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[DopeyDad]

How about a thread where we share our feelings of our first visit to DLRP (or other park if you think it makes a better story)

My families first trip was in April 2006 I think and our Son was 3. we went with a friend from work and her 3yo daughter who was also our Sons best friend in the world. I wasn't expecting much at all and was fairly cynical about 'corporate disney' but from Day 1 it all changed. I think it was always the reaction my Son had to that holiday that set how I feel about the place but it's become at lot more than that. I don't buy in to the movies that much although I can see that they are on the whole generally great movies and my (now) youngest can watch Stitch 5 times a day if we let him. But what keeps it special for us is that while the children will always love every minute of a holiday there, both my wife and I find ourselves completely free of our normal worries, something that no other holiday has done.
We now both are always looking forward to our next trip and have been lucky enough to go twice a year for a little while now. As a cynical, psychiatric nurse manager with typical ex student mates this has been hard for others to understand but our whole family genuinely loves Disney holidays and it's all down to that first trip.

[lauramumof3]

my first trip was either in 1992 or 93 we used to go to france every year camping , my brother is 8 years older than me so that year we went by ourselves just me, mum and dad my bro didnt want to go anymore. we had talked about going and id nattered and nattered but like you i suppose they were cynical of disney, anyway we went and all 3 of us loved it! i think we satyed at formular 1 motel that time. We only did a day trip but for me it was magical i would have been 9, 1 day really wasnt enough to take it all in tho and its a bit of  a blur really! i have some photos of me in front the alices laberinth (cant spell!) and can remember the water jumping and thought that was fab! and i remember the entrance to the place  and even the disneyland hotel was so beautiful i can remember thinking one day i might stay in there-and i have just the once!. I will have to look through some photos to jog my memory.
everytime i go i cant get over how beautiful the place is!

[giselle]

Our first visit was in 2000. A distant relative had left me a few hundred pounds in their will, and because I had never flown before, I decided that my 2000 resolution was to fly. So in January my hubby and I trotted off to the travel agents and secretly booked 3 nights in March at the Cheyenne with flights and transfers and character brekkie. Someone had loaned us a promo video of the park and we secretly watched it when our children had gone to bed. Our sons Adam was 8 (when we were there) and Alex was 18 months old. We visited Manchester airport a couple of weeks before we went and the boys looked excited when watching the planes.

I had arranged time off school for Adam, again secretly with his teacher so he never found out.

On the morning our flight was 07.40 so we had to be up about 4.30 we woke Adam up with the 'there is a special plane landing at Manchester airport, we are going to see it', excited he got up, dressed without a fuss and we were on our way. It was only when we got to the car park and got suitcases out of the boot, that he twigged something was happening.

It was a really special trip, my first flight, seeing the boys at Disney for the first time they were rushing around everywhere, with cowboy hats and guns, we had a character brekkie, Goofy wrote Happy Birthday in his autograph book and on the flight home it was Adam's birthday, so we got the pilot to wish him Happy Birthday.

That trip really whetted our appetite and we returned again in the July for Alex's birthday, and have been every year since (apart from last year). Adam is now 19, Alex is 12 and both are still dead excited for the upcoming pre-Christmas trip.

[Terkina]

My first and only trip so far was for one day in the summer 1995.  I had been to Walt Disney World in early December 1990 so I had that park in my mind.  

I was very excited to start with.  But the excitment and magic went away quickly
All the shows I went to in the park was in french.  I tok the Phantom Manor ride.  It was all in frech that didn't make it scary at all.

After this experience I haven't thought about going to Disneyland Paris again before now.  Now I want to give the park a second chance.  I hope I will find it more magical than my first visit.

[RnRCj]

My first visit was April 2001, Hotel Santa Fe.

I can barely remember it now. Just a couple of things that stuck in my memory are having to queue 1hr 40mins for Big Thunder Mountain and not riding Pirates because we didn't realise it was there. :oops:

[Reiana]

My first visit was back in August 1996 after a road trip to London. I could convince my hubby to make a detour over paris  :lol: We bought our tickets at the Disney Store in London. One day one night at the Sequoia Lodge.

