Help with choosing - Marriott or Explorers

[lme30005]

Hi

Currently having a dilemma which hotel to stay at and wanted some up to date info on the Explorers hotel. My options for 2 nights are:

Marriott - stayed there before and really like it and it has more space for our children, separate bedrooms etc. But we would have to buy park tickets separately, either on one of the french websites or the english ones and could therefore only afford 2 days in park.

Explorers - not stayed before, less space for our 4 children, but tickets included for 3 days and wouldn't have to buy them online so less hassle.

Does Explorers still give you free parking at the park car parks? Herding 4 tired kids onto a packed shuttle bus doesn't fill me with joy. Do you still have to pay extra for a hot breakfast? And how do people cope getting their young children to sleep in the same room in the evenings?

Both options would cost about the same. Annual passes aren't an option as we'd need the most expensive one.

Sorry, lots of questions!

Thanks

Louise

 

[DLPdaft]

Hi,

I love the look of the Marriotts, and if thats going to be the same price as the Explorers, I'd pick that one, definitely - its more of a home away from home compared to a hotel room.

One thing though - I wouldn't book the Explorers through Disney, surely thats the most expensive way of doing it? I'd look on online travel agents, travelrepublic, expedia etc etc for a price for the Explorers, then use multiavantages for Dream Passes including all the free ones you'd be eligible for for your children, or a combination of 2 dream adult passes and 2 free kids ones, and then kid's 3-day tickets from attractiontix, expedia etc etc.

Explorers is not a Disney hotel, so no, it doesn't give you free car parking at the Disney car park - but if you had one Dream Pass, that would give you the free car parking.

Yes, you have to pay extra for hot breakfast items at the Explorers. I'm always in bed at the same time as my child at DLP (in the same room).

 

[lme30005]

Hi

Thanks for the info. Booking Explorers on a different site does work out more expensive once you add the cost of the passes on. Marriott works out cheaper than Explorers.

Do you think it is worth getting Dream AP's for a 3 day visit? I can't get the Fantasy pass due to the blockout dates. Just wondering if the free childs AP deal would be worth getting, seeing as you get money off restaurants, shopping and free parking etc.

Thanks

Louise

 

[DLPdaft]

I was a bit curious (I never look at the associated hotels through Disney, as its always so expensive) - I had a look for my 2 nights in June, for a family of 2 adults, 4 kids. On the official Disney site, including park passes for everyone (and assuming all the children are aged 3-11), the Explorers is £989. On travelrepublic, a crew room for 6 is £336 for the same dates. So that gives you over £650 to get park tickets sorted out.

How old are your children? I'm sure you could get the right combination of tickets that you need for less than £650, with the multiavantages offers that are going on just now. Oh, and what dates are you looking at?

 

[lme30005]

Hi

Looking to go 3-5th June at the moment at the Marriott. The only availability at Explorers was 5th-7th - £750 (if its still available). I looked on some travel websites and Explorers was coming up at nearly £500 so only £250 to buy tickets (which would be just about doable on french ticket sites). But less hassle to get tickets with a package.

Still debating whether to get dream AP's - with discounts off food and shopping, it would work out the same as a 2 day pass but not sure if we'd visit again in the next year. But the EMH with AP is a bonus too, considering we'll only be there for 2 nights

Thanks

Louise