Just Got Back - NEVER AGAIN !!!

[Rascal1003]

Now that's what I call real Disney spirit!!! What a fantastic way of looking at things!!!

That is what I would call being British !!

 

[diberry]

I really feel sorry for the characters in the parks, they get mauled. How anyone can get a photo is a mystery. In WDW, the people are encouraged to queue so everyone can have a chance to see their "heroes" and have a great photo, but in DLP it is a pure free-for-all. You frequently see the characters having to walk away from a madding crowd because they are so mobbed. Things like this truly set DLP & WDW apart and I have no hesitation in blaming the local culture.

This has been commented on many times on this board and funnily enough I just got a Christmas card from a friend who's been to DLP recently and compared it unfavourably to WDW for exactly this one reason - lack of queuing for characters and what she also described as a "free-for-all". Well, all we can do is continue to bring this to the attention of DLP management. However I think we have to remember that DLP is in Europe not America and as you say, the culture is different. I don't say this as a criticism - it just is different in so many ways - some good, some not so good. If you go to a country you have to accept their customs even if you don't like or approve of parts of it. France is not and never will be the U.S. and that will not change. We don't like the lack of queuing but it is the continental way and we have to accept that as part of the culture of the country we are visiting.

Additionally, someone mentioned earlier that the staff get stressed and this affects the atmosphere. This should be inexcuseable. I don't know how many regulars to this board have been to WDW, but it is happy, smiling faces from Dawn 'til Dusk as though they are genuinely glad to see you in their park. This is very lost in DLP. I could probably write a book on the elements of WDW that have not been carried across to DLP and am surprised Disney themsleves have not noticed. It is a shame because the infrastructure is mainly much the same so wouldn't be too difficult to bring them onto a level playing field.

But once again, France is not the U.S. The whole culture of service is different. Also there are no Americans on the DLP management as far as I am aware. There was a lot of trouble in the beginning because of French resistance to the Americanisation of the French park. DLP is in France not America and it is run by French people. In their country we have to respect their way of life.

 

[diberry]

That is what I would call being British !!

Or Italian!!! Or just being Laura!!!

 

[MICKEY'S DREAMERS]

That is what I would call being British !!

Being ITALIAN I'll take this as a BIG compliment !!!!
(maybe I'm a little "American" as we visit WDW each Summer !!!)

Laura

 

[Rascal1003]

I don't mean to sound like a misery guts, honest !!
I understand what you say about local customs and cultures, but I am a little surprised that Disney as a worldwide brand and corporation do not apply the principles of "best practices."
Personally speaking, I have found that the way I have been treated as a paying customer (not a guest as they like to have us believe) is far more enjoyable in Florida. I think they simply have the better methodology in terms of managing the visitors. There shouldn't be any reason why these principles are not carried over purely from the business perspective. In this way, more people have a better time and are more inclined to return.

If I told you I was 30 years old you wouldn't believe me, I sound like a right grumpy old man !! These are not full on critisisms, just sharing of opinion and it is interesting to see how other people perceive it.

(Apologies to Laura BTW, didn't know you are Italian)

 

[Father_and_Son]

In my Opinion, another reason for the difference of CM´s in the US and in Paris is that the americans grew up with the Disneyparks. So for many of the US-CM´s it is a dreamjob that they got and wanted til childhood.

Just think about our Kids working in DLRP when they grow up, they will have another relation to Disneymagic. For many Paris-CM´s it is just a Job and not a Dream.

Another Thing is that in Paris, mostly in the Restaurant, they have daily Personal that just works for a few Peakdays in the Park and have no relation to disney at all and are not trained very well.

Don´t get me wrong the most CM´s I met in Paris do a fabulous Job and now exactly what Disney-Magic is and how to transfer Magic to the Guests.

 

[NIK]

I'm hoping to go in Early November next year - will the crowds be as awful? I made the mistake of going during school hoiday periods for both UK and French schools and it was impossible to get on anything much and manners all round were appalling so I'm hoping to avoid some of that if I can.

 

[Rascal1003]

Nik, I am guessing, having not been in Nov, but would expect this to be a nice, quiet time.
We went in Sept and it was quiet (after school holidays as we don't have kids - for long - one on the way !!)

 

[Lordy]

I'm hoping to go in Early November next year - will the crowds be as awful? I made the mistake of going during school hoiday periods for both UK and French schools and it was impossible to get on anything much and manners all round were appalling so I'm hoping to avoid some of that if I can.

Not sure about early Nov but we arrived 27th Nov this year and apart from the weekends it was great .
Walkons to most rides , worst mid week queue was 25 mins for SM2 .

