TR Concluded at DL August 13-15, 2010 and pics will be up shortly

[mvf-m11c]

I am now starting my pre-trip for August 13-15, 2010 to Long Beach for the YU-GI-OH! World Championship Tournament TCG (Trading Card Game) in Long Beach. Than we will be heading on over to DL.

This will be my 4th trip to DL this year (Mar. 16-18, Mar. 26, & June 10-13).

Cast: Me, DBF 37, DF 13, DF 10, & DF 7

This will be my DBF and his family 2nd trip to DL (previous July 2008).

We will be staying at the Days Inn hotel just a few miles from the Long Beach Convention Center where the YU-GI-OH World Championship Tournament is being held.

Me and my DBF kid 13 will be flying down to Orange County on Friday, we will leave Sacramento around 1pm and will arrive around 2pm. The other cast will be driving from Sacramento later during the afternoon and arrive around 11pm at night.

We will be taking the Disneyland Express Shuttle from OC Airport and get dropped off at the DL hotel. Get to the DLR around 4pm and get picked up around 11pm and head on over to the hotel.

We will be doing only one full day with my DBF family on Saturday. One of my DBF kids and myself will be there on Friday afternoon.

Plan
Friday: Do some rides in the afternoon. Than get early for seating area for F! @ 9:05pm, watch Magical fireworks at the ROA @ 9:30pm
Saturday: Get there when DL opens at 8am, do most of the good rides in the morning, than head over to DCA for TSMM. Do more rides in DCA till noon. Than go over to Sonoma Terace and pick up our picnic lunch. Than go back to DL and do more different rides and keep going until 6. Than we head back over to DCA and have dinner and get in line for WoC for 9pm. After WoC, than head on back over to DL and go back on more rides. We might stay until 11 to midnight.

Dining
Friday: dinner @ RSV and get Steak Gumbo
Saturday: lunch WoC picnic and dinner @ the newly remodeled TT before we head over to PB.

I still need to keep planning on my trip in August and than October for the 1st night on MHP. I will be using Ridemax to set up our trip for which rides we will be doing.

I am a DL vet and looking for more ideas of what we should do when we get there?

Thank You

[mvf-m11c]

bump

Plan for Friday Aug. 13. Happy Friday the 13th Bad luck day :lmao:

Here is the plan. We use Ridemax as the planner for our day on Friday.

4:00pm: Get into the park (DL)

4:10pm: Runner gets BTMMR FP

4:20pm: BLAB

5:00pm: Jungle Cruise

5:30pm: POTC

6:00pm: BTMMR

6:15pm: Get a sitting spot right next to the ROA for F! for the 9pm show. Also we will get dinner at RSV and bring our dinner over to our stake out spot for the 9:00 F!.

9:05pm: F!

9:30pm: Magical

10:00pm: MTWR

10:20pm: Matternhorn

Than we leave the park to meet up with our group

So what do you think of the schedule of our short time at DL on Friday?

[mvf-m11c]

We are changing part of our plan

Plan for Saturday Aug. 14

Use part of ridemax and my own knowledge of DL

8:00am Get to the park when it opens its regular time

8:05am Runner gets SM FP while the other members of our group go on INDY

8:30am Splash

9:10 Use FP for SM

9:30am Head over to DCA

9:40am Get FP for Soarin and than get to the blockade to Paradise Bay. After we get the FP for Soarin, we will send over a runner back to DL with most of the tickets and get FP for Splash.

9:50am Get FP for Splash

10:00am Head over to TSMM

10:30am Screamin

10:50am Soarin with FP

11:30am GRR

12:00am Pick up our WoC picnics and have lunch.

Planning more later.

[disneydreamer74]

Looks like you seem to have a great plan in place! I am curious about how the picnics will taste. I have heard nothing but mixed reviews so far. :confused3

[QueenDoOver]

The only thought I had, is that after riding SM with your fast pass, you will likely be able to pull another fp, so you should do so, for later. Maybe grab BLAB if your family likes to do that one, or another SM for later:)

[mvf-m11c]

The only thought I had, is that after riding SM with your fast pass, you will likely be able to pull another fp, so you should do so, for later. Maybe grab BLAB if your family likes to do that one, or another SM for later:)

Right now we won't be back in DL until 12:30 and it will be close to the FP times. But you are right bout getting another FP at DL before we head over to DCA.

[mvf-m11c]

Part 2 of our day at DL on Aug. 14

12:30pm After we get our WoC picnic and have lunch we will head back on over to DL and use our FP for Splash.

