 |
|
 In This Newsletter
From the Authors: The Author Behind the Sunglasses
Travel Feature: Legendary Tibet
Disney Feature: Disneyland Paris In A Day
Updates: What's New and Changed
Tips: Fret Free Footwear, Less Lost Luggage, Fantastic Film
Captain's Corner: Bumper Stickers
PassPorter PhotoPick: Topiaries at Epcot
Q and A: How can I book an inaugural cruise?
Our Sponsors: We Recommend...
| .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Updates:
What's New and Changed
Here are a few items of relevant news:
A new 100-lane bowling alley will open at Disney's Wide World of Sports in 2010. The location will be host to seven USBC (United States Bowling Congress) U.S. Opens and six Women's Championships between 2011 and 2029.
The Disney Magic broke a record when passing through the Panama Canal last month! The cruise ship paid a record high fee of $283,400 to pass through the canal. The fee was recently changed for cruise ships and is now based on berths (beds) and not cargo capacity as in previous years.
A preliminary schedule of narrators for the 2008 Candlelight Processional has been released. (Without Gary Sinise! Bummer...) Keep in mind that this schedule WILL change.
Nov 28-30 John O'Hurley
Dec 1-3 Patti LaBelle (Tentative)
Dec 4-6 Brian Stokes Mitchell
Dec 7-9 Virginia Madsen
Dec 10-12 Monique Coleman
Dec 13-15 TBD
Dec 16-18 Chita Rivera
Dec 19-21 Abigail Breslin
Dec 22-24 Steven Curtis Chapman
Dec 25-27 Edward James Olmos
Dec 28-30 Marlee Matlin
Disney Cruise Line has removed the stop at Costa Maya from the 2008 itineraries. Costa Maya was badly damaged during last year's hurricane season. Grand Cayman has replaced the stop on all itineraries.
Our thanks to AllEars.net and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
Hear some news? Be a "PassPorter Reporter" and send it to us!
| . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . |
Disney Tips:
From Fellow Readers
Our readers deliver a wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
FRET-FREE FOOTWEAR
"My suggestion is to wear flip flops, sandals or other kind of slide in footwear while traveling via plane. At the security line it makes things go much faster and easier, makes the plane trip a bit more comfortable and as an added bonus- you will already be in your summer shoes when you arrive in Florida! "
-- contributed by Vicky B.
LESS LOST LUGGAGE
"Here's a tip for checked luggage. Before you zip your suitcases shut, take a digital picture each bag's contents.
When I worked for an airline in the baggage claim area the biggest problem people had was remembering what was in their bags. If one of your bags ends up not arriving with you the picture will help you tell the agent taking your claim what is in the suitcase, if they have to open the bag to verify contents. It is especially important in today's travel when everyone seems to be traveling with a black roller suitcase. Once you arrive at your destination you can just erase the picture."
-- contributed by Amy E.
FANTASTIC FILM
"We travel with 'old fashioned' cameras, as well as our digital cameras. Film at Walt Disney World is really quite pricey, so we came up with our own system for saving money and film. We stocked up on inexpensive film, and before leaving, we took each roll out of its box, and slapped one of those free return address labels (that non-profit organizations always send us) around the canister. Then, we put all the canisters into a large zippered plastic bag, to tuck into our carry-on luggage. That made it easy to keep film safe from exposure, and together with the cameras.
During the trip, when anyone used a roll of the film, they simply put the roll back in the empty canister, and moved the address tag across the cover. When we went to the store to have them developed, we could just peel the label off the cover of the canister, and put it on the envelope. This saved time at the store, and also prevented us paying to develop unused film, or double exposing film, accidentally."
-- contributed by Patricia B.
Send us your tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter!
Want more Disney tips? For Walt Disney World fans, we've collected 500 of the best tips submitted by readers over the past six years. All have been edited for accuracy and categorized. For details, visit the PassPorter Disney 500 info page or the PassPorter store. For Disney Cruise Line fans, we have an e-book with 250 cruiser tips, as well as a special cruise line comparison section and seven customized packing lists. For information, visit the Disney Cruise Clues info page.
| . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . |
Captain's Corner:
Treasure Hunting Game
Play our fun and quirky treasure hunting game, hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our book, "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World." The Captain makes a study of the delightful details -- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but often overlooked -- at Walt Disney World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line. Using notes from his journals, he will lead you to this "treasure" at Disney with clues, questions, photos, or riddles. Your challenge is to discover the answer by searching your memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking really hard on the Internet. If you think you've found the answer, e-mail it to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the first person to correctly submit the FULL answer will receive a free PassPorter enamel pin or PassPorter name badge pin. (Please note: Players can win once every 3 months.)
