Paris Disney Dreams Come True! *COMPLETED 10/29*

scrpbookr

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
The Disney Bucket List..... chances are if you're here on the DIS Boards you probably have one.

Visiting the Disney Parks abroad is on my Disney Bucket List. I was fortunate enough to visit Disneyland in Hong Kong in 2010. My mom and her husband were living and working in China at the time and that afforded the opportunity to visit.

In the autumn of 2013 I began planning a trip for the autumn of 2014. Initially I was planning a European cruise leaving from Barcelona. I was planning to use air miles for the flight portion of the trip. When I tried to book Barcelona it wasn't working out. I manage Human Resources and payroll at an Independent School and my vacation window dates are determined by payroll schedules and really aren't very flexible. When Barcelona wasn't working I tried Paris and the dates fell into place for the air miles. That's when I switched gears easily and excitedly when I knew I could visit Disneyland in Paris.

I've traveled some on my own and enjoy it. My next decision was whether or not I'd invite anyone to join me. My husband isn't excited over this type of travel. I tend not to take my little boy out of school for trips, especially in the fall when he's just settling into the school year. After spring break 2014 when my Mom, my little boy and I went on a WDW and DCL vacation together I decided to invite my mom to join me for the Paris trip if she was interested. She was and I recommended that she check on her air miles, too.

Fortunately, she was able to use her miles for the air portion of the trip, too. In order to use her miles she arrived a night before I did and she also flew back home the day before I left at the end of the trip. For her first night before I arrived she was also able to use her Sheraton hotel points and stayed right at the hotel. This worked well so she could rest up after her flight before I arrived the next morning.

Or vacation consisted of:
2 Days in Paris, France (9/25 & 9/26/14)
1 Day in London, England (9/27/14)
1 Day in Disneyland Parc Paris (9/28/14)
1 Day in Brugge, Belgium (9/29/14)
1/2 Day in Disney Studios followed by another 1/2 day in Disneyland Parc Paris (9/30/14)

For the first part of this trip I'm going to stick with the Disneyland Paris pics. Following those I may do some smaller entries about the other parts of the trip.

One of my biggest hopes for the Disney portion of the trip was lots of fall décor. I have visited WDW at Christmastime before but had not yet made a Disney trip with a fall feel to it. I was also incredibly excited to see what is possibly the prettiest of the Disney castles. With those two dreams in mind you can just imagine how happy this next picture makes me! I took this just after the evening parade before the castle show in the evening....
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It really is a gorgeous castle! I can't get enough of it!
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As for the cast of characters.... Here I am (Brenda / scrpbookr)...
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And here is my lovely mom, Becky. She has also been referred to as Nanny in some of my other trip reports since that is what my little boy calls her....
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I'll hold a spot here for the....

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Disney Morning
Happy Halloween, Minnie!
Halloween on Main Street
Storybook Store Window Shopping
Lunch and then Castle
A Very Important Date!
The Storybook Cruise
Special Friends and It's a Small World
A Real Boy!
 
The morning of our first Disney day we had to check out of the hotel we had been staying in within the city of Paris and, along with our luggage, take the train outside of the city near Disneyland Paris. I had chosen a hotel in Paris that was close to the train station with this move in mind and we were able to do this pretty easy. It was about a 1/2 hour train ride to Roissy where our new hotel was. I booked Hotel E'Lysse through hotel.com for about $129 USD a night. From what I could tell while booking this hotel was also very close to the train station. That turned out to be the case. It was a short, easy block from the station. So nice when all works out as planned. Our first glimpses of the hotel...
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There was a very pretty lobby. They checked us in and held our luggage for us. I was also able to purchase our park tickets while checking in. Here's mom waiting patiently in the lobby...
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and our tickets...
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There were two easy options for getting to Disneyland. There is a free bus that picks up directly across the street from the hotel lobby. This is about a 5 to 10 minute ride to the park. You can also get back on the train and take it one stop down to Disney. This morning we chose the free bus. Here's a picture looking back at our hotel from the bus stop...
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We were at Disney just a few minutes later and one of our first views as we made our way past transportation was a horse mounted security guard...
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Entering bag check...
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As you enter Walt Disney Studios is to the left...
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And here's mom presenting the most lovely sight straight ahead!
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My excitement at finally being there was bubbling over inside!
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So gorgeous!
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I love this one with Mom...
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I just couldn't stop taking pictures of it!
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You walk under the Disneyland Hotel building to enter the park. There are picturesque little ticket windows within these entrance tunnels under the hotel...
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The ceilings within this area. So intricate...
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I was really, really excited to see just how decorated the park was for Halloween and fall. It was PERFECT!
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It makes me so happy!
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I can't help it... Disney turns me into a little kid!
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Mickey shaped pumpkins! Yes, please!
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I was in Disney Halloween Heaven!
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And I had barely made it into Town Square...
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A bit of Disney Transportation in front of City Hall...
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The green light posts with witch hats are a great Disney detail! I did stop in at City Hall to see if the Paris Parc had Disney dollars. The answer was no. Hong Kong didn't have them either. I was able to still get them during visits to WDW this year so they do still exsist.
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Ghost versions of the Dapper Dans!
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And it get's better! Minnie was greeting in her Halloween Dress near the Emporium! I jumped in line! Stay tuned for Minnie!
 
