Hiya, not much more to go....
Today was the kids day - characters, shows, parades etc, plus the odd thing we had missed and wanted to do.....There were no early magic hours, so we DID manage to get to the park before it opened!
Arrived about 9am and got in pretty quick - bought cookies and explored Main St Discovery arcade side - heard the piano tinkling in the Piano Lessons place, Pluto barking (and Mickey shouting PLUTO) above the news stand place and the dentist asking for a masonry bit!! outside the dentists. Went through the castle and heard the knights in armour snoring too...
When the rides started to open, went to Pinnochio -kids loved it, and the carousel and tea cups - all walk on, the park seemed dead.... Then from where we were, saw the characters come out by the Pizzeria Belle Notte - Ariel+Eric, Aurora and Phillip, Prince John and Friar tuck, got their autographs and saw chip+dale and twedledum/dee too - but by then they were going... But no great queues, and not too much bustling about - and they got 2 princesses (thank goodness!!
)
Then followed with small world - a favourite for the kids... And I went to get tickets for the Lion King - only a 10 min wait, in an orderly queue - glad it wasn't a "free for all" - then looked round the buzz shop and went to get food. - on the way saw a queue for photos with Peter Pan + Mr Smee, kids wanted to wait, but not too fussed - as we got there the characters switched to Alice and the Mad Hatter !!! kids Really wanted Alice - their favourite film of the moment - so a real bonus!
Lunch was at the Pizzeria (again) as we loved the hot fresh food there and the lovely friendly staff - it was empty at 11.45, so they made a real fuss of the kids when they said "merci madame" (gave them an extra colouring book each with a huge flourishing bow down before them - made them giggle!!)
Then off to the Lion King - WOW it was really great! Loads of tunes -I felt so emotional at the circle of life (yep there were tears) the singing was just fantastic! The kids were spellbound! And we met the other UK family from the DCR buffet last night too (what are the odds!) and had a mummy to mummy chat as you do...in the 10min before the start.
Then went through Nautilus - a quick walk as we weren't that impressed, and the kids hated it, but again, it was hot and Nautilus was shady!! The Character train parade was next and we got a good spot (not very crowded at all...) near the end by the castle - where the characters get off and split to the meet and greet areas - today was Buzz(can't sign) Donald, Daisy, Mr Smee(he does get around!!) Pluto, Goofy, Chip+Dale, Robin Hood and Pinnocchio - so loads more autographs for the kids.
We went and sat in a great shady spot behind the castle watching the folk try to pull out the sword from the stone for 10 min and headed to the pirate beach as the kids wanted a play... Got Drinks and snacks from Hooks Gallery and explored Skull Rock and the suspension bridge again before heading back for the parade. Went through Aladdins passageway on the way - WOW it was REALLY COLD - fantastic on a hot day, must remember this one!!!! We were at the castle end for the parade this time - waited 20 min in the sun, but it was worth it - this time we saw the princesses get off and dance, and they shot streamers into the air which the kids loved.
After that, we headed back to the Village for tea - Planet Hollywood (my choice today as it's my favourite!!) Got there 5.30 - dead quiet, Bruschetta to start( 6 bits of bread with tomato separate and garlic sauce separate too - enough for us all to have a taster - yummy!!
Kids had pasta and tomato sauce - comes separate - bowl of pasta, bowl of tomato sauce and a bowl of dried Italian cheese - they LOVED building their own meal, and it tasted FANTASTIC, DD2 ate ALL of hers!! (she is only 4!) I had garlic chilli shrimp with noodles - absolutely scrumptious!! and DH had his fave as per usual ribs and fries -looked like half a pig on a plate!!!! Then - as you know by now... dessert..... Kids had 1 choc mousse and 1 choc icecream ( both had 2 scoops so we swapped them about for them..) and we had a sharing plate....lemon sorbet,strawberry cheescake, brownie and ice cream, profiterole with choc sauce and ice cream - It was all LOVELY. It was a really nice meal, the only niggle was the over attentive service( is everything Okey Dokey wears thin the 10th time).
It was then 6.30 so back to DCR for a swim which we all needed after the heat and just as we left the pool, Minnie Mouse came out for a walk-about, so the kids had a cuddle and an autograph with no-one else about , made a magical last night....then sleeeeeeepppppppppppppppp!
