Odd. We actually did Pirates instead of watching fireworks - though we did access via Adventure Isle.
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First Time DLP Trip Report - Not What I Expected!
- Thread starter BasiltheBatLord
- Start date
Gusey
Well-Known Member
This was last year, so it might have been impacted by the Electrical Sky Parade maybe??
Smugpugmug
Well-Known Member
Yup this is what my family experienced in Disneyland Paris (so much that they pointed it out to me) but I was just at WDW while visiting my sister and witnessed the exact same thing happen so LOL
Not saying it's right in either resort btw. All I can do is just shake my head and laugh.
My family did report better experiences vs the bad ones so it's not like the line cutters ruined their trip. However they did notice WAY more people blatantly cutting the line and not a single CM caring. I'm not talking about a parent taking their kid to the bathroom but more so 8+ people shoving past other guests to get to the front.
Ditto. The whole side of the park from Pirates to Phantom Manor was shut down or shutting down before the fireworks every evening we tried, and cast members with lighted wands directed us toward the only open exits. We had hoped to find a snack (popcorn or a Mickey bar?) to enjoy on our way out, but even that was a no-go.
We obviously needed you to help guide us!
cjkeating
Well-Known Member
Sounds very unusual. My go to before the fireworks is to cover off Pirates, Indy, BTM and Phantom in the last hour then leave before the rush.
Visiting DLP makes me miss... visiting DLP. And puts so many things in the US parks to shame. In 2018, we found the food to be decent and, in some places, much better than the offerings at WDW. But it wasn't ever below what we had in Orlando at that time.
A combination of factors, not the least of which is pricing and just what they have done/are doing in Orlando, make WDW the last place I want to visit next.
Done today
I do hope to give DLP another chance some day post-DAW expansion. I hope the next trip is a better experience.
Good. And good. You know I’m picky to say the least but I don’t think we’ve had the same experience.Done today
I do hope to give DLP another chance some day post-DAW expansion. I hope the next trip is a better experience.
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
Just came back from a 4 night stay at Val D'Europe which we loved but like several others I'm baffled at comparisons with WDW. BTM is better than at WDW but I would say PM isn't as good as HM and Pirates isn't as good either. To be honest most of the Disneyland Park feels inferior to the MK at WDW. Perhaps it's somehow to do with the fact that when I'm in WDW I'm also in the Orlando area which I love also? There's the fact that I'm there in shorts and a t-shirt with very little chance of any cool weather that day. There's also the fact when I leave the park I'm driving around my beloved Orlando with all my favourite places to eat and drink and the nostalgia of decades of experiences. I have so many memories of complete escapism into magic as a kid in WDW (some as an adult too) but when I'm in Disneyland Paris I cannot reach that feeling however much I try and want too. Discoveryland doesn't have anything like the feel of Tomorrowland and the joy I get from SM in WDW is so much more than SM in DLP it just isn't true.
Another thing that may effect my enjoyment of the parks is that in WDW you have that feeling of the parks being isolated from the rest of the world whereas due to size differences you don't get that at DLP. For instance driving from Hotel L'Elysee in Val D'Europe you can see parts of the parks from outside of the property which kills some of the magic and isolation you get at WDW. One particular 'oddity' is seeing the back of the new Frozen show building along with the facade of the mountain whilst still in Val D'Europe. As the hotel bus approached the stop at Disney Village, very large graffiti was present on the outside of the multi story car park which looked hideous.
Cast members were good on the whole and yet the ones at the front of the park constantly texting or chatting on their phones in plain sight seemed to lose some of the magic. It didn't ruin the day or anger me but it was certainly noticeable. And some were obviously personal calls as you could tell from the body language and passing around of the phone to look at pictures, if it was work related then it should be done more discretely and professionally as it certainly stood out.
The Studios had improved from 2 years ago with a complete indoor refurb of the entrance which was nice and once the new part opens it will add much to the park. It still feels very small and disjointed though with non of the magic of WDW Studios. There I can people watch and chill but not at the Paris Studios where it currently feels very meh in comparison.
We enjoyed our 2 days there regardless of the above and Paris can't help not being Orlando I appreciate. It does surprise me however when people say the Disneyland is more beautiful than the MK as I just don't feel it any way shape or form. Having driven past the pirates show building on the road circling the park and seen Space Mountain from outside the park I didn't get the feeling of isolation you get in the MK at WDW try as I did to ignore that feeling. The toilets smelt bad and on the boat ride a voice kept coming over the speakers yelling at people in French though I couldn't say what for. I've heard several complaints about this by vloggers and they were right, they were angrily yelling. We'll return again for a break for a few days but it will never compare to my trips to Orlando due to the above. It's fun but it just doesn't have the same feeling that WDW does (as nowhere else does really)
Another thing that may effect my enjoyment of the parks is that in WDW you have that feeling of the parks being isolated from the rest of the world whereas due to size differences you don't get that at DLP. For instance driving from Hotel L'Elysee in Val D'Europe you can see parts of the parks from outside of the property which kills some of the magic and isolation you get at WDW. One particular 'oddity' is seeing the back of the new Frozen show building along with the facade of the mountain whilst still in Val D'Europe. As the hotel bus approached the stop at Disney Village, very large graffiti was present on the outside of the multi story car park which looked hideous.
