On VS Offsite Hotels Poll and Your Opinion

[kizzabel]

So we are toying with onsite and offsite prices for our 3 night January 2013 trip and having looked about a bit here are the options that we have a choice between:

Santa Fe (€240 expedia)
Sequoia Lodge (€387 AP r.o rate)
VS
Kyriad DLP (€208 kyriad)
Magic Circus (€229 alpharooms)
Dream Castle (€244 alpharooms)
Explorers (€212 alpharooms)


I was hoping some kind DISers could help make suggestions and give their views on the different offsite options.

We are purchasing APs and although the room rates for SL aren't too bad (or the expedia rates for SF are good) I think we should be open to staying offsite as I hear the rooms / breakfasts are better.

So I would love to hear your views / experiences on:
1 - Offsite vs Onsite
2 - Room quality of offsite hotels
3 - breakfasts at the offsite hotels
4 - pools at the offsite hotels
5 - transfer time via park shuttle for the offsite hotels.

I think the rooms at MC look nicer then DC and I didn't find the Explorers rooms appealing much at all. The Kyriad rooms look pretty but no pool
But I thought the pool at DC looked nicer then the one at the MC > all opinion based solely on the photos from travellers on Trip Advisor!!

Also can someone please inform me as to what times do the buses start in the mornings to the park from the offsite hotels? And what time do they finish at at night from the Village to the offsite hotels? (Winter time).

The poll I'm including is for the 4 offsite hotels as we have no experience of them but have previously stayed at SF and SL

Apologies for rambling and thanks for your insight
Kiz
x

 

[mum2threemonsters]

As there isnt much difference in price between the Off site hotels I would go with Magic Circus or Dream Castle however I really enjoyed my stay at the Explorers. Normally I find DC and MC way more expensive.

I wouldnt go back to Santa Fe, it was like a cheap B&B room in Blackpool IMO (and Im only insulting Blackpool as its my home town)!

Id be tempted for proximity by Sequioa Lodge but it is a fair deal more than the others and I dont think the Off Site are any difference distance wise to Santa Fe really(maybe 1 whole minute lol)!

As I mentioned in another thread earlier I do believe Disney need to improve there rooms, the Off Site rooms look more modern and clean than the On Site.

 

[Happy Tappy]

Have you checked the price of the Cheyenne? It's normally very similar to the Santa Fe.

If there was a Cheyenne option I would have voted for that. As there isn't I've gone for The Dream Castle. The breakfast is far superior to the others, it has a pool and the rooms are nice.

 

[DLPdaft]

have you had breakfast at the DC recently Happy Tappy? I'm asking because last year I would totally have agreed with you, but last month we stayed at the DC and the breakfast was awful, all the hot items were either under or over-cooked, no branded cereals, and the only cheese I could find for my croissants was cubed to within an inch of its life (it was more like shredded cheese!).

Even the Santa Fe does better than that breakfast I'm afraid.

Kizzabel I've stayed at all the offsite hotels you've mentioned except for the Kyriad (and on a January trip I'd go for it, because although I always have intentions of using hotel swimming pools, realistically it very rarely happens, and I doubt I'd find the time, with the reduced park hours in January, then having dinner when park closes etc, to have a swim at my hotel).

If you really would prefer not to stay at either the Santa Fe or Kyriad because they are 2*, then I'd go for either the Magic Circus or the Dream Castle, then the Explorers.

The shuttles run from 6am every day, every 20 minutes, until nearly midnight (you will find the last bus time of the night at the bus stop where you pick up he bus at the bus terminus).

The only minor negative with the associated hotels, compared to onsite, for me, is that because the shuttles only arrive/depart every 20 minutes you do have to be a bit more organised with your time so you know you're out in plenty of time in the morning if you want to do EMH etc.

