After the Space Mountain adventure, I picked up panini (a grilled flatbread sandwich, usually with cheese and ham) while Meredith and Bill attempted to ride the Orbitron, which unfortunately broke down and was taken off-line. So instead of eating in that line, we ate while waiting for the Disney railroad. Boy, did we wait! Finally got around to Frontierland and rode Thunder Mountain (using both the FastPass and the Baby Switch) then did Phantom Manor (Paris’ answer to the Haunted Mansion) and got some ice cream on the way to our FastPass appointment with Peter Pan. I must admit, it’s quite beautiful. After It’s a Small World (a perennial favorite!), it was nearly time for the Princess Parade, so I staked out a viewing spot while Bill and Meredith rode the carousel again. I had to fend off an imperialistic group of Italians, but managed to keep the stroller from getting squeezed out. Bill and Mer got back just in time.
Meredith loved the parade, as she saw Mickey and Minnie, Cinderella and her fairy godmother, Aladdin and Jasmine, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Ariel, and Belle all in one compact parade. The music was the same repetitive inanity from the last time we visited Disney-Paris in 1999, but no matter. Following the parade, we hoofed it over to ride Dumbo, for perhaps the longest wait of the day, and then scrambled over to see the live show, Mickey’s Showtime, in Discoveryland (a.k.a. Tomorrowland). There wasn’t a seat in the house, but Bill found Meredith a spot on a staircase with a decent view of the action. Again, she loved it – Mickey and Minnie were joined by Poomba, the Alladin Genie, Baloo, Goofy, and Chip and Dale as well as some “human” friends. Numbers from Hercules, Hunchback, Jungle Book, Lion King, and Pocohantas were tightly performed with some high-energy dancing (need I mention that? Is anything at Disney low energy?).
By the time we left the Visionarium, it was nearly 6 o’clock and we were ready to sit down and eat. We looked over a couple of the in-park dining options, but decided to try something in Disney village (sort of like Paradise Island in Florida). We wound up at King Ludwig’s Castle, with a Medieval Germanic theme, which turned out to be a pretty nice meal for all of us. At some point during dinner, Bill realized that we never went to look at our Mickey pix in the Town Square. The park was due to close at 8 o’clock, and even with a push to get our check, it was probably 5 of 8 by the time we left the restaurant.
We booked it back toward the park, swimming upstream all the way (throngs of “guests” were leaving, of course), and frantically searching for the re-entry gates. They were basically all closed by the time we got there, but one had not been completely closed. Using our best powers of persuasion (an attitude that is loved and respected by the French), we explained that we had to get back in because we never got to see our pictures. I have to admit I was surprised to find that it worked, and we were readmitted to the park. The lights had been turned on by that time, giving both Main Street and the Castle at the end of the strip a lovely glow. A helpful cast member called up our Mickey pictures for us (everything is digitized) and we decided to spring for a print. Although that store was clearly closing for the night (we had to get assistance in order to exit the shop), many others were in full swing and there was no noticeable attempt by anyone to get people to leave the park. I guess the rides had stopped operating, but it was a beautiful evening to be out and at this point, having had a break from standing and a decent meal, Bill and I definitely had caught a second wind. We wound up doing a fair amount of shopping, both in the Park and, later, back in Disney Village. Meredith was incredibly well-behaved (in fact, she was great all day!) for such a late evening. We bought her a Minnie t-shirt and a little stuffed Thumper, and also found some great wardrobe items for ourselves. The evening return to the Park felt like a gift, a special addition to our visit.
Since we have these annual passes, we will of course be returning, but it’s hard not to feel that Meredith’s first trip to Disney won’t remain among our favorite memories of our time in Paris. Who needs the Louvre, anyway?
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