Disneyland Paris advice

[noenergy]

After much debate over warm all inc holiday or theme park the rest of the family have voted DLP.

So lots of questions. Have been searching online too but thought I would get good advice here. Looking at 4/5 days. 2 adults, 3 kids(3,4,7) Budget of £700-800. Inc park tickets.

When would be quieter, February half term which is 9-19 feb or Easter which is last week of March and first week of April.
Weather would be a factor too, will it be too cold February half term.

Accommodation is another thing as Disney hotels r very expensive so not sure where would be cheaper and how transport would work. Would we be better hiring a car?
How easy it is it to drive?

Would also like to do a few other touristy things like Eiffel Tower which seems to be over an hour away from Disney parks. So that's another factor in accommodation location.

Have seen a hotel called Explorers? Anyone stayed there? Would preferably like somewhere near a mall where we could go to a food court in evenings to eat on a budget.

Also visit a hyper market? Which is the best?

All advice and experiences welcome.

@Kikisdeliveries thanks for the guide link, seems to have a lot of info that i need on it. Have just opened up the link so going to have a good read now.

you can take advantage of other countries offers.

For example, if you book on the German site at the moment you can get 25% off and half board included. I’m about to book at the mid range Newport bay one for €1300 for 5 days and as it includes a lot of food hoping not to spend too much more. THe US site is offering 2 days and nights free.

Kikis I'm so.glad you said that as that is exactly what we're doing for our first trip ever! The GFL upradw was less than the breakfast package alone.

We are going in Easter hols and it's cost £1700 including flights for 5 of us for 4 nights. Iirc £1150 of it is the hotel. Magic Breaks always have various concurrent offers but there really seems to be a base price with a few hundred £ that it usually ends up costing no matter what dates you mess about with!

Polarbear They don't make it obvious what all the GFC benefits are at the hotel so make sure you head to the GFC lounge after you've checked in and claim some free drinks (and cakes if it's between 4-6!), you can get cans and bottles of water to take away too. And don't forget your swimming stuff but note that none of the Disney pools have shallow ends (why?!!), but lots of floats and armbands by the pool.

have you booked with Magic Breaks @Polarbear?

Can recommend flying into Paris on Flybe, then taking the TGV train to Disney (11 minutes from airport.) Then only 1 stop to Val d'europe RER Station, Hotel ibis Marne la Vallée is clean, simple and budget friendly. The advantage of Val d'europe, as others have said, are supermarkets, bakeries & restaurants.
Saying that though, taking the train direct from St. Pancras to Disney is fun too!

I have stayed in both the dream castle and explorers hotel. They are both off site but have a shuttle bus that takes you straight to the park in only a few minutes.

For really cheap hotels look at bussy St. George's, it is 2 stops from Disney on the train (literally 7 minutes) and the hotels are so cheap. We stayed here once and it honestly no more hassle than staying at one of the nearer hotels and getting a shuttle bus but half the cost.

Ryloken booked with Disneyland -
same deals as MB and got 8% cashback through Topcashback and better flight times plus a few quid cheaper going through the airline directly.

@KikisReindeerDeliveries just wondered if you've tried the compass club room @Newport Bay Hotel ? I think it is similar thing to the golden forest suite @ Sequoia Lodge (no availability for our dates!)...apparently Newport Bay was refurbished last year so should be in decent nick. It's not cheap but I don't think I can handle doing Disney cheaply, I just want it to be easy!! Do you think 3 nights is long enough?

Oops think I tagged the wrong Kiki? @Kikisdeliveries

Hi @Ryloken, I am both kikis, one was festive!

Yes, the Compass Club is like the Golden Forest club so go for it! I haven't stayed there since the club rooms were called the Admiral's floor! And indeed was waiting for a refurb to go back, so it should be lovely. I like the pool at Newport Bay as well.

If you look at the prices of the Disneyland Hotel then it will make you feel better about spending a bit more at Newport Bay! The club rooms give you more facilities (and freebies) than a non-club room in the pink palace.

We always end up going 4 nights 5 days, which is just a bit too long. But you will fill up 3 nights 4 days no problem.

