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

Original poster

i know its been done before, but eurodisney virgin, tips please!

28 replies

lizandlulu · 16/04/2009 18:59

i have booked 3 night stay in june. i have never been on a train apart from short journeys, never obught my own ticket even
i dont know if i am going to cope

i have booked us in half board as i heard food was expensive.

just really need to be talked through the trains and what to do/where to go if anyone would be so kind!
i read the kids get packs, where do they come from?
is there a weight limit or limited luggage?

anh help greatly appreciated. i feel like a child all alone going on holiday and dh will go mad if i get something wrong as he is not keen on going! i need to show him i will get us there in one peice and it will be fantastic

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cathers · 16/04/2009 20:37

Can't really help with info regarding the 'disney eurostar train' (I'm assuming thats the one you are getting) as we usually visit from Paris or fly, but the eurostar will drop you at marnee la vallee station which is right at the gates of eurodisney.

Which hotel are you staying at? From the station it is a very short walk to Disney Hotel and Hotel New York. You could walk to the other disney hotels but with luggage best bet is to grab one of the complimentry buses that stop opposite the station - they all list the hotels that they stop at clearly on the bus itself and come about every 10 mins during peak times.

Food is expensive and generally of fast food sort so half board is a good option. Unfortunately you are not meant to take food into the park and they do have bag search - but you will prob be okay with baby / toddler snacks and small amounts - just don't take a picnic! Best bet is to have a good breakfast and top up with smuggled snacks and a little lunch as drinks are about £3 and poor sandwich £5!

If staying in a disney hotel you will be able to take advantage of 'magic hours' when you can go on the rides before the park opens. Worth getting up early for as saves massive of queuing time, though you may have to book early breakfast at your hotel.

Also, see the parades once, but be aware that this is also a great time to go on the rides as everyone on day trips usually leaves at this time to see the character parades!
Have a fab time

Original poster
lizandlulu · 16/04/2009 22:07

we are satying at the dream castle hotel further away form the park. it looks good, buti have read loads about how expensive food and drink is. dd will only drink water and at 3 euro a go i might be taking a few bottles with me!

they have a bag search??? its abit restrictive isnt it!

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cathers · 17/04/2009 14:05

You will definately need to take one of the free buses from outside the station then - i think they are bright pink that go to Dream Castle, we stayed there a couple of years ago. Its about a 15 min transfer as you stop at other hotels too.

Definately take water with you as I think we ended up buying it from drink machines in the hotel as there was no bar / cafe! and good job you have half board - we ate in the hotel the first night at £28 a head for a buffet (ate out after that price shock!)

The bag check is for 'security' but if you package your water deep in your daybag you should be ok. The main group of people having stuff taken off them where those drinking as they entered the park or with open bottles in their bags.
Good hotel though, I'm sure you will have a fab time

Simplysally · 17/04/2009 14:30

I went to EuroDisney via Eurostar in February. You need to request a children's travel pack at St Pancras as they are not available on the train. The park is right outside the station as Cathers said and the courtesy buses are bright yellow.

I chose to walk to our hotel with luggage as I wanted to stretch my legs after 3 hours on the train but the buses don't take long at all really. You can leave your bags in the left-luggage at you hotel as you won't be able to claim your room until after 3pm or 4pm. Cominng back I suspect that you will have to change at Lille so you need to take a local RER train to there, get off, go up and do the passport/security x-rays before getting onto the Eurostar platforms. Just watch out for English speaking families wearing Mickey ears as they're probably heading back to the UK as well .

If you are HB you don't have to eat in your hotel as you can book anywhere listed on the voucher - book with your hotel conceierge - you will get your vouchers, hotel pass and park passes when you check in. We had to book a breakfast slot and do be on time for it as the queues were horrendous. You can eat lots stay as long as you like though.

Simplysally · 17/04/2009 14:33

Oh and there isn't too much luggage space on the train but there is no weight restriction as long as you can carry it. You shouldn't want more than one case/holdall each though.

