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[pixiedust86]

Hello everyone!!!
It's been a long time since I've posted here! I was hoping to find some help or advice with booking my next DLP trip please?! I've read that if I book by October that there's an offer of two nights free, so I'm trying to get my head around everything by then! I have lots of questions to ask!
Has anyone booked with Magic Breaks? If so, what are the benefits or differences compared with booking via DLP direct?
I want to book to go the end of September 2018, so Eurostar isn't available to book yet- would it be better to book that through DLP or Eurostar? I've read that DLP booking Eurostar often leaves families separated and not a sitting together which I obviously want to avoid (it's just me, my husband and our daughter going, she will be 18 months old). If we do book through Eurostar can we still book Disney express?
We hope to add a premium meal plan half board, it's confusing since the last time we booked back in 2014- breakfast is no longer included? And is only a hot breakfast in some hotels?
To be honest I'm a bit befuddled - I don't know whether to book a cheaper hotel option like the Cheyenne (but that means further away from the parks with a 1 year old, plus basic cold breakfasts) or to pay more for a closer hotel such as sequoia or newport (we don't fancy the New York hotel with a baby, and Disneyland hotel is just too expensive), if we go with sequoia or newport hotel do you recommend upgrading to a compass/golden forest room? Or is it not worth the extra money?
So many questions! I hope you don't mind! You're the experts so I'm hoping to get some help with what to do haha!
Some days I need a wheelchair due to my poor health (back in 2014 I spent the whole trip in a wheelchair) so I'm hoping things are still accommodating in that regard, last time they were all very helpful and friendly.
We also want to add a character meal, maybe a breakfast - does this still happen?
Does anyone have a preference to which Eurostar station to use? We will be driving from Wales so would like to leave our car there for the 5 days. We may even book 6 days IF the trains are direct!
Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated as always!!!
I'm soooo excited to be finally able to share my favourite place on Earth with my husband and now our little girl too! We hope to take her every 2-3 years now, starting next year!
Thanks in advance for any help!
Take care xxx

[DC]

I can only answer some things.

We hope to add a premium meal plan half board, it's confusing since the last time we booked back in 2014- breakfast is no longer included? And is only a hot breakfast in some hotels?

If your booking includes a free meal plan (usually half-board) then you're having a counter service breakfast in the park unless you pay an extra to have breakfast at the hotel and it depends on how busy it is. If your booking doesn't include an offer like this and if you pay for a meal plan, then hotel breakfast is included.

We also want to add a character meal, maybe a breakfast - does this still happen?

Yes. You have breakfast with characters at Plaza Gardens, meals with princesses at Auberge de Cendrillon and characters at Inventions Brunch.
There's a trick to having breakfast with characters cheaper, add the breakfast after getting your meal plan and it's supposed to come at a lower price than just adding it to your booking.

[SJH1979]

Ive booked for April. The price was the same with Magicbreaks. I booked with DLP, and booking over the phone, you only need to pay a deposit to secure the date and price. I was also abel to change the dates later without any additional charges.
When I booked, the Eurostar wasn't available, so am doing this seperately. Do it ASAP though. The cheaper seats only last a few days, and then the closer you get to the travel date, the more expensive it is.
The disney express can be booked through disney seperately. (no matter which route you take. Direct to DLP / or via Gare de Nord).
We stayed at the Newport Bay in Feb. Fantastic now after the refit. NY is yet to have the refit. Access is great from here and worth that little bit more.
We also traveled to Paris and then to DLP. Massive price difference on the travel. Would have been £800 for 6 of us direct from Ebbsfleet, but was £300, including the RER from Paris to DLP. You need to change at Gare de Nord, and then one more change, so need to pack light. Found directions and advice for the changes online very easily. However, not so easy with a wheelchair, lots of level changes at the stations.
Did Breakfast at Cafe Mickey last time. Always did the evening meals before. The breakfast is a buffet. Exactly the same as the hotels. Would do the evening meal again, but may give the breakfast option a miss. However, would be interested in breakfast elsewhere if it gave a different experience.
We have traveled from St.Pancras, Ashford, and Ebbsfleet. Living in the South West, Ebbsfleet is closer. Went from St. Pancras the weekend it opened, so was a bit more magical, but hard to get to. Ashford was ok. Stayed at Premier Inn the night before, so for a £10 donation was able to leave the car in their car park. Not sure if they still do that, but worth asking.

[pixiedust86]

Thanks for the replies everyone!
So, if we pay for the premium half board meal plan it includes hot breakfast and character meals? That's amazing, thank you! Does it include anything from the menus or is it a set menu only? As we are vegetarians we would like to be able to choose anything from the menu rather than have to have a set menu!

Which Eurostar station is better? We will need to pay to park there for the week, we may get a hotel the night before. We definitely will be going direct though as it's too much to manage with a baby and luggage and wheelchair etc.

Does anyone have any advice regarding the club rooms? Are they actually worth paying the extra for?

[polar vixen]

If you book Eurostar direct you can get discounted tickets as a wheelchair user and would be travelling firstclass. We ended up paying 69 per person return. We tracelled from ebbsfleet. Stayed in a travelodge the night before  10.30 train. Parking was easy about 35 pounds for up to 7 days. 

[SJH1979]

We paid for the club room last time. Because it includes breakfast, that part of the meal plan is deducted from the cost of the meal plan. We used our vouchers for the Wild West so only had a small amount to pay to supplement it. Some restaurants will charge a little extra as the meal plan often has a set menu, but you can use that value against anything else.
The Club upgrade also includes a separate lounge with free drinks from morning to 10pm. (soft drinks and hot drinks). ANd cakes in the afternoon. This is also the lounge / restaurant for the breakfast, so a little less busier.
You get a seperate reception (with no queue - ever). And the guy at this reception was amazing. Brought my boys a pin badge each (at 15 euros each) - ok, so he gave us a voucher to get them, but really makes it special for the kids. They were so super helpful with everything, couldn't fault them.

[pixiedust86]

That sounds great!! Thank you for all that advice! I've found you all so helpful! I'm booking the end of this month. I can't wait! The Ebbsflret station sounds good! Plus the hotel nearby too, coupled with the parking is great! Thanks! I think we will probably stay at the Newport Bay Club, I stayed there once yeeears ago before it was renovated. I heard the Cheyenne has been renovated too and they're currently doing the restaurant?
If I book with Disneyland Paris can I call up to add on extras like the meal plan, when they're released? And the Eurostar etc? Disney express?
Just to clarify - if I get the premium half board plan, there's no point paying for a character meal because it's included anyway? Is the breakfast in the hotel or the park?
Thanks again x

[DC]

Just to clarify - if I get the premium half board plan, there's no point paying for a character meal because it's included anyway? Is the breakfast in the hotel or the park?

If you had any other meal plan besides premium you'd have to pay an extra to have character breakfast. With premium you don't pay any extra. And character breakfast is only at Plaza Gardens.
Character meal it depends. At Auberge it's included. Inventions Brunch you pay a little extra.