Happy happy happy! trip story from Feb 2012

[DizNee Luver]

Oh my goodness.....I didn't realize you went to Small World during the Memories show.....yikes!!! The crowds were horrendous!! I went over in that area to get pics of the lit up Small World & ended up standing halfway between it & the Matterhorn to snap a few pics on the first night.

The pics at Tangaroa Terrace were neat because of the tie in to the Tiki Room restaurant that used to be there. Besides they were old memorabilia pics with Walt......enough said!

The DLH lobby is.....um, blue.....lots & lots of blue....oh & purples! I miss the retro feel to the hotel but I'll go more into that on my report!

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh my goodness.....I didn't realize you went to Small World during the Memories show.....yikes!!! The crowds were horrendous!!

I managed to get in line before the hordes descended. I mean, the projected wait was longer than I wanted, but that was OK. It actually went much quicker than I thought it would (I was slowly counting the seconds, seeing how long it was, since my silly watch didn't work and...not sure what was up with my phone but I wasn't using it as a clock) (side note: counting seconds slowly in your head is a good way to pass the time when alone, LOL), although I was deal with a strong toddler whose parents don't understand that when their kick rocks a line-barrier-chain it impacts anyone standing next to it and can get quite annoying (not to mention I was thinking of the nasty strep E got when he fell mouth first on a line chain).

Anyway, I was actually at the last turn of the line when it started, so you can see I wasn't really aware of the crowds, since I was just focused on getting on the ride.

 

[Sherry E]

Even without the Magic/Memories show projected onto IASWH, the crowds in that area at night are crazy...simply because of the fact that IASWH is aglow in spectacular, colored lights! I have always said that it seems as though, as soon as the lights come on at dusk, people descend upon IASWH from all corners of both parks, like moths to a flame, so they can oooh and aaah at the beauty of it all.

It was crazy business for me (and the other people waiting before me) trying to get a PhotoPass picture in front of IASWH in 2008 with all of the hordes! It wasn't a good location because the hordes cluttered up the picture in the background. The photographer was frustrated. We were all frustrated. I didn't want all of those people in my photo but there was no choice.

In 2009, my friends and I headed back to see IASWH in all its colorful magnificence, only to turn around and walk in the opposite direction at the first glimpse of the literal walls of people blocking the way. It was madness.

So when the Magic, Memories and You show began, I'm sure that only made a bad crowd situation worse.

 

[bumbershoot]

We were walking through DTD when I last told my story, and that continued on. Laurie and I split apart eventually, as I went off to Disneyland.


Did a little shopping. Love this Mickey ear hat. It's just so festive!

I had a 20% off coupon from the latte/snack at Blue Ribbon the night before, and I used it to get a cute little canvas Disneyland Resort 55 bag. I was really sick of this hand strap on my camera, and it seemed perfect for the parks. Got that.


Went over to Rancho to fill up my water bottle, and had to take some pictures, because I love the look of Rancho's seating area. Bonus, it wasn't open yet, so the pictures are clear of those pesky fellow guests that insist on being around!

I wandered towards NOS, and saw the riverboat. It doesn't really come through in the pictures, but it sure kicks up a wake!

Immediately after it went by, the ducks came out. I should have taken video, but they were just bobbing up and down in those waves. I thought maybe they were eating things that had been churned up, but they didn't seem to be...I think they were just enjoying the fun. It's like their own free E-ticket ride...

At Disneyland, I only went on 4 rides, it seems, that day. POTC, Pooh, HMH, and the Tiki Room. How strange!

The standout memory of the day was utter shame. On Pirates, I let the previous night's experience (CM walking me over to a line, putting me on board next to another single-riding person) change what I would normally do. I was put in line behind another single-riding person, and we were standing at the gates. The boat was unloaded, the gates opened, the teen in front of me got on and sat right in the middle. Even though I wasn't specifically walked over by the CM and *told* to sit in the row, I tried to anyway. And the teen was NOT having it. Pretty dang rude about it, too. A nice "I think you're on the next boat" or "I'd like to ride alone" or "she didn't specifically walk you over and put you with me this time" (which would actually have been fairly spooky) would have been a lot better than what happened, and I got my feelings hurt, felt really really stupid, and imagined a post on the Dis saying "this ridiculous lady tried to sit next to me on Pirates!" with everyone agreeing that the lady was really stupid and clueless and obviously up to no good and that disney should DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT....

