PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
Day 5, part 2 -- If you take your Mom to Disneyland ... (March 13, 2013)
I left us in the lurch at lunch. The combination of the food and sitting in air conditioning did me a world of good. I made the executive decision that we would just hang around in Flo's our last half hour or so until or FPs were good.
We got in the line (standby was posted at about 90 minutes, I believe). I got a few pictures in line but they were more of the family with scenery in the background.
The photo above requires some explanation. I took a shot of the inside of my park bag before I put the camera away. I carry a Baggalini cross-body messenger bag that has 101 pockets and a water bottle pocket. It's been around the world (real and Disney) with me. I keep lip balm in the outermost pocket, and sunglasses and camera in the next pocket for quick grabbing. Those are my find-without-looking pockets.
The biggest pocket is what's in the picture above. It holds my travel wallet (slimmed down from my usual giant one), snacks, Kleenex, extra Ziplocs, etc. This time it also had glow sticks because we were staying for World of Color.
This time through RSR we finally got to go through Luigi's Tire Shop (after going through Ramone's both times the previous day). This ride has so many details I could easily ride it again.
While waiting to get our ride photo added to our Photopass+ account, the family behind us said they had waited TWO HOURS to ride -- I guess it had broken down for a while and they stayed in line. I can't think of any theme park ride I would wait two hours for, no matter how awesome. Amazingly the family wasn't unhappy.
We waited about 25 minutes to take Mom on Luigi's Flying Tires next. I rode with DH and we got the hang of the ride and had fun bumping the others.
DH and my Mom went to Tower of Terror with the older kids and I asked DS8 what he wanted to do in BugsLand (please no spinning please no spinning). Of course, he opted for the Flik Fliers. I sucked it up and went on with him. I don't do too bad with one ride like that. All of the lines in BugsLand were long that afternoon and I had no idea how long the others would wait with a ToT FP, so we didn't try another ride. Instead, we went in through the ToT gift shop and sat on the cool, dark floor across from the picture screens. We managed to keep our spot there for a little while until asked to move, then found a bench near the exit.
DD10 is at least smiling in this photo while clutching Grandma's arm for dear life.
We found the trolley waiting outside ToT and I wanted to ride it. DH said it would be faster to walk (probably right) but I stood my ground. It's a ride! We waited a few minutes because they have to time it right for the two trolleys to pass each other in the right double-track spot. While waiting, the conductors amused us all with Disney trivia: Name all of the single-word Disney movie titles. I think there were 10. He said we came up with all of them faster than any other group! The trolley CMs were really friendly. I want their job.
Everyone but my Mom and I got off outside the Carthay Circle and walked back to the Animation building. My mother and I stayed on until the front of DCA because we had something else to do.
If you take your Mom to Disneyland, she might just get a SoCal AP!! My brother and his family will be here in June with their SoCal APs (they live in Beijing but their US address is still my parents' house). Mom wants to go to Disneyland with my 21-month-old nephew. Who am I to stop her? It also means she and I can go sometime if I come to town. That would definitely be a sweet-heavy trip if you let the two of us loose.
While at the ticket booths upgrading her 1-day ticket, I got them to check on my elusive AP picture. They could actually see it there in the system, but no explanation as to why it wasn't showing up at the gates. And sure enough, when we re-entered DCA, it didn't show up.
We walked back to the Animation building, resisting the urge to shop along the way. Turns out we would have had time -- the family had gone into see Turtle Talk with Crush. I guess my DH, who doesn't like being the center of attention, got called on. Crush dubbed him "Tubular T---" The kids loved that.
I convinced the family to go into the Sorcerer's Workshop and play the games there. They took the Beast's Library quiz to see which character they were most like. DD16 was Mufasa, DD13 was Tiana, DD10 was Alice -- all spot-on. DS8 decided to be different and answered he would rather "eat nice people for lunch" instead of "eat lunch with nice people." So he is most like the villain Syndrome from the Incredibles. At least the red hair fits! Then we did the Ursula's Grotto voiceovers. The boys teamed up to do Iago and Jafar, and DS16 does a surprisingly good Jafar. Who knew?
This picture is perfectly appropriate because today is our 21st anniversary! I may have to put this one on Facebook.
We saw the preview for the new Oz movie. We've been trying to see the movie as a family since it opened, but have never had time to get more than a couple of us together at once. The preview was good but I wish they would use the theater for the Muppets or get a whole new plan for that area.
Although we'd seen Aladdin on Monday, I thought my mother would like it enough for us all to see it again. Plus it's 45 minutes sitting down in air conditioning!
We saw it from the far left side near the front. I like to see shows from different angles and this one put us right next to the parade. This performance had one of the ensemble in a power wheelchair -- something I've never seen before in a Disney show. Not very period-appropriate but interesting to see how they incorporated it. This show also had another Genie and he was even better than the first one, with about 1/3 different jokes. When he brought out the lamp and called it "my precious" in a Gollum voice I thought DS16 was going to fall out of his seat from laughing so hard!
We got out of the theater and mass of people and decided it was a good time to break for dinner. DD10 is still a Daddy's girl.
I like Whitewater Snacks and thought it would make a good short break with food everyone would eat. I think DH and DS16 had large burgers and DS8 the chicken nuggets. DD13 and I had grilled cheese. DD10 (the family rabbit) had a big salad and traded some bites with her sister. I don't recall what my Mom had. Whitewater Snacks has been nearly empty both times I've been there at dinnertime. It makes for a relaxing break, quieter and closer than DTD if you're in DCA.
Plus, they have enormous ketchup cups! We texted this picture to my sister and my ketchup-loving nephews.
Despite the parks being busy, I felt like we got a lot done in the afternoon. I will pick up with our evening when I come back!
