A naive Aussie's PTR

[zanzibar138]

**Now that I've got a solid itinerary, thought I would put up some links so people can just jump straight to that if they want to**
Travel Days Itinerary
Innsbruck Itinerary
Lucerne Itinerary
Montreux Itinerary
Paris Itinerary
DLP Itinerary
Hong Kong Itinerary


This adventure started life as a short mother/daughter trip to Hong Kong. It was then hijacked by Dad and turned into a 2 week sojourn to Europe...

Our adventure begins in Melbourne, on a Thursday night after work (specifically, Thursday 14th Feb), with me taking a 4 hour flight to meet up with my parents in Perth. For those unfamiliar with Australian geography, Melbourne is on the east coast of Australia and Perth is on the west coast.

Friday morning, my parents and I will get on our flight to Paris, via Hong Kong, eventually landing at 5:35am Saturday morning.

The adventure will finish for me on Friday 1st March, when I board my flight home to Melbourne, via Hong Kong. I've timed it so that I arrive on a Sunday morning, ready to go back to work on the Monday. My parents are staying on for an extra couple of weeks touring France.

The space in between is currently looking a bit vague lol!

We do plan to visit Switzerland, and will probably do this early in the trip, just for a few days. I'm open to suggestions for destinations in Switzerland. I just really want to see the amazing scenery in the alps.

As far as Paris goes, I'm not really sure exactly what there is to see and do there apart from the Eiffel Tower, and have no idea how long I should I plan to stay there.

I plan to transfer out to a hotel closer to Disneyland after the weekend, and see out the rest of my trip there. Mum is also keen on spending a few days in Disneyland. Dad, not so much. But we figure it's close enough to Paris that he can always go into the city if he wants to.

At this stage I'm going in pretty blind lol! I'd love to know what kind of weather to expect. I know it will still be winter, but unsure of exactly HOW cold it will be - can I expect snow? And will it be rainy?

Am also unsure of where to stay around DLRP, so any suggestions gladly welcomed. The three of us will probably be sharing a room for the most part.

One of the most exciting parts of the trip... DH will be coming a bit later and joining us for a few days at DLRP before heading off on his own tour of Europe. AND, while we will miss our actual anniversary by a couple of days, it's close enough that we will be able to celebrate our first wedding anniversary in Paris!

While DH is with me, I'm hoping to splurge a bit and stay at one of the actual Disney hotels. Any suggestions for this part would be gladly welcomed too.

That's probably enough for now... So excited and I can't wait to read people's suggestions!

 

[torsie24]

What an exciting trip for you.

Which Disney hotel depends on your tastes and budget really. Have a look on the official DLRP site and see which ones take your fancy.

I'm not sure which other Disney parks you've visited but be aware that you really only need 3 or 4 days at DLRP to have done it all. Especially so in winter as it'll be very quiet.

You could have snow in Feb. So pack for that. Anything warmer is a bonus that time of year.

Look forward to hearing your plans unfold. X

EDITED TO ADD: I just saw your signature. Seeing as you've been the HKD and DLR DLRP is bigger than HK and smaller than DLR. so base the time you need on those two. And I'll
Be off to read those TRs during my lunch today!!

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Hello

I'll come back later on for the Paris/Suisse bit but I'll leave you to have a look at this http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2870816 which will give you an idea of this Febs weather...it can be very very cold, we get the wind from Siberia, snow and wet.
The worst thing even if it's dry is the wind chill especially at DLP which is full of open spaces.

Suisse will feel warmer as they get less wind and the heavy snow insulates better than the wet loose stuff we get.

 

[zanzibar138]

Thanks for the heads up on the weather - I would have never expected it to be THAT cold! Will know to stock up on snow gear in the post winter specials It would be so awesome if it snowed while we were there!

I'm not concerned about how long to give myself at the park - just as long as possible! For someone who managed to spend 4 days at the '1/2 day park' in Hong Kong, I think I can keep myself occupied I plan to get either a 5 day pass or an annual pass for myself. It's just my parents I'm not sure about really.

