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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Disneyland Paris.. my head is melted!

118 replies

Ladybird11 · 02/03/2018 20:57

Booked flights and 4 nights in the Kyriad hotel near Disneyland Paris for April as my girls main Christmas present. Intention was to buy park tickets for the 2 days we will be in the parks (rest of the time in paris). My AIBU is... AIBU to wish I'd spent more, paid over the odds through an agent, booked a package thereby paying for days of passes for DLP that we wouldn't need if it's only just have been simpler?!

Our hotel offers breakfast but (the Disneyland Paris for Brits FB page has melted my head) I've read that to avoid paying 85 billion euros for dinner, meal passes should be bought.. and meals booked in advance.. and scheduled meals, attractions, etc to make the most of queues, light shows, parades.. oh dear goodness it's so complicated!

Can I not just buy passes for 2 days entry (best value?), and go with the flow? It seems no one goes with the flow and it's managed to the last minute..

Please regale me with DLP go with the flow is possible stories!

OP posts:
Lindy2 · 02/03/2018 21:42

The facebook group is a bit obsessed with meal plans.
To end your dilema, you can only have a meal plan if you are staying in a disney hotel. Your hotel isn't a disney one so you can't buy a meal plan anyway. It is not a problem at all though. There is a wide range of fast food places where you can get a perfectly good meal for about $15. No booking or preplanning required.It might not be food you want to eat everyday for a week but it will be perfectly ok for a couple of days. The sit down, posher meals are very expensive and it is advisable to pre book your table. These are where a meal plan can make sense as it makes it a bit less expensive.
If you are only there for 2 days though you probably don't want to spend 2 hours having a posh meal. For a short stay you probably just want to grab a quick meal and get back to the park.
We went last year at a busy time. We didn't plan anything. We just turned up, did what we wanted and had a fabulous time. Relax and enjoy it!

Gizlotsmum · 02/03/2018 21:43

We are doing a list of things we really want to do and trying to plan them, everything else will go with the flow.. but we are going at a really busy time so know we won’t get everything done so the plan is more to prioritise

Original poster
Ladybird11 · 02/03/2018 21:44

Thank you. We intend to enjoy it all.. it's been a long time since we had a family holiday.. thanks for the tips ladies. I will read up on DLP online and then I'll know what to prioritise.. and beyond that anything is a bonus.

OP posts:
TheSconeOfStone · 02/03/2018 21:45

The only thing we booked for was Bistro Remy. It was nice but my kids like the counter service Mickey Mouse shapes pizzas the best.

buckeejit · 02/03/2018 21:47

I think if you have emergency food like brioche, fruit and crisps, then you can check if you'r nearby a better option but always have a plan B! Can I ask when are the quieter times to go to DLP? It's my idea of hell but dc would love it. Would want to go but try to keep it low budget & semi planned!

C0untDucku1a · 02/03/2018 21:47

IF you think the dlp for brits page is difficult, try the orlando one. You get things like. You paid £6k for two weeks with flights?! I got three weeks, with flights, all meals, car hire, and a lap-dance from justin timberlake for £10. Grin

RunRivers · 02/03/2018 21:48

Totally fine to flow, especially given the ages of your children. The DLP thing is very very scary! We had meal plans (only because free with the hotel deal). We didn't book anything beforehand. Lots of restaurants were fully booked, but evening meal in hotel was fab so we ate there. We only did breakfast and evening meal, with snack bars and chocolate during the day. If you are a 'flow' family who are not going to be stressed by not 'eating properly at proper times' you will be fine.

We wandered around rides as we saw queue times.

Attraction tix (or something similar sounding) often has ticket deals.

Don't worry about getting to front for fireworks. To do that wastes far too much time. You will get a decent enough view further back. Lots of the lights are on the castle itself rather than in the sky.

Sorry, a bit of an essay.

Oh one more thing. We didn't find the early magic hours worthwhile - not many rides open and usual sized queues. We found it better to spend the time eating breakfast at a leisurely pace at the all you can eat breakfast and really filling ourselves up / setting ourselves up for the day. The days are long enough anyway.

BishopBrennansArse · 02/03/2018 21:49

Cafe Mickey is shite.

TheSconeOfStone · 02/03/2018 21:50

Our first visit was round August bank holiday weekend and it was bearable but very hot. May half term was very quiet but the weather was really bad, flooding in Paris. It was between the spring and summer seasons but that didn’t bother us.

CotswoldStrife · 02/03/2018 21:51

The programme is on the DLP website.

It's fine to go with the flow but you might want a bit of a plan if there is anything particular that you want to do or see there. 2 days is not long and it is very busy - it is an extremely popular tourist attraction - there are counter service restaurants in the park that you can eat at if you wish, the sit down places might be harder to get a table in.

notallthosewhowander · 02/03/2018 21:52

www.disneylandparis.co.uk/entertainment/shows-and-parades-in-disneyland-parks/

This will update with the latest available programme 😊

PollyMycroft · 02/03/2018 21:53

Have done both the mega planning and more chilled out way; both have pros and cons.
Eat at the Buzz Lightyear Pizza place....looks dark and dingy but food is lovely and reasonably priced.
The train station is so close and sells lovely sandwiches cheaply.
Avoid the McDs.. it's awful. In fact last time we went to DParis we did the full Magic Kingdom hotel top mealplan etc. Yes the kids met all the characters/princesses without waiting but, apart from the actual hotel food, the restaurant food was pretty poor. The fastpasses we got with the hitel were, however, fab. We got so many we gave some away. Grin

RunRivers · 02/03/2018 21:56

I think you can look up times of things beforehand, but if not, just pick up the park map and timetable as you go into the main bit. After baggage search, after the fountain, in an archway you have to walk through.
I know it sounds daft but we completely missed them when we were walking through and it took us ages to work out where to get them from. Someone else will probably be able to explain better.

