I'm NEVER staying home for March Break again! FINISHED 07/17 Just in time!

[DisneyFreak06]

So I am quickly going through the pictures, mostly to see how many I have and to fix the orientation of them all so I'm not looking at them sideways... I will start with the first day, not the last day, for my TR, but I found a picture that I like.... so I thought I'd share it.


First Kiss by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

 

[DisneyFreak06]

It was the night before my flight. I was packed and exited to go. My wonderful 17 year old nephew was over and wanted to play some cards before bed. I knew, even though I was exhausted from teaching the 16 sponge-like, loveable, active 5/6 year olds French all week, I was too excited to sleep. The card games were going well, DN won the first game of crib and I skunked him in the second.

During the third crib game my DN looked at me with a confused look and said “That was creepy”. We looked in the living room to see the light swinging. I didn’t tell him, but I was half worried that it was a premonition. I have a friend who loves researching any kind of natural phenomena and constantly says that one day California will have an earthquake so big that the state will fall into the Pacific Ocean. (Spoiler: No, it didn’t happen while I was there)

We continued to play the game when a noise came from the bedroom area that sounded like a hairdryer. Everyone else was in bed and we were being spooked out. Luckily I won the next game of cribbage, so we didn’t need to play a tie-breaker.

While my creative DN stayed in the kitchen working on a story, I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth, still thinking of the creepy noises we’d been hearing. We decided to go to bed and my fearless DN (fearless as in not scared of me apparently) asks me if I’m going to be scared sleeping in my room. I remind him that it is my room after all and I’m quite comfortable in it and... the hairdryer is unplugged!

I lie in bed a few minutes trying to fall asleep, yet thinking about the magical trip up ahead. I am pleased to tell you that I did get some sleep.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Day One: Saturday, March 17th, 2012

My cell phone began playing Poor Unfortunate Souls at about 3:00 am. The plan was that Blanche (my sister) and Rose (Blanche’s sister in law and my friend) would be leaving home to pick me up at 4:20. We don’t need to be at the airport extremely early as the Charlottetown airport is just a wee teeny thing and there were no other flights out, but we do like to be early.

I knocked on my DN’s door to wake him up after I’d had some breakfast. He is the kind of teenager that takes forever to wake up, so I left him while I got dressed. I knocked again when I came out and about ten minutes later he strolled out of the bedroom while scratching his head and rubbing his eyes. He’s the only person I know (besides me!) that gets up this early to see other people go on trips.

I did not want to call Rose or Blanche, (they live next door to each other) as Blanche lives with her elderly mother and Rose has four children, but I was getting worried that by 4:00 I hadn’t heard from them. Around 4:15 I get a text saying that Blanche had slept in! She had awakened at 3:55 and had jumped in the shower. She was very worked up and stressed to the max. My cell phone then began to play the Mickey Mouse ClubHouse March. I answered to Blanche screaming that she had slept in and that it was snowing. I told her it was not snowing at my house, and that we had plenty of time.

They arrive at my house and we make my DN take one bag out. I tried really hard to pack light because I love to shop, but I still had a carryon, my camera bag, and a big checked bag (with another bag inside). The Golden Girls laugh as I slip in the snow and nearly fall, remembering the trip home from the airport in 2010, when we had Blanche’s brother pick us up, and there wasn’t enough room for all of our luggage. We managed to squeeze Rose and me into the back seat with bags on the floor and on the seats, as well as on my lap. I didn’t have any room to place my feet, and one foot was up in the air beside the driver’s head. Luckily, I live about 2 minutes from the airport.

We get to the airport and get in line to check in. It all goes well and I even bump into the other French Immersion kindergarten teacher from my school. It is, after all, our March break. There are quite a few teachers on vacation this week and on the flight with me I see my grade ten science teacher as well as a few others that I know a little.

Now, If you read my previous TR, you know that my school board doesn't really like their teachers posting pictures on the Internet. I've come to the conclusion that they probably mean pictures of yourself partying that show yourself in a bad light. I've decided that I'm posting pictures this time. Blanche still hasn't told me if she minds, but I've sent her a few e-mails.... so I'm posting her too! If she has a problem and asks me to take them off, then I will.

