rgoble5972
Are we there yet?
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2001
- Messages
- 276
CAST
Robin 41 Trip Report writer, Bringer of Good Weather, Recently Relieved of Duties as Trip Planner
Larry - 46 - Host, Walking Compendium of Knowledge, and Trip Report god.
Jill - (no way would I betray a confidence without permission) - Keeper of the Passports, Park Navigator, and First in Line
Greg - 17 - Quiet Teenager, Purveyor of Dry Wit and Sarcastic Remarks
Ed - 14 - Runescape Addict, Chief Dog Walker, and Professional Conversationalist
Pippin/Killer - 4 months - Official Wilmot Poodle, Beggar of Table Scraps, Eater of Baked Goods
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Why did Lancelot deserve his own carrousel?
Because of all of his work as a dermatologist! (Get it? No? Take your time and think about it. Well wait.)
I started waking up around 3:00, worrying that the alarm clock wouldnt go off. I finally got up around 3:20 and got a shower. Jill got up when I came out of the bathroom. She called down to the boys room around 4:00 to make sure they were up and getting ready, which they were. We were ready to go by 4:30 and we went down to the boys room and met them.
We went down to the lobby for some coffee and juice. They didnt have the complimentary breakfast out yet. We had asked about it the night before and the man at the front desk told us that theyd have drinks out early, but the breakfast didnt start until 6:00. Poor Larry, it just about killed him to not get his moneys worth on the free breakfast. Hed have you believe that hes a bit tight with money (cheap and proud, I believe were his exact words), but I really didnt see any signs of that while I was there. I mean, I didnt really mind sharing the kids meals with Ed all the time and I certainly didnt think anything of letting him sit in my lap on all of the flights and pretending that I was a ventriloquist and his was my puppet. I did think it was odd however when, after our flight landed safely, I heard him mumbling, Well, there goes five bucks (she means pounds) down the drain for that flight insurance.
Hey there Girl, I am not mean, I am thrifty. - Larry.
We made the quick walk to the airport at 4:45 and checked in for our flight at 5:00. We flew Easy Jet for all the flights that we took while I was there. Its certainly a no-frills airline, but Im used to that with Southwest Airlines here in America. The planes were real jets--not some cheap turbo-props, the flights were all on time, and the flight attendants were all very nice and helpful. All-in-all the experience was very good and apparently the prices cant be beat if you make your reservations early enough. I do feel sorry for the flight attendants, however, because their uniforms are very ORANGE. ORANGE and gray, to be exact, and not particularly stylish. Bright, yes, but haute couture? Not so much.
We looked through a few gift shops at the airport and picked up some cokes and candy for the plane ride. (She means sweets) (I, for one, was glad to see that our English brothers are doing their part to further healthy breakfasts just like us Americans) Around 5:30, we boarded a bus that took us out on the tarmac to our airplane, which got us to France right on time at 7:00am.
We had to separate to go through customs, moi having to go to the Non-European Community line where I had to convince several concerned Frenchmen that, yes, I did indeed believe that Jerry Lewis was the funniest comedian since Soupy Sails and, no, I didnt think that the *entire* world thought that the French were chicken and, yes, even I thought freedom fries was a bit silly.
Having performed that momentous task, I then met up with everyone else at the luggage claims area. Our luggage was there already, so we gathered it up and proceeded to find the bus to Disneyland Paris. We looked at the bus schedule and found that busses to DLP run approximately every 20 minutes during peak times and at least every hour the rest of the day and cost 14 euros per person. We asked a man working at the taxi stand how much a cab to DLP would cost and he said around 70 euros. Since there were 5 of us, we decided to just take a cab as it would be faster and about the same price as the bus.
The ride to Disneyland Resort took about 20-30 minutes. There werent the telltale purple signs like they have at WDW, but there *were* signs and it was still easy to get just as excited as we drew closer to the resort. On the way in, we could see the new tethered balloon that they have at Disney Village (the equivalent of Downtown Disney at WDW). (The driver didn't know the way to the Holiday Inn at DLP, fortunately I did, having driven there last year, so that helped, and kept the fee down, Remember the Thrifty Bit. - L)
Mr. Wilmot had kindly booked us into the Holiday Inn at Disneyland Resort. (Only because the Kandy Kane Motel was full, and there was a conference at Bates Motel - L
This is like the Downtown Disney hotels at WDW--on-site hotels that arent run by Disney but that are just as conveniently located and that share many of the same perks as the Disney hotels. (The main one being that you get a Pink Bendy Bus, direct to the parks, and you can pretend to surf on the turntable in the middle of the bus.......... Whoo hooo. - L.)
The hotel itself was very nice. It has a subtle circus theme--not too in-your-face. The lobby was very big with lots of seating available. There was only a small line of people checking in so it didnt take long to get our accommodations all squared away. They said our rooms would be ready by 3:00 so we got what things we needed out of our luggage, put on some sun block, and stored our bags with bell services so we could get right to the more important matters--Breakfast!
Ha. And you thought I was going to say Disney, didnt you? Well, actually, I *was* going to say Disney, but Greg, being an active 17 year old male, said that breakfast was the first cause of the day, the snacks that we bought at the airport in Luton having long since been digested. Luckily, breakfast and Disney are very easy to combine.
A bus was pulling in right as we got our bags stored, so we hopped on and were dropped off at bus stop right outside of Disney Village. Also located there is the Marne-la-Vallee railway station that makes it very convenient to take day trips into Paris and the surrounding area. From the bus area, its about a one to two minute walk to Disney Village, Disneyland Park, and Walt Disney Studios, so everything is very close. (It might be a one to two minute walk for a young Texan woman but for an old fat Yorkshire man it's more like ten minutes.-LWW)
Disneyland Park was where we were headed so we struck out in that direction. The Disneyland Hotel (the Paris equivalent of the Grand Floridian) is incorporated into the entrance to Disneyland (or, more accurately, the entrance to Disneyland goes right through the middle of the Disneyland Hotel) and many of the rooms overlook Main Street. The hotel was lovely and, if you wanted to drop that kind of money, would be super-convenient to the parks.
Since the Wilmots already had annual passes (APs) for DLP, the plan was for Jill, Ed and Greg to go to the bakery on Main Street to get Greg (and the rest of the group as well) some sustenance while Larry went with me to get my park pass and then for us to meet up at the bakery when we were finished.
There was a good bit of a line for park passes and, while we waited, we were vastly amused by a child of the family in front of us in line. He was a boy, probably around eleven or twelve years old and I have never been so blatantly stared at as we were by this child. After reassuring ourselves that all clothing was fastened, hair was combed, nothing was stuck in our teeth, encrusted on our faces, or poking out where it shouldnt be, we finally just had to laugh at this unblinking youth who couldnt take his eyes off of us. Seriously, he could stare for France. (Yes I had the same feeling too, it was very strange, maybe the little boy recognised me, and was plucking up courage to ask if I could get Mary from the Comedy Warehouses autograph for him. - Larry.)
