I usually do not write trip reports for posting on wdwmagic.com, largely because we have so many visitors to WDW and, to a lesser extent, DLR, that I rarely believe I have anything new to say in a trip report. But we don't have a lot of Disneyland Paris details here at wdwmagic, so I thought I'd post some of the details and pics from my trip a couple of weeks ago. I'll drop on in some thoughts on DLRP from the perspective of an American who, like most of you, visits WDW regularly.
Travelling were me (Scott) and my wife (Lynn), both around 40, and our 7 year old son, Aaron. I've been to WDW over 30 times, my wife at least a dozen, and Aaron 5 times. We've each been to DLR-Anaheim multiple times as well. I had been to Disneyland Paris a while ago for a quick trip, and neither my wife or son had been there at all.
We traveled to DLRP by Eurostar from London, where we spent several days on either side of our trip to DLRP. The train trip direct to DLRP took about 2 1/2 hours. The Eurostar was as pleasant a trip as could be. Check-in at St. Pancras International was easy, the train ride was comfortable and smooth. The US could learn a lot. Because this trip was direct to Disneyland Paris (one trip like that a day), there were lots of families on the way to DLRP. Disney representatives were on baord for those that had booked packages, passing out information, including luggage tags for the free transfer service. Nice touch.
We arrived about 1:30 pm on Monday, July 5. The Eurostar stop is within 100 yards (or as they say in Europe, meters) from the gates to the parks and the entrance to the Disney Village. Other trains, including the RER subway-like trains from Paris, also stop here. It is incredibly convenient.
We could have gone directly to the parks with no need for transfer, had we wanted to stow our luggage. There are three ways to stow luggage upon arrival, if desired. First, if you booked a package through DLRP, you can check in at the train station and they'll deliver the luggage to your room. We did not book a package and so could not do this. However, the train station has a luggage locker facility where you can store luggage for up to 72 hours for a flat fee depending upon locker size. Also, both parks have luggage storage at Guest Relations. If you have only one bag to store, Guest Relations is probably cheaper. More than one, and the locker at the station will be cheaper. We did neither of those on arrival, preferring instead to freshen up in the hotel.
We stayed at the Dreamcastle Hotel, one of the "Partner" hotels located very close to DLRP, but not operated by Disney. I would say they are approximately the equivalent of the hotels along Hotel Plaza Drive in the DtD area. We chose the Dreamcastle basically because they had a room with a King size bed and a set of bunk beds for a reasonable rate. To get a guarantee of a King bed at a Disney-owned resort would have been far more expensive. Further, the cheaper Disney-owned resorts do not have air conditioning in the rooms, which is a must for me in the summer.
Buses to the partner hotels arrive at a very Disney-looking bus transfer terminal just oustide the train station. This is also the stop for the parks and the village, given how close they are. On arrival, we waited approximately 30 seconds for a bus, which we came to realize, is about the average wait. The service was incredibly efficient. Even with all our luggage, we hopped right on the bus for the short ride to our hotel. The bus to the Dreamcastle serves 3 other hotels as well, all of which are located side by side around a lake/pond just outside of the circular road that roughly defines the borders of DLRP.
Upon arrival at the hotel, we ran into one of only glitches in the trip. It was about 2 pm. Check-in is listed as being 3 pm. The hotel made clear that they would NOT be allowing us into a room until 3, and would not even check to see if one was available. Although there is certainly nothing requiring them to let us into a room before 3, I have never before been told essentially that I could not get into a room before check-in time even if one was available. And clearly, rooms were ready at 2, since they handed out keys to a dozen families right at 3.
This wasn't a real problem, as there was a play area to keep my son occupied in the lobby, and we took a walk around the pretty, but not extensive, grounds of the hotel. The theme of the Dreamcastle, which is not layered on extensively, is Arthurian legend, complete with the requisite sword in the stone, which Aaron was not able to extract.
At 3, we got our room, which was basic, but fine for our purposes. King size bed, and a set of twin bunks. Closet, television, desk and chair, and a hotel-sized bathroom. Not spacious, but functional. You aren't here for the hotel room, but it'll serve it's purpose as a comfortable place to sleep. The bed, as it turned out, was extremely comfortable, and Aaron rated the top bunk as fun. There was a curtain to pull across the bunks, so we could keep some light on over the bed without disturbing him.
In the next posts, I'll cover the time at the parks, but I'll make a few other, non-chronological hotel-related points here.
First, all of the hotels around DLRP have breakfast included. The breakfast at the Dreamcastle was a buffet, and was both extensive in selection and good in quality. Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, pastries, breads, fruit, yogurt, cereal, juices, coffee, tea, etc. It was a very good way to start each morning, and was run efficiently. Despite the expected crush of people trying to get to the parks around opening time, there was no problem seating us and no delay.
Next, as I noted earlier, the bus service worked incredibly efficiently for us. Once we waited 5 minutes for a bus from the hotel to the parks. Every other transfer involved essentially no waiting at all. WDW could learn something.
