Bring Me That Horizon: Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho, A Pirate's Week for Me

[Sleepless Knight]

Nice find on the lanyards. I couldn't resist the new Star Wars one with Star Wars characters on one side and Disney/Star Wars characters on the other. Complete with a new Star Wars lanyard pouch.

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

Last night I took some time to make the buttons I am going to give away as pixie dust.

I love buttons. They are a great way to accessorize an outfit or make a statement. A few years ago, I bought a professional grade button maker. For one person who is making buttons for personal use, the problem is that button parts can only be ordered in lots of like 500. So I have been using the same supply for years. I have given them out at parties, used them as incentives in the library where I work, donated them to local organizations... Since so many people love collecting the celebration ones, I thought maybe they would like character ones, too.

This is a an overview of the buttons I made:


Here is a better view of them:


I'm going to have fun sharing these!

I also stopped in the craft store. I had a transaction coupon so I picked up glow sticks and bracelets to share with people while I wait for the fireworks. I can't wait to add magic to someone's day!

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

I've been back from my Disneyland trip for a few days, trying to catch up on sleep and doing other things that have to get done. I uploaded over 1,500 photos so I will have lots to share! I'm on my way out right now, but will start on my trip report. It was a great week!

 

[luulu1999]

yaay can't wait for the report!! I also want to know how the pixie dust that you sprinkled turned out!!

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

On Thursday night, I had most everything packed and when I was an hour from when I wanted to sleep, I took a sleep aid so I would wake up rfreshed. I had a long drive ahead of me and Starbucks wasn't going to be open when I woke up. I fell asleep at 9:30 and set my alarm for 4:00. My goal was to have all the stuff and the family in the car and ready to roll at 5:00. I woke up at 3:00 and couldn't get back to sleep. I was so ready for vacation to start! I pulled out of my driveway with a Diet Coke to keep me going until our first scheduled coffee stop. We arrived around 2:00. Traffic was mild and we did stop a few times. The drive was uneventful.


We arrived at the Paradise Pier Hotel around 2:00. Right away the bell services unloaded my luggage and I went inside to check in. The man who helped me was very nice. My room wasn't ready, and I didn't know how long it would be. Since check-in was listed as 3:00, I decided to just hang out at the hotel until the room was ready.


We were a bit hungry so I bought a bag of character cookies from the gift shop in the lobby.



I also took Callie around to take some pictures.



I wanted to see the pool deck. I hadn't stayed at this hotel since it was remodeled. I thought this sign was funny.



I went back to the gift shop to start making my wish list. I really wanted one of these Minnie with Duffy keychains.



I loved seeing all of the Disney touches throughout the property. Some have complained about it not being "Disney" enough, but really, Mickey was everywhere!



At 3:00 I got a call from the front desk telling me that the room was ready. I picked up our new keys and up we went to the room.
This was the inside of the elevator, which all smelled like oranges.



The beach ball pillow was on the bed.



And yes, we did have a refrigerator.



One of the posters in the room:



The detail on the shower curtain:



And our view from our seventh floor room:



I was so anxious to get to the parks. We pretty much threw our luggage into the closet, stuck a couple drinks in the fridge, and pretty much beamed ourselves to the front gate. It had been a year since our last visit, and we wanted to get started. The walk from the Paradise Pier, through the Grand and to the front gate is not a bad walk at all. It goes by fast, and most of it is in an air conditioned building. I didn't feel that we lost any magic by having to cross one quiet street.

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

We got to the Esplanade at around 4:00. Prior to the trip, I purchased a clear backpack. I'm not really a germophobe, but when I really think about it, these security people are putting their hands into backpacks with used tissues, purses with girl stuff, diaper bags with dirty diapers, and touching germs and bacteria from all over the world, and those little bugs hop on and then land in everyone else's bags. So this way, the security could see everything in my bag and not have to touch it. And let me tell you, EVERY security member that week praised my bag. There were guests who wanted to know where it came from because they liked how fast I was able to breeze through the line.

We were buying premium annual passes. There was no wait at that time of day, so we walked up right away and bought the passes. We all agreed on going into DCA. The first thing I did was process my Photo Pass Plus and got my lanyard. We were all ready for dinner so we decided on Taste Pilot's Grill. We had veggie burgers and onion rings.



