Happy happy happy! trip story from Feb 2012

[Brady's Mom]

 

[bumbershoot]

Augh, where did I put all the maps I snagged? I got a few sets specifically to send out, and now I've offered a set to someone, and I cannot find them. AUGH.

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, I hate it when I do things like that.

 

[bumbershoot]

Whew. 24 hours, taking time out to sleep, of looking for the maps. Finally, last place I had left to look, in my travel bag *that I'd already checked 2 times*, in the very back laptop area. Found 'em.

 

[kaoden39]

Yay!!

 

[deesquared]

Hi there!


I am really enjoying your TR and your wonderful pictures!
My family was at Disneyland the same time as you, so I feel like I'm reliving the trip through someone else's eyes!
I love the pictures of the Disneyland Hotel and the different restaurants at the Disney hotels. I'd love to just wander around and check them out, but I want to spend every minute I have at the park!

Well, I hope to read more of your adventures soon!

Dianna

 

[DizNee Luver]

Ok Molly......I finished my report....minus the photopass pics........now I'm just waiting for you to take me back to December!! waiting.........waiting.........waiting........ lol

 

[bumbershoot]

Isn't that odd, I remember wandering way more than that!

And now the end of my report will be sort of a droopy, sad ending, as I didn't have anywhere near as many pictures as I thought I did, only a few really, and my vague memories of doing and seeing a lot were obviously incorrect. Silly me.

Let me figure out what picture I posted last and I'll come on back.

 

[bumbershoot]

OK, that's the problem...I had missed the Disneyland-wandering in your report! Thought I'd seen it all, but I hadn't.


So...ditto what Laurie said!


I can't believe how silly I was; I had totally spaced (ha) that Star Tours has FPs now. Thankfully Laurie has more brainpower than I do, and she made sure we got those. Then we stood in the standby line for Space! Now, it's not like standby is a treat or anything, but it was nice to stand there with an adult, not and an adult that I am not even close to being in "charge" of (anyone who has read of DH's occasional blood sugar swings knows that I try to keep on top of the food situation, making sure no one gets to a situation where they haven't eaten in 8 hours).

Despite the feral children in line ahead of us (we thought they were with the group in front of us, and we thought so for most of the line until it was just very obvious that the group was NOT with the kids...and I was shocked that they let them on, since the boy was *maybe* 7 and the girl was under that, and 7 year olds can ride alone, but they are NOT supposed to be in charge of someone younger!) it was a decent time in line, AND neither of us was decapitated on the ride, so it was all good.


Going out of chronological order here!

Star Tours was good, too. We were all the way in back, and I was all the way to the left (last one on). Because of my particular seat, I did not notice the man two rows ahead of us who was taping the whole thing.

OK, 1, this man was having problems getting his seatbelt done, and the ride had to be held twice for him. 2, you're not supposed to film the ride. 3, unless he managed to put 3D glasses over the camera, I can't imagine that the image on his screen is going to be ANYTHING that anyone wants to watch! 4, because he was *two* rows down, when he put his arm in the air holding his camera, his camera was smack dab in Laurie's way!

I didn't notice any of that happening, but when we exited the ride Laurie mentioned it to a CM right there (as well she should! I thought they monitored the rides for such things!), and not only was he sorry for our experience, he offered us a second ride! Laurie said yes (YAY!) so we got on twice. The second time we sat right up in front, no one was going to be ruining anyone's experience that way, and it was good. Well, except for the queasiness, of course. Twice in a row on ST might not be THE best idea...maybe having to wait in a line again is specifically to reduce the brain sloshiness.

Also, reading Laurie's report has just reminded me that I hit the wall with my head on the first ride. Forgot about that! Should probably worry about that, shouldn't I?



We rode Buzz as well, and I'm so glad that DL's blasters come out of the "holster", unlike at WDW.



Going back in time now, out of Tomorrowland.

I showed a couple pictures of NOS, which means we rode POTC. Yay! To be able to ride with someone and not have to worry if I'm supposed to get onto the ride with someone or alone...lol.

While walking through Fantasyland, I was just fascinated with the "snow" on the castle. I don't know why. Whatever I was trying to capture didn't really come through in my pictures, that's for sure.

But when we went over to Frontierland and I filled up my water bottle at Rancho, I saw these neat garlands.

Laurie got some lovely castle reflection pictures; if you haven't already, stop by and check them out! She also got GREAT pictures of the Star Tours queue.

And, scrolling down in the part of her report I missed before, AUGH she got WAY better pictures of that Rancho garland! From the side, awesome!



