By Ben Mills
Posted via 209.178.140.22 on August 28, 2004 at 8:08 PM (MST)
Statements below are the work of their authors and not necessarily the opinion of Theme Park Insider.
Responding to Robert's request (and borrowing Kevin's layout), I step forward with Theme Park Insider's first game plan for Disneyland Paris. The one problem with DLP are the multitude of 'younger guest' rides which have quickly growing queues, so I've created two lists. LIST ONE Here are my suggestions for a touring plan for those guests without younger children: 1st - Space Mountain: Mission Two (opens April 9th)
2nd - Star Tours
3rd - Indiana Jones et le Temple du Peril
4th - Big Thunder Mountain
5th - Peter Pan's Flight (one of those 'like it or love it' rides - if it's not for you, skip it.)
6th - Honey, I Shrunk the Audience By that point you'll definitely be hitting some of the bigger queues, so take an early lunch to miss the crowds. Things to do later in the afternoon or when lines are long - Pirates of the Caribbean, Legend of the Lion King, Le Visionarium, It's a Small World, Phantom Manor Things you can skip if you have to - Disneyland Railroad, Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, Les Voyages de Pinocchio, Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant Anything else isn't worth doing unless you have more than a day in the park, and even then reconsider some of them. And if you plan to see the Legend of the Lion King live show – which you should – don’t forget to check which time you want. The shows alternate between English and French languages, and you can find out what times they are on in the park map. Tickets are available at various times throughout the day, so check when you are in the area. Best FastPasses* - Space Mountain, Star Tours, Peter Pan, Indy *(FastPass is Disney's ride reservation system. It's available only on the more popular rides, and allows visitors to reserve a ride time later in the day. You can send one person in your party ahead to the ride with everyone's park admission tickets to get FastPasses for your group -- you don't all have to go together to get them. Once you get a FastPass, you may not use your admission ticket to get another for a different ride until either the return time for the first ride has passed or two hours have gone by, whichever comes first. You can't pic a reservation time – the system assigns one for you.) LIST TWO Here are my suggestions for those guests with younger children: 1st - Orbitron
2nd - Autopia (check at City Hall on your way in to see if it is open the day you visit)
3rd - Dumbo
4th - Le Carrousel de Lancelot
5th - Get a FastPass for Peter Pan's Flight and come back at the reserved time. After doing a few of the below listed rides, grab a quick bite to eat in one of the counter service eateries, and then let the kids loose in Adventure Isle or Pocahontas Indian Village. Finish the rest of the list off, and then do a few of the major FastPass attractions if you have time, or feel you have any energy left. Things to do later in the afternoon or when lines are long - Legend of the Lion King (see List One for the info about times), Le Visionarium, Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant, It's a Small World, Le Pays des Contes de Fees Things you can skip if you have to - Disneyland Railroad, Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, Les Voyages de Pinocchio, Alice's Curious Labyrinth, Les Pirouettes du Vieux Moulin, Casey Jr. Le Petit Train du Cirque.
Readers' reviews:
Comments:
From Mathias D.
Posted via 212.198.114.120 on August 29, 2004 at 2:07 AM (MST)
Well, currently the Legend of the Lion King show has the longest lines at the Park so if you want to see it be sure to be there early (90 min - 120 min waiting this summer and no fastpass)
From Martin Gardner
Posted via 213.122.147.124 on August 29, 2004 at 1:58 PM (MST)
Or alternatively,find a great table over-looking the legend of the Lion King stage, eat at one of their better value eateries, and save a 90 minute wait in line!
From Ben Mills
Posted via 195.93.33.10 on August 29, 2004 at 2:49 PM (MST)
Yeah, I've heard those nasty things about the times. And there's no shelter, too! Definitely something to send one of the adults to queue for while everyone else does a quick ride somewhere else.However, bear in mind that it is peak time at the moment. Those horrendous queues should die down as we head into the slower seasons. Not to mention that Disney has blitzed Europe with a marketing campaign for it that is larger than any campaign seen since the opening of the Walt Disney Studios Park. If you'll all cast your minds back, we had nigh on similar queues for Mulan when it ran. Not quite 90 mins, but sometimes reaching 60.
From John Franklin
Posted via 4.168.144.118 on August 29, 2004 at 4:46 PM (MST)
Of course people, keep in mind one thing: what if the banks don't approve DL Paris' debt restructioning? Then you won't have to worry about the wait lines, because DL Paris will be shutting down. hope that this doesn't happen. But that is what happens when you build a dog of a theme park like Paris Disney Studios.
From Ben Mills
Posted via 195.93.33.10 on August 29, 2004 at 5:15 PM (MST)
Nah, they original park and Disney Village make enough money to keep themselves. If it came down to it, Disney would just be forced to sell off property, and maybe some of the hotels, thus destroying plans for expansion. That's why they really, really don't want to have to do that.I wouldn't be surprised to see the Studios having to shut down though, being the crudheap that it is.
From vj ali
Posted via 194.81.116.246 on December 17, 2004 at 6:43 AM (MST)
My family and I visited DLP recently. Overall it was an excellent park but a few things put a spoiler on the trip. The main problem was we were constantly dodging cigarette smoke as people would light up anywhere and everywhere with no regard for others, even in lines for rides aimed at young kids (like Peter Pan) and when watching the parades. If you sat down on a bench somewhere it would be surrounded by discarded cigarette ends, and amongst the bushes and plants there were hundreds of thrown away cigarette ends. I complained to Disney and was told there was nothing they could do about it.
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