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[The Butlin Boy]

Fantastic trip report and photos Dave, I really enjoyed reading it

It sounds like you all had a fantastic trip, despite the unfortunate illness half way through. Having said that though, it sounds like the medical attention you got was superb!

I'm also quite concerned about the staggered opening and closing times that you've mentioned, please keep us up to date on the letter you're writing and the response you get from it.

I'd also like to say that I have fallen in love with the resort and the villa that you stayed at. Sure, it doesn't have a room that overlooks Main Street and the Castle, but it looks like an incredibly beautiful place to stay at. I'd love to be able to get an annual pass and just drive up and stay there regularly like you do, it'd be fantastic :mrgreen:

Thanks again for the trip report Dave

[paul]

Great report - made for good reading, thanks!

[RnRCj]

Thanks for the detailed report Dave. It seems almost as if they made the park look great just for you! The labyrinth looks fantastic especially. I presume in Phantom Manor all the ballroom ghosts were turning, the music was loud and clear, all animatronics were moving etc.? Rock 'n' Roller Coaster sounds like it's good for now. Let's hope they can keep that up and give us some thick smoke sometime in the future! Nice to see my favourite horse-drawn streetcars again too.

I noticed how green and colourful the parks look in your photos. Maybe it's just because I usually visit in the winter months, but there seems to be loads of trees and colourful flowers everywhere, like around the hub stage. Superb! I'm a little more encouraged to go nearer the summer months now.

The staggered openings are very irritatating. I remember a few trips ago I rushed into the park especially to see the Nautilus (hadn't been in there for quite a few years) and was very annoyed to find it closed. Something definitely needs to be done there. Especially on busy days.

Sounds like you had great time overall though. I'm sorry about you getting ill, but at least there's all those great little things to do at DLP for people who don't necessarily want to be thrown about and chucked in the air!!

Thanks for the report, once again.

[davewasbaloo]

Thanks guys. Overall we did have a good time, and yep, the Marriott is a better experience than most of the DLP hotels IMHO and cheaper than the DLH.

PM was in tip top condition. Only two things noticed - no etherial lighting around the walls in Leota's seance room (I think this is a purposeful change) and the Dr Jeckyl character was not working (and has not since 1992, so I am kind of ok with that). everything else (all the ghosts, ghost host, and many effects in boot hill I have not seen work is years) were great!

[dagobert]

Thanks for the great trip report!! I'm glad to hear that most of the attractions are in a good shape. I'm sorry that you needed a doctor!!

I have a question concerning your accomodation. Do I have to be a member of this vacation club to stay there, or is it possible to book an apartment without being a member?

[davewasbaloo]

Subject to availability you can stay at Marriott Vacation Club - check out their website:

http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel ... de-france/

[never2old]

Just finished reading your report and looking at all your pictures. Very good read, and very insightful!

Sorry you were feeling ill for a bit there, but glad it didn't ruin your trip.

Hope that the Main Street vehicles are still out when I go in a few weeks, I haven't seen them in a while, very jealous you got to ride on them so many times!

Thank you for sharing your trip!

[Agent Lex]

Nice trip report, glad you enjoyed your trip

Photo comments:
French castle - seeing photos like this makes you really appreciate the fact that they designed a specific castle for Paris. Give this a pink coat of paint and you've got the Disneyland CA castle!

Gazebos - I think these are underappreciated, personally. In fact, most of that front courtyard area is, probably because people are rushing into the parks themselves I guess.

Welsh dolls on Small World - re your caption, I'm glad there's someone else out there who thinks non-flash photos are better on attractions.

Africa on Small World - ...like this one, nice and colourful, personally I think a flash would have washed some of that out.

Fooood! - That makes me hungry just looking at it!

Big Thunder Mountain - I like the way the plant in the foreground and the trees all frame the photo well.

Leaping water fountains - I'm glad these are working, they weren't when I was out there which disappointed me.

RoxN - Out of curiosity, is it just me who feels a bit disappointed by this huge space after Star Tours that they're doing nothing with?

Phantom Manor - is there a bad angle to take a photo of PM from? If there is, I haven't found it, excellent facade building.

Sleeping Beauty dancing - I love these little unannounced shows. Nice to stumble on, and if you don't know it's there you don't regret missing it!

The labyrinth - as everyone else has said, this is wonderful to see!

The WF Cody - agreed with the comment, it's a nice shot

Toad Hall coat of arms - another nice incidental shot. I always find the motto especially amusing, given the location

Autopia - I almost can't believe there was a 50 minute wait for this. I thought a lot of people overlooked it, but it's really popular!

Mikey and Mickey - re your caption, I completely agree with the mob mentality surrounding characters. I only saw one actual line for a character when I was there that was handled well, the line for St Patrick's Day Mickey, which was a one-off of course.

Jessica and Pluto - I just like this photo. It's great to see the kids happy the whole trip.

Thanks for all the photos, it was fun to go through them all.

[RnRCj]

Dave, your report and photos have made me really want to go nearer the summer, so we've just just booked for the start of September! Thanks.

[kmara]

Thank you very much for your detailed trip report! It has been a great pleasure to read it and it was written so colorful that it seemed I could see everything you describe in real! Thank you very much for taking your time to write it!!!

You have such a lovely family; adorable children! I am so much looking forward to read more of your trip reports (in fact, I will go and dig in the trip report section to find some older ones of you...  :wink: )

Thanks again!

[davewasbaloo]

Thank you for all the kind compliments. I am glad the report has been well received.

[Tinkerbelle]

your report is great! the pictures are beautiful! the sort of family vacation pictures i love taking a look at!
the cowboy cookout bbq looks like a great place! we'll make sure we eat there this time! though i still think 17 euros for what you have on the plate is way too expensive, but it looks delicious
thanks for taking the time to write and post pictures! you have a lovely family!