Travelbug12
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Messages
- 61
I will try to put down some of my feelings/impressions. I have been to WDW many times, and I felt the same excitement in Paris with the added bonus that I was experiencing to some extent a foreign culture. I didn't miss the rides that weren't there just went on rides more times. I really noticed that many of the rides seemed longer, especially POTC even buzz seems to have an extra room.
So many people helped me and one of the major comments they shared was to not go on a weekend. Well I had already booked and couldn't help it but guess what, they're right. The increase in crowd was unbelievable.
Here are some comments not meant to complain but more of I wish I had known and maybe planned better. Either way I had a great time, but next time will be better.
And speaking of crowds. Wow, I couldn't believe it. The parks were packed even in really bad weather which we had every day. One day it poured and was freezing...no one left, the rides were packed. I tried to get to the parks early, but it didn't seem to work out like in WDW. Either the rides are too spread out or I didn't know how to do it. I would get on one ride with a short line, and by the time I was done, all the rest of the rides had huge lines. I think someone should come up with itineraries like the one's in the WDW unofficial guide. Most lines were over a half hour, and on saturday this swelled to over an hour. In the end it didn't matter, we got on every thing we wanted to see.
The other downside at least when we were there was many closed rides. I know that it can't be avoided, but since we came so far and don't know when we'll be back it was a little disappointing.
As you know the rides are different, and found SM really scary for my kids and very different from the one at WDW. My friends daghter was also terrified by phantom manner, hard to say, i thought it was the only DLP ride that wasn't up to par with its american counterpart.
One of the problems with planning a trip of this scope, is that I read book after book and post after post but not everything sunk in. I really messed up on the eating because I couldn't decide what time or when to eat. I pooh poohed everyone booking sit down restaurants as too expensive and time wasting but guess what, that's where i ended up. Before the trip I tried to go on that lovely website with all the menus and pictures, but it just doesn't help. You have to be there to understand everything.
Some more thoughts on eating. I really loved Walts both food and service were great. Ditto Cafe Mickey which does loops cuisine wise around the american counterpart. Ate at the yatch club and thought it was OK but the hotel was extremely impressive. I stayed at Exploeres and had lunch there which has gotten reasonable reviews but found it way overpriced and not that great.
Really pleasant surpise: The buses were amazing, you could take them anywhere. I was so convinced that I would never get to the parks let alone to other hotels to eat. Those shuttles are amazing.
Found all the staff really helpful and pleasant.
A lot less staff in the park than in America. My friend found this a negative, but I thought it was great, because I find it tiring to have all the smiling faces moniter my behavior about the park.
Also suprised, a lot of people say this is a two day park, but in three days we really didn't do everything we wanted. There's a lot more to do here than people realize.
When people describe the park, I got the idea that you walk outside but that the rides were more inside which helps with the cold. I found this to not be exactly true. parks of most rides were outside which comes to my last bit of advice....dress warm, warm warm. Again I had read all the posts about the weather, but when it comes to actually going there while I took my warm clothing it wasn't enough. I finally had to layer sweaters and my pajamas as long underwear and it worked.
All in all I had a great time easily equal to the enjoyment I experienced in WDW. My children felt the same, they missed nothing we would have done in america. The plus is that I was close to a large metropolitan city and could easily do other things. Thanks to all of you who helped me plan this trip.
So many people helped me and one of the major comments they shared was to not go on a weekend. Well I had already booked and couldn't help it but guess what, they're right. The increase in crowd was unbelievable.
Here are some comments not meant to complain but more of I wish I had known and maybe planned better. Either way I had a great time, but next time will be better.
And speaking of crowds. Wow, I couldn't believe it. The parks were packed even in really bad weather which we had every day. One day it poured and was freezing...no one left, the rides were packed. I tried to get to the parks early, but it didn't seem to work out like in WDW. Either the rides are too spread out or I didn't know how to do it. I would get on one ride with a short line, and by the time I was done, all the rest of the rides had huge lines. I think someone should come up with itineraries like the one's in the WDW unofficial guide. Most lines were over a half hour, and on saturday this swelled to over an hour. In the end it didn't matter, we got on every thing we wanted to see.
The other downside at least when we were there was many closed rides. I know that it can't be avoided, but since we came so far and don't know when we'll be back it was a little disappointing.
As you know the rides are different, and found SM really scary for my kids and very different from the one at WDW. My friends daghter was also terrified by phantom manner, hard to say, i thought it was the only DLP ride that wasn't up to par with its american counterpart.
One of the problems with planning a trip of this scope, is that I read book after book and post after post but not everything sunk in. I really messed up on the eating because I couldn't decide what time or when to eat. I pooh poohed everyone booking sit down restaurants as too expensive and time wasting but guess what, that's where i ended up. Before the trip I tried to go on that lovely website with all the menus and pictures, but it just doesn't help. You have to be there to understand everything.
Some more thoughts on eating. I really loved Walts both food and service were great. Ditto Cafe Mickey which does loops cuisine wise around the american counterpart. Ate at the yatch club and thought it was OK but the hotel was extremely impressive. I stayed at Exploeres and had lunch there which has gotten reasonable reviews but found it way overpriced and not that great.
Really pleasant surpise: The buses were amazing, you could take them anywhere. I was so convinced that I would never get to the parks let alone to other hotels to eat. Those shuttles are amazing.
Found all the staff really helpful and pleasant.
A lot less staff in the park than in America. My friend found this a negative, but I thought it was great, because I find it tiring to have all the smiling faces moniter my behavior about the park.
Also suprised, a lot of people say this is a two day park, but in three days we really didn't do everything we wanted. There's a lot more to do here than people realize.
When people describe the park, I got the idea that you walk outside but that the rides were more inside which helps with the cold. I found this to not be exactly true. parks of most rides were outside which comes to my last bit of advice....dress warm, warm warm. Again I had read all the posts about the weather, but when it comes to actually going there while I took my warm clothing it wasn't enough. I finally had to layer sweaters and my pajamas as long underwear and it worked.
All in all I had a great time easily equal to the enjoyment I experienced in WDW. My children felt the same, they missed nothing we would have done in america. The plus is that I was close to a large metropolitan city and could easily do other things. Thanks to all of you who helped me plan this trip.
ITA!!
