solo trip report!

[bumbershoot]

Hello, I'm Molly, and perhaps I should belong to Disney Anonymous. If I were TRULY a member of that I would have to sneak an e on the end of anonymous, wouldn't I? So I'm OK, right? Not really in need of an intervention before I go again?

Well in this case, it was an intervention if sorts that caused my solo trip. An intervention of "you are getting more tired and crabby every day, I don't think you should wait until April, maybe we can make a quick trip happen" from my hubby. And I was tired. We had a vacay in December, and you can read that report somewhere on this page or perhaps the second one in to the trip reports. About 1.5 days in DLR with my 3 year old, then at midnight hubby arrived, we spent 2.5 days all together in the parks, then hubby left around 2pm on that third day of his trip, to go back home to work the next day. My brother arrived later that day, and DS and I spent nine days in San Diego, in a ChildFree home. My brother and SIL love my son, but he was grating on everyone's nerves.

And that, my friends, was because I was selfish with a capital S. So, um, Selfish. I wanted to visit my bro and be away from WA for 9 days, so that's what I planned, the feelings of my boy be gosh-gollied! Selfish. I was also selfish at DLR, wanting everyone to get up and go when I did, being bothered when Every Single Day I was "late" getting there. But when I did try to just go and let them sleep in, they pitched their own sorts of fits.

So I got home very cranky. Perhaps I should scan, or take a picture of, the picture Eamon drew of me when we were on the plane...he does the age-perfect figures of people. BIIIIIG head, legs going straight down from the head, sometimes there are arms...the expression on his self-portrait is a smile. On DH's portrait it's a smile. On mine, his beloved mother, is a really nasty, grim, mean expression. He said "that's you, Mowy!" whimper.


And so...DH said "let's make this happen." And happen it did.

Friday the 25th I caught my 7:50am flight. Switched planes in Sacramento and sat myself, kerplunk, right behind a newly-3 year old girl who was going to...where? where could this 3 year old possibly be going while on a flight from Sac'to to Orange county? oh you're good, you got it! Disneyland! Disneyland! Disneyland! That's what she kept saying, loudly and excitedly. And then she played peekaboo with me, and her mother tried to stop her until I told mom it was OK, just like I do with DS when he plays peekaboo with people on planes...stop them unless you're told it's OK.

So, um, hi, guilt? Yeah hi, I see you stopped in....go away!

I've never been away from DS, not even in sleep, before. I mean, not overnight. DH is quite proficient at parenting the boy, so I do get out. I even let my friend watch him one afternoon, while I went to a baby shower. But overnight? nope. So this was rough.

I got in, went to SuperShuttle at the ground transportation area. Oh, by the way, I liked the OC airport (aka SNA in airport code speak). Cute, just big enough, just small enough...pleasant.

The drive was fast and pleasant, with a conventioneer from Wisconsin who has never been to a Disney park, and never plans to go to a Disney park. Yowza.

I stayed at the Carousel. I had a good rate. Or so I thought. 48 hours before my stay, when I would have had to cancel at 72 hours out per either Carousel or Travelocity, I noticed that Paradise Pier had a $139 rate for their AP5 promo. More than Carousel, but with MM. And HoJo had released more Entertainment Rate rooms at $20 less than I was paying for the Carousel.

But...Carousel is closer, and even though I knew I'd be traveling with The Herd, I did feel safer on this solo trip staying as close to the park as possible.

Carousel and Anabella are the same company, so don't be surprised that they look just the same inside their rooms. I didn't know they were the same so I was a bit weirded out! I liked Anabella better, though...service is better at Anabee, and they have a proper restaurant instead of Quizno's on speeddial.

Unzoomed view from right outside my 4th floor room.

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Zoomyzoom...man, that hotel back there is ugly! They should really renovate it or something. I've heard it's haunted.

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The room.

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I'm editing in info here, because I feel better about them after having sleep since last night. The edited in stuff will be italicized.

Review of Carousel! Meh. The continental breakfast is really sad. Donuts, fruit, bleah coffee in tiny cups with no lids. Some sort of juice in a machine, cereals... They did have the option to buy warmed-over breakfast Sammies from Quiznos, but they had meat in them. You could also buy lattes and such. But I was paying $20 more than I would have at hojos if I had know HJ had released the Entertainment rate so late in the game! I checked and checked, and a week out I got busy and forgot, and I lost. I didn't want to pay money to supplement a sad "free" b'fast.

The breakfast...I have an expectation with a continental b'fast, and that is pastries, not donuts. Or pastries AND donuts. But still, pastries. Some goopy danish that I never eat anywhere else. And that wasn't met.

Also, honestly, I was running late so I could only have a small amount of coffee due to their cup sizes. If I had been on time I could have had refills.

When I got back to the hotel late that night, a shower with hot water (the water got VERY wonderfully hot!) to help sore feet (I was going to take a bath but ewwww, not in that tub...it was actually better than apartment tubs I've lived with, but at least in those apartments I knew that I was indeed cleaning them, and that if it was scummy looking, at least it was clean but scummy looking) caused the smoke detector to go off. Repeatedly. If anyone here was nearby, I do apologize. One does not expect steam to set off a smoke detector. At least, I didn't. Now I do.

If I hadn't been alone, that wouldn't have happened. A companion would have told me it was getting steamy, or would have turned on the a/c. So that only happened because I was alone. Now, should it have gotten that steamy? I don't know.

The bed was very very comfy, and I slept like a rock. I woke up in the exact same position that I fell to sleep in, which was flat on my back, and that's not my normal sleeping pose. I'm a side-sleeper, but it was so comfy and I was so tired that I just passed out! The sheets are soft and pretty (I'm a sucker for white sheets).

There was a fridge and a microwave in the big bureau. They were both to the right; I didn't know there was a microwave until I got curious and opened the cabinet above the fridge. I assume there was a TV and drawers on the left, but I never looked.

They did very kindly keep my one and only bag for me the next day, when I checked out around 7:30am, and they let me rummage around in it when I got there after 5pm to wait for my shuttle. They did not, however, let me know that the shuttle had arrived, as they said they would. Harumph.

By the way, here's the view to the right directly upon hitting the sidewalk outside the Carousel. I did use a little bit of zoom on that picture. I remembered that while getting to sleep last night. Not much, and you could read the sign with the naked eye, but there is a bit of zoom. You can see a guy walking, and to give perspective, he's walking across the street between HoJo and Mimi's...that crosswalk is a big one, but it looks small in the picture.

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That's right. You can see the HJ sign. Nothing's *that* far away (well, until the nighttime walk back, but that's just relative distance, ha ha). My feelings about the Carousel were too colored by annoyance at the "deal" not being as good as I could have gotten elsewhere at the last minute. I booked through Travelocity at a AAA rate that I could have gotten through them, but I was wanting to get Sunshine Rewards credits for booking through Travelocity (and I did) so I went through them instead of direct. I don't know who set the policy, but my reservation required cancellation before 72 hours out, and I had forgotten it was that far in advance, so that was my fault and I shouldn't blame Carousel.

Their b'fast room is smaller than it appears online, but has a great view! Watching fireworks from there would be incredible, even though you wouldn't hear the "story" or see the stuff on the castle or IASW.


Next...I go across the street!

[BillyFan]

I can't wait to hear more!

[bumbershoot]

Wow. My son just fell asleep on the couch by himself. Yes, I know it's late. He suddenly fell asleep after 5:30pm and only woke after 7, which spells big trouble for normal bedtime. DH was beyond exhausted after they picked me up at the airport last night so DH couldn't do his part (very very important part) in getting DS to sleep, and hubby just kept falling asleep himself. So DS was up up up up, and was lying in my arms until 5 minutes ago (when I first started writing this part) when he said he was sweaty and needed water, went over to drink some water, then got onto the couch and now he's fallen asleep.

You have no idea how odd that is for him.

I'll write some more before taking him into the bedroom for proper sleep.

*********

The walk of course is brief and pleasant. This time I had the opportunity to hear the music piped in. And through my visit I couldn't help but marvel at their speaker systems. I mean, something can be going on in one spot, but not that far away something else can be going on, and you can't hear, under normal circumstances, one from the other. It's quite amazing, how specific their sound system is.

Tinkerbell is looking at bit psycho, but I'm sure they had to make her eyes really big so that those without zoom lenses can really see her eyes. She looks fine if you don't hit that zoom.

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I took this pic for Eamon. He loves that picture, he loves Jack Sparrow (though he's never really seen the movie), he loves pirates, he begs us to let him see the POTC trilogy....but he's currently terrified of the attraction. 3 year olds...:confused3

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I walked in, and saw the cute vehicles. Well, why not ride one? I went over to one and hopped on. Since I was alone, I had conversations with people the whole trip long. They all wondered why I was alone, and all marveled that hubby would help this trip happen. So I rode a horseless carriage to the castle. Fun!

Along the way I saw some real characters.

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When they dropped me at the castle, I saw a band over in that little area to the left of the castle. It was a high school band. I listened and caught some video. They sucked me in by playing some of the big dramatic music from POTC, and they were playing it well. Alas, it was a medley of sorts, and I lost interest. But I did stick around for a few minutes to watch and smile and clap when they finished that varied piece. I think I remember that they were a group from Temecula.


The first thing I was planning to do was go on Haunted Mansion. But I was hungry.

So instead I had lunch at Rancho del Zocalo. Here's a hangy thing (might be a lamp, might just be a Pretty!)

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Instead of the huge meal Robert (DH) and I shared when we went before, I ordered the kid's meal of a bean and cheese burrito. That comes with a drink, and you can get soda on request, so I requested that. To get the little cup you go and pay, get the cup (and "fun straw" that changes colors in cold liquid) from the cashier, then go back in for the soda.

It was quite tasty, no matter what the picture implies.

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This, on the other hand, was NOT as tasty as it appeared. The top part including the cake in the middle was fine, but the bottom "crust" and the lighter part above it were bad. The part below the cake layer looks the same as the top, but it is not not not.

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So that's two Rancho desserts I've been unhappy with. When we first went there we had the Tres Leches cake, and we didn't like it very much at all.

