Ancien Maestro

A 2 km walk isn't too bad to the station.. At Disney World, that would be a short walk..

fredandgingermad

Is this with or without directions however? 2km walk in potentially the middle of nowhere in a strange place is not like walking 2km at Disney World. I had another look at the Davy Crockett Ranch, the downsides to there is no breakfast and no shuttle provided, so with it being a 15 minute drive you'd either be taking a lot of taxi's or you'd need to hire a vehicle and have to factor in the cost of buying food

exbayern

Every documentation I have ever read in the last 20 years in French and in English regarding the Ranch makes it very clear that there is no shuttle, and no public transport, and that one must have a vehicle to stay there. The cost of taxi or rental car and petrol as you point out negates any savings. Then factor in the learning required to drive a rental if one has only driven in North America. Not only are street signs very different, the rules of the road are quite different, and in France different from other countries in other parts of Europe, including the very important priorité à droite. Not understanding these very significant differences can be extremely dangerous.

2 km walking may not be much for an adult, but 2 km walking (and it is 2km as the crow flies, so most likely more walking) through a building site in an unfamiliar country is quite different.

2 km walking for a 6 year old, before/after a day at Disneyland Paris in the peak of summer, is something else entirely, and I suspect that most parents would not even consider it as a reasonable or logical option. Many children in France and Germany walk to school, and/or take a train to school, but this is nothing similar.

If cost is such a concern, book at one of the hotels across from the petrol station at the Santa Fe. They are basic, and are not geared towards North American expectations, but they can be had for under 100 Euro/night and offer breakfast and shuttle services.

Then again, using the many discounts which Ginger and I have posted could result in similar savings onsite.

Ancien Maestro

The short walk would be a back up to the shuttles.. besides if its late at night.. grab a cab with the short distance..

but I'm 6'5" and 250 lbs, and pretty mean when mad lol.. ya know, chinese kung fu type.. I'm not too sure that our safety is going to be infringed on

lewisc

Safety doesn't just mean not getting mugged. Pickpockets prey on tourists who are distracted. Being distracted includes having 2 young kids to take care of. Safety also means not walking in a busy street with 2 young kids. Not getting hit by a car. Are there sidewalks where you'll have to walk?

You should probably spend the money to stay at one of the Disney hotels. One of the hotels which offer good shuttle service. All reports suggest the shuttle at the hotel you're looking at is limited to non-existent. I've stayed at Orlando hotels that had that kind of shuttle service. One small van. Van is full. Too bad. Not like Disney where another bus gets dispatched.

I've taken Budget vacation, which is what your vacation is becoming. I always look for the cheapest accommodations which make sense. I'm going to WDW. Don't want to rent a car. I'd stay at POP before I'd stay at a higher rated offsite hotel. I'm going to have a car. I'll use Priceline to get a resort hotel for under $100.

You can't really halfway it. Price what it will cost to stay at one of the Disney hotels which offers a reliable shuttle. Price a rental car, and any applicable parking fees, along with the cost of staying at the place you're looking at.

exbayern

OP is going to 'Europe', not America.

Queue the relative safety thread. Being mugged isn't a concern, but as Lewis note, petty theft is, and a crowded train station at the end of a day at Disney in peak season, struggling to figure out how to use the ticket machine, waking the child, folding the stroller, struggling how to get down the escalator, figuring out which platform to take, boarding the train, and going up or down the stairs on the train all make one vulnerable.

I've never been the target of petty theft but I regularly see people who are, and they really do stand out.

The reviews in French and Dutch were actually quite comical. The 'shuttle' is an 8 seater vehicle which some call an 'SUV'. There are a few okay reviews in low season, but the ones from people who stayed in peak seasons are quite different.

Breakfast at the Disney resorts is included. Breakfast at this place is 16 Euro/pp. Transportation at the Disney resorts is included, and plentiful and regular. Taking a taxi will run around 15 Euro for the trip. And the shuttle and the taxi leave from two entirely different locations, so if the shuttle doesn't arrive, or is full (8 seats?), then one has to pack up and walk all the way to the train station for a taxi. And don't expect them to be waiting; there is only room for about a dozen cars each side at the station, and in 'Europe' people tend to take public transport rather than taxis, so they are not that plentiful. (And again, if one calls, one pays from the time of the call, not the time of arrival, so the fare is higher)

OP, did you even price out the Disney resorts with the many discounts which Ginger and I gave you? There are some very good deals, especially since you are coming from the UK by train. They make it as easy as possible, including luggage transfer.

Even the discounts on the German site are good (and Germans don't have the same deep discount offers as those in France or the UK)

Through parrainage I pay less than 100 Euro per year for an AP which gives me up to 50% off hotel rates. I suggested that earlier. If you go to DISboards.com you can most likely find a parrain there.

lewisc

Venice has extensive sidewalks, other cities not as much. The question is if it's safe to walk from the hotel the OP is considering to DLP.

bensyd

This is one of the most confusing threads I have ever read.

BadgerBoi

Ben, allow me to introduce you to the Maestro...

Ancien Maestro

Been to Disney World.. stayed onsite, and stayed offsite.. I prefer offsite, and in a apartment type condo.. and always rent a van staying offsite..

Im not trying to be confusing.. this is how I gather ideas and information.. once the info is processed its pretty straight shooting..

lewisc

But you're not planning on renting a van. You're very confusing. I'd never stay offsite at WDW unless I had a vehicle available. Experts are telling you DLP is no different.

bensyd

I'm really, really, really amazed that someone who has never been to Europe before would choose to go to Paris Disneyland for five days.

That's akin to saying I'm going to Italy to try out the McDonalds.

JMHO.

lewisc

The OP is traveling with a 6 year old and a 2 year old. The traditional sightseeing destinations like museums and churches really won't work.

Your suggestion of trying out different McDonald's is a good one. I might suggest the McDonald s in Rome. It made Travel Channels list of the top 10 McDonald's worldwide. So much to see in Rome. Unfortunately I missed seeing it.

bensyd

Whatever the reason, it seems like a waste of time and money.

exbayern

bensyd, I believe that virtually everyone who posted on this (and the Olympic thread) agrees with you.

However, since the OP apparently does not, then lewisc probably said it best a few pages back when he made suggested to 'salvage' the holiday by doing things which a 2 year old will enjoy, and in which a 2 year old can actually participate.

The vast majority of activities in which visitors engage whilst travelling to the UK/France/?? are not viable.

But you are not going to Disneyworld in America. You are going to Disneyland Paris in France. Surely you don't propose to rent a car, let alone a minivan? I have seen one or two Touran in German rental lots (mostly rented by Americans who then cannot even navigate to the exit gate) but I don't recall even seeing ordinary people using 'mini vans' in France. They generally are used as a transport vehicle for businesses, not privately.