Disneyland Paris welcomes 10.4 million visitors a year, and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando welcomes 48.7 million people annually to its 4 parks. These are the most popular Disney theme parks in the world.
Prices to visit these two parks vary greatly depending on:
In one of our articles on How much does a trip to Walt Disney World cost, we determined that it cost around $3,000 CAD per person (or $2,165 USD), for a week.
Let’s explore the main price differences between Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World Orlando, to help you decide which destination best suits your budget.
For the sake of consistency, all prices below are quoted in US dollars (USD).
The price of a Disney Parks ticket varies according to the time of year, the number of parks visited and the number of days selected.
Walt Disney World
At Walt Disney World, a one-day ticket for a single park visited by one person is:
Disneyland Paris
At Disneyland Paris, a one-day ticket for a single park visited by one person costs:
To visit several parks in the same day at Walt Disney World, choose the $237 Park Hopper ticket.
At Disneyland Paris, add the second park with a 2-Park Ticket for just $27.
The name is different for each park, but the principle remains the same!
The Lightning Lane Multi Pass is the former Genie+.
Prices range from $21 to $54 per person, per day at Walt Disney World. Then, each Lightning Lane Single Pass costs from $14 to $35 per person, per ride.
At Disneyland Paris, Disney Premier Access One (formerly Fastpass) costs between $5 and $21 per person per ride.
For Disney Premier Access Ultimate, where you get access to all rides (except the Orbitron) faster and with no time constraints, the cost will vary between $98 and $207 per person.
Depending on whether you’re a Florida resident or not, choose one of the 4 Annual Passes at Walt Disney World priced from $469 to $1,549.
At Disneyland Paris, there are 3 choices of Disneyland Pass between $315 and $763.
Whether in France or the United States, a Disney hotel offers advantages such as:
There are more than 25 Disney hotels in Orlando, divided into three categories:
Then you’ll have to pay for the park tickets separately.
Disneyland Paris offers 7 Disney hotels, ranging from 1 to 5 stars. The official Disneyland Paris website only allows you to book a Disney hotel with the purchase of a park ticket. In general, it’s more advantageous this way.
In low season, two nights in a 1-star Disney hotel will cost around $175 per adult per night, including a ticket for 2 parks for 3 days.
A Meal Plan is flexible, more economical and takes the headache out of vacationing. This type of package generally includes meals at Disney hotels and park restaurants.
In Orlando, there are 2 options:
This does not include the cost of tips, which must be added to these prices.
Disneyland Paris offers a 4-option meal plan:
There’s no need to tip at Disneyland Paris, as everything is included.
From Orlando airport, the Mears Connect transports guests to Disney hotels in 1 hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One-way tickets cost $13 for children and $16 for adults.
The Magical Shuttle links Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport to Disneyland Paris in 1 hour. The fare is $12 for a child and $26 for an adult.
The fastest option is to take the TGV from the airport and arrive at Disneyland Paris in 12 minutes top speed, for $17 per person.
For both locations, parking is free if you stay at a Disney hotel.
Walt Disney World charges $30 per day for a standard car.
Daily parking for a standard car costs $33 at Disneyland Paris.
A family will spend less time at Disneyland Paris and its 2 parks. Three nights and four days should be enough to visit everything thoroughly. A room at the very affordable Disney Hotel Santa Fe is offered at a low rate of $2,073, including park admission and Standard half-board.
Conversely, a family stays much longer in Orlando to visit all 4 parks. Using the example above for the same dates, a Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort value hotel, Quick-Service Dining Plan and park tickets for 4 days would cost $4,105.
Going to Disneyland Paris costs half as much! All you have to do is estimate the cost of travel from your home to the Orlando or Paris airports.
Although Disneyland Paris is smaller, it’s easier to plan a trip. There’s less of a mental workload and no rush to plan everything 1 year in advance, as you would need to do for Orlando. Everything is within walking distance and, best of all, you don’t have to wait in line under the sweltering humidity or heavy Florida sun. Disneyland Paris still has that touch of magic and Cinderella’s magnificent castle is simply the most beautiful. Plus, you’re just 20 minutes from Paris!
Walt Disney World ‘s four theme parks in Orlando are more iconic and have a certain historical cachet. It’s worth noting that the rides are largely similar in both parks.
For your first Disney experience, you can’t go wrong with either park. It all depends on your budget!
To find out more about Disney, read our array of Disney guides and articles to help you decide:
For a family of 4, budget around US 500 or 457 euros per day for a meal plan, hotel and entrance tickets to Disneyland Paris.
To keep the crowds to a minimum and get on all the rides without waiting too long, go outside peak season when the kids are at school. A Tuesday or Wednesday in January, March, April, May or September is the best time to go to Disneyland Paris without stepping on other people’s toes.
Three nights and four days in a room at an affordable Disney hotel in low season costs around $2,000 for a family of 4, including park admission and Standard half-board.
Keep an eye out for special offers to reduce the cost of your trip!
Savings are here:
