Written by Ben Mills
Published: January 26, 2005 at 10:37 PM
Head to one of the major destinations, such as Disneyland Paris or Universal Mediterranea, and you’ll likely find more English speakers than anything else. The Disney resort in particular is a hot bed for American visitors.
Outside those, do like you would do anywhere in the world -- stay away from touristy areas of a city when it comes to eating or shopping, don’t even think about wearing that Yankees baseball cap or Planet Hollywood T-Shirt, and learn a little bit of the lingo before you go. That last one in particular will earn you some major kudos and respect from the locals, even if you’ve only mastered the basics.
What are some of the main differences between hotels in the U.S. and Europe? Can a family of four find a room to accommodate them at a reasonable price?
If you stick to the chain hotels, then it should all be familiar territory. A Holiday Inn is still a Holiday Inn, regardless whether it’s spoken in a New York or Parisian accent.
To take the latter question, this shouldn’t be a problem providing your kids are under 14. And remember: a single bed outside of America is smaller than you might be used to. Not that I’m gonna pass any comments on that…
Which European theme parks would a U.S. visitor find most unique -- in a good way?
Two of Europe’s best-rated parks, Europa Park and De Efteling, also stand as probably the two with the most European hearts. Efteling regularly scoops awards for its natural beauty, and if it weren’t for the occasional glimpses of well-themed attractions, you could swear you were in a national park. This is an original approach to park design, and one that comes off very well; a refreshing change from the scenery intensive Disney parks, as well as the “wide open spaces” style of typical amusement parks. It also happens to offer three of the continent’s best dark rides.
Europa Park could be seen as a European take on Epcot’s World Showcase. With no expense spared, the park’s owners (world famous attraction designers Mack) have done what fans of Disney’s similar attempt have been wanting for years: a blend of fantastic, immersive scenery, with cutting edge rides.
That said, Disneyland Paris admittedly offers a very “European” take on Walt’s original designs, and is well worth considering including in a trip to Europe.
Alternatively, Blackpool Pleasure Beach serves up a good taste of a traditional English amusement park, and some genuinely impressive coasters and old-fashioned family rides.
If we want to focus our trip on one city, and still see at least one good-quality theme park, what are our best options?
Paris would undoubtedly be the obvious choice in this example. One of the world’s most beautiful cities, and a world-class theme park conveniently nearby make this a popular destination for Americans making their first trip to the continent. And if you’re determined to see a definitely “European” theme park, Parc Asterix is also close enough to warrant a visit.
Beyond the French capital, Barcelona is another of Europe’s prettiest cities, with Port Aventura nearby. Whilst the park is considerably less impressive than other European parks, it does offer one of the best roller coasters, Dragon Khan. Elsewhere in Spain, Warner Bros Movie World Madrid is a superb park, but as Madrid is not a particularly interesting city for kids, this is definitely one to leave until all parties are old enough to appreciate museums and art galleries.
For families, I’d suggest there are few places more suitable than Köln, in Germany. Not only does the city include kid-friendly attractions such as the delightful chocolate museum, nearby Phantasialand is also a park where all ages can find plenty to appreciate, and only looks to improve over the coming years.
Okay, let's say we're willing to move around a bit. Which parks can we fit easily into a tour of major destinations around Europe?
This is something I generally advise European first-timers against, but those willing to invest time, money and patience can make this work. But be prepared; you really will need a lot of each.
Logically, I would suggest you spend about three days in each city, with one of those days dedicated to a theme park. There is no ‘standard tour’ of Europe, as it really comes down to what you want to see and do. If you want do the tour without tiring yourself out straight away and see a reasonable amount of the cities, I would suggest that you hit two locations a week. Leave a whole day to each park, and an entire day to travel from one place to the next – always by air. It will never take that long – most intercity flights you would be tackling would only take up to a few hours – but with that amount of travelling, you’ll need to make sure you don’t rush yourself. If you’re knackered by the end of the first week, two more weeks of the same will be a daunting thought!
In a three-week holiday, I would suggest picking up to six parks or destinations that appeal to you the most. Bear in mind the while some parks are well worth a visit, such as Efteling, they can be a real pain to get to from the nearest big city. On a tour where you only have a few days in each place, you might well decide that it’s not worth bothering with some. But your plan is really down to what interests your party, like would apply for anyone attempting a tour of the USA. Build your vacation around the things that you feel you must do.
What are some notable attractions around Europe, outside theme parks, that would appeal to a theme park fan?
In London, make sure to take a trip to the sky on the elegant London Eye, a huge Ferris wheel overlooking the Thames. For something a little bit darker, the London Dungeons offer an indoor boat ride through the history of torture; a grisly ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, almost. Further out into the United Kingdom are some of the country’s magnificent castles, where you could easily spend a day.
Various countries throughout the continent offer up some great water parks, like Aqualandia in Italy, or Belgium’s Aqualibi. If you fancy taking a walk on the wild side, Zoo Aquarium de Madrid and the Köln Zoo are two of the best.
Various museums throughout Europe – such as the Louvre in Paris, or the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain – offer some great architecture. Even if art is not something you’re passionate about, they’re worth checking out.
To see some original fairytale castles that the Magic Kingdoms couldn’t hold a candle to, France has some beautiful examples, such as the Mont St. Michel, and the entire city of Prague could have come straight out of a Hans Christian Anderson story.
And heck, if you run out of ideas, a first class ride on the Eurostar train from London to Paris is always an experience in itself.
I gotta ask: If I wanted to see the real versions of the scenes depicted in Disney World's Epcot, where are all the places I'd need to go?
The scenes tend to be a mixture of styles and periods, but to get a general taste of each area, there are a few places you can head to.
The town hall of Frankfurt was the basis for the designs of many aspects of the German pavilion, and the walled city of Rothenberg was the inspiration for the interior of the Biergarten restaurant.
The United Kingdom area is mostly influenced by the residential areas of London a few centuries ago, although Hampton Court is the inspiration for the promenade area, and Hyde Park was the background for the area in which you can find the Beatles tribute band.
Italy is largely inspired by St Mark’s Square in Venice - overlooked by the Campanile - but other parts take their cue from the architectural styles of Florence, and the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
The Norwegian fortress Akershus provides the backdrop for that country’s pavilion, and the design for the restaurant of the same name. Most of the buildings in the pavilion evoke the style of housing in the coastal regions of Norway.
France is mainly based on Les Halles, one of Paris’ famous garden markets. Beyond that, strolling down any side street should easily bring back memories of Epcot. And, of course, the pointy metallic structure in the background is more commonly known as the Eiffel Tower.
Are we better off buying a charter package, or each element of our trip separately?
Shop around, and try both. Coming from the States, you’re likely to find some decent charter packages, provided you’re only intending on hitting one destination. However, I would personally stay away from those sorts of deals if you’re planning a big ol’ tour of Europe. You might find an appropriate deal, but for something as large-scale as a whole continent, you’re best off picking and choosing exactly what you want.
What are some good sites to look at for rates on airfares and hotels in Europe?
The obvious choice would be Expedia.com, and for good reason. Check here first, as the ‘Create Your Own Trip’ feature often pulls up some very good deals.
Beyond that, it’s merely a case of looking around, and trying to find the best prices. Both TPI travel services offer some good rates, so it’s worth checking those out.
Bear all of this in mind, and you should be able to create a vacation that is perfect for you, your family, and your wallet. Bon voyage!
