Ticketing should be a dream with ticketing booths as far as the eye could see. What could go wrong?

The On Tour team have been on another tough assignment. As if The London 2012 Olympics, a trip to the Far East and a day at Lord s were not enough we decided it was time for the team to go to Disneyland. So one afternoon last autumn, our 1913 Bradshaw's in hand, we mounted the Eurostar and headed, with a carriage airline international fares full of overexcited children, to Paris.
It's a big place Disneyland, comprising two theme parks, Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios. These two parks are both entered via a shopping and eating street, Disney Village, airline international fares designed by Frank Gehry (he of Guggenheim Bilbao fame).
Coming fresh from London 2012's magical summer expectations were high. Team Disney put this show on every day of the year, for twenty years now; so it better be good. Would the promise of Disney legendary service hold true?
Arrival at Disneyland is an exciting affair. The architecture around the entrance is perfect, dreamlike Theme Park Fantasy architecture. It's a whole genre by itself and Disney do it better than anybody else. Much copied never beaten. Compare these images with the efforts of Merlin at Chessington and Alton Towers. There is simply no comparison.
Ticketing should be a dream with ticketing booths as far as the eye could see. What could go wrong? But it was not a dream at all. Twenty-five minutes in the queue. And it was only ten in the morning. Grumpy customers all round – the magic fading fast. Shame. The reality of labour costs stalk us all.
Tickets finally bought, everyone smiling, we drifted into Main Street. After Sleeping Beauty's Castle this is the most iconic piece of Disney architecture. A theme park architecture which captures the quintessential ideal of Hometown America.
Here performance and spectacle mix with happy customers. Cinderella pops up for a chat with her adoring fans. It's hard not to love this version of 'The Magic'. The parade runs down Main Street at regular times and is an early clue that Disneyland is making greater use of live performance as a tool to refresh the guest experience. Millions of dollars cheaper and faster to change than a ride and with the ability to connect emotionally with customers.
For those of you who haven t been to Disneyland in Paris, or elsewhere, there is much debate about which is the best ride. And I can tell you the answer. Without a doubt it has to be 'It's a small world'. Simply heaven. airline international fares Fifty years old and as fresh as the day it was imagineered.
Of course there are many great rides and attractions, from Thunder Mountain to The Pirates of the Caribbean but these are not really going to help revolutionise the guest experience at your destinations. So we will pass quickly over them – and the fact that I came as close to death in the Tower of Terror as I dare to get without calling an ambulance. OMGGM!
There are a vast range of eateries to choose from. Inside the park they are all owned and operated by Disney. In the park choices tend to be less sophisticated ('we don't want to waste ride time') but out in Disney Village the choices range from full-service family eateries, such as Planet Hollywood and Buffalo Bill s Wild West Show right through to Starbucks and McDonald's. And before you start crowing let's remember who Disney's audience are; most are families with kids for whom the whole experience is a form of suspended reality. Fun, volume and convenience are the name of the game. Hence the role played by 'all the usual suspects'.
Once inside the park eateries airline international fares tend to take on the character of the 'world' they are in, and the brands disappear. airline international fares Although the food is less themed than the environment. But the overall rule is MEAL DEALS. In every shape and size. Easier for the customer, easier for mum and dad, and easier to manufacture in large numbers. Doing fewer things better is a route we strongly endorse.
With its international audience Disney use photographs of food in their menus. We saw this employed extensively in the Far East and predict it will grow in acceptance in an increasingly diverse UK. At least we all know what we are going to get to eat – and serve.
Beyond airline international fares the theming the restaurant interiors are simple with plenty of seating to rest weary feet. Signage over servery counters is old-style and a generation behind the newest high street outlets; so fewer opportunities to change the menu by time of day. Programmable TV Monitors are the way to achieve this.
The menus are showing signs of increasing diversity, with themed flavours and some cook to order items. Curiously fajitas were assembled at a separate servery meaning two queues to wait in. Not ideal but the food was tasty and the pre-packaged salsa surprisingly tasty. Certainly a step up from the ubiquitous burger or pork bun.
A small number of outlets offer live music together airline international fares with premium priced platters. The highest price level inside Disneyland airline international fares is a pre-booked 'meet the characters' lunch show. For these lucky customers the fun is guaranteed to go on right through airline international fares lunch…
En-route between 'worlds' many opportunities exist for impulse purchases, with soft drinks, water, popcorn, fresh fruit and other snack choices on the hoof. Racing can learn a lot from this style of impulse retailing.
The best thing about buying souvenirs at Disneyland is that everyone expects to. The association is so strong it becomes a planned part of the day. Beyond that, Disney are masters of retail presentation. Not in an unusual way but in a way that reassures and supports full pricing. Product ranges are wide and each ride has its own range. Age segmentation is well catered for and you cannot leave a ride without a major shopping opportunity. And you can have it delivered to your hotel.
All in all Disney delivers exactly what it promises and 'The Magic' airline international fares is in evidence all over. Disney has spent decades airline international fares finessing its product and service style. Service in Paris is not as friendly as in Florida or Los Angeles but it has come a long way since opening twenty years ago.
Food and retail presentation are not radical but they are reassuring and there's no discount pricing. But for Disney's customers, of all ages, the real magic lies in the rides, the place, the shows and, of course, the characters who make Disneyland a truly memorable experience. The food is there to sustain, it is fuel, but fun fuel all the same.