Disneyland vs Walt Disney Studios – Which Disneyland Paris Park Is Right For You?
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Disneyland Paris is home to two theme parks; Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios.
Depending on your budget and/or the amount of time you have at Disneyland Paris you may opt to only visit one of these parks.
However, choosing between the two can be difficult.
In short, Disneyland is the classic park with the iconic castle, parades, and opportunities to meet Disney princesses. Meanwhile, Walt Disney Studios is a more modern Disney experience with themed Marvel & Toy Story areas and rides centred around Pixar greats such as Finding Nemo & Ratatouille.
Luckily, having visited Disneyland Paris multiple times under various different circumstances I feel well equipped to help you differentiate between the two parks and get a better understanding as to which park is right for you.
What Are The Main Differences Between The Two Parks At Disneyland Paris?
Before you decide which park you’d most like to visit on a trip to Disneyland Paris it’s first important you understand the main differences between the two.
Disneyland Park
The Disneyland park is the ‘main park’ at Disneyland Paris and the only park in which you’ll see the iconic castle.
This park is filled with nostalgia & classic Disney experiences with a primary focus on family-friendly rides, parades and shows.
Many of the rides inside the Disneyland park at Disneyland Paris are also found in other Disney parks around the world and have been in operation since the park opened more than 30 years ago.
If you’re looking to meet Disney princesses, experience an incredible Disney parade or have little ones then the Disneyland park is likely going to be a better choice for you.
Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Studios park focuses on the more modern-day Disney films (circa the ’90s onwards) with a chance to meet characters from Pixar films such as Monsters Inc & Toy Story.
There are no parades here, and the park is slightly smaller when compared to the Disneyland Park.
There are, however, themed areas for both Toy Story & Marvel with thrill rides including RC Car, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure & Crush’s Coaster.
It’s, therefore, no surprise that Walt Disney Studios is often more popular with tweens and teens.
Is It Worth Going To Both Disneyland Parks In Paris?
Given that both Disneyland Paris parks are very different it’s worthwhile experiencing both.
This gives you the most rounded Disney experience from modern classics such as Peter Pan and Cinderella through to the latest releases such as Monsters Inc, Cars & Marvel.
Most people generally find after their first visit to Disneyland Paris they do prefer one park over another.
However, I personally have never been able to commit my love to one park enough to only visit one of the two parks during a trip to Disneyland Paris.
As our little boy gets older, I imagine that we’ll begin to enjoy the Disneyland park more as a family, giving him the opportunity to go on many height-appropriate rides and wave to Mickey Mouse in the parade.
Meanwhile, Walt Disney Studios will continue to bring back the nostalgia of my 90’s childhood with a chance to have a photo with Mike & Sulley from Monsters Inc or ride Crush’s Coaster.
Can You Do Both Disneyland Parks In Paris In One Day?
Given all this, if you only have one day at Disneyland Paris is it worth attempting to visit both parks?
In my opinion, yes.
While it’s hard to do both of the Disneyland Paris parks in-depth in just one day and near impossible to experience all the rides and attractions (especially without a Premier Access pass) it’s still worthwhile.
To move between parks at Disneyland Paris you’ll need to purchase a special park-to-park ticket and be conscious of each park’s closing time.
For example; Walt Disney Studios often closes earlier than Disneyland and in that case, you’ll want to visit Walt Disney Studios first, and then head over to Disneyland until closing.
It’s, of course, assumed that when visiting both parks in one day at Disneyland Paris you’ll arrive before the park opens before rope drop and stay until closing to maximise your single-day experience.
Given all this, if you can stretch to two or more ideally three days for both Disneyland Paris parks I highly recommend doing so.
Who Is The Disneyland Park In Paris Best For?
Based on the atmosphere, rides and experiences here’s who the Disneyland park is generally best for;
Kids – Since there are more family-friendly (low or no height restriction) rides
Star Wars fans – Since there’s a dedicated Star Wars shop & Star Tours ride
People who want to meet princesses – Given that there’s a special princess meet & greet area
Nostalgic Disney fans – Since there are more classic Disney rides such as Dumbo & Peter Pan’s flight.
Who Is The Walt Disney Studios In Paris Best For?
Based on the atmosphere, rides and experiences here’s who the Walt Disney Studios park is generally best for;
Fans of Toy Story – Since there’s a large incredibly immersive Toy Story land inside the park.
Marvel / comic book fans – Given that there’s an entirely new Marvel area which has recently opened inside the park.
Teens & tweens – Since many of the rides are more mature and have a higher ‘thrill’
Fans of Pixar movies – Since there’s the opportunity to meet Pixar characters including Sulley, Mike, Bo-Peep, Joy & Sadness.
