2 Haunted Mansions, 1 Day: Grand Finale & Link to Pre-Trip Report for Feb. Trip!

[lurkyloo]

First stop....

We also rode Pirates of the Caribbean just in case we got to Disneyland and Haunted Mansion Holiday was down, or something....

One of my fave places in Adventureland...

Somewhere in there, we also had a pair of these:

All seemed to be on track for us to breeze out of the park within the hour and head off for the airport, Disneyland, and our DESTINY! Until...


...we thought we’d take one last ride, on Splash Mountain...

Things started out weird when we noticed the people in the log in front of us were letting a small child stand on their laps during the ride! Every few feet we’d hear a ride operator say into the PA system “Remain inside the log!”

Then, just as we got to the end of the ride, right past the showboat scene, we hit a (literal) logjam of boats. And sat there for 15 minutes. I started looking at my watch and stressing out about whether we were going to make our flight.

Finally, the work lights came on and three CMs came walking down the tunnel toward us. They told us we had to evacuate the ride then began helping us out of the logs. I felt like a rescued damsel in distress!

View from the back of our log

“Secret” Passageway!

We had to stand there waiting as they evacuated 10 or 12 logs in front of us, time ticking away. We asked one of the CMs what happened, and he said some people got out of their logs in the middle of the ride!! Who does this?! Couldn’t you get killed? They said it happens all the time.

We didn’t get to go in here...

Finally we got to walk the narrow ledge along the canal out toward the loading area. As we passed the one of the last characters in the ride – I think it was the frog – I whipped around and put my face next to his, flashing the thumbs up so DH could take a picture. Stoopid camera wouldn’t warm up in time and we got herded out – it woulda been the BEST picture!!

This is what backstage at Splash Mountain looks like... if Lurkyloo is standing directly in front of you waving...

As soon as we got onstage, DH and I broke into the Disney Rope-Drop Speed Walk trying to get out of the park and back to our car so we could make our flight – only to be thwarted by our arch-nemesis, The Parade!!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I thought I was gonna lose it. There we were, stranded on the island that is Town Square as dippy floats lazily circled us – nay, MOCKED us and our plight. I frantically asked the nearest CM how much longer the parade was, and he said something like seven minutes. Seven minutes too many! I don’t know if this helped, but we started running back down Main Street to meet the end of the parade so we could cross the street and get to an exit.

FINALLY, we got to the Monorail and headed back to the Polynesian...

So long, Kingdom Tower!

 

[Rora]

Ooh yay! An update!!
Glad you elbowed those kids outta the way.. the slide at the Poly is so cool.

EDIT: You updated again before I could post. Speedy.

WOW! Crazy about Splash Mnt. Who would do that? I mean it'd be cool but uhh.. hello? Death may result. Plus you piss off everyone else on the ride. But seeing behind the scenes is pretty cool!

Hope you made that flight!

 

[tinkgurl]

Love the pics from the top of the slide. What did you do with the camera when you went down it?

 

[lurkyloo]

This next part is boring, but trying to get to California in time to ride Haunted Mansion at Disneyland before it closed sure felt exciting!

We hopped in our rental car and high-tailed it out of WDW toward Orlando International. Once we got there, we missed the turnoff for the Alamo return and, on our second attempt, ended up in the parking garage for the wrong terminal. ARGH! All these little things were conspiring to make me very antsy. DH kept his cool, as usual. Then we got to the terminal and were looking at a newsstand to pass the time when we learned, from a tabloid headline, that our bank had failed while we were on vacation. ACK!

Then something good happened. Everyone was lurking by the gate waiting for them to start the boarding process, when the desk agent came on the PA and began “I need two volunteers...”

ZING!!! My hand shot up! I didn’t even know what I was volunteering for. It turned out to be two seats in an exit row – HOORAY! It was like payback for being squished by the oblivious Mile High Club members on our flight out.

We had an uneventful flight and landed 30 minutes early. The clock began ticking... Disneyland was to close at midnight, and we were 35 miles and three clogged LA freeways away.

Sorry these pictures are all blurry – perhaps it will help replicate the feeling of urgency and excitement!

8:39 pm – Step off the plane at LAX

9:15pm - Shuttle to Disneyland!

The shuttle driver knew we were in a hurry and broke several land speed records (and some laws!) to get us there on time. We were hanging on for dear life in the back of the van as it careened down I-5 when Disneyland’s fireworks show began – and we got to see it from the freeway!

Finally we screeched to a halt in front of the Disneyland Hotel.


9:43pm – Disneyland Hotel

We dumped our bags at Bell Services without checking in and dashed to the Monorail station.

9:57pm – Monorail to Tomorrowland

When we hit the ground in Tomorrowland, we knew we were gonna make it. In fact, since the line was so long, we got FastPasses for Haunted Mansion and went to ride Pirates of the Caribbean while we waited!

1:34pm EDT: Haunted Mansion at WDW/10:57pm PDT: Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland!

HOORAY!!!!!

I couldn’t believe we’d made it. I barely remember anything after that, but I know we went back to the hotel and had a painfully slow check in. Seriously, at 11:35pm you should not be waiting 20 minutes to check in and then have the desk agent tell you you’re not getting the discounted rate you paid for. (Eventually another CM straightened it all out).

Here are some pix of our room at the Disneyland Hotel, in case you’re curious. It was originally just a regular, non-Disney hotel, so there isn’t the level of theming you’d find at WDW. Still, the Neverland Pool is pretty cool!

Up next: Wait! Where are you going...? Don’t you wanna see our day at Disneyland with the Roots? Their pictures are a-friggin-mazing!!!

