Anybody use points in Paris?

[Anal Annie]

We booked a DCL Med cruise for Aug 2011 and although it's still a LONG time off I am in full planning mode! My LATEST idea was that rather than flying directly into Barcelona we should go to Paris for a few nights first. I thought we could use our DVC points, spend a couple of days at Disneyland Paris and take a day or two to sightsee. So I started spending some time on the DLP & DVC UK boards to gather some info. - I was SHOCKED to learn that DLP requires that you purchase "length of stay" park tickets when you stay onsite! At first I took it to mean if you were staying on points so I called MS the other day & the CM told me it didn't matter if it as on points or on cash!! (I have not called CRO yet to confirm.) Is this common knowledge that I just didn't know about?? What is this "length of stay" crap? Are the parks in Hong Kong & Tokyo like this too?

I am really ticked about the idea to be honest. What a ripoff! My idea was that we could go over on Fri nite, arrive EARLY on Sat. and stay thru Tues. (our cruise departs on Wed.) so we'd basically have 3 1/2 days. The CM told me that if we were planning on 4 nights, even though we'd be leaving BEFORE THE PARKS OPEN on Wed we'd still have to buy a 5 day pass!! So we'd be wasting 1 or 2 days of it while sightseeing and 1 day we're not EVEN THERE!! (When I priced a 2 day pass online & converted it to USD it was about $140 pp but a 5 day pass is currently about $203 pp!). We'd have to pay $63 more pp to stay onsite. I was about to say we'd just stay offsite when I found out that the DLP properties all include breakfast AND apparently the parks over there don't open until like 10:00 so if we stay onsite we can get into one of them for early open. Now I have to consider free food before I tell Disney to piss off!

I'm just so irritated with Disney! I am now thinking that maybe we could take the train overnight from Paris to Barcelona - so if we check out on Tues we wouldn't have to buy tix for Wed too... But I haven't figured out the whole train thing yet. I have to research prices & the schedule etc. I don't know if that would work or not.

Thoughts?? Opinions?? Experiences?? Ideas??

 

[punkin712]

DH and I used our DVC points at DLP twice - most recently in July 2007 - and stayed at the Hotel New York both times. During both visits, we received length of stay passes (on the room key) and free breakfast buffet every day. We did not pay OOP for the passes or the buffet.

If that's still the situation, it's a GREAT deal! You'll use quite a few points for the stay, but you'll save a ton on tickets and breakfast.

BTW - the breakfast buffet is really great. I recall a few hot items, an abundance of fruit and cold cereals, rolls, croissants, cheese, yogurt, etc. Play your cards right and you'll be set until dinner!

 

[bellazachmom]

We also used our DVC points to stay at DLP and had the same experience as punkin712 -- length of stay passes were included on our room keys and free breakfast both mornings. The length of stay passes were great, good for park entry from check-in until midnight the day you checked out. Sure miss these at WDW!!

We did this in 2002 and 2007. We stayed at the resort that is the "gate" to the DLP park and our room actually looked in to the park, it was MAGICAL!!

Of course, this was 2 years ago, so things could have changed many times since then -- hopefully someone who has gone more recently will be along with an answer for you.

 

[Anal Annie]

Wow. That would've been nice if the tix were included. I wonder if they adjusted the point charts to reflect that the tix are no longer included?? I wouldn't have gotten my panites in a wad tho if I hadn't been told on the DLP board about this length of stay "requirement" as it is now. I don't know when it changed but the DVC CM quoted me USD for 3, 4 & 5 day passes and told me that they usually can't even book it on points until about 5 months out... So now I also have to be concerned about availability as I will probably be booking flights by around then too. I had thought we could book there at 11 months and have it squared away but she said not so.

I have read that the Hotel NY is quite nice but it uses a lot more points than the Newport Beach & Sequoia Lodge properties so I figured we'd just book one of those two. (We're a bit "points challenged".) Plus we'll hardly BE in the room. I'd hoped to find a short stay RCI trade in Barcelona but there's nothing in Barcelona so if we tack on a night there after the cruise that will be out-of-pocket. I am finding the European hotels to be quite different from the US (not family oriented) so I figured the DLP properties would solve a problem there.

So what did you all think of DLP? It looks quite nice online. I read that the castle is different & Space Mtn is a launch coaster so we're interested in seeing all of the differences.

 

[rabit]

you will have to pay for your passes now and all the onsite hotels are hard on points ,there are hotels in close proximity to DLP but you will probably find they are expensive compared to U.S. hotels.i can holiday in florida for 2 weeks cheaper than 5 days at DLP

 

[deej696]

If you are planning on doing sightseeing in Paris for a few days also, I would suggest you skip staying at DLP and stay in Paris. We have done this twice and it works out great. I dont need to tell you that using DVC points at DLP is a bit of a rip off, not to mention the ticket requirement. In my opinion, one day is plenty to see the DLP parks, and this can be accomplished quite easily by taking the RER train to the parks from Paris.

Personally, Paris is the greatest city in the world, and Disney is just a bonus

PS...dont be too mad at Disney. They're only 39% of the problem here lol.

 

[Tara]

So what did you all think of DLP? It looks quite nice online. I read that the castle is different & Space Mtn is a launch coaster so we're interested in seeing all of the differences.

Honestly, it isn't worth more than a day or day and a half IME. It's nice to see the differences, but I thought it was a let down in comparison with WDW. I'm glad I went, but I probably wouldn't go back, particularly since there are SO many wonderful things to do in Paris that you just can't do anywhere else. (Yeah, sure, the Indy coaster is a different experience, but man, it was short and so not thrilling. The Musee d'Orsay, on the other hand...)

Space Mountain is probably the best part if you've already been to WDW - it is definitely the superior version. Phantom Manor is okay - no improvement over WDW. Big Thunder Mountain is pretty good, but I don't think it's a significant improvement. There are plenty of differences, but the most noticeable one to me was the lack of detail you find at WDW.

 

[KT27]

I have used my points @ DLP in 2008 nd most recently in June 2009. Yes breakfast is included (and its good! fresh croissants!) but park tickets are not and you do have to purchase length of stay passes. I have stayed at Newport Bay, Seqouia Lodge & Disneyland Hotel. Of course my favorite was the most expensive Disneyland Hotel but the views into the park were amazing! I say do it once!

 

[deej696]

Honestly, it isn't worth more than a day or day and a half IME. It's nice to see the differences, but I thought it was a let down in comparison with WDW. I'm glad I went, but I probably wouldn't go back, particularly since there are SO many wonderful things to do in Paris that you just can't do anywhere else. (Yeah, sure, the Indy coaster is a different experience, but man, it was short and so not thrilling. The Musee d'Orsay, on the other hand...)

Space Mountain is probably the best part if you've already been to WDW - it is definitely the superior version. Phantom Manor is okay - no improvement over WDW. Big Thunder Mountain is pretty good, but I don't think it's a significant improvement. There are plenty of differences, but the most noticeable one to me was the lack of detail you find at WDW.

I pretty much agree with this 100%. Space Mountain is just about the only thing worth going back for, otherwise, the time is better spent in Tuleries Gardens...

 

[Anal Annie]

I had figured either 1 day for each park or 1 & 1/2 days which is why I only wanted a 2 day pass. I just called DVC to ask about the breakfast and that is no longer included either!! They are QUICKLY losing any advantage they had to staying onsite except that the European hotels aren't as family friendly and the using points option. From what I've read many European hotels only sleep 2 per room and we have 1 DS that I don't want to have to get a 2nd room for. I know the point requirements are steep BUT I was also thinking that using points would cut down on some of our out-of-pocket expenses. Since we're doing this trip we won't be needing our points that summer for WDW so we may as well use them in Paris was my thinking. The cruise excursions are going to add up QUICKLY by the time we visit 7 ports and I know my budget will have to be tight!! I really want to hire a private guide / tour for Rome which will be some big bucks.

I wish I could plan more nights there BUT the cruise is 10 nights and we MAY tack on 1 more night at the end for some time in Barcelona (many of the return flights are early so I am afraid of making them on the day the cruise returns so may as well stay 1 more day). But so if we leave home on Fri. night we're already looking at about 15 nights...gotta have a cut-off somewhere!! Since we only have 1 day in each of our port cities I figured I'd have to treat Paris the same way. Take the train in & try to see the Champs Elysees, Arc De Triomphe, the Eiffle Tower etc. Just hit the highlights this time like we'll be doing in Rome & Naples.....

So much planning and only 1 year 9 months to do it in!!

