Disneyland Express

[kevankiki]

Hi again, another question

We are travelling on the Eurostar to DLP in March and are booked on the 'Disneyland Express'. I understand that this means we can check in to our hotel on board and our luggage will be transferred to our hotel, leaving us to go straight to the park.

Has anyone else done this? How does it work exactly? Will it be a smooth operation or are we talking of queuing up to check in? When exactly does check-in take place so that I can plan the packing accordingly... There are some things that we may need on the journey for instance that we don't want to take to the park if possible. If I know in advance when luggage will be taken from us then I can plan what we have with us accordingly.

Finally, how does this work on the return journey? Will there be some kind of fray to collect luggage at the station when we return from the park to catch the Eurostar?

Many thanks for any guidance that anyone can give

 

[Iain Chapman]

Hi,

The Eurostar service works great!.

During the journey Disney staff come along the train and give you an enevlope containing your park tickets, hotel paperwork etc etc - and a handful of coloured tags. The tags is made up of 3 sections. Each needs section needs you name (from memory).

During this visit they complete any check in stuff with you.

The coloured tags you attach to your luggage - when you get off the train at Marne-la-Vallee, you then (sadly) need to get your luggage up to the top of the building where you will find the Disney Express service.

NOTE: The Disney Express service, can obviously be a bit of rush as the the majority of the train will now hand for this area.

Tear off a section of the tag and keep it safe (it's designed to allow this) - You hand the Express team the luggage (the coloured tag indicates the hotel you are staying at), and they arrange for your luggage to be transported to your hotel.

When you finally get to your hotel later in the day - go to the checkin desk, to collect your 'keys' etc - then visit the luggage room. Hand them the section of the tag you kept - and they will retrieve your luggage - then you need to cart it to your room.

When you leave (never leave), you simply take your luggage (tags included again) back to the luggage room - again tear off the next section of the tag and keep it safe. They arrange for it to be transported back to the Disney Express desk at the Train Station - where you can pick it up from later that day - in time for the train.

When you get to the train station, head for the Express service (top floor) - hand them the part of the tag you kept - they give you the bags, and on the same floor you enter Eurostar Departures.

I think that covers it!.

Enjoy!

 

[Cyrano]

We've never used Eurostar and Disney Express but that is a great explanation that we would love to be able to try out

 

[kevankiki]

Wow, thanks Iain, what a helpful reply! So, it seems like we can 'dump' as much stuff in our luggage as we need to before saying goodbye to it

How much extra time would you allow to get from the park and collect luggage, before checking in on the return?

Our train is at 18:46 if I remember right, what time should we be leaving the park in order to allow plenty of time?

 

[Ware Bears]

Although we don't use the Express luggage service, we always aim to be at Eurostar Departures for 5.20-5.30pm. This gives us plenty of time to go through the checks and the train is there waiting for you to board and settle down. I am sure some people safely leave it until later but I personally hate rushing so feel happier with allowing that amount of time.

 

[jillrobinson]

Iain's explanation is spot on we used it last time and will do when we go in March, we had absolutely superb service - I can't fault it and wouldn't hesitate recommending it - for me it was far more enjoyable and less time consuming than when we flew.

Your luggage is kept with (near) you at all times on the Eurostar, when you get off the train you take the escalator or lift upto the top floor of the station and you can sort out there what you want to take or leave, for instance our boys had their gameboys/books etc., for the journey but I packed them into the suitcases before leaving them at the Disney desk. I assume but I might be wrong that the items would have to be packed into holdalls, cases etc. Each of the hotels has it's own Express desk, all different colours to match the tags you've been given "Santa Fe" for instance was red.

We didn't have any problems collecting the luggage on departure, we arrived about an hour before departure - check in on Eurostar is only 30 mins, I probably wouldn't leave it that late in case there is a bit of a rush.

Hope this helps, have a fantastic time.

 

[kevankiki]

Sounds great! I love the fact that you can dump things in your case at the last minute as we are bound to have magazines and possibly left over snacks that we just don't want to lug into the park

So, if we aimed to leave the park at 4.30pm we'd get to the train station by 5pm and have plenty of time to collect luggage and check in, or could we leave a bit later than that?

When I looked on the Eurostar website (just because I'm sad and like to see how much we have saved by booking so far in advance ) I saw no mention of this service, and I don't think I've seen it mentioned in any brochure either, is it something only offered by Disneyland Direct - which is who we are booked with through a travel agent.

 

[Iain Chapman]

One further thing to add - try and get on the train as quick/early as you can.

IMHO the Eurostar trains really where not designed for having a truck-load of holiday makers, complete with holiday luggage.

All luggage either has to be stored in the luggage racks (located at one end of the carriage, or in the connection area between carriages) - or in the over-head storage shelfs. My experience is that the luggage racks are not big enough to hangle the luggage (suitcases) for passengers within the carriage - somehow it all fits and no-ones got luggage in the way however.

