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Disney Paris Parking Lot Review
Last Updated on October 22, 2023 by Themepark Freak
Why a Disney Paris parking lot review? Why not? Personally, I don’t think a lot of people realize how long of a walk it is from the parking lot (especially if you don’t get up front) to just the Disneyland Paris security station. Especially if the moving walk ways the park provides are out of service.
Who Was With Me on This Trip?
Since creating Themepark Freak, I have been to Disneyland Paris twice. This section will detail the date(s) and whom I was with each trip to the parks.
October 11 to October 13 (2023)
For my October 11th trip, I went to the parks solo. I accessed the park twice for Magic Hours so parked between 7:50 and 8:15 in the morning.
Parking in the Disneyland Paris Parking Lot
Bringing your own car and parking in the Disneyland Paris parking lot is really easy. Below is my honest review of what it’s like to drive and park at the Disneyland Paris parking lot.
The Disneyland Paris Toll Plaza
When you reach the toll plaza in your vehicle, pick a lane that has a green arrow. Avoid the lanes that have the red X’s as they aren’t open.
Disney Paris Toll Plaza October 2023
For my return trip in October, there was a big change. There are no longer people in the toll booths. Instead, poles that look like something you’d use to try to ring someone at a gate had been installed.
On each pole there was an area where you could scan your magic pass (you have to physically rub it on the area labeled passes or employees) or pay by credit card. There is no longer the option to pay by cash.
In the morning rush hour, there were several toll booths open and the line moved quickly. Since I was staying at a Disney property, I only had to scan my magic pass.
Toll Plaza Tip: you know you’re going to have to pay or scan a pass. Have your payment or pass ready so you don’t hold up your line.
Parking Your Car After Paying
After you pay, follow the road to the actual parking lot. The following is a recap of what it was like to actually park my car each time I’ve been to Disney.
Parking at the End of February 2023
The parking lot was fairly crowded for a Monday (school holidays) when we arrived at 10:45. So we had to park in Bambi 13 (i.e. B13), about mid row. In the grand scheme of things, this could have been worse. Disneyland Paris’s parking lot has over 44 rows.
Looking from the screen shot, it doesn’t look like a huge distance from the car to the side walk. However, that’s 100 meters (338 ft) from car to sidewalk.
Parking Mid October 2023
This trip, I utilized the magic hours perk that came from my stay at Davey Crockett Ranch. This allowed me to get into the parks an hour earlier than those who didn’t get magic hours.
So on October 11th, I got to the parking lot at around 7:40. I was able to park right up in A8 which was as close as I could get. On the 12th I got to the parks at 9:30 and ended up in B13 and on the 12th I got there at 8:30 and ended up at A10.
Parking Spots are Tight
If you’re coming from America, you’re going to be in for a shock. Even by Dutch standards, the space between cars was pretty tight.
The first day at the parks back in February, I parked with empty spots on either side of me. When we got back to my car, the spots were filled. It was so tight I had to shimmy into my car and pull up to let my MIL an nephew into the car. If they tried to get in where I was parked, they’d have been denting the cars next to us.
In fact, speaking of denting, if you care about your car either park way out in in the B or C parking lot or find alternative transportation to the parks. People really don’t take care with other people’s things and bang their doors into other cars. And of course eager children throw the door open only to hit the car next to them. When I got home from my trip, I found a huge ding on the passenger side courtesy of some other guest or their children.
When I visited again in October, I felt the current guests were being slightly more respectful of each other’s cars. It was still tight but I actually saw a mother stopping her child from flinging open the door.
The Long Walk to the Parks
Disneyland Paris visitors are expected to walk from their cars to the parks. Unlike the big parks in the USA, there aren’t any carts taking people from their row to the front of the park.
Without being an European disabled parking pass holder, the nearest spot you can possibly park is 600 meters (0.37 miles) to Disneyland Paris security.
Not counting the walk from the car to the sidewalk, row B13 put us 700 meters (0.4 miles) from security.
Be aware from the security check point, you’re still going to be roughly 178 meters (584 ft) from the entrance to the Disneyland Park and 126 meters (412 ft) from Walt Disney Studios.
What About the Moving Walkways
Once you’re ready to head to the parks, you’ll walk to your right (if you’re facing the parks) to get to a covered walkway. There are moving walkways, but unlike 2015 when they were all working, they currently are not. Below is the current state(s) of the moving walkways.
Toilets Between the Parking Lot and Security
For those who forgot to use the bathroom before setting off to the parks, there is a toilet stationed between the Disneyland Paris parking lot and security.
I had to use this restroom when I made my second trip to the parks on Wednesday March 1st. There are a lot of stalls and everything was clean, stocked and working. In fact, as I entered there was an employee leaving who had just been cleaning.
Summing Up the Disneyland Paris Parking Lot
Overall, parking in the Disneyland Paris parking lot with your own vehicle is incredibly easy. Expensive if you’re not staying at a Disney property or have an annual pass with parking privileges, but easy. There’s also plenty of room for everyone to park.
However, I’d say on a mobility standpoint, the parking lot situation is disappointing. Not everyone is able bodied (meaning physically fit) nor is anyone at an age that 700 meters or more is nothing. While walking this distance is nothing to me today, there was a time I’d have been done before even getting to the parks.
At the end of the second day when my MIL decided to rent a wheelchair because she couldn’t walk another step, she HAD to walk to the parking lot. There was nowhere I could easily drive to pick her up closer to the entrance of the parks. Sure, I could have gone to the taxi or bus pickup by the train station, but that was still going to be a good 10 minute drive or more.
To put it nicely, if everyone in your party is healthy and can walk thousands upon thousands of steps without issue, there’s no problem. However, if you have an older person or someone with mobility issues in your party, you will need to plan ahead to try to make the trip from the parking lot to the parks a little more pleasant. Don’t count on those moving walkways to be working on your trip!
The Disneyland Paris Parking Lot Scores
Here are my scores for the Disneyland Paris parking lot:
| Area to Rate | 1-10 Score | Notes |
| Cost vs. Value | 3/10 | 30 euro a day is expensive and not all of the amenities (i.e. the moving walkway) are working. |
| Ease of finding the parking lot | 10/10 | Disney has put signs everywhere. You’re not going to miss it. |
| Toll Booths | 10/10 | Fast and easy to get through. |
| Staff Friendliness | 10/10 | Everyone had a smile I interacted with in true Disney fashion. |
| Finding a parking spot | 10/10 | There are plenty, even for the peak summer or holiday periods. Over 44 rows! |
| Distance from parking lot to park | 5/10 | The distance is almost a full kilometer or 0.6 miles. |
| Mobility aids to the park | 0/10 | The moving walkways were all broken and there’s no way to rent a wheel chair until you’re in a park. AND you can’t take the wheel chair out of the park to the parking lot. |
| Toilets | 10/10 | There’s bathrooms at the half way point and they were spotless. |
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