5 Day Paris Itinerary Including Disneyland Paris

Paris is one of the most famous destinations in the world but one of the main reasons we wanted to visit was to spend time at Disneyland Paris. Of course we couldn’t miss out on spending time exploring Paris which led us to creating this itinerary for 5 days in Paris that includes time staying at Disneyland Paris and time spend staying in Paris.

We knew when planning our family trip to Paris with a family of five we would have to do a lot of research. From where to stay in Paris with a family to what activities to do in Paris, there were a lot of decisions to make. Plus we wanted to include time at Disneyland Paris in our itinerary.

For us we knew we didn’t want to rush the Disneyland Paris part of our trip and we also wanted a few unstructured days exploring Paris. It was a really busy trip and we ended up staying 3 nights at Disneyland and 2 nights in Paris. Our hotels at both locations and the Paris itinerary was perfect for our family.

Planning a Bigger Europe Trip? If Paris is just one stop on your family adventure, check out my complete Europe Itinerary for help planning a trip that includes Paris, London, Iceland, and Disneyland Paris!

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Itinerary for 5 Days in Paris – My Experience

Paris is a huge city with so much to see and do. You can’t really do it all on one visit. I suggest brainstorming and researching all the things to do in Paris with a family. Make a list. Have everyone you are traveling with also do this.

Then bring your lists together and start narrowing down the things you want to do. What is a priority for your family? We spent 3 nights in Disneyland because we love visiting the Disney parks. If that is not for you, a day trip to Disneyland or skipping it all together might be a better option.

One thing we really wanted to do was watch the Eiffel Tower at dusk when it twinkles. I know a lot of people like to visit the Louvre Museum or go to the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower but for us we wanted to keep this part of our trip more relax.

Our itinerary for Paris was more about walking around and exploring things at our own pace. It was the least planned part of our 12 days in Europe trip and we ended up filling our day with a few surprising stops that we still talk about.

Paris Itinerary for 5 Days Quick Look

This is a quick overview of our Paris itinerary. We were traveling from London to Paris on our travel day via the Eurostar.

• Day 1: Travel day from London to Disneyland Paris
• Day 2: Disneyland Paris
• Day 3: Disneyland Paris
• Day 4: Disneyland Paris to Paris
• Day 5: Paris Day Tour
• Day 6: Travel Home

Preparing for Your Trip to Paris

Flight to Paris from United States & Passport Information

For this trip we traveled by Eurostar train from London to Paris. On our return flight home we flew IcelandAir and had a layover in Iceland. Passports are needed to visit Paris, France. Always check the latest travel rules and safety information before you plan your trip.

Getting Around Paris

As an American visiting Paris I was very worried about getting around. I usually have a car to get me everywhere, but I knew I would have to rely on public transportation during this trip. We used the Metro and walked for our trip. The Metro was very easy to understand and follow. We could always find someone to help us too if we got stuck.

Communication & Money

Although everyone speaks French we didn’t have many issues communicating in English. Most of the people were kind and helpful to us, but don’t expect English to be everywhere. I recommend downloading a translator app to help communicate when needed.

France official currency is the Euro. We used cash a few times on the streets and markets, you may want to exchange this at your bank before you arrive. Most of our purchased were used with our credit card.

You do have to be aware that pick pockets is common in the city. Keep your valuables close to you. Always zipped and in front of you. Don’t have your phone out in crowded places or leave on café tables.

I have heard many people have a phone stolen as they say at an outside café. Talk to older kids about how to stay safe and be aware of your surroundings. I used a crossbody bag that stayed in front of me at all times when we were walking.

Paris is like most busy cities in that if you look vulnerable you could be targeted. Stay aware and keep valuables safe. Overall we felt safe and had a really great time in Paris!

Using a Cell Phone

Use an Esim card to have Wifi wherever you go. We used Nomad and felt it was a good choice for the price. Having WIFI while traveling made it easier to use google maps to walk around and explore without getting lost. It also allowed us to map out the Metro stations stops we needed to get to different locations throughout the city.

Weather in Paris

During our visit in July the temperatures reached 90 (F) on most days. It was hot and humid which I don’t believe is typical. Paris weather compares to the Northwest USA with mild temps and overcast. Expect a chance of rain at any time of the year.

