Disneyland Paris/EuroDisney - Questions & Answers

Moosie2007

I had thought we could go earlier, but it looks like the first day we could check in is 13th July - I am working in London on the 12th (so it looks like we'll be going by Eurostar :-) )


I have been looking at Hotel Elysee (hotelelysee-dot-com) because I think it looks a lot nicer than some of the really budget ones and is a lot cheaper than Disney hotels seem to be. BUT it is a transfer to the Park, and husband doesn't like being dependent on someone else to get us anywhere. " Don’t mind the hotel so long as it is a close walk, don’t want to be getting on shuttle buses or trains etc since that will eat into the day and we may find we end up waiting for stuff unnecessary and not being in control – traffic can be a nightmare"

So if you know about the hotel and can convince him we won't spend half the day waiting for a bus...?! I thought we could have 7-10 days there, and perhaps have a couple of day trips to Paris, too.

Or what other wonderful pearls of wisdom can you offer?

(And thank you so much for responding. Very much appreciated)

takethemon

balletshoes wrote: »

I think Easyet fly from Manchester and/or Liverpool to Paris CDG? If they do, I'd use them and book my flights direct with them, and then source the accommodation and park tickets. Do you have any particular school holidays in mind?

Thanks for the quick reply.
I haven't got any particular holiday date in mind but I would give the summer holidays a miss due to the crowds.
He is on school holidays on 1/4/17 to 17/4/17 and 27/5/17 4/6/17 inclusive.

balletshoes

takethemon wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply.
I haven't got any particular holiday date in mind but I would give the summer holidays a miss due to the crowds.
He is on school holidays on 1/4/17 to 17/4/17 and 27/5/17 4/6/17 inclusive.

May half term - do it do it do it - lovely long park days, lovely low crowd levels. If you can bear to wait a month or so to book your hotel and park tickets, you may find onsite could work out quite well as your grandson is 11, as sometimes DLP comes out with under-12s free offers.
Nothing to stop you booking your travel now (try to travel midweek ie Monday to Thursday, avoid weekends completely if you can, DLP is local to Paris and gets many more guests at the weekends compared to midweek).

balletshoes

Moosie2007 wrote: »

I had thought we could go earlier, but it looks like the first day we could check in is 13th July - I am working in London on the 12th (so it looks like we'll be going by Eurostar :-) )


I have been looking at Hotel Elysee (hotelelysee-dot-com) because I think it looks a lot nicer than some of the really budget ones and is a lot cheaper than Disney hotels seem to be. BUT it is a transfer to the Park, and husband doesn't like being dependent on someone else to get us anywhere. " Don’t mind the hotel so long as it is a close walk, don’t want to be getting on shuttle buses or trains etc since that will eat into the day and we may find we end up waiting for stuff unnecessary and not being in control – traffic can be a nightmare"

So if you know about the hotel and can convince him we won't spend half the day waiting for a bus...?! I thought we could have 7-10 days there, and perhaps have a couple of day trips to Paris, too.

Or what other wonderful pearls of wisdom can you offer?

(And thank you so much for responding. Very much appreciated)

hmmm - bad news is, your 2 weeks in July include 14th, Bastille Day, very very busy day in the parks, as well as it being a time of year when all French (as well as Spanish) schools are already on their summer holidays, so the parks will be rammed.
All the hotels in val d'europe near the train station are walkable, as are the associated hotels (Dream Castle, Magic Circus, Explorers, Kyriad at Disneyland Paris, and B&B hotel at Disneyland Paris) as well as hotels which have Serris as their address. However, you're looking at a minimum of a 25-minute walk to and from the parks, and don't underestimate how hot, tired and bothered you'll be after a day walking about the parks (you literally walk for miles without realising it).

If your husband really doesn't want to rely on shuttle transfers or the RER local train to val d'europe, you're probably going to have to bite the bullet and consider onsite for your park days at least (all the onsite hotels are walkable within about 15 minutes, except the Davy Crockett ranch, which you'll need a car for).

Can you maybe go end of the summer holidays instead? Usually not quite so manic as the start of the French school holidays, and a little bit cooler (not much though).

