25th Anniversary Trip Report

[AndyS2992]

I forgot to mention this, but anyone looking for a low cost breakfast can get a sandwhich and coffee at Earl of Sandwich for 5 Euro, which I think is the best food deal on property. Didn't try it because I already had breakfast included with the room, but you may want to make a note of it for a future trip.

Thanks for the tip. Food at Disneyland is so expensive and over priced that we really had no other choice but go to McDonald's at Disney Village every day lol I don't care how hungry I am, I ain't paying those Disney prices.

 

[douglasrickard]

Great reports! Does the Premium Meal Plan voucher cover the whole cost of a dinner at Walt's? Is that what you did?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Great reports! Does the Premium Meal Plan voucher cover the whole cost of a dinner at Walt's? Is that what you did?

There's a 3-course menu you order from with the Premium meal plan, with choices for each part. I don't think it includes a drink (alcoholic or not).

I was on the Standard meal plan and paid the difference for another set menu.

 

[Songbird76]

- Newport By Club looks beautiful. This was my first time seeing the inside since the renovation, and it's a major improvement. I know Disneyland Hotel is also beautiful and closer to the parks, but I feel like this is the place to stay at DLP when you consider price and amenities

- Cafe Mickey is now just sitting empty in Disney Village since the characters have moved to Plaza Gardens. Hopefully this will be fixed soon

- There are now two sets of 12" x 18" attraction posters for sale in the parks. The new set comes with the updated Star Tours and other rides

- RnRC is definately better in DLP. Instead of plywood glow-in-the-dark cutouts they have lighting rigs that change colour depending upon which song is played. Looks cool in person. Pre-show is almost non-existant though. Like not even 30 seconds long. But the ride really bangs your head around. Whatever new trains SM is getting, this needs them too

- Mickey and the Magician is the best new thing at DLP. Even if it plays like a "best of Disney Broadway" show, the acts and effects are top notch. If you're only going for one day and are on the fence about getting a hopper ticket, it's worth it for this one show alone

- Single Rider at Crush doesn't shorten the wait that much, but it's nice to have

- Resturant des Stars was a surprisingly decent buffet. Interior is...plain (to put it one way), but the selection was good.

- ToT gift shop had almost no ToT merch

- The Studio Tram Tour is 80% worthless, but it was great to see Catastrophe Canyon with all its effects working. It still gets a reaction from the crowds almost 30 years after debuting in Florida

- The friend of Spider-Man I met was great! Had the voice and attitude for the character down perfectly. If they want to load up this park with Marvel stuff I'm all for it, so long as it doesn't come at the expense of ToT

Is there anywhere you would suggest we DON'T eat? We are headed there in October and my son is a really picky eater. Our package includes a lunch or dinner at a buffet or similar restaurant for each night. The menus online don't actually tell you about the food so I was watching youtube walkthroughs, but it's hard to see what everything is.

 

[Songbird76]

Enjoying your impressions and thoughts on your recent visit, as Disneyland Paris has been on my mind recently.
I've been looking into maybe making a trip over to experience it for myself after years of reading about it and watching from afar.
Just the other day I went as far as to price out a trip, and was surprised to discover it is not at all that much more then what I currently pay out for trips to California.
Any tips for a first timer such as myself..?

I'm looking forward to your photos.
DLP does indeed seem to live up to it's title of being the 'most beautiful' of all the Disney Theme Parks.
Would like to experience it for myself someday.



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Go through the UK disney site....you get better deals.

 

[Songbird76]

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Disneyland Parc

Good:

- Many rides look brand new! Star Tours, Small World, Big Thunder Mountain, Storybookland, it's a BIG difference from only a couple years ago. Other buildings like Ribbions & Bows, Fort Comstock, Main St. station, the river in Fantasyland, also look fresh and colourful. The pool the Nautilus sits in is so clean it's like a swimming pool (probably more so than some hotels). I never knew the chimneys in Peter Pan's load area blew smoke

- Fresh flowers were being planted everywhere. This always happens this time, but it's nice to be there when it does. Magnolia (or similar) trees where also in bloom

- Cast was unfiormly nice. No "typical" rude CMs in my experience

- Fantasia Gardens now has its own music loop

- Gysers in Frontierland!

