hildasmuriel
<font color=magenta>I'm a really really scaredy sc
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2007
- Messages
- 3,893
Well as you all know, I had grave misgivings before this trip. So many people had come back recently with unhappy reports to make. It was a lot of hard work to be ready on time as I had to make sure I was completely organised for Christmas before I went, as we werent due back home until very late on the 23rd. I didnt want to have stuff to do on the 24th, Christmas Eve, as it is Husbands birthday, we had relatives arriving in town for Christmas, the children had readings to do at the 6pm Church service and then we had an evening arranged at my Mums.
Anyway, somehow I got everything more or less ready by the time I went to bed on the 19th.
Our train was leaving from St Pancras at 8.35 and we wanted to be there an hour early, so we left home about 6.40. Husband dropped us off right outside the station and it took only a minute to print our tickets out at the machine.
Whilst we were waiting they announced that any child aged under 12 could get the free gift which was a lunchbox but my Dtr wasnt bothered. I sent her to collect it anyway, so I can use it for work.
The band was playing a mixture of Disney and Christmas songs and then we were called to board. Dtr and I were not seated together, but another family wanted to swap so we ended up next to each other anyway.
The journey went smoothly - we listened to Christmas songs on my MP3 player and did a few Su Doku and before we knew it we were pulling into Marne La Vallee. We were able to put our luggage in Guest Storage for free as we have APs and then it was into the Park to check out the Christmas theming. The Character Express was just rumbling along Main Street.
We decided to make POTC our first stop - the wait showing here was 45 minutes, which I didnt think too bad for 1 pm on a Saturday. We queued all the way through the gardens outside, but the queue moves constantly so it wasnt too boring. As we came out Captain Jack was signing autographs but he was just finishing off, so we didnt stop. We went into Frontierland to get FPs for BTM later on (5.50 pm) and decided to go and get some lunch.
Even in the hustle bustle of a busy Saturday in the Park it is possible to find a little piece all to yourself without another person in sight. It is these side alleys and passages that must be missed by people who do the Park within a few hours.
We went out via Fantasyland, where some sort of Sleeping Beauty show was going on by the sword in the stone - singing and dancing. We got our luggage and went and got take out from Annettes.
That was good value - 2 cheeseburgers, 2 lots of chips and 2 bottles of water for 16 Euros. It should have been 20 Euros but they gave me 20% discount for some reason.
After this we went and got the shuttle bus to the Holiday Inn. It was our first stay in a non-Disney hotel but we were very happy with it.
We had to pay city tax of 4 Euro something, but that hardly broke the bank. Dtr was happy to find she had her own TV in her curtained off bed area and I was strangely happy to find BBC1 on the telly. 
We had a short rest here before returning to the Park. Despite all the dire warnings, the Park was not shut to new visitors, but when we got inside we saw how busy it was .
The Parade had just got to the end of Main Street and the crowd watching it was very deep, with only a narrow space behind it for people to pass (by City Hall) - there were CM with those baton-style torches directing passers by so we were able to get to Liberty Arcade and get into Frontierland.
I was surprised to see the wait time for BTM was only showing 60 minutes - even better was that with our FPS we were onto the platform within 4 minutes!
Dtr went on and loved her ride in the dark.
It was time to go over to Discoveryland to queue for Mickeys Magical Dinner. This was easier said than done as the queue for Buzz was back so far it was mingling with the queue for the snack stand opposite and the result was gridlock. Nobody could move at all until after a few minutes there was a bit of easing and we all started to move again. This was not to prove the worst people traffic-jam we would experience this trip, however.
The queue for the dinner was in the same line as the FP queue for Star Tours - there was a CM there directing and things werent too chaotic, but it does make me smile at times, how disorganised things can be at DLRP - its like they have these good ideas for events and then are absolutely amazed when the public actually turn up. Another example of this was a huge power cable was on the floor, snaked through the queue. The overhead lights went off at one point and it was because somebody had tripped over the wire and the plug had come out! There was a live wire, just lying on the floor. This bloke picked it up and his wife was saying no, put it down - you may get electrocuted but he said he was worried about a child picking it up so he plugged it back in again and the overhead light came on, to a cheer from the queue.
Anyway, we didnt have to wait too long until we got inside and dinner was already laid out and people were tucking in, although it wasnt supposed to start until 7 oclock.
Donald Duck was there to greet us - dressed for Christmas
This chap was quite friendly too!
