"I Know What You're Going To Say" - France Sept 2019 - Update 1/5 Disneyland Paris, Dinner & Home

Dis_Yoda

DIS Veteran
DVC Silver
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Table of Contents

Dates: September 4th to September 23rd, 2019
Where: Normandy, Brittany, Paris, Loire Valley, Disneyland Paris
Who: Dis_Yoda & Mr. Dis_Yoda

Pre-Trip

Introductions
Tauck Portion Initial Plan
Between Sections Portion Initial Plan
Disneyland Paris Portion Initial Plan
The Hotels
Get Travel Sports Package
Trip Updates
Flight Update
Updated Plans

Trip Report

September 4th
Adventures In Leaving The Country

September 5th
Welcome to Trianon
Chef's Table at Gordon Ramsay Au Trianon

September 6th
Heading To Versailles
Versailles Continued
Trianons
Tauck Welcome Dinner

September 7th
Traveling to Chartes
Freetime in Chartes
Hosted by A Baron & Hunting Hound Demostration

September 8th
Chateau de Langeais
Le Moulin Blue Winery
Chateau Villandry
Dinner at Chateau de Rochecotte

September 9th
Chateau d'Angers & Apocalypse Tapestry
Walking Tour of Angers & Lunch
Port de Crouesty Arrival & Dinner

September 10th
Petit Mont
Cruise around Golfe de Morbihan
Rochfort-en-Terre
Evening in Port de Crouesty

September 11th
Vannes
Chateau Josselin
St Malo Arrival

September 12th
Mont St Michel
Walking Tour of St Malo & Dinner

September 13th
Bayeux Tapestry
Caen Peace Museum - Lunch & Cold War
Peace Museum - D-Day & German Bunker
Peace Museum - Memorial Gardens
Peace Museum - WWII Exhibit
Evening in Deauville

September 14th
Private WWII Collection at D-Day Academy
Pointe du Hoc & Normandy American Cemetery
Omaha Beach Golf Club & Omaha Beach & Gold Beach
La Flambe

September 15th
Rouen
Giverny
Paris Arrival & Dinner

September 16th
Bus Tour of Paris
Walking Tour of Paris
After Hours at the Louvre
Heavy Snacks at Hotel

September 17th
Musee d'Orsay
Easy Afternoon
Farewell Seine River Cruise

September 18th
Jardin des Plantes
Shopping & Pastries
Le Jules Verne Dinner

September 19th
Lazy Paris Morning
Disneyland Paris Arrival
RunDisney Expo & Dinner

September 20th
Extra Magic Hours at Disneyland Paris
More Disneyland
Early Afternoon at Walt Disney Studios
RunDisney Disneyland Paris 5K
Illuminations at Disneyland Paris

September 21st
RunDisney Disneyland Paris 10K
Walt Disney Studios & The Steakhouse

September 22nd
Extra Magic Hours Vs Half Marathon
Disneyland Paris
Our Final Meal

September 23rd
Travel Home

 
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Introduction

My husband and I are 30-something year old DINKs. We enjoy Disney, Traveling, Good Food and Wine. We took our first Tauck trip in October 2017 visiting Amalfi Coast, Capri and Rome. We really enjoyed the tour company and decided we would travel with them again for our next overseas visit. After debating among the various tour options for our 2019 trip - Manitoba for Polar Bears, A Week in Scotland, Tuscany/Florence, France - we ended up deciding on a 13 day/12 night trip through Normandy, Brittany, Paris and Loire Valley. We wanted to do a small group tour as that will have a maximum of 24 guests on the tour. We had about that on our tour with them in Italy and felt that would be the maximum amount of guests we would want on a tour like this.

We decided on the tour that leaves September 6th, 2019 that was among the various small group departures in 2019. This date would work out the best for us. We enjoy traveling in September/October as there is less crowds in various locations since school is in session most places. It also isn’t a bad time of year for either of our jobs to take a longer vacation.

