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As a former cast member and Annual Pass holder at both
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To book your next adventure to Disney and beyond, find Ashley
on social media at Adventure Awaits by Ashley or send her an
e-mail at adventureawaitsbyashley@gmail.com.
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Happy searching. Hi, I'm Jake.
And I'm Ashley. And this is the wonderful thing
about Disney Podcast. Because Disney's a wonderful
thing. Come on down, stop on by, hop a
carpet and fly with us as we discuss the parks, treats, and
all things Disney with new episodes every wonderful
Wednesday. What's up, everybody?
Happy wonderful Wednesday. And do we have a treat in store
for you today? Yeah, we do.
It is a special day. It is April and we have brought
in a special guest, dare I say one of these specialist guests.
At least we brought her in from the furthest away we ever have
before That's. True, that's true.
It's our friend Sarah from Disney Magic Every day.
Sarah, how are you? Hello.
I'm good. Thank you.
How are you? You're so good, we're so happy
you're here and thank you for making time for us to.
Be here. I'm so excited.
We're so excited. This is great.
So if anyone's been following along, we've shared a lot of
things with Sarah's before. Sarah was on the podcast party
with us that Josh and Gina from Bring Back the Magic hosted.
But Sarah, like I need to ask, is it possible for you to just
call me every night and read me a bedtime story like preferably
Harry Potter before I fall asleep?
I would love that. That's no problem.
That's great, great, no problem at all.
So if we have a special guest, you know, it's for a reason.
So Disneyland Paris is celebrating a birthday.
Crazy. So Disneyland Paris opened April
12th in 1992 and we thought what better way to celebrate
Disneyland Paris than bringing in Sarah, who is a Disneyland
Paris expert we like to call her.
Yes, we do. Oh wow.
It's true you that's your Home Park.
And you've been how many Times Now?
3737, yeah, 37 times. I mean, since 2003, that is, you
know, But still, that's quite a lot.
That's yeah, that's even more impressive.
Like we need to, we need to get into this.
But Sarah, for those who may not know you yet, tell us a little
bit about you. OK, well I am Sarah.
I'm a mum of two. I live in the South of England,
originally from the north of England, but yeah, I live in the
South now. I'm currently a stay at home
mom. I love Disney Crofton Travel and
that's the reason I started my Instagram account actually,
because I started off trying to promote a travel business that I
started and I just found so much more than that.
I don't even do the travel thing now.
I'm just in it for the friends and the Disney.
It's just fantastic. Yeah, So, yeah.
And my Disney Origins story really started, I guess, in
2003. We had a trip.
I say we it was me and my folks and brother and his family then,
and I was 25. So that was the first time like
that I went to Disneyland Paris. Obviously I'd bought merch and
watch movies and all that sort of stuff before, but until that
time, I wasn't hooked. Then that was it.
I was all in. First trip Disneyland Paris all
in. Just got the Disney book
straight away and I was obsessed straight away.
I love it. That is so great.
Well, and I think that's I mean both of us, Ashley, I think you
had just graduated from high school the first time you had
went. I was in my 20's the first time
I went to the park, but I everyone talks about like, the
childhood wonder and that experience through a child's
lens. But like, going for the first
time as an adult, it's just as magical and I think it's almost
mind blowing. Yeah.
Yeah, it really is. And I think as well, because I
was just saying this the other day, that I think I enjoyed it
more because I can remember it more now, you know, like, yeah,
if when you when you go as a kid, I mean, obviously my kids
have been so many times as well. And they'll remember, you know,
they remember things from the photos really.
I think, you know, then because they've been going since what,
like Oliver was four months old, Maxwell was seven months old the
first time I took, which is now in Paris.
And they remember stuff from the photos.
But I'm like, I can remember that feeling like we're walking
through round and you know, town square, getting to the top of
Main Street hassle. Wow, just emotional.
You know, I could get quite emotional just talking about it
right now. So the atmosphere as well.
It just takes you and I don't think you would get that same
vibe when you're when you're a kid.
It's obviously great to go as a kid, but yeah, I think it's
great going as an adult for the first time.
Amazing. I love that.
So, OK, before we kind of get
into, I think our episode and some of our questions for Sarah,
we should probably talk about Disneyland Paris really quick
because some of our listeners, I think a lot of actually our US
listeners might not know too much about Disneyland Paris so
really quickly. So Disneyland Paris, did you
know, is the only resort outside of the United States that is
completely owned by the company. Is it really It is?
I did not know that. I said not know that.
Yeah. OK.
So this is great. So, yeah.
So this is this was the second park that was opened outside of
the United States. Tokyo was the 1st.
Paris was not the only site in Europe being considered for a
park, so there was also Frankfurt, Milan and London that
were also going to be potential sites in Europe.
But Italy and Frankfurt were eliminated because they didn't
have enough flat land to build a park they could not find.
Flat land. So hold on though, Sarah, like
because you live over there and grew up there.
What are your thoughts about that?
Like, I mean, Paris is obviously magnificent and London is close
to home, which you have put it somewhere else.
It wouldn't have been the same if it was over here.
Definitely not. I think that the choice was so
right. And I think as well, there's
lots of connections with Walt in France and Paris and stuff like
that, you know? So I think like it was really
good, like from a historical point of view, you know, and
Walt was actually given the what's the is it the Medal of
Honor or the Legion of Honor in France?
