Trip Report Remy, Marie, and Me - DLP PTR June 2018 - TR Link up!

[Lesley Wake]

Remy, Marie and Me - DLP PTR

Hello everyone!

My name is Lesley, and I am a huge Disney fan! I live about 45 minutes away from the original Disneyland and have had an AP for several years (minus a few months where I didn't renew); I go whenever I have the chance! I also visited WDW for the first time in September; here is my trip report from that visit, which (as of January 2018) I'm still working on! I also have 2 more WDW trips planned this year, in March and December, and a Disney Cruise planned next year! Phew, lots of Disney travel coming up!

This will be my first visit to Disneyland Paris, and I can't wait to go!

Some basics about the trip; I will get into more details about the overall trip and Disneyland Paris portion a little later.

Dates: June 10-14, 2018 [Full France visit is May 26-June 15]
Staying: Sequoia Lodge, in a Golden Forest Room
Who: Me! Yup, another solo trip. Though the first 2 weeks will be with the whole family!
Tickets: 5-day park hoppers.
Dining plan: Nope. Didn't make $ sense once I upgraded to "Club Level"

I will probably include more details about the various planning options for Disneyland Paris, as I did plenty of research before booking. I'll also share some details about the family vacation part and our plans.

But, Paris, here I come!

​

 

[missjackiemcg]

Oh, boy, I'm the first one here

I will probably include more details about the various planning options for Disneyland Paris, as I did plenty of research before booking. I'll also share some details about the family vacation part and our plans.

I'm excited to see what you've found out in your research! I haven't looked into a DLP trip at all, but it's on my Bucket List of places to visit someday!!!

 

[missangelalexis]

Joining in! I've never been but looking forward to hearing your plans and eventually reading about the trip itself!

 

[Raeven]

Following along!

 

[olafLover]

.

 

[Lesley Wake]

How this trip came to be

(If you are reading my WDW PTR, this is a lot of rehashing from that DLP announcement)

I truly did not think I would be visiting Disneyland Paris this year. I mean, yes, I really wanted to visit the international parks, but I had only visited WDW for the first time in September! I did quickly become addicted to WDW, so already had 2 trips planned in 2018 (long weekend in March and 1.5 week in December). But, of course, when you least expect it, magic happens!

I guess it became a possibility late in the fall. My mom and dad came back from their vacation to Niagara Falls/Toronto/Wolf Island (my mom is really into geneology right now and discovered a lot of family came through this area, so they did a bunch of research). This is the second year in a row my parents have taken a vacation just the two of them, and well, my mom wasn't exactly loving having to travel alone with my dad (he means well, but can be pretty annoying at times) . It's also their 40th wedding anniversary this year, so she thought it'd be a good idea to do a whole family vacation.

But, where to go? I was really pushing for an Alaskan cruise . While Disney would have been my preference, everyone else was pretty opposed to that idea. Most of the family was opposed to the idea of a cruise in general, so that ended up being a nonstarter.

Mom brought up doing a train journey from LA-Chicago. Yeah, not for me at all! I just can't imagine how boring I would find that-basically stuck on a train. The family tried to say, how was I ok with a cruise, but not a train, but really-no comparison! Anyways, that idea also got scrapped.

We considered Hawaii, but have done that in the past, so it's not as exciting for some people (I mean, I'm never opposed to Hawaii, but when comparing Hawaii vs somewhere new, we all were leaning toward somewhere new).

Eventually, we decided international would be the best option. My dad's top place he wants to visit is Paris, so that was a top contender. Plenty of other places were thrown out, and eventually I made a whole Google form for people to vote! Here is my vote:

So, here is how the voting worked out:

Tokyo, Australia, New Zealand - Ruled out as each only had one vote.
Iceland, Scandinavia, Prague/Budapest - Also ruled out as only 1-2 votes each.
Scotland/Ireland - considered, but eventually decided we really wanted someplace different, as our last family vacation was to London and Southern England.
Berlin/Germany - a strong contender, especially because we have some close family friends who live there. But, didn't get as many votes as top options.

