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Ric.ror | 12:01 Fri 12th Aug 2016 | Travel
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I intend to take the precious babe to euro Disney either this winter or in the spring
What would be the best way to book it? And by best I mean cheapest
There could be potentially 7 going - 5 adults 2 children one under 3


TIA
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There are very few local travel agents left these days and I doubt that any of them could dedicate as much time to a single enquiry as people on here can! Rail travel from Leeds isn't unrealistic (and it would be far, far less hassle than driving). You can book through tickets all the way with Eurostar but the current booking horizon only goes as far as October. So...
17:03 Sat 13th Aug 2016
Pedantic point: It's not been called Euro Disney since 1995. It's called Disneyland Paris these days.

The answer to your question though might be influenced by where you're starting from. For example, inclusive deals with Eurostar might offer the best bargains if you're travelling from within an hour or two from London by rail but they're probably of no use to you at all if you're based in the north of Scotland.

Similarly travelling by car (perhaps in a hired people carrier?) might be worth considering if you're within easy driving distance of the channel ports but possibly of little use if you're in Penzance.

So whereabouts are you? Which airports would be convenient for you? If driving, have you already got a people carrier (or two cars), or would you need to hire one?
Travel with Eurostar™ directly to the magic. Eurostar™ operates a variety of direct and indirect services from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet and Ashford International to Marne-Le-Valle station, located in the heart of Disneyland Paris.
Question Author
I'm actually travelling from Leeds
I thought of a people carrier but then thought it's not much of a holiday for the three adults that would have to take turns behind the wheel
I'm wondering if a local travel agent wouldn't be the best to arrange the trip
There are very few local travel agents left these days and I doubt that any of them could dedicate as much time to a single enquiry as people on here can!

Rail travel from Leeds isn't unrealistic (and it would be far, far less hassle than driving). You can book through tickets all the way with Eurostar but the current booking horizon only goes as far as October.

So I've used prices for outbound travel on Monday 3rd October, returning a week later, to get a sample price for you. Based upon 5 adults, one 7yo child and one 2yo, the total outbound fare (all the way from Leeds to Disneyland Paris) is £50.00 per adult and £32.50 for the 7yo. (The 2yo goes free if sitting on an adult's lap. Add on a further £32.50 if a seat is required). So that's just £282.50 to get all 7 people to the resort.

That's based upon leaving Leeds at 1145, arriving at Kings Cross at 1358. Then taking the Underground (which isn't included in the Eurostar price) to St Pancras, for the 1504 service to Liile Europe, arriving at 1726. Finally, taking the 1752 service from there, arriving at the resort at 1857. (Other services are available but are slightly dearer. For example, travelling a couple of hours earlier puts the adult fare up to £60.00 and the child fare to £39.50)

Coming back you can also do it for £282.50 (for all 7 people) if you don't mind getting into Leeds at 0234 (after leaving the resort at 1852) but it's a much quicker journey if you leave at 1552 (arriving in Leeds at 2117). For that you'd pay £60.00 per adult and £39.50 for the child.

There's also a direct train from the resort to St Pancras at 1802 (with the connection getting you into Leeds at 2257) but that's dearer, at £81.50 per adult and £54.50 for the child).

So, if we assume £282.50 outbound (on the 1145 service ex Leeds) and £339.50 back (travelling at 1552 from the resort), that's a total of £622 to get all seven people there and back. (You'd just need to add on your London Underground fares and the costs of getting to Leeds Station, as well as the cost of parking there if you needed to).
http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en

If you preferred to fly, the only service to Paris from Leeds-Bradford airport is with Jet2 (with flights operating on Sundays,Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays). Based upon sample dates of out on Monday 6 March and back a week later, I'm seeing the following:

Out at 1100, arriving Paris CDG at 1330.
5 adults at £34.40 and 2 children at £24.00. Total £220.00.

Back at 1415, arriving 1445.
5 adults at £41.60 and 2 children also at £41.60. Total £291.20.
(The reason the child fares are lower outbound is because the UK doesn't charge Air Passenger Duty for children but there are no similar savings when returning).

So that's a total of £511.20 for your air fares but you'd need to add on the costs of getting to the airport and possibly the cost of parking there for a week). You'd also need to add on the cost of getting to the resort. Travelling by train a typical cost is 6 x £10.50 each way (with the older child paying the same as an adult and the younger one travelling free), so that's £126.00 in total. Adding that onto your air fares gives a total of £637.20 to get everyone to and from the resort.

SNCF website:
https://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en/#/
(Note that it's not yet showing times and prices for next spring. I used dates in October to find some sample prices)

So there's very little in it (in terms of price) whether travelling by rail or plane. The shorter journey time by air might push you towards going that way but the costs of airport parking (or just the experience of Eurostar) might make you decide to go by rail. (It's also worth remembering that the flights don't operate on every day of the week; you'd need to consider whether there are flights that tie in with your other arrangements).

Then you need to look at the 'early booking' offers that are currently available from Disneyland Paris:
http://holidays.disneylandparis.co.uk/offers
PS:
The excellent ViaMichelin website estimates the driving time from Leeds to Disneyland Paris as around 9 hours plus
(a) the time taken for driving breaks ;
(b) the time taken to queue and check in at the Eurotunnel terminal ; and
(c) the travel time through the tunnel.
So perhaps a total of around 13 hours travel? The actual driving distance is around 470 miles, with possible fuel and toll costs of around £65 each way.
https://www.viamichelin.co.uk/

The return cost of travel via Eurotunnel starts from £126, depending upon the time of day, but perhaps £150 might be a better estimate. (Although the Eurotunnel website requires you to state whether your people carrier is under or over 6 feet in height, the fares seem to be the same anyway).
https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/home/

However I've looked at a couple of websites to see how much a week's hire of a people carrier might cost you and I'm seeing prices of around £630 or even £835.

So your total travel costs would probably be at least £900 and possibly quite a bit more.

So it looks like rail or air is still your best bet.
Underground King's Cross to St. Pancras, Chico?
Ruddy 'eck, Jackdaw33! I must be suffering from a lack of alcohol in my system!!!

(Actually, I've recently been helping a friend to plan travel by Eurostar from Ipswich to Bruges and I seem to have got the Liverpool Street to St Pancras transfer stuck in my mind. That's my excuse anyway!)

Ric.ror:
As JD33 has kindly pointed out, Kings Cross station and St Pancras station are NEXT DOOR to each other! (I really ought to know as I often use the pub at St Pancras when travelling from Kings Cross). So you can ignore the bit in my post above about getting across London. You simply walk out of Kings Cross station and cross over the road into St Pancras International.

Sorry for the error, Ric.ror, and thank you, JD33, for spotting it!
How about. a coach trip? Often see them advertised in local papers, and there are companies that do them, the only one I can think of at the moment is Leger.
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Question Author
Thank you for your most helpful replies
I have actually travelled by Eurostar before but that was on an excellent trip to Versallies and not with any children in toe
After speaking to other travellers we are thinking December either 16 - not likely or 2017 will be most magical
Thanks again for your most appreciated help
Question Author
I have re- read these answers and I feel it would be rude not to give a special thank you to Buenchico for that most comprehensive and detailed answer (the amount of typing alone deserves a pat on the back)
It looks like it's not going to happen this year but, having spoken to an ex Disney employee, it's going to be at Christmas time probably next year
Once again thanks to you all but especially Buenchico
Thanks for taking the time to post, Ric.ror!
and if you don't want to cross a road between King's Cross and St Pancras there's an underpass that keeps out the London winter.

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