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[coruscantpt]

Hello everyone!!

Just arrived home from DLP. I went there to see all the Christmas season feattures and some shopping also. For those who don't know, here in France the weather has been very strange this last week, with storms coming out of nowhere. I looked all the week the weather forecast and it always said a mixture between rain and sun. But actually, saturday morning the skies were clear and all sunny. Very cold of course but besides that no rain. Or so I thought....

Arrived at DLP at around 15 and went for a walk around the park to see the decorations. It was busy, but not as busy as I thought it would be since it was the last weekend before Christmas.



Everyone with their hot coats and gloves on because it was freezing...



I love the decoration of this shop. So nice



For those who haven't seen before here it is the new control center for the new show Disney Dreams coming in April



It actually feets very well with the rest of central plaza although it lacks still of the popcorn lights. But maybe they will add after.
So after I went to Phantom Manor. As you all know by now it is one of my favourite rides. No big queue (only 15 minutes) so I went in. Here is the look of things before I went in...



Not a bad sky, still sunny, some small clouds but nothing that special.

Went I got out of the ride, the first thing I heard was a thunder... I thought I was still in the ride but no.. Outside, only after 15 minutes the skies were completely different.



Then some white balls began falling. No rain or snow. only hail...



Actually it was funny because many people didn't realize that it was hail so everytime they felt something hitting them, they would start looking around trying to find out who did that. I went for a walk around adventureland, praying that things wouldn't get worse.

 

See the two torches were lit during all weekend. Here is a look of the gallion. All flags are back and some ropes too.



The lovely adventureland...



Well almost time for the parade so I went to central plaza to find a good spot for me to see the parade with the christmas unit at the end. When I arrived there, a group of cheerleaders were acting (as part of some program that DLP has although I didn't quite listen very well).



And this, believe me, is the last picture of these girls dry. Because a minute after, torrential rain, mixed with ice and snow fell from the skies. Actually I think that everything you can imagine that falls from the skies (weather related of course) fell during the next hour or so.



I asked a cast member if they were going to cancel the parade and the shows since last year they cancelled the shows due to the snow. And for my surprise she said not at all. It is not the guest's fault that the weather is like this. Only in extreme conditions the shows and parades will be cancelled. Well, if that was not an extreme condition I don't know what it is lool.



So everyone stayed on Main Street waiting for the 17:00 parade. By the time the parade started the weather was like this...



But as the girl said, they went on with the parade. The characters were acting normally, like during a hot sunny day



The ones covered, didn't need any other adornment, like Mary Poppins.



Others, like the little mermaid and Eric, needed a nice umbrella.



When the Christmas unit appeared, they added to the mixture of snow, ice and rain, fake snow so things got really messy.



And there came Duffy (yes everything is about Duffy at DLP)



I actually recorded Santa but it is not that good so I won't put it here. But he came also with a nice umbrella. But actually, by the time he got to central plaza, the rain was stopping a bit so he closed the umbrella.

After a bit of shopping (to avoid the wetty and slippery floor), it was time to light up the Christmas tree.



The ceremony if the same as last year.



But this time, instead of staying in the first row in front of the tree, I stayed back a bit in the middle of main street. And believe me, it was the best. Because there you get a good look of the lights on the tree, but also the christmas lights on Main street. You even see the snow falling which gives a special look to the ceremony. Here is the end of it:

[youtube:39kj5wzc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJmC7oueYDs&feature=g-upl&context=G208d575AUAAAAAAAAAA[/youtube:39kj5wzc]

Lovely isn't it ?




It was then time for the castle.

To be continued...

[Epcot_Boy]

Thanks for taking the time to share your hols with us but............

And there came Duffy (yes everything is about Duffy at DLP) I really do hope not :x  

I think your report shows that DLP take the saying.....'The show must go on =D> ' to its limits :lol: Those poor girls :shock:

Anyhow, the lighting of the Christmas tree, wonderful, wonderful, just wonderful =D>  =D>  =D>

[MrsPirate]

Thank you so much for the video of the christmas tree lighting, we missed it this trip. It really is something special.

Apart from the thunder when you came out of PM which must have added to the atmosphere, shame about the weather.

Looking forward to reading the rest of your report.

[15MagicalYears]

Great photos! Can't wait to read the rest

[BlackPearl]

Thanks for sharing this great photos and the film. I couldn't see the lighting of the Christmas tree this year, so I really
enjoyed your film
 =D>  =D>

[coruscantpt]

I think your report shows that DLP take the saying.....'The show must go on =D> ' to its limits :lol: Those poor girls :shock:

Yeah exactly that. In 2009 I was at WDW and they cancelled Fantasmic! at 21:00 due to a rain that occured at 16:00  :shock: This time, it was a torrential rain and they did it. Good job DLP

Another part of the report will be coming later today. Thanks everyone for the comments


Edit:

For those who want to see, I found a vid of the parade here:

[youtube:1sn95i7q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALFPFyuGjCk&feature=g-all-c&context=G2812fceFAAAAAAAAMAA[/youtube:1sn95i7q]

[amanda08]

love the film of the xmas tree lighting ceremony! Does anyone know if this also happens after xmas? we are going 1st - 4th January

[coruscantpt]

love the film of the xmas tree lighting ceremony! Does anyone know if this also happens after xmas? we are going 1st - 4th January

I think it goes until the 8th so you will see it for sure

[coruscantpt]

Part 2


So, after the tree lighting ceremony the rain stoped and with that came the cold cold weather. It was 1ºC (33F), but believe me the sensation was wayyy below that. So it felt a bit warmer with all the people gathering around central plaza for Aurora's Christmas Wishing show.