Top choices:
Rome/Italy and Paris/France

We really tossed this around a lot. Everyone seemed to be interested in either choice. Lots of pros/cons were thrown out for both places. Eventually it came down to deciding what type of vacation we wanted. For Italy, we all wanted to go, but because it was a new place to everyone (except Lauren (my sister), who did a 6-week study abroad summer program), we were worried it would become too much of a go-go-go trip . We really were unsure about how to plan for it, and Lauren wasn't being the best to help make decisions (i.e., how long in Rome, where else to go, how to get around, etc) . With France, mom and Anthony (my brother), were not the biggest fans of Paris when they visited. But, to be fair, my mom visited almost 45 years ago and it was a weird family trip for her, and my brother is a bit of an scatterbrain when it comes to travel . I had visited too, but that was over 16 years ago, but didn't have any bad experiences with Paris itself. I also had more of an idea of where to go in France to get more of a relaxing feel, and had already done a lot of research. Mom also pointed out that if we did Paris as a family she wouldn't be stuck going with Dad alone!

So... if not obvious, France became the choice!

Now, the Disneyland Paris part...

Once Europe became a more concrete option at the end of last year, I decided to price out visiting DLP for a few days. Only to discover, DLP was insanely inexpensive! They had a deal for buy 2 nights, get 2 free (including tickets). So, for 4 nights it was $920, which was completely within the budget! Of course, that deal was only good until Feb 5th, so I spent a lot of December/January trying to get people to decide which European destination we were going with, as it would impact which dates I went with (I had already decided that if we were going to Europe I was definitely going to DLP, because, well, I'm obsessed!). Once we booked airfare, I booked DLP.

Coming up - Actual plans for Paris, France, and Disney!​

 

[Lesley Wake]

General Vacation Plans

As I mentioned, I will be in France from May 27-June 15.

The other players in this vacation: Mom, Dad, Lauren, Anthony, and Lauren's boyfriend, Joey.

(From our Thanksgiving day visit to Disneyland)

We probably won't stay together 24/7, as everyone has different priorities. We also have different touring styles and are just very different people, especially me and my siblings (I always say Anthony is a hippie, Lauren is a hipster, and I'm a yuppie). But I will bring up some of their plans a bit.

Flights:

We are leaving Saturday, May 26 and arriving in Europe on Sunday, May 27. We are flying British Airways and connecting in Heathrow. Booking flights was a bit of an annoyance, because if I booked a roundtrip for us from LA-Paris, it was about $1900; but if I booked a round trip LA-London and London-Paris it was only $900, on the exact same flights! Hopefully we should be able to check our luggage straight through from LA-Paris, but if not, we have a long layover, so should have plenty of time to leave the secure area, get our bags, recheck them in, then go back into the terminal; it will be annoying, but can be done.

For Mom and Dad, they fly back on Sunday, June 10, using the same Paris-London-LA route. Lauren and Joey will be flying back on Wednesday, June 13, because they be doing a bit more travel first. I am flying back on Friday, June 15, after I visit DLP. Anthony, meanwhile, will be staying for a full month! He wants to see this music festival in Denmark in July, plus visit some other areas, so he won't be back until July 11th. Since he doesn't like to plan ahead, we decided to go ahead and book the roundtrip from LA-London, and a one way from London-Paris, so he will be responsible for getting from wherever he is in Europe to London.

Paris:
We will be in Paris from May 27-June 2, so a full week. After some snafus trying to find an Airbnb that would accommodate everyone, and getting rejected from our first choice, we finally found a 4-bedroom on the left bank. Once I got the actual address, I did some checking of the area, and OMG, it is great!

First, proximity - it's in the 7th Arrondissement, and about a 15 minute walk to the Louvre. Plenty of metro stations nearby and also easy walking distance to Luxembourg Gardens, Rodin Museum, Musee de l'Armee, Musee d'Orsay, Musee de l'Orangerie, etc. It's about a 30 minute walk to Eiffel Tower, but also several bus lines go right there, so we'll have options.

Next, neighborhood - it's on Rue du Bac, which is a well-known street in Paris. Previously known for fashion, it's now home to...wait for it...the best patisseries in Paris! Literally 10 highly rated shops within 2 blocks of the apartment, as well as Le Bon Marche a block away. And one of them (which I had already starred as a place to visit), it's on the first floor of the building!
Some articles, for you to be jealous about: This Paris street is devoted to sweets (US Weekly); The Best Parisian Patisseries Are All On One Street (Vogue); The 5 best French patisseries on Rue du Bac.
Seriously, we couldn't have picked a better location for my sweet tooth!

