OH NO! Eurostar all booked up.

[hildasmuriel]

When I phoned Eurostar last month to ask when I could book up for October half term I was told not until 4 months before. The man said I should phone on 22 June.

Something made me phone today to check this - it was WRONG I could have booked 6 months in advance and of course, the dates I want are now FULLY BOOKED.

I really dislike flying ...... and the 2 hour check-in and the melee which is the (non)queue for the VEA shuttle, so we are thinking of driving and using Eurotunnel.

So..... onto the DIS board and ask for help from the people who have already done it.
How far in advance do you book Eurotunnel?
Anybody used their TESCO clubcard vouchers for this and does it work okay?
What is the cost, please? (their website offered so many different options I got confused)
Driving in France? Aaaaaaaargh! Is it okay? (I'm frit)
Any other advice for me? Should I just fly and be done with it?

 

[A Small World]

We use Eurotunnel all the time however we have never booked it directly as we combine trips with holiday in France so it is done for us. However we have booked almost 12 mths in advance before and nearer the time.
There are several different prices. Sometimes you can get it cheaper if you are only going for a few days. We found it is more expensive to travel to France on Fr and Sat and home on Sat and Sun so we try to avoid these days. Time of year also affects prices.

Also price is for car not person so usually works out cheaper.

We find it really useful as you can load up your car with stuff you may need- no luggage weight to stick to or checking in luggage.
When you arrive you are put no the next available shuttle so eg if you have booked for 10.00 and arrive there at 8.00 you may find yourself on a shuttle at 8.20. As long as you arrive on time you are guaranteed a place on the one you booked on and if you dont want to get an earlier one as you want a rest or meal you can ask to keep the original time. We did this when returning at Easter as we wanted to look at the shops in the terminal and get a snack and drink.
French motorways are really easy to drive on and as long as you have your directions sorted you shouldnt have a problem finding your way.

 

[nbodyhome]

Are you sure on this? When I booked it this past year, I booked it as soon as it became available again (or soon after anyway), it was 3 or 4 months out. (I did that in September as well). I am sure it wasn't available 6 months out, and it certainly doesn't sell out right away either. The prices do get more expensive as you get closer, but I bet it's still 4 months out and you are too early (not too late).

That is my thought, anyway. Definitely make sure on that! I got the best prices when I booked, and it was definitely 3 or 4 months out, not 6 months. I hadn't even had my air 6 months out.

 

[davewasbaloo]

So..... onto the DIS board and ask for help from the people who have already done it.
How far in advance do you book Eurotunnel?
Anybody used their TESCO clubcard vouchers for this and does it work okay?
What is the cost, please? (their website offered so many different options I got confused)
Driving in France? Aaaaaaaargh! Is it okay? (I'm frit)
Any other advice for me? Should I just fly and be done with it?

Well we have flown, taken coaches, ferries, Eurostar and Eurotunnel and for us, Eurotunnel is our favorite. We always use our Tesco's points and haven't paid for a crossing in years (thank you Tesco's and Eurotunnel). Prices vary dependent on travel times, how late you book (the earlier the cheaper), whether you want a flexible fare or a budget one (no changes allowed). You can book about 12 months in advance or turn up and pay on the day (the most expensive way). For using Tesco's club card points, I recommend allowing at least 8 weeks to book before travelling as you have to use your vouchers on line, get the new vouchers, book your crossing on the phone and send them in, then get a confirmation letter. There's a few steps, but for a free crossing it's worth it.

The drive is not bad at all. Most of the time the M25 is the worst bit. Once in France it's about 3 - 3.5 hours of toll roads (so little traffic and jams - wonderful). We have a 4 and 2 y.o. and prefer it to Eurostar (we live in Bedfordshire) as we can stop when we want. Get out and stretch our legs. They are more likely to sleep in the car. We pop in to a Hypermarket on our way home. And we have the flexibility of a car when we get to DLP - useful in OCtober Half Term - in my experience the 2nd busiest time of the year after Christmas.

 

[tennisfan]

If you do go on Eurotunnel & use your tesco vouchers, make sure that you book at least 1 month in advance as apparently it takes that long for the process

I have driven to Disney several times going either by ferry or eurotunnel. It is straight forward & the roads are better then over here. I drove when we went last week via eurotunnel, i'm lucky as my uncle works for them so I can go cheaper.

I agree with davewasbaloo says, I was still typing when he posted

 

[joannaemmas]

Hi there, sorry to hear that

My friend works for Eurostar (hence my 1st class direct return tickets for £80pp!) and says that whn they come up as fully booked there are often seats left but they are reserved for travel agents etc. Try around at a few diff ones and you may strike it lucky!

