We're No Cowboys, but We'll Say Howdy to You - A Sept. 2016 DL Paris TR *Complete and New TR Link

[amazingact21]

Hopefully Evie will do much better than I did! At least she'll have her fabulous big brother to pave the way. The biggest issue with my trip was that I was with my cousin who was my age and particularly whiny, but what one of us did, the other also did. So most of the time I think he started the crying and I just jumped on board. I was also taken there by my grandmother who babied and spoiled me. Likely if I'd been with my mother who had a more tough-love approach, I would have felt just fine. I went back with just my mom and step father when I was six and did really well, so there's hope

Ah, yes, that makes sense. If you saw something your cousin was doing, you wanted to do it, too. Landon has a cousin that's 9 months younger than him, and just yesterday they were getting each other into loads of trouble. If Aiden ran ahead of the group, so did Landon, etc etc.
Grandparents tend to spoil their grandkids....it's like an unwritten rule for them.

 

[petals]

joining your trip report a little late but still

You mention Sequoia Lodge books up quicker than Hotel New York. One reason that might happen is that of the three hotels around the lake I noticed Sequoia is a 3 star and the other two are 4 star so Sequoia might be slightly cheaper because of that... I don't really know though just guessing.

Does anyone remember their first experience seeing the Magic Kingdom? Or the first time they swiped their ticket at the gate? The smells creeping through open doorframes from the nearby restaurants? The sounds of toys being set off in the Emporium?

Unfortunately, I was only seven years old on my first Walt Disney World vacation. There are bits here and there I can remember from that experience, but walking onto Main St. isn’t one of them. My reaction to Cinderella’s Castle is locked away inside my parent’s memories, just like Landon’s and Evie’s are in mine.

My first trip was when I was 10. I don't remember my first view of the castle but I do remember they sold invisible dog leads and I got one and a CM came over and told me I would have to leave the park because they didn't allow dogs. I was terrified they were going to put me out and my mum and dad would stay in the park but he took the lead and held it in the air and said if I walked with it like that I could stay because they had no rules about having giraffes in the park!

We were grateful we hadn’t paid for the meal, at least. And now it’s pointless, because they don’t offer the meal anymore. From what I understand, guests were abusing the system. Loading backpacks full of bread and meats to make sandwiches for later in the day. It’s a shame the acts of some end up punishing the group as a whole, but I can’t blame Disney for putting a stop to it.

I did see a few people doing that at the Cheyenne when we were there. People filled trays with rolls and meat and cheese and made rolls and bagged them for to bring to the park. I saw people bring empty drink bottles to breakfast and fill them with juice as well. I guess Disney have to try stop it somehow though

 

[Dugette]

I saw that deal. It's a really good one!
If you don't think you'll return to DLP, then I'd splurge for the Disneyland Hotel, but that's just me. Although, any of the other three "deluxes" will still put you in a great spot.

So long as we can pull off the trip as a whole at or under the budget we've allocated, I plan to do this! I don't know if or when we'll be back to DLP and staying at the Disneyland Hotel really seems like the way to make the most of it. Being right there sounds awesome! And I read that you get one "anything" Fast Pass per guest each day too.

 

[amazingact21]

joining your trip report a little late but still
You mention Sequoia Lodge books up quicker than Hotel New York. One reason that might happen is that of the three hotels around the lake I noticed Sequoia is a 3 star and the other two are 4 star so Sequoia might be slightly cheaper because of that... I don't really know though just guessing.


My first trip was when I was 10. I don't remember my first view of the castle but I do remember they sold invisible dog leads and I got one and a CM came over and told me I would have to leave the park because they didn't allow dogs. I was terrified they were going to put me out and my mum and dad would stay in the park but he took the lead and held it in the air and said if I walked with it like that I could stay because they had no rules about having giraffes in the park!

I did see a few people doing that at the Cheyenne when we were there. People filled trays with rolls and meat and cheese and made rolls and bagged them for to bring to the park. I saw people bring empty drink bottles to breakfast and fill them with juice as well. I guess Disney have to try stop it somehow though

Thanks for joining along!
That's a good point about the hotel ratings. I hadn't even thought about that. I usually go through the official DLP site and never pay attention to each hotel's breakdown.

Oh my goodness, what a funny story! I imagine your 10 year old self was legitimately concerned you'd have to leave the park. I love CM interactions like that one...

It's such a shame people were abusing the system.

So long as we can pull off the trip as a whole at or under the budget we've allocated, I plan to do this! I don't know if or when we'll be back to DLP and staying at the Disneyland Hotel really seems like the way to make the most of it. Being right there sounds awesome! And I read that you get one "anything" Fast Pass per guest each day too.

