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[MagicStar]

... because it could be a little bit frustrating or disappointing - possibly you will be a bit angry about MY point of view. Anyway I would like to hear your opinion, about my little Tripreport.

Before I start, let me explain one thing: I have always been a huge fan of DLP. And I´m still. But this time was the first trip to DLP ever,  I wasn´t sad when we had leave back home. It was the most unmagical trip I ever had  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

So let me start and explain the most important points!


State of the parks

I have never seen the parks in such a bad condition. So many of the facades and buildings look horrible. They look old. Shabby and worn out.
The only part they try to keep in good condition is MainStreet. Sure, thats the place you see first when you enter. But all the others parts just made me sad and furious about how the management maltreats this beautiful park, that all the great Imagineers bequeathed them.

Here are just a few examples. But I could show you hundrets!

Lets start with Captain Hooks Pirate Ship. It was closed. The paint is peeling and all the proud of this wonderful ship was gone:



Roaming a bit forward, we had lunch at Pizza Outpost. I always loved this place because of its geat atmposphere. Again, this restaurant looked Shabby, worn out and dirty.
Outside, again the paint was peeling everywhere. The balustrade looked old and rotten and moss and dirt everywhere



Inside Pizza Outpost the restaurant was just a fade of the glorious standart it once had.
The floor: Dirty. The electric candles inside the lamps: Broken and filthy with old tomato sauce. Nobody knows when someone cleaned it the last time



Another example - Lets go to Fantasyland. We all know in which bad state our beautiful castle is. But when will finally the management will do something?



Just behind the castle we visited l´Auberge de Cendrillion. Again the same sad    pitiable sight. How do you feel, when you see this beautiful building in such bad condition?



As I said, I could show you so much more of frustraiting pics. But let me show you just one more at last. The Hollywood Hills at the studios
Directly when you leave Studio 1, you see the wallpaper is dissolving



Everywhere you can see the broken paper, that destroys the illusion of this backdrop.



So lets come to the next point....



Service and quality

I would never say any word of criticism if I had one or two bad experiences. But the mass of sad things I saw made me angry. The Employees were bad arranged. Slow. Unstructured and uninformed. Additionally was some of the quality a desaster! Here are just some examples:

- Waiting time at "Restaurant en Coulisse", just to buy a coffee. 25 Minutes!!!! Imporant to say: It was 3 pm and just families who ordered before me

- We had a reservation for Cafe Mickey for 8 pm. We got our table at 8.45 and had to wait the whole 45 minutes outside... and it was really cold!

- Waiting time at "Pizza Outpost", 20 Minutes! It was 4 pm and just ONE families that ordered before me

- We spent one evening at Sequoia Lodge. Ordered a coffee and a cocktail. This was a brashness. 4 month ago, the coffee was cooked freshly and the cocktails were made with fresh fruit juice. This time, the coffee came from the coffee dispenser with milk powder and instead of fruit juice we got cheap syrup. All for the same price as 4 months ago!

- on and on and on



State of attractions

Sure, they always rehab some. But I hardly saw one attraction where everything worked. The sadest examples:

- Headache Mountain - Mission 2
Broken Lights and effects, no Music on the trains, rough, bumpy and a lot of people who said, they will never return to this roller coaster

- Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
We rode it 5 times. And everytime, there wasn´t just one gun that worked without broken defects. Broke sounds, broken laser, broken lights.
Furthermore so many of the targets were broken
And I was shocked about the state of the waiting area



- Its a small world
So many broken dolls. I even saw a doll, where a complete hand was missing and there was huge crack from the mouth to the neck at another doll




Halloween

Boy it was the most disappointing Halloween-Season I ever saw at DLP.
Such a big cut of decorations, shows and innovation.
No street animation, like they did the last years. Just ONE show at Cowboy Cookout instead of 3 or four the last years. And this one show even was cut on Mondays and Tuesdays. Sensless Placement of decorations like the big skull on town square.
And the only "innovative" show addition was a disputable appearence of the villians at "Party time...." on Central Plaza. Boy I have never seen such a crap. Who writes such storyboards? It looked so absurd, when all the villians jumped and clapped their hands through the music of "Party time...."



Jafar animating the audience to dance  :?
Does anybody thinks about the show before it is shown to everyone?



OK - now I told you all my frustration.
Don´t know what to say anymore. Maybe just one thing: I hope sometime, they will wake up and make DLP to the great place it once was!!!!!

