Disney Premier Access: Is It Worth the Extra Cost ?

Here you are, arriving late at the park on a May day, and the Big Thunder Mountain attraction on the official app😒 already has a 140 minute wait. How many times have I also hoped that the Crush Coaster queue would go down without me being able to do the attraction! Before 2021 and the COVID crisis, you could always rely on Fastpass, Disneyland Paris’ free queue cutting system.

The solution to not having to choose: Disney Premier Access, Disneyland Paris’ paid ticketing system! At Disney World, I had the opportunity to try its American counterpart, Disney Genie Plus. It was a great way to make the most of our days at EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. So let’s see how it works and whether it’s really worth getting out your wallet!

Disney Premier Access: the new paid FastPass

Starting in 2021, Disneyland Paris will offer two new ways to shorten the queue for 17 of the most popular attractions in Disneyland and the Walt Disney Studios. There are two different queue cutting systems:

• Disney Premier Access One: a la carte queue cutting
• Disney Premier Access Ultimate: quick access to all 17 attractions

These two options give you access to the Premier Access queue (the old FastPass queues) and virtually no waiting time to your favourite attraction. But they don’t work the same way, and most importantly, they don’t cost the same!

Disney Premier Access One: pay-as-you-go fastpass

Disney Premier Access One works in exactly the same way as the old Fastpass, except that it has to be paid for and can only be accessed via the app! It allows you to buy exclusive tickets for a certain number of attractions in both parks. Like Fastpass, depending on availability, you’ll be offered a slot for direct access to your favourite attraction.

Similarly, you will have to wait until the reserved slot has started before you can buy a new Disney Premier Access One ticket. So you can only have one ticket at a time. Finally, like Lightning Lane at Disneyworld, Disney Premier Access One tickets can only be purchased on the day of your visit, not before.

Things to remember about Disney Premier Access One

• Only 1 ticket per pass
• Slots are subject to availability
• Must be purchased at the park
• Only available via the app

Variable prices and availability

These are probably the two biggest drawbacks of Disney Premier Access One. As with the old FastPass, there are a limited number of Premier Access slots available each day. Depending on when you want to order and how busy the park is, you may not be able to find availability.

Another consequence of peak demand is the price of a la carte food. Prices vary depending on the day of the week, season and demand. For example, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction sells for €5 on off-peak days and €8 at weekends.

How do I get a Disney Premier Access One ticket?

It couldn’t be easier to bypass the standard queue or another attraction. To find out how, follow these steps or watch the DLP Welcome video below.

1. When you arrive at either park, open the official Disneyland Paris application
2. Click on “Buy a Disney Premier Pass” and then look at the slots on offer.
3. If you have not already added a ticket, annual pass or valid stay, do so now.
4. Select the people you want to enter the attraction with
5. Make your payment to receive your QR code
6. Go to the Premier Access terminal at the beginning of the reserved lane and scan your QR code.

List of Premier Access attractions and prices

In May 2024, Disneyland Paris will offer 17 attractions with a Premier Access lane, including 6 in the Walt Disney Studios and 11 in the main Disneyland park. This number has been increasing since its creation in 2021. Among the latest attractions to be added is Pirates of the Caribbean, whose reserved queue you can see below.

The list grows every year. Here is the current list of attractions with a Premier Access queue. In these tables, I have also added the average time for each attraction in 2024 as reported by the https://queue-times.com/ website, as well as the average price for Premier Access One.

Disneyland Park

Walt Disney Studios

These tables also show the average waiting time for each attraction in 2025, as recorded by the website https://queue-times.com/, as well as the average Premier Access One price.

Disney Premier Access Ultimate: a touch of genie +

Imagine having direct access to all eligible attractions, whenever you want, without time slots! That’s Disney Premier Access Ultimate. A pass very similar to the Genie + at Disney’s US resorts. Like Genie +, it offers one visit per attraction (so it’s not unlimited), but Disney Premier Access Ultimate is more flexible.

How much is Disney Premier Ultimate?

Starting at €90 per person, it gives you fast-track access to each of the 16 attractions offered in Premier Access (Orbitron is only available in DPA One). However, the price can be higher depending on the period you choose. The price can be as high as €190 in high season.

No nasty surprises though! If you book your Ultimate Pass before you go, you’ll already know the price. You can even request a refund up to 3 days before you arrive.

Where can I buy it?

There’s more than one way to buy your Premier Access Ultimate. While the app is still the quickest and most convenient way to book your unlimited passes, you can also purchase your Disney Premier Access pass at the park. Here are all the ways you can purchase it:

• When booking your hotel stay + tickets on the official platform
• By visiting the City Hall in the main park or the Walt Disney Studios Studio Services
• By telephone
• From the VIP boxes sold at the Disneyland Hotel

Disney Premier Access: is it worth the money ?

Although I’ve never bought a DPA in Disneyland Paris, I’ve bought several Genie Plus in Orlando. And although they’re different, the reasons for buying them are the same. The drawbacks are also pretty much the same.

