Cowboys, Casinos and Fairy Dust oh my! A Graduation trip from Oz- A PRT

[frangipanisam]

With 110 sleeps to go and exactly four months until I step into the Land of the Mouse, I though I would start a proper pre-trip report and get some assistance and ideas from some locals and DL experts

The cast
Four Aussie girls: Sam #1, Sam #2, Sam #3 and Bec. Three of us share the same first name, what are the chances of that in a class of 30 girls? lol This is our big graduation trip for us as we have been studying for five and a half years together to become teachers (Early Childhood/Preschool and Primary/Elementary) So what better way to celebrate then going to Disneyland?

After 18 and a half years straight of full time schooling and formal study and then going back into primary/elementary schools to teach for the rest of our careers WE NEED A BIG TRIP!!! Esp. me because my University course is longer, I crammed 18 months of Uni work into one year JUST to go to DL at Halloween/Christmas, but who wouldn't

Planning to date
We're going from the 18th of October to the 14th of November, Australian dates We'll be hitting up Dallas, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Anaheim (OF COURSE!) and Hollywood.

We've booked most of our flights and all of our hotels. Still have two flights and all of our entry tickets for theme parks and tours to book in. Now that we have all finished with our school practicum placements and technically finished our degrees we can focus much more attention on the finer details of our awesome trip!

Two of the Sam's will also be doing New York City for a few days so any hints or tips for any of these cities would be much appreciated! Particularly ideas of what to do in Hollywood on Halloween night as being Australians we don't do Halloween so we would love to have a proper American Halloween night

Itinerary to come...

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Hi

We will be in the USA at the same time! Yay!!!

I am looking forward to seeing you itinerary to see if we will be at any of the same places at the same time!!!

We are doing 18 days just for the house of mouse! Yep, I know, 18 days in Disneyland....................but hey, I am a total Disney tragic!!!

You girls should all be congratulated on all the hard work you have put in to become teachers! It sure will be worth it all in the end I am sure!

Of all the places you have listed, Dallas is the only one I have not been to, so feel free to throw any questions you may have my way!!!

And as for Disneyland, well, there really isn't much I don't know about it. You could say I am a bit of an expert. That's what you get for being obsessed since you were 9!!! ( and that's a very long time ago!!! )

Can't wait for more!!!

 

[frangipanisam]

Hi Minnie Sue

Woo hoo!! Great minds think alike I'll be posting the itinerary soon but I've posted on your PRT the similarities so far

Ahh so jealous! We're having four full days plus a party with the early entry, thats the most I could convince the others to do if I had my way there would be at least two more full days book in I'm a Disney nut from way back, I still remember watching Disney ads (not sure if they were DL or WDW) when I was about 3 or 4 and being incredibly jealous of anyone that went and now my little sister will be very jealous of me

Thanks Minnie Sue! After two years full time at Tafe doing Childcare, it seemed the best option to get the teaching degree as well to maximize my options and with only 110 sleeps to go I'm so glad I did units early to get the last six months off

I'll be throwing out questions when I think of them so it would be great it you could answer any of them

Us Disney tragics need to stick together and any tips about DL would be fantastic

 

[Caroline NZ]

I hope you all have a fantastic time, it must be such a great feeling to have worked so hard for so now long, and now have the trip as a reward at the end

 

[alicia1506]

hey sam, congrats again on all your hard work and accomplishments. what a great way to celebrate than a trip to DLR.

we went to disneyland, las vegas, nyc and orlando on our last trip, so i am also happy to help with info/advice/thoughts etc on those places that you are also visiting.

i hope you have an amazing time. last year we were at DLR from nov 6-nov 8 -- 2.5 days of disney and it was nowhere near enough time... one of the things we regretted was not spending a little more time in the parks. i truly recommend seeing world of colour, and the soundsational parade (or maybe they have a halloween themed parade while you will be there?) anyway.. those are major highlights of the trip for us and we plan on doing world of colour up right when we go this year as we missed it (shock, gasp) during our trip last year and have regretted it ever since

 

[DisneytheKid]

Cool! Looking forward to following along!

 

[frangipanisam]

Hi everyone Thanks Caroline & Alicia, having this trip at the end of the tunnel was the only thing keeping me sane at times! I'm so glad my cousins went for Halloween in 2010 because that planted the idea and started our trip planning

I'm hoping that the four full days and one party arvo/night we have planned is enough but theres a few downtime days we could add a trip to the parks by upgrading our hoppers World of colour is the top of my list for entertainment at Disney! Hoping to catch it at least twice while we're there as well as any parades that are happening, fingers are crossed that the Christmas parade is running on our last day in DL! Buuut not holding my breath! I've penciled in when we will be watching these events and my gfs just nod and agree because they know there is no point in arguing with me or I may have to hurt them lol

Alicia how many days did you do in NYC? Sam 2 & 3 are going for five days and I'd love to get some ideas for them of things to do. I know that the Statue of Liberty may still be closed while they are there which will suck for them if it is! I would love to see NYC but I would rather go back and do it in all of its glory for like two weeks and do the West Coast properly this time. Plus it means more money to spend at Disney


When I get back I think I'll start planning out an East Coast trip to NYC and WDW, maybe even a cruise thrown in
If I've managed to pay for my entire uni course (go me!! No HECS debt ) and save for/pay off this holiday while earning crap all money working casually just think of what I can plan when begin full time work!