Original poster
lizandlulu · 17/04/2009 15:24

sally, you are scaring me now

i am not expecting a changeover on the way back!! god, i am going to end up somewhere in deepest france arent i!

thanks about the childrens pack, i would have just waited to be given one on the train

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Simplysally · 17/04/2009 15:39

Don't panic, honestly it's very easy. Have you booked your train tickets yet? When they come, they'll have the train times/reserved seats on there so you can plot your journey. The platforms are marked where the carriages should stop so you can wait in the right area to get on the train and all the seats are numbered as in the UK. There'll be dozens of people going on the same trains from EuroDisney to the UK so don't be afraid to ask if you're not sure.

DadInsteadofMum · 17/04/2009 17:12

Not sure why you should need to change as there is a direct train back each evening.

The rides also get quiet after the evening parade as people start to leave. What we did, to save money and queues, was
-smuggle stuff out of breakfast and leave in the room;

  • get into the park early before the queues build up, do some of the rides, and then leave the park at lunchtime;
  • back to the hotel for stolen lunch, swim and then siesta;
  • then refreshed go back in to the park and stay as late as possible, by 9pm there was almost no queue on Thunder Mountain and Buzz Lightyear (two of the most popular rides) and the kids could go round and round as many times as they liked.

And learn how to use the fast pass system which is basically a queue jumping system. You get a ticket from one of the machines near a ride entrance which gives you a set time to return and join the (much) shorter fast pass queue. You can only hold one fast pass ticket per person at a time, but with a little planning you shouldn't have to queue too long for the popular rides.

Enjoy - its a great holiday for the kids.

Original poster
lizandlulu · 17/04/2009 21:13

i have looked at my timetable and there is no mention of a stop or changover, so thats ok.

i am def going to smuggle food out of the hotel, i dont think it is too much to ask for the amount of money they ask for food!

is there a parade every night?

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buggylovinmummy · 17/04/2009 21:22

Hi i went in december and we were eurostar virgins too. It was very simple, where are you travelling from? London or Ashford?

If its the direct disney train you wont have to change at Lille.

We took a suitcase,a holdall and my dds little child suitcase plus a buggy and a bag for on the train with drinks and snacks and it was no problem, theres a compartment at the end of each carriage for your luggage and theres plenty of room plus loads of time to get everything loadedon, i boarded the train with the kids while dp got the luggage on. How many dc,s do you have?

Once there the bus stops are right outside the station all showing which bus goes to which hotel so its really simple but they do get very busy.

Just think that once you get there it will be FAB

buggylovinmummy · 17/04/2009 21:23

And yes there are parades every night, when you go into the park pick up a leaflet and it will give you all the times of the parades and where and when the meet and greets are for all the characters.

BestFootForward · 17/04/2009 21:27

Buy drinks & snacks from the shops in the train station- less than half the price charged inside the park.

We took drinks & snacks in every day and the bag searchers didn't mention them. There are signs around the park saying you must go to the area outside for picnics but we were never stopped from sitting on a bench and having a snack.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 17/04/2009 21:29

What kind of time are the parades at? 5pm? 8pm? We're only there for a day and quite happy to stay late, as long as we're prepared in advance.

Original poster
lizandlulu · 17/04/2009 21:30

i only have one dd so shouldnt be too much hassle

i dont know how she will like the characters, she usually freaks out at things like that, but she might be different if it was one of the princesses, she seems to love them.

we are going from london, got to get the train from home to kings cross, then from there straight to the park

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buggylovinmummy · 17/04/2009 21:37

How old is dd?

My dd was 5 and ds 2, dd was fine but ds wouldnt go near any of them, he didnt scream or cry just didnt want to stand next to them.
Also they are not as big and scary as some you see here eg. peppa pig she has a huge head even i was a bit scared when i saw her in mothercare!!

I took drinks and snacks even sandwiches in the park and no-one said anything when they searched my bag.

Parades im sure were at 4 and 6. When you get there grab a timetable from the entrance and it will say on there.

