Just back 11-2 - 3! Howie Mandell was with the Mouse!

[Blackrose]

Disney is loosing its magic.... we had 3 day hoppers, but only spent about 1 full day in the parks... the lines were long, and the place just did not seem to have the magic it once did! We enjoy WDW much more!

We stayed at the Hilton convention center! This was great! Large room with a view of DLC. Everyone we spoke to said it was a long walk, but if you go right across the street, and into the parking area, you can catch the tram! We were there faster than when we stayed at the Ramada! This was great! Oh yeah, and we say Howie Mandell just outside the GCH inside the park! Overall good trip, but will not be going back for a while I think!

 

[pixiewings71]

Good! More room for me! lol Sorry your trip wasn't as "magical" as you wanted it to be, maybe next time will be better. Thanks for hotel info, I've wondered about that one in the past.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

It's hard to find the "magic" when the place is packed. You can hardly blame Disneyland for that.
Every theme park has it's "off" days. I'm sure your beloved WDW is no exception.

 

[Sherry E]

When we have 3-day Hoppers, we usually don't try to spend full days - like from morning to evening - in the park. We split up our activities and spread them out over the three days, in smaller increments. If we DO spend a good chunk of time in the park during the day, we always take a mid-day rest break for a couple of hours and then head back into the park later. Sometimes we don't head back into the park later. We may not get to do every single thing we want to do in the park on each trip, and the crowds may limit what we can do somewhat, but getting into DL or DCA before it gets really busy - like early in the morning - we tend to get more done. Later in the day is harder. I think the crowds are especially daunting this year for people who like to hit a LOT of the rides and don't feel satisfied if they haven't gone on a bunch of them. And that is totally understandable, especially when you have kids who only want to get on rides. We used to be more ride-oriented when we were younger, and we still have our MUST-DOs that we have to ride each trip - but now we kind of learned to enjoy DL & DCA for all aspects of it, and not just the rides. We love all the little details, and looking in the shops, enjoying our meals, taking lots of pictures and strolling around the hotels and DTD. If we see something has a short line, we may get in it, but at the end of a trip, if we count the rides we have gone on, they are very few compared to how many there are at DLR! We tend to go on the same stuff over and over again - like POTC and TSMM and HMH, etc. We gave up on hitting a large number of rides in a day or in a weekend a long time ago. But you can't get away with that when you have kids, I assume.

So I guess what I am saying is that there is lots of magic to be found at Disneyland - even with massive crowds - but it requires patience and an open mind and the ability to change plans on a dime, and the realization that you just cannot accomplish everything you want to do in one trip and may have to just hit the 'highlights'!! I was away from DLR for six years until I made my grand return last year. I was afraid I would feel that it had lost its magic in all that time from when I used to go every year. Yes, the crowds were a little thicker, but I felt the same magical feeling I always had as a kid and well into my 30's. I still had that need to go back to DLR immediately after I had left. Even this past October, my trip was not all that I hoped it would be, but when I got back, I was rarin' to go back again! I think the 'Disney magic' is permanently instilled in me - for life!!!

I am surprised Howie Mandel was at DLR. I would expect him to have his wife take the kids to DLR because he is SO notoriously germ-phobic. I could picture a guy like Howie being really hesitant to go to a place like DLR where he has to touch turnstiles and door handles and other things that thousands of people have touched!! Good for him, coming out of his shell!!!

 

[Blackrose]

I know, I saw a lady try to hug him, and his "guard" shooshed her away, and she said... I forgot, you dont like to touch people. It was classic!

 

[Gisele]

Oh my god, Black Rose, that was just so rude, in my opinion of that actor to have that done. Ah....... I can see it now! Park guest at Disneyland today, body slammed into the pavement by zealous body guard of germ phobic actor. Tisk Tisk............. Maybe, Sherry, he is taking part in a 12 steps program for people that are freaks about germs! I have heard it all now!
If he has children, that is most surprising, seeing how he apparently does not like to touch people. ha ha!

 

[Sherry E]

I know, I saw a lady try to hug him, and his "guard" shooshed her away, and she said... I forgot, you dont like to touch people. It was classic!

That is too funny! Again, a place like DLR must be extremely scary for Howie, being so germ-phobic. I have to believe his wife forced him into going! But, assuming they were staying at the GCH, I wonder if he made all kinds of crazy requests of the staff!! I would imagine that a lot of celebrities stay at the GCH when they go to DLR because it the high-end hotel of the three, but still, it IS a Disney hotel. It is not quite as posh and accustomed to accommodating famous people as say, the Regent Beverly Wilshire or the Four Seasons. So when germ-phobic Howie shows up, I wonder if they have to send a whole special germ crew into the room first to make sure it is up to snuff! For the record, I have heard great things about Howie's wife. She helped a client of mine with a charitable thing recently, just out of the goodness of her heart, and got Howie to go along with it! She seems to have some influence over him and helps keep him grounded, I think!

Oh my god, Black Rose, that was just so rude, in my opinion of that actor to have that done. Ah....... I can see it now! Park guest at Disneyland today, body slammed into the pavement by zealous body guard of germ phobic actor. Tisk Tisk............. Maybe, Sherry, he is taking part in a 12 steps program for people that are freaks about germs! I have heard it all now!
If he has children, that is most surprising, seeing how he apparently does not like to touch people. ha ha!

He must be trying to cope and go to DLR for his family, but he must be silently panicking inside when he is at DLR, because that is a LOT of people with a LOT of germs on their hands, running all over the place! Hee hee.

 

[Gisele]

Why does he need a body guard? Many people not only would not recognize him, they do not know anything about him. For many people, he is but another "nobody". I like his comedic acting, but then, I like mine too, I am a "nobody" so whatever.