Cast members were good on the whole and yet the ones at the front of the park constantly texting or chatting on their phones in plain sight seemed to lose some of the magic. It didn't ruin the day or anger me but it was certainly noticeable. And some were obviously personal calls as you could tell from the body language and passing around of the phone to look at pictures, if it was work related then it should be done more discretely and professionally as it certainly stood out.
The Studios had improved from 2 years ago with a complete indoor refurb of the entrance which was nice and once the new part opens it will add much to the park. It still feels very small and disjointed though with non of the magic of WDW Studios. There I can people watch and chill but not at the Paris Studios where it currently feels very meh in comparison.
We enjoyed our 2 days there regardless of the above and Paris can't help not being Orlando I appreciate. It does surprise me however when people say the Disneyland is more beautiful than the MK as I just don't feel it any way shape or form. Having driven past the pirates show building on the road circling the park and seen Space Mountain from outside the park I didn't get the feeling of isolation you get in the MK at WDW try as I did to ignore that feeling. The toilets smelt bad and on the boat ride a voice kept coming over the speakers yelling at people in French though I couldn't say what for. I've heard several complaints about this by vloggers and they were right, they were angrily yelling. We'll return again for a break for a few days but it will never compare to my trips to Orlando due to the above. It's fun but it just doesn't have the same feeling that WDW does (as nowhere else does really)
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mergatroid
Well-Known Member
I agree that this did feel really bad. At WDW you have the beautifully lit and decorated waiting area and pre-show designed to obviously compliment the show. Here it felt like a show thrown in a building with seemingly no care or thought put into it. My wife actually commented on this when we went into the building and it ruined the feel of the actual show it felt so odd. I think most modern cinemas make more effort in their appearance of their lobbies.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Because it was. It was built for Captain EO.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
This is the first time I've ever seen someone say Pirates at WDW is better than DLP
ThemeParkTraveller
Well-Known Member
Despite all the criticisms DLP gets, its beauty is usually the one aspect people agree on. You didn't find their Main Street more beautiful with the bricked road, the elegant arcades on each side, and the Disneyland Hotel anchoring the entrance? What about the castle?
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mergatroid
Well-Known Member
The hotel is nice at the front though I personally don't like the castle as much as WDW's. I genuinely prefer the more defined spires at WDW but that's all subjective I know. I think the reveal of the castle is better at WDW, from the bottom of Main Street it frames the view better. Perhaps because I'm more familiar with the feel of Main Street in Florida that makes the difference but I think that edges it too.
I do love the entrance and reveal of Frontierland in Paris, that is very impressive and BTM is better especially with the underwater tunnel to reach the island. Fantasyland feels somewhat a mess and very crowded and Discoveryland also doesn't have the nice feel of Tomorrowland. I know they're designed as different themes however to me the theming of Tomorrowland beats Discoveryland easily.
It's strange because watching Disneyland Paris on vloggs it does look a match (apart from the castle) for the MK however in person it doesn't, especially Fantasyland and Discoveryland but again it's all subjective.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Crowded with people or by design? It's much more spacious than Disneyland's version with a similar attraction mix.
Florida's is large but has several paths that get easily packed
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Poor Paris, it's no Orlando and never will be
Sorry, I am honestly not having a go at you and appreciated your trip report, that just made me chuckle a little!
In general, though, I can understand why people have different perspectives on Disneyland Paris. My impression is that if what visiting a Disney park or resort means to you is WDW, the adjustment to DLP could be jarring. It's not warm and tropical, the resort is far more compact, the pace is a lot more relaxed, and it is also more European than American in how it is run. In terms of seeing the backside of attractions and that taking you out of the immersion, I will say that you don't see those kinds of things when you stay at the resort where you do have more of that "Disney bubble" experience.
Regarding maintenance, my impression is that WDW probably does a better job of maintaining the exteriors of the buildings while DLP in recent years has done a far better job of maintaining the attractions. It does surprise me how rundown WDW will allow some attractions to get, honestly. Admittedly, I have never experienced the bigger issues in Paris such as disgusting toilets that have been discussed on here and don't find maintenance a big issue any more on my visits. Except, maybe, ToT, which they never seem to have figured out how to maintain as it has been unintentionally mouldy and falling apart almost since it opened.
