Tag Archives: Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris AP Mouse Party Review

Its so crazy that one month ago today I was having the maddest day in Disneyland Paris! I’d flown out the night before so I could spend just one day in the parks, and so that I could go to my first ever annual pass holder event, which was to celebrate the 90th birthday of Mickey Mouse himself.

I’ve seen to many of my friends go to these types of events before and I was feeling a mixture of excited, nervous and also just not knowing what to expect completely, and now I’ve done it, what did I think?

Character meets

I think its safe to say that the majority of Disney fans go to these events for the opportunity to meet rare characters, and this definitely showed. Some of the queues were INSANE. DLP had had the good sense to split each queue into two, so that you knew which of the two characters at each location you were going to meet, instead of queuing with the hope of one, and then there being a switch as you get to the front, but it wasn’t very clear in the run up to the event that each meet would be separate. Sure, there were a few meets where I didn’t expect both characters to be together, but when the meets were billed as ‘Nick and Judy’ or ‘Carl and Russell’, a lot of guests were expecting to be meeting with both characters, not one or the other, especially as the queues were so long for most.

The only characters I saw with a minimal wait queue were Clarabelle and Horace, but after I’d spent almost the first hour of the party waiting for Vanellope, I decided that I didn’t want to spend all my party time in lines.

Shows and parades

There were a couple of shows and ‘parades’ on throughout the evening. I use ” in regards to the parades because it was essentially just some dancers and characters dancing down Main Street before going up on the stage, and the song for said parade was REALLY irritating – not everyone shared this view, but several people I was with did and it was so repetitive.. The other stage shows that were on through the evening were honestly a bit take it or leave it. I caught part of one of them and wasn’t massively impressed, especially considering how good the Surprise Mickey show that takes place in the parks during the day is, I just think the bar was set too high for me by that show.

The show that everyone was there for was the one night resurrection of Dreams, the firework and castle projection show that was replaced a few years back, and I must admit that it was GOOD. I’d only seen Dreams maybe 2/3 times back when it was on, so I didn’t have too much of a memory of it, but I enjoyed every minute of it! There was also another castle projection show towards the end of the party which was entirely Mickey themed and that was also amazing.

Rides

A lot of the rides were open to guests during the party, including Big Thunder Mountain, Its a Small World and Star Tours, and from what I heard, none of them had more than a 5 minute wait – probably because so many people were queuing for characters. The only ride I actually managed to fit in was Star Tours, which was a walk on AND there were only 8 people in the whole ride which was so cool.

I think for future parties, I’ll forgo characters in favour of rides because I loved riding a practically empty ride and not having to queue at all for that privilege, plus I found the character meets a little stressful given the number of guests and not-so-great organisation.

Organisation

I went into the party with a fairly open mind and no exact plan for anything that I really wanted to do, so I was fairly chilled for the most part, but there were some places were I thought Disneyland Paris really let guests down, and I feel a little ashamed to say that its not something I would have ever thought about before, had I not been with a friend of mine who was in a wheelchair.

The party was not disability friendly. There was no separate line for wheelchair users, so anyone in a chair had to be pushed up and down through the queue barriers under the Disneyland Hotel before the party, and then be crushed by the mobs of people trying to get into the park and run down Main Street. The lines for characters were also not clearly communicated. In the queue for Vanellope, we were told by one cast member to wait outside the line while he organised an alternative queue space, but meanwhile another queue had been created, and despite us being the first there, other cast members then tried to get us to move the the back of the now-insanely-busy queue. I hate how ignorant I have previously been to these matters, but I hate more how Disneyland Paris do not cater to all abilities.

Aside from this, however, I didn’t think the organisation was too bad. After being let into the park, each guest was handed a programme for the night and a limited edition print as a little gift, and there were cast members lining Main Street USA cheering and high-5ing guests as they walked in, I guess as also a little bit of crowd control!

And as far as I’m aware, everything else went off without a hitch! I had a good night with good friends, and I think I’ve learnt a lot about how to handle these events in the future. I don’t know if I would go to every party they hold but I’d definitely go back for another!

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My Mini Disneyland Paris Haul

Did I even go to a Disney park if I don’t talk about it endlessly while I’m there and then continue talking about it endlessly when I’m back? Oh, and if I don’t post a haul?

Well, I didn’t actually get that much from my trip to Disneyland Paris last week, but I still wanted to share what I bought as I got a couple of things that I’ve never seen in the parks before, and so maybe you haven’t either!

First up, and becoming a strange habit of mine seeing as I’ve never really been interested in them before, I bought two pins: one I think must be a regular design, this simple Steamboat Willie, and the second is a design that was only released about a week before my trip, which is this ADORABLE Winnie the Pooh and Piglet Halloween pin. I’m a sucker for Pooh and he’s in this adorable little pumpkin suit and his honey pot says ‘BOOH’ and I just can’t..

Another little purchase was this Donald Duck spatula – now I’ve got quite a few Disney kitchen utensils, all in the classic Mickey style, but I’ve never seen Donald ones before and you all know I LOVE Donald! Plus now we have a house and only one spatula in it, this seemed like a semi-necessary purchase.

The final buy was this Mickey inspired washbag, which I was drawn to as it can be hung using the little hook at the top, which is perfect for Disney cruises due to relatively little bathroom space! It has a little mirror at the top too, and two storage compartments, both of which can actually be detached as they have velcro fastenings. I also love the little Mickey ears at the top, and the whole thing folds up to a decent sized washbag for travelling with, and is held together with magnetic fastenings.

I may or may not already be planning my next trip back to Disneyland Paris, so watch this space!

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Disneyland Paris Day 4

This post is coming a day late because Friday was such a long day and I needed yesterday to recover, but anyways!

This morning I left Matthew behind in the hotel (he had some work related stuff to sort out, I’m not just a mean person) and headed into the parks for early magic hours, bypassing the big queue of Disney hotel guests by using the designated annual pass holder entrance! As I had limited time before going back to meet Matthew, I decided that I only wanted to queue to meet Donald, and then spent the rest of the time taking advantage of the park being much quieter for taking photos.

At 10am, when the park opened to the rest of the guests, I left to head back to the hotel so that we could finish packing and check out – I had planned to get the shuttle bus but didn’t check the timetables so rather than waiting 25 mins for the next bus I walked back, which did only take 20 minutes so I was pretty impressed with that, plus the weather was lovely!

Once we’d checked out, we headed back to the park with our cases, leaving them at guest storage by the park entrance for the day, and then we went back into the Disneyland park. We started with Pirates of the Caribbean, which was basically a walk on, and then walked through Fantasyland, grabbing lunch at Bella Notte, and then went for one last ride on Star Tours before switching parks and going to Studios.

There, we walked onto Flying Carpets, and then also walked onto Studio Tram Tour before doing Tower of Terror for one last time.

We then decided to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring, as Matthew has never been to any of the Disney hotels, so we walked through Disney Village and did a lap of the lake, stopping to poke around Sequoia Lodge and Newport Bay Club, where we sat and had a drink and a snack in one of the lounges, before finally going back to collect our cases from storage and head back to the airport.

It might be a see ya real soon moment, but now we’re annual pass holders I think soon will probably be very soon, DLP!

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Disneyland Paris Day 3

After what I think is possibly the worst nights sleep I’ve had all year, I woke up feeling rough as hell and am definitely coming down with something. Fab. It was also raining here, so we opted for more time in bed and didn’t head into the parks til about midday, stopping off at Disney Village first so that Matthew could buy a hoodie because it was a LOT colder today.

First ride of the day was Star Tours, then Matthew did Hyperspace Mountain (I didn’t feel up to it today) and then we walked into Fantasyland where I met Suzy and Perla. The rain had clearly scared off some people so we then did It’s a Small World and Dumbo with minimal wait times and then wandered through Adventureland and Skull Cove a little before going to Big Thunder Mountain.

Our plan was to get a fastpass for later, but also standby it straight away, but when we got to the fastpass booth a cast member asked if we wanted to play a guessing game, whereby if we won, we would each get a fastpass with no time restriction. Well we actually did win, but not only did he give us the unrestricted fastpass but also an extra fastpass each, so we actually rode BTM twice in a row then, and decided to come back later in the evening to use our final one.

We then decided to switch parks, heading into Studios and doing Crush’s Coaster, but after that we were so hungry we couldn’t queue for anything else, so went back into Disney Village and had dinner at Rainforest Cafe before going back into Disneyland. Despite only being 7pm at this point, most people were heading out of the park rather than in, so it was fairly quiet in there!

We did our last BTM fastpass, then walked the long way round into Discoveryland for a ride on Buzz, and then took up a spot to watch Illuminations just outside of Discoveryland.

Tomorrow we leave in the evening, so we have most of the day in the parks to enjoy before we say ‘see ya real soon!’

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Disneyland Paris Day 2

This morning’s plan was to start off at Walt Disney Studios Park, and we arrived just as it was opening, having decided to sleep through magic hours. We headed straight for Crush’s Coaster, which had its typical hour wait but we did it nonetheless – in fact, midway through the queue we had the dreaded break down announcement, but it cleared up quickly and we waited no more than 10 mins more than the displayed wait time!

After Crush, we went to grab fastpasses for Ratatouille, and then decided that was it was well past 11am that we’d skip breakfast, do one more ride and then have lunch. The ride in question was one of my favourites, although it seems massively underrated: RC Racer. I was pretty amazed at how busy the park was, as when we walked by Studio Tram Tour the queue was actually out of its designated area and going down past Tower of Terror!

For lunch I had the Spider-Man burger, which was actually really good and so big I couldn’t finish it, and then we went back to Ratatouille for our fastpass time. After that we had planned to swing by Tower of Terror to grab fastpasses for later on, but after we’d got them we saw the wait time was only 15 mins so decided to standby it there and then. Matthew then went off to do Rock’n’Roller Coaster, which is one I tend to skip these days (that made me sound super old but oh well) and I just sat outside and waited because that only had a 10 minute wait time.

We then decided to head out from Studios, and walked into Disney Village – via World of Disney to buy some pins – and grabbed a Starbucks and a sit down before going into Disneyland. We did Pirates of the Caribbean with a relatively short wait time, and then walked through Fantasyland, and by the time we’d got to It’s a Small World it was only a few minutes until Stars on Parade was due to start. I didn’t get the best spot, but did the trick of waiting by the rope that was still due to close, so I was only one person back and she stayed crouched with her kid so I had a fairly decent view. Still not Magic on Parade though, amirite?

As I saw the parade was ending, we made a run for it before the rest of the crowd left, and took as many back ways as possible to get ourselves back down Main Street and out of the park while the parade will had everyone’s attention! We hopped on our hotel shuttle, but stayed one more stop to get off nearer Val d’Europe, where we then spent a few hours exploring (I’ve never been before!) and finished up buying some bits from the supermarket to take back to our room for dinner, to give out feet a rest from the parks as mine were about to drop off!

