A Mermaid & Shark in the Pools?!?!- A Combined DLR and Villas at GCH Trip Report

[pepe3penelope]

Hello, all! I had created a PreTrip Report that can be seen via my signature (it's more detailed about family background and my planning process). I figured now is a good time to actually do the Trip Report! I just signed up for Photobucket and I'm still learning to add photos to the thread so please bear with me. I will add later. I know everyone wants to see pictures.

My family includes myself, DH, DD (6 1/2 years old), and DS (3 later this month). We are locals and annual passholders to DLR and are DVC members.

We leave in 5 DAYS!!! This is our "staycation" because I don't want to pay for airfare. We have never stayed on property and this is our 1st time using our points as DVC members. We are sooooo super duper excited to be staying at the Villas at the Grand Californian. Our focus on this trip will be relaxing at the pools, some shopping, pools, some DLR and CA visits, and more pools. Did I already mention that we will be at the pools?!?

THE REASON FOR THE THREAD'S NAME: My kids love the pools and waterparks. It's very relaxing and fun for us. They love being in the water so much that I initially called them fish. However, DD countered with, "No, mommy...I'm a mermaid." DS said he's a shark.

Here's my itinerary:
Sunday, July 6-Wednesday, July 9: 1 bedroom villa
Wednesday, July 9-Friday, July 11: Studio villa
Points are too expensive to stay in the 1 bedroom the entire stay!

Sunday, July 6th:
Check in early at the VGC for our 1 bedroom villa, leave car at self-parking (hurray for free parking for DVC members!), drop off luggage and some groceries with Bell Services.
Remind Bell Services of Vons grocery delivery for arrival between 0900-1000.
Family will already be in swimsuits with some snacks & drinks on hand. Head straight for the pools!!!
Once room is ready, go up to room, have bell services retrieve luggage and all the groceries. Unpack and make dinner.
Depending on how everyone feels afterwards, may stay in room or go down to CA for a little bit (gotta take advantage of being onsite, right?).

Monday, July 7th:
Attend DVC Royal Member Gathering at the DLH Ballroom at 8 am (ugh...so early).
Go to the GCH pools and check in for our full day CABANA!!! So excited because we've never done a cabana before!
Cook dinner in villa.

Tuesday, July 8th:
Character breakfast scheduled for Surf's Up with Mickey at PPH.
Go shopping at DTD (most likely World of Disney, Lego Store).
Go to GCH pools and/or parks.
Cook dinner in villa.

Wednesday, July 9th:
Check out of 1 Bedroom Villa and check into Studio Villa. Have Bell Services take room items until Studio is ready.
Go to Build a Bear Workshop for our scheduled visit. Excited to be in a non-crowded store. Curious to see how many families will be there.
Maybe wander around DTD some more.
Pools and/or parks.

Thursday, July 10th:
Go to DLH for our full day cabana!!! DD is more excited than I am about the pools here, especially the monorail slide!

Friday, July 11th:
Check out of the villa!
Have Bell Services keep luggage.
Enjoy the pools and/or parks.
Leave in the evening and go back home to reality.

I will try my best throughout the trip to post updates!

 

[pepe3penelope]

Thanks to Bob from the July Disneyland thread for much needed guidance! I'll try to post by tonight or tomorrow. Have to go to sleep early for work this week! Still feverishly packing, making lists on top of daily stuff!

 

[pepe3penelope]

Here are some photos. You will rarely find DH in a picture as he would rather be behind the camera than in front of it!

DD & DS sharing a shake at Flo's Cafe in Carsland



DD & DS in the front of the monorail



DD having a photo op w/Aurora at the DLR entrance


Handsome Mickey in his holiday wear

 

[petals]

hope you have a fun trip can't wait to read about it.

 

[pepe3penelope]

hope you have a fun trip can't wait to read about it.

Awww!!! Thanks for following along! I'm excited to do this TR since I haven't been able to find TR's about VGC, cabanas at DLH or GCH, Surfs Up with Mickey, and the shopping at DTD.

 

[petals]

Awww!!! Thanks for following along! I'm excited to do this TR since I haven't been able to find TR's about VGC, cabanas at DLH or GCH, Surfs Up with Mickey, and the shopping at DTD.

That will be great. I'm planning my first trip to DL in November and there is not info info out there. There's loads on WDW but not as much on DL

 

[crystal1313]

Sounds like a super fun and relaxing trip! Can't wait to read more. Will be there shortly after you, July 21-23. Adorable family

 

[pepe3penelope]

Sounds like a super fun and relaxing trip! Can't wait to read more. Will be there shortly after you, July 21-23. Adorable family

Welcome and thank you for joining! I can't believe my family and I will be on vacation in less than FOUR days!!! I seriously cannot contain myself. Because if the holiday weekend, tomorrow is my last day of work.

You must be so excited! What do you have planned for your trip? Hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[pepe3penelope]

A Famous Couple will be following us during our vacation: Ariel and Prince Eric!!! She is without a doubt my favorite princess and he is my favorite prince. Luckily, my DD agrees (must be in her blood!). I've seen a famous thread on the Disneyland DISboards with Fidget (?): he's a stuffed animal that's posed in photos with Disneyland food. I'm inspired and will try my best to have my favorite princess/prince couple join in our vacation fun!!!