We recently did three nights Compass Club at Newport Bay Club. As our DCs are "adults" it did cost a fair bit but it was worth it for the free breakfast, free soft drinks during the day, free 'afternoon tea' and extra fast passes not to mention the valet parking (last time we were there it took us over an hour to find somewhere to park before we could check in).

Newport Bay Club is only a 10 minute walk from the park so no need to wait for the shuttle bus.

Having been five times at different times of the year (except high summer) I'd say it is ALWAYS cold so take plenty of layers.

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but we all love our trips to DLP and have a fantastic time EVERY time.

Thanks @kiki & @bugger! one last question, is "half board plus" worth getting too? Can't believe how much this is adding up...

Previously we only ever did bed and breakfast but they stopped including breakfast last year. With the Compass club we got breakfast and 'afternoon tea' of pastries, little filled bagels, meat, cheese, fruit, cakes, mousses etc. By eating a good breakfast we didn't need lunch and then afternoon tea sustained us until the parks closed and we grabbed a burger from McDonalds or a sandwich from Earl of Sandwich in the village. BUT we don't eat huge amounts as a family anyway. Previous years we got pizza or something similar in the park for lunch and didn't find it horrendously expensive.

Another advantage with a Disney hotel is you can get a card to charge all purchases in the park and most of Disney Village to your room so no need to carry cash around.

Thanks @BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou that makes sense, I think we'll do the same & ditch the half board plus. Thanks for all the tips!

We do the same as bugger! I also take cereal bars for emergencies hangry situations!

It's booked!! We're all very excited. Thanks so much for all the advice everyone. We went through Magic Breaks in the end, they were really helpful & had more availability than going direct through DLP.

I have been pricing up dlp for years and in the mean time on here found efteling, never heard of it before. We have been quite a few times now, it's same distance from Dunkirk as dlp from calais, much cheaper less stressful... And utterly magical and beautiful. The heart of it is the fairy tale wood.

Anyway op finally this year we are doing dlp.
Annual pass was about 195 each for second most expensive.. Staying at a partner hotel, won awards on trip advisor last year, great reviews called hotel eylesse.

First stop on shuttle bus, free but also next to station for train and opp the val d Europe for more restaurants choice. We have fridge in room so will take own breakfast cereal, make sandwiches for lunch then eat out for dinner.

Jay in read nearly every post except last one as name changed and it wasn't highlight... Well done op have fab time.

Re micro climate I keep reading about the cold and said this to dh the other day!it seems to be colder than people are used too but.. It's only France

May half term is the quietest, and better weather.

Disney hotels are very expensive, and not worth it. Plus some are not walking distance and you have to rely on buses.

You only sleep there, parks all day, so not that important. But being close is.

Best hotels are Hipark Serris, literally 15 minutes walk or free bus. Or adagio for budget. Beauty of these apartment hotels is more room, not just one room, cooking facilities to save money, and all next to a massive shopping centre val d’europe.

Auchan is the huge hyper market, just 5 minutes walk from these two apartment hotels.

Eurostar is best way to travel.

PM me if you like. We’ve been 4 times, all on a budget. What we did for a week, people spend on a weekend.

Not sure about now with pound weak, and Disney annual passes massively increased, but I do have great tips

@gluteustothemaximus can't do May half term as we are in N.Ireland and don't have a break then.

Have done a lot of research and decided quite a few things. Won't be staying in a Disney hotel as we will only be sleeping in the hotel really but would like a bit of variety food wise which will not break the bank so have looked at apartments near Val d'Europe.

Will do 2 days Disney and 1 day at Studio and most likely buy an annual pass. Does a 3 year old pay entry? Are 3 days enough at both or do I need longer?

And the biggest reason I haven't actually booked yet is can't decide when to go. Two main factors being weather, can't stand the cold and when it will be quietest. Have narrowed it to last week of March or first week April, or May bank holiday weekend or do I just leave it till early July when the weather should be nice but then probably really busy?

@NeversayNever2 sorry I'm not the OP, just a grateful hanger on & was thanking PPs as I'd chipped in with lots of queries that helped me decide what to do. Thanks very much to OP for starting the thread, hope you make decision soon. I'm hugely relieved & excited to just have it booked despite the price tag!!