70 to Freezing in 7 hours. A Nov/Dec 2011 trip report. Updated 4/28

[MEK]

Is it actually possible to pass a Disney Castle without taking pictures:

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Absolutely not!!!!!!!

I love the view of the castle in this picture. In fact, I am all caught up again and I am really enjoying all your pics. I know I always say that, but the HM picture is cool. I love that its so different from the one at WDW. And you have a knack for capturing the best Christmas scenery!

 

[petals]

Mom pinched Goofy. I absolutely love it.

I know I laughed so much when she said that.

I can tell you from your report that I have no desire to ever go to that park. Seriously those people all need a lesson in customer service and how to act at a Disney establishment.

This was our third trip to DLP. I don't remember it being as bad on the two dancing trips but the worse stories are coming up soon. I'm not encouraged to rush back to the place either.

Love the pictures you did get. And I'm glad you got to see most of the Stitch show.

I'm happy they let us in to see Stitch. Stitch is one of my favourites

Absolutely not!!!!!!!

I love the view of the castle in this picture. In fact, I am all caught up again and I am really enjoying all your pics. I know I always say that, but the HM picture is cool. I love that its so different from the one at WDW. And you have a knack for capturing the best Christmas scenery!

Thanks. It was cool to see how different the park was but going to WDW more recently I was comparing everything the whole time and mostly going this isn't as good as WDW I love my WDW. I loved the Santa Village area with all the snowmen and characters though and their Frontierland seemed bigger than the one in WDW but that might have just been the way it was laid out.

 

[petals]

Day 4, part 5:

I should have called this chapter prepare your frying pan because in a few hours I was about to come across one of the rudest people of our trip.

We had left Walt Disney Studios and were headed back in to Disneyland to finish off the last few bits we wanted to see. First when we got back into Disneyland Momma wanted to go to guest services to see if they could give her somewhere quiet so she could ring Shakira (see day 1) and arrange our pick up time to go back to the airport for the next day. The CM at the desk told her to go into one of the side rooms. Momma was using her mobile and seems to have trouble hearing if it’s anyway noisy so she closed the door so she could hear better. While she was on the phone I took pictures of the pictures on the wall:

She arranged her time and all was well and when we walked out there was a scowling CM looking at us and the he marched straight into the room to check it. I don’t think we were meant to close the door. Whatever we just ignored him and left. We stopped to admire the Duffy touches at the storybook shop:

Then we headed for food in Casey’s Corner… I think Momma might have had another coupon for a free tea or something. Anyways I got a Hot dog meal and she got fries and a fruit bowl.

Our plan was to wait for the parade to start and then head to Peter Pan in the hopes that the line would be shorter because everyone was watching the parade. On our way out of Casey’s I noticed the Winnie the Pooh meet and greet area had got some new Christmas decorations:

When we got to Peter Pan apparently we weren’t the only people with the idea of going when the parade was on because the line was still 40 minutes long but it is Momma’s favourite so we decided to suck it up and wait for it. It was the last ride we really wanted to do in the park and we had time to kill before the next show anyway. I took pictures of Dumbo from the queue as well:

As we were waiting for Peter Pan’s Flight the queue behind us just got longer and longer and longer. What is it about that ride that makes it so popular it’s over in like 5 seconds once you get on the flying boat like lol. We did eventually make it to the top of the queue and boarded our flying boat:

After that we headed back out of Fantasyland and down Main Street USA of course taking a few pictures along the way:

It was nearly time for the Christmas tree lighting so at the bottom of the street I asked a CM which side of the tree the show would be happening at. She told me, I snapped this picture:

Then Momma and I got a place on the edge of the footpath and sat down on our ponchos because the tree lighting wasn’t happening until 5.30 and we were there at 5 to get our place. Yay us. We had learnt to do this in WDW it’s not really rocket science either like if you want a good view you get there early right?! While we were waiting I took Angel out of the bag and took some pics with him:

Notice as well how the Christmas tree is already lit up… We were wondering why the lights were on when there was supposed to be a Christmas tree lighting ceremony happening like. Anyways as it got closer to the time the CM’s got everyone sitting on the edge of the footpath to stand up so they could put their ropes and pole things in place fine. So obviously while we were sitting the crowd was building behind us and then when I stood up I put my bag back on my back because there was nowhere else to put it this was the first thing that happened because when I did this I heard a woman behind me go EUGH UN SAC (and for those of you who can’t speak French roughly it means eugh a bag!) Ok so someone was annoyed that I had put the bag on my back fine but where else was I supposed to put it? So the CM came over and asked everyone to take three steps back so they could move their ropes over. Eh I tried but someone behind me wasn’t moving and when I tried to move back they literally shoved me off the footpath so hard that Momma had to grab me and pull me back up. Then angry French speaking woman started trying to shove her children in, in front of me and naturally after her shoving me off the footpath I blocked them. Well there was angry woman, two children and what I can only presume was angry woman’s mother and angry woman pushed and pushed and pushed and gave out in French about me for the entire time we were waiting for the show to start. I every so often would just bump back a little. Angry woman gave out to the older woman that was with her in French a lot about me. I picked up some bits not all but basically she had an issue with the fact I was in front of her and felt her children and herself should be at the front and well the older woman said just keep pushing her. I turned to Momma and said if she does not stop pushing I am going to smack her and Momma was like shhhh she understands English so I said out loud GOOD maybe she’ll understand then that we were here at 5 o’clock and that’s how we managed to get a place at the front and pushing isn’t going to get her any closer. Momma was mortified so I started talking in Irish to her then so Pushy McShoveyson couldn’t understand what I was saying anymore. In the meantime she stopped pushing and the show started and guess what the characters were on a big platform so Pushy McShoveyson was able to see anyway but what was even better was that the CM’s had left a triangle shaped area clear right in front of her and just before the platform with the characters came out the CM’s brought all the press people and travel agents over and stood them right in front of where she had managed to push her kids to. Anyways the show started and it was Goofy, Donald, Mickey and Minnie doing dances to Christmas songs then they invited a child (belonging to one of the travel agent people) up to be the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and light the tree. Sang another song and the platform drove off. It was cute and Christmassy:

They did turn on a few more lights on the tree as well:

Once the platform drove off everyone started to leave and Pushy McShoveyson was talking to older woman and went out loud there was no need for her to be so rude about it while glaring at me. Momma turned to me and went did I hear that right because not only was she pushing you she was pushing me so much she was practically on my back at one stage and she’s saying you’re rude. Pushy never once had to guts to say anything to our face either she just gave out in French presuming that we wouldn’t be able to understand her. Well I gave her the biggest glare ever and then marched Momma towards the confectionary shop before I smacked her. I had never experienced anything so rude in a Disney park in 8 trips to various parks I think I was most shocked at the fact that she had physically shoved me off the footpath and then said that I was rude eh hello like?! Whatever I loved the Christmas tree lighting ceremony regardless of Pushy McShoveyson and wasn't going to let her ruin the rest of our night.


Next up: Jingly Small World!

 

[jenseib]

OH my what a rude family. I get so irate about people like that too.

 

[KatMark]

I'm with you....I don't understand all the excitement over Peter Pan; if there isn't a line, we'll do it. If there is, we'll pass it up.

Great pictures!

I can certainly understand why you were so upset. Absolutely no excuse for that.

I'm glad you enjoyed the show and you got some wonderful pictures of the show.

 

[petals]

OH my what a rude family. I get so irate about people like that too.

I was just a little shocked over how rude but I was determined to let her know subtly that I could understand some French. I think at one stage I even said to Momma I wonder what she'd do if I turned around and started talking French to her.

I'm with you....I don't understand all the excitement over Peter Pan; if there isn't a line, we'll do it. If there is, we'll pass it up.

