It's a Great Big Beautiful California - A 2015/2016 Holiday TR- COMPLETED

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We got back in time to meet Meeko!!!

We've never met him (or Kenai, for that matter), so I was happy to get to see a less common character.

Kenai was right on his tail and we got some bear hugs.

Sammie's kind of blending in with him in her burnt orange UT shirt.

I was also feeling bad for these two characters. They'd be the last ones of this trip to sign the girls' hats and space was very limited. We made it work, but I was have to stretch out sections of the hats and hold down the ends of the fabric at this point so they could sign.

Dale came back after this and got to play with both girls. And he was still being crazy silly!

The girls also decided now that they wanted pics all on their own.

Had to take a pic of this table detail again because it's so neat.

They were starting to turn the buffet for lunch, but they made sure we were good with food before shutting it down.

On our way out, we also got to see some of the little gingerbread houses they had on display in Storytellers.

We now head back to DCA...but not before peaking into Napa Rose (one day!).

As you'd expect, we had to scan our tickets and go through bag check/security at the GC's DCA entrance. DH and I both had to go through metal detectors, but the security here was far more pleasant than what we were seeing at the main check points.

Oh, and Kendall spotted a Mickey!

And we're back in the park.

We didn't really have a huge amount of must do's for this park, which may have worked in my favor. Sammie's must do was ToT and I really wanted to see Aladdin, but that was about it. DH really doesn't like seeing shows, so having a short must do list meant my odds were good.

(too chilly to get us on this)

(catching some entertainment as we walk)

(tree in better light)

 

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I bring this up with DH and he agrees to try to get in the stand-by line a bit later. Win!

The wait for TOT was like 80 min (it seems to stay on 13 on the app for that spooky factor UNLESS the line is longer). Sammie was gung ho on riding this...Kendall chickened out...and DH volunteered me since I've been on the one at WDW and would be better support for Sammie. Thanks. The details in this ride are phenomenal, but I hate free fall rides. I know this is not your conventional free fall ride, but that's what you're doing at varying drop levels.

So, I get our FPs.

...and now we have time to explore since those are later in the afternoon.

We've met up with the entertainment again. They were really good! I'm sure they have a proper name, but I'm going to be lazy with looking it up and just pay them the compliment.

Still can't believe the kiddo is going to get me on this...

I was trying to put it out of my mind for a bit, so we head into...

I spot these and wonder if maybe it could get me out of riding the Tea Cups when we went back into DL...

I wouldn't be so lucky, but we get in line and wait to ride.

 

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I don't care what they say...I think we want to dance!

Kendall spots something she'd like to ride, but I suggest she wait until Sammie and I go on ToT...

(actually, meant the Tuck and Roll farther below...but I think she would have liked this too. ooops )

Not sure if this is really dancing, but clearly someone enjoyed the ride.

We decide to head back out since I have another plan...

The plan...to wait standby to see Aladdin!!! DH wasn't optimistic, but I tried to point up to the top portions of the Hyperion and make him realize that it's a really large theater...

We saw the Big Cheese pass by as we waited...

As well as a pretty sweet hat!

We were getting REALLY nervous about getting in. I can't remember how far in advance we arrived, but the standby line was still pretty small at this point, but there were already a huge group of people in the FP return area and they were still flooding in. I still kept telling myself that the theater is huge, but I wasn't convincing myself. And then we see them opening up the chains to start letting in the standby line!

(those are all the FP people)

Love the sign at the back...

We heard one woman start chewing out the CMs. I couldn't tell if she was mad that she had a FP and she didn't like where they were in line or what, but it was a bit uncomfortable. We just stayed clustered together and waited for our part of the line to move. I knew we'd be upstairs somewhere, but I didn't really care as long as we got to see the show. I had watched it on YouTube and was beyond impressed...and shocked that this is going to be replaced by another Frozen something or other. Thankfully, nobody complained about the climb, and before we knew it, we were in our seats and ready for the show...

Coming up...the show, the tower, and 'Are you sure you're a cast member?"

 

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December 29th conintued...

