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[pooks_girl]

Trip Report
3rd October to 6th October
Day 1
Travel
We left home in Nottingham about 8.30pm and drove to Dover for our 3.25am ferry. We had just 1 stop at services on the M25. The drive down was really easy and no problems, meaning we arrived at Dover at 1.50am. Because of this we ended up getting on the 2.25am ferry and drive straight on with no waiting. Ferry crossing was about 1hr 30mins. The weather was so calm and still warm even at that time of day the sea was flat there was no swell and the crossing was very very smooth.  We arrived in Calais around 4.40am local time, and headed off on the autoroute for Disney. We had 2 stops on the autoroute just to stretch our legs, eat and get petrol. It was very unnerving driving on the wrong side of the road for the first time in the dark! Especially with some of the French drivers – a truck with a cable or something metal hanging down underneath and creating sparks, and a lit cigarette end flying out of the window of a petrol tanker are just some of the highlights! Also the entry and exit onto the toll section of the roads is kinda scary – it goes from 3 lanes of traffic to an open area about the width of a football field with no lane markings some choice phrases may have been utter at this point! Other than that and a little bit of traffic as we came off one autoroute onto another the drive to Disney was incredibly simple and easy. We arrived at Disney around 8.30am
Arrival/Room
We arrived at our hotel The Sequoia Lodge about 8.30am and parked up leaving our baggage in the car until we'd checked in. Reception was almost empty and we didn't have a wait at all. The reception/arrivals staff where very friendly and happy to help. I asked about getting a refurbished room, and the lady checking us in explained that it would be a downgrade for us as we had originally booked a lake view room but she could move us if we wanted. We choose to take a refurbished room because I wanted to see what they were like. We were allocated a room in Sierra Lodge room 370 and it was ready. So we were able to unpack and be in the room for 9am. Not a bad start!
First impressions of the hotel were that it was beautiful, very relaxed and soothing. The room was a standard hotel room equivalent to similar rooms I've stayed in, in the UK. Two double beds with feather pillows, very comfy. Everything clean, bathroom clean, plenty of hot water. There were drinking glasses in the room but no tea/coffee making things, which I had been aware wouldn't be present. We don't drink tea or coffee much at all so this was fine for us. I did notice that a tea/coffee supplies set was available at the hotel concierge for around 8 Euros. After half an hour to chill out and sort ourselves out we headed to the park. We had been given an envelope with our park tickets and half board plus vouchers at reception.
Parks
Our first day and we were in the park for around 10.30am. Entry into the park was quick and simple, security had a quick peek into my backpack and straight through. First impressions of Main Street were WOW! There was a brass quartet in the bandstand and walking up towards central plaza and caught the end of Disney's Maleficious Halloween Party. We then had a wander about just taking in everything and ended up in discoveryland and ate in the Hyperion cafe. Simple fast food does what it says on the tin. It was quick, easy and 25 Euros for us both to eat seems pretty fair to us. We then headed into Fantasyland and ended up going on It's a small world. My OH is still disturbed by this ride after going on it as a child and being forced to repeat the experience wasn't something he wasn't happy about! The weather was unreal not a cloud in the sky and the sun was unrelenting it must have been about 30 degrees. We were starting to flag a little by now and headed into the Studios Park for a wander.  In the Studios we first headed to the Studio Tram Tour which we walked onto. Great fun, loved the effects sound stage. Then it was off to Armageddon which was breathe taking, if a little understated, we were expecting the floor to move but other than that it was fab. Then onto Art of Animation. We didn't get to look around the first bit as we were ushered into the main room for the start of the show. Again stunning show, loved mushu. It was now got 5pm so we decided to call it a day and headed back to the hotel.
Evening
We had originally booked dinner for 7pm in the hunters grill in sequoia lodge but since we were so tired we asked if they could fit us in earlier at 6pm and they were able to change our time. This gave us just enough time for a cocktail in the redwood bar. We headed to the hunter grill, the food was lovely, lots of it, a good selection and the service was brilliant. After dinner we headed outside to relax and arrange to meet Figgygirl and her OH for a drink. Both of whom are lovely, lovely people and figgygirl is a walking history of DLP!! After drinks we headed to bed thoroughly tired out after a long long day.
Day 2
Breakfast
Woke up bright and early, ok maybe not bright we were still very tired but it was early at least. We headed to breakfast for 7am. Some people have critesed the breakfasts but for us they were perfect. I love pastries, cereals and my OH loves the meat selection so it's the best of both worlds for us. Once again food was fresh, tasty and plentiful and the staff were polite and friendly.
Parks