So, besides giving my dentist a new vacation home, here are some things I would like to do/see in Paris (I don't know yet what will or will not be possible):
-Eiffel Tower (obviously)
-Notre Dame
-Sacre Coeur
-Museums: Louvre (planning an afternoon here), Musee de l'Orangerie, Musee d'Orsay, (It'll probably make financial sense to get the Museum Pass)
-Versaille (day trip; we will also be there when they have the fountain musical shows going on, so I really want to see that)
-Giverny (another day trip)
-Luxembourg Gardens
(plus plenty of other places)

Loire Valley:
We will be in the Loire Valley from June 2-6, so 4 nights. We booked another Airbnb in Amboise, which seems like it will be a great place to get some aspect of a French countryside, while also being very tourist friendly. Restaurants seem awesome, and the Airbnb is right in the city center (actually buts up against the castle, and you can see the roof on the right side of the photo below!).

We will take the train from Paris - Tours, and then pick up a rental car in Tours. In theory, we could probably get around with trains and buses, but that really prevents us from having flexibility.

Some things to look out for:
-Sunday market (supposed to be one of the best in France)
-Chateau de Chenonceau (gorgeous)
-Chateau Villandry (amazing gardens)
-Chateau d'Amboise
-Chateau de Clos Luce (where Leonardo da Vinci lived)

Normandy:
Finally, we will head up to Normandy. We haven't booked an Airbnb yet. I recommended Bayeux, which is near the Normandy beaches. My mom also found a lovely countryside manor house but it seems to be out in the middle of nowhere, so we're a bit worried about that. TBD

Things to see:
-Mont St. Michel
-Normandy beaches, including American cemetery, and Canadian memorial.
-Bayeux Cathedral and Tapestry.

Finally, we will leave the countryside and head back to Paris, dropping off the rental car at Charles de Gaulle. We'll spend one night in an airport hotel (TBD). Mom and Dad will leave the following morning to come home. Lauren, Joey and Anthony will head to Brussels (though they could end up going directly from Normandy-Brussels, TBD). Those three will spend a few days in Brussels, with plenty of "beer, chocolate and waffles". Then Lauren and Joey will head back to Paris and come home. Anthony will stick around Europe, probably visting Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, Copenhagen. And, last but not least, I will head to DLP!

​

 

[Raeven]

We will be in Paris from May 27-June 2, so a full week. After some snafus trying to find an Airbnb that would accommodate everyone, and getting rejected from our first choice, we finally found a 4-bedroom on the left bank. Once I got the actual address, I did some checking of the area, and OMG, it is great!

If I ever go to Paris, I'm getting you to help plan it!

Next, neighborhood - it's on Rue du Bac, which is a well-known street in Paris. Previously known for fashion, it's now home to...wait for it...the best patisseries in Paris!

Yum

 

[amazingact21]

Sounds like you've got a great trip planned!

 

[Lesley Wake]

If I ever go to Paris, I'm getting you to help plan it!

I've been thinking that if this whole engineering thing doesn't work out for me, maybe I should take up being a travel agent!

Sounds like you've got a great trip planned!

I'm really looking forward to it!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Update 2/12 - Final France Plans

We made our final big-picture reservations this weekend.

First, for Normandy, we ended up getting an Airbnb in Courseulles-sur-Mer. We tried for Bayeux, but none of the Airbnbs worked for us. We (well, Mom and I) looked at a bunch of places that were nice, but pretty far away from any villages with restaurants, and we decided we'd prefer to stay in a proper village. We also considered a place in Arromanches-les-Bains, which would have been right on the water, with a view of the artificial harbor the Allies built. But, that place seemed to be pretty small, and no parking available; it also became unavailable before we could make a final decision!

History note: when the allies landed in Normandy, they ended up constructing an artificial temporary harbor in Arromanches to unload heavy artillery, etc. The Nazis still had control over the proper deep-water ports, which was one of the reasons they didn't expect the Allies to arrive in the locations they did. The allies actually floated these huge concrete piers over from England to enclose the area and build out floating roadways. Some of these are still there today.

