Showing posts with label Disneyland Paris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disneyland Paris. Show all posts

Monday, June 10, 2019

Disneyland Paris Family Europe Trip Part 3


"This is no ordinary apple, it is a magic 
wishing apple,"  said the Evil Queen to
tempt Snow White. 


Never fear, Snow White was awakened by 
love's kiss and went on to have a wonderful
and delicious day at the park!!

Welcome to Disneyland Paris, the third leg on
our Family Europe Trip.  


Visiting Disneyland Paris was big on 
everyone's list, old and young.  My middle 
son has now visited all the Disneylands
except Hong Kong - California, Florida, Shanghai,
Tokyo, and now Paris.

Paris is such a delight because it is how you 
wish Disneyland was - uncrowded and reasonable 
lines, especially if you go on a weekday, and
about a third cheaper than in the US.


We have stayed a couple of times 
in the iconic pink hotel 
that is literally the entrance to Disneyland Paris 
before, when it was just the two of us, but 
it carries a hefty pricetag for 5 rooms.  We wanted 
to get the Magic Hours since Disneyland Paris is 
often open only from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm and we 
only had one day here.  


So we chose to stay in Disney's Santa Fe Hotel 
which was under150 Euros a night.  It has an
adorable Cars theme.

If you have traveled to Europe much you know that 
family sized rooms are few and far between. Disney 
gets it - two doubles per room.


The bathroom follows the Cars theme in an 
clever way.  Everything was so fresh and fun 
and almost looked brand new.





The hotel consists of multiple buildings and you 
travel down Route 66 to get to your buildings.


We took the high speed train from Charles De Gaulle 
airport in Paris to Disneyland.  It gets you there in 10 
minutes.  We happened to arrive just as Disneyland 
was closing for the night - around 8:30 pm and 
people were crazy trying to get on the buses to 
their hotels. 

 I knew we would be tired and hungry 
so I had called Disneyland Paris and made reservations 
for the La Cantina buffet dinner at our hotel.
 They were so 
helpful and accommodating for our large group.


It was the perfect meal after our steady high 
carb diet of pizzas and gelatos in Rome.  The 
meats for fajitas and tacos were delicious.


They even had a chocolate fountain.










No sleeping in!!
To get the most of our Magic hour and a half, we 
were at the park by 8:00.

I gained an appreciation for those tour guides who 
didn't ever let you sleep in - too much to see and do!!

When hubby and I have gone by ourselves, it 
is a much more relaxed pace, but I didn't 
want the kids to miss anything.


Baby girl turned 5 months old on the trip, and she 
loved every bit of it and just kept up the pace.  She 
was amazing and so were her parents, 
getting a stroller on and off the subway
 and into taxis, buses and Uber cars.


Yes, you can still find the Tower of Terror in Paris. 


Although I love the theme of the new 
Guardians of the Galaxy ride,
I have said that it contains a lot wilder drops 
and is a longer ride - a few drops too many for 
my stomach - and sure enough, riding the old 
ride proves it. 


They have two parks, 
Disneyland Park and Disney Studio Park.
The Price for both parks is under $100 -
 so there's another 
reason I love Disneyland Paris.  

We headed straight to the Ratatouille Ride with our 
early hours and walked right in.  The crowd was 
rushing to Crush's Roller Coaster, but that was a 
spinning roller coaster and none of us felt like our 
stomachs could take that.  

I love how Disney parks around the world take a 
slightly different theme and you find new rides like 
Ratatouille.  For those who are familiar with the movie, 
you are the size of a rat and being chased in the 
kitchens by the chefs.  It is a fun and clever ride.


The castle is huge and spectacular and you are allowed 
to go up the grand staircase to the second floor 


where you see the story of Sleeping Beauty depicted in gorgeous 
stained glass and tapestries.



Then you can even walk outside on the parapet 
and see Fantasyland 


and the castle rooftop up close.  Then you descend a 
spiral staircase.


But that's not all - exit the castle to your left and for this and you enter the lair of the dragon, a life-sized dragon sits at the edge of the 
water and occasionally opens its eyes and lifts 
its head and lets out a roar.  



