After the wonderful holiday of May 2012 I could not wait to go back to the park.
But this time I wanted to avoid all possible holidays and vacations to enjoy the park almost empty, so I wrote on a calendar all the holidays of France, England, Spain, Germany and Italy of 2013.
A great period without holidays and with the schools open everywhere was the end of September, which is also the time of my birthday, heheh!
Again to avoid the crowds I decided to go 5 days and 4 nights from Monday to Friday. In the weekend there wouldn't have been more shows than during the week, only more people.
So I booked the hotel Cheyenne (which cost the same as the Santa Fe, but it had the western theming that we like a lot!) from 23 to 27 September 2013, with the Irish offer of the 2 nights and 2 days free saving a lot!
But the flights were a problem.
Alitalia and Air France who had perfect flight times costed about 300 Euros per person already several months before the trip!
So I looked at EasyJet. The flight times, however, were not very good. The flight Bologna - Paris Charles De Gaulle arrived in the late afternoon and the Paris - Bologna was around midday...
Of course I did not want to lose almost 2 days in the park!
So I decided to arrive one day earlier and leave one day after sleeping the first and the last night in a budget hotel outside the park. But at this point, why not add a night and a day to visit Paris?
I was there once with my parents about 1000 years ago, and Claudio had never been there. What a better opportunity to do that?
So I booked the flights for Saturday 21 and Saturday 28 September, the Hotel Ibis Budget Porte de Montreuil for the first 2 nights (Saturday and Sunday) and the Hotel Ibis Val D'Europe for the last night (Friday).
I chose the more expensive Ibis version for the last night to have the reception open 24 hours because I wanted to stay at the park until the end of Dreams and we would arrive at the hotel for the check in quite late.
The Ibis Budget version has limited opening hours for the reception and for arrivals outside the opening hours you have to use the vending machines that distribute the keys and as we don't speak French this thing worried me a little!
With EasyJet you can do the check in online 30 days before the flight.
I wanted to do it as soon as it was possible to try to have close seats without having to buy them, eheheh!
But at the end of August we were on vacation in Austria, in a very small village near the border with Italy, where there is no free wifi anywhere.
So I asked my mom if she could do that.
My mom is not very technology friendly, it's alrealdy a lot for her being able to use the email and send a text message with the phone! So she was worried to make some mistakes. At the end it was easy. She made the check in online while we were on the phone and we got close seats for both flights! Well, the seats were exactly the same for both flights! Same row and same place!
Day 1 - Saturday, September 21st
Wake up early in the morning because there were a lot of things to do before leaving!
I had to arrange all the stuff of Adam, our hamster, that would go on vacation with my parents during the week we were away.
I started to prepare the paper towels we put in the cage and that he uses for building the nest, his dried herbs (mallow, dandelion, nettle, thymus, rosehip) that he likes so much, the container of good and fat seeds we give him by hand only few per day, the surprises container, the container of the mix of seeds... aaarghhhh!
I forgot to prepare the mix!!
Yes, the bowl in the cage was full, but it's good to add some seeds sometimes.
Ok, do not panic. There was time.
I pulled out all the containers of the ingredients and I started to mix:
- A teaspoon of commercial hamsters mix from which I removed sunflower seeds that I put into the container of good seeds;
- Two teaspoons of lentils, peas and spelt;
- Two teaspoons of millet for birds;
- A teaspoon of barley;
- A teaspoon of buckwheat;
- Two teaspoons of millet for humans;
- Half a teaspoon of flaxseed;
- Half a teaspoon of sesame seeds;
- A few grains of corn;
- Some yellow soy beans and some azuki beans;
- The tip of a teaspoon of wheat germ.
Phew, done!
The small cage we use to transport Adam was ready. Wrapped in a fleece blanket inside a bag. So he was protected from cold air and remained in the dark on the way.
But we must still convince him to go in that small cage.
And he was not going to do that...
He was in the tower, and didn't want to come down...
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1378114_723424421057366_1998877240_n.jpg)
The only solution was to go the hard way.
I disconnected the tube from the tower! Then I put my hand near the hole with a piece of tomato on it and finally he came out.
As he came on my hand I put him in the small cage.
Mission done!
He was not really happy, but it was only a 20 minute journey.
We brought our luggage in the car, then the big cage and finally the small cage with Adam and we went.
Our destination was my parents home in Bologna.
We arrived and brought Adam inside.
Then we went to take the big cage.
The elevator was too small and we had to walk 3 floors of stairs... Luckily the cage is light!
We put Adam in his big cage and we gave him a pine seed.
He knew that he wasn't at our home. He sniffed and wandered around the cage, he was intrigued by all the new sounds he heard. Then after a while, he went to sleep.
In the meanwhile I realized that I had forgotten some of his things at home!!
First of all the vegetables in the fridge.
Oh well, my mom would go and buy some other.
And I had also forgotten the sheet (well, the many sheets!) with the instructions on what to do and what not to do and with the name, number and address of the vet. It's very difficult to find a vet who is able to take care of hamsters. Usually they only deal with dogs and cats. That's why we go from Pianoro to Medicina (around 40 km away) for our vet!
Ok, I had all the info about the vet in my phone, I could copy them easily.
And then while Claudio installed a program on the PC of my mother I wrote some basic things about how to deal with Adam.
Mom knew how to do. Last year she took care of Roger.
Finally we could leave the house to go to the hospital to visit my grandmother.
Then we went to my dad workplace.
We left my car there and my parents took us to the airport.
The Easyjet flight, scheduled for 15:40 was on time.
We already had our boarding passes printed from home and there was no queue at the security checkpoint, so even though it was already 13:30 there was time to eat.
At about 14:20 we said goodbye to my parents and we walked through the security checks.
I didn't took out from our luggage the two bags with the fluids but we were not told anything.
After less than half an hour the gate number appeared on the screen.
We went straight to the gate and there was already a considerable queue outside the boarding gate.
We joined the line because my trolley, although was of the right dimensions for hand luggage, was larger than the size of hand luggage guaranteed in the cabin.
The flight was almost full, on the internet and on the boarding pass was clearly written that on some crowded flights some hand luggage may be taken and put in hold. For free, of course, but since my trolley isn't made of strong material it may be damaged.
The gate opened only at 15:20.
Fortunately we passed without any hand luggage taken away!
The plane took off with a half hour late, but arrived at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport on time, at 17:30!
We were at Terminal 2D.
There were so many water fountains but no one worked...
We took the free shuttle CDGVAL to get to Roissypole, where there is the bus station where we should take the bus 351 that will take us practically outside the hotel at Porte de Montreuil.
But first we had to buy the tickets.
We approached a vending machine. Among the available languages there was also Italian so at the end it was the better option!
We needed a carnet of 10 tickets t +.
Six tickets (3 per person) for the bus ride to Paris, and we would use the other 4 the next day.
The problem was that the vending machine only accepted credit card or coins...
We had with us the prepaid credit card but it was loaded with less than 50 EUR and we preferred not to use it right away.
But the carnet costed € 13.30 and we had not so many coins!
Fortunately, there was also the ticket office with a human who spoke English!
We easily found the bus stop and after about twenty minutes, the bus 351 arrived at 18:25.
In the meantime, we have sent a sms to Claudio's parents because we had forgotten in the fridge also an opened package of milk! So we asked them to go, take it and use it and also the vegetables.
We hopped on the bus, we marked the tickets and we seated.
The bus was almost empty.
Taking the bus was a good idea. We saw a bit of French life, some roads and houses, and the Porte de Montreuil stop was few meters away from the Hotel Ibis Budget Porte de Montreuil!
We arrived at the hotel after about an hour, at 19:30.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1381935_720280668038408_1398274786_n.jpg)
We checked in, left the bags in the room and went straight to the mall under the hotel.
Upon entering we found a video game store.
And of course we stopped there for a while. Just enough time to find LA Noir on offer at 10€.
Claudio has thought seriously about buying it but it was in French and it wouldn't be easy to play it!
But we had to hurry up because we had to buy some food before the Carrefour supermarket closed.
We had dinner on Saturday, and breakfast, lunch and dinner on Sunday to organize. And maybe even something for breakfast on Monday.
Of course we could eat so many delicious things in all the kiosks and bistrots around the city, but there was the little problem of cholesterol.
I have a bit high cholesterol. The doctor said that I'm too young to think about taking medicines and that I just have to be careful on what I eat. This means avoid pork, cheese, fried foods, butter, cream, eggs.
The French cuisine does not help much on this.
For my birthday (Tuesday) nothing and no one would be able to keep me away from the Volcano at the Rainforest Cafe. And at the park I would probably eat things I should avoid, heheh!
So we decided to eat right things for the days in Paris and then enjoy the best in Disneyland.
We bought bread, three cans of fish (salmon, mackerel and tuna), a packet of biscuits and a pack of 9 small bricks of orange juices.
Back in the room we decided to have dinner with the salmon can and... oops!
We did not notice that the can didn't have the opening tab!
And of course we didn't have a can opener with us.
But we had a small nail clippers.
It was not easy, but we menaged to open that little can!
The next day would be a long day so we went to bed early!
Day 2 - Sunday, September 22nd
We woke up at 7:00, but it was still surprisingly dark!
Evidently, the sun rises late at the end of September in Paris!
We had breakfast with the orange juice and biscuits we bought the day before and with the Nescafe we brought from home.
Small review of the Hotel Ibis Budget Porte de Montreuil.