My husband and I both enjoy RunDisney, having participated in many RunDisney Weekends between Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Based on the current trend for Disneyland Paris, the 2019 RunDisney Weekend for Disneyland Paris should be September 20th to 22nd, 2019. Our Tauck Tour ends on September 18th, 2019. This means it would be perfect for us to add on the weekend at the end of the trip! I just have to figure out something to fill our time with on September 18th and September 19th! That should be easy to do around Paris! We also will arrive a day early to account for any potential travel issues.

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Dis_Yoda

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Mr. Dis_Yoda​
 
The Tauck Tour Portion

One of the reasons we enjoyed our trip with Tauck is that they tend to stay at very nice hotels, arrange for really nice meals and have some unique experiences. We plan on arriving a day early and extending the stay at that hotel a day and staying at the ending hotel an extra night as well. Since we are repeat Tauck customers, we receive a “gift of time” which means one of these nights is covered for free. We decided to use it on the more expensive night at the end of the trip (like $1500!) Right now, this trip plan is based on the 2018 Itinerary but it could change a bit for 2019. Guess I’ll find out in March/April on what changes!

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Tour Map

Meals Included with Tour: 12 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 8 Dinners

September 5th, 2019
Hotel: Trianon Palace Versailles, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel

...Arrive in Paris
...Transfer from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Hotel (included with Tauck tour)
...Relax at Hotel (Recovery from Overnight Travel)
...Dinner @ Hotel

September 6th, 2019
Hotel: Trianon Palace Versailles, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel

...Breakfast & Lunch On Our Own
...Independent Visit to Versailles (Entry included with Tauck tour)
...Welcome Reception & Dinner at Hotel

September 7th, 2019

Hotel: Chateau de Rochecotte (former private estate of Prince Tallyrand & Duchess of Dino)

...Breakfast @ Hotel
...Travel to Chartres
...watch demonstration of stained glass creation at International Stained-Glass Centre
...tour Chartres’ Gothic Cathedral (27,000 square feet of art from 12th & 13th centuries)
...tour town of Chartres (Lunch on our own)
...travel to Langeais & arrive at hotel
...visit Chateau de Champchevrier for reception, dinner, hunting hound demonstration in full regalia

September 8th, 2019
Hotel: Chateau de Rochecotte (former private estate of Prince Tallyrand & Duchess of Dino)

...Breakfast at hotel
...visit to Chateau de Langeais (King Charles VIII was married here in 1491)
...visit Le Moulin Blue Vineyard for lunch & wine tasting
...visit Chateau Villandry to visit formal gardens
...dinner at hotel with Tauck

September 9th, 2019
Hotel: SAS Miramar Crouesty

...Breakfast at Hotel
...visit 13th Century Chateau d’Angers (home of Apocalypse Tapestry - longest medical tapestry in history)
...travel to Port du Crouesty & check into hotel
...Lunch on our own
...Dinner with Tauck group

September 10th, 2019
Hotel: SAS Miramar Crouesty

...Breakfast at Hotel
...Visit Le Petit Mont, a Neolithic-era Tomb that German Forces used as a bunker in WWII
...Sightseeing Cruise Around Islands of Golfe du Morbihan
...Visit Rochefort-en-Terre (19th century stone village)
...see floral gardens of torn
...Lunch with Tauck group
...Dinner on our own

September 11th, 2019
Hotel: Le Grand Hotel Des Thermes

...Breakfast at Hotel
...Walking Tour in Vannes, visiting Cathedral and Promenade de la Garenne
...Lunch on our own
...Visit Josselin & Explore Chateau Josselin (One of the oldest chateaux in western France & residence of Rohan family)
...learn history of Chateau
...Visit Doll Museum of Chateau Josselin
...Travel to St-Malo

September 12th, 2019
Hotel: Le Grand Hotel Des Thermes

...Breakfast at Hotel
...visit Abbey of Mont-St-Michel
...walking tour of La Ville Intro-Muros
...Lunch on our own
...afternoon on our own
...Dinner on our own