While we were there, Rhyen someohow cut himself on something. We didn't tell anyone, but out of nowhere, a Cast Member came up to us and gave him two bandages. It was kind of bizarre. But it goes to show you, Disney is watching and listening to every single thing you say and do while you are there!
We wanted to go on Monster's Inc so we walked to Hollywood Land. The ride was having issues and was closed. Uh-oh, our first attempt at a ride and it was broken. So we walked over to Ariel's Undersea Adventure and rode that two times in a row. There was a posted 5 minute wait, but it was a walk-on.



All of that walking made us thirsty so the four of us shared frozen lemonades and watched the people pass through the Grizzly Recreation Area. Then we went back over to Hollywood Land and gave Monsters another try, and it was open! We waited about twenty or so minutes in line. We decided to go back to the room after the ride, since we had been driving all day and wanted to wake up early to make it to Extra Magic Hour at Disneyland in the morning.
When we got back to the room, we had our baskets waiting for us.

Ears to You, Mickey


Ears to the Princess


Cheers for Chocolate


The contents of the chocolate basket:


The price was actually very reasonable for all of these items. I will definitely order baskets through Disney Dream Makers again.

After we opened our baskets and got ready for bed, we turned on the bedtime stories with princesses channel and Cinderella told us a story to help us fall asleep. It was going to be a big day the next day!

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

I woke up to Mickey telling me to start my magical day. I'm not an early riser, but amazingly I was awake and ready to go right on schedule. We left our hotel room right at 6:45. We grabbed our Ears and left.



It was 7:15 after we walked through the GCH, DTD, through security, and the entrance and made it to the Partners statue.

A practically empty Downtown Disney


And an equally quiet Main Street


We stopped for a photo in front of the Castle. Unfortunately, those photos did not make it onto our Photo Pass Plus card. They were to be my family's Christmas card photo.

Our first destination was Fantasyland.



Peter Pan's Flight was a ten minute wait. This was when my kids offered their first pixie dust of buttons. The family rejected them. My son told the boy he liked Buzz Lightyear, then the boy's dad took off his son's Buzz hoodie and stuck it in his backpack. That was very bizarre. I was wondering if he thought we wanted it? Even though Rhyen is probably twice that boy's size. VERY strange to let his young son shiver in the cold morning, but anyway...

Then we went to Dumbo, which was also a ten minute wait.



Then we wanted to go on Alice In Wonderland which was a walk-on! I barely had time to snap this photo.



(If you are wondering why my travel bear is in my photos and not my kids, it's because two of my cousins were abducted and I'm paranoid about putting their pictures on the Internet.)

After our ride on Alice was over, we got in line for the Matterhorn which was only a five minute wait. When we got off the Matterhorn, it was 8:00. At that time we headed to Star Tours which was a walk-on. Sadly, I was not chosen as a Rebel Spy. We did podracing and went to Naboo. We then wanted to ride on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, but it was down. So we decided it was time for breakfast. While the throngs of people were coming into Disneyland, we went to the Jolly Holiday Cafe and were served immediately. I had an iced soy mocha.



To be continued...

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

After our coffee we went to Pirates of the Caribbean which was a walk-on. We didn't even stop for a second, we just walked right to the boat. That was great! After our ride, we walked back to Indiana Jones to get Fastpasses.



We had about forty minutes until we could use them so we walked to Haunted Mansion, which was also a walk-on. I couldn't stop long enough to take a picture of anything in the cemetary. After that, we went to Splash Mountain. We were the only ones in our log which worked out great for our picture. I didn't even get that wet this time! After we got off, I waited in line to get our ride photo on my PhotoPass Plus card. Then it was almost time to go on Indiana Jones. When we got there, it was down. The Cast Members did not know when it would be back up. One of them told me they would honor my FastPass at any time that day since it was down when it was our return time. So we walked around, looking in the Adventureland shops. I was ready for a Dole pineapple float and saw that there was only one small group of people waiting in line. I got right in line and was placing my order about two minutes later.



They have an ingredients list stating that all of their drinks and whip are lactose free and casein free.

We bought two floats and the four of us shared them.