The room was small, there was a double bed and a single bed above the double bed, but it was clean and tidy.
The thing that I found really uncomfortable was the lack of furniture.
There was no closet, there were no bedside tables, there were no drawers or anything.
There was only a small table with a chair and 4 clothes hangers. But they weren't hung side by side, they were facing each other so that it was rather difficoult to take the stuff hanging on the back.
The bathroom was ok. There was a large shower, but no pad. The towels were clean but there were only two. At least there were two shelves where to put the stuff.
So it is a hotel that can be ok to spend a night or two, but would become really uncomfortable to spend more time.
This is the room of the Hotel:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/13880_720282014704940_294930763_n.jpg)
The window couldn't be opened, but there was air conditioning.
This was the view from our room:
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1385617_720282081371600_325658581_n.jpg)
In the evening, on the left, through the steps of the fire escape, you could see the Eiffel Tower. I tried to take a picture, but it didn't work.
In the same building there is also the more expensive Ibis.
The Ibis Budget was in the first 7 floors (we were on the sixth floor), while the Ibis was in the upper floors.
For using the elevators to go upstairs we had to insert the key of the room, otherwise it will not work.
Just under the hotel during the day there was a kind of fair, and in the evening when the stalls were removed, there were a huge amount of litter and waste scattered on the ground.
I don't understand why Parisians have to throw the trash on the ground when there are lots of trashcans...
In conclusion, would I recommend the Ibis Budget Porte de Montreil?
I don't know. It depends. It is really cheap (44 Euros per night for two people), it is not central, but it is not out of the world (it is just at the end of the area 1 of the underground, on Bd Periphique in the east part of the city). If you don't have big demands for a night or two it is fine.
Would I stay there again?
If I had to spend a night in Paris on a budget probably yes.
At home I had prepared a possible walking tour around the center of Paris.
It was about 15 km, and in August in the mountains in one day I had walked 17 km without any problems so they were easily feasible.
My plan was to take the Metro Line 9 from the Porte de Montreuil station, a few meters from the hotel, using 2 of the 4 t+ tickets we had left from the day before, and then get off at Trocadero or at Ranelagh station if we wanted to start from the Statue of Liberty rather than from the Eiffel Tower.
The day was cloudy, but not raining and it wasn't cold, Claudio wanted to walk around and see as much as possible of Paris, so we opted for the longer version of the walk.
When we came out of the Metro station we started to walk down Rue du Ranelagh to the Statue of Liberty.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1375024_720281661371642_484943738_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1380343_720281601371648_1120086403_n.jpg)
The Statue of Liberty between two buildings:
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1376503_720283344704807_507458637_n.jpg)
Behind us the Eiffel Tower:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/541407_720283831371425_200887958_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/537264_720283981371410_1035507968_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1374978_720284164704725_824502521_n.jpg)
We started walking along Allee des Cygnes.
There were many people who were jogging, probably because it was Sunday.
And having a lot of people running around made us hungry so we stopped on a bench to eat some cookies!
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/561575_720284401371368_586287271_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1377977_720284608038014_1941576093_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1239870_720284938037981_1076253295_n.jpg)
Then we arrived at Pont De Bir-Hakeim.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1378117_720287641371044_493143776_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1385936_720287601371048_446687752_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1385436_720287798037695_1249381130_n.jpg)
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(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1374722_720288241370984_1459861114_n.jpg)
We continued along Av De New York:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1383054_720288371370971_510889400_n.jpg)
And we arrived at the Trocadero, where there was the final of the Archery World Championship.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1374078_720292621370546_2022251014_n.jpg)
And here we are at the Eiffel Tower.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1375909_720293701370438_863266536_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1374314_720295178036957_81271200_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/559401_720295974703544_1641233627_n.jpg)
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As might be expected, we continued along the Champ De Mars...
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/644090_720297381370070_808426326_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/v/t1.0-9/1383113_720299584703183_503208380_n.jpg?oh=761e3124cee3c6b469bf18832bc77b84&oe=53B48BB2)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1385128_720299761369832_16612896_n.jpg)
... to the Ecole Militaire.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1385374_720301958036279_932719013_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1384273_720302121369596_1806152809_n.jpg)
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Looking behind us, the Eiffel Tower and one of the many wedding photoshoot that we encountered!
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1383772_720301934702948_918101418_n.jpg)
We then went to the Hotel des Invalides and in front of a small bistro there was parked this:
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/25944_720302934702848_2123947167_n.jpg)
Hotel Des Invalides:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1381444_720302478036227_1396922768_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/1173622_720302474702894_1216370918_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1376547_720302941369514_332920920_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1380256_720309564702185_608949594_n.jpg)
And then we walked to Pont Alexandre III, Grand Palais and Petit Palais.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1385739_720302418036233_1080478959_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/1383480_720303224702819_700447062_n.jpg)
Pont Alexandre III:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/599749_720303244702817_702496149_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1376627_720303564702785_999992644_n.jpg)
This is not Pont Alexandre III, it is a bridge that can be seen from the Pont Alexandre III! I think it's Pont Des Invalides.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1384055_720303628036112_279678203_n.jpg)
This is again Pont Alexandre III, or better the statues of Pont Alexandre III!
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1375117_720309734702168_1663673784_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1157556_720309784702163_1457176341_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/541399_720308108035664_1724507061_n.jpg)
Petit Palais and Grand Palais:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1.0-9/603953_720308721368936_262244022_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1385632_720308738035601_1835758931_n.jpg)
And here is the first flowers picture of a looong series, heheh!
My dad asked me to take a lot of pictures that could be used as a wrapping for cars mirrors, and besides monuments and landscapes what's better than a little of nature?!
Ok, those metal things that you see behind don't give the idea of nature, but the photo can always be cut when we print it on the wrapping film, no?!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1377068_720310748035400_1271128974_n.jpg)
Walk and walk, we arrived on the Champs-Elysees.
At the end you could see the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile:
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1209234_720309248035550_597057542_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1378359_720310651368743_1552054946_n.jpg)
We then went down the Champs-Elysees to Place de la Concorde and the Louvre.
But before I got a fit of artistic photos for wrapping...
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1378852_720310948035380_438136020_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1385141_720311778035297_1076023544_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/993411_720312198035255_816844759_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1.0-9/1208614_720312761368532_1428169263_n.jpg)
And my dad liked them, ahahah!!!
It was time for lunch and we stopped on a bench along the Champs Elysees to eat.
We had with us the bread and the mackerel can.
There were a lot of kiosks that were selling some wonderful crepes and even more amazing huge, very huge hot dogs filled with sauce and cheese...
All of this for only 5 Euros...
If only I had not done the blood tests, I woudln't know that I have high cholesterol and I could enjoy that stuff... Sometimes ignorance is a good thing!
However, the thought that in a few days I would have eaten the Volcano at Rainforest Cafe made me happy, heheh!
We were enjoying our lunch, when a guy who was walking down the way stopped to pick up something from the ground right behind us.
It was a ring and this guy asked us if it was our.
We said no.
He looked at the ring and then in a mixed French - English told us that it was gold.
We replied that he had been lucky.
He then went on saying that since he was an evangelist he could not wear rings and he gave it to us.
Ok, we thanked him and then he went to leave.
After less than 3 seconds he came back (how strange, we didn't expect that, hahaha!) asking us to give him some money to eat.
Very well, we gave him back the ring and we told him he could sell it.
He began to say that he could not sell it because he had no documents and insisted that we kept the ring and gave him some money.
Of course, we have given him the ring and he have not even seen 2 cents from us.
At the beginning he had also asked us where we were from, we told him that we were Italians, at least he could do more!
Come on, in Italy frauds are much more sofisticated!
Did he really think we would have fall into the deception with that old trick?!
Over all, we were sitting on a bench eating a sad can of mackerel... like two tramps , hahaha!
Once we had finished our meal, along the Champs Elysees we found perhaps the only free toilet in Paris!
There was a lady that if you would give her a coin she would certainly not refuse it but there was a sign saying "free".
And then we arrived at the Place de la Concorde.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1239880_720312994701842_1222569355_n.jpg)
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And then we continued along the Jardin Des Tuileries:
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1375040_720321201367688_186192530_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1374079_720323221367486_1596395851_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/67028_720324264700715_1611491349_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1376998_720324691367339_974133941_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1385543_720327488033726_145752407_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1374356_720327504700391_2140544698_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1383287_720327414700400_1281295446_n.jpg)
Until the Arc De Triomphe Du Carrousel:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/523541_720328764700265_792078300_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/603928_720326114700530_132870874_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1380052_720331138033361_1268246343_n.jpg)
And then of course the Louvre:
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1381669_720328724700269_1800927367_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1382335_720330638033411_1386490987_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1.0-9/1383849_720331234700018_2052903718_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1376481_720331281366680_1146144187_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1374839_720331658033309_55137385_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1375244_720331758033299_105119798_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1383786_720331831366625_1599262780_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1385308_720332131366595_1731498964_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1378092_720332161366592_1623995637_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1378102_720338261365982_397732469_n.jpg)
We didn't have time to go into the museum, so we headed to Les Halles.
