Disney Paris - Fun But Not Up To Standard

[mikeyUK]

Hi

Having been to all the Disney parks - California, Florida (I also worked there), Paris and Tokyo - I think that the Europe one is of the least standard. Don't get me wrong it is still good fun, but in both the parks there are several good rides/attractions missing that are in the other 3 locations.

To name a few the Magic Kingdom does not have Splash Mountain, 20,000 leagues under the sea, the Jungle Cruise, Country Bear Jamboree, the Little mermaid lagoon or toon town. The newish Euro disney studios park does not have The Great Movie Ride (one of Disney's best), the Indiana Jones Stunt show or the Twilight zone tower of terror (though this is due to be built) It is a fact that the Disney parks in Paris were built on the cheap (relatively) and when you have been to the others it shows. Also the new Fantasmic evening light parade isn't a scratch on the old Main Street Electical Parade or Spectromagic (why they scrapped the main street electrical parade for Fantasmic, heaven knows) Disney Paris does uniquely have the Indiana Jones backwards Rollercoaster, but it lasts for just seconds, very uncomfortable (painful on the neck and ears) and just well below standard.

Anyway I guess why I am saying this is because if you have been to Disney paris and never orlando, bear in mind that when you do go you will be shocked at the difference. Many people go to Eurodisney because of the expense of going to florida but bear in mind that the extra costs is WELL worth it and if you hire a private house (3 or 4 bedroom with private pool) they are very cheap and the extra cost may not be as high as you think. Two weeks in florida can cost about GBP1,200 all in (flights, car, all the car insurance, accommodations, park entrance and entrance to others like Seaworld and Universal and spending money etc. etc..), and lots of spare time. 4 nights in Disney Paris cost me nearly GBP500.00 all in. Florida is just much better value for money.

If you do ever get a chance, the new DisneySea park in tokyo is just the best. It is totally different from the others, but the theming and rides are the best I have seen. 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal skull' where you go in a land Rover through temples over rickety rope bridges etc..etc. is just the best ever.

Anyway thought I'd let you know my thoughts

Cheers
Mike

[Redkop]

yeah DLP hast got the same at orlando but it is a lot smaller, but its more convient for us brits to go..........it was our 1st disnt theme park and yes once you get to orlando you look back and think how small and how loads of rides are missing but it was the start of the magic for me and i always will say BTM is better and HM is better at DLP than orlando........dont they have plans for a ToT at DLP and dont forget orlando doest have the indiana jones ride that DLP does..........though i am jealous of you getting to Tokyo..........great points though

chris

[mikeyUK]

Hi Chris

Excuse me for being a bit thick but I am not sure what you meant by the abreviations BTM and HM (at Disney Paris)!?!?

Yes it is true that orlando does not have the indiana jones ride - but I just found that awful - the only good part was the queing area, the ride is over too quick, uncomfortable and not a scratch on splash mountain - in my opinion anyway.

yes as I said they are building a ToT ride at DLP, but that still leaves out lots of things. Anyway I agree with your point, it is the start of the magic and DLP is still great fun its just a shame that disney seemed to have skipped a few corners with it.

The original Tokyo Disneyland has all the rides of the american ones, the only downside of it, it that it is horribly and I mean horribly crowded. Even more crowded than orlando at New Year (which I remember from working there).
However, the disney sea park is knowhere near as busy for some reason and is just fantastic

I guess I mentioned my feelings towards DLP because many people have said to me they go, not just because of the convenience, but the cost. I think people often perceive that Orlando is much more expensive that it has to be.

cheers
Mike

[Redkop]

Originally posted by mikeyUK
but I am not sure what you meant by the abreviations BTM and HM (at Disney Paris)!?!?



sorry mike i do it all the time BTM = Big Thunder Mountain, HM = Haunted Mansion

chris

[Wendy L]

I thought DLP was lacking in a lot of ways, not just the rides. When we went we'd already been to Orlando and were shocked when we went into DLP.

One of the main things we noticed was the CMs were not nearly as friendly and the place was "dirty" especially the toilets. We were shocked when we saw at the drink carts the cold drinks and then the beer lined up as well.

We'd never go again and have advised friends when they ask about DLP to save a little longer and go to Orlando. It just seems more magical

Wendy

[Keith]

yeah I agree Wendy.. I was kinda shocked actually.

CMs standing around talking to each other ignoring guests.... when I did ask anything, I could SO tell they didn't want to be bothered.

Add to that the fact that so much of it is in french ONLY. There is usually SOME translation but it's not always complete.. sometimes far from complete actually.

Every now and again, I'd spot a WDW type CM.. smiling, interacting with the guests but very much the exception.

DLP felt much more like "just another amusement park" than wdw which feels like a magical world.

[Chris/Lisa]

We have just got back from DLP and we love it - sure it isn't Orlando but then it isn't trying to be. you can't pop to orlando for a 3 day break!

I certainly take your points though - the park is starting to look in need of a makeover, pavements are cracked, space mountain needs a coat of paint etc.

Smoking everywhere drives us nuts! but thats a european thing and not really the fault of the park, although we would have liked a meal without it wafting over!

This time I was pleasantly surprised by the CM's they were friendly and brilliant with our two kids - maybe they have taken this on board of late?!?

Although I would much rather go to the states I still love Paris , I think it is a very pretty park and there is still magic there, I am sure it will grow with time - I take your point about lack of attraction but when it opened there was no Space Mountain, no StorybookLand / Casey Junior, no Indiana Jones, No Honey....(although there was capain Eo) and of course no Studios - apparent;y there are plabns for TOT and a Splash Mountain (lookie likey) in the next 2 years along with a Winnie the Pooh ride as well. A dark ride wll also open at the studios soon apparently as well.

It aint no WDW, but I think it has a place - certainly in my heart it does.

