Disneyland Paris 34th Announcements & Our Disney Adventure World Experiences

Ash: That's it for this episode, thank you for listening. If you're enjoying the podcast, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcast. Hello everyone, I'm Ash.

Holly: And I'm Holly and you're listening to...

Ash: Arcades and avenues.

Holly: If you want updates from us in between episodes, can follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube on arcades and avenues. And we'll see you in the next one.

Ash: Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Arcades and Avenues, podcast dedicated to Disneyland Paris where we look at the latest news happening in the parks as well as taking a fun look at what makes Disneyland Paris unique. I'm Ash and I'm with my co-pilot as always, Holly. How's it going?

Holly: Good! How are you?

Ash: Good, good, good, thank you. ⁓ for the ones watching YouTube, if you can why we've got these party hats on for the ones listening, we are wearing party hats and we've even got party blowers. Are they blowers or are they horns? What are we calling them? Party horns.

Holly: or what were they called in Asda?

Ash: my gosh, what they were called in Asda were outrageous. They... ⁓ absolutely outrageous. ⁓ were called... Blowouts, was it. I tried to basically ⁓ purge it from my mind, but yeah, they were called blowouts. That was even ⁓ But yeah, and the reason ⁓ why we're wearing party hats and why we've party horns...

Holly: I'm

Ash: is because as we record this it is the 34th anniversary for Disneyland Paris so happy birthday Disneyland Paris!

Holly: Are you still laughing at my flaccid party horn?

Ash: It needs some good old tink there.

Holly: It's got a nice show, innit? I'm putting it away now. Grow up!

Ash: ⁓ goodness! ⁓ gosh, yes. ⁓ And people will ask, Holly, is Ash always like this? Does he take everything as a joke? And is he mature? Yeah.

Holly: Go on, Keith. Yeah, he does. that's why he's my friend! I'm much better!

Ash: Yes. Yes. ⁓ But yeah, it is Disneyland Paris ⁓ birthday and as we speak today, they are announcing a lot of news and updates and infos that we'll get into soon. ⁓ But let's have a little catch up first. What's been going on in your life?

Holly: I mean, aside from DLP, which will obviously that's the topic of this pod, our trips to DLP. Not a lot. It's been Easter. Did you have a good Easter? I mean, you was in the park, so.

Ash: Yeah. I did. mean, yeah, yeah, I was. Yeah, I had very good Easter, actually. The blessed Easter buddy at Disneyland Paris. Of course, how you should always spend your times of worship in the Pig Castle. ⁓ Yeah, but what more could you ask for? But that was it. You just had a good Easter. There was nothing else that was going on.

Holly: Using the pump. Yeah. Amen. I mean. There's nothing really else to report because Easter weekend I'd just done a bunch of stuff. So we had like a food festival that comes around every Easter week, bank holiday weekend, and then again in October and we had family come down and we went to the food festival, which was really nice. I actually, I normally get the same stuff whenever I go there. There's normally like the same vendors. But this time I had something different. I had Schwalmer, which was nice. Very much enjoyed that.

Ash: in particular. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, Shorma, yeah, he can't be a bit Shorma. Can't be a bit Shorma. Nice. Yeah.

Holly: No, it was lovely. And then, yeah, we went to the cinema and saw the Mario Galaxy movie, which I very much enjoyed as well. And it was Birdie's first time to the cinema. So other than that, it's been nothing else to report, really.

Ash: Yeah, nice. What have I been up to? I joined a stand-up course.

Holly: Love at you. day

Ash: Yeah, I generally join a stand-up course. Yeah, stand-up comedy. ⁓ It's something that I've always, you know me, ⁓ comedy is like my life almost. And it's always something that I've loved. Like some of my heroes have been stand-up comedians just because of how they can take something and make it.

Holly: What's it like comedy? That's good, I'm interested, tell me more. Yeah.

Ash: so funny and just like it's a skill. And I've been putting it off and Asya's like, no, I'll get you a course for your birthday so that you can do it. And I've always, I always try to do something that scares me. I think that's probably why I've been putting it off. So I'll like, okay, this will be the thing that scares me for the year is to actually do it. So I started recently ⁓ and it's been

Holly: Yeah. Yeah. How'd it go?

Ash: It was alright, a lot of writing, a lot of trying to find your voice and whatnot and coming up with different ways to think of jokes but I've got what, five, six weeks of it now so I'll let you know. At the end of it I have to perform, I have to do an actual set in a comedy club. You can but I wouldn't recommend it.

Holly: Can I come and have, can I come and watch? Can I come and heckle? Can I be the heckler?

Ash: Yeah, get out of the way. Yeah, let me bomb straight away. Get all the shit out of the way so that I know that this is not for me and I'll be done. But yeah, that's basically, yeah, that's true. That's true. Fail fast. That's what Stephen Bartlett says. Order that inspirational bullshit that he comes out with. So yeah, that's basically, yeah, I'm doing that. It's fun actually. It's fascinating. I've been reading

Holly: Yeah No, call the exposure therapy! Yeah.

Ash: so many books on it. I've got this, I've got this one. I've got this one. I've got all of this and I'm saying this one and this one for listeners. It's basically joke writing books. Really he's what I'm showing on the screen. But yeah. So, ⁓ yeah, there we are. I'll let you know how goes. But yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Let's see. Let's see. I could

Holly: Nice. Ha! amazing Yeah. That's super cool though,

Ash: what will most likely happen fail spectacularly and then that will be it and I just carry on with my life or it could turn into a fruitful hobby and I'm going out on the circuit love gotta bash out a few shows go to the buffringe or something like that I dunno I doubt it though I hope for the right reasons ⁓ and not for the wrong reasons but yeah

Holly: We'll remember this conversation when you make it. Yeah, yeah and then okay I'm just gonna put it out there now I may be looking for a new co-host in 2027 because Ash will be on the road on his comedy tour

Ash: We definitely will remember it. Yeah. Gah, bonics. Yeah, all right. I would manage your expectations, let's put it that way. I manage your expectations, but yeah.

Holly: Listen, I'll be your hype woman and your heckler.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, you probably could be the agent, actually.

Holly: I'll do that as well. Evan, I wish you'd drink to me, I like me very good.

Ash: ⁓ Well there we go, agent and shit comedian so two peas in a pod really innit?

Holly: There we go. Dynamic duo. HEEH!

Ash: ⁓ dear. But yeah, that's it. That's really what's been going on in my life. A lot be going on in Disneyland Paris for the news. But before we go on to the news, we'd like to say this is now our seventh episode and we do them monthly. So has it been six months? Seven months. When did we actually start this? ⁓ yeah, that's true.

Holly: Done. It is. Well we did the beta episode, didn't we? We started with the beta episode, which we didn't know if we was ever going to publish, but we did. So technically it's the eighth, but we started it in, let's say September, before anyone else knew about it. So yeah, six, seven months. Maybe eight months. We've been working on it for about a year. The pod, haven't we?

Ash: Yeah. Yeah. That's good, that's good. Yeah, we have, It's been a long time coming. We put a lot of effort into it. We're going back and forth. And we're always going through, trying to basically make sure that we put out the best product that we can. ⁓ Not just ⁓ for the love of it or the passion, but obviously to make sure that it's worthwhile for guys listening and watching on YouTube. And for the ones that are listening and watching, we really do appreciate it. And we've started to get reviews coming as well, which is nice. So, ⁓ one... Yeah,

Holly: We have. Do you want to read one and then I read one?

Ash: ⁓ ⁓ ⁓ yeah, ⁓ here are that we've got. We've got one from Happy Tom that says, easy to listen to and informed podcasts plus some humor along the way. What's not to love? So love that. Thank you so much, Tom. I really appreciate that.

Holly: Tom and we have another one from Alex S which says good conversations Holly and Ash are great conversationists and super fun thank you for doing this podcast and thank you Alex for leaving us a review

Ash: Yeah, thank you so much Alex. yeah, for ones that are listening, keep the reviews going and honest. ⁓ What you like to see? ⁓ What we do better? We take all on board and try and do what is for the arcade ⁓ and avenues brand podcast as well as for the ones that are listening and watching.

Holly: We did actually get another five star review on Apple, but I think what's happened, because I can't see any text, it says we got three reviews, but I could only read two. So I think what's happened is someone's just left us a rating rather than a review, but that's also fine. If you don't feel like sharing anything, that's also fine. It helps out a great deal. So thank you very much. Whoever did that. I don't know who you are.

Ash: Yeah, thank you so much. really appreciate that. Let's get into the news.

Holly: we just take a moment to... So today being Disneyland Paris' birthday and there being an announcement shindig going on, about a week and a half ago I said to Ash, there's going to be announcements on the day we're recording and he went, where the bloody hell are you seeing this? And I said, I've definitely seen something somewhere. Then I proceeded to spend an hour

Ash: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Holly: going through all my Instagram likes, all my TikTok likes, all my Twitter likes, searching the web, only for there to be no trace of it anywhere. And at one point, Ash convinced me I was insane.

Ash: I mean, that still holds up. She is insane. But for other reasons. But for other reasons.

Holly: I am. I am well. Right. But then yesterday, lo and behold! Announcements everyone. Announcements. They're coming tomorrow on Sunday. And I'm like, either I'm psychic, but the funniest thing about it is I actually, saw this post and I read it aloud to my fiance and I kept saying to my fiance, you remember me telling you about this, right? And he was like, yeah, I think I scared him a little bit. So when it was announced yesterday, and honestly, at one point I thought I was either insane or psychic.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Holly: or I'd been duped by a bad April Fool. But no, it was a thing and me and Ash kind of came to the conclusion that someone announced it when they shouldn't have and it was swiftly taken down. Just promising the start of the news that we've had so far today with my story of me being insane. Carry on.

Ash: Yeah, that's probably what's happened. Yeah. Fun fact, Holly was the one that was on the plane shouting that something was horrible back at the back of the plane.

Holly: That mother f***er is not-

Ash: That is not real. Yeah. what Holly was going through. It was ⁓ experience. ⁓

Holly: THAT IS NOT REAL! Yeah, you were telling me it's not real and I was like, it is! I've seen it! I've read it! I saw it somewhere! I promise you that there's gonna be announcements today! Ash added it to our Instagram I literally messaged him almost instantly. I wasn't hallucinating! I was, right?

Ash: ⁓ Yeah, you was right. You was not hallucinating. So yeah, the ⁓ that has been drip fed ⁓ we speak today while we Number one was Plaza Gardens being refurbished. ⁓ So it's gonna go through a major refurbishment.

Holly: Anyway.

