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How much money for Disneyland?

68 replies

thatselementary · 03/07/2020 19:07

Planning a trip for next year to have something to look forward to. We will be going with 2DC (4&2) for four days and it'll probably include the older one's birthday. We'll be going for 4 days I think, half board. How much money should we plan for a few meals out, snacks and for buying toys/treats? Bearing in mind one of the days, we'd be extra generous for DC. Any advice would be great Smile

OP posts:
ipswichwitch · 04/07/2020 08:35

We’ve been 3 times and each time gone half board at the Santa Fe. We’d go nuts at the breakfast buffet, swipe a few croissants to take in and we pack a load of cereal bars, dry fruit snacks and other bits to eat in queues, or buy a hot dog to keep us going. We’d have our main meal about 4ish when it’s not too busy. The sandwich place at the train station does very nice, reasonably priced baguettes, and you can feed 4 at the Earl of Sandwich for €40-€50.

We’ve budgeted between £800 and £900 for a 5 day trip for 4 of us. The kids get a good bit of spending money and we give them a budget each day that they can either spend or keep for the next day to put towards something bigger. If you don’t fancy carrying the toys around all day, the shops will deliver them to the hotel (if you’re in a Disney one).

ipswichwitch · 04/07/2020 08:37

Actually thinking back it was more like £1000 we took, but spent about £900.

Hazelnutlatteplease · 04/07/2020 08:46

Right so first thing you need to do is check your meal plan vouchers.( I can't remember if Cheyenne is standard or plus). You will have breakfast and one other meal covered for every night of your stay. If standard that will be up the buffet standard (But not not all buffets), plus Will be all buffets, some sit downs and certain sittings of buffello Bills wild west show.

Next decide if you want to character dining. You will need to top up your meal vouchers for this. Character dining is a spectacular way to meet characters.

Fast food in the park ranges between 11€ and €15 per a person. Some meals are shareable if you make the most of breakfast and know you have a big dinner: ive done this with loaded fries at fuenta del oro and heard it done with fish and chips at Toad Hall and pizza. If you are happy to do the 5 min wander into the village there is real of sandwich at about €7-8 and McDonald's.

You need to book buffets and sit down. Depending on the time if year, Where you what to eat and whether you prioritise keeping costs down over location varies where your best eating. For example it might be worth checking out the price to upgrade to full board at standard or plus level. The value for money this offers is phenomenal. When we used to do full board plus we didn't eat or drink anything else anywhen else in the day and ate at some spectacular restaurants. We refilled kids cups at drinks fountain (take mini squash) and I took a flask of coffee.

We give everyone (adults and children) fixed spending money for time there and they choose how and when they spend it. Lot out for anything that has a sale sticker on (the sale prices are good). Toys are about the same price as here. Clothes are expensive but fantastic Quality (for a hoody €40-60 tshirt €20-30, these both come down significantly in a sale). Direct the kids towards the pins in you are looking for a cheap (start at€7) souvenir. If you are keeping costs down pick up a (disney) lanyard from ebay prior to going. If they get into it, they'll be looking for pins everywhere they sometimes have unique ones in some shops. Mugs and bowls are also reasonable value for money (about €10-€12). I have a fair stash of blankets (some from 10 years+ ago) and the foldable bags (That are fantastically usefully) that are till bargains. If you are going October-about March, I take one of these folding bags so when we go into a restaurant or auditorium everyone can shove in hat's gloves and scarfs so they dont get lost.

I've done it where we've had a full board meal plan and the only additional spending was €50-€100 per a head souvenirs. I've also done it fair fair more extravagantly

The facebook group "Disneyland Paris for Brits" has some awesome document in the files section, including a meal plan top up costs (e.g. standard voucher to character dining) document. It's also worth watching a couple of you tube videos to get a better overview "see you main street" are the best. they do videos on all the major hotels, the meal plans, the restaurants etc.

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Ohshitx · 04/07/2020 08:56

Also worth remembering that your 2 year old will eat for free from your plates at the buffet restaurants.

Namechangex10000 · 04/07/2020 09:02

Honestly it’s entirely dependent on what you want to spend, some disagree but I think it’s entirely possible to not spend huge amounts, mostly, I don’t find the toys to be over priced, I think they’re pretty fair! Food and drinks are the killer, for example one day when watching the parade I ran into caseys corner and just got a few bits instead of proper lunch, couple of hot dogs, couple of fries, couple of portions of chicken nuggets and it was around €50.

Our kids are a bit older and our days were long, we had planned to go for a proper meal at some point but once we were in the village before heading back to Davey Crockett they all preferred to get a huge McDonald’s and go back to our cabin so realistically we saved doing this! If you can take drinks, do, a coke is expensive, we have a baby so luckily has the pram to take bits!

