31 Tips For Visiting Disneyland Paris On A Budget
Is it possible to visit Disneyland Paris on a budget? Absolutely it’s definitely possible.
For many people it is a dream to visit Disneyland Paris and many families save up for a long time to be able to afford this magical destination
While a trip to Disneyland Paris can be expensive with travel, accommodation and food to budget for not to mention the costly park tickets and Disney merch on top, costs can soon spiral out of control. But with some careful planning and good choices you can still enjoy a magical experience without breaking the bank
In this guide I share my top tips for visiting Disneyland Paris on a budget.
💻Booking Disneyland Paris On A Budget
1.Booking Early
This might seem obvious, but the earlier you book, the better the prices you’re likely to get. Transport and accommodation costs typically rise as your travel date approaches. Many providers offer the option to secure your booking with a deposit and pay the remainder in instalments. Some even allow free changes or cancellations up to seven days before departure.
2.Book Your Own Disney Package
By booking your own Disney package, you can see exactly where you’re spending money and where you might be able to save on each component of your holiday. I like to book travel separately from accommodation as this gives you more flexibility to mix and match dates, compare prices across different travel services, and find the best possible deals.
You can also take advantage of special offers on hotels or park tickets that might not be available in pre-packaged deals. Plus, booking independently often lets you tailor the trip to your needs.
3. Shop Around
I know it can be time consuming but comparing prices through different operators can save you money. If I’m booking a Disney hotel package, I usually check a few options like Disney Direct, Attraction Tickets, and Magic Breaks to see who’s offering the best deal.
For hotel-only stays, I tend to use sites like Hotels.com or Booking.com. And when it comes to Disneyland Paris park tickets, I recently found that a company called Picniq offered the cheapest price at the time.
If you are flying and looking for an off site Hotel then consider Easyjet, Tui or Jet2CityBreaks for flight & Hotel Packages.
Short on time – you can hire a travel agent who will happy to give you a quote.
4.Avoid School Holidays
For many of us, avoiding school holidays when planning a trip isn’t an option unfortunately, this usually means higher prices and larger crowds. If you can travel outside of school holidays, be sure to check the term dates for other European countries as well, not just the UK, since their holidays can also affect crowd levels and pricing.
If you do need to travel during school holidays, February half-term tends to be the most affordable of the peak weeks. Personally, I find May half-term a great time to visit as French schools are still in term time, so the parks are generally less crowded, the weather is warmer, and the parks are open later.
5.Travel In Low Season
Visiting Disneyland Paris during the low season is a great way to stick to a budget. The best low season periods are from January to March (excluding February half-term and Easter if it falls in March), as well as September and early November.
6.Aim To Travel Midweek
Travelling between Tuesday and Thursday is often more budget-friendly, as accommodation and transport tend to be cheaper during the week compared to weekends. Plus, the Disney Parks are usually quieter on weekdays, with shorter queues, making midweek travel both cost-effective and more enjoyable.
7.Travel Before Your Child Turns 3
Children under 3 can enter Disneyland Paris for free, so if you’re considering whether to wait until your child is a bit older, it might be worth planning your trip before their third birthday to save on costs.
8.Look For Special Offers And Discounts
Gone are the days when Disney used to offer the Kids Go Free Deals or breakfast was included in your Disneyland Paris Hotel Package. However there are still ways to find discounts when booking your trip.
❤️Look for Disney Providers offering freebies when making a booking. Some offer Disney spending money, theme parks kits, backpacks and autograph books.
❤️Free Ferry or Le Shuttle Travel is sometimes included when booking a package.
❤️If you’re a Tesco shopper and collect Clubcard points, you can put them towards savings on various parts of your Disneyland Paris trip. For example, you can use your points to get discounts on Ferry or Le Shuttle travel, or even money off an EasyJet package holiday—yes, EasyJet offers hotel and flight bundles to Disneyland Paris, staying at off-site hotels. You can also use your points on Hotels.com. I personally saved £180 on a stay at Residhome Val d’europe just by redeeming mine.
❤️If you work for the NHS or have a Blue Light Card, you can often access exclusive discounts on travel and hotel bookings.
9.Keep Checking For Discounts
After you’ve made a reservation, it’s a good idea to keep monitoring prices. Disney uses dynamic pricing, so if you’re traveling during a less busy period, rates can sometimes drop. If they do, you can contact your Disney provider to request the lower price be honored.