Ash: in terms of even the tiles on the floors, everything is going to have a new look. It's expected to still be ⁓ character dining. So it will be character dining when it comes back. So operationally it will still be the same, but in terms of how it looks and the updates and everything, that's all going to change. And it's ⁓ to come back early 2027, right? From what I've seen the report. So yeah.

Holly: That's right.

Ash: Yeah, there we go. For fans of Plaza Gardens, are you excited? not really much of a... Yeah. You you wasn't much of a Plaza Gardens fan, but could you be converted?

Holly: I might be now. Well, I went once pre-character dining. I went once in, I to say 2014, and I just remember like the floor was sticky and the tables were sticky and it not being a pleasant dining experience. So I will actually, for science, go back when it opens next year.

Ash: Yeah. Yeah. And also for Chipetto, because again, you're a massive Chipetto fan.

Holly: Obviously. Huge. Actually that would be fun. Shall we take bets now? Will Geppetto and Pinocchio still be in Plaza Gardens when it reopens in 2027? Probably. Number one character. Well they had him at the back of Fantasyland when I was there, like hidden away by Casey Jr, like right in the back corner.

Ash: What? Yeah, of course, of course, why not? Where else are they gonna go? Yeah, I wonder what's happening with them because yeah, that's true actually. Yeah, yeah, that's true. But like the whole attraction has been refurbed with the roof and now they've got nowhere to go for Plaza Gardens. I usually only see them. Yeah, yeah, I usually see them there or Fantasyland just like outside of Bella Notch or that's usually where they are. But other than that, so yeah, that is is. ⁓ yeah, yeah. Got to get enough of Chipetto, can ya?

Holly: Hmm. I've got to stick him somewhere. Hmm. They stick him in the parade. Don't know, they always shoehorn him in the parade somewhere. I do! You will enjoy Geppetto, he's gonna be everywhere! Whether you like it or not, Slowly. When we see Geppetto merch slowly taking over, that's when we'll know.

Ash: Yeah. Chepetto is the new Stitch. Get this chipotle mustache. Chipotle mustache.

Holly: People walking around with Geppetto fleeces. Geppetto is... or like a little wussy bitch!

Ash: The glasses with the mustache you on

Holly: Yeah, a fake nose. We're only fucking 10 minutes into recording this and I'm already crying.

Ash: ⁓ gosh. I'd be all over that. mean, say what you want about DLP merch, but that is a banger. is. That's a banger. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. ⁓ gosh. Disney glamour. Eat your heart out. right.

Holly: you 20 euros. Right, the second news item that out this morning ⁓ lots of celebrations to be announced. So ⁓ I believe the one was ⁓ a Star Wars celebration. From May 4th to May 24th, there's going to be meet and greets with Manda and Grogu. And there's going to be BDX droids as well. I believe that will be in Discoveryland. Then there's going to be a Stitch, a few days revolving around Stitch. I can't remember the exact date, 23rd through to the 27th. 24th to the, late June.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, stitch day. 24, four, yeah, yeah, late, late, late June, I think.

Holly: Yeah, so there'll be Stitch and Angel and celebrations around that. There'll also be during the summer a kind of Pixar event where you'll be able to walk around the parks and look out for little pizza planet trucks, which actually I think that's quite cool. Everything else of this, I mean the Star Wars thing, I'd love to be able to go for May for that, but it's just not on the cards. the Pixar pizza planet sort of scavenger hunt looks quite fun. I'm actually think that's quite a good idea. there's been no date release for that, but I believe it's to run throughout the summer. ⁓ And lastly, Princess Week. Do you have the dates for that, Ash?

Ash: So Princess Week from what I see from DLP report and everyone reporting on it is going to be happening around ⁓ August 16th to the 22nd. So, ⁓ yeah, and yeah, everybody knows. Nor have I, but it seems to be popular, I suppose. yeah. you know what? ⁓ like...

Holly: Okay, Princess Week. I've never been to Princess Week before. It does seem too popular.

Ash: Good. Like keep doing things. Don't just like... Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

Holly: Yeah, it's a bit of fun, isn't it? I think the little mini celebrations always bring a little something to the parks outside of the major holidays such as Halloween, Christmas. There's only two major ones that I've just reeled off, but it's nice to have they got little things throughout the year that they do. I just wish they'd bring back swinging to spring, but that's a whole other topic that I'll ramble about for a long time. So moving on, the Alice in Wonderland.

Ash: Yeah. Yeah, exactly.

Holly: Yeah, the Alice in Wonderland BMX show is going to be returning but not until Spring 2027.

Ash: I don't know.

Holly: It is weird. Like, I can't really speak on it because I've never, I've never taken the time out to see that show because it's just not a bit of me. But I actually, if those of you who don't follow us on Instagram, and you should, we made a bingo card and I put on there that of guesses of what the announcements will be today and on there I put that Alice Miyamek show is back. Oh no. And out so far the announcements, two out of three of the things I've guessed have been correct. And it's, don't know if it's good thing or if it's worrying because I kind of wrote them down as jokes so we'll see how it pans out.

Ash: Yeah, I mean, is like the jokes do have truth into it. Do know what mean? And so, you know, yeah, yeah, And it was, was, was funny to see that some of them actually are coming true. ⁓ Alice in Wonderland show. ⁓ have seen it. I the family and we came out going, all right. ⁓ Like, ⁓ what was that Like,

Holly: you Yeah, they're believable. Believable jokes. Yep. It's alright.

Ash: It was really weird. It's like a mixture of Disney Junior and Disney XD, those two channels where you had like, yeah, it's supposed to be a stunt show, but it's very like infantilizing as well. It's like, this is the Alice in the Wonderland show. Like, is this for like all age groups? What is this about? And then two minutes later, you'll have

Holly: Isn't it a stunt show? It's never appealed to me, I'll be honest.

Ash: Queen of Hearts, like, yeah, it's the Queen of Hearts. And then there'll be rock and then there'll be fire and there'll be BMX. I'm like, it doesn't know what it is. It's, I mean, yeah, it's okay. I'm not a major fan of it. I saw it once and that was enough, but I don't think you would care about it to be honest with you. Yeah, yeah. But I get why they're doing it still. They have to have something just to keep. Do you know what I mean? Even if it's for the sake of helping guest flow there.

Holly: Woo! Okay. Yeah, I think I'll pass. I'll pass. It's a massive space, isn't it? Mmm.

Ash: like let's just get whoever we can get to go on and watch that for 20 minutes to ease off crowding in, campus or ⁓ World of you know, whatever. ⁓ There's still lot of people that haven't seen it. So whatever gets them into seeing it, I suppose. But yeah, as just... put out this podcast and recorded, they've announced ⁓ Sequoia as well to be opening up the first phase ⁓ early next year. There's been some concept art that's been released, which look really, really nice. ⁓

Holly: Yep. The of the bedrooms which look good is a massive improvement.

Ash: Yeah, it is. It looks a lot more classier and just less tackier. And yeah, I'm all here for it. I'm all here for it. So well done for Sequoia Lodge getting their act together with that. ⁓ VIP section has now been introduced ⁓ at Cascades of Light for Dizzy Adventure World. So what was once a place that was free to...

Holly: It does. Mm-hmm. Okay.

Ash: view just in front of ⁓ Regal View restaurant that is now a VIP section which they are charging 24 euros I believe which a of bit of piss take but again it is is a Disney park so they are gonna charge stuff like that but I don't understand charging so much for a show that supposedly has views 360 right like why why charge so much

Holly: Right, this is what I was about to say. mean, obviously we'll get on to like Cascades and Adventure Bay, but I would really be interested to see just if people buy them. I mean, I can imagine people will, first timers who don't know what to expect, but I just feel like there is literally zero need for a, you know, a premier viewing area for Cascades personally. Yeah.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, Mm.

Holly: That's all I have say on that really. just think that it, mean, Disney are going to do it because they offer it for all the other shows and prides. So they're obviously going to, they're obviously going to offer it, but I just wonder how popular it'll be.

Ash: Yeah. Yeah. They're gonna do it. They're gonna do it. But 24 euros, I think is crazy. what? If you're gonna do

Holly: Isn't that the same as what they charge for a tail?

Ash: Yeah, I think so. I think so. But I can understand for tales a bit, like you're at a premium part out front of the castle where the cascades, that's not, I just think it's slightly different.

Holly: Mm. Yeah. Yeah. You're not gaining anything from paying that 24 euros. You might get a bit wet.

Ash: Yeah, no, not significantly more than anyone. Yeah, exactly. Not significantly more than anyone that's sitting just around the corner on the, do you know what mean? Whereas opposed to Tales of Magic, you are at a premium spot and if the further you're going back, the further, you know, I mean, sure, you will see the projections on Main Street, which is my favourite thing of it personally, but ⁓ you know, drones and...

Holly: Yeah. Yeah.

Ash: Upcoming to the castle is kind of where its drawer is or the drones they've got rid of so who knows now what they're gonna charge for it but yeah. I thought that was just interesting. Yeah, yeah.

Holly: It'll still be the same. You know, it is interesting. It is interesting. I don't think they'll change the cost of it just because they've removed the drones, which... But... Yeah. Yeah. If you're going to Disneyland Paris for the first time and you're about to go to... Or you're going to see Adventure Way for the first time, me and Ash would say save your money. Save your coin. You don't need the... reserve viewing area for cascaded lights. Yeah, skip it.

Ash: you don't. No. You don't. You don't. Let's go to the main topic of the pod. It's our full review of Dizzy Adventure World and to give a bit of context Holly went during the annual past previews and saw the expansion for herself and then I went the week after during

Holly: I did.

Ash: the Easterbank holiday weekend and saw it for myself. thoughts is that ⁓ more positive than it is negative. I think we're agreed with that. But what we're going to do, because ⁓ quite big in itself just to talk about everything, ⁓ we're gonna go bit by bit just so that we can give each ⁓ and its section its due. ⁓

Holly: 100 %

Ash: and it helps us to kind of collate our thoughts on that. yes, let's go with general thoughts, first of all, just two sentences. I thought it's beautiful, I love it, it's sorely what the park needs, and I'm loving the potential of where it can go in the future.

Holly: Yeah, I agree. The one thing I think shocked me the most as I was walking in was the size of everything but even though I've seen it in pictures like the little lake where Rapunzel is was bigger. I think my first initial impression was the soundtrack. I love the soundtrack and Disney Now Power said release it this week. You can listen to it on anywhere you want to stream your music. And I've had it repeat ever since. So that was the first thing for me, I think, was how big everything is. And the soundtrack was music to my ears, quite literally, when I walked in.

