Disneyland Paris travel

[MidnightMilkman]

I'm going backwards and forwards in my head about which option is best, please help me out!

Travelling on eurostar to Paris and then onwards to disney. But coming back I have not yet booked the tickets...

Do we (2 adults, 2 kids):

Disney > Lille > London
Disney > Paris > London

I have staff discount for eurostar so eurostar price is the same either way.
Train to Paris cheaper than train to Lille as far as I can tell (I think around £70 saving via Paris and we wouldn't be tied to a specific train from Disney)
A bit quicker on the train to Paris than Lille, but eurostar takes longer so quicker journey overall via Lille.
Better eurostar times available via Paris.
Busier to navigate via Paris.
Less frequent trains via Lille.

Anyone done these journeys and have a preference?
How long before the eurostar do you need to check in at Paris/Lille?
What is at Lille station to kill time if we get there early?

So shorter, calmer journey via Lille, but more expensive and less flexibility.

Cheaper more flexible journey via Paris, but longer and chaotic change.

So my one Eurostar experience, we went London to Lille and back in the summer. We stayed in Lille for some Olympic events and then took a TGV to Disney. It was simple, although not a through connection in our case. I have also been from Paris to Disney on the RER on another trip and when we left Disney on the most recent trip we went to Rouen so we went through Paris on the RER. In your position I would probably go to Lille. If you take the RER into Paris you also need to change onto the subway to get to Gare du Nord for the Eurostar, and you need to allow more time in Paris than in Lille. When making a final decision do check though whether your TGV from Disney goes into Lille Flandres or Euralille, I understand the line uses both. You'll have a 5-10 minute walk if it goes to Flandres. I think you only need to be at Lille about 45 minutes before your Eurostar departs, you can only go through passport control when they call your train, they shut the gates and make anyone who is early queue.

There is not much to do at Lille apart from maybe go get a good snack such as ice cream / patisserie. But Lille is much more relaxed than Paris so I'd choose that for ease if the cost is similar.

We did via Paris. Very easy. And you could always have a nice final meal in Paris before travelling home!

Much easier to drive , ultimate flexibility .

Both options have their pros and cons! If you prefer a calmer journey with less chaos and don’t mind paying a bit extra, Lille is a good choice, though the less frequent trains could be a downside. On the other hand, Paris is cheaper and more flexible with better Eurostar times, but navigating through Paris can be busy, especially with kids. Check-in for Eurostar is usually 90 minutes at Paris and 60 minutes at Lille. Lille has a few shops and cafes, but not much for long waits. If flexibility and cost are key, Paris might be your best bet; if smoother travel matters more, go for Lille!

Thanks everyone. I'm still no closer to making a decision, but it's giving me things to think about.

Driving isn't an option - it'll cost more, take longer, I don't want to, an I've already booked the eurostar to Paris for our journey there.