Is it worth it?

[ozliz]

I’ve been to WDW 3 times, DL once and done DCL 5 times in different locations around the world. Basically I love the Disney travel! I’m keen to do all the other parks eventually but maybe not the ones in China right now.

In a few weeks I have a free day in Paris and I’m not sure what to do. It’s my arrival day so I’ll be tired (travel over 24 hours from Australia to Europe but at least work pays for business class which I never pay for leisure travel) and have major jet lag and I do have to work the following week so I should take it easy but... it’s the only free time I’ll have before I have to fly home. I’ve been to Paris before and done the major headline sights so I wouldn’t feel like I was completely missing Paris if I were to take the RER out to DLP but I wouldn’t get a full day there. I’d have to leave before closing to get a good rest overnight. Is it worth it? I’d have max 6 hours and be tired. Is the Disney Village area good enough if I’m tired enough that doing a park isn’t worth it? I’m sure I’ll end up in Paris again one day but that could be another 10 years or something. What would you do?

 

[BadPinkTink]

for that such short space of time and the fact that its your arrival day I would say no. The travel time from Paris is approx 1 hour each way, which then leaves you 4 hours park time, which realistically means 2 rides , some thing to eat and a look at the shops on Main Street.

My sister used to live in New Zealand and when she came home to Europe on visits she was comatose for the first day, that journey really takes it out of you. It was really the day after arrival day when her body and sleep patterns started to settle.

 

[Karin1984]

*edit,* sorry, misread that it's your arrival day, I thought your departure day.
I would wing it, let it depend how much sleep you can get on the plane and how you will feel. Business class will help arrive more relaxed.

Disney Village is not worth it for sure, but I do think a few hours at a Disney park are better than no hours.
Is it maybe an idea to pay for a hotel at Disneyland Paris for the first night yourself and then travel the following morning to your work appointment?

 

[Dreams&wishes]

Well if it was me tiredness wouldn't worry too much. I have done that lag many many times and generally during the longest lag I sleep the majority of the time. Is the flight arriving early morning? If so you would have all day.
The only thing that I think doesn't make it with it is DLP itself. To me it's a major major let down, wasted money. Beyond the fact that it's very small, I find the cast members rude, the food awful and I just can't get over the amount of people smoking, even during firework, just awful!
The only thing that I really enjoyed was the Bufalo Bill show, so maybe you just want to go around Paris and enjoy your evening at the show? Keep in mind that this week where it's very cold.

 

[disneylover102]

Personally I would jump at any chance to go to Disney, especially a park I haven’t been to! It’s not a lot of park time but maybe to maximize your park time you could buy Fastpasses?

 

[ozliz]

for that such short space of time and the fact that its your arrival day I would say no. The travel time from Paris is approx 1 hour each way, which then leaves you 4 hours park time, which realistically means 2 rides , some thing to eat and a look at the shops on Main Street.

My sister used to live in New Zealand and when she came home to Europe on visits she was comatose for the first day, that journey really takes it out of you. It was really the day after arrival day when her body and sleep patterns started to settle.

6 hours tops is after the travel time - assuming my flight isn’t delayed!

 

[ozliz]

*edit,* sorry, misread that it's your arrival day, I thought your departure day.
I would wing it, let it depend how much sleep you can get on the plane and how you will feel. Business class will help arrive more relaxed.

Disney Village is not worth it for sure, but I do think a few hours at a Disney park are better than no hours.
Is it maybe an idea to pay for a hotel at Disneyland Paris for the first night yourself and then travel the following morning to your work appointment?

Unfortunately I have to stay near the work location. We don’t really get to do our own thing it’s just that arrival day no one expects us to work and I arrive early on a Sunday so I’ve pretty much got the whole day to myself.

Thanks for the opinion on Disney Village. There’s really not much mention of it online so I guess that should have been enough to tell me that there’s not much there

 

[Dreams&wishes]

Well if it was me tiredness wouldn't worry too much. I have done that lag many many times and generally during the longest lag I sleep the majority of the time. Is the flight arriving early morning? If so you would have all day.
The only thing that I think doesn't make it with it is DLP itself. To me it's a major major let down, wasted money. Beyond the fact that it's very small, I find the cast members rude, the food awful and I just can't get over the amount of people smoking, even during firework, just awful!
The only thing that I really enjoyed was the Bufalo Bill show, so maybe you just want to go around Paris and enjoy your evening at the show? Keep in mind that this week where it's very cold.

Gosh, I need to re read my posts, this hardly makes sense after my phone decided to change my words.

 

[Karin1984]

Unfortunately I have to stay near the work location. We don’t really get to do our own thing it’s just that arrival day no one expects us to work and I arrive early on a Sunday so I’ve pretty much got the whole day to myself.

Thanks for the opinion on Disney Village. There’s really not much mention of it online so I guess that should have been enough to tell me that there’s not much there

Disney Village is one row of restaurants on one side, and one row of stores on the other side, but most stores sell what you can get in the park as well. Most people go through them on their way to the hotels, or if they have lunch/dinner in the village.

If you feel good enough to go into the park, I would either take the bus or a car service, or the train (wouldn't recommend this with a jetlag and getting a ticket last minute ;-) ). Get some coffee or something sugary to keep you going. I would stick to Disneyland Park and skip the Studios.
Drop off your bag at the concierge (stay to your right when you get through security, pass the entrance of the Disneyland Hotel)
Go into the park.
Amaze yourself that everything looks different from WDW and DL.
At the end of Main Street admire the beauty of the castle, then go left to go into Frontierland, get a FP for Big Thunder Mountain.
Ride to Phantom Manor
Ride to Indiana Jones
Ride Big Thunder Mountain.
Grab something to eat, see if you can catch the Frozen Celebration on the hub.
Get a FP for Space Mountain
Have a look if Star Tours has a short queue
Walk through Fantasyland and ride whatever has a short queue (you can skip Peter Pan as the ride is almost identical)
Ride Pirates of the Caribbean.

