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Christmas

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Original poster

Disneyland Paris or daytrip to Lapland in December?

43 replies

Fluffybubble · 13/08/2012 16:22

Just looking for advice from anyone who has visited either of the above please :)

I would like to take my 8 year old ds for a treat (we've had a rubbish year) and I don't know which would be most magical. I was leaning towards Lapland but some of the reviews from last year (Trip Advisor etc) are mixed. Disney will be completely Mickey-fied version of Christmas but would still magical for an 8 yr old?!

Cost wise both trips are comparable I think.

Any advice welcome, thanks!

OP posts:

worldgonecrazy · 15/08/2012 09:14

ribena this may be an odd question, but do you know what the provisions were for vegetarians? I've met a few people who've been to Lapland (not on organised tours) who said that the food was very meat-oriented and this puts me off a bit.

Would love to do Lapland one day with DD.

curiousgeorgie · 15/08/2012 09:34

We really weren't that cold in Disney... Didn't wear thermals, just jeans, normal jumper / top, uggs and coat x

40notTrendy · 15/08/2012 09:39

Lapland!!! But not for a day. We went last year with Esprit to Saariselka and it was FANTASTIC. I wish I could go back. It's magical. Esprit were great, everything worked perfectly and the staff were Christmas crazy. It wasn't so cold when we were there, they had a crazy heatwave, it was only minus 8
You can do Disney anytime.

sunnyday123 · 15/08/2012 09:49

40nottrendy

We Are off to saariselka this year and can't wait! Any tips?

We are staying at the holiday club for 3 nights but apparently their activity day goes the same place as esprit (just different day).

Sorry for hijacking thread! So excited! Seen this video of kids who went and beyond excited now:

www.santaslapland.com/news/

honeytea · 15/08/2012 10:38

Worldgonecrazy my sister is a vegetarian and there was always something for her to eat.

There is alot of reindeer on the menu she felt sad for them but I explained they were free range and had a lovely life before becoming soup, much nicer than the sheep and cows in engliand.

40notTrendy · 15/08/2012 11:00

sunny, you'll love it!!!
You need thermals. Obviously! we got some from m&s some from Primark. The kit they give you will keep you warm, although I'd wear some fleece or thin wool gloves too.
Don't get fully togged up in your room otherwise you'll bake, zip up by the front door.
It's a very early start so our ds was a bit of a pain because he was so tired, fell asleep in his dinner!
The village is worth a walk through

40notTrendy · 15/08/2012 11:05

Ooh posted too early!!
... Just for the novelty of pulling ds along in a sledge!
Toboggan run fab, although ds was so tired we didn't get much chance to use it, some folks went on the last morning but we couldn't face getti g all the gear in again!
The activity day was ..... aah, sooo good.
You'll have a fab time!

sunnyday123 · 15/08/2012 11:11

Thanks :)

I've got all of our thermals- bought in sale in January from m&s for £1 each!!!!!
I've ordered bit and bobs from eBay too which has saved me loads. Me and dh have skied before so have some hats, gloves etc anyway. So excited! I'm wishing the summer away!

40notTrendy · 15/08/2012 20:17

Also, just remembered... get some of those instant heat pads. I got a pack of 20 from Amazon. As it was mild (for there!) when we were there, we never used them but I can imagine if the temperature is colder for you, the cold would grind you down a bit. There's so much to do on the activity day, it would be a shame to feel too cold to make the most of the day. I think the heat in your gloves and around your feet would make it bearable.

Also, take spare batteries for cameras - the cold wears them down quicker. If you have a flash gun or tripod, they would be worth taking to get some good pics - it never really gets light and the in built flash on a camera will just reflect off the strips on your snow suit! And it's beautiful, you'll want to try and capture it.

And, (it's all coming back to me now!) have your camera ready when you land, there will probably be a reindeer and a gent in Traditional costume at the airport. Which is tiny and really just a fancy shed

The beer is very expensive though . But reindeer pasta is lovely

Groovee · 15/08/2012 20:20

We did lapland when our 2 were 7 and 9 and kept it a surprise until the day before. We had a ball and it was dh's 40th. We said we loved it all

sunnyday123 · 15/08/2012 21:26

Thanks for the tips! I have got some hand warmers but only enough for the girls so I'll get more for me and dh!

Did you have a balaclava? I have bought the girls cheap ones on eBay but none for me and dh, although I have got us all snoods and hats etc. also do you recommend loads of clothes or will 2 or 3 fleeces do us for the day ( as under suits anyway!).

I'm actually looking forward to trying reindeer.... When in Rome as they say...!!!

40notTrendy · 15/08/2012 21:37

We wore thermals, cotton top, jogging bottoms, fleece jumper then the suit over the top. Was enough. I missed wearing thermals when we got home
If its colder than when we went perhaps an extra layer. In the evening it was a walk across to the restaurant (lovely in the snow!) and we were just about ok in warm
clothing with fleece and Goretex. But only for a 5 min walk!

honeytea · 16/08/2012 07:39

you will be fine with a snood and hat sunny, I would recomend taking a spare hat and set of gloves for each person as someone is bound to loose their hat and you really really need a hat, we had a 1980's spare in the back of the car and everytime we stopped there was a scramble to avoid the "hat of shame" as it became known.

40notTrendy · 16/08/2012 07:48

I had a silly peruvian style hat, ds and DH had those Russian style hats (?) with fur and ear flaps! And I had a big wooly scarf. Ds and DH had polo necks as neither can bear wooly scarves. Take your hat off just as you go in to see the big man, my cousin had his whipped off by the elves for photos and in the excitement forget to get it back!

honeytea · 16/08/2012 08:01

I love those peruvian hats! My dsis left her hat in the warm room at the ice hotel, i think the problem is you go from freezing cold to boiling hot so often it is easy to take the hat off and forget it!

I bet some child got given your cousins hat in their stocking cheaky elves!

chimchar · 16/08/2012 08:30

this all sounds so fab...i would love to do either, but fear i have missed the boat with my eldest ds who starts high school in september.

tehre area couple of options in the uk too...i have heard great things about bluestone in pembrokeshire, west wales. not on the same scale as lapland or disney though.

www.bluestonewales.com/content/plan_your_visit/winter_breaks_2011__2012/christmasland_2011/christmasland_comes_alive.aspx

sunnyday123 · 16/08/2012 18:50

Thanks for all the tips!

MarianForrester · 16/08/2012 18:54

Disneyland Paris is rank, imo, so I'd go Lapland!

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