August 6, 2005 Mexican Riviera..Who's In?

[SchultzFamily]

Jenny,
My DS Kenney will be 16 when we cruise and DH is Wick.
Vickie

 

[justmestace]

Happy Sunday!

I'm not trying to ignore everyone....things have just been busy and crazy at my house.
I wasn't crazy....till I had kids!

Our family:
Stacey
DH Jay
Jordan 15 at cruise time
Jared 12 at cruise time

We own an ornamental (wrought) iron business. We also do repairs...general welding. We are probably the only weldin business in the greater Phoenix area that does everything with steel, from the construction phase (like setting I-Beams) to the ornamental work that Jay does. He's a blacksmith in the old fashion.....forge, hammer, anvil. He makes some truly beautiful things.

I also have an older daughter, Megan (22) from my first marriage. She's the one who got married last Sept 15th at Castaway Cay.

We are going to be at Disneyland for a few days before the cruise, then fly home on the day we get off the ship. It's cutting it really close to the day school starts for our kids. We may even miss the orientation day when they get their schedules.

I keep meaning to call Disney Travel and make reservations for a quick trip in late May. Can't do the booking online yet, and I want to make sure I get a room. I was a little irritated that so far, for next summer, the only bookings you could make were with their special 50th Anniversary package. Room & tickets, that's all I want. But because of the package, they won't let you request a room type & a view.
We stay at the Grand Californian, bunk bed room, theme park view. We tried one of their suites last time, and it was nice...but they need to put some pictures on the walls....it was pretty bare.
And as far as suites go, I wasn't all that impressed for the extra money.

Jenny.....I've been keeping a list of all of us, too! I majored in education, so I have that "planning" mentality too.

Off to read the boards....talk to you all later!

Stacey

 

[Catnip0113]

I started a list recently too once we got two new people to the thread. My DH is Steve.

Stacey and Barb - both of your husbands are named Jay?

Vickie, my ex-brother-in-law was nicknamed Wick.

Jenny, your DH isn't traveling on our cruise, right? I am surprised my DH doesn't mind Disney. He is not in to all the characters and kids so much, but he loves their quality, service, cleanliness and landscaping. At WDW he is more into Epcot with the land exhibits and the GM Test Track. He likes the architecture and gardens a lot. He loved the cruise because the ship was so nice, he is into woodworking and old fashioned style.

Cathy

 

[justmestace]

Hi Cathy.....yes, both Barb's and my husband's names are Jay. We thought that was a funny coincidence!

Your DH sounds like mine. He's not so Disney crazy, but he certainly admires their workmanship and imagination and all of the other things you mentioned.

 

[jilljill]

Yes Cathy, they are both named Jay, but it is my DH's middle name. Then DD's middle name is Jayne - the only way he was getting a namesake. So he has a namesake and I have a clone.

 

[jilljill]

It's official, I turned in my letter of resignation today. Soon I will be able to say I was a cast member for 8½ years. It has been a good run with the company, but it is time to move on. I just can't work for new owners.

 

[Itinkso]

Good luck to you Barb! Job changes are hard but they always work out for the best!

Yes, my DH, Jack, is not going on the cruise.
He has just spent his 'cruise fare' on a 60 in. TV! He has always enjoyed our WDW trips but with so many trips to DL, I think he just needs a break from that Disney immersion. This way, Brynee will be able to plan all that she wants to do without worrying about making other people happy. Our older DD has always tolerated Disney but her favorite vacations have always been Hawaii.

If anyone wants DL/DCA maps, let me know and we can pick up extras on our next trip.

 

[justmestace]

Just a quick hello before running Jordan to dance class. And so the fun begins.
Between dance, soccer, doctor appointments, etc, we have something going on every day for the next two weeks. Then my mom comes, and I have to stay off the boards.
I'll manage a quick Hi now and then, but she hates it when I'm on here and not talking to her.

At least I can take my travel guides to the practices with me, and see if I can get an idea of excursions!

Off we go....talk to you all later,
Stacey

 

[Catnip0113]

My DD's middle name is Jane, another coincidence! She is named after her paternal grandmother Jane who died the week before she was born. It seemed fitting and my husband's family were pleased so soon after. I like the aliteration and Jessie Jane.

I don't know anything about DL, I was going to see if they had any books like they do for WDW.

I think that is a good idea to have your husband spend his cruise fare on a TV. Sometimes I think of going on vacation with my sister but it never seems fair to the other person. We already have a 55 inch TV from a bonus he got at work. The first thing I watched on it was a gross scene from Survivor enlarged... ewww.

Cathy

 

[jilljill]

Originally posted by Catnip0113
My DD's middle name is Jane, another coincidence! She is named after her paternal grandmother Jane who died the week before she was born. It seemed fitting and my husband's family were pleased so soon after. I like the aliteration and Jessie Jane.

I don't know anything about DL, I was going to see if they had any books like they do for WDW.
Cathy

I guess great minds do think alike.

