steve_rob
Mine? Mine? Mine? Mine?
- Joined
- May 23, 2002
Got back from DLP yesterday night and although I wasn't originally planning to do a full trip report, there's just some stuff that I have to share with you all.
Wednesday
Took the early flight with Easyjet from Luton to CDG Terminal 3. How early exactly? A 3:30am wake-up, for a 6am flight! But it meant we got into our room at the Sequoia Lodge (via VEA shuttle) by 10:15am, so I can't complain!
Our room was great - had a Montana (main building room) booked and the receptionist said she'd give us a lake view as well. I asked if we could get one king size bed rather than two doubles (having a king size at home, it's so difficult sleeping in anything smaller again), so she gave us the one right at the end of the North Wing corridor. While it did take us five minutes to walk to/from it every time we wanted to leave/return, the benefit was we had a balcony/patio area. I'll try and get my photos of it on here soon - it was huge!
Did the Studios first day (Weds) and walked on to most rides. Did everything but the tram tour and Cinemagique. Would have done these but the early start began to catch up on me - it was so dark and warm in Animagique that I started to feel sleepy and couldn't keep my eyes open! Went back to the hotel for a nap (dodging rain showers along the way).
Ate in Hunter's Grill that night (very nice) and also made reservations for the Steakhouse in the Village for Thursday.
Thursday
Next morning was an early breakfast at 7am (all the tickets for 8am etc. were gone when we checked in) but as we understood it, Disneyland Park opened at 9am that day, so we thought it wasn't too bad.
This was our first trip as shareholders, so were looking forward to experiencing Salon Mickey for the first time, only to find out it didn't open until the park opened at 9am, even though people were able to get into Main Street from 8:30 onwards. Surely this means it's not all that much of a perk?
However, although the park was officially open at the time they said, only Fantasyland was available - all the other lands were roped off until 10am. This meant everyone in the park was competing to go on the same rides, meaning Peter Pan, Dumbo etc. all had 40+ minute queues by about 9:30. I think this was a bad idea, as there were still quite a lot of French kids on school holiday this week and the park was therefore very busy.
Tried to get on Space Mountain Mission 2 as soon as it opened, but they were only letting people into the queue gradually, which meant a scrum developed at the gates. Eventually it formed a queue which stretched round to the front of Videopolis! Decided to Fastpass it - when we did get on it, I thought it was better than before, but my wife didn't. Seemed faster than before and special effects on the ride were superb, but could barely hear the music coming out the speakers in the seat now.
Queues for everything major were at least 60 minutes all day so struggled to do much and had to use FP's wisely. My first time doing Indiana Jones "forwards" (having only ever seen it backwards before) and I thought it better - much less stress on the neck and back being able to see what's coming.
Tickets for late Lion King show went on offer at 3pm according to the map, but we wandered by the queuing area (round the back of Videopolis, near the Star Tours fastpass queue) at 2:10 and found about 30 people in line already, so decided to join them. Glad we did, because people were being turned away from the queue BEFORE 2:45. Got tickets, saw 4:30 show and though it was very good, well worth the wait (but not as good as Aladdin at DL in California!).
Oh, and by the way, you'd never know it was Disneyland's 50th anniversary. Nothing special in the park at all - just a regular day.
Crowds and queues still massive so went back to hotel and came back at 7:30pm to do two last rides before park closing (both only 10min waits) then went to Steakhouse. Glad we made reservations because there was a queue out the door and everyone was being quoted a two hour wait for a table!
Friday
After two early starts, decided to lie in (and miss our scheduled breakfast time) and instead waited until 9am this time to try Salon Mickey. Very nice (and quiet) inside, grabbed a drink and a couple of snacks and spent ten minutes unwinding. A lot smalller than I'd imagined - after us, about three other families arrived and immediately all the tables and chairs were taken. If anyone else came in, they'd have had to stand!
Park still as busy as the day before. Got a fastpass for Peter Pan at 9:50am - for 14:25-14:55! Waited 90 minutes for Space Mountain and I think that was the shortest the queue got all day - at one point it was 150mins!
Then when we did get on Peter Pan the ride broke down! We were stuck in the room where you're above the island with about three other boats. The music was switched off once we'd been waiting for about two minutes, the lights came on after about five, then staff started wandering around beneath us asking questions. We thought they were going to have to get some ladders out if it went on any longer - it was about a 12 foot drop to the floor from where we were! However they did get it moving again eventually and we got out the normal way. All in all, the 'ride' lasted about 25 minutes!
Park hopped back to the Studios to do Rock 'n Rollercoaster one last time, then headed to Annette's for dinner as we had to be back at the hotel for 6:30pm to catch the bus back to the airport. Arrived back at Luton at 10:30pm.
Overall, the shareholders discount saved us about £35 on the room and another £20 on food and shopping, so I think two more short trips like this, or one long trip to the Disneyland Hotel and we'll have broken even.
