Our latest visit to Disneyland Paris was to a resort we had yet to visit; Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch! This is a self drive Disney property but set about a 7 minute car ride from the parks. So the first thing to remember is that this resort is not on Disney property, but owed by Disney, therefore you must be driving to benefit from staying here.
So first and foremost, let’s learn a little bit more about Davy’s Crockett Ranch and what it has to offer!
Well the clue is in the name! This Disney resort is themed around Davy Crockett and offers a wilderness and ranch type feel, set in a forest next to Natures De Villages. As soon as we pulled into the entrance of the Disney resort, we were greeted with a sense of calmness, offering a little bit of peace in what can be a busy and full on holiday! The theming around the main hub of the resort really feels like your in a Wilderness village, with a ranch feel to it. We immediately fell in love with the place due to the resort feeling so welcoming and peaceful with lots of areas to explore!
DCR is not a hotel. In fact, if you are a larger family (family of 5 plus) then I’d say this is an excellent Disney property to stay at due to the offering of cabins. The cabins at Davy Crockett ranch are set in a forest area (a little similar to Centre Parcs) where you’ll find areas of cabins around the resort. Each area has a name and each cabin has a drive, so you can park your car right outside. You can read more on our Disney Davy Crockett Cabin/Room Tour here (coming soon!) Each cabin can sleep up to 6 guests, so perfect for larger families when going on holiday to Disneyland Paris.
As this is a self-drive resort, pretty much all guests that are staying here are driving. Therefore when you first arrive you’ll be directed to park up your car and walk to reception to check in. Davy Crockett’s Ranch reception is located in what I will call the main ‘hub’ of the resort, where you’ll also find the resorts shop called Alamo Trading Post, Crockett’s Saloon, toilets, restaurant and pool. There is also a mini golf course and play area as well as a games room located in the vicinity too.
We arrived at the resort around 11.30am and whilst we tried to check in, our cabin wasn’t quite ready yet. But that was no problem as check in isn’t until 3pm. We decided to have a little explore of the area before setting off for Disneyland Paris Park! (Due to Covid restrictions, only one family member could check it at one time)
Once we arrived back at the Resort around 4.30pm we checked in easily and received a key to our cabin! Due to the fact that only my husband checked us in, we missed out on that excitement that checking in offers at a Disney Resort. Often, the cast members will give the children a badge or some sweets which is what we have previously experienced. The cast member also didn’t really offer much information regarding the resort which was a shame. We did receive a map and some guidance on here, however and we realised that we can collect our cleaning kit from the Alamo Trading Post which contains items such as a dish cloth, washing up liquid etc for free, which was super helpful!
Here, the offering of breakfast is a little different to other Disney resorts which is normally a buffet style breakfast. Here, a breakfast basket is on offer, which can be collected at the Breakfast Cabin which is located at each entrance to the cabin areas. Whilst this was a lovely option to offer, it definitely didn’t benefit us due to the fact we brought our own breakfast items from home (which is a great Disney hack to save some pennies!) We also didn’t find the breakfast basket here at Davy Crockett’s Ranch worth the money. The cost of the basket is 10 Euros per person regardless if an adult or a child and it includes:
– Hot drink
– Croissant/Cereal Box
– Orange juice
– Baguette
– Preserves
The main restaurant at Disney Davy Crocketts is The Crockett’s Tavern. Whilst I normally like to write separate reviews for Disney restaurants I don’t think it’s worth it to be honest. We came here purely for the fact it was on the resorts property and was convenient, plus we love to try new places we have yet to eat at, so was keen to try it out. It was fine. Nothing to write home about. The offerings were a slight nod in the direction of Tex-Mex with dishes such as chilli, beef, ribs, pumpkin soup, salad, rice, fish, veggies, tortilla chips. As of 2022, the price for an adult is 32 Euros, and a child is 18 Euros making this a meal for a family of 5 costing 118 Euros. Whilst soft drinks were included, I don’t think this meal for us was very good value. My daughter in particular is very fussy and all she ate was plain pasta and chips. There was nothing wrong with the food, it was all hot and tasted fine but there are far better buffet restaurants in Disneyland Paris that I would much prefer to visit again than this one.