12:50pm Leave the park and head on over to DTD for lunch at the ESPN Zone.

1:40pm Get on the monorail and head on back over to DL.

2:00pm Autopia

2:45pm POTC

3:20pm Runner to get BTMRR FP

3:25pm Get on the DLRR at the NOS station

4:00pm Get back to NOS and get on the Mark Twain

4:30pm HM

5:10pm Use FP for BTMRR

5:30pm Matterhorn

5:50pm Head on over to TT and have dinner.

6:30pm Head on over to DCA and at the blockade for WoC

7:00pm Be at the blockade and get a railing view for WoC

7:30pm Stationed for WoC with the Blue FP or Yellow FP

9:00pm WoC

9:30pm Glow Fest

10:00pm Head on over to DL and go on some different rides.

11:00pm PP than we head on out of the park that night.

That is my plan trip for Saturday, please give your comments of this plan.

Thank You

[mvf-m11c]

We are possibly going to do more changes to our schedule and take a break in DTD in the afternoon on Saturday. Take a break around 12:50 and head on over to DTD and go to the ESPN Zone for lunch and do some activities in DTD, than we head on back over to the park around 2:30.

[mvf-m11c]

Give it a bump and we are 6 days and counting to DL in August 13-15.

[Michelle2]

We will be there overlapping you by a day, but since we are arriving on Saturday the 14th, we won't be going to the parks until Sunday morning. Hope the crowds are great so you can fit everything in. Sounds like you have a great plan!

[mvf-m11c]

Today is the day for me and my DBF family to head on over to Long Beach and DL. Just to recap, myself and my DBFS 13 are going to DL first on a flight to OC Airport. We will be on Southwest Airlines and leave at 12:55 and get there around 2:20. While the other other cast will be driving from Sacramento to Anaheim to pick us up later during the night.

I will keep updating when I am in the park waiting for F! @ 9pm tonight.

[mvf-m11c]

Currently, my DBFS 13 and I r currently in Sacramento International Airport and are waiting for our flight to OC that was suppose to leave at 12:55, but our flight is just delay by 5 minutes. We are just waiting until we board the plane to OC than we get there we will head on the DLR Express bus and head on over to the resort.

[stubby]

Currently, my DBFS 13 and I r currently in Sacramento International Airport and are waiting for our flight to OC that was suppose to leave at 12:55, but our flight is just delay by 5 minutes. We are just waiting until we board the plane to OC than we get there we will head on the DLR Express bus and head on over to the resort.

Following along w/ you...keep us updated.

[mvf-m11c]

We just got to OC Airport @ 2:25pm and the weather is really nice @ 75 degrees (not as hot as last years trip to DL in August :thumbsup2). We didn't have to worry about suitcases since our other cast will bring our stuff from Sacramento. They should be leaving right now for a 7 hour trip from Sacramento to Anaheim.

After we got out of the terminal, we sprinted over to the DLR Express Bus stop and we just barely made it at 2:30 pm :cool1: or we would have to wait until 3 pm for the next bus. Now we r currently on the bus heading over to DL and I will update everything when we r waiting for F!.

[mvf-m11c]

Right now my DBFS 13 and I r currently waiting at the roa right in front of the F! Dessert package seating area by the anchor. We r just waiting for the 9:05 pm F! show and we r just waiting for three hours until it starts. Here is what happen for the two of us today ever since we were in the DLR Express Bus.

We got to the park around 3:10 at the GCH entrance. Than we got off the bus and head in e GCH lobby and walked over to the locker area right by the GS and threw our bags and clothes in the lockers.

Than we first head on into DL and we went through the process of what I have put on my 2nd post using ridemax program. And right now, the times using ridemax were close, but not exactly 100% of what ridemax predicted. We at least got to do all the rides that we plan using ridemax. The only ride that was longer than expected was BTMRR was 30 min long than the 25 min long we predicted. The park is busy as expected during the summer time. There are a lot of people waiting in line for the rides and the shows during the day.

Some of the ride wait times were really long today. Splash around 5 was already at 70 min wait, BTMRR was at 30 min, Space at 60 min, etc. Almost all the lines were at least 20 min wait, even the DLRR is so full that guests have to wait for a 2nd or third train when they enter the MS or NOS station.

For dinner, we had steak gumbo from RSV like I always do when I come to DL during my first day on a trip. For all the crowds that r currently in the park for today, it is high, but not as high as previous summers that I have been coming too.

Part two of my TR and pics will be posted later tonight when I get to the hotel.