We still have two days in the magic so there’s plenty more fun to be had!

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Disneyland Paris Day 1

Well gang, it’s been a little while but I am safely back on magical property! It’s been pretty much a year since I was last in Disneyland Paris, and being a fairly spontaneous trip I was super excited to get back, plus this will also be the longest DLP trip I’ve been on since I was a child, if not ever!

We’re staying offsite, so started the morning by getting the bus in, which was pretty exciting for me because I’m so used to walking in through Disney Village, rather than through the gates, so that was cool. We were both getting annual passes, so we had to go to the ticket booth first and then could skip the queue of people waiting for park opening and take advantage of what was left of early magic hours! We did Hyperspace Mountain and Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, then got to the annual pass office for when it opened at 10am to sort out passes out before getting breakfast at Market House Deli.

Fuelled up, we visited the dragon under the castle before going into Fantasyland and starting off with a teacup ride.

After teacups, we hit Its a Small World, Le Pays des Contes de Fees and Casey Jr Train all pretty much as walk ons, and then walked into Adventureland and queued for Pirates of the Caribbeans, which was surprisingly marked as an hour wait time, although we only waited about half an hour. It was then lunch time, so we went to Restaurant Hakuna Matata for chicken strips.

Right after lunch, we figured it wasn’t the best idea to go straight on a fast ride, but we got fastpass for Bug Thunder Mountain and then decided that as the wait time was 45 minutes we might as well get in line anyway – I’d forgotten how much I like BTM in Paris, so I have no issues at all doing it twice in a day! From there we went back to Fantasyland and queued to meet Mickey Mouse, and then as our little feet are somewhat out of practice from Disney parks, we went to the Disneyland Hotel to have a sit down and a drink in Cafe Fantasia.

Rested and recovered, we were back in the park and on our way back to Big Thunder Mountain for our fastpass slot – annoyingly it was at the same time as Stars on Parade so we’ll save parade for another day! After that, we did Indiana Jones as practically a walk on (does anyone else sometimes forget this ride exists?) and then went back out of the park to wander round the shops in Disney Village, and grabbed an Earl of Sandwich for dinner. We decided to get the shuttle back to our hotel inside of going back for Illuminations as Matthew was developing some pretty nasty blisters and we’ve still got three more days to get everything done, so we’re in no rush to squeeze it all in!

Tomorrow we’ll be starting off in Walt Disney Studios and seeing where the day takes us!

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Paris, I’m coming back!

Happy Thursday y’all! (I had to check that it’s actually Thursday because working from home means I have no sense of what day of the week it is!)

I’m in a pretty great mood today because last night Matthew and I booked ourselves a little trip to.. Disneyland Paris! Eeek!

Believe it or not, I actually haven’t stepped foot into a Disney park at all this year, and I honestly have found it much harder than I thought I would – especially after spoiling myself with so many trips over the last few years! Anyway, with Matthew officially starting with easyJet on September 17th, we had wanted to get away on a little trip in the week before then, and had played around with the idea of a couple of places in Europe, then last night he called me up and said he’d found a pretty good deal on 4 nights in Paris, and next thing I knew it was booked!

We’re staying offsite, which I’m actually quite excited about because I haven’t actually stayed offsite before, and as I’m getting an annual pass (yay!), I plan on squeezing in a whole bunch of trips in the next year and doing them as cheaply as possible, I know that offsite is gonna be the way to do it. I’m so psyched to be becoming an AP holder again, especially now I’ll be able to take advantage of Matthew’s staff travel to fly super cheap and go more often than I have done before!

It’ll also be our first trip to Paris together, and believe it or not, only actually our second time in a Disney park together! I haven’t been to Paris in almost a year, and as that was for a RunDisney weekend it wasn’t really a proper park trip, so I can’t wait to just be in the parks with my favourite person and not have to worry about running a half marathon the next morning!

Oh, and did I mention it’s only 25 days away?! I’m so excited!

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My RunDisney Medal Collection

So I know I have been totally AWOL for the last two weeks, but moving house is insane y’all! I honestly thought I’d only be away from blogging for a few days to maybe a week but I have had NO TIME lately with sorting the house out.

But I’m back! And as today is registration day for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share my existing RunDisney medal collection! I managed to get registered on Tuesday in the DVC early registration window, which I’m so happy about, and I wish everyone registering today the best of luck!

Walt Disney World races

2016 – If you’ve been following me for that long, you’ll know that I started doing RunDisney events in 2016, and every single race has been an amazing experience for me. My dad and I started off in the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend , taking part in the 5K and the half marathon, which was actually our first half marathon. Back then, 5K medals were 2016 rubber ones (you get a proper metal one now), so Pluto here was our first RunDisney medal. The half marathon was one of the hardest races I have ever done because a few days before I developed a chest infection and I honestly felt like I was going to die before we’d even hit mile 4, but we did it and it was so worth it.

2017 – Running solo for the first time, I started off the year with the Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February. By this point I had the bug for challenges, so I did the Glass Slipper Challenge (10K and half marathon). The races were all Beauty and the Beast themed that year, which I was so happy about as I had already planned to run as Chip before the medal designs had been released, although the challenge medal was still glass slipper themed.

Disneyland races

2016 – The week after doing the marathon weekend in 2016, we left Florida and flew across to California to take part in the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend, and this was where we completed our first race challenge, Rebel Challenge, which was completing the 10K on the Saturday and the half marathon the next morning on the Sunday. By this point my chest infection had cleared up, and I actually set my half marathon PB on this course.

2017 – In May I did the Pixie Dust Challenge at the Tinkerbell Half Marathon weekend. I saw a lot of hate on social media over these races but I had a total blast. The Disneyland 10K course is my all time favourite RunDisney course (RIP California races) and I think my favourite medal was from the 10K, although they are all so stinkin’ cute!

Coast to Coast

Both in 2016 and 2017 I earned a Coast to Coast medal for completing a half marathon* in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in the same calendar year, but in 2017 I got a bonus of the ‘pink’ Coast to Coast, which was for doing the Princess and Tinkerbell weekend in the same year. The medal was essentially the same as the normal Coast to Coast, just in a pinky colour palette instead! 2017 was also the 10 year anniversary of the Coast to Coast challenge, so the blue medal was extra special!

*to earn a Coast to Coast medal, a minimum distance of half marathon must be done in each park!

Disneyland Paris races

In 2016 I took part in both the inaugural 5K and half marathon in Disneyland Paris (there was no 10K in the first year), and then in 2017 I did the 10K and half marathon, earning the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo Challenge medal! Both years I also got an additional challenge medal, the Castle to Chateau Challenge, for completing races in the US as well as Paris – the medal was the same for both years, just with a different ribbon.

Virtual Running Shorts

I only did the virtual shorts in 2016, which was the first year RunDisney did virtual races, mainly because its quite expensive to do considering you don’t get an actual event, but I loved the medals I got because they were huge!

This year has been totally RunDisney-less for me, which has been really sad, but I’m also quite happy as I’ve had so many injuries to deal with! I’m also still a little heartbroken that the California races have been cancelled until further notice, but I’m just praying they’ll return soon and I’m so excited to get back into training for the marathon next year!

Have you ever done a RunDisney event?

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Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show at Disneyland Paris

On our last trip to Disneyland Paris, the family and I decided to try something we’ve never done before, and as we were staying at Hotel Cheyenne and the cowboy feel was everywhere, we thought we’d give Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show a try!

We went to the earlier show, so arrived at about 6.15 and were presented with our seat tickets and cowboy hats before going through to the bar area, where a live band were performing country music favourites – even Goofy made a special appearance! When the show was about to begin, guests were invited to make their way into the show arena. We were in the red section, so we were sat on the left side of the arena, and as we had category 2 tickets we were seated in the third row, but the view was great so I don’t imagine you get it much better by paying the extra for category 1. The seating is done in a row of benches, and we were lucky to get in first so we were right on the end of the row, but there wasn’t any room to get passed people so other people were having to climb down into the seating, which was a bit of a faff.

The benches were laid with all the crockery ready to go, and there were several baskets of tortilla chips spread along the row, but it was a little unclear what the protocol for food was going to be so we weren’t sure if we should be diving in or saving ourselves. The servers came along with jugs of drinks, and the options were water, coke or beer and these options were unlimited as part of the meal, but if you wanted anything else you could go to the bar and order drinks separately.

Once the show started, the food also started being served, and first up there was a course of chilli with cornbread, then once that had been cleared away there was chicken, ribs, sausages and potato wedges, and the portion sizes were huge so we definitely weren’t left wanting! If you had any room left at the end of all that, dessert was an apple crumble with ice-cream and there was coffee available too.

The show itself was bizarre and excellent at the same time! It was a combination of cowboy stunts such as trick-roping and cow-hearding (yes, there were real cows involved) and also skits and sketches, plus more live music, oh, and I did I mention that Mickey and the gang were there?! As well as the real cowboys and performers, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and the chipmunks took part in the fun, they were dressed for the part too! The show also featured some native American scenes, so the whole frontier was represented.

The second half of the show was done as a sort of tournament; each colour section had cowboys and indians representing them as they took part in various contests, and the audience was encouraged to bang the benches, cutlery and plates while cheering on the contestants which was a lot of fun, and there were also a few opportunities for audience participation.

Overall, it was a fun evening, and I’m definitely glad we did it but I’m not sure if I’d rush to go back. The food was great and the show was entertaining but I imagine it would be the same every time and I think that the novelty would wear off quickly. On a side note, I also have no idea if there are any vegetarian options available as I didn’t see any alternatives dishes being served and about 80% of the food was meat, so worth bearing in mind if you are a veggie!

You do get to keep the hat though!

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RunDisney Paris 2017: Day 3 and Half Marathon

This morning Dad and I were up bright and early yet again, this time to run double the distance we did yesterday! The half marathon started at the same time as the 10K did the day before, but as Dad and I could join our actual corral B today, it meant we got across the start line quite a bit earlier than we did on the 10K.

The race itself was absolutely fab! The course was slightly different to last year, and we actually spent more time running in the parks which was great, and the characters that were out were so good! We skipped quite a few stops, but I did meet the Three Caballeros, Scrooge McDuck, Timon and Rafiki and Judy Hopps! Dad and I kept a good pace and we came in with a great time, collecting both our medals for the half marathon and also the Bibbidi Bobbidi Challenge, and I also got my second Castle to Chateau medal. While I had a few issues with some of the goings on from this weekend’s races, this race really turned around how I felt about things – I couldn’t fault it.

