BE's Never Ending TR -- That kind of ... Ended? Or did it?

[blabbermouth]

Good luck with your run tomorrow!!!

 

[BACON]

Hey Jess (and everyone else), if you see this message, I'll be wearing bright green shorts with a burgundy shirt. I'll keep an eye out for you though I don't expect catching you out of the 4600 runners tomorrow morning. Good luck!

 

[Belle Ella]

It may not be an exciting start for the first day, but this whole adventure began with a day that wouldn't be spent at Disneyland at all! Oh, the horror, right? I think this would be the very first time I would start a trip off without setting foot on Disney property on my very first day - even last September's trip had me spending the afternoon in Downtown Disney instead of getting some Park time in. Alas, this is what happens when you (and by "you" I mean "me") invite your Dear Mother along and decide to leave in the afternoon after work and all of that other important stuff is taken care of. I almost regret making the decision to drive down in the afternoon and arrive late at night rather than leaving in the wee hours of the morning, long before the sun has thoughts of rising. But almost regretting the decision isn't the same as actually regretting the decision so I have come to the conclusion that it was a good idea.

But

it

was

TORTURE!!​

I was an antsy-nervous-ball-of-energy at work and it just got worse from there when I clocked out at 2:30 that afternoon. It was my task to drive home, pack up and gas the car, while waiting (and waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and ... you get the idea) for my mother to get home from her Union meeting so we could hit the road. She made the mistake of telling me that if things went smoothly she could get out of there as early as 3 and so I spent a good couple of hours thinking maybe, just maybe, she was on her way home already. But of course she ended up getting home at the other end of the time-table she had given me: after 5! Needless to say I was ready to leave at that point. And so was our travel companion for the weekend:

say hello to thumper, everyone!​

Since I had already loaded the car with her luggage as well as mine we were able to head out the door within minutes of her coming home. It just took a quick stop by the ATM to grab some cash and we were officially headed toward our destination, with me at the wheel, at 5:45 on the dot!

excuse the semi-wet hair, but i spy my block of teal!​

The drive was interesting. It was the first time I've driven down I-5 with a passenger in a long while but it felt like I was alone for the most part. My mother was either reading, sleeping, or watching a movie on my iPod throughout the whole drive (which also means I was at the wheel for it's entirety). We hit a little bit of traffic while leaving town but it wasn't too bad to be honest, and of course we were flying once we hit I-5. We were a few hours into the drive when one of the few conversations passed between my mother and I and the topic of the night seemed to be food! I probably would have kept going until we hit Lost Hills (my usual go-to stopping point) but that was still more than an hour away and my mother needed food, and so food it was! It wasn't a long stop and we decided to take the food to go. We already had an ETA near midnight and I didn't want to take any longer than we had to. I was already worried about what we were going to hit as far as congestion near Buttonwillow where construction on I-5 would be reduced to one single lane. Thankfully it didn't really make a difference by the time we got there. It was so late that there was no congestion and we never dipped below 50 MPH between the two locations on Southbound I-5. It's a good thing too! I was getting exhausted and with my mother completely passed out next to me I could hardly switch places with her. But I did manage to stay awake for the rest of the drive and we actually arrived at the HOJO just minutes before midnight! The drive took just about 6 hours and 15 minutes which was not bad at all, considering.

This was the first time I have ever arrived so late to check in to a hotel before. I wont lie, I was really nervous about it, but there wasn't a hitch at all! All I had to do was hit the little button to get into the parking lot and then I went to check in while my mother continued sleeping in the car. I even recognized the guy at the Front Desk from previous trips which is a big reason why I love the HOJO - I have had great experiences with their staff in the past, and this was no exception. It didn't take more than a few minutes to get everything situated, and most of that was spent chatting about the Half Marathon Weekend and birthdays (it turns out both of ours would be the following weekend). Our room (a standard with 2 queens) was in building #1, which was a first for me, and on the 3rd floor facing the freeway and their small parking lot on that side of the property. I woke my mother up and she managed to get a few things from the car and head up to the room. I let her get ready for bed right away while I went back to the car for the rest of our belongings.

​

I didn't worry about unpacking or anything unnecessary at that point because I was completely wiped out from the drive. I was wiped out and ready for bed, my mother was already asleep, and my small fuzzy companion said it was bed time as well!

thumper is ready for bed!​

 

[kaoden39]

You two made good time going down for sure. It's nice to stay someplace that you know.

 

[tdashgirl]

I've always had good service at the HOJO, no one has ever been rude or surly, which I've encountered at other hotels on Harbor. I'm one of those people that feel at "home" at the HOJO

 

[Sherry E]

I love the Thumper pictures! Thumper has always been my favorite character from Bambi.

