First time to Disneyland Paris

[GhostHostJeff]

Hey guys!

I will be going to Paris for a month this July for a study abroad program. Naturally being a Disney fan, I would like to spend perhaps one or two days at the parks. Now I'm sure once I get to Paris I will understand the transportation system a little better. I will be staying by the Luxembourg gardens, so what is the best way to get to the parks? I have read that the RER line A gets you there, but is there a time that this line closes? I've done extensive reading on Disneyland Paris for years, but whats really not to miss? Is there a better day to go in the Summer when its less crowded? Also if anyone has advice on budgeting in Paris I would great appreciate it. I'm going to have a limited amount of money, and would love to know where the cheap places to eat around my dorm are, or if anyone has any advice for me I would great apprecaite it. Thanks!

[Olivier]

It's very easy to get to Disneyland Paris from Paris : From the Luxembourg Gardens, go to the closest RER station (the red A line), probably Châtelet-Les-halles. Then take a train to Marne La Vallée - Chessy - Parc Disneyland. (trains every 10-15 minutes)

Map here : Plan Interactif des transports en Ile-de-France follow the upper red line to the right.

July may be crowded, especially on weekend and on Bastille day (july 14).
Have fun!

[nathan detroit]

As for when the RER closes, all I know is that on our first trip to DLP (August 1996) we stayed until park closing and still managed to easily get a train back to central Paris.

[pussnboots]

Worst case scenario you have to spend a few hours at Disney Village until another RER goes at, what, 4 a.m.?

Oh and as for Paris, one word, Monoprix. Well and Picard Surgelés (nothing but frozen food!). French shopping is amazing. Don't bother going to the organic market and all that in the spirit of being authentically French, because there won't be any French people there. They're all at Picard and Monoprix.

[DLRP_bopazot]

Originally Posted by pussnboots

Worst case scenario you have to spend a few hours at Disney Village until another RER goes at, what, 4 a.m.?

Oh and as for Paris, one word, Monoprix. Well and Picard Surgelés (nothing but frozen food!). French shopping is amazing. Don't bother going to the organic market and all that in the spirit of being authentically French, because there won't be any French people there. They're all at Picard and Monoprix.

There is now night buses from Disneyland Paris to Paris every hours from midnight to 4am and the first RER Train to Paris is at 5am .

The Night bus is called Le Noctilien .

[BrerDan]

I was just there for my first trip, so let me fill in a few holes for ya! I only got to stay one day--but it was great fun.

We had the most panicked moment of the trip though, as we LITERALLY made the last train by ONE minute!

The RER train works really well, but there are a few things you should know!

1. When you buy Metro tickets (the subway and best transportation to get around), they also work for RER--but only within a certain proximity to Paris. Disneyland is beyond that range, so be sure to buy the specific ticket you need.

2. The train station when you initially arrive is a little confusing--it just looks like a plain station and its unclear where to go--but once you exit up top, you realize the entrances to Disneyland, the Studios, and Downtown Disney are all literally right there!

3. The last train is around 11:40 (at least it was in late January). I know this, because we just barely caught it.

4. Be sure to buy your return ticket in advance, or have COINS on you! (see nightmare below)

5. The train station is a great place to grab a cheap cup of coffee and pastry before the park opens.


Our nightmare story: We spent the prior night in the Disneyland good neighbor area's Holiday Inn (formerly some circus themed hotel)--but planned to head back to Paris that night since the park closed at 7. The hotel is a 10 minute free bus ride to and from the park. Well, the park closed---but we shopped--and then ate in Downtown Disney--and then took the bus back to our hotel to get our luggage and then back to the train station. By the time we did all that, it was around 10:40. Well, we went to buy our return ticket from the automated kiosk--and realized we were hosed. The system took credit cards, but for whatever reason wouldn't read our U.S.A cards. We had cash, but only bills and the machines would only take coins. There is a ticket window, but at that time of night it was closed and the station was deserted! After struggling with this, we ran to Downtown Disney to get change and after running back--we LITERALLY caught the very last train by one minute. We didn't know about the overnight busses, and there was no one to ask--so the thought of being in a foreign country with no place to stay definitely had us panicked! So lesson learned--buy your return ticket ahead of time!!

Have fun! I wish I were going!

Originally Posted by DLRP_bopazot

There is now night buses from Disneyland Paris to Paris every hours from midnight to 4am and the first RER Train to Paris is at 5am .

The Night bus is called Le Noctilien .

