Show No Fear! DIS Exclusive Viva Italia+DLP TR Sept 2014*COMPLETE* New TR link added 7/3

[TheMaxRebo]

ok, so far behind in comments, but wanted to chime in that I am still following. How cool you got to Disneyland Paris - it is really pretty. That parade looks fun - I like a lot of the floats especially Rapunzel and Pinocchio's ... Interesting which characters get featured in which parade. (like FOF has a big Peter Pan one but he seems to just be walking in this one)

I see what you are saying about the castle. Almost looks like they merged Cinderella and DLR's Sleeping Beauty and added in a bit of Prince Eric's as well.

That Peter Pan play area looks really cool - especially with Skull Rock. I can see kids that watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates being into that!

Funny how Pirates was originally not even going to be in WDW and now it is such a global classic. The ride photo is pretty fun!

That Indy coaster looks cool! Definitely understand your apprehension as you didn't know what to expect

 

[afwdwfan]

Let me see if I can describe this show in a way that does it any sort of justice. It's like a combination of World of Color, Wishes, and the castle projection shows. It had water fountains, fireworks, water projections, and castle projections all woven into one amazing show. It was in both French and English, which was accomplished by the main characters being Peter Pan & Wendy. Wendy spoke French, but Peter spoke English, and he would rephrase what she said every time he answered her so that we had no problem keeping up with the story.

Wow! That's great. The show sounds awesome, but the whole Wendy/Peter Pan 2 languages thing is a very nice touch. I'm glad that they make it easy to follow the story that way.

Pictures really cannot do it justice, but DH certainly did his best to try! Dusty had gushed to us about this show several times over the course of the ABD trip, and he couldn't have been more correct. It was hands down the most amazing and beautiful nighttime show I have ever seen in a Disney park. I love Wishes, and I love World of Color, but Disney Dreams tops them all!

Your descriptions and the pictures are fantastic. The castle and the effects on it are just spectacular! It really makes me want to see that show. Hats off to your DH on the pictures! I know it couldn't be easy with all the lighting and motion, but they're phenomenal.

Easily my favorite picture. Just beautiful.

Eventually, we were actually escorted out of the park because we were the last 2 guests! A couple of CM's had come over to ask what I was doing sitting there, and the first couple were satisfied with my answer but as it got later and later, we were pretty much told we had to go. lol No lingering for an hour or more like at WDW! Normally we would be in more of a hurry to leave that late at night with an early morning ahead of us, but knowing our hotel room was merely steps away made it a little easier to linger as long as possible. Our minutes long commute had us back to the Disneyland Hotel in no time.

That would definitely be the advantage of staying so close to the park. And I'd want to linger as long as possible. Especially only having a limited amount of time to soak it all in.

 

[sayhello]

OMG, Disney Dreams is amazing! Of course, it helps that the castle is also so spectacular, but still! All of that in one show! Amazing!

DH really outdid himself with those photos. And I love the ones with the castle literally glowing off in the background.

I have to agree, having the hotel *right there* is amazingly convenient. If only rack rate wasn't $1000 a day!

Sayhello

 

[TruLovesKiss]

Hi Kristy! I had a free afternoon, so I decided to make myself a cup of coffee and finally sit down to read your TR. Yup, I just read through the whole thing and LOVED it. Not a bad way to spend my Friday afternoon and evening

WOW, what an absolutely amazing experience! And Yay, for an adult getaway! I’m sure it must have been hard to leave Paxton behind, but the freedom of being just the two of you was probably SO worth it! Plus it was nice that you were able to Skype with him each night.

As usual, Dustin’s photos are spectacular! I loved reading about the history... and the architecture is just beautiful and oh the food….. it all looks so delicious! The pizza, the pasta and oh the fabulous desserts, they sure were making my mouth water.

I loved finding out what the “Show No Fear” title stood for, too funny! And it was pretty neat to read that the letters near the ceiling in St. Peters were 7 feet tall! Joes family’s business is stone engraving. So to think of how long it must have taken to do that lettering is amazing! And it would have all been done by hand. Wow!

