We are travelling to Eurodisney and have stayed in New York and Newport Bay previously but are after some recommendations from anyone who has stayed anywhere else?

:-)

We have always stayed at the Newport Bay until last time we went and we went to one of the ones off site.  I have got to be honest I didnt feel it was as good as the actually 'Disney' hotels although you still got a few charecters vist etc.  We have also done the Davey Crocket Ranch which has the most fabulous swimming pool although you do have to drive to the park and also you have to collect your breakfast in little boxes from huts in the morning but we loved it.

Thanks,

For us the Davy crockett ranch is no good on this trip as we are flying so we won't have a car but we are going to try that on our next visit as there will be a few of us going. We only want to stay in a Disney hotel because we always eat in Rainforest cafe or Mickeys Cafe and want to be able to walk back to our hotel.

:-)

I've stayed in the Disneyland hotel at the gate, it was quite nice but not what you'd expect from a 5 star hotel, I wouldn't recommend it. But then again, it's the service that was lacking (typical French) :D The last time I went with my nieces we stayed at the Kyriad. It was really cheap (but the service was as good as DLP hotel) and there was a free shuttle bus every 10 mins to disneyland gates. Lovely buffet breakfast. I would definitely recommend that to anyone. Basic room but all the fun is at Disney anyway and it's only 5 mins away.

we stayed at the hotel Cheyanne (sp?) which was nice although it was 8 years ago, god how time flys.

We have had someone also recommend Sequoia Lodge but they too went 8 years ago and apparently it has gone downhill quite a bit since then. Tbh although we LOVE Disney the hotels I don't think are that fantastic. Are they any better in Disney world in Florida?

Yes, the service is of course much better :D

once you go to florida there is no turning back, we love it although we havent stayed in a disney hotel we stayed in a villa the first time and international drive the second, a highly recommended holiday.

Whats it like in terms of eating out in Disney park? Is it really expensive like Eurodisney?

I've stayed at the Movenpick Dream Castle twice and this time I stayed at the holiday inn. Both nice hotels with lovely swimming pools and there is a free shuttle bus every ten minutes so it didn't bother me not being in one of the actual disney hotels. You still have the disney shop and things so you can't forget where you are!!!!:-D

I did look at the Dream Castle as it looks lovely and gets great reviews but it was the same price as Hotel New York :-(

The dream castle is fantastic!! There are some sites you can get cheaper rates. The holiday inn though is well worth a look too, it is all circus themed.

For those that have been to Disneyworld in Florida.....who did you book with?

:-)

We've been 4 times to Florida, once with virgin (not as good as we were hoping) once independently, the other 2 Thomson (highly recommended:-)) Stayed on International Drive Holiday Inn (Virgin) Best Western International Drive (Thomson) Private Villa at Davenport Lakes, Kissimee (independant, flew with thomson) & Courtyard by Marriott, Lake Buena Vista (Thomson) For disney the courtyard was best and nearest to downtown for cinemas,eating etc.
My sister has done both euro and Florida and she says Florida wins hands down everytime for service,weather, value for money & atmosphere, only downside is the travelling (but flights transfer etc have always been fine)
Angela

Did you hire a car to drive to Disney?

We did, with both Alamo and Dollar both have hire shops at Sanford airport (Thomson) (easiest from picking up luggage etc but a longer drive to international drive than Orlando International (virgin fly there). Worth booking the insurance thru the travel company here though as we were stung when we thought we would get it cheaper by doing it ourselves.(ended up paying around £100 more (exchange £1:$2)) but you can compare online. My sister has been twice without hiring, if you stay on int drive there is the i-car trolley buses and most of the hotels have free (or weekly fee) transport to Disney( but times may restrict you) If you are sticking to the parks (disney,universal,seaworld) and staying on i-drive you would get away without a car but I think it is essential if you plan on seeing something else.
Having said that to get round all the park options you really need more than the standard 2 weeks!! (and a weeks holiday when you get back LOL)  hence the reason we have been 4 times and there are still things I want to see.

Is it the two parks like eurodisney (studios and park) or is there more to see?

