Disney Paris - The Condensed Review

[amazon]

Pros: Quick and easy to get to from the UK via CDG airport.
No problems at CDG arrivals and quick exit to the VEA bus terminal.
Very good TGV service from CDG Disney and back.
Very good and free 54 shuttle bus service from hotels to park and back.
Very good Dream Castle Hotel accommodation, (looks the best there) although much better child play facilities in My Travel Explorers next door.
Planet Hollywood probably the best for food and entertainment.
Cafe Micky best for character meets and the foods not bad either.
Best attraction for entertainment - Motor Action Stunt Show in Studio.
and that's pretty much it really...


Cons: Very expensive. Be prepared to get ripped off for everything you buy.
Be prepared to Queue for everything, unless you get there early or late.
Don't expect friendly chat while you Queue from our continental cousins.
Do expect Queue jumpers and close quarter contact.
Don't count on the sun shining.
Most rides just aren't worth the long wait.
Not enough rides to make the trip and the expense worthwhile
Park and lands are very small compared to US originals.
Poor value for money.
Walts - bad food, bad service and charged for items not received. Got 10 euro off bill.
If this is a holiday, why would you want to spend 90% of it standing in a Queue.

Conclusion: Well, don't go to DLP, go to WDW Florida.



(.)

 

[milomummy]

Guess you didn't like it much then?

 

[amazon]

When you have been to WDW Florida and enjoyed all it has to offer and the rest... There's just no comparison.

 

[Happy Tappy]

The Disneyland park in Paris is the biggest Magic Kingdom that Disney have made.

It's a shame that you look at the price of everything. There are cheap ways to do Disney, last November I went for 3 nights and stayed in the Santa Fe with 2 of my siblings. It only cost us £85 each (hotel & flights) and then £70 for the annual passes. I took £150 spending money and came home with change.

Queue jumping isn't as bad as people make out and I've found that French people are generally lovely people. Why wouldn't they be?

I agree DLP isn't as good as WDW, but nothing is. Most people just visit the resort for a couple of days. If you go with reasonable expectations most people have a wonderful time.

It's a shame that you don't seem to have enjoyed your trip.

 

[Bexx]

When you have been to WDW Florida and enjoyed all it has to offer and the rest... There's just no comparison.

I respectfully have to disagree with this!! I love both places

 

[tigger300686]

Shame you didnt like it, i dont fink you can compare them tho really.i love dlp-and i really like the size as it managable - its just a different experience, i dont fink it would be very good if they had everything the same at every park.its a different country therefore it should have a different feel to fit that culture

 

[DLPdaft]

The comparison surely depends on so many factors though.

As an adult, I prefer WDW - but mostly because there are so many other attractions to go see as well in the vicinity.

But taking my 5-year old daughter - I prefer DLP, because its much kinder on little legs, and the less-than-one-hour flight is a lot less fractious than 9 hours on a plane to WDW.

I don't think getting to and staying at DLP is expensive - even with just one adult and one child (so paying underoccupancy), I've paid no more than about £310 total (and a fair bit less for our trip coming up in October) for flights, a Disney onsite hotel and park tickets for 3 glorious days of fun and magic moments.

The pushing and shoving that goes on around the characters for photographs and autographs is my one gripe about DLP - but as its been going on there for 15 years now, I guess thats not about to change anytime soon.

The time of year you go obviously has an effect of queue times etc, and thats why I don't think I could ever take my daughter there in the height of the season - we'd both be a tad grumpy at having to queue for anything longer than about 20 minutes.

DLP isn't a perfect magical place, but for my little girl, it comes very very close

Elaine

 

[BRobson]

I respectfully have to disagree with this!! I love both places

me too!

 

[dwheaton]

We visited Disneyland Paris last year and faced virtually zero lines. The Disney Studios is not exciting. I actually found the Stunt Show to be really boring and the Armageddon Show to be pretty dumb.

However, I think the Magic Kingdom park is wonderful. It includes:

- a technologically advanced pirates ride with several drops, great animatronics, and stunning scenery
- Phantom Manor, which takes the haunted mansion template and delivers an even-better experience
- The best Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain rides in existence
- An excellent fantasyland, with a great small world and peter pan
- A stunning castle, with a dragon beneath it too!
- a larger Buzz Lightyear with better technology and effects - awesome!

We only spent one day at DLP, and I really wish we'd scheduled 2 or even 3 days. It was a great place, and I'd love to go back someday. The people there were friendly and happy, and actually not as rude as some Florida guests. I will say that some cast members were not friendly, but it wasn't anything too bad.

