Eurostar Disney Direct services 2023

[Welby]

Eurostar have announced that they will not be running their direct service to Disney from June 5th 2023.

 

[island]

That’s not going to go down well with the middle class mums.

 

[hexagon789]

Eurostar have announced that they will not be running their direct service to Disney from June 5th 2023.

I'm surprised it's lasted as long as it has tbh

 

[Cloud Strife]

Any reason? Is it just that they can use their resources more effectively on the core operation?

 

[D365]

Other than the language barrier and the dingy international platforms, the change at Lille isn't awful.

 

[Welby]

Any reason? Is it just that they can use their resources more effectively on the core operation?

The claim is core services and the costs of the new visa system at the end of May.

 

[StephenHunter]

What's the source for that please?

 

[Cloud Strife]

The claim is core services and the costs of the new visa system at the end of May.

I suspect the truth is probably that they're making far too much money on the core Paris service to bother with the Disneyland trains. It's an extra hour on top of the standard Gare du Nord service, so two extra hours on a return service. There are direct trains from Lille Europe to Marne-La-Vallée on SNCF, and the connections are quite reasonable.

 

[calopez]

Last month I arrived at St Pancras from Paris about half an hour after the train from Marne-la-Vallée had come in. Passengers (many, obviously, with small children) off that train were still queued all the way along the arrival hall and up the ramp to the platform as they waited their turn to be processed by a whole four immigration officials. Presumably, there was/is no UK Border Force representation at Marne-la-Vallée.

I don't know if this is a regular occurrence, but I can't imagine that many people on that train would be in a hurry to use it again.

 

[30907]

It is a poor use of resources ( only one trip per day out of the set) and I strongly suspect doesn't attract enough premium passengers (IIRC the normal menu wasn't provided in SP either).

 

[Cloud Strife]

Presumably, there was/is no UK Border Force representation at Marne-la-Vallée.

There isn't, it was always an intriguing exception to the juxtaposed controls regime. The PAF carry out border controls there, however.

 

[alex397]

This is potentially another blow for the reopening of Ebbsfleet and Ashford (not that I think they will ever reopen anyway). When waiting for other trains, there were often quite large groups of families waiting for a Disney train.

 

[Cloud Strife]

This is potentially another blow for the reopening of Ebbsfleet and Ashford (not that I think they will ever reopen anyway). When waiting for other trains, there were often quite large groups of families waiting for a Disney train.

I don't think they'll ever reopen as well. Eurostar doesn't need them, the Channel Tunnel doesn't need or want a local cross-channel metro service, so what's the point in opening them?

 

[alex397]

I don't think they'll ever reopen as well. Eurostar doesn't need them, the Channel Tunnel doesn't need or want a local cross-channel metro service, so what's the point in opening them?

As much as I wish to disagree with you, because I’d love for them to reopen, you have a good point. Ideally they need government subsidy to keep them open, as they do bring benefits, but I can’t imagine this current government wanting to help them at all. A shame they wasted that £10million updating Ashford for the new trains.

A bit off topic, but I do feel it’s a real shame there is no longer any public transport option from Kent to the continent.

 

[godfreycomplex]

The claim is core services and the costs of the new visa system at the end of May.

*Mickey Mouse voice* Ho Ho! Should have voted remain! Ho Ho!
(This is a joke before anyone goes off on one)

 

[Joe Paxton]

This is potentially another blow for the reopening of Ebbsfleet and Ashford (not that I think they will ever reopen anyway). When waiting for other trains, there were often quite large groups of families waiting for a Disney train.

I'd think Ebbsfleet should re-open - well, I want it to re-open at least!

It provides for a different part of the market - the 'park-and-ride' with easy access from the M25 east of London. It can act a bit like an airport, except you catch a train not a plane from it.

 

[WizCastro197]

I'd think Ebbsfleet should re-open - well, I want it to re-open at least!

It provides for a different part of the market - the 'park-and-ride' with easy access from the M25 east of London. It can act a bit like an airport, except you catch a train not a plane from it.

Yes It is also a lot easier for families who don't want to travel all the way into London with suitcases and heavy bags. You car it there go through a small security, passport control area and onto the train. Shame services won't be reinstated until at least next year

What Eurostar has said:

'Due to the impact of coronavirus and the subsequent pressure put on our business, we’ve made a decision to focus on our busiest city centre stations. As a result, our trains will no longer be stopping at Ashford International or Ebbsfleet International until the end of 2022 at the earliest'

I believe Calais Fréthun will not be served either

 

[ashkeba]

Reply moved to https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/eurostar-not-serving-kent.236205/post-5820729

 

[Welby]

What's the source for that please?

Eurostar

 

[brad465]

So on top of not serving Kent, they're now not going direct to Marne-la-Vallee (i.e. Disneyland) from June next year, which by happy coincidence is around the time the biometric checks are currently due to be introduced:

Eurostar to suspend direct trains to Disneyland Paris

The service from London will be suspended from 5 June next year to focus on "core routes".

www.bbc.co.uk

Eurostar is to suspend its direct train service between London and Disneyland Paris.
The company said the route would be axed from 5 June next year for the duration of the summer.
It said the decision was taken to focus on "core routes" as it recovered from the pandemic and monitored plans for new European Union entry and exit rules.
Eurostar said it would "revisit options" for 2024 next year.
Direct trains between London St Pancras International and Marne-la-Vallee - a station next to Disneyland Paris, to the east of the French capital - take two hours and 24 minutes. The suspension of the service means passengers will now have to change at Paris or Lille.
The route has operated since 1996 though it was stopped for a time at the height of Covid restrictions.
The suspension of the service means passengers will now have to change at Paris or Lille.