Bird at my table.

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After lunch, I went to get a FP for Indy. I did a bit of random walking b/c I was hoping to run into a Dream Squad. :) So I did the secret pathways from one land to the next whenever I could!


I went to get a fast pass, but the wait was insanely short. So I got the FP (never used it) and rode. Fun fun! The ride broke down just before we got to the "movie" room, but people were calm about it. We watched special CMs come in and look official while leaning on the gates and talking. Didn't see anyone doing any work, but eventually it was fixed and I got on board.

While waiting, I took pictures of the upper walls and ceiling.

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I was put in the driver's seat next to two young women and their preteen...well I don't know what the younger one was to them. It was her first ride and the older girls/young women were tormenting her, but it was just hilarious. Usually I'm not big on screams unless you're actually scared, but the way they were doing it, with huge laughs in between, just cracked me up. And you could tell they went on it often, b/c they knew everything coming up.


Wandered around...they were filming something about the Dream Suite, and a big camera crane was in NOS. One of the big "did you know" secrets is out now, b/c they made the WD and RD golden.

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I don't remember if the discussion was here or elsewhere, but just in case it was here and whatever people were talking about it read this:

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DS is sleeping in bed now, rather than on the couch with no blanket. Just in case anyone was worried.

[bumbershoot]

That day Pirate's Lair was closed every time I went by.

Which led to this. Ack! A pirate!

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He loves just walking around, and doesn't seem to care what you want him to do.

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Following him there were young women/older girls squealing like he's actually JD. There was also the Mom Squad, each trying to get his attention so that he would say hi to their little darlings. And there are those with cameras pressed to their faces.

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The woman pictured *below* got SO incredibly lucky. She was a Mom Squad member, and the kid she was trying to show Jack was a tiny baby. She had baby facing out, which is a no-no for those under about 6 months, and I personally (and professionally as a retired chiropractor) don't like it unless you have a pouch and seat the baby in a Buddha position rather than dangling from the crotch in the Bjorn, but that's beside the point. For some reason she was bound and determined to get herself and baby into a picture with Jack. Perhaps she was delusional and thought that "Jack" was baby's father, or something? Not sure.

I almost talked to her, because she was being pretty rude. Calling out, yelling, at Jack, not saying please, not being nice about it.

Now...we've seen that Jack before (or for the believers...we've seen Jack looking that exact way before, but other times he has looked a bit different). Back in September on Pirate's Lair, in his designated meet-n-greet spot, we watched what happens if you're rude to him. No, he doesn't pillage and plunder, but when a woman said rudely "oh you WILL sign the book", he closed the book, handed it back, and turned his back on the woman and her older children, and never did go back to her. The CM with him just shrugged and said that he's a pirate and will do what he wants to.

I was just about to let this woman know that she might be alienating him, when she finally got nicer, and as she got nicer, he looked at her.

When he looked at her, he saw the baby, and he reacted with surprise and a bit of fear. Asked her if she knew she had a large barnacle growing on her front, and told her that she really needed to have that looked at. I love that reaction. I don't think she got a posed picture, but she might have gotten a paparazzi shot, I don't know.

Lady in the purple, straps to hold on the barnacle showing.

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I decided that part of my time there was going to be all about leaving when the experience is as good as it's going to be. So after that funny barnacle thing, I took my leave of the entourage around Captain Sparrow.


After that, I went on Haunted Mansion. Here's the one thing I took a picture of in the queue.

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Yay yay, it did not disappoint! I was so saddened by the holiday version in December, and I was nervous for regular HM. Oh man did it creep me out, though! I've read that they did a bit of sound refurb while taking down the holiday overlay, and the guy's voice right in my ears, combined with the stuff going on on the ride...shivers. The doors whose knobs all start to shake (and one door appears to breathe :scared: ) got to me, and then as you're passing a grandfather clock there's a shadow that comes down. I figured out that it's a skeletal hand reaching down, but the first time I rode I thought it was a shadow of someone walking past, and I nearly screeched.

The graveyard scene is uber-freaky to me. One room there's a heartbeat sound...augh....scary!

I really liked it. :woohoo:


Then over to Splash, where I sat in the back seat and wore a poncho while the 4 others in the log scoffed and got soaked. :rolleyes1


I sauntered along, looking around as I wrote on my list I wanted to do ("look around Critter Country b/c you never get to", "sit and watch everything going on in NOS", "look around Tomorrowland b/c you're always looking for Buzz for Eamon").

Did you know there's a waterfall next to the exit of the Pooh ride?

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I for one did not.

Here's a picture of the filming area for the Dream Suite.

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Noticed that the Mark Twain was getting ready to go, and I ran, er, walked very briskly but never having both feet off the ground at once, over. It had started to sprinkle, so I sat in front with my poncho back on, and enjoyed the ride!

Picture of the Columbia as seen from the MT.

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Walked back behind BTMRR.

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Still no Dream Squad. Sigh.

But I saw that the Casey Jr train was open, and I finally noticed where the line started, so I went on that. Kinda odd to be an adult going on it alone, but oh well.

The point of this picture is to show the bars of lights down near the tracks. I assume they light things up in interesting ways, but from my point of view, they just looked fun.

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The castle from Casey.

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With my old camera I couldn't get anything like this zoom. I :lovestruc my Canon S3. And remember, this was while the train was moving.

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[bumbershoot]

I feel that I should do a big cliff-hanger thing like others do.

My urge is to just keep on going until I pass out, but then go back in and edit for days b/c I have remembered something else.

I think what I'm going to do is leave you with this, because I thought it looked cool. And I'm going to go to sleep.

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Next....will she have dinner somewhere? Will she ride her fave ride (attraction) at DL? Will her feet fall off from the extra walking she's doing to find the Dream Squad? All to be answered, if she remembers to do so, in the next installment of "I Left My family For The Disneyland Resort!"

[actionvaughn]

I really hope you eventually ate... :lmao:

I'm lovin' all your pictures. Looking forward to more!

[jnjusoioa]

Hi Molly, your trip report is great so far and I am really enjoying it. Glad you are sharing it with us.:goodvibes

[jnjusoioa]

Also, I am a little nervous about staying at The Carousel now, is Ho Jo's much better? In your opinion, just curious, I don't even know if Ho Jo will have anything for the dates we are going in March but I am nervous about The Carousel because I am a bath person and if the tub is yucky and it just doesn't sound all that great. And Ho Jo's doesn't look like from your picture that it is much further away, a few feet maybe.

Also do you know the name of the shake place in CA by It's Tough To Be A Bug, someone posted about it and said to try the date shake, I am trying to figure out what that is and where the place is. Thanks.:goodvibes

[jnjusoioa]

Did you see a lot of photopass photographers??

[thewesterberg]

Very fun to read about your solo trip - can't wait to hear more!

I'm heading there with friends in a little over a week!:banana: Two of us are leaving our kids behind (the other gal is single), so I can identify with the guilt (although my friend is heading to WDW a few days after we get home with her family, so no complaining from her!) My hardest decision right now is do I go back to the hotel in the evening for the beginning of the conference we're attending or do I skip out on the opening session and stay at DL! :confused: There will be 3 more days of workshops, I'm only doing 1 day of DL, this is suppose to be a re-charge event for me, do I do what I :::want::: to do or do I do what I'm :::suppose::: to do! :confused3 More guilt...

So going on Splash Mountain is good with a poncho this time of year... that's good to know! I really want to do it, but was thinking I'm some nut from MN who's going to be ecstatic that it's above 30 degrees and I'll wear shorts and sandals, and act like it's summer, because it's California after all!

[Golfing Goofy]

Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you, hahahahaha :rotfl:

Your TR is so fun to read and I love the pictures. Serious DL withdrawl symptoms on my part.... Thanks for sharing.

[daisy_77]

Great TR, Molly! :thumbsup2

[bumbershoot]

Hi! Thanks for reading, everyone! :)


My hardest decision right now is do I go back to the hotel in the evening for the beginning of the conference we're attending or do I skip out on the opening session and stay at DL! :confused: There will be 3 more days of workshops, I'm only doing 1 day of DL, this is suppose to be a re-charge event for me, do I do what I :::want::: to do or do I do what I'm :::suppose::: to do! :confused3 More guilt...

So going on Splash Mountain is good with a poncho this time of year... that's good to know! I really want to do it, but was thinking I'm some nut from MN who's going to be ecstatic that it's above 30 degrees and I'll wear shorts and sandals, and act like it's summer, because it's California after all!

Obviously I don't know what sort of conference, and this is only my opinion based on conferences and seminars I used to attend. But when I would skip the first evening, I usually felt left out, and not as pumped up as everyone else (there's something about the first night). Now, I never had Disneyland to go to instead of the first hours, so that's different. But I did feel a bit behind.

The poncho thing...it's just to keep you dry. Unless you're wearing all fleece (doubtful!) any water on you is going to be uncomfortable. Out in MN you probably don't purposely walk around in wet clothes, because it would make you colder than you should be! Hubby and my brother got head-to-toe drenched in September, and even though it was a nice hot day, they were very uncomfortable.

And if you get soaked, it's soaked all the way through. As the dripping guy in the front of "my" log said..."adults can't buy underwear at Disneyland!"


Did you see a lot of photopass photographers??

I saw approximately 18 million photopass photogs. :rotfl: There were very many, and I was sad that I wasn't taking part.


Also, I am a little nervous about staying at The Carousel now, is Ho Jo's much better? In your opinion, just curious, I don't even know if Ho Jo will have anything for the dates we are going in March but I am nervous about The Carousel because I am a bath person and if the tub is yucky and it just doesn't sound all that great. And Ho Jo's doesn't look like from your picture that it is much further away, a few feet maybe.