[mikeyUK]

Hi

Chris/Lisa I take your point about DLP - you can pop there very easily. I have to admit that I knew DLP was building a ToT but I didnt know about plans for splash mountain, winnie the pooh and a new dark ride. Splash mountain is certainly long overdue as the park has been open over 10 years. They have the winnie the pooh ride in Tokyo, but take this, the queue was two and a half hours long!!!!!!

Despite my comments on DLP I still think it is magic and fun, I just think Disney made a lot of mistakes with it. For a start they should have built it at the other site they looked at (Near barcelona) where the weather is much better with cheap flights barcelona is just as, if not more accessible, than paris. The Spanish are also better at service and much more language friendly. They also made alot of little mistakes in the beginning showing their total lack of understanding if European and in particular French Culture, like staff not being able to wear Jewelery like in america, that had to be scrapped, not serving alcohol in the park, which is ridiculous in Europe. Employees in Europe are much more 'union' based and will tolerate much less than employees in the US. When I worked for Disney in Florida if you were caught ignoring guests you were sacked without question, this could not happen in Europe!

So I think Disney went into the DLP venture a little naively and got their fingers burnt quite a lot, this I understand is why the park has been slower to develop. I think they are just treading very carefully.

I don't know what you guys think, but I also feel that Disney in trying to be trendy and modernise is in danger of moving away from its core magic. For example in the DLP studios they have built the Armageddon ride - great effects but why didnt they make it Buzzlighyears spaceship - with all the same effects. Why did they choose Aerosmith for the Rock and Roll rollercoaster - why not the same type of ride but with a disney theme. Does anyone else agree that Disney seems to be moving away from the character based rides? For example the peter pan ride is popular everywhere but it just looks so dated now, why don't the focus on modernising things like that with the latest technology. and develop more rides based on the disney movies and characters.

Anyway id be interested to hear others views on this. I know the chairman of the Disney Corporation - Michael Eisner - credited with turning around the fortunes of the company 20 or so year ago, is not a big fan of the original disney characters. I know this paritally because I had lunch with him. But to me, it is the fantasy and the character magic that sets disney apart from any of the other theme parks.

cheers
Mike

[american idol]

I don't agree with you about the spanish-I lived there for 3 years and they have the same approach to customer care as the French and the rest of Europe for that matter. Europeans are just not that good at the 'have a magical day' thing.!!



I think that Disney used the likes of Aerosmith to encourage the teenager/young adult market. They are trying to compete with the likes of universal.

I don't think that the Peter Pan ride is great and not outdated, its actually one of my favourites.
:)

[PsychoAlice]

OK first off..they are all different parks..if you compare DLP to DL then to WDW you could write and encylopdia on what the differences are..2nd..the climate in Paris is no where close to the climates in California nor Florida so why build Splash mountian when you can only use it a few months out of the year..sounds like a waste of money..now as for the CMs? Well they are French..maybe Disney should give out lessons on being nice to the people that are paying your pay check..surely there are people all over the world who will give 110% that will certainly take their jobs...you all in Europe should count your blessings that you can just pop over there..as us in the US will probably never get over there as we in the US should be happy we have 2 Disney Parks in the same country! Now how fun would it be if ALL of the 4 (almost 5) parks were all the same? do you really think that it would make Disney loads of more money if they were all the same? I think not..Disney is a business, a business is to make money..Walt didnt just build an empire to make EVERYONE happy but to make money..and that he did..just because one person doesnt like one thing doesnt mean another isnt either..I have a friend in the Netherlands who goes to DLP quite often..I havent heard her complain...you can only please some of the people some of the time and never please all of the people all of the time

Oh and none of the parks have the submarines anymore I do not think, and DL doesnt have country bears anymore either (pooh took its place :( :rolleyes: but we do have a pinnochio ride and the monorail that dumps you off in the middle of Tomorrowland and another thing about DLP is that Disney didnt want to make it into another "regular" disney park..think about it..where have all the stories from the wonderful Disney movies originate from? Europe..why would you put in a Disney Castle amongst the worlds most famous real castles..they had to do thing differently there..yes i know they have Aurora's castle there I have seen pictures of it..it is NO WHERE near DLs..it is SO SO SO SO MUCH better!!

And no down plays on Mike eisner even if you had lunch with him or not..he is a business man who takes chances..much like Uncle Walt..he will never be nor is he trying to be Uncle Walt..there is a reason he is the head honcho..ok off my soap box now

[Redkop]

hey were hardy europeans PA we could take splash mountain in the cold no problem :D :D ............part of the problem with french CM's and it has been sayed on here is they dont like the english and vice versa.........it goes back centurys.........there is a Universal in spain which everyone loves that i know whos been to it........as i said though it started the magic for me, i rode start tours 16 times and it was all in french........boy was i glad when i got to WDW to really find out ehat was going on.........anyway i cant just hop over there as its an 8 hour drive for me and to fly there well might as well save that extra 1000 pound and go to WDW........though it might not stop me taking the kids there one day........also DLP aint owned by Disney anymore they only own a bit of it so really it aint up to them to keep it to the disney standard i suppose

chris

[mikeyUK]

I take your point britchic, but I lived in Spain too, and whilst I agree they are not anywhere near as good at service too, they are certainly more language friendly (a few people on here have commented to me about the fact that some CM's only speak french and some of the attractions are only in french) If it was in Spain it would be at least in Spanish, English and French ( Like universal there) and the weather is much better!!. And sorry I think I expressed my comments about the peter pan ride badly, I didn't mean that it was outdated in that it should be scrapped I mean that they should develop it, improve the animatronics etc. and build on its success - it is a great ride.