We didn't imagine that everything was closed for renovation.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1380606_720338598032615_1057740558_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1383365_720338831365925_1452109142_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1379874_720339074699234_1962736490_n.jpg)
And then we went to the Centre Pompidou, and then along Rue Saint Martin to the Tour Saint Jacques.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/1010065_720339314699210_1084864025_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1375720_720339664699175_1449158137_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/995163_720339934699148_290551419_n.jpg)
Our destination was the Hotel De Ville, but before we saw a Mc Donalds and it was right from noon that Claudio was looking for one of them to have fries...
After this break we again stopped in front of the Hotel de Ville where there was a guy who played Michael Jackson.
He was really talented!
Moreover this year in the park "Captain Eo", the movie in 3D with Michael Jackson, would be open unlike last year and we could finally see it!
Claudio also took a quite long video of him dancing and singing.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/970382_720340308032444_724332418_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1377992_720340571365751_2086391554_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1385598_720340801365728_1708005451_n.jpg)
We went through Pont D'Arcole...
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1375040_720340971365711_1205215217_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1384187_720341208032354_19291177_n.jpg)
... and we arrived in front of the cathedral of Notre Dame.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/994912_720344278032047_355250147_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1374159_720344334698708_987187255_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/561985_720346184698523_1604720910_n.jpg)
In front of Notre Dame there was a drinking fountain so we could fill our bottle that was beginning to be dramatically empty!
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1375921_720344754698666_2042086643_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/960015_720346468031828_1183749888_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1384134_720344911365317_1989598184_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1384275_720345171365291_2013824131_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1382929_720345598031915_706831400_n.jpg)
We then headed to the Jardin du Luxembourg.
Along the way we passed by a comic book, video games and various collectibles store for the joy of Claudio.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1385288_720345364698605_1293528358_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1378265_720345878031887_501602800_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1375003_720350021364806_516131887_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1383914_720350188031456_150911139_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1379953_720350078031467_436325307_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1239926_720350358031439_1049122506_n.jpg)
And we also accidentally witnessed the start of a race (or maybe an event) on skates.
There were thousands of people!
Then we arrived at the Jardin du Luxembourg.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1377980_720347588031716_1113824836_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1381273_720475004685641_2059863705_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1380029_720472941352514_1236497006_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1379620_720475231352285_1190115303_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/523526_720472831352525_1893571603_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1382371_720474004685741_1519148144_n.jpg)
And here we had a break, because we had already walked about 15 km, it was already later than 17:00 and we were out from the morning.
We sat on the green chairs while many sparrows hopped around us.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/993707_720475764685565_1781890039_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1382871_720507308015744_1492955355_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1374799_720476141352194_1392603718_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/12378_720476274685514_1690829126_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/547328_720505308015944_560448447_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1237900_720505294682612_412863624_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1374914_720507681349040_1837404010_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1378151_735509703182171_1053883044_n.jpg)
After the break we went around the gardens.
What can I say? They are really well kept and beautiful!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/9835_720505518015923_1544085916_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1375829_720505904682551_1926170069_n.jpg)
Walking around we found a small Statue Of Liberty, that was put there in commemoration of the victims of September 11.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1380432_720505928015882_2062736303_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/1011789_720506338015841_1488451395_n.jpg)
The Palais Du Luxembourg:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1377623_720506281349180_1742423518_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1382125_720506571349151_2128464467_n.jpg)
The Medicis fountain:
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1384163_720508074682334_1027026251_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1382957_720511554681986_1604398795_n.jpg)
It was time to go back to the hotel.
We walked to the metro station Saint Sulpice.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1010055_720512001348608_363328653_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1377187_720512324681909_342227837_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1377429_720512571348551_1910978156_n.jpg)
The church of Saint Sulpice:
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1375211_720512878015187_2955678_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/547516_720513498015125_1892258195_n.jpg)
The Fontaine Saint-Sulpice:
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/548470_720513181348490_911128785_n.jpg)
And the inside of the metro station:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/537243_720513821348426_617231075_n.jpg)
Grand Theft Auto 5 is the video game that Claudio has waited for years.
We are both fans of the GTA saga, and our first GTA was San Andreas on PS2, which was located, among other cities, in Los Santos.
GTA 5 is again located in Los Santos but it is for the new generation of consoles, Xbox 360 and PS3, so with a much more spectacular graphics than the PS2.
And for Claudio strolling again the streets of Los Santos with a million times better graphics, is a dream coming true!
The game was released just a few days before!
And for Claudio not being at home to watch the first gameplay video posted on youtube was pretty dramatic, hahaha!
Besides, in Paris there were these advertisings in all metro stations, all! They did a really strong advertising, much more than in Italy!
We then took the metro with the last t+ tickets from the carnet, and we returned to the hotel.
We ate the last can of tuna and we finished the bread.
We still had some cookies and some juice for the next day breakfast.
We went sleeping early because the next day we would wake up at 7:00. The RER A would take us into the reign of magic, yeeeeah!!
Day 3 (first in the park) - Monday, September 23rd
We woke up at 7:00, had breakfast with cookies and juice, and then we got ready quickly because the park was waiting for us!!
After the shower we had to put as much as possible stuff inside the trolley.
Arriving at the park in the morning it was possible that the room would not be ready yet, so we would had to leave the trolley at the bagagerie and take with us only our backpack with not too much stuff inside, just the minimum to avoid carrying unnecessary weight around the park.
I had to sit down on that poor trolley and we managed to close it.
There were two options regarding the travel to Disneyland.
We could take the metro line 9 from Porte de Montreuil station to Nation station and then change and take the RER A to Disneyland, or directly walking from the hotel for about 20 minutes to the Vincennes station where we could take Rer A.
We chose the second option: taking line 9 to Nation, changing and taking the RER, would take us the same twenty minutes!
Moreover, in this way we would save a few euro, because the travel to Disneyland from Porte de Montreuil was from zone 1 to 5, while Vincennes is already in zone 2.
We arrived easily at the RER station.
We had to buy the tickets.
There were only vending machines . Oh well, if they did not accept banknotes we could try to use the credit card.
I had seen on the map that it was a secondary entrance, just a little further there was the main entrance that was much larger, and I think that there would be a ticket office with a human.
However we were there, why don't try.
In front of us there was a guy who was trying to buy a ticket.
He'd insert the credit card, but seemed to have some difficulty.
After a few attempts he turned to us and I think he asked us if we knew how it worked...
We asked him if he spoke English, he looked at us very surprised, he apologized because he had taken so long, greeted us and gone.
Ok, a French man asking us how to use those machines wasn't really encouraging!
We approached that machine. It only accepted credit/debit cards, no bancknotes and no coins.
But you could select the Italian language! Great!
At the end it was very easy: it is enough to select the names of the stations of departure and arrival (Vincennes and Chessy Marne la Vallee), the number of tickets you want (2) and insert the card into the slot.
Our prepaid card worked good with no problem, and as usual I got the sms notifing the charge almost before the confirmation of the transaction on the monitor!
Cost for 2 tickets: € 12,80.
It was 8:40.
The train arrived almost immediately.
At first it was pretty full, but then slowly emptied and we could sit down. At that point it was time to take out my Minnie ears that we had just bought at Disneyland the year before.
We arrived at the station and what a joy to see the Disney Village just out there!
We went to the bus stop for the Hotel Cheyenne and within few minutes we were in front of the hotel.
We had to wait for about ten minutes for the check in.
Finally it was our turn and the cast member gave us our envelope with the entry tickets for the parks for 5 days, the cards for breakfast (all at 7:30) and the keys of our room which was surprisingly ready.
We were in building 23, Butch Cassidy, room number 2333.
Almost at the end of the way on the opposite side of the park.
As the room was ready we went there to take out all the stuff from the luggage.
When entering the room the TV was showing the welcome message:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1379685_721740591225749_305144605_n.jpg)
And in the bathroom I saw the new shower gel with ears that made me crazy!
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1381226_735618346504640_680597254_n.jpg)
The year before there were these:
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1386010_735617926504682_171947478_n.jpg)
that were still beautiful, but those with ears were briliant!!
We unpacked, arranged all things, made a video of the room and then we went out.
It was a beautiful sunny day so we did the walk along the river, the lake and the Disney Village.
It's really nice and relaxing.
It was later than 10:00 and there was no one around the hotel so we could take a lot of pictures.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/601611_721737777892697_805424393_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1380585_721737667892708_1316156860_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/564410_721738217892653_152490506_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1234454_721738167892658_1193611799_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1380824_721738561225952_545344424_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1.0-9/1380382_721739254559216_1956054492_n.jpg)
We took the path along the river and we found lots of mushrooms!
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1.0-9/994917_721742631225545_602698516_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/10612_721743341225474_395420665_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1384086_721743767892098_1967121901_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1383363_721744041225404_300220031_n.jpg)
Shortly after we arrived in front of the hotel restaurant, the Chuck Wagon.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1378322_721744331225375_691677158_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/32353_721744817891993_49118484_n.jpg)
And then we found the Indian camp and the fort.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/8479_721739481225860_299547284_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1382050_721740061225802_414478312_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1382050_721745547891920_1293344804_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1186307_721746051225203_899914106_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1234549_721740351225773_1114854064_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1385318_721748087891666_727748031_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/533976_721748037891671_1202195967_n.jpg)
We then arrived in front of the balloon Panoramagique.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/558358_721746071225201_1154288420_n.jpg)
We then arrived in front of the Disney Village.
One of the first restaurants is the Rainforest Cafe, and outside there was the advertising of the Volcano!
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1375930_721746674558474_1929081160_n.jpg)
So cool. I love your photo's of Cheyenne. That hotel looks so nice. Cannot wait to read and see more of your trip. ;)
Thank you Rapunzel1!!
