harry shaw trips to disneyland paris

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How to do Disneyland Paris by coach

A disney love affair.

From the first trip to Disneyland Paris in 2013 I was hooked. I knew it was somewhere I’d want to visit again and again. As we travelled by coach, I wanted to share How to do Disneyland Paris by coach.

Our first trip was a Harry shaw coach trip. F was just 5 at the time and we took my 10 year old cousin with us.

No matter how excited I was to go, I can’t say I wasn’t dreading the journey. F had never traveled in a car for longer than a few hours at a time. There would be no car seat to keep him restrained so to speak and I worried about keeping him entertained for that length of time.

As part of the surprise I’d made the children gift bags. These were in the hope of entertaining them as much as announcing where we were going.

In the bags were the following

Colouring book
Sticker book – The kind you can take the stickers off and on again
Travel board games
Crayons, pencil, pens, rubber and a sharpener
Playing cards
I spy – I wrote these out and the children had to mark off when we saw certain things
Snacks (Oh so important!)
Their DS and plenty of games

It worked an absolute treat as I had zero issues for the whole 12 hours. They sat and played, slept a little and were absolute stars!

Double the party size

For our most recent trip I did much the same but included a Disney journal for them to write in and took ipads with us. I was really worried about this trip because there was 3 children of varying ages.

As there were 3 adults though it worked beautifully as when they started to get a little bored we all just rotated. But in fact what happened was the adults were bored and the children were having a great time.

I know for many, the idea of a 12 hour coach trip would be enough to put you off but I am here to say do not let it.

For us the coach worked out to be a much cheaper option. We’d looked at many different ways to do the journey and booking Disneyland directly but we just couldn’t make it work for us.

As there was 6 of us travelling, this meant a bigger car was needed and it meant 2 rooms for our party. As most rooms in Disney sleep 4, we had an under-occupancy charge. With Harry Shaw this charge was smaller than direct booking.

Pro’s of Coach travel

We didn’t have to worry about how much we packed
Once on the coach we didn’t need to think about our luggage again until we arrived at Disney, unlike if we’d gone on a plane or train.
More room for the children in comparison to a car
We didn’t have to pay for the toll charges
The bus was very comfortable
A shared sense of excitement
Zero stress

Con’s of Coach travel

Being restricted on rest breaks
The journey takes longer than it would if you drove yourself due to speed restrictions.

My top Disney tips

There are so many things I was more prepared for on our latest journey than previous ones. When F and I went alone, I was hugely unprepared, despite having been before.

We’d been blessed with beautiful but very cold weather on our first visit, I foolishly thought that the sun always shone at Disneyland. Oh I was wrong and we paid the price for it!

Having learnt my lesson the hard way, this time I felt much more prepared for this trip. My tips to anyone visiting would be as follows

Be prepared for any weather. We took plenty of layers this time and spare clothes. If the weather is wet, having spare clothes to change in to was essential. It is not pleasant walking around in damp clothes.
With that in mind go for comfort over style. Jeans were a no for us. They are really uncomfortable if you get wet, can be restrictive and too heavy if it is warm.
Take your own water bottles. Drinks at Disney are very expensive and the queues for food places can be huge. There are plenty of water fountains where you can fill up. We also took squash with us as I know F in particular wouldn’t drink water unless he really had to.
Breakfast! If you are staying on site, you get to take advantage of the park’s early opening. This meant we got up early and headed straight off and breakfast on the go allowed us to do this. I took filled croissants which is not something we’d have normally so I knew the children would love them. It meant we could be in the park before it got really busy and could have our breakfast while we queued for rides.
Snacks! (See a theme?) I’d never bothered with snacks before but given the huge amount of walking and the waiting around, a bag full of snacks was essential but also saved us a fortune.
Eating out. We’d covered breakfast but we knew we’d be eating in the parks for lunch and dinner. I’d recommend trying to go for your meals earlier than you might normally because the restaurants will be quieter. If you can, decide where you want to eat and book in advance.
Take full advantage of the Extra Magic hour. Despite the huge number of people who are staying onsite, the EMH is relatively quiet. This is a great time to go to the rides that you really want to go on. We found that there was at least 30-60 minute reduction in the waiting time of the rides we wanted to go on. It is worth deciding before you arrive which rides are a priority for you all so you don’t waste time on the day. Thanks to EMH we got this shot

Check before you arrive on the rides that are closed for maintenance, this does save on disappointment.
Make sure you’re aware of the parade times. For me these are as important a part of the Disney experience as the rides.
Get there early for the evening parade so you get a front row seat. This was where some of our best character interaction came from.