Psychoalice - I take your points too, and you are right you cant expect all the parks to be the same, but when the price is the same and the cost of a holiday there is relatively more expensive than going to the USA you would at least expect it to offer an equal, though as you pointed out maybe different, experience. But really DLP is not different - that would be fine, it just has far less things going on. Splash mountain is largely indoors, there are other water based attractions at DLP that have as much outdoors if not more than Splash mountain.

yes you are right I think the submarines have been scrapped apart from at the new Disney sea in tokyo where there is a new updated version which is great. Scrapping is great but at WDW it has been replaced with other stuff. You mention that they didnt want to make DLP a regular park, well it is - looks 95% the same, so why not make it totally different. Basically its the same park done cheaper. Also DLP does has a disney castle like the others - just an updated version, I think you may have a slightly false impression as to how different it is - yes...no.?

Anyway sorry to cause you to go on your soap box, I didn't mean to do this I just like to get into thought and chat about these things. I am not really meaning to slag off DLP that much I just think it is disappointing and I know Disney is in busniess to make money but bear in mind that they expected that the new DLP Studios park would attract 10 million visitors in its first year - it got 2.8 million. The original park, though doing much better than earlier days, still only gets half the visitors they originally anticipated. I am just trying to start a discussion why this might be so.

Sorry but you misunderstood my comments on Mike Eisner, I wasn't down playing him, I think he is an amazing guy. I just wonderered what other people thought about the way Disney was moving, they themselves have reported a significant downturn in business in the last few years (not just since 9/11) and a report I read recently from the compnay was that maybe they are in danger of moving a little too far from the original Disney Magic. They themselves are now also reporting that maybe rapid expansion of extra parks is maybe not the way forward and they should focus more on developing, expanding and improving the original parks - i.e. like my comments about the Peter Pan ride.

I must stop waffling on. Anyway I hope I haven't caused any upset or offense this really isn't my aim.

Best regards
Mike

[american idol]

well u certainly didn't offend or upset me- just expressing my opnions too;)

[PsychoAlice]

nope didnt offend me either..just expressing my views too!

[Vikki]

I agree with Wendy L, very dirty (hated all the smoking as well) and CM's were very impolite. You get the feeling at WDW that the CM's want to be there, this is not the case in DLP.
It was also our dirst experience of a Disney hotel, Newport Bay. I was pretty impressed with the hotel actually, and since we spent a lot of time in there (not much to do in the evenings) was a good job the hotel was nice, the bar was very relaxing.
It is so conventient for us Brits though, just for a 'Disney fix'.
However, I would rather save up for a couple of years to go to WDW, which is what we decided to do next year.
Such a mistake to compare the two (WDW and DLP) as they are so different, but if you see ther Disney name, you come to expect a certain standard.......

[mikeyUK]

vik90245

Totally agree, my point exactly (except as usual I said it in a very long winded way)

Mike

[neal]

When we were there in 2002 we only had one grumpy CM and that was in one of the shops.

Do they only employ French people there? I can't say I heard any English CMs at all.

And I agree - Spain would have been a much better location for it. Where its situated now they may have just built it in England...at least it'd have English speaking people/rides and you'd probably attract a lot more American visitors.

Anyway, it can't be that bad as I've booked to go back again for christmas this year, staying at the New York this time.

And one last point - the Armegeddon 'ride'. What a waste of time and their money for building it. It truly is the worst attraction I've ever been on.

[VALM]

DLP may be more convenient for us Brits but I would rather fly the extra 8 hours to Orlando anytime. We have been to DLP twice and for the trip to be good value for us we have had to go via coach. In fact one year we went to Orlando for a week as it was cheaper to do this trip than go to DLP for 3 days!

I also agree that the Cast Members are not as happy as in WDW.

[tushypat]

I agree that Florida overall is cheaper then Paris but one thing to bear in mind when working out the costs between WDW and DLP is that with DLP being a shorter holiday you'll need less spending money. For our trip to DLP this Christmas it's 5 days spending money compared with 21 days spending money on our Trip to WDW in July. Just another consideration when pricing up the two.

[mikeyUK]

They don't just employ French people at DLP however you do have to speak fluent french. So most of the non french people are behind the scenes and doing non speaking character roles etc.

As I said before I still think DLP is great fun but I think anyone who has only ever been there and not to WDW should consider going to Orlando. As a few people have said it's worth saving up for a couple of years and going to WDW. Orlando is much more magic and much better value. WDW used to be more expesnive but prices have come down and now they have the Disney All Star resorts Disney accommodation out there is not so expensive. And if you are not that worried about where you stay you can get real cheap accommodation out there (like 20 quid per night for a room with two double beds).

I agree about the Armegeddon ride, it is a real let down, but imagine how much more 'magic' it would have been if it had been themed around Buzz Lightyear or something, somehow thatwould have made up for the lack of imagination.

The CM's in DLP are not as friendly and you do get the impression that half of them don't want to be there unlike WDW, however, it has to be remembered that in WDW you tow the line or you get the sack! But I have to say I really enjoyed working in the EPCOT centre, they have really created a fun and great working environment, which I should imagine is not the case in DLP

Mike

[Breeze]

Michael Eisner - credited with turning around the fortunes of the company 20 or so year ago, is not a big fan of the original disney characters. I know this paritally because I had lunch with him.

Wait a sec, can we back up for here. Lunch with Eisner, how did you manage that and what is he like.

[mikeyUK]

Disney employ people from the varoius countries to work in the EPCOT centre worldshowcase area. This was known as the Cultural exchange programme. they would take on about 30 -40 people from each country each year. However they also had what was know as the Fellowship programme, where they take on 5 people from each of the 11 countries and most are sponsored by other companies that sell products there, for example I was on the Fellowship programe and was sponsored by Twinings tea.

On the fellowship programme you get treated a bit like royalty and you work in the park 4 days a week and on the 5th day we had seminars, these could have been anything from disney management studies to leisure days out - yes we were being paid to go canoeing and things like that. The idea being to bond the different nations and develop a greater understanding of each others' culture. At the end of the contract each country had to do a 6 hour presentation to the other fellowships and Disney managers, about their own country and culture.