Will have to do a bit more research on the Disney hotels. All I know is that they're expensive and that's why I didn't bother looking But I figure if it's for such a special occasion as our 1st wedding anniversary we can probably splurge for a couple of nights.

 

[PrincessInOz]

 

[zanzibar138]

Welcome aboard PIO!

 

[ehsmum]

There is a lot more to see in Paris other then the Eiffel Tower! You will need at least 2-3 days if not more to get a good look around the city.

Yes, expect snow. It's freezing in France in February!

I haven't been to DLRP so I can't help there, but looking forward to following along .

 

[zanzibar138]

Welcome aboard ehsmum!

Thanks for that info about Paris. My parents have been there before so they'll have more of an idea about what there is to do.

 

[loladelorean]

I'm not concerned about how long to give myself at the park - just as long as possible! For someone who managed to spend 4 days at the '1/2 day park' in Hong Kong, I think I can keep myself occupied I plan to get either a 5 day pass or an annual pass for myself. It's just my parents I'm not sure about really.

Just to let you know - this year, a 5 day/2 park pass has gone up to 213E, which is (ridiculously!) 14 euros more expensive than a Dream Annual Pass which would also offer you restaurant and shopping discounts.
The Fantasy annual pass is only 159E, if you are not going on any of the blackout dates.
This is a very exciting trip and you've got lots of time to plan! You are right that DLP is close enough to Paris that even if you all stay at DLP your parents could spend more time in the city if that's what they would prefer. There are other sights to take in in the area, e.g. they could do a day tour of Versailles.

Which Disney hotel you might want to go for depends on your budget, but I can thoroughly recommend the Hotel New York (second luxury hotel, but about half the price of the beautiful-as-it-is-extortionate-Disneyland Hotel). And I'd also recommend Sequoia Lodge as a beautiful moderate option, it was refurbed last year and I think its not far off the Hotel New York now.

That's just my tuppence worth, I'm sure you'll find all the help you need on this section of the boards. Happy planning

 

[zanzibar138]

Just to let you know - this year, a 5 day/2 park pass has gone up to 213E, which is (ridiculously!) 14 euros more expensive than a Dream Annual Pass which would also offer you restaurant and shopping discounts.
The Fantasy annual pass is only 159E, if you are not going on any of the blackout dates.
This is a very exciting trip and you've got lots of time to plan! You are right that DLP is close enough to Paris that even if you all stay at DLP your parents could spend more time in the city if that's what they would prefer. There are other sights to take in in the area, e.g. they could do a day tour of Versailles.

Which Disney hotel you might want to go for depends on your budget, but I can thoroughly recommend the Hotel New York (second luxury hotel, but about half the price of the beautiful-as-it-is-extortionate-Disneyland Hotel). And I'd also recommend Sequoia Lodge as a beautiful moderate option, it was refurbed last year and I think its not far off the Hotel New York now.

That's just my tuppence worth, I'm sure you'll find all the help you need on this section of the boards. Happy planning

Oooh thanks for that info. Looks like I'll be a double annual pass holder for a couple of weeks (I already have an annual pass for HK) How does one go about getting an annual pass for DLRP? I can't find any information on the website. I was hoping I might be able to get an AP discount on accommodation too!

As much as I'd love to stay at the DLH, I do think it's going to be out of our price range, unless we can find a great deal somewhere. The HNY and SL have been looking like good back up plans.

 

[torsie24]

That time of year you might be able to get 50% off flash sale for a room & ticket package.

The AP discount is only 10% (I think) off rack rates so
I'd say you're definitely worth holding out to book hotel or buy APs until the sales start happening.

SL, HNY & DLH are the 3 I've stayed at an would recommend. Especially now SL has had its refurb and hasn't had a price rise.

If you can get a decent rate for DLH then it's perfect for cold weather as its practiclaly on Main Street so we found it a god send in January being 'home' a couple of steps from the park entrance. It's just SO expensive and not on a par with the American deluxes which are half it's price.

And you can always pop in during the day for a warm up and a cup of tea in their bar.

