First Time DLP Trip Report - Not What I Expected!

[ToTBellHop]

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?

I expected to like the castle more than I did. I felt it looked like a giant toy. But, the dragon is awesome!

 

[Sir_Cliff]

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.

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.

Fair enough, I certainly wouldn't doubt your experiences being exactly as you described. Personally, the strongly negative reaction to Fantasyland is surprising to me as I find it generally well-done and interesting in the combination of different 'regions' of Europe in different sections and the use of gardens. In general, I find it more charming and with a better attraction line-up than Fantasyland at MK, but it just goes to show how different people can look at the same thing and see different things.

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.

This I do understand and I think is sometimes reflected in reactions to DLP by people who are used to WDW almost if not entirely exclusively in terms of Disney parks and resorts. If what a Disney vacation means to you is the totality of the experience you get in Florida (size, weather, culture, etc.), then I could see coming to DLP and finding it as a smaller version where everything was slightly 'off' that didn't quite live up to the experience you get during a week or so at WDW. Personally, I find DLP a pleasure compared to WDW these days in large part because I find it a more laid back spot for a quick vacation. Then again, I now live in Europe and became a Disney fan after visiting Disneyland in Anaheim and had roughly equal visits to DL as WDW before moving here. So, maybe I didn't have quite as clear an expectation of a Disney vacation as if I had spent years going to WDW, for example, and am kind of used to the European way of doing things such that the differences don't really hit me in the same way.

 

[Kevin_W]

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.

Understand some of that comparison of DLP to MK. MK is my favorite park in the world. Is it objectively better than DLP? No, but I don't have to be objective. WDW is where my parents took me as a kid and where I took my own kid, plus where my wife and I honeymooned. No other park car recreate those memories for me.

Btu I am not with you on the t-shirt and shorts. I hate being hot and would much rather wear a jacket!

 

[Kevin_W]

I expected to like the castle more than I did. I felt it looked like a giant toy. But, the dragon is awesome!

The castle grew on me over time. I like the MY/TDL-style castle, more, but I get why them went with this style in Paris. And I do really like it as well and appreciate the different castle parks having different castles.

 

[mergatroid]

Understand some of that comparison of DLP to MK. MK is my favorite park in the world. Is it objectively better than DLP? No, but I don't have to be objective. WDW is where my parents took me as a kid and where I took my own kid, plus where my wife and I honeymooned. No other park car recreate those memories for me.

Btu I am not with you on the t-shirt and shorts. I hate being hot and would much rather wear a jacket!

I'm with you on being too hot, that's why we visit Orlando in October.

 

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

Due to cultural aspects of how Europeans get vacation days, a lot of people deems DLP as pricey for what it is and pass on it. Because of that the resort isn't profitable and gets the shaft for park investments. Hopefully UGB debuting in 2031 lights the fire under Disney to finally make consistent investment into Paris.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Due to cultural aspects of how Europeans get vacation days, a lot of people deems DLP as pricey for what it is and pass on it. Because of that the resort isn't profitable and gets the shaft for park investments. Hopefully UGB debuting in 2031 lights the fire under Disney to finally make consistent investment into Paris.

While that has been historically true (re: historical profitability), I was under the impression that it was profitable now.

 

[cjkeating]

While that has been historically true (re: historical profitability), I was under the impression that it was profitable now.

It is.

 

[nickys]

on the boat ride a voice kept coming over the speakers yelling at people in French

In French??? Quelle surprise!

Paris can't help not being Orlando

Yeah, Orlando has such history, magnificence, culture,
art ……… I can see why Paris could never compare.

 

[marni1971]

While that has been historically true (re: historical profitability), I was under the impression that it was profitable now.

It is.

 

[marni1971]

Poor Paris, it's no Orlando and never will be

Made me laugh too.

 

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

It is.

I wonder If UGB will light a fire under Disney's butt to make more consistent investment in Paris after the Studios park renovation is complete.

 

[cjkeating]

I wonder If UGB will light a fire under Disney's butt to make more consistent investment in Paris after the Studios park renovation is complete.

Possibly. But I honestly think UGB offers bigger threats to established UK parks and other 'one day' parks in Europe. If anything UGB will bring more international visitors to Europe who also visit Disneyland Paris.

