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

[CangriChika]

You're going to love your cruise! DH surprised me in 2006 for our Tenth Anniversary with the Land/Sea Package. DS3 was still so little. So, he wanted to include the kids in our "second" honeymoon. We have been on one every year since. Needless to say ... We're hooked! We just went on our third this past September. I want to live on Castaway Cay. Serenity Bay is soooooooooo peaceful. I was surprised how quiet it is down there. The family beach was loud and chaotic. Once you board the tram ... you are on your way to pure paradise. On our first and second cruise, we did the couples-cabana massage on CC. I HIGHLY recommend this. Also, we have done dinner and brunch at Palo. Brunch was amazing. We met up with other DISers onboard and booked Palo's private room for the brunch (It helped that one of our DISFriends was in a Suite ). The 3-night cruise doesn't have the Palo brunch, but dinner is "a must". The lobster ravioli is now my favorite. Yum! Yum! We have to wait until November for our next DCL cruise. It seems sooooooo far away. We are taking my Mom, nephew and our three kiddos. My Mom lost her husband this past Spring. They were suppose to go on a cruise the month after he passed. Of course she canceled it. So, DH and I wanted to treat her with the cruise as a sort of pick-me up. We are bringing my nephew along as a High School Graduation present. It will be a "mini-Grand Gathering". We need one more person (8 minimum) to be considered a Grand Gathering at WDW.

Have a "Wonder"ful cruise.

Jennifer

OHH!! your making the anticipation worse!!
thanks for the advice, i cant wait to go and relax && stuff my face
we have more then 10 people going with us...
impending mess! oh jeez!

 

[travelmel]

Looking at this picture makes me feel really short--happy but short.
We really enjoyed our time with them & I would love to get back out to Hollywood area some time & spend some more time together.
Continued in next post........

So actually, you were closer to somebody who was on the waiting list for club 33. I am one step behind as I have only TEXT reference to her.

 

[Disneygrl36]

mmmm wine, and that chicken sandwich looks really good

The sanwich was good & you can never go wrong with wine. I did think it was cute how they turned the wine barrels into things appropriate to imagineering since that venue used to be all about how the Robert Mondavi company made wine.

I've NEVER been on a disney cruise
surprising huh?

I'm going to Bahamas && Castaway Cay, its the 3 night one I think. I'm so excited!!!

You are going to have a blast Sakina. Is it you & your Mom again? Maybe someone better call & warn the entertainment staff that they have two live wires coming so they can get some rest before you guys go.

Sakina, Brian and I want to go! Could you imagine all of the trouble we would get into!

Now add in you two too & watch out!!!!!!!!
Hey I have an idea for the reunion tour.........land & sea baby!!!!!!!!!!!

just loving your TR

Thanks again for sharing

When's the next holiday pre trip report comimg out ?

Aww thanks Jackie. Well our next trip in May is a week beach with a short stay at the Boardwalk of just 2 nights & we will go into EPCOT one day. Not much to report on but I might do a mini trippie.

Hooray! Now I know what you guys did before and after we met you. I liked my hug ...

Also, I think your red and pink looked great together - but then, if you look at our pic together, you may notice that I'm wearing a red scarf and pink gloves!

That is hilarious. I didn't even notice in the pictures that you had a pink/red thing going on too!!!! I am sooooo glad we got to meet that day.

Melanie,

Your trip report lit a fire under my butt to make a decision about DH's birthday trip this June. After pricing everything and taking into consideration our children, I decided to wait until DS3 is older to do an ABD. With that said (written) ... I booked us at the Disneyland Hotel!!!!!! I can't wait! This will be DH's first trip to Disneyland. What better way to spend his 40th Birthday? We WILL be there on his actual birthday. I got the park-hopper tickets with our package. So, we will probably use the celebration FastPass option for his birthday present from Disney.

Look out Mickey ... Here we come!

Jennifer

Yeah you are going to Disneyland. I would love to go back & stay at the Disneyland Hotel. Good for you & that will be a great place for a 40th bday. I spent my 40th on a Disney Cruise-which I think you enjoy too!
I would definetly wait on ABD until your 3yo gets older-too much walking standing & not enough rest time.