We were ready for more rides. We went to Buzz Lightyear and it was still down. So we voted on ToonTown and headed that way, first stopping at it's a small world, which had no waiting.



I usually take photos of any bears that I see.



We spent about thirty minutes in ToonTown, just kind of wandering around. Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin was closed. We found a PhotoPass photographer who took some pictures of us near Goofy's house. By this time we were ready for lunch. One of our favorite restaurants is Rancho del Zocalo. So that was our next destination.

We saw some Disney ducks along the way.



I really like the veggie tostada salad at Rancho, so that is what I ate. No cheese or sour cream, they gave me extra guacamole, free of charge, which was unexpected.



After having been up early and walked around Disneyland for about six hours, we decided to go back to the hotel to rest. On our way out, we bought two pillow pets for the kids: Lady and Stitch.

After we wound down, I went to the gift shop at our hotel and bought myself a scrapbook kit and an Elliott pin. I went back to our room and the kids were too excited to sleep. So we thought we would go to the pool for a while. I went on the waterslide which was pretty fun, but it's so windy up on the roof and the slide is so high that a good breeze blows up there. Standing in line while soaking wet and getting hit with the breeze is not one of my favorite sensations. So I slid down the slide and headed straight for the hot tub.

We went back into Disneyland that night. We first headed to Indiana Jones which was down again (or... still?) At that point they still didn't know if it would come back up. Then we tried to get on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters again. This time it was up! I wanted to make it into California Adventure for EMH the next morning, and we all walked, swam, and didn't nap. So this was the time to go back to the hotel. We walked through Tomorrowland.



We got on the Disneyland Railroad, headed for Main Street. We didn't leave until after I bought my Dumbo popcorn bucket, though! We got back to the room, everyone got ready, and we put on the Bedtime Tales and this time Belle was telling her story. I checked my pedometer. I had walked 8.2 miles that day, 18,593 steps. That was decent, but I was hoping for more.

 

[BeautyAndTheBeast22]

Following along! Lovin' it so far!!

 

[luulu1999]

Can you only get the dream makers baskets if you stay on property?

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

Following along! Lovin' it so far!!

Thanks!

Can you only get the dream makers baskets if you stay on property?

You can order the baskets and they can deliver them to the lobby of any of the Good Neighbor hotels, and you can pick them up at check-in.

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

We woke up with Mickey's wake-up call again and made it to California Adventure at 7:03. The man working at the security point, when he saw my backpack said, in his Yoda impression, "Smart woman, you are."

Our first destination was Radiator Springs Racers. The emptiness of Buena Vista Street was promising.



We got onto RSR after about ten minutes of waiting. I was pleased.

I snapped only a couple of pictures at the start of the ride, then put my camera away. I only got a couple of okay shots.



At 7:08 the wait for RSR was already thirty minutes! When we finished our ride, we went on Luigi's which was a walk-on. I do miss the balls, but it does seem to make loading and unloading go much faster.



Before we went to Mater's Junkyard, we stopped for photos with Mater himself. I thought his dialogue was funny! It really gave me a chuckle. The line was very brief. We entered the queue when the ride was going and made it onto the next cycle. After we got off, we took some pictures in front of the Cars Land sign. By then it was 7:55 and we were ready for coffee. I was curious about the wait now for RSR. It was already one hour, and DCA was not officially open yet. As I passed the hoardes of people waiting for rope drop, I felt bad for them. I'm sure they all woke up early to get on the ride with as little wait as possible. And it was already such a long line.

So we went to Fiddler, Fifer, and Practical Cafe, one of my favorite stops in all of the DLR. I am serious about my coffee. The interior of the cafe does not look or feel like a Starbucks. There are nice posters on the walls and there are dividers so the people eating at the tables don't see the people waiting in line. It has a very early 20's feel to it, and is very open with lots of seating. I'm just so pleased to be able to get my soy drinks. When it used to be the Zephyr, their blended drink, the Malibu Mocha, wasn't available in soy. Now I can get Frappuccinos! When I am there, it doesn't feel corporate, or like Disney sold out. It's a place that people like, and they aren't hurting for business, either!



