Top Things to do With Toddlers in Disneyland Paris.
When we booked our trip to Disneyland Paris, I was little worried that Lillie-Grace would be too young to enjoy it, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! There is so much for younger kids and toddlers to do, that don’t have height requirements.
There are two parks in Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios. I found that there was more rides Lillie-Grace could get on in Disneyland Park, but there was still a lot for her to do in Walt Disney Studios too. There were also so many shows and meet and greets for toddlers to participate in.
Rides - Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park is definitely the better of the two parks for toddlers, as it has much more to offer for the younger audience. Fantasyland, in particular, is probably the best area for younger kids and toddlers, as there are so many rides without height requirements, that they can enjoy.
It’s a small world.
This ride is definitely a family favourite, and probably one of the most popular rides in all of the Disneyland Parks. It’s a Small World s a little river boat trip that brings you on a musical journey around the world. The ride features little dancing dolls, dressed in traditional clothing from different countries and cultures, all singing ‘It’s a small world’. As you go through the ride, you will visit different locations and monuments from around the world. Be warned, the song will be in your head for days and weeks after!
Peter Pan’s flight.
Situated in fantasyland, Peter Pan’s flight is another great ride for all ages. This ride brings you on a magical flight above London, towards the second star to the right, and in to Neverland, in a mini pirate ship. It is such an immersive experience. Looking down at the streets of London below, the little details are what makes it so magical. You can even see the lights of the cars moving along the roads below. You then fly into Neverland where you will see many of the popular characters of the movie, from Peter Pan himself, to Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.
Pirates of the Caribbean.
If you have an adventurous little one, check out Pirates of the Caribbean. Situated in Adventureland, this waterboat ride brings you through an adventure through shipwrecks and pirates coves, through villages of drunken pirates singing ‘A Pirates life for me’ and has many special effects such as cannons firing and waterfalls. It has three downhill drops, but nothing too thrilling. It may frighten younger children but our 15 month old seemed to enjoy it.
Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups.
Another famous Disney ride suitable for all ages is the Mad Hatter’s tea cups. I must say, as fun as it looks, it isn’t a ride you would get me on. Even looking at the cups spinning around makes me feel a bit queasy. However you do have control of the speed of your individual tea cup by using the wheel in the middle.
Le Carousel de Lancelot.
This Carousel is a classic ride at most fun fairs, but Le Carousel de Lancelot is larger than any merry-go-round I have ever seen. This ride is inspired by the story of Sir Lancelot, on of King Arthur’s knights. Young knights can sit atop of one of 86 horses, or there are plenty of carriages that families with younger children can sit in. The horses are suitable for toddlers too, as they all have adjustable seat belts to wear.
Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing.
For a more relaxing experience, try out Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing. This is a leisurely riverboat ride on an old 19th Century-Style paddleboat that brings you along the ‘far west’. On your relaxing journey you will get great views of Big Thunder Mountain rollercoaster whizzing past, and pass by Wilderness island. You then come past Phantom Manor before docking again where you began. A nice relaxing break after all that walking through the park.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant: Take Flight.
On this arial carousel style ride you sit in Dumbo and take off into the sky. Each individual Dumbo has its own controls so you can control how high or low you want to be. Of course the higher you are, they better the views of Fantasyland down below you will get.
Alice’s Curious Labyrinth.
Located in Fantasyland, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth is a hedge maze attraction based off the movie Alice in Wonderland. You begin your winding walk in Tugley Wood, and you can also explore the Queen of Hearts Maze. Along the way you will see many characters from the movies, from Cheshire Cat, to White Rabbit, and even the playing cards painting the roses red.
At the end of the maze you will come to the Queen’s castle, where you can get amazing views of the park from above. One downfall is you can’t bring strollers on this walk, for those with younger kids, but its definitely worth exploring.
Casey Jr. – le Petit Train du Cirque.
This kids friendly rollercoaster takes you on a storybook adventure on the Casey Jr circus train from the movie Dumbo, This gentle ride brings you on a journey around the Land of Fairytales. Perfect for the whole family.
Mickey’s Philermagic.
This attraction opened in Disneyland Paris in 2018, but has been a prominent feature in Walt Disney World since 2003. This 4D experience brings you on an animated journey alongside some of your favourite Disney characters. Though it may not be as enjoyable for younger toddlers, who might not keep on the 3D glasses.