So many unbelievable experiences and so many great memories to go along with them. A real gondola ride. Oh my word, I can’t even imagine!!

And not just Italy…. Disneyland Paris too! Oh my! And an upgrade to The Disneyland Hotel. I literally squealed out loud in excitement for you! And a club level room. Wow, talk about Pixie Dust. That is SO amazing!!! The room and hotel are beautiful and being steps away from the park can’t be beat!!!

Looks like a great parade! The Tangled and Toy Story floats are so cute! And oh my goodness, the Lion King float… love it!

The castle is spectacular! I teared up a little seeing pics of it. Maybe someday I'll see it in person

It must have been so exciting to get on so many new (and different versions of) rides. A Pirates ride photo – how fun!

Wow, oh WOW! Disney Dreams looks like one amazing show. SO awesome that they combine some of the best aspects of Fantasmic, Wishes, World of Color and the castle projection show.

What a magical day! Can’t wait to read what's next….

 

[saintstickets]

Wow! WOW!! WOW!!! I love castle pictures at night and especially those during the fireworks shows and have well over 100 saved but I have to say, those castle pics are without a doubt the best I've ever seen! Your DH has a talent that I could only dream of and combine that with your gift of the narrative and that makes for an excellent TR.

 

[khertz]

OH NO!!! I swear if that ever happened to me I'd probably quit on the spot.


Oh my goodness Kristy, just your description alone gave me goosebumps. I always wondered what a Disney show would look like if they combined them. I guess this is it.

And then... WOW

Incredible photos!! Simply incredible. If I didn't think about visiting DLP before (which of course I have) I certainly would now.






I can totally understand. Having your hotel that close and having limited time means soaking up every last drop. I'm sure I would do the same.

Luckily, I hadn't gotten too far, but MAN was it annoying!!!!

This show was beyond anything I could have come up with. SO amazing! We almost skipped it that night in favor of riding more attractions and just seeing it the next night, but I was so glad we scrapped that plan and ended our first night there with such a beautiful show! It is really beyond words.

Knowing the hotel was literally only steps away made it so easy to stay until the last possible minute. That upgrade really couldn't have been more perfect!!

I really have no idea what to say other than WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW. I've heard great things about Disney Dreams but never an extensive description, and it sounds incredible! I can see why you'd love it so much. Did I mention WOW? Because wow. The pictures are wonderful!

I can't get over how beautiful everything there is. Unbelievable. Also, last 2 park guests? Applauding you.

It is really and truly an incredible show in an incredible place! DH definitely made the job of trying to explain it even easier by taking such great photos.

DLP is a stunning park, I really fell in love with it immediately. If only it wasn't so hard and expensive to get to! I would love to go back and bring Paxton to experience it as well.

It sounds like an absolutely amazing show!! The pictures and your description make it seem so magical!



What a great shot! The castle is beautiful - and I love the cute little ghost off to the side!



Awesome! But strange that there is no after hours lingering and a Kiss Goodnight! It must have been so nice to be so close to your resort!

Amazing and magical are absolutely the perfect ways to describe Disney Dreams. I was truly in awe the entire time!

I couldn't get over how beautiful the castle there was, and how amazing it was to see it transform during the show.

It was pretty strange to be in a park that didn't really encourage lingering on Main Street after the nighttime show. But it was still cool to be the last ones there!

I love the way you described the show, it sounds really amazing! The fact that it's a combo of a bunch of different shows is awesome, and so cool that Wendy and Peter narrate it. And WOW, the pictures are gorgeous, it looks like a fantastic show! DH got some great shots of an empty Main Street! Funny that you can't linger around like in the US parks.