- Park announcements now specifically mentioning smoking areas and to only do so in them

- New(ish) Mickey meet and greet in Fantasyland is actually really well done. line is in a great looking movie theatre with cartoon clips


Bad:

- Some effects not working, off the top of my head: third lift smoke blast on BTMRR, some pop up figures and the jumping fountains in the Aice maze, some stiff catacomb skeletons in Phantom Manor, Squid mostly static in Nautilus and no iris window effect

- Pirate Ship closed off to guests

- Carousel horses, Orbitron and Dumbo cars could all do with some sanding and painting

- No music or narration on RR (mybe just my train?)

- Why is the Main St. ice cream shop only open on weekends? Seems like it would always be popular


Ugly:

- Mad Hatter's Tea Cups. Can barely spin them, looks flithy, in dire need of new paint, lanterns, very ghetto looking. Should have been addressed before the 25th. Stands out more because of how nice everything else is

If I remember correctly, the tea cups are scheduled for refurbishment in like...September? I was looking at the closing list for when we're there and I think that was one that was going to be closed.

 

[AndyS2992]

If I remember correctly, the tea cups are scheduled for refurbishment in like...September? I was looking at the closing list for when we're there and I think that was one that was going to be closed.

The Tea cups are not scheduled for a refurb until April 2018 and will stay closed through to June. Quite a while away yet.
http://holidays.disneylandparis.co.uk/eep.html

 

[Songbird76]

Bear in mind that Halloween week is Fall break in many countries so the parks are much more crowded. If you only want to experience the Halloween decorations, go in early October - the weather will be warmer and school holidays won't have started.

Is it really super busy during fall break? I live in the Netherlands and our kids have break the 3rd weekend in October, so that's when we're going.

 

[Songbird76]

I don't know if it's something related to Europe but I noticed a complete disrespect for rules in DLP. People smoke everywhere! People use selfie sticks everywhere even though you read signs all around that it's not allowed. Some guests were eating chips on the Riverboat. One cast member approached them and politely said no eating on the rides. The guests got really rude and started talking back to the CM, instead of just putting the chips away. I was quite astonished by all of this.

Are you allowed to bring your own food into the parks? I know you can in WDW, but in the Netherlands, parks and museums all forbid outside food and I think it's pretty much the same throughout Europe, so I was wondering about the Disney parks. We're driving, so we'll be able to bring all the food we want in the car and not have to worry about weight limits for luggage or space concerns. 4 days we'll be able to pack all our clothes into one bag, so we'll have room for food. But if it's not allowed, I won't bother.

 

[Songbird76]

The Tea cups are not scheduled for a refurb until April 2018 and will stay closed through to June. Quite a while away yet.
http://holidays.disneylandparis.co.uk/eep.html

Oh you're right. I knew I had seen it on the schedule, but I thought it was while I was going to be there. That's not one I care about...I'm happy that it looks like the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Phantom Manor will both be open when we go. I panicked a bit when I saw that Phantom Manor was scheduled to be closed, but then I saw it said Starting in January 2018 and Pirates is supposed to open back up in July. Those are 2 of my favorites.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Is there anywhere you would suggest we DON'T eat? We are headed there in October and my son is a really picky eater. Our package includes a lunch or dinner at a buffet or similar restaurant for each night. The menus online don't actually tell you about the food so I was watching youtube walkthroughs, but it's hard to see what everything is.

Picky eaters should be fine at any of the buffets, since there's lots to choose from. There's a bit of everything (meat, fish, pasta etc) and a seperate spot for "kids food".

 

[dave&di]

Are you allowed to bring your own food into the parks? I know you can in WDW, but in the Netherlands, parks and museums all forbid outside food and I think it's pretty much the same throughout Europe, so I was wondering about the Disney parks. We're driving, so we'll be able to bring all the food we want in the car and not have to worry about weight limits for luggage or space concerns. 4 days we'll be able to pack all our clothes into one bag, so we'll have room for food. But if it's not allowed, I won't bother.

We were there for the 25th celebrations, you are allowed to take your own food in.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

@Animaniac93-98 is Phantom Manor in really bad shape? Bad enough to warrant putting off a trip until after its 2018 refurb?

 

[BrianLo]

@Animaniac93-98 is Phantom Manor in really bad shape? Bad enough to warrant putting off a trip until after its 2018 refurb?

