Disneyland Paris with 3 kids

zaraboo

We're thinking about taking our kids 7, 6 & 7months to Disneyland Paris for a few days in December. As hard as I've tried I can't seem to find any info re room sizes ie would they be able to accommodate the five of us in one room?
Also wondering whether the 6 & 7 year olds would be able to go on the majority of the rides themselves or would they need to be accompanied by an adult? Obviously one of us needs to stay with the baby so we really need to find out before we decide. Any help from anyone who has been would be very much appreciated.

don9999

Hi there.

We go there most years at Christmas - the kids have a great time. However, two things to take particular note of:
1) It's VERY cold! Make sure you have plenty of warm clothes. So long as you all wrap up warm, it's not too bad. But it can get really bitter (and if it's windy, quite awful).
2) Try not to go on the weekend OR during French school holidays. The difference is extreme. Last year we were there Thursday through Saturday. Thursday and Friday were great - busy, but just built the Christmassy atmosphere. And queues were still negligible - we didn't queue for more than about 10 minutes on any of the rides (albeit we didn't go on the big, adult rides). However, Saturday was a complete nightmare! Could hardly move with our buggy, and queuing extended to anything between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours. Complete waste of time when you have small children. I really wouldn't bother going again on the a weekend. We only managed a few rides on Saturday, whilst we went on LOADS on the other days - 8 times on 'Its a small, small world'! (OK, the kids loved it.....)

Anyway.....to your questions.....

Room sizes are fine (at least they were in the Sequoia Lodge). We always stay at the Sequoia - it's located next to the lake, very close to the park entrances, and is lovely at Christmas. We also find it the cheapest of the Disney hotels that are at the lake.

We had two double beds and a cot - hence a bed each for me/wife and 6/2 year olds, and the baby went in the cot.

OK, rooms are not 'huge', but they adequate for the short time you stay in them. And the TV keeps kids quiet for that small time.

Regarding rides, I'm assuming you'll be going on the kiddies rides as opposed to the big roller coasters. The latter have height restrictions anyway, although my kids weren't interested anyway.

As for the kiddies rides, some can take the whole family (eg. Its a small World) and some you go in pairs eg Dumbo ride. I guess it depends on what your kids are like. I reckon a 6 and 7 year old could queue up alone, so long as one of the parents are nearby. You could even queue up with them, and help them on the ride. Unfortunately, my eldest has special needs and cannot be left alone, so on some rides, I would go with one child, and then my wife with the other - whilst the other partner would look after the baby and the other kid.

With the queues so short this still didn't take more than about 15 minutes, so there wasn't much time hanging around. (Would be impossible on the weekends though!).

Go and enjoy yourself! We certainly did.

Don't think we'll be able to go this year :-( Kids don't break up from school until quite late, and the French will be on holiday too. I don't think it'll be worth going if the French kids aren't in school - as they were last year.

We might go in January though - I think the French go back to school before ours do - so we might be able to get a few days in. However, I never feel quite as Chrismassy AFTER the New YEAR.

Good luck.
Cheers,
Don

newfunk

Go Go Go!! it is fanflippintastic!! If you want a decent size room and dont mind satying slightly further away from the Village, the holiday inn and Explorers hotels all have family sized rooms!

The rides are great for kids, its a small world, which is great for all ages. there are only 3 rollercoasters within the park, runaway train gets really really busy. We didnt bother last xmas as the queues were 90 minutes long :eek:

Its actually worth going just for the xmas atmosphere!! Id love to go again this year, maybe if the job i have priced comes off, I will...


Don if you go in January, last year it was dead quiet and great from 1st Jan onwards......

don9999

Thanks newfunk. I'll need to check the dates - when do French kids go back and when do mine go back.

I'm definitely not going to go (a) on a weekend, or (b) when the French kids are on holidays. So long as it's a weekday and the French kids are in school, the park isn't going to be crowded, and the queues will be manageable.

The things that put me off about January are (a) it's going to be even colder than in December! and (b) it won't feel like Christmas 'after' Christmas.

But I'll consider it. I think they have some decent deals too, with free kids and 4 for 3 nights etc..

Cheers,
Don

newfunk

yeah If i cant go b4 Xmas, I may go in January, with a 5 for 4 deal!

I really want to stay in the disneyland hotel this time!! I hear what ya say about January and the cold, but if the sun comes out, it can still be great! I just love the snow falling at main street at xmas!! think Im addicted to the place, its great!!

bambixxx

i have four kids and when i went to disney paris, cud not get a hotel room at ALL fro six!!! amazing... but ended up 15 minutes away in Davy Crocket Ranch which was great fun and spacious.

sjpkgp

I have four kids and we are weighing up the explorers or the pierre et vacances resort at val d'europ.

newfunk

Lets all go!!! :rotfl::D

skylight

We too have 4 kids and going on Tesco deals!!

Also toying with explorers or pierre et Vacances! (need to with this amount of kids!)

We will probably go for P&V - cheaper and a supermarket next door so cooking will be easy. We are going with the train of thought that an extra £150 or so is not worth it for a pool we may use once or twice and a continetial breakfast! I would spend less than that on food for a week at the supermarket!
But explorers is a nicer hotel!

don9999

My 'personal' view is that staying at a Disney hotel is part of the Disney experience. However, I admit to not having stayed at any other hotel, so do not know how good or not they are.

I've stayed at the Sequoia Lodge three times and can highly recommend it. It's the cheapest of the 'second tier' of hotels, yet is right next to the lake and within viewing distance of the park.

The kids are so excited when they arrive, as the hotel is decked out in decorations, and has regular visits from the disney characters - more often than not you're walking through the reception, and Winnie the Pooh turns up. Or Tigger. Or even Mickey Mouse.

And then it's only a 5 minute walk around the lake to the park entrance. Even the park builds up the excitement and anticipation. You can even stop off at the ice rink next to the lake.

One thing that needs to be said though. Food IS expensive! There's nowhere to buy/make you're own, so you're obliged to pay top whack for food. There're a few places where it's a little cheaper and/or buffets are available, but be weary that food is going to cost you loads.

Cheers,
Don

RCB28

We have booked for New Year's Eve ...I got quotes for Sequoia Lodge and Newport Bay. Both quotes came out at the same price so Newport Bay won on friends' recommendations. Having watched a television programme comparing two families' visits to Disney recently (can't remember which programme) I think it's worth spending the extra to be near all the action. The kids are very excited and although we thought it wouldn't be so good after Xmas as before(cannot go before due to work/school) I am actually quite looking forward to the New Year's celebrations there and it's something to look forward to when those 'Post Christmas Blues' kick in!