Transportation

[Tinkerbell19672]

I’m in the midst of planning a European trip this summer and fitting in 2 days at Disneyland. As of now, looks like we will fly into CDG before heading to the parks. Is it easiest to take the train, shuttle or a different way? We’re staying at DL Hotel. Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

The train is the fastest, but the schedule may not align with your flight arrival and the tickets are not transferable, so if you miss the train you booked, you need to buy another ticket. You will need to walk from the train station with your luggage to Disneyland Hotel, which depending on the amount of luggage and the ability of the party members to haul their own luggage up escalators and through the security check point and then walk to the hotel may not be the best option.

The shuttle bus Magic Shuttle and a private car service pick up will both have the same approx travel time, approx 1 hour as they will take the same route. Both will drop off and pick up at the hotel, so no need to haul your own luggage.

Magic Shuttle pay in advance per person, and get on the next available bus, so it does not matter if your flight is delayed. The departure point at CDG is in the corridor which connects Terminal 2E and 2F at arrivals level, so depending on your arrivals terminal you may have to walk through the airport to get to the departure point.

Private car hire service driver will meet you at arrivals.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

The train is the fastest, but the schedule may not align with your flight arrival and the tickets are not transferable, so if you miss the train you booked, you need to buy another ticket. You will need to walk from the train station with your luggage to Disneyland Hotel, which depending on the amount of luggage and the ability of the party members to haul their own luggage up escalators and through the security check point and then walk to the hotel may not be the best option.

The shuttle bus Magic Shuttle and a private car service pick up will both have the same approx travel time, approx 1 hour as they will take the same route. Both will drop off and pick up at the hotel, so no need to haul your own luggage.

Magic Shuttle pay in advance per person, and get on the next available bus, so it does not matter if your flight is delayed. The departure point at CDG is in the corridor which connects Terminal 2E and 2F at arrivals level, so depending on your arrivals terminal you may have to walk through the airport to get to the departure point.

Private car hire service driver will meet you at arrivals.

Thanks so much. How far is the walk from train drop off to DLH? Do you think it’s less of a walk to get the shuttle at the airport compared to the train? With the shuttle, do you leave at a set time or do they leave when they get enough travelers, curious if it involves a lot waiting around. Private car service sounds nice but I’m assuming it’s expensive I’ll have to research it.

 

[zavandor]

How many in your travel party? Not sure a private transfer is that much more expensive for 4 or 5 people.
Especially the train. You can get a cheap TGV ticket if you book well in advance, but from the airport you cannot really rely on it given flights or baggage can be delayed. You either risk to lose it or book a later one and then you wait at the station. Last minute TGV tickets, bought after you land, are very expensive. The shuttle could be a good compromise, but then you have to wait its scheduled departure time. It's worth investigating the costs of the private transfer.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

How far is the walk from train drop off to DLH?

From when you get off the train to th check in desk at Disneyland Hotel it would be about 15 minutes. The issue for first timers from America is not the distance, its the various aspects.

1. Hauling the people and luggage off the train, up an escalator and across to the Disneyland security and bag check.
2. Disneyland Hotel is inside the main Disney security zone, so you will have to put your bags through the scanners. And like all Disney security checks, depending on the time of day, you could be waiting in line, as its the same security check for people just going to the park.
3. Then after security you have to walk to the hotel.

Do you think it’s less of a walk to get the shuttle at the airport compared to the train?

1. That depends on which terminal at CDG you land at. The last time I went to Disneyland Paris, our flight landed at terminal 2E and the shuttle bus pick up was a very short walk, as it is right beside the arrivals area.
2. Also in the airport, its much easier to haul the luggage as its all inside , on smooth floors and you can use the luggage trolleys if you need to.

With the shuttle, do you leave at a set time or do they leave when they get enough travelers, curious if it involves a lot waiting around.

