Dianeyland Paris

[TraciMcRee]

I called member services today because my family is interested in going to DL Paris next June. There are 6 in my family and we will need 2 rooms.

When I called they told me that they do not have 2003 points yet and that I should keep trying to call back. Huh?

There is an 11 month window for making reservations and I will call again at the end of July....but what if they don't have the points by then? Then what do I do?

We are thinking that we will stay at the Newport hotel. Hopefully we can get connecting rooms. Does anyone have any experience with Paris?

I was wondering if anyone else had been to DL Paris and if they could either reply here or a PM. My e-mail is mcree_tnt@hotmail.com

Thank you

 

[larry_poppins]

Disneyland Paris is the weak link in all of the Member Services exchanges.

As of right now they only have points through the beginning of November 2002. I keep questioning them "How can that be?" THere answer: DLP is a very different organization. THey don't want to think about or plan for the future. RIght now they are working on their busy summer season and that is it!

From past experience this happened last year as well. The points finally came out in late August I believe for points being used until 11/2002.

I am planning a trip to DLP for Christmas 2002. I am hoping to use points.

The last time I was in DLP was 1993. I stayed at the Hotel Santa Fe. I am sure a lot has changed in ten years. If you have any questions feel free to ask. The Disneyland Paris park is very beautiful. I am not expecting much from the Studio park, but it looks like a pleasant way to kill an afternoon since passes are included.

Sincerely,

Larry

 

[Candace]

We stayed at the Newport in summer of 95. Great hotel, great location - you can walk right to the parks. Staying on points also includes park passes for your party. The rooms were nice size - kinda like those at the Beach Club at WDW. They were also very Americanized. We had been touring Europe for a couple of weeks when we got there, and my son was so glad to have American pillows again! LOL! We took the train straight to DLP from Paris which was wonderful - arriving right there on property. When we were there, there was only the main park and an area called Festival Disney which was similar to Downtown Disney. We ate there a lot more than we did at the hotel. We really enjoyed our stay there and I look forward to returning someday to see the new Studios. Europe is so expensive, so to me it was a good use of points, esp. with park admission included. My only complaint is the smokers; there really is not much non-smoking areas in restaurants, etc. That's all over europe, though, not just at DLP. Have a great trip!

 

[lsutigger]

I am also interested in DL Paris. We're planning, well ok maybe just me, a trip for a milestone birthday in 2004. Am very interested in any and all info. I was thinking of staying at DL Paris for more days (1 or 2) longer than we'll do parks and take the train into Paris on the days we want to see sights in Paris. Is this a good plan? Thought maybe of staying Sun-thur and going into Paris a couple of days.
Thanks for the info ..... And how many days away is it??!!

 

[mira2]

We visited Disneyland Paris in May 2002 and found it to be a good experience. We did not use points for this trip. The weather is so much different than Florida. It was springtime in Paris but it was like being in WDW Florida in January. We found some things we liked better than WDW Florida, but overall WDW Florida is still the jewell of the three Disney resorts we have visited. Would be happy to anwer any questions for those who might be going.

 

[vernon]

I've made two trips to DLP, stayed at the Sequoia Lodge and Hotel New York. Both were reasonable hotels,I prefered the ambiance at Sequoia. You will find Hotels in Europe are smaller than in the US. I would compare the hotels at DLP to "moderates" at WDW. The Newport has a themeing similar to the Y+B. The Disneyland Hotel is the top class offering, it's above and around the entrance to the park and many of the rooms offer a view straight down "Main street USA" for a one night stay it's probably worth the extra points to stay there, for more than 3 nights it starts racking up a little, IMHO.

If you are travelling from London to DLP, the best way to go is to take the Eurostar train via the channel tunnel. The train station is 100 yards from the park with the resorts 200 yards away in the opposit direction. There is a luggage service at the station that will take your bags to your hotel if you wish to go straight to the park, but if your staying on DVC points you'll need to check into your hotel in order to collect your passes.

IMHOI the deal at DLP is an ok deal for 2 people, a reasonable one for 3 and a pretty good one for 4. It includes park tickets for 2 days on a one night stay and 3 days for a 2 night stay etc as well as a very nice continental style buffet breakfast.