I understand; flights overseas are not cheap and you have to plan accordingly. Fortunately, a lot of stuff within Europe is reasonably priced, so I hope you're able to stay under budget and get to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. And if not there, then definitely one of the other deluxe resorts.

 

[amazingact21]

Apologies in advance if this update is a little off the rails. I have managed to catch a summer cold and am a little loopy this week. The kids had a busy week, naturally, and my dog had to make an emergency visit to the vet due to an infection in his paw, so I'm catching rest wherever I can and trying my hardest to get things organized for my trip in a few weeks. It's hard to believe I'll be back at Shades of Green in less than a month. Right now, my biggest struggle is deciding whether or not to haul my large camera with me or suck it up and stick to cell phone pictures. It doesn't feel right going to Disney without my beloved Sony dslr, but the thought of that nuisance wrapped around my neck in addition to the two kids, backpack, and stroller seems absurd.
We'll see what I end up deciding on!


September 15th, Part 2:

Extra Magic Hours had officially begun, and my family was ready to take the kids on some classic Disney attractions.

It’s become something of a tradition for Alex and Landon to try and pull the sword out of the stone, and we couldn’t break habit in Paris:




Then it was on to Dumbo. Back in the states, this and Small World had been Landon's two favorite attractions; we thought he’d love getting to go on his top pick right away.

My mom hadn’t experienced the ride with Evie yet, so it was the girls in one vehicle:





And the boys ahead of us:




Dumbo’s design was nearly identical to WDW’s version.





Another reason I wanted to ride Dumbo first was because it afforded me a great view of Fantasyland from up high.

This was Voyage of Pinocchio, which was under refurbishment during our trip.







What Disney trip is complete without a shot of the carousel behind the castle?


Right behind Dumbo were the teacups and at the very back right corner of the park (if you were facing the castle) was It’s a Small World:




I was grateful we got the chance to see the park from up high, because it got our bearings straight and gave us a good idea of how close certain rides were from one another. Gaining a bird’s eye view of everything was a perfect start.


My family walked over to Peter Pan’s Flight and took a journey through Neverland, grateful the Extra Magic Hours were allowing us to skip the long standby wait. Even in a different park, this attraction builds up a line…

Landon had been insisting we go on the teacups, so after Peter Pan we walked him over so he could ride. My mom was smart; she grabbed Evie and made a beeline for her own cup.

No fast spinning for her, lucky duck.

Landon ended up having a blast.

I don’t know what happened to change his mind, but after riding the Teacups this became one of his new favorite attractions. I asked him last week what ride he would do first if he were back at Disney (I’m not telling him we’re going next month until we’re driving down.) and he told me “the teacups!”

Guess I’ll be riding this bad boy a lot more in a few weeks’ time.

Luckily for Alex and me, Landon discovered another attraction later in the afternoon that he also fell in love with. Unfortunately for me, this particular one is NOT at WDW and Landon will probably get upset when he discovers its absence. Fun, fun…

Following the cups was a ride on the carousel and Buzz’s Space Ranger Spin. I’ll admit, Buzz isn’t my favorite ride; I could skip it every trip and be all right. After riding Toy Story Midway Mania, Buzz just comes off as a cheap knockoff. Alex enjoys it, though, and he said he liked this one better. I’m a terrible DISer and can’t remember why, but I’m fairly certain it’s because the guns were detachable and allowed for more mobility.


The drizzle that had been pelting us on and off throughout the morning had finally given way to a complete rainstorm, so my mom took Evie, Landon and the stroller to a quiet corner under an awning while Alex and I went next door to Space Mountain.

All of Tomorrowland is themed in Jules Vern 1920’s steampunk style and while that’s not generally something I am drawn to, it worked amazingly well here. I loved the concept and execution, because it followed the “futuristic” goal but in such a way that Disney didn’t have to constantly change it to keep up with the times. At Walt Disney World, Tomorrowland is my least favorite land to visit; it looks dated and old. But in DLP, it was almost one of my favorites. They set the area in an advanced setting; it just so happened to be a different era’s imagining of the future.

In the picture posted above, you can barely make out a plume of smoke coming out of the top of the mountain. That was actually part of the start of the ride. This Space Mountain has side by side seating and a rocket launch like in Rock N’ Roller Coaster.

My favorite!

The vehicle made its way to the bottom of a hill where lights started changing colors and then you were shot straight up. The smoke and sideless walls that you can see actually allow guests on the outside see you get propelled up the hill.

As much as I loved the beginning, Space Mountain overall was really rough! I walked off feeling like I’d gotten beat up; no way could I go a second time even when the queue was completely empty.


