Please help me, lots of questions from a first timer!

[hollymattbenmilo]

Hi everyone, i went a few years ago..but this will be my first time with children..infact my first holiday as a mummy. We want to go to disney land paris november looking at 24-28th.
We live so far away from tunnel...when you add up petrol costs it seems cheaper option to fly, i have found some cheap flights around those dates. What is huttle like from CDG? how much is shuttle? I cant find that anywhere!

Also will have a 4year old an 13 month old, so think its best that they both have a stroller to sit in, for all the walking..i have ehard the ones you hire are awful?? true or false? If true..do you think i could take two lightweight umbrella buggies on as hand luggage?

next thing, is nanny will be joining us... and obiously my partner and i dont want to share a bedroom with her, was hoping it could be us and kids then her in another bedroom...am i right in thinking the davy ranch is the only place i could do this, and it has not got a direct shuttle bus..so couldnt do that? any ideas? or would be have to just book two rooms? shame as adds such a cost!

any ideas on travelling there... we will live in cornwall... in your expert opinions which way do you think would be best to travel (cant do coach).
sorry i know there is alot there, but any help would be so so so appreciated!!! thank you

 

[Tinkjon]

Hi! I will also be travelling early winter with a 13-month old and Nanny in tow

I've not heard that the buggies are awful, but I would think that unless your 4 year old is only just 4 then s/he probably won't need a buggy anyway so you may just as well take your own for the 13 month old. Not sure what your child is like for naps, but my plan is to have my son sleep in his own buggy to and from the parks (it's a nice 15 minute walk along a shady path by the river) as opposed to taking shuttle buses - and you couldn't do that unless you had your own buggy. You can definitely take at least one buggy on a plane in addition to your usual luggage allowance but you wouldn't be able to have it as hand luggage.

As for own rooms, yes the Davy Crockett ranch is the only place where you can all be in the same place but have separate rooms. But as the Ranch is not walkable from the park (and doesn't have a shuttle) we have just booked adjoining rooms in an on-site hotel and I don't see that being a problem (although more expensive, of course).

Can't help you with the flight advice, I'm afraid - travelling by Eurostar is SO convenient (train takes you literally to the park gates!) so we'd never consider any other option - but then we're lucky enough to be only 1-2 hours drive from Ashford.

HTH!

 

[DLPdaft]

Hi,

We fly into CDG each visit to DLRP.

The VEA shuttle is 17 euros per adult, 13 euros per child, each way.
It departs very regularly through the day and early evening, from each terminal at CDG.

You may also want to check out the prices for a private transfer on rstransports as there are 5 of you travelling - it may be only a few euros more, and you would arrive at your Disney destination faster.

There is information on both the VEA shuttle and rstransports weblink in the Very Useful Information thread on this forum.

As far as accommodation is concerned - you could, if you want to save some pennies, all get in one room at any Disney onsite hotel (as your youngest child would need a cot, and so isn't counted for full occupancy of 4 per room). Yes, you could get 2 rooms to give nanny her space, you can request adjoining rooms at any onsite hotel, but you would be paying for 2 rooms.

There are also associated hotels as well as the onsite ones - you would need to get the shuttle buses back and forth to the parks though, it would be too far to walk, especially at the end of the day with a young child. The Explorers hotel do rooms for 6 (one standard room and one adjoining bunk room). This may be another option to consider?

Welcome to the DLRP addicts forum !

Elaine

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

oh thank you... yes i am hooked... children are climbing walls to get out and i am in DLP world!

the explorers...the tickets to dlp wouldnt be included would they..as its off site?

so would you advise against the normal shuttle which is 17 or 13 euros? how much longer does it take... do you have any sites for the privet transfers??

thank you!! i really like idea of sante fe t moment, its just trying to get buggy, transfer and room situation sorted....!!! soooooooooo excited!! my son is peter pan as we speak!

