The Wonderful World of Disney

Day 1

YES!  On the 19th December, Mum, Pal Mickey and I woke up rather early to start our journey towards DLRP!  Luckily I had washed my hair the day before so only had to get up half an hour before we had to leave, which was still 6.30am!  Mum and I both had a suitcase each (except mine was filled with bubble wrap because there wasn't much in it...the same can't be said for the way home!).  Mum drove the hour long drive down to Ashford International Station, where we parked the car and went to check in.  I was already taking pictures and we hadn't gone anywhere.  It was Pal Mickey's first time though.  We collected our tickets and went through security (no luggage restrictions here hehe) and went to wait for our train to arrive so we could board.  Mum went to buy some magazines from the shop, and I think she bought every single one, although there was no Heat magazine .  Oh well.  Then they started to call carriage numbers, and as we were travelling First Class, we were called last so we didn't have to wait on the cold platform for too long!  The train was a little dirty (needed a train wash I guess) but the inside was really nice.  Mum and I had single window seats facing each other and we were off in no time at all!  We got a nice cooked breakfast (sausage, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and a fried tomato), as well as a croisant, a hard roll and some other bits and bobs. 

After 2.5 hours of travelling, we arrived at Marne la Vallee train Station; the station that services DLRP.  We grabbed our luggage and walked through the Disney Village to our hotel; Hotel New York.  It was nice and warm inside as it was freezing outside!  We arrived at about 1, but our room was ready so we went up to check it out.  The hotel is very nice, and our room was lovely, with the usual view of the car park (why can we never get a decent view?...maybe it's payback for having a park view when we stayed in the Disneyland Paris hotel the first time).  We had a little rest and unpacked, before we headed out to Disneyland Paris park!  We did have a look in the shops along the way (we kept needing to warm up because it was so cold!).  The first ride we headed to was Pirates!  I love this version much more than at WDW, and it felt like being at home again (I am also rather fond of their costumes!).  There was basically no queue so we zoomed through it.  We had lunch in Fantasyland, and did most of the rides there (except Dumbo!) and decided to skip the parade and go on IASW instead.  We were bad and took flash pictures LOL.  The park closed at 7pm that night, and so after watching Disney's Candleabration (where they light the castle and have a little show, which was amazing to see for the first time, the castle lighting that is) we went back to the hotel to warm up, before we headed to Billy Bobs for dinner.  This is a western style buffet and is quite good.  The only problem we had was the couple next to us; the guy didn't stop talking on his mobile for 45 minutes, and I mean, he did all the talking.  He was very loud and as it was in French we couldn't even listen in!  Anyway, the food was good (although they kept running out and weren't keeping up) and I had 5 plates, although one  plate had 5 puddings on it .

We then wandered around the village a bit more, and went back to the hotel, where we watched TV for a bit (a bit of BBC World News and the Disney Channel as they were the only English channels) and then went to bed!

Yes you read right, the Disney Dorks went to a Big Brother eviction.  Nicky's in fact.  Only Mum and I went (as Andy had arranged something whilst I got the tickets at the last minute typical!) and boy what a pavlova it was trying to get there!  About a months worth of rain came down in one day, and so everywhere flooded, which in turn made the roads chaos.  Of course, to get to Elstree studios we had to drive up the M25 .  Which of course, was packed.  We could have gotten out of the car and chatted to the people on the other side!  But finally, after two hours drive we finally made it...at 7.15pm.  The gates open at 7.30 so we weren't sure if we'd get in, but because of the rain the place wasn't full!  So really we picked a good day to go.

So we got searched (and Mum had to throw away her nursing scissors, but the security guards said she could hide them somewhere and get when she came out safety does not begin with BB!) and went to get our places for the eviction.  They weren't all that bad actually, and we were desperate to be seen on TV because we were both wearing Mickey ears and I had made a Mickey banner for the occasion (which is now sitting in my room).  The house looks so small from close up, and no wonder they get their food from Tescos!  The housemates could almost lean out of a window and touch the building!  Davina was lovely and talked to us between takes and stuff.  Obviously a lot of people went regularly because she recognised them.  Someone had a really good banenr of Where's Wally?  I thought that was hilarious.  But of course, mine was better.

And there we were minding out own business and waving the banner like maniacs, when one of the camera men came up to us and asked if we would like to be in the shot!  Of course, I said yes, and so there's this great shot of us on TV with Mickey ears and all.  I love it!

