Danauk
<font color=green>I would be sitting on the patio
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
- Messages
- 14,597
Monday 7th April
So it was finally 2am and time to set off!! The car was packed and we were ready for the 3 hour drive to the tunnel. We had decided that I would drive to the tunnel then Pete would drive from Calais to DLP. So as we set off the weather was OK. We had taken Pete's car (on the grounds that he has a newer Mondeo turbo diesel and I have a 1.4 R reg Clio!!) which I am not that used to driving!! So the journey began, Pete lowered the passenger seat down to get some sleep, the £1 coin was ready for me to cross the Dartford crossing with so I would not need to wake him up. The first 2/3 of the journey was fine, then just before the Dartford crossing it began to snow. No worries, I found the windscreen wipers (although I did accidently turn the rear wiper on as well and it took me 15 minutes to work out how to switch it off again!!) Then we hit roadworks, it was dark, snowing, Tom Tom was telling me to turn one way and the road works were ending me another (those sat navs can really moan when you go a different way to what they tell you!!) But I navigated though without any problems and by 5am we were at the tunnel. Pete work up just as we pulled up to the check in machine.
So we headed into the terminal for breakfast and soon our 6:20am crossing was called. They were checking all the cars going through for the extra security. Now once when we had been checked the check came back abnormal (turned out to be the manure that my friend had been using the day before on her rose bed that had somehow a trace had got onto the handle of the car.) This was the time Pete chose to say, "Oh I was handling the pyrotechnics at the theatre yesterday so there might be traces of explosives on the car door handle!!"
Luckily there was not!!
So we were onto the shuttle and on our way.
We arrived in Calais on time and it had obviously snowed more there than it had over here.
The 1st hour or so of driving was a little scary as the big lorries kept having huge chunks of snow suddenly fly off the top of them!! But the nearer to DLP we got the less snow there was.
We got to DLP by 11:15am and checked in straight away. We were given our park passes and were told that we could swap our breakfast at the hotel one morning for a character breakfast at Cafe Mickey, so we decided to do that on Thursday, the day we left. Our room was ready already so we decided to unpack. We had a room on the 2nd floor near the lift which was really handy as we didn't have far to walk. It was also very quiet which I was surpised at. We had booked a standard view and got a room overlooking the ice skating rink and you could see a bit of the lake as well.
We quickly unpacked and headed to the Disneyland Park. Crossing the esplanade out of Disney Village was when I really noticed for the 1st time the impact the ToT had on the skyline since my last trip.
We headed straight to the park and it wasn't that busy.
We decided we needed a bite to eat as it was lunch time so we stopped on Main Street. I had the Mickey pizza which was actually really nice!!
We headed straight to BTMRR to grab a Fast Pass. It was for a slot 45 minutes away so we decided to ride Phantom Manor which was a walk on. Then we decided to look around the castle.
I thought the castle looked pretty with the candles on and loved the Mickey and Minnie above the 15 logo.
And then went out onto the balcony
By now it was time to ride BTMRR, there was still snow on the roof of part of the ride.
Next we headed over to POTC which was also a walk on. I didn't take any photos here as the constant flashing is one of my pet hates!! I like to see the ride in the dark!!
After this we decided to do a lap of the park on the train.
Next we decided it would be a good idea to quickly head over to the studios to see where Crush was as we wanted to get to it quickly tomorrow morning!
After that we decided to head back to the room for a bit of a break. On the way back we called in a few of the shops in Disney Village to get a few things. My latest Disney obsession is pin trading so I bought a few pins (this would become a pattern over the next few days!!) and traded some pins with the CM's.
After an hour rest we headed back to the park fat 6:30pm ready for our 7pm reservation at Walts. When we got back into the park we saw the character express and then did a little more shopping on Main Street. We got to Walts at 6:45 and were seated straight away in the small gallery room.
We had a lovely view at a window table overlooking Main Street.
The meal was really nice. We decided to share a bottle of white wine which was really light. For starters I had parma ham salad and Pete had clam chowder, both were really good. For the main course I had lamb chops and veg. The lamb was nice but the veg was a little too oily for my tastes. Pete had beef fillet which was really nice and cooked just how he had asked for it. For desert I had lemon cheesecake which was really light and tasty, Pete had apple crumble which again was really nice. We will definately eat here again.
By now it was 8:15pm and the park was closing. I headed towards the castle to take a few pictures as Candleabration had already happened.
By now the park was emptying
and Mickey was waving good night to all his guests.
On the way out we decided to call into the Disneyland hotel to have a drink in Cafe Fantasia. I really like this bar as I love the theaming. The pianist was playing various tunes whilst I sipped my mojito. Soon we were tired though and headed back to our room as we had had a long day and we had to be up for breakfast at 7am ready for early entry. I was fast asleep by 10pm!!
