Anyone been to Disneyland Paris?

cambsno

cambsno

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After my recent post about where to go, I am now thinking of EuroDisney. My son will be around 2 years old when we plan to go. I appreciate the 'best' age to go is probably 6 or 7, but would there be plenty to do for him?
 
Been a few times. He will love it! The parades alone are great! There are plenty of things that a 2yr old will enjoy. The Disney characters alone will fasinate him. Lots of rides for little ones.
When are you thinking of going? Its important to time it right to enjoy it at its best.

Kev.
 
I've been a couple of times. You'll find loads for him to enjoy. They have different themes during the year so have a look on their web-site to find the best time to go
 
I have been once. I think that it would be a great trip for him. The parades are indeed great (I am nearly 16, but still liked them :D). Of course he wont be able to go on the BIG rides, but there will definitely be plenty for him to do.
 
Getting excited myself! Think of late March or May.
 
and to show that its always different, we found it to be a complete waste of money.

We went end of August last year, my son had just turned 3.
If going in the high season be aware that the queue for photos with characters were over an hour at times.
The parades were awesome, BUT its not that well advertised when they change from 1 program to another, we missed out on the cars parade and the fireworks because we were tired from the journey and thought we would go the next night. Nope

newsflash for those without small kids- they really dont like queuing for rides, especially when its hot, hose rides he did go on he loved, but the queues just put us off.

the best money we spent was to go 'cafe mickey' which is outside the park.
you book a mealtime, and the characters come around the tables in turn, our 45 min slot we had micky, scrooge mcduck, prince john, 2 chipmunks & pinnochio, they all spent time at the table interacting with my boy- that was far better than anything in the park, from his perspective anyway.
I wont be going again, we are going to wait until he is about 7 then we will try the real deal in the US.

Just our opinion of course
 
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I've been with the kids 3 times, twice in hotels outside the park and once at the Cheyenne on site.

Having stayed in a disney hotel once i'd do it again, it's much more convenient being on site though it is still a free shuttle bus ride away, the more expensive hotels are closer.

when I worked it out it wasn't much more expensive to stay on site when you factored in train fares, the kids loved the disney hotel because it didn't feel like they day was over when we went back there
 
the trick is to spend the time in paris and pop over for an afternoon or maybe day, then again I'm not really a disneyland person :D
 
Hi Simon,

There is loads to do for kids of all ages in Disneyland Paris.

We have been loads of times as with our son William who is disabled it is a fantastic place. I can honestly say that it is the only place we go with him where you are treated like a VIP not a second class citizen :thumbs:

Let me know, either in here or by PM, where you are thinking of staying and how long you are going for and I will try and put together a list of do's and dont's and good and bad places. You don't have to follow them but it may help.

Nick
 
cambsno said:
Getting excited myself! Think of late March or May.
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Be aware that they close early at that time and they don't do half as much as they do in July/August. I went in May one year and was surprised when then closed at about 7.00pm! Its not thir high season then.
We've always stayed in the Disneyland hotel, but the others look great. With regards to the ques, you can get a fast pass for the family for the whole stay and you are usually in within 10 mins.
The shows are usually good too. :thumbs:


Kev.
 
I was driven past it on the way to a job in 1991 - it was just being built - and that is as close as I want to be to any Disney land! :thumbsdown:
 
we have been in march but normally go let jan early feb
make sure that you book for the cheapest times asit means the french schools will still be on nothing worse than going out of uk holiday times to discover that you have gone in the french ones instead !!
buy a ski suit/snow suit for him
if you go in the times i have been the queues have been very small bar the big rides
fast track peter pan
get ear plugs for when you go in its a small world (arghh the songs in my head now !!!!)
He will love it you will love it
As for the closing early we have never noticed it normally heading back for food when etc
we have stayed at davy crocetts once and the other 3 times at sequoia lodge which is greta the pool is lovely
Ohhhhh can I come please
 
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Thanks for comments. Having looked at some reviews online it seems to be a love it or hate it place. One thing I have seen is that food seems very expensive. Anyone have comments on that?