Also do you know the name of the shake place in CA by It's Tough To Be A Bug, someone posted about it and said to try the date shake, I am trying to figure out what that is and where the place is. Thanks.:goodvibes


I figured out the name of the place. Sam Andreas Shakes. Looking at disneyland.com, it even says "Try the delectable date shakes, a uniquely California creation". :)


I bet if I weren't all alone, I would have liked the Carousel better. But I was focused on writing about it, so I noticed faults. If someone else were in the room with me while I showered, they would have told me about the steam (the place has a moisture problem, as you can see by the condensation on the windows as you walk to your room) and it wouldn't have gotten to the point where it set off the smoke detector. Having the alarm go off made the front desk more nervous than usual because of the Monte Carlo fire that day (which I was not aware of until they told me). For some reason I was expecting something better than just donuts at b'fast; I had a *pastry* expectation, even if it was just Costo pastries.

Though I did leave, while eating my donut, thinking about John Belushi's Saturday Night Live commercial for the breakfast of champions, little chocolate donuts. They weren't little, they were normal sized, but they were the same as little hostess-style chocolate donuts. :)

And it bothered me that I was paying 79 + $2 resort fee + 15% tax, instead of $59 + 15% tax for HoJo. I thought I had a good deal with them (better than I found for September or December with Carousel) but then I looked around too late (with the 72 hour cancellation stated by either Travelocity or Carousel, I don't know who set the 72 hours) and frustrated myself. :confused3

If you are going to look around at other hotels, make SURE you know what the cancellation policy is for you, and do not look after that period.


I remembered last night, and I'm going edit the post, that I did use a bit of zoom on the picture of the sidewalk. But I could read the sign with bare eyes; I don't have bionic eyes even though Robert says I do. :rotfl: I used the zoom, well I don't know why. But it really is not that far away, once you've crossed the big street and then the little street that is the entrance to, I think, the Tropicana.

Remember this map (http://www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap.html).



All that said!!!!! I slept like a rock that night. The bed was rather comfy, and there wasn't much outside noise at all. The sheets were pretty and soft.

Oh and there was a microwave in the room! That big bureau held it in the top right cabinet. Below that is a bigger mini-fridge. I assume the rest had a TV and drawers, but I didn't even open those. I didn't know there was a microwave.

I didn't need to, since I was on Alaska vs Southwest, but if I had wanted to check in online, the staff at the front desk would have done that for me and printed my boarding pass. They do have public computers for a small fee, and they do have wireless for a fee (4.95/hour or 9.95 for 24 hour access), but said that they are happy to do the boarding pass for no fee. :)

Oh, and the window coverings are big wooden slat "blinds" instead of curtains. I love that look (the Anabella has it too). So aesthetically it was pleasing.


You know, now that I had sleep, I think I'll edit some of the above into my post about the hotel. I was feeling bad about the place last night but now can remember more good stuff.

[mommy_2_two]

Sounds like a fun solo trip.

Waiting to hear more!:surfweb:

[bumbershoot]

When last I left off, er, second to last, I was taking pictures of the fence around Nemo. :)

Eh, my pictures of the sub are boring and typical so I won't bother.

Next I went on Star Tours! It's my favorite. It's hard for me to develop favorites, so the fact that it's my fave is a big deal! The fun of a coaster with the safety of a motion simulator. I'd love to know how they do it. Soarin', too. The other times I went on ST I've been in the exact same seat, far right in the first row. But this time I was more in the middle-left, in the second to the last row. Wow, it was even better!!!!

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I came out and saw Honey I Shrunk the Audience, and remembered that it was on my list, so in I went! They show Kodak commercials (basically) as the pre-show in the waiting area, and I kept tearing up. So I was there and watching images of family, kids growing up, etc, and I was missing my boys so much...but I know that if they were there I would be focused on keeping Eamon in line, making sure Robert was having fun...might not even look at the screens...

We went in and it was a good show/attraction! I wasn't expecting the movement of the audiences, that's for sure! And that 3-D, wow. I was cool when the Moranis character came out in his little hover thing, but then there's that explosion and everyone, including me, screamed. Suspension of disbelief aside, that was a good shock! The snake was, too...but I didn't get the effect of the mice, and I was bummed about that. The people in the middle of the audience were screaming, but I felt nothing. :(

I liked it. I can see that you wouldn't want to go on it a ton of times, but I think it's a good show for the first time viewing it. And, of course, there will always be first-timers viewing it. Of course, my positive feelings about it might be helped along by Eric Idle as the host!


Next I could check off "look around Tomorrowland".

I'm such an 80s girl...love the neon. I once thought I would have a loft apartment with a big neon Billy Idol, just like in St Elmo's Fire.

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[bumbershoot]

All throughout what I have notes and pictures about, there was wandering around. Shopping, looking...I was on the lookout for a pin for Robert, but I couldn't find it. In a last ditch effort, I decided to go to DTD to the pin cart and to World of Disney. Hmm...I'm in Tomorrowland and I want to go to DTD...how to do that, how to do that....


Neon in the back of the Autopia queue building.

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People getting into the submarines, to show the stairs down.

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Well, I went to DTD and found nothing. However, at the pin place a serious pin collector heard what I was asking for, and said she had an extra at home. I gave her name and phone number, and maybe she'll call me and we can come to terms.

I did go to WOD after that, just because, well, one must walk through, mustn't one? But nothin'.

I've been wanting a baseball cap since September, and I'm just annoyed that I never got it. When I saw it, I remembered that it was tan and had a deep red embroidered mickey head on the bill/visor. But all I can find now is tan with mickey, but with a big ol' "property of disneyland" on the front-facing part of the hat. I don't like "property of" things!!!


Oh well, nothing to buy yet. We actually when I was over in Critter Country I bought DS two Jibbitz for his Disney crocs. :) Mater and a Mickey Mouse to put in the holes of the crocs. But nothing for me or Robert.


I dejectedly walked to the bag check to go to DCA. I thought about going through GCH, but I have problems navigating in there, so I didn't.


Decided I was hungry again (it had been 5+ long, walking-around hours since I had my Rancho kid's meal), and wanted to try the Trattoria. I heard here about the Caprese Sandwich on pretzel bread, and thought that sounded just lovely!

I was seated in well under the 20 minutes they estimated, and I settled in with my journal. Also had a quick call from home. I ordered a salad along with the sandwich, and a beer as well, a Blue Moon (belgian white). Yum! The salad was good, and the ranch dressing was lovely. The beer was terrific, though they charge 6.50 for a stinkin' pint. Oh that's what caused the call from home; I texted him that I was livin' large with the 6.50 beer (cost of a 6pack, almost, of Blue Moon!). I knew he'd be amused by that, and glad, because I never spend that much on things like that for myself.

The sandwich was good, but overall I was really olived-out. Olives in the salad, olives in the pasta salad that came with the sandwich, and olive spread in the sandwich. Glad I love olives!

Alas, with the pasta salad, salad, beer and water, I only ate half of this relatively small sandwich. I was stuffed!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5701f8adac700000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Here's the sad part. I took the other half with me, when I got to the hotel I put it in the fridge, next morning I took it out...but I just never fell up to eating it, and by the time it was out of the fridge for 6+ hours, I was scared of it (I rarely get scared by warmed foods b/c other than mayo it's hard for veggie foods to make you sick) and threw it away. :(

But here's the happy part! When I got the bill, the beer wasn't on it. I waited for Heather to come back and I told her that it was missing. She apologized and insisted that since it was her mistake, she wouldn't put it on the bill. Well, OK then! I asked if she had to cover it, or if she would get in trouble, and she insisted she didn't have to cover it and there would be no trouble, so I said OK. And tipped her quite a bit more than I would have done. :goodvibes


When I was seated at the Trattoria it was 6:27pm, so when I left it had been dark for awhile, and therefore I have the typical night shots.

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There's a coaster in that last picture. I had just had a big meal and a beer. I've also been dealing with a fear of coasters.

What will I do?:cool2:

[daisy_77]

Molly, these updates are great and coming fast!

That sandwich looks really good. It was nice of your server to not make you pay for the beer. :wizard:
Did you ride the coaster??:eek:

[bumbershoot]

I don't know if it was sheer exhaustion, courage from the beer, or a loss of my mind...but I headed over to California Screamin'. Fear of coasters? What fear of coasters?

Oh no, there was a long line! And I didn't have long until the Electrical Light Parade...what to do. Oh yeah, they have Single Rider capability! Hmm, where? I went to the CM and asked, and she whipped out a pass and told me where to go. I think the CMs like those super-secret Single Rider things, b/c they always seem to smile when you ask about it. I think that perhaps they giggle when people come through alone and just wait in line. I could be wrong, but that's what I think.

So I took my handy pass and went through the wheelchair exit, right on to the other side of the loading area. One woman was in front of me. This was most excellent. I felt like a VIP.

The woman said the CM is "signaling me to come over, but I'm waiting for my nephew, go ahead!" So not even a minute after I got in line; perhaps not even a minute after I got the Single Rider pass from the CM, I was getting in the seat. omg omg omg.

You go slowly to the part "in" the water. And then you sit there. And sit. And sit. I was breathing slowly...wondering what on earth I had just done. Knowing that you take off like a shot...so nervous.

The music does NOT help calm you down...it just repeats and repeats...then suddenly they count you down and BAM you go.

OH MY GRACIOUS. When people talk about the speed of the take-off, they are not kidding. It is so incredibly fast. It's not painful, but it's almost painful. It sure isn't natural to feel that way!!! I would imagine the way in nature you'd feel that way is if you're falling off a cliff, and that can't be a good feeling!

So you just slam into acceleration on the straightway, then you're going up up up and I was just thinking "this is unbearable, I can't take this any longer" we were up and that G-force feeling was gone, and then it was just the coaster. "Just" indeed! I don't know what it's like during the day, but it was incredible at night! You are up so high...I was yelping and laughing and making little yips...I'm sure the stranger I was seated next to was happy with me. :upsidedow

The loop...I had forgotten how easy loops are. It was the easiest part of the whole ride. You barely even know you're upside-down, I remembered, with loops.

And then it was done. I got off just laughing, and walking a bit tipsy. Don't know if it was that brew I drank over the course of an hour, or if it was the ride, but I was a little bit stumbly. I texted DH that I had just gone on it, and while texting I missed the signs that said the walkway was closed, so nearly ran into the construction wall. Had to go all the way around the other way past Ariel's, to get over towards Jumpin Jellyfish.

