This Christmas, I want to see a real castle : Europe & DLP Dec 2013

[Toy Story]

Hi,

Well after popping in a few time earlier in the year to ponder a winter European adventure, I am ready to commit with a bit of PTR planning and discussion.

Our trip idea was planted a few years ago when my SIL was posted to Budapest for work. A white Christmas with family sounded like a grand idea, oh DD1 will be turning 21, in January - DLP for her birthday, was the icing on the cake.

So, our dates were set and trip planning put on the back burner as we travelled to the USA in 2012, and DD1 to Japan at the start of 2013. We had a rough idea of plans - fly into Italy and out of Rome, head to Budapest and London in between. I booked flights as soon as a decent price appeared fitting in end of year school commitments before the December price rise. I also booked the Budapest to London part of trip.

Then our plans changed. SIL was advised her position would be ending in August, and she would be in Australia for Christmas. Hmmm what to do. We flipped between Christmas in Venice and Christmas in Vienna. The girls both decided on real castles for Christmas - so we will be in Vienna.

So our plan looks like this:
Rome - Florence - Venice - Vienna - Budapest - London - DLP - Paris - home

We fly out Saturday December 14, and will be away for just over 5 weeks. Our oldest DD is staying Paris for an extra two weeks.

My TR will be on my blog - for consistency and the 2012 TR is still not finished...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Nice looking itinerary!

 

[Toy Story]

Thanks for stopping by PIO

So, we are currently sitting at 5 months (11 pays ) until we leave.

As I we had originally planned on staying with our SIL for about 10 nights, I had to go back to the budget drawing board to factor in the extra accommodation.

It has been interesting researching different cities - and planning. I have been trawling hotel sights and airbnb trying to find something that suits our needs and budget - without getting sucked into the romanticism of Europe.

This is our accommodation so far:
Rome: A View of Rome
Florence: Hotel Pendini
Venice: Hotel Da Bruno
Vienna: apartment near the Nachmarket through airbnb
Budapest: Marriott Apartments
London: apartment in Soho through airbnb
DLP: Disneyland Hotel
Paris: apartment in La Marais through airbnb

Booking for 4 is not always easy, so I have been mainly looking at apartments. The whole airbnb thins is new to me - I have emailed some people and not heard back

I still have to book DLP - there are only Jan offers out for the UK - and the exchange rate is killing me. The dining plan seems huge - nearly $1000 for 4 nights!! That is close to our monthly grocery bill.

Once I have the accommodation is locked in, I will start focussing on the fun things - like internal trains and places to visit.

 

[Andona]

Looks like a wonderful trip!!! Looking forward to following along on your blog

Andona

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Sounds like an amazing Plan

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Your plans sound delightful. I often dream of going back to Europe for a winter Xmas. The Christmas markets in Europe are so special. If I close my eyes, I can almost smell the mulled wine and gingerbread.

I spent Xmas one year in Austria and it was fabulous.

Just a suggestion. I spent Xmas day in Vienna and was a bit disappointed. It was grey and dreary, everything was closed, and there was no snow. A few days later we drove onwards to Salzburg and Innsbruck and they were both winter wonderlands. I'm not complaining as the whole trip was amazing, but given the choice I would have preferred to have spent Xmas day in one of these 2 cities which, in my opinion, were much prettier than Vienna. Or even better one of the beautiful Villages such as Mondsee or one of my favourites just over the German border near Neuschwanstein Castle - Oberammergau.

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but I thought it might give you food for thought. I wrote an unpublished TR of that trip and have hundreds of photos. It's probably not that useful, but let me know if you want me to email any of them to you.

 

[australiankaren]

although I will be warmer, but what an awesome itin......and did I mention I would be warmer????

just sayin

oh and take the dollar destroyer aka andona with you, then she can focus on the euro and not on the usa dollar.......as really her work here on the USA demise is done

 

[PrincessInOz]

Your accommodation is amazing so far. Love your picks.

I will agree with WanderlustNZ about Vienna and prefer Salzburg and/or the countryside as well. Is there a particular reason you want to be in Vienna?

(But don't change your plans just because of a couple of us expressing personal views on a forum!!)

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Though it was many many years ago I visited Austria I also found Vienna less than my expectations in comparison to one of the smaller cities like Salzburg and Innsbruck and a friend who lived in France at the time used to target one of those cities (but I forget which) or a few places in Germany as her ideal Xmas destination.

I wouldn't do a dining plan at DLP - see lots of discussions on this on the DLP and UK boards. It really is for the convenience of having it pre-paid -it doesn't actually save you anything and there are alternative options in the Village or at Val d'Europe if you stay near there in an apartment. Val d'Europe apartments (one train stop away) get lots of thumbs up. We just stayed at Hotel Cheyenne, a budget property that has 2 bunks as well as double bed for families and package includes breakfast. That and being close to parks were the main perks as during EMH only a few rides are actually open. My TR is in my siggie.

Lucky you. Xmas in Europe is wonderful.

 

[Marlea98]

It sounds like a lovely trip you have planned.

I would love to do Christmas in Europe one day, I'm dreaming of a little English village in a thatched cottage in the country...

 

[Toy Story]

Looks like a wonderful trip!!! Looking forward to following along on your blog

Andona

Thanks - let me know when I should exchange my $

Sounds like an amazing Plan

Thanks - Europe is so huge, it is hard to know where to start/finish. If I did not already have flights booked from Budapest to London the whole trip would look completly different.

Just a suggestion. I spent Xmas day in Vienna and was a bit disappointed. It was grey and dreary, everything was closed, and there was no snow. A few days later we drove onwards to Salzburg and Innsbruck and they were both winter wonderlands.

