First DLR Trip was magical! TR (3/09) Heading back for more magic! TR w/pics (4/10)

[TheTXTaylors5]

Day 3 (Monday)

This was to be our first time in the parks. Our plan was to get to DLP at rope drop. That didn't happen. We slept in and made DCA our first park of the day. There are many instances this trip where our itinerary went out the window. Being flexible helped make this trip a success.

The obligatory kids on the letters.

We casually walked through DTD (it took on a different vibe without the crowds) and arrived at the DCA turnstiles around 9:30 am (the park officially opened at 10 am). We bought our tickets online and handed the CM our pieces of paper. They in turn handed us our park tickets. It worked out great. They printed our tickets right at the turnstile. I'd read about getting into DCA early to ride Soarin'. It was up and running at 9:30 am with a pretty short line. I believe they have two rooms (unlike the one at Epcot). So, I am sure that makes the lines go faster too. They had both screens running that morning. We rode it as a family. This was DS3's first time on Soarin'. Let just say, we felt bad for the people around us. We were the people with the screaming three year old on Soarin'. Once again, sorry to the folks around us. We'll wait another year before we try and get him on it again. After Soarin', DH and DD6 went off to get in line for California Screamin'. To make up the "bad ride" (as he calls it now) to DS3, we visited with Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater. They were right across from Soarin' with NO LINE!!!! We have tried to catch them at DHS. But, the line is always too long. So, seeing them with no line was a nice treat.

DS8 and DS3

We walked over to Paradise Pier to meet back up with DH and DD6. We waited a few minutes and then DH came out with a pouty DD6. She got through the whole line and was about to board when a CM re-measured her. She was too short. We got her a card to re-ride when she is taller. I got a Rider Swap from the CM while DH got back in line to ride. Once he got back, I rode. It was so much fun. This is my favorite ride at DCA. The take-off is fun with all the people on the boardwalk watching you. It reminded me of RNR @ DHS. But, outside and with whimsical music.

DH getting ready to scream on California Screamin'

The water was still drained near Paradise Pier. The lake was a construction site. They had walls all along the way from PP to the mainland with a map of the renovations. We can't wait to see it completed. The water show is suppose to be up and running next year. It was described to us as part Fantasmic! (like at DHS) and part water show like at the Bellagio in Vegas. There are going to be pictures generated onto the water to tell stories. Looks pretty neat. Also, the other major change will be Carsland. The main focal point will be a car ride, kind of like Test Track @ Epcot. But, your car races the guest-filled car next to you. I can't wait to go back in 2011/2012 when it should be completed. My main questions is, where are they getting the land to do the project? Are they taking more precious parking spaces away near the Paradise Pier Hotel? The map was pretty vague of the size of the addition.

Grizzly River Rapids

We never got to ride GRR during our trip. On this day they were NOT offering FPs. Then later in the trip whey they DID offer FPs, it was down. Another ride to experience next time.

 

[thmar]

This is great...excited to read more. We'll be going in May with a 3 year old and 1 year old. Also I love the photos.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

A surprise pleasure at DCA was A Bug's Land. It was well themed and cool back there on the 80 degree day. Only problem I had with it was that ToT was in the background looming. We had fun on all the rides. It was very appropriate for DS3. But, I think DD6 had an even better time.

By this time, we were getting hungry. So, we made our way to Hollywood Pictures Backlot. DH, DD6 and DS3 all got a hot dogs from Award Wieners. While DS8 and I munched on a turkey sandwich and pineapple. That fresh pineapple was the best pineapple I have ever eaten. It was very refreshing. After lunch, we ventured over to Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! ride. This is a must ride for any Monster, Inc. fan. We all loved it. We meant to go back on another day and re-ride it. But, we ran out of time. This was another surprise "plus" for us at DCA. After, the ride we let the kids take pictures with the Wall-E cut-out that wasn't too far away.

We felt it was time to head out and back to the hotel and relax before an evening at DLP. Upon exiting, DH went to DLP to get FPs for Space Mountain and Indy for later that night. We met back up with him in the room.

