Where to start?

[pwdebbie]

My sister and I are thinking about doing ABD London and Paris. Does ABD handle booking flights from the states to London? Do we need a TA? After Paris, we are going to visit DLP for a few days. I guess we make arrangements through the website just like when we travel to WDW? New at this and really don't know where to begin.

 

[jimmymc]

1. ABD can book your flights to and from the US, but they are not included in the price of the trip. If you're paying for the flights with cash, then it's easy enough to book with ABD. If you're using points or miles, then you'd have to book on your own.

2. You don't need a TA, but it's nice to use one for ABD. Since you can't book directly through the website, there's a lot of back-and-forth communication with ABD, so having a TA can be easier.

3. ABD can add a Disneyland Paris extension to the end of the trip, but it's limited where you can stay, and I think you have to purchase the highest tier meal plan. The ABD extension does include transfers from Paris to Disney and Disney to the airport, but you might need to call and see if what they offer matches what you wanted to do. https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/destinations/europe/disneyland-paris/

 

[Eastridge]

The ABD air department can book your flights. The advantage of using ABD air is if ABD cancels your trip, they will also refund the cost of your flights. If you buy the flights on your own, then you must deal with cancellations and getting credit/refunds for your flights. The disadvantage is that in the past couple of ABD trips I took, the fares I could get through ABD air were significantly higher than what I would get buying directly from the airlines.

You can buy a trip directly from ABD, but you are leaving money on the table and may have to do more work than if you used a travel agent. ABD trips are like cruises where the price includes a commission that would go to a TA. If you buy directly from ABD, ABD will not lower the price. But if you go through a TA, most will kick back some money or credits to you while also providing services. Such as staying on the phone for hours on opening day if you're trying to get the cheapest price. Dreams Unlimited is a travel agency that sponsors this board.

You could also consider arranging Disneyland Paris on your own. There is a separate forum for that:
https://www.disboards.com/forums/disneyland-paris-trip-planning-community.77/
I suggest getting a taxi from Paris to the parks. While that's not cheap, it is the most convenient. From DL Paris to CDG airport, there are trains that take 10 minutes. You probably want to buy train tickets in advance.

The closest hotel (DL Paris hotel) isn't listed as an option in the ABD offering.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Depending on how much luggage that you have, you can easily take the RER from central Paris to Disney (I've taken this train many, many times from the 9th to Val d'Europe, which is 1 stop from Disney -- it's a double decker regional train). However I wouldn't do this if you have more than a carry-on and a backpack.

I second @Eastridge about using a TA to save $$ on the trip.