I know I might be a little crazy...

Crazy for Disneyland that is....
I have been having a little fun this morning searching out my park maps from 2005 to my last trip in 2014.
I can't wait till our trip in November to add the 60th Anniversary maps to my collection!




I wish I could find them all for every year we were there.

But it is still fun to compare Lands...
DL has not changed much but DCA has.



Look at how the top left corner got bigger with the addition of Cars Land!

So I guess if I am going to do this trip report thing I should introduce myself and DH.

I am Christie And this is my Disney loving hubby Steve.
He loves Disneyland almost as much as I do.
This picture was taken during our 2013 trip in DCA at the new partners statue.

We Have booked our DL vaca for November 7th to the 11th with my Birthday being the 10TH!!
And yes I know I am a little spoiled. But this will be the first time I have been in the parks for my birthday and with my best friend. I am super excited.

We will fly in on Saturday with no real plans. I bought 4 day park hoppers just in case we want to go into the parks for oh I don't know dinner or ice cream or whatever.
DH wants to go check out Garden Walk and maybe have dinner in downtown Disney.
We are staying at the Anaheim Fairfield inn. We have stayed there in the past and like having McDonald's right there and Millie's that was in front but I have heard its gone. There is rumor that a Panera Bread is going in there but I have no idea.


This was the view from our room @ the Fairfield inn in 2011.
I hope we get a room like this again we had a awesome view of the fireworks!



So far this is the plan.
Day 1 Check in at the hotel. We will be there early so they will have to store our bags.
Walk down to the Garden Walk. Get some breakfast/lunch I figure we will be there around 11:30 or so.
Walk to Downtown Disney maybe shop a little then head back to the hotel for a nap.
We will be up at 3:30 am so a nap will be good.
Day 2 DISNEYLAND! We really never make a plan. We head in at opening and go right for our favorite rides. His is Space Mountain, mine is The Tower of Terror. So I guess he gets to ride his first as DCA opens later than DL.
Then we kinda just do whatever sounds good. We never plan much.
I don't plan on having any Dining reservations or any of that. We like to play it by ear.
But there are things we enjoy doing and plan to do.

Day 3 We have no plans for this day yet.

Day 4 I will defiantly stop and get a Birthday Button this morning. I am sure we will be pretty wore out by now so I bet I will get to do one of my favorite things.
Sit in the first hub just outside of the train station hopefully it will be a nice day and eat ice cream and watch the characters come in and out for photo ops. It is fun to watch them come out and snag children as they head for their spot.

Poor parents are grabbing all their belongings and trying to keep up.

Day 5 Time to go home. No parks today.

So That is all I really have "planned"
There are many things I want to do while we are there. I know it might be a little late to warn you all But I think this report is becoming a then and now report. Kinda sounds fun to me
I will try and add New pictures of these places after the trip.

The things I want to do while there


Have lunch at the Cove

We enjoy sitting at the Cove Bar watching California Screaming take off while eating a plate of Lobster Nachos or Fish Tacos and having an adult beverage.
It has become a very popular place so its harder to get in than it used to be. I guess the secret is out.
I am hoping that the days we have chosen will be low crowds and warm enough to not need a jacket.
Wishful thinking I know but we are going right before the Christmas Holiday starts and after the Halloween stuff is done.



Mickey Beignets and a Mocha @ Mint Julep.

More on next post.

It seems like all I want to do is eat!

But there are other things I would like to do that after 10 years of trips every year I have not done or found.
Like there is a trail near Splash Mountain that leads to a quiet place to sit and eat. it has tables and umbrellas that if you don't know about it you wont find it.
From what I have read it looks like you are trying to go into a cast member area, so most people don't give it a second glance.

I would like to Ride the double decker bus that runs down main street. I hear it is a very cool view from the top and you can get better pictures with no crowd in the way.

I want to see Big Thunder Ranch. DH and I have never gone in there and I hear it may be going away. So we thought we would at least try and see it before its gone. And the animals in the petting zoo or whatever it is.

I had really wanted to go do Walk in Walt's footsteps tour but they are not going into the apartment above the fire house so neither DH or I care to spend that much and not get to see it or club 33 but mostly its the apartment I want to see.

I would like to go on the Davey Crockett Canoes but I don't hold out much hope. I have never seen it running, plenty of pictures of people on them but none that I have taken.

Innoventions is one we have not been in for a very long time I think the last time was 2009 Maybe... I don't even seem to have any pictures of it.
But I hear they are doing meet and greets and putting in a bunch of the Super Hero stuff. We will both enjoy that. About the only time we go to the theater is to see the latest Marvel movie.

