Lots of Completed Trip Reports....Nov 2009 - April 2014

[Sherry E]

Fixed it.

Deej - I didn't see what the problem was with your photos because I think you panicked and "fixed it" before I had a chance to get on here and explain what happened! I only saw the e-mail alert message that said your photos were missing.

So when you say they were "gone," what did you mean? The reason I ask is because if it was the "Bandwidth exceeded" issue on Photobucket, that could happen again if you're not careful. It's happened to me a few times, and it happens to almost everyone at some point with a Photobucket account and lots of large photos. Do you remember me saying in the Halloween thread a long time ago that VictoriaAndMatt's photos were being held hostage in Bandwidth Jail?

Otherwise, if it was just a matter of seeing little 'X's where there should be photos, it means the pages are struggling to load the photos, or, like in my case, my PC has trouble loading the pages with photos. And they will load eventually.

If the Bandwidth issue is why your photos were missing, and if it happens again, don't panic. They will reappear eventually. Photobucket usually sends out warning e-mails about reaching bandwidth a week or two before your photos vanish. Since it's just the 'monthly' bandwidth limit they are concerned with, the photos will automatically reappear on or around the 17th of the following month.

Any time someone posts lots and lots of photos - even if they are not all posted in the same TR, but they all come from the same Photobucket account - that uses up monthly bandwidth. And if the photos are large, that uses extra bandwidth. If a lot of people view your TR, just the simple viewing of the photos is using up bandwidth, believe it or not. That's another reason why I let my TR sink down the pages for a while here and there - so there won't be as many views and my photos won't disappear for a month!! The more people who simply look at your photos, the more bandwidth is being used.

What a lot of folks do is create a second Photobucket account, but to reload all the same photos to another account will only create the same problem, not to mention be a huge hassle. I created a second account, but mainly so I could load all new photos. I left the old ones in the first account.

If I come back from this next DLR trip with a huge number of photos, post them all around the DIS and all sorts of people view them, it will use up bandwidth. So I have to be careful!!

One other thing - each separate photo album per Photobucket account is technically supposed to handle 250 photos, maximum. And there are supposed to be 10 albums, max. At least, that's what the stats used to be for the FREE accounts. They don't advertise those stats heavily now, so I think many people exceed 250 photos per album or they create more than 10 albums in their free accounts. That is another red flag that an account might exceed the monthly bandwidth.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Loved it. Beautiful pictures. This made me consider Halloween for next year.

Thanks for reading. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm so glad I went during Halloween. So many fun memories.

Deej - I didn't see what the problem was with your photos because I think you panicked and "fixed it" before I had a chance to get on here and explain what happened! I only saw the e-mail alert message that said your photos were missing.

So when you say they were "gone," what did you mean? The reason I ask is because if it was the "Bandwidth exceeded" issue on Photobucket, that could happen again if you're not careful. It's happened to me a few times, and it happens to almost everyone at some point with a Photobucket account and lots of large photos. Do you remember me saying in the Halloween thread a long time ago that VictoriaAndMatt's photos were being held hostage in Bandwidth Jail?

Otherwise, if it was just a matter of seeing little 'X's where there should be photos, it means the pages are struggling to load the photos, or, like in my case, my PC has trouble loading the pages with photos. And they will load eventually.

If the Bandwidth issue is why your photos were missing, and if it happens again, don't panic. They will reappear eventually. Photobucket usually sends out warning e-mails about reaching bandwidth a week or two before your photos vanish. Since it's just the 'monthly' bandwidth limit they are concerned with, the photos will automatically reappear on or around the 17th of the following month.

Any time someone posts lots and lots of photos - even if they are not all posted in the same TR, but they all come from the same Photobucket account - that uses up monthly bandwidth. And if the photos are large, that uses extra bandwidth. If a lot of people view your TR, just the simple viewing of the photos is using up bandwidth, believe it or not. That's another reason why I let my TR sink down the pages for a while here and there - so there won't be as many views and my photos won't disappear for a month!! The more people who simply look at your photos, the more bandwidth is being used.

What a lot of folks do is create a second Photobucket account, but to reload all the same photos to another account will only create the same problem, not to mention be a huge hassle. I created a second account, but mainly so I could load all new photos. I left the old ones in the first account.

If I come back from this next DLR trip with a huge number of photos, post them all around the DIS and all sorts of people view them, it will use up bandwidth. So I have to be careful!!

One other thing - each separate photo album per Photobucket account is technically supposed to handle 250 photos, maximum. And there are supposed to be 10 albums, max. At least, that's what the stats used to be for the FREE accounts. They don't advertise those stats heavily now, so I think many people exceed 250 photos per album or they create more than 10 albums in their free accounts. That is another red flag that an account might exceed the monthly bandwidth.