Yeah. Which I think, I think, I think
it's the original that hangs in City Hall in Disneyland Paris.
I think I could be wrong. Wow.
So I think the connections, the connections and plus I think,
you know, like the European castles and things like that
were all a big inspiration for him.
So I think it's right that it was there Definitely wouldn't be
the same. I love that.
No, see, and this, This is why we brought you on because it is
different. You know, we looked at Europe is
kind of all magnificent, but but you're right, like there is
something special about Paris and knowing that history, like
it's what a cool perspective. So good.
Yeah. Yeah.
So again, Disneyland Paris opened in April of 1992 and it
is was the first of two parks. So Disney Adventure World, which
was formerly Walt Disney Studios park, opened in 2002.
And Michael Eisner, who was the CEO at the time, he signed the
first contract with the French government in 1985.
But construction didn't begin until August of 1988.
And in December of 1990, there was an Information Center that
was opened that was able to show the public exactly what was
being constructed. That's crazy.
So that took them a while and I mean obviously looking at it now
for good reason because it is, it is huge, but that would be
hard to wait not. That long?
Yeah, Yeah. And then Disneyland Paris is
Europe's most visited theme park.
There you go. Yeah, there you go.
I think it brings in like, it might be like, I can't remember,
I don't know figures, but like the majority of tourism for
Paris is. Really I.
Think to Disneyland Paris, yeah. Well, it's so easy.
And we talked about this on our other episode that we did after
our trip. But when we were researching and
when we had landed at the airport, it was, yeah, you get
on the train, get off at this train station.
And I didn't really think anything of it, but we walked
out of the train station and there are the front gates.
It's right. There, right there.
It is. It's so exciting and.
And it is, it is gorgeous too. You know, every Main Street I
think is special. I would say you know, Walt
Disney World a little more impressive with the size of the
castle than Disneyland when you come around that corner, but
nothing compares to walking around the corner in Paris.
It's, it's very, I would say it's the most romantic park.
Yeah, the French and Paris Parisian thing, you know, and,
and that castle, I mean, I love, I just love all, all the Disney
castles, you know, it's very difficult to see which one's the
best. But I do think Disneyland Paris
Castle is the best Sleeping Beauty castle.
There's no bad angle Castle, either.
Like we took so many pictures just, oh, yeah, 5 feet to the
left or 10 feet to the right, Like, oh, did we get this angle?
Because it's just that pretty. Yeah.
It is. It is definitely.
So Sarah, back to you. We have some questions for you
about this. So when you first went to the
parks, you're 23 years old. What was your lasting impression
like? What stuck with you because you
mentioned like you went as an adult, but what, what was the
thing that really, you know, gave you the bug, so to speak?
Think like I would have seen before the atmosphere, you can
just feel it when you go in. It's just magical.
The music before you even see the castle, you know, you walk
in and it's just like, wow. I mean, I wish I could do it
again, like have the first time over again, because even though
I feel like I took it in and like, go say I was an adult, but
I would I would take even more of it in, you know, like he'll
never get that first thing back. And I think, yeah, it's just
that you hear the music and the atmosphere and the smells.
It's just the whole Disney thing, isn't it?
You know, And and then when you actually do see the castle, it's
just perfect. Yes.
And it happened to be a glorious day as well.
So I think that makes a difference.
You know, we're like having the sun shining and you know, it's
just really great. That's amazing.
Well, and I will say this, and I know that especially in modern
theme park era, making things immersive is up to a whole new
level, but I think Disney mastered that from the very
beginning. And whether it was in the middle
of downtown Anaheim, CA or, you know, out in Paris, there's a
busy train station, there's highways, there's motorways and
trains and planes and everything.
But as soon as you walk in, everything else disappears.
And I, that was my impression is it's just like everything else
kind of disappeared and you were just fully immersed and yeah,
lost in the best way. Home life back home was gone.
That was it. Yeah.
And you get, you just get the whole good versus evil thing.
It's like you walk through, then it's like everything's good.
All the evils left behind, all the nonsense and the noise is
left behind. And it just feels like
everything's a bit lighter. And you know, it really is a
nice, nice place to be. Yeah, Can we just go back?
I mean, I know we're like just starting out this episode, but I
just have to say like, so we're planning a trip in May to Tokyo
and I'm very excited. I really am.
But as we're planning all of this, like I am feeling this
pole to go back to Disneyland Paris.
I know. And I I didn't, I didn't have
that. Like it was magnificent.
And I was like knowing they were building adventure world.
I know we'll come back someday, but like, I need to go back.
Yeah, yeah, that's what it does. That's what it does to you.
Sure. You've got to go back.
Yeah. And you have to go back when I'm
they. Absolutely.
That's non negotiable. Oh, it's applying this out.
Absolutely. Getting the diary out.
Yes, absolutely. So Sarah, what is your favorite
Disneyland Paris memory? I think just the first time you
walk in, you know, I think that's my favorite, although
taking the boys there the first time, I think is, you know, is a
great, it's a great thing to just, I mean, as soon, as soon
as they were born, it was just on my mind, like we need to get
the passports. We need to get over at
Disneyland Paris. How we're going to do this,
especially with like with with my eldest, he, you know, working
everything out is when you have like a newborn, you have a new
baby and to play that it's like, how do we get there?
