We're Back and...Well!!!

[wilki32]

We arrived back last night tired aching and a bit glum!

Left Tewkesbury and drove to the Travel Lodge at Ashford on Sunday, quite nice and also had a Pizza Hut and Cineworld next door, so had a bit of entertainment for the evening.

Had never been trough the channel tunnel which was quick and in no time we were in France. DD had negotiated with DW to sit up front so she could keep me 'entertained'! I had never driven on the continent and couldn't beleive how easy it was, we were at the hotel by 3pm which included a couple of stops (and a couple of detours!!!)

We stayed at the Sequioa Lodge (can't spell it never mind say it) our room wasn't ready but the girl at reception was very apologetic and within 45 minutes we were in the room.

We headed straight out to Disneyland Park, we had been watching the weather which was meant to be sunny but it was overcast and there was a 'chill' in the air but hey who cares we were at Disney., which only took 10 mins to walk and a very pleasant walk too.

I won't go into everything we did at the parks but went to Disney Studios and Disneyland Park on Tuesday, DP again on Weds, home (after a bit more shopping) on Thursday and after the diappointing weather on Monday the rest of our stay we had beautiful weather.

The highlights
Moteurs Stunt Show, Thunder Mountain (bigger and better than WDW), Pirates of the Carribean (again bigger than its counterpart in WDW), Cinemagique, Indiana Jones and if I'm honest all the rides we did. Most were the same or similar to WDW but with the mostly French commentary gave them all a twist. One of the funniest things had to be Eyore sounding like a Fernch Darth Vader in the Winnie and Friends Show!

The Disneyland Park was clean, fresh and bigger than Magic Kingdom at WDW and Studios smaller but as clean.

There will always be comparisons made between the parks in Paris and Florida and this unfortunateky is where it is let down, don't get me wrong we did have a fantastic time and will be going back...But
I'm not sure where it changed or did it? but I have never met in one place so many rude and again being honest miserable people!!! On the 3 trips to Florida it seems that most people walk around with a smile and are pleasant to each other, opening doors, chatting when stood in lines etc but very rare here. The 'Cast Members were most of the time unhelpful, miserable and more intent on chatting to there friends.
The question I asked myself was did the CM's become this because they gave up trying to be nice or did they create it?
It has been widely publicised about the 'crisis' DLP is currently and has been going through and maybe this is the problem, its simply not as welcoming as the US.
Sorry to sound down on the parks but this was our feelings, it hasn't dampened our enthusiasm for everything Disney, and the shopping was great, and we WILL be going back.
I will say that the hotel staff were fantastic, friendly, helpful and funny which made it even more strange why it wasn't mirrored in the parks.

In conclusion, because I have waffled a bit, both parks are beautiful, clean and give you the same magic feelings as you walk in through the gates. Sequioa Lodge was lovely, great staff and great atmosphere. We will go back and very soon.

We did just about everything we could so if anyone has any questions about the parks or what I have said please ask, there are so many positives about DLP and they do outweigh any negatives.

Anthony

 

[raptor1982]

I have been to DLRP for over 30 times and I've never ever met one rude CM. Although I have to admit guests from certain nationalities can be very annoying.

 

[Ware Bears]

Anthony

I was very interested to read your thread - we're planning on going back to WDW in 2007..........don't know how I am going to wait that long!!! I am trying to persuade DH to do a trip to DLP in the meantime, he is very reluctant because he thinks it will not be as good as WDW. My attitude is "it's Disney, it must be magical", so I'll show him your thread and work on him a bit more!!!

Elaine

 

[NIK]

It's interesting to hear what you say. I found most of the CM polite when Iwent. One young lass in one of the shops was particularly friendly, chatty and helpful. I wonder if the language barrier is a problem. It's easy to be chatty when you all speak the same language. I speak a little French but I would not feel confident in breaking out into random conversation - perhaps that is the problem.

 

[gaila]

We were there at the same time! We could have been standing next to each other in a queue

Gail

 

[wilki32]

Hi
Raptor, thats what I meant, the people were rude not the cms they just didn't seem to have enough pixie dust to go around and Nik I do agree about the language barrier but trying out my schoolboy French didn't work. In the hotel and Disney Village it did and was met with enthusiasm to the point they were correcting us in a jokey way.
Elaine, despite what I said in the thread about what I felt yes it is worth going for exactly the reason you said, its Disney, so twist his arm!
Gail, we were the ones smiling...hee hee
Anthony

 

[alexandra uk]

Hi Anthony

I see you stayed ay the Travel lodge in Ashford.
We're thinking of staying either there or the Holiday Inn North the night before we go.

Can you tell me if they let you park your car for free for the duration of your holiday ?

Whats Cineworld ? We'll have two boys with us 18 months and 3, so it would be nice to find something for them to do.

Thanks

 

[wilki32]

Alexandra

Not sure whether you can leave your car, we drove down so didn't ask the question.

Cineworld is a multiplex cinema so we watched shrek 2 then had a pizza at pizza hut. There was also a KFC and a Franky and Bennys (which is Italian). There was also a Little Chef at the hotel.

Hope you have a fab time and that the weather will be as nice as it was for us!!

Anthony

 

[gaila]

Gail, we were the ones smiling...hee hee

Oh I remember someone grinning insanely at us as we queued for 'It's a Small World'.



Gail

 

[rosemary123]

Anthony,

I agree 100% with your report!

We too went to DIP in July 2004. I had my mother in a wheelchair and found it so difficult to get any help whatsoever, people just stood and watched me struggle, CM included. It is just not the same as Florida, not the same atmosphere and certainly not as helpful or as friendly.

We stayed at the Sequoia Lodge and one morning they ran out of bread and other food too - it was utter chaos and some of the staff were just down right rude.

Back to Florida next time !!

Rosemary

 

[NIK]

Originally posted by rosemary123
Anthony,

I agree 100% with your report!

We too went to DIP in July 2004. I had my mother in a wheelchair and found it so difficult to get any help whatsoever, people just stood and watched me struggle, CM included. It is just not the same as Florida, not the same atmosphere and certainly not as helpful or as friendly.

We stayed at the Sequoia Lodge and one morning they ran out of bread and other food too - it was utter chaos and some of the staff were just down right rude.

Back to Florida next time !!

Rosemary

Good grief! Ran out of food? That's a worry since I decided to stay at Sequoia this time because I decided not to go for the budget Santa Fe option.

Having only been the once to DLP I perhaps haven't the experience of some others who go more regularly but I did find people pretty helpful. I am sorry to hear that you had such a bad time. I'm disabled myself - I have rheumatoid arthritis - so I do understand how frustrating it is not to get the small amount of assistance you sometimes need.

 

[wilki32]

We didn't have breakfast at the Sequoia Lodge, the first morning we had a 9.15 slot and they were quing up the stairs so we just went straight into the park and grabbed some coffee and croisants even though DD wanted pizza!
We did do the Fantasyland breakfast which I would advise to do, its free at the Sequoia Lodge and gets you first in line at the opening, managed to get 4 rides in before anyone arrived.
If I'm honest I did find the staff at the Sequoia Lodge helpful and friendly, thats why I was so surprised when we went into the park to find it totally different. This was our first trip and we will go back, maybe we were unlucky in the park or maybe we were lucky at the hotel, not sure!
Rosemary you should have done what most other people did with their pushchairs and take the shortest route available regardless of who's in the way.
Anthony

 

[Miffy2003]

I have read this thread with interest as I recently went to DLP for the first time having visited WDW on a number of occasions. I had heard that the CM's were not as good as in WDW but this was not my experience at all.

My experience was that the CM's were extremely polite, helpful and friendly in almost all cases; there was the odd one who'd got out of bed the wrong side, but even they certainly weren't rude, just weren't brimming over with good cheer. Actually we found the CM's more "fun" than in WDW!

Some of the manners of the park guests were a different story but I'll let you all use your imagination for that

Cheers

Karen

 

[alexandra uk]

We've been twice and not once have we come across anyone (cm's or holiday makers) being rude.
I guess we're just lucky

 

[wilki32]

We've been to WDW on a number of occasions too and I have to say that my experiences have all been very pleasurable and no complaints with the CMs over there, the CMs in DLP weren't rude but then again they looked like they wanted to be somewhere else and besides a limited few most didn't even smile!
Like I said before maybe we were just unlucky, it won't stop us going again but next stop will be WDW.
Anthony

 

[NIK]

I do think some of the customers in the park forget their manners though. I had waited some time to see the parade - long before anyone else got queuing and was horrified when this large family appeared and started to push. I was pushed off the kerb and nearly pushed over. I won't say what nationality they were because I think these people would have been unpleasant boors no matter what the nationality.

We are all keen to get the best view but my feeling is that if you are so desperate to get a good picy or whatever, then arrive a bit earlier. Don't leave it to the last minute and expect to push to the front, elbowing others in the face as you go.

Having said that, mostly I found eveyrone so determined to have a good time and not spoil it for others that they were friendly and polite. It's just the odd few who leave the manners behind.

 

[Princess minnie x]

We found that aswell, not all but some guests were really rude!! We were at DLP over new year, of course it was freezing and guests just expected to push to the front showing up as the parade was being anounced, the amount of times we had people barge into us with pushchairs just expecting us to move and groups of people trying to push people right of the curb without so much as an 'excuse me' or a 'sorry'. There doesnt seem to be the same 'friendly' atmosphere that there is in WDW, IMO!

 

[NIK]

I find that true of a lot of places though. Folk with pushchairs seem to think they have a given right to barge in front of you, taking the skin off your ankles without so much as a by-your-leave.

I've no problem whatsoever with kiddies standing in front of me so they can see but some 'pushchair drivers' think they are Bodaccia - put blades on the wheels and we'd all be in trouble

 

[Ware Bears]

I agree Nik, this happens all over.

When we were in WDW, we had queued patiently for Robin Hood, we had been queueing about 20 minutes when the CM said he was going off for a 10 minute break and then would be right back. When he came back with Robin, we were about the fourth family in line with a huge queue building up behind, you know what it's like, people ask why you're queuing and then they were joining on the end.

I had noticed this family watching everyone queuing and when it was our turn they mingled in with us and tried to get their photo taken with Robin while my kids were having their autograph books signed by him. When I explained that they had to join the end of the queue and what did they think all these people were waiting for!!! they had the cheek to swear at me and say I was rude! (And, shame of it, they were English, they should be experts at queueing!)

As it happens, I wasn't rude, I just wasn't going to let them get away with it, and the people behind me in the queue backed me up.

I think, basically, that the majority of people do behave decently, it's just that you tend to notice people who are rude and ignorant more than those who aren't.

I feel much better now I've had that little moan!

Elaine

 

[SimonV]

Please check your pm's Wilki32!

Simon