Alex and I met back up with my mom and the kids and since it was still raining, we went and checked out the Mysteries of the Nautilus, which was an underwater walkthrough exhibit based off of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

There were interactive features for the kids to play with, and we had the whole submarine to ourselves. Without anyone around, we were free to take as long as we liked and look around at our leisure. I don’t know how fun this attraction would be on a busy day, but with it wet and chilly, it was a great way to be entertained indoors.

Extra Magic Hours had come to an end before we went inside the Nautilus, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. We had accomplished every attraction that was open during EMH. Albeit, there weren’t a lot, but still! 6 rides in two hours’ time! I haven’t been able to do that since Alex and I’s pre-kids days.


With the park open to the public, you could definitely tell the crowd level was picking up, and there was one more ride in Fantasyland we all HAD to experience.

You can’t go to Disney and NOT ride It’s a Small World. Even if it wasn’t a tradition for Landon and me, it would still be a must do.


Naturally, Evie was conked out for the ride.

Never fear….there would a return visit.


The animatronics absorbed Landon’s attention. I can only hope the fascination remains with him throughout his life.

Similar to California, Small World loads outdoors which I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. It was so different than what I was used to! The rest of the attraction was pretty similar, though, with the U.S. being portrayed by the Hollywood sign and cowboys and Indians.

Always.

That is ALWAYS how America is represented in Europe.

Nothing wrong with it, just makes me giggle every time I come across it.

Evie woke up as we were retrieving our stroller and so I went and found a quiet spot to feed her while my mom and Alex took Landon through Alice’s Labrynth. This was an oversized hedge maze that worked its way up a hill and provided guests with a nice view of the park from up top. My mom really liked it and told me I needed to give it a try the next time I visited.

Having spent the first few park hours on the right hand side of the park, it was time to head left and see what the second half had to offer.


Up Next…Why is Nothing Open Around Here?!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Sorry you've had such a hectic time as of late! Hoping things slow down a bit for you before your trip.

Right now, my biggest struggle is deciding whether or not to haul my large camera with me or suck it up and stick to cell phone pictures. It doesn't feel right going to Disney without my beloved Sony dslr, but the thought of that nuisance wrapped around my neck in addition to the two kids, backpack, and stroller seems absurd.
We'll see what I end up deciding on!

This is a really tough call! I love taking good pictures around WDW, but I can see how challenging it will be to have another thing to carry and feel like a pack mule...

I was grateful we got the chance to see the park from up high, because it got our bearings straight and gave us a good idea of how close certain rides were from one another. Gaining a bird’s eye view of everything was a perfect start.

This is such a great idea! Dumbo is a good place to start no matter what, but that's just a bonus

Alex enjoys it, though, and he said he liked this one better. I’m a terrible DISer and can’t remember why, but I’m fairly certain it’s because the guns were detachable and allowed for more mobility.

If that's true about the guns, then that would totally be an advantage. I wish they'd do that at WDW.

As much as I loved the beginning, Space Mountain overall was really rough! I walked off feeling like I’d gotten beat up; no way could I go a second time even when the queue was completely empty.

Space Mountain seems really neat here. And I love the theming. Sorry it was so rough though!

The animatronics absorbed Landon’s attention. I can only hope the fascination remains with him throughout his life.

This is sweet! I suspect that with you and Alex as his parents, Landon will always keep the magic alive

 

[SarahDisney]

I love the pictures from Dumbo! One of my favorite things about Dumbo is the fact that it gives you such good views of the park, and I can definitely understand how helpful that can be in a new park. Good call starting with that ride.

Space Mountain looks really cool. Definitely more interesting than WDW's Space Mountain, which is kinda boring-looking.

I always kinda wonder what people from other cultures think of how IASW portrays their culture. I guess you saw a version of that at DLP - how the Parisians see the US. As a New Yorker, I have to wonder why they didn't use the Statue of Liberty ... you'd think they would, since they gave that to us a gift. But no, we're all about Hollywood and cowboys and Indians. It's kinda sad and funny all at the same time.

 

[cindianne320]

I hope you're feeling better soon!
Wow- Space Mountain sounds amazing there- at least the beginning!
Landon is going to be so happy when he finds out you are going back to WDW!

 

[petals]

Great update. I did not know all that info about Tomorrowland it's really cool though.

Oh my goodness, what a funny story! I imagine your 10 year old self was legitimately concerned you'd have to leave the park. I love CM interactions like that one...

I was terrified lol. I was a shy child as it was like and then the thoughts of me being put out but my parents staying in the park I was panicking. It's funny to look back on though

 

[afwdwfan]

Right now, my biggest struggle is deciding whether or not to haul my large camera with me or suck it up and stick to cell phone pictures. It doesn't feel right going to Disney without my beloved Sony dslr, but the thought of that nuisance wrapped around my neck in addition to the two kids, backpack, and stroller seems absurd.

