27 Years is a Long Time to Wait! PTR & TR

[Dobby]

I don't post here a lot, but have been lurking and learning for a while. I read so many trips reports, and thought that since I have a little over 3 weeks left and not much left to plan, I thought I'd pass the time by writing!

Going to find some pics to post and I'll add some info about us. :cool1:

[Dobby]

When I was 9, we went on a family vacation to WDW; haven't been back since, but I've been Disney-obsessed! Never thought I'd get to go again though.

A few years ago, my mom decided that she wanted to take the grandkids whenever they turned 8. Little did she know she'd end up with 6 of them.:lmao: My niece got to go to WDW, now this year, my DD and nephew turn 8, and we've decided on Disneyland, just to check it out!:cool1:

Me: Dari, 36 http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/009-2.jpg[/IMG]

DD: Abba, 8
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/007.jpg[/IMG]
Grandma L: she's on the righthttp://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/meandmomprd.jpg[/IMG]

DN: Jackson, almost 8 http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/jackson.jpg[/IMG]

[Dobby]

Also coming with us...

My little sis, Chels:http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/mebunandDavid.jpg[/IMG]

who is bringing, out of necessity:

DN Brayden, 6 months: http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/052.jpg[/IMG]

[Dobby]

Plans: Friday Oct. 8th, drive to the airport. This takes about 8 hours, so this day is shot, vacation-wise:headache:

9th - fly to LAX, should be checking in to the Portofino Inn around 2 or 2:30pm. Will relax, maybe swim if it's decent out, get a few groceries, and maybe check out DTD.

10th -Magic Morning 7am:scared1: I'm hoping my DD will get up early with me; if not, I'm hitting the road alone and they can meet me around 9.
-breakfast at Ariel's Grotto at 9:40, just DD and I.
-lunch at Carnation Cafe at 1:00
-supper at Big Thunder BBQ (don't have a PS for this one)

11th -breakfast at Storyteller's Cafe with the whole group at 9:00
-hang out at DCA
-fireworks 8:40pm

12th -sleep in day; if not I'll grab a quick snack early.
-breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen with the whole group.
-visit Toontown
-Ride on the Mark Twain, check out the pirate's lair.
-early supper
-Halloween Party!:cool1:

13th -breakfast at PCH Grill for everyone
-easy going day, Grizzly River Run, anything goes!
-WOC picnic for supper
-WOC at 6:30 or 7:00??

14th -depending on the weather, the rest of the gang will head to Legoland, leaving me gloriously alone:cool1:
-breakfast at Plaza Inn (might try to switch this for Saturday)
-hang out, take lots of pics, wander a LOT!
-lunch at Bengal BBQ
-supper at Cafe Orleans

15th -beignets at Ralph Brennan's
-explore DTD
-lunch at Blue Bayou 1:30
-supper at River Bell Terrace
-explore Main Street if we haven't already
-do any missed or favorite rides

16th -last day :guilty:
-if the weather's nice, my sis wants to take DN to the Legoland water park, so this will be a mother/daughter day for Abba and I. The day is up to her!
-I'm going to surprise Abba with tickets to the Fantasmic show with the dessert box.:wizard:

17th -fly out in the afternoon

[Dobby]

We leave 3 weeks today! I am so excited, but a little anxious about packing. :rotfl: I got new suitcases just for the occasion too, but I'm always worried about overpacking, or forgetting something.

Aside from clothes:lmao: anyone have any suggestions for what NOT to forget?

Need:
passports
custody papers for Abba
letter from ex for Abba
driver's license
money/traveller's cheques
list of PS's and Fantasmic confirm #
my plan for the week
camera
costumes for the kids

[Dobby]

Just trying to figure out what to do for Thanksgiving dinner...for the first time ever, I'll be on vacation during the holiday! I'm thinking Naples...

[Dobby]

Last piece of (important) stuff finally came through...my ex finally got the permission letter for DD signed and notarized. We can officially go!:banana:

[Dobby]

We've got a Naples PS for Monday night; Italian for Thanksgiving!:lmao:


I was looking through my few pictures from my only Disney trip, and found this in my scrapbook...

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/22-09-2010071405PM.jpg

1984...

[magichusky]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/Disney%20Trip%202010/22-09-2010071405PM.jpg


That is truly a piece of history! :love: How exciting for your upcoming DL adventure!! It sounds like you guys are really going to do DL right! Can't wait for the TR!! I went to Naples about 3 yrs ago and the pizza there was super gross- but I've heard that a lot of people really love eating there! It's also *very* noisy (haha I think that they clang pots and pans together in the back on purpose to add to the ambience!).

I also have some offbeat recommendations for you since you haven't been!

1) Blue Ribbon bakery (Main St): they have these special pumpkin/cinnamon muffins w/ cream cheese filling that they only sell during HalloweenTime. You should try those along w/ the chocolate macaroons!

2) Ferris wheel at CA Adv: the swinging gondolas are pretty exciting (actually not scary at all) but the stationary ones are fun, too. You have an AMAZING view of the entire resort and Anaheim!

3) Sorcerer's Workshop: This is in the same building as the Animation Academy (which I also recommend). Your kids might have fun in here! You can color and play w/ all sorts of gadgets, plus they have a Beast's Library you can play in and underwater caverns where you do karaoke and act out scenes from Disney movies w/ Ursula!

4) White Water Snacks (inside Grand Californian Hotel): You can access this by using the hotel entrance inside CA Adv (it's next to Grizzly rapids). It's a super quiet place to get lunch away from the crowds and has more options than the CS places in DL. :cheer2:

[Dobby]

Thanks for the suggestions! I have the ferris wheel on my list (I'm slightly scared of heights, but for Disney I'll make an exception. lol!)

I wasn't sure about Naples, I've heard good and bad about it. I might have to rethink that one.:confused3

[Dobby]

Just changed our Thanksgiving dinner from Naples to Rainforest Cafe!!

[Dobby]

Last week, on the 14th, I ordered our WOC picnics...the email said I was to print out the Will Call Confirmation thingy, but the link didn't lead to that, it led to tickets on the WDW site. I sent an email immediately, but haven't heard back yet. I hope they answer me soon:confused3

[Dobby]

:confused3 Still no word about that certificate...I wonder what # I would call if I haven't heard anything this week?

My DD is packed already:rolleyes: We're a little anxious to get going. lol! I'm doing laundry now so I can figure out what I have and how much room I have in my suitcase.

And, I've been debating what to do about park tickets...I bought the 6 day, thinking we'd be there 7 days and I would use one day relaxing and checking out DTD. However, I found out that I mixed up departure days, plus we get in early Sat. afternoon. Which means that I would need to buy 2 more days. In order to do that, it would actually be cheaper for me to buy an AP:scared1: Never would have occurred to me, as I won't be making it back this year. But still, it would be cheaper. Any thoughts?

[Dobby]

Single digits!!!!!
:cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1:


I'm OH SO EXCITED!! Only 6 more days of work, and this vacation has been a long needed break.

[parrisk]

I am excited for you! My daughter and I fly out on the 9th. Our first park day will be the 10th. We are staying at the Grand Californian. Have a great time!

[Dobby]

Got my American money and traveller's cheques today!!!

So all I have left to do is pack my suitcase! Think I'll do that this weekend, since I'm headed to CA where it's warm, and currently it's 0 degrees celcius here overnight and I'm sitting here with the heater on. Don't need shorts anymore!

[Dobby]

Done work!! We're leaving in the morning for Winnipeg:cool1:

[Dobby]

We're here! We had an incredible first full day yesterday!! No pics until we get home, so I'll wait on the report until then too. Just wanted to pop in and say thanks to everyone for the awesome advice and photos, they helped a lot! I even popped in this morning to find out how to get to Storyteller's Cafe before park opening, and got my answer within seconds!!:goodvibes

[Dobby]

We got back today; I'm a little sad, but so happy to see my little boy tonight!

