Highs, Oks, & Lows - February half term

[firsttimemouse]

Highs
Compass club at Newport Bay – We all really enjoyed the compass club. The staff were really friendly and I liked that they find a table for you rather than a free for all. They were very happy for us to take drinks away with us. The quality of the food was fantastic with some very tasty teatime treats.

Pixie dust – When we checked in I told the compass club CM that it was my Son’s Birthday whilst we were there and she brought up to the room a signed card, autograph book, light saber keyring, darth vader keyring and voucher for 4 hot drinks. I was really touched and my DS was delighted.
We also tried to spread the pixie dust as there were a few days when we didn’t need to use the hotel fastpasses for various reasons, we always gave these to other guests and they seemed really pleased.

The rides – Really enjoyed POTC and BTM in particular, they were great versions and did seem better than the WDW versions.

Family time – Sounds a bit soppy but it was so nice to be away the four of us without the every day hassles. My DD12 really gets the chance to be her younger self and forget all about what is or isn’t cool at Disney. I love that kids can just be kids in Disney.

Thermals & Ski Jackets – Boy did we need these! It was cold but I was amazed how much a difference the thermals made to us all, I really didn’t feel it when wrapped up properly. We only got caught in the rain once which was better than I had anticipated.

Pandora & Sephora – So pleased pandora charms are now sold there as I got two Disney exclusives which I love. My DD was desperate to visit Sephora in val d’europe as there are some things they sell which are not stocked in the UK. She was over the moon with her little haul there. Slight mistake I made was still wearing my thermals & a thermal jumper into Sephora, it was a very, very hot experience and I felt quote dishevelled, particularly compared to the glamourous make-up assistants, won’t ever make that mistake again!

Oks
Food – There were good bits about some of the food, we had a nice steak in the steakhouse in Disney village and we all liked Annette’s diner. My DS8 really struggled with the choice of food and I think that bearing in mind this is a family destination children are very poorly catered for in a lot of the restaurants. Most of the time there was only the mickeycheck and one other option. He would have been stuck without the compass club selection.

Illuminations – We did really like this but I felt that it was slightly lacking in the amount of fireworks instead relying heavily on the projections.

Early morning hours in Studios – We got to the gate early and there was no queue just a great rabble of a crowd. When they started letting people through two small gaps and the crowd was pulling it wasn’t much fun. Very disorganised a dangerous when there’s a lot of little kids about. We also didn’t think there was very much open as Ratatouille was down, some of the other things then didn’t start until 11.00.

Observations – We did still see smokers in the parks despite this not being allowed out of the smoking areas, however this was much, much better than we last went 10 years ago.

Lows – Eurostar delay on the way home. This was ridiculous we were delayed 119 minutes, I know it was 119 not 120 as you can claim compensation of 25% if you’re delayed 60-119 minutes and 50% if it’s 120 minutes or more. Now, I accept that sometimes you are delayed, these things happen, the big issue was how they handled this at the station. We checked in as normal with no information that there was a delay. The train was packed as it was the Friday of half-term. We were all sent down to the platform which was freezing with nowhere for anyone to sit. When we went down to the platform nobody had any idea yet there was a delay. All the escalators are set to go down to the platform only so unless you noticed there’s a lift you wouldn’t even know you can get off the platform. After some time there is an announcement in English which is impossible for anyone to hear saying that the train will be ‘about an hour’ late. No notice on the information screen, no staff coming to explain. We were freezing, I learnt my lesson about overheating in Sephora and wasn’t going to overheat on the train too so ….no thermals! I can’t really believe they left a whole train full of families stood on freezing cold platform for 2 hours. Eventually we did realise you could get off the platform in a lift but the only place you could go was a toilet, no café, no seats. At some point it became obvious they were giving out cardboard boxes of food but there was no suggestion that staff would bring these down to the platform, everyone had to pile into the lifts and go and find the food. A word of warning if you’re every offered one of those boxes of food don’t take it. It had a very unappetising, sloppy looking cold pasta thing in it…ugh!
When we eventually did get on our way we were expecting 2 adult meals and 2 kid meals in Premier and I had confirmation of this on my phone. Surprise, surprise no kids meals! The staff were very non-commital and just said we don’t have one booked for your seat so you can’t have it. I only realised when I got off the train I did actually have the confirmation on my phone or I would have shown it to them then.
We were told on the train that we had been delayed 2 hours and to claim our compensation on-line. I couldn’t claim on-line as the staff in France had failed to scan our tickets in, quite conveniently. Thankfully they rectified this over the phone and duly said they would compensate us for 119 minutes. That was a very expensive minute!

Anyway, we had an amazing time with the exception of 119 minutes. We’re all desperate to go back to Orlando now but I think this won’t be until 2020 now. Although that seems like a long time I’m already really excited about the next Disney fix. In the meantime I don’t think we’ll head back to Paris, but never say never (land)!

[princess allie]

Shame about that one minute! Glad you had a good time though.

[charlie_fame]

Sounds like you had a great time ! Can I ask where do they sell pandora particularly the park exclusives ?

[firsttimemouse]

Originally Posted by charlie_fame

Sounds like you had a great time ! Can I ask where do they sell pandora particularly the park exclusives ?

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I went to the clothes shop in Disney village. I think its next door to the Lego store.

They also sell them in a shop on Main Street I think called Harrington’s.

If you ask they’ll tell you which ones are park exclusive. I got a dumbo which I think is very cute.

[Gill H]

Glad you had a good time. The Eurostar area in Marne la Vallee is awful, it's always like cattle. I guess as there are so few trains (only one a day each way, and not every day at that) it isn't worth them spending the money on improving it.

I think the scrum to get into the Studios is a perennial thing. It's not nearly so bad in Disneyland Park because of the way the entrance is organised.

I had to smile at the food comment. Remember you are in France, where 5 year olds eat veal and foie gras! The idea of 'kids food' is very much a British idea - in France they eat the same as the adults.

Glad you coped with the cold!

[firsttimemouse]

Originally Posted by Gill H

Glad you had a good time. The Eurostar area in Marne la Vallee is awful, it's always like cattle. I guess as there are so few trains (only one a day each way, and not every day at that) it isn't worth them spending the money on improving it.

I think the scrum to get into the Studios is a perennial thing. It's not nearly so bad in Disneyland Park because of the way the entrance is organised.

I had to smile at the food comment. Remember you are in France, where 5 year olds eat veal and foie gras! The idea of 'kids food' is very much a British idea - in France they eat the same as the adults.

Glad you coped with the cold!

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Thank you. It was great overall. My preference would still be train over plane as it was so much more straightforward. I think if we ever went again I wouldn’t be so keen to check in quite so early to minimise the time on that platform.

I agree the Disneyland parc entrance was fine early morning.

I know what you mean about kids food. Ds is quite fussy but I think we might have done better if he could order from the adults menu to be honest. The vouchers meant he was limited to kids menu and it just seemed very limited, cheeseburger or pasta with a tiny bit of tinned tomatoes. Funny you should mention veal as the veal sausages in compass club were his favourite food of the holiday. I doubt he’ll ever be that adventurous again !

[clochette]

I really feel for you with that delay. We went home on Friday on the indirect train which left Marne la Vallee at 18.52 and I said to DSis I was glad we weren't on the direct train as there is absolutely nowhere to wait once you have gone through passport control. I bet it was awful! Even with a change at Lille we were back at St Pancras before everyone on the direct Eurostar had got through passport control.

I'm glad you had a good time apart from that. Wasn't it cold, though!

[firsttimemouse]

Originally Posted by clochette

I really feel for you with that delay. We went home on Friday on the indirect train which left Marne la Vallee at 18.52 and I said to DSis I was glad we weren't on the direct train as there is absolutely nowhere to wait once you have gone through passport control. I bet it was awful! Even with a change at Lille we were back at St Pancras before everyone on the direct Eurostar had got through passport control.

I'm glad you had a good time apart from that. Wasn't it cold, though!

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Yes very chilly !

Did you enjoy it?

[clochette]

We had a great time - trip report in progress but I'm very busy at work at the moment so it may take a while.

[firsttimemouse]

Originally Posted by clochette

We had a great time - trip report in progress but I'm very busy at work at the moment so it may take a while.

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Oh I’ll look forward to reading that.

I was too lazy to do a proper trip report. I should do one really as I love reading them.