Some Enchanted Christmas PTR

[Anemone]

Ok, I wasn't going to do this until after we get back from Spain next month but I can't keep posting in the other thread so here is our PTR.

I'm Anne and I am taking my disabled sister on our 3rd trip to Disneyland Paris in 2 years. This is us with Woody in June this year.



We first went in June 13 for my sister's 50th birthday. We stayed in the Disneyland Hotel and sister was allowed to be a princess for the day which was very special and magical.

We went back in June this year for her birthday again and had a different but perhaps even more magical stay in HNY. Knowing the parks better allowed us to make better use of our time and we hired a wheelchair for most of our stay so sister could concentrate on enjoying herself and not be in pain from walking.

So she recently suggested a trip for MY birthday and that is what we're doing. We'll be staying Thursday 18th to Monday 22nd December in Hotel New York in a Plaza room. I can't wait to see her meet Santa.

 

[Anemone]

I booked online last Sunday with Quidco cashback of £75 in mind! So today I phoned to add Photopass+ to the booking - sorted at £33 and then enquired about a Christmas room. I figured in for a penny and knew sister would be very impressed - we do love Christmas.

Sadly though there are no standard rooms left - I sort of knew this because I'd have booked standard if there were - but the CM on the phone said it isn't possible to have a Christmas room in a Plaza room. Think this is a bit rubbish to be honest but not the CM's fault so I have decided I will bring some things to decorate the room myself after sister falls asleep on our first night. I have some fabulous white and light turquoise snowflake decals which I got in Lakeland's sale about 3 years ago but which are absolutely perfect for a Frozen theme and I will bring a mini tree and battery operated lights.

She can then pick her own choice of bauble from the shops to bring home - I imagine I'll be buying quite a lot of these! - and we will have a lovely Christmassy room on our own initiative.

Shopping so far.
I got fabulous value in thermals for £2.29 each long sleeved top and long bottoms in Sports Direct and in sister's favourite colours too.



and I couldn't resist this sweatshirt from H&M - she has mostly T Shirts which will have to be covered up most of the time.

 

[Anemone]

Plans so far

Meet and Greets - Anna and Elsa (of course), Meet Mickey, Merida and Santa are the must dos for us. We will of course do more if weather permits. DLP is all about character interaction for sister.

Meals - the only must do meal for me this time is Sunday Brunch at the DLH - going on last year it will be Christmas themed and probably 75 euro a head. The food in Inventions is wasted on sister - she will let me fill one plate with things I think she will eat but I won't be llowed to get her more if she manages to eat that. But it's well worth it if we get lots of characters and in special Christmas outfits.

I may book a Cafe Mickey lunch another day but think for the most part we will focus on counter service restaurants this trip. I'd love to try Bistrot Chez Remy but to be honest sister wouldn't eat any of the adult options and from experience won't be allowed a child's meal without us paying way over the odds for it.

So sister loves pasta dishes, will eat burgers and fries and chicken if it's not spicy or too tough but won't eat bread or pizza. She can no longer manage ribs or anything too chewy. My thoughts for places to try are Earl of Sandwich, Bella Notte, Cowboy Cookout Barbecue and Colonel Hathis.

We can also do En Coulisse, Hyperion, McDonalds etc. but I'd like to have more choice than just burgers. Can anyone who has eaten there tell me how spicy are the chicken strips in Hakuna Matata? Sister will eat KFC - would it be more spiced than that? What is the African sauce like?

 

[Anemone]

Rides - I want to try Ratatouille though I know how busy it is going to be and have read how difficult the disabled queue can be as it shares the fastpass queue so we will have to be smart about this one. Maybe we can be there at opening a couple of mornings to get a try on this.

Sister just loves Buzz - she is so competitive - so we will do this at least once every day if possible.

Think it will be mainly Fantasyland rides apart from that though Flying Carpets was closed in June so would love to do that again as well. We didn't get to do the Nautilus walk through either in June so it's perhaps an option for us this time.

When we got back from our June trip I bought sister her own wheelchair for occasional use - it allows us to go places we couldn't otherwise go - so we are bringing it and saving the bother and expense of hiring one.

