Un rapport de restauration rapide - DLP November 2021 - COMPLETE

[Claudette]

Disclaimer: My French is not up to scratch but hopefully the title conveys that a quick dining report is coming up! A Disneyland Paris one that is.

I don’t know if people are still reading in this forum but here goes ….


I have put off starting this report as I can barely believe that after more than two years we are going to be on holiday again. Hopefully. I still can’t bring myself to remove the “hopefully” in my signature. But the cats and dogs are off to kennels today, the flight hasn’t been cancelled yet and we extracted two suitcases from the loft yesterday .. so maybe this is really happening.

Like many we have had quite a few cancelled trips over the last eighteen months, including two solo consolation trips that I had optimistically booked to Disneyland Paris. This summer, with no sign of the US opening up, I decided upon a third attempt at Disneyland Paris. It won’t be a solo trip though as I will be accompanied by husband Nev* (*an alias in honour of a favourite Harry Potter character). Both DLP novices, it is my first trip since I was previously there in September 2002, whilst Nev will be a first time visitor.

We are staying at the Sofitel tomorrow night, flying very early Monday morning and return home the following Saturday. Flights were secured with BA avios (and a companion voucher that was going to expire in November) and we will reside at the Disney’s Hotel New York - Art of Marvel for five nights.

Dining plans are available for onsite guests to purchase and this is something I debated with myself and sometimes Nev, for quite a while. The half board dining plan costs just over £50 per person per day and provides breakfast in the hotel plus either lunch or dinner which can be taken in one of about sixteen restaurants. The eligible restaurants are in the hotels, the parks or in Disney Village, not all of the restaurants are included in the plan, particularly Disney Village based ones.

After perusing the menus, there seems little doubt that Nev and I would get our money’s worth for £50 each per day. We would like to visit some of the nice table service restaurants and main courses alone easily cost €30-€40 in several. However we decided against purchasing a dining plan because there appears to be some rigidity around breakfast. Apparently you are allocated a breakfast slot, must stick to it and cannot request a slot you want. This isn’t something I was able to discern from official sources but I have learned from the DLP forum. As we would like to take advantage of onsite guest early hours and didn’t want to risk an unsuitable breakfast slot, we decided against buying a dining plan and will be paying € as we go.

The table service restaurants in DLP can be booked “up to” 60 days in advance. The “up to” is key as it definitely isn’t exactly 60 days in advance as it is in WDW. I think my booking window opened up at about 48 days out. I noticed on the DLP planning forum that people travelling in early December were commenting that they could not book when they expected too either. Dining reservations seem to go very quickly once they are available though, so I would be recommend checking regularly at the 60 day point and onwards.

Whilst I have no experience of DLP dining there are a couple of places on my radar. Bistros Chez Remy is top of the list, albeit primarily because of the decor. I would have liked to have gone to Cafe Mickey but unfortunately that remains closed. As is Walt’s, a park based fine dining restaurant I would have liked to try. But I have several reservations, possibly I will cancel one or two nearer the time but for now we are booked in the below.

When I have reviewed a restaurant I will link the restaurant name in the list to the relevant post in the thread so people can jump directly to it. If there is no link, then I didn't make it.

Vivre - Heathrow Sofitel restaurant

Captain Jack’s. - pirate themed, Caribbean flavours
Downtown - buffet at Marvel Hotel
Bistrot Chez Remy - rat’s eye view of French dining
Plaza Garden Restaurant - park based buffet
Restaurant Agrabah Cafe - park based, Aladdin themed buffet
Manhattan Restaurant - fine dining at New York Marvel hotel

Not bookable but on the radar

Annette’s Diner - 50s style American diner in Disney Village
Rainforest Cafe - doesn’t get good write ups but to me is pure Disney

This will be a LIVE report commencing tomorrow evening with a report from the Sofitel / Heathrow Airport.

[Leia77]

Looking forward to this. Been to DLP twice but it was a while ago. Has been in my head to try again to get my Disney fix! Enjoy your trip!

[Rac20]

Hope you have a wonderful time! Looking forward to reading your thoughts on dining.👍🏻

[DisneyDaffodil]

Looking forward to following as we’ve not been to DLP but it’s definitely something we’re considering

I hope you have a wonderful trip and that you finally believe it’s going to happen 💞

[orlandoamber]

Yay! I hope you have a great time!

I have toyed with going to DLP a few times so will be great to see some options as I’m sure we will go at some point in the next few years.

[DisneyMadAng]

Looking forward to this so much 🙂

Will be there in 17 days 🤞no dining plan and haven't booked anything yet 🤦 🙃

[Claudette]

Originally Posted by Leia77

Looking forward to this. Been to DLP twice but it was a while ago. Has been in my head to try again to get my Disney fix! Enjoy your trip!

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It has been a while for me too. My post should say it is my first time since September 2002 not second time. It is my second time ever, I honestly don’t remember much about it, definitely no memory of dining back then.

Originally Posted by DisneyDaffodil

Looking forward to following as we’ve not been to DLP but it’s definitely something we’re considering

I hope you have a wonderful trip and that you finally believe it’s going to happen 💞

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I don’t think I will really believe it until tomorrow. I am strangely nervous about going to an airport, but then I never enjoy travel day.

Originally Posted by orlandoamber

Yay! I hope you have a great time!

I have toyed with going to DLP a few times so will be great to see some options as I’m sure we will go at some point in the next few years.

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I am really hoping we like it and if we do, maybe make it something we do more often.

Originally Posted by DisneyMadAng

Looking forward to this so much 🙂

Will be there in 17 days 🤞no dining plan and haven't booked anything yet 🤦 🙃

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I think we made the right decision on no dining plan for this time with the breakfast situation. I’d start to take a look at reservations if there is anything in particular you want, but it looks like there are places that don’t need a reservation too.

[Gill H]

Have just read ScoopsAhoy’s thread, they are back to allowing you to choose your breakfast slot or just go when you want. And back to proper buffets not platters brought to the table.

[MrsBC]

Look forward to following along - DD and I love all our DLP mini trips and have our reservations made for the end of November. We were hoping for Inventions (that is the king of buffets!) but the Disneyland hotel is closed for the foreseeable future, and Downtown but we're unable to get a booking. Agrabah and Plaza Gardens are both good buffet choices, and Remy is a must just for the theming

[Goldia]

Hope you have a smooth travel day. When you've checked in you can relax and enjoy the lounge before your flight.

I really enjoyed Bistrot Chez Remy. the Pirates restaurant was good, but very dark. A shame some of the places you want to try aren't open yet. I hope you have a fun trip.