Has anyone used points for Disneyland Paris?

[edisneydreaming]

Can I combine points (for say 2 nights) with cash for one night? How far in advance do I need to book? Can anyone tell me if any of the hotels other than the Disneyland Hotel is worth the points? We would like to go but will only have the points for two nights if we stay at the Disneyland Hotel (which is our first choice) so I want to look into the other choices. Of course we are going in August which is one of the most expensive (pointwise) times to go. Thanks for any help.

 

[tfc3rid]

I stayed 2 nights at the DL Hotel at Disneyland Paris this past May... Not really worth points for a large number of nights... It's ok, but DL Paris was pretty disappointing overall...

 

[dan and scott]

We went for 6 nights in 2004 including free breakfast park tickets I beleive they were included also.
Disneyland hotel was sooo conveinient to Disneyland just steps from the door.
Beautiful hotel just think Grand Flo in beautiful pink with a downsized lobby.
We visited in late August of that year and the pink of the castle popped in the grey skies of Paris. The RER subway 45min ride to the Eifel is just steps away from the promenade between the 2 parks. The RER is very easy to navigate with little or no french as the rest of Paris.
Think of DLP as a super hybrid of the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland proper.


Scott

 

[edisneydreaming]

Thanks so much for the information. It is complicated by the fact that we are traveling with my mom who is 80 and our kids who are 14 and 7. We are trying to work out a compromise of the needs and wants of all. We will get 2 rooms (my mom and daughter get one and we are in one with our son). I am leaning towads the Disneyland Hotel as it saves my mo walking - but those points are killing me! My mom doesn't transition well so we really want at least 3 nights. How many days does Disneyland Paris really need to feel like you saw most of it? Thanks again for all the help.

 

[dan and scott]

Thanks so much for the information. It is complicated by the fact that we are traveling with my mom who is 80 and our kids who are 14 and 7. We are trying to work out a compromise of the needs and wants of all. We will get 2 rooms (my mom and daughter get one and we are in one with our son). I am leaning towads the Disneyland Hotel as it saves my mo walking - but those points are killing me! My mom doesn't transition well so we really want at least 3 nights. How many days does Disneyland Paris really need to feel like you saw most of it? Thanks again for all the help.

2-3 days for Disneyland - 1day for the Studio which was a poor representation of the US counterpart although it has been enhanced with pixar / tower of terror.
Hotel New York is like Swan and Dolphin Hotels in appearance.
Sequoia Lodge -Grand Cal meets Wilderness lodge
Newport Bay is the furthest on the esplanade to walk to the parks
Do not walk into the parks thinking you are going to get a american experience it is very Euroamerican as people but in line and smoke standing in line. Rides are sometimes French-English translated or french.
Be sure to visit the Disney mall on the next RER stop down the line from the resort- Marne le (spelling)
You will find a villagewith the Marriot time share and Auchands Grocery is inside the upscale mall. This was interesting as I work in the grocery industry massive olive bar and wild game is available for purchase as french bread at their bakery. Wish we new it was there and would hhave loaded up on food for our room earlier.

Scott

 

[lilpooh108]

2-3 days for Disneyland - 1day for the Studio which was a poor representation of the US counterpart although it has been enhanced with pixar / tower of terror.
Hotel New York is like Swan and Dolphin Hotels in appearance.
Sequoia Lodge -Grand Cal meets Wilderness lodge
Newport Bay is the furthest on the esplanade to walk to the parks
Do not walk into the parks thinking you are going to get a american experience it is very Euroamerican as people but in line and smoke standing in line. Rides are sometimes French-English translated or french.
Be sure to visit the Disney mall on the next RER stop down the line from the resort- Marne le (spelling)
You will find a villagewith the Marriot time share and Auchands Grocery is inside the upscale mall. This was interesting as I work in the grocery industry massive olive bar and wild game is available for purchase as french bread at their bakery. Wish we new it was there and would hhave loaded up on food for our room earlier.

Scott

Great info, thanks

BLEH to the smoking in line, especially with kids around. Everytime I walk pass people smoking at Disneyworld I think: its 2012...who smokes anymore with all the taxes on these cigarettes?

 

[skirby]

If you consider that the rooms are 100 points/night and the you could easily get $10/pt renting out your points, you're basically spending $1000/night to stay at the Disneyland Paris Hotel. I know there's a convenience part to it, but that's how I look at it.