Thanks Nick, if I do go will PM you.
 
if you stay in the hotel go halfboard then take a few rolls at breakfast some ham cheese etcthere is a big supermarket 5 minutes away
 
I didn't enjoy my trip to euro Disney, yeah it was called euro Disney when I went so I hope things have changed as I am considering going back at some point this year as a friend can get really cheap stays sorted for friends and family. Our family are Disney nuts I have been to Florida 7 times and Anaheim twice. There is nothing wrong with the park in Paris food wasn't expensive as the exchange rate was OK at the time the main problem was the locals so ignorant jumping in line constant pushing in the lines and so on and the Disney cast members were not interested in doing anything about it. That never happens in the other Disney parks.

Prices yes they are expensive but normally if you compare the prices with a day at Alton towers they are not much different £30 to get in, £6 or £7 per person for burger and chips and you get things like the parades and the fireworks at night so they are better value and Disney Fireworks displays are normally some of the best you will ever see especially when you consider that during peak times they happen every night.

Off peak yes the parks close early but there is also fewer people in the parks so the ride queues are shorter and quicker you will often just walk straight on to most rides so you don't actually need the full day in there I prefer to go just after peak season the week after that is parks are still doing the fireworks and the parades but there are fewer people in so getting everything done is very easy.
 
We went last year, the exchange rate was poo. To put it into perspective though, the food and drinks were about 15% dearer than you expect to pay normally, so it seems expensive - well, it is - but it's not that much more.

My boys were aged 6&8 and they loved it. My buddy's nipper was 3 and he loved it. I was 43 and I loved it.

We're doing it again this year, that how bad it is!
 
the only part of France I can imagine NOT enjoying is Eurodisney - my idea of hell! Glad you enjoyed it.
 
I have been twice, once when I was 11, once for our honeymoon (aged 21!)

I love it! I would however reccomend going to one of the disney hotels & going half board - at least then you know you will have a meal at the end of the day & it will already be paid for.

The prices are extortionate inside the park - definately go to the supermarket nearby and stock up on your first day.

Also make sure you get the hopper tickets so you can go into the studios, some decent stuff in there too.

Oh & the parades are fab for young & old!
 
awp said:
I was driven past it on the way to a job in 1991 - it was just being built - and that is as close as I want to be to any Disney land! :thumbsdown:
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awp said:
the only part of France I can imagine NOT enjoying is Eurodisney - my idea of hell! Glad you enjoyed it.
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I think we got that, why you'd post it twice in a thread asking for advice I have no idea :thumbsdown:
 
Thought I would bring this thread back to life. Didn't go in the end but looking at going now in early October. Just need to decide how to get there, either drive and tunnel or Eurostar? Was planning on going thurs to sat but Eurostar don't go direct on sat. Any views on either.

Driving prob works out cheaper, £100 or so on fuel (approx 600 miles all in), 30 toll and 90 for tunnel but Eurostar is 350 plus approx 200 miles. Train quicker and easier but car means kids more likely to sleep and can make use of the supposedly good French services!
 
Ive been a couple of times best kids holiday ever.
 
I was there on Monday, we drove from newcastle down to Dover for the ferry iirc it cost approx £60 for 1 car ( 3 adults and 2 kids) it killed a good hour and was a welcomed break from driving.

The toll roads to Paris cost roughly 25euro and 2.50 euro (approx) quite expensive I thought at 1st, I will say that I enjoyed driving in France a lot more than I enjoy driving here.

As for Disney it was absolutely jam packed, even the queues to get your fast track tickets were about a 30minute wait. I love theme parks but the waiting about with 2 kids wasn't great and it kinda spoilt it for me ( yes I kno you have to expect to queue but it took agesssssss)

Not too sure if I'd go again though.
 
Thats my sock said:
I was there on Monday, we drove from newcastle down to Dover for the ferry iirc it cost approx £60 for 1 car ( 3 adults and 2 kids) it killed a good hour and was a welcomed break from driving.

