Happy New Year to all Disney and more Readers !

Part of the planet is already in 2018! Here is the video of the awesome 2018 New Year Fireworks over Bangkok Chao Praya River, filmed in 4K. Happy new year and best wishes to all of you and to our friends in Thailand!

New Year's Eve Special : Have a Magical Dinner With a "Sparkling Experience" at Disneyland Paris Hotel ! by Robert Stallard

I rarely talk on Disney and more about food in the parks but here is one about Disneyland Paris "Sparkling Experience", one that you may have never heard about. This luxury dinner experience is "a real culinary experience where outstanding food and fine wines are blend to perfection" and a special report about it is perfect for a New Year's Eve article!

First, i'd like to thanks Robert Stallard, faithful Disney and more reader who enjoyed a lot this "Sparkling Experience" and who shot the pictures for D&M. He will tell you the whole story and how he had a magical evening at the Disneyland Paris Hotel. The "Sparkling Experience" is available every day - it is not the "New Year's Eve" dinner - and it is quite pricey - 199€ for adults, 49€ for children - but as you'll see you're treated like a king!






"The "Sparkling Experience" dinner happen only at Disneyland Paris hotel and anyone can book it for the evening. It starts with a cocktail in Cafe Fantasia.










Then come the moment of the choice of dishes in the menu. You can do your own choice or they will mix you a specialty not in the menu. I choose to let them surprise me.






They then took me to the California Gril restaurant where the dinner itself happen. My table had been reserved for me near the window.

I first got another cocktail as starter. Then the dishes started. The asked me if I wanted to choose anything from the menu again, and I said "surprise me!"  The waitress did explain each course and on my first time - as i did the "Sparkling Experience" twice, the second time for my birthday - I was stunned that on the meat course I had caviar in my gravy! They truly try to make your experience unforgettable...

The menu was composed of :

Appetizers : Salmon Rillettes, Madeleine with Parmesan and Cromesqui at the Brie de Meaux.






Starter : Melon gazpacho and ginger ; Parma's ham chips ; beetroots balloting







Hot starter : Tiger salad (salad, langoustine in tempura wagyu beef, sweet chili pepper and pesto sauce






Fish : Lobster with mushrooms risotto (shiitake & shimenji Japanese mushrooms), Carrots and zucchinis beads, Carrots purée flavored with Zuzu






Meat : Angus Beef filet with Stuffed potatoes with truffles, Californian sauce made with zinfandel wine, mushrooms and vegetables cooked in blood orange reduction





Cheese : Trolley with a selection of cheese





Dessert : Strawberry and chocolate entremets




Just after 10pm my waitress asked if I wanted my dessert but she advised me to first see the Illuminations show on the castle, then have dessert which I did. The manager took me personally with champagne and fruits to the Castle Club and opened the private Founder's Room. He had brought blankets for me because it was a bit chilly. He then turned out the lights and turned on the live music from the castle. I was so overwhelmed being alone watching the show. I had to sit down after alone and just get my emotions together. It was great having the music in the room and just being completely alone in the dark!













 After that I sat alone a while and ate my fruit. Went then down and had the dessert.

The Castle Club Founder's Room is a room where usually no one enter, here are some pictures.











It's was an evening where I felt special all along the evening. I also think that being in the Founders Room all by myself being treated like a king was incredibly special. When the maitre d'hotel left he turned out the lights and told me to enjoy it as it is very special and I will not forget it!

The pictures below were shot just before midnight when I left. Quite beautiful with almost no one else around inside the Disneyland Paris Hotel!




Well, let's thanks again Robert for this amazing report on the "Sparkling Experience" dinner which for sure looked delightful, magical and tasty! A bit pricey but i'm sure it worth the unforgettable evening!

You can follow Robert "Adventures with Duffy" on his Facebook page HERE.

Pictures: copyright Robert Stallard

Why the Disneyland Paris Book Is So Great, Part Two: Disneyland Paris Aerial Pictures

In the previous article about the Disneyland Paris From Sketch to Reality book i've shown you the great renderings of the Disneyland Paris that never was which are included in the book. Today, i will show you another type of great documents which you can also find in the book and it is stunning pictures of Disneyland Paris seen from above. And all these pictures were shot by aerial photography master Yann Arthus Bertrand who did the acclaimed "Earth from Above" book. No one is better than Arthus Bertrand for aerial pictures and we were extremely lucky to have pictures from him in the book!


Above, a fantastic view showing Big Thunder at sunset and a part of DLP Frontierland. And below another aerial shot of DLP Big Thunder. A great one as it shows almost all of BTM track!



One of the most gorgeous aerial shot of Disneyland Paris ever done showing the whole Frontierland! Click to enlarge the picture.



On this next shot, the Disneyland Paris railroad is entering Adventureland and passes in front of Indiana Jones Temple du Péril.



Talking about Indiana Jones Temple du Péril here is another picture showing the temple seen from above.



Let's stay in Adventureland with this great aerial picture of Captain Hook's pirate ship and Adventure Isle.



Let's move now to Fantasyland with this beautiful sunrise shot showing the back of Sleeping Beauty castle.



Another fantastic picture showing a big part of Fantasyland with also the Disneyland Paris railroad passing by.



Now, you need to know that all these great aerial pictures that you will find in the book are reproduced on full double pages ( or full page for the vertical shots ) which makes them even more spectacular when you're reading the book as each double page is 31 X 46 cm!

And when we didn't had pictures of Yann Arthus Bertrand, like for instance for Discoveryland, you'll find spectacular pictures like this one showing the Nautilus and Space Mountain, also reproduced in the book on a double page.



However Yann Arthus Bertrand also did aerial shots above DLP hotels and came back with some great ones like the one below showing the Newport Bay hotel which is reproduced on a double page in the chapter about DLP Hotels and Disney Village.



By the way, whether it is an aerial shot or not, each time a picture deserved to be on a double page you'll find it in the book. A good example is this next one, a stunning night shot showing the Main Street Electrical Parade in front of Sleeping Beauty castle.



So, you see, in addition to the 250 WDI renderings and the 750 hundred of others great pictures of the park, and the great text from Didier telling all the story of the making of the park, the Disneyland Paris book has even more to offer than you might have thought. All the pictures you've seen above are of course include in the Disneyland Paris, From Sketch to Reality book, and if you don't own the book yet, you now understand why it is such a great book.

I have just a few copies of Disneyland Paris "From Sketch to Reality" available and you still can enjoy the Christmas Special Offer on its English edition, so make sure to order a copy if you don't own it yet, as it is the last ones! The French edition is totally out of stock but if you're french, and wish to purchase the book in its english edition i will send you a PDF file of the full French text of the French edition.

To place your order for the DLP book, please send me an email at: amplittaye@gmail.com with your shipping address. The price during the Christmas special offer is 65€ ( instead of 85€ ) and shipping worldwide is 22€ ( except Belgium and Italy for which it is 29€ ).

For French readers a PDF file of the full French text of the French edition will be sent.
Lecteurs Français: Etant donné que l'édition française est épuisée, un fichier du texte complet original en Français sera envoyé aux acheteurs Français ne comprenant pas l'anglais.

Also, each order will receive two GREAT surprise gifts!

You can pay with Paypal, credit card or bank transfer. For Paypal payments please send directly the full amount  including shipping ( 87€ worldwide, except for Belgium and Italy for which it is 104€ ) at: nme4@wanadoo.fr  If you wish to pay by credit card and bank transfer, let me know in your email and i'll tell you how to do.

If you've never seen the book before, don't miss the video below showing the full 320 pages of the book!



Pictures: copyright Yann Arthus Bertrand