Get your bag at the concierge, grab something to eat at the RER station at Relay. Go to your hotel and sleep.

 

[Jocelynaus]

As an Aussie I never plan anything arrival day after 24 hrs transit.
Can you book your flight for a day early and stay that night at DLP on your dime? Then visit on the next day?

 

[ozliz]

As an Aussie I never plan anything arrival day after 24 hrs transit.
Can you book your flight for a day early and stay that night at DLP on your dime? Then visit on the next day?

Nope. Pretty strict travel rules and I need to work right up until departure. I wouldn’t buy tickets until actually arriving at the park (something I’ve never done before in US parks) in case of flight delays. Just wondering whether if my flights are all on time and I’m not like dizzy level tired it might be worth the hour train back and forth.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Well, I say go for it!!! You are clearly a Disneyphile, and most of the cost of going to DLP is the travel, which I assume is paid for by your work. You have seen Paris so nothing to miss by spending the little free time you have at DLP. You can "check it off your list". If you LOVE It, you can come back another time. If you feel you have seen all you need to see, you can aim for a different park next time.

 

[ozliz]

For anyone who’s interested I’ve decided I’m going to go for it. I may only spend 5-6 hours in the park but I think that’s worth the train ride there and back. It will be a good way to avoid the temptation to take a nap and slow my jet lag recovery. Also, all the reports of smokers in the park have surprisingly convinced me to go. I’m super sensitive so it will be a good way to see if I’ll be able to cope with spending a few days there on a leisure trip in the future or to know that it would be a waste of time and money and to do something else instead.

I’ve also got some backup options to explore Paris if my flight is delayed or I’m not feeling well etc. I’ve worked out I’ll just have to accept I’ll pay extra and stand in an extra line to buy my ticket when I arrive to avoid wasting the ticket if there are flight delays.

 

[Karin1984]

For anyone who’s interested I’ve decided I’m going to go for it. I may only spend 5-6 hours in the park but I think that’s worth the train ride there and back. It will be a good way to avoid the temptation to take a nap and slow my jet lag recovery. Also, all the reports of smokers in the park have surprisingly convinced me to go. I’m super sensitive so it will be a good way to see if I’ll be able to cope with spending a few days there on a leisure trip in the future or to know that it would be a waste of time and money and to do something else instead.

I’ve also got some backup options to explore Paris if my flight is delayed or I’m not feeling well etc. I’ve worked out I’ll just have to accept I’ll pay extra and stand in an extra line to buy my ticket when I arrive to avoid wasting the ticket if there are flight delays.

Good for you!
Charles de Gaulle airport / train station have free wifi, so you could buy your ticket on your phone while you wait for your luggage or train.

I always think that the reports from Americans about the smokers are overrated, but I also realize, this is my home park and might not notice everything anymore. More and more people stick to smoking in the designated areas and CMs are getting more comfortable with speaking to guests smoking where they shouldn't and pointing them in the right directions. I see more people smoking when they walk from A to B than when they are waiting in line.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

For anyone who’s interested I’ve decided I’m going to go for it. I may only spend 5-6 hours in the park but I think that’s worth the train ride there and back. It will be a good way to avoid the temptation to take a nap and slow my jet lag recovery. Also, all the reports of smokers in the park have surprisingly convinced me to go. I’m super sensitive so it will be a good way to see if I’ll be able to cope with spending a few days there on a leisure trip in the future or to know that it would be a waste of time and money and to do something else instead.

I’ve also got some backup options to explore Paris if my flight is delayed or I’m not feeling well etc. I’ve worked out I’ll just have to accept I’ll pay extra and stand in an extra line to buy my ticket when I arrive to avoid wasting the ticket if there are flight delays.

Great! let us know how it goes. Don't forget to try to watch the Bufalo Bill show.

 

[ozliz]

Great! let us know how it goes. Don't forget to try to watch the Bufalo Bill show.

Unfortunately the earliest time for the Bufalo Bill show looks like it’s 6.30pm and I’ll need to be on the train back into Paris by then if I’m to work the next morning. My goal on arrival day is usually to stay awake until 8pm. Anything later is just a bonus.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

No, I don’t think so. No matter how many times one has visited Paris, there is always more to see and do, even if that is just enjoying a glass of wine in a bistro and people watching.

 

[ozliz]

Good for you!
Charles de Gaulle airport / train station have free wifi, so you could buy your ticket on your phone while you wait for your luggage or train.

I always think that the reports from Americans about the smokers are overrated, but I also realize, this is my home park and might not notice everything anymore. More and more people stick to smoking in the designated areas and CMs are getting more comfortable with speaking to guests smoking where they shouldn't and pointing them in the right directions. I see more people smoking when they walk from A to B than when they are waiting in line.

Can you just phone display a ticket purchase online? Everything I look at indicates it needs to be printed. Or, is the ticket collection line shorter than the line to purchase a ticket?

 

[Karin1984]

Can you just phone display a ticket purchase online? Everything I look at indicates it needs to be printed. Or, is the ticket collection line shorter than the line to purchase a ticket?

I went via the app (which is in Dutch for me), when I put the tickets I want in the basket there is a button saying 'read more', there it says that electronic tickets on your smart phone are available 15 minutes after receiving the payment confirmation. It doesn't mention anything about printing for these.