After the race we were on a bit of a tight time-frame, so we went straight back to the hotel to shower and change before packing up, checking out and rushing back into the parks, which was done at a bit of a waddle given the stiff leg situation. We were rushing as we had a lunch reservation at Captain Jack’s, which is the rebrand of the former Blue Lagoon Restaurant, set inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

I wasn’t sure how I felt when the rebrand was announced, as Blue Lagoon fit in nicely with the Blue Bayou restaurants of Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland, both of which are also inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride of their respective parks, but as the Paris ride has just had its refurb, I thought it was nice that the restaurant was getting a spruce up too. The actual restaurant, however, was pretty much exactly the same as it was before, just with a few added pirate flags, and Jack doing the rounds while you eat.

The food, however, wasn’t as good as when I ate here before. My meal at Blue Lagoon on my 21st birthday was absolutely flawless, and not a single scrap was left, but I just didn’t feel quite as wowed by the dishes this time around. I loved my starter, but my main was just a little bit blah and I didn’t finish my dessert either, which was partially down to my lack of appetite post-half marathon, but also because I didn’t totally love the food.

After we’d eaten, it was unfortunately time for us to leave as we had to drive back to the airport for our flight home. I was sad to leave as this trip felt very rushed – races always seem to take so much time away from the weekends – and the weather was so lovely!

If you love reading my trip posts, fear not guys – my next trip is at the end of October!

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RunDisney Paris 2017: Day 2 and 10K

Hey gang! Today we were up nice and early to get to the 10K start line. Dad and I had been put in corral B, but as Hannah and Mum were in C we dropped back so we could all start together.


The race was great. I had a few moans about character lines being shut as it was too busy, but I still got to do a few meets that I really wanted to do and it’s not just about the characters for me. Plus even if I couldn’t meet them, the characters they had out were fab!

Once we’d finished and got our goodies, we celebrated with a McDonalds breakfast before going back to the hotel to shower and change, which led to some accidental napping (sorry not sorry), then we walked into the parks. We started in the Disneyland Park, grabbing lunch at Colonel Hathi’s, then we actually decided to go across into Studios to do one of our family favourite rides, Toy Story Parachute Drop, then for a chance to side down, Disney’s Art of Animation.

From there, I headed solo back to the Disneyland Park to watch Stars on Parade for my first time. As with Illuminations, although I loved the new floats, I still prefer Magic on Parade, or at least the soundtrack! I then had to fight my way back out of the park as we had booked Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show for dinner. It was our first time doing it and it was surprisingly fun, although a little strange at times.

Once the show was over, it was time to call it an early night as Mum and Hannah were both feeling the effects of this morning, and Dad and I will be up again for the half tomorrow!

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RunDisney Paris 2017: Day 1

Yes it’s only been a week but once again I’m coming to you from another trip as I’m in Disneyland Paris for the RunDisney weekend!

We had an early start to get the first flight out of Southampton to Paris, which was lucky as due to strike action CDG was crazy busy and we had to wait quite some time to get through passport control! Once we were through and eventually managed to find our hire car company, we were on the road to DLP, and headed straight Hotel Cheyenne where we waited for my sister to arrive before walking into Disney Village. First stop was lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, then we went to the Health and Fitness Expo to pick up our race kit.

I had mixed feelings about the expo. I thought it flowed better this year in how it was set up, but it felt very very empty and I was really surprised at how few exhibitors they had. It just felt a little scarce, although much better for my bank balance! Dad and I picked up our challenge bibs and tshirts, and Mum and Hannah got their 10K ones, then we walked into Disney Village for a bit of window shopping before getting the bus back to the hotel so we could finally unload all our stuff into the room before heading back to the parks.

Somewhat controversially, we actually went into the Walt Disney Studios Park first of all, as it was closing early due to the 5K in the evening. Amazingly, we managed to do the Ratatouille ride with less than a half an hour wait, and also RC Racer and even Crush’s Coaster in a fraction of what I would consider the normal wait time to be. After Crush’s Coaster, the park was past its official closing time so we were guided towards the exit, so we headed over to the Disneyland Park.

Once in the park, my family stopped for ice cream while I walked around the castle hub taking photos of the 25th anniversary decs, then we went into Adventureland to do Pirates of the Caribbean, via a quick detour through Aladdin’s Enchanted Passage. I don’t think I’ve ever queued that long for Pirates, although it was probably only about 20-25mins, but after the refurb I didn’t want to miss out. We then walked the loop through Fantasyland and into Discoveryland for Buzz’s Space Ranger Spin.

Once we’d saved the universe, we took up spots for Illuminations. I had hoped that the audience would remain seated but unfortunately everyone started to stand so on our feet it was.. Honestly, I don’t think it blew me away, and I don’t think it was any better than it’s predecessor Dreams. It was an early park close of 8.30pm, so we headed towards Disney Village but as the 5K was still ongoing it was total carnage. We battled our way through the crowds to the wondrous place that is Earl of Sandwich, grabbed sandwiches and headed back to the hotel on foot.

In the morning we’ll be doing the 10K, stay tuned! 

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My RunDisney Paris Weekend Outfits

I may have just got back from my Disney Cruise, but I’m off to Disneyland Paris THIS WEEKEND! I’ll be up bright and early tomorrow morning to be on the first flight to Paris, and I’ll be in the parks Friday-Sunday, but as per usual this trip is not without a race weekend!

I’ll be running both the 10K and half marathon in order to earn myself the Bibbidi Bobbidi Challenge medal, and I’ll also be getting my second Castle to Chateau Challenge medal, and two races means another two outfits to create!

I’ll be the first to admit that the costumes I created for this race weekend were a little bit last minute – in fact, my 10K outfit was something I literally threw together this week – thank goodness for my fabric stash!

So for the 10K I’ll be letting out my inner Star Wars nerd with this outfit inspired by Princess Leia’s Episode IV outfit. I have a good collection of plain coloured tech t-shirts now, so I only needed to make the skirt to go with a plain white top, and then I’ll be attempting some cinnamon roll style buns.

Then for the half marathon, I’ve created an outfit inspired by my favourite Mickey Mouse look: Sorcerer Mickey. I actually made this skirt from fabric I got out of the scrap bin at my local fabric store for just £1, and I’m so happy with how it came out! And while its probably impractical to run in a sorcerer’s hat, I do have this amazing scrunchie that I got from Shanghai Disneyland last year, and I even have a Mickey glove too!

If you’re also running this weekend, or are going to be in the parks, come say hi if you spot me!

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10 Reasons to Love Disneyland Paris

This week Disneyland Paris officially turned 25, and while I wasn’t able to be there to celebrate, and probably won’t be going back now until September now I won’t be renewing my annual pass, I do still have a lot of love for this park.

Being one of the incredibly lucky people to have visited all 6 Disney parks, I’m often asked to rate and rank my favourites, which is something I find especially difficult, and it makes me a little bit sad that in the grand scheme of things, DLP tends to fall lower down in the rankings, but there are so many things about this park to love, and here’s just a handful!

1. It has the prettiest castle

You’d have to be blind to not appreciate how beautiful Le Chateau de la Belle au bois Dormant is. Its so unique compared to other park castles, and its just as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside!

2. It has some amazing unique rides

There’s a reason Ratatouille and Crush’s Coaster always have ridiculous queues, but even some of the more common rides have their own variations, like Phantom Manor having a different backstory to the classic Haunted Mansion, and while it may be under refurb now, even Space Mountain had its own little twist.

3. Its full of so many hidden gems

A little while back I wrote about some of the places I’d never noticed before, and that’s because the whole park is packed with little magically places that you can occasionally overlook, meaning that it always feels like you’re discovering something new!

4. The food is so good

Bistrot Chez Remy is possibly one of the best themed restaurants in any Disney park, and its not the only good place to grab a bite! I also love stopping off on Main Street to buy fudge to take home with me.

5. They do seasons so well

Spring is my all time favourite season at DLP, but any time there’s a season to be celebrated, they really go to town with the cutest outfits and park decorations and parades to make your trip even more special!

6. Extra Magic Hours are always full of magic

From my experience, I’ve always been really lucky to visit during times when EMHs are lovely and quiet, meaning the queues are short and the character experiences are always great.

7. Its never too hot

Unlike the other parks, Paris is subject to lovely reasonable summer temperatures. Yes, it means it can be a little cooler at times, but it means you don’t have to face 30C+ scorching lines

8. Its your local park

Ok so this is for my UK and European readers only I guess, but you’ve gotta take a little bit of pride in the fact that this is our ‘home’ park.

9. The characters are always so fun

I don’t think I’ve ever had anything less than a great interaction with any characters in DLP, and I love that even the characters on parade find time to interact with as many of the guests as possible.

10. Its only getting better

With the work that went into preparation for the 25th anniversary, plus upcoming changes, I think we’re only going to see the park grow in beauty and magic, and I look forward to seeing it reaching its full potential as an incredible park here in Europe.

Bonus: Its always full of amazing people

I’ve been so lucky to meet and hang out with a bunch of wonderful people and friends while in DLP, and make magical memories with them, and I can’t wait for more!

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Places I Never Knew Existed in Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris

In the last 18 months, I’ve been to Disneyland Paris 4 times, and there’s nothing I’ve loved more on the last few visits than just exploring the little nooks and crannies. There’s been a lot of refurbishment within the last year, so almost every time I’ve been, there’s been some sort of scaffolding somewhere, but somehow on my visit last month, I discovered a bunch of places that in the previous 3 trips have never registered before!

Toad Hall Restaurant

Admittedly, I think I often skip past the back part of Fantasyland between Peter Pan’s Flight and Curious Labyrinth, but to not notice a WHOLE restaurant feels like quite an oversight on my part! It looks so cute as well, definitely one to try on my next trip.

La Chaumière des Sept Nains

Ok, I knew this shop existed because its right there in the middle of Fantasyland, but I’d never been inside before, and it has the whole Snow White cottage inside it! I only went in to escape the bitter cold, but I was so happy to discover this little gem!

La Confiserie des Trois Fées

Another place that I’ve probably walked past 100+ times, but aside from the little hanging sign outside, I never actually knew there was anything inside. Its a cute little sweet shop with adorable stained glass windows!

La Boutique du Château

I’m probably always too busy looking up inside the castle to notice the Christmas shop on the right hand side..

Toilets

This probably sounds like the weirdest thing to say, but I hardly ever notice toilets in DLP. Besides the ones by Phantom Manor and the one by Pinocchio’s in Fantasyland, I’ve never really spotted any others! Now I know there’s the ones by Bella Notte, and the ones by the entrance of Frontierland, but they don’t really stick out!

Am I the only one who’s never noticed some of these things?

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To the Court of Miracles

Esmeralda Disneybound

Esmeralda Disneybound
Esmeralda Disneybound

So this was possibly the coldest outfit shoot of my life, it was about -3C out and I had to take my coat and hat off and get these photos taken as quickly as possible haha!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame was one of my favourite Disney films as a child, and probably still is. I loved Esmeralda, and I remember having a doll and a full playset which I adored, and something that upsets me a little is how forgotten this film is, and especially how it isn’t featured in Disneyland Paris, despite Paris being the setting of the movie.

