COMPLETED (200+pics) TR: 10/9-10/11 Me and the fam hit up the land

[DLR29]

what time were you guys in line for TSMM friday afternoon? we were there too! LOL! maybe earlier than you though...we were in line around 12:15pm...or was it 12:30pm-ish...waited for about 30 minutes...

We were probably in line at the same time. Let's see, our PSs were at 11:30, so after a 45 minute lunch we were over and in line by 12:30 or so. Were you sporting Lime Green Mickey Heads?

 

[Hound 109]

....So my brother and mom picked me up from school on Wednesday at 2:15 (school ends at 3, but I don’t have a last period, so we could leave early). With all of our stuff already in our car and Jamba Juices as our afternoon snacks, we hit the road. Seeing as though I have my driver’s permit, I got to drive a lot of the way (even over the grapevine at night), which was really good experience . I hopefully will get my actual license in a week or so. Anyways, we get to the Tropicana around 9:30, which we made really good time.


DLR 29, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AMAZED THAT YOU'RE 15. YOU WRITE & COMMUNICATE SO WELL (better than most or all of us adults)

A FEW INTERESTING COINCIDENCES (THAT CONTINUE THROUGHOUT)....MY KID WAS PICKED UP AT SCHOOL (ON THE EXACT SAME DAY) AT 2:45....WE FLEW INTO SOCAL, BUT ARRIVED AT OUR HOTEL AROUND 10PM (THE SAME NIGHT).


Morning of 10/9:

......It was Thursday, so MM day (but stupid AP doesn’t give me MM) and they had a rope drop at 9, so they were holding a TON of people on Main Street. So, me being the clever one, weaved through the Main Street Shops and I made it to the front of the rope. My mom and brother were still back with the crowd, but I was going to get Space FPs and meet them at Indy. So I run (Ahem..I mean walk fast) to get Space FPs for later

DLR 29, I THINK I SAW YOU. (check out my TR) AT EXACTLY 9AM, ALEC & I EXITED SM (& WALKED AROUND TO GET A SM FP) AT THE EXACT MOMENT THAT A DOZEN OR SO FOLKS RACED BY US (walking up to SM) & I THINK YOU WERE AT A FP MACHINE GRABBING FPs AS WE WALKED UP (to get our own).

THE REASON I REMEMBER IS THAT WHILE MOST WENT TO THE STANDBY ENTRANCE YOU (& alec & I) WENT DIRECTLY TO THE FP MACHINES. ALSO, (I THINK) YOU LOOK LIKE YOU MIGHT BE ASIAN (OR PART ASIAN) & I OFTEN LOOK AT ASIAN KIDS WONDERING WHAT MY KID MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN HIS TEENS....THE FINAL REASON I REMEMBER IS THAT UNLIKE SOME WHO FIDDLE AROUND AT THE FP MACHINE....YOU WERE METHODICALLY WORKING THE MACHINE (GETTING SEVERAL FPs) LIKE A DIS PRO. IT'S REALLY A SMALL WORLD (after all )


.....and make my way through the huge crowds to Adventureland and got in line for Indy. The line only took about 15 minutes. Indy is my favorite ride at DLR hands down and so of course I loved it.


ALEC & I HAD DETOURED (UNSUCCESSFULLY) BY BTMRR & HM & ENDED UP AT INDY PROBABLY 5 MIN. BEHIND YOU (& OUR LINE WAS ABOUT 20 MIN. AT THAT POINT).


Next up was Pirates, which, I know, I know probably should be saved for the more busy times of day, but we did it anyways.


HILLARIOUS....THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID IN MY REPORT.


I ran and got FPs for BTMRR while the other two got in line for HMH.


WE (INSTEAD) NABBED FPs AT HM & THEN CONTINUED ON TO SPLASH.

We got off and decided to just do Splash Mountain since we were over there.


BEAT YOU TO IT!

THAT'S HILARIOUS.....TWO DISNUTS AT DL ON THE SAME DAY (THEIR FIRST DAY).....ONE WITH MM & THE OTHER W/O ....BUT AT 9AM, BOTH MINDS ARE WORKING SIMILARLY....KNOCKING OFF THE RIDES & FPs EARLY & IN PROPER ORDER (as knowledgable disers should).

