Just back - the lows and the lows :(

[baldybouncer]

Just finally got home to north wales after a 1000 mile round trip tired and dissapointed ...

To make the holiday longer we booked a few extra days at the Explorers hotel before we arrived proper at New Port Bay...We paid £260 for 2 nights and to be honest we feel robbed.

The hotel was so run down it was disgusting - The carpets had not been cleaned in months looking at the dust on the floor! The corridors to the rooms stank of stale cigarette smoke with the carpets stained and worn. The bed was collapsed in the middle the bathroom had mold and black stuff everywhere! - One of the worst hotels I have ever stayed in! - Smoking rife even in corridors next to the no smoking signs!
-One further thing - at reception there was a sign ONLY in english explaining that swimming shorts are not allowed in the pool only speedos (budgie smugglers!) - and way and behold a vending machine selling such items at 12Euros a pop! - nice little earner - And in the pool ONLY the british where wearing them! - disgusting

After the 2 night hell at Explorers we then moved onto our 4 nights 5 days at New Port Bay - I was expecting this to be loads better... I was wrong! - The room we where shown to was the furthest point from reception in the hotel! it was a dark corner of the hotel... On arrival the we opened the room up to be greeted by a room that stank of cigarrettes - again we stated a non smoking room ... apart from anything our daughter has asthma...We rang reception and complained and where told the house keeping manager would be down right away... 30 minutes later we wheeled all our bags back to reception and explained what we had found (the room was also very dirty and run down) we very quickly where shown to the bar and given free drinks of our choice and told they where sorry and would upgrade us...

Next room -was 90% better - no cigarette smell but the room was still very run down. It was as good as we could expect...the new room was a lake view with a balcony so we where happy - that was until the neighbours arrived next to us later that day and started smoking on the balcony! we had our door open and the room was stinking - my daughter nearly had an asthma attack it was that bad! - We had to call the reception again to complain (not a relaxing holiday so far!) they called the smoking neighbour and it stopped...

The parks - we spent 5 days in and out of both parks and found we managed to get onto the rides that where working quite easily - which was good -

The food - because alot of food places where closed the ones that where still open where so busy it took atleast an hour to get served (counter service) this really put a downer on the day

The smoking - rife and thoughtless - as to be expected because of its location we expected some ignorant smokers but both parks where full of them - Smoking while waiting for kiddies rides! Smoking near the exits of rides - smoking near outdoor food places - smoking just everywhere! Considering the parks are meant to be smoke free expect in the smoking areas(which where completely empty behind star tours!) - Disney need to address this - the parks are meant to be magic places - how can you enjoy it when your making sure your kids dont get burnt from the lit fags!

We all everynight came back stinking of stale cigarettes and suffering sore throats.

Pushing - when trying to let your daughters meet and have their pictures taken with characters it was a free for all in alot of places (some had a line...most didnt) and often found my daughters where pushed out of the way by adults pushing their own children to meet the characters! (spanish looked to be worse at this)

Parks -Run down and dirty- all rides need cleaning and re-painting - rubbish everywhere - bins overflowing - wasps everywhere due to the bins not being emptied! Rubbish

This is our 4th and final visit to disneyland paris - we will not darken their doors again as its just not 'magical' its a dump..

Be warned if your expecting a nice relaxing holiday - you will spend your time either waiting for food, dodging smokers or making sure your kids don't get knocked over by spanish wanting their pictures taken with mickey mouse!




Bye Disneyland Paris - for the last time

[dkra2007]

Oh dear - how awful

We haven't been to DLRP for five years and vowed we wouldn't go back for all the reasons you have stated. We have been to WDW seven times and love it. We are going back to DLRP at the end of the month for a quick Disney fix for our DS birthday and I'm expecting to be disappointed for all the reasons you mention .

My DS has special needs and will be oblivious to all the negatives and just happy to be there. I'm just hoping it turns out to be better than I'm expecting.

We had been booked into the Newport Bay but changed to the New York a few days ago.

[Guest]

I'm surprised you describe DLP as being a dump and rundown and dirty..I really didn't see it like that in January...sorry you didn't enjoy it.

[lulu bear]

It is amazing how people can be there at the same time and have a totally different experience. We thought the place was cleaner than we had ever seen it. Yes there are still things that could do with re vamping but I do believe they are trying to do better. Also yes there were wasps but it was nearly 40 degrees two of the days we were there and unfortunately it is to be expected. There were lots of people emptying bins and lots of litter pickers out and about.
As for the smoking yes we saw people smoking but definitely not to the extent that you describe and I have a 4 year old that suffers terrible chest infections and I didn't feel he was at anymore of a risk at DLP than a Saturday walk down the high street.
I do agree that our Spanish friends were extremely lacking in any form of manners but did find that patience eventually paid off and the characters are very good at seeing whose turn it is next even if some CMs seem to turn a blind eye.
It is such a shame that you didn't enjoy your trip as it isn't cheap and it should be magical. However this shouldn't put other people off as most people do have an amazing time us included.

[Nimbus]

Oh dear. Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your holiday.

We got back a couple of weeks ago. I can't say that I noticed much smoking going on. There was a little, but nothing much. I certainly encountered less than I would walking down my local high street (for example).

The parks didn't seem run down and dirty to me either. Quite the opposite. Everywhere looked freshly painted. Perhaps things have gone downhill in the last fortnight?!?

As for wasps... my DW and DD have a phobia of the little critters and, although we saw a few when we were eating, it wasn't too bad. There didn't seem that many. I've been to theme parks in the UK in the summer before and have seen far more.