I was wondering when you were going to start doing your TR. I almost posted here a couple of days ago to ask about it. I couldn't remember when you were due to get home or exactly how long the trip would be, and I kept thinking to myself, "She's not still at Disneyland, is she?"

All I remembered were the key phrases: "birthday trip," "Halloween displays are now in the stores," and, of course, "5K"!!

 

[Belle Ella]

Michele, We did! I really thought it was going to take us closer to 7 hours than 6. It would have taken no time at all if we had left at 2am on Friday morning like I originally intended!!

Tania, I'm right there with you when it comes to feeling at "home" at the HOJO. I'm looking at places to stay for the Tinker Bell Half and it's saddening me to think about staying on Katella since it will be closer to the finish for the Half. It's weird to be thinking about staying someplace else! The people that work there are just plain old friendly.

 

[kaoden39]

Boy Jessica. No kidding. Do you stop at all? We generally stop in Buttonwillow for gas.

 

[Belle Ella]

Sherry, you have good taste! Thumper is easily my second favorite Disney character. I have a collection of plush Thumper's in my room (they get their own shelf) and thanks to Andrea I have a cute little Jim Shore pot hanger. He's just too adorable. And my family says I was a lot like him when I was younger ...

I actually got back last Monday! I would have gotten started sooner but I was helping my cousin get ready for her Cosmetology and Barbering State Board Exam which I was her model for. I've barely been home all week which meant barely any computer time. But I desperately need to get this finished before my Halloween trip with Paula in a few short weeks. That clock is a-ticking!

 

[Belle Ella]

Boy Jessica. No kidding. Do you stop at all? We generally stop in Buttonwillow for gas.

We stopped twice. Once for food (can't remember where) and a second time for gas in Lost Hills. I contribute the good time to driving my mom's CRV. That thing flew through the Grapevine like it was nothing whereas my car feels the altitude a little more.

 

[EliS15]

Belle Ella,

I am so glad you have started up this TR!

Your TRs are what have gotten me addicted to the DIS boards.

This is my first post, so I wanted to say thank you and I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

 

[Belle Ella]

There is something about being at Disneyland that makes it possible for me to function on very little sleep when I would normally just fall apart! Despite checking in to the HOJO at midnight and probably not getting to sleep until after 1, I woke up all on my own before 6! Yeah, I wasn't excited or anything. And since I was awake it only made sense to start getting ready for the day and even doing some unpacking that I had decided against in favor of sleep the night before. But even showering, blow-drying, and straightening my hair didn't take up enough time to warrant leaving for Disneyland just yet. I managed a little bit of internet-futzing including a warning to all of my friends and family on Facebook who might have somehow been clueless on what was about to happen.

In all honesty I blame it on a fellow DIS'er and friend, Paula (smile4stamps). She was the first person I saw using Gowalla to check-in at Disneyland on Facebook and I really wanted to give it a try. And those of you who are friends with me through Facebook, I was checking in a lot! I just figured that the non-Disneyland-enthusiasts amongst my friends would appreciate a warning. I wont even lie either, I figured it might be the only way I could remember what I did and when on this trip because my photos would be down to a minimum!

Shocking, right?

After taking some time to hunt down some breakfast for my mother and I and lounging around I decided I couldn't take it any more. I had to start walking toward The Happiest Place on Earth. I was just plain old antsy to be there already. And so I said goodbye to my mother for the morning (she had only purchased a 2-day Park Hopper and would be joining me on Saturday & Sunday) and started my walk down Harbor. It was way too chilly in the morning for my taste, especially considering I was in shorts and sandals! But somehow I pushed through and I made it to the Esplanade a little after 8:30, getting my first glimpse of the new DCA gates with my very own eyes. Pictures do not do the Pan-Pacific Auditorium inspired entrance justice (maybe that's why I didn't take any) and I am definitely in the "It's a Huge Improvement" camp. Now that I've seen them (even without a completed Buena Vista Street in the background) I personally don't even miss the California letters any more. The whole thing can't be done soon enough in my opinion!

But DCA would have to wait for me a little while longer - my sights were set on Disneyland! Oh, how I had missed it.

