DLP is a Disney Bargain even for Brits

[davewasbaloo]

I thought you might be interested on my recent study. 6 days in DLP on a fairly luxury budget is 103% cheaper to brits than a similar WDW experience. And Disneyland in California is 12% cheaper than WDW. So if you are making plans, you might find this quite interesting:

http://intobserver.blogspot.com/

 

[Bexx]

I've just seen that you have posted this on the Trip Planning boards and I can promise you that most people on there will disagree with you - because they all lurrrrvvve WDW and think DLP is comparatively rubbish!!! Don't understand that myself!

I've done, much rougher, costings myself, and found similar sorts of results in DLP's favour, when comparing onsite hotels. Plus, as wideeyes said, the airfare to Florida can be horrendous, whereas we have the budget airlines and the option of driving or taking the train to DLP which all help us to find the most reasonable price

 

[disneyangel]

I am not sure where the people on the trip planning forum book flights to be able to make WDW and DLRP comparable.

We found our last trip to DLRP a bit more expensive because of the exchange rate but as Bexx says with budget airlines and hotels and annual passes DLRP is a much cheaper option for us and although I'd like to go to WDW I still forsee spending much more time in DLRP

 

[Rachie B]

I am not tempted by WDW to be honest

have been once,when i was about 13 and yes it was fab

but with my own children ( 12 and 6)we are loving DLRP at the moment

the thing with WDW, is that you need at least 2 weeks there dont you ?
and more often than not you need a holiday when you get back! lol

we can only go during school hols,and i wouldnt want to go in the summer hols !! also hubby doesnt really want to take 2 weeks + off work in one go

we tend to combine DLRP with a relaxing break too
when we go in aug we are having 3 nights in a french center parcs afterwards

 

[Ware Bears]

We went to WDW in 2004 for 14 nights, stayed offsite and needed a hire car.

We went to DLRP in 2005 twice and 2006 once for 5 nights, 5 nights and 8 nights respectively (total 18 nights), stayed offsite at The Explorers with a frequent shuttle bus.

The two above cost exactly the same money whereas we got one holiday from the first and three holidays from the second.

We returned to WDW last year, went for 3 weeks and had an absolute ball however it was much more expensive than the previous trip because my DDs had grown up and all of them were considered adults at the Florida parks (both Disney and non-Disney).

I think people don't actually compare like for like. We were lucky in that our Florida hotel provided a very good complimentary breakfast (most don't) but the shuttle service was inadequate and a car was pretty much a necessity to get the most out of our holiday. At DLRP we can stay off-site and have an excellent breakfast included and still benefit from a free shuttle service.

DLRP and WDW ~ I love them both!!

 

[bavaria]

I've just seen that you have posted this on the Trip Planning boards and I can promise you that most people on there will disagree with you - because they all lurrrrvvve WDW and think DLP is comparatively rubbish!!! Don't understand that myself!

I've done, much rougher, costings myself, and found similar sorts of results in DLP's favour, when comparing onsite hotels. Plus, as wideeyes said, the airfare to Florida can be horrendous, whereas we have the budget airlines and the option of driving or taking the train to DLP which all help us to find the most reasonable price

I've come to the realization in the past year that WDW just doesn't hold as much appeal for me anymore. I have been to Orlando well over 100 times for work and leisure, own DVC, know the parks and resorts intimately. But WDW is just too much effort much of the time - too big, takes too long to get anywhere, even for someone like me who knows the place intimately and always has a car.

To me, DLRP is like my trips to DL in the 'old' days ie in the last century, before things became a little crazy. DLRP is an 'easy' trip - things can be done in a day, and there is so much charm that has been trampled or overlooked at WDW.

While I will still of course visit WDW in future, I don't think that I get as much pleasure out of those trips as I do the shorter DL and DLRP visits.

Factor in the cost savings at DLRP, the great food, the pleasant weather, and to me it is far more attractive than WDW at this point.

 

[Danauk]

If that is true with 2 trips to Disneyland Paris this year and a trip in August to Disneyland that is great news!! However I will still be going back to WDW at some point, maybe for christmas 2009!! I love the variety that all the parks provide, they all offer something different which to me adds to the magic.

 

[Rosie]

What an interesting read! Thanks for that davewasbaloo, it will certainly provoke some interest as Bexx said.
I visited DLRP before WDW and I truly love the European dimension it gives to the Parks. One day I would love to visit Tokyo and Hong Kong and hopefully I will get to see Disneyland California next year.
When we visit DLRP as a family we generally spend less than we do in WDW, travel costs are lower and it is possible to stay offsite but very near to the parks for reasonable amounts of money. This year we spent a lot of money on our WDW holiday and we didn't worry about the cost. Somehow travelling all that way makes us less budget concious! When we visit DLRP in August we will be self catering at Val D'Eurpoe which should work out very inexpensive. Buying an AP is also something worthwhile for DLRP - and of course it means you need to visit often to make the most of it .

