Going to Disneyland Paris - any tips guys?

Thanks Jazzy_B for the advise regarding the transfer from Beauvais. I have 3 kids, so this option would be quite worthwhile for me.

This first part is really a background report on how to get to DLP without breaking the bank.

When we came back from our second trip to Orlando in September, we knew we couldn’t wait long for our next Disney fix. We booked pretty soon after coming home to go back to Orlando next August / September.

That obviously wouldn’t be soon enough for a visit to the mouse, after a long discussion..
Me :”Do you want to go to Disneyland Paris?”
Tracy: “Don’t ask stupid questions”
I was on the internet checking out prices. After a quick search it appeared that we could do the whole trip for easily less than £400

https://www.disneylandparis.com was the first port of call, after a bit of investigating I found out that the best (i.e. Cheapest ) time to go was around the 10th January.
They were offering an extra day and night free and free child places (no use to us yet).

We decided to wait and see if any further offers came up as it was the quietest time of the year at DLP

Flights were booked first courtesy of https://www.ryanair.com £0.99p per person going and £0.01p coming back. A grand total of £2.00 for 2 return flights to Paris from Prestwick (Glasgow).
Well after taxes it came to £53.38 still a bargain for 2 returns (It would cost us that for the coach to London.



Onboard the shiny yellor Ryanair plane.


Anyone who has flown Ryanair to Paris will know that they fly to Beauvais about 100km to the south west of Paris.
We don’t drive so therefore had to try and organise some form of transportation to get us to Disneyland Paris which is about 130km away from the airport..



A quick look at http://www.aeroportbeauvais.com/index.php?lang=eng showed that you could get a coach from Beauvais airport to the Port Malliot district in the centre of Paris. It is right beside the huge hotel Concorde so is pretty easy to find for your return journey.



The picture above is of the Hotel Concorde where the coach drops you off


This was 13 euros per person each way so the total was 52 euros or £35.

The coach picks up from just outside the airport, turn right as you exit. There is also a kiosk there where you can buy tickets for the coach if you haven’t already purchased them.

Then came the most stressful part of the planning, trying to figure out how to get from where the bus would drop us off to the Disneyland Paris Resort. Eventually I found http://www.ratp.info/informer/anglais/index.php and figured out that we had to get the train from the Charles de Gaulle Etoile RER station to Marne-La-Vallee – Chessy

I tried to find out the prices of the RER before we left but I couldn’t find them anywhere.
The prices were infact 6,20 euro per person each way. So a total of 28,80 euro or £20

I knew that we would have to walk a little distance to Charles de Gaulle Etoile from the bus drop off point at Port Malliot, but wasn’t sure quite how far. As it turned out it is only a 10 minute walk up the Av. DE LA GRANDE ARMEE (This street is full of car showrooms that look like actual shops, and thousands of motorbikes lining the pavement) and the station is right beside the Arc De Triomphe so it was really easy to find.



Map showing locations of coach stop and RER station

A little tip for anyone planning to use the RER is to print of the map at http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...pdf=rer&fm=gif and take it with you it shows all the stations and is a good reference for ensuring you are going the correct way.

Also always check the big destination signs on the station platforms, the are pretty easy to understand. If the lights are showing beside a destination the next train will be going to, or passing through there.

Another thing to remember when using the RER is to always keep hold of your tickets as you can’t get out of the station without them.

The RER trains final stop is Disneyland Paris. You exit the station right beside Disney Village and the resort buses.


Finally just before Christmas, https://www.disneylandparis.com were running an offer of 15% off of bookings for certain dates, as luck would have it the dates we needed were included in the offer. The Hotel Santa Fe was booked for 4 nights / 5 days inclusive of theme park tickets for £246.50

Flights £53.38
Coach £35.00
RER £20.00
Hotel / Tickets £246.50

Total £354.88



Our first close up (misty) view of the castle (I'm still not sure which castle I like best)

Any questions about travelling to DLP by Ryanair please ask and I will do my best to help.

Great price on the Ryanair tickets....They only fly from Glasgow and Ireland though...I have found flights for 4 of us for £146 return to Paris Orly in July with thomsonfly...
Just need to persuade the hubby now.....

Also recommend buying tickets before you go at disney. Our first vist we had tickets and one of the best things as we arrived early was walking into the park and then they have a ribbon at the end of main street which they cut and you feel so important. So be in as the park opens.

Next time we thought we knew better so didn't buy tickets but must have stood in a quene nearly an hour waiting for tickets. Didn't get in till after 11am and all the fast path Tickets had gone so had to wait long time for everything.

So plan to do big rides as soon as you get in when quenes are smaller, thunder mountain. I think you can see a map on web site.

First time we went we did breakfast with Mickey etc but if we are staying on site they will probably be in the hotel any way. So don't waste your money.