PTR: Van Isle to DLR: Birthdays and Halloween 4-9 Oct 15 *Now with Photos!* Update 03/10/15

[DenaRox]

Hi, love reading you pre-trip report. Brings back so many memories as I was a Canadian in your shoes planning my first DL trip for last October. Love how you guys are keeping the trip excitement up with your daily Disney doses If you have any questions about DL in October/MHP etc feel free to ask, also feel free to check out my PTR/ TP *still finishing because i am a huge procrastinator lol* the link is in my siggy! Looking forward to following along on your journey to DL

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Thank you! Last night my eldest wanted to know about the shopping I told her about the pillow pals and the D&B purses (she's 10, btw!) and she lit right up.

 

[DenaRox]

My suggestion for sweet cheap souvenirs is tsum tsums which cost about 6$ and can be found at world of Disney and by far the best, Disney dollars!! We always grab Disney dollars to bring back for friends and family we need to gift.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Tsum Tsum? Whazzat?

 

[DenaRox]

Only the cutest little things ever..

Check them out at the Disney store online. Adorable and not too expensive for the mini ones

 

[Canadian Harmony]

They are cute... but my kids have a gagillion stuffies already! I don't know where we'd put even more!! But that Tigger is adorable!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Figment was awesome answering some questions for me, so now we're switching the tour I want to do from Discover the Magic (which doesn't run during the week), to the less expensive Welcome to Disneyland Tour on R's birthday.

So far, her day is:
EMH at DCA
Breakfast with Minnie at 0830
Tour at 1030
Hang out til 1230 or so then Hotel break - maybe find an In N Out Burger - until 1430
BBB at 1500
Dinner at 1730 (is that even do-able? I mean it's at least an hour for the BBB alone, right? we may need to push this back to 1800 and join in the MHP at 1900)
MHP at 1800 or 1900

I think that's where it'll sit until we learn more about the MHP events.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

So I guess Alaska Airlines does this as a habit or something? ANOTHER flight change. They've scrapped the 8am flight out of Victoria completely, so our choices are departing at 0602 and arriving SNA at 11:37, or departing at 1125 and arriving at 1643.

We're going early. I have the 5 day parkhopper, so we'll get up at 2:30, leave at 3:30, get there for 4:30 (these numbers are really freakin' early!!) and then sleep on the way in the limo, at the gate in Seattle (3 hour layover), and on the way down. We'll get to the hotel around 1230 I'm guessing, so we'll have the entire afternoon to run around DLR. I'll make a reservation for F! for dinner that night and we don't have to hurry anywhere that afternoon.

I'm sure between now and October, the flight will have changed back to 8am. I hope!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Just made enough in surveys to get my second $25 g/c! I'm 1/4 of the way to my D&B bag

Now that the kids and I are happy about spending a 'spare' day in DLR, we're hoping we can still leave really early, even if that means getting up at 0230 We'll just take lots of cat naps on the way down.

I'm still trying to figure out if pulling a F! FP when we arrive at 1230-1300 will be early enough for the first show AND for decent seats. Otherwise we'll have to splurge on a meal at RBT and I'd rather not. Same with WOC - as nice as the restaurants sound, they're expensive, and I'd rather just pull a FP to see the show and then grab a cheaper meal that day. I'll have to see when WOC is being shown anyway, because I don't know if it's going to be on during the week, and since they haven't said how the 60th and MHP are going to work together, most of my planning is on hold until they release details on that.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Just a quick update: Just purchased our PP+ today. I have the money so I figured, why not? Plus, when the package arrives this summer, the girls will be really happy!

I have talked DH into having a belated anniversary dinner at DLR. I'm leaning toward SH55. The girls are excited to go to Pinocchio's Workshop for a while. We're a tight family, but we all appreciate our time away from each other too.

Just found out that the time that the girls' school has their annual outdoor ed trip - camping, canoeing, teambuilding, etc - is now moved to the week we're away. I told the girls last night and they were phased for about 30 seconds until they smiled and said, "That's ok - we'd rather be in Disney! We can go next year." Awesome!

I hope the Canadian dollar rises a bit between now and August so the exchange won't kick my chequebook so hard. I've paid for the majority of the trip, but I had the TA wait until the exchange got better than 1.25 before we paid Alaska Vacations and the resort. But August 5th is our deadline because that's 60 days before we go, and I want to make reservations, order the girls' cakes, reserve our tour, etc, etc.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

We're doing a couple extra trips before our big one this fall!

First, in July, we're camping with my best friend and her family here:

Our site is actually more treed than this, but it's lovely. We swim in this river each evening and ride the rapids (small ones) with a mesh surf-board thingy.

