Best time to go to Disneyland Paris and Paris

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Planning a trip to Disneyland Paris and Paris, 5 nights, children are 10 and 6. I really don't know when is the best time to go in terms of finding good deals and less queues. We could take them a day or 2 out of school if that's the best option. We are hoping to do 2 days in Disneyland and 2 days in Paris. Is the first week of April too busy?. I would hate to be queuing for more than 15 min for food, rides, etc.

Also, where do we book? should we do it trough the Disneyland Paris website or an agency? and where is the best place to stay? happy with 3 or 4 stars hotels.

It's a big anniversary year this year for DLP so I would expect April to be busy. Term time would have less queues but you'd be lucky on some rides to get under 15 mins, it's one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe so there are a lot of people there!

There are some good FB groups for planning a DLP holiday.

I've just been in the xmas hols and the queues were horrendous. 30 to 90 mins. I would go in February when the schools are in.
Book through "magic breaks". Use fast passes carefully and plan ahead and you shouldn't have to queue too much. I've also heard that the best time to go for the Christmas themes is early November.

Thank you

I will try to find the FB groups for planning a DLP holiday

What about traveling from London? Eurostar or driving/ Eurotunnel?

Is it better to stay in one of the hotels in the resort or outside near the resort?

I will look at Magic Breaks

I have PM'd you!

We had an annual pass and went several times. I'd say May half term is the best time as the weather is good and queues aren't too bad as it isn't French school hols. Relais Spa is a good base for doing a combination of Disney and Paris. If you are doing 3 or more days in Disney look at the cost of the annual fantasyland pass. If you get that it gives you a discount on restaurants in the park and most importantly free parking (normal cost of parking at Disney is £25 a day). Cheapest option is probably self drive via P & O ferry and that is straightforward. Eurostar is enjoyable if you don't fancy driving and you can get the cost down by changing in Lille. You need to book train tickets the moment they come out for the best prices.

We went 10 years ago for a Thurs-Mon in Mid-January (both my DC's birthdays that week). We spent Thursday afternoon, all day Friday and Monday morning in an almost empty park, Saturday and Sunday were busier with day-trippers. We walked straight onto the rides on the quiet days - it was brilliant! The weather was very cold for the whole trip, probably just under freezing but there was no rain at all so we just wrapped up well and enjoyed the fresh air. The hotel was lovely and the park was magical. My children were about the same ages are yours and loved it all. My only complaint would be the food, it certainly wasn't up to typical French standards and was expensive.

Thank you very much. That's very helpful. I have been reading all afternoon about it. Unfortunately we now got May booked going somewhere else. I will look at the Relais Spa and annual pass; hope to be able to take something for lunch as don't want to spend time sitting down and waiting for a meal and then being disappointed about the food. I think driving may be a good/ less expensive option. I read there is a big shopping center one stop on the train.

Have anybody got experience with this hotel: Dream Castle (Vienna House)?

Relais SPA looks good an is on our budget; thank you chantilly70

When we went I spent ages working out when was the cheapest time to go. DS was in reception and DD was still nursery so we opted for the cheapest time mid week in April outside of Easter hols which seemed to be the cheapest week between March and Sept. The weather was warm one day the other days were colder than the UK but hardly any queues so worked for us.

I was there yesterday and couldn't get lunch booked anywhere. HOWEVER this meant we took things to snack on while in the queues. A great way of I stop my 6 year old from getting bored. Stayed in ADAGIO hotel which is right next to the huge and brilliant shopping centre where we bought lovely deli items, pea pods, French bread and cheap wine. Fantastic. It was a 5 minute bus ride from the Parcs. Wherever you stay (resort hotels will give you magic hours, early and late entry) you need a number 50 bus to get to the brilliant shopping centre with the HUGE supermarket.

Go on magic breaks website and use their live chat to get the best deal worked out. I flew because it was quickest and I'm in the north uk but getting the train takes you straight into the Eurodisney Parcs

We have also stayed in Vienna Dream castle. It is a bit more child orientated and looks castle like as you approach but is a lot more expensive than the relais spa and the rooms do not have any self catering facilities. I preferred the relais spa. However one thing to bear in mind with the relais spa is that the pool is adult only. to be honest it will probably not be a problem as there is so much to do that we never had time for swimming when at Disney.
Re: meals - we have tended to eat a good breakfast, take a few snacks to keep us going till around 4pm when we have eaten in one of the park or village restaurants when they are not busy. Then we have sometimes stopped in starbucks for hot drinks in the evening whilst waiting for the fireworks. The big shopping centre is across the road from the Relais spa. you can also buy cheap croissants at the bakery round the corner from it.

We always do winter.

January when DS was in nursery so no missing school

February half term. Horrid as it clashed with French and Spanish holidays.

November we had inset days. Good time to go and it was my favourite. Parks set up for Christmas etc.

Hotel wise we did Newport bay pre renovation which was OK.

Then we did the adagio apartments. Perfect and would do again for sure.

The Disneyland hotel - we had booked adagio again but we flew the day the parks reopened after being closed with the terror attacks. DH didn't want to stay off site and wanted to be close to the parks so I took him at his word and booked the main hotel. Fabulous but expensive.

We've done a Disney package for the first trio but booked separately with annual passes the last 2 trips.

With a pass you get discounts in the shops, restaurants and booking the hotels. Definitely worth it.

An annual pass will also give you extra magic hours so always worth buying them if you are staying 3 days or more.

Thank you all.

We booked at the Relais SPA as it conveniently located for DLP, Paris and the shops and restaurants, plus it has self catering facilities. We are taking the ferry.

Where do I get the fantasyland pass? and what's the cost?. We are planning 2 days in Disney and 2 days in Paris but I am sure the kids would like more days at Disney so may do 3. It is good if we can get the magic hours.

Is it better to drive to the parks and park there (if we get the annual fantasy land pass) or get the shuttle bus?

I think we bought the fantasyland park once we got to Disney. you can look up the cost and excluded days online but can't remember exactly where. There might not be any excluded days during your stay. We only hit one once.

We went to Paris on the excluded day which turned out to be a weekend day meaning the train ticket to Paris was cheaper (you can find out cost of train to paris when you get there at the local station). We found one day in Paris enough as it takes a bit of time to get there and back. When you are immersed in the Disney magic it is hard to tear yourself away!

If you have the fantasyland pass it is best to drive to the park carpark in the morning and then your car will be there ready to drive back in after the fireworks at the end of the day when everyone else squeezes in the shuttle buses. The Relais spa has its own taxi that you can use free of charge if you need to pop back during the day or don't have the annual pass. I once left the family in the park and popped back for a couple of hours in the spa!

Thank you very much; that is very helpful

I saw the tickets on the Disney UK website and the excluded days and they are £623 for the annual pass and £400 for 2 days. Will discuss it with my husband. I doubt it the kids want to spend more than 1 day in Paris sight seeing and seeing museums anyway and my DH and I have already been there. escaping to the SPA sounds like a great idea.