The toll roads to Paris cost roughly 25euro and 2.50 euro (approx) quite expensive I thought at 1st, I will say that I enjoyed driving in France a lot more than I enjoy driving here.

As for Disney it was absolutely jam packed, even the queues to get your fast track tickets were about a 30minute wait. I love theme parks but the waiting about with 2 kids wasn't great and it kinda spoilt it for me ( yes I kno you have to expect to queue but it took agesssssss)

Not too sure if I'd go again though.
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It wasnt like that when i went but saying that my daughters 24 now she was only 6 when i took her so been a few years :D
 
Thats my sock said:
I was there on Monday, we drove from newcastle down to Dover for the ferry iirc it cost approx £60 for 1 car ( 3 adults and 2 kids) it killed a good hour and was a welcomed break from driving.

The toll roads to Paris cost roughly 25euro and 2.50 euro (approx) quite expensive I thought at 1st, I will say that I enjoyed driving in France a lot more than I enjoy driving here.

As for Disney it was absolutely jam packed, even the queues to get your fast track tickets were about a 30minute wait. I love theme parks but the waiting about with 2 kids wasn't great and it kinda spoilt it for me ( yes I kno you have to expect to queue but it took agesssssss)

Not too sure if I'd go again though.
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Not sure what it it's like the rest of the year, but July and August are peak holiday seasons in France, everything tends to be quieter outside of those two months. I'd imagine this also applies to Euro Disney.

Don't forget France is the most popular tourist destination in the world!
 
I'm a big kid at heart and loved it. I have been twice, both times when I was at school (2002/3). Parades are awesome, as are the fireworks and the themed hotels are cool. To add special magic, it snowed the second time I went. Was expensive though, everything was expensive, thats the only downside. Plenty to do for your rugrats age.
 
Well, you have 2 parks, the Disney village, or if you get one of the "none brand" hotels there are still regular bus services in and out.

Kid shows, some rides they might be able to go on (like behind the castle and ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTERALLLLL), But a lot are more for the 7+ age group.

Then there are all the people dressed up, keeping nippers amused (best in the Disney hotels).

What else,,,, oh sod the kid, leave them with granny and go yourself!

Been there more times then I have fingers and toes and its normally the parents that are giddy excited ;)

As a Disney veteran (though a newby by some examples) the best way to beat the queues like has been mentioned is to move opposite to the rest of the people, if they are heading right, head left as where they are leaving normally becomes quiet and you get get on rides pretty quick.
And sod the quick ticket system! never used it.

Finally, you can drive but you can also get coach deals pretty damn cheep, all you have to do is keep the kids amused or if they are the sleepy type drink some wine!
Also normally any driver worth their salt will have some entertainment on the go.
 
Check out the budget airlines, unless it's 1/2 term week they usually have good deals on, we flew late, stayed at a hotel near the airport then got the metro to Disney
 
Dont talk to me about Euro Disney :shake: :D Had a two day weekend coach trip booked up when my boys were little, friend of a friend of a bloke at my work was organising it. I recieved a call on Thursday from someone else who was going to say it was cancelled, nobody could find out why, found out where he lived and managed to get his number.Called & spoke to his wife who reckons she had not seen him for two days and that everybody had lost their deposits :thinking: Did a speedy journey to his house spoke to his wife who again said she had not seen him. Within five minutes he pulls up in the car, says he has been let down by coach company and he cannot get another booked up. A gentle bit of persuasion and I for one had my deposit returned :D Get back home, books up a ferry for Friday evening, loads up Nissan estate with a few bits and we head up to Dover.

