A Birthday Celebration Extravaganza ... The Pre-TR! 7/6 UPDATE

[monkey30]

For January, the first time we went to DL we would grab a hot chocolate and watch the parade and fireworks. We found during the day we would wear capris shirts and tshirts with a hoodie and would be fine, but in the evening we would put pants on the kids at least, it was chilly when the sun went down, but its all depending what you can handle for cold!

Sounds like you have a great trip planned so far! There is a Target a short distance away, I am not sure if its a super target, but I do know there is a Vons close by as well.

[monkey30]

Oh and we did a beach walking on the pier day as well, dipped our toes in the water, but did not go swimming, to cold for us!

[ariel1025]

Originally Posted by MinnieLovesMickey

Since you will have a car, would you consider eating a couple of meals off property? Maybe join some restaurant email clubs (make sure to use DL's zip code). I've joined severaL of these clubs, Monk's Cafe and Millis's are always sending me buy one, get one free coupons. Also check anaheimoc.org and they offer a few coupons for places like California Pizza Kitchen and Rainforest Cafe.

I booked my trip to DL through Costco Travel, still technically through Disney. Our package included the hotel for 5 nights (Desert Palms), 3 day ph, a $20 Disney gift card and a free character meal. You just have make the $200 deposit and you have until 30 days out to pay it off.

Thanks so much for the website for anaheimoc! I have it bookmarked on my computer to look at what's available once we get closer. I'm a big fan of coupons and discounts (that's why I was asking about a Target - I have their debit card so I save 5% on every purchase!)

Originally Posted by monkey30

For January, the first time we went to DL we would grab a hot chocolate and watch the parade and fireworks. We found during the day we would wear capris shirts and tshirts with a hoodie and would be fine, but in the evening we would put pants on the kids at least, it was chilly when the sun went down, but its all depending what you can handle for cold!

Sounds like you have a great trip planned so far! There is a Target a short distance away, I am not sure if its a super target, but I do know there is a Vons close by as well.

Originally Posted by monkey30

Oh and we did a beach walking on the pier day as well, dipped our toes in the water, but did not go swimming, to cold for us!

We went once (many years back) in December and wore jeans/khakis and tees during the day, adding a hoody most nights and feeling fine. I was thinking January might be similar but wasn't certain. Thanks for your feedback!

What is Vons? Is it a grocery store?

[ariel1025]

The (we are going to stay positive and believe this trip is still going to happen) Plan: Travel Day!

One of our favorite things about traveling to CA is the short flight! This allows us to take a later morning flight and still arrive well before dinner time (so much different than when we go to FL)

So, our hope is to take a flight around 10ish and get to CA sometime before 3. From there we will get our luggage and grab the shuttle to the rental car place (need to find the best deal and choose one!) so our vacation can officially begin! With any hope we won't have the same debacle as last time having to switch rental cars 3 times before we are allowed to leave the lot - apparently choose any car in row 20 doesn't actually mean any car

From there we will plug in the address to the nearest Super Target to DL into our trusty little phone's GPS so that we can pick up supplies for the week. I posted the shopping list in my previous update and don't expect it to change much, if at all. Also, the reason we are hoping for a Super Target is, well, one I adore Target But, also because I am such a faithful shopper there that I have their debit card, saving me 5% on each purchase. Oh, and I may or may not be a master at coupon stacking there

After we have collected all our supplies we will then enter the hotels address into that trusty 'lil GPS and head to our home for the next 5 days! Our booking window opens up in a couple weeks so very soon I will be able to tell you where exactly that home will be

My hope is that our room will be ready upon checking-in, and my guess is that it will be after 4 at this point, so it should be. We will then head up and unpack, get settled and possibly give the little guy a nap before heading out for the night.

Originally, I wanted to grab pizza at Napolini (love it!) after checking-in for a late lunch. But, I realize now that we will more than likely have to grab food somewhere after we get our rental car. Oh well! I will have 4 more days to get my pizza fix!

That night we are planning to hit Disneyland (if the park hours are similar to this years) to just absorb the sights and sounds and let that vacation feeling sink in. At some point we will grab dinner at New Orleans Cafe - originally we had planned on Blue Bayou, but after I found out Candi only wanted it for the Gumbo, I quickly changed that up to save (quite) a few bucks!

We will wrap up the night watching the fireworks before heading back to the room to get some much needed sleep for the next day!

[monkey30]

Sounds wonderful! I wish we had a car, I will miss that, but its to expensive to rent something for all 6 of us.

Yes Vons is a grocery store, owned by Safeway I think but could be very wrong!!LOL

[JennisSilly]

There is a super target on Harbor (the same main road DL is on) down by the Marriott Suites, Outback, Joes Crab Shack, Red Robin. If you turn right on Harbor from the park, and keep going, it'll be on your right. It's maybe 3 minutes from the resort?

I've had January be hit or miss. Sometimes it's chilly, sometimes it's just nice. However I think in the evening if you WANT hot chocolate, you can have it, and be reasonably comfortable having it.

