A DisneyWorld Lifer is going to Disneyland-the saga ends...

[DISUNC]

Allow me to introduce, most of the characters in this story...

In the center back row, my dd is center stage...her Grandmother is to her right. In Grandmom's place will be best friend's Mom, Rose. Stefanie is immediately to my dd's left.

I hope my friend's do not mind my using their given names...

Molly, Dede, Jill (being replaced by Rose), Brittany, Stefanie, Aisling, Colleen (me), Nan, bottom row left is John, Jesse, Wilson, Chad and Paul.

These are my friends. We met on the DIS, we cruised together for Christmas in 2005, we sat together for dinner every night on the Magic for 7 straight days and we are all seeing each other after a year and a half for the first time since the cruise.

This is gonna be fun!

A CAST OF THOUSANDS!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

A CAST OF THOUSANDS!!!!!!!!!!

Hiya DU!

nope, just 13 and-a-half

Our friends John and Dede have a little souvenir they are bringing on the trip. Her name is Piper and she will be about 8 months old when we see her

 

[DISUNC]

Hiya DU!

nope, just 13 and-a-half

Our friends John and Dede have a little souvenir they are bringing on the trip. Her name is Piper and she will be about 8 months old when we see her

I like souvenirs

 

[ohdisco]

How fun! I live in San Jose too! The bay area is soo nice (that's why I plan to live here as long as possible!).

You're going to have soo much fun! I've never been to WDW, but Disneyland is amazing! The Indiana Jones Ride is one of the best in the park.

When I'm with my whole family, we usually stay that the Holiday Inn at the Park (You cross the street and you're at Disneyland!), but my mom sent me and my cousin to Disneyland for my Graduation present last year, and the Disneyland Hotel was AMAZING. If you get the chance, just go look at the lobby and the grounds; they're simply spectacular(especially at night...look up and see Tinkerbell and her pixie dust lit up over the hotel!)!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Welcome ohdisco!

I can't wait to see all of it Going to California has been a dream of mine for a very, very long time.

From what I've learned, DL is nothing like WDW. I am looking forward to a whole new Disney experience. I plan on checking out the hotels, with Aisling and her crew staying at the DH I will definitely be visiting that one. The pictures are so pretty.

I have a question for you, if I may, where did you eat when you stayed there? I am working on that part of my itinerary and want to make sure to hit at least 2 or 3 restaurants for dinner while at DL. Any recommendations?

 

[grimgrinnin]

My dining favs:
Blue Bayou (must do for lunch- get to dine inside PotC. Monte Cristo sandwiches!)

The Vineyard Room (DCA - Dede's favorite).


The Corndog Castle (DCA - mmmm, corndogs!)

Aisling - no sweat with the DHL - We can meet at the front gates or the World of Disney or wherever...




grim


grim

 

[nskjerven]

ya it's not cheap at GCA, but beautiful and the webiste is ALWAYS over priced. I call and try AP rates.

YES NAPA ROSE!!!!! Lee and I had a great dinner there (kids at Pinochios workshop, GCA babysitting, but must be guest to use it)


We'll have to make a ressie for that for sure for us many people. It can be pricey too, but really worth it. I think our dinner for 2 was over $200. We had the chefs choice menu, paired with wine for one and another entree as we knew we both couldn't drink all the wine thru out dinner, we shared it was just the right amount that way. They also have a cigar menu (not my interest) but Lee loves them, so Happy bday gift to her was a cuban.

You'd never lose me....you know me too well for that.

I just wish I could grow a tree of money for us all and you could come on the repo. I'm really looking forward to it. so are the kids. Wilson actually turned down a toy at Target (after he asked for it) so we could save the $$$ for the cruise. what a sweet boy...ya ya you know him, he's not all that sweet.

 

[nskjerven]

ya tigg, did ya like that new club I've founded...I think you can be a member-at-large....

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Cute and oh so original Nanette

jk...

