dlpSteve
Mr Dedicated to DLP
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2003
- Messages
- 2,630
December 24th 2005
Photos are already up on Studio One Photos: http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/index.html
Cast:
Me (31) and Denise (DW 25)
As is usual, when I have to get up for something I dont sleep, managed 4 hours that night up at 7.30am again! Got to Ashford International in just a few minutes, parked the car and joined the queue the long, very disorganised queue which lasted forever! Finally we got through to the departure lounge and had sat down for just a few minutes when the platform opened, and on we got! Journey was hassle free until we tried to get off, and found the door blocked from floor to ceiling with buggies and cases smart move! We took some off in order to get out, left our cases with the Disney Express desk and set off to the parks!
The first thing we noticed on entry to Disneyland Park was the lack of crowds, that combined with warmer weather than we expected and the awesome feeling of entering DLRP again had us feeling great we were home! There were singers singing carols in the bandstand which is a first for us very seasonal. By 2.30pm we had had lunch at Caseys and been on Pirates of the Caribbean where I noticed the swinging pirate is back, tough not swinging! I had also been into a few shows and bought 6 CDs!
After wondering around a few shops, where Denise bought and then wore a Goofy Christmas hat (complete with ears), we got our place for the parade, which was right near Town Square Photography. The countdown wasnt quite working as we had calls of 10 minutes to go, 10 minutes to go, 5 minutes to go and then 5 minutes to go my guess was that they have staggered announcements for the start and end points of the parade but for some reason they were all being heard in the same place that theory went out the window when the parade didnt start until 5 minutes after the last minute call and we were right at near the beginning! Great hearing Chante cest Noel again, and with the sun shining and the parade in full swing it was great.
After the parade we trotted off to Phantom Manor, which is second only to Pirates of the Caribbean for me. I did notice one change, or maybe noticed something for the first time!? In the room that lowers down and goes dark there was lightning at the top during the darkness on all our previous visits there has just been pitch blackness I liked the lightning added well to the atmosphere. Speaking of PM, we saw a wonderful PM globe in one of the shops and as collectors of Disney globes we were seriously considering it.
Around 5.40 we gathered round Central Plaza for the Enchanted Fairytale Ceremony, which kicked off in great style with the characters coming out for a singsong. We were less impressed when the Prince and Princesses came out it was too cold to stand around looking at humans! This was followed by the flashing lampposts and lights of Main St USA which was a massive letdown compared to the lighting ceremony of previous years and we both yearned back to the sight of the Christmas Arches. We also witnessed, during this, one very aggressive lady who would not let anyone or anything get in the way of her video camera this included pushing a small child almost from the arms of its father and shoving another woman Id have said something but shed have no doubt squashed me like a bug had a said anything scary!
Having seen Fantillusion many times before we decided that as we were both quite cold and tired wed head back to Disney Village to get something to eat. We got a table booking at the Rainforest Café (somewhere wed both wanted to eat in due to the fun looking atmosphere) for 30 minutes time and looked round the shops again a popular activity this holiday! Our table was situated near the gorillas (I think they were alive Dee
) anyone who has been there will know that at regular intervals they become active and make plenty of noise! Its a wonderfully themed restaurant and warm which was great. Denise had Chinese noodles with duck the duck was cold she left that. I had a chicken Caesar salad which was nice but smothered with dressing, to the point where I had to give up OTT! Denise had, and I quote, The best milkshake in the world banana, chocolate and chocolate cookies! The theming far outshone the food but at least weve tried it now.
After dinner we walked back to the Cheyenne and booked in we were in the Butch Cassidy a different end of the complex to our previous stays. I insisted on taking us one way which was far longer than the way Denise had wanted to walk! After dropping our stuff off we went for a drink in the Sequoia Lodge which took an age to get served in and was even more smokey than the Ashford Holiday Inn bar! We met Dee and family and this time met Ben too who is like a character from a 1920s film a true gentlemen and a pleasure to be around. Had an awesome drink there, a Bear Hug Strawberry, Orange and Honey syrup nice and sweet! Josh and I have a similar age gap that I have with my younger brother and he does with his eldest we are also on the same wavelength so we got on famously, when he wasnt chasing me round the hotel trying to see what presents had been bought for him! Dee and dave told us all about their trips to WDW and I am more determined than ever to get over my fear of flying it sounds amazing. On one trip to the shop I bought a hoodie which I had to promptly take back as Denise had bought it for me as a surprise Christmas present oops! We arranged to meet Dee and family the next morning as they were going to take us into the very exclusive Café Mickey wahooo! They also invited us to join them for dinner on Christmas Day night at Plaza gardens which we readily accepted, it was like being part of a really great family - yay!
On thew way back to the hotel we saw some ice scupltures being taken out of the reastaurant at the Sequoia Lodge - note sure what they wre eas it was dark, but they looked impressive! Back in the hotel room and nearing exhaustion Denise and I exchanged DLRP gifts I got the aforementioned hoodie and a Mickey beach towel and I gave her a watch. Then it was off to sleep and the next time we woke up it would be Christmas Day, in Disneyland Resort Paris!!!
