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[Ohana]

Hi all! I'm back from a brief hiatus and I am planning a spontaneous disney trip for my week off in April! After seeing the periscope of the opening ceremonies of the 25th I am beyond desperate to go back. I am trying to persuade my partner that we can stay off site and fly at a low cost, and that we could get the classic annual passport.

I was planning 5th-7th April which aren't weekend days so we're not blocked out on those days, I'm just wondering how easy it is to buy one? Can we just buy them from bureau de donald on the day we arrive, or do we need to buy a one day ticket each prior to arriving to enter the park and buy our passes then?  And if we did that do we get the price of our ticket deducted from the passes?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[dencarter]

You're right that there are some very good cheap places to stay off site. I usually use Airbnb on an apartment in Serris and pay no more than £25 per person per night, but that's usually based on four of us sharing a 2-bed apartment. I can send you details if you wish.

As for the Classic annual pass, it's only on sale for the next two days, so you'd need to hurry! The current range of passports get replaced by the new ones on 29 March. If you do want to buy a Classic and stay at DLP for more than a single day you must do it straight away as they're not valid for the two days after purchase. So buying them in the parks isn't an option for you. You can call them before the close of business on the 28th to buy a Classic pass, although you'd have to cross your fingers and hope they'd arrive s in time for your 5th April visit.

Among the new passes, the cheapest option (Discovery) is €139 but wouldn't work for you as the whole of April is blocked out. The next one up (Magic Flex) is €189 and 5-7 April would work for you.

I'm not sure if there are restrictions on use the days immediately after purchase is allowed with the new passes, but another poster may be more clued up?

[Ohana]

Wow thanks for your fast response I had no idea! Oh snap why must all good things come to an end haha
So I'd have to have it posted, couldn't I collect it on arrival?

Thanks for the heads up on airbnb too , I'll have a look. I've booked an air bnb for Boston later in the year so I'm familiar with it all

[upinthesky]

Hi,

I just bought my annual pass at the main gate. They give you a temporary ticket to get into the park so you can visit the Passport office (near Discoveryland) to get the full annual pass issued.

May I just comment (and possibly correct) something poster dencarter said. My understanding is that the two days the Classic pass won't work are the two days after the pass is ISSUED, not purchased. So even if you purchase your voucher and have it posted to you before your visit you would still only be able to enter the park on your first day - because that will be the day the pass is actually ISSUED and it wouldn't be valid for the next two days. Your only option would be to buy tickets for the first two days of your trip (5th and 6th) and then get your annual pass issued on the 7th. The invalid days would therefore be the 8th and 9th - which is obviously no problem. That said, if you're having to buy two separate day tickets you probably may as well just buy the next pass up - the Fantasy pass. That's what I did.

I hope I've explained that clearly. It is a little confusing but I can understand why Disneyland Paris impose the restriction.

I hope I'm giving you good information. If i'm wrong about this I will stand corrected but I did quite a lot of fact-finding on this subject fairly recently as I bought an annual pass less than a month ago.

Regarding accommodation I have stayed at the hi park many times. It's cheap and comfortable and an easy walk from the park. Its a studio with kitchenette so you can prepare your own snacks etc if you wish. Just don't jump onto the beds! They are sofa beds and the mattress is a little thin. That said they are perfectly comfortable.

Travel Republic has always been quite a bit cheaper than booking dot com They also do great prices on park tickets. If you're buying park tickets from them though don't leave the call till late in the day as for some reason they cannot process park ticket purchases after mid-afternoon.

[ZINDERELLA]

The above info is true of the VOUCHERS you buy and exchange in the parc for real passes. If you search the AP thread you will read of people having fully issued passes sent to them in the post. The blackout days are used up by the time the post arrives, this is why the OP says there may not be time for this process before your proposed dates.

[upinthesky]

That's interesting Zinderella. I didn't realise getting a fully issued pass by post was possible. Are you sure that's the case for the Classic pass? After all, as I understand it, the reason for imposing the 2nd/3rd day restriction is to stop people buying an AP for one visit because it is cheaper than 3+ days worth of park tickets.

Also how do you get your photo on the pass if you've not visited the annual pass office?

[Buzzs'Gang]

I have just received my classic passes in the post this morning. When I rang to buy them last week it was explained that the temporary pass needs to be exchanged in the Annual Passport Office on the first day ( photos are taken and added at the time of exchange). The drawback with the Classic pass is that it cannot be used in the 2 days after the temporary pass has been exchanged for a full pass, they are, as she explained normally sold in the French market where a 2 day blackout is not normally a problem for local residents. As I am only visiting for one day in April and not returning until August for a week long visit his isn't a problem for me. Great buy as well as the sterling price was £102. I believe the Fantasy pass which doesn't have e 2 day blackout is currently £136 but sadly these will go off sale very soon and be replaced with the new passes.
Cant wait!