Trip Report

[bransworld]

First off let me apologize if this is the wrong place to post...

Ok,
So we decided on the day we were leaving for Paris that we were going to go to Disneyland. So we didnt have time to plan for anything while there.

The day was July 11th. We took a couple of subway trains and then boarded the train that would take us to Disneyland Paris. Some how we were able to board the correct trains but we obviously didnt buy the right ticket. So we were stuck on the outside of the park entry with 2 other Americans who were having the same problem as us. We tried to purchase some tickets using the ticket machine but it was trying to charge us like 60 Euros a piece. We knew we were doing something wrong and there wasn'y anyone in the ticket booth on this side of the gates. The other 2 Americans pressed a button on the gate that was for people with strollers and they got through so we did the same thing. We finally were able to head to the park. So if anyone is going to go make sure you buy the correct train ticket.

We walked into the park and at first i was in love. It was so beautiful. We first headed down Main Street. It was alot like the Mainstreet's at DisneyWorld and at Disneyland California. We didn't stop to look in any of the shops, we always do that at the parks on our way out.

We headed right to Frontierland to do a Fast Pass for Thunder Mountain Railroad.

We headed to Adventureland where we road the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril roller coaster. WHich was pretty good. I liked it better than the Indiana Jones show at DisneyWorld. We headed to Pirates of the Caribbeean, on the way we stopped off at Adventure Island, the bridges and caves were pretty cool. We stood in line for Pirates of the Carribean for about 45 minutes and this is where i got the first taste of the people cutting in line. We had been in line for about 20 minutes before we realized the group of teenagers in front of us were all speaking English, they had stron British accents. But once we realized it we had a good time eaves dropping. They were a good source of entertainment while waiting in line.

After Pirates of the Carribean we headed back to Main Street to have some lunch. Which was ok but we didnt do anything special. We just grabbed a quick sandwhich at the Market House Deli.

After lunch we headed to Frontierland. We went ride to the Phantom Manor. I really liked it but I felt it was alot shorter than the Disneyworld Haunted Mansion. We then took a ride on the Disneyland Railroad, we just took the loop and came straigh back to Frontierland so we could go on Thunder Mountain Railroad now that our fast pass time had come up.

Off to Fantasyland we went. We really enjoyed the shops in Sleeping Beauty's castle as well as the stained glass windows inside. The Dragon that guards the castle was really neat too. We then went on the Snow White and the Seven Dwarf's ride, which was pretty boring. We then went on the Pinnochio ride which was just as boring as Snow White. We enjoyed Peter's Pan flight, it is always a must go on when we visit DisneyWorld. It's a small world, was very nice to ride as well. I alwasy love going on it. Although my boyfriend does not like to go on it.

We then headed to Main Street to get a good viewing spot of the Wonderful World of Disney Parade. Which i really enjoyed although i dont like how the exact same song was played over and over again for the entire parade. I wish they had it like the DisneyWorld parades where they change the music for the floats that come buy. Not a whole lot of dancers and stuff for this parade either.

After the parade we headed to DiscoveryLand and we went to ride Buzz Lightyear, which we enjoyed even though a lot of it was in French. You dont need to know French to shoot the targets. We then went to ride Space Mountain 2 but it was broke down so we never made it on that ride. We went on Star Tours which is alwasy enjoyable. We then headed to Les Mysteres du Nautilus which was the biggest waste of time.

We then headed down Main Street to do some shopping. I bought some trading pins that said Disneyland Paris so that i will have some pins to trade on my next DisneyWorld trip.

Over all i enjoyed the park very much. I just wish they had more to do. There aren't enough rides in the park to make a whole days worth of a trip.

I was comparing the park to DisneyWorld and Disneyland California way to much. I was dissapointed in the fact that at the other parks Disney hid the speakers on rides, and the parade route, as well as lights and other things to create the effects on the rides a heck of a lot better.

I was also shocked that there weren't all kinds of stands around the park selling food, drinks or even souvenirs. At DisneyWorld they are every few feet it seems like. And while that is a little annoying at times it would be nice to have the items available when you want them.