Once we got close enough to see the ticket prices we found out that a three-day park hopper was 101 euros, while an annual pass was only 117. We had five days that we were going to be able to visit the parks, so it made much more sense to go for the annual pass. Plus, as Larry said, theres just something comforting about having an annual pass to a Disney park. Not wanting to brag, but I am actually in possession of *two* annual passes right now--one to Disneyland Paris and one to Disneyland Resort in California. Top that, if you can, Sue Holland!
Having Larry with me really paid off because, once it was our turn, we found out that he could get an annual passholder discount on *my* annual pass, making the final cost only 107 euros! Also, he was eligible to get an extra month added onto his annual pass for helping me purchase mine. So, bonus!
- However, I didnt actually take up that option because I have stood in the Annual Passholder Office Line From Hell, before, and it actually works out that it takes more than a month to get to the front of the line, so you end up with less time than you started. - LWW
Unlike WDW, but similar to Disneyland Resort, in Paris you have to get your picture made for your annual pass. When you purchase the pass, you get a temporary card which will get you through the turnstiles. Then, during that day, you have to go to the annual passholder center and have your picture made and get your permanent card. There was time for that later, however. For now, it was time to get ourselves inside a Disney park and on a ride.
Okay, finally! Park passes in hand; we went through the turnstiles and were finally on Main Street. It was a bit of an odd feeling being on such a familiar street with the same feel as Main Street in WDW or Disneyland Resort, but knowing that you were in a foreign country, thousands of miles away from America. Except for hearing French phrases every now and then, I could have been on either of the Main Streets in the U.S. (Not least because of the heat that we were experiencing which was very Floridian for the whole visit - L.)
It was about 10:30 by now, so we hurried to the bakery to meet up with the others. Larry and I quickly shared a muffin and some puffy, pastry thingies (no, thats not their technical name, but it escapes me right now) for breakfast along with a coffee for him and a Cola Light (aka Diet Coke--those French just have to be different) for me.
Oh, by the way, some of you readers, if youve noticed the date, may have realized a slight error in planning on our part. We had congratulated ourselves earlier, when we looked at the park hours for today, that the park was staying open until after 11:00--and on a non-weekend day, at that. What we hadnt realized was that park was staying open so late to handle the crowds expected because July 14th just happens to be Bastille Day in France! Oops! Could we have picked a more crowded day than the French equivalent of the 4th of July?
(Hey Robin are you sure, that the 4th of July isn't the US equivalent of the 14th July????? - I'm, sure some bright spark reader, will tell us which came first, - No, I Know that July 4th is before the 14th, I meant which revolution was first.)
But, hey, were all Disney veterans here--surely we can handle the crowds and make sensible use of Fast Pass and still enjoy our day. No sweat. Also, an added bonus was that they were having a special Bastille Day fireworks show this evening.
After our quick breakfast, we decided to go ahead and get my annual pass processed, since we were close to the annual pass center, right inside of Discoveryland (the equivalent of Tomorrowland). Luckily, we had good timing and there was no wait at the AP center and I had my annual pass in about 10 minutes. (Some people have all the luck if you ask me. - L)
Larry said it was a tradition to let their guests pick what will be the first ride of the trip so I chose Big Thunder Mountain. With the park being crowded for Bastille Day, and the fact that it was already 10:45, we knew the stand-by line would be long so we decided to get Fast Passes for Big Thunder and then go and ride Pirates of the Caribbean (PoTC) while we waited for our Fast Pass time.
Now those of you who are regular readers of Larry Wilmots trip reports will know that he has a reputation as somewhat of a Fast Pass Scam artist (a gift that hes passed on to his boys as well). Well, scam is really too harsh a word. Perhaps we should say that Larry is somewhat of an expert in finding non-traditional ways to liberate extra Fast Passes for his utilization. Doesnt that sound much better than scam? In fact, hes so well known for this ability, that hes even been contacted by Disney a couple of times to discuss his findings. So, in my opinion, no trip would be complete without being able to scam a few Fast Passes ala Wilmot.
Unfortunately, though Ed demonstrated the workings of the most current way to acquire extra Fast Passes, we werent able to procure any for Big Thunder Mountain and so had to get some the old fashioned way. Our return time was for 11:50, so we set off to Adventureland to ride PoTC while we waited.
The outside of Pirates is very elaborate and well-done, complete with a Spanish Galleon, Skull Rock and the outside of the ride itself done up like a huge Spanish fort. The ride was pretty much a walk on and we hurried through the queue which was very similar to the one in Florida.
The ride was better than the Florida version and every bit as good as the one in California. The only distraction that would cause me to still rate the California ride a smidgeon higher than this version (aside from the nostalgia factor which boosts the California ride as well since it was the original ride and I grew up going on that one) is that the language switches back and forth between French and English and that was a little distracting. Whereas We wants the Redhead! was belted out in English, it was hard to tell what Avast Ya Bloomin ****-a-roaches! was in French. (Vou est le Pamplemousse? - L)
The ride has two drops like its California counterpart and it also has a restaurant inside the ride as well. In this instance, it was the Blue Lagoon Restaurant instead of the Blue Bayou. The Blue Lagoon has a much more Caribbean feel to it instead of the Louisiana Bayou theme of the Blue Bayou, complete with palm trees and sand. In the French version, the jail scene is at the first of the ride and the battle scene between the ships and the fort is later on. The French version also has a very well done skull feature as you go down the second drop. Also, since its a bit newer than the Disneyland version, it seems a little fresher.
After we finished Pirates, we headed over to Phantom Manor (the Haunted Mansion). We cut through Fantasyland on our way from Adventureland to Frontierland and I got my first up-close look at Sleeping Beautys Castle.
Okay, so its France and they have lots of castles here, so Disney had to make this one a bit fancier that the ones at WDW or DLR. The castle is very lovely--all pink and blue with lots of turrets and towers and gold trim gilding all the spires. (Actually I'm not that sure that it doesnt look that different to the castle at WDW the time that they made it into a cake - L) One of the neatest things about the castle however, is the dragon that lurks in the basement! La Taniere du Dragon is in the basement of the castle. Hes an animatronic dragon that moves and blows smoke and roars very realistically.
Phantom Manor is in Frontierland and it has a decidedly western theme to its story. The facade of the building, while run-down and spooky looking, wasnt as pretty (in a scary and haunted way) as the mansions in either WDW or DLR. The ride itself was very good. They have different pictures in the stretch room and they put a lot more emphasis on the bride in this version--you see her very prominently displayed throughout the ride. I thought this version was a little scarier than the other two. They have a growling hell beast in the graveyard (okay, hes a dog, but hes not the little skinny, whimpering dog like the one at DLR) with glowing red eyes and they have lots of skeletons everywhere including one of the dead groom. I think it would be too intense for very young children.