After a rest, we decided to check out the hotel pool (Neverland Pool). Even though the temperature was high, the air still seemed chilly (weird). So, we were cold at first but got use to it. We played around for about an hour and a half. The pool was nice at first glance. But once we got in, it was just another pool. The pirate ship is just to look at and our children got bored on the slide after their second time down. Maybe, they are spoiled with a pool at home. Then, we went back up to get redressed for an evening at Disneyland park.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

The Disneyland Hotel's Crocs and Bites was under construction while we were there. So, dinner wasn't going to be a quick and easy thing every night. I only made two PS before arriving at DLR (Goofy's Kitchen and Blue Bayou). We didn't have a plan for dinner that night. So, we called to make a PS at Goofy's Kitchen (full), then for Rainforest Cafe (You have to call a separate phone number. No availability.).

Finally, we got a PS for Naples in DTD. I had read mixed reviews on this restaurant. The service was amazing. They even have a person that goes around and makes balloon animals for the children. However, the food was subpar. We started with the calamari appetizer. Personally, I found it to be undercooked. DH and I split a pizza. It was burnt on the bottom. But, still somewhat edible. Not the best pizza I've had. It definitely was NOT worth the steep price.

After dinner, we walked through DTD to the front gate of Disneyland park. This will be our first time walking down the "original" Main Street. I honestly had butterflies in my stomach as we went through the turnstiles. I've watched every single Disneyland special on tv. But, nothing prepared me for the true real-life beauty of Disneyland park.

 

[DangerMouse]

A surprise pleasure at DCA was A Bug's Land. It was well themed and cool back there on the 80 degree day. Only problem I had with it was that ToT was in the background looming.

On our segway tour of DCA this month, the CM tour guide explained to us that Bug's Land is intentionally themed to appear as though it is in the backyard of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Oh! It made much more sense to me after she said that.

 

[tinkermell]

Day 3
This was to be our first time in the parks. Our plan was to get to DLP at rope drop. That didn't happen. We slept in and made DCA our first park of the day. There are many instances this trip where our itinerary went out the window. Being flexible helped make this trip a success.

The obligatory kids on the letters.

Always a must!

We casually walked through DTD (it took on a different vibe without the crowds) and arrived at the DCA turnstiles around 9:30 am (the park officially opened at 10 am). We bought our tickets online and handed the CM our pieces of paper. They in turn handed us our park tickets. It worked out great. They printed our tickets right at the turnstile. I'd read about getting into DCA early to ride Soarin'. It was up and running at 9:30 am with a pretty short line. I believe they have two rooms (unlike the one at Epcot). So, I am sure that makes the lines go faster too. They had both screens running that morning. We rode it as a family. This was DS3's first time on Soarin'. Let just say, we felt bad for the people around us. We were the people with the screaming three year old on Soarin'. Once again, sorry to the folks around us. We'll wait another year before we try and get him on it again. After Soarin', DH and DD6 went off to get in line for California Screamin'. To make up the "bad ride" (as he calls it now) to DS3, we visited with Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater. They were right across from Soarin' with NO LINE!!!! We have tried to catch them at DHS. But, the line is always too long. So, seeing them with no line was a nice treat.

DS8 and DS3

We walked over to Paradise Pier to meet back up with DH and DD6. We waited a few minutes and then DH came out with a pouty DD6. She got through the whole line and was about to board when a CM re-measured her. She was too short. We got her a card to re-ride when she is taller. I got a Rider Swap from the CM while DH got back in line to ride. Once he got back, I rode. It was so much fun. This is my favorite ride at DCA. The take-off is fun with all the people on the boardwalk watching you. It reminded me of RNR @ DHS. But, outside and with whimsical music.