Here is this week's journal entry:
"It's getting hot here so I spent the day in the water at Blizzard Beach. After I'd cooled off sufficiently,
I took in a game of miniature golf at Winter Summerland, right next door to the water park. Ah, what a great time I had!
Not only did I improve my game, but I had a delightful time checking out all the little details at the course. I was
particularly interested in the bumper stickers on the back of the trailer there at the course ... loved 'em! He'd have my vote for sure!"
What do the bumper stickers on the back of the aluminum trailer at Winter Summerland say?
For bonus credit, locate the photographic evidence in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment with the photo!
Send your full answer to jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced in a future newsletter, along with the correct answer!
Congratulations to Mary A. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Mary was the first person to identify the covering on the flower beds outside The Seas with Nemo &Friends as crushed sea shells. Mary was also the first person to identify the photo in our PassPorter Photo Archive. To view the original clue, see last week's newsletter.
If you enjoy treasure hunts, we've got an entire book with over 100 distinct treasure hunts and over 1500 questions, complete with clues and contributions from Captain Jack Skatt. Get more details on "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World" book at http://www.passporterstore.com.
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
PassPorter PhotoPick
Each issue we choose a special photo from the PassPorter Photo Archive which highlights something beautiful, interesting, humorous, or timely at Disney or around the world. Here is this issue's PassPorter PhotoPick:
Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy Topiaries at Epcot
contributed by janicelovesmickey
(click the photo or link to see a larger photo with details)
You can nominate photos as a PassPorter PhotoPick by giving ratings in the PassPorter Photo Archive (you'll need to be logged in to do this). If you'd like to contribute your own photos to the Photo Archive and be considered as a PhotoPick, please read our Photo Upload Guidelines for details and benefits.
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Q and A: With Jennifer and Dave
pudinhd asks: "We would like to be on one of the inaugural cruise when the new Disney Cruise ships arrive. How can we book one of these cruise? Can we make some kind of 'dummy' booking?"
Jennifer and Dave answer:
"With the ships not due until '11 and '12, and the 2010 special itineraries yet to be announced/released, there's no way to make any kind of booking at the moment.
I doubt dummy bookings would help - you'd still be subject to the rates and availabilities on the new ship/inaugural itinerary once those dates had been released. An existing booking doesn't give you any privileges on the new ship/itinerary, unless that booking happened to be on the same ship for the same date. I can't recall DCL ever releasing dates then switching one of those dates to a new, inaugural itinerary. Since Disney rarely makes more than minor itinerary changes once a particular ship/date is available for booking, it's a extremely long-shot strategy.
Generally, your best bet on an inaugural is to work with a travel agent. They'll usually put you on a waiting list, and as soon as the new date becomes available, they'll be on the case on behalf of all their clients.
There's no inside track on new itineraries. When DCL releases them, everyone gets notified at the same time, and everyone has access to them at the same time. Travel agents get the best information, since DCL has to prepare them to book the sales. For the 2009 special itineraries, DCL made the announcement several weeks before they went on sale. Nobody could make a booking until the announced time. Press releases went out to the media, e-mail went out on various Disney e-newsletters, travel agents got notified through their normal channels. Agents then started contacting clients who had shown an interest in '09 bookings, and everyone was ready to go by the time the dates went on sale."
Have a question? Post questions at http://www.passporterboards.com -- and if you're lucky, you may find that folks have already asked and answered the same question that's on your mind!
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Future Newsletters:
Want To See Your Name in Print?
PassPorter News is published weekly, and this means we're always in need of articles! We're on the lookout for guest columnists who want to contribute articles to this newsletter. No professional writing experience is necessary, just a desire to share your experience with others! Not only is this a great way to give something back to the PassPorter community, but you get to see your name in "print" and receive a $25 gift certificate for use at www.passporter.com.
For details and our article submission guidelines, please e-mail news@passporter.com. Articles about Disney and general travel are welcomed!
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Our Sponsors:
We Recommend...