Nan, if you wind up staying at the GCH we'll have 2 of the 3 DL hotels covered for touring

Grim, the Blue Bayou looks awesome, we are sooo there. Napa Rose sounds very elegant. I'll be there for the food, unless Nan and Paul can find another wine for me I will actually drink. And ooh look! A Ham at the Corndog Stand!!!



I am actually getting ready to write a list of restaurants that I found in my birnbaum's guide that I want y'alls opinion on...but first...airfare!

SW has published our first leg prices and they are waaay higher than I expected...I got me some googling ta do...

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Of course I pick up the USA Today and the headline talks about SW raising their prices

They still have the best deal...we start our trip in San Fran...which airport should I use if the options are Oakland or San Jose? They say they are starting back up with San Fran but it is not listed in my choices of airports online

 

[nskjerven]

Oakland and driving to SF or SJ is not pretty....having said that, you need a car rental with one way return, so perhaps that should drive (ha haha) your decission.

SJ is MUCH easier than SFO, but then you'll have that drive to SF on your arrival day, so hmmmmmm...either way works for me. Again, as we are closer I'll know what is up for us the day you arrive and can plan to meet you as soon as we are able.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Rose was telling me she wanted to fly in reeeeeally late that night...

I'm thinking I'd like to get ther mid to late afternoon so she and I (after I talk to her) may be flying in seperately. The only late flight, for a decent price, on SW flies into Oakland. The normal, mid-afternoon flight, comes into SJ but then I'd need to figure out how Brittany and me will get to SF without Rose....I'm so confused...

I could also pay a little bit more and fly a different airline directly into SF.

any more thoughts on all this????

 

[Aisling]

I could also pay a little bit more and fly a different airline directly into SF.

If it's only a little bit more, I think flying right to SF would be the best idea. Would it cost more than renting a car one way?

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Rose and I booked our home flights tonight!

We leave around 6am CA time and are home about 5pm eastern time...not bad for $250 for 2 people.

...now to find flights out for that price

as I said, I can fly into San Jose, right now for $129 per person but would then have to get transportation to San Francisco...

we could fly directly into San Francisco but that airfare is $220-ish per person!

What kind of transportation, besides a taxi or a rental car, could I use to get from San Jose to San Francisco?

 

[grimgrinnin]

[size=4
What kind of transportation, besides a taxi or a rental car, could I use to get from San Jose to San Francisco?[/size]

Wilson driving his go-cart?



grim

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Wilson driving his go-cart?



grim

one of us at a time 45 miles each way....


I doubt it...

I'll check into shuttles and such tomorrow, we have one called Rapid Rover here that would cost me a third of what a taxi would be. The hotel site lists the cost of taking a taxi from SJ to SF at $120. Rapid Rover averages $45 to 60...that's more what I'm looking for cause we really don't need a car til our 3rd day.

I don't suppose there is a train or metro type of transport in the area is there?

 

[ohdisco]

You could take the light rail I believe to the BART station. The BART will take you straight into San Francisco. Or it's CALtram or something. I'll figure out what would take you to the BART station, but the BART is 4.90 to get from fremont (which is sort of by San Jose) to San Francisco.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

You could take the light rail I believe to the BART station. The BART will take you straight into San Francisco. Or it's CALtram or something. I'll figure out what would take you to the BART station, but the BART is 4.90 to get from fremont (which is sort of by San Jose) to San Francisco.

Awesome! Thank you!

$4.90 is waaaay better than $120 anyday...

I will look into this as well~

 

[serendipity]

how exciting! I love the pre-trip so far...sounds like you guys had a wonderful cruise. I'm spending the first few nights of my honeymoon in disneyland this May, and we're also Disneyworld vets

 

[tiggerwannabe]

how exciting! I love the pre-trip so far...sounds like you guys had a wonderful cruise. I'm spending the first few nights of my honeymoon in disneyland this May, and we're also Disneyworld vets

Awesome for you! Congratualtions!!!

Yes, we had such a fabulous cruise that we are ALL doing it again and this time bringing the entire family and then some

Last time we did Christmas on the Eastern 7 day. This time we are changing it up a little and doing New Years on the 7 day Western

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