Ash: Yeah, it's beautiful. It is beautiful. Yeah. So let's go. Bit by bit, well let's start with Rapunzel ride slash gazebo performance. What are your thoughts on that? Did you see it? ⁓ Just general, general things.

Holly: I didn't see the gazebo where Rapunzel and Flynn are doing like a little shin dig with some live music. I didn't catch that at all. And it's weird because I saw pretty much everything else that Adventure World had to offer, but I didn't catch that. But in terms of the Rapunzel ride, I was a bit like a negative Nellie before going thinking, oh, it's just another teacup, it's just another teacups. But actually I have to say, I mean I think it makes a difference of what time of day that you ride it. I rode it in the night time and I rode it the once and I really liked it. I think the theming, the soundtrack, like the actual ride soundtrack is amazing. Like the details are incredible and yeah, of course it's just like a spinning teacups but It's the overall emotion so it gets you feeling. Do you know what I mean? Like when you ride a ride, the music and all the details makes it for me. My only, I say negative, my only criticism is the cycle is very, short. Like the ride cycle is extremely short. What about you?

Ash: Yeah, same. ⁓ So the gazebo, I love the look of the gazebo. I didn't really see the performance. did see ⁓ sitting for it, but I didn't actually, ⁓ the performance, whether it ⁓ finished or it was about to start. I had to go places, so I didn't really catch when they were performing. Yeah, ⁓

Holly: Yes. He had to be somewhere.

Ash: and what I saw was that it was just level ground, there was no ascension, so that would have been good to have because people would just be sitting in the way of everyone if it was like that. I do like that they've got that there because it adds to the street-mosphere ⁓ I will go ⁓ about ⁓ a bit later. The whole ⁓ ⁓ ⁓ little lake with the

Holly: Yeah. ⁓ yeah.

Ash: with the boat I like. think just that whole bit of walking around and getting to the ride is really good. They didn't just make it like, here's a ride, go on it or don't. It was like, here's leading to it. just, I thought it was really, really lovely. They got a nice little purple gazebo that you could take a photo in, which I did. And yeah, the ride is really good. I liked it as far as a spinning ride goes.

Holly: Yeah. Mmm. Yeah.

Ash: You're definitely right. I think it's much more impactful at night. It's much more magical. But yeah, it was at least what a minute, probably two minutes and it was done. And I thought that was quite short. No, that's true. That's true. I went on it. I arrived about three, four, 4pm and we checked in, our stuff out.

Holly: I wouldn't even give it 10 minutes, I like I was on it 30 seconds.

Ash: I like to get everything out in terms of packing straight away, went to eat at a restaurant and then by the time we were like done it was like seven, eight o'clock and then we went into the parks and that time it was night and the ride was five minutes walk on, it was literally a walk on and I didn't understand how it had such a very swift, I couldn't understand if it was packed.

Holly: Yeah. Yeah.

Ash: and you just want to churn as many people out so that everyone gets a go on the ride. But I was like, is this it? Especially if there's no one here, how is it so quick? And my older two just came off and literally went around and went back on a ride again. like, didn't really even, couldn't even sink, I couldn't even sink in the ride because it was just too quick. So I went back, yeah, so yeah, that's one thing.

Holly: It's one thing. rant backgrounds. I don't blame them. Yeah, I'm hoping that's something that Disneyland Paris can change because I'm not without going into too much of like the other things the park like the capacity for the rides isn't great but it also isn't terrible so I think if I'm remembering correctly that Rapunzel's Tangled Spin can take about a thousand people per hour and I've not yet seen it with a long wait other than like maybe opening day of the day after. So I think you could slightly increase that ride cycle a little bit just so because you do sort of think, we're getting off again now. I think from start to finish it may be like a minute, maybe slightly longer. But I think it could be increased just slightly. That's my only criticism. I love everything about it. It's so much more than a teacup spinner if you ride it at night, personally. But yeah, I think the ride cycle needs to be improved. increase just slightly not crazy not really long but yeah.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, no, I agree. I agree. But, ⁓ generally I think it's good. I like that because you can't just rely on lands, right? You've got World of Frozen, you've got Lion King, there's going to be another one that they're going to, you know, announce soon. But there needs to be other things to whet the appetite, so to speak, instead of just...

Holly: Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Ash: having barren land and you're walking from one land to another. These things like Rapunzel and like the upper ride that will soon be opening will tie in together. So I'm glad that they've got that. It's better that it be in there than not be in there.

Holly: It's kinetics as well. need that. You know, is it what you say, Yeah. ⁓

Ash: Yeah, kinetic energy, exactly. So, hearing the rides, hearing the screams, the laughter in the backgrounds, that's what makes the kinetic energy tie it all together. And if you don't have that, it's very... And this is my major gripe, despite how much I love it, with Galaxy's Edge.

Holly: Yeah. Yeah. Alright, Kari.

Ash: is that it's a beautiful land, it's expansive, but there's hardly any kinetic energy because both rides are indoors, they're dark rides, so you don't hear the yeah, the joy, the laughter and the rides, you know, it's just Star Wars bricks around, do you know what mean? So that's good that they've got that right. Let's go into Adventure Way. And when we say Adventure Way, we mean...

Holly: Yes. Yeah.

Ash: all of that, the way you walk through, walking, basically the walking areas, anything that is not a land that is known as Adventure Way. think, personally, ⁓ ⁓ the hype for World of Frozen, which it deserves ⁓ some respects, ⁓ think that Adventure Way is the most important part of this expansion. ⁓

Holly: Mm. Yes. I agree.

Ash: And I can't, I can't, you know, overestimate or even underestimate because it shouldn't be underestimated how important this is because this is the connective tissue to the whole land. And it makes a big difference how you feel about a theme park, you know, going to the main park, you know, Discovery Arcade or Liberty Arcade isn't the biggest

Holly: Yeah.

Ash: things of Disneyland Park. Probably isn't even the biggest things out of Main Street, but because it connects you to different lands and it's part of a fabric of how you get to and from each place, it is a main integral part and without it, it would feel very, very different, probably less as magical. So Adventure Way in the way that it connects you to... Liking, soon to be liking, Frozenland, the restaurant, it's important. It's really, really important. And they've got it down to a T in my humble opinion. It's not finished, of course, obviously. And that's fine. We know that it's in its growing stages yet, but for what they've got right now, I think it's off to a great start. I walked in there,

Holly: No.

Ash: Well, when I walked in there for the first time it was at night and that's when, because we just drove we ⁓ in at night, we went to Rapunzel as I mentioned ⁓ ⁓ wanted to see Frozen at night and while it was not quiet, because usually in evening it's not quiet ⁓ ⁓ was it. But like properly soaking it in the next day we went in in the day and we saw ⁓ You know, jugglers straight away. I'm hearing drummers in the background. I'm like, what's going on? I'm seeing these cast members drumming and having that people lining up to get the food. I came across a French mime, know, opening the door. Yeah, he was amazing. He was so good. Yeah, maybe he had an off day.

Holly: Mime! I saw the mime, you had a better mime. Your mime was way better than mine. Because, the guy who did it on the preview days, he was a shit mime. I was like filming him, waiting to do stuff and he just kept waving at me. And I was like, do the, you know, the boxing and then you go and then you get a different mime who's going, doing the traditional mime in a glass box.

Ash: Yeah. Yeah, but you gotta understand now, mate. I am a big street-masphere person. They knew I was coming. ⁓ the pull that order stops. They knew, look, Ash is coming. You know what he's like about the street-masphere. Get Jerry. Get Jerry the mime. He's a top one. He'll impress him. And I was impressed. I was impressed. I was definitely impressed because again,

Holly: Yes, I will. Right. They pulled out all the stops for you. Yeah. What? Get me Paris' finest mime!

Ash: That's what weaves it all together and I can see that they're trying, they're trying to make the most out of what little is there, essentially, because there isn't, there's a lot, obviously, it's an expansion, twice the size of what it is now, but what it's offering isn't as much, which is fine because again, it is, it's still going through the stages, but...

Holly: Yeah. Yeah.

Ash: Adding all of that stuff really just show that they are thinking about helping and expanding the guest experience. So I really appreciated that. really did appreciate that. The music, as you said, is just beautiful. It really, really is beautiful. I had to take a step back to kind of gather myself because it was just... It really does tug on the heartstrings, man. It's just such a beautiful ⁓ area. when I, in the previous episode, looking at the... the water, the lake. And I was like, this is so massive. Why have they made it so big? And it is big, but it's not as big as what it looks like. think, know what I mean? Everything looks.

Holly: ⁓ really? I'm thinking back and thinking, I thought it was bloody massive.

Ash: Did you think it was massive? I don't know, I'm comparing it.

Holly: Well, not like... If you compare it to like... I don't know what I'm comparing... ⁓ well I haven't been to Epcot in very long time.

Ash: Epcot. Because it could like you couldn't you couldn't do you couldn't do a lap around Epcot Lake but you could do it in Disney Adventure World. You could easily do a lap around. Like I could see them if they was to bring back there was to bring back what is it the Marathons Disney run whatever if I could see them having a route which would be around there like easily. ⁓

Holly: Yeah, okay, right. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's, I'll put it this way, it's large. Yeah, yeah.

Ash: And actually to tell you about Epcot, do know what it reminds me of? Adventure Way. It reminds me of, you've, I mean, you have been to Epcot, even though it's been a while ago. You've been to Epcot, right? So you know around that. And you've been to Disneyland Resort, Anaheim. And it reminds me of DCA and Epcot. they had a love child together. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Holly: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. You're gonna say what I was gonna say. Mind you, picks up here. Yeah.

Ash: Like if they come together like, okay, let's bring out DCA, let's bring out Epcot. This is what Disney Adventure World, know, or Adventure Way is gonna look like. And I'm smitten.

Holly: I agree, I agree so hard. Because also, I mean, there's other things like, I agree with everything you've said, you did have more street-mosphere than us though on the previews. Like we didn't have the like accordion or like the music box guy, we didn't have the jugglers, we didn't have the drummers either. So I just hope that all of these things stay. That's all I'm going to say on that. I loved all the street-mosphere. Did you see Minis Marching Band?

Ash: ⁓ really? Yeah, yeah. I didn't see many of my friends band unfortunately, no. was at the time, we just banded ⁓

Holly: See, I somehow caught it like six times in one day in the short amount of time that I was there on the preview. I saw like nearly every performance.

Ash: I just didn't catch it. ⁓ Although, I mean, I know what it looks like and ⁓ maybe it's a popular opinion, but I don't think it really needs many. I just think they could just do.

