Air France Frequence Plus - Disney CDG Layover

Coming through CDG in late August with my kids - we arrive at 1110 and depart at 1845. I have a friend who works at Disney and can get us free tickets, so the question is:

1) Any way to get discounted TGV tickets? $150 round trip for me and 2 kids for a 10 minute ride each way seems absurd.

2) How much time to get through immigration on the way out and security on t the way back (I'm platinum and love the fast lines at CDG)?

I was hoping to get an 11:58 train from CDG to Disney and then take the train back that arrives at 17:51 back at CDG.

Will we have enough time? Are the TGVs generally on time? (would hate to miss the flight as a result of a late train.

Thanks in advance to the group!

Coming through CDG in late August with my kids - we arrive at 1110 and depart at 1845. I have a friend who works at Disney and can get us free tickets, so the question is:

1) Any way to get discounted TGV tickets? $150 round trip for me and 2 kids for a 10 minute ride each way seems absurd.

2) How much time to get through immigration on the way out and security on t the way back (I'm platinum and love the fast lines at CDG)?

I was hoping to get an 11:58 train from CDG to Disney and then take the train back that arrives at 17:51 back at CDG.

Will we have enough time? Are the TGVs generally on time? (would hate to miss the flight as a result of a late train.

Thanks in advance to the group!

That would be cutting it too close for comfort for me. I would not arrive at CDG less than an hour before departure.

TGV will be expensive as it's a hi-speed train.
However there are the local trains, named RER (see http://www.ratp.fr for timings), but you'll have to go via Paris and spend a bit more time (first RER B to Chatelet, followed by RER A to Disneyland). It will easily take you one hour each way.

TGV will be expensive as it's a hi-speed train.
However there are the local trains, named RER (see http://www.ratp.fr for timings), but you'll have to go via Paris and spend a bit more time (first RER B to Chatelet, followed by RER A to Disneyland). It will easily take you one hour each way.

Given that I only have 7:35 between flights, I'd rather pay for the 10 minute each way TGV ride vs. the 90 minute RER ride. Time really is money in this case, I was just hoping there was some sort of TGV ticket discount code so that time would be a little less money!

That would be cutting it too close for comfort for me. I would not arrive at CDG less than an hour before departure.

Really? Even with boarding passes already in hand and no luggage to check (and Sky-priority?)

I also think an hour is too tight, especially with two tired kids in tow. There are long walks in CDG and the SkyPriority security leading to USA flights can be slow.

TGV to/from CDG are often 10-15 minutes late. Take a taxi to Disneyland, forget about the RER with so little time. However, be prepared for heavy traffic back to CDG on the A104 (end of August is probably fine). There are also buses to/from Disneyland, but I don't know the timetable. You haven't said where you are coming from and where you are going to, so it's not really possible to tell you how much time you'll need to pass controls, but with fast track you should not have problems. Assuming that you arrive on time and you don't have bags to claim, you might be in Disney around noon and should probably leave around 17:00, which leaves you with 5h in the parc.

coming from SFO and going to TLV

Really? Even with boarding passes already in hand and no luggage to check (and Sky-priority?)

I wouldn't, but if you are comfortable with that amount of time, give it a shot. If the train is on time and everything goes smoothly at the airport you would probably make it. What are your back-up plans if you don't make it?

coming from SFO and going to TLV

while coming from SFO is fine, I think you might need some extra time for security for TLV flights. Both will be in/out of terminal 2E. PP control and regular security check around 18:00h should be fast.

Given how long you will have to queue for any of the rides at Disneyland at the time of year - is it really worth it?

I hope you've not said anything to the kids yet - they'll be disappointed if it doesn't happen. And it sounds like a very risky thing to try and squeeze in.

Given how long you will have to queue for any of the rides at Disneyland at the time of year - is it really worth it?

I hope you've not said anything to the kids yet - they'll be disappointed if it doesn't happen. And it sounds like a very risky thing to try and squeeze in.

