It is finally sunny out! Husband has the kids and I'm sitting in an outdoor cafe. There are two Jack Russells at the table next to me. Which is SO normal here, right? Not only that but the waiter comes up to hand them the bill (the owners, not the dogs) and the dogs lunge at him (luckily they are on leashes), barking and attempt to bite him. The waiter jumps back and then laughs and comments on how surprised he is that the dogs are yapping at him because he has owned Jack Russells and has such a good "rapport" with them generally. NO ONE seems miffed by the fact that the dogs have taken over that corner of the cafe. Or that they almost bit the waiter. It's a matter of course. I thought the waiter was going to apologize for upsetting the dogs!
What makes this so much more unbelievable to me is that when I take my kids to a cafe (which I do NOT since Bebe has been past baby stage), my kids are scowled at, and, if one of them dares drop a spoon on the floor I'm sure we are about to be kicked out.
That's the French. Bring your dogs, leave your kids at home.
Tuesday 13 March 2012
Mean Minnie
This weekend we took the kids to Disneyland Paris. Husband has fond memories of going with his dad and he has been dying to take Bebe since she was 2. I’ve been able to delay this ordeal (because really our girls don't even know the Disney stuff or care. Except for princesses and frankly they'd be happy to just go somewhere and see princess crap).
Knowing it’s a pricey adventure, months ago, I signed up for every website notification service available, waiting to spot a promotional deal on tickets.
Another family asked us to go last weekend and, even though I couldn’t find any promotions online, (or ticket prices), I figured maybe we’d score the child free with purchase of adult ticket – we’ve seen ads plastered all over the metros all winter.
Even though Disney is only about 30 minutes from our apartment, our kids were whining “are we there yet?” the entire ride. We finally arrive, for out fifteen euros to park miles away. We exit the car and embark on the journey towards the park entrance. THREE moving sidewalks to get to the end of the parking lot! Another mile till we hit security. Bebe starts to freak out “Are we going to the airport?” which is her idea of hell. At the same time, she is already entranced by the Princess vending machines outside the parking lot! We could've stopped there, called it a day and saved about $300. Oy. Through security and then we are only at the entrance to "the village". Another mile, the girls asking where are we going and more importantly WHY are we going, since they still have no idea what “Disneyland” is (I'm wondering the same thing) and we finally find the line to buy tickets. I do not understand how so many people can AFFORD to go to Disneyland. As I said, the website was impossible to navigate and all of the promos I had seen led me to believe it would be about 24 euros each. Tickets are 59 euros each! (Thank god Miss Pudding is free) but at that point we aren’t not going to go in!
SO we cough up a small fortune and enter. All goes ok, Bebe nods at the Disney "castle" (but I have to say, the kid has grown up seeing so many chateau sprinkled all over, visiting chateau gardens on the weekend as a playground spot that unless Cinderella walks out and greets us , herself, it is just another "castle" (and this time fake) to her. Mostly our girls are excited to meet up with their friends. We could have saved chunk of change and had a playdate in a parking lot an they would have been happy.
All goes surprisingly well, no meltdowns until lunch. Our friends (who were regular visitors courtesy of a huge company discount on tickets) suggest we eat at the Cowboy Grill - one of the Disney eateries where the characters join you for lunch. Hey, we are all the way here and the whole point is for the kids to see the characters - though, frankly, my kids don't know much about Mickey and the crowd. Again, we plunk down a small fortune for lunch (a pre fixe menu you pay a huge premium for the privilege of dining with Mickey and his cronies).
Fortunately, the place is relatively empty so I am sure our group of five girls will get plenty of face time with the Disney gang. Amped up and excited all five girls dash over to where they see Mickey and Minnie mouse hanging out. Two minutes later they come back, upset and fighting back tears. "Minnie Mouse was mean to us! She told us to go away!"
"Yeah, mom we went up to her and she went like this!" Bebe put her hand up making a “stop” gesture.
Minnie Mouse gave our kids The Hand? What's next - the finger? Are you kidding me?
The girls rally and head off, en masse, to say hello to Daffy Duck, the two littlest ones following in the wake of the older girls.
They come running back. "Daffy Duck is mean too!" He shook his finger at us and pointed for us to go away!"
Give me a break! I understand these characters may not want to be swarmed with kids but honestly the place is practically empty. The whole point of this "restaurant" is to hang out with the characters! It's Disneyland for goodness sake. Only in France would Minnie Mouse be a bitch.
