Top Tips For Visiting Disneyland Paris at Christmas with Kids

It might not be the warmest time of the year to visit, but there’s nothing quite like Disneyland Paris at Christmas. The whole park is decorated in elaborate Christmas decorations, the classic Characters are dressed in Christmas-themed costumes, and the parades include rarer characters that you’re unlikely to see at other times of the year too.

We love to visiting Disneyland Paris at Christmas, and have visited the park during the festive season on four separate occasions. So we’ve used our first-hand expertise to put together a full list of top tips for visiting Disneyland Paris at Christmas with kids:

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1. Pack For The Weather

One of the biggest factors to consider when planning a winter trip to Disneyland Paris is the weather. If you’re used to winters in the UK then the weather is very similar, but it feels much colder because you’re spending long periods of time outside.

It often rains in Paris during November and December, and it wouldn’t be shocking if the fake snow that Disney liberally sprinkles down Main Street was interspersed with real snow at this time of year.

If you’re travelling with kids then layers are key if you want them to stay in the park all day without complaining that they’re cold! Remember that it’s easier to remove layers than it is to add them.

We always wear:

• A base layer of thermal leggings and a long sleeves thermal top
• A sweater and cotton-based trousers (avoid jeans if you can, as they’re a nightmare to dry if they get wet)
• A thick, waterproof ski coat.
• Add hats, scarves, and gloves (bonus points if you can find Disney-themed options)
• Pop a blanket in your rucksack to drape over laps and shoulders when waiting for parades and shows, particularly the evening firework illuminations, as the temperatures really drop at night.

Travelling with kids that are keen to wear costumes? There’s no reason not to, and the character interaction always seems must better when the kids are dressed up! Just buy the costumes a size bigger than you need so that they will fit over thermal layers or a snowsuit underneath, or look for ‘costume-inspired’ warmer jumpers and hooded tops.

👉 Planning what to Pack for your Disneyland Paris trip? Check out The Ultimate Disneyland Paris Packing List: Our Tried and Tested Packing Guide

2. Don’t Miss The Parade

The Christmas version of the famous Disney parade is probably my favourite seasonal version. This is thanks to the huge number of rare characters it features, the cosy Christmas theming and costumes, and (spoiler alert) Santa himself even makes an appearance on the final float!

Unlike during other seasons where you will only see the parade once a day, the parade runs twice a day during the Christmas season and it really isn’t to be missed.

3. Buy Tickets in Advance

It’s not just anecdotal evidence: official figures also show that Christmas is consistently the busiest time of year at Disneyland Paris. This means that there are often days when the park is at full capacity. Book your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.

If you’re planning a Disney holiday over several days then the best way to book this is directly with Disneyland Paris via their website. But these packages tend to be a little too expensive for our family!

If you’re staying off site and just want tickets for a day or two then we always book via Klook. These are great value, and delivered instantly, straight to your phone!

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4. Meet Santa Claus at Disneyland Paris

There are character meet and greets dotted all over both of the Disney Parks: you’ll find the locations of these meet and greet sites on the park programme via the Disneyland Paris app.

Queues for these can get long, particularly during peak times, and each character is only at their meet point for an hour or two during the winter months when the weather is cold.

👉 Top Tip: If there’s a character you’re really keen to see, get in the queue for the meet 15-20 minutes before the line officially opens. Because there won’t be a character there, you’ll find there are less ‘opportunistic’ people just hopping into the queue and you’ll get through much faster.

The rarest meet and greet at Christmas is Santa Claus. During the Christmas season (up until 24th December when he gets too busy) you can meet Santa in Mickey Mouses’s House, which is in Fantasyland. This is such a lovely meet for kids, and Santa speaks both French and English.

But not that unlike other Santa Claus experiences in the UK, Santa Claus in Disneyland Paris doesn’t give presents to the children.

5. Visit On A Weekday If Possible

Because Christmas is the busiest period at Disneyland Paris, the park can become particularly crowded during holidays and weekends. If you’d prefer a quieter, calmer experience then I recommend visiting on a weekday if possible.

Weekdays are generally quieter than weekends, especially if you can visit before the schools break up for the Christmas holidays.

On the subject of the Christmas Holidays, it might surprise you to know that Christmas Eve, particularly in the afternoon tends to be refreshingly quiet in the park. This is because French families celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve afternoon/evening, so there are much fewer locals in the park. This is always our favourite day of our Christmas trips as a result.

Final Thoughts and Further Reading

There is no more magical place in the world to be at Christmas than Disneyland Paris. Which is why we keep going back again and again. As long as you buy your tickets in advance and wrap up warm against the cold, you’ll have a wonderful experience.

Still planning your next Disneyland Paris adventure? We’ve written extensively on the subject, so check out:

👉 Thinking Of Visiting Disneyland Paris At Christmas? Read This! First Hand Tips and 2025 Update
👉 Disneyland Paris With Kids: The Complete Family Planning Guide

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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!