Disneyland Paris is an ocean away from Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The theme park is, in many ways, similar to the American Disney parks. Disneyland Paris shares some of the same attractions, characters, and treats. But, given its location and audience, there are some important differences between Disney World, Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris.
Disneyland Paris
In fact, Disneyland Paris announced a special ticket discount for guests with a disability, with the news coming on the heels of a hotly-debated Disney World disability program change. Could this difference point to a new trend among the international Disney parks?
Disney World made headlines when it announced major changes to its Disability Access Service, also known as DAS. The changes focused on a total process overhaul, and as a result, many people found that they no longer qualified for the special DAS accommodations.
Partner’s Statue
The changes were criticized, though Disney has not commented on the updates since they went live in May 2024. A few months later, Disneyland Paris announced a new option of its own for guests with disabilities.
Overview
According to the Disneyland Paris website, the company is working on ways to make the parks accessible for everyone, stating, “As we continue to grow and develop our offerings, accessibility and creating a welcoming place for all remains one of our top priorities for our guests, Cast Members and the community.”
Disneyland Park Entrance
Disneyland Paris offers an accessibility program that provides priority access to up to 58 attractions at Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. The website states, “To accomplish this, we empower guests to evaluate their own autonomy and decide which attractions they can experience, depending on attraction safety access conditions and level of autonomy.”
Tickets
Disneyland Paris recently announced a special-rate Disney Park ticket offer for guests with disabilities. The offer states that those with a disability receive a 25% reduction on the price of a Disney Park Ticket for themselves and one other person.
©Disney
To utilize this discount, you must provide proof of disability on the day of your visit. This includes an original copy of valid proof of disability and your ID at the ticket counters to validate your special-rate ticket and retrieve your Priority Card. Then, you must present your Priority Card and park ticket to enter the Disney Parks. Disney states, “If you do not have a valid proof of disability, you will not be able to access the Disney Parks at the special rate.”
©Disneyland Paris
There is a list of valid proof of disabilities on the Disneyland Paris website. Visit the “Priority Card request” page to learn more. If you are traveling from the United States, for example, the following documents are accepted:
- Disability card issued by the US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Parking Card for Disabled People
- Other official disability documents issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- VA Disability Compensation Benefits
- Parking Badge; permanent or temporary
- Access pass: America The Beautiful
Priority Card
In the announcement above, Disneyland Paris mentions a “Priority Card.” This is similar to the DAS system in Disney World in that a Priority Card gives you priority (but not immediate) access to attractions, shows, parades, Character meet-and-greets, and the payment counters of our restaurants and shops in the Disney Parks.
©Disney
You can request a Priority Card online up to one month before your visit. Disneyland Paris’s system is quite different from the new DAS process in the United States, where you must attend a video call with a Disney Cast Member. This person ultimately determines whether or not you qualify for Disney World’s Disability Access Service benefits and does not require one specific document as proof of disability.
At this time, Disney World and Disneyland have no special discounts for guests with a disability. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
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A good tip for getting the priority card in Disneyland Paris is that the concierge in all the Disney hotels can issue the card for you. Most people go to City hall in the park but they queue for an hour that way. It only takes five minutes in the hotel.
Well, it looks like Paris D’Land is way ahead of its U.S. counterparts in this regard. Requiring proof is not a hardship – in fact I presented about 5 pieces of evidence of my disability (to both the customer service rep AND the alleged “medical specialist”) before I was denied for my upcoming trip.
I have been permanently disabled for years now, and am in a wheelchair, but somehow I’m not “disabled enough” for Disney’s taste. My husband and I are going to Disneyland in just over a week, so we’ll see how it goes. It may have to be our last Disney trip, which breaks my heart.
I’m not advocating for special pricing here – I just need the DAS back!!
I’d advocate for special pricing. My disability won’t get me any line privileges, as I can wait on my wheelchair for however long. But there are many rides I just cannot access. As my disability progresses, that list gets longer. It’s really killing me that I can no longer ride Pirates of the Caribbean, one of my all time favorites, or the Jungle Cruise. Getting out of the boats isn’t possible if you can’t use your knees. Ditto for the Matterhorn, and now for Tiana’s Bayou…I’ll never experience the new ride except by watching video the bloggers have taken. Until and if they resolve that issue for the mobility disabled, they should offer us a discount. Even if it’s just for the person with the disability. My husband can ride the rides I cannot if he wants; so he wouldn’t be missing out while paying full price. But I am.
I think that it’s FANTASTIC what Disney Paris is doing for people with disabilities. You probably will not see that here in the US at Disneyland or Disney World they are too greedy. They have to suck every penny out of us.
I suppose I should look at booking a trip there since I can’t have access here in the states due to my proven disability.
The US needs to get on board with helping the disabled rather than discriminating against them. The current DAS process is a nightmare. I’d consider a trip to Paris before going to WDW again the way it is! I was so stressed, sad and very disappointed with the way I was treated.
Why do people in wheelchairs need to skip the queues? You’ve got nice comfy seating for the whole time. The DAS system has been abused for years and it’s about time it was overhauled.
Gigi, how. Can Disney Paris offer special arrangements and pricing for people with Disabilities and Disney USA cannot. What are your thoughts and can you give me the E-Mail address of Disney Management so I can register my feelings directly to them.
Hey, Jane Dew – We disabled folks often have other issues which are not visible to others, such as my complete inability to regulate my body temperature (which has caused me to collapse, lose my eyesight, or cause me to be bedridden for the rest of the day). Not to mention that when I need to use the bathroom, I need to use it RIGHT NOW, so winding my way out of narrow, packed, convoluted lines just isn’t in the cards.
And the DAS isn’t allowing anyone to “skip the queues.” If the wait for Pirates is 35 min, I can set up a return time for 35 min from now. It seems like your issue is actually with virtual queues – you should probably take that up with Disney, ’cause they LOVE their virtual queues!
The DAS would allow me to set up a virtual queue/return time that keeps me safe and comfortable. I can sit somewhere cool, have a nice cold beverage (you know – spending even more money in the parks!), use the bathroom, then return to the ride when my designated time is up.
I agree that the DAS was being abused by some, but it needed to be tweaked, not thrown out completely.
Hi Ron! I don’t have a direct email address for Disney Management, but you can email your questions to Walt Disney World here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/help/email/