An August 2019 (kind of) Solo TR! Updated 3/3!
- Thread starter momtohms
- Start date
deejdigsdis
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 2,318
So glad you found your water bottle! And Happy Birthday! Aug 9th is my wedding anniversary. It's fun to share that with Haunted Mansion. Just hit 25 years!
momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 527
Thanks! It was really fun getting to have them shop with me, haha! You are going to have such a fun time on your upcoming trip
Thanks! Happy belated 25th anniversary! What fun! My wedding anniversary is August 8th, we were married 8.8.08 so we just celebrated our 11th
DH won’t ever forget our anniversary or my birthday, haha!
momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 527
Part 13: Where Is Everyone?!
When I last left off, I was heading to ToonTown for a little walk around!
Caught the train passing over the entrance 
A close up of the sign, and the always changing population!
I’m not a member of the actual DAR but I could be on my mom’s paternal line - I love genealogy so it was fun to discover a direct connection that far back in our family history! Anyway, I thought this was a cute play on that. I also just recently finished up rewatching through the entire Gilmore Girls series too and it reminded me of some of those episodes.
Band leader Mickey! Hopefully when they put in the new runaway railroad attraction, they will take some time to spruce up the paint on the buildings and scenery back here!
After making a loop through Toon Town, I headed back to the Matterhorn to wait until my app showed my MaxPass code to scan. Usually it would pop up about 5 minutes before the window, which was nice!
I was able to scan in right at 1:55pm for a 2-3pm return, and got in the very long fast pass return line. I also was able to book another MP then, and since I was planning to go to DCA right after I decided it was a good time to grab one for Grizzly River Run! It had a later afternoon return time, which was perfect since I wanted to have time to change before.
It took 20 minutes to get on the ride, definitely better than the 75-80 minute standby wait - but one of the longer FP queues I experienced that trip!
A quick ride selfie before we were off!
I always forget how jerky that ride is, so once I was done having my back readjusted (ha) I was on a mission to get over to DCA. It was already just about 2:20, and my Incredicoaster Pass was good until 3ish so I was pretty sure I was totally fine on time. The only unknown was how busy the esplanade would be, and if there were long lines getting into DCA. It was the first day that the lowest tiered passes were unblocked over there, and I definitely was noticing the rise in afternoon crowds. So, I made a game plan in my head to just go right and cut through the Grand Californian if there was a big crowd getting into DCA.
This is what I saw when I walked out of Disneyland and looked ahead
Lol! Post tile inspiration! Where IS everyone, indeed?!
I didn’t need to use the my GCH plan after all, I walked straight across and found an empty line and walked right in.
The Fast Pass return line for Incredicoaster took about ten minutes (the longest wait I had for this attraction all trip, I’m guessing it was popular because it had been down all morning).
Ride pic!
After the ride, I headed back to the hotel to change my clothes and shoes to stuff I wouldn’t mind getting soaked in for my upcoming Grizzly ride. I also had been wearing Converse all day until that point, which looked great with my outfit - but definitely weren’t great for all day walking! Haha!
I walked around the pier and grabbed a couple more pics.
I also enjoyed a few minutes of The Lion King show! They were in the middle of “Circle of Life”, so I had to stop and sing along!
Up Next: Getting Those Steps In!
When I last left off, I was heading to ToonTown for a little walk around!
Caught the train passing over the entrance
A close up of the sign, and the always changing population!
I’m not a member of the actual DAR but I could be on my mom’s paternal line - I love genealogy so it was fun to discover a direct connection that far back in our family history! Anyway, I thought this was a cute play on that. I also just recently finished up rewatching through the entire Gilmore Girls series too and it reminded me of some of those episodes.
Band leader Mickey! Hopefully when they put in the new runaway railroad attraction, they will take some time to spruce up the paint on the buildings and scenery back here!
After making a loop through Toon Town, I headed back to the Matterhorn to wait until my app showed my MaxPass code to scan. Usually it would pop up about 5 minutes before the window, which was nice!
I was able to scan in right at 1:55pm for a 2-3pm return, and got in the very long fast pass return line. I also was able to book another MP then, and since I was planning to go to DCA right after I decided it was a good time to grab one for Grizzly River Run! It had a later afternoon return time, which was perfect since I wanted to have time to change before.
It took 20 minutes to get on the ride, definitely better than the 75-80 minute standby wait - but one of the longer FP queues I experienced that trip!
A quick ride selfie before we were off!
I always forget how jerky that ride is, so once I was done having my back readjusted (ha) I was on a mission to get over to DCA. It was already just about 2:20, and my Incredicoaster Pass was good until 3ish so I was pretty sure I was totally fine on time. The only unknown was how busy the esplanade would be, and if there were long lines getting into DCA. It was the first day that the lowest tiered passes were unblocked over there, and I definitely was noticing the rise in afternoon crowds. So, I made a game plan in my head to just go right and cut through the Grand Californian if there was a big crowd getting into DCA.
This is what I saw when I walked out of Disneyland and looked ahead
Lol! Post tile inspiration! Where IS everyone, indeed?!
I didn’t need to use the my GCH plan after all, I walked straight across and found an empty line and walked right in.
The Fast Pass return line for Incredicoaster took about ten minutes (the longest wait I had for this attraction all trip, I’m guessing it was popular because it had been down all morning).
Ride pic!
After the ride, I headed back to the hotel to change my clothes and shoes to stuff I wouldn’t mind getting soaked in for my upcoming Grizzly ride. I also had been wearing Converse all day until that point, which looked great with my outfit - but definitely weren’t great for all day walking! Haha!
I walked around the pier and grabbed a couple more pics.
I also enjoyed a few minutes of The Lion King show! They were in the middle of “Circle of Life”, so I had to stop and sing along!
Up Next: Getting Those Steps In!
Last edited:
momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 527
Part 14: Getting Those Steps In!
I was really hoping to have one day where I went from EMH/EE to park closing without any breaks, but I also didn’t want to risk wet shoes & socks on Grizzly! I made a quick stop in the hotel room to switch into a more water ride friendly outfit (workout shorts & flip flops!) and ditch the backpack for a small fanny pack so I wouldn’t need to get a locker. Then back to the park I went!
My first agenda was to find something cold & refreshing to eat! A smoothie sounded great, so I pulled up the app and placed a mobile order at Schmoozies for the Sandianada smoothie (watermelon & chamoy & chili-lime).
On my way over there I made another MaxPass for Goofy’s Sky School that had an almost immediate return time. I also caught a little bit of Five & Dime as they drove by!
Schmoozies had my smoothie ready to go as soon as I arrived!
A quick photo shoot, haha!
As adorable as the red & white straw was, it was paper and the bottom turned to mush after a few sips. I had brought my own set of reusable metal straws that came in handy multiple times
I LOVED this drink. It was probably one of my favorites from the trip. Too bad it’s seasonal, I’m not sure if I’ll get to have another one on a future visit.
It was almost time to use my Goofy’s Sky School MaxPass, so back over to the pier I went, enjoying my beverage along the way!
Before I got to Goofy’s, I stopped to throw away my now empty cup and took a spin on the Golden Zephyr since it was a walk on. I love riding this one on a warm afternoon, the breeze feels so nice! It’s also a nice view of Pixar Pier
Another pic I captured on my way to Goofy’s Sky School. I always walk right by this spot and never really appreciate the details and theming.
After scanning into Goofy’s, I made a new MaxPass for BTMRR over in Disneyland since I knew I’d be heading there around that return time window.
No pictures from this ride, it was the first time I’d done it so I wanted to enjoy the experience - and I also was terrified that I would drop my phone. Those sharp corners! Haha! I am glad that I finally gave it a try, and it didn’t make me as nauseous as I feared - but it wasn’t an instant favorite. I’d definitely do it again on a future trip, but it was a one and done this time
I still had about thirty or so minutes until my Grizzly River Run window was open, and most of the posted wait times were pretty high, so I decided to go check on the single rider line for RSR.
It ended up being a 15-20 minute wait, but it was a good way to pass the time and I always love this ride! I’m back left ;-)
I headed straight to Grizzly River Run next, and had a 10-15 minute wait in the Fast Pass return line. No pictures this time, and it’s a good thing I kept my phone safely tucked away because I. Got. SOAKED.
Not only did I get a few good splashes from the drops, our raft got hit straight on by the Geyser. I looked like I had fallen in the water, I was so drenched. Haha! It felt fantastic though and I was SO glad I had changed my outfit.
It’s always fun to get off that ride completely drenched and see the expressions of people getting on it who have NO idea what they are in for. I know you don’t always get completely soaked (a couple of other times I did this ride later on during the trip, I hardly got wet at all) but you just never know. Muahahaha.
