20th Anniversary suggestions... ?

[jory29]

Hello all!

Little bit of background - DH took me to DL once when we were dating, and once when we were married (almost 20 years ago.) We loved it! We sat in a queue for around 4 hours, on the stairs, waiting for Splash Mountain to open again (when the ride stalled) and it was worth every minute.

Since then, we took our kids, when our son was turning 10 and our daughter was 5. It was a once in a lifetime chance for them.

Well. Heck... We enjoyed it soooo much that we have made a commitment to try to come back annually (via flight, around 4 hours plus connecting flights, total around 7 hours) by cutting back on other daily luxury items that cost money, so we can afford to do so. Disneyland means that much to us.

Here's the thing... we have been so lucky as to have been able to do a lot when we were in the parks.

When we celebrated our 15th anniversary, we did so thanks to a generous person who knew I want to renew our wedding vows, and I surprised my husband with a Club 33 visit! He had NO clue until we walked up to the doors and I rang the buzzer and told my name, and he thought I had gone mad, I'm sure! It was literally - without a doubt - one of the most exciting experiences in my life, [besides getting married and giving birth to our 2 kids.]

We have rode on the Lilly Belle!! THAT was totally exciting too, we got a lot of pictures. That was also a surprise (on a whim that worked) for my husband. We were the only ones in the Lilly Belle for some time! Our guide was awesome! Told us a lot about the Lilly Belle.

Another time? The Blue Bayou dining, with waterside seating for the first seating. Awesome!! Such a nice break from the hot sunny day, in that cool, dark retreat. We threw bread to the people on the boats who asked for it. NO we didn't, I'm just kidding, but people on the boats WERE chortling out, asking for bread when we were dining. We did wave when they waved at us, though.

We were soooo close to viewing the Disney Dream suite one time, (another great hope of mine) but missed viewing it because our flight was a little late getting in. No other chance has since come up for that.

My *biggest* quest is to be able to take my family up to see Mr. Walter Disney's apartment, just to view, and take some photos perhaps. It would mean so much to me, and what better way than to try to do this, than for our 20th wedding anniversary? I have loved trying to surprise my husband with the 3 different things on 3 different years, and now that this spring we will be celebrating this special 20th wedding anniversary, so I am hoping against hope that someone will decide to try to help us out, if at all possible.

In the meantime, any suggestions for how to best celebrate our 20th anniversary in Disneyland is very much appreciated!

I like the idea of Nappa Rose, but I know it is out of our budget, but add to that, that one of our kids just won't have the patience for the slow timing of a great restaurant.

So... anyone who can help, please do, and thanks so much!

Love all of you guys on these boards, it's a great board, and a wonderful way to spend time planning for these trips. I learn so much on the boards, and can save so much $$$ to be able to go on the trips, thanks to the DISboards. You guys totally rock.

 

[skiingfast]

That is a very good 1000th post.

Know any CMs? I've heard of a few that got to go into the apartment but not sure if they could take friends.

If it doesn't work out, you may enjoy the A Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour.

 

[pixiewings71]

How old are the kids? Any chance they can stay in the parks while you and your sweetie do the dinner at NR? What about a nice dinner at SH55? Or someplace in DTD?

 

[kwgilley]

Be sure to get your (free) Happy Anniversary buttons from city hall! We celebrated our 20th at DL last year and forgot to get our buttons until the afternoon of our last day. Couldn't believe how many times we were wished a happy anniversary in that short amount of time. <3

 

[tiggerjay]

Well it appears that you know someone if you were able to get into C33 and the LB, so I'd imagine that you could ask that person(s) about the Firehouse. I know it's perhaps overstating the obvious, but hey, maybe you didn't think about that yet.

 

[jory29]

That is a very good 1000th post.

Know any CMs? I've heard of a few that got to go into the apartment but not sure if they could take friends.

If it doesn't work out, you may enjoy the A Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour.

Thanks, Skiingfast, I appreciate that you think it's a very good 1000th post. We do know one cast member, but she doesn't have 'pull' for the apartment, but we do stop and say Hi to her whenever we are in the area. A Walk in Walt's Footsteps sounds cool for my DH and I but not sure I could convince the kids it's more fun than just wandering around in the parks. I will look into it more though, to see.... thanks.

Be sure to get your (free) Happy Anniversary buttons from city hall! We celebrated our 20th at DL last year and forgot to get our buttons until the afternoon of our last day. Couldn't believe how many times we were wished a happy anniversary in that short amount of time. <3

Thank you, we will make sure to get our Anniversary buttons at city hall! Congrats on your 20th, it's a cool milestone to reach.

How old are the kids? Any chance they can stay in the parks while you and your sweetie do the dinner at NR? What about a nice dinner at SH55? Or someplace in DTD?