How do you get the bottles, you know, milk and all this kind of
stuff because he was like under warn, you know, and it just, it
just works. I'm like, right, passport done,
let's get there. Just wanted to get his little
feet on Disneyland Paris ground as soon as I could, you know,
And then the same with the same with my youngest as well.
That's so beautiful. I think if I had to pick, I
think it probably would have been I'm wearing the shirt in my
spirit jersey is is Big Thunder Mountain.
We were able to time it just right and be on the ride while
the fireworks were going off. So magical.
And it just felt, it felt unfair, like I'm like, how is
this real life? Like I don't deserve this
experience. Like it was just, I don't know.
It was so surreal. But you just I don't know, I I
don't it was just an experience and I will never forget that is
as amazing as all the things were like that was the moment I
I relive often in my mind. Yeah, that is, that is a good
one for sure. The timing is just perfect.
You know, Oh yeah, absolutely. No, we were stressed too.
We were like, how do we time this right?
We're like letting people ahead of us.
Like please. No, we can't get on the ride
yet. Go.
But not you. Not you.
You stay. Now was our turn.
That was us in life. Oh.
That's brilliant. Yeah.
Oh yeah. Definitely a good one.
Definitely. Yeah, so obviously Disneyland
Paris is going through some major changes and has changed
immensely over the years. But like what are the changes
that you have seen and and how would you compare it to the
first time you went versus where it's at today?
I think the big thing is Disney Studios, which is now Adventure
World that has, I mean, when we first went there wasn't even 1/2
day. Like, you know, it wasn't even
1/2 day Park. I would say there wasn't very
much to do. There wasn't very much, but
there was enough. And funnily enough, they had a
parade. The cinema parade used to go
through this. Oh, they don't even have a
parade now, which should bring for sure.
But yeah. And it was that was great.
There was very few restaurants. There was only a sort of handful
of restaurants. They had the big show, which I
think was a big pull for that park, the stunt show, which was
brilliant. And but since then they've
you've got sort of world of Pixar, Toy Story, Playland,
Avengers Campus, and now we're frozen.
So as absolutely, I mean, changed unbelievably since the
first time I went. It's like unrecognizable now.
And I haven't been back since they've done all the changes.
So I'm looking forward to seeing the changes.
You know, I haven't been and seen it a little bit here and
there. You know, when I go back, it's
going to be totally different. So I'm so excited to see all of
that, yeah. That's amazing.
Park. I think the park really, things
like the shows, like the nighttime firework showed that
has come on like immensely. When we first went, it was
overwhelming. It was Fantasy in the Sky with
Tinkerbell, and it was just the cutest lovely show.
It was after the nighttime parade, which again, we don't
have one of those at Disneyland Paris still, but I'm hoping
which. Is crazy.
They need one. Yeah, so there was Fun Illusion.
That was the nighttime show. And then it was the fancy in the
sky. And then like the first time
watching that Tinkerbell flying. And we're with my niece.
She was only one and she loved Tinkerbell.
And it was just like the best thing.
When I got home I recreated it by buying a Tinkerbell and doing
doing the wire from the top window down to the garden and
had Tinkerbell flying all the way down with the music on that
would go when we were there. I'm not, I'm not going to lie,
when you started that sentence with, I recreated it.
I I wondered, Sarah, did you Don the Tinkerbell outfit and stop
on a wire? But you should say that and I'll
send you a photograph. But I did one year for
Christmas. But I dressed up as Tinkerbell
and got the wings and the light up and everything.
I've still got it all as well. And the wig and I gave
everybody's Christmas presents out on Christmas days.
Tinkerbell. Like to me, my niece and nephews
and everyone now it would sound like they were just little.
No, they weren't. They were in their teens.
So, yeah, I love it. Just I decided to do that.
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Lots of fun. I'll send.
I'll send the photo. Please, please.
That is amazing. I do have one question though.
Oh, go ahead, please. No, you was going to say the.
Fireworks shows have absolutely changed because they've added
the water features, they've added the lasers, they've added
the projections, and now the drones.
It's taken at the next level. You know, the fireworks were
brilliant when we first went. Then when we went as a family to
Disney World for the first time, I was like, well, these blow
Disneyland powers are right out the water, but they're bringing
it back a bit with the drones and you know, all the
projections and stuff though. Yeah.
Oh, it's phenomenal. Like, yeah, unbelievable.
We, we camped out one night so we could have a decent spot,
which again, I everyone knows how wonderful they are and
they're there hours beforehand. Yes.
But then, you know, we had planned on only watching it one
night and doing other things, but no, we had to do it another
night because it is that. Yeah.
Incredible. Yeah, it's amazing.
I have one question, though. What are your thoughts on
Crush's coaster? Because I have to know I don't
understand it, but everyone loves it.
Well, I think it's it's good, but it's the, it's the whole
Peter Pan, Peter Pan's flight thing for me.
I'm like, why? I don't can't, please tell us.
I go, I go on it. And every time I go on, I'm
like, I still don't know why people wait so long for these
rights. I just don't get it.
This is why you are our people. I don't understand, friends.
I'm so glad that you love it. But I went on and I was like,
wait, that's it. But the line was was so long.
