Americans in Paris

[Pumbaa7287]

My lady and I will be going to Disneyland Paris for a day on our trip in July. I've been trying as best as I can to plan things out and had a few questions.

A) If we are planning on hitting both parks in 1 day, is it a better strategy to start with Crush's Coaster and do the Studios, or to start with Fantasyland and Space and Thunder Mountain over at the main park? I'd like to not flip back and forth all day and waste time walking back and forth between parks multiple times. Are these popular rides packed at the end of the park day as well?

B) I know there's a link in the useful info thread for Park Maps, but I can't read any of it. Is there a way to see a larger image somewhere, or even get the maps sent to me at home? I'd love to be able to hold them in my hands!

C) For meals, there are three places I really want to go, Walt's, Blue Bayou, and Hakuna Matata. I know the last one is a counter service, so no ressie's required, but for the other two, is it like the parks here where I need to be on the phone the morning my 60-day window opens to get reservations?

D)We're going in July, what should we expect for weather and crowds?

E) Are there any good guidebooks, a la Birnbaum's for Florida and Cali, for Disney Paris?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can lend a hand to these questions. I'm sure many have been answered before but my computer loads this site somewhat slowly and there's a ton of information to sift through here!

 

[Carrie_Cat]

My ladies and I will be going to Disneyland Paris for a day on our trip in July. I've been trying as best as I can to plan things out and had a few questions.

A) If we are planning on hitting both parks in 1 day, is it a better strategy to start with Crush's Coaster and do the Studios, or to start with Fantasyland and Space and Thunder Mountain over at the main park? I'd like to not flip back and forth all day and waste time walking back and forth between parks multiple times. Are these popular rides packed at the end of the park day as well?

B) I know there's a link in the useful info thread for Park Maps, but I can't read any of it. Is there a way to see a larger image somewhere, or even get the maps sent to me at home? I'd love to be able to hold them in my hands!

C) For meals, there are three places I really want to go, Walt's, Blue Bayou, and Hakuna Matata. I know the last one is a counter service, so no ressie's required, but for the other two, is it like the parks here where I need to be on the phone the morning my 60-day window opens to get reservations?

D)We're going in July, what should we expect for weather and crowds?

E) Are there any good guidebooks, a la Birnbaum's for Florida and Cali, for Disney Paris?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can lend a hand to these questions. I'm sure many have been answered before but my computer loads this site somewhat slowly and there's a ton of information to sift through here!

A- I'd personally start with Crush as there is nothing like it anywhere else. I'd be outside the gates at 9.00-9.15 ready to run as soon as they are open at 9.30 and queue

SM2 and BTM will never be as busy as Crush as they both have FP and they load many many more people.

C - You don't have to be up at the crack of dawn to make your restaurant resas. Last year we decided to go to Walt's for dinner for my birthday and we reserved a few days before - that was start of August.

Make them and then like that you have one less thing to do but with the extended summer hours you aren't going to have any bother getting them unless there's 20 of you or something

But if you are going to eat in all 3 it's going to take a huge chunk of time out of your day

D - Weather could be very hot (for us) - in the high 20's/low 30's or it could be wet and cooler (mid 20's) but it's not going to be worse than that - The past few years have been strange like that

Crowds - it's the summer holidays for all of Europe so that means people but the park is open until late so it's doable if you plan a minimum. There will be even more people on weekends that in the week so if you can avoid w/e do
so

E- The latest gude book is the Brit Guide which has just come out

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Disne...914X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329234676&sr=8-1

A lot of people swear by it - don't know if there is anymore as I've never used one

Hth

 

[Pumbaa7287]

Thank you so much Carrie! I've seen your posts on here before and was kind of hoping you'd answer haha!

So no way to get the park maps other than the small pics on here, then hm?

Also, I don't know why I wrote 'ladies', it's just lady. I need to stop watching tv while I post. My girlfriend and I are taking our first trip to Paris. I originally wanted to do 2 days, which would have made the restaurants more plausible, but my girlfriend is really more interested in the city (weirdo, right?). Perhaps eating at one of them and going to the other to just snap a few pictures would be easier. If so, is there one that's preferable over the others? I'm thinking Hakuna Matata for a quick lunch, and Walt's for dinner to refuel us to go back in the parks at night. I've been to Blue Bayou in Cali, she hasn't, but if it's basically the same place, Walt's sounds like a more unique experience.

Thanks again!

 

[Ware Bears]

Hi, if you want to PM me your details I can post you a map, I usually bring a couple of spare ones home.

I would recommend you eat at Walt's - it's full of memorabilia and the food and service are lovely. I love dining at the Blue Lagoon too but from the research I've been doing on DL it's seems it's the same as the Blue Bayou.

 

[Cyrano]

On the question of guide books I am a fan of the Unofficial Guide with the WDW being our defacto go to guide.
The Disneyland Paris version has recently been given a major update so this may fit the bill

 

[Pumbaa7287]

Thanks for all the reponses! Ware Bears, check your PM box and thanks so much!

Cyrano, what guide is this? Is it on the DIS? Is it a book? There's a lot of unofficial Disney guides out there!

EDIT: Is it this one? Looks like this was published in 2010, will I be missing any major attractions if I get this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Gu...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329249757&sr=1-1

 

[Bastia]

Hello Pumbaa7287, you come in July in DLP, and i go to WDW in March , it's a very good deal

Start withe Crush it's a very good idea Fantasyland is like Fantasyland in WDW

For eat The Walt's and The Blue Bayou are a very good choice

Have a good trip

 

[A Small World]

Blue Lagoon is similar to Blue Bayou but not the same. The food is Caribbean style with quite a few fish options.
Also you walk in through a cave so get a better feeling of being on a caribbean beach as you are totally inside (in Blue Bayou you are just really inside the door)

Saying that Walts probably gives a more unique experience - the entrance and lift are modelled on Club 33

Have you had a look at the restaurant sticky at the menus and photos?

Both the restaurants are inside the main park so easy to do a lunch there instead of a dinner if you preferred.

 

[Pumbaa7287]

Another question there is probably already a thread for... is Parc Asterix worth visiting if we have a week in the city? A friend was telling me about it last night and it seems pretty cool, but not sure if its worth using a whole day on, either.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Another question there is probably already a thread for... is Parc Asterix worth visiting if we have a week in the city? A friend was telling me about it last night and it seems pretty cool, but not sure if its worth using a whole day on, either.

I'm not a fan so I wouldn't recommend . People moan about DLP and customer service, queue jumpers , smoking etc etc ... it's nothing compared to Asterix

We wouldn't go again if it was free put it that way

If you do want to go check out if there is still a bus service from central Paris or not. Otherwise you'd either have to go up to the airport and catch a bus from there or you'll need to have a car to get there.

 

[jessrose18]

jumping in... we bought the unofficial guide to dlrp from amazon a few months ago, it really is a great guide. but i am also a fan of the other unofficial guide books.... ride descriptions are nice so you can make a plan on what you want to see (we are also doing 1 day 2 parks)

a question though about fast passes.... does dlrp enforce fast pass return times? thanks!

 

[Carrie_Cat]

a question though about fast passes.... does dlrp enforce fast pass return times? thanks!

Yes, they always have in my experience. Only exceptions been if the ride has broken down and then you can come back when you want in the day