"Paradise" occurs three times in the KJV, with three different meanings. The first is the one you refer to. Jesus said this to the thief who was crucified with Him (who was not accused of a crime so great that he could not obtain forgiveness). He was telling the thief that death is not the end -- though the physical body dies, the spirit lives on, and they would both be in the world of spirits that day after they died. Jesus wasn't promising the thief instant everything. So here is paradise in the sense of "spirit world", in the sense of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31):
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Here is paradise in the sense of the "third heaven" (see verse 2 in that chapter):
2 Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
And here is paradise in the sense of the Garden of Eden:
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.