Family of 5 Take on DL Oct 1-4 *TR finished* Pics still to come

[stubby]

I am really gonna try and update this as much as I can...but since I no longer have internet access at work it will probably be hit and miss.

Ok so let's get this party started:

THE CAST
Me-35 Have been to DL only one other time(4 years ago) and was only for 1 day.
DH-30 Has been multiple times as a child and young adult
Oldest DD-9-was only 5 on our last trip has vague memories-is NOT a girly girl and acts much older than she really is so will prob not be impressed by characters
Middle DD-7-No memories from previous trip-a total girly girl and some of the characters she will like some she won't care about
Youngest DD-5-was only 1 last trip-so this will be like her first trip-she is kinda girly-will LOVE the characters

THE PLAN
We plan on arriving around 3pm on Friday the 1st. If Disney still has the ParkHoppers 3 for 5 we will check into our hotel and then head straight to DL. It will be a MHP night and we do not have tickets so when they close DL if they don't keep DCA open we are going to Tortilla Jo's in DTD and then back to the hotel to swim...if they keep DCA open then we will go there til they close.
Saturday will be our MM day. And then Sunday and Monday we are planning on getting there at opening. Hoping to open and close the parks all 3 days. But, last time we left around 10 because we were getting tired and crabby. So we will see.
Right now we have NO dining plans(since Disney seems to be dragging their feet...although I am not sure we will do anything character wise anyway.)
We are also not doing F! or WOC(if they have it) or anything else along those lines because this is a budget trip(planning another trip for the family in April to visit family and trying to save for it) and w/ 3 kids things like these are NOT cheap....and to tell the truth the kids prefer the rides over the shows.

I feel like 2 months is plenty of time to take care of everything but I am also a procrastinator...so I know it is NOT.

Well, on that note..I think I better stop procrastinating and get ready for work.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Right now we have NO dining plans(since Disney seems to be dragging their feet...although I am not sure we will do anything character wise anyway.)
We are also not doing F! or WOC(if they have it) or anything else along those lines because this is a budget trip(planning another trip for the family in April to visit family and trying to save for it) and w/ 3 kids things like these are NOT cheap....and to tell the truth the kids prefer the rides over the shows.

I'm on board, will be there right after you... you know you can do F! and WOC for free right? Or at the least F! for free and get the picnics for WOC--which are very reasonable, and not much more than you'd pay for a meal anyway...

 

[stubby]

I'm on board, will be there right after you... you know you can do F! and WOC for free right? Or at the least F! for free and get the picnics for WOC--which are very reasonable, and not much more than you'd pay for a meal anyway...

Yeah but my kids and dh are not the type to spend riding time sitting and waiting in one place to see a show...shoot I bet we won't even sit and watch the fireworks any of the nights we are there.

 

[stubby]

Have decided if the hours stay the same as they are for September we will do MM on Sunday. Thinking that we don't really want to get up at 7 on Sat...and also hoping that all the Gay Days people will sleep in on Sunday.

 

[stubby]

I think someone is trying to stop this trip to DL. Last week the kids went back to school. I had budgeted a certain amount for this and of course...I went over...ALOT. They wanted so many extra things(the school not the kids) that I spent a lot more than what I planned. And now this afternoon the air conditioning went out in our car...we live in the desert...there is NO WAY we can do w/out. So now I am going to have to have that fixed.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Hope things are working out for you!!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Yeah but my kids and dh are not the type to spend riding time sitting and waiting in one place to see a show...shoot I bet we won't even sit and watch the fireworks any of the nights we are there.

Well, you may not have to worry about the fireworks... unless they decide to show something else on non-party nights, Hallowishes (or whatever the Halloween fireworks are called) will only be on trick-or-treat party nights anyway... I can't got to DL without fireworks or Fantasmic... its just about our only downtime, so I look forward to it!

 

[stubby]

Hope things are working out for you!!

Thank you...actually getting a little better. Apparently the air is working again...not sure how or for how long but at least it didn't go out.

