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[Stacykg]

Hi all

First of all let me just say I am SO EXITED!!! First time leaving England, first time in Disney!
This is an adult only trip with me and my boyfriend, arriving at the beginning of December  for 5 days. We are staying at the Santa Fe and getting the Eurostar down, with the Disney express service and half board plus (I think, it's the one below premium).
67 sleeps!
I am very nervous about this trip and don't want to wing it even though he has been twice before with his family and has a good idea about the place. Any tips on nice places to eat? We are picky eaters and I have an intolerance to lactose. So places with clear menus is a must. Does the petrol station near Santa Fe or the shop in the train station sell any dairy free or lactose free milk? I know the hotel can provide it for breakfast but I'm thinking for cups of tea and hot chocolates.
Also, does the room come with a kettle? Any ideas what to pack for a winter trip whilst leaving enough room in the suitcase for souviners? Do the rides have a safe place to leave bags seen as we are both big enough to go on them there is nobody to bag watch.
Also, spending money, I don't want to take too little because I don't want to restrict my spending but I want to bring home Christmas gifts for some people, and also splurge on some snow globes, clothes and limited edition items whilst there, also soft toys because you are never too old. I'm thinking €100 a day spending money?
Also has anyone used the tompsons travel pre paid card in the shops and resturants? Is it any good and does it work ok?
Sorry, loads of questions but I am obviously nervous and very very exited. I feel like that kid from the adverts when I was a child... 'Sarah, are you asleep?' 'No! I'm too exited!'

[marf91]

Yay! I'm so excited for you visiting DLP for the first time.

Unfortunately I have never been to Santa Fe so cannot advise about the kettle but I'm sure someone else can and the same with the dairy free questions however... in terms of restaurants check out the DLP Guide website (its linked at the top of this forum) because it has all the menu's for the restaurants so you can get more of an idea of what sells what/where might be appropriate for you.

In most cases the bags can come on rides with you, no problems at all. I always just put the strap around my leg if I'm concerned and I've never had anything fall out. I think the only exception is Parachute Drop, and for that there are crates to put your bags in.

Weather will be coldish (like the UK), if you can wear your coat, hat, scarf etc when travelling to save room in your suitcase and 100 euro a day sounds reasonable to me. I usually try to budget each day as well around a similar amount but I'm usually only buying for myself.

I hope this helps enjoy your trip!

[stormflm595]

Yay! How exciting for you!

I've stayed at the Santa Fe twice and unfortunately no kettle. I think this is standard for all rooms, whether you're staying at Santa Fe or the Disneyland Hotel. Have you thought about taking a travel kettle? They're quite inexpensive and it means you'll be able to start your day with a hot drink. If not, Disney are very good for recognising allergies and for working around them so you'll be find for dairy-free milk etc.
My favourite counter service restaurant is Hakuna Matata in Adventureland...the chicken strips and spicy fries are delicious! If you want to go a bit higher end, Blue Lagoon, Walt's and California Grill all seem to have positive reviews. I'm quite a fussy eater myself and have had no problem taking things off my plate or adding stuff.
Get yourself some nice thick gloves, a warm woolly hat and a warm coat. It might be an idea to wear a cuddly jumper beneath your coat too as waiting around for Dreams to start was very cold business in March so I imagine it'll be the same in December.
Budgeting spending money is a good shout to make sure you don't overspend but be aware that Disney Parks merchandise can be very pricey (particularly snow globes or anything glass). If I were you, I'd wait until the last day to do your shopping. It means you can take your time picking out the stuff you really want to buy and the stuff you're not sure about. Also you might find something you like in one shop, but something you love in another and if you have already reached your spending money limit for the trip, that can be pretty gut wrenching!

[Stacykg]

Thank you! I was thinking mainly in regards to space mountain and the rock n roller coaster and other upside down stuff I don't think I'd be able to take rucksacks on!
I'm also considering calling in the next month or so and booking all the resturants for the week so I want to have in mind everywhere I like the sound of ☺️ Oh it's so exiting!

I do like the idea of shopping on the last day, our Eurostar isn't until about 5pm and with Disney express we have no luggage to worry about lugging around.
When my boyfriend went in March, I didn't send him with much to bring me back stuff but he got a photo of this beautiful nightmare before Christmas snow globe at €60 and that is the top of my list to buy. Perhaps I need to get a little more overtime in at work and pick up a few other snow globes too ☺️

Any thoughts on going to Disney princess dining as grown ups? Will we look like total muppets?

[stormflm595]

I have a beautiful Tangled snow globe I picked up a couple of years ago and when you wind it up, it plays I See the Light. Hopefully you find the Nightmare before Christmas one! There's a really good shop on Main Street USA called Harringtons Fine China which is wear I picked mine up from for roughly the same price so that might be a good starting point if it's not in the original shop your boyfriend found it in

Haha I'm actually planning on doing the Auberge this time as I've done Café Mickey and Inventions so I don't think it's silly at all! I'm almost 28 and I still love the princesses You'll be surprised at how many people queue up for character meets and dining who don't have kids in tow with them...Disney is that one place where everyone is free to be a child again

[Stacykg]

We have cafe Mickey in our meal plan so we are going there, maybe first night ☺️ I am torn between auberge and inventions as they both come in around the same price subsidy on top of our meal plans, it's me that wants to see the princesses not him so I've got to front the bill. I like the idea of a buffet, as auberge is mainly French dishes, no burger and chips. What's the food choices like in the buffet at inventions?

