No Disneyland Paris day is complete without watching Disney D-Light, and the Illuminations fireworks show. But what if you have to go back by the shuttle bus? Will they still be running? We checked it out!
Until what time will the Disneyland Paris busses run?
To answer the main question of the article, most Disneyland Paris busses will run until midnight. There are ways to get back after the fireworks show. Even if you are staying in a Partner Hotel.
However…
You don’t want to take the first bus back. Really, believe me, you don’t.
There are hundreds of people trying to get back to the hotel, and they will not all fit into one bus. But they try. We’ve seen a lot of shoving, pushing, and angry people. People are tired, their feet hurt, children are crying, and they all want to be on the first bus.
Avoid this!
There will be a second, and even a third, bus within a few minutes. Take your time to slowly walk back from the park, maybe do some shopping in Disney Village, and try to take the next bus back.
Don’t forget to take a picture of the bus schedule at the hotel, or ask the staff what the latest time back from the parks to the hotels would be. Schedules may vary, so always ask or check beforehand.
Walking back to the hotels
The chances are high that you are staying in one of the following hotel locations:
- Disney Hotels, located on the resort
- Partner Hotels located near Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe
- Partner Hotels located in the Val d’Europe area
If you are staying in a Disney Hotel I won’t bother waiting for the bus, and just walk back. Even a relaxing stroll will take about 20 minutes to reach the furthest hotel. That’s about the same as you would wait for the bus, but without the guarantees of getting back.
Are you staying in the Partner Hotels across from Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe? Then you can also walk back to your hotel. It will take about 30 minutes, but that’s still better than fighting for a spot in the bus.
To walk back to your Partner Hotel, like B&B Disneyland Paris, just follow the route to Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe, cross the parking lot, and then take the sidewalk next to the gas station. Now, you only have to cross the road, and you’ve reached the Partner Hotels.
And finally, the Partner Hotels near Val Europe. Also, just walk back after the fireworks. This will take between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on your hotel. Just leave the resort on the Vapiono side and walk straight on until you reach the roundabout. Then go right, and take the first street left. You’ve now reached the area where the hotels are located. Pretty easy right?
Will the Disneyland Paris busses run after the Halloween event?
Unfortunately not. The busses will stop running around midnight, also when the park is open until 2 am for the Halloween celebration.
As you’ve seen above, it’s pretty easy to walk back to your hotel. There will also be taxis waiting near the train station to take you to wherever you want to go.
Personally, I would book a room in a Disney Hotel, as they are the most convenient to walk back to. Are you staying in the city of Paris? Then you can travel back by train, but this can be a bit unpleasant. As with other large cities, at night, people with not-so-good intentions tend to be in trains and at train stations. It’s not unsafe, but just be careful.
The best way to avoid this is to book a Disney Hotel, and you’ll be fine.
What if we missed the final bus back?
If you missed the final bus back to your hotel, the best thing you could do is to walk back. This will take 20 minutes on average. Which sounds like a lot, but it isn’t that bad. We usually walk back when we are staying in the Val d’Europe area and it pretty easy to do, even when your feet hurt.
When you really don’t feel like walking, or are unable to, you’ll have to take a taxi back to your resort. Always ask beforehand what the price would be so there won’t be any unpleasant surprises.
Don’t want to depend on the Disneyland Paris busses? Then it’s best to bring a car. Parking at the parks is free for guests of Disney Hotels. If you are staying in a Partner Hotel or other accommodation in the area you’ll have to pay €30 for parking.
Then it’s usually cheaper to buy an Annual Pass with free parking. This will also give you discounts on food and souvenirs. But don’t forget to register your park visit if you use the Annual pass for entry, as without registration, you won’t get access to the park.
