No Longer coming to you Live from Disney World! Take 3 DDW'S TAMBU LOUNGE 8/6

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Next up is the first experience of my DLP trip that really wowed me - not necessarily because of the food (although it was good), but because of the incredible decor at a certain restaurant on Main Street. Dinner last night was at Walt's - An American Restaurant.

On the outside, it looks like any other Main Street facade. But as soon as you enter, you're treated to an incredible look at Walt Disney's past.

That's Walt in the middle!

You check in downstairs and then go up when it's time to be seated.

The restaurant is divided into many separate rooms, and diners were being scattered across them. This was a nice touch, since it made each individual room quieter and more intimate.

As for the decor itself...wow!

This is what I'd imagine Club 33 feels like.

Another cool touch - each room is themed to a different area or land.

I was seated in the Tomorrowland/Discoveryland room.

While you can order dishes à la carte, there are also different prix fixe options available.

I chose the first menu with the dessert option, so my meal cost 35.99 euros - that's 4 euros less than what I paid at Bistrot Chez Rémy, and the only thing I didn't receive was a small bottle of mineral water.

My appetizer choice was the salmon tartare, and it was good. The salmon was a bit fishy, but it was very nice with the greens. In comparison with the (one) appetizer option at Chez Rémy, this was easily the winner.

Next up was roasted salmon with gnocchi, served with salad dressed in olive oil. This was delicious! The salmon was perfectly cooked with a very pink center, and it paired wonderfully with the greens and slightly crispy gnocchi. Again, this was better than my main course at Chez Rémy.

Dessert was a mango carpaccio with some vanilla fromage frais and some tropical fruit garnish. This was extremely simple, but I enjoyed the tropical fruits with the creamy vanilla 'cheese' and some fresh mint. For the third course in a row, I found this meal to be superior.

Personally, I wouldn't say the food at Walt's was as good as any of WDW's signature restaurants. However, it was better than most 1-credit, in-park options at WDW (and it charges similar prices as DLP's other TS restaurants). Not only that, but the atmosphere was incredible. The scenery might be the best out of any Disney restaurant I've dined in - I just wanted to hang out in every single room. If DLP has disappointed me overall, dining here made the visit worthwhile.

At night, I decided to stick around for Disney Dreams - the nighttime spectacular at Disneyland Paris. This show combines castle projections with fountains, mist screens, fire, lasers, and fireworks (along with a story that loosely ties things together). It was extremely impressive, which didn't surprise me because Steve Davison conceived it (he's also responsible for World of Color). My phone pictures don't do it justice, but here's a quick glimpse at the show:

Putting sentimental value aside, this show was probably better than Wishes. In fact, it might be in my top 3 Disney nighttime shows, along with IllumiNations and World of Color (although I've never seen DL's Fantasmic or fireworks show). So in one night, two parts of DLP seriously impressed me - this proved to me that there is a good amount of magic to be found here.

 

[JintyB]

I'm glad you finally found some magic We love Walt's - we've always managed to time eating there during a parade AND get a window seat overlooking Main Street, but I do agree that in general the food quality at DLP doesn't match that of WDW.

Great photos of Dreams, you appear to have had a really good view. Personally nothing comes close to Wishes for me, which is a shame as Paris is so much nearer! Did you manage to visit the dragon under the castle?

 

[Linda67]

I'm so glad you got to experience Disney Dreams - such a stunning show

I love Walt's on Main Street. As you rightly point out, the atmosphere and position of this restaurant are second to non. I so wish they would recreate this experience in some way at WDW

 

[vettegirl]

Thanks for sharing the hotels. I don't think I would ever pay their crazy prices, the place we stayed at one train stop away was $80 a night and was just fine.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I'm glad you finally found some magic We love Walt's - we've always managed to time eating there during a parade AND get a window seat overlooking Main Street, but I do agree that in general the food quality at DLP doesn't match that of WDW.