So it was finally 2am and time to set off!! The car was packed and we were ready for the 3 hour drive to the tunnel. We had decided that I would drive to the tunnel then Pete would drive from Calais to DLP. So as we set off the weather was OK. We had taken Pete's car (on the grounds that he has a newer Mondeo turbo diesel and I have a 1.4 R reg Clio!!) which I am not that used to driving!! So the journey began, Pete lowered the passenger seat down to get some sleep, the £1 coin was ready for me to cross the Dartford crossing with so I would not need to wake him up. The first 2/3 of the journey was fine, then just before the Dartford crossing it began to snow. No worries, I found the windscreen wipers (although I did accidently turn the rear wiper on as well and it took me 15 minutes to work out how to switch it off again!!) Then we hit roadworks, it was dark, snowing, Tom Tom was telling me to turn one way and the road works were ending me another (those sat navs can really moan when you go a different way to what they tell you!!) But I navigated though without any problems and by 5am we were at the tunnel. Pete work up just as we pulled up to the check in machine.
So we headed into the terminal for breakfast and soon our 6:20am crossing was called. They were checking all the cars going through for the extra security. Now once when we had been checked the check came back abnormal (turned out to be the manure that my friend had been using the day before on her rose bed that had somehow a trace had got onto the handle of the car.) This was the time Pete chose to say, "Oh I was handling the pyrotechnics at the theatre yesterday so there might be traces of explosives on the car door handle!!"
Luckily there was not!!So we were onto the shuttle and on our way.
We arrived in Calais on time and it had obviously snowed more there than it had over here.
The 1st hour or so of driving was a little scary as the big lorries kept having huge chunks of snow suddenly fly off the top of them!! But the nearer to DLP we got the less snow there was.
We got to DLP by 11:15am and checked in straight away. We were given our park passes and were told that we could swap our breakfast at the hotel one morning for a character breakfast at Cafe Mickey, so we decided to do that on Thursday, the day we left. Our room was ready already so we decided to unpack. We had a room on the 2nd floor near the lift which was really handy as we didn't have far to walk. It was also very quiet which I was surpised at. We had booked a standard view and got a room overlooking the ice skating rink and you could see a bit of the lake as well.
We quickly unpacked and headed to the Disneyland Park. Crossing the esplanade out of Disney Village was when I really noticed for the 1st time the impact the ToT had on the skyline since my last trip.
We headed straight to the park and it wasn't that busy.
We decided we needed a bite to eat as it was lunch time so we stopped on Main Street. I had the Mickey pizza which was actually really nice!!
We headed straight to BTMRR to grab a Fast Pass. It was for a slot 45 minutes away so we decided to ride Phantom Manor which was a walk on. Then we decided to look around the castle.
I thought the castle looked pretty with the candles on and loved the Mickey and Minnie above the 15 logo.
And then went out onto the balcony
By now it was time to ride BTMRR, there was still snow on the roof of part of the ride.
Next we headed over to POTC which was also a walk on. I didn't take any photos here as the constant flashing is one of my pet hates!! I like to see the ride in the dark!!
After this we decided to do a lap of the park on the train.
Next we decided it would be a good idea to quickly head over to the studios to see where Crush was as we wanted to get to it quickly tomorrow morning!
After that we decided to head back to the room for a bit of a break. On the way back we called in a few of the shops in Disney Village to get a few things. My latest Disney obsession is pin trading so I bought a few pins (this would become a pattern over the next few days!!) and traded some pins with the CM's.
After an hour rest we headed back to the park fat 6:30pm ready for our 7pm reservation at Walts. When we got back into the park we saw the character express and then did a little more shopping on Main Street. We got to Walts at 6:45 and were seated straight away in the small gallery room.
We had a lovely view at a window table overlooking Main Street.
The meal was really nice. We decided to share a bottle of white wine which was really light. For starters I had parma ham salad and Pete had clam chowder, both were really good. For the main course I had lamb chops and veg. The lamb was nice but the veg was a little too oily for my tastes. Pete had beef fillet which was really nice and cooked just how he had asked for it. For desert I had lemon cheesecake which was really light and tasty, Pete had apple crumble which again was really nice. We will definately eat here again.
By now it was 8:15pm and the park was closing. I headed towards the castle to take a few pictures as Candleabration had already happened.
By now the park was emptying
and Mickey was waving good night to all his guests.
On the way out we decided to call into the Disneyland hotel to have a drink in Cafe Fantasia. I really like this bar as I love the theaming. The pianist was playing various tunes whilst I sipped my mojito. Soon we were tired though and headed back to our room as we had had a long day and we had to be up for breakfast at 7am ready for early entry. I was fast asleep by 10pm!!
I must airbrush these things from my mind - I could have sworn it was dry all day.
