First DL trip for DS was a success!

[LavenderPeach]

Yeah! DS3 had a good time yesterday at DLR. We weren't sure how he would do since he tends to be reluctant about new things but he did great! Our whole plan to ride Heimlich's Chew Chew train first went right out the window. We found ourselves drawn towards DL first and so we ended up doing Autopia as DS's first ride! lol I think he liked it but he can't really talk yet and i think he was so mesmorized by everything that he didn't really show much of a reaction. We then went on the Casey Jr. Train which he seemed to like too. Flik's Flyers at DCA got a bit more of a reaction and then in the evening we went on Dumbo and he was smiling and laughing the whole time! He actually got a bit upset when we had to get off! We weren't expecting to have that problem. We were actually pretty excited that he reacted this way because then we knew he liked it! So we went on it again right away (thankfully the line was pretty short). We also ended up taking him on a few dark rides and he liked those too.

Other experiences while at the parks:

-The Christmas tree is up and decorated and was lit up and the castle looks amazing.
-Yes, the pomme frites are yummy and so are the corn dogs (as you can see we ate really healthy yesterday!) Oh and I also got to try a yummy mickey beigne because they saw my b-day button and brought one over with a candle on top.
- We were able to walk right into Cafe Orleans with no PS. It was just a few minutes before noon and there was hardly anyone there yet so we got a table next to the edge where we not only had a good view of NOS but also of Jack Sparrow when he came out.
-The CMs in the first aid stations at both parks were so nice. DS has a brace for scoliosis and so we need more room for diaper changes than the typical changing table allows for since we have to take the brace off and lay him down to put it back on, etc. Going to the First Aid station was a tip i got off these boards and that was such a big help.
-The sun on the sunwheel is still there but there is scaffolding covering most of the ride and the lake is of course mostly drained so it looked kind of sad.
-Tried to get a picture of DH with CS behind him so that it looks like the mouse ears are coming out of his head (like the photopass people do). I got an okay shot but there were tree branches in the way so it didn't come out as good as i hoped.
-Oh and i saw no LGMHs although i was mostly looking at DS so I wasn't looking at anyone else too much. I did see one lady with mickey ears on her head that were lime green. Maybe she turned herself into a LGMH!

Anyway, just had to share our successful trip with everyone.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

I'm so glad you guys had a good time!

How long have you lived in Southern CA?

 

[Canyon girl]

I am so HAPPY for you!!! I know that must have been hard, but I am glad you had a good time. Each time will be easier.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I'm so glad you guys had a good time!

How long have you lived in Southern CA?

Thanks! We've lived down here for about 12 years. DH and I used to go to DL every couple of years and then we got APs about 5-6 years ago. DS3 has had a ton of medical issues so we haven't been able to go to DL (or anywhere else) for awhile. We finally have some more freedom to go do things now that DS is doing so well medically.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Sounds like a fun 1st trip for your DS! I'm glad it was a good day for your family! Happy B~day to you!

 

[LavenderPeach]

Thanks Canyon girl! We were so happy to see that DS was actually enjoying himself instead of telling us he was "done" with everything. He even let us put the paper pirate hat/kids menu on his head to take a few pictures while we were eating at Cafe Orleans! He usually doesn't let us do things like that and he tends to be a bit of a fuddy-duddy sometimes. Not trying to call him names but that really is the best way to describe how he sometimes reacts to things.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Thanks! We've lived down here for about 12 years. DH and I used to go to DL every couple of years and then we got APs about 5-6 years ago. DS3 has had a ton of medical issues so we haven't been able to go to DL (or anywhere else) for awhile. We finally have some more freedom to go do things now that DS is doing so well medically.

That makes it all the more special! Do you think you'll take him again sometime soon? He never got to ride Heimlichs, right?

 

[Sherry E]

I'm proud of you, Peach! It sounds like you resisted the force (despite my evil influences!)! You fought off the Great Snowball. I didn't see anything about having PhotoPass pictures taken in your first post, so I assume you stayed strong for us all and didn't succumb to the diabolical forces??

I did one of those 'Mickey ears' pictures of my friend with an almost-dead camera. and mine looked somewhat like she has the ears in the appropriate place on her head. When she tried to take the same picture of me, it just looked like I had a whole mouse head coming out of my own head, rather than only the ears! It was like a weird science fiction experiment gone haywire!

I am so glad to hear the trip was a great success! And...keep...fighting...the...Snowball... Don't...give...in....

 

[LavenderPeach]

Yes, Sherry, I did it! I resisted the snowball! I kept seeing photopass people everywhere but DS was in the stroller or sleeping or there was a line, etc. so it just never seemed to work out. We did, however, stop at Mickey's house and so we got the PP card there with 2 pictures on it. So, i suppose that snowball could be waiting around the corner for me if i'm not careful. Afterall, i will be going back within 30 days and I already have an account now.

The problem i was having with the mickey ears picture was first we were too close so you could see the head part and not just the ears poking out and then when we got far enough away for the illusion to be right, that darn tree branch was in the way! There might have been a clear shot a little to the left of where we took it but there was a Christmas tree right there blocking the view! Now, normally i love Christmas trees but this one had me a little irked.

 

[LavenderPeach]

That makes it all the more special! Do you think you'll take him again sometime soon? He never got to ride Heimlichs, right?