I remember when someone first recommended that we see Aladdin at DCA. It was months and months before the trip, so I still wasn't in hardcore planning mode...yet, I was still really skeptical of the raves and wanted to find out more. While many people loved Little Mermaid and BatB, it wasn't until Aladdin came out that my faith had been restored in Disney animated features. It's still one of my all-time faves, and obviously...a lot of that can be attributed to the performance of Robin Williams. Ever since his passing, I find myself getting choked up when I see Wishes and Aladdin says, "Genie, You're Free!" Yet, when I saw DCA's Aladdin show on YouTube, I was more than just pleasantly surprised. I expected a Genie who was being Robin Williams' Genie, but it was some of his style blended with a lot of the actor's own timing and comedic material (or he works very well with their writers). And based on a few different videos I viewed, it seemed like he even updated his material based on current events. So, I knew I'd be trying to find an angle to see this. When I heard it was being eliminated for something Frozen, I knew not only was it going to be a must...it was going to be a must for many.

We couldn't see as many of the floor level effects in the audience from the mezzanine/loge section, but here's what I was able to photograph...

Of course, it's all a matter of personal opinion, but this is the best stage show I've seen in a Disney park...and that includes FotLK and Nemo. We even got some new material from the Genie. It was a joke stemming from the blunder at the Miss Universe pageant.

And now the task of climbing down...

We still had a chunk of time until our ToT FPs, so we start to head towards something else that doesn't have a WDW equivalent...

(if only I were hungry)

Can you tell from this what we're going to ride?

We're now in line to ride Monsters Inc. Mike and Sully to the Resue. I forget the exact wait time, but I want to say it was something like a 30 minute wait.

So, we are winding around in the line outside and I'm trying to find things to photograph...

...when this happens...

Yes, little miss toothless lost another tooth! And she lost it in the shrubs in the line and we couldn't find it. So, we were operating on the same rationale we used when Kendall lost a tooth at 'Ohana in 2013. We're at Disney, Tinkerbell is surely friends with the Tooth Fairy, so she'll find you ... with or without the tooth.

And I'm back to taking pics...

I think it took 30 minutes just to get to this point...

 

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To add insult to injury, the first 1/3 of the line area we slowly snaked through was now totally empty. I'm sure it's because many others coming out of Aladdin headed that way. Either way, we're now inside and I've got more to photograph.

And we're FINALLY on the ride...

It's a cute ride, but DH felt like we wasted a lot of time waiting for something that was more mediocre. I just think dark rides on newer movies have a different vibe than ones done on Walt's classics. I feel the same way with Little Mermaid.

So, DH takes K off to find something to do (and they were supposed to get California Screamin FPs) and Sammie and I head towards ToT. The whole area is now roped off for the parade and I couldn't figure out where to cross. So, I just picked a close area where there were breaks in the ropes on both sides. I mean, it seemed logical...but no, I got mildly scolded and directed to the proper area...sort of. I just started following people who had FPs in hand and looked like they knew where they were going LOL.

I take a few pics before prepping to ride.

(blurry, but it's a ToT light)

I'm doing my best to keep Sammie excited and not scared, but it's hard because I really don't like this ride. Obviously, I like roller coasters...so I like drops, but I hate the uncertainty with free fall ride drops...even one as well themed as ToT. On a rollercoaster, when you have a big drop, you have a brief moment to tell yourself you're about to drop. Whether you're going up a lift hill and have that moment where you crest and start to go down, or even like the classic Lightnin' Loops that used to be in Great Adenture where you had that split second before going over the edge. But free fall rides...it's so abrupt, to that point that it startles you...and I'm very easily startled. So, it's just unpleasant for me. Still, I was doing this for Sammie. There was another mom in line near us with her son who was playing the other angle...trying to scare him a bit, but she was at least good about keeping it fun and getting more giggles than fear out of Sammie in response to their chatter.

I had kind of hoped we would be towards the middle...but they put us in one of the front row section. The only real benefit to this was that I had a lot more direct light on Sammie's face when we flew up to the opening...i.e. so I could see how she was responding. She wasn't crying or yelling, but she was sort of huddled up into the corner of her area with her eyes shut tight. I tried to take her hand several times, but couldn't maintain the grip when we went into a free fall.

We made it off, and while she was fine, she said she has no desire to ride again. I wanted to give it a positive swing, so I suggested we look around the gift shop since she still had some $ on her gift cards. I had also spotted some Nightmare Before Christmas goodies...one of her favorite. She had actually gotten into a fight with me the day before because we didn't have time for her to stop and buy this Jack Skellington plush. I told her we'd find it somewhere else or return to that shop on a different day. This shop had it, but when I saw it...it reminded me too much of the one she already bought. Then I saw a better option...

Mickey Jack Skellington seemed like a much cooler option.

