So back in my last blog about my 21st birthday, I explained that my main birthday present was a trip to Disneyland Paris, courtesy of my parents who came with me on the trip. I also paid for us to go up the Eiffel Tower, which is why this post is entitled Paris rather than just Disneyland. It has been a long delay on this post (almost a month) so I apologize for that - I have just not been in a blogging mood - but now, I will inform you!
We left our house at 7:20am on 28th November (the day after my birthday) and headed to the coach park where we were going to be picked up for our trip to Disney. We were collected at 8am and only had one service stop trip on the way to Dover to get the ferry. We arrived at the Port Of Dover but had to wait two hours for our ferry, due to a mess up by Harry Shaw! It was a long wait but it wasn't too cold so it was okay.
We boarded the ferry and the first thing we did was go to the restaurant. We were starving and my parents thought that sitting down for a meal and a drink might take my mind off the fact I'm on a ferry, as I'm scared of boats and the sea. I had a chicken curry and a beer.
It was a French ferry that we went on and it was very basic but it had hardly any passengers on it, and the crossing itself was so smooth that you couldn't even tell you were on a ferry. I was even brave enough to go outside in my wheelchair due to the good weather conditions.
After a long drive the other side, we finally got to Disney and we were the last drop off at Hotel Cheyenne. We got checked in and went to our room which was all cowboy themed to match the hotel. We then went on a little wander around to see what was on our hotel grounds. The floor was very uneven and unsafe for wheelchairs especially when it was pitch black, so I ended up falling out of my wheelchair and putting myself in more pain just on the first night... Not a success!
We headed to bed and got up bright and early the next day for breakfast before going to Disneyland. Our first stop was Disney Village where we went in and out of all the shops and I treated myself to so many nice things including a t-shirt, hoody and a talking Woody.
We decided to head to the Disney Studios first, as that hadn't been built the last time we went to Disneyland Paris. The studios were okay but they really weren't anything special and I wouldn't be bothered about going back to that part again, although Crush's Coaster looked fun but I couldn't go on it in my situation. We did attend an animation workshop though where I attempted to draw a picture of Winnie The Pooh.
The best part of the studios was the Toy Story Playland, simply because I think Toy Story is incredible and I liked all of the giant character statutes etc. - epsecially Buzz Lightyear.
We went into the main Disneyland Park but didn't do much in there on the first day except look around - mainly because there weren't many rides I could go on anyway.
The next day, we got up bright and early and headed fresh into the Disney parks where we were the first in due to me being in a wheelchair. Upon first entering the park, you are faced with the most beautiful Christmas decorations in front of the arch.
The next day, we got up bright and early and headed fresh into the Disney parks where we were the first in due to me being in a wheelchair. Upon first entering the park, you are faced with the most beautiful Christmas decorations in front of the arch.
We went around the park and spent the whole day in there before having dinner in the Rainforest Cafe (where the fake animals 'come to life' - amazing!). During the day we saw a Disney Parade which was incredible - but very cold! - and in the evening, we came back to see the firework show which was unbelievable, but unfortunately I have no photos of that due to having to stand without my crutches throughout the entire show which was absolutely agonizing and difficult! Below is a photo of me wrapped up in seven layers for the parade, and I was still freezing.
The next day, we finished off the rest of the park and I went on a few rides. I was very restricted to what I could go on due to my leg injury but my favourite ride was Buzz Lightyear Blast!
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That evening, we had dinner at Annette's Diner before getting the train to Paris to go up the Eiffel Tower, which I had paid for us all to do. We were walking (well, my parents were pushing me in my wheelchair!) from the train station towards the tower, and we got to a corner just as the clock struck 9pm and the hourly twinkling started. Again, I cried. It was beautiful. It was something that I'd always hoped to see one day, but that I thought I never would.
We went up the Eiffel Tower in the lift to the second summit and then my Mom said she didn't want to go any further so she stayed on the second floor with the wheelchair whilst Dad and I attempted to get me to the top on crutches - something which isn't permitted by the staff. I bum shuffled up 18 very cold and curved steps which was absolutely knackering and I felt like I was going to vomit, but a woman at the top said "Good on you, girl!" I then had to battle a metal queue line which was so tight that I could barely fit my crutches through... Then I came to a turnstile which was a nightmare! Finally, I was in the lift to the top floor.
We got to the indoor part at the top and then saw that there were around 12 more steps to get to the top. I was absolutely exhausted and my Dad told me not to bother going up them just to get outside, but I was determined. I said I would go to the top whether I was on crutches or not - so go to the top I did! I hopped up the last steps and when I got to the top, I was so exhausted that I felt like crying, but I was so proud of myself too. I had just got to the top when it struck 10pm and the lights twinkled again. It was an amazing feeling as I felt like they were celebrating that I made it to the top. This is me at the very top.
It really was spectacular, even though I had to bum shuffle up and then hop all the way back down - it was worth every second of pain, and it just goes to show that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Getting back to Disney was a nightmare. The lift we had come up in from the station (as it's underground) was like a phone box in the middle of a random street and we couldn't find it again. We were going to miss the last train, so I had no choice but to hop down around 80 steps into the station whilst my Dad carried my wheelchair. I was crying in agony as my ankle on my good leg felt like it was going to snap. I sat back down in my wheelchair and my parents were running along the corridor with me when we got to the other end and found that there were about the same amount of steps UP! I knew there was no way I was going to be able to get up all of them so a French man helped my Mom lift the front of my wheelchair and my Dad carried the back, with me in it, and carried me up the steps. I thought my Dad was going to have a heart attack! We finally got into the train station and got to the lift to go down to the platform, which we had come up in earlier, only to discover that it had broken down! The train manager came with two other men and they held the last train for us. Then they stopped the escalator and I stepped onto it, the train manager in front of me and the two other men either side of me holding onto me as tight as they possibly could before starting the escalator to get me to the bottom. We got back to Disneyland at 1:30am. It was a nightmare but it was worth every second.
The next day, we got up early and got on our coach which took us into the Christmas Market in Paris and then to a hypermarket in Calais before we boarded the ferry (where we got stuck in a lift!) and headed back to England.
It was stressful in a wheelchair but it was the best weekend of my life. I didn't want to come home.
Clare
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xxx
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