Hello, first time ever going to Disneyland Paris this late June and wanted to see if there normally any events that coincide with the date I’m going. Also wanted to see if there are any rare characters that you can’t normally meet at the US parks. Thanks in advance!
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Events/Characters questions
- Thread starter Robertingles
- Start date
Jordan dby
Active Member
Ok so I'm far from an expert compared to some on here but can probably help you out;
Firstly queues for characters in disneyland paris are enormous. Partly because you spend more time with them, have a full interaction etc and partly because Europeans love characters (and there are less rides to do). Mandalorian (3 hours+), jasmine (2 hours +), a single random princess is usually 2.5+ hours, vs california where meeting all 4 is usually 15 min or so. Anna and elsa never do Paris because the whole thing would become a farce.
That said, I have had brilliant unscheduled interactions with Jack Sparrow and Mary Poppins when they were roaming unannounced. Also, character dining is expensive but nowhere near the levels of either US park, and with a meal plan is good value IMO. If you stay in a disney hotel onside (again, more reasonable prices than US parks) you'll also get a character each morning.
And if you really want to do it in the park and don't mind queuing, then stitch, winnie, alice & friends, goofy/max, woody/Jessie and the main 5 seem to be the ones that paris love to shove out there.
Firstly queues for characters in disneyland paris are enormous. Partly because you spend more time with them, have a full interaction etc and partly because Europeans love characters (and there are less rides to do). Mandalorian (3 hours+), jasmine (2 hours +), a single random princess is usually 2.5+ hours, vs california where meeting all 4 is usually 15 min or so. Anna and elsa never do Paris because the whole thing would become a farce.
That said, I have had brilliant unscheduled interactions with Jack Sparrow and Mary Poppins when they were roaming unannounced. Also, character dining is expensive but nowhere near the levels of either US park, and with a meal plan is good value IMO. If you stay in a disney hotel onside (again, more reasonable prices than US parks) you'll also get a character each morning.
And if you really want to do it in the park and don't mind queuing, then stitch, winnie, alice & friends, goofy/max, woody/Jessie and the main 5 seem to be the ones that paris love to shove out there.
Jordan dby
Active Member
The other part of your question - there will be a symphony of colour parade show in the main park. The last 2 (dream and shine brighter and jungle fever) were great. Paris is good for shows.
Kevin_W
Well-Known Member
I don't know of any special events over the summer. For characters, we've seen Bert and the Penguins out as well as the Mad Hatter - those are rare in the US. Avengers Campus has an indoor M&G area where we met Spiderman (I don't recall who else was available) and we met the Wasp outside.
cjkeating
Well-Known Member
I hope this doesn't sound stupid but download the Disneyland Paris app and you will see a list of all the character available. You can see times each day but remember they are on Paris time and disappear once the set time has started. There are 'surprise' meet and greets around the park but unless you have insider knowledge it's more a matter of luck or guess work.
I've never waited more than 60 minutes for a character in Paris but the strategy I use is never join a queue once the set time has started. For example is X character is meeting 1000-1400 line up at 0930 so you are one of the first in line.
Regarding entertainment as others have said the seasonal entertainment will be the new Symphony of Colours show in the hub and then the drone show before Dreams. Also the Alice in Wonderland show in the stunt show arena is expected to have started by June.
Also don't forget DLP has lots of world class theme park shows... Mickey and the Magician, Rhythms of the Prideland are better than any similar show in the US in my opinion. Also Dream Factory is a fan favourite at DLP even though it is Disney Junior, don't let that put you off it's a proper show with a great storyline. If anyone in your group like Frozen the Frozen Celebration is worth it but due to the low capacity it does take some queueing to get in, it is also a small scale experience compared to every other show.
I've never waited more than 60 minutes for a character in Paris but the strategy I use is never join a queue once the set time has started. For example is X character is meeting 1000-1400 line up at 0930 so you are one of the first in line.
Regarding entertainment as others have said the seasonal entertainment will be the new Symphony of Colours show in the hub and then the drone show before Dreams. Also the Alice in Wonderland show in the stunt show arena is expected to have started by June.
Also don't forget DLP has lots of world class theme park shows... Mickey and the Magician, Rhythms of the Prideland are better than any similar show in the US in my opinion. Also Dream Factory is a fan favourite at DLP even though it is Disney Junior, don't let that put you off it's a proper show with a great storyline. If anyone in your group like Frozen the Frozen Celebration is worth it but due to the low capacity it does take some queueing to get in, it is also a small scale experience compared to every other show.
MarvelCharacterNerd
Well-Known Member
Mad Hatter and Bert are regulars at Disneyland, but the penguins are rare surprise visitors - I generally see them out maybe once or twice a year in Anaheim.
Avengers Campus in Paris has the same characters as DCA but the indoor M&G area has special photo ops with the characters there (I believe it's usually Spider-Man, Iron Man, and maybe Captain Marvel?).
For the most part, Paris has mostly the same characters as the US Parks (all of the ones mentioned above can be found at DLR). Special ones that still show up in Paris may be the Aristocats and Edgar, though generally those are for events I believe.
Kevin_W
Well-Known Member
When my daughter was younger Marie was everywhere in WDW. But I think she's pretty rare now.
MarvelCharacterNerd
Well-Known Member
Yes, I remember catching Marie at WDW about a decade ago. And once in a very rare while at DLR. But Aristocats, appropriately, I think are seen more at this point at Paris than elsewhere. And I don't recall Edgar being in the U.S. in modern memory unless it was some obscure party night, so seeing them would count as rare characters at this point.
Thank you all for the replies didn’t know there was an Alice in wonderland show and will definitely go that as well as doing the character breakfast. Seems like I’ll focus on more the shows then I would the characters since most seem the same.
If you are staying onsite, when booking you can also add a lunchtime reservation as an extra to dine at the Royal Banquet (formerly Inventions) which is going to be buffet again with Mickey & Friends in royal costumes
(Its expensive at 100 euro though but likely calmer than Plaza Garden, which the couple of times I've done it, I found Breakfast a chaotic and not a lot of cool character interactions vs what Inventions was)The indoor Avengers Campus M&G has the Option of Spider-Man and what for me has usually been Shuri Black Panther on visits in March and December last year but is supposed to be random. Then Ant-Man/Wasp usually rotate over at the outside one by Pyms and you will get the other Avengers randomly walking around (along with the Guardians dance party but Avengers Campus does vary by season and what Marvel are promoting).
Pre-Covid especially in the warmer months, the BBQ cookout area used to be a good place to randomly meet Characters (supposedly their friends were training
).Walt Disney Animation Celebration sometimes has the latest WDAS/Pixar movie character to promote it for a bit around releases.
Likely won't have room this summer but Lightning McQueen sometimes drives through the WDSP parade route during busier times too.
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stitchangel
Member
As a Disneyland Paris pass holder, here is a list of character you can meet practically everyday or often enough to be mention worthy:
Mickey/ Minnie/ Goofy/ Donald/ Daisy/ Pluto/ Chip and Dale/ Max
Jafar/ Genie
Aladdin
Timon/ Rafiki
Winnie/ Piglet/ Eeyore/ rabbit/ Tiger
Darth Vader/ The Mandalorian
Pinocchio/ Gepetto
Alice/ Hatter
Queen of hearts/ Tweedle dee and tweedle dum/ White rabbit
Hook/ Smee
Peter Pan and Wendy
Clarabelle and Clarisse
stitch
Woody
Jessie
Green soldiers
Baloo/ King Louie
Mary Poppins/ Bert/ Penguins
Jack Sparrow
Princesses (except Moana/ Pocahontas)
Scrooge was here all summer in Frontierland last season so he might come back?
Here is what you can usually expect regarding character meet and greets. Take into consideration that the list may evolve as for instance the Mandalorian just arrived last week by surprise and is meant to stay until September according to sources, hence you might be able to meet rarer characters but you would have to be extremely lucky or new meet and greet might be announced by then.
Mickey/ Minnie/ Goofy/ Donald/ Daisy/ Pluto/ Chip and Dale/ Max
Jafar/ Genie
Aladdin
Timon/ Rafiki
Winnie/ Piglet/ Eeyore/ rabbit/ Tiger
Darth Vader/ The Mandalorian
Pinocchio/ Gepetto
Alice/ Hatter
Queen of hearts/ Tweedle dee and tweedle dum/ White rabbit
Hook/ Smee
Peter Pan and Wendy
Clarabelle and Clarisse
stitch
Woody
Jessie
Green soldiers
Baloo/ King Louie
Mary Poppins/ Bert/ Penguins
Jack Sparrow
Princesses (except Moana/ Pocahontas)
Scrooge was here all summer in Frontierland last season so he might come back?
Here is what you can usually expect regarding character meet and greets. Take into consideration that the list may evolve as for instance the Mandalorian just arrived last week by surprise and is meant to stay until September according to sources, hence you might be able to meet rarer characters but you would have to be extremely lucky or new meet and greet might be announced by then.
MarvelCharacterNerd
Well-Known Member
Since OP asked difference between who could be found in the US vs. Paris, I noted on the above great list.
DLR has even more regulars from Gaston and Evil Queen, Mirabel and Miguel, and still fairly new Pete in ToonTown at DL to all the Marvel characters at Avengers Campus (a few more than those at the Paris Campus). And WDW may have more yet, but I'm more familiar with DLR. I appreciate the list the only new ones from that list for me would be Clarisse and Wendy so will do that. I seen a bunch of photos recently of prince Adam is that normal?
Probs from the DLH opening!! Him, the other princes and the princesses (with exclusive dresses to DLH) are at La Table de Lumière and a couple of other random spots around the hotel (I believe that restaurant is for DLH guests only at the moment. You can get in if you have a Royal Banquet booking, which you can book for lunch if staying at the other hotels, Royal Banquet is Mickey and Friends in Royal Garb)