September 13th, 2019
Hotel: Royal Barriere

...Breakfast at hotel
...travel along coast
...visit Bayeux Tapestry
...Lunch and visit at Le Memorial de Caen
...visit Peace Museum
...arrive at Deauville
...Dinner at hotel

September 14th, 2019
Hotel: Royal Barriere

...Breakfast at hotel
...tour of beaches in Normandy (D-Day)
...Introduction w/ local expert
...tour private World War II memorabilia
...visit Pointe du Hoc
...visit Omaha Beach
...visit American Military Cemetery
...Lunch with group
...Evening dinner on our own

September 15th, 2019

Hotel: Le Meurice

...Breakfast at Hotel
...visit Rouen with local guide
...tour Church of Ste. Joan of Arc
...Lunch on our own
…Visit home & gardens of Claude Monet
...Dinner with Tauck group

September 16th, 2019

Hotel: Le Meurice

...Breakfast at hotel
...Visit Eiffel Tower
...Visit Arc de Triomphe
...Visit Champs-Elysees
...Visit Cathedral of Notre Dame
...Lunch on our own
...Walking tour of Paris
...Dinner on our own

September 17th, 2019

Hotel: Le Meurice

...Breakfast at hotel
...Visit Musee d’Orsay
...Lunch on our own
...Farewell dinner & cruise on River Seine

September 18th, 2019

Hotel: Le Meurice

...Tauck Tour Ends w/ Breakfast @ Hotel​
 
Undetermined Portion

The overall plans for September 18th and 19th are up in the air. With my husband’s job - we may end up visiting some wineries around the area depending if any decide to host us. We won’t know this until about 4 to 6 months before the trip. Not sure of where we’ll end up since it is in the middle of the French wine harvest season. They could be entirely too busy to host us! If they don’t - that’s fine. We’ll spend all day Wednesday in Paris and head over to Disneyland Paris on Thursday instead of Friday!

Potential To Do List in Paris
Catacombs
The Louvre
Cooking Class
Pantheon
Moulin Rouge
Musee Picasso
Deyrolle
 


Disneyland Paris Portion

Most of the race registrations of Disneyland Paris RunDisney Weekend are sold through travel packages from certain travel agencies. We are going to use of the travel agencies we have used before to get race bibs, Get Travel. They were easy to work with for Star Wars Light Side 2016 when I couldn’t get my Rebel Challenge Bib and for Princess 2015 when I used them for a late registration as well.

The requirements for the package include a 2 night minimum stay, 2 day, 2 park ticket minimum and at least 1 race registration. As we will have 3 nights, need 3 day tickets and want multiple race registrations - it works out nicely for us! We decided against using our DVC points since the point cost is so high - I would rather just bank the points or stay in 1 Bedrooms for our short weekend trips for our 2019 Use Year.

As far as the races go, I decided I will not run the half marathon this weekend. I know we are doing this weekend after 2 weeks in France indulging which means I will probably be 10 pounds heavier than normal. I will do the 5K and 10K. My husband will do all three races. Seeing as he can run a marathon with very little training (but advises against that) - he should be fine to run all 3 races after the 2 weeks of indulgence. His times may be slower than normal but he is completely ok with that. We'll view these more as 'fun runs' than serious races.

Upon debating about the hotel, we decided we will stay at the Disneyland Hotel. We know it will be expensive but we’re only going to do this once - might as well do it right. Hotel New York will be under renovations while we are there so that option is out. Newport Bay and Sequoia Lodge seem too similar to Wilderness Lodge or Beach/Yacht Club for us to consider to stay at.

Friday, September 20th
...early morning transfer to Disneyland Paris Hotel
...check into hotel
10:00AM - Expo to Pick Up Bibs
12:00PM - Disneyland Paris
4:00PM - Dinner Pre-Race (light)
8:00PM - Disneyland Paris 5K Starts
9:30PM - Bedtime!