I had intended to go on JJ, to see what it's like for DS, since he's tall enough, but I didn't want to "ruin" the feeling I had from California Screamin'. I bought a gift card with the retro design I had been wanting but hadn't been able to find in a few trips...$5 is the minimum. I had just given up on that design and loaded another giftcard a few hours before, so I was frustrated by that. I like the designs for some ultimate scrapbooking project, and it helps me stick to a certain amount of purchases, if I load a giftcard and just use that.

So then I found a place to lean. I could have sat down, but I didn't want to.


Neon on that Orange ride thing...

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The Jellyfish ride looks really relaxing and cute.

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And then I saw the Electrical Light Parade for the first time since I was a little kid! I was sooooooo happy that it was playing during this little visit. It shouldn't have been showing at this time of the year, but with the Block Party Bash all gone, they wanted to entertain us somehow!

I took pictures of each and every "float". I started to bore even myself. :rotfl2: At one point I thought "shouldn't I be watching this, instead of clicking away?" (I use the viewfinder instead of the big LCD screen on my camera so I can't really do both like most people do) but decided that I would take pictures this time, and in the future, because it doesn't really change, I'll just watch and experience it.

Here I go, boring us all...:rotfl: And this isn't even half of the floats or a third of my pictures.

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Whee, spinny!

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The stepsisters. I love them. They are hilarious.

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She saw me taking pictures and posed, and I'm SO SO SO bummed that she's out of focus!

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Then they went back to arguing.

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It's amusing that I think they are so funny now. I'm sure my mom is giggling in the ether Beyond...she took me to see Cinderella in the theater when it was re-released (from IMDB's date it looks like I would have been around 3.5, wow), and the stepmom and stepsisters scared me so much I couldn't be consoled, and my mom had to take me out and go home.


There be pirates...

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Too cute. I saw Dopey all over the place on this visit.

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I don't even know this story.

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Thing hanging from the dragon's tail.

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Then the parade was done and I was so happy. I had planned to rush over to the pathway and zoom out to hop to DL, but instead I just dawdled, walking behind the parade as so many others were doing.

I even stopped to take some pictures!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/mollyeilis/IMG_1069.jpg


Then I remembered my Plan, zoomed over to the path by GRR (go left around GRR, not right even though right seems like it would be faster...you just end up on the path to the left anyway!), and went out. Went across the esplanade and towards the castle.

And that's when serious magic happened*.


*magic as defined by someone who reads everything online and knows about people at DL...not magic as defined by someone who would want only a Dream or free things or whatever

[daisy_77]

I am sooo proud of you for riding Screamin'! That thing scares the crud out of me! I hate being upside down...:scared:

The pics are great! I love DEP. The dragon I think is from Pete's Dragon. It is a cute movie.

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/71/79/51/00/0071795100842_215X215.jpg

[bumbershoot]

:)

I kept thinking on the bumpy plane ride home..."I liked these feelings on rides at DLR, but not here!" It's all context. Though I'll say I wish the track on Screamin' was just a little bit wider. It just looks so skinny and weak when you're on it!

[jnjusoioa]

Hey Molly, great trippie, love it!! Love the Nemo ride photos!! They are great. Thank you for the name of the shake place, can't wait to try it. Thank you for letting me know the photopass photographers are out, that will be a big help in March and Dec. :goodvibes

[Cabelle1863]

Dh wants me to try Screamin' when we go. I'm not sure. I might need some liquid courage too. :scared:

Lovin' the trip report. Your pictures are so beautiful. :lovestruc

And the dragon is from the movie "Pete's Dragon." It was a favorite movie of mine as a kid.

[MadiMouse]

I'm such an 80s girl...love the neon. I once thought I would have a loft apartment with a big neon Billy Idol, just like in St Elmo's Fire.

[/IMG]

I am sooo an 80's girl, too. I just love myself some Miami Vice! :cool1:

I am loving your TR especially since we are planning our first DL trip in September!! :banana:

MadiMouse

[bumbershoot]

Thanks, all!



I can't believe this is all in one day. But that's the bonus of being by yourself, with no one else to help, encourage, take breaks when you don't want to, and so on.


I went over to Disneyland, and waited in the fairly long and slow lines to get in. Some recently mentioned that they cut the number of gate CMs during that time to slow down the influx from DCA, and it sure seemed like it!


editing starting now

When I came in to DL, I decided to see the 50 Years movie with Steve Martin and Donald Duck. Just sounded like fun. Has that building been there since DL opened? It sure does smell like an older building! Went in when the doors opened, sat down, and really enjoyed the little movie. I love Steve Martin, and he was funny. As a kid I was a big Donald Duck comic book reader, so that was fun, too.

I highly recommend taking a little break and seeing that movie. I meant to see Steamboat Willie etc later, but I never did.

editing stop



I wandered along, and as the street opened up again before Plaza Inn, I wondered where I was going to go. I decided to keep wandering, and as I got up onto the sidewalk, I noticed a Cast Member. A very familiar looking cast member. I don't know any CMs, how could this be?

Oh my goodness...it's Maynard (http://maynardsmith.com/). :banana:

OK so I'm not a "fangirl" of any kind. I adore from afar and never write letters to people or wait at exits to concerts, or anything like that. So to just see this "celebrity CM" was cool enough. But suddenly I found myself doing a double-take and saying "I've heard of you"....

And he was very pleasant and made silly small talk with me! After a minute or so I figured he had places to go and was likely bored talking to me, so I said that it was nice meeting him and that my name was Molly. For some reason that caused him to keep talking, and I think we talked for about 20 minutes!

He sang a song about lions and tigers that he wrote for Jungle Cruise, when they could sing unsanctioned songs. And some silly song with made up words. I said something like he was something of a celebrity online, and he talked about how Disneyland does treat him as such; they even give him an apartment so he doesn't have to commute. At that point he patted the garbage can we were standing near, and said that it was his deluxe accomodations. He kept going back to that, and it was so funny. Talked about the kids whose parents have bought them $40 sodas, then complain that it's "too sweet", and throw them away, dumping 40 gallons of soda on him as he sleeps in his "apartment". Then went on a tangent about being sticky. He just had me in stitches. I asked where I should watch the fireworks from, and he told me, but then the announcements came on to start the show, and he had to go back to work and I didn't have time to find any good places (I don't see all that well in the dark, either...bionic eyes due to Lasik during the day, semi-blind at night, also due to Lasik).

So I watched from the sidewalk on the left, across the circle from the Partners statue. Since it was winter the big tree was bare and didn't really bother me, and actually DH liked the way the fireworks showed through the branches of the tree.

I am still learning how to work with my camera, and I still rely heavily on Auto, and I didn't have a tripod (before our next visit I'm definitely getting one of those, even if it's just a little one), so most of the pix didn't really come out. And mine aren't amazing (I won't be posting them in the picture of the day thread or the photography board), but they're kinda cool, the ones I saved, and it does sort of show that even if your view is blocked, fireworks are still Good Things.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5714123fa0d00000026108CZMmjFq1bC

Look at the rainbows of the fireworks and on the castle! Out of focus, but I didn't even notice that rainbow at the time.

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The important/cool part of the picture below is that tiny little smoke circle at the middle towards the top.

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More tiny circles, and some bigger circles on the opposite plane.

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This is part of the POTC bit, where it's depicting battles. I love that part!

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This picture just looks disturbing. They were actually big tall wheels of fireworks turning around and around, but I guess my camera wasn't set fast enough to catch it, so instead it just looks like something bad is happening.

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Then the Star Wars music started up, and....it all stopped. Announcement came on that due to high winds at upper elevations they had to stop. :confused3


Oh well!


I went over to POTC (continuing my wandering) and there was truly no wait. Just as quick as you could get in, you got on.


Then I have in my notes that I went on Star Tours again, and was in the second row from the front. Still my fave ride!

I wandered some more, bought a decaf latte and some sort of snack at the bakery, and slowly meandered out.


My feet were in a bit of pain, though nowhere near as bad as they felt last September. I got back to the hotel and was so tired, but I had to organize for the next day. I was taking part in micechat's Rally, and needed to be at the picnic area at 8am. I didn't know if they would need anything official from me, so I couldn't plan to go back to check out at 11. Therefore I needed to rent a locker, or leave things with the front desk, and therefore I had to be ready! Well, I love organizing things, but it also takes me awhile. So it was getting later and later and I was hurting more and more...finally I wanted to take a bath but the tub scared me a little bit. So I took a shower and it was so nice that the timer on the fan went off....and when I got out, the steam set off the smoke detector alarm. :laughing:

It all got figured out and I was finally able to put my head down on the pillow, and I fell to sleep almost immediately.

[WA Kay]

Bumbershoot

Thank you very much for the great trip report loaded with fun pictures. I always enjoy your reports and find your information helpful. I am a Disneyland veteran but have not been in 5 years. As we all know, much has changed, so you tips are very helpful in planning my next trip.

Now I find myself in a position to give you a little tiny bit of information. You know that little, often short lived, guilt you feel about being at Disneyland without your lovely son and husband? Those moments when you think about how much they would have liked this-or-that? Night time when you miss them the most? Well…. That never ever goes away. I wish I could say it did but it does not. My youngest is a senior at the University of Washington and has no interest in vacationing with her family at this point in her life but I still feel guilty when we are on any vacation without her. Even when I remind myself that she is not interested in being there I still can’t get her out of my head. Just thought you should know. :)

Thanks again for the great report and I am glad you had some grownup fun.

[bumbershoot]

"My youngest is a senior at the University of Washington and has no interest in vacationing with her family at this point in her life but I still feel guilty when we are on any vacation without her."

:scared:

:)

[Hound 109]

Great Trippy, Bumbershoot. :thumbsup2

Random Thoughts:

- Top Secret Single Rider line at Screamin' Rocks!
- Screamin' Rocks!

- I like the Trat (my new name for it because i never spell it right) too. Did you sit outside? & you're right, the portions are good sized & kinda olive oily (a good thing :cool1: ) I like the fact that you get deluxe ambiance (it's pretty sitting outside & you're waited on) for moderate prices. It's a good place to split entres & appetizers i bet.

