OK, heres a quick (?) trip report from DLP last weekend (Feb 23 and 24) which went down very well with all concerned
Left from Ashford on the Eurostar right on the dot of 10.27am. And yet again I am convinced this is the perfect mode of transport (especially as Ashford is only a 40-minute drive away for us
). The ease of parking, the short walk into the terminal (all under cover), the relaxed departure lounge and the efficient service all add up to a wonderfully stress-free start to the trip. If only all train journeys could be like this
..Eurostar also provide Disney kids packs, which went down very well with our 6 and 4-year-old. Very happy families at the outset.
We were travelling Castle Class and this is well worth the upgrade, IMHO (extra £40 per person). The huge amount of space (with a table between the four of us), comfy seats and more relaxed style mean you barely notice the journey whiz by. The stewardess also comes round with boxed meals for everyone, and the food is a big improvement on our previous Eurostar experience. Fresh rolls, fruit, a drink, cereal bar and chocolate are to everyones satisfaction. OK, its not fancy, but it is tasty and filling, and both boys are more than happy, which means happy parents.
Before we know it, the train is pulling in to Marne-la-Vallee Chessy and its off to the hotel (were not doing the Disney Express baggage service because I need to check in at the Sequoia Lodge to get our park tickets). Were first to check in, our room is ready and we can just drop our bags and go, and we are able to book the Good Morning Fantasyland Breakfast for the next day (is this going like a dream, or what!). We opt to walk to the WDS, and were there shortly after 2.30pm and straight on to the Flying Carpets with a 5min wait! The 3.15 Stunt Show is already full by 3.10, so we hightail it back to Animagique. Then we go straight in to the Art of Animation before wandering back to the Stung Show just after 4.30 for the 5pm performance. They must have had a few scrapes or injuries since I was last here, because virtually everywhere is plastered with horrible-looking black-plastic padding (bales of straw in large bin bags, it looks like!). Happily, it doesnt affect the show (although it does spoil the look of the clever scenery), and this is still, for my money, one of the greatest attractions Disney have put together. The opening Car Ballet sequence is simply stunning and makes your jaw drop in amazement more than once at the precise co-ordination and skill involved.
After filing out shortly after 5.30, its time to head on over to the Disneyland Park for the final couple of hours. We just manage to catch the Jungle Boogie Party on the Central Plaza stage (quite amusing, although it doesnt really keep the boys attention) before we head for a bite to eat. Colonel Hathis is one of the few eateries left open, so its pizza for us and pasta for the boys (which goes down well), all for 30euros (a bit steep, I felt). Then we head back to Central Plaza to catch the final Carnival Parade of the day. Now, were sat mid-way between the stage and the top of Main Street in what looks perfect position to see the interaction between the musicians on stage and the parade as it comes up Main Street. Wrong! The parade (actually, its just the old Main Street fire engine, with a bit of camouflage, carrying Baloo and King Louie, with half a dozen characters and about a dozen dancers coming along behind) turns sharp right by the Gibson Bake Shop and leaves us in the lurch, unable to see! Ho hum, well get it right next time (we think!). Finally, its the Main Street Electrical Parade (find a good spot at the back of the seats for the Winnie the Pooh theatre) and almost certainly our last look at this eye-popping spectacular which we first saw in Disneyland in 1987.
Disney Village is good for half an hours idle wandering before we head back to the Lodge (sadly, with the boys ready for bed, theres no time to visit the Redwood Bar one of the best drinking spots in the whole resort, methinks!).
Next morning, we are all up at 7.15, packed and ready to go by 8. For 4 euros I can check our one main bag in to the hotels Disney Express luggage service (SO handy), and we catch the bus to the park. Main Street is practically empty, the sun is shining and the Castle is picture perfect. Looks like being a beautiful day.
We are actually early for brekkie (were booked at 8.45) but they are happy to admit us at 8.30, and it is the standard continental fare from the hotels, just shifted to Chalet Au Marionnette. It quickly gets quite busy, but we are all done and dusted in half an hour and our timing is just perfect to walk out and straight on to Peter Pan at 9am. This Fantasyland Breakfast really is a GREAT little extra as we manage to do Peter Pan, Dumbo and Snow White all without a wait, and, by 10am, we have added Pinocchio and Its A Small World too. Unfortunately, Casey Junior and the Storybook boat ride are both down for rehab, which ends our interest in Fantasyland for now (but not before we grab a FP for Peter Pan again later!).