What might be worth looking at for you is joining the shareholders club if you don't get an AP. then you'll get 15% discount on food and merchandise and a free hot drink and pastry in a little hidden lounge at the park entrance.

 

[zanzibar138]

Wow if I could get something at 50% off that would make such a big difference! Is there somewhere I can sign up for flash sales, or is it just a matter of being lucky enough to come across them?

I haven't been to the US hotels, so I wouldn't be comparing anything to them. I really love the idea of being right at the entrance to the park!

And what's involved in becoming a shareholder?

I've spent much of the afternoon researching the scenic alps part of the trip. I've got 2 potential itineraries going, which I'll run by Mum tomorrow.

The first one involves going to Vienna (Mum and I would LOVE to go to the Spanish Riding School), and is a bit more rushed. We'd have one night in Zurich, 2 nights in Innsbruck, 2 nights in Vienna, and another night in Zurich on the way back.

The second itinerary involves a bit more time in Switzerland. It would involve 2 nights in Zurich, 2 nights in Innsbruck, and 2 nights in Geneva.

Any comments from people more familiar with Switzerland/Austria?

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Have a look at the Ap's here

http://www.dlrpmagic.com/planning/booking/annual-passports/

The interesting ones for you are the Dream and maybe the Fanatsy (depending on your dates as they have blackout days)

Ap discount can go up to 40% off rack rate and you get discounts on all food and drink offerings not just t/s and buffets (shareholders)


Shareholders discounts are here

http://corporate.disneylandparis.com/shareholders/shareholders-club/index.xhtml#contentj

If you stay at DLP on or off site you are roughly 40 minutes from central Paris and 60 mins from the Eiffel Tower.

 

[loladelorean]

Ap discount can go up to 40% off rack rate and you get discounts on all food and drink offerings not just t/s and buffets (shareholders)

Thread jacking slightly to say thank you for this info Carrie! I just assumed the discounts held the same T&Cs as shareholder club. In 2 weeks time my sister and I will be proud owners of Dream annual passes, so its great to know we'll get discounts off counter service lunches too!

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Thread jacking slightly to say thank you for this info Carrie! I just assumed the discounts held the same T&Cs as shareholder club. In 2 weeks time my sister and I will be proud owners of Dream annual passes, so its great to know we'll get discounts off counter service lunches too!

The discounts are fab for Dream AP's far better than the shareholders I find that's why we've never bothered getting any

 

[zanzibar138]

Have a look at the Ap's here

http://www.dlrpmagic.com/planning/booking/annual-passports/

The interesting ones for you are the Dream and maybe the Fanatsy (depending on your dates as they have blackout days)

Ap discount can go up to 40% off rack rate and you get discounts on all food and drink offerings not just t/s and buffets (shareholders)

Ok quick question. If you can't get an annual pass until you actually arrive in Paris, how do you get the discount for accommodation? Or does that just mean you can't use the accommodation discount on your first use of the AP?

 

[zanzibar138]

Thought it was about time for an update!

We've been doing some more work on our itinerary, and are going to take the train around Switzerland and Austria.

So we arrive in Paris at about 5:30am on the Saturday. Mum and Dad want to spend that night in Paris, but I want to get straight into the holiday! I'm planning to get straight on a train to Zurich and spend the night there.

I'm hoping to find somewhere to stay nice and close to the train station. Will probably do most of my sight-seeing in the morning after a decent sleep! Any suggestions most appreciated

On the Sunday, I will meet Mum and Dad on their way through and we'll all continue onto Innsbruck together.

We're planning to stay 2 nights in Innsbruck. We're hoping to check out the ski jump and go up one of the mountains.

On Tuesday we'll get back on the train and head back to Zurich, then out to Lucerne.

We'll stay another 2 nights in Lucerne. Mum and Dad have been here before, so they'll probably have a good idea about what we can do. I'll be happy just checking out the scenery I think!

Thursday we'll do the Golden Pass train line to Montreux, and spend Thursday night there.

Hoping to see the castle here.

And the funicular looks pretty cool too!

