Absimilliard
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 15, 1999
- Messages
- 408
I recently traveled to Europe for a trade show in Amsterdam and I flew back to Montreal from Paris after the show. I took the opportunity to go to Disneyland Paris and Parc Asterix and I had a great time at those parks.
First, Disneyland Paris. Belgium had a school holiday, so both parks were quite busy on that friday and wait times remained quite long. Indiana Jones et le Temple du Peril was under refurb, along with Aladdin's Flying Carpet and Studio 1, so there were a few rides that were closed. Big Thunder Mountain ran great, Phantom Manor looked amazing and Pirates of the Caribbean was nice as always. I roped dropped Big Thunder Mountain, followed by Phantom Manor and it worked out great there, with a 30 minutes wait for Big Thunder Mountain and 5 minutes for Phantom Manor. Pirates of the Caribbean was around 20 minutes, same for Casey Jr. Casey Jr. and the Storybookland Boats look amazing after their long refurbishment.
Over at the Walt Disney Studios, Avengers Assemble Flight Force ran in a ferocious way with a powerful launch and the Corkscrew whipped riders in a great way. I spotted a great new t-shirt for it, but it was sold out in every size except S sadly. It was the first time I saw a nearly full queue for Flight Force, but it remained reasonable at 40 minutes. Single riders looked like an hopeless proposition sadly, as it barely moved in the pre loading room. Tower of Terror was also a 40 minutes queue and I got the middle shaft with the "Hidden Creatures" story. It is still for me the best Tower of Terror attraction in the world. I also rode Cars Road Trip (Catastrophe Canyon is still an amazing scene and it was a walk on), Slinky Dog Dash (5 minutes wait, the cycle is too short sadly) and saw the Alice in Wonderland show. Not a bad show given that the set was wet due to rain and they could not do the BMX scenes. Unfortunately, the stage is too big and you miss too many things.
A second Flight Force ride in single riders took 25 minutes to get on this time, since the line had died down a little. I met up with friends at the Brasserie Rosalie in the Disney Village and it was an amazing meal. I had the Entrecote (300 grammes, aka +- 11 ounces) rib steak and it was amazing. Very, very well cooked and very tasty with its Bearnaise sauce. The Onion Soup (served the Paris way with an Emmental cheese crust) was huge and incredible, which is amazing as I usually don't like cheese except for cheddar and mozzarella. I ended up with some sorbets and those were good. My friends had the dinner menu and its a great value at 39.90 euros. Funnily, one of the appetizer on that menu (POULTRY PÂTÉ EN CROÛTE WITH PRUNES) is also served on the 95 euros per person menu at the Auberge de Cendrillon inside Disneyland Paris.
I ended my day at Disneyland Paris in the only way possible for me: an amazing ride on Hyperspace Mountain. The line was posted at 40 minutes late at night, but with no one using Premier Access and three trains running out of 4, the line only took 35 minutes to get through.
Parc Asterix was easy to access from my hotel in Paris. Metro/RER B to CDG Terminal 1, then follow the Parc Asterix signs to the bus station where they sell 11.50 euros round trip bus tickets to the park. Parc Asterix looked very busy when I got there, so I looked at my options on their app for Filotomatix. Filotomatix is their paid for "virtual queue" where it goes from Bronze (15 euros per person, sells out the quickest, can reserve 10 rides once each and wait the equivalent of the queue), Silver (like Bronze, but wait half the queue for 35 euros per person), Gold (what I booked, immediate access to 10 rides once each), individual (5 to 13 euros to ride a ride immediately by the Filotomatix queue) and unlimited. Unlimited cost 125 euros per person and works at the 13 main rides, including Toutatis. You can ride as much as you want with no or little queue.
Toutatis is only included in the Unlimited and per ride Filotomatix, so I rope dropped that and waited around 30 minutes. That ride is for me the best roller coaster in the world and worth a trip to the park on it's own. The ride is very intense though. Food wise, I ate at the Relais Gaulois near the flume and it was the good choice. For 12.50 euros, I got a decent chopped beef steak with access to the nice "sides buffet", as its a cafeteria. Grab sides, dessert and drinks, pay for that and a hot meal at the cashier. Then, take your ticket to the correct food station and get your hot dish. Between the stations, there is a small sides buffet that is included with hot entrees.
