any help or tips for a newbie to Paris

[tink89]

If you're going between DLP and the capital, the RER is the best way to get around. And since the ticketing system is integrated with all IDFM/RATP modes, you can easily transition between the RER, the Métro and the surface buses. Though the physical tickets are tiny (and you'll also get multiple for a day's ticket), so if losing them is your biggest concern, then I highly recommend using the Navigo contactless card system, which works similar to TfL's Oyster Card. Easy to top up by either using the machines or the IDFM app.

all of what you said is confusing to me and although everyone says the metro is the best way to get around being our first time there I think I rather book a company that can take us from place to place. Another reason we want to stay onsite is because of the familiarity of DL. DD15 is worried about actually getting on the metro given the theft she sees on sm. We live in the SF bay area so we are used to theft unfortunately and don't have any issues bit also don't go to the city because of it. She is worried about having to constantly watch what she is doing or not being able to take pictures and stuff.

 

[SuzErwin]

all of what you said is confusing to me and although everyone says the metro is the best way to get around being our first time there I think I rather book a company that can take us from place to place. Another reason we want to stay onsite is because of the familiarity of DL. DD15 is worried about actually getting on the metro given the theft she sees on sm. We live in the SF bay area so we are used to theft unfortunately and don't have any issues bit also don't go to the city because of it. She is worried about having to constantly watch what she is doing or not being able to take pictures and stuff.

Think of RER like CalTrain and the Metro like BART (but the RER and Metro are both larger and much more convenient). The Metro is very useful for getting around the city of Paris with many stops/connecting lines. The RER (translated name: Regional Express Network) has fewer stops/lines within Paris and connects Paris with outlaying suburbs. Navigo is similar to a Clipper card, and like Clipper you top up at the machines or via app.

I was last in Paris in 2018 - going again in April - so perhaps things have changed, but I have visited France many times as we used to live in the UK and we've never had any issues with theft or any other sort of unpleasantness on the Metro or anywhere else in Paris/its suburbs. We stay aware of our surroundings, but that's just best practices for any big city (as you know from San Francisco)!

As for DLP hotels - aside from the Disneyland Hotel, the hotels are a walk away from the park - for the Art of Marvel, Newport Bay and Sequoia hotels, you'll walk through DLP's version of Downtown Disney, so somewhat comparable to the walk from the Anaheim Disneyland Hotel to the entrance plaza. I've stayed at both the Disneyland Hotel and the Sequoia and while the Sequoia lacks the grandness of the GCH/Wilderness Lodge, I've always been comfortable staying there - too bad it's undergoing renovation but I'm sure the Newport Bay would be very similar. Keep expectations in check - they're not resorts in the manner of the American Disney hotels - and do make reservations/pay attention to the times they give you if you eat at your hotel; on our last trip the hotel's restaurants were completely booked, even the buffets. But - and hopefully things have changed - my husband and I like to say that the only place in France where we found bad food is DLP. Definitely save any meal splurges for Paris itself where I find even the street food to be sublime, especially by comparison.

As for Paris, I second the recommendations for the Consiergerie and Saint-Chappelle. If you like to walk, I also recommend Paris Walks for English language tours by local guides who will take you around a neighborhood; we really enjoyed our tours of the Marais and Montmartre. My favorite museums (sorry, Louvre, although you are spectacular) are the Musee Carnavalet for the history of Paris and the Musee Rodin for the beautiful garden; there's also the Centre Pompidou for modern art and of course the Musee d'Orsay for the Impressionists and more.

 

[tink89]

Think of RER like CalTrain and the Metro like BART (but the RER and Metro are both larger and much more convenient). The Metro is very useful for getting around the city of Paris with many stops/connecting lines. The RER (translated name: Regional Express Network) has fewer stops/lines within Paris and connects Paris with outlaying suburbs. Navigo is similar to a Clipper card, and like Clipper you top up at the machines or via app.

I was last in Paris in 2018 - going again in April - so perhaps things have changed, but I have visited France many times as we used to live in the UK and we've never had any issues with theft or any other sort of unpleasantness on the Metro or anywhere else in Paris/its suburbs. We stay aware of our surroundings, but that's just best practices for any big city (as you know from San Francisco)!

