Timing
Timing is everything.
This is not likely to come as a surprise to anyone, but the more people that there are in the Parks, the harder it is for those of us who are neurodivergent. More people means longer lines for rides/food/bathrooms, and it means that there is just a greater crush of humanity to have to navigate when you are walking between any two points.
So, booking our trip to the Parks for a time that there are fewer people and thinner crowds is going to be our goal.
There are going to be limitations on this, of course. If your family is one with school-aged kids, their school schedule is going to be something that you will have to consider! For some reason, schools tend to all be off at the same time, making this even more complicated. If you, like us, are coming from outside of France, then differences between French school holidays and your own school system can work for you! You can find a list of French school holidays here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F31952?lang=en. Just plan your trip, if possible, for a time when French schools are in sessions but yours are not.
So, the obvious, but still really important, factor to consider is WHEN to visit Disneyland Paris. Our goal isn’t to find a time when there will be no crowds in the Parks. That’s impossible. But there are times that see fewer people than peak visiting seasons.
When else can we go?
Other reliable ways to find times with fewer guests in the Parks are to go during the low season and to go mid-week. The mid-week option is, like the school option, sometimes dependent on factors out of your control. But if you do have the option to visit the Parks during the middle of the week (Monday to Thursday), then the number of visitors is less than on the weekends. The low season at Disneyland Paris is considered to run from the middle of January until the middle of March, and then again from the middle of April to the middle of May. While there may be fewer shows running during this time, there will be far fewer other people in the Parks, making the whole experience that much easier.
One last consideration on this point is holidays. Every year, Disneyland Paris puts on the ritz for both Halloween and Christmas, and the Parks are given a makeover with special decorations and character meets. This… means more people visiting to see them. And so, we have to weigh the benefit of going during these times and seeing the Parks with their holiday spirit against the presence of a large number of other people doing the exact same thing!