 

[Disneygrl36]

So actually, you were closer to somebody who was on the waiting list for club 33. I am one step behind as I have only TEXT reference to her.

Oh yeah I was.......... but at the time I had not idea about the Club 33 invite. We never got around to that when we were talking 90 miles an hour.

 

[tinkermell]

Wow! I finally caught up on your whole report.

It was wonderful and really well written. I cried when you wrote about Walt's apartment. So touching.

There is so much more I could comment on, but it would take toooooooo long.

I just wanted you to know, that I really enjoyed it.

Thankyou!

 

[jenny105]

ohh! where you going and when??

I booked the land and sea package.
9/20-9/24 I will be staying at POR
9/24-9/27 3 nights on the Wonder! I can't wait to see Castaway Cay

I think I'm also going to stay at WDW for a couple of nights after the cruise. I work in a TA and we can sometimes get complimentary 2 day hoppers so all I'd have to worry about is the hotel!

 

[Disneygrl36]

We slept in this morning & didn't get in any hurry for the first time this trip. We had a quick breakfast in the room as we looked out the window realizing it was raining cats & dogs. We looked at each other like what do we do now? Well, of course, we put on ponchos & off we went since it was our last day at Disneyland.

We started off with a slow stroll down Main Street as I really wanted to look at some of the windows & details.
Roger Broggie who helped Walt build his Carolwood Pacific Railroad

Marc Davis.......animator & Imagineer extrodinarie

Emile Kurie.....set designer & interior designer of Walt's apt

At one of the side streets we found the Hotel Marceline-a nod to Walt's favorite place to grow up.

And a dentist's office & we could hear drilling etc. Too funny!!!!

Bill Justice-who drew my Snow White picture all those years ago.

Rain is kind of nice for being all alone on Main Street.

Master artists every one

We then visited Snow White's Grotto which I have to say is a gorgeous area.

Make a wish & hear a song.....

We went over to Fantasyland as we wanted to do the attractions there that we had missed-Alice, Storybook land, tea cups & Casey Jr but alot of them were down I guess because of the rain? So we never did get to do them-darn it. Reason number I don't know what to go back to Disneyland.
There was no line to do the Sleeping Beauty castle walk through & this was something I really wanted to see so that's what we did instead.
Really cool effects & I just loved winding my way down into the castle depths. I am really glad they decided to reimagine this attraction & bring it back.

We went into a really cute shop that had an Alice in Wonderland theme.

We played with some hats.

And got to see the Cheshire Cat appear in the mirror

Empty tea cups

Up next.........do we finally ride something or are we going to just walk around all day?

 

[Disneygrl36]

Wow! I finally caught up on your whole report.

It was wonderful and really well written. I cried when you wrote about Walt's apartment. So touching.

There is so much more I could comment on, but it would take toooooooo long.

I just wanted you to know, that I really enjoyed it.

Thankyou!

Thanks so much tinkermell. It really makes me feel good to know that people are actually enjoying this trip report. It seems that I did an ok job describing Walt's apartment to you guys as alot of you are having the same reaction hearing about it that I did living it.

I booked the land and sea package.
9/20-9/24 I will be staying at POR
9/24-9/27 3 nights on the Wonder! I can't wait to see Castaway Cay

I think I'm also going to stay at WDW for a couple of nights after the cruise. I work in a TA and we can sometimes get complimentary 2 day hoppers so all I'd have to worry about is the hotel!

You will have sooo much fun Jenny. I always wondered if TA's got perks & now I know. I should have been a TA instead of a nurse.

 

[jenny105]

You will have sooo much fun Jenny. I always wondered if TA's got perks & now I know. I should have been a TA instead of a nurse.

The perks are nice! I hope I can get the tickets. What they do is review your productivity in selling Disney when they make their decision. But I just sold two packages in the last 2 days, not to mention the land/sea package for myself, so I should be in the clear right?

We need nurses! You help save lives...I just send them on vacation.