 

[bwvBound]

Oh, do NOT short change your stay in Barcelona! I like at least two full days there each chance/reason I have to visit. It is a city of whimsy and I love going in with eyes of wonder ... makes me feel like a kid!

 

[Anal Annie]

Oh, do NOT short change your stay in Barcelona! I like at least two full days there each chance/reason I have to visit. It is a city of whimsy and I love going in with eyes of wonder ... makes me feel like a kid!

I wish we could do 3 weeks but we cannot. Will be lucky to pull off 14-15 nights!!! We first thought we'd go to Barcelona for 3 nights pre-cruise then I got the idea of going to DLP / Paris first and do Barcelona second... I went to Paris with my HS French class so I would love to go again. But I am getting more & more irritated with Disney so we shall see. Sigh. I have a LONG time to plan!!

 

[BigTigger]

Funny that I write this reply on 11/11, as most of my visits to DLP have been on this day as the French take it for a holiday and I have to find something to do when visiting for work for weeks that include this day. DL Paris is a full day park and has a lot of small differences than any other DL/MK's around the world (Cheshire Cat hedge, Snow White in French, Space Mountain is a Jules Verne experience, etc.). If you like the little things, it is worth the visit. It is also the most seasonal Disney park, so as the temperature gets colder, things close. I usually take the RER train out from central Paris for visits, but have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and offsite at this great Marriott resort nearby (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pardp-marriotts-village-dlle-de-france/). The Disneyland Hotel is worth experiencing once if your budget allows. Disney Studios is not a full day park and was included as a bonus visit on my one day ticket the last two visits in 2007 and 2008. I also showed my DVC card and got a 20% discount on my park pass, although it wasn't listed as a perk.

To answer your original question, I'd certainly visit Paris while you're in Europe, but as the poster above said, not at the expense of Barcelona. Barcleona is a great city and the only fault I can list is that the pick pockets are everywhere and you spend the time there with your hand on your wallet (especially during the warmer months when the gypsies are in the area). I'd rank the trip options as:

1) Cruise
2) Barcelona visit time
3) Paris visit time
4) DLP visit time

I'd only add #3 if you think you won't be able to visit Paris again anytime soon. I'd only add #4 if you really think 1 to 3 won't be enough excitement for one trip.

 

[Anal Annie]

Funny that I write this reply on 11/11, as most of my visits to DLP have been on this day as the French take it for a holiday and I have to find something to do when visiting for work for weeks that include this day. DL Paris is a full day park and has a lot of small differences than any other DL/MK's around the world (Cheshire Cat hedge, Snow White in French, Space Mountain is a Jules Verne experience, etc.). If you like the little things, it is worth the visit. It is also the most seasonal Disney park, so as the temperature gets colder, things close. I usually take the RER train out from central Paris for visits, but have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and offsite at this great Marriott resort nearby (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pardp-marriotts-village-dlle-de-france/). The Disneyland Hotel is worth experiencing once if your budget allows. Disney Studios is not a full day park and was included as a bonus visit on my one day ticket the last two visits in 2007 and 2008. I also showed my DVC card and got a 20% discount on my park pass, although it wasn't listed as a perk.

To answer your original question, I'd certainly visit Paris while you're in Europe, but as the poster above said, not at the expense of Barcelona. Barcleona is a great city and the only fault I can list is that the pick pockets are everywhere and you spend the time there with your hand on your wallet (especially during the warmer months when the gypsies are in the area). I'd rank the trip options as:

1) Cruise
2) Barcelona visit time
3) Paris visit time
4) DLP visit time

I'd only add #3 if you think you won't be able to visit Paris again anytime soon. I'd only add #4 if you really think 1 to 3 won't be enough excitement for one trip.

OK, well Europe (both Paris and Barcelona) are by-products of the Med cruise which we just booked. We will not be going to Europe at any other time so Paris / DLP is a do it now or forget it forever thing (as is Barcelona). We would like to see DLP while we are so close (on the same continent) so we can say we've been. We would not go to FL and not visit WDW nor would we go to LA and not go to Disneyland so... We've got a long time to plan I was just disappointed when I found out the nitty gritty truth about how Disney operates at DLP. I was trying to save some cash by using points & I honestly could give 2 hoots about the breakfast - I'm more peeved about this required purchase of the "length of stay" park tix. We would like stay at either the Sequoia Lodge or Newport Bay because the points are so high at the higher properties. Sigh.

