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Original poster

Disneyland Paris

33 replies

racheyc · 04/01/2017 19:40

Posting here for traffic. Has anyone got any advice on the best time to go in terms of shorter queues. We are thinking of going in March and will try to avoid French school holidays as well as UK. Also I have heard that it is looking a little run down and there are armed police all around. If anyone has been recently is this true? Also heard they stopped doing the characters coming round at breakfast? Also read today that Space Mountain is closing to be replaced with a Star Wars themed ride! Thanks!

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Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:06

bumping as it is very busy on here tonight!

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iamdivergent · 04/01/2017 20:10

All I know is that it's changing at the end of March with regards to meals and meal plans. Alot of the rides look like they will be closed then too.

Birdsgottafly · 04/01/2017 20:13

There was an arrest last year of a man with guns.

There's been an ISIS plot stopped, in November.

So I'd be reassured that there were armed Police about, as there have been in all major cities across Europe, were plots are known.

I haven't been in years, but I'm considering taking my GC and people that I know who have been say that it is getting 'old', but if your child loves Disney, then they're going to love it.

DailyFaily · 04/01/2017 20:15

We just went at the start of December and it wasn't too busy. I didn't think it looked run down but I've never been before, there was security about but can't say I noticed armed guards other than at the bag screening but when you go in. We didn't have characters at breakfast time but we weren't in the main breakfasting area so maybe that's why - we had an evening meal in cafe Mickey and there were a few characters there then. Not sure about which rides will be closed but the website has an itinerary of closures on it - there were a few closed when we went.

CrumpetandSausage · 04/01/2017 20:15

We went last week. No police/ military with guns. Long queues though and freezing. Lot has been done up with more still to do but generally it looks good. They are getting ready for 25th anniversary this year.

AlwaysTeaTime · 04/01/2017 20:17

Went in August, but have previously been in March and I think it is better then in terms of crowds but can also get very cold! Doesn't really look run down at all, but they are gradually renovating the rides so some may be closed- the list is on the Disney website if you google. Space Mountain not closing- don't worry, they've just renovated it, and characters come round in some hotels but not all. Disney hotels are very overpriced IMO though- stay in one of the partner ones that do the coach service!

Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:18

Thanks, I don't know if the armed guards would make me feel safe or uneasy! Probably a but of both. So there was a gunman trying to get in and also a foiled terror plot? Scary. It does seem that Disney is slowly starting to lose some of it's magic (I don't mean because of the attacks, not their fault!) They just seem to be cutting down on so much that used to be included. But the kids will love it and they are at the age, (3 and 4) I hope, where they would love it!

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Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:20

Always we were thinking of staying in the New York just because of the distance from the parks with the young children. I have stayed in some of the partner ones before and loved them but my youngest gets car sick so not sure about the shuttle there and back, especially with the rides too! I have never stayed in the Disneyland Hotel it looks nice but not sure it is worth the money even though it is at the doorstep.

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tinkerbell141 · 04/01/2017 20:21

We stayed in between Christmas and new year. Space mountain was closed with a fault the two days we went over that way. A new Star Wars ride is being built but not sure whether it's to replace space mountain. We stayed in Disney New York and no characters came to hotel. Queued for two hours to see Mickey Mouse in the Mickey Mouse theatre as it was warm inside to queue! You can book to have breakfast in cafe mickey and lunch with princesses but was expensive. Not sure about rundown etc as it looked magical at Christmas. I was advised by seasoned disneylanders that Halloween is a good time to go. I would not recommend Christmas time despite it looking beautiful as it was packed and also very cold going down to minus three with freezing fog. My two were sick for two days so we basically spent a day and a half in the parks and they absolutely loved it. Didn't see armed forces in parks but there are a lot of security checks and did see some sniffer dogs with handlers. Made me feel very secure to be honest. Did see armed forces at CDG though. If you fly leave plenty of time both ways as security took a long time at Manchester and also CDG.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:23

We would be going via Eurostar but I am assuming Eurostar also have security and bags checks like in an airport? Has anyone stayed at Newport Bay as that looks lovely too but think it might be quite a walk?

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Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:26

Always do you know which hotels the characters come round in or is it just luck?

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Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:26

Tinkerbell how old are your two and did you do the Princess Lunch or Café Mickey breakfast?

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ChickenItchin · 04/01/2017 20:29

We're looking at Davy Crockett Ranch as the actual bedroom for the children will mean we can enjoy an evening together. There's an offer at the minute for kids under 7 free and free full board dining plan which seems like a great deal.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:31

Oh do they have separate bedrooms then? That is a concern of ours, to be honest, that we will have to go to bed with lights off by 7pm or something! That is a good deal.