Definitely joining in, Brenda! Really excited to read about Disneyland Paris, would love to visit one day though not sure if I will ever get there! The castle really is a beauty :goodvibes

And though not Disney, would love to hear about your other travel days!
 
Lovely start :goodvibes We're just back and were blown away by the Halloween decorations too :thumbsup2
 


I was already bubbling over with excitement from all the festive fall decor and from just entering Disneyland Paris for the first and then I saw Minnie in her Halloween costume. It was the best surprise!

My first peek at her before getting in line!
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Her little house that she was greeting in front of was so adorable, too!
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She's such a cutie!
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While in line I put on a camera lens with more zoom and captured some of the town square details...
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Minnie was meeting right near the Emporium and Arcade entrance....
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My sweet mom was waiting patiently while I excitedly anticipated meeting Minnie....
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This Main Street fire truck passed by while we waited, too...
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This lovely wall mural was near the meeting area, too...
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The picket fence with (not so) hidden Mickeys is precious!
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Almost our turn!
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Minnie and Mom!
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and Minnie and myself....
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My mom took a quick spin in a Main Street Vehicle following our time with Minnie!
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We weren't getting far! I couldn't stop taking in all the fun fall decor!
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A cute Town Square window display...
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There was an adorable fall display on the other side of Town Square! I think Goofy may greet here sometimes but I never saw him there.
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The above is set up right in front of the Kitty Hawk bike shop...
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I really liked this trick or treat pumpkin and felt completely pixie dusted a week or so later when it became available to purchase with Disney Movie Rewards. It has since arrived in the mail and I adore it! It has a light up Mickey face on the opposite side....
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Finally we exited the Town Square area and turned down Main Street.
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Definitely joining in, Brenda! Really excited to read about Disneyland Paris, would love to visit one day though not sure if I will ever get there! The castle really is a beauty :goodvibes

And though not Disney, would love to hear about your other travel days!

Thanks for popping over to this trip report, Alexis! I actually thought of you and your parents in regards to this trip. I think I remember reading in your trip report how you would all like to travel more and other places besides WDW. A trip like this allows you to see some more of the world but squeeze in a couple of Disney days, too. It was super easy to do day trips to London, and Brugge, Belgium from Paris. There are other countries you can visit easily, too. I had no real idea how close everything seems in this area of Europe. I'll be sure to share some of those other adventures following the Disney part of the trip report.
 


The Halloween details on Main Street/Town Square are beautiful! And Minnie's costume is to die for, such cute pics!

Thanks for popping over to this trip report, Alexis! I actually thought of you and your parents in regards to this trip. I think I remember reading in your trip report how you would all like to travel more and other places besides WDW. A trip like this allows you to see some more of the world but squeeze in a couple of Disney days, too. It was super easy to do day trips to London, and Brugge, Belgium from Paris. There are other countries you can visit easily, too. I had no real idea how close everything seems in this area of Europe. I'll be sure to share some of those other adventures following the Disney part of the trip report.

London is on the very top of my travel wish list and I really hope to get there one day (sooner rather than later!). I'm glad to hear how close everything is. If I ever do get to London I would certainly have to plan for a stop in Paris! :)
 
I really liked this trick or treat pumpkin and felt completely pixie dusted a week or so later when it became available to purchase with Disney Movie Rewards. It has since arrived in the mail and I adore it! It has a light up Mickey face on the opposite side....

Wow that's amazing that you can get such great things from Movie Rewards. All the UK can have are DVDs! (Which is still great because they're free but merchandise would be even better) :confused3

Love your TR especially the photos of the details pixiedust:
 
Happy Halloween to all!

In celebration I'm going to share some of the Halloween and Fall decoration pics from our time at Disneyland Paris!

I thought this window display with Clarabelle Cow was adorable....
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And Goofy as Dracula...
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Main Street all decked out for the season!
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Some friendly ghosts!
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Festooned shops...
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They had Minnie's super cute Halloween costume for sale in one of the shops!
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Trick or Treat Duffy!
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I mentioned this pumpkin in yesterday's entry. It's the one I was able to order using Disney Movie Rewards since returning home.
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The Mickey popcorn tub! So precious!
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Maleficent costume..... I was able to watch this movie on the return flight home and it was much better than I thought it was be. I was anticipating it being very dark but it's really a pretty sweet story.
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Walt's...
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Casey's....
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Gibson Girl....
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The adorable Character pumpkins in the hub...
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The fall themed stage next to the castle...
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This Halloween photo op was set up on the Adventure / Frontierland side of the castle (aka right). My mom spends so much of her free time sewing and quilting so it was perfect for her! This is where Minnie sews Halloween costumes!
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Halloween and Disney are two of my favorites so when they combine I can barely help myself!
 