Saturday, September 21st
7:00AM - Disneyland Paris 10K
9:00AM - Breakfast at Hotel
10:00AM - Walt Disney Studios Park
Lunch: ???
Dinner: ?????

Sunday, September 22nd
7:00AM - Disneyland Paris Half Marathon
9:30AM - Breakfast at Hotel
10:00AM - Disneyland Paris
Lunch - ???
Dinner - California Grill @ Disneyland Hotel

Monday. September 23rd
Transfer to Paris Airport
Travel Home​
 


Finally made it over here! It sounds like a great trip and ending it with DLP sounds like a blast!
 
Finally made it over here! It sounds like a great trip and ending it with DLP sounds like a blast!

Tauck finally officially posted the itinerary for 2019 and I'm happy to say, they added in something awesome for our trip. We now get an after-hours visit to the Louvre on September 16th!
 
Hotels

During the Tauck portion of the trip, we tend to change hotels every 2 nights. Normally, this would be annoying, but with Tauck it is not. They arrange for someone to pick up your luggage from your room on departure morning and you won’t see your luggage until your next hotel when its already in your room for you. Adventures by Disney does this similar. I’ll have my camera bag and my husband keeps his backpack with him as well so he has his video games for entertainment while in the vehicles traveling to place to place.

Hotel #1:
Trianon Palace Versailles (2 Nights)
Versailles, France

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http://waldorfastoria3.hilton.com/e...es-a-waldorf-astoria-hotel-CDGTPWA/index.html

This hotel is nice that is is in walking distance to Versailles. It will be great for our first full day to be able to just walk over there from our hotel.

Hotel #2:
Chateau de Rochecotte (2 Nights)
Langeais, France

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This hotel only has 35 guest rooms so for the hotel will mostly be taken over by Tauck guests. It once was the private estate of Prince of Talleyrand and Duhcess de Dino.

https://www.chateau-de-rochecotte.fr/en/

Hotel #3:
SAS Miramar Crouesty (2 Nights)
Port du Crouesty

http://www.miramar-lacigale.com/en/

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Hotel #4:
Le Grand Hotel Des Thermes (2 Nights)
St-Malo, France

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https://www.le-grand-hotel-des-thermes.fr/en/

Hotel #5:
Royal Barriere (2 Nights)
Deauville, France

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https://www.lhw.com/hotel/Royal-Barriere-Deauville-France

Hotel #6:
Le Meurice (4 Nights)
Paris, France

https://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/paris/le-meurice/

Hotel #7: ????
With my husband’s job - we may be staying the night at a winery around Paris. This won’t be confirmed until about 6 months prior to the trip since he has to contact corporate and a winery needs to agree to host us. If this doesn’t happen - we’ll add a night to Disneyland Paris

Hotel #8:
Disneyland Hotel

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http://www.disneylandparis.com/en-us/hotels/disneyland-hotel/

As this will be my only trip to Disneyland Paris, might as well go all out!​
 
Just saw reference to this PTR in another thread and had to come check it out. I'm not a stalker, I swear. :laughing: Your itinerary sounds great and how awesome to be able to pair it with a runDisney event! All the hotels through Tauck look like perfection. I know how much you enjoyed your Italy trip. I'm definitely going to have to investigate Tauck as an alternative to Adventures By Disney, which I've also been casually researching. Fingers crossed that your husband's job might be able to "hook you up" at some wineries - that would be amazing!
 
Just saw reference to this PTR in another thread and had to come check it out. I'm not a stalker, I swear. :laughing: Your itinerary sounds great and how awesome to be able to pair it with a runDisney event! All the hotels through Tauck look like perfection. I know how much you enjoyed your Italy trip. I'm definitely going to have to investigate Tauck as an alternative to Adventures By Disney, which I've also been casually researching. Fingers crossed that your husband's job might be able to "hook you up" at some wineries - that would be amazing!

Even if you were a stalker, I would be ok with that.

