BE's Never Ending TR -- That kind of ... Ended? Or did it?

[Belle Ella]

Eh, that's better than nothing.

 

[kaoden39]

Eh, that's better than nothing.

I figure that I will never get to stay there. At least not for years.

 

[Belle Ella]

Unlikely? Of course. Same goes for me. But never say never.

^ Trying to be positive today. My family thinks I'm a Debbie Downer.

 

[kaoden39]

Unlikely? Of course. Same goes for me. But never say never.

^ Trying to be positive today. My family thinks I'm a Debbie Downer.

I am sorry for some reason I am feeling more on the skeptic side. But, then I start to think of the other nice hotels in the area that are that much cheaper.

 

[Belle Ella]

Believe me, I am too. I just like to tell myself otherwise to keep me happy. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

 

[kaoden39]

Believe me, I am too. I just like to tell myself otherwise to keep me happy. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Yeah, I know. I hate to be terrible but, Scotty is spending nearly $3,000 on a bicycle. I feel like I want to spend as much on me. See, I am being bad. So, then I think of all of the things I can spend that money on.

 

[Belle Ella]

Do you think you'll ever get to spend anything like that on you?

Anyway, it's part of why I have Miss Piggy. Sure, change doesn't add up as quickly as we'd like but ievery penny counts! Haha. Right now she's going towards either a stay at GCH or I'm starting my Disney Cruise fund.

 

[kaoden39]

Do you think you'll ever get to spend anything like that on you?

Anyway, it's part of why I have Miss Piggy. Sure, change doesn't add up as quickly as we'd like but ievery penny counts! Haha. Right now she's going towards either a stay at GCH or I'm starting my Disney Cruise fund.

No, I won't spend that much and you know it. I was thinking that if I split the money up. Like a nice camera and the trip.

After all the camera is so I can take better pictures at his races.

 

[Belle Ella]

I knows, I knows. Have you ever throught about someday doing the cheap hotel for most of your stay but splurging for one night at the GCH? That way you could officially stay there and it wouldn't have to completely break the bank. It's pretty much what I did in 2007 when I was pre-celebrating my 21st birthday. No way could I stay there for a full trip but I chalked up for the one night. I'm thinking if I'm ever going to do GCH on my own again, nows the time to do it if I can get any kind of AP or PIN rate. Even if only for one night.

 

[kaoden39]

I knows, I knows. Have you ever throught about someday doing the cheap hotel for most of your stay but splurging for one night at the GCH? That way you could officially stay there and it wouldn't have to completely break the bank. It's pretty much what I did in 2007 when I was pre-celebrating my 21st birthday. No way could I stay there for a full trip but I chalked up for the one night. I'm thinking if I'm ever going to do GCH on my own again, nows the time to do it if I can get any kind of AP or PIN rate. Even if only for one night.

I have indeed thought of that.

I really do want a good camera though. So, I am looking at SLR's but, I have no clue what I am looking at except expensive.

 

[Belle Ella]

I can totally understand the need for a good camera If you're seriously considering an SLR do you want to go all out or just something simple? My compact SLR was cheaper than other options, still is as far as I'm aware, and hasn't let me down yet. A lot of P&S are pretty awesome though.

 

[kaoden39]

I can totally understand the need for a good camera If you're seriously considering an SLR do you want to go all out or just something simple? My compact SLR was cheaper than other options, still is as far as I'm aware, and hasn't let me down yet. A lot of P&S are pretty awesome though.

I hate our P & S. I definitely need a new one. And I am pricing SLR but they seem kind of pricey. And I don't know what is good and what isn't. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[tdashgirl]

What did you eat at Bengal BBQ? I haven't eaten there in years but I enjoyed their chicken skewer thingy. The prices are a little steep for portion size, but what else is new at DLR?

