Euro-flaming-disney!

[coolma]

Ok, I want to take dd4 to eurodisney - Dh says it is hideously expensive and he would rather go to prison than go there, and dd10 looked at me as if I had suggested he had a bath twice a week... Which is fair enough

Anyway, I simply can't find any easy to follow website, that would give me a price for travel, accomodation, tickets etc. Please can someone help me out? Just the two of us, for one night and two days, cheapest accomodation and some 'things' for her to do - she's saving every penny she has to go (bless!)

Think you should look at doing it independently first as a starting point.

Pick a date (avoid school holidays and weekends as the queues ARE dreadful) and look at Eurostar and flights on Expedia or such like. Type in a hotel either Disney or one of the others that are connected by shuttle bus (cheaper than the Disney hotels just as close quieter and still a bit themed!) and then factor in 2 day ticket prices.

Then ask this questions on the trip advisor forum also.

It is expensive because there is so much to buy there but it's one of those places you should do once with children.

Disneyland Paris has its own website --

www.disneylandparis.co.uk

and you can book hotel/ticket deals on there, and add the train if you want to as well. If you want to stay in a Disney hotel, you're unlikely to find a package cheaper as they discount tickets etc.

Book your hotel and tickets as a package with eurodisney direct through their website they are doing 40% off at the moment so you are unlikely to get iot cheaper elsewhere.

If you are happy to drive then the book the eurotunnel seperately via their website (dead easy)

Alternatively you could look into a coach trip package type thing.

Eurostar will cost you a fortune so wouldn't bother with that

tesco clubcard have park tickets at the moment.

thank you all, I will trawl through....

There is a forum on Trip Advisor which mainly covers Disneyland Paris, so you can get a lot of help and advice there from people who know it extremely well.
The 40% off offer ends 30th November, but other offers will then continue. Some dates give free extra nights.
One of our posters has just booked the Santa Fe Disney hotel, for 2 adults, 2 kids free, for 3 nts ( includes park tickets for 4 days and breakfast for 3 days ) for under £ 300.
They are using Tesco vouchers for free Eurostar travel.
Some dates from 1st Jan to 5th April offer kids under 12 free as well as kids under 7.
Book by 31st Jan for arivals 6th April to 7th Nov 2011, save 30%.
Extra 15% off arrivals between 3rd and 23rd July, combinable with other offers, so you could get 45% off.
The direct Eurostar is very handy if you live in the South/ South East, as the railway station is inside resort, close to the parks, Village and hotels.
If you are planning to fly, the TA forum can advise about transfers to resort.
www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g226865-i2224-Marne_la_Vallee_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html
Avoid the French and Spanish school holidays if possible.
Enchanted Christmas celebrations have just begun, and will continue until 6th Jan. It can be very cold, but a lovely time to go for extra parades and shows. We usually go mon - wed in early December, and the parks are not very busy, with quite short queue lines.
The free nights offers are generally in Jan, Feb and March, on certain arrival dates.
There are rides and attractions for 10 yr olds on both parks, but some have a minimum height, which your 10 yr old may not be able to ride.
If you want to be able to walk to the parks, the cheapest Disney owned hotel is the Santa Fe, with the Cheyenne just slightly more expensive.The Cheyenne has more interesting cowboy town theming, but the Santa Fe is now being redecorated with Disney/ Pixar CARS theming.

Personally, I always phone Disney to check prices and book, rather than online. The prices are the same.It is worth checking different arrival dates / weeks as prices vary from day to day.
Remember it will only be that price whilst they have it on screen - if you leave it and ask again later, it could have gone up or down.
08448 003 003
08448 008 111
Calls cost 5p per min from a UK landline.
Press 1 to speak to a Disney operator for new bookings or quotes.

The 5 non Disney hotels are outside the resort perimeter road, so not really suitable for walking to the parks. The free shuttle buses take about 10 mins. You do not get Extra Magic Hours in these hotels.
You can book these through Disney with the current offers, breakfast and park tickets included.
The downside is that the shuttle buses stop running about 2 hrs after parks close, so if you want to have dinner in the Village, you have to make sure you don't miss the last bus, or you will have to take a taxi from the railway station. Costs about ? 10 one way.

I would reconsider 1 nt 2 days though. It could be lunchtime before you get into the park, then maybe have to leave early the next day to return home.
A 4 yr old can go on most rides, plus time to watch shows, parades, and Character meets.
A Character meal in Cafe Mickey is fun, and a good way to get photos and autographs of Characters without queueing in the parks.
We have been going regularly for 18 years, ( sons are now 19 and 24 ) and still have a great time there.
It is not just for young children.