The pool at DCR is the best pool on Disney property in our opinion! Whilst I may have said that after our stay at Sequoia Lodge, my mind has 100% changed since visiting Davy Crockett’s.
We visited three times during our stay and the kids (and us adults!) couldn’t get enough of it! The theming is just wonderful with wooden panelling, caverns and foliage around the pool. The pool is large with various elements to it including a whirl pool, slide, 2 Jacuzzis and a bridge that goes over the top of the main pool. There are some loungers to lie on if you fancy a rest and there is also a terrace which I can imagine will get used in the summer time!
You can rent towels if you wish for 2 Euros each, and there is also plenty of locker space and private cubicles in the changing room. The showers were a bit iffy with some blocked off due to Covid restrictions. It’s also good to note that float aids were also provided here.
The shop on site was great and had everything we needed. We purchased a few food items including the freshly baked baguettes which were only 1 Euro each! Inside you’ll also find some Disney merch including toys, hats, pins etc as well as an array of food to buy (BBQ food) wine, fresh fruit and snacks. I thought the shop was a really good size and the staff were really pleasant and friendly.
As I mentioned above, Davy Crockett’s Ranch also offers a games room, a play area and mini golf course costing 2.50 Euros per person. There is a little nature trail too. The small Crockett’s Saloon bar was perfect to nip into after a day at the parks and we enjoyed a drink in here along with complimentary nuts.
– Take your own coffee/tea or pods if you have them. We have 2 coffee machines in our cabin but no pods to use
– There is no need to bring washing up liquid or a cloth as this is provided. Dishwasher was also in the cabin
– The drive is only a short 5-7 minute ride away but if you are visiting the park at peak times, be aware that sometimes there is a queue to check in to the parks.
– If you don’t have the luggage space, pool towels are available at a cost of 2 Euro each
– Swim aids are also available to use for free at the pool
– If you do want to dine in the Crockett’s Tavern, booking is open 60 days prior to your stay (this is the case for ALL restaurants across Disney)
– Checking out is simple; just drop your key off in the drop off box when exiting the resort
Overall, we LOVED our stay at Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch. We felt the resort was perfect for us as a family of 5, and now that our youngest is over 3, it means we can have accommodation at a reasonable price without having to pay for 2 hotel rooms. It also meant that we saved money on purchasing food items such as coffee, tea and snacks as we took our own. We would also purchase baguettes from the shop along with ham and cheese to make lunch. It was lovely to step away from the hustle and bustle of the parks and come back to a place that felt close to nature and it really offered a calming and peaceful experience. We can’t wait to be back later on this year!
If you haven’t already, check out my other Disney Hotel Reviews!
Thanks for reading xxx
Hi and welcome to The Willow Tree. I’m Michelle, also known as Shel and I am a mama to three beautiful crazy kids – I have two handsome boys and a wild and wonderful girl.
I really wanted a concrete place to share my love for travel, in particular Disney and offer my readers a chance to gain some knowledge around what we love to do as a family of 5.
I share our family adventures which include days out, travel advice and tips, holiday reviews, restaurant visits and of course, our love for Disney, including Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World.
Life is about creating memories, and here we are sharing them with you
xoxo
Hi,
First of all, so refreshing to find a useful and practical review. We are looking to go and stay end of the month. I wanted to know from your experience whether ar checkin time they gave you park tickets + parking pass even though the room wasnt ready or if you already had the tickets separate?
Secondly what were the tiings for the pool and was the water warm or cold?
Thanks
Mo
Yes you can still access the parks prior to check in. But I have always brought the holiday as a package with tickets included. The pool is lovely and warm especially the hot tubs! have a great holiday and sorry if my comments are too late!