Here now! Very crowded!

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Hi Everyone! I arrived yesterday afternoon! Love my room at the Newport Bay Club - the renovations were so needed - the new bits are so fresh and bright. I see now glimpses of what this hotel really should be and am very happy with my choice!!

I popped over - or though I would pop over to Disneyland Parc yesterday but quickly encountered a sea of people. I stayed about an hour and left back to the peaceful Newport Bay Club. We'll see how things are today. I will definitely use extra magic hours. I think Paris schools are on break right now. This really was the only time I could go - so I am glad to be here but definitely am going to plan my park days to work with the crowds.

Hey - I might just enjoy the hotel the whole week and just drop by the parks here and there! LOL!

We will see how today goes!

Happy Planning!

 

[tennisfan]

Hope you enjoy your trip. Many UK schools are on holiday this week too

 

[SWofDisorder]

My friend said they were on half term break in the UK which adds to the crowds. How is the cold? It has been very cold and wondered how people are dealing with it.

 

[firecracker725]

Hi Everyone! I arrived yesterday afternoon! Love my room at the Newport Bay Club - the renovations were so needed - the new bits are so fresh and bright. I see now glimpses of what this hotel really should be and am very happy with my choice!!

I popped over - or though I would pop over to Disneyland Parc yesterday but quickly encountered a sea of people. I stayed about an hour and left back to the peaceful Newport Bay Club. We'll see how things are today. I will definitely use extra magic hours. I think Paris schools are on break right now. This really was the only time I could go - so I am glad to be here but definitely am going to plan my park days to work with the crowds.

Hey - I might just enjoy the hotel the whole week and just drop by the parks here and there! LOL!

We will see how today goes!

Happy Planning!

Two zones (A and C) in France are on holiday this week. Next week, B and C will be. Belgium is also on holiday.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Paris schools aren't on holiday but 1/3 of France is and all of Belgium. School holidays continue for 4 more weeks after this one...two weeks each for zones B and C (which includes Paris).

Sorry to correct you but Zone C - Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, Versailles are on holiday this week - they broke up on the 14/2 and go back on the 2/3

http://www.education.gouv.fr/pid25058/le-calendrier-scolaire.html?department=33

 

[Carrie_Cat]

My friend said they were on half term break in the UK which adds to the crowds. How is the cold? It has been very cold and wondered how people are dealing with it.

It's not cold this week as such but it is humid - that sort of damp that gets to you when waiting around - this am it's very foggy - I can't see the Adagio which is on the corner across from me.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Hi Everyone! I arrived yesterday afternoon! Love my room at the Newport Bay Club - the renovations were so needed - the new bits are so fresh and bright. I see now glimpses of what this hotel really should be and am very happy with my choice!!

I popped over - or though I would pop over to Disneyland Parc yesterday but quickly encountered a sea of people. I stayed about an hour and left back to the peaceful Newport Bay Club. We'll see how things are today. I will definitely use extra magic hours. I think Paris schools are on break right now. This really was the only time I could go - so I am glad to be here but definitely am going to plan my park days to work with the crowds.

Hey - I might just enjoy the hotel the whole week and just drop by the parks here and there! LOL!

We will see how today goes!

Happy Planning!

Glad you have arrived safely and are enjoying the hotel We found it very busy in the Studios on Monday -120 minutes for Ratatouille and 40 mins for single riders, 90 mins for Crush and 70 mins single riders - No FP left for Rata at 13.30pm. Even Tram Tour was at 50 mins! and slightly better in the main park. Paris are on holiday this week which adds to the chaos but many people I know have gone sking this week as the Feb holidays are traditional for that.

Have a great time

 

[ILOVEDLP]

We got the 9 o'clock bus back to the adigaio last night it was mental I don't know how someone hasn't been hurt other buses where pulling away with door open scary !!!
Having a fab time I think the park are ok no where near as busy as oct half term !!
Looking forward to moving to the NPB too.
Hope everyone is having a fab time !!

 

[Mrs Mickey]

• We arrived at 10am yesterday and got to the park about 10:45. The bag check looked quite big but moved quickly. We had to queue to get into the park (which we have never had to do before) but we wouldn't normally be arriving at this time. (While staying at the hotel we go in at EMH so no queue and this is the first time we got up at 4am to get here this early.) It looked busier than we have ever seen it but having said all that we didn't queue too long for anything and used fast passes. POTC was the longest queue of about 25mins but they were loading all the boats and it didn't seem a long wait. We got a fast pass for BTM and with it we walked straight on at our allocated time. When we checked in I asked if there were any offers on upgrades (a friend of mine got offered a suite with VIP fast passes for an extra 50€ a night last Feb half term at NPB). The lady at reception said the hotel (HNY) was completely full but that she would give us breakfast in Cafe Mickey for free on our last day. We didn't queue at midday at Hakuna Matata or in any shops. So, it was only our first day but I was pleasantly surprised. I will update you if I change my mind as the week goes on.

