Home Again

[wifey]

Trip went well, easy flights transport to DLRP good (traffic very busy on the roads 6.30pm- 7.30pm).Hotel staff great, don't worry about language problems didn't meet any staff who couldn't speak english.
Theming of the hotel Sequoia Lodge is fair, the rooms are very dark though and everywhere reeked of cigarette smoke including the bedding which was pillows a mattress topper and a bed cover no duvet or blankets!!
Parks were lovely, lots of Christmas decorations up and the attention to detail on the rides and shows was amazing.
CMs were very friendly and lots of characters everywhere.Had lots of fun DS's favourite rides were BTMR and POC and Star Tours.
Managed to do everything we wanted as the parks wew not very busy in fact most of the visitors were Brits and we were all wrapped up against the weather It was freezing fog for 2 days and only saw the sun on our last day so we took the chance to take some photos while the sun was glorious so some are on my phone and some on the digital camera.
Food places were limited as many of them were closed (it took 2 attempts to get into Cowboy Cookout) which isn't good when the weather is freezing and you want a hearty meal to help warm up with Thank goodness we asked for a kettle for our room and bought a beverage basket
So now we just have to get rid of the awful cold we came home with and look at the photos of which one is the highlight of the trip it's DS helping Mickey Mouse open Disneyland Park on Thursday and all of us having our photo taken with Mickey by a superb CM Katrin who made DS's day Thanks for your help planning our trip and for your advice, Wifey. aw: aw: aw: aw:

 

[diberry]

Welcome home! Looking forward to seeing your piccies!

 

[Cyrano]

Welcome home Shame that you brought a cold back with you, but at least you have all the photographs to look through.
Hope you managed to get one of DS opening park with Mickey

 

[cannp123165]

Glad to hear you had a great trip. ))).

 

[Bexx]

Very odd about the bedding - I've never heard of that problem before. Glad you enjoyed the trip on the whole and how wonderful to help the Mouse open the park

 

[Verity Chambers]

Welcome home, glad you had a nice time.

 

[DisneyRGB]

Glad you had a good trip, looking forward to hearing more!

 

[Ware Bears]

Welcome back

 

[jodyb]

Oh my goodness, I think being a strange mixture of American and Israeli I'm not understanding your bedding terms, but I'm concerned! What is a "mattress topper"?. And no blankets! I've never had that problem at the Sequoia and I'm so surprised... do you remember your room number or what lodge you were in? I am wondering if it was one of the lodges not yet rennovated. Shame it was so dark. Glad you enjoyed your trip regardless. I'm gearing up for the cold we'll experience there next week! Meanwhile it's almost 40 C. here in Haifa! I have a feeling we may come home with a cold as well, after experiencing such a drastic change in weather in one fell swoop. But, tell the truth, isn't it worth it for the time you spent in the magic?

 

[diberry]

We stayed in the SL a few weeks ago in a Montana room, Jody. There was a sheet to lie on, a sheet over you and a cover. Very thin but very very warm. Neither of us needed the covers over us. We switched the heating off and opened the window. Rhiannon feels the cold a lot but even she was really hot so don't be concerned about being cold in bed!!

 

[jodyb]

Thanks Diana! I wasn't really concerned about being cold but I'm surprised - I don't remember the bedding being so sparse at the SL... but then I guess that's not what I was focused on! We have a Montana Lake View this time - I am so looking forward to this. I hope it will be one of the newly renovated rooms. Do you know which those are by any chance?

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

Nice report !!!! but .... I feel sorry for your cold !!!

We were in a Montana view last Christmas , first floor , with view on the Newport hotel : our room was reniewed,new carpeting,all NEW bedding things,sparkling clean bathroom,all walls were freshly painted ...... VERY CONFORTABLE !!!!

The only backdrawn was we could NOT open the window , they had put a sort of a lock on it ..... maybe they are afraid people could jump into the room from the lawn outside .


