Yet another day we intended to get up and out of the apartment early, yet another day we didn’t quite make it as early as planned.  This time, we were headed to the Catacombs, highly recommended by our dear friends the Daniels (see the Lucca posting).  When we emerged from the subway station bright and early at 11:00ish…. we saw that the line to get INTO the Catacombs wrapped all the way around the block.  Some quick interviewing revealed that the wait was about three hours.  Ugh….

We retired to a nearby cafe to have some lunch and decide our afternoon.  We settled on a quick trip to Versailles to see the incredible palace and beautiful gardens.  The kids were a bit MEH about it, but trusted our judgment that it would be great!

But as we sat eating lunch, I was feeling a bit MEH myself about another palace.  So I hatched a plan to instead surprise the kids with a trip to Disneyland Paris.  A quick, discreet text across the table to LouAnn confirmed she agreed with the idea.

[NOW…..a POINTED NOTE to all of you who are QUICK TO JUDGE ME for spending a day in Paris, France at DISNEY:  I have spent this WHOLE TRIP being the MASTER OF CULTURE AND HISTORY.  Every BIT of this itinerary has been aimed at providing our kids the AUTHENTIC European experience.  Starting in MARCH, I had been asked no fewer than 200 TIMES, “please, please, please can we go to Paris Disneyland???  We’ll be RIGHT THERE!!!”  And every request was met with not just a refusal, but an AUTHORITATIVE refusal;  a refusal that carried with it a clear tone of disdain and shaming for the asking child.  “MON DIEU!  Good gracious NO.  We are NOT WASTING a day in Europe at DISNEYLAND!  Shame on you and your shallow, juvenile mind for asking!!  Cezanne and Degas are rolling in their GRAVES!!”  BUT…..I caved.  They were SUCH troopers during The Salzburg Incident that I decided to treat them.  Besides, I LOVE Disney World.  So LOOK DOWN YOUR GOOFY-SIZED NOSE at me if you will…..I’m not ashamed!]

So back on the Metro, connecting to the bigger train, all the way out to the LAST STOP.  Even though the upcoming-station list was scrolling on the screen inside the train car, the kids NEVER NOTICED the last stop said, “Disneyland Parc”.  It wasn’t until we were getting off the TRAIN that it started to sink in.  Needless to say, they were ECSTATIC.  We ended up with about 7 hours between the two parks, Disneyland and the Studios, and we had a blast.  I spent most of my time lying and sitting on benches, or traversing the parks to collect FastPasses, but I was happy to do it.

The morning started with a walk along the Seine!

QuickLoutakethepictureitsmellsliketinkledownhere…..

Lunch at the Indiana Café.  This may have been the exact moment – or near it – when I hatched my plan for the Versailles-Disneyland switcheroo.

What?  Disneyland!?!

This one’s funny because they’re so excited, but they have no idea where to go!

I managed to take a family selfie that’s focused only on me.  Huh.

Thank you, random British tourist!  (Disneyland was FULL of Brits)

 

Dead ringer.

This ride was called something like, “Woody’s Disc-Slipping Roundup.”  So, naturally, I didn’t ride it….

These two win the prize maintaining the highest energy levels late into the evening.  Would you have bet on anyone else?