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[debtdummy]

hi peeps, we got the 9.57am eurostar to see mickey mouse. arrived 13.31 and was met with rain.... a full downpour. quick dash to disney express to drop off bags and we were off dashing into disneyland.
When we got through bag checks and ticket gate we were met with a half halloween half mary poppins scene. it was fab. pumpkins everywhere.
we went to toilet which there are hundreds of, very clean and smell ok ish.
headed for phantom manor, queue time 30 mins. very nice ride shame not in english tho...
then headed for big thunder mountain. 70!! WAIT. didnt understand fasspass was next to machine,. very thick day. very rude french people pushing and a kind french lady shouted something and they stopped. managed to fastpass and get on mission 2. scarey and catch the parade standing at the middle circle.
by this time we were tired and went to find food.
annettes diner. 54 euro for 2 burgers , onions rings, 2 drinks and loved it,. staff got up and danced and was great feeling . used meal vouchers so happy!!
went to get bus to hotel.  number 54 pink for explorer. got hotel and it was lovely, day one !!!!! over and happy.

[debtdummy]

day 2
got to gates 9.30 am bag checked and we were waiting in park near buzz lightyear ride at 9.45am. lady got pushed over and some other people got hurt when large group teenagers pushed into front of rope!!
10.00 rope got taken away and we got onto buzz. great  fun ride.
fastpassed to return on and also fastpassed mission 2. i had extra fastpasses. ebay!!
naughty but least i dont push.
went on star tours, in frnech but i like star wars so coped. lol
went on buzz and mission 2 with fastpass.
Just heard music so dashed over and it was minnie magical adventure train.. love it!!! tacky song u sing forever.
indiana ride no fastpass needed as its sooooo rainy normal humans are inside,

just got to see mickey dace time. loved it. he comes right to edge.
went on pirate beach queue was fine.
had stop for  lunch 22 euro for 2 sandwich 2 crisps, 2 cake. 2 drinks.

photo with mickey found him walking in liberty  arcade due to rain.

went into maze in rain. peter pan ride,. small world ride and some french story boat ride.

saw parade second time at city hall. better view.  
went billy bobs for buffet, dont do it"!!!

[debtdummy]

day 3
9am walts studio gate. met by donald duck.
9.45  gates open , photo with donald and ran to terror tower,
rock and roll coaster broken,
armagedon ride was ok, some small kids screaming cos all in french and they dont understand why room on fire!
rock and roller mended no queue.
goofy photo near unmbrella
stunt show 45mins but lasted 30 cos broken sound and lighting.
fast pass terror tower
burger meal deal in studio 1 28 euro and u get loads
back on terror tower and i asked why not in english staff said we can decide if to out it in english or french depending on how many are either langage, it was french
!!
 went to see star in cars and fell in love with sulley....... :oops:  :oops:  :oops:

went back to hotel for a swim and rest.
mickey cafe for dinner, 7 characters and they al;l come and see you. best place to go for lunch with kids. this make my day  and then fireworks :roll:

[debtdummy]

DAY 4
9.00AM  donald meets us at walts studio again.
10.00 gates open and get onto crush coaster.... loved it.
60 min queue so didnt go back on it.
went on tram tours... very good.
animagique was fab , u must go.
sulley photo 11.30am outside the bedroom door, i asked staff, i love him.
went to buy a sulley teddy!!!! 22.90 but worth it,
walked to disneypark
fastpass  thunder mountain
went on boat round lake
went on thunder moutain . getting brave and didnt hold on.
lunch at bbq cowboy thing. but best bit was all characters were outside...30 euro
mickey
minnie
goofy
pluto
king john
woody
some other odd robin hood charaters
no queues
walk to train at main st rode this to discovery land,
fastpass buzz and went on star tours.
went on buzz
went hotel for afternoon sleep cos rain soooooo bad
back into park to see princess castel in dark... and went back to mickey cafe
hook
mickey.
pluto
pinnocchio
tiger
pinocchio maker
stitch
goofy

bed at 10pm
tomrrow going home at 19.37
today we saw multi racial people forcing screaming kids onto mickey and he walked off, kids being dragged round by neck and parents losing temper with kids that scared senseless
i work for nusery and im a leader there and i have strong views on how old kids should be to go disney and today made me sad seeing these poor kids no older than 5/6 being forced to hug a person in costume!!

[debtdummy]

day 5
both parks xmas theme. looks great. xmas music playing and even mickey is next to an xmas tree to have photo taken with
its cold and 5 days in parks in rain taken toll and just wanted to go home.
had lunch at all u can eat restaurant in walts studio its great and cheap. 20.80 each adult. crush was not on due to a bird being inside and its raining on and off so just walked around getting photo with characters taht were about. disneyland park has lovely mary poppins show in main st and the princess castle looks great.
saw parade last time sitting in the  le thearte du chateau, bad place to stand tho.
got euro 19.37 . doors broke to our carrage so had to walk through 16 or 18 to get to 17. all children on train tired and screaming and parents ignoring them , i played game  peek a boo for 40 mins with lovely young while mum slept.
massive delatys and cancelled  trains when got uk.
got home to leicester 00.30am

[davewasbaloo]

Sounds like the a combo of the weather, a lack of experience of crowds (those waits you quoted are about average for the park these days), and a poor journey home marred your experience. I can understand that one for a first time trip.

But is also sounds like you had a good time overall. Personally, our coping strategy is we eat in table service restaurants and just take our time. We hit things like Big Thunder with either a fast pass or first thing. And we skip crush all together.

We have been taking our kids since they were 10 weeks old, and by the age of 3, my daughter had been to DLP a dozen times, Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World. They are very comfortable in that environment. and although they like the characters, they are not infatuated by them.

[debtdummy]

i wasnt having a go at anyone i am just reporting what i saw and what happened and giving my thoughts on some on the stupid people who pushed their children onto characters....

[davewasbaloo]

i wasnt having a go at anyone i am just reporting what i saw and what happened and giving my thoughts on some on the stupid people who pushed their children onto characters....

Sadly, that is pretty normal in Paris and can be in WDW. In fact the only place I have not seen this is in the original Disneyland in California

[debtdummy]

http://s747.photobucket.com/albums/xx115/debtdummy/

[Aveen2008]

Hey

good trip report. Sounds like the rain put a dampener on things, it can make it harder to enjoy yourself when your getting wet all the time! But it sounds like you did enjoy most of the attractions at the parks, even when there wasn't english translation for you. You also managed to meet characters and have a nice time at Cafe Mickey which is great!

Unfortunately in the Paris park, queuing for things politely is just not something they do and parents are awful when it comes to shoving their children onto characters and skipping others etc.. It's something non of us like but unfortunately unless management tell the minders to scold this type of behaviour and instruct good queuing systems etc it won't change. I don't think children should be a certain age to go to Disney but I think some parents need to understand how it feels to be a young child and to see a big character towering over you.

It's sad you didn't enjoy it more but at least it was an experience and you did get enjoyment out of some things

all the best
x

[The Butlin Boy]

Great report and photos DD, I hope that you had a great time overall

[debtdummy]

thanks  :oops:

[brenjo]

Thanks for sharing  - enjoyed reading your trp report.  Most of your trip sounded fine it was a pity you got so much rain and that your journey home was hit with delays.  your photos are great.