During the year the fellowships were also called up to do other little tasks and the Fellowship manager liked me because I spoke with a very english accent (you know the typical stereotype English) and Mike Eisner wanted to get to know more about the programme so lunch was arragned by the fellowship manager between him, her, myself and 3 others on the programme. So it was a stroke of luck really.

Anyway he is a very nice guy, down to earth, was very interested to chat with us (well appeared to be anyway!!!) His wife though I heard was a bit of a super ***** - the authority and position went to her head, I never met her, but this was the common opinion.

Mike

[Breeze]

I bet that is great memory for you. And at least you didn't have to put up with the wife ;) Thanks for sharing this with us :D

[Vikki]

I just laughed through the Armageddon (sp?) ride. Especially the pre-show. No idea what the actor is called but that big guy just was never meant to be dubbed into rather wimpy sounding french. Gave me a giggle though. Was just frustrating how they have an English actor, dub it into French, with English subtitles. I know it's in France and it should be in French.....fine, get a french actor to do it :)

[mikeyUK]

I totally agree about the armageddon ride. To be honest, as I havent been to WDW for 9 years, but have been to DLP twice in the last 3 years, I do wonder, has Disney overall just gone down hill or is it just DLP?

I am going to WDW in Nov, as I said for the first time in 9 yrs, and I just hope I'm not in for a big disappointment

Mike

[american idol]

of course you're not going to be disapointed. You haven't even see AK!!! and there are a lot of new things. Sprinkle yourself with pixie dust and think of something nice:D

[Goofy Girl]

Originally posted by mikeyUK as I said for the first time in 9 yrs, and I just hope I'm not in for a big disappointment

Mike [/B]

Of course you won't be!!! :ears:

[Wendy L]

You won't be disappointed, as soon as you drive down World Drive you can feel the magic, DLP is just nothing in comparison I don't even think it should be referred to as a Disney park it is just not magical and special.

Once you have been back to WDW I doubt if you will want to go to DLP again.

You'll have a wonderful, magical time:ears:

[neal]

You mean this........

http://images.fotopic.net/?id=1186840

[Goofy Girl]

Oh Neal, thanks for posting that pic - I have the same one. As our coach approched it, our first day at MK this year, I was jumping up and down and shouting at the kids - look look, it's Magic Kingdom!!! :lol: :wacko:

[marivigi]

Wow... this is such a good thread... so.. Im not the only one that just doesnt feel the same about DLP... such a relief... lol

To me it was sort of like visiting a movie set...... everything was there... but there was NO MAGIC!!!!

1. Much smaller than the other Disney parks
2. CMs werent so friendly... some were even smoking....and although some could speak other languages... it was a choice between french.. and french.... or you could also speak to them in FRENCH... lol :)
3. western shows????..... If I remember correctly.. they had some sort of RODEO show.... OMG..... what was that all about???
4. BEER... everywhere!!!... which was weird... but I mean... its Europe.... so its only fair ....

.. But I did like some things...

1. the Indiana Jones rollercoaster.... I thought that was cool
2. HM.... I think its done better... scarier!!!!!.....
3. the good thing about it being small is that you can go everywhere in no time at all....
4. The shops.... nice stuff!!!

But all in all... it just didnt do anything for me... and I thought it was way too expensive for what they had to offer

If you want to visit a COOL park in Paris... go to Park Asterix ....

Now... speaking of success... Disney expected DLP.. or Eurodisney.. as it was originally called to be a GREAT success.... ooops!!!..... they were on the verge on closing, and then decided to give it a go again with a different name...

From what Ive heard at several university classes (sad.. but DLP is used as an example on what NOT to do) the following are some of the reasons why I didnt work out in the beginning, thus making Disney sell part of it and stop investing:

1. Disney never took into account the "cultural" problems.. with so many different nationalities, languages and so on, its hard to find a one size fits all park
2. Friendliness of French people
3. Labor unions and all other problems with employees
4. The fact that in general Europeans dont spend as much as Americans, and Japanese.... they will go once a year, or once every other year... unlike Americans who will go... every single chance they have... Also... they dont spend as much on souvenirs...
5. Its not "the original".... and that counts... A LOT
6. Most Europeans didnt grow up LOVING Disney... as there were MANY other characters in their countries.... Asterix, Marsupilami, Peter Rabbit.... to name a few.... so the interest in visiting a Disney park is not as big as that of those who grew up loving Mickey and friends

... Again.. these reasons were discussed in classes... I agree with some of them.. but they are not my opinion....

What do you think?

[PaulaK]

We will be taking 3 trips to DLP next year for 5 days each time. I think the Disneyland Hotel is the best in the world (and i've stayed at many a first class hotel). I love the service and the whole ambience of the place. I must admit, we stayed at the New York and weren't that impressed though. I have never seen anywhere 'dirty' in all my visits and believe me, I have high standards. There is no way you can compare Florida and Paris they are 2 totally different experiences. Building in Spain would have been a huge mistake. Has anyone been to Salou and Universal Mediterranea??!! YUK is all I can say!!

The CM's at DLP come from all over the world. Our waiter for example was from Morocco and fluent in 7 languages. Our daughters loved him and he laughed and joked with them, signed their autograph books etc. He was FAR from grumpy. If you look at a CM's flag badges/pins, they will tell you which languages they speak. It's no use jabbering on to a CM that doesn't speak your language! I am looking forward to our WDW trip in October, but I know DLP at New Year will be 'extra special' and we will not be 'faceless tourists' like we will be in Orlando.

Rant over ~ I LOVE DLP!!!

Paula :wave:

[tushypat]

At last! Someone who feels the same as me! Thank you PaulaK, looks like we're in the minority though! :(

[mikeyUK]

I started this thread ages ago and it is interesting to see all the comments. As I have often said, DLP is still nice, but I think opinion will often depend whether people have been to WDW, once you have been to WDW I think most poeple will have a different view of DLP.

