PixTR: "The 3 Credits Tour" Walibi Holland - Disney Paris

Actually ***the Pre-Show*** will be two weeks - of nothing, after this posting - until we get back from the trip! Ha! I just don't have the electronic equipment to do immediate 'reporting' as the trip goes on. Life. That said, everything will start up the weekend of Sept.26 - when we're back home. With loads of photos and stuff.

But for now, here's my pre-show of getting almost ready to fly to Amsterdam, via Chicago, tomorrow morning.

Then after Amsterdam, we take Europe's ICEtrain (think Japan's Bullet) to the City Of Light, stay awhile, then head

over to my City Of Disney ....Resort. And our final days/nights, onsite at the DLPR Sequoia Lodge, Lakeside view.

And, the title is due to that I will be getting only three credits on the entire trip. Two at Walibi Holland; one at Walt Disney Studios.

Not a lot, but it's not that important right now. We wanted to come back, after 8 years away from our two fave Europe cities.

In the mean time, if you haven't read any of my previous TRs, here's my last one, when TPR went to awesome Scandinavia in 2014.

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=68418

And here's the TR I did when my David and I went to Japan together for the first time, via the TPR 2013 Japan Tour which was also awesome!

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=65816

They sort of show you what my "writing style" (if any) is. And how I some times post stuff here at TPR.

See you all, at the end of September!

I know it's crude, but having a hands-on "planning envelope" is still done by me. And as you can see on it,

the trip was about 7 years in the making! These "other overseas trips" I took, kept putting it off. (o;

Pretty much packed, now. Last second stuff to go.

My traveling t-shirt of choice. (o:

Speaking of RED - me between Mr. and Ms. Claus in June ( ! ) at Bakken park, last year on the TPR Scandi Tour.

Have fun!

Have a wonderful time!

^^ and ^ Yes, thank you - and we're about to end our five night stay in Amsterdam.

Ready to head to Paris on Tuesday. Great trip so far.

And Walibi Holland was a great visit, last Saturday. A great park.

And its almost 5:30 PM here in Amsterdam. Same day, Sunday.

(And I got two of my three credits, needed on this trip. Ka-ching!)

Forgot to tell...

I saw DIRT in Walibi Holland!

...And we're back from a great trip!

Here's the very first photo of it. And the Trip Report itself, will start up in just a couple of days.

A bientot!

Where oh where are we now? (o;

^ I have no idea where that is, but it's awesome! Vancouver Airport, perhaps? De Gaulle maybe?

Can't wait to see the full report, Bill!

^ Nope, and nope. Try try again, Phil.

And here's my (so far) last shot of the trip...

The Souvenir Haul!

(To be separated, grouped, and photographed at a later date.)

A Big Bunch of Sh....Stuff, this is. (o;

First, We Fly Away...

So, this was really a not-so new trip for me and David, having been to Amsterdam and Paris three times before (2002, '04, '07), but it had been a long time since the last visit. I did revisit Disney Paris in 2008 with TPR on their (then) first ever Mainland Europe Tour, which was great, but still it was 7 years ago for me. So, for the both of us, a revisit to both cities (and a couple of theme parks) was needed to happen again. And we did plan a few times to get there (see the "planning envelope" photo, above). But "something" usually got in the way of the plans ('10-Europe; '12-China; '14-Scandi). Until this year. We had planned a year ago, to do it this year, but I was concerned that my also doing a TPR Tour would interfere economically for myself. I would of course loved to have done a TPR tour this summer. But TPR decided to take a break off from the tours, and the past decision (and planning) to go this year worked out perfectly. Yay timing!

So we planned, saved up, bought ahead (flight, hotels, Paris apt., transport tix), and ultimately returned to the original time period we first visited the cities, in September. And we did it. For a couple of weeks. Five nights' stay in Amsterdam, five nights' stay in the city of Paris, and five nights' stay at one of The Hotels in Disney Paris, I had on my Bucket List since the resort first opened in 1992...The Sequoia Lodge Hotel. My Dream Hotel.

And, it was.

We found some changes big and small throughout our latest adventure. A few were unexpected. Others, we were well aware of.

I will try to remember these times and experiences as we go along here. No promises. It's my age, y'know?

But first, we go to Amsterdam! Unfortunately, our (mostly) free flight through our Air Miles account had a stopover - in Chicago. I hate these kinds of flights with connecting flights. I'm sure most people would rather go direct, one flight, city to city. But, through Chicago we went, and arrived the next day in Amsterdam, ready to visit new spots and favourite places. And eat rich Dutch food, too.

And - That first travel photo I posted above, was in the transfer section of Chicago O'Hare Airport.

It was some kind of Furniture Art. I wondered if the drawers actually worked?

Here's the Airline Photos everybody loves to see! And this was the second flight we took, from Chicago to Amsterdam.

