Disney Disaster - Just back from Disneyland Paris - It was not a good trip!

[KiwiSue]

Just back from my long awaited weekend to DLP. I have been saving for over a year for this trip and it was the first time to Disney for my husband and Zak (20 months). Myself and Zino (7 years) are Disney fans and we had been really looking forward to this weekend. But we are all feeling so depressed now. We were disappointed by the parks, the people, the hotel, the weather and the city. It seemed that everything was against us and I just feel so upset that this was supposed to be such a special trip and it was such a let- down. I may do a trip report but right now I feel so depressed that I just want to curl up in bed and cry. The awful thing is that I know that things could be better another time but it has taken me two years to pursuade my husband to come on a Disney trip and now he is vowing to never set foot in another Disney park again. What a way to start the year.

 

[Janice]

Oh Sue - I am sorry to hear that you didnt have the Magical Trip you was hoping for!

It would be interesting to know what wasnt right for you - when you feel you can - but in the meantime I hope that you can manage to convince your DH that next time will be different?

{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}

 

[WDWfan uk]

I too am really sorry to hear this Sue - the weather at this time of year is a big turn off for us - on our trips we have had lovely weather and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't enjoy it nearly so much if the weather was bad ........ but then so much else went well for us too, and it seems that there is still a significant number of people who don't have the same experience of good service etc that we have had and I'm really sorry to hear it.

If you can bear to, please e-mail the Customer Relations at DLP and give them feedback, stating specific areas of disappointment. I know of a regular DLP visitor who did complain about something a while back and the reply was long and considered - it didn't appear to be a standard response and they acted upon her complaint.

 

[kazzie]

Sue,
I'm so sorry to hear about your experience.I can say that I had such an awful experience at DLP in December every time I thought about it I cried for a couple of weeks after.
I did e-mail customer relations and they replied after a couple of weeks but they only picked out the positive stuff I had mentioned to balance my complaint.'I'm glad to hear you had a good time at the Wild Bill show',I'm happy to hear you had a room upgrade' etc. etc. without really answering my complaint,although it was a member of the public that triggered the incident and they can't be held accountable for that,only their mismanagment of the situation afterwards.

Are you able to say what experiences you had that left such horrible memories?

 

[Olaf]

Sorry to hear your trip wasn't all you had hoped for Kiwi. Sometimes I've found that reality rarely lives up to my expectations. It's like trying to plan a romantic evening--it just never seems to work. I can tell you that I've had some awesome WDW visits and a few real duds. I could tell you about the Disney Cruise vacation from hell.

Kazzie, I guess the message from your experience is to be as brutally honest as possible. Don't sugar-coat anything.

 

[pegasusEH]

So sorry you had such a miserable time. We had seriously considered a trip to DLP just before Christmas and I am glad we decided against it.

Would be interested in reading a trip report and I hope there are a few good memories you have from the trip - try and remember those.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

What a terrible disappointment for you all. Like Kazzie, I'd have an email/letter off to them as soon as you can. If only to make you feel better.

 

[Big Disney Fan]

I'm so disappointed for you. I have to agree with the others though - send of that letter of complaint!

 

[SpottyDog]

Sue, I'm really sorry to hear yer trip wasn't anything like you hoped it would be. I hope ,when you have time and inclination (coz you'll be in no hurry to relive the experience,I bet), you'll be able to give us brief details of yer trip.

In the meantime you've merely confirmed what a lucky escape we probably had when I finally agreed to Valerie's first Disney trip. I compromised to let her price a 4 day trip to DLP in March 99 - coz it was the cheapest time of year.
For some reason me insticts told me this wouldn't be a trip of a liftetime and most of what I've read here and elsewhere seems to back up me 'gut feelin'....

Too cold..........

Too wet...........

and too bloomin French !!

 

[KayleeUK]

Sorry to here you had a bad time [[[[HUGS]]]]

Kaylee

 

[Dimplenose]

Having had no inclination to go to DLP before, I'm now looking forward to a 2 night stay at the Newport Bay Club in a couple of weeks time.

Is there anything in particular I should avoid as until now I've really been looking forward to it. Especially as family politics ruined Christmas.

Libby

PS It's a girl only trip, with my DD and my freind and her DD. Luckily our husbands and sons agreed to this. I'd hate for anything to spoil it.

 

[squitty]

Hi Sue,

I know exactly how you feel. We didnt have a nice time at DLP either.

Enough said!

 

[Hilary]

Sorry to hear that you had a bad time in DLP

I hope that, in time, you'll be able to put this bad experience to the back of your mind and remember the good times Disney has shown you and Zak in the past. What a shame it was your DH's first taste of Disney!