Facilities at the Dreamcastle and the other hotels around the same lake were comparable. Each hotel seemed to have a restaurant, bar, pool, store, and some arcade games, etc. All adequate, but nothing about the hotel would make me specifically want to return there.
Next posts, our three days at the parks.
Travelling were me (Scott) and my wife (Lynn), both around 40, and our 7 year old son, Aaron. I've been to WDW over 30 times, my wife at least a dozen, and Aaron 5 times. We've each been to DLR-Anaheim multiple times as well. I had been to Disneyland Paris a while ago for a quick trip, and neither my wife or son had been there at all.
We traveled to DLRP by Eurostar from London, where we spent several days on either side of our trip to DLRP. The train trip direct to DLRP took about 2 1/2 hours. The Eurostar was as pleasant a trip as could be. Check-in at St. Pancras International was easy, the train ride was comfortable and smooth. The US could learn a lot. Because this trip was direct to Disneyland Paris (one trip like that a day), there were lots of families on the way to DLRP. Disney representatives were on baord for those that had booked packages, passing out information, including luggage tags for the free transfer service. Nice touch.
We arrived about 1:30 pm on Monday, July 5. The Eurostar stop is within 100 yards (or as they say in Europe, meters) from the gates to the parks and the entrance to the Disney Village. Other trains, including the RER subway-like trains from Paris, also stop here. It is incredibly convenient.
We could have gone directly to the parks with no need for transfer, had we wanted to stow our luggage. There are three ways to stow luggage upon arrival, if desired. First, if you booked a package through DLRP, you can check in at the train station and they'll deliver the luggage to your room. We did not book a package and so could not do this. However, the train station has a luggage locker facility where you can store luggage for up to 72 hours for a flat fee depending upon locker size. Also, both parks have luggage storage at Guest Relations. If you have only one bag to store, Guest Relations is probably cheaper. More than one, and the locker at the station will be cheaper. We did neither of those on arrival, preferring instead to freshen up in the hotel.
We stayed at the Dreamcastle Hotel, one of the "Partner" hotels located very close to DLRP, but not operated by Disney. I would say they are approximately the equivalent of the hotels along Hotel Plaza Drive in the DtD area. We chose the Dreamcastle basically because they had a room with a King size bed and a set of bunk beds for a reasonable rate. To get a guarantee of a King bed at a Disney-owned resort would have been far more expensive. Further, the cheaper Disney-owned resorts do not have air conditioning in the rooms, which is a must for me in the summer.
Buses to the partner hotels arrive at a very Disney-looking bus transfer terminal just oustide the train station. This is also the stop for the parks and the village, given how close they are. On arrival, we waited approximately 30 seconds for a bus, which we came to realize, is about the average wait. The service was incredibly efficient. Even with all our luggage, we hopped right on the bus for the short ride to our hotel. The bus to the Dreamcastle serves 3 other hotels as well, all of which are located side by side around a lake/pond just outside of the circular road that roughly defines the borders of DLRP.
Upon arrival at the hotel, we ran into one of only glitches in the trip. It was about 2 pm. Check-in is listed as being 3 pm. The hotel made clear that they would NOT be allowing us into a room until 3, and would not even check to see if one was available. Although there is certainly nothing requiring them to let us into a room before 3, I have never before been told essentially that I could not get into a room before check-in time even if one was available. And clearly, rooms were ready at 2, since they handed out keys to a dozen families right at 3.
This wasn't a real problem, as there was a play area to keep my son occupied in the lobby, and we took a walk around the pretty, but not extensive, grounds of the hotel. The theme of the Dreamcastle, which is not layered on extensively, is Arthurian legend, complete with the requisite sword in the stone, which Aaron was not able to extract.
At 3, we got our room, which was basic, but fine for our purposes. King size bed, and a set of twin bunks. Closet, television, desk and chair, and a hotel-sized bathroom. Not spacious, but functional. You aren't here for the hotel room, but it'll serve it's purpose as a comfortable place to sleep. The bed, as it turned out, was extremely comfortable, and Aaron rated the top bunk as fun. There was a curtain to pull across the bunks, so we could keep some light on over the bed without disturbing him.
In the next posts, I'll cover the time at the parks, but I'll make a few other, non-chronological hotel-related points here.
First, all of the hotels around DLRP have breakfast included. The breakfast at the Dreamcastle was a buffet, and was both extensive in selection and good in quality. Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, pastries, breads, fruit, yogurt, cereal, juices, coffee, tea, etc. It was a very good way to start each morning, and was run efficiently. Despite the expected crush of people trying to get to the parks around opening time, there was no problem seating us and no delay.
Next, as I noted earlier, the bus service worked incredibly efficiently for us. Once we waited 5 minutes for a bus from the hotel to the parks. Every other transfer involved essentially no waiting at all. WDW could learn something.
Facilities at the Dreamcastle and the other hotels around the same lake were comparable. Each hotel seemed to have a restaurant, bar, pool, store, and some arcade games, etc. All adequate, but nothing about the hotel would make me specifically want to return there.
Next posts, our three days at the parks.