Disneyland Paris - 1st Holiday 1st Time There

lizziebums

Hi

I know it is early but I am saving to take my daughter to Disneyland Paris next year (2011), I work in a school so restricted to school holidays so was wondering if anyone had any tips on when to go i.e. easter holidays or summer holidays or half term, how long for, best hotels, any moneysaving tips, offers to look out for as I know they often do kids under 7 stay free?

This will be the first time I take her out of the UK on holiday as a single parent so any ideas and tips appreciated as a bit nervous travelling alone. And finally she will be just over 4 when we go do you think this is too young or should I wait until older - just currently she loves all the disney princesses and want to take her whilst still young enough to believe in it all?

Thanks in advance, Liz x

Brummig

Hi Liz

Have a look in Disneyland Paris/EuroDisney - Questions & Answers on this forum - there's loads of info in there. Cleverer people could move your question there, but I'm afraid that's too technical for me!

I think 4 is a great age for them to go, my son was that age when we first went (we go for visit number 6 this year). Do you have any training days you could incorporate in the holiday to get a quieter day there? If its all in school hols, stay in a Disney hotel and make sure you make full use of the Magic hours (time you can get on the park before then general public.) This was great for us on the second visit when we went in June, as our son is a very early riser, so we went for 7am breakfast at the hotel, taking stuff for the day with us, then got on bus at about 7.45 to be there for 8am. Not everything is open, but it is worth it for Peter Pan ride alone, and you get to see the castle without lots of people in the way. We then keep going on rides (Peter Pan, Dumbo, that straight to Buzz Lightyear when it opens), till about 11.00 when its getting busier, then we have a drink/ snack break before all the cafes get too busy.

We find 3 days in the park is ideal - any more and we are all exhausted. Use the play areas to give them some time out, because it can get too much. Sometimes we have gone in early, then come back to the hotel in the day for some downtime - in the room or just in the play area.
We have stayed in the Santa Fe and the Cheyenne - both are fine, as really you don't spend much time there.

Top money saving tips
1. there is an Esso garage next to the Santa Fe where you can buy milk, crisps, snacks etc (they also sell wine).
2. take a princess dress with you if she is likely to want one because they charge loads more there than in Disney shop

Sanity tip - We always take our sons portable DVD player with some DVDs for him and some for us as there is very little on the tv in english, so if he has gone to sleep at a reasonable time we can watch something.

It's not a restful holiday but you will love it and so will your daughter. Sorry if I've gone on - I'm a bit obsessed!

teallach

There is also a shop in the train station next to the park which is a lot cheaper than buying drinks, etc once you are in. Also, it's better to go during the week as once it hits the weekends, there is a huge difference in the crowds. A ride that takes 10 mins to get onto on a Thursday, can take an hour or more on a Saturday! From memory, the last time we went was on the September weekend so I don't know how that would compare to the likes of Easter

rocking69

teallach wrote: »

There is also a shop in the train station next to the park which is a lot cheaper than buying drinks, etc once you are in. Also, it's better to go during the week as once it hits the weekends, there is a huge difference in the crowds. A ride that takes 10 mins to get onto on a Thursday, can take an hour or more on a Saturday! From memory, the last time we went was on the September weekend so I don't know how that would compare to the likes of Easter

Unfortunately I only found out about this shop the last time I went. Wish I had found it sooner! I ended up getting sandwiches from there every day. It works out so much cheaper. They are pretty good sandwiches as well!

kb36

The end of May beginning of June half term holiday may be ever so slightly less busy as it is not a school holiday in France. I certainly would not count on it being queue free though. From experience it is quieter on rainy days.....!

loulou123

Ive been in june (1st week of, busy but not too bad), july (1st week of, before UK school hoildays-very very busy) and september (end of-very very quiet) and July was by far the busiest.

The advantages of going in July were that the park was open until 11pm (meaning we got their at opening time and then in the afternoon went back to the hotel for a rest and a swim, before heading back to the parks for the rest of the day.) and that you get to see the parks with everything open and the extra parades and fireworks etc.