Similarly, if you’ve booked through a Hotel provider such as Hotels.com and selected the fully refundable option, keep an eye on your travel dates for any price drops. If a better deal comes up, you can cancel without penalty and rebook at the reduced rate.
10.Adjust Your Dates
By adjusting your dates even by a day can save you some money. Prices are determined by your arrival date and Disney has a really handy price estimate calendar that compares dates.
🧳Travelling to Disneyland Paris On A Budget
Where you live in the UK will largely influence which transport options are most convenient for getting to Disneyland Paris. Fortunately, no matter which method you choose, there are budget-friendly ways to travel. Flexibility with your travel dates, booking in advance, and mixing different transport options can all help reduce costs.
On a recent trip to Disneyland Paris, we took the Eurostar on the way there and returned by bus, which saved us a significant amount of money. Of course I am not suggesting if you’re driving to leave your car behind (unless you’re looking for a very creative way to “accidentally” upgrade to a new one.), but you could consider alternatives like taking the Eurostar one way and flying back, depending on what’s most cost-effective.
11.Driving
Driving can be a cost-effective way to reach Disneyland Paris, especially for families. Return ferry fares start at around £100 and typically include up to 4 passengers. While Le Shuttle is usually more expensive, it offers a quicker and more convenient crossing.
🚗Don’t forget you can use your Tesco Clubcard points to save money on both Ferry and Le Shuttle bookings.
🚗Keep an eye out for Disney-approved travel providers who occasionally offer free Ferry or Le Shuttle crossings when you book a full holiday package.
🚗To compare prices across different operators, visit directferries.com.
Additional Costs to Consider
Although driving can be great value, make sure to factor in the following when comparing it to other travel options:
- Fuel
- Motorway tolls
- European breakdown cover and insurance
- Required emergency travel kit (e.g., warning triangle, hi-vis vests, breathalysers, etc.)
12.Flying
With budget airlines flying into the three Paris Airports some low fares can be picked up if booking months in advance. Paris Charles De Gaulle is the most convenient Airport to fly into, followed by Orly Airport.
Paris Beauvais Airport while there can be some really low fares, due to the distance from Disneyland Paris the transfer costs will be higher. Follow these tips to find the best prices:
✈️Search multiple sights to compare prices – I like Skyscanner & Google Flights
✈️Be Flexible with dates & times
✈️Check Fares from other nearby airports (both UK Airports and the 3 Paris Airports)
✈️Compare prices for different airlines. By checking one way fares you can use different airlines for your outbound and inbound flights.
✈️Travel Light – A lot of Airlines charge extra for checked in baggage.
Quick Tip: To save packing those heavy toiletries pre order and arrange to collect at a Boots Store (Airside) at your local airport if they have a store.
For more articles on flying to Disneyland Paris check out the following guides:
🫱What Is The Closest Airport To Disneyland Paris
🫱How To Get From Charles De Gaulle Airport To Disneyland Paris
13.Eurostar
Eurostar is my favourite way of travelling to Disneyland Paris. The journey is relatively quick & simple. With a change in either Lille or Paris the train then takes you right into the station at Disneyland Paris. I also like that there are no extra fees for luggage or booking seats together.
🚄Travelling Via Lille is more convenient but usually more expensive. If you are on a budget then take the Eurostar to Paris Gare Du Nord and use the RER trains for your onward journey.
🚄Book Tickets as soon as they are released. Fares can be picked up from as little as £39 to Paris one way. Prices can get really expensive the closer you are to your departure date so booking early pays off.
🚄Save money with little ones – children under 4 travel free on the Eurostar when sitting on an adult’s lap.
14.Bus
Taking the Flixbus is probably the most budget friendly way of travelling between London and Disneyland Paris. If you don’t mind the long journey then you can really save £££’s by travelling this way. On my last trip I took the bus home and would definitely do this again – you can read my review of the bus journey and how much money I saved.
➡️Taking A Bus From London To Disneyland Paris: Full Review
🛌Staying At Disneyland Paris On A Budget
Accommodation is one of the big expenses of a Disneyland Paris trip so think carefully about what you want from your accommodation. Are you just looking for somewhere to rest your head for the night, if so a budget option is ideal.
