Hott weather, but a very fun trip!!!

[CaliLuvinGirl]

We just got back from our Disney trip yesterday, and I am starting my very first trip report! I am new at this, so bear with me!
Cast: My dad, who loves disney as much as me, My mom, who also LUVES Disney, And ME! Who, guess what? LOVES DISNEY! LOL.
Our itinerary was:
Friday April 25th we dropped our two dogs (cleo and howie, i missed them so much!) off at the boarding kennels (if anyone in WA is looking for a good place to board their dogs, I HIGHLY reccoment Glishire kennels, they are a little bit pricey but great! I have tried other places, but we will only leave them there!)
Saturday April 26th: fly in and shop at Downtown Disney/eat at Ralph Brennens Jazz Kitcen
Sunday April 27th: Disneyland!
Monday April 28th: Disneyland/ Goofys kitchen
Tuesday April 29th: Disneyland!
Wednesday April 30th: Pick up Rental car/ go to LA
Thursday May 1st: Go to Universal Studios
Friday May 2nd: Fly out

On Saturday, we had an Alaska Airlines flight that departed SEATAC airport at 9:45 am and arrived at SNA/ John Wayne at 12:30 pm. We got to the airport two hours early, checkin an security was quick and easy, so we had some time to sit, have some breakfast and wish we were in california! Finally, we boarded the flight on time, and then sat and sat and sat waiting to take off. They kept saying that they had a problem with the intercom system on the flight, so we had to wait until someone could come and look at it. Finally, about 30 minutes later, an engineer person boards the flight, and we are watching him look over the intercom from our seats, and what does he do? Shakes the little microphone, and trys it again!!! I could have done that! AGH! So that was kind of annoying but whatever. We finally took off, and had a nice flight, except for the fact that I am pretty scared of flying LOL! They gave us drinks and snack mix, and were very nice. We landed pretty much on time (I guess they went faster to get back on schedual?) and were in CALIFORNIA! YAY! We got our baggage ( tip for flyers, we all had plain black rolling suitcases, and so does pretty much everyone else, so before we left I tied bright blue ribbons on ours so they were easy to tell from other peoples and so somebody didnt take them on accident!) and then we headed outside. It was so warm and I got to see palmtrees! LOL i love palmtrees! Here is a Picture of one! Well, Maybe not, i cant figure out how to post a picture!!?? HELP! LOL. We caught the super shuttle, which took us to our hotel. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn, always do, and always will. I love that place, it is within walking distance, has a nice pool, a gift shop that also sells snacks, a pizza hut, a seattles best coffee, and an arcade all inside it. It also has ice machines, vending machines, and in room refrigerators. I think it is one of the best hotels!
We checked in, got situated, my dad walked down to a seven eleven to get water/sodas and then we all headed down to downtown disney. We did some shopping, walked around looking at everything, and then headed to our dinner at Brennens Jazz Kitchen. We had reservations (you will need them!) It was very good! My dad got the drunken chicken breast with a side of crawfish. It looked pretty good, but since i am a vegetarian (well, I eat fish but don't eat chicken beef pork or any of that stuff) I didn't try it. My mom ordered the salmon, but the waiter accidently brought her the trout (he was a good waiter though, was really nice, and offered to bring her the salmon if she didn't like the trout) but she really liked it. It was blackened, and came with gritts and crawfish on top. I tried it and it was good. I have never tried grits or crawfish before, and liked them both. Grits were like mashed potatoes and crawfish remimded me of shrimp. I had the shrimp scampi which was served on pasta with cream sauce, sundried tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms were mixed in. It was YUMMY! For dessert, we ordered the bananas foster, which is an order for two, but was plenty for all 3 of us, and was about $17 dollars. Brennens isnt cheap but sure is good. The bananas foster is where they come with a protable stove thing to your table, have a banana which they saute tableside with brown sugar and butter, then add rum and flame it! It was so cool! The whole restaurant oohed and aahed! When we were done with dinner, we shopped some more, and then headed back to the hotel. Me and my dad went swimming and then got a second dinner/snack from mc donalds (this was about 10 oclock at night! LOL.) The mc donalds by disney doesn't have a dollar menue! LOL! Well, i will type this thing in days because I need a break, my fingers are sore!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

