A Trip to DL before the Pirates, Bats, and Moms Invade

PoohNFriends

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 14, 2010
Messages
614
Hi :wave2:!

Thanks for being my guinea pig and visiting my very 1st TR of our very 1st trip to DL!

Let me start with the usual introduction of characters:

Me: PoohNFriends, 30 yo, been to WDW 4 times. Loved Mickey when I was younger, grew out of it, became a fan of Pooh 'n' Friends again in high school. Pooh 'n' Friends are still my favorite characters, but I still have a heart for Mickey and Minnie is now growing on me!

DBF: PoohNFriends boyfriend of 9 years, 32 yo, been to WDW 3 times, had never been anywhere in California until out DL trip. Loves Disney too, but doesn't gush about it like me.

Technically, we are BF/GF because we are not engaged or married, but you could call us Happily Unmarrieds (true title I 1st read about it in Time magazine, but obviously not a common title). We met in college 11 years ago and been together for 9. We own a house in IL and DVC points at AKV and VGC. No kids, but we over spoil our cat - she definitely has a case of only child syndrome (also a true term, not sure where I 1st heard this). Unfortunately, she is not a service cat so she had to stay home.

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I know this won't get too many on board, but I have to return to work tomorrow after having 2 weeks off so I should try to put myself into some routine and get to bed. Be back as soon as I can to start the actual trip.
 
We got way too little sleep the night before, but had to leave the house early to catch our 9:40 flight out of Milwaukee (about 1 1/2 hour drive). OHare and Midway would be closer, but I liked the times better out of Milwaukee and it didn't seem that much further of a drive. With 4 hours of sleep, the drive seemed to take forever...
Airport was quiet on an early Sunday AM, got thru security quick. I got the regular metal detector and DBF got the full body scanner, but he didn't feel too violated having his outline viewed by TSA!
I decided to spend the money and purchase exit row seats. Flying itself doesn't bother me, but I get uncomfortable fast and like the extra room to wiggle around in. Flight was fine, except for the other guy in our row sharing some medical history including the fact he takes Cialis was a little awkward!
We arrived at LAX and made our way outside to wait for the Disneyland Express bus. We waited maybe 20 min and by the time we left the airport there were 5 groups of people on-board, including us. First stop was Disneyland Resort where you show your vouchers if you prepaid or can purchase them if needed.
Next stop: Disney's Grand Californian :woohoo:! It was about 2pm and our room wasn't ready yet so we just hung around in the lobby area. It's large with alot of places to sit and is relatively peaceful and warm, especially compared to most hotel lobbies. It got close to 4:30 and I hadn't received the room text yet so decided to check at the desk - room was in fact ready. I did receive a room text, but it had to have been sent shortly after checking on the room status.
We headed up to room 2514, a 1 BR with a peek of the pool to the left and the trees of Redwood Creek Trail ahead. Nothing spectacular, but I hadn't put in a room request ahead of time or at check-in.
We called down to bell services to have our Vons order brought up. It took a few extra minutes to find our order because it was put with another order with a similar last name ending. When our order arrived everything was there and what needed to be cold or frozen was cold or frozen.
Our plans for that night was to head to Disneyland to catch the fireworks since it was the only night they were showing while we were there. We were exhausted so wanted to nap 1st. Unfortunately the big comfy bed and soothing sounds of Disney music from the TV kept us napping longer than planned. All motivation was lost - even for fireworks, I know :sad2:.

Still nothing to WOW you into reading my TR so I think I'll post room and hotel pics before moving on to day 2.
 
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View of lobby from above

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Balcony area, I think on the 5th floor

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View from that 5th floor balcony area (in pic above)
 
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Balcony

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Looking left off the balcony

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Straight ahead from the balcony

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Off the balcony looking to the right

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Walking into the room (this was right before checking out so please excuse our packing and cleaning ;))

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2nd bath

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Master bath

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Master bath

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Bedroom, looking into master bath and hall to living area is in the upper right

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Bedroom
 
I was a little slow getting ready because all the sleeping and lack of eating gave me a migraine :headache:. But we still made it to the ticket booths just before 8am. I had bought 5-day PH's and 2 meal vouchers thru LMT. Apparently the person we went to was not familiar with turning the LMT reservation info into tickets. I thought this was a fairly common thing they dealt with at the tickets booths :confused3, but it took 3 people and 20-25 minutes to complete the process. Oh well, we were still heading into DL before the others who had to wait until 9a, now that is power!