It is fair comment in one respect to say that you can't compare Paris with florida, but at the end of the day, they are offering the same parks (with regard to magic kingdon and MGM studios) and charging the same, if not higher prices at DLP. so as they have in many ways mirrored two of the florida parks I think it is only fair to expect the same standard and amount of rides/attractions, as you also get in Florida, LA and Tokyo.

I take the point about salou, yuk is an accurate description, but if disney had bought the land they would have developed it and landscaped the area much better than Universal I guess.

marivigi, made some good points, a little bit inaccurate just to say that europeans don't spend as much, we dont spend as much on theme parks that is, but brits and germans, along with japanese spend more on overseas travel than anywhere else.

Disney encountered loads of cultural problems. One of the many examples is that in wdw men are not allowed to wear a necklace, they do now in DLP. As for Beer, well, I have to say that americans - no offence, I like them lots - do have a bit of a strange attitude towards alcohol. Whereas in the US you have to be 21 to have it AT ALL, in the UK you can drink alcohol from the age of 5 in private homes or, and this is true, in a beer garden of a pub with parents (yes it is true), from 16 in a restaurant with a meal or 18 in regular bars. In some European countries you can drink beer in a bar from 14 or 16 and you can even buy it in vending machines in the street. So attitudes in Europe are very very different

Tip - if you are going to wdw for the first time get an 'unofficial' guide book and make some plans, it is HUGE. And allow plenty of time otherwise you will just get overwhelmed.

cheers
Mike

[PsychoAlice]

I suppose its like the difference between Disneyland here and WDW..yes WDW is 10 times more muge than WDW but Disneyland I feel I can do at a much hectic pace..things here on the west coast is MUCH slower than in Fla

[Jaynie]

I wonder if the fact that Disney don't actually own DLP mean that standards aren't as high. My full family and I spent the Christmas period there last year, I felt that standards had dropped slighty, the food outlets didn't seem quite as clean, although still magical, especially on Christmas Day. The new park however was disapointing, we all felt that it didn't have that special feel about it, although the stunt show was excellent. however my friend and her family visited this Summer and said that the toliets at DLP were nothing short of disgusting, with god knows what on the floor (won't go into too much detail) but not what we expect of our Disney parks. I was quite upset about this as my family and I have had some wonderful times at DLP, and will always be special to us, yes Orlando is great but for us Brits DLP is a great way to get a quick Disney fix

[Redkop]

hi jaynie

yeah i have said this before that because DLP is a franchise and not a *real* disney park there isnt the same effort.......i still think its a shame they never built is down south in the UK as it would have been a huge hit with people or built it in spain were the weather is better,,,,,,,,,,i mean universal are doing ok there with there theme park

chris

[mikeyUK]

its such a shame about DLP, I think it gives disney a bad image, particularly the new park the Disney studios - where the experience has no resemblence to orlando

[rikomatic]

I have been to DW, DL, and DLT, and now last weekend to DLP, and I must agree that Paris is probably the least impressive of all of them.

Most disappointing was how uninspired the CM's seemed to be. I speak French, still I was surprised by how much French was spoken. Often the CM's would ask the audience which languages they spoke, and even tho a clear majority spoke English, the CM would continue in French.

The Studios were a big let down. I guess for me the idea that you are a "cast member" in a movie or getting a "behind the scenes" look at how a movie is made was just not interesting enough.

I was shocked that there were no Disney or non-Disney movies playing in English anywhere. Not in the Park, not on TV in our hotel (Santa Fee), and not in the Disney village. After a long day of riding rides and walking miles and miles, finishing the evening with a nice meal and a good movie would be perfect. Alas, everything is in French, with nary a subtitle in sight. Weird.

That said, me and my friend had a wonderful, wonderful time there.

I thought Main Street was just beautifully done. The parades were as spirited and lovely as I have ever seen. Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain Railroad were awesome. And the Visioneerium was a well-done French-oriented movie.

[pluto]

I wis they had built it in Italy, With the pasion of the Italians, i think they would have pulled it off excelent and off course the good weather and good food,

It is a shame. I mean me personaly would say DLP is a good themepark but not a good DISNEY themepark.

[TR_Wolf]

Okay, I've read all this and I have to make some points now!!

1) Firstly to those saying DLP is much smaller than the other parks, it isnt, it is larger than DLR and WDW (the main park, not the other parks).

2) To people saying its "very dirty" it is NOT, maybe ONE slip-up now and then but that was the same in the other parks, I've never found DLP to be dirty, nor the toilets.

3) Lack of enthusiasm by Cast Members... firstly my cousin was a cast member, he's English, and he said that the reason a lot of people seem miserable is because they get paid VERY LOW because of their budget, the AMERICAN Cast Members get paid much more, so sure they're gonna smile! They're also TOLD to smile, strict rules where if you dont do everything perfect you get fired, Disney Paris is more relaxed, they also have interns at some times of year (who are cruddy, they smoke and use mobile phones etc, the normal cast members arent allowed to do this).

4) Lack of Magic - The park has a much smaller budget than the other parks, and only so much "magic" can be convayed when the main language isnt English, so they have to cater for English, French, German, Spanish etc, so the language barrier can get in the way!

5) Attractions in French - I cant believe someone was complaining that most of it is French... IT'S IN FRANCE! MOST OF ITS VISITORS ARE FRENCH! If a French based park was placed in America, as an American visitor would you expect it all to be in English or French?

5b) However I do agree that some attractions could have more of a translation, or special allocations for a chunk of people of a certain language. The dubbing annoyed me: I was very angry when Honey I Shrunk The Audience was dubbed over into French recently, and you have to listen to the original English through a headphone. This is the same in some other attractions where English people like Roy Disney have been dubbed into French, with English subtitles... thats just wrong!

