1st trip to DL, 1st Anniversary, 1st time on the coast...COMPLETED!!

[kmab00]

Sorry guys. I think about this thing every day! I just haven't been able to sit down this week to update!

We've found a Spec house that is being built that we fell in love with and fortunately for us, the floors/ceiling fans/cabinets/lighting/countertops/etc. were not yet installed.........SO, guess where I've been this ENTIRE week?! I've spent almost all waking hours after getting off of work at Lowe's or Stine trying to pick out the "pefect" house findings!! It's been NUTS I tell you! Then today, I was going to update some more but I had to get a stupid CAVITY filled and my mouth was KILLING me by the time it was all said and done. Now I can barely open my mouth....I have a horrible pain in my jaw. I had to eat ice cream for supper! (Which wasn't so bad but you know what I mean!!) And now I'm off to sleep because I have to be awake in 5 hours for WORK. Yippee.

So, with all good intentions, I plan on updating tomorrow (Friday)!! I don't think I'll have to make any random trips for house stuff so I should have the time!

Thanks for being patient with me!!

 

[davidsprincess]

REALLY enjoying your trip report. Can't wait for more! Hope that you are doing better soon. Poor you having ice cream for supper .

 

[Girldreamer02]

Hope your mouth is feeling better soon and I can't wait for another update.

 

[jnjusoioa]

Hope that your mouth is feeling better, that can be yucky. Ice cream for supper isn't so bad but I understand. Hope you are feeling better today, can't wait to read more of your trippie.

 

[curlz2tite]

Feel better & I can't wait to find out if Lowe's has disney countertops or not O.K. maybe that would be a bit much... but anyway love your reports & the wait is part of what makes a trip exciting so just think of me waiting excitedly for the next installment. I will be here.

 

[kmab00]

Feel better & I can't wait to find out if Lowe's has disney countertops or not O.K. maybe that would be a bit much... but anyway love your reports & the wait is part of what makes a trip exciting so just think of me waiting excitedly for the next installment. I will be here.

I didn't even THINK of that! BUT, I'm pretty sure that they do NOT carry Disney countertops!!!! Good thought, though!!! Hehe!

Thanks everyone for all of the well wishes! My mouth feels better this morning but not 100%! I still can't open my mouth very far. I hate this!!! I'm sure it won't keep me from eating today, though! And it won't keep me from updating my trip report!! I'll be back this afternoon!!

 

[JaxJags08]

I hope you feel better soon!

Oooh...a new house! That is very exciting AND stressful! Any plans for lime green mickey paint?

 

[MA pigletfan]

OH! Feel better Karen..mouth pain is NOT fun. BUT shopping for new house things certainly is!!!!
I shall be on the lookout for your update..yay!!!

 

[coconutsunshine]

Yummy Ice Cream for supper, I could eat ice cream for any and every meal!!
Sorry about your mouth, I hate when your mouth is sore!
!!!CONGRATULATIONS!!!! on the house and good luck with picking everything out!
DH and I were in a similar situation when be bought our house, it was an inventory home (already built) but they had not yet chosen the countertops etc so we had one week to pick the cabinets and I think 2 or 3 to pick everything else and of course this was in December while we were already bombarded with Christmas stuff !! We could only pick from the builders design center though so at least we always had to go to the same place. Good luck it can be stressful but worth it in the end.

 

[Disneygrl36]

No countertops........awwww I do think they have Disney doors though.......I know I saw that somewhere

Sorry about your tooth......I hate the dentist (no offense if there are any dentists reading along )!

Can't wait for the update.

 

[kmab00]

Loving your trip report!! You guys had great weather that week!! We were there the 16th for an afternoon trip with my nephew and sister's..and it was quite hot in the afternoon. Can't wait to her more..

YES the weather was PERFECT!!! It did get hotter closer to the end of the week, though! Thanks for reading along! More is on the way!

Uh oh, whats wrong with your eye? I hope nothing big. At least I know you have your insurance card if there is something wrong. You sent mickey and minnie and invitation? Why didn't I think of that? What was the addy you used? I'm curious. Lol. Cinderella is my theme, but mickey and minnie I love almost equal to cindy. Not to mention its a subtle cindy theme. Your dh cracks me up. I laughed out loud when he made his little announcement at the elevator. Love the decorated door. I think I might decorate our door on the cruise. I am going to talk to df about it. Since it'll be our honeymoon and he told me he was booking our dec trip to wdw tomorrow. So we'll see if he was pulling my leg or not. Your hotel room looks really nice and spacious. I can't wait to hear more!

Darn eye....grrr!! lol! Hmm...I can't remember the address but I'll see if I can find it for you! Have you been much to the Weddings and Honeymoons board? That's where I spent most of my time planning our wedding and honeymoon even though I didnt' have a Disney wedding! Your cruise is going to be fabulous!!!

Another great installment. That is very strange that the bus did not go to the Disney hotels first. I thought they all did that. I hope whatever happend to your eye didn't ruin any of your fun. I am looking forward to your next installment.

