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Visiting Paris, Park Asterix or Disneyland? (plus, other questions)

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A

Annoying Old Party Man

Member
I'm going to visit Paris next week for 5 days and i was wondering if should skip my visit to Disneyland to go to Park Asterix. Now, i've been on Disneyland once but the place was so awesome and i didn't have time to see all the things i wanted so i'm close to going for a second time.

For the people that have been to both (or even just Park Asterix), how is the place? Worth a visit, better than Disney?

Also, any good aquariums in Paris? Other places that are a must to visit (besides the obvious, such as Eiffel, Louvre, etc etc).
 
Goldrusher

Goldrusher

Member
Parc Astérix has a couple of good rides, but nothing impressive. It's your average theme park with an original theme. Worth a visit, but only if you're a big theme park nut who wants the credits.

If not, go to Disneyland. Disneyland is always awesome. And the park celebrated it's 15th anniversary last season, and everything has been painted, refurbished, cleaned up for the occasion. The Studios got a handful of new rides, so those are worth a quick visit as well. (get a hopper ticket, slightly more expensive than the admission for one park, but you get to "hop" between both)
 
T

Teddman

Member
I've been to Disneyland Paris and enjoyed it a lot. Generally, they have the best versions of all the traditional rides because they are the most recent and technologically advanced. Can't speak for Park Asterix.

As for something not to miss, check out Pere LaChaise Cemetery in Paris. Jim Morrison's grave and a slew of other historical figures across beautiful landscaping.
 
K

Kildace

Member
Parc Asterix has more thrill rides and less queues. However it is a bit less clean and "atmospheric" than DisneyLand. It depends what you feel like doing and if you've already been to another Disney Park.
 
P

painey

Member
Parc Asterix was a little bit shit compared to Disneyland. I suppose it didnt help that id never read any Asterix comics so I wasnt floored by all the models of Asterix and co.
 
Alx

Alx

Member
Kildace said:
Parc Asterix has more thrill rides and less queues. However it is a bit less clean and "atmospheric" than DisneyLand.
Click to expand...

I really prefer the atmosphere in Parc Asterix... less naive and "kiddy" than Disneyland, more... I don't know how to say, "lighthearted" ? (not that Disney isn't, but Asterix is almost self-sarcastic sometimes...).
But half of the humour in the Asterix universe is based on puns and anachonisms, so maybe if you don't get them you won't appreciate it completely.
 
M

Mistouze

user-friendly man-cashews
Never went to Park Asterix but I hear it has a few better rides.
Disneyland is nice though, Space Montain and the Indianna Jones rides are nice plus there is a 2Spicy cabinet in the park!
 
K

Kildace

Member
Instigator said:
Be sure to visit the local Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Starbucks while you're at it.
Click to expand...

So, Pizza Hut, McDonald's and Starbucks? :p This is as local as it gets excluding "Quick", a belgian burger joint (which is shit, imo).

I didn't read the whole OP : there's a new aquarium just next to the Tour Eiffel that's nice enough. I hear it's expensive though I was there for a work function so I couldn't tell you.
 
A

Annoying Old Party Man

Member
Thanks for the advice, i may have to skip the Asterix park after all.

Another question, anyone been to the city of science, or smth like that? Heard it's nice.

Also, i'm really reluctant about what food i should try and where.
Now, i'm greek and i have obviously been raised to different food habits, but during the one time i spent in Paris, food was not too exciting (besides sweets and crepes) and i had my worst eating experience at the Hippopotamus franchise. Everything was horrible (major mistake to try the greek salad) and of course i can't stand meat if it's not well - and i mean well, not french "well" - made.
 
B

Blimblim

The Inside Track
City of Science is awesome, but if you don't understand French it won't be as interesting. Still, they have some great stuff to see in there. Much recommended if you are somewhat interested in science.
As for food, try restaurants with specialties from the various French regions, like Cassoulet, Potée (from Auvergne), Choucroute, or Bouillabaisse for exemple. Though the first three are not what I'd call hot weather food :)
 
I

Indigo

Member
Instigator said:
Be sure to visit the local Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Starbucks while you're at it.
Click to expand...

How fortunate that there is a huge 3 story McDonalds located in the Disney Village.
 
B

Blimblim

The Inside Track
Indigo said:
How fortunate that there is a huge 3 story McDonalds located in the Disney Village.
Click to expand...
Surprisingly it took about 10 years for a McDonalds to get there. I live about 5 km from Disneyland Paris, not that I go there often.
 
A

Annoying Old Party Man

Member
Blimblim said:
City of Science is awesome, but if you don't understand French it won't be as interesting. Still, they have some great stuff to see in there. Much recommended if you are somewhat interested in science.
As for food, try restaurants with specialties from the various French regions, like Cassoulet, Potée (from Auvergne), Choucroute, or Bouillabaisse for exemple. Though the first three are not what I'd call hot weather food :)
Click to expand...

Fortunately my gf has studied french literature, so i think we'll be alright :).
Blimblim, you live near Paris, can you shed me some light on my Asterix Park vs Disneyland argument, and what should i see over there. Last time i went to all the major museums (rodin, picasso, d'orsay), visited eiffel, sacre coeur, disneyland, bastille, monmartre, marais (oh marais, how i LOVE you).