As for DLP hotels - aside from the Disneyland Hotel, the hotels are a walk away from the park - for the Art of Marvel, Newport Bay and Sequoia hotels, you'll walk through DLP's version of Downtown Disney, so somewhat comparable to the walk from the Anaheim Disneyland Hotel to the entrance plaza. I've stayed at both the Disneyland Hotel and the Sequoia and while the Sequoia lacks the grandness of the GCH/Wilderness Lodge, I've always been comfortable staying there - too bad it's undergoing renovation but I'm sure the Newport Bay would be very similar. Keep expectations in check - they're not resorts in the manner of the American Disney hotels - and do make reservations/pay attention to the times they give you if you eat at your hotel; on our last trip the hotel's restaurants were completely booked, even the buffets. But - and hopefully things have changed - my husband and I like to say that the only place in France where we found bad food is DLP. Definitely save any meal splurges for Paris itself where I find even the street food to be sublime, especially by comparison.

As for Paris, I second the recommendations for the Consiergerie and Saint-Chappelle. If you like to walk, I also recommend Paris Walks for English language tours by local guides who will take you around a neighborhood; we really enjoyed our tours of the Marais and Montmartre. My favorite museums (sorry, Louvre, although you are spectacular) are the Musee Carnavalet for the history of Paris and the Musee Rodin for the beautiful garden; there's also the Centre Pompidou for modern art and of course the Musee d'Orsay for the Impressionists and more.

Yea we are used to being in big cities and cities that deal with theft like SF. We also go down to LA quite often. But dd15 being a teen and on social media is saying ppl s phones are stolen mostly on the metro. I don't use Bart because well its bart. I have used Caltrain before but mostly just to catch a game in the city but that helps me understand the metro and RER.

So not a fan of the food at DLP? what restaurants are good there? Does the disney shuttle go outside of disney at all to where we can take it and get off somewhere and take it back at another time?
I have heard about Montmartre and seems like place we would like so I will add that to our list. Ill keep all those museums in mind. I do love an art museum. Our stop at Paris is mostly because DD wants to see DLP so we will make that most of the trip but have one full day plus maybe a half day to explore the city.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

So not a fan of the food at DLP? what restaurants are good there?

I did a family holiday to Disneyland Paris at Halloween and wrote a very in depth trip report, which covered all the food we ate. https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...isneyland-paris-app-and-premier-pass.3933288/

I would say that food at Disneyland Paris has got better over the last few years. One thing to remember is the difference in food culture in general. Table service meals will take 90 to 2 hours most of the time. Europeans are not fast eaters and the restaurants and servers are not the same as American where they speed through meals to increase the table turn over. Servers are not relying on tips to make their rent like in America, so they dont rush people. As the service is slower, American tend to take issue and think servers are not being attentive. They are, just not in the same way Americans are used to. Also the servers will usually only bring the check when you ask for it, its not just put on the table while you are still eating.

Food in Disneyland Paris can be divided into two types. In the parks most of the restaurants are counter service and serve burgers, chips, pizza , hot dogs etc. Captain Jacks is the high end table service, similar to Blue Bayou in Disneyland California. Restaurant Agrabah Café is a middle eastern / Mediterranean style buffet. Walts on Main Street is similar to Carnation Cafe in Disneyland California.

The hotels have better standard food than in the park. Many of the hotel buffets and table service restaurants dont open during the day, the first reservations at 6pm.

Does the disney shuttle go outside of disney at all to where we can take it and get off somewhere and take it back at another time?

Yes and no. Disney Village has restaurants, and you can also go to any of the hotel restaurants, even if you are not staying there. Val d'Europe is a village beside Disneyland Paris, its mainly residential and hotels with a large shopping mall. Other than that there not much else near Disneyland Paris.

 

[SuzErwin]

Yea we are used to being in big cities and cities that deal with theft like SF. We also go down to LA quite often. But dd15 being a teen and on social media is saying ppl s phones are stolen mostly on the metro. I don't use Bart because well its bart. I have used Caltrain before but mostly just to catch a game in the city but that helps me understand the metro and RER.

So not a fan of the food at DLP? what restaurants are good there? Does the disney shuttle go outside of disney at all to where we can take it and get off somewhere and take it back at another time?
I have heard about Montmartre and seems like place we would like so I will add that to our list. Ill keep all those museums in mind. I do love an art museum. Our stop at Paris is mostly because DD wants to see DLP so we will make that most of the trip but have one full day plus maybe a half day to explore the city.

