Hijinks & Shenanigans but not much Mayhem@The Dark Side+Disney:Link to DL/Hawaii TR

[spiritsim]

If you are in Paris you can see DLParis its right next to the city.

 

[natebenma]

We are not going to Aulani. We will spend the entire week on the Big Island. Other than changing plans in Oahu, I haven't spent any time there. We are staying at a Hilton Grand Vacation Villa in Waikoloa. It's attached to a huge Hilton Resort there which is supposed to be spectacular.

I'm not sure about Disneyland Paris. It's not really on our way but it seems like a shame not to stop there.

Amanda

That's interesting...

If you are in Paris you can see DLParis its right next to the city.

I'm with spiritsim- you should definitely consider going to DLP.

 

[natebenma]

We booked a trip this morning!!!



As many of you know, we have been trying to decide amongst a varied array of choices for a special family dream vacation-of-a lifetime. Up for consideration were Hawaii, California, a National Parks tour and St. Lucia

And the winner is...


Aloha! See You Real Soon! (Not necessarily in that order)




We will be flying from Boston to LAX for a 4 night stay at the Grand Californian Disneyland. I have been to DL once, for one day, but the rest of the family has never been.

One of the top things on my To-Do list for this part of the trip is to meet up with Brenda (emmysmommy) for a Pina Colava, or two!


We will then continue on to Hawaii:

4 nights at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu
4 nights at the Honua Kai Resort in Maui (1 Bedroom Condo)
1 night at Hilton Waikoloa Village - wonder if that's where you are staying, Amanda?

Then, back to Boston after our two week extravaganza.


We are super excited and I am looking forward to researching and planning this trip to a couple of "new-to-us" locations.

That's it for now- I'll return to our regularly scheduled trip report very soon- but I'm sure I will have lots more to share with you as the planning proceeds. And as always, your input/comments/suggestions are always welcome!!!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

That is so EXCITING Dee!!! It sounds so great Hawaii AND Disney.... what could be better than that?!!!!

This is a July trip right?

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[natebenma]

That is so EXCITING Dee!!! It sounds so great Hawaii AND Disney.... what could be better than that?!!!!

This is a July trip right?

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Thanks!!! We figure the trip to DL will help break up the travel time on the way down. On the way home, hopefully we will be exhausted and ready to get back as soon as possible.

Yes, July 12-26

I should probably edit that in.

 

[KatMark]

Dee, that is AWESOME! You are going to love Hawaii. And I certainly hope you can work it out to meet up with Brenda. She is by far one of my favorite DISer's and we loved our meets with her.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Thanks!!! We figure the trip to DL will help break up the travel time on the way down. On the way home, hopefully we will be exhausted and ready to get back as soon as possible. Yes, July 12-26 I should probably edit that in.

what a good plan

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[ProudMommyof2]

Congrats!!! That truly is a trip of a lifetime!!! Can't wait to hear all those details. Sounds like a PTR is in order

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Congrats on your Hawaii & Disneyland trip!!! That is going to be fabulous!

We have been trying to decide on something different too. I'm pretty sure we have decided on giving up WDW next summer for Disneyland!! I'm super excited! Can't say the same for my boys... I know they will love it once we get there, they just don't love the thought of change.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I am so excited that you chose Hawaii! I think you'll have a great time. The north shore of Oahu is where all the world class surfing takes place. We stayed up there at Turtle Bay Resort when we were on Oahu. They would shine huge spotlights on the ocean so that the surfers could surf after dinner. You could plan a day trip up there.

Kaanapali in Maui is a great resort area.

All the flights back to the mainland are red eye flights. Are you able to fly nonstop back to Boston or do you have to change planes on the mainland?

This is an exciting trip. I would love to check out the Grand Californian and DL, too.

 

[DrMomof3]

How awesome!!!!
Yes, we are staying at the Hilton Grand Vacations at Waikoloa Village and will be using the facilities at the Hilton Resort. I'll give you a full report after our trip!

