Rapport de Voyage: A WDW Local Goes to DLP (Also London and Efteling) UPDATED Day 1 Complete 12/22

[dachsie]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1561803078755500033

I saw this on Twitter and thought of you - he had several tips and said the food at Walt's was good

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1561803078755500033

I saw this on Twitter and thought of you - he had several tips and said the food at Walt's was good

Thanks!

Looks like he also recommended getting an AP for discounts.

Just can't see how that would work for me. Right now my total is 1054 euros for the stay. That includes 3 nights at Sequoia Lodge and 4 day park tickets for 2 people. I don't even see a way to price out the hotel rooms if I did have an AP. I guess I would probably have to call. The lowest tier pass doesn't even offer discounts, the next lowest is 319 euros and the highest (which has 10% more off merchandise) is 499 euros. A 3 day ticket for our dates is $259.21.

So we'd need one AP at 319 and one 3 day park ticket at 259. That's $578 roughly, I think the euro and dollar exchange rate is about even right now. So 3 nights at the hotel would have to be lower than $476 for the AP to make sense. Don't think that is happening.

Not sure if we'd buy enough merch to come out ahead with 10% off.

 

[ratherbeshiny]

I had originally wanted to book a sunrise tour at Stongehenge, which lets you get inside the circle. And before everyone tells me, I am aware that Stonehenge will most likely be pretty lame. But I really like ancient history and I'd like to see it, so there we are.

No way, Stonehenge is cool! I'm sending my parents to see it in January.

We travel with the same level of intensity as you, it looks so tiring when you write it all down!

Have your bought your flight to London yet?

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

No way, Stonehenge is cool! I'm sending my parents to see it in January.

We travel with the same level of intensity as you, it looks so tiring when you write it all down!

Have your bought your flight to London yet?

Thanks for saying that about Stonehenge! I am certainly excited to see it

We have a pretty good energy level, and we love to see new things. So having an intense itinerary is just the way we roll. Glad you are a fellow kindred spirit.

We did not buy our flight tickets yet, still thinking to go with that super early flight from Schiphol on British Airways at 7:10 am for $57 to Heathrow.

 

[ratherbeshiny]

Thanks for saying that about Stonehenge! I am certainly excited to see it

We have a pretty good energy level, and we love to see new things. So having an intense itinerary is just the way we roll. Glad you are a fellow kindred spirit.

We did not buy our flight tickets yet, still thinking to go with that super early flight from Schiphol on British Airways at 7:10 am for $57 to Heathrow.

I just had a thought - Sky Garden is a great place to see London from above! Tickets are free, they open dates a few weeks in advance. Not to try and add to your already packed schedule or anything, ha ha! https://skygarden.london/booking/

I clearly hate waking up early... but have you thought about what time you'll have to get up for that flight! Current advice is to arrive at the airport four hours early (hopefully this drops back down to two by November). Yikes!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I just had a thought - Sky Garden is a great place to see London from above! Tickets are free, they open dates a few weeks in advance. Not to try and add to your already packed schedule or anything, ha ha! https://skygarden.london/booking/

I clearly hate waking up early... but have you thought about what time you'll have to get up for that flight! Current advice is to arrive at the airport four hours early (hopefully this drops back down to two by November). Yikes!

Thanks! I'll check out Sky Garden.

I also hate waking up early, but for vacation I tolerate it. I get too excited to sleep, anyway. Geez, 4 hour early arrival would be brutal for that flight. Is the airport even open at that time?

 

[ratherbeshiny]

Thanks! I'll check out Sky Garden.

I also hate waking up early, but for vacation I tolerate it. I get too excited to sleep, anyway. Geez, 4 hour early arrival would be brutal for that flight. Is the airport even open at that time?

I believe so!

 

[Karin1984]

Thanks! I'll check out Sky Garden.

I also hate waking up early, but for vacation I tolerate it. I get too excited to sleep, anyway. Geez, 4 hour early arrival would be brutal for that flight. Is the airport even open at that time?

Don't worry, the airport is open 24/7. The train station / pre customs is open to all, as the night trains keep going the entire night. Most shops/restaurants will be closed, but you should at least be able to get a burger at Burger King at 4 in the morning ;-) When I worked at the airport, the earliest shift for my company started at 4:30 in the morning. I arrived at 4 and either had a very early breakfast or a very late dinner at Burger King.

My mom had an early flight two weeks ago at 5:30 in the morning. Check in didn't start till 2:30 and it took them about 1,5-2 hours to get through all the checks and customs. But this was still Summer season, I have good hopes for November.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I'm still here!!

We leave in less than a week. I do intent to do a trip report on at least the DLP part of our trip.

