Help a complete novice please?

[CoffeeLover90]

So, for a few reasons, I have never been abroad as an adult. I want to take my son to disneyland paris and I haven't the slightest idea where to start. I don't drive and, although I hate the thought of flying, I want to cut travel time. What would be the best way for me? Travel agents? I've looked online, of course, but the options are too soon and don't show the air port closest to me. Do I need to take money/euros? Or can I use a card? Thank you in advance.

You can travel by Eurostar from St Pancras. You will need a few euros but mostly everyone, everywhere, takes cards now. If you look at the Disneyland website you will see the accommodation options. As you are nervous I would suggest going into your local travel agent and asking them to do the booking, I believe they should even have a brochure about Disneyland. Dont forget you both need passports and the EHIC card (which is free) and you should take out travel insurance.

You can get a money card that works abroad if you are wary about using your debit card. I use hyperjar and the exchange rate seemed really good . You just too it up in an app on your phone.

A travel agent would be good if you've never booked a holiday.

First get passports!!!!

If you wanted to do it yourself
Go onto easyJet and find your local airport and then see if you can get from there to Paris.

You'll need to get from Paris to Disney.

Book a disney package.

Some euro otherwise your card will be fine.

As PP mentioned, you can go by Eurostar and avoid flying, though of course you'd have to make the journey to St Pancras. If travelling after 5th June, you'd need to change trains at Lille, but can still book the entire journey through Eurostar. They also offer package holidays; I assume that includes packages to Disney.

If for any reason you don't have or can't get a fee-free debit/credit card, consider getting a Currensea card to use along with a modest amount of euros.

Apply as soon as you can for a GHIC which replaced EHICs. If your package doesn't include travel insurance, check out moneysavingexpert.com for recommendations.

Thanks everyone, choices have been overwhelming when I'd looked into it myself 😅 I'll go to a travel agents as suggested

You can book it as a package, so travel, accommodation, park tickets etc are arranged for you. Either through Disney https://www.disneyholidays.co.uk/disneyland-paris/?CMP=KNC-DDI-DLPFYxxxUK717000000724332288LowerGOOGLEEAlways%20On587000063373402977p65301945237disney+land+paris+transport&gclid=CjwKCAjwue6hBhBVEiwA9YTx8GImmEngmgDarIteNP409qeFebgabdcNwWW-M7MR7EdPxZmEdMyK0RoCxZEQAvDBwE&gclsrc=aw.ds or operators like Jet2 and Tui.

We booked through magic breaks and flew. You can get the fast train direct from the airport, but because I was trying to save a few pennies we got the bus and over ground, which was a bit of a pain, but loads cheaper. Eurostar worked out much more expensive and less convenient for us due to having to get to London for it.

We stayed in a partner hotel which was not an official Disney one, you don’t get magic hour, but I had older kids/teens who wouldn’t have been ready in time for it anyway. There was a free bus every 20 mins and it saved a fortune.

take a bit of cash, but they’ll let you use card/Apple Pay everywhere.

Ohh it is totally overwhelming! We were booked to go to DLP April 2020 and have booked again for October this year. Both booked with MagicBreaks who were fab at refunding due to Covid first time round! If you're on facebook the group 'Disneyland Paris for Brits' is great to dip in and out of. We have

Oops phone jumped around and it posted...
We have decided to drive via eurotunnel but eurostar and flying are also feasible options- as is a coach trip which can really save money! We are staying on site at Sequoia Lodge so walking distance from parks but you can research the disney and disney partner hotels on magic breaks. I would start there tbh. Good luck!

Check with your bank what your credit or debit card might get charged for using abroad. Some don’t charge but others do. I haven’t taken cash abroad for several years but I have a credit card that doesn’t charge for overseas use.

We flew Manchester to Paris, they have a train from the airport to Disney. I went alone with DC and it was really straight forward. Once you get off the train, there are Disney buses outside, look which hotel you’re staying in and jump on it to your hotel to check in. We didn’t quite give enough time at the airport to get luggage and over to the train ( we just made it) so if going that way, book the one after the one you think you need

Two votes for magic breaks there, add that to the list 😁 It's slightly embarrassing to get this far in life and not be able to do what millions do every year. But I'm pushing that aside to give DS some memories. Thank you everyone, sincerely.

So excited for you!!!

Oh it's an actual dream. I remember going when I was 4, I'm early 30s now. So excited for DS to experience it. I don't plan on going just once either 😅 lifelong disney fan.

You haven't mentioned budget ?
The first time I went , I took a local coach trip to keep the cost down.
Second time Eurostar and park hotel.
Enjoy 😊

Maximum 3k, but honestly couldn't say as I had no idea of the cost. Coach trips I looked at but none local to me, not even remotely local.

I believe you can get special deals on connecting trains if you don't live in London, to go on the Eurostar, so that's worth looking into.

There's almost certainly local trains from Paris city centre to Eurodisney. Last year I went to Versailles and just got there on a normal train, it was fairly cheap and I just bought a ticket from the machine at the station.

It says on the website that the park is next to the Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy train station so use Google maps or the Paris transport app to find out how to get there from Central Paris (It will probably be on one of the RER lines). You can get travel passes for Paris, but they're quite expensive and I don't think they're usually worth it compared with just buying tickets as you go.

Have a look at Moneysaving Expert to understand card payments - you can pay for just about everything by card, but the cost of this varies enormously from no fees/best possible exchange rate to a fee and a poorer exchange rate for every transaction, which obviously makes it very expensive if you pay for every last train ticket, lunch, ice cream etc by card.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/destinations/

@CoffeeLover90 you'll definitely get a good trip for £3000. Have a lovely time.

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/passport

Thanks again everyone, knew about passports (thats all I knew) going to have a look on magic breaks and eurostar options at the weekend and decide on from there. Travelling with a family member 😁

If you do opt for Eurostar, the special tickets for train travel to and from London, as mentioned by a PP, are called London CIV tickets. They don't always work out cheaper but do give you added protection if your train is delayed in getting you to St Pancras. Have a look at seat61.com for more info on these tickets.

Have a great trip, however you choose to travel!