You might also look into buying some shares of the Euro Disney operating company to join the Shareholders Club and get 15% off room only reservations or 10% off packages. Carrie_Cat, over on the Disneyland Paris Trip Planning & Community Board, has tips on how to get the cheapest park tickets. Sometimes three days of park admissions can justify an AP, where you could get other discounts.

 

[zavandor]

If you consider that the rooms are 100 points/night and the you could easily get $10/pt renting out your points, you're basically spending $1000/night to stay at the Disneyland Paris Hotel. I know there's a convenience part to it, but that's how I look at it.

You might also look into buying some shares of the Euro Disney operating company to join the Shareholders Club and get 15% off room only reservations or 10% off packages. Carrie_Cat, over on the Disneyland Paris Trip Planning & Community Board, has tips on how to get the cheapest park tickets. Sometimes three days of park admissions can justify an AP, where you could get other discounts.

I agree on the shareholder tip: it's a few dollar(/euro) investment and discounts are huge. But it needs planning a bit far in advance, since you have to send proof of purchase and wait to be registered.

About the room discount: the discount for the shareholders is really low. Every day of the year has a discount of at least 30% or similar offer (like one night free every two paid). If there is no discount at the moment for your dates, it's too early: wait a bit and the offers will come out. The resort is huge (compared to demand) and rarely (/never) filled to capacity, so don't worry about not be able to book if you don't book early.

At the moment there is an offer of 40% off for the winter season. And the discount includes package with breakfast and tickets included and it's free for childres up to 7 (yes, tickets included!).
To book that offer, however, you need to book using the French website. Every contry website has different offers and it requires a bit of search to get the best one.
Rack rates are awful, with discounts it's more reasonable.

About comparison with USA parks, there is a thread started some time ago about it:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2945868

 

[the who #3]

i did use my pts. to pay for 2 rooms at disneyland paris for 5 nights. many,many pts.! the rooms were lovely and did include tickets and breakfast. we also loved the disneyland park, but did not go into the other park.

we used the train to go into paris for everything we wanted to see there on 2 days of the stay, and to go elsewhere in france on another day. we reserved one full day for the park. i would like to have had another week in france.

i had a major problem with my room. they had my name wrong but refused to change it saying that it made no difference. IT REALLY DID! the last night of our stay, my traveling companions did not want to go to dinner due to stomach problems. i went to the restaurant in the hotel and asked that they put my name on the list for a table. they asked for my room # which i gave them. i sat in a seat next to the revs. desk for more than 2 hours, checking with them over and over. the restaurant closed and i was told that they did not call me because the name on my room did not match the name i gave them. therefor i went without food on my last night in france.

the pts use for the two rooms for 5 nights were valued at well over $10,000.
that is expensive, but i am told that rooms in france are not really very nice unless you pay a very large amount.

 

[cmwade77]

i did use my pts. to pay for 2 rooms at disneyland paris for 5 nights. many,many pts.! the rooms were lovely and did include tickets and breakfast. we also loved the disneyland park, but did not go into the other park.

we used the train to go into paris for everything we wanted to see there on 2 days of the stay, and to go elsewhere in france on another day. we reserved one full day for the park. i would like to have had another week in france.

i had a major problem with my room. they had my name wrong but refused to change it saying that it made no difference. IT REALLY DID! the last night of our stay, my traveling companions did not want to go to dinner due to stomach problems. i went to the restaurant in the hotel and asked that they put my name on the list for a table. they asked for my room # which i gave them. i sat in a seat next to the revs. desk for more than 2 hours, checking with them over and over. the restaurant closed and i was told that they did not call me because the name on my room did not match the name i gave them. therefor i went without food on my last night in france.

the pts use for the two rooms for 5 nights were valued at well over $10,000.
that is expensive, but i am told that rooms in france are not really very nice unless you pay a very large amount.

I have looked at this extensively and you could have paid probably about $1,000-$1,500 cash for those 5 nights with theme park tickets, breakfast and their equivalent of the dining plan included. The most I have seen for 5 nights is about $2,500 if you book it through the wrong country's (i.e. the U.S.) site.

So, I would definitely say that using points is not a good way to do Disneyland Paris.

Now, I have also looked at Disneyland Tokyo and depending on time of the year,hotel chosen, etc., it can be a very good value to use points there.