Go with the cell phone. The pictures aren't going to be so much worse that it is worth dragging something else along with you.

I asked him last week what ride he would do first if he were back at Disney (I’m not telling him we’re going next month until we’re driving down.) and he told me “the teacups!”

What is it with kids and those teacups???

As much as I loved the beginning, Space Mountain overall was really rough! I walked off feeling like I’d gotten beat up; no way could I go a second time even when the queue was completely empty.

Sorry it was so rough. I've heard great things about this version, but a rough ride can ruin things pretty quickly.

Extra Magic Hours had come to an end before we went inside the Nautilus, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. We had accomplished every attraction that was open during EMH. Albeit, there weren’t a lot, but still! 6 rides in two hours’ time! I haven’t been able to do that since Alex and I’s pre-kids days.

That is not bad at all! 6 attractions in an hour is impressive, no matter where you are or what 6 attractions you did.

Always.

That is ALWAYS how America is represented in Europe.

What? You say it like that's incorrect?

 

[amazingact21]

Sorry you've had such a hectic time as of late! Hoping things slow down a bit for you before your trip.
This is a really tough call! I love taking good pictures around WDW, but I can see how challenging it will be to have another thing to carry and feel like a pack mule...

Space Mountain seems really neat here. And I love the theming. Sorry it was so rough though!

This is sweet! I suspect that with you and Alex as his parents, Landon will always keep the magic alive

One of my favorite pasttimes on a Disney trip is to walk around and take photos of hidden gems. However, since having kids that's gone out the window. Hopefully one day I'll be able to bring my dslr back to the parks and venture off on my own for a bit.

I'm confident we've brainwashed Landon already; the other day when we took my mom to one of our local castles, Landon shouted from the backseat: "We're here? We're at the castle? What rides are we going to do?"

I love the pictures from Dumbo! One of my favorite things about Dumbo is the fact that it gives you such good views of the park, and I can definitely understand how helpful that can be in a new park. Good call starting with that ride.

Space Mountain looks really cool. Definitely more interesting than WDW's Space Mountain, which is kinda boring-looking.

I always kinda wonder what people from other cultures think of how IASW portrays their culture. I guess you saw a version of that at DLP - how the Parisians see the US. As a New Yorker, I have to wonder why they didn't use the Statue of Liberty ... you'd think they would, since they gave that to us a gift. But no, we're all about Hollywood and cowboys and Indians. It's kinda sad and funny all at the same time.

It was a good call to ride Dumbo right away. What helped is the attraction was directly behind the castle, so I think a lot of people gravitate to it first. Smart designing on Disney's part, in my opinion.

It was really interesting to see my own country in It's a Small World, and I do think there was an itsy bitsy Statue of Liberty tucked away in a corner, it was nothing compared to gigantic Hollywood billboard.

I hope you're feeling better soon!
Wow- Space Mountain sounds amazing there- at least the beginning!
Landon is going to be so happy when he finds out you are going back to WDW!

Thanks, I'm feeling a lot better today!

One of the first things I hope Disney does now that it's bought DLP outright is adjust the coasters in the parks. All of them are so rough! Which is a shame because Space Mtn here is amazing. (Although, they're changing it to Hyperspace Mountain so not sure how that'll effect the ride as a whole.)
Landon is going to freak out! He won't stop talking about how he wishes he could meet Anna and Elsa and ride the teacups again.

 

[amazingact21]

Great update. I did not know all that info about Tomorrowland it's really cool though.

I was terrified lol. I was a shy child as it was like and then the thoughts of me being put out but my parents staying in the park I was panicking. It's funny to look back on though

I love how much thought went into DLP's Tomorrowland. It's so unique to that park, and I'm really happy I was able to see it for myself.

That has to be a kid's worst fear at Disney, that they'll get kicked out but their parents will get to stay and have all the fun.

Go with the cell phone. The pictures aren't going to be so much worse that it is worth dragging something else along with you.

What is it with kids and those teacups???

Sorry it was so rough. I've heard great things about this version, but a rough ride can ruin things pretty quickly.

That is not bad at all! 6 attractions in an hour is impressive, no matter where you are or what 6 attractions you did.

What? You say it like that's incorrect?

I have to clear out space on my phone before I can even think of using it. My device is 3 years old, and I'm terrible about deleting photos/videos. I've got stuff from the Disney trip we took before Alex's last deployment.

Hopefully, Landon will discover Thunder Mtn and forget all about the teacups....although, of the two of them, he is the wimp of the family.