-------------------------------------
Then we arrived in front of Annette's where the car plate remembers the opening date of the park.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1383946_721750324558109_1597706015_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1374376_721750054558136_934999472_n.jpg)
And finally the Disneyland Hotel, at the entrance of the park!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/64535_721750311224777_1473996118_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1374266_721751584557983_82166954_n.jpg)
And finally we entered the park!
And we were welcomed by a song I know very well (because it is the ringing tone of my phone, heheh!) "Do you believe in magic and in dreams coming true?".
And how can you not believe in magic and dreams coming true when you are here and the twentieth anniversary train goes by in front of you?
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1383070_721751937891281_946842353_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1235265_721751911224617_534066268_n.jpg)
And then Main Street appeared in front of us: what a wonder!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1379542_721752557891219_41438693_n.jpg)
I took a map of the parks at the entrance, but then I realized that I did not need it. I knew where to go. I knew where the attractions were. I knew how to get there. It's nice to feel at home!
First ride: Big Thunder Mountain.
We went to see what was the waiting time and... well, 30 minutes was not bad at all!
Before joining the queue we also took the fastpass, which was for one hour later.
After the first ride on BTM we still had half an hour before the second ride with fastpass.
What could be better then a visit to the Pirates of the Caribbean?!
The waiting time was null! Great!
The swinging pirate did not work, of the two running pairs (pirate who chases the girl and big woman chasing the pirate) there was only the second one, the swordsmen were not there and the splashing water of the cannons did not work (but the smoke yes).
It would have been the same for all 5 days.
After the long closure of the attraction during the winter before I thought it would have been in better conditions, but it didn't matter at all, it is and will always remain one of my favorites! I could stay on it all day long, heheh!!
After the second ride on BTM with fastpass, we did a tour around the castle. We could not miss it! I also put it on the hood of my car, hahaha!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1383397_721748484558293_1514726224_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1379830_721752847891190_1102313103_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1383281_721753154557826_1421070751_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1375783_721753317891143_582490512_n.jpg)
This is my car:
(https://scontent-b-mxp.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/994303_604747476258395_1400790164_n.jpg)
And now I have also Big Thunder Mountain on the cover of the gasoline:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1/1560657_858924640840676_1321266821_n.jpg)
Another of my favorite is "Le pays des contes de fees", the peaceful boat ride through the thumbnails of fairy tales.
We went to the northern part of Fantasyland and... noooo... it was closed...
What a pity...
It wasn't between the closed attractions...
We passed there for all 5 days but it was always closed.
Oh well, I hope that next time it will be open!
Then we moved to the other park, the Walt Disney Studios.
I could not wait to drop the "Quatrieme dimension" on the Tower of Terror. Too bad to see that the wait time was 50 minutes! How could this be possible?!
Then we noticed that both Nemo and Studio Tram Tour were temporarily stopped. Ok, that's why.
Well, the ToT could wait.
In the meantime, we took a ride on Aladdin's flying carpets and on Slinky Dog.
It was now 14:00 and we started to feel hungry.
So we went to Restaurant Des Stars.
The restaurant wasn't too full, there were several empty tables and no queuing at the entrance. It's a buffet restaurant, so you pay when you enter and then you can eat whatever you want.
Cost for two adults with "eau en caraffe" to drink: 45,98 €.
They also gave us a coupon to get a free drink in the afternoon.
We ate very well and really a lot, heheh!
And when chef Remy came to us he sang for us "La vie en rose"!!
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1374774_721752591224549_1783569295_n.jpg)
After leaving the restaurant we were really too full and we preferred not going on shaking rides!
So we did "Armageddon", the special effects are always good, and then "CinéMagique". Shortly before the start of the "movie" we noticed a guy sitting in the front rows with a jacket... and a family was sitting right next to him!
I wonder if they had done it on purpose?!
Then some pictures of flowers.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1385232_721755537890921_172879110_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1374880_721755501224258_1774994611_n.jpg)
We then went back into the main park, to go to Frontierland for a photo with the first Halloween decoration.
In the following days every morning we loved to go around to see what new decorations had appeared during the night!
I was near the totem of Disney pumpkins when a cast member approached to take the picture with me!
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1380515_721758287890646_231511558_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1385650_721758747890600_984788248_n.jpg)
Then some pictures at Phantom Manor which was closed.
I knew it would be closed, at the end of September it is always closed because they need to prepare it at its best fot the Halloween season.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1380814_721755664557575_1817097588_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1379720_721756417890833_103094072_n.jpg)
And the Molly Brown.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/988320_721756707890804_616454847_n.jpg)
Meanwhile, Claudio had his Nescafe.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1378501_721757041224104_1138572336_n.jpg)
A few more pictures in Frontierland...
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1375910_721757221224086_1780939500_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/1383827_721757494557392_483378585_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1379686_721757677890707_1274727360_n.jpg)
Another ride on Big Thunder Mountain and then we went to Adventureland.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1209391_721759077890567_852310422_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1379513_721759441223864_1144666602_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1385520_721759514557190_267587391_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1234826_721759814557160_252194271_n.jpg)
The same river as seen from the side of Adventureland:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1378775_721760784557063_1850085836_n.jpg)
And from the side of Fantasyland:
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1383688_721761274557014_2008288998_n.jpg)
It was all day that me and a friend, Marcella, known on an Italian forum, exchanged sms to try to meet, but we always missed out!
The problem is that it is often difficult to hear the ring tone of the messages in a place where there are jingles everywhere!
We then agreed to meet in front of the Pirates of the Caribbean and finally we found us!
We went together on the Pirates and on Dumbo.
Then we said goodbye.
We all stayed at the Hotel Cheyenne so it would be easy to see each other again, especially after being able to associate a face to the name!
It was sunny and really hot, so with the coupon for a free drink we decided to take a cold drink from Casey's Corner instead of something hot!
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/547513_721753377891137_1232183583_n.jpg)
The park closed at 20:30, so at 19:30 we went to take a place to see Dreams.
We sat on the ground in front of the castle, in the fourth or fifth row, quite in the center.
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/11508_721761271223681_770396160_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1381180_721761417890333_461267437_n.jpg)
The show, well, it was spectacular!
And the new scenes left me literally speechless.
I had seen the new version with the Lion King and Merida scenes on youtube, but watching it live is million times better!
I was afraid I would regret the deleted scenes, the Jungle Book and Mary Poppins, because it was the original version, it was as I watched it the very first time the year before, and I loved it soooo much!
But I must admit that the new version is even better!
The part of the Lion King is funny and colorful.
The part with Merida is amazing: the fountains and the lasers make water and light effects that left me breathless. Not to mention the arrow that reaches the Plaza Gardens!
Fantastic.
Claudio said "Wow!" at the end. And he said that every evening at the end of the show!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1380831_721761917890283_1700223195_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/555889_721761961223612_1178471811_n.jpg)
We left the park and I had a mission.
I had to buy some pins for some girls of the Italian forum.
During the day I gave a look in some shops, but I didn't see anything. Now I had all the time to go into all the shops in the Village, and also in the hotels shops if needed, looking for the pins, heheh!
The first store was the brand new World of Disney.
We walked in, we looked a bit around, then I went directly to ask at the Cast Member at the pay desk.
It was so much fun! It was almost like being in a spy movie!
The cast member at the pay desk called another cast member who spoke to someone else through a walky talky.
All under the curious gaze of other customers.
A few minutes later came the positive response: the pins were still available! They were limited edition pins, so it was not sure at all that I would find them. But luckily yes!!
After a while, another cast member came with the pins and so the mission was officially done!!
It was also easier than I expected.
We found them all in the very first shop!
It was not too late so we went looking around in all other shops!
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/8450_721762471223561_1320154339_n.jpg)
To go back to the hotel we walked down the promenade along the river.
And the next day was my birthday and we were at Disneyland! Yeeee!!
Day 4 (second in the park) - Tuesday, September 24th
Wake up at 7:15, we settled us just a little and we went to have breakfast in the hotel restaurant, the Chuck Wagon Cafe.
And who we met there? Marcella and her family!
And so we had breakfast together.
We had a lot of croissants and sandwiches with ham and Nutella.
It was my birthday and in the afternoon we were going to eat at the Rainforest Cafe the huge Volcano, so I didn't take some sandwiches for the day.
The Volcano was enough, heheh!
After breakfast we returned to our room to finish preparing for the day.
Then we went to take the shuttle to the park.
It was 10:00 and we went to the Studios.
As soon as we entered the park Claudio told me: "Let's go on the Tower of Terror".
"What?"
"Come on, let's go on the Tower!"
"But are you sure?"
"Yes, if I wait and think about it I'm not coming anymore!"
Ok, we headed to the ToT.
A little introduction.
Claudio and I have been together for more than 16 years and we live together since I don't know how many years. Sometimes he asks me "when do we get married?", and I always reply that I won't marry him!
The year before, after coming back from the park I started to tell him that I would marry him only if he would ask me that on the Tower of Terror.
Of course I was joking. He suffers from vertigo and he really hates steep falls, so I did not want to force him to do something he did not want.
But he regretted not doing the ToT. "The Twilight Zone" was one of his favorite tv series.
The wait time was only 5 minutes. Claudio was a little less sure of doing it than a few minutes before!
Anyway, we joined the queue.
