*Squeeeeeaaaallllll*
You're in! You're in!
And no less than Pirates! Aaaarrrr. Great first ride, mateys.
Hooray!!
We definitely love having Pirates as our ceremonial first ride. A real Disney classic
YIPEE!!! So glad you are finally enjoying the parks! Can't wait to hear all about your visits.
Tracy's Lady and the Tramp tee is so adorable. Can you tell me where she got it? I'd love to get one for my daughters.
I'm very glad that we are enjoying the parks too! Now I just need to find the time to write about ALL our visits!
I got Tracy's Lady and the Tramp shirt at the
Disney Store when it had just come out on DVD/Blu-ray, so they had a lot of merchandise from the movie. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they carry it anymore, but I did just see on someone's Instagram that they have a new line of Disney t-shirts at Wet Seal and Lady and the Tramp is one of them, so maybe that will work?
You just can't beat walking down Main Street USA with the castle in the distance!!
Agreed! Nothing beats walking right down the middle of Main Street U.S.A.
Very!
Seriously you two are to cute for words.
Yay on your AP's
I am counting down the days until my DH next trip in Sept.
Thanks
We were obviously quite excited to get those APs in our hands.
That's so exciting that your trip is coming right up! I'm sure it will be here in no time.
That is so awesome, we are in! Er I mean YOU two are IN!
Good luck on the job...
Hope your health is better.....
KIM
I felt excited to finally post about getting into the parks so all of you could feel like you were in too!
Health is never great, but I'm surviving. It could always be worse, and there's nothing else I can do!
Yeah I feel like WE are in too after following your story from the beginning. I am very excited for you!
We are older and our kids are grown now and we want to spend at least a few months each year snowbirding in the california sun so your journey has been very helpful and interesting to us!
And yes I have wondered too, how are you feeling Taylor? I hope your illness has kept at bay in the past few months.
I'm glad that you have followed our story for so long and feel like a part of it. That's what I'm going for with this report!
I'm so glad to hear that our shenanigans are providing some helpful insights as you prepare to start spending some time out here. Sounds like fun to me!
I've been doing all right. You'll see soon how we've dealt with my health issues in the parks, but on the day-to-day I'm okay. Not great, but not terrible either.
Hi Taylor and Tracy!
First, thanks so much for the offer of advice regarding college theatre programs - I am very likely to follow up with you on that at some point. Our older boys are only 13 and 14 but our oldest has been on this path since age 5, so we think his interest is likely to continue.
They watched your videos on youtube and are inspired - really funny and your singing voice is excellent. Really hope you'll have the opportunity to perform again at some point.
Actually, one quick question - our 14-year-old's strengths are acting and singing (theatre classes, heavily involved in school and community theatre, private voice lessons, choir, etc.) Any advice on the importance of dance skill? He's taking dance lessons but it doesn't come naturally, so he's a little discouraged in that department. I know he would appreciate any encouragement or advice!
On to your trip report - wonderful!!! I'm so happy for both of you - what a joy! Since I'm a mom, I'll be even happier when I hear that Tracy secured a job and is happy with her work, but I'm guessing that's in an upcoming report that's just around the corner.
I love the tradition of Pirates as a first ride in any park - my father (a Pirates enthusiast who BTW introduced me to Minnie at age 2) would be proud!
Also continuing to enjoy reading about your resourcefulness - lots of tips in your report that benefit all of us! Thanks much!
Wondering the same - please let us know how it's going.
Thanks for the compliments on my videos. Maybe someday I'll make it back onstage.
Sounds like your sons are definitely on the right track if they're interested in pursuing theatre. My advice would definitely be to keep doing it all as much as possible. It's great to enjoy performing for the pure joy of it in high school because once you get to college, you have to start thinking of the business aspect, which is not easy. In terms of dance, no matter how discouraged your older son is, he should absolutely keep at it. His situation sounds exactly like mine, and I wish that I had taken dance classes throughout high school. It is more important than I can even express to at least be "okay." You don't have to be great, but if you can get a decent amount of experience under your belt before auditioning for college, it makes a world of difference. Mind you this is all "do as I say, not as I actually did" but if I could go back and change things I would have taken as many dance classes as possible just to get to the point that I could hold my own in auditions and college dance classes.
We were certainly happy to get into the parks as well (obviously!). And I'll ease your mind by letting you know that Tracy is, indeed, happily and gainfully employed. We love our Pirates tradition too, and it sounds like you had good Disney parents indoctrinating you early!
Glad you're continuing to enjoy reading and that our tips are helpful!
I must have missed where you mention your videos. We would love to check them out. How do I find them?
I posted a link to one of them at the beginning of one of my reports (not sure which one it was).
Here's the link I posted.
I haven't been on the boards in forever (and a day...) but having a s-l-o-w night at work and decided to peruse ... wow, your TR just sucked me right in! Love, love, love. I'm all caught up and I can't wait to see further adventures with your AP.
I'm so glad that you've enjoyed reading!! Also glad that I could help you pass a slow night at work
Hope that our AP shenanigans don't disappoint.
Yay
Honestly, this is like reading a good book that you just can't put down!
Well thank you!
I'm so glad that you're enjoying!
Yeah, you finally made it into the park!