Holly: No it doesn't need Minnie. Minnie, love ya. It just needs the marching band, to be honest. I'm there for the song. I'm there for the bangers.

Ash: Just, yeah, just do the marching band, just do, yeah. Just do, do know what mean? Like Disneyland The Disneyland band is one of my favourite parts ⁓ Disneyland. Like, that's how geeky I am when it comes to it because it's just such a great, great addition. ⁓ that's how they should do it.

Holly: Yeah. Although when I was in California, they did have characters, but I don't know if it's for the 70th, like during the Disneyland band, would also be in amongst the band, there would be characters. It would be like the gang, do you know what mean? Like the Fab Five or whatever, they would have them there. But again, I was there for the band.

Ash: ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah. They do that sometimes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's really good. ⁓ But yeah, anymore.

Holly: But what I was going say was, the way you say it, I completely agree you are right, is like a combination of Pixar Pier and Epcot, especially when I think of Pixar Pier and you've got the Incredicoaster and the Mickey's Fun Wheel in front of you, it's tiered. And that is something I wasn't expecting of Adventure Way, that it is tiered all the way around with plenty of seating.

Ash: Yeah.

Holly: And that I think is fabulous. And I'll get onto why later on when we talk a bit more in depth about it, but it is tiered all around the lake. if you want it to just, I could actually spend an afternoon walking around Adventure Way, Adventure Bay and sit with a snack, take in the soundtrack and just sit there and people watch. I think it is perfect for that.

Ash: Yeah, it is. I think a criticism that I did have, is that ⁓ needs lot more shelter. ⁓ There isn't much shelter ⁓ there. They've got those archways. ⁓

Holly: ⁓ my god, yeah. There's none.

Ash: where you're coming into, they could just easily make them glass or Plexiglas or whatever. So I think that is something that they need to add ⁓ I think it would have been good to have a big shop in there.

Holly: Mm-hmm. Yeah, rather than the stores. Yeah.

Ash: more than the store you've got like you've got a a shop in world of frozen and another store there where you could get and ⁓ really yeah it was quiet enough at the time when i went but ⁓ i just i think there's like two shops up in the whole where they should just make a big shop in fact they should have sacked those kiosks that i again pointless they why why have those kiosks really you should have invested in a space to

Holly: I never got in that. I didn't get in the shot. Yeah, the chaos. Pointless.

Ash: do a big shop in Adventure Way where you could get some stuff there because those, little stores just don't, it's just not enough.

Holly: Yeah, I don't know why they've gone all in on this whole kiosk thing because like you said, I would much rather, some of my favourite stores in Disneyland Paris, the Emporium, the Studio Store, still called the Studio Store before someone says next door, called the Studio Store, the Tower of Terror gift shop, the Frontierland Mercentile, those are some of my favourite shops in Disneyland Paris. Why? Because there's a

Ash: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it is. It is.

Holly: theme to them and they all sell individual style merch that relates to the area or around the area that you've been in. I was under the impression as the sun was going down that the terrace, big quick service that's at the end of Adventure Way on the left, on the same side as the English Garden.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Holly: I thought that was a gift shop because it's so big. It's not it's toilets and it's another quick service But other than that other than like what I think there's like one or two kiosks. Maybe two. think there's Tiny kiosks. You could maybe fit six or seven people inside them at a push You're right. I didn't think that I thought about the weatherproofing thing, but there is no Adventure way gift shop and there should be There should be

Ash: Yeah. Yeah. Just two kiosks. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, they should be. They should be here. Yeah, so I don't know what they're doing. I don't know what they're waiting for. I don't know if they're waiting for, because another good location for it to be is where they're having the up attraction.

Holly: Yeah, because there's less on that side really isn't there? Yeah, other than the English garden.

Ash: So. ⁓ There's less on that side. It's just very like you're walking through exactly the Venture Way and sorry, Avengers campus and then the English Garden and then it's just scaffolding and boards, but there's no, there's nothing. maybe.

Holly: I will say you are as well totally right about the... It is so open in Adventure Way that you have poor weather or extremely hot weather, you're absolutely snookered. You're absolutely snookered. There's nowhere to find cover in there unless you go and ride the wine attraction. So I do think that's a bit strange considering they've had all this time and that they know that you're in Paris. And we know what the web is like because the rest of the parks, like you've got world premiere, you've got the avenues, the arcades, like what we talk about all the time, what we've named the podcast about. You've got that because you're in a part of the world where you can have inclement weather. Adventure Way is gone. We're just going to put this massive lake and you're going to walk around it in the rain, the snow, the blistering heat.

Ash: Yeah. Yeah. You're on your own.

Holly: You're on your own! But, Also, while we're just wrapping up Adventure Way, I want to give a shout out to the Horticulture team because the flowers, the trees, the... All the foliage. Absolutely stunning. 10 out of 10. They've really pulled it out of the bag.

Ash: Yes, yes. I think they're the best. They're the best out of the parks, the one in Disneyland Paris. ⁓ I believe that. Disney Entertainment and ⁓ the Foliage and Order, you know, the Heart team, they are the best when it comes to doing it. They're just so, so good. So yeah, hats off to them. It looks beautiful. ⁓ World of Frozen. You can start off with this.

Holly: Yeah, hard agree. Let's get on to World of I where to begin. I didn't actually spend loads of time in World of Frozen even though that's what I was there to do. Let's start with the gem in the crown, let's start with the attraction. So I got on the attraction, I very much enjoyed all aspects of it actually. See I'm coming from a place where It was completely fresh for me because I've not ridden the other versions around the world. I haven't ridden the one in Epcot. I haven't been to the one in Hong Kong or Tokyo. So it was a completely new experience for me. One thing that I think that Disney in general does really well is that the queue line is so incredibly detailed. There wasn't a queue when I went, so I was able to sort of breeze through it, but I kept slowing down. to make sure that I look to everything because if you were stood there for an extended period of time I don't think you would be bored.

Ash: No, no. It's one of the most beautiful ⁓ lines to wait at. Like probably, it's just, yeah, it is. They've got it. Hang on.

Holly: Yeah, the lighting is perfect. Yeah, you're going to think you're going to. I mean, if you're not a true Disney fan, you think what the hell is she on about? She's talking about a queue line, but it really is so immersive. So like for instance, you've got there's there's so many little Easter eggs around the queue line, but you've probably seen online that they've got a sauna and they've got open in there and it's like an interactive screen and you'll draw things and say, you That was great, but the thing that really wowed me was as I was walking through the queue line, Arna just appeared and spoke to me and said, you know, have fun up the North Mountain and then went through a door and I was like, luckily I had my phone recording because I was like, I've just met Arna in the queue line to ride Frozen Ever After, which I thought...

Ash: That's great.

Holly: was a real nice addition and I have seen people occasionally Elsa will be in there and she'll walk through and like interact with guests and I think that's such a brilliant idea and I'm not a big character person but I very much enjoyed that I'm getting there I'm getting there and she even noticed I had a little Olaf on my bag she was like ⁓ you've got an Olaf it was really yeah really nice and yes I went into the attraction with

Ash: Yeah, that is nice, that's lovely. No, I know. Not yet.

Holly: fresh eyes, I've not ridden it before. I think the thing that surprised me the most was just how big some of the show, like how big the show rooms are, like the rooms that you go into, some of them are massive.

Ash: Yeah, like really, really big.

Holly: Is it like that in Epcot? Is it? I don't know.

Ash: No, no, it's more expansive in that. It's Epcot. It more mimics the one in Hong Kong. Epcot is very, very small version. So, yeah.

Holly: Okay. I didn't know it went backwards or anything like that and I was actually quite shocked at how steep the drop is. I don't want to give too much away but what I would say is I think it is going to be a really popular attraction amongst all guests. Whether you're an adult and you're going maybe alone or with friends or with a partner or if you're a parent to young children who are fans of Frozen. I feel like that attraction pleases everybody because you've got a little bit of thrill in there.

Ash: Yeah. 100%.

Holly: It's a heartwarming story. It's got everything. It's got everything. It's definitely up there for one of my top attractions in the parks now. And I was sad I could only ride it once, to be honest. Because I only rid it that one time. We only allowed to in the preview days. But it was great. And the photo pass is really cute on it as well. I always say that, the photo pass is really cute on that.

Ash: 100%. 100%. Yeah, yeah, it'll be like that. Yeah, yeah, no, that's a good one.

Holly: What were your thoughts Ash, as someone who has experienced it in other parks?

Ash: Aaron. World of Frozen, so let me start off by saying that World of Frozen, it's beautiful, it is beautiful. Everything is gorgeous, I really love it. I love the colours of it, I love the music background. this again, yeah, it is, it is absolutely, and this is coming from someone, by the way, who has...

Holly: ⁓ yeah! The music is amazing.

Ash: PTSD from Frozen because I used to work at the Disney Store at the time when Frozen was released and I used to get screamed at by mothers because the Elsa dress had sold out and I was ruining their child's Christmas and birthdays and whatever special events they had going on. So ⁓ I've always put Frozen as... a bit of a dark period. I mean, I've exaggerated a little bit, but it wasn't my favourite film or time of Disney. And coming into World of Frozen and seeing that really did like, it helped soften that bitter taste. I really did come round to it. I loved the look of it. Okan coming around.

Holly: No. Yes.

Ash: going Yoohoo again, you know, taking photos. Yeah, I saw Roken, he told Noah to follow him, goes, follow me, hoo hoo hoo hoo! And then took a photo with Noah, which I thought was hilarious. Malay and the trolls walking past, so took a photo with the troll. So yeah, they're making a lot, again, making the most out of the space that they've got, which is great, I love that. Yeah.

Holly: I didn't see open! Nice. Didn't say that one. Hmm... The fountain?

Ash: The fountain, the fountain's beautiful. The false perspective, it is, it is, it is right. The false perspective with ⁓ the ice palace really work. I was even going close up to look at the foliage on the mountains. That's how, because I am a geek for detail. I love detail. yeah, fine, show me a nice building, but then what have you?

Holly: It's best at night. Yeah

Ash: what are the little things that you've done to make the building stand out? That's what I love. just the grass, the grass and the background and the mountains, I I geeked out and I loved.

Holly: what What did you think of the as you enter the Frozen Ever After attraction like one of the first things is it like sort of made it it looks like you've actually got like a mountain wall as you turn the corner to enter the show building and I really appreciate that with even like moths and things like on the on the wall that I was really impressed by. I think about that quite a lot actually.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. That was great. That was great. That was really, really good. Yeah, yeah. like, the ride is amazing. It's one of the best walkthroughs I've seen since probably Runaway Railway, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. I think it's that level. I think it's a great, great walkthrough. I love the ride. It's a lot better than the one in Epcot. It blows the one at Epcot away. And it is going to be a popular ride.

