Exploring Paris (#2)

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Today’s Tips:
If you planned to have a long stay in Paris, you may want to consider of buying the Paris Visite Pass. Having this Paris Visite pass will allow a free ride to metro and bus buy paying €8,8 for 1 day (zone 1-3), €14,4 for 2 days, and €28,3 for 5 days. Children under 12 y.o. will need to pay half only. I would suggest you to buy for zone 1-3 only and when you want to travel to zone 4-6 like Disneyland of Versailles, you could buy the ticket separately. The other alternative is using carnet or Mobilis Card which is cheaper.

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland located outside of Paris so we need to buy separate RER train ticket to zone 5. if you get confused, you could visit the ticket counter and inform the officer that you need the ticket to Disneyland. Please make sure that you buy a return ticket to save time. You could even take a train from London or other city of French to Disneyland without having to stop over in Paris.

From Nation or Gare de Lyon, we could take RER line A from to Disneyland. RER Line A is a line that will split at the end, Boissy Saint Leger or Marne La Valle. Disneyland is located in Marne La Valle/Chessy, a new town in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. So make sure you find a yellow dot on Marne La Valle text when a train is arriving, that means it will stop at the station.

If you are expecting for a unique Mickey train like the one in Hongkong, then it is different with Paris. The train is just a usual train, both design and the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, it is raining quite heavily when we arrive here. We stay in the station while waiting for the rain stop. Seeing that there is not a good sign, we decided to run and enter the park.

Tips:
If you want to save some money for the entrance ticket, you may want to consider to buy it through Disneyland UK website, as if you live in UK. After going through the payment procedure, a confirmation email will be sent. All you have to do is print the email and bring it to the officer there. He will scan your paper and stamp your hand that will enable you exploring the park for a whole day. The entrance fee for children below certain age is free. Please check on the website for further information.

Disneyland Resort Paris encompasses 4,800 acres (19 km2) and contains theme parks, resort hotels, a golf course and a railway station and a new town: Val d'Europe. Well, let’s concentrate on the theme park this time. There are 2 parks here: Disney Park and Walt Disney Studion. At peak season, when there is a long queueing for the attraction, you would better purchase 1 day 1 park or 2 days 2 parks ticket. Normal ticket price is £35 while at non-peak season (especially at Winter), you could have a special price for 1 day 2 park ticket (Discovery Ticket). Since this is winter, I buy the discovery ticket (1 day 2 park) for £36.

Disney Park’s attraction is like the outdoor theme park while Disney Studio’s attraction is like studio technology show. Show is performed bilingual, French-English. You may not want to miss the photo session with Disney’s icon such as Mickey, Donald, and friends. Please plan your itinerary carefully since all are attractive here. Especially when you come at winter, the park close earlier. Btw, another thing that you don’t want to miss would be Disney Parade and the closing performance. At that time, we have Mickey and Friends blowing birthday candle.

Although the time is limited but I think we have enough fun here and it is time to go home.

Eiffel Tower Paris

Last day in Paris and we only have half day time since the next train will take us to Brussel and Amsterdam.

Early in the morning, we directly head to Eiffel Tower (in French: Tour Eiffel). This is another must-see attraction while visiting Paris (alight at Bir-Hakeim (line-6) atau Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel (RER C)). From here, we just walk through Seine Riviera, and the way will lead you to Eiffel.

Although it is off-peak season, we have to queue for 3 hours at that time. The night scene of Eiffel will also amazed you, illuminate by thousand of lamps.

Eiffel consists of 3 levels. The 1st and 2nd could be reached by stairs while the highest could only reach by lift. Your first visit to Eiffel could not be completed before you climbed to the top of Eiffel.

There are two types of entrance ticket of Eiffel. First, by stairs, cheap in price (€4 only) and in effort queueing but long way up there, please make sure that you are fit enough to climb hundred of stairs here. Second, my choice and most of people here, is by lift (price varies from €4.8 for 1st floor, €7.8 for 2nd floor, and €12.00 for the top).

Here we are, each level bring you breathtaking view and the feeling when you reach the top is unexplainable. Please see it by yourself.

Viewing time is not limited so feel free if you want to take picture, studying the city, or make a wedding proposal. But I could guarantee the freezing wind would blow you downstairs.

Paris – Brussel

Short of time, we return to hotel, pick up our luggage and directly going to Gare du Nord station. From here, we take the Thalys train to Brussel. Again, the ticket is purchased online in Indonesia.

Please don’t be afraid of getting lost, since the giant screen will show schedule and platform number. If you have it, you may go to the directed platform and find your car number. Some officers will not mind to help you or show you when you get confused.

Paris to Brussel (Bruxelles) will only take 1 hour 22 min of time then we will take another train to Amsterdam. We spend one hour of transit time inside the station looking around some shops then buy some Belgian Chocolate. Not to cheap actually but we have to buy something as souvenirs.

An hour later, the Corail train shows up and for the next 3-hours we will be seating here. Hmm… It is a good time to take a rest and prepare ourself before exploring Amsterdam.

Next : Exploring Amsterdam