Ups and Downs - Christmas trip report - Day one

[mrsdrudge]

Protagonists - Liz - hooked on DLP from first trip - must be 12 years ago now- Phil - long suffering husband - Dan aged 20 - Jill -aged 18 and Jake aged 16 - DLP veterans and old enough to go on their own now!

We - or should I say - I - booked this trip as I work shifts and it is the first Christmas I have not had to work for six years, and probably the last one that we will all manage to get holiday and time off together. I booked in November after researching on all the forums and internet sites, and eventually decided on Sea France Ferry, Holiday Inn and annual passes - usually we book with Bridge travel and stay on site, but over Christmas this was just too expensive! I phoned DLP direct and booked Christmas dinner at Walts, and Boxing Day at Blue Lagoon- no problems - perfect English spoken.

We set off at 03:30 on the 23rd after a minor disaster involving sink plumbing, and arrived at Dover five minutes before check in at 04:30 - - boat sailed at 05:00 - uneventful crossing and got to Calais at 07:30. (Local time - it only takes 90 minutes!)
We had a good trip down, hardly any traffic until after Charles Degaulle - stopped for breakfast croissants at around 08:30 and a top up of diesel, and then again around 10 am as Phil was finding it hard to stay awake - so I drove the rest of the way. We found the Holiday Inn without any problem, and went to ask if rooms were ready - although at 11:30 we thought we were pushing our luck a bit! Luckily one room was ready so we were able to unpack the car and caught the pink bendy shuttle bus to the park.
We went straight to the ticket kiosk and paid for five annual Dream passes - price 159 euro - discounted to 119 euro as there were five in the family. We then went straight to the Annual Passport holders office to change the ticket into proper passports and get our photographs taken - it was quite busy and didn't realise at first that you need to go to the reception desk and sign in - they then call your name and you go up to the main counter to give all your details. We did this and the clerk made up the passports and then started to tell me the dates that they weren't valid in the park - I explained that I wanted Dream passports - which were valid all year - she said " but you have only paid 119 euro for fantasy passports" - I explained about the discount - she apologised - remade the passports and all appeared to be OK.

We all had dinner at Bella Notte, then we abandoned younger hellraisers and Phil Dan and I went to Val D'Europe to buy presents and cheap breakfast stuff - oh - and alcohol!

We had meant to return to the park, but didn't get out of Auchan until 19:30, so went straight back to the hotel and got the key to our other room - next door to the first. The rooms can open up into each other like at Sequoia Lodge, but we weren't lucky enough to get adjoining rooms so it was a bit of a nuisance having to go round into the corridor every time we needed to see each other! The rooms are brilliant - both rooms had one double and one single bed and the single could be separated by a thick "circus top" curtain and had its own TV

We slept well and long that night!
Liz

 

[Cyrano]

Liz

my troop of 3 are just a bit little to be on their own so I'm interested in the ajoining room or lack off.

When you booked had you asked for ajoining rooms, or are there not internal doors to connect rooms.

Reid

 

[smilingmouse]

I have a question about Val d'Europe: are the souvenirs at the Disney outlet there cheaper than the parks?

Great trip report!

Thank you!

 

[Ware Bears]

Great report!

Was interested in the price of the Annual Passes. We are planning to go twice next year and when I phoned Disney and asked the price (there are 5 of us also) he quoted us £83 each, at first I thought it must be a mistake, but obviously he was quoting us with the discount deducted!

Look forward to the next instalment

Elaine

 

[mrsdrudge]

Ok, have just finished night shift which was slightly hectic (7 staff instead of 30!!) so am still wide awake and in action mode!
Reid -The bedrooms do appear to be adjoining with a connecting door - I booked via the internet so didn't make any special requests, and had booked the two rooms seperately so we could have been on seperate floors! I should think a quick phone call to confirm your booking would sort that out - the staff at the hotel were great and really helpful.
Smiling Mouse - we didn't visit the Disney shop in Val D'Europe as we had annual passports with discount, so can't help you out there.
Elaine - you were lucky - when I called from England they didn't appear to know about the discounted price so I just waited until we got to Disney. However - Beware! See the problems we had with our passports in Episode Trois!
Liz

 

[mrsdrudge]

Christmas Eve.,
If you want to be in the parc early - then don't travel with my family!
They were all eventually dragged out of bed - Phil and Dan wanted to visit the pool and fitness centre, so Jill Jake and I went out to wait for the bus - just about managed to get on, although almost had to sit on the drivers knee! The buses appeared quite random - some visited all four off site hotels - sometimes they just stopped at one or two. We went on a pre shopping trip around Disney Village to see what presents we wanted to buy, and then into the Studios. I have done Rock and Roller Coaster once - this was quite enough(!) - so I spent a while wandering around while they rode twice, and then all went on Studio tram tours. We went onto the main park and rode Pirates, debated whether we had time for BTM and decided not, and met up with the other two at Silver Spur for dinner at 14:00. (They were late, having had BTM debate and decided to ride - huh!) Dinner as usual fantastic - had far far too much to eat -smoked salmon - steak and cheesecake. It is very good having three teetotal children - we had four free annual passport kirs between us - and only Phil and I to drink them! Phil and I then went off on our own and had a wander around Fantasy land before meeting a couple from another forum- Renate and Siggi, and also Joel - whose hobby is photographing DLP- we all did some rides together and then left just before the park closed. We looked at the people pouring out and decided to see how long it would take to walk back to the hotel - half an hour at a brisk pace is the answer!

Christmas day.
On Christmas Day the difference between adult offspring and children was far too obvious - I was up first -wrapped presents and had a bath before husband stirred - we sat around for a while and then went and knocked next door, And knocked - and knocked! Eventually they managed to get up and into our room where we opened presents and had breakfast. Jill and I set off on our own leaving the other three to follow, we had a great time together in the park, did Star Tours and Pirates, then went to meet the others at Walts for dinner. I had completely forgotten about Walts rooms being themed for the different parts of the park, so can't tell you which room we were in! At first the waitress who showed us to our seat was a bit formal - she only gave us two adult menus, and a childs menu with crayons - as our youngest is now almost 6 foot it was hard to see who she thought was the child! However Xavier, the second waiter, was friendly and helpful and funny all through the meal.
I had the anti pasti - pate, ham and roast peppers, then tuna and rice, and orange snaps - cream, icecream and fruit in a brandy snap basket - plus the usual kirs - and wine! Yes - I do go mainly for the food!
We could see the afternoon parade from the window so it was the ideal time and spot - and the best Christmas Dinner I have ever had!
We had a wander around the park, went to see Mickeys Wonderland Show which was fun, although post lunch snooze mode almost took over once or twice, despite the cold.
We had arranged to meet Renate and Siggi again for a drink at the hotel - we decided to walk through Hotel Cheyenne and Sante Fe to see if this was quicker but it was very dark and I tripped over a kerb and went flat on my face - this was nothing to do with an excess of Kir I hasten to add. Ended up with very bruised knees but nothing worse. We were a bit late for our meeting, but they showed us around their room which was about four times the size of ours, with table and settee and chairs, very smart!

On the whole a fantastic two days - the park was busy, but not too busy, the weather was just right, although very cold, and the food was perfect!
Liz

 

[mrsdrudge]

Boxing Day
We had made reservations for a character breakfast at Walts in the morning so were up bright and early - well three of us were. Jill wasn't feeling too good so wanted (another) lie in, and Jake flatly refused to do anything which might involve meeting characters, breakfast or no. So Dan and I waited for the bus while Phil manfully decided to walk. Met up before the park, went and put our tickets in the slot, and instead of a cheery welcome - entry was refused. Had a brief discussion with Cast Member at the gate, who couldn't possibly let us in, despite having Dream passes in date, she sent us to Donalds Office. We eventually found it tucked around opposite the entrance to the Disneyland Hotel and went in for another discussion, by this time, feeling a little like criminals!
The cast members there let us into the parc, and told us we had to go straight to the AP Office. By this time it was after our reservation time for Walts. However we obediantly trotted off to the AP office, only to find it closed. As we stood disconsolately on the door step, wondering if we used our APs in the fast pass slots we would be electrocuted, two cast members came to prepare the office for opening - we explained to them what had happened and they took our passes and said that they would get them ready for us as soon as the office opened. It was only as we walked away that we realised that no passes = no discount, and no fast passes. Too late - the door was locked and no sign of cast members. By then we didn't much fancy breakfast anyway - we were far too late for our reservation and I was worried about Jake and Jill coming to the park and being refused entry.
So we made the best of things and rode rides in Fantasy Land, then at 11 went to collect our annual passes. We were assured that everything was sorted out, and that they couldn't understand why the passes had not worked. I tried to call Jill and explain, couldn't get through on my mobile so texted her to wait at the hotel, and we raced back there to try and get there before they left. Too late. (theme for the day)
Returned to the park - again refused entry. Again had to go to Donalds. Again were told to go straight to AP office, however had reservations for Blue Lagoon so disobeyed and went there hoping to meet up with other two offspring. They had initially been refused entry at the Studios, although the CM there had realised what the problem was - the initial mistake of Fantasy Passports had meant that although we had Dream passport tickets, the computer encoding on them carried the Fantasy passport information - therefore as this was a closed day to Fantasy holders.... you get the picture.
They had had to go through the whole Park gate, Donald Bureau, AP Office rigmarole themselves, and had also been assured that all was now OK.
Blue Lagoon - wonderful as always - had scallops , lamb, pineapple - Phil had the taster selection of desserts - it was brilliant - I had a mouthful of everything too!
Replete with the daily Kir ration I took everyones passport and went back to the AP office. Waited in a queue to book in at reception, then again to explain (once more) what had happened. I gave Jills CM's explanation, and was told that there was nothing wrong with our tickets - he had run them through his machine and he couldn't see why they didn't work. I offered to take him down to the parc gate so he could see for himself, and he then changed the tickets again. I said that as I was seeing more of staff in the AP office than my family he would have to marry me if I had to come back again. We laughed merrily and I took the passes and left, having missed Tinkerbell on the Castle which was galling as I was so close!
That evening Phil and I had had enough of the park (he was wanting to ask for our money back) so we went for a consoling cocktail at the Disneyland Hotel, and a wander through Disney Village, stopped for a drink in Hotel Cheyenne and listened to the band, then went back to the hotel and tried to persuade the youth element to come out on a bar crawl around the other hotels - no! was the stern reply.
So we went alone to the Movenpick - very clean, but decor somewhat - well - tacky! The supposedly ancient furnishings didn't go with the modern hotel at all, and the bar was arranged in a strange manner, nice pictures on the wall and the bar staff were dressed as (I suppose) medieval varlets, but the whole theme didn't hang together, especially as they were playing modern music. We went on to my Explorers, went to the bar upstairs but it could have been any South London pub, complete with football on TV and authentic South londoners - we had a look at the pool which looked good, but didnt stay. Holiday Inn by far the best, although we didn't get around to the Kyriad.

 

[mrsdrudge]

Yet another lie in - we are not very good at following all the guides advice to be there at rope drop and 'do' the rides!
Jill was feeling very poorly, so I was a Bad Mother and left her in bed alone - well, she wouldn't have spoken to me and she is 18, and she did have Jakes laptop and Christmas DVDs to keep her happy.
This was the day we meant to go to Paris, but we hadn't really been to the Studios, and wanted to go to see the Stunt show, and wanted to stay reasonably near because of Jill being unwell. Dan decided to stay with her for a while and Jake, Phil and I set off.
Guess what! Our passes didn't work again. However, we were allowed into the Studios and saw the Stunt show - very good as always. Then I went and had an orange juice and saw the Swinging (?!) Santas (fun) in Rendezvous de Stars (it was snowing!) while Phil and Jake sneaked into the back of the TV studios (the sheer boredom of that tour takes some beating) to do the washing machine ride together - very brave of Phil as he let Jake design the ride. They then went to do fast pass on R&R but it had broken down, so we did Armegeddon instead. There was a long queue, in spite of it being a fast loader - it was here that we really noticed the smoking - in front, at the rear and on both sides at one point. The intolerance of an ex smoker! Once inside we were stood next to a couple with very young children - about 2 and 3 years old - they screamed with terror and cried the whole way through, as if there weren't enough warnings!
As we left the studios we tried to get our tickets to work again just in case the first attempt had been a mistake - ever the optimist. This was a mistake as we were marched over to the Customer relations there, inspite of crying "Donald, we have to go to Donald..." Eventually the customer relations looked up at us and told us that we would have to go to Donalds Bureau - well, yes, we did know the drill by now.
Donalds Bureau was closed, there were huge queues at the Customer relations entrance and the cast member I spoke to wouldn't let me in. I asked her to get me a manager, she turned her back on me and shut herself in her cubicle. Jake restrained me from smashing the glass, and Phil had managed to sweet talk us past another CM.
The tarmac heated up as I again headed for the AP Office.
Large queue, went to reception - well you know the drill. By now Mrs nice guy had taken a back seat and I was a touch frosty, all attempts at speaking french went out of the window and I asked what recompense we could expect, having spent a large percentage of our holiday doing the Annual Passport Ride. He very grudgingly went to the back of the office and I could hear loud angry stamping sounds - he came out and handed me 15 fast passes. I thought they were dated until the end of the year so accepted them, I checked them later in the evening and discovered that they expired end of January 2005, so were only of use for the one remaining day of our holiday.
Dan had had to go through same rigmarole and had been given 5 halfprice day ticket vouchers - expiring March 2005. Again - not a lot of use when in conjunction with a family of Annual Dream passport holders from England!
We did a few rides and then went back to the hotel to check on Jill - she was feeling a bit better and asked about eating in the hotel - very smart buffet but not to our taste - I asked at reception if it was possible that she could have some soup in her room, before we got back to the room the kitchen was on the phone to a bemused Phil asking what they could do for us, 15 minutes later soup under a silver tureen, bottle of evian water and basket of hot rolls delivered to the door - expensive but worth it for a poorly girl!
Bad parents went shopping at Newport Bay club - best shop in resort for our money, and then went and ate in the Yacht club - damn the expense and on with the overtime say I. It was one of the best meals - if not the best meal - I have ever eaten. I had the Quartermasters platter, Sea bass, and a Yacht masters sorbet - and had my first oyster from Phils plate - Oh - and kir of course.
It was a lovely end to a frustrating day, and we had a pleasant stroll home under a full moon!

 

[mrsdrudge]

Packing is never something that is done well in our family. I had packed all our room up and went to check on the youth element at several stages during this packing, dragging them out of bed and nagging - even doing a lot of the packing myself, but still when we ended up in their room asking if they were ready they were lounging around with shoes and bits and pieces still littering the room.
Usual end of holiday row erupted, everything finally jammed into bags and bags hung onto any projecting parts of human bodies and Mother as usual was left behind to crawl around rooms and check that nothing was left behind.
Went down to car to find Jill in tears and Jake in a strop, Phil in even larger strop, Dan calm as always! Attempted to act as UN peacemaking troop, whilst doing so Jill caught bus into Disney, went from being peacemaker to Attilla the Hun and made Phil follow bus into parc as had to be on ferry that night and could not face missing person report in Disneyland as well as Annual pass fiasco. Phil dropped me at entrance to bus park and I ran to Donalds Bureau (Jills passport had not been changed so had an inkling of where she might be) - Bureau full to bursting - eventually found her at one of the gates - still very tearful but was already halfway through Annual passport fiasco - CM had taken her passport to contact the AP office - obviously had put her tears down to passport problem, not Papa problem.
Still had to go to AP Office, by then still in Attilla the Hun mode and with tearful daughter in tow, asked to see manager, obviously CMs are told to deal with problems themselves, explained all again, at length, to CM who seemed to think that we were intending to defraud Disney, asked to see proof that we had bought more than one passport, etc etc. Not happy. Was offered more fast passes - expiring Jan 05 again - this time I rejected them and was told that they would put our details on the computer and next time we visited we would be given fast passes - as we usually visit out of season this is not much good but was too fed up with the whole thing to argue. However, I will be Writing a Letter.
Phil met up with us in the office, he had had enough and wanted to go to Val D'Europe - we arranged to meet for a late lunch at 16:30 at the New York bar, and we all split up to use the fast passes which we had left.
The park was absolutely heaving - 80 minute queues on most rides - even with fast passes it was taking half an hour to do BTM and Pan, didn't even try for any of the non fast pass rides, did BTM twice and Pan once, then went and did the guided tour - not much fun for Jake as he had thought it was going to be behind the scenes, and the only bit 'behind' was a view of the Star Tours simulator - I didn't realise it moved around so much! It was a good thing to do with the park so full, and many interesting things were pointed out. I got my first pin given at the end but I Am Not Going To Start Collecting Them - this is my New Year Resolution. (No you can't have it!)
We then went to meet Phil, even the queue to get into Disney village was horrendous - the security check is a joke and just a waste of time in my opinion, but if it makes them feel safe looking in a tired tourists handbag while ignoring the carrier bags she is festooned with, then who am I to argue.
Restaurants at New York closed, Jake and Jill had opted to stay in the park as they wanted to finish using the fast passes, so we went to Annettes Diner and had what was the worst meal of the holiday - onion burger which was not very hot and was very greasy. No dancing and only one roller skater - not the atmosphere of the first years we used to go there. We met the other two in the bar at Sequoia lodge (warning - the redwood cocktail is meant for two - and when one is driving ... and no-one else drinks ... sleepy ride home!)
Left at 18:40 - got to ferry at Dover in time for check in for 10:45 sailing but it was delayed by 30 minutes - it is a shame that the ferry port is not more like Eurotunnel, there is nowhere to spend the time apart from your car or the loo! Crossing back was more Indiana Jones than Small World, but still only took the 90 minutes - so we were home by 01:30 English time.
The upset stomachs suffered by Ma and Pa the next two days I will put down to belated sea sickness - not a surfeit of rich food and kir!

On the whole - it was a brilliant holiday despite bruised knees, queues, tantrums, illness and above all the appalling lack of customer care in the AP Office. Best bits - the food (!) and the hotel. Despite all appearances to the contrary I am not a bad tempered alcoholic!
Hope you have enjoyed this - Its a good way to remember the holiday - I must start a diary! I have said this every new year since I was 8 - don't worry, I never have!

Happy New Year - see you in Disney! Probably in the AP Office!
Liz

 

[jodyb]

Liz, I absolutely LOVE your report. You have a gift - as a mother and as a writer I should say! Bravo!

As for the AP's, that is too terrible. I do hope you will be doing some letter writing and keep us informed as to any results! There is really no excuse for this - not only did they not show the Disney Magic, but they left out the Christmas Spirit as well!!

I'm so glad your family managed to salvage the holiday and have a good time despite all!!

 

[mrsdrudge]

Thanks Jody - I always enjoy your posts too! Have great fun - not long now!
And my kids are wonderful so I can't be that bad!
Liz

 

[Cyrano]

Liz

thank you for sharing trip report.
One mistake is perfectly human, but I'd agree with Jody a letter is necessary.

Lovely to hear in detail about hotels and meals.

Mind you with 7,4 and 2 year old I think we will skip the 30 walk back to the hotel.

Reid

 

[Disney owl]

Great report, enjoyed it all.

do keep us informed of your letter to DLP.

Thanks for sharing & Happy New Year

 

[DisneyRGB]

Really enjoyed your trip report and well done for making the best of a very bad situation. We too have had trouble at the Annual Passport Office (not as much trouble as you experienced!) On our first trip to DLP in April we decided to enquire about annual passports. We went to the annual passport office and asked if anyone there spoke English - we were told "no". Luckily we speak French but considering how many British visitors go to DLP (and other Europeans who often speak English as a second language), we would have thought someone there would be able to speak English. There was no literature in English either, all leaflets were in French.

We decided we wanted to get some passports and returned the next day (the last day of our trip) to get them. We had planned to get them and then do the final rides and shops before leaving. We left ourselves LOADS of times to get the annual passports but when we got there we waited AGES just to be seen and were again told that no-one spoke English. The cast member who dealt with us was not particularly polite and completely incompetent, she didn't know how to use her computer or keyboard and made several errors which delayed us - by the time we'd finished we had no time to do anything in the park and had to really dash to catch the Eurostar. That might not sound so bad, but when we got back to the UK, my Mum (diberry on this board for those who don't know!!) wrote a letter of complaint, which was completely ignored, as was another letter; she then wrote to HQ in the US and we then finally got a response which told us that annual passport staff all spoke English well(!) and that all the other people who go to DLP enjoy it and don't complain! We love Disney and it hasn't stopped us going back to DLP, but everyone should have the right to complain, in the hope that improvements can be made in the future. However, please don't let that put you off writing a letter Liz!! Let us know what happens!

 

[Ware Bears]

Great report, Liz!

So glad that you had a brilliant time in spite of all the messing around with the AP's.

I shall have to make sure that they sell us the correct ones, so that we don't suffer the same sort of problems that you did!

Elaine

 

[Ware Bears]

Liz, I see that you walked back to the Holiday Inn and visited the Explorers on route. We will be staying there (Explorers) and would like to walk maybe once or twice so that we could see the different hotels and their grounds. My DD's are used to walking, so distance is not a problem, I know it takes about half an hour but that is how far they walk to school every day.

I just wondered if it is safe to cross the road from the Explorers section to the Disney Hotels section. We tried walking across the road in Florida once, never again! We used the car to cross the road after our first experience!!!

Elaine

 

[mrsdrudge]

The walk is all on pavements, and there are zebra crossings at all the relevant points. You can go in at the rear entrance of the Santa Fe, but the Security guard asks to see your tickets. This is the shortest and most interesting route, but if the Disney Village is likely to be busy carry on along the path and it takes you up to the bus station, as we found that going through the crowds in the village wasted more time than we saved.
Liz

 

[bluegirl]

WE had a similar pass problem when we were at WDW earlier this year,when we went to get into the park the first day our room key cards which were also supposed to be our passes would not let us in,we were escortde to a little cabin at the side and the CM strated to investigate then said that no Passes had been added to our cards but let us in for the day anyway. When we got back to the hotel to try and sort this out it appeared that Virgin had not included our entrance tickets onto our booking despite us paying for them the Cm couldn't have been more helpfull shame we couldn't say the same for Virgin who stated that we had not bought them in the first place needless to say a bit of a row ensued over the phone with Virgin who didn't even have the decency to send a rep over to All STar Sports where we were staying, Ths CM seeing I was getting more and more upset dissapeared out the back then came out with a very large Plush Minnie Mouse which he took great delight in giving to me to try and chear me up.Virgin eventually agreed to arrange new tickets for us but as this would take some timt Rob the lovely CM (we were on first name terms by now ) had arranged some day passes so we could carry on the day without wasting anymore time.WE were somewhat tired and bemused by the whole event so decided to have a rest back in our room ,within the hour Rob was knocking at the door with our new passess and a Minnie Mouse and a Mickey Mouse for my DD and DS.HOws that for Disney Magic (Florida Style)