Europe- too expensive? Not compared to Disneyland!

Does this really surprise you? Christmas time is the busiest time of year at Disneyland/world. Prices are always sky-high.

No, it doesn't surprise me (although with the recession, I was hoping for more deals). I have made many trips to Disneyland. If I was surprised, I would go post it on a Disney board. It was just a current example of Europe not being that out-of-reach for normal people as most wouldn't think a trip to Disneyland as a stretch goal!

You're comparing apples to oranges. That is a tourist attraction at it's peak attendance period with another tourist destination at its lowest. Compare the prices at Disney during Christmas, with European prices at high summer and prices are more in-line. There is a reason prices are cheaper in Europe in the winter: colder temperatures, and less activities/attractions means fewer people visit and supply goes up.

Are you having a bad day? It seems like it. Should I delete my original post as it obviously provokes your ire?

By the way, the Park Hopper tickets are the same prices (minus promos) year round, and the hotel we usually stay at is only about $15 more expensive a night than in the off-season.

Oh, and two of the nights we spent in the Dolomites were NOT considered the low season, as it is SKI season there. The lodging we stayed there was full and we were the only people not skiing or going to the ski resort in-view from where we were. Oh, and Christmas is not the low season in Europe- it is more comparable to the shoulder season. Rates do go up over the holidays, and all of our flights were booked and tourist attractions were attended.

Plenty of my co-workers go to Hawaii, too (which is $$$$), but Europe is seen as far more exotic and expensive (at least here on the West Coast.)

Cate - I agree that once you get there, Europe can be significantly more affordable than many tourist destination in the U.S. It's the getting there that's the trick.

But I also agree that using Disneyland at Christmas is probably an exaggerated baseline. Staying near Disneyand in February (Howard Johnson's, the Candy Cane Inn, etc, can be quite affordable.

Hi Cate...

When I was at Costco the other day..they had park hopper passes, not sure if that might help you save a few pennies.

Also, you might consider buying an Entertainment Book for Southern California to save on meals.

and do prelimary homework on what restaurants in the area offer kids eat free.

also if you google valupak and put in the zip code of your hotel you might find more coupons.

On a side note, I just did a blog about the ride It's a small world and the changes they are making to it, in the blog I included a great nostalgic video that you might enjoy watching, along with a link for more history.

The adddress is below and then just go into the Blog link.

http://ourpassportstamps.com/

Have you tried about 2-3 weeks before Christmas? There are less lines and maybe price reduction on hotels? Are you driving in December on I-5? What about snow on Siskyoo's? Do you drive as far as Redding to get away from snow? I only did this once and hit snow in Medford and never tried again.

Last year we went to Disneyland. I had 3day pass from 1990? it says 35 years of Disneyland. It was so old supervisor had to come over and sign it. I still have one day left.

Funny about you mentioning Disneyland costs compared to Europe. In 1999 we started going to Europe because I had priced going to Disney world and found I could go to Europe for less.

Of course now it does cost more but we are going for 16 days(2 adults) and cost of hotels,airfare,car rental automatic and trains in April to Germany,Italy and Austria without gas and food is $3944(current exchange rate)which I think is still a good deal. We got a deal on Lufthansa nonstop Seattle to Frankfurt.
I think it costs more than that for 14 days at disneyland. Just to see I picked the same days I am in Europe for Disneyland since it is more than 2 weeks it would not give me a good neighbor hotel except one I wouldn't stay in so I used disneyland hotel which I also would not stay in but with 2 day disney pass hotel and airfare it was $7148.90 no car. It reminded me why I am not going there. We stayed at Residence Inn last year.

Hi, Sandy! Glad I am not the only one. We do a lot of road trips (all times of year), and in the small towns, I have found that it's cheaper in Europe, too (we paid 47 Euros a night for a VERY NICE apartment in my mom's hometown, near Nuremberg- for all 6 of us- try that here!)

I usually go to DL in the off-season, but as the kids are getting older, I am more hesitant to pull them from school, so that's why Christmas. Plus, I have a break from my company, so I only have to take a few days vacation (and can leave the time off for next spring and going back to Germany!) I am trying to be done with the main park on the 23rd, though- have heard the crowds should be better than the 24th on.