Thank you! I know I was confused about that too because I thought it would make Disney hotel stops first! More is on the way! Thank you!

Thanks for the update. I loved the sock observation, I do that too but usually when I borrow something from somebody else for a trip. So I'll have their shirt or something with me in California while the owner is still at home.

I also loved the view from your room. Overall would you say the hotel was worth the cost?

Hahah...Jason and his socks. YES the hotel was PERFECT and I'd do it again if I could!!!

Welcome to the big sunglasses club! I love my giant sunglasses - they make me feel glamorous!

Your hotel room was so nice! Only 10 king beds in the entire hotel?! I guess it is Disney, so you have more families. That's just more reason for you and Jason to snuggle on your anniversary (as if you probably needed a reason!).

Giant sunglasses are awesome! Thank you...yes the hotel was very nice! I loved it! Hehe...yeah like we needed a reason!

Hey Karen... Loved the first update! Can't wait for more!

I'm a MFL member and someone had asked about the Grand Floridian Photo Shoot and I sent them to your report!

I'm on board for the rest of your trippie!

DisneyMissy

Awwww! Well I hope it's helpful to them!! Thank you!

These are soooooooooo cute!



Those are the room keys? I thought they were your luggage tags the way they have those holes at the top!

Awesome installment again, keep it going!

The holes are there because they also give you lanyards through the travel company to attatch your keys to. We didn't do that, though. I didn't want to lose mine! More on the way!!

Love the last installment! Keep it up girl!

Thank you!!!

LOVE IT!!! That hotel looks sooo cute! If we can't get a room at the GC I am so going to get one at Paradise Pier!! We are booking our DL trip tommorow!! wheeeeeee

The Grand is amazing...I think you should try that first seriously! Paradise Pier is fun too, though! How did the booking go, by the way? Did you guys end up with the Grand???

I enjoyed your Christmas TR so much, I found you over here so I could read about your anniversary trip to CA! Enjoying it so far!!!

Awww yay! Thanks!!! Glad to have you on board!!

 

[kmab00]

Loved your pool view and room. More please!

Thank you so much! More is coming up right away!

That is hilarious but I have to say how cute is that carpet?????
I'm glad we are at Disneyland. Bring on the fun.

I thought the carpet was cute, too! The overall color scheme of the hotel is awesome!!! Thank you so much!

Love the mickey shampoo and conditioner. Too cute!! I love that yall brought snacks along. I always do that on our trips because DH is a biiiiig snacker. And I guess I can be too.

I hope nothing is seriously wrong with your eye!

Snacks this trip...yes...and I'm SO glad that we had them!! They came in handy for the missing snacks from the dining plan!!!

Excellent installment!! I got so excited when I seen there was an update, I couldn't wait to sit down and read!!
We do the snack thing too, glad we are not alone. On our last trip in December we weren't on the Dining Plan and we had over a full drawer full of food We do love our food! In fact shopping for snacks to take with us is one of the things I look forward to the most when preparing for a trip, I'm so sad

Lol! Thank you!!! Love the drawer full of food! That's awesome!!! YES that's one of the most fun parts of planning the trip....shopping for the snacks!!

We are taking our first trip to Dl next month. I love reading your TR. I can't wait to go

You're going to LOVE it!!! Hope you guys have fun!!

What a wonderful TR so far! I love all the pictures that you take. They add so much to the story. I can't wait to see Disneyland through your eyes. Someday I will get back there - I can't wait!!

Thank you so much!! I love pictures. My mom always said when I was growing up that I was going to break the bank with my photo developing! LOL!!! Now, I have digital so I can take as many as I want and not have to worry!!

Can't wait to read more! Hopefully one of these years I will make it to Disneyland. I just hate the long flight part!

I agree...I'm not a huge fan of long flights! It's worth it though, it really really is!!! Thanks for reading along!!

Great update, I just love it!!! Your room at PP is so awesome!!! I might need to stay there at least for a night, I so need some of that shampoo and conditioner, it is way too cute!!!!! I don't blame you for bringing a lot of it home, I would have too. Right there with you.

I can't wait to hear about DTD, I love the one in Disneyland, well the one is WDW too, I think I have an addiction. Hoping everything is ok with your eye too, can't wait to read and see more of your trip.

Thank you!! The shampoo and conditioner were adorable! I think they'd be worth a night's stay at the hotel! I like WDW's DTD better but that's because it's more Disney stuff! Thanks for reading along!!

Hi Karen!! Happy to see your report!
How cute your cake was!
Disneyland Express...who would've guessed???
Your room looked great! You had a great view too!
Can't wait to hear more!!

Thank you! More is on the way!!

 

[kmab00]

As promised...another update!!

Monday, April 7, 2008 - Downtown Disney

Upon check-in, we were given a map with an explanation of how to get to Downtown Disney from our Hotel. The friendly CM said to follow the RED brick road. K...easy enough. We crossed the road and followed the SIGNS to Downtown Disney with no RED brick anywhere! We were so confused! I think we walked in circles for a while.

