Disneyland Paris - advice from those who have been

[Norman Potting]

Went for my 40th pre kids and was pondering of going for a few days over Easter with the family. Have had a rummage on various websites and the prices seem to be somewhat eye watering (around £1200 for three nights even before factoring in travel - fancy Euro starring it personally).

Any advice from those who have been on which hotels are the best value - don't really fancy paying through the nose on the offchance of seeing Micky Mouse at breakfast? Thinking of a couple of days at the park and a day Paris sightseeing - from what I recall it is a lovely city if a little pricey.

 

[scooter1]

We've booked to go in May and have opted to book an apartment off site(5 mins by train). We're going to go by car via euro tunnel, tesco club card vouchers offer £30 worth of travel for £10 worth of vouchers. It should be £94 return, but we can do it for £34 via clubcard. Park tickets should be around £50 per day. It can be done without being stiffed by Disney if you're prepared to do a bit of research

 

[Beach Hut]

We will go in May / June and it is very expensive but very good.

Staying around 20 minute drive away in a camp site, must be about my 8th visit now - all good fun

 

[Bozza]

We've been a couple of times over the last two years so here's my two-penneth...

1. I was a bit of a 'Disney snob' having been lucky enough to visit Florida something like 15 times and prior to visiting, I had considered DLP to be a bit of a poor alternative. It's not at all - the theming is still excellent, there are some attractions that are in no other Disney parks and some of the 'duplicate' attractions are better simply because they are newer.

2. It is f***ing expensive - there's no two ways about it. I don't mind paying more for things and am well aware that when captive, the price will be bumped up a bit. At DLP you will buy a basic counter service meal for lunch and do a double-take at what it costs you.

3. The on-site hotels are reasonable enough. We've stayed at Sequoia Lodge and also at Hotel New York. I'd choose the latter again if making a choice - more contemporary, nice bar (pricy, of course) and other than the Disneyland Hotel, it has the shortest walk to the parks but if often does not come cheap.

4. For a reason I can't remember now, when we went last year at Christmas, we stayed our first night 'off site' at one of the local partner hotels. There's a big group of them just up the road - one is circus themed, and another is called something like 'Magic Castle'. These hotels are really very close, very nice and generally much cheaper than the Disney hotels - so do consider them.

5. I think the best deals are generally from Disney themselves, buying a hotel and tickets package - they offer this for partner hotels too. They do seem to be a bit DFS and always have some sort of offer on.

6. When it comes to character greetings, there's none of the Orlando style organised queueing. It is an absolute bunfight. If you want that photo with Mickey you and your kids are going to have to scrap the continentals. Get your elbows out. If you are in a Disney hotel though, you'll find the characters around a lot more and it is more relaxed to meet them.

 

[Beach Hut]

6. When it comes to character greetings, there's none of the Orlando style organised queueing. It is an absolute bunfight. If you want that photo with Mickey you and your kids are going to have to scrap the continentals. Get your elbows out. If you are in a Disney hotel though, you'll find the characters around a lot more and it is more relaxed to meet them.

Fair point and one other tip unless you buy the official Disney autograph book your kids will be not very politely totally blanked by the character as they will only sign their official book which I would imagine is at least 20 Euros now.

Also in the Studio park there is Crush's Coaster and if you are a fat bastard you cannot get on it as a French Dame found out having queued for 30 minutes and was told "non" in no uncertain terms and you are not welcome if you try and bring your own food in (not that it bothers me, if you can afford to go in you accept their food prices).

 

[ROSM]

We have been twice and stayed at the Disneyland hotel both times. I looked at the new Yorker as it is the other 4 star hotel and that is a bit cheaper but very good, just a little further away (through Disney village so about 7 mins walk to either park)

Food prices are high so do look at the meal package. For seeing characters then breakfast or dinner at cafe mickey where you should see 10 or so different ones each sitting. In the hotel there were characters outside the restaurant and queues were very small. We only queued once for a character in the park (to see Winnie the pooh).

Do go Disney express on eurostar, it stops right in the park and your bags get taken to the hotel and when you leave, back to the station. Also you get a book in the kids pack that avoids the beach hut official autograph book issue.

