California Dreamin'-A 14 Day Odyssey to San Fran,Yosemite & DL! 8/2013 COMPLETE!1/9!!

[rentayenta]

Yay! Our meet. It was so fun to finally meet you and see A&F again.

 

[CRdisMom]

it is like going home when you are there. I was last there in 1998. A land long, long ago. It was pre-construction of cali adventure. I'm so glad disney took it up a notch with the hotels there. It was so holiday inn-esque. But the villa looks divine!

 

[franandaj]

Yay! We had so much fun that day, only to be upstaged by the next time we met! I could really use some of that Queso Fundido right now!

It was like meeting old friends, we could have chatted for hours! Buy you're right, Fran had a mission to take care of!

 

[DWGal210]

Super swanky!! What a fun night, and DIS meets to boot?!

The club looks fantastic; what a special experience! That ice cube business is CRAZY - how incredible!!

So after you mentioned about those CA cruises.... I of course went on the DCL site and started looking at that 3 night out of San Diego. So now, of course, I am pricing out that cruise + a stay at Disneyland.

I am blaming you.

 

[MEK]

I wanted to point out that there is some speculation over on the Disneyland board that because DL will be celebrating its 60th in July, there could be more than the usual amount of refurbs late winter/early spring 2015.


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3280301

Thanks for the info Miss Kitty. I did not know that. I'll check it out.

And you too Ellen - So go to the mothership ASAP! I love that advice because that's what I really want to do, but it I have to wait I'll survive.

Now back to read!

 

[MEK]

I totally agree that meeting DISers who've never met before IS really like meeting old friends. How wonderful that you all got to meet in 1901. That really does look like the coolest place EVER!

Yours is the second TR where I saw the amazing ice sphere. Super cool!

So glad the boys were off doing boy things that evening so you could hang with the girls.

 

[franandaj]

Super swanky!! What a fun night, and DIS meets to boot?!

The club looks fantastic; what a special experience! That ice cube business is CRAZY - how incredible!!

So after you mentioned about those CA cruises.... I of course went on the DCL site and started looking at that 3 night out of San Diego. So now, of course, I am pricing out that cruise + a stay at Disneyland.

I am blaming you.

Is that the May 17, 2015 cruse to Ensenada? I'm booked on that and the 2 day cruise to nowhere right before it. The DIS group for that cruise sounds super fun! You'll have a blast if you joicruise

You can blame me too!

 

[englishrose47]

That was some ice cube !! Yay for another Dismeet!!!1901 looks very neat!!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Look how you roll! Getting into an exclusive club and getting to try out a new super ice invention! That orb is so cool, but the process is mind boggling. I just assumed you were meeting Drea this night - so cool you got to meet Allison and Rentayenta, too.

The stone formation in the corner at the ball field is where the fireworks come out of.

 

[mefordis]

Great update! I recently watched a reality show on Bravo called Southern Charm, taking place in New Orleans (it just sucked me in for some reason but it was so trashy and fun to watch!) One of the guys on the show was in a cigar/wine lounge and ordered a scotch with one of those spherical ice cubes.

Whenever I see an update to this report my day gets better!

 

[podsnel]

We headed over to a store in Hollywood Land where Fran was ready to do some SERIOUS damage! To be clear, shopping with Fran is an E Ticket event!





Not sure what the name of this particular store was, I was too busy gawking at EVERYTHING around me every step, but I would guess Alison has been there once or twice and could help me out here.





A team of CMs was helping Fran make her purchases- literally- a TEAM- and while she made her choices, Alison took me behind the store (next to the store? Still busy gawking at everything, I was just going along for the ride) to see the Animation Academy and the Zoetrope.







This was the coolest thing- all I kept thinking was Sean would LOVE this- I really need to go back with him! Hopefully watching this will not give anyone a seizure-

Click to play-




Oh wait! I found it! we were shopping at Off the Page!



Fran's purchases complete, it was time for the women to head to the car with their loot-





YUP! That Fran- she can SHOP!





They headed to their car and said they were fine packing it up without me, so we said our temporary good byes (we were meeting up again on Sunday! Yay!) and I said good bye to CA-



Then turned around to say hellooooo to Disneyland!





Disneyland is different from WDW in many ways- the first I noticed was that they still use a hand stamp here to re-enter the park. When is the last time you had one of those in WDW? I was really excited that I was FINALLY in DL! Jenny was in there already having dinner at the Plaza with her kids, and I was going to meet her there. But first, had to post a selfie on FB!



Back later with the rest of my night with the AWESOME Rentayenta crew!

 

[englishrose47]

Great Update and WOW can Fran shop !!!!!!

 

[podsnel]

Pretty pick of all three of you ladies!

Thank you!

That ice cube thing is really cool.....hahaha! Seriously, that is so neat and fun that they do it table side!

YES!! It was a special experience!

That food looks amazing. Especially the watermelon...sounds so refreshing!

It was a refreshing one- all the food was very good, it comes from the same kitchen Carthay Circle's food does.

My goodness, you've been an updating machine all of a sudden, and there's no way I can pick and choose quotes to comment on. I'll just say that the Grand Californian looks amazing, and that view from your room is fantastic!

