Disneyland Paris – The Priority Pass

One thing I had heard prior to our visit to Disneyland Paris was how accommodating the attraction is for disabled visitors. This was heartwarming for us as my husband has a number of disabilities and as a result has severe mobility issues. We wanted to offer our advice to other disabled people who are thinking of visiting Disneyland Paris and explain the benefits of the priority pass.

Priority Pass

First of all, if you have certain types of disabilities, you are entitled to apply for a priority pass. To be honest, when this was first suggested to me, I did find it quite a minefield to navigate and reading about this online seemed to make it more complicated than it actually was. In reality, it was incredibly easy to obtain a priority pass for my husband so I will explain the process below. You can find out about priority passes on the Disneyland page by using this link. The relevant information is about 2 thirds of the way down the page.

Am I eligible for a Priority Pass?

A priority pass is designed for those with mobility issues who would normally find walking, standing and or accessing rides difficult.

To be eligible for a priority pass, you will need to provide one of the following proofs:

1. Disability Living Allowance
2. Attendance Allowance Award
3. Personal Independence Payment 
4. Parking Card for Disabled People 
5. Armed Forces Compensation Scheme 
6. National Disability Card ID
7. Disabled ID
8. Access Card 
9. Registration Card BD8
10. Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI)
11. Disabled Student’s Allowance
12. Scottish Child Disability Payment

The Disabled ID Card

After reading up online, I found the easiest way to apply for the priority pass was to obtain a Disabled ID. I had also read this was a valid form of ID in Europe as well as in some parts of the UK too. We thought this was a better option than carrying official documentation with us abroad. It cost just £18 for the card which is valid for 2 years. The card arrived promptly within the post (within 3 days of ordering). We simply used my husband’s blue badge to verify his disability on the application form and confirmation that this had been accepted was emailed within a few hours. Not only was this a valid form of ID for the priority pass at Disneyland, but we also used the Disabled ID card throughout Paris.

Having obtained the Disabled ID card, we then filled out the form to apply for the priority pass on the Disneyland website. The link can be found here. The form was very easy to complete and simply asked us to bring a relevant ID when we collect the priority pass when we arrive at Disneyland.

Collecting the Priority Pass

I was unsure of where to collect the priority pass once we did arrive at Disneyland. As it turned out, we could collect the priority pass from one of two locations: City Hall which is located in Disneyland Park resort, or from Guest Services in the Walt Disney Studios Park. Some really helpful cast members pointed us in the right direction. We planned to visit the Studios first and so we followed the directions and headed to the Guest Services. This is located to the right once we had entered the Studios.

I showed the staff the email I had received confirming the priority pass application along with the Disabled ID card. They printed off the priority card there and then. They also explained how the card was to be used.

I would strongly recommend collecting your priory card from the Studios Park. The Studios were much quieter than the park resort. We were seen to immediately here. Later on in the trip, we passed City Hall in Disneyland Park. The queue was incredibly large and this was the case each time we passed this building.

How the Priority Card Works

The priority card is valid for 7 days from the date of your arrival.

Upon arrival at a ride, we presented the card to a cast member (there are always plenty of staff on hand to help). The priority card entitles the cardholder along with 4 other people to priority access to the ride. This doesn’t always mean immediate access. In practice what we found happened was we joined a separate queue from the other guests.

Rides

Sometimes this meant we entered the ride immediately or if the ride was particularly busy, we would wait for a much shorter period of time than other guests. Importantly, the priority queue usually offered a bench for the disabled guest to sit and wait on. We didn’t queue for longer than 10 minutes for any ride in the whole park. And often the queues had a 90-minute wait for other guests.

More often than not, we simply waited for the ride to stop and the cast member would put us on the ride first before the other guests. Sometimes, if a ride was quiet, it meant not walking through the snaking ropes which would have been impossible for our disabled visitor. We simply went through a different entrance.

Attractions

For the parade and fireworks display, the pass entitles the priory card holder and 2 guests to access a special viewing area. These areas were amazing as they provided seating as well as front-row views of the parade and fireworks. This means disabled guests can avoid standing for hours (as some people do) for a good spot. We simply walked up to the special viewing area, showed the pass and the cast members let us in. This made this part of the trip relatively easy and stress-free.

The priority pass could also be used in shops and restaurants. Disabled visitors quite often could go to a separate till to pay for goods. This was incredibly helpful and removed the conundrum of painfully standing in line or not purchasing goods at all.

Without the Priority Pass, we would not have been able to enjoy Disneyland Paris as a family. The card was a real game-changer for us. It enabled us to enjoy an attraction in a way we have never been able to before, together. We cannot thank Disneyland Paris enough for its consideration and compassion toward disabled people.

To find out more about our visit to Disneyland Paris, see our post on Staycity Marne La Valle.

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