We go through security and wait in the secure area…. And wait some more… and some more. There are no Air Canada agents in the room with us, and they have not announced anything about a delay. No one in the room has a clue what is going on. I turn on my cell phone and see that our plane is delayed by a half hour. That half hour turns in to an hour by the time we get on our plane. Blanche and I look at each other when we take off, then look at our boarding passes for the flight to Montreal. We sigh with relief when we realize that our boarding passes do not have the dreaded SSSS that means we are tagged for extra security. We are still worried as we have to go through Customs and security again before getting to our gate.

Side note: All of these from the first day are taken with my little camera....

I'm on the left. On the right is the other French Immersion Kindergarten teacher from school. We talk every day, various times a day, and we didn't realize we were on the same flight before we got to the airport. Actually, I didn't know she was actually going on a trip until that morning. The week before, she had said she wasn't going!


French Kindergarten teachers by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Blanche is on the right:


2/3 of the Golden Girls by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

The flight is uneventful, but the seats have TVs! I have never before been on a flight out of PEI with screens. This was some fancy plane for PEI. Imagine my frustration though when I can’t use my little screen. The mouse was never going where I pressed and the movies would stop part way through them like I was asking them to stop. No worries though, I had a book and my ipod. I think I just closed my eyes and tried to rest a little bit though.

We look happy to be finally in the air, don't we?


We're in the air! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

They served us some yummy pretzel twist things. I'm not a hard pretzel fan, but I adore soft pretzels. These little things are really good though!


First light by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Ice flow by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Sunrise by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Sunrise by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

As we land in Montreal, we take a look out the windows and we understand that it may have been the fog that delayed the flight. We rush to follow the lines to get to Customs… and we get separated. I was guided to one line, and Blanche to another. I wait for her through the doors… and I wait… and I wait. She doesn’t come out.

Meanwhile, I’m back at the doorways that say no entrance to get back through… and I’m not sure what to do. I tap my toes, I hum and haw and clear my throat every time the doors open to try to get the guards’ attention. Finally I say “Excuse me?” And I say that I lost my friend! They tell me that I should go to my gate and tell them there that she is in Customs somewhere.

So I booted her. I had no idea if our flight was cancelled or delayed or on time. After practically jogging through the airport, I finally get to the gate and wait while the agent is on the phone. I hear her say that she’ll check and comes back saying that there was not a plane yet, which means that our flight is delayed. I’m still out of breath from the run when I tell her that Blanche has been sucked into the black hole of customs… Well, okay, I didn’t tell her that, but I did say that she went somewhere else and didn’t come out yet. She told me to go meet her with a wheelchair and run back. (With two rolling carry ons plus my camera bag? Yeah, I’m independent and capable, but not Superwoman!)

I wait for her at the gate and she gets there a few minutes later, which is when I stop and breathe for a few minutes. At that point the agent announces a gate change for our flight, so everyone gets up and starts filing out, reminding me of the students at my school trying to leave an assembly, people being cut off left and right and people scared they’re going to lose someone. (Seriously, some of those big kid teachers forget that my class is 5 years old and actually try to take their class in between my students!

Blanche had gotten pulled to a different room because she had grapes. Apparently she was terrified because she was seeing other people’s luggage being torn apart as they searched through their bags. They didn’t do that to her though, but it did take some time.

After waiting at our new gate for a bit and still not seeing a plane, I go get us some hot chocolate from Starbucks. I didn’t want to stray too far and miss any announcements. Blanche decides she needs to go for a walk because she’s ADHD or something. (She really can’t physically sit for too long because it hurts). While she’s gone, they announce that certain rows can come and get some food coupons. We miss our row and I teasingly growl her when she gets back. She gets in line for her $10 food coupon and then I get in line for mine while she stays with our bags. We head to Burger King where we get some breakfast. She gets some pancakes and a water, and I get a croissant sandwich (the croissant was good, but the egg was kind of blah) with hash browns (I don’t eat them) and an orange juice. That was all with Blanche’s $10 coupon. I then go to Starbucks and get a water and two apple turnovers for about $8 something with my coupon.