Thanks much for the Marriott link - I'll check into it & see how much it would run us per night...in the end we'll likely end up "eating" the 3 days of extra cost on the park tix just to save on having to pay even more for a hotel. My rough estimate is that shore excursions on the cruise will run us somewhere between $3,000-4,000 so I'd like to save where I can and that just may mean biting the bullet on the points. This figure is of course in addition to the cost of the cruise and airfare...so the bottom line will be "up there".

DVC said I can't even book the DLP properties until about 5 months out so as time approaches & it comes time to purchase airfare we'll re-evaluate how many nights & where. I suppose IDEALLY we should try to do both Paris and Barcelona pre-cruise...I gotta find out more about the trains...

ETA the cheapest unit at this Marriott would be $254 Euros per night! That's like USD $380 a night!! Thanks for the reality check! Points it is!!

 

[MrShiny]

We stayed at Hotel New York on points last year. This was when they first changed the ticket policy, and yes, if you compare the 2007 to 2008 points charts you'll see there is a difference. Note if you stay on points you are required to buy park tickets for each day for each member of the party.

HNY was nice and a very short walk. Walking under the DLH to get into the park sure made me want to try that, though!

I think Sequoia is a short bus ride and Newport is a slightly longer walk (it's big, so it can be a long walk even once you are in the hotel!)

Breakfast was included at Hotel New York - very nice buffet. You also were let into Fantasyland an hour early, which was nice.

We spent a couple of nights in Paris too. We stayed at the Hotel des Bains in Montparnasse. Wonderful and VERY resonable hotel with family sized rooms. Absoultely fantastic neighborhood with a couple of Metro stops nearby. It looks like it runs about 90 Euro/night.

The RER train takes you from Paris to DLP in about 45 minutes - note is a commuter line, so it can get crowded at rush hours during the week. We took that out there for a pin trading night and dinner the day before we checked in to the Hotel New York.

Some highlights: dining in Toad Hall (a restaurant, not a ride - British style counter service), the steakhouse in the Disney Village - not that it was a fantastic steakhouse, but that it was themed to my hometown of Chicago (quite a shock to walk in and see an oil painting of the first Mayor Daley!), and of course the rides that are different - Pirates and Phantom Manor especially! We also really enjoyed the Buffalo Bill Wild West show - it of course has elements from every horse dinner show out three, but the historical bend and sheer number of animals and performers were great. MS had to book that for us (and they actually charged us too little in error, but honored the price!). We aren't the coaster type, but I've heard the Crush coaster at the Studios is cool. The park is beautiful - especially Fantasyland! Quite a treat to stand on the balcony of the castle! Casey Jr. is really zippy there too. The Studios are worth it just to see Cinemagique (not Animagique next door - that's just odd!)

Hope you have a great time! We did it as part of a massive European trip - Rome, Florence, Paris, London, Ireland. The train from DLP to London was very cool too! Direct from the resort to the newly renovated St. Pancras station in London.

You are going in August, so do check whatever site you are going too. August is a big vacation month in Europe, so things may be closed (although the more touristy things should not). Also note not all the hotels in DLP have air conditioning (NY and Newport do, not sure about Sequoia).

Do definitely do DLP. It is a very well designed park. The rides won't blow you away, but it is more detailed than the Americxan ones. Make sure you walk down the arcades behind Main Street and tour the Nautilus too!

 

[tink too]

i can holiday in florida for 2 weeks cheaper than 5 days at DLP

I have to agree there. It seems unbelievable that we can take a 9 hour flight and stay at WDW for 2 weeks for equal to (or often less than) a 2 hour flight to Paris and 1 week stay in DLP.

However, if this will be your once-in-a-lifetime chance to see DLP, if you can swing it at all, I'd try to fit it in. DLP's castle sure is pretty!

I know how you feel about the unfair exchange value of points because we have leftover points from this year that have to be used up BEFORE our next WDW vacation. I'm thinking of using them early next year at DLP as a surprise for our DD, but it definately won't work out as a cheap last minute getaway.

 

[Anal Annie]

Oh lookie at you tink, too - you have TWO DCL's coming up! This Med trip will be a HOOOGE blowout for us. DS will be 14 - about to enter high school so I'm hoping he'll be a fair age for it. I have stars in my eyes already with the planning!! LOL...I have a notebook that I'm using to put bits of info. in (like the hotel links that people give me etc.)