[The Helmsman]

My first visit to Disneyland Paris (or Euro Disney back then    ) was in June 1992. I was 9 years old and utterly hyped since the summer of 1991, when I first learned about it via a weekly Mickey Mouse magazine I was getting at the time. The magazine kept giving details about the park and the more I saw the more excited I was getting. Good thing that my parents shared the same excitement as me. They were planning for a trip to WDW, but since a closer to us park was near completion, they figured that we should pay a visit to Paris first. We booked our trip right after the official inauguration (Newport Bay Club for a week). The trip was a blast. As much as I had seen through magazines or watched from the TV I couldn't really understand what I should be expecting from a Disney park.  So to my eyes everything was amazing. I was blown away, literally  :lol: . The 5 themed lands were where I wanted to be living for the rest of my life.  I felt as if I was making a trip through time and fantasy, it really had a strong effect to me. My parents had the same feelings as well and that was a great thing because it wasn't one sided. Since I was a child I liked to pay attention to, small unseen by others, details. And DLRP is the place to be for details. Wherever I was looking I could notice small things that made my experience even better. As the days were passing by, the park for me was not just the rides or the characters, but mostly the atmosphere and the ambiance that it oozed. The music in each land, the architecture, the details, everything.
After this experience recurring trips followed in 93,94,95,96,97. A small hiatus will follow till my next trip in 03 and then again in 05, 07, 09 with many more to come.

[bensmum]

My first trip was last year. I had not had a holiday out of the U.K. for 25 years and I wanted to go to the USA this year so thought I would try a couple of trips with Ben to see how he travelled. I get very travel sick and have never managed to go on fairground rides so took my older son and his girlfriend so they could go on the rides with Ben.
I had an absolute ball, I was blown away with the rides, the theming, the character interactions and the cast members in general. :thumbs:  Ben had never watched any Disney to my knowledge but was just awestuck by Mickey and all the other characters and that made it all the more special. Our first night was Bastille Day so although packed the atmosphere was electric and the fireworks amazing. It was really warm and really busy but we had expected to queue so no real worries.One time I got fed up waiting on my teenage son to take Ben on BTM so went on myself and I have never looked back, we go on all the rides he is tall enough for now and even managed California Screaming on our USA trip at Easter. I love taking Ben to DLRP and we are going for his birthday in September If I had the money we would go more often, it is such an easy holiday with a child with all the entertainment and so much to see and do. I don't know what I'll do if he grows out of it though, I may be forced to admit that I love it more than he does :lol:

[Clara2141]

My first trip was in 1997 - I was 11 years old and went with my two aunts, brother and cousin.

We had arrived at my aunts for our yearly summer week long visit. She has no children and used to take us to Chessington, Legoland, swimming, the cinema and normally one other day out during the week (we were very spoilt, it was great). We were all sat down for dinner and she said this year we wouldn't be going to Chessington - queue a chorus of "whys" etc. She said she thought we'd do something else...then advised we were going to DLP.

The three of us were overly excited and the next say we went to Waterloo to get ourselves on our way. It was amazing and a few years later them same aunt took us back. I love it more and more every time.

My partner's first time was last year. She is 29 now - 28 then - and whilst she loves Disney films is not a big fan of theme parks and as such had little interest in Disneyland. When we went to Paris on a mini break (hotel provided by same aunt - I see a theme) I insisted on a day trip to the park and she agreed - and fell in love. She realised it was not a thrill park and just walking about looking at the detail was a treat in it self.

We got home and booked a stay in the park for our birthdays and then booked again for this November.

[davewasbaloo]

Hmmmm, where to begin. The story is known by some. I was born in California and was raised going to the original Disneyland every 4 - 6 weeks (sometimes more often). WE lived about a 5 hour drive north of DL and we had a lot of family that lived another 5 hours north of us. If I wasn't going with the family I lived with (my mom, uncle and grand mother), family members from up north would come down, spend the night at ours and take me with them for the weekend or whatever. I was a very lucky guy and don't remember a time in my childhood without Disney.