A1Sharon · 02/03/2018 21:57

There is an rides app you can get, it tells you how big the queues are for all the rides at that time. So if there is a ride you particularly love you can keep an eye and scoot over when there is a lull in the queue. We found that handy.
I also agree that big breakfast, snacks on site and dinner back at the hotel is a good way to go.
Have fun!

EnglishGirlApproximately · 02/03/2018 21:57

Have you seen the snack boxes some of the planners take? Bonkers, massive amounts of crap for every kid. I pretty much let DS eat what he wants on holiday but I draw the line at taking him a toolbox full of junk to see him through Grin

Squishysquirmy · 02/03/2018 21:58

The last time we went to Disney, we were on a tight budget and just went for the day....
Stayed in Montmartre, left hotel at a not-unreasonable time in the morning and bought a delicious breakfast and lunch from a bakery before jumping on the Metro. Ate breakfast on the train, and when we got hungry later had the packed lunch of fruit, quiche, crisps etc that we'd brought with us. Easy and relaxed.

That's the ultimate cheapskate way to do it - and I know you are staying near the park (very sensible) but it is perfectly possible to have a cheapish visit without ludicrous amounts of preparation and organisation. There's a middle ground: You could buy some snacks and drinks to take in with you without bringing a whole packed lunch, then you will be less reliant on v. expensive restaurants.

Ubercornsdiscoball · 02/03/2018 21:58

We got the train there, stayed offsite and bought our passes at the hotel. Just went with the flow and had a lovely time!!

kubex · 02/03/2018 22:01

I go every year and never pre book meals except for the character dinner at Inventions in the Disneyland Hotel on the first night (it's turned into a tradition of ours!).

We always stay at one of the Disney hotels, but pop into Starbucks in the Disney Vilage for breakfast.

For lunch we have hotdogs from Caseys Corner, a Mcdonalds or a sandwich from Earl of Sandwich.

We always have dinner in the Disney Village and have never had to wait long, even during busier times.

RomaineCalm · 02/03/2018 22:02

We (sort of) went with the flow and it worked for us. Took plenty of cereal bars/snacks stuff for standing in queues and also used the station shop at Marne La Valeé for drinks and the odd baguette.

We planned our days to try to do the stuff that we really wanted to do. We found it better to go to the park first thing, spend time there and then come back to the hotel for a swim and a snooze for DC and then go back out in the evening.

We did book the Buffalo Bill show (great fun), Café Mickey (wouldn't bother) and Inventions at the Disneyland Hotel which was lovely.

abitoflight · 02/03/2018 22:07

I've been about 10 times and stayed at Disney hotel (not worth it over hotel New York imo) and hotel New York (liked this best) and Newport bay
Only thing I ever booked was dinner in village and did that as early as poss as I don't want evening meal at 6 and I don't want to risk queuing at 8 and eating at 10
I liked steakhouse best in the village
Cafe mickey - food awful but regular characters and waiters sing/ dance on table. I prefer downstairs so I book that
Plan to see fireworks one evening and maybe book dinner in a place in the park for that evening?
Billy bobs - food truly bad and it smells as animals. I've been once for the show
I've been with a Disney obsessive and honestly, not a holiday feel with having to march to places at set times

GabsAlot · 02/03/2018 22:13

uj dont need to book anything except character meals u cant just walk in to those

but do work out what parades shows you want to see

ive been told u cant take your own food in though dont know if thats still applies

newnameforwednesday · 02/03/2018 22:29

We have annual passes. You only need to book meals in advance if you want any character dining. With two days in the park if you can afford it, it might be worth considering as it'll save a lot of time queuing.

In the village we eat at Vapiano and Five Guys and McDonald's. You can't book at Planet Hollywood, Annette's or Rainforest Cafe.

Cafe Mickey has just reopened as a premium restaurant with characters again - it was previously dreadful but apparently a bit better now.

In terms of tickets - have a look at Attraction Tix or Superbreaks.

Daniel Potter's Disneyland Advice on Facebook is a bit less neurotic and there are lots of annual pass holders on there to help.

newnameforwednesday · 02/03/2018 22:30

You can definitely take your own food in.

CotswoldStrife · 02/03/2018 22:34

You can't take massive picnic hampers in, but you can take a bit of food in! We used to make sandwiches out of all the bread we got for breakfast (at the Davy Crockett Ranch) and they never stopped us (bags are x-rayed on the way in).

The Buzz Lightyear Pizza Place has been closed for quite a while I think. Also, if there is a ride that you really want to go on check it's not closed - there is a page on the DLP website that shows which rides are closed.

AustrianSnow · 02/03/2018 22:36

We went at a busy time and booked mealsnin advance. We were really restricted with times and availability several weeks beforehand. I'd just book a few and not turn up if you decide not to go.

Take food in with you of it's nice weather.