So I decided to honour one of my favourite characters in the form of a Disneybound. It was a spontaneous sewing project that turned into an outfit – a half-circle skirt, with the addition of a tie-round sash, and I had to hand sew the yellow trim which was a nightmare, but I’m so happy with the results, and despite spending the whole day with my coat done up firmly so no one else could appreciate my efforts, at least I’ve got it to wear again now!

Are you a Hunchback fan?

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Disney’s Newport Bay Club Hotel

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

There is something about nautical inspired hotels that just does it for me. In Walt Disney World, I’m obsessed with Beach Club Resort, and its a total dream for me to stay there one day. At Disneyland Paris, Newport Bay has always had my heart, and last weekend I finally got to stay there for the first time since I was a toddler!

I had intended to save money and stay at Santa Fe or Cheyenne, but when I phoned to book they didn’t have availability for my dates, and with thanks to my annual pass discount, I managed to snag 2 nights at Newport Bay for 60% off the usual rate – WIN!

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

The hotel is enormous, and I’ve never really properly appreciated the size until I was stood in front of it. Following the recent refurb of the hotel, everything was so pristine and pretty! I had a standard room, which had two of the cutest double beds I’ve ever seen, complete with not so hidden Mickeys and nautical cushions, and I loved the wallpaper with the adorable porthole designs, and all the furniture was designed to look like trunks. I also squealed just a little when I looked out the window and could see over the lake.

Disneyland Paris Newport Bay Club

The hotel also has its own gift shop, located just off the reception area, and two restaurants on the ground floor. I had breakfast included, which was a buffet of both hot and cold breakfast items. While I didn’t use it, the indoor pool was open, located by the side of the lake, and understandably, the outdoor pool wasn’t! What I did use, however, was the fitness centre. It was fairly small, but there was plenty of equipment available, and its open 24hrs, so I could go down first thing in the morning before breakfast, and I had the place to myself! Its also got lovely big windows, and also looks out over the lake.

I had a lovely stay here, and the staff were wonderful! If my trip had been longer, I’d definitely have spent more time exploring the hotel and testing the facilities, but I guess that means I’ll just have to stay there again..

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Disneyland Paris Day 2

Disneyland Paris selfie

Now I’m not normally one to toot my own horn, but I absolutely bossed extra magic hours this morning! One of the first people into the park, first in line for Chip and Dale, then got though Pluto, Goofy and Pooh within half an hour and they were all adorable.After wandering Main Street and Fantasyland for a bit, I stopped off in Market House Deli to warm back up, then as I was heading back towards the castle, I saw a lady in a Meeko hat, so obviously I had to check every shop on Main Street to see if I could find it. With no luck, I figured it would probably be in Adventureland, so I got into the queue for Meet Mickey in the run up to 10am. Well the queue said 10 mins, but it was at least half an hour waiting before I got to hang with the boss.

At that point, I ducked out of the parks for a little bit and went back to the hotel to do some work for a little project I’ve got coming up, before heading back to the Disneyland Hotel to meet up with Mitch. There were a few characters in the lobby, so we hung out there for a bit, and then went to meet Pluto and Goofy in Frontierland. Pluto was extra excited to see us which was so lovely!

Next we headed into the Studios to hunt more characters, but really just ended up people watching for a little while, then a quick photo with some Stormtroopers before we started queuing for Moana!!!

Moana

Moana was everything I wanted her to be, it was so perfect. We talked about Pua and Samoa and wayfinding and had the biggest hug and I felt so happy! We then wandered back into the Disneyland park, where I grabbed a few sweet treats before settling down for Magic On Parade.

Post-parade we stopped in Discovery Arcade for some warmth and a sit down, then I left the group and headed over to Frontierland to meet up with Nancy from Le Ears, and she managed to sneak me into her Fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain. HOLY DISNEY that ride was worth the long refurb! It was so long and so good!! It was also freezing as it was dark out and I couldn’t feel my face but the ride well and truly made up for it!

Disneyland Paris Tower of Terror

I had the tough decision between Dreams and Star Wars Galactic Celebration for the evening show I could see, but given that I’ve seen Dreams loads, I opted for Star Wars, after inhaling an Earl of Sandwich. Studios was practically empty, so I was really happy I decided to go as it was so much less stressful than trying to watch Dreams on a crowded Main Street. I loved the show – it felt a little disjointed at times but I was watching the French version so I may not have understood the flow. The graphics were awesome and I loved having the characters on stage as well for a little extra touch! It was also so much easier to extricate myself from the park at the end, rather than being herded like cattle out of DLP.

It’s been a really wonderful weekend, and I’m so happy I came out and got to see so many lovely people. Now to get another early-ish night before flying home in the morning and straight onto a late shift at work!

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Disneyland Paris Day 1

Bonjour! Today has been such a long day, but it’s been worth it! I was up at 4.30am to get to the airport, and after minor delays to my flight, followed by waiting for the Magical Shuttle in -5C temperatures, I was finally on my way to the parks.

Disneyland Park Paris

Despite being early, my room was ready when I arrived at Newport Bay so I ran straight up to my room – which is beautiful and looks over the lake! – dumped my stuff and skipped into the parks, where quite promptly I bumped into Cara and the gang. They offered for me to hang out with them for a bit, but as soon as I found out that Mitch and, more importantly, Donald were in the lobby of the Disneyland Hotel, that’s exactly where I was headed.

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After some character meets and hanging out with friends, my stomach was growling due to lack of any form of lunch, so I headed back into the parks solo, got some food on Main Street and watched the Frozen Royal Welcome, before starting an epic trek of photo taking through the park.

Yes, those are icicles on Skull Rock. It is that cold.

Yes, those are icicles on Skull Rock. It is that cold.

I met back up with Mitch behind the castle for some outfit photos he promised to take for me, then we waited outside Auberge to see what princesses would come out, and hit the jackpot with Belle, Aurora and Cinderella and Charming, got photos with them and then nabbed a spot for Magic on Parade.

Parade was extra special, having not only Belle and human beast walking behind the princess float, but also Aladdin and Jasmine and Ariel and Eric! We were all totally amazed and excited and it made the whole day feel more magical. After the parade, Mitch and I run our little frozen feet over to meet Mickey before it closed.

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A quick dinner at Hakuna Matata, and my tiredness was really setting in, so I headed out of the park, and back to the hotel via World of Disney. Just gonna chill out for a little bit, then get an early night ready for a full park day tomorrow!

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My DLP Weekend Bucket List

So SURPRISE! I’m going to Disneyland Paris this weekend!

Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant

It was all very spur of the moment; my friend Nancy from California is coming to Paris for a few weeks and she’ll be in the parks that weekend, so I’m so excited to get to see her as its been over a year! There’s also going to be a load of people I know in the parks over the same weekend, so it all kinda fell into place!

And while it’s just a short weekend visit, there are a few things that I’m hoping to do, and here they are:

  • Explore Newport Bay Club – I had every intention of saving money and staying at Santa Fe, but Disney couldn’t fit me in over my dates, so I sorta upgraded myself to Newport Bay.. I haven’t stayed there since I was a kid and its such a pretty hotel I can’t wait to be there!
  • Meet Moana – I just HAVE to meet this beautiful new princess!! Its no secret how much I fell in love with everything about the movie, and seeing her will be an absolute dream!
  • Enjoy Season of the Force – I’m really excited for all the Star Wars stuff that’s going on at the moment, including the Galactic Celebration show in Walt Disney Studios!
  • Outfit shoots – is it really a Disney trip if I haven’t planned outfits?! I’ve got two Disneybounds that I’m really looking forward to wearing and taking photos in the parks so I can feature them on here in the next few weeks.
  • Hanging out with beautiful people – as well as seeing Nancy, I can’t wait to hang out with some amazing people who I know will be around, like the beautiful Amy and Cara, and also the fabulous Mitch!
  • Playing with my camera and new lens – I’m using this trip as a way to test run my new telescopic lens for my Sony A5000 so I know its good enough to take to Florida with me next month!
  • Eating Mickey shaped food – cos if you don’t do that, are you even in Disney?
  • Ride Big Thunder Mountain – after its been closed FOREVVVEERRRR, BTM has finally reopened, and while I imagine the queues will be ridiculous, I’m hoping to be able to get to ride it once over the weekend!
  • Surround myself in magic – I’m just really looking forward to being back in the parks for a few days and having as much fun as I can!

Be sure to follow my Twitter and Instagram for live updates from my adventures!

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It’s a Small World OOTD

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who like It’s a Small World, and those who don’t. I am most definitely heading up the pro-Small World team!

Its a Small World outfit

Its a Small World outfit

Its a Small World outfit

Its a Small World outfit

You might have seen me talk about my Small World dress before, but I was putting off an outfit post because there was really only one place for me to shoot this, and that was on my trip to Disneyland Paris back in September. I was really lucky to meet up with the lovely Gaetane, who had offered to shoot this outfit for me, and we headed over to the attraction to take these photos. I definitely think that Disneyland Paris has the prettiest Its a Small World out of them all. Its just so pretty and colourful; its 100% me.

While the dress is the main component, the actual inspiration for this outfit were my ears, made by the lovely Nancy from Le Ears – they’re so perfect they deserved a whole look to really show them off!

Le Ears has loads of adorable designs available, and you can use discount code LOTTIEREP to save 15% off your order!

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Mini Disneyland Paris Haul

One of the best things about being an annual pass holder for Disneyland Paris is 20% off merchandise. It also means I don’t panic shop when I visit, so I’ve actually started buying less merch, making my bank account a fair bit happier! I did, of course, pick up a few little bits and pieces last weekend..

Disneyland Paris Haul

I LOVE Disney pasta! I always try to bring some home, but it feels like ages since I last did, and while I really wanted the princess pasta, I couldn’t resist the Cars design too because there are teeny tiny Maters and Luigis in there and the detail was just amazing! Keeping it foodie, I also treated myself to the prettiest chocolate bar I’ve ever seen – I did run a half marathon after all..

In terms of non-edible merch, I just bought two little things: a Jawa tsum tsum (because so cute right?) and a little ticket tray that I’ve seen a few of my Disney friends have and I’ve kinda fallen in love with!

RunDisney Paris race shirts

RunDisney Paris race shirts

RunDisney Paris tshirts

I also came home with a few RunDisney bits. The top two shirts are the participant t-shirts from the 5K and half marathon, but I also bought the ‘I did it’ shirt for the half too, mainly because it had the route on the back and I love vintage Minnie. We didn’t visit the expo until the Friday, and I was really underwhelmed by what was available, but I did see a few things worn by other participants that I didn’t see for sale, so I think a lot of things must have sold out in the earlier days of the expo.