After our coffee, I was looking for a photographer who would take my AP photo, but couldn't find one. Then it was off to Soarin' Over California. We walked all the way to the boarding gate! I don't think I've ever had such a quick walk to the front. I love this ride so much, it's... uplifting. Sorry, I had to say it! After, we caught the Red Trolley at the park entrance and rode it to Hollywood. We were trying to convince the boys to ride with us, but it didn't happen. So Miley and I went on. The posted wait time said five minutes, but I think it was closer to ten. This ride was our weakest one on ToT. I've been on when we went to the top floor and dropped many stories. This time, it felt like we dropped only ten feet each time. I gotta have my big drops!

Our next line was the longest we would wait in this morning. It was to meet Mike Wazowski as he appeared in Monsters University. We waited probably thirty minutes. The meet and greet area is really done well.
One of the monsters is hanging his jacket on his balcony.



We were ready for official breakfast and decided on Flo's Cafe. They had some good offerings. I wanted to taste the french toast, so we bought one and we each sampled it. I was happy that I handled it. Egss are the only animal protein that I seem to digest without problems. At least for the most part. So I was glad to try this dish.

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

After we finished our breakfast, we walked over to Bug's Land. I saw Flik there greeting guests and might have let out a tiny squeal. We took photos and got autographs. Then we got in line for Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, which was a walk-on. I remember when this ride used to have a wait of 30 minutes or more. We waited ten minutes for Flik's Fun Flyers. We thought it was about time to go to the hotel to rest. We boarded the Red Trolley at the Tower of Terror and rode it to the end of Buena Vista Street. As we passed the candy shop, I swear I could hear the treats calling my name. They had some tasty looking things in the glass cases.

I don't know if these were real or decoration, much like I don't know if the ducks are real or audio animatronic.



These monsters looked yummy.



And the rice krispy bars looked good, but as I am unable to eat gelatin, I had to pass. They were pretty enough for a picture, though!



We walked through the World of Disney on our way to the hotel. I bought some of the PVC figure sets. I do love those things. I have been collecting them for years, and they are my favorite type of Disney item to collect. I was already too tired to carry the packages, so I took advantage of package delivery. Wow was that a treat.

We got back to the hotel and the boys tried to nap. The girls went to the Surfside Lounge for lunch. We both ordered veggie burgers.



We went back to the room and rested. After we woke up and refreshed, we went to Disneyland. One of my friends had decided on a last-minute trip to Disneyland. They were in the car, intending to go one place, when her husband said, "Hey, let's go to Disneyland" and they did. They drove for six extra hours to have one day there! So we planned to meet them for dinner.

We walked in and I had to take the obligatory photo.


It was during this time that the Flag Retreat Ceremony was taking place. I was trying to play it cool, but I couldn't help myself. I cried. It sure is a long ceremony. But very touching and emotional.

We went to Pizza Port to meet my friends. Apparently I was so hungry that I forgot to take pictures of my dinner. But it wasn't exciting, just pasta marinara. We had a nice dinner, but my friends had to drive all the way back home right after. We said our goodbyes, then went to check out the wait for Finsing Nemo Submarine Voyage. The posted time was 20 minutes, but we waited 25. As we got in line, I thought this was a cool shot.


I like this ride, I think it's cute, but I do miss the classic show.


Callie likes it, too.



A view from the porthole.




Since we were so near it's a small world, we decided on a night time excursion. I love the ride and I never get sick of the song. I will ride on it repeatedly, every day that I am in Disneyland. Well we got in our boat and went through the ride. When we got to the final room, we stopped. There were boats backed up. We were not moving at all. After maybe a minute or two I was wondering what was going on. We don't ever stop for that long. Five minutes went by and a voice came over the speaker saying that there are some delays, and to keep assorted body parts in the boat. Five more minutes went by and they announced that it will be some time before we get moving, and that they were gong to turn off the music. BOO!!! I know other people probably appreciated that, but when the music was off, we could hear all the mechanics of the dolls moving, and clanking of other parts. Magic gone. When I first checked the time after we had stopped, it was 8:13. Our boats started moving at 8:28. When we got out of the building, there were iasw Cast Members carrying some bags with them, and they were walking on the side of the ride. They were closing up the adjacent Small World Toy shop at the same time. I didn't know if this was normal for that time of night or what.




