Thanks for all the 'welcome back ' messages - I know it's been said before, but this forum really is remarkable and like nowhere else I've ever experienced. I was explaining to my Dad the other day how the Disney forum brings together people of all ages and backgrounds and how we get on so well and everyone bends over backwards to do what they can to help one another - with all the trouble in the world this forum is a nice retreat into a little slice of happiness!
Right, the trip!!!!
Day 1 - Tuesday 19th July
12.55am - alarm goes off
1.30am - taxi picks us up and takes us to Exeter Coach Station. I have euros split into three different pockets in my trousers and the passports and tickets are in an envelope in a bag that is surgically attached to my shoulder - everything else is expendable, but we really hope the rest makes it to DLRP with us!
2.15am - coach leaves and we are off - London Victoria here we come! Denise sleeps the whole way while I listen to my MP3 player: Une Journee a
Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Paris Audio Press Kit, Disney's Happiest Celebration on Earth and lots of Transvision Vamp - diversity baby! Also manage to read a good 200 pages of Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (the guy who wrote The DaVinci Code).
6.15am - arrive in London Victoria and we are quick off the coach and first, woooo hoooo, in the queue for a taxi which takes us to London Waterloo. Now we wait - only WH Smiths is open so we buy Heat Magazine for Denise and I contemplate buying another book for the way home but decide against it this'll come back to bite me on the bum! At 7am a bar opens so we settle down with a Apple and Melon J20 - in the fast lane already
We go through the gate at about 8am, which seems very early but we are not complaining although more waiting greets us its that much closer to the train which takes us to our beloved DLRP. I proceed to nod on and off as we sit waiting while Denise teases me that Ive been snoring loudly I hadnt!
9.39am we are off! Almost ran down the platform to get on the train yes we have seats booked but the luggage space is limited so those cases practically flew down the platform behind me! No packed lunch first time in 5 (4 standard, 1 Castle Club) trips that we dont get one, must be a new cost-cutting move. I go to the bar and get myself a Caesar Salad and Denise a BLT sandwich. We then doze on and off and for the first time ever I miss going into the tunnel still, the trip goes very quickly and before we know it we have arrived, can I here another woooo hoooo?
1.30pm we are in DLRP, the weather is overcast and we make our way to Hotel Santa Fe on the yellow bus. We then wait in a very long, very slow queue at Hotel Santa Fe as three people ask to see our confirmation details while we wait. When we finally get to the desk after about 45 minutes they ask us whether we want smoking or non smoking a little bit taken aback I say non smoking just as I asked for back in October when we booked! It then hits me that this line is moving so slowly because unlike our other visits no rooms have actually been allocated yet!
2.45pm we have unpacked the essentials and are off to the park there is a flying saucer just outside our building entrance out comes the camera which then becomes part of my left hand for 4 days
The feeling of euphoria as we walk through Disney Village and into the park is just awesome, the weather may not be great but this is still our Disneyland Resort Paris and we love it! As we make our way to Pirates of the Caribbean (always the first port of call) my stomach starts to feel a bit unsettled but I put it down to lack of sleep and carry on. That first ride on Pirates is amazing still my favourite ride in DLRP and I even notice a few changes they have added some beams at the bottom of the waterfall that you ascend near the start!
Other things done on the first day: Le Pays de Contes de Fées they have given the big sign a much needed paint job and we notice two people we never saw before two characters on a little island with what look like horses bottom halves any ideas? (I took a photo in the Fantasyland section!). Phantom Manor one of our absolute favourites and so much better since the re-vamp last Spring managed to take some photos which was a first, quiet enough that I could take photos without annoying people.
Thats all we did on the first afternoon three rides! We always spend the first day just wondering out taking in the atmosphere and revelling in the glory of the park plus theres always a few shops to check out and the new themeing to admire. We head back to the hotel at about 5.30pm to get ready to come back to the park for the parade and then dinner. Back at the hotel my stomach is feeling none to good but we get ready regardless and go to watch the Wonderful World of Disney Parade we get to hear Dancin' (a Catchy Rhythm) in the park once again first time since 2002 and we love it! Managed to get in a good position just as the parade starts near Main St Station.