All day long. That is, yeah, that is the only
ride that we paid for. And I was like, I don't know if
I want to do that because I didn't know about the spinning.
And then you came off and you were like, you totally could
have done that ride. That was not what I expected at.
All because like, you get on in the shell and it takes you and
it takes you outside of the building.
So you're right by the walkway and I waved to you.
I was so excited. I was like, we're doing it.
And then I came off the ride and you're like, what happened to
you? You're so happy and now you just
look angry. I'm like, that was the most
exciting part. Funnily enough when we were
there last time, like the boys have started wanting to go on
like more rides. Well, kind of forced my youngest
to, but because I'm like, we all want to go on these rights so
you can't stay here on your own. So he just screams most of the
reround everything. I mean everything.
It's just hilarious and I feel like such a terrible parent, but
I'm like you will it'll be fine. It'll be fine.
You'll like it. So I did this on Chris's costar.
Oh, it did not go down very well with any of them.
Not with my husband, not with the boys.
No, I got off. I was hysterical.
I thought it was just so funny. They didn't speak to me for
about an hour. Like, how did you do that?
Like Dan was like, really like, annoyed.
Like, why did you do that? Because I thought you'd like it.
And you've got to experience everything.
Nope. I was not the favorite that day.
I love that so much. Jake's like, OK, end of episode,
we're done. I'm crying.
I know you're gay. This is what I do for Disney,
you say? Oh my.
Goodness, suppose papers in the post.
Oh goodness gracious. Oh dude, I'm so happy.
I'm so happy you see this the way we do and again, y'all love
what you love. We love that you love it.
I just didn't understand. And as we were preparing this
episode, I was like Ashley, I want to ask her say no, ruin our
friendship. I'm like, I have to know, see?
We're good, we're good. Sarah, you are the best.
I'm with you, you. Get us.
Yes, definitely. Oh my.
God, we have, I think a couple more questions for you before we
get into like Disneyland Paris specific questions.
So you have been to Walt Disney World four times and you've been
to Disneyland once. So what do you think of the US
parks? Like what is your opinion on
them? Because, hold up, we got into
some hot water with our listeners a little bit over an
episode we called Start Bench Cut.
Yeah. And we both chose Disneyland
Paris over Disney World. We did.
So we kind of want to know, like, where, where do you see
these parks? How do they?
Run. I thought that was the right
choice. I was standing listening that
episode and I was like, come on Disneyland Paris, come on.
Yep, It went through. I was great.
It was great. I was so happy.
I was I was surprised, but I was happy.
But I just we love the American parks like love.
We love America anyway. So, you know, coming to the
American Parks was never going to be a big surprise, although
how soon we did it was a bit of a surprise.
We're just, I think watching so many vlogs, we'd already said,
oh, we'll wait until the boys are older to take them over
there, you know? But like, I think Oliver was 1.
So like, we didn't wait that long.
I was like, come on, get us over there.
And I'm not joking. The first night that we were
there, it had taken long. There was a few delays and stuff
like that. And we were a bit tired.
So we went. We were staying at All Star
Movies, and we went over to get something to eat.
And we'd left our mugs back in the room.
So I went back over to get them. And as I was walking over, there
wasn't anyone around. And I'm not choking.
I did a little, I danced a little jig because I was so
happy to be there. I was like in disbelief, like
jumping down. And I was like, yes, yes, I'm
here. I couldn't believe it.
You know, like looking at giant Woody and giant Buzz.
What is this? What's going on?
So, yeah, I mean, we love, love the American parks.
And it was, I mean, we had three throughout COVID.
We had three trips booked that had to be cancelled.
So when it came to America opened again, we were like,
right, let's get there quickly, you know?
So we did. And we came over like for 10
days. Just after, just after I think
it was like November, America opened again.
We were there in January. Amazing.
And it was just like, so good to be back.
So yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm, I'm just
throwing it out there. If you need us to like work on
the neighbor next door, we can get him to move.
We can get you all over here. They've got a great backyard.
It's, it's a little far from the parks, but again, we'll, we'll
sort that out later. Dan's plan, Dan's plan is
ultimately to live in America, you know, so he is like, Oh
yeah, he would go tomorrow for sure, for sure.
We'll, we'll talk offline about this.
We're making it happen, people. We're bringing Sarah home.
Amazing. So since you have been to three
of the six parks around the world, which international park
would be your next to visit if you could choose?
Well, it's funny because I've never really thought about
outside of Disneyland Paris in the American parks.
I think because we love America so much, we really want to
explore a lot more over there, and not just Disney, but like
everywhere. Yeah, sure.
So we've never really thought about, I suppose Disney say
talk. Your Disney say would probably
be the one if we did, but I think that would be sort of far
down the list because we've got sort of cruises and I want to go
to Aulani and all that sort of stuff as well before, you know,
and more, more American parks like we've done California once.
I would love to do that again, you know.
So I think, yeah, definitely, maybe one day, maybe when the
boys are a bit older. I mean, we said that, Oh, who
knows. Who knows what can happen?
But you know, definitely more American parks, more of America
and cruises and Disney cruises and Alan, I'd love, love to do.
Yes, yeah. I mean, you're family, so not
that we're inviting ourselves, but we're inviting ourselves.
Like you just tell us when we will be there.