I took a pic as she completed her purchase...

We get outside and I call DH. He and Kendall are over in Bug Land waiting in line for the bumper car looking ride Kendall had asked about earlier. So, we head to Tuck and Rolls.

We find a bench and take a seat so we have a front row view for when they ride. I, of course, take some pics.

Sammie wants me to find this backpack...

It was around this time when we started talking to the CM manning the entrance to the line. She was there to measure kids who wanted to ride on their own. Simple enough, but after hearing Sammie's reaction to that Jack backpack, I guess she looked at my Donald backpack, the Disney Dooney wristlet I had on, and Sammie's Disney attire...and said something about how we must really like Disney. Since she was a CM, I figured it was a shared feeling...especially if she was being bold enough to say something about it. This is where it took a very strange and not-so-magical turn...that I wasn't expecting...or I wouldn't have started off with what I did. I giggled, and said something about how she must have noticed all of our Disney gear and that it's kind of an obession, but a fun one. Instead of responding with a typical I love it too reaction...she sort of sneers and says it's all really expensive. Too expensive. Like it was wrong for me to pay these prices or for anyone to have to pay this much for Disney or Disney stuff. So, I'm officially feeling strange talking to this CM...but it gets worse. She started going off on how expensive everything is...then she veers off into CM pay and treatment. She got into her religion (unprovoked on this one) and how she wished she worked at WDW and not DL because there's at least diversity at WDW and the management at DL is awful about discriminating against CMs who aren't cookie cutter in certain relgious and cultural ways. She goes on about the Muslims and others being prohibited from getting costumes and attire to meet their religious needs, etc. She went on to say how she felt singled out because her background and religion was more uncommon and strict than what some other CMs practice. Now, we all have seen stories like this in the news, but it seemed really inappropriate for a CM to rants about this to a park guest. I mean, on one hand I don't want anyone dealing with discrimination, but on the other hand, she chose to work there and you certainly wouldn't look at a job at a Disney park as a "I had no other employment options" kind of job. i.e. they're very selective. It just made me very uncomfortable and it's the strangest interaction I've ever had with a CM.

I bowed out of the convo as soon as I saw DH and Kendall were getting ready to ride.

 

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This pic above is when K started getting really frustrated because DH kept bumping her and she couldn't move far enough to really bump him.

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(just little bumps)

Looks like she finally got away...sort of.

After bumping around, K decided she needed a snack.

Now, I am not a fan of churros, but everyone says you have to try the churros. So, I tried a bite...and I still don't like churros. It's this same reason that I didn't try the famous DL corn dogs. I hate corn dogs.

I asked DH about the FPs for California Screamin', but he didn't get them. Apparently the return time would conflict with dinner. We had WoC pkg dinner reservations at Carthay Circle, and there was no way I was missing that. Everything we wanted to ride for a second time had really long lines, so I had a crazy idea on what to ride for our next ride.

If you recall, on our DTD day, Kendall wanted to ride the monorail. So, I suggested we leave DCA and head to the DTD monorail station...and everyone gave it the green light. So, we head out of DCA.

And look who we found on the way out...

Kendall was so excited, but when she walked over to the line, the CM told her Oswald wouldn't be seeing anyone else today. Yeah...there were some tears.

As we headed out of DCA, they were stamping hands. Now, I had posted (we'll just say this one went on the bigger forum) the question about DLR park re-entry policies when there were capacity crowds. I was told by numerous long-time DL passholders that there are no set phased closings or rules like there are at WDW. I was told that sometimes they hand stamp, sometimes they allow re-entry based on ticket type, sometimes they do none of this, and sometimes you're stuck going to DCA if DL closes due to crowds. A lot of people also said that they weren't doing the stamping at all of late. So, it was advised I get 3-day hoppers since a. we could go to DCA for a bit until DL reopens if that's really our intended park b. we might get automatic entry to a closed park with 3 day hoppers. So, I asked the guy stamping hands if we needed a stamp. He asked me what kind of tickets we had...told him 3 day hoppers...and we were told anyone with tickets of that kind would be allowed access into DCA and DL at this time, regardless of crowds. Um...OK.

So, we head into DTD.

I remember walking to the monorail and DH remarking that the station was a lot farther than he remembered it in his mind. Not that it's that bad, but it is closer the DL hotel and the walkway to Paradise Pier than it is to DCA and the GC.

