Disneyland Paris September 2017 | Day 4: Baloo, Chipmunks & Neverland

The final day of our trip was an emotional one. We started the day with a visit to Goofy. I'd never met Goofy in his 25th Outfit and I thought he looked very dapper. We thought that Pluto was going to be with him (which he normally is) but obviously Pluto was too tired to come out and say hello on this chilly morning. Goofy and I had a big hug, compared outfits and spoke about how pretty Main Street looked in the morning. We had a big group photo, blew lots of kisses and went to get some breakfast.

In true tradition, breakfast came in the form of a croissant from the bakery and a bottle of sprite. I love Main Street Bakery, the decor is the dream aesthetic and the food is so good. It's the perfect place to go for a little snack. The girls decided that they wanted to head over to Studios before it opened to wait in the queue for Crush's Coaster. I chickened out of this one (I promise one day I'll be brave) and opted to go round the Disneyland Park on my own to take some photos and go on a few rides - the wait times were really good in the mornings. 

After my June trip, I enjoyed walking around the park on my own. It's nice to take in the atmosphere and appreciate the small details that you overlook on a daily basis. Going on rides and meeting characters doesn't bother me as much as it used too, I realise that no one is judging me, so I made the most of my alone time. 

First stop was Buzz Light Year's Lazer Blast. Obviously, I was battling myself but I'll admit I put up a pretty good fight. The ride broke down a total of 15 times whilst I was on it, so as you can imagine it took me a while to get around. That being said, I got my highest score and became an intergalactic hero. If that's not a good way to start your last day at Disneyland, then I don't know what is. 

After battling Zurg, I went over to Frontierland. As most of you know, this is my favourite land in the park, I think it has the best theming and it's home to two of my favourite attractions. I had a browse in the shops (the western shop is sooo cool), took a few photos and then walked over to Phantom Manor as it only had a 5-minute queue. I pretty much walked straight on the ride and it was definitely spooky, especially on your own. I don't know about you, but I swear it gets darker every time I ride it. When I came off the ride, I knew that the girls would soon be finished in the Studios so I slowly made my way over to Castle Stage for the first Anniversary Show of the day.

However, that wasn't without paying a visit to my favourite bear. If you've read the majority of my Disney trip reports, then you'll know that there's nothing I love more than a dance and a cuddle with Baloo. I love him more and more every time I meet him and seeing my Dad's reaction when I tell him that Baloo said hello is priceless. The queue for Baloo is always very short (which makes me so sad), so I jumped in to have a quick chat. 

Well, Baloo was just wonderful. He was full of hugs, love and warmed me up on a chilly September morning. The Character Attendant was more than willing to take photos for me and made the interaction as wonderful as it was. I'm not sure if Baloo recognised me from our previous meetings (it wouldn't surprise me if he did) because when he saw me, he couldn't contain his excitement. We ran to each other and he picked me up as he hugged me. It's one of the tightest hugs I've ever had and I think he knew that I needed it. He told me that he'd been lazing on the river, we had a little dance and he said a big hello to my Dad. The attendant did a full photo shoot for us, telling us how to pose and where to look but Baloo just wouldn't let me go. He's the best!

I met back up with the girls at Castle Stage and they told me all about Crush's Coaster as we waited for the Anniversary Show. I absolutely love this show, maybe not as much as Starlit Princess Waltz but the music is so catchy. If you get the chance to watch it when you're there then I highly recommend it. The show takes you on a journey of everything that Disneyland Paris has to offer from Main Street to Discoveryland, with some very special guests along the way. And if you're not singing 'Happy Anniversary Disneyland Paree' after you've seen it, then you're lying. 

When it finished, we called at Casey's for some chicken nuggets and walked over to the Disneyland Hotel to meet Mary Poppins. Before we met Mary, we had a lovely chat with Ariel. We spoke about all things mermaid - what colour our tails would be, combing our hair with forks and how life under the sea is better than anything we've got up here. Sadly, I missed out on meeting Mary again as I went over to Adventureland to get a spot in the queue to meet my favourite lost boy; Peter Pan. 