If character meets is your thing, I suggest downloading the Lineberty app. This allows you to book a timed meet with some of the main characters, particularly Mickey, Minnie and the Toy story characters. You have to keep a constant eye on the app for new ticket releases but it can save you a huge amount of waiting time.

If you are there for 3 or more days, I would recommend making time to go back to your room for a rest. In the spring/summer months the park is open till late and if you are keen to do the Illuminations at night, this can make for a very late night after an already long and tiring day.
Take a charging pack. You will probably find yourself photographing every single thing, over and over again. The last thing you want is a dead battery half way through the day.
Take a pushchair for the smaller legs in your party. E is 5 but I knew that she’d struggle to keep up with us. We were walking around 10-12 miles a day and that is a huge ask. In reality she hardly used it, but it was great for holding bags and when she did need it, it was a god send. TOP PUSHCHAIR TIP – Take a bike lock. For rides etc there are plenty of pushchair parks to leave them but I have heard of many people having theirs taken. We locked ours up and had no issues at all.
Don’t assume you can buy forgotten items at Disney. We struggled to get hold of the basics. Medicine’s and toiletries were not easy to find.
Whenever you see a bathroom, make use of it! We found that they got really busy at lunchtimes, before or after parades and around mid-morning and mid-afternoon. We stopped at almost every point because it saved the ‘I need a wee’ request 20 minutes in to a ride queue.
Take a basic first aid kit with wipes, plasters, blister plasters and pain relief. I didn’t need it on the last trip but the one before I caught my finger while in a queue and had to use my cardigan to stop the bleeding.
If you have the time, I would shop around a little for souvenirs. Some of the shops, although identical can vary in price from the parks to the shops just outside. You could end up getting a lot more for your money if you do.

The most important bit though is to enjoy yourself. Take pictures of every moment because you won’t want to forget it but also make sure you see it with your eyes and not just through a lens. Embrace it as much as your children will because your inner child has to come out at Disney!

That’s How to do Disneyland Paris by coach. If you’ve done Disney right, Your children will sleep for most of the journey back and you for that matter!

Have you ever done Disney by coach? Do you have any top tips to share?

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A fun family day out at kenilworth castle.

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56 comments.

We really wanted to take our daughter away for her birthday to Disneyland Paris but we didn’t leave enough time to organise it. However next year I think we would consider coaching it! As long as we had enough distractions of course.

It’s all about the distraction. I honestly thought it would be a nightmare but they were brilliant x

Great advice and recommendations. I never pack jeans for the same reason. I think coach travel can be great and people should think about it as an option more often.

I have been looking at more trips since then, It really does make it easier x

Such a great post! Dying to get to Disneyland Paris, though not sure if I could stomach a 12 hour coach ride lol! I commend you on that alone! Love all of your tips – definitely going to keep them in mind xx

If you nail the children’s entertainment…. Just think of all the sleep you can get!

I have always wanted to visit Paris Disney, now this just wants me to go now more than ever.

oh go!! You’ll love it!

Sounds like a super family trip!!!

We had the best time x

Great tips, I’m a snack taker too! I’m also a massive Disney fan. We’ve driven to Disneyland Paris by car before but have opted for the direct Eurostar on our recent visits. The coach not really being an option with my wheelchair. Last summer was most recent trip and I’ve written a three part blog post about it if you’re interested!

Oh yes, I love a Disney blog! I’ll check those out x

I’m sure coach ride makes it all easy!

It is so much easier, No worrying about overpacking or the suitcases and pushchairs etc, It was great x

Love reading about your adventures! We have been to Disneyland Paris twice, years ago, once with a 4 year old, 2 year old, and me 7 months pregnant, and then again just over a year later with a 5 year old, 3 year old, and one year old. The second visit was at Christmas, and it was beautiful. And you are absolutely right about the weather; the first trip it rained all week and the second one we needed winter coats. We actually live within a few hours of Disneyland, CA now, and it’s fun to note all the differences and similarities. I love that they now have timed meet and greets with some characters. That’s what we all love best! Thanks for sharing your story and tips.

