Something You Have To Experience (Disneyland Resort Paris)

Member Name: chids

Product:	Disneyland Resort Paris
Date:	09/07/08 (328 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Exciting, All Ages Will Enjoy

Disadvantages: Expensive, Some People Are Quite Rude

Disneyland is a place that you just have to visit. It's one of those things you have to say you have done. No matter whether you stayed for a couple of days, or a week. But be warned: stay for over five days and i guarantee that it will become repetitive. Unlike California or Orlando resorts, Paris is a small resort, meaning there is far less to do there than there is at it's older brother and sisters. But it is by no means a boring experience.

The general experience is somewhat varied. The are ups and downs, and, unfortunately, the downs start as soon as you arrive in Paris. I have been three times and each time have arrived at Charles De Gaulle airport. The experience of getting from the airport to you Disney hotel involves a fair sized coach journey. Two of the three times i have been, the coaches have arrived up to an hour late, often leaving large numbers of people outside in the cold, waiting patiently at designated bus stops.

The journey is fairly long, taking around 45 minutes and up to an hour and a quarter on one occasion - this was, however, due to the expansion of the airport, so this may be clear by now.

Busses come in groups and, frequently, there is limited seating and so, some people have to wait for the next group. This makes people resort to que jumping. Never tolerate this while on your visit. Say something or other people will latch on and take advantage.

Personally, i have stayed at three separate hotels within the resort. I can tell you that they were all generally pleasant experiences except for one.

The hotel Santa Fe (two star hotel) was the worst out of the three. I would not recommend this due to the poor residences and the low quality customer service provided by the staff. The first problem was that we had been given the wrong key-card at the desk. Thankfully another guest offered use of their phone to sort out the problem and after about half an hour we had the correct card and was able to settle in. Nearly all rooms sleep four on two double beds. Each room has a fan a small T.V and a basic bathroom with no extras. The room itself feels very small and this is highlighted by the proximity of the beds to the walls. There was a limited choice buffet breakfast which had not much more than toast and cereal. Even as a budget choice, i would not recommend this.

The Sequoia Lodge (three star hotel) was much better. The rooms were far more comfortable and had acres more space than the Santa Fe. The room came with two double beds; a T.V , with access to cable (i think it was cable); a well equipped bathroom and a small breakfast table. The overall quality was more noticeable and made the holiday more enjoyable overall. The hotel's buffet breakfast has a wide choice of breads, croissants, juices, fruits and cereals which were delicious compared to Santa Fe's. The hotel has it's heated pool which was kept very clean, and, due to most people not knowing about the pool, it was fairly empty.

The final hotel we stayed in was the Newport Bay Club (3 star hotel). Made to look like an New England port, the hotel seemed more like a four star than three. After walking into the lobby you begin to realise that the hotel was clearly underrated. All of the staff were formally dressed and spoke excellent english, checkin was a doddle and we soon in our room unpacking. Note that the hotel is like a rabbit warren so it's worth keeping the map they hand you at checkin, as well as keeping an eye on your kids in case they wander off. The rooms are well decorated in the same New England style with nautical features. The rooms have a large T.V, again with what i suspect is cable; two double beds; a well equipped bathroom and a small breakfast table. The NPBC's swimming pool is significantly larger than the Sequoia Lodge's, but it's also much busier. Using it for proper swimming is out of the question unless you use it at off-peak hours. The hotel also has a steam room and sauna which are often empty leaving you room to relax after a busy day.

Out of all the hotels i would recommend the Newport Bay Club. However, for young children, the Sequoia Lodge is perhaps slightly better.

The parks themselves are not too far from the hotels. The cheaper the hotel, the further from the park they are. Walks range from 10 to 20 minutes and bus rides are about 5 to 10 from the hotels. Bus rides are free of charge and run every 10 minutes.

The main park - Magical Kingdom - is, obviously, the largest of the two and has much more to do than the Studios park. The choice of rides ranges from tea cups; to mini-coasters; to full-blown roller-coasters and haunted manors. You cannot fault Disney's scenery, it is truly magnificent. The attention to detail really shows and makes the park, as a whole, more enjoyable.

In the park are parades which have all of the characters going around on themed floats. This is generally aimed at younger kids. It is the perfect time for other people to go on rides which have long que times. Once parade i advise you do not miss is the electric light parade. This starts in the evening and is a spectacular site.
Rides in the park are very reliable and rarely, if ever, break down. Recommended rides are: the runaway train; haunted manor; it's a small world and pirates of the Caribbean.

The park is generally not amazingly clean as there is often litter on the floor - this can be said for most theme parks though. Staff are easy to fins, most speak good english and are very helpful. Some staff you come across may seem miserable and act rudely, don't let this ruin your day though.

The Studios park is significantly smaller than the Magical Kingdom park and has far less rides, it is, however, by no means a boring place. The park has a number of shows well worth a visit if you have young children. For older kids, there is the Rocking Roller-Coaster and the stunt tout. A must for the whole family is the backlot tour. With a mixture of old props and effects it is an entertaining ride.
As well as rides and shows there are tours available for the studio which take visitors around sets to watch disney T.V programs being broadcast live.

Outside of the parks is disney village. A large complex of shops, restaurants and cinemas that provide you with entertainment in the evening. Note that going for dinner early and then going into the park is a great way to avoid ques for rides and restaurants.
The majority of the restaurants are fast food joints dressed up a little. Most of them have themes such as: american diners and wild west. The food is particularly nasty in most places and i would advise eating in the hotel as often as possible as they are the only places that offer "real" meals.

The shops in the disney village are stuffed with Disney merchandise at unsurprisingly high prices. If you have young and easily influenced kids then i would advise steering clear of the shops to avoid bankruptcy. The products are of a high standard and you really do need to buy something to remember you visit. One expensive purchase of frequent visitors is the collectable badges which can be traded and collected to remember your visit. Most badges are quite pricey and so no one will realistically ever collect them all.

Be warned: the employees will try to get you to spend money on having photos with the character roaming the park. And while a few are nice to have, buying a lot will get expensive. One alternative it to take the photos yourself. All staff openly allow this and is great for sharing with friends and relatives. While your there be sure to buy or take an autograph book so your kids can collect character signatures.

Overall the Disneyland Paris experience is one not to be missed. It's a huge adventure full of laughter and fun, no matter how old you are. But beware, it can easily break the budget of most visitors.

Summary: The Disneyland Paris experience is one not to be missed. It's a huge adventure full of laughter and