Boozin’ It Up 12/5-12/7 coming ASAP

[kaoden39]

That pin is cute. I love Thunder Mountain. I hadn't ridden it for a while and I decided to ride it last trip and I had a blast.

 

[Docter419]

OMG! I got the same pin when I was down there! Cool!

 

[merrrydeath]

Hey all.

I have obviously been gone for a while. One trip report unfinished, another that has not begun yet. It was a very tough end of the year for my family. My grandpa(my mom's dad) got sick in the fall and ended up needing surgery the week before Thanksgiving. He had trouble recovering though, and after multiple complications(and another surgery), he passed away a few days after Christmas.

It has been easier for me to not talk about it and to pull away from a lot of things, but I need more Disney in my life again! I already had my August Trip Report done before I went on my "hiatus" we'll call it, so I can finally post the rest of that if anyone is interested. It may be harder to recall the trip that we took in September for my mom's birthday, but if anything I have some fun pictures to post.

My mom and I are going back in March for my birthday again, and I really can't wait. I think we deserve it. It can't come fast enough.

 

[kaoden39]

Hey all.

I have obviously been gone for a while. One trip report unfinished, another that has not begun yet. It was a very tough end of the year for my family. My grandpa(my mom's dad) got sick in the fall and ended up needing surgery the week before Thanksgiving. He had trouble recovering though, and after multiple complications(and another surgery), he passed away a few days after Christmas.

It has been easier for me to not talk about it and to pull away from a lot of things, but I need more Disney in my life again! I already had my August Trip Report done before I went on my "hiatus" we'll call it, so I can finally post the rest of that if anyone is interested. It may be harder to recall the trip that we took in September for my mom's birthday, but if anything I have some fun pictures to post.

My mom and I are going back in March for my birthday again, and I really can't wait. I think we deserve it. It can't come fast enough.

I am sorry to hear about your loss, and that is a rough time for it to happen too. Not that anytime is good. I for would love to see any and all pictures you post and trip report you choose to write. I am always here to read.

My name is Michele and I am an addict.

 

[merrrydeath]

So let's just pretend like it's not 5 months after the fact(yikes) and I'll just continue.

Day Two
On Monday August 10 I meant to get up at 715 to be at the park at 8.… I woke up SO exhausted though. So…I reset my alarm. I did. I’m terrible I know this. I woke up at 815 and got into the park at 9. An hour after opening. So weird.

Here is what my Haunted Mansion shirt looks like on

I was craving Carnation Café so I walked up to get breakfast. Adding to weird solo trip things. Eating at a sit down restaurant by yourself. I felt so independent. It was strange though.

I don’t remember what my meal was called….Chef’s Scramble or something? Anyone? Fooood porn

I must say this: Carnation Café has amazing bacon. SO crispy and delicious. I love bacon. Bacon is my favorite lunch meat. Theirs was some of the best I have had. I also had a very large and yummy latte to wake me up. I felt like patting my self on the back when I finished a sit down meal all by myself. Something everyone should check off their life list? I just did.

When I got back out onto Main St. I saw the marching band moving to the entrance of the park so I followed them to watch.

This conductor made me laugh. He didn’t really conduct. He stood their in the front facing the audience and smiling/standing for pictures. The band was just playing without his help. Too funny. I watched their whole set and it was good. Very fun.

Since I was right in front of the entrance I made the decision to head over to DCA. I had just heard from my dad that he and Ethan were awake, eating breakfast and might meet up with me soon.

I think Mickey’s Fun Wheel looks neat

Orange Stinger on the other hand was looking real weird in the middle of demolition(should I not call it that? It’s such a violent word).

This sign made me think of one of my brothers who is covered in tattoos

I rode Mickey’s Fun Wheel for the first time. Played it safe with the stationary side. Um….terrifying. Never again. That is the highest and scariest ferris wheel that I have ever been on. Did not appreciate going around the second time.

Just about booked it out of that cage of doom when I was allowed to get off. I needed to walk off the jitters that I got from hanging up there so high above concrete. I made the rounds.

If I were a fish, I would want to look like this

I love this map. I wish they had a print I could buy.

Bye golden gate

Next off to my favorite place at DCA. Bugs Land.

Gosh I love him.

​

 

[kaoden39]

Well, Hi there. I love the pictures. I am not overly fond of the Ferris wheel but I do ride on it because it has such great views, but I will not get in the cars that move. Oh your breakfast looked great.

