Trip Help for a first timer :D

[bozzboy]

Hello everyone!

I've read these boards for a very long time, yet have never posted.

Basically me and my girlfriend are aiming to go to Disneyland Paris in Semptember 2007. What are prices like at this time of year? What months are the cheapest etc? We are on a pretty small budget so obviously the cheaper the better

Living in Cardiff, Wales what's the best way to get there? Flights would probably be the most convenient but probably a little expensive (we are on a VERY small budget ), so what's the next best option after that?

On to the hotels... I've gathered Santa Fe's the cheapest option but I've heard some terrible terrible reviews lol, so is it worth paying more for the Cheyenne? How Much more is it roughly? We are looking at staying for probably 3 nights

If I think of more questions I need answering I'll add them in

Any help MUCH appreciated guys!

 

[Bexx]

Hello bozzboy and welcome to the DIS!!

January is the very cheapest time of year to visit, and usually very quiet - mainly because there are no special events, and it can be very cold!! September is a great choice too - low crowds and (hopefully) pleasant weather. To keep prices down, try to arrange your visit so that you don't arrive on a Friday or Saturday - the arrival day determines the price of the whole stay and arriving on either of these days will make things more expensive.

There is also a Book Early offer for September visits, and for arrivals from the 12th to the 16th they are doing the extra night offers too. I doubt you could combine both offers, but if you have a look here and play around with the dates you could find what works best for you.

The Cheyenne will work out about £10 to £40 more per person than the Santa Fe., depending on how many nights you stay.

Can you take advantage of any of the budget airlines? You usually get the best deals with them by booking as soon as the new season comes out. I think that Easyjet, for example, will probably be starting bookings from March to next October, in about a month or so.

 

[jillrobinson]

Hi Bozzboy,
Now that Easyjet have started flying from Bristol, BA have also dropped their prices and have flights starting from £30.00, BA also have a number of flights first one at 6.45am from Bristol, last one 8.00pmish from CDG, prices vary depending on the day of travel, but if you book online you can choose your times to get the longest stay in the park.

If you don't mind coach travel you could try Leger travel, I'm seriously considering a coach trip to DLP with them this year to use up my Tesco Clubcard vouchers.

September prices always seem quite reasonable with the extra day offer and the parks will be quiet, I suppose most people are reluctant to take their kids out of school early in the school year.

Re: the hotels in my opinion the Cheyenne is worth the extra cost compared to the SF, but if you're not bothered about staying onsite, the Holiday Inn is worth checking out, I was surprised how low their room rates are - you still benefit from the Shuttle bus and I believe they offer packages including park entry on their website, don't know how this compares to buying the tickets independantly though.

Hope you manage to get something sorted, I'm sure you'll both love DLRP.

 

[Sarah Sarill]

Bozzboy,

Up until January this year you could fly direct to CGD with BMI baby from Cardiff but unfortunately they have stopped this route althogether as Air Wales went into liquidation and they were the actual carriers.

In December we are flying with BA from Bristol at an inclusive cost of £351 which is the most we have ever paid for flying to CDG. My best tip is to find out when the airline intend to release their routes for the month of your choice and grab the best bargains at 12.01 when they go on sale. (We once paid £13 each way with BMI baby doing this)

As from March 2007 BA are selling their BA connect routes to Flybe so I would hope to seea bit of activity from them and easyjet, in terms of doing the cheapest flights.

We paid 80 euros a night for the HI, (for up to 2 ad and 2 ch) which was the cheapest I could find for a 4* hotel (inc Breakfast). If you choose an off-site option dont forget you will have to pay for your passes seperately .

Im sorry I know nothing about coaching or training it to Paris as its never been a transport method any of us would like to do.

Good luck with your decisions, whatever you decide you will have a fab time

 

[Ware Bears]

Hi bozzboy, welcome to the DIS!

 

[nifferwilko]

If you're on a budget, it may be worthwhile considering one of the "preferred hotels" as they are usually really good value. The Holiday Inn and the Kyriad are my recommendations for good value if there are only 2 of you. My sister and I got a room at the Kyriad for £50 per night including breakfast in the middle of july. Try looking at the Holiday Inn website for it's advance purchases (the hotel is Marne La Valle, though I think there is a direct link from the home page) or www.hotelclub.net, which has good deals on hotels.

The cheapest times to go will always be outside the school holidays. Remember to check the French ones too as they are usually different to the English (welsh) ones.

Travelling, have you thought of the Eurostar? If you can get cheap tickets to London (I think it is http://www.firstminutefares.co.uk/ from memory for FGW - I used to live in Swindon!) it's quite simple to get from Paddington to Waterloo (take the direct Bakerloo line). For example, going on the 24th April and coming back on the 27th April on the direct Eurostar costs £65 each return. (can you tell I like planning things!)

 

[bozzboy]

Thanks for the great help so far guys, all of it very much appreciated.

We are probably going for the Cheyenne using the '4 for 3' nights offer probably leaving on the 12th September 2007.

All that's left really is how we're going to get there. We really dont know whether to fly, go on the train, go over the channel tunnel, go on the ferry etc. So many options :S

Also when you order from the page on the UK Disneyland website with all the hotels and packages like '5 for 4' 'classic offer' etc (I can't post urls because I haven't got enough posts yet) do these include tickets and the hotel stays or just the hotel stays? If they do include tickets what type of tickets are they? Hopper tickets and whatnot? For every day of your stay or just for one or two?