PassPorter only accepts advertising from services of the highest quality -- we recommend these companies because we use them ourselves. Please support our sponsors and, in turn, support this newsletter! This week's sponsors are (in order of appearance):
Mouse Fan Travel -- Last Call for Free Dining!
MouseEarVacations.com -- Disney Cruise Line Special Offers
Quicksilver Tours &Transportation -- Save $5 off airport round-trip transportation in a town car
|
|
|
|
|
From the Authors: The Author Behind the Sunglasses
Hi, {{user("firstname")}}!
Jennifer recently jetted off to Orlando for a quickie, incognito
research trip at Walt Disney World (PassPorter's
Walt Disney World 2009 is in the wings, after all). What did she accomplish during her whirlwind visit?
She had a fantastic time on recently-opened Toy Story Mania (she rode it six times!), fact-checked a whole bunch
of things that have changed since the last edition, took lots of new photos, and, as if fact-checking one book
wasn't enough, she double-checked PassPorter's
Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World before we send that book to the printer for its third printing.
We're not quite ready to bring out a new edition of Treasure Hunts with all-new items to search for, but we do
like to make sure everything folks will be hunting for still exists. We replaced a bunch of out-dated clues when
we brought out the second printing in 2007, and will do the same again with the latest printing. When the third
printing is in our warehouse, you can bet we'll let you know!
Fred Block, who runs the very popular MagicMeets event in Pennsylvania every July, asks us to
remind you that only pre-registered attendees can get in (and we're not going to even tell you where
or when you'd have wanted to try to get in). There is no, and we repeat, no, walk-up registration, so please,
don't come in hopes of getting lucky, especially if you'd be in for a long drive. Please, save gas! However,
if you've got one of the 500 golden tickets, we'll see you there!
As we explained in previous newsletters, sales of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2008 have been so good that we have none left in the warehouse (although they are still in stock -- for now -- at book stores around the country). If you can't wait for October to get a 2009 edition from us, you may purchase a 2008 electronic edition (download only) or get a 2007 edition at a close-out price. Refer to the 2008 electronic edition for the most up-to-date info, and print-out the pages you'll need when you travel. Rely on the 2007 edition for all our great planning features, PassPockets, and info that's still pretty darned accurate and useful.
PassHolder Pouches are back in stock! Not only that, but we upgraded the printed PassPorter logo to a full-color version that we think is much more attractive than the old, all-yellow version. Order at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/0966899437.aspx.
PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line and its Ports of Call 2008 is in stock! All orders of our cruise guide ship the next business day.
Will you be joining us for PassPorter's Decade of Dreams Tour? PassPorter is celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2009 in a year-long celebration from coast-to-coast! Everyone is invited and all are warmly welcome to join us at all or part of our celebration. We are combining small parties (meets) with grand, multi-day trips, including a 7-night Disney Cruise, a 4-night stay at Walt Disney World, and a Disneyland visit that includes park time and an Adventures by Disney expedition. See our Tour Schedule for the latest details.
PassPorter's Club Update
1400 vacationers are now enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive images.Thank you for your continued support!
Our newest e-book, PassPorter's Answer Book is now available for download. This 85-page e-book is full of the detailed, up-to-date information on the topics that really matter to you.
We have a brand new e-worksheet for you to use to plan your next trip (click the link to go directly to it): the Daily Ride and Meal Plans e-worksheet lets you plan the rides, shows, and meals around the park(s) you plan to visit in a single day!
More details at http://www.passporter.com/club
|
In this issue, Guest Contributor Roger Sauer is back, this time reporting on his visit to Legendary Tibet. Then, Featured Columnist and worldwide Disney park-hopper Cheryl Pendry hops the Eurostar train from London to Paris to experience Disneyland Paris in a Day. Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt. Have a great week!
Dave and Jennifer Marx
PassPorter Authors
|
|
Did You Know?
Last Call for Free Dining!
Book by 6/22/08 - Walt Disney World® Resort
Valid most nights 8/24/08 – 9/20/08
PLUS! Book by 6/30/08 and we'll make a donation
to Make-A-Wish thru the Dream Team Project
*Offer is limited, subject to availability and restrictions apply - CST207807440
Click for full details. As to Disney artwork: ©Disney Ships' registry: The Bahamas
|
| |
Travel Feature:
Legendary Tibet
by Roger Sauer, PassPorter Guest Contributor
If you have plans for a visit to China that include a few days in Lhasa, Tibet, we suggest you contact your tour group/travel agent to check current status. Despite government statements about opening the region to tourism after major protests in March 2008, as of this writing the Chinese government still appears to have a "hold" on tourist visits to Tibet.