I'm not enough of a Phantom Manor groupie to know, but nothing struck me as blantantly broken. Nothing was static. So no, wouldn't make sense to hold off for that. I figure the anniversaries and post rehab is the best the place will be with the potential for things to start back sliding the further out from the major refurbs.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

@Animaniac93-98 is Phantom Manor in really bad shape? Bad enough to warrant putting off a trip until after its 2018 refurb?

Nothing's broken or absent, it's just not as smooth or modern as I'd like it. I'm not big on the rear-projected Leota, or the fact that some rooms are too dark too see much of their detail, even if your eyes have adjusted to the reduced lighting.

I'm thinking of going back for November 2018 anyway, which will give me a chance to see Pirates, SM, Phantom Manor (and apparently) the teacups post refurb. Xmas at DLP is something worth seeing IMO.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I did have an amazing experience with PM on the last night of my trip. I waited on the front porch to see if I could be among the last to enter the attraction for the day. When the CM found out, he closed the doors behind him, leaving just myself and him in the foyer. As I made my way through, I found all other guests had been cleared out, so I had the whole thing to myself. It's actually shocking how much clearer it is to hear all the sound FX and music cues when there's no one else in there. I also had the chance to briefly chat with the closing CMs about the ride and that was nice too. While I still don't like PM as much as WDW's Mansion, that ride through was probably one of the best things thats ever happened to me at a Disney theme park.

It also would have been a good time to record the whole thing, but I'm no @marni1971

 

[douglasrickard]

I did have an amazing experience with PM on the last night of my trip. I waited on the front porch to see if I could be among the last to enter the attraction for the day. When the CM found out, he closed the doors behind him, leaving just myself and him in the foyer. As I made my way through, I found all other guests had been cleared out, so I had the whole thing to myself. It's actually shocking how much clearer it is to hear all the sound FX and music cues when there's no one else in there. I also had the chance to briefly chat with the closing CMs about the ride and that was nice too. While I still don't like PM as much as WDW's Mansion, that ride through was probably one of the best things thats ever happened to me at a Disney theme park.

It also would have been a good time to record the whole thing, but I'm no @marni1971

I love The Haunted Mansion so much more than PM. I would have liked to have lingered and looked at those portraits in the hall of PM a little longer last time, but we were in the front of the group. I can imagine it must have been really atmospheric if not creepy being the only guest.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Thanks for the great trip report!

I am thinking of booking a few nights at the Cheyenne next month, so I was just wondering if the refurbishments of the rooms seem more or less finished at this point? I stayed at the Hotel Santa Fe after it was refurbished and found the quality of the rooms very good, so I'd be happy for something similar at Cheyenne. Also stayed at the Sequoia last year and really liked it a lot, but would like to try somewhere different. The other realistic option in terms of cost is Hotel New York, but my impression is that it is on the verge of a refurbishment so probably one of the more worn down hotels right now.

Any advice or thoughts you (or anyone) can offer will be gratefully received!

 

[douglasrickard]

Thanks for the great trip report!

I am thinking of booking a few nights at the Cheyenne next month, so I was just wondering if the refurbishments of the rooms seem more or less finished at this point? I stayed at the Hotel Santa Fe after it was refurbished and found the quality of the rooms very good, so I'd be happy for something similar at Cheyenne. Also stayed at the Sequoia last year and really liked it a lot, but would like to try somewhere different. The other realistic option in terms of cost is Hotel New York, but my impression is that it is on the verge of a refurbishment so probably one of the more worn down hotels right now.

Any advice or thoughts you (or anyone) can offer will be gratefully received!

I think I'd heard they were in the middle of refurbishing the Cheyenne now and that some rooms are finished and you can book them? (I'm staying in the Santa Fe this September!)

 

[Songbird76]

I booked my DLP trip for October about 2 weeks ago and I originally wanted to stay in the Cheyenne (being from Wyoming originally) but I had a problem that it would not give me the deal for the Cheyenne because it was listed as being refurbished. It said things were still open, but it wouldn't give me the package deal for that hotel. So we were staying at the Sequoia instead. It did LIST the Cheyenne, but it was more expensive than the Sequoia because it wouldn't apply the discount there...no idea why. I'd check out what deals they have on the UK site, though...they seem to be better deals than the US site.