cherrymarzipan
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2010
- Messages
- 1,340
Back last night after our last minute birthday trip for Oliver just him and me this time and we flew too (Soton-Orly) which was an added treat for Oliver. Oliver is always just so thrilled to be at DLP that we couldnt fail to have a lovely time so to call this mini-report highs and lows is a bit of an exaggeration really but here we go:
Highs:
The highlight for Oliver was when one of the railroad CMs let him pose for a photo wearing her hat! He is so excited by this and keeps signing hat and train saying, me, driver.
We were really lucky with the Disney train this trip which made up for last time when we kept just missing it and having to go away rather than wait an hour for the next one. Both times we went to the station there was a train there waiting and we could just hop straight on.
A really quiet park so there were no queues anywhere and we could walk around so easily and take our time looking at things. Loos were all clean too.
Halloween decorations being out pre-season so without the crowds and as above we could have a good look. We even got Minnies Couture Boutique to ourselves which I doubt will happen often once the season is in full swing. No Halloween characters of course but that was to be expected.
Rainforest Café, had a lovely vegetarian pasta dish here with loads of different kinds of vegetables eg broccoli, asparagus, mange tout, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes. Huge portions too, could have shared if I had the nerve to ask for two plates as I hate to waste and despite valiant efforts neither of us could clear our bowls. We were seated beside the small elephant which Oliver loved despite jumping every time the elephant started moving. Very quiet in here too.
Doing the cartoon drawing at Art of Animation. Never been there at the right time before and although Oliver cannot use a pencil at all I stood beside him and he watched as I drew. We did Winnie the Pooh.
Another first, I discovered the Belgium waffle. Extremely sweet but quite delicious. I had mine with chocolate sauce. Oliver stuck to his Gibson Girl crepe with Chantilly cream and chocolate ice cream as his sugary treat.
Flying there, Oliver was so well behaved and the airline staff everywhere were very helpful.
Sneaked a peak of new Ratatouille ride area from the end of the Toy Story tunnel and it looks fabulous! Will put some photos up later.
RS Transports which Kizzabel and Elaine recommended. Very efficient, reasonably priced (only 4 euros more than I would have paid for the two of us on the VEA) and quick. The driving seemed perfectly OK to me too and the drivers, whilst taciturn were pleasant.
Lows:
The only low I can think of which is a fair one was the difficulty in finding restaurants. For lunch we trawled round the Agrabah and Walts both closed and the Silver Spur Steakhouse (which despite the name has a reasonable vegetarian past dish) which was only open between 3 and 5 which I think is ridiculous as it is too late for lunch and too early for dinner.
Other than that it was just the closure of IASW, Casey Jr and Storybook plus lack of characters walking around which considering it was low season was fair enough and well worth the trade off with low crowd levels. We were affected by the odd breakdown at times but I was talking to a CM at Peter Pans Flight which had broken down and she was explaining that often these breakdowns are guest induced. This one was caused by a guest standing up too early before the gondola stop which meant the emergency stop button had to be pushed and after that happens the whole system has to be checked and tested before running again.
Oliver had hoped to meet Aladdin and Jasmine but I knew we would be very unlikely to do so and Jasmine did blow him a kiss from the Stars and Cars parade. He had nice interaction from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pooh Bear, Pinocchio, Jessie and Buzz so not bad on a two-day trip.
I consciously tried at times to see the park through more critical eyes but I really dont find it at all run down. The planting is lovely particularly loved the splashy dahlias in the front lot in the Studios and is only spoiled in places by inconsiderate guests. Elsewhere there might be the odd loose brick in the paving but the overall impression is still utterly charming to me. It was a very relaxed trip all round and its lovely to think that we will be back again at the end of the month for the Halloween party.
Highs:
The highlight for Oliver was when one of the railroad CMs let him pose for a photo wearing her hat! He is so excited by this and keeps signing hat and train saying, me, driver.
We were really lucky with the Disney train this trip which made up for last time when we kept just missing it and having to go away rather than wait an hour for the next one. Both times we went to the station there was a train there waiting and we could just hop straight on.
A really quiet park so there were no queues anywhere and we could walk around so easily and take our time looking at things. Loos were all clean too.
Halloween decorations being out pre-season so without the crowds and as above we could have a good look. We even got Minnies Couture Boutique to ourselves which I doubt will happen often once the season is in full swing. No Halloween characters of course but that was to be expected.
Rainforest Café, had a lovely vegetarian pasta dish here with loads of different kinds of vegetables eg broccoli, asparagus, mange tout, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes. Huge portions too, could have shared if I had the nerve to ask for two plates as I hate to waste and despite valiant efforts neither of us could clear our bowls. We were seated beside the small elephant which Oliver loved despite jumping every time the elephant started moving. Very quiet in here too.
Doing the cartoon drawing at Art of Animation. Never been there at the right time before and although Oliver cannot use a pencil at all I stood beside him and he watched as I drew. We did Winnie the Pooh.
Another first, I discovered the Belgium waffle. Extremely sweet but quite delicious. I had mine with chocolate sauce. Oliver stuck to his Gibson Girl crepe with Chantilly cream and chocolate ice cream as his sugary treat.
Flying there, Oliver was so well behaved and the airline staff everywhere were very helpful.
Sneaked a peak of new Ratatouille ride area from the end of the Toy Story tunnel and it looks fabulous! Will put some photos up later.
RS Transports which Kizzabel and Elaine recommended. Very efficient, reasonably priced (only 4 euros more than I would have paid for the two of us on the VEA) and quick. The driving seemed perfectly OK to me too and the drivers, whilst taciturn were pleasant.
Lows:
The only low I can think of which is a fair one was the difficulty in finding restaurants. For lunch we trawled round the Agrabah and Walts both closed and the Silver Spur Steakhouse (which despite the name has a reasonable vegetarian past dish) which was only open between 3 and 5 which I think is ridiculous as it is too late for lunch and too early for dinner.
Other than that it was just the closure of IASW, Casey Jr and Storybook plus lack of characters walking around which considering it was low season was fair enough and well worth the trade off with low crowd levels. We were affected by the odd breakdown at times but I was talking to a CM at Peter Pans Flight which had broken down and she was explaining that often these breakdowns are guest induced. This one was caused by a guest standing up too early before the gondola stop which meant the emergency stop button had to be pushed and after that happens the whole system has to be checked and tested before running again.
Oliver had hoped to meet Aladdin and Jasmine but I knew we would be very unlikely to do so and Jasmine did blow him a kiss from the Stars and Cars parade. He had nice interaction from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pooh Bear, Pinocchio, Jessie and Buzz so not bad on a two-day trip.
I consciously tried at times to see the park through more critical eyes but I really dont find it at all run down. The planting is lovely particularly loved the splashy dahlias in the front lot in the Studios and is only spoiled in places by inconsiderate guests. Elsewhere there might be the odd loose brick in the paving but the overall impression is still utterly charming to me. It was a very relaxed trip all round and its lovely to think that we will be back again at the end of the month for the Halloween party.
I'm sat here about to go off to work and yet again this week it's grey, drizzling with rain and miserable outside. Then I read this and I am instantly cheered up so THANK YOU! 
it was such a pleasure to read.
I love Belgian waffles especially with ice cream.
Glad our pleasure was shared. The weather here cleared up later today so hope it has for you too! 
