Guess What Kids? They planned our first trip to DLR and LA - Wow, what a trip! Update

[mumto2]

Can't wait to hear all about it!

We had some great pixie dust and only a little drama

sooo excited about your trip report....I love seeing everyone's photos!!

I am no professional photographer, but I think the pics I got capture the trip nicely. And there are some great photopass shots

So glad you had a great trip. Can't wait to read your TR and see your pictures.

Your TR really helped add magic to our trip - THANK YOU!

I'm loving how you had your kids plan this. What a great idea! I am going to need to keep it in mind for the future, since my guys are only 4 and 6 right now. Give them a few years and I think we have a great homeschooling project!

It was a great experience - I even learned to let go a bit, and I am so glad I did!

Wow, you're already back? Where did the time go? Glad you had a wonderful time and I can't wait to read all about it.

Stay tuned for Disney magic

 

[mumto2]

The Saturday before our trip started out like any other – kids sports activities, errands, grocery shopping. It was a warm, sunny day and we were enjoying it.

So, errands done, we went to the movies – DS and I joined the rest of his class at the Lego Movie while DD and DH saw The Hobbit. With time to kill after Lego Movie let out, I checked out my Facebook Newsfeed. And started to get very nervous.

We live in an area that rarely sees winter weather, but when it does hit, it can hit hard. Our local meteorologists are notoriously vague until usually about 24 hours before anything hits. We had been spared the wrath of the winter storm the week before that had school kids spending the night at school in Atlanta. And yet, here I was, sitting in 65 degree sunshine, seeing post after post about a large storm that was bearing down on us. Some forecasters were calling for 8-12 inches! Plus ice. And no one was being vague about it. Some were even calling it the biggest storm in over a couple of decades.

By the time The Hobbit let out, I was in a bit of a panic. I told the kids we needed to consider options. We were scheduled to fly out Wednesday, but the storm was due to hit Tuesday. If we couldn’t get out Wednesday, we could change our plans to leave Thursday morning, but any later than that and we would have to cancel the trip. If we cancelled, I wasn’t sure when we could reschedule because while I was pretty sure Southwest would work with us, I had purchased non-refundable tickets to DLR and several other attractions, and we would lose at least our deposit on the various hotel bookings. The kids were good sports about it, but I could tell they were disappointed.

By Sunday night, we were preparing for the worst. We had our generator ready to go, batteries and heaters were checked, and food and water was stocked. We agreed that Monday was our go / no-go decision time, but we weren’t expecting to be able to get out. The forecast had changed only slightly – and not for the better. They were now calling for ice first, then snow, and then more ice. And it could start as early as the wee hours of Tuesday morning and last until well into Thursday.

I went to work Monday dreading having to pull the plug on this trip that the kids had worked so hard to plan and we had all looked forward to so much. When I got to work, all my co-workers were asking what we were going to do and looking at me with sad eyes. I called Southwest to see what my options were. While the rep was very sympathetic, since no advisory had been issued, I would be required to pay the difference in fares for any changes I made. For three tickets that was going to be almost $1,000, which was out of the question. I decided to let it ride.

American issued an advisory around lunch, and then a couple of hours later, so did Delta. Still nothing from SWA. Late Monday afternoon, I went to their Facebook page and there were many frantic comments by people who were already stuck at an airport. I posted on their page asking what their advisory policy was. I received a message from them telling me that they had just issued one for my airport, so I called customer service. It wasn’t on the website yet, but when I told the rep I had gotten a FB message, she put me on hold to talk to her manager. I was thrilled when she came back and told me she was authorized to change my itinerary, even though the advisory wasn’t live yet.

Meanwhile, the forecast had revised slightly and the system would start with rain changing to sleet by daybreak Tuesday morning. I took a chance and got us on the first flight of the day. I found out later that it was the last one to leave our airport on time all day, and that by Tuesday afternoon, flights were cancelled.

The next several hours passed in a blur – I worked late to get things cleaned off my desk, sent DH to the store for travel snacks and sunblock while the masses bought bread and milk, finished our last minute packing and made arrangements with the car service to pick us up at LAX a day early. And, since there were no more winter discount rooms available for Tuesday night at Paradise Pier, I got a room instead at DLH for the same price as a PPH rack rate.

I fell into bed around midnight, knowing that sleep would be hard to find that night as I hoped that the rain held and didn’t start freezing earlier than expected.

Tuesday morning, we were all up early and were thrilled to see that the roads were wet, but clear. We left the house in the dark with a blend of rain, sleet and the occasional flake hitting the windshield.

