A lot of questions!!

[Queenie]

Hi guys,

We're currently looking into going over to DLP again this October and have a few questions.

1, We'd be looking to go Oct 6th - 10th, how early are the hotels (we really want to stay at the Santa Fe) likely to be fully booked? Basically, how late can we leave it to book without it getting very risky?

2, We'd be wanting to book the "classic package" through Disney and seperate flights. Can we still use the free shuttle from Charles De Gaulle to the hotel if we book this way? If not, how do we transfer, we've only ever used Eurostar before.

3, We think we get the shuttle from the hotel. Is that right and if so, do the hotels allow us to store our baggage there so we can enjoy the parks on the last day (flight we want doesn't leave til 9pm!)

4, Is the Good Morning Fantasyland breakfast any good? We stayed at Explorer's hotel last time and weren't that enamoured with the breakfasts there.

5, Where is a good place to have a character meal for a price that won't involve us remortgaging our house? We're looking at doing the birthday party thing as it's my 19th while we're there. Is there any way of combining a character meal with that as "dessert"?

Sorry for the questions but I don't wanna have any problems as there may be a large group going and I'd be in charge of them all! Any help hugely appreciated!!

 

[Ware Bears]

Queenie, hi, sorry I can't help with any of your questions, but I wanted to ask you one! What is the "Walking to Disney Challenge" in your signature? Sorry about being off-topic but I am intrigued! (DH would call it nosey!!! )

BTW, I think you are very brave to organize a holiday for a large group!

 

[Queenie]

The walking to Disney challenge is a thing on the WISH forum. Basically you calculate the number of miles (or kilometers) from your house to Disney as the crow flies then you try to walk it on the treadmills and cycling machines at the gym and by working it out from your pedometer. There's a thread on WISH that explain it all in a bit more detail if you're interested.

Organising this group is a total nightmare already. No one wants to commit and I can see how it's gonna end. We're all gonna end up on seperate trains and flights in seperate hotels with no agreed plan. Never invite family you don't live with on holiday!

 

[eileds]

We've always booked package and flights seperately. You can still get VEA shuttle from airport to hotel, you just pay the driver - (can't remember how much this costs). On day you leave you can leave your luggage at hotel, spend day in park, collect luggage and get VEA back to airport outside your hotel. I've also read on this site about Silver Shuttle a minibus that you pre book and collects you at the airport. there is a link somewhere or if you do net search you'll find it and it gives details of charges. think we'll use this in august when we go if available.

 

[Bexx]

Each way the VEA shuttle costs €14 per adult, and €11.50 for children aged 3 to 11.

I really couldn't say how long you could leave it before booking. I personally like to book early for peace of mind! Bear in mind it's the Halloween celebrations during all of October and they may be popular.

 

[diberry]

Hi! I may be able to help a little. We went last October about the same time as you are going and stayed at Santa Fe. We booked early but actually the park was very quiet so I don't think you'll have any problems even if you don't book for a while. It was great - loads of characters about who had plenty of time for everyone and no waits to get on rides - we were able to go round again sometimes. And the Hallowen decorations etc are magnificent.

The first time we went we left our cases at the hotel and had to go back for them but since then we've left them at the station in the left luggage lockers as this is so close to the parks. Of course you have to pay - about 6 or 8 euros but it saves you going back to the hotel at the end.

We always have the Fantasyland breakfast - you don't have to queue and we like the range of food and drinks on offer - croissants, ham, cheese etc plus cereals, fruit and so on. You can even take some for later if you're feeling naughty!! And of course you're right in Fantasyland when you finish eating.

I think maybe the Plaza Inn would be a good place for your character birthday party though I believe there's something at Innoventions at the Disneyland Hotel which other people will be able to tell you more about.

Good luck with the planning - don't have a family feud!!!

 

[Disney owl]

We've booked our June visit through Disney but booked our eldest DS 18th birthday trip ( Oct 2004) through Dunstan Brearley/ Holiday bank, as they gave a much better price. I'd think it might be worth giving them a ring. They also advertise on teletext.

tel 0870 700 8500

Ds & GF also had a Good Morning Fantasyland breakfast

 

[BPTP]

In Nov 03 we had caracter lunch at Lucky Nugget Saloon & birthday cake for my son's 2nd birthday. Can't remember how much it cost. Lunch was very good and we saw some great characters Including one or two slightly more obscure ones, Jafar, C. Hook, Sir Radcliffe, Sherriff of Not., as well as Minnie, Goofy etc.However a word of warning, consider telling them in advance not to cut up the cake! There is a really nice dessert buffet and by the time they brought the cake we were stuffed! I seem to remember it was a very moist/gooey 'mousse' type of cake (v nice) and they cut it before bringing it out so we couldn't put it backinto the box to take back to the hotel for later so we ended up telling them to give it to people on other tables.

 

[poohmadmum]

We stayed for 4 nights from 10th January 2005 during the magic unlimited offer and the parks were quiet - the most we queued was 10 minutes for the flying carpets in MGM and you could stay on a lot of the rides.

The Good Morning Fantasyland breakfast is very good and you enter the park an hour before it opens. Good variety and you will be in a good position to be at the front of the queues in fantasyland when you have finished breakfast since October may be busier.

We have always enjoyed character meals at Chef Mickey's in Disney Village. It is often quieter if you eat at lunch time and you get much more attention from the characters. In the evenings it can get very busy and it is best to make a reservation.

Wherever you eat, let them know you are celebrating a birthday and they can arrange a cake beforehand. The cake is brought out, the birthday is announced and everyone is asked to sing happy birthday.

We flew into CDG and took the VEA shuttle to Disneyland. You simply pay the driver on the coach and they do take credit cards. I think they run every 45 minutes or so depending on how busy it is. You can pick up a timetable on the coach. Depending on what hotel you stay in you may have to pre-book your return time with your hotel. On our last day we simply left our luggage, including hand luggage, in the hotel (Sequoia Lodge) which was secure and in a locked room. There was no fee for this, they simply ask when you will return to collect it so they can organise everyone's bags better. We then enjoyed our last day in the park, baggage free, and came back to collect it and wait for the VEA shuttle back to the airport.

 

[tmp]

poohmadmum do you mind me asking how much time you allowed to get back to the airport.
We are going to be using the VEA shuttle in May and our return flight is at 5 pm.Obviously we want to spend as much of our last day in the parks and as little as possible in the airport!

 

[poohmadmum]

tmp : you should check the timetable carefully to ensure you pick a coach that will allow enough time! It takes a good 45 minutes from DLP to CDG - the coach stops at several hotels and most of the terminals at CDG (depending on which terminals people on the coach want). We flew with Easyjet which was the last terminal to be dropped off at. You are supposed to check in an hour before the flight so depending on how rushed you want to be, you should allow 2 hours.

A word of warning we stayed at SQ and the queue to get your luggage back on a Friday at about 5.00 pm was long. We were lucky as we didn't want our luggage until 6.30 pm when there wasn't a queue. A lot depends on everyone's departure day and time.