In the fall of 2005 my wife Donna and I were part of a touring group that visited China for three weeks. Five days were spent in Lhasa, Tibet. Prior to landing in Tibet we had been in Hong Kong (where we spent a couple of days at the newly opened Hong Kong Disneyland Resort before meeting our touring partners), Guilin, Yangshuo, Kunming, and Chengdu. All the tour books we'd read could not adequately prepare us for the region we were ready to enter. Flying into the main airport near Lhasa we were met with high mountain ranges of the eastern Himalayas (the airport is 12,000 feet above sea level) and a dry, rocky, moonscape of a country. No snow anywhere, but then, it was October.
The road our bus took into Lhasa is shorter now due to a very long tunnel drilled over the past few years through one mountain range. We dodged a few tuk-tuks (the universal, rural two-stroke engine utility vehicle) on the way through the tunnel. A shallow, boulder-strewn river bed followed parallel to the road, and the occasional concrete block homes on our right featured wind-torn yellow, blue, white, red, and green flags on clotheslines, bearing Tibetan Buddhist prayers. In the distance we saw pillars for a bridge that would soon carry the first trains into Tibet from China.
The most modern buildings appeared to be devoted to civic affairs, with official seals on the gates. We then noticed the soldiers, lots of them. "Police," our guide reassured us, "not military." A little later before entering Lhasa he gave a few details of the city. "No speeches, please," he said. We knew what he meant. He'd been born in Lhasa but left when he was a child to attend school with the Dalai Lama in India. He had crossed the Himalayas into Kathmandu with some other children and some Buddhist monks.
Our hotel was in the western part of the city of Lhasa. Though we'd been ready for cold weather and packed sweaters all the way from Hong Kong in suitcases limited to 44 pounds, we'd never need them. It was shirtsleeve weather; we even slept with our window open in the hotel, a nice place that catered to the western tourist crowd. Our room was large and comfortable by American standards. There was the ubiquitous hot water pot for boiling water for drinking or brushing teeth. Our room did not feature piped-in oxygen, unlike some others. We did not appear to be affected by the altitude, even when we climbed the hill to the Potala Palace the next day. Occasionally, we'd see people lying down clutching oxygen masks. One day we went even higher, near a large lake at about 16,000 feet. That trip was highlighted by having our pictures taken near or with some yaks.
The restaurants where we ate were large and featured family-style dining, very appropriate for tour groups. Typical Chinese dishes were accompanied by local specialties - Tibetan yak, boiled yak tendon (an acquired taste) and steamed vegetables. Beer and tea were served at lunches and dinners. Yak butter tea is a national drink that we found very salty and best left politely on the table. The hotel where we stayed has western-style breakfasts which, after a couple of weeks in-country, we appreciated more and more.
While it is hard to generalize about an entire country based on a few days, Lhasa seems to represent a good cross-section. The appearance of the indigenous Tibetan people is similar to that of other peoples from high altitude countries, such as Peru and Ecuador. Homespun fabrics of striking colors worn over black predominated. Women with long black hair worn straight or in elaborate braids led or carried their children down the street and through markets. In contrast to these native Tibetans were the "police," who became more apparent near the heart of the city. They were not Tibetan, but Chinese from eastern provinces. The Tibetan Special Administrative Region is similar to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in that both regions have been brought into the fold of the Chinese government - Tibet through invasion, Hong Kong through a treaty.
The two major tourist sites in Lhasa are the Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lama, and the Jokhang Temple, the holiest of Tibetan temples. Tibetan Buddhism reveres the Buddha Shakyamuni, the "merciful Buddha." His figure is evident among the hundreds of statues and carvings in the temples. The Potala Palace rises on a hill in the center of the city, a massive white and red structure made largely of very old mud and straw bricks. Walking up the long pathway on the Palace's west side, we met many pilgrims hiking up the hill. Once at the entrance, we followed our guide (who reiterated, "No speeches, please,") through the myriad rooms and hallways. The Dalai Lama's throne and study, his bedroom, and formal greeting areas were featured. Throughout the Palace Tibetan monks were seen working, studying or meditating. And, there were the "police." A mile or so from the base of the Palace is the Summer Palace, the place from which the Dalai Lama went into exile after the Chinese invasion over fifty years ago.