Psst! I picked up a few things for my blog’s birthday giveaway, so stay tuned!

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RunDisney Paris Trip – Day 2 and Half Marathon!

The great thing about racing in Disneyland Paris is that the starts aren’t quite as stupidly early as in the states; today we were up at 5.15am.


Pre-race breakfast was provided at the hotel, but I only had a banana and bowl of dry Frosties with some juice because the options were basically fruit and cereal! We headed to the race area and got into our corral, C, about 45 minutes before the race was due to start, but due to a hold up on the course the whole start of the race was delayed, meaning it was about 7.45 before we’d actually crossed the start line, by which time we were quite cold and I was already hungry again, oops..


The race took a different route through the parks to the 5K the previous day which was nice as it meant we didn’t know what to expect, and they also had completely different characters around – I think the only repeat I saw was Spiderman. I stopped for photos with Chip and Dale who were hanging in the Studios park, and also Robin Hood in Disneyland, but it was nice to see the other characters around – Alice, Captain America, Darth Vader – and Cinderella and Prince Charming were in Fantasyland with one of the floats from Disney Magic on Parade. We left the parks at about 5/6K and did quite a bit of backstage before hitting the roads of the surrounding towns. It was over 16K before we were back in the official Disney area, where we finished the race running through hotels Santa Fe and Cheyenne, and then around the lake, through Disney Village and a final loop of backstage to the finish line! Despite taking things really easy due to my foot injury from earlier in the week, we still finished in a really respectable time of about 3 hours, and were met at the finish line by Mickey and Minnie which was perfect, even if Mickey was taken away from me just as I went in for a photo!

Walt Disney Studios

Disneyland Pairs Sequoia Lodge

Once we’d got our race medal and Castle to Chateau medal, and grabbed our food bags, it was time to find Mum and Hannah and slowly make our way back to the hotel to grab a proper breakfast; the Disney hotels had extended breakfast hours for runners. Super quick rest and shower before we packed up the room, dropped the bags off in the car and as we made our way back towards the park the heavens opened and the rain began to pour! Because of this, we opted to get the bus to the parks, and ran straight through to Walt Disney Studios Park for the 12.50pm performance of Mickey and the Magician. I’d really been looking forward to seeing this, and it was a welcome sit down and break from the rain. I enjoyed the show, but personally felt a bit let down by a slightly less than perfect Elsa who hit a few bum notes, but was really impressed with the Lion King scene.

 

With very little time left before needing to leave, and empty tummies, we left Studios and Dad and Hannah went to get us a table at the Rainforest Cafe, while I shot back into the Disneyland Park with Mum to get some albeit rainy photos of my medals by the castle, and pick up a few gifts for family before we joined back up for lunch. Still on a bit of a carb fest, I had Rasta Pasta which was AMAZING, and they were doing 15% discount for runners which was a nice surprise! Few last bits bought from the Village, then back to the car to make the drive back to the Eurotunnel!

See you next time, Disneyland Paris!

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RunDisney Paris Trip – Day 1 and 5K!

And I’m blogging yet another Disney trip! I’m gonna do a separate post on the Run Disney pasta party, which was technically our first day in the parks, so I’m gonna start with Saturday.


Of course the day started with the Run Disney 5K. We were in corral B, and running as a whole family (Mum and Hannah included), it was a gentle pace but that was exactly what I needed following my foot injury earlier in the week. The course was perfect, very much park based with just a small amount of backstage, and packed with characters and photo ops. We finished in around 45 minutes, and were greeted at the finish line by Donald, Daisy and Pluto which was so nice – I’ve never met characters at a finish line before!

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris Phantom Manor

Disneyland Paris Casey's Corner

After walking back to the hotel, grabbing breakfast and having showers and a bit of rest, we headed into the Disneyland Park just after 10am opening. First on the agenda was Pirates of the Caribbean, followed by Phantom Manor. The park’s Halloween decorations are just creeping out so I’m in my element getting lots of photos!
We grabbed a drink at Casey’s Corner and wandered the shops for a little while while waiting for my sister to arrive in the park having had a post-race nap, and then went for lunch at Cafe Hyperion. Full of nuggets, next stop was Its a Small World, which actually had a pretty long queue, but as I haven’t done it on my last two trips it needed to be done! Then it was time for our Fastpasses for Buzz, so we did that, then went and got an ice cream from Gibson Girl, before deciding to do a round trip on the Disneyland Railroad.

Disneyland Paris

As the wait for the train was pretty long, by the time we’d done the full circuit it was gone 5pm, and my parents and sister headed to the Disneyland Hotel to meet a friend of my mum, while I stayed in the parks to watch Magic on Parade. I had originally planned on watching it from near the start of the route, but ended up outside City Hall as it was already getting pretty busy and I found a decent spot.

Disney Magic on Parade

Disneyland Paris Its a Small World

After the parade, I met up with the lovely Gaetane to shoot my Its a Small World outfit (stay tuned for this!); it was really cool to get to meet her and chat Disney for a little while, then we parted ways as I reunited with the family for dinner at Bistrot Chez Remy – cos where else would you celebrate a Ratatouille themed 5K?!

Bistrot Chez Remy

Full of fuel, it was back to the hotel for rest and an early night before the half marathon the following morning!

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My Disneyland Paris Bucket List

I have a fairly extensive Disney Bucket List, but the majority of the items on that list aren’t park specific, and those that are tend to be more WDW based, but now I’m a Disneyland Paris annual pass holder, I’ve been thinking more about all the things I’d love to do in my local park, and we all know I love a bucket list!

Disneyland Paris Spring 2016

Dine at Auberge de Cendrillon

Meet all the princesses in Princess Pavilion

Attend the Halloween Soiree

Stay in the Disneyland Hotel

Take an empty Main Street USA photo

Go to an Inventions brunch

Visit the parks around Christmas to see the decorations

Spend a whole day character spotting

Fly on PanoraMagique

Ride It’s a Small World – I haven’t done the one at DLP since I was a kid!

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show!

See Mickey and the Magician

Ride RC Racer in Toy Story Land

Meet the penguins from Mary Poppins!

 Race at a RunDisney event

Go to an AP holder event

.. and I’m still looking for more ideas to add to the list!

What’s on your bucket list?

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Top Tips for Great Character Interactions

The more trips I make to the parks, the more confident and excited I am to meet characters. I’ve also found that the more confident I am, the better my interactions are getting, and that’s really spurring me on to meet more!

Loads of people recently have been asking for tips on great character interactions, so I thought I’d do a little post to share some of mine!

Don’t be shy!

STUDIO_LBDRKSDECHAR2_7573777277small

You’ll have the most fun with characters when you get into it; if you just stand there awkwardly and don’t say much, the characters can’t open up and it can be pretty disheartening for them too! Characters can tell when you’re not into it.

Bring something to play with!

Disneyland Paris bunnies

On my last trip to Disneyland Paris, I decided to take a selection of tsum tsums with me to show to the characters, and not only was it fun, it also meant I got some adorable photos!

Have something to talk about

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Don’t be afraid to introduce a topic of conversation. You might want to ask Rapunzel how she looks after all her hair, or chat to Peter Pan about the Lost Boys, but it gives the characters an opportunity to really be themselves and you’ll love some of the responses you get.

Ask for what you want

meeko

If you want to twirl with the princesses, ask them! Want to pose like a bunny with Peter Pan? I’ve done that too! They’re always so obliging!

Dress to impress

Disneyland Plaza Inn

If you’re going to meet your favourite character, why not wear a shirt with them on, or themed Mickey ears? It always brings the characters so much joy to see how much they mean to you, and it can be really special.

Show some love

DSC09876

Get those hugs in! A hug from your favourite character is like no other hug, and I always come away smiling from ear to ear.

The truth of it is, as long as you have fun with it, then any interaction is going to be great!

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Favourite Photos from.. Disney Magic on Parade!

Yay, its time to share another bunch of parade photos!

For me, writing these posts is a chance for me to relive the magic of being in the parks; watching parades is one of my favourite things to do while at Disney! Today’s parade comes from Disneyland Paris, and the photos were all taken in April!

Disney Magic on Parade

Disney Magic on Parade

Disney Magic on Parade

Disney Magic on Parade

Disney Magic on Parade

Disney Magic on Parade

Disney Magic on Parade

Disney Magic on Parade

Donald was pretty pleased with himself!

Now hands up who’s got the song stuck in their head?

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Friday Favourite Five – Rides at Disneyland Paris

I can’t believe its been over a month since I came home from my last trip to Disneyland Paris, where has that time gone?!

Disneyland Paris - Space Mountain

It was such a great trip, but a little different from my usual park visits as believe it or not, I only rode three rides in the two days I was there, so I thought today I’d share my favourite rides that I’m looking forward to doing more now I have my annual pass!

1. Crush’s Coaster

I love that there are no rides in any other park like this, which is probably why there’s always such a crazy long line!

2. Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop

This ride looks so tame from its appearance, but its actually a lot of fun! Plus you get a great view of the parks from the top!

3. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril

Because I’m a lover of rollercoasters, but not overly keen on Space Mountain at DLP, Indiana Jones is a definite favourite of mine! I also love the queue, which sounds silly..

4. Pirates of the Caribbean

I just love Pirates of the Caribbean, its my fave in every park.

5. Ratatouille: The Adventure

Another ride with a ridiculous queue, but this ride is so cute and incredibly smart!

What are your favourite rides in Disneyland Paris?

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Cafe Mickey Dinner Review

On my recent Disneyland Paris trip, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to dinner at Cafe Mickey in Disney Village. I had breakfast there on my birthday back in October and loved it, so I was really excited to go back!

Cafe Mickey dinner review

The restaurant is situated at the hotel end of Disney Village, and if you’re sat by a window you can get a pretty great view of the lake, Sequoia Lodge and Newport Bay. I’d describe the decor as ‘classic Disney’; lots of bright colours and patterns, bold and contemporary, although some parts are looking in need of a spruce, especially the toilets – there are only a few for the whole restaurant and they’re tiny and pretty yuck.

We were seated upstairs, which seemed to be quite a bit quieter than the downstairs area, but didn’t differ at all in terms of set-up. There are tv screens all over the place playing classic cartoons and movie clips, which is fun because there’s always something going on, you know, if a bustling restaurant isn’t busy enough!

Cafe Mickey dinner menu

It’s a set menu for dinner: a starter and main, or starter main and dessert. I ordered the chicken caesar salad, without the dressing. It was described on the menu as coming with croutons, but actually came with a small piece of garlic bread – which honestly I was pretty happy about because I always struggle with croutons in salads! The salad itself was pretty decent – can you screw up a salad? – but the bowl it came in was a stupid design because as soon as I tried to put my fork down, it slipped out and fell on the floor..