 

[stubby]

Time for another update...
We have changed plans a little. Instead of just doing 3 days we are going to add Friday night also. We are now going to be leaving at 7am so should be at the park by 2pm. That will give us at least 4 hours in Disney before they close for the Halloween stuff. After the park closes we are going to Tortilla Jo's for dinner.
We are getting so excited...just wish they would do an update on Disneyland's website.

 

[Tablefor5]

You are there right when I leave. I love the HalloweenTime. We aren't doing the party this year though. Sounds like you have a great trip planned so far. Good Luck on keeping the "extra" expenses out of the way. I can relate with my kids just starting back to school also and all that additional cost besides school supplies. I just wrote so many checks for school pics, yearbooks, donation drive etc...I think we may be broke soon Glad I got our tixs already!

 

[wjgoodman]

Sounds like you got your vacation nice and planned out to me hehe. i know what you me about the kids not sitting still, my girls just want to run around and do everything at once, and i must remind them we are in DL for 5 days.
I think im planning my trip right around the same time as yours, the weather should be pretty decent.

good luck with your vacation!

 

[stubby]

Wanted to give a brief update...
made our ressies for Tortilla Jo's. We are gonna eat there Friday night at 7 after Disneyland closes.

 

[stubby]

Have been stressing on the money situation...just bought new cells and now have a bill for that as well as a bill that came back to haunt me and my dd 5's kinder bill...so things are gonna be tighter. Was thinkin about takin a day off our trip...won't save a lot on tickets but on hotel and food we would save...and dh could go back to work instead of takin off which is costing us a small fortune. But I think we are just gonna have to be broke because we would have to give up Monday and since I thiink it will be the slowest day of our trip I am not willing to salvage it.
The trip is only 6 weeks 2 days away but feels so far off...and I know it's gonna sneak up on us fast. I just want it to get here already!!!

 

[stubby]

Just noticed the hours for our trip are all up now...looks like we will be doing our MM on Saturday after all. Was thinking of doing Sunday since I had heard it would be a 9 am opening but that does not look like the case so we will be gettin there early early Sat morning...here's hopin all the Gay Days people sleep in!

 

[stubby]

Getting so excited I can't stand it....and still over 5 weeks. Been working on planning out our days as best I can.

 

[stubby]

So I have been working on planning alot more(have a lot of down time at work). Here is my tentative schedule...let me know what you think...if it sounds ok...if it can be done(btw I know that spending the amount of hours we are in the park is gonna be killer but I think my family is up for it).

Fri-Leaving at 7:30 for the 5 hour drive. Hope to be in the park by no later than 2. Ride schedule below:
Indie(while dh rides this w/ dd 9 I will take dd7 and dd 5 on Jungle Cruise)
Indie(same set up only I take dd 7 and he takes dd9 and dd5)
Pirates
HM
Splash(if time)
Pooh(again if time)
Disneyland closes at 7 for the MHP and we have reservations at 7 for Tortilla Jo's.
After TJ's we are going to go back to DCA and try and ride a couple rides before the 11pm closing.

Sat-Magic Morning we plan to be at the park no later than 6:15
Here is the rides we hope to get in that day:
Nemo
Space
Matterhorn
Blab
Autopia
Teacups
Storybook Canal
Dumbo
Eat @ Village Haus
Casey Jr
Alice
Toad
Peter
Pinocchio
Snow
BTMRR
IASW
Gadget
Take DLRR to Tomorrowland
Space
BLAB
Eat @ Coke Corner
Pirates
HM
Splash
Pooh
BTMRR

Sun-Plan to be at park at 7:15
Pirates
Indie
HM
Splash
Matterhorn
Leave to DCA @ 10
GRR
Mullholland
Eat @ Pizza OOM MOW MW
jumpin
Mickey Wheel
Carousel
Fliks Flyers
LadyBug Boogie
Tuck N Roll
Heimlich
Monsters INc
TOT
Soarin
Back to DL
Eat @ Rancho Del Zocalo
Alice
Snow
Toad
BTMRR
Pirates
Space

MON-OUr last day be at the park @ 9:15
Pirates
HM
SPlash
eat @ River BElle
BTMRR
SPace
BLAB
Autopia
Matterhorn
Teacups
Toad
Peter
Indie
HM
Splash
Pooh
Eat @ Harbour Galley and Hungry Bear
Take DLRR t BLAB

So what do you think...can it be done?

