Day 1
Cast: Me Dawn (50) and the cousins - Lisa (41), Stuart (39), Lucy (9), Sophie (4). First visit for me but the cousins have been a couple of times. Staying at Disneyland Hotel for 3 nights 18th, 19th, 20th April 2011.
Flying from Edinburgh Airport on Easyjet flight at 1350 made for a reasonably civilised start to the day for me at least. Not so sure it was a peaceful in the other household with Lucy and Sophie who had been working up to a frenzy for the past few months! Drove round to the cousins at 11.15 to be met at the end of the road by the kids suitably adorned with Mickey Ears - bless.
Car booked in to Secure Airparks which is a very slick and efficient operation. Walked into departures and pretty much immediately dropped our bags off. What a good start. Got even better. We hadnt paid for speedy boarding so were prepared for the usual panicky queuing at the gate (good practice for what was to come perhaps?) Then came the announcement that travellers with 5 year olds and under would board after preferred boarding and before general boarding Result! A much better system than Ryanair where if you dont pay you take your chances getting seated beside your child!
Pleasant flight made all the more enjoyable by the news that the weather in Paris was glorious.
We were picked up at CDG by Ezyshuttle (recommended by disboards) who were there with the obligatory name card. Quickly into the minibus which was spotless and off we went. CDG is a huge airport and I wouldnt want to have to navigate in or out of it. Shuttle seems the best option.
It was a little surreal approaching DLP as I had seen so much footage on various sites. It was now very real and as we approached DLH very, very pink.
The bags were whisked away very efficiently by the porters and we walked directly up to the reception where we got booked in and received our Park Tickets as well as 5 VIP passes, allowing us to walk-on one fast pass ride per day without having to pre-book. If you stay in the Castle Club you get VIP Tickets as standard or you can buy them I believe (80 Euros pp).
We were in a family room (1244 East Wing) and by the way the hotel does smell of vanilla in a big way! The room was very clean and consisted of 2 double beds and a sofa bed in an alcove. The bathroom was a decent size with bath/shower and double sink. The mini bar was resplendent with temptation but very pricey. The TV had a decent number of channels but there is little opportunity to watch them. The kids enjoyed watching the Disney Information Channel which had an annoying girl describing the various attractions. Quite helpful but grating by the third playing.
By this time it was about 1830 and the kids were raring to go and check out the rides. We got into the Park and headed to Fantasyland and `Its a Small World`. Looked like a significant queue (oh how naive I was) but within 8-9 minutes we were sitting in our little boat being taken on a tour of the world. (I have to confess here that I did accidentally knock a child over with a discreet heel clip but it was absolutely unintentional honest!)
Small World it is a very simple premise and probably on the schmaltzy side but I think it is a ride that encapsulates what Disneyland is all about. Every age can enjoy it, even kids that think they are too cool for school! (There was an incident where a women refused to get off but I believe she is now languishing in Disney Jail)
Sophie particularly enjoyed the African display with the animals which she decided featured Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria from Madagascar!!. Im sure Walt was turning in his grave. But who were we to spoil the magic?
Tea cups next and just a 5 minute wait and we were on. Nothing spectacular, but again one of those essential Disney experiences. Dumbo was showing a 50 minute wait and as it doesnt take fast passes we promised Sophie that we would do it first thing the next day during the EMH. Happy with that plan (and we made many some more successful than others) we moved to Le Carousel de Lancelot where after a 10 minute wait we were on, minus Lisa who doesnt do carousels. This was where I experienced my first episode of queue jumping. It was so blatant that I was speechless and just went into British harrumph mode! (We do that so well, if only it was an Olympic sport.) Very short ride but the kids enjoyed it.
Now to use up our walk-on fast passes. Lucy Stu and I decided on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril in Frontierland. Pretty fast and a bit jerky and it had a complete 360 degree loop the loop which was interesting. The ride was just long enough. Any longer and I might have felt ill. Then Stu and Lucy went on Big Thunder Mountain whilst Lisa, Sophie and I watched. Unfortunately saw a woman throwing up in a plastic bag, presumably the effects of BTM.
By this time we were starving and we hadnt booked anything so we thought we would walk to the Village to try Annettes Diner. That plan was snookered when we saw the queue which was out the door. We walked on to the Rainforest Cafe where we were seated pretty much right away and right beside the aquarium.
A pizza, two burgers, a kids meal and plate of fries and 2 beers, 1 glass of wine 92 Euros. Pretty tasty and the surroundings were very nice. It was quite busy but there was quite a quick turnover.
Back to the hotel via the shops where Sophie decided to make a list of things she might buy with her spending money. Three on the list at this stage Baby Simba, Crush and Squirt and box of Toy Story Figures. (This was a list that was reviewed regularly by the way).
Kids (and adults) beginning to fade at this stage and needed bed. Into the room where Lisa Stu and I had a glass of wine from the box we brought over (tip from disboards!!)
Planned to get up at 0730 and head into Park for EMH and then return for breakfast. Wonder how that went?
