DLP have a downtown disney type area?

[MinnieVanMom]

Congrats on your upcoming trip.

As others have said it is not WDW. On my bucket list was to see every Disney park.

We had spent two weeks traveling Europe and then ended with DLP. After seeing so much, and knowing DL and WDW like the back of my hand I found DLP a bit of let down.

It is nice, the attention to detail is amazing and the castle is the best. However the CM's lack the joy and happiness of WDW. Pin trading is iffy at best PP got it perfectly. The CM's make up rules as you go. They don't trade and they are not happy about having pins.

The characters are often US hires and they are happy to see others from the US. Take time to find the little things that do make DLP special.

We ended up leaving our paid DLH at DLP and went back to Paris for our last nite.

 

[Michael623]

I agree with everything you said. Where were you when people were tearing me apart for saying the same thing?

 

[DLPdaft]

maybe its the way it was put, rather than what was said ?

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I am currently sat at the Cafe Fantasia bar as we are staying at the DLH
Wonderful week, glorious sunshine, magnificent hotel, parks look great too.

Room wonderful, breakfast wonderful, staff wonderful, being Florida regulars but relative Paris newbies there are in our situation with an autistic child advantages in going to DLRP, so close from our room to the park and we spend hours each day out whereas we often struggled in the Florida heat.

I still don't like the village, it's such an opportunity missed for me as the location should have meant it's so much better.....still we are having a great time.

 

[RoseBug]

I agree - Disney Village is a bit of a nothing tbh. But the park is lovely, and I have always found the CM's lovely, very attentive and friendly. However, I think why a lot of American visitors feel let down is that they expect the same "enthusiasm" from European CM's as they get from US CM's and it's just not going to happen, partly because most Europeans just do not like the over the top enthusiasm that you see at the American parks. I was chatting about this with my uncle last week, he has lived in the US for 20+ years now, has an American daughter, girlfriend and is very Americanised yet he still hates the American expectation of over the top enthusiasm. And I think this is the main issue many US visitors have with DLP. It's just not our way, much of Europe is very understated, it's not rudeness, it's a cultural thing! So go with this in mind, don't expect the CM's to be like they are in the US parks, but they are lovely in their own way, and you will enjoy your time there.

 

[zavandor]

most Europeans just do not like the over the top enthusiasm that you see at the American parks.

How true!

 

[scrapbooksellman]

I was able to buy and print our tickets today!!!

Thanks for the information about the Cms and pin trading. It is one of our favorite parts of WDW but I will remember not to expect much. I feel a little wierd going on short notice. I plan for months to go to WDW. I have planned for Europe for months so this will be one free day to enjoy what we can! I decided it would be a great break in the middle of our trip for the kids.
Any tips on saving money on food? Any good resturants that are fair priced? I guess we will stick to counter service.

 

[torsie24]

Earl of Sandwich!!!

 

[Michael623]

How true!

You see, this is part of "the show" that Walt created for his parks. This is the environment he wanted to set the Disney parks above the rest. I don't consider it over the top even for one second. Is smiling and looking like you're enjoying being at work over the top? Is interacting with guests and wishing them a nice day over the top? That's what I looked for and never found at DLP.

I really don't want to get into a debate here because every time I express a differing opinion I get slapped with an infraction.

 

[torsie24]

Don't worry Michael.

There are some Brits who agree with you!

I enjoy every second I'm in WDW. Even the trash men are a pleasure to talk to! I've never gotten sick of people being polite and happy to me!

DLRP is pretty, the rides are awesome. But unfortunately the Europeans just don't do customer service the same way.

It's not us being rude or not working. Just a difference of culture. A difference which is probably made even more obvious by the fact that the 'Disney Way' is so American and the French are quite the opposite.

We are going to DLRP for the shows, rides and to take photos and we just have to keep the CM interaction to a non-Disney expectation level.

For us DLRP is never going to compare to WDW but it's not about that. We can have a 4 day break in DLRP for less than the price of one flight to MCO so this year it's DLRP or no Disney at all.

An a bad day at DLRP is still better than a normal day anywhere else!!

 

[MazdaUK]

As others have said, it is mostly a cultural thing. Most Europeans are just more reserved with strangers. Also, try a few words of French - it will really smooth your way, even if you only use "bonjour" and "merci" Although you will find most CMs will speak fluent English, a word in French from you recognises they've made an effort to learn another language for your convenience!

You won't find the same money-saving tips you can use in WDW - no getting an extra bun for a few cents and splitting a burger meal Watch for menu deals - you can often upgrade to a beer for less than the difference between a soft drink and a beer if bought on their own. And refilling water bottles from the drinking fountains rather than buying more bottles is a big saving.

 

[zavandor]

You see, this is part of "the show" that Walt created for his parks. This is the environment he wanted to set the Disney parks above the rest. I don't consider it over the top even for one second. Is smiling and looking like you're enjoying being at work over the top? Is interacting with guests and wishing them a nice day over the top? That's what I looked for and never found at DLP.

I really don't want to get into a debate here because every time I express a differing opinion I get slapped with an infraction.

Have you ever been to Tokio? All those "greeters", people that stands somewhere and just greet people with a bow?
Probably a Japanese when goes to WDW will think that american CM are rude because they never bow or there are not professional greeter and they salute you only if you interact with them.

I think it's just a cultural difference. When I visit a different country I try to look everything without my "glasses", trying to understand the people and their different behavior.

However, you called it a "show". Exactly: CMs in a Disney park have a script. In Europe the management understood that people would not expect the same level of customer service and in Europe the script is different. Also consider that people who visit DLP have very different languages, not everyone speaks english or french. Probably it would be impossible to give the same customer service experience to everyone at the same level, so they leveled it to the average level, that still is better than you may find outside the parks in Europe. Not as good as in the USA, but good enough for us Europeans.

 

[scrapbooksellman]

I have our printed tickets. Do we need to take our passports or a copy of them with us to the park?

 

[Carrie_Cat]

I have our printed tickets. Do we need to take our passports or a copy of them with us to the park?

You don't need id for your tickets as they don't have your name on as if it was an invitation but you should always carry a photocopy of some photo id with you as your identity can be controlled at anytime in France

 

[Michael623]

I have our printed tickets. Do we need to take our passports or a copy of them with us to the park?

When I travel abroad I always keep my passport on me. I am so paranoid about losing it. I also agree that it is always good to have a universally accepted form of ID on you when outside of your home country.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

When I travel abroad I always keep my passport on me. I am so paranoid about losing it. I also agree that it is always good to have a universally accepted form of ID on you when outside of your home country.

That's why you carry a photocopy and leave the original in the hotel safe.

You have more chance of losing the original especially when you are unawares and pickpocketing is rife in many citys

Though saying that smart phone thefts have replaced bag snatching as the number one crime in Paris

 

[torsie24]

I'd much rather keep my actual passport on me than back in a hotel.

I'm more paranoid about hotel room theft than pickpockets. And I take great care against pickpocketing anyway.

Tha being said I don't take my passport into the Disney parks with me, my driving licence is in my purse, and worst case I can get back to the room.

In WDW it's different and I don;t go anywhere without my licence, as they seem to need to see ID much more frequently in the States than in Europe.

 

[scrapbooksellman]

We did it! We went for one day to DLP and had a great time. I am so glad we did go. I will try to post a trip report soon. The short story is nto as good as WDW (didn't think it would be), pin trading with CMS was fine, many rides, food places closed but we had a great day!

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Ware Bears]

Glad you had a great time! :

 

[Ms Poppins]

Sounds great. Look forward to the tr