Buffalo bill show is great and Disney village has a good choice of food.

We are already planning our next visit when our youngest is about 18 months old.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Fair point and one other tip unless you buy the official Disney autograph book your kids will be not very politely totally blanked by the character as they will only sign their official book which I would imagine is at least 20 Euros now.

Also in the Studio park there is Crush's Coaster and if you are a fat bastard you cannot get on it as a French Dame found out having queued for 30 minutes and was told "non" in no uncertain terms and you are not welcome if you try and bring your own food in (not that it bothers me, if you can afford to go in you accept their food prices).

Teach you to dress up

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

I stayed in a caravan park near fontanbleu.

It pissed down relentlessly but DLP was well worth it.

 

[Max Paper]

Bought 1 beer, 1 small wine and two slush puppies in Sequila Lodge bar and it cost just under €40!
The continental breakfast was one if the best I've ever eaten though!

 

[Max Paper]

If we do it again we will stay in one if the many Formula 1 hotels dotted about France. Stayed in them before as overnight accommodation on route to the south, basic but cheap, about €30-38 per night

 

[Deleted member 18477]

Bought 1 beer, 1 small wine and two slush puppies in Sequila Lodge bar and it cost just under €40!
The continental breakfast was one if the best I've ever eaten though!

Have you got more money than sense ? I wouldn't pay that out of principle. I imagine the water was something ridiculous as well like €7-10 euro's a bottle?

 

[Beach Hut]

Iris Parc Le Chêne Gris - Rent a luxury tent or mobile home at campsite Le Chêne Gris

This is where we will stay, we went there last year but did Parc Asterix instead. Also there is a railway station over the road so easy access to Paris in one hour.

 

[Acker79]

My Mum and sister take my nieces there quite often. On their last trip they discovered it was ridiculously cheaper to book the disney hotel and the eurostar separately (something like £500 cheaper, I think).

2 adults, 2 youths on eurostar to paris (29march out, 1april in) around £220 (£55ish per person), whereas adding the same train journey to a package through disney made it jump from £1,200 to over £2200.

 

[viscentaye]

We're thinking of going next year so all comments appreciated. We have 4 kids, the youngest will be 1 year old when we go so insight on experience on DLP with very young children would be welcome, tips, advice etc.

 

[Bozza]

My Mum and sister take my nieces there quite often. On their last trip they discovered it was ridiculously cheaper to book the disney hotel and the eurostar separately (something like £500 cheaper, I think).

2 adults, 2 youths on eurostar to paris (29march out, 1april in) around £220 (£55ish per person), whereas adding the same train journey to a package through disney made it jump from £1,200 to over £2200.

Sorry, yes, I wasn't very clear on the ticket buying bit.

Park tickets and hotel package from Disney themselves, transport from someone else.

 

[Bozza]

We're thinking of going next year so all comments appreciated. We have 4 kids, the youngest will be 1 year old when we go so insight on experience on DLP with very young children would be welcome, tips, advice etc.

Our little lad was one and a half when we went last and loved it. There's a little mini-land of Toy Story stuff on the Studios geared up for the wee ones.

 

[Max Paper]

Have you got more money than sense ? I wouldn't pay that out of principle. I imagine the water was something ridiculous as well like €7-10 euro's a bottle?

Believe me it was the only drinks I bought, this was on first night! After that I bought a bottle of Bacardi from a petrol station

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I stayed in a caravan park near fontanbleu.

It pissed down relentlessly but DLP was well worth it.

We went on a coach trip which included a full day in DLP ( pick up was either 18.30 or 23.00)and a full day in Paris inc a tour during the morning. We stayed in a hotel in Fontainbleu for 2 nights which was very comfortable, and only 45 mins on the coach. It was about 10 years ago but the whole thing was £99 a head.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Couple of years ago we stayed at the Davey Crockett Range which is self catering but with breakfast included. Clean, basic but reasonably priced. We just took packed lunches for the day - didn't bother sticking to the rules of leaving the park to eat, just munched on our way round the park.

None of us liked Universal Studios but the Disney Park itself was loved by all.

 

[Market Porter]

Avoid this at all costs........