My review and guide to Paris, Torcy and DLP

[pulliptears]

Hopefully this will come in useful for some!!!

Expedia

This is the major Be aware!!

If you book via expedia, flying through Easyjet be aware that the flights are just that, flights. No luggage is included in this and when you get to the airport they will charge you £60 for the carriage of 2 bags there and back. This was not until very very recently made clear on the site, so if you have booked via expedia its worth checking you have paid for your bags.

If you chose the airport transfer option on Expedia and your hotel is in the reigon of DLP the money paid is not enough. Expect to pay an additional 50 Euro's each way!! It is in very small print on the terms and conditions that the transfer is to hotels in the Paris area. We argued the toss with the company and managed to pay 50 Euros in total rather than the 100 they originally wanted.

Hotel

We stayed in Torcy in the Citea Torcy. This place was good value for money really and came equipped with a microwave, 2 ring electric hob, fridge and coffee perc. Rooms were clean and tidy with the bed made every day and fresh towels and loo roll etc provided. Think budget travelodge and you get the idea! Staff spoke some English and were always helpful and friendly.

Torcy

I liked Torcy, and despite reading some comments that the train station was best avoided at night I didnt find that to be the case at all. There were gangs, but in fairness we encountered groups of teenagers all through Paris and the Torcy boys were just the same. Just kids hanging out really and not bothering anyone.
The area itself is nice. Around the corner from the hotel is a small Spar shop which is useful as well as a lovely bakery. Bay 1 is a 2 minute stroll from the Citea and is full of restaurants, most of which have English speakers. I highly recommend the Indian, its expensive but the food is lovely! The Greek Kebab house is also great value coming in at 11 Euros for 2 Doner's, chips and cokes.
Bay 2 is a massive shopping center and easily missed. Its across the road and not necessarily seen from the streets of Torcy. The shops are expensive in line with the rest of Paris, but worth a wander round! There is also a Carrefour supermarket there. That place is enormous, even the staff wear rollerskates. It sells everything you could ever need from electrical items and books to clothes, camping equipment and fresh Rabbit Stew! The Cafe over there is fairly reasonable and there is also a large Toys R Us and a few smaller food outlets.

Travel

Torcy is 2 stops from DLP and 2 adult one way tickets cost 5 Euros 60. We wanted to explore Paris itself as well so some days we opted to buy a Zone 1-5 Mobilis ticket. This gives you unlimited travel throughout the metro system and bus system, including the funacular at the Sacre Coure. This was around 16 Euros a day so offered great value if you wanted to explore. The Metro system is easy to understand and trains are regular. Paris itself is around 25 minutes from Torcy.

Be aware - Beggars work the trains, they carry cards with English writing informing you they are homeless. Simply ignore them or just say No!

Be aware - If you choose to sit near the doors keep hold of any bags when the trains pull in the stations. A common trick is to snatch bags at the door alarm sounds leaving you on the train and the thief long gone.

Be aware - Not all stations are manned all the time. If you are using the ticket machines there is an English option on them. Not all machines accept notes. Be careful you dont select the option for Bus tickets as that is also on there!

Paris Central

Expensive is the only word to sum it up! Choose your places to eat carefully, go for the smaller open fronted Panini places or even the McDonalds. Souveneirs tend to be mostly tat or very expensive. Be aware that all around the Eiffel tower are street sellers who jump out at you on every given opportunity trying to sell their tat.

Be aware - the guys who work along the seine brading bracelets, they will try and charge 20 Euros!

Be aware - the street sellers with dancing Mickeys and Donalds, especially around the Champs Eleysee. These are on wire and its a trick. They dont work and we watched a dozen tourists pay 5 Euros for a piece of paper!!

Disneyland Paris

Food is expensive so sneak in your own wherever possible. Failing that there is a McDonalds in the village so head up there. The park is supposedly non smoking other than certain areas. Nobody seems to adhere to this though.
Personally, I was disappointed in the park. I spent a week in Anaheim last year and for me DLP was distinctly lacking. We had 4 day passes and only used 2 days in the park itself.