Jill and the boys took the first doom buggy and Larry and I climbed into the second one. One of the Cast Members (CMs) scared the snot out of me by jumping out at us from behind our doom buggy right as the safety bar was lowered down onto our laps.
At the end of the ride, everyone gets the same ghost in their doom buggy with them.
It was a very good attraction but I dont think Id rate it as high as either one of the other versions. I didnt think the ballroom was as nicely done and I wasnt a big fan of the whole western theme of the ride. Also, I didnt like the stretch room as well as the other versions.
After Phantom Manor, it was time for our Fast Passes for Big Thunder so we headed there next. The roughest ride in the wilderness is much better here than in America, though none of us could exactly put on finger on why. (Oh I have a theory however, its the fact that it is on an island, and to get to the island you have to go through two dark tunnels at the start and end of the ride, and it just adds a lot more roller coaster feel to it, and makes it a bit more exciting. - L)
By now it was 1:30 and we were all getting ready for some lunch. We decided on hot dogs at Caseys so Larry, Greg and Jill went there to order while Ed and I ran to Discoveryland to pick up Fast Passes for everyone for Space Mountain. We tried the Fast Pass scam technique but it didnt work so, no joy. Our return time was 3:40. (Oh gosh I'm starting to look like the EX- Fast pass scam king now. I won't dare let my contacts in high places in Disney read this TR!!! They will have so much joy that they finally beat me!!! - L)
When we got back over to Caseys on Main Street there was quite a lunch crowd. Larry and Jill were still in line to order and Greg had gone in search of a table for us. Ed and I found Greg at a table in the arcade behind the restaurant.
The arcades are something that DLP has that neither WDW nor DLR have. These are two big hallways that run along either side of Main Street behind all of the shops and restaurants. They are enclosed and they have tables and chairs along the walls so theyre good for finding an out of the way place to eat or rest or get out of the elements. They also come in handy when exiting the park as a way to avoid some of the crowds or to by pass the parade.
Ed and I waited with Greg and lunch soon arrived. We got the Pluto meals all around which consisted of a giant hot dog, fries, a drink, and profiteroles for dessert. (The ball things we had for breakfast were kinda like savory profiteroles, I was going to write that in the breakfast section of the report, but I couldnt spell profiteroles until I saw how Robin spelt the word - L) Eds kids meal came with a miniature radio complete with batteries and headphones. It actually worked and was a pretty neat freebie.
After lunch, we decided to try and find another low crowd/fast loading ride while we waited for our Space Mountain Fast Passes, so we picked, much to Greg and Eds dismay, Its A Small World (IASW)! We cut through Sleeping Beauty Castle again, only this time going upstairs to see Le Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant which is a beautiful display of the story of Sleeping Beauty on tapestries and stained glass windows. As you exit the display to the back of the castle, you come out on a nice balcony that overlooks Fantasyland.
As we headed towards Its a Small World, we passed by Le Carrousel de Lancelot (Like I couldnt have made that up--Le Carrousel de Lancelot! I suppose they also have Le Spinning Ride de Elephant, Le Nausea de Tea Cups and Le Ridiculously Long Line in the Blistering Heat de Tiny Cars as well!). Anyway, as we passed by the carrousel, knowing that it was King Arthurs carrousel in DLR, I remarked that I wondered what Lancelot had done to deserve his own carrousel. Larry was quick to reply that it must have been all of his work in the field of dermatology.
The exterior of IASW is very reminiscent of the one at DLR--not quite as good, but better than WDW. At Its a Small World, Larry, Greg and Jill got in one queue while Ed and I got in another one in order to see who got to the boats first (sadly, they got on four boats before Ed and I did). I must say that I was shocked and appalled at the number of grannies that Larry pushed down and walked over in order to get to the front of the line. (One Nil, One Nil, One Nil, One Nil - L.)
As we went through the ride, I thought I had spotted a trend--having an animal from a Disney movie in each country. There was a Slinky Dog (Toy Story) in Germany, a Pegasus (Hercules) in Greece, a Dragon (Mulan) in China. However, the theory petered out at the end.
After IASW, it still wasnt quite time for our Space Mountain Fast Passes so we decided to go to Honey I Shrunk the Audience (Chere, Moi Shrunken ze Viewers). The dialogue is in French, but they provide headphones with it in English. I think we all nodded off a bit during the film (it had been a *very* early morning!)
(OK Time for Larry's list of attractions he has slept on. - Mainly at WDW but with the odd Paris Attraction thrown in for good measure.
Journey into your Imagination, the original and the only time I rode it, which is a big shame if you ask me.
China Pavilion. On the floor at the back of the circle vision.
The Grandmother Willow Booths at Animal Kingdom, Conservation Station.
The Hall of Presidents. (OK I know everyone has slept there, so that doesn't count.)
Honey I shrunk the Audience in Paris.)
After our small nap-ette, it was time for Space Mountain. You get to sit side-by-side (two per row) on the ride like the one at DLR instead of single file like the Space Mountain at WDW. Ive always preferred getting to sit with someone. Unlike the other two incarnations, this one has a harness restraint system because you get to go upside down on the ride--three times (woohoo!). It also has a catapult launch (like Rock n Rollercoaster). Needless to say, I preferred this Space Mountain over either one of the American ones.
(Frequent DLP visitors might like to note that this has now changed, and has a new theme, gone is the Jules Verne to the Moon and Back theme, and its a more neon zappy spacey thing, it's very good however, sadly the re-hab hasn't made the ride anymore smooth, and it remains a Coaster that I am weary off as I have pulled neck parts before now, So I always do some neck exercises to loosen things up before I ride this, and consequently I prefer Space Mountain at WDW, which I really like. (Though I miss Crazy Larry and the Blue PVC Lady - like Crazy - Larry.))
After our journey to the moon and back, we decided it was time to go get our hotel rooms (it was 4:20) and rest a little. We headed out of the park, ducking through the arcade along the east side of Main Street in order to avoid the 3:00 parade (which started at 4:00) (- You think that's bad, it started at seven a couple of days later-L.). We got to the front of Main Street in time to have to wait for the last 3 floats to go by before we could exit the park. (Though one of the last floats is Mary Poppins. and I always like to see Our Mary -I do. Cor Blimey, Bangers and Mash, Chim Chimmineeeee - L.)
We caught the bus and were back at our hotel by 5:00 where we got our room numbers (our rooms were on the third floor, right next door to each other), picked up our luggage from bell services, and went to get settled in. We agreed to meet back up at 7:00 to go to dinner.