I'm so excited for this trip! Just have to work on paying off portions of it over the next year. Tauck picks such amazing hotels for their groups! I told people at work where we are staying for the second hotel (Le Meurice) in Paris and I got amazed looks. One person had stayed there before and raved about their hot chocolate to the point I now really need to try it as this person is someone I never have seen get excited about anything as he's a really typical electrical Disney engineer.

I also talked about Tauck so well that my mother is now looking for a trip for herself in 2019 to Italy. She's going to do a different tour than I did - Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome but I think it will be great for her to enjoy Italy! If she likes it, it will do well to get her to travel to Europe more as she always wanted to go but always had reasons not to.
 
What a fun trip. France is lovely especially the time of year you are looking to go. Excited to follow along.
 
What a fun trip. France is lovely especially the time of year you are looking to go. Excited to follow along.
Thanks for following along! As we are less than a year out - I'll probably start having more updates especially now that the information about Disneyland Paris Race Weekend is finally coming out!
 
Get Travel Sports Packages

I opened my email today and saw the following!

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Looks like the 5K is going to $49, 10K $69 for me.
The 36K Challenge will be $205 for my husband.

I think we're going to end up with hotel starting on Thursday Night (Sept 19th) and check out on Monday (23rd).

Looks like I'll be booking our hotel and races next week! Yay!

 
Wow, what an amazing adventure! I live in Scotland so spend a lot of time in France and Disneyland Paris, but you're really doing it in style! I am really impressed with your level of detailed planning, it is satisfying to read :cloud9:
Have fun booking the DLP part, I hope we can help you out with some more details of your Disney plans over on the DLP planning board.
 
How cool to have a runDisney event while you are there! You guys are such big runDisney fans it is perfect! Those prices seem a lot more reasonable than the cost of races in FL!
 
Joining in and following along!

We just got back from the DLP race weekend, and it looks like your trip does time perfectly with next year's race.

I can't recommend the Disneyland Hotel enough! It is such a unique experience, staying at the entrance of the park and being less than five minutes from your room. We have stayed at Sequoia twice and while it's nice, I do agree that it is a lot like Wilderness Lodge.
 
That's great! You'll get to do fun things that you like while you're there!
 
Wow, what an amazing adventure! I live in Scotland so spend a lot of time in France and Disneyland Paris, but you're really doing it in style! I am really impressed with your level of detailed planning, it is satisfying to read :cloud9:
Have fun booking the DLP part, I hope we can help you out with some more details of your Disney plans over on the DLP planning board.

That's awesome you get to spend so much time in France and Disneyland Paris! This will be our first time to France. I'm totally a planner! Details make me happy. Once of the things that makes me happy is having a general idea of the day. Tauck makes the planning part of the France Trip easy and now I get to learn all about Disneyland Paris. This board and the trip reports have been helpful!

How cool to have a runDisney event while you are there! You guys are such big runDisney fans it is perfect! Those prices seem a lot more reasonable than the cost of races in FL!

It is perfect! The RunDisney event is what brought us to do the event at the end of the trip rather than visiting before the Tauck Trip. I'm sure our times are going to take a hit after all that food and wine we plan on drinking! The costs of the races may be more reasonable but add in the hotel and travel costs - the rundisney portion is totally more than our typical RunDisney event!

Joining in and following along!

We just got back from the DLP race weekend, and it looks like your trip does time perfectly with next year's race.

I can't recommend the Disneyland Hotel enough! It is such a unique experience, staying at the entrance of the park and being less than five minutes from your room. We have stayed at Sequoia twice and while it's nice, I do agree that it is a lot like Wilderness Lodge.

I'm so glad our timing worked out this way! We didn't pick the Tauck trip based on this but it worked out so well! Glad to know you really enjoyed the Disneyland Hotel! As this is our first visit and most likely only visit to Disneyland Paris (especially now that I changed jobs and no longer have customers in France) Thank you for following along!

That's great! You'll get to do fun things that you like while you're there!

Yes! I'm really happy about the timing! Food, Wine and Running = AKA what I enjoy in vacations!
 

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