I love the picture of your hubby with the princess ears on And I love all of the Sleeping Beauty pictures. That's my favorite princess movie.

 

[lurkyloo]

So actually, you were closer to somebody who was on the waiting list for club 33. I am one step behind as I have only TEXT reference to her.

We slept in this morning & didn't get in any hurry for the first time this trip. We had a quick breakfast in the room as we looked out the window realizing it was raining cats & dogs.

I thought I'd upload a pic of the view from our room at the Grand that morning to illustrate this section of your report....

 

[CangriChika]

oh man that kinda sucks that it rained on the last day!!
ohh well reason number 56 to go back to disneyland!!!

was the park really like a ghost town when it rained??
man, i wish it was like that over here!! everyone is starting to take my ideas to go to the park when it rains!

Originally Posted by jenny105
I booked the land and sea package.
9/20-9/24 I will be staying at POR
9/24-9/27 3 nights on the Wonder! I can't wait to see Castaway Cay

I think I'm also going to stay at WDW for a couple of nights after the cruise. I work in a TA and we can sometimes get complimentary 2 day hoppers so all I'd have to worry about is the hotel!

ohh have you ever been to POR?? I never stayed there but rather err borrowed the pool... its really really nice! The decor and everything is so pretty! your gonna love it!!

 

[jenny105]

ohh have you ever been to POR?? I never stayed there but rather err borrowed the pool... its really really nice! The decor and everything is so pretty! your gonna love it!!

Nope, I've never been so that's going to be a new experience as well. I haven't stayed in any of the mods, only Pop Century. When I went to DTD last year, I took the water taxi over to POR to check it out. It's gorgeous!! And so big!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I know I've said this before, but, another great update!

I didn't even think to walk through the castle when we were there! Another thing to add to my list of reasons to go back (as if any of us actually NEED a reason )

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

I'm loving your TR !! 8 Days? Thats amazing !

I looove the Sleeping Beauty walkthrough, wasn't it fantastic? How awesome that you got to be around the park and have it relatively empty because of the rain. That is the upside of bad weather

 

[Disneygrl36]

The perks are nice! I hope I can get the tickets. What they do is review your productivity in selling Disney when they make their decision. But I just sold two packages in the last 2 days, not to mention the land/sea package for myself, so I should be in the clear right?

We need nurses! You help save lives...I just send them on vacation.

I love the picture of your hubby with the princess ears on And I love all of the Sleeping Beauty pictures. That's my favorite princess movie.

I think you should be set.
Yes he is comfortable in his masculinity so he didn't mind wearing the princess hat. That Sleeping Beauty walk through was amazing.

I thought I'd upload a pic of the view from our room at the Grand that morning to illustrate this section of your report....

That is just how I remember it......it was pouring rain. At least it slowed down & it stopped pretty early on & it did keep the crowds away.

oh man that kinda sucks that it rained on the last day!!
ohh well reason number 56 to go back to disneyland!!!

was the park really like a ghost town when it rained??
man, i wish it was like that over here!! everyone is starting to take my ideas to go to the park when it rains! :headache

Yes it was not crowded at all Sakina!!!!!!! It was nice, but some things weren't working that I wanted to ride....oh well like we've said just another reason to go back.

Nope, I've never been so that's going to be a new experience as well. I haven't stayed in any of the mods, only Pop Century. When I went to DTD last year, I took the water taxi over to POR to check it out. It's gorgeous!! And so big!

Oh Jenny, if you are at POR make sure to see if Bob Jackson is playing in the River Roost while you are there. He is this great piano player guy that does fun sing alongs. He's awesome.

I know I've said this before, but, another great update!

I didn't even think to walk through the castle when we were there! Another thing to add to my list of reasons to go back (as if any of us actually NEED a reason )

The castle walk through has only been open about a month....so you didn't miss it, it wasn't open yet. But, still a reason to go back.

I'm loving your TR !! 8 Days? Thats amazing !