5c) Yes it would be nice to see some more English speakers in the park, not just French people who can speak a little English, but actual English and American cast members. Ive seen a few English, but no American. The English ones seem to have the "WDW" enthusiasm and magic as mentioned. Disneyland UK would work really well if it werent for the weather.

6) The toilets arent dirty, but has anyone else noticed that if you sit in a cubical/stall and close the door, there's a large gap either side of the door which can easily be seen through? I found this uncomfy.

7) Ive never seen anything broken thats not been fixed rather quickly, I dont want people under the impression that the park is in disrepair! However I did notice some vandalism on a window frame on Phantom Manor.

7b) The large area outside Disneyland Paris Park and Disney Studios Park I have to admit the floor here is terrible! Its concrete but parts are heavily broken, it needs re-doing!

8) The Park in General - it has a lot more detail and decor and little points than Ive seen in any of the parks. Aside Discoveryland, the lands have an incredible amount of detail and are quite vast, more detail than Ive seen in the other parks (this is especially evident on Main St, which has some incredible detail and depth compared to the other parks.) I also like Main St in DLP's light coloured brick floor better than the black floor on WDW's Main St.

8b) To whoever is saying that the park isnt as good because it is lacking attractions in the other parks... why does Disneyland Paris have to be a carbon copy of the other parks? It doesnt HAVE to had all the exact same rides and stuff to be good. It has several rides and things which are missing from the other parks, but that doesnt make the other parks low quality because they dont have them. Also note that many of the other parks are changing and upgrading to comply with current designs and specs in Disneyland Paris!

So in general, I dont mean to have a temper here but I love Disneyland Paris and dont like people calling it sub-standard because they're comparing it to WDW which has been around a lot longer, only has one major language to contend with, and has a much bigger budget. Disneyland Paris is a beautiful and amazing place, and I highly recommend it to anyone, including those who've only been to WDW.

[PaulaK]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

I had a fab time at New Year ~ as expected. The park was at full capacity and I didn't see a dirty toilet anywhere. Everyone was in high spirits and we met some great people.

I have to say I also liked the addition of champagne bars down Main St. for New Year, they should make that a regular thing :wink:..... hic!

I have done a first days trip report:
http://www.wdisneyw.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21427

Paula :wave:

p.s. have cleaned out my pm box TR!

[ukwdwnut]

Originally posted by PaulaK
We will be taking 3 trips to DLP next year for 5 days each time. I think the Disneyland Hotel is the best in the world (and i've stayed at many a first class hotel). I love the service and the whole ambience of the place. I must admit, we stayed at the New York and weren't that impressed though. I have never seen anywhere 'dirty' in all my visits and believe me, I have high standards. There is no way you can compare Florida and Paris they are 2 totally different experiences. Building in Spain would have been a huge mistake. Has anyone been to Salou and Universal Mediterranea??!! YUK is all I can say!!

The CM's at DLP come from all over the world. Our waiter for example was from Morocco and fluent in 7 languages. Our daughters loved him and he laughed and joked with them, signed their autograph books etc. He was FAR from grumpy. If you look at a CM's flag badges/pins, they will tell you which languages they speak. It's no use jabbering on to a CM that doesn't speak your language! I am looking forward to our WDW trip in October, but I know DLP at New Year will be 'extra special' and we will not be 'faceless tourists' like we will be in Orlando.

Rant over ~ I LOVE DLP!!!

Paula :wave:

The CM's at DLP come from all over the world. Our waiter for example was from Morocco and fluent in 7 languages. Our daughters loved him and he laughed and joked with them, signed their autograph books etc. He was FAR from grumpy.

paula this remember is just one person and in monority

[ukwdwnut]

My cousin used to work as a travel agent, this was when the park first opened, she was there to report for her companies brochure when she arrived when the employees(no matter what country they come from) there found out she was English they treated her like S*** if this is how Disney want to be portrayed in France then no wonder they pulled the money out of the place, that is TOTALLY UNNACCEPTABLE IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM, as for the wages they knew how much they were going to be paid if its not enough DONT WORK THERE, but if you are, represent the company you work for in an ACCEPTABLE MANNER, i also think they could have picked a better country to build it in. i also do not condone the way some english people behave when on holiday but when you work/represent a company such as DLP treat paying guests with RESPECT AT ALL TIMES no mater where THEY come from.

Mike

[PaulaK]

That's not true at all, not in my experience and i've been many times to DLP. In fact our recent trip was the best yet. I can't honestly think of one CM that was not helpful.

[ukwdwnut]

Hi Paula

then i take that back :blush: :blush:

mind you it has been just over 10years so it must have changed big time

mike

[Dolcelannah]

That's such a shame. I went to Disneyland in Anaheim once, 6 years ago, and it was really a beautiful experience. Everything was perfectly clean, the staff were helpful, talkative and friendly, the rides were fantastic and the ambience was so nice. I sort of hoped that Disneyland Paris would be the same, because my family is thinking of going to Europe this summer (your winter) and I thought that it would be so nice to go to Disneyland again, this time Disneyland Paris. We live in Perth, Western Australia, so going overseas is really a big deal. And I'm just thinking... do you think it would be better to get a round-the-world ticket (rather than a round-Europe one) and explore Europe, then go to the Disneyland in Anaheim? The thing is, I don't want to spoil what I already had, and seeing Disneyland at 10 years old was just magical for me (I really think it's the perfect age, you can recognise just how wonderful it is) and I don't want to go back and see it for what it really is, which might be less than it was then. Is it? Is it best, if you've seen it at a young age, to just leave it and treasure those memories? Because I would love to go back agan.

Anyway, I think it should be okay to go to the Anaheim Disneyland without spoiling it all because, after all, there's the new California Adventures place to go to. But is it worth the big trip if we're going to go to Paris anyway? The other thing is, I don't want to spoil the memories of Anaheim by going to a sub-standard version of it (sorry if that sounded crude). So do you think it's worthwhile? How do they really compare? I don't speak any French, so is that a major problem? Will it degrade the experience?