I agree - Bengal has a couple of things going against them IMO. #1, the skewers are really small for the price and not as filling as other things I've had at the resort for the same amount of money. #2, location. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing the tiki torches and hearing all the sounds of Adventureland, but my oh my that corridor is one of the worst crowds-wise in all DLR. What a nightmare, it is so hard to walk and so very hard to get a seat to eat there, especially when holding a whole bunch of CS food

Hmm I haven't stayed in the GCH yet....

you can always hang in the lobby I've heard it said by many people that the lobby is one of the best things about the hotel, and it's totally free!

But that open lobby = incredible. I wasn't too impressed with the DLH when I stayed there as far as a lobby was concerned and I've never even stepped foot inside PPH so I can't comment there, but the GCH is just how things should be.

Yeah, the DLH has those towers with lobbies, and when I stayed there last October no one really hangs out in the lobby except to get the free coffee in the morning - it's nothing like the GCH.

I figure that I will never get to stay there. At least not for years.

You never know I didn't think I would either, but when they did the the 5 for 3 deal, we were able to stay at the GCH for only a bit more than we usually spend. Still a splurge, but not that bad of one.

Yeah, I know. I hate to be terrible but, Scotty is spending nearly $3,000 on a bicycle. I feel like I want to spend as much on me. See, I am being bad. So, then I think of all of the things I can spend that money on.

hehehhe, even if you don't spend 3000, maybe a bit can go towards something you really enjoy?

 

[kaoden39]

I agree - Bengal has a couple of things going against them IMO. #1, the skewers are really small for the price and not as filling as other things I've had at the resort for the same amount of money. #2, location. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing the tiki torches and hearing all the sounds of Adventureland, but my oh my that corridor is one of the worst crowds-wise in all DLR. What a nightmare, it is so hard to walk and so very hard to get a seat to eat there, especially when holding a whole bunch of CS food


you can always hang in the lobby I've heard it said by many people that the lobby is one of the best things about the hotel, and it's totally free!


Yeah, the DLH has those towers with lobbies, and when I stayed there last October no one really hangs out in the lobby except to get the free coffee in the morning - it's nothing like the GCH.


You never know I didn't think I would either, but when they did the the 5 for 3 deal, we were able to stay at the GCH for only a bit more than we usually spend. Still a splurge, but not that bad of one.


hehehhe, even if you don't spend 3000, maybe a bit can go towards something you really enjoy?

I am thinking about a camera. So, I am looking at them.

 

[Belle Ella]

Michele - I know you'll get something totally awesome and that you love!!

OK, so today is kind of the do or die day. I've got to start and finish my final Pre-Christmas Disneyland day!

 

[Sherry E]

Seriously, get to it, woman!! Enough of this delay!

You've got another major DLR trip a-comin' (tomorrow is the day, right?), and from what I read, it could even be extended into a much longer trip?? That TR will be an epic. So we've got to savor the last morsels of this one while we have it.

 

[Belle Ella]

I'm typing about as fast as my poor little fingers will let me!!

But tomorrow is the big "I hit the road" day. I wont leave here until like 3p since I get off work at 2:30. But I will officially be in SoCal tomorrow and then Disneyland on Friday!! And as luck would have it I don't have to go back to work next Friday so depending on how long I can stand to be away from home I may stay down for a few more days to get more time in with Jason and of course Disneyland while he's back at work.

EPIC, yes!

 

[Belle Ella]

Let's just say that my last and final day did not get off to a good start. First of all there was the whole goodbye thing again. They. Just. Plain. Old. Suck. But of course they are necessary when Jason had to go back to work and I would have to hit the road for home-home before it got late. Stupid 6-hour drive! So first there was the whole waking up thing, then there was the whole making sure everything was packed thing, then there was the goodbye, and then there was me trying to drive to Disneyland on my own again. A reasonable person would think that after making the drive twice before already (once as a passenger and once as a drive) and with the help of good old trustworthy Gretel I would make it there no problem, right? WRONG! Not only did I miss one freeway junction and waste a precious 15 minutes getting back to the direction I was supposed to be going, but I also missed the lane to get into the right parking structure and had to figure out what to do from there! Needless to say I was a bit frustrated by the time I eventually got myself parked. But at least I had my companion for the day to keep my stress levels low because this was not how I wanted to start my last day.

