planning a trip to Eurodisney
Discussion
We've been 12 or 13 times now, so know the area fairly well.
Staying off site is a cheaper option but you lose out on the ability to pop back and forth to the parks during the day, to avoid the busiest times.
We've driven and taken the train on various occasions, driving is easy as the motorways are less populous than the UK ones, but I would always take the direct Eurostar 1st class as a preferred option. Direct Eurostar in common class would be last option of choice. Eurostar to Paris then RER line out to Chessy is OK, but on our last trip (over new year) we got stuck on the RER line and missed our train back. Whoops.
Hotels on site - we have stayed in all of the lake hotels (Newport Bay Club, New York and Sequioa Lodge) and also the Cheyenne. of the lake hotels, I would choose the Sequioa Lodge every day; however many prefer the New York. If budget is important, the Cheyenne is good, it's only about 5 minutes further to walk than the lake hotels.
As a recommendation, if you stay in a Disney Hotel, make sure you book the half board plus option. We paid £17 a night for adult meals - with the exchange rate, paying for them on site would have been about £25 a night. The Hunters Grill restaurant in the Sequois Lodge is very good value for money, it's buffet style so you can go back for more if you like. Also, do as the French do - take a bag to breakfast with you, and any of the croissants, pain au chocolate or bread rolls that you collect but don't eat (or ... take on purpose) can be useful as snacks when in the parks during the day.
Staying off site, the Marriot village is really good, and they have a shuttle bus to the parks. They are close to the shopping centre as well, which is OK if you like that sort of thing.
In the parks:
The studio park is usually less busy than the main park, and also has two of the best rides in the resort: Rock & Roller Coaster, and the Tower of Terror. The car show is also fun (Moteurs Action Spectacular). The Armageddon ride is only worthwhile if there is no queue, to a lesser extent the studio tram tour. The Lightning McQueen ride is great fun, even if you don't have kids with you. I didn't go on the Crush's Coaster as it's a spinning coaster and I just don't like them.
The Disneyland Park can get really busy at weekends, but away from peak times can be quite pleasant. The problem with the quiet times is that some of the attractions operate limited hours - and some of the restaurants are closed. Best ride in the park is a toss up between space mountain and Indiana Jones. It used to be Indiana Jones as a clear winner when it went backwards, but now it's forward facing it's just another coaster. The runaway mine train ride is very good if you ride at the back of the train, ride at the front and it's awful.
That's all I can think of for now, off the top of my head. If you want any more details or opinions, let me know!
Staying off site is a cheaper option but you lose out on the ability to pop back and forth to the parks during the day, to avoid the busiest times.
We've driven and taken the train on various occasions, driving is easy as the motorways are less populous than the UK ones, but I would always take the direct Eurostar 1st class as a preferred option. Direct Eurostar in common class would be last option of choice. Eurostar to Paris then RER line out to Chessy is OK, but on our last trip (over new year) we got stuck on the RER line and missed our train back. Whoops.
Hotels on site - we have stayed in all of the lake hotels (Newport Bay Club, New York and Sequioa Lodge) and also the Cheyenne. of the lake hotels, I would choose the Sequioa Lodge every day; however many prefer the New York. If budget is important, the Cheyenne is good, it's only about 5 minutes further to walk than the lake hotels.
As a recommendation, if you stay in a Disney Hotel, make sure you book the half board plus option. We paid £17 a night for adult meals - with the exchange rate, paying for them on site would have been about £25 a night. The Hunters Grill restaurant in the Sequois Lodge is very good value for money, it's buffet style so you can go back for more if you like. Also, do as the French do - take a bag to breakfast with you, and any of the croissants, pain au chocolate or bread rolls that you collect but don't eat (or ... take on purpose) can be useful as snacks when in the parks during the day.
Staying off site, the Marriot village is really good, and they have a shuttle bus to the parks. They are close to the shopping centre as well, which is OK if you like that sort of thing.