DH getting ready to scream on California Screamin'

The water was still drained near Paradise Pier. The lake was a construction site. They had walls all along the way from PP to the mainland with a map of the renovations. We can't wait to see it completed. The water show is suppose to be up and running next year. It was described to us as part Fantasmic! (like at DHS) and part water show like at the Bellagio in Vegas. There are going to be pictures generated onto the water to tell stories. Looks pretty neat. Also, the other major change will be Carsland. The main focal point will be a car ride, kind of like Test Track @ Epcot. But, your car races the guest-filled car next to you. I can't wait to go back in 2011/2012 when it should be completed. My main questions is, where are they getting the land to do the project? Are they taking more precious parking spaces away near the Paradise Pier Hotel? The map was pretty vague of the size of the addition.

THey are taking out the Timon Parking Lot behind the park, for this addition!

After dinner, we walked through DTD to the front gate of Disneyland park. This will be our first time walking down the "original" Main Street. I honestly had butterflies in my stomach as we went through the turnstiles. I've watched every single Disneyland special on tv. But, nothing prepared me for the true real-life beauty of Disneyland park.

How sweet!

I'm loving your report. All the pictures are great!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

We entered Main Street around 7 PM. It was dark enough to see the light on in the Fire Station. I know most DISers know the significance of the light. I wonder how many other park goers know? Many people were bustling in and out of the park walking quickly past the Fire Station. We stopped and had a moment in front of the Fire Station to thank Walt. We've had numerous wonderful vacations at WDW and on DCL. DH has a very high-stress IT job. So, truly escaping "the real world" within the Disney walls makes for a great stress reliever. We don't watch the news while on vacation and DH doesn't check his work email. The laptop stays home. This is our family time. Walking through the turnstile, DH and I revert to being kids again and have good wholesome fun with our children. I know we are creating wonderful memories for our children. DS3 said Mickey not too long after he said Mama. That's a life-long Disney fan in the making.

Sorry my camera takes awful night shots.

Some daytime Fire Station pictures:

Seeing Sleeping Beauty Castle for the first time, I was in awe. It was beautifully lit up. Walking down Main Street was surreal. All the planning had finally come to fruition. I was really at Disneyland. Before our trip, I read numerous posts from MK vets going to DLP and trying to compare the two parks. You just can't. This is the "original park". DH and I both felt the castle fit the park perfectly. We weren't disappointed at all.
Some daytime DLP pictures:

Our first mission was The Matterhorn Bobsleds. After the Soarin' fiasco with DS3 earlier in the day, we didn't force him on the ride. So, DH took DD6 (our no-fear child) while I went to ride Buzz with DS8 and DS3. This was our first of seven rides on Buzz during the trip. It was DS3's favorite ride at DLR. He could have ridden it over and over if you let him. It was his first and last ride at DLP. We met back up with DH. So, I could ride The Matterhorn too. DD6 looked like she had been crying. DH said she cried through the whole ride. He said as soon as you go up the hill you hear a loud roar and that is when she started to freak out. This is a girl who has been on Expedition Everest at DAK four times. DH said there are a few more Yeti's on The Matterhorn (three to the one on EE). I guess our family must be the only family in the states that doesn't like The Matterhorn. DH said he didn't like it either. I didn't get to ride it this trip. We ran out of time. There's always next time.

We all got into line and rode Buzz together. I love that you can take the laser-gun off the car. It's easier to maneuver and shoot than the one at MK.

We needed to get as far away as possible from the mountain. So, we headed towards Indiana Jones Adventure. We made a pit-stop and got some FPs for BTMRR. After that, we made our way through the crowds into Adventureland. We passed right by the Dole Whip stand. But, the line was too long. That is a staple in my WDW diet. DH and DS8 rode Indy with the earlier obtained FP and I got a Rider Swap. The Rider Swap tickets are different than the ones at WDW. The DLR ones are a square piece of paper with the ride logo on it. Also, they have a recommendation to do with the non-riding child. Like the Indy one recommended enjoying the Enchanted Tiki Room. It's a great idea to offer a suggestion. DD6 and DS3 just played with the pretend snakes and toys at the shop nearby. I got to ride with DS8 when they were through. The queue for this ride is fascinating. DS8 was acting like my guide and showing me what he had seen during his first trip through. This ride is 100% better than Dinosaur at DAK. They both have the same ride-vehicle. But, Indy utilizes it better and the story-line is better. Pretty cool ride. I'm glad we rode it when we did. It was down the next night.