Thanks! It was definitely amazing. I loved that it took so many elements of the great nighttime shows at the US parks and rolled it all into one beautifully executed show. DH truly did a great job capturing the beauty of the show and of the park at night. It is a lot easier to wait around for him to move the tripod around and get the perfect shot when it it just me and I don't have a kid to entertain at the same time! lol

ok, so far behind in comments, but wanted to chime in that I am still following. How cool you got to Disneyland Paris - it is really pretty. That parade looks fun - I like a lot of the floats especially Rapunzel and Pinocchio's ... Interesting which characters get featured in which parade. (like FOF has a big Peter Pan one but he seems to just be walking in this one)

I see what you are saying about the castle. Almost looks like they merged Cinderella and DLR's Sleeping Beauty and added in a bit of Prince Eric's as well.

That Peter Pan play area looks really cool - especially with Skull Rock. I can see kids that watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates being into that!

Funny how Pirates was originally not even going to be in WDW and now it is such a global classic. The ride photo is pretty fun!

That Indy coaster looks cool! Definitely understand your apprehension as you didn't know what to expect

Adding DLP was something DH had suggested early on but I was so hesitant because it meant even more days away from DS on an already long trip. But there were many times while we were there that I looked at him and said, "Thank you for convincing me to do this!" It was amazing, even for only a short time, and who knows when we would ever be back in Europe to do it again?

The Castle there is so stunning! It's hard not to be taken in by the scale and beauty of it towering over you.

I totally agree about Pirates. Now I can't imagine Disney without it! It's such a Disney staple now, the world over! Pretty cool that they have a ride photo, I just wish we could have been a little more prepared for it. lol

The Indy coaster was AWESOME! I loved that DLP had so many of the classic dark ride type of attractions, but still had true thrill rides mixed in as well.

 

[khertz]

Wow! That's great. The show sounds awesome, but the whole Wendy/Peter Pan 2 languages thing is a very nice touch. I'm glad that they make it easy to follow the story that way.

Your descriptions and the pictures are fantastic. The castle and the effects on it are just spectacular! It really makes me want to see that show. Hats off to your DH on the pictures! I know it couldn't be easy with all the lighting and motion, but they're phenomenal.

Easily my favorite picture. Just beautiful.

That would definitely be the advantage of staying so close to the park. And I'd want to linger as long as possible. Especially only having a limited amount of time to soak it all in.

The show was amazing, and it was great that they incorporated both languages so that we could follow the show. Although, I am sure we would have loved and appreciated it just as much had it all been in French.

Thanks! DH really outdid himself on the photos. It is so hard to really grasp the beauty and scope of the show in words and pictures, but I did my best.

It is a great one, especially with the lights around the castle making it look like it's glowing. So surreal to think I have actually been there!

It was totally perfect being in such close proximity to the parks with such short time to work with. That long awaited Disney upgrade couldn't have come at a better time!!

OMG, Disney Dreams is amazing! Of course, it helps that the castle is also so spectacular, but still! All of that in one show! Amazing!

DH really outdid himself with those photos. And I love the ones with the castle literally glowing off in the background.

I have to agree, having the hotel *right there* is amazingly convenient. If only rack rate wasn't $1000 a day!

Sayhello

Yeah, that gorgeous backdrop enhances an already amazing show!

He REALLY did! I couldn't believe how many beautiful ones he was able to capture in just one evening. It was really hard not to post every single one because they all came out so great!

It is such a huge perk to have the hotel SO close! Couldn't have gotten an upgrade at a better time. It was totally out of the realm of possibility to book on our own!!

Hi Kristy! I had a free afternoon, so I decided to make myself a cup of coffee and finally sit down to read your TR. Yup, I just read through the whole thing and LOVED it. Not a bad way to spend my Friday afternoon and evening

WOW, what an absolutely amazing experience! And Yay, for an adult getaway! I’m sure it must have been hard to leave Paxton behind, but the freedom of being just the two of you was probably SO worth it! Plus it was nice that you were able to Skype with him each night.

I feel honored that your free afternoon was spent on my TR! With 4 kids, I can't imagine those come along very often. lol

It was definitely hard to leave DS for so long, but he did so well with it, I told DH we should have done it sooner or more often. lol But it was absolutely the trip of a lifetime, and I'm so thankful we were given the opportunity. Technology is amazing, and definitely made all the difference in being away from him for so long. Being able to get even just a few minutes to Skype or FaceTime was a big part in making me comfortable that he was okay without us.

