Embarking on a Disneyland adventure can be quite the investment, but fear not! In this post, I’ll share practical ways to trim down the costs while regaling you with our fantastic experience. For this journey, we opted for a 2-night stay through TK Holidays, embracing the magic without breaking the bank.
Here’s why I chose a coach trip:
Cost-Effective Journey: Taking a coach is hands down the most budget-friendly way to reach Disneyland. After extensive research, I’m confident it’s the most economical option.
Reputable Recommendation: This particular company came highly recommended by a friend, adding an extra layer of assurance.
Convenient Departure: Living close to Victoria Coach Station, our designated pick-up point, made the departure hassle-free. No need to trek to Gatwick or the Eurostar starting point.
Child’s Delight: My little one thoroughly enjoys the ferry crossing part of the journey, adding an exciting element to the adventure.
Seamless Transfers: Forget about worrying over transfers; with a coach trip, you’re dropped right at your hotel door and picked up directly from the Disneyland coach park.
All-Inclusive Package: Everything, from transportation to accommodation, is seamlessly included in the package price, simplifying the planning process.
Minimal Deposit: To sweeten the deal, I only had to pay a nominal £1 deposit per person. A steal for the enchanting journey that awaited us!
Price breakdown
The grand total came to £533, covering the following:
Coach Travel: Enjoy the journey with charging points and WiFi on board.
Ferry Crossing: A scenic voyage to add an extra layer of excitement.
Disneyland Park Tickets: Admission for 2 people for a delightful 2-day experience. (Under 3s are free and exempt from charges.)
Hotel Stay: A cozy 2-night accommodation at Santa Fe hotel, Disneyland Paris.
A few weeks prior to our departure, a detailed itinerary was sent to us, and I appreciated how informative it was in preparing us for the enchanting journey ahead.
We were thoughtfully provided with pictures indicating our pick-up location, leaving no room for confusion or getting lost.
The Journey
Anticipated to arrive at 6:30 pm and depart at 7:15 am, the coach, unfortunately, faced delays, reaching us around 8 pm due to unforeseen road accidents. While I understand these times are estimates, it would have been appreciated if updates were communicated. In contrast, our previous travel company sent a mass text to keep everyone informed about delays.
Our route took us down to Dover for the ferry crossing, a relatively short and pleasant journey lasting 1 hour and 40 minutes. Onboard amenities included food services, a small play area, restrooms, and even WiFi availability. The WiFi comes at an additional cost, but personally, I don’t find it worthwhile. The service wasn’t terrible, and I believe you can easily manage 1 hour and 40 minutes without it if need be.
Pack your own drinks and snacks as the on-board food and drinks are quite expensive. Follow my lead and make a trip to Poundland, Lidl, Aldi, or your preferred store to stock up! I’ll revisit the topic of food later on.
After an hour and 40 minutes, we reached the port of Calais and continued our journey toward Disneyland Paris.
Before delving into our trip, let me share some money-saving tips…
Ever heard of Monzo? I’ve touched on it briefly before, but it’s an excellent card to have when you’re abroad! What I appreciate about this app/bank is the instant notifications. Every time you make a purchase with your card, you instantly receive notifications on your phone detailing where you spent your money and the amount spent. Upon our arrival in France, I received this message.
Other great benefits….
Use your card anywhere – Monzo works all around the world, and you don’t need to tell us if you’re going away.
Take out cash – Withdraw up to £200 every 30 days for free (there’s a 3% charge after that).
Spend for free – They don’t add any fees or charges for spending with your card, and they don’t mark up the exchange rate.
If you want £5 (I’ll also get £5 too) you can sign up to Monzo using my link.
Just follow these instructions: https://join.monzo.com/r/mkgorp2
Save money on food!
After our previous experience with overpriced and unsatisfactory food at Disneyland Paris, I wasn’t eager to repeat the mistake!
Invest in a budget-friendly travel kettle, available at places like Argos, and make instant noodles your trusty companion. While some hotels may provide kettles, they’re in high demand, so I opted to bring my own. Consider getting a food flask to keep your meals warm on the go.
Load up on snacks – biscuits, crisps, chocolate, you name it – I’ve got it. Snacking at Disneyland can quickly add up, so save money by bringing your own.
Don’t forget to pack your drinks and a reusable water bottle, as the park offers convenient refilling stations.
Hotel
Our stay at Hotel Santa Fe was overall satisfactory, with just a minor hiccup – I had requested the ground floor but was assigned the first. Despite the inconvenience of navigating stairs with a buggy and a toddler, it didn’t significantly impact our trip!
While the hotel features an indoor playground area, unfortunately, we didn’t find the time to explore it.
The hotel is conveniently just a 20-minute walk from the parks, and I highly recommend strolling over as the free shuttle bus proved to be a chaotic experience with grown individuals pushing and shoving – quite ridiculous!
Taking advantage of the Magic Hours by checking into a Disney Hotel was a fantastic decision. This exclusive perk granted us early access to parts of the Disney Parks an hour before the general public, allowing us to capture a photo in front of the castle with no one else in the background – truly magical!
For an extra dose of enchantment, don’t miss the daily character meet and greet at 8:15 in the hotel’s reception area. Little miss had the joy of meeting Mickey and Goofy, and it was an absolute delight!
Day 1!
As mentioned in my previous post, I prefer not to enter Disneyland with a set plan, opting to go with the flow. I also refrain from revealing any plans to my daughter to avoid potential disappointment due to ride closures or unmet character expectations. However, for those seeking to plan their trip, a fantastic Facebook group provides valuable advice and tips.
Choosing a date during the “low season” ensured fewer crowds than usual, although it still felt quite busy. Nonetheless, we accomplished a lot in one day, allowing the following day to be more leisurely. Our itinerary included 6 rides, 3 shows, and encounters with 3 Disney characters – a pretty successful day!
Highlights included the fantastic 3D Ratatouille ride, the brilliant Stitch Live show (highly recommended), and little miss thoroughly enjoying meeting Mickey, Pluto, and Donald. Her playful enactment of a Monsters INC monster added to the joy.
Illuminations served as a fabulous finale to our perfect day.
Day 2
Being a Saturday, the park was notably busier than Friday. Despite the increased crowds, we still managed 3 rides, 1 show, and an impressive meet-and-greet with 6 characters. The fortunate weather allowed us to even shed our jackets at one point.
The character interactions were incredibly special, bringing immense joy to my daughter. The characters were attentive, and we never felt rushed during these delightful encounters.
Every moment at Disneyland Paris was filled with love and joy, and we’re already considering a return at the end of this year or early next year. The magic of this place is truly enchanting!
As a delightful conclusion to this post, here are some more pictures to share.
These are wonderful tips thank you! Do you feel some of these tips are applicable to all parks?