Headed into the Disney Park for 8am for EMH, no real queues and we were just walking through main st when the vintage fire truck was picking up passengers so we hopped on board for the ride to central plaza. We then headed to Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast were for the first time ever on this sort of thing I managed to beat my OH!!!! We then met up with figgygirl and her OH for a ride on Space Mountain. My OH decided not to ride so I went on with FG and her OH. I've got to say I was disappointed with this ride. The theming inside and out is amazing and the effects inside breathtaking but the actual ride experience I found very uncomfortable. It was very rough and I found it quite painful on my neck and head. My head slammed into the restraint so hard I thought that my earring had cut me, luckily it hadn't.  A quick spin on obitron followed. A nice ride but nothing special for me.  We then parted company with FG and we headed for another spin on Buzz's laser blast with me losing this time After that we walked onto star tours which was amazing (I know I'm using the word amazing a lot I can't help it!) as our ride came to an end and people were exiting and the next lot entering we realised that there would be plenty of seats left so signalled to the CM if it was ok for us to stay on. So second go on star tours without having to exit and renter.  We then headed over to frontierland. The theming of this entire area is stunning, unfortunately the Molly Brown wasn't running but we met Jack Skellington and Sally on our way to Phantom Manor. Another great ride, brilliant theming loved the stretching room, I won't mention anything else so I don't spoil it for anyone. Then we made our way to Big Thunder Mountain. The queue was showing as 15mins so we grabbed a fast pass which was for in 30mins time so by the time we had queued, ridden and exited we entered the fast pass queue and rode again. So within about 30mins we got on BTM twice. Amazing (sorry it's that word again!) ride, best mine train ride we've both ever been on. It took us a minute or two to figure out we actually went under the lake!  After a wander around the area we used the railroad to get back to fantasyland, from there we stopped for lunch at Toad Hall. 2 pieces and fish and a portion of chips for just under 10 Euros fed us both. We already had drinks that we had been carrying around. Once again food was spot on as was the service. After lunch we headed onto POTC, once again loved it, then we had an explore through adventure isle and went over the rope bridge which sent my knees a bit funny and I had to have a sit down! Then we used fast pass to go on peter pan's flight. Lovely ride even though the braking was a bit harsh and jerky. Somewhere in amongst this we also managed to catch the Disney Dance Express, which I can only comment as kinda surreal for two grown adults who usually listen to metal music finding ourselves singing and bobbing along too! Last thing we did today was watch the Once Upon a Dream Parade. Somehow we managed to only be 3 rows from the front without even trying. What can I say apart from magical and breathtaking.  We then decided to head to Val D'Europe to do a bit of shopping and get dinner.
Val D'Europe
By the time we had got back to the hotel, got directions and the car it was nearly 6pm, we then discovered that the Le Vallee Village shops which we wanted to look at closed at 7pm so we had a wander around the Auchan Supermarket and picked a few bits up before we headed back to Disney and managed to get a 9pm reservation for La Grange at Billy Bob's, where we met up with FG and her OH.
La Grange at Billy Bob's. We had such high hopes for this as we both love tex-mex food. Unfortunately we were disappointed. Firstly, as we entered there was a huge queue, apparently they had a problem with their system so we ended up waiting nearly 30mins to be seated. Once we got to the Host's desk, we found the host's attitude held much to be desired. He was ok with us but how he dealt with FG's OH was not good at all. However the 4 of us got our table. The service was slow it seemed to take an age for drinks to arrive. Some tables were set with cutlery, ours wasn't after waiting for a while FG's OH went forraging and found cutlery for us. Then we get to the food.  It was average at best. Starters were ok, salads soup etc. However the mains were some form of chicken to make fajitas with, sausage, rice that had been sat for a while so had started to harden (nothing nicer than crunchy rice!) pork ribs, some form of beef- brisket I believe, and finally chilli. Personally I found the chilli the best, it would have been better with fresher rise though. Desert again was ok but nothing special. Overall it seemed that foods weren't being replaced very quickly, and what was on offer seemed as if it had been held too long.
After a disappointing dinner we headed back to the bar in the New York hotel for a drink with FG and OH. Lovely bar, it felt very upmarket so wasn't somewhere that we felt completely at ease, but the drinks and service once again were marvellous. We then went our separate ways from FG and we headed for a night cap in the Redwood Bar back at the Sequoia Lodge. We had made the aquaintance of one of the barmen – Olivier, who the previous night had seen us struggling to decide on something from the cocktail menu and had offered to recommend a drink for us. We found him again and put ourselves in his hands and WOW can that man create a mean cocktail! After stumbling back to our room we dropped into bed.