 

[Neeny17]

Wow it sounds like you have everything really well planned out! That jumper is so cute - it'll be good for any character meals. I don't think the chicken strips at Hakuna Matata were too spicy, yeah a bit like KFC. If they're still doing it this year, the Christmas tree lighting is so good. Really makes you feel Christmases, so if you can I would definitely watch it . Looking forward to hearing more as your plans progress.

 

[Anemone]

Thanks Neeny, good to know about the chicken. Yes of course, looking forward to the tree lighting ceremony and to the Cavalcade. Think Dreams is at 8pm on the Thursday and Friday nights so we have a better chance of seeing it then than on Sat and Sun nights at 10pm. I love Dreams so will be disappointed if Dreams of Christmas isn't as magical.

Interestingly we have EMH in both parks Sat, Sun and Monday. Only managed to do EMH once on our first trip and not at all this June so not sure we'll manage it on a cold December morning but maybe worth a try.

 

[disneynat79]

Following along, I loved your last TR!

Only 10 more days for me but I would still go back at Xmas if I could!

 

[Disneyfanswicklow]

Brilliant you have started....and my goodness how much you have planned already! Looking forward to following along x

 

[cdsmiler81]

Yeay, really pleased to see this PTR!!!! Following along!

C x

 

[Anemone]

Following along, I loved your last TR!

Only 10 more days for me but I would still go back at Xmas if I could!

Thank you disneynat. Looking forward to reading about your trip too.

Brilliant you have started....and my goodness how much you have planned already! Looking forward to following along x

Thanks Disneyfanswicklow, thats my first rush, it will calm down now for the next month or so.

Yeay, really pleased to see this PTR!!!! Following along!

C x

Thank you C.

 

[ILOVEDLP]

Not jealous much
Reading along love your tr
Sports direct and m&mdirect are great for winter stuff
X

 

[Anemone]

Aw thanks Rachael.

I am officially amazed - I sent a message to the Disney Store UK on their website quite late on Wednesday evening asking for a "Going to Disneyland" certificate for sister for our December trip. I'd read about these on TA forum.

I got a lovely e-mail yesterday morning saying they had received my request and passed our details on to the castle. Also wishing us a magical time.

Today when I got home from work there was a big envelope addressed to sister and I peeked inside and it was the certificate in a beautiful gold envelope - with Princess Sister on the front.

Mickey Mouse is bloomin efficient - could teach a few people a thing or two.

 

[Ms Poppins]

It sounds like you're all sorted all ready Going so often has it's advantages

Love all the clothes you've got

I tried to get a Christmas room last year but we were too late - everywhere in and around the hotel will be decorated though, there's not shortage of Christmas trees

So nice that Disney have been so quick to sprinkle some magic

Look forward to hearing more

 

[BabyAriel]

Lovely PTR so far! Following along

 

[kizzabel]

I am so off to H&M to have a look for tshirts! You have a fantastic trip planned
And I love that you will have your own Christmas room, your sister will love it
Looking forward to following this thread along

 

[Anemone]

TY Julie, BabyAriel and Kizzy. Kizzy, was online on H&M and there was lots more Disney stuff - going to order some for sister. x

 

[TheTizardFamily:0)]

How wonderful, you truly are a fantastic sister xx

Following along

 

[Anemone]

Thank you.

Not at all, I'm sure you'd do the same for your sister if the circumstances were the same.

 

[Donald Ducks wife]

your such a great sister, your sister is very blessed to have you

Looking forward to reading along to your TR. Does your sister know about this trip?

 

[Anemone]

Thank you DDW, I feel very blessed to have her so that makes 2 of us.

Sister's dementia means she can know something one minute yet not know it the next - it's odd. We have talked about this trip a few times and when we do I say I will do my best to sort it. I have asked her what she wants to do on the trip and she says "see Mickey." I asked if she'd also like to see Santa and she says "yes, and Mickey." When I ask where she would like to eat she says "dinner with Mickey."

We are going to visit family in Spain in the next couple of weeks and I want to get that trip over before talking too much about this one so she isn't too confused. I especially don't want her to think that is the Disney trip and be disappointed when we get there and she finds it isn't. The highlight of the Spanish holiday is always a day trip to Benidorm to see the dolphins at Mundomar. The highlight for me is some horizontal time on a lounger in the sun while uncle Jay entertains sister.

I ordered Brave and Nightmare before Christmas from Amazon to watch with sister to prepare her for Merida and Jack & Sally meets. They arrived today so we can watch them at weekend.