Jules1212
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2012
- Messages
- 242
So here goes a quick highs and lows from our trip 18th 22nd Dec at the DLH. I am aiming to do a proper trip report for the first time ever too!
Highs:
Telling DS (15) and DD (12) that we were staying at the Serris Apts again and then pulling up outside the DLH and saying Well, actually .. I had underestimated just how blown away they would be!
The actual experience of staying at the DLH service and everything was superb. We were made to feel very special indeed.
Being able to add DH,DS and DD on to my room booking for just under 20 euros tourist tax. I had worried myself silly that I would be booked into a double room and they would not be able to be added. I had no need.
The queues (or lack of) on Thursday and Friday. We managed to get on everything that we wanted to in both parks with very little waiting. Longest was 30 minutes for Crush which we all didnt mind. We had expected it to be much busier.
The wonderful person who handed my sons kindle in to reception. He left it on a sofa in the DLH lobby in the excitement of finding out we were staying there, but didnt realize until 7 hours later. He is on the autistic spectrum and his kindle is everything to him. He was sobbing over the loss. I went to reception at 11pm on what I thought was a futile journey only to be reunited with his prized possession if the person who handed a purple cased kindle in to the DLH on 18th Dec is reading this then please accept our very, very, grateful thanks.
The weather: Had a bit of a miserable shower waiting for Stars & Their Cars on Thursday, but that passed. And Friday was absolutely stunning! Blue skies and sunshine. Never felt too cold (and I DO feel the cold!). Used our thermals for the only time on Saturday night as we had been in the pool at the hotel and came out to go on BTM and then wait for Dreams and we were a bit too warm!
King Ludwigs: A great meal, super atmosphere and, I feel a little underrated on the boards.
The Christmas theming: It was all I hoped it would be and more. Loved the cavalcade, the parade, the music played through the speakers, the décor in the park as well as the shops and hotels.
We have agreed as a family though that our number one high was our meeting with Sandy Claws. What fabulous interaction! I will go into more detail in my trip report, but he lived up to all the hype and more.
Meeting characters: We met more this trip than any other. We met . Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Chip & Dale, Goofy, Pluto, Stitch, White Rabbit, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Pinnochio, Jack (Sandy Claws) and Sally and of all people . Jafar! He was hilarious. I will outline the revenge he took on a queue jumper in my TR! A few of these were random meets out in the park.
Pin trading: This was my first attempt at doing this and all the family soon jumped on the bandwagon. This then became a highlight for both my DS and DD and I have to say that all the CMs were marvellous. It really did enhance their experience of the trip this should also be a low as it ended up costing me a fortune!
Christmas Dreams: We loved this. As we have been lucky enough to see the original dreams show and then the revised one, we really loved the theming on this. Plus it helps that we are all in love with Olaf!
Lows:
The Christmas room: We paid rather a lot extra to have a Christmas themed room and I dont really think it was worth it. The swag looked great over the window, but the decals were peeling off the doors and our tree was not only small and barely decorated, but they had not plugged it in for our arrival (which is when you should get the wow factor). We spent an age trying to find how to switch the lights on which took away from the surprise somewhat. The tree was quite lopsided too, as though plonked in place. There was also no bauble souvenir or plush. I had to nag every day at reception to try to get these. I got a 2012 bauble in the end. I did some jiggling with the tree and lights and added a couple of plushes we had bought here in the UK and it looked much better (pics will be in TR). Not worth £105 though.
The view from our room: Well, there wasnt one! We were supposed to be facing on to Fantasia Gardens and the Disney Village, but the trees right in front of our window put paid to that. Felt rather claustrophobic.
Miserable server at BBWWS: She made it quite apparent that she would rather be anywhere else rather than serving us. It impacted our whole experience and I was glad we had only paid 35 euros each instead of full price. We had such a great server last time that it made the evening. It goes to show how the overall experience depends on the CM. I had the vegetarian option meal and it was yuk!
The old favorite: Smoking! In this day and age it is ridiculous how smoking is tolerated at a family centered resort. I even had a man smoking in front of me just INSIDE the doors to Hakuna Matata before he turned and flicked the rest of the cigarette at my daughter to get rid of it. I let him know of my opinion on the spot!
Those few lows aside, it was a wonderful and magical trip and was all I hoped it would ever be and more. A lovely taste of Christmas and Disneyland Paris at its best I feel. One of the best trips we have had as a family. Despite loving it, we are substituting Christmas for Halloween in 2014 as we want to see DLP in as many seasons as possible. We will be back in Feb 2014 on our deal of the century break though!
