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[Kristof]

Lorrig, I've merged your topic with that of the original Princess Pavilion topic.  :-)

Thanks to our friend at http://twitter.com/insidedlparis for reporting this news.

[byron-james]

I'd love to use that. On our last trip we were put off by the huge waiting time, time that we used to ride rides instead. This seems like a much better option though and I think the 'reservation' idea ADDS to the whole meeting a princess thing.

[Kristof]

DLP has posted signs at the entrance of Disneyland Park that invites guests to participate in the recording of the new Disney Dreams commercial. Guests wishing to attend the recording can watch the show from a "VIP" area in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. The taping will happen at 8pm, guests just need to approach any Cast Member in front of the Castle and will be guided to the VIP area.

[captain rocket]

Just to clarify what was happening, I came home last night and although not interested in meeting princess's myself I was intrigued by the signs! It seems that on certain "quiet" days the pavilion is only open for a restricted time and you need to collect wristbands from outside of the Old Mill which gives you a timed visit a la fastpass. On "normal" days you just queue as normal. Next weeks programme shows "normal" opening times on each day.
With ref to Kristof's comments about VIP viewing for Dreams, tickets were being distributed from beside the information board on Main Street and in Central Plaza.

[DutchBrit]

Just to clarify what was happening, I came home last night and although not interested in meeting princess's myself I was intrigued by the signs! It seems that on certain "quiet" days the pavilion is only open for a restricted time and you need to collect wristbands from outside of the Old Mill which gives you a timed visit a la fastpass. On "normal" days you just queue as normal. Next weeks programme shows "normal" opening times on each day .

Oh, was that what was going on? We also came home yesterday and we walked past what seemed to be the queue for the princesses on Thursday, but I wondered why it seemed to be in front of the mill rather than the pavillion. In any case, it was when I turned to my husband and said "Aren't you glad that we've got a boy?"

With ref to Kristof's comments about VIP viewing for Dreams, tickets were being distributed from beside the information board on Main Street and in Central Plaza.

And another mystery cleared up! Although it seems this also happened on Thursday? Hubbie decided that he and son were going back to the hotel rather than seeing Dreams again, especially as it was raining. But as it was our last night, I wanted to stay. Due to the rain, people were staying under cover, so at about 7.45 I was able to wander right up the middle of the central plaza to find a place. Two cast members were guarding a rope inbetween the lamp posts to mark out the area directly in front of the castle and I thought "Ah, that must be where the people who did the dinner offer stand". But I did think there seemed rather a lot of them.... :? They'd also been given a lot of balloons, which were frankly a nusiance!

But on the other hand, I was just the other side of the dividing rope and the gap in front of us helped the view considerably!

[captain rocket]

Here is the sign that appeared in Fantasyland.

[captain rocket]

And here's the sign you had to queue beside. There was one further sign that requested that only one person per party queued, but the had to present park passes for all the people who wantged an "audience"

[Eveline]

If you are in the park during early magic hours you can collect your fast passes then, instead of waiting until 11.45. We got one on Thursday last week and the cast members encouraged us to go straight back in line for a second pass as not enough people were collecting passes for the early slots.
We had a slot between 10.55 - 11.25 and another for 11.05 - 11.35 and were worried that it would be the same princess for both but the CM assured us that they changed every 20mins.  
When we first went in at 11am the pavilion was empty and we were shown straight in to meet Sleeping Beauty. We then returned at 11.25 to join a short queue of about 5 people and the CM was asking everyone if they had met any princesses before. Depending on who they had met, they were shown to one side or the other of the pavilion, and we met Princess Tiana this time in the same side that Sleeping Beauty had been earlier.
Both visits were lovely, with no queuing and loads of time with the princesses.

[alternativerock123]

I read about this on the other forum and on twitter. I was first very skepitcal about the idea that if you miss the time, you don't get to see a princess, but if you wait (like it use to be for now) then you still get the chance even if you wait about an hour.

But thinking upon it, it seems an amazing idea, I saw some photos of the empty line with the stain glass windows and it looked really.... calming? Since everytime I've gone in it's dark, cramped, smelly and loud,.

I heard the testing is only until the 30th Oct, so I won't be able to use this feature. Unless they keep it on.

 :thumbs:

[bippity boppity boo]

Does anyone know if they are still doing the reserved slots for meeting the princesses or is it back to regular queuing?

