Disneyland Paris 2008
1st Classic Car Show DISNEY RESORT PARIS 2008
Wednesday 4th June 2008 everything packed and ready to go time to leave for Disney Resort Paris. We are staying tonight at the Premier Inn Dover and some at the Ramada Inn. We make good time and are soon socializing with the rest of the group. Thursday 8.45am is Rendezvous’ time and on the dot engines are roaring and we set off to meet the others and catch the10.05am ferry. We have a smooth crossing and are soon in Calais where we split into two groups for the journey as 13 cars plus an RV are hard to keep together (as we learn later with just 7). Group one decide to do motorway and then the scenic route where on route we are to meet Uli and Peter Haupt from Germany and Norbert & Sveti Happe from Denmark. We make good time and are soon in Peronne to meet the above. Peronne is a very busy market town but Uli & Peter manage to get us all parked in the Police Station car park in the centre of town. After refreshments we depart and then the fun begins. We had only gone a couple of miles when we lose most of the convoy that, unsighted behind a van, miss the turning for Ham. 1 Hour later we are all reassembled and on our way only to lose them again a few miles later. What happened to the convoy system where you keep the one behind in your mirror, wait at junctions to make sure they know the way and keep close in traffic? Tomtom introduced himself !!!!! After frantic phone calls we decided to carry on and we would all meet later at Disney. Group two were also experiencing problems round Meaux but between us all we made real hard work of the second part of the journey. Any Journey traumas !!well Jeff and Joan had a problem with loosing oil but apart from that all cars performed well, people in them I suppose its enough to say we all live on to tell the tale and every one is still together!!. On arrival at the hotel it was all a bit overwhelming everything was vast but we were all soon sorted and on our way to the display area for the cars where security was all laid on. Steve & Bob from South Quay Travel were there to greet us and the Cars were soon in place and it was apparent that the Panthers were going to put on an excellent display. It was getting late and everyone was tired after a long day so we decided to return early in the morning to finish off, Tonny from Belgium was arriving after midnight with the Deville from Belgium and we were to meet up the next day otherwise all cars in place - Just the gazebo and a quick polish needed in the morning.
Friday morning the weather is not good. But we manage to get the Gazebo up in the dry and I can only say thanks to Julian and Amanda for bringing It with them in the RV otherwise we would have been very wet Tonny had arrived safely and his Deville was ready positioned on the display . It’s the first time Ray and I can remember having two club convertibles on display together and with Julian’s saloon they made a grand trio.. The show opened to the public at 10.00am we were set up near the Disney Village and South Quay Travel had done a good job with posters banners and fliers around Disney and in utilizing the space they had been allotted. The weather did put the dampers on things a bit but the team were soon off enjoying themselves on all that Disney has to offer. Ray and I stayed with the cars and there were a steady stream of visitors. I have to say this was a totally different show from any I had done before. The audience we were appealing to were there with families to enjoy Disney and we were just that little extra for them to see. One didn’t have to stay with ones car in fact most owners of all cars in attendance spent the day in the parks. People were content to walk around looking and taking pictures with just the odd question. For once there was no need to try and sell the car, club or regalia (Heaven!!). We were there with the cars to be appreciated for the British Classics they are and many people had the chance to appreciate not only Panthers but other cars in attendance including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Herbie.
At three o’clock some of the others returned so Ray and I went off to enjoy the Disney Park. I am not a great lover of roller coasters but Ray soon dragged me screaming on them. I am more one for It’s a Small world and Pinocchio and all the Disney favourites so fair do’s Ray came on them too. To add to the embarrassment we always seemed to be the ones on the front of the ride but we tried them all. It was great fun but I did refuse Space Mountain 2 memories of Space Mountain 1 was enough from many moons ago. We returned to the show area and started to pack up for the evening, the car parade had been cancelled as Disney put a stop to it because of Health and Safety reasons which was disappointing but understandable when you learn how the operation works. It had been raining most of the day, attendees at Disney were very steady but visitors to the Classic Car Show were not in abundance but we hoped Saturday would bring fine weather and bigger crowds. Remembering how big Disney is and the amount of eating houses and entertainment there, meeting up was always going to be a problem, as although we were all in the same hotel, it was vast. Quite a few of us met up in King Ludwig’s Castle and had a very enjoyable evening, especially when I convinced the waiter that G & T was best served with Ice and Lemon!!!! Something Karl Lynne and Mavis appreciated too!! Saturday was overcast but at least it was not raining the gates to the show opened and it appeared busier than the previous day. Everyone or nearly everyone!! came dressed in the logoed tops we had made and Paul Sanderson from Classic Car Weekly took some team pictures whilst standing on his beloved Humber and with the promise to airbrush a few lines out here and there!!!. He soon had us all sorted. After the photos Terry & Mave volunteered to stay by the stand and like most others we went to the MGM Studios which was very entertaining. We found Cruella’s Deville and were soon taking pictures and comparing it with the ones at the show Then once again I had to endure what I can only call the white knuckle ride. I won’t explain but will just say never again!!!!!!!!!!!!! The stunt driving display was excellent and I was amazed how they handled the vehicles. Ray had fast tracked us on the Tower of Terror so no turning back it looked in the picture they take on the way down that I was smiling but on closer scrutiny the face tells it all!!!.
