Russ1974

Hi all,

I want to take my family (me, wife, 3 kids aged 10,8,6) away for a short break before Christmas. We will be flying out from Manchester (UK), or train if staying in the UK.

Current thoughts are;

1) Long weekend at the Ritz, London (See a Panto, visit Hamleys, etc)
2) Long weekend in New York?
3) Long weekend at Euro Disney
4) Day trip to LapLand

Budget is around ?2,000 or so.

Any ideas in addition to the above??

C's Bimmer

If you come to NY, let's connect Russ. I have vegastrashed and ImSortofAbigdeal visiting too. We can have a mini NY/UK/West Coast meet.

Russ1974

Hehe - as much as I'd love that, my wife and kids would kill me Anywhere we go will be "Christmas stuff" ... toy shops, visiting santa, etc! But, my wife and I do plan to visit NY "as soon as we can" without the kids, so when that happens, would be good to meet some of you guys!

(PS, ignore the avatar, I'm actually quite pleasant in real life !!)

Rudy

Don't fall for it...that's exactly what "the avatar" wants you to think...

Russ1974

It's true !!! Since they let me out, I haven't re offended once. Ok maybe once, but certainly no more than that. Unless you count that homeless guy, but I think he deserved everything he got.

westcoast550

Euro Disney, I was travelling from Paris to Manchester a few years ago and the plane was full of kiddies all dressed in their " Disney "costumes .....it was so friggin cute , I can only image the "mini Russ's" terrifying the flight crew all dressed up as........... hmmmm ......... ?
Merry Christmas mate !!

Cheers

nickolas_g

I went to EuroDisney for a conference once a while back. What a damn disaster! No wonder the French hate it. I think that the Disney World and Disneyland in CA blow it away.

westcoast550

It's a French thing.... I've done a lot of business with the French and spent a lot of business and personal time there .They thrive on "CHAOS" !
I agree with you about an American institution like Disney being a " disaster" in France ..... but somehow thats what makes the French ................the French ! They are wonderful peolple with a certain degree of deference towards ............ other cultures !
Long live the Frennch !!

PoleApart

I've done Rovaniemi and Santa's grotto in Lapland in December. We had a 2 day package with sleigh rides with huskies, reindeer sleigh ride and a snowmobile trip down a frozen river. It's fun when you land and the temperature outside is -25 deg celsius and snow everywhere. The whole Santa thing is quite commercialised but kids love it and you'll be able to buy lots of prezzies. Of your selection that's what I'd pick.

Interesting alternative is something like Budapest, Prague or Bratislava. Stay at a hotel like Le Palais in Prague, enjoy the mulled wine and outdoor Christmas markets and pick up a load of really nice east european "folk" Christmas decorations, funny furry hats, etc.

Eurodisney will be cold and wet. London will be cold and wet and crowded.

Flying with kids across the Atlantic for just 2 days is a major hassle. The sterling to dollar exchange rate is a big draw. We went for the half term break and Halloween to New York and came back loaded with stuff. Whichever shop you enter it's like their giving it away for free although before Xmas it's probably also going to be very crowded.

UUronL

NYC is great over the Christmas holiday, but a bit of a zoo. As long as you don't mind that so much, you'll have a great time. Shopping is always unreal, and with the dollar in the toilet, you should be able to make every monetary unit count.