Ok I am going to stop here for the day and will add more as plans get made.
Have a Magical Day

My daughters and I are getting ready to go in a little over a week. This will our first trip during the Halloween holiday time. I always have a list of food I want to eat. My oldest daughter wants to go to the Cove Bar for an adult beverage this will be her first trip as a 21+ year adult so she's really excited. I've heard the view is great from up there. Maybe we need to check that out! I look forward to reading more about your trip.

Joining in! I like the idea of a "then and now" TR - not that I have been there for the "then" but we are going this October, so will get the "now". How great that you will be there on your birthday!

kaoden39 said:

My daughters and I are getting ready to go in a little over a week. This will our first trip during the Halloween holiday time. I always have a list of food I want to eat. My oldest daughter wants to go to the Cove Bar for an adult beverage this will be her first trip as a 21+ year adult so she's really excited. I've heard the view is great from up there. Maybe we need to check that out! I look forward to reading more about your trip.

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Welcome!
I was a little worried I might be too boring to follow. LOL.
I will try and put in some of my favorite Halloween pics. October is when we usually go to DL but beware October has gotten very busy since they added the Halloween party. On the plus side the refurbishments don't start till after Christmas now.

TheMaxRebo said:

Joining in! I like the idea of a "then and now" TR - not that I have been there for the "then" but we are going this October, so will get the "now". How great that you will be there on your birthday!

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Welcome!
I will try and put in as many "then" pictures as I can.
I had one year that I took pictures of all kinds of lights DH thought I was insane. And decorations there are some very pretty imaginative areas in "The Land" and it seems like we are so busy trying to get somewhere or standing in line we miss some of the quiet areas. There is so much thought put into every area of the landscape we just don't realize.

Good morning!
On my last trip to Disney I went with some girlfriends.
The one friend that is not pictured was Photo bombing people. It was so funny!
She did not do anything mean she just smiled for the camera. in this picture the last person in the group is a photo bomber.
We had no Idea until we looked at the pictures later!
I am in front and the lady in ears at the back is the bomber... LOL

Some of the things we have come across by accident were a game of musical chairs with the Queen of hearts!


We just happen to be walking by when this was going on and stopped to watch.
The poor little girl looking at the camera had no idea how to play, so the Queen played with her a bit.
At one point the Queen dropped her dress over the girl and she was just gone. It was fun to watch. I think we saw this at Carnation Cafe.

Something else we like to do when we are wearing out and just need to sit for a bit is to climb onto the train and take a ride all the way around.


I like to ride the car that the seats face out towards the land.
And if you take the trip all the way around you might see DINOSAURS!



It is hard to get a good picture of them.... they are extinct you know!

Well darn it is time for morning coffee with my mom and my Grandma. So I will try and add more later.

Have a fantastic Morning

I love the photo bombing picture! I happened onto a musical chair game one trip with Alice, the Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum and the Queen of Hearts. The kids had so much fun and we had a blast watching them!

kaoden39 said:

I love the photo bombing picture! I happened onto a musical chair game one trip with Alice, the Mad Hatter, Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum and the Queen of Hearts. The kids had so much fun and we had a blast watching them!

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We had a lot of fun watching them too.
I love when we just happen to come across things like that.

Now don't forget Halloween time is Villain time!
I love the Female Villains I guess that is the bad girl in me.....It is one of the only times you get to see the Villains.
although you can usually Cruella De Vil in front of the fire station every day I think.



This is from the first Halloween party we went to. In October of 2008 Mickey's Halloween party was in the California Adventure Park.
There was almost no one around. All the rides were walk on.
We rode Screaming like 9 times in a row got off walked around got right back on. The kids DD and her DBF at the time came out with huge full bags of candy (as if our luggage was not heavy enough).
We hurt so much the next day we now refer to that trip as the one we got California Screaming whip lash on.



This was when Mickeys fun wheel still had the sun on it instead of Mickey.




You gotta love riding it though.
This is last year with a couple friends.
We try to convert people to Disney addicts as much as possible

If you are going to be there with family for more than a day or 2 I recommend the Photopass +. You can get all your ride photo's your personal photos, all the photos you get done by the Disney photographers everything on a disk. You can put boarders on them when you get home before you order the disk. If there are a couple groups of adults you can split the cost that makes it a little less spendy, but if you are thinking you are going to buy any of the ride photos think about this. Each ride photo is $14, The Photopass + is 69.95 So if you buy 4 ride photos after tax and whatever you have paid for your photo pass +
I can tell you more if anyone needs more info. But remember the price goes up to $99.95 if you are less the 14 days out.