PHXscuba
I left us in the lurch at lunch. The combination of the food and sitting in air conditioning did me a world of good. I made the executive decision that we would just hang around in Flo's our last half hour or so until or FPs were good.
We got in the line (standby was posted at about 90 minutes, I believe). I got a few pictures in line but they were more of the family with scenery in the background.
The photo above requires some explanation. I took a shot of the inside of my park bag before I put the camera away. I carry a Baggalini cross-body messenger bag that has 101 pockets and a water bottle pocket. It's been around the world (real and Disney) with me. I keep lip balm in the outermost pocket, and sunglasses and camera in the next pocket for quick grabbing. Those are my find-without-looking pockets.
The biggest pocket is what's in the picture above. It holds my travel wallet (slimmed down from my usual giant one), snacks, Kleenex, extra Ziplocs, etc. This time it also had glow sticks because we were staying for World of Color.
This time through RSR we finally got to go through Luigi's Tire Shop (after going through Ramone's both times the previous day). This ride has so many details I could easily ride it again.
While waiting to get our ride photo added to our Photopass+ account, the family behind us said they had waited TWO HOURS to ride -- I guess it had broken down for a while and they stayed in line. I can't think of any theme park ride I would wait two hours for, no matter how awesome. Amazingly the family wasn't unhappy.
We waited about 25 minutes to take Mom on Luigi's Flying Tires next. I rode with DH and we got the hang of the ride and had fun bumping the others.
DH and my Mom went to Tower of Terror with the older kids and I asked DS8 what he wanted to do in BugsLand (please no spinning please no spinning). Of course, he opted for the Flik Fliers. I sucked it up and went on with him. I don't do too bad with one ride like that. All of the lines in BugsLand were long that afternoon and I had no idea how long the others would wait with a ToT FP, so we didn't try another ride. Instead, we went in through the ToT gift shop and sat on the cool, dark floor across from the picture screens. We managed to keep our spot there for a little while until asked to move, then found a bench near the exit.
DD10 is at least smiling in this photo while clutching Grandma's arm for dear life.
We found the trolley waiting outside ToT and I wanted to ride it. DH said it would be faster to walk (probably right) but I stood my ground. It's a ride! We waited a few minutes because they have to time it right for the two trolleys to pass each other in the right double-track spot. While waiting, the conductors amused us all with Disney trivia: Name all of the single-word Disney movie titles. I think there were 10. He said we came up with all of them faster than any other group! The trolley CMs were really friendly. I want their job.
Everyone but my Mom and I got off outside the Carthay Circle and walked back to the Animation building. My mother and I stayed on until the front of DCA because we had something else to do.
If you take your Mom to Disneyland, she might just get a SoCal AP!! My brother and his family will be here in June with their SoCal APs (they live in Beijing but their US address is still my parents' house). Mom wants to go to Disneyland with my 21-month-old nephew. Who am I to stop her? It also means she and I can go sometime if I come to town. That would definitely be a sweet-heavy trip if you let the two of us loose.
While at the ticket booths upgrading her 1-day ticket, I got them to check on my elusive AP picture. They could actually see it there in the system, but no explanation as to why it wasn't showing up at the gates. And sure enough, when we re-entered DCA, it didn't show up.
We walked back to the Animation building, resisting the urge to shop along the way. Turns out we would have had time -- the family had gone into see Turtle Talk with Crush. I guess my DH, who doesn't like being the center of attention, got called on. Crush dubbed him "Tubular T---" The kids loved that.
I convinced the family to go into the Sorcerer's Workshop and play the games there. They took the Beast's Library quiz to see which character they were most like. DD16 was Mufasa, DD13 was Tiana, DD10 was Alice -- all spot-on. DS8 decided to be different and answered he would rather "eat nice people for lunch" instead of "eat lunch with nice people." So he is most like the villain Syndrome from the Incredibles. At least the red hair fits! Then we did the Ursula's Grotto voiceovers. The boys teamed up to do Iago and Jafar, and DS16 does a surprisingly good Jafar. Who knew?
This picture is perfectly appropriate because today is our 21st anniversary! I may have to put this one on Facebook.
We saw the preview for the new Oz movie. We've been trying to see the movie as a family since it opened, but have never had time to get more than a couple of us together at once. The preview was good but I wish they would use the theater for the Muppets or get a whole new plan for that area.
Although we'd seen Aladdin on Monday, I thought my mother would like it enough for us all to see it again. Plus it's 45 minutes sitting down in air conditioning!
We saw it from the far left side near the front. I like to see shows from different angles and this one put us right next to the parade. This performance had one of the ensemble in a power wheelchair -- something I've never seen before in a Disney show. Not very period-appropriate but interesting to see how they incorporated it. This show also had another Genie and he was even better than the first one, with about 1/3 different jokes. When he brought out the lamp and called it "my precious" in a Gollum voice I thought DS16 was going to fall out of his seat from laughing so hard!
We got out of the theater and mass of people and decided it was a good time to break for dinner. DD10 is still a Daddy's girl.
I like Whitewater Snacks and thought it would make a good short break with food everyone would eat. I think DH and DS16 had large burgers and DS8 the chicken nuggets. DD13 and I had grilled cheese. DD10 (the family rabbit) had a big salad and traded some bites with her sister. I don't recall what my Mom had. Whitewater Snacks has been nearly empty both times I've been there at dinnertime. It makes for a relaxing break, quieter and closer than DTD if you're in DCA.
Plus, they have enormous ketchup cups! We texted this picture to my sister and my ketchup-loving nephews.
Despite the parks being busy, I felt like we got a lot done in the afternoon. I will pick up with our evening when I come back!
PHXscuba