rustynation
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2010
- Messages
- 11
My father used credit card points to book me a one-day trip to Disneyland Paris on 19 April, and it's been a month so far, and I'm still thankful it was free.
It was only my second day in Paris, so I had major jet lag, and I had to be at les Pyramides by 7:45 am, and of course the bus left late. We still managed to get to the parks before 8:30, but nothing was open until 9. I later learned that I had yet again managed to get to a Disney Park during school vacation week. That works when I'm the one in school, but not when I got my Master's Degree nine years ago.
I knew that I wouldn't be able to do Magic Kingdom-Disney Studios-Magic Kingdom, so I headed to Disney Studios first. They didn't open until 10.
They opened their doors at 9ish, but didn't let anyone on the rides, and of course I got into the line that was the shortest on sight but had the most problems with the ticket scanner. I headed straight to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, which was the only reason I wanted to go to Disney Studios. I was the first one in line, and I had to wait there for 45 minutes.
With great power comes responsibility, so I tried to hold the line steady when the ride finally opened. I sat down in the front row and...
HOLY **** EITHER I HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT THIS RIDE IS LIKE, CAN NO LONGER DEAL WITH ROLLER COASTERS, OR THE FRENCH VERSION IS MUCH MUCH FASTER!
I was worried the entire time that my two sets of earrings would fall out, so that also detracted from my enjoyment of the ride. I'm just glad I managed to put in contact lenses!
After that, I was already thirsty, so I wanted water. I don't like the taste of French tap water, and I don't like American Evian. I can stand French Evian, but only when cold. I bought a bottle of water, but I drank it in about three minutes and definitely wasn't going to refill it at a water fountain.
As I went outside, the temperature rose, and I walked around the park just to make sure there wasn't another ride I wanted to try. I noticed Crush's Coaster, but the line was 80 minutes long, at about 10:30 am, and the ride doesn't have FastPass.
I then entered the center film studio, saying "Pardon" eight million times to all the people bouncing off me, and decided I needed coffee and a souvenir small enough to fit in my bag. I bought my coffee in French, and found out that I'd have to come back after 3 pm if I wanted to ride Crush's Coaster. That was NOT going to happen.
I headed over to the Magic Kingdom and went straight for the closest loved ride, Thunder Mountain. I was alone, it was already about 85 F and I was wearing jeans, and I didn't plan to run around the park for FastPasses. The estimated wait time was 60 minutes.
I waited an hour and 20 minutes, with a nine-year-old girl practically climbing on top of me the last 10 because she REALLY REALLY wanted to get on the ride. At least I assume so, because we were 10 minutes away from getting on a ride.
Next I headed towards Indiana Jones, where the FastPass machines were broken. I dutifully got in line, and after waiting about a half hour, the ride broke down for another half hour.
I walked through Fantasyland, and became a pinball machine bumper for about 100 children. They just kept running at me and bouncing off. When I reached Discoveryland, I tried to find something to eat, but at that point I wasn't in the mood for fast food, so I was out of luck. I went to the Space Mountain FastPass machines and half of them were broken, and I couldn't deal with the line. I talked to the cast member at the beginning of the line, and finally noticed that the FastPass machine lines were moving again, so I got a FastPass, then got in line for Buzz Lightyear.
I can't remember what FastPass protocol is, but whatever the situation, the Buzz Lightyear FastPasses were for a time after I had to leave Disneyland, so I couldn't have used them anyway. About five minutes after I got in line, THAT ride broke down. I got out of line.
After that, *I* broke down. The combination of crowds, heat, thirst, hunger, and my brain getting confused by four languages I understand caused me to need to sit in place for about 40 minutes and listen to music on my headphones.
When the ride completed, I did something I've never done at a Disney park before (that includes at least 30 trips to Orlando and two to Anaheim): I complained at City Hall. I told the cast member that two rides had broken down, and two sets of FastPass machines were broken, and he gave me passes to go in the back door on two rides.
Needless to say, I had tons of fun on Buzz Lightyear and my second trip to Thunder Mountain.
On the bus ride back to downtown Paris, I found out that other rides had broken down that day, so I cannot imagine that it was a good day in the annals of Disneyland Paris.
Hopefully, in another week or two, I'll be able to say I enjoyed my trip, but as of right now, I still can't.
I got a sunburn that day, and really need to start wearing more sunblock. I said "Pardon" for about a week after I returned home from Paris, even though around here, I say "Excuse me." During the trip, my brain kept forming sentences with words in French, Spanish and German. That really hurt.