The kids preferred Hyperspace Mountain to California's
Space Mountain.

Phantom Manor has a different and fun theme in 
where you are following a ghostly lady.


Beware Indiana Jones is a rough riding roller coaster.


There are several fun walk through experiences besides 
the Dragon's Lair, like Alice in Wonderland, 


a pirate's ship,
and Skull Rock (photo from Disneywikia.com).


The food is a lot of fun, as you would expect.
Of course they serve crepes since we are in France,


and the most amazing Nutella stuffed donut puffs.


 By the way, that poison apple was delicious!


We chose to eat at Chez Remy's - part of the 
Paris and Ratatouille portion of the park.  


Reservations are required, but the wonderful lady 
on the reservations phone line had no problem fitting 
twelve of us in.  We had 
eaten there before and thought the family would 
love the theme.



Of course, it is as if you are shrunken to the size of 
a rat, so everywhere you look there are charming details.

These are stacks of plates that are booths and the 
forks are coat hangers.


Drink umbrellas become table umbrellas and Christmas
lights are hanging lights.


We all chose a steak or chicken dish, but it was 
the desserts that blew us away.



The parks were in their springtime glory.  They had the 
most impressive flower display of anywhere we went on the trip.


We were lucky and our schedule fit a night where 
they didn't close at 8:00 pm but stayed open until 
10:30 and had fireworks (my favorite)!

For Disney fans, old and young, it is well worth 
a day spent in Disneyland Paris, and yes you can do 
it all in a day.  My son says Tokyo's Disney Sea needs 
to be on my bucket list - we will see if that every happens, 
but I am glad I could introduce the family to
Disneyland Paris.

Top Reasons to go to Disneyland Paris
So uncrowded
Better price
Spectacular Castle
Hidden Dragon
Unique rides
Unique foods
So close to Paris
Disney Magic


The final installment will be Paris.  I guess I saved 
my favorite for last - but really it was cheaper and 
faster flying direct into London and direct home 
from Paris.














Sunday, December 13, 2015

Disneyland Paris - A Christmas Delight



Well, here we are at Disneyland Paris,
and we had the great fortune to stay at the Disneyland Paris
Hotel again, which is a marvelous confection of
Victorian pink!

This time we took the TGV train for Charles De Gaulle
Airport rather than ride the bus to Disneyland Paris.
It cost us 19 Euros, and Euros are 1 to 1.09 US dollars
right now, so travel to Paris is quite reasonable.  The TGV
train takes only 10 minutes to travel to Disneyland.  The bus,
which we took last time, took about 40 minutes and was
about the same price, so we loved that.  The TGV and RER
trains stop right on the property, but you do have to haul
your own bags through the security line and to the hotel.

Don't take the RER, it takes you all the way back into Paris
and then back out to Disneyland.  That would take away a little
of the magic.


We arrived at the magnificent Disneyland Hotel to 
be greeted in the lobby by a gigantic tree across from the
magnificent fireplace.  Next to the tree is an almost lifesize
gingerbread house that puffs smoke out of it's smokestack.

I felt like I had walked into one of the Historic Landmark
Homes that I posted about.  Everything is so beautiful and the
people are all so helpful and have that Disney smile.  If you
are worried about being in France and having the people
be friendly and helpful, hang out at Disneyland, Paris!
They are all wonderful and so friendly.


My favorite memory from our last trip here was the 
Hot Chocolate up in the second floor lounge, so we
had to have that again.  It is a block of chocolate
that you melt into your creamy milk, served with a
cookie spoon.  I want to make this for Christmas Eve,
although I will probably just use my chocolate spoons.


I had so many people ask me to let them know what
it was like to travel here at this time of year.  Of course,
we are used to Disney being in warm climates, and we
could have had snow, but the weather was about a high of
50 and down into the 40's by the time we left the park.  It is
definitely a more humid climate here, so we bundled up
and often had to take our gloves and hats off as we
entered buildings or rides.

I would describe it like being in a Christmas wonderland!
It is like being in New York for Christmas only much less
walking and stunning Christmas music being played over
the loudspeakers all day.  You couldn't have a more magical
Christmas experience.

The window displays are amazing, as only Disney can do them.
They remind you of the window displays in New York, just 
featuring Disney characters.


Unbeknownst to me, our reservation included what
is called Half Board.  I assumed that included a beautiful
buffet breakfast in their dining rooms overlooking the park,
as we had the last time.

But no, half board included dining once a day at the 
restaurants in the park or at the hotel.  What you may not
know is that in Disneyland Paris, it is more of a weekend park,
so some of the restaurants, and even rides may not be open
until the weekend.  We couldn't get into dinner for Walt's which 
is on Main Street for either night, and we ended up eating
at the California Grill in the Disneyland Hotel. 

We almost opted for the Buffet, which looked incredible, but
a waiter pulled my husband aside and said that the California
Grill was excellent.  

As all of Disney, the prices are very expensive, but this meal
was completely covered, three courses and a drink, at more than
70 Euros per person.  

We were lucky enough to be seated at the only table that had
a full view of the kitchen and we adored that experience.

Shown above is my Roasted Beet Appetizer, which was
wrapped around goat cheese - amazing!!  Hubby's dessert
was a chocolate ganache bar with creamy ganache on top.
Heavenly!  It was an amazing and elegant meal,
and it was all included.

Our other major surprise was that our three
day ticket to Disneyland was included in our hotel
price.  I had read online that some of the lower
end Disneyland Hotels offered that during the
summer season, but was delighted to find that
it was included in ours.


Our other meal that we opted for was the following day
for lunch at
Bistro Chez Remy.

Of course, the French are enchanted with the little rat,
Remy, from the movie Rataouille.

He has his own little area of the park in Walt Disney Studios,
(which was closed down last time we came), and he has
opened his own restaurant.


Again, the food was amazing and very high priced, 
but we again were given a three course meal, including a drink.

This had to be the most charming themed restaurant I
have been in.  You can see plate racks that make up the booths,
with forks stacked in between for coat racks.  Little corks for
stools, bottle cap backed chairs, wine label tabletops - charm
everywhere.  

Of course, they had to serve ratatouille with each plate.  
It was beautiful and delicious.  Fois Gras was the appetizer,
and it was like eating butter.  The beef tenderloin was so
tender and flavorful, and the sea bass was served with a
delightful Beaurre Blanc sauce.  I think hubby could
have drunk that!

They even wrote Pehr Chef Kirk on
hubby's plate for his dessert of a hazelnut chocolate eclair.


My favorite was the use of drink umbrellas
as table umbrellas.

Remy has outdone himself.


What a delightful way to celebrate the Christmas season,
with sparkling lights, fabulous music, incredible parades,
and firework shows and of course, amazing food.

I highly recommend this as a Christmas destination.
(By the way, we purchased our flights and looked at
hotels before any of the attacks in Paris, and this is
a very inexpensive time to travel to Paris.  The hotel
we are off to was over $1200 in May a year and a half
ago - we did not choose it that time - and is now under
$300!)

Off to Paris proper!!


Friday, June 13, 2014

The Sweet Side of Paris


One of the enchantments of 
Paris
is the food, and Paris has
dreamy foods, especially their
sweets!  Come along on a sweet
journey with me.

Travel for me is all about the food.  
I love to explore a city through
its food and its presentation.  

Paris is a wonderland for food,
especially the sweet side of life.



The sweet side of Paris isn't just about
French Macarons, even though
they are wonderful.  

There is something deliciously
sweet and decadent around
any corner and you know I
am going to try and find it.


Cotton candy pink,
Disneyland Paris just promises
you that you are going to find
wonderful treats once you enter her gates.


How about an invitation to
the Mad Hatter's tea party
where you are the guest?


I am going to order hot chocolate
when I attend the tea party.

Or maybe this will be my bedtime
treat.  

This fabulous hot chocolate presentation
was at the Disneyland Hotel.