We went to WDW, before Epcot, DHS, DAK, the Waterparks etc. and did not think it was worth the travel as DL (especially at that time) was much better, and only 5 hours, not 3000 miles away.

Growing up, we had a lot of friends and family that worked for the mouse - the parks, WDI, the Studios etc. (still do). I was obsessed with the parks, designing shows and rides everytime I was in my sick bed (which was a lot as a kid with disabilities). Then the moment came. It was I think about 1985 (I was 10 or 11), I had a conversation with some key imagineers including Tony Baxter and we talked about the art of the possible. And I said if I was designing a park, it would be really cool to have some caves and a pirate ship near a pirate fort with PotC inside. I kid you not. I was later shown some renderings. Awesome and little did I know what would come next (I also saw some concept art for something they later called Splash Mountain).  On June 1, 1986 we moved to the UK, 1000's of miles from a Disney park. I was so sad to be without my park for the first time in my life. WE would go to Alton Towers or Chessington or Thorpe Park, but they were nothing in comparison (though I must say they have gotten better over the years).

Then in 1987 I received a letter telling me about the review of a park for Europe with the locations for consideration. I was over the moon. Then the announcement hit the news in 1989, Paris would host a new Disney resort. I was over the moon and as a paper boy and later shop worker, I would poor through all the papers every day looking for snippets, buying papers that had a lot of coverage (sadly the Sun and Mirror gave the best coverage in the UK). I put away money to save up to be at the opening.

I went on a school French exchange in Compiegne, 20 mins north of Paris. My pen friend's father was a local politician, and had made arrangements for us to don wellies and hard hats and walk around the hotel area and Main Street while they were building it, it was amazing.

I had changed jobs while studying and went to work with Kodak, one of the key sponsors. AS a result, I was able to book discounted accommodation and was there for the Grand Opening on April 12th, 1992 (I arrived on the 11th and stayed at the Santa Fe).  It was better than I dreamed of, and dare I say even better than the REAL DIsneyland (as others called it). Entertainment everywhere, grand fireworks, the works. And it wasn't just for the opening, but when I went on a post A level trip in June 1992, and even trips up until just after the opening of Space Mountain (there opening day for that too, as well as the grand opening of Honey I Shrunk the Audience, WDSP and Buzz). We do love DLP, and know it can be the very best.

Since that trip we have been to DL in California twice, and WDW three times, and DLP is still great. So much so we did buy a week at the Marriott Vacation Club. I think the trip we have planned to the Hotel New York for this weekend is my 55th visit since opening. I have seen some incredible things at the resort, and also some things that make me shake my head in disgust. I took my wife on her first Disney trip ever here when we are dating, courted her, we went to the first ever HAlloween Party, the first ever Pin Trade Event, I didscovered that I was in love and decided to propose to my wife after our 6th consecutive trip on IASW without getting off, our son has the middle name Sequoia for a reason ;-), and our children have grown up coming here since they were babes in arms.

We have seen live gigs of big names here, met people like Micheal Eisner, John Lasseter, Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, Ronan Keating, and many more here. And we were at DLP for 9/11, and I was interviewed on the PArisian news on the days after.  I have taken huge conference groups here, Make a wish kids, and big fan meetings and family trips with both sides of the family. It is a part of our family.

It can do magical things, but I also worry about the direction of travel I have seen over the years. But perhaps this story helps you to better understand our perspectives, and why I am so passionate when I see something that concerns me.

[dagobert]

My first trip to DLRP was together with my parents and siblings in August 2000. Unfortunately we didn't stay in one of the Disney hotels since my parents were more interested in Paris. Of course one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but at this time I wasn't. We used the RER and made only two day trips to DLP. I enjoyed the park and the attractions, but I didn't pay attention to all these great details. I was just interested in the thrill rides.

