DLP Planning Help

[fly girl]

Hello! Planning a vacation to DLP in April for 2 days. We are seasoned vets of WDW and have a few DL trips under our belts. I have been trying to research as much as I can, but there are still a few stumbling blocks I have found. (DLP isn't the easiest to book being in the US.)

1. We are splurging at Disneyland Resort. I know breakfast is included, but when will we get our time to go to breakfast, check in? Not quite sure how the slot system works. Anything we can do to get a early slot?

2. Can you book any dining through email? Calling seems terribly expensive. I know WDW books much faster than the DL restaurants (we didn't even book a DL restaurant in 2012, and got into all the dining options we wanted). Is DLP more along the lines of WDW or DL in filling up?

I am going to start another thread on DLP places to eat -- I would love to read what we should not miss or avoid!

3. I am so nervous about this last one. I booked our hotel through Orbitz not DLP directly because of Orbitz easy cancellation policy (I am retired through an airline so if the flights get worse as the date draws near, I can cancel quickly without penalty). I rarely book any hotel through travel sites because of something I heard a while back -- that travel sites get the worst rooms. Honestly I have no clue if there is an ounce of truth to it but the cost of the room was the same. Anybody book a Disneyland Paris hotel through a site other than Disney? Good, bad, ugly?


Thanks for the help! If you have any great hints or advice about DLP please feel free to share. It's exciting and yet a little daunting when visiting a new park.

 

[lilacgems23]

Hello! Planning a vacation to DLP in April for 2 days. We are seasoned vets of WDW and have a few DL trips under our belts. I have been trying to research as much as I can, but there are still a few stumbling blocks I have found. (DLP isn't the easiest to book being in the US.)

1. We are splurging at Disneyland Resort. I know breakfast is included, but when will we get our time to go to breakfast, check in? Not quite sure how the slot system works. Anything we can do to get a early slot?

2. Can you book any dining through email? Calling seems terribly expensive. I know WDW books much faster than the DL restaurants (we didn't even book a DL restaurant in 2012, and got into all the dining options we wanted). Is DLP more along the lines of WDW or DL in filling up?

I am going to start another thread on DLP places to eat -- I would love to read what we should not miss or avoid!

3. I am so nervous about this last one. I booked our hotel through Orbitz not DLP directly because of Orbitz easy cancellation policy (I am retired through an airline so if the flights get worse as the date draws near, I can cancel quickly without penalty). I rarely book any hotel through travel sites because of something I heard a while back -- that travel sites get the worst rooms. Honestly I have no clue if there is an ounce of truth to it but the cost of the room was the same. Anybody book a Disneyland Paris hotel through a site other than Disney? Good, bad, ugly?


Thanks for the help! If you have any great hints or advice about DLP please feel free to share. It's exciting and yet a little daunting when visiting a new park.

Yes you get your slot at check in and you can choose your time. We have misse our slot a few times but never been turned away.

Dining reservations have to be booked via telephone unless your are pre paying for a character meal when you make your hotel reservation. It can depend when you go we have turned up and got a table a few times but the majority of times we were told there were no tables or had to wait until very late in the evening.

I have booked many times through an agent and never had a bad room.

 

[fly girl]

Yes you get your slot at check in and you can choose your time. We have misse our slot a few times but never been turned away.

Dining reservations have to be booked via telephone unless your are pre paying for a character meal when you make your hotel reservation. It can depend when you go we have turned up and got a table a few times but the majority of times we were told there were no tables or had to wait until very late in the evening.

I have booked many times through an agent and never had a bad room.

Thank you, lilacgems23!


I'm sure we will want the most popular time slot before early entry. But we are attending on weekdays, so that could be an advantage.


I was dreading that it was phone only. Pretty sure my landline provider charges an INSANE amount. Praying I won't be on hold forever.


So happy to read you have had good experiences with other booking agents. Whew! I can breathe. Any particular location or room type I should try to request?

 

[Danauk]

You said - We are splurging at Disneyland Resort. Do you mean you are staying at the Disneyland Hotel (the pink one over the park entrance)? If so, you do not have to book breakfast time slots when staying here. You just turn up when you are ready and they seat you.

 

[micksn]

Unless it's the DLH as already posted. You will be given a hotel easypass as well as breakfast slots at check in. You can use the easypass at any time for breakfast and you won't be turned away.
The best way of ensuring you get a good room (regardless of who you book with) is to phone the hotel direct a few days before arrival and make a request, although not promised, we've always hit on lucky doing this.
Good luck

 

[fly girl]

You said - We are splurging at Disneyland Resort. Do you mean you are staying at the Disneyland Hotel (the pink one over the park entrance)? If so, you do not have to book breakfast time slots when staying here. You just turn up when you are ready and they seat you.

Yes, it is the Disneyland Hotel, the pink one. Sorry about the confusion -- as you can tell I don't have the DLP lingo down yet!

Thank you for your help, Danauk!

 

[fly girl]

The best way of ensuring you get a good room (regardless of who you book with) is to phone the hotel direct a few days before arrival and make a request, although not promised, we've always hit on lucky doing this.
Good luck

Never hurts to try! We always do at WDW and only once they couldn't fill it.

Now I just need to know which rooms are the best.

Thanks, micksn!

