Who has been to Disneyland Paris?

[nkf]

Realised that to get all the offers, I will need to take the children in the next year to 18 months.

Who has been? And was it worth it?

Nobody?

We went last May - me, DH and DS (5). We stayed in Sequoia Lodge which was fine although I wouldn't rave about it - DS loved the fact that it had a pool; a nice way of winding down after a busy day.

It was definitely worth it - I was very about the whole idea but got sucked into the Disney magic the minute I saw Main Street! DS loved it; although not all the rides were to his taste, there were plenty for him to enjoy like It's a Small World and the Buzz Lightyear ride which we all really enjoyed

We got fastpasses for the popular rides and booked breakfast in the park each day but ate evening meals back at the hotel - food in the Disney Village is very expensive and tends to be pizza and chips and not a lot else.

We also went last May - me, DH and 3DC (10, 7 and 5 at the time). We had a fantastic time and like slayerette I was also a bit before we went. It is definately Main street that does it. We stopped at the Explorers hotel. Our dc also loved the pool there. The food at the hotel was anything but burgers etc. We had fish dishes, pasta, casseroles the lot. There was also things for the dc including lasagne etc. It was a buffet style dinner, and you could go up for seconds if you wanted. It included starters and puddings. Dc were having 2 puddings some nights!
As for the rides it depends on your dc. All of mine went on Thunder Mountain (our favourite), but they also enjoyed small world and buzz lightyear. The shows are really good too.
Would go again for sure - if it wasn't so expensive.

We've been twice in December both times which was fantastic as all very Christmassy and the DC loved it! But expensive to eat and the food on offer can vary from great to inedible! Cafe Mickey is expensive but a must! Fantastic for the dc! So this year we're going back but to a campsite 15 miles outside! tesco voucehrs ahve paid for the trip and accommodation and I've just to buy the park tickets! I'm going with a friend and her daughter and we thought that we could ahve breakfast in the mobiles, take a packed lunch and snacks with us then either feed the kids at the park or back at the mobiles depending on closing times etc. We would eat in the evening back at the campsite.

I really liked the newport bay but if I was going back and satying in a hotel again I would just book the cheapest - Santa fe as you're not in the hotel much!

I went last Feb (08) and thought it was ok. Food was crap and very very expensive. We stayed at The Dream Castle Hotel just outside the park (free shuttle bus). Breakfast at the hotel was a nightmare like being back at school dinners, they packed everyone in and you were practically sitting on the knee of the person at the next table.

If (and it's a very big if) we went again, I would do something on the lines of what Leslaki is doing.

I liked the look of the Davy Crocket lodges. You can cook your own food there. I thought - cheapskate me - that I would take loads of stuff with me and we could avoid eating Disney style. I went to the Florida Disney place once and thought it was rather amazing but the food was rank beyond belief.

Last time we stayed outside the park complex in Bussy St Georges at a Best Western. Cheaper and more flexible than the park ones, convenient for the RER to the parks (2 stops) or 10 mins by car and about 40 mins into centre of Paris. Wasn't very "holiday"ish though. Have previously done Sequioa Lodge but it is vast, we didnlt use the pool or play area and breakfast rather school dinnerish, in prebooked shifts at busy periods. You can easily spend 80+ euros on a sit down meal for 4 in the Village or Park - more at Cafe Mickey or Rainforest cafe. Avoid the peak European holidays like Ascension Day weekend and Whitsun in May as that was actually busier than end of August. We will go back again but gave dcs the option of a second day there or in Paris and they opted for Paris !

Just back!

Had a great holiday. Always wanted to take the dc there and they loved it. Was it worth it? Well, if you like theme parks and all the razzmatazz of the fair, then yes.