I told him he did not need to come on ToT, I would have married him alike! But he wanted to try.
After few minutes we were in the little room with the TV set that explained the story.
And then in the basement of the hotel.
This was his face just before getting on the elevator:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/551258_721857904547351_333187486_n.jpg)
The cast member at the elevator was spectacular. Hilarious.
Then they closed the doors and Claudio was able to ask me to marry him before the up and down started!
For him, it was pretty traumatic. He liked a lot the first part with the special effects, but then....
However he survived. He will never ride it again, but he did at least once in his life!
We stopped a few minutes on the benches outside the exit, just to make him feel better. It was a beautiful sunny day. Fortunately I had with me the high protection sun lotion, heheh!
Then he surprised me again... No, he didn't want to ride the Tower again, hahaha!
But he asked me to go on Rock'n'Roller Coaster...
I had never been on Rock'n'Roller Coaster and even Claudio.
I thought it was similar to Space Mountain where we went the year before.
Even here there were only 5 minutes wait.
And the coaster has pleasantly surprised us. It's very thrill, the music of Aerosmith in the ears gives a lot of charge and all the lights and lasers along the way are very beautiful!
Claudio also loved it and said that before returning home we had to do it again!
At the exit of Rock'n'Roller Coaster there was the throne of Narnia:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1185399_721858387880636_2139866545_n.jpg)
Then Claudio surprised me for the third time in an hour: he suggested to go on Nemo.
Nemo had a wait time of 45 minutes.
The real waiting time is often a bit shorter and after half an hour we were on our turtle ready to be shaked in the Australian current!
Once out we really needed something quieter.
Three thrilling attractions in a row are a bit too much!
So we went to the Disneyland Park.
First we stopped at City Hall to take the birthday sticker that now is in the frame with my engineering degree!
(https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1468651_756789657720842_414986646_n.jpg)
While we were there the cast member gave me the phone: it was Mickey who said me happy birthday and wished me to spend a beautiful day in the park!
Just out from City Hall there was the twentieth anniversary train that was passing...
And Claudio asked me how could Mickey be there on the train if just few seconds before he was on the phone with me...
We then proceeded to Discoveryland.
We went on Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast which had very short wait time.
And Claudio got a good score:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1235453_721858787880596_1452165352_n.jpg)
Then to go on with some quiet attraction we went on "It's a Small World" and "Pirates of the Caribbean", both walk on.
We also saw the "time signal" on the building of It's a Small World.
Then while strolling around the castle...
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1377607_721859387880536_551676787_n.jpg)
I received a sms from Beatrice, a cast member who is on the Italian forum, and she said that at around 14:00 the talking trash would come out in the Studios...
What?! What is "talking trash"?!
Claudio and I have started thinking about what movie had talking trash, but the only one that came to mind with garbage was Wall-E, but there were no talking trash...
Ok, I wrote her that we were going to come and see it even though we had no idea of what it was!!
I also sent a sms to Marcella but she said they would not be able to reach us.
And so we went back to the Studios.
We met with Beatrice near the throne and there was the talking trash, hahaha!
It is one of those trash bins that you can see all around the parks, except that it moves and speaks!
It was great fun.
Push (this is the name of the trash bin) wishes me happy birthday!!
I have the video. I posted it on facebook and this is the link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=755197267880081 (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=755197267880081%20.)
After this funny thing, we spent the afternoon with Beatrice.
We went back in the main park and we bumped into Tappo! I don't know his English name.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/988728_721859947880480_1653599172_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1374989_721860477880427_770731075_n.jpg)
Then we strolled around, we went together on the Pirates and on Peter Pan and we chatted so much!
Claudio had never been on Peter Pan.
I know it is an unforgivable miss, but last year there were always more than 60 minutes wait!
This year, they were just 20!
He has also loved it so much! Especially the "lava" inside volcanoes, heheh!
Beatrice is really nice and friendly! She is the perfect cast member!
Then we went together to the Rainforest for our legendary Volcano!
Claudio pulled out his phone to take a picture but since there were less than 30 degrees the screen was not working...
Yes, the screen of his phone when the temperature was less than 30 degrees didn't work. We had to keep it in a warm place and then usually it resumed work. Now he has a new one.
He took a photo without seeing exactly what was being framed and this is the result!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/994006_721861061213702_1215774114_n.jpg)
We are slightly cut off, but you can see through the dark the background!
The place is very nice. It seems to be in the middle of the jungle.
Because the phone did not want to work, we used the camera.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1375157_721860874547054_216031812_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1385519_721861541213654_348932237_n.jpg)
And finally here is the Volcano!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1381725_721862024546939_1129336673_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/994920_721862427880232_1615422693_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1385523_721862867880188_1534108940_n.jpg)
There were four huge balls of ice cream (very good ice cream), with all around many pieces of chocolate cake (brownie), all covered by a mountain of whipped cream!!
However, it was not too hard to finish it all, hahaha!
Leaving the Rainforest we said goodbye to Beatrice who had to go, and we returned to the park.
It was around 19:30, and there was already some people who were sitting down waiting for Dreams.
But thinking about it, we did not even had a ride on Big Thunder Mountain all day... We had to!
So we went to Frontierland and the wait time for BTM was just 15 minutes!
Perfect!
And for the first and only time we saw the waterfall works!
Towards the end of the first climb there is a small waterfall and the train goes through it! Of course we didn't get wet, the water passes just to the sides of the train, but it was very nice. Too bad it's always off!
But at least I can say I have seen it working once, overall on my birthday, heheh!
Then we went back to Central Plaza, but at that point there was already a lot of people in front of the castle. So we decided to try a different spot.
We sat right in the middle of Central Plaza .
Too bad that when the show started a lot of people on the left got up...
In doing that, however, they also moved far ahead of us and not prevented our view, so we remained seated.
Only Peter Pan was covered by that people, we could see all other things pretty good.
Even from this distance it was magnificent.
Of course, you can't see the images projected on the castle very clearly, but you can appreciate a lot more the fireworks and the lasers over your head!
When the show finished we saw Marcella who was just ahead of us!
So we walked back to the hotel along the Village, the lake and the river.
What can I say, it was just a wonderful birthday, heheh!
Loving your trip report, I'm very tempted by that dessert, can you go in the rainforest café just for a dessert?
Might try to squeeze it in on our next trip if so,.
Thank you Polar Vixen!!
Yes, we had only that! But we went in the afternoon, it was around 16:30-17:00 and when entering we asked if we could have only the dessert and they say it was ok.
Maybe at lunch or dinner time, when the restaurant is busy they would let in only people that would have a complete meal.
Day 5 (third in the park) - Wednesday, September 25th
Wake up again at 7:15 and breakfast at 7:30.
And who was there again? Marcella & family! Heheh!
As usual we filled ourselves with croissants and sandwiches!
We planned to eat at Earl Of Sandwiches in the afternoon, so I made a couple of sandwiches with Nutella to eat while we waited Dreams in the evening.
After breakfast we returned to the room to get ready and we made a few more photos of the hotel that is truly beautiful! And undoubtedly it became our favorite!
I believe that we will be back there many more times, heheh!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1380670_721863834546758_1672099586_n.jpg)
The common areas inside:
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1383926_721864311213377_702436109_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/555886_721864661213342_370942718_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1381281_721865784546563_262186690_n.jpg)
The view from our room:
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1385443_721867744546367_1168117305_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1374056_721868344546307_1252651751_n.jpg)
And the room:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1376404_721868874546254_642474343_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1378088_721869161212892_912676381_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1381483_721869547879520_767749269_n.jpg)
We then headed to the Disneyland Park.
City Hall:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1379279_721870077879467_336427247_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1382960_721870621212746_1925147514_n.jpg)
And then we noticed that during the night a lot of pumpkins had appeared on the buildings of Main Street!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1378129_721871337879341_17130783_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1043870_721871857879289_603289070_n.jpg)
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(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/537077_721872987879176_770433728_n.jpg)
In Frontierland there were many new decorations too.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1380567_721873714545770_1593941605_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1376342_721874217879053_203638717_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1378544_721875687878906_1422049510_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1234366_721876211212187_826066755_n.jpg)
And I noticed that most of the normal pumpkins, those that were not designed or with weird shapes, such as those inside the fence, were true pumpkins!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1376550_721876817878793_2125485241_n.jpg)
Big Thunder Mountain was still closed, so we did a relaxing cruise on the Molly Brown, the boat that goes around the lake.
I love it, you can see glimpses of unique beauty.
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1379246_721877364545405_349335562_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1382319_721877901212018_1592479919_n.jpg)
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(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1378576_721885851211223_628984663_n.jpg)
The geysers of course did not work, they are years that they don't work, however, the fossil is great!
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/v/t1.0-9/1382198_721886521211156_2101711433_n.jpg?oh=005ff8059ac61f709a35bc62c53fd7dc&oe=53BBEE7A)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1385862_721887157877759_2109535811_n.jpg)
While we were on the Molly Brown, Big Thunder Mountain had opened, so we did the usual thing of taking the fastpass for the second ride and joining the 30 minutes queue for the first one.
And waiting for the fastpass time we also had time to ride Pirates which was a walk on.
Just out of BTM there was a cast member who was drawing on the ground some characters with water:
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/l/t1.0-9/1377085_721888211210987_2077696625_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1377391_721888774544264_1174908736_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1238243_721887831211025_1302274806_n.jpg)
Then we decided to move to Discoveryland.