Well, according to Laurie, that's around when we left for DCA. So I suppose we did! (since she was taking notes and all, we're going to trust her)


Soarin', yay! Laurie says she thinks I laughed at her for holding on, but I didn't. I still have to close my eyes sometimes, when the illusion that we're flying gets too real, and I often check out the shoes dangling above me, or look to the side to make sure I'm on a ride not a hangglider, so I'm not going to fault someone for holding on! And yeah, that screen is a nightmare. You could tell that some of the smudges were from the screen, because they would disappear, but others are definitely the screen.

We had wanted to check out the Mermaid ride again, but it was closed. Le sigh.


In a great stroke of luck, the two characters Laurie wanted to see were there! We came across both Duffy and Santa as we walked over the bridge and along the way towards CA Screamin'. I was really glad for her.

If it hadn't been getting later in the day closing in on flight time, I might have made my way into that crowded Cove Bar...

I thought there had been more wandering in the Hollywood area, b/c I remember talking about the Tron stuff (oh maybe we used the facilities over there?) with her, but if it's not written, who knows if it happened?


It was around then, after Santa (who wears a FABULOUS outfit), that Laurie had to go. Her flight was a couple hours before mine, and she needed to arrange a shuttle, so off she went. Bye, Laurie!


After that I felt tired and a bit deflated. And maybe a little hungry. I may or may not have gone on Toy Story again...really not sure. But I do know I wanted veggie chili, and since that's what I *know*, that's what I'll write.

Now I do not have a stomach of iron, so I did NOT eat those things all at the same time. The chili was delish, the bag they gave me for the bread was useful (I ate the top, and took the rest home), and I was glad they'd scrounged that plastic container for the cupcake, since I needed to carry it around for awhile.

I had arranged a late flight to maximize my time there. Alas, I had hit a wall. A wall of enthusiasm, of exhaustion, of missing my wee family. I wished that I had "status" with Alaska so I could change my flight without charges.

I slowly walked out, glad that we'd already arranged to come back with the dudes, and also glad that I'd gotten to spend this time with Sherry and Laurie. I can't really explain the back and forth of my emotions...being sad to be without the guys but also happy that I had the semi-solo trip, but...well I think anyone who has felt two or more ways about something can understand.


I slowly headed to PPH, aware of how grungy I felt. Now that I think of it, they have a workout room, and maybe have changing rooms...but I had forgotten about that, and pulled my bags (rescued from bell services) to the restroom, where I rudely took up the accessible stall to change clothes. Well, it would have been rude if anyone had come in, especially if anyone who truly needed that stall, but absolutely no one came in while I changed, so I was saved from the rudeness police. And thank goodness. Because I didn't need the worry of that moment going into someone's rant thread, along with the fear of that teenager snarking about me trying to get on POTC, LOL.

All changed and prettied up, I went back out. I sat in the sort of "upper" section of their lounge there, and read and nibbled at that cupcake. I also chatted with the Bell Services guy, which had the purpose of making him really aware of the fact that I was there, that I was waiting for Karmel shuttle, and that I always expect shuttles to be early. I ate maybe half the cupcake when I gave up...it was just gross. They had the moistness done right, but the taste...bleah. I finally threw it away.

As I sat reading, something like half an hour before I was schedule to leave (and I had scheduled my ride nice and early, since I had to get to LAX), the Bell Services guy came over and said that he'd seen the van pull up. I went out, and the shuttle guy was pulled all the way over to the side, and it looked like HE was settled in for a bit of a wait. Well, I felt slightly bad about keeping him from the rest he might have wanted, but I was just restless, and wanted to hit the road. So I asked him if he was actually ready to go, he said yes, and we hit the road. I was the only one (he says that Karmel shuttle drivers aren't supposed to troll for other passengers at all) and he invited me to sit up front. We chatted the whole way, which was nice. In what felt like a VERY short amount of time, we were at LAX!

I had gone back and forth on how I was going to deal with my bags. Robert urged me to spend the money and check one, but I really didn't want to do that. However, I had forgotten to leave space in my bags for souvenirs, so figuring out the bags, regardless of checking or not checking them, was a struggle! I decided to not check one, but I needed to print out a boarding pass anyway, so I went up to the machines. While going through the process, the system asked if I was on X flight or Y flight. Well, I was on the later y flight. But wow, there was an X flight that left earlier, but with time for me to leisurely catch it????? Interesting. There was an agent there at the counter, and I decided to ask....