There is a Birnbaum's guide to D'land like there is one for WDW. The new ones should be coming out next month.

 

[Itinkso]

If you'd like me to send out DL/DCA maps to you within the next couple of months, you may not need to buy a book. Everything is condensed in the 2 parks rather than 4. When we are in DL, we always hear veteran WDW visitors remark on how small everything looks. I do admit I did have books for WDW for our first trip, but everything was so spread out there compared to being able to walk back and forth between DL and DCA! I read on a disney echo thread that there is software that you can buy so that you have an itinerary with the least amount of time spent standing in line! For us, Brynee always makes a beeline for Matterhorn as soon as the park opens and she usually rides it twice without any wait at all. Matterhorn does not have FastPass and the line does get quite long.
And, if you won't be making it to San Francisco, eating at the Pacific Wharf cafe will give you the same clam chowder that is found on Fisherman's Wharf. It is our favorite place to eat!

 

[jilljill]

Originally posted by Itinkso
And, if you won't be making it to San Francisco, eating at the Pacific Wharf cafe will give you the same clam chowder that is found on Fisherman's Wharf. It is our favorite place to eat!

Clam chowder and sourdough bread.....one of my favorite meals. I loved going thru the bakery and the tortilla factory - I love those smells .
Now I have made myself hungry.
DO you happen to know the website for the sourdough bread company? I picked up a brochure last year when we were there and it is now packed in a box in 1 of 3 storage units . I would love to order my mom one of the gift sets of clam chowder and bread.

 

[justmestace]

YUM! That's Jay & my favorite place to eat, too.
And way in the back corner of the Hollywood Backlot Studios is a cart that has dessert tortillas. Warm apples, cinnamon, caramel....to die for!

Off to bed.

 

[justmestace]

jilljill....here's one site, and they have a lot of great recipes, too....

www.sourdoughbread.com

Hope that helps.

Didn't see a gift set with the chowder, though.

Edited to add:
This is the one you're looking for:
www.boudinbakery.com

 

[jilljill]

Stacey, you're the best. That's the one I wanted. Now I'm hungry again .

 

[SchultzFamily]

You know it was funny, living here in the San Francisco Bay Area we take sourdough for granted. When we were at WDW we ate dinner at the California Grill and the waitor brings a basket of bread and makes a big deal out of it being "San Francisco Sourdough". My kids dig in and then look at us and say this isn't sourdough! The bread was good but didn't taste like sourdough (and of course my kids think they are the experts!) DS tells the waitor this isn't sourdough, so they get into a big discussion about sourdough or not and we try to explain to DS that they just can't make it the same but he doesn't get it. It was actually pretty funny!
Gotta go take kids to school! I went back to work yesterday and I'm off today!
Got the car back, everythink ok so far (haven't wet it yet, but took it on the freeway) gave us full warranty and first 3 services free. They sait it cost $4000 for them to replace! And they fired the guy that did it, not for making the mistake but for trying to continually lie his way out of it after.
Vickie

 

[Catnip0113]

Sourdough is making me hungry too. I guess I don't know what it really tastes like, but they serve it in restaurants around here. It will be good that things are closer together at DL since we only have 1 1/2 days there. What kind of ride is the Matterhorn? Is it like Space Mountain?

Cathy

 

[Itinkso]

Matterhorn is a rollercoaster/luge ride through the mountain. It isn't really dark like Space and it is a little jerky (is that a verb?) Anyway, it is the original landmark of DL...it can be seen from I-5 and seeing it as we come in on the freeway always makes my DD excited. Tinkerbell flies from the Matterhorn everynight during the fireworks show. At various times of the year, Alpine climbers scale the sides of the 'snow' covered mountain!

Another tip: As you stand in the line for Peter Pan, look up at the 2nd story windows of the Snow White ride. The Evil Queen sometimes appears!

Vickie - I'm glad you got your car back. I think it's a Ford policy to lie first...especially to women who they think will not notice!! They never did admit to chipping and repairing my windshield; they then replaced it due to the 'flaw' that I found - a year after we bought it!

 

[Itinkso]

Cathy - I just re-read your post. Because you only have 1 1/2 days to visit the parks, go into DL as soon as it opens and ride as many rides as you are able. Then leave DL and go to DCA when DCA opens...get a fastpass for 'Soaring' and then head to either TOT or 'Screaming.' They are at opposite ends of the park. I usually get the Fastpasses while Brynee heads to Screaming ...she walks right on and then I'll go on with her for the 2nd ride. DCA reminds me of MGM...spread out with lots of room to walk. On a busy day, the FastPasses for 'Soaring' are gone by early afternoon. The last time we visited DCA (a Sunday in August) we only had a 20 min. wait for TOT We didn't need to use FastPasses for any rides in DCA that day. I'm sure next year will be much busier!

 

[jilljill]

When we rode Soarin' last summer we used the single rider line and only had a 10 minute wait, at the very most. I can't wait for it to open at Epcot. I have forgotten when it is supposed to open .