As usual, Dustin’s photos are spectacular! I loved reading about the history... and the architecture is just beautiful and oh the food….. it all looks so delicious! The pizza, the pasta and oh the fabulous desserts, they sure were making my mouth water.

Thanks! He did a really fantastic job over the course of this trip, capturing everything he could so that we could preserve a memory of all the beautiful cities we visited. OMG the food was infinitely better than I could have even imagined too. Sometimes I miss the food more than anything else! lol

I loved finding out what the “Show No Fear” title stood for, too funny! And it was pretty neat to read that the letters near the ceiling in St. Peters were 7 feet tall! Joes family’s business is stone engraving. So to think of how long it must have taken to do that lettering is amazing! And it would have all been done by hand. Wow!

The morning Marco said that, I looked at DH and said, "TR title!" lol It was too perfect to pass up.

The scale of so many of these buildings and landmarks is so amazing, and to think they did it soooooo long ago with nowhere near the tools we have at our disposal now! Truly an incredible feat of engineering and architecture!!

o many unbelievable experiences and so many great memories to go along with them. A real gondola ride. Oh my word, I can’t even imagine!!

And not just Italy…. Disneyland Paris too! Oh my! And an upgrade to The Disneyland Hotel. I literally squealed out loud in excitement for you! And a club level room. Wow, talk about Pixie Dust. That is SO amazing!!! The room and hotel are beautiful and being steps away from the park can’t be beat!!!

That is what really sold DH on ABD, having everything included so we didn't have to figure out all of the must-dos and how we were going to fit them all in. It was so nice having everything planned for us, and still having lots of free time to explore on our own and find the little hidden treasures around each city.

Every time I have stayed onsite at WDW, I have kept my fingers crossed for an upgrade but never gotten one. The upgrade to Disneyland Hotel club level was TOTALLY worth the wait!!!!

Looks like a great parade! The Tangled and Toy Story floats are so cute! And oh my goodness, the Lion King float… love it!

The castle is spectacular! I teared up a little seeing pics of it. Maybe someday I'll see it in person

It must have been so exciting to get on so many new (and different versions of) rides. A Pirates ride photo – how fun!

The parade was not something we were planning around, but it was too perfect that we walked into the park just as it was about to start, and what a fun way to start off our time in the parks! It was really fun.

I truly hope you get to see it some day. Pictures cannot do it justice!

It was cool that they had so many of the classics like Pirates and Haunted Mansion, but still had so many totally unique attractions to experience.

Wow, oh WOW! Disney Dreams looks like one amazing show. SO awesome that they combine some of the best aspects of Fantasmic, Wishes, World of Color and the castle projection show.

What a magical day! Can’t wait to read what's next….

Disney Dreams is just beyond words, although I did give it my best shot! lol

Wow! WOW!! WOW!!! I love castle pictures at night and especially those during the fireworks shows and have well over 100 saved but I have to say, those castle pics are without a doubt the best I've ever seen! Your DH has a talent that I could only dream of and combine that with your gift of the narrative and that makes for an excellent TR.

Thanks, Bill! DH really outdid himself on this entire trip when it came to taking pictures. Knowing we might never have the opportunity to go to these beautiful places again probably did it! lol Thank you sincerely for the kind words.

 

[khertz]

Day 11: Thursday September 25th

We have finally reached the last day of this epic, whirlwind, Disney European adventure...But don't worry, we have a lot to recap from the last day! Unless of course you were hoping this forever-long TR was almost over, then I can't really help you just yet.

Our last day started at 7 am. DH checked his email and saw our Air France flight home had also been cancelled due to the strike. We were able to call Delta and get it rebooked (it was a Delta flight operated by Air France, so much less hassle to move than the flight from Venice to Paris had been!), but it moved up our departure time quite a bit as the new flight was leaving at 8:30 am. We quickly got dressed and went down to the Castle Club for breakfast. We were the only ones there that early in the morning, so we got a seat right next to the window, and this was our view.