Namechangex10000 · 04/07/2020 09:04

Oh, and avoid the breakfast with characters - it’s cost us €180 and the character interaction was diabolical

Sushiroller · 04/07/2020 09:11

Id go for about £1k you should get a bit of change from that.

Hope you have an amazing time sound like you've had a rough year.
I think the stocking up on stuff in the UK is a genius idea.

Your thread also reminds me of this (adorable) video
m.youtube.com/watch?v=OOpOhlGiRTM

Lola001 · 04/07/2020 09:30

Taking snacks in your bag to keep your children going won't affect her enjoyment, surely at that age they don't consider food a spoil anyway? Not judging you, just think you could spoil them whilst being a little savvy...

Why not go to primark before you go and get some dress up bits too, she can be a different Disney princess each day :-)

thatselementary · 04/07/2020 09:31

Definitely agree @Lola001 and plan on doing that, I'm thinking how much for the odd snack, a few meals and merchandise Smile

Some of these have been really helpful, thank you Smile

OP posts:
HalfTermHalfTerm · 04/07/2020 09:35

You’ve had some really helpful advice here, I don’t have much to add! I definitely second trying to book some restaurants in advance before you go though, they fill up very quickly especially if the half board is free when you book so lots of people have it! The Agrabah Cafe (in adventure land) is absolutely amazing and I really like Restaurant des Stars in the Walt Disney studios too. Some of the hotel restaurants are very good, but if you’re staying at the Cheyenne (which is lovely) it is a bit of a trek so once you’ve gone back for the evening you might want to stay there! If you can stretch to it I would recommend the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show too. I have seen it about 15 times and I still enjoy it...Blush
Basically all the restaurants have menus online, so for the non buffet restaurants you could have a look at prices and places you like the look of.

The toys are fairly pricey, but not too bad. The dressing up dresses are absolutely extortionate though, around the €60 mark. Definitely buy those from the Disney store before you go!

Hazelnutlatteplease · 04/07/2020 09:37

Oo oo oo. I forgot to add you need to book most restaurants!!!! Especially if you have small children so are less flexible on time!!

tanstaafl · 04/07/2020 09:43

I know this goes totally against the spirit of the thread but for a spend like that and with kids that young I’d consider a week in Majorca all inclusive instead.

Before you flame me ( perhaps reasonably ) we took our two to DLP when they were 5&3. Mon-Fri, took the train into Paris one day.
They don’t remember any of the holiday.

A week in a nice AI hotel , on the beach and/or with a choice of pools is another way of having a memorable holiday.

Hazelnutlatteplease · 04/07/2020 10:43

@tanstaafl
Before you flame me
Please can i do the flaming? GentlyGrinWink

I do agree that it's a lot of money compared to some other holidays, but I get overheated and bored on a sun holiday. Even when we did finally give in and do a sun holiday last year i managed to pack it full of every activity (cultural and fun) on the island because sunbathing/pool was boring after the first day (for me and the kids) and actually the overall costs weren't as incomparable as to you think! Disney isis1 good value for dawn to dusk entertainment and (Depending on where you eat) superb food.

DS13 with SN didn't speak properly until 4 ish and even now cant always tell you what he did this morning but, when he was two, if you said Disney castle he'd make mickey ears with his hands. DD15 mentions stuff every now and then that tracks back to visits when she was 4 or 5.

Annoyingly/frustratingly when we revisited it last year it came out that Neither of them remembered anything about the Eiffel tower visit we tacked onto Disney when they where about 6 and 5!! [face palm] they remember bits of the Disney trip but not the Eiffel tower. Uncultured lot that they are

But for us I have to admit the SN factor makes it extra special. It's one of the few places thats so accommodating and easy to do with a wheelchair and SN that we all do get to properly relax and revert to a far more carefree state. I'm not worrying whether we won't be able to do an activity cos of the wheelchair and i know if we need medical assistance its on hand. I dont have to spend hours searching accessibility online or calling places only to find the information was nonsense when you get there. Even arriving at our sun holiday last year was hell because they'd ignored the wheelchair accessible room request and put us on the first floor. no lifts.Hmm I get not everyone has these extra worries though.GrinGrinGrin

Takingontheworld · 04/07/2020 10:52

We were on their highest meal plan thing so we could have all the character meals etc and still spent 1k! The kids only bought 2 gifts each!

It was fecking mental. Even a sodding icelolly waa 6 euro.

And their full meal plan only included breakfast and dinner 🙄 we had free afternoon tea at our hotel because we stayed at SL golden forest level.

We had a magic time but will never go back.

Efteling however is sooo much better and cheaper.

MrsWhites · 04/07/2020 11:07

Disneyland Paris isn’t that brilliant for snacks to be honest and what they do have are ridiculously priced - like €5 for a character biscuit. I always take snacks, apart from anything else they keep the kids quiet when queuing for rides.

