soozeej trip report!

[Soozeej]

Bit of info - Last year we visited disney for one day while staying in France and were so captivated that we returned this year for 5 days! We (me,dh,dd7,ds3) stayed at the Santa Fe for 4 nights. We went over on the ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge.

Well we set off on Saturday morning to drive to the ferrt, all very excited knowing we would be in Disney the following day Drive was good, weather good enough to stop for a picnic, made ferry in good time, trip fairly uneventful but lots of fun, kids loved being on the boat, part of the adventure!

Sunday morning - woke up on the boat, going to disney today!!! had breakfast on the boat so when we got off we were ready to head straight for Paris, drive took between 4 - 5 hours, we only really stopped briefly a couple of times as were wanted to get there ASAP!! Arrived not long after 2 and went to see if we could check in, no problems, found our room, basic but clean just what we were expecting, juice machine and ice machine in neighbouring block so that was good news. Quickly got changed and put sun cream on kids and made our way to the bus stop to get the bus to the magic

It must have been between 2.30 - 3 by the time we arrived at the parks, then kids were soooo excited I thought they would burst! I can't remember what order we did the rides in but we went on the carousel, dumbo - queue time said 20 mins but was more like 45! We picked up FP for Peter Pan, went on Casey Junior train, and small world, story boats ( can't think of the right name) were closed. We then headed for Buzz Lightyear ( which we did every day of our 5 day trip!) We caught part of the once upon a dream parade which had my youngest shouting for the characters and waving frantically. He was also blowing kisses to the princesses

Made our way to peter pan with our fast pass tickets, I really enjoyed this ride, I thought it was well done, however I wouldn't have queued for ages to do it, we did it a few times but always with a FP.

Well day one nearly done, we made our way back to the hotel as we had had a long day with travelling etc and kids were tired........and tomorrow is another day!!

 

[Ware Bears]

Great start!

I enjoy Peter Pan too but only with fastpass or as a walk-on. Being able to get a fastpass for it at mid-afternoon shows how the new way of only being able to hold one fastpass ticket at a time is so much fairer ~ previously Peter Pan had usually run out by lunchtime.

 

[Soozeej]

Day 2, up early for our 7.45 breakfast slot, we asked on arrival for GMFL breakfast and were told that this hotel no longer does it - someone has since pointed out that they maybe meant they didn't have any left but it certainly sounded like they didn't do it, maybe someone else can clarify. To be fair we weren't that bothered as with EMH anyway the park is opening at 8.

We enjoyed the brekfast, good selection of cereals, rolls, croissant, cheese,meats,juice, fruit was tinned but dd enjoyed it, two different characters were at breakfast each morning which made it extra special for the kids.

So we headed to the parks again, today we did another load of rides, POTC, Phantom Manor, Buzz, Orbitron amongst more but the scariest thing today was BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN at this point I want to know why no-one told me not to do this ride!!!!! I guess I did not pay enough attention to the details...anyway we wandered on, little one was just big enough...it had started to rain so ride was closed, half the queue dissapeared but we queued on, dh commented that it can't be that bad as they don't even have proper harnesses, must just be like a train ride So after waiting about 15 minutes the ride re-opens, we arrive at the front, I am having second thoughts, I sit with youngest, dh and dd behind me and off we go..yikes! Must admit first time round i quite enjoyed it in a nervous excitement kind of way! Screamed most of the way round....this is certainly my limit, could not do any upside down ones thats for sure, dh didn't like it, dd said it was ok....little one who is 4 next month thought it was great! Was jumping up and down wanting to know when we could go back on!

Dissapointment of the day - Character Tea at Plaza Gardens, I am not going to dwell on this too much, I know in life you get what you pay for and we did choose the cheapest character interaction, I am just glad that I hadn't gotten the kids mega geared up for it as it was a let down. We were sat at the back, next to the window and joined on to another table so that is maybe why the interaction was not good but we sat and waited patiently (unlike some who were running around like headless chickens) and 3 characters in a row came by, stopped at the 3 tables around us and then headed off without seeing my two children, by the time the 3rd had gone by we had to wave franctically to get them to notice us and then they had a quick photo and signed the kids books and then off. Still cakes were good and it was nice to get a little seat.

Watched the parade again, the children sat in the front row at the stage area in front of the castle and we sat 2 rows behind to let all the children in the front, I could see them the whole time and my daughter ( just 7) was chatting away to a little girl beside her, parade was great, good seats, good view, will add pictures when I work out how to do it! At the end I was asking my daughter who the little girl had been..she told me her name but then said that she didn't know anything else as she couldn't understand what the little girl had been saying... but it doesn't matter she said because we just chatted away anyway! bless her!

We had planned on staying for night time parade and firewworks but rain started and sky was heavy so we headed back to the hotel about 9.30.

 

[Cyrano]

Great start to your trip Susie
Shame about the character interaction at Plazza Gardens

 

[Dianetigger]

Fabulous start to your trip report, looking forward to the rest of your holiday.

Big Thunder Mountain is one of my very favourite rides at DLRP, but I couldn't do upside down!

 

[Ware Bears]

What a shame about Plaza Gardens

Big Thunder Mountain is all my family's fave ride too but it's my limit ~ like Dianetigger there is no way you will get me on anything that turns me upside down.