Next stop is King Ludwigs Castle where I decide that Traditional Leberkäse followed by Oktoberfest Chicken is the best way to sort out my stomach food is delicious as usual and we polish that off then head back to the park for an evening ride on Pirates of the Caribbean and to pick up the four soft toys Denise had seen earlier Pirate Mickey with Parrot, Pirate Mickey with Captain hook Hand, Pirate Goofy and Pirate Donald plus a Pirates of the Caribbean Mug all essential purchases Denise insists!
10.15pm we are in position to watch Fantillusion near the path that goes off to Frontierland our usual vantage point! I dont bother taking photos as they either never come out or a child has appeared on a Dads shoulders and in my photo by the time I click the button! We just watch and enjoy good stuff. We the make our way into the Central Plaza and manage to get a position right in front of the Wishes display and in brilliant view of the castle. Wishes was one of our defining DLRP moments and we both found it equally amazing and moving the fireworks and the music fit so well together and the lasers coming from the castle and being projected into the castle are superb. By this point we are both exhausted and head back to the hotel tired but accomplished, my stomach still not great.
Day 2 Wednesday 20th July 2005
6.30am I awake with my stomach giving me more discomfort then I when I went to bed. Being somewhat of a worrier we end up calling the doc out who without going into detail, puts my mind at rest and gives me a prescription for three things one is paracetamol but luckily we have that covered ourselves. He says to wait till 9am to order anything from reception as the rates are cheaper then I found that most pleasant as youd expect to be encouraged to spend spend spend! His call out fee was 80,00 so it wasnt so cheap so far anyway that said piece of mind is priceless and at when he gave me a form and told me about claiming back the money back on the UK I thought back to the wonderful people on this forum who had given me E111 advice the week before we left thank you all so much.
9.45am after breakfast for Denise we decided to go to Disney Studios, I had chosen not to order any medications yet and to see how it goes. In the Studios Park we went straight to Moteurs Action! For the 10.30am show. Great show as usual which actually contained a first for us a crash! Near the start one of the black cars hit the wall instead of taking one of the tight exits in the left! They covered this up doing a second take, which was handled very well, and we were very impressed. As the rain started to come down we decided to head back to the hotel and order the meds.
12pm-3.15pm Denise slept while I read and we waited for the medication to be delivered 2 hours they said and that we would be informed by phone or they'd leave a message if we weren't there! We decided to head off to the park and sort this out later but I was quite surprised that Denise had slept that whole time in the hotel room but gave it no more thought.
Back to Studios and then head off to Studios again where we do the lot well, everything we want to do you still wont get me on Rock n Roller Coaster even though I love Aerosmith! Animagique and Cinemagique are both brilliant as usual one lady behind us got most irate at the rude man at the start of Cinemagique most amusing for us job well done Disney! Denise, despite being ill, soldiered on and was determined; like me the days before, that we would still have fun, and we did. We almost left Disney Studios without going on probably my favourite Studios attraction the Studio Tran Tour I got particularly wet from the floods on this trip but loved it all the same.
8pm After collecting my meds (no message on our phone by the way but it was only only 19 with collection fee I was pleasantly surprised!) we had dinner in the hotel. Denise had Swordfish Tacos and I went for a nice stomach friendly salad lots of lettuce and melon! The food was very good and by this time I thought my stomach may be feeling just a little bit better or I was I just hoping? Back in the park after dinner for more Pirates of the Caribbean awesomeness. We did a few more rides, cant really remember which ones! Star Tours was one, which is a special treat for me being such a Star Wars geek but not one of Denises faves due to the violent motions! Theyve turned the exit area of Star Tours into a video games arcade not impressed theres a big one of those nearby already! W even caught the parade again from afar. We did a little bit of shopping but then headed back at about 11pm as Denise had a sore throat oh no, I knew there was something strange about her sleeping in the afternoon! We could hear but not see Wishes as we walked away from the park. Bed!
Day 3 Thursday 21st July
7.30am - I wake up feeling a lot better and Denises throat has gotten worse we both have breakfast this time.