Inside the plane. Bye bye Chicago.

Outside the plane...window.

Clouds. Usual stuff.

Oooo puffy clouds.

Land! I had no idea where we were by this time in the flight.

I got this odd sensation of looking down on a cemetery. On water.

Chicago, eh? I'm surprised that I haven't seen that as I have had layovers there quite a few times!

^ I haven't been to O'Hare in a couple of decades, for myself. Most of my 1970s and '80s air travel

was done on United back then, and the connections were (mostly) always through O'Hare Airport.

I was delighted to see they still had that underground "musical rainbow" thing as you traveled

under the tarmac to the connection gates building.

All the souvenirs are out of the bags now. So - much - shopping done! (o;

Wow...that's a lot of swag, Bill!

FYI...they also have one of those underground rainbow tunnels at Detroit's Metro Airport. It's like part Wizard Of Oz, part 60's hallucinogenic trip!

^ Hey, that's cool about another rainbow tunnel! Hmmmm...

With all my fanaticism about the number "3", this sounds like a perfect reason to

check it out eventually, and make up my "Rainbow Transport Triade" of sorts.

O'Hare was my first (and only one of those), and my second one turned up in.....

Japan, in Parque Espana ~ the wondrous Musical Escalator Ride?

Me, Adam and Mark with the AMAZING Musical Escalator Ride,

in Parque Espana. The TPR 2007 Japan Tour.

Sept.10/15 - We Arrive in Amsterdam - and Find an Awesome Burger!

After the flight, it was easy to get to town, with an excellent train system from Schipol Airport.

That done, we headed over to our hotel, The ANCO, for five nights' stay, and then walked around

town, to get ourselves re-aquainted with Amsterdam (it had been 8 years since our last visit), and

to be on the look out for interesting and favourite eateries.

We were not disappointed....

Yes! We want the whole enchilada! Uh....Experience! (o;

Not exactly what I considered a Dutch Experience. This was in the train station. And.... it's a franchise, too!

We find our hotel, and get our fave room of every visit there. Room #22. Canal View.

Which not only gives us a great view of Amsterdam's oldest church, Oude Kirk,

but also a view of Amsterdam's oldest....profession. The legendary Red Light District.

David is happy we got room #22...again. And it looks like it's been renovated (for the better) too.

A local boat ties up. And that's the Amsterdam City Flag there, with the 3 X's on it?

I always thought it was an odd looking flag, but hey - it's theirs and they fly it.

And our First Canal Tour Boat seen, goes by. There will be thousands to come.

Bridge between hotel buildings. Offers a bit of a balcony view of what locals do with their

backspace behind the main streets.

Really beautiful to see it in person.

Our first night out, we find a JACKPOT of flavour, right here! With the reflection of myself taking the pic, ha!

The set up is pretty cool to watch, how they put the burgers all together.

We got a little table right by the open front door. The weather was so nice, it was fine by us.

Our first view of really serious fries! And not frozen, but fresh cut, too. Not the only place

with one of these, but our first impression was....we were impressed! (o:

Oops. Got so into the meal, I totally forgot to photograph what we got, before devouring it!

No matter. Next times. (o; And since we saw huge amounts of fries coming with each burger

(it's all a la carte including more exotic condiments, etc.), we diecided to split one order of fries,

and one drink. It worked beautifully for us. and by the time our last visit happened, the locals

who worked there, knew our add-on order (the fries and drink) from sight, heh. That was cool.

After a great meal, now we're off to find a drinking establishment, to our liking.

We passed some really great architecture on the way to...

The Queen's Head. I remember it from past visits, and we both enjoyed it for our after-meal drinks.

I think she's crying, because the Disco Balls are getting more attention. I mean, a few of them spin too!

We're fed and happy. One beer and then we headed back to the hotel.

A dark kind of canal boat. Not sure, but it looks like it's rented out for groups, etc.

Saw this, by the hotel. Hope it's a peel off, if the marriage doesn't work out. Good night!

Traveling in Europe is a lot of fun. SO many cool things to see and do. Keep the report coming!.

^ Will do, Bob! But first...

I just filled out, and am about ready to post my Feedback Form to the Sequoia Lodge at Disneyland Paris Resort.

I always feel that doing this is just as important in my trip, as all the planning I do in advance of it, etc.

No matter where I/we have stayed around the world, and that includes my tours with TPR, I traditionally make it

a point to give the hotel Feedback, especially if I can write it down and leave it there. We were just a bit

too fast (read: early) in leaving Sequoia, so I grabbed the Form and brought it home to think about, and fill out properly.

Signed, sealed and (almost) delivered.... to France!

You can't go wrong with burger bars, fresh-cut fries and a nice, cold Grolsch or Heineken draft!