Space Mtn in DLP is amazing, but it kicks your butt. I really hope with Disney's acquisition the park, they'll work on fixing both Space and RNRC. They do that, and it could be one of my favorite coasters.

Cowboys and Indians aren't bad, but I get pretty tired of seeing them everywhere. We have a local adventure/nature park near our house, and one whole section is devoted to this theme. If I never see another mock Western outpost again, I'll be happy.

 

[MeghanEmily]

I'm confident we've brainwashed Landon already; the other day when we took my mom to one of our local castles, Landon shouted from the backseat: "We're here? We're at the castle? What rides are we going to do?"

Best kid!

 

[Steppesister]

Home from my little vacation, and trying to catch up some around here. Your EMH in Fantasyland sounded amazing- yes! you guys did a LOT in those 2 hours! Holy cow! That Tomorrowland sounds amazing! I LOVE Steampunk theming and see it lending itself very, very nicely to a futuristic idea of tomorrow from then. Nice!

Super fun update!

 

[vamassey1]

We’re going to be at WDW July 20th to July 26th, staying at Shades of Green with 5 day park hoppers.

I'm so happy for all of ya'll. It should be a great trip.

We’ll be eating dinner at the Garden Grill in the Land pavilion.

We ate here once. The character interaction was great and the food was very fresh. It didn't taste like it came out of a can. The turning didn't really bother me.

Landon is officially 40 inches!!! He had an appointment yesterday and measured at 40.5 inches, to be exact. Without shoes!

Big Thunder Mountain, here we come!

Best news ever! I hope he likes the thrills.

The DL Paris version of the Characters in Flight balloon:

Beautiful pictures!

– Okay, technically, it’s called Disney Village, but I have the hardest time remembering to refer to it as such. I still call Disney Springs by its old name. If it’s a big shopping center located on Disney property, then it’s Downtown Disney. I’m sorry if this bugs anyone! -

I still can't get use to Disney Springs. Of course everything looks so different. We felt lost there.

And then, there it was!

Everything was so close.

We were back at Sequoia in no time and ready to head to bed. We wanted to be up bright and early the following morning!

A very nice evening. I'm looking forward to reading more.

 

[vamassey1]

Does anyone remember their first experience seeing the Magic Kingdom? Or the first time they swiped their ticket at the gate? The smells creeping through open doorframes from the nearby restaurants? The sounds of toys being set off in the Emporium?

My first trip was when I was in high school with the choir. I don't remember seeing the castle. I have memories of seeing the castle first with my older two kids in 1999.

The breakfast was a…learning experience.

That doesn't sound good.

None of the food was bad, per say, but we were surprised at the simplicity of it. I guess we were all imagining the value food courts where you could get eggs and Mickey waffles and bacon.

Not bad food, but nothing to stick to your bones.

It was a very gray and dreary morning.

Yikes.

We had the place to ourselves.

That's a good thing. I can't even imagine this in WDW.

The entrance to Disneyland Paris is actually part of the Disneyland Hotel, which meant we were able to see the outside of that gorgeous resort.

Just Beautiful!

Just sit tight, guys, another Disneyland Paris report is coming. I know it.

Is this a hint?

My family rounded the corner and got our first look at Paris’s iconic castle:

Wow! Very Impressive.

I could have stood and admired it all day. The grass around the bottom was bright green and the waterfall was a smart touch. All those little elements blended together to really make the castle shine.

I love the grass and waterfall. It makes it look more real.

Okay, NOW on to the slew of group shots.

Love the family shots in front of the castle.

Evie still didn’t have any teeth, and I love that I got her gummy little smile captured on camera.

Adorable smile!

Consult a map.

I have managed to catch a summer cold and am a little loopy this week.

I'm sorry you're feeling bad. I hope it passes fast. I started with a summer cold yesterday.

t’s become something of a tradition for Alex and Landon to try and pull the sword out of the stone, and we couldn’t break habit in Paris:

We like to do this too.

Dumbo’s design was nearly identical to WDW’s version.

I was just thinking that as I was looking at your pictures.

Landon ended up having a blast.

Glad he has found a new favorite.

Following the cups was a ride on the carousel and Buzz’s Space Ranger Spin. I’ll admit, Buzz isn’t my favorite ride; I could skip it every trip and be all right. After riding Toy Story Midway Mania, Buzz just comes off as a cheap knockoff. Alex enjoys it, though, and he said he liked this one better. I’m a terrible DISer and can’t remember why, but I’m fairly certain it’s because the guns were detachable and allowed for more mobility.

I could skip it too but Dennis loves it. It's always a must do for him.

All of Tomorrowland is themed in Jules Vern 1920’s steampunk style and while that’s not generally something I am drawn to, it worked amazingly well here.

