daisybeetlebug
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2007
- Messages
- 123
Just back from an extremely exhausting but wonderful trip to Disneyland Paris-this could be long but hopefully not boring!!
me and husband (4th visit)-son 3 yrs (2nd visit) daughter 6 months (1st visit!)
we weren't sure how we would get on , on this trip we normally try and avoid busy periods as we have a little boy and now a baby girl-however the EMH and late nights meant to our surprise we managed to get on loads of things many walk on and only 5-10 mins queues!!
Day1
We arrived Thursday 12th July at around lunch time to sequoia lodge- as it was humid and pouring with rain decided to chill out for a bit and feed the kids and get my son an autugraph book.
Lunch was fine -we then headed to WDS at about 2ish and the first thing my son wanted to do was go on the new cars ride-The park was so much busier than when we went last June-Cars was around 25 mins Queue which was fine for a 3 year old-but pretty short ride if you spent a lot longer queing.
We then went to carpets of agrabah which was about 10 mins queue then into Animagique which my son and baby daughter loved!
by this time it was nearing time for our reservation at Cafe Mickey-we had a great time my son loved getting attention from all the characters and the food was actually not bad too! Much better than queuing in the park to get shoved out the way to see a character!
my sons autograph book was half full allready -we saw Tigger, Minnie, Mickey, Pluto ,Captain hook and Smee and we loved the little dance routines and birthday celebrations.
It was then around 8.30 and we planned to head home to get the kids to bed ready for an early start but the sun had come out so we decided to walk over to Magic kingdom-so glad we did park was pretty quiet so we got on loads of rides with minimum queuing.We headed back to the hotel after candlebration at 11.15 with a very tired 3 year old!
rides we did on first day
Cars
Carpets of agrabah
Animagique
Cafe Mickey
Lancelots carousel
Peter Pan
Mad hatters tea cups
Snow white
Pinnochio
Buzz lightyear laser blast
candlebration
(all minus cars and buzz were walk on or 5 min queue !)
Day2 July 13th
Got to Park at around 8.45-Lovely sunny day which makes all the difference! Headed for discovery land first and got my son on some rides-plan was to do the same as yesterday-do parks very early and very late to avoid queues and eat/shop/relax inbetween when weather at hottest and Queues at biggest.
Again hardly any queues-pirates of carribean a walk on until around 11 am when queues started building up.
We had breakfast in the park just before ten at the marionette cafe place next to snowhite etc -a bit of a rabble -couldnt believe the amount of bread rolls etc some people just pile on to there plates! Anyway we enjoyed our breakfast out in the sun !
My son was now running around with Pirate mickey ears and a telescope and my 6 month daughter was enjoying attention from cast members and characters.
Really enjoyed the Motuers stunt show but it took up a good hour all in all and it was roasting hot!
we had a lovely dinner at walts and just sat and relaxed for a couple of hours before we headed out until 11 again in the park. My son loved star tours so again it was a walk on at around 9.45 so we went on twice!! our baby was in a papoose today so got to go to experience her first ever rides-small world and storybook cruise!
Rides we did on second day
Buzz lightyear x 2
orbitron
peter pan
pirates of the carribean x 2
Motuers stunt show
Tea at Walts
disney express
casey jnrs train x2
storybook cruise
the nautilus
star tours x 2
small world
Day 3 (hope your still with me!) July 14th
Another roasting day -but also a Saturday and Bastille day so this one was going to be busy -we were really glad that we had made the effort to get my little one on the rides he wanted the previous days and we explained to him that we may have to do less today!
Again we started off really early and had breakfast in Fantasyland again-no problems with queues etc at first but park started getting really busy at around 11 am . We went for lunch at the Blue Lagoon at around 12 then We quit while we were ahead and went back to the room for a couple of hours while the kids slept and we showered and changed again (very hot day -lovely to fit in an extra shower and freshen up!!)
we Headed out at around 4ish and went to WDS where we fought through the crowds to stand outside cinemagique and caught the Cinema parade-there was no one standing where we were at first so all the characters spent quite a bit of time speaking to my son as they came off the floats-we then had a little seat in the shade and then watched high school musical on tour-my son loved it and got to shoot some hoops and dance with the characters -so that was a big hit!