Question: what is a good time to start buying things to get sent to a hotel? I really want to buy some things from the Disney store so I don't miss out but I think that just under four months out is still a bit early

 

[alicia1506]

for me, we were in NYC for 3 full days, and i was sick for 2 of them, so i didn't even leave the room until the 3rd day, but we packed in heaps into the one day.

if S2 and S3 will be there for 5 days, that will be heaps to see the majority of stuff... i highly recommend, cannot recommend highly enough, the greyline all loops tours -- it's like $54 for 72 hours of unlimited trips on the uptown/downtown tours, and you get brooklyn tour and a night lights tour as well... the tours are all guided and from the upstairs (open air) seating on the double decker bus, you get some fabulous photo opportunities and really great views. you get to learn about history that you wouldn't necessarily get to learn in such a short space of time, and you get really easy & convenient transpo all around manhattan & brooklyn etc. we found it fun and informative, and although more expensive than using the subway, much safer & gave us a bit more peace of mind.

also, if s2 and s3 are looking for accom in nyc on the cheap, can i recommend the pod hotel? it's a proper hotel, with the usual amenities, but the rooms are on the small/cleverly thought out style. when we went, in the peak nov/thanksgiving/xmas period, we only paid like $129 a night for a double bunk bed room -- they are clean and modern and funky. there was previously only 1 located on 51st st (only a few blocks from rockefeller centre) but they have now opened one on like 42nd st (?? i think) that is newer & more modern and opposite the ESB. worth checking out if they are looking for accomodation in nyc that won't break the bank

 

[frangipanisam]

Thanks Alicia I'll pass that info onto the girls about the bus tours, I'm sure that will come in handy for them. They've already booked their hotel, the holiday inn in midtown from memory? But I'll file that hotel away for a future trip

Current Itinerary
Thursday 18th of Oct: Fly out of SYD to LAX at 2.40pm with VA, then onto Dallas
Friday 19th Oct: Meeting Sam #2's penpal Macy, State Fair of Texas and country dancing with Macy
Saturday 20th Oct: Shopping (Grapevine outlets and downtown Dallas) where I get to buy beautiful leather cowboy boots
Sunday 21st Oct: Breakfast, pack up, fly to Las Vegas at midday, explore The Strip and see a show

Monday 22nd Oct: Vegas, relax day with nothing planned
Tuesday 23rd Oct: Outlet shopping, attempt to do both outlets lol
Wednesday 24th Oct: Vegas, day trip to the Grand Canyon
Thursday 25th Oct: Vegas, last minute shopping and fly to San Francisco in the afternoon

Friday 26th Oct: Ultimate city tour and Winchester House tour with Starlines
Saturday 27th Oct: Fisherman's wharf, Alcatraz tour and picnic opposite the Painted Ladies
Sunday 28th Oct: Shopping: Chinatown, Union Square and Golden Gate Bridge

Monday 29th Oct: Fly to LA, straight to Anaheim to check into Paradise Pier, relax a bit and then into DL for Mickey's Trick or Treat party
Tuesday 30th Oct: DL day #1 using Magic Morning from staying at a Disney hotel, see DL done up for Halloween in all its glory during the day and switching to DCA to watch World of Colour

Wednesday 31st Oct: Off to Hollywood, bit of a nothing day at this stage, need find something to do at night for Halloween
Thursday 1st Nov: Full day around Hollywood using GO LA pass (Warner bros VIP tour, homes tour, Hollywood museum, Madame Tussades, walk of fame, Chinese theater)
Friday 2nd Nov: Full day at Universal Studios, having dinner at Hard Rock at City Walk
Saturday 3rd Nov: Full day of shopping at the Beverly Center, also hitting Rodeo Dr and a shop called It's a Wrap
Sunday 4th Nov: Daylight savings is due to end, back to Anaheim to stay at Howard Johnsons, bit of shopping close to the hotel

Monday 5th Nov: Sea World tour with pick up for Sam #1 & Bec (Sam 2 & 3 are going to NYC for 5 days, 5th to 9th of Nov)
Tuesday 6th Nov: Relax day after commute to San Diego, bit of shopping, hotel pool ect
Wednesday 7th Nov: DL/DCA #2 full day using Magic Morning on Hopper pass
Thursday 8th Nov: Knott's Berry Farm??? Not sure if we should do Knotts...
Friday 9th Nov: LA Shopping extravaganza tour with hotel pick up (Sam 2 & 3 fly back to LA)

Saturday 10th Nov: DCA #3 starting in DL to Mickey's Toontown madness, then off to DCA includes doing Princess Lunch in DCA and then back into DL to watch fireworks and fantasmic
Sunday 11th Nov: Sam 1 & Bec going to Surf's up with Mickey breakfast, then pack up day and last minute shopping in Downtown Disney & Garden walk
Monday 12th Nov: DL/DCA #4 to see DL done up for Christmas, hopefully with enough time to catch the Xmas parade if its started. Then back to the hotel room to get changed and refreshed for a 10.20pm flight from LA to Syd

Tuesday 13th Nov: Technically loose this day flying
Wednesday 14th Nov: Arrive Syd Am, go home and sleep all day/night
Thursday 15th Nov: Just in time to see midnight screening of Breaking Dawn Part 2 with bestie whose not coming on trip, the whole point of needing to come home late on the 12th Nov. Just so I get to see DL at Xmas and still see the last Twilight movie BEFORE the American's in saying that I was a fan of the books almost a year BEFORE the first movie came out, so I'm not a crazy teenage fan just need to see it as soon as humanly possible

Hotels we've booked into
Dallas- Mariott Quorum, 3 nights
Las Vegas- Aria, 4 nights
San Francisco- Hotel Mark Twain, 4 nights
Anaheim #1- Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, 2 nights
Hollywood- Beverly Garland Holiday Inn, 4 nights
Anaheim #2- Howard Johnson’s, 9 nights

Almost at double digits