Rides - Walt Disney Studios
I found that Walt DIsney Studios was more catered to the older audience, with areas such as Marvel Avengers Campus and Worlds of Pixar. But it definitely does cater for younger kids too, especially the shows.
Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin.
The best way I can describe this ride is Slinky Dog chasing his tail around in circles while going up and down gentle inclines. This was one Lillie-Grace wasn’t too sure about, but mainly because she couldn’t sit on our lap on this one, and had to sit down beside us, so couldn’t really see what was going on, because she was too small!
Cars Roadtrip.
Located at the back of Toy Story land, this ride is one that could be missed if you didn’t know where it was, but would definitely recommend venturing down to it. For this ride you hop on a tour bus along the famous route 66. Each carriage has a tv screen giving you information at each stop along the way. There is one big surprise towards the end, which is what I think makes the ride. I won’t give too much away, but top tip, sit on the right hand side if you don’t want to be splashed!
Aladdin Les Tapis Volants - Flying Carpets Over Agrabah.
Very similar to Dumbo the Flying Elephant over in Disneyland Park, but with less queues, this arial carousel style brings you flying above the skies of Agrabah on a magic carpet, just like Aladdin and Jasmine.
Shows
The Lion King: Rhythm of the Pridelands show.
Think of this show as a ‘best of’ condensed version of the Popular Broadway/West End musical. This show can be found in Frontierland theatre in Disneyland park, and it is a mesmerizing show complete with dancers and acrobats popular songs from the movie.
The Disney Junior Dream Factory.
This show is perfect for toddlers, as it features popular Disney Junior characters Vampirina and Fancy Nancy, along with Mickey, Minnie and Timon from the Lion Guard. This is a super fun show, located in Studio D in Walt Disney Studios Park, with great songs to sing along to, and great effects such as smoke bubbles falling down around the crowd.
Mickey and the Magician.
This live show follows Mickey Mouse as he learns magic tricks, and meets some characters from our favourite Disney movies along the way. It features songs from Disney classics, such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, Be Our Guest and Friend Like Me. This is a great show for all the family, located in Studio 3, in Walt Disney Studios Park. Lillie-Grace loved dancing along to all the songs!
These are only a few of the shows on offer at both parks, but are the ones I would recommend most with toddlers. They are on multiple times daily but are popular, so be sure to queue early to get a good spot.
Meet and Greets
There are so many meet and greets throughout the day around both parks, which gives your toddler a chance to get a photo with their favourite Disney characters, and get their autograph. One piece of advice I would give is to get your child their own Disney Autograph book, where they can slot in the photo too, to remember the moment. It is something you can bring along on future Disney trips too, to add to!
Character dining is also another great way to meet Disney Characters, however this is costly and does need to be booked months in advance at peak times.
Parades and Fireworks
Depending on the time of year you go to Disney you will get the chance to see Disney Stars on Parade or a themed parade passing through main street. With floats featuring Characters from Mickey Mouse, to Disney Princess and everyone in between. We visited during Disney Enchanted Christmas so we got to see Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade, which was out of this world. The song is still in my head to this day. Seeing Lillie-Grace’s eyes light up when Mickey Mouse passed by on his float was the absolute highlight of the trip for me.
Disney Dreams Nighttime extravaganza is the theme of Disneyland Paris nightly firework show, and it will blow you away! The show that they are able to project on to the Sleeping Beauty’s castle is just fascinating. Peter Pans show will lead you through some of the best bits of your favorite movies, from Aladdin to the Lion King, and Tangled. It is an absolutely mesmerizing experience. The show starts around a half hour before the park closes, which varies depending on the day. If you have a toddler and really want them to experience the fireworks, I would suggest planning it for a weekday, where the parks close earlier.
From January 2024 you also have the chance to see a new show, the Disney Electrical Sky Parade, where drones light up the sky with magical scenes. This show begins 10 minutes before the firework show.
So, in a nutshell, if you’re planning a trip to Disneyland Paris with your little ones, don’t worry! There’s plenty in both parks to keep them entertained and happy. If there is anything you thing I should add to the above, let me know!