Great photos of Dreams, you appear to have had a really good view. Personally nothing comes close to Wishes for me, which is a shame as Paris is so much nearer! Did you manage to visit the dragon under the castle?

Wow, a window table during the parade would be really cool! I didn't actually stop to watch the parade, but I walked by it a few times and now the music is stuck in my head.

The food definitely doesn't match WDW (or DL, for that matter), but considering that Walt's basically costs the same as other TS restaurants in DLP, it's easily the winner by comparison. And then there's the atmosphere, which is far more compelling than more expensive WDW restaurants (such as Cinderella's Royal Table and quite a few of the signatures).

I actually arrived at my spot for Disney Dreams a full hour early. Of course, it was raining the entire time (and during all of my final days at DLP), but this was worthwhile since I don't expect to return to DLP. Wishes is still a sentimental favorite, although I've always found it to be slightly corny. In comparison, Disney Dreams doesn't pound you with a message about dreams and magic - it's simply a beautiful sequence of scenes tied together by the Peter Pan storyline. I also liked the pacing of it (way longer than Wishes, but shorter than Fantasmic and World of Color).

Oh, and I did see the dragon on my first day at DLP! Such a neat animatronic. And to DLP's credit, it still moves! Here's looking at you, yeti.

I'm so glad you got to experience Disney Dreams - such a stunning show

I love Walt's on Main Street. As you rightly point out, the atmosphere and position of this restaurant are second to non. I so wish they would recreate this experience in some way at WDW

Disney Dreams is definitely a winner. I love how it combines so many elements at once - projections, fountains, fireworks, lasers, and even fire!

And Walt's would be an amazing addition to WDW. Perhaps WDW is already saturated with restaurants, but it would still be nice to see WDW add a spot like Carthay or Walt's. Club 33 or 1901 would also be cool, but I don't think I'll ever step foot into those locations anyway.

Thanks for sharing the hotels. I don't think I would ever pay their crazy prices, the place we stayed at one train stop away was $80 a night and was just fine.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Agreed - the hotels at DLP seemed so expensive that they make WDW's resorts look like a bargain. Plus, the ones in WDW are successfully themed (for the most part) and are constantly being refurbished. While the WDW resorts receive a lot of criticism for their prices and amenities compared to off-site options, DLP takes that to a whole new level, and I don't regret my choice to stay off-site.

Personally, I wish DLP could demolish every single one of those hotels and start from scratch (except the Disneyland Hotel, which could still use an interior refurbishment). They just haven't been built and maintained to the standard of other Disney hotels worldwide.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Hi everyone! I'm back home now, which means it'll be even easier to knock out these updates. The next one is from the afternoon of the 9th, prior to my meal at Walt's.

In between exploring the lakeside hotels and the Disneyland Hotel, I had a fastpass to use at the Tower of Terror. This ride is identical to the one at DCA, although the pre-show is in French.

I prefer the DHS version of ToT (with its 4th dimension sequence and randomized drops) over the DCA/Paris version, but I really wanted to see the view from this one. Overall, it was worth riding once.

I can't stand the entrance to this park. It's massive and bland on the outside, and everything looks cheap on the inside (such as the "Brown Derby" food court). Even the ceiling is way lower than you'd expect, considering the building's height. It's seriously embarrassing that the Partners statue is placed directly outside it.

As unfortunate as the Studio park is, it's clear that a ton of impressive work went into the main park. That's where I spent my afternoon before dinner at Walt's.

Inside the castle is a detailed Sleeping Beauty walkthrough.

The views from the second level of the castle are also very nice.

Two more great touches of imagineering are the arcades that run parallel to Main Street. But first, a bit of context: if I haven't mentioned it already, the weather at DLP is terrible. It snows in the winter. It rains a lot year-round (including every day during my second visit). The sky is constantly bleak and gloomy, and it's cold in July. For me, this weather makes Orlando feel pleasant, even factoring in the heat, humidity, and sporadic summer storms. That's why so much of the park was designed to be sheltered from the elements, including the entrance areas at DLP and WDS.