Yea, I have been busy- trying to finish 2 mega TRs at once is a LOT, so I have been at it when I get the time- just want everything done before August so I can write the Alaska one without other obligations in a more timely manner.

Very cool that you could meet up with Alison and Jenny! The 1901 lounge looked really cool, and I officially want an ice globe maker for my house.

OK! Me too!

Playing catch up!!!!

I know the feeling!

Those trees in Yosemite are awe inspiring!

They really are- I had someone say to me once "what's the big deal- ya see one tree, you have seen them all". REALLY could not have agreed LESS with that opinion.

Yay! You are at DL! I fell in love with the GCH and I cannot wait to stay there some of these days!

It is worth it, for sure....

Awesome Dis meet at 1901! I love that place.

Jill in CO

SO nice, isn't it?

Yay! Our meet. It was so fun to finally meet you and see A&F again.

YAY!!

it is like going home when you are there. I was last there in 1998. A land long, long ago. It was pre-construction of cali adventure. I'm so glad disney took it up a notch with the hotels there. It was so holiday inn-esque. But the villa looks divine!

You could not go up any more notches from the GCH- every inch is worthy of being called GRAND.

Yay! We had so much fun that day, only to be upstaged by the next time we met! I could really use some of that Queso Fundido right now!

Definitely!! And that queso was seriously yummy-

It was like meeting old friends, we could have chatted for hours! Buy you're right, Fran had a mission to take care of!

I agree- good thing we had more time together later in the week! Hooray for 2 meets in 1 vacay....

Super swanky!! What a fun night, and DIS meets to boot?!

It was very fun!

The club looks fantastic; what a special experience! That ice cube business is CRAZY - how incredible!!

It was - science rocks!

So after you mentioned about those CA cruises.... I of course went on the DCL site and started looking at that 3 night out of San Diego. So now, of course, I am pricing out that cruise + a stay at Disneyland.

I am blaming you.

Yea, right- like you need a push...

 

[DWGal210]

Is that the May 17, 2015 cruse to Ensenada? I'm booked on that and the 2 day cruise to nowhere right before it. The DIS group for that cruise sounds super fun! You'll have a blast if you joicruise

You can blame me too!

Yes that's the one!! Hahaha more people to blame, I love it! I will definitely join the DIS group if I book it.

 

[DWGal210]

WOW that was a power shopping trip!! That's a lady after my own heart!! I always love to see Disney shopping bags and the treasures that people are taking back home with them.

 

[podsnel]

Thanks for the info Miss Kitty. I did not know that. I'll check it out.

And you too Ellen - So go to the mothership ASAP! I love that advice because that's what I really want to do, but it I have to wait I'll survive.

Now back to read!

Can't wait to hear what you decide!!

I totally agree that meeting DISers who've never met before IS really like meeting old friends. How wonderful that you all got to meet in 1901. That really does look like the coolest place EVER!

It was amazing- and it was my first DL experience- I am spoiled for LIFE!

Yours is the second TR where I saw the amazing ice sphere. Super cool!

It was really pretty-

So glad the boys were off doing boy things that evening so you could hang with the girls.

Me too! It all worked out well- remember, originally we were going a week earlier- if that had happened, they would have seen the Giants play in SF- but since they were on the road when we were in SF after we changed our visit to accommodate and avoid D23, they saw the Angels instead.

Is that the May 17, 2015 cruse to Ensenada? I'm booked on that and the 2 day cruise to nowhere right before it. The DIS group for that cruise sounds super fun! You'll have a blast if you joicruise

You can blame me too!

That was some ice cube !! Yay for another Dismeet!!!1901 looks very neat!!!

It was- I could have been in there for hours reading and looking-

Look how you roll! Getting into an exclusive club and getting to try out a new super ice invention! That orb is so cool, but the process is mind boggling. I just assumed you were meeting Drea this night - so cool you got to meet Allison and Rentayenta, too.

Drea came for the weekend- she is still a few days away.

The stone formation in the corner at the ball field is where the fireworks come out of.

Cool! Thanks! And can't wait for my Apriori to arrive!

Great update! I recently watched a reality show on Bravo called Southern Charm, taking place in New Orleans (it just sucked me in for some reason but it was so trashy and fun to watch!) One of the guys on the show was in a cigar/wine lounge and ordered a scotch with one of those spherical ice cubes.

I saw that!! Those people were nuts (well, except the one girl- she seemed normal. ). I forgot about it tho-

Whenever I see an update to this report my day gets better!

Awww!!!! Thanks! I am so glad! I am trying to finish it in July- it needs to come to an end- so I hope you'll come and read about Alaska, too!

 

[rentayenta]

Holy shopping!




I can't believe it's been almost a year since we met.

 

[KristiMc]

I agree with the Holy Shopping - What fun!!

Yay for meeting up with DISfriends!!

 

[JKSWonder]

LOVE all the 1901 stuff! How cool.

 

[podsnel]

Great Update and WOW can Fran shop !!!!!!

LOL Rosie- she's a PRO!!

WOW that was a power shopping trip!! That's a lady after my own heart!! I always love to see Disney shopping bags and the treasures that people are taking back home with them.

Can't even begin to imagine the damage the two of you could do together.....