The rooms were very nice with lots of space. I unpacked my things, put on my swimming suit and went down to the pool around 5:45. I took a quick dip then went back to my room, showered, updated my trip report notes, and was dressed and ready to go by 7:00.
Ed had noticed that their room number was 2012 which just happens to be the year that the Olympics will be held in London. Larry took this as very good omen. I can tell you that he was a perfect gentleman and that he wasnt the least bit smug about London winning the Olympic bid over Paris. Well, I *could* tell you that if I wasnt averse to lying.
(Hey, I am a very non smug person, but you have to look at it this way...... We Won the Olympics, the French didnt. Jacque Chirac is a big time sore looser, and lets face it London is the Hip Place to Be. I am going to volunteer at the Olympics, I can't wait. I've booked my leave already. Please feel free to come and Join Me. 2012 London - it's the place to be. - L. )
We caught the bus to Disney Village and took a look at the menus of a few of the restaurants and decided on King Ludwigs. The decor of the restaurant reminded me of the Biergarten at Epcot, while the food was more along the lines of Le Cellier (kind of a steak and potato place). Larry and Greg both got the steak and baked potato with horseradish sauce. Jill and I both had the roasted chicken and French fries (I gave my fries to Greg while Larry and Jill swapped his baked potato for her fries - (here is no way I'm eating Horse Radish Anything. - L). Ed had chicken bits and fries. I think I also got a salad with my dinner as well. (You did. Rabbit food if you ask me? Not asking me? No I don't blame you. - L)
For dessert, Greg got an ice cream sundae, Jill and Larry both got the apple strudel, Ed had a waffle with ice cream, and I got orange crème brulee with the stipulation that everyone try it so I didnt have to eat it all myself, so, we all basically shared. Larry declared that my crème brulee was one of the nicest desserts that he had ever had and he said that he liked the dessert-sharing idea. (Oh Gosh, I can't enthuse enough about that Crème Brulee, I've been to King Lud-Vigg's twice now and it's nothing to get over excited about, but that Crème brulee was really great, honestly, one of the nicest things I've ever eaten, I loved it.- L.)
While we were at dinner, we debated which day we should take to go into Paris proper. We decided that, since the parks stayed open late on Saturday, we should go to Paris that day and wed still have time to see the parade and fireworks that evening at Disneyland. No sense in having annual passes and not using them every day we possibly can.
It was at this meal when Larry and I first began fighting over who got to pay the check. I, being a good guest, believed that I should buy dinner for my hosts. While Larry, being a good host, believed that he should buy dinner for his guest. The rest of the group got much amusement out of both of us trying to be the fastest with our credit cards. The poor servers were often taken aback by us forcing our money on them before they even got the check set down on the table. Not that either one of us are competitive or anything.
This meal was particularly memorable because Larry bested me in getting his credit card to the waiter first but the portable credit card machine wouldnt process his card and so I got to whip mine out and say, in my most condescending tone, Well youd better use *this* one then. Of course, the machine wouldnt take mine either and so the waiter said he would go get another one and be right back. The prompted much jockeying for prime credit card position between Larry and myself. I think we may have even arm-wrestled at one point.
Ultimately however, Larry won out (sure, smug man--you beat a girl!). He said that was the greatest pleasure hed ever had while spending money and that the victory was worth any price. I quickly proclaimed him the King of Gloating and Smugness--though he denies that he was ever Smug about it. I think it had something to do with the victory dance that he did and how he got the whole restaurant chanting Were number one! with him. (Two Nil, Two Nil, Two Nil, Two Nil.- L)
After dinner, we walked over to Disneyland (it was about 10:00) in order to stake out a place for the 11:15 fireworks. Main Street was getting pretty packed, but we found a good place against a fence by the walkway to Adventureland. Larry and Jill agreed to hold our places while Ed, Greg and I went into Adventureland to look around a bit. Oddly enough, we found ourselves heading towards Indian Jones and the Temple of Peril which, surprisingly, was a walk on.
Greg warned me to hold my head very still on the ride and it only took one sharp corner and me bloodying my ears as they smacked into the harness for me to heed that advice. The ride is good, but its very jerky and your head does tend to bump against the harness a lot (which hurts!). We went back to meet up with Larry and Jill and found that we had made it just in time. A CM was making everyone move down towards Main Street and they were roping off a big area next to Adventureland. We ducked under the rope and met up with them on the other side.
The Cast Members were having a hard time getting the crowd to cooperate, but the finally succeeded in clearing a large area and getting it all cordoned off. It looked like it was going to be some kind of VIP viewing area for the fireworks.
We were speculating on who had enough pull to get special Bastille Day viewing of the fireworks and were waiting to see who was going to show up to use the VIP area when it hit me--wasnt this Bastille Day? Wasnt that the day that the commoners of France stormed the Bastille in protest of the privileges of the elite? Werent we celebrating the liberation and equality of the common man? And here we were, the little people, being pushed back from our good viewing spot to make room for a VIP area? A VIP AREA? A bourgeois elitist scum area, more like! The nerve of these Marie Antoinette types with their let-them-eat-cake attitude and their off-with-their-heads mentality trying to keep us in servitude! Well they wont get away with! We will rage against the machine! We will not go quietly into the night! At-ti-ca! At-ti-ca! Soylent Green is people!
I think they actually had to slap me to bring me back down to earth. As it turns out, the viewing area was set aside for Cast Members, so good for Disney.
The fireworks started promptly at 11:15. They were set to patriotic French music and were very nice, though rather short in our opinion, as they only lasted for 7 minutes. After they were over, Main Street was a sea of people (most of whom were just standing around, so you had to really struggle to make your way out of the park). We finally crossed over a fence and walked out a good bit of the way on the grass. We ducked through the Arcade and made it to the bus stop by 11:30.
After dark, the esplanade between the Disney Village, the parks, and the train station comes alive with street vendors selling all kinds of glow-in-the-dark Eiffel tower statues, laser pens, mechanical dogs and cats, and all sorts of other junk. Ed saw the laser pens and immediately launched an all-out campaign to get someone to buy one for him but, sadly, with no luck this evening.
There was a huge line for the bus and they only seemed to be running two busses between the non-Disney hotels. Everyone was tired and we had to wait a very long time. It was frustrating watching the Disney busses pull up every few minutes to take guests back to the Disney hotels. We debated trying to walk back to the hotel, but we werent sure how long of a walk it would be or if we could find our way in the dark.
Larry began to doubt his ability as a tour guide and apologized that we were having to wait so long. I quickly assured his that bus schedules were not his fault and that he was doing a wonderful job. It had been a lovely day. It was a beautiful night, everyone was still in a good mood and we still had an abundance of pixie dust to see us through. About that time, one of the Disney busses pulled up to take us back to our hotel. Disney to the rescue.
We made it back to the hotel by 12:30. I got a coke, updated my trip report notes, and made it to bed by 1:45.
