Marceline to Disneyland, Following in Walt's Footsteps...

[arthur06]

I think you will like it. It's harmless fun.

We will blow our money on just about anything that looks fun or has Disney attached to it. We unfortunately saw ParaNorman and were really disappointed even after it got such great reviews on rotten tomatoes.

My wife and I saw The Master and hated it. I like Paul Thomas Anderson films but this was a disaster. PS. Not a kids movie!

Didn't make it to the movies today. We had people over last night and had a bonfire. We all stayed up a little too late, so we just took it easy today. Watched some football... Go Vikings!... and cleaned the house.

We close on the new house in under two weeks, so we have a lot on our plate coming up.

 

[arthur06]

Boy, did we have a close call today.

DW got a call from her boss, saying that she couldn't approve her time off. November 9th was the day in question. So, I spent the day looking for ways to fly her home 2 days early. After having a plan in place to switch everything over, she got a call saying it was approved after all.

So, everything is good to go...again.

 

[arthur06]

here we are... 4 weeks out.

Hard to believe that I book Villas at Grand Californian at 7 months and here we are just 4 short weeks from leaving.

The trip will be bittersweet tho, it will be our last trip to any Disney park for probably a minimum of 2 years. We own DVC, but have heavily borrowed over the last several years. Also, we bought a house that will need some renovations, so this will save money for those projects and also time.

 

[KCmike]

Boy, did we have a close call today.

DW got a call from her boss, saying that she couldn't approve her time off. November 9th was the day in question. So, I spent the day looking for ways to fly her home 2 days early. After having a plan in place to switch everything over, she got a call saying it was approved after all.

So, everything is good to go...again.

Close call!

 

[KCmike]

here we are... 4 weeks out.

Hard to believe that I book Villas at Grand Californian at 7 months and here we are just 4 short weeks from leaving.

The trip will be bittersweet tho, it will be our last trip to any Disney park for probably a minimum of 2 years. We own DVC, but have heavily borrowed over the last several years. Also, we bought a house that will need some renovations, so this will save money for those projects and also time.

I'm feeling your pain. Everytime I have a bad day I keep thinking we could just make a quick 3 hr plane flight over to California couldn't we? At least I've already started my 2 year hiatus. I'm three months in now!

 

[arthur06]

I'm feeling your pain. Everytime I have a bad day I keep thinking we could just make a quick 3 hr plane flight over to California couldn't we? At least I've already started my 2 year hiatus. I'm three months in now!

I guess I missed in your TR (assuming you mentioned it) that you were on a 2 year hiatus.

I really want the trip to get here, but in a way I don't/. Not ready to not go back for 2+ years.

We did however get Cinderella on DVD yesterday in the mail from DMC. So we watched it last night. After Cinderella, was a Tangled Short Movie. Well, after all that there was an update on the Fantasyland Expansion at MK. DW isn't the Disney lover that I am, and she is all for the breaks from the parks. She was glued to that, she loves the Classic Disney Movies. She so wants to go when the expansion is complete.

So all signs are looking good for a WDW return in 2014.

 

[KCmike]

I guess I missed in your TR (assuming you mentioned it) that you were on a 2 year hiatus.

I really want the trip to get here, but in a way I don't/. Not ready to not go back for 2+ years.

We did however get Cinderella on DVD yesterday in the mail from DMC. So we watched it last night. After Cinderella, was a Tangled Short Movie. Well, after all that there was an update on the Fantasyland Expansion at MK. DW isn't the Disney lover that I am, and she is all for the breaks from the parks. She was glued to that, she loves the Classic Disney Movies. She so wants to go when the expansion is complete.

So all signs are looking good for a WDW return in 2014.

I hear ya about the fantasyland expansion down in WDW. I'm excited to see what they will do with the mine cart ride but everything else just doesn't lure me. I've been watching the new stuff go up but I think I will stick with Disneyland at Christmas in 2013.

How can your DW not be a huge fan?

 

[arthur06]

I hear ya about the fantasyland expansion down in WDW. I'm excited to see what they will do with the mine cart ride but everything else just doesn't lure me. I've been watching the new stuff go up but I think I will stick with Disneyland at Christmas in 2013.

How can your DW not be a huge fan?

This will be DW's first trip to DLR. I am sure when she realizes how easy it is to get around at DLR compared to WDW, she might want another DLR trip before the WDW trip.

