A Return to the Happiest Place on Earth

[annmarieda]

Sounds like y'all were having a great night! Except for Steve - sorry to hear he wasn't feeling well.

But, y'all got a lot of rides done! Since I've never been to Disneyland, I've obviously never ridden the Matterhorn. But, that original seat set up sounds horrid! The new ones look much better!

I think nighttime pictures of the Tea Cups at Disneyland just look beautiful. I love the lanterns! That is too funny about the Tea Cups! Poor Zoe! She's such a sweet baby, trying to protect her Mama. She reminds me of Reid - tender hearted.

I'm super excited to hear about Carsland!!

Steve has a tendency to not feel well. He does have an auto immune disorder..and so it makes it hard. We come across a small bug that makes the rest of us feel just a tad under the weather...and his is down for weeks.

We did have a great night and riding in the new seats helped with that for sure!

Zoe is kind, but lately she has been a bit moody. I really hope we are not heading into those prepubescent mood swing years.

I will try and get pictures for the next day edited and uploaded today and then maybe in the next day or so I will get the carsland update done.

All caught up. Fortunately I wasn't too far behind.

I LOVE guacamole and if I ever go to DL I think I must go to that restaurant and have it prepared tableside. I would die and go to heaven. What a great birthday meal.

What a fun evening in the parks. That Alice in Wonderland ride looks so cool and so does the Matterhorn. Great updates!

That guacamole was the absolute best I have had in my entire life... and believe me... I eat guacamole a lot!

Alice is super cool.. but it is a bit more scary as far as dark rides go. I love that there are parts outside and parts inside. Plus..those cars are super cute.

Matterhorn was my first disney "thrill" ride. I like the new seats... it was far more enjoyable that way. It is also cool that you have two sleds going at the same time so it is like you are racing down the mountain. Very fun.

 

[tweeter]

an update.

Poor Zoe and mean EVIL Zach for the tea cup ride.

That's my wifes, my sons and my favorite ride; but I got to say, I like to spin the you know what out of that poor cup and that leaves all three of us feeling very .

 

[KatMark]

Great update, Ann. That's funny that BTRR never had a lilne as popular as it is in the World.

You guys got a lot accomplished.

Poor Zoe...she really thought you were not well. What a sweet, sweet child.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Ann is running her 10k Qualifier race today for her September trip... send her good thoughts!

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I love your pictures of small world clock parade it's one of my favorite thing at Disneyland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QvZA5-X0sM

A link to one of my videos I took of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qgogmf1z9g

and another that I just remembered I hadn't uploaded.

 

[annmarieda]

an update.

Poor Zoe and mean EVIL Zach for the tea cup ride.

That's my wifes, my sons and my favorite ride; but I got to say, I like to spin the you know what out of that poor cup and that leaves all three of us feeling very .

Yes, mean evil Zach. We all did survive though.

Great update, Ann. That's funny that BTRR never had a lilne as popular as it is in the World.

You guys got a lot accomplished.

Poor Zoe...she really thought you were not well. What a sweet, sweet child.

I felt bad for Zoe. She wasn't particularly happy with her brothers after that which is partially why we separated after that.

I am not sure why BTMRR had so little a line. It was great though!!!

Ann is running her 10k Qualifier race today for her September trip... send her good thoughts!

Thanks for mentioning it, Ashley! I am still pretty excited to have finished it! I am thinking I really should do another (without the ankle injury) and get a better time to submit.

I love your pictures of small world clock parade it's one of my favorite thing at Disneyland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QvZA5-X0sM

A link to one of my videos I took of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qgogmf1z9g

and another that I just remembered I hadn't uploaded.

That is so cool, isn't it? I think that was my one single largest disappointment in WDW... IASW. It looked more like it was in a strip mall rather than the big beautiful elaborate structure that it is in DL.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

That is so cool, isn't it? I think that was my one single largest disappointment in WDW... IASW. It looked more like it was in a strip mall rather than the big beautiful elaborate structure that it is in DL.

i think that's alot of the problem with fanatsyland at WDW compared to DL's. Maybe when they redo peater pan they will add do something to the facade like they did with Pooh.

 

[momabaarjo]

I am dying laughing about the tea cup experience...evil boy is right, poor Zoe! Yeah CARSland is up next! WAHOO!

 

[lovethattink]

Great updates! Too cute of Zoe on the tea cups, and how evil of Zach, lol. I vaguely remember riding the matterhorn. The new seating looks much better though.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

I know! Im waiting on pins and needles for the carsland!

And I need to get my butt in gear. There's a race the week before Halloween called the Zombie 5k that I want to run!

 

[amandaw]

And I need to get my butt in gear. There's a race the week before Halloween called the Zombie 5k that I want to run!

Where's that race? Sounds fun!

 

[annmarieda]

i think that's alot of the problem with fanatsyland at WDW compared to DL's. Maybe when they redo peater pan they will add do something to the facade like they did with Pooh.

Wouldn't that be cool?!

I am dying laughing about the tea cup experience...evil boy is right, poor Zoe! Yeah CARSland is up next! WAHOO!

We all survived... but man.. my boys are definitely evil.

I hope to get an update in today. I am just not sure where time is going??!!!

Great updates! Too cute of Zoe on the tea cups, and how evil of Zach, lol. I vaguely remember riding the matterhorn. The new seating looks much better though.

The new seating is MUCH better. I really like that ride. I wish it were in WDW.

