April 2005 DLRP Trip Report NPBC Ad Floor

[heffalump]

Hi Everyone!!
Well as a thank you for all your help before i went on my latest trip, some of you said that you would like a trip report. Well i am sorry that it has taken me a while but i am finally getting round to doing it.
If i bore you i am sorry but i had such a magical time and i thought that i would share
Well as you can see that this is my third holiday in DLRP and fourth visit but i have to say that this last was proabably the most magical.

Visitors;
Me 24
DH 28
Dates;
Sunday 17th April 2005 - Thursday 21st April 2005
Transport;
Eurostar Direct
Hotel;
Newport Bay Club Admirals Floor

People think that i am mad that i love Disney so much but since i have found this discussion board it is nice to know that i am not alone.
This report does include journey so feel free to skip boring stuff and i am sorry if i waffle.

Day 1 - Saturday
Travelled from Somerset to London on the National Express which only took a couple of hours. We then left our luggage at our hotel and it was off to Hamleys a huge toy store. My holiday had begun!!
I was a bit dissapointed that they did not have much Disney stuff but i suppose they have competition from teh actual disney store! Hubby was pleased as it was the launch of the new star wars toys and so we spent a couple of hours in their.
We then wandered around the streets of London before taking a taxi back to our hotel and into the bar. After checking in we were changed and off to the Lyceum Theatre where we saw teh Lion King musical for the second time this year. Great show if you get the chance go!!
After the show crashed at the hotel but didn't get much sleep as i was too excited

Day 2 - Sunday (Disney Day)
Got up and cramed all the toys we brought in hamleys into our suitcases and off to get a taxi to Waterloo. Didn't realise when i booked that it was the London Marathon but getting through the traffic was not too bad.
Got to the Eurostar terminal quite early as we were not sure about the traffic situation. Checked in and was the first in the queue at the disney counter.
Nice journey to Disney and then there was the most important bit of my day!! We arrived!!! We rushed through Disney Express and out of the doors of the train station. That was it!! I was in HEAVEN!!!
We walked straight to the park through the tunnel and then i started to well. I love it so much and it does not matter how many times you go it still hits you when you see the castle at the bottom of main street. The sun was shinning and the sky was blue it was wonderful.
We wondered around soaking in the atmosphere, my mouth still wide open, trying to take everything in. We then wandered over to the studios where we saw lots of characters all interacting with each other. Thats my favourite bit. Forget the rides and shows its the characters that make it magical for me.
We then went to check in to our hotel. No problems and no queing. We walked straight up to the admirals floor desk and checked straight in. Our bags were taken up to the room and it was wonderful. We had a room over looking the lake and it was lovely. Only problem was that we were on a no smoking floor and so we had to spend a lot of time in the fisheremans wharf bar !! That was a shame!!
We went to Annettes for dinner and because we had not had lunch we went about 5.00pm. This was great because it was really quiet, again no queuing. We then wandered back into the park where most people were coming out. We went straight on Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribean. As it was about 7.00pm we were walking around by its a small world and were the only ones when Goofy, Pluto, Tigger, Minnie Mouse, Captain Hook, Smee and others came rushing out the side of the castle. They were cuddling us and giving us Hi Fives. Then they were climbing over the flower beds and each other. It was great becuase there was absolutley no one else around.
We then wandered back to the hotel where we unpacked and then spent the rest of the evening in the bar, before we flopped into bed exhausted and very happy.

Day 3 - Monday
A bit overcast and wet under foot but did not rain at all this day. We went on Big Thunder Mountain (our favourite), saw Tarzan (great show) and countless other things that i can't even remember. Womderful day and it was off to planet hollywood for dinner at 10.00pm.

Day 4 - Tuesday
Still overcast but pleasant. Did everything in the Studios this day, except rock & roll rollercoaster (too scared)!! But the best bit about this day and the whole holiday was Cafe Mickey. We went at 8.00pm and i expected it to be crowded (we had booked). It was great!! It was quite empty and by the time we left at about 9.30pm we were almost the last in their. I have to say that the characters were very very naughty and goofy started having a food fight!!! It was great

Day 5 - Wednesday
Beautiful blue sky and sun. Sorry running out of time so thats why things are getting shorter!!
Another great day except a bad experience with Rainforest cafe but there we go. Not disney so can't be helped.

Day 6 - Thursday (Last disney day )
Got up and packed, not a nice experience. Then took our bags down to teh left luggage for Disney Express. It was then off into the studios for Good Morning Studios parade, (went on the Minnie Train around the lake!!). I love this parade as all the characters get out of the cars and come round the crowd. I got a big hug from Stitch!!
We then went round and did everything that we wanted to do again. It was busier this day but not too bad. We then went to Disbney Village and did all of our shopping before having to get back on the Eurostar. The most heart wrenching thing was walking back into that train station and as we were leaving they were playing when you wish upon a star and i very nearly gushed!!
Then it was back to london for another night in a hotel before back on the National Express the next morning.

I have to say that since being back i have been really sad and my husband keeps saying do you miss disney? Of course i do!!
He has said that he will hopefully take me back in Novemeber. i hope so i really love it

Anyway that is my story. If you want to ask anything please do. If i waffled i'm sorry. I also apologise for the appalling spelling mistakes!!

Heffalump

 

[Bexx]

Sounds like a lovely trip - thanks for the report!!

i am sorry if i waffle.

And always remember - when it comes to talking about Disney, waffling is GOOD!!

 

[dlpSteve]

Hubby was pleased as it was the launch of the new star wars toys and so we spent a couple of hours in their.

Was it good? I remember going to Hamleys when they launched the Attack of the Clones toys and they had some huge lego animated models of Yoda and Darth Vader. I've been spending far too much money over the past few weeks on Star Wars merchandise and I'll buy more in Star Traders when we are in DLRP!

 

[Bonnie]

I'm pleased you had such a fantastic time - it all sounds so magical! Reading your trip report has made me ten times more excited about our trip next month!

 

[Miffy2003]

Lovely report Thank you for sharing with us. You can never have too much detail in a Trip Report you know


I can feel the magic you experienced - fantastic!!

What went wrong in the RainForest Cafe?

 

[heffalump]

The service in the Rainforest Cafe was abbismal (not sure how to spell it!!).

They said we could go straight in and then had to queue for 20 miutes to be seated with people behind us being seated first! I didn't mind too much because i thought they were really busy.
When we were finally seated there was only about 8 people in our section and the other sections were quiet as well. All in all i would say there werre about 25 people in the whole restaurant! I think it must seat about 75? Not sure not great on calculating the massess!

Anyway there were about 10 staff just on our section and we sta down and decided what we wanted (took about 10 mins) and then i tried to catch the eye of one of the staff. They were all standing around doing absolutley nothing. Not one came up and even said we will be with you in a minute!
This got my back up and so after another 15 mins waiting for someone to notice me i got up and walked out.

I really would not have minded if they were busy or short staffed but to be totally ignored for a good 25-30 mins when staff were just staring into space this got be annoyed!!

 

[Dee8197]

I'm so glad that you had a great time .
In a few posts that I have read people have referred to a tunnel in the park when you get off Eurostar.
We travelled to disney by RER last time and so we came out of the station but I don't remember seeing or using a tunnel. Is there a seperate entrance via a tunnel for people who get off the Eurostar ?

 

[Bonnie]

I think perhaps people are referring to the "tunnel" under the Disneyland Hotel where the turnstiles are? The one which you walk through and then emerge on the other side with the castle at the end of Main Street? *can't really remember as it's been years!*

 

[Cyrano]

Wonderful report, full of excitement
Glad that minor mishap in Rain Forest Cafe did not spoil thinks too much.

Reid

 

[Miffy2003]

I'm sorry to hear you had such poor service at the RFC

 

[Ware Bears]

Sorry about the service at RFC.

What a lovely trip report! I am sitting here almost welling up when reading about you meeting the characters around the side of the castle and there was noone else around!!! I am the same, I love the characters best too. When I watch the parades I think I am a kid again and wave like mad to all the characters, embarrassing my DD's profusely!

Hope you can return soon.