Back to the cars unfortunately as much as Steve & Bob from SQT tried, the parade was still not going to happen. It was disappointing as we all like to show our cars off a bit but it wasn’t to be. But having come armed with a few cans of ready made G & T we were soon drowning our sorrows and started looking forward to Dinner at the Wild West Show followed by the presentation of awards. The pictures tell it all. It was a fun evening and although we couldn’t see what we were eating it was plentiful and the drinks flowed. Martino Benedictis with a little prompting from wife Cheryl was selected to go and shoot it out with Annie Oakley in the arena . They say every picture tells a story and Cheryl lives on!!!! After the show Joe Public left and everyone from the Classic Car Show stayed on for the presentations. Presented by Phil Weedon of Classic Car Weekly and Bob Cole from South Quay Travel with none other than Wild Bill Hickock?!!!
There was not a club award listed so we were thrilled when it had been decided to award a special award for the best club attendance and presentation. With 16 cars in attendance and members from England Belgium Germany Denmark and Sweden flags flying banners hung and bunting in abundance we were the strongest contenders and win we did. I was thrilled to collect the trophy and can only thank everyone who came along which helped win it. To win the first best club award at the first show is always that bit special and it really was the icing on the cake for the club. We were all shattered after the show and with the need to get up early and set of for the Chateau in Compiegne, most people headed back to their hotels and crashed out.
Sunday we were all ready for the off and with some members departing to continue on holiday we said farewell and then headed for the Chateau. It was a beautiful setting and the cars looked a treat. One must ask Mavis about the toilets being as they were shall we say a little different. Paul from CCW emailed me a story that whilst we were in the chateau some foreign people who it took some time to understand thought the cars were for renting for a ride around the chateau as they saw people getting in and out (us) and wanted to know how much for 8 of them in a car!!!!! They were quite put out when told they were private. We waited for our English speaking guide to show up only to find he chose not to speak any English but we continued round and took in all the carriages dating back to Napoleon on display. We then hit the local café had a snack before saying farewell to our overseas visitors and headed back to Calais to catch the ferry. We passed or were passed by many of the Cars on display at Disney and the camaraderie was terrific all acknowledging one another and causing quite a stir as we travelled along the motorway. To all those who came along can I say a big thank you on behalf of the club for displaying your cars at this first ever Disney Show. The organisers tell me they have lots of ideas for next year and hope once again we will be as supportive. Maybe next year if possible the we can take the show to the people rather than they have to come to the show!!! I would like to add how good it was to have our overseas members - Uli, Peter, Karl, Norbert, Sveti , Tonny and Sylvia join us. It was great to have them along and I hope as overseas liaison we will continue in this vein, with more of our overseas members meeting up as often as possible and enjoying such events together. Also too thank South Quay Travel for there excellent organization of the event and all the assistance given to us and Phil Weedon and Paul Sanderson from Classic car Weekly for there support of the event.. Until we meet again Happy Panthering in England, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, France and anywhere else in the world where Panthers roam. They are great fun people cars.
Val Bridges
Attendees on this inaugural car show were........
Val & Ray Bridges Deville Convertible, Jack & Caroline Kemp Kallista, Margaret & Bryan Daw Kallista, Tony & George Ansell Kallista, Barry & Anna Sheffield Kallista, Roger & Joyce Burn Lima, Uli & Peter Haupt Kallista, Lynne Knappe & Karl Jenson Lima, Julian & Amanda Chen Deville Saloon, David & Jane RV, Jeff & Joan Allen Lima, Terry & Mavis Borton Kallista, Andy Stobbie Lima, Martino & Cheryl Benedictis Kallista, Tonny Daenen & Sylvia Deville Convertible, Norbert & Sveti Happe Kallista, Eric Allen & Chrsi Turnock Lima,