Back from a DVC Visit to Disneyland Paris

Olaf

DIS Cast Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2000
Messages
3,866
Stayed two nights at Disneyland Hotel Paris. Me, DH & teenage son. Currently stationed over here (Europe). Needed a place to use our points. In hindsight, I should have rented them out. I just didn't want to bother with it from over here. :rolleyes:

Had to purchase three-day passes for the parks because we were staying two nights at the hotel. :sad2: This was really a downer, as they're quite pricey, and so many rides were down: Tower of Terror, Indian Jones, Captain EO, Casey Jr Train, and Le Pays des Contes de Fées, and the Dragon under the Castle. I was shocked at so many rides being out of commission. Two days was more than enough time for both parks. I wish DVC would renegotiate with Disney Paris on that one. The hotel was nice, had air conditioning, which we needed due to some amazing warm weather over here. The indoor pool was underwhelming. Had a good breakfast buffet included with the room.

The park is really lovely, especially the castle and fantasy land. Had some yummy food at Walts on Main Street (a bit pricey, but hey, it's France). I'm told it's similar to Club 33 in Disneyland; beautifully decorated, but only half full and they were turning people away without reservations. :confused3. The hotel is practically in the park, which makes running back to the room for a break easy peasy. Thrilled to find an Earl of Sandwich at their version of Downtown Disney, and a Starbucks too! DH & DS really liked Space Mountain--I passed. :rolleyes: Crush's Coaster was a neat ride, but took ages to load, and had no fast pass.

People smoke all over those parks and the cast members say nothing. I found it really annoying. Had read reviews at Tripadvisor about rude cast members, but didn't encounter that at all. Some people just didn't seem to know how to queue properly, but we live over here, so we're used to it. I noticed it bothered the Brits in line with us as well.

I don't know if it's because our DS is growing up or what, but I'm afraid we've lost that Disney feeling a bit. We're planning a trip to Hawaii when we return to the States, so it will be awhile until we make it back to WDW. Hopefully, by then, we'll be excited about the parks again. :goodvibes
 
Smoking is so prevalent in Europe. We were surprised on our trip to Italy and Greece this past year, how much, how many and how often everyone seemed to smoke.
 
It's illegal in France to smoke in public places. :smokin: I guess everyone just ignores it. I couldn't help but wonder what Walt have thought. :confused:
 
It's illegal in France to smoke in public places. :smokin: I guess everyone just ignores it. I couldn't help but wonder what Walt have thought. :confused:


probably not much, wasn't he a big smoker himself?
 

I had forgotten about that. I guess everyone smoked back then.

It just didn't seem very Disney. Standing in the queues, people lighting up, dropping their ashes/butts. It was yucky.
 
I had forgotten about that. I guess everyone smoked back then.

It just didn't seem very Disney. Standing in the queues, people lighting up, dropping their ashes/butts. It was yucky.

It's not very Disney at all. I was a smoker for years, and stopped cold turkey last June 8th--so I just celebrated 16 months without a cigarette. When I was a smoker, I noticed that it was never easy at WDW to find a place to smoke, parks or otherwise. Last year when I made my first trip as a non-smoker, I couldn't help but be happy that I wasn't one of those huffing down a cigarette in a hurry, crammed into some tiny outdoor space.

Point being, at least at WDW it's definitely not in your face. I couldn't imagine having people smoke in the queues---yuck.

What I REALLY wish they would enforce at WDW is an "18 & Up" rule in the smoking area. I'm not so much worried about the 17 year olds sneaking cigarettes, but the parents with small children who are practically blowing smoke in their faces. Drives me crazy. There is a smoking area right next to Everest, and I remember 2 years ago seeing a lady with a baby and a 3 year old, both practically in her lap, as she was smoking away. Made me really sad. Disney should not allow a parent to bring a child into a smoking area. I know this is really hard to enforce, but it's Disney property and I believe they could do it.

Sorry to get off on a tangent.....I just hate seeing a helpless child being exposed to something so harmful.
 















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