Wednesday
Took the early flight with Easyjet from Luton to CDG Terminal 3. How early exactly? A 3:30am wake-up, for a 6am flight! But it meant we got into our room at the Sequoia Lodge (via VEA shuttle) by 10:15am, so I can't complain!
Our room was great - had a Montana (main building room) booked and the receptionist said she'd give us a lake view as well. I asked if we could get one king size bed rather than two doubles (having a king size at home, it's so difficult sleeping in anything smaller again), so she gave us the one right at the end of the North Wing corridor. While it did take us five minutes to walk to/from it every time we wanted to leave/return, the benefit was we had a balcony/patio area. I'll try and get my photos of it on here soon - it was huge!
Did the Studios first day (Weds) and walked on to most rides. Did everything but the tram tour and Cinemagique. Would have done these but the early start began to catch up on me - it was so dark and warm in Animagique that I started to feel sleepy and couldn't keep my eyes open! Went back to the hotel for a nap (dodging rain showers along the way).
Ate in Hunter's Grill that night (very nice) and also made reservations for the Steakhouse in the Village for Thursday.
Thursday
Next morning was an early breakfast at 7am (all the tickets for 8am etc. were gone when we checked in) but as we understood it, Disneyland Park opened at 9am that day, so we thought it wasn't too bad.
This was our first trip as shareholders, so were looking forward to experiencing Salon Mickey for the first time, only to find out it didn't open until the park opened at 9am, even though people were able to get into Main Street from 8:30 onwards. Surely this means it's not all that much of a perk?
However, although the park was officially open at the time they said, only Fantasyland was available - all the other lands were roped off until 10am. This meant everyone in the park was competing to go on the same rides, meaning Peter Pan, Dumbo etc. all had 40+ minute queues by about 9:30. I think this was a bad idea, as there were still quite a lot of French kids on school holiday this week and the park was therefore very busy.
Tried to get on Space Mountain Mission 2 as soon as it opened, but they were only letting people into the queue gradually, which meant a scrum developed at the gates. Eventually it formed a queue which stretched round to the front of Videopolis! Decided to Fastpass it - when we did get on it, I thought it was better than before, but my wife didn't. Seemed faster than before and special effects on the ride were superb, but could barely hear the music coming out the speakers in the seat now.
Queues for everything major were at least 60 minutes all day so struggled to do much and had to use FP's wisely. My first time doing Indiana Jones "forwards" (having only ever seen it backwards before) and I thought it better - much less stress on the neck and back being able to see what's coming.
Tickets for late Lion King show went on offer at 3pm according to the map, but we wandered by the queuing area (round the back of Videopolis, near the Star Tours fastpass queue) at 2:10 and found about 30 people in line already, so decided to join them. Glad we did, because people were being turned away from the queue BEFORE 2:45. Got tickets, saw 4:30 show and though it was very good, well worth the wait (but not as good as Aladdin at DL in California!).
Oh, and by the way, you'd never know it was Disneyland's 50th anniversary. Nothing special in the park at all - just a regular day.
Crowds and queues still massive so went back to hotel and came back at 7:30pm to do two last rides before park closing (both only 10min waits) then went to Steakhouse. Glad we made reservations because there was a queue out the door and everyone was being quoted a two hour wait for a table!
Friday
After two early starts, decided to lie in (and miss our scheduled breakfast time) and instead waited until 9am this time to try Salon Mickey. Very nice (and quiet) inside, grabbed a drink and a couple of snacks and spent ten minutes unwinding. A lot smalller than I'd imagined - after us, about three other families arrived and immediately all the tables and chairs were taken. If anyone else came in, they'd have had to stand!
Park still as busy as the day before. Got a fastpass for Peter Pan at 9:50am - for 14:25-14:55! Waited 90 minutes for Space Mountain and I think that was the shortest the queue got all day - at one point it was 150mins!
Then when we did get on Peter Pan the ride broke down! We were stuck in the room where you're above the island with about three other boats. The music was switched off once we'd been waiting for about two minutes, the lights came on after about five, then staff started wandering around beneath us asking questions. We thought they were going to have to get some ladders out if it went on any longer - it was about a 12 foot drop to the floor from where we were! However they did get it moving again eventually and we got out the normal way. All in all, the 'ride' lasted about 25 minutes!
Park hopped back to the Studios to do Rock 'n Rollercoaster one last time, then headed to Annette's for dinner as we had to be back at the hotel for 6:30pm to catch the bus back to the airport. Arrived back at Luton at 10:30pm.
Overall, the shareholders discount saved us about £35 on the room and another £20 on food and shopping, so I think two more short trips like this, or one long trip to the Disneyland Hotel and we'll have broken even.
you can eat and drink the value within one stay 
Especially interested in Salon Mickey as we are planning to visit for 1st time in summer 
but I have heard favourable reports since. I would be interested!
) who decided she was not going to wait to be rescued even though her husband begged her to. She decided to leg it and when she met up with a CM coming toward her, refused to wait and turned the air VERY blue with her expletives toward him
)