Here we are, after I found Blanche again. Once we realized that we did not miss our flight, but we were delayed.


Leg one done by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

See how foggy it is?


And still fogged in by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Breakfast 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Breakfast 2 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

The hash brown things neither of us ate:


Breakfast 3 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

You can barely see the tail of the Westjet plane, it's so foggy.


Still fogged in by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Blanche is relaxing while we wait... and playing Bob Barker's Beauty showing me her hand cream.


Comfortably waiting by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Playing around with the camera as we wait:

We're delayed...


Sad we're delayed by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

But I'm going to Disneyland!!!


Happy to go to Disneyland by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Then just a normal smile...


All smiles by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

What's that? Is that a bird? A plane? Super Grover? Nope, but it IS our plane coming in for us!


Fogged in by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

And that's where I will end this for now. I have to get to bed. I need tons of energy for those 16 sponge-like, loveable, active 5/6 year olds tomorrow!

 

[kaoden39]

Oh the weather was not friendly was it? I am used to the fog, I live between San Francisco and Sacramento so I get bay fog and valley fog. It stinks when it interferes with flights. I am enjoying you trip report. Have a good Monday.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Oh the weather was not friendly was it? I am used to the fog, I live between San Francisco and Sacramento so I get bay fog and valley fog. It stinks when it interferes with flights. I am enjoying you trip report. Have a good Monday.

Nope, the weather was not very friendly. Once we landed it was better than the fog, but I need to head back to California in warmer weather!

 

[kaoden39]

Nope, the weather was not very friendly. Once we landed it was better than the fog, but I need to head back to California in warmer weather!

Oh without a doubt. This year the rain came late so in February when we went we had rain. A few weeks before we went it was in the 80's. Strange year in California this year.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Oh without a doubt. This year the rain came late so in February when we went we had rain. A few weeks before we went it was in the 80's. Strange year in California this year.

We had a weird winter up here too. I had been hoping for warmer weather.... but that's okay, I need to get back again too! Too much I didn't do, and too much opening again. I'll have to decide what to do for next March break.... DL again (and hope for warmer weather) or a Disney cruise, or somewhere down south. I've never done the South trip really. Oh well, lots of time to decide!

 

[kaoden39]

I am starting our planning for our November trip. Of course it will be a bigger trip. More days and more people. I also threw out there to my husband the other day that I want one more trip after the first of the year. Around the time to renew our APs I was thinking.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

When we left off, I had just witnessed Grover... err... our airplane arriving at our gate. So naturally, I took pictures to try to keep me from screaming excitedly that I was going to Disneyland!

Here's the cockpit of our plane, as seen from inside the terminal:


Cockpit by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

I took a series of pictures of the accordion piece attaching to the plane. I figure if I print them out my students might enjoy seeing that.


Almost ready by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

At this point I'm practically jumping up and down. The people will be able to get off the plane soon!!!!


They can get out by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

We stayed to the side and watched the people exit the plane.


Almost on the plane by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Eventually our flight leaves… about 4 hours behind schedule. We decide that at least this means that our room at the HOJO will be ready when we get there. It also means that all our plans change. We’ll figure them out when we get there.

Friday night, Blanche and Rose had come over to my house, and Blanche and I put on some fake nails and painted our toenails. While putting my camera bag in the overhead bin, one of my nails flew off! We didn’t know where it landed, but we took to laughing like hyenas.

The flight is uneventful, even though the pilot keeps telling us that the turbulence is bad, we don’t seem to mind it. The flight attendants were giving away the earphones because of the delay, as well as lots of snacks, crackers, pretzels, Lindt chocolate bars! They came around a few times with drinks. At one point, Blanche was hit with karma when one of her nails went flying, but hers landed in the aisle of the airplane and she was no way, not gonna ever pretend that she was going to pick it up. She found my nail on her bag and gave it to me. When she wasn’t looking, I stuck it in her purse… She thought it was one of her nails when she found it later! Hahaha. I had to tell her it was mine. I couldn’t mislead her for that long.