DLP 2 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-002 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Please tell me how it gets any better than that!! On top of that, the breakfast spread was delicious, and we were nice and full when we left. Since it was so early and we had such a short commute to the park for morning EMH, we took a few moments to take some pictures around the club level area and the lobby.

DLP 2-005 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-006 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


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We walked outside around 7:50 and DH immediately noticed a door he had not seen the previous day. Official headquarters of his favorite duck, perhaps?

DLP 2-013 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-014 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Looking back up to where we had just had breakfast.​

We got down to the gates, and we were LITERALLY the only two people there waiting to be let in for EMH. No one around but us and the few CM's working the gates!

DLP 2-015 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Well, we were the only ones there for awhile, but a couple more families did show up as it got to be 8 am and the gates were about to open. However, it was absolutely NOTHING like the crowds you see at EMH at WDW or DL. I don't know if it was the time of year we were there or what, but there were less than 20 people there, I might even venture to say less than 15. Soon enough, the gates were opened and we were let inside.

DLP 2-016 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-017 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Heading under the Railroad station


DLP 2-018 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-019 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


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DLP 2-021 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Now THIS is what early park entry should look like!!!


DLP 2-023 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


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​

When there is literally no one else around, you can take your sweet time getting those pics instead of rushing off to the first attraction of the day! I really wanted a picture of us in front of the castle with no one around, so luckily we were able to spot a CM to take one for us.

DLP 2-036 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Since the first thing we wanted to do was in Fantasyland, we decided to take a walk through the castle walkway to get there.

DLP 2-037 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-038 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


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Our first stop of the day!


DLP 2-042 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Just in case you have ever wondered how the safety instructions look in French.​

We were ready to board our pirate ship and head off to Neverland!

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DLP 2-043 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

Now this was something I thought was so cool, and immediately pointed out to DH for him to take a picture. Instead of just gears underneath you, this is what you see as the lap bar comes down and you are ready to take off.

DLP 2-044 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-045 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Soaring over London


DLP 2-046 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Rescuing Tiger Lily


DLP 2-047 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Pixie Dust away!

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DLP 2-050 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
"I'll dream of a mermaid lagoon...underneath the magic moon."​

Continued in next post...

 

[khertz]

Day 11 Continued: Thursday September 25th

After a great flight with Peter, Wendy, and the boys, we exited the ride and decided to head over to one of the big headliners, Space Mountain. Instead of Tomorrowland, it is named Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris. Of course, we had to pass by the back of the castle to get there, and we really didn't ever pass it without DH taking one or a dozen photos of it.

DLP 2-051 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-052 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-053 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Where we were coming from...​

Around that side of the castle, we came across a wishing well. Of course, I had to make a wish! It may or may not have something to do with being able to return to this beautiful park one day.

DLP 2-055 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-058 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
More Halloween decorations


DLP 2-059 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
This looked like the setup for a show that I don't think was happening while we were there.


DLP 2-060 by disneymom1024, on Flickr
Off to Discoveryland!​

The first thing we noticed about Space Mountain is that it looks totally different from its U.S. counterparts! Really, the whole land does. It has a huge Jules Verne influence in the look, and Space Mountain especially as it has a steampunk look to it.

DLP 2-061 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


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The loading area
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This version of the ride is a lot more like the Disneyland version than the WDW version, but it also incorporates the insanely fast launch that Rock'n'Roller Coaster has! Although it is a pretty smooth coaster, it still rattled me quite a bit that early in the morning.

Next, we went over to ride Star Tours, but it looked a little deserted over there. It turned out to be closed, even though it was supposed to be part of the early entry attractions. We took some pictures of it, and never went back, I don't think, so we didn't get a chance to ride it.

DLP 2-066 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-067 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

But it wasn't a total waste of footsteps because they had these cute statues of EVE and Wall-E nearby!

DLP 2-068 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

So, we changed direction and headed instead for Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast.