And along the way we caught King Louis and Baloo dancing:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1376568_721890204544121_1963337157_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1378895_721890904544051_1339539414_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1380726_721891421210666_793520630_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1186130_721889241210884_1832540668_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1383919_721889621210846_1913938229_n.jpg)
And while we were going through Central Plaza there was the twentieth anniversary train.
They were the last days that the train would come out at the park, because the 20th anniversary would officially ended at the end of September, so I had to take a picture with it!
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1383319_721891781210630_1042397090_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1383553_721892161210592_1197918201_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/993423_721892577877217_2120125717_n.jpg)
Once in Discoveryland we rode Buzz Lightyear (we took a video of the big Buzz animatronic which was working perfectly!), then Star Tours (and here I must say that one of the animatronic in the queue line did not worked well and in fact in the following days it was covered), and finally Captain Eo, the Michael Jackson 3D movie.
All with very little waiting time.
At the entrance of Captain Eo I saw a scene that I found disconcerting.
A Spanish family (parents with 2 children) wanted to come to see the show, but instead of going through the right entrance they wanted to climb over the fences.
The cast member at the entrance kept saying that they could not climb the fences, for their safety they had to pass through the entrance, which was just a couple of meters away from where they wanted to climb, not on the other side of the world!
But they wanted to climb the fences.
What kind of teaching are those parents giving to their children?! Teach them even to cross the streets without looking and pass with the red light! And why not? Even running with scissors in their hand!
At the end I don't know if they climbed or passed though the entrance because in the meantime we had taken our 3D glasses and were entered by passing on the right side.
Claudio liked the movie so much, and once we came out he made me promise that before the end of the holiday we would watch it again.
Now, it is certainly true that the film is a little silly, but we must keep in mind that it's a 30 years old show and at that time it was something extraordinary.
It has also been made for the Disney parks, and also for this reason it has a great historical significance.
And the moving chairs are a wonderful thing!
And Michael Jackson... we love him!
At the end of the show Claudio and I applaused, but no one else joined our applause.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/v/t1.0-9/1374906_721893264543815_878235543_n.jpg?oh=553c03a7898f104e2e691dde43b347ff&oe=53B9AA90&__gda__=1403938758_d61d95cf731ab3201d2ec24af44a3d9e)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/970378_721893831210425_1277350941_n.jpg)
Then we went to Fantasyland on It's a Small World which was walk on and while strolling around the castle I got the sms from Beatrice saying that she had just arrived at the park.
We met in front of the castle and we went to eat at Earl Of Sandwiches some amazing sandwiches!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1380037_721894417877033_1857280935_n.jpg)
Then we went back to the park and we started our tour for searching secrets!
The house of the dentist, the Goofy house, and many other little cute things!
We were almost at Discoveryland that it was time for the parade and we stopped to watch it!
While we were in the Christmas store in the castle we met Marcella!
And we continued our secrets tour!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/68602_721895417876933_827822912_n.jpg)
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We could not miss the window in Discoveryland:
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1374747_721896717876803_1541384108_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1378846_721897147876760_139000959_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/v/t1.0-9/537826_721897524543389_1299245735_n.jpg?oh=db4bb9eff354527dca716fbfd205d9e5&oe=53BAEAE8)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1383803_721897994543342_680542262_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1377253_721898577876617_875683623_n.jpg)
The egg in Adventureland:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1375730_721902914542850_1997549939_n.jpg)
The entrance of Adventureland:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1378164_721903501209458_1260140876_n.jpg)
And the secret most secret of all!
The Coke box:
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/547529_721904184542723_976723463_n.jpg)
We wanted to make the video, but Claudio's phone didn't work and we could not stay there for at least 20 minutes keeping it warm in the hope that it would work again.
We still had time, so we could go there again another time.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/935969_721904697876005_1796641749_n.jpg)
Then we all went together to see Aladdin's passage, and on the Pirates of the Caribbean!
And then we went to get a spot for Dreams. There was still only half an hour before the show would start, but we managed to find seats in the third row slightly left from the center.
While we waited we all ate the sandwiches with Nutella that I had prepared in the morning .
It began to drizzle. Nothing dramatic, just a few drops, but they were enough to make the not very young ladies sitted in the first row to stand up.
And so the guy who was in the second row right in front of us stood up.
Oh, nooo!!!!
Beatrice, Marcella and me were laughing and joking together, and when we saw the old ladies and the guy stand up we sayed that when the show would start everyone from behind would scream "sit down".
But maybe those people would not have understood, it depended on what nationality they were.
Beatrice said that she thought that the guy in front of us was German.
And I said, "Well, then we will tell him sitz"!
Maybe I said it a little loud and the word sitz sounding like a command, but who speaks German knows that it is talked like that, hahaha! It isn't a sweet and soft language!!
Well, the guy turned to us and looked us in a bad way...
Ooops, he was really German...
A few minutes before the beginnig of Dreams I tried to tell him politely if he could please sit down in German, but he sayed no with his finger and made us sign to stand up.
Of course he was even right. With the old ladies standing up right in front of him he could not sit down or he could not have seen anything.
So, oh well, we all stood up. Everybody around us stood up.
And in doing that we were able to move toward the center (better) and I noticed some details that I had never seen!
Such as the smoke that rises from the water around the castle!
So at the end it was good!
Dreams finished and we returned to the hotel doing the usual walk.
And I took a picture of the hamster-like balls for humans in front of the hotel New York...
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1011789_721905611209247_1168263848_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1234357_721906741209134_1031187944_n.jpg)
Every time I see them I laugh sooo much!!
Day 6 (fourth in the park) - Thursday, September 26th
Wake up and usual huge breakfast.
It was the last day for Marcella & family.
They had to leave in the late afternoon so they could see the descent of the stairs of the characters at the Disneyland Hotel at 16:00.
So we decided to meet and greet us there.
That day Marica with her family, another girl of the forum, will arrive to the park and maybe she would come to see the descent of the stairs too.
We had eaten a lot in the past few days so we didn't want to eat a lot again that day and I made a couple of sandwiches to eat during the day.
I found in a corner of the buffet a garlic sauce. I took a little bit of it and I used it with the ham to fill the sandwiches we took with us.
This sauce was very full of garlic and the sandwiches were very bad smelling... even though they were sealed in a plastic bag, our backpack smelled a lot!
We arrived at the park, as usual, when it was already 10:00.
Destination Frontierland.
I tried to take a picture with the zoom at the egg to try to catch the little eye that you can see through the crack, but I'm afraid a much better camera is needed...
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1374880_722248287841646_1234419659_n.jpg)
Big Thunder Mountain was still closed like the previous day, and so we take another ride on the Molly Brown.
I've said that I love it?! Eheheheh!
But this time we stayed on the inner side, to the island with BTM in the middle of the lake, just to change the view!
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/v/t1.0-9/1385685_722248321174976_1965466752_n.jpg?oh=6ee0d479473a9c1a69bd3f716f8e8611&oe=53AA2DFB)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/64213_722248871174921_220178234_n.jpg)
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There was also a heron. I thought it was a fake (such as the coyote) then Claudio pointed out to me that it was alive!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1381232_722249644508177_1830076515_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1374192_722249754508166_648717530_n.jpg)
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(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/l/t1.0-9/74587_722250471174761_386193368_n.jpg)
Meanwhile Big Thunder Mountain had opened. Picture of the train:
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1378028_722250871174721_1907537328_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/31604_722251061174702_1773291603_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1382173_722251571174651_1237914044_n.jpg)
We also took some pictures inside the ship that is really beautiful.
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/l/t1.0-9/1010059_722251627841312_1595108861_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1374929_722251724507969_1404469263_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1382028_722251994507942_1420852877_n.jpg)
Then, as usual, we took the fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain and in the meantime we rode it the first time by joining the 30 minute queue and then our usual ride on the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Since on the Pirates we were in the front row, we started the series of on ride pictures with funny poses.
This is on the Pirates of the Caribbean:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/1382780_722252134507928_1730496898_n.jpg)
And this is on Big Thunder Mountain:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/v/t1.0-9/1379348_722252457841229_319237646_n.jpg?oh=1384bf8297abdfca818d7280336506a2&oe=53BA818F&__gda__=1404317051_26d51c298165fa0961222f13bda00b0c)
Then we went on Indiana Jones (walk on) and as Claudio's phone worked good we were able to make the video at the Coca Cola box!
I posted it on facebook, this is the link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=737663849633423&l=538020425109988483 (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=737663849633423&l=538020425109988483)
We then went on strolling searching for secrets: the 3 little fairies in the Confiserie des Trois Fees, the witch appearing at the window on the Snow White building, the little beds and the cups of the seven dwarfs in their store, and so on.
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1157657_722253041174504_743938753_n.jpg)
In the meantime, we rode Buzz Lightyear, Captain Eo and Autopia.
Autopia is a path on true two-seated petrol cars, so even children can experience the thrill of driving.
I had been in the past on Autopia and I remembered that the cars were absolutely undriveable!
They had a dreadful inertia responding very late to commands from the steering wheel making it nearly impossible to go straight!
Last year we didn't gone on it because the waiting time was always more than an hour. This time it was only 15 minutes.
So we went there.
And of course I let Claudio drive.
I knew that if I would drive going zigzagging he would keep going on for years saying that I was clumsy...
So it was me that was laughing while he could not go straight!