Great report & great pics, DLR 29.

 

[northshoremama]

We were probably in line at the same time. Let's see, our PSs were at 11:30, so after a 45 minute lunch we were over and in line by 12:30 or so. Were you sporting Lime Green Mickey Heads?

yes, i had a LGMH hanging from my hip pack...which was pushed over to the side a bit since i was carrying my 20-pound 8-month old for about 30 minutes in line.

 

[Sarah84]

Great report and brilliant photos

 

[DLR29]

Thanks everybody for reading! Hound, how funny that we did like the same thing on the same day and that you might have seen me.

Alright, I will start typing the morning of our last day right now and have it up later tonight. Then this week is going to be MEGA busy with homework and studying, so the next update won't be for a while.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

You and your family are just too cute!! You have me cracking up about your Dream FPs and your Space picture!!! It's an exciting thing!! I'm not going to lie!!!

Wonderful pictures! I really enjoyed them!!

 

[DLR29]

Morning of Saturday 10/11:

So this morning with because we had Dream FPs and had already done a lot, we slept in. I know, sleeping in, going on pirates in the morning. What a horrible DIS member I am! Well we entered about 9 (park opened at 8) and I ran to get Space FPs.

Then I met everybody at the Matterhorn and my dad, brother and I rode the TL side while my mom sat it out.

Then we went to Toontown and even though it had been MTTMM, the lines were so short.

We got on Roger Rabbit with a 5 minute line. I love this line because of all of the details and scenery.

Then we all hopped on Gadget’s Go Coaster. Nothing special, but still a nice, fun ride.

After that we went over to DCA for the rope drop where we headed straight for TSMM (again ) and only had to wait like 15 minutes. Result? The beaver. Please, can I get something OTHER than the stupid beaver?

Then we walked back to Soarin and used our Dream FPs from the previous day. We asked for the front-middle which is a MUST if it’s available.

After a peaceful flight over CA we walked back towards DL and saw my middle school band teacher. LOL, I saw so many people I know during our trip. We had Blue Bayou PS at 11:30 so my family started for NOS while I took a detour and got BTMRR FPs.

Meeting up with them, we got a waterfront table (but on the side so it was just ok). Lunch was served. Mmmmmmmmmm monte cristos are so yummilicious and the potatoes too. My brother liked them too and for some reason my dad didn’t get the sandwich? He got chicken or something. Doesn’t know what he’s missing. Doesn’t that make your mouth water?

 

[DLR29]

While our stomachs settled, we rode Pirates. Such a great classic ride. Dead Men Tell No Tales. Then we got Indy FPs for later and we hopped again! (hopping is the way to go) I was dying to get on ToT because it’s like one of my favorite rides and my mom/brother won’t ride it (my brother had a bad experience at WDW last summer) and so I had to wait all trip to ride it w/ my dad. This as you may know is a maintenance elevator…

A picture from the hotel lobby

Then I showed my family the Toy Story Zoetrope in Disney Animation, which they all thought was really cool. Next up we went down to Paradise Pier to ride Mulholland Madness with our Dream FPs. This time everybody rode it. There were troubles with the brakes, so we were stuck in some places for a minute or so.

Since we still had 2 Dream FPs for Screamin (only my dad and I rode the day before), I rode it again with my mom. She hadn’t been on it in 4 years, but she loved it still.

After picking up a pair of slushies, we joined the TSMM line (again, 5 times this whole trip!) and waited for a while. The end result of the ride? I got the CAT! 170,000!!! New High Score! So that made all those 4 practice rides worth it. Long line, moves fast though.

My brother and mom didn’t want to get wet and I was craving a ride on GRR, so me and my dad hit that one up next, with our fabulous Dream FPs, while the other 2 went back to the hotel. We didn’t get soaked, but we got pretty wet. I really like this shot.

After braving the rapids, my dad and I left to join the other two. We rested for a little bit before returning to DL for our last night. None of my family had been over to Pirate’s Lair, so on one of the last rafts over we crossed the Rivers of America and explored. They really enjoyed all of the interactive activities on the island and also the special effects in Dead Man’s Grotto.

