The 'we need to stay at the DLH' trip report

[jothp]

Lovely update Glad you got your book. I love mine, but I end up having to put it away as it makes be want to book up again

That's a shame about the buggy going missing, just when you needed it. That happened to us years ago with Abbey. I think i've heard that the rented buggys tend to get 'tidied up' by the CM's. But they shouldn't be removing them

I'm quite tired now from reading all that

Another lovely update! Your three girls look so happy in every photo!

That must have been really annoying having your buggy stolen! At least it was a rental one and not your own!

The buggy thing wouldn't have been a problem if Evie hadn't been so upset by it. There were another couple of rental buggies about so I am hoping that someone may have just taken the wrong one by mistake. We didn't want to take one of those though and leave someone else without one.

The girls were really happy the whole time we were there - they insisted on watching the video Ollie took of dreams tonight and although it was good it somehow just didn't quite capture the magic.

We've got a very busy weekend but I'm hoping that I will be able to get this TR polished off at the beginning of next week.

 

[DLPDreams]

Lovely photos again Jo

We saw Gideon was around the DLH at breakfast one morning but I think he was later on so we didn't hang around. Would like to meet him sometime though.

Shame about the pushchair, the CM told me (when we hired one for DD2 as she developed a nasty blister on her foot, so one night we hired one) that you keep your receipt, if your pushchair goes missing show it, explain and they will give you another. Worth noting for another time!

 

[jothp]

Lovely photos again Jo

We saw Gideon was around the DLH at breakfast one morning but I think he was later on so we didn't hang around. Would like to meet him sometime though.

Shame about the pushchair, the CM told me (when we hired one for DD2 as she developed a nasty blister on her foot, so one night we hired one) that you keep your receipt, if your pushchair goes missing show it, explain and they will give you another. Worth noting for another time!

We did think about going to get another buggy (after all it was free) but it didn't seem worth the strain on our tired legs when all we had to do was watch dreams.

 

[jothp]

So this morning the plan was to get up, have an early breakfast and check out before heading to the park. We managed it and arrived in the park just a few minutes after 8am. We did Peter Pan, Dumbo, Orbitron and Buzz before heading to queue for the Princess Pavillion at about 9.20. There were about 10 families ahead of us. Not long after 10am we saw Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty arrive and I crossed my fingers that we would get to see Sleeping Beauty. The doors opened 15 minutes early at 10.15 and we all went inside. All the way through the queue I was saying to the girls that we couldn't guarantee meeting Sleeping Beauty but when we got to the front of the line the CM smiled at me and directed us to Sleeping Beauty. She was lovely talking to the girls about their books and who they had already met and their princes. Evie wouldn't have her photo taken though.

We got out just after 10.30 and let the girls choose one ride each – Casey jr, BTM and the carousel. We did Casey first with a very short wait, followed by the carousel with about a 20 minute wait and BTM with our DLH fastpasses. Whilst walking round the park we did see some Alice characters out by the maze and Anastasia/Drizzella out by the back of the castle but the crowds were mad so we walked past.

After BTM we walked past the jungle M+G and saw Baloo and King Louie just leaving. We decided to wait for them to come back as everywhere was very busy but the queue here wasn't too long. We got to the front before they came back so we let a few people pass us and were first when they did return.

Next we dashed to our 1pm reservation at blue lagoon – we just about made it on time but had to queue for 15 minutes or so mainly because of a large family complaining that they couldn't get a reservation for the time they wanted later that evening.
We showed our Aps and were offered free non alcoholic cocktails which were really tasty. We enjoyed our meal and left hoping to get one last ride on potc but the queue said 45 minutes so we gave it a miss. We wandered through the park taking in the atmosphere and caught the anniversary train. We were lucky enough to meet Daisy but it was a real scrum so Evie stayed with Olie while I went with the older two.

We had noticed earlier that morning that the upstairs of the castle was open for the first time so went for our only look round of the trip – then after a look in a few shops it was time to head off to DLH for the M+G. The characters were Mickey, Donald, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. We met Donald and then sadly made our way to the car for the journey back to Calais.

We made good time and got transferred onto an earlier shuttle. The signs at check in said to allow about 30 minutes to get through passport control. It was chaotic and actually took one hour – we thought we had allowed plenty of time but in the end just had time to use the toilets and grab a sandwich in WHSmith before it was time to board. We had an uneventful crossing and before we knew it we were home.

 

[DLPdaft]

aw no is it over?

I loved reading your trip report, your DD2 looks like she gives the huggiest hugs !

 

[jothp]

Final thoughts

We found our trip much more manageable travelling during the afternoon and early evening instead of early morning which we had done before and would definately do this again staying offsite for the first night.

Staying at the DLH was really convenient for going back to the room during the day and we loved not having to go through the bag check everyday, our room was beautiful and spacious but somehow I didn't really fall in love with it. Still not sure I would want to stay elsewhere though and having the orbitron completely to ourselves isn't something that is likely to happen again.

We definately all missed having friends with us, somehow it is better if you have another family to share it with.

We had a really wonderful time (apart from the bit where we lost Evie) but I am not feeling the normal desperate desire to get back again that I have had in the past so not sure when our next trip will be. I really can't put my finger on why.

 

[jothp]

aw no is it over?

I loved reading your trip report, your DD2 looks like she gives the huggiest hugs !

Yes it's over DD2 gives lovely hugs.

Just looking back at all the lovely photos of the girls so happy and thinking maybe there is a little twinge of wanting to return.

 

[DLPDreams]

Totally agree about your DD2, she looks like she puts her whole strength into her hugs .

It's funny how there were more characters out and about on the weekend - guess it's down to sheer numbers in the parks but then as it's busier it's going to be even more of a scrum . I would LOVE to meet Alice and the Mad Hatter (have met White Rabbit, Tweedle Dee & Dum & The Queen) - one day maybe! I'm Alice in Wonderland mad though .

I really understand your final thoughts about the trip. We loved our trip, had some lovely family time but the trip just wasn't the same for us this time. I have stayed away from the 'is it loosing it's magic' thread as there are enough opinions on there but I didn't feel our trip was as magical as previous and fwiw I don't think it's down to us having been before - we haven't been for almost 3 years! I think the hotel issues didn't help but there is also something I can't quite put my finger on.

Having said that, I am super excited for our first Christmas trip later in the year (but if I'm honest, if it wasn't that it was already booked - well, flights are, then I'm not sure we would be going back so soon). I am however, looking forward to seeing the park all christmassy (something I've wanted to do since our first trip) and of course to seeing Dreams again - and at a more sensible time !

Anyway, thank you for sharing all your photos of your lovely girls and details of your trip - I have really enjoyed reading it and can't believe how close we were to each other at times without realising .