- You & negotiating the GCH secret passages .... :rotfl: Don't worry, you'll nail it on your next PP stay. :thumbsup2

Great pictures & great report, Bumbershoot, thanks for sharing. :yay:

[MommyWithDreams]

GREAT trip report...I loved the build up to riding Screamin. I loved that ride!

[bumbershoot]

Ooh, now you guys know I'm not done yet, right? I haven't even gotten to Rally day. :cool2:

When they asked inside or outside at the Trat I said "whatever is faster" b/c I was hungry. Ended up just inside, and I was glad, because I was cold.


But that must wait for tomorrow.

[KirklandTutu]

Ok, this thread is the last straw...sometime in the next year, I will go on a solo.

[spokanemom]

Yea Molly! Congrats on California Screamin! I know that you never did find "the pin" but did you ever get in contact with the woman that had a duplicate? I know that you were really hoping for one for your DH.

I am very glad that you had a great time on your solo trip. I know when I went without kids & spouse, it really was a very different experience. I got to ride the horse drawn carriage and the omnibus. I saw things that I was never slow enough to see. I am glad to go with my family but I am really glad I was able to experience Disneyland in a whole new light.

When you go back with your family, I bet you will really appreciate that you were able to take your time, at least once. BUT, I know that you will really appreciate that your family is there.

Thanks for the report!

[Czardas]

Great report, I am having so much fun following your stay. You are making me very excited about my first & probably only trip to Disney at the end of the month, thank you.

[BecBennett]

Ooh, I've been waiting for your solo trip report! It's good to be finally reading it! So when's the next update??

[bumbershoot]

Yea Molly! Congrats on California Screamin! I know that you never did find "the pin" but did you ever get in contact with the woman that had a duplicate? I know that you were really hoping for one for your DH.

I am very glad that you had a great time on your solo trip. I know when I went without kids & spouse, it really was a very different experience. I got to ride the horse drawn carriage and the omnibus. I saw things that I was never slow enough to see. I am glad to go with my family but I am really glad I was able to experience Disneyland in a whole new light.

When you go back with your family, I bet you will really appreciate that you were able to take your time, at least once. BUT, I know that you will really appreciate that your family is there.

Thanks for the report!


I haven't opened your PM yet but from the subject you have a very good idea about ebay. :) The lady hasn't called me yet (I gave her my number), but I have hopes. The problem with ebay is that I'm annoyed at the two people I noticed were selling that pin. I find it fundamentally unfair that they snagged pins with no intentions of keeping them (it's not yet Chinese New Year, so it's not like they wore them for the celebration then sold them) and took them away from people like me who actually wanted one. It's hard for me, in my state of mind right now, to help them profit on sneaky behaviour. On the other hand, they are going to profit anyway... So the question is, how much do I want to get DH that pin!?

I love how often you've been going.:)


Great report, I am having so much fun following your stay. You are making me very excited about my first & probably only trip to Disney at the end of the month, thank you.

Yay!


Ooh, I've been waiting for your solo trip report! It's good to be finally reading it! So when's the next update??


Soon. My brain is moving slow today.

[bumbershoot]

By the way, I just edited my post about fireworks, because I just remembered that I saw the 50 years of Disneyland movie with Steve Martin and Donald Duck.



************
Ooh boy did the day dawn early, and I had slept so solidly I woke up in the same position I fell asleep in. I had my cellphone alarm set, with the clock radio in the room set 15 minutes later as a backup. First alarm went off, I hit snooze, and turned off the clock alarm. Snoozed a couple more times, and finally got up.

Got myself ready to go, went and got change from the front desk for tips that day, got b'fast. Pretty pretty room for b'fast and fireworks viewing at the Carousel, but a bit smaller than I expected. Chocolate or powdered sugar covered store-bought donuts, fruit, coffee. Cereal too, I think. Option of buying Quiznos b'fast Sammies for $2. I snagged two donuts and a coffee and went back to my room.

Got my stuff, left the room, checked out and left my bag with the desk.

Walked over, wearin' my Crocs 'n socks, carrying my running shoes for later.

I had an 8am meeting with the micechat "spotters" near the picnic area, and I was on time (amazing). The leader was not.

She finally got there, and I found out I was the official "lurking floater". Basically if I saw any of the teams being naughty or cheating, I had a phone number to call and I was to move along. It just felt so silly to be there but not participate in any way, but as it turned out, I should have just not participated at all. But then I wouldn't have gotten the cute lanyard that I don't know when I'll wear it...I didn't wear it that way because I was *lurking* and incognito. ;)

So that's pretty much all of the story about the Rally. Saw a couple teams trying to go and see *everything*, with answers to write down for each thing, saw no one running or cheating, and left three hours before it was over and the dinner/awards ceremony was, so in retrospect it was silly of me. :confused3


So what did I do on Saturday? Got into the lines just before 9, and they were already letting people in. MM had been that morning and I had no burning desire to go to FL anyway, so I stayed away. I was busy with my "turn left into Adventureland" normal touring style anyway. :)

Indy was a ridiculously short wait, so I went on it! This time was put into a car filled with Korean tourists who had a blast on the ride. Just like the women I rode with the day before, they were gripping the bars of the ride. I just don't know why people do that. I feel so much better by not trying to keep myself still. Maybe I'm just weird. It wouldn't be the first time I'm opposite from all others!

Upon exiting I sat on the rocks and had a chat with the hubby, who had called at some point that early morning. He and Eamon were heading up for breakfast with some of his friends (he always makes friends with white guys who are dating Korean women, it's funny, but the shared experience of a Korean mother seems to bond people, and the routine first question when he sees someone that looks familiar is..."your mother?" and it almost always is the mother with a half-Korean person of a certain age....anyway, I've digressed into Robert's social life and that wasn't really my intention), and then they were off to the zoo in Seattle.

While I sat there I noticed some girls running, all excited about dream fast passes. I'm nosy, I'll admit it, and I'll talk to anyone when I'm alone...so I went over and asked them what ride they were on. They'd been on Indy! I hadn't gotten out of there even 5 minutes before, but right after I went through I guess the dream squad got in there. sigh.

I almost passed it, but suddenly realized that it was sunny so Tarzan's Treehouse was open (unlike the rainy day before), and I had that on my list. I went up and reveled in the sunshine, and got some pictures.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729cb7dabb00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729cba5b8600000026108CZMmjFq1bC


I'll admit it, part of the reason I walked through the tree house was because I had heard that the dream squad sometimes hangs out there. They were not there. sigh.


I walked over the bridge and saw a CM at the other entrance to the Dream Suite. He verified that it opens next week, and we joked that I should come back to try for it. Of course yesterday it seems Ellen Degeneres gave away the first night there...so I'm a little harumphy about that. Oh well!

I went to Haunted Mansion.

Hadn't noticed this before!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729ca05b9c00000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729c965baa00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Still spooky.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729c9fda9300000026108CZMmjFq1bC


After that I opted for Tom Sawyer's Island, to check out the Pirate's Lair.

The costumes of the CMs there even go to their socks, which just cracked me up.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729c985ba400000026108CZMmjFq1bC


On "my" raft was the tall pirate with the booming voice. He was in jadedarkstar's signature, if anyone saw her sig. He's great; he always calls DS "my recessively-gened friend". So he was on the raft and started chatting with people. Commented on a red-head, of course, using that phrase. Then he turned around and was talking to people that I couldn't see.

He greeted someone and asked how old they were.
10.
Asked their name.
A girl's name was given.
He asked "are you married?"
When she said no, he said "why not, what's the matter? Oh, I see, no dowry? Too bad."

I was cracking up.

Then he turned to someone I could see a preteen boy.

"What's your name, lad?"
boy's name given.
"How old are you?"
11.
"You married?"
No.

"Ah! Boy's name meet Girl's name!" "So, you want to marry her?"
um, well, um, no....
"Why not? Ohhhh. No dowry. Smart man, hold out for the money."

I was rolling. Figuratively, of course. Not safe to roll on a raft with a pirate!


Then we were there and I disembarked.


Did anyone see my concerned post before I went about the passageways inside the caves? Well, I braved them.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729d721bd600000026108CZMmjFq1bC

They were fine. I had two bags hanging off my shoulders, which made it slightly tricky, but I only had one moment where I had to squeeze, and it wasn't a bad squeeze. I've told hubby that he could probably get through most places fine as he is, but he'd be more comfy once he hits 250 (he's 5'10").

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729d381b9c00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


As they say, reach for treasure when you're in the caves! I don't want to ruin anything for anyone, so I'll just post this picture, and then will post links to two other pictures.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572b4265b0e00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Only click on these if you will never go in but want to know, have a heart condition and need to control your surprises (seriously, the second one freaked me out), have skittish kids and need to preview, or whatever reason...but if you LIKE surprises don't click.

spoiler (http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729d139a8700000026108CZMmjFq1bC)

another spoiler (http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5729df39a6700000026108CZMmjFq1bC)



So after I explored as thoroughly as I wanted to, I headed back towards the raft. The Bootstrappers were playing, and the tall booming-voice pirate is part of them! I did not know that, and I have seen them perform before. Just never with him (in fact I had never seen him on the island). He was great.

He had a whole spiel about the "lands" that surrounded them, and how weird it was. That he's seen huge mice, as big as him, walking around, and that he heard the male mouse owns the place. That the girl rat is called (and I mis-spell on purpose here) a "Mini" mouse. Big as he is, but "mini". And do we know what the boy mouse's name is? Well, you would think it would be "Maxi", to go with Mini. But no, it's not, it's Mickey. He asks "why would he be named after a drink?''

Then he started a routine about the big building off that way, and hundreds upon hundreds of tiny little people lived in there and never came out (or something like that). And that he was horrified of the song they sang all day, how scary it was. They then went into a really dark, minor key, version of Small World. Like a lament, instead of a celebration of the world.