Our itinerary has been changed and shifted and here is the final version:


Monday Nov 21
Arrive around 10:40 at Schiphol.
Van Gogh museum
lunch in the city (any suggestions?)
Efteling for dinner and hotel check in

Tuesday Nov 22
All day at Efteling. Sadly, no Caro show tonight.

Wednesday Nov 23
Early flight to Heathrow. Pick up rental car.
Stonehenge
Salisbury Cathedral
Lunch in Bath
Roman Baths
Check into our Cotswolds hotel in Bourton on the Water and have a late dinner there.

Thursday Nov 24
Check our Bourton on the Water early.
Drive to another Cotswalds town or two.
Diddly Squat Farm shop, lunch in Chipping Norton
Return rental car at Heathrow, train into the city and check into hotel.

Friday Nov 25
British Museum at open.
Lunch at a nearby Indian restaurant, Dishoom.
Back to the museum, it's open late on Friday.
Drinks at Mr Fogg's Society of Exploration

Saturday Nov 26
Tate Britain
Westminster Abbey
Churchill War Rooms
Walk by: Horse Guards Palace, Parliament, St James Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Goodwins Court: Dickens type alley with shopfronts, Piccadilly Circus
Sherlock Holmes pub
lunch at Meracto Mayfair Market

Sunday Nov 27
Guildhall's Amphitheater (very close to hotel)
Lunch at Leadenhall Market
Harry Potter WB Studios Tour at 4:30 pm

Monday Nov 28
Tower of London
London Wall
St. Paul's Cathedral
Leadenhall Market again for early lunch
Globe Theater
Tate Modern
early dinner at Borough Market
West End show My Neighbor Totoro

Tuesday Nov 29
train to DLP
rest of day at DLP
early dinner at Pym's Kitchen

Wednesday Nov 30
DLP all day
11:30 Captain Jack's

Thursday Dec 1
DLP all day
2:30 Walt's

Friday Dec 2
flight leaves Charles de Gaulle at 11:40 am

Any last minute tips for me?

 

[Karin1984]

Just enjoy and take your time!

For places to eat in Amsterdam, there are plenty of restaurants near the Van Gogh museum. Use Google reviews to find something with a decent amount of positive reviews. Brasserie Keyzer and Barpiazza look decent. I would go for simple. You are probably tired and jetlagged.

Have you packed your umbrella/poncho? It is Autumn here, it can get rainy

 

[steve_rob]

Monday Nov 28
. . .
West End show My Neighbor Totoro
. . .
Any last minute tips for me?

I will point out that Totoro is on at the Barbican, which isn't in the West End, but closer to the "City" of London (e.g. the financial/business district), so make sure you add on some extra time to get there if you're located nearer the traditional West End / Theatre District. Also worth doing because the Barbican has a reputation for being a real maze and it can be quite easy to get lost - it's got a lot of high-level pedestrian walkways criss-crossing the site that all look very similar.

However the show itself is fantastic and you will love it - I was lucky enough to go last Friday and had such a great night!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Just enjoy and take your time!

For places to eat in Amsterdam, there are plenty of restaurants near the Van Gogh museum. Use Google reviews to find something with a decent amount of positive reviews. Brasserie Keyzer and Barpiazza look decent. I would go for simple. You are probably tired and jetlagged.

Have you packed your umbrella/poncho? It is Autumn here, it can get rainy

Thanks! I was reading about tipping in Amsterdam and got kind of confused about restaurant tipping. What I was reading sounded real wishy washy. It said tipping is not required and no one will think poorly of you if you don't, but it also said 10-15% if excellent service? Any advice for me? Also something else I read said a lot of restaurants in Amsterdam only take a particular kind of credit card I hadn't heard of. Do you know if Visas or Discover are widely accepted in Amsterdam?

We have our giant umbrellas that fold down and have little bags with backpack straps. Those are definitely coming, but thank you for the warning.

I will point out that Totoro is on at the Barbican, which isn't in the West End, but closer to the "City" of London (e.g. the financial/business district), so make sure you add on some extra time to get there if you're located nearer the traditional West End / Theatre District. Also worth doing because the Barbican has a reputation for being a real maze and it can be quite easy to get lost - it's got a lot of high-level pedestrian walkways criss-crossing the site that all look very similar.

However the show itself is fantastic and you will love it - I was lucky enough to go last Friday and had such a great night!

Thank you for the warning, I am a little bit iffy on our timing for Monday and whether we can get everything in. The Tate Modern is free and wasn't really high on my radar but some coworkers have really been pushing us to at least go in for an hour or so, so that might be the thing to get cut if we run out of time.

