Disneyland Paris - 3/4* Hotel choice for 1st timer (DC 9 & 10)

[lynholmerpark]

Hi there from an 'old' user whose had to re-register under a new name!

I'm planning on taking the DC to Disneyland Paris for 4 nights in the Summer holidays prior to travelling further down into France. This will be our first Disney holiday.

As with all such things, trawling Tripadviser has left me more confused than ever in terms of hotel choices so turning to trusted Mumsnetters for help. Requisites are a pool given we will be there for a few days and over the Summer hols.

Initial thoughts were Disneyland Hotel but wonder if you're simply paying (over the odds) for location and look - as DC not young have no worries about them being able to walk to/fro hotel to various parts of Park.

Newport Bay is the one I've always liked the look of best but believe lots of renovations going on so concerned about impact of this on our trip, also seems very large indeed and slightly concerned about this in view of being there over the summer (e.g. breakfast chaos).

Sequoila Lodge looks nice (? more of a winter hotel), but doesn't look quite in the same league as two above.

Any ideas/tips from Mumsnetters who've been recently and stayed in above/different hotels to help me make up my mind?

Many thanks.

We loved Newport Bay, you get a tim allocation for breakfast so it's not hectic. Walk is about 10/15 mins, past a lovely lake. The hotel is huge, so you may not even be near the renovations.

*time

And you also get to go into the park early before they officially open which is great.

Thank you TurnOver, did you stay recently? This appears one of the advantages of the Disney hotels on site, and one of the reasons we'd like a pool, so we can get into park early and return middle of the day for a swim and relax, heading back in later on.

We went last year, and we needed a rest every day, we were shattered!

If you don't want disney what about here Hipark, we stayed near to here, in winter so didn't need a pool, not far from Shopping and eating out or Designer , one stop from Disney on the train.

I'm suspecting we'll feel likewise Turnover!

I'll check out the link seb, thank you, though preference is to stay on site as this is what we have told the DC we will be doing. This is likely to be our only visit there so keen to make the most of it.

Links might be useful if you want to get away for reasonable food both variety and price wise, disney park is pretty dire and expensive. Think we saw a gingerbread man in the cake shop, the price per kg was euro 89.99 .

Yes we've been warned about the prices seb, part of the reason why DH less than convinced in past about going there.

I've had a quick glance and it looks rather nice plus easily gives us the option to head into Paris for the day presumably by public transport. Only problem I can immediately see will be parking as we'll have bikes on the roof for remainder of our holiday in southern france as there appears a 2.0m limit on car height.

I by far prefer the sequoia (3 visits) to the Newport bay (2 stays).

I just much prefer the environment of the sequoia and ds has mobility issues which make the lift situation in the Newport bay a pain in the butt. Also I go in winter and the Newport can feel a little cold. I haven't been to the new York or disney hotel so I can't compare.

Both are the more or less the same size and manage the breakfast the same way when busy (timed). The earlier you can get down to breakfast the quieter it is. Later it can look worse than it is as there is often a queue to get in. Despite appearances I have never known it to be longer than 10mins and once in the difference in busyness doesn't matter massively. One year in the Newport bay we stayed on the admirals floor and paid extra to have room service. Lovely to have breakfast in your pajamas, but got to say looking back I think it is a massive waste of money. I think in the Newport bay and new York you can pay for table service breakfast if you are so inclined.

I'm assuming no mobility issues so the shuttle buses are an option. Have a look at associated hotel my explorers. Loooong time since I stayed there but from memory the pool was awesome and the breakfast fantastic. Can't remember if you still get the extra magic hours or not though

If you don't stay on site we got park tickets from here they are doing 4 days for 3 atm. Park tickets

Best pool is sequoia lodge.
Best hotel is Disneyland hotel.
Breakfast usually busy in all hotels but specially the newport bay!

We've stayed at all 3 and I would pay the extra to stay at the pink 1 everytime now.

I know the food gets a bad rep but I don't think that's entirely deserved.