Large golden statues were at the top of the temple and the gray and brown hills surrounding the Lhasa plain met the clear blue sky in every direction. Near many of the doorways were "prayer wheels" that pilgrims or curious tourists would spin, sending prayers to heaven. Always spin them counterclockwise!
The Potala Palace faces south overlooking a newer "park" with official Chinese statuary and iconography, like a small Tiananmen Square. Nearer to the town's business district and public market is the Jokhang Temple, the original of which predates the Potala Palace. Here, pilgrims to Lhasa from other countries, eastern China, and rural Tibet come to pray. Many prostrate themselves over and over in front of the temple; others repeat this form of prayer while moving around the perimeter of the structure. The smell inside is rich with the burning of yak butter candles that are continually replenished by the faithful, who bring the rich liquid in any container they can get - cans or old 7-Up bottles.
Outside in the shopping alleys we picked up our prayer wheels and a "singing" bowl. I was told that many Tibetan tourist souvenirs are actually "outsourced" to labor across the Himalayas, in Kathmandu, Nepal. Merchants can be aggressive and haggling is expected. Item quality is always a guessing game. I tried to take a picture of two "policemen." It was made clear to me this was not a good idea.
These faithful who come to worship firmly believe that the Dalai Lama will return to Tibet. This is a fervent religious faith that now has political repercussions. When we visited, we were unsure how this was going to work out in the end. We may see it being resolved now on the nightly news. The Dalai Lama indicates he will not return unless Tibet is free.
The current freeze on tourist travel to Tibet, the presence of the more Chinese military following the major protests earlier this year, and a newly-built train line from more urban areas of China seem likely to change this country in future years, with the possibility that Tibet will undergo a cultural homogenization with the rest of China. We fear that by the time more westerners come to Tibet, things may be different and, regrettably, less Tibetan.
About the Author: Natives of Oregon, Donna and Roger Sauer are retired from the banking industry and school administration respectively. Since retiring they have traveled to Europe for Paris Disneyland, China, and Tibet, and, most recently, Japan. They have been members of Disney Vacation Club since 1993 and have traveled to Florida once or twice a year since joining. They have three children and five grandchildren. Their next trip to the World will be in December.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Did you enjoy this article? Have questions? E-mail us at news@passporter.com or visit http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your travel plans. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
|
Did You Know?
Great Disney Cruise Line® Rates are available at MouseEarVacations.com!
Time is running out on this delicious offer!
Magic Your Way with FREE Dining Package
August 24 - September 20, 2008.
Now you can book your Walt Disney World® vacation package, and enjoy the Disney Dining Plan for FREE.
Click here to get a quote!
CST2058090-40 www.MouseEarVacations.com 800-886-8601 |
|
Disney Feature:
Disneyland Paris In A Day
by Cheryl Pendry, PassPorter Featured Columnist
It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it -- traveling round the Disney theme parks of the world that is.
The plan to visit Disneyland Paris for the day came when there was a special two for the price of one offer on the Eurostar train between London and Paris. I managed to find a date that would work for us with this deal and shortly afterwards, we had two tickets to Paris for a very small investment. The plan was for us to be on the first train of the day out to Paris and the last train back, giving us the maximum possible amount of time in the park.
To reach Disneyland Paris from the center of Paris, you need to take the fast speed rail line, otherwise known as the RER. It's easy enough to get to the park. It's literally the last stop heading eastbound on Line A at the Marne-la-Vallee stop. When you get there, you're clearly signposted to the park, but really it's impossible to miss it, as the entrance through security is right by the station exit. (Ed. note: RER Lines B and D serve the Eurostar Paris station, Gare du Nord. Disneyland Paris-bound travelers transfer from either line to RER Line A one stop later at Chatalet - Les Halles.)
You have two parks to choose from at the Disneyland Paris Resort and let's be honest here; you're not going to see everything in one day. You probably won't even come close, but you will be able to see a lot and the way to maximize your day is, as with all Disney vacations, do a little bit of planning beforehand.
