It had been 10 years- Disneyland/etc. Misc.3/21-27

[kaoden39]

It sounds like you had a good trip. I wasn't too impressed with Hollywood myself. I thought Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills was pretty cool but Hollywood was dirty. Makes no sense to me. Thank you for sharing. I will be sure and visit Miss Kitty in July.

 

[allgrownup]

Thanks for the trip report. If I weren't such a non-new-people person, I would have loved to hook up with you. I'm sure my enjoyment would have been multiplied by quite a bit. Magic everywhere!!!

:~)

 

[Belle Ella]

Awesome TR!!!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I loved your trip report! Thanks so much for posting, I am so glad you got to see Remember, my all time favorite fireworks show. Loved your pictures too.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Thanks for the TR and the great pics!!

 

[50sjayne]

Thanks for your responses. Thought I'd put a little tail note on the drive back. Left about 11:00 I think-- way too late-- got stuck in afternoon traffic. Got to Sacramento about 7pm. Checked in to the Good Nite Inn-- awful poverty compared to HOJO., but it was close to DH's uncle and cheap. Swam in an ice cold pool that night--I do not recommend this hotel..
Got up and met with relatives and went to the Squeeze Inn (Featured on Guy Fieri's show Diners Drive-Ins & Dives on the food channell) when it opened at 10 am. Turns out it was a good time to go because it get completely packed shortly after- amazing burger and really good prices. WE got some pictures on our cell phones but it'll take awhile I know to collect all those, so here's a few from the site :
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2135681

Drive home was fine until we got a little past Medford and it started raining. Then it started Pouring- awful. Of course it was my turn to drive. It almost seemed like the 2 days were too easy. I liked seeing our relatives but I think if we drive again really the best way to do it is the allnighter, just making sure we alternate driving more and we sleep. This time it was too hard to sleep because it had been so long since we had been to Disneyland. But night driving is cooler and less traffic- I much prefer it. Ok-- no getting there at 6 am in the morning lol, maybe leave a little later, get in closer to check in time, spend the night at DT Disney- something like that--I dunno, we'll see.

 

[kaoden39]

That sucks about the motel and the rain. On a high note the food looks incredible.

 

[SacSarah]

OK...so I am sitting here looking thru the posts and I land on this page...and I look at this pic and I am like...hey...I know that guy in the back...he looks alot like my dad's nephew, my cousin...hmmm...then I see you are from up in Eugene and look at the dates and then remember that my dad said something about him being in town that weekend...putting two and two together. lol And then I see the pics of Squeeze Inn....yup I know you guys. Im Joe's oldest daughter.

 

[50sjayne]

Oh hey-- lol. It's been awhile since we saw you. Give your mom this link...

 

[SacSarah]

Oh hey-- lol. It's been awhile since we saw you. Give your mom this link...

oki doki I will.

 

[disneydance]

Great TR
I really enjoyed it
I cant believe you did an all-nighter drive WOW... you are so much braver than we are lol
We wont even dare driving down we will only fly but an all-nighter drive you are brave lol
I loved the Hollywood sign by the way I just love seeing that sign lol

 

[50sjayne]

Hey-- You'll have to tell us How june goes-- we're going next June, right after my son is finished with his first year at LCC., June 6th is his last day I think.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Trip Report. 1st day--Friday March 21st:

Well, had most everything packed. Did last minute packing Friday afternoon, husband wanted to leave at noon on Friday but I had no clue as to why he would want to arrive at Disney at 3 AM...didn't leave until about 3 PM. Husband drove until midnight or so (from Eugene Oregon-I-5) then I drove till about 4 am, husband and son slept off and on during this time. Got tired and a little scared because I was getting too sleepy so woke husband up sometime before the grapevine--also because we were getting pretty low on gas. Ended up paying probably the highest gas prices in southern california at this said rest stop...the rest of the trip we did well on prices-- stopped at my researched gas stations. Very foggy in the grapevine area-- will never do the all nighter drive again. We're too OLD for that-- seriously was too hard on us, I'm 40, husband is 50. We took our time going down though, lots of rest stops. Rolled in to Anaheim about 6 am. Tried to go to check in and park the car at HOJO but front desk was dark so figured it wasn't open yet even though I thought it was an all night desk...(turns out there's a bell I missed.) I did see on the computer that the hotel was 95% full and felt very lucky to have gotten the entertainment rate.

First of all omg I couldn't imagine driving that far in those conditions you described! I'm a chicken like that! Thank goodness you made it in one piece!

This is me and my son-I was mad 'cause husband took the picture- up all night driving y'know, but having fun.