Sigh.

It bothered me for HOURS. Actually, days, if you really want to know. I don't have an emotional charge about it now, and can put almost all of the blame on myself without feeling bad about it. But for days afterwards I was still really angry with the teen and I would get all tense just thinking about it.

But it really does go to show...sometimes people get on the ride vehicle with other people not b/c they are being stupid, not because they are being inappropriate, not because they have no boundaries, but simply because 12 hours ago they were put on the ride vehicle with another rider in the exact same circumstances, and you just think that's what they are doing now.

I should mention...same wait time that morning as the night before, both 5 minutes, pretty accurate...


When I got out of the ride, half of it which had been mentally ruined by me replaying that moment over and over, I called Robert. I missed him and wanted to talk it through with him... He chatted, and encouraged me to go on Pooh because it ALWAYS cheers me up.

I took some pictures first.

On my way to get a FP for Haunted Mansion Holiday, I saw these guys. Got the pix for Robert 'n Eamon.

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, I understand. My feeling would have been hurt, but on the first day I might have told them I wanted to ride alone. The teenager was probably like my girls might be and be more afraid than rude. But then again teenagers can be very rude.


The pictures you took are beautiful. I love New Orleans Square. I Would have called Scotty too.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think you've got all the conflicting feelings, right there!




Pooh's birthday always makes me happy. If it's cold outside, it's warm in the ride. If it's warm outside, it's cool in the ride! It's a good ride.

After that, my HMH FP was up (nice thing about FPs on that sort of day...you don't have to wait long!). I most solemnly swear that I did not have my flash on for these pictures, and I covered the blinky light.

I didn't even know "sports mode" would work in such low light, but it did, wow it did!

Another shot of the tree in there.

Yay, fun disney ornament in my fave color.

You know what? I rode more than that on that day. Why are my notes so incomplete? I don't know about the order, but did the Sleeping Beauty walkthrough (so much better without the massive crowds!), I took pictures of the castle, and I went on Snow White and Pinocchio right in a row.

Oh dear, Snow and Pin...those rides... Snow...happy, SCARY SCARY SCARY SCARY, happily ever after! Pinocchio...woodworking place, SCARY SCARY SCARY bad guys ack ack, Blue Fairy, yay!


I also went on Star Tours, which I still like, and I got some little souvenirs in the shop. Got that cute antenna topper in glittery red with lights strung around it.


The Tiki room just made me happy...I realized that the very back seat is the most comfy, because it has a backrest. Ah, sweet comfort.

Turn it pink!

Turn it blue!

What on earth? (a mannequin)

I spent a bit of time wandering through Adventureland, partially to look for old Indy clues. Back a few years ago, they had an Indiana Jones summer, and they published these pamphlets and you were supposed to decode clues throughout the area. I didn't have time to check them out then, and E wasn't into Indy/Lego, but I'd kept it. E was looking at it in the weeks before the trip, so I said I'd take it with me and see if they left the clues.

As far as I could tell, they took the clues away. Sigh.

But there is this!

On the evening of the 6th, I was pulled aside to do a food and beverage survey. And twice on the 7th I was asked for my email address. Guess they just like bugging the solo people! (I actually don't mind, I was happy to do the in-person survey and have already completed the one emailed to me)

At some point, I decided I wanted to go back to the room before heading for the DCA part of my day.

 

[kaoden39]

I think that maybe I am just not clear on what I mean.


My girls are not rude but they are afraid of people they do not know. They might react rudely without it meaning to be rude. That being said there are a lot of rude teenagers out there.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Lots of great pics Molly!!! Where did you take those pics when looking for the Indy clues.....I'm looking at that building having no clue where that is!

That really stinks about the Pirates thing......the CM's really need to be clear on what to do, to avoid things like that. You're right, I think the teen could have been nicer about the whole situation & not been so rude........ here's a kid who probably runs thru the parks, jumps over strollers & hits all the single rider lines multiple times in a few hours.... just there for the rides & nothing else. Totally missing the point of Disneyland.....but what can you do....can't smack him with a 2 x 4 & tell him to enjoy the magic!! Situations like that, just remember to not take it personally...... he would have reacted that way to anyone.... you just got the unfortunate luck of being directly behind him in the line.

YOU GOT TO SEE JACK & SALLY????!!!!!!! I never once saw them or any signs that they did a meet-n-greet..........I'm so bummed out now!! That is a line I would have stood in for sure!!

 

[Sherry E]

Wow! Your picture of the gingerbread centerpiece in the HMH ballroom scene came out GRRRRRRRRREAT!!!! (Yes, I am using a Tony the Tiger voice when I say GRRRRRRRRREAT...because Tony was voiced by the late, great Thurl Ravenscroft, who is a prominent voice in Haunted Mansion and all over Disneyland! I'm clever like that!)

But seriously...that shot of the centerpiece is one of the hardest ones to get on any camera - even an SLR - and you used a P&S, correct? Hats off to you (and to Sports Mode)! Most people cannot figure out how to get that shot in the brief time the buggy is rolling past it, without turning it into a blurry mess or resorting to the dreaded flash photography.

I have not even attempted to get a picture of the centerpiece yet because I know it will be a blurry mess. I can take good shots of other things - things that stay put, in one place, and are not tremendously dark! But that is one that I have been afraid to attempt thus far.

You've inspired me, though, and maybe I will try it next time I ride HMH.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think that maybe I am just not clear on what I mean.


My girls are not rude but they are afraid of people they do not know. They might react rudely without it meaning to be rude. That being said there are a lot of rude teenagers out there.

Oh I got it! Definitely!

Lots of great pics Molly!!! Where did you take those pics when looking for the Indy clues.....I'm looking at that building having no clue where that is!

That really stinks about the Pirates thing......the CM's really need to be clear on what to do, to avoid things like that. You're right, I think the teen could have been nicer about the whole situation & not been so rude........ here's a kid who probably runs thru the parks, jumps over strollers & hits all the single rider lines multiple times in a few hours.... just there for the rides & nothing else. Totally missing the point of Disneyland.....but what can you do....can't smack him with a 2 x 4 & tell him to enjoy the magic!! Situations like that, just remember to not take it personally...... he would have reacted that way to anyone.... you just got the unfortunate luck of being directly behind him in the line.

YOU GOT TO SEE JACK & SALLY????!!!!!!! I never once saw them or any signs that they did a meet-n-greet..........I'm so bummed out now!! That is a line I would have stood in for sure!!

Ultimately, I'm really to blame for the moment, because I shouldn't have taken what happened the night before (which was very obvious and I was definitely meant to sit with another person) as what was going to happen that day. I just got confused. And embarrassed. And my emotions got the best of me.

Wow! Your picture of the gingerbread centerpiece in the HMH ballroom scene came out GRRRRRRRRREAT!!!! (Yes, I am using a Tony the Tiger voice when I say GRRRRRRRRREAT...because Tony was voiced by the late, great Thurl Ravenscroft, who is a prominent voice in Haunted Mansion and all over Disneyland! I'm clever like that!)

But seriously...that shot of the centerpiece is one of the hardest ones to get on any camera - even an SLR - and you used a P&S, correct? Hats off to you (and to Sports Mode)! Most people cannot figure out how to get that shot in the brief time the buggy is rolling past it, without turning it into a blurry mess or resorting to the dreaded flash photography.

I have not even attempted to get a picture of the centerpiece yet because I know it will be a blurry mess. I can take good shots of other things - things that stay put, in one place, and are not tremendously dark! But that is one that I have been afraid to attempt thus far.

You've inspired me, though, and maybe I will try it next time I ride HMH.

Thanks! I think I have something like 5 other shots that were blurry, but that one right in the middle came out very nicely.

Yes, it's a point and shoot; it just looks like a "real" camera, LOL. Canon Powershot S3IS. I haven't mastered much of it, but I figured the sports mode would be a good idea, and I could just click away without thinking about it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh forgot to answer a couple things.

Jack and Sally were in that circle between the train station, HM, French Market, etc. I didn't get in line, just used Zoom.

The pictures in Adventureland were above the entrance to the store as you stand near Tiki Room. The clue was something about a balcony across from the largest bird cage in Disneyland, or something like that.

 

[bumbershoot]

After going back to the room and visiting with Sherry a little bit, I went on over to DCA.

What you see as you go through the gates right now.

That pic was taken around 3:45. My next decent picture was taken at 7:10. I know I did *something* between those times!

One thing I know I did was ride Toy Story, again. Love that ride. Once again, I got 169,500!

There was wandering, there was wishing my head felt OK enough to ride Screamin' and Goofy's/MulhollandMadness. There was dinner at Cocina Cucamonga, the sonora burrito with grilled veggies, there was a latte and gingerbread man purchased as well. The latte was a big whoops, as it was NOT decaf, and the gingerbread, which wasn't eaten immediately but not too long later, was a whoops because it tasted fake, tasted oily, and was so incredibly hard it wasn't pleasant at all.

Eventually I decided that I wasn't going to make use of Sherry's VIP seating for World of Color. I was feeling weird, unsettled, and a bit cold, and I wasn't sure if I would be with my new Dis friends, so I just wandered and took in the sights and sounds instead.

Without flash:

With flash:

Eventually I found myself back around TSMM as it got close to WOC. To bide my time I waited on a bench near the Wheel of Death.

Speaking of the WoD, this is a video I took the next day, of the movement you get on it. The non-moving cars don't move, but you have to SEE all of this going on around you. Bleah.

Sorry the video is on its side. I cannot figure out how to rotate it, not in iPhoto nor in photobucket.

Motion-sick people should NOT watch this....





Thankfully the Wheel isn't open for quite awhile before WOC starts, so I didn't have to watch that while waiting.

Eventually the show started, and I was tired of sitting, so I tucked myself away in a spot where, it seems, couples wanted to be! A few couples came by and looked at my spot, then walked away...poor people.

I did end up watching most of WOC, from behind and the side. Maybe not the most terrific way to watch, since I only remember being able to recognize one figure (Buzz), but it allowed me to be amazed at HOW it was all done. Ok well i still don't know exactly how, but it was still neat. All the different types of water spray, the different lights, colors, etc. How did they create it? Did they do the music first, and then choreograph the lights, or was it the other way?

This is what was on my mind while watching.

The water show makes it COLD in that area, by the way. It was starting to feel similar to standing at Epcot watching Illuminations last year. Water, chilly air, and water-spraying...not sure that people have touted COLD steambaths as being good for your health, LOL.

Eventually I moved on, and then made my way on back to the room, where I went to sleep. Actually, I think I packed up a bit, then went to sleep. The coffee did hit, so I think I read on my Kindle for far longer than I should have done. Should have gone right back and paid for another latte, this time decaf!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Oh forgot to answer a couple things.

Jack and Sally were in that circle between the train station, HM, French Market, etc. I didn't get in line, just used Zoom.

The pictures in Adventureland were above the entrance to the store as you stand near Tiki Room. The clue was something about a balcony across from the largest bird cage in Disneyland, or something like that.

Thanx......darn, I just never had the right timing to see them.

I guess next time I'm there, I need to look up a little more & take in more of Adventureland......I was clueless to where that was......lol


Sherry's right on the picture you got of the Gingerbread House in the HMH.....mine isn't very clear & I was using the quick shutter speed. I hadn't seen a clear pic of it until yours. Kudos!!

 

[bumbershoot]

The 8th dawned rather early! I was restless and I wasn't alone in that. I was glad I'd done most of my packing in the evening, because Liza was coming in early early! So we got packed up and ready, and a bit after Liza got there, we headed off to Goofy's Kitchen.

I had fun being the picture-taker, and hopefully those pictures came out! I'm really not one for character meet and greets, and usually characters are cool with that, but I ended up being attacked by, hmm...Pluto? The Mad Hatter was funny, pouring imaginary tea for us.

The food there was decent, apart from my own personal opinion on the eggs. They were not to my taste. And, even though I *knew* this before, I was still surprised at all the lunch-type things they had out, and it really threw me for a loop. Silly of me!


They had a funny (probably would be considered goofy!) tree.

I'd never even gone in that building before, and really should have explored more, but I didn't. Drat. Cool ceiling-parasols, though!

Sherry had to go then, and Laurie and I decided to do some a'wandering. I've been to Disney with family, I've been in a group on the Divas trip, but I don't recall walking around one-on-one with a friend who likes it as much as, if not more, than I do! It was a very cool experience, and I highly recommend it.

We finally managed to make it on the monorail (we'd tried the day before, if memory serves, but after we'd waited for awhile they told us they were taking the next train off-line, and we'd have to wait for the next-next one)!

Now I have two pictures of the "bridge" that you walk across, without even realizing it, while walking in DTD.

Looks like the bridge is just after the Lego Store.



The whole "let the memories begin" thing is weird, IMO, to begin with (my snarky side comes out, wanting to say "oh THANKS for letting the memories begin...I'd been just letting things slip through my mind as soon as they happened, but now that I have your *permission*....), and so was the "float" they had in the esplanade.

Let's see, let's see...Laurie took really good notes, so I should just let her post about it first. Or I just need to take a break...one of the two...

I'll leave you for now with a couple more pictures of NOS.

 

[DizNee Luver]

It was fun hanging with you!!! It was great not getting that look of "come on" if I wanted to stop to take a picture of something or see Santa, etc.....

 

[bumbershoot]

I liked the whole day, but a moment that sticks out is when we wondered about CA Screamin', I said that I didn't want to ride it because I was dizzy (what was up with that?), and you said you didn't ride it alone, and....we just moved along. No pressure, no guilt, no doing something you don't want to do just to keep the peace (you didn't go alone, I didn't force myself to go)...and we just walked on.

I like that.

I do wish I could have gone on Screamin', but my head was just on wrong that day! (thought I knew the reason for the dizziness, was VERY hopeful about certain things, but nope nope nope, thhhhpppppth at the universe)

 

[DizNee Luver]

I liked the whole day, but a moment that sticks out is when we wondered about CA Screamin', I said that I didn't want to ride it because I was dizzy (what was up with that?), and you said you didn't ride it alone, and....we just moved along. No pressure, no guilt, no doing something you don't want to do just to keep the peace (you didn't go alone, I didn't force myself to go)...and we just walked on.

I like that.

I do wish I could have gone on Screamin', but my head was just on wrong that day! (thought I knew the reason for the dizziness, was VERY hopeful about certain things, but nope nope nope, thhhhpppppth at the universe)

It did seem to go very smoothly, considering we'd never spent a ton of time together before......awesome day!!

 

[kaoden39]

 

[bumbershoot]

It did seem to go very smoothly, considering we'd never spent a ton of time together before......awesome day!!

Yep yep!

Thanks, Michele. Almost cried that time.




Our easel-tree (did I post about that here?) went fine, we opened gifts on the 24th because I realized that opening on the evening of Yule was no fun whatsoever, since there would be no time to play with things before bedtime, and it was WAY better to open at the start of the 3 day weekend.

Eamon and I spent all Saturday and Sunday putting together his new Lego sets, which was SO much fun. We now have a Hogwarts Castle and what people call "Battle of Hogwarts" (but the official name isn't that) sitting on our coffee table. 3 dementors sitting right there near the couch! We also got a lot of reading in, we're almost finished with HP 4, and he's started his campaign to have me read #5 to him...aughhhhhhh.


In weird news, my cousin sent me an email letting me know that they've decided on the spur of the moment to take a 3 day Disney cruise in February, and wanted us to come, too. Starting on the day we fly from Anaheim to Orlando (thereby making it impossible since we don't get in until after 10pm). Ours is a trip they did not know about yet. (was going to let them know we'd be at Universal, and if they wanted to join, perhaps leaving the kids at home with grandma since they don't feel the kids are reading for Universal yet, that would be great) But now it's just going to feel weird when we tell them! I just said thank you and that I'm jealous but happy for them, and that we can't...didn't say why yet.

Truth is, we don't really WANT to do a Disney cruise...too expensive and I just don't need characters everywhere. (but that animation restaurant looks SO neat)

 

[kaoden39]

I didn't mean to make you cry. More to confirm that I understood.



Sounds like you had a fun time together. The Lego sets are so cool. Things like that have gotten so much cooler than they used to be.


That is odd about your cousin. The timing and everything. The timing is just all wrong. Too bad.