Robin 41 Trip Report writer, Bringer of Good Weather, Recently Relieved of Duties as Trip Planner
Larry - 46 - Host, Walking Compendium of Knowledge, and Trip Report god.
Jill - (no way would I betray a confidence without permission) - Keeper of the Passports, Park Navigator, and First in Line
Greg - 17 - Quiet Teenager, Purveyor of Dry Wit and Sarcastic Remarks
Ed - 14 - Runescape Addict, Chief Dog Walker, and Professional Conversationalist
Pippin/Killer - 4 months - Official Wilmot Poodle, Beggar of Table Scraps, Eater of Baked Goods
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Why did Lancelot deserve his own carrousel?
Because of all of his work as a dermatologist! (Get it? No? Take your time and think about it. Well wait.)
I started waking up around 3:00, worrying that the alarm clock wouldnt go off. I finally got up around 3:20 and got a shower. Jill got up when I came out of the bathroom. She called down to the boys room around 4:00 to make sure they were up and getting ready, which they were. We were ready to go by 4:30 and we went down to the boys room and met them.
We went down to the lobby for some coffee and juice. They didnt have the complimentary breakfast out yet. We had asked about it the night before and the man at the front desk told us that theyd have drinks out early, but the breakfast didnt start until 6:00. Poor Larry, it just about killed him to not get his moneys worth on the free breakfast. Hed have you believe that hes a bit tight with money (cheap and proud, I believe were his exact words), but I really didnt see any signs of that while I was there. I mean, I didnt really mind sharing the kids meals with Ed all the time and I certainly didnt think anything of letting him sit in my lap on all of the flights and pretending that I was a ventriloquist and his was my puppet. I did think it was odd however when, after our flight landed safely, I heard him mumbling, Well, there goes five bucks (she means pounds) down the drain for that flight insurance.
Hey there Girl, I am not mean, I am thrifty. - Larry.
We made the quick walk to the airport at 4:45 and checked in for our flight at 5:00. We flew Easy Jet for all the flights that we took while I was there. Its certainly a no-frills airline, but Im used to that with Southwest Airlines here in America. The planes were real jets--not some cheap turbo-props, the flights were all on time, and the flight attendants were all very nice and helpful. All-in-all the experience was very good and apparently the prices cant be beat if you make your reservations early enough. I do feel sorry for the flight attendants, however, because their uniforms are very ORANGE. ORANGE and gray, to be exact, and not particularly stylish. Bright, yes, but haute couture? Not so much.
We looked through a few gift shops at the airport and picked up some cokes and candy for the plane ride. (She means sweets) (I, for one, was glad to see that our English brothers are doing their part to further healthy breakfasts just like us Americans) Around 5:30, we boarded a bus that took us out on the tarmac to our airplane, which got us to France right on time at 7:00am.
We had to separate to go through customs, moi having to go to the Non-European Community line where I had to convince several concerned Frenchmen that, yes, I did indeed believe that Jerry Lewis was the funniest comedian since Soupy Sails and, no, I didnt think that the *entire* world thought that the French were chicken and, yes, even I thought freedom fries was a bit silly.
Having performed that momentous task, I then met up with everyone else at the luggage claims area. Our luggage was there already, so we gathered it up and proceeded to find the bus to Disneyland Paris. We looked at the bus schedule and found that busses to DLP run approximately every 20 minutes during peak times and at least every hour the rest of the day and cost 14 euros per person. We asked a man working at the taxi stand how much a cab to DLP would cost and he said around 70 euros. Since there were 5 of us, we decided to just take a cab as it would be faster and about the same price as the bus.
The ride to Disneyland Resort took about 20-30 minutes. There werent the telltale purple signs like they have at WDW, but there *were* signs and it was still easy to get just as excited as we drew closer to the resort. On the way in, we could see the new tethered balloon that they have at Disney Village (the equivalent of Downtown Disney at WDW). (The driver didn't know the way to the Holiday Inn at DLP, fortunately I did, having driven there last year, so that helped, and kept the fee down, Remember the Thrifty Bit. - L)
Mr. Wilmot had kindly booked us into the Holiday Inn at Disneyland Resort. (Only because the Kandy Kane Motel was full, and there was a conference at Bates Motel - L
This is like the Downtown Disney hotels at WDW--on-site hotels that arent run by Disney but that are just as conveniently located and that share many of the same perks as the Disney hotels. (The main one being that you get a Pink Bendy Bus, direct to the parks, and you can pretend to surf on the turntable in the middle of the bus.......... Whoo hooo. - L.)The hotel itself was very nice. It has a subtle circus theme--not too in-your-face. The lobby was very big with lots of seating available. There was only a small line of people checking in so it didnt take long to get our accommodations all squared away. They said our rooms would be ready by 3:00 so we got what things we needed out of our luggage, put on some sun block, and stored our bags with bell services so we could get right to the more important matters--Breakfast!
Ha. And you thought I was going to say Disney, didnt you? Well, actually, I *was* going to say Disney, but Greg, being an active 17 year old male, said that breakfast was the first cause of the day, the snacks that we bought at the airport in Luton having long since been digested. Luckily, breakfast and Disney are very easy to combine.
A bus was pulling in right as we got our bags stored, so we hopped on and were dropped off at bus stop right outside of Disney Village. Also located there is the Marne-la-Vallee railway station that makes it very convenient to take day trips into Paris and the surrounding area. From the bus area, its about a one to two minute walk to Disney Village, Disneyland Park, and Walt Disney Studios, so everything is very close. (It might be a one to two minute walk for a young Texan woman but for an old fat Yorkshire man it's more like ten minutes.-LWW)
Disneyland Park was where we were headed so we struck out in that direction. The Disneyland Hotel (the Paris equivalent of the Grand Floridian) is incorporated into the entrance to Disneyland (or, more accurately, the entrance to Disneyland goes right through the middle of the Disneyland Hotel) and many of the rooms overlook Main Street. The hotel was lovely and, if you wanted to drop that kind of money, would be super-convenient to the parks.
Since the Wilmots already had annual passes (APs) for DLP, the plan was for Jill, Ed and Greg to go to the bakery on Main Street to get Greg (and the rest of the group as well) some sustenance while Larry went with me to get my park pass and then for us to meet up at the bakery when we were finished.
There was a good bit of a line for park passes and, while we waited, we were vastly amused by a child of the family in front of us in line. He was a boy, probably around eleven or twelve years old and I have never been so blatantly stared at as we were by this child. After reassuring ourselves that all clothing was fastened, hair was combed, nothing was stuck in our teeth, encrusted on our faces, or poking out where it shouldnt be, we finally just had to laugh at this unblinking youth who couldnt take his eyes off of us. Seriously, he could stare for France. (Yes I had the same feeling too, it was very strange, maybe the little boy recognised me, and was plucking up courage to ask if I could get Mary from the Comedy Warehouses autograph for him. - Larry.)
