Just back, important tips from a cynic

[tbr2001]

Just back from 3 days 27/12 - 29/12, I can see why to some it is magical, but for me it was £2k that could have been better spent elsewhere. If you're about to book, here are my tips. Be warned, I have been told I'm the most cynical person in the world; but some of these may just save you cash/irritation!

- Stay at the Disneyland hotel; the others are all 10+ minutes plus a security check away. OK in summer, but when it is minus 5 your kids aren't going to fancy the walk. Due to the distance you'll be lucky in winter to be able to drag them more than once from hotel to the park per day... whereas at the Disneyland hotel, you could easily pop back 4 - 5 times if you wanted to. From what I saw inside as well, the Disneyland hotel was a class apart and considerably less hectic than the Newport Bay.

- Hire a stroller for 8 euros inside the park - 6 year olds or younger may not handle all the walking, particularly like us if you were staying at Newport Bay.

- Kronenberg is 1.80 euros for a 50cl can inside the station. It is over 6 euros just about anywhere else. Bottles of wine in the station for 3 euros. Room service will charge you minimum of 17.

- Buffalo Bill show was one of the few things worth the money. Our 3 children, 6, 4 and 2 - loved it -and there was free beer throughout.

- Footie fans - Premiership action is on at the Sports Bar in Disney Village.

- We took the VEA shuttle bus from Terminal 2 CDG to our hotel (Newport Bay) for 132 euros return. This wasn't a bad option - CDG is a massive airport - it is a big walk from terminal to the station - whereas this VEA bus is pretty close to where we collected our luggage. It also stopped first at our hotel. Otherwise I'd have gone for a private taxi.

- Overall, due to the cold, and our kids ages, they didn't appreciate the rides - queues too long mainly - the characters they quite liked, and the shows inside Walt Disney Studios they enjoyed.

- For some reason there are a lot of couples and adults without kids inside the park who also want to get photos with Goofy etc. Why you would choose to romance someone at Disney beats me, but these people do ramp the queues and get in the way with their smoochings.

- Inventions was the best food we had whilst we were there (inside Disneyland hotel). Also ate at the Yacht Club in Newport Bay, but was a bit formal for young children.

- A word on the Newport Bay hotel; it wasn't bad, looked quite impressive from the outside, but check-in was a bit of a mad-house. And the foyer always had hundreds of people milling about with luggage. We were on the Admirals Floor, but apart from room service breakfast (10 euros per day) which saved queuing, not sure it was worth the supplement. Main drag was the long walk to the park, from the 8th floor with 3 kids to getting inside the park through security was at least 30 minutes walk, not much less by free bus.

 

[hildasmuriel]

Thanks.

 

[loladelorean]

Just back from 3 days 27/12 - 29/12, I can see why to some it is magical, but for me it was £2k that could have been better spent elsewhere. If you're about to book, here are my tips. Be warned, I have been told I'm the most cynical person in the world; but some of these may just save you cash/irritation!

- Stay at the Disneyland hotel; the others are all 10+ minutes plus a security check away. OK in summer, but when it is minus 5 your kids aren't going to fancy the walk. Due to the distance you'll be lucky in winter to be able to drag them more than once from hotel to the park per day... whereas at the Disneyland hotel, you could easily pop back 4 - 5 times if you wanted to. From what I saw inside as well, the Disneyland hotel was a class apart and considerably less hectic than the Newport Bay.
Might save you irritation but certainly won't save you cash...


- Hire a stroller for 8 euros inside the park - 6 year olds or younger may not handle all the walking, particularly like us if you were staying at Newport Bay.

- Kronenberg is 1.80 euros for a 50cl can inside the station. It is over 6 euros just about anywhere else. Bottles of wine in the station for 3 euros. Room service will charge you minimum of 17.

- Buffalo Bill show was one of the few things worth the money. Our 3 children, 6, 4 and 2 - loved it -and there was free beer throughout.

- Footie fans - Premiership action is on at the Sports Bar in Disney Village.

- We took the VEA shuttle bus from Terminal 2 CDG to our hotel (Newport Bay) for 132 euros return. This wasn't a bad option - CDG is a massive airport - it is a big walk from terminal to the station - whereas this VEA bus is pretty close to where we collected our luggage. It also stopped first at our hotel. Otherwise I'd have gone for a private taxi.

- Overall, due to the cold, and our kids ages, they didn't appreciate the rides - queues too long mainly - the characters they quite liked, and the shows inside Walt Disney Studios they enjoyed.