1st up - catch some pics of Main St and the castle:

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We take the (very short) walk thru the castle. I can tell the castle is smaller from the outside but what did it for me were the 5 steps it takes to walk thru the castle, maybe Cinderella is a lot taller than Sleeping Beauty princess:? Anyways we head into Fantasyland and our very 1st ride at DL is?
Hhheeelllloooo out there, anybody named J Thaddeus that could help fill in the blank here?
I know I've had a few views, hoping I can get someone to join in now that my TR has finally entered the parks.
 
Hello! I'm here and reading :) I am so jealous that you were able to stay on property. The hotel is so beautiful! I still have 392 days until we get to go (not that I'm counting or anything ;) ). Can't wait to see which ride you went on first!
 
I'm reading too! The grand californian looks beautiful - i wish i could take my mom there on our trip in november, someday though :goodvibes
 
I'm following your TR as well! Your pictures are getting me that much more excited to stay at the Grand (for the first time)!!! :)
 
I am reading too! :goodvibes

As a fellow, "Happily Unmarried", I look forward to reading about your guys' trip! Disney as an adult is the BEST! DBF and I are taking our first WDW trip in January and I cannot wait!

Anxiously waiting for more!:surfweb:
 
I'm following along as well. I'll be arriving in 9 days for solo trip for my 26th birthday and am staying on property for my last night (Just PP couldn't afford GC) so I'm really enjoying your pictures.
 
Hello! I'm here and reading :) I am so jealous that you were able to stay on property. The hotel is so beautiful! I still have 392 days until we get to go (not that I'm counting or anything ;) ). Can't wait to see which ride you went on first!

Ooh 392, well now you should be in the 380's or so. It sounds like a long time from now, but will definitely be worth the wait!

I'm reading too! The grand californian looks beautiful - i wish i could take my mom there on our trip in november, someday though :goodvibes

You could always stop by for a visit to see the details in the lobby, that's what's so nice about everything being close together in DL.

I'm following your TR as well! Your pictures are getting me that much more excited to stay at the Grand (for the first time)!!! :)

Great! You won't be disappointed.

I am reading too! :goodvibes

As a fellow, "Happily Unmarried", I look forward to reading about your guys' trip! Disney as an adult is the BEST! DBF and I are taking our first WDW trip in January and I cannot wait!

Anxiously waiting for more!:surfweb:

Yeah, a fellow "happily unmarried"! Wish it wasn't so many syllables, makes it that much harder to get it to be a more common term!

signing on....

Thanks for joining!

Yup, me too, would love to know what you rode 1st!!!!

Coming soon...

I'm following along as well. I'll be arriving in 9 days for solo trip for my 26th birthday and am staying on property for my last night (Just PP couldn't afford GC) so I'm really enjoying your pictures.

Nice! Happy-early-birthday!

The GCH looks so lovely :worship:

popcorn::

It definitely was!



:welcome: everybody!!

Since you were all so gracious enough to join me I should probably keep you entertained with more. I'm a bit tired after a weekend of work, but I think I got enough in me for a little bit.
 
Drum roll please :rockband:....

The 1st ride we ever rode at DL was with this little guy
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We literally walked right on, well except for that pesky little turnstyle that's always in the way ! I think this is the ride DBF stopped at it because he thought it was a gate the operator opened to get on the ride :confused3 and then he got all caught up in it trying to walk thru it, an I'm supposed to be the clumsy one!
Anyways so we're on this classic ride and both realize neither of us have seen Mr. Toad (Wind in the Willows) for years and don't really remember the story line. Will have to remember to do that before coming back to DL, ya know since he croaked at WDW :rolleyes1! (I went on a really short trip to WDW in '95 and don't remember if I rode the famous Mr. Toad then so this may have been the very 1st time I rode the Wild Ride).


2nd ride at DL, but riding it for the very 1st time! I didn't think I would get to ride it (at DL or WDW) without catching RD and running to it 1st; MM's and low crowds = a sweet 10 minutes!
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Our little guy waiting for us!

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Next we experience Pinocchio 2-ways...
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...well, sort-of.

Love all the minaturization on Storybook Canal, the "jokes" not as funny as Jungle Cruise, but cute ride nonetheless. Although, didn't quite catch why Disney didn't have the magic to get these guys to stay minaturized:
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