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[Anonymous]

Still got another two days to go yet, but I'm at work tomorrow and the funeral is on Friday so it probably won't be the weekend until I complete it.

I just received all my prints today from Kodak.

There are actually about another 600 photo's too, which I haven't done much with yet, so there are a lot of other photo's, some of which I could potentially post further down the line.

[Anonymous]

Fourth day, and after the wonderful thing they'd done for me on the Wednesday, I was feeling a little bit more settled.

I decided to go into the Studio's to start with to ride Crush again. I'd made sure I'd got the letter I'd done for the castmembers as I intended to hand that in at City Hall when I went into Disneyland Park.

First stop, Crush's Coaster, which only had a 35 minute wait time.



After doing Crush's Coaster, I took some photo's around the Studio's, particularly of the many banners around the park. As I walked around for  a go on Rock N' Roller Coaster, I saw Lilo and Stitch, with not a soul in sight, and they posed for a number of photo's.






 


After this, I headed back to Disneyland Park - that would end up being it for the Studio's this trip.

On the way out, I bought a pin bag, which I'd been promising myself for months (and which is now full!) - I had this sent back to the hotel, and then headed for Disneyland Park.

I stopped off at City Hall and handed my letter in. It seems neither Luc or Daphne were working that day, but they promised that it would get to them, and I said all castmembers were welcome to read it.

I told the castmember in there about the day before, and we chatted about meeting Belle, and I said how beautiful and enchanting she was - to which he said, well of course, it's Belle!  :lol:

I then headed down towards the castle stage, and took some pictures of Aurora.



Eventually they changed, for another gorgeous Belle, and I decided to queue up for some official photo's.







About halfway through the queue, they changed again, and I thought I'd missed out on Belle!  :?



But just as I was getting to the front of the queue, Belle came back!  



It was obviously destiny!  









She was another beautiful lady, but I got a bit mixed up with the photo's. The castmember was offering to take a photo with my own camera, but I'd decided I wanted an official photo. But I could have probably had both done. I realised how to work the meet and greets properly the next day.

I posed with Belle for two photo's, which I'll post pictures of when I do my merchandise photo's. I also asked Belle to pose on her own, and if she'd pose with the Prince. They were very obliging, and I got some lovely photo's.







Did a few rides in Discoveryland following this, usual suspects, Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain and Star Tours. Got a nice pic of the Nautilus. I really have to go on that again next time.



Then headed to Main Street and the Kodak shop to get my photo's. I picked out one large print, and had it put in a perspex frame with the DLRP 15th logo's around it, and one smaller print, in a card frame. Quite expense, it cost me around 48 euro's for the pair, but they are a nice souvenir. I asked if they could hang on to them until later, and I'd collect them in the evening on my way out of the park.

I headed down for an ice cream then at the Gibson Girl, and caught the Character Express just as I was coming out of the shop.















I then headed down for the parade, to the same spot as the Wednesday for some more great Princess pics.

The characters started to come out, and I was amazed to see Pocahontas - first time I've ever seen her in the Parks.









Nice dynamic shot of Pluto.













One for Masamune.





































Finally the Princesses arrived!!!











I got my best Jasmine pics of the week, and she was incredibly hot!!!!









As can be seen here!!!  



This was a stunningly beautiful Aurora!!!







And a lovely Cinders, though I'd meet my favourite Cinders on the last day!



And finally, my beloved Belle!  














After the parade had passed, I headed into Fantasyland. Had a stop at Toad Hall for some fish and chips, then did a few rides.

Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones (where my Princess Lanyard medallion broke - so I had to buy another!  :? ), then went into Frontier Land. Got some photo's of the Halloween decorations, and then stopped Don Diego to ask for a photo!  :lol:








I intended to do BTM with a fastpass, after doing Phantom Manor, but they'd really messed the fastpasses up on BTM that week, I don't know whether it was intentional, or whether guests had done it, but the queues had been merged much earlier, so you ended up queueing for quite a while with a fastpass, I really thought this was quite poor, and I couldn't bear to stand on my feet for a long period so headed back up to Main Street.

I stopped off and bought a couple of pins, and a new Princess medallion. I had a bit of a faux pas in the queue at Harrington's. A little girl just darted up to the counter in front of me. She was laden down with stuff, but I let her go in front of me.  They rang it through and it was about 95 euro's. When she got her purse out, she was about 40 euro's short. She had about £25 and was asking if they'd accept that. They ended up having to go through her whole bag, and it took about 20 minutes. I'd only got 2 pins, 2 postcards and a lanyard medallion.

Oh well!  :roll:

I stopped off at the Kodak shop and got my photo's, and I also found the 2 CD 15th anniversary album. I was a bit miffed at this because I'd asked someone earlier in the week if they'd got an album out and he said no, so I'd bought Just Like We Dreamed It on a single, then found the album a day later!  :roll:

Stopped just outside the Disneyland Hotel to have a sit down and have a look at my pictures, then headed back for the shuttle bus.

