Official London / Paris / Disneyland Paris Thread

[safetymom]

Mike, will you please quit posting photos that were taken with the wide angle lens? It isn't in my budget right now do quit giving me lens envy.lol

Kim

I agree Kim. I put one on my wish list.

 

[disneyholic family]

wow - those pictures with no people in them are amazing!!!
talk about the perfect way to see DLP - without any space invaders breathing down your neck!!!

 

[NitroStitch]

What beautiful photos! Thank you all for sharing your stories and your photos so far! I'd love to go on the trip, but it's definitely not in our budget. Too bad, since I would enjoy DLP far more with the opportunity for personal space! My personal space issues would definitely have issues with their personal space invasions during regular park time!

 

[kbelle8995]

And...

THE END...

I would be yelling yippee if the park looked as uncrowded as that. Was it closed?

Did you see the dragon under the castle?

 

[DisneyKevin]

Our feet are back on American soil!!!!!

It will be difficult to find words that aren't just superlatives strung together, but we are going to try.

We will be recording a show on Wednesday.

Two words..... beyond imagination.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I have to admit that so far this is my favorite Disney castle.

I'm glad you all had a great time!

 

[TrekBoy85]

Welcome back!

Every time I've returned from Europe, my thoughts are immediately focused on how I can get back there!

 

[kbelle8995]

Our feet are back on American soil!!!!!

It will be difficult to find words that aren't just superlatives strung together, but we are going to try.

We will be recording a show on Wednesday.

Two words..... beyond imagination.

Glad to hear that y'all are home safe and sound. Thank you for letting us join in.

 

[DrMomof3]

I'm so happy to hear that the trip met - and exceeded - all expectations. What an incredible experience for everyone! Thank you for sharing with the rest of the mere mortals - like me! - who were unable to participate. I have truly lived vicariously!

Amanda

 

[NancyIL]

Welcome back, Kevin and John! I'll look forward to hearing the Podcast about your wonderful trip.

 

[cap'njack.]

Our feet are back on American soil!!!!!

It will be difficult to find words that aren't just superlatives strung together, but we are going to try.

We will be recording a show on Wednesday.

Two words..... beyond imagination.

Welcome back! Awesome to meet up with you in London, hope both Paris and Disneyland Paris came close to meeting your expectations.

Johnny

 

[k5jm]

Our next part of our adventure began today! The Post Adventure!

We left the DL Hotel after saying our goodbyes and dropped our luggage off at our apartment in Paris. Our apartment is a one bedroom with small kitchen. It is very modern but built around the "older elements." You can see the stone walls and wood timbers that have been here for centuries. I am looking at the ceiling and seeing the slots in the timbers where wall timbers used to be. It is very cool! We took the Metro to the train station and hit our first language barrier. Christy and I were able to muddle through with our limited French. The train station was fantastic with the amazing design to the outside and all the shops on the inside. We hopped our train to Epernay, in the champagne region of France. We then met up with two sets of Kiwi's and French couple for a tour of a working vineyard. Beautiful does not begin to describe the area we were in. The vineyard owner showed us what she has to do from start to finish on making bottles of champagne. We went from dirt to cork. With 2 cases of champagne in tow, we headed back to Paris on the Train. The coach we where in was very "Harry Potter." It had 6 seats facing each other with the sliding door. I kept waiting for my chocolate frog! We just arrived back to our apartment and are heading off to bed.

]

Bomb bunkers in the vineyard, used during WWII

 

[BriarRosie]

I got home a few hours ago, and I'm trying to stay up "late" so I can get back to local time on my body clock. I had a wonderful time, and I had a lot of fun posting updates and pics on Facebook.

I miss everyone already.

 

[NitroStitch]

Thank you everyone for sharing your stories and photos so far! Welcome back to all of you who've arrived home! I can't wait to hear the podcast, though I expect to have a lot of "eating my heart out" moments while listening!

 

[k5jm]

I would be yelling yippee if the park looked as uncrowded as that. Was it closed?

Did you see the dragon under the castle?

The park was closed. We were eating dinner in what was supposed to be the Tiki Room. It is now a Pizza place (we did not eat pizza).

...and the dragon was down for refurbishment.

 

[DisneyKevin]

It's almost 7am and I'm not sure what time zone my body is in.

We went to sleep at 9:00pm last night and woke up just a while ago.

After 10 days of non- stop excitement, I think our bodies and brains just said " that's enough".

Sitting here watching the Atlantic ocean roll in, I'm filled with the most amazing thoughts and feelings.

Doing what we do for a living, we get to travel quite a bit and I have been some pretty amazing places.....and for that I feel extremely grateful...almost unworthy....but this trip was above and beyond anything I have ever done.

There were a couple of moments that will stay with me forever.

Because of my eye issues and balance issues from my eye surgeries, cobble stones can be difficult.

Our guides had told us the Tower of London was ALL cobblestones, so I decided to sit that out as it was drizzling and wet cobblestones are even more difficult.

My bench had a picture perfect view of the Tower Bridge and as I sat looking at that bridge, it really hit me that I was sitting in London and not the Epcot version of London.

My other moment was when we first arrived in Paris.

On our way to our hotel, our bus stopped at the Trocadero. This is a plaza on a hill, which overlooks the Eiffel Tower. It is the "picture perfect" spot to view the tower.

I had a best friend that I had known most of my life. His name was Michael Wagner and he passed away from cancer last year.

Michael and I used to sit and make plans (when we didn't have two dimes to rub together) that someday we would get to Paris. Today, this would be the equivalent of saying "someday, I'll get to Mars".

Well, I stood on the Trocadero overlooking the Eiffel Tower and just lost it.

I stood here crying like a baby. I had made it to Paris and was thinking about my best friend Michael.

I was explaining this to some of my fellow travelers, who wanted to know what was wrong, when a gust of wind came through that was so strong, it made you lose your balance.

I'm sure that the Trocadeo, being such a wide open expanse, is used to wind gusts like this, but on that particular day....I'm certain that it was my friend Michael.

I'm sure he was in Paris with me....just like we planned.

Just some early morning thoughts......

 

[Royster83]

Kevin, that was beautiful. I'm so happy you got to realise your dream.

I'm sorry your friend was not there to experience it with you, however I too am sure he was there in spirit.

Roy

 

[OKW Lover]

My bench had a picture perfect view of the Tower Bridge and as I sat looking at that bridge, it really hit me that I was sitting in London and not the Epcot version of London.

So, how did the real London compare?

Seriously, now when you go to Epcot will you think differently about the France and UK pavilions?

 

[GAN]

Very nice Kevin --it sounds like it was everything and more.... Life is Great

 

[TinkerChelle]

I had a best friend that I had known most of my life. His name was Michael Wagner and he passed away from cancer last year.

Michael and I used to sit and make plans (when we didn't have two dimes to rub together) that someday we would get to Paris. Today, this would be the equivalent of saying "someday, I'll get to Mars".

Well, I stood on the Trocadero overlooking the Eiffel Tower and just lost it.

I stood here crying like a baby. I had made it to Paris and was thinking about my best friend Michael.

I was explaining this to some of my fellow travelers, who wanted to know what was wrong, when a gust of wind came through that was so strong, it made you lose your balance.

I'm sure that the Trocadeo, being such a wide open expanse, is used to wind gusts like this, but on that particular day....I'm certain that it was my friend Michael.

I'm sure he was in Paris with me....just like we planned.

Just some early morning thoughts......