It’s possible to see everything at Walt Disney Studios, Paris in a single day, provided you arrive at least 30 minutes before the park opens. However, you’ll need to plan your day carefully around the scheduled times for the various different shows on offer at the park.

We’ve listed the key attractions at Walt Disney Studios that you shouldn’t miss below. We’ve divided these recommendations by age group, since some rides and shows are universally popular and others are clearly targeted at a particular demographic. Adults will find that they can skip a number of the park’s “kiddie” rides, while families with very young children will find some of the major attractions unsuitable for them.

Essential rides and attractions for guests aged 8 and over:

Some younger guests will be able to handle these attractions, but almost everybody over the age of 8 will love these Walt Disney Studios favourites:

1. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – the Hollywood Tower Hotel dominates the skyline at Walt Disney Studios, and it houses Paris’ version of one of Disney’s best-ever attractions. Featuring incredible theming (you’ll find it hard to believe it’s not a real hotel) and thrilling drop sequences, this is one elevator ride you don’t want to miss.
2. CinéMagique – sadly overlooked by many guests, CinéMagique is one of few genuinely unique, original attractions at Walt Disney Studios. Starring Disney Parks stalwart Martin Short, it uses mixture of live action and cleverly-edited footage from classic movies to tell the history of cinema. Most crowds enter with low expectations, but the final curtain is always greeted by broad smiles and enthusiastic applause.
3. Crush’s Coaster – it may suffer from chronic capacity issues, but Crush’s Coaster uses its indoor setting to make the most of what is essentially a fairly standard spinning roller coaster. Make it your first stop in the park, or you’ll face a multi-hour wait on busy days.
4. Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic – it may be disappointingly limited in scope when compared to “real” studio tours like the one at Universal Studios Hollywood, but the Catastrophe Canyon sequence of the Studio Tram Tour is suitably impressive.
5. Moteurs…Action! Stunt Show Spectacular – here’s a rarity…an attraction at Disneyland Paris that was cloned by a park at Walt Disney World (Disney’s Hollywood Studios). It may be overlong and filled with unnecessary padding, but the stunt sequences in this car show are genuinely spectacular.

Essential rides and attractions for adults and teenagers:

Being a family park, Walt Disney Studios is somewhat short of rides aimed primarily at adults and teenagers. However, thrill-seekers tend to be drawn to two of the park’s more exciting attractions:

1. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster – the clear highlight of this multi-inversion roller coaster is its opening launch sequence, which blasts guests from 0 to 57 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds. The rest of circuit is great fun, though, with riders racing through a series of twists and turns, accompanied by Aerosmith tunes blaring out of the trains’ on-board audio system.
2. RC Racer – OK, so it’s not much different to the swinging ship rides seen at amusement parks all over the world. This “half-pipe” coaster, though, does at least offer great views over the rest of the Disneyland Resort Paris and will draw a scream or two from some excitable riders.

Essential rides and attractions for young children:

While neighbouring Disneyland Park features a much wider range of attractions aimed at younger guests, Walt Disney Studios does still cater to all age groups. Several of the rides listed below can be skipped altogether by adults, but don’t make the mistake of assuming Animagique is just for kids – it can be enjoyed by everyone.

1. Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage! – featuring a host of Disney Channel characters including the Little Einsteins and Tigger & Pooh, this popular show is designed to get kids on their feet, singing and dancing away. It achieves this very successfully, and adults will appreciate the impressive puppetry on show.
2. Animagique – similar in plot to Mickey’s Philharmagic at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Animagique uses giant puppets instead of a video screen to tell its story. Slightly more adult-friendly than Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!, it’s still a hit with younger guests.
3. Cars Quatre Roues Rallye (Cars Race Rally) – like several of Disneyland Park’s rides, Cars Race Rally is basically just a heavily-themed version of an off-the-shelf fairground ride. The popularity of Pixar’s Cars characters is such, though, that kids will demand to ride it.
4. Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin – this caterpillar-style flat ride is the most child-friendly of Toy Story Playland’s additions. Queues can be long, though, so try and experience it early in the day.
5. Flying Carpets Over Agrabah – despite using an almost identical ride system to Dumbo and Autopia at Disneyland Park, Flying Carpets Over Agrabah still holds a mystical appeal for kids.

What are your favourites?

Let us know what your favourite rides and attractions are at Walt Disney Studios by adding your own ratings and reviews.