The QSRs at DLP - keeping in mind my last trip was pre-pandemic - were all very generic and mid-to-low tier basic burgers, fries, etc. Every QSR served the exact same menu. I asked for the salad and well, that was a mistake. We saw tomato basil soup on the menu and thought, yum, but it was a packet of dry soup mix made with the hot water from the coffee machine. Which is different to DLR or WDW, and in sharp contrast to the street food in Paris where I find even the sandwiches sold off carts in the tourist areas to be delicious. Plus the crepes stands, the falafel in the Marais - yum!

The sit down restaurants at DLP resorts are better - one of the best meals I’ve ever had was at the now gone California Grill at the Disneyland Hotel - but I found the sit down restaurants in the park disappointing both in comparison to their counterparts at the American theme parks, restaurants in Paris, and also not as excellent as my first visit in 2000. I’d reserve that time and money for a meal in the city rather than using your time at DLP - unless you want the experience. I find table service meals in Europe to be far more civilized - you aren’t rushed to turn tables and service is on your terms without the server constantly interrupting, but if you have only so much time at DLP you might want to spend it exploring the parks. Disneyland Paris is very pretty at night - it’s just a gorgeous park in general.

Also, general tip for France - when you enter an establishment, always greet the people working there with bonjour or bon soir, depending on time of day, and always say au revoir as you leave. Learning some French and using it can go far.

Social media is going to exaggerate the ills - that’s what gets engagement, after all, and makes money for the content generator ;-) The Metro and RER are used daily by most of the general public; it’s not a car culture the way CA is plus traffic can get congested making the Metro more convenient and faster. I will say I had to twist the arm of my then boyfriend, now husband, to go to Paris on his first trip - he had heard terrible things about the city. Now it’s his favorite place on the planet. But nothing worse than being stressed on vacation if you are worried about public transport or are unfamiliar with using it! You can look into car services but unfortunately I don’t have one to recommend.

The next stop on the RER from Disneyland Paris - a five minute ride - is Val d’Europe which has a shopping mall and an Auchan hypermarche (a supermarket on steroids). The mall will feel very familiar in layout to US malls with a mix of US, French, UK, and European chains. We love French supermarkets in every form and when we go to DLP we stop at Auchan for snacks (and wine for the hotel room) instead of eating park food. French charcuterie, cheese, chocolate and bread - I’m drooling as I type.

There is a bus shuttle at DLP that takes you round trip from the train station to the hotels and from the hotels to the parks but I don’t know of any other shuttle that has stops.

 

[tink89]

The QSRs at DLP - keeping in mind my last trip was pre-pandemic - were all very generic and mid-to-low tier basic burgers, fries, etc. Every QSR served the exact same menu. I asked for the salad and well, that was a mistake. We saw tomato basil soup on the menu and thought, yum, but it was a packet of dry soup mix made with the hot water from the coffee machine. Which is different to DLR or WDW, and in sharp contrast to the street food in Paris where I find even the sandwiches sold off carts in the tourist areas to be delicious. Plus the crepes stands, the falafel in the Marais - yum!

The sit down restaurants at DLP resorts are better - one of the best meals I’ve ever had was at the now gone California Grill at the Disneyland Hotel - but I found the sit down restaurants in the park disappointing both in comparison to their counterparts at the American theme parks, restaurants in Paris, and also not as excellent as my first visit in 2000. I’d reserve that time and money for a meal in the city rather than using your time at DLP - unless you want the experience. I find table service meals in Europe to be far more civilized - you aren’t rushed to turn tables and service is on your terms without the server constantly interrupting, but if you have only so much time at DLP you might want to spend it exploring the parks. Disneyland Paris is very pretty at night - it’s just a gorgeous park in general.

Also, general tip for France - when you enter an establishment, always greet the people working there with bonjour or bon soir, depending on time of day, and always say au revoir as you leave. Learning some French and using it can go far.

Social media is going to exaggerate the ills - that’s what gets engagement, after all, and makes money for the content generator ;-) The Metro and RER are used daily by most of the general public; it’s not a car culture the way CA is plus traffic can get congested making the Metro more convenient and faster. I will say I had to twist the arm of my then boyfriend, now husband, to go to Paris on his first trip - he had heard terrible things about the city. Now it’s his favorite place on the planet. But nothing worse than being stressed on vacation if you are worried about public transport or are unfamiliar with using it! You can look into car services but unfortunately I don’t have one to recommend.