Ummm, yeah I would probably pretty irritated if my DH tried to take photos of me after driving and being up all night!

Rode back soaking wet and COLD on the train, went to the hotel and I asked them for towels and if we could change in the bathroom there. ( I knew they would accomodate) Husband pushed me to ask if room was ready of course it wasn't but they said it wouldn't be too long so I decided we could use some food and went to Hometown buffet on Katella since I signed up for the birthday club or something and had a coupon for a free meal. We spent about an hour there and went back to the hotel and they had a room for us. I think we got upgraded because we got a view and a safe and it was on the 4th floor instead of the third which we had originally.It was a great view- not a firework view but we could see the Tower and monorail. It was a pretty view anyway. I thought we had some daytime pictures, but guess not. Accidentally took video of the night time view--have no idea what to do with that...

You can upload video to photobucket too and then post the link here.

Anyway the hotel was wonderful, really grateful for advice here. So I sent DH and DS off to Disneyland and crashed for about an hour then joined them in Disneyland. Can't remember the rest of the day,it was cloudy and overcast and not very crowded. We caught on to the fast pass system quickly and made out like Bandits- riding everything we wanted countless times. Husband lost phone at some point-- was devastated the rest of the night...fantasmic distracted him somewhat-- forgot how incredible it was--. Then found out after the show someone had tried to call my number from his phone so we left a message to please turn the phone in to lost and found and they did because he got it back the next morning. I stood in front of the speakers that lifted and had an incredible view. Got there an hour early or so and was happy to use the time to call everyone I needed to call( and leave messages for the cats lol). Got pushed towards the entrance after show- we were tired and were just moving with the crowd and saw the fireworks starting on mainstreet. Husband ducked under the rope and we watched them from there-- in complete awe. Went back to hotel and I got in the jacuzzi which was hot and had really strong, nice jets, perfect after a 15 hour drive and day at Disneyland. That was pretty much then end of our first night. That night and everynight at HOJO the minute my head touched the pillow until the alarm went off- slept like a rock.

Isn't Hojos lovely? They bend over backwards to help accommdate you if they possibly can. Glad your DH got his phone back! What a nightmare to lose something like that.
I rarely read TRs; just kinda stumbled over here and saw yours and decided to read it! Can't wait to read more...

 

[50sjayne]

Thank you. This trip report thing has been nice also because family members have been able to just look it up and check it out- kind of a first for us. Someday I'll have my own website...I know- I like trip reports but sometimes it seems there's too much posted before and they develop so much conversation, I just get bored with it before their report ever starts (and trying to find when it starts) but to each his own. If anyone who is going to Disny has any questions about trip planning or anything-- I'm up for it. Studied this thing for 2 years lol and keeping current for our next trip.

 

[mikamah]

What a great trip report. Loved the kitty, and all your pics. I laughed at this line- '
."We loved that the captain guy before the ride was that guy from the show that’s on after 2 ½ men with David Spade."
I love him too, but can never remember his name, or the name of that show, but it's hilarious. Patrick Warburton- it came to me this time. I think he's the voice of Buzz lightyear too.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I've only been to wdw, but now I might have to peruse the DL boards too.

 

[disneynerd420]

I loved your trip report!! It looks like you had a great time with your family.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

This is a great trip report!! Im so glad your husband got his cellphone back and you are soooo brave driving all night. We're taking the same route + coming from Canada and we are splitting it into 2 days.... and we're in our 20's!!! I did a 13 hour all nighter to the Calgary Stampede once and that was 1 time too many, lol.

Thanks for sharing!!

 

[50sjayne]

Well I swore we'd never do it again but we did just a month ago lol. It was fine, no fog in the summer, we both slept some and walked into Disneyland on Fathers Day about 2 pm. We left about 10 pm because I had to work and our original plan was to have a day to rest after the drive but had our volunteer free day to use in case we decided to just head in. It was totally worth it--a great day. You can read about that drive and the drive back in my current trip report. We considered staying at a Days Inn in Westley CA that has a jacuzzi and a continental breakfast but changed plans.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

Your other trip report was great too!! I love hearing first hand accounts of how people plan their trisps and get the most out of their days. Fantastic job onthe $200 gift card, soooo wish they had that offer in Canada

 

[50sjayne]

Yeah that was lucky--the no interest for 6 months is very good too. Our next trip will be in 2012, I can't decide exactly when but we've been playing with early Nov. This time we've decided to actually save for the trip for the first time. We figure $50 in a separate fund a month we'll put us about right for it as we are super cheap. Then there's no interest on the credit card .