Going to Paris......

[SEVANS2208]

.....................and considering DLP as well.

I'm hoping to take my daugter to Paris for a few days in February for her 10th birthday. Is it worth going to DLP as well & would we need 2 days? We've been to WDW before - is it very similar to DLP? Would she be disappointed with it after having been to WDW this year?

I know very little about DLP (you can tell, can't you?!) so any suggestions would be appreciated (esp. costs & accommodation in or out of Disney)!

 

[disneyberry]

the best things about DLP vs. WDW IMO are:

- Disneyland Hotel: where else can you stay ON Main St USA in the Magic Kingdom? that is incredible. we wish that we could've afforded it when we went to DLP, and vow to try it next time we go.

- those Arcade walkways that allow you to bypass the crowds of people walking up/down Main St.

- BTMRR is so much more fun at DLP than at WDW! and Space Mountain's almost "steam punk" and Jules Verne twist is very interesting.

- the small-scale feel of DLP is nice. it's great just to be able to walk across a plaza to "park-hop", and depending on which hotel you stay at, to just be able to walk back to your room. this small-scale thing exists at DL CA too, except there is no landscaping at DL CA and DLP did a much better job at landscaping.

- it's nice to see a variation of the castle on Main St. plus you can sort of climb up a bit higher on the castle at DLP.

one other thing we liked about DLP, but we've never tried in WDW so we can't compare: the early entry free breakfast that's included with your on-site hotel rates. i cannot believe how empty it was the morning we went to do the Good Morning Fantasyland breakfast.
it really was like having the park completely to ourselves. wonderful!

the Studios is an okay park, not too much to see there though... at least not when we were there right when it opened in 2002.

i don't think you would need 2 days in the parks. probably the most comfortable thing to do would be to stay on property for 2 nights, and have 1 full day at DLP.

one problem is, it can be difficult to book room-only hotel reservations. with the packages, if you booked 2 nights, i think they give you 3days of park passes? i don't recall the details.

anyway, as for whether you should do DLP or not: how much does your daughter like Disney + WDW? if she is a pretty big fan, then maybe you should go to DLP.
otherwise, there is plenty to see in Paris and around Paris.
good luck!

 

[Peter Pan Fan]

If I were you I would go for 1 day, but I would stay in Paris and take the train to DLP, then return to your Paris hotel in the evening.

We stayed 3 nights at the Disneyland Hotel last month. While the hotel was lovely, the park kept us occupied for about 7 hours total (and I am a very big Disney fan). We felt sort of "trapped" there for 3 nights and it was NOT worth the money that we spent for the whole package (room and tickets). Just my opinion. The park is lovely and some of the detailing and themeing is far superior to Disneyland here at home but it is really a 1 day park. I kept thinking that there was so much more to see in Paris and wished we had just taken the train in for the day.

The Studios were BORING! I can't stress it enough. We went on the "tram ride" and rock and roller coaster and that's it, we then went back to Disneyland. We don't have kids though, so keep that in mind when reading this. Your daughter might love the studios.

 

[SEVANS2208]

Thanks for your honesty!

I think you're right - I reckon staying in Paris would be easier & cheaper!

 

[CarolA]

I went to DLP in late November. I loved it, but I really only needed one day. Paris is a much cooler location then either Orlando or Los Angeles and it was COLD. I would think that Febuary would be the same. Since it was cold I was able to see everything in one day with no lines. Hopefully you will have the same experience. What I did was spend my last night there. I took the train to the the Park early in the morning, checked in and hit the park. Technically I had a pass for the next day, but I decided to take an earlier bus to the airport so I would not be stressed.

The park itself is beautiful. The attention to detail is amazing. I tried to concentrate on that and the rides we don't have here.

I think Paris is a wonderful city and it is great that you are taking your daughter. (Do you want to adopt me? LOL!)