We went on King Arthur's Carousel after, which was a walk-on. I wanted to find Julie Andrews's horse, but I don't know where it is located. We went in the Mad Hatter and bout one of the Limited Time Magic mouse ear hat wraps. They are a neat idea, but not what I would consider "magic" for an event. Next we waited two cycles for the Mad Tea Party.



After this we walked back over to the Small World Mall to watch Magical. This isn't my favorite fireworks show, but I suppose nothing will ever live up to Remember... Dreams Come True. It was passed everyone's bed time, so we headed to our hotel. How was I going to get my sleepy kids to walk from Small World to the PPH? What if they just got on the ground and refused to get up? I worry about everything. I figured if I could distract them, that would help. I have heard that chewing makes a person not feel sleepy. So of course we had to stop for popcorn on Main Street on the way out. Both kids were happy to munch, and we made it all the way back to our room without anyone passing out!

I checked my pedometer after we settled in and it read 9.1 miles, 20,566 steps. Better!

 

[PHXscuba]

My son and I joke about the "animatronic ducks" at Disneyland too.

And those treats in the window are deliciously real!!

PHXscuba

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

My son and I joke about the "animatronic ducks" at Disneyland too.

And those treats in the window are deliciously real!!

PHXscuba

Have you ever seen those massive fireflies zoom through DLR? I told my kids they are actually tiny spy machines. I tell them, "Why do you think they call them bugs?"

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

On Monday we started our day by "sleeping in". We had a PS at Surfs Up with Mickey and Friends. Rhyen really wanted to see Stitch and I knew that was the only place we'd be likely to see him. The host was very nice, he offered to have the chef walk the buffet with me to show me which foods I'd be able to eat. I didn't think it was necessary, as long as they had roasted potatoes I'd be delighted with that as my main option.

The roasted potatoes were good, though not as tasty as the ones at River Belle Terrace. Still, they did their job.



One thing I very much enjoy is avocado. I was happy to see that they had an avocado and tomato salad. It was excellent, and I ate it with the plain, steamed rice which was also available. I was pleased to see that the rice was just there and that I didn't have to request it.



The salt and pepper shakers were very colorful.



We saw Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Pluto, and Stitch. It didn't seem like there were enough characters, but I did appreciate how mellow it was in there. It was not crowded at all and each character spent a good amount of time at each table. Mickey stayed at the front, but he did interact with anyone who visited him.

After we finished breakfast, we went into Disneyland. Our first stop was to get Indiana Jones fastpasses. The ride was working, so I hoped it would still be up when we had our return time. We went to Pirates of the Caribbean which was a walk-on. After that, we waited five minutes in line for Haunted Mansion. We still had some time before we needed to return to Indy, so we went on the Pooh ride.



There are so many great places for photos in Critter Country.



After our ride with Pooh, we went into Pooh's Corner to pick up some candies. I love the smell in there, and I want to sample everything! We headed back towards Adventureland, but first I walked around Harbour Galley for some sight seeing.



Then it was off to Indiana Jones. And it was working!



After all of our walking, we were ready for Second Breakfast. We stopped at the Jolly Holiday for pastries and coffee. And then I had a very specific place in mind after: Innoventions.



I was so excited just seeing these banners hanging on the building.



I am a huge Iron Man fan, and was overjoyed to learn that there was going to be a Stark exhibit.



I have an Iron Man tattoo, had an Iron Man ear hat, and t-shirt, all ready to go for the big day.



I read this exhibit will only be running through September, but it looked popular enough for them to have it stay longer. It certainly drew crowds to Innoventions that I don't usually see.



We walked around inside, looking at some of the other exhibits. One thing I loved in there was a boy's bedroom, done in a pirate theme. It had a canon and plank, wooden floors, and a mast. It was beautiful, and I would love to make my own bedroom look like that.

After we left Innoventions, we went to powder our noses. After I came out of the ladies, I felt a sensation on my leg that felt like a lobster pinching its way down. I put my hand on it right away and couldn't figure out what was wrong. I went back in and discovered my pedometer had fallen out of the holder, and that is what was pinching my leg. I looked around for it and couldn't find it. I was kind of bummed, this was the second nice pedometer I had lost in a few months. I really wanted it so I would know how far I walked each day. Oh, well.