After Indy, we made our way back to BTMRR. By this time it was almost time for the fireworks (9:25 PM). DD6 and I got into line to ride. DH took the boys to find a place nearbly to watch the fireworks. When we made it up to the loading platform the fireworks started. We hopped into a car and watched the fireworks from the ride. DH and DS8 had done this at MK before. Now, we got to experience it too. It was so cool being that close to the fireworks. You could see where they shoot them out.

After the fireworks, DS8 said he wanted to ride Haunted Mansion. So, we made our way to New Orleans Square. DH and DS8 went to ride. While I walked around with DD6 and DS3 (who was asleep in the stroller). I found a nice little plaza across from the HM with plenty of empty benches and a waterfountain. It was off the beaten path. A nice peaceful place to sit at the end of a park-filled day.

We decided to skip Space Mountain with our FPs this night. Good thing, I later found out it was down that night. We were tired and needed to get the kids in bed. Tomorrow was a Magical Morning. We slowly made our way down Main Street. One last nod to the light on in the Fire Station. Good night Walt!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Day 4 (Tuesday)

Soon to come ... Magical Morning at Disneyland park, lunch riverside at the Blue Bayou, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain and special FastPass ticket. Oh my!

 

[pmama]

Great start. I agree that is a brilliant idea to print ideas on the child swap cards. That would really come in handy, especially for first time visitors. Sounds like my 5 yo would be just as scared on the Matterhorn. She loves thrill rides but not rides that scare.

 

[javamoma]

We entered Main Street around 7 PM. It was dark enough to see the light on in the Fire Station. I know most DISers know the significance of the light. I wonder how many other park goers know? Many people were bustling in and out of the park walking quickly past the Fire Station. We stopped and had a moment in front of the Fire Station to thank Walt. We've had numerous wonderful vacations at WDW and on DCL. DH has a very high-stress IT job. So, truly escaping "the real world" within the Disney walls makes for a great stress reliever. We don't watch the news while on vacation and DH doesn't check his work email. The laptop stays home. This is our family time. Walking through the turnstile, DH and I revert to being kids again and have good wholesome fun with our children. I know we are creating wonderful memories for our children. DS3 said Mickey not too long after he said Mama. That's a life-long Disney fan in the making.

Sorry my camera takes awful night shots.

Some daytime Fire Station pictures:

Seeing Sleeping Beauty Castle for the first time, I was in awe. It was beautifully lit up. Walking down Main Street was surreal. All the planning had finally come to fruition. I was really at Disneyland. Before our trip, I read numerous posts from MK vets going to DLP and trying to compare the two parks. You just can't. This is the "original park". DH and I both felt the castle fit the park perfectly. We weren't disappointed at all.
Some daytime DLP pictures:

Our first mission was The Matterhorn Bobsleds. After the Soarin' fiasco with DS3 earlier in the day, we didn't force him on the ride. So, DH took DD6 (our no-fear child) while I went to ride Buzz with DS8 and DS3. This was our first of seven rides on Buzz during the trip. It was DS3's favorite ride at DLR. He could have ridden it over and over if you let him. It was his first and last ride at DLP. We met back up with DH. So, I could ride The Matterhorn too. DD6 looked like she had been crying. DH said she cried through the whole ride. He said as soon as you go up the hill you hear a loud roar and that is when she started to freak out. This is a girl who has been on Expedition Everest at DAK four times. DH said there are a few more Yeti's on The Matterhorn (three to the one on EE). I guess our family must be the only family in the states that doesn't like The Matterhorn. DH said he didn't like it either. I didn't get to ride it this trip. We ran out of time. There's always next time.

We all got into line and rode Buzz together. I love that you can take the laser-gun off the car. It's easier to maneuver and shoot than the one at MK.