Or would you like the choice to pop back to your Hotel in the day in which case being within walking distance of the parks would work best. Maybe you’re travelling in the summer and would really like a swimming pool to cool off in. Whatever your requirements there are budget options. If you are looking for family friendly Hotels you can read the following post:
8 Best Family Hotels Near Disneyland Paris
15.Stay Off Site
Staying off site is often much more affordable than staying in one of the Disneyland Paris Resort Hotels and nearby Val d’europe is an excellent choice to be based. With a wide range of accommodation to choose from for all budgets, great shopping and dining choices and quick, convenient access to the parks via the RER train, bus or a short drive, Val d’europe offers the perfect balance of affordability and comfort.
We stayed in the Residhome Val d’europe and would highly recommend it. Situated right opposite the station, then you’re only on the train less than 5 minutes to Marne La Vallee/Chessy (the station for Disney). Single tickets cost €2.50 per person. Rooms cater for all sizes of families and come with a kitchenette.
16.Stay At The Cheapest Disneyland Paris Hotel
If you are wanting to stay in one of the Disney Hotels to take advantage of the many benefits that come with staying on-site such as Extra Magic Time, then consider booking Hotel Santa Fe or Hotel Cheyenne, as these are the most budget-friendly options within the resort. With Disney theming and a decent choice of bar & dining options you do not need to spend a fortune on your stay to unlock these benefits.
17.Choose A Hotel With Free Shuttle Bus
While public transport is very reasonable in Paris to save even more money choose a Hotel that offers a free shuttle bus to the parks.
The following Hotels offer a free shuttle bus to the parks:
Disney Hotels – Santa Fe, Cheyenne, Sequoia Lodge, Newport Bay and Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel
Disney Partner Hotels – B&B Hotel, Aparthotel Adagio Val d’Europe, KI Space Hotel, Staycity Aparthotel and Hotel l’elysee Val d’europe
Disney Area Hotels – Explorers Hotel, Hotel Dream Castle, Radisson Blu Hotel, Grand Magic and Campanile Val de France
18.Pick A Hotel That Offers Free Breakfast
Buying food for a family for the duration of your trip can soon add up so if you can get 1 meal included with your accommodation then it’s definitely worth taking advantage of.
Hotels offering Free Breakfast
B&B Hotel
Explorers Hotel
Dream Castle Hotel
Grand Magic Hotel Marne La Vallee
Holiday Inn Express Marne La Vallee
19.Go Self Catering
This allows you to purchase food and drinks locally, which is quite a bit cheaper than buying meals inside the parks. Val d’Europe has a large Auchan hypermarket where you can stock up on groceries. Whether you prefer to have breakfast before heading out, prepare sandwiches to take with you, or cook dinner in the evenings at your self-catering accommodation, it’s a convenient and budget-friendly option.
Some Self Catering Options To Stay In Are:
Disney Davy Crockett Ranch
Les Villages Natures Paris (Center Parcs)
Staycity Aparthotel Paris
Aparthotel Adagio Val d’Europe
Relais Spa Val d’Europe
Residhome Val d’Europe
Quick Tip – Check the cooking facilities in the kitchenette before shopping. We made the mistake of buying frozen pizza on the first night and then realising when we got back to the room there was only a hob and microwave but no oven to cook it in.
🎟️Buying Disneyland Paris Tickets On A Budget
Disney park tickets, like accommodation, can be one of the biggest costs of your trip. But with these tips, you can find the best deals and keep your ticket prices as low as possible:
☑️The earlier you book the cheaper the tickets will be. Once you have your travel dates confirmed then book your tickets straight away. Prices rise the closer you are to your departure date.
☑️Decide whether you want to purchase a single park ticket or a Hopper Ticket (this gives you access to both parks)
☑️Sometimes buying one day tickets works out cheaper than buying a multi day ticket e.g. purchasing 3 one day tickets might be cheaper than purchasing a 3 Park ticket especially if you do not want to park hop.
☑️Shop around for the best deal. While prices are similar between ticket brokers a few pounds difference per ticket can make a difference when there are a few of you. I recently booked my tickets with a company called Picniq as they came up the cheapest. Tickets were emailed to me the following day and were gate ready to use at the turnstiles. No problems. They also offer a loyalty and rewards scheme whereby you collect points on your purchases to use as rewards to get discounts off days out etc. They have a large selection of UK days out ideas.
