DLRP newbie family - advice please

[Kara&Dave]

Hi everyone,

Just found this forum and it looks like exactly what we need!

We're looking to go to DLRP in October 06 with our three kids - 10,7 and 4. The two eldest have been to WDW a few years ago, but this'll be a first for all of us.

Ideally we are looking to drive from Glasgow - we've driven to France & Spain before so know it's not a problem - and spend 3 nights / 4 days at MyTravel Explorer. We chose this as we want to get all 5 of us in the one room, and know Explorer has the additional bunk rooms that'll suit.

We'd appreciate any advice anyone can give us, and we have a few questions:

Is it feasible to drive into Paris in the evening after the park closes at 6pm?

Is the half board deal worth taking?

Roughly how long to drive from the ferry / eurotunnel port to the hotel?

Where exactly is the hotel?

Better to book direct with Disney or an agent?

If anyone can advise us on these and anything else to do with our planned trip, we'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

Kara & Dave.

 

[chrismoo]

Hi & welcome to the board.

Is it feasible to drive into Paris in the evening after the park closes at 6pm?

I personaly would leave the car and take the RER (local train) into Paris much more convinent, parking in any city centre is trouble and the train is likley to be quicker.

Is the half board deal worth taking?

Not if its in the My Explorers hotel, the breakfast is nice but the evening meals are like a school canteen. But if its the Disney restruants based 1/2 board option then its a good deal as its a 15% discount.

Roughly how long to drive from the ferry / eurotunnel port to the hotel?

You can do it in under 3 hours including a break.

Where exactly is the hotel?

Situated about 10 minutes away from the park, theres a free shuttle bus so you can leave the car at the hotel.

Better to book direct with Disney or an agent?

Disney tends to be the same price as anywhere else, You could do the DIY option and book the my explorers on its own and then as you have 5 people in total annual passports might be cheaper then booking just 4 day tickets.

 

[Kara&Dave]

Wow, what a fast response!

Half board - sorry, I meant at Disney, not Explorers.
Train into Paris - is the station close then? Even better if it is. Is it a direct service into the City Centre?

Thanks again, I appreciate your answers.

In fact, after reading another thread here on what shows etc are cancelled during our planned dates, we're looking at going in mid-September now so we maximise what we can do at the Parks!

 

[chrismoo]

The train station is at the gate of the park.

I think you need to change once to get into Paris, but its easy and the trains are frequent.

 

[Kara&Dave]

Fantastic, thanks for your advice so far!!

 

[lizbro]

if you are driving have you considered davy crocket as you get 5 in one of thier cabins and you also get some privacy from kids as they can go in the bedroom and you have the pull out bed in lounge,when there is 5 of you its hard to get somewhere but we found davy crockett was perfect and as its a disney hotel you get all the perks still,!

 

[Kara&Dave]

We'd looked at DC but I think we'd prefer the amenities and layout at Explorer - always good to have an option though, thanks for pointing it out.

 

[chrismoo]

I've just done some sums on the DIY route.

Arrival date : Sunday, 17 September 2006
Departure date : Wednesday, 20 September 2006
Number of nights : 3

Hotel would be £261.72 inc breakfast (expedia.co.uk)

Annual Passport Fantasy €516 or (€464.4 if you can get a sponsor I think)
(which gives you 10% of all food and shopping as well)

Eurotunnel aprox £110. (ferry would probably be around £60)

= £609 or £719 inc eurotunnel (1 GBP = 1.48111 EUR)

down to = £574.72 or 684.72(tunnel) if you can get the sponsership.

 

[Kara&Dave]

I was onto Disney when you posted this - they were quoting me 922 all in for MyTravel for 4 days / 3 nights from 21st September for 2 adults and 3 kids, and Eurotunnel crossing.

I know Expedia OK, can you tell me where else I can get the figures you looked at as I'm wanting to do this right now - any money I can save on the trip itself goes to the shops there!!!

For example, I don't see any mention of the Annual Passport on the DLRP site so wouldn't know where to look.

Many thanks.

 

[chrismoo]

Here is a few links that should explain the Annual Passports:

http://www.dlp.info/Guide/Guest-Info/Annual-Passports/

http://www.dlp.info/Guide/Guest-Info/Annual-Passports/Annual-Passport-Fantasy.asp

Basicly as you would be buying 5 passes you can get 20% discount on Fantasy ones.


When you get to Disney you can purchase the passes at the gate, then you visit the annual passport office and get your picture taken and they print you a plastic card which is good for one year of issue.

So you only need to book & pay for the hotel and the crossing at the moment.

www.eurotunnel.com will do the trick.

With expedia choose you want Hotels only and enter Disneyland Paris as the destination.