The trains (IMHO) where really design for the business traveller - whereby he/she had a light overnight bag and briefcase still thing - carriages full of holiday makers with large cases just don't seem to be catered for....

If you've a light traveller, then you'll have no problem

Just my opinion....

 

[kevankiki]

Thanks for that Iain. I have actually been on the Eurostar once before myself, last summer my Mother and I went to Bruges for the weekend, and I remember we had to fight for luggage space . I should imagine it's alot worse when there will be families travelling to DLP on this train.

We plan to take a large holdall on wheels, plus maybe a smaller holdall for extras, since we are only going for a few days but I will take your comments on board (excuse pun ) and we will aim to get there early.

Every time I post on this board I am reminded how much longer we have to wait, we are just so excited I must have read the DLP site countless times, and I've looked at the food site I saw posted on here somewhere... Is there anything else I could do to quench my thirst for just being on our way there?

 

[Cyrano]

Is there anything else I could do to quench my thirst for just being on our way there?

How about the trip reports or your favourite photograph thread

 

[kevankiki]

Great idea on the trip reports - where will I find 'photograph threads' though?

 

[Cyrano]

Photo thread as if by magic Annette

 

[kevankiki]

If you mean 'Post your favourite photo' Cyrano then I think I found it without looking

 

[dennis99ss]

I am thinking of heading over for a short visit next time I am over. This is a great thread. From what I understand, the station is at the entrance to the parks. Is this right?

Also, following up on a question posed above, to store the bag with the hotel, do you have to book through a certain place, or are there arrangements to be made when you make the hotel booking.

Finally, where is the Waterloo station

 

[Cyrano]

Hi dennis99ss and welcome to DLP DIS board We are a friendly bunch so glad that you joined in.

Please start any new threads if you have other questions.

I am thinking of heading over for a short visit next time I am over. This is a great thread. From what I understand, the station is at the entrance to the parks. Is this right?

Also, following up on a question posed above, to store the bag with the hotel, do you have to book through a certain place, or are there arrangements to be made when you make the hotel booking.

Finally, where is the Waterloo station

Yes station is right beside park.
Bags can be left at the hotel if you have not booked Disney Express.
Waterloo station is in London.

 

[Ware Bears]

So, if we aimed to leave the park at 4.30pm we'd get to the train station by 5pm and have plenty of time to collect luggage and check in, or could we leave a bit later than that?

I think you would be OK to leave the park at 5pm. Because we book independently we can't use the Express service so we always (I say always, I have only been twice! ) leave at 5pm, then collect our cases from Guest Storage and get to the station at about 5.20-5.30pm depending on how long the queue at Guest Storage is.

When I looked on the Eurostar website (just because I'm sad and like to see how much we have saved by booking so far in advance ) I saw no mention of this service, and I don't think I've seen it mentioned in any brochure either, is it something only offered by Disneyland Direct - which is who we are booked with through a travel agent.

Its offered by Disney themselves and some other tour operators but not all.

 

[kevankiki]

Elaine, thanks for that, I assume by 'Guest storage' you mean something other than we will be using. So, we can leave the park at 5pm, head straight for the station, pick up our luggage and then be ready to check in for the Eurostar - all without having to rush?

Wow, another half an hour in the park, can't be bad!

We used a travel agent and they booked through DL Direct as they claimed it was the cheapest. We paid £475 for 3 nights at the Cheyenne, including unlimited park entry and the Eurostar, + Kimbee + counts as an adult so effectively this was for two adults (though her fare may have been slightly reduced on the Eurostar).

Okay, maybe we could have got it down a bit, but we were happy with the total

 

[Ware Bears]

Elaine, thanks for that, I assume by 'Guest storage' you mean something other than we will be using. So, we can leave the park at 5pm, head straight for the station, pick up our luggage and then be ready to check in for the Eurostar - all without having to rush?

Wow, another half an hour in the park, can't be bad!

Annette, I would say you are quite safe to stay in the park until 5pm. We put our cases in Guest Storage which is just to the right as you enter the Disneyland Park. In case anyone else is interested they will take bags for storage, including huge suitcases for a cost of 2.50 Euros per item. The amount of time it takes for us to collect our bags should equal the amount of time you will spend collecting yours at the station. Definitely worth having that extra half hour in the park!!!

but we were happy with the total

At the end of the day that's all that matters!!!

 

[jillrobinson]

I assume the service is available from most tour operators, we went with Leger last time, which I booked myself and our next visit is with Cresta through travel agents - but I've seen it mentioned in other brochures as well - Thomson, Thomas Cook etc.

 

[Idroveallnight]

I'm very glad my mom (grannywishes) found this! We will be visiting London/Paris soon and we have so many questions that we don't know which to ask! So we will keep reading!!