Happy Halloween! So many great photos! Little ghost Duffy is so cute! And I love that photo-op that your mom took advantage of, such a cute setup :)
 
I'm following along too. Wonderful photographs and I would love to hear more about the rest of your adventures too. Looking forward to more :goodvibes
 
I'm following along too. Wonderful photographs and I would love to hear more about the rest of your adventures too. Looking forward to more :goodvibes

Thanks for joining in, Kizzabel! So nice to have you here!

I noticed in your signature about your 2012 Honeymoon in the Dream Castle. That sounds SO amazing. Did you trip report about that here on the DISboards? I'd love to read about it.
 
When we were waiting in line to meet Minnie a bit earlier in the day we were next to the Storybook Store. My mom was looking at the window displays and told me I'd have to let her hold the place in line while I looked because she knew I'd love them. She was right and I thought I'd share them here, too

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The window displays had a travel theme. There were postmarked destinations on the windows. Some of them were freshly visited places for us like Paris and London....
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London Mickey...
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Mickey in Paris...
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Duffy's story was just outside the store. I imagine Duffy meets here usually but I was glad to see Minnie in her Halloween costume. Duffy in his Halloween costume would have been quite a treat too, though. The story...
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Here is a window display where Minnie gave Duffy to Mickey just before he set sail. I wish it was more clear...
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Swiss Mickey....
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This is one of my favorite Duffy costumes! I should add it to my shopping list for my next trip...
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Inside they sold anything Duffy you might want and they had a great Disney book collection....
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I'm a sucker for a stack of vintage suitcases.... they get me everytime!
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One unique thing about Main Street in the Paris Park is the shopping Arcades. I'm not sure I can describe it but you have Main Street with shops and restaurants on both sides of the street. On the back side of the shops and restaurants on both the right and left sides are Arcades. They have indoor shopping mall type feels to them. They aren't quite as wide as the main street but are still wide and basically open up three walkways / corridors in and out of the parks. AMAZING idea for traffic flow! The also have done them really well so they're fun to walk through. You can get in and out of all of the stores and restaurants that you can from Mainstreet within them, too...

On the left is the Liberty Arcade...
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And on the right is the Discovery Arcade...
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In the Discovery Arcade they were celebrating some of the cities that are in the region of the US that I live in like Washington D.C. and Baltimore. I live in PA but these places are within an hour and a half of where i live. It felt nice that those cities were being thought of over in Disneyland Paris...
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Back out on Main Street.... more windows....
A Paris pin trading lanyard! Love it!
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And Mickey as a Paris street vendor...
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Mom in front of one of the stores on Main Street...
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We made our first pin trades of the day!
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We traded with this cast member while I purchased a Disneyland Paris Autograph book...
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Here is the autograph book...FRONT....
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and back..
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This gives a peek of the 2015 mug and a England, France Mickey mug...
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scrpbookr said:
Thanks for joining in, Kizzabel! So nice to have you here!

I noticed in your signature about your 2012 Honeymoon in the Dream Castle. That sounds SO amazing. Did you trip report about that here on the DISboards? I'd love to read about it.

DC was an October trip but for honeymoon we stayed at HNY. No TR unfortunately as my BIL passed away just after our honeymoon so I hadn't the heart to write one. It was a fabulous honeymoon, we got to see Italy, France and The Netherlands, I'd love to do it all again, maybe for our 10th anniversary; -) DC was lovely too, nice sized rooms and huge beds but I think I rather on site.

Another lovely entry. I love The Storybook Store too, Duffy is the main man with my two kids.
 
Your photos are amazing - love all the details you noticed :) My understanding is that the arcades on either side of Main St were designed as a route in case of poor weather (which there can be a lot of in Paris). We use Liberty arcade as a short cut to Frontierland when we're in the mood for Big Thunder Mountain :goodvibes It's also the start of the 'covered walkway' again designed to help you shelter from the wet weather - I'm sure there's a video on youtube with the route.

Look forward to reading more :)
 
Am also loving your photos scrpbookr. :)

The park looks wonderful in your pics. :cool1:
 
Mom and I were both getting hungry so we stopped in at the Delicatessen on Main Street....
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I had a grilled cheese....
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Mom had a flatbread pizza...
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The restaurant had a vintage general store type feel...
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She loves when I take her picture while she's eating!
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Lucky for me she has to love me no matter what since that's what mom's do!
She was wearing the Tinkerbell and Pixie Dust necklace I made for her before our trip earlier in the year to Disney World...
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The corner deli......
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With our tummy's full we made our way towards the castle and stopped for a couple of pictures...
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Hi, Mom!
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It's such a pretty castle!
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Mom and I were both amused by how these trees were trimmed! Very whimsical!
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I couldn't stop taking castle pics!
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It's lovely inside, too!
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The French title for Sleeping Beauty...
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Exploring the castle...... especially below where there was to be a dragon was something I was looking forward to. We made our way downstairs in the castle...
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We continued to make our way down to the Dragon and entered a cavern...
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Once we found the dragon it was even more impressive than I imagined...
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Dragon missioned accomplished!
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After the scary Dragon I needed to take a happy flower picture!
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