Jeffs76
Rapunzels Mum
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2011
- Messages
- 84
DD's Birthday began early, with a Birthday meal at Pizza Hut (her choice) with nanny and Pops on Thursday night - which was convenient as it meant no cooking or washing up. Packing was nearly done and time for an early night.
Well that was a waste of time as I got hardly any sleep and was up and having a shower by 6.00am. Little one was up shortly after me and ran into the spare room to wake up Nanny and Pops (they were offon their own holiday on Sunday so had plenty of time to catch up on sleep). Soon we were trooting accross the road to the train station and on our way to St Pancras.
Lovely breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien at St P - very yummy breakfast and then on the train. AS DD was still 3 on the way out we didn't book a seat for her (it meant she travelled for free) but we were lucky enough to be on a set of 4 seats with a table and no-one else satwith us so we could spread out. I spent the next 2 hours panicing that I hadn't been given a Disney Express stocker and was going to miss out on this service. But eventually we got given our pack,luggage tags and our tickets
Once we had handed over our bags we decied to use this half day to explore the Studio Park. It was chuffing freezing and a Friday and I am sure both of these contributed to the Park being nearly deserted. Our First ride was Flying carpets over Agrabah - no queue at all - and we stayed on for 2 goes.
Quick Photo op at the scream doors
Then on to the Cars ride - We loved this, once again we only queued for the previous ride to end.
We then saw the Main Mouse himself with only 2 people waiting to meet him. He was great with Isabelle and wrote Happy 4th Birthday Izzy in her book. He spent ages playing with her and we got some wonderfull photos
Standing nearby was Pluto and here I witnessed how appaling the French are at queuing. But I grew up in Hong Kong and have developed 'Elbows' for dealing with pushers - especially when they are grown men without kids with them (aided by Hubby and his fluent Frnech who told them exactly what he thought of them!)
Toyland next - and for us this was the best bit of the Studio Park. 5 consecutive goes on Slinky - sitting in the last car (his bum) Made me feel sick but DD was happy.
Followed by the amazing parachute drop. Still not sure if I loved this ride or was terrified by it.
We also visited Stitch Live! which was amazing, and the Art of Animation, I am amazed at how still DD sat for the class on how to draw Mickey Mouse but she was captivated and is drawing guide lines on everything now.
By 5pm we were pretty much done in and really wanted to keep the magic of the main Park for DD's birthday so we strolled to our hotel through Disney Village. DD saw the rainforest cafe and asked for dinner here - Spag Bol for her, Mixed grill for me and steak for Hubby - all very good with excellent service. But DD is at that awkward height where she is too big for a high chair or booster but too small for an adult chair - the benefit of this is that she is at just the right height for shovelling food directly for the plate in to her mouth.
Now the plan of action for the Hotel (Sequoia Lodge BTW) was that DD and DH went wandering and exploring while I checked in (and secretly took the bags to the room and decorated with suprises) but I couldn't get the room keys to work so back and forth to the recpetion with all the bags. Then I got in the room but didn;t have the bag key. Then I could get back in the room, so back to reception by which time DD and DH fund me and I was proper seething with Anger. Lovely receptionist came back to the room and let us all in with her key and got us 6 more keys - only 2 of which worked and a helium ballon for DD for ruining her surprises. The room was great and DH distracted her with going to the loo while I set out her welcome present.
HUGE thanks to Rachel (rachandgary) for her help with all the creatives. DH also disappeared to get DD her night time hot chocolate and came back with this:
My very first (and not my last this weekend either
) Glowtini. My word it was Lush!!!
DD was quickly asleep but DH and I hid out in the loo blowing up balloons. When we decided to go to bed our selves (only 9pm french time
) we found DD like this
.
Coming up waking up in Disneyland on your Birthday
Well that was a waste of time as I got hardly any sleep and was up and having a shower by 6.00am. Little one was up shortly after me and ran into the spare room to wake up Nanny and Pops (they were offon their own holiday on Sunday so had plenty of time to catch up on sleep). Soon we were trooting accross the road to the train station and on our way to St Pancras.
Lovely breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien at St P - very yummy breakfast and then on the train. AS DD was still 3 on the way out we didn't book a seat for her (it meant she travelled for free) but we were lucky enough to be on a set of 4 seats with a table and no-one else satwith us so we could spread out. I spent the next 2 hours panicing that I hadn't been given a Disney Express stocker and was going to miss out on this service. But eventually we got given our pack,luggage tags and our tickets

Once we had handed over our bags we decied to use this half day to explore the Studio Park. It was chuffing freezing and a Friday and I am sure both of these contributed to the Park being nearly deserted. Our First ride was Flying carpets over Agrabah - no queue at all - and we stayed on for 2 goes.

Quick Photo op at the scream doors

Then on to the Cars ride - We loved this, once again we only queued for the previous ride to end.

We then saw the Main Mouse himself with only 2 people waiting to meet him. He was great with Isabelle and wrote Happy 4th Birthday Izzy in her book. He spent ages playing with her and we got some wonderfull photos


Toyland next - and for us this was the best bit of the Studio Park. 5 consecutive goes on Slinky - sitting in the last car (his bum) Made me feel sick but DD was happy.

We also visited Stitch Live! which was amazing, and the Art of Animation, I am amazed at how still DD sat for the class on how to draw Mickey Mouse but she was captivated and is drawing guide lines on everything now.
By 5pm we were pretty much done in and really wanted to keep the magic of the main Park for DD's birthday so we strolled to our hotel through Disney Village. DD saw the rainforest cafe and asked for dinner here - Spag Bol for her, Mixed grill for me and steak for Hubby - all very good with excellent service. But DD is at that awkward height where she is too big for a high chair or booster but too small for an adult chair - the benefit of this is that she is at just the right height for shovelling food directly for the plate in to her mouth.

Now the plan of action for the Hotel (Sequoia Lodge BTW) was that DD and DH went wandering and exploring while I checked in (and secretly took the bags to the room and decorated with suprises) but I couldn't get the room keys to work so back and forth to the recpetion with all the bags. Then I got in the room but didn;t have the bag key. Then I could get back in the room, so back to reception by which time DD and DH fund me and I was proper seething with Anger. Lovely receptionist came back to the room and let us all in with her key and got us 6 more keys - only 2 of which worked and a helium ballon for DD for ruining her surprises. The room was great and DH distracted her with going to the loo while I set out her welcome present.

HUGE thanks to Rachel (rachandgary) for her help with all the creatives. DH also disappeared to get DD her night time hot chocolate and came back with this:

My very first (and not my last this weekend either

DD was quickly asleep but DH and I hid out in the loo blowing up balloons. When we decided to go to bed our selves (only 9pm french time


Coming up waking up in Disneyland on your Birthday