Pulls up to top up with fuel before leaving, approaching one of the petrol pumps at a fairly slow pace and foot goes straight to the floor on the brake pedal :eek: Fills up with fuel and buy a can of brake fluid. Board the ferry very slowly :lol: Off we sail, bonnet up, a small vacuum pipe running from the top of the engine ran to another small unit which was part of the system for pumping the fluid through, this had cracked. freindly word with ships crew and I had a bit of replacement pipe, tinker tinker fix pipe and bleed brakes :thumbs: Early hours Saturday morning, now in France, drive to within a few miles of Paris and stop at a service station something to eat and drink for all of us. Spotted some showers at the station and asked the young lad if I could use them as I was feeling and looking a bit grubby after fixing the car, he explained that they were for lorry drivers only, I said have you ever seen a 40ft Nissan, he did laugh and let me have the key so long as I left it all clean, one hot shower all back to car for a snooze. Had Saturday free to explore, drove down to Disney early just to check it out and prices. Just about to try my French out when an English family came by and the bloke asked if I wanted to buy four second day passes for £20, result!! Spent the rest of the day exploring the sights and whent to Disney on the Sunday.What was the question Simon :thinking: Oh yeh, dunno about the kids but I enjoyed it :lol: Apparently the bloke who organised it all shortly did a runner with all deposits apart from mine, and he was also caught a few weeks later and convicted of stealing thousands from a youngsters football club of which he was the Treasurer.
 
cambsno said:
Thought I would bring this thread back to life. Didn't go in the end but looking at going now in early October. Just need to decide how to get there, either drive and tunnel or Eurostar? Was planning on going thurs to sat but Eurostar don't go direct on sat. Any views on either.

Driving prob works out cheaper, £100 or so on fuel (approx 600 miles all in), 30 toll and 90 for tunnel but Eurostar is 350 plus approx 200 miles. Train quicker and easier but car means kids more likely to sleep and can make use of the supposedly good French services!
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Bear in mind waht I said in 2010:

opening times

This was last Octobers opening times. This years haven't been released yet. But it's likely to be the same.
Some days close at 7.00pm.

Kev.
 
i went a few years back with work.
They sent nearly 600 of us from offices all over the world there for a 5 day 'meeting'.
Didn't see much of the rides, in fact nothing! we were given a free pass, but this was at 7pm on the Monday we flew out, and considering i was up at 3am to leave for the airport and had been travelling (car/plane/coach) for over 14 hrs and was totally shattered i declined and went to bed instead!
The next 4 days consisted of meetings, seminars etc, then the obligatory p*ss up till silly am.
Boy! was i glad to get home to the wife and 3 screaming kids!!! :lol:
 
Simon,

Having done this for the past 9 years here are my ramblings:

We always drive (not that far from you so similar times) and generally stay in folkestone the night before the tunel to make life easier. The trip through france is easy on the toll roads although it is a bit daunting around Paris with the lane changes!! We are easily at the parc by mid afternoon after a bit iof shopping in Calais at the start. We have a large van so cruise down at 60-65ish and it is easy driving. There is a supermarket at Valle de europe about 5 min drive from the park so you can get supplies there easily.

If you can do it time wise consider going down late Nov as you have all the christmas theme stuff in the parcs but the big crowds don't start arriving til early Dec.
Food is expensive but not too unreaonable. There is A McDonalds in the disney village and the themed resteraunts are good but expensive. Cafe Mickey is worth doing as they have all the carachters in the dining areas and they are constantly coming round and seeing the kids.

Beer is 6.50euros for a large one and soft drinks are expensive but coffee is quite reasonable. When you have decided on when you are going let me know and I will give you the run down of parade hot spots.

Hope that helps

Nick
 
Went 4 or 5 years ago for 6 days. Wife got a very good price.
Eurostar was easy, stayed out at the explorer hotel, was cracking, a lovely relaxing break.
 
Thanks to everyone, due to a family issue, never got round to booking in time. Oh well, will keep an eye out for the next offer as keen to go. Great idea Nick about Nov, may well do that.
 
No worries Simon. We are going at the end of August so I will try and remember any things of particular use as I go round. Should be fun this time as we are going with two coach loads of kids with disabilities - 16+ wheelchairs I believe!!!!!
 
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