 

[DLPdaft]

Here is the link for rstransport private transfer (it says bstransport but rs and bs are the same company) -

http://www.bstransports.com/

I'm a fan of the Santa Fe myself - but last trip was to the Explorers. You are right, you don't get the park tickets included in the price at the Explorers, but have a look at the Benotel website - they sell the Explorers at sometimes very very good prices. Then you would be able to look at buying your tickets in advance from the likes of 365tickets, attractiontickets, or themeparktickets.

Or (and this is what I did) you could look into annual passes. As you are intending going for 5 days, you really could save some money by buying annual passes instead of normal duration-of-stay park tickets. Especially since, at the moment until 7th November 2008, you could get a free childs pass for your 4-year old when bought with an adult pass of the same type. The free childrens annual pass offer has been going on since the beginning of the 15th anniversary celebrations in April 07, and has already been extended 2 or 3 times as the anniversary is now going on until March 2009, so you may find that, when you go, this is still an option.

This site is great for explaining all the advantages, prices etc of annual passes, you can also get an idea of the park tickets prices too

http://dlrpmagic.com/guides/practical/annualpassports/

I personally have had no problems with the VEA, but this upcoming trip I'm going with rstransports, as there will be 6 of us travelling (usually we are just 2) and it works out about the same price as the VEA, but whereas the VEA goes to each terminal at CDG picking up (and so the whole journey can be just over one hour from the airport to your hotel) a private transfer should only take around 40 minutes.

I have used rstransport once before, last November, and would recommend them for excellent service.

It really is all about considering all your options, and crunching the numbers !

But its all part of the fun of planning isn't it ,

Elaine

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

i had not hear about these annual tickets?? il look at the link, thank you. very helpfull! are the rooms in santa fe for example really warm? will be cold nov and have 2 young children..just checking really!!!

 

[DLPdaft]

The rooms at the Santa Fe (and in fact at all the onsite hotels) are fitted with ceiling fans and radiator heaters on the walls of the bedrooms.

Last November at the Cheyenne I had the ceiling fan on at night - it was that warm in the room!

Elaine

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

oh fantastic, thank you!
i think i would like to stay at a hotel in dlp...just to add a bit of magic! and will prob fly, only because we are so far away from tunnel anyway, and would add an extra thrill for my four year old.
so next in..a def decision on where to stay...am thinking sante fe at moment. and then the buggy situation. my 4 year old can get a dodgy knee if he walks to far and if its cold and wet be much nicer to be wrapped up in a buggy then walking in the rain.. and there are three adults, so we can all take turns pushing either two of the buggies... so should i hire, or take 2 cheap buggies with me??
sooooooooo exciting
so you pay 10% online to book disney hotel etc dont you... what about the flights..flybe for example..do you have to pay it outright..or can you do a deposit now to secure your ticket??
sorry........ i am pushing my luck now!! haha

 

[DLPdaft]

Hi,

If you book your Disney hotel online, you'll pay full price when you book. But you can phone them and then you only pay 10% when you book, the balance 30 or 60 days before (they will tell you when you phone to book).

With the flights, you will have to pay the full balance due when you book them.

As far as the buggy situation - if you think your 4-year old will need the buggy to get back from the parks to your hotel (if you're at the Santa Fe, thats a 15-minute walk, or there is a shuttle bus) then take a buggy with you for him. If you think he'll manage fine at the start and end of the days, but could use a buggy for a rest in the middle of the day, hire one there.

Personally, for your littlest one, I'd take your own buggy.

Elaine

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

thank you so much for all your help! if anyone else has any thoughts please add! i will be lurking around!! its so exciting, i bet is so magical there near christmas!!