We needed to get as far away as possible from the mountain. So, we headed towards Indiana Jones Adventure. We made a pit-stop and got some FPs for BTMRR. After that, we made our way through the crowds into Adventureland. We passed right by the Dole Whip stand. But, the line was too long. That is a staple in my WDW diet. We noticed the Jungle Cruise had no wait (it is right near Indy). So, we hopped onto a boat. Our Skipper was a hoot! Then, we made our way next door to Indy. DH and DS8 rode with the earlier obtained FP and I got a Rider Swap. The Rider Swap tickets are different than the ones at WDW. The DLR ones are a square piece of paper with the ride logo on it. Also, they have a recommendation to do with the non-riding child. Like the Indy one recommended enjoying the Enchanted Tiki Room. It's a great idea to offer a suggestion. DD6 and DS3 just played with the pretend snakes and toys at the shop nearby. I got to ride with DS8 when they were through. The queue for this ride is fascinating. DS8 was acting like my guide and showing me what he had seen during his first trip through. This ride is 100% better than Dinosaur at DAK. They both have the same ride-vehicle. But, Indy utilizes it better and the story-line is better. Pretty cool ride. I'm glad we rode it when we did. It was down the next night.

After Indy, we made our way back to BTMRR. By this time it was almost time for the fireworks (9:25 PM). DD6 and I got into line to ride. DH took the boys to find a place nearbly to watch the fireworks. When we made it up to the loading platform the fireworks started. We hopped into a car and watched the fireworks from the ride. DH and DS8 had done this at MK before. Now, we got to experience it too. It was so cool being that close to the fireworks. You could see where they shoot them out.

After the fireworks, DS8 said he wanted to ride Haunted Mansion. So, we made our way to New Orleans Square. DH and DS8 went to ride. While I walked around with DD6 and DS3 (who was asleep in the stroller). I found a nice little plaza across from the HM benches and a waterfountain. It was off the beaten path. A nice peaceful place to sit at the end of a park-filled day.

We decided to skip Space Mountain with our FPs this night. Good thing, I later found out it was down that night. We were tired and needed to get the kids in bed. Tomorrow was a Magical Morning. So, we slowly made our way out of the park with one last nod to the lamp in the Fire Station. Good night Uncle Walt!

I got a little teary eyed on the first part of that last post!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Day 4 (Tuesday)

A Magical Morning was offered at DLP this day from 8 am - 9 am. So, "our plan" was to get up around 6:30 am and get to the front gate by 7:30/7:45. This was not going to happen. No one was budging that morning. I guess the time difference had a negative effect on the family. However, I was up and ready to go. So, I told DH I would go, get FPs for later (I misunderstood and DID experience some problems obtaining the others' FPs. Two kind CMs helped me out. More on that below.) and meet back up with him before our 11:30 am PS @ Blue Bayou for lunch. So, I let them all sleep in.

I stepped out of the DLH around 8 am. I planned to just hop on the monorail since it was so close to the hotel. I waited in line for about two minutes when one of the CMs tells everyone they'd be better off just walking since it was experiencing difficulties. So, the mass of people left the line and started to walk through DTD. Luckily, I approached the CM and kindly asked her opinion on how long it would "really" be? She said hold on and within a minute told me and the one other family that stuck around that people could start loading again. Sometimes, it pays to be patient.


The monorail ride to Tomorrowland has views you can't get elsewhere ...