Best of luck

 

[buzzbevan]

We always drive. it takes us no more the 6 hours door to door (we live in Essex).
we normally try for the 6:30am or 7am crossing and we arrive in DLRP in time for lunch, drop the bags with the bellhops get our tickets and away we go.
the only down side to us driving is that if it snows kent seems to get it really bad and the last few junctions of the M20 can be a bit hairy. but once you are in france the roads are well gritted and tend to flow really well.

 

[Ware Bears]

hildasmuriel, if it's any consolation to you when we went to book our Eurostar tickets for October half-term on the first available date they were hiked up to such a ridiculous price that I flatly refused to pay it. So even if you had known in advance about when they were released you probably wouldn't have been happy with the price. I guess it is because Halloween is now such a popular season, we didn't find we were charged any more when we travelled in the Christmas holidays a couple of years ago.

We have now decided to fly and to make it easier have booked a shuttle. I think we would consider driving if we lived closer to Kent.

Good luck with your plans.

 

[davewasbaloo]

I think we would consider driving if we lived closer to Kent.

Good luck with your plans.

Where do you guys live in the UK? I find all told for us in Bedfordshire as a family of 4, we can do DLP by car in 7 hours, by train in 7 hours, and by plane in 6.5 hours. For us it's less stress and more flexible to drive, but we live in Bedfordshire. I'm sure if I lived in Manchester, Newcastle or Inverness I'd have a different view.

 

[Ware Bears]

We're in Bournemouth, Dorset. We normally take the Eurostar because we like to combine DLP with a couple of days beforehand in London and on reaching Waterloo on the last day it's straight on the train to Bournemouth and we're tucked up in bed by midnight. Mind you, won't be quite so convenient once Eurostar runs from St Pancras.

This time we're flying from Southampton, just a bit sorry we'll miss out on the London part.

 

[davewasbaloo]

We're in Bournemouth, Dorset. We normally take the Eurostar because we like to combine DLP with a couple of days beforehand in London and on reaching Waterloo on the last day it's straight on the train to Bournemouth and we're tucked up in bed by midnight. Mind you, won't be quite so convenient once Eurostar runs from St Pancras.

This time we're flying from Southampton, just a bit sorry we'll miss out on the London part.

Ok, I understand, trying to get from Bournemouth can be fun dependent on timing, but could be about the same as for us. But flying out of Soton is going to be easier. I find although I am 45 min from Luton or Stanstead, the check ins, security and waiting with the kids is not fun. Maybe when they are older.

 

[mulan1]

Hi there, sorry to hear that

My friend works for Eurostar (hence my 1st class direct return tickets for £80pp!) and says that whn they come up as fully booked there are often seats left but they are reserved for travel agents etc. Try around at a few diff ones and you may strike it lucky!

Best of luck

Ditto, i was going to suggest this also, travel agents probably have most of the seats, try iglu.com when i was searching around their prices were reasonable (though direct through disney and eurostar were cheaper)
Let us know how you get on

 

[hildasmuriel]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I expect we probably could get tickets if we went through a travel agent, but then would we have to get park tickets and hotel as well? I am hoping to do this trip 'bit by bit' - booking rooms with Expedia and then buying APs when we're there. Bit scared - we've always done the travel agent thing before.

Anyway, I think we will give Eurotunnel a go. We're in Berkshire, only about 15 minutes from Heathrow, so you would think flying would be good but, as I said earlier, I hate the check-in, flight and queue for the VEA. Also - if we go by car think how much luggage I can take .....and how much I can buy and bring back.

 

[davewasbaloo]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I expect we probably could get tickets if we went through a travel agent, but then would we have to get park tickets and hotel as well? I am hoping to do this trip 'bit by bit' - booking rooms with Expedia and then buying APs when we're there. Bit scared - we've always done the travel agent thing before.

Anyway, I think we will give Eurotunnel a go. We're in Berkshire, only about 15 minutes from Heathrow, so you would think flying would be good but, as I said earlier, I hate the check-in, flight and queue for the VEA. Also - if we go by car think how much luggage I can take .....and how much I can buy and bring back.

From Berks it's not bad at all. The worst bit will be the M4/M25!!! Have a great trip. Plus you can use Tesco's clubcard vouchers for your crossing.

 

[shellyd]

HI, we have not long returned from the may school holidays 27 may to 1 june. I was looking for eurostar and the direct train was way too expensive, I waited untill the seats via Lille (spelling) were on offer I think the lady said was 12 weeks before but I maybe wrong, then I priced watched everyday and booked 3 weeks before I paid only £137.50 total each way for 5 of us.

I am also hoping to go Oct half term if I can do the same again.

Hope it helps

Shelly

 

[A Small World]

Also - if we go by car think how much luggage I can take .....and how much I can buy and bring back.

Spot on!!! Loads of room to bring back all those souvenirs and a trip to Auchan is always on the cards as well.