Charlotte eventually joined me to do some attractions and meet characters, whilst Sara and Michelle spent the day sat at Castle Stage watching the shows. When I found out that Wendy was meeting with Peter, I nearly freaked out. I had my Peter Pan bow in my hair, my Tinkerbell badge on my dress and I just couldn't wait to show them. 

I never know what to say when I meet Peter Pan. Every time I think I'll be really chill and won't make a fool out of myself, but it never happens. The first thing I said when I went up to them was 'Do you like my bow?'. Seriously Meg? Seriously? 

But luckily for me, he loved it. He asked if Tinkerbell made it and I told him that it was definitely sprinkled with some pixie dust. He also told me that I should keep wearing my badge as 'Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust' is a great message to spread. As Peter signed my book, Wendy asked me what my favourite part of the story was. And that was when my mind went blank - you'd never have guessed it's my favourite film. Eventually, I muttered that my favourite part is when they visit Mermaid Lagoon, but Wendy wasn't too happy (as you can probably tell from the photos). Then she took the book from Peter and he told me that she's jealous because everyone loves him. He isn't lying. We had another big hug and he promised to take me to see Mermaid Lagoon - we asked Wendy if she wanted to come but she said she'd stay and look after the Lost Boys instead. 

 As we ventured further into Adventureland, we came across two cheeky chipmunks causing havoc in the Jungle. I've always wanted to meet Chip and Dale in their safari outfits so as soon as I saw them, I was straight in the queue. Well, they were absolutely hilarious - Charlotte and I had everyone in the queue laughing. 

 We started the meet in true Meg style - with a big, double cuddle. I told them that they looked very cool in their outfits and asked if they'd been on any daring adventures in the Jungle. Dale told me that they'd found something in the trees and we went over to have a look. Meanwhile, Chip was admiring my sparkly ears. He kept pointing them out so I asked if he liked them, he nodded his head. I told him that he should get himself a pair and he asked if he could try them on, of course, I said yes. So, I put my ears on his head and he modelled them perfectly. Personally, I think he looks beautiful. Then, we posed for a photo, Chip still wearing my ears, and they both gave me a big kiss on the cheek. 

When Charlotte went up to meet them, she noticed that Chip had glitter all over his nose - glitter from my cheek where he'd given me a kiss. They all pointed at me, putting their hands over their mouths because it was obviously my fault. But we soon saw the funny side. Chip and Dale had a group photo with their female alter-egos, another big cuddle and then said goodbye. 

Before we knew it, it was time for our final parade of the trip. The interaction was amazing, as always, and the cast members did a great job of getting the crowd hyped. It reminded me of the Disneyland Paris I loved as a kid. Snow White noticed me again, Peter showed us a lot of love and Wendy came over to give us all another big hug. It's such a wonderful parade and Disneyland Paris should be so proud of what they've achieved for this anniversary. 

After the parade, Sara and I went to the loo whilst the girls went to save us a space for Princess Waltz. However, when we came out of the loo, they had only saved one space meaning I had to go and stand at the back. Then came a torrential rainstorm. As the girls sat in their front seats and waited for the show, I went to do some shopping in the boutiques of Main Street. I got some super cute gifts for my family and friends and I also picked up some memorable pins too! 

As my final ride of the trip, I got myself a fast pass and took another spin on Star Tours. I have a lot of friends who have yet to visit Disneyland Paris who are massive fans of Star Wars, and every time I go on the ride, I can't help but imagine what they'd be like if they ever got to experience it. I'm going to take every single one of them, one day. Then I went back to meet the girls for our last meal. 

This trip was the first time I've ever felt homesick when being in Disneyland - I don't know what it was. As much as I'd enjoyed every second, I felt ready to come home. We went to Colonel Hathi's for food and being in their, listening to the Jungle Book soundtrack, made me feel really emotional. It reminded me of my Dad and how much I missed him. It also didn't help that Mum sent me a video of the dog sat at the window waiting for me to come home - it was a struggle to hold back the tears. 

Colonel Hathi's Pizza Outpost is so pretty at night - sparkling fairy lights hang from the trees as 'Bare Necessities' plays in the background. I'd love to take my Dad for a meal in there, I know how much he'd love it. When we'd finished, we walked over to Main Street to catch Disney Illuminations. We got a beautiful spot and it was spectacular - the perfect end to any Disney trip. I absolutely LOVE the soundtrack of the show, and if anyone knows who sings the version of 'A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes' that is used, then please let me know (it brings me to tears every single time). 

