Euro Disney

[pubrunner]

I'm facing pressure to take my youngest to Euro Disney; has anyone any tips, which will help to make it a relatively trouble-free experience ? (Like get someone to take him )

Where to stay ?

Tickets ?

How to get there ? Drive to Dover and ferry ? Or train ?

How many days are 'needed' there ?

I was told recently, that Futurescope (?) is actually more fun for kids - anyone comment ?

Frankly, I'm dreading going to Euro Disney

 

[2PedalsTez]

I too would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on this as I am facing similar 'pressures'

 

[pubrunner]

I too would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on this as I am facing similar 'pressures'

Another one who ain't master in his own house

 

[pubrunner]

Where are 'the usual suspects' ? - they should be most informative on such a weighty topic as this.

 

[Archie_tect]

I'm facing pressure to take my youngest to Euro Disney; has anyone any tips, which will help to make it a relatively trouble-free experience ? (Like get someone to take him )

Where to stay ? We stayed in the Novotel on the outskirts of Paris and got the RER train out to Euro Disney instead of at the resort.

Tickets ? Usually cheaper to buy before you go, but you might be able to get a special 2 or 3 day pass at the Information/Tourist Office at Gare du Nord... check on-line.
How to get there ? Drive to Dover and ferry ? Or train ? I'd go to London by train and get the Eurostar to Paris and then the RER to get about...more relaxing, more fun and you get to see more

How many days are 'needed' there ? 2 or 3 should do it.

I was told recently, that Futurescope (?) is actually more fun for kids - anyone comment ? It's different [I enjoyed it more], but possibly a car is easier if you do both.
Frankly, I'm dreading going to Euro Disney

 

[2PedalsTez]

Another one who ain't master in his own house

I like to think (in the name of a happy house), I am demonstrating an open minded attitude.....

So, in answer to your comment... absolutely!

 

[Kestevan]

We've been a couple of times, and really enjoyed it.

Both times we flew from Manchester - Paris and then got the Disney bus to the park. No way did I feel like spending the travel time, even on trains to get 2 small children to Paris.

The first time we stayed in one of the Disney hotels on site ( Sequoia lodge). The hotel was decent enough and it was a 10 - 15 minute leisurly walk away from the park.

Second time we stayed in one of the "partner" hotels (circus, circus) on the very edge of the park. If anything the hotel itself was better but it was outside practical walking range with a toddler. This meant we relied on the frequent shuttle busses to get to the park. Not a problem except for last thing at night, when trying to get a bus back to the hotel became a scrum - esp with a push chair.

Each time we had full entrance tickets for 3 days - this included the attached Walt Disney studios, which is worth a days visit on it's own.

First time we had a 4th day at the end of August, after the high-season. The difference in park population on the 4th day was noticable - much quieter.... however many of the attractions had closed, and there was also many fewer Disney staff/characters about. It would not have been as good if the whole visit had been off-peak.

Food in the park is fairly limited, fast food rules although there are a couple of good restaurants (the steak house and the sea-food place in particular are excellent), but these are very expensive.

Crowds are a constant issue in some of the more popluated areas, especially the queues for character meet & greets - The majority of Eurpoeans don't believe in orderly queueing, so prepare to use elbows and be "forceful" to get to the front of a group - if not you'll get nowhere.

TBH before we went I wasn't looking forward to it either. However even old cycnical me thought it was very well done, and I did thouroughly enjoy it - especially when the kids drag you into a sword fight over the sword in the stone, or make you go crocodile hunting on Skull island

We did however want another holiday when we got back - I was knackered (but in a good way).

 

[brokenflipflop]

Went there about 9 years ago but from memory a 2 day stay is plenty long enough although we had tickets for one day. I remember we enjoyed it and so did the kids but the most memorable aspect of the day for me was how far removed the Parisian staff were from the "American" customer is king - they were slow, rude and incompetent (French in short)

Also, queue jumping was evident continuously and really began to tick us off. Two lads of about 16 or 17 just walked down the queue and stood right in front of us and I was that naffed off by now that I grabbed one of their rucksacks and yanked him back shouting "get to the bloody back". I didn't get a round of applause, I got gasps and dirty looks (bloody French!)

All that said a couple of shows were really good, rides were good, hotels were good. Food and drink expensive but all in all worth the trip. We didn't stay overnight there but friends have and it sounds the best bet from what they've said.

We drove via the chunnel (from northern England) and the signage/parking etc for Disney were great and hassle free.
I'd google ticket prices for a couple of days with 1 or 2 nights hotel at Disney.

If you can put up with the prices and the French, you'll have a great time

 

[Archie_tect]

I don't do rides and roller coasters so took a book and sat in the cafes near the queues while Mrs A+T and the children went on everything. Great coffee!
Some queues take 40 minutes so to go on everything you will need time. Avoid French school holiday times and week-ends.

 

[Ajay]

Leave any cynicism at home, don't add up how much you're spending, throw yourself into the madness with all the enthusiasm of your youngest and you'll have a great time!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

We went just after it opened in 1992. It was good, and we had tickets to get in early before the majority of people. I do not know if you can get those tickets normally, seeing as my Dad was working for Kodak at the time, and the tickets were a perk, due to Kodak being one of the sponsors, but I'd imagine something like it must be available.
Bear in mind that it was a very long day (8am - 10 or 11pm), and I remember being knackered by the end, so if you have young kids, you might want to split it up over 2 days, make it a bit more enjoyable.

It will probably have changed beyond all recognition now, but if it hasn't, what ever you do, DON'T go on the

'Its A Small World After All'

water ride. Its shoot.

In fact, the only bad experience we had (although not me personally) there was when we went to see the light parade at the end of the day. Mum and I were seperated from everyone else and all went well*.... until we met up with the others later only to find them pretty pissed off.

It turns out, that a bunch of French people had basically barged their way to the front and were rude and obnoxious to everyone in sight, saying things along the lines of

'Euro Disney is for the French, F**K off home!!'

..... in front of lots of families with young kids, and proceeded to be utter twats the entire time.
We were with family friends, and their youngest daughter was in tears becuase these idiots had totally ruined it, whilst the mother proceeded to call all the woman in the offending French group 'Dogs' in French (only because I think it was one of the few insults she knew in French). We were by no means the only non French people there, and I get the impression that a fight didn't break out only because there were kids present.

It probably has changed now, but just bear that attitude in mind.


* - I learned later that actually where we were standing, a large German guy (with his family obviously) behind us was watching and making sure were ok, but I never noticed this. Maybe he knew something we didn't about the French group nearby.
...Either that or he fancied my Mum

 

[Noodley]

First time we went we stayed on-site, loved it but found the cost of staying on-site quite expensive compared to when we returned and stayed at a village a short train ride away (2 stops) - the first time we paid the same for 3 nights as we did for 2 weeks the second time around (if you stay at a Disney or affiliated hotel I think the price includes tickets for the length of your stay, and priority entry gate access, but not 100%). We enjoyed it both times, never found anyone rude, nor had any problems with queues - but then again we went outwith the English school holidays; the last day we went was the first weekend of English school holidays and was much much busier, full of fat families wearing football tops and braying at each other about "fecking foreigners" and the length of the queues full of their fellow countrymen. Until that point I had not heard any bad language, not seen a football top, not witnesses any moaning - I would not go as far as saying I had not seen a fat person until that point but I reckon the fastfood places were rubbing their hands together as they saw Burnley* football-top-wearing families waddling towards them.
*other lower league teams were much in evidence.
The second time we went we bought an annual ticket, it was the best way of purchasing as it worked out cheaper then buying individual day tickets or block-day tickets, as we did not want to go day after day, but split it up with other stuff (the village also has very good train link into Paris) including the final day of the Tour. Buying an annual ticket, as the name suggests, covers the whole year and you can pick and choose what days you attend...we spent a few whole days and a couple of evenings there, which was much more relaxed than trying to cram it all into 2 days!
Both times we chose to fly; first time we got Disney bus to hotel,second time we got train to the village - both were straight forward.

 

[swampyseifer]

what ever you do, DON'T go on the

'Its A Small World After All'

water ride. Its shoot.

The tune still haunts me now...dododo do dooo dododo do dooo

Me and the wife went just over a year ago, around september time. It wasnt overly packed which was nice. We stayed in one of the disney park hotels, cant remember what its called, but its one of the furthest away...I dont think it was sequioa, but it was a mexican-y feeling one. Personally the pain of having to wait 10mins for a shuttle each time and then having to wedge yourself in with all the other cheap-ass families with their screaming kids was not much fun for the 10min journey to the hotel. So I would rather pay through the nose next time to stay in the Main Street hotel or whatever its called.

The wife is a huge disney nut, so we spent quite a lot of time in the gift shops and queing in the baking sun to have her picture taken with disney characters (I whole-heartedly agree about the lack of queing and people shoving you about). We also somehow managed to be near the castle each time they did the daily parade, which was nice but it did prety much mean that you couldnt move for people standing about for 20mins. It was also weird to get used to each character speaking a different language...Mickey was french, i think donald was italian, the father from the Incredibles (les incredable!) was english and lilo was, well actually the high pitched voice made it hard to work out!

I do advise going to see the car stunt show if its still running, that was very good!

One thing I noticed about the food...the cheese tasted funny! I know its a minor thing but we went to Buzz Lightyears pizza place and tbh I couldnt eat the pizza cuz the cheese tasted funny. We also stopped at the High School Musical restaurant for a snack on the way round and I had a chese sandwich thing which I couldnt eat because of the cheese again. Maybe its just me, I am quite a fussy eater!

A restaurant I do advise going to is the american dinner just inside the village. When we were there the staff skating about of roller-skates to serve food and during our evening meal one day they actually stopped serving and all started dancing and singing!.

 

[fossyant]

Can't comment on the park - been to Florida twice though and it's excellent. I went with my folks before I was married (early 20's) and then with my wife. Going to Disney this year with our kids for two weeks - staying at Saratoga Spa Hotel on site and have a 14 day Disney pass - lets say we are going to take it a bit 'easy' as it can get quite mad if you are trying to get round one of the the parks in a day or two.

My wife has been to Euro Disney, and unfortunately, the only problem was the French - quite rude.

 

[siadwell]

We took my eldest when she was still in a pushchair, about 6 years ago now, which helped with her not getting too tired walking about. We had difficulty coaxing her out of the cosytoes as we went in winter and it was chuffing freezing - 5 foot icicles hanging off the rigging of the Pirates of the Caribbean ship. At least we didn't have problems with queues.

We stayed in one of the hotels on site (Sequoia Lodge), having travelled direct to the Disneyland station on Eurostar from Waterloo. The only problem with the train was that luggage space was at a premium.

The hotel was fine (but cold!) and it was an pleasant but not that short walk to the park gates. Food in the hotel and park was OK but pricy, so if you have a big appetite pack a bag of snacks.

And c'mon MDB - It's a Small World is great for small children. And it was warm too.