Because of the Star Tours 5K that would be taking place the following morning (Saturday) MM had been moved to 8 am Friday morning instead which meant that while I grabbed my spot in line I got to watch people enter the Park before me. I'm sure I gave an inaudible and wistful sigh over this. As much as I love my AP I do miss the wonderful perk of MM with my Park Hoppers. But it was alright. I was barely in line a few minutes before they started to let us in to crowd Main Street before rope drop. But I didn't head straight down towards the end of Main Street once I was officially back in Disneyland (it felt like coming home) and instead of kept to my left so I could grab a birthday button from City Hall. For those who didn't already know this was a combination early birthday/5K trip and I planned to celebrate accordingly, and birthday buttons are the way to go at Disneyland!

of course it says jazz and not jessica, my disneyland tradition​

Despite my little detour I still managed to make it fairly close to the rope at the end of Main Street, which just goes to show you I'm either (a) an extremely fast walker or (b) how uncrowded it was that morning. While waiting for the voice of Disney God to welcome us to into the park I was starting to formulate a small plan for the day which was mostly just "What should I do first?" and of course the answer came from one of DIS friends: Space Mountain!

Once 9 rolled around I was off on my way to Tomorrowland for the first time since the new and improved Star Tours (which I had never been on to begin with) had opened. Over the past couple of months I had been reading about all the craziness of getting on to the ride, and even getting FP's for the ride and it was a strangely bizarre experience passing by not only the line to get onto the ride, but the line across the way for the FP's. Could one single ride really be worth that? I still wasn't 100% sure if I was going to try and find out for myself on this trip, but thanks to my awesome DIS-friend, Paula (smile4stamps), I had a hidden ace up my sleeve with 3 extra resort guest FP's so I wouldn't have to worry about waiting stand-by or waiting simply to get a FP. To do it or not to do it? Well, either way, I certainly wouldn't be wasting one of them first thing in the morning while I had some valuable time to get other rides in.

By 9:04 I was in the stand-by queue for Space Mountain with a FP to use for later! Step one for the day was a success. And it's funny to think that this time last year I would not have even thought to go on this ride without thinking I was insane or something. And now it's not only one of my favorites, but my first must-do of the day. Go figure.

​

After Space Mountain I started to make my way across the Park towards Frontierland and New Orleans Square where 2 of my other favorite rides can be found. For the time being nothing else in Tomorrowland really held my attention. I had already decided to pass on Star Tours for the time being, the Astro Blasters are fun when you're with a friend, but not so much when you're solo, Innoventions is a guilty pleasure of mine, but again it's better when you're with somebody else and can take silly photos of each other in the dream house, Autopia didn't interest me for the time being and neither did the Nemo Subs which are best when you do the Observational Outpost on a hot day (air conditioning and no claustrophobia). It wasn't until I was walking past the Nemo Subs lagoon towards Fantasyland that the next ride on my to-do list came to mind: The Matterhorn. I've only been on it a handful of times (again, the first time I went on it was within the last year) and while I'm not terrified of it like I used to be it is a little too rough for me to go on it frequently. The line was short enough that I decided "Why not give it at least one go while I'm here?" and so I hopped into the queue. It was fun, but there was no doubt in my mind that it would be the one and only time I would be on this ride for the duration of my weekend. It just leaves me too sore afterward. At least I didn't have huge bruises on the back of my knees like my first time.

I didn't hang around much after I disembarked; I still had to get over to Frontierland after all and I wasn't wasting any time. I was just too full of energy and in a state of finally-back-at-Disneyland-hyperactivity to take my time or stop to smell the roses. Heck, I flew through Fantasyland and hit Big Thunder Trail skipping because skipping is my favorite mode of motion when I'm at Disneyland. Well, maybe it's now my second favorite mode of motion when I'm at Disneyland now that I have the Donald waddle down pat - but that's another story for another day!

Now, when in Frontierland one must do as Frontierlanders do! Big Thunder! Big Thunder! Would it be too repetitive of me to say that that this is yet another ride I only went on for the first time less than a year ago? What can I say, it's going to be a pattern. The time was only 9:34 when I reached BTMRR (thank you Gowalla) and it was a complete walk-on so what do you think I did? Why, I walked on of course! I was tempted to ask for Row 15, because it's so much better when you're in the last row, but there were already people in the back and why on earth would I want to keep waiting when they only had a few trains running so early in the morning? Besides, you can do the Goat Trick on any row, even if you can't feel it as much when you're closer to the front of the train. It was just as fun as I remembered, even by myself, and I made sure to grab a FP for later before skipping off once again.

So where would my skipping take me too next? Right down next to the Rivers of America on my way into New Orleans Square and Pirates of the Caribbean because it's definitely a pirate life for me. Disneyland hadn't even been open for an hour yet and I was already getting ready for my 4th ride of the day. Not bad considering how far apart they were. Skipping can take you very far my friends, very far. Maybe it's time I started skipping through life. As for POTC though, I don't know about everyone else but whenever I walk into that building I cant help but take a deep breath. There's something about the smell of that ride that really, really makes me feel like I'm finally back at Disneyland. That's what it's all about!