I know! Im waiting on pins and needles for the carsland!

And I need to get my butt in gear. There's a race the week before Halloween called the Zombie 5k that I want to run!

As I mentioned...maybe...hopefully... a carsland update today.

Zombie 5k sounds fun!! I looked at one over here that if you played the role of zombie...registration was free AND they did your makeup. How fun... but... I am a bit old to do this all by myself...and have no one to do it with me.

Where's that race? Sounds fun!

I bet they have one near you. Zombies are pretty popular... plus, aren't the two of you near eachother?

 

[amandaw]

I bet they have one near you. Zombies are pretty popular... plus, aren't the two of you near eachother?

We sure are! Probably about an hour or so apart.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

As I mentioned...maybe...hopefully... a carsland update today.

Zombie 5k sounds fun!! I looked at one over here that if you played the role of zombie...registration was free AND they did your makeup. How fun... but... I am a bit old to do this all by myself...and have no one to do it with me.

I bet they have one near you. Zombies are pretty popular... plus, aren't the two of you near eachother?

You should get it up before Amanda and I lose power And If I wasnt like 1500 miles away, I would run it with you Ann! haha

We sure are! Probably about an hour or so apart.

Amanda! Yall should totally come do the Zombie run with us! After the race, alot of the participants do "thriller" all dressed up. Its down town Baton Rouge by the 13th Gate.

 

[MEK]

Stopping by to say and hoping for an update!

 

[amandaw]

You should get it up before Amanda and I lose power And If I wasnt like 1500 miles away, I would run it with you Ann! haha

I agree!

Amanda! Yall should totally come do the Zombie run with us! After the race, alot of the participants do "thriller" all dressed up. Its down town Baton Rouge by the 13th Gate.

That sounds too cool! I'm gonna have to look it up & show it to my DH.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

http://www.ofmovingcolors.org/#!Zombie Bash 2012/c1qhu

Here is the link for you Amanda!

 

[amandaw]

http://www.ofmovingcolors.org/#!Zombie Bash 2012/c1qhu

Here is the link for you Amanda!

Thank you so much!! We're going to be in Disney on that Friday though.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

haha I honestly didn't even look at the date before I sent it!

 

[annmarieda]

I apologize it has taken me so long to update. I can't seem to get caught up with anything and with my next trip under a month away, I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. Where did the summer go? I love to over plan..and the planning just isn't happening. But enough whining and on to my next update. (the one some of you have been waiting for)

7/8 - CARSLAND! Part One

Morning of course came early and I was up at 6am. By 7:30, Zoe and Alex were both ready and so we headed to breakfast. The hotel actually has a nice little cafeteria with booths and counters and such. For how nicely set up it is to serve food, they really don't. We got some danishes and some fruit, but that was about it.

We were on our way to DCA by about 7:45 (the park was scheduled to open at 8am)

We entered and went down Hollywood Blvd. I knew I wanted to get in the fast pass line for RSR. First had to stop to take a picture of the new park icon.

When we got to where the line was, the cm explained how far it wrapped and that we were welcome to get in line but it would be unlikely for us to actually get one. (the line started in bugs land and wrapped around Carthay Circle so LONG)

As I was deciding what to do, a cm from the ToT approached us. He asked us if we were planning to ride ToT. Well, all I could think of was how I was going to get us to Carsland...and ToT is not my favorite ride. I also was trying to device a plan (which was a good plan as you will soon read) and I didn't want to give up my plan outloud. So as he prodded and encouraged, I neglected to realize what he was doing. As I finally got him to take the hint that we were not interested in talking to him about HIS ride.. he decided to give up and go to the family next to us.

When they were eager to ride ToT... guess what he offered them? Yup... they got to be the opening ceremony family.

Let me back up for just one second. So as DCA has different areas, each area seemed to be "opened" by a special car with a special family. (as I was devising my plan, the park was not yet open..and yes.. the fast pass line was already that long)

Now back to my plan that cost us being opening family...

I figured that as the Hollywood section of the park opened, we would be able to cut through there and through Bugsland and into Carsland through the "backway".

So we followed the Red Trolley car as the family rode it to open that side of the park. We watched as they lined up in front of ToT for pictures and all the hoopla that being opening ceremony family got them. For a moment I was sad that I caused us to miss out on that... but then I had no time to delay and the moment was gone.

Into Bugsland we went with little to no crowd (who wants to go to bugsland first thing park opening ) And then I saw it, the exit from Bugsland into Carsland. As we rushed there, we made it just ahead of Mater (and the crowds he was escorting into Carsland) My plan worked!!!

We made it quickly down the queue (which is a LONG queue) and almost to the front when.....















the ride broke down.








We had plenty of time for me to take pictures since we sat in line from 8:19 till 9:27 without the line moving. So much for being in front of the line. Now.. had the ride NOT broke down we would have been on and off in no time.

So the pictures while in line.

I decided to take a couple pictures of the line behind us.

Finally (at about 9:30am) the ride was back up and running and we were quickly on the ride.

This has got to be the BEST Disney themed ride EVER! I can not even express in words just how awesome it was...and I am not even a Cars fan. Little guys who love Cars must absolutely think they have died and gone to heaven riding this.

We got off the ride and I was so thrilled I blew right past the picture station. I ended up having to go back (after all, I had that pp+ card)

Running Tally HERE

Next Chapter: 7/8 - Carsland! Part Two