The food seemed quite nice, choice of starters, mains and desserts and there was still and sparkling water on the table. Waiters came round with wine and juices etc. The tables were nicely laid with Christmassy centrepieces and there were crackers at each setting. Not the most expensive crackers in the world, lol, but we love crackers for the fun of pulling them and wearing silly hats, rather than the gift inside.
Dang - pressed post before I had finished - will have to continue below......
Anyway, somehow I got everything more or less ready by the time I went to bed on the 19th.
Our train was leaving from St Pancras at 8.35 and we wanted to be there an hour early, so we left home about 6.40. Husband dropped us off right outside the station and it took only a minute to print our tickets out at the machine.Whilst we were waiting they announced that any child aged under 12 could get the free gift which was a lunchbox but my Dtr wasnt bothered. I sent her to collect it anyway, so I can use it for work.
The band was playing a mixture of Disney and Christmas songs and then we were called to board. Dtr and I were not seated together, but another family wanted to swap so we ended up next to each other anyway. The journey went smoothly - we listened to Christmas songs on my MP3 player and did a few Su Doku and before we knew it we were pulling into Marne La Vallee. We were able to put our luggage in Guest Storage for free as we have APs and then it was into the Park to check out the Christmas theming. The Character Express was just rumbling along Main Street.
We decided to make POTC our first stop - the wait showing here was 45 minutes, which I didnt think too bad for 1 pm on a Saturday. We queued all the way through the gardens outside, but the queue moves constantly so it wasnt too boring. As we came out Captain Jack was signing autographs but he was just finishing off, so we didnt stop. We went into Frontierland to get FPs for BTM later on (5.50 pm) and decided to go and get some lunch.
Even in the hustle bustle of a busy Saturday in the Park it is possible to find a little piece all to yourself without another person in sight. It is these side alleys and passages that must be missed by people who do the Park within a few hours.
We went out via Fantasyland, where some sort of Sleeping Beauty show was going on by the sword in the stone - singing and dancing. We got our luggage and went and got take out from Annettes.
That was good value - 2 cheeseburgers, 2 lots of chips and 2 bottles of water for 16 Euros. It should have been 20 Euros but they gave me 20% discount for some reason.
After this we went and got the shuttle bus to the Holiday Inn. It was our first stay in a non-Disney hotel but we were very happy with it.
We had to pay city tax of 4 Euro something, but that hardly broke the bank. Dtr was happy to find she had her own TV in her curtained off bed area and I was strangely happy to find BBC1 on the telly. We had a short rest here before returning to the Park. Despite all the dire warnings, the Park was not shut to new visitors, but when we got inside we saw how busy it was .
The Parade had just got to the end of Main Street and the crowd watching it was very deep, with only a narrow space behind it for people to pass (by City Hall) - there were CM with those baton-style torches directing passers by so we were able to get to Liberty Arcade and get into Frontierland. I was surprised to see the wait time for BTM was only showing 60 minutes - even better was that with our FPS we were onto the platform within 4 minutes!
Dtr went on and loved her ride in the dark. It was time to go over to Discoveryland to queue for Mickeys Magical Dinner. This was easier said than done as the queue for Buzz was back so far it was mingling with the queue for the snack stand opposite and the result was gridlock. Nobody could move at all until after a few minutes there was a bit of easing and we all started to move again. This was not to prove the worst people traffic-jam we would experience this trip, however.
The queue for the dinner was in the same line as the FP queue for Star Tours - there was a CM there directing and things werent too chaotic, but it does make me smile at times, how disorganised things can be at DLRP - its like they have these good ideas for events and then are absolutely amazed when the public actually turn up. Another example of this was a huge power cable was on the floor, snaked through the queue. The overhead lights went off at one point and it was because somebody had tripped over the wire and the plug had come out! There was a live wire, just lying on the floor. This bloke picked it up and his wife was saying no, put it down - you may get electrocuted but he said he was worried about a child picking it up so he plugged it back in again and the overhead light came on, to a cheer from the queue.
Anyway, we didnt have to wait too long until we got inside and dinner was already laid out and people were tucking in, although it wasnt supposed to start until 7 oclock.
Donald Duck was there to greet us - dressed for Christmas
This chap was quite friendly too!
The food seemed quite nice, choice of starters, mains and desserts and there was still and sparkling water on the table. Waiters came round with wine and juices etc. The tables were nicely laid with Christmassy centrepieces and there were crackers at each setting. Not the most expensive crackers in the world, lol, but we love crackers for the fun of pulling them and wearing silly hats, rather than the gift inside.
Dang - pressed post before I had finished - will have to continue below......
There's always summer - that's even closer.
