One of the big worries people have when planning a trip to Disneyland Paris is experiencing culture shock, and one thing we’ve found to consistently reduce culture shock (in 50 countries and counting) is preparation.
If you know what to expect, you’ll obviously be less shocked. In this post, we’ll cover some basic things to be aware of at Disneyland Paris—including language, cast interactions, money, and food & drink.
How much English is Spoken at Disneyland Paris?
The language barrier is always a big worry for international travel. When you’re visiting Disneyland Paris, though, this shouldn’t be a concern for English speakers.
You Could Go To Disneyland Paris Without Knowing a Word of French...
Disneyland Paris is located just outside of Paris, France. The official language is French. However, as with many European countries, English is also widely spoken.
A rare instance of French without English at Disneyland Paris. Hopefully not too confusing.
For the most part, we know only four basic phrases in French (covered below), and we’ve never encountered any language issues in Disneyland Paris.
There is some variance in English fluency among the cast members, but every interaction we’ve had went smoothly and didn't require the use of any translation apps or bringing in third parties.
The shows are also put on in a mix of English and French. This means you won't understand every line without understanding French, but you’ll get the story based on the English lines.
Ride content is either in part French part English (like on Remy’s) or sometimes all English, sometimes all French (like Star Tours).
Maybe our most important language tip is to always tell Cast Members in ride lines the size of your party in your native language. While we additionally always hold up three fingers (for three people), it’s not good to just hold up the fingers. If the Cast Member at the front of the queue thinks you speak French, the might only tell you the row number in French, which leads to lots of awkwardness.
...But You Should Know Some French
It's considered polite in France to at least try some French. You won’t trick anyone. They might do you the courtesy of speaking French to you if you initiate, but they won’t be shocked or appalled when you can’t continue. We suggest learning four basic phrases (English - French):
Never Try “Broken” English
This is maybe a niche mistake (I’ve made it, hence this section), but sometimes your instinct might be to point/gesture and use few words in English thinking that’s simpler. It’s not. Just speak slowly and clearly in English and they’ll understand. Cutting out words and adding unnecessary gestures just complicates things.
It’s Good to Have an App as a Backup
Google Translate is very reliable in France. You can download languages for offline use, which is good if you aren’t planning on having data access overseas (Disneyland Paris as of this writing does not have wifi across the parks, but this is expected to change in the near future).
Offline mode does not provide audio pronunciation, though, so be prepared to either show your phone or to try to pronounce without help. Additionally, the offline translations for longer phrases won't be as accurate.
Again, this shouldn't be a problem at Disneyland Paris. We used Google Translate mostly to remind us of the above four phrases.
Cast Members Aren't Being “Mean” Because You’re American
The service industry, including Disney, is very different in Europe. Americans (as much as one can stereotype all Americans) are generally regarded as overly polite and friendly in Europe.
Europeans (again, as much as one can stereotype an entire continent) tend to be very oriented toward what you as a customer are actually there for (e.g. food, or to purchase an item) rather than making you feel welcome.
That said, Disneyland Paris cast members were some of the friendliest people we’ve encountered in Europe. They aren’t as friendly as their US counterparts, but they’re a notch above what you experience in, say, Paris center. Just don’t think that because they don’t treat you especially “magically” that this is a slight at you. It’s just cultural.
How Do You Pay for Things at Disneyland Paris?
If you’re a Walt Disney World regular, you are used to a frictionless world, where all you have to do is touch Mickey to Mickey to pay. Disneyland Paris is not frictionless. We’ve written more about the basics of money overseas at Lattes & Runways.
Does Disneyland Paris have Magic Bands?
No. They are in the final stages of rolling out "Magic Pass" cards that combine room keys, park tickets, and charging. Beyond that, you'll be using cash (Euros, don't bother with USD) or credit cards for this trip.
What is the currency in Disneyland Paris?
Disneyland Paris is in France, which uses the Euro (€). The Euro doesn’t fluctuate too much against the US Dollar, so Americans can pretty well plan for the cost of their trip in USD, but actual payments will usually be in Euros (more on this below).
Can I pay with credit card at Disneyland Paris?
Yes, you can pay with credit cards at Disneyland Paris. Paying with credit card at Disneyland Paris as an American is simple. If you’re paying with tap to pay, you shouldn’t encounter anything unusual, though sometimes Cast Members will have you sign your receipt (see below for more context).
If you’re paying by inserting the chip, things can be a bit different. In case you didn't know, we have a “chip and sign” system, while Europe is on a “chip and pin” system.
If you see a European pay with their card (or anyone using a card issued by a European bank), they’ll enter a PIN into the machine. When you pay, however, you'll just be asked for your signature.
Cast Members at Disneyland Paris—and really everyone who takes payment in Europe—are super familiar with chip and signature. The biggest issue comes when working with automated machines.
While this wasn’t a problem for us on our last visit, there have been times in Europe where, for example, transit ticket machines declined our cards because we couldn’t provide a PIN. While some sources claim you can add a PIN to an American credit card by calling your bank, this usually refers to a cash advance PIN, not relevant here.
