Disneynerd420's Jan 2010 Birthday Trip Report! (PART 3 IS NOW UP)

[disneynerd420]

Hey there everyone!

I arrived back in town late monday evening after a wonderful weekend at DLR with my best friend! He had not been to Disneyland in over 10 years and really seemed to like the new things that the resort had to offer!

Despite some minor issues, we had a great time. I can't wait to start this TR up.

I'm loading the photo's onto photobucket right now, I will try to start the first part tonight!

 

[Belle Ella]

Can't wait. Always love your TR's.

 

[kaoden39]

Oh good. I am excited to read it.

 

[disneynerd420]

Well folks, here we go....




PART 1!


Before I begin, I want to introduce you to my best friend for the last 12 years...

His name is Neil, (I stole this pic from his faceboook)

And of course there is your friendly neighborhood disneynerd! (ME)

As many of you were aware, last week CA was experiancing some massive storms that were moving east into AZ. Well the entire day before we left, it was pouring rain! I was terrified at the idea of getting behind the wheel and driving to CA in the rain. That night I went to bed watching the weather report, and praying that the rain was kind to us.


(Friday Jan. 22nd 2010)

The alarm on my phone went off at 3:00 AM. I groggily got up out of bed after only several hours of sleep and proceeded to get dressed. Taking a 5 hour energy, I finished the last bit of packing I had to do and woke up Neil. We packed up the car as quickly as we could, so that we could leave by 4 AM. Luckily, it was no longer raining in Chandler AZ, so we were trying to remain optimistic that the drive would be uneventful. After a quick stop at the bank, we found ourselves on the I-10 on our way to CA!

Most of the drive through AZ was dry. Occasionally, we drove through pockets of rain, but they ended quickly.

As we hit Indio, I handed Neil the camera and told him to start taking pictures...

Neil, had never seen the windmills, he was very excited!

As we got closer to Cabazon, the rain started up again, but it was not unbearable. We stopped off at the wheel in diner and had breakfast.

After our heart roadside breakfast of french fries and biscuits and gravy, we headed outside to play with the dinosaurs. We quickly realized that we would not be doing this long, as it was very cold and windy outside.

Neil was also impressed with how beautiful the California mountains looked covered in snow.

After completely freezing our butts off for a few pictures, we got back in the car, cranked up the iPod and the heat, and hit the road. Here is a shot of a lovely rainbow we saw as we were leaving Cabazon... if only it meant that the rain was over.

As soon as we hopped on the 60, the rain started coming down heavy! Traffic slowed down to about 35 as the water came down in sheets. I started to get really worried as we wrapped around the hillside freeway just before Moreno Valley. I could hardly see the road, but I managed to make it there without any issues... Neil put down the camera for most of this so he could offer a second pair of eyes for the road. But during the points where the rain let up, he managed to snap a few...

Neil and I breathed a sigh of relief once we saw the exit for Ball road!

As we turned down Magic Way, we jumped for joy once the downtown disney sign was in sight!

We pulled up to the Disneyland Hotel, ready to get out of the car and stretch our legs. More importantly, we were ready to have some fun at the parks!

Upon checking in, we were presented with our birthday buttons and the keys to our room. I had originally paid for a standard view room but because we were celebrating our birthdays, they upgraded us to an upper level pool view in the main tower! I could not believe our luck! Neil had never stayed at the DLR and was really taken back by all of the Disney touches...

The view from our room!

Well ladies and gents... that concludes part 1. Don't worry, I have lot's more coming up.

Stay tuned for more and leave me lot's of comment love!

 

[Belle Ella]

I would be praying for clear skies for the drive as well. I hate driving in the rain and cannot fathom how much loner it would take to get to DLR with that kind of weather factored in. Glad ya'll got there in one piece. It's always a sign of relief (and excitement) when you start seeing the signs that you are approaching Disney!

What I wouldn't do to get to stay on-site again. Maybe someday in the future ...

 

[kaoden39]

How awful that Mother Nature didn't cooperate. We went on one trip that the weather was miserable and the crowds were much better because of it.

 

[disneynerd420]

I would be praying for clear skies for the drive as well. I hate driving in the rain and cannot fathom how much loner it would take to get to DLR with that kind of weather factored in. Glad ya'll got there in one piece. It's always a sign of relief (and excitement) when you start seeing the signs that you are approaching Disney!

What I wouldn't do to get to stay on-site again. Maybe someday in the future ...

Glad you are along for the TR! I love staying on site, I really don't want to stay offsite if I can avoid it. I will though... I just don't like to

How awful that Mother Nature didn't cooperate. We went on one trip that the weather was miserable and the crowds were much better because of it.

I will say this, there were no crowds in the rain!

 

[quantumottle]

Very nice pics, I'm enjoying the TR so far. Keep em' coming...

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

A new TR! Sorry about the sucky weather but I bet you had a great time anyway, right?

 

[PHXscuba]

I went across I-8 to San Diego last Friday night and it was snowing in the mountain passes! Glad I was on a tour bus with a competent driver! It all cleared out by Saturday morning, though.

Looking forward to reading more ...

PHXscuba,
underwater in a desert

 

[mnmrmustard]

Howdy! Finally got back to reading your September TR and will hopefully not fall behind on this one!

 

[disneyland89]

Ok, I just finished your other TR and close to 2 hours later I can now come comment on this one. You guys look so fun. I wish I had friends like that to go enjoy Disney with.

Your food porn has helped me make my dining plans too. CO is a must, as well as CC (I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE baked potato soup, I buy it from Safeway almost everyday). And finally I now know I HAVE to go to Goofys. Those were amazing pics.

I can't wait to read more of this TR now.

 

[disneynerd420]

Very nice pics, I'm enjoying the TR so far. Keep em' coming...

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy!

A new TR! Sorry about the sucky weather but I bet you had a great time anyway, right?

I had a great time. I was so sad to have to come home

I went across I-8 to San Diego last Friday night and it was snowing in the mountain passes! Glad I was on a tour bus with a competent driver! It all cleared out by Saturday morning, though.

Looking forward to reading more ...

PHXscuba,
underwater in a desert

We actually saw snow on the side of the 10 before we got onto the 60! I wanted to stop and pick some up so bad!

Howdy! Finally got back to reading your September TR and will hopefully not fall behind on this one!

Glad to have you along sir! I greatly enjoyed your Halloween time TR. Your Barbosa costume rocked!

Ok, I just finished your other TR and close to 2 hours later I can now come comment on this one. You guys look so fun. I wish I had friends like that to go enjoy Disney with.

Your food porn has helped me make my dining plans too. CO is a must, as well as CC (I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE baked potato soup, I buy it from Safeway almost everyday). And finally I now know I HAVE to go to Goofys. Those were amazing pics.

I can't wait to read more of this TR now.

I'm glad you enjoyed my other TR. I don't think I am going to be able to recreate it's awesomeness as traveling with Neil is a lot different than traveling with Chris. But I am still hoping this TR turns out nicely.



Thanks for reading guys! Part 2 is coming up next!

 

[PoohBearFriends]

Look forward to your next installment. I read your trip with mom and love the pics and your dialogue.

 

[disneynerd420]

PART 2!!!


After some nagging, I managed to have Neil put down the camera and get ready to go. Once we had everything we needed for a day at the parks, we left our room ready to face the rainy day ahead!


(In the elevator, on the way down.)

The walk towards DTD. Lot's of watery fun!

Neil looked so goofy in his army surplus jacket with that smile on his face1

I don't look much better...

There was no one in sight,

Unfortuanatly, the monorail was not running, so we had to walk all the way to the main gates. I was a little upset about it, but it forced us to do Neil's reintroduction to Disneyland the right way, with the Train station being the first thing he saw!