On Sunday, the park opened at eight in the morning, so we got up, grabed a quick granola bar breakfast, and were there for opening. The first ride we went on was Space Mountain. We hadn't been on it since they re did it and it was so cool!! I loved it! Then we headed over to Astro Blasters, another ride I have never been on! I liked shooting at the targets, and it was an all around cool ride. I wasn't very good at it though, LOL! We did that a second time, and then headed over to startours, another ride I love!
After we finnished up in tommorrowland, we headed over to AdventureLand. We did the Jungle Cruise and the tiki room. After that we went over to fantasy land and did snow white and pinochio. Then we were getting kind of tired, so we got slushys (Cherry for me, Magic apple for both of my parents, the cherry was yummy and the apple was good to, it tasted just like frozen apple juice) and headed over to california adventure. We grabbed fastpasses for Soarin, and then went to corn dog castle (my moms FAVORITE PLACE ) the line was so long, and it was getting really hot out. It was almost one hundred degrees. My parents both got a corn dog and pop, and i got a diet coke, and then my mom decided she was done until it cooled down, so we headed back to the hotel, and put on more sunscreen, and I got a pack of trail mix from the vending machine since i didn't have lunch, and then me and my dad headed back to the park. We went back to California adventure, and got in line for the one hour wait for grizzley. We waited, and waited, and waited, but we stayed in line since it was my favorite ride, and the park was SUPER crowded so everything had a long wait. This wait was atleast shaded by all the trees and had water by it so it was cooler. We got on grizzly, and YUP, still my favorite ride in the park! It is SOOOO much fun. Sadley, since it was a day I really wanted to get wet, we didn't get very wet. Of course, when you want to get wet on a 100 degree day you hardly do, and when it is 60 degrees out, you get soaked. GO FIGURE! After grizley, we headed over to use our fastpasses for soarin and that is also an amazing ride. We then did tower, which is fun and a really good ride and it had a 13 minute wait lol! Then we went over for the four oclock show of Aladins musical spectacular, which I didn't expect to like but really did. I think that the genie and the magic carpet were the best part. After we did that, we walked back to the hotel, hung out there for a bit, than all three of us went to dinner at Mileys, which is a diner type restaurant in the parking lot of the fairfield. It was good, I got the fish and shrimp basket with a diet coke, my mom got the french dip sandwich, and my dad got some burger with pepper jack cheese on it. It was good, and I even was given malt vinegar for my fish, which I love, but alot of restaurants don't provide it. Each of us saved about half of ours for later so my dad ran the leftovers up to the room, and then we all headed to the California Adventure park. It had cooled down quite a bit by now which was nice. We shopped at the everything under the sun store by the entrance, and then figured out where we would want to sit for the electrical parade. We went on a couple rides (can't remember which) and then went to stake out our spots and to make sure we got good ones. My dad had it all figured out so that we were right by where the parade started, and then could be some of the first people out in order to get to disneyland in time to watch the fire works. We all had a mickey mouse sucker while we were waiting (You know. the ones that come in packs of five) These are a tradition for every trip. I love them!!! Lol! We watched the parade, which was really cool! I took tons of pictures, and if someone would tell me how to post pictures I would post them, but I just can't figure it out lol! We then Fast walked over to disneyland for the fireworks. This is where my dad earned his nickname for the trip (theme park commando!) LOL! This lady ran my heel over with her stroller and just kept going, no apology! SO RUDE! That is one thing I noticed about this trip, is how rude people with strollers were, I think i got hit with one about five different times, and no one ever appologized, it didnt hurt but an apollogy would be really nice! LOL. I feel worse for the kid in the stroller than i do for myself though! LOL Some people with do anything to get in front of people in a crowd, especially if they have their kid as a sheild! Ah well! We made it over to disneyland in time to see the fire works, which were so good. We had watched them the night before off the balcony of our hotel, but they are so much better in the park! AWESOME! After those, my dad went to watch Fantasmic, and me and my mom did some rides. We did Splash, Winnie the pooh, and haunted mansion. Splash is my favorite ride in disney, but my mom has been afraid of it ever since it broke down with us on it and we had to walk off on our last trip! LOL, I love it though! Then we met up with my dad and headed out. I Love it when the park is open till midnight! We went back to our room and ate our leftovers (another plus about the fairfield is that their is a microwave in the pizza hut area that people can use! And that is the end of day two in my SUPER detailed trip report! LOL

