6 Disney parks: tickets, seasons and which one to choose for a first trip

Six Disney resorts operate today in four countries, and each one is set up differently.

We compared rates and calendars on the parks' official websites so you don't overpay. Below is each location, its main highlight, and what sets it apart from the others.

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1. Disneyland Park in Anaheim

💡 In short:

• The park app shows a map and wait times for every attraction.
• Rates and calendar: 09/2026, verified on the official Disneyland Resort website.

The very first Disney park opened in 1955 in Anaheim, California (official website). Over its history, more than 600 million people have visited. This is the only location built personally by Walt Disney, and his apartment above the fire station on Main Street is still preserved. Sleeping Beauty Castle is visible from anywhere, and the streets lead toward it.

Eight themed lands operate inside: Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, New Orleans Square, Frontierland, Mickey's Toontown, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. A narrow-gauge railroad takes you between the lands.

© HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA · CC BYPhoto: HarshLight from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

• Who it's for: families with kids and those who want to see the original Disney park.
• The catch: in July and August, lines for top attractions are the longest, so arrive at opening.

2. Magic kingdom and Walt Disney world in Orlando

The second Disney park was built in 1971, located 30 km from Orlando, Florida (official website). It is the company's largest resort: two water parks, four theme parks, five golf courses, about twenty hotels, and a hundred restaurants.

At the center of the complex is Magic Kingdom with Cinderella Castle, and Disney characters are easy to meet throughout the property: Mickey Mouse, Tarzan, Aladdin, Goofy, and Donald Duck. The separate Epcot park is divided into a future world and a world showcase of countries, from Morocco and Mexico to Norway and Germany. Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury contributed to the development of the pavilions. Nearby, a 163-hectare zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals.

© Backattaxk251 · CC BY-SAPhoto: Backattaxk251, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

• The catch: the complex is huge, and without the monorail or buses between parks you'll spend half a day just getting around.

3. Disneyland Paris

The only Disney park in Europe is located in Marne-la-Vallee, east of Paris, and it even outdraws the Eiffel Tower in attendance.

The property covers about two thousand hectares. On the main street, the Heroes Parade takes place every day, the park's signature event. In the Wild West area, the extreme Big Thunder Mountain coaster operates, followed by an adventure land with Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones. In the fairy land you'll meet Snow White, Elsa, Alice, and Cinderella, while the discovery land is dedicated to Jules Verne and space.

Guests of the park's hotels enter the complex before opening and stay inside after closing, when there are almost no visitors.

© flightlog · CC BYPhoto: flightlog, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

• Where to stay: hotels near Disneyland Paris on Trip.com
• The catch: one day is not enough for two parks, plan for at least two.

4. Tokyo Disneyland in Urayasu

The first Asian Disney park opened in 1983 in Urayasu, east of Tokyo (park history). In 2001, Tokyo DisneySea with a nautical theme was added. There are no familiar lands here; instead, there are ports: a mysterious island, a lost river delta, an American waterfront, and the Little Mermaid lagoon.

The attractions and areas mirror the American ones, but with a Japanese accent: a love of futurism and meticulous cleanliness is evident.

© Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan · CC BYPhoto: Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

• The catch: some attractions close when it rains.

5. Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau

The next park opened in 2005 on Lantau Island (official website). It was built with feng shui principles in mind. It is the most compact Disney park in the world: about 27.5 hectares, yet it holds up to 34,000 guests at once, and all the classic zones are there.

© Сидней シドニー · CC BY-SAPhoto: Сидней シドニー, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

• Getting there: a dedicated metro line runs from Sunny Bay station right to the entrance.
• The catch: because of its compact size, it gets crowded inside during holidays, and the zones are smaller than in Orlando.

6. Shanghai Disneyland in Pudong

The youngest park opened in 2016 in the Pudong district, the sixth Disney location overall (official website). It features Peter Pan's Flight, a roller coaster, and an attraction about searching for sunken treasure. The theater shows the musical "The Lion King" with acrobatic stunts in the tradition of Asian circus.

© MasaneMiyaPA · CC BY-SAPhoto: MasaneMiyaPA, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

• The catch: card payments from the EU don't work everywhere, so keep cash on hand or use Alipay.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How many Disney parks are there in the world?

Six resorts, with 12 parks in total. Two resorts are in the US, in Anaheim and Orlando, one is in France near Paris, and three more are in Asia: in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. All locations operate year-round.

Which park should I choose for a first trip?

From Europe, Disneyland Paris is the easiest: the flight is short, and the resort itself combines two locations. If you've already been to Paris, take a look at Tokyo Disneyland: service and order there are considered the gold standard, and the ticket price is comparable to the European one.

How much does a ticket cost and what does the price depend on?

Rates are date-based, so the same trip costs different amounts on a weekday and on a holiday. At Walt Disney World, the one-day rate is higher on peak days (official page), and at the other parks, their own website shows the price for your date.

How many days do you need for a park?

One day is usually enough for a single park, but Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World are best seen over two or three days. In Paris, there are two separate parks; in Florida, four. If you're short on time, get a ticket for one park and arrive at opening.

Can you buy a ticket on site?

At most parks, date-based tickets are also sold at the ticket office, but in high season, daily quotas close in advance, so buying online is more reliable. In Tokyo, tickets for a specific date go on sale two months ahead, and only unsold ones remain available on site.

In short: what's worth booking

If you're going for the first time and don't want complicated logistics, start with Disneyland Paris: a suburban train runs from central Paris to the park, and guests of the on-site hotels enter before opening.

If you want to see Walt Disney's original, plan for Anaheim. If you want the world's largest complex, go for Orlando and at least three days. For Asian precision, head to Tokyo; for premiere attractions, go to Shanghai.

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