Disneyland die hards take on WDW! A first timer/college grad/ proud mommy...FUN!

[spiroff.natasha]

Wednesday we headed to Hollywood Studios! This is my favorite park at WDW so I was excited to get going in the morning (especially for breakfast ) Of course, I got my beloved oatmeal again and I believe that Anna and my mom both got Mickey Waffles and a yogurt parfait (the only thing I have a picture of from this morning )

**Quick disclaimer: The order in which we did things at this park may drive some of you planners crazy! We just went with the flow and did whatever we felt like doing, whenever we felt like doing it so we were all over the park But it worked for us!**

The day before, I had carried around my mini hipster. Thanks to the DIS, my mom and I were bitten by the Vera Bradley bug before our trip We each got a bag on ebay specifically for the trip…my mom got the regular hipster and I got the mini. Since my mom had her big camera to carry around (and because I’m such a wonderful daughter ) I carried around her stuff as well as mine. I found out that carrying two phones, a mini camera, our cards, sunglasses, chapstick and hand sanitizer was too much for the mini hipster and it was pretty uncomfortable the first day so today I wore my mom’s hipster which worked out much better (I stuck with this the rest of the trip).

Again, we got a great parking spot at DHS but realized when we got to the gate that my mom and I didn’t have our tickets! They had been left out in the switch from my mini to the hipster so my mom ran back to the POP to grab them (good thing it’s so close ).

While we waited, Anna and I took some pictures.

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Once we were all there we went straight to TSM to grab some fast passes for later. We recently got this ride at California Adventure but the line is much cuter at DHS…ours sort of feels cramped and is not decorated as nice

Next we went to TOT…again we had fun comparing it to the one that we have at DCA….the one at DHS is taller (at least it feels that way) and we like that you go through the hotel in your car.

On our way out of TOT we got some Fast Passes to do it again later

We headed over to the American Idol Experience after TOT. I looove American Idol and really enjoy this attraction. Our contestants were pretty good and we had a nice time

Next up was the Great Movie Ride. They did a really good job with the outside of the theatre…looks just like the real thing and we felt like we were home

On the way out of the show we got talking to a cast member named Alex. She was super helpful and very friendly. I asked her questions about the college program and she gave me her email address so that when I came home I could ask her any more questions that I had

We had an ADR at Sci Fi for lunch so we headed over there after talking with Alex. I know there are a lot of Sci Fi haters out there but we love it! We definitely don’t go for the food but love the whole atmosphere

After lunch we headed over to watch Beauty and the Beast, rode TOT again with our FPs and went and watched Voyages of the Little Mermaid. This was my first time at the show and I loved it! Except…you get really wet haha….the water effects were cool but a little much

While Anna was looking at pins at the pin shop under the hat, I watched as two little girls traded their Vinylmation figures with the big mystery box. I had seen Vinylmation all over the place but was never really into it. Anna told me that the week before we left on our trip, they had started trading them at DL. Watching those two little girls trade their figures was so exciting I HAD to buy one of my own! I had my mom pick the box for me and took it to the register. The CM working was so great and she was having as much fun as I was while opening the box and finding out which one I got! She kept saying “Let’s hope it’s pink…commmmoooon pink” and then it was pink!

I liked the one I got but there were others that I like better…plus I loved the thrill of the mystery trading so I decided that I would trade until the last day of our trip – unless I got the purple one that I really wanted

We headed to TSM then to the Animation Academy. When we sat down at our drawing tables the CM leading the session had us choose between two characters… Mr. Fredrickson (from Up) or Dale. I am a huge fan of “Up” so I definitely voted for him but Dale won by one measly vote I was pretty sad. Our drawings still turned out cute though

By now we had done pretty much everything that we wanted to do for the day except for Fantasmic (Rockin’ Roller Coaster was closed for the day) so we headed back to the POP. My mom decided to rest and I went with Anna to DTD to pick up her shirt that she ordered on the first day.

Up next: a magical (and crazy) night!

 

[Nermel9]

Hi, I'm joining in, loving your TR so far! I love the comparisons between WDW and DL! I would love to go to Disneyland someday and compare for myself, I've heard Space Mountain there is way better!

 

[mr.bungle]

Subscribing to this. I grew up in Thousand Oaks! Great TR.

 

[spiroff.natasha]

amazing pictures, i cannot wait to see the rest!