DLP 2-062 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


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Official Wait Timer!


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Check out all the other people riding with us! lol


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DLP 2-078 by disneymom1024, on Flickr​

We stopped in the dump shop to buy a water, then decided to round out our Discoveryland experience by riding Orbitron, which is basically Astro Orbiters. I realized right away why I never like to ride this attraction...they are so awkward to get in and out of!

DLP 2-079 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


DLP 2-080 by disneymom1024, on Flickr


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After a fun little spin around Discoveryland, I took a seat on a bench while DH rode Space Mountain again. I just couldn't hang that early in the morning, I guess. But, we had already had a pretty successful morning, and we still had the rest of the day to look forward to!

UP NEXT: Beware the Dragon

 

[marDgreen88]

Wow. So not only were you the last two guests out of the park the night before, you were among the ONLY guests the next morning? And you were able to take your pick of any attraction and walk right on? Dream come true.

Did I mention how beautiful this park looks? Yes? Hahaah I really can't get over it. Space Mountain (Mission 2???) looks so awesome. I can't imagine Space having a launch like that!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I've been reading a TR of a fort timer to Disneyland (California) who is from Europe and has frequented Disneyland Paris and she discussed how much of a letdown World of Color and Fantasmic were - but based on your description of Dreams I can see why. Also explains whe Peter Pan didn't get a float in the parade - he has his own show!

I'd say that is an ok view for breakfast

Man, how great would it be if EMH at WDW were like that! Love the idea of a launch start for Space Mountain.

Certainly seems like you are making g the most of your time there!

 

[theworldneedscolor]

Hi Kristy!

I've loved following along on some of your other trip reports, so I'm not sure why I didn't find this one till today...but I am sure glad that I did! I have been dying to go to Europe basically since elementary school when Lizzie McGuire did But seriously, Europe is a dream come true for me; I'm hoping I'll be able to make it over once I graduate in a few years. So I'm sure this TR will make me green with envy, but I'll just have to live vicariously through you for now

Also, I'm one of your devoted Instagram followers, and I remember all the great photos you posted back when you took the trip. I can't wait to see the rest! I'm only nine months late Now enough talk; time for me to get started on reading!

 

[hokieinpa]

Closing out the park and the next morning being the only ones there? You guys had this DLP thing down!

Beautiful shots of the castle. It's so amazing that there really is no one there! I can't imagine it being that empty at WDW, even with EMH on the slowest day of the year.

Very cool details at Peter Pan. Love the rooftops at the very beginning!

Space Mountain does have a very unique look! I can't blame you for sitting the second ride out.

So I've been wondering - do the CMs all speak English? Just wondering how you navigated the park!

 

[missangelalexis]

That view from the Castle Club, WOW how could that ever get old! So gorgeous!

Omg how crazy (but cool) that EMH was so empty. Look at all those beautiful Main Street pics! And you guys got a lovely photo of the 2 of you

Great pics on Peter Pan! And so interesting to see how different Tomorrowland looks, very cool!

You guys are killing it so far with rides! Considering you guys had such little time there, I'm sure it was awesome to be getting so much done that morning

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Oh my, on another cancelled flight. I guess the bright side is it was an easier swap, but still had to be frustrating. Bad enough on a domestic flight, but being so far from home has to be worse.

WOW, DLP really does seem like a Disneyland/Magic Kingdom hybrid.

Goodness, Space Mountain sounds AWESOME!!! I'm really getting an itch to go there.

 

[khertz]

Wow. So not only were you the last two guests out of the park the night before, you were among the ONLY guests the next morning? And you were able to take your pick of any attraction and walk right on? Dream come true.

Did I mention how beautiful this park looks? Yes? Hahaah I really can't get over it. Space Mountain (Mission 2???) looks so awesome. I can't imagine Space having a launch like that!

It was soooooo worth getting up early after a late night for that empty Main Street experience! And I really couldn't believe how empty it was. That may not be typical, and we just picked a great time to go, but I was not complaining at all!

