We used Viator and I feel like we skipped lines. It was really easy and calm, but even in December insanely crowded. We had purchased to go to the top and it was closed for ice, so no dice and no refunds. We didn't care - it was just fun to go up with the kids. I agree with everyone else, if the kids want to do it, go with Viator and have the skip the line option (there was no skipping the line to come down, by the way) If not, it's more fun to see it at night and from other places.

Hi- we also missed the window to get tickets in advance last summer. Kids really wanted to go, so we just walked up. You do wait in a long-ish line to get tickets (maybe 30 min, not terrible). But after that, there’s still tons of waiting in line, even with tickets (for every elevator). Agree that you can walk down from the middle level.
Point is, in my experience, not having advance tickets didn’t change the experience that much.

Since this attraction is so weather dependent, we decided to buy tickets to the top on the spot at the tower. It was the right decision- had the best weather and enjoyed our visit. I hate all the timed entry stuff, and was happy to avoid it for this. The line to buy tickets was long, but we brought snacks and time went by. It’s also important to know that they close the top intermittently for weather and wind conditions so your timed entry is not guaranteed to the top.

Agree that second level is fine. I didn’t want to go the Eiffel Tower at all, but one my teenagers did, and we had a lot of fun climbing the stairs to the second level. I wouldn’t do the elevator (unless you aren’t able to climb stairs, of course).

Go to Montparnasse tower as well at sunset for best views of Eiffel Tower

We went last July. The lines for elevator weren’t long —maybe 15 minutes to go up and like 5 to come down—and it was cool to say you went to very top. There is a trick to buying the tickets—I can’t remember now (I found it by googling around) but I think it was something like at the first screen you have to put in the day before or after what you want, and then on the second screen you can pick the actual day. It’s like a flaw in the programming that all the tour operators know about so of course that’s how all the tickets sell out. It is way cheaper if you can get that!!
I’m not sure I would pay the private tour operator for a whole family unless the kids were really psyched about it. For my teens it was their top choice for Paris. They really enjoy heights (I do not), so we’ve down Top of the Rock, London Eye, etc. we were gojng to do that crazy glass bridge over the Grand Canyon but lucky for me we ran out of time in that trip!

For me it was a box I wanted to check. Couldn’t get tickets directly… tried several days at 60 days out. I bought tickets from GetYiurGuide. We met nearby and had a mini tour where the guide explained some history and helped us through the security and lines. It was easy and we didn’t have a huge wait to get to the top. For us, it was well worth it because we had both kids and 80ish grandparents so it was a great moment as none of us had been to the top.

Anonymous wrote:Views are better from the Arc de Triomphe, I would not go to top of Eiffel Tour and do Arc de Triomphe in addition

Agree about the views being better from arc de triomphe. However, my kids loved the whole Eiffel Tower experience. We went to the top, and thought it was worth it!

Views are better from the Arc de Triomphe, I would not go to top of Eiffel Tour and do Arc de Triomphe in addition

If you can handle the walk up, it's really not that long (20-25 minutes), cheaper and usually not a line. I downloaded a Rick Steves podcast lecture about the history/construction of the tower and listened to it as I walked up. Was interesting and passed the time well also

Agree with PPs - don't waste your time or money.

Your fine just going to the second level. I wouldn't pay to go to the top with kids again. When we went in December, we waited 45 minutes for the elevator to the top and then another 90 minutes for the elevator back down. It wasn't worth the wait time and crowd at the top.

My understanding is there’s no way to skip the line to the very top. For us, the mid level was more than fine. The best views of Paris include the Eiffel Tower, and are not from it anyway.

Heading to Paris next month and am debating if I buy 2nd floor tickets or try to get tickets to the top through a 3rd party. I went online exactly 60 days in advance at the moment the tickets went on sale but summit was sold out - I heard bots buy them all these days.

Does anyone recommend a particular site to buy summit tickets (like Viator)? And is there anything you can purchase to not have to wait in the crazy elevator line? If so would prefer that.

If it matters, DH and I have been to the top before, our kids ages 6 and 10 have not but I am sure they will visit again if we don’t do it this trip.