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What's your DLP decade?
- Thread starter mrflo
- Start date
2002+. And looking back it was in a shocking state.With the 30th anniversary concluding in a couple of weeks, what is the decade in which you discovered Disneyland Paris for the first time? Any special memories from your first visit(s)? Do you miss anything from those days?
My first visit to DLP and a Disney park in general was in 1994. Nautilus had just opened - there was even a queue - and Space Mountain was still under construction. I went back a second time the year after for its opening. This was probably my favourite memory of a DLP trip. The original Space Mountain was mind blowing and Discoveryland was at a thematic peak. I absolutely loved Le Visionarium and still get goosebumps when I hear the theme song today. Most other attractions in Disneyland Parc, the hotels and Festival Disney were still in a great condition. The Main Street Electrical Parade was an iconic conclusion to a wonderful day in the park.
Many more trips followed the years after until after the opening of WDS. In the years of the early 2000s the quality of the park(s) declined drastically. I only went back a few times to DLP in the years that followed - e.g. for the opening of ToT - and started visiting Disney park overseas instead. I only came back more regularly after the major renovations for the 25th anniversary and was delighted that the quality had improved again.
I still miss many elements of those original 90s days. But I also appreciate many additions and improvements today that did not exist back then.
Many more trips followed the years after until after the opening of WDS. In the years of the early 2000s the quality of the park(s) declined drastically. I only went back a few times to DLP in the years that followed - e.g. for the opening of ToT - and started visiting Disney park overseas instead. I only came back more regularly after the major renovations for the 25th anniversary and was delighted that the quality had improved again.
I still miss many elements of those original 90s days. But I also appreciate many additions and improvements today that did not exist back then.
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My first was during the end of the Project Sparkle refurbs just before the 25th, a very cold January 2017 
We stayed in the recently updated NBC rooms, and I think BTM had just reopened but there were lot of things closed and being worked on still! But it did capture some sort of magic for me, as I came back for Christmas the same year and became an AP holder! I think I did about 6/7 trips over 2018/2019 attending the AP parties and Fan-Daze.
Those two years felt fantastic every time we visited, as everyone seemed excited about the resort again, even if it was just refurbs, everything seemed to be running relatively smoothly, the parties and and seasons were a lot of fun,.
I guess I was just lucky enough to go so much before the pandemic kind of abruptly stopped it all. My last visit didn't have that excitement, but was it kind of a big group trip too which had its own stresses and it having been so long since my last trip, just felt slightly off compared to before. Avenegrs Campus felt slightly let down, having visited California (alot of my feelings towards DLP can be blamed on two trips to California to be fair)
We stayed in the recently updated NBC rooms, and I think BTM had just reopened but there were lot of things closed and being worked on still! But it did capture some sort of magic for me, as I came back for Christmas the same year and became an AP holder! I think I did about 6/7 trips over 2018/2019 attending the AP parties and Fan-Daze. Those two years felt fantastic every time we visited, as everyone seemed excited about the resort again, even if it was just refurbs, everything seemed to be running relatively smoothly, the parties and and seasons were a lot of fun,.
I guess I was just lucky enough to go so much before the pandemic kind of abruptly stopped it all. My last visit didn't have that excitement, but was it kind of a big group trip too which had its own stresses and it having been so long since my last trip, just felt slightly off compared to before. Avenegrs Campus felt slightly let down, having visited California (alot of my feelings towards DLP can be blamed on two trips to California to be fair
)
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
Our first visit was for the inaugural RunDisney run in 2016, then again for the run in 2017 and 2018, and we'll be back again for our 4th visit in a couple months, this time just for fun though.
Kevin_W
Well-Known Member
Our 20th anniversary was in 2016 and that was the first time we visited DLP. We went back twice in the past year.
I wish it was closer! We have a 4-day weekend in October and even with flights, DLP would be so much cheaper than WDW. I think we'll just do a (free!) national park or beach instead.
I wish it was closer! We have a 4-day weekend in October and even with flights, DLP would be so much cheaper than WDW. I think we'll just do a (free!) national park or beach instead.
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
Mine of course was... 3 weeks ago. A spectacular time to visit, and it seems the parks are in relatively great shape!
The only major issue I noticed was Buzz seemed a bit... a mess. The queue was fine, but the attraction felt faded, and dingy. Also the final Zurg battle scene, buzz had no "lasers" from his gun, it looked odd watching the mechanism spin without lights.
The only major issue I noticed was Buzz seemed a bit... a mess. The queue was fine, but the attraction felt faded, and dingy. Also the final Zurg battle scene, buzz had no "lasers" from his gun, it looked odd watching the mechanism spin without lights.
Would you believe it had a year long refurb only in 2020?
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
My first visit was in March 2008, and what I remember from that visit is that it was not perhaps as rundown as I had been led to believe, but that the resort was very rough around the edges. For example, I remember the facades of many buildings didn't look well-kept and the creakiness of rides like Pirates and Phantom Manor made it hard to see what other people found so superior about the Paris versions of these attractions. One thing that did stand out as better than at least WDW was Fantasyland, where all the dark rides both seemed in better condition and just generally better than the Florida versions. I'm still a big fan of the Pinocchio dark ride, both in Paris and California! This was also a day trip from Paris, and it was striking how early the parks closed. I remember everyone streaming out in broad daylight.
I moved to Europe in 2013 and have been back quite a few times since then, and it has been a joy to watch the park get better and better. Having been to WDW a few times during that period as well, I also increasingly feel the issues with show and maintenance have flipped to be noticeably better in Paris than Florida.
One highlight, I have to say, was the refurbishment of Phantom Manor. I honestly didn't love the artwork in the stretching room and, in its rundown condition, found it looked a little corny in the final scenes. They've done an absolutely fantastic job of both restoring and updating everything such that it now really holds its own against the other Haunted Mansions.
I moved to Europe in 2013 and have been back quite a few times since then, and it has been a joy to watch the park get better and better. Having been to WDW a few times during that period as well, I also increasingly feel the issues with show and maintenance have flipped to be noticeably better in Paris than Florida.
One highlight, I have to say, was the refurbishment of Phantom Manor. I honestly didn't love the artwork in the stretching room and, in its rundown condition, found it looked a little corny in the final scenes. They've done an absolutely fantastic job of both restoring and updating everything such that it now really holds its own against the other Haunted Mansions.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
My first visit to EuroDisney was in September 1992. 
I remember it being coooold.
No nostalgia from me, the first decade was underbuild, the second underbuild and in decay, the third a remarkable turnaround. My verdict about the overhaul is not yet in. Not too fond of what they're building, but not too nostalgic about what's gone either. I dread the slow but steady creep of US style 'bleed 'em dry for all their worth' operation of the resort.
I miss silly things: original Star Tours, Horizons artifacts, different RnRC.
I remember it being coooold.
No nostalgia from me, the first decade was underbuild, the second underbuild and in decay, the third a remarkable turnaround. My verdict about the overhaul is not yet in. Not too fond of what they're building, but not too nostalgic about what's gone either. I dread the slow but steady creep of US style 'bleed 'em dry for all their worth' operation of the resort.
I miss silly things: original Star Tours, Horizons artifacts, different RnRC.