I'm going to PM you some stuff on Tickets at Work

My favorite "quick service" restaurants at Disney are:
- Bangle BBQ (in Adventureland). It's skewered meats and veggies that are SUPER tasty and yummy. There is very limited seating though.
- The Golden Horseshoe (in the Frontier Land/New Orleans Square transition). It's inside, lots of seating, and really yummy.
- Coca Cola Refreshment Corner (best chili dog in the park)
- Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta (near the Grand Californian entrance in DCA). They have lots of options- flat bread pizza, pasta, salad, and right next to them in the same pavillion they have greek options like a gyro, slovaki chicken, etc.
- The Lucky Fortune (in the Wharf area of DCA) they have orange chicken, sweet and sour chicken, etc. It's kind of like a Panda Express, but the meat is much better then Panda.
- Pacific Wharf Cafe (in the wharf area of DCA) DELICIOUS breadbowls, wraps, and salads!
- Taste Pilots Grill (near Soaring). They have one of my favorite salads in the park!


(Sorry- we've been in Tennessee for an emergency trip the last few days, so I haven't had a chance to reply).

[ariel1025]

Originally Posted by monkey30

Sounds wonderful! I wish we had a car, I will miss that, but its to expensive to rent something for all 6 of us.

Yes Vons is a grocery store, owned by Safeway I think but could be very wrong!!LOL

The rental car is actually one of the first things we looked at eliminating. But with the money we will save on picking up breakfast items/snacks and not paying for the shuttle it pretty much breaks even for us. So we kept it. Candi can't remember a trip without having at least a partial beach day, so that's an important part of the trip for him.

Originally Posted by JennisSilly

There is a super target on Harbor (the same main road DL is on) down by the Marriott Suites, Outback, Joes Crab Shack, Red Robin. If you turn right on Harbor from the park, and keep going, it'll be on your right. It's maybe 3 minutes from the resort?

I've had January be hit or miss. Sometimes it's chilly, sometimes it's just nice. However I think in the evening if you WANT hot chocolate, you can have it, and be reasonably comfortable having it.

I'm going to PM you some stuff on Tickets at Work

My favorite "quick service" restaurants at Disney are:
- Bangle BBQ (in Adventureland). It's skewered meats and veggies that are SUPER tasty and yummy. There is very limited seating though.
- The Golden Horseshoe (in the Frontier Land/New Orleans Square transition). It's inside, lots of seating, and really yummy.
- Coca Cola Refreshment Corner (best chili dog in the park)
- Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta (near the Grand Californian entrance in DCA). They have lots of options- flat bread pizza, pasta, salad, and right next to them in the same pavillion they have greek options like a gyro, slovaki chicken, etc.
- The Lucky Fortune (in the Wharf area of DCA) they have orange chicken, sweet and sour chicken, etc. It's kind of like a Panda Express, but the meat is much better then Panda.
- Pacific Wharf Cafe (in the wharf area of DCA) DELICIOUS breadbowls, wraps, and salads!
- Taste Pilots Grill (near Soaring). They have one of my favorite salads in the park!


(Sorry- we've been in Tennessee for an emergency trip the last few days, so I haven't had a chance to reply).

Awesome, thanks for the info on Target! Sounds super easy to get to.

Thank you, I will be on the lookout for your PM

All the info on the "QS" meals are very helpful. I already had Golden Horseshoe and Pacific Wharf Care on my list from looking up menus. There are a couple others I will have to add to my list of possibilities now too

[WDWJonasGirl]

I'm here!!

[ariel1025]

Well, it's official, the trip has been cancelled

There are just too many obstacles in the way this time.

We are still trying to recover from our current financial situation and it's just not a smart choice to continue on with it. It breaks my heart in so many ways, but I know it's the right thing to do.

On the bright side of things, I am getting to go to Kansas in September to meet my Niece, Spencer. My sister has her C-section scheduled for August 27. I want to give her and her Husband time to be together as a new family of 3, but she has asked that I come out mid-September to be with her when he has to go back to work. And that is definitely something to look forward to!

Thank you everyone for following along and for trying so hard to help keep this trip a reality for us. It means so much to me!!!

[MinnieLovesMickey]

Originally Posted by ariel1025

Well, it's official, the trip has been cancelled

There are just too many obstacles in the way this time.

We are still trying to recover from our current financial situation and it's just not a smart choice to continue on with it. It breaks my heart in so many ways, but I know it's the right thing to do.

On the bright side of things, I am getting to go to Kansas in September to meet my Niece, Spencer. My sister has her C-section scheduled for August 27. I want to give her and her Husband time to be together as a new family of 3, but she has asked that I come out mid-September to be with her when he has to go back to work. And that is definitely something to look forward to!

Thank you everyone for following along and for trying so hard to help keep this trip a reality for us. It means so much to me!!!

So sorry you had to cancel. You've got to do what's best for your family. It just means when you do get there, it will be even more special because you were able to overcome so much to do it. We'll be here waiting for an announcement when you are able to go.