What Actually Matters
A one-hour flight sounds like the obvious winner. But the flight itself is only one part of the journey.
For us, the useful comparison is door to door: getting to the airport or Channel crossing, waiting around, travelling, transfers, luggage and how much control we have over the day.
The flight may only take an hour, but airport travel, check-in and the transfer to Disney all count too.
Compare airport parking, baggage and transfers with fuel, tolls, the Channel crossing and any overnight stay.
Flying limits what we take and, just as importantly, what we can bring home.
Flights dictate when we travel. Driving lets us stop, leave and change plans whenever we want.
Flying to Disneyland Paris
We’ve flown to Charles de Gaulle from Exeter, Bristol and Gatwick, including several trips with easyJet.
The obvious attraction is the flight time. It’s only about an hour in the air.
But that can be slightly misleading when you’re working out how quickly you’ll actually get to Disneyland Paris.
That’s when everything works.
On one return trip our flight was delayed by around two hours. By the time we’d travelled from Disney to the airport, waited, flown, collected everything and driven home to the South West, the overall journey was around ten hours.
Flying meant less actual driving, but not necessarily less travelling.
We found Charles de Gaulle particularly hard work when our children were younger. It’s less of an issue now, but it is still an enormous airport.
The most useful flights can be the expensive ones, while cheaper times may force an extra hotel night.
Flying limits what we take and, just as importantly, what we can bring home.
Driving to Disneyland Paris
Driving is the most tiring option for the person behind the wheel, but it gives us something none of the others really can: complete control over the journey.
We can leave when we want, stop when we want and take considerably more with us. That last point becomes particularly useful on the way home when Disney shopping has somehow occupied considerably more space than expected.
We find the French motorways quick, reliable and much more relaxed than the UK leg.
Leave when we want, stop when we want and change the plan if we need to.
No airline baggage limits, and considerably more room for whatever follows us home from Disney.
From the South West, getting to Folkestone can be the unpredictable part. Once we’re in France, we find the drive towards Disneyland Paris much easier.
What changes when you’re travelling with children?
This has changed for us as our children have got older.
Charles de Gaulle felt much more difficult when they were younger. Airports mean queues, security, waiting around and keeping everyone together in an unfamiliar place.
Driving can still be a long day, but we control it. If somebody needs the toilet, we stop. If everyone needs food, we stop. If the driver needs a break, we take one.
Which is Cheaper?
There isn’t one answer.
Flight prices can be brilliant on one set of dates and ridiculous on another. The same applies to LeShuttle and ferry fares.
The mistake is comparing a headline flight price with the price of a Channel crossing
Flights, airport parking, baggage, transfers and potentially an extra hotel night.
Fuel, tolls, Channel crossing and any overnight hotel you choose to add.
Price the entire journey for your actual family rather than comparing the two headline fares.
Who each option suits
You live close to an airport, get a good flight time, travel relatively lightly or simply don’t want the long drive.
You’re travelling as a family, carrying plenty of luggage, value flexibility or want your own car once you arrive.
For us, driving wins now
Not because it’s always quicker and not because several hours behind the wheel is relaxing.
It simply suits the way we now want to travel.
From the South West, flying already involves getting to an airport, arriving well before departure, travelling through Charles de Gaulle and then transferring to Disney.
Once we compare the whole journey rather than just the time spent in the air, driving doesn’t feel like the obviously slower option anymore