Another tiring day in Disneyland!

 :wink:

[RnRCj]

I think I was literally just across the street from you in that pic (Just out of the picture though)

[Anonymous]

Altogether now....

It's a small world after all!

 :lol:

I kept wondering all week if I might come across any Magic Members or end up with them on my photo's.

Didn't you spot my Belle pins???

 :roll:

You might actually be on one of the surrounding photo's I took. These are just the photo's I got printed that I'm posting so far.

[The Butlin Boy]

Another great report and even more great pics, I can't wait to see the rest :wink:

[tubbsy]

RnRCj and Prince-Weird to think you may have been that close! :shock:  
Gorgeous photos Prince.

[Anonymous]

The last day I got up and was really undecided about whether or not to go into the Park or to set off home after breakfast. I went and had breakfast, then went into the shop to spend my last few euro's - some sweets for work. Chatted with the girl in the shop - she was asking about my pins, and we got talking about Belle. She said Beauty and the Beast was one of her favourite movies, from seeing it when she was 12, which made me feel a bit old. I said it was a bit later for me, and she said, okay, 13 then - to which I said she was too kind. I told her about meeting Belle, and she told me about the number of applicants they get for the princesses, thousands of girls. I really thought the castmembers were very welcoming, and very engaging on this holiday, all over the resort.

I decided eventually I would head into the park, if only to see if Luc and Daphne were about again at City Hall, but I decided also I'd go and see what Princesses were around on the castle stage.

I popped into City Hall and they told me they may be in later, around 12 o'clock, so I headed down to the castle stage. On the way, I saw some pin traders outside the Plaza restaurant. These were a couple of older guys who had a couple of pin books each out on the tables, I'd seen them before last March, but hadn't stopped. Had a quick look at what they'd got, but a lot of the pins I'd already seen on Ebay, and some of the nicer Princess pins I'd already got myself.

I then headed down for the stage, and decided to wait in the queue, which wasn't too large at this point, to see who came out. I was rewarded when it was Cinderella and Prince Charming, who I hadn't met. Cinderella was absolutely stunning.







I think she was an english girl, she didn't have much of an accent, but she was so sweet and charming. When I eventually met her, she said hello, then she noticed my lanyard and asked me if Belle was my favourite. I said, well, yes, but I like you alot too!

I asked if I could have a photo just with Cinderella, and if they'd take it with my own camera, to which they obliged, and Cinders put her arm in mine. I then asked if I could take a couple of photo's of her on her own, and finally one with the prince. He was wandering off chatting to other guests while I was making time with Cinders,  :lol: , and she had to shout him over.

She was really nice, and she could easily have made me change my allegiance from Belle - well, almost!  :roll:













After Cinders, Aurora and Phillip came out, and I got back in the queue to meet them. By the time I got to the front they'd changed over though, and it was Belle again. The only problem was, it was the Belle I'd met the day before. I thought long and hard about meeting her again, but knew I had limited time, and thought I might as well wait really for Aurora again. I explained to the castmember that I'd met this couple the day before and asked if I could wait at the front for the next changeover, and they were very obliging. Eventually Aurora came out, who was very nice too. We had the same set up with Aurora and Phillip. Photo's of Aurora and me, then of Aurora and finally with Phillip.

Once again, they were very nice, and very obliging.









I'd been told by a castmember that I might catch Jasmine in Adventureland, and that Ariel was going to be at Cinderella's restaurant at 12 o'clock for a meet and greet, so I set off in search of other Princesses.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find Jasmine, and when I got to the restaurant, they told me you had to have a meal, which they hadn't explained at the castle stage - they said it was just the same kind of meet and greet, so that was a bit of a disappointment - I would have loved to meet Ariel.

And at that point I set off. Got some petrol, and got straight through to Calais with no problems. Thought I was early and then I found out my ferry should have been 8:05 in the morning, not the evening - bizarre time to be booked on, because you wouldn't have had any opportunity to get breakfast or enjoy the park on your last day. I had a similar problem with my next booking for next March when I got home and checked, but have rung through to amend my return trip.

I ended up with a £5 surcharge. The French official was a bit snooty, even though I explained to her how I'd made the mistake. I got a ferry at 16:30, and sat at the front on the approach to the white cliffs of Dover. There's always something nice about getting back to England, even though you're leaving Disneyland behind - but I'm always looking forward to going back!

I then made good time back to Doncaster, and stopped off at the hospital before going home, where I saw my Mum one last time, though she wasn't conscious at this point.  :cry:

I had in a lot of ways made peace with the circumstances by this point.

And that's pretty much my trip. A very emotional ride from start to finish, and Disney couldn't have done more for me this week.

I do have a lot more photo's, these were just the one's I printed for an album, so I will keep posting some more photo's over the coming week or so.

I hope everyone enjoyed the story though.