I love how cute and excited you both look in this picture! I can't wait to read more about your adventures at Disneyland, my most favorite place in the whole world! Our next trip will be in December and your stories increases our anticipation even more!
We FINALLY made it in!
We were definitely so excited at that moment, we could barely contain ourselves. I'm glad that our stories can bring you back to the Happiest Place on Earth, and that's so exciting that you'll be out in December!
Aw man, I didn't want to hear about Disneyland...
guess I'll have to stop reading now...
First off, CONGRATS on finally getting those APs (6 months ago, lol)!!! You guys deserve them. And it's pretty cool they can do a payment plan if you live there instead of having to drop all the $$$ at one time. That's probably pretty helpful for you guys and for families with kids that might not be able to drop it all at once. So cool!
And your first trip into the parks looks like a blast! Can't wait to see what hijinks you and Tracy have been up to these past months inside of DLR! More updates please!!! (I mean, when you're not spending time in the parks, providing us with more update goodies for the future)
Sorry, all the buildup is over, so all that darn Disney parks stuff will be a bit of a letdown
I can't believe we actually made it for 6 months without APs and didn't go crazy! But yes, we were so glad to be able to do the monthly payments. We don't even really think about it now since the money is just automatically withdrawn. We consider it to be like another utility bill.
Our first day in the park was definitely a blast! And the other 50+ days that we've spent in the parks since then have been a blast too. Now to figure out how to ever write about them all!!
I'm so glad you all finally got passes! At the same time, I agree that it is fabulous you got to see so much of your new area in the interim.
We were glad on both counts as well. We LOVE having our passes, but now we know about fun things to do on the days when we don't go to the parks!
I don't spend that much time on the boards but you've got me hooked! lol
I also think your trip reports read like a book.
Have you considered writing a book or an eBook along the lines of a "how to" story of your journey from NY to California? I think you have a lot of us hooked! so maybe there are a lot more out there who would also enjoy reading about your adventures!
I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying reading, and thank you for the praise. A book of some sort has crossed my mind. Maybe someday in the future!
Yay! So glad to read about your getting your passes. And solid choice on pirates as the first ride. I remember being in the park one day and riding Snow White. A cm said she was glad my son who was 2 at the time liked it and he told her snow and pirates were his favorite. She said, "just like Walt." It still makes me smile. You can never go wrong following Walt.
I'm actually not a huge fan of Newport either. It always seems mobbed and such a trek to the water.
I'm glad you guys were able to find jobs. My sister has been looking in her field, banking, for a year and a half. I strongly support your reasoning on when you bought the passes. Disneyland is awesome any time, but jan-march are really nice without the crowds or heat.
Can't wait to read about your Disney trips. Congrats on being passholders.
You absolutely can never go wrong following Walt! And we definitely thought Pirates was a very good first ride to start off our days as AP-holders.
It's funny because we still haven't had much success with Newport either, but just this evening we went to Balboa Island because Tracy wanted to try a frozen banana. We were there for the sunset and it was beautiful. So that's one part of Newport that we like now. We're still open to trying it again on an off-peak day and seeing how we like it.
I absolutely understand the struggle of trying to find a job in the field you actually WANT to work in, so I wish your sister good luck! We were glad we just decided to jump the gun and buy our passes when we did. It was great having some time with them before Tracy started work and when the crowds were still so light.
I hope you keep enjoying reading along. We have lots of adventures to share from inside the parks too!
Hurray! You finally got your annual passes
I just got my annual pass this past week as an early birthday present from my son (he paid the down payment and I'm making the monthly payments. I didn't get the Premium one but got the Deluxe one - wonder if I should upgrade? lol) I also went to Disneyland for the first time using my AP this weekend on Saturday and did the happy dance after she handed me my actual pass at the Ticket Counter booth. And sort of coincidentally I went on Haunted Mansion as my first ride and my second ride was Pirates of the Caribbean! Can't wait to see what your next ride was
(mine was supposed to be Indiana Jones Adventure with a Fastpass so I went over to CA to ride Star Tours and Buzz Lightyear then headed back to Indiana Jones to find it was broke down so took a dinner break). Enough of me!! I am just so excited after planning for 2 years to move to CA with hopes of working for Disney like you guys, living here for a year and not setting foot in DL until this past weekend.
I hope you don't mind me sharing a few pics:
My phone battery died before I got over to California Adventure which I was sort of bummed about. My camera battery was dead & I had lost my charger when I visited my kids in VA in April but I ordered one this weekend, got it today and now I'm armed with both my phone camera and my little Fuji camera for my next AP trip
Can't wait to read more about the rest of your first day as an AP holder!
We were so glad to finally make it into the parks, and I'm SO GLAD to hear that you finally made it in too!! We absolutely know what it is like to live so close and yet feel so far from Disneyland, so that's great that your wait is over.
I think the difference in the monthly payments between Deluxe and Premium is only about $10 if you do decide to upgrade (I sound like such an enabler haha).
Your first day sounds excellent! I'm glad you got to go on some of the best attractions, and I really enjoyed seeing your pictures.
Hopefully we'll see you in the parks sometime! Congratulations on joining the AP club
So if they hurt ya before ... sound like you made a good choice in passing 
enjoy it while you have it! 
Cream cheese frosting does not sound good at all!
Thank you for sharing! 