Thank you so much!

[TR_Wolf]

I must tell you that Disneyland is reverred as much as it is mainly because it is the "original" park, and MANY people consider it to be sub-par to Disneyland Paris, and although people here probably wont like to admit, there are many people who prefer Disneyland Paris even to WDW!

Now I suggest going to DLP just to see a different take on it, its bigger (more expansive), it has a LOT more detail, and the rides are the best they can be as they've had 3 parks to look at and perfect the rides and attractions etc, you wont find many people who dont LOVE some of DLP's versions of things like Main St (with a lot more detail!) and Phantom Manor (the haunted mansion) and Pirates of the Carribbean etc. DLP has high detail and is beautiful, you can spend time simply walking around instead of feeling like you're meant to simply be walking to a ride or a shop.

I would note that when people say that the staff are "unhelpful" or "unfriendly" its because unlike the American resorts, this is in the middle of Europe where there is a standard of about 5 languages, which can make things difficult, even hard to just say "have a magical day" to someone as they may not know which language the guest speaks!

But DLP has a wonderful way of convaying feeling and expression and stuff without words, by means of music and atmosphere etc (Phantom Manor is the best example of this breaking down the language barrier with music).]

So my opinion is to give it a try, sure it might not be better than Anaheim but then again it might be! (I went to Anaheim and I prefer DLP any time!!) :wink:

[tushypat]

I took this quote from Jim Douglas, an ex employee of Disney, on the 'Save Disney' web site. He says of Disneyland Paris - "may be the most lavish and beautiful theme park in the world". Maybe the CM's within the park aren't as friendly as WDW or DLC but the staff in the hotels are exceptionally helpful, very chatty and will do whatever is needed to make your stay a good one.

[Keith]

I keep giving it another chance because it's so close... but I'm still not convinced I'm afraid.

I'm not saying you can't have a good time there... I like things to do on a holiday and any Disney park is better for me than a boring beach.

But.... last time I was there, some attractions were still in French only. Note for tw_wolf... I don't mind french being one of the lanaguages for a park in france, but given the target audience, there should be English as well on all rides.

The CMs were better last time I went actually.. so perhaps this is slowly changing but they are still a LONG way from the friendliness of WDW in my experience. Whatever that's due to, money, training, rules etc... it's better in WDW.

On the size, I just think to say DLP is larger is deceptive. Perhaps one park in DLP is larger than in WDW but when I'm at WDW I'm not just at Magic Kingdon, I'm at WDW which is *massive*.

The weather remains much better in WDW. I remember the images on the news of people sunbathing in DLP last summer because it was exceptionally hot, but that's very much the exception... lets face it, most of the time it's rainy and cold.

Then there's the expense! I may be miscalculating somehow, but although I can get over there VERY cheaply using easyjet.. once I start working out the price of DLP hotels etc. the price gets stupidly high. Perhaps it's the $-£ rate that helps in WDW but every time I calculate a DLP holiday for a week, it comes so close to a full WDW holiday for a week that I choose WDW.

All that being said.... the detail in some places is nice. The parades are good. Some rides are better (phatom manor).

I can totally understand people saying they have a great time there.. it's just for me, at the moment, it's a lost opportunity. I think spain would've been a better choice for the weather (and gulp, the personalities service wise)... but even in france, there's a lot they could do still to really make it come alive.

I really hope it continues to improve though

[Wendy]

I too have priced up DLP several times over recent years, Keith, and each time have come to the conclusion that WDW is worth the extra wait. The difference is, I think, that if you can afford to do both then DLP is a nice "extra" to tide you over until your next WDW trip. If we were to do DLP it would be at the expense of WDW and I have yet to be convinced by anyone who has done DLP that it is worth it. I regularly get told that it doesn't offer anyway near the value for money that WDW offers. Friends, relatives and work colleagues who have done DLP as their "major" trip have (without fail) all been underwhelmed, diappointed and at least felt "let down".
Yes, if I was in a position to do both ( and I was contemplating a "special" birthday trip to DLP next year :wink: ) I would certainly give it a try but I know for the cost I'd rather wait an extra year and do WDW. And if there is anyway i can do WDW for my 40th, that would be my choice every time. :)

[Whitequeen]

I totally agree with you, Keith & Wendy!
I too keep giving it 'another go' and for somewhere that is just 3 hrs away from me (by Eurostar) it's just not economically viable!
However, in DLP's defence, it is better than anything the UK has to offer! :shrug:

[tajainaz]

The exchange rate of GBP to USD certainly helps UK visitors to WDW at present. And based on other posts, I believe WDW makes some park tickets available to UK residents at attractive rates that are not available in the U.S. We have to tempt you to spend your money here, of course! :)

I haven't been to DLP, and seriously doubt I ever will. When I go to Europe, it isn't for Disney! I can do that at home!

It's interesting how we all perceive the attractions and parks differently, based on our personalities and interests. Britchick loves Peter Pan, and I won't "waste" my time standing in line for it! That ride terrified me as a young child and I haven't found anything about it to love yet! My perception of the ride as an adult is influenced by the fear it induced as a child. Brit experienced it as an adult, with an adult's lack of fear of strange noises in the dark under controlled circumstances. And the probability is good that with the electronics available today, it doesn't have that same creepy feeling it did when Disneyland originally opened in 1955!

I still prefer Disneyland, CA (which used to be known as "The Magic Kingdom", you know!) over MK at WDW. Disneyland feels like an old town or village that has ambled as it has matured, where you discover things around every turn. MK feels more like a suburb, with a specified setback for every attraction (i.e, house) with an occasional cul-de-sac, although MK actually covers far more territory tham DL. Go figure! :lol:

As I said, perception and personality!