Tbh my girls are Disney mad and they could spend 2 weeks at Eurodisney (although we couldn't) just visiting characters etc so when we go to Disneyworld we will be stuck in the park/s for the duration :-)

An awful lot more to see LOL.  Disney has 4 parks Magic Kingdom,EPCOT,Animal Kingdom,MGM studios and 2 water parks (blizzard beach & typhoon lagoon) all the parks are at least twice the size of Euro Disney. Universal has 2 parks Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, Sea World has 3 parks & 1 waterpark Seaworld,Busch Gardens (at Tampa) Discovery Cove (very expensive but worth it exclusive dolphin swim experience) (only 1000 allowed in per day) & Wet n Wild. In addition to that there are dinner shows galore (Dixie Stampede, Pirates and various disney ones character breakfast, BBQ and polynesian)
There are plenty of other things to do. Downtown Disney (cinema,disney theme shops ,restaurants(inc hardrock & rainforest cafe),disney quest (interactive games) & Cirque du soleil. We hired a baby sitter and did downtown disney (street party to 2am).
We did airboats,swimming in the Crystal River with manatees, kennedy space center, and the beaches are golden, clean and in most cases deserted but swimming off the coast is inadvisable on deserted stretches as we saw sharks feeding near a jetty! (fisherman gutting fish nearby). Went to a wildlife rehab centre (Silver Springs) and my then 4 yr old daughter fed the giraffes (what a tongue!) she still talks about it now. Next time we will be doing the keys but with a 6 hr drive from Orlando we will be flying to Miami I think.
Been to several other places in Europe and nowhere lives up to it. There are pics of our last 3 trips on my website.

I'd certainly give Florida the vote!
However it's exhausting, and with children would really recommend you put it on hold untill at least age 5/6.
I have done both, Paris was a coach trip just me and 2 of mine from here. Not bad.
Florida 3 times once independent, once travel city upgraded to 1st class and once .......cant remember....
They were all fantastic.

Karen :)

Karen - did you stay in Disney?

:-)

Lake Buena Vista alongside the Disney market place, Kissimmee in a holiday rental house, and lastly International drive in adjoining rooms of a motel.
Fabulous time, so much to do and see, it has to be done!!!!
Karen :)

How did you find it compared to EuroDisney in terms of hotel and food quality and price?

I know i know spanish inquisition (sp) lol

:-)

There is absolutely no comparison in food quality and costs between eurodisney and florida - Florida wins hands down and for service too. I like Eurodisney but really it;s just for people who can't afford to go to Florida :)

> I like Eurodisney but really it;s just for people who can't afford to go to Florida :-)

And people who have very young children that won't be happy on a 9 hour flight!!

Second time we went my daughter was 18 months and son 6 The flight wasn't a problem there are seat back tvs with games/tv for the 5+ and we took puzzles and colouring books etc. Living in the north west our journey to Euro disney would be just as long!!.
Florida Flights with Thomson are really setup for families. 

We actually visit Eurodisney in the wintertime as I can't stand queuing in the heat :-)

In fact i'm not really a summer person, I love the cold weather ;-)

Although I will make an exception for Disneyworld as I think my girls would love it......just need to go into a travel agent now and book up for next year. I have looked on a few sites and it seems that there are so many places to stay and not having been there before I don't know whether the half board is good value or whether it is cheap to eat out?
We always eat in 2 places in Eurodisney, cafe Mickey and Rainforest as it is always about what the kids want :rolleyes: , we will also be booking our own grown up holiday a nice cruise YIPPEE :-)

> I like Eurodisney but really it;s just for people who can't afford to go to Florida
And people who have very young children that won't be happy on a 9 hour flight!!

And people that want a weekend away not 2 weeks and jet lag

But I would recommend the actual disneyland hotel (pink one that is the gate way to the park) the rooms are lovely and very spacious

> And people that want a weekend away not 2 weeks and jet lag
>

:-)

Tee hee, I knew that would stir people up. I do actually like DLP because it's handy for a few days away - but if you want a two week holiday you can't beat Florida :)

> But I would recommend the actual disneyland hotel (pink one that is the gate way to the park) the rooms are lovely and very spacious

I really don't think it deserves its rating though. Yes the rooms and the lobby are lovely, and it is sooo handy but the service left a lot to be desired and I hated the way the mini bar automatically locked in the morning holding my water hostage. Our air conditioning didn't work and they didn't hurry to fix it, or even apologise, let alone offer to move us to another room.

I like Eurodisney but really it;s just for people who can't afford to go to Florida

And people like my OH who won't get on a plane so we have to drive everywhere!!!! And also I can't do 2 weeks away from home, animals and work so like a short break to Euro Disney!!

> but if you want a two week holiday you can't beat Florida :-)

I agree with you, there is no way I could do 2 weeks at EuroDisney. We did everything the girls could go on last year in 4 days :-)

Then not bad!
Now however it is seriously on the side of USA.
I would still err on the side of location and size being more appropriate for the younger children In Paris.
As to go so far (particularly added location of GY) as USA with all the extras there, is a lot under 5/6 years old.

It does have to be done though.  ;)

Karen :)