Wow, what a turn of events! And $1,400 seems like a bargain! Can’t wait to hear all about it. We are hoping to do DLP next fall if you all over there will let us in by then.
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They should add a Family Guy area to SWGE based on their parody of the Star Wars films.
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This all looks awesome! I hope you have a great trip.
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Totally agree wtih @Jeff_AZ - for me it’s the human story in Wall-E that falls flat. I could watch the two robots dance in space all day long.
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I’ve decided to limit myself to one “good” meal a day. So the two dinners at NBC (steak place and fish place) are out. They’re not particularly interestingly themed. And I’m (allegedly) staying at NBC in October, so I’ll have an opportunity to check that out then.
So my three table service meals are now all in the parks themselves and all late lunches.
For other meals I’ll find quick service options in the parks or in Disney Village. Hell, I’m fine with McDonald’s.
I’m definitely excited about the trip, but in quite a subdued way. After the repeated disappointments — for me and everyone else — this year, I’m not going to believe it’s actually happening until I’m on the plane.
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I’m so excited! I know nothing about DLP and can’t wait to tag along via your trip report
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For the other meals, maybe you can order scallops
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Oh thank heavens. You must visit some Disney park. I need trip reports from you.
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So I’m not worried about COVID in terms of the risk to myself. But I am worried about it in terms of the risk to my trip. Will the French government change policy and require people arriving in the country to quarantine?
Well, I happened to see this graph on the BBC News website —
That’s positive test results and it’s why (I think) the UK is requiring arrivals from France (including me!) to quarantine.
But then I saw this on Google —
That’s deaths.
Now I know that deaths lag positive test results, but it does seem to me that the rise in positive test results must have something to do in the rise in the number of tests.
Does that make me sound like Trump?
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You would need to look at data that shows an increase in testing as well to see if it correlates to a rise in cases. Also, look at the data on positivity rates, not just numbers of positives.
Personally, I think looking at the positives alone isn’t terribly useful, since a rise in cases now, even when entirely legitimate, doesn’t seem to be corresponding to the level of hospitalizations and deaths as it did early on for a variety of reasons.
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I wasn’t able to find positive test %, but this chart of the same case data you posted makes it look not so bad if you spread out the time axis a little bit.
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Tomorrow’s the day! I assume we’re still on? Can’t wait to follow along!
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Weather looks lovely! (Well, compared to here, anyway, where the forecast is hot, humid, and a hurricane or two…)
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So, yes, today is travel day.
My original plan was to drive to the airport (50 miles) but after some thought and discussion with a friend, I decided to take the train. I think it will be simpler. I can see the train station from my house and the airport has its own station. There’s one change of train, but there’s a Starbucks on the platform, so that pretty much sealed the deal.
I’ve spent a lot of time watching DLP vlogs on YouTube which have got me very excited. Most of them are fairly awful but if anyone’s interested I recommend The Disney Twins UK, who produce well-thought out and informative videos.
One of them did make me a little sad — the DLP fireworks and parade both look really great (and are not running now, of course) and there’s a terrific stage show (Mickey the Magician) which I’d love to see but which is not running, either.
The Lion King show is running. The Jungle Book show was due to start yesterday, but two of the cast tested positive for COVID so it’s now off.
By yesterday afternoon I had made my traditional transition from excitement to anxiety. I realised that this is not actually just about Calvin. I remembered the first trip I made to DLP. It was a solo trip — my first as an adult to France — in 1997. On departure day I developed a weird muscular stiffness that made it hard to even walk and I wondered if I’d be able to make the trip at all. I remember it vanishing as the train approached Paris.
What a basket of crazy I am. Talking of which, next up yesterday afternoon was packing.
Initially I really struggled with this. I had lots of decisions to make. Which iPad? — the Mini (lightweight) or the Pro (heavy but comes with keyboard case). Related to that — which carry-on bag (i.e. “handbag” in addition to suitcase, which is also a carry-on). And which park bag? And even — which wallet, lol.
Talking of wallets, getting Euros turned into a bit of a production. The first bank I visited turned me away because it was posting a 50 minute wait for entry. Thanks, COVID. The cashier at the second bank took forever to process the transaction. In the UK when you buy foreign currency they work on the assumption that you are an international money-launderer and drugs kingpin. So they carry out endless checks on you. A lot of banks won’t sell you currency if you don’t have an account with them. I was only buying €100 — about $100 — which I need for the cab from the airport to DLP. (I arrive too late for the train.)
Now I know I’m amongst friends here when I say my packing became micro-planned. But I eventually managed to actually make choices and then charge up all the devices I’m taking, and load up the iPad (Mini!) with movies — Ratatouille and the new version of the Lion King.
What I haven’t done yet is actually put stuff in my suitcase. The carry-on bag is packed, the park bag is packed, there are half a dozen ziploc bags packed. But I’m waiting till today to actually get the suitcase out. Calvin was already very suspicious of my activity yesterday and I don’t want to completely give it all away by getting the suitcase out of the cupboard.
It’s currently 9.30am. My train leaves at 2.30pm. And the flight departs at 7.30pm. I arrive 10pm (Paris time — one hour ahead) and should be at DLP by 11pm. Early entry to the parks is 8.30am. Which means, I’ve just realised, I should be on Main Street in under 24 hours. Gulp.
I’ll probably be back later to report from the airport.
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Have a fantastic trip!!!
Have fun!
At train station. Train departs in five minutes.
ETA On train now. Yes, that is my Club 33 baseball cap.
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safe travels! enjoy yourself!
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I hope you have a great trip! Looking forward to reading about it.
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