 

[davidsprincess]

I am really enjoying your trip report and can't wait to read more. Sorry that I can't help you with your pictures. I think that people here use Photobucket for that. Sorry.

 

[Brenna&Noah's Mom]

I don't know how to post a pic either,but I'm loving your trip so far.

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Here is Day three (April 28, Monday) of my trip report and our second day at disneyland!
On Monday, the park opened at ten o clock in the morning, so we got up at around 7:30 in order to have enough time to go have breakfast. We went to Milleys (the restaurant in the parking lot of our hotel and the same place we had dinner the night before) and got to the restaurant around 8:45. I had a side of fruit (which was really yummy, you got two pices of cantelope, watermelon, honeydew and a bannana all for $2.99!) and a side of hashbrowns with an orange juice (they give free refills on orange juice! My dad was absolutely amazed by this!) my mom got eggs benedict, and my dad got pancakes. He looks forward to going to Milleys just for their pancakes. I dont get it, but he says they are really good! After our breakfast we headed to the park. We went to california adventure first, and were early, so we had to sit and wait for the park to open. First we headed to Muppet Vision I love this show, but find the preshow very boring, so I sat there and organized my Pressed Pennies (Am I the only one who absolutely loves collecting these things????) Finally we got to go into the theater. I really enjoy this show, it is really cute! Then we headed to Tower of Terror, and got on with basically no wait. Really a fun ride, and it is alot of fun to listen to the people in line with you worry about going on it, and then have alot of fun. Just how I was the first time! Then we did Grizzley River Run, and since it was starting to get really warm, my mom went on it even though she usually refuses because she doesn't want to get that wet. Well, I think she is a magnet for the water! Yesterday, we hardly got wet. Today when she was with, all three of us were absolutely SOAKED! Seriously, I was dripping, my makeup was running, and my clothes were pratically see through! Then we headed to soarin, which is always a great ride. We then walked back to the hotel because my mom wanted a break, and I redid my makeup and suntan lotionrolleyes: Grizzley made me look like a drowned rat, and the time I spent that morning straightening my hair was wasted, lol!) Me and my dad then headed back to disneyland, and stoped by guest relations to make reservations for Goofy's Kitchen that night. We were on hold forever, and then finally someone picked up. The only time they had left was for 7:30, and we had wanted around 5:00! So then we hung up, had to call my mom and check if it was ok, and it was, so then we had to call them back and be on hold for another 15 minutes! All that wasted Disneyland time! In the meantime, I got my dad a birthday button since we were there during his birthday, and then finally we set our reservations and were on our way. We did Pirates, and walked on Big thunder Mountain Railroad twice. This is a great ride!!! Then we did the Sailing ship Columbia, and then headed back to the hotel. We stopped at a store on the way and got snacks, to tide us over until dinner, and brought them back to the room. All three of us ate and then headed back to the parks. We rode some rides that I cannot remember what (I know sometime today and the previous day we did pirates and haunted mansion, which I forgot to write about. I love the new addition to pirates! And the bride part of the haunted mansion that is pretty new is really cool to!!!) and then we took the monorail over to goofy's Kitchen. I really like this restauant (yeah, a 16 year old girl and her parents are kind of out of place but oh well!) They even have good food! Some things that I can remember (I am writing this down because I know it is nearly impossible to find a detailed menu of goofy's kitchen) are: Pasta salad, potatoe salad, regular salad, cucumber salad, rolls, Cajun Salmon, Jerk Pork Chops, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cajun red potatoes halves, prime rib, spanish rice, an Asian Veggie noodle thing, Vegetarian Gyoza, Chicken strips, maccaroni and cheese, popcorn shrimp, pizza, spaghetti with marinara, pineapple, melon, grapes, oranges, apples, kiwi, tiramisu, chocolate cheesecake, bread pudding, apple and apricot strudle, apple crisp, brownies, cream puffs, and alot of other stuff that I just cannot remember! LOL, I tried! There were alot of characters there, but just Cinderella, Jasmine, and goofy came to our table. With the birthday button, my dad had alot of people saying happy birthday, but what was really nice was at goofy's they brought him a special goofy's birthday button, a cupcake with a candel in it, and all the characters gathered around and sang to him! We didn't request it or anything! So NICE!!! Then after dinner we went shopping in downtown disney for a while, and then headed back to the hotel. I will post some more tommorrow!