Friday we'll head on to Geneva and spend the night there.

In Geneva we'll probably just wander around and take in some of the sight around the city.

Saturday morning we'll take an early train back to Paris, looking to be there by lunchtime.

Saturday and Sunday nights we'll stay in Paris, and I'm sure my parents will be able to show me the sights

Monday we'll head out to DL I'm looking at Hotel D'Elysee at Val D'Europe. Any comments on this one? I think my dad would be too overwhelmed staying at a Disney hotel lol!

Just have to say as well, I've been reading some comments on the main board regarding some comparisons between DLRP and the US parks. I think Paris looks like the most beautifully put together park, and I'm really looking forward to taking in all the unique details and enjoying the park for what it is.

I really enjoyed the few days I had at HKDL, just wandering around and taking it all in, taking photos, and enjoying the few unique aspects to it. For me, half the fun was just seeing how the different cultures 'do' Disney!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Your plans sound grand. Now you're making me want to go back to Europe!

 

[zanzibar138]

A few recent circumstances have made me decide to make a couple of small changes to my itinerary...

First, at the time when I booked this trip, I had just accepted a new job, and was aiming to keep my time off work to 2 weeks. Now I have a much more flexible job so I feel less restricted time wise.

Secondly, since Grizzly Gulch has opened, I have been feeling more and more disappointed that I won't actually get to go there despite flying through HK and still having my annual pass from our honeymoon.

Thirdly, Qantas have a sale on that finishes tomorrow!


So, I called my friendly (or maybe not so friendly...) Qantas representative this afternoon and got a quote for adding a stopover in HK on the way back! It was very reasonable so I went ahead, and now I'm very excited to be able to check out Grizzly Gulch in the near-ish future!


My itinerary is now:

Fly to Perth with Qantas Thursday 14th Feb (evening), and spend the night with my parents.

My parents and I will all leave Perth Friday morning on a Qantas flight to Paris via HK, arriving in Paris at 5:35am Saturday. We'll spend that first night in Paris, hopefully getting early check in somewhere.

Sunday we'll take the train to Innsbruck, Austria and stay there for 2 nights. Haven't decided on accommodation yet - I'm not sure which is the best area.

Tuesday (19th) we'll take the train to Lucerne, Switzerland (via Zurich), and spend 2 nights there. No accommodation for here yet either.

Thursday (21st) we'll take the Golden Pass Rail to Montreux and spend the night there.

Friday we plan to spend a bit of time in Montreux and then take the train to Geneva in the afternoon, where we'll spend the night.

Saturday we'll head back to Paris, hoping to get there by lunch time. Then we'll spend the rest of the weekend there.

Monday (25th) it's Disney time! We're hoping to stay at Hotel L'Elysse so we'll take the train out to Val d'Europe and check in, then head to Disneyland. I've put aside this whole week (til Friday) for Disneyland, but my parents may get sick of it and head back to Paris during the day.

Saturday I'll check out of Hotel L'Elysse and say goodbye to Paris (my parents are staying in France for another 2 weeks lucky things!). My flight for London (I couldn't do a stopover in HK going straight from Paris) leaves late afternoon.

I'll arrive in HK Sunday afternoon (3rd March - our 1st wedding anniversary which I will miss, but DH told me he's ok with it). Not sure whether I can justify staying at the Disneyland Hotel all on my own. I might stay in Tung Chung. Monday I'll be at Disneyland for rope drop and head straight to Grizzly Gulch! I don't leave HK until Tuesday evening, so I may even have time to go on the cable car in Tung Chung and go to the top of Victoria Peak.

I'll arrive back in Melbourne on Wednesday morning.

 

[ehsmum]

Wow, that's awesome that you got to add a HK stopover! The whole itinerary looks really great (although even though I'm a Disney addict, I'd be reversing my Paris itinerary and spending the week in Paris and the weekend at Disney ).

I'd recommend staying on Mount Pilatus when you're in Lucern. I don't know if it suits your budget, but it's absolutely beautiful
http://www.pilatus.ch/en/hotel-pilatus-kulm/reservations/