 

[lurkyloo]

Ooh yay! An update!!
Glad you elbowed those kids outta the way.. the slide at the Poly is so cool.

EDIT: You updated again before I could post. Speedy.

WOW! Crazy about Splash Mnt. Who would do that? I mean it'd be cool but uhh.. hello? Death may result. Plus you piss off everyone else on the ride.

Totally! Haven't they heard the story of the guy who lost a finger by sticking his hands up too high before the drop?!!

Love the pics from the top of the slide. What did you do with the camera when you went down it?

Well, I have to let you in on our little secret - we took those pix after we'd changed clothes and gone to breakfast. They are not actual action shots from our morning at the pool. But they shoot movies out of sequence, so why not a trip report?

 

[tinkgurl]

Well, I have to let you in on our little secret - we took those pix after we'd changed clothes and gone to breakfast. They are not actual action shots from our morning at the pool. But they shoot movies out of sequence, so why not a trip report?

Oh! You're sneaky! But hey-they fit in perfectly so no biggie!

I LOVE that you were in both WDW and Disneyland the same day. How exciting!

 

[theemily]

CONGRATS on getting to ride both HMs in a day! Yay!!

And I can't wait to see the pictures from the day with the Roots...I'm sure they're beautiful.

 

[Kimberly815]

1:34pm EDT: Haunted Mansion at WDW/10:57pm PDT: Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland!

I can't believe that you did it! Awesome! That is too cool!

Aww. I am loving the tops of those toiletries!

Up next: Wait! Where are you going...? Don’t you wanna see our day at Disneyland with the Roots? Their pictures are a-friggin-mazing!!!

Of course!! I am not going anywhere! Bring it on!

 

[calanniebu]

1:34pm EDT: Haunted Mansion at WDW/10:57pm PDT: Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland!

YOU DID IT! You are officially my idol!

 

[Jennifer48]

lurkyloo:

 

[JustMickey]

Thanks so much for the picture recap of that day! My heart was pounding as I was reading it because I was so excited/nervous you weren't going to make it! But congrats!!

 

[Goldeelox9]

YAY you did it!!!!

 

[romymichelle21]

Woohoo!! I knew you'd do it!!

You know why? Once I saw your pictures of the fireworks from the shuttle, I knew it was 9:25 and you were going to make it!

I gotta go tell Will about this. Possibly a challenge he can't resist! (And a way to get him to WDW...)

 

[29apr00]

that's so awesome!! You should totally write to WDW/DL and let them know you did it! Maybe you'd win a dream or something!!

 

[Rora]

Way too cool!! Congrats!!

Can't wait to see the Roots pics!

 

[travelmel]

Nice Job!!

My favorite part was the scary looking, moving photo's of your cab and monorail trips! I felt like I was right there with you! Too fun!

P.S. I agree.. that Dress IS Stunning

 

[Disneygrl36]

Hey Carrie finally caught up & soooo happy to know you did it. 2 HM in one day........you are amazing!!!

I recognize that hat

I can't wait to see more of the photos of your day in Disneyland with the Roots. Did you already tell how the story about how this was going to happen & did I miss it? I thought they were in Florida & they took your wedding photos right? I'm confusuled......... I should pay better attention.

 

[lurkyloo]

I LOVE that you were in both WDW and Disneyland the same day. How exciting!

I can't believe that you did it! Awesome! That is too cool!

YOU DID IT! You are officially my idol!

lurkyloo:

YAY you did it!!!!

Aw, thanks for validating my insanity, everyone! I still can’t believe we did it.

Thanks so much for the picture recap of that day! My heart was pounding as I was reading it because I was so excited/nervous you weren't going to make it! But congrats!!

Nice Job!! My favorite part was the scary looking, moving photo's of your cab and monorail trips! I felt like I was right there with you! Too fun!

Oh good, I’m glad I was still able to create a sense of urgency three months after the fact when everyone already knew we’d made it! The really fun part was live blogging as it happened, although I think most readers were asleep at the time....

Woohoo!! I knew you'd do it!!

You know why? Once I saw your pictures of the fireworks from the shuttle, I knew it was 9:25 and you were going to make it!

Thanks for not giving away the ending!

that's so awesome!! You should totally write to WDW/DL and let them know you did it! Maybe you'd win a dream or something!!

That’s a great idea – I do feel like we should be in a record book or something, but I’m sure there are other people who have done it. ....Although they may not be the relentless self-promoters we are!

Way too cool!! Congrats!!

Can't wait to see the Roots pics!

And I can't wait to see the pictures from the day with the Roots...I'm sure they're beautiful.

I’ve been going through them, and there are so many good ones that I think I’m going to have to do multiple posts over several days to show them all. Disneyland has never looked so good! I am an editor by trade, but when it comes to the Roots’ pictures, I don’t even know where to start (put it this way – when I started making our wedding album on Blurb.com, I was heard to exclaim, “Whaddya mean there’s a 440-page maximum?!!”)

I can't wait to see more of the photos of your day in Disneyland with the Roots. Did you already tell how the story about how this was going to happen & did I miss it? I thought they were in Florida & they took your wedding photos right?

Yes, it was really an amazing coincidence how it all worked out, so I’ll be sure to put that story in the next installment of the trippie... which I should be able to start today!

Hope everyone’s having a great Christmas Eve!

 

[29apr00]

Happy Holiday Carrie!!

 

[ElenitaB]

Can't wait to see the full array of Roots pictures at DLR... cause the sneak peek are drop-dead GORgeous!

Just wanted to drop by and wish happy holidays to the Carri-atricks! You guys have given me so very many smiles over the past year. Thanks!