Speaking of photos and not on the Photopass options.
I came across a photo my GF and I did in 2005. It was in DTD And was a lot of fun. We chose this lame smoken hot chicks with perfect bodies in skimpy shorts and the guy was like ya I can do that one for ya but let me do the one I like and see what you like better and we were like ya ok sure.
So With all the Star Wars stuff going on I though this might be fun to share. Oh and I am the Blue one....

Its a picture of a picture so its not the best quality.

Oh ya and food!!! I will have to have at least 1 or 10 Churros!


OK I think I am going to say good bye for now. Have a fantastic evening.

From what I understand Halloween has been scaled down quite a bit. This will be our first Halloween time visit so I'm a bit sad about it.

The M

kaoden39 said:

From what I understand Halloween has been scaled down quite a bit. This will be our first Halloween time visit so I'm a bit sad about it.

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Mickey's Trick-Or-Treat party has been moved to Disneyland I went last year with my Girlfriends and it was so disappointing. DL was packed! Most of the places to eat were closed. You could not walk not to mention breath. I will never go again during Halloween. At least not to the Trick-or-Treat party. It used to be the slow season in October and my favorite time to go now we are trying November
I wanted to add a pic but it wont let me.... silly errors. maybe I can later.

We are going next Sunday through Friday. The decorations are all up and the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain are going to be decorated and up for Halloween. But, the parties don't start for a few weeks. No real big deal because we are doing Dapper Days and dressing up for that. We don't need the candy! That being said I'll be buying some candy.

Looks like from your husband's sweatshirt you guys might be from WA? Fellow PNW'er here.

Love seeing your "then" photos as I didn't go to DCA until 2012 and missed DCA 1.0! Also funny to see how incredibly empty the Halloween Party was!

jammyjam25 said:

Looks like from your husband's sweatshirt you guys might be from WA? Fellow PNW'er here.

Love seeing your "then" photos as I didn't go to DCA until 2012 and missed DCA 1.0! Also funny to see how incredibly empty the Halloween Party was!

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I just came across my 2005 Pictures so I will give you as many pics as I can from that. Funny That was my first trip and it is the least amount of pictures I have.

I found my very scratched copy of the 2005 Disneyland pics.
I find it funny that the castle is very sedate. I guess.
With all the pics I have seen it looks like there is no way you could not know it was the 60th anniversary.
The castle on the 50th, (in October) you have to look for the special decor.



There are crowns on a couple of the towers and the ears in the center but otherwise there really is not much decor for the 50th.



There is a lot more fanfare these days. As long as Disney has been around it seems it is just starting to get popular. I wish it would stay nerdy!
I rather like being a nerd.

Here is a pic I took of the large area between Parks. With the 50th decor




And the California letters too!

We went in 2005. My biggest memory was how pink the castle was.

Something else you can't see anymore is the big sun fountain that was at the center of DCA's big main hub.



I don't remember what is there now. I will have to get a new picture of it.



From all the pictures I have seen on the message boards I am surprised they did not do this for the 60th.
It looks kinda cool.
Sorry about my picture quality on these old photos. I was a lot more timid 10 years ago. I never wanted to bother people so I could get my photos. I got a lot of character photos too but never with me. So I have a bunch of photos with random people and kids.



This one I am in though!
They painted Dumbo Gold for the Golden Anniversary.
It seems like we saw a bunch of characters that we normally don't get to see.

Who ever sees Wendy, or Geppetto, or Snow White at the wishing well....!


Hummm Now there is an interesting pair.... Aurora and Peter Pan.

This is my friend Karen. The Mulan Character thought it was pretty cool that they matched!


I love this picture.
If you look up on the wall just around the corner from Alice in Wonderland you will find this guy hanging out.



And I totally know what you mean by PINK CASTLE


I love that everything is blue this year.....
Sadly I think I have shared all my good 2005 photos. unless I have a second disk somewhere.
I know I have more pictures somewhere, I had my picture taken every year in the C out in the promenade up until they took the letters out.

So this shows a little bit of DCA before they got rid of the Maliboomer and the Orange Stinger.





I am not sure but I think this is right across from the WOC area. This space was so large I think it is more of a walkway now with flowers and landscaping for the viewing areas. I will have to try to find this one too.