 

[Belle Ella]

Glad to see you picking up where you left off! And let me say you are a braver soul than I. You couldn't get me on a ferris wheel of any kind if my life depended on it!

 

[merrrydeath]

Well, Hi there. I love the pictures. I am not overly fond of the Ferris wheel but I do ride on it because it has such great views, but I will not get in the cars that move. Oh your breakfast looked great.

Glad to see you picking up where you left off! And let me say you are a braver soul than I. You couldn't get me on a ferris wheel of any kind if my life depended on it!

That ferris wheel is just terrifying. It doesn't look QUITE so daunting from the ground, but it really is hugely tall. I won't do that again. I got a little anxious while stuck at the top, and I'm not usually scared of heights.

 

[merrrydeath]

I just realized that I had changed the name of my March trip album in photobucket, so none of those pictures were working anymore. I went back and edited them, so all my pictures are back in their places.

Day Two Continued
I was on my way to Monsters Inc when my dad called me to let me know they were in DCA. I told him to meet me at the Hollywood sign. He definitely got lost…how?

We road Monsters Inc and Roz told my dad that he was “a hunkster” He returned the compliment. Get a room. Next was Animation Studios!

Ethan and my dad both really enjoyed the zoetrope. We watched it twice before exploring.

At the animation academy we drew Donald Duck. Much better than my trip in March.

My dad’s drawing was amazing but he is an Architect the jerk. His circle was perfect! Ethan’s was really cute but I forgot to take a picture before we sent him home with it.

Ethan took a look at the map and decided he wanted to do the Redwood Creek thing. I had never been so I was also interested in what went on in there. Boy did we tire ourselves out! Ethan just had the best time. We were running all over that place, up in the nets, down slides. He had a great time.

My dad was hopping down this incline. It was HILARIOUS. I should have taken a video.

We needed to refuel so we chose Taste Pilots’ Grill. So sad that they got rid of the criss-cross fries! Since we were there and Ethan loves Cars we went to see Mater and Lightning McQueen.

I took them to Bugs Land and we road Heimlich…

And the bumper bugs. Here’s the umbrella covering. Did I mention that I love Bugs Land? The theming is so great.

Ethan loved these on the walls around the lagoon.

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[Belle Ella]

I have always wanted to try the animation academy. Then I am reminded how much I hate my current art class. I hate drawing with my own hands. I much prefer photography. But it's probably easier when you aren't intimidated by a classroom full of people who love what they are doing and your teacher. Maybe, maybe I'll give it a go in July if this class doesn't completely turn me off from paper and a pencil forever. I hate Art requirements sometimes.

 

[merrrydeath]

I have always wanted to try the animation academy. Then I am reminded how much I hate my current art class. I hate drawing with my own hands. I much prefer photography. But it's probably easier when you aren't intimidated by a classroom full of people who love what they are doing and your teacher. Maybe, maybe I'll give it a go in July if this class doesn't completely turn me off from paper and a pencil forever. I hate Art requirements sometimes.

The teachers are all really encouraging about your drawings and they think they are all fabulous. I wouldn't call it "art requirements" at all. They give you easy steps to show you how each character is created. They don't tell you exact measurements or the exact location of each facial feature. They tell you to let it be sketchy and you can have a lot of lightly drawn "oops" in it. Once you are done, you go in and darken the lines that you think are best. All the other bits fade into the background. I think the first time I did the Academy, I tried to be really precise and make everything look super clean, and that was my problem. When I did just draw everything lightly and "sketchy", it turned out much better. It's really fun listening and watching a real Disney artist.

 

[Belle Ella]

The teachers are all really encouraging about your drawings and they think they are all fabulous. I wouldn't call it "art requirements" at all. They give you easy steps to show you how each character is created. They don't tell you exact measurements or the exact location of each facial feature. They tell you to let it be sketchy and you can have a lot of lightly drawn "oops" in it. Once you are done, you go in and darken the lines that you think are best. All the other bits fade into the background. I think the first time I did the Academy, I tried to be really precise and make everything look super clean, and that was my problem. When I did just draw everything lightly and "sketchy", it turned out much better. It's really fun listening and watching a real Disney artist.

Sorry, I meant my art requirements for my major as a digital media and photography girl. I have to take drawing and I hate it. Hate it.

 

[merrrydeath]

Sorry, I meant my art requirements for my major as a digital media and photography girl. I have to take drawing and I hate it. Hate it.

GOT it. Whoops.