But yeah, I. Mean you'll hear me.
You'll hear me from there. When I book Disney next, you
will hear me shout there. It is.
I hear the call. We're going.
So have you done a Disney Cruise, Sarah?
Not yet. No, Not yet.
We'd love to. We'd absolutely love to.
That's so. Yeah.
Actually, I have this big dream holiday that I want to do.
Maybe. Yeah.
I'm 50. OK.
Well, that's like, that's like 20 years away.
Like 30 years away. Thanks, Jake.
Oh, yes, time. Four years.
We've got four years to deal to, to sort it all out.
You know, So really what I want to do was we'd start off into
the land of Paris, five days, head over to right, which we
were going to do. Head over to California, 5 days,
maybe 7 days there. Then fly from there to Aulani
and do sort of five or seven days there, back over to Disney
World for a week. Finish it off with a cruise.
That is like the Disney dream vacation.
That's unreal. I will sell a kidney.
I don't need to, I'll do it. That would be unbelievable.
Yes, the GoFundMe is now set up everybody.
You can find it as Disney Magic everyday at gofundme.com.
No. That is unbelievable.
That's so good. I love the dream.
OK, so let's let's move on and kind of talk about Disneyland
Paris, maybe for newcomers or somebody that is thinking about
going to Disneyland Paris for the first time.
So we would love to get your advice because again, like Jake
and I talked about this on 2 separate episodes, but we'd love
to get, you know, another perspective.
So first, how many days would you suggest that you need in
Disneyland Paris to get the full experience?
I would always say 5-5 days, five nights, yeah, five days,
because there's a lot more to do now.
And I think 5 you could comfortably do, you might miss a
couple of things, but I think 5, you could comfortably do it.
Do you know what I mean? And then you could maybe depend
on where you are. If you're coming over from
America, then you could have some time in Paris and all
that's in London, of course, and all that as well, you know,
build it in when the whole day. But I think 5 is comfortable for
Disneyland Paris for sure. Because we did 3 and I think
that was great and that's what our time allowed for.
But there was still so much we didn't get to do.
We could not do it all. And that's the beautiful thing
about this edition of Adventure World, too.
You certainly cannot do it all now in three days.
Definitely not. I mean three days you're going
to have to, you're going to really have to prioritize and
cut. We did quite a bit of stuff and
just I think even with five days, you have to prioritize and
I think you know, and think you might not get to do everything,
but if you look you then you know, if the wind catches you
right then you do sort of hit things right then It's great,
you know? Well, and and just knowing that
Disneyland Paris, like the rides, I would say are at a
whole new level of thrill than what we experience over here in
a lot of ways. But the shows there were.
So many shows we didn't get to do.
That's what broke my heart is that we weren't able to see all
the shows but the ones we did see.
Were phenomenal. Incredible.
Yeah. What did you see?
So my favorite and still like my favorite Disney show is Mickey
and the Magician. I that is, that is my #1 Disney
show. I was like, this is amazing.
We unfortunately weren't there during The Lion King show, but
we saw the Alice in Wonderland, the stunt show, and that was
pretty cool too. Totally unexpected.
Oh yeah, 'cause I, I wasn't sort of taken with, I was saying, you
know, maybe that would be on my cut list and I'll do it.
I'll do it if I get get to it, you know, but if if you're
saying that it was better than you expected, then.
It was, yeah, I didn't know. I didn't know what to expect.
But afterwards I was like, OK, that was actually kind of cool.
No, it was, it was very different, but very fun.
And I mean, the talent of those actors and stunt performers.
It, it was just, it was great. Yeah, yeah.
All right. Do you have a favorite
Disneyland property hotel over in Paris?
Like 1 hotel that you prefer over the others?
Yes. Well, I think we usually choose
by season. So our hotels are like, So if
we're there with Christmas New Year, we'd definitely go for
Sequoia Lodge because it's just got that sort of holiday lodge
feel with the fire and everything in the bar.
And if it's summer, then we sort of like choose Newport Bay
maybe. And because we've got the great
outdoor pool and it's very Beachy theme.
So it's like got a summer vibe. But I mean, overall my favorite
hotel is the Disney Hotel. The Disney Hotel is just, even
though I'm not a fan of the refurb, yeah, I did prefer
before it smells totally different.
And that just broke my heart, absolutely broke my because I
loved the smell before and I've tried to recreate it and
recreate it and you know, like work.
Had a look into what are the smells in the Disney Hotel?
What are the notes? You know, I'm like getting
vanilla and this and the other, you know, so I've looked into
it, I've bought the oils, I've made things, you know, like try
to get the smell back. And when we went back after the
refurb, I was thinking, yes, I'm going to get it.
And I walked in and it was just totally not what it was supposed
to be. That's so sad.
It's. Still, it's still great and it's
still lovely and it's still smells.
It's got that Disney, that Disney Air and you know, but
it's just, it's the whole memories thing, I think, isn't
it, you know? Yeah.
I mean, a lot of emotions are tied to smells and sounds and
things. Yeah.
But I I that is an underrated part of, like, the Disney
experience or the smells. And I mean, you can buy candles
for all sorts of smells for the Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Like if anybody out there knows the recipe or the secret formula
to bring back the original Disneyland Paris hotel, like, we
need it. Yes.
