Disney Paris and week in France- advice plz

Lo.j · 24 January 2007 at 2:28AM

Hi all

We are trying to save up to take our children ( 11 and 2 ) to Disney Paris in July. We are toying with driving from Scotland and taking the Eurotunnel or Ferry , driving to Disney area for a week , then driving back up near Calais and spending a week there. Anyone who has done a simliar trip and who can share their experiences/recommendations would be doing me a great service.We need somewhere we can all share a room ( I am struggling to find hotels in Calais that sleep more than 3 ). We have always taken package holidays in the past, and the thought of booking it all myself blind just terrifies me ( I know, I don't get out much LOL )

so anyone's advice would be very much appreciated.Cheap and cheerful is fine and any suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks in advance

Lorna

GUMPO · 24 January 2007 at 3:11AM

Personally I wouldn't fancy driving all that way as it would waste 2 days of your hols. Where in Scotland are you because easyjet fly to Paris Charles De Gaul from Newcastle if thats in range.

If you get to CDG airport it is fairly straight foreward to do the rest by train (although speaking a bit of french helps) and disney has it's own service and station.

When I have been to France in the past I have generally stayed in Formule 1 hotels and you wont get any cheaper. They all have the same room set up (Double bed at floor level, bunk bed above, TV, Sink) toilets and showers are shared between about 10 rooms but they have this nifty self cleanig system every time they are used expect to pay less than 25quid per night per room. If you want a bit more comfort though try NOVOTEL or look on Timeout.com where they have a list of hotels for most major cities in a range of prices and with honest reviews. The hotels around the Disney site itself are a bit pricey because they have a captive audience.

If you do opt to drive I would look at staying outsde of Calais as there is very little to do except go to the hypermarts. Also I would book early for your shuttle tickets as you can get a better deal..If you are driving that far it might be worth going the whole hog and getting the ferry from dover.

My heads a bit numb at the minute cos it's late but if I think of anything else I'll post again.

dunx · 24 January 2007 at 1:48PM

The driving time is a decision you need to make. Allow 3 hours plus stops from Calais to Disneyland. If no hotels at Disney can accommodate 4 of you in a room, there are self-catering lodges, which may suit you better.

For a week in the Calais area I would definitely suggest self-catering. Get a gite at Wissant or Wimereux, both on the coast between Calais and Boulogne, and with good beaches.

richardw · 24 January 2007 at 2:16PM

The 14th July in France is supposed to be good with celebrations and fireworks.

Louise1521 · 24 January 2007 at 5:17PM

We always drive when we go, does take a long time, but we stay overnight in Ashford before going across and finds it adds to the holiday. Handy having the car on the way back because you can fill up with wine. Have you thought of a caravan, Eurocamp, keycamp etc do nice caravans and the sites are great especially with kids. We've done it a few times, might be an alternative option to staying in a hotel in Calais.

Pinklepurr · 24 January 2007 at 5:45PM

I've stayed in the Picardy region of France before (about an hour south of Boulogne) and to be honest, it was really boring. Mind you, that was before kids so looking at it from a different perspective then I suppose. Anyway, I do remember great beaches although the weather in July was freezing cold! I've also done the drive Calais to Disneyland Paris and that is about 3 hours and plenty of places to stop en-route. Your best bet may be to book something like the Explorers Hotel at Disney for a week and then have a week at a Eurocamp as there will be lots for the kids to do there.

cannyscot_2 · 24 January 2007 at 6:11PM

We did this a couple of years ago. No 1 it's quite a long drive from scotland.

2. There is a good site near picardy through French Life -if you go in the 1st 2 weeks of july you will get a big caravan very cheapily-there is a lot to do and the site is quite nice with a pool.

3. weather these 2 weeks can be bit rubbish.

4. french life do a good site -lots of other co's as well eurocamp etc-something le croix-somebody else will tell you or look on french life. Actually this site is pretty good and there is tons for the kids to do you could probably just stay the 2 weeks/10 days.-if you leave a day or 2 before school stops 27/28/6 it saves about £200.-just an option
It is drivable from/to DP.

5. trouble is with these caravan deals sometimes the deal is better last minute-somewhere on MSE someone will be an expert in this!

