I visited Paris’s OTHER theme park that’s cheaper than Disney with shorter queues, bargain snacks & more rollercoasters

THERE'S another theme park Brit holidaymakers can visit just outside of the French capital - and here's how it compares to Disneyland Paris.

On the surface, Disneyland Paris and Parc Asterix are very similar, as the theme parks are based on beloved children's characters.

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They're also packed with family-friendly rides and attractions, with each one recently celebrating a big birthday.

And only an hour separates the two theme parks, so how do they compare?

Here's everything you need to know when trying to choose between the parks.

Tickets

For a one-day visit, my family of four paid £324 to visit Disneyland Paris, which included entry to Disneyland Parc and the Studios next door.

Meanwhile, a day visit to Parc Asterix cost my family £136.

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Accommodation 

Earlier this year, the Disneyland Hotel made its long-awaited return following a multi-million pound refurbishment.

It offers hotel guests some exclusive opportunities, such as princess makeovers and dining experiences.

Located right at the entrance to Disneyland Parc, it’s the place most Disney fans dream of staying.

But overnight stays at the newly-renovated hotel are quite pricey, with prices starting from £346 per person.

There are seven other official Disney accommodation options to choose from, with prices ranging from €300 to €700 per night for a family of four - and the prices my family were quoted didn't include park tickets.

Parc Asterix has a choice of three hotels, the most sought after being Les Quais De Lutèce Hôtel.

Just like the Disneyland Hotel, Les Quais De Lutèce Hôtel also offers meet and greet opportunities with fan-favourite characters as well as immersive culinary experiences.

A night’s stay at Les Quais De Lutèce Hôtel, including park tickets costs, €273 (£233) for a family of four, which equates to €68.25 (£58.23) per person.

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Attractions

There are five official rollercoasters across the two Disneyland Paris parks.

Meanwhile, Parc Asterix has eight rollercoasters, including France’s fastest attraction, Toutatis, which stands 167 feet tall and reaches speeds of nearly 70mph.

Of course, Disney is the place to go for family-friendly rides, as guests are able to step into the world of Pinocchio, Peter Pan and Dumbo.

Parc Asterix has its own family-friendly rides, like the Young Gauls section, where park-goers can find mini versions of the adult rides, including a teeny log flume and drop ride.

While Disneyland Paris doesn't have a version of Splash Mountain, Parc Asterix does have plenty of rides guaranteed to get visitors soaked.

We especially loved the Grand Splatch – a classic log flume with pirates.

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Skipping the Queues

Nobody likes to queue, and with such popular attractions at both parks, finding a way to skip them is a top priority.

Luckily, both parks offer a way for park-goers to queue jump.

Disneyland Paris was the first Disney Park to offer a paid-for queue skipping service with Disney Premier Access.

A one-use, 16-ride pass costs between €90 (£77) and €190 (£162) depending on the season.

Guests can choose to pay for skip-the-line passes for individual rides, with prices costing between €5 (£4.27) to €18 (£15.36) per person.

Meanwhile, Parc Asterix has its Filotomatix system, which has three tiers.

The silver version costs €35 (£29.86) each and allows you to cut your wait time in half for ten attractions.

The gold version costs €45 (£38.39) each and lets you skip the queue entirely on ten attractions.

The unlimited version costs €125 (£106.65) each and, as the name suggests, lets you skip all the rides an unlimited number of times during your visit.

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Food and Drink

Theme Park food is an experience - that’s a given.

But on our visit to Parc Asterix, we were pleasantly surprised at the lunch deal on offer, with a large gourmet hot dog, drink and a snack costing €12 (£10.24).

Compare that to Casey’s Corner – the popular hog dog place on Disneyland’s Main Street – where it’s €10 (£8.53) for a classic hog dog.

This price quickly bumps up to €11 with extra toppings, €4 (£3.41) for a soft drink and between €3 (£2.56) to €5 (£4.27) for a snack, meaning that the same lunch could cost €20 (£17.06).

Another big price difference was the drinks.

Of course, I had to get some champagne in a novelty take-home glass in Disneyland and paid €20 (£17.06) for the privilege.

Parc Asterix, however, had a delicious cocktail for just €6.50 (£5.55) also in a novelty take-home glass.

How to get there

The easiest way to visit both parks is from Charles de Gaulle airport.

For Disney, there is a ten-minute TGV train running directly from the airport and for Asterix, there is a shuttle bus (there is a shuttle for Disney too, but the train is faster).

Train tickets are around €19 (£16.21) each and the Asterix shuttle is €11 (£9.39).

Verdict

If you want the magic that comes with Disney, including the princess experiences, meet and greets and the iconic rides, then Parc Asterix obviously doesn't compare.

However, if you just fancy some good rides and food while paying a bit less, I can't recommend Parc Asterix enough.

Meanwhile, a woman has revealed how she spent just one day at Disneyland Paris - and made it back in time to be in her own bed.

And here's everything you need to know about Disneyland Paris.

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