Cost of a Trip to Paris

Below I listed the 4 major areas of vacation costs for visiting Paris. The cost of everything is going up and that includes travel. It would be impossible for me to keep up with the changes in cost but this will give you a general idea to plan your budget.

Transportation cost should include all the different ways you plan to get around the city as well as trains and flights. The hidden costs of getting around once you are on your trip can add up.

Attraction costs can be a big portion of your traveling budget, especially as a family with teens where everyone pays adult prices. Disneyland Paris was the largest part of our budget and we balanced that with self-guided walking during our days in the city.

Everyone will have their own priorities and ways to budget. My best tip is to be realistic on what you want to spend. Figure out what costs are fixed and what are flexible. From there you can decide what is worth a splurge and what is worth saving on.

These prices are estimates based on what we spent during our Paris trip. Your costs may be more or less depending on many factors. This does not include our flight or food.

• Transportation Costs: $342.29 (Eurostar for family of 5)
• Accommodation Cost: $1054.08 (2 Nights at the Grand Hotel Leveque)
• Disneyland Paris: $3068.76 (Tickets and Hotel)
• Total Paris Cost: $4465.13

Where to Stay on a Family Trip to Paris

We stayed at the Grand Hotel Leveque hotel in Paris. It is a boutique hotel and we really loved the space. It is within walking distance to the Eiffel Tower and located along a cobblestone street with bakeries and food markets. There is also an Aldi grocery store nearby.

The location was perfect for us. It was also close to a Metro station making it easy to get to most places in Paris. When booking accommodations in Paris for a family of five be sure to check that it accommodates larger families. We booked connecting rooms at the hotel and it fit us well.

Another thing to consider is Air Conditioning. A/C is not standard in European hotels. During our July visit the temperatures were in the 90s and we were very happy the Grand Hotel Leveque had A/C in the rooms.

During our time at Disneyland Paris we stayed on property at the Newport Bay Hotel. It was within walking distance from the train station as well as the Disneyland Paris Parks.

5 Day Paris Itinerary

I find it helpful to have details when planning at trip. Below you will find our detailed Paris Itinerary to help you plan your trip.

Day 1: Arrive to France via the Eurostar

We took the Eurostar from London to central Paris. This is a great way to get between the countries and I was really impressed with how easy it was to travel. I purchased tickets ahead of time and you will go through customs much like air travel.

Our final destination was Disneyland Paris but the Eurostar no longer goes directly to Disneyland, so we had to transfer a few trains once arriving in Paris. The journey from Paris to Disneyland was the most difficult part of our entire 12 day trip. You have to purchase tickets at the kiosks to Disneyland.

While this is kind of straight forward, we found it to be confusing. The first train is RER B or D then you transfer to the RER A. This was also a very busy time at the train station and it made our first day in France a bit stressful.

Thankfully we were able to figure it out. We didn’t get on the wrong train and we eventually arrived at the entrance to Disneyland Paris. There were moments where it was kind of scary because we had all of our luggage, had no idea where we were going, and it was crowded.

At one point a passenger was pushed down the stairs on the train because people were trying to get in. I was informed by a local that it is not typically this busy but keep that in mind when planning your visit. You may want to consider a car transfer if the price is in your budget.

I suggest watching a few videos about getting to Disneyland from Paris on Youtube to familiarize yourself with how it works.

Once we arrived we made the 15 minute walk to check-in to our hotel Disney’s Newport Bay Club. We had booked a package that included 3 nights at the resort and 4 day park tickets. Once we were settled we headed over to Walt Disney Studios for a few hours before the park closed.

It was around 6:00pm when we finally made it to the park. We decided to have dinner at Five Guys in Disney Village, similar to Disney Springs, and then walked back to our room to prepare for our park days.

Day 2 & 3: Disneyland Paris

There are two parks at Disneyland Paris. Disneyland Park and Disney Adventure World (formerly Walt Disney Studios Park). We spent one day at each park.

Our first park day was at Disneyland Park. We arrived an hour before park open because on-site hotel guests have early entry. Big Thunder Mountain was our first ride and we had the best time on it. Don’t miss it!! Then we prioritized the rides that we don’t have at Disneyland (California) and Walt Disney World (Florida).

Disneyland Paris is one of the most beautiful Disney parks in the world and should be enjoyed at a much slower pace than the parks in the states. Rope drop is less hectic and everything is much more relaxed. This was an adjustment for me because I am used to moving quickly thorough the parks.

