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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Which DisneyLand Paris hotel?

55 replies

Hulababy · 16/01/2005 17:24

As part of our summer holiday we are planning on staying at DLP for 3 nights. I have priced them up for the three of us. DD will be just over 3 years.

Santa Fe = £501
Cheyenne = £537
Sequoia = £595
Newport = £631
New York = £709
Disneyland Hotel = £1015!
Davy Crocket = £539

Anyone got any information about any of these and what they were like?

We will use it primarily as a base only, with breakfast. But must be clean! We will probably use a shuttle bus where we can too. But could use car equally as easy, as parking is included in the price of the holiday anyway.

I don't envisage going back to the hotel during the day at all, or using other services there. We are likely to be in the two parks from early morning to closing. Even if it is wet we are still likely to be out in the parks.

Never stayed in a Disney hotel before.

So, any experience of these hotels would be great. Thanks.

OP posts:
LIZS · 18/01/2005 16:01

Sounds lovely HMC! We did a character breakfast in the park - it freaked dd out somewhat but ds loved it . We did get in ahead of the opening time so could easily get to the more popular rides first.

cori · 18/01/2005 18:52

I am looking at having a similar holiday this year. My DS is 3, is two full days enough to see the parks?

Original poster
Hulababy · 18/01/2005 19:02

Sorry HMC - completely mis typed theere!!!

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LIZS · 18/01/2005 19:07

Probably 2 days should be enough. We arrived Thursday lunchtime and left Sunday lunchtime(over a European bank holiday weekend), so roughly 3 days. I would n't say we saw everything, just stuck to the parts relevant to age of our kids and did some rides several times, but no big rides (Big Thunder Mountain was being serviced and was the only one ds,6, could have ridden apart from Star Tours).

It really depends on how busy it is as to how quickly you can get around and whether the Fastpasses get booked out early on.

Peckarollover · 18/01/2005 19:08

Does anyone know if you can get married at DLP?

Original poster
Hulababy · 18/01/2005 19:38

cori - last time we went to DLP we just spent two days in the park. We saw all of the Studios, and a good deal of the main park. With a 3 year old, I'd head to Fantasy Land first as that is where a lot of the kiddie fairy tale stuff is. magical

OP posts:
Original poster
Hulababy · 18/01/2005 19:39

No idea Pecka! I know you can at the Florida parks. Hmmm!

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Original poster
Hulababy · 18/01/2005 19:47

Pecka - it would appear you can!

Read here

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cori · 18/01/2005 19:52

What are fast passes? How do they work?

Peckarollover · 18/01/2005 19:54

Hula, I found that link when I was looking but when you click on it it doesnt give any further info about weddings at euro disney but for Florida etc there is masses and masses of info

Original poster
Hulababy · 18/01/2005 19:59

Not sure then - have yu looked on the main DisneyLand Paris website? Or e-mail them? When we got married abroad we has a special wedding brochure that had lots of wedding packages in all over the world.

Cori - fast pass:

It's a ticket system that runs in Disney for some of the most busy rides. It's a free service. You insert your entrance ticket into a special fast Pass machine next to the ride you want to ride. It then will give you a list of available time slots. You choose one and you then get a Fast Pass ticket from the machine. It states your time slot on it.

Then when it is that time, you go to the Fast Pass entrance for the ride - generally much much shorter. The ride assistants will then allow a given number of people with Fast Pass onto the ride first, and then fills up with people in the normal queue. It means you do get on a lot quicker, but not instantly.

The Lion King show currently has to be booked in advance - on the day though, in the park - as so popular.

OP posts:
LIZS · 18/01/2005 20:02

With a Fastpass you can put your entrance ticket into a machine by the entrance to certain rides, it allocates you a time slot and you return at that time and join a much shorter queue. Saves a lot of the hanging around waiting. However they do restrict the number of slots, in order to keep the main queue moving. You can only have one time slot pending at a time though. FastPass details here

handlemecarefully · 19/01/2005 10:22

Good to hear that the hotel is great cas73 - really looking forward to it now.

Hulababy - I expect irrespective of which hotel you choose it will be a good standard since Disney have a brand image to maintain.

softymom · 19/01/2005 12:42

Pre child we stayed in Hotel Cheyenne twice and Sequoia Lodge once. Cheyenne heavily themed but probably about 20 mins walk from the park so maybe too far for little legs. Sequoia Lodge was fantastic - but we were on honeymoon and they upgraded us to a suite!

Always thought Davy Crockett looked good, but don't drive so out of the question.

We found rooms v. clean and staff responded promptly to any complaints we had (we got upgraded after we asked to move rooms because a v noisy and large English school party came to surrounding rooms - also upgraded relieved looking family next door!)