A picture of my dad taken by my mom

After that, we tried to use our Indy FPs, but the line was really long for even the FP users, so we headed over to BTMRR to use FPs, but the ride was broken down. So we went all the way over to Space Mountain and used our FPs there. It was a blast as usual. Definitely my brother’s favorite ride. This is the line we skipped.

Since our tummys were grumbling, we just decided to hit up Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port for dinner. I think we all got pizza, which was not bad and the slices are so big that they are definitely satisfying.

We decided to brave the Nemo line again for my dad who hadn’t ridden it yet. We waited 50 minutes, but it was fine. My dad really liked the ride and every time I ride, I see something new. That’s what’s great about Disneyland.

A pic my mom took from on the ride

 

[DLR29]

A quick walk across the park landed us by BTMRR for a speedy night ride through the wilderness. So much better at night. Then we returned to Indy for our second to last ride of the trip and used FPs. We still waited about 30 minutes, but we skipped a 30-45 minute outside queue line, which made us feel good.

Another one of my mom's pictures

From the queue

For our final ride sad2: ), we rode Jungle Cruise at night. We had a very funny skipper which made that last ride even more special. She told many jokes that I had not heard before, which was very enjoyable. Next, we gave Disneyland more of our money…..I mean we shopped for souvenirs on Main Street for a while before heading back to our hotel. A perfect ending for a perfect trip. Thanks everyone for reading my report, even though it took so long for me to update it. I still have tons and tons of miscellaneous pictures that I will post of just around the DLR. Until next time, this is DLR29 signing off.

 

[DLR29]

More pictures if anybody is still reading!

Halloweentime:

Candy Corn Acres

Massive Candy Corn

Entrance at night

 

[travelmel]

I really liked your Giant Grizzley pic (what is he called?)

I've never thought that peak was anything special but you captured it really well with the teeth bared and looking fierce!

Is that a new Blue Bayou sign? I don't remember it looking like that.

 

[trodrigue]

Awesome trip report. As a Mom of a 12 year old boy, I love to read your report which is so expressive and well written. It gives me hope for my son, who isn't quite there yet. Thanks for sharing!

 

[DLR29]

I really liked your Giant Grizzley pic (what is he called?)

I've never thought that peak was anything special but you captured it really well with the teeth bared and looking fierce!

Is that a new Blue Bayou sign? I don't remember it looking like that.

I think the mountain is called Grizzly Peak, but I don't think the actual bear has a name.

I don't think it's a new BB sign. It's just not the main Blue Bayou sign, which hangs:

Thanks trodrigue for your encouraging words. Just wait. I didn't really write that well until high school.

 

[DLR29]

One final round of pics. Just a few miscellaneous (sp?) ones that I shot from all over the resort. Hope you enjoy! We'll start with Disneyland.

Obligatory Castle shot:

Partner Statue

Peaceful pond over by Pooh (oooh aliteration)

A dragonfly on a tree in the queue for Matterhorn

Entrance to Tomorrowland

 

[DLR29]

Now pics from DCA:
Hollywood Pictures Backlot

Entrance to Paradise Pier

RIP Sun Wheel

Palo Alto! That's where I live!

Paradise Bay

Final pic is of that crazy green dino!

Thanks again to everybody who read this and I hope you all have great trips to DLR too!

 

[travelmel]

Thanks for sharing! You did a fantastic job. Truely.

And Kudo's to your mom and dad for raising such a great kid.

 

[lvjen777]

Great pics!

 

[Hound 109]

Thanks for sharing! You did a fantastic job. Truely.

And Kudo's to your mom and dad for raising such a great kid.

I agree 100%.

& DLR29.....your writing skills are better than than those of us who are 3 times your age.

Great report & great pics.

 

[avalon451]

Wonderful TR and great pics, DLR! I hope your family appreciates your DIS expertise and your planning abilities. You seem to really enjoy making it fun for everybody!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[MickeyNikiNaka]

I just finished reading your TR and I absolutely loved it! As a soon to be teacher I have to agree with the rest of the posters, you are a very expressive writer and you can tell that DL is something you're truly passionate about!