Disneyland Paris has a certain magic to it that is hard to describe. It’s a bold and different approach to Disney that somehow retains Disneyland’s most classic elements.
It’s a must do for any Disney fan that is on many bucket lists; but if budget is an issue, don’t let that keep you from having the vacation of a lifetime in this European fantasy.
Here are some amazing Disneyland Paris Budget tips, to help your stay go more smoothly.
Overview of the Resort
Before you get started budgeting your trip to Disneyland Paris, take some time to get a general overview of what the resort is and the costs involved.
Generally speaking Disney packages take care of almost everything for you. In most cases your resort will be close to the parks and shuttle service to the parks will be included with your room.
There are two parks, Disneyland Park is the major attraction, but Walt Disney Studios is growing steadily. It has become the place to go for Pixar and Marvel attractions. Next year a new expansion is due to feature Arendelle from the Frozen franchise.
Make sure you make enough time for these parks and other recreation, tours, and events you want to add to your holiday at Disneyland Paris. Before getting on with all the money-saving Disneyland Paris budget tips, my biggest piece of advice is that you have a budget to begin with.
Taking money off the top means nothing if you don’t know where the top is! Right?
The Cheapest Disney Hotels
The biggest expense on a Disney trip is the hotel stay. Save on the hotel and you can shave hundreds, if not thousands off the cost of your trip. Disneyland Paris has an assortment of hotel options and some of them are much more friendly in terms of cost.
My favourite Disneyland Paris budget tips are for saving on your hotel. Don’t pay for luxuries you won’t use or need. That really helps to keep the cost down. Most importantly, pick a low-cost hotel as long as the experience doesn’t diminish the value of your stay.
As I mentioned earlier, you may want to add extra nights to your trip and a lower room rate helps make that possible. If you opt for more luxury, consider a shorter itinerary to truncate your stay.
There are two ways to go about booking a hotel at Disneyland Paris on a budget. Hotel Cheyenne (think Woody’s Round Up), and Hotel Santa Fe (think Cars) are moderately priced.
They’re budget friendly options. relative to the more expensive Disney hotels.
However, you can save a lot more money by staying at a non Disney hotel just 10 minutes away. It’s crucial that you book non-Disney hotels directly rather than through Disney to get the best prices.
Davy Crockett ranch is cheaper but you will require a vehicle to get there and there are no transport links to the park, so it will involve you driving to the park each visit.
We have stayed at the Ranch twice and it is a simple journey to drive between Davy Crockett and the Parks, but it’s up to each individual on how confident they are at driving.
Booking your stay through Disney is easier, but you can save money if you do a little bit of research into the neighbor resorts. Look for services and amenities that are important to you.
A big playground isn’t necessarily helpful if you aren’t spending much time at the hotel. Some hotels offer very helpful things like complimentary shuttle service to the parks and complimentary breakfast
Discount Tickets
Another way to save, similar to booking with a separate entity for your room is buying discount tickets through a trusted third party retailer. Picniq sells discounted Disneyland Paris tickets, which will ultimately help your bottom line.
You can also find special offers on the Disneyland Paris website before you book your vacation package. 365 Tickets always have some amazing deals on tickets, as well as prices.
Buying discount tickets isn’t the only way to save money on admission. I have other ticket related Disneyland Paris budget tips as well.
Take your time when pricing out your ticket options. Prices vary by the dates you select and one day can equal substantial savings. You should also think hard when you consider what kinds of tickets to purchase.
Multi day passes lower in the average price per day with each day you add on. However, these tickets are premium tickets for hopping from park to park.
The cost, even after lowering the average price per day, is significantly higher than a single-day one-park ticket. Ironically, you benefit from these two-park passes more with a shorter trip, but then you pay more per ticket.
In most cases, it makes the most sense to pick one park and stay there for the day. In my opinion, Disneyland is worth two days and Walt Disney Studios is worth one.
Another way to save money is to not pay for Premier access to high-profile attractions. You can justify the cost if it’s in your budget, or if speeding up your schedule saves you a night of lodging.
In most cases, It’s an added expense that doesn’t improve your experience that much unless there is a brand-new ride with a deal-breaking wait time. I definitely only recommend it on busy days.
The Cheapest (Good) Food
Dining at quick service restaurants whenever possible is the best way to save on food. There are fewer “rules” so you can not only save on cheaper meals, you can buy shareable meals to save even more, and even eat from the kids menu, if you have a small appetite.
If you have several small kids, getting creative with splitting the entrees and supplementing with some snacks from home is a great way to stretch your money.
Check the latest deals on offer when booking your holiday, as it may work out cheaper to pay for half board, which means you already have breakfast and dinner sorted, you then just need to think about lunch.
Many of the packages also include a snack pass, which can be exchanged for an ice-cream or a sweet pastry, and a hot or cold drink. Our children loved their snack, and sometimes asked about it more than the actual meals!
Another way to save on food is to bring snacks into the park. It’s totally allowed and I recommend it as a way to save more money. It’s also a lifesaver if hunger strikes and you aren’t near an open restaurant.
However, I do recommend at least bringing your own non alcoholic beverages. There are several drinking fountains dotted about the park, so a good tip is to bring the small pouches of concentrated squash to add to the water, and obviously a suitable water bottle to hold the liquid.
While you are bringing things into the park, consider clothing like sweaters or jackets, so you don’t feel like you need to buy extra clothes to stay warm.
The same thing goes for sunglasses and hats unless you have it in your budget to buy these items as souvenirs.
Considering booking a Disneyland Paris Hotel but unsure which is the best one for you, check out their price estimate calendar and find the best deal for your family.