We then headed back to Cafe Mickey-luckily got fab seats again upstairs but the full length windows were open so great as it was so hot!
Again we enjoyed our meal here until it began to get busier -Our 2 children are complete angels to some I encountered in Disneyland Paris- loads of noise and running around-I know its disneyland but some manners and behaviour would still be good!
my husband even saved a little boy who had climbed on the top bar of the balcony overlooking the lake-My husband caught him just in time and everyone around him said well done etc apart from the mother who just mumbled a thanks!!
anyway it was then back to the park which was just mad we managed to get the last fast passes of the evening for buzz for 11 oclock and in the meantime we did get a walk on on small world but pretty much everything else was packed.
we watched fantillusions parade at 10.30 then headed (or waded) our way to discovery land for our buzz ride-everyone was really sleepy now so we were going to head back and watch bastille fireworks from the lake on the way home but the park was packed to there was no way we could get out-so we watched candlebration then the Bastille foreworks from the entrance of discovery land -the fireworks were really good and the castle looked really pretty.
It then took a good 45 mins to get out the park where we finally rested our wearing feet and heads for the last time!!!
Rides on day 3
Buzz lightyear
tea cups
peterpan
pirates of the carribean
Blue Lagoon lunch
cinema parade
high school musical
small world
fantillusions parade
buzz lightyear
candlebration
bastille fireworks
Day 4
We were heading back to the Airport today at 11 ish but we managed to use the EMH again so that we had a chance to take the kids on a few last things-this was the quietist we saw the park think everyone must have still been sleeping after the late Bastille night and we got walk ons on everything in discovery land and fantasyland our baby went on buzz, small world and the carousel and loved it!! My son travelled home in a buzz lightyear costume!
before we headed home we managed
Buzz lightyear (do you get that this is my sons favourite!!!
)
orbitron
Dumbo
tea cups
pinnochio
Lancelots carousel
small world
I think we did pretty well saying it was summer season -we basically got on pretty much what we wanted with out queueing by avoiding the parks mid afternoon-again it was easier for us as we had little ones -Thunder railroad mountain and crush always had really big queues (but we were too small for them anyway) however space mountain wasnt too bad queue time.
Definately worth using the EMH time and booking meals ahead if you have little ones so that they can get on rides and get to see characters without all the pushing and shoving. Also as our son was polite and always said thankyou etc and spoke to the CM's they always made sure that he had time with the characters and took him to one side to speak to them in the hotels and parks.(one guy told me he hardly ever gets thankyou's for the sweets they hand out and it was so nice to hear -isnt that sad!)
downsides-the usual Im afraid -pushing in, pushing in -so frustrating-yes part of it is the individuals fault but also I think disney staff need to take some responsibilty -we were second from the q to enter WDS through the entrance and a group of about 35 school kids just pushed infront of us and pushed our little one out the way which the cm did see -I think the member of staff should have made them wait -however I get the impression that the staff have to keep on smiling and are discouraged from creating any conflict-which I can understand but isnt really fair on polite well mannered people!!!
also baby changing facilities could really be more of them-The baby changing centre at WDS is now a feeding centre not changing centre like it was last year so I had to go to the bathrooms to change my baby-as it happens the ones there were clean enough but In some bathrooms there was no way I was changing my baby!! The worst toilets were next to the marionnette cafe place -they were terrible but most others were ok.
We had lunch in blue lagoon one day and no baby changing facilities-so I had a portable changing mat and changed my baby on the floor in the ladies and -luckily it was a very clean bathroom but where was I supposed to do it -wait until I got all the way back to main street? Also what do single dads do-only changing tables if there were ever any were in ladies toilets!
Also one last little gripe-its Disneyland do you have to walk around blowing smoke in kids faces and flicking ash behind you into buggies and chucking your cigarette tabs on the ground ! grrrr
anyway despite the above we had a fabulous time-and thanks to everyone here for all the tips they definately helped us make the most of our trip and made our little ones enjoyment of the time in disneyland. Cant wait to go back again!! it was magical my son says he wants to live there!
thanks for reading!
me and husband (4th visit)-son 3 yrs (2nd visit) daughter 6 months (1st visit!)
we weren't sure how we would get on , on this trip we normally try and avoid busy periods as we have a little boy and now a baby girl-however the EMH and late nights meant to our surprise we managed to get on loads of things many walk on and only 5-10 mins queues!!
