Tours FROM DLP?

[psimon]

We are travelling to DLP in 2019 and I am trying to lay out our plans.

We will be using DLP as our base of operation. I then want to take day tours FROM DLP to places like Paris, the Champagne region, Versailles, etc. for 2-3 days of our stay

I know Disney has a few tours that start there. I have looked at Viator and they sure have a lot of tours but the do not, by default originate at DLP. They start in Paris. Their rep said they could modify a tour to start there, but who knows how that would jack up the price.

Does anyone have any suggestions to find tours that I could get that would start at DLP? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks...

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[Ware Bears]

These are the tours that will start at DLP http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk/tours/#/paris-tours/ if you wish to visit elsewhere you'll either have to rent a car, head there by public transport (often via Paris) or hire a private tour guide and car. These are some suggestions of places to visit from the official website http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk/tours/#/discover-the-region/ there's a tourist info kiosk just outside the parks, when I called there once the staff were very helpful.

We've visited Provins by taking the public bus from DLP (very easy) and went to Versailles on the train. We were staying in Paris at the time so it was only one train journey for us but it will be easy enough to get the train from DLP into Paris then transfer to the one to Versailles. Just make sure you set off really early so you're one step ahead of the coach loads that arrive there.

 

[sabrecmc]

I recently looked into this some, as we will be at DLRP this June, and it turned out for what we wanted, it is easier and cheaper to take the train into Paris and meet the tour there. Train runs pretty early, so that was just going to be better for the two of us than arranging what was essentially a private tour from DLRP. If I had more people, it might have been worth it, but for 2, it was better to just head to the city to meet up.

 

[psimon]

I recently looked into this some, as we will be at DLRP this June, and it turned out for what we wanted, it is easier and cheaper to take the train into Paris and meet the tour there. Train runs pretty early, so that was just going to be better for the two of us than arranging what was essentially a private tour from DLRP. If I had more people, it might have been worth it, but for 2, it was better to just head to the city to meet up.

What you suggest is what I feared. Take a train to get to a tour. The really silly one is taking a train West to Paris to get to the tour that will go East, past DLP, to get to Reims and the Champagne region. Just feels wrong!

If you have already picked your tour company and tours and have any insight as to the good and bad tours or tour providers it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks...

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[sabrecmc]

What you suggest is what I feared. Take a train to get to a tour. The really silly one is taking a train West to Paris to get to the tour that will go East, past DLP, to get to Reims and the Champagne region. Just feels wrong!

If you have already picked your tour company and tours and have any insight as to the good and bad tours or tour providers it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks...

---Paul in Southern NJ

Paul, I just used Viator to find the tours I wanted and looked at their reviews. Most of the tours had a pretty healthy number of reviews, so I could sort of rule out some. Hopefully, it will work out!

 

[BadPinkTink]

What you suggest is what I feared. Take a train to get to a tour. The really silly one is taking a train West to Paris to get to the tour that will go East, past DLP, to get to Reims and the Champagne region. Just feels wrong!

actually it makes perfect sense. Paris is a central location. You are actually in the minority of Disneyland Paris visitors. Most people who visit Disneyland Paris ONLY visit Disneyland Paris. If they want to visit Paris city or other areas of France, most people do not base themselves at Disneyland Paris, they base in Paris city.

It would not be financially viable for the tour companies to start / end in Disneyland Paris.
1. They would not get enough people staying at Disneyland Paris who want to do the tours
2.The majority of people would not want to travel out to Disneyland Paris to start a tour

Also taking public transport in Europe is no big deal to Europeans. Its a way of life.

 

[psimon]

actually it makes perfect sense. Paris is a central location. You are actually in the minority of Disneyland Paris visitors. Most people who visit Disneyland Paris ONLY visit Disneyland Paris. If they want to visit Paris city or other areas of France, most people do not base themselves at Disneyland Paris, they base in Paris city.

It would not be financially viable for the tour companies to start / end in Disneyland Paris.
1. They would not get enough people staying at Disneyland Paris who want to do the tours
2.The majority of people would not want to travel out to Disneyland Paris to start a tour

Not sure I completely agree. On the DLP site are about a dozen tours, starting at DLP. It's just a not a very complete list of the "big" locations to tour. They could always make them small tours and charge appropriately. It does look like there is an interest from DLP. The companies just have to go after it.

I talked to Viator today and questioned, for example, a tour they had for the champagne region. It is a small tour, for up to 15 people, via minivan/minibus as opposed to their large tours. I pointed out the silliness of going to Paris and then back past DLP to get to the Champagne region. They agreed and suggested they may be able to work things out for the 6 of us starting at DLP, or at least to pick us up at DLP. I'm hoping something like this can be done. Would make our trip so much easier.