 

[edisneydreaming]

Thanks for all the advice. Everything I have seen looked more expensive than that when I want to go - maybe the sales happen closer to booking. I have to admit that I am nervous about renting my points so I will probably just use them - even if it isn't a great deal. Thanks for all the advice - I really apreciate it.

 

[TDC Nala]

You should realize with an elderly party member that there is a lot more walking involved from any resort except the Disneyland Hotel. I stayed at the Sequoia Lodge. It was a lot of walking. I think they may have had a shuttle bus, if that would help, but we never took it.

There is also no ADA in France...there are some places in the park with stairs and no ramps.

 

[Flossbolna]

As others have pointed out, using DVC points for DLP hotels is not really economical. I stayed recently at the Marriott Vacation Club which is about a 5 minute drive from the park. They have a shuttle (which has a bit of a strange time table) and there is a public bus, but you could also drive yourself (However, then there is a parking charge). The resort is very charming, a French country style and our villa was gorgeous. Might be worth looking into.

Here is the link: http://www.marriottvacationclub.com/vacation-resorts/marriott-village-dile-de-france/overview.shtml

 

[wendyt_ca]

We just stayed 2 nights there early September at the DLRP and we loved being right at the gate and enjoyed the overall experience. Yes it is a lot of points but we still enjoyed it. We would def do it again. Disney land Paris isn't as good as Disney World.

 

[edisneydreaming]

Thanks for all the information. I think that we are likely to use the points and stay at the DLRP. I will track the specials and see if it is much cheaper to rent out our points and pay for the hotel and park tickets. I think I would try to stay 3 nights and have four days at the parks - that way we don't have to feel rushed. How far in advance do I need to contact member services if I want to book with points?

 

[Iceman93]

As others have pointed out, using DVC points for DLP hotels is not really economical. I stayed recently at the Marriott Vacation Club which is about a 5 minute drive from the park. They have a shuttle (which has a bit of a strange time table) and there is a public bus, but you could also drive yourself (However, then there is a parking charge). The resort is very charming, a French country style and our villa was gorgeous. Might be worth looking into.

Here is the link: http://www.marriottvacationclub.com/vacation-resorts/marriott-village-dile-de-france/overview.shtml

That's where I stayed for a week, and we loved it. Close enough to Disney to be convenient, far enough away to feel like we were actually staying in France and not just "another Disney hotel anywhere in the world". The pool was great, as was the staff.

 

[lasob]

We stayed in The Hotel New York which is the closest one in that complex. About a ten minute walk to the parks. It was a very unpleasant experience.

We were there in early April and the weather was beautiful. Upper 70's and sunny, quite warm for that time of year( we were told). The room was air conditioned and had a great view of the water and skating rink. After spending the day at the parks we went back to the room and it was about 82 degrees in the room. We attempted to turn on the air, no go. The first call to the front desk resulted in a repair man coming and essentially telling us that the air is not able to be turned on this time of year. Computerized or some such nonsense. The windows in our room did not open, as don't about half of the rooms. A second call to the front desk basically confirmed what we were told. Not sure why they didn't tell us that the first time.

In addition the beds are Murphy Beds, that in our case, only one was put down, the other locked away. That gave us more room, but we couldn't figure out why the put down the bed right next to the window, so that when we wanted to look out at the great view we had to sit on the bed, which was also not very comfortable. We could have had the other bed down and sat in chairs for the view. Not a big deal, but not logical.

When we went out in the evening to cool off, we were jealous of the rooms that had their windows wide open. It was an uncomfortable night between the warmth and bed.

We got a good deal on the room and the parks were fun. We did everything in both parks in two full days. It was not the least bit crowded, 5 min wait the max. It was mid week.

Have fun.

 

[Chickkypoo]

I stayed at the Sequoia Lodge on points back in '08. A couple things to consider are there is a $95 fee to use your pointing this way and park tickets are not included. In order for me to book using DVC points, I was told I had to purchase tickets equal to the number of days I was staying there.

I didn't find the resort to be too bad of a walk, you do have to go thru the downtown area to get to the parks. I do believe there is a bus though I didn't use it.

I really enjoyed the resort and found it quite pretty other than some issues with housekeeping.

 

[wendyt_ca]

You no longer have to purchase park tickets to use DVC. We just stayed 2 nights and bought a 1 day pass on the site with a special.

 

[edisneydreaming]

Great to know that I don't have to get park tickets for every night we are there. I thought we did so that will help with the budget.