I took this on on our very confusing trip to Downtown Disney. I loved the Mickey head on the lamppost!!

Finally, we realized that the SIGN was BACKWARDS and was pointing us in the WRONG direction!!! I think we walked for like 20 minutes before we found Downtown Disney!! Anyway, what matters is that we found it. Little did we know that there was a short cut through the Grand the whole time...oh well!!

We made it!! There's the World of Disney Store! What surprised me is that DTD was virtually DESSERTED!!!

We really didn't have much time to shop so we mostly walked around.

Build a Bear Store!

We did go in the Dept. 56 store and see what I found? It was the CUTEST Disney village Christmas set!! I wanted it all!!

Like I said, we didn't stay long! We didn't have much time for one and for two, my eye was SO blurry...like there was a film over my contact. I HATE it when that happens!

On our way out, we realized that you could exit through the Grand from Downtown Disney! We walked inside for our first glimpse of the magnificent lobby!

It was beautiful and breathtaking! Reminded me a LOT of the Wilderness Lodge at Disney World!

The front sliding doors were beautiful, too! I just had to get a picture!

Out the front door of the hotel, we could see our hotel directly across the street! Easy enough! Walk across the street, through the Grand, and there you are at DTD! Nice to know the "secret" entrance through California Adventure, too!!!

The front of this beautiful hotel!

We crossed the street and made it back into our lobby. Since we hadn't taken a picture with this guy before.....

We decided that we should before we forgot!

................................CONT.................................

 

[kmab00]

......................CONT.........................

Upon opening the door to our hotel room, I could hear music playing. I figured that it was probably just noise from our TV......but then I noticed that the curtains were shut (I always leave them open during the day time) and the lights were dimmed. When I listened closer, I realized that the music was really from the radio and the station was set on a Classical radio station. That's when I looked closer and stopped dead in my tracks. So did Jason. I think we stood still for a solid 5 minutes just staring at our room in awe.

This was waiting for us on our bed! THAT'S what the "Mysterious" housekeeper was doing when she opened our door and we were still in our room! She was sent on a Pixie Dust mission!!!!

Not only did we have turn down service and yummy chocolates waiting for us,

but we also had a rose, rose petals in the shape of a heart, and 2 "wedding" ducks decorating our bed!

Seriously, I was so amazed that I couldn't move!

This was on the bed, also!

How sweet!

A close up of our Mickey/Minnie picture from earlier.

I took pictures of everything, still amazed at what had taken place. After sitting down on the bed for a minute, I realized that I still needed to wash out my contact because it was still bothering me. I stopped by the vanity area before the bathroom and halfway screamed!!!

These yummy delicious creations were there....just waiting for us to notice them!!!

That's when I REALLY got excited!!!!! I was going to order these with room service but with $18 bucks for two of them and milk, I decided against it! Now we had one for each of us and they were FREEEEE!!!

We calmed down from all of the excitement and this is what happened to Jason.......

He was OUT!!!!

I realized that I STILL had not gotten to my contact yet so I made my way to the bathroom. As I pulled it out of my eye, I tried to wash it and I realized ........ GASP ........... the silly thing had a TEAR in it!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! I NEVER carry an extra pair of contacts with me because this has NEVER happened to me before! Of course it happened in my RIGHT eye, my BAD eye....grrrrrr!!!! I thought that maybe I could just go with one contact for the week and put my left one in my right eye but that was a definitely no. Apparently when the right contact ripped, it scratched the top of my sclera (the white part of my eye) and putting my left eye contact in my right eye BURNED like CRAZY!!! The thought occurred for me to call my mom to have her overnight a pair to me but I found out that all mail has to FIRST go through the Disneyland Hotel, then to all of the other hotels....it would be almost the weeks end before I got my contacts. Oh well....guess I'll just have to grin and bear it with my glasses. *sigh*

Up next: A very special Anniversary dinner at NAPA ROSE in the Grand!!!

 

[kmab00]

I hope you feel better soon!

Oooh...a new house! That is very exciting AND stressful! Any plans for lime green mickey paint?

No lime green mickey paint, unfortunately!



I haven't seen those Disney doors, either!! Too funny!!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

That stinks about your torn contact! I hate it when that happens BUT, what a wonderful surprise that mousekeeping left for you!

Can't wait to hear about your dinner at Napa Rose!

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Oh man! I'm sorry about my contact! I wear contacts too and am BLIND without them. So I always carry an extra pair because with my luck, something like that would happen. Well, I only carry an extra pair when I go on vacation..

Yay! The rose petals and the rubber duckys were so cute!

 

[tlhbdm]

I'm sorry about your contact but it was awesome what mousekeeping did.

 

[Disneygrl36]

What great pixie dust from Mousekeeping.
Can't wait to hear about Napa Rose. I really think I want to make it our final night's dinner.

 

[anicholson75]

I'm so sorry you're contact ripped on your first day! That's happened to me once on a scrapbook retreat and I had to brave my glasses as well. I always carry just one extra contact as backup now.

LOVE your trip report and can't wait for more!