 

[lulubelle]

Awesome detailed TR - glad you and your family are having such a great time. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Hi! Glad everybody is enjoying my trip report so far! Now if I could only figure out how to post pictures.
I will have the next installment posted sometime tommorrow, but I have been so busy with make up work for school that I havent had time today!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Well, I tried to write Day 4, but it said to remove links from the post? LOL. Dont know! SO I guess I will re write it tommorrow! I dont have time tonight. It said you cannot post links and images untill you have posted ten posts, so since this is my fifth, maybe I will be able to post pics all together after I am done with my report because I think that will be about 10 posts!!! FINGERS CROSSED!!
I promise another day tommorrow!!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

I havent posted in a while, so I will post mor in my trip report tonight but it says I can post pictures after ten posts, and this will be my 6th, so I am going to post a few things before I write my report and hope I can add an image!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

I was wondering if anybody knew, do you actually NEED photo bucket to post pictures. I am technically challenged and don't think I can figure this stuff out!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Not many people have been reading my trip report but for those who have, sorry I haven't done it in a while and what you read I hope you liked!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Two more of these and then my next day in my trip report, Disneyland, Day 3
WITH PICTURES! hopefully!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

And now my trip report, keep your fingers crossed i get some pictures in here!

 

[toocherie]

Ok--we're waiting for pics!

By the way, go to Photobucket and create an account and then upload your pics. Then you copy the IMG code and paste it in your post here on the Dis. At least I think that's how it works!

 

[december]

Photobucket is really easy to use!

I'm enjoying the report - in 9 days we'll be in DL for the 1st time!

I had to laugh at your description of grits! Dd8 eats them for breakfast EVERY morning. I'm going to buy some to take with us since I don't know if we can find them for her in CA!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Well, I guess I am going to have to break down and sign up for photobucket. I think I will just post all my pics at the end of my report. So, the other night I typed the report for tuesday, our last day at disneyland, pressed post, and aol froze up, said there was an error, and signed off! I had worked so hard!! Gosh, I was so mad, so I am going to try it again, and hope it doesn't happen again!