 

[sleepysox]

You're so right davewasbaloo. I've tried telling this to my friends, but noone believes me!

DLP is great value for money and is definitely more relaxing than Orlando. WDW is a fab holiday, but as pps said- it's too far and too expensive for just a short trip- you need at least 2 weeks imo.

Thanks for posting this.

Sleepy

 

[BigKids]

Although DW and I are looking forward to experiencing DLRP, I can not stomach the cost that we are going to incur to enjoy ourselves. The US dollar against either the Pound or Euro these days is laughable. If it were not for a business trip to the UK, and the closeness of DLRP, we'd be heading back to WDW for the third time this year. I purchased the Half Board Premium plan for our dinner experiences and am amazed at how little it appears to actually buy us in terms of dinner (reading online menus) in comparison to the Disney Dining Plan at WDW. We will have to basically double the cost of the Half Board Premium (already 31 pound per person) just to have a decent dinner each night assuming we want to have something other than the fixed offerings. Guess I'll try no to think about it.

 

[davewasbaloo]

I've come to the realization in the past year that WDW just doesn't hold as much appeal for me anymore. I have been to Orlando well over 100 times for work and leisure, own DVC, know the parks and resorts intimately. But WDW is just too much effort much of the time - too big, takes too long to get anywhere, even for someone like me who knows the place intimately and always has a car.

To me, DLRP is like my trips to DL in the 'old' days ie in the last century, before things became a little crazy. DLRP is an 'easy' trip - things can be done in a day, and there is so much charm that has been trampled or overlooked at WDW.

While I will still of course visit WDW in future, I don't think that I get as much pleasure out of those trips as I do the shorter DL and DLRP visits.

Factor in the cost savings at DLRP, the great food, the pleasant weather, and to me it is far more attractive than WDW at this point.

This is how I feel exactly. WDW is too big, and does not offer the quality in many ways. But boy. I have been getting a lot of flamage for this one.

 

[tubtruck]

What a load of rubbish, 0 out of ten, since when was a euro worth more than the Pound?, according to the nonsence chart it is

 

[Bexx]

But boy. I have been getting a lot of flamage for this one.

I sorry I was right about that I also find it rather annoying that some people seem to infer that people who love DLP and choose to spend their money going there, are obviously a bit dim.

 

[DLPdaft]

It would be a boring old world if we all agreed though wouldn't it?

And, if everyone loved just one Disney park, that one would be so much busier, and there would be longer queues - so its really good in a way that us DLRP DIS'ers are considered "a bit dim" isn't it ?

Elaine nice-but-dim

 

[scampbunny]

havent read it, but get the gist!!
i cudnt afford a holiday in wdw, and tbh, with kids so young, it wudnt be worth it!
i loved dlrp (hence wanting to go again) and found that, u can make the trip as cheap or as expensive as u like!!! we were there for 4 days, and in that time spent 230 euro - but out of that, 40 eur was for toll roads, 50 eur at cafe mickey and a good portion of the rest was gifts and presents!! we got the half board vouchers and found that, position the meals right in the day, have a good breakfast and u dont need to really eat much more!!

and, id rather ppl prefered wdw to dlrp, ***, like elaine says, makes dlrp quieter for all us dim ppl!
nikki

 

[Cyrano]

This is how I feel exactly. WDW is too big, and does not offer the quality in many ways. But boy. I have been getting a lot of flamage for this one.

Guess they are as protective and fond of their park as much as we are about DLP

 

[davewasbaloo]

What a load of rubbish, 0 out of ten, since when was a euro worth more than the Pound?, according to the nonsence chart it is

In terms of what your money will buy you, you better believe it. Although £1 = 80 cents. You can buy a lot more for a pound than 80 cents. Check it out. Groceries, restaurant prices etc.

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I love both parks, but my heart will always be at DLRP.
It can't be that expensive im managing 5 trips in 12 months lol and im what you call poor lol.

 

[davewasbaloo]

havent read it, but get the gist!!
i cudnt afford a holiday in wdw, and tbh, with kids so young, it wudnt be worth it!
nikki

Well, I wouldn't agree. Before my daughter was 3 (our son is 2 years older), she has been to DLP 6 times, spent 2 weeks at Animal Kingdom Lodge in WDW and a week at the Grand Californian in Disneyland California. Every one has been a huge memory for us that I wouldn't trade in a heartbeat.

 

[Bexx]

And, if everyone loved just one Disney park, that one would be so much busier, and there would be longer queues - so its really good in a way that us DLRP DIS'ers are considered "a bit dim" isn't it ?

Elaine nice-but-dim

I guess it must be true about every cloud!

Guess they are as protective and fond of their park as much as we are about DLP

Hmmm You are obviously much better natured than me, Reid....!!!