Tell me all about disney paris?

[disneymom]

Anyone a real Disney Paris fan?

It always worked out expensive for us in the UK when compared to florida but now with the dollar rate, we're looking at Paris again.

After reading this site we have some idea about florida now but no idea what goes on, where to stay and whats good at Disney Paris.

Can anyone help?

[Claire]

I love, love, love Disneyland Resort Paris!

We go quite often, twice last year... In August and at Christmas. We missed this year for Orlando.

It's not WDW. But that doesn't make it a bad thing. Cast members, it's hit and miss. Some appear to be disinterested, others go the extra mile. Most if not all announcement are in french first english second but that just makes it more special to us. To us it means we're at DLRP!

Foodwise, I find the top end stuff is excellent, the lower end is just what it is, basic takeaway fare. There's plenty of choice.

Characters can sometimes appear thin on the ground compared to WDW. When they do appear, queueing seems to go down the toilet! We get around this by booking a character meal.

Where to stay depends mostly on your budget. We've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel Castle club right down to the Davy Crockett Ranch with the Newport Bay and The Explorers Hotel in the middle and I can honestly say we loved each one. All have something fab about them. Just choose your budget and then pick the theme that appeals to you most.

As for getting there. We found bargains in all areas except the Eurostar. We've done it by ferry for £59, Eurotunnel for £78 but Eurostar was always the expensive one when we went that way. Never flown but might be worth pricing that option!

Hope that helps!

[Keith]

Im considering it too (again!) for 2009 so really interested in this. Thanks for the info Claire!

Are the resorts there value/moderate/deluxe or? Are they close to the parks or are there busses like WDW?

How about nice restaurants, any recommendations?

oh and what about length of stay? a week too long? is it a three/four day kinda place?

[Claire]

Keith with the hotels you get I would say 5 levels. At the top end you have the Disneyland Paris hotel. The pink palace right at the main gate that you walk under to get to the turnstiles and the Hotel New York which is just a short walk away through the Disney Village (Paris's version of Downtown Disney). Then you get moderate - the Sequoia Lodge and the Newport Bay. These two win the best theming award for me. After that comes your value resorts - on a par with All Stars in terms of level. These are the Hotel Cheyenne and the Santa Fe. I've haven't been lucky enough to visit those two but I've heard good reports about them. Next comes the Davy Crocket Ranch. This is the resort billed as home away from home. They are cabins in a woodland setting with one or two bedrooms, kitchen, lounge area and a outside a barbeque and parking for one car. A short walk/bike ride away from your cabin is the trading post general store and probably the best pool on the whole of the Disneyland Paris resort!

Final choice is the 'associated' hotels that are a short bus ride away. They are quite new compared to the official resorts and their theming, although not as intense as Disney's, is pretty good. They can work out, price-wise, to be on a par with the moderate resorts and can be good as a alternative at busy times such as Christmas when the Disney Resorts have no space.

Restaurants? Take your pick! I find the menus at the high end restaurants are a little more adventurous than Florida but that is to be expected in France, no? I love Inventions at the Disneyland Hotel. It is buffet style character experience. The food was phenomenal! Something for everyone from you gastro fan to the pickiest of plain eaters. The characters spent as long as you wanted at your table and there was no sense of them wanting to be elsewhere.

Buses run every 10-15 mins from all Disney resorts and off site associated hotels (But not the Davy Crocket Ranch!) The only hotel you don't need the bus for is Disneyland Resort Hotel as it is right on the entrance!

Inside the Disneyland park we have a fondness for several places. We always go to the BBQ cookout place in Frontierland. Great for cheeseburgers, chilli, BBQ chicken etc. Another favourite is Casey's Corner at the end of Main St. Very similar to WDW, it offers cheese covered hotdogs and fries, chicken nuggets etc. I would also recommend the italian counter service restaurant in Fantasyland! (My mouth is watering!) We've never eaten in the Studios so can't advise on that one!

Length of stay depends on how many of you there are in your group + time of year you visit + whether you want to visit other places during your stay. The only real choices for that is the Val d'Europe shopping centre or the centre of Paris itself. We've only done the shopping centre and it's pretty much done in an afternoon. We've found 4 nights/5 days covers both parks for 5 people during high season staying at a resort that involves a bus ride to the park BUT we have the GAC to help us during very busy times for rides that Owen will like. I still think that would give us plenty of time to do it all even without the card. Quieter times of the year will probably see you done on a 3 night/4 day ticket.

[Keith]

wow brilliant info thanks Claire!!

[josh.p.]

I think the Disneyland Paris castle is so much nicer than the WDW one!

[Claire]

My favourite castle.

[lisaw]

It definitely is the prettiest castle and POTC is so much better than the WDW version - I love the queuing area

[goofygal]

haunted mansion is better too which is my favourite ride wherever we go

The cast members arent as good though and there is a lot more smoking in queues and general bumping and shoving

[mumof2]

thanks Claire for all that info!

Don't nkow if it's any different now but when i went some years back we stayed at Sequoia Lodge and walked throught the marketplace to the park, but then our room wasn't far from the lake .

You could also walk from Newport Bay and Hotel New York, although NB is a little further round the lake. We did get a bendy bus back to the park though after a break for an hour or so which was fun!