In World War II

Present day

Anyways, so, we are staying a little ways down the coast in Courseulles-sur-Mer. It's actually near where the Canadians came ashore, and where the Canadian monument/museum is, so that will be good to see. And still close to all the other things we plan on seeing in Normandy.

My parents also got an annoying notification from British Airways. Their flight from Paris-London got cancelled! And they were automatically rebooked on the next later flight, which would give them only 1.5 hrs for a layover in England. That became a big concern, as they may need to go thru customs (we are unclear about that) and re-check-in their bags (again, unsure if they will be able to check in the bags all the way to LA). So, I called into BA and got them switched to the earlier flight, which unfortunately leaves at 7:30am!

I also booked an airport hotel for them, at the Sheraton at Charles-de-Gaulle. It is actually located in the same building as the terminal they will fly out of (think the Hyatt at MCO), so at least that will help with the early flight. It's a bit pricier than some of the others around, but those you have to rely on shuttle buses, which could be a pain that early.

For myself, I originally planned on staying at the airport hotel Saturday night before heading to Disney on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the Sheraton really only has room for 2 adults per room (the website says they can fit 3, but there is only one bed, plus a chair/ottoman, so not exactly what I want to be stuck with). So, I will actually head to Val d'Europe, the town Disney basically built next door to the Disney Paris resort. It definitely was cheaper than staying at a Disney hotel for one night, plus the only way to book a room-only is via phone, and well, I hate talking on the phone... I don't know yet if I will stay in Val d'Europe that evening or if I'll head to the Disney Village to explore (it's walking distance or a 1-stop train ride), but I think it will depend on what time I arrive. So, I booked at room at the Relais Spa Val d'Europe. Who knows, maybe I'll end up getting a massage or just relax?

Then, after leaving Disney, I booked one night at the Sheraton CDG. Convenience is key, and there is a direct TGV train from Disney-CDG, so I will be able to at least head there with my suitcase. Depending on how tired I am, and what time I leave Disney, I could either stay at the hotel for the evening, or maybe try to venture into Paris for one last dinner!

So anyways, big stuff out of the way, once I get back from Disneyworld in a few weeks, I'll be able to start focusing on the rest of the things!
​

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Joining in!

As you know, I'm just a sucker for anything International Disney and while I'm with you on Tokyo being the number one near-Disney place I want to visit, I'm HERE FOR THIS! I can't believe how much you already have planned wow I mean... you've got to for International trips. It all looks so amazing and you're gonna have the best time! Also, bless you for getting through the decision of France v. Italy, that would've KILLED me.

Can't wait to read more about the plans for this trip!

 

[amazingact21]

Unfortunately, the Sheraton really only has room for 2 adults per room (the website says they can fit 3, but there is only one bed, plus a chair/ottoman, so not exactly what I want to be stuck with).

Story of my life here in Europe! Almost all hotels only accommodate 2 people, and if they say 3 it's not an actual bed. Back when Evie was considered an infant, we classified for the tiniest hotel rooms. In London, we only had a double and a twin! It was interesting... But that's why we AirBnB now.

Glad you were able to find a place to stay before your Disney trip!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Update 3/15 - Dining

Like Disneyland (in California), Disneyland Paris doesn't have a whole lot that needs pre-booking. Dining reservations open up 60 days in advance, which should be coming up in a few weeks. ADRs can only be done via phone, but someone said a trick to avoid international calling charges is to call the WDW dining desk and ask to get transferred over to Paris, so I'll give that a try!

Also, Disneyland Paris isn't exactly known for having amazing food (though I've heard it's gotten better), but they do have great themed restaurants.

When I was doing my research, I checked out the dining plans for DLP (note-the previous dining plan for DLP is switching over in March, so what people have done in the past isn't exactly the same as what will be in place during my trip). So, instead of doing dining credits that can be used at quick service or table service restaurants, you get vouchers. The number of vouchers and amount of the voucher depends on your plan.

There are 2 types of plans available: Half-board or Full-Board. Half-board includes breakfast, and one meal (lunch or dinner); Full-board includes breakfast and two meals.