We had to go through security/metal detectors again...but again...people were much nicer at this security point than they were at the main ones.

And we're now in the monorail...

There's just one little issue...it's a one-way trip. Oh well, we're on and it's something else to ride. We even pass the HoJo...

So, we arrive in DL, but everything has really long waits...so we start heading back towards the entrance.

I really thought I'd be able to convince everyone to see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, but everyone just wanted to look around at the memorabilia and art in this area.

 

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I didn't photograph any of the art for sale, but there was an artist in a roped off area who appeared to be drawing and painting something. There was a book next to her with what I guess are samples of works you can request. DH was tempted, but instead decided it was time to head back to DCA.

So, we walked back to DCA and just decide to sit for a bit. We were tempted to walk back to Radiator Springs to see it at night (kind of regret not doing this), but everyone just wanted to stay in this area. So, Kendall and I sit for a bit and just relax.

I seem to recall the 2nd parade was also going by, so we just kind of hung back for a bit and tried to take pics from afar.

And when I finally get close enough, I take an awful pic of the DCA tree.

We decide to pop over to watch treats being made...which was fun, because the ladies smiled and waved a few times.

We decide to head into the shops to browse a bit.

I had to get away from the sweets, or else I'd spoil my dinner.

We had a 6:30pm reservation at Carthay Circle, and as you could see by that previous clock shot...it was almost time. So, we head over to check in.


Coming up...dinner in style, sky school, stupid phone-stupid app and World of Color.

 

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Hi! Just joining in now I haven't read your whole report yet but I'm about halfway through. Looks like you guys had a wonderful trip! We are planning our first Disneyland trip and I've found your report really helpful, so thank you for including all of your details. I look forward to reading more about your trip!

 

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Hi! Just joining in now I haven't read your whole report yet but I'm about halfway through. Looks like you guys had a wonderful trip! We are planning our first Disneyland trip and I've found your report really helpful, so thank you for including all of your details. I look forward to reading more about your trip!

Thanks!!! I find the step by step TR method helps me with my post trip depression It was definitely different planning for this trip from what we've done with WDW. DLR has quite a few differences and then going at a peak time added a whole new set of challenges. And then it's going to turn into an entirely different kind of trip once we head to the mountains. Crazy stuff!

 

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December 29th continued...

We head into Carthay Circle to check in and I immediately notice three things...

1. The place is GORGEOUS! I had seen plenty of walk-thru vids and pics, but they do not do it justice...and we hadn't even made it up yet to the dining room!
2. We're a bit under dressed. Not that anyone was really dressed to the nines, but it looked like a lot of people went back to their rooms to freshen up a bit and dress up at least some beyond park attire. I don't know if this is the norm and I do know it's finer dining, but it's also in a park...so, I hadn't even considered going back to shift into better attire.
3. We had the youngest children I could see...like, a lot younger. We have worked hard on manners and rules, so I'm not afraid of taking our kids to nicer places and this was a restaurant in a theme park, but I felt like we stood out a bit (which I'd find out later to be the truth).

So, I check in and in addition to being handed a buzzer, they ask me which WoC show we want to see. I got so consumed by everything else that I'd forgotten we'd have two options. The first show was World of Color: Winter Dreams and the second show option was World of Color - Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Disney. Now, DH was hoping I'd go for the earlier show because he was drained, but the first show was Winter Dreams, which is a heavily Frozen themed show. It was also at 9pm, which was probably plenty of time since we weren't far from the viewing area, but I also didn't want to rush through a nice dinner. I asked the CM if she had any opinions, since I knew a lot of people also didn't care for the WoC showing at 10:15, which was made for the 60th. The CM made a funny little face about the first one, and was like..."well, it really just a lot of Frozen stuff." That was enough for me...I picked the 2nd show and broke the news to DH that we'd be in the park a bit later than he wanted.

Everyone (except me) was complaining about their feet hurting (I had on distance joggers, so I was good). There were no seats in the main seating area and I wasn't ready to have everyone sit on the floor at Carthay Circle. I spotted a table a table for the lounge that was in the area just outside the lounge that was in the process of being vacated. Needless to say, we rushed over and claimed the seats. A CM came by to check on us and clear off the table, but we were told it wouldn't be long...so we decided to wait on cocktails. I did wander a bit and take a few pics before the table was ready.

