A ($XX) Grand Tour of Europe - a great excuse for a day at DLP

[areweindisneyyet]

In just 33 sleeps we are heading to Europe for a grand tour starting in Italy and winding our way up to London to finish off. DH and I are taking the DD's aged 11 & 9.

We will be in France for Anzac Day and hence Easter, avoid the Royal Wedding until the aftermath and enjoy a leisurely two weeks through Italy. We are also heading to Bavaria to see the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Castle and the believed inspiration for the castle we all love...

We have purchased 1 day park hopper passes that I purchased around Christmas time when they had a special and an awesome exchange rate with the Euro. The DD's do not know about the day trip to DLP and we will surprise them on Easter Sunday morning. We are looking to head to DLP either on the Tuesday or Thursday after Easter for a day.

The plan is to catch the RER Train from our apartment in Paris and be there for park opening and head to do the things that are different to DL. We are going there for Christmas so no point doing the really similar things if time does not allow. This trip is not about Disney but I just cannot be so close to a castle and not go and discover it. Besides if I don't see it all, it is another excuse to go back to Europe.

Phantom Manor and Big Thunder are on the list as well as a visit through the castle. There seems to be some WDW inspired rides in the Studios Park so we will go and check those out also. Queenie's photos have reminded me to see the show in front of the castle. Our plan is stay as late as our little legs allow.

They have not posted the exact hours yet, however since we are not staying on site it looks like a 10am opening so we will aim to get there around 9 to line up and check out the surroundings. I will keep checking each day.

 

[PrincessInOz]

WOW! Your trip sounds great. Take lots of notes.....photos......and food porn!

How long are you gone for?

 

[areweindisneyyet]

A month I am looking at keeping a blog. Have played around a little bit today. I am hoping to only take my iPad away and leave the laptop so I am experimenting with photo bucket, blogging and accessing work things. We have been planning this trip for a while with everyone contributing places to visit.

 

[queenie82]

Hope you have fun in spite of dealing with rocks and hard places

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Getting closer. The opening hours for Disneyland Paris have come on line. It will be open to 9pm the week that we are there. Pirates will be closed and the Labrinyth and they are renovating the Castle yet I am still really excited to see it with my own eyes. I am looking forward to seeing all of the differences. I also booked us in for dinner our first night in Paris at the Eiffel Tower. Not sure what the food will be like but it will also be mostly about the experience.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I'm really excited to follow along with your trip as Europe is our next stop on our overseas journey but it's looking like April 2013 so please:-

Details Details Details
Food Porn Food Porn Food Porn
Photos Photos Photos

and as the resident photographer in the group, take photos of EVERYTHING!!!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Yippee. Pirates will be open, pinocchio will be closed. I ordered our park tickets and they have come in the mail all official looking from France. They are very cute cards with characters on the front. We have Donald, goofy, Mickey and Minnie.

Will take lots of photos and notes. We have been planning this trip for a long time, in fact before kids. They are 11 & 9 and leaving when we do they will only miss 7 days of school for the month away which is great. We have given them a lot of input into where we will go. We have had wish lists up on the walls for everyone to write down where they want to go and what they want to do and see.

The kids do not know that we are going to dlp though, we will tell them on Easter Sunday and go sometime that week. We were going to do a big 8 week trip at the end of the year, when we told them we were going early they both went, but we are still going to DL for Christmas. Once assured that this would happen they have become very excited.

The trip has often seemed like it was a pipe dream, it has been worth saving and going without. Getting more excited each and everyday.

 

[marvel]

sounds like a great trip. where are you staying in Paris? we are going in sept but haven't really looked other than seeing it is very expensive!!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I would love to see a bit of an itinerary or run down of your trip if that is available.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

sounds like a great trip. where are you staying in Paris? we are going in sept but haven't really looked other than seeing it is very expensive!!

We are staying in two places, a hotel near Opera called Richmond Opera which we picked for location and convenience for a night. For the main we are staying in the Albany apartments near Tuileries.

I have noticed that the accomm in Paris is more expensive in September than what we are looking at in April.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

I would love to see a bit of an itinerary or run down of your trip if that is available.

Hi ms shutter girl.

I will try to finalize setting up my blog this weekend. If you PM me I am happy to send a link.

But a quick run down is that we fly from Australia straight through to Rome. We are there for five days and then we will drive up to Tuscany for four days. Florence, Venice and Munich for two nights. Then over to Paris. We re going to spend ANZAC day at Villers Bretonneux then back to Paris for five days and then to London and home. We are train traveling everywhere except for the Rome to Tuscany part.

My girls have been reading a great series called The Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence set in ancient Rome and they are so excited to go and see the settings described in the books. They read them for the first time last year but now are re reading in anticipation.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I've sent you a PM. The time of year you are going is what we would be considering if and when we can get our trip happening, I'm hoping 2013 which I know sounds ages away but we are beginning to build a new house later this year that will take approx. 10-11 months so I think 2013 is optimistic .

I will be interested to hear how you thought crowds were and pricing for this time of year on your return.

 

[marvel]

thanks for that, i will have to look into apartments, the hotels are just getting too expensive.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

That is what I was finding and I also considered we may need a little space along the way. Accor which is a French Company that has Sofitel and Novotel offer a second room half price for children if staying with 2 adults. THe kids get free breakfast but adults have to pay. They cannot guarantee interconnecting rooms, and I do like to find a place with a little charm, but finding rooms in Europe for 3+ can be fun!!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Having a great time, food unbelievable, found a beautiful place in Tuscany and only 12 sleeps to DLP. Taking great notes and will share more later. Hope everyone is well and ready to enjoy the Easter break.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Glad you're having a fab time...thanks for checking in.

Hope you'll think let us know about the blog when you get back!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

We have arrived home safely and it was wonderful. I shall upload some pictures tonight and commence trip report, and there will e some food porn but it was so good I kept eating it before thinking of the camera

 

[PrincessInOz]

Welcome Home!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Welcome home. Can't wait to hear ALLLLLL about it. Don't spare any details, even the small boring ones, I love small boring details . I'm all about the details baby....

Glad you had a great time.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Welcome home glad you had a great trip