Ever since I was 9 years old, when my parents took my brother and me on our dream holiday to Disneyland Paris (formerly known as Eurodisney), I’ve been dreaming of going back there one day. Unfortunately, Disneyland isn’t exactly known as a budget getaway and so it took me 20 years to finally return to this magic place. And best of all it was right in time for the 20th anniversary celebrations!

Both my boyfriend and I were still students when we decided to visit so it was clear from the start that we had to come up with some ways to keep this trip as cheap as possible without compromising on the fun.

The beautiful Disney castle, it's pink!

The beautiful Disney castle, it’s pink!

 

If you stick to a few rules and keep your eyes open for some bargains then it’s possible to get the whole experience without breaking the bank.

Here are some money saving tips:

It’s all about the timing

Disneyland Paris, as well as the two US parks (in California and Florida), offer various different discounts throughout the year. The single most important decision is when to visit the park. Prices will obviously peak during school holidays and at the weekends so avoiding these busy times will help you save. Surprisingly, you can find great bargains at times which one would expect to be very expensive, like during the summer months, right before Christmas and after Halloween.

We went during the week at the end of April 2012 and got a whopping 50% discount for hotel and park tickets! Avoiding the weekends is not only much cheaper but you also won’t have to queue for a long time as the park is much emptier during the week.

We paid £220 per person for 2 nights and 3 full days in both Disney parks, bargain!

 Which hotel to pick?

When deciding if you should stay at one of the Disney hotels or a neighbourhood hotel it’s important to think about all the costs involved. Many of the neighbourhood hotels are cheaper, but by staying in one of the Disney hotels you will save money on transport costs to the parks every day (they are within walking distance and also offer free shuttle service) and get two extra hours in the mornings when the parks are open exclusively for Disney hotel guests.

The Newport Bay Hotel was the perfect choice for us, right next to the park and much cheaper than the most popular Disneyland hotel, it was within easy walking distance and breakfast was included. It also had a pool, gym and every morning you could have your picture taken with Disney characters!

The view from our hotel

The view from our hotel

How to get there?

We traveled from London and, as we don’t own a car, the decision had to be made between flying and taking the Eurostar. Direct return flights to Paris can be found for less than £100 on budget airlines like Easyjet, but remember to add the price of luggage (if you want to check a suitcase) and airport transfer which can quickly add up and significantly increase the price of the cheap ticket.

The Eurostar train goes from London St. Pancras directly to Paris in just over two hours, but you can also change in Lille and then go straight to Disneyland without having to travel through Paris. Always check ticket prices in advance as they can fluctuate hugely. We got a bargain offer of £99 per person for a return train to Disneyland and it was an adventure itself travelling through the channel tunnel.

Food & Drink

Now, when I think of theme park food, overpriced fast food, sweets and sugary soft drinks come to mind. And of course all of these can be found in Disneyland Paris. But remember this is France and delicious French cuisine will tempt you on every corner of the park. As self-proclaimed foodies, avoiding all the treats in order to stay on budget was the hardest part, so we had to plan ahead.

We brought a packed breakfast to eat on the Eurostar and I prepared sandwiches filled with delicious salami, cheeses and olives which we took into the park for lunch. In addition, we packed dried fruit, nuts and cereal bars to keep us going throughout the day and reusable water bottles that we refilled at water fountains in the park. That way the only meals we had to buy in the park were dinners, and for those we treated ourselves. We had a delicious seafood feast at the Blue Lagoon restaurant, located inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, where we watched people getting splashed in the ride while eating the best crème brulee ever (€33 per person for 3 courses). For our other two lunches we decided to keep it cheap by eating pasta at the Pizzeria Bella Notte and a good old Big Mac meal at McDonald’s in Disney Village. On the second evening we tried one of the middle-priced all-you-can-eat buffets at Plaza Gardens restaurant on Main Street (€22 per person). They offered a large variety of international dishes and we even got to try some escargots (yep, those are snails) which were fantastic.

McDonald's in Disney Village is a budget friendly option

McDonald’s in Disney Village is a budget friendly option

In general there is a huge range of restaurants in all price classes to choose from so you will definitely find something tasty and affordable.

 Souvenirs

Souvenirs can be the most dangerous budget busters out there, so you have to be strong-willed not to break the bank. Before you arrive set yourself a budget and stick to it! There are shops every few metres so stay clear of them if, like me, you are a total sucker for souvenirs! There are also lots of free trinkets you can collect to take home and stick in a scrap book, think napkins, maps, stickers etc. Throughout the park you can meet Disney characters who will pose for a photo with you and even sign your autograph book! What could be a better memory of your time in the Magic Kingdom than a photo with Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh or Captain Jack Sparrow (I got them all)!

Jenny hugging Winnie the Pooh at Disneyland Paris

Evening entertainment

If you aren’t too tired after a full day in the park and still haven’t got enough of the magic then you can visit one of the dinner shows or bars. The most popular one is probably Buffalo Bills Wild West Show in Disney Village. At a price of £51-62 per person for the dinner and show it’s not exactly student friendly so we decided to skip it this time. But as it was the 20th anniversary we were lucky enough to experience the daily light show, Disney Dreams, which was absolutely spectacular; so good in fact that we came back again the next night. After running around the park for over 14 hours you might not have enough energy for more evening fun anyway, so head back to the hotel and save some energy for the next day of fun.

All in all, with a little bit of advance planning, everybody can enjoy Disneyland Paris, even if you are a student or a backpacker on a tight budget!

Have you ever been to Disneyland? How did you save money?

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