15 and 9, but our 15 year old would have trouble with that, he's got asperger's/anxiety and it's tricky for him to navigate in different surroundings, etc. SH55 might be a good idea, I will look into the menu, etc. MAYBE just hordeurves for a quick in and out at Nappa Rose. We might have a $30 coupon for Tortilla Joes, we've never dined there before. We are supposed to be getting it for our daughter's birthday but I suspect they won't email it until we are in the parks already. Thanks!

Well it appears that you know someone if you were able to get into C33 and the LB, so I'd imagine that you could ask that person(s) about the Firehouse. I know it's perhaps overstating the obvious, but hey, maybe you didn't think about that yet.

Yes, I found a very generous benefactor who didn't know us at all; I had put in a plea many years ago on a Disneyland forum website, and received a private message from someone who was able to help us out. It was the most kind, generous anything anyone has ever done, to be able to allow us to go in to Club 33 to celebrate our 15th anniversary there! The person made it clear it was a one time event, and we were so happy to have had such a grand opportunity to experience it. I actually did ask that person if they have an 'in' with the apartment above the firehouse, but they do not, either. The cast member we do know doesn't have a way for us to go view the apartment, either. This is going to sound beyond silly, but I even wrote to the Ellen show, and Oprah, even long before that. The main reason being, I once had a crystal clear dream of the apartment. It was such a vivid/real dream that I really have a strong desire to go in there, and view it, and take some photos. There is just something really, truly special about that place.

Thanks everyone for responding!

 

[cyclenut]

I know this probably seems a little silly since you seem particularly interested in Walt's apartment, but have you considered a different Disney surprise ... like a Disney Cruise? It seems like you have already done so many things Disney already that maybe this would be a very nice surprise for all of you. You don't have to actually be on the cruise on your anniversary.

There is still room on the Disney Wonder this September out of Vancouver, Canada to LA.

Price
Deluxe Inside Stateroom
Category $2,220.00
Guest 1 Cruise Fare $690.00
Guest 2 Cruise Fare $690.00
Guest 3 Cruise Fare $420.00
Guest 4 Cruise Fare $420.00
Government Taxes & Fees (Cruise) $ $253.92
Total Price $2,473.92

You can top off your cruise with a day or two at Disneyland. The cruise itself is as follows:

1 Vancouver, Canada - 4:00 p.m.
2 At Sea - -
3 At Sea - -
4 San Francisco, California 8:00 a.m. -
5 San Francisco, California - 10:30 p.m.
6 At Sea - -
7 Los Angeles, California 9:30 a.m. -

My DW and I are on this cruise. We are actually celebrating our 25th anniversary with a Western Carribean cruise aboard the RCL Freedom in June and three months later we'll be on board the Wonder and this cruise. We are leaving our four kids behind (youngest is 16 now).

I know this is still very expensive but it is seriously fun stuff.

 

[jory29]

I know this probably seems a little silly since you seem particularly interested in Walt's apartment, but have you considered a different Disney surprise ... like a Disney Cruise? It seems like you have already done so many things Disney already that maybe this would be a very nice surprise for all of you. You don't have to actually be on the cruise on your anniversary.

There is still room on the Disney Wonder this September out of Vancouver, Canada to LA.

Price
Deluxe Inside Stateroom
Category $2,220.00
Guest 1 Cruise Fare $690.00
Guest 2 Cruise Fare $690.00
Guest 3 Cruise Fare $420.00
Guest 4 Cruise Fare $420.00
Government Taxes & Fees (Cruise) $ $253.92
Total Price $2,473.92

You can top off your cruise with a day or two at Disneyland. The cruise itself is as follows:

1 Vancouver, Canada - 4:00 p.m.
2 At Sea - -
3 At Sea - -
4 San Francisco, California 8:00 a.m. -
5 San Francisco, California - 10:30 p.m.
6 At Sea - -
7 Los Angeles, California 9:30 a.m. -

My DW and I are on this cruise. We are actually celebrating our 25th anniversary with a Western Carribean cruise aboard the RCL Freedom in June and three months later we'll be on board the Wonder and this cruise. We are leaving our four kids behind (youngest is 16 now).

I know this is still very expensive but it is seriously fun stuff.

That isn't silly at all, it sounds totally wonderful, and thanks so much for posting all of the details! Right now, for us, a cruise doesn't work for a variety of reasons... cost, being one, because it would cost more than a 6 or 7 day Disneyland trip overall, plus, our son has a severe generalized anxiety disorder which might make him feel too claustrophobic on a cruise, and for the room being so small on the ship, not sure how he could cope. We stay at the Hojo's kids suites and rooms are around 538 square feet total, but cruise ships are much, much smaller, and he does need his own space. Maybe depending on how hormones, etc. hit him as he gets older (15 now) he will have less anxiety, but for now, it is serious enough to warrant staying away from a long cruise. Maybe one day though! We have looked before, on the cruise lines, just to see.

Congrats on your 25th Anniversary, and your cruises both sound lovely! Thanks for posting about this idea. It was a great one, just not feasible now for our family.