[15yearsofMagic2008]

oh my god ! whats happend to our magical home ?! Isn't it odd that the pople of Disney care about its customers , but they don;t care about their buildings and attractions ? I think we should go up to them with big signs saying 'FIX UP DISNEYLAND PARIS NOW!'

Who agrees  ?


Poor you , sorry about your trip  

[Anthony]

There is still a LOT of magic at DLP, but I do agree with most of what you've said.

Captain Hook's Pirate Ship is probably most in need of a drastic refurb right now, but you caught Auberge du Cendrillon too, which I also noticed looking really... grey myself. Only thing I think you missed was Adventureland Bazaar. Never spotted the peeling backdrops at WDS though, that's really bad. And Colonel Hathi's seems to swing wildly between suddenly looking ok and suddenly looking like it's been decaying for years.

Even if this is depressing to see, thanks for posting. It's important someone picks up on stuff like this.

[RnRCj]

Thanks for the photos.

Despite the recent improvements with maintenance at the parks, you can't deny it's still pretty bad. Sure, there are a few areas which have improved (like the Labyrinth and Treehouse), but there's still loads which still needs some some serious work. You should send those photos to DLP through email or something. It annoys me how they choose to spend their money on crap like Mickey's Magical Party instead of much more important things like this.

And sadly these are just a few of the problems with the resort right now.

So did anything good happen on your trip? Surely it wasn't all bad. :wink:

[bigrossco]

for me its nice to see someone to actuly pick up on the bad parts of the trip and so many of them!

DLP should realy look at these problems maybe they think its minor? but for us it is big issues when ou are such big fans of DLP as well it just makes you sad to see it in such a big state

Maybe they should scrap the refurb of Studio 1 and the TV Studio's (which they seem to of anyway) and focus on the parts that actuly NEED to be re-painted etc rather than the parts that dont?

[brenjo]

Oh what a shame, I do hope there were some good points to your visit for you.  I get so excited by being there that I think I look through rose coloured specs half the time!  When you see photos like yours it is hard to turn a blind eye - lets hope Management pick up on these reviews and do something about the problems.  I am still soooo looking forward to my trip in January but I will try to notice more where things need to shape up and will be sure to write to Customer services - I presume you did?  Welcome back and sorry it was not so magical for you this time.

[Aveen2008]

The thing is, when they built in the north of France they always knew the weather was not going to be like Florida and that rain was a frequent guest- hence it causes more damage to buildings and structure - yet they obviously aren't doing regular maintence.

Your photos are shocking to be honest, you should email them to them lol  :wink:  Might make them get onto these things.

I have to say I was in the park a few weeks ago and I didn't notice these things and I don't think the general customer would unless they were looking out for them...however....and thats a big however... a doll with a missing hand in IASW  :shock:    that's just completely disgraceful!

I have to say I also noticed bad service and waiting times in counter service restraunts, particularly Restraunt en coulisse in studio 1 - there was no one on the tills, just one person serving where you normally collected your food... I was waiting for about 20 or 30 minutes! :roll:  However I do try to forgive these type of things, it's just a pity when it happens really.

My friend went to DLP last week and her comment on space mountain was that she came off with many bruises!!  :shock:  Although I think she enjoyed the ride anyway.

I also seen my friends NSSHP on her home video and it was brilliant although I can only imagine how bad the villians doing MMP dance was :roll: lol I was disappointed to see the stars and cars, cars used in the cavalcade also, I can only assume they are cost cutting which is sad to see.

I do hope they get onto more maintance work and I am sorry that you didn't feel the magic this time and you are completely welcome to your opinion and to say what you feel in your trip report and I don't think anyone should attack someone else for that even if they don't agree.

I agree with a lot of what you say but I have to say I still feel theres so many wonderful aspects to the parks and I find the magic still comes to me even if the buildings are a bit run down at the moment and stuff.

 

[Annet]

You've got a point, but those things don't bother me as much. Maybe it's because I only visit DLRP once a year, but I look through all those things. For me it's still the most magical place on earth, despite some lack of paint and some poor service now and then. Still looking forward to my trip anyway!

[MagicStar]

Only thing I think you missed was Adventureland Bazaar.

Indeed! Its fading more and more into grey. It urgendly needs fresh paint!