We had so much fun, and a lot of it was due in part to this place, I got so many helpful tips and ideas! So thanks to everyone for contributing to our vacation! I"m uploading my pics tonight, but it's taking forever, as there are a little over a thousand of them;)

Highlights: 2 Halloween parties
one of the first in line to meet Rapunzel and Flynn
seeing DD's face when she met her first character (Ariel)
watching WOC, Fantasmic, and RDCT
saw my favorite, Dopey, on the riverboat

[Dobby]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010038.jpg

Sorry, these will be a little big; I've got too many to go in and shrink them all...

When we got out of the airport, we were waiting for the Disneyland shuttle, but this guy convinced us to go with him, since the shuttle was taking forever. We did, but you can't imagine the fear we experienced getting to Anaheim. Speeding down the freeway, no air conditioning so all the windows were open, an old rickety car seat for the baby...there are no words.

[Dobby]

We got in to the hotel around 2 or 2:30, and since it was gorgeous out (although amazingly hot), I couldn't just sit around. We thought we walk down to see how far it was, and check out Downtown Disney!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010041.jpg

We stayed at the Portofino, and the walk wasn't bad at all, I even managed it after spending 14 hours in the park:cool1:

We checked out a few stores and grabbed a yummy bite to eat at Wetzel's Pretzels.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010052.jpg

[Dobby]

I was never so excited as when we walked through the esplanade, and I saw these...
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010070.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010071.jpg

Since I was planning on upgrading to an Annual Pass the next day anyway, I decided to stay and check out DLR while everyone else went back to the hotel to swim; it was magic! I took a ride around the railroad first thing, then walked around the whole park, just breathing it all in.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010086.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010076.jpg
On the way through the castle, I did the walk through; Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorite stories.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010088.jpg

[Dobby]

So for our first full day, I made DD join me for our only Magic Morning...I wanted her (and me!) to see the park at the most quiet, not too hot, and able to get a bunch of rides in before our princess breakfast! We made it there shortly before 7.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010110.jpg Had to get the obligatory shot, especially since they'll soon be gone...

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010112.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010116.jpg

Followed by a ride on: Peter Pan, Mr. Toad's, Snow White, and Pinnochio, Pirates, Jungle Cruise, and the Haunted Mansion.

Then, we ran into this lovely witch:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010145.jpg

All of this was done by almost 9, so we slowly headed toward DCA so I could figure out how to get in early for Ariel's Grotto.

[Dobby]

We made our way over to DCA to try and figure out how to get in to Ariel's Grotto at 9 when the park didn't open until 10; we were redirected to the right where a nice CM let us through. On the way, we ran into this guy:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010149.jpg

[Dobby]

All year, DD has been talking about the characters; she knew and totally believed that they were just people dressed up. When we got to the Grotto and had our picture taken with Ariel, she was giddy.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010150.jpg

But when the Royal Page came out and announced, "Her Royal Highness, Belle!" her face lit up, her jaw dropped, and I saw the Disney magic...total belief. I just wish I'd caught it on video.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010154.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010155.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010158.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010156.jpg

[Dobby]

After we were done, we had a little look around, then headed back to take a ride around the park on the train. Next was Big Thunder! I remember this ride from when I was a kid; I hate drops, but I remember loving this so I was all gung-ho...but I think I'm getting too old for this.:confused3:lmao: Abba loved it though.

After exploring some Main Street shops, we got to our lunch at Carnation Cafe about 20 minutes early, and were seated in about 10 min.

I wasn't starving, so I completely forgot all about the baked potato soup:eek: I'm still mad about it...lol!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/dariqueen/disneyland2010163.jpg
I surprised Abba with the peanut butter palette, she thought it was the coolest lunch ever!

Afterwards, we made our way back to the hotel to meet the others for a rest and swim. This would be mine and Abba's last one, as I hated sitting around waiting for everyone to be ready to go back:laughing: