??? re: Visiting Paris/DLP on Bastille Day.

stlrod

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 13, 1999
We are traveling to London for 7 nights on 7/6. We were thinking about spending 4 nights in Paris. I just realized that Bastille Day falls in the middle of our trip (we arrive on the 13th.). My wife and I have been to Paris before (a very short trip). This time we are taking our 11 and 14 year old daughters. The question comes up as to where to stay. As a Marriott Vacation Club owner, I can get a great rate on the new Villas at DP for the 4 nights. We had thought it would be best to stay there and then simply take a tour of the city one day. Having learned that Bastille Day falls in the middle of the trip, I thought we should perhaps stay in Paris and enjoy the festivities. On the other hand, we would be far from Disney (and I think we're all going to need some "fun" after our educational/historical component in London.) I'm also a little concerned about being a foreigner trying to get around Paris on Bastille Day (figuring crowds everywhere and us not speaking French.) While I would imagine DLP will be crowded, at least we could retreat to our hotel. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
hi! i have no answer to your question, but wanted to add that you'd be surprised at how much of a foreign language you could pick up in a year-- probably enough to give you more confidence as far as getting around. pick up a tape set that's geared towards tourists and listen in your car or other spare time.
 
We went to DLP 4 years ago in July 1999 for 3 days, and one of those days was Bastille Day! (July 14, that year) - There were considerable crowds that day, that only got worse as the day wore on (imagine July 4 in WDW, but with a French attitude) The lines for the rides were long long long by the afternoon - As for the crowds themselves, well, how can I put this? They were downright nasty toward us non-French speaking Americans (and I include the Castmembers, as well) We stayed at the Newport Bay Club (kind of like the Beach Club in WDW) which was within walking distance of the park, around a lake

The Park itself was really lovely, beautiful colors and lots of attention to detail - Pirates of the Caribbean was a bit more embellished that the WDW version (although the DLP queue area was dangerously dark & unlit!!) Their version of Space Mountain is much more beautifully painted, and you're sort of "lauched" out of it! There is a huge audio-animatronic dragon in the basement of the Castle itself that "comes to life" - The signage throughout the park was lacking - very few signs, and mainly in French (very difficult to find our way around - and again, no one was willing to help us) Sure hope things have changed since then!

Now my husband is considering going back to DLP this summer (either early June or late September) - just not Bastille Day again!
 

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