I went up, told her my flight info, and asked just how much it would be to switch to X flight because I was there so early etc etc. She started tapping away, and I got really nervous that she was going to change it and charge me without telling me...and then she handed me a new boarding pass. For X flight. Without a change fee. I thanked her SO much! She really shouldn't have done it, but she did, and it was SO nice! I was just grinning (and maybe a little teary too, at the kindness displayed).

I still had plenty of time to get upstairs and through security, so I went over to the chairs in the Alaska counter area, to switch things around. As I was doing this, two TSA agents were strolling by, goofing with each other and one of them was singing. They greeted me, and I decided to chat with them. I asked them about the "weapons" policy at the airports near the disney parks.

They agreed that lightsabers aren't authentic replicas of weapons, because lightsabers aren't actual weapons, and that they should never be confiscated. they said that stormtrooper blasters (and the like) should be the same, but that long plastic swords can be iffy. They said that it's really up to the agent, that they have leeway they can use. I mentioned that we'd gotten such an agent out of LAX, who let us on, and that I'd heard that the Orlando agents are just AWFUL about that sort of thing, never letting anything like that get through in a checked bag. They thought that was a shame. All the while they were just being sillier than anything, and a slight bit charming, too.

As our conversation closed, one of them leaned in and asked me to call 911 on his partner. Since it was his partner who was being musical, I asked him if it was because the partner was about to start singing again, and the agent said that I was correct. We said goodbye, and I was smiling at their goofiness.

Once again, the TSA people at LAX impressed me! I think I've only run into one who was outright rude, and one who was just a little forgetful (hubby was being wanded, I was about to be sent to be wanded, and they had forgotten that I had a little dude with me). The rest have been perfectly pleasant while doing their jobs.

I got through security, got to the gate, waited a bit with funny people, got on board, and had a fine, but bumpy, flight. Hubby and son were happy that I'd gotten in so much earlier (I'd called them of course), we got home, and they were surprised at how schmoopy I had been and continued to be, about missing them and looking forward to the family trip.



I'm SO GLAD I got to take this trip! Meeting Sherry was SO great, and spending time with Laurie again was also SO great! Not to mention being part of such a good rate at PPH, and seeing the new rooms. Sherry, I really really really appreciate the opportunity to be a small part of your trip, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I do remember discussing how the Tron stuff really stuck out like a sore thumb.....my notes & thoughts don't always mesh. I noted rides, shows, etc but the rest I tried to do from the pics & memory. The memory is starting to go......lol

How awesome that you got to go on the earlier flight!!!! My wait at the airport was so brutally long......yawn!!!

It really was a wonderful trip & I'm glad we got to spend that time together!!!

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, I understand missing your guys. When I went last year with my Bff although I had a great trip by the last day I really missed my bunch. I am so glad you have your trip to look forward to with them.


Although out of curiosity are you going to be able to be so close to WDW and not go?

 

[bumbershoot]

How awesome that you got to go on the earlier flight!!!! My wait at the airport was so brutally long......yawn!!!

I saw that you were delayed, that's not fun! On one of my solo trips, maybe the one with the Diva trip, my flight from SNA was delayed something like 2 hours. And it was a late flight, too, and everything was closed.

Although out of curiosity are you going to be able to be so close to WDW and not go?

Yesterday I was on the Disney YES site (their educational programs), seeing if there were any programs for E's age going during that time, to try to get a discounted ticket.

I think that having us stay at the Boardwalk on that first night, which was decided upon for laundry purposes (using some points is less $$ out of pocket then a laundromat at midnight, my silly brain decided), was a HUGE mistake. We're *right there* next to Epcot. Ugh.

And now we're realizing how many days we'll be at Universal, and that might get boring (well, actually, I'm the only one having those thoughts)...

And Epcot is where the Norwegian bakery is, which is where those tasty treats were....they also have the China exhibit, and Eamon was just studying the Xia dynasty, and surely there's something about that dynasty there, right?

I'm just not sure that nearly $300 for 3 one day tickets, for some pastries and an hour of homeschool extras, is worth it (even if we add in all the other things we'd end up doing....those two things are just the tangible reasons to go...oh, wait, also, grand marnier slushies!). Guess we'll have to see what the company stocks do in the next two weeks...

 

[bumbershoot]

Speaking of the company, Robert's being sent on a huge trip just before our vacation. Again.

But with the mileage, he'll pretty much get Alaska miles status set for next year with just this one trip, so that's good. Other trips will just bump the status higher.



OK, gotta go do work with the Kidlet. We're almost caught up to where we should be, and then we can start with the second trimester of his work, and start working ahead with that, too, so it doesn't take us all the way through summer.

 

[kaoden39]

Go company stocks!!



You see I know how hard it would be for me. I have a friend planning a trip for July to Disneyland and I am already doing my trip planning.

 

[kaoden39]

Wow that is a lot of mileage. That kind of travel would exhaust me. R is going need that vacation with all of the travel and time change.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's a stupid amount of travel right before our trip. And they've known about our trip since November, and our trip was scheduled in what was supposed to be a quiet time. But no, they decided to get this work trip going right then...ridiculous.

But this Jan-Jan year they've lost 3 guys from the team, one just after they'd hired someone to replace the first guy. And then that guy had something wrong with his paperwork (moving into this country) and hasn't started yet. I keep telling him to tell his boss to just hire ME. Pay me very little, I'll learn as I go, and just include the kidlet in my travel. With proper training, I'm pretty good at learning new things (it's the PROPER training that's the kicker though...give me horrid training or NO training, and I'm no good at all).


Spent the day cleaning, organizing, rearranging...was fun! Still have a lot more to do though.

 

[Happy 2 B Me]

Bumper you were just fine using the handicapped restroom/stall. Ii is unlike parking spots. Have you ever noticed that unlike parking spots, that are up close -- restrooms seem to have the larger stalls located back at end of room. When I mom has two kids one in stroller and one needing to use the rest room. The handicapped stall gives room needed. I know family restrooms are the best but just in case one is not available.

Work travel is so not fun. Poor husband, poor E and momma to , I would not like husband traveling so much but work is work.

Your pictures are very nice. I like seeing the same areas but from different views.

I used to go to WDW twice a year. One time with family. During this time I take care of them and make sure food is cooked --(We stay in a one bedroom villa at Boardwalk). I do what ever they want to do. The trip is all about them. We ususally go for 11-12 nights at this time. I then go alone staying at Swan or Dolphin. I have also stayed at all-stars. For me being Epcot lover staying swan /dolphin works best. I now stay for 7-8 days alone and do what ever I want. Near the end of trip I want to go home early as I miss everyone. After being home 2 -3 days I am ready to go back LOL I cannt be pleased I guess. I felt same in Hawaii. I call Hawaii home and Washington where we have a house. I always feel like I am home when I fly in to Honolulu. But after 2 - 3 weeks I start missing family. With grandkids being at the fun ages I will not go to Hawaii for longer then 5-7 days. I have to go other soon -- have to take care of some business--but not looking forward to trip with no family . But you gotta do what ya gotta do.

Yes make them hire you --would be so much fun for E to see the US.

Bumper there is a China exhibit not 2 miles from Disneyworld. I traveled by it 2-3 times last trip. I have no idea how large it is, what it is, costs, I know nothing LOL. Might be worth looking into if E is studying China.

Still following.

Patty

 

[bumbershoot]

Robert's trip is fast approaching, as is the family trip! Woo!

As is, I hope, SNOW. Gotta go to the store today, because we actually ARE out of things that will be needed! While walking to the close-by store is fun in the snow, it's not fun to carry lots of things home (and it's an expensive store).

Decided to rent a car in Orlando, and now Robert's getting behind the "spend a day in Epcot" idea, just as I'm coming away from it (the flipflopping is something he and I have patented in our relationship, LOL). This time we WILL hit some of the kitschy giftshops! Universal is great and awesome and fabulous, but its hours are nowhere near as long as Disney's (land or world), and we don't want to be stuck there without a way to go elsewhere.


Ah, now it's time for learning work. And, as Eamon just said, it's also the day for me to prove my worth in Lego building. Over Yule I stated that I wanted to rebuild the other, smaller, Harry Potter sets (we have the Quidditch set, Freeing Dobby, and Hagrid's Hut sets), and we've been slowly gathering the parts for them. He just walked up to me with the bin and threw down that gauntlet. But I think that'll wait for the weekend and hopefully the snow!

 

[Sherry E]

Molly, have you begun another Pre-TR for your upcoming Orlando trip on the WDW side of the board (whether it just stays at Universal or expands to WDW as well), or wherever the Universal section is? I wasn't sure if I missed something somewhere along the line.

So when is the next Disneyland trip? Any ideas of when that will likely happen? Post-Cars Land opening?

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, that sounds like a good way to eat up snow time. I am glad Robert is coming over to your way of thinking.



Sherry, the first part of their trip is at Disneyland. Then they are going to Florida.