You can book a sightseeing tour from the hotels and you are taken by coach into central Paris, a trip up the Eiffel Tower some time at Notre Dame Cathedral and a boat trip along the Seine. I think it's a reasonable tour if you haven't been to Paris before as it will give you a brief covering on some of the major sights and some information should you choose to do a further day on your own exploring things that appeal to you. If you only have one day to "sightsee" I think this is a more efficient way to cover Paris, if you have two days taking this tour first will help you plan your second day better than "winging it" JMHO.

 

[TraciMcRee]

Thank you all for the replies!

I am not near as excited about going to DLP as my husband and children are.

I'm sure that we will have fun! We plan to stay Sun - Fri at a Newport and stay 6 more days somewhere traveling across Europe.

Should we sightsee Europe before our trip to DLP or after?

Has anyone else done this before?

 

[lsutiggeratwk]

Great questions Traci, folks can you help us out?
There is so much to learn about before going abroad, glad I'm getting an early start on this.
Thanks Vernon for your responses.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Sorry, just another tease! I had to open this because I wanted to go to DIANEyland Paris!

 

[DisneyMeMa]

We visited DLP 7+ years ago. We were staying in Paris near the Eiffel Tower, so I can't tell you about the DLP hotels. All Paris museums are closed one day - I think its Tuesdays - so we took the train to DLP for the day. If I recall correctly, it only took about 1 hour to get there. A couple of things I do recall are it was September and it was COLD by WDW standards. We wore jeans and jackets, and I would have welcomed mittens and earmuffs. As others have stated, it is a beautiful park, but not very large. We only stayed 4 or 5 hours. I'm sure it has expanded, and it has added the studios. If you plan to go into Paris, and I assume you do, I would highly recommend the tourist guides published by Michelin. The Michelin guides not only tell you about points of interest, but days and times of operation. Obviously, you don't want to plan a day trip to the Louve, only to find out upon arrival that the museums are closed that one day during your visit. Enjoy your trip and try the popcorn...

 

[jeanneg]

We just returned from DP less than 2 weeks ago. It was supposed to be the highlight of our 2 weeks in France but ended up being a HUGE disappointment. My husband and I were there in April '92 (opening month) and back then it had alot of kinks to work out. This was our first time back in 10 years and we brought our 4 kids (ages 17 thru 22). Well, guess what, they still don't know how to create the "magic" They have a serious problem with crowd management and there's a definite lack of "queue" ettiquette. Luckily, it was not very crowded when we went as schools in Europe were not yet out. I hate to think of what it would be like when they get up to capacity. The new Studios Park is a total bust......very few attractions and most of them are shows which run on a limited schedule.
We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel which is truly gorgeous and probably the nicest thing there. Our passes were included as well as a very elaborate "continental" breakfast. We did not use points, but got a very good rate with our Disney Club membership. Although we paid only the base rate, I know we had upgraded room.....they were really huge and had verandas.
The room our kids were in had 2 queen sized beds and a full size pullout sofa. It's probably not allowed, but you could comfortably accommodate 6. My husband and I had an adjoining room with a king sized bed. It all cost alot less than a similiar room in Orlando would.
Food at DP is extremely expensive and not very good. It's probably a good idea to eat a hearty breakfast and pick up a snack or two during the day and have just one other big meal. Lunch is less expensive than dinner, but the parks closed early when we were there so we preferred not to waste time with a sit-down lunch and ended up eating at either Disney Village (like
WDW's marketplace) or one of the hotels.
Transportation from Paris is easy. We took the train from Paris (it was about $6/adult and less for my 2 children under 18) Going back to the airport, we took the shuttle bus from the hotel for $14/person (I think the child's fare was for ages 11 and under).
Hopefully, this answers some of your questions. If there's anything else you can think of just holler.

 

[shelly3girls]

We spent 10 days in France, Sept. '00. Although we did not stay on site, but we did enjoy DLP for a day. From what I remember, the train ride was atleast 1/2 hour from Paris to the park, although it was very convenient. I would say as long as you don't mind the time, the Metro is very convenient to go from DLP into the city for sightseeing. I don't know if any of your children are of stroller age, but I would highly suggest a backpack instead. It is quite difficult to get around on the tours with a stroller. Manly places in Paris do not allow strollers. We did a great deal of research before going to Paris, so I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
I would highly recommend a day at Versaille. It was the best part of our whole trip. We even found a private tour that picked us up at our hotel that did not cost much more than a group tour. It was fabulous! There are several bus tours that travel around Paris. You jump on at any stop, get off at any stop, buses arrive about every 1/2 hour. This was a fabulous way to see the city if you have never been there.