It can't be said enough how gorgeous DLP is! Mention it as often as you want!

From the looks of Space, I could tell it was more like Disneyland's version, but I wasn't expecting it to have that fast launch! It was pretty amazing.

I've been reading a TR of a fort timer to Disneyland (California) who is from Europe and has frequented Disneyland Paris and she discussed how much of a letdown World of Color and Fantasmic were - but based on your description of Dreams I can see why. Also explains whe Peter Pan didn't get a float in the parade - he has his own show!

I'd say that is an ok view for breakfast

Man, how great would it be if EMH at WDW were like that! Love the idea of a launch start for Space Mountain.

Certainly seems like you are making g the most of your time there!

As much as I love WoC and enjoy Fantasmic, I can TOTALLY see why they would be a letdown if you are used to seeing Dreams as your nighttime entertainment! I loved that it featured lots of popular characters mixed in with some of the not so popular too.

The BEST! I wanted to bottle up that view and bring it home with me!

Even on the slowest day of the year, EMH will never be like that at WDW, unfortunately. It was so awesome to have a TRULY empty Main Street to enjoy!

We definitely did our best.

Hi Kristy!

I've loved following along on some of your other trip reports, so I'm not sure why I didn't find this one till today...but I am sure glad that I did! I have been dying to go to Europe basically since elementary school when Lizzie McGuire did But seriously, Europe is a dream come true for me; I'm hoping I'll be able to make it over once I graduate in a few years. So I'm sure this TR will make me green with envy, but I'll just have to live vicariously through you for now

Also, I'm one of your devoted Instagram followers, and I remember all the great photos you posted back when you took the trip. I can't wait to see the rest! I'm only nine months late Now enough talk; time for me to get started on reading!

I never thought I'd ever get my dream Italian vacation when I was growing up, so it was absolutely a dream come true to have it finally happen for us! Hopefully one day it comes true for you too!

I'm glad you made it here, even if it took awhile! lol What's your IG name?

Closing out the park and the next morning being the only ones there? You guys had this DLP thing down!

Beautiful shots of the castle. It's so amazing that there really is no one there! I can't imagine it being that empty at WDW, even with EMH on the slowest day of the year.

Very cool details at Peter Pan. Love the rooftops at the very beginning!

Space Mountain does have a very unique look! I can't blame you for sitting the second ride out.

So I've been wondering - do the CMs all speak English? Just wondering how you navigated the park!

We definitely hit the parks HARD! Having such a short time to enjoy everything lit a fire under our butts for sure. lol

When we arrived at the gates, we couldn't believe there was no one else there yet! Especially considering there are quite a few onsite hotels and they seemed to be fairly busy. Maybe in Europe it's not as appealing to get up so early on vacation? lol Whatever the reason, we were happy to take advantage!!

It seemed that all of the CMs spoke at least some English, some more than others. When we interacted with them in shops or restaurants, they would greet us in French, so we would do the same, then greet them in English right after to let them know we spoke primarily English, and then the rest of the interaction would be in English. It was never difficult interacting with any of the CMs and they were all very kind and helpful!

That view from the Castle Club, WOW how could that ever get old! So gorgeous!

Omg how crazy (but cool) that EMH was so empty. Look at all those beautiful Main Street pics! And you guys got a lovely photo of the 2 of you

Great pics on Peter Pan! And so interesting to see how different Tomorrowland looks, very cool!

You guys are killing it so far with rides! Considering you guys had such little time there, I'm sure it was awesome to be getting so much done that morning

Oh, it definitely couldn't get old. I just wish we could have enjoyed it more than just one morning!

It was so awesome to experience such an empty EMH and Main Street! That's what you hope for booking those pre-park opening breakfasts, but there's still quite a few other people to share it with, so this was a real treat. Thanks!

It was so great to experience such low crowds since we didn't have much time in the parks. It really took some of the stress off for getting everything done that we wanted to experience.

Oh my, on another cancelled flight. I guess the bright side is it was an easier swap, but still had to be frustrating. Bad enough on a domestic flight, but being so far from home has to be worse.

