Advice for a First Timer?

Hi everyone!

I'm new to the chat but I thought I'd take advantage of it. I'm going with a friend to Europe and we're going to be Eurailing around. I really want to go to DLP for a day. So, with that said, I think I found two options that work with my schedule and I was hoping you all could give insight as to which I should do or if you all can offer any other options...

Option 1: Leave from Florence on 14 July. Arrive and switch trains in Dijon at 6am to DLP. Arrive around 8am

Option 2: Leave from Barcelona to Paris Est or Austerlitz arriving 8am on July 19. Get to Lyon station... The question is... How do I get to Lyon station from Est or Austerlitz?

Any help or ideas you have would help me very much. Thank you in advance!

[DLRP_bopazot]

i think you should visit Disneyland Paris in July 19th because Wishes the newest Firework will be already Started . Wishes will start from July 16th .

Great!

[innerSpaceman]

Yeah, might as well do the 19th, since arriving near Paris on the 15th means you miss the Bastille Day celebrations by just one day! Arrgh.

Don't feel rushed - DLP can be experienced in a day if you don't waste too much time. Hit the main attractions, but spend a lot of time exploring around. The joy of this park is the beauty of the park itself.

Attractions not to be missed:
Space Mountain - I will assume that "Mission 2" won't completely have wrecked this great ride, but I would also be astounded if it were as good as the original. No matter what, an absolutely not-to-be-missed attraction.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - is the best version of this ride in the entire world. Sooooo goood.

Phantom Manor and Pirates of the Carribean are the other two great attractions. Make time to explore Adventure Isle, the Nautilus, and Alice's Curious Labyrinth. DLP specializes in the self-explore attractions, and does not place as much emphasis on the ride-through stuff as its American counterparts.

[Evil Minion]

Try the green apple ('pommes verte') ice cream on Main Street USA. It's great!

Also, remember to check out the A.A. dragon under Le Cheatau De La Belle Au Bois Dormant
(Sleeping Beauty Castle).

EDL has fewer E-ticket attractions than other DL parks in the world but it far more beautiful.

Enjoy the atmosphere !

[innerSpaceman]

Other Food Tips: If you've only got one day, don't waste too much time by having more than one big sit-down meal. If it's lunch, I recommend Walt's on Main Street. Food is great, the place is gorgeous - explore every one of the differently themed rooms. If dinner, my favorite place inside the park is the Silver Spur Steakhouse in Frontierland.

For faster food, Toad Hall in Fantasyland is pretty good for fish & chips. By all means avoid Colonel Haithi's in Adventureland. Great themeing, horrendous food.

[Evil Minion]

Also: avoid Annette's Diner in Disney Village.

Get fastpasses for Big Thunder before any other ride.

Hi,

I live in The Netherlands and therefore have made a lot of visits to DLRP (I was also fortunate enough to visit Anaheim & Florida).

Since you'll be visiting the park in the busy summertime, I recommend using the Fastpass system as much as possible. In DLRP you can hold as many as you like at the same time, just not for the same ride.

In my opinion, don't miss out on:

- Big Thunder Mountain. It IS the best in the world. Get a Fastpass, the wait can be very long!
- Space Mountain Mission 2. Everyone is eager to find out how they upgraded this unique ride. You might want to try to get in the standby line, just so you won't miss out on the (most probably) themed queue.
- Visit POTC and Phantom Manor. You won't believe your eyes if you're only used to the American counterparts of these classics.
- Take time to really soak up the atmosphere. Check out the Dragon underneath the castle, explore our Adventure Isle, have a look at the Nautilus.
- For lunch, I'd also reccommend Walt's. For Dinner, you might want to try the Blue Lagoon Restaurant.

While you're there, reconsider to make a visit to the Studios Park. You don't want to miss out on the worst park in Disney history. Admittedly, Animagique, Cinemagique and our version of the Rock 'n Roller Coaster are pretty snazzy.

[pussnboots]

Avoid Annette's? Are you mad? It's fabulous. Great themeing, waiters on roller skates, and the food ain't bad.