After wringing our my hair and clothes enough so I wouldn’t be dripping all over the GCH - it was back to the hotel once more! This was definitely my favorite part of this hotel, you can’t beat the location!
I quickly changed back into my outfit from earlier (different shoes though - the converse were retired for the rest of the week, haha), put my hair back up, and headed to Disneyland! I would be meeting up with my parents soon for dinner and our Oga’s reservation that evening!
My BTMRR window was open, so I could make another MaxPass selection on my way over. I lucked out and grabbed a Hyperspace Mountain MP with an immediate return time that showed up (they had been super late in the evening, so I lucked out with that cancellation!)
Back in Disneyland! I made my way up Main Street and grabbed a picture I was hoping to capture with the castle & balloons
I also stopped to listen to the Dapper Dans perform a song!
Then it was off to ride BTMRR again! Third time that day, I believe
On my way over to Tomorrowland, I texted my parents and made a plan to have them meet me at the store outside the exit for Buzz’s Astro Blasters after I finished my ride on Hyperspace Mountain.
When I scanned in for Hyperspace Mountain, I was able to make another MaxPass selection. Buzz had an immediate return time, so I picked that one up and planned to use it right after since it would be right where I was meeting my parents!
Ride Pic! I was in the front row for the first time ever, and that wind in your face is NO JOKE. Lol! I look like I’m about to be sick, which I wasn’t - well, not really at least. I think I prefer to be further back on this one
The line at Hyperspace Mountain took a bit longer than I thought, so I decided to wait and meet my parents first and then see if they wanted to grab Fast Passes for Buzz and ride with me since the return window was still right away.
They showed up and were onboard with the Buzz plan, so we went over to the Fast Pass machines and then hopped straight in the FP return line. I think I caught them off guard when we were able to get straight in line Haha!
Once again, horrible quality ride photos and half were errors so I didn’t get any
Oh well!
We decided on Hungry Bear for dinner, so it was off to Critter Country! I grabbed another pic of Tomorrowland as we headed toward the hub. I also made another MaxPass for Indiana Jones later that evening. I was a MaxPass making machine. Lol!
Phew. This post made ME tired! Churros for everyone who has made it through so far!
Up Next: Not the Experience I Was Hoping For...
I was really hoping to have one day where I went from EMH/EE to park closing without any breaks, but I also didn’t want to risk wet shoes & socks on Grizzly! I made a quick stop in the hotel room to switch into a more water ride friendly outfit (workout shorts & flip flops!) and ditch the backpack for a small fanny pack so I wouldn’t need to get a locker. Then back to the park I went!
My first agenda was to find something cold & refreshing to eat! A smoothie sounded great, so I pulled up the app and placed a mobile order at Schmoozies for the Sandianada smoothie (watermelon & chamoy & chili-lime).
On my way over there I made another MaxPass for Goofy’s Sky School that had an almost immediate return time. I also caught a little bit of Five & Dime as they drove by!
Schmoozies had my smoothie ready to go as soon as I arrived!
A quick photo shoot, haha!
As adorable as the red & white straw was, it was paper and the bottom turned to mush after a few sips. I had brought my own set of reusable metal straws that came in handy multiple times
I LOVED this drink. It was probably one of my favorites from the trip. Too bad it’s seasonal, I’m not sure if I’ll get to have another one on a future visit.
It was almost time to use my Goofy’s Sky School MaxPass, so back over to the pier I went, enjoying my beverage along the way!
Before I got to Goofy’s, I stopped to throw away my now empty cup and took a spin on the Golden Zephyr since it was a walk on. I love riding this one on a warm afternoon, the breeze feels so nice! It’s also a nice view of Pixar Pier
Another pic I captured on my way to Goofy’s Sky School. I always walk right by this spot and never really appreciate the details and theming.
After scanning into Goofy’s, I made a new MaxPass for BTMRR over in Disneyland since I knew I’d be heading there around that return time window.
No pictures from this ride, it was the first time I’d done it so I wanted to enjoy the experience - and I also was terrified that I would drop my phone. Those sharp corners! Haha! I am glad that I finally gave it a try, and it didn’t make me as nauseous as I feared - but it wasn’t an instant favorite. I’d definitely do it again on a future trip, but it was a one and done this time
I still had about thirty or so minutes until my Grizzly River Run window was open, and most of the posted wait times were pretty high, so I decided to go check on the single rider line for RSR.
It ended up being a 15-20 minute wait, but it was a good way to pass the time and I always love this ride! I’m back left ;-)
I headed straight to Grizzly River Run next, and had a 10-15 minute wait in the Fast Pass return line. No pictures this time, and it’s a good thing I kept my phone safely tucked away because I. Got. SOAKED.
Not only did I get a few good splashes from the drops, our raft got hit straight on by the Geyser. I looked like I had fallen in the water, I was so drenched. Haha! It felt fantastic though and I was SO glad I had changed my outfit.
It’s always fun to get off that ride completely drenched and see the expressions of people getting on it who have NO idea what they are in for. I know you don’t always get completely soaked (a couple of other times I did this ride later on during the trip, I hardly got wet at all) but you just never know. Muahahaha.
After wringing our my hair and clothes enough so I wouldn’t be dripping all over the GCH - it was back to the hotel once more! This was definitely my favorite part of this hotel, you can’t beat the location!
I quickly changed back into my outfit from earlier (different shoes though - the converse were retired for the rest of the week, haha), put my hair back up, and headed to Disneyland! I would be meeting up with my parents soon for dinner and our Oga’s reservation that evening!
My BTMRR window was open, so I could make another MaxPass selection on my way over. I lucked out and grabbed a Hyperspace Mountain MP with an immediate return time that showed up (they had been super late in the evening, so I lucked out with that cancellation!)
Back in Disneyland! I made my way up Main Street and grabbed a picture I was hoping to capture with the castle & balloons
I also stopped to listen to the Dapper Dans perform a song!
Then it was off to ride BTMRR again! Third time that day, I believe
On my way over to Tomorrowland, I texted my parents and made a plan to have them meet me at the store outside the exit for Buzz’s Astro Blasters after I finished my ride on Hyperspace Mountain.
When I scanned in for Hyperspace Mountain, I was able to make another MaxPass selection. Buzz had an immediate return time, so I picked that one up and planned to use it right after since it would be right where I was meeting my parents!
Ride Pic! I was in the front row for the first time ever, and that wind in your face is NO JOKE. Lol! I look like I’m about to be sick, which I wasn’t - well, not really at least. I think I prefer to be further back on this one
The line at Hyperspace Mountain took a bit longer than I thought, so I decided to wait and meet my parents first and then see if they wanted to grab Fast Passes for Buzz and ride with me since the return window was still right away.
They showed up and were onboard with the Buzz plan, so we went over to the Fast Pass machines and then hopped straight in the FP return line. I think I caught them off guard when we were able to get straight in line
Haha!Once again, horrible quality ride photos and half were errors so I didn’t get any
Oh well!We decided on Hungry Bear for dinner, so it was off to Critter Country! I grabbed another pic of Tomorrowland as we headed toward the hub. I also made another MaxPass for Indiana Jones later that evening. I was a MaxPass making machine. Lol!
Phew. This post made ME tired! Churros for everyone who has made it through so far!
Up Next: Not the Experience I Was Hoping For...
Last edited:
momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 527
Part 15: Not the Experience I Was Hoping For...
With any trip, there are highs and lows. This one was full of highs for sure, but parts of this evening were not among them. I promise this isn’t all a downer, but I also want to be honest about my whole trip and not skip over stuff because it wasn’t perfect
For dinner we headed to the Hungry Bear restaurant. As we approached we noticed a HUGE line outside, but it ended up being for the Fanatsmic On the Go package. The main line was a walk up, and we quickly ordered our food and were sent to the counter to pick it up. However, it wasn’t clearly stated that we had to give them our receipt at the counter so we ended up waiting for awhile until we realized! Whoops! As soon as they had our receipt, we had our food pretty quickly.
I got the spicy chicken sandwich with onion rings, it was okay - not horrible, but not the greatest meal that I’ve had in the parks.
My mom is allergic to dairy so she tried the vegan burger, and my dad got the fish sandwich. My mom thought her burger was fine and tasted just like a real burger, but I don’t think my Dad was too thrilled with his sandwich.
After our meal, we walked into Batuu from the Critter Country entrance and slowly made our way towards Oga’s. It was around 7:10 or so, and our reservation was at 7:45.
Spotted Chewy playing another game with some kids!