Also to avoid getting a shock on food prices most restaurants have a menu with prices outside so you can make sure before you go in its not too expensive.

Original poster
lizandlulu · 17/04/2009 21:40

we have booked that half board deal so get evening meal included, just got to remember to book tables!

dd is 3.5 but very nervous of things she doesnt know well

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buggylovinmummy · 17/04/2009 21:45

My dd is also like that but she is a bit older at 5, im sure she will be fine she,ll love the princesses, they were my dds favourite. They do meet and greets so she can queue up and meet some of them.

You will have a brilliant time, i was nervous about not knowing what to do or where to go as well but once there had an amazing time, i bet even your dh will love it, mine did he was like a big kid.

We only went in december and i want to go back already!! i LOVED it there.

Original poster
lizandlulu · 17/04/2009 21:49

dh went along time ago but says he doesnt remember much, i am sure he will love it.

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steph007 · 17/04/2009 22:10

hello, is anybody still reading this? we're off first thing tomorrow morning and I have a silly question - do they provide towels at the Santa Fe hotel??!!!

Simplysally · 17/04/2009 23:15

It may have been as I went slightly out of season but the direct train back was too early for us - it was something like 4.30 from the park so I opted for a later one (which did entail a change) to make the most of the extra couple of hours there. We didn't leave the parks once we'd got in there for the day.

Original poster
lizandlulu · 18/04/2009 14:42

i am reading !!!! but sorry cant help you, i would have thought so though, i am not staying there but wont be taking towels with us. it is a quality hotel isnt it, they must provide them, although i wouldnt rule out them charging you for them, they charge for everything else it seems

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Ohforfoxsake · 18/04/2009 14:51

Yes, you get towels at Santa Fe!

To be honest, I'd stay there again. Its cheap and bit frayed, but it suited us fine. My top tips are:
check if restaurants are doing free child meals if an adult eats (more likely mid-week). They did at the Santa Fe, but it wasn't advertised. The buffet there had veg, pasta, roast, so everyone was happy.

Make lunch from the breakfast buffet (be discreet, obviously). Food really is fuel there, they won't be arsed about it. Ham and cheese rolls from breakfast, and fruit from the buffet the night before. You can fill your drinks bottles up at breakfast too (but that was a step too far for me as was too obvious).

I took a box of homemade banana muffins for snacks.

The food in the park is crap and very, very expensive.

There's not much to do in the evening when the LOs are in bed, but you'll be knackered too.

Don't go with the attitude that its a holiday. It bloody well isn't But the children will love it (as did I!)

Ohforfoxsake · 18/04/2009 14:53

Make the most of the baby-swap passes (you can swap adults over at the ride's exit) and you can take the children on again.

Fast-pass tickets are the best way if there are queues. They are very clever at making it look as though there is not much of a queue, then it snakes around for 3 miles!

Chrysanthamum · 18/04/2009 22:43

We just got back from a 3 day package/2 nights. It was fab! We flew and stayed in the Santa Fe. We ate huge v early breakfasts and made up sandwiches for lunch. We also brought fruit and snacks and noone minded during the bag search. we had hb dinners. My tip would be to go to a Disney shop in the UK and get a few toys and bring them for your kids. They're v overpriced there but irresistible! Its hard not to get carried away. Buy autograph books and pens before you go too. The characters appear at hotels in the morning and pose for photos and sign books. They're in a rush though. We splurged on a Disney cafe lunch (at 2.30pm to avoid the crowds) It was pricey but had decent food and it was worth it to see the kids faces! We loved it enjoy!

Original poster
lizandlulu · 19/04/2009 18:42

my dd doesnt liek fast rides and i was getting a bit worried there wouldnt be enough to keep her entertained, is there LOTS for under 4's? she loves princesses and snow white and the like, is there alot of them about? rides or sights?

me and dh are not really bothered about going on much ourselves, it wont be worth waiting in a que with dd if there is nothing for her at hte end of it.

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