And so that concludes my September Disney Reports. I do hope you've enjoyed reading about my adventures as much as I've loved sharing them with you. I'm sad to say that this may be the last trip report you see for a while - I'm focusing on Uni at the moment so won't be back in Disney until next year. It's been one of the best years of my life. I'll get too emotional if I write anymore, but I think it's clear from all of the trip reports just what a magical year I've had. 

Thanks so much Disneyland Paris, I'll see ya real soon!

Lots of Love,
Meg

xxx

Disneyland Paris September 2017 │Day 2: Snow White, Pirates & Proposals

Our second day didn't start too well for me - I woke up feeling incredibly ill and spent most of the morning being sick. At first, I thought it was some kind of anxiety attack but then it became quite clear that it was something that I'd eaten (I'm blaming Vapiano). However, I didn't let it get me down, took a few paracetamol and headed over to Walt Disney Studios to finally get Charlotte her annual pass. We arrived at the small ticket office located near the entrance of the Studios at 9:30am and were served within half an hour. Considering we had such a fuss purchasing the pass the previous day, actually getting the pass was very easy. Charlotte handed in her ticket along with some ID, signed some forms, had her photo taken and voila! I was expecting it to take ages (I know getting my pass took a good hour) but I was really impressed with how quickly it was handled and very happy that we could make it into Studios in time for the opening. 

We initially wanted to start queuing for Crush's Coaster but even getting into the park at opening time wasn't enough because when we got there, it was already a 90-minute wait. We decided to leave Crush for another day and headed over to the Ratatoullie section which, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated areas in the Studios. The theming is beautiful - when you walk around, it feels like you're actually part of the movie. We stopped for some photos in front of the classic fountain posing like the Spice Girl Princesses that we are. It looks lovely, doesn't it? Well, don't be deceived. It was actually peeing it down with rain and we were all freezing but what can I say, you've got to get that perfect group photo. I was obsessed with my Snow White disneybound - I was so nervous to wear it as it's the most obvious bound I've ever done but I'm extremely happy with the way it turned out. 

Once we'd finished our photoshoot, we jumped into the single rider queue for Ratatoullie (which was only 5 minutes). If you don't mind going on rides on your own then the single rider queue is definitely worth it - Kathryn and I ended up on the same mouse anyway. I've been on Ratatoullie once before and I remember thoroughly enjoying it, however this time I wasn't as impressed. Don't get me wrong, I still loved it but if it wouldn't have been a five-minute queue then I don't think I would have bothered waiting. It's one of those rides that you only need to do once. 

Next stop was Toy Story Land. It's my favourite land in the park and so unique to Disneyland Paris - as you walk around the giant building blocks and statues of classic characters, you actually feel like a toy. The girls decided to queue for RC Racer whilst Marie and I opted to take shelter from the rain.

Our morning in Studios had come to an end which could only mean one thing - it was time to twirl down Main Street USA. The sun made an appearance as the band played on Main Street and we headed over to Adventureland in search of food. There's so much food option in Disneyland Paris, it's hard to choose where to eat. Eventually, we settled on Hakuna Matata. However, our journey was cut short when we spotted a certain Street Rat and his Princess greeting guests in Agrabah. It's very rare to see Jasmine and Aladdin out together as their meeting spot is normally taken by Jafar or Genie so as soon as we saw them, we joined the small queue. 

It's very safe to say that I was beyond excited about the concept of meeting Jasmine and Aladdin - I've never met them before and I've seen so many beautiful interactions with them, I knew it was going to be one to remember. I walked up to them and Aladdin noticed my bound straight away saying 'Oh look Jas, it's Snow White'. He then made a fuss of my small Dopey tsum tsum whilst Jasmine and I spoke about her outfit and how beautiful she looked. Jasmine told me that I was one of the sweetest people she'd met all day and I asked Aladdin how Abu was - he said he was probably around here somewhere stealing apples. We posed for a photo, had another big hug and they promised they'd take me on the magic carpet someday.