Highs:
Telling DS (15) and DD (12) that we were staying at the Serris Apts again and then pulling up outside the DLH and saying Well, actually .. I had underestimated just how blown away they would be!
The actual experience of staying at the DLH service and everything was superb. We were made to feel very special indeed.
Being able to add DH,DS and DD on to my room booking for just under 20 euros tourist tax. I had worried myself silly that I would be booked into a double room and they would not be able to be added. I had no need.
The queues (or lack of) on Thursday and Friday. We managed to get on everything that we wanted to in both parks with very little waiting. Longest was 30 minutes for Crush which we all didnt mind. We had expected it to be much busier.
The wonderful person who handed my sons kindle in to reception. He left it on a sofa in the DLH lobby in the excitement of finding out we were staying there, but didnt realize until 7 hours later. He is on the autistic spectrum and his kindle is everything to him. He was sobbing over the loss. I went to reception at 11pm on what I thought was a futile journey only to be reunited with his prized possession if the person who handed a purple cased kindle in to the DLH on 18th Dec is reading this then please accept our very, very, grateful thanks.
The weather: Had a bit of a miserable shower waiting for Stars & Their Cars on Thursday, but that passed. And Friday was absolutely stunning! Blue skies and sunshine. Never felt too cold (and I DO feel the cold!). Used our thermals for the only time on Saturday night as we had been in the pool at the hotel and came out to go on BTM and then wait for Dreams and we were a bit too warm!
King Ludwigs: A great meal, super atmosphere and, I feel a little underrated on the boards.
The Christmas theming: It was all I hoped it would be and more. Loved the cavalcade, the parade, the music played through the speakers, the décor in the park as well as the shops and hotels.
We have agreed as a family though that our number one high was our meeting with Sandy Claws. What fabulous interaction! I will go into more detail in my trip report, but he lived up to all the hype and more.
Meeting characters: We met more this trip than any other. We met . Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Chip & Dale, Goofy, Pluto, Stitch, White Rabbit, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Pinnochio, Jack (Sandy Claws) and Sally and of all people . Jafar! He was hilarious. I will outline the revenge he took on a queue jumper in my TR! A few of these were random meets out in the park.
Pin trading: This was my first attempt at doing this and all the family soon jumped on the bandwagon. This then became a highlight for both my DS and DD and I have to say that all the CMs were marvellous. It really did enhance their experience of the trip this should also be a low as it ended up costing me a fortune!
Christmas Dreams: We loved this. As we have been lucky enough to see the original dreams show and then the revised one, we really loved the theming on this. Plus it helps that we are all in love with Olaf!
Lows:
The Christmas room: We paid rather a lot extra to have a Christmas themed room and I dont really think it was worth it. The swag looked great over the window, but the decals were peeling off the doors and our tree was not only small and barely decorated, but they had not plugged it in for our arrival (which is when you should get the wow factor). We spent an age trying to find how to switch the lights on which took away from the surprise somewhat. The tree was quite lopsided too, as though plonked in place. There was also no bauble souvenir or plush. I had to nag every day at reception to try to get these. I got a 2012 bauble in the end. I did some jiggling with the tree and lights and added a couple of plushes we had bought here in the UK and it looked much better (pics will be in TR). Not worth £105 though.
The view from our room: Well, there wasnt one! We were supposed to be facing on to Fantasia Gardens and the Disney Village, but the trees right in front of our window put paid to that. Felt rather claustrophobic.
Miserable server at BBWWS: She made it quite apparent that she would rather be anywhere else rather than serving us. It impacted our whole experience and I was glad we had only paid 35 euros each instead of full price. We had such a great server last time that it made the evening. It goes to show how the overall experience depends on the CM. I had the vegetarian option meal and it was yuk!
The old favorite: Smoking! In this day and age it is ridiculous how smoking is tolerated at a family centered resort. I even had a man smoking in front of me just INSIDE the doors to Hakuna Matata before he turned and flicked the rest of the cigarette at my daughter to get rid of it. I let him know of my opinion on the spot!
Those few lows aside, it was a wonderful and magical trip and was all I hoped it would ever be and more. A lovely taste of Christmas and Disneyland Paris at its best I feel. One of the best trips we have had as a family. Despite loving it, we are substituting Christmas for Halloween in 2014 as we want to see DLP in as many seasons as possible. We will be back in Feb 2014 on our deal of the century break though!