Amanda

 

[tiggerfan77]

Cool! You're making a combo trip out of my two dream places to vacation! Alooooohaa
So are you breaking up your stays on the islands to get different experiences or does it save you money?

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Oh WOW DEE, that's awesome. Why limit yourself to one when you can do two!!!! Obviously I totally approve of your D-Land stopover. The Grand Californian is gorgeous and SO convenient. You're gonna love it. It will spoil you though.
Obviously I also approve of your planned meet up with Brenda for a drink as well.

And top it off with Hawaii. I've never been but I can only imagine how wonderful that will be. Plus the stopover in Cali will give a nice break between flights. Win-Win.

 

[catho72]

Wow! What a fabulous vacation you have planned! The boys need a nanny, don't they? I can be Cathy Poppins and make sure the boys are OK while on vacation.

No?

Really?

What do you mean they are too old for a nanny?!?!?!?!

But I want to go on your vacation! It's sounds absolutely fabulous!

Mom, Dee isn't playing fair!!!!!!!!!!

Humph.....

 

[mickeystoontown]

Wow! Cool! Awesome! Fabulous! Just a few of the words that pop in my mind when I think about your plans. They truly do sound incredible. I agree with the others...a pre-trip report is defniitely needed.

 

[emmysmommy]

Dee, of course I am THRILLED with your choices - especially the DL part!!

My calendar is cleared and I will be so ready to meet up for a Pina Colava or two!!

As for the Hawaii part of your trip, that sounds so wonderful to do 3 islands! What a great plan.

 

[natebenma]

Thank you everyone for sharing in our excitement! I have so many smilies in my reply that I have to split it into two posts!

Dee, that is AWESOME! You are going to love Hawaii. And I certainly hope you can work it out to meet up with Brenda. She is by far one of my favorite DISer's and we loved our meets with her.

We have always wanted to go to Hawaii, but the hassle of getting there kept holding us back. We love the Caribbean and it is so much easier to travel there, but... it's not Hawaii!!!

For sure, a visit with Brenda is in store! I have even already told my husband that this will happen. I don't have to pretend it is an "accidental" meeting.

what a good plan

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Thanks!

Congrats!!! That truly is a trip of a lifetime!!! Can't wait to hear all those details. Sounds like a PTR is in order

I will eventually get a PTR started. As long as I'm researching, I might as well share!

Congrats on your Hawaii & Disneyland trip!!! That is going to be fabulous!

We have been trying to decide on something different too. I'm pretty sure we have decided on giving up WDW next summer for Disneyland!! I'm super excited! Can't say the same for my boys... I know they will love it once we get there, they just don't love the thought of change.

Thanks!

When next summer?

A couple of weeks ago, we happened upon a show on the Travel Channel about Disneyland. Mark watched it and I think 15 minutes in he said "We're definitely going to Disneyland"

We had considered just a day to help break up the travel, but doing a multi-day stay will help us recover from the travel and hopefully start to adjust to the extreme time change we will encounter in Hawaii.

I am so excited that you chose Hawaii! I think you'll have a great time. The north shore of Oahu is where all the world class surfing takes place. We stayed up there at Turtle Bay Resort when we were on Oahu. They would shine huge spotlights on the ocean so that the surfers could surf after dinner. You could plan a day trip up there.

Kaanapali in Maui is a great resort area.

All the flights back to the mainland are red eye flights. Are you able to fly nonstop back to Boston or do you have to change planes on the mainland?

This is an exciting trip. I would love to check out the Grand Californian and DL, too.

Nate is considering taking a surfing lesson. There is so much to do- can't wait to start the planning spreadsheets!!!

Yes, redeye to the mainland. We have a stopover in San Francisco before heading back to Boston.

I am a little scared about the sleep disruption on this trip. I don't sleep well at home, I sleep even less well on vacation, and with the time changes I am going to be toast.

