DIS Divas - Planning for Feb. 2020!

[mommaU4]

Welcome to the planning thread for the DIS Ladies-only Disneyland trip!!

We are currently working on our 13th Annual trip, and the dates for that are Wednesday, February 26 - Sunday, March 1, 2020.

The trip is open for anyone to join provided you are female (sorry guys!), over the age of 18 (if accompanied by mother/guardian, 21 if solo), and love Disney! If you are interested in joining the trip you can find more information, as well as pictures from previous trips, in the posts below.

Feel free to post on the thread and introduce yourself. My name is Beth. I am a stay at home mom of 4. I came up with the idea and started the planning for the ladies-only trips back in Nov. 2007, with our first official trip taking place in April of 2008. Since then we've had many DIS ladies join us, some returning every year since the first. On our first trip we had around 35 ladies, but that number is steadily increasing each year, and we've had as many as 94 attendees! We have become known as the "DIS Divas", and I hope you will consider joining us as we plan for our next fun-filled Disneyland trip.

***Edited on 8/22/2019: This thread is not monitored continuously anymore, and most of the information on here is from previous dates. Current trip planning takes place on our private Facebook page. However, the group is still as welcoming as ever, and always open to new members. Don't be shy, we'd love to have you join us! If you are interested, please send me a private message with the email that you used to register for Facebook with, and I can use that to send you an invite to our planning page. Hope to see you there!

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Check out our DIS Divas segment on the DIS Unplugged Podcast DIS Unplugged Podcast 03/06/14 and also here for tips on planning for a group: http://www.disunplugged.com/2015/03/02/dis-unplugged-podcast-030115-disneyland-show/​

*Front Page Index*

Post 1 ~ Trip welcome and dates
Post 2 ~ Girls-only Trip FAQs
Post 3 ~ Schedule and T-shirt info
Post 4 ~ Trip Attendees
Post 5 ~ Committee Members and Contact Persons
Post 6 ~ Company D, Roommate/Hotel list, WIWF Tour
Post 7 ~ Meet and Greet party info, and sign up list
Post 8 ~ Scavenger Hunt Info and Teams
Post 9 ~ Meal Sign-up Lists
Posts 10, 11, 12, and 13 ~ Photos
Post 14 ~ In Memoriam
Post 15 ~ The mother of all packing lists!

 

[mommaU4]

Here is a list of FAQs for those who are new to the annual Disneyland Girls-only Trips:

Q: Who can join the trip?
A: Anyone who is age 18 and older, is female, loves Disney and is ready to have fun and make new friends.


Q: When is it?
A: Trip begins the last Wednesday in February and runs through Sunday. Exact dates vary each year.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: How much the trip costs will vary from person to person based on your airfare/travel costs, which meals/park tours you sign up for, how much you spend on souvenirs, if you already have an annual pass, and of course which hotel room you book. There are fees involved for certain activities, such as the Scavenger Hunt, the matching group tees, the Meet and Greet party, etc. but, those are optional and will be discussed closer to the start of the trip on our Facebook page.


Q: Is this a tour guided group?
A: No, this is not a tour group at all. It is a group of individual DIS ladies who meet up yearly to celebrate their love of Disney at the Happiest Place on Earth. Each person is responsible for making their own travel and hotel arrangements, for signing up for which meals and tours they are interested in, for buying their own park tickets, etc.
You will not be told to be at a certain place at a certain time, but rather will be offered a variety of options to choose from to tailor your trip the way you want it.


Q: What meals and tours are offered?
A: The meal sign-ups will be posted as the trip gets closer. A schedule will be posted and then you can pick and choose what you want to join. The meals vary from year to year but there have previously been large group meals at Cafe Orleans, Carnation Cafe, Jazz Kitchen, Goofy's Kitchen, etc.
The tours are offered by the parks so check the Disneyland website to see what selection they have. http://disneyland.disney.go.com/tours/
Contact people will be posted as the trip draws closer and will be in charge of making meal and tour reservations for all those signed up.


Q: What's the deal with the t-shirts colors and group tee?
A: Every year since the Divas began we've had a new group t-shirt. We reuse and rotate each of the shirts from year to year. If someone is new to the group and does not have the shirts from the previous years, they can simply wear the same color in a shirt of their choosing, or just wear whatever they feel like wearing. It's all optional and all done in fun.


Q: Will I feel awkward if it's my first time? Does everyone already know each other? Should I come alone or bring a friend?
A: This is a very welcoming group of ladies and the more you make an effort to get to know everyone, the more relaxed you will feel on the trip. The trip thread is a great place to post information about yourself, along with a picture and get to know everyone. Some ladies have been here since the first trip and have formed close bonds, others are brand new this year. We always have a mix of veterans and newbies. Everyone is welcome to bring a friend or family member, but they are welcome to come alone as well. I'd highly recommend attending the Meet and Mingle (formerly known as the Meet and Greet) as that is a great way to get to know everyone at the start of the trip.


Q: Where does everyone stay?
A: Over the past 10 years we've had rooms at places on Harbor such at the Hojo Anaheim, but in more recent years most of the Divas stay onsite at either the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian Hotel. Some of the Divas still book rooms on Harbor within easy walking distance to the parks. It's really a matter of personal preference and finances, and you can choose which hotel works best for you.


Q: How will I get to know everyone? What if I get separated from the group?
A: Before the trip, chatting on this thread or more often on Facebook is a great way to get to know everyone. There are pictures of the ladies on the front page so you can "see" who you are talking to before hand. Feel free to post your own photo on the thread for me to add to the list. We put together a list of cell phone numbers prior to the trip which is then handed out so everyone can keep in touch. Early on in the trip is the Meet and Mingle which is a fun opportunity to get to know the other ladies.