I think this park could be so much better if they would add more to it.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the day.

 

[BONITATIME]

Thanks for sharing your day. I am glad you liked the park.
Those are great photos you took.

 

[SCohen]

thanks for sharing! We are going next week and I'm a little apprehensive. We love WDW and Disneyland so much, I just hope we love DLRP too. I'm worried about the cultural aspects of people not thinking twice about cutting, smoking etc and other things that generally don't happen in America's Disney parks. I'm sure it will all be great, and we'll love the uniqueness even if we don't see eye to eye with others.
Where did you stay? Or did you travel back to Paris for the night?
I didn't understand about the wrong train. Is it because on RER/Metro stops you also have to swipe the ticket to get out? Good info about the stroller turnstiles, hopefully we'll never need to know that trick.
Your pictures are beautiful!
Any insider tips (yours) for lost American tourists (us) in Paris would be great!
Tracey

 

[Cyrano]

Great report, thanks for sharing

 

[bransworld]

Any insider tips (yours) for lost American tourists (us) in Paris would be great!
Tracey

Go to Barnes and Noble and buy the book Eyewitness Travel to Paris. It was a life saver. I am going to buy this book for all of my travels from now on. It has everything from Restaurants, Museums, Churches, Shopping and train routes.

I am not 100% sure what was wrong with the train ticket. I just know that when we were switching trains from the a Metro train to a RER train we were able to do so without buying a new ticket. But i guess we were supposed to buy one because at the station at Disneyland Paris you have to scan your ticket to get out. My understanding now is that you need to make sure when buying your train ticket to DLP buy the Zone 5 ticket for the RER Line A train.

We took the train back to Paris and stayed in our hotel there.

 

[marcus.ka]

Thank you for your TR! I'm glad you liked "our" DL!
But I can’t understand that you think there are not enough attractions. I have been 12 times to DLRP and even I can’t do the park in one day because there is so much to do!
What about the thing you didn't mention:

Honey I shrunk the audience
Alice Labyrinth (this attraction exists only in Paris)
The Tea Cups
The Carousel
The two really great Shows Trazan and The Lion King!
Autopia (Kids love it to ride a “real” car!)
Dumbo (the favourite of the children)
The little circus train
Au pay de contes des fees

It is true that the Studios need more attractions but not Disneyland. They even had to take away the 3D cinema to give Buzz a space in the park.

If someone who doesn’t know DLRP will read you TR they could think there is not enough to do and that is in my opinion not true!

But one other questions:
How did you as a gay couple enjoy the park? Is there a difference to the US parks?

 

[bransworld]

What about the thing you didn't mention:

Honey I shrunk the audience
Alice Labyrinth (this attraction exists only in Paris)
The Tea Cups
The Carousel
The two really great Shows Trazan and The Lion King!
Autopia (Kids love it to ride a “real” car!)
Dumbo (the favourite of the children)
The little circus train
Au pay de contes des fees

As for these items, i didnt visit the Honey I Shrunk the Audience because i went to the one at DisneyWorld.
Alice's Labyrinth was closed.
I avoid the Tea Cups everywhere that has a ride like it.

I am not a big fan of Carousel either, although i do love the looks of the Disney ones.

We couldnt get any of the tickets for the Lion King show.

We didnt even consider the Tarzan show because we were too afraid it would be like the DisneyWorld Tarzan show which i couldnt stand.

We didnt go on Autopia, we didnt have any kids and i feel it is more for them, just like Dumbo and the Circus Train.

I definitely dont want people to think that they shouldn't go to this park due to my trip report. I think it is a nice place. I just was expecting more i guess.

But one other questions:
How did you as a gay couple enjoy the park? Is there a difference to the US parks?

Well i dont think us being a gay couple changed anything. When we go to the parks we dont do anything out of the ordinary to where people would think we were a gay couple. I think that the only reason people may question whether we are a gay couple or not is that we are at the park together.

 

[Ware Bears]

bransworld, thanks for sharing your report with us. I love your photos, especially the first one of the castle.