[DizDee]

Buy a one day Moblis pass that includes Zone 5. It is a 24 hour ticket that includes all the Paris metro and RER trains. It is cheaper that just buying a round trip ticket to zone 5 from central Paris, plus you don't have to worry about buying a return ticket. It costs under E13.

Moblis link

Also, timetables are posted in the stations and on the platforms. When you arrive check the board to see when the last train leaves.

Worked great for us!

BTW, have a great month in Paris, you'll love it and DLRP!

[pussnboots]

I've nagged about this before obviously, but I sincerely think the system is a little on the untransparent side. I'm sure many of you are savvy travelers who have these things figured out in a jiffy, but for those of us on the dim side it can be a nightmare. The problem is the lack of information. Need an RER ticket? Either stand in line for half an hour for someone who clearly isn't interested in helping you or go to a ticket machine where 30 impatient people are standing behind you while you make a decision between the "E-Z-SuperQuick" ticket or the "SuperMobiVite" without a clue as to what that means. It's not that you can't read a little French, but that there isn't anything to read. You've boarded a train that was supposed to leave the station half an hour ago, but hasn't budged an inch? It must be broken down. Perhaps there's a strike. In any case there's no one around to ask, not a blip on the intercom.

Then there's the occasional summer night RER breakdown when all of a sudden 5000 people need to board the same bus to Paris. Of course, this being continental Europe, they all calmly form a line and graciously accept that they will be stranded here while the person in front of them gets to board the bus.

Last summer, I bought so many useless tickets that weeks later, I was actually able to use them as makeshift poker chips for a party of five.

It can be nerve-wrecking. I really don't understand why, in this busy, uber-touristy place, they cannot bother to provide a little multilingual information or actually make use of the intercom system — surely they installed one. You can go to the remotest heckhole in Germany and find all the information you need, but not in Disneyland Paris' high-profile high-speed-rail station. It's odd.

[TDLFAN]

Side note. When the train in Japan are disrupted, announcement are made over the PA system and electronic board messages displayed all over TDR to advise guests of possible disruptions in travel and to give them time to plan an alternate transportation route/plan.

[pussnboots]

Originally Posted by TDLFAN

Side note. When the train in Japan are disrupted, announcement are made over the PA system and electronic board messages displayed all over TDR to advise guests of possible disruptions in travel and to give them time to plan an alternate transportation route/plan.

All over Tokyo Disney Resort? Just at the transportation hubs I presume? Surely they don't interrupt Winnie the Pooh to bring you traffic updates.

Anyway, you'll find that sort of thing in many places in Europe. Just not in Marne-La-Vallee or its surrounding towns.

[BrerDan]

I've only been to Germany and France so far (I'm so excited to be doing international travel now though!), but I have to agree. Germany's system seemed so much easier to navigate with plenty of easy to comprehend information. I think the big confusion with France (or at least the Paris area) is that there are so many different options. If it were streamlined a bit, it might be easier. I had read up ahead of time, and I had even realized there was the Moblis option!

One other note on the RER A line for future travellers--this line actually splits so that if you get on the wrong train (also labelled A), you won't end up at Disneyland Paris. It's pretty obvious to figure out (thank goodness), but something to be aware of!

Originally Posted by pussnboots

I've nagged about this before obviously, but I sincerely think the system is a little on the untransparent side. I'm sure many of you are savvy travelers who have these things figured out in a jiffy, but for those of us on the dim side it can be a nightmare. The problem is the lack of information. Need an RER ticket? Either stand in line for half an hour for someone who clearly isn't interested in helping you or go to a ticket machine where 30 impatient people are standing behind you while you make a decision between the "E-Z-SuperQuick" ticket or the "SuperMobiVite" without a clue as to what that means. It's not that you can't read a little French, but that there isn't anything to read. You've boarded a train that was supposed to leave the station half an hour ago, but hasn't budged an inch? It must be broken down. Perhaps there's a strike. In any case there's no one around to ask, not a blip on the intercom.

Then there's the occasional summer night RER breakdown when all of a sudden 5000 people need to board the same bus to Paris. Of course, this being continental Europe, they all calmly form a line and graciously accept that they will be stranded here while the person in front of them gets to board the bus.

Last summer, I bought so many useless tickets that weeks later, I was actually able to use them as makeshift poker chips for a party of five.

It can be nerve-wrecking. I really don't understand why, in this busy, uber-touristy place, they cannot bother to provide a little multilingual information or actually make use of the intercom system — surely they installed one. You can go to the remotest heckhole in Germany and find all the information you need, but not in Disneyland Paris' high-profile high-speed-rail station. It's odd.

[Knossh]

[GhostHostJeff]

Thanks guys, this is sure to help!