The Most Expensive 3 Days of My Life !

[jabba08]

Just returned from DLP. OMG, the prices have risen to an unacceptable level this year. I know we have a weak pound, but there taking the P... (pardon my language). I must say the parks were clean, tidy and looking in good shape. But the cost of food and merchandise were totally over the top. Just a few examples of costs. 2.50 Euro for a bottle of coke, 32 Euro each for a buffet at Lucky Nuggets and the best was 59 Euro each at the castle resturant. All the resturants in the Disney Village are way over priced. I strongly advised anybody with young children to pack lots of drinks and snacks in there luggage b4 they go, you will save a fortune. The parks were packed, due to a special deal at the moment, buy a one day pass and pay another 29 Euro for an annual pass. The queue for this offer was longer than some of the rides. If you are going, do yourself a favour buy some extra fast passes of ebay, they do work. I did and saved lots of time and hassle.

Until disney decide to lower there prices by 20-30% I wont returning any time soon. I'll stick to my annual disney world trip and spend the extra money there on decent food, better service and cheaper prices.

 

[DLPdaft]

Unfortunately, I do think that a lot of us UK return visitors will see a real difference in how little our spending money will get us at DLRP this year.

Thanks for posting your experiences from your weekend .

 

[lojo]

Is the one-day pass upgrade to an annual pass offer published anywhere, or just onsite? Was wondering about how long it's on and what type of annual pass you get for the extra?

Going in a couple of weeks so hoping for divine intervention re the exchange rate (more chance of that than onsite prices dropping).

 

[A Small World]

the offer is advertised in the park and has been there for a while now (a couple of years Id say). Its to upgrade to a Francilien pass but if you have a ticket bought as part of a package it cannot be upgraded.
I think there are queues to buy them now as the under 7 free offer is coming to an end as far as we know

 

[jabba08]

One day pass was 77 euro I believe. A special office has been set up just of Main Street and near to Discovery Land. It was only advertised onsite. You could upgrade your day ticket for 29 euro which entitled you to an annual pass. Unclear if this was for both park or just disneyland parc. Did not see any advertisement for this special deal at disney studios. Unsure of when special offer will end.

Hope this helps.

 

[gemmybear83]

I don't think its the fact the prices have got out of hand (yes they have gone up slightly but so has everything), but rather the euro exchange rate is making Europe very expensive - but that is out of DLRP's hands

 

[jabba08]

Disney cannot justify 13 euro for a below par burger and fries with a coke. When you can buy the same thing in Paris for half that.

 

[Lisa_C]

I suggest booking meals like the princess dinner and the Lucky Nugget over here - they work out so so much cheaper and are great value for money. Also half board vouchers help, they might seem expensive at £21 a pop but they work out great value when you see the quality of food you can buy. Plus if you've already bought them and budgeted before hand, you won't need much spending money (I shop at the Disney Store for my merch!)

 

[foxymum]

we have just returned & went half board & also booked & paid for from here Cafe Mickey for our last day & took all drinks/snacks from here & only spent £90!!

that was on gifts for our children, we only bought 1 drink & that was a coffee for the mother in law 2 Euros & the rest was bits from the Disney Store for the kids like i say.

if you prepare enough & take asmuch as poss from home you can do it on a very tight budget like we did!! we have 3 children including a 2 1/2 yr old too so this was even more of a result!

 

[torsie24]

Why I love HB Premium!!

Also, yes Europe is expensive for brits at the moment and of course you expect Disney to be even more expensive for food and drink.

I'm sure we spent loads on our trips on snacks and stuff, but like you name says, it's only 3 days, (4 for us) we had the most wonderful time on our trips, and what's money compared to great memories and a magical break?

I love DLP and won't let the exchange rate (and unavoidable Disney food prices) put me off going.

In short:

Both my trips were well over £300/day, but they were also some of the best days of the year - so well worth it!

If high prices means less crowds then bring on prices!!

 

[jillrobinson]

As above I was expecting the extra expense, so booked the HB dining option beforehand, paid for LN before we went and we spent £170.00, but we went to the bar every night and to be honest that's where most of it went, apart from a couple of hotdogs, mickey brioches and coffees.
Kids had their own money, actually I did fund the games arcade for them too, so we really didn't do too badly.

I was amazed at the queues at the AP office too, in fact I posted that I assumed it must have been an exceptionally good offer to create such interest.
Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight to buy the Ebay passes, I didn't think we'd need them and that was my main disappointment of the hol, (not helped by our lost day to be honest), but I did think that we would've time to fit everything in, I really wasn't expecting those sort of crowd levels

 

[Belle's World]

Hi,

Although i agree prices are high in Disney this does have a lot to do with the poor exchange rate. I personally feel that Disney in itself is worth paying more for. It is only my opinion of course but you are not just paying for the food in disney but the surroundings in which you eat it and i am more than happy to pay extra for this.
As has been demonstrated if you need to be on tight budget then this can be done however the trip we have planned in June will be our first holiday abroad since Jan 2006 when you guessed it we went to Disney. Therefore i am prepared in advance to pay more but have purchased the half board plus vouchers and pre-paid for Cafe Mickey and Buffalo Bill's because i want to make the most of my time and not continuously think about how much i am spending. It's a holiday thats for enjoying not feeling bitter about or you will tarnish your entire trip.

Ro

 

[mommy2ash]

after two trips i am definately booking half board vouchers next time. counter service food in dlrp leaves a lot to be desired. although i have to say it never ceases to amaze me that people dont know its expensive before they go. if you do your research you can easily decide whether its worth it to you or not. for me its worth it. there is a shop by the train station thats sells food and drinks lower than in the disney park. and i really think that there is something there for everyone you dont have to spend a fortune to enjoy yourself. but you do have to do your research to go on a budget

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Maybe its me but i don't think the prices are too expensive, just the same. Its the weak pound that is the problem and makes everything look so expensive, which is why HB vouchers right now are the way to go.

 

[scottishgirl87]

Yeah I mean €13 for a burger and chips is about the same as I'd pay here if I went to TGI's

 

[joolz1910]

I went on a tight budget but prebooked the hb plus vouchers, so saved a bit on food. We also took our own coffee/tea/snacks. I bought bits and pieces from the train station shop and the kids took their own spending money. I know all of that probably sounds like I'm cheap, but it's the only way we can afford to go. Having said that, the theme parks in this country aren't that inexpensive either!

 

[marcus.ka]

Maybe its me but i don't think the prices are too expensive, just the same. Its the weak pound that is the problem and makes everything look so expensive, which is why HB vouchers right now are the way to go.

I think the same. I do live in the Euro Zone and 2,50€ for a bottle of Cola sounds not to expensive to me. In many other tourist destinations you even have to pay 3€ or more.
And when we go out here in Germany and have an all you can eat buffet you do also pay at least 25€ per adult. And here you won't be visited by Mickey or Winnie during your meal.
And if I go to Mc Donalds here and have a menu you do also pay ~ 7€. But this is only for Burger, Fries and a small drink. At DLRP you usually also get a desert or a starter with your menu. And again if you go to Mc Donalds you don't have a view to a castle or you won't be sitting in a restaurant which looks like the home town of Pinocchio.

 

[cap'njack.]

Disney cannot justify 13 euro for a below par burger and fries with a coke. When you can buy the same thing in Paris for half that.

They can, they have the monopoly in the area whereas in Paris there is fierce competition.

Those on a budget should remember that you can get a McDonalds meal for around 7 euros, only a five minute walk from the park in the Village.

 

[dixonsontour]

Hi a couple of you have mentioned pre paying cafe mickey - I was wondering about doing that for our last day when we wont have a hb voucher.

Is a drink included or extra?

thanks

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Just a thought.....
Should we be encouraging people to buy FPs from Ebay? I'm not sure that we should.
Hugs
Joanne