Great! Sounds like I am making the right decision!
I just purchased a promenade, and am feeling pretty happy about the size (and the price)!
I wanted a classic bag to use for evenings/date nights. I was initially thinking a Chanel bag, but after doing some comparing I think the promenade is a great deal.
The promenade is bigger than a Chanel WOC, and a bit sturdier and able to stand up on it's own (at least the newer version is, the older version is a bit more pouch-like, as the bottom is designed differently).
In terms of pricing, the Dior promenade is $2050 in the States (before sales tax, in NY I think this is 8.875%, so total of approx $2231). Luckily I was recently in Paris and was able to buy mine at the airport for €1364 (it's €1550, minus 12% duty when you buy in the airport). I bought this when the Euro was trading at $1.04, so I saved a bit compared to buying in the States.
Foreign exchange savings aside, I feel the promenade is still a great value relative to the comps.
In inches:
Promenade: 8.26"x 5.31"x 1.9" - $2050
Chanel woc: 7.5"x 5"x 1.5" - $2100
Chanel mini rectangle: 7.9"x 4.9" x 2.8" - $3100 (some sites report the size as 8"x 5"x 2" as well)
Chanel small flap: 9.3"x 5.7" 2.6" - $4700
I think the promenade is ideal because it's size is closer to the Chanel mini and Chanel small classic flaps, but it costs $1050 less than the mini. I think the promenade serves the same purpose in terms of use, has similar storage capacity, and provides the same look as these two Chanel bags. Lastly, the Dior Promenade champagne gold finish makes it pretty versatile.