We are staying at the Villas at the GCH (1st 3 nights in a 1 bedroom and last 2 nights in a studio. Check out the food/snacks/drinks I have set aside! That's not including the items in the freezer we're bringing for bell services to hold AND the Vons delivery items I ordered! I've already got 95% of the toiletries packed. Most of the clothes are set aside and I'll pack them by Friday. Wow!


More DLR pics!




UP NEXT: Pack clothes into luggage!
Saturday: Have DS get a haircut trim. DD and I will have daughter/mommy bonding time with mani/pedi (our 1st time together). We even have our nail polish colors from home already picked out!

 

[RHMH]

Great Family Pictures.....

I will follow along.... IMO, the Fairy God Mother at DLR looks like the one at WDW.

Happy Planning

 

[pepe3penelope]

Great Family Pictures..... I will follow along.... IMO, the Fairy God Mother at DLR looks like the one at WDW. Happy Planning

Thanks, Bob! I'm having a fun time planning this trip! Glad to have you follow along!

 

[crystal1313]

Welcome and thank you for joining! I can't believe my family and I will be on vacation in less than FOUR days!!! I seriously cannot contain myself. Because if the holiday weekend, tomorrow is my last day of work.

You must be so excited! What do you have planned for your trip? Hope you have a wonderful time!

We are SO excited!!! I love your photo of the snacks! We bring a ton too. Saves so much money!! Only thing I have planned for sure is a pool day when we arrive. We didn't make any dining reservations. Trying to go with the flow. Also, trying out PhotoPass+ for the first time. Excited about that. My dad hasn't been in 10 years, and my mom hasn't seen Cars Land or BVS yet. Happy we can all be together and that my parents get to go with my kids just like I went with my grandparents when I was little.

You have a wonderful trip as well!!

 

[pepe3penelope]

Wow! The day our vacation starts is officially here! Apparently I was too excited to sleep last night. I kept waking up and couldn't go back to sleep at 4:30 (45 minutes before my alarm was supposed to ring).

Most items were placed in the trunk last night. Just need to pack the perishable groceries, toiletry suitcase, day bags, day snack/drink bag to use til villa is ready, and purse.

Side note: We've been having problems with ants the past couple days. My DH sprayed outside the house 2 days ago then yesterday morning they found their way INSIDE my DD's bedroom...they were everywhere and there were sooo many of them. My friend & coworker is coming by the house everyday starting tomorrow to check on our cat. I hope those pesky ants stay away!

So now, I shall get ready and will try to post whenever I can. We just got a new Microsoft Surface 2 so hopefully I can take pics and post.

My goal is to hit the road by 7am, get to starbucks and hit the freeway by 7:20, arrive at GCH registration by 8am, DH will drop us off, leave luggage and groceries with bell services, DH will park car at the self-parking lot across the street, check-in and confirm again dining ressies, villa room requests, cabana ressies, and that they have DD and DS birthday celebrations noted. THEN we will hit the pools until the villa is ready.

After the villa is ready, we will unpack then meet our good friends who actually live just down the street from Disneyland!!! Our families will have dinner together, hang out in the villa, and watch World of Color from our balcony!

Grand Californian, here we come!!!

 

[pepe3penelope]

It's day 4 of our vacation & we are having an awesome time! LOVE our 1 bedroom villa but sad to check out of it and check into the studio today. About to make breakfast for the family in the kitchen!

Will update the TR with photos and more details when we get back. I've been entering details daily so I don't forget what's been going on.

Today we have our private build a bear session! Then we will go into the parks until the studio is ready!

 

[VandVsmama]

I just gotta say...your children are totally adorable!

 

[pepe3penelope]

I just gotta say...your children are totally adorable!

Awwww!!! Thank you so much! We are having an awesome time relaxing and spending way too money shopping. Ok, I'll admit it. My DD and I are spending too much!

I treated myself yesterday to Judith Jack earrings and today I got the new design of a shopper tote Dooney & Bourke. Sooooo pretty !!! It has classic Minnie & Mickey in a pink design. Apparently I took the last one! Will post picture when we get back.

Thanks again! About to board the Red Trolley at DCA!!!

 

[petals]

hope you enjoyed your disney trip. Can't wait to hear about it

 

[pepe3penelope]

hope you enjoyed your disney trip. Can't wait to hear about it

Thank you for sticking around! We just got back Friday night and we were at my best friend's house all day and night yesterday for her daughter's bday. By the way, it was a Frozen theme and she had Anna and Elsa there. No need to wait 2-3 hours in line at DLP!!! They painted the girls' nails, sang songs, & took pics.

Go back to the reality of work tomorrow.

I've been using my Surface 2 as a computer. Almost finished working on the trip. Then will post the tons of pics!!!

 

[RHMH]

Thank you for sticking around! We just got back Friday night and we were at my best friend's house all day and night yesterday for her daughter's bday. By the way, it was a Frozen theme and she had Anna and Elsa there. No need to wait 2-3 hours in line at DLP!!! They painted the girls' nails, sang songs, & took pics.

Go back to the reality of work tomorrow.

I've been using my Surface 2 as a computer. Almost finished working on the trip. Then will post the tons of pics!!!

Can't wait for your TPR....

 

[pepe3penelope]

Can't wait for your TPR....

Awwww!!! Thanks!