I love having the 10% discount in the shops and restraunts

 

[Kara&Dave]

I really appreciate this. Now, adding to my questions how can I calculate how much the annual passes are for 5 of us?

We live in Glasgow so wouldn't be going over that regularly to be honest, but if the tickets were there and cheap flights available there's no reason why we wouldn't.

If you could show me where to get the annual passport prices form, that'd be fantastic. My main concern is booking the hotel and the crossing as you say, as there's no real problem with entry to the park.

Thanks for all your help - we really appreciate it.

 

[tinkerbell36]

Wow you must be really excited! September is a great time to go - quieter than October but still has an atmosphere, and the weather is usually just right.

Sorry i can't help with the last question you asked! Do your kids know about going? Only I was going to offer - I'm going at the end of August, if you wanted I could write your kids a postcard pretending to be Mickey, looking forward to them coming etc - someone else mentioned it here on the boards and I thought that's a great idea!

Oh and you're very wise saving money for the shops!! Welcome to the boards

 

[Disney owl]

again i'D say take the train into Paris not the car. Parking is terrible & expensive.

The metro is very easy to use.

About 2 & half hours driving, approx. make sure you've a good map I dont go anywhere in France without my Michilin maps. but it is a straight route. You will need some cash for tolls.

As a family of 5 have you priced up Davy Crockett ranch? we usually book direct with Disney & have found their prices ok

 

[chrismoo]

No problem glad to help.

Here is the official Disneyland Paris French site :

http://disneylandparis.com/fr/passeport_annuel/index.htm
http://disneylandparis.com/fr/passeport_annuel/offres/fantasy.htm
http://disneylandparis.com/fr/passeport_annuel/nonadh/fantasy.htm


This details the passes in French, (just to backup what I mentioned)

They don't advertise them to people in the UK as they want you to buy the packages. But anyone can buy them except the Proximity one as you have to live in Paris for that one.

On this page at the top http://www.dlp.info/Guide/Guest-Info/Annual-Passports/Annual-Passport-Fantasy.asp

It mentions the price details.

€ 129,- for adult and children as of age 3
family discount: 20% if 5 AP Fantasy are bought together
10% discount if an AP holder sponsors a first time AP holder
the price of single day passport is deducted upon presentation of a valid single or mutli-day passport

Eveyone is the same price for passports so you get €129 * 5 = €645 less 20% discount as you can buy 5 at the same time (€129) = €516 total to pay.

 

[Kara&Dave]

Or should I say incroyable!

Thanks a million for this, that's a heck of a difference.

I assume then that to get these we just turn up at DLRP and ask for these tickets at the gate? For the sponsorship, I take it that an AP holder would have to be present, is that so?

I'll have a look at the French site but my French is somewhat rusty to say the least.

That's an amazing saving though - Expedia shows me £300 for the hotel for these dates, £350 more or less for the AP's and just the crossing to sort out.

Súperbe!

 

[chrismoo]

The best thing is the savings get better with all the 10% discounts you get on food and gifts.

No you can get sponsership without a person present you just need a form from them I think.

You can either purchase normal day passes at the gate or purchase paper annual passes at the gate, either option you then have to visit the passport office and pay the difference between day passes and the passports or just convert the passports.

Take a look at this page http://www.dlp.info/Guide/Guest-Info/Annual-Passports/Annual-Passport-Comparison.asp

Just so you can see the differences between the Dream & Fantasy there are a few extra benifts but its more expensive. (Free pushchair rental etc)

Also the fantasy has a few blackout dates when you can't get in but these are over very busy periods and there is nothing in September.


Have a great trip, I would recommend the Buffalo Bills Wild west show, and you get 15% discount with your new annual passes

 

[chrismoo]

One more money saving tip.

If your not a member of Quidco join up here:

http://www.quidco.com

Expedia will pay quido 5% for a hotel booking, then quidco pay you.

So thats worth £15

(quidco charge a £5 per year admin fee which they only take then need to pay you so if you earn nothing you pay nothing)

If you do all your online shopping through them you can get quite a bit back.

 

[Kara&Dave]

Explorers all booked, just sorting out the best crossing for us. I'm just seeing where we can get the best Eurotunnel deals now, not sure how the kids would be on the ferry! Definitely taking the annual passes, these will be superb.

Ever the optimist, how might we go about being sponsored for these to get the additonal discounts on these then?

 

[chrismoo]

Theres a rather large thread about sponsership here:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1104480

I think you will need two sponsors to get this sorted as I think each person can sponsor 3 people.

 

[Kara&Dave]

Ever the optimist, I've posted onto the thread!

Thanks a million for everyone's help here, we've managed to sort out the hotel and crossing at a great rate, just need to do the tickets on arrival and we're all sorted!! Yippee!!