I love DLR in the rain! SO MUCH FUN! I can handle being wet, if I don't have to deal with tons of people.

]

No poncho for the horsey... sorry horsey.

Of course the first thing we headed to do was Space! I could not pass up a 10 minute stand-by wait time.

Look how happy I am!

On the way out of Space....

With Neil being as big a Star Wars fan as myself, we naturally headed to ST next! As we approached the cabins, the CM saw our birthday buttons and instead of putting us in the cabin to the right with everyone else, she escorted us to the left and gave us our own starspeeder!!!

Look at the excitedness!

I loved having a starspeeder all to ourselves. SO cool!

After we left Star tours we walked onto Buzz. But not without stopping to take pics!

After having our fill of tomorrowland, we headed to NOS. Where we, once again, walked onto pirates.


One of these days, I am going to get a better camera so I have better pictures when I go on POC.

I was a rather upset pirate!

Leaving pirates, the rain started coming down harder. We ran to the haunted mansion and was quickly ushered inside the foyer. Neil really seemed to enjoy the HM. I forgot to take pictures though. As we left HM, we headed to Splash, as we realized that we were already wet and a little more water was not going to hurt.

.

After Splash, we took a spin on Pooh, (which Neil loved for the heffalumps and woozles) and then decided we would head back to tomorrowland for lunch at Pizza Port!


Ok guys! That concludes part 2. I hope you are enjoying! Please leave me comment love and I will have part 3 up ASAP!

 

[disneynerd420]

Look forward to your next installment. I read your trip with mom and love the pics and your dialogue.

I'm so Glad you enjoyed it! Truth be told, I am worried that people will not enjoy this TR as I am worried that it was not as exciting a trip as my last one with Chris. I had a great time though and really enjoy sharing all of my pictures with all of the DIS. Thanks for reading!

 

[tink2dw]

I loved your pic's!! I haven't read your other trip report. This is my first one!! And you are doing good!! Can't wait for the rest!!!

 

[jobo]

I have to laugh everytime I see the Dinosaurs at Cabazon. I see a green MG and hear Tears For Fears "Everybody Wants To Rule the World". Can't wait for part three.

 

[KrazyKat4DIS]

Love your TR so far! I must admit, I felt so bad because I remember you posted about being nervous of DL in the rain and you had many posters, including myself, that were like, "oh it's great! no worries!" Little did we know it was going to be THAT bad! So, I am glad to hear you had a great time even with those conditions!

It is so crazy to see the dinosaurs in Cabazon! I grew up about 20 minutes from those things and it used to be just dirt all around. I see grass now!

Can't wait to read more!

 

[mnmrmustard]

Glad to have you along sir! I greatly enjoyed your Halloween time TR. Your Barbosa costume rocked!

Glad to follow along in your new adventure and thankyee kindly for the compliments onf both my TR and the costume My dear wife just bought me a replica Barbossa sword to go with it so now I just have to pick up a replica flintlock I've been looking at online and the costume will be complete. Now I just have to find more excuses to wear it

Great shots with the dinos and the windmills. They are pretty awesome to see whirring over entire hillsides. And yeah, driving through rain like that is no fun. Either through the open desert where the wind really whips up or through the passes where visibility gets dicey. Glad y'all made it there in one piece.

Nice that you got the upgrade to such a great view in the main tower! The pool looked awesome from up there. We had gone last fall for our anniversary and I'm pretty sure that's how we got our free upgrade to a deluxe view in the Wonder tower. And I agree about DLR in the rain - we're from Oregon so the rain doesn't bother us in the least. We went there in early January 2005 and most rides were walk-on. Can't beat that!

So cool that you got your own starspeeder - whoohoo! LOL, looks like Buzz is looking right at you on the ride line. Good hits on big rides, and why not do Splash when it's raining - bet there was no line for that one at all. Looks like it was shaping up to be a great day. Looking forward to reading the next installment!