Trip to Disneyland Paris

[glenpreece]

I am coming pretty close to booking my DLP trip for October here's what i have so far.

Oct 17/18-25/26

Toronto-Paris retun non stop with Air Canada
Staying at the Kyriad DLP
4 day hoppers passes
2 days for sightseeing in Paris

When I was going through the activities there was one for a day trip to London on the Eurostar. Should I do it? It's just over $200cdn for this 16hr day trip. Only thing is that I am not staying at a central Paris hotel so I need to get to the eurostar station and back on my own. Does anyone know if this is pretty easy to do? I asked this same question over in the DLP forum but wanted to ask all of you as well, since some of you may have visited before.

Thanks for your help

 

[mikelan6]

We took the Eurostar/TGV from London to Marne la Vallee a few years back and it was very easy. We even changed trains at L'ille so as to not have to go though Gare Du Nord, which is huge.

The question is if it's worth all that money to go to London for a few hours? Personally, I'd stay in France and see something there. Do your plans include Versailles?

 

[glenpreece]

We took the Eurostar/TGV from London to Marne la Vallee a few years back and it was very easy. We even changed trains at L'ille so as to not have to go though Gare Du Nord, which is huge.

The question is if it's worth all that money to go to London for a few hours? Personally, I'd stay in France and see something there. Do your plans include Versailles?

Thanks,

No i didn't plan on Versailles I saw it on the tour list. Would I be better off going there over London?

 

[mikelan6]

No i didn't plan on Versailles I saw it on the tour list. Would I be better off going there over London?

Only you can decide that, but I just wanted to give you an option to London.

 

[ABOMIBOT]

Want.

Have an awesome trip!

 

[Sphyrna]

I have no knowledge of DLP, Paris, or London, but I think I'd just use the time in Paris. Hope you have a bon voyage!!

 

[glenpreece]

Want.

Have an awesome trip!

I have no knowledge of DLP, Paris, or London, but I think I'd just use the time in Paris. Hope you have a bon voyage!!

Thank you both!!!

 

[SeattleRedBear]

We did something similar going the other way (stayed in London for a little over a week and Eurostar to Paris for two nights). It was our best friends 50th birthday and she had never been to Paris so we 'took' her to Paris. But those two days were a whirlwind.

A day trip to London is certainly possible but two days in Paris barely scratches the surface and do you really want to spend one of those days on a train for 8 or 9 hours so that you can be in London for part of a day? Personally, I would take the money that you would spend on the eurostar and eat at a really nice restaurant or buy a painting from an artist in Montmarte or the left bank. Maybe plan a separate trip in the future where you go to London for a week, but break it up with a couple days at DLP.

Mike's suggestion of going to Versaille is good. I'd have to confirm, but I think Versailles is on the same RER line as Marne la Vallee so should be pretty straightforward to get to.

 

[mikelan6]

If I recall correctly, Marne la Vallee is on the RER A route, while Versailles is on the C route - but the transfer is very easy.

 

[SeattleRedBear]

If I recall correctly, Marne la Vallee is on the RER A route, while Versailles is on the C route - but the transfer is very easy.

That's right. It's been 9 years since we were there so little details are no longer in memory. I just remember the fact that anywhere in Paris you are no further than a 10-minute walk from a metro station.

 

[TagsMissy]

Personally I'd save London for another tip. There's always cheap deals to fly to London from Canada... for just one day I'd stay in France.

 

[glenpreece]

alright it seems for now i will not be going to London although i will be so close i will skip it in hopes of going there with my parents someday. Thanks for the advice!!! I can use any advice on Paris and DLRP!!! Going solo is a bit daunting.

 

[TagsMissy]

My advice is try to stay away from tourist traps, wear your maple leaf and enjoy... our best times vacationing in Europe are simply wandering where the locals are instead of where the tourist traps are and enjoying the conversations started by locals noticing the maple leaf Head up, shoulders straight and enjoy! You are there to experience another country.