So on tuesday, we got up, grabbed a quick breakfast, and headed for the parks. We were really happy because the day was supposed to be cooler than the past two days. The forecast was for a CHILLY 80 degrees, lol! So we headed for disneyland first. The first ride we did was the matterhorn bobsleds. I love this ride, it was the first disney ride I have ever been on (when I was in Kindergarten!) and it just gets better! We tried both sides and think that the inside one is better. You see the abonimable (SP?) snowman twice, and since it is on the inside it has tighter turns. We then did the other side, and it was fun to. What I like about this ride is that if you ride seperately you can stretch your legs out. I have never been able to do that on a roller coaster before! I dont recomend sitting with them crossed though, I almost lost a flip flop! So after the matterhorn we did mr. toads. This was my favorite ride when I was younger, but I do not remember the devil scene being so warm! My mom's glasses fogged up! After this, we headed to tommorrowland. We did space mountain, and then me and my dad did it a second time while my mom waited, she said that her stomach couldn't take a second time. LOL! So then we headed over to buzz lightyear to blast those astros one last time! What is SO SUPER CUTE is how in the waiting area there is a huge mechanical buzz, all the kids look at him and listen so carefully, like what he is saying is really important! LOL. So after buzz, we headed over to critter country and did Splash mountain. This is my favorite ride, I love it, and it is really great and really wet if you sit in the front! I think I like it best in the front, even though the drop is scary because there is no one in front of you! LOL. When I got off, I was absolutely soaked!!! then, as I started to dry off, I noticed that i had green spots all over my white JUICY DRAMA QUEEN t shirt which I can only assume were from algae from the water in splash. EW! And, they still havent come out, and that is one of my favorite shirts! Ah well, keep trying! So after splash we headed over to BTMRR and were trying to decide whether or not to ride it, I think we all were a little grouchy since it was our last day at disneyland, and then the cast member gave us front of the line passes! It was so nice of him, and almost like being dreamed, not like we have any experience being dreamed! So after that we went to the Tiki Room and got dole whips. Then my parents got corn dogs from the little red wagon on mainstreet and I got a bag of chips. Then we made our way over to California Adventure. We got fastpasses for soarin, and then headed over to screamin. I LOVE THIS RIDE! That take off is absolutely amazing! After that, my mom went to check out the food and wine festival, and me and my dad went to look at the boardwalk. We tried this game where you got 3 balls for 3 dollars and had to knock down two of the dolls to get a prize. Well, my dad tried and didn't knock down any, but then I tried and knocked down 1. I didn't win a prize but I beat my dad! LOL. SO then we went and met up with my mom, and watched a free cooking demonstration on how to make lumpia. My mom really liked this since she loves to cook, and they gave you a free miniature bottle of water and a sample of lumpia. We then did the tortilla and bread factory tours. After this we did tower of terror, and then did soarin. We figured we could ride soarin and then catch the last cooking demonstration of the day, but the cast member counted wrong, so we had to wait for the next ride. GRRRRRR. SO after we rode it again, we missed the cooking demonstration, but oh well. Then me and my dad did grizzley for the last time and we headed out. We headed back to disneyland, got some food (I got veggie gumbo in a breadbowl, my dad got steak gumbo, and my mom got a burger) and ate it while waiting for the parade. I liked mine, except for that I don't like okra. While we were waiting for the parade to start, I fed a duck some potatoe chips leftover from lunch. It would take it right from your hand! LOL. Then the parade starts, and what amazes me is that we are sitting on a bench about 6 feet away from the end of the curb, and people will come and stand right in front of you! It is like, do you think we are just waitng here so we can look at your backs? GR. But then we just stood on the bench. (there was no one behind us, so we weren't being inconsiderate like SOME PEOPLE!!!) After the parade, we headed over to pirates, and then made Indy our last ride of the trip. It was so weird, the ride like broke down right when you get to the part where the ball is going to come at you. I was worried that the ball was going to come at you anyways, and like run over us and my mom was worried that we would get rear ended by another car. Neither of these things happened, and we just sat there and watched indiana jones hang there and twitch, and then we started going again. LOL. So by the time we got off the park was closed, and we headed over to downtown disney, got some last minute souveniers from world of disney, and I got the best smelling perfume from sephora. And that was the end of our disney trip. The next post will be about LA, which is still a lot of fun, but definately not disney!!!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Thank you for help on how to use photobucket! I think what I will do is after I post my entire trip, I will post all the pictures together.

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

Photobucket is really easy to use!

I'm enjoying the report - in 9 days we'll be in DL for the 1st time!

I had to laugh at your description of grits! Dd8 eats them for breakfast EVERY morning. I'm going to buy some to take with us since I don't know if we can find them for her in CA!

Ohhhh, have fun in disneyland!!!! 8 years old is a great age too, she won't be afraid of the rides, hopefully!! Yeah, the grits were good though, never tried them, but I guess growing up near Seattle, you don't see grits much. I was more so raised on coffee! LOL!

 

[CaliLuvinGirl]

I thought I would post lists of what I noticed, What I forgot to include in my report, and bests in disneyland.

