My 29th Birthday

April 6th, 2011

06/04/2011

Today I had the most exciting day of my trip! If I were Sponge Bob; This would be the “Best Day Ever!”

I got up and took my time getting ready. I headed down to my free breakfast and got a few little things to start the day. I was headed somewhere special. Very special!

I walked to the Metro, headed to the RER, and boarded a train. Along the way I met a nice couple from Australia and a family from Finland. We were all headed to the same place.

I get off the train. I am giddy as a school girl. So very excited! VERY EXCITED! I walk up to the ticket booth with no one in line. I say, “One please”. The man smiles at me. I childishly say, “Today is my birthday, it there a birthday discount?” He laughs and says, “So sorry, but this is a good place to spend your birthday” and with that he smiles again and salutes me, “Enjoy your day!” he adds. “I know I will!” I reply.

I walk up to the entrance and hand the lady my ticket very proudly. Again, no one in line. She welcomes me in French. I enter. By this time I am a child again. My legs feel like Jell-O and I feel like skipping. There is much to do, but first I need to do a little business at City Hall.

I walk in and say, “Hello, today is my birthday! Is there anything I should know while I’m here for the day?” The lady says, “Sorry, I have nothing……”. She pauses for a moment and thinks, “….Well, hold on one moment and let me see if I can get the boss on the phone.” She turns and picks up the phone. I start to sweat. I think, “Oh my God! She’s calling THE boss! The Big Guy. The head honcho!” She looks at me as she covers her voice as she talks to “The Boss”. She turns to me as says, “He’d like to talk with you!” and just like my nephew Calvin would, I say, “Me?” She smiles and hands me the phone. I tremble a little, yet I’m very excited and anxious. I hold the phone to my ear and eagerly say, “Hello?” The voice on the other end of the phone is a familiar one. “Ha Ha! Hi! I heard that today was your birthday! I just wanted to let you know that I’m very proud of you! Today is going to be a day full of magical moments so happy birthday and enjoy your day at Disneyland Paris!” I excitedly say, “Oh, I will Mickey!” I hand the phone back to the lady in disbelief, “I just talked to Mickey Mouse!” I say with excitement. I turned to the kid next to me, “I just talked to Mickey Mouse!” The lady smiles and says, “Happy Birthday!”

I pop out of City Hall and I behold: Main Street USA…..in Paris! Everything is different, yet familiar. I stroll down Main Street looking at the detail and trying to find what was added or missing. The ENTIRE day was like this. I was stuck in a “Highlights” magazine on the page where you have to seek out the stuff that is different. It was such a joy!

I literally can’t articulate how excited I was! I was a kid! A big kid! The entire day was like this! I felt so comfortable, excited, humbled, relaxed, creative, gleeful, child-like…….ALL DAY! I suppose this is what a kid feels like going to Disneyland for the first time. Maybe all the emotions and experiences I felt as a kid on my first Disneyland trip was always inside me and it decided to come out for some sunlight. There were times that I even felt like I was back in California and that I have never left home. It was surreal! Another part, I think, was accomplishment for getting there. Yesterday I almost abandoned the idea of going to Paris all together. This was accomplishment for going out of my comfort zone and being determined to be here on my birthday. It felt right!

I can go on and on about my thoughts and feelings, but my experiences today I think are best shared when I get home. However, I will give you a taste of what Disneyland Paris is like:

1. Space Mountain is called, “Space Mountain: Mission 2” and it is very different from the original. It shoots you out like a canon to start, there are more modern graphics inside, very faint music (almost none), more special effects, and best of all…..it goes upside down.

2. Haunted Mansion is called, “Phantom Manor” and is slightly different. There are effects on the outside of the building like moving shutters and curtains open slowly. A couple of new rooms inside the ride. A little scarier than the original. Also, the lady in the crystal ball is fat.

3. There is no Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, ToonTown, or Jungle Cruise.

4. Tomorrowland is called, “Discoveryland”.

5. Many of the attractions are bi-lingual.

6. Thunder Mountain is larger and feels faster.

7. The have the original Captain E-O.

8. The Indiana Jones ride is a rollercoaster. It also goes upside down.

9. They have a cave system that you can play in. So cool!

10. The Castle is larger and there is more to it. It has a dragon too!

11. The “It’s a Small World” ride has large boats that could fit most any American. Funny, considering that the boats in Anaheim can only fit small French people.

12. Pirates of the Caribbean looks bigger from the outside. The entrance walkway is more like Anaheim’s Indy ride. Also, as God intended, the pirates chase women and NOT plates of food.

13. Yes, they do serve beer at Disneyland Paris. I had one…..it was good!

Well, that’s all I will share for now. The whole day was spectacular and enjoyable! I did meet Foreign Pluto and Foreign Tigger too! Oh, and the park is a little smaller and it was not very crowded. Most of the rides had a 5-minute wait time all day…..even Space Mountain. I walked on most of the rides. At times there was some big crowds, but they mostly were in Fantasyland.

I have a tradition. I do this every visit to Disneyland. My personal tradition is to go to the Gibson Girl, grab a coffee ice cream on a waffle cone, and stroll down Main Street. To me, this is just about the most relaxing thing I can do. I look forward to this on every trip; Disneyland Paris was no different. As I’m eating my ice cream I recall my best friend Jimmy’s Disneyland motto, “Calories don’t count at Disneyland”.

At the end of the day I walked up and down Main Street again enjoying the setting sun over Disneyland Paris…..or what I’ve been calling, “The 2nd Happiest Place on Earth”. Needless to say, I was very sad to see the day end. I walked out of the park just as the place was closing. I didn’t want to leave. As I walked toward the train station I saw a bunch of lights. Could it be? Yes! Downtown Disney….in Paris! I checked for the last train departure so I didn’t get stuck. Yes! I have 3-hours before the last train!

I headed to the very end of Downtown Disney first and thought I would work my way toward the train station. At the end I noticed something that I’ve been seeing all day. It was a hot air balloon. I head toward it. I say, “How cool would that be?” I go in closer thinking, “Okay, if there is a long line I’ll skip it…..and/or if it is more than 20 Euros.” Well, I walk up and there is no line to get on the hot air balloon. I look at the price. Only 12 Euros….hell yeah! I buy a ticket!

I board the hot air balloon. It starts floating up. I’m a little freaked, but not as bad as I thought I would be. I don’t like heights too much. The view was amazing! I looked down on the entire strip of Downtown Disney and I could see both of the parks: Disneyland and Disney Studios. So fricken cool! Our landing was a bit rough, but nothing too bad. So much fun!

Well, I headed back down the strip looking for a spot for dinner. One thing I don’t like about Downtown Disney is the enormous prices of the food. It’s beyond ridiculous! I did find one place that was reasonably priced and while it wasn’t entirely French, it did have a special connection to Disney. Plus, you can’t find it at Downtown Disney back home…..I don’t think. The place was called, “King Ludwig’s Castle” and it was a German themed restaurant. I ordered a soup, chicken & fries, and a liter of wheat beer. Such a great end of the day treat for my birthday!

Well, I boarded the train back my hostel. As I walked along the streets of Paris walking from the Metro to my hostel I noticed that the time had just past midnight. My birthday was over. I thought, “Well, in California…..it’s still my birthday.” I chuckled a bit. I made it to the hostel and snuggled into bed. I thought about how happy this day had made me and how this was a much needed day to help combat a tough 2010. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this was the best birthday I have ever had. The only thing missing were my family, good friends, and PupPup the Wonder Mutt.

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