Disneyland Park vs Walt Disney Studios – Which is Best?
There are two theme parks at Disneyland Paris:
- Disneyland Park
- Walt Disney Studios
Depending on your budget and the time you have at Disneyland Paris, you may only want to visit one of these theme parks.
So, what’s the difference between the two theme parks? And which one should you choose?
In short, Disneyland is the classic Disney theme park. It features the iconic castle, parades and the opportunity to meet Disney Princesses. On the other hand, Walt Disney Studios is a modern-day Disney theme park. Here, you’ll find rides and attractions dedicated to Marvel and Pixar.
There are currently 55 rides and attractions across both Disneyland Paris theme parks. However, 42 are inside Disneyland, and just 13 are inside Walt Disney Studios. As a result, Disneyland offers better value for money when it comes to rides and attractions.
As a Disneyland Pass holder, I have visited Disneyland Paris several times over the last decade. I’ve visited the park solo, as a couple and with kids. As such, I know to help you decide which Disneyland Paris theme park is right for you.
Difference Between Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios?
Before you decide which theme park to visit at Disneyland Paris, you should first understand the differences between the two.
Disneyland Park
The Disneyland Park is the ‘main park’ at Disneyland Paris. It is the only park where you’ll see the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle and is filled with nostalgia and classic Disney experiences.
Disneyland’s primary focus is on family-friendly rides, parades and shows. In fact, many of the rides at Disneyland have been in operation since the theme park opened more than 30 years ago.
There are 55 attractions across the two theme parks at Disneyland Paris. 42 of which are inside the Disneyland theme park. These rides and attractions include:
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- “it’s a small world.”
- Adventure Isle
- Alice’s Curious Labyrinth
- Autopia, presented by Avis
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains®
- Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
- Casey Jr. – le Petit Train du Cirque
- Central Plaza
- Discovery Arcade
- Disneyland Railroad
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Frontierland Playground
- Horse-Drawn Streetcars
- Indiana Jones™ and the Temple of Peril
- La Cabane des Robinson
- La Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant
- La Tanière du Dragon
- Le Pays des Contes de Fées
- Les Mystères du Nautilus
- Les Voyages de Pinocchio
- Liberty Arcade
- Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups
- Main Street Vehicles
- Meet Mickey Mouse
- Monkey Puzzle Tree / Araucaria araucana
- Orbitron®
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Phantom Manor
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Pirates’ Beach
- Princess Pavilion
- Rustler Roundup Shootin’ Gallery
- Sleeping Beauty Castle
- Star Tours: The Adventures Continue*
- Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain
- Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing
- Welcome to Starport: A Star Wars Encounter
- Le Carrousel de Lancelot
- Le Passage Enchanté d’Aladdin
- Pirate Galleon
Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Studios theme park opened in 2002 and focuses more on modern-day Disney films. This theme park is smaller than Disneyland Park and has no parades.
The major themes of the Walt Disney Studios theme park are Pixar and Marvel. So expect to see rides and attract actions dedicated to Monsters Inc., Toy Story and Cars.
There are 55 rides and attractions across the two theme parks at Disneyland Paris. However, only 13 are inside Walt Disney Studios. They are:
- Animation Academy
- Avengers Assemble: Flight Force
- Cars Quatre Roues Rallye
- Cars ROAD TRIP
- Crush’s Coaster
- Disney Studio 1
- RC Racer
- Ratatouille: The Adventure
- Slinky® Dog Zigzag Spin
- Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop
- Les Tapis Volants – Flying Carpets Over Agrabah®
Disneyland Park Best For:
Based on the themes, rides and attractions, Disneyland Park is best for:
- Young children: 37 of the 42 rides inside Disneyland have no height requirement.
- Star Wars fans: You will only find a dedicated Star Wars store and Star Wars ride at Disneyland.
- Fans of Princesses: You can only meet Disney Princesses inside Disneyland.
- Nostalgic Disney fans: Most attractions at Disneyland are based on classic Disney films.
Walt Disney Studios Best For:
Based on the themes, rides and attractions, Walt Disney Studios is best for:
- Toy Story fans: There is a large, immersive Toy Story area inside the Walt Disney Studios theme park.
- Marvel fans: A Marvel area with rides and character interactions recently opened at Walt Disney Studios.
- Pixar Fans: There are several Pixar-themed rides. These include Ratatouille, Cars ROAD TRIP and Crush’s Coaster.
- Tweens & Teens: Many of the rides inside Walt Disney Studios are more mature and have a higher ‘thrill level’.
Visiting Both Disneyland Paris Theme Parks
Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios are very different. As such, if you can visit both Disneyland Paris theme parks, I’d recommend doing so.
You can visit Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios in one day using a park-to-park theme park ticket. However, a few days at Disneyland Paris will give you time to leisurely explore each park in depth.