Ohshitx · 04/07/2020 11:14

@Takingontheworld

We were on their highest meal plan thing so we could have all the character meals etc and still spent 1k! The kids only bought 2 gifts each!

It was fecking mental. Even a sodding icelolly waa 6 euro.

And their full meal plan only included breakfast and dinner 🙄 we had free afternoon tea at our hotel because we stayed at SL golden forest level.

We had a magic time but will never go back.

Efteling however is sooo much better and cheaper.

That’s not full board, it would have been half board with Golden Forest. Full Board is breakfast, and 2 meals a day.
Hazelnutlatteplease · 04/07/2020 11:32

That's a half board meal plan. Not a full board. Half board is one meal plan voucher per a night per a person. Full board is two.

I do usually spend about £1k for 4 nights 5 days for 3-4 people . But that usually includes one hoody or Pandora charm per a person, a few t-shirts, a few Christmas presents to put aside, a blanket, a bowl and a packable bag (all to add to the collection), a handful of badges sometimes a lanyard, an extra (cocktail or mocktail) drink at sit down meals, one coffee/drink and theme snack in the studios on one day (usually toward the end of the week and were running out of steam). If im premium half board that includes a fast food meal a day (two on one day). If I'm plus full board that includes one character dine top up and a top up to premium+ cocktails in captain Jack's. I generally have either premium half board or plus full. Outside of meals we dont generally touch ice creams, soft drinks popcorn or toffee apples as those really are poor value for money. If the kids what them it's only if im half board and it counts instead of their fast food meal that day or it counts as part of their spending(they tend to go off the idea quick owing to the appeal of hoodies and pin badges). Also the toffee apples stain if you get them on clothing.... the pink Darth Vader hoody has passed into legend GrinGrinGrin

notheragain4 · 04/07/2020 11:50

We budgeted £400 in spending money for 4 of us 4 days when we went half board and came back with change. We drove so we took bottled water and snacks. We upgraded our breakfast at Annette's everyday which kept us going through to dinner time. We did one character meal (although I don't think I paid that from the £400) and rainforest cafe one night.

We could have spent much less.

Greenbutterlfy566 · 04/07/2020 11:52

What souvieners did everyone bring home?

zenasfuck · 04/07/2020 11:59

We went 10 years ago and spent the best part of 2 grand in 4 days - 2 adults and one child.

It's expensive there but if you can afford it, just spend as much as you want - it's a great place

Mightymurphy · 04/07/2020 12:04

When we go we take cereal bars and have them in the room Early. Go to the park for extra magic time and then leave just after 10 and go for a big breakfast. That lasts us until dinner. We do stay at the main hotel or New York when we go so that’s an easily doable trip.

Mightymurphy · 04/07/2020 12:06

We only bring back what we can’t get from the Disney store park shop.

Last time was a brolly and some plates and utensils.

Before we’ve done key rings and mugs and jumpers.

Qwicky · 04/07/2020 12:08

Are you driving or flying?

We drove so packed up the car with several 12 packs of bottled water/kids juice and I'm so glad we did. A tenner spent in Asda saved us at least €200 (and I mean at least!) over four days. We went when it was quite warm (may) and bottles of water are €3-€5 each. Being able to pack a rucksack with our own water saved a fortune.
We also took a good big box full of wrapped snacks (cereal bars/cake bars etc) and again it made a big saving. Food is extortionate and low quality there but the overall experience was amazing, I'd go back in a heartbeat.

LipstickLoves · 04/07/2020 12:15

We had an amazing time there last year with my 8 and 4 year old and can't wait to go back. I got most of the tips from the Facebook groups, there's some really good ones.

I agree around £150 is a good figure a day to budget. We had one drink one evening in the Disneyland Hotel and a drink for 4 of us (beer, wine and couple of special Halloween kids drinks) was €50! Drinks are quite pricey.

A tip I picked up was to say to my kids they could have any toy they wanted but we would go back at the end and get it. It helped with the impulse buying and every shop we went if the kids asked for something instead of saying No I'd be saying "yes, you can definitely have that if that's what you'd like at the end of the holiday". Really worked well for us.

We did breakfast with the princesses which was wonderful and worth it.

The whole experience was wonderful.

Hazelnutlatteplease · 04/07/2020 12:16

What souvieners did everyone bring home?
Best thing I bought home ever was a Disney original oil painting years and years ago. Second best was DDs personalised patch jacket from last year (although there were some quality control issues with this so get it early in the holiday so you can get them sorted before you come home)

Otherwise bowls, blankets, and clothes.

Lanyards are surprisingly useful for easy access to the hotel charge card/room key/park tickets.

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