My plans to take my kids to Disneyland Paris finally worked out in summer 2019 as part of a larger road trip across France. I committed to one-day only, which most Disney fans will tell you is not enough to do the park justice. However, in the midst of an epic heatwave with two excited youngsters (aged four and eight) in tow, one day seemed just the right amount to me! Here’s what our family of four spent on a one-day trip to Disneyland Paris.
Pre-trip Spending
Transport: We traveled by car from south London to Serris. The outward Eurotunnel ticket, booked several months before, was £86. It was approximately half a tank of petrol, costing around £30. Note that the return Eurotunnel booking (which we didn’t use for another two weeks) was £93, along with fuel and toll road costs. These costs have not been included in the totals here.
Accommodation: £210.46 for two nights in a one-bedroom apartment through Airbnb.
Tickets to Disneyland: £223 for one-day one-park tickets for two adults and two children (purchased through Picniq). These tickets specified the date of entry and were non-flexible.
Food for the journey: £13.55 for snack bars, fruit, sandwiches, crisps, mints, and gum. In an attempt to be organized for the evening meal, we also included fresh pasta and sauce.
Total: £563.01
On the Ground
Wednesday
Total: €54.94
We used one toll road en route, which cost €22.50. Upon arrival at the apartment, we promptly decided that our dinner plan was a bit weak, so we went to buy additional supplies for dinner and a quick breakfast for the morning. The groceries (bacon, onion, butter, baguette, two beers, four croissants, juice) from a supermarket chain cost €10.13.
After a swim and dinner, we strolled out into Serris, which has several fountains and jets of water, perfect for cooling down on a 40°C day. My son promptly interpreted the instruction “don’t go in that fountain” as “jump in and get soaked thoroughly”. We stopped for drinks (lemonade, apple juice, crémant, and a beer at €20.37) in place de Toscane to allow him some drying time. Once we were ready to move on through the thick hot air, we grabbed a box of four ice creams from the supermarket (€1.94).
Thursday
Total: €174.84
The big day I had been planning had finally arrived, and the best bit – it was a surprise for the kids! We casually asked if they’d prefer to tour Paris for the day “as we’d planned” or go to Disneyland, and of course, they chose the latter. Both kids got ready to go in record time.
The free shuttle bus service provided by our apartment took us straight to the park, so there was no charge for transport. Armed with our tickets, we headed straight through the gates. We made good use of Fastpass, which is included as part of every ticket, allowing us to avoid lengthy queues by returning at an allocated time. This was an absolute blessing in the extreme heat! We spent the morning enjoying rides including It’s a Small World (magical!), Peter Pan’s Flight, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, and Pirates of the Caribbean (which was a little too dark and threatening for my littlest one).
We had a cool bag with us, including a couple of sandwiches, some snacks, and plenty of water in refillable bottles (there are water fountains around the park), so our food/drink spending was fairly low. We bought four Kinder Bueno ice creams from a stall near Main St (€15.26) before heading to the spectacular Lion King stage show.
For our main meal, we left the park and headed for Rainforest Cafe in Disney Village. The restaurant has a rainforest theme, featuring animatronic animals and the occasional thunderstorm. Here, we spent €106 on a meal for four, plus a tip of 10% (€116.60). This included six drinks, chicken nuggets and chips, a large burger, a mixed platter, and two ice cream sundaes.
We returned to the park for a few more rides but found ourselves spending most of our time under the hoses spraying water instead. Due to the heat, all outdoor shows and the main parade were canceled, and no characters were seen in the park that day. Consequently, we spent much time exploring the shops and kiosks, which had excellent air-conditioning!
How could we possibly let the kids visit Disneyland without letting them buy a souvenir? With a budget of €20 each, they chose a set of Lion King figures and a cuddly Stitch toy (from Lilo & Stitch). Together, these went slightly over their budget, costing €42.98.
We were beat after an exhausting day on the move, so we started the journey home. There was no sign of the free shuttle bus, so it was time for an Uber (€7.07) back to the apartment, where we jumped in the pool.
The Final Tally
Overall spend: £563.01 (pre-trip) and €229.78 on location
Note: As mentioned, this does not include the return transport costs to London, as they were part of a longer onward journey.
Article first published in August 2019, and last updated in February 2020.