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Wow... I do think it can be done... hmmm, some of the order of things I would change up... I am a firm believer in Peter Pan 1st, always 1st, as they say. So, on your MM day, I would probably do PP, then Nemo, Space, Matterhorn etc... and move Autopia till after MM is over for sure... which it might not be with only 4 rides done.

Our MM usually goes like this: PP, Dumbo, Alice, Toad, Pinocchio, Snow, Snow (always twice! its dd's favorite!), Teacups, Matterhorn, and by then MM is over (maybe 10 minutes over), and we FP Space and ride BLAB, then go back to Casey Jr, and IASW etc etc... Nemo isn't a priority of ours, did it once, and dd hasn't asked to do it again

In my experience the 3 lines that get long the quickest in Fantasyland are PP, Dumbo & Alice... I won't even include Storybookland boats, as it always seems to be open sporadically, and we will ride that one, but its line tends to be crazy too.

Your Sunday looks a lot like what we do... we skip the MM usually and go to DL from 8-10 and then DCA from 10-lunch, go back and take a nap, and then do DL after nap until 9 or so pm.

Isn't it sooo much fun to plan?

 

[stubby]

. I am a firm believer in Peter Pan 1st, always 1st, as they say. So, on your MM day, I would probably do PP, then Nemo, Space, Matterhorn etc... and move Autopia till after MM is over for sure... which it might not be with only 4 rides done.

Our MM usually goes like this: PP, Dumbo, Alice, Toad, Pinocchio, Snow, Snow (always twice! its dd's favorite!), Teacups, Matterhorn, and by then MM is over (maybe 10 minutes over), and we FP Space and ride BLAB, then go back to Casey Jr, and IASW etc etc... Nemo isn't a priority of ours, did it once, and dd hasn't asked to do it again

In my experience the 3 lines that get long the quickest in Fantasyland are PP, Dumbo & Alice... I won't even include Storybookland boats, as it always seems to be open sporadically, and we will ride that one, but its line tends to be crazy too.

Your Sunday looks a lot like what we do... we skip the MM usually and go to DL from 8-10 and then DCA from 10-lunch, go back and take a nap, and then do DL after nap until 9 or so pm.

Isn't it sooo much fun to plan?

We didn't get to do Nemo last trip since it was closed for reimagining. So that is why it is one of those have to do's...as was Pirates. Space, Indie, and Matterhorn did not get done because the kids were too little. And since these are all hubbys favs we put them first on the off chance something happens and they go down the rest of the trip. I know it don't happen often but it would be our luck.

Definately loving the planning. Not loving what the meal prices are looking like. I could eat at some nice places here for the price of a couple burgers there.

 

[stubby]

Well I found out that both Village House and Pizza Oom Mow Mow will be closed so I am changing Village House to Taste Pilots and Pizza to Red Rockett's which means I have to move things around but it works out. I wanted to try the loaded fries at Taste Pilots anyway.
Kids are talking about the trip constantly(well maybe not as much as me.) My one daughter said.."Mom the kids don't believe I am going." I was like well you can show them your stuff when you get back. Not sure why they don't believe her...I mean we live five hours away...not on the other side of the country or in Europe. Maybe people just don't take their kids????

 

[stubby]

Well down to 24 days left. Getting harder to control myself. Not much has changed since last update. Having some money trouble...a little worried about having to cut trip a day short..really don't want to.

Kids are counting down. Did manage to get 2 ponchos at the dollar tree...wish they had had 3 more. Now we are gonna have to try and stop at another one on the way there. But, I am so afraid it may rain while we are there. And even if it don't if it is cold and we ride GRR we will need them.

Gotta get jackets for my oldest and dh..she outgrew hers and he doesn't have one. Also need to pick up dramamine and aleve...and something for breakfast as we won't be eating that in the park.