Really cool theme! It works much better than WDW's version.

As much as I loved the beginning, Space Mountain overall was really rough! I walked off feeling like I’d gotten beat up; no way could I go a second time even when the queue was completely empty.

I was wondering this as you were describing how much you liked it. I don't ride it every trip because of the roughness.

The animatronics absorbed Landon’s attention. I can only hope the fascination remains with him throughout his life.

I hope it does. Danielle still loves Small World.

 

[amazingact21]

Home from my little vacation, and trying to catch up some around here. Your EMH in Fantasyland sounded amazing- yes! you guys did a LOT in those 2 hours! Holy cow! That Tomorrowland sounds amazing! I LOVE Steampunk theming and see it lending itself very, very nicely to a futuristic idea of tomorrow from then. Nice!

Super fun update!

I was amazed all five of us were able to get so much done in a few hours. It helps that everything was closer together, so less time was spent walking, but I still didn't expect to get all the major Fantasyland rides knocked out so soon. Made for a nice surprise.

Tomorrowland's theme is awesome, much more in-depth than WDW's version, in my opinion.

I'm so happy for all of ya'll. It should be a great trip.

We ate here once. The character interaction was great and the food was very fresh. It didn't taste like it came out of a can. The turning didn't really bother me.

Yum, that sounds tasty. I live across the street from a restaurant, and their salads are some of the freshest I have ever eaten, so now I judge other foods against their standards. Sounds like I'll be happy at Garden Grill.

Best news ever! I hope he likes the thrills.

Of the two, he's the more mild of my children, but I'm hoping once we're there and he sees how exciting the rides are he will enjoy himself.

My first trip was when I was in high school with the choir. I don't remember seeing the castle. I have memories of seeing the castle first with my older two kids in 1999.

It's hard to remember the little details like seeing the castle when you're younger, I think. Plus, the moment takes on a whole new meaning when you're experiencing the occasion through your kids' eyes. A pretty special moment..

I love the grass and waterfall. It makes it look more real.
Really cool theme! It works much better than WDW's version.

I was wondering this as you were describing how much you liked it. I don't ride it every trip because of the roughness.

I hope it does. Danielle still loves Small World.

DLP's castle does look like it fits in better than WDW's. I'm sure the waterfall and grass help with that!

If Space Mountain weren't so brutal, I'd love it a lot more. But man, it makes the WDW version look tame!

 

[amazingact21]

I hope everyone has been enjoying their week. I am over the worst of that cold and feel human again! Man, that bad boy took me down. Now that I’m able to function again, my brother and I have been taking my mom on various sightseeing adventures. The highlight was my personal favorite castle nearby, Burg Eltz:

If you ever find yourself in Germany, I would highly recommend checking this place out; it makes for a beautiful day trip.

That’s Landon and his cousin holding hands. The two are 9 months apart and have become fast friends over the last year. I keep trying to convince my sister in-law to go to DLP with us one time so the boys can share in the magic together. But, whew…if that does ever happen it will take all my parenting skills to keep those two crazy kids under control. Those boys can be a handful!


All right, back to Paris!


September 15th, 2016 Part 3:


Regular park hours had kicked into high gear, and Alex pulled out his handy dandy map to see where we should head next. One of my favorite attractions in the Magic Kingdom is Pirates of the Caribbean; I’d even go so far to say it’s tied between It’s a Small World and Everest (the nighttime version) as my all-time favorite ride. A trip to Disney isn’t complete without riding Pirates at least once, and so I asked Alex to lead us to the part of the park that housed that attraction.

We passed the Princess Hall, where the standby wait time was over an hour.

Sorry, kids, no princess meets this trip…


When we crossed a bridge and entered into Adventureland, there was a small line forming in front of us. After asking around for a minute, we learned that Peter Pan would be meeting guests in about ten minutes.

Landon would love Peter Pan!

And looking around, we realized the photo location would be incredible. While the Indiana Jones ride (which was under refurb during our trip) was housed in the back corner of the land, the majority of the area was utilized for a Pirates theme. There was Captain Hook’s ship directly ahead of the bridge we’d used to cross over, and a large Skull Rock farther back. Surrounding these two reference points were drawbridges, coves, and various tunnels that kids could run through and enjoy.

It was a fantastic representation of Neverland and now that I’ve had to sit through approximately 100 viewings of Peter Pan, I think I would appreciate it more now. And of course, behind all this was the entrance to Pirates and the Blue Lagoon restaurant.

And because it was still raining at this point, I had the camera stored in my backpack and didn’t take a single picture of this section of the park! This frustrates me to no end, because I know my memory doesn’t do it justice. Hopefully in my later shots I’ll have a couple I can pull from.