Cafe Mickey dinner review

For my main, I chose the pizza, onto which you can add three toppings. I chose goats cheese, pepperoni and ham. It was pretty huge, considering I’d just eaten a whole bowl of salad and I actually struggled to eat half of it which was a shame because I did really enjoy it! It had a nice thin base, which I often prefer, and they definitely didn’t skimp on the toppings! My base was a little burnt in places, but as I normally cut around the crust so I don’t fill up too much, I wasn’t too upset.

Cafe Mickey dinner review

But were we really there for the food? Nah.. Let’s talk characters!

We met Goofy, Pluto, Minnie, Tigger and Mickey, but these can vary. Its clearly stated that characters will come directly to the tables, so it always bothers me when I see parents sending their children off to find the characters and try to interrupt someone else’s time. Agh. Considering we were a big table, the characters were really patient with each one of us taking our turn to go up for photos, autographs, ‘who’s camera is who’s’ and ‘who’s taking who’s picture for them’ conversations.. Well, all except Mickey actually. We’d been there almost two hours before he made it to our table, and when he did he saw half of us, then got distracted by a small child and left, then we had to wait for a bunch of other tables to see him before he came back. I get that he’s the boss and he’s very busy, but he just seemed a little rushed compared to others; especially as Goofy and Tigger came back several times!

The set menu price for started and main is €33.99 or €41.99 with dessert as well, so including a drink we each would have paid about €37, but as annual passholders we had the added bonus of 10% off!

If I’m being completely fair, I would not say this was my favourite dining experience at Disneyland Paris, and after a lovely breakfast here back in October, dinner was a little bit of a let-down. I think I’d return for breakfast, but won’t be rushing back for dinner as there are plenty of other places I prefer.

My opinions may differ to yours, tell me what you think!

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Friday Favourite Five – Disneyland Paris Restaurants

Today I’m sharing five of my favourite places to eat in Disneyland Paris! There’s a mixture of table and counter service, all of which serve some incredibly delicious food, because what is a Disney trip without way too much food?

Bistrot Chez Remy

1. Blue Lagoon

I love everything about Blue Lagoon: the setting, the food, the ambience.. Pirates of the Caribbean is always one of my favourite rides and I love that Disneyland Paris has a restaurant inside it like there is in Disneyland California, and the food is SO GOOD!

2. Bistrot Chez Remy

This is the absolute cutest restaurant ever. It really feels like you’ve been transported into Ratatouille, with every detail of the decor being so well thought out!

3. Walt’s

There is so much to love about Walt’s. Firstly, you’re on Main Street USA and if you’re sat by a window you can watch the world go by below you, and even catch the parades if you time it right! I also adore the decor; each room is themed to a different land of the park, but in such a classic way that its not glaringly obvious, but the little details really make it! Oh, and the food is to die for!

4. Earl of Sandwich

Ok, so this is in Disney Village and isn’t specifically a Disney restaurant, but OH SO GOOD

5. Hakuna Matata

We all love chicken nuggets, right? For a counter service restaurant, its a great size and there’s always seating available, and I love that there are healthy options available – even if I don’t always choose them!

Where are your favourite places to eat in Disneyland Paris?

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Friday Favourite Five – Spring Disney Trip

Disney blues are a real problem. I firmly believe that it should be a legitimate reason to call in sick to work and just spend the day in a blanket burrito watching Disney movies. #Lottie4PrimeMinister

Considering I spent less than two full days in the parks on my trip last week, I had so many great experiences and made so many memories that its pretty tricky to choose just five, but here are some that stand out!

1. Twirling with Merida

Disneyland Paris Merida

Until this trip, I’d never met Merida in the parks before, and quite honestly I didn’t really know what to expect, but she was so lovely! She told us all about the ‘gammy spell’ that the witch gave her, and when she noticed my tulle skirt, she got me to twirl with her which was magical!

2. Donald noticing me at Goofy’s Garden Party

Disneyland Paris Goofy's Garden Party Donald Duck

On the second day in the parks, I was Disneybounding as Donald Duck, but unfortunately didn’t get to meet him in the morning, so when he drove by during the garden party parade, I shouted out so he would notice me and he tried to throw himself out of the car at me and was so happy to see my fluffy ears! It was really sweet.

3. Meeting the bunnies!

Disneyland Paris Spring Bunnies

Being Spring, meeting the bunnies was a priority for me. I brought my Thumper tsum tsum with me so we had something to play with, and they were so happy to see it! Miss Bunny also stole and wore my fluffy ears!

4. Tower of Terror

Disneyland Paris Tower of Terror

I have a real love/hate relationship with ToT: love the ride, hate the build up to the first drop. This time, however, I was too busy laughing to be scared after the cast member running our elevator stole Milly’s ears after glaring at us all in the queue. Ok, so maybe you had to be there, but it was so funny at the time!

5. Forest of Enchantment!

Disneyland Paris Forest of Enchantment

In the build up to this trip, I was so good at avoiding spoilers for this show, knowing only what characters were involved, and seeing the odd photo as I scrolled through Twitter and Instagram, and I’m so glad I did because it was so magical seeing it for the first time! I actually watched it 4 times in two days, and now I can’t get the songs out of my head!

What are your favourite memories from Disneyland Paris?

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Spring Disneyland Paris – Day 2

This morning we had to pack up our room before breakfast and checkout, then caught the bus to the parks for EMH after checking our bags at the concierge in the parks.

Disneyland Paris Spring Goofy and Pluto

First characters we queued to meet were Goofy and Pluto, together in their spring outfits. Sammy and Mallory wanted to queue for Minnie afterwards, so I caught up with Milly and we went into Studios in the hopes of getting on Crush’s Coaster when it first opened, only to find it had broken down. Fab.Instead we went to meet Spiderman, which was super cool – get it, super.. – before going back to Disneyland park.

Disneyland Paris Spring Bunnies

After grabbing some candyfloss for Milly’s breakfast, we went to meet the bunnies who were totally adorable and the absolute sweetest, and continuing on the Spring theme, got a spot for Goofy’s Garden Party.

Disneyland Paris Goofy's Garden Party Mickey

From there we grabbed some lunch at Hakuna Matata before rushing across to the first Forest of Enchantment of the day, then after that went back to Adventureland to meet Wendy and Smee, having seen Peter the day before. Having spent very little time there at all this trip, we wandered into Fantasyland, met up with Laura and just chilled out in front of Its a Small World for a little while, looking out for the princesses coming in and out of Princess Pavilion and got to see Rapunzel, Cinderella and Snow White, as well as catching a glimpse of Peter Pan and Alice and the Mad Hatter!

Disneyland Paris Its a Small World

Knowing my trip was due to end shortly, Milly and I walked up through the shops of Main Street, but believe it or not, I didn’t actually buy anything! I’m actually banned from buying any more mugs right now, and they were really all that caught my eye, so I decided I’d save my Euros for the next trip; I am an annual pass holder now, after all.. At 3.15 I met Eleanor outside City Hall, and we said goodbye to all of our wonderful friends and the magical park and went to pick up our bags from the concierge before finding Mallory and Sammy to get the train home.

Despite being incredibly brief, it really was such a lovely trip with a bunch of pretty magical people who made it all the more special! #EndofAprilCrew, you guys are awesome.

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Spring Disneyland Paris – Day 1

You know when you’re scared you’re gonna miss your alarm so your up waking up super early? Yep, that was me.

Disneyland Paris Spring 2016

After grabbing breakfast at the hotel – classic continental, if you were wondering – we headed to the parks for extra magic hours. I say that but given that I didn’t have a ticket, first up I actually had to buy my annual pass. At the park gates, they just give you a temporary ticket to get it sorted in the park later on, and we headed in to get some of the early character meets. We were really lucky to get a short queue to meet Donald and Mickey together, which was such a nice interaction, then down Main Street for a load of classic castle photos, then went for a ride on Buzz Lightyear’s Laser Blast.

Disneyland Paris Merida

After meeting up with a few others, we headed to the Frontierland rope drop and went straight for Merida’s meet and greet. She was fab; all four of us had a really fun time and I got to twirl with her in my new tulle skirt which was magical! From there, Sammy and I decided to queue to see which Aladdin character would come out while the others went to queue for Peter Pan, but when we saw it was Jafar, we couldn’t really be bothered so we joined the others, although Eleanor, Laura and I slipped out for a ride on Pirates of the Caribbean before the meet started. It turned out to be Smee, but was fun nonetheless.

Now it was open, Eleanor and I went to the Annual Pass office so that I could get it all sorted and enjoy my new card and the discounts it brings, then we shot over to The Chapparal Theater for the first Forest of Enchantment.There was no way I wouldn’t love it, but I genuinely squealed and gasped at several points, as well as a few tears..

Disneyland Paris Peter Pan and Smee

Afterwards, Milly, Sarah and I went back to meet Wendy Darling and Smee, but after being a little later than planned, it was actually Peter which was ideal, although rude cast members rushed our meet. We then went back for a second instalment of Forest of Enchantment, where we strategically sat on an aisle where we knew Rapunzel and Flynn would walk by us.

I stayed with Sarah and Milly for most of the afternoon; we caught the bunny flash mob and Minnie’s Spring Train, then headed across to Walt Disney Studios park so that I could be dragged on Tower of Terror.

We actually had the funniest time on ToT; the cast member running our elevator stole Milly’s ears and gave her his hat in return, and it had us in fits of laughter for the whole ride. At this point we were starving so we grabbed some lunch at Disney Blockbuster Cafe before going back to Disneyland.

Disneyland Paris Disney Magic on Parade

There was a planned meet up by the castle for 4.45, so we just hung out there for a little while, then after the meet we all headed to a spot to watch Disney Magic on Parade – where we all screamed at Flynn Rider and had the cutest time seeing Peter Pan – before fighting through the crowds to get over to the last performance of Forest. Yes, three showings in one day, no, we don’t care.

Having a bit of time before our dinner, we went to watch the Welcome to Spring show, which I found a little underwhelming, but hey ho, then we said goodbye to Sarah and headed to Disney Village for our Cafe Mickey dinner.

Disneyland Paris Cafe Mickey

After a nice, but long meal, we split up again and Milly, Sammy and I went back into Disneyland park for Dreams. We managed to squeeze ourselves to pretty near the front during the pre-show, so had a great spot for the performance. It was magical – apart from shoving crowds – and being the only time I’d be able to watch it this trip, I really appreciated it.

Absolutely pooped at this point, we made the walk back to our hotels and I basically crashed as soon as I hit the pillow!

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Baking Magic – Make it Pink! Make it Blue! Cupcakes

This post is coming to you today in honour of the fact that right now I’m in Disneyland Paris! Thank goodness for scheduled posting, eh?

To celebrate the fact that I’m probably twirling around in front of Sleeping Beauty’s gorgeous castle as you read this, I’m honouring the lovely Aurora and the classic debate among her many fans: pink or blue?