 

[kizzabel]

Great to hear it's manageable - last May was like that - plenty of crowds but fairly minimal waits and some walk ons.
Have a great week everyone

 

[firecracker725]

Sorry to correct you but Zone C - Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, Versailles are on holiday this week - they broke up on the 14/2 and go back on the 2/3

http://www.education.gouv.fr/pid25058/le-calendrier-scolaire.html?department=33

So sorry! We're Zone A and on holiday as well.

 

[kizzabel]

So does that mean we should have fairly low crowds for St Patrick's week? March 16th onwards?

 

[Carrie_Cat]

So does that mean we should have fairly low crowds for St Patrick's week? March 16th onwards?

All of France will have finished their holidays by the 9th of March and they start the rotation of the 3 zones again on the 11th of April so you won't have any of these on hols but no ida for the UK etc

 

[Carrie_Cat]

So sorry! We're Zone A and on holiday as well.

No worries Hope you are having a great time enjoying the break

 

[firecracker725]

No worries Hope you are having a great time enjoying the break

Quite ready for them to go back, actually. Can't believe I didn't realize the weeks overlap. No wonder we had such a time booking a few nights vacation this weekend. Crazy.

 

[kizzabel]

Thanks Carrie. Ireland have between a day to the whole week off depending on different schools/workplaces. Hopefully it will be quiet enough, though I imagine the parade & festivities draw more AP holders.

 

[HappyPanda]

We've been here since Sunday and have found it to be busy but very manageable. But then nothing could be as bad the crowds we had for Halloween 2013!

One thing that has shocked us is how busy EMH is, 20 mins queue for most rides at 0830, buzz had 40 mins by then! Craziness!

 

[addverbaan]

OOh, It sounds quite a lot busier then last year! Hope it calms down a little next week when the UK schools go back!

 

[Joyce_Belle]

Sorry about the crowds, I hope you'll manage avoiding them a bit. Enjoy!!!

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Well today my plan was to start early and see what attractions I could do before the crowds were larger than my comfort level. I went down for breakfast at 7am in spite of my 9:30am card - it was busy but there were still seats available. The breakfast area seems a bit less manic than the Santa Fe did when I stayed there- I think because there are separate areas in which to sit at the NBC. Because of jet lag - I was up at 3:45am - so an early start seemed to be the best thought!

There was a slight queue getting into Disneyland Parc for Extra Magic Hours but nothing that slowed me down. I was into the Parc by 8:10am. Buzz was basically a walk on - then I went on and rode the Teacups and Peter Pan which I happened to hit just right with minimal wait. After that the queues were at least 30 minutes. So at 9 am I decided to browse through the shops (an activity that was IMO impossible the night before).

I was trying to decide if I should try to catch "Big Thunder Mountain RR" at 10am - but the amount of people waiting at the Frontierland entrance put me off and I decided to make my way on over to the Studios shortly before 10am. The Studios entrance was busy and we waited some but it wasn't unmanageable - many people went straight to Ratatouille which of course was what I also wanted to do as I haven't seen it yet- a large queue developed which backed up into the area where Toy Story Playland and the Remy's area branch off and beyond. I decided to leave the queue and go up to investigate which I am so glad that I did. The fast past queue was also very long but the Single Riders queue was only 5 minutes! SCORE! So I rode in 5 minutes though the queue was already more than 60 minutes. When I exited the ride the queue was 120 minutes I think. So take advantage of the Single Rider's option!

After Ratatouille which I loved - I enjoyed Animagique and Lights, Motors, Actions shows. I had about thirty minutes before my reservation at Chez Remy's Bistro at 1pm to spend in the shops. So glad I made a reservation (just this morning really but it was available - I was surprised) as many people were really wanting a table but they were full up. I had vouchers so enjoyed the Emille menu - the cod option which was fantastic IMO! Such a nice meal in an enjoyable setting really topped off my "park" day. After the meal I decided that was it for the day. The crowds by this time were beyond my comfort level. I browsed through the shops and strolled happily through the village and by the lake which was quiet, cuddled into my warm bed and had a long nap - - doubt I will go out again but I am here for a week so will take things slowly and will probably have early days.

So it is possible to enjoy the parks but it is busy! Happy holidays everyone!