I also think that due to the added minerals, French mineral water tastes like feet.
It was only my second day in Paris, so I had major jet lag, and I had to be at les Pyramides by 7:45 am, and of course the bus left late. We still managed to get to the parks before 8:30, but nothing was open until 9. I later learned that I had yet again managed to get to a Disney Park during school vacation week. That works when I'm the one in school, but not when I got my Master's Degree nine years ago.
I knew that I wouldn't be able to do Magic Kingdom-Disney Studios-Magic Kingdom, so I headed to Disney Studios first. They didn't open until 10.
They opened their doors at 9ish, but didn't let anyone on the rides, and of course I got into the line that was the shortest on sight but had the most problems with the ticket scanner. I headed straight to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, which was the only reason I wanted to go to Disney Studios. I was the first one in line, and I had to wait there for 45 minutes.
With great power comes responsibility, so I tried to hold the line steady when the ride finally opened. I sat down in the front row and...
HOLY **** EITHER I HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT THIS RIDE IS LIKE, CAN NO LONGER DEAL WITH ROLLER COASTERS, OR THE FRENCH VERSION IS MUCH MUCH FASTER!
I was worried the entire time that my two sets of earrings would fall out, so that also detracted from my enjoyment of the ride. I'm just glad I managed to put in contact lenses!
After that, I was already thirsty, so I wanted water. I don't like the taste of French tap water, and I don't like American Evian. I can stand French Evian, but only when cold. I bought a bottle of water, but I drank it in about three minutes and definitely wasn't going to refill it at a water fountain.
As I went outside, the temperature rose, and I walked around the park just to make sure there wasn't another ride I wanted to try. I noticed Crush's Coaster, but the line was 80 minutes long, at about 10:30 am, and the ride doesn't have FastPass.
I then entered the center film studio, saying "Pardon" eight million times to all the people bouncing off me, and decided I needed coffee and a souvenir small enough to fit in my bag. I bought my coffee in French, and found out that I'd have to come back after 3 pm if I wanted to ride Crush's Coaster. That was NOT going to happen.
I headed over to the Magic Kingdom and went straight for the closest loved ride, Thunder Mountain. I was alone, it was already about 85 F and I was wearing jeans, and I didn't plan to run around the park for FastPasses. The estimated wait time was 60 minutes.
I waited an hour and 20 minutes, with a nine-year-old girl practically climbing on top of me the last 10 because she REALLY REALLY wanted to get on the ride. At least I assume so, because we were 10 minutes away from getting on a ride.
Next I headed towards Indiana Jones, where the FastPass machines were broken. I dutifully got in line, and after waiting about a half hour, the ride broke down for another half hour.
I walked through Fantasyland, and became a pinball machine bumper for about 100 children. They just kept running at me and bouncing off. When I reached Discoveryland, I tried to find something to eat, but at that point I wasn't in the mood for fast food, so I was out of luck. I went to the Space Mountain FastPass machines and half of them were broken, and I couldn't deal with the line. I talked to the cast member at the beginning of the line, and finally noticed that the FastPass machine lines were moving again, so I got a FastPass, then got in line for Buzz Lightyear.
I can't remember what FastPass protocol is, but whatever the situation, the Buzz Lightyear FastPasses were for a time after I had to leave Disneyland, so I couldn't have used them anyway. About five minutes after I got in line, THAT ride broke down. I got out of line.
After that, *I* broke down. The combination of crowds, heat, thirst, hunger, and my brain getting confused by four languages I understand caused me to need to sit in place for about 40 minutes and listen to music on my headphones.
When the ride completed, I did something I've never done at a Disney park before (that includes at least 30 trips to Orlando and two to Anaheim): I complained at City Hall. I told the cast member that two rides had broken down, and two sets of FastPass machines were broken, and he gave me passes to go in the back door on two rides.
Needless to say, I had tons of fun on Buzz Lightyear and my second trip to Thunder Mountain.
On the bus ride back to downtown Paris, I found out that other rides had broken down that day, so I cannot imagine that it was a good day in the annals of Disneyland Paris.
Hopefully, in another week or two, I'll be able to say I enjoyed my trip, but as of right now, I still can't.
I got a sunburn that day, and really need to start wearing more sunblock. I said "Pardon" for about a week after I returned home from Paris, even though around here, I say "Excuse me." During the trip, my brain kept forming sentences with words in French, Spanish and German. That really hurt.
I also think that due to the added minerals, French mineral water tastes like feet.