QUESTION about the trains... My one thought was that if the price is comparable AND if the schedule fits we could take the train from Paris to Barcelona...say overnight Tues nite. Would this be the SAME train that runs from London to Paris or is it something else? What is a Europass? I saw a link from Andrew Derek UK (on the cruise board) that had graphics of the cars available on some train but no pricing or schedules or anything. How do I find out more about the train?? Do they book early like flights or is it first come / first served??

tink, too - we did a surprise trip for DS's birthday present this past May - it was fun. Just 4 nights but I had such fun with the anticipation!!

 

[Sammie]

Oh lookie at you tink, too - you have TWO DCL's coming up! This Med trip will be a HOOOGE blowout for us. DS will be 14 - about to enter high school so I'm hoping he'll be a fair age for it. I have stars in my eyes already with the planning!! LOL...I have a notebook that I'm using to put bits of info. in (like the hotel links that people give me etc.)

QUESTION about the trains... My one thought was that if the price is comparable AND if the schedule fits we could take the train from Paris to Barcelona...say overnight Tues nite. Would this be the SAME train that runs from London to Paris or is it something else? What is a Europass? I saw a link from Andrew Derek UK (on the cruise board) that had graphics of the cars available on some train but no pricing or schedules or anything. How do I find out more about the train?? Do they book early like flights or is it first come / first served??

tink, too - we did a surprise trip for DS's birthday present this past May - it was fun. Just 4 nights but I had such fun with the anticipation!!

Eurostar is the train that takes you from London to Paris thru the Chunnel and it also goes to DLP. It does not go to Barcelona. But they do provide connections.

A Europass is a ticket that allows you multiple rides, something that someone that wanted to see Europe by train for an extended period of time would benefit from.

You get info about options from paris to barcelona here:

http://www.eurorailways.com/

http://www.raileurope.com/index.html

Trains prebook just like planes and this is an overnight train, and the occupany is 4 to a cabin, if you do not book a private cabin and there is 3 in your group you will be seperated by gender unless you can get a T3 cabin.

Unless you are very familar with this type of travel I recommend you consult a travel agent.

 

[MrShiny]

A pass only makes sense when exploring multiple countries. For Paris-Barcelona, you'd be better booking just those trains. A night train does save you the cost of a hotel night, but we found the berths in our second class couchette very uncomfortable! Also, if you have fewer than 4 people, you might share a compartment with strangers unless you pay for a private compartment. Note most trains can only be booked 60 days out. It looks like there is a direct night train from Paris to Barcelona, any many connections. Going to London would tale you out of your way. Also note that if you were doing a pass, going to England complicates things as British rail maintains a different system than the rest of Europe.

 

[Anal Annie]

Eurostar is the train that takes you from London to Paris thru the Chunnel and it also goes to DLP. It does not go to Barcelona. But they do provide connections.

A Europass is a ticket that allows you multiple rides, something that someone that wanted to see Europe by train for an extended period of time would benefit from.

You get info about options from paris to barcelona here:

http://www.eurorailways.com/

http://www.raileurope.com/index.html

Trains prebook just like planes and this is an overnight train, and the occupany is 4 to a cabin, if you do not book a private cabin and there is 3 in your group you will be seperated by gender unless you can get a T3 cabin.

Unless you are very familar with this type of travel I recommend you consult a travel agent.

Thank you Sammie for the links - those will be very helpful. The timing / schedule is perfect. We could have all day in Paris on Tues. and travel overnight to Barcelona & be there by like about 9 am. This would eliminate having to buy that day 5 of the park tix that was pissing me off so badly!! I'd just have to figure out what to do with the luggage - I'd assumed Bell Services would hold it for us if we checked out of our room on Tues. am? But I suppose being that it's Europe and nothing else works like it does in the US I'd better double check that huh!? LOL.

But now just to clarify...I didn't see a "T3" as an option on this Elipsos train. SO if we booked a T4 we'd be separated because we're only 3 people?? They would not put all of us together & leave 1 empty bed? DH & DS would be together with whoever & I would be shoved somewhere else? REALLY? We may as well book the reclining seats!! Surely they wouldn't be any worse than flying coach for 10 hours!? They would not separate us then would they? We cannot afford the "premier" thing...

Thank you again...do I really need a TA? LOL...isn't that what the DISboards are for??