Looks like you had a really nice hotel with a great view too! When Michael and I went a few years ago, our travel agent booked us what was the equivalent of a hostel (or maybe it was?). While we had our own one room bedroom (very small with no window) and bath, it felt like we had gone back to college as we were above and beyond the oldest clients in the place!

We told the agent when we got back and she was very apologetic and said that she would never book her clients at the same place. While we know that hotel rooms in Europe are not big, this thing was REALLY small...but at least it was clean!

Staying at The Sequoia Lodge has been one of my Bucket List things to do,

since the Resort first opened in 1992! And stay there, if only for

a few nights. The waiting paid off, as we got five nights' stay there, and in

a really nice windowed room. With a pretty good view of Lake Disney,

if not for all those damned green TALL trees blocking some of The View.

And it didn't disappoint, for what we wanted and needed for our stay, there.

On our (hopeful) next visit, we might go for a non-lake view, as the

surrounding landscaping of the hotel grounds looked just as appealing as

Lake Disney (and beyond) did.

Also to note: The five nights were a high-scale cost to us. Over $2000 Cdn.

But this included the great room we got, the tickets for 6 days to both parks

{park hopping could happen, on our Arrival Day!}, Early Magic Morning for

a couple of hours in Discoveryland and Fantasyland. That's how we got to

repeat our Buzz Lightyear visits and improve our scores, lol! And a nice

swimming pool set up with jacuzzi, steam and sauna rooms! The whole

deal was easy to decide YES for us. And easily, not every day was spent at

The Parks. We had a nice non-parks day at the Village and the pool....

and the cozy yet HUGE bar area in the middle of the hotel.

View from the hotel's back decks, on Arrival Day, Sunday Sept.20/15.

Bill,

First, thanks for posting this TR! Second, I have a few questions for you!

Which style of room did you book? My fiancé and I are most likely going to stay at Sequoia Lodge when we're at DLP for our Honeymoon next April. Can't seem to find anything that explains the difference between the Montana and Standard Rooms. That and is the really Hotel spread out? We'd prefer to stay as close to the main building as possible.

I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions about DLP, haha.

Thanks

hey Brian ^ Thanks, and congrats on your upcoming wedding! Here's the actual link to the Sequoia Lodge I orginally used when booking the room...

http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk/hotels/disneys-sequoia-lodge/

The difference between the Montana rooms and the Standard rooms is location. Montana rooms all occupy the main building, and the two wings (South and North) attached to it. The Standard rooms are all in the Lodges, to one side of the main building, but the swimming pool and facilities are much closer to those rooms, and available for all.

I have also taken pix of and posted the overall "map" of the Sequoia Lodge they give you, when you check in. I'll explain a few spots that you may be interested in, as far as access goes, etc.

Also, we came into the hotel the "back way", meaning from the subway station and through Disney Village and around Lake Disney to get to the Sequoia. But then, this way in reverse is the way you would walk to get to the parks. Shuttle is unnessesary. And the exercise will be good, too. Not to mention what you'll see as you head to the parks.

Hope some of this helps you out.

The train station, where we came up with our bags, and headed through Disney Village to the Sequoia Lodge.

First view of the Sequoia (the "back" of it), as we wind our way around Lake Disney, to it.

The "Front" of the Lodge. Where you would be arriving, from the airport. We left this way, on the shuttle to CDG airport.

How it all looks without all the notes and stuff on it. The Main Montana Bldg. is right there, that entire centre structure.

With the wings extending out. The "Standard Rooms" are all in the Lodges section, to the right of the main bldg.

The more detailed side of the Hotel map. It looks like a lot of stuff to figure out, but it wasn't really.

The Main Building. This is the Second Floor of it, actually.The R in the middle left is your main Reception desk.

Up on the right corner, where the Bear Creek Tavern is, is where 'roughly' we were, three floors above it.

Hunters Grill and Bear Creek are on the First Floor, either side of the doors you come in, from the parks

and the Village. These are where you have a decent breakfast in your mornings at the Sequoia.

The Lodges. This is where the Standard Rooms all are. And the pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room. (o:

Looking into our room, after some time (and a delicious meal) at the Studios. We arrived from Paris

before 11 am, but check in was easy, they stored our bags, and we hit WDS immediately.

Basic beds with TONS of soft and not-so soft pillows! (o: No mini-bar or mini-fridge, though. )o:

Our view, with Tower of Terror waaaay in the background, there.

Great report so far.

I've always wanted to stay at the Sequoia Lodge, I've done a night at Newport Bay many years ago and we did 4 nights at Cheyenne earlier this year, but hopefully we'll get to stay at Sequoia for our next visit, budget permitting.

Quick question, does Sequoia Lodge have air-con? I was a little surprised to find that Cheyenne didn't, and it made for some hot nights when we were there in June. It didn't help that we had to close the window though, as there were various cheerleader squads hanging around the river outside making noise until late.

