Just paid for disneyland - feel I've been mugged - help me feel better!

[sanae]

• Just paid £2000 for us (DH,me and 3DCs- 11,10,8Y), also our neice who is a student, to go for short beak disneyland Paris (2 and half days, 2 nights), 2 star hotel with half board (self catering wasn't cheaper). Thing is, I wasn't planning to spend this amount on a holiday, have paid to go to Butlins later in year which was supposed to be Disneyland alternative! Feels as though I've had my arm twisted - neice is arriving from USA where she lives, to stay in Paris and this is our only chance to see her. Disneyland her idea(!!!), initially I was dead against but gradually came round to the idea as our kids have never been and we haven't really splashed out on holidays before. My kids LOVE their aunt, she is 18, lovely with them, and has the glamour of being American, so of course they will love it. We have the money but it was supposed to be for a new boiler - we froze last winter with an inefficient wood burner. Sorry if I sound spoilt, complaining about going to Disneyland, but it seems such a large amount of money for a very short time, and instead of feeling excited i am feeling flat. Someone please tell me we will have a very special time, that it is worth the money, and that I am being stupid!

But DLP is expensive. I remember paying about £400 for two days in Feb a few years ago just for me and DD who was only 4. We stayed at the Santa Fe (?) But she had the most brilliant time and still talks about it.

And then we stayed at the Davy Crockett ranch when the kids were 12, 11 and 7. The older 2 aren't really into theme parks - or Disney (!) but they had an absolute blast.

Remember you are 3 adults plus 3 kids, none of whom are under the magic age of 7 (so much cheaper or free). I think taking that many people in the school holidays is always going to be expensive.

(Why not bring back some novelty Mickey Mouse slippers to warm your feet in the cold winter months? That should compensate for the lack of a boiler. You can look at your feet and think, 'Happy Times'...)

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You will have a great time. We went last Easter and it was great - the best holiday we have ever had with the kids. It was hideously expensive but it was something the kids will never forget (or us for that matter). Make sure you watch the parades and get to the park as early as possible in the mornings to avoid the queues.
You will enjoy it - its fab - just pretend you are ten again for a few days!

Did a quick pretend Santa Fe booking thru the DLP website for those dates for my family, came up at just over £1400. Eurostar, Half board, no insurance. That's only 2 adults, 8 and 4 year old. The youngest is supposed to be in the special deal play and stay free deal.

Let us know how you found it I'm interested for when we takes ours for 2 days. I'm trying to plan which restaurants to book.

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I was just trying to make the OP feel better that she didn't get the most horrible, hideous price ever in the entire universe. Seeing as they're 3 adults and 3 older children, high season etc.

Ouch thats expensive !!. My advice. Take a video camera and record everything so the kids don't forget it. It is a magical experience. If you can afford to do the disney character breakfast (more money) it's well worth it. My DS went to Florida when he was 4 and is still talking about it !! he's now 6 and Magic Kingdom (essentially Disneyland Paris) was his favourite. If they have Mickey mouses house visit it the kids love it. (May only be in US version). Enjoy..... money whilst essential is a passing source of stress and irritation but your kids memories will last a lot longer than your memories of the bill

When did you book? You may have a cooling off period - can any travel agents advise?

That's a hell of a lot of money for what you're going to get and the strength of the Euro is going to make it mega-expensive when you get there.

If you can't back out, stock up on snacks and so on so that you don't have to be fleeced more than you need to when you get there.

And warn the dc you are not going to buy stuff at the shop which you have to go through at the end of every ride.

It's a fun place to go though, we have some great memories and lovely pics of times when we went when the dc were small.