Holly: you Yeah.

Ash: for the foreseeable future. It's gonna be another crush where you're gonna see it 80, 100 minutes. But I would say that you can wait if you wanna wait. When we came ⁓ at night and we went into, Rapunzel went onto World of Frozen, we saw that 45 minutes and it was actually half an hour wait. So we actually was just like going through. ⁓

Holly: Bye.

Ash: We had Noah's pass, we were like, Noah, we'll be together, we'll be fine, because we saw it half an hour, and we wanted to experience the details of what you see when you go through the lineup that you don't usually see when you go through the disabled entrance. So that was lovely. That was really, really nice to see. And the ride was amazing. Everyone loved it. Thankfully, we went onto it twice.

Holly: Yeah. Yeah.

Ash: but it was just, was great. I would say ⁓ my criticisms is that it is very matter of fact. What you see with World of Frozen is what you get. There isn't really a sense of exploration. It's just, this is it, it's there. There's no, ⁓ let's have a look around there and let's go deeper down to there. And do you what mean? Like what you could do with, yeah, it's just, it's not as expansive as-

Holly: It's a end.

Ash: Galaxy's Edge or other bigger lands. And I love the sense of exploration when it comes to lands. ⁓ There is that little bit, you know when they're doing the face painting on the right hand side, they've got that little shop, that kiosk. Behind that, yeah that little bit behind, that alley bit where you're right next to the water and then you can take a photo of the castle. That bit is nice.

Holly: No. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you've got a little like alley. Yeah.

Ash: I suppose, but other than that, you've not really got anything. So I wish they would have expanded it a little bit more just to help, you you walk around and see some other night, nooks and crannies. But, know, yeah. So what you see is what you get, but what you see is really good. ⁓ I think in the, the boat show, I think is good. The boat show is good.

Holly: What about the boat sharing? I want to talk about this. It's good but you've got such a small area around that bit of lake that you're gonna have to really wait. I I saw it go by maybe three or four times in the space that I was in, World of Frozen, but I didn't get to watch it from

Ash: Yeah, yeah, that's what I was about to say.

Holly: the angle you're supposed to watch it because it was at least three or four people deep at the, you know, from the railings around the small frozen lake area that me and the friends who I was with decided to watch it from the other side of the lighthouse. So we technically left World of Frozen and we watched them, the floats come from around the corner because otherwise we wouldn't, we wouldn't have seen it. The show itself, from what I've,

Ash: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Holly: scene and what I could hear, amazing. My only gripe is they've stopped showing it later into the evening, which is a bit of a bummer because I saw it just as the sun was going down. I mean, I was very lucky on my preview day we had a gorgeous sunset, but as the sun was going down and it all, they've got the effects for it to all light up. And I felt that that was probably the best way to see it, to be honest.

Ash: Yeah. Yeah, missed opportunity there, isn't it?

Holly: little bit and I just think is it is I don't know if they they thought it would be as the boat show would be as I keep on it the boat show it's called a celebration in Arendelle if they thought it would be as popular as what it is because every single time I tried to catch that show from the railings of them around that lake it was three or four people deep and I wasn't getting anywhere near it

Ash: Yeah, just chuck a block. Yeah, and that's the thing. you're not there like an hour before, you're screwed really. So I think they could do better in terms of this space that they've got or try and come up with something else. ⁓ yeah, yeah. But yeah, it's just very, yeah, I don't know. And I get why they're doing it with that late because you're in World of Frozen, so continue to World of Frozen, but I just don't know if it works with...

Holly: Mm-hmm. Put it on the big lake! There's a bit of a crowding issue.

Ash: the inclusion of it, having, yeah, yeah, it is a crowding issue, they have to look at that. But yeah, it is a lovely, lovely show. And I wish they would do it at night. I wish they would do it at night, because if, for ones that love Phantasmic, and you know, hardly will know what I'm talking about, with the boats at night, right, you've got like, you've got like Rapunzel on her boat with Flynn, and you've got like,

Holly: Yeah. Music's amazing. Let's go!

Ash: Bell with beast on their boat and the Lion King boat like you've got all these and this is a night This is at night. So it does know it's that you can do at night if you want to I don't know whether I don't know whether they've got the facilities to do it or Yet, but hopefully they can work on that so that it can happen. But yeah, it's it is a good is a good thing ⁓ But yeah, I would you know, I was tongue-in-cheek last time but I was like it looks like a

Holly: The Lion King both. monkeys yeah It can be done!

Ash: pimped out Norway Pavilion. And to be honest, it kind of does ⁓ but in the best way. Do know what I mean? Like in the Norway Pavilion, like, okay, this is just nice. It's just nice. Where ⁓ here really accentuating everything about the Nordic culture that Frozen brings, as well as bringing in that fantasy that Frozen is as well. So yeah, I am.

Holly: Yes. Yeah.

Ash: It's a land well done, definitely.

Holly: It's beautiful and it is immersive. That's what I would say. If you like the details, it's beautiful, it's immersive. You won't regret it in there. The music is the music as well. Again, not just the Adventure Way music, the music within World of Frozen is absolutely amazing as well. Because sat and listened to that for ages.

Ash: Yeah. Nah, nah. Did you... Did you go and meet Ano and Elsa? I didn't.

Holly: No, did you? I was gonna ask you. No. I think the things had sold out or like it'd run out like by the time I got into my preview. I wanted to meet Mickey and I didn't get to do that either but I know people who had... Yeah, I him.

Ash: No, no, didn't. ⁓ No, I saw him. There's massive lines. Yeah, yeah, there's massive lines, but yeah, I just, okay.

Holly: Did you eat in Nordic Crown's tavern?

Ash: I did, I did eat in Nordic's Crown's Tavern. I like it. I'm gonna give it seven and a half. Eight out of 10. Yeah, I liked it. And I don't know what's happened on the previews or the media reviews because it didn't get a glowing review. And with Disneyland Paris and food, that's to be expected, but.

Holly: Right, review please! At 10.

Ash: It kind of felt people was just following a narrative that is known for DLP and never really gave it a chance or they massively stepped up since I went and it was shit but then they heard the reviews but I just doubt that happened in the space of a week or two with just how the supply and production and everything goes but when I went it was I was like mate this is completely fine like it's no worse than having a meal at IKEA meatballs and everyone bangs out about IKEA meatballs and they say, yeah, well that's great. So I don't get it. Well, people will say, yeah, but IKEA, theme park, it should be great food, but really for counter service, not necessarily, it doesn't have to blow your socks off, just has to do the job. It just has to make you satisfied. And it made, I was satisfied. Like I had the turkey meatballs with the mashed potato and veg.

Holly: Bye. No. Right, louder.

Ash: and we all, you we ordered a vegan one for science. We had the vegan steak salad and that was good, man. Honestly, I have no complaints. Like it didn't blow my socks off, but I didn't expect it to. I managed my expectations. I was like, yeah, this is all right. Actually, I would, I would happily eat there again. Nisabu, my daughter, she's a fussy eater.

Holly: Alright.

Ash: And she was like, yeah, ⁓ I'd go here again. It's fine. It was exactly what it says on the tin, really. Yeah, so I don't get it. don't know. And you know me, when it comes to criticising the DLP, I don't shy from that. If there's something that needs to be said, I'll say it. But both of us are. That's who we are. But I'm sorry. I don't get the criticism, people. ⁓ I liked it.

Holly: No. No, I agree with you. I 100 % agree with you. So I went in with a group of friends and they'd all been already to that day because they had earlier time slots with than me. And we went back for they went back a second time because we were starting to get a bit peckish. And there was like a mixture of things going on. Some ordered this everyone apart from me, because I'd had lunch at Royal Banquet. had tried the meatballs and all liked it. All of them liked it and there was different dietary needs between the four of us, right? When they came back with me to have like a snack, we had like a mixture of things going on. Someone tried the calamari rings. Jessie had, I think she got the kids meal just to see what that was like. And I had some of the like little dough, the little doughnut balls and stuff. Everybody,

Ash: Right, yeah, yeah.

Holly: enjoyed their food there. I would say there's plenty of seating out inside. Right, for what is there's plenty of seating. There's a set menu so I know some people are like ⁓ it's expensive like I think 22 euros for a meal, a drink and a pudding isn't expensive personally. That's just my opinion and ⁓ yeah exactly you're right a theme park guys like I don't know what people expect honestly. ⁓

Ash: Yes there is, loads of seating. for a theme park, Disney theme park.

Holly: It's nicely themed in there. I like the ordering system. You can use your annual pass in there. not hard work. It's no nonsense. You walk up, you order what you want, get given a ticket. It tells you there's like four windows you can wait at. What one you'll be coming up. And then it's like McDonald's where you've got a digital screen. When your number comes up, you collect your food, you sit down. And I think, do know what? Great. We need more of that in Disneyland Paris. Because sometimes, not all quick service restaurants, but some of them,

Ash: Yeah, exactly.

Holly: when you go in them. It can be a bit chaotic when you've got a queue for the cashier and then they give you a menu, you choose what you want to order. Anyway, I'm rambling now. Nordic Crowns Tavern.

Ash: Yes.

Holly: It gets a thumbs up from me. I actually can't wait to go back on our next trip and try the main meals in there.

Ash: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, yeah. Well, yeah. I mean, we've got an ANA trip. We always have an ANA trip every year now. ⁓ And so, yeah. Yeah, we do, we do. But yeah, like I was fine. I was fine with it. And, you know, in fact, I say seven and a half, but no, I will give it an eight. And I'm giving it an eight because it's not burgers, chips and hot dogs, which is everywhere else. So, you know.

Holly: We need more than one this year. Yeah. Thank you as well. Thank you Disneyland Paris because I think we're all collectively a bit bored of hot dogs, burgers, chips, chicken nuggets. It's just a nice addition and ⁓ I think we can move nicely on now to what our thoughts are on the other food options that are around Adventure Way.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, no. So let's get Regal View Restaurant out of the way because that was something that I was really toying with going there. I had a reservation. I booked it well in advance. Then the menu came out and the price of the menu came out and I was um-na-nar-ing. was like... And I was like, ⁓ man, it's 100 euros.

Holly: Bye. You did. You may remember this conversation from last podcast.

Ash: per person, not including the drink. And I've got a family of five. 500 quid. Yeah, I'll get the discount and whatnot, but still. ⁓ Yeah, so I was toying. Yeah, you do. You do, yeah, you do get discount.

