Disneyland Paris: the magic, the walking and the Priority Card

My 11-year-old daughter was grinning at the camera, flashing peace signs. I was gripping the armrests and trying to convince myself I wasn't about to have a heart attack.

We were on the Tower of Terror. For my daughter, it was brilliant. For me, the elevator drop from the top of the hotel was a case of once being more than enough.

Teenage me would have loved every second. Mid-forties me? Not so much.

It was all part of a magical trip to Disneyland Paris, where my dad and his wife treated all the grandchildren to a holiday of a lifetime. I'd wanted to go ever since I was a teenager.

The park opened when I was 12, and back then a trip to Euro Disney felt like a real luxury. I loved theme parks and rollercoasters and envied anyone who got to go.

At last, I was there, experiencing the magic with my own children.

What impressed me most was the support available for visitors with disabilities. Two people in our group were eligible for access passes.

As an amputee, I was given a physical Priority Card with a purple stamp, and having it made a huge difference to how much we could do and to our overall experience.

The Priority Card made a real difference

We were staying at a Disneyland Paris hotel, so I collected my Priority Card when we checked in, alongside our park tickets.

I had to show evidence of my disability and ID. If you're planning a trip, Disneyland Paris has information about its access arrangements on its accessibility page. Policies can change, so it's worth checking the latest details before you travel.

Exploring the parks on foot is no small feat, and we were walking all day on hard ground. My hips certainly felt it. As much as I loved the rides, getting between them was tiring.

On most rides, we were directed through an exit or a separate access point. It felt a bit like back door VIP treatment. We certainly felt very cool!

More practically, it meant less standing around. I could use my Priority Card with other people in our group, up to five of us could go on a ride together.

There was one small catch. I was the only adult in our group with a physical Priority Card, so I had to take one for the team and try all the scary rides, once and sometimes twice. A terrible burden, obviously.

I was surprised by how quickly the rollercoasters started to make me feel queasy. Big Thunder Mountain was the exception. It was outdoors, set on an island in the middle of a small lake, and wound through a canyon. It felt as if we were in a Western film.

It became our favourite, and we called ourselves the 'Big Thunder Crew'.

We rode it seven times, including three times in a row on our last evening. It felt great knowing we could all enjoy the rides together and I didn't have to go on my own.

The most magical part of the holiday was spending it with my family.

Plan around the walking

Disneyland Paris has two parks: Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World. I found Disneyland Park much more spread out, with a lot more walking between attractions. If you're planning to visit both, I'd allow more time for Disneyland Park.

It's easy to underestimate the distances involved. A Priority Card can help with waiting, but it doesn't shorten the walk to the next ride.

If long distances or standing are difficult for you, it may help to choose a few must-do attractions, take proper breaks and think about whether a wheelchair would make the day more comfortable. 

You could also allow an extra day rather than trying to fit everything into a tight schedule.

The Disneyland Paris app helped us check wait times and find our way around. I found it useful to plan our next stop while sitting down for a rest, rather than zigzagging across the park.

If you want time to explore and enjoy the atmosphere as well as the rides, I'd recommend allowing at least a full day for each park.

Food and little comforts

I found the food a bit hit and miss, and very expensive for what it was. The burger and fries I had cost around €20 and, honestly, weren't much different from McDonald's.

If you prefer healthier food or have particular dietary needs, it's worth thinking ahead about what will work for you.

However, another great perk was being able to use my Priority Card at restaurant and shop checkouts. The queues could get really long, so this helped us spend less time waiting around when we were getting food.

A different system in the US

While queuing for Big Thunder Mountain (of course!), I got talking to a parent whose child had autism. They told me they'd been keen to visit Disney's US parks but were concerned about how difficult accessing disability support might be.

That conversation stayed with me, so I looked into what support would be available to me as an amputee. I was surprised to discover that, unlike Paris, the US parks don't offer the same Priority Card system.

Disney's Disability Access Service (DAS) is primarily intended for guests with developmental disabilities, such as autism, who cannot tolerate conventional queues.

Applying involves an eligibility conversation with a Disney Cast Member, including a live video assessment at Walt Disney World. 

Guests with physical disabilities, including amputees and wheelchair users, may be offered other arrangements, such as accessible queues or alternative ways of waiting, but these don't necessarily reduce the overall waiting time.

I was shocked to discover how different accessibility arrangements are between Disney parks worldwide. Surely disabled visitors should be able to expect the same level of accessibility and support, wherever they go?

The Priority Card worked brilliantly for us in Paris, and I'd love to see the other Disney parks learn from that experience and make accessing support just as straightforward.

You can find out more about accessibility at Walt Disney World.

We’d love to hear from you

The Priority Card didn't make the walking disappear, and it didn't stop me feeling scared for my life on the Tower of Terror. But it gave me more energy for the rides, my family and the fun of being there.

I'd waited a long time to visit Disneyland Paris. Getting there with my family and being able to enjoy so much of it together made it special in a way I hadn't quite expected.

Have you visited a theme park anywhere in the world? What access arrangements were available, and what made your visit easier?

We'd love to hear from you in the comments, including what other parks are doing well and where there's still room to improve.