Yeah, it was a "Bandwidth Exceeded" issue with photobucket. Thanks for explaining all that to me. I really had no clue. Yes, I do remember when that happened with all of VictoriaAndMatt's Halloween pics. That's what I thought of when I saw all of these "bandwidth exceeded" things where my pics used to be. I just couldn't remember if you were supposed to do something about it or just wait it out. When you said I should have gotten email warnings I went and checked my email account that doesn't get much action and there they were. So yeah, they notified me a couple of weeks ago that I was on the verge of exceeding.

So 250 photos? My Halloween Trip album has close to 400!

Anyway, I ended up paying the $2.99 to upgrade for 1 month. Mainly because I was curious about something with the stats and it sounded like having a pro account would answer my questions. It didn't -- but the pictures are back. My DS11 (that's the first time I've typed that -- he's 11.) has been in and out while I've typed up the TR. He asked if he could read the whole thing and look at all the pictures once I was done, so now he'll be able to do that for some leisurely reading.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I read and looked at all your pics during your HalloweenTime trip to DL. I say that you really enjoyed MHP and have done everything that you and your family wanted to do during your visit. Great details of your TR from place to place at the DLR. You took pictures of the food porn and the flowers which is really clear and nice.

It was nice to read your TR and hope you have a good trip in 2012. You should consider doing a trip without the kids or a solo trip since you have more than 100 days to use before your AP expires. I just did a solo trip a few weeks ago and it was fun to go to the park and do whatever you want to do. It is kind of lonely to go by yourself, but it is really fun to do.

 

[deejdigsdis]

I read and looked at all your pics during your HalloweenTime trip to DL. I say that you really enjoyed MHP and have done everything that you and your family wanted to do during your visit. Great details of your TR from place to place at the DLR. You took pictures of the food porn and the flowers which is really clear and nice.

It was nice to read your TR and hope you have a good trip in 2012. You should consider doing a trip without the kids or a solo trip since you have more than 100 days to use before your AP expires. I just did a solo trip a few weeks ago and it was fun to go to the park and do whatever you want to do. It is kind of lonely to go by yourself, but it is really fun to do.

Thanks for stopping by. Yes, we had a great time. It was pretty slow-paced as far as Disneyland trips go. That may be my new normal. We took our kids for the first time a year ago, and I've been back 2 times since then -- without them. Once was with just my husband, and then my last trip was with just my mom and 2 sisters. I loved both of those trips, but I'm ready to take my kids back. I had been tossing around the idea of just taking my DS11 before my AP expires. He was more into Disneyland than my younger two. He went with me for our MM, whereas the younger 2 boys wanted to stay at the hotel and watch TV. Anyway, I can't wait until we go back!

 

[TheColtonsMom]

When I was going through my pictures and came across this one, I thought, "Wow. This looks like it could have been taken in 1977. Or 1982. Or 1996." I was glad it looked the same. I had read that Space Mountain was closed for 2 years, but when I rode it I couldn't tell that anything had changed (ride-wise). I knew when there would be a dip, or a turn, etc. and I was surprised that it all came back to me after 13 years. I guess I was expecting more of a change if it had been closed for 2 years. Not that I wanted a change or anything, mind you. I looked it up on Wikipedia and read that the entire track was removed, and they completely rebuilt the new track in the exact same layout as the original design. (Ah. I wasn't going crazy.) I also read that the exterior of the mountain was painted green and gold () for a period of about 6 years, and then was repainted white. I can't imagine it being green and gold. Any reviews on that one?

Gotta love Magic Mornings:

I remember when space mountain was green & gold ... it looked like a copper pot that had been left outside rusty and greenish looks good on garden art looked horrible on space mountain

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Had just put DS6 to bed (yes i have been stretching how long he is awake in prep for 4 days of open to close disney) and have been scheduling "naps" after school (more like quiet time but it works) when I hit the story about the "snoap" DS6 came in to see what was so funny and he wanted me to pass on his thanks to your boys for warning him so he won't eat soap LOL gotta love kids I tell you

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Just finished your April 2010 TR. Loved the pics and even more the descriptions.

So like you I have never in 25+ trips to Disneyland seen the Flag ceremony and after hearing about it here have it on out agenda for our Christmas trip.

After researching it I found out this has been going on forever and Walt said it should go on as long as Disneyland existed.

Now after hearing that you saw two completely different flag ceremonies I wonder how many different versions there are. Wonder if they do it in Florida too? What about the foreign parks? Anyone know?

