Disneyland Paris hotels and pass in October haf term - cheapest prices?

[WellTidy]

I would like to talk 7yo DS to DLP during October 2015 half term, just me and him. I think we will do a 3 night break, or maybe 4 nights, to make the most of it all.

Dear god, the prices. We could travel on Friday 16th or Saturday 17th October, and will go by Eurostar.

Disneyland Hoyel is coming in at ?3,300 for B&B for 4 nights to include the park entry for 4 days. Plus meals and Eurostar tickets on top. OMG.

Any ideas as to websites or deals which I could find that would come in a bit cheaper? Or can recommend a cheaper hotel which is still very nice?

If you are looking to stay on site the sequoia is lovely,significantly cheaper than the Disney land hotel. Don't rule out flying. Eurostar is convenient but for me flying easyjet with private transfers at both ends (and and extravagent breakfast at the airport) still works out cheaper. Last time I checked feb half term and October half term were still equivalent. We would get the whole thing food flights and sequoia and spendin money in for under the 3k. TheDisneyland hotel whilst is meant to be fab is also fairly extortionate

If you stay on site and are prepared to get up for extra magic hours anfand nothing to slow you down you probably could do a significant amount in 3days. which would be another way to bring down the cost. Four days would be more relaxing though.

What is it you need or is most important? I.e.Money location walking distance to the park?

We found booking through short breaks.com cheaper than booking direct with Disney

Disneyland hotel is lovely but £££. We stayed sequoia lodge last time, and it's still walking distance. Hotel New York is lovely too.

It's a really busy time of year - our half term usually coincides with French half term as well as the parks get really busy. Only way to do it is up early for extra magic hours (you need to be up early to avoid huuuuuge queues for breakfast as well) and plan your days and get fast passes.

Thanks for the replies.

Looks like the sequoia would be good then! I think it is worth paying for a Disney hotel to get the magic hours. Are the rides open in the magic hours? DS is not a great queuer, so to minimise queue times would be a big plus.

I'm not worried about getting a shuttle bus to the park, or walking for abourt 20 minutes. I think we would probably get the shuttle bus anyway.

Somewhere with a pool would be good. I think we're likely to be up for breakfast early and into the park as early as possible. And then we'd come away by about 4:30 or so, have a swim, dinner and bed for 8pm. So maybe we woudl need four days.

I am really new to Disney. We don't have Disney channel (just freeview) and DS likes the older Disney fillms like 101 Dalmations, Aristocats etc, rather than the new releases. I hope there is enough there for him! He's not remotely into princesses or Frozen.

The Eurostar is a must! We live close to the London terminal, so its incredibly convenient especially if we went on the Friday afternoon after school.

I clearly need to get planning.

I'd have thought you'd be best avoiding weekends if possible as they're likely to be even busier

Yes, limited rides in fantasy land are open extra magic hours so use them to do those, then be front of queue for other rides and getting fast passes

Sequoia is about a 15 min walk - we found it wasn't worth waiting for shuttle buses.

Weather can be variable in October - we've been there that time of year and bern in a hurricane and also been when it was so warm we didn't need coats

If you want the magic hours you do not have to stay in a Disney hotel. If you are going to the park for three days or more you can get an annual fantasyland pass for around the same price (although check for the days the pass cannot be used). This gives you free parking (if self drive), 10% off all park restaurants and entry to the magic hours. Then if you are likely to be in France again within the year you can enjoy a second trip and see it at Christmas or in the summer. If you want to go by Eurostar book the train the minute the tickets come out. You can cut the cost a bit by changing in Lille but the direct service is obviously quicker. Then compare the cost of packages of hotel and park tickets with the cost of buying your own park tickets and booking the hotel separately. You should be able to do your trip for less than £1000 (transport, hotel, park tickets, meals).

We never bother with the shuttle bus for the Sequioa (DD was walking it at 3/4 on top of a day at the park with no issues). It's a rather beautiful walk round the lake, very peaceful and a lovely start and end to the day.

Theres a ton there without princesses and frozen (Frozen actually isn't massive in the parks). But your DS will get more out of it if he has seen a few key films (some old some new): Toy story (any of them) Peter pan, Cars, Ratatouille, Lilo and stitch, Lion King, Fantasia (don't need to watch through all of it, mainly sorcerers apprentice). Of course Mickey mouse from Disney Junior is the most common way most kids know about Mickey Mouse but if you can get hold of some of the old cartoons (like this DVD) I think they are gorgeous.

Thanks all. I have decided to do Monday to Friday over Otober half term (you're right, the weekend days bumped up the price), by Eurostar, stayigg at the Sequoia (DS will really like the pool). Toying with whether to do a half board hotel package. I think we will, as we wil have dinner there. I can see DS getting tired by 4:30ish, so we would be looking to head back. And we could always go out again for the fireworks or whatever it is that happens in the evening.

It has come in at about ?1500, which I think is ok. This is through buying all the Eurostar tickets separately and then doing a hotel and park and half board deal.

Thanks very much aboput the advice on which films to watch. He has seen Peter Pan and we've read the book time and again, but not the otehrs you mentioned. Looks like I will be buying some DVDs!

Thanks for your adbie. I'm excited now, and hoping for dry weather

DOn't forget if you are booking separately you need to call Disney (if you booked through them) and add the luggage service separately (if you want it). The luggage service is where you receive your tickets etc on the train (or at the terminal), you drop your luggage at the station there and it gets taken directly to the hotel, so you can go straight to the parks. Otherwise you will need to check in at the hotel first. It gets booked automatically if you do it as a package, is s mall add on otherwise but well worth having.

I have to add I don't rate the film Ratatouille, but there is an incredible ride/themed area in the studios park (added last year) based around the film which will make more sense if you have seen the film. I would recommend on your "studio park day", the first thing you do is get there for opening and go to the ride and get fast passes for ratatouille first thing. Don't look in the shops or stop and take photos, go straight there. The fast pass tickets run out ever so quickly and a 2 hour wait in the regular queue is quite normal. You really don't want to have to do that. It is by far and away the worst queue in the whole two parks, totally horrendous. It is however a fantastic ride well worth experiencing.

The other films are all worth watching in their own right, especially Lilo and Stitch, which is gorgeous and vastly underrated in the UK. Don't miss the "ride" in the studios Park based on Stitch.

Of course lots of the Disney films are worth watching but those really are ones where they are rides or area based on the characters or they feature heavily in the parks.

My advice for ratatouille is use the single riders queue which can cut your waiting time by an hour or more. My daughter is 10 and was perfectly happy to sit next to another mum and child and as it happened I was behind her in the same car next to another mum and child (although this cannot be guaranteed). It is a ride that is filled in threes so the single riders queue puts you next to a two. Although you have to be prepared for the odd family that will look really put out when you or your child get in next to their DC! We went on the ride four times within an hour using the single riders queue. Save the fast pass for another ride!