 

[jedijill]

Just found this today. I love how you got your kids to plan the trip. My parents did the same thing when I was a kid and now they've created a monster!

How scary to start with Snowmagedden! Glad you were able to switch your flights and make it out at the last minute!

Jill in CO

 

[Thumper_Man]

Just found this today. I love how you got your kids to plan the trip. My parents did the same thing when I was a kid and now they've created a monster!

How scary to start with Snowmagedden! Glad you were able to switch your flights and make it out at the last minute!

Jill in CO

If I didn't know better, I would say you're stalking me.

 

[luulu1999]

WOW!! That was cutting it close!!! Glad you got to get out before it got bad!!!

 

[jedijill]

If I didn't know better, I would say you're stalking me.

Not me!

Jill in CO

 

[mumto2]

WOW!! That was cutting it close!!! Glad you got to get out before it got bad!!!

We were very, very lucky. Based on how bad it got and travel horror stories on the local news, I am convinced that if we hadn't gotten the last three seats on the Tuesday morning flight, the trip would not have happened.

 

[mumto2]

The drive to the airport was slow-going, but uneventful. DH dropped us off at the door with the luggage and then went to park. I showed DS how to check us in at the counter, and he was very proud of himself for entering our confirmation number and baggage count. The agent played right along, asking him how many people were in his party and confirming LAX was our final destination. I asked about DD’s wheelchair and having it available for our plane change in Houston, and she put a tag on it and told me to get a blue sleeve for pre-boarding at the gate.

By this time, DH had rejoined us, so we went up to the lounge area overlooking the runway and were shocked at how many flights were already delayed on the monitors. After a coffee and restroom breaks, it was time for the three of us to say one more goodbye to DH and go through security. I had visited TSA.gov over the weekend to find out what to expect with DD, and I am glad I did because the TSA agent didn’t know quite what to make of our situation. DD has leg braces, so I told him she could either keep her shoes on and walk through the scanner, or she could stay in her wheelchair and go through their process for wheelchair travelers. He went back and forth several times, telling me she is too old to leave her shoes on before he realized that her status as being over 12 (in other words subject to shoe removal) was outweighed by her status as a disabled traveler. She ended up walking through the scanner with her shoes and orthotics.

Once in the gate area, I purchased three large bottles of water to go in our backpack with snacks. I had tried to get the kids to have breakfast, but no one could manage it, so I was relieved that we had plenty of healthy snacks to get us through what was going to be a long day. I checked in with the gate agent, asking if we could stow the wheelchair on board (per SWA website, this is a possibility), but was told it would need to be gate checked and we could get it in Houston to change planes before gate checking it once more. We were given medical pre-boarding status as a family.

As we waited for boarding, the rain changed to ice with some snow mixed in. The ground crew seemed to be moving more quickly than usual, and we were boarded and ready for take-off almost 10 minutes ahead of schedule. The kids had already negotiated a window seat schedule – 4 trip segments meant 2 window seats each – one each on the home – Houston leg and on the Houston LAX leg. If nothing else, planning for this trip has taught them how to work things out

The flight to Houston was uneventful. There was free Dish TV, but nothing the kids were interested in, which surprised me a little, so I let DS stream the Lorax while DD and I got Wi-Fi. We landed early in Houston, but stayed in our seats until DD’s wheelchair was brought to the gate. I was a little surprised that the baggage handlers were VERY rough with it, which contributed to an issue later in the trip. We had a tight layover in Houston, but had just enough time to continue a family tradition. Every time the kids enter a state for the first time, we have a photo of them at the welcome center under the state sign. On our way to our gate, we came across this Houston display, so I snapped a quick photo of the kids.

We got to our gate and I got another blue sleeve for medical pre-boarding. Almost instantly, a gate agent was accompanying us on board and getting us settled. This flight was full, and many of the passengers were very cranky as the storm had impacted everyone’s travel plans. I was very proud of my kids – they were so happy that the trip was actually happening that nothing was going to bring down their mood – even getting knocked about by carryon luggage as people walked by not paying attention. DS marveled as we flew over the desert from TX to CA as he had never seen anything like it. At one point, he videoed about 10 minutes of it to share with DH.

Both the kids were giddy when they saw the Hollywood sign as we came in for a landing. Again, we waited until DD’s wheelchair was brought to the gate, and then made our way to baggage claim. I had arranged for DK Livery to pick us up. When the kids saw a driver holding a sign with our name, they both said people were going to think we were stars! The gentleman I dealt with was very accommodating when we had to change our arrival time, and it was lovely of him to help with our baggage. The fee was reasonable, and we rode in a late-model Honda Odyssey from LAX to DLH. We could have made a grocery stop, but decided to just go to the hotel and get settled since we would be moving to PPH the next day.