WOW, DLP really does seem like a Disneyland/Magic Kingdom hybrid.

Goodness, Space Mountain sounds AWESOME!!! I'm really getting an itch to go there.

Thankfully it was an easy fix, but GEEZ! We'd had enough of the flight drama! lol

It is an amazing mash up of two already wonderful parks!! We were so in love with it from the first few minutes we were there!

 

[MEK]

I really don't want your TR to be done. Say it isn't so?????

What a gorgeous view of the park from breakfast.

Talk about the perfect EMH! WOW! What a dream come true.

I had no idea Space Mtn had an actual launch. Cool. I wonder how many unsuspecting guests have been startled by THAT?

Lovely pics inside Peter Pan and inside the entire park. Those Main Street / Castle pics are gorgeous.

 

[afwdwfan]

We were the only ones there that early in the morning, so we got a seat right next to the window, and this was our view.

Perfect view while enjoying breakfast. And as always, the pictures are phenomenal.

We got down to the gates, and we were LITERALLY the only two people there waiting to be let in for EMH. No one around but us and the few CM's working the gates!

Wow. I guess the French just don't get in a hurry? Good news for the crazy American tourists!!!!

Well, we were the only ones there for awhile, but a couple more families did show up as it got to be 8 am and the gates were about to open. However, it was absolutely NOTHING like the crowds you see at EMH at WDW or DL. I don't know if it was the time of year we were there or what, but there were less than 20 people there, I might even venture to say less than 15. Soon enough, the gates were opened and we were let inside.

That is just unreal!!!!

When there is literally no one else around, you can take your sweet time getting those pics instead of rushing off to the first attraction of the day! I really wanted a picture of us in front of the castle with no one around, so luckily we were able to spot a CM to take one for us.

Great picture!

The loading area

No... it can't be. Where is everyone???????

This version of the ride is a lot more like the Disneyland version than the WDW version, but it also incorporates the insanely fast launch that Rock'n'Roller Coaster has! Although it is a pretty smooth coaster, it still rattled me quite a bit that early in the morning.

This is one of the reasons I'd really love to visit DLP. I really want to ride this version of Space Mountain!

Check out all the other people riding with us! lol

This is just unbelievable!!!

After a fun little spin around Discoveryland, I took a seat on a bench while DH rode Space Mountain again. I just couldn't hang that early in the morning, I guess. But, we had already had a pretty successful morning, and we still had the rest of the day to look forward to!

You can really get through things when you're the only ones in the park, can't you???

 

[fosterkittymom]

Would you recommend the Trastevere food tour, even for non-foodies? My daughter and I are vegetarians, plus she is a picky eater. I'm trying to decided if it's worth it, knowing we may not eat a lot of the food. I'm imagining 4 hours of non-stop food. Do they give you a ton of food, or is it small portions and then a lot of walking in between places? I've really been enjoying your TR. We leave in less than a month and are also doing DLP. Can't wait!

 

[OKW Lover]

Would you recommend the Trastevere food tour, even for non-foodies? My daughter and I are vegetarians, plus she is a picky eater. I'm trying to decided if it's worth it, knowing we may not eat a lot of the food. I'm imagining 4 hours of non-stop food. Do they give you a ton of food, or is it small portions and then a lot of walking in between places? I've really been enjoying your TR. We leave in less than a month and are also doing DLP. Can't wait!

We were on the tour with Kristy and Dustin. We throughly enjoyed the Trastevere food tour. However, in your case this might not be a good choice. There are 8-10 stops on the tour, including some very interesting sights, but it really is focused on food. You get small portions at each of the stops, except for one where its an actual meal. Several of these stops will have a meat tasting and I'm not sure if there would be an alternative for the vegetarians. OTOH, several of the stops would fit your needs, including the first stop where you get a fried artichoke, one stop where you get gelato, and one stop at a cookie bakery. The amount of walking is spread out over the whole evening so it shouldn't be unbearable to folks accustom to general walking.