A Once in Lifetime Adventure in Walt's Wonderful World-lots of pics-COMPLETE

[Disneygrl36]

So I decided to start a new thread for my actual trip report.
If you want to read the pre-trip report which contains all of the background information on this trip, introduces the cast of characters & relives some of our previous Disney trips then click on the link below.......
An Adventure in Walt's Wonderful World-a pre-trip report

Just a brief overview for those of you not willing to weed through 21 pages of pre-trip report that are just joining us.
This trip was an Adventures by Disney Backstage Magic trip with a few extra days tacked on the end to enjoy more of Disneyland.
The dates were Dec 8th-Dec 16th.
We had a wonderful time-it really was a once in a lifetime adventure.
I was hit with a feeling of extreme sadness & depression that it was all over with yesterday, but now I get to relive it all with you & that will surely help the missing Disneyland blues go away right?

The cast of character include myself Melanie self professed lover of all things Disney who found this wonderful adventure & persuaded DH Eric to let me have my way & book the trip last January. We waited a long time for the trip to roll around & my excitement built & built until I literally thought I might burst!!!!

Now as Jiminy Cricket would say........On with the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mommaU4]

I'm first!!!!

 

[lurkyloo]

I'm No. 2! Say... wait a minute.....

 

[Disneygrl36]

Originally we were going to fly out on Dec 6th & spend a few days in San Diego, but those plans had to be changed because of some things that DH needed to finish up at work before this trip. So instead we flew out on Monday December 8th in the late afternoon so that we could be there the night before the Adventures by Disney trip started. That gave us Tuesday morning to do some exploring on our own which I had planned out long before we knew we were going to have to shorten the trip. So this arrangement made me happy & DH happy all at the same time...what's not to like about that kind of compromise?

Our flight left the Knoxville airport at 5:05pm.
Here is Eric in front of the fountains at the airport ready to start our adventure.

We had a quick 30 minute flight to Atlanta & then grabbed a quick bite to eat while waiting for our flight to LAX to depart. The entertaiment system on the plane was not working properly & I was amused at how upset some people were about this. We both had our books with us so it was no big deal to us. Around 4 1/2 to 5 hrs later, we landed at LAX at around 9pm LA time. We were met at baggage claim by our driver arranged by Adventures by Disney. We chatted with him on the way to the Renaissance Hollywood hotel & he shared with us some about the famous people he had driven including Sheryl Crow & a very disheveled Jack Nicholson. It was fun looking out the window & seeing things we recognized. It wasn't long before we arrived & were checked in to the hotel which has a wonderful location right beside the Hollywood & Highland Center.
This is it during the day....not at 9pm when we arrived.

The first room they put us in had a nice big king size bed.

But, it smelled horribly of fresh paint so after heading out to stretch our legs a bit at the H & H Center & coming back & that smell hitting us in the face, we called to see if we could change rooms. They did change us but didn't have another king bed.....oh well at least we knew we could sleep without paint smell giving us a headache.
View out of our window after we moved.....that Christmas tree is on the Tower Records building.

Low & behold the next morning we wake up very early like 4:50am since our bodies are still on eastern standard time. We watched the sun come up out the window & realize that low & behold the move has given us a room with a view of the Hollywood sign. Yippee The other room had a view of the H & H center.

So Eric decides to go work out & I go exploring.
The hotel lobby-does anyone else want to start singing Blue Christmas when they look at this photo?

I wandered around & went up to the pool area which is way cool & has an awesome view.

There was an area leading out of the pool into the Hollywood & Highland Center so I just kept following it.

I followed it all the way around to where I could see Hollywood Blvd.

A security guard came & told me I wasn't supposed to be over there. I said sorry, but there wasn't any signs or ropes or anything so how was a girl supposed to know . I was only taking pictures, he said no problem but head on back to the hotel now, so I did. Eric got a kick out of me getting in trouble!
We ate a quick bite in the room out of the breakfast/snack things I had brought & then headed to the Hertz rental car counter in the lobby to get the car we had reserved. We decided to go ahead & add the GPS system to the car as well, because we always manage to get lost & end up in the bad part of town. It was great. They gave us a red Ford escape & we were on our way to explore.

Up next..........adventuring on our own & what all did we find?

 

[Disneygrl36]

I'm first!!!!