The rest of the day is a mixture of criss-crossing the park for shows/parades and the occasional ride. Pirates of the Caribbean is top ride today (three times for oldest boy just one for youngest!), followed by Phantom Manor (2) and Peter Pan (2). We also explore Skull Rock and Pirates Beach, plus the slow walk round Les Cabanes des Robinson (which leaves both boys pretty non-plussed), and go on to take in Mickeys Winter Wonderland and the Jungle Tam-Tams (part of the Jungle Book Carnival just like the Jungle Party Boogie, but without characters). At 1.30 we settle down on the kerb by the Gibson Bake Shop for the Jungle Book Parade and it goes right past up to the Central Plaza stage this time! However, the boys are not over-impressed with this offering, and I have to say it is one of the weakest parade efforts I have seen from Disney. This is NOT guaranteed, IMHO, to bring anyone in as an attraction in its own right, although it is a nice little extra if you are there. The Jazz Musicians on the Town Square stage are also a bit of an afterthought.
Lunch was at Fuente del Oro in Frontierland (good chilli con carne), and oldest boy was keen to see the Wonderful World of Disney Parade at 4pm (waited by the Liberty Arcade side of Town Square excellent view), while the youngest did Phantom Manor again (go figure!). Grabbed a quick bite at the Hyperion Café later on (pretty ordinary) after the longest queue of the day (35 minutes for Star Tours), and this ride seems to leave the biggest impression on youngest son (hes diving and swooping all over the place afterwards!) even though weve done it before. Finally, at 6.15, its time to start a slow wander back to the station. One last ironic twist as weve mis-fired on catching the Jungle Book Parade twice, it stands to reason it will be coming up Main Street as we leave! Still not impressed.
Back at Marne-la-Vallee Chessy, there is a l-o-n-g queue at the Eurostar level to go through security, but the Disney Express service is spot on and we are aboard the train by 7.10pm and enjoying even more space in Castle Class (only two other families in the carriage). Very soon we are swishing our way back to Blighty (with more boxed meals!) and the return to Ashford is as smooth as the journey out. With one very sleepy boy (the oldest, surprisingly) we are finally home at 9.30pm. The smoothest of trips, all in all. We managed to do a lot in quite a short space of time (thanks in large part to the weather just superb for February, bright and sunny, with people sitting outside many eateries), but obviously missed out most of Disney Village, at least half of the Studios and paid very little attention to the hotel (one of my faves in the winter). We didnt spend too much and we didnt tire ourselves out. Mission very much accomplished, methinks.
Left from Ashford on the Eurostar right on the dot of 10.27am. And yet again I am convinced this is the perfect mode of transport (especially as Ashford is only a 40-minute drive away for us
). The ease of parking, the short walk into the terminal (all under cover), the relaxed departure lounge and the efficient service all add up to a wonderfully stress-free start to the trip. If only all train journeys could be like this
..Eurostar also provide Disney kids packs, which went down very well with our 6 and 4-year-old. Very happy families at the outset.We were travelling Castle Class and this is well worth the upgrade, IMHO (extra £40 per person). The huge amount of space (with a table between the four of us), comfy seats and more relaxed style mean you barely notice the journey whiz by. The stewardess also comes round with boxed meals for everyone, and the food is a big improvement on our previous Eurostar experience. Fresh rolls, fruit, a drink, cereal bar and chocolate are to everyones satisfaction. OK, its not fancy, but it is tasty and filling, and both boys are more than happy, which means happy parents.
Before we know it, the train is pulling in to Marne-la-Vallee Chessy and its off to the hotel (were not doing the Disney Express baggage service because I need to check in at the Sequoia Lodge to get our park tickets). Were first to check in, our room is ready and we can just drop our bags and go, and we are able to book the Good Morning Fantasyland Breakfast for the next day (is this going like a dream, or what!). We opt to walk to the WDS, and were there shortly after 2.30pm and straight on to the Flying Carpets with a 5min wait! The 3.15 Stunt Show is already full by 3.10, so we hightail it back to Animagique. Then we go straight in to the Art of Animation before wandering back to the Stung Show just after 4.30 for the 5pm performance. They must have had a few scrapes or injuries since I was last here, because virtually everywhere is plastered with horrible-looking black-plastic padding (bales of straw in large bin bags, it looks like!). Happily, it doesnt affect the show (although it does spoil the look of the clever scenery), and this is still, for my money, one of the greatest attractions Disney have put together. The opening Car Ballet sequence is simply stunning and makes your jaw drop in amazement more than once at the precise co-ordination and skill involved.
