Never been before . . . questions, questions, questions!

Markonefive

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 1, 2016
So we are looking at going in August 2018, family of four (me, my wife, two adult daughters). Seems to be an early booking special of stay three nights, get two nights free and two free days of park entry free. Still pricey, but we like the idea of being on site. I will be perusing this forum closely but wanted to start with our most pressing areas of lack of knowledge. We are experienced Disney travellers (two trips to DL, two trips to WDW, one cruise) but DLP is new for us. So many questions:

Hotel: We prefer to be on site rather than a partner hotel.
is it worth the extra dollars going up to the Sequoia from Sante Fe or Cheyenne? Advantages seem to be the location and having a pool.

If choosing the Sequoia, is it worth the extra cost for a club level room? Seems to be the advantages are the breakfast (is it the full buffet or more of a continental?) and the fastpasses. Do only club level rooms have mini fridges?

Is it worth going up one more step to the New York or Newport Bay? If so, go even more for club level?

Do rooms described as "terrace" have balconies? Not clear from pictures. Does room choice really matter?

Food: If we don't choose a breakfast or half board option, is there reasonably priced food available in the Disney Village? The per person buffet costs on the menus from the website seem really expensive. Staying on site means we will have a harder time going off site for food. Is the half board a good idea? Is it possible to get meal plans for only three of our our five days, so we can have more flexibility?

Disneyland Paris guides/touring plans: I really like the Touring Plans/Unofficial guides plans for the order to do attractions, or tools like RideMax for optimization. Is there anything similar for Disneyland Paris?

Is two days enough for Disneyland Paris or should we really do three to take it all in? This is likely the only time we will ever be there.

Other than Paris (obviously) where we will spend a few days before, are there any attractions available by bus or train in the countryside that we might want to take in for a day trip?

Should we work through a travel agent, book online, or talk to a Disneyland Paris agent by phone?

Is there any other useful advice for someone who knows very little about Disneyland Paris?
 
I can't answer many of your questions, although there are plenty of people here who can. However, it is very easy indeed to catch the RER train from right outside the entrance to the parks and go to Val d'Europe, which is one stop away. Out of the train station and you are in a town square surrounded by restaurants. There is also a huge Auchan supermarket inside the shopping mall at the end of the square. So there are many options for eating if you are prepared to take a five minute train ride.

We stayed off site at Val d'Europe, and will be doing that again in November. It was so easy to get to the parks and the choice of restaurants was great. OK, it isn't Disney, but made a huge difference in price. Going in August WILL be busy, and the shuttle buses will be packed after Illuminations; and so will the train I guess. If you stay for Illuminations, it is recommended to eat in the Village and THEN go to your hotel, to let the crowds die down. There are more reasonable menus in the Village - the buffets are expensive but not the only options; but as I said, we mostly ate at Val d'Europe.
 
Hotel: We prefer to be on site rather than a partner hotel.
is it worth the extra dollars going up to the Sequoia from Sante Fe or Cheyenne? Advantages seem to be the location and having a pool.
I have stayed at Santa Fe and standard room at Sequoia Lodge.
Sequoia has a shorter walking distance, both have free shuttle buses
Both standard rooms have 2 double beds

All rooms at Santa Fe are located in blocks behind the main building

Standard rooms at Sequoia are located in blocks beside the main building

No pool at Santa Fe, pool in a separate building at Sequoia.

Santa Fe CarsLand theme, with a Tex Mex bar / restaurant

Sequoia Lodge forest themed, very similar to Grand California in Disneyland California.

If choosing the Sequoia, is it worth the extra cost for a club level room? Seems to be the advantages are the breakfast (is it the full buffet or more of a continental?) and the fastpasses. Do only club level rooms have mini fridges?

Golden Forest rooms are located in the main hotel building
Yes only Golden Forest rooms have a fridge, standard rooms do not
The breakfast is a full breakfast in a breakfast room just for Golden Forest guests.
In the afternoons this room has afternoon snacks, soda and water
The hotel fastpasses are one per person per day. They are dated for each day of your visit and have the name of the hotel and the party / person who made the booking name on them. They can be used only at the rides where normal fastpasses are available and can not be used between 1pm and 4pm.

Is it worth going up one more step to the New York or Newport Bay? If so, go even more for club level?

For me I am reluctant t stay at Newport Bay. It is at the far end of Lake Disney, past Sequoia Hotel. It is the largest of the hotels and I have seen reports that it can be a trek down long corridors from reception / bar restaurants to some parts of the hotel.

Food: If we don't choose a breakfast or half board option, is there reasonably priced food available in the Disney Village?
YES :) Places like Starbucks, McDonalds, Earl of Sandwich all open at 8am. Im sure as well that you can can pay out of pocket at tthe main breakfast place Cafe Hyperion

The per person buffet costs on the menus from the website seem really expensive. Staying on site means we will have a harder time going off site for food. Is the half board a good idea? Is it possible to get meal plans for only three of our our five days, so we can have more flexibility?

I have been to Disneyland Paris 3 times and have never had a meal plan. To me they seem a total rip off and a money spinner for Disney. You pay before you go and get vouchers when you check in. Depending on which meal plan you get, you can only use the vouchers at designated restaurants and eat off the set menu in those restaurants. You can add money to the meal vouchers if you want to eat at a restaurant not in your category or from an al acarte menu.

Depending on when you go, not all the restaurants may be open. Also you can only use the vouchers in the Disney restaurants, you can not use them at Planet Hollywood, Earl of Sandwich, Rainforest Cafe etc

Alot of people dont even use all their vouchers during their trip and end up coming home with unused vouchers.

Disneyland Paris guides/touring plans: I really like the Touring Plans/Unofficial guides plans for the order to do attractions, or tools like RideMax for optimization. Is there anything similar for Disneyland Paris?
There are no online tools for Disneyland Paris. The best book I have found is Brit Guide To Disneyland Paris, very like the Unofficial books for California and Florida

Is two days enough for Disneyland Paris or should we really do three to take it all in? This is likely the only time we will ever be there.
I usually do 3 days in the park. Just be aware that when you get the hotel and parks tickets package from Disneyland Paris website you will get park hopper tickets for both your arrival day and departure day

Should we work through a travel agent, book online, or talk to a Disneyland Paris agent by phone?
It is best to do DIY and either book direct through Disneyland Paris website or over the phone. You can book through ANY Disneyland Paris website, not just the one for the country you live in. Each country has different deals and offers, so just find something which suits you best. Websites to check
http://www.disneylandparis.ie/
http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk
http://www.disneylandparis.fr
http://www.disneylandparis.de
http://www.disneylandparis.it
http://www.disneylandparis.nl
http://www.disneylandparis.be

You can also book over the phone. Do your reaearch on the websites, then when you are ready to book, just ring the Walt Disney World phone number in Florida and ask to be transfered to the Disneyland Paris call centre for the country you want to book with.

When you book direct through the website you pay the full amount at the time of booking. When you book over the phone you pay a deposit and then the balance on or before 30 days before arrivial
 
Further info on NPB, it was a trek to the room, we were on the west wing, at the end of the corridor (4102), it is possible to take the stairs and exit at the end of the building to leave the hotel without going via reception, but the door has no handle to get back in. Having said that, it is the nicest hotel on property in my opinion.

New York is due to start it's refurb any day, so I'd avoid that.


The meal plan is good if you get a deal with free half board.
 


Thanks, everyone, for the helpful info. You've helped us decide. Likely looking at Sequoia Lodge and will go up to the Golden Forest lakeside room. They have a an early booking for summer 2018 (staying last week of August) special on two nights free if two nights booked (still expensive but at least staying on site), but not a bad deal when considering it includes park passes, which we would have to pay for if we stayed off-site. Not going for the meal plan, we will just eat in the Disney Village at the various restaurants they have there. I'm sure I'l be checking in on this board a lot for advice.
 
Not going for the meal plan, we will just eat in the Disney Village at the various restaurants they have there.

You can eat at ANY restaurant in the parks too, even if you dont have a meal plan. I never get a meal plan and have eaten at Blue Lagoon now Captain Jacks, Plaza Gardens, Pizza Belle Notra, Cafe Hyperion, Cablecar Bakeshop, Au Chalet des Marionettes, Caseys Corner, Restaurant Hakuna Matata, Last Chance Cafe, Restaurant des Stars, Blockbuster Cafe. You can pay by card or cash at any restaurant and at the table service you have the choice of Al A Carte OR the set menus.
 
Thanks, everyone, for the helpful info. You've helped us decide. Likely looking at Sequoia Lodge and will go up to the Golden Forest lakeside room. They have a an early booking for summer 2018 (staying last week of August) special on two nights free if two nights booked (still expensive but at least staying on site), but not a bad deal when considering it includes park passes, which we would have to pay for if we stayed off-site. Not going for the meal plan, we will just eat in the Disney Village at the various restaurants they have there. I'm sure I'l be checking in on this board a lot for advice.