I hit the snow with my parents one year coming back from Christmas with the grandparents in LA. I am hoping my van does better than their old Chevy does. Of course, if the NW gets hit like this past Christmas (which we missed since we were in Germany), that might harder to negotiate.

Isn't it great we have the Lufthansa flights to Frankfurt now?? We loved flying direct!

Cate, I think you're right. Europe - once you get there - is very reasonable. I had 3-course lunches in Barcelona and Lisbon for 10 euros, the best pizza of my life in Rome for 6 euros, great breakfasts included with my very reasonable hotels, etc. My most expensive hotel was in Vienna (a 5 min walk from the Opera, no less) at around 107 euros, and I only stayed there because they were one of the few who had a/c and I was there in August. You wouldn't be able to find a 4-star hotel in that kind of amazing location for that money in any big city in the US. But unfortunately, the flight is the incredibly expensive part unless you are lucky enough to live in a city that's more of a hub to the city you want to go. My parents just flew from Boston to LA to visit me for $200 each Round trip nonstop. I'm hoping to go back to Italy this fall - late October or so (aka pretty much lower/off-season) - and the flights are outrageous, over $1000. If those cheaper Ryanair and similar transatlantic flights actually come to fruition, it could open up Europe to a lot of Americans. Even if I had to fly LA to London and then go to Italy, if it were really only a few hundred dollars, I'd take the extra time/energy to save that much money.

Anyway, good luck with your trip!

My husband and I were just having this discussion about the cost of Disneyland just 10 minutes ago. How Funny. What is it now to get in? $75 for Disneyland? $100 plus Park Hopper? It would cost about $400 hundred for the five of us to walk through gate. $200 plus to eat etc...during the day, plus cost of transportation to California. Ouch! Yes, Europe is looking cheaper, even London. I grew up in Southern California. We would go once in Summer and always on my parents anniversary (Dec 27th). My mom always loved Disneyland with all the Christmas decorations. Before moving to Arizona, we had season passes and would go about 2-3 times a month. Pack ice chest and snacks in car. We still joke about how we went to Disneyland and only bought a soda, and 2 ice creams, only spend $35 dollars. No, just kidding, it was like $7. Our first year, it cost $89 each for a season pass. Now I think they are about $300. The last time we where there was in April. But we get lucky, my grandparents still live 5-10 minutes away. Nice to visit them and have a great dinner before heading back to Disneyland. My parents live about an hour and half away so no hotel expenses. IMO, to save cost, skip California Adventure if you only have one day. I don't feel there is enough there to make it worth the extra cost. But it is the only place where they serve alcohol, though VERY weak. We did stay at the hotel for my sons birthday that is actually in California Adventure. Very nice!. I loved sitting on the balcony watching people go down in raft on Grizzly Bear Rapids. The price of tickets is not going to fluctuate during the holidays. Hotels are going to be high during that time of year. Hotels may get cheaper the further away you go, but I would be hesitant, I always felt that Disneyland was in a rift raft area, though they have been trying to make the area more pleasing for years. As I told my husband, no Disneyland trips for couple of years, need to take my sons on their trip. Get in free on B-Day

Town outside Nuernberg is it Fuerth? We stayed there instead of Nuernberg for Christmas market and took ubahn into Nuernberg. That was pretty cheap and lovely hotel. Town was great and enjoyed Fuerth's Christmas market. We are going back to Nuernberg this spring.

We haven't flown on Lufthansa from states before only within Europe. So you liked flight from Sea to Fra on Lufthansa? I am really happy to be flying nonstop. I have only have used SAS before but their service has changed so much since we started flying SAS. I can't complain about 2 free flights to Hawaii I got.

Sandy, the town is Ansbach, and I love it, but I am biased. Yes, we liked Lufthansa enough and will use again. It wasn't fancy, but it was clean and the flights were great (good flying and planes). We used to fly SAS many years ago, too. But when I checked for our trip, SAS was much more expensive than flying Lufthansa direct. Go figure!

Kristen, we used to stay with my grandparents and make day trips to DL (pre-CA, of course!) I wouldn't mind skipping CA, but husband likes a few of the rides and we do like the Grizzly River ride and Soaring is very cool. You stayed at the Grand Californian? I would love to stay there but am way too cheap! I have an uncle and aunt left in the area, but we aren't close enough to stay with them, plus they are a little further away.