Absolutely. It's quite similar to the Grand
Floridian, actually quite similar, but not, I think it's a
bit more floral, the Grand Floridian 1.
A. Bit more must be the Disneyland
Hotel in Paris. So, but yeah, there are a couple
of that I've got you know, from, from stores, from small shops
that have sort of hit it a bit, but not exact.
Yeah, you'll know though. You'll know when you get it.
That's amazing. So we stayed at the Art of
Marvel Hotel and it was awesome. Yeah.
Really loved it as like a big Marvel fan.
And I got to stay on the Captain America floor, which is exactly
where I wanted to. Be but not planned.
But that being said, like, we walked over to the Cars H1 night
and that was cool. But yeah, I wish we could have
spent more time exploring the hotels.
Yeah, and I love that you have them.
There's a good one as well. They do.
They've got, they've got a lovely bar with like a fire and
everything in as well. And you can get like nice
concerts and but yeah, chips and dip and things like that, you
know, just like a little bar. It's just so cute.
And obviously Toy Story theme is great.
Yeah, Yeah. Well, for sure, yeah.
So what is the one place you must eat on every visit to
Disneyland Paris? So I would say are we talking
counter service or table service or?
Both whatever, however, yeah. I would say counter service
Cowboy Cookout is every time. I have to go to Cowboy Cookout
every time. And we all love it, like my
whole extended family loves it. If we go to Disneyland Paris all
together, that is one place that is firmly on the list, at the
top of the list. That's what we're doing.
Or a restaurant table service meal then Manhattan restaurant
in the Art of Marvel is fantastic.
We did a new year meal there one year and it was like 7 course
and it it didn't cost what you think it would cost.
I can't remember what it was, but I know it wasn't very
expensive. How did we miss that?
Oh, it was fantastic. Like a phenomenal meal.
It really was. We've been there.
Run. It back, we're going back.
That's amazing. Decision made.
Yeah, yeah, you sold it our. Arm just a little bit, yeah.
Wow. OK, so we know restaurants and
food service. What about snacks?
Well, you know, we're big snack people.
What's your favorite snack in Disneyland Paris?
My favorite is, I mean, my favorite's always a toffee,
toffee apple or candy apple, I think you guys call it, don't
you? So that's always my favorite.
Whichever Disney apartment in, I have to have one in there.
They'll actually be better in America, definitely, but.
That's a hot take. Cold meal they are.
There's so much better. They're actually caramel and
chocolate. So OK, in Disney it's sort of
just like the hard toffee and Disneyland.
OK, OK. Hot toffee red apples.
And but I think in Disney World this there's so much bigger and
then they've got like, you know, the marshmallow years and all
that sort and they're just, oh, they're just better.
They really are. But my favorite snack in
Disneyland Paris is in a little place in Fantasyland called the
Old Mill. And it used to be right.
Yeah, it used to be right. Have a look.
You could you could go around like on the.
It was like little, little sort of things you could sit in and
it went round as well. Unless I made that up.
No, I didn't. I'm sure it did.
Well, look at it.
Make sure. But it did.
I'm sure it did, Yeah. And they've got a lovely tree of
mini pancakes, like mini crepes with Nutella on that.
They are just delicious. And every time we go, we've got
to go and get them. For some reason, the fact that
they're mini, they just taste better.
I don't know why. Just small, small little lovely
crepes and they're delicious. That area of fantasyland is like
a fever dream for me. Like that place is incredible.
All the snags there, I could sit there for a whole day and just.
Oh, at Christmas it's even better because they have little
cabins. It used to be years ago, I'm not
sure if this over now, but it's Bells went a village or it was,
it was Bells went a village. So it was like as if it was from
Beauty and the Beast. Now they just have like little
kiosks. I mean, they're all themed and
lovely and everything and they have like, mulled wine, roast
chestnuts, you know, like all different things from like sort
of around France and Europe. So Christmas is a good time to
go. I I was already sold and now I'm
just like, what am I doing sitting here?
We can finish the episode there together.
We'll meet. Christmas is like my favorite
play time to go, I think, to Disneyland Paris.
I think that's the best time. The music and the windows and
everything in the snow and mainstream, It's just great.
Well, and that is that is one of the fascinating things that's
very unique to Paris as you can go and it will snow.
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
And it will be cold, Yeah. Yeah, so great.
So we touched on shows, but do you have a favorite show, either
past or present? I think of all past and present.
I think together is, you know, the pixel musical that's in
studios in studios, Sorry, Adventure World Together is like
a such a beautiful show. It's got like a live orchestra
and or be a small one, but it's still, it's so good.
It's just beautiful. Like the sentiment of it, you
know, we can all do this together.
I think it's just so Disney, you know, like teamwork and and
happiness and then obviously all the pixel characters on stage.
Yeah. See, and that's one we had to
cut because we just ran out of time and I was sad that we had
to cut that one. That one hurt and that's that
was a casualty of only three days there.
Yeah. I'm glad that you saw Making the
Magician actually over together, because I do think I do love
making the magician as probably as much.
But I think because I've seen making magician quite a few
Times Now, you know, it's been going quite a while.
So when Together came along, I was like, yes, a new show, you
know. But I'm glad actually that you
saw Making the Magician rather than Together.
I think that's the right way. That was the right way.
Well, also like just really quickly.