The buzzer went off and it was time to head up. We were given the options of stairs or elevator, and the girls opted for the elevator. My only complaint here is that the CM who brought us up just made general conversation. We'd notice several others would give sort of a mini tour/history lesson as they escorted guests to their tables. Needless to say, I listened in when I could, but I also couldn't help but take in the beauty of the dining room. STUNNING!

The frescoed images of Snow White in the ceiling are absolutely beautiful. Of course, we weren't seated directly in that area and I didn't want to camp out at anyone else's table, so I saw what I could from afar.

And of course, I got a picture of the light at our table.

I know some of the tables have an Evil Queen inlay in the wood grain. I don't remember seeing it in ours, but I found this pic on the Disney Food Blog that shows an example.



What's funny, they also had a table pic, and I'm pretty certain this is the table we sat at for our meal...well, with a chair added to the outside edge.



It wasn't long before we met our server and the server in training that would be assisting him. While we've had some exceptional service at TS meals in CA and FL, these two are the very best we've ever had. There was just a certain attention to detail and personable nature the main waiter had that elevated this experience. I could talk to him about items on the menu and it was like talking to a foodie friend who shared your interest, but wasn't too chummy.

They brought out the bread first...

The whole 1920s/1930s vibe had us thinking classic drinks. I'm normally a martini drinker, but something said I should have a sidecar like DH. So, I did!

I took a picture of the kids' menu salad since I thought it was a great example of how children can also get pretty food.

DH also got a salad, but I got a seasonal soup that they were offering on the WoC menu. I believe the protein was goose and rather than standard potatoes, I believe it was sweet potatoes in the broth. It was excellent!

In between courses, I escorted one of the girls to the bathroom. I grabbed my camera so I could capture some of the other details along the way.

(do you see what I see?)

Yes, even taking a few pics of details in the bathroom.

 

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We return to the table and it's not much of a wait for the main course to be served.

The girls each got some kind of taco dish.

I know it's out of focus, but DH got some kind of pasta.

And I had duck confit.

My duck was a smidge dry, but was still very tasty. Everyone else loved theirs as well.

We were now on to dessert. First up is mine. I don't remember all of the components, but it was minty!

Next was DH's. Our server explained it was like a HoHo, so I thought it was a take on a buche de noel...but it really looked like a HoHo.

I'm not sure why I didn't photograph Kendall's. She just had a bowl of ice cream, but this was the largest scoop I've ever seen dished out for a child. I looked like they took a pint of extra dark chocolate and scooped it into the bowl.

Sammie got their take on a push pop...and she loved it!

So, I mentioned earlier that our girls were the youngest children we saw at the check in area of Carthay Circle. This would be the same up in the dining room. I saw a couple of older teens in there, but that was it. Well, as we were finishing up...a group of ladies walked by and one woman stopped to compliment us and the girls. She said they behaved beautifully and she was incredibly impressed. She said she'd never dream of taking her grandchildren to a restaurant like this, but that our girls did so well. I thanked her for the compliment, but it made it even more clear that we stood out a bit. Still, better to be complimented than be the ones causing people to cringe and complain.

I didn't take any pictures of them, but we were seated right near the Hyperion and Buena Vista private dining rooms. The doors were open, so got to peak inside. I don't know what the other private rooms look like, but these were exquisite. All in all, if I were having a wedding, I think I'd want all of Carthay Circle to myself and my party. It is not a cheap meal, but it lived up to expectations and then some.

I took a couple of pics on the way out...

This was actually the lights in the elevator. It didn't really photograph, but they had this pretty iridescent finish on the globes.

So, we left Carthay Circle with time to burn before WoC. We had seen some lights over in the Grizzly Peak area that we wanted to see at night. As you could tell from previous pics, the holiday decor in that section was woodsy/outdoorsy. Well, we had seen these jars up in the trees that appeared to have fairy lights. I suspected it would look like fire flies in mason jars at night. They didn't photograph very well, but that's exactly what they were...and I kind of loved them.

We decided to head back towards the Paradise Pier area and saw something we haven't seen since WDW 2010.

We can see that the first WoC is about to start, so we decide to head to Sky School...

We could hear enough of this WoC and it most definitely was a Frozen thing. I was sooooooo happy I did not choose this show. I was at least able to see little bits through the trees.

If you've ridden Primeval Whirl in AK at WDW, you will have a good idea of what Sky School is like. It doesn't spin quite like Primeval Whirl, but it's another crazy maus kind of coaster. Sky School hurt my hips more than Whirl, but nothing too bad. While nothing overly special, I do like these kinds of rides.