So then it was off to Star Tours, and I was still not chosen as the Rebel Spy. We did pod racing again, and went to the Death Star. When we got off, I stopped at the Droid Factory.



The prices were actually quite reasonable. It was something like $12 for one, or $20 for two. I couldn't decide on the hats to use.



These are the Droids I was looking for.



I wandered around the Star Trader and towards the arcade area. They had Fix-It Feliz games! I thought that was so cool.



After all that time in Tomorrowland, we made our way through Fantasyland so we could have lunch at the Village Haus. I had to stop at the Golden Spike.



And then we had to make wishes in Snow White's Grotto.



We made it to our destination for a late lunch and had some veggie burgers. It would be so nice if they offered lactose-free pizza. Their little pizzas looked so good. After lunch headed back to the hotel.

We walked through the shops on Main Street and this was one of the vignettes in the toy store.


I picked up some princess figures for my collection. I love that their dresses are sparkly.



We looked in Disney 365 and then stopped in Marceline's to see their offerings. By this time we were ready for the pool.


We went down to the pool. I took another ride down the slide, swam for a bit in the pool, then sat in the hot tub for a while. I was relaxing, feeling like it was an enjoyable vacation. I leaned back and looked up and saw the biggest wild spider I have ever seen. It was in the rafters just above the hot tub, and it was spinning a gigantic web. The people in the hot tub all had different guesses as to which kind of spider it was. This thing was huge. After our pool time, we went back to our room, had some dinner, and got ready for our next big day.

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

On Tuesday we had an EMH at Disneyland. We made it through the turnstiles at 7:15.



We headed to Fantasyland and got on Snow White's Scary Adventure right away. Then we went on Pinocchio. When we were approaching the end of the ride, it stopped. We were in there for about fifteen minutes. They announced there was a problem, and to sit still and someone would come around to walk us out. They turned on the lights. More magic gone. But I did get some pictures of the "show" part and didn't need to use a flash. I usually don't take pictures on rides, but when I do, I don't use flash. That's why they don't turn out so well.



Still waiting...



After a total of twenty minutes, a Cast Member came by to open our bars and had us walk through the ride to the exit. Bummer, this ate up about 25 minutes of our Extra Magic Hour. So this morning we went on Snow White, then Pinocchio. It was 7:55 so we went over to Star Tours. The wait time posted was 5 minutes, but we actually waited 25. My husband taught himself to read Aurebesh that week. Nerd Alert.



After Star Tours, we went on Space Mountain. The wait on there wasn't that long, it might have been around 25 minutes. After that ride, we went for breakfast at the River Belle Terrace.

Mickey Mouse pancakes were part of our order.



I had a giant platter of fresh fruit.



While we were outside eating, the pirate band played. It was all I could do to not jump over the rail and attack them as if they were Backstreet Boys. I don't know what it is. Anyway, I enjoyed the music immensely. After breakfast was over, I was still on my pirate high, so we had to make Pirates of the Caribbean our next stop. After we got off the ride, I walked around Pieces of Eight to look at their souvenirs. I had my pirate fortune told to me.



I saw this shirt and I really wanted it! I didn't buy it then, and I didn't make it back to buy it. So now I guess I just have to go back to Disneyland to get it. Such is life.



Next, Rhyen and I went to Pirate's Lair while Miley stayed with Daddy. I love going through the caves, walking across the bridges, and just looking for all of the references from the POTC movies.



I have a lot of fun over in the area where you can pump the water to reveal the sunken ship and skeleton of a drowned pirate.



I just love how interactive it is.



We spent maybe an hour running around the island, exploring the nooks and crannies, climbing the rocks, peering in the caves, and hanging out near the pile of treasure. I do love pirates.

It was time for my daily Starbucks. It's not the greatest habit but it's what I do. We got on the Railroad at New Orleans Square and rode it to Main Street. From there we walked across to California Adventure so I could get my soy mocha light Frappuccino. I won't have to leave Disneyland for my Starbucks next time I am there. There are promises of the Market House reopening in September. So I enjoyed my refreshing beverage.



We were ready for some lunch so we decided on Pacific Wharf. At first we were going to get chili, but the line at Boudin's was incredibly long. So we settled on Cocina Cucamonga. I ordered the salad, somehow thinking it was similar to the one at Rancho del Zocalo, but it wasn't. It didn't have a chip bowl.