Holly: Yeah, you did get discount. We learnt that. You can use your discounts there, guys. You can use your discounts.

Ash: We do get discount. you know, Asi and I was going, well, maybe, you know, the kids can just hang out and we can just go, we could just treat ourselves and doing it. But I don't totally like to go in blind, by the way. I do like to do a bit of research. But the reviews that was coming out weren't going. ⁓

Holly: No. Yeah.

Ash: And yeah, I mean, the work glowing for Nordic Crown Tavern, but I wasn't spending 100 euros on it. So ⁓ could afford to take the bump if it was actually terrible. ⁓ for ⁓ View Restaurant, 200 euros without drinks. That's a very, very expensive gamble. And there was a lot of trustworthy reports that were saying, ⁓ yeah, not yet. Don't go yet.

Holly: No. Right

Ash: they need to tinker with it. So we decided to go against it and just really focus on the food stores around Adventure Way, which were pleasantly surprised by. I'm sure people seen our ⁓ reel me having a euphoric episode of having the French onion soup bread bowl. But I'm telling you now,

Holly: Yeah.

Ash: listeners and viewers that without a shadow of a doubt and without any exaggeration is the best snack I've had at Disneyland Paris. It's now French bread bowl and then croque monsieur. Like that's how I see it. I told and I've got a colleague that was there at the same time I was Charlie. So hey Charlie, if you're listening or watching.

Holly: Right.

Ash: and she was there and I told her about it, it's the best thing. She goes, really? go, it is, it goes, it's better than crock-a-mole shorts. go, piss off. goes, dude, try it. then she went, try it. And then she messaged me going, damn. She goes, what the hell is this? I go, I know, right? Like, how did nobody tell me that? To be fair, you did tell me. But Holly, as her nonchalant was like, yeah, this is great. ⁓

Holly: Did she have the same reaction? I know, I did, but I feel like I didn't sell it.

Ash: was like, okay, it must be great, but. ⁓

Holly: I think the problem was, I just had that six hour window, because I didn't have a time slot until quarter past four in Adventure World. So I had to do and try as many things as possible in them hours that I had. And by the time I got round to the bread bowl, which by the way, when they were announced, I was initially so excited by it I really hoped that it would live up to its expectations.

Ash: Yeah, Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's probably overwhelming. Yeah, he was. He was.

Holly: By the time I got that bread bowl, it was about 9.45, 10 o'clock in the evening. We were struggling to making it through to Cascada light at this point. The weather had turned, it was windy, it was blooming freezing. I needed that bread bowl to warm me up. then, they do have to their advantage, they do have a undercover, it's not indoor, undercover seating area. next to the quick service where you get your bread bowl. So I got my bread bowl. I knew I wanted to try the French onion one. ⁓ And I did. But like the lighting was so bad that I couldn't use it on any of our social media channels. ⁓ I sent Ash this horrendous picture. Bad lighting. Like hang it in the louvre. It was, it was so bad. I might even get Ash to insert the clip of the picture I took.

Ash: ⁓ no. I

Holly: But at that point I was tired, I was cold, was waiting for the lights. I just inhaled that thing like that. And it did. It did live up to my expectation.

Ash: Yeah. Was this another wild situation with the soup? You just went...

Holly: It was another wild situation. wasn't just like, I'm peckish. I was ravenous at that point. So yeah, I inhaled that. And actually I agree, I think it is up there with one of the best snacks in DLP. Now my top snack isn't the Croque Mouchant, it's the vegan chilli. Well good news for the vegan chilli lovers, you can have that in a bread bowl as well if you like. Everyone's a winner. I'm a winner.

Ash: NAH Yeah. Brilliant, Yeah. Yeah, you can you can yeah you can yeah, yeah

Holly: I mean, if I don't want the vegan chilli, I can switch it up and have the French onion soup. So, what's not to love? What's not to love?

Ash: That's true, that's true. That's amazing. That is amazing. ⁓ It was literally, that's how I rank it is definitely ⁓ the French and New South bread bowl, man. It just blew my mind away. ⁓ And yeah, I just loved the ⁓ offerings there. The potato fritters didn't look appetizing when I saw them on YouTube, but when we was there... Pleasantly surprised that they did look a bit more appetizing than I saw Because it looked like it looked like spam on top of thing when I and it was just hilarious I was like there's no way they're offering. Hey, what was that?

Holly: Did you tap on? It did. It did look like that when I went on. It didn't look like that same, you know that picture that went round when they first started having them, that looks like a chunk of spam on top of that potato fryer. It didn't look like that when I went there, they looked quite good. But I just didn't get time to try one, did you?

Ash: with this, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it didn't. Yeah, it did. Yeah, so I tried the chicken one and I tried the vegan one and they were both good. They were both very nice. I don't think it would be what I'd go out my way for. But I just think that's just because of the competition that it's got with it. It's got the bread bowls next to it. Not because, yeah, exactly. Not because it's bad, it's just because of the competition. Do you what mean? If you're giving me an option, I'm going with the bread bowl like nine times out of 10. Not because that was...

Holly: Okay. Okay. Right. What, the bread bowl? Yes. Right. Well even in the summer do think you'd still go for a bread bowl?

Ash: ⁓ good question. probably? I mean, they've got the Caesar salad one, bread bowl, which is... Coat. Yeah, I know.

Holly: See, I don't know how I feel about that, having a cold, dry salad in a bowl of bread. Like, it needs the soup to, or something, you know, like a chilli or something, for it to be palatable. You can't then really eat the bread because you've got nothing to soak up. Do you see what I'm saying? Because I love to the salad, but I don't know if I like the idea of it being in a bread. I feel like the bowl then will go to waste. I'm just using it as a vessel for my salad. And I don't know if I would choose a hot,

Ash: Yeah. Yeah, but ⁓ Yeah, no, that's true. But I don't know how they do it. I didn't even see it really. I didn't even-

Holly: Bread Bowl on a hot summer's day, maybe in the evening while I'm waiting for Cascade of Lights But I don't know if I choose it in throughout the summer months is like You know a snack

Ash: Well, you've got the rolls just further down, like just two stalls down. You've got the lobster rolls and you've got the, you've got salmon as well as one of them, but there's like lobster rolls there, but they're like 20 euros.

Holly: Yeah. and hot dogs. Did you try those?

Ash: I didn't try those hot dogs, no. No, I didn't try those hot-

Holly: No. See I was only there for like one, them few hours where you had a couple of days so I was like I'll see if you've, I'll let you, I'll let you put the feelers out and try a few things.

Ash: I did. Well, they also even released more food stalls on the other side. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So like when I came, they didn't have those stalls there. They had the regular ones that they had with Chez Marie and everything else, but they added more food stalls. I'm just looking now in my photo gallery and they are seasonal offers.

Holly: They did! We didn't just say that ⁓ Mm-hmm.

Ash: So amongst those seasonal offers, they had grilled corn skewers and paprika chicken tenders. They also had crock with summer truffle or burrata tomato bowl. So a bit of Italian there as well. Yeah, yeah, that sounds nice actually. What else did they have? They had ⁓ chicken sausage.

Holly: Yum. Yum. I'll be taking the bra off, at all.

Ash: Emmental onion confit and lamb's lettuce gelate or gelette I think is what it's called but yeah, yeah. For the sweets, yeah, I know I'm getting it wrong. So apologies. ⁓ Beignet, they have beignets there. So beignet with Nutella, beignet with pastry ice cream and strawberries or bananas. ⁓ They had also for sweets.

Holly: Galette, I think you mean. We're probably both getting it wrong.

Ash: They had caramel coated peanuts, nougat, ⁓ lollipops. So they had a lot. And what I looked at both sides, because they had the food stalls when you're leaving and you're approaching ⁓ Cars Road Trip and ⁓ La Plastorami, and they had food stalls as you're coming into Adventureway. So on both sides, as you're entering and as you're leaving,

Holly: Mm. Yeah.

Ash: there's food stores and I'm like, yeah, of course, food and wine. Like surely that's when you're gonna bring food and wine now. I think that would be, yeah. But now they've got the space and I know we would have loved it earlier, where would it have been? Do you know what mean? They had those huts in Fantasyland and those huts in the place to Remy, but they weren't really in there. No.

Holly: ⁓ you think, Garth? Yeah. That didn't work, I'm sorry. It was too cramped in there.

Ash: but now they've got a dedicated area. Exactly, exactly. It was too cramped, but now they've got a dedicated area. So they could do food and wine. that's where the DCN, the Epcot of me is thinking about how they could utilise that. And it'd be really, really cool. So yeah, 100%. Yeah.

Holly: It would be really popular as well. I love that. We both enjoy the food stalls. At Christmas time you had the Raclette and there's been plenty of time. We had the Mold wine from there. I actually think sometimes when people complain about food at I'm like, go to the little stalls. They're independent vendors and they often have some really nice options. I've had a really nice pizza from there years ago now when they were around by, I don't remember,

Ash: Yeah, that's

Holly: think it was 2023 they had them by Tower of Terror in the sort of like where they had them there and I had a really nice pizza. Speaking of food I've just refreshed to see if there was any more news that come out. There's been some concept art for Casa Julia from late and it's going to open late 2026 if that means anything to anybody. And the next update was about Pelé.

Ash: Yeah, yeah.

Holly: football shop in the village which I'm not interested in neither are you so I'm just gonna completely close and move on.

Ash: ⁓ You went into the Regal View Lounge. What are your thoughts on the lounge?

Holly: Next! I did! ⁓ yeah, let's move back to fun stuff. So I loved the Regal View Lounge, I have to say, and it has made me very, very eager to give the restaurant a try. I know it's a lot of money, right? I accept that. It's a hell of a lot of money. ⁓ We went into the lounge and I knew that it was themed to the princesses, but the lounge itself is just themed to Sleeping Beauty, which is one of my favourite Disney films. and there's a mural behind the bar, there was like Maleficent horns on the ceiling, loved that straight away. We had a really nice server and I can confirm Ash, they do have a bar menu in there.

Ash: ⁓ there we are.

Holly: I think I actually sent you the menu but it is subject to change. So you could have finger sandwiches, were savoury cookies which one of my group ordered and tried and they said that they were quite nice. So there was like a chorizo cookie, a cheese cookie, maybe a ham and basil one. I can't really remember but the bar menu that you will get if you go into Regal, if you lounge,

Ash: Yeah, I you took a photo of it and sent it to me. Yeah.