What I noticed this trip:
1. I got ran into a bunch of times by strollers. Ladies with strollers, watch out for ankles please! It hurts!
2. This trip I really noticed how much cutting in line people do. Someone will wait and then later their whole party will come and join them. This is so super rude!

What I forgot to include in my trip report:
1. I forgot to include all the souveniers! ACK! I got a really cute grey disneyland sweatshirt with a pink mickey head with rhinestones, my dad collects pens, and so he got a really cool micky mouse pen that somehow can tell if you have your finger over the mickey head on it, and if you do it will change from black pen, to red pen, or pencil. He didn't know this when he baught it and it is really cool. My mom got a cute disneyland t shirt.

Bests:

Best character meal: Goofy's Kitchen
Best restaurant off of disneyland: Millies Restaurant. This is in the parking lot of the fairfield hotel and is really good!
Best restaurant in downtown disney: Ralph Brennens Jazz Kitchen
Best quick restaurant in downtown disney: Napolini, this place is right next to Naples Restaurante, and has pizza slices, and different salads. It is really good.
Best food value in disneyland: The gumbo in a bread bowl at the restaurant by pirates of the caribbean. I can never finnish it all, it is so much!
Best way to cool off on a hot day: DOLE WHIP!!!!!!!!!!!
Best corn dog: Corn dog castle
Best rides for fast passes: Soarin, Splash Mountain
Best ride to wait for on a hot, crowded day: Grizzly river run has a pretty pleasent wait. It is mostly shaded by a lot of trees, and is by water so it is cooler.
Fastest moving line: Pirates
Best candy: Sour balls!!! YUMMMM
Best restaurant for vegetarians: Goofy's kitchen! Not a lot of buffets have a lot for veggies, but this does! It has fresh fruit, macaroni and cheeze, tomatoe basil and mozzerella salad, potatoe salad, green salad, mixed veggies, corn on the cobb, spaghetti with marinara, rolls, vegetarian gyoza, veggie stirfry with noodles, garlic mashed potatoes, cajun potatoes, and cheese pizza. There was soo much for me to choose from! It was great!


Most horribles:

Most horrible restaurant for vegetarians: The little red wagon on mainstreet. All they have is corn dogs and potatoe chips.
Most horrible ride for a fast pass: Indiana jones. We got a fastpass, and then later when we cam back, they had no fast pass line! It really made us mad, we had to wait about 20 minutes, and the worst part is that for those 3 hours we waited to ride, we could have had another fastpass. When we complained, they said that we can use those fastpasses for indy the rest of the day, but then my dad asked what good would that do if they have no fast pass line, and they said that the fast pass only works if the line is out side the indoor waiting area, and the only line you get to bypass is the out side one. The indoor waiting area is so long! It made us really mad. We could have had a fastpass for space instead!!!!!!
Most horrible food line: CORN DOG CASTLE! We waited in a line of about 20 people, it was super hot, not at all shaded, and they only had one window open! ON A SUNDAY!!!! And it was really slow moving!!!!


As you can see I have more good things than bad things because HELLO, its disney! Of course there will be more good than bad!

Oh, and if anybody is wondering, some amenities the fairfield has is a nice, heated pool, millies in it's parking lot, mcdonalds right next door, a pizza hut/seattles best coffee on the third floor, an arcade, a gift shop with snacks/drinks, and free internet service. Our room was nice, and the pizza hut had pizza, and also salads, fruit cups, and sandwiches, For breakfast there was breakfast sandwiches and hashbrowns. There was also a microwave there in the eating area that anybody could use, which was great if you had leftovers and refrigerated them in your room! The one complaint we would have is that our door was hard to close! You know how you can go out, and most hotel doors will slam shut behind you? Well our door would stop right when it touched the wall so you could just push it open! Make sure to pull the doors closed! Oh, and there were vending machines, ice machines, and drink machines on every floor. Every room had a coffee maker and refrigerator.

 

[Bloodhound]

Here's a Dole Whip for a great Trip Report

we are planning a DL trip in Ocotber...I hope its as good as yours