Disneyland Paris/EuroDisney - Questions & Answers

balletshoes

redmel1621 wrote: »

Aaaah right.

I didn't know that was even allowed. Won't they question why we didn't book them in to begin with?
That does work out a few hundred cheaper then the other alternative... Although I am considering just getting us all Dreams AP's and making the most of them for a year.

Something to think about....

nope they won't question it, they don't bat an eye in my experience. I just say I want to add however-many-guests to the room when I'm checking in . You provide their names and ages, the reception staff will do the rest. You do have to stay within the maximum occupancy of the room after all your guest names are added (ie so you can't exceed 4 guests per room).

jaibaby

Hi all, was looking for some advice.

I've won a voucher for Thomas Cook (£1000) and I gave my kids the choice of where they want to go - they chose Disneyland. I understand the voucher won't get us far but we have savings to use too. We visited back in November 2014 when their gramps paid for us to go.

We are a family of 6 - children d.o.b 12/2000, 08/2003, 02/2009 & 03/2013.

As it was so simple last time, we are looking at staying at the Santa Fe, travelling via the Eurostar (preferably direct) and having the Disney Express so we can go straight into the park. We can go at any time after the Easter holidays (April) and have already seen the Christmas parade so not bothered about being there at Christmas time. Finally, we were also looking at half board again as the kids (and us) really enjoyed the buffet in the hotel.

However, the cheapest I've found so far with the TC website is around £2800 - can anyone give some advice on where & how to save please?

balletshoes

jaibaby wrote: »

Hi all, was looking for some advice.

I've won a voucher for Thomas Cook (£1000) and I gave my kids the choice of where they want to go - they chose Disneyland. I understand the voucher won't get us far but we have savings to use too. We visited back in November 2014 when their gramps paid for us to go.

We are a family of 6 - children d.o.b 12/2000, 08/2003, 02/2009 & 03/2013.

As it was so simple last time, we are looking at staying at the Santa Fe, travelling via the Eurostar (preferably direct) and having the Disney Express so we can go straight into the park. We can go at any time after the Easter holidays (April) and have already seen the Christmas parade so not bothered about being there at Christmas time. Finally, we were also looking at half board again as the kids (and us) really enjoyed the buffet in the hotel.

However, the cheapest I've found so far with the TC website is around £2800 - can anyone give some advice on where & how to save please?

I have no experience of booking DLP through Thomas Cook or any travel agent, I always do it myself. Do you have to use your vouchers to book a DLP package including travel? What I'm thinking is, you could maybe just book the hotel and park tickets through Thomas Cook, and then sort out your Eurostar fare yourself separately? Or just pay for the Eurostar using your vouchers, and look at booking your own accommodation and park tickets separately? This might save you money compared to the £2800 you're seeing with a Thomas Cook package? I'd also not pay for a dining plan, you can still eat at the buffet restaurants and just pay as you go.

How is the price for May half term (good time to go as no other European schools off at the same time)?

henry8p

balletshoes wrote: »

I wouldn't pay for a dining plan for DLP, put the money on a pre-paid card and use that for your meals instead, you have far more flexibility that way.

Hi balletshoes,

would you recommend the dining plans if you plan to use them for the character dining? I have looked at the online menus and if you visit the Auberge de Cendrillion (75/45 euros) or Inventions (65/35 euros) they seem like a better deal than using a prepaid card? When we went last time with my in laws (who had been a few times before) they said the prepaid meal deals did save you cash.

Thanks

Henry

jaibaby

balletshoes wrote: »

I have no experience of booking DLP through Thomas Cook or any travel agent, I always do it myself. Do you have to use your vouchers to book a DLP package including travel? What I'm thinking is, you could maybe just book the hotel and park tickets through Thomas Cook, and then sort out your Eurostar fare yourself separately? Or just pay for the Eurostar using your vouchers, and look at booking your own accommodation and park tickets separately? This might save you money compared to the £2800 you're seeing with a Thomas Cook package? I'd also not pay for a dining plan, you can still eat at the buffet restaurants and just pay as you go.

How is the price for May half term (good time to go as no other European schools off at the same time)?

Thank you for replying.

From what I can see it's pretty much the same price for the eurostar separately so wouldn't save there. I can't seem to find if I can pay for just the eurostar through TC website so can't check that. The dining plan actually saves me a little money doing it that way as it would cost us in the region of 670euros paying each day, and we would only use it for the hotel restaurant anyway.

