masmiles
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- May 10, 2005
- Messages
- 46
Hi everybody! I've already posted this report on dlp-info, but for a strange reason I thought it was already posted here 
(it must be alzheimer!). Anyway, this is our first trip-report...
Who?: Fina (X), Erica (2 1/2) and Myself (38)
When?: 21- 25 November
Where?: Dlrp (of course!)
Firstly, sorry for my English!
DAY 1: We arrived at Madrid airport at 14:00 Pm (its 2 hours drive from home). Our flight with easyjet takes-off at 16:45. The flight was Ok, and the team from Easyjet was very helpful with our child. A couple of hours and a couple of Disney Dvds later we landed at Orly Airport. The driver from Shuttair was waiting us at the meeting point. Good! No surprises! I have tought it was maybe wasting money but when I saw the queue for orly bus I think it worths every euro. The Vea bus wasnt very convenient for us because our first night was at Holiday Inn. We had to wait until 19:30 to take the next vea bus, and had to stay on the bus until the last stop (expected time: 21:00) at Chessy-Dlp train station, and there we had to catch the bus 54 to the H.Inn , everything done in the cold and deep night of northern France with a very tired 2 years old baby ! So, half an hour later, and with 100 Euros less in the pocket, we were at H.Inn!
The hotel is very nice, new and quiet. We had a kid suite, and it was a bargain for 60! I think its a great hotel for this price (I suggest to book it trough the Renates site) . The room had everything you need and more. We have planned a little splash at the swimming-pool but Erica was very tired and she only was expecting to have her dinner and go to bed. And thats what we did! We ate some sandwiches with our last Spanish ham for that week and Erica also had a little soup prepared in the room with a wonderful device bought the day before (its like a kettle and a must for us at Dlp , Erica loves chicken soup, not too easy to find there). The curtain at kid space was very convenient, we could see a movie in our dvd-player (in spanish) while our child was sleeping
DAY 2: I waked up early in the morning, had an energizing shower and carried the luggage with our folding cart (it travels always with us!). Erica and Fina where sleeping while I went to the lobby to wait the bus. It was cold outside, but I preferred to wait breathing fresh air!
Some minutes late, my bus arrived. In the short trip to the bus station I noticed the car entrance to the resort & the Santa Fe Hotel ( First time at DLP, in 1993, good old memories!). Going thought the Disney Village I could see the first smiling faces. Everybody seemed to be very happy, and I could see a lot of people with disabilities, some children with health problems and I was moved by that! While I was walking alone to the SL (our hotel) , in the wrong direction (everybody was going to the parks) I could see why Disneyland its a magical place! You couldnt find this special energy at any place in the world!
The check in was very quick, the luggage were left at reception and I booked a table at Plaza gardens for lunch. I called Fina while I was in the bus, going back to the H.Inn. They were ready, waiting me at the lobby. Some minutes later, we were all of us in front of the Disneyland Hotel! It was our first trip as shareholders, so we went to the Salon Mickey to have our free breakfast. The place is very calm, very nice and the cast-member told us we could enjoy the breakfast while he checked the tickets. Everything was going well, we where very early at the park entrance, enjoying this special place and these special muffins (how good they tasted!) with our little girl BUT sometimes things go wrong in a second! My wife spilled all the coffee over her. She tried to take off the spots, so a few time later she had all the clothes wet with a freezing weather outside. The dry clothes where at the SL reception, our little girl started to moved too much for such a cozy place and my wife was very nervous! I breath a couple of times, thinking what to do? I talked to the person in charge of the salon Mickey and she called City Hall. Some minutes later they render us some clothes until the next day.
They were new, with the price tag on it! What could have been a ruined day at park was solved by these people, so a big thank you also to these 2 women that they were working at Club Mickey and City Hall the past November, the 22th in the morning.