The eviction was ok.  It goes so fast, but really you're there for the atmosphere, as it is so lively and whatnot!

Anyway I'm really glad we went, and it's something not everyone can say they have done.  We did get a little lost on the way home, but we made it in the end!

Today I got up at the lovely time of 7.30am (way too early in my opinion, but I was excited anyway LOL) to go catch a train to London!  It all started off as a bit of a mission because the train timetable I had looked at on the internet was wrong, so I missed the train by like 2 minutes (due to me having to get a parking ticket for my car).  Then the train sat for 15 minutes outside London Bridge (I was originally going to Victoria, but it would have meant changing trains and I'm too lazy for that).  I would have been on time if it hadn't been for that delay, but oh well.  So I only arrived at Kings Cross 15 minutes late, after being squashed like a sardine on the Underground...woohoo!

So I finally met Andy (who had splashed hot chocolate over his CO hoodie...can't take him anywhere ) and after donning our Mickey ears (looking completely idiotic), we headed back to London Bridge to do the London Dungeons.  Not a typical DD thing to do, you might think, but it was so much fun, and the people working there loved us!  Andy was picked on in the court room, being pulled up to the stand for doing unthinkable things with sheep, horses and...MICKEY MOUSE????  I didn't see that one coming.  Though afterwards he did tell me it was really Minnie...right.  Unfortunately, the one thing the London Dungeons lacks an ending, so it was over and we didn't even know!  It's like, seeing blood and gore and then wham!  Gift shop.

After the London Dungeons we headed over to Hammersmith to take a look at the The Walt Disney Company LTD offices.  Nothing really spectacular (I was expecting a castle...haha) but it was still cool to see it, and I bet the people inside thought we were right idiots!  After the offices we headed out for lunch, passing Picadilly Circus, to the Rainforest Cafe.  Unlike the ones in Orlando, this one wasn't busy!  But the food was good (especially pudding!).  Unfortunately, the employees (it seems so wrong to say that) weren't all that.  Oh well.  I signed a placecard for them, and filled out the comment card haha, it was funny.

We then went to the Disney Store!!!  Although the CM's (yes they are CM's, they're t-shirts say so) ignored us totally (like the only people who did all day), but they do sell some pretty cool London only Disney stuff there, so I was in heaven.  Of course, this prompted more photo taking!

Next it was off to see Big Ben, the London Eye, and Downing Street.  People must have thought we were completely weird with our ears on, but did we care?  No!  We then walked all the way down the Mall (I swear I have never walked so much in all my life!) to Buckingham Palace (which was quite empty really!) and then walked to the Apollo Theatre (stopping at the Guide Heritage Centre on the way because I am such a loser LOL.  I can't pass that shop without going in!).  It took all of my will not to barge into the theatre and demand to be given a seat!  For Wicked of course!  So then we passed the Royal Courts of Justice, and headed towards St. Pauls Cathedral, then across the Millenium Bridge towards the Tate Modern.  As it was almost closing time we didn't go in, but we did sit outside for a bit because, well, my feet were killing me.  We then travelled along the Thames, stopping to view the Globe Theatre and take pictures with Tower Bridge in the background.  Andy tried to pull me into a fountain quite like the ones they have in Epcot, you know, the ones that the kids play in.  No chance.  Oh and I hugged a tree. LOL! 

We crossed Tower Bridge and started walking down the other side of the Thames (passing The Tower of London, where something was going on, and people were all dressed in posh clothes...one dress was hideous!) towards the tube station.  We then took the tube to Kings Cross where we went to take a look at Platform 9 3/4.  Sadly I didn't have my wand on me  and it wouldn't let me though .  After that we headed back to the main part of the station and I left to get my train!  Andy tried to persuade me to stay longer...I beat him down! Haha. 

His brick of a phone is useless though...when it gave train times it didn't mention that I'd have to walk from Upper Warlingham to Whyteleafe, but meh, it was easier than waiting longer for the next train...and I was home by 9.30 (in time to pack and watch EMHE!)

All in all it was a very fun day...especially wearing Mickey ears...I highly recommend it!  So gang, now is the time to start planning our next DDDO!  We need more than two people...people kept thinking we were married and on a honeymoon Riiiiiiiiiight haha.

Main Street 2, this is Jungle 60, over and out!