Waiting in line for an hour for each of only 5 rides at Euro Disney is better than a 7 hour wait in the lounge with 2 kids after a transatlantic flight and I suspect we can probably get more than 5 rides in, not to mention the park tickets are free for me so I'm only paying for the TGV. I probably won't say anything to them anyway just in case our SFO-CDG flight gets delayed. Plus, they'd like the surprise when we get off the TGV at Disneyland. I thought about going to the Asterix park as well but it probably would have cost the same including a cab both ways.

Waiting in line for an hour for each of only 5 rides at Euro Disney is better than a 7 hour wait in the lounge with 2 kids after a transatlantic flight and I suspect we can probably get more than 5 rides in, not to mention the park tickets are free for me so I'm only paying for the TGV.

Commuting sometimes between Marne la Vallée and Roissy, I've never seen any ticket check between those 2 stations, as the interval (8-9 min) is too short for that. The price is indeed amazingly high (minimum 34€ return for each adult). In such a situation, and altough not keen at all on fare dodging, I would "play the tourist" and buy a ticket to Marne la Vallée by RER but board the TGV. After all, as a foreigner you're not supposed to make the difference and in the quite unlikely event of a ticket check, explain innocently that you were told this TGV was actually calling at Marne la Vallée...

There is a train at 11h58 (arriving 12h07) and for returning I would take 16h52 (arriving 17h02) with the 17h01 service as a back-up. Then you have plenty of time to catch the plane.

coming from SFO and going to TLV

Sorry but your plan to arrive 55 minutes before your flight was probably unrealistic in general, it is very very much so in the context of a flight to TLV. As you will have left the airport, I think that they will ask you to undergo the full TLV 'special' security screening (they will then put a 'sticker' on your boarding card to show you have gone through it when you go through the xray), being at the airport 2 hours before your TLV flight is the absolute latest you should aim for. Security for TLV flights will take place in a special area, it can sometimes go relatively fast but can also be excrutiatingly so.

Do not take it bad ;) but your plan to go to Disney during your layover is unrealistic. Your layover is long but not long enough to enjoy Disney. The time to leave CDG after having crossed immigration, to reach Disney, to pass the endless and multiple queues and to return to CDG with sufficient time to clear immigration, security and extra-security to TLV...if you make one attraction, you can be happy. To give you a reference, I have been there last march and have been able to do only 4 attractions between 10 am and 6 pm...:(
You should rather go to Paris by train and go to Eiffel tower or make a cruise on the Seine river and have lunch in a nice place. I'm sure your kids will enjoy it as well :)

You should rather got Paris by train and go to Eiffel tower or make a cruise on the Seine river and have lunch in a nice place. I'm sure your kids will enjoy it as well :)

Excellent suggestion I'd say!!

How old are your kids?

You might not get many rides in, but you can still have lunch and enjoy Main street, take a photo with M. Mouse, etc. - I'd never consider it myself, but, if you have free tickets and they are maybe not of an age to enjoy/appreciate Paris culture, why not?

Getting downtown on the RER in such a short time would concern me more than being in the (relatively) traffic-free countryside around Seine et Marne - and I live in downtown Paris.

This said, if you live in SFO and your kids know the real Disney, they may be a little underwhelmed by our version...

If our flight is on time, I think I'll try it - the Disneyland tickets are free and even a roundtrip on the TGV and one ride is better than 7 hours in the lounge. We are stopping in Paris for 36 hours on our way to SFO from TLV so will have already done some sightseeing. The only question is, should I buy the TGV tickets online beforehand or just walk up and buy them? Are they more expensive as walk-up fares? (Hard to imagine it being more expensive than it already is).

If our flight is on time, I think I'll try it - the Disneyland tickets are free and even a roundtrip on the TGV and one ride is better than 7 hours in the lounge. We are stopping in Paris for 36 hours on our way to SFO from TLV so will have already done some sightseeing. The only question is, should I buy the TGV tickets online beforehand or just walk up and buy them? Are they more expensive as walk-up fares? (Hard to imagine it being more expensive than it already is).

I get the feeling you're really being swayed by the "free" tickets....