Then, within those plans, there are 3 categories: ​

Standard:

• Breakfast: Buffet in hotel (I think mostly cold foods like pastries and cereal)
• Lunch/Dinner: Buffet in a restaurant, there is a choice of about 5 in the parks, the Disney Village, or some hotels. Also you get a soft drink with the meal (not included if you pay OOP)

Plus:

• Breakfast: Buffet in hotel
• Lunch/Dinner: Choice of about 15 restaurants, including the buffets and some other ones throughout the parks. For the table service restaurants, you get a "set menu", so there is an option (indicated on the menu as being a Plus selection), where you get a appetizer, entree, dessert, with a few choices in each category. You also get a soft drink.

Premium:​

• Breakfast: hotel buffet or character breakfast inside Disneyland​
• Lunch/Dinner: choice of almost any restaurant at the resort. You can do the set menu, or a la carte. You can also do one of the character dinings or dinner shows. ​

With the previous meal plan, you would get a voucher with a certain price point; you could then apply that to your meal, so if you had a Plus plan, but chose to eat at a Premium restaurant, you would just pay the difference. I am not sure if this is the case for the new plan, but would guess so?

So, I had to make a decision, does it make sense to get a meal plan, and if so what type and category? I looked at all the restaurants in the resort and narrowed it down to which ones I'd be interested in. Then, I looked at what I would order from each restaurant (ignoring any sort of meal plan). Originally I estimated that I could save a bit of money if I did the Full-Board, Premium plan. But then, I considered more: what if I decide eating at 2 table service restaurants every day isn't for me. And what if I order something cheaper than what I originally estimated? Plus, once I booked the Golden Forest room, that provided breakfast (reportedly better than the hotel buffet breakfast). So, eventually I decided, no meal plan; I'd prefer to be flexible and possibly not waste money and food!

But, what restaurants do I plan to eat at?

Bistro Chez Remy

Eat in a Ratatouille restaurant - yes please! This is a must! It's in the Studios Park.

Walt's - An American Restaurant

Disneytouristblog has great reviews of this, so I am also adding it to the priorities. It's in Disneyland Park on Main Street.

Inventions

It's a buffet, and seems to be themed really well with Victorian machines and whatnot. It's in the Disneyland Hotel.

Hunter's Grill

Another buffet, but it's in the Sequoia Lodge.

Captain Jack's - Restaurant des Pirates

Seems to be like the Blue Bayou, so I'd like to give it a try. It's the one I'm most wary about the food/service based on past reviews, so if I end up cancelling anything, it will be this.

I considered some others, but ultimately decided against it:
Auberge de Cendrillion - A Princess character meal, and I don't really care about characters. They do have some of the mice from Cinderella meeting, which would be cool, but it is also pricey, and I just don't care enough for the menu to make it worthwhile.
California Grill - In the Disneyland Hotel, and seems to have fancier things. They did have some menu items I liked, but again, nothing that seems worth the $$
Yacht Club - At Newport Bay Club, again, seemed nice, but not worth the $$$
Buffalo Bill's Wild West show - Could be fun, but could also just be weird. I decided to pass.

My general idea is:

(There is the added complication of many restaurants in the parks closing super early, so I will avoid doing dinners in the parks)

Arrival, Day 1
Lunch - Counter service or snacks with no set plans
Dinner - Hunter's Grill (I figure I'll want to get settled in the hotel)

Day 2
Lunch - Bistro Chez Remy
Dinner - Inventions (I'll probably try for a later reservation, so I can see the fireworks, then stop for dinner while heading back to Sequoia Lodge)

Day 3
Lunch - Walt's
Dinner - unscheduled. Maybe something in the Disney Village. I've heard their Earl of Sandwich is great!

Day 4
Lunch - Captain Jack's (I'm putting this last, because it is the one I don't care about as much)
Dinner - unscheduled.

Day 5, Departure
Lunch - Unscheduled.


So, any thoughts? ​

 

[missangelalexis]

The restaurants you picked sound nice! I'm sure you're doing the right thing with skipping the meal plan.

 

[Raeven]

I can't wait to hear your reviews for when I someday go to Disneyland Paris The Remy restaurant looks really cool. If you watch the vloggers ThisOrlandoLife, I know one of them went to Disneyland Paris, and ate at the first 2 restaurants you mention if you want to see another review of them.

 

[amazingact21]

Yes, sadly the food at Disneyland Paris leaves a LOT to be desired.

So, eventually I decided, no meal plan; I'd prefer to be flexible and possibly not waste money and food!

We are skipping the meal plan, as well!