Our timing was great – in just under an hour, we were walking through the lobby of DLH to check in. What a wonderful hotel! Everyone was very welcoming and the theming was perfect! DS especially loved the teacup chairs and tables!

The CM checking us in was very sweet, chatting with all of us as she entered our information. She asked about favorite characters and laughed when DS said Chip and Dale – that was a first, according to her. She asked where we were coming from, and DS chimes in, telling her about the storm:
“I was really nervous we weren’t going to get to come because of the snowstorm. I have been dreaming of this trip, and then it almost didn’t happen! I am just so relieved it all worked out and my mommy could get us here a day early so we could stay here for the night!”

Now, I may be biased, but I happen to think my son is a cutie. He is also pretty well-mannered and answers questions with a hint of a drawl, saying “Yes, ma’am” and “No, sir.” The CM was smiling from ear to ear, telling him, well, we are glad such a nice family got to have their trip too! And then turns to me and says, “He is such a sweet boy! I think he will like the room I have given you.” Then she excused herself for a moment and came back with an autographed chipmunk photo for DS and told him he had made her day.

When I booked DLH for one night, it was for the lowest rate available. Just being there was going to be magical. Imagine my shock, when I opened the door to a one-bedroom suite!

Our view:

The King bed in the bedroom with the famous light up headboard was an instant hit with DD:

The entertainment center in the living room disguised a trundle bed that DS laid almost immediate claim to:

The sofa pulled out to a queen bed, which was very comfortable:

The writing desk and bureau (with a fridge on one side) in the living room. We loved the old Disneyland photos hanging throughout the suite:

The dressing alcove had a closet on one side and a vanity on the other:

Classic Disney attention to detail - look at the wall sconces!

 

[jedijill]

Yay! Your flight got out and you're in LA! Your kids are so cute! What an upgrade! Lots of pixie dust!

Jill in CO

 

[Briarrose1306]

Glad you made it out of the snow and to the trip! I'm looking forward to reading all about it!

 

[mumto2]

Yay! Your flight got out and you're in LA! Your kids are so cute! What an upgrade! Lots of pixie dust!

Jill in CO

Thanks - they are great kids and did a great job researching and planning this trip, and then rolling with the punches as things started to look iffy.

Glad you made it out of the snow and to the trip! I'm looking forward to reading all about it!

It has been an awful winter for most of the country, so we were very lucky to be enjoying the California Sunshine while ice and snow covered everything at home. And, yes, we were sure to rub that in with texts home, LOL.

Glad to have you all following along!

 

[disneyhopeful4]

What a cool idea to have the kids do the planning. When mine are old enough I may have to try it! A fabulous learning experience. Can't wait for the next update!

 

[RI Disney Star]

So glad you made it out. I live in the northeast and we've been slammed with snow this winter. Another storm heading our way this week but I'm heading to Florida this afternoon for some R&R.

The room at DLH looks amazing. We had planned on walking over there to at least see the teacup chairs but never made it.

I'm so excited waiting to hear about the rest of your report.

 

[petals]

joining in.

 

[mumto2]

What a cool idea to have the kids do the planning. When mine are old enough I may have to try it! A fabulous learning experience. Can't wait for the next update!

The kids both learned so much, including how to drop back and punt when Mother Nature decides to show her wrath. I may have created a bit of a monster though - they are already discussing where we are going next!

So glad you made it out. I live in the northeast and we've been slammed with snow this winter. Another storm heading our way this week but I'm heading to Florida this afternoon for some R&R.

The room at DLH looks amazing. We had planned on walking over there to at least see the teacup chairs but never made it.

I'm so excited waiting to hear about the rest of your report.

Glad you are getting some R&R - sounds like you need it! Hopefully the warm sunshine will soon have you on the mend.

We truly enjoyed Paradise Pier, especially the concierge lounge. But when (not if, when) we go back, I may vote for DLH, even with a standard room. The service was wonderful, and it just felt like Disney in a way I can't put into words.

joining in.

Glad to have you join in!

 

[mumto2]

I got a little ahead of myself because I wanted to share our magical upgrade first. But our incredible upgrade wasn’t the only magic of the day.