 

[bavaria]

I respectfully have to disagree with this!! I love both places

Ditto. And a reminder to me why I have mostly stopped reading reviews here!

I suspect that if one goes expecting to be disappointed, one WILL be disappointed.

There are many things at DLRP which are superior to the American parks, including the food choices, quality and pricing of food, several of the attractions, etc.

Different does not equate 'bad', but often it appers that posters who are disappointed are the ones who look at the differences between the parks as a negative.

We had a wonderful time a few weeks ago. We didn't blame anyone for the lack of sunshine (and it doesn't shine for most of the summer in Florida either). We had very few waits for attractions. We enjoyed the rides which are better than their American cousins. The Magic Kingdom at DLRP is the largest of all the Disney parks, so I don't understand how one can claim it to be very small compared to the US originals.

Sorry that you didn't enjoy yourself - I did, as always.

 

[A Small World]

We also love both parks (WDW and DLP) but find them both very different.

We first visited WDW about 15 yrs ago and have been holidaying in France every year for about 16 years. We loved both types of holiday but couldnt bring ourselves to visit DLP as we couldnt imagine Disney in France.
We visited DLP for the first time last year and are now hooked. We've been twice since and have another trip planned for next year. My only regret is not discovering it sooner.

Yes there are things which we prefer about WDW but also lots which we prefer about DLP.

We try not to compare but I prefer the DLP weather (I have memories of queuing for Dumbo for an hour in 90 degree heat)

Also at the end of a busy day in the park I love being able to walk back to the hotels and be there in 20 minutes. No queuing for the ferry or monorail that takes you to the transportation centre then catching either the bus to your hotel or tram to your car lot.

 

[Cyrano]

I suspect that if one goes expecting to be disappointed, one WILL be disappointed.

Absolutely

 

[amazon]

I joined this forum to gain inside info before my DLP trip and with few exceptions, it is very good at doing just that. These are my own personal opinions and experiences and I do not expect to gain any support here. During my visit to DLP I spoke to several Brits who have been to both parks and they had very similar views to mine. Queues were very long and the food over priced and over rated as was the merchandise. To visit DLP in the cheap off peak colder months just to avoid the queues is not something I would want to do. I admit the food is no better in WDW, but overall I found everything much better value and was operated in a more polished and professional way. I also found Americans are friendly and approachable especially to Brits, although occasionally a little eccentric. Don't get me wrong, I found the French very accommodating, in fact I am about to take French language lessons. I would not wish to see DLP closed and spoil your fun, I just wont be going there again. Sorry if I'm a miss fit on this excellent site, its just that for me, DLP ain't WDW.

 

[BRobson]

I visited this forum to gain inside info before my DLP trip and with few exceptions, it is very good at doing just that. These are my own personal opinions and experiences and I do not expect to gain any support here. During my visit to DLP I spoke to several Brits who have been to both parks and they had very similar views to mine. Queues were very long and the food over priced and over rated as was the merchandise. To visit DLP in the cheap off peak colder months just to avoid the queues is not something I would want to do. I admit the food is no better in WDW, but overall I found everything much better value and was operated in a more polished and professional way. I also found Americans are friendly and approachable especially to Brits, although occasionally a little eccentric. Don't get me wrong, I found the French very accommodating, in fact I am about to take French language lessons. I would not wish to see DLP closed and spoil your fun, I just wont be going there again. Sorry if I'm a miss fit on this excellent site, its just that for me, DLP just ain't WDW.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions - it would be a sad world if you were not ! I have been to WDW and DLP many times and did compare the two - it is hard not to. WDW is my first choice but for us as a family it is cheaper and easier to get to DLP.

I appreciate DLP for what it is - a beautiful park with many rides which outshine their WDW counterparts. The counter service food is theme park food the world over - overpriced! WDW and DLP are both guilty of this but it is something you accept with a Disney holiday.

DLP is not for everyone - but I love it

 

[Orion33]

I class myself as lucky as I have only ever been to DLP therefore never feel I am "missing out" or that i need to compare, what is the point going somewhere to pick holes or look for the better or the worse? Bit like going on a date and spending the entire evening listing how they don't match up to your ex!!! that's not good grounding to build a relationship on let's face it. WDW is way off budget for a few years for me, but oddly i have no desire to go to WDW. I have a magical time at DLP and i know no different!