But when the parks are very busy it can be very claustophobic. I went in a group of all adults and we lost one of our party and it took us a good hour to find them, even using our phones, as the amount of people was ridicolous! When i went in July queues of well over a hour for rides was the norm-alot longer for some rides too.

As for hotels, it depends on many factors, the disney hotels are by far the easiest choice, as there are regular shuttle buses and they are all pretty close to walk between them and the parks. But the other off site hotels tend to be better value for money at times. Ive stayed only on site and have stayed at the Cheyenne, the newport bay and the sequioa. Id say my favourite was the sequioa as the newport bay is very nice but just so big! If you may wish to swim then also bear in mind that not all the hotels have pools (cheyenne and santa fe.)

ukfan

Avoid October Half-Term at all costs. I've been at least once in every month and I've never experienced anything as busy as the October holidays. We queued 20 minutes to get in and we already had our tickets.

I'd suggest either May half term or the summer. The summer is busy, but you are compensated with longer opening hours and extra entertainment including (most years) fireworks. If you don't mind the cold Christmas is a fab time to go. I was there for Christmas day about 7 or 8 years ago and the park was quite quiet and had special entertainment running. New Year's is a different matter though and is generally very busy.

On the hotel front, with kids I like the Cheyenne, but if a pool's a must I'm afraid it's no good as there isn't one. In that case you'll need to go for Sequoia Lodge (or higher) if you want to be in a Disney Hotel. Sequoia is very nice and is far enough away to seem remote yet close enough to walk in each day.

If Disney theming is less important, I like the Magic Circus Hotel with kids. It was a Holiday Inn when I stayed there and has since been taken over, but it has some cool kid touches like their own TV and a curtain to separate their bed from the rest of the room. It also has a pool all be it very small. There is a free shuttle bus and staff are generally friendly.

For stress free travel I recommend the Eurostar as it's 2.5 hours travel time and is virtually to the gates of the park. Children under 4 travel free on a lap so if you could go before your daughter's 4th birthday that's a great saving straight away.

lindsaygalaxy

My advice is to go when its hotter, but make sure you take your own drinks. Its VERY expensive in there, more than you would imagine, and we stayed in a hotel 5 mins way. BUT also beware, what you woul dexpect from say a travelodge here you dont get there - no carpets, metal spring beds and no kettle in the room! lol. I wish I ahd paid the extra and stayed in the resort.

ukfan

Regarding drinks, if I'm on a budget I tend to fill up a water bottle from one of the drinking fountains dotted around as it's less to carry.

ukfan

Another tip, even for a four year old, if you're going in the summer with long hours and hot weather I would advise you to hire a pushchair so the littl'un can have a break from walking at some point.

On my first trip to Florida we hired one for a nine-year-old (they're bigger out there and more like something little tikes would make) and it was some of the best money we spent.

Rachie_B

ukfan wrote: »

Avoid October Half-Term at all costs. I've been at least once in every month and I've never experienced anything as busy as the October holidays. We queued 20 minutes to get in and we already had our tickets.

I'd suggest either May half term or the summer. The summer is busy, but you are compensated with longer opening hours and extra entertainment including (most years) fireworks. If you don't mind the cold Christmas is a fab time to go. I was there for Christmas day about 7 or 8 years ago and the park was quite quiet and had special entertainment running. New Year's is a different matter though and is generally very busy.

.

Give me Oct half term over xmas anytime!
weather has been fab, the 2 times we have been in Oct half term and not as busy / crowded as expected!

Xmas is just too busy and too cold ( even though we were pepared with sallopettes etc!) people are pushing and generally more miserable! trying to dodge the rain / cold etc

also the halloween theming is fab IMO,yes the xmas stuff is good but halloween is fun

our best trip however has been in Aug!
yes busier and more queues, but we made the most of EMH ( had annual passes) took our time and brought plenty of snacks drinks so time wasn't wasted.
We then just ate a proper sit down dinner in the evening

also with the park being open later ,and the warmer weather, helped

My best tip ? this forum ! : http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=77