Lots of random questions...

creamypuffs

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
Hello! A newbie to Paris! We are DW fanatics and can't wait to explore DLP.

1. We are staying at one of the resorts. Are the tickets considered "park hopper" or can only use 1 ticket per park per day?5.
2. The promotion right now says 2 nights, 3 days access. Does this mean I will get 3 days worth of tickets?
3. If yes to #2, can I use 2 park tickets on same day so that treat it as a "park hopper"? We are only there for 2 days 2 nights even though it says access for 3 days...
4. Is Inventions character dining worth it? Any updates on the prices?
5. We have half board included in our package - so 2 free meal vouchers for "standard"... the DLP representative told me I can goto any restaurant and the restaurant will just charge me difference to go to one of the not standard voucher restaurants? Is that correct? I don't want to be surprised at a restaurant if I end up not being able to use voucher and have to pay in full.
6. Is buying the FP worth it? We're going Christmas week so probably right :(
7. Which restaurants are must go?
8. Which rides are hardest to get FP? What is the usual return window when you get a FP, within an hour or it could be a long time away?
9. What's the best way from DLP to CDG Airport? Can Disney call us a pick up car - we're family of 7...?

Thanks!!!
 
I also go at Christmas, so I think I should leave the answers to someone more qualified.

I did want to address question 5 though. Yes, you can pay to top up. However, if you are there on Christmas Eve, then do be aware that that is the “big” celebration day in France and options for sit down dinner is very limited, astonishingly expensive (€150 and up per person) and you can’t use your meal vouchers. The cut off is either 4pm or 6pm, depending on the source I have read. The advice I have received is to eat a bigger, late lunch and then get QS for dinner.

Prestige Transfers seems to be the company that gets recommended by U.K. guests at DLP. I would definitely book in advance, especially at that time of year and with a large party.
 
1. Did you book through Disney? Their tickets in a package are for both parks.
2. Yes.
3. You probably have a park hopper.
4. I don't know, to me I find table service without characters at DLP crazily expensive, and with characters the prices are outrageous to me.
4. Yes.
6. Could be worth it, But keep in mind it's only for 8 rides, check carefully which rides they are and if there are any refurbishments. You have access for 3 days..
7. Keep in mind that DLP is not a dining destination, it's theme park food, keep your expectations low if you are a DW fanatic. I enjoy Hakuna Matata, Toad Hall. Avoid Hyperion and the restaurant in the main hall in the Studios.
8. Big Thunder Mountain used to be the most popular, but now that it's open during EMH it evened out. It's hard to say the return times during Xmas week. Could go either way.
9. I would go by train, magic shuttle or organize a car yourself.. Disney will probably call you two taxis, which is more expensive. BT Transfer or Driving Blue are what people here have used in the past.

Have fun!
 
1. We are staying at one of the resorts.
At Disneyland Paris there is HOTELS not resorts. They are basically places to sleep, and have an evening meal. There are far less amenities at the Disneyland Paris hotels, and most guests spend most of their time at the parks. Guests at Disneyland Paris would not spend a non park day day at their hotel or visiting the other hotels.

Are the tickets considered "park hopper" or can only use 1 ticket per park per day?5.
When you get a hotel and park ticket package direct from Disneyland Paris, the park tickets are hopper tickets. You will get park tickets for your arrival day and departure day and every day in between.

2. The promotion right now says 2 nights, 3 days access. Does this mean I will get 3 days worth of tickets?
You will get park tickets for your arrival day and departure day and every day in between. So yes this means 3 days worth of tickets,
Day 1= Arrival Day
Day 2 = Full Day
Day 3 = Departure Day

3. If yes to #2, can I use 2 park tickets on same day so that treat it as a "park hopper"? We are only there for 2 days 2 nights even though it says access for 3 days...
No you can not do this, as you will be getting park hopper tickets. At Disneyland Paris, on departure day, most people go to the parks, even if its just for a few hours. You will have access to early opening, to you can be in the park around 8.30am. The Disneyland Paris hotels all have luggage storage, so what most people do on departure day is check out early and leave their bags in the hotel luggage store, go to the parks for a few hours, then come back to the hotel, collect the bags and then go to the airport.

