I want to go to disneyland paris this year for the christmas time. but since Im from the usa I am scared that I wont know what people are saying or understand anything thing. ls it that way or do people speak english to help tourest?

To be honest once your in the resort its pretty easy to get along without knowing any french at all! Are you planning on just doing Disney or Paris aswell, I havent really been into Paris (why would I want to, Disney is so near LOL) but I would imagine it shouldnt be a real issue as long as you stay in the Touristy areas. My french is apalling and I have not really had any major difficulties on Resort....

If you have any questions just post em here, I've been checking this board daily lately :)

Colin

I had absolutely no problem in DLP (or Paris itself actually) speaking English. Usually, my accented "Bonjour" would solicite an almost immediate response in english. Go, you'll have fun.

Rides do they have only french? when eatting at a disnyland do the have english menus? I plan on going for 4 nights, 3 at the resort and 1 I want to take a paris tour.

I recall the menus being in both French and English. As for the rides, it varries. Phantom Mannor is bilingual, You can select a prefered language in Visionarium. Most of the rides are visual or experiencial so the launguage doesn't matter all that much.

Phantom Mannor is bilingual, so it has the french then english through the whole ride? The Phantom Mannor is the one ride I really wanted to go on, I love the hunted mansion at disneyland, and I wanted to see the differnt verisons.

We went with absolutely no knowledge of French and did fine (mostly). Most CM's seem to speak some English and if they don't they can usually direct you to someone who does. English menus are available almost everywhere.

We did a trip report (http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/trip.rpt/report_files/dlparis.rpt/perkis02mr.htm), which might help you as we discuss the language issue a bit and mention the use of French and English narration on various rides.

I if you don't know French, you either do you best to say "Je nai parle pas Francais" (I don't speak French) or "Parlez vous Englais?" (Do you speak English?). I found that, if I smiled and stumbled though French the best I could I would get all of the English help I could imagind.

This will probably NOT be necessary at DLP, but if you go into Paris, it can be helpful.

A few choice phrases will go a LOOOOONG way.

Oh, and always say Bonjour when walking into a store.:)

I tried to post this earliar but my PC decided to crash half way thru typing LOL

The Rides are mainly bilingual, tho I must say Phantom isnt one I would describe as Bilingual.... There are some English bits, but the Entrance Lobbey and the Stretching room are Entirely French...

Attractions that require CM participation usually have English subtitles behind, like the Disney Channel Studios and Armageddon in the Studios. And Honey I Shrunk The Audience, Le Visionarium and The Art of Disney Animation (I think thats all of them) have headsets to Translate to one of 3 or 4 languages.

And yes, all menu's are in English Also :) Well theres the odd item that I see that isnt translated, but mostly anyway!

Originally posted by mightduck
I want to go to disneyland paris this year

But it is in France!

And you know how the French are!

Originally posted by mightduck
I want to go to disneyland paris this year for the christmas time. but since Im from the usa I am scared that I wont know what people are saying or understand anything thing. ls it that way or do people speak english to help tourest?

Most of the CM's at Euro Disneyland speak english so you should be okay.

InnerSpaceman and I took a trip to Euro Disney last July. You can read our trip report here (http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/trip.rpt/report_files/dlparis.rpt/zlick03jy.htm).

Originally posted by newhdplayer
But it is in France!

And you know how the French are!

I'm glad you brought that up, because the French are Sooooooooo Wonderful! I had such a good time with these warm and fun people. I've been to 5 different European countries and found the French to be the most fun. I'd rate the friendliness of these 5 countries but I'd upset someone, so I'll just say the the French were among the most forgiving that I did not speak their language.

If you have some respect for the fact that you are a visitor to this fine country you will not have any problems. If you act pushy and demanding, you WILL have issues. Tact is everything.

Not afraid, thanks for your nice post. I think you're right, tact is very important, everywhere...
But ignorance is the worst thing on earth.

Anyway, language is not really a problem here I think, CM come from various euro countries, mostly from Germany, Spain, Italy, UK, ... ...

Love. ;)

My husband and I went to Disneyland Paris...and neither of us know French (I did take 4 years of it waaaayyyy back in high school...but those were the days of the covered wagon :rolleyes: ...er...disco lights...;) ).

You will have no problems there...or in nearby Paris.

Course...we were lucky...we had a very nice 'guide' with us. :D Our daughter...:)

When I'm in Paris I always enjoy practising my very limited French (I consider it good manners to at least attempt the language).

However, at DLP I have found there is no opportunity to pracitise cos as soon as they realise you are English speaking the cast members will speak to you in that language.

All cast members have flags on their uniforms showing the languages they speak and as far as I am aware - all must speak at least one language.

My memory of Phantom Manor is it is predominately French. A lot fo the rides are, but their enjoyment is not diminshed if you do not speak the language.

Many Europeans speak wither French or English and so the resort is built up to try and be bi-lingual and I do not think anyone who cannot speak French will suffer as a result.

Disneyland Paris is the most beautiful Magic Kingdom in the world. The attention to detail and authenticity of this park simply re-affirms the genius of Tony Baxter and his crew of Imagineers who designed the park.

The language barrier is not much of an issue when you visit the park, particuarly if you are familiar with other Magick Kingdoms. For most of the rides the "show" is king, not the language. Plus it's fun to see your favourite characters speaking in a different tounge.