Any questions?
First, Disneyland Paris. Belgium had a school holiday, so both parks were quite busy on that friday and wait times remained quite long. Indiana Jones et le Temple du Peril was under refurb, along with Aladdin's Flying Carpet and Studio 1, so there were a few rides that were closed. Big Thunder Mountain ran great, Phantom Manor looked amazing and Pirates of the Caribbean was nice as always. I roped dropped Big Thunder Mountain, followed by Phantom Manor and it worked out great there, with a 30 minutes wait for Big Thunder Mountain and 5 minutes for Phantom Manor. Pirates of the Caribbean was around 20 minutes, same for Casey Jr. Casey Jr. and the Storybookland Boats look amazing after their long refurbishment.
Over at the Walt Disney Studios, Avengers Assemble Flight Force ran in a ferocious way with a powerful launch and the Corkscrew whipped riders in a great way. I spotted a great new t-shirt for it, but it was sold out in every size except S sadly. It was the first time I saw a nearly full queue for Flight Force, but it remained reasonable at 40 minutes. Single riders looked like an hopeless proposition sadly, as it barely moved in the pre loading room. Tower of Terror was also a 40 minutes queue and I got the middle shaft with the "Hidden Creatures" story. It is still for me the best Tower of Terror attraction in the world. I also rode Cars Road Trip (Catastrophe Canyon is still an amazing scene and it was a walk on), Slinky Dog Dash (5 minutes wait, the cycle is too short sadly) and saw the Alice in Wonderland show. Not a bad show given that the set was wet due to rain and they could not do the BMX scenes. Unfortunately, the stage is too big and you miss too many things.
A second Flight Force ride in single riders took 25 minutes to get on this time, since the line had died down a little. I met up with friends at the Brasserie Rosalie in the Disney Village and it was an amazing meal. I had the Entrecote (300 grammes, aka +- 11 ounces) rib steak and it was amazing. Very, very well cooked and very tasty with its Bearnaise sauce. The Onion Soup (served the Paris way with an Emmental cheese crust) was huge and incredible, which is amazing as I usually don't like cheese except for cheddar and mozzarella. I ended up with some sorbets and those were good. My friends had the dinner menu and its a great value at 39.90 euros. Funnily, one of the appetizer on that menu (POULTRY PÂTÉ EN CROÛTE WITH PRUNES) is also served on the 95 euros per person menu at the Auberge de Cendrillon inside Disneyland Paris.
I ended my day at Disneyland Paris in the only way possible for me: an amazing ride on Hyperspace Mountain. The line was posted at 40 minutes late at night, but with no one using Premier Access and three trains running out of 4, the line only took 35 minutes to get through.
Parc Asterix was easy to access from my hotel in Paris. Metro/RER B to CDG Terminal 1, then follow the Parc Asterix signs to the bus station where they sell 11.50 euros round trip bus tickets to the park. Parc Asterix looked very busy when I got there, so I looked at my options on their app for Filotomatix. Filotomatix is their paid for "virtual queue" where it goes from Bronze (15 euros per person, sells out the quickest, can reserve 10 rides once each and wait the equivalent of the queue), Silver (like Bronze, but wait half the queue for 35 euros per person), Gold (what I booked, immediate access to 10 rides once each), individual (5 to 13 euros to ride a ride immediately by the Filotomatix queue) and unlimited. Unlimited cost 125 euros per person and works at the 13 main rides, including Toutatis. You can ride as much as you want with no or little queue.
Toutatis is only included in the Unlimited and per ride Filotomatix, so I rope dropped that and waited around 30 minutes. That ride is for me the best roller coaster in the world and worth a trip to the park on it's own. The ride is very intense though. Food wise, I ate at the Relais Gaulois near the flume and it was the good choice. For 12.50 euros, I got a decent chopped beef steak with access to the nice "sides buffet", as its a cafeteria. Grab sides, dessert and drinks, pay for that and a hot meal at the cashier. Then, take your ticket to the correct food station and get your hot dish. Between the stations, there is a small sides buffet that is included with hot entrees.
Any questions?
I think I agree with all your assessments. 