Despite the recent improvements with maintenance at the parks, you can't deny it's still pretty bad..... It annoys me how they choose to spend their money on crap like Mickey's Magical Party instead of much more important things like this.

I think the main problem is: The longer they wait to fix or maintain things, the more they have to do and the more money they have to spend! And this money they don´t want to spend. A vicious circle they urgendly have to break!
And I just can´t agree RnRcj! I can´t believe how many Castmember they have to pay for this bad bad show.

So did anything good happen on your trip? Surely it wasn't all bad. :wink:

Hehe    Yes! I still love DLP. And thats the reason why I´m so worried about the state of so many things. The best Moment was during MNSSHP. While everyone was watching the shows, we went to PM -- and were completely ALONE inside the elevator AND during the whole ride. WOW. That was magical AND scary  

for me its nice to see someone to actuly pick up on the bad parts of the trip and so many of them!

Thany you :-) I really wasn´t sure if I should write such a frustrating Trip Report

I am still soooo looking forward to my trip in January but I will try to notice more where things need to shape up and will be sure to write to Customer services

Yes! Have a great time and enjoy your stay. I don´t want to corrupt your    anticipation! DLP still has the magic.
But they have to work hard, not to loose it! I hope you will have a great trip.

I have to say I was in the park a few weeks ago and I didn't notice these things and I don't think the general customer would unless they were looking out for them.

Hmmm - we visited the parks with my sisters boyfried - a Disneyland firsttimer. And he noticed many things immediately.
His first words when we left Studio 1 and entered the Hollywood Blvd were: "Uhhh - this backdrop looks really cheap."  

Sure - there are many things a normal visitor doesn´t notice on the first view. But a good-conditioned park makes the trip much more magical and perfect. Even if it is in their subconscious.

those things don't bother me as much.

It should! Who else could wake up the management and show them their mistakes if we, the fans, don´t do it!

[Aveen2008]

I don't disagree with you that this isn't the way it should be but I guess they are just slacking and as rnrcj said I wish they would stop putting money into other things and focus on these jobs.

I would quite happily not have toy story land and have these jobs done plus a re-vamp of the studio tram tour which is an embarressment to the studios and disney in my opinion! :roll:

[MagicStar]

I wish they would stop putting money into other things and focus on these jobs.

You are so right!!!!!!!

[dagobert]

Maybe you should send the pictures to DLRP management and hopefully they will reply.

Nevertheless I'm visiting only once a year and for me DLRP is still a magical place. In 2008 we visited WDW and the parks over there aren't in a better shape than DLRP's parks.

When I'm visiting DLRP I try to see the positive things otherwise I wouldn't have a great time there. I'm looking forward to our next visit and really hope that DLRP management will improve the parks.

[Annet]

Maybe you should send the pictures to DLRP management and hopefully they will reply.

Nevertheless I'm visiting only once a year and for me DLRP is still a magical place. In 2008 we visited WDW and the parks over there aren't in a better shape than DLRP's parks.

When I'm visiting DLRP I try to see the positive things otherwise I wouldn't have a great time there. I'm looking forward to our next visit and really hope that DLRP management will improve the parks.

I fully agree to this. Sure you're right, I already said this. But I can only afford one trip a year and I'm not gonna focus on the negative things then.

[Masamune]

So like...did you have any fun at all on this trip? Because to me it looks as though you spent your entire trip looking for faults, which just seems a shame really. I'm sure that's not the case, so surely there's more to your trip than all this negativity?

[Epcot_Boy]

I have to say that when I was there in the summer I did not notice half the problems that you have highlighted in your report. Probably that was due to the large crowds. However I will be there in a few weeks times so I will be able to take more interest in the decline of the park. In the past it is the hotels which I have in the main been very critical of It is really depressing for me to find that lack of maintanance is now seriously affecting the look of the park.
No matter what anyone says, it is the Disneyland Park which is the main attraction of this resort  I can just about put up with the Hotels being scruffy and of appalling value, I can tolerate the village with it's serious lack of imagination, I can even tolerate the studios being remarkably tatty for such a new park :x  but to allow a serious decline in the Disneyland Park is to show a horrible lack of understanding in how important it is to the health of the resort. :roll:
For a few bob more I could visit WDW and the way things are going that may well happen. My November trip may well determine if I will be going by eurostar or flying across the Atlantic for my next summer holiday :wink: