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[dagobert]

I'm very sorry for you, because of the show.

Since you are pregnant, which attractions could you ride? You have written that PotC and some dark rides and of course all the thrill rides were not suitable for you. What's the reason why you couldn't go on dark rides? Because the lap bars could hurt your baby in case of an emergency stop?
At least DLP offers so many details to discover while waiting for the others.

Can't wait for your Cafe Mickey pics. We love this restaurant, because of the pizzas.

[never2old]

Ah, the list of rides is quite limited! Here's the official one, printed in the little pink slip I got in City Hall:

In Disneyland:

Phantom manor
Thunder Mesa River Boat
Alice's Curious Labyrinth
Le Carousel de Lancelot
Le pays des contes de fées
It's a Small World
Buzz Lightyear
Captain EO
Les mystères du Nautilus
Disneyland railroad

And in the Studios:

Stunt show
Cinémagique
Stitch live
Animagique
Art of animation

For the dark rides, I've been told it's because of the lap bars (and because they can stop a bit violently), and Peter Pan also in case of evacuation of the ride.

I did miss not being able to do some of my favourite rides, like POTC, Peter Pan or BTM, but that was only because I really love them and can't get enough of them... But overall, as you say, there are so many little details everywhere, that I was really quite happy to have the time to explore!

[never2old]

Lunchtime!

We had booked for 13:30, and we got to Cafe Mickey right on time!

Unfortunately by now all the excitement had got to Maisie, my little niece, and by the time we got to the restaurant, she was fast asleep!! So all we could do is hope she would wake up on time, and get her autograph book signed by everyone...

Her sister though was fully awake, and delighted when the Mouse himself came to our table soon after we sat down...





Lunch was brilliant. And delicious! I had a pizza with italian chicken, sundried tomatoes and onions (but I was so hungry that I didn't even take a picture... really sorry now, because it was gorgeous!!! And I ate it all   )

And we saw plenty of characters: Chip and Dale, Minnie, Daisy, Pluto... My niece was really happy!! Disney magic at its best, really. It's just great how all the characters interact with the children (and grown ups too), they're really brilliant.















Dale taking a sip from my niece's drink... (he also asked my brother in law Gavin if the Princesses pink autograph book was his  :lol: )


Towards the end of lunch all the birthdays celebrations started... After 5 of them we stopped counting, but it was one after another after another!!

By the time Maisie was fully awake though, it was around 15h, and all the characters were gone     I think her parents were a lot more upset than she was (probably she didn't quite realise what she'd miss), so we decided to book another character meal for Monday (at the Lucky Nugget this time, for a change).

After that everyone was happy!



By the time we finished lunch and got moving again (all feeling rather stuffed...) it was almost 4pm. So we slowly made our way to the park, and up Main Street, stopping in quite a few shops along the way... I wanted to get a spot for the parade (at 5pm) soon, but the park was so quiet that it was not a problem!! I was very surprised, I was really expecting it to be a lot busier on a Sunday, start of Christmas, than it actually was.

We ended up getting a spot around 4:45, in the benches by the Castle stage



Continues soon!

[kelly.dylan]

Looks like you had lots of fun in Cafe Mickey We make sure we book at least one meal there on our trips!
Cant wait for the next part! We are going for our first christmas soon and your photos are making me really excited!

[DisneyBud]

I love how detailed you make your report. Thanks for the update, looking forward to the next.

[Ole Vidar]

Wow!

I have to say, that this trip report is the best one i have ever seen in here :thumbs:
The pictures and the way you describe your trip is just so wonderful.
I was at the park at the same time as you, from the 7th to 11th of november!
I was down there to cellebrate my 30th birthday!
And I must just say, if you think the weather was bad then...Thursday the 11th was the worrst I have ever seen!
On top of it all, it was a public holliday. The park was as full as in the busiest sumerdays.
But all in all it was a amacing trip, I love Disneyland so the trip was nice nomather how bad the weather was
I live in Norway, and I have been in Disney four times since May, I newer get tired of it!

So I cant wait you to go on with your next chapter!
It feels just like beeing there, when you are writing

[never2old]

Thank you, that's really nice from you!! I'm really touched by your comments    And happy belated birthday Ole Vidar    DLP is the best place to celebrate a birthday! (I celebrated in DLP my 32nd birthday in June... and my 30th two years ago!)

And here's the next update!

So it's Sunday, almost 5, and the weather was as dry as it could get! Perfect timing for the parade  



And it was not that cold!


This is the first time I've noticed that they only put the lights in the front side of the Castle (none at the back). Has it always been like that??


She was pointing at my ears (yep, as soon as it stops raining, my Minnie ears are on!!)  


Now we were expecting the parade to come down from Fantasyland (and everyone around us did, we were all sitting facing that way!), but noooo.... It was coming up from Main Street! We realised (well, I realised, I was the expert in our group of course) that it was coming the other way around with the announcements, you could hear the "Ladies and Gentlement, Boys and Girls, In 5 Minutes...." coming up our way from Main Street towards IASW, so we were amongst the first to turn around and face the correct way. But for a few minutes, there were some people facing one way, some people facing the other, and lots of confused looks around  :lol:

Anyway, on with the show... I have to say, pictures are not great, but at 5pm the light is not great... I still don't see why they can't do the parade at 4pm during the winter months!









I quite like this one... Looks like they're flying!




It was really quiet, not many people around, and a lot of the characters waved at us (and particularly at my nieces). And they (almost always) waved back...




Except for Peter Pan. He tried for quite some time to get Maisie's attention, waving at her and making faces, but she kept looking elsewhere... Even when her dad and I tried to get her to look at Peter Pan, she wasn't interested, she was looking at the next float, it was really funny!! Poor Peter though....







And the Christmas parade! Chante C'est Noel starts playing... And for the first time today, it really feels like Christmas!!



My favourite bit, the soldiers... I just love the noise they make when they walk, plus they look great!



Extremely blurred elves...




With a bit of imagination, you can spot the elf with the learners L in the back...


And to finish, Santa!




Now tonight we had a tight schedule. At 5pm, the parade. At 6pm, the tree lighting. At 6:30, the Showtime Spectacular and the Castle lighting. And at 7pm, Fantillusion!

So after the parade, time to move towards Town Square! Plus by now it was getting really dark, and the Castle was looking gorgeous!



















Continues soon!

[dagobert]

Thanks for another great update!

If I'm not mistaken the castle was always illuminated just on one side. In 2007, 2008 and in February there were no lights on the back.

[never2old]

If I'm not mistaken the castle was always illuminated just on one side. In 2007, 2008 and in February there were no lights on the back.

Thanks for that! I wasn't sure, I couldn't remember seeing the lights in the back of the Castle, but my memory is not what it used to be... It was really bothering me not knowing  :roll:

[SophieD]

Great trip report!! I love seeing all your pics!! Especially the ones of the area outside of Phantom Manor with all the pink/red trees! Frontierland looks great in the autumn! Congratulations on your pregnancy! I love the little shop just by Pinnochio's ride for all the baby bits =)
Can't wait for the next update! x

[DLP-Photos.com]

Just checked back to see what was going on in this report and man you have made some great updates since I visited last time!

Your photos are (as always) very, very good and make me even more excited for my upcoming trip. As Ole says you describe the excitement very good and I feel like I am there with you guys.

It must be very annoying (perhaps not the best word) not to be able to ride one's favourite rides, but remember the cause My sister has just given birth to her first child and even becoming an uncle was an amazing experience, so I am sure you are entering a time even more magical than Disney

[never2old]

Thank you all

@ forza_united Overall it was OK, not doing the rides, although for some I did feel rather envious... POTC and BTM were hard because I love them so much, and on Monday they all did the Parachutes in TSPL and since that's the one ride I'm more curious about, I was also a bit jealous... But overall, I didn't mind too much. It's all for a good cause, and all the rides will be there waiting for me on our next visit!!    And congrats on becoming an uncle Nicolai!!!

And apologies all for the delay in the updates, things are quite busy lately at work and by the time I get home I'm exhausted... But I finally got some time so I'll try to make the most of it!

Here's the next part for Sunday night, starting with the Christmas tree lighting!

Now I had seen this ceremony for the first time last year; only that time it was pouring with rain and freezing cold, we were all packed under the cover on the Emporium and the view was not great... This time, although I did have some people in front of me, we were right in front of the tree, there was no rain (though it was cold), and it was great!!

The pictures are not very good (it was dark, everyone kept moving, and I was concentrating more on seeing the show than taking pictures...)













This was my favourite moment... When it started to snow!! It was really magical, with all the Christmas lights, the music... I was not the only one without dry eyes!!












Everyone really enjoyed the show!





It was then time to move up Main Street towards the stage, for the Showtime Spectacular.

I really like this show, I will miss it once the NGF is over. And I quite enjoyed it by night, with the lights on the Castle and all, it made it even more spectacular!









Towards the end of the usual show, Mickey comes out with a new costume (though that jacket looks strangely familiar...) and they do the Castle lighting show. To be honest, it doesn't quite fit with the show, but leaving that aside, the lighting of the Castle itself is as gorgeous as ever - and at the end when Tinkerbell does her bit with the fairy dust... Really magical.

After the Castle is lit they have the Christmas bit of the show, which is not bad, and fits nicely with the rest of the show.















Final result!



Aaaaaaah



And to finish the night, Fantillusion    I confess, I cannot look at the pictures without starting to hum the Fantillusion music... One of my favourite parades ever!



.









Snow White's float stopped right in front of us. Their balcony went up, it almost looked like they were dancing in the stars, very romantic!!







We were all exhausted after a very long day, but filled with Disney and Christmas magic And it was time to go back to the hotel...

Town Square






And to finish in style, Santa waves goodbye!!


(Have you noticed the Mickey in his belt?)

We had booked for dinner in the Parkside Diner, but we weren't too hungry (not surprising after our huge lunch in Cafe Mickey), so we went instead for a quick sandwich in the hotel bar, and by 10:30 we were all back in our rooms, ready for bed!

Last day coming soon!

[dagobert]

And to finish in style, Santa waves goodbye!!


(Have you noticed the Mickey in his belt?)

We had booked for dinner in the Parkside Diner, but we weren't too hungry (not surprising after our huge lunch in Cafe Mickey), so we went instead for a quick sandwich in the hotel bar, and by 10:30 we were all back in our rooms, ready for bed!

Last day coming soon!

Thanks for the pictures. Great update as always.

It's amazing how detailed DLP is. You just have to look at the Main Street Ststion clock. At the moment I'm reading "Disney War" again and I've just read the chapter about Michael Eisner and Tony Baxter deciding that DLP has to be the most beautiful park. Thanks to them!!

[loladelorean]

Loving your trip report as ever  
Your photos are so great! I'm glad your family had such a great time, and that you enjoyed it so much even though you couldn't go on your favourite rides.
Looking forward to more  /

[brenjo]

Wow have just read from start to finish - an amazing report with excellent photos!  Your nieces are adorable and congratulations on your expected little one!  all the missed rides will be worth it!!!  and in the future imagine going to DLRP with your own little one!  Well done