Q: How do you keep 80, 90, or more ladies together??
A: Easy.....we don't. Touring the parks as a group would be nearly impossible. We do plan certain group activities, and the rest of the time we break off into smaller groups based on your interests. There will be some who want to shop, some who want to ride the fast rides, some who want to go get a drink (lol) etc.
The group activities we usually do are a daily group meals, some group rides, group photos, a group scavenger hunt, tours (if anyone is interested in signing up for those) and the Meet and Mingle. I can assure you that everyone in the group is very welcoming and with a group this large no one should have any problems finding someone, or several someones, to hang out with.


Q: How do I join?
A: Just post on the thread! Give us your name, tell us a little about yourself, post a picture if you can, and that's it. Check in now and then to see what plans are being discussed. Most information can be found on the front page, so if you get behind in the thread you can check here for any important changes or updates. Most serious planning won't begin until we are much closer to the trip date.
EDITED TO ADD - Most of our planning now takes place on Facebook. If you would like to be added to the planning page, send me a message with the email address you used to sign up for Facebook and I can use that to add you to the group.



**Hopefully that information helped clear up any of the more frequently asked questions regarding the DIS Girls-only trips, but if you have anymore questions or concerns, feel free to post on the thread or send me a PM and I'll be happy to answer them.

 

[mommaU4]

Currently there is no information available for the 2018 trip. Keep checking back or check our Facebook page for more info.

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[mommaU4]

Trip Attendees
This info is now found on our private Facebook planning page.

 

[mommaU4]

These lists are now all found on our private Facebook planning page.

Scavenger Hunt Committee members:




Meet and Greet Committee members:






Scheduling Committee:




GKTW Philanthropy Committee members:






Schedule Printout/Phone List/Name Tag printout:


Photopass


Pub Crawl Committee

 

[mommaU4]

Updates found on our Facebook planning page.

 

[mommaU4]

Updates found on our Facebook page.

 

[mommaU4]

Updates found on our Facebook page.

 

[mommaU4]

Updates found on our Facebook page.

 

[mommaU4]

Diva fun times 2015:


Wonderful World of Colorful Divas party 2015




Fun times with the Divas 2014:

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~ Photos from our Very Merry Un-Christmas themed Meet and Greet party 2014 ~

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[mommaU4]

 

[mommaU4]

 

[mommaU4]

 

[mommaU4]

"I've found that true Disney Magic happens not necessarily in the park or for some special event......it's about the people you are with!" Words of wisdom spoken by a true Diva.

 

[mommaU4]

The Ridiculously Long, Totally Unnecessary DIS Diva Packing List! (take what applies to you, ignore the rest):
Annual Pass
Baby powder
Bath puff
Belt
Body lotion
Body spray
Body wash
Bras
Brush
Camera/memory card
Camera back up batteries
Cash
Cell phone
Chargers: music player, camera, phone, etc.
Clothing - coordinate shirts with daily schedule of what to wear and when, including Disney bounding outfit, and don't forget your pants (old Diva joke, lol)
Conditioner
Contact lenses/case/solution
Credit cards/ATM card
Curlers/curling iron
Dental floss
Deodorant
Downey wrinkle releaser
Drivers license/passport
Earplugs for those with snoring roommates
Envelopes for maid's tips
Extra suitcase for souvenirs
Eyeglasses
Face cleansing cloths/make-up remover pads
First aid kit (band-aids, antibiotic cream, hydrogen peroxide)
Gloves/hat for cold evenings
Gum/mints
Hair Dryer
Hair spray
Hand sanitizer
Hangers (there's never enough in hotel rooms)
Important papers: flight info, hotel info, transportation info, trip notes, etc.
Jacket/hoodie
Jewelry
Lanyard
Laptop/cord/battery
Lysol spray (travel size) or wipes for germy hotel rooms
Magazine/book
Make-up bag
Medicine (airborne, vitamins, aspirin/tylenol, immodium, pepto, cough drops, nyquil/dayquil, antacids, personal prescriptions)
Mini flashlight
Mouthwash
Music player and earphones
Nail clippers and file
Park accessories (pins for trading, Mickey ears for group pic, etc)
Pen/paper
Perfume
Permanent marker
Pillow (small blanket too if you don't like hotel bedding or for plane travel)
Ponytail holders/hair clips
Power strip (especially for those with several roommates)
Purse/wallet/backpack/tote/fanny pack
Q-tips/cotton balls
Rain poncho for water rides or in case of rain
Razor
Room deodorizer for hotel bathroom (your roomies will thank you!)
Room supplies: Water, Drinks, Snacks, etc.
Scavenger Hunt team accessories/supplies
Sense of humor and adventure!!!
Shampoo
"Shark Week" supplies if needed
Shaving cream
Shoes
Sign for hotel room door and a way to secure it
Sleepwear
Slippers
Soap
Socks
Static guard
Sticky notes
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Swimsuit for late night jacuzzi runs
Tiara
Tissues
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Trash bag for dirty laundry
Tweezers
Umbrella
Underwear
Vaseline (for lips/hands in dry hotel rooms)
Wallet
Watch
Water bottle (reusable)
Wet Ones hand wipes
Ziplock baggies

 

[funnygarcia]

Hooray! New thread and I updated my trip counter.

 

[Escape2Disney]

Hi, Beth!!

I will absolutely be attending in 2016! I'm glad the new thread is already up and running.

 

[karylrocks]

Yay! Since I missed this year I am so ready to plan for next year!

 

[Belle Ella]

I wasn't able to actually 'attend' this years trip! I was sad to miss out on seeing everyone, but a trip home to see my family was priority this time around. But I'm definitely planning on actually participating next year.

 

[lulubelle]

I think it was the best year yet, I had so much fun!
Thanks to everyone that made it so special