Disney Paris best way.

[ledkr]

Hi,i am looking for some advice and suggestions. I am hoping to take dd 9 to Disneyland Paris for about 4 nights in next few months.I was thinking June.
I have been trawling the net but dont know what is best. Id prefer to fly but will use Eurostar if significantly cheaper,id like to stay in a niceish disney hotel,and what is the best way of paying for passes?I am going to take her out of school for this trip as we have had a bit of a rough few months.

We have always stayed in the Cheyenne. It's one of the cheaper Disney hotels, but it's fine. It has a wild west theme, and is only a 5 min walk to the parks (or there is a free bus shuttle service).
We are not too far from Ashford, so the Eurostar has always been our first choice. The station is right slap bang in the middle of Disney, so it's very convenient with no transfers etc.
have fun, I'm sure your dd will love it!

If i stayed at the Cheyenne does that include getting into the parks too then?
Who did you book with? Thanks btw.

I booked through Eurostar on their website. They do packages which include the train, hotel and park passes.

Eurostar is far, far better than plane for disneyland. Its direct, very easy, and with much shorter queues for security, baggage etc, than flying.

was just thinking that actually,by the time ive gone thru all the airport nonsense i could be there,thanks.

Hi ledkr,
We have been going to DLP regularly for 19 years, both flying and by Eurostar. Both have benefits for us, living within a 2 hr train journey to London, and about 30 mins from Southampton airport. The best option can depend on where you live. Eurostar can be more expensive for us as we have to buy train tickets from Bournemouth to St P. Sometimes we travel to London the day before, and stay in a Travelodge near St P to save getting up so early.
We get there more quickly by air, as we can arrive in CDG airport at 09.30, and with a private transfer booked, arrive at our Disney resort hotel by 10.30am.

The direct Disney train from St Pancras/ Ashford/ Ebbsfleet leaves St P at arouind 10am arriving in Disneyland MLV Chessy station at 1.30pm. Using the Disney Express Service you can hand in your luggage at the DES desk in the station, and go straight into the parks. They take your luggage to your hotel to collect later when you collect your room key. It does not matter how late you get back as reception is 24hr ( we have collected ours at 1am in summer ).
When flying home, you must allow 3 hrs from leaving resort to your departure flight time, whether you are using the VEA bus, private transfer or fast TGV train, as there can be long queues at CDG for security checks and passport control, then a LONG walk to your departure gate. Not worth cutting it too fine and missing your plane. We leave resort at 6pm for a 9pm flight, and are home by 10pm, so not too late.

The return direct Eurostar leaves Disney around 7.50pm arriving at St P at 9.20pm. If using the DES service, you hand your luggage in at your hotel luggage desk, ( before 10am ) and they take it to the railway station for you. You need to collect it about 45 mins before your train time, before going through passport control and security, and boarding the train. By the time we have caught 2 underground trains to Waterloo, then caught a train to Bournemouth, then driven home, we don't get home until around 00.30 or 01.00 so much later than flying.

To get the most from your trip, advance planning is essential. Most bad reviews that I read are because people knew nothing before they went, and had no idea of what to expect, and seem to have missed a lot, or they went at a very busy holiday time but did not expect long queues for rides.
There is a forum especially for Disneyland Paris on Trip Advisor. I and other posters who know DLP very well can help with anything you need to know.
Read through the Top Questions on the forum page.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowForum-g226865-i2224-Marne_la_Vallee_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html

You need to compare prices, and try to book when a good offer is on. Disney have just released a 25% off offer, as well as free nights and 30% off weekends at Davy Crockett Ranch ( offsite, need a car ). Kids 7 and under stay and play free. Sometimes they have kids 12 and under stay and play free. Earlier they had a 40% off hotel, tickets and transport offer with kids under 12 S&P free which was good. Sometimes they offer free dining. You can't tell in advance what they are going to offer, you just have to check the Disney website, look out for adverts on TV etc, and try different dates and hotels for the best price.
Staying in a Disney owned hotel or Hotel Elysee in Val D'Europe gives you extra benefits like Extra Magic Hours in the DL Park in the morning from 8am.

Sometimes I book directly with Disney over the phone, sometimes through my local Travel Agent, ( who gives me another 5% off ), sometimes with a preferred Disney agent, ( like Thomas Cook ) and last January I booked a train/ tickets/ hotel package with Eurostar ( Expedia ) as Disney had no availability when I phoned 4 days before for a spur of the moment 3 nt / 4 day trip. I got the hotel I wanted ( Cheyenne ) as well as the direct train.