[stormflm595]

I actually didn't like Inventions at all...I hated the food and it was the same characters that you get In Café Mickey. I'm not lactose intolerant myself but I hate creamy food, milk, butter etc and I found everything there was cooked in butter plain spaghetti should never taste like butter haha.

From memory, the buffet consisted of salad, shellfish and seafood, kids choices like nuggets, chips, pizza (but things you can get at any counter service for the same quality and more than half the price), spaghetti, sauces for it, chicken in sauce, beef medallions (cooked rare ) and desserts. There were other stuff but I forgot as it was ages ago. I think buffets are super good if you're not fussy and don't have allergies (as everything is prepared as batches so you can't really ask them to cook steak medium for example if it's all batch prepared as rare) and very limited if you do. Apologies for not selling it well but that is just my experience. There are loads of people on here who love Inventions and would probably say the opposite so I think it's just going through the menus online for places and deciding what works best for you and your boyfriend.

[Stacykg]

I actually didn't like Inventions at all...I hated the food and it was the same characters that you get In Café Mickey. I'm not lactose intolerant myself but I hate creamy food, milk, butter etc and I found everything there was cooked in butter plain spaghetti should never taste like butter haha.

From memory, the buffet consisted of salad, shellfish and seafood, kids choices like nuggets, chips, pizza (but things you can get at any counter service for the same quality and more than half the price), spaghetti, sauces for it, chicken in sauce, beef medallions (cooked rare ) and desserts. There were other stuff but I forgot as it was ages ago. I think buffets are super good if you're not fussy and don't have allergies (as everything is prepared as batches so you can't really ask them to cook steak medium for example if it's all batch prepared as rare) and very limited if you do. Apologies for not selling it well but that is just my experience. There are loads of people on here who love Inventions and would probably say the opposite so I think it's just going through the menus online for places and deciding what works best for you and your boyfriend.

No thank you, helpful information, many of the buffet places don't have a menu and I didn't want to walk in and find it rediculously French and food I would never eat! Very helpful I'll discuss with him when we call to book!

[Andybear]

I haven't used the Thompsons pre paid card but I have used the same sort of card issued by ICE and it was fine.  You can also withdraw cash from ATMs with it.  ICE don't charge for ATM withdrawals but every card issuer is different.  I'm going to use it when I go to DLP next year.  I'll also be getting a US Dollar one when I go to WDW in 2018.

[CitrusZing]

Hi Stacykg,

First of all, don't be nervous. You'll be fine and Disneyland Paris is great.

If you have any doubts about menus in places, speak to a cast member. Some more up to date menus can be seen here: http://www.dlptownsquare.com/restaurant-menus/.
You could always buy some of those little long life diary free milk pouches that some UK supermarkets sell and take them with you.

You can ask for a kettle in Hotel Cheyenne so I'm guessing you can do the same at Santa Fe. You will have to pay a refundable deposit for it though. Pack cups, spoons (or those wooden stirrers from coffee shops), hot chocolate, tea, sugar, etc. to take with you in your suitcase.

Clothing wise, make sure you have layers as it will be chilly. Remember a hat, gloves and a scarf. It will be extra chilly when the sun goes down and you are watching Disney Dreams.

The Thomson's pre-paid card is fine. I use one regularly for Disney.

Any thoughts on going to Disney princess dining as grown ups? Will we look like total muppets?

My boyfriend and I (29yrs and 40yrs!) have done a few character dining meals, they can be great fun.
My Mum (in her 60s) went to Auberge de Cendrillon in January 2015. The princesses were fun but it is odd as you have to think of them as the princesses not the cast members! My Mum and I had a character meal in Inventions and found that the characters seemed to be passing us by, if you have this problem, have a word with the cast member with them or one of the restaurant staff. This has only happened to us once though.

Sorry, loads of questions but I am obviously nervous and very very exited. I feel like that kid from the adverts when I was a child... 'Sarah, are you asleep?' 'No! I'm too exited!'

I know the feeling. We've just booked my 8th trip to DLP, it's not until March 2017 but I am excited too!

[Stacykg]

Thank you everyone you are all so helpful! We have settled on our 4 resturants for the week on the meal plan. I am booking auberge but leaving it open to discussion and possibility of changing if something else takes our fancy or we see enough princesses at the pavilion to satisfy my inner child! The food is not really to either of our tastes but we will give it a shot.

Another question, I can find the opening times for all the resturants in Disneyland park, but I need to find the opening times for the resturant in cheyenne, Annette's diner and cafe Mickey so I can work out the specific times before we book. Any ideas where I may find these?

[Vikkilou]

Look on dlpguide has all the restaurant menus & most opening times.  Cheyenne opens at half 12 til 3 I think then again about 6.  I went in august not somewhere I would recommend eating tbh not much choice & most the food was cold.  U can see the current programmes if u search disney land paris shows & parades.  Programme r redone weekly. I printed it out just before we went & organised our days beforehand.  Programmes r available in the park to.