Trip report 4th - 10th May

[karenmoloney]

Despite all my trips, this is my first attempt at a trip report.

We are
Me - Karen
DH - Denis
DD1 - Nicole (6)
DD2 - Natasha (17 mths)

We stayed at Marriott this year & it was brilliant. With a toddler I needed to cook because she loves her dinners - potatoes & veg & meat mixed up with gravy or pasta & sauce. Also she doesn't sleep very well, so we needed 2 bedrooms. We had glorious weather the whole time we were there. I didn't need the raincoats or even the fleeces I had packed!

Sunday 4th May

Denis came home from nightshift at 9.15 am, having got off an hour early. My Mum came over at 10 am to look after the girls while we got the last minute packing done. We were all ready & fed & out the door for 11.55 am - only 10 minutes behind schedule. Flight went smoothly. We flew with Easyjet from Belfast to CDG & had a transfer booked through Marriott which met us and brought us to the resort. We loved the house. We unpacked & made a dinner of pasta (had brought everything I needed in the suitcase). Then we explored the 2 playgrounds, the playroom & went for a swim before bed. Unfortunately Natasha didn't like the travel cot in the house so she was in the bed with me at some stage during the night all week.

 

[karenmoloney]

Monday 5th May

After breakfast (all brought in the suitcase!), we went to the Champion Supermarket 10 minutes walk from the Marriott to buy some groceries. It was quite big & stocked everything we needed. After lunch of pizza & salad, Natasha had a sleep & Nicole played in the playground (there was one just outside our backdoor) while Denis had a swim. We caught the bus at 3.25pm to Disney. First we stopped off at the Disneyland Hotel to book Inventions for that night and to buy Nicole has first autograph book in the Disney shop there - had always managed to get away without one on previous trips. As we were leaving it was 4pm & the characters were doing their meet & greet in the foyer. We met Gepetto, Tweedledum, Tweedledee, Gideon & Captain Hook. Natasha was terrified of them (& continued to be for the rest of the week), but Nicole met them all.

We called into the passport office with the intention of buying new APs for Denis & Nicole. I wanted to get the dream passport for Denis with a free one for Nicole. The girl behind the counter advised me that they would be valid from today's date for 1 year, not from the date theirs would expire (near the end of May) so we decided to wait until later in the week to buy the new ones as their current ones would still get them in. In the end up we didn't get the new ones. We plan to go back at the beginning of November (well Nicole & I will go, Denis is still undecided) so we will get them then. There was no benefit in getting them any earlier because we weren't going to get to use EMH - the girls didn't wake up in time - and on Friday which was a blackout day on their fantasy passes, we didn't go to Disney anyway, and with my dream pass we could get the 20% discount on purchases.
We didn't have much time in the park as our dinner reservation was for 6pm. But we had time for Pirates (Natasha didn't like it) and the Carousel.

Dinner at Inventions was hard going with Natasha because she cried everytime a character appeared.

We caught the bus back at 8.25pm. It was packed. I was able to watch Eastenders in the house because we got BBC1 & BBC2 on the TV. We put the girls to bed & Denis made a pot of stew for the next night's dinner.

 

[karenmoloney]

Tuesday 6th May

We got the bus at 11am to Disney & went to the Studios. We went into Animation Gallery to pass some time before Animagique (which Natasha enjoyed). We had lunch in Studio 1 - chips & burgers & chicken nuggets. After lunch I walked round with Natasha while she slept. Denis & Nicole went into the park & did Pirates, Phantom Manor & Buzz Lightyear. We met up again the foyer of the Disneyland Hotel (just in time for the 4 pm meet & greet). Today it was Minnie, Pinochio & Geppetto. Natasha had woken up so I brought her to the baby centre to feed her (some of the stew made the night before) while Denis & Nicole watched the parade. We got the bus back to Marriott, had dinner & then went for a play in the playroom and a swim. Tonight Natasha decided she didn't want to go swimming, so I ended up getting out about 2 mins after I got in! After putting the girls to bed, we enjoyed some wine.

 

[Cyrano]

Great start Karen
Looking forward to hearing all about your trip

 

[karenmoloney]

Wednesday 7th May

Natasha & I went to the supermarket while Denis made up some pasta for us to bring for Natasha's lunch. We caught the 11 am bus to Disney & made it in to see the Mary Poppins show, which was really good. Nicole got to meet Mary & Bert. They do a meet & greet outside city hall after the show.

We collected fastpasses for Peter Pan, then Denis & Nicole headed off to have lunch with the princesses at noon. They met Belle, Cinderella, Aurora, Snow White, the 2 mice & 2 princes.

Meanwhile I fed Natasha the pasta dinner at the baby centre. She fell asleep in her pram so I had lunch (pizza mickey) in Victoria's Kitchen. Then I walked around until Natasha woke up. We went on IASW & she loved it. We met up with Denis & Nicole at 2pm. Nicole got her face painted (costs 8 euro and you have to buy a ticket in the shop) and I bought her a Giselle tiara to keep her fringe back.

We used our fastpasses for Peter Pan, then Denis took the girls on IASW. Nicole met Cruella who was standing about outside the entrance.

We bumped into a family from Derry whose daughter is in Nicole's class from school so we sat down and had a chat for an hour while the girls played. Then we headed to the baby centre to feed Natasha (by now it was after 5pm) with some stew I had brought. Nicole wanted to go on Star Tours, so first I went on with her & then Denis did while Natasha played on a car simulator ride in the arcade area at the exit of Star Tours. We caught the bus back at 6.35 pm. Denis took the girls to the playroom while I made some tea. Then they played in the playground for a while before bed. I went for a swim. The pool was very busy. Back at the house we watched a DVD we had brought with us.

