{"id":10349,"date":"2022-11-18T08:00:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T08:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/?p=10349"},"modified":"2025-06-12T20:16:03","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T20:16:03","slug":"honest-tips-for-driving-to-disneyland-paris-from-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/?p=10349","title":{"rendered":"Honest Tips For Driving To Disneyland Paris from the UK:"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">September was our ( I say ours, it was Ant doing the drive) first time driving from Warwickshire in the UK to Disneyland Paris in France. It was an experience, to say the least, but all told it was okay. But here are some tips we have discovered along the way which I think are worth keeping in mind &amp; knowing before doing this journey yourself. We\u2019ll begin with the core basics, of course. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">What You Need To Purchase:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Upon doing this journey some core requirements are needed in your car in case you get pulled over in the EU. You can buy a AA kit that includes it all from Halfords or Amazon. However these are what is needed:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">UK stickers <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Warning triangle <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Hi-Vests for every passenger (needs to be in reach)<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Spare bulbs<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Log Book<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Drivers License <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Proof of Insurance <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">First Aid Kit<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Headlamp Beam Deflectors <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Things To Do Before Travelling:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Firstly, confirm your insurance &amp; breakdown cover is European too. Pack your car wisely so it\u2019s easier to be searched if needs be and ensure those bits you need to have to hand are reachable. Get all your documents together and pop them somewhere effortless to reach too. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Something I would recommend is doing research into the road signs in France if it\u2019s your first time. They aren\u2019t the clearest in my opinion and you obliviously need to know them.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10350 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F-scaled.jpeg?resize=80%2C60&amp;ssl=1 80w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ensure you carry a bank or credit card as well. On the journey are toll roads that only accept the card. When packing the snacks before travelling ensure there is minimum to no dairy or meat as well. Research everything as the last thing you want to do is break any rules.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Arriving at the Tunnel ( Both Sides) <\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I would say to arrive with an hour at least to spare as they can sometimes call you a tad bit earlier. When arriving at the tunnel simply follow the signs and at the check-in point pull up. If you don\u2019t have a passenger you will have to get out to do the check-in as it\u2019s on the left-hand side. The check-in is easy to follow and you will have a hanger printed which needs to be stuck onto your rearview mirror. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Following the check-in, you then drive into the service area where you can get out etc. We\u2019d advise parking nearby a board to see when you are called for boarding.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10351\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302.jpeg?resize=500%2C375&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?resize=80%2C60&amp;ssl=1 80w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Once the board shows your letter &amp; number for a call imminent head towards border control. You will meet the British border control on the English side where your passport will be checked then onto the French border controls directly after again where your passports will be checked (this is the opposite in Calais)? Your car may be selected for a security check however ours weren\u2019t so we proceeded. You then sit in front of some traffic lights before driving into the train itself. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">On the train itself there\u2019s roughly 3 cars to each coach and there are toilets on board. You can stand outside or remain in your car, you can move freely between the two. We left our car in first gear and had the handbrake on too. The windows need to be undone halfway also and I\u2019d suggest some hard-boiled sweets to help your ears from popping. The train journey is roughly 35 minutes but can be longer as we found out on the way back. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Exiting &amp; Driving In France:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Exiting off the tunnel is straightforward there is also a somewhat cheap fuel station as you come off ( at the time of our trip). Of course, if your car is petrol it\u2019s quite easy to know what to put in as the pump has E10 on it, therefore, that\u2019s the one. However, if your car remains on E5 then we can\u2019t advise<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10352\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705.jpeg?resize=500%2C375&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705-scaled.jpeg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705-scaled.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705-scaled.jpeg?resize=80%2C60&amp;ssl=1 80w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/ABE427D8-F717-4187-BFFB-011643D85705-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10350\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/06CCA01C-70EA-437D-8232-A537DCFA6F5F.jpeg?resize=1%2C1&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" \/> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Things to remember is driving on the right-hand side. That\u2019s the main thing to note. Other than that memorise those signs you\u2019ve looked at beforehand &amp; get yourself prepared for a long drive. Don\u2019t forget to also change your car if feasible to the European setting. Not all cars do this so remember their speed limits are in km\/h not mph and you are not allowed a sat nav or anything which warns you of speed cameras.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>If you&#8217;re using an Apple device for the sat nav ours automatically turned off the speed camera alert. Don\u2019t forget the right-hand lane is the slow lane and cars can undertake you too. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Additional Tips:<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Remember to take regular breaks if you\u2019re feeling tired or like you need to. If you arrive at the tunnel earlier than your booked time slot as long as it\u2019s not 24 hours early you can sometimes upgrade to an earlier train. I have heard these upgrades can sometimes be free however we paid a small a fee of \u00a322 for ours. Again, on either side of the tunnel is a fuel station.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"s1\">\u2014-<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">I hope this blog post is somewhat helpful and answers our questions anyone has! Feel free to ask anything and we\u2019ll be more than happy to help in any way we can!<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><em><strong><span class=\"s1\">Thanks for reading\u2026<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8193 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/4C81DF8B-578C-4D16-89C8-F9DE86FFBDFC.png?resize=600%2C200&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/4C81DF8B-578C-4D16-89C8-F9DE86FFBDFC.png?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/4C81DF8B-578C-4D16-89C8-F9DE86FFBDFC.png?resize=300%2C100&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>September was our ( I say ours, it was Ant doing the drive) first time driving from Warwickshire in the UK to Disneyland Paris in France. It was an experience, to say the least, but all told it was okay. But here are some tips we have discovered along the way which I think are worth keeping in mind &amp; knowing before doing this journey yourself. We\u2019ll begin with the core basics, of course. What You Need To Purchase: Upon doing this journey some core requirements are needed in your car in case you get pulled over in the EU. You can buy a AA kit that includes it all from Halfords or Amazon. However these are what is needed: UK stickers Warning triangle Hi-Vests for every passenger (needs to be in reach) Spare bulbs Log Book Drivers License Proof of Insurance First Aid Kit Headlamp Beam Deflectors Things To Do Before Travelling: Firstly, confirm your insurance &amp; breakdown cover is European too. Pack your car wisely so it\u2019s easier to be searched if needs be and ensure those bits you need to have to hand are reachable. Get all your documents together and pop them somewhere effortless to reach too. Something I would recommend is doing research into the road signs in France if it\u2019s your first time. They aren\u2019t the clearest in my opinion and you obliviously need to know them. Ensure you carry a bank or credit card as well. On the journey are toll roads that only accept the card. When packing the snacks before travelling ensure there is minimum to no dairy or meat as well. Research everything as the last thing you want to do is break any rules. Arriving at the Tunnel ( Both Sides) I would say to arrive with an hour at least to spare as they can sometimes call you a tad bit earlier. When arriving at the tunnel simply follow the signs and at the check-in point pull up. If you don\u2019t have a passenger you will have to get out to do the check-in as it\u2019s on the left-hand side. The check-in is easy to follow and you will have a hanger printed which needs to be stuck onto your rearview mirror. Following the check-in, you then drive into the service area where you can get out etc. We\u2019d advise parking nearby a board to see when you are called for boarding. Once the board shows your letter &amp; number for a call imminent head towards border control. You will meet the British border control on the English side where your passport will be checked then onto the French border controls directly after again where your passports will be checked (this is the opposite in Calais)? Your car may be selected for a security check however ours weren\u2019t so we proceeded. You then sit in front of some traffic lights before driving into the train itself. On the train itself there\u2019s roughly 3 cars to each coach and there are toilets on board. You can stand outside or remain in your car, you can move freely between the two. We left our car in first gear and had the handbrake on too. The windows need to be undone halfway also and I\u2019d suggest some hard-boiled sweets to help your ears from popping. The train journey is roughly 35 minutes but can be longer as we found out on the way back. Exiting &amp; Driving In France: Exiting off the tunnel is straightforward there is also a somewhat cheap fuel station as you come off ( at the time of our trip). Of course, if your car is petrol it\u2019s quite easy to know what to put in as the pump has E10 on it, therefore, that\u2019s the one. However, if your car remains on E5 then we can\u2019t advise Things to remember is driving on the right-hand side. That\u2019s the main thing to note. Other than that memorise those signs you\u2019ve looked at beforehand &amp; get yourself prepared for a long drive. Don\u2019t forget to also change your car if feasible to the European setting. Not all cars do this so remember their speed limits are in km\/h not mph and you are not allowed a sat nav or anything which warns you of speed cameras.\u00a0 If you&#8217;re using an Apple device for the sat nav ours automatically turned off the speed camera alert. Don\u2019t forget the right-hand lane is the slow lane and cars can undertake you too. Additional Tips: Remember to take regular breaks if you\u2019re feeling tired or like you need to. If you arrive at the tunnel earlier than your booked time slot as long as it\u2019s not 24 hours early you can sometimes upgrade to an earlier train. I have heard these upgrades can sometimes be free however we paid a small a fee of \u00a322 for ours. Again, on either side of the tunnel is a fuel station. \u2014- I hope this blog post is somewhat helpful and answers our questions anyone has! Feel free to ask anything and we\u2019ll be more than happy to help in any way we can! Thanks for reading\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10351,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4331,5053,5054],"tags":[123,4206,4388,4379,4381,4380,4382,4384,4385,4387,4386,309,768,1286,1308,1306,2208,4383],"class_list":["post-10349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disneyland-paris-trip-reviews","category-theme-parks","category-themed-attractions","tag-disney","tag-disneyland-paris-2022","tag-driver-tips","tag-driving","tag-driving-in-france","tag-driving-tips","tag-driving-to-disneyland-paris","tag-eu-drive","tag-eurotunnel","tag-eurotunnel-experience","tag-eurotunnel-review","tag-paris","tag-theme-park-travel-tips","tag-travel","tag-travel-advice","tag-travel-advice-travel-recommendations","tag-travel-anxiety","tag-uk-to-eu-driving"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5D26774A-3F5F-45AA-927C-A3AE47277302-scaled.jpeg?fit=2560%2C1920&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb4qDv-2GV","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10349"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10354,"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10349\/revisions\/10354"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coastersonthecoast.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}