Disneyland Paris 2017 - Part 1

Three months later and I've finally carved some time out to get started with editing the rest of the photos from my Disneyland Paris 2017 trip. I already shared a post just of our meet and greets and two posts full of Disney Stars on Parade photography, but these are the general snaps from AM to PM.
We arrived on the night of Monday, May 1st, slept and was up sharp for our first day in the parks on Tuesday the 2nd. I'm always an early bird but we got up extra early confused by the time on our hotel easy pass meaning we got to the gates way before anyone, after having strolled through a complete ghost town-Esque Disney Village. However, that did mean we were the first people into the park. I've never been first in so it was a cool experience...apart from the when the other people behind started running down Main Street as if Walt Disney himself was standing in front of the castle or something.

We just took it all in our stride and had a slow wander in, took a few photos without hundreds of people ruining them and then got in the queue to wait for the boss' missus coming out...

So, if you read my character meet and greet post you'll know all about my emotional break down with Minnie. It was quite bad actually, the worst I've ever been with a character but I'm not gonna talk anymore about that when it's on the other post. We went straight from meeting Minnie to queue for Chip and Dale, which was another amazing meet, then quickly popped into the store when it opened to grab our photo pass and autograph books before tagging on the end of Goofy and Pluto's queue.
Weirdly there wasn't many people waiting to meet them at all and sadly they didn't have a photo pass photographer. It was yet another fab meet though and it was so cool to see Laura (my friend who I was on the trip with...duh) meeting characters for the first time. Pluto accidentally knocked her ears off when they hugged and it made a funny interaction when he picked them up and put them on his nose <3

As you'll see in between character photos - and you'll know if you've seen my 2014 and 2016 series of posts - I am obsessed with details and enjoyed taking them all in while we waited. Interesting fact is the 'Pyewacket' window is in dedication to Walt's nephew Roy Edward Disney (son of his brother, the co-founder of The Disney Company, Roy O. Disney). Pyewacket and 'capt.' are a nod at his love for sailing, his yacht actually baring the name Pyewacket. Roy was a very important part of Disney history, what with being vice chairman of The Walt Disney Company and chairman of Walt Disney Feature Animation and all! If you know of him you'll know the other important things he has done in 'saving Disney'.

I think we'll leave this part here. FYI, all the photos in this post with characters are ones not included in the meet and greet post ;)
I'm really looking forward to getting through the rest of the images I took and sharing them with you!


Catch my other Disneyland Paris 2017 posts:
Character Meet and Greets
Disney Stars on Parade pt.1 
Disney Stars on Parade pt.2

Disneyland Paris 2017 // Disney Stars on Parade pt.2

As the 'pt.2' in the title suggests, this is a follow on from this post here so be sure to check that one out first and read all about my emotional breakdown before carrying on. Done it? All caught up? Right. So at this point, I'm still doing the worst ugly cry sobbing that I ever have in public before. People around me are still confused as to what the heck is going on with me and I'm in my own little world with my eyes darting everywhere to try and take in every part of the insanely beautiful floats and costumes, through the wall of tears half obscuring my view.
Like I mention in the part 1 post as well, my photos suffered throughout the whole parade as I was trying to watch with my eyes and experience it for the first time in person, rather than through my camera. As it drew to an end the weather closed in too, darkening the photos and did I change settings? No, I did not! Ha, Either way, I am so happy to have the few shots I do have because it was one heck of a memory. Let's get into them...

I really hadn't allowed myself to see anything online about this parade before getting to see it in person, minus the dragon as it was obviously used in a lot of promotion and difficult to avoid. Therefore when the Finding Nemo/Dory float rounded the corner I was shocked at how good it was...well that it was there at all too to be fair. Always nice to see a different film get some airtime.
The dragon, although I was expecting it, did actually make me 'wow' out loud and cry even more if that was possible haha! Seeing this, even more characters acknowledged me (if you read part 1 you will know why I say 'even more'). Each one of the Princes either winked and waved or blew a kiss as they passed and that beautiful blue fairy whizzed over to ask, 'why are you crying my dear?!' to which I replied in a brilliant stutter, 'because you are all so beautiful!'. Obviously, that was true but I was mainly crying because I was overwhelmed at how truly amazing this parade was and that I was there in person, getting to see it.
Overall, I have never had a parade make such an impression on me which I was surprised about having loved the previous 2 parades so much. The only thing that could top it is if they bring Main Street Electrical Parade back. 1996 was the first and last time I saw that in person but it holds great memories. So yeah. Enough rambling, hope you liked these photos.


Catch my other Disneyland Paris 2017 posts:
Character Meet and Greets
Disney Stars on Parade pt.1