[lorrig]

We have just come back today and we thought the Princess Pavillion a complete disaster. The whole organisation of it must have been designed by a man WHO HAS NO DAUGHTERS! Yes it's pretty inside but it is already looking worn and it was rather dirty - people were throwing apple cores and rubbish all over the floor. My main complaint that it is just too long a wait to only see one princess and not even knowing which one it is likely to be. We kept asking if the could even give us some guide to who we were likely to see but they would give you no info. This doesn't come across as being  'a surprise' it just comes across as infuriating. I understand the princesses change every 30 mins or so but they must have a rough idea. We went 3 times and ended up with the same Princess each time. My little girl really wanted to see Rapunzul and was so dissapointed that we couldn't meet her - the CMs wouldn't even say if it was at all likely she would be there at all on the days we asked.
In WDW they have a Princess meet and greet which firstly you can fast pass and secondly you get to see at least 3 princesses and they let you know who they would be. It could have been organised from the start like this in Paris.
People were leaving the queue all the time as they were getting completely fed up or we saw people having to join the end of the queue time and time again to try and see the Princess that they wanted.
They just didn't think this one through at all - very dissapointed.

[electricdreams]

OMG.....never again

We visited DLP between 6th - 10th Dec and the waiting time each day we visited (around 10am and 4pm)to see one of the princess was 60-120 minutes....

For the first time DLP has shown us the light and to stay away from it  and visit better themed park places like Portaventura that has no Q's ,better rides,better weather an aqua park to boot !!

On the positive DLP side the evening show was amazing

[captain rocket]

Electric Dreams, Your expectations must be really high! Of all the criticisms that you could level at Disneyland Paris to say that other parks are better themed is a very bold statement!
As to the queues, if you visit at a weekend three weeks before Christmas I would say you would be extremely lucky not to find them!
Enjoy the other parks you visit and maybe you could revisit this site and let us all know what we are missing!

[Rafael]

Besides Tokyo Disney Sea, I think there is no park better themed than Disneyland Paris Magic Kingdom.

[jonathan]

We have just come back today and we thought the Princess Pavillion a complete disaster. The whole organisation of it must have been designed by a man WHO HAS NO DAUGHTERS! Yes it's pretty inside but it is already looking worn and it was rather dirty - people were throwing apple cores and rubbish all over the floor. My main complaint that it is just too long a wait to only see one princess and not even knowing which one it is likely to be. We kept asking if the could even give us some guide to who we were likely to see but they would give you no info. This doesn't come across as being  'a surprise' it just comes across as infuriating. I understand the princesses change every 30 mins or so but they must have a rough idea. We went 3 times and ended up with the same Princess each time. My little girl really wanted to see Rapunzul and was so dissapointed that we couldn't meet her - the CMs wouldn't even say if it was at all likely she would be there at all on the days we asked.
In WDW they have a Princess meet and greet which firstly you can fast pass and secondly you get to see at least 3 princesses and they let you know who they would be. It could have been organised from the start like this in Paris.
People were leaving the queue all the time as they were getting completely fed up or we saw people having to join the end of the queue time and time again to try and see the Princess that they wanted.
They just didn't think this one through at all - very dissapointed.

I agree.  The whole secrecy thing of which princess is in there is ridiculous.  We were in DLP last week and visited the Pavillion twice- one lovely experience, one not so loveley.

In our party there are 3 Disability pass holders (including myself).  On our first trip we went to the disabled entrance and there was a lovely man there who told my daughter that she could choose between Cinderella and Ariel.  As she'd already met Cinderella at the Auberge du Cendrillon princess meal she asked if she could meet Ariel.  The man said it was no problem.  When we got in there he led us to the wrong room and it was Cinderella, by this time Cinders already had her arm round my girl so we couldnt exactly pull her out.  The man was fine about it and as he said it was his mistake he let her go to Ariel's room as originally planned.  On this day the staff couldnt be more helpful and I could hear therm asking people at the head of the queue to choose a princess- brilliant.

We visited the Pavillion later in the week and it was unpleasant.  At the disabled door we asked who it was assuming my daughter could choose.  A lady barked at us 'Its a Surprise!!!!' quite rudely.  I explained that it was difficult for the children to get in and out of the pavillion even with the assisitance of thr disbaled exit and it would be a great help if she could heklp us out, she refused.  On entering we realised it was between Cinders and Rapunzel and after asking her many times the lady finally agreed to let my daughter see Rapunzel but the lady at the next part of the queue took great offence to this and insisted my daughter see Cinderella.  My daugter was nearly in tears and kept asking why the CM was shouting at her.  Eventually my daughter was allowed to see Rapunzel.
The nastiness didnt end there however.  Another member of the queue asked which princesses were in only to be barked at again by the horrible CM.  When my Mum told the lady quietly which princesses it was, the CM went ballisitc and threatened to have my Mum ejected from the park for 'revealing company secrets'  at which my point my Mum laughed as did half the queue but the kids were mostly in tears at this CM's actions.

The Pavillion is popular and busy but I dont get what all the secrecy is about and why people shouldnt be given an option to choose when they reach the top of the queue.  Who wants to queue for hours to see a princess theyve already met?