Make It Pink Make It Blue Cupcakes

Start off by preheating your oven to 190C, whip up a batch of your favourite vanilla cupcake mix, and separate it into two bowls.

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Using gel food colourings (I recommend Wilton or Sugaflair!), tint one bowl pink, and one bowl blue, like so!

Make It Pink Make It Blue Cupcakes

Line a cupcake tray with cases – pink and blue were my obvious choices, but its up to you! – and using a teaspoon, drop a little bit of one colour into each case. Keep on adding the two different colours bit by bit until the case is 3/4 full, then you can either leave it as is, or use a skewer to swirl them together a little more; gives it a bit more of a magical effect, I think!

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Bake for 15-17 minutes. If the cakes spring back nicely when you give them a little poke, or a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean, then you’re good to go! Get them out and onto a cooling rack.

Now its time to make some frosting; my go-to is always buttercream. Use at least 2 parts icing sugar to 1 part butter, and you might want to add a little more sugar as a firmer buttercream is better for this one! Again, tint half pink and half blue.

You’re going to need three piping bags for this next bit, but only one nozzle – I’m using a large closed star tip. Without cutting the ends off, fill one bag half full with pink, and another half full with blue, and try and squeeze the icing down a little.

Make It Pink Make It Blue Cupcakes

Cut the end off of the third bag and insert the nozzle, then you can snip the ends off of the pink and blue bags. Pop the two full bags into the empty one, and slowly squeeze until the icing appears at the end of the tip. You may find here that one colour comes out first before the second begins to show, I squeeze it out into another bowl until the colours are mixing nicely.

Make It Pink Make It Blue Cupcakes

Now pipe your cupcakes!

Make It Pink Make It Blue Cupcakes

I think the fairies would be proud, don’t you? Are you Team Pink or Team Blue?

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Spring Disneyland Paris Outfits

Tomorrow I am off to Disneyland Paris, eeek!!

So obviously I have to share what I’ll be wearing on this little excursion of mine, right?

Donald Duck Disneybound

First up, I’m gonna be Disneybounding as my favourite duck in this white midi from Asos and blue crop top. The ears were made by the lovely Maggie from Elephant and Mouse, and are inspired by Philharmagic Donald, and they’re so fluffy!! I’ve also added a little extra touch of Donald with my mini bow from Mickey Waffles!

Mermaid Princess

I’m also going to be twirling around the parks as a mermaid princess in this amazing tulle skirt! The seashell crop top was on I snagged in the Missguided sale last year and I love it; I actually love everything about this outfit!

If you’re going to be in the parks Thursday-Friday, now you know what to look for!

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My Spring Disneyland Paris Bucket List

Its 20 days until I’ll be getting on the Eurostar and zooming to Paris for a quick few days in Disneyland Paris with some of my lovely Twitter friends, eek!

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Its my first time (as an adult at least) visiting DLP during Spring, and I’ve heard from so many people how magical the season is in the parks, so there are lots of things I’m hoping to do and see on this trip..

Forest of Enchantment

I’ve been so good at avoiding vlogs, Periscopes and basically any form of spoiler about this show so I can enjoy it properly when we’re out there. Just knowing that it includes Tangled, Tarzan and Pocahontas has got me fangirling!

Minnie’s Spring Train

Minnie Mouse, bunnies and Disney music = yay!

Go to Princess Pavilion

I improved my character interactions so much on my January trip, so I can’t wait to meet some more princesses and have a magical time!

Meet characters in Spring costumes

I’m really hoping to meet at least one character in their beautiful bright Spring outfits, they’re so gorgeous!

‘It’s a Small World’

Total guilty pleasure of mine, but it was closed during my birthday trip for refurb, so I definitely need one ride or 100 to get my fix.

Extra Magic Hours

I’m going to be getting my annual pass on this trip, and I can’t wait to enjoy extra time in the parks in the mornings with my girls!

Have you ever been to Disneyland Paris during Spring?

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Disney-bound again!

Its been a while since I’ve done a chatty post, and all of a sudden I realised that I haven’t really told you lovely lot about the fact that this summer..

WE’RE GOING TO SHANGHAI AND HONG KONG DISNEYLAND!!

Little Green Men Mochi from Tokyo DisneySea

Little Green Men Mochi from Tokyo DisneySea

Those of you who follow my Disney antics a lot will know that this means I will have completed one of my life goals of visiting every Disney park, and I’ll actually have done all of them within the space of 13 months which is pretty incredible!

So we’ll be out there for two weeks, spending 2-3 days in Shanghai Disneyland (hopefully onsite!), as well as visiting some of the amazing sites of China, then finishing up with 2-3 days in Hong Kong Disneyland before flying home. My sister is currently travelling out in Asia (and taking after her little sister by blogging it), and our trip is coinciding with the end of her adventure, so she’ll meet us out there and fly home with us.

Shanghai will have been open for about a month when we get there, so hopefully they’ll have sorted any issues that they might find by then, although it’ll still obviously be PACKED with people, which is why we’ll be spending a few days there even though its only one park. I am SO excited to see that beautiful castle!

It’s going to be incredible and I can’t wait to share it with you all!

On another exciting note, at the end of April I’m going on a semi-spontaneous trip to Disneyland Paris!

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I’ve been wanting to visit DLP for Spring for a while now as everyone always talks about how much fun and how pretty it all is, and I definitely didn’t want to miss out on Forest of Enchantment, so when I realised how many of my lovely Disney friends are all going to be out there in the same week, I suddenly found myself booking the Eurostar..

I’m going out on the evening of the 27th, and staying at Santa Fe with a few of my Disney girls who arrive the day before me. Originally we were going to stay offsite at the Kyriad, but with Ellie’s AP discount, it wasn’t much difference to stay at Santa Fe so we thought why not! As well as Swing into Spring, I’m also really excited to buy an annual pass as Ellie is going to sponsor me, and I can’t wait to see so many of the lovely people who are going to be out there with me!

Have you got any Disney trips coming up? °o°

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The ‘I Just Can’t Wait to go to Disney’ Tag

Its now 20 days til Dad and I leave for our Disney trip, so it was perfect timing when the lovely Lizi tagged me to do the ‘I Just Can’t Wait to go to Disney’ tag!

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1. How do you get extra excited for your Disney trips?

To be honest, counting down to my next Disney trip is always the most exciting thing, but what really make a countdown extra special is having so many supportive friends and followers who always seem just as excited for my upcoming trip as I am! I also love planning, so spending ages sorting out the details of my trip is actually so much fun for me!

2. How do you feel the few days before your trip?

Oh my gosh, I can’t even describe. There’s a lot of squealing and jumping around, and also a little bit of worrying about things I might have forgotten about, ha! Before my last WDW trip, I actually made myself physically sick with excitement, and the same thing happened when I arrived in Tokyo Disneyland, but I never let it hold me back for too long!

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3. What are the things you are most excited about?

Oh where to start! The magic always starts when you see the first road sign, then when you see the parks for the first time, then laying eyes on the castle and knowing that you’re back; that’s pretty much the best feeling! I also get so excited for parades and character meets, and for Disney park food!

4. When you see the park for the first time of your trip, how do you react?

Its a combination of butterflies and pure excitement, and there’s a lot of failing to fight back tears!

5. What do you like to do while travelling to Disney?

Depends on how I’m travelling. I drove to Disneyland Paris back in October, so I was busy concentrating on the road, but whenever I fly to Orlando or California, I pack out long flights with plenty of films, reading, writing and daydreaming!

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6. What do you pack when you go to Disney?

I have my special Disney backpack, which at all times contains my planning notebook, camera, autograph book, sunglasses, phone, purse etc, and usually a few changes of Mickey ears just to be on the safe side! My outfits are always carefully planned (and I’m not even the slightest bit ashamed to admit that), and sensible shoes are a must, along with all the relevant accessories. I also like to try and pack efficiently so I can maximise space for souvenirs to bring home!

7. Do you count down the days until your next Disney trip, and how?

Always, that’s what iPhone apps are for, right?! Since I upgraded to an iPhone 5S, my new app counts down to the second, which is super exciting!

If you’ve got a Disney trip coming up, I TAG YOU!

°o°

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Disneyland Paris: Walt’s

There are certain places in Disney parks that are just that little bit more magical, and Main Street USA is no exception, so dining on Main Street is an experience in itself, and you can do that at Walt’s.

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If you there a little early, the waiting area is a classically decorated room with a grand piano, pictures and plush furniture, and a bust of the main man himself! The restaurant is upstairs, and spans several rooms, which makes every table feel a little more personal, rather than sitting in a large restaurant. The decor upstairs is just as elegant and classic as the waiting room, with pretty wallpaper and curtains, and paintings on the walls, but each room is themed to reflect an area of the resort – ours was Adventureland.

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We chose from the set menu that was part of our dining plan; I had a Caesar salad starter, chicken main and chocolate fondant dessert.

The salad was the perfect size, with croutons and big strips of chicken. It came with a dressing, but I asked for mine without and they were all too happy to oblige. My main course of chicken in Marsala sauce was beautiful! The chicken was tender and moist, and the potato and veggies went perfectly. The portions here were a little smaller than elsewhere, but I definitely didn’t feel that I was left hungry.

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The chocolate fondant was a clear winner out of the dessert options for me, although they all sounded great. It was warm with a gooey centre, and a thick vanilla cream; the best way to end a meal, even if I did wolf it down so I could get outside in time for the parade!

Dining on Main Street was a real treat to end our trip with, and great food and beautiful views overlooking the park just made it even more magical!

°o°

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Disneyland Paris: Bistrot Chez Remy

Did you ever see a restaurant in a movie that looked so great you wished you could eat there in real life?

Well now you can!

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Based on the Pixar classic Ratatouille, Bistrot Chez Remy gives guests in the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris an opportunity to shrink down to the size of a rat, and dine on Remy’s gourmet menu.

And the setting?

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Giant fairy lights, corkscrew chairs, cocktail umbrella parasols and giant tableware match the setting from the film so perfectly, and if you’re sat near the big glass window, you can watch guests on the adjoining Ratatouille ride!

Needless to say, the food was divine, but you’d expect nothing less from a great chef like Remy!

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With our dining plan, we could choose from a set menu of delicious options. The starter was a nice leafy salad, with cheese (of course) and beetroot. I asked for mine without the chef’s dressing, but our waiter was nice enough to bring some balsamic dressing for me instead. Our waiter was so lovely, it really made the meal memorable!

For main, I couldn’t not have the steak! It came with a good helping of chips, and a small bowl of the signature ratatouille – well would you expect anything else? Dad, Hannah and I all had steak, all cooked differently, and all of them were perfect, which really says something about the skill of the chefs. Dessert for me was a chocolate fondant, with a perfect gooey centre and vanilla cream. The waiter brought it out with a candle and sang happy birthday, which made it even more special!