 

[A Small World]

As already said if you are staying at the DLH (Pink palace) you don't need a breakfast slot and a good option is to go in for EMH for 8am when its quiet and then return for breakfast about 9.30/10ish when you've built up an appetite and then you don't always need much for lunch.

Booking restaurants is no where near as stressful as WDW and you can wait til you get there and book them at City Hall or with your concierge if you want but may need to be flexible of times/days and have a couple of back up restaurants in mind. We have den this the last 2 yrs (but have been there mid week early Dec so its been quieter).
A few do book up quicker - Cafe Mickey, Aurberge, Inventions which are the character meals so you may want to phone to book at least one if you know you definitely want to do these (although we booked Inventions when there in Dec just had to have an earlier time than we had originally wanted)

 

[torsie24]

Like others have said staying at the DLH gives you the luxury of not needing to have the super early breakfast. You can do EMH for an hour or so and then go back for breakfast.

It's that close! About a minute between exiting the park and being at breakfast.

We do this as the DLH breakfast is lovely ands I'm not hungry enough to fully enjoy it at 7.30 but by 9.30 I've got a good appetite and like others say then you don't need as much of a lunch.

 

[fly girl]

Booking restaurants is no where near as stressful as WDW and you can wait til you get there and book them at City Hall or with your concierge if you want but may need to be flexible of times/days and have a couple of back up restaurants in mind. We have den this the last 2 yrs (but have been there mid week early Dec so its been quieter).
A few do book up quicker - Cafe Mickey, Aurberge, Inventions which are the character meals so you may want to phone to book at least one if you know you definitely want to do these (although we booked Inventions when there in Dec just had to have an earlier time than we had originally wanted)

We will be there on a Wednesday and Thursday after Easter. Not sure how crowded the parks will be, but from what I've read it looks like it is in the mid range of busy.


I'm stuck between 3 restaurants for dinner. Walt's, Remy's, and Blue Lagoon. Can only chose 2. Blue Lagoon seems like the one to get the cut since it has a close cousin in DL's Blue Bayou, but I hear BL is superior. Just can't decide. I will have to take a closer look at the menus.

 

[fly girl]

As already said if you are staying at the DLH (Pink palace) you don't need a breakfast slot and a good option is to go in for EMH for 8am when its quiet and then return for breakfast about 9.30/10ish when you've built up an appetite and then you don't always need much for lunch.

Like others have said staying at the DLH gives you the luxury of not needing to have the super early breakfast. You can do EMH for an hour or so and then go back for breakfast.

It's that close! About a minute between exiting the park and being at breakfast.

We do this as the DLH breakfast is lovely ands I'm not hungry enough to fully enjoy it at 7.30 but by 9.30 I've got a good appetite and like others say then you don't need as much of a lunch.

LOVE this plan!

Totally doing this. I've narrowed my dinner plans down, now I just need good stops for a light lunch.

Thank you, A Small World and torsie24!



I'm so thankful for the disboard! Love all the wonderful advice!

 

[Danauk]

I'm stuck between 3 restaurants for dinner. Walt's, Remy's, and Blue Lagoon. Can only chose 2. Blue Lagoon seems like the one to get the cut since it has a close cousin in DL's Blue Bayou, but I hear BL is superior. Just can't decide. I will have to take a closer look at the menus.

Whilst I also think Blue lagoon is better than Blue Bayou in terms of theaming (no outside light coming in due to its location down a corridor) Walts and Bistro Chez Remy are unique to DLP.

 

[Chlo83]

I would totally do Walts as the food is amazing and the theming very unique - if you're interested in Disney heritage it's lots of fun.

If you're worried about the phone charge from a landline if you download skype and buy $10 credit and use it to call the booking line from skype you'll have more than enough - that's what I did from Aus

 

[fly girl]

I would totally do Walts as the food is amazing and the theming very unique - if you're interested in Disney heritage it's lots of fun.

If you're worried about the phone charge from a landline if you download skype and buy $10 credit and use it to call the booking line from skype you'll have more than enough - that's what I did from Aus

Walt's is in! . So is Chez Remy. As Danauk pointed out they're unique to DLP.


Read on a different post that you can call the states Disney phone line and they can connect you. Not sure what location to call, but I have a few more days to hopefully find out. If not dh just told me has an intl calling card from prior travel I can use.

 

[fly girl]

Just double checking myself here ...


Booked reservation package for Disneyland Hotel (room/park tickets) from April 8-11th. We will be arriving into DLP around 8am time frame on 8th. Naturally, check in is unlikely since it is so early. However, do we go to the front desk for our park tickets? We can visit the park on arrival day early, yes?



Please forgive me if that sounds ignorant, but I am used to having separate room and tickets for the WDW and DL here in the states. Just don't want any surprises.



Thanks!

 

[A Small World]

Yes your tickets for the day of arrival and departure are included so its 3 nights 4 days etc

You go to reception to check in and they will give you all park tickets/meal vouchers/Easy pass etc and tell you where to store luggage and what time to return to your room. You may be lucky and find the room is ready for you and if so you will be given the key there and then.
If you are going in for EMH you need to show your easy pass as well as tickets so make sure you take it with you and all go in together

 

[fly girl]

Wonderful! Thanks for the confirmation.


I thought for sure it included check in day, but for some reason I worked myself all up with worry!


As you can probably tell by my posts I'm type A and want to be uber prepared.