Next (probably tomorrow now): Christmas Day!
Photos are already up on Studio One Photos: http://www.rumgone.co.uk/dlrp/index.html
Cast:
Me (31) and Denise (DW 25)
As is usual, when I have to get up for something I dont sleep, managed 4 hours that night up at 7.30am again! Got to Ashford International in just a few minutes, parked the car and joined the queue the long, very disorganised queue which lasted forever! Finally we got through to the departure lounge and had sat down for just a few minutes when the platform opened, and on we got! Journey was hassle free until we tried to get off, and found the door blocked from floor to ceiling with buggies and cases smart move! We took some off in order to get out, left our cases with the Disney Express desk and set off to the parks!
The first thing we noticed on entry to Disneyland Park was the lack of crowds, that combined with warmer weather than we expected and the awesome feeling of entering DLRP again had us feeling great we were home! There were singers singing carols in the bandstand which is a first for us very seasonal. By 2.30pm we had had lunch at Caseys and been on Pirates of the Caribbean where I noticed the swinging pirate is back, tough not swinging! I had also been into a few shows and bought 6 CDs!
After wondering around a few shops, where Denise bought and then wore a Goofy Christmas hat (complete with ears), we got our place for the parade, which was right near Town Square Photography. The countdown wasnt quite working as we had calls of 10 minutes to go, 10 minutes to go, 5 minutes to go and then 5 minutes to go my guess was that they have staggered announcements for the start and end points of the parade but for some reason they were all being heard in the same place that theory went out the window when the parade didnt start until 5 minutes after the last minute call and we were right at near the beginning! Great hearing Chante cest Noel again, and with the sun shining and the parade in full swing it was great.
After the parade we trotted off to Phantom Manor, which is second only to Pirates of the Caribbean for me. I did notice one change, or maybe noticed something for the first time!? In the room that lowers down and goes dark there was lightning at the top during the darkness on all our previous visits there has just been pitch blackness I liked the lightning added well to the atmosphere. Speaking of PM, we saw a wonderful PM globe in one of the shops and as collectors of Disney globes we were seriously considering it.
Around 5.40 we gathered round Central Plaza for the Enchanted Fairytale Ceremony, which kicked off in great style with the characters coming out for a singsong. We were less impressed when the Prince and Princesses came out it was too cold to stand around looking at humans! This was followed by the flashing lampposts and lights of Main St USA which was a massive letdown compared to the lighting ceremony of previous years and we both yearned back to the sight of the Christmas Arches. We also witnessed, during this, one very aggressive lady who would not let anyone or anything get in the way of her video camera this included pushing a small child almost from the arms of its father and shoving another woman Id have said something but shed have no doubt squashed me like a bug had a said anything scary!
Having seen Fantillusion many times before we decided that as we were both quite cold and tired wed head back to Disney Village to get something to eat. We got a table booking at the Rainforest Café (somewhere wed both wanted to eat in due to the fun looking atmosphere) for 30 minutes time and looked round the shops again a popular activity this holiday! Our table was situated near the gorillas (I think they were alive Dee
) anyone who has been there will know that at regular intervals they become active and make plenty of noise! Its a wonderfully themed restaurant and warm which was great. Denise had Chinese noodles with duck the duck was cold she left that. I had a chicken Caesar salad which was nice but smothered with dressing, to the point where I had to give up OTT! Denise had, and I quote, The best milkshake in the world banana, chocolate and chocolate cookies! The theming far outshone the food but at least weve tried it now.
After dinner we walked back to the Cheyenne and booked in we were in the Butch Cassidy a different end of the complex to our previous stays. I insisted on taking us one way which was far longer than the way Denise had wanted to walk! After dropping our stuff off we went for a drink in the Sequoia Lodge which took an age to get served in and was even more smokey than the Ashford Holiday Inn bar! We met Dee and family and this time met Ben too who is like a character from a 1920s film a true gentlemen and a pleasure to be around. Had an awesome drink there, a Bear Hug Strawberry, Orange and Honey syrup nice and sweet! Josh and I have a similar age gap that I have with my younger brother and he does with his eldest we are also on the same wavelength so we got on famously, when he wasnt chasing me round the hotel trying to see what presents had been bought for him! Dee and dave told us all about their trips to WDW and I am more determined than ever to get over my fear of flying it sounds amazing. On one trip to the shop I bought a hoodie which I had to promptly take back as Denise had bought it for me as a surprise Christmas present oops! We arranged to meet Dee and family the next morning as they were going to take us into the very exclusive Café Mickey wahooo! They also invited us to join them for dinner on Christmas Day night at Plaza gardens which we readily accepted, it was like being part of a really great family - yay!
On thew way back to the hotel we saw some ice scupltures being taken out of the reastaurant at the Sequoia Lodge - note sure what they wre eas it was dark, but they looked impressive! Back in the hotel room and nearing exhaustion Denise and I exchanged DLRP gifts I got the aforementioned hoodie and a Mickey beach towel and I gave her a watch. Then it was off to sleep and the next time we woke up it would be Christmas Day, in Disneyland Resort Paris!!!
Next (probably tomorrow now): Christmas Day!
!