After filing out shortly after 5.30, its time to head on over to the Disneyland Park for the final couple of hours. We just manage to catch the Jungle Boogie Party on the Central Plaza stage (quite amusing, although it doesnt really keep the boys attention) before we head for a bite to eat. Colonel Hathis is one of the few eateries left open, so its pizza for us and pasta for the boys (which goes down well), all for 30euros (a bit steep, I felt). Then we head back to Central Plaza to catch the final Carnival Parade of the day. Now, were sat mid-way between the stage and the top of Main Street in what looks perfect position to see the interaction between the musicians on stage and the parade as it comes up Main Street. Wrong! The parade (actually, its just the old Main Street fire engine, with a bit of camouflage, carrying Baloo and King Louie, with half a dozen characters and about a dozen dancers coming along behind) turns sharp right by the Gibson Bake Shop and leaves us in the lurch, unable to see! Ho hum, well get it right next time (we think!). Finally, its the Main Street Electrical Parade (find a good spot at the back of the seats for the Winnie the Pooh theatre) and almost certainly our last look at this eye-popping spectacular which we first saw in Disneyland in 1987.
Disney Village is good for half an hours idle wandering before we head back to the Lodge (sadly, with the boys ready for bed, theres no time to visit the Redwood Bar one of the best drinking spots in the whole resort, methinks!).
Next morning, we are all up at 7.15, packed and ready to go by 8. For 4 euros I can check our one main bag in to the hotels Disney Express luggage service (SO handy), and we catch the bus to the park. Main Street is practically empty, the sun is shining and the Castle is picture perfect. Looks like being a beautiful day.
We are actually early for brekkie (were booked at 8.45) but they are happy to admit us at 8.30, and it is the standard continental fare from the hotels, just shifted to Chalet Au Marionnette. It quickly gets quite busy, but we are all done and dusted in half an hour and our timing is just perfect to walk out and straight on to Peter Pan at 9am. This Fantasyland Breakfast really is a GREAT little extra as we manage to do Peter Pan, Dumbo and Snow White all without a wait, and, by 10am, we have added Pinocchio and Its A Small World too. Unfortunately, Casey Junior and the Storybook boat ride are both down for rehab, which ends our interest in Fantasyland for now (but not before we grab a FP for Peter Pan again later!).
The rest of the day is a mixture of criss-crossing the park for shows/parades and the occasional ride. Pirates of the Caribbean is top ride today (three times for oldest boy just one for youngest!), followed by Phantom Manor (2) and Peter Pan (2). We also explore Skull Rock and Pirates Beach, plus the slow walk round Les Cabanes des Robinson (which leaves both boys pretty non-plussed), and go on to take in Mickeys Winter Wonderland and the Jungle Tam-Tams (part of the Jungle Book Carnival just like the Jungle Party Boogie, but without characters). At 1.30 we settle down on the kerb by the Gibson Bake Shop for the Jungle Book Parade and it goes right past up to the Central Plaza stage this time! However, the boys are not over-impressed with this offering, and I have to say it is one of the weakest parade efforts I have seen from Disney. This is NOT guaranteed, IMHO, to bring anyone in as an attraction in its own right, although it is a nice little extra if you are there. The Jazz Musicians on the Town Square stage are also a bit of an afterthought.
Lunch was at Fuente del Oro in Frontierland (good chilli con carne), and oldest boy was keen to see the Wonderful World of Disney Parade at 4pm (waited by the Liberty Arcade side of Town Square excellent view), while the youngest did Phantom Manor again (go figure!). Grabbed a quick bite at the Hyperion Café later on (pretty ordinary) after the longest queue of the day (35 minutes for Star Tours), and this ride seems to leave the biggest impression on youngest son (hes diving and swooping all over the place afterwards!) even though weve done it before. Finally, at 6.15, its time to start a slow wander back to the station. One last ironic twist as weve mis-fired on catching the Jungle Book Parade twice, it stands to reason it will be coming up Main Street as we leave! Still not impressed.
Back at Marne-la-Vallee Chessy, there is a l-o-n-g queue at the Eurostar level to go through security, but the Disney Express service is spot on and we are aboard the train by 7.10pm and enjoying even more space in Castle Class (only two other families in the carriage). Very soon we are swishing our way back to Blighty (with more boxed meals!) and the return to Ashford is as smooth as the journey out. With one very sleepy boy (the oldest, surprisingly) we are finally home at 9.30pm. The smoothest of trips, all in all. We managed to do a lot in quite a short space of time (thanks in large part to the weather just superb for February, bright and sunny, with people sitting outside many eateries), but obviously missed out most of Disney Village, at least half of the Studios and paid very little attention to the hotel (one of my faves in the winter). We didnt spend too much and we didnt tire ourselves out. Mission very much accomplished, methinks.