HOWEVER - the French DO appreciate it if you take the time to learn a few basic phrases, just to show that you took the effort to respect their local culture. Paris is only a few hours from me here in London and I have been lucky to visit this wonderful city many times, even so my French continues to be appaling, but I survive by using what little of their language I do know and smiling. Most french people will give you the beneift of the doubt and to my experience they seem to appreciate it a great deal more if you try to converse with them in French badly than if you stand there shouting "Parlez vous Englais?", which just smacks of American tourist (the fanny pack gives it away).

If you do make the trip, which I'd wholly reccommend you do because this is truely special Disney park, do make sure you spend at least a few days in Paris itself. Paris is one of the most exciting, beautiful, romanitc, sexy cities in the world and you'd be a fool to miss it.

P.S. The Disney Studios are COMPLETELY MISSABLE - a real let down compared to the wonders of Disneyland Park next door (And you thought DCA was BAD ;) ).

P.S. The Disney Studios are COMPLETELY MISSABLE - a real let down compared to the wonders of Disneyland Park next door (And you thought DCA was BAD ;) ).

I disagree, What is at the park is mainly of a High Quality, its just it is lacking rides and Quantity.

Please dont try and tell me Moteurs Action is Completely Missable (if it is why are the reproducing it in Disney World?), Or Rock n Rollercoaster is Completely Missable????. You can't Miss Animagique, and nor can you miss Cinemagique. In fact the only Attractions in WDS I would miss are The Magic Carpets, and the Disney Channel Studio Tour, I like the Tram Tour for Catastrophe Canyon, and Armageddon is Ok, though its not one you want to repeat too often!

If you go to Disneyland Paris and miss the above Attractions, that would be another reason that you are a fool!

Colin

Sorry to sound like a stuck record but in the words of comic book guy Armaggedon is the worst Disney attraction ever.In answer to your question why is MOTORS ACTION being reproduced at MGM its because Eisner and his cronies are in charge.I mean if you r coming all the way from the US sure pop in studios and have a look (we are going to DCA while in Anaheim despite most of the locals saying dont bother) but please dont tell me Studios isnt a horrible mess.Now dont get me started on that ooh look at the back of that building excuse for a tram tour

I agree with Colin, and I dare to say it : I love the Walt Disney Studios. Not to sound odd or original, but I think the rides are very very good.
Of course, yes, I prefer Disneyland Park, but I think the main problem is that one always try to compare both parks, and yes Disneyland Park is larger, magnificent, almost flawless, and yes the Walt Disney Studios are too small, and need to grow... but rides and parades are great. I love them. C'est la vie. :D

In answer to your question why is MOTORS ACTION being reproduced at MGM its because Eisner and his cronies are in charge.

Yes in a way I agree with that, however the fact they are reproducing it shows that its popular, they wouldnt do so if it Wasnt Sucessful would they now? You didnt really back up your point then as yes they duped it, but thats because they are lacking imagination, thats got nothing to do with the quality of the show which is very high!

Colin

WDS feels and looks like someone took a Disney park and sucked out the heart, soul and fun.

It's a classic example of current Disney management's short-mindedness and lack of imagination. Like DCA, WDS is a product of the yes-men who think that simply having a second gate is enough to bring the crowds in and reflect this in their actions of building half a park and slapping it next door to Disneyland (in Anaheim or Paris, this argument works for both).

They thought it was a good idea at the time to build a park of second rate rides and shows (many of which are clones), but as history has told us since it only adds undue financial burden on to the original parks, which in turn leads to budget cuts for staffing, maintence and new rides. Bad show, huh?

Motoeurs Action! is a good fun show but it's not a good enough reason to visit the park. The show is being cloned in WDW because the R+D has already been done and it's a cheap way for Disney to beef up the line up at Disney MGM studios, which still has trouble soaking up crowds.

I don't care about backing up my point i just wanna see cars screechin' around, not 5 minutes of cars screechin' around and 55 minutes of some over excited talentless DJs telling me "woo hoo we're all in a movie".OK cool you see a turned around car and stuff but motors whatever you call it is way too long for what you actually see. Worst of all if you want to leave because it's so boring they don't let you leave until the thing finishes Aaaaaah would Walt have had it in his park? I think not.Oh by the way if I am sounding negative here I love Disney Paris its wonderful just dont like Studios

WDS is disappointing, true, but Rock N Roller Coaster was quite fun. I was really let down by Cinemagique. It's not much more than a movie.

Going back to topic, I really encourage not to fret about the French issue, as everyone else above has said. I speak little French -- really none at all if truth be told -- and had no trouble there at all. In fact, the French have really loosened up the last ten years or so about language. When I first went to France, I did experience rudeness about inability to speak the language. But more recently I have found them very gracious, friendly and, as others say, happy to volunteer to speak in English once you deliver a friendly "Bon Jour" or "Bon Soir" at night -- and this includes Paris proper, traditionally ground zero for French attitude.

P.S. I think others mentioned this, but English menus were systematically available, and I think when you ask for one they seat you (in sit-down restaurants) so that an English speaker will help you. If not, pointing to the English menu is usually adequate.

By the way, I had a wonderful lunch at Walt's on Main Street, and the waitress hardly spoke any English. It all went fine.

Me: Je Voudrais Un Coke, s'il vous plait.
CM: Do you want ice in that?

That tends to be the typical type of response regarding language at DLP. I do try to speak french, and a few CM's humour me, but most tend to realise that I'm going to get through the queue quicker if they speak to me in my native tongue.

As for The Studios: They are alright, just not much there. I really enjoyed R'n'RC, Moteurs, and Cinemagique, but it isn't even a half-day park, tbh.

PS: Hi Tutter :p