The arcades take things a step further by providing covered walkways all the way up the sides of Main Street, except these are detailed, spacious, and dedicated walkways. The Emporium at Magic Kingdom serves a similar function, except it's too cramped and crowded to be useful during busy periods.

The Discovery Arcade leads to Discoveryland (DLP's version of Tomorrowland), although it doesn't extend all the way.

In comparison, the Liberty Arcade actually extends all the way to and from Frontierland.

Because of the rain, I used these walkways a lot - they're very pleasant and also extremely practical. In fact, they'd be great additions to MK due to Orlando's inconsistent weather (as well as the huge crowds that clog Main Street during shows and parades).

Lunch that day was at Blue Lagoon, which is DLP's version of Blue Bayou (at DL) with a more Caribbean setting and menu. Much like Blue Bayou, it's adjacent to PoTC, and you can see people dining from the ride.

There was a slight mishap when I ordered "tap water" and received a pricey bottle of mineral water. After speaking to a different server and saying I didn't order it, the mistake was corrected and I received an even larger (and complimentary) bottle of regular water. This was something I noticed frequently in Paris - they want to spring the expensive mineral water on you, and you have to exert an effort in order to resist and save a few euros.

The bread was below average - certainly not France's best.

I only ordered a main course here from the à la carte menu - the scallop and vanilla skewer with beurre blanc sauce, kaffir lime, Vitelotte potato purée and fennel confit (29.99 euros or about $41 USD, including tax and service).

The scallops could've used a nice sear on them, but they were fine with the buttery sauce and some acidity from the lime. Still, this was another relative disappointment.

Finally, I took one picture of the parade before my dinner at Walt's. I'm not one for daytime parades, but this one looked good (albeit not as good as MK's new Festival of Fantasy).

That's it for this update - I've got one more to write (from the 10th of July), and that'll be the conclusion of my DLP adventure!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I've enjoyed your report on DLP. I noticed that there is a lot of English used in this park. The video of the parade showed that English was used instead of French. Is English the predominant language or is it French?

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I've enjoyed your report on DLP. I noticed that there is a lot of English used in this park. The video of the parade showed that English was used instead of French. Is English the predominant language or is it French?

Good question. The official answer is that both French and English are the official languages of the park. However, I did have a few issues when using English instead of French. The "tap water" incident described above was one of them. Another time, I tried to order a "Belgian waffle with chocolate sauce" at a waffle stand and received a hot chocolate. After turning it down in French, the CM explained that the waffle stand wasn't serving waffles at that time. For the most part, English is fine, but I was surprised by the number of cast members who speak little to no English.

The attractions themselves alternate between French and English. The primary narration on Phantom Manor is in French, for example, but Madame Leota recites lines in both French and English. Tower of Terror's pre-show was in French, but the ride itself kept the same English narration from DCA. The fireworks and fountain show (Disney Dreams) also had lines in both French and English, as did the shows at WDS (CinéMagique and AniMagique). On the new Ratatouille ride, Remy's lines alternated between English and French, while his brother Emile always spoke in English. Everything was easy enough to follow without understanding the French (although Phantom Manor has a very involved backstory, and I found the ride to be much more rewarding after 'cheating' and reading the story online).

On-ride safety spiels are usually given in French and English, while the pre-parade and pre-fireworks announcements were given in at least 5 languages (French, German, English, Italian, Spanish, etc). I hope that helps!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

My last update is from the 10th of July, which was also the grand opening of La Place de Rémy (the mini-land housing the Ratatouille ride and Bistrot Chez Rémy). So I headed to the Studios early, in case anything interesting was going on.

As it turns out, many other people had the same idea, and there was a fairly large long of people waiting to enter the new area. These crowds don't compare to what Universal experienced with Diagon Alley on the 8th, but I think it's safe to say this area doesn't match Diagon either (no offense, Disney!).

Even though it looks like I was far behind in line, I was able to secure a decent spot for the opening ceremony.

