Advice on split stay (first time visitors)

[Lorana]

DH and I are headed to Disneyland Paris in June! This is a big trip to France, celebrating my 50th and our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We're doing a week in Normandy, then the 2-night Adventures by Disney Paris Escape, followed by the 7 night DVC Members AbD Rhone River Cruise, and then ending with a stay in Disneyland Paris.

I originally wanted to book us the last 4 nights at the Disneyland Hotel in the Castle Club as a splurge for our celebration and to just pamper ourselves at the end of such a long trip. However, the Castle Club was not available our first night, unless we booked a Junior Suite, and as much as I do want to pamper us, that price tag was more than I could really justify for 4 nights, especially after all the other expenses of this trip!

We're big Wilderness Lodge / Grand Californian Hotel fans, and so I decided to grab the first night at the Sequoia Lodge in the Golden Forest club level, and then the last 3 nights in the Castle Club with a Park View Room. The Marvel Hotel doesn't really appeal to us, and we're from MA, so Newport Club is too much like home.

But now I'm second guessing myself. Will we also enjoy Sequoia and feel 1 night is a tease that doesn't allow us to enjoy it (especially as we expect to be in the parks during the day? Would it be better to do 2 nights and 2 nights, or should we just go all out and stick with then 1 night and 3 nights because 2 nights isn't enough at the Castle Club? Anyone done both of them and can provide some advice?

As a note, we arrive the first day sometime between 12pm-1pm, and we have to depart by 7am on the last morning (our flight is at 11am). Is the Castle Club lounge open for breakfast before we have to depart?

 

[Teamubr]

We stayed at Sequoia Lodge 2 years ago. Think of it as WL "lite" or a Moderate level version of WL. It is nice. It will also be undergoing a long needed remodel this year. We are also coming back in June, but staying at DLH. It was closed, being remodeled, during our last visit and I wanted to check it out. If you haven't read it before, the hotels at DLP are "hotels" and not "resorts" like you are used to at WDW. Nice places to stay, but not a destination.
My first thought is to just spend a little more and stay all nights at DLH, even if you have to switch rooms on the 2nd day. But, since you are first time visitors and you don't mind moving hotels, it would be nice to see both hotels.
I would be fine with staying at either, but you already have 3 nights at DLH.
Have a great time.

j

 

[steve_rob]

Yeah, I'd try to stay all nights at the DLH even with a room change. Because the hotels are all so close to each other, it's easy enough to spend one evening walking between them to get a look at the different decors if you wanted.

 

[Lorana]

Hmmm, okay, I may look at the Disneyland Hotel rooms on that first night instead, but I'm debating keeping the cost savings of SL and buying a premier pass for 1-2 days.

Are the Deluxe Rooms worth the upgrade cost? It looks like staying at the DLH over SL would be $500 more, and a Deluxe Room is an additional $500 beyond that (or $600 with a terrace view).

 

[zanzibar138]

Honestly, I would keep your booking as it is and spend that money on your premier passes. It will at least give you a chance to experience Sequoia, and even if you don't like it, or the renos are inconvenient, it's only for 1 night, and will make you appreciate DLH even more! It's a bit of a pain having to pack up and move after 1 night, but you'll be walking right past DLH to get to the park from Sequoia anyway, so you can just drop off your luggage on the way.