This morning we meet a lot of characters in our way towards the castle. Erica was very excited when she saw the Snow white ride. I told her it was too dark, and suggested to go to Pinocchio first Second wrong thing! She was afraid and refused to go to any dark ride (Snow White, Peter pan & pirates) during our stay. I didnt want to force her to go to any other (I have seen a lot of times children crying while their parents where saying to must go on a ride!), our holidays are to be enjoyed, she could tried it in other trips! So, we spend the morning in outside rides and a first ride at IASW (but not our last!). The weather was very nice, cold but with a wonderful sun. It was lunch time, so we went to Plaza Gardens (never been there before). Wow! The place is very nice, and the food too. Our waiter (a black women) wasnt so nice. She didnt smile when we refuse to ask a drink for our baby (she had her own bottle of water). We asked some drink for us but maybe she thought it wasnt enough! The food was delicious but the offer not to wide. Our waiter started to watch us when she noticed we where Spanish (I talk to her before in my perfect french ). In dont know whats wrong about Spanish people? (I dontt want to start a topic a about stereotypes) Each time we took some food at the buffet she put a strange face. So, as Spanish people, we are direct and dont like to be hypocrite (or politically correct, which is in my opinion the hypocrite way to say hypocrite) and I asked the woman what was the problem with us. She said nothing, but brought us the bill without having asked for! She was wearing a little smile when she did it, but it changed quickly when I showed her my Shareholder card!. We danced in front of the (very good) band playing jazzy xmas tunes while she re-ordered a new bill (Im afraid she didnt like it at all!!)
We said goodbye to miss smiles, and went to the SL to get our room. It was nap time for Erica, so Fina stayed with her at the room while I enjoyed some adult rides at Disneyland Park. In the evening we saw the lighting ceremony and the Fantilusion parade . Both were wonderful but I miss the MSEP a lot (I think it was more simple, but more magical and with a more positive energy than Fantilusion). It was quite cold outside so we come back to the hotel very quickly after the end of the parade. We had a nice dinner at Beavers Creek and a drink at the wonderful bar.
DAY 3: After a picture at the meet and greet place, we have breakfast at the hotel. We went directly to the park (no salon Mickey, this time) and refund the clothes at city hall. We meet a lot of characters again at central plaza and Erica was crazy about them. She didnt have afraid of any of them. She only refused to meet Timon, something I didnt understood because she loves the character and the movie (in the return flight she told me she was shy ???) We watch the great show of Mickey at Chapparral theater (all of us loved the show, first time to see it) and went to Adventureland. We spend some time exploring the adventure isle and Erica could enjoy the playground area (She loved the place!) . The wind started to be freezing, so we went straight to the Hakuna Matata restaurant. A little sign said Closed today! so it indicates other restaurants opened this day. I dont know why but it wasnt written coronel Hathis which is very close and was opened! After a relaxing meal there, enjoying the wonderful brass band and Tam-Tam group, we went straight to Fantasyland where we stayed until the sunset. We come back to the SL hotel to enjoy the great swimming pool! Erica loved the pool, and played with some stuff on the water. Another meal at Sl restaurant and early bed for our daughter. We saw another movie at our dvd but I felt asleep before the end, I was tired!
DAY4: We wake up, and in the way to the breakfast we meet Mickey at the photo location of the Sequoya Lodge. But then we found the second not-so-nice cast member of the trip. she let us to do the queue for a picture wit our little girl. When it was our turn, she shout us Pour Mickey, cest fini! when there was only our girl and a british girl on the queue. Our girl didnt understand why Mickey didnt want to meet her, so I promised she will give a quick kiss to him. I told it to the person in charge of Mickey and the only answer was Je vous ai dis que cest fini! in a very, very impolite way. As I was in front of my daughter, I left my family at Beaver creeks breakfast and I returned to talk to the woman at the next meeting time . I told her I understood Cast Member in charge of characters work under pressure because people gets crazy about characters but her behavior hadnt been correct at all. I told her a little sign or a cord should be put to indicate the end of the queue and also that her answer should have been Mickey will come back in half an hour with a little smile, thats what I expect from a Cast Member. I told her everything in her language (French) and in a very polite way (believe me). Any sorry, any pardon, the only answer was Aller voir mon responsable! again in a very loud and impolite way. As I have written in a letter to DLP management, I strongly believe this person is not in the right place (Phantom Manor maybe? ) After this, we went to the studios where Erica could meet a lot of characters again. She was specially happy to meet Sullyvan from Monsters Inc(she loves this character and this movie). She rode some carpets , we went to animagique (ironically, her favorite ride or show from the whole trip was the most dark of the resort!!!!). I found the Tram tour too boring (I only have rode 1 times before). I found the first room of Art of Disney Animation very interesting for a Disney fan like me, and all of us loved the first movie played where you can see little bits of Disney movies enchained. The movie is moving and great. I have even noticed the Disney Touch, you can ear the noise of an old cinema projector (I suppose its fake, the projection should comes from a DVD) . This gives a special feeling to the movie, Well done Imagineering! We had a light meal at Studio 1, and come back to the hotel to have a little rest (Erica was very tired). We spend the evening at surrounding of lake Disney and Disney village. We had a table reserved at Inventions, so we went to the Disneyland Hotel. Wow! Never been inside before! It was pouring outside, so we found the lobby even more cozy than it is. The meal at inventions was incredible, the food out of this world and service and characters perfect. Erica loved all the food he had, and her behavior was better than ever at a table service restaurant! She stayed more than 1 hour at table, all with the help of characters! After, she walked, played and danced with them while we finished our meal. There were a lot of children doing the same at our room (there is more than one), so I supposed all the families with children where together (great idea). With the 15% shareholder discount and drinks the bill was under 100 (Ericas meal was free, she is under 3) which is very reasonable for the service and the food we have (also in Spain). It was one of the highlights of our trip.
DAY4: Our last day we started the day at salon Mickey (To forgot our first experience). We saw the Lion King Show (very nice) and tried the orbitron for the first time (also for me). It goes too quick for my head! I prefer Dumbo!
After some rides at Fantasyland, we had a light meal at Toad Hall (very nice décor!) and had a little trouble. Our food disappeared while my I was asking for a plastic fork and my wife had to go the restroom with our daughter. I talked with the person that was cleaning tables and he told me a group of people threw everything to make some room. So I talked to the manager and, after a little bit discussion, he accepted to refund all the meal , but without smiling too much!
We went to Main Street to see our last Xmas parade and went to SL to get our luggage. When we go trough the doors of RER Station, and then we quickly noticed we werent at Disney any more, welcome to the real world!.
GOOD:
- We loved the holiday Inn, maybe a little bit isolated but very new and prices are a bargain if you booked early. On the other hand, atmosphere is much better at Sl, and we loved the pool with the slide.
- Early xmas time is perfect with little ones. No waiting times at all.
- We have noticed more life at Studios. Lot of characters, with less people than at next door. With the new rides, WDS will be a very good one day park!
- The people from Salon Mickey and City Hall were very helpful. In general, We found all Cast members very nice (only a couple of them where not so nice with us)
- We loved the meal at Inventions.
- We though the Village more clean and peaceful. We missed the stairs but we found it much better without the central columns.
- Meet and Greet location are much better organized. Ropes and queues are not so rare now.
- Parks looked very good, near bright of early years.
BAD:
- We found the room at Sequoya Lodge a little bit tired. No pressure at all at the shower (something not normal if you think what you pay for a room). Rooms are much, much better at H. Inn.
- Xmas parade was too poor. I remember more charts, more characters and more dancers. The park needs a new parade!
Finally and would like to tell to all the parents that believe their children are too young to go Disneyland that if you want they catch everything, they remember all the things for the rest of their life and its a trip only on the blue moon, once in the whole life, they are right and dont waste your money, they are too young.
But if you are one of these people that think life is something to be lived, not searching a yield each time you spend money with your children, enjoying the today because you dont know what will happen tomorrow and you have some money to spend, go now!