Our room (the standard view, or so we thought) wasn’t ready when we checked in, so we left our luggage with Bell Services. Remember I said the kids hadn’t eaten breakfast? Well, it was now about 5:30 pm to our tummies, and we had snacked on protein bars, fruit and SWA pretzels and peanuts, but hadn’t had anything substantial all day.

We walked around the pool area, lapping up our first dose of California sunshine, and headed to Tangeroa Terrace for a light bite. I really enjoyed the Asian Chicken Salad, although I thought there was just a little too much sesame vinaigrette. I expected DD to get the fish and chips as that is her favorite food, but she opted for the Hawaiian Cheeseburger and said it was amazing. DS is my more selective eater (I can’t really say he is picky – he loves gourmet cheeses, asparagus and peas), but be enjoyed the chicken tenders and rice.

We took the time to take this picture to text home offering our sympathies for the snow and ice, explaining that we had it pretty rough as well, LOL. Since the DIS is family friendly, I won’t share the replies I got from family and friends.

Once we had eaten, we decided to explore Downtown Disney a little. The extra day at the beginning of our adventure really added a more relaxed vibe to the trip – the original plan had been to get straight to a park as soon as we checked in. I now think that would have been a mistake that would have left us exhausted for much of the trip.

Like most little boys, DS is a Lego lover. So long as I am not stepping on them with my bare feet, I like them as well. (otherwise, the texts I got back from the photo above are mild compared to the language I use to describe the pain in my foot). He had had a birthday the week before (which we would also celebrate on this trip), and had grandparent $$$ burning a hole in his pocket. I did manage to make him understand that whatever he bought had to fit in our luggage home, so at least that ruled out the really big sets.

The Disneyland Lego store is, hands down, one of the best we have seen, including the one at WDW Downtown Disney. We were awed by the Lego sculptures.

I know this comes up a lot from WDW vets on DLR trips, but it was great to be so close to everything. The walk from DLH to the Lego store was less than five minutes, and it was a very safe, comfortable walk. After the Lego Store, we wandered for a bit, window-shopping and browsing in The Disney Store. We were getting a little tired and wanted to freshen up, so we headed back to DLH. I hadn’t gotten the room-ready text yet when we got back, so we browsed the gift shop and decided it was time for our first Disney Treat:

Timing was perfect – we were just finishing up our ice cream when we got the text with our room number. Once we squealed with delight at the incredible upgrade and called home to share our luck via facetime with DH, we decided to change into our suits and check out the pool and waterslides. That was when I noticed that the message light was flashing on our phone. More fantastic magic was in store…

 

[Tasscrapper]

Arrgggg . . . you left it at more magic coming up! Just found the TR today and have read everything so far. I shall try patiently waiting to hear the next update.

What an incredible gift to give your kids. That must have been incredibly hard to hand over the reigns and let them plan everything. I love the idea of it and am going to keep it in mind for the future.

 

[luulu1999]

How awesome all the magic you got!! Can't wait to hear more

 

[mumto2]

Arrgggg . . . you left it at more magic coming up! Just found the TR today and have read everything so far. I shall try patiently waiting to hear the next update.

What an incredible gift to give your kids. That must have been incredibly hard to hand over the reigns and let them plan everything. I love the idea of it and am going to keep it in mind for the future.

Didn't mean to tease you. I managed to get bronchitis and to pick up a big project at work with a very tight deadline right after my last post, which meant no DIS for me

How awesome all the magic you got!! Can't wait to hear more

I have had my fair share of Disney magic, but this was simply amazing!

 

[mumto2]

After getting our suits on, I noticed that the message light was flashing on our phone. I joked around with the kids that they were calling to tell us the upgrade was a mistake. I picked up the phone and was transferred to the front desk, who told me I had some pixie dust waiting there. I agreed to stop by the desk on our way out to the pool. Both the kids were chomping at the bit to get to those monorail slides…

At the front desk, I waited as the CM was finishing up with another family. When it was our turn, the CM asked me to hold on a minute while she went in the back to retrieve our package. By this time, we were all very curious as to what it could possibly be, and from whom. Given that this stay was a very last minute add-on, we just couldn’t figure it out.

The CM came back with a folder and another CM and told me: “We are so excited you are here, we’d like to add some magic to your stay!” Um, do you realize that we got a fabulous room upgrade? “Your son mentioned that his favorite characters are Chip and Dale, and it just so happens that one of them is helping out at Goofy’s Kitchen tonight. We’d like to provide you with complimentary vouchers to dinner!”

Yes please! I hadn’t planned on anything big for dinner, since our body clocks were confused and we had had lunch at Tangeroa Terrace, but DS’s face lit up at the invitation, so we gratefully accepted. Feeling incredibly lucky, we made our way to the pool.

As WDW fans know, pool slides there generally close at 9 or 10. Not so at DLR. We entered the pool deck around 5 minutes to 5, and, just as we were approaching the slide area, the lifeguards were blowing their whistles and clearing the slides for the night. The kids bravely jumped in the regular pool, but quickly decided it was too cold. The spa was at about twice its capacity, so we decided to put our cover-ups back on and walk around the DLH property a bit.

I reminded DS that we were on “bonus vacation time” (meaning that we had no agenda since we weren’t even supposed to be here yet), so we could try the slides in the morning before check out if it wasn’t too cold. At this point, DD sees a lifeguard and explains that we needed to come back in the morning since the slides were closing when we got there today. She was going to ask when they opened, when the lifeguard told her to go to the front desk and let them know that she (the lifeguard) said we should get a pool only key for the next day so that we didn’t have to rush in the morning. We went back to the desk, and they cheerfully agreed that we could come back to use the slides anytime the next day before 5, even if we had already checked out (they knew we were moving to PPH). By now, I am convinced that DLH may just be the best Disney Hotel ever!

Thanks to a tip here on the DIS, I had pre-purchased the PhotoPass Plus. Best money I could have spent. We were able to activate it a Goofy’s Kitchen and got over 150 photos in three days – what a bargain! I am waiting for the CD to be delivered, so I will add photos from it when I receive it.

The wait to get to our table was very short. We had our photos taken with Goofy, on my phone as well as with the PhotoPass. Our server was a wonderful gentleman who clearly enjoyed working with kids. He brought our drinks and told us about the buffet.

The food was pretty standard Disney buffet faire. None of us were starving, but we all enjoyed what we had. The carving station had beef and roast turkey breast, there were some great veggies and salad options, as well as some shrimp and fish. The kids buffet had Goofy’s specialty, PB&J pizza, but none of us were brave enough to try it. The desserts were very tasty, with a great selection of bite-sized pastries and cakes. I used to enjoy dessert buffets at WDW because of the unique and elegant offerings but as more and more sameness has occurred at all the WDW resorts, it seems that even specialty dessert items have gone by the wayside. So it was nice to see that at DLH, at least, the tradition continues.

There were an odd blend of characters at dinner. Goofy was at the entrance, and then we were visited by Jasmine and Minnie. Our server told us that Chip was coming, but DS pointed out that he could see a red nose and two teeth (boy knows his chipmunks, LOL), so the server quickly recovered and said “That’s right – Chip had to go help in the kitchen tonight – clean up is going to take forever!). Then we waited a long time for the last character, who happens to be DD’s favorite: the Mad Hatter.

As I mentioned in our intro, DD has said she is “too old” for WDW, so when she asked at dinner if we could wait for the Mad Hatter, I was thrilled that she’d found her Disney and of course said yes! We had been in the restaurant for about an hour and MH showed no sign of heading our way. The three hour time difference was hitting us hard at this point. I asked our server if he thought MH would be much longer, and he came back to our table and told us that while they usually don’t let people go up to the characters, MH’s handler was going to meet us on our way out so that we could visit for a minute before I took the kids back to the room.

Our visit with MH was wonderful – he was silly and sarcastic, and had DD grinning from ear to ear. You can see how much bigger her smile is in the photo! He zinged DS, which went right over his head, but made DD feel like she and MH had a special kinship. It was a great ending to a fun meal.

So with very full tummies and very happy hearts, we went to our respective beds. DD kept the headboard lights on all night, DS was asleep in his trundle before I could even get him tucked in. I checked email, did a little work and played around on Facebook, but I, too, was out like a light by 9:30 local time.

Our first day was filled with more than I could have ever hoped for when we first decided to give our kids this trip. They were both so appreciative of the gift, and so understanding and flexible when things had to change, or when they had to get up super early, or rush more than usual. They felt incredibly proud of themselves for having made reservations, gotten confirmations, navigated airports, checked in (for flights and hotels), and took travelling from one coast to the other in stride. I would definitely let them work on a trip again (in fact, DS is already talking about our next trip to CA, and how to stay longer and include San Diego and maybe even San Francisco in the itinerary, while DD is asking about other destinations as well). I learned that it is ok not to be the master planner, and to accept that going with the flow when things happen can really make a trip more special. I also learned that both my kids are becoming quite capable, confident people who enjoy adventures.