 

[snookhams]

I am so sorry that you didn't enjoy your DLP trip, but I am glad that I was not the only one who had a thoroughly horrible time there and vowed never to go again, it definatly was not value for money and I was so angry that I could have put that money towards going to WDW, I will infuture and when I costed out the same amount of time at WDW I was surprised at how cheap it was in conparrison - OK I know that the airfare is alot more but the weather is better, the park is better and the people are 100% better at WDW my youngest son was knocked over twice in the rush for the Characters no orderly lines just thos damn frenchies pushing and shoving you would have thought that the characters where handing out solid gold francs! Never ever again it was the most miserable weekend of our lives and all for my sons 5th birthday

 

[Olaf]

I had to laugh at your post Snookhams. I think there's something to the British/American psyche--we like our space and don't anyone dare invade it without permission. We also like our queues, although we're (Americans) not nearly as good at that as you Brits.

Years ago, I was in a queue at a fast food restaurant in Germany. It was very crowded and the man behind me kept pushing against me and trying to get in front of me. I should have turned around and given him what for, but I just didn't have the nerve. By the time I got to the front, I was literally shaking. Of course, it didn't bother him in the least. I wonder what is it about our upbringing/culture that makes us that way?

I have a feeling I wouldn't like DLP either.

 

[KiwiSue]

Thanks for all you sympathy - it does make me feel better. I have to admit the blame is not all Disney - you cannot blame them for the rain - but I can blame them for not making enough provision for the rain. This is peak season prices so I object to having to queue in pouring rain and park my pushchair in the rain. And many attractions were closed or unusable because of the rain. Did I mention the blizzard? I will do trip reports because I really feel that this park is not one to visit in bad weather - maybe if you have no kids with you it would be more fun. But somehow Disney without the sunshine just left me feeling cold!

 

[BevS97]

Hi Sue,

we where in DLP last November and we had 2 days of freezing cold weather and one of rain. I have to say the cold was perishing but much better than the rainy day, although they have made some provision for the rain, such as the covered pathways behind Main Street, but still the nature of the park is that much of the time you are out in the elements and you can't really avoid that.

We where there in an off peak time, so we didn't have to queue in the rain, fortunatly, but I can imagine that this would just add insult to injury.

Bev

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

In defence of DLP I have to say that there is a fair amount of provision for wet weather, although this falls short of a retractable roof over the park! For example, it is possible to get from the entrance to the back of the park almost entirely protected from the rain, and many of the queue areas are either undercover or indoors. Although it is unfortunate that you had poor weather (as did I when I was there over Christmas) it is not really surprising to get wet in the middle of winter! Is there any Disney park that is a fun place to visit in the wet and the cold?

If there were other aspects of your trip that fell below your expectation, I would urge you to write to DLP to let them know. In my experience they are very keen to get feedback, and do respond to issues raised by guests,

Regards

Rob

PS Am I the only one who is sad to see the anti-French feeling in this thread?

 

[Astrid]

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad trip Sue - was it just the weather or were there other problems that Disney could have dealt with? If so, I'd agree with the others and get writing.

Just to keep the balance slightly even, we went to DLP between Christmas and New Year and even though (like BevS says) it was perishing cold we had a good time.

It was packed at that of year but we got to the park early and saw all we wanted to see and we enjoyed our stay there.

I have to stay that we stayed off site and it worked out as a very cheap holiday with the kids going free and getting 4 nights for the price of 3 and I'm also pleased that it didn't rain.

I like France as a country and we also liked DLP, the kids went back there in August and stayed with their Dad for a week at the Davy Crockett and absolutely loved it.

I would always have Florida as my first choice because of the weather amongst countless other reasons but, if I got a good deal for DLP I'd certainly consider going there again.

 

[Disney owl]

Another thumbs up for DLP We love it. October 2002 was our 4th & hopefully not our last visit.

I was sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy your trip Sue I know how dissappointing it can be when you've looked forward to something for a long time & it falls way below your expectations.

As others have said if you have a complaint which Disney could sort out LET THEM KNOW.

Rob I was getting a little worried at the anti-french feeling that seemed to be there. We love France & find its people very friendly.

Whilst we are really looking forward to revisiting WDW, fingers crossed it will be this year. DLP will hold a special place in our hearts, for when we first started visiting. All 3 of our kids believed it was all real. Now its only me !!!!!!!


I do hope you can persuade your DH to think again about Disney.

WDW & Florida is a totally different holiday - though it still rains.


Sue