(MONEY Magazine) – Next month, those hardworking folks at Disney will once again prove that it's a small world after all. The $4 billion EuroDisney, opening on April 12, 20 miles east of Paris, means that within 45 minutes you can go from the Mona Lisa to the Mouse. Set in the rural town of Marne La Vallee, Americana a la Disney will consist of a theme park just like the Stateside Magic Kingdoms, six hotels, dozens of restaurants, a 27-hole golf course, a 139-acre campground called Camp Davy Crockett and a 10-acre man-made lake. Disney's timing couldn't be better: the European Community becomes official in a matter of months, and by 1994 the TGV high-speed train will roar under the English Channel, screeching to a halt outside EuroDisney's door. Jim Cora, vice president of operations, estimates that a whopping 11 million visitors will walk through the gates in the first year alone -- about 85% Europeans and only 3% Americans. And with attendance at its two U.S. theme parks down by 7% to 10% last year, Disney is banking on this opening. The big question for travelers is this: Is it worth your time and money to cross the Atlantic to see a theme park or even to drop in while you're seeing Paris? To find out, MONEY took a preview look at the Disney work in progress. Although the park was still under construction, we explored the site, toured the hotels and interviewed Disney employees, both here and abroad. The answer? A definite oui, if you are already sold on a trip to France and particularly if you intend to bring along the kids. Unlike Orlando, where you need at least four days to cover EPCOT Center, Disney MGM Studios and the Magic Kingdom, you can do EuroDisney in one packed 10-hour day. With the park only 45 minutes by train from Paris, it's a kick to juxtapose Old World culture with New World kitsch. And kids, of course, would get an appreciated dose of home after all the museums. But the price of shaking Monsieur Mickey's mitted hand can be steep. With the dollar at a 12-year low, the exchange rate (at press time) was a punishing five or so francs to the dollar. So EuroDisney's entrance fee will cost about $40 (200 francs) and $30 (150 francs) for ages three to nine -- compared with Orlando's $33 and $26, respectively. And if you're looking for inexpensive Motel Six lodging, forget it. Families on a budget will be pinched. EuroDisney's glitziest hotels cost about the same on either side of the Atlantic -- $380 a night for Euro's Disneyland Hotel, vs. $415 for Orlando's Grand Floridian. What's worse, you'll have to pay $150 for EuroDisney's Hotel Cheyenne, nearly 50% more than the comparable Port Orleans that goes for $104 during Orlando's peak summer and holiday seasons. All told, one day for a family of four, including an overnight stay and meals, will run you about $500 to $650. For more on the high costs, see the table at right. Truth is, you won't see much that's totally new. Yet subtle differences are enough to keep diehard Disneyites intrigued. For instance, the company's lifesize robotic puppetry, or audio-animatronics (try saying that in French), is more sophisticated than in the older parks. ''The figures in Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Small World have more movements and seem more lifelike,'' boasts Disney's Cora. And there are new takes on old themes. Visitors to Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty's Castle), for example, will be able to wander around her boudoir, unlike the Orlando castle, which is a mere facade for restaurants and shops. Another notable attraction is Alice's Curious Labyrinth, a wacky 5,000-square-meter evergreen hedge maze that wends its way right to the Queen of Hearts' Castle. As you might guess, you don't need to parlez francais to get by. Fantasyland villages will go by French names, such as Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), while french fries give way to pommes frites. Otherwise, all signs will be posted in two languages, English and French. Perhaps more intriguing than the amusement park itself is Festival Disney, located right alongside. Designed by the irreverent architect Frank Gehry, this plaza offers American-themed restaurants that Disney ''shadowed'' from well-known U.S. eateries. For example, the chef at the L.A. Bar & Grill trained for eight weeks at Wolfgang Puck's Postrio in San Francisco so he could create authentic yuppie pizza. And at Buffalo Bill's Wild West dinner - show, you'll find Texas cowboys, Sioux and Apache tribe members, bison, pinto ponies and even a performing brahma bull -- all of which Disney airlifted into France. Besides the rodeo, the $60 tab ($30 for children ages three to 10) covers a souvenir cowboy hat, chili and ribs. If you visit EuroDisneyland, keep these tips in mind: -- Change your money in Paris. The park won't take dollars or American traveler's checks. You can use credit cards or change money at the Disney exchange booth, but you'll be taking a chance on the rate. You can do better shopping for rates at Paris banks or travel bureaus. -- How to get there. EuroDisney is easily accessible on the RER 1 line of the Paris train system. The 45-minute trip costs approximately $3 each way from the Opera, a centrally located Paris station. If you stay on the Left Bank, in St. Germain des Pres, for instance, the Opera is just six quick Metro stops and $1.10 away. -- Where to stay. Paris hotels that accommodate two adults and two kids in one room are hard to find. Disney hotel rooms, on the other hand, are designed for families and therefore offer relatively appealing deals. They also feature reliable American comforts, like efficient showers. But then -- how often do you get to see Paris? We recommend staying in town, where moderate hotels range from $100 to $250 a night. Check with a travel agent for options. -- How long to stay. If you want more than a day trip, we suggest a one-night stay. Whether you call the U.S. Disney Reservations Center (407-352-3254) or the French equivalent (33-1-49-41-49-10), prices are quoted in francs. The French reservation office has more rooms available. -- EuroDisney hotel choices. The park's flagship is the Disneyland Hotel ($390 a night for summer and holiday season; $260 for off-season). This pink Victorian also serves as the park entrance, so you can request a view of the castle. But the rooms themselves are disappointing: the bedspread evokes early Best Western, and the dressers are etched with tacky Peter Pan designs. Consider instead the resort's other luxury property: Michael Graves' Hotel New York. This postmodern tribute to the Big Apple boasts a Rainbow Room and a Rockefeller Center-style skating rink in the winter where you can rent skates. Families might prefer the more modest Cheyenne ($110 to $150), a two-story hotel designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern to look like a western movie set. Rooms include bunk beds, buffalo-print carpet and a bright red cowboy- / boot lamp. -- Consider a package deal for two nights or more. So far, only Walt Disney Travel Co. and American Express are offering all-inclusive trips to EuroDisney. While a package doesn't feature much of a saving for you right now, you are guaranteed the price in today's dollars. -- Visit off-season. The busiest time will be July through early September. December through March will be less hectic -- but the weather can be quite cold. One consolation: Disney engineers applied what they learned from the inclement weather at Tokyo Disney, built in 1983, and provided more covered corridors and protected arcades. An average visitor will spend 80% of the time indoors. -- Steer clear of weekends, Wednesdays, August and major European holidays. Although Orlando's Disney World is jammed on weekdays, experts say the opposite will be true in Europe. Schoolchildren are off on Wednesdays and Sundays, so leave those days to Europeans. Avoid Bastille Day (July 14) and all of August, when most of Europe vacations.

BOX: A FRANC COST COMPARISON

Prices reflect those charged by EuroDisney's Preview Center prior to the April 12 debut and do not include tax. ORLANDO PARIS PARK ADMISSION (ADULT) $33.00 $40.00 HOT DOG 1.89 4.00 LARGE COKE 1.61 2.40 MICKEY MOUSE T-SHIRT 13.95 25.00 MOUSE EARS 3.95 5.00