3 days in LA, 6 days in Disneyland and 1 Amazing Cast Member Photo bomb!-update 3-9x2

[PHXscuba]

Your Paradise Pier view looks a lot like the one we had back in March. We were on the 5th floor.

I love those teacup chairs in the Disneyland Hotel lobby! I haven't stayed there since they renovated and I love the cool retro look they went with.

PHXscuba

 

[stacy~**]

Your Paradise Pier view looks a lot like the one we had back in March. We were on the 5th floor.

I love those teacup chairs in the Disneyland Hotel lobby! I haven't stayed there since they renovated and I love the cool retro look they went with.

PHXscuba

We were room 831!

Thanks for sticking with me and my slow posting! At this point you might be my only reader!

 

[stacy~**]

Wednesday July 17-Day 6-Part 1 The race to Carsland!
Yes, we actually did get up with our alarm at 4:55 am. This is where I insert how envious I am of people that can just jump out of bed and get going. We are NOT that kind of family at all. After showers, a makeshift breakfast we are on our way to California Adventure at 6:45am (for EMH at 7).

The walk through DTD:


Although we weren’t very early I was happy to see that we weren’t too far back in line.


Once we are in we head straight to Radiator Springs Racers.



The wait wasn't bad (we were off the ride by 7:20am).

It was of course, amazing! So amazing that in our ride photo you can see that Olivia is actually crying (of happiness).



After our ride we head on to explore the rest of Carsland.




Not sure why the family behind my girls is giving them such an unhappy look?


As the non-EMH crowd starts to show up in Carsland we move over to Paradise Pier area.




We ride Toy Story Mania (10 minute wait).




After that Olivia and I are reunited with California Screamin’ and hike over to get WOC and RSR fastpasses. While we are doing that Aaron and Lucy stay at TSM and take a spin on King Tritons Carrousel.
At this point its about 9:15 and we need to head over to Disneyland for our Minnie and Friends breakfast.  While on the way out of CA we obtain our photopass!

 

[sechelt]

Hey, I'm reading too. I just don't say very much.

Glad to see you're continuing the report.

 

[luulu1999]

I am on a diet and STARVING those EOS pics looked soooo good!! I have that on our list of must eats for our trip!!

 

[rnorwo1]

Just wanted to let you know that I'm still here too and am happy about the updates! We have about 6 weeks until we head to CA for the first time!

 

[mumto2]

Great report! We are planning a very similar trip - our first - so this is really helpful!

 

[cdntink79]

Really enjoyed reading your report! Looking forward to the rest!

 

[stacy~**]

Hey, I'm reading too. I just don't say very much.

Glad to see you're continuing the report.

Thanks for letting me know you are here. I am guilty of reading reports and not saying much either so I know how that goes but Olivia kept saying no one is probably reading it anymore and I was starting to believe her!!

I am on a diet and STARVING those EOS pics looked soooo good!! I have that on our list of must eats for our trip!!

This literally had me LOL. I sometimes have to step away from TR because the food pics look SO good.

Just wanted to let you know that I'm still here too and am happy about the updates! We have about 6 weeks until we head to CA for the first time!

Thanks for saying Hi! 6 weeks will be here so soon! How exciting. I keep trying to plan a quick trip back this spring but I haven't had success yet. You are going to have a blast. Disneyland is the best!!

Great report! We are planning a very similar trip - our first - so this is really helpful!

Yay! Excited that my trip is helpful. I have lots more to share and hoping to get my next update up today....just having to narrow down pictures and find more than 10 minutes of free time!

Really enjoyed reading your report! Looking forward to the rest!

Thanks so much! So happy to have you.

 

[stacy~**]

Wednesday July 17-Day 6-Part 2 Plaza Inn-Minnie and LOTS of Friends

After our walk down Main Street and all the “awe…the castle is so little and adorable”, we find a few photopass guys to get some pictures.






Since we still had time before our 10:30 reservation we swung over to Indiana Jones since that was one ride I was SO excited to be on again! Of course, it was down and the FP return times wouldn’t work for us so we just decide to get over to the Plaza Inn.

Let me say we generally are not Character Buffet people and haven’t done one in years but I thought the array of characters at this breakfast seemed neat and was hoping it would provide a new experience for us. And it did just that. Very happy we went!

The photopass took our family picture outside. The cast members had a bit of a problem linking our photopass and getting our “free” pictures to us but in the end handled it with little inconvenience to us.




Since we were at the end of the breakfast we had a constant flow of characters!

My favorite...stopped by first!






Then we got up to grab our food. It was too crazy for me to get pictures of everyone else but I did get pictures of my food!

I was a little obsessed with this cold oatmeal stuff...and LOVED the mickey blueberries! I had more than one!


Carbs!!




Fruit!



Aaron with his breakfast.



Next we had visits from Eyeore, Pluto and Dale!







The whole time this was happening Max (and Dale at some points) were hanging out at a table behind us with 2 young girls (I thought maybe they were off duty CMs). Max was being VERY animated. In the end there was spilt pop and dale on the floor. It was quite amusing. So by the time Max came over to us he was being crazy.



Max was trying to cover their faces here.





Tigger and Minnie stopped over too!





Rafiki was next followed by a return visit from pooh bear who snuck up on Olivia!





Eyeore was still feeling down and stopped back over for more hugs.



After a lot of interaction and silliness we also met Captain Hook and Gideon.





By this time the restaurant was definitely closed so we made our way out following behind pooh bear who grabbed a few honey packets on his way out....so cute!!

Thanks Plaza Inn for a fun breakfast!

 

[rnorwo1]

Looks like you had great character interactions! We usually don't do character meals either, my older two never really cared for getting that close to them, but my youngest loves them. He will be turning 5 during our trip so I am probably going to do one on his birthday. I wish there were guaranteed characters at DL though, I've been driving myself crazy trying to decide which one to go to. He would love to see Hook!

 

[PHXscuba]

Very cute character pictures!! I've never done this character meal but have always wanted to. The price for our family of 6 is so that we do them really infrequently.

I like your coordinating Mickey shirts too!

PHXscuba

 

[stacy~**]

Looks like you had great character interactions! We usually don't do character meals either, my older two never really cared for getting that close to them, but my youngest loves them. He will be turning 5 during our trip so I am probably going to do one on his birthday. I wish there were guaranteed characters at DL though, I've been driving myself crazy trying to decide which one to go to. He would love to see Hook!

It was really a lot of fun although not a relaxing meal by any means! A birthday is definitely a good reason to splurge on character meal.

Very cute character pictures!! I've never done this character meal but have always wanted to. The price for our family of 6 is so that we do them really infrequently.

I like your coordinating Mickey shirts too!

PHXscuba

Yes the price is hard to swallow...especially for 6! We had so much fun at this that I actually have an ADR for our WDW trip to Crystal Palace. It is KILLING me that Lucy is 10 now so considered an adult too. It would take her days to eat $25+ of food.

Thanks for the compliments on the shirts....pretty sure this ended up being the only day that really worked out as I had planned.

 

[stacy~**]

Oops! Double post

 

[stacy~**]

Wednesday July 17-Day 6-Part 3 Happy Birthday Disneyland!!!
It was just after 11:30 when we finished up at the Plaza Inn. We didn’t have a lot of time because we wanted to be back in plenty of time to get a good spot for the Disneyland birthday celebration that was taking place at 2:30. A side note-my original trip plan didn’t have us starting our DL vacation until Thursday but once I found out that we would miss being at Disneyland on its birthday by one day we had to change things.

We just kind of randomly toured the park and ended up riding Haunted Mansion.






So this isn't our best family shot but I could have died with happiness that we were able to get this magic shot!!



We then took a spin on Pooh Bear and visited the Tiki Room. We also were able to grab Indiana Jones fast passes.





By this time it was just after one so we went to stake out our parade spot. It was a LONG hour wait. Really the only time on this trip that we got HOT.

Making the Disboards famous frump face.



Using the park map as a sun shade...everyone does this, right?




Lucy was melting down (in every scence of the word). Finally, at 2:30 we got to witness a cute mini-parade/celebration of Disneyland. It was very similar to the one I had seen on YouTube for the previous year. The best part was when they played Walt’s dedication speech. Major goose bumps!!

I am comically showing you my cursed parade picture taking skills/luck. Every time....and I really mean every time I go to take a picture the character turns the other way. I have the WORST pictures from the parade.








I finally got lucky with Minnie at the end!



After being on the pavement in direct sunlight for almost 2 hours there is really only one logical thing to do. Yup, Dole Whips! BUT we weren’t the only ones to be thinking this and the line was pretty long but we decide to wait it out. Then unfortunately a young girl (18ish) faints right in front of the ordering counter. It was quite scary although we were fortunate to have a nurse in line that took the lead in caring for her (nurses seem to be everywhere….thank goodness) until the Disneyland emergency staff got there. Thankfully they seemed to be prepared to take care of her, etc. but it did cause us a pretty long delay.



Once we all had our Dole Whips we decided to go for another visit in the Tiki room just to have a break from the sun and a spot to sit.
Next we used our Indiana Jones FP’s. I have to say I LOVE this ride and was very excited to go on it as a family (when we were here in 2007 Aaron and Lucy sat it out). YAY!!