Those chairs in there are incredible.
Like there, Yeah. I would never fall asleep there
because the show is too good. But if I were to fall asleep
somewhere, it would be in those chairs.
They were nice and plush. It was very comfy.
We don't have that here kind of in like what's the I just lost
the name with John Progress, the Carousel Progress.
Progress, yeah. We do have a podcast, people,
But no, like, those chairs are kind of soft, but it is nothing
compared to, like the stadium seats over in Paris.
Like, yeah, I was like, they do it right, Yeah.
It's viewing from anywhere as well.
You know, they used to have a called any magic in there.
I think we watched it on Tavern one night and that is that was,
that was a great show as well. But yeah, we, we've been there a
few times as well. And Dan did actually fall asleep
watching that one time because it was so comfortable.
Yeah. I can see why.
It's just a comfy place. All right, we talked, we talked
Crushes coaster. What is your must do ride or
rides when you go to Disneyland? Paris OK, so thinking about this
has to be Big Thunder for sure. Big Thunder, top of the list,
top of the list. And I don't know if you guys
agree with this, but I think Big Thunder and Disneyland Paris is
the best Big Thunder. Oh 100% agree with you.
Yeah. No fight from us.
No. No.
Not even close. It is a really good one.
And it's got better as well. They've really reimagined it a
couple of times over the last few years.
And it's it's definitely got better.
Yeah, than when I used to go the yeah, first time.
But yeah, so Big Thunder Pirates again.
I think Pirates doesn't land. Paris is my favorite, but I
should maybe wait until I've been on Pirates back in
California before I see any more on that because I can kind of
remember. But it's a bit blue, so.
But yeah, so I don't know, maybe that might change.
Pirates in California. It's yeah.
Paris's pirates is great though. And that whole part of that
land. I love it round so it's so cute
at night time with the lights and everything, the ambience and
oh, it's just so cute. But yeah, Avengers Assemble
Flight Force as well. That is a thrilling ride.
I, I, I was blown away. Also needed to sit down for a
second after, but like in the best way.
I was like, wow, that's a test. That was a test.
It is awesome and tower tower is like it's a really good.
It's like it's just it's great, a great ride.
And at Halloween they usually put more lifts and oh.
They'd stuff in timeout. That's why I.
We didn't go during. Oh no, we did.
We were there in September. That OK, we got on that ride and
Ashley doesn't normally do Tower of Terror.
But I was like when here, like I'm gonna do it.
So I put my motion sickness band on and I was like, I'm gonna do
it. And we got on there.
No, I was dedicated. I was like, I'm doing this.
But we got on there and I don't know how it normally is, but you
got on and it immediately dropped you and I was like,
Nope, I'm done, get me off. I'm done.
Like I I want off of this ride. She she was a.
Really good one, yeah. He was so good and so brave for
it. But I was sitting there, I'm
like, no, babe, it's almost done.
It's almost done. And she's looking at me like I'm
gonna kill you. You're a liar.
Because it just kept going going.
And then I'm like, how much more are you going to put us through?
But no, it was like amped to a whole new level, and now we know
why. That's why yeah, I just yeah,
cuz dress when you think it's done, it's like, Nope, it keeps
going and I was like, you don't understand, like I need to get
off of this ride like. I'm done.
The best. The best is seeing someone's
face when they're up on that for the first time.
Especially like my twin nephews, I think were six or seven the
first time we took them on and they were wait, I didn't force
them this time. They just wanted to go on.
That didn't force them really. I didn't.
And when we got on it and as soon as the drop, they were
like, yeah, great, can't wait to be on this, you know, finally
tall enough, you know, And their faces, I just couldn't ever
explain their faces. It was just, they were a
picture. I couldn't explain it.
There's no photograph. There's no video of it or
anything like that. But it isn't printed in my mind.
The look of horror and like, why did you let us do this?
That, you know, that, that. Yeah, why?
Why? Like, you know, and I think that
shocked us a bit as well because me and my dad both put their
hands on them, like for arms around them.
They seem to lift a bit too much.
I was like, right, OK, I don't like this.
Meanwhile, we're over here just like it's OK.
It's almost over. It's almost over, I promise.
It's almost like. It was, it was definitely
intense and I was like, it's not prepared for that.
I was like, I need to walk it off.
I just need 5-10 minutes. I just need to breathe.
Jake, you walk over there. Don't touch me.
I mean in the best way. I was just like I need my space
for a moment. Yeah, You see, Dan would
probably, Dan would probably be able to talk to you about all
that sort of stuff because of what I did on Christmas, Costa,
you know. Yeah, there you go.
Exactly. OK, what is your best advice for
navigating the parks? Like what's your approach?
You know, first time going, what would you tell people?
Definitely use the app. It's it's a really good, really
like clean and just simple app. You know it's dirty to use and
plan loosely, but don't over plan.
I think as long as you, if you make a priority of what you want
to do and then slot things in because things can come, you
know, you might walk past a ride and it's like, you know, 5
minutes, Oh, we can jump on there.
So I think you've got a plan, but just take it as it comes as
well. And I think if you do one rope
drop morning at Disneyland parachute and get a lot of stuff
done, That's what we. Usually do.
We don't rope drop like every day.
We are like, we just late sleep on holiday, like we just rise
when we want, you know, chill out.