Regarding prices of restaurants and merchandise - there is a Prices thread on the TA MLV forum that we try to keep updated, so you can see how much things cost.
We very rarely eat any fast food there, as we prefer the all you can eat buffets in the parks and hotels. Better Value for money IMO.
With a good breakfast in the hotel, and a buffet dinner, we only have a few snacks at lunchtime to keep us going.
The buffets in the parks are currently ? 23.70 adult and ? 10.90 child. Differently themed, all with lots of choice of foods, including salads and vegetables.
The buffets in the Santa Fe and Cheyenne hotels are cheaper, around ? 21 adult.
All the fast food places have meal deals -
around ? 10- 12 adult, ? 5 -6 child.
A 4 cheese pizza costs ? 8.95. A kids Mickey shaped pizza costs ? 4.95.
We often go to theme parks in the UK, and they are no cheaper.They also charge for Fastpasses, ( free in Disney ) and do not have drinking water fountains, so you are forced to buy cold drinks.( both Disney parks have drinking water ).

Search Google for Money Saving Experts Eurodisney.

Personally, I'd save a bit more and go to Florida. Paris is awful (IMO) and hugely expensive. We spent £700 in 4 days.

tefal, The OP did not ask about Florida. She asked about booking DLP. She is unlikely to take a 4yr old for a 1 or 2 nt stay to Florida.
We have been to WDW and Orlando 5 times so far, for 2 - 3 weeks each time.The trip cost us about £5000 for a family of four in the cheapest Disney hotel,including flights and parks tickets.Then another £1000 for food and souvenirs.
Not sure how you managed to spend £700 in 4 days in DLP unless you have a large family or bought loads of merchandise.We budget about £50 per day, with Half Board vouchers for dinner.
Standard HB costs £ 22 adult, £ 9 child.
PLUS HB gives more choice of restaurants, and costs £ 27 adult and £ 11 child.
PREMIUM is more expensive but covers all Character meals and also Buffalo Bills Wild West Show.
All HB vouchers include one soft drink or bottle of water.
We pay more than that for a 3 course meal and drink in restaurants where I live.
Vouchers can be used for lunch or dinner, in the parks, Village and hotels. 3 course table service, or buffets.
I spent ? 200 in 5 days in August, ( with Half Board vouchers ) and that also included a day in Paris with train fare, museum entry fees and meals there.

Yes, Florida would be a no-no, purely because dh and ds refuse to entertain the thought of disney and if we want to spend 1000's on a family holiday we'll go to Portugal. It really is just a one night two day thing I'm looking for for me and dd4.

Are you planning to fly? If you can get an early flight out and a late flight home, you could manage one day in each park.
Do you want to stay in a Disney hotel onsite so get Extra Magic Hours? ( 8am to 10am for Disney hotels guests only)with park tickets for 2 days included for a 1 nt stay.
There are cheaper hotel options in Val D'Europe, Bussy St Georges or Torcy, 1,2, or 3 stops from Disneyland on the RER line A train, and you may be able to get park tickets for ? 29.per day.
I'm just thinking that with an early start, going straight to the parks on arrival, then one night sleep, another day in the park then straight home, your 4 yr old could be too tired to make the most of your trip.
Are they usually full of energy and could cope with this?
The cheapest time to visit is usually Jan to March, with free nights on offer as well as the 40% off.
Two nights with 3 days park tickets would give you 1 day in each park, then be able to do favourite rides again or things that you have missed, before leaving, without being so rushed.
You can read Trip Reports on the TA MLV forum, from people who have been with young children, to give you an idea of how they spend their time there.

This poster spent 1 day in Disneyland with kids aged 4 and 6, and used the ? 29 park tickets.
www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g226865-i2224-k4024660-8_hours_in_Disneyland-Marne_la_Vallee_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html

You will see that this poster spent a day in Disneyland as part of a Paris trip - would this be an idea for your family?
Your DH and 10yr old could do something in Paris, while you took the train to Disneyland with your young daughter.
The train is very easy - 40 mins from central Paris,RER line A4 to Marne La Vallee Chessy, which is the station inside Disneyland, just a few mins walk to both parks, and right next to the entrance to the Disney Village.
Trains run frequently from early until very late.
MLV Chessy is the end of the line, so you can't miss the stop!
Whatever you decide to do, you are very welcome on the Trip Advisor MLV forum, and the Paris forum people can help with anything there.