Then we went to visit the castle. Upstairs we took the pictures at the crow that has red eyes only with the flash:
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1186093_722252964507845_176053206_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1382426_722253157841159_715938173_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/11514_722253701174438_1743223437_n.jpg)
And on the outside there was a door that was slightly open so we could see some of the preparations for the fireworks of Dreams.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1383683_722253987841076_1256988152_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1380093_722254164507725_731415951_n.jpg)
Even in the castle stage the Halloween decorations began to appear:
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1378470_722254397841035_762148686_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/1380194_722254504507691_2097073561_n.jpg)
It was almost 16:00, so we went to the Disneyland Hotel to watch the descent of the stairs of the characters.
Marcella was already in the hotel lobby.
I sent a sms to Marica to let her know that we were already at the Disneyland Hotel, but she said she would not be able to get there in time.
She had not received my previous message, and so she had remained with her family in the park.
Oh well, maybe we would be able to meet in the evening!
At 16:00 the music started and the characters came down from the stairs!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/1380209_722255157840959_2029264271_n.jpg)
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1209110_722255767840898_784533705_n.jpg)
There were Mickey, Minnie, Tigger, a penguin from Mary Poppins and the Cat of the Cat and the Fox from Pinocchio.
All the people who were there (not much actually) were all around Mickey, Minnie and Tigger. The other two poor characters were standing there alone!
So I went by them, heheh!
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1381371_722255844507557_1136665663_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1377431_722255834507558_661261442_n.jpg)
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The Disneyland Hotel was one of the few that already had the free wi-fi, and I wanted to try it with Claudio's phone because I wanted to know if a password was needed to connect or if it was completely free.
But of course the phone didn't work and since the perfume that there is in the lobby of the hotel in my opinion is a bit too strong, so as to be annoying, I did not want to stay there to warm the phone for 15 - 20 minutes.
So we said goodbye to Marcella and we returned to the park.
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1383458_722256671174141_480032930_n.jpg)
Even the lampposts had become Halloween style!
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1383515_722256817840793_2088463399_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/t1.0-9/1377160_722257247840750_1431837584_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1.0-9/1381605_722257297840745_1221876891_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1385230_722257374507404_166137155_n.jpg)
I then took the picture I would post on the facebook page of the Italian Mickey Mouse comic.
They are already a couple of years that on the facebook page of Mickey Mouse comic you can post your vacation pictures with the comic and they are collected in a special album.
And of course I had to take a picture with the comic at Disneyland, heheh!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1383839_722257767840698_1064478895_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/v/t1.0-9/1379844_722257814507360_643497971_n.jpg?oh=70335ce8ed34ba3754b9f68ba60f7766&oe=539FCED4&__gda__=1402467970_2c93c549e619cca2c9c1bd7401146cc7)
(https://scontent-b-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/68688_722258027840672_369059995_n.jpg)
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The Halloween photolocation of Minnie was already ready:
(https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1374309_722257884507353_439093673_n.jpg)
Then we went to get the fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain.
The waiting time, however, was rather short, 20 minutes. So we joined the queue, heheh!
The photo isn't very good, however we are the two with the blue shirts in the second row!
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Then we went to see how long was the waiting time for Peter Pan. Claudio wanted to ride it again because he liked it very much.
And surprise surprise, only 20 minutes!
So we joined the queue.
After a while, I received a sms from Beatrice. She told me that in a few minutes she would come to the park. I told her that we were queueing Peter Pan and in about ten minutes we would exit the attraction.
And when we came out she was there.
We went together to Star Tours that had a 10-15 minute wait.
Then we had the fastpass for BTM.
The waiting time was so short that we told Beatrice to go on it together without using our fastpass.
Beatrice told us that they were many years since the last time she rode BTM...
How can it be? BTM is the best ride! A must done!
You can't ride BTM less than 2-3 times a day!
She was a bit scared. She didn't know how it was and she was afraid that it was a roller coaster like Aerosmith.
During the short queue (less than 15 minutes) we tried to calm her.
And at the end she loved it!
Well, of course, you can't not love BTM!
At that point we went to take a seat for Dreams.
We sat in front of the castle and we started talking about Adam (our hamster).
We were there laughing when I received a sms from Marica who said that she was in front of the castle waiting for Dreams!
Where? Where?
Rapid exchange of messages and then Marica wrote me to stand up, so finally we met!
She was next to a flower bed in the middle of Central Plaza.
Beatrice and I tried the impossible: getting there!
We have recommended Claudio to defend our seats and we started our mission: there were a lot of people and it was not easy to walk!
We managed to get to Central Plaza. We should be around the right place.
We started to call "Marica"!
And finally we found her!
We talked a little, then we went back to our seats.
And we enjoyed the show for the fourth time this year!
Then we said goodbye to Beatrice who was going to take the bus to go home and we headed to the hotel.
We still had in our backpack the garlic sandwiches.
We had not had the courage to eat them! We weren't alone and it would not have been nice to have a stinking breath!
We had offered one sandwiches to Beatrice, but she thought it would be better to refuse it, hahaha!
At that point, however, we were going back to the hotel and we ate them.
They were really good. The garlic sauce was delicious.
The backpack has continued to smell of garlic and once at home I had to put it in the washing machine!
Day 7 (fifth in the park) - Friday, September 27th
We woke up and had breakfast. Unfortunately it was the last one. And for this reason even more abundant!
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After breakfast we returned to our room to pack our luggage.
It was not easy at all! We had to fit everything into the trolley because in the backpack we would take with us in the park for the day, we didn't want to have unnecessary extra weight!
I sat on the trolley and I was able to close the zippers and luckily it didn't burst!
We left it in the luggage room of the hotel and we headed to the park.
We went to the Studios.
First thing we took another picture to be posted on the facebook page of the Mickey Mouse comic.
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The Tower of Terror had a few minutes wait so I joined the queue.
Claudio didn't want to go on it again so he waited for me outside.
After few minutes the attraction was temporarily stopped because of a technical problem, so everybody went out of the queue.
I would try to go there later. Then we headed to Rock'n'Roller Coaster.
Claudio wanted to ride it again because he liked it a lot. And me too!
And luckily it had only 10 minutes wait.
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When we came out the Rock'n'Roller Coaster we saw that the Tower of Terror had already reopened! But the waiting time was half an hour...
So we took the fastpass, I didn't want to queue that long time alone.
We took two fastpasses even if I would had ride that alone, because maybe I would have had enough time to ride it twice!
What could we do while we were waiting for the ToT?
The Stitch show was going to start in English. We had never seen it before and Beatrice had told us to go there because it was very nice.
How could we not follow her tip?
In fact, the show was very funny!
Of course it is good to know a little of English (or French)!
It was time for my visit to the twilight zone.
I took the first fastpass and I went to the entrance.
The queue was not long but I could not jump the second queue in the basement!
Usually when I go there alone I can skip at least half of the queue because they always ask if there is someone alone just to fill an empty seat. This time that I was in a hurry to try to use the second fastpass no!
I went out running, Claudio was waiting for me with the second fastpass in his hand, I took it and headed to the entrance... Arghhh!!
There was Goofy right outside the entrance and there was a huge crowd around him!
I had to hurry up because the time on the fastpass was running out... I felt as the White Rabbit... it's late, it's late!
I arrived just in time at the entrance of the Tower.
I gave the fastpass to the cast member at the entrance and he didn't even look at it!!
I ran to get there in time, he could at least check the time that was written on it!!
Of course this second ride took me much less time, 15 minutes overall. And of course while I was in the second queue in the basement the cast member asked if there was someone alone and I went ahead.
Then we moved to the main park.
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There were some new Halloween decorations.
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We headed to Frontierland for Big Thunder Mountain.
We took the fastpass, but unlike the other days, the time that we should return to the attraction was not an hour later, but after a few hours!!
We had already noticed that there was a lot more people than the previous days, at least the double, since the waiting times were twice longer!
The waiting time was an hour but we still joined the queue.
After all BTM worth the wait!
We also wanted to do a particular picture but the first attempt did not come good.
Then we went to Adventureland and thankfully the Pirates had the usual few minutes of waiting.
All the rest had very very long queue.
So we entered Alice's labirinth, it is always very nice!
Then we went on It's a Small World that along with the Pirates was the only ride with short waiting time.
It was time for the BTM fastpass.
But first we took another one, heheh!
Then we went to the fastpass entrance of the attraction.
This time again the picture was not good!!
The fastpass that we had taken was for 18:00, so it would be our last chance for the photo.
We wanted to eat at the Plaza Gardens for our last meal there.
We decided to eat at around 15-15:30 to avoid the crowds.
We had not booked it but I didn't think it was necessary at that time. Instead...
First, however, we did a tour along Main Street and when we arrived at Town Square, the square at the entrance of the park, we saw that they were setting the ropes because after a few minutes the twentieth anniversary train would come out.
Since we were there we stopped to see it. We were right in the front row. These were the last times that the train came out. In fact from September 30th the celebration for the twentieth anniversary would be officially over and that train would be replaced by something else.
After a few minutes the music started, the doors opened and the train appeared!
As it passes I always greet the characters, but this time an amazing thing happened!
Claudio greeted Pluto!!
Yeahhhh!! The Disney magic has finally infected him!!
Then we had a nice walk along the Discovery Arcade, one of the covered walkways along Main Street.
We stopped at every single window to see the bizarre inventions showed there.
And what did we see?!