I liked DLP a lot, but I didn't become a big Disneyland fan until 2006. Although I read a lot about the resort and its expansion with WDS, I wasn't that interested in it.

In April 2006 I went the first time with my girlfriend and we both fell in love with this place. We stayed in the Santa Fe and we liked this hotel a lot.

For New Year 2006/2007 we have been for the second time to DLRP and it was so crowded. Again we stayed in the Santa Fe for five nights with four days of parks entry. We have never seen so many people in the parks. Nevertheless we had a wonderful time.

In 2007 we got the opportunity to study half a year in the US and so we had to go to WDW or DL in Anaheim. We chose WDW because it was cheaper than DL, offered more parks and we wanted to see New York which is closer to WDW than to DL. So the flights were also cheaper.
After we finished our semester in Ohio we have been to Las Vegas and NY and finally we have been to WDW for nearly two weeks. For us it was the best Disney experience we have ever had, but we also realized that the Disneyland Park in Paris is so much more beautiful than the Magic Kingdom in Florida. Especially Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Main Street USA aren't as beautiful as in Paris.

After this visit to Florida I was very sceptical about everything new added to DLRP, because at WDW we have seen some really cheap attractions added to the resort, e.g. Chester and Hesters Dinorama, or Mickey's Toon Town Fair.

So after the disappointment with the MK we desperately wanted to return to the most beautiful Disneyland Park. So we went there in September 2008 to experience all the new attractions added to WDS. We stayed again in the Santa Fe for six nights with five days of park entry.

After staying three times in the Santa Fe we dicided for our recent trip to stay in the Sequoia Lodge. Unfortunately the last visit was very disappointing. We have never encountered so many unfriendly CMs, the hotel wasn't really worth the money, so many attractions opened and closed at different times and the merchandise was so bad and the same stuff was sold in every store.

The last trip is a reason why I'm a little bit disappointed with Disney of today. Now we are considering to skip the next trip to DLRP and save the money for Anaheim. But after getting my new D23 magazine today I'm not sure if I can wait so long to return to a Disney Park. Maybe DLRP will see us earlier than expected.

[MattyD24]

lets see...

(thinking)

it was probably as I was a toddler, around 3 years old at the time (yes I still remember seeing the old adverts on the disney home video releases from the very early 90s   ).

obviously those adverts were more or less The Magic Kingdom in Florida, but i was young at the time, and i guess that made the parents think of going there with my sister, myself and my baby brother. so i was just 4 years old when we first went in April 96, well that first time is something you want to try and remember so badly   .

obviously it was only the one park, and the hotels and Disney Village as it had been renamed at that point, and the only rides i got to go on then were Autopia and Pirates of the Caribbean. may have done a few others as we have home vidoe footage of the ride around the park on The Disneyland Paris Railroad aswell as the Paddle Boats round Rivers of the Far West   .

but it was a good trip, we stayed in Hotel Santa Fe, which is my favourite hotel onsite

photo's that my Dad took can be found here
//http://www.flickr.com/photos/29057323@N07/sets/72157623035853468/

[Nicholas-c]

My first visit was in 2003 when i was the young age of 12 (wow i'm old ) We went along with my aunty and uncle as my father died late 2002 so my aunty and uncle decided to take us there. There was a lot of us, Me, my sister, my brother, mum, aunty #1, Aunty #2 and uncle (married to aunty #2) a real family holiday. We stayed over in val d'europe as it was a lot cheaper than the parks (04, 05 and 06 we stayed at Davy Crockett as it became a annual thing) I remember the day before going packing everything by 10am and not sleeping that night at all. Needless to say. I slept like a baby in the car to dover xD The only magical experience i really remember is Wishes fireworks... as a 12 year old they are very magical! Although i don't remember a great deal from the first 2-3 visits. They were fun (and very hot, i remember the 40 degree heat wave ). Not that i did anything, i was scared of rollercoasters until 3 years ago when i was dragged on to space mountain by my uncle xD