I bet Christmas is amazing! It’s definitely on my bucket list to do. I bet 7 months pregnant was hard going! The meet and greets make the whole Disney thing so real 💕

What a great idea! I would never have considered getting a coach but for the money saved it is well worth it. Great idea with the gift bags too.

Thank you Mandi, it saved us about £800

I adored reading this, such good tips and advice. I will use these when I can persuade hubby to take me x

Tell him Claire on the internet says he MUST take you!

I will do xx

Taking a coach is a fab idea!

It was so much easier x

Oh this is really interesting as we’ve been debating the best way to go there. I like the idea of a coach holiday but then with four kids Im not sure we would survive it!

Hmmm maybe not when you’re outnumbered! That’s why we took my Dad x

Great tips! We love Disneyland in California, and I would love to visit in Paris one day too! I would also dread that coach ride, but it sounds like a great way to get there!

Wow, I’ve been reading so many Disneyland posts recently, sounds like a lot of people seem to go there regularly. I’m not sure my kids know enough Disney to make it worth while.

Incredible tips, I have not thought about taking a coach to Disneyland but that is definitely an option as out little man would love it.

I just felt that we could really enjoy the journey and experience with them rather than being too busy with the driving x

These are really great tops. This could help me in planning a trip to Disneyland Paris.

I’m glad to hear it could help x x

We love Disneyland paris. Never travelled by coach though.

It just made it so much easier for us x

Disneyland Paris is one of my bucket lists and this post can be very helpful especially when planning a trip there.

There is so much to do, organisation is definitely the way forward x

I love your unique angle on the typical Disney trip post! We haven’t been to Paris yet, but it is on our bucket list!

I can’t recommend enough x

Love this! And the great advice about it. I’ll be adding this trip to the family bucket list. Thanks!

Have an amazing time!

Wow 12 hours…that IS a long time but I’m guessing totally worth it. Some really good survival tips here!

It’s honestly about 10 minutes too long, but that’s only because you know it’s just around the corner and the excitement kicks in x

This is a great idea. Going by coach is so much cheaper too and I guess when you are in a group you don’t mind. Sounds like you have an epic time and the kids seem pleased.

I think being a group made it a lot easier. We had such a great time x

What a great idea to go by coach! We have driven before and I am also addicted to Disneyland! I love your idea about the gift bags for the kids too. Also thanks for the Disney tips, very helpful for our next visit. 😊

The kids love the bags so much, I think it almost over took the surprise of going to Disneyland!

Taking a coach sounds like a great idea! I loved coach travelling when I was young!

It made it very stress free x

I’ve travelled to Disneyland Paris with Harry Shaw around 10 times now, though our last trip with them was awful and they didn’t treat us well. Unfortunately I don’t think we’ll be going back with them due to this which is a shame because the price is incomparable and it really is stress free (if not a little tiring). Looks like you had a great time! I haven’t got another DLP trip planned yet but we are going back to Orlando next year.

Oh I am sorry to hear that, You’re right it is very tiring but I love the lack of stress. I would love to go to Orlando x

I love this idea, I actually think I’d it far less stressful than driving and it would mean both my husband and I could entertain the kids rather than just me as he drives!

It definitely shares the load x

I love Disneyland Paris and we have done it by car and by train……I am not sure about coach travel with kids, but would consider it

I have to admit I have never even considered travelling by coach. You give some really great reasons to consider it though. Although I’m not sure I’d ever get my husband on board … excuse the pun! lol

What amazing tips – you really know your stuff! And you’ve even made a 12 hour coach journey with kids sound bearable!

It is definitely better than i expected it to be!

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Suggested Tour Itinerary:

Day 1 Depart by coach during the early morning and travel to the south making an appropriate comfort stop en-route to Dover, arriving in time to board an early afternoon ferry to Calais. From here, we continue our journey to Disneyland® Paris. On arrival we chek in to Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe, where accommodation is reserved for 3 nights on a room only basis.

Day 2 Today we have included a Hopper Ticket, enabling you to visit Disneyland® Park and Walt Disney Studios® Park. During the early evening we depart by coach from Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe for our specially included ‘Paris by night tour’.

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Day 4 Check-out of the hotel and leave Disneyland® Paris and commence our return journey to Calais. Time permitting, a stop will be made at a local hypermarket before boarding a mid afternoon ferry back to Dover. From Dover the coach will return to your local area, arriving during the mid/late evening.