banderasfan
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2013
- Messages
- 2
Greetings All! I am a long time lurker, however, I don't believe I've actually ever posted (too shy). My family and I just returned from 3 days at Disneyland over Thanksgiving (27NOV-30NOV). Overall, we had an AMAZING time even though the pretty crowds were pretty big! I would have to say the experience that tipped this trip toward Amazing was meeting the Frozen sisters. Initially, this was not something I planned to do.
Prior to our trip, I read all the threads with the tips ands strategies of how best to meet the sisters, however, my DH and I decided to go with the "No Plan" plan this trip and I didn't give actually meeting them much thought. Plus, I didn't want set my 4 yr old DS up for disappointment by promising him something I may not be able to deliver so he had no idea his favorite ladies were even in the park.
Fast forward to the Christmas parade when he spots the Frozen float. I swear the kid literally gasped for air when he spoted Elsa...Him: "Mommy it's her! It's Elsa! I want to meet her". Me: "Aww.. that's very sweet! I'm not sure of how busy she is. Maybe we can just wave to her". Him: "Why? She's not going to wave back". And then he made that face that all mothers know, that let me know that I'd be the best mommy ever if he could meet Anna & Elsa. Our "No Plan" plan then turned into "No Plan except Anna & Elsa" plan.
Saturday was our Magic Morning morning and I got the family up super early (much to the dismay of my 8 yr old DS). We were first in line at one of the turnstiles at 6:15am and many more lined up behind us shortly after. I saw the cast member searching the crowd for the family that would help open the park and I knew just by the look on my 8 year olds face it was not going to be us.. He was not happy at all to be up so early until I finally had to remind him that I stood in line with him in the cold for 2 hours just a week prior to meet Richard Sherman (Go Hawks!). This quit his grumbling and then it began.. the countdown... 5... Me to DH : "Hand me your tickets as soon as you get in with the stroller"... 4... DH: "Why? What are you up to now?" Me: "Just hand them to me and try to keep up." 3... 2...Forgive me now for what I'm about to say as it was not one of my best mommy moments...1
At no time had I read in my pre trip research that this was going to be a marathon. As soon as we were through the turnstile people began running.. not speed walking, not jogging.. it was a full on sprint! I am running as fast as I can down Mainstreet with my 8 yr old next to me screaming "What are we doing? Why are we running?" and me being passed up by dad after dad and a few grandmothers praying for someone from Disney to tell us to stop running because I'm either going to pull a cramp or have an asthma attack... The 8 year old is now pleading with me to tell him why we are running and I turn and tell him "When you have your kids you'll know". Finally, we are told to stop the sprint which then leads to everyone speed walking the rest of the way. Eventually we crossed the bridge, went through the castle, passed Peter Pan and arrived at the the Frozen Meet & Greet.
At this point, everyone kept running over to the "Virtual Standby" line even though a cast member was yelling "If you have your whole party together you can just get in line". I immediately stopped turned around and was quite proud of my husband as he managed to keep up a pretty steady pace himself with DS4 and was hanging out at the carousel. I flagged him over and we were second in line to meet the princesses. A few more families followed and we all high fived each other while trying not to pass out. I was surprised more families did not get in line with us. NOTE: Do what works best for your family, but keep in mind most people are running straight for the standby pass line and don't seem to realize they can get in line right away.
The time finally came to meet Anna & Elsa and my DS became so shy and grabbed his older brother to accompany him. The sisters were great and really took the time to talk to both of my boys about being brothers, about how cold their cheeks were (asked if they had frozen powers too), etc.. We were on the plane yesterday and my 4 yr old said the best part of the trip was meeting them. He was soooo happy and I just love Disney for the magic it brings!
Sorry this post is so long, but I just wanted to share in case anyone out there is stressing. It really wasn't a stressful experience. In retrospect, I didn't have to run down mainstreet as there were people in line waiting for the stand by passes when we finally left Fantasyland an hour later. As I said earlier, running down mainstreet was not one of my finest mommy moments, but it was an experience my 8 year old and I got to share together. I told him one day he'll be able to tell his kids how he once ran down main street with their grandmother.. lol
Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try my best to answer.
Prior to our trip, I read all the threads with the tips ands strategies of how best to meet the sisters, however, my DH and I decided to go with the "No Plan" plan this trip and I didn't give actually meeting them much thought. Plus, I didn't want set my 4 yr old DS up for disappointment by promising him something I may not be able to deliver so he had no idea his favorite ladies were even in the park.
Fast forward to the Christmas parade when he spots the Frozen float. I swear the kid literally gasped for air when he spoted Elsa...Him: "Mommy it's her! It's Elsa! I want to meet her". Me: "Aww.. that's very sweet! I'm not sure of how busy she is. Maybe we can just wave to her". Him: "Why? She's not going to wave back". And then he made that face that all mothers know, that let me know that I'd be the best mommy ever if he could meet Anna & Elsa. Our "No Plan" plan then turned into "No Plan except Anna & Elsa" plan.
Saturday was our Magic Morning morning and I got the family up super early (much to the dismay of my 8 yr old DS). We were first in line at one of the turnstiles at 6:15am and many more lined up behind us shortly after. I saw the cast member searching the crowd for the family that would help open the park and I knew just by the look on my 8 year olds face it was not going to be us.. He was not happy at all to be up so early until I finally had to remind him that I stood in line with him in the cold for 2 hours just a week prior to meet Richard Sherman (Go Hawks!). This quit his grumbling and then it began.. the countdown... 5... Me to DH : "Hand me your tickets as soon as you get in with the stroller"... 4... DH: "Why? What are you up to now?" Me: "Just hand them to me and try to keep up." 3... 2...Forgive me now for what I'm about to say as it was not one of my best mommy moments...1
At no time had I read in my pre trip research that this was going to be a marathon. As soon as we were through the turnstile people began running.. not speed walking, not jogging.. it was a full on sprint! I am running as fast as I can down Mainstreet with my 8 yr old next to me screaming "What are we doing? Why are we running?" and me being passed up by dad after dad and a few grandmothers praying for someone from Disney to tell us to stop running because I'm either going to pull a cramp or have an asthma attack... The 8 year old is now pleading with me to tell him why we are running and I turn and tell him "When you have your kids you'll know". Finally, we are told to stop the sprint which then leads to everyone speed walking the rest of the way. Eventually we crossed the bridge, went through the castle, passed Peter Pan and arrived at the the Frozen Meet & Greet.
At this point, everyone kept running over to the "Virtual Standby" line even though a cast member was yelling "If you have your whole party together you can just get in line". I immediately stopped turned around and was quite proud of my husband as he managed to keep up a pretty steady pace himself with DS4 and was hanging out at the carousel. I flagged him over and we were second in line to meet the princesses. A few more families followed and we all high fived each other while trying not to pass out. I was surprised more families did not get in line with us. NOTE: Do what works best for your family, but keep in mind most people are running straight for the standby pass line and don't seem to realize they can get in line right away.
The time finally came to meet Anna & Elsa and my DS became so shy and grabbed his older brother to accompany him. The sisters were great and really took the time to talk to both of my boys about being brothers, about how cold their cheeks were (asked if they had frozen powers too), etc.. We were on the plane yesterday and my 4 yr old said the best part of the trip was meeting them. He was soooo happy and I just love Disney for the magic it brings!
Sorry this post is so long, but I just wanted to share in case anyone out there is stressing. It really wasn't a stressful experience. In retrospect, I didn't have to run down mainstreet as there were people in line waiting for the stand by passes when we finally left Fantasyland an hour later. As I said earlier, running down mainstreet was not one of my finest mommy moments, but it was an experience my 8 year old and I got to share together. I told him one day he'll be able to tell his kids how he once ran down main street with their grandmother.. lol
Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try my best to answer.
Okay... seriously, I laughed the whole way through your post. I sure hope you write for a living. Great story! 
I guess that we got pretty lucky when we met A&E back in Nov. I was getting stressed out from reading about all the running! 
My DD (13) and I went on a non early entry day back and was first in line at gate 14. After a family helped opened up the park, we were given the go ahead to enter. There were people rushing down Main Street and we just walked briskly along - even got a chance to stop and take a photo without any people in the background. Some of these people were rushing to Tomorrowland and Adventureland. I thought that they were all rushing for A&E. We were the 4th family in line at the rope on the left side near the Partners Statue. Soon afterwards, the line really grew behind us. I think that the first 20 families or so got to meet A&E right away while the rest of the people line up for the FPs. We were lead into Fantasyland thru the castle before the rope drop. Like you, those of us in line were very happy that we can check this meet and greet off our list! 
