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[RefusingToGrowUp]

 Hiya! So I'm going away June 29th to July 3rd this year with friends, and to cut down on Eurostar costs, we stop at Gare du Nord, and we're going to Metro it to Marne-la-Vallée. I know roughly how to do it - head to Chatelet Les Halles and then change and head straight to the parks - but was just wondering if anyone has done something similar, or just has more experience with the Metro than I do (a few trips on it a few years go is all I have!) and has any tips? Also, how far in advance it's possible to know about strikes that might be happening? We're thinking worst ways, we can ask in the hotel on the morning we leave, and then plan around that if the need be. I'm super excited to be going, but even the London Underground baffles me sometimes - do you guys have any advice?   

[caspdex]

Just be sure you get on the RER A line going to Marne La Vallee, the line splits before it gets to Disney.

[RefusingToGrowUp]

Just be sure you get on the RER A line going to Marne La Vallee, the line splits before it gets to Disney.

Oh thank you!! I had no idea, you've probably just saved a whole lot of fretting xD

[Sugaroo_]

Hi there RefusingToGrowUp. We had the same intinerary as you back in 2012. Finding the correct RER line was easy, pretty straight forward. Have a RER map with you in case you need to double check your route. The only reason I wouldn't do it again is the lack of escalators. Gare du Nord of course has escalators, the connecting stops don't. We were lugging our suitcases around, up and down stairs and the stations are quite busy and crowded. If we were more familiar with the stations we could have used the elevators but it was easier to stick to the paths with the signs. Other than that, we had no problems finding it, it was just tiresome.

[justlikewedreamedit-xo]

Hi! We did this journey back in December, and it was fairly straight forward.

When you get off the Eurostar, you have to go down a flight of stairs/escalator to buy your tickets. This can be done at a manned booth or at a self service machine; the machine gives different language options, which is great.

I would plan the route before you go and write it down, just for reassurance. There were plenty of signs for parc disneyland when we were navigating around the metro.

What time are you travelling at? We came back on a weekday at rush hour so we had to queue for quite a while at chessy station to buy our tickets to leave, which majorly stressed me out! So I would probably say buy your tickets the morning you leave, when you are on your way to the parks, just to save time and stress.

Have a magical trip

[HildeKitten]

I've done it once back in 2005 and my best friend did it in 2008, which is admittedly both a while ago, but I have friends that do it ALL the time from various places in Paris, so there's really no reason to fret

The Parisian metro is often dirty and rickety (and overpriced) but it's really quite practical and safe
(even when it seems massively rickety)

My advice, however, would be, if it's at all possible to get LOTS of euro coins. Because if you have coins, you can get your ticket out of the machines, and that cuts down the queue to buy tickets massively.
Also: in my experience the ticket booth is always manned by some rude French jerk who refuses to properly communicate with foreigners, even when they speak French (I may just have been massively unlucky, but it's the reason why I make sure to have a roll of € 2 on me when I go to Paris, just so I can use the ticket dispensers and not have to deal with the people manning the ticket counters).

[RefusingToGrowUp]

Ah thank you everyone!

Sugarzd - thank you for the warning! We'll probably stick to using signs too, so I'll mention to the others about maybe using rucksacks over suitcases, they might be easier to carry around the station over a suitcase?

Justlikewedreamedit-xo - That's a brilliant plan, we'll probably end up buying them in the morning, one of us could nip down and get it while we're in the park or something - we come back on a Friday afternoon, so I'd guess it'll be pretty busy!

Hildekitten - I know what you mean, sometimes you get people who don't even try to speak French with you! Thank you again for the tips, I finally have a use for all those Euros I have lying around hahaha

Thank you all again, knowing other people have done this means I'm not as worried that it's a risky idea haha!

[HildeKitten]

You're welcome, good luck!
It's always good to be able to get rid of foreign coins

[justlikewedreamedit-xo]

Ah thank you everyone!

Sugarzd - thank you for the warning! We'll probably stick to using signs too, so I'll mention to the others about maybe using rucksacks over suitcases, they might be easier to carry around the station over a suitcase?

Justlikewedreamedit-xo - That's a brilliant plan, we'll probably end up buying them in the morning, one of us could nip down and get it while we're in the park or something - we come back on a Friday afternoon, so I'd guess it'll be pretty busy!

Hildekitten - I know what you mean, sometimes you get people who don't even try to speak French with you! Thank you again for the tips, I finally have a use for all those Euros I have lying around hahaha

Thank you all again, knowing other people have done this means I'm not as worried that it's a risky idea haha!

We also travelled back on a Friday, so I would definitely buy them early! I found travelling this route also meant that on our day of arrival check in was really quiet at our hotel, I would travel this way again! I am sure it will go smoothly for you

[Sugaroo_]

Sugarzd - thank you for the warning! We'll probably stick to using signs too, so I'll mention to the others about maybe using rucksacks over suitcases, they might be easier to carry around the station over a suitcase?

You are very welcome! It's totally easy and not risky at all so don't worry! If you can do rucksacks that would be great, but don't limit yourselves. It's doable with suitcases, you'll just need a little elbow grease!