Thank you All your Princess and the Frog stuff got the songs stuck in my head Guess I know what movie I'm watching tonight...

 

[spiroff.natasha]

What an amazing experience in the parade!! And you should definitely get a corgi, they're the best dogs ever. Check out www.thedailycorgi.com for some cute corgi pictures

LOVE the website! Thank you!

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Hi!

What a great experience to be a part of the parade. Things like this are unforgettable! I could read, in every word you wrote so far, that the disney magic find the way into your hearts. THATS the stuff, that make dreams come true!

Dana

The Disney magic is definitely something special

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Hi, I'm joining in, loving your TR so far! I love the comparisons between WDW and DL! I would love to go to Disneyland someday and compare for myself, I've heard Space Mountain there is way better!

Welcome

You will definitely have to make it to Disneyland someday, I think it's a totally different experience! Of course, only two days after I was back from my trip I found myself there and couldn't stop comparing it to WDW!

My mom and I will be there again on Monday to watch the new World of Color Show...I will most likely be posting pictures of that

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Subscribing to this. I grew up in Thousand Oaks! Great TR.

Welcome, glad your are enjoying so far!

Thousand Oaks native? Small world

 

[Tri-Delta4Life]

I hope you get to do the CP! I really wish I would've done that when I was in college. What would be your ideal job at WDW?

 

[jgive]

Great TR!

 

[SRUAlmn]

Loving it so far! You're doing a great job and I love all the pictures Can you tell me more about the vinylmation trading? Does it work like pin trading?

 

[spiroff.natasha]

I hope you get to do the CP! I really wish I would've done that when I was in college. What would be your ideal job at WDW?

Thank you! I always regretted not doing it while I was actually in school so when I found out that you could apply after graduation I was very excited!! My ideal job would be to do special events at Disneyland...but I'll start anywhere!!

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Great TR!

Thank you

 

[eecteacher82]

Just read your TR, and so far I am loving it! We are staying at Pop in December, so I love reading other peoples TRs who stayed at Pop! Keep it up!

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Loving it so far! You're doing a great job and I love all the pictures Can you tell me more about the vinylmation trading? Does it work like pin trading?

Thank you! Glad you are enjoying it

The vinylmation trading works a lot like pin trading.Most of the figures are sold in mystery boxes...all you know about it is what series it is a part of.

At locations throughout the parks and at DTD there are clear boxes on the registers each containing three figures. If you like one of the figures you can trade for the specific one you want out of the clear box. Most of the stores also have a big black box that has about 24 figures that you trade blindly for....whatever is behind "door" number 17 is yours! I preferred doing the mystery box however, I did have my eye on a few that I knew I would not trade so when I saw one of them in the clear boxes I jumped on it

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Just read your TR, and so far I am loving it! We are staying at Pop in December, so I love reading other peoples TRs who stayed at Pop! Keep it up!

woo hoo! You will love the POP I would love to go to WDW around the holidays...it's always my favorite time of year at Disneyland!

 

[teacher1717]

Great TR- I can't wait to read the rest...I didn't know you could trade the little figures? Are they new little ones? I was there last year and my nephew was obsessed with them.

 

[spiroff.natasha]

Great TR- I can't wait to read the rest...I didn't know you could trade the little figures? Are they new little ones? I was there last year and my nephew was obsessed with them.

Thank you

Being able to trade them is fairly new...started at the beginning of May. They have a lot of new figures and a bunch more coming out! I like to look at this website to see what the new series will look like

http://www.vinylnation.net/

 

[SRUAlmn]

Thank you! Glad you are enjoying it

The vinylmation trading works a lot like pin trading.Most of the figures are sold in mystery boxes...all you know about it is what series it is a part of.

At locations throughout the parks and at DTD there are clear boxes on the registers each containing three figures. If you like one of the figures you can trade for the specific one you want out of the clear box. Most of the stores also have a big black box that has about 24 figures that you trade blindly for....whatever is behind "door" number 17 is yours! I preferred doing the mystery box however, I did have my eye on a few that I knew I would not trade so when I saw one of them in the clear boxes I jumped on it

Ok, thanks! Now I've spent the past 20 minutes looking at Disney Shopping to see which ones I like and which series I like I guess I have a new addiction for this trip Where's the best place to buy your initial one (s)? Is there a particular store that has more selection? Thanks