In terms of attractions being better or worse, these sorts of comparisons are not hugely compelling to me. I think I would tell someone coming to Paris after being used to WDW that Paris has unique takes on existing attractions rather than better ones. Must admit that after hearing the Paris Pirates was far superior to the preceding versions I was a little underwhelmed when I first rode it and I am still not entirely convinced that is the case. I do enjoy the attraction a lot, though. I much prefer even the Star Wars version of Space Mountain to the Florida version, on the other hand, but I understand that if Space Mountain means the kind of experience you get in Florida you may have a different feeling.
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
I guess by design. Walking through it it just felt off, more like a group of rides had been plopped down in an area without much thought and quite a lot of kiosks selling stuff seemingly in the way. Similar to how I don't particularly feel like the old Mickey's Toon Town Fair worked for me in Orlando, not quite sure why but it just wasn't my thing and took me out of the Disney feel. It's sort of like how there maybe parts of a town that just don't feel right, it's hard to explain other than to say I don't enjoy the look or feel of Fantasyland in Disneyland Paris.
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
Hey no need to apologise, we're just grown up kids chatting Disneyland Paris and giving our opinions. We've done two trips to DLP now spending 4 days in total in the parks and we'll go again in two years probably. It's strange because even though I know before going that they're different entities, I still have the hope that perhaps I'll get the same warm feeling in my heart as I get in Orlando and that never quite happens.Poor Paris, it's no Orlando and never will be
Sorry, I am honestly not having a go at you and appreciated your trip report, that just made me chuckle a little!
In general, though, I can understand why people have different perspectives on Disneyland Paris. My impression is that if what visiting a Disney park or resort means to you is WDW, the adjustment to DLP could be jarring. It's not warm and tropical, the resort is far more compact, the pace is a lot more relaxed, and it is also more European than American in how it is run. In terms of seeing the backside of attractions and that taking you out of the immersion, I will say that you don't see those kinds of things when you stay at the resort where you do have more of that "Disney bubble" experience.
Regarding maintenance, my impression is that WDW probably does a better job of maintaining the exteriors of the buildings while DLP in recent years has done a far better job of maintaining the attractions. It does surprise me how rundown WDW will allow some attractions to get, honestly. Admittedly, I have never experienced the bigger issues in Paris such as disgusting toilets that have been discussed on here and don't find maintenance a big issue any more on my visits. Except, maybe, ToT, which they never seem to have figured out how to maintain as it has been unintentionally mouldy and falling apart almost since it opened.
In terms of attractions being better or worse, these sorts of comparisons are not hugely compelling to me. I think I would tell someone coming to Paris after being used to WDW that Paris has unique takes on existing attractions rather than better ones. Must admit that after hearing the Paris Pirates was far superior to the preceding versions I was a little underwhelmed when I first rode it and I am still not entirely convinced that is the case. I do enjoy the attraction a lot, though. I much prefer even the Star Wars version of Space Mountain to the Florida version, on the other hand, but I understand that if Space Mountain means the kind of experience you get in Florida you may have a different feeling.
It's hard to explain without sounding like I'm dumping on DLP but it's more an honest opinion. We prefer to stay just outside of Disneyland hence Bussy-Saint-Georges our first trip and Val D'Europe on our last because we feel we get more for our money room wise and have more eating options as we don't want to hire a car or pay for taxis for meals out of DLP. There's a lot of good things in DLP that we enjoy however when I'm in Fantasyland in particular it just feels so un-Disney like for some reason and just doesn't work at all for me. Likewise in Discoveryland things like Mickey's Philharmagic feel like they're sucking the Disney out of the place as it feels so badly placed and cheaply done. Other than those gripes I don't walk around looking for faults and enjoy much off the offerings.
The cast members are better than many other theme parks, the attractions seem well maintained and the theming (apart from Fanasyland) is good. I also enjoy the food we bought although other than Pym in Avengers campus we've only bought snacks and ate properly elsewhere later that day. We tried Annette's Diner in Disney Village this year for a meal on the way out and I had one of the nicest burgers I've ever had with spicy cheese on it. I think the Studios will improve when the new section opens but do find the feel of that park currently far inferior to the other. Whilst I enjoy riding the Flight Force coaster, Spiderman, TOT and Remy's I don't really enjoy just walking around that park. Unlike other Disney parks where a big part is just being immersed into the feeling of being there, walking from one attraction to another is more like just going from A to B for me which is very disappointing.
Again it's more when I'm comparing WDW to DLP that I feel that DLP feels a bit of a let down. I realise that's on me but having spent so much time in Orlando over so many trips it's kind of difficult to not do that at times especially when in a park with so many similarities and attractions. I don't walk around thinking "I'm not enjoying this" but there are points where due to the fact that they're both Disney parks and similar that it's hard not to think "I wish this felt as good as being in WDW does". That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it in itself, I wouldn't go if I didn't but there are moments where I can't help those thoughts entering my head.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Poor Paris, it's no Orlando and never will be
But people also dislike Tokyo Disneyland for being too much of a copy/paste of the American parks.
(and if you want hot, humid weather too you can get it there from May-September)