Best Disneyland Paris hotel to go for please and why?

[dietqueen]

really want to book but not sure which one - want a walking distance one though

I've only been to the Cheyenne. It's about a 5-10 minute walk from the parks, although there is the free bus service. It's a wild west themed hotel. Breakfast is buffet style continental, it can be a bit chaotic, but it's good for the price.
There is a bar and a restaurant too, and characters visit at the front of the hotel most mornings.

The seqouia (sp) is a nice middle of the road option, nice, clean rooms and the staff were lovely and helpful. Breakfast buffet was very good too. Not too far to walk but you can use the shuttle bus too. We went for this one as it has a pool which was quite nice to use when we were all a bit tired and needed a break from the parks!

ooh Seqouia sounds good plus love the sound of the pool.

We were thinking of doing 3 nights - Wed, Thu and perhaps Fri to beat the ques at w-ends our ds will NOT q hates it!!!! Were also thinking of going in Feb

Any more advice would be greatly welcome!

the seqouia is nice. Disneyland hotel gets you lots of extras, but for the price seqouia is really very good. I recommend the 'brit guide to disneyland paris' which explains about the hotels and what you get with each one in a much clearer way than the disney website (which is pants isn't it).

i have stayed in the New York, it is minutes away and you get to go to the park 2 hours before it opens. bliss.

We stayed at the Newport Bay and would again. we liked that si was 5-10 mins walk away (i think it is the 3rd closest after the Disney hotel and the Ny one). It was also lovely and clean, spacious and just felt nice. the brekkie was good and we (naughtilyy but advised by many before) managed to take rolls, croissant, cheese, ham, fruit, yogs for picnic for lunches - please don't flame me - the food is SO pricey in the resort, paying for an evening meal was tough enough.

The pool was good - we has 2 swims in on 4 nights there - the kids loved it!

Has anyone told you about the perk you get for being in a Disney hotel? You get to enter the park at 8am - 2 hours before it opens properly and certain rides (we found some of the ones good for 21 mo ds were open then which was ace) are open and you can just keep going on and open them until the queues start. also dh and i were able to go on some the the rides that dd (7 - tall but not tall enough for about 3 of the rides) could not go on, individually but only leaving the other with the 2 kids for a few mins rather than the hour it might be later in the day!

Ooh so envious - i thought we would hate it but we all so so want to go back.

we went sunday-thursday and found Monday was the least busy day, with it gradually building up towards the weekend.

If you are going soon the walkway from the Newport bay is closed, You have to walk the long way round the lake so the Sequioa is closer. Also newport bay also has only a tiny lift down to the walkways so at busy times you often have to wait to get down with buggies (or you have to fight to get down the stairs where people are queueing for breakfast). Other than that it was a nice hotel and would consider going again when we don't have prams.

Ah champagne yes, i think they were in the process of shutting the walkway when we were leaving. Yes, i see your point about Sequioa being closer in that case. Had forgotten about the lift but we seemed to manage. Often we carried (lightweight maclaren buggy cos easier on tube/eurostar etc) down the stairs without ds in it (well, until we discovered the lift (dozy us)).

we dont have prams just one ds age 6 he is very tall and is very adventurous will go on most rides.

I will look at Newport then as well we are going in Feb so hopefully walkway will be open

We were in Cheyenne. If you want the pool then it is no use, but we did not have time to use the pool.

We were in the park for 8am - you can book breakfast in the park and it is much nicer than at the cheyenne hotel- and didn't get back to the hotel until 9pm.

It is only about another 5 mins walk and nicely set amongst a wooded area.

We decided to go with it, and save the money for while we were there.

can I ask I just cant imagine being in the park from 8am till 9pm what do you do all day?

We would go for breakfast for an hour then do some of the rides, maybe watch a show. Coffee break sometime midmorning the more rides. Lunch.

We did a longish lunch break to have a rest. We were there last February and were lucky that the weather was not too cold.

For a break, you can watch a show or go on one of the longer rides eg. the train around he park.

It is amazing how time flies. Some of the rides you can wait a while, although you can get a fast track ticket to save time. Longest we queued was about 20 mins.

Oh, and we would stay in the park till late as it looks completely different in the evening.

My too tip, on arrival day go for a meal in the Disney Village and don't go into the park until it gets dark. The park is all lit up and magical looking.

thanks Mme Im going to check out the brits guide and then decide where to stay. Feb will be ideal for us ds birthday and I think not many Q's.

Where would you recommend eating which rest's are the nicest, also all I read is dire food all chips and burger surely this isnt in the buffet restaurants?

I have stayed in 3 different hotels, the New York, Newport Bay and the Disney land one right at the entrance.