[mvf-m11c]

I didn't get to conclude my last night trip report since we got to the hotel late. So right now I am currently waiting in line at BLAB and the wait time for BLAB is already at 35 min long. I don't usually stay in the park around this time since there were problems today. But I will get to that later and talk about last night.

We got to the ROA early at 6 pm since we saw more and more people set up and stake out there spots for the 9 pm F! show. I got my usual F! sitting spot right at the edge of the ropes in the 2nd viewing area for the F! dessert package.

F! viewing area going toward the RBT at 6:30 pm
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Later on during the time, the F! viewing area filled up around 7:15 pm and there were a lot of people that tried to get in the viewing area right after 7:30 but it was already full to capacity at 8:15 pm when DL announced that the ROA for F! was full.

F! viewing area full at 7:15 pm
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We waited for F! last night at 9 pm and my DBF13 had a great time watching F!. Than after F! and Magical we head on over towads the exit since my DBFD got to Anaheim earlier than expected at 9:50. We went to the exits and got put early, my DBF 13 was not happy since they got there early, but since it was a long day we needed the rest.

We met up with our cast and head on over to the hotel. We got to our hotel at 10:50 and there was problems already with the hotel room. We are staying at the Days Inn in Long Beach. The hotel was that not impressive and it was a dump for a hotel. The beds has stains, the bathroom is cracked on the floor and the tub was bad as well. We were not happy of the room and they gave us a different room instead of the one they give us. Than we just went to bed immediately after we put all our stuff in the room.

The day was a success, but there were problems with the hotel.

[mvf-m11c]

We didn't have a pleasant sleep at the hotel (actually motel). My DBF and his older DS decided to head over to the YU-GI-OH tournament at the LB Convention Center while myself and his two kids DS 11 and DS 7 go to DL. The two boys were happy that they r going back to DL.

But we didn't get out of the hotel around 8:15. And we were to be dropped off while the other two of our cast went over to the convention center for the tournament. We got dropped off at the pick up and drop off area around 8:35 and we went on over to DL.

We got into the park around 8:45 and already it was busy. I was kind of surprise to see a lot of guests in the park this time in the morning. We decided to head on over to SM and get FP, but SM was not open this morning. I thought there might have been something minor and it will be running in just an hour or less. But lat during the day, it was down since 2 on Saturday.

I will revised my TR later, going to bed and possibly be in the park tomorrow.

[mvf-m11c]

Back in the morning from yesterday on Saturday, when we found out that SM was down in the morning, the kids want to do something else instead of the plan that I made using ridemax.

So We changed it up a lot and they want to go on Matterhorn first. We head on over to Matterhorn and already it was a 45 min wait to get on the ride. Tha they didn't want to wait, so we head on over to frontierland and got on BTMRR. It was only a 10 min await to get on the ride. After BTMRR, we head on over to POTC and just got on just that.

Than it was time to head on over to DCA and get on TSMM. We got into the park around 9:30 and we were just about to go toward the GRR side to get in line until DS 11 was not feeling well and was feeling tired. So we decided to take a break by the bench at Soarin. He wasn't feeling well and we decided to head on over to the first aid station right by Mission.

We got to him to the first Sid station and the nurse said that he has a fever and wasn't feeling well. So they treated him and we had to call his DF and come out of the tournament in LB and had to drive over 30 min to pick him up. We were waiting in the first Sid station waiting room until he got our of the tournament and head on over back to DL to pick up his DS 11. We waited for an hour until he finally told us he was close to DL. We left the park slowly to make sure he was okay.

It was around 11am when he showed up at the drop & pickup area. He wasn't
happy that his kid was not feeling well. THan his other son was thinking of leaving too, but we told him that he will have to pay for his ticket if he left too. So he decided to go back in the park with me.

But first we headed over to GR in the park and we were hoping to get a refund for DS 11. The CM wouldn't allow us to get a refund, but they let us get a new ticket to go to the park in two years. That was really nice from that CM to get us a new ticket since DS 11 was sick and to leave the park early due to sickness.

I will update my TR later.

[mvf-m11c]

After we finished up at GR inside DCA, we head on over to Paradise Bay and went on MFW on the non-swinging. I always like to go on he non-swinging so I can see the whole resort in the air. We got to see the construction of the LMR and Cars Land. DS 7 wanted to go on the swinging gondola, but it was already at a 30+ min wait so we decided not to do it. Most of the ride wait times were very long during the trip. During that time, TSMM was already at an hour wait while screaming was at 40 min, Soarin at 40 min and GRR was at 40 min wait time.

After MFW, we head on over to WCT and got our WoC picnics. I had the American picnic box while DS 11 had the kids American meal. It was really good for a cold picnic lunch. (thanks to the other DISers for trying out the picnic and reporting about how good it was). For our FP, we got the blue section just as i expected since we got our picnics at noon. We had ordered four, but thanks to DS 13 who didn't want to go in and DS 11 who got sick in the morning and left early, we just kept our 4 picnics and had two extra WoC tickets. We hold on them and than we gave them to this nice couple who wanted to get the 9pm show, but got the 10:30 show since they got in line later. They were so happy to get the 9 pm show and offered to buy us a drink and I said no thanks since half of our group is not there and I'm not going to waste two tickets to the show.

After we finished up lunch at the WCT, we head on back to DL and went to the MS station to get on the DLRR. We had to wait for two trains just to get on. That shows how crowded the park was this weekend. The line at the station even was going out towards the entrance stairways. :scared1: The engines that were running this Saturday was the Fred Gurley with Holiday 5 with the Lily Belle, E.P. Ripley had Holiday 4, and Ward Kimball had Holiday 2 car set. We got to ride on he Ward Kimball and went around the resort until we got to Tomorrowland. All the stations that we went past were already crowded. It has been awhile since I have seen all the stations so crowded that the lines go out towards the lines. I expect NOS station to be always busy, but when I saw how MIckey's Toontown and Tomorrowland station was already exceeding the station lines shows how crowded the park is.

Engine #3 Fred Gurley
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Engine #2 E.P. Ripley
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Engine #5 Ward Kimball
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I'll post the next scene later.

[mvf-m11c]

After we got off the DLRR at the Tomorrowland station, DS 11 wanted to do BLAB and we head on over to the line and saw that the line was at a 35 min wait. I ask him if he wanted to do the ride or get FP, he said let's just wait for BLAB. When I was in line I did part of my TR in the line and it was annoying to wait in line for BLAB in the afternoon since I could be getting on this ride in just less that 5 min. When we got on the ride I told him all the secrets on the ride and I was hoping to get a good score. This was actually my best day ever on BLAB. I got the highest score of the day at 2,581,500 :cool1:. (I'll post the picture later when I get home) I was happy when i got past the 999,999 point mark after the Zurg area. I thought it was going to be around 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 area when we got off the ride, but we had to stopped a couple of times during the ride. I expect it was to let nor off a handicapped person. I was happy that I finally beat out my own score.

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Thats me on the left.
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After BLAB, we went on the monorail at the Tomorrowland station and was hoping to get up front or the back. When we got there, there were a lot of people waiting to get on the monorail, so we decided to wait for the next monorail. We waited at the end of the station and waited for the next monorail when it carried the next load of passengers. We got to ride in the back of Mark VII red. It was nice to see red back in action since last year. We got to do the round trip in the back in red.

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After the monorail ride, it was around 3:30 and DS 11 wanted to see Celebrate a street parade. I told him that since we are getting to the parade when it starts, we won't be able to see it clearly since guests wait for half an hour or longer for the parade. He dsaid that he doesn't have a problem with it so we went to the hub sera and we were just behind a couple right next to the Tomorrowland entrance area. The parade got to the area around 3:50 and he was happy to see the parade. For me it was not that very exciting until DL gets the new parade for next year.

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When the parade was over, DS 11 wanted to see e inside of SB castle. We went to SB castle and he didn't care much about it. I love SB movie and the castle.

Than he wanted to drive the cars at Autopia and we head on over, but the lines was already at 50 min wait, so we decided to get FP. Our FP was ready until 5:30-6:30.

He wanted to go to the Lego store in DTD, so we head on over to DTD to the Lego store. It was kind of interesting for him to go to the Lego store. He was playing and building different kinds of things in the store. I thought we were going to be in the store for just a few minutes, than it turned to a half an hour time in the store. It was around 5:35 and we needed to get back to DL for Autopia, but with the time and need to get rdy for WoC, we had to bail on Autopia. He was not happy, but he used most of his time in the store.

We went back to the locker area right next GR and got all the equipment for that night (tripod, video camera and blanket for a long wait). We entered DCA at 6pm and we decided to get something to eat before we get in line for WoC. I went to the Lucky's Fortune and got the Chicken and Korean spice box while DS 11 went to the Pacific Wharf and got the Monterey Clam Chowder. We took our dinner and head on over to the area where they line people up for the show.

I will talk about this later.

[mvf-m11c]

This was the weirdest part of the day. When we got to the waiting area right by the red light house around 6:30 and nothing happened. We thought they won't get the line around 7 pm. I have read from S.S. Columbia thread about the wait line was set up right next to the railings by WCT instead right next to the lit house.