Laura

 

[jodyb]

Laura! That sounds so lovely! I hope our room will be as renewed. I have to say thought that one of my favorite things about the Sequoia has been being able to open the window and let in the lovely fresh winter air! Our first visit our room overlooked the "back" - toward the main entrance to the hotel and there was always lovely music being piped into the waiting area for the shuttle, and I really enjoyed that! It felt so "Disney" and I'd open the window first thing in the morning to hear it.
Last year, our room was similarly located, and the window did open, but no music!
I think this time I shall ask for a window that opens!

Laura, do you have another WDW trip booked? (sorry off topic! - I'll PM you!_

 

[wifey]

We stayed in Yosemite Lodge room 204, overlooking a parking lot even though we requested a HIGH FLOOR NONSMOKING room there are vents in the bathrooms, next to the toilet, which reek of cigarette smoke constantly.UGGGH!!!The breakfasts however were fantastic best we've had at a Disney hotel
On our first day, very foggy, we went to Disneyland Park did BTMR ,POC , went throught Alice's Labyrinth, Peter Pan, Dumbo,Carousel,IASM ,Star Tours,met lots of characters had lunch in Marionnettes . Took time to look in the shops of course, noticed the construction work is coming along well for Buzz and TOT. Went to see Mickey's Winter Wonderland the temperature was dropping while we watched the show so we bought some coffee to keep us warm it was freezing cold by 5pm and waited at the hub for the Fantillusion show. All we can say is add some fireworks at the finale and it could beat the experience at WDW at Christmas !!There were alot of things closed but we still had fun!!Tea at McD's
Our second day, still foggy, was spent at the Studios DS helped open the park and we got around really quickly. I guess we were surprised how small it was, after a look through the shops and entering through Studio 1 we rode the Magic Carpets, then into Animagique a lovely show and out to Cinemagique which was good too and a good place to warm up. Then on the Backlot Tram Tour which was a little different to WDW in a good way, and then our first time in Armageddon(DS loved this) had lunch at Restaurant En Coulisse and listened to the live music. After lunch we watched the Cinema Parade and then went back out to DLP and laughed at the daft chickens and looked in the shops again had tea at Cowboy Cookout and then back through the Village and back to the hotel.
On our last day we went back to DLP and rode POC twice, BTMR,IASW,Star Tours again and took our photos we didn't get due to the fog earlier in our visit . Had lunch at McD's and bought our final gifts before heading back to the hotel to get our shuttle back to CDG and flew home.
I am trying to sort out the photos at the moment so you can all view them so please be patient with me ,and remember we are wrapped up against the cold weather in the photos, I'll let you know when they are done

 

[wifey]

Diberry, we couldn't turn our heating up or down as the thermostat was broken!!The only spare bedding was one pillow!!

 

[wifey]

Alright folks most of our photos can be viewed on the following site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/friely
Enjoy them and if you want to add any comments please be kind!!

 

[Cyrano]

Photographs are excellent, thanks for posting the link

 

[wifey]

Glad you like them : we will try to get more on at some point , including the one of DS helping to open the park and one of his certificate given to him by Wifey aw: aw: aw: aw:

 

[diberry]

I think this time I shall ask for a window that opens!

I'm afraid I don't know which rooms have been renovated Jody. Ours was quite dark too but it was ok with the lights on. Our window opened a little- not enough to jump out of but enough to let some fresh air in!!!

 

[diberry]

Even though we requested a NONSMOKING room there are vents in the bathrooms, next to the toilet, which reek of cigarette smoke constantly.UGGGH!!!

WE EXPERIENCED THIS ONCE AT WDW. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NON-SMOKING ROOM BUT WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HEAD ON THE PILLOW IT WAS RANK. (Sorry - wasn't meant to be in capitals!!) We told reception and they put some machine in our room which fumigated it! But I imagine you could always request another room. We did that twice one year at WDW due to noisy neighbours and they didn't seem to mind at all - even helped us move our stuff.