Soon, Euro Disney leaders and a French tourism official went on stage to discuss the attraction (this part was entirely in French, so I only understood fragments of it). They mentioned that this ride/area is the 60th attraction of DLRP, that it pays homage to the culture and cuisine of Paris, and that it's brought several new jobs to the resort. They also pointed out that Disneyland Paris is the most-attended tourist attraction in Europe, which received a large applause from the crowd. After that, Remy and Linguini arrived to officially open the attraction.

Then it was time to ride again! My wait this time (in single rider) was only about 10 minutes. The line built quickly, though, and the standby line showed wait times from 120-180 minutes in the afternoon.

Again, this wasn't my favorite attraction, but the Studio park seriously needed a modern, family-friendly dark ride. Ratatouille fits the bill, even if it could've used an animatronic or two (just look at what's Disney's done recently with RSR and the Mine Train).

While exiting the ride, you get a glimpse of the new restaurant.

Crowds waiting to enter the area:

After some rides in Disneyland Park, I returned to Bistrot Chez Rémy for my lunch reservation (ten days prior, I'd made a booking for opening day).

The salad was the same as before, and I still found the combination of cheese and a soy-based dressing to be slightly odd.

Baguette pieces - much better than the bread at Blue Lagoon

Instead of ordering the cod again, I chose the steak frites as my main course. It was decent, although the fries weren't nearly as good as the ones I'd gotten from Parisian food trucks.

The ratatouille (which came on the side) was also fine - neither amazing nor horrible. I skipped dessert based on my experience last time.

Bistrot Chez Rémy is definitely a cute restaurant, even if the theming looks a bit 'plasticky' in areas. That said, the menu should be more interesting and diverse. This area is supposed to respect and honor French cuisine, and frankly I think the restaurant plays it too safe to do that. The fries should be thinner, the salad shouldn't have two mismatched ingredients, the desserts should be more ambitious, and there should be more options. Whether considering food or atmosphere, I think Walt's is easily the winner out of the three TS restaurants I tried.

For dessert, I headed over to Disneyland's ice cream parlor on Main Street. Instead of Edy's/Dreyer's, it seems that the primary ice cream sponsor at DLP is Ben & Jerry's. Just look at that corporate sponsorship outside the castle! Vacation ruined.

I ordered a scoop of Greek-style frozen yogurt (vanilla honey caramel), and it was a fine snack for me (albeit not nearly as good as L'Artisan des Glaces at Epcot). In all seriousness, I actually prefer Ben & Jerry's over Edy's/Dreyer's, so this was more enjoyable than most ice cream options at WDW and DL.

In the afternoon, I went back to Frontierland to ride some favorites again. For starters, Big Thunder Mountain is awesome here. The mountain itself is situated on an island in the middle of Frontierland, and the train goes through a dark, fast tunnel on its way to and from the mountain. Very cool!

But my favorite ride in Frontierland (and Disneyland Paris) is possibly Phantom Manor. This ride is a unique take on the Haunted Mansion with a much more involved storyline and a Frontierland twist. The story actually ties this attraction cleverly to the rest of Thunder Mesa/Frontierland (the owner of the manor also owned the nearby mines at Big Thunder Mountain). This tombstone also shows the manor's connection to the mining community.

The ride itself has major similarities and differences with the classic Haunted Mansions in DL, WDW, and Tokyo. If you don't mind being spoiled, this page does a good job describing the story. I actually found the ride to be much creepier after I understood the entire backstory.

Also, the soundtrack for this ride is amazing: a haunting, elegant take on Grim Grinning Ghosts. This recording also includes the original English narration for the pre-show, recorded by Vincent Price! It was removed after a few months of operation, due to contract stipulations that most of the narration had to be in French.

Before leaving Frontierland - bison burger for $39 USD, anyone? (It probably would've been more worthwhile than my lunch at Blue Lagoon!)