Then in August, we're starting here:

which is a 2 bedroom condo at a ski resort where our nephew is getting married (at the top of that green bit there), then heading into the big smoke to see friends and go here:

and here:

(sorry they're soooo large!)

At any rate, in late August, we're back at the first campground again and then we wait til October for the big one! Just thought I'd add that in, seeing as how they're trips and all

 

[darcie2000]

I'm loving your pre trip report. We are headed to Disneyland in Sept and reading your lists is making me think I need to start planning some more lol.

The thing that jumped out at me most about your trip report though was that you live near Duncan and your mum lives in Australia. My dad lives in Ladysmith and I live in Australia ( although on the opposite side to your mum lol ). Don't laugh but I'm sitting here having a cry cos I miss my dad and the Island so much!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

I'm glad you're following along! I miss my mum and the meat pie place near her home!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Our PP+ came in the mail the other day! So exciting! The voucher is secured in the Big Giant Trip Binder I have created. It has pockets for gift cards and suchlike, and areas for travel info, hotel info, food, etc.

I went through my box of pennies and took out the US money I have - a total of $1.27 in quarters, nickles and pennies. BUT, I have 3 bags of Canadian pennies for the machines and we'll be getting some change for them too (quarters and such).

I was worried we'd not get enough time to see everything with a tour, but now that we have that extra 1/2 day in the park on the Sunday, I think we'll do just fine. The girls are a little choked I'm planning their birthday meals (breakfast for R and dinner for M). M said, "OUR birthdays, our choice!" and I said, "MY money, MY choice!" and that seemed to end the conversation right there, heh. R wants to go to Goofy's because her friends did, but I think she'd enjoy Minnie's more, and I can't buy another character meal. MAYBE if there's some funds left over before we go, but I highly doubt it.

I think we have a good mix of hanging out (Sunday after we arrive and get an In-N-Out burger and some supplies), scheduled items (WOC, F!, tour, Aladdin, MMM, MHP, PTN, Frozen) and rides with FP and without.

I don't usually like to wish my summers away, but in this case...

 

[momtohms]

Following along! I grew up in Seattle and have been to Victoria a couple of times - I love it there! DH and I always talk about making a side trip there on a future trip to Seattle (we live up in AK now).

We were just in the parks the last week of May and stayed at PPH and celebrated 2 of my 3 kiddos birthdays that week too so it's fun to see some similarities in your plans!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Awesome! Yes, you should pop in and visit the city. Lots of changes all over the place! We can tell it's spring/summer - the road construction is in full swing

 

[momtohms]

Awesome! Yes, you should pop in and visit the city. Lots of changes all over the place! We can tell it's spring/summer - the road construction is in full swing

Ha! Ah yes, we know road construction season quite well up here too!

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Well now that we know when the MHP dates are, our trip is looking like:

Sunday - F! dinner at RBT, F! and fireworks (if we're not too tired)
Monday - Bkfst at Minnie's, bday dinner at Plaza Inn (I think), MHP, PTN and Screams
Tuesday - DH and I have a dinner at Steakhouse (girls at Pinocchio's workshop), PTN and fireworks
Wednesday - early WOC lunch at WCT, early dinner/late lunch for DD9's bday dinner at Ariel's, WOC
Thursday - maybe try to squeeze in the new PPH buffet with an early evening because of our early departure the next day

In our real life, the SUV we have threw a piston and there's a hole in the block. DH was driving and was able to manhandle it to the side of the road and fortunately the smoke didn't set anything on fire. We're now the proud owners of a new F150 and we're looking into having the truck scrapped. It's a shame though - the interior is great and there's still useable parts, so I hope the vehicle gets to extend the life on a few trucks still out there.

The mouse who ate through the back of our fridge may have eaten through a hose in our dishwasher now. We're looking into that tomorrow. Frickin' thing is driving me mental.

Guess I should get on more pictures in the autograph book.

 

[MommyJKM]

Tuesday - DH and I have a dinner at Steakhouse (girls at Pinocchio's workshop), PTN and fireworks

Making sure you know that Pinocchio's is at The Grand Californian and Steakhouse 55 is at The Disneyland Hotel. Just wanted to confirm you knew that in case you thought you were having dinner down the hall from them, DLH is only a 10 minute walk though.

If you wanted to be right near PW, you want a reservation at Napa Rose instead which is a few doors down from PW.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

Nope, I knew they were in different parts of the park. We're okay with that. I've looked at the NR menu and there's nothing that either of us really would like. But steak... now that we both love! LOL