Disneyland Paris... by a boy.

Kristie decided that it would be a wonderful idea to get a dual perspective on the trips to the Disney resorts. Both in Paris and in Tokyo. Who am I to argue?

Right off the bat I will tell you that I don't like rides. I knew, going in to Disneyland that there were only three rides I needed to go on. Haunted Mansion (or its Paris analogue Phantom Manor), Pirates of the Caribbean, and Star Tours. Sure, I should have probably wanted to go on Space Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain and some other rides, but quite frankly, I am scared more than half to death of roller coasters. I was not even looking forward to the slight dip that I knew was coming in Pirates... and that's only a couple of metres high!

Daniel outside Phantom Manor

This was also my first ever Disneyland experience. And I was not disappointed. I was expecting a great deal from the theming and feel of the place, and it delivered in spades. I was a little saddened at having missed the Hallowe'en makeover the park gets, but I did get the Christmas redecoration, which was probably just as good, if not as complete.

Unfortunately, I was not able to understand most of the ride stories. But that's not a problem, the Imagineers know how to do their job, and managed to convey most of the general story, if not all the nuances, without the need for language at all. I was incredibly impressed with the attention to detail.

At no point do you ever truly feel as though you're not in the middle of the story they are trying to tell. You do not walk out of the park and see the skyscrapers behind you (although, as per usual on this trip, there was some scaffolding and construction visible at times).

I managed to make it on all of the rides I had desired, with a wait time of less than five minutes for all of them. I guess there are some good points to going on your holiday in the low seasons, and more to going to Disneyland on a day that was threatening, but in the end not delivering, steady rain.

Part of the Christmas Parade

Disneyland was also the home to some of the best fudge I ever did eat. I managed to make the two pieces I bought last me through until we were in Poland. That was a feat in itself, let me assure you.

The only downside to the entire visit to Disneyland Paris resort was the incessant mocking that followed, as my wife made it clear that she thought I was entirely unmanly in my desire to ride "kiddy boat rides". Mocking that continued until we got to Tokyo. Then increased.