Lilly Belle photos - we got to ride it on the 12th of October.

[jory29]

This was the highlight of our trip. I had noticed that the steam trains would be off the track after the first day of our trip, so told my husband I wanted to try to ride the Lilly Belle. Upon entering the park, I was thrilled to see the Lilly Belle attached to the train. I had been hoping to try to get right on the train but my family wanted to walk around the park first, main street especially. When we were in New Orleans square, we went to ride the train, and I saw 2 conductors talking with each other. I asked the one, Rachelle, if there was any chance we could ride on the Lilly Belle. She asked how many of us there were, and I said 4, and she said sure! She escorted us onto the train, and was a wonderful, friendly, and very courteous guide. She told us that the seat that Walter Disney used to sit in was Johnny Depp's favorite seat on that train so of course we all sat in the chair. Actually, it felt really cool just to be on the same train as Walter and his wife had been on. I saw his smoking jacket, too. The experience was awesome. I am going to write to Disneyland to let them know that Rachelle did a great job. We got off of the train at the main station, and Rachelle gave us Lilly Belle train tickets as a souvenir!

Another highlight on our trip was meeting up with HuskerMickey in the White Water Snacks - she approached me as someone in her party had noticed my lime green Mickey on my (UGH!!!!! Fanny pack around my waist. UGH!!! I always said I didn't mind wearing one in the parks because I don't know anyone, but I guess I did. ) I was happy someone from the DIS boards found me.

I plan on doing a TR soon, but wow, were the parks ever crowded. It was a week to remember!! We won't be going back again in October. It was good to see - once - but never again for us.

Here's a photo collage of our train ride on the Lilly Belle: (Click on it to view.)

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Ahhhh I am jealous! DH and I got to ride it in September, but the CM that rode with us sat all the way on the other side of the car and actually dozed off! We didn't get the tickets either. At least we got to ride in it though.

 

[Leshaface]

do they run the lilly belle everyday??

I would love to have a chance to ride on it!

 

[Dizneydaz]

How cool! We haven't ridden on LB yet, but someday we'll do it. Finally rode in the engine of the train in May 08. It was very interesting (and very hot that day ). It would be a great thing to do on a nice, cold day.

I'm going to have to make an effort to ride the LB. Love your photo collage!

And yes, October is really busy now. We were there on Sunday, the 18th, and it was really crowded. Of course, I didn't know that they had the CHOC walk that morning and alot of the walkers went to the parks. Good thing was even though DL was pretty packed by 12, when we crossed over to DCA, it wasn't too bad. They had all 3 towers at Maliboomer running (5 min wait) and all 5 trains on Screamin' running (10 min wait) I just love DCA.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Ahhhh I am jealous! DH and I got to ride it in September, but the CM that rode with us sat all the way on the other side of the car and actually dozed off! We didn't get the tickets either. At least we got to ride in it though.

I had to laugh when you responded, Kayla's Mom. When I was reading about that great LB experience with the really great guide, I actually thought of the guide you had -- who didn't seem so great. I remembered the picture from your TR of him sleeping!

Thanks for sharing jory29 -- sounded so fun.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I had to laugh when you responded, Kayla's Mom. When I was reading about that great LB experience with the really great guide, I actually thought of the guide you had -- who didn't seem so great. I remembered the picture from your TR of him sleeping!

Yes, not quite the same experience we had!

 

[rentayenta]

Awesome- love the collage!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh how fun, we got to ride it too!! On Oct 10th so right before you did! That was so much fun, we took a few photos but not too many. Our tour guide was so fun, she chatted with us the whole ride, there were 4 families total on our trip around the park. We loved it! Did you guys have it to yourselves? We had asked about the tender or the LB and the wait for the tender was hours long because they were having problems with that engine, we waited about 30 min. for the LB.

 

[jory29]

Thanks for the responses, everyone.

We DID get to ride it all by ourselves until we got to the stop before our last, when a group of 4 people with a tour guide got onto the train.

I was really embarrassed because I didn't close the door behind me on the way out, so I ran back to do that for them.

The photo collage was embarrassingly easy - I always use google's free 'Picasa.'

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Our tour guide was so fun, she chatted with us the whole ride, there were 4 families total on our trip around the park.

Man!!! We must have got the lone CM that needed a nap! We were the only ones on it the entire trip around the park, so that was neat. I would have loved to have a chatty CM though!

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

What cool photos!

DD and I did this a while back. We had a pretty good CM but she had her family with her so she spent most of the time talking to them.

That being said it was fun for both dd and I do that.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Lovely pictures! I need to take my Lilly on the Lilly Belle sometime ~ maybe for her B~day trip - but that'll be early July so probably not then, perhaps this Dec.

 

[DonaldDaisyDani]

My lovely fiance proposed to me at Napa Rose, the next day he had a whole itenerary that he had worked out with someone at guest relations. The first thing was that we got to ride in Lilly Belle it was soooooooo unreal.

 

[jory29]

Congrats!!! That is so exciting, to be proposed to at Disneyland Parks. Napa Rose must have been lovely, and that was really cool that your fiance was able to make plans to have you be able to ride in the Lilly Belle the next day. Thanks for sharing!!