Downsides:

a) food pretty dire on the whole and ridiculously expensive (tomato soup that had consistency and taste of boiled water, a tasteless polystyrene waffle with tiniest drizzle of choc flavoured sauce)
b)a couple of the eating places seemed understaffed (dirty, long queues to pay) or else just slow-staffed

Upsides:

a) the design of the place and attention to detail is just incredible, absolutely incredible, all of it
b) great rides - Thunder Mountain, Peter Pan's flight, Pirates of the carribbean (again, what made them fantastic was the set design and detail)
c) fantastic areas to explore (skull rock, swiss family tree-house)

breakfast at the Newport Bay was good. Fruit salad (wonderful to actually get some fresh fruit/veg), cold meats, olives, pains au chocolat, crusty rolls, jams, juices, cereal, yoghurts. Good seating arrangements and nice view.

We have always enjoyed meals at the Rainforest Cafe in the village there. The food is at least edible!(if expensive!)

We stayed at the Disneyland hotel because it's closest to the park and we have a child with special needs. The breakfast was good at the hotel and there was a really good afternoon tea but it was very expensive to stay there. I thought the parks really delivered and we all loved the parades and shows. Some of the smaller ride times are very short but they are very good with children with special needs and we didn't have to queue.

We flew home from there this morning (our third visit) and loved it yet again.

I agree that the food is awful, I took fruit with me as there is nothing there. I managed to grab a banana at breakfast in Cafe Mickey and it was like a scrum, my niece just got a kiwi though had to fight for it!

My dd has just turned 2 and loved it, my sisters dd is 11, ds1 9 and ds2 6 and we all had a brill time. When they turn the lights on the castle and it snows each night at 8pm is quite a sight!!

third visit!? gosh

I know!! Spread out over a number of years, my sister's youngest was not born the first time.

Time before last we booked before I knew I was pregnant (was a week off 8 months) so wanted to go again on the rides and take dd who loved it.

It's so cheap at the moment though, we only had to pay for the four adults as all the children went free!!

we stayed in Hotel Cheyenne last time (having previously stayed at Davy Crocket as DD3 was very small at the time) - had breakfast on the first sitting (7am) so very quiet, stocked up on pain au chocolat for late morning snacks (take a rucksack ot breakfast ), then ate a main meal around 3pm when the food places weren't so busy. Then all we needed was another snack in the evening (muesli bar-type stuff which we brought with us). Colonel Hiathi's pizza place is fairly quiet and reasonable quality (as these things go), also we ate at a mexican type place very close to Big Thunder whcih was also quiet adn reasonable.
Best part about staying in one of the Disney hotels is being able to get into the park earlier - DD1 used Space Mountain to wake up each morning by going round three times on the trot - no queues!

i have been to disney paris 5 times now and have stayed in the santa fe, newport bay and sequoia lodge, i would definately reccommend the sequoia lodge or newport bay.

The food is expensive and mostly junk, so we did self drive and took things like fruit, bottled water and squash to make small bottles for when in the parks, cereal bars, crisps etc are also good to take.

Also take a kettle as there wasn't one in the sequoia lodge, but you can hire them.

I wouldn't call it cheap.

I think it sounds horrendous

And what do your kids think, mario?

I got back yesterday - we may have crossed paths Pointydog as we stayed at the Newport Bay too.

Good breakfasts but a bit of a bunfight to get your food, especially if you like to refill your plates (they need a one-way system or something for safety's sake). And parents please leave childen under 7 at the table, not loose in the buffet area!!

I'd recommend eating at the Steakhouse in the Disney Village in the evening as it was included in our Half Board deal and the food was excellent. We also had free entertainment as one waiter kept dropping glasses etc on the floor by accident. I rolled out of there stuffed almost to the gills.

The rides were very good - the attention to detail is second to none. The only gripe I had was that I didnt realise I had to claim the activity pack for a child at St Pancras as they do not have them on the trains (we went on Eurostar) and we weren't able to get one on the way back either. But I would recommend it as for where I live, flying is impracticable.

Beg borrow or steal an up to date guide of EuroDisney before you go - I kept mine on me at all times - and put any pre-conceptions aside.

sally, what a thought! mnetter in close proximity.

Mind you, there were a few thousand people milling about at newport bay.

Thank you everyone. That's all really helpful.