poppie123
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2007
- Messages
- 2,888
Background Info
I booked this trip on a whim. Ever since my visit to WDW in August 2009 I had been getting terrible withdrawal symptoms of all things Disney, my Daughters were both adamant that they did not want to go to DLP which meant that it was either go it alone or not go at all. After asking peoples opinion on here and weighing it up for all of 10 minutes I decided that the only option available was the go it alone one.
I booked an Easyjet flight and planned to see what time I arrived at CDG before I made up my mind whether I would get the VEA or the TGV.
I booked one night at the Santa Fe on Expedia for £56 and I planned to get a Fantasy Annual pass once there.
I have to say I couldnt believe the amount of negative feedback I got from people, no-one including my own family could understand why on earth I would want to go on my own. People just dont get it do they!!
Day One Thursday the 17th of December
My flight was at 6.05 from Luton which meant I was up at a ridiculous hour, the only person happy about this was my Dad as it meant the roads were completely clear. We arrived at Luton just before 4.30am and once my Dad had figured out how to use the drop off zone
(ended up paying twice as he had no idea what he was doing) I headed for Departures.I thought I would be the only person there but I wasnt; there were 5 or so more people sitting waiting for flights. I was dying for a drink but the shops werent even open yet so it was a case of sit and do nothing and wait.
My flight boarded on time; I managed to get a window seat although the flight was jam packed so I had people sitting next to me. I sat and watched for ages as people struggled with their hand luggage into the overhead compartments, I couldnt believe the size of some of the bags. One woman had the biggest rucksack I have ever seen, the ones with the metal bars on.
How on earth she got through with that as hand luggage I will never know.
Almost immediately after take off the Captain announced that it was snowing in Paris. My first thought was one of how magical quickly followed by I hope we can land
Of course land we did and arrived at Terminal 2b at CDG bang on time and to heavy snow, I am so glad I took the early flight as I think later flights were probably cancelled. I was quickly through Passport Control and decided that what with the weather conditions my best bet was probably to get the TGV.
I started to walk to the station not even sure if I was headed in the right direction. Its the only thing I dont like about travelling alone in that I always get slightly panicky if I am unsure of what I am supposed to be doing. Finally I managed to find someone to ask and they re-assured me that I was indeed going the right way. Basically from 2b you have to walk pretty much the entire length of the terminal past Air France at 2f and then onto the moving escalators until you reach the station.
The queue for tickets at the kiosk was a joke so I decided to be brave and use the self service machines to buy my ticket again slightly worried that it might eat my credit card or something (of course it didnt)
The trains were running about 20 mins late because of the weather which is just as well as I had no idea what side of the platform I was supposed to be on and where platform 6 even was. The station is huge. Eventually by sheer luck more than anything I stumbled across where I was supposed to be and waited for the TGV to arrive.
The journey took about 15 minutes due to the snowy conditions and before I knew it we arrived at Marne la Vallee at just after10am.
I headed straight for the bus stop and waited and waited and waited for the bus to the Santa Fe, eventually after 20 minutes one turned up. I noted that in the time I had been standing waiting 2 buses had been and gone to the Cheyenne.
My first thought as I entered the Santa Fe was one of Oh terrific look at that queue but I have to say it went down really quickly and I was seen and had my room key I hand within about 10 minutes.
Now after all the negative comments I had heard about the Santa Fe I was dreading what the room would be like but what a pleasant surprise I had when I entered, spotlessly clean and lovely and warm. I dumped my stuff and headed straight for the parks.
My room
My view
It was still snowing when I arrived at the main park, I headed straight for the bureau place by the Disneyland Hotel entrance (to the right of the main gates) to buy my temporary Annual Pass. A couple of minutes later I was entering the park.
What a magical sight it is to see DLP in the snow!
First stop was the Annual Pass office to get my pass. Again there was only myself and one other person in there so I was in and out within a few minutes. When I was last there in May 2009 the queue just to get inside the building stretched right up to near the Discoveryland entrance.
Then it was off to Thunder Mountain, something me and my Daughter have always done as a 1st ride whenever we have visited. Next it was onto Phantom Manor, followed by POTC, IASW, a nosey round the castle and castle shops and they finally an early lunch at Hukuna Matata.
It was so lovely to be able to take my time and do what I wanted to do without someone moaning or complaining. I stopped off at all the shops down mainstreet before heading over to the Studios where I rode Crush and the TOT before having a look round in all the shops inside.
By now the early start was starting to catch up with me and I decided to head back to the Santa Fe to get an hour or so sleep before heading back for the parade later on. Of course the whole bus situation was a nightmare again and after seeing the queue of people waiting for the bus I came to the conclusion that I would be better off walking it. Here are a couple of photos I took on route.
