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[Wendy]

EuroDisneyland?

A noticeable change had occurred to our family holiday, we were no longer just having a entertaining and cheerful time, now there was an air of competitiveness amongst us, allegiances were being formed, children didn't just amble aimlessly around the parks, we were all on the lookout for the next, intriguing prize – any reference at all to Euro Disney.  My husband had found the first reference on our very first morning.  Outside the parks, the walkways are lined with lampposts adorned with the EuroDisney logo:  


Other finds came at regular intervals, posters, plaques and engraved buildings were spotted and examined by the treasure hunters

           

but the crème de la crème was still to come... whilst waiting for a train in Main Street Station, Alex came across a fantastic find – a double whammy if you will, not only did he spot an 'interesting bench' but he also noticed that it had EuroDisney inscribed on the metal legs!



For making the best find of the week, he was awarded the title of Challenge Winner and, quite rightly, boasted about it non stop for the rest of the holiday, much to the amusement of the rest of us.


Oops!

As we were staying at Disney for a full 9 nights and 10 days, we decided to venture into Paris itself and do the whole touristy thing.  After negotiating the trains, and emerging from the station in front of Le Arc de Triumph we began our discovery of France's capital city.  We saw all the sights that day: walked down the Champs-Elysees; posed for photos in front of the Place de la Concorde; made ooh and ahh sounds at the architecture and art work around the city and, of course, looked up at the Eiffel Tower saying "how big is that?!"(as you do).  We also rode on the Big Red Bus to see the Opera House and many other places of interest.  But if you ask my children what the highlight of their Paris day out was, which of course I did, they will tell you it was visiting the Disney Store!  Oh dear, I have created Disneyfanatical monsters!!!  In fact, we realised on the way home that the only shops we ventured into were a chemist for some headache tablets and the Disney Store, oops!

Now you would think that forgetting a suitcase was a rather unfortunate event to happen and that our bad luck must have been used up for the holiday, but you would be wrong. The train back to Marne la Vallee was crowded and hubby had to stand for most of the journey.  He complained that he felt a little queasy but we put it down to tiredness, how wrong we were, that night the trouble began and the poor man had to camp out in our bathroom thanks to a very upset tummy.  Oops!

For the next two days, he was sick, very sick and the rest of the family had to leave him alone in a darkened room to try to recover.  Obviously, all of our medicines and remedies were safely packed up in a suitcase in Cornwall – once again our original blunder came back to haunt us.  Oops!

Meanwhile, the boys and I tried to make the most of our last moments in the magic by eating smaller breakfasts and making our way to the parks earlier, to try to gain that illusive photo of an empty Main Street.  Did we get what we desired – you bet we did!  At 7.30am on our last full day at the park we were out of the hotel and sprinting to the park gates.  By 8.15 we were drinking hot chocolate and eating doughnuts, mission accomplished!








To sum up the trip I would have to say it was full of wonder with a few rollercoaster dips along the way.  Memorable moments include the relaxed and deliciously fun Sunday Brunch at the Steakhouse; line dancing with Woody; happily chatting with an interactive Stitch; gazing over Lake Disney on a clear, fresh morning; and the look on my youngest son's face when he saw a giant Sun and Moon making it's way towards him with Mickey at the helm, to name but a few.

Things I've never noticed before are numerous and varied: dancing hippo bushes; the gardener's shed at the back of TOT; cryptic signs and strange numbers in the window displays in Main Street spring to mind.

     

These lists don't for one second begin to describe the magical holiday that we experienced.  Bumps and all, we loved our time at DLP and now that we have Dream Passports with an extended expiry date of 2010 you can guarantee that we will be back for more soon!

In the meantime, I hope that you have enjoyed this trip report as much as I've enjoyed writing it and I'll leave you with a medley of our trip, courtesy of you tube...



[youtube:2aj20tj5]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jLVx4H_08M[/youtube:2aj20tj5]

//http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jLVx4H_08M

[ColdSun]

oh, your poor husband! Getting sick in Disneyland is definetely not nice.
But great review once again and I absolutely loved your YouTube slideshow. Your kids are so adorable and you sure met a lot of characters and took a lot of great photos =D> !!! Did you also eat at Rendezvous Des Stars (if yes how was the food?) or did you just check out the little Remy?