I agree that HM is better for me anyway in its original form I can appreciate HMH as my DD23 is a huge Tim Burton fan and the overlay was the reason we started planning our trip in December 2002 she just had to see it. My DH has never seen it any other way so when we go in summer 2012 and he does the HM for the first time I will be interested in his reaction as HMH is his "original"

 

[TheColtonsMom]

'Cinnamon toast and tacos...On the floor!'

Will they look at me funny when I burst into giggles listening to the safety message on th Matterhorn?

 

[deejdigsdis]

Gotta love Magic Mornings:

I remember when space mountain was green & gold ... it looked like a copper pot that had been left outside rusty and greenish looks good on garden art looked horrible on space mountain

Hi! Thanks for answering my year-old question. Seriously, thank you! Everyone I've asked doesn't remember or thinks I'm crazy, saying Space Mountain was never those colors. From your description, no wonder that look didn't last. I love how it looks now. So classic.

Had just put DS6 to bed (yes i have been stretching how long he is awake in prep for 4 days of open to close disney) and have been scheduling "naps" after school (more like quiet time but it works) when I hit the story about the "snoap" DS6 came in to see what was so funny and he wanted me to pass on his thanks to your boys for warning him so he won't eat soap LOL gotta love kids I tell you

First...that's very clever to slowly put DS6 on Disneyland time. And the snow...we still laugh about that. The snow was one of my favorite parts about going this time of year. Very magical.

Just finished your April 2010 TR. Loved the pics and even more the descriptions.

So like you I have never in 25+ trips to Disneyland seen the Flag ceremony and after hearing about it here have it on out agenda for our Christmas trip.

After researching it I found out this has been going on forever and Walt said it should go on as long as Disneyland existed.

Now after hearing that you saw two completely different flag ceremonies I wonder how many different versions there are. Wonder if they do it in Florida too? What about the foreign parks? Anyone know?

I agree that HM is better for me anyway in its original form I can appreciate HMH as my DD23 is a huge Tim Burton fan and the overlay was the reason we started planning our trip in December 2002 she just had to see it. My DH has never seen it any other way so when we go in summer 2012 and he does the HM for the first time I will be interested in his reaction as HMH is his "original"

The Flag Retreat Ceremony is a must see for me now. When I was younger, Disneyland was totally all about the rides and the magical feeling I had while there. Now it's about so much more. Don't get me wrong, the rides and the magical feeling are still the biggest part for me, in large part due to the nostalgia of it all. But now I like to slow down and notice things I've never noticed, sit on Main Street and just enjoy the atmosphere (instead of using it solely as a passageway to get to a favorite ride), pay attention to the flowers and other details. Ah...I'm getting homesick!

Anyway, that's very interesting about the Flag Ceremony being around all this time. I guess I've never ever had a reason to be in Town Square at 4:30pm before my trips in the past year. We were always an open-to-close family growing up. Never took breaks and headed back to the hotel. (Since we went in the summer that meant 8am - 1am. How my parents did that with 6 kids...I'll never know!) And DCA wasn't there, so that takes out another reason to be in that area at 4:30pm (to park hop). I'm just assuming that's why I never knew about it all those years. I'm very glad I learned about it here on the DIS. I've never been to any other Disney parks, so I can't answer your question.

Will they look at me funny when I burst into giggles listening to the safety message on th Matterhorn?

Thanks for reading! I see you started a Trip Report as well. I will start reading it tomorrow.

ETA this picture! I forgot to post a picture of the ornament I bought during my Oct. trip. I love snowmen ornaments in general and this one was calling my name. I was glad that little carrot nose stayed on. Well, I was glad the whole thing stayed together! It's a fragile thing but they wrapped it VERY well...ended up being a huge package for this one little ornament!

 

[tksbaskets]

Deekj - I love that ornament!! Wonder if I'll be able to be a copy cat in WDW in 11 days??

TK

 

[TheColtonsMom]

We were always an open-to-close family growing up. Never took breaks and headed back to the hotel. (Since we went in the summer that meant 8am - 1am. How my parents did that with 6 kids...I'll never know!)

We were an open to close family as well. I think My Mother was super woman..there were 4 of us and sometimes friends...You know all by herself she used to take all the kids in the neighborhood to Zuma beach once a week all summer so just her and 8-10 kids in a station wagon...she was either superwoman or crazy.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Deekj - I love that ornament!! Wonder if I'll be able to be a copy cat in WDW in 11 days??

TK

Now you're down to 10 days! Can't wait for your report!

We were an open to close family as well. I think My Mother was super woman..there were 4 of us and sometimes friends...You know all by herself she used to take all the kids in the neighborhood to Zuma beach once a week all summer so just her and 8-10 kids in a station wagon...she was either superwoman or crazy.