The shuttle bus departures are scheduled every 30 minutes, so theres not that much waiting around. They leave on time, so even if the bus is not full , they will leave. This is the bus website Magic Shuttle

Private car service sounds nice but I’m assuming it’s expensive I’ll have to research it.

It depends. I have never used a private car service from CDG but theres a few companies that people suggest.

 

[steve_rob]

The breakeven for private car service versus the Magic Shuttle is essentially at 3 people (70 vs 72 euros). Plus the car service is slightly quicker for the Disneyland Hotel, as that's the last stop on the Magic Shuttle route, whereas the car will go straight there.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

From when you get off the train to th check in desk at Disneyland Hotel it would be about 15 minutes. The issue for first timers from America is not the distance, its the various aspects.

1. Hauling the people and luggage off the train, up an escalator and across to the Disneyland security and bag check.
2. Disneyland Hotel is inside the main Disney security zone, so you will have to put your bags through the scanners. And like all Disney security checks, depending on the time of day, you could be waiting in line, as its the same security check for people just going to the park.
3. Then after security you have to walk to the hotel.

1. That depends on which terminal at CDG you land at. The last time I went to Disneyland Paris, our flight landed at terminal 2E and the shuttle bus pick up was a very short walk, as it is right beside the arrivals area.
2. Also in the airport, its much easier to haul the luggage as its all inside , on smooth floors and you can use the luggage trolleys if you need to.

The shuttle bus departures are scheduled every 30 minutes, so theres not that much waiting around. They leave on time, so even if the bus is not full , they will leave. This is the bus website Magic Shuttle

It depends. I have never used a private car service from CDG but theres a few companies that people suggest.

Thanks so much, very helpful! Sounds like the train may be a bit of a hassle. Do shuttle reservations usually sell out? Wondering how far ahead we would have to reserve

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

The breakeven for private car service versus the Magic Shuttle is essentially at 3 people (70 vs 72 euros). Plus the car service is slightly quicker for the Disneyland Hotel, as that's the last stop on the Magic Shuttle route, whereas the car will go straight there.

There’s only 2 of us so thanks for that tip. And good to know about DLH being the last drop off. Bummer.

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

I’m in the midst of planning a European trip this summer and fitting in 2 days at Disneyland. As of now, looks like we will fly into CDG before heading to the parks. Is it easiest to take the train, shuttle or a different way? We’re staying at DL Hotel. Thanks so much for your help.

From when you get off the train to th check in desk at Disneyland Hotel it would be about 15 minutes. The issue for first timers from America is not the distance, its the various aspects.

1. Hauling the people and luggage off the train, up an escalator and across to the Disneyland security and bag check.
2. Disneyland Hotel is inside the main Disney security zone, so you will have to put your bags through the scanners. And like all Disney security checks, depending on the time of day, you could be waiting in line, as its the same security check for people just going to the park.
3. Then after security you have to walk to the hotel.

We took a private card from CDG to Disney Hotel. Unfortunately, the driver dropped us off outside of the train station and not outside of the hotel (which I assume can be done?). Going through Disney security to simply get to the hotel is very chaotic. We were the only people with luggage and they literally made each of us open our suitcases and they riffled through them. My husband had a small Swiss Army pocket knife in his suitcase that I'd bought him in Switzerland, and they wanted to confiscate it. They made him promise that he'd drop it off at baggage hold along with our suitcases, and we had a security guard walk us over there and instruct the hotel that my husband was carrying a Swiss Army knife. It was not what we expected to happen at 9am after a 9 hour flight. I'm not saying this will be YOUR experience (I can't imagine this happens to everyone), but it just was not the way to start our 3 week European vacation.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Thanks so much, very helpful! Sounds like the train may be a bit of a hassle. Do shuttle reservations usually sell out? Wondering how far ahead we would have to reserve

No, the shuttle reservations don't sell out. They just put you on the next available bus.

In 2016 I had booked for the 10.30am bus, but I got there in time for the 10am bus, which had space, so they put me on that bus.

