My wife, some friends and I have just got back from a short two day trip to Disneyland Paris. All of us are big Disney fans and all three couples are members of Disney Vacation Club. My wife and I had been once before to Disneyland Pairs, but this was twenty one years ago on opening day when it was EuroDisneyland.
First, two days was not enough to see everything we wanted to see, but we did do a lot. Crowds where huge and we had to use Early Magic Hours and fast pass to avoid lines. We really needed a third day in the parks.
Second point is that after reading so much negative things on this web site my expectations were low, but overall the parks were not as bad as what I read. Yes we did find some flowers that were dead in some of the beds, a light bulb here and there that needed replacement, and there was a lot of trash on the ground; so things were not totally up to the “Disney Standard” of old. On the issue of trash on the ground, it seemed to me that this was more of a quest problem, I saw many cast members cleaning up, but they could just not keep up with all the trash the guest where throwing down. When I entered during Early Magic Hours I saw not trash at all; but during the day the guest just out gunned the cleanup crews.
Many of the rides where about the same as at Walt Disney World (Small World and Buzz Light Year Space Rangers), somewhere not as nice (Tower of Terror), but I found many of them better than in Florida. Space Mountain was the best of all the parks and I loved the Jules Vern look and feel to the ride. Pirates of the Caribbean was a better ride and did not have the Jack Sparrow overlay with I am not a fan of.
Everyone loved the castle during the day. At night the castle provided the center piece for the castle protection show. Everyone in my group voted this the better than anything a Walt Disney World. It had the protection on the castle, plus projection on two water screens. Along with the expected fireworks, there were also many water effects, laser lights and fire explosion coming from the castle.
The Hotel I stayed at (Sequoia Hotel) was not anywhere near the standard of the resort hotels in Walt Disney World. The door locks did not work most of the time and the staff knew this an informed you a check in. I found the rooms to be small and dark. One nice thing was a continual breakfast was included in the room price.
We also went to the Buffalo Bill Wide West Show. We had been to this show on opening day and enjoyed it then. The only change was that they how added a lot of Mickey and friends to the show. I think that this took more away from the show than it added.
Well that is about it for now, let me know if you have any questions. I will try to add pictures later.
First, two days was not enough to see everything we wanted to see, but we did do a lot. Crowds where huge and we had to use Early Magic Hours and fast pass to avoid lines. We really needed a third day in the parks.
Second point is that after reading so much negative things on this web site my expectations were low, but overall the parks were not as bad as what I read. Yes we did find some flowers that were dead in some of the beds, a light bulb here and there that needed replacement, and there was a lot of trash on the ground; so things were not totally up to the “Disney Standard” of old. On the issue of trash on the ground, it seemed to me that this was more of a quest problem, I saw many cast members cleaning up, but they could just not keep up with all the trash the guest where throwing down. When I entered during Early Magic Hours I saw not trash at all; but during the day the guest just out gunned the cleanup crews.
Many of the rides where about the same as at Walt Disney World (Small World and Buzz Light Year Space Rangers), somewhere not as nice (Tower of Terror), but I found many of them better than in Florida. Space Mountain was the best of all the parks and I loved the Jules Vern look and feel to the ride. Pirates of the Caribbean was a better ride and did not have the Jack Sparrow overlay with I am not a fan of.
Everyone loved the castle during the day. At night the castle provided the center piece for the castle protection show. Everyone in my group voted this the better than anything a Walt Disney World. It had the protection on the castle, plus projection on two water screens. Along with the expected fireworks, there were also many water effects, laser lights and fire explosion coming from the castle.
The Hotel I stayed at (Sequoia Hotel) was not anywhere near the standard of the resort hotels in Walt Disney World. The door locks did not work most of the time and the staff knew this an informed you a check in. I found the rooms to be small and dark. One nice thing was a continual breakfast was included in the room price.
We also went to the Buffalo Bill Wide West Show. We had been to this show on opening day and enjoyed it then. The only change was that they how added a lot of Mickey and friends to the show. I think that this took more away from the show than it added.
Well that is about it for now, let me know if you have any questions. I will try to add pictures later.