First thing in the morning is the best time lol. I learnt that in 2011 when I took a trip to Magic Kingdom alone one morning. Went on Peter Pan first and it was a walk on. Was brilliant

Great pictures!

Thanks.

I can certainly understand why you were so upset. Absolutely no excuse for that.

It was just so shocking really. I go to disney and I expect, cheery happy, everyone getting on nicely like and when we were in Paris is wasn't like that at all. Maybe I just got it on a bad week or something. She was certainly the worst guest we came across though.

I'm glad you enjoyed the show and you got some wonderful pictures of the show.

It was a great show. I love all the Christmassy stuff.

 

[blessedmom4]

It is amazing how unDisney like so many people can be in the middle of all of that magic.I am glad you didn't have to come to blows and that you had such a great spot to view the Tree lighting.

 

[petals]

It is amazing how unDisney like so many people can be in the middle of all of that magic.I am glad you didn't have to come to blows and that you had such a great spot to view the Tree lighting.

I wouldn't have actually hit her. I may have screamed at her but I wouldn't hit. We learn from experience in WDW if you want a good view get there early.

It was worth getting there early as well. It was such a cute show with the characters.

 

[afwdwfan]

Ok, you don't need a frying pan, you need a baseball bat.

I can't believe your momma was displeased with your speaking out about their rudeness. It seems to me like your momma isn't one to take that kind of treatment from anybody. I'm surprised she didn't let them have it.

That definitely isn't the kind of magical experience you want in the parks, but I'm glad you were at least able to hold your ground and enjoy the show, even if you had to put up with some rude behavior.

 

[petals]

Ok, you don't need a frying pan, you need a baseball bat.

I can't believe your momma was displeased with your speaking out about their rudeness. It seems to me like your momma isn't one to take that kind of treatment from anybody. I'm surprised she didn't let them have it.

That definitely isn't the kind of magical experience you want in the parks, but I'm glad you were at least able to hold your ground and enjoy the show, even if you had to put up with some rude behavior.

Frying pan, Baseball bat it's all good

I think Momma just didn't want to create a scene in the parks. I was just determined to stay right where I was lol. It is disappointing though when people feel they need to do that especially in Disney like and you might understand it if the characters were on the ground and she genuinely couldn't see but they were on a platform like so everyone could see.

 

[MEK]

I love this picture! Pretty!

Ugh to the pushy, shoving woman. I get that she wants her children to have a good view, but that is certainly NOT the way to go about getting it.

 

[petals]

I love this picture! Pretty!

Thanks

Ugh to the pushy, shoving woman. I get that she wants her children to have a good view, but that is certainly NOT the way to go about getting it.

I know most of the time with children I will let them in front of me if the parents ask nicely and they don't have a balloon or something that will get in the way of my pictures... although her children weren't small children either I'd say they were easily 11 or 12 and one of them was taller than me so I prob wouldn't have let him stand in front of me anyway me being a tad vertically challenged and all that

 

[petals]

In three weeks I'm going to be in the chorus with the local Musical Society for their production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. It only hit me at rehearsals on Sunday I'm actually going to be in a Disney Musical. Fine it's only a local musical society but it's still Disney. OMG though you know the way you get a song stuck in your head well at the moment my head is just playing Beauty and the Beast songs but it's not even one full song it's like a line or two from each of the songs rotating in my head

Day 4, part 6:

So we had just finished watching the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and nothing else was scheduled on the park map or schedule until Disney Dreams. Momma and I decided that we would stay and watch Dreams a second time because there was nothing else we really wanted to do that night but since we had time we might as well get one more ride in before Dreams. We left the Christmas tree:

And we walked up through the shops to avoid some of the crowd I noticed this on the top of the pillar between the confectionary shop and the one next to it:

We decided to take one more ride on Small World since it's a favourite of both of ours, that and I wanted more pictures of the Christmas stuff they had added. While we were in the queue for Small World we could see the back of the castle and something was happening, there was laser beams going at the two sides of the castle and then all of a sudden Christmas lights came on, on the castle towers. There was no castle lighting ceremony scheduled on the map or the park timetable thing so we had no idea that this was taking place but I read after that it was a little ceremony with fountains and everything so I was disappointed about DLPs lack of advertising the event. Anyways back to Small World they had added more Christmas outfits to some of the dolls and more Christmassy scenes:

You know the Small World theme that plays on a loop and gets just a bit annoying after the first few repeats yeah well for Christmas it was Small World and Jingle Bells together. Not my video but I found this on you tube just so y'all can experience it for yourselves in a virtual manner:
Clickie
After our boat trip around the world we went back through Fantasyland towards the castle hub stopping to take a few pictures along the way. How cool does the tea cups look at night:

I found this tucked away in a corner as well:

The Castle hub seemed to be filling up early that night for Dreams so Momma and I found a place at the railings since all the benches were taken already. Momma decided it was snack time so she took charge of the bags and I went back down Main Street USA to get some treats at the confectionary shop. I was playing with cameras along the way trying to figure out which one took the best night-time photos:

I found two CMs with a pin board outside one of the shops half way down the street as well. I could have been giving them a piece of cardboard for all the attention they paid to me though lol.
Anyways I went back to Momma treat in hand and well my place had been taken. Momma had put my bag at the rail beside her to reserve my place and some woman had come along and just plonked her buggy on top of my bag. Momma said she told her that the space was taken and the woman just ignored her. I said we would figure it out when we ate. We had got the little meringue Mickey heads. I got one dipped in Chocolate, Momma got a plain one:

Momma was very concerned about the fact the woman had taken my space she was afraid I wasn't going to be able to get the pictures I wanted. At that stage I wasn't too bothered. I left Momma at the railing again and went for a wander to try figure out which camera would take the best night-time castle picture.

I wandered up closer to the castle and found a huge empty gap at the front of the castle where there was only one row of people standing and a wide buggy at the front with no adults standing behind it so brain kicking into gear I copped if we stood here we would have a better view of the castle and like our Dustbin theory if we stood behind the buggy nobody would stand in front of us blocking the view. I took a few more pics with a different camera before I went back to get Momma:

Next up: Goodnight Disneyland!

 

[afwdwfan]

That's too bad that you missed the castle lighting. It really is surprising that they didn't have a little bit of info about when it was going to happen.

Too bad you encountered more rudeness... Apparently your property is insignifcant if they just want to park themselves on your bag.

 

[petals]

That's too bad that you missed the castle lighting. It really is surprising that they didn't have a little bit of info about when it was going to happen.

I know I was really surprised at that as well and I've read and re-read the park map and timetable several times since I've come home in case it was us that read it wrong but it's definately not on it which I thought was really weird.

Too bad you encountered more rudeness... Apparently your property is insignifcant if they just want to park themselves on your bag.

I had stopped caring at that point. It just seemed to go on and on and on in that park like. Get me to WDW all is forgiven

 

[petals]

Found out tonight I'm going to be a bottle opener in our production of Beauty and the Beast for the castle songs.

 

[nancy155]

Found out tonight I'm going to be a bottle opener in our production of Beauty and the Beast for the castle songs.

How exciting!! I bet you will have the time of your life!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards Nancy

 

[petals]

How exciting!! I bet you will have the time of your life!

It will be a fun week. It's my birthday that week and I'm going to be in Beauty and the Beas, plus I have a week off work for it. The only way to make it better was if we were doing the show in Disney World

 

[KatMark]

I am not a fan of It's a Small World (I call it the slow boat to China), but I love how they did it up for the holidays...very cool!

Your castle pictures are beautiful.

 

[petals]

I am not a fan of It's a Small World (I call it the slow boat to China), but I love how they did it up for the holidays...very cool!

Small World is my favourite I think inside there's a five year old desperately trying to get out

Your castle pictures are beautiful.

Thanks. It was very hard to get good pictures of that castle at night because it's not lit up as well as the one in WDW that and my cameras aren't great for night-time shots away