Once we got close enough to see the ticket prices we found out that a three-day park hopper was 101 euros, while an annual pass was only 117. We had five days that we were going to be able to visit the parks, so it made much more sense to go for the annual pass. Plus, as Larry said, theres just something comforting about having an annual pass to a Disney park. Not wanting to brag, but I am actually in possession of *two* annual passes right now--one to Disneyland Paris and one to Disneyland Resort in California. Top that, if you can, Sue Holland!
Having Larry with me really paid off because, once it was our turn, we found out that he could get an annual passholder discount on *my* annual pass, making the final cost only 107 euros! Also, he was eligible to get an extra month added onto his annual pass for helping me purchase mine. So, bonus!
- However, I didnt actually take up that option because I have stood in the Annual Passholder Office Line From Hell, before, and it actually works out that it takes more than a month to get to the front of the line, so you end up with less time than you started. - LWW
Unlike WDW, but similar to Disneyland Resort, in Paris you have to get your picture made for your annual pass. When you purchase the pass, you get a temporary card which will get you through the turnstiles. Then, during that day, you have to go to the annual passholder center and have your picture made and get your permanent card. There was time for that later, however. For now, it was time to get ourselves inside a Disney park and on a ride.
Okay, finally! Park passes in hand; we went through the turnstiles and were finally on Main Street. It was a bit of an odd feeling being on such a familiar street with the same feel as Main Street in WDW or Disneyland Resort, but knowing that you were in a foreign country, thousands of miles away from America. Except for hearing French phrases every now and then, I could have been on either of the Main Streets in the U.S. (Not least because of the heat that we were experiencing which was very Floridian for the whole visit - L.)
It was about 10:30 by now, so we hurried to the bakery to meet up with the others. Larry and I quickly shared a muffin and some puffy, pastry thingies (no, thats not their technical name, but it escapes me right now) for breakfast along with a coffee for him and a Cola Light (aka Diet Coke--those French just have to be different) for me.
Oh, by the way, some of you readers, if youve noticed the date, may have realized a slight error in planning on our part. We had congratulated ourselves earlier, when we looked at the park hours for today, that the park was staying open until after 11:00--and on a non-weekend day, at that. What we hadnt realized was that park was staying open so late to handle the crowds expected because July 14th just happens to be Bastille Day in France! Oops! Could we have picked a more crowded day than the French equivalent of the 4th of July?
(Hey Robin are you sure, that the 4th of July isn't the US equivalent of the 14th July????? - I'm, sure some bright spark reader, will tell us which came first, - No, I Know that July 4th is before the 14th, I meant which revolution was first.)
But, hey, were all Disney veterans here--surely we can handle the crowds and make sensible use of Fast Pass and still enjoy our day. No sweat. Also, an added bonus was that they were having a special Bastille Day fireworks show this evening.
After our quick breakfast, we decided to go ahead and get my annual pass processed, since we were close to the annual pass center, right inside of Discoveryland (the equivalent of Tomorrowland). Luckily, we had good timing and there was no wait at the AP center and I had my annual pass in about 10 minutes. (Some people have all the luck if you ask me. - L)
Larry said it was a tradition to let their guests pick what will be the first ride of the trip so I chose Big Thunder Mountain. With the park being crowded for Bastille Day, and the fact that it was already 10:45, we knew the stand-by line would be long so we decided to get Fast Passes for Big Thunder and then go and ride Pirates of the Caribbean (PoTC) while we waited for our Fast Pass time.
Now those of you who are regular readers of Larry Wilmots trip reports will know that he has a reputation as somewhat of a Fast Pass Scam artist (a gift that hes passed on to his boys as well). Well, scam is really too harsh a word. Perhaps we should say that Larry is somewhat of an expert in finding non-traditional ways to liberate extra Fast Passes for his utilization. Doesnt that sound much better than scam? In fact, hes so well known for this ability, that hes even been contacted by Disney a couple of times to discuss his findings. So, in my opinion, no trip would be complete without being able to scam a few Fast Passes ala Wilmot.
Unfortunately, though Ed demonstrated the workings of the most current way to acquire extra Fast Passes, we werent able to procure any for Big Thunder Mountain and so had to get some the old fashioned way. Our return time was for 11:50, so we set off to Adventureland to ride PoTC while we waited.
The outside of Pirates is very elaborate and well-done, complete with a Spanish Galleon, Skull Rock and the outside of the ride itself done up like a huge Spanish fort. The ride was pretty much a walk on and we hurried through the queue which was very similar to the one in Florida.
The ride was better than the Florida version and every bit as good as the one in California. The only distraction that would cause me to still rate the California ride a smidgeon higher than this version (aside from the nostalgia factor which boosts the California ride as well since it was the original ride and I grew up going on that one) is that the language switches back and forth between French and English and that was a little distracting. Whereas We wants the Redhead! was belted out in English, it was hard to tell what Avast Ya Bloomin ****-a-roaches! was in French. (Vou est le Pamplemousse? - L)
The ride has two drops like its California counterpart and it also has a restaurant inside the ride as well. In this instance, it was the Blue Lagoon Restaurant instead of the Blue Bayou. The Blue Lagoon has a much more Caribbean feel to it instead of the Louisiana Bayou theme of the Blue Bayou, complete with palm trees and sand. In the French version, the jail scene is at the first of the ride and the battle scene between the ships and the fort is later on. The French version also has a very well done skull feature as you go down the second drop. Also, since its a bit newer than the Disneyland version, it seems a little fresher.
After we finished Pirates, we headed over to Phantom Manor (the Haunted Mansion). We cut through Fantasyland on our way from Adventureland to Frontierland and I got my first up-close look at Sleeping Beautys Castle.
Okay, so its France and they have lots of castles here, so Disney had to make this one a bit fancier that the ones at WDW or DLR. The castle is very lovely--all pink and blue with lots of turrets and towers and gold trim gilding all the spires. (Actually I'm not that sure that it doesnt look that different to the castle at WDW the time that they made it into a cake - L) One of the neatest things about the castle however, is the dragon that lurks in the basement! La Taniere du Dragon is in the basement of the castle. Hes an animatronic dragon that moves and blows smoke and roars very realistically.
Phantom Manor is in Frontierland and it has a decidedly western theme to its story. The facade of the building, while run-down and spooky looking, wasnt as pretty (in a scary and haunted way) as the mansions in either WDW or DLR. The ride itself was very good. They have different pictures in the stretch room and they put a lot more emphasis on the bride in this version--you see her very prominently displayed throughout the ride. I thought this version was a little scarier than the other two. They have a growling hell beast in the graveyard (okay, hes a dog, but hes not the little skinny, whimpering dog like the one at DLR) with glowing red eyes and they have lots of skeletons everywhere including one of the dead groom. I think it would be too intense for very young children.