Maybe my trip report title will be something like "Zombie Commando takes on DL and HI"

I agree, the Grand Californian looks amazing. We love resorts that are close to the theme parks we are visiting and I'm not sure you can get much closer than this!

How awesome!!!!
Yes, we are staying at the Hilton Grand Vacations at Waikoloa Village and will be using the facilities at the Hilton Resort. I'll give you a full report after our trip!

Amanda

Looking forward to hearing ALL about it!!!

It's actually coming pretty quick!

Cool! You're making a combo trip out of my two dream places to vacation! Alooooohaa
So are you breaking up your stays on the islands to get different experiences or does it save you money?

Yes, we are visiting multiple islands because they all offer something different.

Definitely not cheaper because we will be paying for the flights between the islands.

The USS Arizona Memorial (Pearl Harbor) is on Oahu and that is non-negotiable for Ben. Maui is just gorgeous and will offer the natural beauty . We were going to skip The Big Island, but Nate's main must-see is volcanoes, so we will spend our last day with a round-the-island, Best of the BI tour.

 

[natebenma]

Oh WOW DEE, that's awesome. Why limit yourself to one when you can do two!!!! Obviously I totally approve of your D-Land stopover. The Grand Californian is gorgeous and SO convenient. You're gonna love it. It will spoil you though.
Obviously I also approve of your planned meet up with Brenda for a drink as well.

And top it off with Hawaii. I've never been but I can only imagine how wonderful that will be. Plus the stopover in Cali will give a nice break between flights. Win-Win.

Thanks!

That's great to hear about the Grand Californian.

I am already super-behind on everyone's trip reports, and now I have to catch up on some great DL and Hawaii reports. PHEW!!!

Definitely a WIN-WIN, and the cherry on top of the chocolate-caramel sundae with extra whipped cream (not a whole can, though) will be meeting Brenda!

Wow! What a fabulous vacation you have planned! The boys need a nanny, don't they? I can be Cathy Poppins and make sure the boys are OK while on vacation.

No?

Really?

What do you mean they are too old for a nanny?!?!?!?!

But I want to go on your vacation! It's sounds absolutely fabulous!

Mom, Dee isn't playing fair!!!!!!!!!!

Humph.....

I wish!!!

How cool would it be for me to join you on your 2014 adventures and you coming along on ours.

I'm not sure I am a good enough actress to pull off that accidental meet...


"I didn't know Cathy was going to be here! How incredible that we both planned the same exact vacation!"

Wow! Cool! Awesome! Fabulous! Just a few of the words that pop in my mind when I think about your plans. They truly do sound incredible. I agree with the others...a pre-trip report is defniitely needed.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I quite agree!

I'll let you know when the PTR starts. Probably not until I am done with this report.

Dee, of course I am THRILLED with your choices - especially the DL part!!

My calendar is cleared and I will be so ready to meet up for a Pina Colava or two!!

As for the Hawaii part of your trip, that sounds so wonderful to do 3 islands! What a great plan.

Can't wait to meet you!

 

[teekathepony]

Oh wow! Sounds like a dream trip! How wonderful for you, I can't wait to hear all about it now!

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[Wood Nymph]

I am a little scared about the sleep disruption on this trip. I don't sleep well at home, I sleep even less well on vacation, and with the time changes I am going to be toast.

Maybe my trip report title will be something like "Zombie Commando takes on DL and HI"

We live in the Chicago suburbs so the time change was one hour less for us than it will be for you. What we found was that the time change wasn't too bad going west, to Hawaii. You'll have less of a problem going out there with your California stop. We found ourselves wide awake at four am and sleepy at 8pm, but that was okay. We usually ate our big meal at lunch, which was just about the same time as dinner time at home, and I think that helped. Since Hawaii is a lot closer to the equator than Boston, you'll notice that the sun sets a lot earlier there, like 6:30 -7pm. That helps to put you in an "early to bed" mood.

The killer is coming back home. That is when zombie time hits. But it is worth it.