Quick question, does Sequoia Lodge have air-con? I was a little surprised to find that Cheyenne didn't, and it made for some hot nights when we were there in June.

Santa Fe and Cheyene are the only ones without airco. They only have a ceiling fan.

Consider it part of the theme.

Our room had a set level of heating in it. We tried to lower the temp. a degree or so, but it wouldn't go down

beyond a particular temperature (I believe it was 18.5'C ?). So, we figured out where the fan was in our room

(in the ceiling in front of the entry door, actually) and had it on a low setting which seemed to bring down

the temp. if only a bit. But it was enough for us. We called the front desk about adjusting the temp., but

every time we did this (and anything else we inquired about), we got someone who actually didn't know a lot

about what was going on in and with the hotel. They told us the swimming pool was closed one day, when

in fact, it was open, and until 9 pm or so.

Also, the room's main window didn't open that much, a few inches at most. But we opened it and left it open

while we were at the parks or the Village. Then came back, checked how the room was temp-wise, and either

shut the window or left it open. And if it turned into a bright sunny day (we were facing towards the sun),

housecleaning was nice enough to close our window curtains so the room wouldn't heat up, any more.

Such is life in a Disney hotel room, heh.

Another hotel room view, with a bit of fog thrown in. The morning we left, for home )o:

Day 2 in Amsterdam - Mostly window shopping, and our Thai meal.

We looked for a fave coffee shop - but found it had moved on. We found it's new location, eventually.

He wrote stuff - much revered - got a bust made.

One of our fave spots - I forget it's name.

Oh yeah. Right.

A rare sight. A parking space in Amsterdam.

Thw canal traffic is more ...congested.

Etc.

Window shopping. With a peacock and a big butt. (o;

"Hey! Aren't I supposed to be in front of some bridge or museum?"

Small ship in a big window.

Herring in a bun. Meh. It tastes better at home.

This is what I like, at home.

The Flower Market.

Wait. Floating animals??? WTF?

This reminded me of something. Can't remember what.

A franchise looms! This was all over town.

The Boutique of Cheese Shoppes!

And in another spot...

We found this and other 'stuff'.

Window outside the Christmas Palace.

Mmmm, all those feathers.

Two swans-a-swimming.

Waiting for his rental group.

David and I back at our drink place - dueling cameras.

We found Rainbow vodka! At 37 Euros a bottle!

At our Thai Restaurant, waiting for the starters.

And, they came,. And that's all I got, the food was so good, I forgot to get photos of the meal!

It's a learning process, right?

Good jazz trio, on one of the many bridges over Amsterdam canals.

Night time, and stuff still goes on.

Canal boats still go by.

And the night continues, in Amsterdam. Night night.

Day 3 in Amsterdam ~ Walibi Holland

My next day in Amsterdam was The Day to get to Walibi Holland and get my two credits from

there: X-Press, a launched coaster which is an exact clone of DisneyParis' Rock'n'Roller, but without

the building (except for the queue), and Speed of Sound, a standard Boomerang with a tunnel attached to

the reverse lift hill. (X-press was closed for maintenance, and SoS was SBNO back during TPR's 2008 Tour visit)

Both coasters were fine, but I found the queue line for X-Press longer - than I - ever - thought - possible!

Every corner I turned it seemed like a block more of queue to go through. Thankfully a lot of us hit that coaster

just as the park opened, so there was no lining up through all of this. It was basically a near walk-on.

After getting those two ridden (Ka-Ching Ka-ching!), I immediately went over to where the new coaster was

being built, and as I said before in the Walibi Holland thread, my photos of the area being prepped are now fairly

old (taken Sept.12), and much more construction is up, since my visit.

(To be continued...)

Leaving Centraal Station to a transfer train, then a bus to WH. Took nearly a couple of hours.

This is a fairly old museum we passed by.

Windmill!

On the second train, I see some coastline, which was nice.

Arrival! And even though a freeway sign said WALIBI WORLD, that's all changed now.

But it was wierd just seeing the name WALIBI up there, without HOLLAND attached.

First up, X-Press with it's seemingly never-ending queue line. Ride was good. Ka-ching #1!

Got a morning coffee, and found out for a base price, this cup was mine, with free refills all day! Cool!

But it didn't say "Walibi Holland" on it. Which was common on a lot of souvenirs at the park.

I see a wheel.

And a fountain.

La Grande Roue of WH.

And I rode Speed of Sound. Ka-ching #2! And it actually wasn't too bad a ride, either.

Bleah #1 (#2 is at Disney Paris)

First dirt shot of where the new coaster is going.

It all looked so nice and flat, back then.

Guardian of the Dirt?

On this particular wall, around the dirt.

You could look through a couple of openings here, but it was all smoke and mirrors

(minus the smoke) when you looked into them.

Workers ARE working there.

Over view.

It's going right above the "You Are Here" note on the map, there.

Dirt pile!