Day 3
Breakfast
We had a breakfast slot booked for 7.30am but were unable to pull ourselves together so didn't get to breakfast til just after 8am but this was no problem and once again breakfast was lovely and set us up well for the day ahead.
Parks
Today we had decided to cover the Studios Park. So we headed there first and as we entered the park Minnie was holding a meet and greet. However as we joined the queue she took a break, so trying not to take it personally! We left the queue and headed further into the park. We then came across Mickey's meet and greet with only 10 people in the queue so quickly joined the end to have our pic taken with the big cheese. Yes I am 30 years old and this was one of the best experiences of my life! From here we headed into Toy Story Land where I went on RC Racer which is fabulous so good. I don't usually like pirate ship type rides and was expecting this to be similar but it felt completely different. Then we queued for toy soldiers parachute drop. Which was probably the longest queue we did at about 30mins. My OH though this ride looked very tame but once on it and in the air decided otherwise! I then did the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and loved every second of it. I was laughing the whole time the drop started. Then we had a spot of lunch from one of the fast food restaurants in studio one. A 4 cheese pizza between us for 9 Euros, once again good enough to keep us going. Then we made it in to Stitch Live so unbelievably funny. My OH got picked on by Stitch and will now be know forever and ever as Michael from Nottingham (said in an American accent) who is a very very very very bad bad, evil very bad bad man who escaped from space prison. Then we caught cinemagique which once again was breathtaking. After that we caught Moteurs Action Stunt show. Fab show and a chance to take the weight off our feet. Then it was a quick flight on the Flying Carpets before going on the studio tram tour.  This rounded off our day as we needed to head to Cafe Mickey for our dinner reservation at 7pm.
Evening
Cafe Mickey for character dining. What can I say? We were both transported back to being children and looking excitedly over our shoulders for the next character to appear. We managed to see/have pics taken with: Eeyore, Tigger, Goofy, Mickey, Pinnocho, Chip or Dale. Donald and Minnie didn't get to us unfortunately but there's always next time. Aside from the characters the food and service were brilliant. My OH says it's possibly the best meal he's ever had. We then headed back to our second home of the holiday – Redwood Bar for more of Olivier the barman's excellent creations before heading to bed.
Day 4
Breakfast
Again we managed to oversleep our slot but there was no problem with turning up late. Food and service once again were brilliant. We had been planning to head back to the parks to do the few things we had missed and redo a couple of others, however it started to hammer it down with rain and since we still had a 10hr + journey driving home we decided to bail and after a quick stop in the village to get a last few bits of shopping we headed to Calais for our return ferry.
Journey Home
Our return ferry wasn't booked until 11.30pm but since we left the park early because of the weather, after stopping at the Carrefour supermarket in Calais we were at the docks for 4pm. After a quick visit to the P&O ticket office where they managed to get us rebooked onto the nest ferry at 5.30pm (without any extra charge) we got on the ferry for a rough crossing because of the poor weather. We got back into Dover about 7.30pm local time and after a quick stop at a Tesco in Dover for a sandwich and petrol we got on the motorway home. Unfortunately our trip home was interupted by an accident on the M25 where a wagon managed to hit the rear end of a car and spin it into the concrete barrier on the hard shoulder. We were behind this so my OH managed to get over to the hard shoulder and he went a checked on the people in the car while I made a call to 999. AN hour later after the police and arrived and taken witness statements from us both we made it to the nest services were we had a coffee and waited for the adrenaline to fade. After that we hopped services to services changing driver each time til we got home at 2.00am.
Conclusion
We loved DLRP and are already planning to go back. There were several things we didn't get to do that we wanted. But everything we did amazed and stunned us. Having our last dinner at Cafe Mickey with characters was a cherry on top of the sundae.

[lynny]

lovely report so excited to go nxt week now...thank you

[jackieann]

good report, cant wait to go!!!!!!!

[pooks_girl]

I can't wait to go back! this was my first visit and alreay planning the return lol!

[MrsPirate]

Brilliant report, thank you.  Did you see how much of the hotel main building had been refurbed?

[pooks_girl]

I didnt no. There was some scaffolding on the main building but nothing major. nothing obvious happening on the main floor/restaurants. I did ask if we could have a refurbed room and the receptionist said yes but it would be a downgrade as we had orginally booked a lake view room and a refurbed room would be in the lodges. So from that I assumed that all the lodges had been done and either any refurbed rooms in the main building were taken or hadnt been refurbed.