 

[norty mouse]

hi
reguarding the buggy situation, i got back from disney in january, and i know that the buggies over there are very substantial i'm sure that i noticed that there was standing on the back of the buggies much like a buggy board, because i remember thinking oh they are much better than when we needed one of our previous trips when i had a baby and a poorly 4 year old. perhaps someone soon will beable to clarify that for you. we always stay at the santa fe as there are 5 of us so i need to book 2 rooms and it is usually cheaper to do that than try for a family room at newport bay. My youngest son is now 6 and when he was 4 and we went he managed the walking ok, and the buses are very frequent at the end of an actioned packed day!! have a truly fabby timexxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

hi
reguarding the buggy situation, i got back from disney in january, and i know that the buggies over there are very substantial i'm sure that i noticed that there was standing on the back of the buggies much like a buggy board, because i remember thinking oh they are much better than when we needed one of our previous trips when i had a baby and a poorly 4 year old. perhaps someone soon will beable to clarify that for you. we always stay at the santa fe as there are 5 of us so i need to book 2 rooms and it is usually cheaper to do that than try for a family room at newport bay. My youngest son is now 6 and when he was 4 and we went he managed the walking ok, and the buses are very frequent at the end of an actioned packed day!! have a truly fabby timexxxxxxxxxxxxx

oh really?? that would be fantastic! to ahve the buggy with a buggy board..how would i find out about this? there is not anything on website? very good idea tho..accept i do plan to go into paris one day, do you think i am allowed to take it out with me too?
he is great walker...but with weather and sometimes he complains of knee trouble after wlaking on beach walks etc, so feel rather he had somewhere comfy to sit and not need to exhaust him too much

 

[DLPdaft]

Unfortunately, you can't take the hired buggies or buggyboards out of the Disney parks.

Elaine

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

oh ok, thats good to know thank you. i just thought,... maybe i will take a lightweight twin buggy, that way if my son gets tired he can jump on, and if not spare seat can carry coats etc.....think thats a good idea...mmm..so much to think about

 

[pyebibby]

When we were there in April this year the hired buggy seemed to have changed and no longer had buggy boards on the back.

This was different to Feb 2007 when all had standing places at back.
I took our pushchair with my own buggy board on the back for my 8 year old!!!

 

[karenmoloney]

I have taken 2 buggies a few times (one for the baby & the other for my 6 yr old!) and there was no problem on the plane. I checked one in with the luggage & even though I was up to my weight limit on the suitcases, I wasn't charged any extra. I was flying with Easyjet.

The great thing about having your own buggy is that the ones in the park do not recline & more importantly do not have rain covers.

If I were you, I would take my own two.

For accommodation, I know you said that you wanted to stay near the park, but I would recommend staying at the Marriott Village. They have a bus to the parks, a heated indoor pool, playgrounds, an indoor playroom, the houses have 2 bedrooms & the kitchens are very handy if you are catering for a baby (the reason I have stayed there). There is also a supermarket nearby. We are planning to stay there again this year in Nov & the prices are 130 euro per night for the house at the start of the month. It sleeps up to 6 (double sofabed in the livingroom) and are beautiful houses.

Good luck in making your decisions.

 

[Cyrano]

Hi hollymattbenmilo and welcome to DLP DIS board
We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here, DIS posting guidelines can be found here.

For a refundable deposit the strollers at the park can be removed back to your hotel

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

I have taken 2 buggies a few times (one for the baby & the other for my 6 yr old!) and there was no problem on the plane. I checked one in with the luggage & even though I was up to my weight limit on the suitcases, I wasn't charged any extra. I was flying with Easyjet.

The great thing about having your own buggy is that the ones in the park do not recline & more importantly do not have rain covers.

If I were you, I would take my own two.

For accommodation, I know you said that you wanted to stay near the park, but I would recommend staying at the Marriott Village. They have a bus to the parks, a heated indoor pool, playgrounds, an indoor playroom, the houses have 2 bedrooms & the kitchens are very handy if you are catering for a baby (the reason I have stayed there). There is also a supermarket nearby. We are planning to stay there again this year in Nov & the prices are 130 euro per night for the house at the start of the month. It sleeps up to 6 (double sofabed in the livingroom) and are beautiful houses.

Good luck in making your decisions.

thank you for this info really helpfull! think this does sound like a good idea.. but actually the two rooms with tickets in sante fe comes to 563...so not alot of price difference and maybe better for the less experienced dlp person, but will def remember this for a future visit, so thank you!! and yes have decided def will take my own buggy! thank you, i am so excited...i had dlp dreams all night..oh dear!!