[Epcot_Boy]

3.   Take a photo of an empty Main Street USA,

Now you've really got me intrigued if you managed that one

Epcot_Boy :ears:

 =D> Congratulations

Epcot_Boy :ears:

[Pete's Dragon]

great photos, but where's the empty Main Street one ? The suspense is killing me :?

[ColdSun]

great photos, but where's the empty Main Street one ? The suspense is killing me :?

but it's right there just a few posts above you :lol:

[Pete's Dragon]

great photos, but where's the empty Main Street one ? The suspense is killing me :?

but it's right there just a few posts above you :lol:

 :oops:  :lol:  Missed that entire page. Thought I'd read it all. Cheers, I could have been waiting for days thinking it was all a big con.

Wow, great photo. Its like something from the start of Vanilla Sky or 28 Days Later

[Wendy]

Thanks for your kind comments everyone, I am overwhelmed by your lovely remarks  :oops:    but I'm so pleased that you like my report and my photos as I've really enjoyed writing it!

Wow, great photo. Its like something from the start of Vanilla Sky or 28 Days Later

Fortunately, it didn't have quite the same ominous feel as either of those films   :shock: otherwise we might have gone staight home  

I'll try to go back and answer your questions this evening as I've noticed a few along the way.

Thanks again xx

[RnRCj]

I love the empty Main Street photo! Can you remember exactly what time that photo was taken? Because I too have always wanted a photo of an empty Main Street. :wink: I'm guessing it was taken as soon as the Extra Magic Hours started, so about 8am. Am I right?

[Wendy]

I love the empty Main Street photo! Can you remember exactly what time that photo was taken? Because I too have always wanted a photo of an empty Main Street.  I'm guessing it was taken as soon as the Extra Magic Hours started, so about 8am. Am I right?

Yeah, we got there really early and we were one of the first in... there were literally people walking into the park behind us so we got the photos quickly before Main Street wasn't empty and more!  

[SophieD]

that was a really great trip report Wendy, I loved reading it!!! your photos and end slide show were all amazing....

I was completely in awe of the empty Main Street, it seems so desolate!

I hope your husband recovered and is okay now!

and a big  =D> to Alex.....thats quite a discovery....I shall try and find it when I go in December!

[Aveen2008]

Hey Wendy, great trip report, photos and video!! =D>

Sorry your husband became unwell though  that was a bit of a bummer for him and you but it looks like you made the best of everything and had a great trip!

Thanks for sharing it!

Aveen x

[bigrossco]

shame about the suitcase and your husband getting ill what bad time to happen

At least you all had a good time

Great report :0

[Wendy]

Did you also eat at Rendezvous Des Stars (if yes how was the food?) or did you just check out the little Remy?

Yeah, we did eat at Rendezvous Des Stars and the food was pretty good, nice selection of hot food and the desserts were fab, but I thought they were very stingy with the drinks as we were only allowed to have one can of fizzy each and the little one wasn't allowed to have any as he is under 3!  We had to share a can between the two boys.   :?

I didn't like the fact that a lot of the restraunts now have a buffet at a set price with these kind of limitations - When I'm paying 24.50 euros per head, (which works out at almost £21 with the rubbish exchange rate at the moment) I think I should be allowed more and one can of fizzy drink!    

[Clarebelle]

That does sound really stingy!

[pussinboots]

I'm so glad my unhinged ramblings and obsessive-compulsive photography tendencies have actually inspired someone, haha. First of all, like everyone else, I'm sorry about the suitcase, the weather and your husband getting ill. If you'd had a layover and gotten mugged, you'd have had a veritable Yahtzee of classic travel nightmares.

Second of all, hats off to you. Loved the pictures of the benches, the "Euro Disney" remnants, the video montage; it all. I'd never really noticed half those details. But most of all, kudos for staying fresh-faced and merry through all of it. I remember when I was about the same age as your children, we had a Disney trip not unlike yours -- bad weather, all sorts of bad luck... My mother was chain-smoking all the way through, haha. The pictures from that trip look like someone cut us out of a Gulf War set and pasted us over "it's a small world". So well done.
 
I don't want to plug rival websites and be a traitor, but if you post this on MiceChat.com and send a little message to a person called "Rixter", they might just have a spot for your photographs on the next MiceAge Weekend Update.