5. We have half board included in our package - so 2 free meal vouchers for "standard"... the DLP representative told me I can goto any restaurant and the restaurant will just charge me difference to go to one of the not standard voucher restaurants? Is that correct? I don't want to be surprised at a restaurant if I end up not being able to use voucher and have to pay in full.
You can use the Disney Dining Vouchers in any DISNEY owned restaurant. If the cost of the meal is more than whats covered by your dining plan, then you just pay the extra out of pocket.
If you use your vouchers at quick service where the cost of the food is lower than whats covered by your dining plan, you will not receive any change back.

The Disney Dining Vouchers are NOT accepted in the restaurants in Disney Village such as Earl of Sandwich, Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood, King Ludwigs ect.

6. Is buying the FP worth it? We're going Christmas week so probably right :(
Not necessarily. The Fastpass system at Disneyland Paris is the Legacy Paper system, where you insert your park ticket into the Fastpass machine on the day. There are also far less rides on the Fastpass system than in the American parks. You will also have acess to early opening which if you rope drop you can do alot. You should really research the Fastpass rides in Disneyland Paris and see if you would get the benefit of the paid Fastpass. If not, don't waste your money.

7. Which restaurants are must go?
This depends on your budget and the type of food you eat. Food are Disneyland Paris is not the same standard or have the wide choice as the American parks. Again research the restaurants, the menus are online and be aware you many need to lower your expectations regarding food choices and restaurants in Disneyland Paris.

9. What's the best way from DLP to CDG Airport? Can Disney call us a pick up car - we're family of 7...?
Most people use public transport either the train or www.magicshuttle.com There are also car services available. Be aware that car sizes in Europe are smaller than in America, for 7 people plus luggage you possibly could need 2 cars. It might be more economical to use www.magicshuttle.com
 


Thanks all for responses! Super helpful!

I will look into all of these.

Unfortunately our flight leaves 9am in morning on last day so we can’t take advantage of our 3rd day park ticket so trying to maximize the other 2 days.

Thanks again!!!
 
@BadPinkTink I’m not the OP but I hadn’t realised that there were restaurants that we couldn’t use our meal vouchers in. Thank you!

I have never used the Disney Dining Vouchers as I dont like the system. As you pay in advance, its a win win for Disney, they dont care if you dont use all the vouchers, as they already have the money. I have read many trip reports where people dont use all the vouchers and that money is gone, Disney dont refund unused vouchers.

I dont like being limited to certain restaurants. I know from a business point of view its very clever of Disney, to make sure that they get money that might be otherwise spent in the other chains in Disney Village. I might want to eat in Planet Hollywood but if I have the dining vouchers, I would feel pressurised to eat in Annettes which is Disney owned.

I dont like being limited to set menu at the restaurants.. I dont like Disney limiting me to certain foods on the menu, for example I might not like any of the set menu main courses but I would then have to pay extra to have something from the Al a Carte menu. To me that defeats the purpose of pre paying in advance.
 


Unfortunately our flight leaves 9am in morning on last day so we can’t take advantage of our 3rd day park ticket so trying to maximize the other 2 days.
Thanks again!!!


if you flight is leaving that early, could you re arrange your days? If that was me, I would stay at the airport the night before the flight. A 9am flight means checking in around 6.45am, which means leaving Disney no later than 5.30am.

For a flight that early I would stay at an airport hotel the night before.

That way you can go to the parks on your check out day, and travel without stress in the evening to the airport.
 
I have never used the Disney Dining Vouchers as I dont like the system. As you pay in advance, its a win win for Disney, they dont care if you dont use all the vouchers, as they already have the money. I have read many trip reports where people dont use all the vouchers and that money is gone, Disney dont refund unused vouchers.

I dont like being limited to certain restaurants. I know from a business point of view its very clever of Disney, to make sure that they get money that might be otherwise spent in the other chains in Disney Village. I might want to eat in Planet Hollywood but if I have the dining vouchers, I would feel pressurised to eat in Annettes which is Disney owned.

I dont like being limited to set menu at the restaurants.. I dont like Disney limiting me to certain foods on the menu, for example I might not like any of the set menu main courses but I would then have to pay extra to have something from the Al a Carte menu. To me that defeats the purpose of pre paying in advance.