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[Ware Bears]

I'm with BadPinkTink, there's just not enough interest. The majority of people only wish to venture to central Paris or Val d'Europe if they want to leave the Disney bubble. When we first started visiting DLP 15 years ago there were a couple of tours offered, one was visiting Vaux-le-Vicomte, another Provins, and I think they used to do one to Versailles too but it can't have been financially viable because they were discontinued.

They agreed and suggested they may be able to work things out for the 6 of us starting at DLP, or at least to pick us up at DLP. I'm hoping something like this can be done. Would make our trip so much easier.

Hopefully they can but if not why not just arrange a private tour with another operator? If there's 6 of you the additional expense will surely be worth it to be able to tailor the tour to your own wishes?

 

[LovesTimone]

We have some friends that used DLP as their base for a 10 night stay last year... When I read this I wanted to talk to them and see what there thought were.

On their last trip there were 4 adults( our friends, their son and daughter in law and 2 kids,(10 & 12) - 4 large and 2 medium checked bags, plus 6 carry-ons - back packs and jackets, scarves, mittens, and hats. He said it was like moving to France instead of vacationing..

Transportation.... overall is what they had the most problems with..... the other was not paying attention to what they were buying in the way of passes, for transportation, museums and sites and not understanding how they all worked.... They just figured that they would wing it and really not plan to much... which did not work in their favor...

They forgot to make reservation with Uber for the ride to the airport, they ended up having to take 2 cars... with all the luggage it was necessary for them to get there. Luckily they started to the airport like 5 hours ahead... and then their plane was late around 20 minutes... changed planes in Boston, which was funny he said they were like ducks all in a row, pulling the carry-ons behind them...Over night flight to CDG.. Arrival was early morning... They used Disney Magical shuttle, they did not realize that they had to pick up the luggage or some luggage was missing and had to find it and take it to the buses...or something along those lines...

One of their rooms was ready which was great... they put all the luggage in the one room and headed into the park.. Newport Bay Compass club rooms

So they bought the Paris pass, which I thinks included transportation, but they bought zone 1 - 3 and they needed zone 1 - 5... on top of that they bought a Transportation pass for zone that 1 - 5 so they doubled up here...

With the Paris Pass they did not realize that it is a consecutive day pass... so they bought a 4 day pass... in which they only benefited for 2 days.. they thought that they could use it any 4 days.... and ended up having to pay for other sites...

On one evening they used Uber, to get back to DLP as their granddaughter was not feeling well... and said that this was the only time he wasn't stressed out on the ride back...

They did a private car and tour to Versailles, which was a small fortune... He said it was the best tour that they had ever been on anywhere... His thought is now that they should have done private car and tours instead of all the running around they did, and money that they spent on all the other stuff could have been used for private tours...

On departure day they missed the scheduled time for the Disney bus and could not wait for the next bus or they were told it was full...they went on the train... he said that he was so stressed out with all the luggage, and being completely over tired.... their granddaughter not feeling good... and not enough "café American" to get his self going..

He said that he felt they could have planned and researched much much better, and just flying by the seat of your pants was not the best option for them.

 

[psimon]

OK... My though process for this...

There are 6 of us and we needed 3 rooms... would have cost a fortune for 3 rooms for a week in Paris. At DLP, was able to get a deal where, for 7 nights, I paid for 4, got 3 free for each room. Plus, included passes for the duration (not that I needed them for that long, but sure added flexibility) for DLP. So I save a bundle for rooms.

As to Private car tours... If anyone has any references or links for where to find reputable private tours I would greatly appreciate it. All I have found so far are the large tours out of Paris.

Many thanks in advance...


---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[LovesTimone]

OK... My though process for this...

There are 6 of us and we needed 3 rooms... would have cost a fortune for 3 rooms for a week in Paris. At DLP, was able to get a deal where, for 7 nights, I paid for 4, got 3 free for each room. Plus, included passes for the duration (not that I needed them for that long, but sure added flexibility) for DLP. So I save a bundle for rooms.

As to Private car tours... If anyone has any references or links for where to find reputable private tours I would greatly appreciate it. All I have found so far are the large tours out of Paris.

Many thanks in advance...


---Paul in Southern NJ

Our friends used Hidden Gems - for Versailles with the tour they were picked up and drop off at the hotel, and was all day tour around 220.00 euro's per person and did not include lunch...

 

[psimon]

Our friends used Hidden Gems - for Versailles with the tour they were picked up and drop off at the hotel, and was all day tour around 220.00 euro's per person and did not include lunch...

They look interesting. I'll check them out. Thanks!

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[Judy from Boise]

We are basing at DLP. One day we will take the train into Paris where I have prebooked vouchers for the hop on/off bus. Another day we booked the Illumination night tour that departs from DLP. I will review both options when we get back.

 

[psimon]

We are basing at DLP. One day we will take the train into Paris where I have prebooked vouchers for the hop on/off bus. Another day we booked the Illumination night tour that departs from DLP. I will review both options when we get back.

I look forward to it. Thanks!

---Paul in Southern NJ