I'll tack the Tuesday here - We were up early to pack and be at the park for 10 - a bit busier there today - did Peter Pan for a last ride then LOTS OF SHOPPING!!!! the kids wanted a castle - could not find it in the main park - so went to the studios one and got ALL of their "wants" there - castle, lilo+stitch character set, Mickey character set, tinkerbell dolly, minnie plastic drinking glasses, etc.... We bought them an outfit each too- red skirts with a Minnie T-Shirt. They bought a "cuddly" each from their pocket money - Nala for DD1 and a flat pluto for DD2 - both were happy, so I left them playing with DH whilst I did MY shop!!
The christmas one... wow, wow, wow, wow etc... The glass bell with the castle on top and a tinkerbell "clanger" was my favourite, but I managed to get through (gulp) 75 Euros REALLY easily.... but I've put it all away to surprise the kids when we dress our tree at Christmas....
Then home..... Going past the drinks machine on the way to the car park, we heard its secret sound... Sounds like someone is opening a bottle of fizzy stuff and pouring it into an ice filled glass!! Last visit to the loo - smelly one by the car park....bleeuughhg
( Best, nicest smelling loo was at discovery arcade....)
In the car, off to Calais, got there 1 hour early and sat cross legged waiting to board- our line up had NO facilities at all, no loos, no coffee machine - just a line in a car park!!!!! Not impressed - Dover is much better. Crossing was good - kids played beautifully - like model kids (for a change!!!!) , I was soooooo proud when an elderly lady commented that they were such lovely well behaved children
. Ate at the services on the M25 (Clacket Lane) nice Wimpy - but not quite Planet Hollywood - missing it already... home, and bed by 10.30.... Kids slept till 10am next day too!!!!!
Just looked at my pre trip posts..... after all my queries - did not go to Auchan or the other supermarkets - shop at DCR was fine for our way of doing it, kids did not wear their princess dresses - not because it was too cold - but because it was too hot!! and we didn't get to Colonel Haithi pizza place - as it was not really on our "route" to anywhere....We didn't try Star tours due to the travel sickness on the way, but as you have hopefully seen, we took on board a lot of the tips from the board - so thanks all for contributing to making our trip such a great one
- CHEERS 
Tessa
Today was the kids day - characters, shows, parades etc, plus the odd thing we had missed and wanted to do.....There were no early magic hours, so we DID manage to get to the park before it opened!
Arrived about 9am and got in pretty quick - bought cookies and explored Main St Discovery arcade side - heard the piano tinkling in the Piano Lessons place, Pluto barking (and Mickey shouting PLUTO) above the news stand place and the dentist asking for a masonry bit!! outside the dentists. Went through the castle and heard the knights in armour snoring too...When the rides started to open, went to Pinnochio -kids loved it, and the carousel and tea cups - all walk on, the park seemed dead.... Then from where we were, saw the characters come out by the Pizzeria Belle Notte - Ariel+Eric, Aurora and Phillip, Prince John and Friar tuck, got their autographs and saw chip+dale and twedledum/dee too - but by then they were going... But no great queues, and not too much bustling about - and they got 2 princesses (thank goodness!!
)Then followed with small world - a favourite for the kids... And I went to get tickets for the Lion King - only a 10 min wait, in an orderly queue - glad it wasn't a "free for all" - then looked round the buzz shop and went to get food. - on the way saw a queue for photos with Peter Pan + Mr Smee, kids wanted to wait, but not too fussed - as we got there the characters switched to Alice and the Mad Hatter !!! kids Really wanted Alice - their favourite film of the moment - so a real bonus!
Lunch was at the Pizzeria (again) as we loved the hot fresh food there and the lovely friendly staff - it was empty at 11.45, so they made a real fuss of the kids when they said "merci madame" (gave them an extra colouring book each with a huge flourishing bow down before them - made them giggle!!)
Then off to the Lion King - WOW it was really great! Loads of tunes -I felt so emotional at the circle of life (yep there were tears) the singing was just fantastic! The kids were spellbound! And we met the other UK family from the DCR buffet last night too (what are the odds!) and had a mummy to mummy chat as you do...in the 10min before the start.
Then went through Nautilus - a quick walk as we weren't that impressed, and the kids hated it, but again, it was hot and Nautilus was shady!! The Character train parade was next and we got a good spot (not very crowded at all...) near the end by the castle - where the characters get off and split to the meet and greet areas - today was Buzz(can't sign) Donald, Daisy, Mr Smee(he does get around!!) Pluto, Goofy, Chip+Dale, Robin Hood and Pinnocchio - so loads more autographs for the kids.
We went and sat in a great shady spot behind the castle watching the folk try to pull out the sword from the stone for 10 min and headed to the pirate beach as the kids wanted a play... Got Drinks and snacks from Hooks Gallery and explored Skull Rock and the suspension bridge again before heading back for the parade. Went through Aladdins passageway on the way - WOW it was REALLY COLD - fantastic on a hot day, must remember this one!!!! We were at the castle end for the parade this time - waited 20 min in the sun, but it was worth it - this time we saw the princesses get off and dance, and they shot streamers into the air which the kids loved.
After that, we headed back to the Village for tea - Planet Hollywood (my choice today as it's my favourite!!) Got there 5.30 - dead quiet, Bruschetta to start( 6 bits of bread with tomato separate and garlic sauce separate too - enough for us all to have a taster - yummy!!
Kids had pasta and tomato sauce - comes separate - bowl of pasta, bowl of tomato sauce and a bowl of dried Italian cheese - they LOVED building their own meal, and it tasted FANTASTIC, DD2 ate ALL of hers!! (she is only 4!) I had garlic chilli shrimp with noodles - absolutely scrumptious!! and DH had his fave as per usual ribs and fries -looked like half a pig on a plate!!!! Then - as you know by now... dessert..... Kids had 1 choc mousse and 1 choc icecream ( both had 2 scoops so we swapped them about for them..) and we had a sharing plate....lemon sorbet,strawberry cheescake, brownie and ice cream, profiterole with choc sauce and ice cream - It was all LOVELY. It was a really nice meal, the only niggle was the over attentive service( is everything Okey Dokey wears thin the 10th time).
It was then 6.30 so back to DCR for a swim which we all needed after the heat and just as we left the pool, Minnie Mouse came out for a walk-about, so the kids had a cuddle and an autograph with no-one else about , made a magical last night....then sleeeeeeepppppppppppppppp!
I'll tack the Tuesday here - We were up early to pack and be at the park for 10 - a bit busier there today - did Peter Pan for a last ride then LOTS OF SHOPPING!!!! the kids wanted a castle - could not find it in the main park - so went to the studios one and got ALL of their "wants" there - castle, lilo+stitch character set, Mickey character set, tinkerbell dolly, minnie plastic drinking glasses, etc.... We bought them an outfit each too- red skirts with a Minnie T-Shirt. They bought a "cuddly" each from their pocket money - Nala for DD1 and a flat pluto for DD2 - both were happy, so I left them playing with DH whilst I did MY shop!!
The christmas one... wow, wow, wow, wow etc... The glass bell with the castle on top and a tinkerbell "clanger" was my favourite, but I managed to get through (gulp) 75 Euros REALLY easily.... but I've put it all away to surprise the kids when we dress our tree at Christmas....
Then home..... Going past the drinks machine on the way to the car park, we heard its secret sound... Sounds like someone is opening a bottle of fizzy stuff and pouring it into an ice filled glass!! Last visit to the loo - smelly one by the car park....bleeuughhg
( Best, nicest smelling loo was at discovery arcade....)In the car, off to Calais, got there 1 hour early and sat cross legged waiting to board- our line up had NO facilities at all, no loos, no coffee machine - just a line in a car park!!!!! Not impressed - Dover is much better. Crossing was good - kids played beautifully - like model kids (for a change!!!!) , I was soooooo proud when an elderly lady commented that they were such lovely well behaved children
. Ate at the services on the M25 (Clacket Lane) nice Wimpy - but not quite Planet Hollywood - missing it already... home, and bed by 10.30.... Kids slept till 10am next day too!!!!!Just looked at my pre trip posts..... after all my queries - did not go to Auchan or the other supermarkets - shop at DCR was fine for our way of doing it, kids did not wear their princess dresses - not because it was too cold - but because it was too hot!! and we didn't get to Colonel Haithi pizza place - as it was not really on our "route" to anywhere....We didn't try Star tours due to the travel sickness on the way, but as you have hopefully seen, we took on board a lot of the tips from the board - so thanks all for contributing to making our trip such a great one
- CHEERS Tessa
- say hello to Minnie mouse for us!!! 
Thanks Tessa!