 

[wilki32]

Just to add my 2p, we were at DLP for our second visit in July and WDW in October for the 5th time. I think the gap has closed dramatically between DLP and WDW. From our 1st visit to DLP in 2004 to this year there was a huge improvement but totally agree on the crowd control which was non existant.
I think my comparison between WDW & DLP for the staff would be very similar to WDW to Universal, it's all there but not quite.
With regard to the queues and people pushing in there is no excuse, regardless of culture it is plain common decency. If you see a line where ever you are, what ever country most people will wait in line. In WDW it is very rare that you see people pushing in and there are people from all over the world!
Sorry, I will now take my soap box with me!

 

[Rascal1003]

I think my comparison between WDW & DLP for the staff would be very similar to WDW to Universal, it's all there but not quite.
With regard to the queues and people pushing in there is no excuse, regardless of culture it is plain common decency. If you see a line where ever you are, what ever country most people will wait in line. In WDW it is very rare that you see people pushing in and there are people from all over the world!
Sorry, I will now take my soap box with me!

Explained very well and I can see the point you are making. It is definitely valid.

 

[BONITATIME]

I would have said it was better in December, the characters were making the children queue. That said for 13 euros in winter you can have tea and about 9 characters in the Plaza gardens and not have all the difficulties.

 

[Happy Tappy]

Is the park still overcrowded in January? I'm going on the 8th (a sunday) which is the last day of the xmas season. I hope it's not too busy because I hate waiting for rides!!!

 

[Father_and_Son]

Donßt worry about it. The Sunday might be crowded so I would recoment you to visit the Studios. From Monday on their will be nearly no crowds and it is "Magic unlimited" which means you can stay on many rides without queuing again.

 

[Bilboo]

Hi All,

Got to say I agree with quite a few of the sentiments here, WDW does seem a lot 'Happier' both in terms of the guests and the CM's

Now I'm not knocking DLP (as you can see from my sig I'm quite a regular) but I do think it's got a lot of catching up to do to reach the standards set by it's bigger American cousin.

Here's a good example, when you get off RNRC in DLP there's usually a CM moving their fingers in a pointing guesture to show the way out, there's normally no smiling involved!

When I got off the same ride in WDW a CM was waiting for everyone asking how the ride was and giving High-5's!

Corny I know but I thought it was great and really made the ride that bit more special.

I appreciate there's a major different in culture between Europe (not just the French) and America, but Disney is an international brand which has to try and ensure the same level of service across their entire estate, it's what Disney trades on after all.

To be honest when I go to DLP I'm going to Disney, not France and I suspect there's a lot of people who think the same.

Anyway, just my thoughts

Cheers
John.

 

[maleficent_man]

In many ways its unfair to compare DLRP with WDW but many people, me included, do it! It's only natural - I do love DLRP but it's perhaps the small things that can make a difference - the character queueing or lack of it drive me mad! One example of it is when I leave the park - one night there were 5 CM's standing talking to each other not saying goodbye - at WDW they line up, mickey hands waving saying goodbye to each and every person...

 

[wideeyes]

hi, I just got back fron DLRP on monday and yes it was very busy. Fantasy land was a nightmare as i had a young daughter who wanted to go on all the rides more than once but they were an hour wait.
we took her to cafe mickey twice so she could have some enjoyment.

She loved it when goofy danced with herand and she finally got her photo taken with mickey.

We saw the parade on thursday before the crowds had arrived so we got a good spot without having to stand waiting.

Noticed on sundy people were gathering for the parade 45min before it started!!

We had a lovely meal at walts for lunch. Luckly we booked as people were been turned away to come back at 3.30pm.


If i had gone only a couple of days ealier would of missed the crowds.

I also went in september which was quite and got lots of things done and on most of the rides we just walked on. We also managed to get a table at the resturants in disney village at lunch without having to book. Not this time.

still had a good time however would defenitly go a few days ealier next time.

 

[diberry]

So glad to hear you had a good time and it sounds like you found good strategies for getting round the crowds and still meeting characters!!

 

[Cyrano]

I'm hoping to go in Early November next year - will the crowds be as awful? I made the mistake of going during school hoiday periods for both UK and French schools and it was impossible to get on anything much and manners all round were appalling so I'm hoping to avoid some of that if I can.

Nik we went right at the start of Christmas season in 2004 (November) and as our photographs show had little trouble getting lots of character photographs. A good sign of parks that are not mobbed

 

[wideeyes]

They have fireworks for bonfire night in early novenber. Never been , does this pull in big crowds?