Debra, that is exactly it. We stayed at Pension Peters in Berlin for 103 Euros a night for a family room for 6. It was not luxury, but the neighborhood was good and it was clean and spacious and the people were so nice. The breakfast was included and very good. I know you couldn't stay in any major city, much less Washington DC, for that kind-of accomodation for that price. I like the variety of lodging in Europe. B&Bs over here tend to be expensive and "yuppified"-more of an experience in and of themselves- certainly not a place I would take my kids and use as a base camp for exploring. Over there, they are a great lodging alternative.

The downside is that it took me a lot more time and research to find places to stay, when here I usually look to chains I trust (with a few exceptions, like when going to National Parks).

Hello Cate. I understand what you said, in your first post here. Your topic is : travelling in Europe. You said : if people in the U.S.A. can afford to go on a long - distance vacation trip in the U.S.A., they might be able to afford to go on a trip to Europe. The expense for flying to Europe is different for people flying from different states in the U.S.A. But the comparison that I think of is : in the year 2003, the total expenses for travelling from my location, in Missouri, to the Cinque Terre in Italy, could have been approximately the same as the expenses for going on a vacation trip at the Pacific Ocean coast of California, from Missouri. In the year 2003, the price for flying from Missouri in the U.S.A. to Milan in Italy, in the month March, was the same as the cost for flying from Missouri to San Francisco in July. The weather in Italy was pleasant in March, when I was there. I would not want to go to the Pacific coast at central or northern California in March (much rain, dark clouds, and fog). If a person flies to San Francisco, rents a car there, drives to the Pacific coast at Sonoma county or Mendocino county, or south of Carmel, pays for overnight accomodations at the Pacific coast (expensive), the total expense for that trip could have been approximately the same as travelling from Missouri in the U.S.A. to the Cinque Terre in Italy. In the month March, travelling in trains in Italy.
Transportation in Europe can cost less money than transportation in the U.S.A., because they have trains going to most towns in Europe. And some countries in Europe have regional rail passes that are low priced. And, this winter, the prices for airline flights to Europe, for travelling before approximately May 15, have been not bad. (The prices for airline tickets are different, for flights on different days). And the prices go up and down. And some airlines have lower prices than others.

Cate - When we go to Disneyland we always bring our lunch, snacks and drinks. They have lockers you can rent and you have access to them throughout the day. I don't know where you usually stay, but I have had great luck using Priceline. If you don't have particular place you want to stay you can name your area and price. I just returned from L.A. three weeks ago. I got a room at a Hilton (3 1/2 stars) for $65 per night. Since there are six of you, you might want to check out a place directly across the street. I think it is called the Desert Inn and Suites. They have large "family sized" rooms and the rates aren't bad. Since it's across the street you don't have to pay for parking at Disneyland, so factor that into your cost.

Cate, I just got back from a 10 day trip to Hawaii,, we spent way more there for decent food and accomadations then I did for my last trip to Europe..

Waikiki rivals Paris for rip off childrens beverages,, we regularily got bled for 3 or 4 dollar cokes, and anything virgin,, was at least 5 dollars.

A bag of potatoe chips ,, ANYWHERE in Waikiki is going to cost you almost 5 dollars,, for garbage!!

We loved Hawaii, and no, we didn't go to Costco and load up on cheap food, but , if you compare downtown Paris to downtown Waikiki, I saw them as EQUALLY expensive vacations.. ( and frankly,the quality of cheaper food options in Paris is much better then cheaper food options in Waikiki)

Personally Disney would have to PAY me to come. I hate the place. We took the kids several years ago, and they said they never wanted to go back.

Cate, I think it was Grand California. We had season passes, so we got I deal and didn't have the extra cost for for tickets. I love the Soaring over California ride! Make sure you get your fast past for it. The line is ridiculous! I can't stand getting wet on a ride and then walk around for hours wet. Yuck. We did buy plastic ponchos from the gift shop right next to the ride, but it didn't help keep the buttocks dry. :))

"Europe - once you get there - is very reasonable"

Shhh, don't let the secret out! As much as I have enjoyed Disney World over the years, I'd rather have that crowd stay on this side of the Atlantic!

I hear you there, Tom. We can travel in Europe much cheaper than in the US.

Is Disneyland not offering some of the deals that Disneyworld does? They've had some packages that aren't too bad, and if you get a Disney visa, you can get a free meal plan.