P.D I have removed original url's with some pictures because I'm not (yet) allowed to post them
The little trick: click on my user name to visit my homepage
MASMILES
(it must be alzheimer!). Anyway, this is our first trip-report...Who?: Fina (X), Erica (2 1/2) and Myself (38)
When?: 21- 25 November
Where?: Dlrp (of course!)
Firstly, sorry for my English!
DAY 1: We arrived at Madrid airport at 14:00 Pm (its 2 hours drive from home). Our flight with easyjet takes-off at 16:45. The flight was Ok, and the team from Easyjet was very helpful with our child. A couple of hours and a couple of Disney Dvds later we landed at Orly Airport. The driver from Shuttair was waiting us at the meeting point. Good! No surprises! I have tought it was maybe wasting money but when I saw the queue for orly bus I think it worths every euro. The Vea bus wasnt very convenient for us because our first night was at Holiday Inn. We had to wait until 19:30 to take the next vea bus, and had to stay on the bus until the last stop (expected time: 21:00) at Chessy-Dlp train station, and there we had to catch the bus 54 to the H.Inn , everything done in the cold and deep night of northern France with a very tired 2 years old baby ! So, half an hour later, and with 100 Euros less in the pocket, we were at H.Inn!
The hotel is very nice, new and quiet. We had a kid suite, and it was a bargain for 60! I think its a great hotel for this price (I suggest to book it trough the Renates site) . The room had everything you need and more. We have planned a little splash at the swimming-pool but Erica was very tired and she only was expecting to have her dinner and go to bed. And thats what we did! We ate some sandwiches with our last Spanish ham for that week and Erica also had a little soup prepared in the room with a wonderful device bought the day before (its like a kettle and a must for us at Dlp , Erica loves chicken soup, not too easy to find there). The curtain at kid space was very convenient, we could see a movie in our dvd-player (in spanish) while our child was sleeping
DAY 2: I waked up early in the morning, had an energizing shower and carried the luggage with our folding cart (it travels always with us!). Erica and Fina where sleeping while I went to the lobby to wait the bus. It was cold outside, but I preferred to wait breathing fresh air!
Some minutes late, my bus arrived. In the short trip to the bus station I noticed the car entrance to the resort & the Santa Fe Hotel ( First time at DLP, in 1993, good old memories!). Going thought the Disney Village I could see the first smiling faces. Everybody seemed to be very happy, and I could see a lot of people with disabilities, some children with health problems and I was moved by that! While I was walking alone to the SL (our hotel) , in the wrong direction (everybody was going to the parks) I could see why Disneyland its a magical place! You couldnt find this special energy at any place in the world!
The check in was very quick, the luggage were left at reception and I booked a table at Plaza gardens for lunch. I called Fina while I was in the bus, going back to the H.Inn. They were ready, waiting me at the lobby. Some minutes later, we were all of us in front of the Disneyland Hotel! It was our first trip as shareholders, so we went to the Salon Mickey to have our free breakfast. The place is very calm, very nice and the cast-member told us we could enjoy the breakfast while he checked the tickets. Everything was going well, we where very early at the park entrance, enjoying this special place and these special muffins (how good they tasted!) with our little girl BUT sometimes things go wrong in a second! My wife spilled all the coffee over her. She tried to take off the spots, so a few time later she had all the clothes wet with a freezing weather outside. The dry clothes where at the SL reception, our little girl started to moved too much for such a cozy place and my wife was very nervous! I breath a couple of times, thinking what to do? I talked to the person in charge of the salon Mickey and she called City Hall. Some minutes later they render us some clothes until the next day.
They were new, with the price tag on it! What could have been a ruined day at park was solved by these people, so a big thank you also to these 2 women that they were working at Club Mickey and City Hall the past November, the 22th in the morning.
This morning we meet a lot of characters in our way towards the castle. Erica was very excited when she saw the Snow white ride. I told her it was too dark, and suggested to go to Pinocchio first Second wrong thing! She was afraid and refused to go to any dark ride (Snow White, Peter pan & pirates) during our stay. I didnt want to force her to go to any other (I have seen a lot of times children crying while their parents where saying to must go on a ride!), our holidays are to be enjoyed, she could tried it in other trips! So, we spend the morning in outside rides and a first ride at IASW (but not our last!). The weather was very nice, cold but with a wonderful sun. It was lunch time, so we went to Plaza Gardens (never been there before). Wow! The place is very nice, and the food too. Our waiter (a black women) wasnt so nice. She didnt smile when we refuse to ask a drink for our baby (she had her own bottle of water). We asked some drink for us but maybe she thought it wasnt enough! The food was delicious but the offer not to wide. Our waiter started to watch us when she noticed we where Spanish (I talk to her before in my perfect french ). In dont know whats wrong about Spanish people? (I dontt want to start a topic a about stereotypes) Each time we took some food at the buffet she put a strange face. So, as Spanish people, we are direct and dont like to be hypocrite (or politically correct, which is in my opinion the hypocrite way to say hypocrite) and I asked the woman what was the problem with us. She said nothing, but brought us the bill without having asked for! She was wearing a little smile when she did it, but it changed quickly when I showed her my Shareholder card!. We danced in front of the (very good) band playing jazzy xmas tunes while she re-ordered a new bill (Im afraid she didnt like it at all!!)
We said goodbye to miss smiles, and went to the SL to get our room. It was nap time for Erica, so Fina stayed with her at the room while I enjoyed some adult rides at Disneyland Park. In the evening we saw the lighting ceremony and the Fantilusion parade . Both were wonderful but I miss the MSEP a lot (I think it was more simple, but more magical and with a more positive energy than Fantilusion). It was quite cold outside so we come back to the hotel very quickly after the end of the parade. We had a nice dinner at Beavers Creek and a drink at the wonderful bar.
DAY 3: After a picture at the meet and greet place, we have breakfast at the hotel. We went directly to the park (no salon Mickey, this time) and refund the clothes at city hall. We meet a lot of characters again at central plaza and Erica was crazy about them. She didnt have afraid of any of them. She only refused to meet Timon, something I didnt understood because she loves the character and the movie (in the return flight she told me she was shy ???) We watch the great show of Mickey at Chapparral theater (all of us loved the show, first time to see it) and went to Adventureland. We spend some time exploring the adventure isle and Erica could enjoy the playground area (She loved the place!) . The wind started to be freezing, so we went straight to the Hakuna Matata restaurant. A little sign said Closed today! so it indicates other restaurants opened this day. I dont know why but it wasnt written coronel Hathis which is very close and was opened! After a relaxing meal there, enjoying the wonderful brass band and Tam-Tam group, we went straight to Fantasyland where we stayed until the sunset. We come back to the SL hotel to enjoy the great swimming pool! Erica loved the pool, and played with some stuff on the water. Another meal at Sl restaurant and early bed for our daughter. We saw another movie at our dvd but I felt asleep before the end, I was tired!
