mnmrmustard
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 21, 2007
Chapter 1 - Getting the Ball Rolling
Hello fellow DIS'ers! I was going to wait to really get into planning this trip. I was going to wait to tell my kids about it. And I was going to wait to start a PTR. I guess when it comes to the Disney Parks my ability to have patience and let the calendar tick by is pretty minimal. Sooo, if you're up for it, lets get rollin'!
Trip dates, location, and theme: Our days in Anaheim will be October 12th - 17th. We will be staying at the Disneyland Hotel (pool view). This will be our first time staying "on property" and we're pretty excited about it. And as you may have guessed from the Trip Report title and travel timeframe, we're doing Halloween Disney style
Oh, and this is also my wife and my 15th wedding anniversary :-]
Cast of Characters:
Me, I'm Mike (40) - I am Director of IT - Network and User Services at an Oregon community college - basically, I am in charge of the people who keep the computers talking
I enjoy photography, camping, bowling, and PC/PS2/Wii games. If anyone else is playing it, I am Tobias MacDougal on Pirates of the Caribbean Online (the whole family has characters) 
DW Roxy (35) - she's the Office Manager for a precision machine shop. She stays involved with both our girl's schools and was formerly PTO (PTA) president and now chairs committees for the middle school's band boosters. Right now she is getting over an addiction to Animal Crossing City Folk on the Wii
She also enjoys bowling but isn't doing any league stuff during the summer.
DD#1 Kyra (13) - AKA PumpkinGirl - She is 12 now, but will be 13 before we go. She enjoys reading Manga (Japanese comics) and is very into oriental art. She's the only kid on her block with a set of samurai swords in her room
She is in middle school and is a dedicated student 
and also plays flute and piccolo for the school band. She just marched in our city's Memorial Day parade and they got 2nd place overall! Recent news is that she will be marching as part of the Grants Pass High School Marching Band in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in November 2010!!! 
Oh, and she LOVES collecting Disney Pins and Character Autographs 
DD#2 Gillian (10) - AKA WildChild - She is 9 now, but will be 10 before we go. This is our free spirit/daredevil
She like to run and jump and play and has a wonderful imagination. She mostly runs around with her two best friends and plays the cello in her school's band. She wants to keep playing it this next year AND start learnin the saxaphone 
To give you an idea about the kind of kid she is - she topped her last record (set at age 5) of riding ToT at Disneyland 7 times by riding BOTH ToT and RnRC 8 times at WDW last year 
Nephew Kristopher (17) - My brother-in-law's younger son. He has moved up to live with us and do his senior year of High School due to some transitions my bro-in-law is going through. Great kid, if a bit high strung. He loves video games and such and skateboarding. It is interesting to have a sort of son in the house, especially at such a pivotal time with him about to graduate HS and become an "adult".
Disney Background: Both my wife and I went to Disneyland as kids but it was mostly just a blur because we only did 1 day trips there. DW also went to WDW as a kid soon after EPCOT opened but didn't get enough time there either.
In 2005 we did a January trip to Disneyland, which was our daughter's first time - they were 5 and 8 at the time. We did 3 days there and had to contend with some rain, but got to ride everything we wanted due to the short lines. We rode PotC at least 7 times, Matterhorn 4 times, and we finished our last night in the park with me and the kids riding Splash Mountain 3 times in a row without having to get out of the log. Only downside was that Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and California Screaming were all closed.
In January 2008 we did a big blowout family reunion-style trip to WDW. If you are bored you can check out the TR from it here: I'm Not as Tink as you Kronk I Am
Well that's enough to get things started. I'm working on an itinerary and some custom t-shirt logos. I'll post some more soon.
Cheers and have a great day!
Mike
Oh, I guess I should start posting the chapters for those just venturing in and wanting to avoid the chatter
Chapter 1 - You're reading it! ;D
Chapter 2 - Confessions of a Photo Bug
Chapter 3 - Itinerary for DLR (First Draft)
Chapter 4 Looking back on past trips to DLR
Chapter 5 - Halloween T-Shirt Logos
Chapter 6 - This Summer Will Eat Me Alive!
Chapter 7 - Big Changes!
Chapter 8 - One Month to Go!!!
Chapter 9 - Our Travel Package Is In!!!
Chapter 10 - Mad Scramble With 4 Days Left!!!
TR TIME!!!
Day 1 Part 1 - An Eventful First Day
Day 1 Part 2 - Our Day Continues
Day 1 Part 3 - Disneyland Hoooo!!!
Day 1 Part 4 - The "Nightmare" Continues
Day 1 Part 5 - Avast Ye!
Day 2 Part 1 - While I Was Sleeping
Day 2 Part 2 - Character Fun
Day 2 Part 3 - Some Exploring and Parade Time!
Day 2 Part 4 - Parade, Pier, and Pyrotechnics
Day 2 Part 5 - Fireworks Finish
Day 3 Part 1 - Early Entry to Toontown
Day 3 Part 2 - More Toontown Fun!
Day 3 Part 3 - Toontown House Tours
Day 3 Part 4 - What, You Want MORE Toontown?!?
Day 3 Part 5 - Toontown, And Beyond!
Day 3 Part 6 - Back to the Park :-]
Day 3 Part 7 - Goofy's Kitchen
Day 3 Part 8 More fun in the Kitchen
Day 3 Part 9 The Big Finish!
OT - GPHS Marching Band
Day 4 Part 1 - Early Risers
Day 4 Part 2 Our Trip Through Fantasy Continues
Day 4 Part 3 Still Down the Rabbit Hole
Day 4 Part 4 A Haunting That Ends With A Splash
Day 4 Part 5 SplashTastic Fun For Sure!
Day 4 Part 6 Jonsing For An Adventure a Cali Adventure!
Day 4 Part 7 - Screamin' Into a Splashdown
Day 4 Part 8 - Heading Out, Splashing Again, and Photopass Pics!
Day 4 Part 9 Mickeys Trick or Treat Party Time!!!!!
Day 4 Part 10 The Party Continues!
Day 4 Part 11 A Little Parade and a Lot of Character Fun
Day 5 Part 1 - Who's Ready For More?!?
Day 5 Part 2 - My Walkabout Continues
Day 5 Part 3 - Walkin' Down Main Street USA
Day 5 Part 4 - More Gems on Main Street
Day 5 Part 5 - Off To The Island!
Day 5 Part 6 - A Pirate's Life for Me!
Day 5 Part 7 - Avast Ye Maties I Must Set Sail!
Day 5 Part 8 Lets All Head To Disney ..and Find a Ride With AC!
Day 5 Part 9 From a Small World to a Big Mountain
Day 5 Part 10 Thunder Mountain and Hello to Pooh
Day 5 Part 11 Splashes and Sabers!
Day 5 Part 12 Troopers, Falls, and Mr. Skellington Puts on a Show
Day 5 Part 13 DLR Halloween Fireworks Continued
Day 5 Part 14 That Was Fun Now Were Hungry!!!
Final Thoughts on our First Disneyland Halloween Adventure
Hello fellow DIS'ers! I was going to wait to really get into planning this trip. I was going to wait to tell my kids about it. And I was going to wait to start a PTR. I guess when it comes to the Disney Parks my ability to have patience and let the calendar tick by is pretty minimal. Sooo, if you're up for it, lets get rollin'!
Trip dates, location, and theme: Our days in Anaheim will be October 12th - 17th. We will be staying at the Disneyland Hotel (pool view). This will be our first time staying "on property" and we're pretty excited about it. And as you may have guessed from the Trip Report title and travel timeframe, we're doing Halloween Disney style
Oh, and this is also my wife and my 15th wedding anniversary :-]Cast of Characters:
Me, I'm Mike (40) - I am Director of IT - Network and User Services at an Oregon community college - basically, I am in charge of the people who keep the computers talking
I enjoy photography, camping, bowling, and PC/PS2/Wii games. If anyone else is playing it, I am Tobias MacDougal on Pirates of the Caribbean Online (the whole family has characters) DW Roxy (35) - she's the Office Manager for a precision machine shop. She stays involved with both our girl's schools and was formerly PTO (PTA) president and now chairs committees for the middle school's band boosters. Right now she is getting over an addiction to Animal Crossing City Folk on the Wii
She also enjoys bowling but isn't doing any league stuff during the summer.DD#1 Kyra (13) - AKA PumpkinGirl - She is 12 now, but will be 13 before we go. She enjoys reading Manga (Japanese comics) and is very into oriental art. She's the only kid on her block with a set of samurai swords in her room
She is in middle school and is a dedicated student and also plays flute and piccolo for the school band. She just marched in our city's Memorial Day parade and they got 2nd place overall! Recent news is that she will be marching as part of the Grants Pass High School Marching Band in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in November 2010!!! Oh, and she LOVES collecting Disney Pins and Character Autographs DD#2 Gillian (10) - AKA WildChild - She is 9 now, but will be 10 before we go. This is our free spirit/daredevil
She like to run and jump and play and has a wonderful imagination. She mostly runs around with her two best friends and plays the cello in her school's band. She wants to keep playing it this next year AND start learnin the saxaphone To give you an idea about the kind of kid she is - she topped her last record (set at age 5) of riding ToT at Disneyland 7 times by riding BOTH ToT and RnRC 8 times at WDW last year Nephew Kristopher (17) - My brother-in-law's younger son. He has moved up to live with us and do his senior year of High School due to some transitions my bro-in-law is going through. Great kid, if a bit high strung. He loves video games and such and skateboarding. It is interesting to have a sort of son in the house, especially at such a pivotal time with him about to graduate HS and become an "adult".
Disney Background: Both my wife and I went to Disneyland as kids but it was mostly just a blur because we only did 1 day trips there. DW also went to WDW as a kid soon after EPCOT opened but didn't get enough time there either.
In 2005 we did a January trip to Disneyland, which was our daughter's first time - they were 5 and 8 at the time. We did 3 days there and had to contend with some rain, but got to ride everything we wanted due to the short lines. We rode PotC at least 7 times, Matterhorn 4 times, and we finished our last night in the park with me and the kids riding Splash Mountain 3 times in a row without having to get out of the log. Only downside was that Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and California Screaming were all closed.
In January 2008 we did a big blowout family reunion-style trip to WDW. If you are bored you can check out the TR from it here: I'm Not as Tink as you Kronk I Am
Well that's enough to get things started. I'm working on an itinerary and some custom t-shirt logos. I'll post some more soon.
Cheers and have a great day!
Mike
Oh, I guess I should start posting the chapters for those just venturing in and wanting to avoid the chatter
Chapter 1 - You're reading it! ;D
Chapter 2 - Confessions of a Photo Bug
Chapter 3 - Itinerary for DLR (First Draft)
Chapter 4 Looking back on past trips to DLR
Chapter 5 - Halloween T-Shirt Logos
Chapter 6 - This Summer Will Eat Me Alive!
Chapter 7 - Big Changes!
Chapter 8 - One Month to Go!!!
Chapter 9 - Our Travel Package Is In!!!
Chapter 10 - Mad Scramble With 4 Days Left!!!
TR TIME!!!
Day 1 Part 1 - An Eventful First Day
Day 1 Part 2 - Our Day Continues
Day 1 Part 3 - Disneyland Hoooo!!!
Day 1 Part 4 - The "Nightmare" Continues
Day 1 Part 5 - Avast Ye!
Day 2 Part 1 - While I Was Sleeping
Day 2 Part 2 - Character Fun
Day 2 Part 3 - Some Exploring and Parade Time!
Day 2 Part 4 - Parade, Pier, and Pyrotechnics
Day 2 Part 5 - Fireworks Finish
Day 3 Part 1 - Early Entry to Toontown
Day 3 Part 2 - More Toontown Fun!
Day 3 Part 3 - Toontown House Tours
Day 3 Part 4 - What, You Want MORE Toontown?!?
Day 3 Part 5 - Toontown, And Beyond!
Day 3 Part 6 - Back to the Park :-]
Day 3 Part 7 - Goofy's Kitchen
Day 3 Part 8 More fun in the Kitchen
Day 3 Part 9 The Big Finish!
OT - GPHS Marching Band
Day 4 Part 1 - Early Risers
Day 4 Part 2 Our Trip Through Fantasy Continues
Day 4 Part 3 Still Down the Rabbit Hole
Day 4 Part 4 A Haunting That Ends With A Splash
Day 4 Part 5 SplashTastic Fun For Sure!
Day 4 Part 6 Jonsing For An Adventure a Cali Adventure!
Day 4 Part 7 - Screamin' Into a Splashdown
Day 4 Part 8 - Heading Out, Splashing Again, and Photopass Pics!
Day 4 Part 9 Mickeys Trick or Treat Party Time!!!!!
Day 4 Part 10 The Party Continues!
Day 4 Part 11 A Little Parade and a Lot of Character Fun
Day 5 Part 1 - Who's Ready For More?!?
Day 5 Part 2 - My Walkabout Continues
Day 5 Part 3 - Walkin' Down Main Street USA
Day 5 Part 4 - More Gems on Main Street
Day 5 Part 5 - Off To The Island!
Day 5 Part 6 - A Pirate's Life for Me!
Day 5 Part 7 - Avast Ye Maties I Must Set Sail!
Day 5 Part 8 Lets All Head To Disney ..and Find a Ride With AC!
Day 5 Part 9 From a Small World to a Big Mountain
Day 5 Part 10 Thunder Mountain and Hello to Pooh
Day 5 Part 11 Splashes and Sabers!
Day 5 Part 12 Troopers, Falls, and Mr. Skellington Puts on a Show
Day 5 Part 13 DLR Halloween Fireworks Continued
Day 5 Part 14 That Was Fun Now Were Hungry!!!
Final Thoughts on our First Disneyland Halloween Adventure
Thanks for coming along, I'll try to keep it fun 
Great start!! And congrats on your 15 year anniversary. I can't think of a better way to celebrate it! 