 

[karenmoloney]

Thursday 8th May

I stayed at the house with Natasha while Denis & Nicole went into Disney. They were there for rope drop and headed straight for BTM. It was Nicole's first time on it & loved it. It is her new favourite ride.

They also went on Phantom Manor, Buzz (with fastpass), saw the High School Musical show (Nicole is a fan) & Stitch Live (in French). After lunch at Annette's they arrived back at 2.20pm. Denis & Nicole went for a swim & when Natasha woke up we joined them. She decided that she wanted to go in today. Denis took the girls to the playroom while I made salmon for dinner. We had an early dinner, then went to the wine & cheese tasting in the bar at the Marriott at 5.30 pm. I quickly drank my wine & tasted my cheese, then Nicole & I caught the bus at 5.50 pm back to Disney. The parks were open to 8pm tonight instead of 7pm the other nights. It was the last time in the parks for this holiday. We went on Phantom Manor, IASW, Snow White & Pirates twice. Most of the rides in Fantasyland had massive queues and we didn't want to waste time standing in them! We got the bus back at 8.25pm, which wasn't as packed as the last time we had got it.

 

[karenmoloney]

Friday 9th May

Today was a blackout day on Denis' & Nicole's fantasy passes so we decided to go to Val d'Europe. We caught a bus at 9.43 am. Denis took the girls to the Aquarium (opens at 10 am) while I had 1 1/2 hours to myself to shop - but it wasn't long enough! We had chicken & chips for lunch in one of the reataurants there & got the bus back again to Marriott. Natasha had a sleep, then I went to the supermarket while Denis took the girls to the playroom & playground. Natasha & I had an early dinner (leftover salmon from the night before) and we caught the bus at 5.50 pm to Disney. Denis & Nicole went to Cafe Mickey at 6.15 pm (where they met Smee, Hook, Goofy, Pluto, Friar Tuck, Tigger, Baloo & Mickey).

Natasha & I went into the park and did IASW & some shopping. I bought my self a Christmas Mickey & Minnie, a princess dress for Nicole & a pooh bear suit for Natasha.

We met up at the bus stop for the 8.25 pm bus. It was bedlam. I didn't even try to get on because I had a pram and noone would let me even get near. So we waited 10 mins for the public bus which only costs 1.5 euro each (kids free) while everyone else hung on for the next free bus which was due at 9 pm & was probably going to be as much of a scrum. Back to the house & to bed.

 

[karenmoloney]

Saturday 10th May

We had enquired earlier in the week about keeping the house on past checkout (which was at 10 am) It costs 15 euro per hour after 12 noon, so it cost us 30 euro to stay until 2 pm. After breakfast we went for a swim. Today Natasha decided that she didn't want to go in so we took it in turns walking round the edge with her splashing in puddles. Back to the house for lunch. Natasha went to sleep at 12.20 pm while we packed and we lifted her just before 2 pm when the taxi arrived at our door to take us to the airport. We met up with Nicole's friend again at the airport. The flight was on time and went smoothly (had to feed Natasha on the flight) except for the descent when both girls had sore ears. We collected our car and drove home while the girls slept, arriving home at 7.40 pm. The dogs were very pleased to see us! We unpacked, got the girls to bed & went ourselves. I am glad to say that Natasha was very happy to be back in her own cot and has managed to sleep all night in it since we have come back!

In summary

There were a lot of things I would have loved to have done this trip - I wanted to see the Lion King & Tarzan shows (even though I have seen them before). I also wanted to see the new HSM show & Stitch Live, but didn't get a chance. I spent most of my time with Natasha, but will hopefully be back in November (probably just Nicole & I) before the 7th which is when the dream pass free for under 7s deal finishes! But Nicole had a ball which to me is the most important thing.

 

[Bolanette87]

The pic of your DD with Belle is absolutely adorable!!

Nice TR!

Bob xoxoox

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

What a lovely report, your children are adorable.

 

[ema74]

Fantastic report!!! Both of your girls are gorgeous!!!

Glad you had a great time and the girls enjoyed it! It's hard going with a little one, my DD2 is 20m old and apart from getting too excited and going mad we also had 'a few' tantrums when we went in April.

 

[Cyrano]

Enjoyed your report
Shame that you didn't manage to get everything done and your DH and you had to relay the children.
By the look on the faces of everyone, you all had a great time

 

[Ware Bears]

What a lovely relaxing holiday. I'm sorry there were a few things you didn't get chance to do but I think you're ever so brave going on holiday with a little one and it just gives you the excuse to go back again soon, not that you need one!!

Your photos are lovely, especially of Nicole in her Princess dresses and her face painted and Natasha in her Pooh outfit!

 

[stargatebarbie]

such a nice trip report, love the pic of your dd and belle (my fav princess )
and that pooh bear suit is sooo cute
Never thought of going to the disneyland hotel foyer to met the charactors is it 4 oclock every day and it may sound silly but do you have to leave the park to go in the enterance to the hotel ,i never know where the door to that palce is

 

[karenmoloney]

Never thought of going to the disneyland hotel foyer to met the charactors is it 4 oclock every day and it may sound silly but do you have to leave the park to go in the enterance to the hotel ,i never know where the door to that palce is

I'm not sure if it 4pm every day. It was when we were there. Yes, you do have to leave the park to go into the Disneyland Hotel. If you exit to the left (as you are facing the disneyland hotel and going to leave), not too far past the turnstiles, you will see doors. I think they have green canopies over them. They take you into the back of the foyer.

 

[woody73]

Nice trip report. Thanks for sharing.

Woody