 

[Belle Ella]

Belle Ella,

I am so glad you have started up this TR!

Your TRs are what have gotten me addicted to the DIS boards.

This is my first post, so I wanted to say thank you and I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

So glad you've enjoyed my TR's! This part of the boards is exactly what got me first hooked and addicted to the DIS boards as well. I love them, and I love writing them as well.

Maybe you'll get to write your own someday.

Hopefully I can keep delivering with these. I've got quite a few more TR's already lined up in the near future. Many fun things coming up at Disneyland.

 

[kaoden39]

Jessica, you crack me up. It wasn't that long ago that you wouldn't go near a roller coaster. Now you are Jessica the Brave!! Bravo!!

 

[blabbermouth]

It was way too chilly in the morning for my taste, especially considering I was in shorts and sandals! But somehow I pushed through and I made it to the Esplanade a little after 8:30, getting my first glimpse of the new DCA gates with my very own eyes.

This is the day we left, it was the first cloudy/overcast morning we saw, and it was a bit chilly, too bad. Nice for the run though!

Because of the Star Tours 5K that would be taking place the following morning (Saturday) MM had been moved to 8 am Friday morning instead which meant that while I grabbed my spot in line I got to watch people enter the Park before me.

We started to see lots of people running around the outskirts of the park by our last few days, must have all been training!

of course it says jazz and not jessica, my disneyland tradition​

Nice button!

Disneyland hadn't even been open for an hour yet and I was already getting ready for my 4th ride of the day. Not bad considering how far apart they were. Skipping can take you very far my friends, very far. Maybe it's time I started skipping through life. As for POTC though, I don't know about everyone else but whenever I walk into that building I cant help but take a deep breath. There's something about the smell of that ride that really, really makes me feel like I'm finally back at Disneyland. That's what it's all about!

Better than us, we only got to three in the first hour! I agree about the smell at Pirates, smells like Disneyland for sure.

Glad you've started your report and that your first hour is going well!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

​

Aww. Thumper looks cute!! I have a trip report for when you are ready to read it:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=42611414

 

[DisneyStitch626]

Great start on your TR! Love that you brought Thumper with you. He's so cute!

It's so awesome that Space Mountain is one of your favourites now! I remember the days where you didn't even want to look in that direction because it haunted you that badly, lol. And it's awesome going on first thing in the morning when there's hardly any wait.

Skipping through Disneyland sounds like lots of fun. I should try it sometime.

I love the smell of POTC. It's a bit musty with a little bit of chlorine in there I think. But I can almost smell it now, thinking about it.

 

[JH87]

Boy Jessica. No kidding. Do you stop at all? We generally stop in Buttonwillow for gas.

When I went for the Star Tours preview day, the lady in line behind me was saying how Buttonwillow has the cheapest gas!

There is something about being at Disneyland that makes it possible for me to function on very little sleep when I would normally just fall apart!

You can say that again! I've gone from 5:30a-midnight at DLR with no breaks and was fine! Anywhere else and I would not be able to function properly.

While waiting for the voice of Disney God to welcome us to into the park...

I love hearing that voice! I always get a little teary eyed and I don't know why, I guess it's just another reminder that I am in DLR.

Loving the TR so far Jessica!

 

[Belle Ella]

Jessica, you crack me up. It wasn't that long ago that you wouldn't go near a roller coaster. Now you are Jessica the Brave!! Bravo!!

Isn't that crazy, Michele? I can hardly believe it. So does this mean I get to be Jessica the Brave Rescue Ranger now?

It's so awesome that Space Mountain is one of your favourites now! I remember the days where you didn't even want to look in that direction because it haunted you that badly, lol. And it's awesome going on first thing in the morning when there's hardly any wait.

I completely remember you always trying to talk me into giving Space Mountain a try, Andrea. Especially after I mastered my fear of BTMRR. So I fully blame you, you know. And now in just a few weeks I get to try Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy for the very first time.

I love hearing that voice! I always get a little teary eyed and I don't know why, I guess it's just another reminder that I am in DLR.

Jillian, I can't remember, but did you watch the Voices of the Park panel from the D23 Expo? That was one of my favorites to go back and watch on YouTube because we finally got a face to put to the voice of our beloved Disney God. I just love when his voice/announcements just come form nowhere. That's another easy way to start giving me goose-bumps!

 

[kaoden39]

Yes, I think you have now earned the title of Jessica the Brave Rescue Ranger!!