Disneyland Paris

*WARNING...Super Cheesy Photos Ahead*

If Minnie Mouse and Cinderella are not your cup of tea, this blog post might not be for you.  I, however, love all things Disney and am one of the cheesy people that thinks Disney is the happiest place on earth.  Well, Disneyland/Disneyworld in the US anyway.  Disneyland Paris has a much different atmosphere, and is a much smaller park I believe.  The "cast members" who work at Disneyland Paris are grouchy, unhappy, and not so willing to serve.  Which I suppose fits their French personalities perfectly.  They don't walk around all day with a fake smile on their face, and there is no pretending going on.  They look as if they were out drinking until 4 am, and this job is simply just for booze money.  Well, maybe it is!

 Now I don't remember much about my last trip to Disney in the states, but I was young, so I do remember character breakfasts, meeting Cinderella and Goofy, my pink, blue, and purple fanny pack with my name on it, getting lice, being scared out of my mind to ride space mountain, and waiting in line for hours just to ride Dumbo one time.  Those are the fun (and not so fun) things that come to my mind.  

Ashleigh and I took the RER A to the end of the line which spits you right out at the entrance to the park.  We grabbed some maps, and got to walking.  We decided to do Disney Park before Walt Disney Studios and do Walt Disney Studios if we had time.  But before riding any rides, we had to buy our Minnie ears!  Okay, so I looked for a princess hat but there weren't any pretty ones for under 20 euros, so Minnie ears it was! They were pretty cute and made for some great photos!  

At Mad Hatter's Tea Cups

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Our first stop was Space Mountain.  I have no idea how Ashleigh got me to ride it...because normally I would be the one sitting with all the bags waiting for everyone to come out.  Maybe I felt bad if she had to ride by herself, maybe I didn't want to wait by myself for an hour while she was in line...either way, I did it.  I remember the last time I regretfully went on Space Mountain I didn't open my eyes at ALL.  I clenched my fists so tightly around the handlebars that my hands were cramping when I got off.  I am a screamer...which Ashleigh couldn't get enough of.  She would start laughing at me, then I at her....and by the time that was all over with the ride came to a halt.  I can say that I didn't see ANY of Space Mountain again this time AND my hands were cramping just the same.  We went out to look at our photos....those lovely photos they take just before you spiral down to your supposed death.  Ashleigh, who fixed her hair and practically knew when the photo was coming looked great and smiled in all of our photos.  I, however, looked like a hot mess with my chin buried in my chest and my eyes shut so tight nothing was getting through.  

Our next stop was a little more tame, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups.  Ahh yes....this is a little more my speed.  

We had our first pick of tea cups, so we raced to beat all the little kids to the cute pink one with the hearts.  Win!  They were just as enjoyable as always, a nice leisurely spin in a tea cup.  Who wouldn't love that?  The ride lasted about 1 minute, maybe just shy of 1 minute and a half.  A pitifully short ride.  

On the schedule for the characters it said there was a princess party/meet and greet just outside the tea cups. We looked around, couldn't find anything, then finally stumbled upon what was a pop up tent with one princess inside.  One princess?! That's hardly worth waiting in line....(not to mention the line was ridiculous!) Turns out the princesses take turns every 30 minutes or so, so if you want to meet more than one princess you have to get back in line!  Isn't that sad?!  There was a 2 hour block and that was all.  The princesses didn't wander around the park all day like I remember.  They do this 2 hour signing, the parade (one time per day), and a SHORT show at 7pm where they frolick with their princes and that is it!  Oh....the life of a princess.  

After whinging a little over the lack of princess presence in the park, we picked our sadness up off the floor and headed over to It's A Small World.  Another one of my faves.  The lines weren't too long at this point, as it was still pretty early in the day.  The highlight of It's A Small World?  The France section, with the Eiffel Tower of course! 

I asked Ashleigh if we had passed Australia yet and she said, "No, I don't think so. But surely I can't miss it."  Next thing you know we turn the corner to find 2 kangaroos and nothing else.  I yelled, "Ash....Australia!" and she missed it.  ha!  

After lunch, she got me on yet another big ride, Big Thunder Mountain.  After we sung along to 'Oh! Susanna' and 'On Top of Old Smoky' per the theme of the Thunder Mountain Railroad (which, by the way, we were the only ones who knew what those songs even were...).  Some kids even looked at us funny as we started singing along to the tune.  Thunder Mountain wasn't SO bad, but I still had my eyes shut and fists clenched as we cleared the last turn.  I was thankful to be alive as I got off, and we went in search of some sugar.  With no success, as we were hoping to find churros or something, we hopped on the train and took it back to Fantasyland where I saw a crêpe stand which would have to suffice.  Unfortunately, it was the absolute WORST crêpe I have ever eaten.  It was burnt on the edges, the "chocolate/noisette" Nutella replacement was cold and hard, the actual crêpe was chewy and cold.  It's a good thing I wasn't expecting much because it was a major disappointment.  

As we were wandering trying to find the parade route, we found the only place in the park that had cotton candy-sold!  We bought one and took it down towards the parade to munch on.  It was a much needed pick-me-up.  The parade was very short and we could barely see anything....but what we did see was fun!  After the parade, we left to go back to the rest of the rides before dinner or going to Disney Studios.  The line for Pirates of the Caribbean wasn't long at all, so that passed by quickly.  The line for Indiana Jones was about an hour...the longest line we sat in all day.  I wasn't thinking it was a big ride, from the way Ashleigh described the one in California it sounded quite tame.  As we approached the front closer and closer, I saw a complete 360 degree loop.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  It was too late to turn back, so I spent the last 20 minutes in line freaking myself out.  My palms were sweaty and I couldn't stop moving.  After about a 2 minute wait we shot off at a million miles an hour and before I knew it, the ride was over.  My eyes still shut I didn't see a thing.  It lasted about 30 seconds and while I did know when we were doing a 360 degree loop, it didn't last long enough for me to even think twice.  

Main Street, U.S.A. Now come on people...it realllllly doesn't look like this.

Dumbo! My favorite!

Our walk to Disney Studios was pointless, as that park closed at 7!  Its too bad we didn't know that ahead of time, or we would have done that first.  I just assumed they both closed at 10.  We walked back to Disneyland Park to catch the end of Mickey and friends-the show.  After the show there was only time for one more ride so we chose Peter Pan's Flight.  Which I don't remember from my last visit.  The line was about an hour long...but worth it.  It was the cutest ride!  You stepped into this flying boat and soared over London and the entire Peter Pan movie scene.  All while listening to, "You Can Fly!"  It was too cute.

It was a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday and I'm so glad Ashleigh was able to come along!  We were so exhausted afterwards, and I got up Sunday morning early for Marie-Césare's birthday party...another day to wear me out!  I'll try and post pictures, etc. tonight or tomorrow.  Taking Marie-Césare to the doctor this afternoon then going to dinner with everyone for my birthday!  So sweet of them to take off work early in the middle of the week to do something for me.  I am very appreciative even though it is not necessary!