The next stop on the RER from Disneyland Paris - a five minute ride - is Val d’Europe which has a shopping mall and an Auchan hypermarche (a supermarket on steroids). The mall will feel very familiar in layout to US malls with a mix of US, French, UK, and European chains. We love French supermarkets in every form and when we go to DLP we stop at Auchan for snacks (and wine for the hotel room) instead of eating park food. French charcuterie, cheese, chocolate and bread - I’m drooling as I type.

There is a bus shuttle at DLP that takes you round trip from the train station to the hotels and from the hotels to the parks but I don’t know of any other shuttle that has stops.

Ok this helps a lot. We eat at many qsr at DL as well as many sit down. So we will really have to go through the menus and decide what we will eat and look up some more reviews. We will aim for more sit downs.

I know very few words in French but we are all on duolingo lol at the moment trying to learn a few more words.
As far as the theft and metro issue i have explained to DD that is similar to here and most big cities have those issues. But we will probably stick to a car service or bus service we pay for. I did see Val d'Europe and we might end up using the train station I just have to feel comfortable with knowing what i am doing to not get lost or something.

 

[SuzErwin]

Ok this helps a lot. We eat at many qsr at DL as well as many sit down. So we will really have to go through the menus and decide what we will eat and look up some more reviews. We will aim for more sit downs.

I know very few words in French but we are all on duolingo lol at the moment trying to learn a few more words.
As far as the theft and metro issue i have explained to DD that is similar to here and most big cities have those issues. But we will probably stick to a car service or bus service we pay for. I did see Val d'Europe and we might end up using the train station I just have to feel comfortable with knowing what i am doing to not get lost or something.

I forgot to mention that when it comes to sit down in the parks, we did enjoy Bistrot Chez Remy. There's not an equivalent in DLR or WDW and the idea is that you are shrunk to "rat size" to eat at Remy's restaurant - the theming is truly adorable.

 

[zavandor]

I know it's not in cards right now, but in case you'll want at some point to use public transport, download the Bonjour RATP app.
If you have a compatible phone (the app will tell you if you have), you can buy tickets in the app and use the phone to open the gates or validate on a bus. It's super convenient. This way you don't have to buy a Navigo Decouvert card, which can be done only at big stations and requires a passport photo, or deal with paper tickets (sometimes you find long lines for the machines).

 

[Mennamachine]

all of what you said is confusing to me and although everyone says the metro is the best way to get around being our first time there I think I rather book a company that can take us from place to place. Another reason we want to stay onsite is because of the familiarity of DL. DD15 is worried about actually getting on the metro given the theft she sees on sm. We live in the SF bay area so we are used to theft unfortunately and don't have any issues bit also don't go to the city because of it. She is worried about having to constantly watch what she is doing or not being able to take pictures and stuff.

I can tell you, as an American who had been living in a small city in Europe for about 2.5 months at the time, Paris public tranist is incredibly easy to use, even if you have zero French skills. As far as theft/pickpocketing goes, just be smart about how you carry your valuables (zipped and not easy to access), and keep an eye out for each other. I used a small purse that I wore crossbody with a zipper top, and a zippered inside pocket for my wallet, and never had any problems. My wife kept her stuff in zippered vest pockets. I wouldn't waste money on car services. Especially in Paris the metro and trains are the way to go.

 

[Amw1064]

We are planning a last minute trip in March. 3 nights at DLP and 2 nights in Paris. I know, not the norm but really want this to be more of a DLP trip but obviously want to see a few sites in Paris. Been reading through this thread and lots of info. Any Paris hotels or location recommended? I was thinking either the Sequoia or Newport for DLP.

 

[DoraBA]

OP
Sorry for the delay in reply, somehow my notifications did not pop-up...

Sorry I can't help with Versailles info.

In Paris itself - the big department stores such as the Gallerie Lafayette are always interesting to visit but very expensive to shop. Also lots of nice touristy shops in area like the Marais, Montmartre etc. The Les Halles shopping center is also nice and not far from Centre Pompidou. The trendier areas with the coolest shops, however, are obviously outside of the touristy areas...

