disneyland paris - a few questions

[gingernutlover]

we go to DLP on weds for 5 days/4 nights

we are staying at davey crockett ranch and have prebooked half board plus

we were planning to take picnic lunches with us each day to the parks but have now read that you are not allowed food in the parks - is this very strictly policed does anyone know? Will they even let you take in bottled water and snacks? Have heard horrendous reprots on the quality and price of hot dogs, drinks etc once in and dd can be quite fussy about food so i really need to take hers at least.

also we are wondering about booking a meal with the princesses but having seen the price am now wondering wehether it is worth going? anyone done this meal?

also what rides and attractions are going to be the best for our nearly 3 year old dd?

Any other advice, about best times to get to park, good places to eat etc would be really appreciated.

also we are taking the car on eurotunnel and coming back our crossing is for 7.20pm, is there any way of booking an earlier one at this late stage? I am back to work first thing the next day and dd to nursery, so am thinking this is too late as we loive 1.5 hours drive from folkstone.

We went during the summer holidays and it was really, really busy. We took all our own food for lunch - no one knew, nor cared! My advice would be to pre-book the rides if you can as it saves on queuing time. Don't bother with the Dumbo ride - huge queues for basically a rubbish ride. Another tip is to go on rides while the parade is on, as they're much less busy. We managed to do Pirates of the Carribean 3 times in a row during the parade.

I'd say, take your own food, do the character breakfast at the Ranch if you want to do one, and make sure you plan your days. We didn't spend anywhere near enough time at the Studios bit which i felt was the most interesting. Hope you have a good time - oh and remember to take bottled water, as I seem to remember that was quite expensive.

You can take food in. Bags are searched as you go in but no-one will stop you. You can put stuff in the lockers as you go in so you don't have to carry it around. There is a picnic area just outside the park where you are supposed to eat your picnic but it is unlikely anyone will stop you from eating your sandwiches in the park.

I have not done the Princess meal - personally I didn't think it was worth the money. Good places to eat are Cafe Mickey, Plaza Gardens, Annettes Diner, Rainforest Cafe. The first two have characters. Would be best to book. You can do this at your hotel.

As you are staying on Disney property you will be able to enter the Disneyland Park at 8am. Get there for 8am and you will be able to walk on the rides. Not all the rides are open but you will be able to do Dumbo, Tea cups, Peter Pan, and Buzz without much of a wait.

Use Fast Pass if you want to ride at busier times.

Personally I have found the Studios park less interesting for the younger ones. The magic carpets and cars rides are good.

You may be able to turn up early at the Euro star and get on an earlier train. We have been an hour early before and been allowed on. Not sure how far you can push this!

Have a great time. We are going on Thursday and we are hoping it will be quieter as it is the end of the holidays.

When we went last year I filled the bottom of the pram with drinks and snacks for the kids. Nobody stopped me - although I'm not sure they checked the bottom of the pram. Prices are quite high for food and drink and the choices are not the healthiest food in the world. There are a few supermarkets nearby where you can stock up before you go in.

went last week - park was full of people eating their own food so am amazed that was banned. Would agree that food generally of the less than healthy variety.

The Eurotunnel website has the rules about how early/late you can get your train. I think we got one an hour before our allocated slot in June.

I don't think you'd get away with setting out a picnic blanket etc (don't think there's anywhere you could actually) but as others have said, they're not that fussed about you taking food in.

Some rides load faster than others - Dumbo is slow, as is Orbitron and the Magic Carpets (same ride, different theming). Things like Snow White and It's A Small World which go round on a loop load much quicker, and the queues go down faster. There are two rides toward the back of Fantasyland (Casey Jones Jr and a long French name about fairytales that I can't remember) that you can get on fast and ride several times (if you want!) if you queue by the entrance to that area (near the windmill) just before 10am.

We had a booking for the princess meal, but didn't get there on time - it's only on when the park is open to a certain time, you might find out that you can't book it, Disney don't make it at all clear what is on when until you actually phone them, I found. Sleeping Beauty does a show outside the castle (in the courtyard by the sword in the stone) at, iirc, 1045, 1145 and 1245, you can get autographs after if you're patient and/or pushy. We bumped into Cinderella in Fantasyland as well; we did NOT queue up for any formal autograph signings!

Character meals are good fun, the breakfast is relatively good value (pocket some madeleines for later), DD certainly appreciated the characters.

The Eurotunnel website has the rules about how early/late you can get your train. I think we got one an hour before our allocated slot in June.

I don't think you'd get away with setting out a picnic blanket etc (don't think there's anywhere you could actually) but as others have said, they're not that fussed about you taking food in.

Some rides load faster than others - Dumbo is slow, as is Orbitron and the Magic Carpets (same ride, different theming). Things like Snow White and It's A Small World which go round on a loop load much quicker, and the queues go down faster. There are two rides toward the back of Fantasyland (Casey Jones Jr and a long French name about fairytales that I can't remember) that you can get on fast and ride several times (if you want!) if you queue by the entrance to that area (near the windmill) just before 10am.

We had a booking for the princess meal, but didn't get there on time - it's only on when the park is open to a certain time, you might find out that you can't book it, Disney don't make it at all clear what is on when until you actually phone them, I found. Sleeping Beauty does a show outside the castle (in the courtyard by the sword in the stone) at, iirc, 1045, 1145 and 1245, you can get autographs after if you're patient and/or pushy. We bumped into Cinderella in Fantasyland as well; we did NOT queue up for any formal autograph signings!

Character meals are good fun, the breakfast is relatively good value (pocket some madeleines for later), DD certainly appreciated the characters.

The Eurotunnel website has the rules about how early/late you can get your train. I think we got one an hour before our allocated slot in June.

I don't think you'd get away with setting out a picnic blanket etc (don't think there's anywhere you could actually) but as others have said, they're not that fussed about you taking food in.

Some rides load faster than others - Dumbo is slow, as is Orbitron and the Magic Carpets (same ride, different theming). Things like Snow White and It's A Small World which go round on a loop load much quicker, and the queues go down faster. There are two rides toward the back of Fantasyland (Casey Jones Jr and a long French name about fairytales that I can't remember) that you can get on fast and ride several times (if you want!) if you queue by the entrance to that area (near the windmill) just before 10am.

We had a booking for the princess meal, but didn't get there on time - it's only on when the park is open to a certain time, you might find out that you can't book it, Disney don't make it at all clear what is on when until you actually phone them, I found. Sleeping Beauty does a show outside the castle (in the courtyard by the sword in the stone) at, iirc, 1045, 1145 and 1245, you can get autographs after if you're patient and/or pushy. We bumped into Cinderella in Fantasyland as well; we did NOT queue up for any formal autograph signings!

Character meals are good fun, the breakfast is relatively good value (pocket some madeleines for later), DD certainly appreciated the characters.

Argh, after nearly two years, my first ever multiple post. I'd like to thank Tiscali for being a completely rubbish ISP ...