Eat in a Ratatouille restaurant - yes please!

This is Number 1 on our list, as well! I got a peek in the restaurant when we rode the ride, and it looks adorable.

I think we're trying to eat at all the same restaurants with the exception of Hunter's Grill. Since you're staying at Sequoia, it makes a lot sense for you to plan that on your arrival day. It serves mostly seafood, though, so that's why it's not my cup of tea.

I'm part of DLP facebook group for Europeans and it seems like the Number 1 place to eat is Walt's, so hopefully you're able to nab a meal there.
Ugh, you've reminded me that I'm about 90 days out from my trip and really need to think about where I'm going to eat. Need to get on that!

And Earl of Sandwich is a definite must for a quick meal in Disney Village. A lot of places were a disappointment, but Earl's was a win. (But it's also a lot like the US version in Disney Springs, so if don't like that one you might not care for Paris's version.)

 

[Lesley Wake]

I can't wait to hear your reviews for when I someday go to Disneyland Paris The Remy restaurant looks really cool. If you watch the vloggers ThisOrlandoLife, I know one of them went to Disneyland Paris, and ate at the first 2 restaurants you mention if you want to see another review of them.

Thanks-I checked them out! I fastforwarded up to the restaurants, because it's a weird balance I'm trying to achieve between being prepared and being spoiled, though knowing how much research I end up doing pre-trip, I end up spoiling it myself!

Yes, sadly the food at Disneyland Paris leaves a LOT to be desired.

We are skipping the meal plan, as well!

This is Number 1 on our list, as well! I got a peek in the restaurant when we rode the ride, and it looks adorable.

I think we're trying to eat at all the same restaurants with the exception of Hunter's Grill. Since you're staying at Sequoia, it makes a lot sense for you to plan that on your arrival day. It serves mostly seafood, though, so that's why it's not my cup of tea.

I'm part of DLP facebook group for Europeans and it seems like the Number 1 place to eat is Walt's, so hopefully you're able to nab a meal there.
Ugh, you've reminded me that I'm about 90 days out from my trip and really need to think about where I'm going to eat. Need to get on that!

And Earl of Sandwich is a definite must for a quick meal in Disney Village. A lot of places were a disappointment, but Earl's was a win. (But it's also a lot like the US version in Disney Springs, so if don't like that one you might not care for Paris's version.)

I'm definitely an Earl of Sandwich fan, though I had never been until last fall (we have one at Downtown Disney in Anaheim)! I just never ventured that far down, since it is at the other end than the parks (I think the layout is similar to Disney Village, with the Disneyland Hotel at one end, Downtown Disney all along the walkway to the space between the two parks. The shuttle from the parking garage lets out close to the parks, so I just never needed to go down there!

BUT, I also discovered there is another Earl of Sandwich a couple blocks away from my office in Downtown LA! And they deliver to my building! We've gotten them a couple times for company paid lunches, and I've also ordered on my own.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Update 3/28 - Misc and Attractions!​

First, some minor updates on the family side of the trip. My mom and I are trying to figure out what day we'd want to visit the Eiffel Tower because you can pre-buy tickets, which let you skip the line. We definitely need to figure that out ASAP! I printed out a calendar and brought some post-its from work with various museums and attractions and their opening times, so hopefully we can start to assemble this jigsaw puzzle! If it was just me I would have already completed it, but I don't want to be too much of a micro-manager!

Mom and I also decided last night, that while we're sure the boys will want to do a pubcrawl of some sorts, we're doing a CROISSANT CRAWL!!! With Napeleon nibbles and Macaron munchies! It shouldn't be hard, considering where we are staying (our Airbnb is the orange star; all "hearts" are top-rated patisseries... you do the math!)

​

I also got a biography of Leonardo da Vinci I'm trying to finish before we get to France, since we will be staying in the town he lived the last few years of his life.

​

My brother also FINALLY got to checking about switching his flights. I think I mentioned that everyone is going home at different days, but my brother is staying the longest (an extra month). Well, of course he accidentally wrecked his car (he's ok), and my parents discovered there was an oversight with car insurance and his didn't have collision insurance (it did have liability, which is the only thing legally required). They are trying to decide what to do - sell it as-is (repair guy offered $500), repair it then sell it (in theory that could result in $1,000-$2,000, but that's assuming no other issues arise during the repair, which isn't definite since its 15 years old and my brother drives it hard), or what. My brother really wants a different car which would work better for camping, but no matter what, it would cost him money, and he does freelance film work, so he's not exactly rolling in the dough!

