For those of you in the UK, there is a great deal to be found in the Sun newspaper for a trip to Disneyland Paris with up to 4 free tickets. The UK based website, Money Saving Expert gives us the lowdown on how to get in on the offer.
Key facts:
Collect 10 tokens from The Sun to get a one-day trip for a family of four to Disneyland Paris, including a return P&O ferry crossing, for just £9.50.
The offer’s valid for a day trip between 9 Jan and 28 Mar ’12, though there are some exclusions. Your application must arrive by Fri 23 Dec.
The price depends on when you go. It’s £9.50 if you go on a Mon or Tue, or £19.50 on other days, although if you want to go at half term (13-17 Feb) it’s £29.50.
You can upgrade the day-return ticket to come back the following day for an extra £37 (£30 + £7 booking fee) per car by calling 0844 686 2463 from Saturday to reserve your spot before sending the vouchers.
Up to four people can go, with at least one ‘adult’, and not more than two ‘adults’. Adults are classed as over-11s.
If this sounds like it’s for you, read on for full info on the offer, and see the step-by-step How do I get it? rundown…
What’s the deal?
Collect 10 tokens from The Sun (30p weekdays, 60p Sat) from Sat 19 Nov – Fri 9 Dec, and you can get a cheap day trip for a family of four to Disneyland Paris.
The deal includes entrance for each person to both parks, plus a return P&O ferry crossing. As adult Disneyland tickets alone are usually £51 each, it’s a fantastic saving. It’s cheapest if you don’t mind getting there and back in a day, but even travelling back the next day for £30 more is still a cracking saving (see extra tips below if you want to go for more than a day trip).
Tokens are being printed in papers Mon – Sat until Fri 9 Dec, so Tue 29 Nov is the last day you can start collecting to get them all. The offer’s valid for a day trip between 9 Jan and 28 Mar ’12, though see below for exclusions.
How much does it cost?
The price varies by when you choose to go (watch out for exclusions, and add £30 to travel back the following day):
Monday or Tuesday: £9.50
Other days of the week: £19.50
Half-term (13-17 Feb): £29.50
Excluded dates: 12, 18, 19 February.
The offer’s valid for outbound ferries departing from Dover between 00:01 and 6:40am, and a return ferry from Calais between 20:40 and 01:40, for travel on the same day. It’s an extra £30 per car if you want to travel outside these times.
You need to choose three preferred dates on the form, though one must be a weekday. You’ll then be allocated a specific day for your visit.
How do you get it?
Step 1: Collect ten of eighteen differently numbered tokens printed in The Sun until Fri 9 December.
Step 2: Fill in the postal application form, printed in The Sun on Sat 19 Nov or printable from the Sun website from Mon 21 Nov. List three dates in order, and read the full terms (live from Weds 16 Nov ). It’s strictly one application per household, else all will be void.
You can pay by cheque, debit or credit card, though there’s a 2.5% charge with credit card. If you’ve added travel or hotel upgrades, there’s a deposit of £20 per person.
Step 3: Send off your application and 10 differently-numbered tokens asap – it needs to be received by Fri 23 Dec. Send it to:
Sun Disney Deals, Sunway House, Canklow Meadows, Rotherham S60 2XR .
Step 4: Allow 21 days to receive your booking confirmation by email or post. You’ll get your travel tickets and details of your exact ferry crossing times and ‘Free Family Ticket Voucher’ 10-15 days before your departure date.
Can I book online or by phone instead? It’s also possible to book by phone on 0844 686 2463, though there’s a £7 fee for this. You can book online for a £5 fee, but there’s no charge for postal applications.
What to watch out for
What counts as a family? The deal’s valid for a family of up to four, with a min two people (see full terms for valid groupings). At least one must be an over-11, but there can only be a maximum two over-11s. Additional adult and children places are £43 per person. The voucher will only cover those named.
Get your driving head on. It’s about a three hour drive to get from Calais to Disneyland, so be prepared for a long day out. Parking at Disneyland Paris isn’t included (€15 per day unless you’re staying at a Disney Hotel).
Save on snacks – take your own. Disney has confirmed that you can also bring your own food and drinks into the park with you (excludes alcohol), so you can save cash by stocking up on snacks before you go.
Other fees not included. This doesn’t include other costs such as fuel or toll charges. It’s worth noting that if you don’t travel on the outbound ferry, your return reservation will be cancelled. You can’t make any amendments once you’ve booked.
There’s max. one application per household, subject to availability, and the offer’s non-refundable and non-transferable.
Do you want to go for longer than a day?
This offer’s only for a return day trip, bringing you back to Dover on the same day. Yet you can pay an extra £37 to come back the next day by calling 0844 686 2463 £37 from Saturday to reserve your spot before sending the vouchers, which would make the trip a bit more leisurely.
However, Disney hopes that means you’ll stay in one of its hotels, starting from £99 per family, per night. Yet there are cheaper alternatives (if you stick with Disney, check the offer terms for extra charges and date restrictions).
Alternatives to staying with Disney
Continental budget hotel chains such as Forumule 1 and Etap Hotel have rooms from around £35 per night for basic, no-frills accommodation, or sometimes we have European hotels in our Hotel Sales guide.
Book last minute and you could get a great room for a fraction of the price. One MoneySaver reported finding a £55 self-catering, two bedroom flat and free transport to Disneyland Paris (see the Disneyland Paris discussion). Be warned though, if you choose to leave it until the last minute you could also end up paying more!