 

[shelly3girls]

Oh yeah, the lines were very long when we were there. Also, the food was not very good in the park. Lastly, go to the Louvre very early! The line was over 2 hours long to get in by the time we got there about 1 hour after it opended. Fortunately a security guard saw us with our 18-month-old and said that babies don't stand in line. He walked us to the front door past HUNDREDS of people and escorted us to the ticket booth. We received similar treatment everywhere we went in Paris b/c of my DD.

 

[shelly3girls]

Oh yeah, the lines were very long when we were there. Also, the food was not very good in the park. Lastly, go to the Louvre very early! The line was over 2 hours long to get in by the time we got there about 1 hour after it opended. Fortunately a security guard saw us with our 18-month-old and said that babies don't stand in line. He walked us to the front door past HUNDREDS of people and escorted us to the ticket booth. We received similar treatment everywhere we went in Paris b/c of my DD.

 

[Mooobooks]

I have been to Disneyland Paris on three different occasions: twice in the first few years it opened and then two years ago.
When I first went it was disappointing because there seemed to be so little to do--barely a day. It was also cloudy and cold as it is on many days in Paris, and so there were no lines. Well, when you can walk on every ride, and you have no urge to linger and walk around, it goes pretty quickly.
My recent visit (2 days out of a 14 day honeymoon) was an entirely different experience. We went in September, which is the rainy season. BUT, it was sunny and 80 degrees every day. What beautiful weather, and we had no trouble keeping busy in the park for the entire two days. Lots more to do, and a truly stunning park to walk around in and enjoy. Had a terrible meal in the restaurant in Pirates of the Caribbean--the worst in any Disney park. Other than that, it was wonderful. Many of the rides and attractions in Paris actually improve on those in the US.
The train from Paris takes about 35 minutes.
And, as already mentioned in another post, do NOT miss Versaille!!!!!!

 

[Scott H]

We are also frustrated about the points for 2003. ( call about every week) Just a note I have noticed the points are usually available before they are posted on the web site. We want to stay at the Disneyland Hotel for three nights in January prior to our trip to Tanzania. This will break up a very long flight.

Thanks to one and all for the great tips.

Any hints on transport from CDG to DLP. I understand there is a shuttle bus.

 

[mira2]

Scott H... your ? regarding De Gaulle airport.
Please prepare yourself for some frustration and don't let it ruin your day. We were there in May 2002, maybe it was our lack of
experience but we found that airport to be very frustrating.
Breifly, when we landed and parked on the tarmac (?) a shuttle bus picked us up and took us to a building where we picked up our luggage. Then you get on another shuttle with all your bags and are transported to a terminal building where you can get ground transportation. Of course the Disney shuttle is not near
where they drop you off at the terminal. So we go through the terminal with all bags in tow to the Disney Shuttle. The Disney bus was nice and the driver very courteous. The trip from De Gaulle took about an hour, 30 minutes driving around the airport and 30 minutes of pleasant French countryside. The cost was 14.00 per person.
On your return flight, be sure to allow a full 3 hrs from Disney to
De Gaulle. You will need it. After 10 AM the traffic jams were
terrible and you think you are not going to make it. We could not use the shuttle on our return because it did not run early enough. We took a taxi and it cost us 90.00.

De Gaulle was not a good experience but Disnyland Paris was
great. Have fun.

 

[Revtel]

Been to DLP twice this year on points.

The Newport Bay Club is the furthest from the park and by far the largest. Second time around, we went to the New York which was a great improvement. Definitely worth a few extra points.

Food and especially drinks all around DLP is very expensive. The new park, Disney Studios, has a long way to go still.

Generally, DLP is not a bad option, but cannot begin to compare with the value for points at WDW.

Worth a visit, though, but be prepared to be disappointed, particularly if you are accustomed to Florida hospitality.

 

[Scott H]

Mira2,

Thanks much, the good thing is we will be traveling very light. (limited to 33 pounds each due to little planes in Africa) We do have an early flight from CDG to JRO. We have reservation for the night before this flight to stay at a hotel before this flight and the night before we fly back to the states.

Anyone know if we could ship some things from Disneyland Paris home.

Also are any of you folks shareholders in DLP. Yes I know too well it is in the drink. There is a shareholders club with some pretty good benefits. Found it on the Disney Web site and followed the links to DLP.