 

[merrrydeath]

Rollin' along...

Continuing in DCA


The green army men were great!

I had a FP for Screamin’ and so I got in line and the other two were going to wait for me. Well as soon as I got in line everyone had to leave because the ride shut down. This was here for a looong while

King Triton’s carrousel!

TSMM had a wait time of 40 minutes and we got in line because I KNEW the boys would love this. They did. As soon as we got off Ethan exclaimed, “THAT was FUN!”

I believe that it was about 4:30 now and the Pixar Play Parade was due to start at 5:15 so we went to grab a bench to save. While the boys rested their tootsies I got treats. A chocolate shake for Ethan, vanilla soft serve for my dad, and a lemon-lime margarita for me!

That was a really good margarita. I was worried that it would have that super sweet syrupy flavor but not at all. Not way sweet at all. Just the right taste of alcohol. So yum. We had a very nice, shady bench to sit on so the wait for the parade was a delight. We loved the parade. Boy do you get wet though! I swear I was just getting spray after spray. I was glad that it was a warm day. My dad was just all giggly.

​

 

[merrrydeath]

More of the Pixar Play Parade!

​

 

[Belle Ella]

I have yet to see the Green Army Men out whenever I've been there. Maybe I'll get lucky this summer ... Love the pics, keep 'em comming!!

 

[merrrydeath]

There is no stopping me now!

When the crowd subsided I finally went to ride Screamin’…for the first time. I had a FP so my dad and Ethan waited for me.

I am next to the guy with his hands up. This was a GREAT roller coaster but the music cut out halfway through. So sad.

We said goodbye to DCA and hopped back over to Disneyland because Ethan had been talking about Autopia ever since he and my dad rode it the day before. Um…can I just say that that ride is awful?! It is SO hard to push that pedal down and it is not a comfortable ride. Yuck. Ethan loved his drivers license though. I had a FP for Space Mountain which I let my dad use because he hadn’t been on any adult rides. Ethan and I hung around the TLT dance party. He danced a bit which was fun. He wanted to ride King Arthur’s carrousel again so on the way we stopped at Pixie Hollow to watch the light show. It was very cute. When we walked back to Tinkerbell’s house, I told Ethan she was inside sleeping and that’s why she wasn’t out to say hi to. When I had him sit on her stoop for a picture, he sat down so quietly and on the edge because he didn’t want to wake her.

Out to Fantasyland

It was about 9pm and Ethan was tired so my dad took him back to the hotel and I found a roped off section to pop under so that I could finally see and hear the fireworks show. The spot was right behind the hub outside Coke Corner. It was a GREAT area.

I think the castle turned out nice in this one

Here is Tink

I think this looks like a crazy storm is brewing!

Do you see Dumbo?

I love how crazy everyone went when the confetti dropped!

But didn’t so much love the crazy stampede

So I dashed into Coke Corner and got a hot chocolate(the CM wouldn’t take my money! He gave it to me for free. Magic moment) and grabbed a table alongside but away from the chaos.

When the crowd dispersed, the hub was almost empty. Most people left or went straight back to rides. I got a churro that I had been thinking about for days.

I was going to go ride Haunted Mansion again but remembered that Fantasmic was soon going to start when I ran into the crowds. I ducked down near Tarzan’s treehouse and actually found a niche by the stroller ropes that I stood in and watched Fantasmic. It wasn’t a horrible view. The tree was in the way of most things that happened up high, but I could see the “stage” and all the boats went by my line of vision. It was neat! It was late and I felt comfortable with all I saw and did so I decided to say my final goodbyes. I stopped in the candy store on my way out and bought fudge and salt water taffy.

THE END. I FINISHED!!​

 

[merrrydeath]

I have yet to see the Green Army Men out whenever I've been there. Maybe I'll get lucky this summer ... Love the pics, keep 'em comming!!

WHOA! You are fast. Haha I didn't even see this before I posted the last bit. The Green Army Men are REALLY funny. Good drummers too. The one in the middle had that funky smirk/smile on his face the entire time.

 

[kaoden39]

I so adore, the parade. I wonder if it is going to be running sweet during the parade. I want to see it. I copied the picture of the Buzzettes for Bawb, who is going on our trip in June.

 

[merrrydeath]

I so adore, the parade. I wonder if it is going to be running sweet during the parade. I want to see it. I copied the picture of the Buzzettes for Bawb, who is going on our trip in June.

The buzzettes!! Love it. They are cute.