A. It couldn't!
Setting off early in the morning, catching the 40 minute train to Marne La Valle, we were a bundle of nervous, excited energy! Despite the fact that the temperature was practically below zero and felt like snow was on its way, we bundled up in as many layers of clothes as we could and kept our mind on the rides that awaited us.
Queuing up for tickets was almost unbearable, despite wearing gloves, scarves, merino's and polyprop's, we could barely feel our fingers and toes. But after purchasing our tickets (with a small discount, thanks SP) we made it through!
The first thing you see is the giant castle that is the symbol of Disneyland! We definitely weren't in Kansas anymore. The whole place is absolutely amazing, with every small detail looked into to provide the most amazing experience ever. Walking through the small village area with elaborate houses lining the streets, the shops and cafes interior bristling with people escaping the cold, the warmth and smell of fresh baking wafting out into the streets. We quickly grabbed a hot cocoa to try and bring our fingers back to life and walked down the main street to a performance taking place, with every character you can think of represented in a play type performance. There were costumes galore and even fireworks (with silent fireworks used at night, a Disneyland specialty so the neighbours can sleep). The performance was cool and definitely seemed to entertain the little ones, but I honestly had no idea what was going on. I'm not sure how Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Peter Pan and Cinderella can all be together, but hey, its Disneyland, you can do anything.
We went through the gates to all the rides and were overwhelmed, so many rides!! As truly flabbergasted and excited tourists, we did what any sensible person would do, went on the first ride we came across. It just so happened to be a Snow White ride and after waiting in the queue for only about 15 minutes and getting more and more amped as time passed, we soon realised it was a ride for toddlers and despite being in a cart with a group of under 5's, we had fun. Ride #1: check!
After out first ride experience completed we decided to consult the map and headed straight for the 'not to be missed' rides. Big mistake. The second ride was called Indiana Jones and after waiting in line for about 30 minutes, it was only until the last 5 minutes that you are able to see the actual ride. Not good. With only a couple of people in front of us and no opportunity to back out (if not simply for the embarrassment of walking back along the line past everyone, which I would soon find out would become a common problem) the ride's path became visible. Mid-excitement for a nice ride, the ride hurtled past on the little track and went down a ginormous drop followed by a gravity defying 360 loop. My only thoughts: oh shit.
With no way of backing out, I was forced to put my life in my hands and say goodbye. Well at least that's how it felt. It was pretty scary, I'm not gonna lie. I have never been on a ride that goes upside down before and so to feel that pressure on your shoulders and knowing your upside down (even though I had my eyes closed..) was just the strangest feeling. I'm so glad I went on it but little did I know that things were only going to get worse...
Other rides we went on made Indiana Jones look like a carousel ride.
The Finding Nemo ride has a name that does not signify the terror it causes. Lining up with lots of kids, despite the ride being labelled in the scary section on the map, we were lulled into a false sense of security. Not being able to see the ride is never a good thing, an judging the ride by the people's faces who get off is not accurate. It began by sweeping round a huge bend and then going up a step hill. It pauses at the top of the hill (for those going backwards ie. me, you are faced with a steep drop down and while waiting for about one minute, you assume you are going back down it) but all of a sudden the ride takes off at an unbelievable speed and hurtles through the most confusing maze of tracks ever (I noticed for the split second I forced my eyes were open). The cart you're in spins as you go through the track and so you're never really sure where you're actually headed. This makes for a particularly scary ride but incredibly fun. No loops but plenty of terror.
We went on dozens of rides and managed to get to all the 'not to be missed' ones that were open (Thunder Mountain was unfortunately closed). I think I nearly wet myself on every ride. And no, I'm not joking. One ride called 'Rock'n'Roller Coaster' sounded harmless enough, a rollercoaster to the beat of Aerosmith. Until you wait in the queue and all you can hear is screaming and all you can see is the rollercoaster take off and what seems faster than the speed of light. It was terrifying but so much fun at the same time. When I was brave enough to open my eyes all I could see was light formations that make you think you're in outer space or some kind of inter-galactic world. It was pretty amazing.
We ended the night at Space Mountain which was my favourite ride. It was incredibly scary (so much so, I couldn't even find my voice to scream) but it was really well done with all the lights. It was so fast and so crazy that I had no idea when I was upside down, sideways, doing corkscrews or what. It felt like your body was being pulled in every direction all at once and was simply the coolest feeling. After doing so many rollercoasters you come to love the feeling!
While waiting for Space Mountain, one of our group, W, saw a guy he knew working there and after they got talking he told us to follow him and he would sneak us in the back entrance of a ride! It was cool. I felt pretty special. Special, because we went through the disabled entrance and down a long corridor and opened the door to find ourselves at the front of the queue and we were able to walk past the long queue of people waiting and seat ourselves nicely at the front of the ride! Merci!
We decided to try and rush to one last ride as the park was beginning to close but got completely lost. Instead we decided to try and find a place selling waffles but stumbled on the Peter Pan ride we were looking for!
After the ride, we walked back through the park in the dark, the park lit up by magical lights everywhere, making it seem like a Fantasyland (incidentally, one of the names of the parks). The castle and all the buildings were lit up with millions of lights and it was amazing to walk back through what looked like a completely different place!
We caught the train home, starving and exhausted, but unbelievably happy after what has got to be one of the best days in my life.
Walt Disney, je t'adore.
