If you’re wondering what it’s like to stay at the Disney Newport Bay Club in Disneyland Paris, I’m here to spill all the beans.
Is it worth staying at a Disney hotel?
Although Disney hotels usually cost considerably more, in my opinion it’s totally worth it. There are a number of perks, including access to both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, proximity to the parks, character encounters, early park access to both parks at Magic Hour, a free shuttle to the parks and more Disney styling than you could ever dream of. You definitely get some bang (and a whole lot of Disney magic) for your bucks… or in our case, euros!
What’s Newport Bay Club like?
This huge nautical themed 4 star property is styled like an enormo-elegant 1920’s mansion and decorated in New England style. Like all Disneyland properties, the attention to styling and detail is second to none. Although, the hotel only dates back to 1992 and was given an extreme makeover in 2016, it is showing it’s age in places but aren’t we all?
What amenities does the hotel have?
It’s a 4 star hotel and with it’s star rating and price tag, it’s towards the top tier of the hotel offerings in Disneyland Paris. The hotel itself is vast and with 1098 rooms it’s one of the largest hotels in the resort. The hotel also has a delightful boutique, two restaurants, a bar, a pool with both an indoor and an outdoor section, a fitness centre and a sauna.
Did you take advantage of the amenties?
Full disclosure, we were so busy at the parks that we really didn’t get to use a lot of the hotel amenities. We visited in mid May and although the weather felt positively tropical, the outdoor pool wasn’t open yet.
We did however, frequent the Captain’s Quarters – the nautical themed bar on site. This cosy bar has all the New England yachting vibes and is perfect way to kick back and relax after a busy day in the parks. It’s Disneyland so of course children are welcome here but this bar feels like a calm, adult space. There’s a good range of non/alcoholic drinks and table service so you can rest your legs. Best of all, it’s open until 1 am so you can stop in for a nightcap after watching the fireworks at the park.
Did you take advantage of the perks?
You bet we did! First off, your hotel stay is linked to your park ticket so you can access both parks in Disneyland Paris for the full day that you arrive and the full day that you check out. That means that once you arrive at Disneyland Paris even if it’s before check in, you can store your luggage and hit up the park. Similarly, if you have a late departure, you can check out, stash your bags and enjoy every last minute at the happiest place in Europe!
Although the hotel isn’t the nearest one to the parks and certainly not as near as Disney hotels we’ve stayed in in the US, it was only a 15 minute walk to the parks or an 8 minute ride in the shuttle. The shuttle service was quick and efficient running every 12 minutes and was a great option when we wanted to give our legs a rest!
Character encounters in the park often have a lengthy wait so being able to meet and greet characters in the hotel lobby is a real bonus. There are character encounters twice daily (every afternoon and evening) with a rotating cast of characters, so if you pop along daily and don’t mind a short wait you’re sure to see a variety of famous faces. Meeting Minnie was definitely a holiday highlight for me!
Magic hour was perhaps our favourite perk of all. Although we visited Disneyland Paris midweek in the middle of May the parks were still extremely busy. Having access to the parks one hour before they opened to the general public was such a treat. This way we could enjoy our favourite/the most popular rides before the park opened and the crowds descended. It was also a great opportunity to take advantage of some fantastic photo opportunities with very few people about.
Any tips or room recommendations?
The hotel is huge, corridors are long and it can take a long time to walk to your room. Ask for a room a short distance from the lift but not too close because those elevators can be noisy!
In summary, if convenience and magic are top of your wish list then sail away to Newport Bay!
Have you ever stayed at a Disney property? Which of these perks or amenities would be most important to you. If you have any questions, hit me up in the comments!
Our stay at the Newport Bay Club was independently paid for and all opinions are my own.