Our second day was Disney Adventure Park which at the time was still Walt Disney Studios Park. We started early with Crush’s Coaster. We took a mid-day break and ended the night at Disneyland Park for the Disney D-Light Show. This show uses drones and it was awesome!

Disney Adventure Park has since added a Frozen land and is also in the process of building a new Lion King attraction. It has improved a lot since our visit and I am excited to go back to experience the new attractions.

Read our full guide-> Planning Disneyland Paris: A Complete Guide for First-Time Visitors

Day 4: Disneyland to Paris

We slept in for the morning and then went back into Disneyland Park for a bit before lunch. The park wasn’t very busy and we took the opportunity to meet Daisy. We couldn’t check-in to our Paris hotel until late afternoon and we didn’t want to arrive in the city with all our luggage and nowhere to go.

The train back to the city was much better than the way in. It wasn’t crowded and we found it easier to figure out. We arrived at our hotel around 4:00pm and after relaxing for an hour or so decided to walk to the Eiffel Tower.

We didn’t have plans to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower but we did plan on going to see it. Our hotel was along a street with many shops and bakeries so we grabbed a few baguettes and started walking.

Paris was really fun for us because we enjoyed just walking around and taking it all in. I think with older children it is nice to not be as structured and see what you discover. After lots of photos in front of the Eiffel tower we walked back to our hotel. We stopped at a few markets and purchased a rotisserie chicken, fruit, and more baguettes.

Our hotel was also very close to an Aldi grocery store. We stopped here to get some drinks and snacks for our room. After dinner in our room we walked back out for some ice cream and a walk. It was a great first evening in Paris.

Day 5: Full Day in Paris

For our full day in Paris we planned on taking a self-guided walking tour much like the one we planned in London. Our visit was in July and I didn’t realize how hot the summer months can get in Paris. Be prepared if you visit at this time that the temperature can get hot.

It was in the high 90s for our visit and we carried refillable water bottles with us. This day was at a slow pace because we were tired from our week adventures and we didn’t want to rush. We took the Metro to the Louvre and walked around this area.

From there we walked along the river seine over to the Notre Dame Cathedral. This was still closed due to the fire, it is now open. If we visit again I would probably purchase tickets to tour the inside.

Then we took the Metro over to the Saint-Germain stadium. We follow the World Cup and were excited to see the stadium. We didn’t realize tours were available in the off-season so we decided to purchase tickets to tour the stadium.

This was such a fun surprise. We didn’t have it planned and I was happy we didn’t overbook our trip so we could go. The tour takes you through the locker room and onto the field. It is a fun experience.

After that we were exhausted from all the walking. We took the metro back to our hotel and took a break. One of the things we really wanted to do was to see the Eiffel tower lights. Even though we were exhausted we pushed thorough, and I am so happy we did.

It was one of our favorite moments of the entire trip. Walking around the Eiffel Tower as dusk settled in was so cool. When the lights came out it was beautiful. It didn’t get dark until about 11:00pm so be prepared to stay up for this.

We also felt very safe walking back to our hotel at night. The area we stayed in was well lit and it was an easy walk back.

Day 6: Morning in Paris and Depart Home

The next morning we had to check-out and had a little time before our driver arrived to take us to Charles de Gaulle airport. We could have taken a train but this is the one time I splurged for a car to take us. I am happy we did because it made transportation easy. At the time it cost $139.99 for the five of us.

In the morning before pick up we did walk around our hotel a bit and found more historic buildings and museums. The Rodin museum and the Army museum were around the corner. We could have spent another day exploring Paris in the other direction!

Paris Trip- Recap

Paris was one of the best places to stop at during our family travel trip to Europe. Being a Disney family we loved to add another Disney park to our visited parks list. I was also happy we included time in Paris to walk around and take in the city.

I would definitely plan a trip back to see the new attractions and lands at Disneyland Paris. The time we spent in the city of Paris was a perfect amount of time for us and we loved enjoying food along the streets of our hotel.

Planning a trip to Europe? Check out our posts from our trip:

• 2-Days In Reykjavik with Kids: Our Iceland Stopover Itinerary
• London Itinerary with Teens: Our 3-Night Family Trip
• Iceland, London, Paris & Disneyland Paris Itinerary with Kids

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