By the time we'd finished meeting the Sultan's Daughter with a sense of pride (gold star for you if you got that reference) we were absolutely starving. Hakuna fries and chicken strips were definitely in order and although I didn't eat much (due to being sick), I stole a few of Kat's fries and was force fed some chicken by Charlotte. Then we checked the Disneyland Paris App and noticed that Pirates of the Caribbean was only a 5-minute wait - perfect! We met up with Kat's Mum and friend and then weaved our way around the dark corridors. Pirates have one of the best queues in terms of theming and as this was my first time on the ride since the refurb, I was both anxious and excited. Well, let me tell you now that it did not disappoint. If Pirates was amazing before the refurb then it's just wonderful now. It's still the same concept but the scenes are so vivid and relevant - and the Jack Sparrow figure is so realistic. I absolutely love it and our ride photo of us all doing the YMCA was pretty iconic! 

Princess Pavillion was next on our agenda. We found out that Rapunzel was meeting and due to Sara and Marie bounding as her, she was the perfect character to meet. I've met Rapunzel once before and she was lovely - sometimes meeting the Princesses can be awkward but Punzie is so much fun. I gave her a huge hug and told her how beautiful her hair looked, she told me that Flynn had picked out the flowers to go in her hair (personally I think he did a good job) and we also spoke about Pascal who was hiding again. We posed for some photos and then it was time for Marie to meet her favourite. Seeing Marie meet Rapunzel is beyond magical - I can't describe something more pure and beautiful, we were all close to tears. We joined together for a group photo, had our last set of hugs and then headed over to Main Street Bakery for some sugary treats. The weather was dismal so it was the perfect place to take shelter. 

Within 10 minutes the weather had cleared up, the skies were blue so we made our way to Central Plaza for a Princess photoshoot in front of the castle. I cannot begin to describe how weird the weather was  - the bottom of Main Street was still in a torrential rainstorm whilst we were in beautiful sunshine. Despite the rain, it was still warm. Whilst we posed, a lovely Cast Member watched us and offered to take our photos. The girls found him creepy (I thought he was lovely) and when we left, he kissed our hands and told us we looked beautiful - what a gent! 

As we had yet to watch Princess Waltz, we strolled over to Auberge to see if we could catch the Princesses on their way to the show. It's a good place to stand if you want a brief interaction with the royal couples. When Snow White came out, she noticed my bound straight away and told me I looked beautiful. In true Meg style, instead of acting cool, I let out a small squeak that sounded something like 'thank you' and proceeded to say hello to the rest of the Princesses as they walked past. There's footage over on my vlog which will be up in a few weeks! 

To escape the next downpour of rain, we took a ride on Snow White - it would have been rude not too. When we got to the front of the queue, a lovely Cast Member called Ema named our bounds as we walked past and told us that we all looked beautiful. It's little things like this that make my day - everyone is so happy and so full of love, it's no wonder I wish I lived in Disneyland. I'd just like to take this moment to tell you about my beautiful ears which were made by the lovely HannahMarieMagic - she makes so many different themed ears which are beautifully designed and such a great quality. I definitely think you should go and check out her Instagram.

The rain was still coming down so we took shelter underneath the Fantasyland toilets. We were convinced that parade was going to be cancelled - which we were extremely gutted about as we'd been looking forward to it all day. We were sheltering for around half an hour then all of a sudden, the skies were clear and people were getting their places for the parade. I've never seen weather with such drastic mood swings. We stood next to the Fantasyland Arches and Kat joined us to see her first ever Stars on Parade. 

'Today is Tuesday, you know what that means, we're gonna have a special guest'

A song lyric that will be embedded in my memory forever - it doesn't feel like a Tuesday if this song isn't stuck in my head. If you didn't know already, Tuesday means it's special guest day on Parade and Vanellope from Wreck it Ralph came out to say hello. She was super cute and the interaction was amazing - it was the perfect way to get the crowd buzzing for the main attraction. However, I was more fascinated by the dancer's outfits, I mean...HOW BLOODY CUTE!? We'd seen them once before on April 12th but to see them again was an extra bonus, I'd forgotten just how much I loved them.