I usually book the shuttle about 2 or 3 months in advance.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

We took a private card from CDG to Disney Hotel. Unfortunately, the driver dropped us off outside of the train station and not outside of the hotel (which I assume can be done?).

Yes of course it can be done, but its not obvious. Disneyland Hotel has a car park for hotel guests but the turn off for the hotel is slightly hidden and has a security barrier, very likely to deter park guests from using it.

The driver took the first exit off the round about before the train station, which is the road to the train station, instead of taking the second exit which is the road to Disneyland Hotel.

Going through Disney security to simply get to the hotel is very chaotic. We were the only people with luggage and they literally made each of us open our suitcases and they riffled through them. My husband had a small Swiss Army pocket knife in his suitcase that I'd bought him in Switzerland, and they wanted to confiscate it. They made him promise that he'd drop it off at baggage hold along with our suitcases, and we had a security guard walk us over there and instruct the hotel that my husband was carrying a Swiss Army knife. It was not what we expected to happen at 9am after a 9 hour flight. I'm not saying this will be YOUR experience (I can't imagine this happens to everyone), but it just was not the way to start our 3 week European vacation.

Unfortunately, this experience is not unexpected to me. At Disneyland Paris, the security checks are very serious and everyone has to have their luggage scanned when entering the security zone. We stayed at Santa Fe Hotel in October 2023 and we had to have our bags go through the scanner before we could go to the check in desk.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

Thinking about the discussion of bags checks…if taking the shuttle or private transportation, bag check is bypassed and luggage isn’t gone through at all?

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Thinking about the discussion of bags checks…if taking the shuttle or private transportation, bag check is bypassed and luggage isn’t gone through at all?

No, the shuttle bus or private car service will pull up in front of the hotel, and there is a bag check at the hotel entrance before you enter the building. All of the Disneyland Hotels have a bag scanner at the front entrance.

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

Thinking about the discussion of bags checks…if taking the shuttle or private transportation, bag check is bypassed and luggage isn’t gone through at all?

We had hired a town car (private transportation).

We weren't dropped off in front of the hotel though unfortunately - we were dropped off outside of the train station. So we didn't go through the hotel's bag check, we went through the main security line for DLP (not another single person with suitcases was in those lines) then were escorted down the long walkway and into DLH by a security guard because of the small Swiss Army knife. I understand why, but they open up and did rifle through all three of our large suitcases at the main security line.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

We had hired a town car (private transportation).

We weren't dropped off in front of the hotel though unfortunately - we were dropped off outside of the train station. So we didn't go through the hotel's bag check, we went through the main security line for DLP (not another single person with suitcases was in those lines) then were escorted down the long walkway and into DLH by a security guard because of the small Swiss Army knife. I understand why, but they open up and did rifle through all three of our large suitcases at the main security line.

Ugh. Wonder how often that mistake happens

 

[zavandor]

We had hired a town car (private transportation).

We weren't dropped off in front of the hotel though unfortunately - we were dropped off outside of the train station. So we didn't go through the hotel's bag check, we went through the main security line for DLP (not another single person with suitcases was in those lines) then were escorted down the long walkway and into DLH by a security guard because of the small Swiss Army knife. I understand why, but they open up and did rifle through all three of our large suitcases at the main security line.

Something similar happened to me, I forgot I has a pocket knife in my bag and went through airport security
I'm glad they are very strict about this. I understand it has been annoying for you to start the vacation this way, but it's for everyone safety. You didn't have any bad intentions of course, but they have procedures to follow and when someone is found with a knife they have to take it seriously.

 

[steve_rob]

Ugh. Wonder how often that mistake happens

I would hope not very often. We've taken a private hire at least five times to the Disneyland Hotel and they've always gone to the hotel front entrance. However, we know where it is so if our driver had gone the wrong way, we'd soon have told him!

In fact the last time we were there, the security guard on the gate and our driver had a good chat - he had dropped off guests so often that they knew each other by name and wanted to catch up!