- For some reason there are a lot of couples and adults without kids inside the park who also want to get photos with Goofy etc. Why you would choose to romance someone at Disney beats me, but these people do ramp the queues and get in the way with their smoochings.
As an adult without kids who likes to get photos with characters, I don't really appreciate your attitude here. Are we not also entitled to queue and enjoy this part of the fun?

- Inventions was the best food we had whilst we were there (inside Disneyland hotel). Also ate at the Yacht Club in Newport Bay, but was a bit formal for young children.

- A word on the Newport Bay hotel; it wasn't bad, looked quite impressive from the outside, but check-in was a bit of a mad-house. And the foyer always had hundreds of people milling about with luggage. We were on the Admirals Floor, but apart from room service breakfast (10 euros per day) which saved queuing, not sure it was worth the supplement. Main drag was the long walk to the park, from the 8th floor with 3 kids to getting inside the park through security was at least 30 minutes walk, not much less by free bus.

Apart from the fact that you have offended me a bit, thank you for the tips, useful insight that will probably help new visitors. Hope you still enjoyed your trip

 

[sarahb74]

Sorry you didnt have a magical trip, but I'm amazed it cost you £2k - we did 2 nights / 3 days at the Hotel New York, plus an extra night at the Kyriad the week before you, 2 adults and 2 children (1 aged over the magical "under 7s go free") and spent just under £1,200, including a good main meal each day (Cafe Mickey, Plaza Gardens, Restaurant des Stars) plus a snack (Market House Deli, McDonalds etc), and letting the kids have everything they wanted from the shops (DH went soft as the journey down was so awful, he said if we ever got there they could have everything they wanted, and they held him to it!).

I agree the DLH is more convenient, but hugely expensive - we did it in February because we were expecting cold weather and ds aged 3 at the time would not go in any sort of stroller so we thought that we could pop back to the hotel, but despite sub-zero temperatures we never did make it back to the hotel during the day, the kids were insistent on staying out all day and making the most of their time, which is why we decided not to bother with the extra cost this time. As it turned out, with youngest being ill this time it would have been handy to stay at DLH, but you cant plan on being ill.

We also love Inventions and BBWWS - glad you enjoyed these. Maybe if you decide to return in warmer weather you will have a more enjoyable time? Hope your experience of the cold hasnt put you off completely.

 

[mimmi]

I will be visiting with three adults in Januaray and don't see why we shouldn't be entitled to get photos with characters. Disneyparks aren't only interesting for kids only. As long as adults are standing in line properly they don't take anything away from your kids.

I have a daughter myself but I've never understood why some parents think their kids are entitled to everything without the slightest inconvenience, like, for example, waiting .

 

[mommy2ash]

im sorry you didnt enjoy your trip. i think a lot of what you encountered could have be avoided by maybe joining a forum like this before you went on your trip. the dlh while very convenient is very expensive. certainly more than i am willing to spend. all the hotels have shuttle buses, the santa fe is just two minutes away by bus. i think it didnt help that you visited a quite a cold and busy period. i have to disagree with your opinion on adults visiting the parks. once they have paid admission they are just as entitled to everyone else including children to take part in any of the attractions of the park. i regularly stay for six nights in the santa fe and it costs me under 1300 euro including transport and meals etc.

 

[tbr2001]

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate all your comments.

Of course adults without kids have got every right to enjoy Disney. It was the adults we witnessed who pushed in front of other children (not ours), and in some case pushed over, to get their photo with Goofy et al first... that was a bit odd.

I did read a lot of the great postings on here before we went, and looking back through them, my key message to first-timers with young children who go in peak season in the cold is stay at the Disneyland Hotel, forget the others, as it was probably the walking that killed half the enjoyment. With one side of the lake path closed, it was 35 minutes from room through security into the park.

Bit surprised as well the paths particularly arond the Village were not gritted. Monday and Tuesday was like an ice-track.

Anyway no offence to anyone intended and I wish all of you visiting Disney soon a great holiday, and a happy new year.

 

[ThBa]

Hi from Germany!

We will go in less than a week with my 2 daughters (5 and 10 years old). You are right, when you say, that the Disneyland Hotel would be the best way to stay with children. But on the other hand, I can not and I will not pay that much. We have to choose between "the other hotels" like Cheyenne or the DLH. And while we are staying in the Cheyenne we can afford more days in the park.

If I have to choose between a very close Hotel or more days in the park....I (and my daughters!) choose more days and fun.

 

[mommy2ash]

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate all your comments.

Of course adults without kids have got every right to enjoy Disney. It was the adults we witnessed who pushed in front of other children (not ours), and in some case pushed over, to get their photo with Goofy et al first... that was a bit odd.