But just know, this version of Adventureland was like a kid’s imaginary game of Peter Pan come to life.

Truly awesome.


My mom and Alex and I stood in line with the kids for about five minutes before a Cast Member popped up at the front and started talking to some guests. Then, all of a sudden, people around us picked up their stuff and headed to the shop next door.

Huh?

We followed suit and realized that everybody in the back of the line had made it to the front because they were closer to the doors. We blindly went to the end and tried to find someone – anyone – who spoke English.

What was going on?

A nice lady had pity on us and explained that Peter Pan couldn’t come out to meet anyone at the moment, but they were bringing Smee into the shop, instead.

This seemed like a crazy setup, but okay. We weren’t too far back in line, and Smee wasn’t a character we got many opportunities to meet, so we stayed put.

But five minutes later it happened again! Everyone was shuffled back to the original line outside.

Who’s on first? What’s on second?

It was a cluster of massive proportions. By that point there were a huge mass of guests jumping from line to line with no clue who was leading the meet and greet. A big pile of disorganized chaos that my family had had enough of.

We called it quits and left.

That was a huge difference between WDW and DLP, the lack of concrete setups in places. DLP would change plans on a whim and we just had to try our best to figure out what the new standards were. I think all of us were a little frustrated that we’d just wasted close to half an hour of our day for nothing, but fortunately we got to Pirates of the Caribbean and walked right on to a boat.

Okay, I just got through rambling about how much I love Pirates of the Caribbean, so I had pretty high expectations for this version. I was going to be critical, I was expecting it not to measure up to my beloved classic at WDW. (The only one I had to compare it to.)

Well, you all, this Pirates did not disappoint. It was much more detailed and rich than the Orlando version; not only were there 2 drops but it was also twice as long. I will admit, the order of the scenes seemed a little random, almost as if the Imaginears just picked up the model sets of the ride and went, “You can go here, and you here, and let’s throw this one in this space.” Not a whole lot of thought about it, but that was no matter. It still made for an excellent ride. Plus, seeing the Blue Lagoon restaurant like you do at the Grand Fiesta Tour in the Mexican pavilion was fun, even if the restaurant was closed.

Out of all the attractions we experienced, Pirates was my favorite at DLP.


After we all finished with Pirates, it was time to grab some lunch. Unfortunately, everything we passed was closed! This is a common theme with Disneyland Paris; if the parks aren’t busy or it’s a weekday, they don’t open restaurants. And while I get this logic, there was no place to see which locations were open and which weren’t until you walked up to them. Which resulted in us trekking around and around until we finally found the Lucky Nugget.

This wasn’t quite a Quick Service location but also not a Table Service place. Kind of in-between. You paid for your food upfront and were then lead to a table where a server brought you drinks and your meal. However, the menu was almost completely prefixed and it was simple fare. Everyone in my group ordered burgers, fries, and a sundae for dessert. (I want to say each meal cost around 32 Euros.)

The burgers came with mushrooms on them, and both my mom and Alex asked if they could get their food without them. I didn’t bother and while I’m not a big mushroom fan, it didn’t taste half bad.

Two huge perks of eating at the Lucky Nugget were the free refillable sodas – this is unheard of in Europe just FYI – and the puppet show that went along with your meal.

Our table was right next to the stage, so the kids were captivated by the show.

Aren’t the highchairs adorable? Little Mickey Mouse shaped backs…

The puppet show involved Mickey and Minnie Mouse and a Halloween themed story, then shifted to a Western show, and capped off with some songs played on the piano by a host. The guy leading the entertainment was lively and involved with the audience, but he sure did love the word, Howdy.

Only, with his French tongue, the word kept coming out as “HA-OW-DEE.”

Everytime a new family came to sit down at a table, he’d shout, “Howdy, howdy, howdy!”

When the puppets appeared for a new act: “Oh, howdy!”

Returning from an intermission: “HOWDY!”

My mom turned to me in the middle of the meal and whispered, “I feel like a cowboy. I think I’m going to start saying howdy back.”

It was fun to follow along and see how many times we could hear the phrase during the course of our meal and allowed for a lighthearted experience.

At one point, I took a random shot of the ceiling:

And our server offered to take a group picture for us:

And at the end of lunch the kids were STILL fascinated by the music and puppetry:




With lunch eventually concluded, all of us headed over to Frontierland.

Sadly, Thunder Mountain was closed for refurbs while we were there.

I have this terrible knack for visiting Disney when the ride is either closed or I’m pregnant. I was able to ride it once in 2014 during a Christmas Party, but aside from that it’s been about 5 years since I’ve gone on it during a regular vacation.

Fingers crossed that changes here in two weeks!