Try to head for the parks on a day when the crowds are likely to be lower. This means avoiding any French -- or British -- school holidays, as that's where most of the visitors come from. If possible, avoid the weekends, as lots of locals head here over the weekend, but we have found in the past that the crowds aren't too bad on weekends out of season - and that proved to be the case again on the weekend we visited, on a freezing cold day in mid January. If there aren't extra reasons to visit the parks, like fireworks or special events or parades, the crowds will be lower and that's certainly the case in January. We didn't encounter waits at any of the major rides of longer than 30 minutes and the vast majority of attractions at both parks were walk-ons.
So how on earth do you decide what to do with just a day for both parks? The first decision we made was that we wouldn't stand and wait for parades or the characters. In the past, we've had bad experiences with both, with people pushing us out of the way, and we decided instead to spend our time hitting as many of the unique attractions that the park has to offer as we possibly could.
We had already purchased our tickets online and just had to validate them. That probably saved us about 10 or 20 minutes, as the lines to buy tickets at the gate were horrendous, whereas we just walked straight up and were set a couple of minutes later.
We're in the fortunate position of not being great thrill riders, so we didn't have to worry about lines at any of the major coasters, such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was down the day we visited, so that was off the list as well. We did our usual and headed left when we got to the top of Main Street, heading first for Adventureland. One stop worth making is Phantom Manor, their version of the Haunted Mansion. It never ceases to amaze me how much this old favorite varies between all the Disney parks around the world.
Another old favorite that is very different in Paris is Pirates of the Caribbean, and it's something we decided was worth waiting in line 20 minutes for. OK, so it doesn't have the nice new additions of the American parks, but there's still something very special about this version. On the way there, we stopped off to explore Skull Rock and the Pirates' Beach, really both walk-through attractions and well worth getting some photos of, as they're beautifully themed.
Fantasyland was our next stop, where I had one main attraction to visit, Alice's Curious Labyrinth, which was closed the last time we were here. It's based on Alice in Wonderland and the maze takes you past all the famous characters from the film. Again, it's another beautifully themed attraction. Although you might not recognize the name, Le Pays des Contes de Fees is essentially the Storybook Land Canal Boats ride from Disneyland in California, although with a European twist and some of the fairytale favorites from over here, including Peter and the Wolf, although interspersed with Disney favorites such as Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, along with the Wizard of Oz.
Into Tomorrowland! The unique attraction here has to be Les Mysteres du Nautilus, a walk-through attraction, usually with little or no lines, through the famous Nautilus submarine.
One other thing not to be missed at Disneyland Paris on any visit of any length is Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Unusually for a Disney castle, it's home to attractions, with a dragon beneath, and the story of Sleeping Beauty played out in stained glass windows above.
Then it was over to the Walt Disney Studios park nearby. No more than a five-minute walk, we were able to enjoy two of our favorites from previous visits - Animagique, a fun show using the Japanese puppetry technique of Banraku, and Cinemagique, a tribute to cinema combining live action and famous movie scenes. Sadly, lines for the Tower of Terror, which had only opened a few days earlier for previews, were too long for us to include it, but you can't do everything in a day!
We didn't stop for a table service lunch, as we didn't have much time, instead preferring to grab counter service goodies. Fortunately, we were able to fit in a table service dinner, as we had managed to cram so much in during our day at the parks. The Plaza Gardens Restaurant offers both an a la carte and a buffet at dinner. We opted for the buffet and were very pleased with the selections on offer.
By the time we finished dinner, it was dark and time to grab a few night-time photos, as well as do some shopping in the Main Street shops on the way out (Disneyland Paris has some excellent merchandise!). Then it was back to catch our connecting train back to Paris and the final Eurostar service of the night. It had been a long, but exceptionally rewarding day and it just goes to prove that, if you put your mind to it, you can experience Disneyland Paris in just a day!
About the Author: Cheryl and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America. They are in the process of visiting every Disney theme park around the world, having already spent a day in Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland so far this year. They are looking forward to returning to America in October to visit both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Did you enjoy this article? Have questions? E-mail us at news@passporter.com or visit http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your Disney vacation plans. Also check out our Article Collection for more great information!
|
Did You Know?
You Can Arrive at Walt Disney World in Style!
Airport Meet & Greet, luggage help, free car seat
Free 30-minute grocery stop with airport round-trip
Special! $5.00 off airport round-trip
Use Discount Code: PassPorter News
Call 888-GO TO WDW or visit quicksilver-tours.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