Yes there are some rough eateries, but there are some pretty nice ones too

I always get the full board plan so for approx £25 per head per a day I can eat anywhere in the parks. No chips (unless you choose them), no carrying food and drinks around, no cooking and we are so full there is no buying snacks

Thank you Toffee, was looking at the Golden Forest rooms in Sequoia which come with separate check-in, breakfast area, and afternoon complimentary drinks too, slightly more pricey than the Newport standard (£150 approx), but with your helpful comments, may be a better option given our plans to return to hotel during the day.

Thanks poorbuthappy too, the pool does look good at the sequoia and bonus of indoor and outdoor.

Its a tough one, I suppose for a one and only visit I don't want to come away thinking that I wished I'd stayed in the 'pink' one but the cost is coming in at £1000 more than sequoia and newport for the 4 nights (so almost double). With food/dining plans/other disney spending on top, it does seem a fair whack. Do you really think its worth the extra given your experiences elsewhere poorbuthappy?

Yes, I was looking at that meal plan too, it looks on the whole as though the menus are pretty reasonable Toffee and certainly better than the burgers/hot dogs only I had originally expected. Will also take a look at the Explorers link too, thank you.

My brother, who is not a Disney-phile did it twice (Newport bay and Disney hotel) and would say it definitely was.

For me it's undoubtedly going to be lovely but not for me £1000+ worth of lovely.... I'd rather save the money to go back the year later.

Stay off site at val d Europe and buy annual passes. Much cheaper. shuttles to the parks in less than 10 mins. I am just leaving for work but if you want more info on how we are doing it let me know and I will post.

We've been 5 times (don't ask!!!). Staying off site is pretty horrid if you are going for Disney only. It's makes the logistics so much easier and at the end of a tiring day a quick 15 mins walk to the bar is much more pleasant than a question for the bus, 20 mins on the bus and then find everyone queuing at the cheaper but not so nice hotel!!!! Sequoia lodge is the best in my opinion unless you can do totally overpriced but convenient Disney hotel. Staff lovely, swimming pool a blessing and bar terrific. However the food is awful but it is everywhere in the parks and Disney hotels .

Que not question!

New York or Sequoia , Newport Bay is the worst of them . IME disneyland hotel is only worth paying the extra for if you have very small dc that need frequent naps . We have been to all the Disney hotels except Sante fe and Cheyenne , have been frequent visitors since it opened and the New York is our favourite .

Wrt food it's all personal.
We usually stay in SL and as we drive we eat in the shopping centre which is 5 mins drive away. The good court is lovely and about 1/3 price of the park.
But last year we booked the pink hotel and had free (premium) half board. The food in Inventions restaurant was absolutely brilliant. Also the adult food at the princess restaurant was lovely.
But I wouldn't stay in the pink hotel without free half board because then the price would be silly. (Family of 5 so have to have 2 rooms or family room)
I fully expect them to do the free half board offer once the 40 day offer finishes next month

Thank you all once again for your responses. I'm sure the 'pink' hotel will be a lovely experience but I cannot realistically justify the extra cost, though certainly factoring in a meal thereduring our stay may be a option.

We really want to stay on site to make the most of being there/hotel facilitates (in concert with what others have said) and it looks as though the Sequoia with the pool and additional features with the upgrade may be our best option (thanks Jinglebells). I'll take another look at the New Yorker too (thanks Floralnomad) as must admit discounted this on initially looking, purely based on its look (v. large travelodge sprung to mind).

We went 2 years ago, DC were aged 6 and 4 at the time and we stayed in the Disneyland hotel for 2 nights. We are going again this year and this time staying 4 nights at the Sequoia Lodge golden forest. Those 4 nights are coming out cheaper than the 2 nights in the Pink hotel. The pool in the pink hotel is rubbish, the rooms are ok but not worth the premium. You really are paying for the location more than anything.

I wouldn't both staying (or going) off site either. I don't have to worry about driving, transportation, cooking. It's about as irresponsible as you can get with two children (one with special needs). For five days I revert to childhood, and look at stuff with the same excitement they do. It feels like bliss.

Thanks Guitargirl - that's certainly the impression I got from what I've read on Tripadviser.

As a previous visitor, would you recommend purchasing the meal plans?