I'd also suggest a trip into Paris...it still works out cheaper than your trip to Marne-la-Vallée, even with free Disney tickets, and it means you and your kids won't have to spend the entire day lining up, queueing, and waiting (queueing up for the arrival formalities at CDG; queueing for train tickets; waiting for the train; lining up to get into Disney; lining up for the first ride; lining up for lunch; waiting for the train back; queueing up for departure formalities and security at CDG, etc).

A quick spin into Paris proper and hitting a sight or two - and a nice lunch - would be far easier and more relaxing.

Why not do the Disneyland thing on your 36-hour layover, instead? At least that way you can arrive as early as you like - and with the kids rested after a decent night's sleep/arrival after a shorter flight. Presumably the tickets will still be free for you on the way home ;-) That way, you'll have had two short doses of Paris, and a less frazzled experience at Disneyland.

Just an update on this - on the way to SFO on our 36 hour layover we stayed at the CDG Sheraton the night we arrived - watched the olympic opening ceremony in our room and took the RER into Paris early next morning for a full, fun day of activities - for 7 and 9 year olds, we definitely did about all we could do in one day and hit just about everything. From the time we landed to the time we were in our hotel was about 20 minutes using the SkyPriority lanes at customs and our bags were ready when we got to the bag claim.

On the way back, our flight landed from SFO on time at 11am and we didn't get to the gate until 11:35 and didn't get off the plane until 11:40! So we weren't able to catch the 11:46 TGV like I hoped but instead caught the 12:46. We arrived at the Disney park at 1305 or so and had a lovely time until leaving the park at 16:40 to catch the 1701 train back to CDG arriving 1711. We were through security and in the lounge with 50 minutes to spare before our flight and even had time for a shower. Overall, the kids had a great time.

Now, would I have done this without free admission to the park? No. The lines were so long we only had time for 2 rides plus some time exploring the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse/Island and some walking around, so definitely not worth it for that, but having done Paris on the way there, it was a nice fun stop on the way back and better than sitting in the lounge for 7 hours. Super convenient on the TGV with the exception of the line at the ticket office (they tell me the machines only take French credit cards) although nobody ever actually checked our tickets.

One interesting and kind of annoying note was that officially, DL Platinum members only get one guest to the AF lounge and I was with my 2 kids. DL and AZ have never given me trouble about this and AF made an exception for me on the way home, but didn't let us in on the way there.

One interesting and kind of annoying note was that officially, DL Platinum members only get one guest to the AF lounge and I was with my 2 kids. DL and AZ have never given me trouble about this and AF made an exception for me on the way home, but didn't let us in on the way there.

The Skyteam rules are very straightforward: 1 guest only for all elite plus. I think the only exception (if I aren't wrong) is very new and SV (Saudia) who allow family members in. DL or AZ do not officially allow more than that one guest and while it seems you have been lucky enough to be able to get more people in, I certainly know people how have been told that rules are rules by the DL people about that very specific point (indeed some were discussed on this forum). Conversely, AF would have given you the same answer if you were Flying Blue Platinum as they don't make any exception for their own members.

This being said, glad you enjoyed both your stops and made the most of them! Hopefully that will be lots of nice memories for the kids!!

The Skyteam rules are very straightforward: 1 guest only for all elite plus. I think the only exception (if I aren't wrong) is very new and SV (Saudia) who allow family members in. DL or AZ do not officially allow more than that one guest and while it seems you have been lucky enough to be able to get more people in, I certainly know people how have been told that rules are rules by the DL people about that very specific point (indeed some were discussed on this forum). Conversely, AF would have given you the same answer if you were Flying Blue Platinum as they don't make any exception for their own members.

Kids under 12 do usually not count as guest. At least this was the case some years ago in the DL skyclubs.

they tell me the machines only take French credit cards
No. They take only credit cards with a chip on it (and yoiu have to type your P.I.N.). But many countries still do not use this on the CC, for very obscure reasons :rolleyes:
I'm glad everything worked well for you and that you had some good time :)