Why you should buy a Disney Premier Access

Although Disney Premier Access is not free, it offers a number of undeniable benefits. Here are the main ones:

• Huge time savings: When you consider that the average wait to ride the Crush Coaster is a good hour, and that Fast Track reduces that wait to just 5/10 minutes, imagine the time you’ll save to spend elsewhere in the park! With the Ultimate Ticket Cutter, you’ll save even more!
• Less stress and wasted energy: spending a day at Disneyland Paris is never easy, especially when young and old want to make the most of it. It’s not uncommon to see guests striding from one attraction to the next, or running so as not to miss a parade. With Premier Access, you’ll be able to do what Disneyland Paris does best: relax!
• Priority access: Imagine a rainy day at the park and everyone rushes to the covered queues. Queues explode and there’s a good chance you’ll have to wait even longer outside. To stay warm, just use the DPA queue!
• Multiple rides: Is your child dying to get back on the Big Thunder Moutain cars before they leave? Thanks to the DPA, they can ride BTM one last time before leaving the Disney park, without waiting and without crying 😉!
• Seeing as many attractions as possible on a busy day is undoubtedly one of the best things about Disney Premier Access. If you can’t visit the parks during the week or during school holidays, but only at weekends, you’ll have to compromise on the attractions.

The disadvantages

When we think of the disadvantages of the DPA, we inevitably think of the budget aspect. But that’s not the only drawback of the pay-as-you-go Fast Pass.

• It must be said that not everyone can afford to spend up to €800 on 4 Disney Premier Access Ultimate tickets. This is on top of the cost of tickets, accommodation, transport, meals and shopping.
• A different user experience: Some queues, such as Web or Star Tours, deserve to be experienced at least once. If you go through the DPA queue, you won’t see C3PO and R2D2!
• Risk of disappointment: Especially with DPA Ultimate, which can be purchased in advance, you may find that the park is not full and the wait is shorter than expected. Hence the risk of disappointment and the feeling that you’ve spent money for nothing. I experienced this last summer when I bought a Disney Genie + for Hollywood Studios. The DPA queues at the most popular attractions are also sometimes victims of their own success, forcing you to wait a while.
• An inconvenience for some people: this is not my case at all, but some people feel uncomfortable “going in front of everyone”. It can also give the impression of a 2-speed experience, with those who can afford it on the one hand and the others on the other.

What I think about Disney Premier Access

Now that you know all the pros and cons of this paid fastpass, here’s what I really think.

For me, Disney Premier Access, One or Ultimate, is justified in certain cases. I’m thinking mainly of people who don’t visit the parks very often, one or two days at most, and mostly on weekends. It really depends on when you come!

Even though the magic of Disneyland Paris is always there, the stress of running around all the time to see as many attractions and shows as possible is also there!

And if you want to make the most of your day without the stress, DLP’s paid queue breaker is the best solution there is! The DPA Ultimate can save you at least 2 to 3 hours of queuing time in a single day. That’s huge. That’s extra time you can spend browsing merchandise shops, sit-down restaurants or shows.

Be aware of the opening times of the parks and lands. I’d also recommend getting the Ultimate early so you can enjoy it from the first hour.

VIP Guided Tours: another way to avoid the queues

If you’re coming to Disneyland Paris as a group, there’s another way to avoid queuing for hours.

Relatively unknown to the general public, the Disneyland Paris VIP Guided Tour gives you unlimited direct access to your favourite attractions! In addition to the Premier Access queues, your VIP guide can go straight to the boarding area (with an average wait of 5/10 minutes)!

As well as learning all the secrets of Disneyland Paris, you’ll also have access to some unique benefits:

• Direct access to character encounters in several pavilions (Meet Mickey, Princess Pavilion, Starport and Toon Plaza)
• VIP access to shows and parades
• 6 hour guided tour
• Direct & unlimited access to all attractions

This service will cost approximately €3,000 for a group of up to 10 people in July 2024! This is a one off price regardless of the number of people in the group.

Other ways to skip the queues at Disneyland Paris

Reserved viewing area

Although this paid option is not part of Disney Premier Access, it can save you a considerable amount of time during your visit. Above all, it can save you a lot of frustration!

As everyone knows, you have to arrive well in advance to secure a spot in the best locations to watch parades and shows at Disneyland Park.

Popular spots such as Central Plaza are in high demand for events like Disney Stars on Parade and night-time shows such as Disney Tales of Magic and the Halloween Festival Cavalcade.

Here’s what you need to know about these VIP areas:

• Price: from €19.
• Limited availability.
• They must be ordered in advance with your booking or on the day of your visit.
• Please arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the show, and no later than 10 minutes beforehand, with your QR code.

Guaranteed access to spectacles

Disneyland Paris is world-renowned for the quality of its shows. All shows are included in the ticket price and are free to watch. However, seats are limited and can be in high demand at times, such as when it rains or is very hot.

If you absolutely want to experience the thrill of The Lion King and Rhythms of the Earth, the best solution is to book your seats before your visit.

Answers to frequently asked questions about DPAs

Is there such a thing as free Disney Premier Access?

Unfortunately, the answer is no (with a few exceptions). Let me explain. As the DLP Standby Pass has been discontinued until further notice, there is no longer a free queue breaker for most guests. There are, however, a few exceptions: children aged 3 and under who ride an attraction with an adult with a DPA can enter for free. It’s also possible to get a free Disney Premier Access One if an attraction closes just before you’re due to enter. A cast member may be able to give you one or more free ticket cutters, depending on the situation.

How much does Disney Premier Access Ultimate cost?

As explained above, the price starts at €90 and can vary depending on the day of the year you book. During high season (summer holidays, Christmas, etc.) and weekends, it can be as much as €200 per person per day.

Can I get a discount on Disney Premier Access?

No, to the best of my knowledge, Disneyland Paris has never offered a discount on its paid Fast Pass.