DLP or not?

[penlanspice]

HI

My question is! is dlp worth a visit or not, we're in our mid 20's with no kids. we totally love orlando. but can't decide what to do. thinking of going the first week in july for 3 days. or would we be better of just going to spain for the week.
Advice needed please!!!!

thanks

Sam

 

[WDWfan uk]

Hi Sam

Well I personally think it is worth visiting and have had great trips there but it has to be said that there are varied reports - what are your concerns?

We did not visit for a long time, wondering if it would disappoint us and not wanting the Disney 'magic' to be compromised! However we decided we were 'ready' to go with open minds a few years ago, and had a wonderful time...... thought the Eurostar really made the journey painless, taking us right to the station which is a few hundred yards from the Magic Kingdom!! However from Swansea, I suppose flying would be your only option.

Since our first visit was August, the park was open until late and we had gorgeous weather, which always helps! In fact, I've been really lucky with the weather visiting DLP.

I am moving you onto the new Disneyland Paris Forum and looking forward to other people's opinion on this !

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. Jane and I have been a large number of times and we both really love it there, especially in the summer. It is a great way to get away from it all in that Disney fashion, yet only requires a long weekend away from work. In many people's opinion Disneyland in Paris is the best Magic Kingdom that Disney has yet built. Some of the rides at DLP put their counterparts in the USA into the shade, and there is a new theme park recently opened which adds another dimension to your visit.

I always urge people who have visited WDW to visit DLP with an open mind - don't expect it to be exactly the same as the Magic Kingdom (albeit with a French accent). It is different in some major aspects as well as in many subtle ways. I find this is refreshing, although I know that others find it disappointing. In some ways I find DLP to be much better than the Magic Kingdom in WDW, and in other ways a little bit worse. Perhaps you should visit to make up your own mind...

If you do decide to visit, make sure you go after July 5th as this is when DLP changes to its extended Summer opening hours. Also, DLP hotels book up quite quickly, especially in the summer months, so don't wait too long to decide for fear of being unable to get the hotel that you want.

Regards

Rob

 

[KarenUK]

Can't add much to what has been said except that I too love it and, although I do have 3 kids, I am sure that I will still want to visit when they are older and don't want to come with us Although thinking about it, if we are paying, I suspect that day will be a long time coming My 14 year old still loves it and acts like a 5 year old the minute we hit the parks!

Karen

 

[richard3330]

I also can't add too much to what has already been said, but I would agree that travelling by Eurostar makes the journey virtually stress-free - it takes you right in to the parks.

I also agree that DLP's Magic Kingdom is the best out of all of them - the scenery is wonderful and there also some rides which are much better compared to their US counterparts.

We also love the hotel's at DLParis, I like the themes and the settings of them - just minutes away (walking) from the disney parks and disney village (similair to Downtown Disney, but MUCH smaller)

Like Rob and Shirley said, it is best going with an open mind. You should definitely visit and make up your own mind about DLRParis.



Richard.

 

[penlanspice]

Thanks everyone for your reply's

You've made my mind up for me.
I think i had reservations about going because, i thought i'd be let down after visiting orlando. but hey, it might be great and if i don't like it , i can say i've been and wont go again, although if orlando is anything to go by, this wont be our last visit.

thanks again

Sam

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

A wise choice!

If you do like it, and I'm sure you will, bear in mind that you can convert whatever passes you buy into annual passes without any hassle (there is an Annual Passport Office inside Disneyland). If you think that you might visit more than once within 12 months the AP saves you money on admission prices. It also gives you discount on accommodation (5 or 10% depending on season), plus discounts on food and merchandise.

What hotel are you planning to stay at? Four new hotels are currently under construction, due to open from April onwards. Although they won't be owned by Disney they will have official partner status and will offer the usual amenities in terms of being on-site (free shuttle to the parks, etc). One of them, the Explorers' Hotel, will be operated by Cresta/My Travel and will be aimed largely at the UK market. It looks like a lot of fun, with family rooms (double bed plus two singles) and a great looking pool. More details at http://www.dlp-guidebook.de/Hotels/Val_de_France/Hotels_Explorers.htm

Regards

Rob

 

[SimonV]

If you don't have kids, DLP is arguably an even better proposition for the simple reason it is so easy to get into Paris and experience something of the city as well as getting your Disney 'fix.' The ease of getting there in the first place, the great convenience of the resort (very marked after WDW) and the different, Europeanised style make it a must-see, IMHO, but the comments about visiting with an open mind are worth highlighting. This is still a foreign country, remember, not purely an outpost of Disney, and the French/European culture does occasionally impinge on the overall experience (which I am not saying is a negative in any way, but it is something that takes some people by surprise). I became a big-time convert after just a couple of visits, and the bonus of Val D'Europe (if you like shopping), the city of Paris itself and some of the Medieval villages a short drive away (you MUST see Provins if you go by car) add a unique element which the Florida and Californian versions just can't compete with.