Exploring the market place
As we approached Oga’s, I noticed the line outside was quite long, so I asked one of the CMs at the door what time we should get in the line. She asked what time my reservation was for, and then recommended we come back 15 minutes before. I must have given her a skeptical look at this, because she then assured me the line moved faster than it looked. Lol!
We looked around a bit more, and my Dad checked out the Docking Bay menu and decided he wanted to eat there the next day. Then we went over to get in line about 17-18 minutes early. Shortly after, a CM came up and confirmed our reservation and gave us a menu to look at.
My parents aren’t drinkers, but they wanted to see inside and my mom decided she wanted to try one of the snacks (Oga’s Obsession). They were also planning to see the 8:40 showing of the Main Street Electrical Parade, so I told them I had no problem if they only stayed for a few minutes to have a quick look & bite to eat and left before me.
We did end up getting inside right around my reservation time, but then things started to go downhill a bit. First, we were sat at big table in a circular booth that had four people already at it. Two gals, and two guys - who I found out later were two separate parties themselves. One of the ladies was talking loudly and non-stop the entire time she was there. Which wasn’t a huge deal, but getting sat at a table right up next to someone else felt like we were intruding on someone’s space. Plus, I really had wanted to stand at the counter!
Quick side note: I definitely learned this trip that I should never assume that I won’t get the less common option (first thinking I would get the walk in shower at the GCH because the tub/shower was less common, and now thinking I would definitely get a counter spot because I’d heard seating at Oga’s wasn’t as common! Haha!) Next trip, I am for sure asking ahead to request what I want
They sat a Dad and his young son on the other side of the table right after we got there, so it was now really crowded and other than Miss Chatty, everyone looked really awkward and unsure of what to think. Lol! More time passes and no one comes to our table. The four people we were sat with originally had been there for a bit and had their drinks, but they had no idea when anyone would be back. We attempted to flag down a CM and just got a quick “oh they’ll be by soon!” response. My parents were a little concerned about having time to get a spot for the parade, and decided to leave, since we had no idea how long it would take to order or get our stuff. I was bummed they didn’t get to experience it more, but I know they were looking forward to the parade too.
As soon as they were gone, a CM seated two new people in their spots really quickly. So here I am, trapped in a booth with strangers and feeling really badly that it wasn’t a great experience for us. I almost asked a CM if it was possible to move and stand at the counter but no one came by. Then I started chatting with the two older ladies who had taken my parent’s spots, and we were all in agreement at how weird the seating was and wondering when we’d actually get to make our drink orders.
The view from our table
It was twenty minutes after my reservation time when the waitress finally came (and keep in mind, they still had the 45 minute time limit). Things moved a lot faster and seemed much more organized from here on out though! She took our orders, took our cards, and was back really quickly with our receipts to sign and then our drinks were out shortly after that. It was too bad that it took so long to get the order process started, but I am glad getting the actual drinks was quick!
I got an Outer Rim, and then the Fuzzy Tauntaun because my second choice drink (Bespin Fizz) was out of an ingredient.
I loved the Outer Rim! It was very much like a Margarita with a yummy foam on top. The Fuzzy Tauntaun was just alright. The numbing effect was interesting, but the overall drink was forgettable. Neither had much alcohol, and it was almost $40 after tax & tip for both. I am glad I tried the experience once, despite all the hiccups - but I won’t prioritize it for future trips until the hype has died WAY down. Even then, I might only go back if there’s something I really want to try.
Once my drinks were done, I was ready to head out - but not before walking around and grabbing some pics of the details
The bar area
DJ Rex
Above the bar
Another view
Next up: Fantasyland & Fireworks!
With any trip, there are highs and lows. This one was full of highs for sure, but parts of this evening were not among them. I promise this isn’t all a downer, but I also want to be honest about my whole trip and not skip over stuff because it wasn’t perfect
For dinner we headed to the Hungry Bear restaurant. As we approached we noticed a HUGE line outside, but it ended up being for the Fanatsmic On the Go package. The main line was a walk up, and we quickly ordered our food and were sent to the counter to pick it up. However, it wasn’t clearly stated that we had to give them our receipt at the counter so we ended up waiting for awhile until we realized! Whoops! As soon as they had our receipt, we had our food pretty quickly.
I got the spicy chicken sandwich with onion rings, it was okay - not horrible, but not the greatest meal that I’ve had in the parks.
My mom is allergic to dairy so she tried the vegan burger, and my dad got the fish sandwich. My mom thought her burger was fine and tasted just like a real burger, but I don’t think my Dad was too thrilled with his sandwich.
After our meal, we walked into Batuu from the Critter Country entrance and slowly made our way towards Oga’s. It was around 7:10 or so, and our reservation was at 7:45.
Spotted Chewy playing another game with some kids!
Exploring the market place
As we approached Oga’s, I noticed the line outside was quite long, so I asked one of the CMs at the door what time we should get in the line. She asked what time my reservation was for, and then recommended we come back 15 minutes before. I must have given her a skeptical look at this, because she then assured me the line moved faster than it looked. Lol!
We looked around a bit more, and my Dad checked out the Docking Bay menu and decided he wanted to eat there the next day. Then we went over to get in line about 17-18 minutes early. Shortly after, a CM came up and confirmed our reservation and gave us a menu to look at.
My parents aren’t drinkers, but they wanted to see inside and my mom decided she wanted to try one of the snacks (Oga’s Obsession). They were also planning to see the 8:40 showing of the Main Street Electrical Parade, so I told them I had no problem if they only stayed for a few minutes to have a quick look & bite to eat and left before me.
We did end up getting inside right around my reservation time, but then things started to go downhill a bit. First, we were sat at big table in a circular booth that had four people already at it. Two gals, and two guys - who I found out later were two separate parties themselves. One of the ladies was talking loudly and non-stop the entire time she was there. Which wasn’t a huge deal, but getting sat at a table right up next to someone else felt like we were intruding on someone’s space. Plus, I really had wanted to stand at the counter!
Quick side note: I definitely learned this trip that I should never assume that I won’t get the less common option (first thinking I would get the walk in shower at the GCH because the tub/shower was less common, and now thinking I would definitely get a counter spot because I’d heard seating at Oga’s wasn’t as common! Haha!) Next trip, I am for sure asking ahead to request what I want
They sat a Dad and his young son on the other side of the table right after we got there, so it was now really crowded and other than Miss Chatty, everyone looked really awkward and unsure of what to think. Lol! More time passes and no one comes to our table. The four people we were sat with originally had been there for a bit and had their drinks, but they had no idea when anyone would be back. We attempted to flag down a CM and just got a quick “oh they’ll be by soon!” response. My parents were a little concerned about having time to get a spot for the parade, and decided to leave, since we had no idea how long it would take to order or get our stuff. I was bummed they didn’t get to experience it more, but I know they were looking forward to the parade too.
As soon as they were gone, a CM seated two new people in their spots really quickly. So here I am, trapped in a booth with strangers and feeling really badly that it wasn’t a great experience for us. I almost asked a CM if it was possible to move and stand at the counter but no one came by. Then I started chatting with the two older ladies who had taken my parent’s spots, and we were all in agreement at how weird the seating was and wondering when we’d actually get to make our drink orders.
The view from our table
It was twenty minutes after my reservation time when the waitress finally came (and keep in mind, they still had the 45 minute time limit). Things moved a lot faster and seemed much more organized from here on out though! She took our orders, took our cards, and was back really quickly with our receipts to sign and then our drinks were out shortly after that. It was too bad that it took so long to get the order process started, but I am glad getting the actual drinks was quick!
I got an Outer Rim, and then the Fuzzy Tauntaun because my second choice drink (Bespin Fizz) was out of an ingredient.
I loved the Outer Rim! It was very much like a Margarita with a yummy foam on top. The Fuzzy Tauntaun was just alright. The numbing effect was interesting, but the overall drink was forgettable. Neither had much alcohol, and it was almost $40 after tax & tip for both. I am glad I tried the experience once, despite all the hiccups - but I won’t prioritize it for future trips until the hype has died WAY down. Even then, I might only go back if there’s something I really want to try.
Once my drinks were done, I was ready to head out - but not before walking around and grabbing some pics of the details
The bar area
DJ Rex
Above the bar
Another view
Next up: Fantasyland & Fireworks!
Last edited:
deejdigsdis
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 2,318
I like family history/genealogy as well. So interesting! Last year I came across a cool story about my 4th Great Grandfather who served in the War of 1812, and how General Andrew Jackson tested his bravery. So cool! I didn't like History when I was growing up but I think I would love History classes now.
I have been wearing Converse in the parks for years. I usually switch between a couple pair, and then wear flips flops for a while during and after water rides. My sister always thought I was crazy with the Converse...until she started managing a Converse store and had lots of Converse at her disposal and began wearing them to the parks herself.
I have been wearing Converse in the parks for years. I usually switch between a couple pair, and then wear flips flops for a while during and after water rides. My sister always thought I was crazy with the Converse...until she started managing a Converse store and had lots of Converse at her disposal and began wearing them to the parks herself.
momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 527
I like family history/genealogy as well. So interesting! Last year I came across a cool story about my 4th Great Grandfather who served in the War of 1812, and how General Andrew Jackson tested his bravery. So cool! I didn't like History when I was growing up but I think I would love History classes now.
I have been wearing Converse in the parks for years. I usually switch between a couple pair, and then wear flips flops for a while during and after water rides. My sister always thought I was crazy with the Converse...until she started managing a Converse store and had lots of Converse at her disposal and began wearing them to the parks herself.
That is cool! I liked parts of history in school, but not all of it - I think I would be more interested in taking it now though
I used to wear Converse all the time, then stopped for awhile and recently started again. The pair I brought was one that I found in a thrift store about a month earlier so they were nice and broken in already. They started rubbing part of my foot funny though and I decided not to risk it. I’m sure I could have worn them for another part day on the trip and been fine though!
momtohms
DIS Veteran
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- Jul 16, 2012
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Part 16: Fantasyland & Fireworks!
After my interestingly memorable Oga’s experience, I had a little over an hour to kill before the fireworks that evening! My plan was to watch them from Batuu, so I decided to stay close-ish and go explore Fantasyland some more. I pulled up my app and saw that Small World had immediate return times and grabbed a Max Pass for it.
When I arrived just after 8:30, they had already shut it down for the fireworks. They said I could save my pass and scan in after when it reopened, but I decided to just cancel it and pick something else. Because I hadn’t ridden it enough yet, I chose BTMRR for later on.
They were just about to start the MSEP, and I wanted to get out of the parade route area before they did - so I headed back towards the area behind the castle. Dumbo looked like it had a pretty short wait when I had passed by on my way to IASW, so I decided to do that.
Then I noticed the Teacups were a walk on, and hopped in line for those. I was hoping to possibly catch the first part of the parade during my ride since it passes by - but my timing was off and I was finished before it started. Oh well! I grabbed a shot of the lanterns overhead at night, so pretty!
Next up, Dumbo! I hadn’t been on this since my 2016 trip, so the updates to the queue were new to me!
There was a little bit of a line ahead of me, so I didn’t get on right away but I think the wait was only about 15 minutes (based off on photo time stamps).
I was assigned number 9! It was dark, but I’m pretty sure this was a pale orange colored one
My phone isn’t the best at low light photography, but I got a couple pics of fun details on the ride
It was just after 9pm when I finished, so I figured it was a good stopping point and headed back into Galaxy’s Edge to find a good fireworks watching spot!
But first, a snack! I decided to try the Outpost Mix popcorn and walked over to buy a bag.
It was alright. I ate about half of it, and it satisfied the snack craving well enough. Probably not something I would go out of my way to get though.
This area of the park is so cool at night!
The CMs were already directing people on where to stand for the fireworks, so I found a spot at the railing in the section above the Millennium Falcon (just outside of Docking Bay 7) and hung out and enjoyed the scenery.
About ten minutes before the fireworks started, a large family group came up and crowded around either side of me. I offered to move to one side of them so they would all be together (and so I could have a bit more breathing room, haha!) But they were all “oh no it’s fine!” I wasn’t THAT bothered by it and I liked my spot too much to risk losing it, so I stayed.
Watching the fireworks from Batuu was fun, but I missed the overall experience with the music and projections. I stayed for about ten minutes, grabbed a few pics, and then decided to continue on with my evening!
I realized that I forgot to mention a few posts back that I had made an Indiana Jones Max Pass just after I rode Buzz with my parents earlier in the evening. It had a 9:30 to 10:30pm return time, so off to Adventureland I went!
Part 17: The One Where I Did a Bunch and Didn’t Take a Single Picture!
After my interestingly memorable Oga’s experience, I had a little over an hour to kill before the fireworks that evening! My plan was to watch them from Batuu, so I decided to stay close-ish and go explore Fantasyland some more. I pulled up my app and saw that Small World had immediate return times and grabbed a Max Pass for it.
When I arrived just after 8:30, they had already shut it down for the fireworks. They said I could save my pass and scan in after when it reopened, but I decided to just cancel it and pick something else. Because I hadn’t ridden it enough yet, I chose BTMRR for later on.
They were just about to start the MSEP, and I wanted to get out of the parade route area before they did - so I headed back towards the area behind the castle. Dumbo looked like it had a pretty short wait when I had passed by on my way to IASW, so I decided to do that.
Then I noticed the Teacups were a walk on, and hopped in line for those. I was hoping to possibly catch the first part of the parade during my ride since it passes by - but my timing was off and I was finished before it started. Oh well! I grabbed a shot of the lanterns overhead at night, so pretty!
Next up, Dumbo! I hadn’t been on this since my 2016 trip, so the updates to the queue were new to me!
There was a little bit of a line ahead of me, so I didn’t get on right away but I think the wait was only about 15 minutes (based off on photo time stamps).
I was assigned number 9! It was dark, but I’m pretty sure this was a pale orange colored one
My phone isn’t the best at low light photography, but I got a couple pics of fun details on the ride
It was just after 9pm when I finished, so I figured it was a good stopping point and headed back into Galaxy’s Edge to find a good fireworks watching spot!
But first, a snack! I decided to try the Outpost Mix popcorn and walked over to buy a bag.
It was alright. I ate about half of it, and it satisfied the snack craving well enough. Probably not something I would go out of my way to get though.
This area of the park is so cool at night!
The CMs were already directing people on where to stand for the fireworks, so I found a spot at the railing in the section above the Millennium Falcon (just outside of Docking Bay 7) and hung out and enjoyed the scenery.
About ten minutes before the fireworks started, a large family group came up and crowded around either side of me. I offered to move to one side of them so they would all be together (and so I could have a bit more breathing room, haha!) But they were all “oh no it’s fine!” I wasn’t THAT bothered by it and I liked my spot too much to risk losing it, so I stayed.
Watching the fireworks from Batuu was fun, but I missed the overall experience with the music and projections. I stayed for about ten minutes, grabbed a few pics, and then decided to continue on with my evening!
I realized that I forgot to mention a few posts back that I had made an Indiana Jones Max Pass just after I rode Buzz with my parents earlier in the evening. It had a 9:30 to 10:30pm return time, so off to Adventureland I went!
Part 17: The One Where I Did a Bunch and Didn’t Take a Single Picture!
momtohms
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Part 17: The One Where I Did a Bunch and Didn’t Take a Single Picture!
As you can probably guess from the title, this will be a rare post of just text and no pictures. For whatever reason, I didn’t take a single shot during this part of my evening! Probably due to the fact that everything I did was in less than optimal lighting conditions, especially for a cell phone camera.
I’ll try and keep this from becoming a huge wall of text, and I promise more pictures to come!
After leaving Galaxy’s Edge, I went straight to Indiana Jones and scanned in. Then made another MP for Haunted Mansion that had a return time about an hour away. Once I finished my Indy ride, I went over and hopped on the Jungle Cruise (I don’t think I ever waited for this ride my entire trip - it was always a walk on!)
Now I love the Jungle Cruise, I rode it several times this trip and usually ride it multiple times whenever I go. I also watch quite a lot of Disneyland vlogs on YouTube and love watching Jungle Cruise ride throughs. Yes, the jokes are so cheesy and predictable - but they crack me up!
It’s pretty obvious the skippers all play off of the same script (or pull from the same list of jokes), but the skipper I had this time was either new and didn’t have much memorized yet - or maybe he willingly does his own spiel? Either way, it was by far the most unique Jungle Cruise experience I’d had! There wasn’t anything wrong with it, necessarily, it was just completely different than anything I’d ever heard. The best way I can describe it, is that it felt like someone got their Dad or Uncle to fill in as the skipper - they were kind of familiar with a couple of jokes but worded them differently and the rest of the time they were trying to mimic a serious nature documentary. Lol.
I headed over to BTMRR to use my Max Pass next, and had a fun nighttime ride on that! I debated riding standby and going a second time, but the line had gotten kind of long and I was craving a churro!
Since my Haunted Mansion Pass was almost ready to use, I headed over that way. Fantasmic was going on, so I caught glimpses of it as I walked past the Rivers of America. I located the churro cart outside of the mansion, and bought myself a treat!
I’ve had a few churros at Disney in the past, and they are always good - but this one was amazing. It was freshly made, still hot, and the perfect texture. I ate the whole thing before I remembered to take a pic, haha! I could also see Fantasmic from where I stood, so I got to watch a bit of that too
Then it was time to use my Haunted Mansion Pass, so I hopped in line and walked right on! I was pretty tired by the time I finished, and definitely starting to feel the exhaustion of a really long and really busy day in the parks. I decided to change up the rest of my plan for the evening, and was pretty sure that I was going to call it a night soon. Or was I?
Up Next: Smuggler’s Run and a Second Wind
As you can probably guess from the title, this will be a rare post of just text and no pictures. For whatever reason, I didn’t take a single shot during this part of my evening! Probably due to the fact that everything I did was in less than optimal lighting conditions, especially for a cell phone camera.
I’ll try and keep this from becoming a huge wall of text, and I promise more pictures to come!
After leaving Galaxy’s Edge, I went straight to Indiana Jones and scanned in. Then made another MP for Haunted Mansion that had a return time about an hour away. Once I finished my Indy ride, I went over and hopped on the Jungle Cruise (I don’t think I ever waited for this ride my entire trip - it was always a walk on!)
Now I love the Jungle Cruise, I rode it several times this trip and usually ride it multiple times whenever I go. I also watch quite a lot of Disneyland vlogs on YouTube and love watching Jungle Cruise ride throughs. Yes, the jokes are so cheesy and predictable - but they crack me up!
It’s pretty obvious the skippers all play off of the same script (or pull from the same list of jokes), but the skipper I had this time was either new and didn’t have much memorized yet - or maybe he willingly does his own spiel? Either way, it was by far the most unique Jungle Cruise experience I’d had! There wasn’t anything wrong with it, necessarily, it was just completely different than anything I’d ever heard. The best way I can describe it, is that it felt like someone got their Dad or Uncle to fill in as the skipper - they were kind of familiar with a couple of jokes but worded them differently and the rest of the time they were trying to mimic a serious nature documentary. Lol.
I headed over to BTMRR to use my Max Pass next, and had a fun nighttime ride on that! I debated riding standby and going a second time, but the line had gotten kind of long and I was craving a churro!
Since my Haunted Mansion Pass was almost ready to use, I headed over that way. Fantasmic was going on, so I caught glimpses of it as I walked past the Rivers of America. I located the churro cart outside of the mansion, and bought myself a treat!
I’ve had a few churros at Disney in the past, and they are always good - but this one was amazing. It was freshly made, still hot, and the perfect texture. I ate the whole thing before I remembered to take a pic, haha! I could also see Fantasmic from where I stood, so I got to watch a bit of that too
Then it was time to use my Haunted Mansion Pass, so I hopped in line and walked right on! I was pretty tired by the time I finished, and definitely starting to feel the exhaustion of a really long and really busy day in the parks. I decided to change up the rest of my plan for the evening, and was pretty sure that I was going to call it a night soon. Or was I?
Up Next: Smuggler’s Run and a Second Wind
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momtohms
DIS Veteran
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- Jul 16, 2012
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Part 18: Smuggler’s Run and a Second Wind
It’s the last post for my first day (not counting a quick wrap up/overview that I’ll do after this) - and it only took 18 parts to finish! Haha! I think half of the pictures that I took on this trip were on the first day, so I don’t think the other three days will need quite as many posts. I hope!
When I last left off, I had just finished a late night trip through the Haunted Mansion and was getting awfully close to falling asleep in a Doom Buggy.
I can’t remember if I wrote about this in my PTR, but before I left for CA I had decided on a “last ride of the night” for the three park days I would be there until closing. For Monday night, I had picked Smuggler’s Run. Mostly because I generally don’t do well with screen rides (especially if 3D is involved, Star Tours is a big NOPE). I really wanted to try MFSR at least once, and thought it might not be too bad since it didn’t use 3D. So to be safe, I made it a “last ride of the night” so I would already be heading back to my room if I ended up with a queasy stomach. I also wanted to ride it at the end of the day so I could go through the standby queue, but get in line right before closing and not have to wait in a super long line during valuable park hours. So I decided I would go on Smuggler’s Run just after 11pm, and call it a night.
The standby line was posted at 35 minutes, which was around the shortest I saw it during my trip. However, I was just too tired to wait it out and opted for single rider instead. This turned out to be a fantastic choice for more than one reason!
I walked right into the loading area without any wait and was given the choice of Pilot or Gunner. I chose the latter with no hesitation, even if I didn’t have motion sickness issues - I was WAY too nervous to be a Pilot. I am horrible at controlling any sort of vehicle on a video game. Just ask anyone who has ever played Mario Kart with me!
I ended up in a really fun group! The pilots were two younger boys (friends or brothers, I couldn’t tell) around 10-12 years old who had been on the ride a ton. They were very enthusiastic and eager to give everyone else tons of pointers. The other gunner was another single rider who was also on her first time like me. The engineers were a young couple who had also ridden a few times before. We stood around and chatted, and discussed some strategy. I also grabbed some pics from the interior of the ship!
They soon called for our group, and it was time to get ready to board!
Standing on my gunner spot
Watching the instructional video
I didn’t try and take many pictures during the actual ride, so I could focus on my job, but I HAD to capture going to light speed!
Overall I thought the ride was a ton of fun! It did start making me pretty queasy if I watched out the front too much, but we long as I focused on the buttons I had to hit and looked off to the side it was fine. I didn’t end up riding it again on this trip, but I will on future trips as long as I don’t have to be a pilot!
After I finished, I had gotten a huge second wind and was no longer tired. The ride itself isn’t that exhilarating - but I had such a good group and a lot of fun during the experience that it gave me a boost of energy
It was around 11:20pm at this point, so I had a little bit of time before the park closed. I decided that I might as well do another “last ride of the night” from my list and take my chances on a miserable and wet walk back to the hotel. Time for Splash Mountain! Haha!
Even though the standby line was super short, I still grabbed a MaxPass for it that I could use right away and went straight there. It was obviously a walk on, and there was hardly anyone in the queue. I started worrying that I might be alone in a log, but thankfully there were a handful of people at the loading area
I put on my jacket, tucked my feet up, and hunched over my backpack and surprisingly only got a little wet! Yay! It was really fun to ride at night too - I’m glad I did it!
Ride pic I’m in the middle behind the guy holding up his shoes. Lol!
Now it’s 11:35 and I am determined to finish out the night. Since I had already done 2 of my 3 “last rides of the night” I figured I might as well do the last. So it was off to Peter Pan!
I think the line was around 20-25 minutes, so not too bad! I finished just after midnight.
Originally I had planned to stay and shop for that last hour on main street, but the second wind only lasted so long and after Peter Pan it has just about died down. I was ready to head back to the hotel and get some much needed rest!
Of course I couldn’t get out of Fantasyland without a couple of night time castle shots
After that, it was a quick walk back to the hotel! My parents were fast asleep, so I quickly and quietly changed into pjs, plugged electronics into their chargers, and set a 6am alarm. I had an EMH at Disneyland to rest up for!
Up Next: Day One Overview!
It’s the last post for my first day (not counting a quick wrap up/overview that I’ll do after this) - and it only took 18 parts to finish! Haha! I think half of the pictures that I took on this trip were on the first day, so I don’t think the other three days will need quite as many posts. I hope!
When I last left off, I had just finished a late night trip through the Haunted Mansion and was getting awfully close to falling asleep in a Doom Buggy.
I can’t remember if I wrote about this in my PTR, but before I left for CA I had decided on a “last ride of the night” for the three park days I would be there until closing. For Monday night, I had picked Smuggler’s Run. Mostly because I generally don’t do well with screen rides (especially if 3D is involved, Star Tours is a big NOPE). I really wanted to try MFSR at least once, and thought it might not be too bad since it didn’t use 3D. So to be safe, I made it a “last ride of the night” so I would already be heading back to my room if I ended up with a queasy stomach. I also wanted to ride it at the end of the day so I could go through the standby queue, but get in line right before closing and not have to wait in a super long line during valuable park hours. So I decided I would go on Smuggler’s Run just after 11pm, and call it a night.
The standby line was posted at 35 minutes, which was around the shortest I saw it during my trip. However, I was just too tired to wait it out and opted for single rider instead. This turned out to be a fantastic choice for more than one reason!
I walked right into the loading area without any wait and was given the choice of Pilot or Gunner. I chose the latter with no hesitation, even if I didn’t have motion sickness issues - I was WAY too nervous to be a Pilot. I am horrible at controlling any sort of vehicle on a video game. Just ask anyone who has ever played Mario Kart with me!
I ended up in a really fun group! The pilots were two younger boys (friends or brothers, I couldn’t tell) around 10-12 years old who had been on the ride a ton. They were very enthusiastic and eager to give everyone else tons of pointers. The other gunner was another single rider who was also on her first time like me. The engineers were a young couple who had also ridden a few times before. We stood around and chatted, and discussed some strategy. I also grabbed some pics from the interior of the ship!
They soon called for our group, and it was time to get ready to board!
Standing on my gunner spot
Watching the instructional video
I didn’t try and take many pictures during the actual ride, so I could focus on my job, but I HAD to capture going to light speed!
Overall I thought the ride was a ton of fun! It did start making me pretty queasy if I watched out the front too much, but we long as I focused on the buttons I had to hit and looked off to the side it was fine. I didn’t end up riding it again on this trip, but I will on future trips as long as I don’t have to be a pilot!
After I finished, I had gotten a huge second wind and was no longer tired. The ride itself isn’t that exhilarating - but I had such a good group and a lot of fun during the experience that it gave me a boost of energy
It was around 11:20pm at this point, so I had a little bit of time before the park closed. I decided that I might as well do another “last ride of the night” from my list and take my chances on a miserable and wet walk back to the hotel. Time for Splash Mountain! Haha!
Even though the standby line was super short, I still grabbed a MaxPass for it that I could use right away and went straight there. It was obviously a walk on, and there was hardly anyone in the queue. I started worrying that I might be alone in a log, but thankfully there were a handful of people at the loading area
I put on my jacket, tucked my feet up, and hunched over my backpack and surprisingly only got a little wet! Yay! It was really fun to ride at night too - I’m glad I did it!
Ride pic
I’m in the middle behind the guy holding up his shoes. Lol!Now it’s 11:35 and I am determined to finish out the night. Since I had already done 2 of my 3 “last rides of the night” I figured I might as well do the last. So it was off to Peter Pan!
I think the line was around 20-25 minutes, so not too bad! I finished just after midnight.
Originally I had planned to stay and shop for that last hour on main street, but the second wind only lasted so long and after Peter Pan it has just about died down. I was ready to head back to the hotel and get some much needed rest!
Of course I couldn’t get out of Fantasyland without a couple of night time castle shots
After that, it was a quick walk back to the hotel! My parents were fast asleep, so I quickly and quietly changed into pjs, plugged electronics into their chargers, and set a 6am alarm. I had an EMH at Disneyland to rest up for!
Up Next: Day One Overview!
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momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
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- 527
Part 19: Day One Overview!
Time in parks: Just over 17 hours! From 7am to just after midnight, not counting the two quick 10ish minute stops in the hotel room to change in & out of the water ride outfit. Haha!
Total steps walked: 39,847
Total miles: 16.19
Total attractions ridden: 33 (duplicates: 4x on BTMRR, 2x on RSR, 2x on Splash, 2x on Jungle Cruise, 2x Haunted Mansion, 2x Indiana Jones, 2x Hyper Space Mountain, 2x Buzz, and 2x Mad Tea Party - whew, I think I got that all right!)
Total MaxPasses Used: 16!
Wrap up thoughts: I LOVED Pixar Pier, enjoyed most of my experience in Batuu, had my best Disneyland churro yet, was pleasantly surprised by the lower than expected crowds, and will never do another Disney trip without MaxPass again!
If this had been a one day trip, I would have left really happy with everything I did!
Up Next: Spoiler Alert! I Rode Jingles!
Time in parks: Just over 17 hours! From 7am to just after midnight, not counting the two quick 10ish minute stops in the hotel room to change in & out of the water ride outfit. Haha!
Total steps walked: 39,847
Total miles: 16.19
Total attractions ridden: 33 (duplicates: 4x on BTMRR, 2x on RSR, 2x on Splash, 2x on Jungle Cruise, 2x Haunted Mansion, 2x Indiana Jones, 2x Hyper Space Mountain, 2x Buzz, and 2x Mad Tea Party - whew, I think I got that all right!)
Total MaxPasses Used: 16!
Wrap up thoughts: I LOVED Pixar Pier, enjoyed most of my experience in Batuu, had my best Disneyland churro yet, was pleasantly surprised by the lower than expected crowds, and will never do another Disney trip without MaxPass again!
If this had been a one day trip, I would have left really happy with everything I did!
Up Next: Spoiler Alert! I Rode Jingles!
deejdigsdis
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- Aug 28, 2009
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Can't believe how much you did! What a great day overall. Love those Castle pictures. PS - those paper straws are useless. We had to deal with them in May.
momtohms
DIS Veteran
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- Jul 16, 2012
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- 527
It was a really fun day! Thanks!
I’m so glad I’d heard about the paper straw issues on this board & from YouTube videos before I left so I had my set of reusable straws to use! I wouldn’t have made it through any of the smoothies or thicker drinks without them.
momtohms
DIS Veteran
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- Jul 16, 2012
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- 527
Part 20: Spoiler Alert! I Rode Jingles!
Happy Day TWO!
It was another early morning, but this time we were heading to Disneyland first! My Dad and I were ready to hit the parks early again, while my Mom stayed back to get some more sleep. We planned to meet up a little later in the morning over in DCA to get fast passes for that evening’s World of Color show together.
Security from the GCH into Downtown Disney was a breeze, and we arrived at the Disneyland gates at about a quarter to seven. The lines were already pretty busy, so we picked a shorter looking one and waited for the park to open!
Early morning selfie!
After they started letting people in, it took about five to ten minutes to get up to the turnstiles. Then it was off to Fantasyland! While most people were rushing to Peter Pan, the Matterhorn, or Hyperspace Mountain - I had a different plans and a bucket list item to check off!
A quick Partners Statue and Castle shot as I passed by ;-)
There was no one at the Carousel when I got there, but the CM operating the ride had it currently running for a cycle. We chatted while I waited for it to stop again, and she made sure I knew just where Jingles stopped and which way to go. I also took a moment to make a Matterhorn MaxPass with an 8-9am return window.
As soon as the ride was ready to load again, I was the first one on. Victory is mine!
(I would also like to clarify that I am wearing shorts here, even if it doesn’t look like it at first glance - lol!)
A couple of others had shown up just as she let us on the ride and seconds after I had gotten on Jingles they came around from the other way and said “Oh darn! Jingles is already taken!” I’m so glad I made it an EMH priority! Haha!
So pretty!
Looking ahead
Another selfie. Because why not? I think I took more selfies on this trip than I did in the last few years combined.
Riding the Carousel was my only big plan for the extra magic hour, and we still had plenty of time left. So it was off to ride some of the other Fantasyland rides that get longer lines later in the day but don’t have MaxPass or Single Rider!
Dumbo was next since we were right there and the line was short
Pic with my Dad! I told him to act like we were on a really thrilling ride. Ha!
And a couple daytime ride pics!
Up Next: More Fantasyland Morning Fun
Happy Day TWO!
It was another early morning, but this time we were heading to Disneyland first! My Dad and I were ready to hit the parks early again, while my Mom stayed back to get some more sleep. We planned to meet up a little later in the morning over in DCA to get fast passes for that evening’s World of Color show together.
Security from the GCH into Downtown Disney was a breeze, and we arrived at the Disneyland gates at about a quarter to seven. The lines were already pretty busy, so we picked a shorter looking one and waited for the park to open!
Early morning selfie!
After they started letting people in, it took about five to ten minutes to get up to the turnstiles. Then it was off to Fantasyland! While most people were rushing to Peter Pan, the Matterhorn, or Hyperspace Mountain - I had a different plans and a bucket list item to check off!
A quick Partners Statue and Castle shot as I passed by ;-)
There was no one at the Carousel when I got there, but the CM operating the ride had it currently running for a cycle. We chatted while I waited for it to stop again, and she made sure I knew just where Jingles stopped and which way to go. I also took a moment to make a Matterhorn MaxPass with an 8-9am return window.
As soon as the ride was ready to load again, I was the first one on. Victory is mine!
(I would also like to clarify that I am wearing shorts here, even if it doesn’t look like it at first glance - lol!)
A couple of others had shown up just as she let us on the ride and seconds after I had gotten on Jingles they came around from the other way and said “Oh darn! Jingles is already taken!” I’m so glad I made it an EMH priority! Haha!
So pretty!
Looking ahead
Another selfie. Because why not? I think I took more selfies on this trip than I did in the last few years combined.
Riding the Carousel was my only big plan for the extra magic hour, and we still had plenty of time left. So it was off to ride some of the other Fantasyland rides that get longer lines later in the day but don’t have MaxPass or Single Rider!
Dumbo was next since we were right there and the line was short
Pic with my Dad! I told him to act like we were on a really thrilling ride. Ha!
And a couple daytime ride pics!
Up Next: More Fantasyland Morning Fun
momtohms
DIS Veteran
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- Jul 16, 2012
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Part 21: More Fantasyland Morning Fun
From Dumbo, we went and rode Pinocchio which was a walk on. Snow White was going to be next, but I noticed the line for Alice was still pretty short and wanted to ride that before it got too long.
The teacups are like the castle - I can’t walk by without taking a picture
Our wait for Alice was about 10 minutes, and I really enjoyed looking at all the details in the queue.
These lighting fixtures are so adorable
The Matterhorn in the background
So whimsical!
Our final ride before the end of the Extra Magic Hour was then Mad Tea Party! It was only a couple minutes to wait (we were front of the line but got there right as they were starting) so I grabbed some pics. This ride is so fun to photograph!
When it was our turn to go, we went straight for the yellow teacup in honor of a funny moment from a previous Disney trip.
Flashback story time! Back in 2015 on our first family trip to Disneyland, my parents came along with us. While my older two were at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique with DH and I, my Mom and Dad kept our youngest occupied with the Fantasyland rides. Apparently my youngest rode in a pink teacup first claiming it was her favorite color. Then got off and insisted she had to ride in the yellow one next because it was her second favorite color. So my Mom went back through the line again, and someone beat them to the yellow one so they had to ride in the pink one again. My youngest was quite put out that she had to ride in her first favorite color tea cup because her second favorite color was taken. They did go for a third time and got the yellow one then. My Mom doesn’t love spinning rides, so she was definitely Grandma of the Year for braving the teacups 3 times in a row with a picky just turned 3 year old ;-)
Of course I have a pic to share!
Anyway, back to the present! We managed to get the yellow teacup on the first try (we were only trying once, ha!) So I took a pic to show my mom later.
Up Next: Breakfast With a View!
From Dumbo, we went and rode Pinocchio which was a walk on. Snow White was going to be next, but I noticed the line for Alice was still pretty short and wanted to ride that before it got too long.
The teacups are like the castle - I can’t walk by without taking a picture
Our wait for Alice was about 10 minutes, and I really enjoyed looking at all the details in the queue.
These lighting fixtures are so adorable
The Matterhorn in the background
So whimsical!
Our final ride before the end of the Extra Magic Hour was then Mad Tea Party! It was only a couple minutes to wait (we were front of the line but got there right as they were starting) so I grabbed some pics. This ride is so fun to photograph!
When it was our turn to go, we went straight for the yellow teacup in honor of a funny moment from a previous Disney trip.
Flashback story time! Back in 2015 on our first family trip to Disneyland, my parents came along with us. While my older two were at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique with DH and I, my Mom and Dad kept our youngest occupied with the Fantasyland rides. Apparently my youngest rode in a pink teacup first claiming it was her favorite color. Then got off and insisted she had to ride in the yellow one next because it was her second favorite color. So my Mom went back through the line again, and someone beat them to the yellow one so they had to ride in the pink one again. My youngest was quite put out that she had to ride in her first favorite color tea cup because her second favorite color was taken. They did go for a third time and got the yellow one then. My Mom doesn’t love spinning rides, so she was definitely Grandma of the Year for braving the teacups 3 times in a row with a picky just turned 3 year old ;-)
Of course I have a pic to share!
Anyway, back to the present! We managed to get the yellow teacup on the first try (we were only trying once, ha!) So I took a pic to show my mom later.
Up Next: Breakfast With a View!
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deejdigsdis
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 2,318
Love your dad's "I'm going on a thrilling ride" face. 
Those Alice in Wonderland lights always make me so happy.
Those Alice in Wonderland lights always make me so happy.
momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 527
Part 22: Breakfast With a View!
After our little spin on the teacups, my Matterhorn pass was ready to use! I went ahead and did that while my Dad waited since we were planning to head to DCA next to meet up with my Mom. He got ahold of her while I was on the ride, and she was up and ready to join us
We made our way over to DCA, and found the World of Color Fast Pass return kiosk. My mom joined us shortly after that and we all grabbed our passes together (they used the machines with their park tickets and I did mine through my phone). Since none of us had eaten breakfast yet, that was the next thing to do. My Dad had been really impressed with his breakfast at Flo’s the day before and didn’t mind eating there again - so off we went!
We placed our order and then found a table outside with a great view! So pretty!
We all got the American breakfast (I believe it’s called that). I enjoyed all of it, except the eggs. I love eggs, but I am pretty sure these were powdered egg & water. Not the greatest. My Dad was right on about the potatoes though, they were great!
During breakfast my Dad got an email from his job back home with an issue that had come up that needed his assistance - so he had to head back to the hotel room to deal with that
My Mom and I decided to head over to Disneyland until my Dad could join us again.
I made a BTMRR MaxPass on the way over, and my Mom said she would go with me - so we went to the FastPass kiosk first to get one for her. Since it wasn’t an immediate return, we headed over to Adventureland!
First up, Jungle Cruise. Another under five minute wait and we were off on our trip! I didn’t take a ton of pictures, just the tiger again and some slightly blurry snakes
From Jungle Cruise, we walked right over and right onto Pirates! I loved how short the lines were in the morning on our trip
After that, it was time to go use our BTMRR passes! My parents aren’t huge fans of the big thrill rides, so it was fun that my Mom wanted to ride Big Thunder with me! It was a one and done for her, but we had a good time! Haha!
Since we could both make another MaxPass/Fast Pass selection, we decided to go over and grab one for Indiana Jones. She made hers at the kiosk and I made mine on my phone. We had some time to kill before the window opened, so we headed towards Fantasyland so we could ride Small World.
On our way over there, we decided to peek in Toon Town and saw that Roger Rabbit only had a 5 minute wait! It actually ended up being a walk on, but it nearly took us 5 minutes just to walk through that winding queue! Haha! I hadn’t ridden this since my very first trip to Disneyland back in 2000. I didn’t remember anything about it, so it was fun to experience! We were pretty much the only ones on the ride too.
No on the ride pics (wayyyy too dark for the iPhone camera!) I did take one outside though!
And another conductor Mickey shot
Next was our ride on It’s A Small World! Just one pic from this ride, I was busy singing along and looking for the various characters the rest of the time ;-)
My Dad texted us that he was finished with work and heading over to Disneyland to meet us. We told him we had passes for Indiana Jones we would be using next and he could wait for us by there - or hop in the Standby line if he wanted to ride too since the wait wasn’t terribly long
We ended up getting there before him, and since we hadn’t heard from him on whether he was planning to ride or not - decided to just go ahead. He was waiting for us at the exit when we finished, and no he wasn’t planning to ride it so we didn’t feel too bad about not waiting for him. Haha!
Our original plan for the morning before his work stuff came up was that we would do Jungle Cruise, Pirates, and Haunted Mansion. My Mom and I were both more than okay with doing Jungle Cruise and Pirates again, but my Dad said it was fine to just move on to Haunted Mansion and we would go on the Jungle Cruise and Pirates later. So over to New Orleans Square we went! The Haunted Mansion had a 15 or 20 minute standby line, but the fastpass return time was immediate - so we all grabbed one of those (kiosk for them, phone for me) and basically walked right on.
By the time we got finished with Haunted Mansion and discussed our plan for lunch and the afternoon we could all make another Fast Pass. They had ridden Grizzly River Run the day before and loved it, so we considered getting one for that ride - but the return times were still super early and they would have to go over to DCA to get their passes. Instead, I suggested Splash Mountain, and they were on board! Yay! Haha. We headed towards that area to grab passes at the machines. Since they had a later return time we decided to get some lunch at Docking Bay 7 & Ronto’s Roasters
Next Up: Lunch in a Galaxy Far Far Away!
After our little spin on the teacups, my Matterhorn pass was ready to use! I went ahead and did that while my Dad waited since we were planning to head to DCA next to meet up with my Mom. He got ahold of her while I was on the ride, and she was up and ready to join us
We made our way over to DCA, and found the World of Color Fast Pass return kiosk. My mom joined us shortly after that and we all grabbed our passes together (they used the machines with their park tickets and I did mine through my phone). Since none of us had eaten breakfast yet, that was the next thing to do. My Dad had been really impressed with his breakfast at Flo’s the day before and didn’t mind eating there again - so off we went!
We placed our order and then found a table outside with a great view! So pretty!
We all got the American breakfast (I believe it’s called that). I enjoyed all of it, except the eggs. I love eggs, but I am pretty sure these were powdered egg & water. Not the greatest. My Dad was right on about the potatoes though, they were great!
During breakfast my Dad got an email from his job back home with an issue that had come up that needed his assistance - so he had to head back to the hotel room to deal with that
My Mom and I decided to head over to Disneyland until my Dad could join us again.
I made a BTMRR MaxPass on the way over, and my Mom said she would go with me - so we went to the FastPass kiosk first to get one for her. Since it wasn’t an immediate return, we headed over to Adventureland!
First up, Jungle Cruise. Another under five minute wait and we were off on our trip! I didn’t take a ton of pictures, just the tiger again and some slightly blurry snakes
From Jungle Cruise, we walked right over and right onto Pirates! I loved how short the lines were in the morning on our trip
After that, it was time to go use our BTMRR passes! My parents aren’t huge fans of the big thrill rides, so it was fun that my Mom wanted to ride Big Thunder with me! It was a one and done for her, but we had a good time! Haha!
Since we could both make another MaxPass/Fast Pass selection, we decided to go over and grab one for Indiana Jones. She made hers at the kiosk and I made mine on my phone. We had some time to kill before the window opened, so we headed towards Fantasyland so we could ride Small World.
On our way over there, we decided to peek in Toon Town and saw that Roger Rabbit only had a 5 minute wait! It actually ended up being a walk on, but it nearly took us 5 minutes just to walk through that winding queue! Haha! I hadn’t ridden this since my very first trip to Disneyland back in 2000. I didn’t remember anything about it, so it was fun to experience! We were pretty much the only ones on the ride too.
No on the ride pics (wayyyy too dark for the iPhone camera!) I did take one outside though!
And another conductor Mickey shot
Next was our ride on It’s A Small World! Just one pic from this ride, I was busy singing along and looking for the various characters the rest of the time ;-)
My Dad texted us that he was finished with work and heading over to Disneyland to meet us. We told him we had passes for Indiana Jones we would be using next and he could wait for us by there - or hop in the Standby line if he wanted to ride too since the wait wasn’t terribly long
We ended up getting there before him, and since we hadn’t heard from him on whether he was planning to ride or not - decided to just go ahead. He was waiting for us at the exit when we finished, and no he wasn’t planning to ride it so we didn’t feel too bad about not waiting for him. Haha!
Our original plan for the morning before his work stuff came up was that we would do Jungle Cruise, Pirates, and Haunted Mansion. My Mom and I were both more than okay with doing Jungle Cruise and Pirates again, but my Dad said it was fine to just move on to Haunted Mansion and we would go on the Jungle Cruise and Pirates later. So over to New Orleans Square we went! The Haunted Mansion had a 15 or 20 minute standby line, but the fastpass return time was immediate - so we all grabbed one of those (kiosk for them, phone for me) and basically walked right on.
By the time we got finished with Haunted Mansion and discussed our plan for lunch and the afternoon we could all make another Fast Pass. They had ridden Grizzly River Run the day before and loved it, so we considered getting one for that ride - but the return times were still super early and they would have to go over to DCA to get their passes. Instead, I suggested Splash Mountain, and they were on board! Yay! Haha. We headed towards that area to grab passes at the machines. Since they had a later return time we decided to get some lunch at Docking Bay 7 & Ronto’s Roasters
Next Up: Lunch in a Galaxy Far Far Away!
CandyMouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2008
- Messages
- 555
Enjoying your trip report! Looks like a fun time!
momtohms
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 527
Part 23: Lunch in a Galaxy Far Far Away!
My Dad went to Docking Bay 7 to get in line, while my Mom and I went to Ronto’s Roasters to get a Ronto Wrap! She was pretty sure it would be dairy free, but the CMs working at the counter weren’t 100% sure when we asked them. They didn’t have any info on it to check either, which I thought was weird - Disney is usually really good about allergies! My Mom decided to get one anyway, so we ordered two and went over to Docking Bay 7 to get a table.
We found a place to sit, and I left my food with her so I could run over to the Milk Stand for a blue milk! On the way out of Docking Bay 7, I passed my Dad at the register while he was ordering his lunch and had him add an Oi Oi Puff. Thanks Dad! Haha!
Getting the blue milk was my favorite mobile order experience of the trip. I got right up to where I could see the milk stand, and saw the long line. Pulled out my phone, loaded the app, and purchased a blue milk all while continuing to walk to the counter. Hit the “I’m here” button just as I arrived, gave my name to the CM who greeted me immediately, and had my blue milk in hand within seconds. Seriously the best.
On my way back to Docking Bay 7, I had a little photo shoot with my blue milk.
And an attempt to get a pic with the Millennium Falcon in the background
Back at Docking Bay 7, my Dad was still waiting on his order and my Mom was still searching online for info about the Ronto Wrap ingredients. She has a full blown allergy, not just a sensitivity so she has to be super careful. I started helping her search and couldn’t find anything either. Eventually she decided to just chance it, and as far as I know it didn’t effect her so the sauce we were most concerned about was probably mayo based. Phew!
I had taken a few bites before I remembered to snap my pic, so not the best shot of it
I thought this was just okay. I bet it would have tasted better hot, but it had cooled off a lot before I finally started eating it. I also didn’t love the taste of the sauce. I normally love peppercorn sauces too, but this one left a weird aftertaste. I only ate half and that was enough for me, I probably won’t get one again.
My Dad showed up with his meal and my dessert while we were eating our wraps! I don’t remember what he got, but he loved it and I think it was his favorite meal of the trip.
Oi Oi Puff! I loved the presentation
The top part was delicious. The cake part on the bottom was a bit dry though. It is something I would try again, but didn’t make the “must have on every Disney trip” list.
We all shared the blue milk and all enjoyed it. I was planning to get it again on this trip and try the green milk as well, but never got around to it. next time for sure!
After we finished eating, we headed back out to Frontierland via that exit, but not before witnessing some guests getting interrogated by a pair of Storm Troopers! Haha
How cool does this look? Galaxy’s Edge to Frontierland!
Next Up: Island Exploration, Part 1
My Dad went to Docking Bay 7 to get in line, while my Mom and I went to Ronto’s Roasters to get a Ronto Wrap! She was pretty sure it would be dairy free, but the CMs working at the counter weren’t 100% sure when we asked them. They didn’t have any info on it to check either, which I thought was weird - Disney is usually really good about allergies! My Mom decided to get one anyway, so we ordered two and went over to Docking Bay 7 to get a table.
We found a place to sit, and I left my food with her so I could run over to the Milk Stand for a blue milk! On the way out of Docking Bay 7, I passed my Dad at the register while he was ordering his lunch and had him add an Oi Oi Puff. Thanks Dad! Haha!
Getting the blue milk was my favorite mobile order experience of the trip. I got right up to where I could see the milk stand, and saw the long line. Pulled out my phone, loaded the app, and purchased a blue milk all while continuing to walk to the counter. Hit the “I’m here” button just as I arrived, gave my name to the CM who greeted me immediately, and had my blue milk in hand within seconds. Seriously the best.
On my way back to Docking Bay 7, I had a little photo shoot with my blue milk.
And an attempt to get a pic with the Millennium Falcon in the background
Back at Docking Bay 7, my Dad was still waiting on his order and my Mom was still searching online for info about the Ronto Wrap ingredients. She has a full blown allergy, not just a sensitivity so she has to be super careful. I started helping her search and couldn’t find anything either. Eventually she decided to just chance it, and as far as I know it didn’t effect her so the sauce we were most concerned about was probably mayo based. Phew!
I had taken a few bites before I remembered to snap my pic, so not the best shot of it
I thought this was just okay. I bet it would have tasted better hot, but it had cooled off a lot before I finally started eating it. I also didn’t love the taste of the sauce. I normally love peppercorn sauces too, but this one left a weird aftertaste. I only ate half and that was enough for me, I probably won’t get one again.
My Dad showed up with his meal and my dessert while we were eating our wraps! I don’t remember what he got, but he loved it and I think it was his favorite meal of the trip.
Oi Oi Puff! I loved the presentation
The top part was delicious. The cake part on the bottom was a bit dry though. It is something I would try again, but didn’t make the “must have on every Disney trip” list.
We all shared the blue milk and all enjoyed it. I was planning to get it again on this trip and try the green milk as well, but never got around to it. next time for sure!
After we finished eating, we headed back out to Frontierland via that exit, but not before witnessing some guests getting interrogated by a pair of Storm Troopers! Haha
How cool does this look? Galaxy’s Edge to Frontierland!
Next Up: Island Exploration, Part 1
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