🏰 Disneyland: complete guide to prices and planning
Both adults and children will be happy to visit Disneyland. Perhaps the most famous of them is in France. And if locals just need to buy a ticket and come, then from many countries they still need to get to Disneyland. What is the best way to do this and how much will such a trip cost? This was told by Natalya, who planned a trip to Disneyland on her own.
How to get there?
Initially, Natalya was thinking about taking a bus tour. In this case, you can see many cities along the way, including Berlin and Dresden. However, the visit to Disneyland itself was not even for a full day, much less until the evening, but I wanted to see the fireworks.
The negative experience of a bus trip to St. Petersburg with an excursion also influenced the decision. We really didn't like it. We always had someone getting lost, drinking or peeling boiled eggs. So we decided to go on our own.
When the option of a bus tour was no longer available, Natalya decided to get to France by plane. I decided to fly out from Vilnius. Firstly, there are more checkpoints into Lithuania. Secondly, the girl was already familiar with the city and the local airport.
The airline I chose was Ryanair. They offered cheaper tickets than Wizz Air. The ticket cost about 70-75 euros – we needed four. I also paid extra for a 20 kg suitcase – 25 euros. Heavy backpacks simply could not be pulled.
It is also very important not to miss your flight due to customs, which is currently operating unpredictably. We took a regular bus to Vilnius. The carrier indicated travel time – 5 hours. However, in fact it was 9 hours. People even had seizures because the planes took off without them. We planned to arrive the day before our flight to France – and this turned out to be a great option. For housing in Vilnius you need to be prepared to pay from 40 euros, but there is a lot to do in the city, so this option is both convenient and justified.
Low-cost airlines fly very far from Paris – to the city of Beauvais, which is located 80 km from the capital. Buses run between the airport and Paris. An adult ticket will cost 17 euros, children are half the price.
The website states that the bus should arrive in an hour and a half. In fact, traffic jams and so on – so it turns out to be 3 hours. This is extremely important to consider if you then go back to the airport. It turned out that on this trip it is very important to be a moderately boring person and give a decent amount of time everywhere. Logistics are quite difficult, but they are as budgetary as possible. Alternatively, you can fly to Istanbul and from there decent airlines to Charles de Gaulle airport.
Where to stay?
Natalya planned to stay with the company for two days at Disneyland. Therefore, we decided to settle next to the park so that it could be reached on foot in the evening. As it turned out later, renting a house nearby is the most comfortable option.
When the crowd poured into the subway after the fireworks, I was glad that we didn’t have to go there. It turns out that our hotel was not in Paris itself, but in the city of Marne. It turned out to be much cheaper than the housing offered in the capital. In principle, living in the suburbs is justified. For less or a similar amount you can get much more spacious housing.
Natalya notes that commuter rail transport is well developed in France. For example, their company traveled from the Marne to the Arc de Triomphe on a double-decker train in half an hour. The town itself seemed very cozy and everyone liked it.
If your goal is to visit Disneyland, then you can opt for apartments that are located near the A4 terminal stations.
What to do at Disneyland and where to eat?
Entrance to the park is by ticket. You must buy them in advance on the official website or download the application. You can buy tickets to two parks at once: Disneyland itself and the film studio. However, it would be more correct and convenient to leave one day for each location. Purchasing tickets is simple and convenient.
Natalya advises coming right before the opening and leaving after the fireworks, because “the park is simply gigantic.”
You need to go to absolutely all the attractions. There are no bad, boring or unsuccessful ones – all are amazing. Until you go inside, it is generally impossible to imagine what awaits you. While you are standing in line, you look at everything with interest. Everything is stylized and thought out, there are roofs from rain and sun.
Natalya notes that the coolest attractions are those with the longest lines. However, you shouldn’t be afraid: time passes quickly, and the impressions are worth the wait. You can also buy priority pass for the day, but it is expensive. You can also purchase a “fast pass” to a specific attraction right on the spot in the app for 5 to 13 euros. It's more logical. It is also worth considering that many attractions may not be open on the day of your visit.
Disneyland has a lot of cool themed restaurants, but you need to make reservations in advance. There is fast food. For example , a set will cost from 15 to 17 euros – almost the same as in a local McDuck. I don't remember the name of the cafe, but it's located next to Indiana Jones. They offer a set for 15 euros, which consists of barbecue ribs, sausages, chicken leg, potatoes, vegetables and a drink.
As for souvenirs, there are a lot of shops on the territory of Disneyland and they are “incredibly awesome.” Natalya notes that it is very difficult to resist buying everything. True, the price tags sting.
What's the end result?
So, the fixed price is only for tickets to Disneyland and transfers. The bus to Vilnius cost 26 euros. Payment for plane and hotels depends on capabilities and wishes. For a night in a suburban hotel you should be prepared to pay an average of 130 euros. Eating alone costs 20 euros, breakfast 12-15 euros.
This is not a budget holiday at all. In total, we ended up with about 2,500 euros for four nights in the suburbs of Paris and two in Vilnius. A 10-night tour to Dubai in a decent hotel costs about the same. We were just choosing between the sea and Disneyland. But our trip was worth it – it was incredibly cool.
I will also note that without children I would never have gone there myself. Although there were many adults and elderly people in the park. And they frankly enjoyed Disneyland. I would love to go to Montmartre and walk more around Paris.