TBC
I booked this trip on a whim. Ever since my visit to WDW in August 2009 I had been getting terrible withdrawal symptoms of all things Disney, my Daughters were both adamant that they did not want to go to DLP which meant that it was either go it alone or not go at all. After asking peoples opinion on here and weighing it up for all of 10 minutes I decided that the only option available was the go it alone one.
I booked an Easyjet flight and planned to see what time I arrived at CDG before I made up my mind whether I would get the VEA or the TGV.
I booked one night at the Santa Fe on Expedia for £56 and I planned to get a Fantasy Annual pass once there.
I have to say I couldnt believe the amount of negative feedback I got from people, no-one including my own family could understand why on earth I would want to go on my own. People just dont get it do they!!
Day One Thursday the 17th of December
My flight was at 6.05 from Luton which meant I was up at a ridiculous hour, the only person happy about this was my Dad as it meant the roads were completely clear. We arrived at Luton just before 4.30am and once my Dad had figured out how to use the drop off zone
(ended up paying twice as he had no idea what he was doing) I headed for Departures.I thought I would be the only person there but I wasnt; there were 5 or so more people sitting waiting for flights. I was dying for a drink but the shops werent even open yet so it was a case of sit and do nothing and wait.My flight boarded on time; I managed to get a window seat although the flight was jam packed so I had people sitting next to me. I sat and watched for ages as people struggled with their hand luggage into the overhead compartments, I couldnt believe the size of some of the bags. One woman had the biggest rucksack I have ever seen, the ones with the metal bars on.
How on earth she got through with that as hand luggage I will never know. Almost immediately after take off the Captain announced that it was snowing in Paris. My first thought was one of how magical quickly followed by I hope we can land
Of course land we did and arrived at Terminal 2b at CDG bang on time and to heavy snow, I am so glad I took the early flight as I think later flights were probably cancelled. I was quickly through Passport Control and decided that what with the weather conditions my best bet was probably to get the TGV.
I started to walk to the station not even sure if I was headed in the right direction. Its the only thing I dont like about travelling alone in that I always get slightly panicky if I am unsure of what I am supposed to be doing. Finally I managed to find someone to ask and they re-assured me that I was indeed going the right way. Basically from 2b you have to walk pretty much the entire length of the terminal past Air France at 2f and then onto the moving escalators until you reach the station.
The queue for tickets at the kiosk was a joke so I decided to be brave and use the self service machines to buy my ticket again slightly worried that it might eat my credit card or something (of course it didnt)
The trains were running about 20 mins late because of the weather which is just as well as I had no idea what side of the platform I was supposed to be on and where platform 6 even was. The station is huge. Eventually by sheer luck more than anything I stumbled across where I was supposed to be and waited for the TGV to arrive.
The journey took about 15 minutes due to the snowy conditions and before I knew it we arrived at Marne la Vallee at just after10am.
I headed straight for the bus stop and waited and waited and waited for the bus to the Santa Fe, eventually after 20 minutes one turned up. I noted that in the time I had been standing waiting 2 buses had been and gone to the Cheyenne.
My first thought as I entered the Santa Fe was one of Oh terrific look at that queue but I have to say it went down really quickly and I was seen and had my room key I hand within about 10 minutes.
Now after all the negative comments I had heard about the Santa Fe I was dreading what the room would be like but what a pleasant surprise I had when I entered, spotlessly clean and lovely and warm. I dumped my stuff and headed straight for the parks.
My room
My view
It was still snowing when I arrived at the main park, I headed straight for the bureau place by the Disneyland Hotel entrance (to the right of the main gates) to buy my temporary Annual Pass. A couple of minutes later I was entering the park.
What a magical sight it is to see DLP in the snow!
First stop was the Annual Pass office to get my pass. Again there was only myself and one other person in there so I was in and out within a few minutes. When I was last there in May 2009 the queue just to get inside the building stretched right up to near the Discoveryland entrance.
Then it was off to Thunder Mountain, something me and my Daughter have always done as a 1st ride whenever we have visited. Next it was onto Phantom Manor, followed by POTC, IASW, a nosey round the castle and castle shops and they finally an early lunch at Hukuna Matata.
It was so lovely to be able to take my time and do what I wanted to do without someone moaning or complaining. I stopped off at all the shops down mainstreet before heading over to the Studios where I rode Crush and the TOT before having a look round in all the shops inside.
By now the early start was starting to catch up with me and I decided to head back to the Santa Fe to get an hour or so sleep before heading back for the parade later on. Of course the whole bus situation was a nightmare again and after seeing the queue of people waiting for the bus I came to the conclusion that I would be better off walking it. Here are a couple of photos I took on route.
TBC
.