Next on our agenda was Phantom Manor, DLP’s take on Haunted Mansion:

I could have gone in to this trip expecting everything to be along WDW standards, but instead I went in with an open mind, and I think that really helped me appreciate the great qualities of Disneyland Paris. Phantom Manor was very similar to HM, but without the lighthearted graveyard singing at the end.


We strolled through some more of the park afterwards, with me still shocked at the low crowds. It was busy, but nothing that caused more than a 30/45 minute wait on the headliners.

We ended up back on Main Street, where there were some Disney ducks hanging about:

There was one more attraction that I HAD to do in this park, and we had to go here in order to experience it:

Needed to get a bit closer…

Ahh, there we are.

Yeah. We were going UNDER the castle.

UNDER!

But, that made sense.

Where else would you keep a dangerous dragon chained up?

I was beyond happy I got to see the Dragon’s Lair; it was my favorite thing about Disneyland Paris. I could have stood in that cavern and watched the animatronic dragon wake up and look around for a long time; as it was the rest of my party left and waited for me in the adjacent shop while I stayed entranced. I can’t say what made the lair unique, other than the fact that it fit in so well with the rest of the castle. The park is downright amazing in its storytelling.

You’re on Main Street, you’re seeing the bright green lawns and the moat and the soft pink spires of the stronghold. Then you walk into the lower recesses, everything gets dark and suddenly you’ve got this mythological beast hidden away under the fairytale castle.

Every corner of the park is covered with its particular theme, no stone went unturned, and I appreciated the effort. Disney really reached for escapism, and I think they nailed it in most aspects.


I eventually did tear myself away from the castle and my group perused through some shops for a few minutes. Disney is synonymous with shopping in Alex’s mind, so this was a must do for him. I don’t remember what he looked at, but my mom and I went into a crystal store and admired the tiaras and figurines inside.

I think this is exactly what my house is missing.

It’d be perfect in the home of two little kids and a dog, don’t you think?

I need to get back to Paris and buy it straight away.


Up Next…A Tour of the Studios

 

[cindianne320]

The Peter Pan meet sounds like it was a fiasco- was it the language barrier or just them being unorganized? Bummer!
What a fun lunch! Glad you stumbled upon it, since it sounds like everything was closed!
I was hoping to see the Dragon! I just love that aspect of DL Paris!

 

[MeghanEmily]

So glad to hear you're feeling better! Once in a while a cold like that can really throw you for a loop!

If you ever find yourself in Germany, I would highly recommend checking this place out; it makes for a beautiful day trip.

So beautiful!

But five minutes later it happened again! Everyone was shuffled back to the original line outside.

Who’s on first? What’s on second?

It was a cluster of massive proportions. By that point there were a huge mass of guests jumping from line to line with no clue who was leading the meet and greet. A big pile of disorganized chaos that my family had had enough of.

We called it quits and left.

That was a huge difference between WDW and DLP, the lack of concrete setups in places. DLP would change plans on a whim and we just had to try our best to figure out what the new standards were.

What the heck?? This would be so frustrating for me. I think that it needs to go one of two ways, either character free-roam like they used to at WDW way back in the day, or there are structured and well-organized meets. This sounds like a mess.

Well, you all, this Pirates did not disappoint. It was much more detailed and rich than the Orlando version; not only were there 2 drops but it was also twice as long. I will admit, the order of the scenes seemed a little random, almost as if the Imaginears just picked up the model sets of the ride and went, “You can go here, and you here, and let’s throw this one in this space.” Not a whole lot of thought about it, but that was no matter. It still made for an excellent ride.

How cool! I would love to ride this! I'm a big pirates fan.

Our table was right next to the stage, so the kids were captivated by the show.

So cute! Love the little high chair with the Mickey ears

Only, with his French tongue, the word kept coming out as “HA-OW-DEE.”

Everytime a new family came to sit down at a table, he’d shout, “Howdy, howdy, howdy!”

When the puppets appeared for a new act: “Oh, howdy!”

Returning from an intermission: “HOWDY!”

Hilarious! I'm in need of a new catch-phrase, so maybe I'll take this one up...

Phantom Manor was very similar to HM, but without the lighthearted graveyard singing at the end.

Neat! The exterior is really interesting.

I was beyond happy I got to see the Dragon’s Lair; it was my favorite thing about Disneyland Paris. I could have stood in that cavern and watched the animatronic dragon wake up and look around for a long time; as it was the rest of my party left and waited for me in the adjacent shop while I stayed entranced. I can’t say what made the lair unique, other than the fact that it fit in so well with the rest of the castle. The park is downright amazing in its storytelling.

This sounds really amazing and atmospheric. I really did get the impression reading your TR that DLP is like being in an immersive storybook.