You can eat at ANY restaurant in the parks too, even if you dont have a meal plan. I never get a meal plan and have eaten at Blue Lagoon now Captain Jacks, Plaza Gardens, Pizza Belle Notra, Cafe Hyperion, Cablecar Bakeshop, Au Chalet des Marionettes, Caseys Corner, Restaurant Hakuna Matata, Last Chance Cafe, Restaurant des Stars, Blockbuster Cafe. You can pay by card or cash at any restaurant and at the table service you have the choice of Al A Carte OR the set menus.

You can also eat at any of the hotel restaurants even if you are not staying there.
 


Are the hotel restaurants buffet only, or do you have the option of ordering from the menu? Also, is DLP as popular as DL or WDW where reservations for restaurants need to be made months in advance?
 
Are the hotel restaurants buffet only, or do you have the option of ordering from the menu?

Buffet
Cape Cod - Newport Bay
Chuck Wagon - Cheyenne
Hunters Grill - Sequoia
Inventions - Disneyland Hotel
La Cantina - Santa Fe
Park Side Diner - New York

Table Service
California Grill - Disneyland Hotel
Manhattan - New York
Yacht Club - Newport Bay

Also, is DLP as popular as DL or WDW where reservations for restaurants need to be made months in advance?

No its not as manic as Walt Disney World but reservation are advised. Dining Reservations open at 60 days and can only be made by phone, not online. If you are in USA, to avoid the international phone charges, just ring the number for Walt Disney World and ask to be transferred.

For things like character dining and Chez Remy, Captain Jacks and Walts its essential to do ADR. For other places most people only do ADR either the week before they arrive, or at checkin or at Town Hall in the park.
 
So we booked our stay for next August using the early booking deal at rhe Sequoia club level lakeside view with two nights paid and two nights "free" inclusive of park passes and breakfast. We are spending a few days in Iceland on thw way there, then three nights in Paria near the Arc de Triomphe and then our DLP vacation before going back via Iceland overnight. Any suggestions for easiest ans cheapest way to get four adults from Orly downtown and then from there to DLP for our stay there?
 
So we booked our stay for next August using the early booking deal at rhe Sequoia club level lakeside view with two nights paid and two nights "free" inclusive of park passes and breakfast. We are spending a few days in Iceland on thw way there, then three nights in Paria near the Arc de Triomphe and then our DLP vacation before going back via Iceland overnight. Any suggestions for easiest ans cheapest way to get four adults from Orly downtown and then from there to DLP for our stay there?

I've never flown to Orly so can't help there, but it is cheap and easy to get from central Paris to Marne La Vallee (the Disneyland station). It is on the RER A line which you can board at Chatelet-Les-Halles, Gare Du Lyon or Nation stations in Paris - the system works in a similar way to a subway in say New York or other big cities and it is very clearly marked: there are even brown boxes with mickey ears and "Disneyland" for the right train. It is only a few euros per person. You can then walk from the train station to Sequoia Lodge (15 min or so) or jump on a free shuttle, which you may want to do with luggage.
 
Thanls. I typed the wrong airpory. It is CDG we fly into

In that case it is very easy as the answer is the same! CDG is also on the RER line - RER B and the journey to central paris takes around 35 minutes. Of course you could also get a taxi or shuttle but that would be a lot more expensive.
 
Just got back from goldenforest room at Seq. think the upgrade was well worth it. Great full Breakfast buffet with great selection of meats and chesses plus full hot and cold selections. Was nice to go back after the park for free drinks in the GF room (sodas water hot chocolate and such. Full bar selection but that cost extra). Thought the location was great too walk not too far from either park. Would and hopefully will stay there again one day.
As for getting from Paris to DL we used the RER from Châtelet - Les Halles but our hotel was very close to that stop. Sure you could get a cab from your hotel to that stop.
 
Thanls. I typed the wrong airpory. It is CDG we fly into

The TGV is the fastest but more expensive than the RER. It's only one stop away on the TGV and you will get to the Disneyland Station in about 10 minutes. From there you can walk (not that far but not advisable with luggage through Downtown Disney) or take the free hotel shuttle.

There are also Disney shuttles you can book to and from the airport, I think they were around 20 euros per person, and they will take you directly to your hotel. On our last trip we took the shuttle back to CDG and got stuck in traffic, took us a little over an hour to get to the airport.
 

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