Both the girls picked Vienna. I had suggested Innsbruck and Salzberg, after doing three Italian cites in eight days, I think we will be ready to stay put for a couple of days. I know they celebrate on Christmas Eve - so we will be prepared for this. I found a Christmas Market and that the zoo is open on the 25th.

although I will be warmer, but what an awesome itin......and did I mention I would be warmer????

just sayin
:

ahh - but we will have DLP in winter

Your accommodation is amazing so far. Love your picks.

I will agree with WanderlustNZ about Vienna and prefer Salzburg and/or the countryside as well. Is there a particular reason you want to be in Vienna?

(But don't change your plans just because of a couple of us expressing personal views on a forum!!)

A few friends said they had really liked Vienna - I have not booked accommodation yet (just a flight from Venice). I think the lure was the Christmas markets -I think I will review the areas we are thinking of staying - as maybe this will have an impact

I wouldn't do a dining plan at DLP - see lots of discussions on this on the DLP and UK boards. It really is for the convenience of having it pre-paid -it doesn't actually save you anything and there are alternative options in the Village or at Val d'Europe if you stay near there in an apartment. Val d'Europe apartments (one train stop away) get lots of thumbs up. We just stayed at Hotel Cheyenne, a budget property that has 2 bunks as well as double bed for families and package includes breakfast. That and being close to parks were the main perks as during EMH only a few rides are actually open. My TR is in my siggie.

Lucky you. Xmas in Europe is wonderful.

Thanks - I have started to read your TR.

Thanks for the information on the dining plan - I will just factor in the $ in our travel card. It is the price of character dining that me.

We are looking at staying at the Disneyland Hotel - purely because it is for DD's 21st (the younger DD has had two WDW birthdays). I liked the idea of being able to just go to the hotel - and warm up.

It sounds like a lovely trip you have planned.

I would love to do Christmas in Europe one day, I'm dreaming of a little English village in a thatched cottage in the country...

The English country side is one of the things not being factored in to this trip. I may have to start thinking about the two trips away....

 

[gogo65]

Just checked out your hotels, they look great
It was very interesting to read your plan as we are doing very similar next year. We fly NYC to Paris, then budapest, Croatia, Venice, Florence and Rome. So very similar itinerary except we are doing croatia instead of Vienna
Oh and I don't get to go to DLPBut I will be doing WDW before heading to NYC.
Look forward to following your plans

 

[Toy Story]

After spending a weekend scouring hotel websites, airbnb and cross-referencing with neighbourhood guides, google maps and Trip Advisor.

I have booked and paid for our accommodation in Vienna I was starting to stress about this as there seemed to be nothing left in the location we wanted to book in.
I was event more excited to learn we are right near the Saturday morning flea market - perfect location for a family of collectors.

When we return from the trip I will update the original posting about the airbnb bookings we made.

 

[Toy Story]

Just checked out your hotels, they look great
It was very interesting to read your plan as we are doing very similar next year. We fly NYC to Paris, then budapest, Croatia, Venice, Florence and Rome. So very similar itinerary except we are doing croatia instead of Vienna
Oh and I don't get to go to DLPBut I will be doing WDW before heading to NYC.
Look forward to following your plans

I wish we had NY in as part of this itinerary, but then we would also have to add in either WDW or DL and there would be less Europe. Have you found accommodation in Paris yet? That is next on my list.

 

[Travel Mum]

Toy Story, I can't wait to read your TR as we are hoping to do UK/Europe next Christmas (2014/15) and I'd love to learn from your experiences!!

 

[cola]

I've got to say maybe swap your DLP/Paris around, finish in DLP, depending on what day of the week you are where and pricing.

If you are flying out of Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport, getting from DLP to CDG is ridiculously easy on the train and only takes close to 10 min - it was the most painless airport transfer I've ever done! (other than when you select English as the language for the ticket machine, airport is still spelt aeroport) It's a LOT faster getting to the airport than getting into Paris (40min-ish by train). You could have a full day at the parks, yet low stress level because it is Disney, not have to worry about traffic or getting lost, and then a very easy transfer to the airport.

 

[paprika]

Hi! I'm Paprika, Toy Story's DD

I will try to pop in with updates/more info/planning as I can. (but classes are about to start so no promises) This is my fourth trip to Disney (dl, wdw, td) and my 21st birthday present! Cola- this is why we can't switch around our paris dates. My birthday is the 12th and I get to spend it at the park! (Wish we were staying in Cinderella's suite though...)

 

[heidispidi]

Oh I wish there was a 'like' button on Disboards! The trip you guys are going on sounds amazing, and what a way to spend your 21st, Paprika! My Europe trip next year has turned into another US DL trip instead, so I'm happy to do the European tour through you instead!

Keep the plans coming!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Hi! I'm Paprika, Toy Story's DD

I will try to pop in with updates/more info/planning as I can. (but classes are about to start so no promises) This is my fourth trip to Disney (dl, wdw, td) and my 21st birthday present! Cola- this is why we can't switch around our paris dates. My birthday is the 12th and I get to spend it at the park! (Wish we were staying in Cinderella's suite though...)

Welcome to the boards!

Sounds like a great way to spend your 21st birthday!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Hi! I'm Paprika, Toy Story's DD

I will try to pop in with updates/more info/planning as I can. (but classes are about to start so no promises) This is my fourth trip to Disney (dl, wdw, td) and my 21st birthday present! Cola- this is why we can't switch around our paris dates. My birthday is the 12th and I get to spend it at the park! (Wish we were staying in Cinderella's suite though...)

Welcome Paprika. What a wonderful place to have a 21st and welcome to the boards