Top Disneyland Resort Paris Tips
Helping Get the Best From a Trip to Eurodisney in Paris
Some things that the Disney Channel Ten Things To Know Girl didn't tell you about Disneyland Resort Paris (Eurodisney).
Introduction
Everyone knows that Disney parks have great rides, great shows, and are themed just as one would expect. That's great for the kids, but it's the adults that have to plan, book, and pay for it all. Here's the scoop...
After 15 years, we thought it was time to take a trip down memory lane and book a three day, two night stay at our local Disney wonderland. After all, we live near Paris, and nothing could be simpler than taking a short break in your own back-yard. Right?
Choosing A Hotel
There is a staggering choice of hotels; both Disney operated and not. If you are planning to visit Disneyland once or twice, but it is not the thrust of your European tour, then it is not worth paying the extra money to stay at one of the resort hotels for the duration. The train link from Paris (to Marne la Valee) is excellent, so you can stay in and around Paris, and day-trip at will.
If, like us, you want to be a stone's throw from the Disney Resort - Disney Village, Disneyland, Disney Studios - otherwise known as Eurodisney, then a resort hotel is a great trade-off between traveling and price. Put it this way, 2 adults, 2 children, 2 nights with three day hopper tickets (both parks) came to 650 EUR. This includes breakfast, actually inside the park, subject to space - booking early is essential.
For those wanting luxury and authenticity - the New York hotel is an expensive, but pleasurable experience. For close proximity to the parks, complete with swimming pool, try Sequoia Lodge. For a budget stay, the Cheyenne hotel is a safe bet.
Be very aware that the price difference between Cheyenne and Sequoia translates into a swimming pool, plus 10-15 minutes less walking time to the park. This year we chose Cheyenne; most people will want to take the bus from there, but we found that to be a horrible experience (packed, slow and generally unpleasant).
In addition, Cheyenne is based around blocks, so we had to walk a good distance for breakfast and the evening meal.
Sequoia Lodge last year was a much more worthwhile experience in that respect - close to the park, great facilities, and bigger rooms.
Easting & Drinking
There are a good selection of restaurants in the Disney Village. They are, however, priced accordingly - allow 10-15 EUR for a main course and 5 EUR for a beer.
The McDonald's, however, still keeps it's prices 'normal', and serves beer, this being France. Of course, you don't get the Disney look and feel, and it has to be said that eating at Cafe Mickey is an absolute must for the younger generation (all those Disney characters walking around!) but for a budget meal it's a good option.
Another tip - the rail station between the Village and Park entrance has a little supermarket and a bar where prices are also reasonable. If you do get fed up with the premium prices, these are a good bet, too. But, you'll need to polish up your French first!
Planning the Day
Organize your park visits around which rides suit which people in your party, and have a plan. Without a plan, you will spend a lot of time in queues.
Use your plan to get hold of Fastpass tickets at the most popular rides - but beware, you can only have one active at any one time. In other words, you can not have a fastpass for 15:30, and expect to be able to get another one, on a different ride in the same park, before then. So, if you get that fastpass at 9:00 in the morning, you will be queuing with everyone else on all the other rides until 15:30 when your slot starts.
If, of course, you have a plan, that won't matter, because you'll know that you can hop to the other park and pick up a fastpass there, and do a few rides before you need to use it. That equates to a lot of walking, but well worth it to get the most rides out of your day.
