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Larger families

Find out all about large family cars, holidays and more right here.

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Original poster

Drive to Disney, Paris with a larger family, possible? crackers?

22 replies

sorky · 19/04/2010 14:51

They have been wanting to go to Disney for about 2 years
I'm looking at the cheapest (but also sanest) way to get us there. 2 adults and 4 kids.

We could drive (from North) get Ferry to Dunkirk and drive to Davy Crockett Ranch for 2 nights all for less than £400, exc. petrol costs.

Whaddya think? Good value?

Mental to drive there? Flying adds another £800 on top which is not affordable. Total travel time will be 11hours-ish.

I hate those bloody adverts which advertise "kids go free", sick of explaining that the adults DON"T!! grr!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

GypsyMoth · 19/04/2010 14:53

i'm thinking of doing this too....perhaps!!

i think your costs will double tho,with food and fuel!

stripeyknickersspottysocks · 19/04/2010 15:11

I did it but with only one kid and for 3 nights.

We spent one day driving there, got there late evening, slept. One day in the park, slept, second day in the park, slept annd then set off the next morning.

Are you only having one day in the park or are you having a 2nd day and then driving straight after the 2nd day?

Remember to add toll fees on for the roads. We went to Bologne so nearer to DLP than Dunkirk and I think it cost about £20 each way in tolls.

Loopymumsy · 04/05/2010 14:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mumutd · 04/05/2010 21:38

Hi, we went in November last year and stayed at Davy Crockett. We stayed for 4 nights and the Disney side of it cost just under £500 as we took advantage of a 40% off deal. We used the eurotunnel to get over there.

We had a great time so I say go for it.

(I have 4 children too btw ).

mumutd · 04/05/2010 21:42

Oh and we got a cheap travelodge room the night before our eurotunnel to seperate the travelling.

When at DC we used the baguettes they gave us for breakfast to make up sandwiches for lunch in the parks and then made our own meals in the cabin at night, we did eat out once in the DC restaurant - an all you can eat buffet which was lovely.

Eating in the parks is so expensive so going self catering is definitely more economical.

Hulababy · 04/05/2010 21:45

We have done the journey from Sheffield to DLP. Last time there was 7 of us - 4 adults and 3 children. Children were 5.5y, 5y and 2.5y.

Katz · 04/05/2010 21:47

was just about to post that hula!!

Hulababy · 04/05/2010 21:50

lol

It was perfectly doable. Long journey but the children coped really well. We all went together in a hired XC90

Katz · 04/05/2010 21:52

we stayed here which was about £300 for the week and has a pool on site - which was less than 20 mins from the park and bought park tickets seperatly - had 4 days for the price of 3.

stealthsquiggle · 04/05/2010 21:52

Drive, definitely. Because:

You can fill the car with snacks, etc to avoid buying them

You can stay at Davy Crockett which is only do-able with a car - alternatives for 2+4 would be a lot more (because you would have to pay for 2 rooms otherwise)

Travelodge on this side of the channel is probably wise, at least one way if not both.

Does your £400 include any food? Not the end of the world if at Davy C, but if you plan on eating out at all, budget twice what you think is reasonable.

Katz · 04/05/2010 21:54

or was it 5 for the price of 4

gorionine · 04/05/2010 21:56

I have 4 dc too. We have not been to Euro Disney but last summer we drove from Manchester to Switzerland spread over 3 days (Day 1: Manchester-London stayed at a family member's, day 2: London-Dover-Calais-Reims, day 3: Reims-Lausannes) and it was fine so I would imagine a drive to Eurodisney from UK should be ok.

We slept in "formule1" hotels ,good value for money, each room can take 3 people we splited one adult + 2 dcs per room.

I think the idea of making your own picnic style lunch there is good as well.

Katz · 04/05/2010 21:59

there is an auchan at the valle de europe which is round the corner from the Disney parks - As Hula's DH will testify we went there every day!!!!!! We did park food for the first couple of days then took pack lunches in for the children.

Hulababy · 04/05/2010 22:02

LOL @ supermarket dailt t yes the supermarket is good - very big too - and although you're not really uspposed to picnic inside DLP nobody checked nor did anyone stop us. We only took food in for the girls, adults ate at park or at home. Easy to smuggle in a sandwich or two and some snacks.

Original poster

sorky · 07/05/2010 16:16

Thanks for the suggestions!

Dh has changed his mind and decided we can stay in the Disney Hotel .
Clearly he has money squirreled away somewhere I don't know about

Will still be driving though.

OP posts:

Loopymumsy · 07/05/2010 16:21

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

sorky · 07/05/2010 16:36

Yesssss! that's what I told him.

Apparently if the 2 little ones get tired though then someone could take them back to a room for a nap, rather than have everyone travel back to a more distant hotel.

OP posts:

Partyofseven · 11/05/2010 13:17

we drive everywhere with our large family

manchester-spain for 3wks in the summer and manchester to belgium every easter.

the kids are just so used to it and obviously have a bag/box each under their feet filled with stuff to do.

we didn't go last summer because i was pg, but the year before went with dd10, dd6, dd5 me and dh and ds15 in separate car with bil. we even broke down and being rescued from the french motorway by a very nice man who didnt speak a word of english didnt dampen the holiday.

and a couple of wks ago went to belgium with dd7 dd6 and dd12wks me and dh in one car and bil with dd12 and ds17 in another.

we usually have a large 8/9 seater and all travel together but its broken. hoping to all go to spain in august again, we stop at two cities on the way there have 2 wks in villa and the two cities on way back, its like a big adventure and the kids love it.

So i'd say do it and enjoy. remaining calm is the key.

hollyfort · 11/05/2010 20:27

party of seven, nice to hear about ye all going off on hols, do the kids all get on well most of the time or do they fight much? i have four and wonder how going on hols and out and about would be with 5?? i supppose they grow up quickly and get more independent. How do your oldest and youngest get on? or do the older ones tend to stick together?

PrettyCandles · 11/05/2010 20:33

Consider getting costs down by camping, and therefore being able to stay longer so that you're not under so much pressure to squeeze as much as poss into each day at Eurodisney. Highly recommend Jablines campsite, and it's only 15 mins drive from Eurodisney.

PrettyCandles · 11/05/2010 20:34

Oh, and using Tesco Clubcard or similar (Nectar?) for the crossing.

Partyofseven · 11/05/2010 22:28

hey holly

ds17 is from prev. relationship and then dd12 dd7 dd6 dd15wks are with my dh.

ds gets on better with dd6 & baby
dd7 loves baby
ds and dd12 do not get on but i think his nose was push out when i had her, but she is typically silly at times so gets on his nerves.
the girls get on if its any combination of two, when the third comes home they usually argue,

as they get older they tend to do their own things so its not as noisy as you may think, and sometimes it could even been mistaken for fun

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