Museums - The Louvre is indeed crowded, as is the Musee d'Orsay which is impressionists to modern art and is smaller and easier to digest. For a taste of art you could try Musee Rodin or L'Orangerie, Musee Picasso or Pompidou for modern art.

My teenagers loved the Catacombes - an underground ossuary (google it, its morbidly freakish), also they enjoyed visiting the Pantheon and recognising some of the names.

A cruise along the Seine was also nice, strolling through street markets etc.

Hope this helps, enjoy your visit!!!

 

[Karin1984]

We are planning a last minute trip in March. 3 nights at DLP and 2 nights in Paris. I know, not the norm but really want this to be more of a DLP trip but obviously want to see a few sites in Paris. Been reading through this thread and lots of info. Any Paris hotels or location recommended? I was thinking either the Sequoia or Newport for DLP.

Nothing to be ashamed of here. I visited Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo with the main purpose crossing the Asian parks off my list.

For Paris, really depends on what you want to see and how you travel. If you plan lots of public transport, go near Les Halles. It is a central hub for the subway.

For Disneyland Paris, my first question: how much time do you plan to spend in your hotel / hotel room?

 

[Amw1064]

Nothing to be ashamed of here. I visited Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo with the main purpose crossing the Asian parks off my list.

For Paris, really depends on what you want to see and how you travel. If you plan lots of public transport, go near Les Halles. It is a central hub for the subway.

For Disneyland Paris, my first question: how much time do you plan to spend in your hotel / hotel room?

Eiffel Tower and possibly Louvre, river cruise on the Seine. Maybe the arc de triumph, my daughter wants to see Moulin Rouge. Thought we would be doing mostly walking but seeing that things may be more spread out than I thought. Not use to subways but would be willing to give it a try. Possibly a half day trip to Versaille.

As for Disneyland when we go to World we are there for a few hours but have yearly passes and live maybe 2 hours away. When we visit Disneyland in CA we are there 12 hour plus a day so I am presuming the same for DLP. My only concern will be how cold it may be for us.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

As for Disneyland when we go to World we are there for a few hours but have yearly passes and live maybe 2 hours away. When we visit Disneyland in CA we are there 12 hour plus a day so I am presuming the same for DLP. My only concern will be how cold it may be for us.

Im the same in Disneyland California, 12 plus hours, and when I did my solo trips to Disneyland Paris, I was in the parks rope drop to close too. When I went in October with my family it was a bit different, as was on their schedule and they are not parks people like me

I was in Disneyland Paris at the end of February 2016 and it was cold. Its a dry crisp cold, which is different to the damp miserable cold I am used to here in Ireland. I have some beautiful early morning photos of The Castle in the winter sun. I did the early opening each morning and there was frost on the grass and toperiarys and on the benches but the pathways were not icy or slippy. I wore the same winter coat I wear in Ireland, with my gloves and I was fine. When you are walking around and doing rides, the cold is manageable, its just in the evening times, when it gets dark and when you are standing waiting for the night time show that you feel it. Many people bring the hand warmers or have a hot drink. Some people have blankets around their legs if they are sitting on benches, chairs or walls.

 

[Karin1984]

Eiffel Tower and possibly Louvre, river cruise on the Seine. Maybe the arc de triumph, my daughter wants to see Moulin Rouge. Thought we would be doing mostly walking but seeing that things may be more spread out than I thought. Not use to subways but would be willing to give it a try. Possibly a half day trip to Versaille.

As for Disneyland when we go to World we are there for a few hours but have yearly passes and live maybe 2 hours away. When we visit Disneyland in CA we are there 12 hour plus a day so I am presuming the same for DLP. My only concern will be how cold it may be for us.

For Paris, either stay close to one of your must-sees or a central location, near a subway station.
I am sure there are videos on youtube with people explaining the subway system and how to buy tickets.

Half day Versailles, it is possible, depending on how much time you want to spend there. But it is a bit tight, there is a lot to see. Same with the Louvre, you can go in, snap a picture with the Mona Lisa and go out again, or see a bit more. (It is an underwhelming experience in my opinion, the picture is small, the line to see it longer than anyone wants to see a picture).

My personal opinion about park hotels: if you only need a place to sleep, get a cheap, but clean hotel with a bed and a shower.

When in March are we talking about?
Early March and late March can be quite different in weather. But either way, it is not Florida. Bring layers.

Also, Paris schools are off till the 5th of March and it is a national holiday on the 29th.