I looove the Sleeping Beauty walkthrough, wasn't it fantastic? How awesome that you got to be around the park and have it relatively empty because of the rain. That is the upside of bad weather

Thanks Jasmine. I was really surprised how the rain kept people away!!!!!! I love Disneyland.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Nope, I've never been so that's going to be a new experience as well. I haven't stayed in any of the mods, only Pop Century. When I went to DTD last year, I took the water taxi over to POR to check it out. It's gorgeous!! And so big!

We stayed at POR this past November/December. It was our first stay at POR. We truly enjoyed this resort. We stayed in the Alligator Bayou section. I had read numerous complaints on the lay-out of the resort (too big). Being a family of five, we couldn't stay at French Quarter. That was actually a blessing in disguise. The paths were nicely shaded and we enjoyed the little walk to the main area and pool. However, it did always freak me out that a 'gator was going to come jumping out of the water and attack us. It is VERY well themed. We ate at the food court (Riverside Mill) a few times. The chocolate cake was yummy! The muffaletta was NOT worth the $$$$$. One night we ordered a whole pizza from the food court. That was probably the most economical meal of the trip. We put the left overs in our in-room fridge. We ate dinner at Boatwright's one evening. We had a nice table near the fireplace. However, we were very underwhelmed with the food there. DH had the pork chops (dry) and I had the fried chicken and waffles (dry meat, greasy exterior and I gave the waffles to the kids. They didn't like them either. Too done.). Theme to our meal, everything was overcooked. I've read hit or miss reviews on this restaurant. I guess we caught them on an off-night. We didn't use the pool right near our building. I did use the laundry facility though. I know, doing laundry on vacation blasphemy! With a DS3 who has a hard time making ice cream into his mouth and not his shirts, I have to stain-treat most of his shirts. Tip: The dryers with a light on DON'T need money to work. A fellow resort guest was nice enough to tell me that when in the laundry room and it worked! We did walk to the main pool on 'Ol Man Island. It was nice and there is a walk-up bar. The kids loved going down the slide over and over again. What is it with kids and waterslides? Okay, and big kids like lurkyloo (I read your trip report. ).

We have stayed at CBR in the past, another Moderate, and would definitely pick POR over it in a heartbeat. We took the boat from POR down the Sassagoula River to DTD a few times. Great perk!

We're DVC Members. But, always seems to use up all our points too quickly. We need to add-on! So, we stay in the "normal" WDW resort rooms too with an AP or AAA discount. Our goal ... stay at every WDW resort.

Jennifer

 

[travelmel]

And a dentist's office & we could hear drilling etc. Too funny!!!!

I'm sending in my Resume Monday morning!

Travelmel <----- hygienist

 

[TotallyAngelic]

I have loved every minute of this amazing trip report Melanie. You have made everything really come alive and captured the atmosphere of every moment with your reporting and your wonderful photographs! I am really inspired by this to go on this trip myself one day, and am pencilling it in as a special treat for my 50th birthday (sounds scary) - if they still do it by then (which will be 2014...ssshhhhh), or sooner if possible! Would try for DH's 50th which is sooner (2011) but I know he would prefer a cruise!

 

[Disneygrl36]

I'm sending in my Resume Monday morning!

Travelmel <----- hygienist

Good luck on getting the job!!!!

I have loved every minute of this amazing trip report Melanie. You have made everything really come alive and captured the atmosphere of every moment with your reporting and your wonderful photographs! I am really inspired by this to go on this trip myself one day, and am pencilling it in as a special treat for my 50th birthday (sounds scary) - if they still do it by then (which will be 2014...ssshhhhh), or sooner if possible! Would try for DH's 50th which is sooner (2011) but I know he would prefer a cruise!

Hey Sarah Thanks for the kind words. I really wanted to try to capture this trip as best I could for myself & for all those people thinking about taking it. I hope they will still be doing it for a long time because it really is the Ultimate Disney Lovers trip. Cruising is good too though.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi Melanie! I got all caught up last night - loved your update, and your time at CA! How fun to meet miss Lurkyloo and Patrick! I saw this link on Dawn's TR, and I couldn't help but think of you! ABD in the 1950s! sort of. It takes about 34 minutes, but I know you will love it!

http://www.archive.org/details/barstow_disneyland_dream_1956