Everyone loves a bargain, but you don’t want that to stop you from having the best experience. We’re here to show you that it’s possible to save money and do Disneyland® Paris on a budget, without missing any of the magic! Here’s how (and how much) you could make some mega savings:
1. Book your Disneyland Paris tickets for a specific date
You can no longer buy Disneyland Paris tickets at the gate so you will need to buy them in advance, with the option of purchasing dated or open-dated tickets. Open-dated tickets offer the most flexibility as they can be used anytime within 12 months of purchase (with a theme park reservation) however you’ll pay for this luxury.
While a dated 1-day/2-park ticket starts at £69 per adult and £65 per child, the same open-dated ticket costs £112 per adult and £105 per child. At certain times of the year that’s almost as much as the price of a dated 2-day/2-park ticket! Our dated tickets are also cancellable with a full refund up to 72 hours before the ticket start date, so this is a still a flexible option should your plans change.
Estimated saving for a family of 4 - up to £186 for 1 day
2. Take advantage of freebies and added value
At AttractionTickets.com we love giving our customers added value with their holidays; while it might not be a direct discount off of your booking, it will help you save money in the long run. All of our Disneyland Paris tickets currently include 10 free souvenir prints per booking, so you can have a memento of your trip without it costing you a penny. Our Disneyland Paris onsite hotel packages also currently include a Disney gift card of up to €50 which can be used in the parks for some souvenirs.
Keep a look out for any free extras once you’re in the park as well. If you’re visiting for your birthday you can pick up a birthday badge from city hall, and they’ll often have free badges for celebrations like park anniversaries or character birthdays too!
Estimated saving for a family of 4 - up to £50 per booking
3. Stay at an off-site location or budget Disney hotel
Although staying at a Disney hotel is an incredible experience, if you’re on a tighter budget it isn’t always feasible. However, the nearby town of Val d’Europe is conveniently located for the parks, just 1 stop away on the train, and packed with lots of great value hotels. Some of these are even partnered with Disneyland Paris, like the Dream Castle Hotel, Explorers Hotel, and Staycity Aparthotels, and offer a free shuttle bus service to the parks!
If you want to be in the heart of the action though, budget hotels at Disneyland Paris include the Disney Hotel Cheyenne and the Disney Hotel Santa Fe. These still offer all the great perks of staying onsite, like Extra Magic Time in the mornings and Character meets in the lobby, but at a lower price than some of the other hotels.
Estimated saving for a family of 4 for a family of 4 for a 2-night stay with 3-day park tickets - up to £2,963
4. Visit off-peak or mid-week
This might not always be possible, but if you do have the flexibility, travelling off-peak is without a doubt the cheapest time to go to Disneyland Paris. If you’re travelling by Eurostar or flying to Charles de Gaulles, mid-week fares are much cheaper than weekend prices, and this is generally the case with accommodation too.
If you’re not visiting Disneyland Paris with children, or your kids are too young to be in school, travelling outside the school holidays will also save you money, so this is something to bear in mind if you can. Mid-September, early October and mid-January are often the times with the cheapest tickets, but we’d recommend searching for a few different dates if you can be flexible.
Estimated saving for a family of 4 - around £300 during peak season
5. Bring your own food and drink
Although it’s great to experience Disney dining, especially character dining if you can, bringing your own food is a great way to save money. Although you can’t bring in gigantic picnic baskets full of food, you are allowed to bring in your own drinks and snacks, which can save you lots of money, particularly if you’re visiting for a few days.
There are also drinking water fountains within the park so make sure to bring a refillable bottle. For breakfasts, you can stock up on tasty and inexpensive pastries from the supermarket in nearby Val d’Europe (perfect if you’re staying there!).
Estimated saving for a family of 4 - up to £100 per day
6. Or consider adding a meal plan to your Disneyland Paris hotel package
If you do want to try all the delicious food Disneyland Paris has to offer, a meal plan could help you save money. If you’re only planning on trying a few snacks here and there, you probably won’t get your money’s worth, but if you want to eat at one of the park’s incredible buffets each day of your stay it will likely be cheaper to do so with a meal plan.
This can be added to your package at the time of booking, or you can add it to an existing booking by calling our Disneyland Paris team or emailing [email protected]. This means you can spread the cost and pay for your meal plan in instalments along with the rest of your holiday.
Estimated saving for a family of 4 for a family of 4 for a 2-night stay - around £250
7. Buy most of your souvenirs before you arrive
When you’re at Disneyland Paris, it can be hard to resist all the merchandise (think Mickey and Minnie ears, cuddly toys and Disney clothing) so buying a few bits in advance can help you to resist temptation. Primark, ASDA, and Matalan often have Disney t-shirts and accessories, and sometimes even Minnie ears, and you can check the Disney Store before you go to see if they have any plushes and toys on offer for the kids.
Of course, we’d always recommend saving a little bit of spending money for when you’re actually in Disneyland Paris, so you can buy a more special souvenir of your trip, like a magnet, snowglobe, or Christmas ornament.
Estimated saving for a family of 4 - £100
With these top tips, a family of four could save hundreds, if not even thousands of pounds! And, whether you’re visiting the resort on a budget or if you fancy treating yourself to the all-out experience, you’re sure to have an incredible time at the parks and create lasting memories for the whole family.
Browse our Disneyland Paris tickets to find the best ones for your budget or take a look at our incredible onsite and offsite hotels!
