The Fab 4 Assemble: DLP August 2022 (Pre-Trip Report)

[Lisa_Lollipop]

Well it certainly feels strange to be back around these parts… I’m hoping I actually remember how to write a trip report, it’s been so long! This is also by far the most last minute pre-trip report that I have ever written (Covid totally got us paranoid that a trip is actually going to happen right?)

Now here we are, four days away from our first post-pandemic Disney trip… we are off to Disneyland Paris on Wednesday!

So I guess I should start by introducing our crew in case anyone hasn’t read any of my previous reports (Shameless plug… they are all available here).

First up, lil ol’ me! Lisa/Mummy (lisa_lollipop over on IG if you want to follow our adventures over there). As always I am the obsessive planner, the over-excitable and annoying one that is constantly counting down days, writing never-ending lists and planning day by day ears and outfits!

Next up, my long-suffering partner Paul/Daddy. Our driver, effortless navigator and all-round laid-back Larry of the group. This wonderful man is the calm to my crazy… we are the perfect duo!

Now comes our wonderful Charlie! For those of you who have read my previous reports you may have noticed this little man has grown up considerably in the last couple of years! At the time of travelling he will be 4 (due to start school in September and turns 5 in November). This little lad is Lightening McQueen mad so is very excited about seeing the iconic race car in the flesh! Despite several Disney trips already under his belt this is the first one where he feels old enough to understand it and I am beyond excited to reintroduce him to the magic!

And last up, the newest member of our gang… Cody! Yes we are now a family of 4! Cody joined our squad back in August 2021 so will be a week away from turning one when we travel. This little dude has settled into our crazy little family seamlessly, taking everything we throw at him in his stride. The thought of that first walk down Main Street with him brings a tear to my eye!

The plan

As with previous DLP trips we will be driving down to Folkestone the night before we travel to France and staying at the Premier Inn there. Paul will be working that day so the plan is to give the boys their dinner, bath them and get them into their PJs before setting off so they can sleep in the car and be put straight to bed when we arrive (disclaimer - we have two very volatile sleepers, this plan is very likely to fall my the wayside and we will have two children wide awake at 10pm!)

The following morning (Wednesday 17th August) we have the 9:20am EuroTunnel booked to get us over to France. We will most likely get there with enough time to pop into the terminal to grab some breakfast before boarding. We have spoken to Charlie a lot about this train that will take us and our car under the water and over to France… he is most intrigued and I think will be genuinely disappointed when he doesn’t see fish swimming past the windows of the train!

On arriving in Calais we will then make the 3 hour drive to DLP, no doubt stopping at least once on the way for a toilet break and some lunch.

Once at DLP we will be staying at Newport Bay Club for four nights. We stayed here back in January 2017 on our first ever trip to Disneyland Paris for my 32nd birthday (which turned out to be just a mere week before I fell pregnant with Charlie).

I have tried to keep the plans for this trip pretty loose, I’m conscious that we now have two children in tow and over-planning is only ever going to end in stress! We are planning on making the most of EMH to get on the busier rides (I have been watching the wait times like a hawk the past few weeks so know we need to hit up Peter Pan and Buzz Lightyear early in the day to avoid long waits). We are also very excited to check out the new Avengers Campus which only opened last month and I am so hoping we are able to ride Spider-Man W.E.B Adventure at some point during the trip as well as Avengers Assemble: Flight Force (mostly just to see how the theming has changed from the Rock ’n’ Rollercoaster days!)

In terms of dining, the only reservation I have pre-booked is dinner at Plaza Gardens for the Friday evening as I was keen to get some character meets in without subjecting the boys to long wait times (Mickey Mouse seems to be a regular at dinner so really hoping we can see the big man himself!)

Throwing back to when Charlie met him on his first visit four years ago (when he tried to pull off his nose!)

So I guess that kind of sums up the plan. I am just so excited to be back in a Disney park, we have had two cancelled trips along the way (yeah, thanks Covid) so just to be back is going to be truly magical and having Cody there for his very first trip really is the icing on the cake.

I’m hopeful I will be able to keep some notes along the way to make a full report possible… but at the very least I can assure you I will be coming home with a thousand photos! (Follow along on IG if you want all the spam in real time!)

Thanks for joining us in this adventure, its so blooming wonderful to be back planning Disney trips again!

[vampiress88]

Following as we are going in December

[P&S]

Will be following on IG but also can't wait for your trip report.

Charlie & Cody are just the cutest

[Redrach1903]

Ahhh loved reading this! I can feel how excited you are

Good idea not to over plan with 2 little ones in tow, will definitely make for a less stressful time!

I can’t wait to follow along on insta and in our group chat! I am banking on some super cute photos of the boys ❤️ Xxx

[sheluk]

I am so living vicariously though you on this trip! Cannot wait to see all the pics and hear all about it.

Your plans / non plans sound perfect. The character dinner sounds brilliant too - great way to skip the lines and meet the faves.

So exciting how close it is now! Xx

[redemma13]

Sounds like a great trip. Will look forward to reading your report.

The boys are super cute.

Em

[EJSakaAnna]

Yayyy! Just found this, so excited to follow along on IG and get the report too. Have the best time with your boys 😃 x

[Pumba75]

Have the most magical time.

Looking forward to reading your trip report & following along in real time on IG!

M x

[mrsdjh]

Have a great holiday Lisa. Will be following along on IG.

[DizzyDisneyMum]

Thank you for accepting my on IG, looking forward to looking at your pictures when I have a break as I really miss dlp.
Hope you had a fabulous trip.