Going again in Feb and can't wait!

curlydolly · 19/01/2005 14:24

Hi Hulababy
We were there last week so can give you some upto date info!
We stayed at Davy Crockett with DD 2.5. Went for 2 bedrooms which was definitely worth it and cabins were very clean, comfortable and warm. The shower was fantastic too..Only criticism is that the kitchen was very basic so don't plan to do any cooking apart from microwave and take absolutely everything you need as there weren't basics like salt/pepper and the so called cleaning pack was rubbish. You'll have the bbq option in summer though... We didn't actually use the pool in the end as spent our 3 full days at the park which is about 10 mins drive away. Breakfast was generous so being cheapskates we used some of it for lunch as everything at the park was horrendously expensive! I would definitely recommend going this time of year as there are hardly any queues which made it so much easier with a 2 year old as long as you wrap up warm! Also it was slow progress getting around with her so having 3 days meant we didn't feel we had to rush round.
I would definitely give Davy Crockett thumbs up and its a better option with little ones I think.

curlydolly · 19/01/2005 14:26

ooh forgot to say that we also had a character breakfast at Walt's which was brilliant....

LIZS · 19/01/2005 18:43

btw we found the easiest place to meet Mickey was in the Studios, near to the Flying carpets. We got in at opening time, there was no queue for the Carpets (which the kids loved and rode repeatedly) and then he appeared for posed photos. Very painless. Most of the others who went in at the same time as us were older and headed for the bigger rides further into the park.

Original poster
Hulababy · 19/01/2005 18:50

Liz - I agree with you. We found that the easiest place to meet Mickey too, and we didn't feel pressured into paying for any photos. They were more than happy for us to snap away along side the offical photographer.

curlydolly - thanks for that up to date info. Great to hear. I am pretty certain that we are going to stay at the Davy Crockett range now. For 4 nights, so will will get 3 full days, plus 2 half days in the parks. As we have been bfoe (DLP in October 2003, and then Florida this summer) I don't feel like we have to see everything. Mind you, if DD is the same as she was in Florida - she will be in that park from opening time to closing time, and refusing to nap as well. LOL

OP posts:
nappybrain · 19/01/2005 21:51

Spent 4 nights at Davy Crockett in Dec and would also highly recommend. Lovely cosy cabin - great being able to s/c with baby and toddler. Even nicer when they went to bed and we could eat in peace! Huge shopping centre - with hypermarket and factory outlet about 10 mins away by car. So no prob getting supplies and there is a shop at DC which sold a range of food including fresh baguettes. We found it no disadvantage driving into DLP. Would definitely stay again at DC. (Second point about there not being what we would usually expect from s/c kitchen though. No sharp knives or toaster, no washing up liquid/teatowel - but in all other respects it was fine - dishwasher, microwave, 2 ring hob).
In DLP Pizzeria Bella Notte is usually pretty quiet for fast-food type pizzas/garlic bread and is right on the edge of Fantasyland. Also had good meal in Rainforest Cafe in the Village.
Have fun!

Poshpaws · 20/01/2005 12:13

Sorry to highjack this thread, but wanted to know if it's better to go to DLP at the end of this year with a baby and toddler or save our pennies and go to DW Florida next year.

Would a baby and 4 yr old appreciate DW? Should I wait until they are both older?

Thanks (and again sorry for the highjack)

handlemecarefully · 21/01/2005 15:39

Well its up to you, but personally I wouldn't fancy flying to Florida with a 1 year old next year. Then there is the time difference which buggers up their sleep patterns. I know plently of people do fly long haul with little kids, but I'm for an easy life!

I'm quite sure your 4 year old will really appreciate DLP, but for the baby he / she is just along for the ride really isn't (s)he?

Poshpaws · 21/01/2005 16:37

Thanks for that HMC. In my hearts of hearst I thought the same as you.

Will leave to baby and DS are more of an age when they can BOTH enjoy it.

Original poster
Hulababy · 21/01/2005 16:42

Your DS would adore it wherever he is. How will your baby be?

We took DD to Florida this summer. She was 2y 4m. She had a fantastic time and was in the parks every day from opeing time - and till closing time many times too. It was magical. I found it a world apart from DLP TBH, as so much bigger, better weather and ... well, I am a bug kid too And DD - well, every phot we have of her she has this amazing smile, and wide open, excited eyes. Pure magic for her and a holiday we will never forget

We also took DD to DLp in October 2003 when she was 18 months and she was awrstruck and mesmorised by it all. Took it a bit slower there, but DD went on tons of rides, meet the characters and enjoyed the Studios films, and the parades. Even at 18 months they can really have a fab time.

DD (and me ;) ) are hooked - hence spending a few days there at the end of this summer's holiday!

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Original poster
Hulababy · 21/01/2005 16:43

BTW the flight to Florida was really easy.. DD slept at start and end, enjoyed watching Shrek 2 on the individual video, and as we had a lot of family with us - she had plenty of people to sit on, play with and talk too. And we took her for walks up and down the plane - and several trips to the loo. TBH the Florida plane was full of familis and children of all ages, so no one minded a bit of child noises too

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Poshpaws · 21/01/2005 16:44

Baby will only be about 7 months.

Needless to say, DLP would work out cheaper anyway, so will probably go there.

Must admit, NOT a big fan of the Disney 'machine' but I think DS would enjoy it very much

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