wilki32
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 13, 2002
Well this is the first time I've actually sat down and wrote a trip report so hopefully you'll bear with me!
Last year we went to DLP at the same time and if anyone remembers I wasn't very complimentary! I appreciated the park but was none too complimentary on the CMs, cleanliness, organisation etc. Now is the time to eat humble pie, CMs were fantastic, I even picked up a few phrases! And who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks! The park was immaculate and there was even queues to the characters, sometimes.
Anyway on with the report!
Cast
Me and self confessed Disney addict!
Charlotte-DW pretty much addicted to Disney as me!
Annie-DD Apprentice Disney addict
Alan-DF Aged 76 and a Disney virgin!
Marg-DM 70 this year and another Disney virgin!
Day 1 24th July
After packing most of the suitcase on Saturday we were up early, too early! We didn't need too leave until lunchtime as we were staying at the travel lodge at Ashford but the excitement was already taking over. Decided that 11.30 was close enough to lunchtime so went and picked up DF & DM, DW had already said that she was picturing DF sat on the sofa with his coat and hat on since 6am Well she probably wasn't far wrong we hadn't even parked the car outside there house and the door was open and they were ready to go.
The drive down to Ashford was uneventful, stopped a couple of times, stopped on the M25 as usual and got to the Travel Lodge about 4ish and after a cup of tea went to see if there was anything DF would eat at the restaurants near the hotel (very fussy eater) Guess what, no!
Finally found a Harvester near the Holiday Inn and boy can they eat! We went back to the hotel and decided that we should have an early night ready for the early start.
Day 2 25th July
That early start was early, said we needed to be away by 6.30 as the crossing was for 9 and wanted t get some breakfast there. Well I was in the shower at 5 and turns out DF had beaten me to it and was in their shower at 4.45!
Got to the tunnel terminal picked up the money from travelex, had breakfast did a bit of shopping and it was our time to depart. Now this is where I had got a little concerned, had been watching the weather in Paris and it had said rain, rain and more rain, what did we leave? Torrential rain, poor bloke guiding us out was drenched!!! The crossing was uneventful, DM was nervous, I think she thought it may leak and DF was in awe wondering why people now use the ferries!
When we got to the other side it was raining sorry not raining it was chucking it down! Now me being the eternal optimist thought we still had a long way to go and the weather will be better I think that the ease in which you can get on the French motorways from the tunnel is excellent and their motorways to Disney from Calais at least are trouble free. DW needed to stop so we stopped at the first rest area that we came to. When DW and DM got back to the car they were none too impressed, now being male I'm not too sure about the hovering method but by the sound of it they both had to use it We stopped again closer to Paris at a service station and quickly grabbed a sandwich and it was still raining! But could we see some breaks in the cloud?
Arrived at Davy Crockett Ranch at 2, I thought I had read that we couldn't get into the cabin until 4 but after a bit of a wait at reception got the key and went straight to the cabin
We were in the Bobcat Trail 1152, the layout of the place was excellent, trees, one way system and it really did feel as if you were in the back of beyond. We had a 2 bed cabin, the theming was excellent and had everything you would need. DF & DM had the main bedroom DD had the bunks and DW and myself had the pull out sofa bed (more of that later)
After unpacking we decided to have a walk to the village, yes the sun had come out after walking all the way round the Bobcat Trail (by mistake) we finally got on the road to the village, mental note to get a cabin next time closer to the village as it is a bit of a hike! When we finally got there and yes I am exaggerating a little again we were really pleased with the theming. The Saloon looked great and served alcohol the Tavern looked great and then there was the shop, now DD had been very quiet up til now but as we were getting the essentials, wine DD had got her own basket and proceed to spend 100 euros, oh well like mother...
By now we were all getting hungry and because DM has diabetes she needs to eat at set times. We set off for Disney village, now because last year we had walked from Sequoia Lodge and had never parked in the main Disney car park we nearly wet ourselves coming up to the entrance, it was just like driving in Orlando. After parking up we got on the moving walkways, yes moving walkways and no it doesn't take a lot to get us excited! But the music was there and the feeling of Disney was starting, we ate at Planet Hollywood, nice food and great service, DF announced that he wanted to be a tattooist! Nothing to do with the barmaid having a tattoo in the small of her back! Had a look in the shops, without buying anything and decided it had been a long day so needed to get back for some wine, I mean sleep to hit the park early!
Sorry if I've waffled on but first time doing this and I'm now sat here with a huge grin on my facing after reliving it all
Last year we went to DLP at the same time and if anyone remembers I wasn't very complimentary! I appreciated the park but was none too complimentary on the CMs, cleanliness, organisation etc. Now is the time to eat humble pie, CMs were fantastic, I even picked up a few phrases! And who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks! The park was immaculate and there was even queues to the characters, sometimes.
Anyway on with the report!
Cast
Me and self confessed Disney addict!
Charlotte-DW pretty much addicted to Disney as me!
Annie-DD Apprentice Disney addict
Alan-DF Aged 76 and a Disney virgin!
Marg-DM 70 this year and another Disney virgin!
Day 1 24th July
After packing most of the suitcase on Saturday we were up early, too early! We didn't need too leave until lunchtime as we were staying at the travel lodge at Ashford but the excitement was already taking over. Decided that 11.30 was close enough to lunchtime so went and picked up DF & DM, DW had already said that she was picturing DF sat on the sofa with his coat and hat on since 6am Well she probably wasn't far wrong we hadn't even parked the car outside there house and the door was open and they were ready to go.
The drive down to Ashford was uneventful, stopped a couple of times, stopped on the M25 as usual and got to the Travel Lodge about 4ish and after a cup of tea went to see if there was anything DF would eat at the restaurants near the hotel (very fussy eater) Guess what, no!
Finally found a Harvester near the Holiday Inn and boy can they eat! We went back to the hotel and decided that we should have an early night ready for the early start.
Day 2 25th July
That early start was early, said we needed to be away by 6.30 as the crossing was for 9 and wanted t get some breakfast there. Well I was in the shower at 5 and turns out DF had beaten me to it and was in their shower at 4.45!
Got to the tunnel terminal picked up the money from travelex, had breakfast did a bit of shopping and it was our time to depart. Now this is where I had got a little concerned, had been watching the weather in Paris and it had said rain, rain and more rain, what did we leave? Torrential rain, poor bloke guiding us out was drenched!!! The crossing was uneventful, DM was nervous, I think she thought it may leak and DF was in awe wondering why people now use the ferries!
When we got to the other side it was raining sorry not raining it was chucking it down! Now me being the eternal optimist thought we still had a long way to go and the weather will be better I think that the ease in which you can get on the French motorways from the tunnel is excellent and their motorways to Disney from Calais at least are trouble free. DW needed to stop so we stopped at the first rest area that we came to. When DW and DM got back to the car they were none too impressed, now being male I'm not too sure about the hovering method but by the sound of it they both had to use it We stopped again closer to Paris at a service station and quickly grabbed a sandwich and it was still raining! But could we see some breaks in the cloud?
Arrived at Davy Crockett Ranch at 2, I thought I had read that we couldn't get into the cabin until 4 but after a bit of a wait at reception got the key and went straight to the cabin
We were in the Bobcat Trail 1152, the layout of the place was excellent, trees, one way system and it really did feel as if you were in the back of beyond. We had a 2 bed cabin, the theming was excellent and had everything you would need. DF & DM had the main bedroom DD had the bunks and DW and myself had the pull out sofa bed (more of that later)
After unpacking we decided to have a walk to the village, yes the sun had come out after walking all the way round the Bobcat Trail (by mistake) we finally got on the road to the village, mental note to get a cabin next time closer to the village as it is a bit of a hike! When we finally got there and yes I am exaggerating a little again we were really pleased with the theming. The Saloon looked great and served alcohol the Tavern looked great and then there was the shop, now DD had been very quiet up til now but as we were getting the essentials, wine DD had got her own basket and proceed to spend 100 euros, oh well like mother...
By now we were all getting hungry and because DM has diabetes she needs to eat at set times. We set off for Disney village, now because last year we had walked from Sequoia Lodge and had never parked in the main Disney car park we nearly wet ourselves coming up to the entrance, it was just like driving in Orlando. After parking up we got on the moving walkways, yes moving walkways and no it doesn't take a lot to get us excited! But the music was there and the feeling of Disney was starting, we ate at Planet Hollywood, nice food and great service, DF announced that he wanted to be a tattooist! Nothing to do with the barmaid having a tattoo in the small of her back! Had a look in the shops, without buying anything and decided it had been a long day so needed to get back for some wine, I mean sleep to hit the park early!
Sorry if I've waffled on but first time doing this and I'm now sat here with a huge grin on my facing after reliving it all