A kind of game with "Debs" written on it! A short form for my name, heheh!! (Deborah)
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We arrived in front of the Plaza Gardens at about 15:00, but there was still some queue... We had to wait for about 45 minutes!!
We ate so much and everything was very good. The Plaza Gardens never disappoints!
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Claudio also took a kind of snail from the buffet!
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At around 16:30 the queue at the entrance was completely gone.
If only we had known that before we would have gone to eat a little later!
We left the restaurant a little later than 17:00 while the parade was going on.
A great chance for a last ride on Buzz Lightyear that had only 10 minutes wait during the parade.
Claudio made the highest score he had ever done before becoming a first class Ranger!
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You can seen how he takes that mission seriously!
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I did a bad score, but there's a reason.
Along the way I realized that I could see the stamps I had on my hand, those that are made at the exit of the park for re-admittance and that could be seen only with ultraviolet lights.
I don't think that we need those stamps because with our tickets we have always entered and left the parks several times without problems and without showing the stamps.
However they were five days that we had our hands stamped when we moved from one park to the other.
The thing that surprised me was that I could see several stamps on my arm!! And only one was made on that day!
Some of them were faded.
Every morning I took a shower... What kind of ink do they use for those stamps?!
When I came home I went on washing my arms very strongly for some days, hahaha!
At the exit of Buzz I found the sms from Beatrice saying that she was coming to the park.
So we met in Discoveryland.
We had not yet gone to Captain Eo that day.
Claudio definitely wanted to go there and so we went with Beatrice.
And it was right to go there. It would be the last chance ever since it was rumored that towards February-March they would have definitely taken this film away.
This time there was a lot more people to Captain Eo too, even though the theater was far from being full!
But at least we were not the only ones who applauded at the end!
We wandered a bit in the park searching for an ultimate secret: the protagonist of CinéMagique that should be on the Titanic paint at the entrance of Liberty Arcade. He is very small and not very clear, however it might just be him!
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Beatrice wanted to go again on Big Thunder Mountain, she had enjoyed it a lot, so we went to see how long was the waiting time but it was over an hour.
We had the fastpass.
Claudio had offered his fastpass to Beatrice but she said that we had to go there because it was our last chance for this vacation.
And finally we were able to take the wanted picture!!
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It has been really hard to kiss in the moment of the shot!
The photo is taken just on the way down and all the times we got separated!
Then we went with Beatrice on the Pirates and we were in the front row!!
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It was then time for Dreams.
There was definitely a lot more people than the previous days.
We decided to watch the show from a different angle this time.
So we sat on the ground almost in the first row at the Royal Castle Stage on the right side of the castle.
It was really nice to see it from there.
It has a completely different perspective. Of course, the images projected on the castle can't be appreciated as they are from the front, however we had a beautiful view of the fountains and the effects of lights on the water!
Dreams finished and it was time to say goodbye to the park.
I liked in the previous evenings going out of the park and greeting the cast member saying "Au revoir. A demain!". This time it was only "Au revoir".
We returned to the hotel Cheyenne to collect the trolley.
And I realized that I hadn't yet bought the postcards!!
So I went in the hotel shop and got 3 postcards.
I went to the pay desk and I told in English to the cast member that I needed 3 stamps for Italy. The cast member asked me in Italian where I was from exactly. She was Italian too! And she had studied in Bologna!
Well... it's a small world after all!
Then we went to the station to take the RER to Val D'Europe.
One stop and few minutes later we had arrived.
And the Hotel Ibis Val D'Europe that we had booked for the night was just outside the RER station!
I wrote the postcards and then we went to sleep.
Day 8 - Saturday, September 28th
We woke up. The plan was to go for a walk in the huge shopping center and outlet, then take the RER A to return to the Disneyland station and from there go to the airport. The flight was at 13:30.
I wanted to try the TGV, which takes only 10 minutes from the park to the airport, but the cheap trains (€ 17.50 per person) were either at 9:00 or 12:00, if I remember correctly, too early and too late, especially considering that the trains were almost always delayed by half an hour. The 11-11:30 train costed almost € 30 per person.
So we had decided that we would take the Vea shuttle which cost 20 euro per person and it would take about 45 minutes, an hour. At the end it was cheaper.
We looked out of the window and it seemed that we had fallen into the depths of winter! The sky was gray and it was raining with a very strong and cold wind!
We looked each other and we said:
"Are we really sure we want to go around the shopping center and the outlet in this bad weather?"
"Oh, well, even no! We come here quite often, we could have the chance to visit Val D'Europe another year!"
So we got ready with calm, we packed our bags and we went to take the RER A.
But first we took some pictures at the hotel room:
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This hotel was much nicer than the one in Paris. But this was an Ibis, while the one in Paris was an Ibis Budget, the cheaper version.
There was no closet either, but at least there were some shelves and the bedside tables where we could put things on!
Even the bathroom was much nicer.
We arrived at the Disneyland station and it was almost 9:00. We could be in time to take the cheap TGV! Then we would had a few hours to spend at the airport, but after all Charles de Gaulle is so big and there are so many things that we wouldn't certainly be bored!
The TGV was delayed by 20 minutes. Perfect!
We bought the tickets and shortly after the train arrived.
In 10 minutes we were at the airport.
We walked around the shops and then we sat down to eat the sandwiches with Nutella I prepared the day before during breakfast!
While we were there a lady came to us: she was the lady who was sitting next to us on the plane when we flew from Bologna to Paris! She was returning to Bologna that day too and she had the same place of the previous flight! We would see us later on board.
Meanwhile, it had also stopped raining.
Then we went to the security checks.
Last year I had forgotten to take out both the liquids bags from our backpack but we were not told anything.
This year at Bologna airport I left again both fluids bags in the backpack and we were not told anything.
So this time I had left them both there again, I thought that it would be okay!
But no!!
They not only stopped us, they took out everything from our backpack to check what was inside!! They even opened the medicines pouch (all tablets, no liquids), and the Nintendo DS!
We hadn't the official liquids bags, but two transparent bags that can be closed, one slightly larger and one smaller than what they were supposed to be. I always filled the small bag while left the bigger one half empty, just to be sure.
The woman at the security check put all our liquids in two official bags.
And she kept looking at a 100 ml tube of hand lotion for ages.
The containers of liquids can not be larger than 100 ml, I knew that, I had brought that lotion for just this reason, but that woman went on reading the label for several minutes! It says that it is 100 ml, it won't grow up!!
Anyway, I'm glad she gave us the official bags, in this way for the next time it will be easier to decide what to bring and what not. Until now I had always took less things than I could to avoid problems.
We spent a lot of time to put all the stuff again inside the backpack. We had to put everything in the right order or we woudn't be able to close it anymore! Luckily we had time!
During the flight we had a chat with the lady next to us.
She was French but she had married an Italian man. She went for a week in France to visit her parents who live near Paris.
Then she asked us if we live in the center of Bologna, and when we said that we live in Pianoro, she replied: "Me too!"!
She told us that she had already seen Claudio somewhere. It wasn't strange, Claudio lives in Pianoro since 30 years, I live there since a lot less time!
And Pianoro is a pretty small town.
Then she asked us where we work. At the moment we are both unemployed, but Claudio has previously worked for several years in one of the bars of the stadium in Bologna, at the Motor Show, and for some time at the Sayerlack, a paint factory in Pianoro.
And she said: "I work at the Sayerlack!"!
Ok, now I have the proof: it is really a small world after all!!
The flight took off on time but landed in advance. My parents had to come and pick us and they had even not arrived yet!
In Bologna it was very hot and we were wearing quite heavy clothes!
We took Adam and went back home already thinking about our next Disneyland holiday!!
Great trip report and wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing!
A fantastic trip report, brilliant pictures, makes me even more excited for my trip in May :)
Thank you BlackPearl and disnick.322!! I'm glad you liked it!! :D
Have a great holiday disnick.322!!! You will find the Spring festival and it seems soooo beautiful!!! I am already thinking about going in may 2015!!
just sat and read all your report and it was wonderful....and great pics too...
we were there in September but the beginning so missed the Halloween things but it looked great...
making me more excited for our upcoming trip in July reading all these reports...
glad you had a great time... :) [size=78%] [/size]
A wonderful trip report and beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing it all with us ;D
Great, great trip report! Thank you, Uragano Tati, for sharing with us your happiness day by day.
It was so pleasant to read it and see the pictures, your faces!
When is your next trip? ;)
Sorry, I haven't seen the latest post!
Thanx a lot to you all!!! It was a pleasure to share my report. I love reading trip reports, it makes me feel like being in the park! And I like writing mine, so I can remind the good time and the magic! It is only quite hard to translate everything in English, ahahah!!!!
Mileto, my next trip? I would like to go at the end of november. I'd love to see all the Christmas decorations and parade and so on. I am already looking for a good offer. On the Italian Disneyland site (as well on the English and Irish and others too) there is the very good offer with 2 days and 2 nights free for the winter season.
But this time I would like to stay 7 nights and 8 days (or maybe only 6 nights and 7 days, but not less) so that offer isn't good (it is the best offer for a 4 nights 5 days stay, which means a discount of around 45%, but a much worse discount for a longer stay). I am waiting for a 40% (or at least 35%) discount. Last year it was on the French site.
There are still no winter offer on the French site. I hope that they will come out soon!! Finger crossed!!!
Very good! Fingers crossed for the best offer! ;)
What a lovely trip report! I'm guessing you had a wonderful time! :D