__________________
Taja :sun:

[ukwdwnut]

That's not true at all

sorry paula but it is/was true in my cousins case and that is totally unacceptable.

i agree with you keith spain would have been a better choice IMO.

[AlecK]

It is not true that all the CM's are grumpy. Maybe your cousin was unlucky - you can't tar them all with the same brush . We have been to DLP several times in the last few years and have met many friendly CM's. I can't honestly think of a bad experience in all our trips but could name several CM's who's names we remember because they were so friendly.

Alec.

[ukwdwnut]

as i said alec it was in her case, and i did not say all cm's nor did i mention grumpy just that she was treated very poorly when it was noticed she was english

[Keith]

sure... you can't say all of them are grumpy... nor that all of them are great ;-)

...but just speaking honestly, my (albeit much more limited than Paula) experiences at DLP have been just like Mike's cousin's... the CMs stood around, didn't help much if at all when asked, and were grumpy.

I can remember the conversation when we left the park on the first day...
"not like wdw is it"
"no, but its not that, its ok to be different but why are they all so nasty?"

Honestly, I can remember the ONE cm we encoutered who was nice. In fact he was "best of WDW" standard. spoke about 5 languages and was smiling, helpful, spoke to every guest he could etc. Reason I remember is that the others were all so awful.

I found it was different in the shopping bit though, the downtown disney equivalent... they seemed really helpful there. I bought a snow globe and it was a christmas one with a little train running round it. Well when I took it to the counter, the lady at the till tried all the functions (it snows automagically too <G>) and found the train wouldnt "go". I said oh thats ok, but nope.... they said they had to find one that worked for me. Well they must've gone through 20 before they found a properly working one. So they're not all bad.

Of course Taja's right too.... different things for different people! boring if we all liked the same thing :)

[Wendy]

I have to say from all the experiences I've heard, the "unhelpfulness" ( and sometimes downright rude attitude) of the CMs in general is one of the major points that crops up every time. Obviously i don't know this first-hand but from the amount of times i've listened to people's experiences, I don't think they can be all exagerating. :confused:

[ukwdwnut]

I have to say from all the experiences I've heard, the "unhelpfulness" ( and sometimes downright rude attitude) of the CMs


one of the reasons i might not make a trip to DLP i still have too much to see and do in florida yet to wanna go pay the exorbitant prices in france

[Wendy]

With some of the confusion etc over entry to Florida at the moment, you would think now would be a good time for DLP to really "get a grip" and get Customer Care and CM standards up to scratch.................
they could really make a dent in the British Disney tourist market if they wanted to. Just depends how much they want the Brititsh tourists, I suppose... :shrug:

[ukwdwnut]

a bit of topic but a fact.............well there has always been that bit of attitude towards the brits for a long while now, you've only got to look how the french farmers treated our live stock and fruit we sent over a few years back(set the lorries on fire with the animals onboard if i remember rightly

[Wendy]

:sigh: Just makes you wonder who's idea it was to take Disney to France in the first place............ :ohdear:

[ukwdwnut]

i tried to get a job there when it was being built as i was a carpenter then, but not a chance, i have always said from day 1 that spain would've been the better choice IMO, 1) the weather 2)friendlier people 3)cheaper(dont know about cheaper now though cos of the euro)

[tushypat]

Regarding the less than friendly CMs? Is it really a case of "The french just don't like the British"? I was told by a 'very friendly' cm when we were there in 2001 that only a very small number (approx 15% as I recall) of Cast Members are actually French. The other 85% of staff are from all over the world! This number may have changed since as its been 2 years since I was told this.

[Keith]

interesting Tushypat! Really not sure it's all the old english v french thing but last time I was there (last year), just about all the CMs I tried to speak to ;-) were French.

[windbag]

Wow, certainly stirs folks up this DLP!! Ive also scouted around other sites and everytime DLP is brought up - it agitates people!!
I am like Keith, ive gone back quite a few times both by coach (such a long slog!) and by Eurostar, in the hope that it will grow on me but so far, although I much prefer it to a rainy day at the beach, it isnt a patch on Florida. BUT it isnt IN Florida is it. Thats the point. How can you compare? If every park was the same, how samey would that be? Our first trip to DLP was filled with the Disney magic and we enjoyed it immensely. Our only complaint was the French children (push or what and rude) but if youve ever been to Legoland or Thorpe Park you can find English 'darlings' too.
I prefer to save every spare penny towards our third trip to Florida which for our family is The Best. Perhaps others feel the original Disney Parks are the greatest and still others would say its DLP because its the only one they have been fortunate enough to go to. Comparing is good, but lets just say to each their own. :) :) :)

[Gwendolyn]

We will be taking 3 trips to DLP next year for 5 days each time. I think the Disneyland Hotel is the best in the world (and i've stayed at many a first class hotel). I love the service and the whole ambience of the place. I must admit, we stayed at the New York and weren't that impressed though. I have never seen anywhere 'dirty' in all my visits and believe me, I have high standards. There is no way you can compare Florida and Paris they are 2 totally different experiences. Building in Spain would have been a huge mistake. Has anyone been to Salou and Universal Mediterranea??!! YUK is all I can say!!

The CM's at DLP come from all over the world. Our waiter for example was from Morocco and fluent in 7 languages. Our daughters loved him and he laughed and joked with them, signed their autograph books etc. He was FAR from grumpy. If you look at a CM's flag badges/pins, they will tell you which languages they speak. It's no use jabbering on to a CM that doesn't speak your language! I am looking forward to our WDW trip in October, but I know DLP at New Year will be 'extra special' and we will not be 'faceless tourists' like we will be in Orlando.

Rant over ~ I LOVE DLP!!!

Paula :wave:
I think you're right.

Ok DLP is the only Disneypark I ever been to. But it isn't the only European park i've paid a visit. The Cast in DLP is soooooooo friendly compared to the other parcs.

I really love DLP!!!