Be aware that Spanish schools break up for summer from 22nd June, so the parks will be busier from then, and more busy when the French break up on 2nd July. Try to avoid Public Holidays, and weekends, as parks are more crowded. ( 2nd, 12th, 13th, French. 9th, 13th, 23/ 24th Spanish ).
Fantillusion electrical parade and Fireworks do not start until Summer Time 9th July so don't expect to see those in June.

Nice-ish Disney hotel for a 9 yr old girl ( assuming you can't afford the Disneyland Hotel ) is the Sequoia Lodge. Rooms are currently being refurbished with Bambi theming, so ask for one that has been done - currently in the lodge buidlings. This hotel is on one side of Lake Disney, between the Newport Bay and New York hotels, it is the cheapest Moderate hotel, and 10 mins walk or free shuttle bus to the parks.
Rooms have 2 double beds, whereas the Cheyenne is budget category and has 1 double bed and a set of bunks. It depends how much you wish to pay. The cheapest Disney hotel is the Santa Fe, which is more like a motel, and is built opposite the Cheyenne on the other side of the Rio Grande canal.

By the way, just in case you have not heard - the DL park and hotels are going through major refurbishment this year, ready for the 20th Anniversary next year. The Castle refurb will not be finished until maybe September, and other buildings are covered with scaffolding and tarpaulin. The Studios Park is not affected as this was built 10 years later, so rides and attractions are newer.
You can read about what is going on there and see photos in our Latest DLP News thread, or look on DLRPMagic website.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g2079053-i21935-k4441792-l33082464-Ride_refurbs_and_closures_May_and_June_2011-Disneyland_Paris_Marne_la_Vallee_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g2079053-i21935-k4441773-Latest_news_and_photos_of_Castle_refurbishment-Disneyland_Paris_Marne_la_Vallee_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g226865-i2224-k4237485-Latest_DLP_News-Marne_la_Vallee_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html

gosh thankyou so much for taking the time to write so much,would like her to see the f'works but is it really ridiculous when French are on hols?
I dony think i mind the preps for anniversary,i was in florida for their 25th and they turned the castle into a giant fairy cake,it was amazing.
Will have a good look today and try and make some decisions.We wont want the big scary rides so will that help with queues?

There are only a few ' big scary rides in DLP ', Rock n Roller Coaster, Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Temple Of Doom coaster, Tower of Terror, and the new RC Racer in Toy Story Playland. Big Thunder Mountain is better than the one in Florida IMO, and young kids go on it, but it depends if you like that kind of ride or not. ( unfortunately there was an accident on there recently ). Crush's Coaster in the Studios is extremely popular, with the longest queue and no Fastpass. I think this is a great ride, but am amazed that young kids like it, as it is very turbulent, spinning and swooping in the dark, although it does not go upside down.
Obviously the most popular rides have the longest queues.
Weeks can vary - last year we were there 9th to 13th August ( had one day in Paris ) and our week was more busy than the previous one.
If you are looking for the best chance of good weather but with low crowd levels, then second half of May - first 3 weeks of June, and mid Sept - first half of October is recommended.
The busiest days in school time are Sunday, Saturday and Wednesday. ( French schools have all or half day off ).
In July/ August weekends are still busy, along with Mondays and Tuesdays. other days are usually a bit quieter.
The French do not get May half term like we do.

We have always stayed in summer school holidays, for monday - friday, and although sometimes it has been very busy, we still have a good time. having the Extra Magic Hours helps to get some rides done early in Fantasyland and Discoveryland, and we like being in the park until midnight ( ride entry closes at 11pm so if you get in the queue just before, you will still ride. ) We like the difference between daytime in the parks, and night time when everything is lit up, and going on rides in the dark. You don't get this when the parks close earlier unless you go in winter months, and I do like Fantillusion and fireworks every night. My boys usually go on rides when these are on, as queue lines go down considerably.

There are some good attractions that they don't have in Florida, like Cinemagique in the Studios. POTC and IASW are better than in WDW. We were also there for the 25th Anniversary, and saw the Castle dressed like a cake, but personally I didn't like it. I would rather see the Castle as it should be. DLP's castle is Sleeping Beauty's, and has an animatronix dragon in a cave underneath.
If your daughter likes Characters and Princesses, it is worth booking Auberge De Cendrillon ( Prince/ Princess dining ) or Character meal in Cafe Mickey, Inventions or Cowboy Cookout.

A nice time to go without crowds is early December, when all the Christmas decs are up, and Fantillusion parade is on. No fireworks, but they have extra shows and parades.