Holly: Bear in mind that they are just like light bites. You won't get like anything that will constitute as a lunch or a dinner. It is just a bar snack. However, the options that I saw while I was there, they were for me personally, quite appealing and reasonably priced considering how much it costs to have a sit down meal in the room next door. ⁓ But yeah, the menu will change. It's a very seasonal menu. can order bar snacks you can also order cakes there and again will vary it changed in a days after we left so they're obviously going to keep that as like what they have at the time. I didn't actually have a cocktail because again at this point I was cold I was tired but I did have a coffee in there which was very very nice it was expensive though that's what I would say like if you're if you're going to go to the lounge you might as well

Ash: Didn't you say it was like a tenner for co- for coffee?

Holly: No, was nearly 15 euros. And it came in like, so I've got a mug, a mug here for size. It ⁓ was like a can. If I had a can of Coke, I'd pick that up. It was like a can-shaped glass. Now, I don't mind a novelty glass. I love a novelty anything as much as the next person. But when it came out to me, it had like whipped cream and caramel and things on top. And I had to ask my waiter if I could have a spoon. So I had to sit there and like... spoon the caramel off the top and the the whipped cream and then I could drink it because it was just like yeah ⁓

Ash: You

Holly: I like the atmosphere in there but I would say if you are going in there I'm not really an alcohol drinker anyway like I tend to have a mocktail but if you do like a drink don't worry and you're on the fence of oh shall I have a mocktail shall I have a know a coffee you might as well have the cocktail to be honest with you because they're all the same price near enough hence why I paid 14, 15 euros for a little coffee

Ash: Nah, you don't really drink. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Holly: and it didn't have a shutter loop on it.

Ash: I do like I do like suave bars you know that's my thing do you what mean so you know jazz bars and whatnot comfy seats yeah ⁓ wow there we go

Holly: Yeah, comfy seats. There was a lady in there who was asleep. There was a lady across from us who had fallen asleep, I'm not joking you. I don't regret doing that because I'm glad to say out of everything that the expansion had to offer, I did experience most of

Ash: Yeah. I need to make a confession.

Holly: Go. This is a safe space.

Ash: I ⁓ So we were a bit peckish in between meals and so I took the eldest. he just gets something and then he decided let's just go to Earl's and I went not Earl's. He goes come on I know you do and I famously don't and

Holly: I love that. bright. ⁓ I know where this is going. Carry on.

Ash: We ordered the roast beef sandwich.

Holly: The best one.

Ash: was a good sign.

Holly: It is a good sandwich man, I don't know why you've got something against it. It's so good.

Ash: It was a good, it was a good sandwich, damn it. I don't know, but last time I went, it was shocking. And I'll tell you this for free, the service is abysmal, because there was no one in there. It was like in the middle of the day. and was waiting for like 15 minutes for one sandwich. It was ridiculous. So I don't know what they were doing. that a bad taste in my mouth, but the sandwich quickly removed bad taste because it was a very good sandwich. ⁓

Holly: I don't go to Earl's Sandwich for the service, I go for the sandwich.

Ash: Well, yeah, if you could do remote order, that would have been great because then it will save you half an hour for a sandwich. yeah, that was ⁓ Last but not least of our review, Cascades of Light, the nighttime show introduced for Adventure Way and for, of course, reimagined park Disney Adventure World. This will run alongside Tales of Magic, so guests have an option to see one or the other or both for the duration of their trip. ⁓ What are your thoughts?

Holly: I'm just getting my iPad up because I've actually made so many notes. So like I'm just going to premise, I'm just going to start this right with saying like I was quite unfortunate on my preview day. There was really, really strong winds by the time and up until about two minutes before the show started, we thought we were watching it as normal when then just before the show was about to start, were like, we're going to have to, we were the first, I was the first person to see.

Ash: ⁓ wow, there we are. Yeah.

Holly: And people in my group on that preview day were the first people to see Cascade of Lights as an adapted version with no drones or enhance the different, like they'd done something to the pyrotechnics. But yeah, basically, yeah, the rainy day version of, or not even rainy, the windy day version of Cascade of Lights. So I put up a TikTok. It was tongue in cheek, a TikTok I put up.

Ash: Like a plan B basically, plan B. Yeah, yeah, the B version.

Holly: which basically says POV, you're watching Cascada Lights and you're thinking about what it could have been. And I've actually got a prop for this as well. And then, so that's what I wrote on my TikTok and it's just me imagining what it could be. And then there's Mickey at the top going, diddle-oo, diddle-oo, diddle-oo, diddle-oo, from Phantasmix.

Ash: This is for the arcades and avenues TikTok for ones that, I'm not thinking, yeah.

Holly: Yeah, I posted a TikTok, right? I was just taking the mick. I was just taking it. This is before I'm going to speak about my Cascade of Lights review, right? People were so pressed about that little funny TikTok I made, in the comments section. And the amount of comments I had in that TikTok section that were like, ⁓ excuse me, it's an original for Disneyland Paris. And I'm going to caveat that by saying, Just because it's an original and unique Disneyland Paris doesn't mean it's good. You might say, well, give me an example. Easy. Let's remind our minds back to pre-Avengers campus. What about the stunning, unique and individual attraction just for Disneyland Paris that was Armageddon? Was that good?

Ash: ⁓ Hahaha! Yeah. No.

Holly: I can do it anyway!

Ash: It's pay exclusive so it has to be good

Holly: It's the only exclusive I've ever gotten, the really good attraction that was, know... Right? Should I continue? Carl's Road Trip.

Ash: Yeah, yeah.

Holly: That's TLP exclusive. You need to do slam Paris, whatever you want to say. So to those people who thought I was being a negative Nellie and were getting real defensive and riled up in my silly little TikTok of like Mickey Mouse doing phantasmic on the Adventure Bay, like it was just honey in cheek. But I just think just because something is original and unique to our home park does not mean that, ⁓ that's that then it's got to be good. So.

Ash: Yeah. Also, just to let you go, just, I to let you go, just on the back of that, first of all, ⁓ just because you love something doesn't mean you can't critique it. And second of all, we are known to be passionate DLP fans, but we are honest and we like, we're not serious people. We do like to take the mickey of ourselves and part of an extension of ourselves is DLP. And we like to take the mickey when things are a bit weird or wacky or whatever. So.

Holly: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.

Ash: If you're taking our post seriously, then that's on you, Billy. So here we go.

Holly: But like, just to continue on from it a little bit, like, it wasn't as if I sat there and I was like, I didn't say single word in this video, it was just a bubble of me on Adventure Lake with a bubble of Mickey doing phantasmic, right? I didn't sit there and go, I hate cascade of lights, I hate cascade of lights, it's dreadful. I didn't say that, I didn't say that. So don't know why people were like, mm. It's a unique show for Disneyland Paris. It's like, right, anyway. I'll start with the show Cascade of Lights. I think it has great foundations. I'm gonna start, right, I'm gonna do positives and negatives. That way people can see I'm not just a negative person that wants to put something down, because I don't. It has great foundations. So what do I mean by that? The technology. It's another level. the lighting, the big spotlights that start and end the show that go around the lake, amazing. The lights that, I know if you noticed, when it's on, it even changes Elsa's castle to what's on the rig. The drones, the water drones, water effects, pyrotechnics, very advanced. Great, right? I feel like they have the foundation of it being one of the best nighttime spectaculars. I'll tell you why it's not so. They are so actually I want to go back and say like you can have another positive of it. You can they say it's a 360 view. It's not. But you can see it from literally anywhere. You might not have a dead on view of the water fan, but you can see it from everywhere. If you just want to see the drones, you just want to hear the music, you just want to see the fireworks. You can watch it from anywhere and you could rock up five minutes before. and see it from wherever you want to see it from because of the tiered thing, right? That's another positive. ⁓ I don't think, right, these are the things I don't like about it. They've got over a thousand drones. I don't think they're using them to their full potential. What do you think about that statement?

Ash: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I agree.

Holly: Because if you compare, not to be that person, but if you compare the drones, sequences and cascade of...

Ash: Although I don't know whether I don't know what the fuel potential would look like. So I'm a little bit ignorant in saying that they could do more, but I don't know what more would look like. But I know it's very different to how they use it in Tales of Magic. And I'm more impressed with what I see in Tales of Magic than I am in Cascades of Light. Even actually the Main Street Electrical ⁓ Drone Show. I don't know if you saw that. But that was a

Holly: Bye. Yes! I haven't seen it in the flesh.

Ash: But that's amazing. Like they had the train and then they had like fireworks from the drones. Like it was crazy. And I don't see that in Cascades. So yeah, to a certain degree, I agree what you mean.

Holly: Yeah. Bye. No, the only impressive bit for me was the bit that they choose to sell the show with which is the Mo... well, I didn't even see it. I haven't even seen it with my own eyes. But like... I actually would tell you, I've seen it as we're walking back to our hotel on the first night. I did get a little sneaky peek. But like the Moana Manta Ray. Because other than that, what do they really do? ⁓ and maybe the snake from Zootopia. It spells out hero.

Ash: Yeah, no, yeah, it's like... Right

Holly: There's like, you know, an Aztec circle, the infinity symbol that it does. Like, just, I don't know. I just feel like, and like during, like other bits, like when I've watched it back, yeah, they could have, they could have done more. ⁓ So yeah, I don't think they're utilizing the drone to their full potential because like I watched Tales of Magic the night before I saw Cascade of Lights.

Ash: I couldn't more.

Holly: and we used Birdie's Pass and we were right at the front and it was one of the last nights that they had the drones and I'm thinking, why are they getting rid of this? It's so good. It's so good. And it's so impressive. The show is both too long and too short. Do know what I'm saying?

Ash: Yeah Yeah, I'll get into why you think that but yeah, I know exactly why

Holly: Do you understand what I mean by that? No, I... Listen, yeah, because the Avenger section, why is it over half the show?

Ash: Yeah, it's true. He's going off so long. Yeah. Yeah.

Holly: Like they had me in the first half with Hercules, Mulan, Zootopia, else is there? Moana. You had me in the first half and then honestly I was... ...blooming bored. And also because we didn't have the drones it was like impossible to know what was going on. It was just Avengers music which by the way sounds like the Sky News theme tune for 10 minutes. I've just said they're like...

Ash: Did it? Yeah you

Holly: With no drones I'm just up there like, I'm getting wet now. I'm cold. ⁓ I think the story line's really weak. Like there isn't a story to it. There's not a story to it. Like I've watched it back a few times, I still don't really understand the story. Because there isn't one I don't think it's just like...

Ash: ⁓ gosh.

