In Central Europe, the weather is not as stable as in California, home of the first Magic Kingdom. Even so, Disney did not shy away from opening a resort in this region. Like all Disney Parks, it was intended to remain open all year round rather than closing during the winter months, as many other theme parks in Europe do. This presented the Disney Imagineers with an additional challenge when planning the resort: they had to take Paris’s changeable weather into account and incorporate it into their design. They succeeded exceptionally well!
Thanks to this design, you can still have plenty of fun at Disneyland Paris even in bad weather and rain.
The Imagineers had to take the weather into account when designing the park. One example is their choice of colour for the Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant. Unlike in the US parks, they did not choose a grey or white shade, but opted for a bright pink instead. As a result, the castle in Paris stands out beautifully even against an overcast sky.
They also had to consider the weather when planning the routes through the park. This was handled exceptionally well, as even in pouring rain it is possible to get from Main Street to Frontierland, Adventureland and Fantasyland while staying dry. Only the route to Discoveryland is partly uncovered (Discovery Arcade).
Around 80 per cent of the attractions are covered or housed inside buildings, so they can be enjoyed without any problems even when it rains. The same is true of the queue areas, which are usually fully or at least partly covered and provide some protection from the rain while you wait.
The distances between individual attractions are usually short and can easily be covered with an umbrella or rain jacket.
This makes it clear that the Imagineers took Central Europe’s rainy weather into account when planning Disneyland Paris and responded with a number of very practical measures.
Disney Adventure World also works well in bad weather. Main attractions such as Crush’s Coaster, Ratatouille, Frozen Ever After and Tower of Terror are all indoor rides with covered queue areas, so they can still be enjoyed in poor weather.
There are also many shows at Disney Adventure World that start at fixed times. A quick check of the app tells you when admission begins, so you can spend the time before the show over a coffee or a light snack in one of the park’s restaurants.
The main drawbacks in this respect are Toy Story Playland and the long walk around Adventure Bay, where there is not much shelter from the rain. Here, you will need waterproof clothing or have to come back another time.
Rainy weather at Disneyland Paris does have one undeniable advantage: fewer day visitors come to the parks. Of course, we all enjoy a park visit in the sunshine, but this often means longer queues as local day visitors join those who booked their stay well in advance. When it rains, many of them prefer to stay dry at home and postpone their visit until another day.
Even at Disneyland Paris, however, proper footwear and a rain jacket are essential on a rainy day. Despite all the measures taken by the Imagineers, this is not an entirely indoor theme park, and you will still need to cover shorter distances outdoors.