6. I think you might be better combining it with a stay late at night in a travlelodge in the UK as they take 4 and thereis one near the ports.

Dp-you can get a year ticket so go 2 nd week July and combine with 1st week of July the year after and get 2 hols for the price of about a 3 day ticket.-for 4 maybe £290.

Everyone always likes DP so you will wnat to go again.

Oh I remember to pad out the holiday we booked one of the then £10(now £15) travelodge rooms near london or so and visited London for a couple of days.

Costs

French life 10 days-£600, ferry £60, travelodge 3x10 = £30. Petrol £100 maybe a bit more and then there was a few bits of insurance charges about £35. Dp tickets actually I think nearer £340.-but used the year after.

http://www.chooseacottage.co.uk/webparts/part_availability.asp?pId=LD950:CM286&searchType=1&backTo=1&propertyType=S&iso_country_code=FR&regionId=IDF&startdate=28%2F06%2F2007&duration=7&party_size=4&price=0%3A999999999&facility_code_list=HP%2CIP%2COP%2CPP%2CSP%2CSPI%2CSPO&maxSleeps=6&AccomodationOnly=

cannyscot_2 · 24 January 2007 at 6:17PM

Ps the other option is to fly prestwick to beuvais and hire a car. It is about £25 for a car a day -hertz/opodo and you can stay in a few hotels -formula 1 get 2 rooms but there is also campanile which from memory if your littlest is 2 they will put her in a cot and there is a bed for the other.but the hotel will cost maybe £40 and then it's the cost of the food that is pricey so it means you can't go as long.

angchris · 25 January 2007 at 12:51AM

hiya

i have been over to france several times camping there were 5 of us altogether (3 kids)
have you ever thought of using eurocamp? i just checked and you can get one of their already erected tents with all the gubbins in it you will need in july for 2kids 2 adults for £560 this includes self catering erected tent and a return midweek P & O Dover - Calais crossing for a week. if you are a bit unsure and want a cheapish hol i`d suggest booking with them they are fab! i have always stayed in Normandy Pont L`eveque Chateau le Brevedent and it is a stunning site with loads for the kids to do including kids club etc and it is remarkably kid friendly and the owners of the chateau are lovely and make you feel more than welcome. last time i went we stayed there for 3 weeks and the kids were more than happy messing around in the pools all day...we hardly saw them :beer: :j

:rotfl: mid holiday we packed coolbags full of food and drink (eurodisney dont like you taking it in cos they want you to buy their overpriced stuff :rolleyes: ) got up early and drove the 2 hours to eurodisney and got a day pass for the 5 of us which was about £100 spent all day there had a fab time and sat on a bench for our lunch

and then drove back about midnight after watching the fireworks over the castle by the time the kids got in the car they fell asleep and we got back to the campsite relatively quickly as the roads were empty. i cant recommend this site enough check them out online for further info http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseaction/PricingAvailability.validateSearchForm/amendsite/0/ver/1.cfm
literally all you`d have to do is pack your clothes and go, if you want bed linen supplied i think its a little extra though as is a welcome pack of tea/coffee bin bags wash up liq etc. book by jan 31st and get £25 discount and also another £25 for online booking!:j if anyone is gonna book eurocamp go through quidco and get 5% back too!! here is another link for the campsite you can book independantly without eurocamp, there are better piccys on this site http://www.campinglebrevedent.com/en/photos.htm

Lo.j · 25 January 2007 at 1:14AM

Merci beaucoup for all the replies to my post. I really appreciate all the advice and ideas and I am about to check out everything suggested. There is a lot to think about regarding driving/flying etc and since we haven't had a holiday abroad for years, I want to do my homework and get the best possible holiday for my hard earned ( saved ! ) money. There have been things suggested that I would never have come up with on my own - that's the beauty of the MSE family !

Love to all

Lorna

angchris · 25 January 2007 at 1:19AM

enjoy looking for your hol! i think thats half the fun of it:D or is that just me

:rotfl: im sure wherever you decide you will have a fab time...angchris
ps, if you need any more info on le brevedent i`d be happy to help

Disney Paris and week in France- advice plz

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