When we finish up, the first WoC is winding down. DH is kind of tired and cranky and asks if I can cancel our dinner reservation at Carnation Cafe the next night. It was too late to call, the Disneyland app isn't as good for this kind of stuff as the MDE one is for WDW, and my phone was being a pain because it was old and really needed to be replaced. So, we were stuck with the reservation...which really didn't bother me, although I had thought about going to Catal if I could get it canceled. Oh well.

So, we just sort of chill out and veg in this seating area just to the left of Sky School as we wait for it to get closer to WoC time. We head over once our arrival window opens, hand over our vouchers, and start scouting out spots. Much of the Carthay Cirlce was empty, but most of the part right up by the elevated railing was occupied by people in wheelchairs and scooters. We head down to the other end and find a spot on the steps that we decide to claim. The steps gave us a built in place to sit until the show started and there was still plenty of space around us to stretch out.

So, now that we're in place...I take some pre-show pics...

Oh yea...you see that light post in the middle of my pics...yeah, that would be my one complaint about the Carthay viewing spot. You'll see that darn thing in a lot of my pics. Still, it was very chilly and I was happy to not be right on the water. The prospect of getting wet from the show was just not appealing. There were also some effects that went off along the fencing area by us that aren't really visible to those in front of us, so that was another pro.

When we sat down, I also had the girls take out their made with the magic wands and turn them on. I knew they would glow with the show, but as we were sitting there...we realized the wands were lighting up in the same colors and patterns as the Fun Wheel. Cool and sort of creepy at the same time.

I'm just going to share a handful (a really big handful) of WoC pics.

 

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I'm not a huge NPH fan, but it didn't ruin the show for me. In fact, K really liked him and told us her fave part was when NPH asks Walt what he'd change and he wouldn't change a thing. I don't think she grasps that NPH didn't really have an interview with Walt back in the day. LOL. Beyond that, it's an amazing show and I teared up a number of times. After seeing this person, I truly hope the imagineers working on Rivers of Light at AK are using WoC as inspiration.

Oh, and I know feelings are mixed on WoC FPs vs. dining packages, but it was really nice not having to fight the crowds. We also met a few nice people near our spot who also did the package. All in all, it was this very nice relaxed experience where we weren't having to hold spots for hours.

We make our way back and leave Disney property for the night.

We're all exhausted and plan on using our magic morning at DL the next day (meaning getting into DL at 7am and need to be there and through bag check EARLY). So, everyone pretty much passes out for the night.


Coming up...December 30th at Disneyland

 

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December 30th...our last true Disney day

So, WDW has EMH and DLR has Magic Mornings. At peak times, Magic Mornings seem to be offered for both parks on every day. Guests at the three Disney resorts and AP holders are usually eligible for Magic Mornings every day of their stay (although, I read that they have a history of pulling the privilege from passholders from time to time). Guests who buy 3-5 day passes are also entitled to one Magic Morning. I planned ours for our last day to cover everything open (of interst) during MM that we didn't get to do the other day and then use the early entry to put us in position for our must do's that aren't open during MM.

DL was set to open at 7am for MM entry. Between walk, bag check, and the biggie...crowds, the goal was to get out around 6:30am. As you can see from this pic below...not everyone is totally awake.

Sammie did spot a hummingbird buzzing around the bird of paradise, which started to get her a bit pumped for the day. It was pretty dark out there, so I was surprised she could see it.

There weren't very many people along the way or at bag check, so it wasn't long before we were in the line waiting to get in.

We stuck with the plan of picking the line on the far left. The lines on the right were really building. The other day, those lines were used for standard entry when we arrived and the far left had just been for MM, but from what we could tell...all of them - at least at the start - were being used for MM.

Getting pretty close to 7.

And I've got our tickets ready to go...

(pardon my now totally chipped manicure)

The CMs are now getting in place.

There really wasn't much lag time from this point and when the gates opened. I was missing MK's Welcome Show at this point, but the CMs did countdown with the crowds as they got ready to open.

So, we rush into the park and it's all a big blur...

Good morning Walt!

Like EMH, not everything is open during Magic Mornings. This is a list of what's typically open in DL...