May half term is coming up with nothing - I'm assuming fully booked?

We are flexible with dates and I've already okayed it with the kids school as their attendances are 100% they have no problems with me taking them out in term time for 5 days.

balletshoes

henry8p wrote: »

Hi balletshoes,

would you recommend the dining plans if you plan to use them for the character dining? I have looked at the online menus and if you visit the Auberge de Cendrillion (75/45 euros) or Inventions (65/35 euros) they seem like a better deal than using a prepaid card? When we went last time with my in laws (who had been a few times before) they said the prepaid meal deals did save you cash.

Thanks

Henry

those are both premium grade restaurants, the issue I have with dining plans is that every member of your party has to be on the same plan, and you have to book it for the entire duration of your stay (ie if you have booked 4 nights onsite you have to book 4 nights per person's worth of Premium dining plan, you can't mix and match).

balletshoes

jaibaby wrote: »

Thank you for replying.

From what I can see it's pretty much the same price for the eurostar separately so wouldn't save there. I can't seem to find if I can pay for just the eurostar through TC website so can't check that. The dining plan actually saves me a little money doing it that way as it would cost us in the region of 670euros paying each day, and we would only use it for the hotel restaurant anyway.

May half term is coming up with nothing - I'm assuming fully booked?

We are flexible with dates and I've already okayed it with the kids school as their attendances are 100% they have no problems with me taking them out in term time for 5 days.

June is a good time to go then, midweek always (weekends are very busy at DLP). I'd be very surprised if DLP is fully booked for May half term, but possibly it is via Thomas Cook?
With the meal plans, you get a voucher per person per night booked onsite (not per day). So for example if you are staying 4 nights onsite, you get 4 meal plan vouchers per person.

Holmesy999

eddi wrote: »

Hi Sarah, Ive been checking all the European offers today to update our offers doc and the French and Belgian sites both have an up to 40% off and under 12s free offer at the moment. Book by 14th Feb for stays between 29 March and 30 Sept.

But there are also masses of free half board and full board plans out there at the mo with either up to 15% off as well or up to 25% off depending on when you go and for how long. So the free dining might outweigh the cost of paying for your over 7s in the grand scheme of things? I paid for a package for November just gone that included free half board even though I have an annual pass, so didnt need the park ticket, as the meals we were wanting to have cost more than the price of my unused park ticket. Just a thought

I think I am missing a trick or being thick - I put in 2 adults, 2 kids 7 and 5 for May half term dates for Sequoia Lodge on the uk site and on the france site, and the french site is coming out dearer (it looks like the same things are included, but my french is limited to a google translate) - uk site is giving as a deal 2 nights and 2 days free + free hotel and park tickets for under 7, french website is giving 40% discount on your stay + stay for under 12 offered


Also - anyone know how you actually take up the kid under 7 flys free on Flybe - do you need to book directly with disneyland travel to get this?

ProcrastinatingPenny

Hi, just hoping for some advice as we have never been to DLP before. I am currently pricing up visits for Feb half term (we finish 17th Feb, I think most other parts of the country finish 10th Feb) and May half term. What I'm trying to figure out is if the Feb half term deal, currently 15% off with free full meal plan, (3 nights, 4 days £940.10) is better than 4 night 5 days at May half term (£1276 2 days and 2 nights free) both have under 7's free (kids are 7 and 3). It will be warmer in May but aside from this is Feb half term a good time to visit as this is cheaper especially including the meal plans. Both prices are staying at Disney New York hotel. Thanks in advance for any advice!

balletshoes

ProcrastinatingPenny wrote: »

Hi, just hoping for some advice as we have never been to DLP before. I am currently pricing up visits for Feb half term (we finish 17th Feb, I think most other parts of the country finish 10th Feb) and May half term. What I'm trying to figure out is if the Feb half term deal, currently 15% off with free full meal plan, (3 nights, 4 days £940.10) is better than 4 night 5 days at May half term (£1276 2 days and 2 nights free) both have under 7's free (kids are 7 and 3). It will be warmer in May but aside from this is Feb half term a good time to visit as this is cheaper especially including the meal plans. Both prices are staying at Disney New York hotel. Thanks in advance for any advice!

this year I'd say wait until after April - as thats the start of the 25th anniversary year at DLP, and from now until then there will be a lot of ride closures. I'd have a look at the French site for your May dates - as their offer is up to 40% off and free under-12s, so if you prefer 3 nights instead of 4 that could be a good deal for you.