Day1
We arrived Thursday 12th July at around lunch time to sequoia lodge- as it was humid and pouring with rain decided to chill out for a bit and feed the kids and get my son an autugraph book.
Lunch was fine -we then headed to WDS at about 2ish and the first thing my son wanted to do was go on the new cars ride-The park was so much busier than when we went last June-Cars was around 25 mins Queue which was fine for a 3 year old-but pretty short ride if you spent a lot longer queing.
We then went to carpets of agrabah which was about 10 mins queue then into Animagique which my son and baby daughter loved!
by this time it was nearing time for our reservation at Cafe Mickey-we had a great time my son loved getting attention from all the characters and the food was actually not bad too! Much better than queuing in the park to get shoved out the way to see a character!
my sons autograph book was half full allready -we saw Tigger, Minnie, Mickey, Pluto ,Captain hook and Smee and we loved the little dance routines and birthday celebrations.
It was then around 8.30 and we planned to head home to get the kids to bed ready for an early start but the sun had come out so we decided to walk over to Magic kingdom-so glad we did park was pretty quiet so we got on loads of rides with minimum queuing.We headed back to the hotel after candlebration at 11.15 with a very tired 3 year old!
rides we did on first day
Cars
Carpets of agrabah
Animagique
Cafe Mickey
Lancelots carousel
Peter Pan
Mad hatters tea cups
Snow white
Pinnochio
Buzz lightyear laser blast
candlebration
(all minus cars and buzz were walk on or 5 min queue !)
Day2 July 13th
Got to Park at around 8.45-Lovely sunny day which makes all the difference! Headed for discovery land first and got my son on some rides-plan was to do the same as yesterday-do parks very early and very late to avoid queues and eat/shop/relax inbetween when weather at hottest and Queues at biggest.
Again hardly any queues-pirates of carribean a walk on until around 11 am when queues started building up.
We had breakfast in the park just before ten at the marionette cafe place next to snowhite etc -a bit of a rabble -couldnt believe the amount of bread rolls etc some people just pile on to there plates! Anyway we enjoyed our breakfast out in the sun !
My son was now running around with Pirate mickey ears and a telescope and my 6 month daughter was enjoying attention from cast members and characters.
Really enjoyed the Motuers stunt show but it took up a good hour all in all and it was roasting hot!
we had a lovely dinner at walts and just sat and relaxed for a couple of hours before we headed out until 11 again in the park. My son loved star tours so again it was a walk on at around 9.45 so we went on twice!! our baby was in a papoose today so got to go to experience her first ever rides-small world and storybook cruise!
Rides we did on second day
Buzz lightyear x 2
orbitron
peter pan
pirates of the carribean x 2
Motuers stunt show
Tea at Walts
disney express
casey jnrs train x2
storybook cruise
the nautilus
star tours x 2
small world
Day 3 (hope your still with me!) July 14th
Another roasting day -but also a Saturday and Bastille day so this one was going to be busy -we were really glad that we had made the effort to get my little one on the rides he wanted the previous days and we explained to him that we may have to do less today!
Again we started off really early and had breakfast in Fantasyland again-no problems with queues etc at first but park started getting really busy at around 11 am . We went for lunch at the Blue Lagoon at around 12 then We quit while we were ahead and went back to the room for a couple of hours while the kids slept and we showered and changed again (very hot day -lovely to fit in an extra shower and freshen up!!)
we Headed out at around 4ish and went to WDS where we fought through the crowds to stand outside cinemagique and caught the Cinema parade-there was no one standing where we were at first so all the characters spent quite a bit of time speaking to my son as they came off the floats-we then had a little seat in the shade and then watched high school musical on tour-my son loved it and got to shoot some hoops and dance with the characters -so that was a big hit!
We then headed back to Cafe Mickey-luckily got fab seats again upstairs but the full length windows were open so great as it was so hot!