I like the DxDP in WDW but I would never have bought it in DLP. It’s just so confusing, and I hate pretty much everything about it so far! We got it for “free” as part of our package, so we will use it to pay for the meals we want to go to, and are ok if we can’t use it in some places. It does seem to be a huge rip off though.
 
I'm somewhat in the same situation creampuff, however after doing research through DLP and if someone can correct me, I'd appreciate it.

It appears even if I booked through tripadvisor, bought tickets through the DLP website and purchased a half board (which I don't think you can do separately but there is $/per person/day), it still seems slightly more expensive than the package.

It appears that we will have to "eat" an extra day ticket on the last day due to us leaving. However, the Half Board is "Plus" so there seems to be a bunch of different restaurants. Personally, I don't have to eat at a Planet Hollywood/Rainforest Cafe as I live in proximity to several. I looked at the menus at the restaurants and they seem decent based on reviews and it does still seem cheaper to do the half board than without.
 
I looked at the menus at the restaurants and they seem decent based on reviews and it does still seem cheaper to do the half board than without.

One very important gotcha that is overlooked by most WDW visitors is that there is a trick that DLP does to keep their costs low.
When you are on a Dining Plan, you are NOT eating on the regular menu. You are given a SPECIAL menu for the DP, potentially without all the good stuff.

This is especially true at the finest restaurants, such as California Grill or Walt's An American Restaurant.
 
So I'm guessing for instance like the Silver Spur Steakhouse, it's the "Cowboy's Menu"?
 
Thanks all for responses! Super helpful!

I will look into all of these.

Unfortunately our flight leaves 9am in morning on last day so we can’t take advantage of our 3rd day park ticket so trying to maximize the other 2 days.

Thanks again!!!

We also don’t need tickets on arrival or departure days and what we ended up doing for our November trick is to book hotel only via a third party website (we got a good deal from ebookers) and then purchase park tickets from DLP website. It helps that we will be in the park on weekdays when tickets are cheaper. We don’t care about the half board since from what I’ve read, food isn’t the highlight anyway plus we’d usually do fine dinning at WDW so the free HB from DLP right now wont do us much good as we’d just be on the standard plan and would still need to pay the difference.

Anyway, what I wanted to say is that you should try to price out hotel only plus tickets. For us, this works out a lot cheaper than booking the package especially since we don’t need tickets on arrival and departure day.
 
So I'm guessing for instance like the Silver Spur Steakhouse, it's the "Cowboy's Menu"?

Not familiar with this restaurant, I just looked at the menu. If you have the Plus plan, then yes, it is the Cowboy's Menu. If you have the Premium plan, it appears this restaurant is not concerned with the special menu, and all dishes are available. (Note that even if all the items are available, they may be served in smaller portions and/or there might be other slight differences.)
 
Not familiar with this restaurant, I just looked at the menu. If you have the Plus plan, then yes, it is the Cowboy's Menu. If you have the Premium plan, it appears this restaurant is not concerned with the special menu, and all dishes are available. (Note that even if all the items are available, they may be served in smaller portions and/or there might be other slight differences.)

Do you happen to know if this special menu for those on the Dining Plan is still going to be an issue if we use the dining plan credits as part payment, and top up ourselves?

We got the Plus DP free as part of our package and plan to eat at Walt’s, California Grill, and Bistro Chez Remy (and Inventions, but that’s not relevant here). Are we likely to receive a poorer standard if we part pay with the vouchers? It seems a waste not to, but I would rather have a god experience than save a few €s. Thanks.
 
Do you happen to know if this special menu for those on the Dining Plan is still going to be an issue if we use the dining plan credits as part payment, and top up ourselves?

We got the Plus DP free as part of our package and plan to eat at Walt’s, California Grill, and Bistro Chez Remy (and Inventions, but that’s not relevant here). Are we likely to receive a poorer standard if we part pay with the vouchers? It seems a waste not to, but I would rather have a god experience than save a few €s. Thanks.

Not wanting to cast any shadow on your plans, but so you know, you are officially *not* allowed to use DP coupon at their face value on restaurant that are participating in your DP. Many restaurants do not enforce that rule, but more that not, you can see reports of guests being denied to use their coupon except for the “special” menu.

(As you can see, I am not a huge fan of the DP in Disneyland Paris. YMMV.)
 

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