So... anyways, long story long... my brother needs to save money and an extra month in Europe wasn't looking to be a smart decision. BUT, when he finally got around to looking at flights, they were so much more expensive to fly home earlier, plus a $250 change fee, so it just didn't make sense. Instead he's going to stick with his previous flight and try to do rest of Europe on the cheap, staying with friends or cheap hostels (he's not exactly picky).

Ok, onto Disneyland Paris!

First with bad news, refurbishments

I don't know if many of you kept up with the progress of Disneyland Paris, but I guess over the years they really did not keep up with the park and ride maintenance. So in 2015, they started a whole Experience Enhancement Plan, which involved large scale refurbishments at most rides/restaurants/areas. So, guests would often arrive and have multiple rides closed for refurbishment. Thankfully (for me at least), most of these were planned to coincide with the 25th anniversary, which happened last year, so a lot of things are back up and running and will be available during my trip.

Except... Phantom Manor!

I've always heard it's one of the best Haunted Mansions, so I'm a bit bummed out that I won't get to experience it. And they just installed the scrim, which looks pretty outstanding!

But also... and I only found out about this today... HYPERSPACE MOUNTAIN!

This is honestly so upsetting to me! I think it was top on my list of rides to go on, since it is so different, including cannon launch uphill, plus loops and Star Wars and all! ARGH! It will be under refurb from June 4-15, and I visit June 10-14. I leave France entirely on the 15th, so can't even try to work things out that way.

But I just had a bit of a crazy inspiration - what if I sneak away from my family one morning while we are in Paris and go to Disney to ride it? It would be value pricing, so a 1-day, 1-park ticket is $61. Plus about $18 train fare round trip. Is that crazy? Someone talk me down from this...

Also Mad Hatter's Tea Cups will be closed, but that isn't as important for me.


But, now the good news - the attractions I'm super excited for!

First and foremost, La Taniere du Dragon. I mean, Sleeping Beauty Castle has a dragon underneath it! That's awesome! I have already decided that is going to be my first attraction! (Well, unless I do that sneak off to DLP for Hyperspace Mountain craziness).

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Ratatouille: The Adventure - This is another top top priority! I can't wait to get a preview for what is coming to Epcot!

Big Thunder Mountain - This one is the best version in the world, and rather than having Tom Sawyer Island, BTMR is actually on its own island! Seems awesome to me!

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Crush's Coaster - An indoor/outdoor coaster/dark ride. I originally thought this one would be under refurb while I was there, but turns out it will be opening June 1st. Though it seems to have the highest wait time, and doesn't have fastpass (at least not yet), so I will probably make this one a priority for Extra Magic Time (their EMH, which is about 1.5 hrs before park open)

Casey Jr Train / Le Pays des Contes de Fees - Basically Storybook Land Canal Boats. I love these ride versions at Disneyland, so I can't wait to see the Paris version!

"it's a small world" - I'm definitely intrigued to see what they do, especially because they have an America section!

Pirates of the Caribbean - I know they reordered the scenes and it makes a different storyline. I'm trying to avoid spoilers though...

Alice's Curious Labyrinth - A walking hedge maze with all the Alice in Wonderland styling, which just looks so awesome

And just general exploring. From Adventure Isle with a sunken pirate galleon to a Jules Verne take on Discovery(Tomorrow)land, to the little alcoves and walking arcades of Main Street, I just can't wait to see it all! ​

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And last, GREAT NEWS​

I was checking park hours and normally Disneyland Paris closes around 8pm every day. Annoying, but I'd figure I'll deal with it. BUT, I went to check hours for my trip. It will remain open until 11pm every day! WHAT! The studios close at 7pm most nights (except for 10pm the first night), so that is also very surprising! I can't wait to explore things at night! I'm still trying to figure out what that means about the fireworks schedule (usually its just at park close, but obviously that doesn't make sense with an 11pm closing). But I think that means I'll definitely take advantage of a rest break mid-day, since I will have plenty of time in the evening to hit more things! ​

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[olafLover]

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