Stars on Parade was the best parade experience I have had to date, the interaction was phenomenal, the music was amazing and being able to sing and dance with my friends, the cast members and the characters was something that I can't put into words. Wendy came over to give her Princesses a hug and said that she'd include us in some of her stories, Phillip fought the dragon and Flynn stole Marie's crown. However, the highlight for me was being noticed by Snow White and her Prince. As most of you know, my dream is to meet those two together and I think that's as close as I'm ever going to get. They stopped right in front of me and when she noticed that I was dressed like her, her face lit up and she pulled me in for a big hug, telling me that I looked beautiful. The Prince also gave me a hug and said that I looked very pretty, he bowed and then they continued to dance. It was beyond magical and I know that 5 year- old me was squealing with joy inside. 

 We followed the parade route down to castle stage and got our front row seats for the Waltz. It was one of the most magical and emotional experiences of my life. Snow noticed me as soon as she came onto the stage, blew me a kiss and couldn't stop laughing when she saw that I knew all the words to the songs. Throughout the show, the other Princesses pointed me out to her and she kept waving and making a big fuss. Then 'I see a Princess' began to play and when Snow was stood right in front of me, she pointed directly at me when she said the line 'the beauty of your soul comes shining through, and I see a Princess in you'. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes. But that's not it, oh no, at the end of the show when the Princesses walk in front of the crowd she stopped and told me that she loved my outfit, that I looked beautiful, blew me another kiss and waved me goodbye. It was like all my dreams came true at once and when I told my Grandma about it, she was close to tears. 

After the show, we left Michelle and Sara and went to meet Kat to spend some time with her as it was her last night in the park. We took a spin on the teacups where we met the cutest Cast Member called Alexis who stole my ears from my head and swapped them for his hat. I think he suits them better than I do. Also, can we please take a moment to appreciate how aesthetically pleasing Mad Hatter's Teacups are?? It's Pastel Princess heaven! 

Our next stop was Star Tours which we managed to get Fast Passes for. The whole group took up a full row as we ventured into space to fight Darth Vader and defeat the dark side. I love the fact that the ride is different every time you go on it and also the fact that Kat was chosen rebel spy. I should also mention that I made a new friend called Chloe who is the loveliest, kindest, funniest little gem. We stood together and chatted about all things Disney and Uni related whilst the other girls took a spin on Hyper Space Mountain. 

We ended the night by watching Disney Illuminations which was the perfect end to a perfect day. There's nothing better than standing on Main Street singing Disney classics with the people that you love and so many like-minded people who have come to Disney for the day. When the fireworks had ended, Kat, Charlotte and I waited around on Main Street to take some very special photos. However, nothing could prepare us for what happened next. 

Once the crowd had dispersed, we made our way to the castle when we saw a guy get down on one knee and propose to his girlfriend. As Main Street was pretty much empty, no one was there to document the moment. Charlotte pulled her phone out and started filming and I clicked away on my camera as the lady nodded her head and threw her arms around her fiance. We let them have their moment and then introduced ourselves and told them what we'd done. They were so grateful and asked if we could take some more pictures in front of the castle which we happily agreed to. Kat lay on the floor taking photos on their camera, I was crouched down taking photos on my camera and Charlotte stood taking candids on her phone. As I was snapping away, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned around to see a couple stood behind me. They'd just got engaged and asked if I could take some photos of them too. So, I left the girls and went over to take some shots of another newly engaged couple. Then another tap on the shoulder, another couple who'd got engaged and wanted some photos taken. It got so bad that we actually had a queue of people waiting for their photos - I swear they must've thought that Disney offered a free photography service. I made over 10 new friends on Facebook that night but on the plus side, they loved their photos. 

Also, I'd just like to add that Charlotte and I are not engaged, we just wanted to join in on the fun. 

We finally got around to taking our photos on Main Street - sat on the cold cobbled streets as the Castle glistened in the background. I wish Main Street could be like this all the time, it's beautiful during the day but pure magic at night. When we left the park we joined Kat's Mum and friend in Planet Hollywood for a very late meal and then headed back to the hotel ready for our early morning breakfast at Plaza Gardens. 

Have you ever witnessed or experienced a Disney proposal?

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

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