Holly: ⁓ I'm still confused as to why there's static images on the water fans and I don't know, I think it's an odd choice not to have any Tangled or Frozen there really. On the whole, do I think it's a bad show? No. No I don't. mean, would I see it watch Sandal Watch again? Absolutely I would. I love that area of the park. I'd like to be around Adventure Bay at that time of night. So I'm not saying it's the worst show ever, don't see it. I just think it needs to be tweaked because for me personally, it doesn't give me that emotional connection that I get with Tales of Magic or... illuminations or dreams it doesn't give me that emotional connection to be to be truthful like we didn't have the drone so i was unlucky but i was a bit bored

Ash: Yeah, ⁓ I think he was unlucky with the drones because I watched it with the drones and it made it marginally better. the thing is, is that when it comes to all of these shows, yeah.

Holly: Right, marginally. You go now, you tell your review because I've just rambled on for too long. to put my iPad away now because I just wrote down a million things that was in my brain at the time.

Ash: No, no, it's great to hear it, but I think when it comes to these shows, story is king. Story is always king and it doesn't have a story to it. And that's why you think it's too short and too long. It's too short because as a nighttime spectacular, it should be 20 plus minutes, right? But it's too long, but because it just goes on and on on one thing and none of the things connect. ⁓

Holly: Yeah. Right, and I think it's really interesting that it's not.

Ash: So that's why it is a little bit two thing as well.

Holly: Well, I think... Yeah, I think it does connect in the sense that they're all heroes in their own story, but there's no flow of how... sorry, lasting while it's fresh in my mind. So you have the ridiculously long, arse long Avengers section and then at the end it feels really rushed because I wasn't sure if it was the end or not because then you've got Neema and Dory flying around and you've got ⁓ Carl Fredrickson from Up and a few other random things just sort of shoved in at the end and then it's, we can be heroes. And do see what I mean? It's like very very... all I got from it was...

Ash: Hmm. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Holly: there's a really big Avengers section so if you're an Avenger fan you're in luck.

Ash: Yeah, it's really, I mean, what is good about it? It has music, it has pyro, it has drones in the sky. It has drones in water, which is a new innovation. Not that you experienced any of that, but it does have that. And yet it all, oh no, the drones in the water. Oh, okay, fine, that's good. That's good. But yeah, again, it all just felt a bit lacking to me. I think as a,

Holly: Yeah. ⁓ no, we still had the water! The water drones is the only bit we had! Yeah, we still had them!

Ash: thing good it's not it's not crap it is good ⁓ this was our Alton Towers or Chesington this will be the best thing that they've done in a long time but because it's at Disney and it's going up against other things that Disney have done ⁓ that's why it comes down the totem pole and so yeah ⁓ and that's just due to the story I just I don't understand the story of it

Holly: No. Bye.

Ash: it seemed like what was the what was not illuminations is it illuminations the the one after dreams yeah it just looked like a numinations on water really

Holly: Yeah, illuminations. No, feel like you're... No, I'm sorry. feel like Illuminations is better than Cascade of Lights. I'm gonna be honest with you. Yeah. It was for the strongings.

Ash: Really? didn't like, ⁓ I mean, Illuminations was better just by definition because it had fireworks and it was up against the castle, but what it produces, it was just an IP reel. And I just feel like Cascades is an IP reel. There wasn't really, I mean, they tried to bring, they tried to bring you're the hero, like the, what was it? It was just that symbol of, you know, ⁓

Holly: It was an IP rail, it was an IP rail, but I like the IPs that were in it.

Ash: ⁓ inspiration this is all about inspiration which to me and i don't know i started giggling and people were looking at me like why is he giggling because that inspiration symbol is it just me or does that inspiration symbol look like the dignity drawing that kirk van outen does in the simpsons and he's drawing and people are like what is that like dignity do you not know what dignity what you see ⁓ like

Holly: Yeah, I was confused.

Ash: basically what he reminded me of. It was just a squiggle.

Holly: thought it was the infinity symbol. I thought it was like the infinity... Sorry, all I can think of is like the album colour now. From The Simpsons of Kirk Van Hoog. it like, can I borrow a feeling?

Ash: It's just a squiggle in the line with figure like this is this is inspiration and I'm like what like what what does that mean like yeah

Holly: It was just a squiggle and I was a bit like... It's weak in terms of storytelling. Let's just say that. It is so weak in terms of And there's a lot of dialogue in the beginning. The narrator is saying about, she talks about inspiration, she talks about heroes, and then all of a sudden she just disappears. And then she's back again at the last two seconds at the end, like, ⁓ we could all be heroes and be inspired. And I'm like, no, you need to carry a theme through.

Ash: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But. I'm gonna say this, doesn't need to be amazing. No, it doesn't need to be amazing. I'm actually okay with it being slightly naff, if I'll be honest with you, mid. Like it can't be shit and it isn't shit. So that's good. But no, no, I'm not saying that, but I'm saying like it's mid and it's okay to be mid because it's going through it's teething, it's...

Holly: Bye! mid. yeah. No, it's not. I'm not, never say that. I'm just saying it's weak. Yeah. Bye!

Ash: First of all, it's got to do its purpose, which is we need to bring people in here to kind of help the crowds at both parks, right? So that when you go to Tales of Magic, you can be rest assured that all the people that are watching Cascades, they're not going to be there pushing you at Tales of Magic, right? It's going to be a bit more comfortable for you watching it because we're diversifying the crowds. So that's one. It's going to obviously bring people externally to come to see the park. There's a lot of reasons why Cascades has to be there and why it's good for DLP that

Holly: Right. Oh, 100 %! We needed a nighttime show!

Ash: Cascades is there. And this, 100%, 100%. And despite it not being as good as Tales, it's okay for it to be like that because I'd rather, once they have finished Lion King and the third thing, not to say that you have to wait until that's all done. but at least a good substantial part of Adventure Way being done, which it isn't yet, then they actually refine the nighttime show and come out now with a bang. All right, this is now what you're gonna see. I think for, they haven't said this and they won't admit this, but for placeholder show, which that's how I'm seeing it, fill your boots. Fill your boots. Do you know what I mean?

Holly: Hmm. That's a hundred percent how I'm seeing it too. It's there for now. I think there's something, there's a greater vision that we're not as guests or fans, whatever you like, we're not seeing. There's a lot of things like, I'm not again, not negative things necessarily. feel like, know, Disney Adventure Road has opened and I feel as almost that we were given an unfinished product in some ways, right? Whilst I loved

Ash: Yeah. Yeah.

Holly: Adventure Way, Adventure Bay, I love the food, I love the music, I really enjoyed World of Frozen and I love the attraction. There's some things that when you look at them with, that you hone in on those things, I feel like you can see that we're not there in terms of the product. things such as the sight lines. Now, that did kind of bother me a little bit while I was there. I have seen other people mention it but it's not been mentioned a lot. Obviously I expect there's got to be cranes there for Lion King. Obviously I know that. know that. One thing that I found really interesting was walking back up Adventure Way at the end of the night, and I don't know if you thought this as well, seeing the back of Tower of Terror and World Premiere.

Ash: Yeah, that's, yeah. Yeah.

Holly: I feel like need, I feel like the back of Tarot Terrell needs either some theming or it needs some very large trees to help it fit in. And I feel like the back of Animation Academy and World Premiere Plaza, all that needs is some popcorn lights and it will blend quite nicely. You know, the sight lines can be a bit iffy at the moment, but we're not, we're not at the, it's not the finished product. ⁓

Ash: Yeah, yeah.

Holly: Right, don't know as well, another thing that slightly did bother me, I did think we kind of did need the upper traction to be open with frozen and tangled. You can tell, you can tell they've gone, ⁓ we need something else in here. We're going to do a swear. Yeah, we're going to. And it would have just been nice. I feel like it would feel more complete if we did have the upper traction there. But that's how I'm going to round off this episode of my thoughts on the whole.

Ash: Yeah, you know that was last minute addition. Yeah, yeah, It's not enough. Yeah, exactly.

Holly: I'm very impressed. I had a great time. you had the fantastic idea to ask our followers what they thought of the expansion. And we got a few responses, didn't we? Did you want to read some of them out and what other people's thoughts had?

Ash: Yeah, we did. Yeah, We've got ⁓ Chloe Disney ⁓ responded. ⁓ The beauty the new areas. the lakes and the natural beauty, is a good one. I that as well, I agree. ⁓ Upfold responded with to the expansion, ⁓ the food more photo because studios was lacking, which yeah, 100%, 100%. Just beautiful everywhere you look really. ⁓ So you could easily photos.

Holly: through that. In fact, they should be more... we're going to sound like a broken record on this podcast. We need more photopath photographers. I feel like Adventure Bay is a perfect place. Forget about the partner statue with the new mural, which we henpeck on about every Bloomin' episode. Get some photopath photographers on Adventure Bay because yeah, photo spots. There's so many there.

Ash: ⁓ man. Yeah.

Holly: So tour from Chateau Disney Magic put everything, new food options, the music, world of Frozen, it was the whole vibe, which agreed, it is everything. And then Nick goes traveling, I loved the new tangled area, especially at night. So, you know, we're all sort of in agreement with a lot of the things.

Ash: Yeah. Daisy, Daisy said, love the music and all the different areas to sit, which is great. Charlie, ⁓ who my friend, ⁓ French onions. Yeah. French soup bread bowl. ⁓ Her laugh she knows ⁓ Charlie knows, knows that that is ⁓ peak. Actually, we actually got a response during the pod, believe it or not. ⁓

Holly: Your colleague. Charlie knows. ⁓ did we? ⁓ go on then, read it aloud.

Ash: Yeah, we did. Joe ⁓ ⁓ Mickey's new outfit. Mickey's new outfit. He loves Mickey's new outfit. I love it. Yeah, yeah. Definitely RK's and Avenue-esque, isn't it? ⁓

Holly: Yes, Jo. I love its new outfit. I hope we get a mini as well. Sorry is that again?

Ash: It's definitely Arcade and Avenue-esque, do you know what mean? The bow tie and the blazer. I love it. I really don't put it past me. Next visit.

Holly: 100 % that's our vibe. That is our vibe. I can see you in that outfit Ash. Yeah. Yeah. Are we gonna get Minnie as well in a adventure way outfit? Yeah, I think I've seen it but I haven't seen her out in it.

Ash: I think Minnie does have an outfit. She does have an outfit. Yeah. No, not regularly, but yeah, she does have an outfit. Both of them have an outfit, but yeah. Mickey's out there a lot. But there we are. A long one, but we had to put our thoughts out But yeah, there we are, that's it. It's ⁓ a ⁓ as always. I hope you enjoyed ⁓ listening to as much as we've enjoyed ⁓ giving our and opinions, of on everything DLP. And there we are, we'll see you in the next one.

Holly: Otherwise.