 

[Hipster Meg]

Got a quick question, when you called up for the AP rate did they ask for your pass number? I'm wavering between getting AP's from Ce-multivantages and using the discount and just going down the easy route and just booking a package

 

[**Clare**]

Thanks for posting these questions, I'll be watching with interest as I'm in a similar position! What dates in January are you going?

 

[stargatebarbie]

he kyriad queen 7trips 8th nearly here always stayed there love it such a nice space at the back with a lake and fish its like the country side you would never know disney is 5mins away oh and free wi fi tea/coffe

 

[kizzabel]

Have you checked the price of the Cheyenne? It's normally very similar to the Santa Fe.

If there was a Cheyenne option I would have voted for that. As there isn't I've gone for The Dream Castle. The breakfast is far superior to the others, it has a pool and the rooms are nice.

I hated the Cheyenne. Our 1st room was yuck yuck yuck and when we were moved (1st room really was filthy) the 2nd room was only yuck so Cheyenne is definately off the list!

Got a quick question, when you called up for the AP rate did they ask for your pass number? I'm wavering between getting AP's from Ce-multivantages and using the discount and just going down the easy route and just booking a package

Nope they didnt ask for any number. I just said we would be purchasing APs

he kyriad queen 7trips 8th nearly here always stayed there love it such a nice space at the back with a lake and fish its like the country side you would never know disney is 5mins away oh and free wi fi tea/coffe

Dont the rooms look so very pretty

Clare we are going Jan 22nd to 25th. DS is 4 on the 24th

Thanks for the info guys. Have to mull it over with best friend. Am still pretty unsure

Agreed on the lack of time for swimming Elaine but we do normally manage one swim/trip and DS is a water baby so if for the sake of €20 we have a pool then we might go for DC/MC. Although the fact that we will have less time we wont put so much emphasis on a pool being a pro

 

[kizzabel]

Forgot to ask - which hotel does the pink bus dropped off at 1st?
Thanks

 

[DLPdaft]

it goes to the Explorers first, then the Kyriad, then the Magic Circus, then the Dream Castle.

 

[kizzabel]

Thanks Elaine

 

[petals]

Can Off sites use EMH if you don't book your park tickets through disney and hotel through disney website how does that work? Sorry for busting in on your thread btw

 

[kizzabel]

not atall, come on in

we are getting fantasy annual passes so EMH will be included but as far as i can remember EMH is only for AP holders whose APs include it or as part of a normal holiday package for onsite disney hotel guests with the exception of one of the partner offsite hotels which also gives you EMH but i cant remember which one. The brochure which can be found on the official DLP website has the info on which partner hotel it is.

 

[petals]

not atall, come on in

we are getting fantasy annual passes so EMH will be included but as far as i can remember EMH is only for AP holders whose APs include it or as part of a normal holiday package for onsite disney hotel guests with the exception of one of the partner offsite hotels which also gives you EMH but i cant remember which one. The brochure which can be found on the official DLP website has the info on which partner hotel it is.

Thanks for the info! I'm going in November and haven't been since 2003 and that was all arranged by dance teacher then so didn't have to study much about it myself

 

[kizzabel]

Ask away
Which hotel are you staying at?

Thanks for all the help guys. Booked Magic Circus last night. DS liked it best and I think it appears a little more inviting then DC.

Only 6 months to go now Uuugh hate the wait!

 

[caspdex]

Having stayed on-site many times at SF, Cheyenne and SL, this time because we have Sky tickets, we are staying in an apartment in Val D'Europe. The main reason being easy access to Auchan and much greater choice of restaurants.Working out much cheaper.
The Elysee used to have EMH but not now.

 

[petals]

I'm staying at Kyriad because it was cheapest by the looks of it will need every penny just for food never mind souvenirs

 

[gemma85]

I'm staying at the Cheyenne in feb, it's my first ever trip to Disneyland Paris and wanted a disney themed hotel, plus my son picked out hotel online. Yes it's expensive for 4 nights but it's like any theme park/attractions. I also think WDW expensive but plan to go there as I love Disney. My fave is tink