 16 March 2002 – 3 April 2009: Disneyland Resort Paris
• DLP is not actually in Paris but in a town called Chessy which is 20 miles (32km) east of Paris
• Disneyland Paris has:
  • 2 Theme Parks – Disneyland Parc and Walt Disney Studios (opened in 2002)
  • 8 Resort Hotels – 6 within walking distance, and 2 that are a short drive away
  • 5 Partner Hotels – with free shuttle bus
  • Disney Village – an entertainment, dining, and shopping area
  • La Vallée Village – a large outlet center (a 10-minute drive away)
  • Val d’Europe – a large shopping mall (also about 10 minutes away)
  • Golf Disneyland – with 9-hole and 18-hole course

Save Money On Getting There

There are several ways you can travel to Disneyland Paris from London and the UK including planes, trains, and automobiles!

Omio is a journey planner app that simplifies the planning process – it lets you know about train delays or cancellations and gets you to your destination by train, bus, or plane, making it ideal to find out which is the cheapest or fastest route.

Check out and compare all of the available options not only for the price but also for what will suit you and your travelling party.

We traveled both times to Disneyland Paris by train.

The first time we stayed in central Paris and caught a train out to Marne la Vallée, Chessy which is the station within Disneyland Paris itself.

And the second time we caught the Eurostar, which also goes to the same station, making it the best option for us.

If you fly in, there will be a transfer from the airport to DLP so you have to factor in that cost.

And if you drive (via ferry or Eurotunnel) you have to factor in petrol prices, and other associated costs with driving.

Save Money On When You Go

If you can avoid peak times – like Christmas, Halloween, school holidays, and weekends you can save money on your trip.

Being able to visit during off-peak times means you will also benefit from fewer crowds, which means more time for rides and attractions as the lines will be shorter!

Of course, if you have kids in school then you may not be able to avoid going at peak time, and my best advice is to plan ahead and check the official Disneyland Paris website for any offers that they have (such as free dining) which are available during school holidays.

Save Money On Where You Stay

You have several accommodation options when visiting Disneyland Paris.

You could stay at one of the eight Disney Hotels. Six of them are within walking distance of the theme parks – and with that comes a higher price tag.

However, the hotels do vary in price from budget options, mid-tier pricing, and deluxe hotels.

The Villages Nature^® Paris by Center Parcs and Disney Davy Crockett Ranch are a 15-minute drive from Disneyland Paris which means you will have to drive to the theme parks each day.

And finally, there are five Disney Partner Hotels which are a (usually free) shuttle bus ride away.

There are offers to be had like free breakfast, half-board, park tickets, etc., so check all the available options to see what suits your budget.

You can, of course, stay further away from Disneyland Paris, as you can save even more.

But you will have to factor back in the cost of park tickets, [some] food, and travelling to and from the parks (either by train or car).

Check prices across French, German, and Italian Disneyland sites, then convert them into pounds and compare them to the UK.

Remember, if you use a foreign site and pay in euros, ensure you pay with specialist overseas plastic.

My Top Money-Saving Tip!

I’ve covered the basics of a trip to Disneyland Paris – how to get there, when to go, and where to stay; but my top tip is this – book everything yourself!

I’ve been DIY’ing our vacations, wherever they are in the world, for years.

It can be scary to not use a travel agent, but to get the cheapest prices, booking things separately is a great way to save money.

Be smart when it comes to booking your trip and make sure whatever site you use is protected by ABTA or ATOL (in the UK).

Remember, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Some Final Disneyland Paris Tips!

Now with the money you’ve saved on travel and accommodation, you can spend it elsewhere on your trip!

Here are some final tips to save money at Disneyland Paris:

Park Tickets

If you are staying at a Disney Hotel, Nature Resort, or Partner Hotel then your tickets are likely to be included with your package.

If you need to buy tickets then check websites like Attraction Tickets, Attraction Tix, or the Disneyland Paris website for the best possible price.

It is always cheaper to buy in advance than at the gate. Use the official price as a benchmark for savings though!

And if you plan on visiting more than once or twice a year, consider investing in an Annual Pass which can provide other perks like discounts in shops and restaurants and photograph packages.

Food, Drinks & Snacks

Food, drink, and snack options at theme parks are notoriously expensive.

But when you also factor in that DLP is near Paris (an expensive city) and that it is Disney…

Premium prices should be expected – but you can still save some money on your eats!

• If you have food included in your hotel package then make the most of it!
• Fill up at breakfast to keep you going through the day to dinner time.
• Grab a few extras like fresh fruit or pastries to snack on later in the day.
• Bring some food and drink with you from home to save some cash. A packet of crisps at home might only cost 60p, but in the parks as much as several Euros! The same goes for drinks.
• Bring a refillable water bottle and top up at the water fountains dotted around the parks. Bring one or two packs of Robinson’s SQUASH’D which are tiny enough to pop in your handbag and give some flavour to plain water.
• Take a picnic into the park – you can bring your own food and drink into the Disney Parks, but cool bags are not allowed.
• Treat yo’ self! Yes, we all want to save money, but you can’t pass up on a Mickey-shaped snack! Make room in your budget for treats!
• We love Earl of Sandwich for some inexpensive eats, and there is also a Mcdonald’s in the Disney Village!

If you are eating in the parks, try to dine at unusual times to save on crazy crowds.

While everyone is having lunch between 12:00 and 2:00 pm, head for the attractions and have a (brought-in-with-you) snack to tide you over till 3:00 or 4:00 pm.

Disney Merchandise & Souvenirs

I will confess that I am a sucker for Disney merch, and I have several collections of my favourite things – Disney Ears, mugs, plushies, fridge magnets, and pins.

But you can save some money on souvenirs too and here is how:

• Make your own Disney Ears! I’ve got several tutorials on how to make them and you don’t need to sew a stitch!
  • How To Make Maleficent Ears!
  • How To Make Pumpkin Mickey Ears!
  • How To Make Snow White Poison Apple Mickey Ears
• Similarly, check out eBay and Facebook Marketplace for people selling their old Disney Ears, hats, costumes, or other Disney merch – there is always a bargain to be had! I bought a set of Seven Dwarfs plushies for just £20 – that’s the price of each one usually!
• You can buy a few things in advance and bring them with you as a surprise for your kids.
• Encourage your children to save their pocket money (if you give it to them) or birthday money for their visit and explain how that will be used to buy something they really want from the parks.
• Trade Disney Pins! You do need some pins to start you off and these can be expensive when brand new. However, check eBay for pin sellers that sell batch lots of 10, 20, or more for the price you might usually pay for 2 or 3 pins. Then you can trade them with Cast Members in the Disney Parks.
• If your children want to dress up, bring costumes with you as they WILL be an extortionist price at Disneyland Paris! Buy some face jewels or hair glitter to add some sparkle to their outfit. Or DIY your own cute outfits with craft supplies.

Finally, just stop and smell the magic! There is so much to see and do and even the littlest thing at Disneyland Paris is magical!

Don’t feel like you have to continually rush around or fight through the crowds. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit down and enjoy the moment.

I hope my tips help and you have an amazing trip to Disneyland Paris!

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