France in Epcot..

[mrs_jamesmarsden]

I can speak french, and I was wondering...does anyone usually speak the language when you're in France in World Showcase? haha I feel a little silly asking that, but I was wondering. Have YOU ever spoke french in little France? I heard they have natives there, and we were going to get a sorbet in France and such, so I wanted to practice the tongue. Give me your past experiences!!!!

 

[Mozart]

Once we were trying to get our reservations at Chefs de France straightened out and the girls at the check in desk didn't seem to understand what we were saying. After a couple of minutes, one of them said in French "I don't understand why they're being so complicated."

Then, in French, my wife informed her why. They were caught a little off guard.

She's spoken it a couple of times in the wine shop there too. They always seemed to enjoy it when she did it. Although one of them informed her she needed to work on her accent.

 

[deej696]

I've been to Paris a couple times, and sadly I speak zero French so I cant really speak from experience here, but I'm sure if you spoke to one of the shop workers in French that they would certainly respond. Maybe check their name tag to make sure they are from France before you start. The other day I saw a CM from Casablanca working in the UK. He must have been lost

 

[Northstar]

Last year, while getting cappucinos and chocolate croissants at the kiosk outside France, I asked "would you mind listening to my bad French so I can prove to the kids that I can order in French?" The girl laughed, spoke slowly and kindly to me, and told me my French was "parfait, Madame!"

 

[disnut8]

Speak French to all the Cast Members you want. Most of the Cast Members are here for a year and do miss their homeland. I don't speak any foreign languages but my husband and a Canadian Cast Member had a great time discussing the differences between our American money and the Canadian bills. We're just starting to add colors to ours while the Canadians have been doing it for quite a while.

 

[princess pooh]

DH and I ordered in French at Chefs de France and he also spoke French to the CMs at the wine shop. Some CMs in Morocco will also start speaking French to me when they find out where I live.

 

[Snow Shoe]

Many years ago when France had their sidewalk cafe', we ate there with our young boys for lunch. An older couple set next to us, speaking Portugese (sp?) and were having difficulty reading the menu. My wife who speaks Spanish and Portugese started translating the menu for them describing what certain foods were like. When the waiter came to take their order, my wife translated for them. To this day, both boys which now have families of their own, talk about their mom being a translater at WDW. They thought that was really cool.

 

[bradk]

ma francais n'est pas tres bien, mais j'ai parle francais a les CMs de temps de temps et les 'guests' autre aussi

and that's why i rarely do it

i've done it at les chefs and it basically just invoked a 'parlez-vous francais?' and he spoke to me in french a little past the point where he lost me completely.

i've also attempted to speak it a bit to other guests whom i can tell speak english about as well as i speak french

 

[kkproulx]

My DH can speak French and Japanese. I don't remember if he spoke French anywhere there, but he did ask the girls in Japan, speaking Japanese (he spent 12 years in Japan while in the Navy) where the closest bathrooms were. They looked at him shocked that he could speak Japanese. So DD5 at the time, kept asking him to speak to them in their language while we were picking pearls. It was quite comical and the girls really ate it up. When we left, DD said to DH, "Dad you speak good Mexican!" Now, BEFORE I get flamed...the kindergartners called it speaking Mexican before they were TOLD that it was speaking Spanish... It was cute and you just had to be there!

 

[jemlover]

We took our DS to DW his senior year of high school. He had been studying French for two years. We were in France at Epcot and two young CM's were talking in French to each other and my DS suddenly started laughing. The CM's were joking with each other. When they realized my DS could understand them they started speaking to him in French. He had a little trouble because he said they were speaking very fast. They were very nice to him and they carried on a little conversation. It was good practice for him.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Not exactly what you are looking for, but at the Kidcot stops we always make it a point to say thank-you in the language of the country we are in. If the kids don't know what to say, they ask the CMs who always are very nice and seem touched that the kids try to use their language. Sometimes, the CMs will even teach them something else to say. Also, this year DS9 got a passport book and the CMs wrote in it in their language and then taught him what it said. I would think that for the most part, CMs would be happy to talk to you in their language.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I nearly always go to the French movie, and I notice that the CM there does greet us in French, and wants us to do the same.

Bobbi

 

[Resseda]

I always at least use "s'il vous plait" and "merci" and sometimes throw in something else. It's been a long long time since I spoke French for any useful purpose, but my niece loves it when I speak it.

Ress

 

[Straughn]

DH was fluent in French and always spoke the language whenever the opportunity presented itself. He was so good that one of the waiters in the Cafe at Epcot asked him where in France was he from. This led to a very long conversation about the French company for which my husband worked. After it was all over and DH translated the discussion for me, it turned out that the waiter's uncle worked for the same company and DH knew him quite well. The cast members in the restaurants, the shops and the Patisserie are thrilled to speak their language with visitors. Do not hesitate to practice your French.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Yep! All the workers in WS come from the country that they represent.

ie. France workers are from France, Mexico workers from Mexico, etc.

Perfect place to practice! They sang 'Happy Birthday' to my friend in French!

 

[bradk]

even most of the US people are from the US. true fact.

 

[wdwnomad]

They sure do speak French at France in Epcot. A couple of weeks ago while in the bakery the cashier and person who was doing the drinks were talking French to each other. She must have been messing all of the drink orders and must have kept telling her what he needed. I don't know what they were saying but everytime he said something she would just roll her eyes at him. I actaully thought it was pretty amusing but I don't think the guy who all he wanted was his medium Sprite did.

 

[BradyBz12]

I asked "would you mind listening to my bad French so I can prove to the kids that I can order in French?"

<LOL> I did the same when DH and I dined in France last year. The waitress was very nice and patient, I didn't do too badly, and DH had no idea what he was getting until they brought his food.

I've found the folks working at Epcot to really enjoy it when you can speak their language and are happy to indulge you even if you're not completely fluent.

 

[J'aime Paris]

Oui, j'ai parle en francais aux CMs. Quelques fois, je dois dire "plus lentement s'il vous plait". (Je ne parle pas en francais trop souvent, parce que je ne connais personne qui le fait.) J'ai trouve les CMs tres sympa!!

 

[mrs_jamesmarsden]

Great! This really makes me excited to go and talk. I need to practice my french a little!