I'm like, it's holiday, you know, and one like done would
never rope drop if ever again in his life, he would just never do
it. But I'm like, right, we're going
to do 1 rope drop please. Like, you know, we've got to get
there. So yeah, we do one and we can
get like a lot of stuff done like first in the cutesy Darth
Vader and, you know, stand waiting for the parade to come
and then get a good reservation at Walt's restaurant.
It was like, you know, this is just, it all seems to happen
when you're there, when you're there soon in the morning, so.
I love it so much. I'm bringing you all in
nostalgia around a Jake. No, really I'm like, when are we
going back to your point? Like, I'm very, I am very
excited that we get the opportunity to visit Tokyo
Disneyland and Tokyo Sea, but I don't, I'm like, I really want
to go back to Paris. So I know this is not helping
Sarah in the way that it is helping everything.
Yeah, it's. Not helping, not helping.
The only other thing I would say, the only other advice I
would give as well is to remember that there are
characters in each of the hotels every day.
I think it changes. I don't know if it's morning and
night or if it's either or, but you can meet characters in the
sort of hotel lobbies every day. There's a space.
So it's good to know that if you.
Want to We did not know that. And the lines aren't.
The lines can still get busy, but a lot of the time you'd like
we would be coming back from breakfast and like there's like
4 people in the queue to meet Mickey and Sequela Joe.
Or you get Max with these, like with these explorer outfit on.
I'll send you some photographs, yeah.
We did this all wrong. On New Year, we had Max with
like, these. It was like ADS store a hat and
like, a check shirt, like as if you'd just been a chopping wood.
And oh, it was just so cute. Yeah.
Sarah, where have you been? Our lives, we, we have to go
back. There's nothing else.
I'm here when you're ready. I'm your Disneyland Paris guide.
When I'm hearing, absolutely. Love it.
So I guess our last question, what are your thoughts on
Adventure World? I know you haven't been yet in
person, but what you've seen so far and and again, what's still
coming? What are your?
I'm excited. I'm so excited because I think
there was definitely a change needed and the way that they've
re themed like the the sort of the entrance as you go through
an adventure way and the whole new world of Frozen area just
looks so delightful. The name.
Am I upset with the name? I.
Don't know. I did.
I did like Walt Disney Studios, but Adventure World.
What's the difference? I'm going anyway, it doesn't
make much difference. It's true.
Yeah, it's not stopping me from going.
So yeah. Amazing.
Well, we, we told ourselves that when we go back again, we were
going to wait until Adventure World was open and things.
But I don't know, going through all of this with you, obviously
we love you so much, but you have just sparked all the
feelings and the memories and the desire to come back again.
Because I think unless you have been to Disneyland Paris, you
don't know. You don't know what you're
missing. And it is a very unique,
incredibly special place. Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Like I said, I think it's the most romantic and when you see
it, when you see it like that, you know, like when we think I
think about going to Disney World and it's just full of
adventure and, you know, so much to do.
And as a family we love it there, you know, and I think
doesn't mean I'm Paris. Like it's just that sort of that
little, I mean, it's not a chill or a relax, but we would try and
do it as much as possible where there's a chiller and you can
just sort of like, you know, enjoy and take it all in and.
Yeah, amazing. Well, before we go, Sarah, first
of all, thank you so much for just being amazing and and being
again, sincerely a part of our family.
And and yeah, well, you just tell everybody where they can
find you. And again, we heard a rumor that
you're up to something, that there's a pretty big project
that's coming out soon or is just been happening.
This my podcast, Yes, yes, I've started a podcast.
It's been in the making for ages because I was going back and
forth, back and forth and it actually I put the first episode
out last week. I think it was on Spotify.
So it's magic every day and it's only, you know, a really short
first episode, but it's just sort of like where my love for
Disney started and why I wanted to start a podcast.
And to be honest, the reason that I started it is because of
people like you guys, because I would never, when a year ago I
would never have thought I would even, you know, talk on
Instagram, never mind be on a podcast, you know, a podcast
party or, you know, start my own podcast.
And it's really, I just thought maybe I can do this, you know,
with all of the the support that I've had from the community that
we are part of, it's just amazing, you know, and
inspiration from like you guys and, you know, all of the other
brilliant podcasts that are out there.
So I thought, yeah, I'll give it a go.
Why not? Why not?
Don't know when the next episode's going to come out.
But that's just the beauty of that's just the beauty of life.
So yeah. Well, we will share that in the
description and we'll share that on our Instagram and other
social media so you guys can go find that and listen to Sarah.
But you have such an amazing story.
You're such an incredible person.
We just love you so much. We're so grateful that you would
come on with us. And thank you so much for having
me. And before I go, I just wanted
to say a huge congratulations on your 100 episodes.
Thank. You so so pleased how successful
you are becoming, have been and are becoming and will be, I
hope. I wish all the success for you
guys in the future, whatever you do.
Thank you. Well, we've always said along
the way like we would never get here without other people.
And you know, you're, you're part of this too.
Wherever we go, we're taking you with us.
So thanks for being a part of this for us too.
Disneyland Paris. That's right.
That's where we're going. That's where anyone's curious.
That's where we're going. That's where you'll find us.
That's it for this week's episode.
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until next wonderful Wednesday, TTFN.