I did read a lot of the great postings on here before we went, and looking back through them, my key message to first-timers with young children who go in peak season in the cold is stay at the Disneyland Hotel, forget the others, as it was probably the walking that killed half the enjoyment. With one side of the lake path closed, it was 35 minutes from room through security into the park.

Bit surprised as well the paths particularly arond the Village were not gritted. Monday and Tuesday was like an ice-track.

Anyway no offence to anyone intended and I wish all of you visiting Disney soon a great holiday, and a happy new year.

well i happen to agree with you about adults pushing. nobody should be pushing anyone.

the newport bay is quite a large hotel and that problem comes up very often on this board. my aunt stayed there and she said never again, she would have walked to the santa fe in the time it took her to walk to her room

 

[Ware Bears]

Hi tbr2001 welcome to the DIS and thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Dare I ask if you have any plans for a return visit?

 

[Jonjo]

We considered the Newport Bay Club for our Christmas trip but ruled it out as it was just going to be too far to walk in winter, so we stayed at the Sequoia Lodge instead. Took us about 20 mins from our hotel room to the park.

After we had our evening meal in the Newport Bay Club one evening DW said she would not like to stay there as it was just too busy. Our favourite hotel is the Cheyenne. Which is where we will be staying during our next trip at our usual time of year in either May or June.

DW and I spent our honeymoon at DLP and find the place a wonderful romantic get away. We always have a Character Meal as its the best way of meeting them. We can't be bothered queuing for photos with the characters in the parks as the lines are always too long for us. If we bump into any walking around the park we will ask for a photo but will always wait our turn.

Our December trip for two adults cost us in total about £600 for 3 nights 4 days which included half board plus meal vouchers, and Eurostar tickets. Most of our spending money went on cocktails and trading pins, and thank goodness for our Shareholder cards those discounts do come in handy.

 

[tbr2001]

Hi tbr2001 welcome to the DIS and thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Dare I ask if you have any plans for a return visit?

Wouldn't rule it out, I can see we made a lot of mistakes, but probably not until the youngest was at least 6 so four years time at the earliest.

Sounds from some of the comments that I overpaid, 2 nights newport bay for 5 was £630, flights from luton were £380, premium meal supper vouchers for Buffalo Bill and the Auberge place combined 248 euros, the 2 lunches were expensive as well, plus add in taxi fares, etc, drinks, disney merchandise etc...

 

[pigby]

I do agree with some of your observations - we stayed at Santa Fe for Christmas last year and it was bitterly cold then with the canal frozen over and the path (on the Santa Fe side of the canal) very slippy and frozen. We used to cross the bridge to the Cheyenne side - wasnt as bad. Point is though it is a long walk at the end of the day in those kind of temperatures and would be worse I imagine with small children.

On the expense side, I don't know if staying at the DL hotel would be the answer as the cost would be a lot more again - probably best waiting for warmer temperatures and the kids to be a little older.

Re the character lines, the issue at DLRP is the lack of 'crowd' management by the CM's rather than whether it's kids or adults who are queuing for the characters - different in the US - orderly lines are the norm.

Even though I do love DLRP in it's own right, I do think that you do get more 'bang for your buck' in the US and the price of everything when costed out daily is much less than Paris.

Also I don't think you overpaid really - if you factor in all the extra costs of food etc - the prices of your flights were pretty good - this coming March, cost of flights for the 3 of us coming to nearly £500 from Manchester - last year we got them for less than half that so £380 for the 5 of you is

 

[loladelorean]

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate all your comments.

Of course adults without kids have got every right to enjoy Disney. It was the adults we witnessed who pushed in front of other children (not ours), and in some case pushed over, to get their photo with Goofy et al first... that was a bit odd.

I did read a lot of the great postings on here before we went, and looking back through them, my key message to first-timers with young children who go in peak season in the cold is stay at the Disneyland Hotel, forget the others, as it was probably the walking that killed half the enjoyment. With one side of the lake path closed, it was 35 minutes from room through security into the park.

Bit surprised as well the paths particularly arond the Village were not gritted. Monday and Tuesday was like an ice-track.

Anyway no offence to anyone intended and I wish all of you visiting Disney soon a great holiday, and a happy new year.

Apology accepted Nobody likes a pusher, kids or no kids!
Its a shame that the weather and the walking distance had such a negative impact on your holiday, we had originally booked for NBC in November this year but upgraded to HNY as we were worried about the walk, very glad we did! Although DLH would be ideal location-wise, staying at the HNY is a big improvement on NBC in my opinion.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts, and hopefully you can go back when kids are older and its a bit warmer and have a fully magical experience