New rules for visitors to the EU are due to come into force by the end of May next year.
The system will mean travellers from outside the bloc must have their fingerprints scanned and photograph taken, instead of having their passport manually stamped.
A Eurostar spokeswoman said: "Whilst we continue to recover financially from the pandemic and monitor developments in the proposed EU Entry Exit system, we need to focus on our core routes to ensure we can continue to provide the high level of service and experience that our customers rightly expect."
"This decision applies from 5 June 2023, and as tickets are not yet on sale beyond this date, existing customer bookings will not be affected," she added.
Eurostar also recently announced its services may not stop in Kent again until 2025.
The company cited financial reasons and the post-Brexit border situation, adding that it "must focus on our most profitable inter-capital routes".

 

[jon0844]

So on top of not serving Kent, they're now not going direct to Marne-la-Vallee (i.e. Disneyland) from June next year, which by happy coincidence is around the time the biometric checks are currently due to be introduced:

Eurostar to suspend direct trains to Disneyland Paris

The service from London will be suspended from 5 June next year to focus on "core routes".

www.bbc.co.uk

Damn Ukraine/Petrol Prices/Inflation!

 

[E27007]

So on top of not serving Kent, they're now not going direct to Marne-la-Vallee (i.e. Disneyland) from June next year, which by happy coincidence is around the time the biometric checks are currently due to be introduced:

Eurostar to suspend direct trains to Disneyland Paris

The service from London will be suspended from 5 June next year to focus on "core routes".

www.bbc.co.uk

So the UK will be isolated from the low-IQ culture of the venue which is Disney World, There is a God in Heaven!

 

[jon0844]

So the UK will be isolated from the low-IQ culture of the venue which is Disney World, There is a God in Heaven!

I thought I might see someone say that post Brexit we should only visit British theme parks, but saying that everyone who goes to Disneyland is low IQ definitely wasn't on my bingo card.

 

[philg999]

There isn't, it was always an intriguing exception to the juxtaposed controls regime. The PAF carry out border controls there, however.

There was a similar arrangement for the direct ski trains. French border staff presence in Bourg St Maurice and Moutiers and all UK border checks were carried out on arrival in St Pancras. The trains and that arrangement stopped with COVID though and clearly didn’t restart after Brexit. I’m surprised it continued with Disneyland given the lack of a refugee return treaty….

 

[Austriantrain]

There was a similar arrangement for the direct ski trains. French border staff presence in Bourg St Maurice and Moutiers and all UK border checks were carried out on arrival in St Pancras. The trains and that arrangement stopped with COVID though and clearly didn’t restart after Brexit. I’m surprised it continued with Disneyland given the lack of a refugee return treaty….

It was explained in one of the manifold Eurostar threads here. IIRC Home Office undertook a risk assessment and concluded that the risk from Eurodisney trains (with mostly UK passengers from a station with very few international services) was low enough to justify an exception.

But maybe that exception has gone and that is the real reason for the end of the service.

 

[32475]

So the UK will be isolated from the low-IQ culture of the venue which is Disney World, There is a God in Heaven!

What an excellent observation. Every cloud has a silver lining.

 

[alex397]

So the UK will be isolated from the low-IQ culture of the venue which is Disney World, There is a God in Heaven!

My first ever foreign rail journey was from Waterloo to Marne-la-Vallee for Disneyland and helped sow the seeds for my love of railways and European travel. I wouldn’t say my family are ‘low-IQ’ and it was a good bit of escapism seeing as I spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals.
I imagine the excitement for children using Eurostar has helped sow the seed for others too.

Sentimentality aside, the Eurostar is a green way of reaching Disneyland. Regardless of whether you like it or not, Disneyland is a major destination. While some may still go by train by changing at Lille or wherever, many people are instantly put off if there is no direct train, so they may decide to drive instead. I’m sure though that some will say that people should be more patriotic and visit a British theme park.

 

[jon0844]

Merlin parks are nice, but extremely expensive and nowhere near as clean. I'm not sure we have any parks up to the same standard, and adults and kids can enjoy the Disney experience - whatever their IQ.

 

[Huntergreed]

So the UK will be isolated from the low-IQ culture of the venue which is Disney World, There is a God in Heaven!

Really? A both harsh and unnecessary comment in my view, I fail to see how this adds anything to the discussion.

Regardless, it’s a major European destination, people are going to go there from the UK, and it seems a shame that we’re removing the most climate-friendly direct way of doing so.

As much as a change at Lille sounds simple, as soon as you introduce a change it’s going to put many people off (train to London then train straight to Disney sounds good. Train to London, train to Lille then train to Disney sounds nowhere near as enticing).

Are Eurostar really unable to provide even one per day? It’s a shame, at a time when we really need to be doing everything we can to get people off planes and onto trains.

 

[Cloud Strife]

So the UK will be isolated from the low-IQ culture of the venue which is Disney World, There is a God in Heaven!

Does everything have to be highbrow?