[Anonymous]

The last day I got up and was really undecided about whether or not to go into the Park or to set off home after breakfast. I went and had breakfast, then went into the shop to spend my last few euro's - some sweets for work. Chatted with the girl in the shop - she was asking about my pins, and we got talking about Belle. She said Beauty and the Beast was one of her favourite movies, from seeing it when she was 12, which made me feel a bit old. I said it was a bit later for me, and she said, okay, 13 then - to which I said she was too kind. I told her about meeting Belle, and she told me about the number of applicants they get for the princesses, thousands of girls. I really thought the castmembers were very welcoming, and very engaging on this holiday, all over the resort.

I decided eventually I would head into the park, if only to see if Luc and Daphne were about again at City Hall, but I decided also I'd go and see what Princesses were around on the castle stage.

I popped into City Hall and they told me they may be in later, around 12 o'clock, so I headed down to the castle stage. On the way, I saw some pin traders outside the Plaza restaurant. These were a couple of older guys who had a couple of pin books each out on the tables, I'd seen them before last March, but hadn't stopped. Had a quick look at what they'd got, but a lot of the pins I'd already seen on Ebay, and some of the nicer Princess pins I'd already got myself.

I then headed down for the stage, and decided to wait in the queue, which wasn't too large at this point, to see who came out. I was rewarded when it was Cinderella and Prince Charming, who I hadn't met. Cinderella was absolutely stunning.







I think she was an english girl, she didn't have much of an accent, but she was so sweet and charming. When I eventually met her, she said hello, then she noticed my lanyard and asked me if Belle was my favourite. I said, well, yes, but I like you alot too!

I asked if I could have a photo just with Cinderella, and if they'd take it with my own camera, to which they obliged, and Cinders put her arm in mine. I then asked if I could take a couple of photo's of her on her own, and finally one with the prince. He was wandering off chatting to other guests while I was making time with Cinders,  :lol: , and she had to shout him over.

She was really nice, and she could easily have made me change my allegiance from Belle - well, almost!  :roll:













After Cinders, Aurora and Phillip came out, and I got back in the queue to meet them. By the time I got to the front they'd changed over though, and it was Belle again. The only problem was, it was the Belle I'd met the day before. I thought long and hard about meeting her again, but knew I had limited time, and thought I might as well wait really for Aurora again. I explained to the castmember that I'd met this couple the day before and asked if I could wait at the front for the next changeover, and they were very obliging. Eventually Aurora came out, who was very nice too. We had the same set up with Aurora and Phillip. Photo's of Aurora and me, then of Aurora and finally with Phillip.

Once again, they were very nice, and very obliging.









I'd been told by a castmember that I might catch Jasmine in Adventureland, and that Ariel was going to be at Cinderella's restaurant at 12 o'clock for a meet and greet, so I set off in search of other Princesses.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find Jasmine, and when I got to the restaurant, they told me you had to have a meal, which they hadn't explained at the castle stage - they said it was just the same kind of meet and greet, so that was a bit of a disappointment - I would have loved to meet Ariel.

And at that point I set off. Got some petrol, and got straight through to Calais with no problems. Thought I was early and then I found out my ferry should have been 8:05 in the morning, not the evening - bizarre time to be booked on, because you wouldn't have had any opportunity to get breakfast or enjoy the park on your last day. I had a similar problem with my next booking for next March when I got home and checked, but have rung through to amend my return trip.

I ended up with a £5 surcharge. The French official was a bit snooty, even though I explained to her how I'd made the mistake. I got a ferry at 16:30, and sat at the front on the approach to the white cliffs of Dover. There's always something nice about getting back to England, even though you're leaving Disneyland behind - but I'm always looking forward to going back!

I then made good time back to Doncaster, and stopped off at the hospital before going home, where I saw my Mum one last time, though she wasn't conscious at this point.  :cry:

I had in a lot of ways made peace with the circumstances by this point.

And that's pretty much my trip. A very emotional ride from start to finish, and Disney couldn't have done more for me this week.

I do have a lot more photo's, these were just the one's I printed for an album, so I will keep posting some more photo's over the coming week or so.

I hope everyone enjoyed the story though.

[tubbsy]

Lovely Prince - I cant believe how many photos there are of you. It is great to see what you look like-even if it because of sad circumstances.

[PetiteSirene]

oh dear I feel really silly now Prince!

I am at work reading your wonderful review and am crying my eyes out  :cry:. I am getting strange looks from the other people in the office.

It is wonderful what those cast members did for you. Unfortunatly I cant see the photos on this computer (work computers block them) But I will definatly look at them tonight. But for now I have to go wipe my teary eyes again.

[Crush_Love]

really nice new pics + story

[The Butlin Boy]

Thanks for the great report Prince, I really enjoyed it

[loulou]

wicked report


 :cheshire_bounce:  :stitch_bounce:  :cheshire_bounce:  :stitch_bounce:  :cheshire_bounce:

[Nicholas-c]

they already have Halloween stuff out O.o

[mtt]

good report and pics