It was kind of nice to be on my own without the family in the park (even for just a couple of hours). I could soak in the park without someone asking for this or that. Also, I could stop and take a million pictures if I wanted without a family huffing and puffing that I take too many pictures. My first stop was Space Mountain. They don't offer FPs until the park "officially" opens. So, I hopped in the fairly short line. SM was amazing. I had fun hooting and hollaring around every bend. It was a really neat ride and a true Disney gem. After SM, I still had some time before I could get the FPs. So, I rode Buzz and Star Tours. I have ridden ST @ DHS numerous times. It felt like the same ride. By this time, it was around 9 am. So, I got into a long line to get SM FPs. I honestly have never seen a line so long to get just FPs (Except for Toy Story Mania @ DHS. That line can get long first thing in the morning too.) When I approached the FP machines, only one of my tickets worked. I guess since the others didn't get theirs scanned that morning, they were invalid. When a CM saw that I was having difficulty, he asked how many FPs I needed and handed me over some pre-printed ones. That was VERY nice of him. Next, I tried to get Buzz FPs, it was right near SM. Honestly, I thought I might have another problem. But, thought I would give it a shot anyway. There was a CM there that saw me having difficulty and ended up giving me five (5) special FP cards. They work like a regular park ticket on getting FPs, but they are only good for FPs. He said it would only be valid on that day. Now, I know for next time to get everyone out of bed with me to obtain FPs first thing in the morning. I did venture back to ToonTown to see if the Roger Rabbit ride was still not linked to the other FP machines and it wasn't thumbsup2 Thanks to the advice from some DISers!). So, I was able to get five FP right after I got the Buzz ones. After that, I walked around the park a little to take some pictures before I was able to obtain another FP. Next, I got BTMRR FPs and casually walked towards Critter Country to get Splash ones. I still had some time before I could obtain the Splash FPs and there was no line for Winnie the Pooh. So, I hopped on it. It was really cute. However, it is so far removed from everything else. I'm curious how many people really head back there?

We thoroughly walked around the park the night before and found the entrance to Club 33 . But, it was too dark. So, I didn't take too many pictures. Here's one from the next day. It really isn't "hidden" too well. It is located right next to the most popular restaurant at the Disneyland park.

I made my way back to get a few more FPs for Buzz and then hopped onto the train to the front entrance to meet the family. I got to ride in the caboose of the train. That was a neat experience. However, a little warm. The window only open so far and by this time the sun was completely up and shining brightly. The weather this week was amazing (high 70's/low 80's and the lows were in the high 50's).

I met back up with the family with the following FASTPASSes in hand:
(3) Space Mountain
(3) Splash Mountain
(2) BTMRR
(10) Buzz
(5) Roger Rabbit

As a family, we casually walked down Main Street soaking up the atmosphere. We took off from the hub into Adventureland (to short-cut to New Orlean Square for our BB lunch). We saw there was no wait for the Jungle Cruise. So, we hopped onboard a boat. We had some time before checking in for lunch. Our Skipper was a hoot and his one-liners did NOT go over the heads of the guests onboard! It makes the ride more fun when you have people onboard heckling and laughing at the Skipper. There are added touches and scenes that were new to us after having ridden the one at MK. I'm glad we rode it. We all like it!

It was a fun and relaxing way to start our day as a family.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

New Orleans Square

We checked into the Blue Bayou about ten minutes before our 11:30 am PS time. DH inquired about a riverside table. But, he was not promised anything. We sat down in the front area to wait and no sooner our butts hit the couch, they called our name. The CM walked us towards a riverside table. Yea!!!! It was so dark in there. At first I thought it might freak DS3. But, he was fine. I was surprised the three kids were very well behaved at lunch. What have you done with my "real" children?

I don't know how far back y'all read in my Pre-Trip Report. But, initially we were suppose to visit DLR this June for DH's Surprise 40th Birthday Celebration. Somehow, DH got the bright idea to go "somewhere" during DD6's Spring Break and DLR was on the top of that list. So, all our June DLR plans were scrapped for a June WDW Birthday trip. It's still Disney, but doesn't include all the wonderful side trip I initially planned (San Diego and Las Vegas). I planned to dine at the Blue Bayou for DH's birthday lunch/dinner. So, I turned this into his birthday lunch (just a few months early. ) We dined on their signature Monte Cristo sandwiches. They were so rich and filling. But, oh so good. I ended up sharing mine with DS8 who didn't like his lunch (pasta with grilled chicken). The children's menu here was very lacking. My recommendation, if you plan to get the sandwich SHARE IT!!! They are so big. Definitely enough for two people. It also came with a salad and side dish. We were stuffed and didn't order dessert. But, when I made the PS I noted it was DH's birthday lunch. So, our server came out with a bowl of chocolate mousse with a candle on it and a birthday card. She was very nice and DH truly appreciated it. She also noticed DH wasn't wearing a birthday button and brought him one too. This was a fantastic lunch from beginning to end. The service was amazing and the food really tasty.