By now it is about 4:30 and we decide to go over to California Adventure to see the Aladdin show. LOVE this!!!

Is she purposely photobombing us??



After the show we could now use our Radiator Springs Racers FPs from this morning…except all of a sudden Lucy was too scared to go on. I am not going to lie…I was pretty upset. She had rode it fine this morning. UGH. So at this point we decide for Aaron and Olivia to ride while I wait with Lucy. We weren’t sure if we would have time to send another set of 2 on since our window was already almost up. As I am waiting for them I realize they indeed won't be back in time so I decide to spread some pixie dust and offer up my 2 FPs to an adorable couple getting in the standby line. I was totally bummed to not be getting another ride but happy to provide magic to someone else.

I LOVE this ride picture. The guy next to Aaron is about 5 times as big as him....and then Olivia reading. LOL.

Once Aaron and Olivia return we decide to call it a night. This PAINED me since it wasn’t even 7:00 yet but I knew we had a big day and were going to be up again early for EMH so it was the smart thing to do.

Stopped for a meet with a very dapper Mickey on the way out of California Adventure.

 

[Carable]

I'm following along, as I'm trying to plan a very similar trip in April with my kiddos. It is great!

 

[stacy~**]

I'm following along, as I'm trying to plan a very similar trip in April with my kiddos. It is great!

Thanks for saying hi! Disneyland in April sounds perfect (ok...Disneyland anytime would be perfect). Hope my report is helping you plan!

 

[stacy~**]

Thursday July 18-Day 7-Part 1 Fantasy filled EMH
We “sleep in” until 5:15am this morning and go through the usual routine. We are on our way at about 6:50 but as we are walking down the hallway Lucy backs into me with my lid-less cup of coffee….so back we go to the room to change. Lucy was fine but me, not so much. I was pretty bummed since Lucy and I had coordinating shirts that day (that I had to go to several stores to locate sizes, etc.). Oh well! I did my best to just let it go since we were heading to Disneyland so how can you be mad. I changed quickly and we were on our way.


We ending up walking down Main Street by 7:15am…and we head straight back to Fantasyland.




I don’t have it noted and am not 100% certain but I think Peter Pan was down but it might possibly have already had a longer wait so we decided to skip it for today. Instead we hit: Mr. Toad, Dumbo and the Tea Cups.





Seriously LOVE the outdoor teacups. I think this was supposed to be a "view" picture although you can get a peak of Olivia checking her phone.



Olivia and I decide to make our way to the Matterhorn while Aaron and Lucy wait out the line for Storybook Canals. Olivia and I get a bit of pixie dust when the cast member opens the other side as we enter so while the wait was short this made it non-existent.



Once we are reunited with Aaron and Lucy I convince them that they can handle the Matterhorn so we all go as a family.



She was scared but ended up loving it!!



As soon as we disembark I realize I left my sunglasses in the seat pouch. We had to wait around for that train to return but had great cast members looking for them. Once we found them we head to It’s a Small World. Guess it was 9:00?


Love this outdoor queue!!
We then explore ToonTown (the only time we made it back here which is kind of sad). First was Roger Rabbit then Gadget's Go Coaster.






Lucy and I went for a second spin on the Gadget's Go Coaster while Aaron and Olivia opted for a break. I found this "Sparkle" advertisement amusing.



I remember ToonTown being very alive with characters in 2007 but no one was out this day. My thought was that it might have been too early but sad anyways.

Next up…Tomorrowland. We grab Space Mountain FPs. NOW this is where Aaron and Lucy NOT liking the more “extreme” coasters comes in handy! 4 FP’s mean 2 rides for Olivia and me! The return time wasn’t very far so we ride Buzz Lightyear and then kill a lot of time shopping in Star Traders. The girls were thrilled to find Fix It Felix!!!






Our shopping included both girls getting pillow pets, I got a puzzle and Lucy got those adorable miniature ear hats! (Donald and Pluto)



We saw a Stormtropper. Ack! I am not a Star Wars fan and don’t even know if they are good or bad but they scare me! LOL.


Once our return time is here we find out Space Mountain is down so we decide to go back to Fantasyland and check out Snow White.



Then I think an app informed me SM was back up so Olivia and I went to use our FPs-where we got first car and last car. Woo hoo!


Slightly more prepared with a pose...kind of? Although lets be honest...the pair in front of us stole the show!!



Aaron and Lucy took a ride on Casey Jr. and Alice in Wonderland while we were away.
On our way back to FL, Olivia and I ran into the Evil Queen and we had to say hello!!

After a little friendly conversation we posed for pictures.






By now it was 12pm and we were all ready for lunch.

 

[petals]

joining in. Luvin your trip report so far.

 

[BebopAngel88]

Joining!!

I love all the pictures!!