Disney Paris - October

[AKP79]

We're hoping to book a few nights in Disney Paris in October, but I've got information overload and I'm so confused. We don't have bags of money to throw at it, but it will be our only holiday this year.

It will be two adults, one 6 year old and a baby (under 1 year). Assuming the baby will be free.

Can anyone give me any advice on hotels and park entrance. Either booking separately or a package.

I'm feeling really overwhelmed by it all!!

Thanks

I haven't been but I think it's much cheaper to stay in a nearby hotel rather than on site. I'm in London so I would go by train. Where do you live? It may be easier to fly. But I think coach is always the cheapest option. I've seen some cheap package deals by coach. They could be the cheapest option?

We've definitely decided to go by train as we've got a direct trainline to London.

Then ideally we'd like to stay in a decent hotel in the park. I think you get free passes and upgrades that way. But this is where I get seriously confused!!! As we'll have a young baby, whilst I want to keep costs down, I also want to make things as easy as possible for us. Baby is arriving in the summer, hence why we're having a delayed holiday and one which is all about the 6 year old!!! :)

We stayed off site in an aparthotel with free bus to DLP. It was cheaper to buy annual passes which include the magic hours in the morning. The fast passes for rides are available to everyone.

For us being able to mix self catering with some meals in the parks, having a separate room for the kids and saving money was more important than staying on site in a themed hotel. Depends on your budget and priorities.

I have heard October is extremely busy. Can you go after another time of year? We went in May half term and it was really quiet.

I think with a 1 year old you an aparthotel with a kitchenette would be a good idea. The hotels onsite dont even have a fridge (except the really expensive ones). We stayed in the Residhome Val d'Europe, 50m from the train station and 2 minutes on the train to Disney. The queues for the shuttle buses to the Disney hotels were very busy. We were back in our room and all while we would have been still queuing for the bus. Easter will be our 3rd time going back. We got 3 stays out of the Annual Passes, for not much more than 1 stay onsite would have been.

We also stayed at the Residhome Val d’Europe, and would recommend it. So easy to self-cater with the huge supermarket at Val d’Europe - and there’s a lovely bakery nearby too where we picked up fresh bread and other baked goods every day, and sometimes stopped for a hot chocolate. DC loved the table football in the foyer too.

It means you don’t get the “magic hours” that you get in the Disney hotels, but there were more than enough hours in the day already for us. And that was without a baby to think about . Do get to grips with the FastPass system, which mitigates the queue factor at least to some extent.

I think you need to up grade to get decent hotel room.. On site otherwise you can get far nicer hotels off site but close enough to have free shuttle and be called partner hotels in fact some are equal distance to on site hotels.
Anyway we got annual pass so you still get e.mh.. Money off food etc.
We also had special entrance so we by passed the massive hotel guest queue to get in, not a soul at our entrance!, also free lockers and free push chair hire...

Hotel we stayed at was lovely and didn't feel in any way budget.

However I would strongly advice you to forget Disney and go to efteling with baby. Much softer, easier holiday, cheaper and efteling truly is magical.. Disney isn't

The other thing about on site hotels is they mostly lack a fridge too.. So even basic stuff you can't do.

Our hotel had excellent sized fridge so we could take milk, do our own breakfast.. Use supermarket

We went a few years travelling on the Eurostar which was brilliant as it takes you straight to the park.
We stayed in one of the Disney hotels about a ten minute walk away, Sequoia Lodge. Staying on site meant that we were able to enter the park before it was opened up to the general public, which was a bonus.
Food in the cafes in the park isn't the healthiest, unless you go to the a la carte restaurants. I did find myself craving vegetables by the end of the holiday!
I did notice some people taking food from the breakfast buffet for later to get around this.
If you do stay in one of the Disney hotels with a swimming pool, don't forget men have to wear Speedos, not shorts, in the swimming pool. We forgot, so DH is now the proud owner of a rather fetching pair of turquoise Mickey Mouse Speedos!

Thanks everyone so much for all the ideas. I've printed this thread off to work through it all!

@serioulycanitgetWORSE we have also been thinking about Efteling, maybe I should give that further thought!

I had massive expectations for efteling from threads on here and my expectations were exceeded.

Disney Paris... I had them lowered right down but I was still disappointed... Efteling is also much more of a break for parents, much more attractive accommodation... if there wasn't a theme park attached you would have a great time.. Loads of play areas.

The lake at efteling has sandman Castle in the the middle..gently changes colour at night It's not circle.. Full of plants, reeds.. Wild life surrounded by trees... Gorgeous old fashioned lamps... Pretty little houses. The lake at Disney is large square man made... That's it! Ugly.

You feel your in fairy talent at efteling.. You know your in a theme park at Disney

We loved DLP but Efteling was better.