Cast: Me Dawn (50) and the cousins - Lisa (41), Stuart (39), Lucy (9), Sophie (4). First visit for me but the cousins have been a couple of times. Staying at Disneyland Hotel for 3 nights 18th, 19th, 20th April 2011.
Flying from Edinburgh Airport on Easyjet flight at 1350 made for a reasonably civilised start to the day for me at least. Not so sure it was a peaceful in the other household with Lucy and Sophie who had been working up to a frenzy for the past few months! Drove round to the cousins at 11.15 to be met at the end of the road by the kids suitably adorned with Mickey Ears - bless.
Car booked in to Secure Airparks which is a very slick and efficient operation. Walked into departures and pretty much immediately dropped our bags off. What a good start. Got even better. We hadnt paid for speedy boarding so were prepared for the usual panicky queuing at the gate (good practice for what was to come perhaps?) Then came the announcement that travellers with 5 year olds and under would board after preferred boarding and before general boarding Result! A much better system than Ryanair where if you dont pay you take your chances getting seated beside your child!
Pleasant flight made all the more enjoyable by the news that the weather in Paris was glorious.
We were picked up at CDG by Ezyshuttle (recommended by disboards) who were there with the obligatory name card. Quickly into the minibus which was spotless and off we went. CDG is a huge airport and I wouldnt want to have to navigate in or out of it. Shuttle seems the best option.
It was a little surreal approaching DLP as I had seen so much footage on various sites. It was now very real and as we approached DLH very, very pink.
The bags were whisked away very efficiently by the porters and we walked directly up to the reception where we got booked in and received our Park Tickets as well as 5 VIP passes, allowing us to walk-on one fast pass ride per day without having to pre-book. If you stay in the Castle Club you get VIP Tickets as standard or you can buy them I believe (80 Euros pp).
We were in a family room (1244 East Wing) and by the way the hotel does smell of vanilla in a big way! The room was very clean and consisted of 2 double beds and a sofa bed in an alcove. The bathroom was a decent size with bath/shower and double sink. The mini bar was resplendent with temptation but very pricey. The TV had a decent number of channels but there is little opportunity to watch them. The kids enjoyed watching the Disney Information Channel which had an annoying girl describing the various attractions. Quite helpful but grating by the third playing.
By this time it was about 1830 and the kids were raring to go and check out the rides. We got into the Park and headed to Fantasyland and `Its a Small World`. Looked like a significant queue (oh how naive I was) but within 8-9 minutes we were sitting in our little boat being taken on a tour of the world. (I have to confess here that I did accidentally knock a child over with a discreet heel clip but it was absolutely unintentional honest!)
Small World it is a very simple premise and probably on the schmaltzy side but I think it is a ride that encapsulates what Disneyland is all about. Every age can enjoy it, even kids that think they are too cool for school! (There was an incident where a women refused to get off but I believe she is now languishing in Disney Jail)
Sophie particularly enjoyed the African display with the animals which she decided featured Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria from Madagascar!!. Im sure Walt was turning in his grave. But who were we to spoil the magic?
Tea cups next and just a 5 minute wait and we were on. Nothing spectacular, but again one of those essential Disney experiences. Dumbo was showing a 50 minute wait and as it doesnt take fast passes we promised Sophie that we would do it first thing the next day during the EMH. Happy with that plan (and we made many some more successful than others) we moved to Le Carousel de Lancelot where after a 10 minute wait we were on, minus Lisa who doesnt do carousels. This was where I experienced my first episode of queue jumping. It was so blatant that I was speechless and just went into British harrumph mode! (We do that so well, if only it was an Olympic sport.) Very short ride but the kids enjoyed it.
Now to use up our walk-on fast passes. Lucy Stu and I decided on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril in Frontierland. Pretty fast and a bit jerky and it had a complete 360 degree loop the loop which was interesting. The ride was just long enough. Any longer and I might have felt ill. Then Stu and Lucy went on Big Thunder Mountain whilst Lisa, Sophie and I watched. Unfortunately saw a woman throwing up in a plastic bag, presumably the effects of BTM.
By this time we were starving and we hadnt booked anything so we thought we would walk to the Village to try Annettes Diner. That plan was snookered when we saw the queue which was out the door. We walked on to the Rainforest Cafe where we were seated pretty much right away and right beside the aquarium.
A pizza, two burgers, a kids meal and plate of fries and 2 beers, 1 glass of wine 92 Euros. Pretty tasty and the surroundings were very nice. It was quite busy but there was quite a quick turnover.
Back to the hotel via the shops where Sophie decided to make a list of things she might buy with her spending money. Three on the list at this stage Baby Simba, Crush and Squirt and box of Toy Story Figures. (This was a list that was reviewed regularly by the way).
Kids (and adults) beginning to fade at this stage and needed bed. Into the room where Lisa Stu and I had a glass of wine from the box we brought over (tip from disboards!!)
Planned to get up at 0730 and head into Park for EMH and then return for breakfast. Wonder how that went?