In most situations, you’ll have an alternative, like tapping to pay or buying a ticket from a booth or using cash. If you’d prefer to cover all your based you can get credit card issued by Barclays (we have the AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard). Those come Chip+PIN enabled.
A final alternative to chip and signature is Apple Pay (or some NFC alternative for android phones).
Final note about credit cards—make sure your card has no foreign transaction fees. These fees can be high, and a particularly tough situation would be, for example, if you have your hotel balance to pay off. A €1000 charge on a card with a 3% foreign transaction fee is going to cost you around $33. (Note: This would also apply at the time of booking your hotel if a deposit is required.)
How can I get cash for Disneyland Paris?
If you’re the type to prepare, you can usually call or visit your bank about ordering the currency of France, the Euro (€). You can also consider a local currency exchange, or you can change your currency when you arrive at the airport (and on Disney property).
The biggest thing in comparing options is to pay attention to exchange rates and fees. Unfortunately we did not exchange cash or pay attention to the on-property rates at Disneyland Paris.
If you really want to make it rain, talk to your bank before leaving and see about ordering Euros.
If you're going to be traveling internationally a lot, we highly suggest looking into the Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Account. Schwab does not charge foreign transaction fees, they do not charge ATM fees, and, best of all, they reimburse any ATM fees you are charged by the ATMs you use!
We’ve use our Schwab ATM card in 20+ countries and only encountered moderate difficulty with it in two (China and Vietnam).
How much do I tip at Disneyland Paris?
In France, bars and restaurants always include a 15% service charge, and tipping is not expected. If service is above and beyond, 5-10% is acceptable. If you’re planning to tip, you’ll need cash. The credit card system is not designed to add tip.
Food and Drink Culture at Disneyland Paris
There isn’t too much to say about food and drink, but we know food, alcohol, and coffee may be important to some of our readers, and we wanted to share a little something about these items.
Hotel bars like Captain's Quarters don't get too full.
Food Culture at Disneyland Paris
There's nothing especially notable about food culture at Disneyland Paris, except that by the opinion of most reviewers, food at Disneyland Paris is awful. Also, the lines during lunch time will be absolutely huge.
We found vegetarian food at Disneyland Paris without too much to complain about, but we certainly see where the negative reviews are coming from. The food is standard western fare with tendencies toward French items.
The menus tend to list combos (called “menus,” sorry for the confusion), with the individual items being available a la carte as well. If you order an individual item, you'll likely still be asked "menu or a la carte?" Also, a higher proportion of the restaurants are buffets than in the American parks.
Alcohol at Disneyland Paris
Beer is widely available around Disneyland Paris, however you must order it with food in the parks. There are bars at each hotel, and they tend to be open until 12AM or 1AM, filling up as the parks close.
The bars also serve wine and champaign. For the largest (and most expensive) selection, head over to Cafe Fantasia at Disneyland Hotel.
Coffee at Disneyland Paris
Ordering coffee as an American abroad can be an adventure, but for many of us coffee is a necessity, so it’s important to cover this.
A quick primer. Have you ever been to Starbucks as seen that they have a drink called an Americano? It’s espresso diluted with a lot of water. Weird, right? Because you probably don’t think of that drink as distinctly American. So why “Americano”?
If you need a fix, the Starbucks in Disney Village is your best bet.
Well, you know how you go to that same Starbucks and order a “tall coffee, black” and they give you 12 ounces of black coffee? That's what an Americano is supposed to imitate.
Drip (or “filtered”) coffee, the method most Americans use to make coffee, is not common in Europe. Instead, if you want your coffee to be weaker than espresso and diluted with water, you’ll order an Americano. Starbucks serves both because they’re an American coffee chain. Back to the topic at hand...
In Disneyland Paris, your best coffee option as an American is Starbucks. It will have coffee you're most familiar with. If you are so bold as to order in the parks, expect "coffee" to be a rather nasty beverage, and "large coffee" to be even worse.
Best we can tell, "coffee" is an attempt at drip coffee, and "large coffee" is "coffee" diluted with water (because, you remember, Americans just like to water things down).
All Your Other Disneyland Paris Planning Questions Answered
Don’t be overwhelmed by Disneyland Paris planning! Take a second to check out our most important content! Just starting out? Check out our Disneyland Paris Trip Planning Guide. Need to know how much this is going to take out of your pocket? We’ve got a post on How Much it Costs to Go to Disneyland Paris.
When it comes to hotels, we’ve reviewed three of them. Check our our Review of Disneyland Hotel (Paris), Review of Disney's Sequoia Lodge, and Review of Disney's Hotel Cheyenne. We also recommend considering an off-site hotel or Airbnb when visiting Disneyland Paris.
Know what to ride with our: Disneyland Paris Rides Guide and Walt Disney Studios Park Rides Guide. And just as important, know how to get on the best rides without the wait with our Guide to Disneyland Paris Fastpass! For the complete guides to a day at the park, we have a One Day Disneyland Paris Itinerary and a Walt Disney Studios Park Itinerary.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.