We didn't queue up for many characters in the parks - just the ones in our hotel which were very well managed - but we did notice that the crowds in August were somewhat pushy when characters appeared.

[Gill H]

Sorry you had a bad time.

Disney can't do any more than they are doing re the smokers. Only a police officer can make someone put out a cigarette in France, by French law. CMs can and do ask people to use the smoking areas, but they are often met with aggression or indifference. (From Brits as much as anyone. I once asked a British granny not to smoke over my friend's sleeping toddler. Her daughter yelled and me and told me I was rude!)

However, it is no worse than walking down the street in the UK, or going to any UK theme park.

Newport Bay is about to have a long-awaited refurb. Personally I have never stayed there and would rather wait till the refurb is over. However, I have stayed at Sequoia Lodge which was refurbed last year, and it's beautiful.

The thing with the swimming trunks - again, it's French law, and I've seen it mentioned on many websites.

Pushing and shoving - well, we've spent loads of holidays in various European countries and got used to the fact that it's us Brits who have the unusual ideas about personal space, and about queueing! It's easy enough to avoid the scrums. You can meet characters in the hotels (even if you aren't staying there) or at character meals, so you don't have to push and shove.

Food - again, think like a European. Fast food is not a French thing. Their 'fine dining' is superb. Walt's, Blue Lagoon and the Manhattan are the equal of anywhere else I've eaten. Or for something more relaxed, Annette's, Colonel Hathi's Pizza, Earl of Sandwich - all good and fresh.

I agree the CS places aren't open long enough and the hours are confusing - I think this is down to not being able to afford to employ enough CMs. Unlike the US, France has decent employment laws and they can't get away with paying them peanuts!

Really sorry you didn't enjoy it, and I do hope you will read some trippies, do some research and consider another trip when you can better enjoy it.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Gill H

The thing with the swimming trunks - again, it's French law, and I've seen it mentioned on many websites.

See more...

Except, it didn't apply at the Sequoia Lodge. Plenty of men and kids were wearing the usual baggy swimshorts there. And I don't remeber seeing any signs.

The law applies only to public pools and a pool at a hotel is classed as a private pool (only residents can use it).

So I'm not sure why the Newport Bay was only applying this to the English speaking/reading guests (as the OP points out).

[baldybouncer]

Originally Posted by Gill H

Sorry you had a bad time.

Disney can't do any more than they are doing re the smokers. Only a police officer can make someone put out a cigarette in France, by French law. CMs can and do ask people to use the smoking areas, but they are often met with aggression or indifference. (From Brits as much as anyone. I once asked a British granny not to smoke over my friend's sleeping toddler. Her daughter yelled and me and told me I was rude!)

However, it is no worse than walking down the street in the UK, or going to any UK theme park.

Newport Bay is about to have a long-awaited refurb. Personally I have never stayed there and would rather wait till the refurb is over. However, I have stayed at Sequoia Lodge which was refurbed last year, and it's beautiful.

The thing with the swimming trunks - again, it's French law, and I've seen it mentioned on many websites.

Pushing and shoving - well, we've spent loads of holidays in various European countries and got used to the fact that it's us Brits who have the unusual ideas about personal space, and about queueing! It's easy enough to avoid the scrums. You can meet characters in the hotels (even if you aren't staying there) or at character meals, so you don't have to push and shove.

Food - again, think like a European. Fast food is not a French thing. Their 'fine dining' is superb. Walt's, Blue Lagoon and the Manhattan are the equal of anywhere else I've eaten. Or for something more relaxed, Annette's, Colonel Hathi's Pizza, Earl of Sandwich - all good and fresh.

I agree the CS places aren't open long enough and the hours are confusing - I think this is down to not being able to afford to employ enough CMs. Unlike the US, France has decent employment laws and they can't get away with paying them peanuts!

Really sorry you didn't enjoy it, and I do hope you will read some trippies, do some research and consider another trip when you can better enjoy it.

See more...

None of the cast members even bothered to tell people off from smoking... Surely if its Disneys park and they say no smoking then surely they can advise people of the areas to smoke... It was much worse that a british theme park I assure you!

As for the trunks ... we where able to wear swimming shorts in New Port bays pool... so explorers where tacking the P...

We have been to Paris Disney 4 times now and we have promised ourselves that this is the last time. If we have to go less often to the parks then we will save and make sure we go to florida instead...

Sorry but disneyland paris is not an enjoyable holiday - it was expensive and poor quality and a risk to my families health due to the smoking

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by baldybouncer

None of the cast members even bothered to tell people off from smoking... Surely if its Disneys park and they say no smoking then surely they can advise people of the areas to smoke... It was much worse that a british theme park I assure you!

See more...

As mentioned earlier, you must have had a very different experience to us in August. We didn't see much smoking and it was certainly less than what I've seen in British theme parks. (The French have the same laws regarding smoking as we do).

BTW, people can smoke in the Florida theme parks too - but only in the smoking areas (although I've seen folk smoking elsewhere as well). It's the same rule in both the Paris and Florida parks. I think the Americans just tend to take more notice of the rule than Europeans do.

I agree that it is relatively expensive though.

[Bella1]

I have only been to DLP once and thought it was a very expensive trip and I noticed smoking everywhere, particularly in queues and around eating places.

We were also there with a lot of Spanish and I think their behaviour around queuing, smoking and good manners appeared to be the worst that we encountered in DLP so I can understand your frustration.

I know Disney can't do anything about smoking because of French law but it still spoilt my trip so I will just go elsewhere .