Destinations / Paris
Paris with kids
Disneyland Paris sits about 40 km east of the city, so a family can pair a theme-park stay with a few days of city sightseeing on one trip, reachable by direct train from the centre. Parc Astérix adds a second, less queue-heavy theme park, and Paris itself has child-specific museum spaces for babies up to ten-year-olds. It works as a short break from the UK or as a long weekend plus a second week elsewhere in France.
Paris
Which ages it suits
Ages 0–2 · Good
Doable but heavy on pushchair time and queues; the Cité des bébés science space takes under-2s and many Disney rides have no height limit for babes in arms.
Ages 3–6 · Great
The sweet spot for Disneyland Park and the Cité des enfants; Parc Astérix has family rides at lower heights but most thrill rides need 1 m or more.
Ages 7–12 · Great
Good across the board, with Parc Astérix coasters and Disney Adventure World opening up as they pass height limits.
Ages 13–17 · Good
Parc Astérix and the Disney thrill rides work well; the city days need a bit of selling (food, shopping, museums with a hook).
When to go with children
Weather for kids and school-holiday crowds together. Best: April, May, June, September.
- January · 6°C
- Cold and often grey, with some Disney areas quiet and the cheapest hotel rates; Parc Astérix is shut for most of January.
- April · 16°C
- Parc Astérix reopened on 4 April in 2026, and French Easter holidays push Disney crowds and prices up.
- June · 23°C
- Long days, mild weather and no French school holiday yet, so the best balance of daylight, queues and price.
- July · 25°C
- Hot, French school holidays start early July and run to the end of August; Disney and Astérix are at their busiest and priciest, and Paris can pass 35 degrees.
- September · 21°C
- Warm and noticeably quieter once French schools go back; Parc Astérix closes some weekdays in September, so check its calendar.
- December · 6°C
- Disney and Paris at Christmas look good, but 31 December is the most expensive ticket day of the year and the holidays are packed.
Parks and days out, by car
Typical minutes by car from Disneyland Paris Resort hotels. School-holiday traffic can add a lot.
The original park, with Sleeping Beauty Castle and a lot of gentle rides for under-8s; prices swing hard by date, so a mid-week low-season ticket costs a fraction of a school-holiday day.
Best for 3–12 · Adult day from about $85 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
The reimagined second park, with a new World of Frozen area; most visitors buy the two-park ticket and split the stay over two days.
Best for 5–15 · Adult day from about $85 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
A children's amusement park in the Bois de Boulogne with day passes for rides from 80 cm; its page does not list prices, so check the day-pass cost before you go.
Best for 2–10 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
Hands-on science spaces split by age: Cité des bébés for 0–23 months, Cité des enfants for ages 2–6 and 5–10, plus main exhibitions for older kids; the baby and children's areas run timed sessions, so book ahead.
Best for 0–10 · Adult day from about $15 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
A coaster-focused park with themed Gaulish, Roman and Greek areas; under-3s are free, parking is extra, and rides range from toddler-friendly to 140 cm adult thrills, so check the height chart per ride.
Best for 6–16 · Adult day from about $65 · Tickets on GetYourGuide · Official site
Where to stay
Disneyland Paris Resort
Stay at a Disney hotel to be near the parks, with free shuttles from most hotels and Extra Magic Time for early entry.
Val d'Europe
Calmer town beside the resort with a big shopping centre and an aquarium, and hotels at lower prices than the Disney ones.
Central Paris (Left Bank)
Walkable base with Jardin du Luxembourg and Montparnasse for a city leg before or after the parks.
Family resorts we checked
A dedicated entrance to Disneyland Park and a free kids' club in the same building.
⚠ Signature suites are bookable for arrivals from April 2027; room categories otherwise open.
A Marvel-themed four-star hotel close to the parks with an indoor/outdoor pool and a kids' pool.
⚠ Third-party listings mention maintenance work and a pool closure from 2 March to 1 May 2026; confirm current pool access.
A four-star lakeside hotel with indoor and outdoor pools and an indoor play corner for small children.
⚠ Third-party closure calendar lists a pool closure from 28 September to 9 October 2026; roof maintenance is ongoing.
The pool has a slide and water games, and Little Prairie Kids Corner gives children an indoor play space.
⚠ Renovation under way; all services stay open until 18 February 2027, after which some facilities including the bar and boutique are closed.
The cheapest Disney-branded base with Toy Story rooms, indoor and outdoor play areas and a free shuttle to the parks.
⚠ Third-party sources mention awning works at the hotel front.
A simple three-star with quadruple rooms in Montparnasse, within walking distance of Luxembourg Gardens.
A 7-night trip, paced for kids
Disneyland Park
Arrive and use Extra Magic Time if you are staying on-site. Plan a hotel pool break in the middle of the day.
Disney Adventure World
Spend a second day in the second park, starting with the rides under the height limits. Keep day 4 for a slow morning, Disney Village or a swim.
Parc Astérix
A full day for kids who clear 1 m and up. Book ahead and park early.
Paris on foot
Move into the city and use the Jardin du Luxembourg in the morning. Short museum slot after lunch.
Cité des sciences
Book a Cité des bébés or Cité des enfants slot for your ages, then the Parc de la Villette outside. Travel home.
Good to know
- The catch
- Families often treat Disneyland Paris as a day trip from the city; two park days and a full return trip leave little energy for sightseeing.
- Flights
- Paris Charles de Gaulle is about 1h15 from London, 7.5h nonstop from New York and about 1h45 from Frankfurt; the RER A line links central Paris to the Disney station.
- Jet lag
- UK: 1 hour ahead; US East Coast: 6 hours ahead, so plan a slow first day and a hotel with blackout curtains.
- Health
- Tap water is safe; no malaria risk; summer heat above 30 degrees is the main issue in Paris and at Parc Astérix.
- Safety
- UK FCDO and US State Dept advise normal precautions for France, with elevated attention to pickpockets on public transport and crowds.
- Getting around
- Disney hotels have free shuttles and the RER A runs from the city; no car needed for the Disney Resort, but a car or organised transfer is the practical way to reach Parc Astérix. Strollers are fine on most surfaces.
- Budget
- About $270 a night for a mid-range family room for four, $700 for luxury, plus about $230 a day for food, transport and outings.
Pairs well with: Black Forest and Europa-Park, Denmark, Netherlands
Partner links are marked and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Kids' club ages, seasons and prices change; check with the provider before booking.