I was quite excited to finally see a castle lighting show. Last year, during my first Christmas trip to DLP, they cancelled due to the snow. But this time, as for the rest of the other previous shows, everything went as planed. So here is the show from the hub.

[youtube:229z4vjs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqfVnFW2h2w&feature=g-upl&context=G208d575AUAAAAAAAAAA[/youtube:229z4vjs]

The show actually works very well. It is a bit inspired by the MK show but since the castle is from Aurora it makes sense that she would get the show. But, as for the castle lights this year... Well judge by yourselfs.













And now compared to the castle last year and see the differences.



Well, when I first heard they were not bringing all the castle lights back I was very disappointed. I don't pretend to know why they decided this in the first place. The most consistent rumour says that due to the projection tests being made after hours for Dreams, they needed the castle without the normal Christmas lights. Actually it is true that they are doing tests after hours but it is also true that at the Magic Kingdom they have The Magic, The Memories and You show (that uses projections on the castle) and all the normal Christmas lights.

Anyway, at the end it actually doesn't look as bad as I tought. It is nice to see the new leds they place on the castle walls. Even the back of the castle has this small leds spread all over the facade. But still I think the old system worked better.

By this time, Fantillusion was getting ready to go out, so I went to see it in a different place, near It's a Small World. Actually, this is a very good spot to see the parade. Not a lot of people goes there to see it so you can actually arrive by the time it starts and get a front row view of the parade. Due to the cold weather, Fantillusion was on a non-stop mode so here are some pics of it.



Mickey as always leading with its rainbow of colours.



The tree fairies were actually having a small fight which I actually found funny to see. The blue fairy almost attacking the pink one. Don't ask why because I don't know too lool.



One of the most beautifull float in the parade, the butterfly float.



Now this I don't understand. If the parade is in a nonstop mode, why do they have to carry the dark lights that are only used in the stops?? The guy just walk pushing the lights, not moving at all. Not necessary I think.



Bad Jaffar cursing everyone as usual.



The best villan ever



And then the princess part, with snow white and her prince.



Ariel and Eric



Beauty and the Beast.



Jasmin and Aladdin.



And in the last float...



The princess of all princess, Minnie.

So after the park pretty much emptied so I grab the chance to do most of the rides and take some nice pictures of an empty Disneyland Paris.



But that is for part 3

[Epcot_Boy]

Your point regarding the Lighting of the Castle is interesting :|  but it still looks wonderful when it's got its best suit on, so to speak. :thumbs:

Thanks for Part 2

[coruscantpt]

Part 3

So as I said, after Fantillusion the park pretty much emptied with only some people in the shops, either to get warm or simply to do some shopping. I then got the chance to do most of the rides with little to no time waiting.



The castle seen from Fantasyland (near adventureland)



The roof of the teacups is beautifull at night.

I then went to see the holiday overlay of It's a small World. The facade hasn't got all the lights as at Disneyland, but still they manage to place some around the gardens at the entrance.



Inside some small details (besides the music of course) gives a taste of christmas.





The three kings







Well, after all this christmas, I though it was really nice to have some halloween so I went back to Phantom Manor.



Alone in the stretching room.... Now that can be a nice experience. The cast members of DLP actually love to scare someone after the stretching scene. Since I was alone I was prepared for the worst lool. Still he manage to scare me because he didn't appeared from behind, as I though he would, but stood right in front of me, looking scary. I loved it.



The beautifull bride



And the empty staircase



I step out of the ride and went for adventureland. On the way there I saw this beautifull christmas shop still in Frontierland. Very nice lights there.



Pirates was a walk through ride also as you can see here. Once again alone there.



Did all the rides at fantasyland also, even peter pan and dumbo. No waits again.



Discoveryland was the same thing so did pretty much the entire park in one and a half hour.
By the time i step to central plaza, the park was closing. And empty already. So I grab the chance to take some photos of an empty Disneyland Park.



The beautifull lights near the entrance of Liberty Arcade.



Empty Main Stree. I actually love the reflections of the floor.





Empty Town Plaza





And with that I end this report. Thanks for reading and for the nice replies. I wish you all a very happy holidays, and an excelent 2012.




Cya

[ed-uk]

Beautiful pictures. So nice to have the park to yourself.