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[Ned Lostmore]

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[Karin1984]

Hey all!

I've never been to Disneyland Paris (or any international Disney park) before, so I figured it was time to start.

I've been to Disneyland three times, and Disney World more times than I can count. I speak very good conversational French.

It's nice, but not necessary to speak French at DLP.

I'm staying at Sequoia for three nights, with four days in the parks. I've heard the food is overall pretty bad, so I plan on making table service dinner reservations at Captain Jack's, Auberge de Cendrillon, Walt's, and Bistrot Chez Remy. Beyond dinner at BCR and the Ratatoille attraction, I plan to pretty much avoid the Studios park.

First of all, the food is just average, there are some good and there are some places you should avoid, but overall it's not 'Pretty bad'. The thing is, WDW has a very high standard, and can be a dining destination. So people who come from a background with mainly WDW have very different expectations. People who are used to DL Anaheim differ again from WDW-regulars when it comes to dining, they focus much more on snacks (I think). If you are looking for authentic French food go to Paris or the countryside.

If you do not care for characters, don't do the Auberge. The food is definitely not worth the price, you pay for the characters. If you want to get better value and more interesting food, go for the breakfast.

So, here are my questions...

First, do I sound like I'm on the right track?
I think I've got everything under control, but I'm not positive. Keep in mind that I absolutely do not care about meeting characters, and shows aren't a big deal to me. This vacation is about exploring the park's ambiance #1, and checking out the interesting attractions #2.

You don't mention any kind of motion sickness, but any reason why you do not have Crush Coaster in the Studios on your list? It's unique and pretty awesome.
I get that the Studios are not that appealing with mainly shows and all the refurbishments going on, but you have a lot of time on your hands (travelling solo?) Why not plan some time for Tower of Terror (different from WDW, and it doesn't have the Guardians of the Galaxy layover from DL), Toy Story land. You have plenty of time if you are skipping shows and characters. 3 full days at Disneyland park in a row, even with the shorter hours in November would be too much for me.

If you do plan on 1 or 2 shows, go for Mickey and the Magician, and/or Mickey's Christmas Big Band, if the Christmas season has started yet.

For lunch, which restaurants should I focus on?
Colonel Hathi’s, Pizzeria Bella Notte, Hakuna Matata, Toad Hall, the Plaza, or Agrabah Cafe? Is there anywhere I'm missing?

Go to Agrabah Cafe once, the rest are fine. Avoid the Hyperion in Discoveryland and Restaurant en Coulisse in the Studios.
Again, DLP is not a dining destination, and restaurants shouldn't be your main focus.

Which attractions are can't-miss at DLP?
I already figure everything except Ratatouille is can-miss at WDSP. I'm most excited about Phantom Manor.

Crush Coaster, Big Thunder Mountain, Phantom Manor, Pays des Contes Fee, Space Mountain.

Where are the nicest bars?
I think it would be great to find somewhere quiet to have a drink each night — is my hotel the best bet for that, or are there other places?

Thank you all!

I'm not much of a bar person, we usually go to Fantasia in the Disneyland hotel to break the day / when we are tired, but that's more about the location.
I think the hotel bars are pretty empty at night, if you like quiet, that would be fine. If you want something a bit more lively, I would suggest to go to Disney Village. The Sports bar or the Saloon.

 

[olafLover]

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[zavandor]

Cowboy cookout BBQ and the Lucky Nudget have similar menus and the food is very good (at least the ribs are very good ) and both have an exceptional ambience. There may also be some live entertainment for luch, both are strongly recommended.
Toad Hall is worth the visit just for the theming, it's very cute.

 

[elena_n2o]

The bar in the Sequoia Lodge is really nice, there's a big fireplace and it feels just perfect in the winter months... Otherwise I would have recommended the bar in the New York but it's closed for the hotels refurb.

For the restaurants, I'd say Agrabah Cafe (for us the best buffet in the parks), Toad Hall, Hakuna Matata, Fuente del Oro and Lucky Nugget.

If you're going during the Christmas season I'd say go to the Mickey's Big Band show in the Studios, it's really a great one. They also have a nightly show (with projections on the ToT) which is worth checking.