The girls sat at our table, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their adored Minnie Mouse, who was taking her time circulating the room. She visits every table except ours. I can’t believe I’m having to hold kids back and keep them calmly entertained at Disneyland. The other mom I was with, a tough Swiss lady, is about to go tell off Minnie Mouse when she finally comes over to our table.
Minnie makes a half assed attempt at deigning us with her presence. Luckily , the Disney Country Band starts up and a bunch more characters come out and start rocking out to Happy Birthday at the table next to us.
Even in Disneyland, the Parisian snideness seeps in. Luckiily, this was a one and only Paris Disney trip for us.
In the car, on the way home, Bebe pipes up, "Daddy, when you were little was Minnie Mouse mean?" So this is my kid's memory of Disneyland.
Knowing it’s a pricey adventure, months ago, I signed up for every website notification service available, waiting to spot a promotional deal on tickets.
Another family asked us to go last weekend and, even though I couldn’t find any promotions online, (or ticket prices), I figured maybe we’d score the child free with purchase of adult ticket – we’ve seen ads plastered all over the metros all winter.
Even though Disney is only about 30 minutes from our apartment, our kids were whining “are we there yet?” the entire ride. We finally arrive, for out fifteen euros to park miles away. We exit the car and embark on the journey towards the park entrance. THREE moving sidewalks to get to the end of the parking lot! Another mile till we hit security. Bebe starts to freak out “Are we going to the airport?” which is her idea of hell. At the same time, she is already entranced by the Princess vending machines outside the parking lot! We could've stopped there, called it a day and saved about $300. Oy. Through security and then we are only at the entrance to "the village". Another mile, the girls asking where are we going and more importantly WHY are we going, since they still have no idea what “Disneyland” is (I'm wondering the same thing) and we finally find the line to buy tickets. I do not understand how so many people can AFFORD to go to Disneyland. As I said, the website was impossible to navigate and all of the promos I had seen led me to believe it would be about 24 euros each. Tickets are 59 euros each! (Thank god Miss Pudding is free) but at that point we aren’t not going to go in!
SO we cough up a small fortune and enter. All goes ok, Bebe nods at the Disney "castle" (but I have to say, the kid has grown up seeing so many chateau sprinkled all over, visiting chateau gardens on the weekend as a playground spot that unless Cinderella walks out and greets us , herself, it is just another "castle" (and this time fake) to her. Mostly our girls are excited to meet up with their friends. We could have saved chunk of change and had a playdate in a parking lot an they would have been happy.
All goes surprisingly well, no meltdowns until lunch. Our friends (who were regular visitors courtesy of a huge company discount on tickets) suggest we eat at the Cowboy Grill - one of the Disney eateries where the characters join you for lunch. Hey, we are all the way here and the whole point is for the kids to see the characters - though, frankly, my kids don't know much about Mickey and the crowd. Again, we plunk down a small fortune for lunch (a pre fixe menu you pay a huge premium for the privilege of dining with Mickey and his cronies).
Fortunately, the place is relatively empty so I am sure our group of five girls will get plenty of face time with the Disney gang. Amped up and excited all five girls dash over to where they see Mickey and Minnie mouse hanging out. Two minutes later they come back, upset and fighting back tears. "Minnie Mouse was mean to us! She told us to go away!"
"Yeah, mom we went up to her and she went like this!" Bebe put her hand up making a “stop” gesture.
Minnie Mouse gave our kids The Hand? What's next - the finger? Are you kidding me?
The girls rally and head off, en masse, to say hello to Daffy Duck, the two littlest ones following in the wake of the older girls.
They come running back. "Daffy Duck is mean too!" He shook his finger at us and pointed for us to go away!"
Give me a break! I understand these characters may not want to be swarmed with kids but honestly the place is practically empty. The whole point of this "restaurant" is to hang out with the characters! It's Disneyland for goodness sake. Only in France would Minnie Mouse be a bitch.
The girls sat at our table, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their adored Minnie Mouse, who was taking her time circulating the room. She visits every table except ours. I can’t believe I’m having to hold kids back and keep them calmly entertained at Disneyland. The other mom I was with, a tough Swiss lady, is about to go tell off Minnie Mouse when she finally comes over to our table.
Minnie makes a half assed attempt at deigning us with her presence. Luckily , the Disney Country Band starts up and a bunch more characters come out and start rocking out to Happy Birthday at the table next to us.
Even in Disneyland, the Parisian snideness seeps in. Luckiily, this was a one and only Paris Disney trip for us.
In the car, on the way home, Bebe pipes up, "Daddy, when you were little was Minnie Mouse mean?" So this is my kid's memory of Disneyland.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)