The New York and Newport bay were both great. But the best one was the Disneyland Hotel. It is the most expensive but I thought it was worth it. You get all the best characters, who are at the hotel all the time for photo opportunities and you get to go into the park 2 hours before other hotel guests.

We went in November and it was very cold, we could nip back to the hotel for a quick warm up and then get back out there without a long walk.

I would recommend that you pre-purchase your food when you book as it is expensive when you get there but you save loads by paying in advance.

Not nearly as bad as it is made out to be. We ate first evening in the Diner in the Village. Annie's Diner? Something like that. Food was ok, atmosphere was fun. Very friendly waitress, she saw us taking a photo and came over, put her arm around DH and DD and smiled :)

The pizza / pasta place opposite Small World was good value for money and decent food.

We had lunch in the Ratatouie themed restaurant in the Movie Park the third day. Bit more expensive but food was good, yummy desserts and a wee show with Remy. Was sweet.

Evenings we had a panini with chips in the Village, cheap and good, made fresh.

Book the breakfast in the park and one day splash out for Mickey's Cafe breakfast. You have to pay ?16 on top of your hotel breakfast but the characters go around and sign autographs. Very good fun, we went there on our last day before leaving. Was a fab end to the holiday.

oh Im getting really excited never ever thought I would! Mickey Cafe sounds cool and like you say a great treat for the last day.

When you say book - who with? Do you do all the booking before hand or once you are there?

You can book in advance. We didn't and I wish I had booked the breakfast as we couldn't get into the Plaza for first morning. I think you can phone Disney directly.

It was much better that we expected. We went thinking that it was a once in a lifetime trip for the dc but thoroughly enjoyed it ourselves too.

I think the actual parks closed at 7pm when we were there but there is the area with all the restaurants/shops in that stays open later.

You can book your breakfast/dinner with the characters through the reservations phone number (they put me straight through to the restaurant)

If you are going to do it at lunchtime though rather than breakfast I would recomend that you go to the Lucky Nugget restaurant (or is it golden nugget?) as that is actually in the park itself. Mickey's cafe is nearer the hotels so a bit of a trek back if you are already in the park.

The food is ok if you go to the restaurants - rainforest cafe etc... AVOID the burger bars - ?10 for a luke warm burger and chips.

our daily pattern went:
snack in hotel room (cereal bar, fruit) then into the park for 8am
whizz around all the rides which are too busy in the day
leave the park at about 10.30/11 back to the hotel for the biggest breakfast/brunch you can possibly eat! plus made a couple of rolls for snacks mid afternoon.
back into the park about 1pm after the queues to get in have died down (it opened to the masses at 10am when we were there last easter)
wander around, few rides, but mostly looking at stuff (there is a lot more to do than just go on rides).
disney parade in the main square at 4pm
then off to a restaurant to eat appx 6
back to the hotel after that.

that's why i think it is worth paying for the hotels that let you in before it opens, otherwise the queues are just horrendous. saying that we did go for easter bank holiday weekend!

