Paris, France
It was only a small fire. The problem with some electrical converters is that Europe uses higher voltages than the U.S. While things like electronics usually have automatic switch-offs that won’t allow them to exceed their max. voltage, many appliances do not.
My hair straightener does not.
In my excitement upon learning I was going to Disneyland Paris, I forgot I was in the middle of doing my hair. I remembered when the smell of smoldering plastic filled our room and I saw sparks leaping from the straightener. Luckily, we got everything unplugged before we ruined more than just a hair straightener.
Once that emergency was contained, we were off to Disneyland. The RER Train – which we bought 3 day passes for – took us straight to the front gates of Disneyland Paris. This amusement park is made up of two themed parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios (essentially, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios). The tickets Josh ordered were good for one entry to either park. I chose Disneyland Park because it had more attractions.
Disneyland Paris is a very manageable, well-designed and walkable park. However, we both decided that if Disneyworld in Orlando, Fl. were run like this park, there would be riots. At least 7 rides (3 of them marked on the map as “must do”) were completely closed for renovations – some of them until 2017. Most of the rides were stopped once or twice in the middle of the ride for a few minutes before restarting.
Many of the featured food stalls and restaurants were not open and most of the ones that were open closed several hours before the park closed at 10 pm.
When we were in Europe in 2012, we once talked with an English couple who had been to Disneyland Paris and they said it’s only great if you’ve never been to a U.S. Disney. They were pretty much right.
Despite these observations, we both had a wonderful time. After we realized the common theme of things not being open, it started to become an ongoing joke. Though, I can imagine that pushing two strollers and three unruly children – marinated in sugar – up a hill only to find their much anticipated star wars ride is closed would not be funny at all. Josh only cried a little after this particular discovery.
Of the rides that were open, the lines were short and we enjoyed them a lot. I hate roller coasters, but the couple they had open here (Indiana Jones and Space Mountain: Mission 2) were not that bad and I rode them for Josh (because love is doing stuff that might make you puke or die for someone else’s benefit).
We got lost in the Alice and Wonderland Hedge Maze – like really, really lost. We ran into an older Italian couple with a little girl. I knew they were Italian because they were gasping and laughing as loud as me (and the French are quiet). Plus, the grandma actually exclaimed “mama mia,” which I thought only happened on TV.
Anyway, we struck up a silent friendship with them based on pointing, head shaking and sighs as we tried to find our way out. Their little girl would run ahead, try the different paths and report back the correct way. If not for her, we might still be inside. Mama Mia!
The Pirates of the Caribbean ride was fun with a few unexpected drops and the Snow White Haunted Forest ride was actually a little scary (something about the witch speaking French!). Here, the central castle is Aurora’s (Sleeping Beauty) Castle. It’s pink with blue roofs and gold spires. In case you didn’t know, Sleeping Beauty and Belle are French natives.
Our favorite ride, which we rode twice, was the It’s a Small World boat ride. It was a long, relaxing, indoor ride that weaved through scenes of children in different countries. We liked trying to name all the places they were from and the song was a super catchy.
All in all it was a great day!
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