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JaneAustinAllegro · 04/01/2017 20:32

We stayed in New York in mid December, our 2nd time in that hotel. There were no characters at breakfast any more - they seem to have stopped that and for me it's a compelling reason to go to one of the hotels a little further away and spend less - the hotel itself is not lovely enough to justify the additional cost if the characters aren't there. There's a shuttle from eg Davy Crockett / Cheyenne to the park for little legs.

The queues were just as bad in December as in early summer because so many rides were closed down for repair / restoration in "quiet" season - there were at least 4 key rides that were closed so lines for the remaining rides were absolutely chokka (esp Ratatouille). I don't think that a quiet time exists.
In the absence of character breakfasts, a meal at Cafe Mickey is definitely worthwhile - yes it's expensive but I'd save by staying in a cheaper hotel (the one that has a pair of bunk beds as well as the double would make for a more peaceful night's sleep - the double beds are tiny and the rooms at New York are v small so it's four people literally on top of each other!)

belleandsnowwhite · 04/01/2017 20:34

They will most likely be a lot of maintenance in March to get every looking good for the 25th anniversary starting April. They shouldn't be that many closures this summer as they was a lot last year.

tinkerbell141 · 04/01/2017 20:34

My girls are eight and six. We didn't do any of the character breakfast etc as they get sick as soon as we got There and we spent two days locked in the hotel room with me running to Disney village for snacks! Think there are frequent shuttle buses from the hotels to the parks but we could walk from the New York

Hulababy · 04/01/2017 20:35

There has always been armed police there. I haven't been for a few years now but I have only ever seen them outside of the actual parks, on the main walk ways from the car park, past the station and towards the park gates.

However there WILL be armed guards within the parks, and the Downtown Disney areas. However, like most security aspects of Disney, many of these will NOT be openly visible to visitors. You also have the more open and visible security too such as the bag checks and some metal detectors.

This applies to all of the Disney parks, not just the Paris one.

987flowers · 04/01/2017 20:35

We stayed in the ranch at the end of aug/beg Sept. We liked it, I liked getting away from the park at the end of the day and it was just a short drive away. We had free food too which you need as the food is shockingly over priced and really poor quality!
The ranch has a lovely swimming pool and we found the best food of the options where you can use your food vouchers

Hulababy · 04/01/2017 20:44

This is the scheduled closures for DLP this year:

www.dlpguide.com/calendar/closures-refurbishments/

March has a lot of closures (due to the 25th celebrations as mentioned.) Could you push it back for a month or two maybe?

March 2017

All Month

  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Space Mountain: Mission 2
  • Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic

Until 24th March

  • Armageddon: Les Effets Speciaux (from 6th)
  • Casey Jr. – Le Petit Train du Cirque
  • Le Pays des Contes de Fées
  • Star Tours (til 25th)

Until 22nd March:

  • Pocahontas Indian Village

Until 17th March

  • “it’s a small world” (from 6th)

Until 14th March

  • Le Passage Enchanté d’Aladdin (from 7th)

Until 13th

  • Disneyland Railroad Discoveryland Station

And some of those are one's suitable for your little ones.

Hulababy · 04/01/2017 20:45

Davy Crockett is no use if you won't have a car, coming via Eurostar. It is off site and there is no transport between the park and the resort.

wrecktangle5 · 04/01/2017 20:45

I haven't stayed in the Newport bay hotel, but it's not any further away from the parks than the New York. If you can find a map of Disneyland you'll see that the Newport, New York and sequoia Hotels are all around lake Disney. The Newport and sequoia hotels have all recently been renovated, but the New York hotel hasn't. The only way you used get a character breakfast included is in a club level room, but that's been stopped now unless you stay in castle club at the Disneyland hotel. But you can still have a character breakfast (for extra cost) at cafe mickey, or plaza gardens after march.

Original poster
racheyc · 04/01/2017 20:46

Oh wow thanks for that, might have to reconsider dates then, that is quite a lot of closures

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DailyFaily · 04/01/2017 20:46

I read a bit about the November 'plot' as it was reported the week before we went - as I understand it DP was on a list of areas that had been considered/researched by a someone linked to ISIS rather than that there was any specific plan - I imagine that any busy attraction is potentially being considered at any given time so it's not something I felt overly concerned with. Another thing I meant to mention is that when we went in December the park closed at 7pm which cuts down the hours you can go on the rides but does mean the light show is on at quite a good time for kids and there was also lots of Christmassy stuff about.

DailyFaily · 04/01/2017 20:49

We stayed at the Newport Bay - its across the lake from the New York, an extra 5 minutes walk maybe? It's not far at all