Ah, the station wagon days! I haven't thought about those in a while. We would make the 17-ish hour drive to Disneyland in our station wagon. And in those days seat belts were...optional, I guess you could say. I don't really remember ever wearing one when I was younger. No laws back then. Anyway, so our family of 8 would pile into the station wagon. My parents and older sister up front, my 2 brothers in the middle, and then the 3 of us younger kids in the back. We would usually spend a week camping before heading to DL, so all that gear was in the car. The seats were folded down in the back with the tent and sleeping bags all laid out in a stack. So the 3 of us kids would ride those 17 hours horizontally on top of the stack of sleeping bags! With our noses just a few inches away from the ceiling. Crazy! It was great for the napping portions of the trip, but not-so-great otherwise. Wow, times have changed...

OK, so here's a picture from 1979. This would have been from one of my crazy riding-down-the-so-cal-freeways-on-top-of-a-stack-of-sleeping-bags trips. I'm in the yellow teacup with my brother and sister.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Ah, the station wagon days! I haven't thought about those in a while. We would make the 17-ish hour drive to Disneyland in our station wagon. And in those days seat belts were...optional, I guess you could say. I don't really remember ever wearing one when I was younger. No laws back then. Anyway, so our family of 8 would pile into the station wagon. My parents and older sister up front, my 2 brothers in the middle, and then the 3 of us younger kids in the back. We would usually spend a week camping before heading to DL, so all that gear was in the car. The seats were folded down in the back with the tent and sleeping bags all laid out in a stack. So the 3 of us kids would ride those 17 hours horizontally on top of the stack of sleeping bags! With our noses just a few inches away from the ceiling. Crazy! It was great for the napping portions of the trip, but not-so-great otherwise. Wow, times have changed...

For us it was mom & dad in front back seat folded down with a mattress and it was a free for all back there. It is amazing we all survived our childhoods without seatbelts, bike helmets and all the other safety gear our kids "need"

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Love the old pic...My mom thinks I am crazy wanting to dig through the boxes to try and find some old disney pics to post

 

[deejdigsdis]

For us it was mom & dad in front back seat folded down with a mattress and it was a free for all back there. It is amazing we all survived our childhoods without seatbelts, bike helmets and all the other safety gear our kids "need"

"Free for all" -- that's a really good way to put it.

Love the old pic...My mom thinks I am crazy wanting to dig through the boxes to try and find some old disney pics to post

Thanks. I would love to see some of your old pics! Have you checked out the Disney Nostalgia Pictures thread on the Disneyland Community Board yet? There are some really great pictures in that thread. Man, the characters have come a long way since the beginning.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

"Free for all" -- that's a really good way to put it.



Thanks. I would love to see some of your old pics! Have you checked out the Disney Nostalgia Pictures thread on the Disneyland Community Board yet? There are some really great pictures in that thread. Man, the characters have come a long way since the beginning.

I haven't but I am going there right now LOL We just watched the news footage from opening day and WOW those characters were a bit scary actually but even since I started going in the early 70's they have very slowly changed over time to what they are now.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Just back from a quick, somewhat spontaneous and unexpected trip with my sister and my son! I must say...this trip was a bit different from my last 2 trips, which were kid-less. The last 2 trips saw plenty of Main Street action in the form of stopping to admire and photograph window displays, lounging on the front porch, and just being in mosey-mode in general. Not the case this time. Stopping to notice lampposts doesn't exactly fit into doing Disneyland with an 11 year old boy.

BUT...I am happy to report that I finally got my ice cream! The ice cream that I planned on getting (and missed) during my last 3 trips. And it was good.

Stay tuned for more adventures...including my celebrity sighting on Wednesday. (Here's a hint... This person was in a sitcom. Not the main guy, but the main guy's friend. He also did a voice in a Disney-Pixar movie.) He thought he was well-hidden in the crevices of the rocks by Astro Orbitor, but I was on to him.

 

[tksbaskets]

Any TSMM reports coming???

TK

 

[JH87]

YUM. My mouth is watering just looking at the ice cream.
Can't wait to find out who you saw....hmmmmmm

 

[deejdigsdis]

Any TSMM reports coming???

TK

Ugh. No! Still sad about that. I was going to print out your tips and have my son read up on everything on the plane, but there was no ink in the printer and no time to fix that before heading for the airport. I don't have a fancy internet-sportin' phone so that was that. He ended up wanting to ride by himself anyway! Kind of funny. I was more disappointed about not having the tips than he was.

YUM. My mouth is watering just looking at the ice cream.
Can't wait to find out who you saw....hmmmmmm

Hi! You won't have to wait long...the sighting was on our first day!