Again, I was rolling. But the raft I was waiting for had docked so off I went. Turns out Sparrow was on the raft that had docked, and how cool would that have been, to be on that raft? Oh well. Back to NOS I went!

[actionvaughn]

I LOVE the Bootstrappers. They're always hilarious, but not so threatening when they're holding a princess dance party... :rotfl:

Out of curiousity, what pin were you looking for? Year of the Rat...?

[bumbershoot]

Yes, year of the rat.

Oh dear, now I can't send DH a link to the trip report. :) You guys know more about my trip than he does, so far!!!!:lmao: He keeps falling asleep with DS when DS goes to sleep, so I'm not sure we've talked more than an hour total since I got home. :upsidedow

[bumbershoot]

When I got back to land, I could still hear the Bootstrappers, and was kind of bummed that I had left. Oh well...I wanted to stay and go at the same time, so I chose at that moment in favor of the *other* things I wanted to do that day.

From my notes, it seems I went on POTC at that point.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572b40bda1300000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572b4ffdae700000036108CZMmjFq1bC


This has nothing to do with my trip report,but I found out this morning that the reason DS is against POTC right now (although he plays Jack Sparrow all the time, sings his version of "yo ho" all the time, tells me I'm Minnie Swann (even though he hasn't seen the movie he somehow knows Elizabeth), and even has long conversations about who, exactly, broke Davy Jones' heart (again, has never seen the movie but picks this stuff up from????)) is that the boat goes into Davy Jones' mouth. He did NOT like that, it turns out. He hadn't been able to really explain himself about it until today. I let him know that Jones is only seen in one place, and that it's like TV. He said "oh, it's on a screem?" (he says screem instead of screen) I said "yes, on a screen of mist." ohhhh. So now he might be brave enough again to go in the future. :cheer2:


OK, back to my day!

Now by now I was feeling low. I did get sleep but not quite enough. And the day before I'd only had 2 hours. I realized much later that all I had to eat for quite a lot of the day was sweets (I need to snag all my receipts so I can see just how much dessert food I had that day before early dinner). I had a disgusting headache that was causing nausea. My body was hurting, and I was just all sad. I wasn't feeling well at all.

Well, OK, but I still needed to make the best of things. I was going to snag an ibuprofen from the DL First Aid, but forgot. I decided to go to DCA.


On my way, I saw a fun-looking party going on in front of the castle. All of the characters, it seemed, were there. There was also a big crowd, so I just walked along, stopping for a latte (thinking the caffeine-withdrawals from the paltry tiny cup of coffee were to blame for my headache) and a cookie. Well look at this, they were leaving the "party"!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572b4e85bc000000026108CZMmjFq1bC

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http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572b4b5daad00000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572b4bfdaa700000026108CZMmjFq1bC


And then there was a little parade!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f24ada7100000026108CZMmjFq1bC

I really love that picture. :cool2:


I was walking in what shade I could find, hoping it would make me feel better. So I was looking at the Main Street shopfronts, and my favorite is the Ratatouille scene.

I took some closeups. Anyone else notice this fairly obvious homage to a certain exec?

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f232da0900000026108CZMmjFq1bC


And is this a bow to John Goodman (though I don't think he had anything to do with ratatouille)?

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f238da0300000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Notes on the fridge:

And I just googled (after doing so with enrico below) and found the movie La Chinoise, a French film centered in an apartment. Since I know they used many French films as inspiration for parts of Ratatouille, that makes sense.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f22d5b2600000026108CZMmjFq1bC


But the only Jenny Lynn I can find is a fitness instructor.


I'm editing because I just googled "pixar enrico" and found out that there's an Enrico who is a storyboard artist at Pixar.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f2155b1e00000026108CZMmjFq1bC



And another Pixar guy. :)

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f2f4dacf00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Can you tell I watch the extra features on the Pixar movies? DS loves the "ads", as he calls them. :goodvibes

[bumbershoot]

When I got to DCA...well I actually am a bit out of sorts as to the order. But I think I first went to the First Aid station to get some "drugs". They had one package of ibuprofen left. I'm sensitive so I took one pill from the package, and put the other into my pocket. I decided to go on the factory tours, and they were cute. We eat Mission tortillas all the time at home, but the ones they gave during the tortilla factory tour was SO good, so much better. The sourdough was sourdough, and the little movie tour they do is cute.

The starches didn't help, so I went to get a cup of water at the Farmer's Market. They gave me a really big cup of water, which was nice, but the cup had a leak. It took probably half an hour to realize it was leaking, that's how low I felt and how out of sorts I was.

While sitting there I swear I saw Jaime Lynn Spears. I swear it. She looked exactly like her, and was traveling with similarly-dressed (very wealthy-looking) young women. It was odd. I keep waiting to hear that she was at DLR last weekend, but all I hear is that she is out "partying". Well, she could have gone partying at DCA. :)

I wanted food but couldn't stomach it. I did actually crave the fish and chips I noticed they had there. I'm officially vegetarian, but sometimes, when far from Robert's mom (if she knew I would eat halibut she would sneak meat into EVERYTHING), I'll eat fish and chips. But since I was already feeling bad, I didn't want to risk it. I ate them once while pregnant and have never been so sick; it took over a year to eat them again. And the last time I had fish and chips one of the fish things was almost "melted" in appearance and texture, and just the thought of it almost sent me to the bathroom. So eating that, even though I was craving it, while already so sick was just not a good idea. Sigh.

I finally pulled myself together. Poured the water from leaking cup to waterbottle, cleaned up the granola bar crumbs from the table, and slowly moved alone. I had already taken the second ibuprofen, b/c it had been an hour since the first and it hadn't kicked in at all.

I decided to go on Soarin', because it makes me feel good. I figured the "fresh" air blowing on me would be good. And you know what? It was. Love that orange grove smell. I even took some time to look around at the other riders and the seat things we were on, trying to figure out just HOW they move it to make it feel so real. Amazing ride (though why is it still xmas on Main Street?).


Then I went on Grizzly. Oh man do I love that ride. Even though I still felt terrible, it made my mood happy, at least. The family in front of me was scoffing at ponchos, then noticed I was putting mine on. They then explained they had just forgotten theirs at the hotel, after doing the 85 foot flume ride at Universal the day before. Then, of course, I was put in their raft. I love how much chatting you can do on that ride, and of course it's interspersed with screams of delight. :goodvibes

On the first downhill bit I was succumbing to peer pressure, and hadn't put the hood of my poncho on. Well, of course, that meant I got icy water down my back! After that I put the hood on and didn't get at all wet the rest of the ride, while my companions were soaked.

Whee, fun ride. We spun down the final flume of the ride, which was an interesting and exhilarating experience.

Then there was the geyser, and we were all laughing about it.

Once I got my stuff out of the locker (so handy!) and put things away, the adrenaline wore off and I felt even worse.

But I had heard someone say something odd as they got off the rafts, yelling at someone on the paths looking over the geyser, that THEY were the ones who had made the geyser spout. :confused3

Well I know they do that at SeaWorld's Atlantis, and I've heard that it's done at Universal, but at Disney? I don't think so. But I went looking anyway. Didn't find any magic buttons to push to make the geyser go, but had a grand time watching people get soaked. Oh I laughed and laughed...

Then I decided to see what was over 'behind' GRR, and walked along the path. Wow, there sure is room for a LONG line at GRR! Yikes!

There are some pictures (not mine) in the Disneyland photo thread on the DLR forum of the stuff behind GRR, and one is an old truck with kayaks on it. I passed a woman and her possibly 3 year old son, and the son was just entranced by it. I gave her a smile that I hope she "got", one of "pay all this money to go to DLR, and he loves looking at an old truck and kayaks!" :rotfl: )

And then I found it's just a circle (which I had a feeling it was, from the Electrical Parade watchers coming back 'round while on the way out of DCA the night before). Aha, well, there's a bathroom! Always good to find a bathroom.

Came out and there were two male members of a Rally team, that I had seen earlier. I figured they were being good Rally members and waiting for the woman in their group. They looked wiped out, and it was only around 2. 6 more hours to go until the awards ceremony. I couldn't take it anymore, and asked how their Rally was going. I really shouldn't have done that, because they ended up thinking that I was a big cheater, but I couldn't come right out and say "I'm a lurking floater", so I did just explain that I'm a member of the website, but just happened to be there, and was leaving too early to be part of the Rally. But really, I should have just kept my mouth shut, b/c it just confused them. Though I guess it was something for them to talk about later!

While standing there, talking to them and/or just trying to feel better, I took pictures of the windows.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f2fd5bf600000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f2e55bee00000026108CZMmjFq1bC



I wandered back towards GRR and sat down on a bench.

At that point I called Robert and cried to him a bit, of how bad I felt, wah wah wah. It was maybe 2-ish, maybe just 1? not sure, and I was saying that if I had a cab to the airport I'd just leave right then because I was sad and hurting. :(

Well, after our conversation I decided to cheer myself up by watching rafters get soaked by the geyser.


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f2ecdad700000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572f2d4daef00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb572392c1bda00000026108CZMmjFq1bC

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Is this person standing up????

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb57239059ac300000026108CZMmjFq1bC

I didn't even notice that...


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb57239ea1b1c00000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb57239d59a1300000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Aw, bummer...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5726b889a6700000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Well, you know what? That made me feel a whole lot better. I laughed and laughed. I know, some day I'll go on while wearing all white with bright purple underwear and I'll forget my poncho and get drenched. I know I know....but for now I'm laughin'.

[bumbershoot]

I really really should go to bed, but I just can't yet.

I really wish I could leave days, no, weeks, between updates, like they do on the WDW trip reports, to build the suspense and make people drool for more. But I just can't!


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb57268565b1000000026108CZMmjFq1bC


I don't know where I was when I noticed, but suddenly I felt the lifting of the headache and related nausea. Since it had been quite a number of hours since I took the ibuprofen, I don't really know if it was related. I'm usually quite sensitive to it and it works quickly when I do use it, so it was very odd. But my neck felt more free, my head didn't hurt, and I didn't want to throw up from my kneecaps (you know that overall body gaaaaaah feeling?). So that was good!