Jill and the boys took the first doom buggy and Larry and I climbed into the second one. One of the Cast Members (CMs) scared the snot out of me by jumping out at us from behind our doom buggy right as the safety bar was lowered down onto our laps.
At the end of the ride, everyone gets the same ghost in their doom buggy with them.
It was a very good attraction but I dont think Id rate it as high as either one of the other versions. I didnt think the ballroom was as nicely done and I wasnt a big fan of the whole western theme of the ride. Also, I didnt like the stretch room as well as the other versions.
After Phantom Manor, it was time for our Fast Passes for Big Thunder so we headed there next. The roughest ride in the wilderness is much better here than in America, though none of us could exactly put on finger on why. (Oh I have a theory however, its the fact that it is on an island, and to get to the island you have to go through two dark tunnels at the start and end of the ride, and it just adds a lot more roller coaster feel to it, and makes it a bit more exciting. - L)
By now it was 1:30 and we were all getting ready for some lunch. We decided on hot dogs at Caseys so Larry, Greg and Jill went there to order while Ed and I ran to Discoveryland to pick up Fast Passes for everyone for Space Mountain. We tried the Fast Pass scam technique but it didnt work so, no joy. Our return time was 3:40. (Oh gosh I'm starting to look like the EX- Fast pass scam king now. I won't dare let my contacts in high places in Disney read this TR!!! They will have so much joy that they finally beat me!!! - L)
When we got back over to Caseys on Main Street there was quite a lunch crowd. Larry and Jill were still in line to order and Greg had gone in search of a table for us. Ed and I found Greg at a table in the arcade behind the restaurant.
The arcades are something that DLP has that neither WDW nor DLR have. These are two big hallways that run along either side of Main Street behind all of the shops and restaurants. They are enclosed and they have tables and chairs along the walls so theyre good for finding an out of the way place to eat or rest or get out of the elements. They also come in handy when exiting the park as a way to avoid some of the crowds or to by pass the parade.
Ed and I waited with Greg and lunch soon arrived. We got the Pluto meals all around which consisted of a giant hot dog, fries, a drink, and profiteroles for dessert. (The ball things we had for breakfast were kinda like savory profiteroles, I was going to write that in the breakfast section of the report, but I couldnt spell profiteroles until I saw how Robin spelt the word - L) Eds kids meal came with a miniature radio complete with batteries and headphones. It actually worked and was a pretty neat freebie.
After lunch, we decided to try and find another low crowd/fast loading ride while we waited for our Space Mountain Fast Passes, so we picked, much to Greg and Eds dismay, Its A Small World (IASW)! We cut through Sleeping Beauty Castle again, only this time going upstairs to see Le Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant which is a beautiful display of the story of Sleeping Beauty on tapestries and stained glass windows. As you exit the display to the back of the castle, you come out on a nice balcony that overlooks Fantasyland.
As we headed towards Its a Small World, we passed by Le Carrousel de Lancelot (Like I couldnt have made that up--Le Carrousel de Lancelot! I suppose they also have Le Spinning Ride de Elephant, Le Nausea de Tea Cups and Le Ridiculously Long Line in the Blistering Heat de Tiny Cars as well!). Anyway, as we passed by the carrousel, knowing that it was King Arthurs carrousel in DLR, I remarked that I wondered what Lancelot had done to deserve his own carrousel. Larry was quick to reply that it must have been all of his work in the field of dermatology.
The exterior of IASW is very reminiscent of the one at DLR--not quite as good, but better than WDW. At Its a Small World, Larry, Greg and Jill got in one queue while Ed and I got in another one in order to see who got to the boats first (sadly, they got on four boats before Ed and I did). I must say that I was shocked and appalled at the number of grannies that Larry pushed down and walked over in order to get to the front of the line. (One Nil, One Nil, One Nil, One Nil - L.)
As we went through the ride, I thought I had spotted a trend--having an animal from a Disney movie in each country. There was a Slinky Dog (Toy Story) in Germany, a Pegasus (Hercules) in Greece, a Dragon (Mulan) in China. However, the theory petered out at the end.
After IASW, it still wasnt quite time for our Space Mountain Fast Passes so we decided to go to Honey I Shrunk the Audience (Chere, Moi Shrunken ze Viewers). The dialogue is in French, but they provide headphones with it in English. I think we all nodded off a bit during the film (it had been a *very* early morning!)
(OK Time for Larry's list of attractions he has slept on. - Mainly at WDW but with the odd Paris Attraction thrown in for good measure.
Journey into your Imagination, the original and the only time I rode it, which is a big shame if you ask me.
China Pavilion. On the floor at the back of the circle vision.
The Grandmother Willow Booths at Animal Kingdom, Conservation Station.
The Hall of Presidents. (OK I know everyone has slept there, so that doesn't count.)
Honey I shrunk the Audience in Paris.)
After our small nap-ette, it was time for Space Mountain. You get to sit side-by-side (two per row) on the ride like the one at DLR instead of single file like the Space Mountain at WDW. Ive always preferred getting to sit with someone. Unlike the other two incarnations, this one has a harness restraint system because you get to go upside down on the ride--three times (woohoo!). It also has a catapult launch (like Rock n Rollercoaster). Needless to say, I preferred this Space Mountain over either one of the American ones.
(Frequent DLP visitors might like to note that this has now changed, and has a new theme, gone is the Jules Verne to the Moon and Back theme, and its a more neon zappy spacey thing, it's very good however, sadly the re-hab hasn't made the ride anymore smooth, and it remains a Coaster that I am weary off as I have pulled neck parts before now, So I always do some neck exercises to loosen things up before I ride this, and consequently I prefer Space Mountain at WDW, which I really like. (Though I miss Crazy Larry and the Blue PVC Lady - like Crazy - Larry.))
After our journey to the moon and back, we decided it was time to go get our hotel rooms (it was 4:20) and rest a little. We headed out of the park, ducking through the arcade along the east side of Main Street in order to avoid the 3:00 parade (which started at 4:00) (- You think that's bad, it started at seven a couple of days later-L.). We got to the front of Main Street in time to have to wait for the last 3 floats to go by before we could exit the park. (Though one of the last floats is Mary Poppins. and I always like to see Our Mary -I do. Cor Blimey, Bangers and Mash, Chim Chimmineeeee - L.)
We caught the bus and were back at our hotel by 5:00 where we got our room numbers (our rooms were on the third floor, right next door to each other), picked up our luggage from bell services, and went to get settled in. We agreed to meet back up at 7:00 to go to dinner.
The rooms were very nice with lots of space. I unpacked my things, put on my swimming suit and went down to the pool around 5:45. I took a quick dip then went back to my room, showered, updated my trip report notes, and was dressed and ready to go by 7:00.