DAY4: We wake up, and in the way to the breakfast we meet Mickey at the photo location of the Sequoya Lodge. But then we found the second not-so-nice cast member of the trip. she let us to do the queue for a picture wit our little girl. When it was our turn, she shout us Pour Mickey, cest fini! when there was only our girl and a british girl on the queue. Our girl didnt understand why Mickey didnt want to meet her, so I promised she will give a quick kiss to him. I told it to the person in charge of Mickey and the only answer was Je vous ai dis que cest fini! in a very, very impolite way. As I was in front of my daughter, I left my family at Beaver creeks breakfast and I returned to talk to the woman at the next meeting time . I told her I understood Cast Member in charge of characters work under pressure because people gets crazy about characters but her behavior hadnt been correct at all. I told her a little sign or a cord should be put to indicate the end of the queue and also that her answer should have been Mickey will come back in half an hour with a little smile, thats what I expect from a Cast Member. I told her everything in her language (French) and in a very polite way (believe me). Any sorry, any pardon, the only answer was Aller voir mon responsable! again in a very loud and impolite way. As I have written in a letter to DLP management, I strongly believe this person is not in the right place (Phantom Manor maybe? ) After this, we went to the studios where Erica could meet a lot of characters again. She was specially happy to meet Sullyvan from Monsters Inc(she loves this character and this movie). She rode some carpets , we went to animagique (ironically, her favorite ride or show from the whole trip was the most dark of the resort!!!!). I found the Tram tour too boring (I only have rode 1 times before). I found the first room of Art of Disney Animation very interesting for a Disney fan like me, and all of us loved the first movie played where you can see little bits of Disney movies enchained. The movie is moving and great. I have even noticed the Disney Touch, you can ear the noise of an old cinema projector (I suppose its fake, the projection should comes from a DVD) . This gives a special feeling to the movie, Well done Imagineering! We had a light meal at Studio 1, and come back to the hotel to have a little rest (Erica was very tired). We spend the evening at surrounding of lake Disney and Disney village. We had a table reserved at Inventions, so we went to the Disneyland Hotel. Wow! Never been inside before! It was pouring outside, so we found the lobby even more cozy than it is. The meal at inventions was incredible, the food out of this world and service and characters perfect. Erica loved all the food he had, and her behavior was better than ever at a table service restaurant! She stayed more than 1 hour at table, all with the help of characters! After, she walked, played and danced with them while we finished our meal. There were a lot of children doing the same at our room (there is more than one), so I supposed all the families with children where together (great idea). With the 15% shareholder discount and drinks the bill was under 100 (Ericas meal was free, she is under 3) which is very reasonable for the service and the food we have (also in Spain). It was one of the highlights of our trip.
DAY4: Our last day we started the day at salon Mickey (To forgot our first experience). We saw the Lion King Show (very nice) and tried the orbitron for the first time (also for me). It goes too quick for my head! I prefer Dumbo!
After some rides at Fantasyland, we had a light meal at Toad Hall (very nice décor!) and had a little trouble. Our food disappeared while my I was asking for a plastic fork and my wife had to go the restroom with our daughter. I talked with the person that was cleaning tables and he told me a group of people threw everything to make some room. So I talked to the manager and, after a little bit discussion, he accepted to refund all the meal , but without smiling too much!
We went to Main Street to see our last Xmas parade and went to SL to get our luggage. When we go trough the doors of RER Station, and then we quickly noticed we werent at Disney any more, welcome to the real world!.
GOOD:
- We loved the holiday Inn, maybe a little bit isolated but very new and prices are a bargain if you booked early. On the other hand, atmosphere is much better at Sl, and we loved the pool with the slide.
- Early xmas time is perfect with little ones. No waiting times at all.
- We have noticed more life at Studios. Lot of characters, with less people than at next door. With the new rides, WDS will be a very good one day park!
- The people from Salon Mickey and City Hall were very helpful. In general, We found all Cast members very nice (only a couple of them where not so nice with us)
- We loved the meal at Inventions.
- We though the Village more clean and peaceful. We missed the stairs but we found it much better without the central columns.
- Meet and Greet location are much better organized. Ropes and queues are not so rare now.
- Parks looked very good, near bright of early years.
BAD:
- We found the room at Sequoya Lodge a little bit tired. No pressure at all at the shower (something not normal if you think what you pay for a room). Rooms are much, much better at H. Inn.
- Xmas parade was too poor. I remember more charts, more characters and more dancers. The park needs a new parade!
Finally and would like to tell to all the parents that believe their children are too young to go Disneyland that if you want they catch everything, they remember all the things for the rest of their life and its a trip only on the blue moon, once in the whole life, they are right and dont waste your money, they are too young.
But if you are one of these people that think life is something to be lived, not searching a yield each time you spend money with your children, enjoying the today because you dont know what will happen tomorrow and you have some money to spend, go now!
P.D I have removed original url's with some pictures because I'm not (yet) allowed to post them
The little trick: click on my user name to visit my homepage
MASMILES