Since I was just then feeling better, I should have continued to rest, should have taken it easy...did I? Heck no! I am the person who drank a beer and went on Screamin', are you kidding me?

Of course I went on Tower of Terror. Wouldn't you?


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5726859da2f00000026108CZMmjFq1bC



It was there that I got to see a CM having a bad day. As we were waiting to "check in" I saw this female CM talking to a CM outside. Well, I heard it, then went looking for her, because she was talking pretty loud. She said something like "well hey, it's just an idea that I'm tossing to you. It's up to you if you want to catch it." I thought "ooh, she's not having a good day...." And I looked at the reactions of the male CMs she was talking to, and of course they didn't take her seriously. Not with that tone of voice. Nope. Wish I knew what it was about! She went stomping off, and I hoped that she was going on her break.

I got closer to the podium and I could tell that the people in front of me were enough that the line was about to be closed. In fact he did convey that I would be on the next one, but when he asked how many were in my party and I said one, he opened it back up and said that one "is the magic number". :)

We went into the room with the TV, and oh dear, the bad-mood CM was the one in there. She said her spiel so quietly and peeved that I just wanted her to take a sick day and get some hugs from someone. I tried to hug her with a smile as I went into the boiler room, but she curled her lips up into what became a sneering snarl, and I felt sad. Hugs to that CM having a bad day...I'm sorry I couldn't make it better for you. :hug:

Woo boy is that a crazy ride. I had my camera bag in a big Disney shopping bag, along with some small things. Oh yeah, I called Robert again and then went shopping for a few little souvenirs while I was slowly feeling better. I also had my thin nylon bag that Sunshine Rewards sent to me for being a super member a quarter or so again, which was carrying Crocs, poncho, possibly my sweatshirt... I had those things, and I was holding their straps and trying to put them between my calves.

Well the ride started, and on the BIIIIIG drop, as my butt was SO far off the seat, I looked down and noticed my bags just going weightless, going up up up up up...to almost my chest level! They just kept going up, even after I was back on the seat. It was wild. And the whole experience just feels so surreal anyway.

We all got off the ride laughing at the amount of air we had caught, and it was fun.


Ultimately, the only souvenirs I bought were a big retro Disneyland magnet for me (I like magnets and keychains), a third light saber keychain for Eamon (you guys need to check those out when next in Tomorrowland or the Emporium...they are very small, but their effect is SO much cooler than the properly sized light sabers...Eamon loves his THREE more than he could love the big ones, and he does much less damage with the small/cool one than he would with a telescoping one), and "Doc" with civilian paintjob from Cars, because we couldn't find non-racing Doc anywhere else (so we paid twice as much for it at DLR).

I slowly wandered back over to DL, where I did some of that shopping (the light saber).

And decided that I was hungry! I noticed that it was approaching the parade time, and that if I wanted to get up to the Plaza Inn and across the street, I had better hustle. I made it, but no thanks to the lady with the very slow walk, pushing a HUGE and long stroller with only one baby in it, with a husband who seemed to be playing guard to her, even though no one was trying to hassle her...just get around her! Just when I would reach a point where I could skirt around her easily, she would speed up, or her husband would fall back and take away the space I wanted to use, and so on. I was just about to say something like "oh please can't I get by" when there was a space and hubby was distracted, and I actually jogged through.

I made it, and there were still people crossing under the ropes to cross the street (and no CMs were telling them not to), so I did it too. Sorry, CMs!

Got to the PI. Got a side salad and a kid's penne with marinara meal. Sat outside, with a blocked view of the parade. The food was very good!

I didn't think to get pictures until I had decimated my salad, so these are what I have.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb5738455fa1900000026108CZMmjFq1bC


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb57384447b3800000035118CZMmjFq1bC


For any of you Ranch dressing lovers out there, their Ranch is incredible. I only used half of it on my salad, but you see those carrots and those apple slices in the pictures above? Oh yeah, those got dipped in Ranch, too. The half-breadstick as well. It was goooooood.


With the help of my zoomy-zoom, this is the kind of view I had of the parade.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573844c7b3000000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573842dfa6100000026108CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573a47c7b1000000026108CZMmjFq1bC

She deserves a photo too, because she was working so hard.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573a7853b7000000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Unfortunately, I mainly got "omg is she half nekky?" pictures of Ariel.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573c57dba8900000026108CZMmjFq1bC


I do love this picture, even more so that I hit "saturate color" with shutterfly, to make the colors in the picture match the colors that were in my eyes with that float.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573c55e3b9a00000036108CZMmjFq1bC

I also like the random Buzz balloon that floated into the shot *just* as I clicked.


AAAAAKKKKKKKK! A lion! I missed that guy; hadn't seen him since October of '06.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573c54bbabf00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Pretty. Again, liking the balloons.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573e2a77be800000036108CZMmjFq1bC


Spinny spinny! Must be fun to be a princess with twirly skirts and banners to dance with.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573e3753ba200000026108CZMmjFq1bC


Until it's time to put them away quickly, before you are needed again.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573f52e3bf200000035118CZMmjFq1bC

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573f52a3bf600000035118CZMmjFq1bC

Ack, that mickey balloon is lurking and looming; kinda scary!


Pretty poofy dress (I was just looking at my wedding pictures tonight, at my swoopy poofy gown, wishing it had been a little bit blue instead of silk-white).

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573f513baff00000026108CZMmjFq1bC


We'll pretend like this was the last picture I took, because, well, you don't know otherwise. You don't know that the last two shots were of Snow White's back (the girl would not face forward for long enough to get a proper picture) or of Chip or Dale's lower body (pic cut off just below his nose so I can't see if it's brown like a chocolate CHIP or red). Nope, nope, this was my last shot.


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8df06b3127cceb573f5063bda00000036108CZMmjFq1bC

[bumbershoot]

I'll finish it up when next I wake up. :)

[daisy_77]

Molly, I am really enjoying your TR! I am glad that you are not drawing it out....I am not good with cliffhangers that last weeks.

Great parade shots! It makes me wish I was there right now.

That kids meal looks soooo good! I may have to start ordering off the kids menu next time I go.

[bumbershoot]

Hi!

Hmm, I seem to have lost my brain. I'm still not getting much sleep for some reason, and right now DS and DH are delaying DS's bedtime by watching old Goofy cartoons we got from the library. Very silly.


Let's see, we left off with my tum finally full of real food instead of sweet snacks, with my headache finally gone and the parade has ended.

Does anyone else hate just leaving your tray and plates and such at the counter service places like Rancho and Plaza? There are CMs all around, and I know that they swoop down on trays like a crows swoops down on snack bags left in strollers at the zoo. They would have nothing much to do if we all bussed our stuff, plus, they do have a somewhat complicated set-up over at the trash area. But still, I don't like just leaving my stuff. Feels rude. So I handed my tray to the guy, and totally confused him. :headache:


Well, it wasn't quite time to leave yet! Imagine that. So I consulted my "to do" list. I didn't think I would be lucky enough to catch the Columbia just as it was setting sail (it was running that day, just not when I would walk by the loading area) plus I'm a wee bit scared of that ship b/c it seems to be the site of the only innocent-guest accident, freak happening, type thing. I also didn't want to hop BACK in hopes of seeing It's Tough To Be A Bug, or go on the SunWheel, etc.

So of course I went to the Tiki Room! While waiting, in the ever-darkening sky with rain looming more and more, I thought about how tired Eamon can make me, and how glad I was to be there alone. How everyone urged that I take time off from him when he was an infant, because he would be fine with DH, that it was healthy for me to leave him (none of these friends nursed their babies exclusively for very long, obviously!). But now that he's 3.5, I bet that those very same friends would give me junk for going to Disneyland without him. Or for going at all, but that's a whole other story. :rolleyes:

So I was thinking about that, when I noticed a tired looking woman with a (I guessed and was right) 5 year old boy, twin 3 year old girls, and a little bitty walk-fall-walk-fall-walking girl in a fleece footie jumper outfit. She sure had her hands full! Should have made me feel silly for getting so tired with just one.

But no, it didn't! I'm allowed to feel tired even if others have more children, and even if they actually are more tired than I am. That's just who I am! Even though I wanted 3 in quick succession, it turns out my body doesn't agree with that, especially with all the nursing (that's probably the biggest reason). So he's just one, with hopes for more, but for right now it's just him. And in my secret brain, I have to say, "whew". Because if I had another one who is just like him, I probably would have had a nervous breakdown.

But as it was, the kids seemed fine, and the enclosed space of the Tiki holding area seemed to give her a little break b/c I definitely caught her zoning out a couple times. :)

Watched the show, it was just as much fun as I remember! I love that thing of water that comes up from the fountain towards the ceiling.


And then the show was over, it had gotten even darker outside, and my day was pretty much done! I walked slowly out, said good bye while smiling, and headed out the gates.

Before I even got to the exit next to the bagcheck area, I had to rummage in my backpack for my fleece vest, because it was starting to rain. I didn't feel like putting on my poncho again, but the vest was enough. Got back to Carousel surprisingly fast, got my bag, and sat around. I had to get things in order! I knew I should have brought my backpack to become my "personal item" instead of my purse/camera bag.

Super Shuttle got their too fast (literally 30 minutes too early). I got to the airport too fast, though I did get to chat with a fellow Disney fanatic with one son, from the Pacific Northwest, and wearing the same purple zipup Disneyland sweatshirt. Great fun!

Was at the airport so early, and then my flight was delayed. I did get to hang out in hearing distance of a large group of women who are part of a jewelry selling business thing. They were funny, and of course tried to sell me on their thing. So predictable. :upsidedow

Hated pretty much every moment of the flight home. Yuck yuck yuck. I had no cash left or I would have gotten a drink or 5. On the flight down, I was thinking "is this risk worth it, the possibility of dying without DH and DS for "just" Disneyland". When I got there, it turned out that I forgot about the risk and the question felt moot. Well, on the flight home it came alllll back to me. And without even a trip report to be remembered by! Note to self, next time bring the laptop. :upsidedow

We did finally get home, though I continue to be mystified as to why planes need to go up north of the Space Needle only to turn around and land 20 miles south of said landmark. Very odd and frustrating to me.