Hi,
Lots of ideas here to help you, but if you need more help and advice about anything to do with Disneyland Paris, have a look at the Marne La vallee forum on Trip Advisor. There is a Top Question list there, with a question about where to stay, with info about all the different hotels.
The pathway along the side of the lake from the Newport may not be open until nearer next Spring, as they are building Earl Of Sandwich restaurant opposite Cafe Mickey, which is why that side of the lake is currently closed.
I have stayed in the Newport Bay and Sequoia Lodge many times, also the New York and Explorers ( non Disney ) hotels.
It depends on your budget, and whether or not you want a pool.
How busy the parks will be depends on when you go. Outside school holidays, weekends are obviously more busy than weekdays, but the parks are open for longer.
Extra Magic Hours are very useful at busy times - selected rides in Fantasyland and Discoveryland are open from 8am. You do not get EMH in the non Disney hotels, apart from Hotel Elysee in Val D'Europe.
Adding Half Board to your booking saves some money if you want to eat in buffet and table service restaurants instead of just fast food counters.If you have hungry teenagers and adults, the all you can eat buffets are better value for money than buying more fast food meals.Better and healthier choices as well.
There is a Trip Reports thread on the TA MLV forum, where you can read what others have written about their trips, and how they have spent their time there.
Times of shows and parades vary throughout the year, according to parks closing times.
You cannot book breakfast in the park in advance - this is offered at your hotel reception when you check in if they are doing this. It depends on how busy the hotel is. Sometimes they offer the choice of having breakfast in Plaza Gardens buffet off Main Street, Disneyland Park, but if you do this, you miss some of EMH, as you cannot eat before 8am.
The Lucky Nugget Saloon has a Character lunch from 12pm to 3pm. Also a Character Tea from 5pm.( this may be according to park hours).There are other options for Character Dining - Cafe Mickey is in the Village, near the lake. Inventions buffet is in the Disneyland Hotel, Auberge De Cendrillon is in Fantasyland ( Disney Princesses and Princes, with the mice from Cinderella).
Sometimes the Moderate hotels around the lake have Characters in their dining rooms.
All the Disney hotels have Characters present in the morning and later in the day, at meeting points in the lobby.
Although you can make ADR's ( advance dining reservations ) when you are there, it is better to make them before you go if the parks are likely to be busy. It does not cost anything, and they can be cancelled or changed if necessary. Sometimes I end up changing all mine when I am there, to fit in with our day.
The restaurant in the Village mentioned by MmeBody is Annette's Diner. Covered by half Board Standard category. Like a 1950's diner - the waiting staff might be on roller skates.It is opposite Planet Hollywood restaurant and Buffalo Bills Wil West Show.
The buffet restaurant in the Studios where you may see Ratatouille or Remy is called Restaurant Des Stars ( it used to be called Rendez vous des Stars ).Covered by HB Standard, or currently ? 23.70 adult, ? 10.90 child ( 3 to 11 ). Kids also get a drink and a surprise included.
Plaza Gardens and Agrabah Cafe buffets are the same price, also covered by HB Standard.
The Italian fast food restaurant near Small World is called Pizzeria Bella Notte. Pizza, pasta, salad, garlic bread etc. Menu 1 ? 10.95. Menu 2 ? 12.30. Fast food places are not included in Half Board, and similar prices to this. They all do kids menus.
Our Feb half term week is from 21st feb, but the French get longer. The parks will be busier in the holidays, but not as busy as other holiday times like Easter, Summer, Halloween and Christmas.
Many of the attractions in the Studios park are theatre type shows, so fitting these in around rides easily takes up a day. The Sudios always closes at 6 or 7pm ( very occasionally later than this ) so it can be difficult fitting everything into one day, especially now they have built Toy Story Playland.
I don't really have time to keep an eye on two forums, I dip in here occasionally, but spend all my time on the TA Marne La Vallee forum, which mainly covers Disneyland.
New posters are always welcome there.

Quick hotel review....
Disneyland Hotel - built over the entrance to the Disneyland Park, so no walking or buses.Very pink, grand victorian theming.The most princessy hotel,and most expensive, only has indoor pool.VIP Fastpass for Castle Club rooms.( so no need to use the machines by the rides in the parks).Hot and cold buffet breakfast.

Hotel New York - built as a more adult alternative to the DLH. Art Deco 1930's Manhattan theming. Large conference centre. At one end of Lake Disney, about 8 mins walk through the Village to the parks. VIP Fastpass for Empire State Rooms.Hot and cold buffet breakfast.Indoor and outdoor pools. Quite deep.Lake view rooms are extra.Queen sized beds.

Newport Bay Club - 3rd most expensive.Moderate category, New England Yacht Club nautical theming. Very large wide hotel, at the opposite end of the lake to the New York. Some rooms are a very long walk to reception and dining rooms. Admirals Floor rooms are central, and have a kettle/ teamaking.Some rooms have balconies, Lake View rooms are extra. Admirals Floor has a hot and cold breakfast buffet, but I think that Standard rooms only have a cold buffet.
Indoor and outdoor pools, connected to hotel.Usually about 10 mins walk to parks, but currently takes longer walking past Sequoia and New York hotels.

Sequoia Lodge - Moderate category, built along one side of Lake Disney, inbetween NBC and NY hotels.National park theming in wood and stone. This hotel is currently being renovated ( rumour is they are giving rooms a Bambi theme).Montana Rooms are in the main building, standard rooms are in 5 lodges.Indoor and outdoor pools are in a separate building. Indoor pool has a slide for kids. Quite deep water though. Cold buffet breakfast, but can pay around ?6 for a hot choice from a menu.Cosy lounge with open fire in winter. Very nice choice for Christmas Celebrations.About 10 mins walk to parks, past New York hotel.

Hotel Cheyenne - budget category. No pool. Cowboy town theming, rooms have a double bed and set of bunks. Bunks are only bookable for children, not adults.Built behind the New York and Sequoia hotels, about 15-20 mins walk to parks. Cold buffet breakfast, cafeteria style.

Hotel Santa Fe - next to Cheyenne. Rooms mainly have 2 double beds, although some have bunks. Mexican desert theming, now being redecorated with Disney Pixar CARS decor.( Clint Eastwood drive in movie screen has gone.RIP).Cold breakfast buffet. This is the cheapest Disney hotel.

There are 5 non Disney hotels just outside the resort perimeter road, but they do not get EMH.