I'm No. 2! Say... wait a minute.....

Beth!!!!!!! You are first!!!!
Carrie........... Glad you are here!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

And so the report begins. Woohoo!

 

[mommaU4]

Wow, day one and you're already in trouble. Cool. Can't wait to read more.

 

[wendylady36]

Silly girl, getting in trouble at the beginning of your adventure!

That is quite the view from your room! I don't know what it is about Hollywood, but I love, love, love it. I even love all the advertisements, more so then in Times Square. There's just something so magical about Hollywood.

I'm ready to read more!

 

[kmab00]

Sounds great so far! I love the view from your room, too!!!! That's funny you got in trouble! Whoops!! I can't wait to hear more!

 

[Jennifer48]

I'm here!

First day in trouble, what are we going to do with you?!

Great start and great view!

 

[Aburns8]

Followed you over! Let me know if you need anything filled in since I was the geek taking notes.

 

[SoonerGirl]

Your hotel looks beautiful! That stinks (literally!) about the paint smell and that you lost your king sized bed, BUT you were able to get a GREAT view in exchange!

OK, I'm ready for more!

 

[MickMan]

We got in trouble from the security guard also. We saw a sign that said hotel guests could go up to that level but the security guard told us we could not be on that level.

Cant wait to relive the whole trip again with your report.

 

[Disneygrl36]

And so the report begins. Woohoo!

Yes, the saga begins.

Wow, day one and you're already in trouble. Cool. Can't wait to read more.

I know, I know. I couldn't believe it.

Silly girl, getting in trouble at the beginning of your adventure!

That is quite the view from your room! I don't know what it is about Hollywood, but I love, love, love it. I even love all the advertisements, more so then in Times Square. There's just something so magical about Hollywood.

I'm ready to read more!

Wendy, I thought it was pretty magical too & was really happy when we woke up & saw the view. I had always thought the Hollywood sign was illuminated at night so when I looked out in the dark & didn't see it, I figured we couldn't see it from our room.

Sounds great so far! I love the view from your room, too!!!! That's funny you got in trouble! Whoops!! I can't wait to hear more!

I will try to get another update up for you tomorrow Karen.

I'm here!

First day in trouble, what are we going to do with you?!

Great start and great view!

I have no idea what you are going to do with me. Ask Andrea & Mark they met me in real life.

Followed you over! Let me know if you need anything filled in since I was the geek taking notes.

Hey Andrea......I was thinking it might be cool to get a copy of those notes. What do you say to lending me a copy of your crib notes. They will come in handy here & in my scrapbooking. My brain is not what it used to be.

Your hotel looks beautiful! That stinks (literally!) about the paint smell and that you lost your king sized bed, BUT you were able to get a GREAT view in exchange!

OK, I'm ready for more!

The Renaissance was gorgeous. I highly recommend it if you ever get to Hollywood. The location was fabulous.

 

[Disneygrl36]

We got in trouble from the security guard also. We saw a sign that said hotel guests could go up to that level but the security guard told us we could not be on that level.

Cant wait to relive the whole trip again with your report.

See I am not the only one that got in trouble. I felt kinda weird when he stopped me & kept on saying there wasn't a sign, there wasn't a rope like defending myself. I said I am staying at the Renaissance right next door & dude was like well this isn't part of the Renaissance. I just didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong but oh well.............whatcha gonna do?
Can't wait to relive it too!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna go back already.

 

[Disneygrl36]

I changed a few of the pictures in my post as when I was looking at the larger ones, I found better ones.

 

[Aburns8]

I will work on the notes tomorrow. I have to rewrite them before I forget everything! I keep looking at my pictures wishing the trip wasn't over!

 

[travelmel]

Wholley molley! I didn't get the "moved thread" memo till just now! Doggone it.

I figured you were resting on your Disney VIP laurels and not posting anything yet! I should have known better!

I can't read right now, gotta go to bed but I'll catch up SOON

 

[tinkermell]

Oohh! I'm on board and looking forward to lots more!!

 

[tinkermell]

Wholley molley! I didn't get the "moved thread" memo till just now! Doggone it.

I figured you were resting on your Disney VIP laurels and not posting anything yet! I should have known better!

I can't read right now, gotta go to bed but I'll catch up SOON

travelmel, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to steal your Tinkerbell pic. I love it!!