I can't remember everything that I watched, but I do remember watching Mightnight in Paris. I thought I'd really enjoy that movie. It was pretty good, but not as exceptional as I thought it was going to be. I know I at least tried to watch A Bug's Life on one or the other of the flights.

Don't we look so happy to be on the road... oops... in the air again?


And we're off! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

I must be trying to make up for no pictures of me on the last TR... I keep posting silly pictures of myself! Blanche thought it was hilarious watching me try to eat the apple turnover from Starbucks while trying not to make too much of a mess.


Apple Turnovers 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

See the mess on my chin?


Apple Turnovers by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Blanche and I get the munchies while traveling... we're eating again! (Don't tell the people at my fitcamp how much junk I ate! shhhh!!!)


Snacks by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

One of the free chocolate bars they were handing out. I swear, I didn't eat mine... I think Blanche ate it. (Do you think if I keep talking about her and saying she did things she'll pop in and comment? )


Free chocolate! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Posting pictures of her sleeping might get her to comment too... (Looks like she's not the only one though.)


Sleepy by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

We flew over some beautiful mountains.


Mountains 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Mountains 2 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

The mountains were somewhere around here... but we're getting closer!!!


Almost there by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

The clouds were nice, but I liked the mountains better. I get a chuckle out of the girl next to me's hair. (And yes, I don't think that's a grammatically correct sentence, but I teach French Immersion kindergarten, so it doesn't matter! hahaha!) She slept most of the way, barely moving at all.


Cloudy skies by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

I think Air Canada really needs to fix their map feature. It shows us going the wrong way!!!


WRONG WAY! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Anyone know where to buy these pretzels? I am not a huge pretzel fan, but these are yummy?


Pretzels by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

I had a bottle of water with me, so I was fine with drinking some diet Coke. I was hoping it would help me stay awake once we landed. It was already a long day and I was hoping to get some park time in!


Why didn't I drink water? by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Blanche's tray


Snacks on a plane! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Up next: MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE PLANE

 

[kaoden39]

Snacks on a plane not to be confused with Snakes On A Plane.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Snacks on a plane not to be confused with Snakes On A Plane.

I was hoping someone would catch that!

 

[DisneyFreak06]

I was just about to do another update, and I can't add anymore pictures to flickr without paying! I didn't know that I'd hit the limit so easily! Oops. I guess I might have to.... I don't want to limit the amount of pictures I use... I'll have to think about that.

 

[kaoden39]

I was just about to do another update, and I can't add anymore pictures to flickr without paying! I didn't know that I'd hit the limit so easily! Oops. I guess I might have to.... I don't want to limit the amount of pictures I use... I'll have to think about that.

Well, I am kind of bad. I have more than one email, so I have more than one photobucket.com account. One that I use for family things like trips and such, and one I use for my husbands bicycle races. Just an idea for you to knock around.

 

[jwwi]

Spring break at Disney, love it. Thinking about staying at HOJO in November if we go to DL instead of WDW. Looking forward to you your pictures and opinion on the resort.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Well, I am kind of bad. I have more than one email, so I have more than one photobucket.com account. One that I use for family things like trips and such, and one I use for my husbands bicycle races. Just an idea for you to knock around.

I love it. I'm thinking about just biting the bullet and getting a one year premium. And then if I go on another trip and need to do a TR next year, I'll buy again next year. It's really not that bad....

Spring break at Disney, love it. Thinking about staying at HOJO in November if we go to DL instead of WDW. Looking forward to you your pictures and opinion on the resort.

There will be pictures soon. Need to get a few things sorted out before I pay for the account and I'm able to post more pictures. But I will say that I loved it!

 

[monkey30]

I'm loving the trip report!

I have used photo bucket, it was free and have not reached my limit yet. Cant wait to read more!