My experience of val d'europe hotels, using the RER train service, was great - yes the local trains get packed, but the local trains leave DLP station every 10 minutes or so, its one very short stop to val d'europe station (less than 5 minutes journey time) and you can't get on the wrong train at DLP as DLP station is a spur of val d'europe. I haven't used any shuttle transfers from val d'europe to the parks. I've used the dedicated shuttles from all the associated hotels to the parks, yes they get very very crowded, but they do transfer very regularly (every 20 minutes, all through the day from early morning until midnight). As long as you all stay together getting on and off the transfer buses, you'll be fine and the buses don't put me off using those hotels with young children (wouldn't fancy them with a pushchair though!).

You won't get a flash sale for July (school holidays dates), so at best you're looking at either a 30% or better discount, with hopefully either a free half board meal plan or under-12s free thrown in. For summer school holidays, everything included, for 7 days or more in the area, I think your only real options onsite will be the Santa Fe or Cheyenne hotels. You could do a costing on just the standard price for your preferred dates onsite on the UK site, see what the standard (full) price is without any offers, and then work out what 30% off would be, see what that price looks like to you? Even 4 nights onsite so you get 5 days worth of park access, then offsite for the rest so you can do Paris sights etc? I believe the UK DLP site may still have its 2-nights free deal for July dates on a 4-night stay, this works out about 40% off.

candjsmum

balletshoes wrote: »

and don't underestimate how hot, tired and bothered you'll be after a day walking about the parks (you literally walk for miles without realising it).

.

Yes we walked 33 miles in the 3 days we were there last week!! And we were staying in Sequoia Lodge on site.

takethemon

balletshoes wrote: »

May half term - do it do it do it - lovely long park days, lovely low crowd levels. If you can bear to wait a month or so to book your hotel and park tickets, you may find onsite could work out quite well as your grandson is 11, as sometimes DLP comes out with under-12s free offers.
Nothing to stop you booking your travel now (try to travel midweek ie Monday to Thursday, avoid weekends completely if you can, DLP is local to Paris and gets many more guests at the weekends compared to midweek).

I can wait another month, I have been contemplating it for over 18 months!:)
Do I look on the Disneyland site?

balletshoes

takethemon wrote: »

I can wait another month, I have been contemplating it for over 18 months!:)
Do I look on the Disneyland site?

yes, check the UK version of the official DLP site (you should automatically be taken there when you first look on the site) then also keep an eye on the German, French and Dutch versions of the site (at the top right of the home page of the site you'll see "English" click on that and you'll get other countries to look at their offers). You can book any offer from any country, it doesn't matter which country you reside in. Use google translate if you need to when navigating other countries versions of the website.

Moosie2007

Ah, didn't realise first weeks in July would be worst time, thought they might be a bit quieter! We can go any school holiday - May half term, any of Summer, and we get two weeks over Halloween.
When is estimated?

takethemon

balletshoes wrote: »

yes, check the UK version of the official DLP site (you should automatically be taken there when you first look on the site) then also keep an eye on the German, French and Dutch versions of the site (at the top right of the home page of the site you'll see "English" click on that and you'll get other countries to look at their offers). You can book any offer from any country, it doesn't matter which country you reside in. Use google translate if you need to when navigating other countries versions of the website.

Good morning. I will do that and I will book the flights after I have spoke to his mother.
Which hotel do you recommend and what board basis?
I think I would prefer to stay inside or very nearby.
My adventurous streak let me drive in Malta. I would add that they drive on the same side as we do. The thought of driving on the opposite side of the road fills me with dread.
You seem very clued up on this subject, and, like others, I am very grateful for your help.
If you spot any offers can you let us know please?
Thank you.

balletshoes

Moosie2007 wrote: »

Ah, didn't realise first weeks in July would be worst time, thought they might be a bit quieter! We can go any school holiday - May half term, any of Summer, and we get two weeks over Halloween.
When is estimated?

I'd do May half term then, no French school holidays at all at that time, weather lovely and warm, and long park hours. Halloween week is as busy as summer, as again, all French schools (as well as just about all European) are on holiday on Halloween week.