Also, the kids can't wait for our vacation to "Radiator Springs". They might want another DLR trip before another WDW trip.

All of us can not wait to be there!

 

[disneyismyheart247]

Hoping you will have fun on this upcoming trip! Cars Land is amazing and so is the rest of the resort!

 

[arthur06]

Hoping you will have fun on this upcoming trip! Cars Land is amazing and so is the rest of the resort!

Thanks

I have some boys who are going to be blown away by Radiator Springs!

 

[KCmike]

She is going to really enjoy her first visit to DL and the kids are going to think Carsland is amazing indeed. It is so well done.

 

[arthur06]

As if we didn't have enough going on in life. Last night while driving home from my in-laws after dinner, I hit a deer in my wife's SUV. It was the car she used for her mail route, and I am pretty sure it will be totaled.

 

[arthur06]

Well, I book our hotel today.

We are staying the first 4 nights at Fairfield Inn and the Last 3 nights in a 1br at Grand Californian.

I booked Fairfield Inn today on Last Minute travel today.

I got November 3rd to the 7th for $90.85 per night plus tax. It was $426.84 total with tax. I then went to retailmenot.com and found a $25.00 off coupon for any LMT reservation over $300. So I am staying at FFI for $401.84 total.

I figured for $100 per night it was a deal I was happy with.

 

[KCmike]

Great price on the hotel Arthur. Sorry to hear about the car. Extra expenses can be very taxing when your getting ready to go away and have fun.

I think you will enjoy FFI.

 

[arthur06]

Great price on the hotel Arthur. Sorry to hear about the car. Extra expenses can be very taxing when your getting ready to go away and have fun.

I think you will enjoy FFI.

Tell me about it.

We close on the new house, and we are putting a new roof on it, new furnace on it, and a 200 sq. ft addition in the next month. Then throw the car in the mix. Let's just say, we can't wait to get away.

I looked at Google Earth to see how close FFI was to DLR, and it looks like it will work out very well.

 

[arthur06]

We are 18 days from leaving... and only 14 more days of work...

I have been looking at the 10 day forecast, even though we are a little more out, just to give us a vague idea of what the weather might be. We would love to have some time to swim. The kids will do it in any weather, but DW and I are a little more picky!

After the last couple weeks of life, we could really use a few relaxing days!

 

[arthur06]

So, as we approach the 2 week mark of our trip, I got to thinking that this would complete our US portion of Disney. We will have hit WDW, DLR and DCL, but what about the more obscure Disney.

I have wanted to go to Marceline, MO and spend a day or just a 1/2 day. This trip we are flying out of KC. We will be headed down I-35 from Iowa. Mapquest shows that Marceline is about hour and 15 minutes off the interstate. So, if we can work it out that we can leave earlier and spend the day checking it out, we will be doing that. If we can't make it work, I just might go down some weekend to see it. Either way, when I do it, I will share my pics!

 

[KCmike]

So, as we approach the 2 week mark of our trip, I got to thinking that this would complete our US portion of Disney. We will have hit WDW, DLR and DCL, but what about the more obscure Disney.

I have wanted to go to Marceline, MO and spend a day or just a 1/2 day. This trip we are flying out of KC. We will be headed down I-35 from Iowa. Mapquest shows that Marceline is about hour and 15 minutes off the interstate. So, if we can work it out that we can leave earlier and spend the day checking it out, we will be doing that. If we can't make it work, I just might go down some weekend to see it. Either way, when I do it, I will share my pics!

Marceline is within a two hours of us and we have always wanted to go. There was a huge celebration this past year or was it last there and we wanted to get to it but didn't make it. Hope your able to get there!

 

[arthur06]

I have been checking rental car rates to see if they drop. I have got the price down to $160 for a 7 day rental. I checked again today and have a full size for $133 including taxes and fees. Happy with that price!

 

[arthur06]

Could use a little help here.

We leave in 10 days. How would you break them down. We have a 5 day Park Hopper and want to see Hollywood and SD one day.

Satruday 3rd - Arrive at 2pm FFI - DLR
Sunday 4th - FFI - Hollywood
Monday 5th - FFI - DLR
Tuesday 6th - FFI -San Diego
Wednesday 7th - Grand Cal - DLR
Thursday 8th - GC - DLR
Friday 9th - CG -DLR
Saturday 10th - Going home

Is that an effective use of our time?