Val D'Europe

massive place, akin to the Trafford Centre but with a freeport type village thrown in. I could have spent 2 days here lol Well worth a visit for some retail therapy! The Sea Life Center entrance is also situated in the shopping Mall.

Top Tips

1. Dont be afraid of the Metro! Arm yourself with a Mobilis ticket and a decent map and explore. Its fun!

2. When waiting for a train dont stand in the middle of the platform, walk to the far end. The carriages at the ends are always much emptier and you can usually get a seat.

3. Buy a copy of Loney Planets 'fast talk French' before you go. Its a small pocket book that costs just £2.50 and is invaluable for translating menu's etc as well as common phrases you will need.

Have fun!!

[fizzog]

Sad to hear you were disappointed You gotta love the castle, right? Anyway, some useful Torcy tips for me there Thanks

[pulliptears]

Originally Posted by fizzog

Sad to hear you were disappointed You gotta love the castle, right? Anyway, some useful Torcy tips for me there Thanks

Lol, yes, always love the castle

I don't know what it was, cant really put my finger on it but the whole atmosphere just seemed different than Anaheim. I guess I was expecting (probably wrongly) a carbon copy of that park. Even the parade seemed smaller and a shorter route

But yes, Torcy is nice, and I hope you enjoy your stay there. As I said, check out the Indian in Bay 1, lovely!!

[Maverick]

Kind of sounds like you were looking for things to dislike?

[pulliptears]

Originally Posted by Maverick

Kind of sounds like you were looking for things to dislike?

Not at all, I adore Disney and did find things I enjoyed, but I think I was trying to compare the parks I guess and there is no comparison between the two. I think if I'd visited DLP first it would have been a different story.

[davewasbaloo]

It is tough. I grew up at Disneyland in California, and I love DLP (I really do not like WDW much). But they are different. Here is my view:

DLP is best experienced slowly, with an emphasis on table service restaurants (do not do the counter services - makes for a huge difference of experience). DLP has the better versions of attractions too. And it is best for exploring.

That said, the guest behaviour, and this year, the poor entertainment take away from the experience, as does some of the maintenance issues (which are improving this year)/

However, I prefer DL for many reasons. DL has more variety, but it is 4 times older than DLP and Walt's original. There is entertainment around every corner, lot's of live shows and things like Fantasmic and big fireworks (be advised though, this has been cut back in California recently too). Service is fast and friendly, and there is a real "one big family" feel people have at DL where they talk to each other. Because of culture and language issues, this does not happen in DLP.

Sadly I think you missed out on your trip and did not give it the right chance. Also, Buffalo Bill's is amazing and there is nothing of that scale in Anaheim. Shame you missed it.

But I agree, DLP is not DL, but it is far closer to DL than the Magic Kingdom in Florida.

[pulliptears]

Thanks Dave, I think you summed it up better than I could

Table service restaurants were beyond our budget, so in that respect we did probably miss out on a great deal. I agree wholly with guest behaviour, in particular people who felt the need to barge to the front of queues and one Spanish family with 2 children who stood behind me in the queue for the haunted house I could have cheerfully buried in the cemetery behind it. Both kids (aged around 8) spent the entire queue kicking my husband and I as they climbed the fences, trees and walls. The parents seemed to find this amusing!!

I think I used the word disappointing wrongly really and if it came across that I didn't enjoy the experience I apologise, it was fun and enjoyable but I couldnt have spent 4 days there I dont think lol

I was thinking of getting over to Florida next year but now you have me wondering lol

[Roo719]

I'm an experienced New Yorker with many of the same habits your described--like if you sit near a door, don't make your bags easy to be taken--I also know a good smidgen of French. It sounds like I will survive if go--but what other advice would you offer?

peace,
Roo

[davewasbaloo]

Funny, we have been to DLP 53 times now, and the last visit we spent 5 days in the parks and still were not ready to go home. Lol. Like I say, there is a different culture for each resort, and we learnt over the years how to enjoy DLP in a different way.

WDW has some excellent facets. Epcot and Animal Kingdom are amazing. The other parks I could leave. That said, Florida also has Islands of Adventure, and a different twist on Universal Studios and Seaworld, as well as the amazing Kennedy Space Center.

The key at DLP is staying on site or a neighbour hotel as well, that makes a huge difference too.

I will admit, I am very disappointed with a number of things at DLP right now (staggered opening hours, poor kiddy focused entertainment and rubbish merchandise), but I still am entranced by the amazing job the imagineers did in creating the most beautiful Magic Kingdom on the planet.

[davewasbaloo]

Originally Posted by Roo719

It sounds like I will survive if go--but what other advice would you offer?

peace,
Roo

Stay on site (or the Marriott). Eat in table service restaurants. Avoid the meet and greets unless there is a formal queue or it is a character meal. Remember the service is slower. Get in early and make best use of Extra Magic Hours. When dining, avoid peak meal times. Take time to relax and do not miss the shows such as Cinemagique, Moteurs Action, Buffalo Bills etc.

Remember that in table service restaurants, cast members come when called as it is considered rude to interupt a meal or conversation.

[Janell]

Great tips. Thanks

Has the up keep gotten better? When I was there in Aug 1998, we walked into a restaurant right when it opened, ordered and sat down. The table was sticky. Like they hadn't cleaned it from the day before.

The other thing that bothered me, outdoor vending had fudge. We were going to get some, when we noticed that flys were able to land on the fudge they were selling. After that, we no longer wanted fudge.

[ivankay]

Originally Posted by davewasbaloo

Stay on site (or the Marriott).

i'll be there in a few weeks in a kind of impromptu manner for a couple of days. Which hotels get your thumbs up? Know of any good deals?

[davewasbaloo]

On site, we think the Disneyland Hotel, New York, and Sequoia Lodge are best options. If you need space and have a family, Marriott. For an adult luxury off site - Radison SAS. If on a real budget, then go for the Ibis in Val De Europe.

[pulliptears]

Originally Posted by Roo719

I'm an experienced New Yorker with many of the same habits your described--like if you sit near a door, don't make your bags easy to be taken--I also know a good smidgen of French. It sounds like I will survive if go--but what other advice would you offer?

peace,
Roo

Its easy to feel intimidated on the trains, there are gangs of teenagers on them and it is disconcerting when they are rattling away in a language you don't understand. My husband spent the first couple of journeys convinced we were about to be mugged or crash because the trains are 'jolty' lol. Just relax and enjoy the journey, the kids are harmless.

Another thing that sounds daft but isn't obvious is that the train doors don't automatically open, depending on the train you either have to press the button or pull the lever upwards. Like I say, a daft thing to mention but if you aren't used to the trains its easy to just stand staring at the door expecting it to open lol

I thought it worth adding a link to the Citea as well:

Citea Torcy , Appartement hotel DisneyLand Paris

[ivankay]

Thanks. i'll be going with my brother, his wife and a friend. i went last year for 5 hours and loved it. They are indulging me for a couple of days of our European journey with a return. i told them if Disneyland was in Heaven, it would be Disneyland Paris (wish that could be an authoritative statement, but still need to go to WDW and Japan). i would love to stay on site, but want to choose something reasonably priced and nice for their sake. Hopefully i can find something with tickets as well. i still need to lock them in on the actual dates. We'll be in France in 3 weeks.

In regards to the trains: i was only in Paris for 3 days last year. After the first day i got the hang of the trains i needed to use and thought it was excellent. i did a lot of late walking by myself and didn't feel threatened or in any potential mugging situation. That didn't mean i dropped my street smarts or Spidey sense. Just be smart and know where your stuff is. That pretty much applies to where you are on the whole planet.