Remove your decadent cube of 
chocolate from its fabulous little
box and stir it around in your
warm, creamy milk until it melts
and creates hot chocolate.  Finish it 
off with your "little spoon" that is
a cookie.  How fun is that?


Grab a treat anywhere in Fantasyland
and pull up one of these
little confections to sit on while
you enjoy your treat.


Now we are going to go on the
wilder side of Disney into the
darkened Blue Lagoon restaurant
where pirates are passing by in
their boats.


Here the theme is tropical so
my huge chocolate macaron is served
with a mango side in a bamboo boat.

What intense chocolate flavor in this
gigantic macaron.  Loved it!


The Sleeping Beauty Castle
sits right at the end of Main Street, but
before you reach the end we had to
enjoy a dinner at
Walt's
which is located right on Main Street.



Call me emotional, but walking into
Walt's
I got tears in my eyes.  I felt like I
had been invited into his home.
It is Victorian in style and we were
taken upstairs and seated right by
the window


where we enjoyed a bird's eye view of
the parade.  
(One little aside - almost every little girl
at Disneyland Paris was wearing a princess
dress, but we only saw two Elsas there.  As hard
as it was to find an Elsa costume here in
the states after the movie came out, I think
it was even harder in Europe!)


Hubby chose a molten chocolate cake.


I know we should have shared 
dessert, but I was swept away
with the idea of a Candy Tulip Dish
and we both gasped when it 
arrived.

I am definitely going to have to
try this for a dinner party.  It is just
a big, beautiful, ruby dish made of
candy.


Wow, what a presentation.

We have already enjoyed 
The Sweet Life and
aren't even in Paris proper yet!


For us, the eye candy of Paris is the
fabulous architecture.  I had so much
fun returning to the room and looking up
Georges Eugene Haussman who
transformed Paris in the mid 1800's
into the architecture gem it is today.


And speaking of an architectural
gem, this macaron dessert created
by our teacher from our
French Macaron class was a wonder.


Behind every gorgeous door there
are treats hidden in Paris.


And behind every glass case
there are sweet treats waiting!


The Parisians know how to top 
their buildings with spectacular 
ornamentation.


They also know how to top their desserts
with spectacular ornamentation.


We stayed in the charming
Castille Hotel which is right
so close to the Tuileries and
the Louvre.


We were right next door to
Chanel.


The room was wonderful and 
can you believe it, decorated in 
purple!!


The bath was luxurious.  We couldn't
have had a better location.


Just around the block and down a bit
we had to try out Laduree.


It is a visual treat besides
being a culinary treat.


I'll take one of these for a
wedding cake!



How do you choose which 
confection to indulge in?


Well, we couldn't choose and as
we walked and walked and walked
each day, we decided to indulge in
this rose flavored pate choux


and a chocolate shake for hubby
(for breakfast! but hey we are on vacation!!)


pain au chocolat which is his favorite
breakfast pastry and of course one
of their "mini" croissants
(their normal ones are over 8 
inches across!)


and my choice, this gorgeous
strawberry shaped confection!


Of all of the sweets that I had in
Paris, I have to say that this was my
favorite.  The strawberry filling was
so intense and perfect and the cake
and cream were so moist - take me
back for another!

We were so decadent and 
naughty that morning, but
we loved every second and
every bite of it!


Our actual anniversary dinner was
at L'Opera Restaurant which is located
at the Garnier Opera House.  We just had
to eat there after a day spent exploring
the Opera House.


I was full and was going to watch
hubby eat his dessert until we saw
someone being presented with
this wonderful dessert.  The waiter 
comes to your table and pours hot
chocolate sauce over the chocolate
dome that hides a scoop of ice cream
that sits on the other half of the poached
pear.

I motioned to our waiter and said,
"I changed my mind, I would like to try
that dessert!"  

Yum!!!

Well, I hope you haven't gained any weight
on my journey to the
Sweet Side of Paris!

But I hope you have had a visual feast.
Thanks for coming along with me.

Bon jour!!

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