Disneyland Paris
Trip Start Aug 20, 2007 Trip End Feb 04, 2008
At around 9:00 Richard, James and Emma headed off to the supermarket to get "a picnic lunch", leaving Carleen at home to organise everything else. Little did Carleen know that they were secretly plotting an adventure in Disneyland. The kids were sworn to secrecy, but a little over 20 minutes into the trip it got the better of Emma and she started singing "We're going to Disneyland. We're going to Disneyland" and joyously waving here hands around in the air. Carleen (sitting just in front of Emma) was completely oblivious though and we managed to get all the way to the first motorway sign with Mickey on it, before she had any idea where we were going.
We arrived a little later than it should have taken though due to Richard's map reading abilities - one glance and he knows exactly where he is going - "after all he does have a degree in geography". Yeah Right! (Thanks for that Carleen.)
By the time we finally get there (only about 15 minutes later than we should have, and we did have a lovely tour of Meaux, the home town of some pretty awesome Brie) it is around 11:10 and the carparks are almost full. It takes until almost 12:00 to get through the gates and then we head straight for the Annual Pass Office to get our IDs. You see, we couldn't resist the deal that meant we only had to pay another Euro33 (Euro89 in total) above the day pass price to get in on 300 of the next 365 days. I am pretty sure that Carleen and I were way more excited by this prospect than either of the kids. :-)
We proceed cautiously through to Fantasyland, as it is best for young kids and ease ourselves into things by doing the Alice in Wonderland maze - a gentle start before heading for more adventurous things.
The overwhelming impression I have is of just the sheer number of people! Queues form at the most popular rides that can be 90-120 minutes long and the pathways are just a mass of humanity. People of all ages, social strata and nationality are there and all are doing one primary thing - SPENDING MONEY! It is astounding how much money is changing hands. Main Street USA is just one long themed shopping mall selling every kind of Disney product and service imaginable - for goodness sake, you can even get your hair cut at an "authentic" barber's shop! It is clearly not high season and I hate to imagine what it would be like when it is busy but, despite the people and the queues, I am astounded how much I get totally swept up by it all. I know its all a total fake and just a way to fleece as many people of as much money as possible, but there is genuninely something entertaining (perhaps even special) about the Disney experience. With only a few exceptions, everyone in the park is happy and there are smiles from everyone from a tattooed, over-pierced 30-something women with bright red hair to teenagers who should be at home playing playstation and toddlers who have no concept of who Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck are. IT'S TRULY BIZZARE!
In the words of Disney, we have a "magical" day, the weather is fantastic, the kids are perfect angels and a great time was had by all. I will let the pictures and video tell the story of the rides, etc.
We arrived a little later than it should have taken though due to Richard's map reading abilities - one glance and he knows exactly where he is going - "after all he does have a degree in geography". Yeah Right! (Thanks for that Carleen.)
By the time we finally get there (only about 15 minutes later than we should have, and we did have a lovely tour of Meaux, the home town of some pretty awesome Brie) it is around 11:10 and the carparks are almost full. It takes until almost 12:00 to get through the gates and then we head straight for the Annual Pass Office to get our IDs. You see, we couldn't resist the deal that meant we only had to pay another Euro33 (Euro89 in total) above the day pass price to get in on 300 of the next 365 days. I am pretty sure that Carleen and I were way more excited by this prospect than either of the kids. :-)
We proceed cautiously through to Fantasyland, as it is best for young kids and ease ourselves into things by doing the Alice in Wonderland maze - a gentle start before heading for more adventurous things.
The overwhelming impression I have is of just the sheer number of people! Queues form at the most popular rides that can be 90-120 minutes long and the pathways are just a mass of humanity. People of all ages, social strata and nationality are there and all are doing one primary thing - SPENDING MONEY! It is astounding how much money is changing hands. Main Street USA is just one long themed shopping mall selling every kind of Disney product and service imaginable - for goodness sake, you can even get your hair cut at an "authentic" barber's shop! It is clearly not high season and I hate to imagine what it would be like when it is busy but, despite the people and the queues, I am astounded how much I get totally swept up by it all. I know its all a total fake and just a way to fleece as many people of as much money as possible, but there is genuninely something entertaining (perhaps even special) about the Disney experience. With only a few exceptions, everyone in the park is happy and there are smiles from everyone from a tattooed, over-pierced 30-something women with bright red hair to teenagers who should be at home playing playstation and toddlers who have no concept of who Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck are. IT'S TRULY BIZZARE!
In the words of Disney, we have a "magical" day, the weather is fantastic, the kids are perfect angels and a great time was had by all. I will let the pictures and video tell the story of the rides, etc.
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