I just got back from WDW a few days ago during the [post=46633896]Boo to You...and Food & Wine Too! - October 26 to November 2, 2012[/post]. Right now I have a lot to cover since I will be at DL in less than two weeks which I am getting excited. This past trip was during the Halloween season at WDW including the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT. There is a lot to cover from this trip which the highlights of the trip were from Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party and the F&WF at EPCOT. The one that was the best was the Party for the Senses event at EPCOT. It is an event at EPCOT where it is held every Saturday during the festival which lets you try a lot of different food and beverages from each of these different restaurants chefs from WDW and around the world. I also got to meet my favorite chef on the Food Network Robert Irvine. There were a lot of things that I want to tell on this post, but this is just part of an example of what is to come from this past trip to WDW. My last DL trip was in August during [post=45841399]I'm Racing Back to Cars Land with Bro and his Girl in Tow![/post] where I went with my DB and his GF to enjoy a nice relaxation trip and get to see CL and BVS.
Now I am planning my pre-trip for November 18-20, 2011 during the Holiday season at the DLR.
Cast: Me Bret 30 and my DA 60
This will be my fifth trip to DL this year (Mar 2-4, Mar 23-25, June 9-12, & Aug 13-15). My DA 3rd trip to DL this year (Mar 2-4 & June 9-12).
My trip is not until the third week of November which is getting close. Right now we are now getting our plans ready for our 2nd Annual Holiday trip to DL in November. This is the 3rd year in a row that I am going to the DLR during the Holiday season in November. In the past my DA and I go to the DLR during the month of December during the Holiday season. Mostly it is for my birthday, but with basketball season starting up in mid to late November, I have missed a lot of games in December the last two years mostly from my WDW trips. So once again, we are going to DL during the Holiday season on the first weekend of the Holiday season (technically it is since the Holiday season starts on the 12th and not on the weekend of the 9th to 11th). The last two years during the Holiday season in November has been great with less crowds and get to see it early is even better than going in December. But I do have missed seeing the Holiday decorations in December like my DA and I have been doing for years. But with everything going on in the world for me and my DA, this was the best time to go during the Holiday season. Our main objective for my DA and myself during that week is to enjoy the Holiday season at the DLR like we always do. Also I plan on videotaping "Believe...In Holiday Magic" fireworks and "A Christmas Fantasy" parade. I was lucky last year that it didnt rain when I was videotaping both shows. I was considering doing the Holiday Tour at DL, but my DA said that she doesnt want to do it since we have done it back in 2009. I had no problem with that, but she said that we will do it one day in the future. Like every year during the Holiday season, I will be participating
Sherry E Holiday Quest that she started a couple of years ago which was the Tree, Wreath, etc. These quests going around the DLR to look for these specific things are always fun to do and I am looking forward to this year with the new DCA and the new lands at BVS and CL.
I will be driving down from Sacramento to Anaheim with my DA. It is nice to fly after flying on my last trip, but I do bring a lot of bags and camera equipment so it does make sense to drive down in just 7 hours. It just not worth paying the extra money for extra bags and getting a rental car. We will be driving down to SoCal in my DA Honda Civic. We always use my DA Honda Civic since she is so comfortable driving in it. We were able to make it to Anaheim with one stop of gas. We will stop at Livingston (close to Merced) that is always on my way to Anaheim to see my grandmother. Than after we stop at my grandmothers house, than I will head on over to Anaheim. The plan time for us to leave to my grandmothers house on Thursday Nov 15th at night. Then we will leave first thing in the morning on Friday and head to Anaheim. I few leave around 7am, we should be there around noon. I want to have extra time so we can see the new Holiday decorations at Cars Land and Buena Vista Street.
We will be staying at Best Westerns Stovall's Anaheim Inn. I have stayed at BWAI a lot these last few years since the hotel is close to the DLR and it is cheaper than staying at Best Western Park Place Inn where it is our favorite hotel to stay at. The reason I selected this hotel instead of getting BWPPI was that it was cheaper and it is only a few hotels down from the crosswalk. My DA didnt like BW Stovalls since they AC was so loud and I remember that BWAI had something similar to it. So I hope that she will like this room.
We will be in the park for all three days of the trip and our plan is to come back to Sacramento around noon. We also are planning to upgrade my DA back to the Deluxe Annual Pass like she got last year. The reason that she didnt renewed her AP this year is that she didnt go to DL in August with my DB and his GF. Plus she got free one day PH tickets from the Coca Cola game during the CL preview contest. So we will be using one of the tickets and upgrade it to the AP when we get to DL on Friday the 16th. Even though the DAP is $469 we can save some money on the one day PH ticket to the AP which is about $100 off.
Our goal for this trip is to enjoy the Holiday season at the DLR. The main thing is to see the new Holiday decorations at Buena Vista Street and Cars Land. This is something that we have been looking forward to the most ever since BVS and CL have opened this summer. I knew that BVS and CL would get Holiday decorations, but we didnt know how much until the DLR announced the decorations at the two newest lands. I will be planning on taking a lot of pictures of the Holiday decorations at BVS and CL since this is the first time seeing those decorations. I also plan on watching and videotaping Believe
In Holiday Magic fireworks and A Christmas Fantasy parade. This also might be the last year to watch those two shows at DL since DL might make these two shows as part of a party event like MHP at DL or the parties at WDW
MNSSHP or
MVMCP. I wont like if DL makes these two shows as part of a exclusive event after these shows are part of DL during the Holiday season. But well have to wait and see what it is like next year. It will be bad that I cant get the DLR hotels since they dont add there Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving. We are also eating at the Carthay Circle Restaurant during this trip since we didnt get to eat at that restaurant in June during the preview. So we will be looking forward to eating at the CCR. Plan to see WoC and might see it in the dining area of PP since we are eating at the CCR.
Right now, we are not going to set a plan up until we decided of what we want to do at DL. But here are some plans that we will be doing on this trip.
Friday
When we get to the DLR, I will start the Tree, Wreath, etc. Quest that
Sherry E have started and look for any Christmas decorations, treats and merchandise. We will be heading towards DCA to see the new decorations at BVS and CL. Im still debating on seeing A Christmas Fantasy parade that day since I want to see it on Saturday. That will be decided on the day we arrived. I also planned on seeing Believe
In Holiday Magic fireworks at 8:45pm. But I am also thinking of not seeing the fireworks that night since we want to watch the Sacramento Kings play the Atlanta Hawks in Sacramento. If we do, we will be watching the game from the ESPN Zone where we like to watch sports games. This will also be another TBD.
Saturday
Go to DL early that morning and go on HMH, IASWH, & SLCB before the crowds pick up later that day. All three of the rides will have Christmas decorations on the ride. I know that it will be a walk on if you do it first thing in the morning since most of the people will be doing the big rides.
We also plan on going back to DCA that day to see more of the Holiday decorations and go on our usual rides. That day we will also be eating at the Carthay Circle Theater and we might get tickets for WoC that night if we dont go to DCA first thing in the morning to get FPs for WoC and Radiator Springs Racers. These are all talk right now and they will change when we get closer to the dates.
Sunday
Just like Saturday, I will do the same thing over again and go on the Christmas decorated rides and take pictures of the Holiday decorations. Go on some of my favorite rides if we have the time. This day will be mostly be a photography day of the Christmas decorations.
I will write more about my TR and
ask for any advice of what I should do with my time at the DLR during the Holiday season.
Thank you