November 2021

[WarriorMom2850]

Hello from the midwest! No snow yet, but we know it's coming...

Anyway...DH and DS13 will be in Paris for soccer, and are planning to spend Friday November 19th in Walt Disney Studios Park.
*they already have their transport planned, subway in early AM (about an hour) to get there.
**we are normally rope drop to close-the-parks people, but this is just the 2 of them, DD15 and I are the planners, so this is NEW experience for them.
**I've already floated the idea that they might want to upgrade to a park hopper ticket and spend time in Disneyland Paris too(we were last there in Feb 2019)
They know it's a "half day park", but are wanting a chill day to ride some rides then maybe walk around Disney Village...and eat a lot.
They plan to be at the gates 30 minutes before opening, and head directly for Crush's Coaster.

Must do for them:
Crush Coaster
Ratatouille: The Adventure
Tower of Terror

-would love to eat at Bistro Chez Remy - but no luck on reservations. Is there any chance for walk-up?

Super sporty people, love thrill rides and FOOD(especially desserts).
Any other must-do recommendations for them at that park or Disney Village?

 

[Karin1984]

Your men don't sound like they enjoy shows, with that in mind, I would definitely recommend going for a park hopper. The three rides + RC Racer are basically the only ones aimed at adults at the moment. The others are more family friendly.
I would definitely recommend to be there before park opening to get short lines for Crush Coaster.

If they only have one day, I wouldn't do a table service meal, as in France table service is a leisure activity. 1.5 - 2 hours is no exception.
Disneyland Paris is not a food destination, so I wouldn't get their hopes up too high. If they love desserts, maybe check out Victoria's in Disneyland Park. It's at the end of main street on the right, they serve milkshakes and some sweet goodies.

 

[CERS]

Well, here I differ with Karin1984, I've had great sitdown meals at DLP, but I do enjoy having relaxed meals and spend 1.5 - 2 hours. In fact, I've enjoyed DLP restaurants MUCH MORE than most WDW restaurants, with the exception of San Angel Inn (Epcot Center), Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom) and Sanaa (Animal Kingdom Lodge), and I've been to almost all sitdown restaurants in DLP and WDW (in the parks, not all of the sitdowns in hotels).

For meals, I would go either to Steakhouse at Disney Village, or Captain Jack's in Disneyland Park (unless Walt's was open, then I would go to Walt's); or an early dinner at the Manhattan Restaurant in the New York Hotel (it doesn't open for lunch). Bistro Chez Remy is not bad either, just not as good as the others in my oppinion.

As for park hopper, due to the current state of the Studios, I would highly suggest a hopper ticket. With the whole Avengers Campus still closed, the rides you mention are pretty much all the rides currently open in the park (plus RC Racer, as Karin said), and if you rope drop, you'll be done with everything by noon: If you rope drop Crush, you might wait 30 minute tops, then another 45 minutes for Tower of Terror, and maybe an hour for Remy's. That should put you at around 12 with everything done in that park.

If you had the hopper option, you could con Disneyland Park and go on Hyperspace Mountain (which is pretty good, and the only one of its kind in any "Castle" park and it has 3 inversions), and also on Big Thunder Mountain which is also probably the best version of the ride on any Disney park.

Also, Disney Village is quite smallSo yeah, I would get a hopper for sure. Lol.

 

[Karin1984]

Yeah, San Angel Inn & Be Our Guest are not exactly good food restaurants (in my opinion) in WDW. I did enjoy Sanaa immensely. Loved the food and looking out over the savanna at the animals was great.

My problem with sit down dinners in DLP are that they are too expensive for what you get. And if you only have one day, I wouldn't do it because it takes so much time. This differs, of course, if this is a visit that will not happen in the coming year, or if you are at DLP several times per year.
Value for money is much higher in the village. I love King Ludwig's.

In the parks, I would say Jack's is a good option if you want to do a sit down dinner in the park.

 

[CERS]

Yeah, San Angel Inn & Be Our Guest are not exactly good food restaurants (in my opinion) in WDW. I did enjoy Sanaa immensely. Loved the food and looking out over the savanna at the animals was great.

My problem with sit down dinners in DLP are that they are too expensive for what you get. And if you only have one day, I wouldn't do it because it takes so much time. This differs, of course, if this is a visit that will not happen in the coming year, or if you are at DLP several times per year.
Value for money is much higher in the village. I love King Ludwig's.

In the parks, I would say Jack's is a good option if you want to do a sit down dinner in the park.

Well, San Angel Inn is curious thing, we've heard A LOT of people having mediocre experiences, however, when we went it was very very good. Everything was perfect. Maybe we were lucky. Lol. As for Be Out Guest, I did like it because I also count the ambience and the whole "experience", and in that department it has to be said that the restaurante itself is very nice, specially if you're in the main room near the windows (my case) or the west wing. The food was OK, but the presentation of the plates was very nice, specially the dessert with the White Chocolate Chip Cup and the Grey Stuff. My biggest letdown in WDW was Cinderella's Royal Table, being it in the center of the magic worldwide (I mean, it is inside the friggin Disney castle!!!) you would think it would be the top of the top.... well, it certainly wasn't. I think that whole dinner experience at CRT was the worst we had by far.

Regarding DLP pricing, that's absolutely true: it IS expensive. That's just a fact. I did fall in love with Walt's however, it was just PERFECT when we went in early 2019, but at 70 euros p/p, it better be! Lol Sadly, its been closed in all my future visits.

 

[WarriorMom2850]

Oh my goodness, THANK YOU all for such great information!

so I guess next logical question - what are your favorite QS items at each of the Paris parks?

They are going to upgrade their tickets to park hopper (I've not been able to find anywhere I can do that online, I assume it'll have to be done at the park?).

Thank you all again!

 

[CERS]

Did they buy a dated ticket? Or an undated ticket?

As far as I know, dated tickets are fully refundable (according to the website), yet undated tickets are not. If it is dated, you can buy a new pair of 2-park tickets and cancel the ones you've got (this way they'll save the time at the gate to do the change).

If they're undated and they can't be cancelled, then there's no other way rather than going to the gate, according to the conditions of both tickets:

"This 1-Park ticket may be exchanged at the entrance of the Disney Parks on the day of its validity for a dated ticket for the same day for both Parks, a Multi Day dated ticket valid starting on the same day for both Disney Parks, or for an Annual Pass, subject to payment of the price difference."

 

[WarriorMom2850]

I'll check, but I'm pretty positive they bought a dated ticket since they also made a park reservation - but I could be wrong.

Thank you!

 

[CERS]

I'll check, but I'm pretty positive they bought a dated ticket since they also made a park reservation - but I could be wrong.

Thank you!

Well, if they chose the date BEFORE buying the ticket, then it is a dated ticket. If they made the park reservation AFTER buying the ticket (which is mandatory to enter DLP these days) then they bought an undated ticket. Heheh.

 

[WarriorMom2850]

Yep - he pulled up the email confirmation - dated 1 day park ticket. Hooray!

 

[WarriorMom2850]

Looking like they made a mistake getting the park hopper, they were in line at 9am for 9:30am opening, still had to wait 1 hour for Crush, then got in line for Remy, waited for 45 minutes then it broke down, but since that ride is a priority to them, they stayed in that line until it was available, then moved on to the line at Tower of Terror - which they've been in for 40+ minutes so far.

Basically, they've been in the parks for a little over 4 hours and are still in line for Tower of Terror(3rd ride of the day for them). With the park closing at 6pm, it's past 1:30pm they haven't even left Studios yet. Although since Disneyland Paris is open until 7pm, they hopefully can get a couple of rides in there.

Maybe that's normal for Disneyland Paris/Studios or for a Friday in November?!?!
I don't know that I would have stayed in line at Remy, but I'm in the midwest while they're in Paris, haha.

Appreciate everyone's advice!

 

[CERS]

Looking like they made a mistake getting the park hopper, they were in line at 9am for 9:30am opening, still had to wait 1 hour for Crush, then got in line for Remy, waited for 45 minutes then it broke down, but since that ride is a priority to them, they stayed in that line until it was available, then moved on to the line at Tower of Terror - which they've been in for 40+ minutes so far.

Basically, they've been in the parks for a little over 4 hours and are still in line for Tower of Terror(3rd ride of the day for them). With the park closing at 6pm, it's past 1:30pm they haven't even left Studios yet. Although since Disneyland Paris is open until 7pm, they hopefully can get a couple of rides in there.

Maybe that's normal for Disneyland Paris/Studios or for a Friday in November?!?!
I don't know that I would have stayed in line at Remy, but I'm in the midwest while they're in Paris, haha.

Appreciate everyone's advice!

Well, probably late to reply. If they have to choose 1 for Disneyland Park, they should go to Space Mountain and/or Thunder Mountain, those rides have versions exclusive to Paris.

Also, if there is the night Christmas parade, it is probably cool (I haven't seen it personally).

As for crowds, it is a roulette, but it is the first weekend with the Christmas decor up so that's probably the reason.

Hopefully they were still able to enjoy the day!!!!

 

[WarriorMom2850]

They did have a MUCH better afternoon.
They were able to ride plenty of attractions at Disneyland between 2pm-7pm! Said the waits were very reasonable.
I don't know the exact order, but they hit: Hyperspace Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones, Star Tours, Phantom Manor(which was closed when we were there in Feb '19) and more!

And DS13 outscored DH on Buzz Lightyear, so he's pretty excited!

So yes, the advice of getting the park hopper ticket was RIGHT ON and the best decision. Thank you all again!!!

 

[Karin1984]

Yeah, after reading your message this afternoon, I had a look at the waiting times. In the parks it looked decent. 30 minutes for Big Thunder Mountain at 4, that's not bad.
Good to hear they had a great afternoon

They were probably just unlucky in the morning. With only 3 big rides for adults, that's where all the traffic goes.