Other tips:
(!!!) Soak in all the good themeing in places like Main Street and Discoveryland before it's all gone. The Liberty Arcade is already a lost cause (I'm sorry, I meant to say "Arcade Market" of course), and I fear the Emporium will come back from its rehab as a Pixar/Princess (or similar) shop with plastic displays galore instead of that dusty old chandelier and stained glass dome. Who needed those anyway. Way too archaic. So circa 1900.
(!) Be a gigantic arse with no respect for the people around you. The French will think you're one of them, haha. *runs from angry torch-bearing mob* No but really, regardless of ungrounded anti-French generalisations, which I don't harbour at all obviously (a big up to France!), for some unfathomable reason the atmosphere is sometimes a bit "every man for himself"-ish. So tell yourself "I will have fun if it's the last thing I do" and repeat this as a mantra.
(!) If you, like some people, value your money and bowels, steer clear of certain foods. Pizza is not an option, for instance. Anywhere. Also, never underestimate a line when it comes to counter service restaurants. Instead, opt to eat at very irregular times, and throw all concept of "breakfast", "lunch" and "dinner" to the wind. For instance, as good as the hot dogs at Casey's may be, a short line can take literally all afternoon.

But everything's very pretty in general, so try to let that overrule everything I nagged about. Bless you, haha.

OMG! Thank you ALL so much for your advice.

I will NOT miss on the green apple ice cream. I can't tell you all how excited I am now to visit DLP.

Because I'm a poor college student, I will probably miss out on any sit down food experience as I can't afford it (or more likely, the question is beer in belgium or food at Disneyland, right?)... But I will try Walt's.

In any case, my travel partner and I are really excited to go on Space Mountain v2 as he and I are fans of the American versions.

Puss- definate thanks for the food advice. I have to make it back to New Orleans after a romp around London and I rather do that without wanting to die in a London hospital.

I really can't wait to go. I leave New Orleans (and the US) in a little more than 6 weeks!!!

[kevdo]

English / Hotels?

My wife and I are also consider DLP in early August (we're from the SF Bay Area). I presume most cast members speak english very well?

Any recommendations for hotels. I'd like to stay at the Disneyland Hotel but it looks like that thing is really really expensive. Thanks!

[Evil Minion]

In my opinion, any of the 6 main on-property hotels are fine. Last time I visited I stayed at the Sequoia Lodge hotel. It's less expensive than the DL Hotel & is only a short walk from the main entrance to the park. Keep in mind, when you make a reservation at one of the 6 main hotels your total price also includes a park hopper ticket good for the length of your stay & you get free continental breakfast.

Each CM is different from another so how much english they speak/understand varies. Usually they can speak enough english to answer your basic questions. Remember to ask " Parlez-vous l'anglais " before asking your question in english. A little bit of french will go along way in the courtesy department.

Avoid Annette's? Are you mad? It's fabulous. Great themeing, waiters on roller skates, and the food ain't bad.

Sorry but I ate at Annettes last fall, along with General You, Not Afraid, and innerSpaceman. We all agreed;
it was THE worst meal we had on our trip. The atmosphere is good but the food is bad.

[pussnboots]

Depends on what you order, I guess. Their cookie dough ice cream isn't bad, and then there was a chili/fries thing I don't remember hating. But no way it's worse than the pizzas they have in the parks. I mean, you can't beat cold stale bread with too little topping. I hope. Anyway I'm not a very gluttonous person, I eat because my body won't let me go without it, haha. I just liked the decor and the atmosphere at Annette's.

And the CMs do speak English, in general. But remember to use small words. And the French love charades*. If they don't get it, use body language. Good luck locating the men's room that way. No but really, they'll understand you.

As for the hotels... What makes the Disneyland Hotel great are its public areas. The bars, the lobby, the restaurants... Which are accessible whether or not you have a room there, so you could experience that either way.

*lie

[DL_CRAZE]

Dont expect to go on Splash Mountain, Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, or Country Bears because they dont have em.

[DLRP_bopazot]

DL CRAZE are right lol but expect to ride on Space Mountain Mission 2 , Phantom Manor and see Moteurs Action Stunt Show and other DLRP things ...