Separately I don't think Studio Park will be 'complete' after Lion King. I think before it opens we will have a good idea of what will follow it. If we are lucky we might also have an investment in the main park.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Possibly. But I honestly think UGB offers bigger threats to established UK parks and other 'one day' parks in Europe. If anything UGB will bring more international visitors to Europe who also visit Disneyland Paris.

Separately I don't think Studio Park will be 'complete' after Lion King. I think before it opens we will have a good idea of what will follow it. If we are lucky we might also have an investment in the main park.

I would agree that Universal's park in the UK is more of a day trip than a multi-day resort, which is what Disneyland Paris offers. I guess some UK guests, though, might decide to save their time and money and just take the family to Universal rather than travel across to Paris.

Maybe it's just me, but when I look at Universal's plans for their UK park I can't help that think Disneyland Paris' second park will be pretty competitive with it in terms of offerings and theming by the time it opens. Universal will be cheaper and more convenient for UK visitors which does make a big difference. However, based on the plans and artwork that have been released, I get the impression Disney's Adventure World ( ) will actually feel like a more well-rounded park with arguably more headline attractions than Universal UK. This is where I don't see many people travelling specifically to the UK to visit the park: it seems far more pitched to the domestic market and as a day trip for families already visiting London.

 

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

Possibly. But I honestly think UGB offers bigger threats to established UK parks and other 'one day' parks in Europe. If anything UGB will bring more international visitors to Europe who also visit Disneyland Paris.

Separately I don't think Studio Park will be 'complete' after Lion King. I think before it opens we will have a good idea of what will follow it. If we are lucky we might also have an investment in the main park.

I think the post LK land might be something Avatar. Avengers Campus also has expansion space as well

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It's fascinating how different Phantom Manor and PotC are and I would love to read more about why they were designed that way (any suggestions?).

Jason Surrell’s books are just what you are looking for!

“haunted mansion / PoC - from the magic kingdom to the movies” (2 different books).

They are excellent!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I think one one of the reasons I liked Paris so much is I visit both DL and WDW regularly and I felt Paris was taking charm of the original DL and adding the scale of WDW.

It felt like a perfect blend of the 2.

I may have felt much different if I only visited WDW a lot and was comparing it directly to that resort.

 

[Robbiem]

It’s always a shame when you go somewhere and don’t like it but you have to celebrate making the trip which a lot of people wouldn’t do.

I have similar thoughts about DLP. It’s always sad to see decline, especially in Disney which is supposed to be an escape from reality

 

[mergatroid]

I would agree that Universal's park in the UK is more of a day trip than a multi-day resort, which is what Disneyland Paris offers. I guess some UK guests, though, might decide to save their time and money and just take the family to Universal rather than travel across to Paris.

Maybe it's just me, but when I look at Universal's plans for their UK park I can't help that think Disneyland Paris' second park will be pretty competitive with it in terms of offerings and theming by the time it opens. Universal will be cheaper and more convenient for UK visitors which does make a big difference. However, based on the plans and artwork that have been released, I get the impression Disney's Adventure World ( ) will actually feel like a more well-rounded park with arguably more headline attractions than Universal UK. This is where I don't see many people travelling specifically to the UK to visit the park: it seems far more pitched to the domestic market and as a day trip for families already visiting London.

I remember a while back looking at some of the plans and expectations For Universal in England and they are expecting quite a lot of European visitors and have deliberately made it fairly close to Heathrow for that reason. They're also planning for HHN events there also and have already got permission for late night closing for x number of nights from the local authorities for that. They seem to be planning going all in for this park.

 

[Gusey]

I remember a while back looking at some of the plans and expectations For Universal in England and they are expecting quite a lot of European visitors and have deliberately made it fairly close to Heathrow for that reason. They're also planning for HHN events there also and have already got permission for late night closing for x number of nights from the local authorities for that. They seem to be planning going all in for this park.

Something that DLP will have in its favour is that at DLP, they can use fireworks every night (even if limited because of neighbours). Universal UK is only allowed to have fireworks on specific dates (Bonfire Night, New Year etc.) so will have to come up with something different if they're doing a nighttime spectacular.