As a family, we were blown away by everything about Bistrot Chez Remy, and would recommend it without a doubt! Hats off to the chef!

°o°

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Disneyland Paris: Blue Lagoon Restaurant

In any Disney park, Pirates of the Caribbean is a classic ride, and in the Disneylands (California, Tokyo and Paris), if you look out on your journey round the waters, you’ll find yourself in the middle of someone else’s dining experience!

And what an experience it is; you’ve gotta eat here!

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We had a reservation for dinner on my birthday at 5pm, so it was before the main dinner rush and we almost had the place to ourselves. It has such atmosphere: the low lighting, boats floating by, a slight buzz in the air..

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And the food? Well I think it was the best meal I had in DLP!

Because of the dining plan we were on, we had a set menu to choose from. I skipped my starter (because I was still a little full from lunch!) and went straight for the main of Colombo Chicken, which was beautiful!

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The chicken was perfectly cooked, with crispy coconut flakes that added a fab crunch, and the sauce was smooth, creamy, and not too spicy, which for me is ideal. It was served with a mound of rice that complimented it really well, and the portion size was great.

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Dessert was a show in itself; creme brulee that the server lit in front of us to toast the top layer of sugar and wow, wow, wow was it yummy!

If you’re looking for a great place to eat on your next trip, this is the place to go!

°o°

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My Disneyland Paris Haul

Oh goody, goodies!

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What is a Disney trip with a fabulous haul of park merch? For me, souvenir shopping is one of my favourite parts of any trip, and being the over-preparer that I am, I always plan ahead; making sure I have room in my case to bring stuff home, and also doing a little bit of research on what I might want to look out for!

I was fairly restrained on this trip, mainly due to a tight-ish budget, but I knew I wanted to commemorate the visit with some special goodies, so here they are!

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First up, two things I didn’t actually pay for! When we checked into the hotel for our stay, and the CM found out it was my birthday, he wrote out a ‘Touch of Magic’ voucher so both me and my sister could choose a pin each, it was so sweet! I’m not a pin collector like many Disney fans, but these two caught my eye, and Hannah wasn’t fussed so she let me have them both!

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While I might not be a pin collector, I do have a big Vinylmation collection, so seeing a new collection in the parks always gets me excited! The Peter Pan collection looked fab – there wasn’t a single one I didn’t like – and I got this little cutie: Michael!

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I’d been eyeing up this candle holder on the Disney Store website, and being in the Halloween shop in the parks seemed like the perfect time to buy it!

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Ok, so this is another thing I didn’t buy, it was actually a surprise extra birthday present from Mum and Dad, but they were for sale in the Lego Store in Disney Village, and I love him!

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Isn’t this mini carousel sweet? It’s a little musical piece, which plays the Its a Small World song as it turns, and I couldn’t resist it.

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Last but not least is Lumiere! I saw these in WDW last year and resisted, but now they’re available in DLP, it seemed almost too perfect to buy him in Paris.

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°o°

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Disneyland Paris: This or That Tag

So the lovely Lizi tagged me in her Disneyland Paris: This or That challenge, and now I’m back from my trip, I’m finally getting round to my response! I went to Disneyland Paris a lot as a kid, but all before I was 6/7, so I have very few memories of those visits, so this is primarily based on my birthday trip, and as I hope to visit a few more times in the coming year or so, these may change, but for now..

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Disneyland Park or Walt Disney Studios Park?

Disneyland 100%, you just can’t beat that magic!

It’s a Small World or Peter Pans Flight

I may be the only person in the world, but I love It’s a Small World, cheesy and catchy as it may be

Hotel Cheyenne or Hotel Santa Fe?

I don’t think I’ve stayed at either, but I like the Cars theme at Santa Fe.

Cable Car Bake Shop or Market House Deli?

Cable Car Bake Shop is just a little bit prettier in my eyes

Crush Coaster or RC Racer?

Crush Coaster. It blew me away when I tried it for the first time on my last trip!

Halloween or Christmas?

Christmas, although I did love the Halloween buzz during my last visit

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Star Tours or Buzz?

I don’t really think you can beat a good Buzz!

Animagique or Cinemagique?

I love them both, I really do, but I think it has to be Animagique

Le Carrousel de Lancelot or Le Pays de Contes de Fees?

Oh I love carousels, no competition there!

Flying Carpets over Agrabah or Orbitron?

I’ve actually never been on Orbitron! And being on a flying carpet is pretty cool..

Sequoia Lodge or Newport Bay?

Newport Bay. It reminds me so much of The Boardwalk in Disney World which is one of my favourite places ever!

Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups or Dumbo the Flying Elephant?

Dumbo takes it for me, I can’t stomach tea cups so well these days!

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Pizzeria Bella Notte or Colonel Hathi’s Pizza Outpost?

I’ve not been to either, but I think Colonel Hathi’s because Bella Notte is just a little out of the way of everything.

Swing into Spring or Frozen Summer Fun?

I’ve never been in the parks for either of these, but I think Swing into Spring is just so much prettier.

Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains or Les Voyages de Pinocchio?

I think it has to be Pinocchio, Snow White is just a little too creepy for my liking

Alice’s Curious Labyrinth or La Cabane des Robinson treehouse?

Treehouse for sure, I love this views from the top

Liberty Arcade or Discovery Arcade?

Liberty has Casey’s, I think we have a winner!

Fantasyland or Frontierland?

Fantasyland is really where the magic happens in my eyes

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Pirates of the Caribbean or Phantom Manor?

Pirates of the Caribbean will always hold a special place in my heart

Cowboy Cookout or Au Chalet de la Marionette?

Chalet de la Marionette is more my kind of food

Space Mountain or Hollywood Tower of Terror?

Oooh.. Space Mountain. I have a love/hate relationship with Tower of Terror!

Big Thunder Mountain or Indiana Jones?

For Disneyland Paris, it’s Big Thunder Mountain, but probably the other way round for Disneyland California

Inventions or Auberge de Cendrillon?

Um, Auberge has princesses..?

Disney Fashion or Disney Gallery?

Disney Gallery – I love Disney artwork!

Discoveryland or Adventureland?

Discoveryland has some of my favourite rides, and I always end up getting a little bit lost in Adventureland so..

Cafe Hyperion or The Lucky Nugget Saloon?

Not been to either, but I’ve always wanted to eat at Lucky Nugget!

La Gallerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant or La Taniere du Dragon?

As nice as the dragon is to visit, the castle is pure Disney Magic!

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Annette’s Diner or Planet Hollywood?

I’ve never eaten at Annette’s, so I have to choose Planet Hollywood, but that may change!

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I tag Danielle, who in my eyes is queen of all things DLP, and if anyone else wants to give it a go, drop me your links!

xo

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Lottie Does Europe: Another Disneyland Day!

Today has been all over the place, in most senses..

Once again we were up bright and early, this time grabbing breakfast at the hotel before making use of our early access to the Disneyland Park. I really wanted to do the carousel and explore the castle before it got really busy, so we did that and then headed over to the Studios Park in time for opening.

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As soon as we got in we went straight for the enormous queue for Crush’s Coaster, which was mainly enormous because the ride hadn’t opened yet, but it was still about an hour wait.. 100% worth it – I loved it! After that it was Tower of Terror time; I have a total love/hate relationship with this ride due to being terrified of when the first drop will happen, and after that I’m fine! We then had just about enough time to squeeze in a Studio Tram Tour before going back into the other park for our lunch reservations at Walt’s.

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Definitely a good choice! The food, yet again, was excellent, and we timed it fairly perfectly with the halloween parade starting just as we had finished, so we had a great spot. Few more rides hit, and feeling like we had done everything in the park, we hopped back over to the Studios to finish up over there, before taking a last wander through the shops in Disney Village, then back to the hotel to pick up the car.

See ya real soon Disneyland Paris!

After dropping the family at the airport, I started my journey towards Strasbourg, and currently am tucked up in a little motel just off the N4 for the night before I continue on in the morning!

°o°

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Lottie Does Europe: It’s My Birthday!

So if you didn’t already know from the millions of times I’ve mentioned it, today is my 21st birthday, and I am spending it in a magical place: Disneyland Paris!

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Today has been totally filled with magic, from finally getting to open the beautiful birthday present that I picked out in Tokyo back in July (a Samantha Thavasa purse), to breakfast with Mickey and all the extra magic that has happened today.

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We had reservations for breakfast at Cafe Mickey this morning, where the family surprised me with a birthday cake which was brought out by Dale and Mickey, who sang to me(!!!), before we headed into the parks for our extra magic hours. After skipping down Main Street, we hit a few of the rides that were open, although many weren’t that early on in the day. Top of my list after 10am was Indiana Jones, which was closed for refurb until today – bonus! After a few more rides we decided to head over to Walt Disney Studios Park, stopping at City Hall to make dining reservations: Bistrot Chez Remy for lunch, Blue Lagoon for dinner, and Walt’s for lunch tomorrow.

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We headed straight to lunch once we were in, and had an incredible meal in Chez Remy; I couldn’t believe how perfectly themed it was! As we were there, we decided to get in the queue for Ratatouille, as it had just reopened after some technical difficulties. There were, however, several more ‘technical difficulties’ (including a protein spill!) during our wait, but we held out and eventually after about an hour and half we were in!

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By that time, it was getting close to our dinner reservation, so we caught the last Moteurs, Camera, Action! show, before going back into the Disneyland park for Blue Lagoon dinner. For me, there is nothing better than a restaurant set within a ride! Again, we had amazing food, and thoroughly stuffed, we decided to hit the shops and Disney village, before going back to the hotel room for a little while. This decision was also made because when we had checked in the day before, the lovely CM at the front desk gave me and my sister one of their special vouchers for a free pin each, as a treat for my birthday.

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After 5 minutes peace and quiet, it was time to get back into the Disneyland Park to do a few of the more popular rides that had had longer queues earlier in the day: Phantom Manor, Star Tours etc, before scoring ourselves a perfect spot to watch Disney Dreams; all the way through this time, as yesterday our dinner booking meant we left early.

Its safe to say its been magical! Happy birthday me!

°o°

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Lottie Does Europe: I’m in Disneyland Paris!

Just a quickie for tonight boys and girls!

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Today I made the stupidly long drive from Mont St Michel to Paris, to collect my parents and sister from the airport, before heading down to this magical place!

We’re staying at Hotel New York, so after checking in we took the short stroll into the park, just in time to catch the parade, and also a few rides and an explore before Disney Dreams. I definitely think DLP has the most beautiful castle!

After Disney Dreams we grabbed dinner in the hotel (an all you can eat buffet was just what I needed!), a quick cocktail in the bar, and now off to bed because TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Goodnight!

°o°

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