Also what is the 'Early Booker September' Offer?

Thanks for all the help guys!!

Tom

 

[Bexx]

Also when you order from the page on the UK Disneyland website with all the hotels and packages like '5 for 4' 'classic offer' etc (I can't post urls because I haven't got enough posts yet) do these include tickets and the hotel stays or just the hotel stays? If they do include tickets what type of tickets are they? Hopper tickets and whatnot? For every day of your stay or just for one or two?

The packages include park hopper tickets - if you're staying for 4 nights, you will get a ticket for 5 days.

Bear in mind that if you book via the website you will pay the total amount straight away. If you book by phone you will pay a 10% deposit and the rest 60 days before your trip. Don't forget to request any extras, like the Good Morning Fantasyland Breakfast if you want it, when you book- it's easier than having to write or fax them about it afterwards!

The Early Booker offer is just an incentive to get bookings for the quieter month of September - and seems to be a good one. The 4 for 3 offer is great if you're happy with those dates, but the Early Booker is an equal alternative for any other dates in September, if they suit you better.

 

[Cyrano]

Hi bozzboy 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, posting guidelines can be found here and details regarding help on signatures here

 

[Petal]

We were on a tight budget too and went last Sept, not a drop of rain and wall to wall scorchio sunshine everyday!

With the advice and information of all the good folk on this site I had the confidence to book everthing independently of 'official' brouchures and saved a fortune! By doing it that way I only paid half the brouchure price (it was me and my godson so the brouchures were whacking on huge single supplements!).

We flew BA..booked far enough in advance to maximise cheap flights, Holiday Inn for £46 per night, we breakfasted at McDonalds for a few Euros (so we had more money for other more important things!!) and got our tickets for 365 tickets (?).

Saved a fortune................living proof it can be done for about half the cost of the brouchure if money is tight.....it was great.......it swung the balalnce of going or not going!

Trying to do the same again for next year!

You'll have a ball!

 

[Salford Steve]

Try Jet2. You can fly from Manchester to CGD terminal 3 in September for as little as £10 each return plus taxes (around £92 inclusive for the both of you!) depending when you fly.

 

[bozzboy]

Once again thanks for the help guys

We're probably going to fly, it's just a matter of finding a cheap flight on the days we're going (12th September and 16th September).

We were also just wondering if the Cheyenne has rooms with just a double bed without any bunk beds? I know it might sound stupid but we could only find pictures and descriptions talking about bunk beds.

Also if you buy stuff in the parks in the day will they ship them to your room for free so you don't have to carry things around or am I just imagining reading that somewhere?

And also it says this under "what makes this hotel special?" - "'Fantasyland' Breakfast in Disneyland Park one hour before official Park opening, without a supplement (subject to restrictions)"

Is that true lol?

Also do the package prices on the UK Disneyland website include any sort of meals (breakfast or tea)?

Thanks again guys

 

[jillrobinson]

I think all Cheyenne rooms have a bunk and double bed, but you could contact the hotel just to double check, the only reason I say this is because we got a room with bunkbeds at the NPB this year and I have never ever seen bunk bed rooms advertised at the NPB.
The package prices on the site include park hopper tickets and breakfast. The breakfast is very good with a choice of croissants, bread rolls, meat/cheese platter, fruit salad, yoghurts, cereals, orange juice, coffee and it's buffet style so you can have as much as you want.

Fantasyland breakfast is a good way to get an early start, breakfast will be the same as above but in one of Fantasyland's restaurants and one or two of the Fantasyland rides will be open, but being in the park also means you get a head start for the busy rides in the other lands like Buzz, BTM etc., good time to pick up a Fastpass for later too.

The Cheyenne is a great hotel BTW

 

[bozzboy]

Fantasyland breakfast is a good way to get an early start, breakfast will be the same as above but in one of Fantasyland's restaurants and one or two of the Fantasyland rides will be open, but being in the park also means you get a head start for the busy rides in the other lands like Buzz, BTM etc., good time to pick up a Fastpass for later too.

So we can do this EVERY day of our stay if we wanted?

Do you have to book or anything?

Also anymore ideas for cheap flights Cheers guys

 

[Bexx]

Yes you can do the GMF breakfast every morning - just book it when you make your reservation. Bear in mind, it's nothing fancy - a basic cold spread on paper plates, and it isn't a character meal. But it does get you into Fantasyland an hour earlier.

As for the cheap flights - where can you fly from?

 

[bozzboy]

As for the cheap flights - where can you fly from?

Cardiff, Bristol, any airports around that sort of area. We don't mind a 1-2 hour car journey to get to the airport.

 

[Bexx]

None of the budget arlines fly to Paris from Cardiff, but you can fly from Bristol with Easyjet and BA Connect. You've probably got the links, but if not you can find them in this thread in the Useful Information sticky Keep an eye on these sites and register for email updates, so you'll know as soon as you can book for September

 

[Sarah Sarill]

"As from March 2007 BA are selling their BA connect routes to Flybe so I would hope to see a bit of activity from them and easyjet, in terms of doing the cheapest flights "

Just a reminder so you check out the Flybe website as well..

 

[bozzboy]

Thanks a lot for all the help guys, you all seem to know your stuff

I'll let you all know when we finally book

Thanks again

 

[Bexx]

Just a reminder so you check out the Flybe website as well..

Good call Sarah - I completely forgot about that

I'll let you all know when we finally book

Please do!! And hopefully you'll have loads more questions too!!