We got APs so we'll be going back as much as we can during this next year. And we did ride Heimlichs but it was later in the day after we had already been on several other rides. We also did the little bumper cars in bug's land and in FL we did snow white and pinnocchio. Oh and we went on the big DL train.

 

[kc10family]

Congratulations, good to hear things went well.

 

[Disney Wishes]

Oh my gosh, I was right there near the nos resturant you ate at, at the same time as you! I even saw jack come out and thought about getting a picture. So close yet so far from meeting another Dis. We decided to eat at another place though. We only came to renew our passes and eat lunch. I had to go home and pick the kids up from school. So it was a mad dash to go home and hide all evidence that I went there without them. We will be going on Sunday to surprise them with the passes.

 

[Sherry E]

We got APs so we'll be going back as much as we can during this next year. And we did ride Heimlichs but it was later in the day after we had already been on several other rides. We also did the little bumper cars in bug's land and in FL we did snow white and pinnocchio. Oh and we went on the big DL train.

Did you smell the watermelon and the animal crackers on Heimlich's Chew Chew train? I want to ride it just for that reason!

 

[Sherry E]

Yes, Sherry, I did it! I resisted the snowball! I kept seeing photopass people everywhere but DS was in the stroller or sleeping or there was a line, etc. so it just never seemed to work out. We did, however, stop at Mickey's house and so we got the PP card there with 2 pictures on it. So, i suppose that snowball could be waiting around the corner for me if i'm not careful. Afterall, i will be going back within 30 days and I already have an account now.

The problem i was having with the mickey ears picture was first we were too close so you could see the head part and not just the ears poking out and then when we got far enough away for the illusion to be right, that darn tree branch was in the way! There might have been a clear shot a little to the left of where we took it but there was a Christmas tree right there blocking the view! Now, normally i love Christmas trees but this one had me a little irked.

Oh, is the picture with Mickey in his house in ToonTown a PhotoPass picture that they scan to the card? I thought it was, but was not certain! Yes, there is still time for you to give in to the Snowball! Just think of alllll those photos you could get on the PhotoPass card!

I am trying to recall where we were standing when we attempted taking the 'ears' shots without the PP photographers. I think we were over near Ariel's somewhere. There were some shops there and Ariel's was just down the bridge a little. I noticed that over in the "PhotoPass Pictures...The Cheesier, the Better" thread, someone got a perfect 'ears' photo taken by a PP person, but I think they were in a slightly different location than we were. The PP people must know exactly where to stand where they can get a clear shot of the ears without any obstructions like pesky Christmas trees!

And it will look very weird to me with all the water drained from the bay/lake area. I got used to it being there!

 

[LavenderPeach]

Thanks kc10family!

Disney Wishes, I can't believe you were right there at the same time as us! How funny! Like you said, so close yet so far. Sounds like your kids are in for a great surprise this weekend.

Sherry, I did smell the animal crackers but i didn't smell watermelon. Maybe i just wasn't facing the right way or breathing in at the right time. I was actually excited to go on Heimlichs because i had never been on it before. It's pretty cute. You should try it next time you're there. If you had to wait at all then i would say it wouldn't be worth it for you to try but there was zero wait for it when we went.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks kc10family!

Disney Wishes, I can't believe you were right there at the same time as us! How funny! Like you said, so close yet so far. Sounds like your kids are in for a great surprise this weekend.

Sherry, I did smell the animal crackers but i didn't smell watermelon. Maybe i just wasn't facing the right way or breathing in at the right time. I was actually excited to go on Heimlichs because i had never been on it before. It's pretty cute. You should try it next time you're there. If you had to wait at all then i would say it wouldn't be worth it for you to try but there was zero wait for it when we went.

There are a lot of things we will go on if there is NO wait at all, and others we will hit if the wait is short. And then there are the MUSTs that we do whether there is a line or not. I can see Heimlich would be an 'only if there is no line' ride!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

NO watermelon????

When you go through the watermelon, you get sprinkled with water, and that's when you should smell it.

 

[LavenderPeach]

NO watermelon????

When you go through the watermelon, you get sprinkled with water, and that's when you should smell it.

Maybe i didn't smell it because i was too busy trying to shield DS from getting water on him. lol DS does not particularly like getting wet so i was probably too worried about his reaction to notice the watermelon smell!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I've been wondering all day at work how it went yesterday! I'm glad you were even able to go on some dark rides. Snow White is a little scary so I'm surprised. You should try Winnie the Pooh next time. Did he take his picture for the AP? What time did you leave?

 

[LavenderPeach]

I've been wondering all day at work how it went yesterday! I'm glad you were even able to go on some dark rides. Snow White is a little scary so I'm surprised. You should try Winnie the Pooh next time. Did he take his picture for the AP? What time did you leave?

I know, Snow White isn't the ride i thought we would be doing. I don't think DS understands that it is scary. We kept pointing out the apple to him (since that's one of his favorite words to say) and were talking to him about everything in an upbeat, non-scary way just in case he thought it was scary but he didn't seem to. We were going to do Winnie the Pooh but for some reason didn't make it over there and then we wanted to leave before the mass exit happened at 8.

He did take his picture for the AP but i had to hold him (you can't see me in the pic) because he wouldn't stand still.

We got to the parking lot around 9:30am but then had to wait for the tram, wait to get our tickets, wait to get in, wait for a stroller so it was probably 10:30 before we could actually look at anything and then we stayed until about 7. We're not used to staying for so long and doing so little so we're already itching to go back.