I spent the rest of the evening exploring DL's Fantasyland, which might be the most beautiful Fantasyland overall. Every Fantasyland has its own strengths, such as New Fantasyland at MK and Pooh's Hunny Hunt at Tokyo. In comparison, DLP's Fantasyland is gorgeous and richly detailed.

They even have a snack stand inspired by The Old Mill!

The picture below was directly inspired by Tom Bricker, and it basically proves why he's a photographer and I'm not.

The last ride of my evening was It's a Small World. The interior was more colorful and vibrant than MK's version, although everything had less of a 'Mary Blair' look.

Yesterday I headed to the airport early and flew back home, so this is the end of my DLP updates. Overall, my first impression didn't end up changing - Disneyland Paris is lacking compared to WDW and DL. However, there were many positives that made my visit worthwhile. For example, it was really cool seeing how DLP changed up or reinvented some of the classic E-tickets, primarily Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates, It's a Small World, and (my favorite) Phantom Manor. The original park is beautiful and contains so many incredible details, while the Studio park has quite a few unique and memorable attractions, including Crush's Coaster, Ratatouille, and CinéMagique. Walt's Restaurant and Disney Dreams were also highlights for me.

This visit also gave me a greater appreciation of the domestic parks. While I believe WDW and DL have their own strengths and weaknesses, Paris's weaknesses felt more blatant and distracting to me. I also find the environment of the domestic parks to be more enjoyable, largely due to the fact that smoking is restricted to designated areas. Even Universal Orlando Resort had a more positive 'vibe' than DLRP, in my opinion. Perhaps that's because the weather was so gloomy and depressing during my visit, but it's also because of Disney Village and the 'real-world' train station/bus stop that you have to use if you're not staying at an on-site hotel. Now I'm more excited than ever about returning to WDW, DL, or Universal, where the magic is always palpable to me.

By the way, if anyone is interested in reading more about the international parks, this recent Buzzfeed page does a fun job discussing unique attractions at Disney parks overseas. I don't agree with all the recommendations (for example, Indiana Jones in Paris is awful, and Tokyo's Raging Spirits is the same thing), but the pictures are good and might persuade you to visit one of the international parks.

 

[jabead]

Wow, such incredible updates from Paris and the Disneyland Paris Resort! Thank you so very much for posting them here and helping me to keep this thread alive for a bit longer.

As usual, your photos are outstanding! And speaking of your photos, on Friday there was a review of L'Artisan des Glaces posted on the Disney Food Blog and it included a shot of the ice cream and sorbet case with the Mickey heads. While the photo was similar to yours, your photo was much, much better.

But in regard to your more recent updates, I was really surprised when you said that at the grand opening of La Place de Rémy they stated that Disneyland Paris is the most-attended tourist attraction in Europe. I was somewhat skeptical of this, not that I didn't believe that they said it but that it was really true. I would have thought that Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre, or the Eiffel Tower would have easily beat out an amusement park...and that's without considering tourist attractions outside of Paris!

So of course I had to do some fact checking of my own. I found a Huffington Post article published in February of this year which listed the Top 50 Most Visited Tourist Attractions in the World.. At first I was a little surprised to see that the Walt Disney World Resort was not #1, but then noticed that the 4 parks were listed separately and all of them were in the top 25 attractions of the world!!!

#8 - Magic Kingdom (17.5 million annual visitors)
#17 - Epcot (11.1 million)
#22 - Animal Kingdom (10 million)
#23 - Hollywood Studios (9.9 million)

Their combined total of 48.5 million surpasses the #1 attraction named in the article, which was the Las Vegas Strip (with 39.7 million annual visitors).


Then getting back to my original question regarding Europe's most attended tourist attraction. According to the article...

#11 - Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (15 million)
#13 - Notre Dame Cathedral (13.65 million)
#16 - Disneyland Park, France (11.2 million)

However this does not take into account the Disney Studios Park, which actually didn't make it into the top 50 list (it was the only Disney park to not make this list). However, it's probably safe to assume that its attendance was at least more than 3.8 million, which would then make their statement at the Grand Opening true for the two parks combined.