I was also thinking of visiting the aquarium in trocadero, but haven't heard any impressions.
 
B

Blimblim

The Inside Track
Annoying Old Party Man said:
Fortunately my gf has studied french literature, so i think we'll be alright :).
Blimblim, you live near Paris, can you shed me some light on my Asterix Park vs Disneyland argument, and what should i see over there. Last time i went to all the major museums (rodin, picasso, d'orsay), visited eiffel, sacre coeur, disneyland, bastille, monmartre, marais (oh marais, how i LOVE you).

I was also thinking of visiting the aquarium in trocadero, but haven't heard any impressions.
Click to expand...
Well if you already went to Disneyland once, consider going to Asterix then. I'd recommend disney first because it feels so disconnected from anything else in France, but Asterisk is nice if you really want to spend time at a theme park.
I haven't visited any aquarium around Paris, so I can't help you on that one.
I'd recommend visiting the Sainte Chapelle while in Paris, it's imho the most beautiful church monument in Paris: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte_Chapelle
Visiting the pere lachaise cemetery is interesting too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pere_Lachaise
And if you have some free time, just hanging around the La Defense financial quarter is a nice experience. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Défense
 
E

ElNarez

Banned
Disneyland. Parc Astérix is really falling apart nowadays. It sill has its awesome rides, but the rest is really bad. Disneyland on the other hand, is plain average, but the good kind of average. Be sure to grab a ticket to the Walt Disney Studios to see the Tower of Terror and the Rock'n'Roller Coaster.
 
Alx

Alx

Member
During summer, I really recommend spending some time in the evening on the Pont des Arts, it's full of young people gathering there to picnic, have a drink or play music... it's not an official tourist attraction, but it's very enjoyable.
 
G

Google

Member
For some reason, Disneyland Paris gets a bad rep...maybe because it's in both English and French...

But yeah, I enjoyed Disneyland Paris when I went - must be eight years ago...

Food's a bit shitty if I remember, but apart from that, if you get Central Europe on a nice sunny day, you'll be in for a nice time!
 
Aurelius

Aurelius

Member
Why don't you just stay in Paris? If you absolutely want to get out of the city I can recommend Versailles or the Bois de Boulogne. Also, Claude Monet's garden in Giverny is beautifull this time of year. It's located 80 km west from Paris

But there a better things to see in Paris than the fake world of an amusement park.
 
Aurelius

Aurelius

Member
Google said:
For some reason, Disneyland Paris gets a bad rep...maybe because it's in both English and French...
Click to expand...
The contrast between the "so cute it makes you want to puke" rides and music make a nice contrast to the rude employees that work in the park.
 
M

Mdk7

Member
Seriously, are you even asking?

Disneyland FTW (I've been there 4 times in my life).

BTW, how is the kinda new shooting attraction based on Toy Story?
 
G

Google

Member
Aurelius said:
The contrast between the "so cute it makes you want to puke" rides and music make a nice contrast to the rude employees that work in the park.
Click to expand...

It's not that they're rude.

They're just not American nor failed actors trying to make a living in Anaheim.
 
E

ElNarez

Banned
Mdk7 said:
BTW, how is the kinda new shooting attraction based on Toy Story?
Click to expand...
Awesomely awesome. You shoot like there's no tomorrow, some things happen when you shoot certain targets, and at the end you even have a score. Most of the time it will suck, so you'll want to do it again. And then you see little kids in the queue and you want to kick them in the face. Good way to waste your time.
 
J

JzeroT1437

Member
Google said:
It's not that they're rude.

They're just not American nor failed actors trying to make a living in Anaheim.
Click to expand...


The ones at Disneyworld are incredibly nice, and they're from all over the world. Half of Epcot's staff is necessarily from other countries, and they're still courteous as hell. Disney's "nice" image isn't localized in Anaheim.
 
J

John Bombo

Member
I think Park Asterix is better than Dinseyland Paris in terms of rides.

The aquarium of Trocadero (CineAqua) is quite good.
37833824.jpg

The entry for an adult is at 19.50€. It's the most expensive aquarium in Paris!!!
Most of the texts are written both in french and in english.


You have access to
- the aquariums : divided into several areas, each one representing a region of the world under french jurisdiction
3231.jpg


- a theater with some old and not so old movies

- the movieum (it opens in june) : it shows how (all kind of) movies were/are made.

- A bar (the Aqua Lounge) :
image12.jpg

Some nights, there are events in the AquaLounge.

Near the aquarium, you will also find the Ozu restaurant (a Japanese restaurant) :
6145.jpg

ozu61.jpg

4007.jpg


The AquaLounge is in fact under the Ozu restaurant.

if you have a lot of money just go for it but i must warn you that it is a very very very expensive restaurant.

Edit : oh and with your CinéAqua entry ticket, you can have a discount for "Les vedettes de Paris", these boats on "La Seine".
flotte_iena_troca2.jpg

You will pay 7€ instead of 11€. Commentaries are made in french and english.
 
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