With our riverfront table, we could see the boats from PoTC pass by. It made us want to ride Pirates of the Caribbean. So, as soon as we were done with lunch we made a bee-line for the entrance. I can't tell you enough how much we loved this ride. There are added scenes not at the MK version and knowing that Walt had a hand in it made the ride even more special. Five thumbs up from the Taylors on this ride.

One thing you will notice in today's photos, we are all wearing green. A few years ago I bought DISgreen Disney shirts for the family. So, we could keep track of our kids in the parks. They are put away and only come out for Disney trips. I laid out the children's clothes that morning before I headed to DLP for MM. So, we all matched for the day. I totally forgot today was St. Patrick's Day. So, the majority of people that day had on green too. So much for standing out.

 

[pmama]

Wow, you did an amazing job collecting FPs. I'm confused now. I thought the cards had to be activated at the turnstiles in order to be issued a FP. I was thinking perhaps that is why you were having problems. But then you were able to get more FPs. So, do the cards not have to be activated at the turnstiles?

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Wow, you did an amazing job collecting FPs. I'm confused now. I thought the cards had to be activated at the turnstiles in order to be issued a FP. I was thinking perhaps that is why you were having problems. But then you were able to get more FPs. So, do the cards not have to be activated at the turnstiles?

You are correct, the tickets DO need to activated to obtain FPs. That is why I was having problems. Luckily, a nice CM gave me some special cards to obtain FPs for the rest of my family. He didn't ask too many questions. However, I wouldn't expect others to get the same treatment. I honestly think I got VERY lucky.

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

After PoTC, we headed to Splash Moutain to ride w/FPs. No one but DH wanted to ride and the single rider line was shorter than FP line. So, off he went. I hung out with the kids out front to catch a glimpse of DH coming down the big fall. With his loud green shirt. I picked him out without a problem. We didn't use the FPs. So, we passed on the magic and handed them to some people passing by. The stand-by line was about 60 minutes by this time. So, they were very gracious. One thing I noticed at DLP is that a lot of the ride queues are outside. Luckily, we had beautiful weather. What happens when it rains? Are the rides shut down?

It's A Small World went through a recent refurbishment adding some well-know Disney characters. We were excited to see the new and improved ride. It was like a look and find ride. "Find the Disney characters" At first it was fun, but after awhile it distracted me from the real ride. Personally, I like the original version we visited at MK better.

We saw the entrance to Mickey's ToonTown right next to IASW. So off we headed to find Mickey and have some fun. Our first stop was to ride Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin with the earlier obtained FPs. Good thing we ate more than an hour earlier. This ride was jerky and not very fun for our lot. I don't recommend this for small children. It may give them whiplash.

Mickey's ToonTown was a nice break from the regular hustle and bustle of the park. It is secluded in the back of the park. We let the kids (BIG and little) run wild in there. They were opening doors and playing around. This was a big hit with our kids. We found Mickey's house and casually walked through. At the end (if you're willing to wait) is a Meet and Greet with the big cheese himself. We waited for about 20 minutes and were lead into a smaller room for a private meeting with Mickey. This is the only line we waited in to meet a character. At WDW we do character meals to kill two birds with one stone (meet the characters and the kids get fed). However at DLR, I was surprised they didn't offer a character meal that included Mickey.

Mickey's House

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

More exploring in ToonTown ...

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

Coming soon ... Space Mountain, more Buzz, dinner at the Rainforest Cafe and watching the fireworks from our room.

 

[magicallyDisney001]

Looks great so far! I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of your TR!

 

[pmama]

I'm surprised by Mickey's attire. I'd expect him to be in his normal get-up right there in Toon Town.

Love how you're presenting the pictures. Great idea.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

I'm surprised by Mickey's attire. I'd expect him to be in his normal get-up right there in Toon Town.

There's actually 3 different Mickeys that you can meet at his house (they rotate them, but I'm not sure of the rotation schedule): Sorcerer, Steamboat, and Classic (which is the normal outfit).

Lovin' the TR!