Can I ask your advice for what theater goers in London wear? Every city seems to have a very different dress code. I was thinking a nice sweater and nice jeans, is that way too dressed down?

I'm excited you enjoyed the show and I can't wait to see it!

 

[Karin1984]

Tipping is not a big thing here. It is appreciated, but not required. And if you do, it is more common to round up the number. If your bill is 75 euro and you tip 80, that is fine. We don't do percentages.

No one will chase you down the street. People do not rely on tips for their income.
If you do not tip, you as an American will probably be bothered more by it, than your server.

Your visa card should be accepted without a problem. Visa and Mastercard are most accepted. Others might be accepted at big tourist attractions, but at small restaurants might it be an issue.
Double check before you sit down.

 

[steve_rob]

Can I ask your advice for what theater goers in London wear? Every city seems to have a very different dress code. I was thinking a nice sweater and nice jeans, is that way too dressed down?

I'm excited you enjoyed the show and I can't wait to see it!

Casual - no need to get dressed up at all. Maybe for a high end performance like an opera or the first night of a major production, but for a regular show there's no need.

Now admittedly I did go to Totoro in shirt and dress pants, but that's cause I went straight from my work (it's ten minutes walk from my office) and didn't have time to change!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Casual - no need to get dressed up at all. Maybe for a high end performance like an opera or the first night of a major production, but for a regular show there's no need.

Now admittedly I did go to Totoro in shirt and dress pants, but that's cause I went straight from my work (it's ten minutes walk from my office) and didn't have time to change!

I appreciate your reply. I didn't want to be the dumb Americans who don't know how to dress for the theater in London.

I spent a summer working in NYC and I did much the same as you, I'd leave from my office in my business clothes and just go straight to the theater. People did tend to be a bit more dressy in NYC. But still, happy to hear that London theater is more casual.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm so jealous that Stonehenge is on your list, that is a pipe dream for me, not lame in the least!

Actually I'm so jealous of this whole trip (in a very friendly way ) We're living vicariously through you and can't wait to hear about it all.

If we end up getting to northern Europe (which I may be able to convince Aaron for the next cruise we'll see) we'll get to know parts of through your trip

I'm so excited for you Don't forget to breathe while you're traveling all over

 

[fla4fun]

I'm so jealous that Stonehenge is on your list, that is a pipe dream for me, not lame in the least!

Actually I'm so jealous of this whole trip (in a very friendly way ) We're living vicariously through you and can't wait to hear about it all.

If we end up getting to northern Europe (which I may be able to convince Aaron for the next cruise we'll see) we'll get to know parts of through your trip

I'm so excited for you Don't forget to breathe while you're traveling all over

Add me to the jealous (in the nicest way) list. Stonehenge is definitely not lame. We did a tour out of London to Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge a few years ago. The cathedral was beautiful, as was the weather, so all the exterior photos have a lovely blue sky. By the time we got to Stonehenge, clouds had moved in, and made for some really moody photographs. The only regret I had was that we didn’t get to visit Old Sarum while we were there. They would all definitely be on my list again if I get the chance to go back.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I'm so jealous that Stonehenge is on your list, that is a pipe dream for me, not lame in the least!

Actually I'm so jealous of this whole trip (in a very friendly way ) We're living vicariously through you and can't wait to hear about it all.

If we end up getting to northern Europe (which I may be able to convince Aaron for the next cruise we'll see) we'll get to know parts of through your trip

I'm so excited for you Don't forget to breathe while you're traveling all over

Getting ready to head to the airport. Will try to add pics to fb or Instagram

Add me to the jealous (in the nicest way) list. Stonehenge is definitely not lame. We did a tour out of London to Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge a few years ago. The cathedral was beautiful, as was the weather, so all the exterior photos have a lovely blue sky. By the time we got to Stonehenge, clouds had moved in, and made for some really moody photographs. The only regret I had was that we didn’t get to visit Old Sarum while we were there. They would all definitely be on my list again if I get the chance to go back.

I have a feeling the weather won't be too nice for us, probably cold and a bit grey. But I'm still excited to go.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Getting ready to head to the airport. Will try to add pics to fb or Instagram



I have a feeling the weather won't be too nice for us, probably cold and a bit grey. But I'm still excited to go.

Safe travels!!!!

 

[Karin1984]

I have a feeling the weather won't be too nice for us, probably cold and a bit grey. But I'm still excited to go.

Eh... no. Sorry! Yesterday the temperature dropped a lot, it was just miserable out here in NL today. But I'm sure you'll have loads of fun!
Cold and a weekday... Efteling should be quiet on Tuesday