🍔Eating At Disneyland Paris On A Budget
20.Use Quick Service Dining
Quick service restaurants are cheaper than table service restaurants. No reservations are required and you can even pre order your meal on the Disney App to collect.
Across the two parks there is a good selection of quick service restaurants to choose from. My favourites are Casa de Coco and the Cowboy Cookout in Disneyland Park and The Hollywood Gardens Restaurant in Walt Disney Studios Park.
21.Share Meals
We found the quick service meals quite filling so depending on your appetite it might be worth sharing a meal to save some money. Portion sizes were generous, and in many cases, one meal was enough for two people, especially if you’re planning to snack throughout the day.
22.Order Kids Meals
Again if you haven’t got a big appetite then order a kids meal instead. For example an adult Cheeseburger meal at the Hollywood Gardens Restaurant will set you back €17 each whereas a child cheeseburger meal is only €10 for a smaller portion.
23.Take Your Own Snacks
Snacking in the parks adds up quickly so bringing your own can help you stick to your budget.. You can bring snacks from home provided it is not fresh food. Cereal bars, biscuits and crackers are ideal. For local places to stock up on snacks try the Auchan at Val d’europe shopping Centre or the shop at the Disneyland Paris Station has a good selection.
24.Pre Purchase A Meal Plan
Meal plans can only be added if you are staying in one of the Disneyland Paris Resort Hotels. With options ranging from just breakfast, Half Board (Breakfast with lunch OR dinner) or Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner).
Are Meal Plans worth it? If you prefer to have table service dining for all your meals then yes you will save money. If you prefer to grab a croissant for breakfast on the way to the parks and then use the quick service restaurants for lunch and dinner then no you will not save money.
The advantage of the meal plan is that your meals are pre purchased before you travel so you do not have to worry about budgeting for food while on holiday.
🎢Budgeting In The Park
25.Set A Souvenir Budget
Set yourself and the kids a budget and stick to it. With shops everywhere you turn at Disney, it’s so easy to overspend—whether it’s on souvenirs, snacks, or those irresistible themed merchandise items. Talk with your kids beforehand about how much they can spend and maybe even give them their own set amount so they can manage it themselves.
26.Buy Your Souvenirs Before You Travel
Buy your Disney souvenirs before you go to save money. You can find Mouse Ears, Costumes, and other fun items for a fraction of the cost you’d pay inside the parks.
Stores like Primark, George at Asda, and Amazon offer a great selection of Disney-themed goodies. The kids won’t mind where it came from; they’ll just be excited to have it!
27.Bring Your Own Pushchairs/Strollers
While you can rent a pushchair at the parks this will set you back €30 per day plus you are required to leave a deposit on top. They’re not the most comfortable option either. To save money and keep your little one more comfortable, it’s best to bring your own.
28.Use Your Own Water Bottle
Bring your own water bottles and use the fountains around the parks to refill. With prices of bottles in the parks around €3.50 for a family of four can quickly become expensive over the duration of your holiday. This simple tip can save you a surprising amount!
29.Take Your Own Photos
If you’re on a budget, purchasing a PhotoPass isn’t a necessary expense. Smartphones take excellent photos, and cast members are more than happy to snap character pictures using your device.
30.Bring Essential Items From Home
Be sure to pack essentials like ponchos, sun protection, and any necessary medication. You’ll save time and money by avoiding last-minute purchases in the park. Medications such as Paracetamol and Calpol are only available at pharmacies, and items like ponchos and sunscreen tend to be more expensive inside the parks.
31.Skip The Extras
And finally do not feel pressured to buy all the extras such as Premier Passes, Character Meals or reserved viewing for parades and fireworks displays. While these add ons can enhance your visit they are not necessary and you will still have an amazing time without purchasing them.
Conclusion: Visiting Disneyland Paris On A Budget
Visiting Disneyland Paris on a budget is entirely possible with the right planning and a few smart choices. From booking tickets in advance and choosing off-peak travel dates to bringing your own snacks and staying at budget-friendly accommodations nearby, you can enjoy the magic of the park without overspending.
Whether you follow all the tips or just a few, I don’t know about you but finding ways to save money always brings a small sense of satisfaction.
Remember, the magic isn’t in how much you spend but in the memories you make.
