Planning a trip in Dec- From LA/OC area...!!!

[AnnieBanni]

Hey Everyone!!!!My BF and I are planning a trip to europe around Dec 5-23 and i know were going to go to Disneyland Paris. I AM SOOO EXCITED!!!! As you can imagine, ive been to disneyland over a million times and adore disney! The problem is being to DCA and DL so many times i can run around the park and know it just like my house but now.... We really dont know where to start for our trip to DLP. I've done a little bit of research and i understand its obviously DLP's 15th anniversary so thats exciting. what are the best things to do at DLP? Anything we shouldnt miss. Shows, rides? should we buy a package of being able to go into the park 2 hours earlier than opening hours, or it wouldnt be as packed? i read it shouldnt be very packed. Should we buy the meal vouchers, would it make that much of difference in the end? Can we get thru both parks that time of year in one day or should we do it in two days? is there anything we should really know that i havent asked thats not on the site? =) thanks soooo much you guys!!!!

 

[Bexx]

Hello AnnieBanni and welcome to the DIS

If you have a choice I would advise visiting before the 19th December as that's when schools in France, and the UK, start their Christmas holidays, and the crowds get bigger. Also try and visit during the week, as weekends are always busy at DLP. The 15th Anniversary castle lighting ceremony, Candleabration is on nightly, and as you're visiting during the Christmas season you will also get to see the evening parade - Fantillusion.

And two days is definitely better if you want to really enjoy both parks

 

[Ware Bears]

Hi AnnieBanni, welcome to the DIS!

Things that are unique to DLRP are the dragon under the Castle, the Sleeping Beauty stained glass windows upstairs in the Castle gallery, Alice's Curious Labyrinth ............. Rides that you already know and love like BTM and POTC are slightly different.

In the Studios, Crush and Cars are unique, also Cinemagique and Animagique.

Have a read through some threads and also check out people's trippies at the top of the page, and if you need any help with anything don't hesitate to ask.

 

[dan and scott]

Disneyland Paris resort is the BEST!!--Disneland that is --not the Studios.
It is our favorite Magic Kingdom. Been there in 2004 and stayed at the Disneyland Hotel--which I recomend for jumping in and out of the parks.
The castle is beautiful even with the overcast grey sky of Paris--that is why the castle is painted the way it is so it "pops" with color against the grey sky.
Paris is only a 45min ride on the RER subway station from Disneyland--how easy!!

Scott

 

[ema74]

Hello AnnieBanni and welcome to the DIS

If you have a choice I would advise visiting before the 19th December as that's when schools in France, and the UK, start their Christmas holidays, and the crowds get bigger.

I'm so happy we're going Dec 15-19th, should be quieter

 

[AnnieBanni]

oh gosh, im just sooooo excited!!!!!! I want to stay there for two days but were also on a time budget as well, i think well be in paris for about 3-4 days (i hope) before we head over to Barcelona. I hope i can convince my bf so we can spend a good amount of time in both parks. but since we obviously plan on going sightseeing in paris- should we stay at a disney hotel and just work our way around the city or should we just pick something outside not to far from DLP? funny question, whats the difference between the partner hotel and disney hotels.


Thanks guys!! I know lame questions.

 

[TOT CREW]

We have been to WDW in Orlando a fair number of times and to DLRP in spring, summer & winter.

We like to go to DLRP in the winter (ideally during the Christmas 'period'). If you are lucky and get cold crisp days/nights, DLRP provides an unique atmosphere and experience which is so much different to WDW and DL in California (although we love them as well !).

Some pointers:

IT WILL BE COLD - and I mean it can be very cold. Make sure you wrap up well in layers and wear a good quality (preferably long) water proof coat. Warm hats, gloves and a scarf are essential. Comfortable sturdy footwear (we have light weight walking boots which are ideal but good trainers should be fine) with two sets of socks. We have been very lucky during our winter visits. Apart from one blizzard (during which we had a great snowball 'fight' with Disney crew members as they had shut down the ride) we have not had serious rain, but you need to prepare for wind & rain conditions.

Do as many of the rides after dusk as you can (as well as during the day of course) - Thunder Mountain Railway etc in the dark feel entirely different to the day time and are just awesome !

Visit the parks before 20 Dec if possible and aviod weekends - you should be able to do both parks easily within 2 days.

If possible, stay on-site at a Disney hotel. Up to 18 Dec, DLRP offers good package deals. Stay in a Paris hotel when you stay in Paris - preferably with easy access to the Paris Metro transport system.

If you are staying in France for a while (i.e. more than a week or two) and are on a budget, consider hiring a Gite (government controlled but private self catered residences - try the Gites-de-France website) some of which are absolutely marvellous (and so very French - it helps to be able to speak basic French) and can be in villages near to railway lines into Paris and DLRP or you can drive as long as the Gite is not too far away.

Have a truly fab time !

 

[TOT CREW]

oh gosh, im just sooooo excited!!!!!! I want to stay there for two days but were also on a time budget as well, i think well be in paris for about 3-4 days (i hope) before we head over to Barcelona. I hope i can convince my bf so we can spend a good amount of time in both parks. but since we obviously plan on going sightseeing in paris- should we stay at a disney hotel and just work our way around the city or should we just pick something outside not to far from DLP? funny question, whats the difference between the partner hotel and disney hotels.


Thanks guys!! I know lame questions.

Disney hotels are on site and within easy walking distance to the 2 parks (note: Davy Crockett Ranch, whilst being Disney, needs car transport and is about a 5 minute drive to the park being one short junction along the motorway. There are NO buses to Davy Crockett !!).

Partner hotels are independent hotels (i.e. not owned by Disney) but tend to be located within the bounds of the Disneyland Paris site. Some of the partner hotels are owned by major chains e.g. Holiday Inn. They are slightly further way and have a separate independent bus shuttle service to and from the park which takes about 15-20 mins (depending on time of day, queus etc). If you have a car, you can request a free parking permit to park in the Disney parks car park (we did this whilst staying at the Explorers Hotel). Disney will sell you a 'partner hotel' package which is along the same lines as there own and (from what I have seen) are not much different in cost.

You may be able to book a 'partner hotel' much more cheaply through an independent hotel site rather than through Disney. We did this when we stayed at the Explorers Hotel a couple of years ago and then we seperately booked our Disney passes.

Unless you can get such a deal, my view is it is better to stay on site and to book a package through Disney's official DLRP site.

 

[AnnieBanni]

thanks a ton you guys!!!! ill let you all know how it went... but itll be a couple of months now b4 we leave but im very excited