Again we enjoyed our meal here until it began to get busier -Our 2 children are complete angels to some I encountered in Disneyland Paris- loads of noise and running around-I know its disneyland but some manners and behaviour would still be good!
my husband even saved a little boy who had climbed on the top bar of the balcony overlooking the lake-My husband caught him just in time and everyone around him said well done etc apart from the mother who just mumbled a thanks!!anyway it was then back to the park which was just mad we managed to get the last fast passes of the evening for buzz for 11 oclock and in the meantime we did get a walk on on small world but pretty much everything else was packed.
we watched fantillusions parade at 10.30 then headed (or waded) our way to discovery land for our buzz ride-everyone was really sleepy now so we were going to head back and watch bastille fireworks from the lake on the way home but the park was packed to there was no way we could get out-so we watched candlebration then the Bastille foreworks from the entrance of discovery land -the fireworks were really good and the castle looked really pretty.
It then took a good 45 mins to get out the park where we finally rested our wearing feet and heads for the last time!!!
Rides on day 3
Buzz lightyear
tea cups
peterpan
pirates of the carribean
Blue Lagoon lunch
cinema parade
high school musical
small world
fantillusions parade
buzz lightyear
candlebration
bastille fireworks
Day 4
We were heading back to the Airport today at 11 ish but we managed to use the EMH again so that we had a chance to take the kids on a few last things-this was the quietist we saw the park think everyone must have still been sleeping after the late Bastille night and we got walk ons on everything in discovery land and fantasyland our baby went on buzz, small world and the carousel and loved it!! My son travelled home in a buzz lightyear costume!
before we headed home we managed
Buzz lightyear (do you get that this is my sons favourite!!!
)orbitron
Dumbo
tea cups
pinnochio
Lancelots carousel
small world
I think we did pretty well saying it was summer season -we basically got on pretty much what we wanted with out queueing by avoiding the parks mid afternoon-again it was easier for us as we had little ones -Thunder railroad mountain and crush always had really big queues (but we were too small for them anyway) however space mountain wasnt too bad queue time.
Definately worth using the EMH time and booking meals ahead if you have little ones so that they can get on rides and get to see characters without all the pushing and shoving. Also as our son was polite and always said thankyou etc and spoke to the CM's they always made sure that he had time with the characters and took him to one side to speak to them in the hotels and parks.(one guy told me he hardly ever gets thankyou's for the sweets they hand out and it was so nice to hear -isnt that sad!)
downsides-the usual Im afraid -pushing in, pushing in -so frustrating-yes part of it is the individuals fault but also I think disney staff need to take some responsibilty -we were second from the q to enter WDS through the entrance and a group of about 35 school kids just pushed infront of us and pushed our little one out the way which the cm did see -I think the member of staff should have made them wait -however I get the impression that the staff have to keep on smiling and are discouraged from creating any conflict-which I can understand but isnt really fair on polite well mannered people!!!
also baby changing facilities could really be more of them-The baby changing centre at WDS is now a feeding centre not changing centre like it was last year so I had to go to the bathrooms to change my baby-as it happens the ones there were clean enough but In some bathrooms there was no way I was changing my baby!! The worst toilets were next to the marionnette cafe place -they were terrible but most others were ok.
We had lunch in blue lagoon one day and no baby changing facilities-so I had a portable changing mat and changed my baby on the floor in the ladies and -luckily it was a very clean bathroom but where was I supposed to do it -wait until I got all the way back to main street? Also what do single dads do-only changing tables if there were ever any were in ladies toilets!
Also one last little gripe-its Disneyland do you have to walk around blowing smoke in kids faces and flicking ash behind you into buggies and chucking your cigarette tabs on the ground ! grrrr
anyway despite the above we had a fabulous time-and thanks to everyone here for all the tips they definately helped us make the most of our trip and made our little ones enjoyment of the time in disneyland. Cant wait to go back again!! it was magical my son says he wants to live there!
thanks for reading!
and I'm dreading the crowds. We went last year, week before Xmas and it was pretty busy but I can imagine the school hols. I know saturday and sunday will be packed but hopefully mon, tues and weds will be better. I'm dreading going with DD2 (10 months old who wants to crawl and walk everywhere) so hopefully it'll be ok.
Glad you had a wonderful time! 
