Ye Olde Ancient Tryppe Reporte....Daye the last added

[Anne64]

Love the piccie of dd in the hat - that's one to save until she's 18

[hildasmuriel]

Wednesday - last day

Once again we had an early breakfast and this time we were at the Park gates at 8.30. We were amongst the first ones there so were right against the gates.
Just before 9.00 along came Mickey in his car, waving to the crowds. A CM came along and, out of the blue, asked Dtr if she would like to go through the gates and meet Mickey. She was through like a shot and then they called me to go with her. We had no idea what was going on. Dtr was taken over to Mickey, who hugged and kissed her and then encouraged her to sound the hooter on his car.



She ‘hooted’ and that was the signal for the Park to open. Dtr was given a huge poster of all the characters, signed by Mickey as her reward for opening the Park.



Unlike the day before, it was a lovely sunny morning and everywhere looked so pretty.



Fantasyland was open and we were allowed in and were able to ride Snow White, Pinocchio and Peter Pan. The children then went on Dumbo and the Tea Cups,



while I decided to hang the expense and phoned Mum back in the UK, to garble excitedly down the phone about how wonderful it all was and how Dtr had opened up the Park with Mickey. I’m not sure she managed to get a word in.
We all went on IASW – twice – ensuring that the song was deeply embedded in our brains for ever. It was only now 10 am and we had done so much more than we expected. Husband literally jumped for joy!



(Excuse the quality of this photo – it was taken from camcorder footage, and I had started filming before taking off the lens cap – it takes a few seconds then for the light to sort itself out. I kept forgetting that, though).
Fortunately BTM was running today, but of course the queues were enormous as it had been shut for 2 days. The other 3 went to queue for it, while I did a bit of shopping. I loved looking at the shops, but the price of things was a bit scary. I bought myself a fridge magnet and some chocolate for our neighbour and for the rest of the time I just browsed.

The others joined me eventually and were full of praise for BTM. We went for an early lunch in the Cowboy Cookout. The woman in front of me was paying on her hotel charge card – and I noticed it was from the Sequoia Lodge. That seemed an amazing luxury to me and I whiled away my time in the queue imagining what it would be like to have the money to stay there. Nice to have a little fantasy.
After lunch we walked round to Discoveryland and looked at Nautilus and then watched Honey I shrunk the Audience which we all loved. There was no queue for Star Tours so the boys went on this and we all got onto the Disneyland Railroad and went on nearly a full trip round, getting out at Fantasyland. It was a lovely way to see more parts of the Park.

We went into the Fantasy Festival Stage to find a troupe of dancers from the UK was performing there, so we sat to watch that. We decided to have one more ride on the ride that had become out favourite – POTC – before getting a good spot for the Princess Parade. We were there nice and early so had a really good view.


Sleepy having a sleep on a guest near us























It was superb and much better than we had imagined.

We went back through Liberty Arcade and made our way to Santa Fe to catch the shuttle bus, which fortunately turned up this time! Dtr was a little tearful as the bus pulled away, unable to believe that it was all over, as it had been such a fantastic out-of-our-normal-world experience. I said all the usual mummy things (holidays are only so special because they don’t happen all the time, it wouldn’t be the same if we lived there or went all the time) but I was really fighting hard not to sit and cry myself! Within minutes of leaving, both children were asleep – so deeply asleep that this photo actually looks posed.




Unfortunately our flight home was delayed by an hour and a half, but at last, just after 11pm we got home. The extra waiting time had given husband and me a chance to talk things over, however. I was now working all day at the school, rather than just afternoons, and if we saved a little each month, we worked out that another trip next February was possible. The wonderful dream was not yet over.

[DLPdaft]

sigh - I love reading your trip reports Hildasmuriel - you always write them in a way that I can imagine being right there with you all.

Do you have any others you haven't posted yet ??

[hildasmuriel]

We...ell I was thinking of doing 2005.

Thank you for your nice comments.

[Pokeypoke]

What a fantastic trip report and what an honor for your daughter to open the park

Pokey

[scampbunny]

oh wow............... ur trip sounds lovely, i too felt like i was there!!!

love seein how things 'were', and diff parade..... i cant even remember what our first trip was like - it was in 1999 so alot diff, and with being childfree, we spent alot of time imaginin how good it wud be to come with kids thanks so much for sharing & please do another!!!!

[poppie123]

What a fantastic trip report I absolutely loved reading it, bring on 2005's

[ukstitch]

These were the days... I love the current parade, but I honestly think "Dancin' a Catchy Rhythm" was just that little bit more addictive and catchy .

[Dianetigger]

Fabulous, off to read about 2005 now .....

[A Small World]

Brilliant - you've inspired me I might do one for our first trip as well although it will be more thoughts and feelings rather than what we did

[PJackson]

Just catching up on the end of this one too - fabby

[Anne64]

I love the look on your daughter's face with Mickey - she is so happy.

What a lovely trip-report. Thank you for sharing

[Ware Bears]

Ooh I really enjoyed this.

What a lovely memory for your DD ~ opening the park with Mickey!!

[cap'njack.]

What a fantastic trip report. Love the parade featuring Steamboat Mickey!

I'm in love with 'Classic' Mickey Mouse!