After we ate we wanted to go back to our hotel. But first we stopped to meet Duffy and then went into the shop to look at their Duffy things that were available for sale.

Callie fell in love.

That's where my notes end for that day, and I only have select pictures in my account, so I don't remember how we spent our Tuesday evening. But we had a good day, full of good pirate fun.

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

On Wednesday we had EMH at California Adventure. We found ourselves in Cars Land at 7:15. Radiator Springs Racers was a 20 minute wait at that point. After our ride, we went on Tow Mater's Junkyard Jamboree twice, each time with no waiting. At this time, I wanted to walk around Radiator Springs to get some photos with the smaller crowds. After that, we headed over to Soarin' Over California. The posted time was five minutes, but I think we waited more like twenty.



After our EMH, we went into Disneyland where we had a PS for Breakfast with Minnie and Friends. When we were first seated, it felt like total chaos and there were characters everywhere. They kept stopping by our table, and I didn't know when I would be able to get my food. And the one person I wanted to see, was nowhere to be seen. Was I going to miss out on Captain Hook? Well after a couple of minutes, things inside settled down. I was able to get food for the kids and myself, then we all sat and greeted each character as they came by. After we were sitting for a while, my husband asked, "Have you seen Tigger yet?" I said that I hadn't, and quickly turned to my left to get out of my table. Tigger was creeping on me, right there. I screamed because I was so startled. Then I kept on laughing and I know I was bright read. Even Tigger looked like he was giggling.

Callie was dressed in her Captain Hook costume.



The Fairy Godmother said she wanted to take her to go see someone. Each of the characters had fun playing with her, showing her to other guests. I got back to the table after getting up for a soda, and it didn't surprise me to see that Callie was gone. But she was gone for a while. Well while I was away, Captain Hook stopped by! He was so flattered that there was a little bear dressed in his outfit. He gestured that she needed to have her hand cut off and have a hook. Every now and then, he would come to our table, grab the bear, and take her away for a while. It was so fun!



The buffet food here is mediocre. I think it is the lowest priced character meal available at DLR and while still pricey, the character interaction more than makes up for it. We got to see The Fairy Godmother, Tigger, Pooh, Max, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Rafiki, and Captain Hook.

After breakfast, we went on Pirates of the Caribbean, which had a five minute wait. Then we went on the Jungle Cruise, then to the Adventureland shops. In one of the shops, they have a gigantic buffalo statue. I have a deathly fear of buffalo/bison, and people think it's so funny to point them out to me whenever they see one.



After my traumatizing face-off with a wooden buffalo, it was time for a Dole Float. There was no waiting on the Tiki Room side, so we bought our treats and went inside and watched the Enchanted Tiki Room show. I do love it, I don't want them to change the songs.
We went shopping and I saw this fun statue in a Main Street shop.



We wanted to ride all of the Main Street vehicles. So we got on the Horse Drawn Streetcar and rode it to the Castle. From there we got on the fire truck and rode it to Town Square. Then we got on the Omnibus and rode it to the Castle. Then we caught a horseless carriage and rode it to the end and left Disneyland. We stopped at Whitewater Snacks for some veggie burgers, then went to the hotel to rest. We had plans to watch Fantasmic that night.

We went back into Disneyland at 7:00. As I walked through security, the man working the table said, "That bag is magical." Other times during the week, security members said things like, "My X-Ray vision is coming back" or "Those backpacks make my job easier, thank you." So, get yourself a clear backpack if you can!

We ate chili from Harbour Galley.



Somewhere around 8:00, a whole mass of birds came flying away from the island. It was like a scene from an old horror movie.



Fantasmic was great as usual. We stayed to watch Magical and then went back to the hotel. We had one last official day to prepare for.

 

[luulu1999]

Where did you say you got your bag? and is it like the size of a regular backpack or smaller?

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

Where did you say you got your bag? and is it like the size of a regular backpack or smaller?

I bought mine from Amazon, the one I bought is big enough for a person to use at school and has one large main pocket and two smaller ones, and mesh pockets on the sides that can hold water bottles. I think I paid just over $20 for it. I have since seen them at Walgreens for under $10.