The biggest misconception when it comes to a runDisney race in Disneyland Paris is the price. I mean, I get it… going to PARIS for a race? Crazy expensive. Then throw DISNEYLAND in the mix? You’d need to sell a kidney to be able to afford that!
Except that is actually could NOT be further from the truth.
One of the reasons we decided to make our trip to the 2019 runDisney Paris Magic Run Weekend was because when we looked at the package… it actually was not as expensive as we thought it would be.
While we were traveling I thought a lot about our package, and just how affordable it actually was. We discussed pricing with other runners who agreed with us. Paris is not as expensive as you think it would be. So, I decided to compare two packages.
Since Wine & Dine is relatively around the same time frame… I decided to compare a race weekend in Paris to a race weekend during Wine & Dine. Not all elements are exactly the same, but I tried to get as similar as possible.
Paris vs. Orlando – Hotel Options
First, I looked at the resort. We stayed at Disney’s Sequoia Lodge in Disneyland Paris which would be considered a moderate resort. I then compared that resort to Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter during Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend this November. Sequoia Lodge… $840 for four nights. French Quarter… $1,063.
Paris vs. Orlando – Park Ticket Options
Then I looked at Park Tickets. This one is pretty straightforward… I mean, other than the fact that Disneyland Paris has two parks and Walt Disney World has four.
We had two 4 Day Park Hopper tickets included in our package… $494. Total. For two people. 4 Day Park Hopper tickets for Walt Disney World parks during Wine & Dine? $1,115.12.
Paris vs. Orlando – Race Registration
Next, I took a look at the races. It’s a little bit different since Wine & Dine does not have a challenge that includes all three races, so I looked at racers. One runner running the 5K in Paris was $46… Orlando would be $85. The next runner running all three races in Paris was $206 (which included FIVE medals)… a runner running all three races during Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend would be $432 total (that’s $85 for the 5K, $347 for the challenge, and in the end “only” four medals).
One other important thing to note, we purchased our package later in the year, so our race registration was third wave pricing. If we would have purchased our package earlier, the price would have been lower.
Currently, Walt Disney World only has tiered pricing for Star Wars: Rival Run Half Marathon Weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised if the trend continues and they introduce wave pricing during the next race season…
Paris vs. Orlando – Photo Package
Last but not least, was the photo package. Paris has a few different options, but we opted for the pass that got our pictures from all the runs as well as the parks, which was $95. Memory Maker for Wine & Dine, which also includes the races and the parks, is $169. It’s also important to note that is the advance purchase price, you’re looking to spend more (+ $30) if you wait until you arrive before securing your photos.
Just like our race registration, our PhotoPass was purchased during the “third wave” of pricing… and would have been less expensive if purchased earlier.
Paris vs. Orlando – Price Overview
Let’s take a minute to compare the elements, side by side…
| Element | Paris Pricing | W&D Pricing |
| Hotel, Moderate Resort | $ 840 | $ 1,063.50 |
| 2 Park Tickets, 4 Day Hoppers | $ 494 | $ 1,115.12 |
| Runner 1 Bib (5K) | $ 46 | $ 85 |
| Runner 2 Bibs (5K, 10K, Half) | $ 206 | $ 432 |
| PhotoPass, Run + Parks | $ 95 | $ 169 |
| Estimated Total: | $ 1,681 | $ 2,864.62 |
The actual difference in that package is $1,183.62 – which is insane to me!
Paris vs. Orlando – Flights
I’m keeping this comparison separate and unofficial since it’s going to be totally different for everyone.
We booked our flights to and from Paris pretty early, and the grand total was $1,100… which I know isn’t cheap, but isn’t crazy expensive either! We booked through Delta – which ended up being AirFrance on the way, and Delta on the way home.
I know this isn’t an exact science, because I’m just looking at flights versus booking around the same timeframe as we booked for Paris… but hang in there with me. Really, 6-8 weeks is the sweet spot when it comes to booking flights so the prices are actually probably pretty good.
It looks like flights would be most affordable and a similar level of service would be on American Airlines… those flights would be right around $400 per person, so around $800 total.
When you take flights into consideration… your runDisney package to Paris would be around $2,800 for hotel/flights/tickets/races/photos. Your runDisney package to Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend with similar hotel/flights/tickets/races/photos…. $3,700.
That means Paris is almost $1,000 less expensive.
Paris vs. Orlando… Final Thoughts
So really… this trip is NOT out of your reach!! If you’re ready to think about a trip to Paris, I’m ready to put a quote together. I’m going to put the form to request a quote for the 2020 Disneyland Paris Magic Run Weekend 5th Anniversary at the bottom of this post. Go ahead and fill it out… you could be running IN PARIS this time next year!!
(If you’d like to get a quote for the Princess Race this May in Disneyland Paris, we’re not quite ready to quote yet but you can submit your information using this link and I’ll be in touch ASAP!)