Some people feel they are bombarded with Disney and it's all one big merchandise spin. Hello, you are going to Disneyland-they are hardly going to fill their shops with Eiffel Tower models, I love Paris T Shirts or anything that doesn't relate to Disney. Also you don't have to buy anything-i have been 4 times and never come back with anything but photos and memories! I love to look at the stuff in a "ah wow look at this way" but generally I'm not there to shop.

It is called Disney "Land" because it's a whole other world away from life, full of Disney it's magic you can be a child again no matter what your age and that's what you expect surely. It would be like going to Legoland and going "Honestly what's with all the Lego".

If you eat at 1 restaurant and it's not good you cannot judge the rest of the place on it, would be like going to London, having a meal that wasn't up to scratch and going the food in London is awful!!!

Disney is what you get out of it personally and if it's not for you why waste your time telling people who adore the place it's rubbish. It is an ever growing trend-people always phone a business to complain they never phone to say oh thankyou your srvice was great-it's always easier to find the negative why is that??? If you look up hotel reviews on Expedia for Disneyland i tell you, you would never want to stay there ever!!! People get a bad experience they feel passionate enough to spread the word!!! If they love it they happily go back but don't feel the need to tell people they just do it.

No I fully appreciate Disney isn't for everyone this isn't me firing off at one persons opinion as a fair few people have posted here to say similar so don't take it personally but, In the great words of Thumpers dad "If you can't say something nice...."

 

[bavaria]

Conclusion: Well, don't go to DLP, go to WDW Florida.

I am all for sharing opinions, but telling people not to go to Disneyland Paris based on one's own personal experience is not the same as sharing an experience.

OP, you decided not to go again. Good for you - you are following up on your impressions and made a decision.

But by coming here and telling people on a Disneyland Paris forum NOT to go to Disneyland Paris because YOU didn't enjoy it will garner some feedback. I would rather encourage others to form their own opinion, and decide for themselves whether or not to go.

 

[bells]

Hi we have just got back from DLP we have been to WDW twice so wasnt sure what to make of DLP on the whole we were really impressed we travelled by Eurostar and stayed at the cheyenne.... It was good after a busy day at the park to get back to your hotel quickly. The main thing that spoiled the disney magic that WDW has, is the complete free for all where the characters are concerned the ones in main street were ok but the rest was terrible, kids just pushing and holding autograph books up Also at WDW the characters seemed to appear so much more in fact when we went to the studios in DLP we didnt see one which was a real shame. On the whole we didnt find any que jumping . Some of the rides we found better at DLP like Pirates and BTM but the rock and rollercoaster was no way as good you get a much better build up at WDW. Had a few meals at Planet Hollywood and the service was fantastic there was 22 of us and every meal was served up together and each one was lovely.
On the whole I do think WDW is better but for a short break DLP gives you that Disney magic we all crave

 

[wendybird7]

amazon, i totally respect your opinion, DLP (like every holiday) is not for everyone, possibly particularly if you are used to WDW which is probably the platinum Disney experience (I have never been).

However, DLP is a younger park. WDW, in my opinion, has had the chance to learn more, and of course expand more. It's my opinion that in 20 years time, DLP will be bigger and have better service and maybe even prices than WDW. Dependent on exchange rates of course.

DLP at the moment is not designed for 2 week holiday. WDW is. In my opinion, the service at DLP is on the whole pretty great, and the queues and weather you are describing, well they cannot really be helped. I used to go to DLP in high peak times. Now I could not face it - the queues and crowds just annoy me too much. However, even in peak times, we avoided the queues and went to shows and quiet rides during the day, and used fastpass, and done the big rides at night. It just takes a couple of trips to get used to.

Sorry you didn't have a great time, however hopefully in a few years you might reconsider revisiting....at a quieter time...

 

[princess_tigerlily86]

Now for my own conclusion:
go to disneyland paris if you love it as much as i do. if you do not then thats ok, just don't go!

i go because its magical, its exciting, i LOVE the rides (POTC, BTM, RNRC, SM to name but a few!) its a great trip to share with ur partner/friends/family. it is a little expensive in some areas (not necessarily over priced tho) but in most areas its worth it. if u want to treat urself theres some classy restaurants, if ur on a shoe string theres annette's/billy bobs etc etc. and more than anything its suuuuuper fun!

lots of love from a BIG dlp princess
xxxx

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

you really cant compare the both parks IMO.

Im looking forward (now lol) to my visit to DLP, and im promising myself not to compare it do WDW.

If youve got nothing nice to say why bother saying it all.