say hi to duffy!​

But hey, the point of all the trouble is that we did get there, and that's what it's all about right? I had to make a note of where we parked (Goofy 7E) and thankfully the rental car has that fancy type key that makes it beep or the lights blink so you can find it in a parking lot, I don't know what I'll do when I have to use a regular old car for the job, and then we went off to wait for the trams! There was barely anybody there this time, unlike the day before, so Duffy and I were able to get on right away, and we didn't even have to share a seat!

duffy's first tram ride







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Anyone notice a theme yet? Yes, the rest of this TR will be extremely Duffy-heavy!

So, we were off and while walking through the security check point to enter the Esplanade I got my first Duffy comment! The CM who checked my bag just gushed over him. I felt like a very proud mommy! I wont lie but I was so paranoid about my AP this morning. It was the first time I used it to get into the parking garage and it would be the first time I would use it as my first ticket of entry into Disneyland for the day! I kept checking that I had it with me over, and over, and over, and over, and over ... you get the idea. I just had to know that I really had it, that it wasn't all a dream, and that I hadn't lost it because let's face it -- that would totally be something I would do! But of course I did have it and we got in easy-peasy and Duffy got to stroll down Main Street for the first time.

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Our first stop? Adventureland!! Duffy and I had some mother-Duffy bonding to do and I had to share with him one of my all time favorite Disneyland adventures: Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye! I decided to even show him my favorite trick-of-the-trade and use a Single Rider Pass, not that the wait was very long or anything but because that's how we roll! Duffy even got to drive for his first experience on Indiana Jones, what a lucky little bear. I figured he would do OK though and so did the CM who helped me buckle him in. He's a brave little bear and loved it just as much as I do!!

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Up next I decided that Duffy had to go meet the Princesses whom I hadn't even taken the time out to visit yet. I had always had my shotest waits at Princess Fantasy Faire early in the morning right at opening so we were off to Fantasyland but we decided to stop for a photo in front of the Castle along the way since there was a PhotoPass photographer who looked a little lonely. We just had to brighten her day!

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After the photo we continued on our way to the back of Fantasyland to see the Princesses. And at 10:07, when we got into line, I was reaffirmed in my decision to go first thing because there was barely anybody there. We waited a total of 20 minutes which was more to do with the Princesses taking their time with each family than the fact that there were a lot of people there. Duffy got to meet Ariel, Belle, and his personal favorite, Tiana! He might be a little biased though because Tiana absolutely fawned all over him.

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As we were leaving PFF we decided to take a little peek-sy into Toontown to see the Christmas decorations and Duffy got his photo in front of his first Christmas tree!

... to be continued ...​

 

[Sherry E]

"Mother-Duffy bonding" Too cute. I wonder if Duffy is getting used to all this attention from women?

Where is Jasmine? She should be popping in for this segment of the TR, for sure!

I know what you mean about the PhotoPass people looking lonely. Sometimes you do occasionally see one who looks like they really just want anyone to come up and ask for pictures. We found one over in DCA on this last trip who was so excited to have some 'subjects' (she even said, "Yay! Someone wants a picture!) that she ended up taking way more photos that any other photographer ever has. She had time to do it, so she shot off a bunch of them, including the "balloon photo," which no other photographer would give me.

PhotoPass folk need friends too!

 

[Belle Ella]

Duffy is a total ladies-bear! He loved the Princesses and the Princesses loved him. I think we'll have to make another stop to say hi (and hopefully see Snow White to boot). But everyone loved Duffy (except two mischievous little characters who you will just have to wait and see ...)

Jasmine had better stop by! This day is totally dedicated to her!!

Is it silly of me to say that my dream Disneyland job is as a PhotoPass photographer? But I will always make it a point to stop and keep a PP photographer company if they look too lonely, Duffy stands by me on this assessment!!