WDW v DLP: What would you do?

[Carrie_Cat]

Italy break up mid June, Spain a week later and France the first weekend of July

France , Italy and Spain also don't go back to school until the start of September like the UK so best time would be early/mid June if possible

If you are only giving 3 days to Paris I wouldn't bother with Versailles as it will take you all day in the summer as queues are terrible now so in 2 years time with the increase of Asian tourists will only get worse

Also don't forget that a lot of places haven't a/c in Paris (or Versailles or DLP) so when it is hot it can be really, really hard if you are used to having a/c everywhere you go.

Tickets prices today are 12,70€ for 10 single tickets that will get you around Paris on the metro and buses

Paris to Versailles return is around 8€ and Paris to DLP return with a Mobilis 1 day travel card is 15€

These tend to increase biannually now and there will be lots of changes in the next couple of years with the transport fares and tickets but it will always be cheap

 

[theffaddict]

Carrie - If I went in early June.. How would Versailles be? Would it be manageable? I really want to go

What about the weather at that time? I'm used to not having much A/C in queues and stuff, as long as I'm just in shade then I'm good. It gets real hot in KS (like 110 F) , and being outside as a lifeguard I get used to it. And I have to have A/C when I sleep.. Does it get hot in the hotels with no A/C in the rooms?

Thanks!

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Just a thought - I think a trip to London and Paris would be great and agree with the previous posts - good ideas to chew on.

I have been recently looking at some things for a future trip and airfares arriving and departing from different airports have been crazy expensive - I was trying to fly into London and depart from Paris and the costs were ridiculous. If you also run into this I might recommend flying into London and taking the Eurostar to Paris as well as back to London. In my experience flights from the US are generally cheaper and more frequent going into London than flights into Paris I am guessing because there are probably many more American tourists going into the UK. The direct London to Disneyland Paris Eurostar train might be easiest if this is your first trip to Paris - or your parent's first trip - depending on how adventurous your parents are with international travel. You can easily take the RER train into Paris from Disneyland Paris.

I have booked the Eurostar train one way for as little as $65 on the Eurostar/US web site - I was pleasantly surprised about the prices - a more usual price would be about $100 - or $200 round trip.

Depending on your preferred style of travel - you can also book tours of Paris through the DLP website. I personally like to book my own trips but I know many people who would prefer an arranged tour especially if it is a first visit - it does makes things easy.

 

[theffaddict]

Thanks for all of that. We will probably just do one tour and that'll be on the Seine River. We might do some others, but as far as I'm concerned, I like to do it all myself. That's me.

Here's just a baseplan right now, but my mom approved and I would absolutely love this trip. Tell me if there are any flaws or questions when reading this..

Leave KS airport in morning (8 AM) for London. Arrive in London probably 12-15 hours later after stop and what not. Assume it's 12 hours, we arrive in London at 8 pm, or 2 am London time. Few questions here: Can we actually fly in to London that early in the morning? Are there flights that get you there at that time? Is 12-15 hours reasonable with all of the stops and what not?

We go to our hotel which will already be booked. So then we sleep, wake up late. Probably around 10 am London time we are up and going. Not going to much detail on touring stuff cause I have no idea on that yet. So we spend full 3 days, and 5 nights in London.

After the fifth night we take Eurostar to Paris in early morning. We spend that day touring Paris and what not. Then the next two days are spent in Paris. The third day we have in Paris, at night we will take RER to DLP. We'll have dinner in DLP and spend the night there. Next morning we hit up a park, stay another night, hit a park, stay another night and then fly out sometime the next day.

This is a rough draft of my vacation plans..and I've got a lot of time to plan. But my parents approved on this! Now I can build on it! Any recommendations? My parents said no more than 10 days, so no adding on days or anything like that. Just give me recommendations on what to see, what to improve in my plan, etc! Thanks guys! Your recommendations have been awesome!

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

I don't know which airport you will be flying out of but generally speaking your flight will leave the States in the afternoon or evening and arrive into London early morning of the next day like 7am. You can check flights now - I don't think they will be that much different in a couple of years so it will give you an idea. So for example you might leave the States around 6pm and arrive the next day around 7 am London time. I have never had a flight entering into the UK at 2am.

Flying back to the States you may need to be at the airport early so I would recommend getting a hotel at the airport on the night before your flight. I have booked some very good deals for hotels on hotwire for both London and Paris. You can check betterbidding.com. I like the Hilton and Sofitel for London Heathrow and the Hilton for Gatwick - I don't think you'll be flying out of either Luton or Stanstead airports.

I am sure those from the UK will be able to give you good hotel advice for London and Paris as well.

Happy Planning!

 

[theffaddict]

Forgot to mention.. I'm in KS. So I'll have to fly to Chicago or DC or something like that before flying to London. That's why it will take so long to fly there: the connection.

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Forgot to mention.. I'm in KS. So I'll have to fly to Chicago or DC or something like that before flying to London. That's why it will take so long to fly there: the connection.

Yeah - that makes sense - then you would likely be leaving in the morning for a connecting flight to Chicago or DC - your flight would likely leave Chicago or DC in the afternoon or evening arriving into London early sometime anywhere from 5 ish on I imagine. At least that would be my best bet,

 

[franc]

Flights from the US tend to land in London early morning, we usually land back in London at around 7-8am. Flights don't land at 2am unless they are delayed due to rules about night flights.

London and Paris in one trip sounds is definitely doable, happy planning.