 

[Tasscrapper]

I think actually many people would recognize him. The poster did and so did the lady that tried to hug him. So that is at least two people at one time.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

That is too funny! Again, a place like DLR must be extremely scary for Howie, being so germ-phobic. I have to believe his wife forced him into going! But, assuming they were staying at the GCH, I wonder if he made all kinds of crazy requests of the staff!! I would imagine that a lot of celebrities stay at the GCH when they go to DLR because it the high-end hotel of the three, but still, it IS a Disney hotel. It is not quite as posh and accustomed to accommodating famous people as say, the Regent Beverly Wilshire or the Four Seasons. So when germ-phobic Howie shows up, I wonder if they have to send a whole special germ crew into the room first to make sure it is up to snuff! For the record, I have heard great things about Howie's wife. She helped a client of mine with a charitable thing recently, just out of the goodness of her heart, and got Howie to go along with it! She seems to have some influence over him and helps keep him grounded, I think!



He must be trying to cope and go to DLR for his family, but he must be silently panicking inside when he is at DLR, because that is a LOT of people with a LOT of germs on their hands, running all over the place! Hee hee.

When someone lives in LA, do they usually get hotels while at DL?

 

[Sherry E]

When someone lives in LA, do they usually get hotels while at DL?

Of course some people do! It isn't just about 'lodging.' It is about the whole Disney experience as well as the convenience of it. Seeing that the OP saw Howie right outside of the GCH, I suspect he and his family had a room there for a night or more, to see both parks at a leisurely pace. Why is that so odd?

I live in L.A. Heck, my friend who always goes to DLR with me lives IN Anaheim, 5 minutes down the street from DLR - she listens to the fireworks every night - and we stay at one of the three Disney hotels every time we go! We have stayed onsite that since 1987!

 

[Gisele]

Sherry, that gives me but another idea! How about traveling down to Anaheim, a day or two before your Christmas visit, and stay with your friend? Then you can just go from her home. Then go back, before traveling back to L.A. Maybe she can even give you a ride, not only to Dl. but also back home. Otherwise, I still am thinking Amtrak is a good option. There are cabs waiting nicely in a row, just outside of the station.

 

[M4travels]

When someone lives in LA, do they usually get hotels while at DL?

We do this 90 percent of the time. We don't go for the whole day, sometimes just for dinner. I don't want to drive back home that late at night. I'll get a room and I do like staying at the GCH. The other 10 percent - well, I suck it up and drive home so the dogs get fed on time in the morning!

 

[Gisele]

He he!

The other 10 percent - well, I suck it up and drive home so the dogs get fed on time in the morning!

Yeah, otherwise the dogs might begin to utilize the furniture as a chew toy! Or your favorite pair of shoes, or carpet, or all of the above and then some.
( Hoping not of course )

 

[M4travels]

He he!

Yeah, otherwise the dogs might begin to utilize the furniture as a chew toy! Or your favorite pair of shoes, or carpet, or all of the above and then some.
( Hoping not of course )

hmmmmm.........I didn't think we gave tours of the living room.... when did you sneak in?

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Of course some people do! It isn't just about 'lodging.' Seeing that the OP saw Howie right outside of the GCH, I suspect he and his family had a room there for a night or more, to see both parks at a leisurely pace. Why is that so odd?

I never said it was "so odd", I simply asked a question.

She said he was inside in the park near GC- that doesn't mean he's staying there.

 

[Gisele]

he he! regarding the doggies. I love dogs, but sometimes, they can become mischievous, or worse. Like cats, but shhhhhhh do not tell the dogs that i said anything about cats.

 

[Sherry E]

I never said it was "so odd", I simply asked a question.

She said he was inside in the park near GC- that doesn't mean he's staying there.

Doesn't mean they were NOT staying there, either! It is very inconvenient to spend more than one day in the parks and drive all the way home in between. Nobody wants to go down to DLR and then drive back home and then back to DLR the next day if you live more than five minutes away. So, assuming they did a trip consisting of more than one day, then I am certain they would have stayed onsite. They live in the San Fernando Valley or at least they did when my client dealt with Howie's wife recently - and driving all the way back home would have been a pain, ifthey were only going to turn around and go back to DLR the next day! L.A. is NOT as close to Anaheim as one who lives out of California may assume it is. Even with no traffic at all, it is a good 45 minutes just from Beverly Hills to Anaheim, and much more than that from the SF Valley.

Oh, and by the way, I never said you said it was "so odd." I simply asked a question too! And the OP did say that Howie was "just outside the GCH." Not "near" the GCH. This means he likely came into DCA through the hotel GUEST-ONLY entrance at the GCH!

 

[Winks At Tink]

We do this 90 percent of the time. We don't go for the whole day, sometimes just for dinner. I don't want to drive back home that late at night. I'll get a room and I do like staying at the GCH. The other 10 percent - well, I suck it up and drive home so the dogs get fed on time in the morning!

yes we do to.... my daughter loves it

 

[Sherry E]

We do this 90 percent of the time. We don't go for the whole day, sometimes just for dinner. I don't want to drive back home that late at night. I'll get a room and I do like staying at the GCH. The other 10 percent - well, I suck it up and drive home so the dogs get fed on time in the morning!

Exactly! It's an exhaustion issue as well as being part of the whole Disney experience. If you DO go and spend a long day that lasts well into the evening, often times you are too worn out and don't feel like driving back to wherever home is. And if you plan to go into the parks for more than one day, it makes NO sense to drive all the way back home. Unless you live right next door to Disneyland, driving home after a long day in the parks can be exhausting! And my friend who almost does live right next door to DLR stays at the hotel with me because it is more of a vacation that way, and because it is easier to stay onsite when we are going back into the park the next day than to have to drive home and come back.