Ed had noticed that their room number was 2012 which just happens to be the year that the Olympics will be held in London. Larry took this as very good omen. I can tell you that he was a perfect gentleman and that he wasnt the least bit smug about London winning the Olympic bid over Paris. Well, I *could* tell you that if I wasnt averse to lying.
(Hey, I am a very non smug person, but you have to look at it this way...... We Won the Olympics, the French didnt. Jacque Chirac is a big time sore looser, and lets face it London is the Hip Place to Be. I am going to volunteer at the Olympics, I can't wait. I've booked my leave already. Please feel free to come and Join Me. 2012 London - it's the place to be. - L. )
We caught the bus to Disney Village and took a look at the menus of a few of the restaurants and decided on King Ludwigs. The decor of the restaurant reminded me of the Biergarten at Epcot, while the food was more along the lines of Le Cellier (kind of a steak and potato place). Larry and Greg both got the steak and baked potato with horseradish sauce. Jill and I both had the roasted chicken and French fries (I gave my fries to Greg while Larry and Jill swapped his baked potato for her fries - (here is no way I'm eating Horse Radish Anything. - L). Ed had chicken bits and fries. I think I also got a salad with my dinner as well. (You did. Rabbit food if you ask me? Not asking me? No I don't blame you. - L)
For dessert, Greg got an ice cream sundae, Jill and Larry both got the apple strudel, Ed had a waffle with ice cream, and I got orange crème brulee with the stipulation that everyone try it so I didnt have to eat it all myself, so, we all basically shared. Larry declared that my crème brulee was one of the nicest desserts that he had ever had and he said that he liked the dessert-sharing idea. (Oh Gosh, I can't enthuse enough about that Crème Brulee, I've been to King Lud-Vigg's twice now and it's nothing to get over excited about, but that Crème brulee was really great, honestly, one of the nicest things I've ever eaten, I loved it.- L.)
While we were at dinner, we debated which day we should take to go into Paris proper. We decided that, since the parks stayed open late on Saturday, we should go to Paris that day and wed still have time to see the parade and fireworks that evening at Disneyland. No sense in having annual passes and not using them every day we possibly can.
It was at this meal when Larry and I first began fighting over who got to pay the check. I, being a good guest, believed that I should buy dinner for my hosts. While Larry, being a good host, believed that he should buy dinner for his guest. The rest of the group got much amusement out of both of us trying to be the fastest with our credit cards. The poor servers were often taken aback by us forcing our money on them before they even got the check set down on the table. Not that either one of us are competitive or anything.
This meal was particularly memorable because Larry bested me in getting his credit card to the waiter first but the portable credit card machine wouldnt process his card and so I got to whip mine out and say, in my most condescending tone, Well youd better use *this* one then. Of course, the machine wouldnt take mine either and so the waiter said he would go get another one and be right back. The prompted much jockeying for prime credit card position between Larry and myself. I think we may have even arm-wrestled at one point.
Ultimately however, Larry won out (sure, smug man--you beat a girl!). He said that was the greatest pleasure hed ever had while spending money and that the victory was worth any price. I quickly proclaimed him the King of Gloating and Smugness--though he denies that he was ever Smug about it. I think it had something to do with the victory dance that he did and how he got the whole restaurant chanting Were number one! with him. (Two Nil, Two Nil, Two Nil, Two Nil.- L)
After dinner, we walked over to Disneyland (it was about 10:00) in order to stake out a place for the 11:15 fireworks. Main Street was getting pretty packed, but we found a good place against a fence by the walkway to Adventureland. Larry and Jill agreed to hold our places while Ed, Greg and I went into Adventureland to look around a bit. Oddly enough, we found ourselves heading towards Indian Jones and the Temple of Peril which, surprisingly, was a walk on.
Greg warned me to hold my head very still on the ride and it only took one sharp corner and me bloodying my ears as they smacked into the harness for me to heed that advice. The ride is good, but its very jerky and your head does tend to bump against the harness a lot (which hurts!). We went back to meet up with Larry and Jill and found that we had made it just in time. A CM was making everyone move down towards Main Street and they were roping off a big area next to Adventureland. We ducked under the rope and met up with them on the other side.
The Cast Members were having a hard time getting the crowd to cooperate, but the finally succeeded in clearing a large area and getting it all cordoned off. It looked like it was going to be some kind of VIP viewing area for the fireworks.
We were speculating on who had enough pull to get special Bastille Day viewing of the fireworks and were waiting to see who was going to show up to use the VIP area when it hit me--wasnt this Bastille Day? Wasnt that the day that the commoners of France stormed the Bastille in protest of the privileges of the elite? Werent we celebrating the liberation and equality of the common man? And here we were, the little people, being pushed back from our good viewing spot to make room for a VIP area? A VIP AREA? A bourgeois elitist scum area, more like! The nerve of these Marie Antoinette types with their let-them-eat-cake attitude and their off-with-their-heads mentality trying to keep us in servitude! Well they wont get away with! We will rage against the machine! We will not go quietly into the night! At-ti-ca! At-ti-ca! Soylent Green is people!
I think they actually had to slap me to bring me back down to earth. As it turns out, the viewing area was set aside for Cast Members, so good for Disney.
The fireworks started promptly at 11:15. They were set to patriotic French music and were very nice, though rather short in our opinion, as they only lasted for 7 minutes. After they were over, Main Street was a sea of people (most of whom were just standing around, so you had to really struggle to make your way out of the park). We finally crossed over a fence and walked out a good bit of the way on the grass. We ducked through the Arcade and made it to the bus stop by 11:30.
After dark, the esplanade between the Disney Village, the parks, and the train station comes alive with street vendors selling all kinds of glow-in-the-dark Eiffel tower statues, laser pens, mechanical dogs and cats, and all sorts of other junk. Ed saw the laser pens and immediately launched an all-out campaign to get someone to buy one for him but, sadly, with no luck this evening.
There was a huge line for the bus and they only seemed to be running two busses between the non-Disney hotels. Everyone was tired and we had to wait a very long time. It was frustrating watching the Disney busses pull up every few minutes to take guests back to the Disney hotels. We debated trying to walk back to the hotel, but we werent sure how long of a walk it would be or if we could find our way in the dark.
Larry began to doubt his ability as a tour guide and apologized that we were having to wait so long. I quickly assured his that bus schedules were not his fault and that he was doing a wonderful job. It had been a lovely day. It was a beautiful night, everyone was still in a good mood and we still had an abundance of pixie dust to see us through. About that time, one of the Disney busses pulled up to take us back to our hotel. Disney to the rescue.
We made it back to the hotel by 12:30. I got a coke, updated my trip report notes, and made it to bed by 1:45.