 

[DisneyFreak06]

I'm loving the trip report!

I have used photo bucket, it was free and have not reached my limit yet. Cant wait to read more!

Thanks! There will be something soon. I just paid for the pro account. I decided it was worth it to work on my TR!

 

[DisneyFreak06]

I was sitting quietly at my seat, drinking my diet Coke, watching a movie on my screen that worked wonderfully well, when somehow I managed to knock the can on top of me. (Well, okay, I was probably trying to take pictures of the Coke… so I must have hit it somehow). I was mostly worried about my camera, but luckily there were just a few drops that landed on it. I wiped those off and took a few napkins to try to dry my pants/the seat. Great, I thought, now it will look like I peed my pants!


Oops! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Final leg! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


LA! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Happy to be landing! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Once we landed at LAX, I tied my jacket around my waist, hoping that it hid the wet pants. After we got our luggage, I rushed to the restrooms and changed. I was much more comfortable after that.

Once I was in dry pants (and lost at least one more nail!), Blanche and I walked out of the luggage area. I felt sad that I wasn’t looking for the Disney Magical Express people. It was so unusual for me to be travelling to a Disney park and not using Magical Express. We asked the Super Shuttle worker where we were supposed to wait for the Disneyland Resort Express bus. We landed before 3:57 pm (because I have a picture of the luggage carousel) and we were waiting on the DL Resort Express bus before 4:25, and that was waiting for the luggage, going to change, and Blanche going to freshen up in the restroom as well. Not bad. Within ten minutes, the bus was there. We did one tour of the airport checking the other terminals, picked up one other sweet family from somewhere in southern California, and we were off.


Luggage carousel by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Palm trees! I don't think I took as many palm tree pictures as I usually do, probably because it wasn't hot! I love palm trees!


Palm Trees! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

I took some pictures of us, but they’re not very flattering… my nose looks huge, so I’m not posting them! hahaha

The driver put on a little movie… I wanted Disney, but it was Tweety and Sylvester. Still cute, but not Disney! I was busy taking pictures anyways, so it didn’t really matter, I guess. The drive was quick and safe. We were at the DL hotel before long to get our return ticket and hand in our voucher. It was a very easy trip, and non-threatening in any way. I recommend them!


Cartoon by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Downtown Disney! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Why are these people dressed up like this? Who are they supposed to be?


Huh? 2 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Huh? by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

The ride went fast... maybe because I was so busy looking at how busy the highways were and taking pictures... I had taken almost 200 pictures before we even got to our hotel!

Up next: Howard Johnson's Anaheim Plaza Hotel!

 

[monkey30]

What great pictures, and love the update!

 

[DisneyFreak06]

When we left off, we were just arriving at the hotel.


Disneyland Resort Express by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

I had my little camera around my neck, didn't look, but I wanted pictures and I was pulling luggage, so I snapped without looking. These next few are what I got. I like them!


HoJo Anaheim 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


HoJo Anaheim 2 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


HoJo Anaheim 3 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Here's a few from the lobby. I took pictures and picked up some pamphlets while Blanche checked us in.


Lobby 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Lobby 2 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Lobby 3 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Lobby 4 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

We then headed to building 1. It was a great location, really close to the check in area.


Heading to Building 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Up! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Our Room by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


Our room! by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

It was just like the internet pictures showed us. We checked in, I picked up some brochures, and set them down to take some pictures. We then went up to the room, room 1717 (top floor!!!) and I realized I forgot my package of information down in the lobby. Blanche kept telling me to run down to get it, knowing that my passport, some money and our return bus ticket were there, but I said I had to see the view first and take some pictures! I had priorities, you know!!


Room 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

The view! I needed to check it out... there was no way I was going to leave that room without checking out the view!


View 1 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


View 2 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


View 3 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


View 4 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr


View 5 by disneyfreak0306, on Flickr

Was staying and taking those few extra pictures worth it? Or did I just lose my money, passport and our tickets with all our park information? Find out soon!