In the parks:
The studio park is usually less busy than the main park, and also has two of the best rides in the resort: Rock & Roller Coaster, and the Tower of Terror. The car show is also fun (Moteurs Action Spectacular). The Armageddon ride is only worthwhile if there is no queue, to a lesser extent the studio tram tour. The Lightning McQueen ride is great fun, even if you don't have kids with you. I didn't go on the Crush's Coaster as it's a spinning coaster and I just don't like them.
The Disneyland Park can get really busy at weekends, but away from peak times can be quite pleasant. The problem with the quiet times is that some of the attractions operate limited hours - and some of the restaurants are closed. Best ride in the park is a toss up between space mountain and Indiana Jones. It used to be Indiana Jones as a clear winner when it went backwards, but now it's forward facing it's just another coaster. The runaway mine train ride is very good if you ride at the back of the train, ride at the front and it's awful.
That's all I can think of for now, off the top of my head. If you want any more details or opinions, let me know!
oh ... with regards to booking, I've generally had the best service by booking direct with Disneyland, I've booked with other operators and it's just not been as well organised. You can book the Eurostar with them at the same time, but last time I didn't as I got some cheap tickets through work. Which is important for me as Mrs. Aclivity refuses to travel standard class on the Eurostar!
alex1982 said:
Thanks for the info mate, can i ask how much you usually spend? Just been quote £900 for 2 nights.
cheers
Which hotel? Does that include travel?cheers
We spent a fortune over new year - there are 6 of us, and maximum occupancy per room in the Disney hotels is 5, so we had to book 2 adjoining rooms. We were booked in the Cheyenne for 4 nights / 5 days, with the Half Board Plus option, for £1750 ish, plus £400 for the return trains to Paris.
alex1982 said:
I cant remember which hotel she said, i was too shocked at the price. I thought i may be able to get in for £400/£500. We could go to USA for 2 weeks for £900.
departing March 2nd, for 2 nights, online price is £392 staying at the Sequoia Lodge. That's 3 days in the parks as well. I can't get the Eurostar bit to work at the moment but booking trains on eurostar.co.uk comes to £118 return (standard class).Driving it, in the past I've booked a return ferry from Dover to Dunkerque for £40.
There is some quite good deals via Disneyland site at the moment.
I just booked 2 nights staying at New York incl flights and tickets for £500 for 1 adult & 1 child. It's the food and drink when you're there that they really screw you on esp with the current exchange rate. And some of the food is unbelievably awful. Avoid Buzz Lightyear like a case of bad aids. But Walts on main street is decent and there is also some proper French places within a few minutes drive for the evenings.
I just booked 2 nights staying at New York incl flights and tickets for £500 for 1 adult & 1 child. It's the food and drink when you're there that they really screw you on esp with the current exchange rate. And some of the food is unbelievably awful. Avoid Buzz Lightyear like a case of bad aids. But Walts on main street is decent and there is also some proper French places within a few minutes drive for the evenings.
you can't take a car on Eurostar, it's a passenger only train. I would love it if we could have UK - Paris (or beyond) motorail, but I believe the UK motorail infrastructure has all been scrapped. There wasn't much of it in the first place.
Marne-le-vallee to the Parks isn't far at all, you can sometimes get a courtesy bus from the hotels. The Best Western is close to the RER station, so best bet would be pop on the RER A train (about 5 minutes, 4 or 5 trains an hour). Not sure how much the train is, you may be able to buy a carnet of 10 tickets, from Paris to Chessy station for 6 of us was just short of 20 Euro.
It's walkable if you like a half hour walk (probably OK in the morning, not so good in the afternoon after riding coasters all day).
Marne-le-vallee to the Parks isn't far at all, you can sometimes get a courtesy bus from the hotels. The Best Western is close to the RER station, so best bet would be pop on the RER A train (about 5 minutes, 4 or 5 trains an hour). Not sure how much the train is, you may be able to buy a carnet of 10 tickets, from Paris to Chessy station for 6 of us was just short of 20 Euro.
It's walkable if you like a half hour walk (probably OK in the morning, not so good in the afternoon after riding coasters all day).
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