When it was 7 pm, there was no setup right next to the WCT. Instead the CMs were getting the barricades around the light house towards the LMR. I was wondering why are they doing the same technique as opening week when I was there in June. When I read these other threads and it said that they have a system for the WoC FP ticket holders and all of a sudden making people wait right by the blockade with different FP doesn't make sense. Luckily we were right next to the blockade and we waited for a long time.

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It was around 7:45 that they let all the guests with FP for the 9 pm show to come in. We walked really fast to get to our section. We were the first people to get in the blue section and we got the section that I have planned. (Thanks Disneyland1951 for the WoC best viewing area) we got the 2nd tier level on the blue side and got a good railing area. It was in the same area that my DA and I did two months ago, but this time we were right next to he railings, not behind some people. There was a family that tried to get there kids in fro of me, but I set up a blanket and setup my tripod to tell people that this is my spot. The family asked if they can let the kids right next to the railings, but I said I am sorry and didn't allow them to be up front. The family was rude to the other guests when they were coming in and all of a sudden asking if they can get their kids upfront is just not right.

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When we got our area setup, DS 7 was tired so he got to sleep on the blanket that I setup. Just wait what happens next.

Than at 8:30 it was time for the EoC pre-show and the Disney carnival style puppets. I tried to wake him up, but I couldn't get him up so I just left him as he is until the show. When it was al,sot time for the show, I told him to get up and he was still sleeping. I had to use water to wake him up and still wasn't up yet. Than just a few seconds when WoC starts, he just got up and than it started. I was kind of disappointed if he slept through the show while we waited to get a good spot.

He really loved the show and I was happy of how the video recording went during the show. After WoC was over, he was tired and we decided to go back to the hotel. We called up his DD and we left the park when the CMs were escorting the guests out of the paradise bay area.

We got to see part of Magical when we were walking out and than he wanted to see Glow Fest. It was nice to see GF, but he was not impressed with GF. After that, we headed out of the park and head on over to the pickup and dropped off area.

When we got to the area, DD was already waiting for us and we got in the car and went back to the hotel.

This weirdest day for me ever going to DL, not only just a sick child, but also how The CMs handled WoC waiting area just like the first week. When I read from other threads saying and showing pics that they have a system for handling the different FP ticket holders. Than I have planned of what the other DISers have told these past few weeks about the WoC waiting area.

[mvf-m11c]

On Friday August 13th, just like what the rumors said that Alice was running on Friday. It was nice to see it running, but the tarps and the railings on the leaf doesn't look all that great but at least it is running when we were there on Friday. Here is pics of Alice taken on Friday around 4 pm

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[mvf-m11c]

I forgot about Sunday.

We were planning on heading home after the YU-GI-OH! World Championship TCG Tournament was over around 2pm. We left the hotel at 10 am and we dropped off DD and DS 13 off at the Long Beach Convention Center so they could play at the tournament. Than myself, DS 11 and DS 7 went back to the resort and do some shopping before we go back to LB and pick the other cast up and return to Sacramento.

When we got to the resort 11:30, I was hoping that the Mickey & Friends parking structure would still be open, but it wasn't so we just went into DTD parking lot since we won't be there too long.

We head on over to DTD and the first thing we did was to go over to the World of Disney Store and do some shopping. The kids got one of those glowing light saber sticks. They were happy to get the sticks and they wanted to buy something else, but I told them that was enough.

I told them that I was going back into DCA and buy the Annual Passholder WoC merchandise. I picked up another AP WoC T-shirt (I bought one during opening week) and a AP WoC drink cup. It was nice to go back to DCA and pickup more merchandise for WoC.

Than we went to some of the other stores in DTD like Riderz, Build a Bear Workshop, and Vinylmation store. Than we head on out of the resort and went back to the convention center and picked up our last two cast members and went back home to Sacramento.

It was a 7 and a half hour drive home to Sacramento since there was heavy traffic leaving LA and going North on I-5.

It was not much of a day at DL, but we went back to the resort to go shopping at the World of Disney store. We just went for a few hours and did some shopping. But it was nice to see one last time the California sign with the WoC logo.

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[mvf-m11c]

More pictures during our two days in the park:

Friday Pics
Star Tours Construction walls up and Re-launching in 2011
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F! crew getting the firework barges rdy for F!
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Sat Pics
CMs pulling and pushing the horse trolley right next to the hub
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Mark VII Red leaving the DTD station
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