Alice in Wonderland » Track ride in the dark
Astro Orbitor » Very mild midway-type thrill ride
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters » Space-travel interactive dark ride
Disneyland Monorail » Scenic transportation
Dumbo the Flying Elephant » Disney-fied midway ride
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage » Simulated submarine ride
King Arthur Carrousel » Merry-go-round
Mad Tea Party » Midway-type spinning ride
Matterhorn Bobsleds » Roller coaster
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride » Track ride in the dark
Peter Pan's Flight » Indoor fantasy-adventure ride
Pinocchio's Daring Journey » Track ride in the dark
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough » Walkthrough exhibit
Snow White's Scary Adventures » Track ride in the dark
Space Mountain » Roller coaster in the dark
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue » Space-flight simulation ride

Pardon the descriptions...I copied this list from Touring Plans.

The goal was to hit things we hadn't ridden that were on our must do list that also don't have a WDW counterpart and weren't things we rode 2 days ago. Hey, when it's peak crowds and you only have 3 days...you need a solid plan. So, we head through the castle and into Fantasyland.

Nope... not Mr. Toad again.

We're starting off on Alice. It was one of my musts and it was something like a 60-70 min wait the other day each time I checked.

 

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I really enjoyed it, but I do love Alice. This would also be the moment I realized DH was hitting his I'm ready to go home phase. I usually need at least a week on vacation to unwind, but 2 weeks is better. DH, on the other hand, starts getting homesick around 5 or 6 days in...and gets cranky as a result. So, his response to Alice was more of a, "that's it!??!?!" This was day 6 of the trip, so his ready to go home attitude was right on cue. The only issue...we had a full day at Disneyland to still get through, 4 days in the mountains, and a travel day left to go. I gave him a bit of a suck it up buttercup sort of pep talk (hey, the buttercup works with he flowers in Alice...it's a wildflower!). And on to the next ride...

This was next on our list...

CLASSIC!

We'd actually tried to ride the other day, when we'd finished up on Mr. Toad, but one of the CMs that works the attraction was in crowd control mode at the time and told us it was closed due to the afternoon parade. And with the first PTN starting at 5:45, it wouldn't be opening again. So, while the wait never looked bad pre-parades...we wanted to make sure we got it in early since we weren't sure if or when we'd be back in Fantasyland.

We make our way towards the queue and peak down to IASW (I've already been given a hard no on riding this again today).

We board our boat immediately...because I guess we're the only people using MM for this ride.

It may not be a high speed thrill ride, but I think it's pretty cool to pass through Monstro.

The miniatures are all very cute, but the big props go to the CMs manning this ride. While I could tell our girl was tired, they have a pretty lengthy script that they need to recite with each cruise. You could argue that Jungle Cruise skippers have to say a lot and have comedic timing as well, but I think it's harder to keep people's attention when your dialogue isn't peppered with corny humor. So, I just sat back...took it all in...and took pictures.

First time spotting the Casey Jr. Circus Train

OH NO!!!!!!!!!! The world is being taken over by DUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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We leave our boat and trade it in for a submarine.

Obviously, the kids are too young to have ever gone on the original and as far as DH can recall, he'd never been on either...but I had been on WDW's numerous times before they were removed. I know it's not the same, but I still thought they should get a chance to experience it.

This view right here brought back a flood of memories.

We each grabbed a seat and it were ready for our voyage.

I know people have complained about the Nemo theme, but even the original was cheesy. It still retains some the old cheesy charm, so I'm glad we rode it. And I didn't feel a single drip!

It's almost 8am, so we decided it was time to get in place to ride one of our biggest musts that we have yet to ride.

We did make a quick stop by Space Mountain, but the line was already pretty long so we kept going after popping through the store (I was really just hoping to see if they had any of the Star Wars Dooneys so I could see it in person).

No bags. But that's OK...I liked the previous Star Wars pattern better.

So, we keep heading towards our spot for rope drop.

We say hi to Walt and Mickey again...

Crowds are starting to build in...

And now we're getting in position and waiting for the ropes to drop.

We could see the physical ropes coming down and the crowd quickly began to push forward. We knew the bulk of the people in our group were going to Indy..and it was smooth sailing to our next ride as soon as we got past those crowds.

 

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PotC is one of those can't miss attractions for us. No trip to the Disney parks feels complete without it, and since DL's is consdiered to be the best...even more reason we had to go on. So, we're just working our way through the queue area (since there's very few people there)...

I don't normally take a ton of pics on PotC, mainly due to light and my camera's ISO limitations, but I did want to try and get some Blue Bayou pics from the ride.