Do a little research as to locations to avoid and you will be fine. Breathe, relax, and take the time to smell the flowers a lot of the beauty of France and Europe is simply the day to day stuff...

 

[glenpreece]

Yeah my aunt has been to Paris before and have given me some great ideas for places to go etc. I love just walking around and exploring cities. As for the Maple Leaf never really thought of that, I mean I knwo they like us more then the Americans (sorry folks) but I was gonna go for the look of a local as opposed to a Canadian Tourist.

 

[TagsMissy]

Yeah my aunt has been to Paris before and have given me some great ideas for places to go etc. I love just walking around and exploring cities. As for the Maple Leaf never really thought of that, I mean I knwo they like us more then the Americans (sorry folks) but I was gonna go for the look of a local as opposed to a Canadian Tourist.

Can you speak fluent French and by that I don't mean Quebecois which is not exactly the same..

 

[glenpreece]

Can you speak fluent French and by that I don't mean Quebecois which is not exactly the same..

uh no, we were taught a more mixed version of French but I am noticing how Parisian French is more proper Comment allez-vous? instead of Comment ca-va? I know enought to get by.

 

[SeattleRedBear]

uh no, we were taught a more mixed version of French but I am noticing how Parisian French is more proper Comment allez-vous? instead of Comment ca-va? I know enought to get by.

Les Quebecois...ils parlent comme les canards. I was told by a Parisian, but they really appreciate that you try to speak French (before they would start speaking to me in english because they can't stand hearing their beautiful language butchered).

Your French will be great (better than mine probably). One thing that was magical for us was getting up the Arc de Triomphe before sunset and seeing the city laid out at sunset with the Eiffel Tower in the background, or head up to Montmarte before sunset and get a similar view. Sunset is also enjoyable from the Eiffel Tower except you don't have a view of the Tower. At the base of the funicular are a couple tapestry shops...we purchased a small scene of Paris that's framed in our den.

Of course, you could spend a week in the Louvre. We decided to just wander aimlessly through the museum one afternoon and at one point we walked by a big rock with markings...we stopped, did a double-take and then at the same time "OMG, that's the Code of Hammurabi." Besides the Louvre, my two favorite museums are the Musee d'Orsay (both for the collections and the building) and the Rodin museum (the Kiss, the Thinker and the Gates of Hell).

Of course, Notre Dame and the bouquinistes along the rive gauche and the macarons at Gallerie Lafayette and the coffee *anywhere* (unlike in the United States, the coffee that comes out of machines is good because the beans are ground by the machine right when it makes the coffee). And the windows of Sacre Coeur on a bright day. You'll barely have time to scratch the surface. Have fun and report on your trip when you get back.

You might consider reading The Secret Life of France before you leave. A fairly quick enjoyable read written by an English journalist of why the French are the way they are.

 

[glenpreece]

It's official I am going to Paris!!! I booked my airfare today!!!! So 3 full days of sightseeing in and around Paris with 3.5 days at DLRP.

Thanksfor the advice SeattleRedBear, I will def look up that book. I got a great travel guide for 8 bucks at Costco yesterday with a pull out map that can actually be read lol.

Oh and I don't drink coffee at all lol, as for wine not so much but i think i will become a lush while in France.

 

[Sphyrna]

Awesome! Enjoy your trip!!

 

[dwheatl]

Have a great trip! How I envy you. We were there last summer. If you dig through the DLRP trip reports(just realized the link is in my siggie), you can find mine, which was actually about our whole trip, including London and Paris.

I agree with the crowd; skip London this time. Enjoy Paris wholeheartedly. And if Space Mountain is running, please ride once for me. It is my one regret of the trip that it was down the whole time we were there.

Oh, and my one other piece of advice - always throw in a few pleasantries before getting around to business with the French. I got attitude from a DLRP cast member when I walked up and asked for a Coke Zero without first saying Bon Jour. I realized my mistake immediately and apologized (in my imperfect French) and then he was sweet as tarte aux pommes!