Anyway, you know I love Disney and do my fair share of boosting their attendance figures, but I have to say that it's a little scary that 8 of their amusement parks draw more visitors annually than places like The Louvre. Just food for thought, I guess.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Wow, such incredible updates from Paris and the Disneyland Paris Resort! Thank you so very much for posting them here and helping me to keep this thread alive for a bit longer...

I'm so glad you liked the Paris updates! It's been fun keeping this thread going with 'almost-live' reports from Universal and DLP, since it's allowed me to share my thoughts on different theme park destinations with people who already have a strong interest in Disney parks (and possibly their strongest competitors). Of course, food comparisons have to play a role in my updates - it's safe to say WDW is still the winner in that regard.

Thanks for pointing out that L'Artisan des Glaces update, but oh no! It looks like the pineapple sorbet is gone. The new vanilla macaron sandwich looks patriotically French (or American, depending on how you look at it). But that's still a disappointing change for me. I suppose it doesn't matter, since my next ice cream destination in Orlando is Florean Fortescue's at Universal.

What an interesting article about tourist attraction attendance. For starters, I found it pretty amusing that they got the castle wrong for Disneyland in California. But back on topic - according to the estimates in this report (see page 7 of the PDF itself, or page 13 if looking at the bottom corner), attendance at Walt Disney Studios was about 4.47 million in 2013. That's easily the lowest of any Disney theme park (deservedly so), and in fact it doesn't seem like it would be enough to beat 15 million at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (since DLP's attendance dropped to 10.43 million). Maybe Disney knows something we don't, or they aren't counting Turkey? DLP's corporate site says the same thing (and it verifies a combined attendance of 14.9 million for 2013). By the way, kudos to Disney for having 9 out of the 10 most-attended theme parks in the world (California Adventure made it into the top 10 for 2013!).

Regarding your thoughts on Disney vs. something like the Louvre - I feel bad admitting this, but I skipped the Louvre this time. Yes, it has an incredible art collection, but the crowds during peak season are horrific. They make Disney World at NYE feel pleasant to me. I would think lots of people visit the Louvre to check certain things off their bucket list, such as see the Mona Lisa (it's so tiny!) or take selfies in front of the pyramids. And with so many tourists flocking to Paris, everything iconic had horrible lines - the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, Versailles, the Musée d'Orsay, etc. Since I'd walked around the Louvre once before, I felt okay skipping it this time - it's something I had to do once but don't care to repeat. Another thing - the scammers around Paris are seriously annoying and persistent. They almost ruined Paris's major tourist attractions for me, without even succeeding in their scam attempts! My visit improved a lot when I started exploring the city (usually in search of good food) instead of focusing on the tourist sites.

In comparison, people visit the Disney parks because they want to. The reputation pulls people in, but a lot of visitors become hooked and can't wait to return. Disney parks are fun, happy, energetic, relaxing, beautifully designed (most of them), and they feel safe. They're places where you can leave behind your worries, keep your wallet in your pocket, and still feel at ease. Of course, travelers need to take precautions anywhere, but the Disney bubble (especially WDW) creates a sensation that nowhere else in the world matches. That's why so many repeat visitors go back over and over (including us!), which probably factors into attendance. The Disney parks may be artificial, commercial, and overtly consumeristic, but they generally succeed in creating joy and happiness for their visitors. Real world destinations can't always do that. For that reason, Disney will always be on top when it comes to worldwide attendance, as long as they don't completely lose their way.

Sorry for the long-winded reply. Disney is something that means a lot to me as well, and while I definitely have a non-Disney bucket list (London again, Italy, Ireland, Amsterdam - and that's just Europe!), I'd still say Disney's attendance figures are fair. To me, Disney parks are more pleasant places to spend time than the Louvre, and I imagine many other people feel the same way (except for art history majors).

 

[SmallWorld71]

Interesting, Barb. Thanks for the link!

 

[tdashgirl]

In comparison, people visit the Disney parks because they want to. The reputation pulls people in, but a lot of visitors become hooked and can't wait to return. Disney parks are fun, happy, energetic, relaxing, beautifully designed (most of them), and they feel safe. They're places where you can leave behind your worries, keep your wallet in your pocket, and still feel at ease. Of course, travelers need to take precautions anywhere, but the Disney bubble (especially WDW) creates a sensation that nowhere else in the world matches. That's why so many repeat visitors go back over and over (including us!), which probably factors into attendance. The Disney parks may be artificial, commercial, and overtly consumeristic, but they generally succeed in creating joy and happiness for their visitors. Real world destinations can't always do that. For that reason, Disney will always be on top when it comes to worldwide attendance, as long as they don't completely lose their way.

I've been lurking here and enjoying all the photos and reviews ... I have to say this is very well-put! I think this is the way a lot of us Disney fans feel ... but don't articulate quite as well

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I've been lurking here and enjoying all the photos and reviews ... I have to say this is very well-put! I think this is the way a lot of us Disney fans feel ... but don't articulate quite as well

Thanks for the comment - I'm glad you understand what I'm trying to say. Disney parks certainly aren't a replacement for the real world, but there's a reason why Disney's achieved those attendance numbers. We're all proof of it.

By the way, I noticed you'll be going to WDW for the first time soon - have a great trip! There's something truly captivating about WDW's level of immersion.

 

[JintyB]

I've really enjoyed catching up with the rest of your reviews and we agree on most of the particularly good bits (and bad bits) of DLP. I guess for us, it's a little bit of magic close to home and we love it for all it's oddities. But if I had to choose DLP or WDW, WDW would get my vote.

Sorry the weather was so bad for you. We've experienced all extremes - from snow (the lake around BTMRR froze!) to hot sunshine - fingers crossed it's the latter next week

And to pick up on Barb's interesting research, this is the third year I've helped run this school trip and we replaced visits to places like Sacre Couer and Montmartre in favour of DLP after some unpleasant encounters there two years ago. In fact, last summer the Louvre was closed when staff walked out because no one was tackling the pick pocket issues they were experiencing - an organised gang has since been busted!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I've really enjoyed catching up with the rest of your reviews and we agree on most of the particularly good bits (and bad bits) of DLP. I guess for us, it's a little bit of magic close to home and we love it for all it's oddities. But if I had to choose DLP or WDW, WDW would get my vote.

Sorry the weather was so bad for you. We've experienced all extremes - from snow (the lake around BTMRR froze!) to hot sunshine - fingers crossed it's the latter next week

And to pick up on Barb's interesting research, this is the third year I've helped run this school trip and we replaced visits to places like Sacre Couer and Montmartre in favour of DLP after some unpleasant encounters there two years ago. In fact, last summer the Louvre was closed when staff walked out because no one was tackling the pick pocket issues they were experiencing - an organised gang has since been busted!

Glad you've enjoyed the updates, and I can definitely understand your feelings about DLP. For anyone living in Europe (especially places such as France, Germany, and the UK), DLP provides a nice dose of magic without having to travel too far. The castle is a winner, the original park is perhaps the most beautiful Disneyland-style park of all, and even WDS is improving. Walt's Restaurant and Disney Dreams are also fantastic experiences. As a standalone destination, I would say DLP is lacking compared to WDW and DL, but there were individual components that I seriously loved. In fact, I still have the music from Phantom Manor stuck in my head.

Good luck with the weather! Hopefully it won't be raining too badly next week - I'm sure you'll be safe from the snow this time.

I also understand your feelings about "unpleasant encounters" in Paris - the bracelet guys of Sacré Coeur seriously annoyed me. In fact, I witnessed so many scam attempts in Paris, and the scammers were relentless (fortunately they didn't get a cent from me). For that reason, I couldn't wait to return to DLP after a week in the city, and things were definitely better there. So I think you made a great choice switching the school trip to DLP, and the students probably don't mind either.

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

Oh my goodness, the DLP updates are awesome! I just can't get over how incredible that castle looks. Thanks for all of the awesome pictures! I would love to get a chance to visit the park sometime in the future. Not sure if it will happen, but I can certainly dream.

Those pictures of the dirty hotel exterior just blow my mind. Like you said, it gives you quite a different perspective and makes you a little more appreciative of all the refurbs WDW always has going on at any given time.

Thanks for taking the time to post all of the fantastic updates!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Oh my goodness, the DLP updates are awesome! I just can't get over how incredible that castle looks. Thanks for all of the awesome pictures! I would love to get a chance to visit the park sometime in the future. Not sure if it will happen, but I can certainly dream.

Those pictures of the dirty hotel exterior just blow my mind. Like you said, it gives you quite a different perspective and makes you a little more appreciative of all the refurbs WDW always has going on at any given time.

Thanks for taking the time to post all of the fantastic updates!

Glad you enjoyed the DLP updates, and you're right about the castle - it was easily the coolest! I hope you can visit DLP at least once, and if you do end up taking that trip to England, there's a direct train from London to Marne la Vallée - Chessy (the train station adjacent to DLP).

The dirty hotel exterior was definitely a surprise, and it emphasized how the resorts in WDW are generally maintained and updated adequately. Fortunately, this particular hotel in DLP is receiving a (much-needed) refurb right now, so within a few months, it hopefully won't look like that any longer.

In spite of my mixed experience overall, I'd still recommend visiting if you get the chance. And while we're still talking about DLP, here are a few more pictures that didn't fit into my previous updates.

A reminder of 'home'

One last castle shot

 

[kitty2kidz]

Fabulous info!! Following!!!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Hi everyone! I'm back in Orlando again, only this time I haven't entered any of the Disney parks. Instead, this update will focus on another Orlando park that I enjoyed visiting in June...

Diagon Alley has opened at Universal!

This land is possibly the most immersive theme park area in Orlando - there's just so much to take in.

On my first visit to DA, the headlining Gringotts attraction had a 180-minute wait. Instead, I wandered around and decided to get a frozen treat from Florean Fortescue's.

I had to try the butterbeer ice cream, but it didn't blow me away - it tasted like vanilla with a subtle cream soda flavor. However, I did try samples of some of their other flavors (including chocolate chili and clotted cream), which were very good.

On my second day, I checked into a Universal hotel at about 6am so I could utilize early entry at 7. My goal was to ride Gringotts before the line got too crazy.

This is what Diagon Alley looks like when everyone is being funneled to the Gringotts entrance:

The queue for Gringotts is incredible, and it gets darker as you make your way to the load area.

As for the ride itself, I have to say Forbidden Journey at IoA impressed me more. However, Gringotts is still cool and the queue area is fantastic. Hopefully the wait times at Gringotts start to stabilize soon - my wait (80 minutes) was relatively short.

I've also got some pictures from our hotel, Portofino Bay.

Portofino is comparable to a WDW deluxe resort, except it also includes unlimited Express Pass for all the major rides (except Harry Potter). Honestly, Express Pass has been a huge asset during our three days at Portofino (we're leaving PBH tomorrow) and early entry still seems like the best way to experience Gringotts right now.

I actually visited Disney on the first day of the trip - here's a look at Polynesian's bungalow construction. I won't post any pictures of the lobby and grounds, but it's safe to say they're an absolute mess.

On the bright side, anyone visiting the Poly can drown their sorrows at Tambu Lounge (and I'm not referring to the drink selection). The bread pudding from 'Ohana is available here, and this individual portion only cost me $4.99 before tax and tip.

Visiting Disney was nice, but Universal and Diagon Alley have been the stars of this trip. In fact, I actually prefer the atmosphere of Diagon Alley over New Fantasyland, and I'd say DA is a perfect reason to visit Uni if you have any interest in Harry Potter (even excluding Gringotts).