However, I do sometimes try and get one or two things of note on the ride- even if they're blurry or out of focus...

THE REDHEAD!!!

And we're off...and I think I meant to photograph the lights, but it looks more like I'm taking a pic of the Columbia.

As for PotC...no doubt about it...DL's beats WDWs. I do miss the whole fort setting in the queue, but that's really about it.

After this, I suggested the Jingle Cruise...since we didn't ride the other day and I'd heard the CA gags are different than the ones at WDW. I also grabbed some FPs for Indy along the way.

The park hasn't been open very long, so all of the big attractions were still the main early mornings draws, so this didn't have any line either. We literally walk right onto a boat and we're off...

 

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This, by far, was my favorite joke. It's the piranha scene and they're celebrating ... wait for it ... Piranhakkah!!!

And we're back from our cruise.

Most people say it's a tie between DL and WDW for Jungle Cruise. While I think WDW's back side of water is nicer, and the rides are fairly even in regular mode, compared to the Jingle Cruises we've been on at WDW...DL's Jingle Cruise experience was a lot better.

We still had a lot of time until Indy and I was going to use that as well as our location to my advantage. If you've ever read my TRs, you know that the Tiki Room is another big fave of mine and I wasn't letting this family leave DL without going into the orginal.

We made it inside just before the next show started. Now, as much as I wanted to see this...I wasn't expecting to get emotional. Maybe it's because most of the CMs we've had at WDW don't seem that into it and don't even have us wake up Jose, maybe it's because this is the original, or a combo of both. The CM running things made a joke about how he'd normally tell us to grab a Dole Whip, but we're out of luck because the Dole Whip stand isn't open yet. I wish I could remember what he said after that, but it was a mini intro, and you could tell this man really loves the Tiki Room...and then he told us to wake up Jose. And seriously, I was in tears. So, here are few Tiki Room pics.

And I'm a happy girl!

We're back out and we're walking...

Someone looks a lot more lively than she did the last time I photographed her on this day.

more walking...oh, and before I forget...while we're walking, I start to notice something I was wonder if we'd see. People wearing Rose Bowl gear. If we weren't heading up to the mountains on the 31st, heading to Pasadena on New Year's for the parade was an idea. Actually, if we wound up being snowed in back in LA, it was one of our back up plans. Still, it was kind of neat to see the influx of Rose Bowl people trickling into DLR. OK...back to walking...

It has no wait...so why not?

 

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I don't know why I bother trying to take pics inside, but here they are...

Sammie was thrilled that we got a second time on HMH, but I'm now really over the whole NBC theme and am ready to hear Grim Grinning Ghosts. Sadly, not gonna happen this time.

Now, everyone was really questioning my sanity when I suggested we ride Splash...

Let's see...they usually cut back on the soaking when it's cool and the line is usually a lot shorter when it's cool because too many people are afraid they'll get wet. Everyoe puts their faith in me and we head into Splash.

And I think we all look like we're having fun in this picture.

We were dry and while I know some say the rides are identical, minus the boat style...I think Disneyland's is better. It also runs much better.


Coming up...a return to Indy, a change of plans, the great Twain pout-fest, a thundering ride, and ready for Monte Cristos

 

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Dec 30th continued...

We leave Splash nice and dry and make our way to Indy...

Caught some music along the way...

It's Indy time!

And we're on our way out.

It's a fun ride and I think Sammie even kept her eyes open for the bulk of it this time.

We still have a lot of time until our 11:30a lunch and we're looking for things to do. Kendall suggested the Matterhorn and the wait time on the app didn't look too awful...so we start heading that way.

Had to take a pic of Sam's Japanese Tsum Tsum hair tie as we walked (still bummed K lost hers)

DUCKS!

It was sometime around this point that we turned around. We got to the Matterhorn...could see the line...and could tell it was longer than the posted wait. There was a sign saying the line was 45 min from this point...and then the line snaked quite a bit before that point. We decided we'd hold off on the Matterhorn until later and decided to head to Frontierland. Everyone, except Kendall was on board with this plan. She was content to wait 2 hours if need be to ride the Matterhorn...and our unwillingness to wait would start a mega pout session with Miss K. Soooooooo much fun. GRRRRRRRRRRRR

The FP return time for BTMRR looked like it would work with our lunch reservation, so we grabbed some FPs.

We had time, so I decided it was time to do something classic. I had wanted to do this...

But the Mark Twain was right there and about ready to take a new batch of passengers...