9.45am - we decide that due to timing I will go to the park and queue for tickets to The Lion King while Denise goes to Disney Village to change some clothes that wed bought in the wrong size. So, I take the bus to Disney Village while Denise goes to the hotel room for the clothes we are to meet in the queuing area outside Videopolis. The bus has just left Hotel Santa Fe when I remember that I have both the Park Passports in my wallet oh no! I wait at the bus stop as three more buses arrive from Santa Fe no Denise. I wonder whether she has chosen to walk and maybe I should try to meet her in Disney Village? Just as I am walking away I notice another Santa Fe bus so run back just in case! Yep Denise is on it and steps off blissfully unaware that she had no way of getting into the park still, she welcomes my worried cuddle and off we go! I am about 10th in the queue and as Denise goes off to get me a drink they open up the official queuing area and then say only one family member may queue so, an hour later I get my drink, but also tickets to the 2.15pm showing of The Lion King!
Sun!!!! Forgot to mention the sun decided to come out on Thursday and we spent the day in glorious sunshine woooo hoooo!
12pm time for Tarzan The Encounter which is my favourite show in the park and didnt fail to impress me once again. I adore the music and the show uses that music so well this needs to be made into a West End show.
2.15pm The Legend of The Lion King! Last summer I was a bit apathetic toward this show as I had just seen the West End version and didnt think it compared too well. Just goes to show what good seats can do as we both adored the show this time round maybe not watching the show directly after a 2 and a half our wait in the sun like last year helped.
3pm we blitzed the park in the afternoon; Pirates of the Caribben again, it's a small world, Casey Jr. - Le Petit Train du Cirque, La Cabane des Robinson, Adventure Isle and whole there we wondered what had happened to the Peter Pan show on Captain Hook's Pirate Ship that was a lot of fun last year.
7pm had a drink in the hotel bar where we heard some great dance mixes of classic Disney tunes Ive since found the CD and will be buying this soon! Dinner in the hotel again rice and chicken for me stomach is still delicate! Spaghetti and meatballs for Denise though her appetite is fading poor thing.
Back in the park and its Pirates of the Caribbean once again plus more Star Tours and we finish the evening watching the parade from a bench and then standing on very tired legs to watch Wishes again spectacular! Im hoping the new CD will have both Wishes and Fantillusion on no Une Journee a Disneyland Paris CDs by the way the new CD must be just round the corner! We get the bus back and sleep, very well!
Day 4 Friday 22nd July
Denise isnt doing too well this morning and a full blown cold seems to be coming on. We pack and get our cases off to the baggage room and then head off to the park. We see Tarzan again, Pirates of the Caribbean three times and lunch at our favourite Hot Dog joint Caseys Corner the first meal where I have what I want since the first night!
This last day sees some sun and some clouds but we spend the day ambling around and not wanting to go home Denise feels that DLRP is the perfect place to recover! We start talking about coming back for Christmas and a big week long stay next summer hoping at the same time that our numbers have come up in the lottery! We finish off with a train ride round the park and then head off to Disney Village for a drink and some last minute shopping before going to the train station bye Disneyland Resort Paris well see you again soon!
7pm theres a problem with the train so we end up going to a station in Paris where the train starts going the other way! We end up getting to London Waterloo 45 minutes late but as our coach is not till 11.30pm we have plenty of time anyway. Nobody on the passport control gates at waterloo thats encouraging! We head off to London Victoria by Taxi and then have a couple of drinks in a pub while we wait.
11.30pm coach leaves and we are off to Exeter with a coach load of loud teenagers this should be fun!
2.30am we have just left Heathrow after a 2 hour stop thanks to a valve problem on one of the tyres!
5.30am we arrive back in Exeter and the coach driver breaks the handle off our big suitcase because he tried to pull it without lifting off the suitcases on top of it National Express will be getting a letter!
6am back home and Denise goes to bed while I play with photos on my PC!
All in all it was quite an up and down holiday with a few unforeseen and unwelcome happenings but overall we thoroughly enjoyed it and love the pace just as much as before. We bought home about 5 extra maps from the main park so if anyone wants one give me a shout and I will send you one.
Theres no doubt a zillion things I forgot to mention and Ill add them as I remember them! Right now Ive been going for 38 hours and Im in zombie mode so its probably time to sign off and head to bed see you all later.
, can't wait to sit and go through the photos.........................sorry the weather let you down and too worried to ask about the E111s...........I am hoping you still enjoyed your break despite any unfortunate events.
Thank you for a wonderful report!! 