Got in, figured out where Robert was, Eamon was asleep in his carseat, got home, got E completely to sleep, passed out.

Sat on my lazy butt until yesterday when I finally had clean clothes and went to the store, and until today when I finally got out for a "stroller walk" aka jog with E in a stroller. Whew!

[ksoehrlein]

On the flight down, I was thinking "is this risk worth it, the possibility of dying without DH and DS for "just" Disneyland". When I got there, it turned out that I forgot about the risk and the question felt moot. Well, on the flight home it came alllll back to me. And without even a trip report to be remembered by! Note to self, next time bring the laptop. :upsidedow

I have simply adored all the parts of your TR (great writing style! awesome photos!), but I've especially enjoyed the fact that you shared all your moments of Mommy guilt. Don't take that the wrong way; I hate that you had those moments, but you're helping me to steel myself for the exact same thing next week.

Tonight, while tucking in DD(7yo), she told me she was sad -- and scared -- that I was leaving. Yup, we had to have the dreaded "what if your plane crashes" conversation. Yikes. So I've been asking myself if it's worth it for "just" my job and "just" Disneyland, and it gives me some comfort to see that you had similar thoughts.

The only thing I can think of to help assuage the Mommy guilt is the fact that DH and I just signed up for Skype. It's still new enough to the kids that it should be exciting to "call Mommy on the computer," but I'm afraid of what will happen when the novelty wears off. I've promised to do some pin trading and shop for the very best Tink and Mickey items I can find for DD and DS(4yo), but they're not so easily bribed. Meanwhile I'm torn between feeling :woohoo: at the thought of some alone time and :guilty: at (you guessed it) the thought of some alone time. I'm trying to tell myself that I'll come home to them as a more refreshed and relaxed wife and mother -- did it work that way for you? (And if not, please don't answer me until next week, OK?) ;)

[MommyWithDreams]

Loving the report Molly. I'm going to have to check out those light things...Ayden would probably love one too.

[bumbershoot]

moments of Mommy guilt....

So I've been asking myself if it's worth it for "just" my job and "just" Disneyland, and it gives me some comfort to see that you had similar thoughts....

I'm trying to tell myself that I'll come home to them as a more refreshed and relaxed wife and mother -- did it work that way for you?


I did come back more relaxed, and I did come back with much more happiness.

Now, it's not MY fault that my husband picked a fight with me on the way home, thereby causing some of my happiness and relaxation to fly out the window. Would it have been so hard for him to drive like he did when we were first dating, and take my fear of sliding on icy roads into account like he used to, instead of fighting me, and feeling worse for the impatient people in cars behind us, than he did for ME?

Not my fault.

I also pushed myself too hard, and the 2 hours of sleep I had before going to Anaheim didn't help. Since you will have business beforehand you will likely be more rested, and that will be good for you. I brought EmergenC packets with me, but didn't take them until I was in the throes of that heinous headache/nausea phase of the second day.

So when I got home, I was super-lazy (even lazier than usual, LOL).

But I do indeed feel better about things!

And the biggest thing is that since I've now experienced the parks like I want to, I feel like I will really be able to be Zen when we have our family trips. I can even think about letting my cousin plan much of a WDW trip that is taking place at the end of this year, rather than me being the one to plan it (she was a Disney Store CM when they were actually Disney and had free passes to WDW, spent her courtship with her husband hanging out at WDW, and had her honeymoon there, too, so she definitely SHOULD be the one to plan this reunion, but it's amazing that I can even think about giving up control to someone else).

So it was good. And really, plane travel is so much safer than car travel, and we put ourselves in cars all the time, so really, being afraid of plane travel is silly, statistically. :cool2:


Loving the report Molly. I'm going to have to check out those light things...Ayden would probably love one too.

They are really cool. I'll try to take some pictures of them, both off and on. I just wish he hadn't misplaced his first one, the green one, that "Tinkerbell" brought him as a congratulations for going on Star Tours the first (only) time!

[bumbershoot]

Well, to wrap things up...


I am so glad I went! Not everyone is as selfish as I am, or rather, not everyone has been as selfish as I have been on family trips. But to be able to do just what I wanted, when I wanted, even for such a short time, was very nice!

I wish I had won a Dream!

I'm glad I met Maynard, b/c that's probably the only time I ever will.

I wish I had seen the other Dis'ers that were there!

I should have re-checked for other hotel rates earlier than I did (I got to about a week out and stopped checking, but that's when the rates lowered, and then shortly after that it was too late to cancel my reservation).

I should have taken better care of myself! Staying up so late trying to pack perfectly was crazy, and then circumstances causing me to go to bed so late at the hotel hurt me. If you do this, take your vitamins and get your sleep.

That said, I think it would have been that much more perfect to have had one more night and day. We couldn't do that because we were planning on an early February getaway, and Robert had taken off a Sunday for that. Well, we canceled that trip, so that Sunday would have been possible...but then there was also the "extra" play money issue for that extra night. Just made more financial sense. But an extra full day could have allowed me to really be part of the Rally, then a nice night's sleep and half day the following day...that would have just been even more terrific. Oh well!

I can't think of anything else right now, so I guess I'll leave it at that!

[BraMax]

Bumbershoot,
What a great trip report. I don't find you going on your own selfish at all. I would love to do that. All us Mom's need a break now and again and if it is at DL then all the better for us :lmao: . Again thanks for sharing and it sounded so wonderful.

[tink6137130]

Great trip report... love your pics!



:)

[prettyprincessbelle]

Great TR, Molly! I really enjoyed reading it! I LOVE your pictures! Please tell me more about your Canon s3 and how much you love it! I need some persuading into buying a s5!

[Sienna]

Finally catching up on your trip report. You were sure busy! Love your pictures. You must have a great camera. My little point-n-shoot digital doesn't take anything like that. I liked the pictures you got at GRR. I probably stood there for an hour just watching the rafts go over the geyser and soaking everyone! That's almost worth the price of admission right there. :lmao:

[bumbershoot]

Thanks to all of you for reading and enjoying!


I looooove my new Canon S3. It's still at heart a point and shoot, though there are many settings other than auto. But you can't twist on the lens to manually focus it (though there are kits to add a lens like that to it).

And it looks like a "real" camera, which I like. The newer p&s digital cameras do not make me happy, aesthetically. They just look like skinny little boxes, and I hate that. Since I somehow lost my older Olympuses (one digi, one film) that looked more like proper cameras, if I were replacing them with a normal looking point and shoot, I would have flipped out b/c of the looks of the cameras (and ask me how long it's been since I bought a purse, since I can't stand the look of any purses right now!!!).

But I read about the S3 and S5 on the Photography forum, and loved loved loved their looks! We decided that "my" Yule present was going to be one of them (and it was).

I was fortunate enough to find a store that had an S3 and S5 right next to each other on display. I wanted the S5 b/c, well, I like having brand new things with lots of bells and whistles, and there are a couple more goodies on the S5. But I hated how the external flash "shoe" looked on the top of the S5 flash, and was worried I would scratch myself on it. In addition, many people said that the higher megapixels of the S5 caused a "lesser" picture than the S3 could produce. But the kicker was the feel of them. The S3 is just a tiny bit "shallower" from front to back than the S5, and I could sense that I would have more hand fatigue with the S5, since it made my hand stretch just a bit more than with the S3.


I use the viewfinder instead of the big LCD screen (I read that the viewfinder is actually just another LCD screen, actually) b/c it uses less battery time. And I really like it!!!

Even though I had small issues with the S5 doesn't mean anyone else should. :)

[prettyprincessbelle]

Thanks to all of you for reading and enjoying!


I looooove my new Canon S3. It's still at heart a point and shoot, though there are many settings other than auto. But you can't twist on the lens to manually focus it (though there are kits to add a lens like that to it).

And it looks like a "real" camera, which I like. The newer p&s digital cameras do not make me happy, aesthetically. They just look like skinny little boxes, and I hate that. Since I somehow lost my older Olympuses (one digi, one film) that looked more like proper cameras, if I were replacing them with a normal looking point and shoot, I would have flipped out b/c of the looks of the cameras (and ask me how long it's been since I bought a purse, since I can't stand the look of any purses right now!!!).

But I read about the S3 and S5 on the Photography forum, and loved loved loved their looks! We decided that "my" Yule present was going to be one of them (and it was).

I was fortunate enough to find a store that had an S3 and S5 right next to each other on display. I wanted the S5 b/c, well, I like having brand new things with lots of bells and whistles, and there are a couple more goodies on the S5. But I hated how the external flash "shoe" looked on the top of the S5 flash, and was worried I would scratch myself on it. In addition, many people said that the higher megapixels of the S5 caused a "lesser" picture than the S3 could produce. But the kicker was the feel of them. The S3 is just a tiny big "shallower" from front to back than the S5, and I could sense that I would have more hand fatigue with the S5, since it made my hand stretch just a bit more than with the S3.


I use the viewfinder instead of the big LCD screen (I read that the viewfinder is actually just another LCD screen, actually) b/c it uses less battery time. And I really like it!!!

Even though I had small issues with the S5 doesn't mean anyone else should. :)

Yay!! :cheer2: Your answer really helped me! I'm going to shop around and find a store with both so I can get a feel for both of them before I choose.. I'm so excited!! :woohoo: Thank you, Molly!! :upsidedow

[Casey's Mommie]

Wonderful Trip Report as usual Bumbershoot! You have inspired me. My husband and I are going to take off for our 5 year anniversary in September and leave our little one, (who will be just over 2) with my mother for 4 nights.

I know there will be some Mom Guilt... but it sure will be nice not to have to deal with the stroller, napping or crankiness.

I'm excited!!!! :banana:

[bumbershoot]

:)

[Briarrose1306]

I ahve finally reached the end of your TR and I'm glad I read it! It's been very entertaining and helpful. I think the 3 days that I've been considering for my solo trip will be perfect. Thanks for sharing your journey!

On a side note though, how do I view your pics? They're coming up super small and I can't see them.