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

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks Bret! So glad to see you are still around. I haven't made it over to your President's Day Weekend portion of your TR yet, but I will. I've been wondering if the walls are still up on Main Street. I'm sure your pictures will answer my question.

I have been following your TR for awhile. I been meaning to ask you this question. What was the DLR filming right in front of SB castle if you know anything bout it? The walls were down when I was there that weekend and it was a good thing since it would be really bad to have them up during a busy President's Day Weekend.

Keep up with your TR.

 

[deejdigsdis]

I have been following your TR for awhile. I been meaning to ask you this question. What was the DLR filming right in front of SB castle if you know anything bout it? The walls were down when I was there that weekend and it was a good thing since it would be really bad to have them up during a busy President's Day Weekend.

Keep up with your TR.

I never did go back to see what they were filming. They were setting things up as we headed through the castle into Fantasyland. My sister and my son really wanted to get to Peter Pan before the line got too long. I planned on going back later to see what they were filming but I forgot. When we were done in Fantasyland we never did walk back through the castle. I really wish I would have remembered to check it out.

I'm glad the Main Street walls were down for your latest trip. I was having fun yesterday helping my sister-in-law make plans for her first trip to DLR coming up next week. Her husband has been to DL (years ago) but this will be the first time for her and the kids. I'm glad the walls are gone so they can get the full effect of how beautiful Main Street is.

I'll be back soon with another update!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I never did go back to see what they were filming. They were setting things up as we headed through the castle into Fantasyland. My sister and my son really wanted to get to Peter Pan before the line got too long. I planned on going back later to see what they were filming but I forgot. When we were done in Fantasyland we never did walk back through the castle. I really wish I would have remembered to check it out.

I'm glad the Main Street walls were down for your latest trip. I was having fun yesterday helping my sister-in-law make plans for her first trip to DLR coming up next week. Her husband has been to DL (years ago) but this will be the first time for her and the kids. I'm glad the walls are gone so they can get the full effect of how beautiful Main Street is.

I'll be back soon with another update!

Those filming are very rare to see at the DLR. It is always neat to see something out of the ordinary at the DLR.

I was happy that they were down since I have videotaped RDCT from the Hub on Sunday night. The streets looks very nice and clean. It needed it so badly since there were some cracks and the color looks ugly. At least everything is down and your SIL will have a good time at the DLR.

 

[deejdigsdis]

I forgot to mention an interesting thing from our round trip on the Monorail. My sister saw a bunch of Splash Mountain logs lined up on the ground outside some warehouse-looking area. I didn't notice them. I was too busy focusing on the other side, trying to catch glimpses of what was going on behind the walls where the CALIFORNIA letters used to be. She took a picture with her phone so I could see, just in case I missed it. Interesting sight!

So...after Haunted Mansion we headed toward Cafe Orleans for lunch. We stopped off at the restroom on our way over. I always told Chief where to meet us outside the restroom, because he was ALWAYS out before we were. This time I told him to meet us by this mask.

It's no secret that I'm scared of clowns. These kind of masks are right up there in scariness for me. But something about this one seemed kind of pretty (did I really just say that?) in its own way. Nothing I'd want hanging in my house, though...

We checked into Cafe Orleans. It was busy, but we were seated within 3 minutes.

Views from our table:

It took quite a while for our food to be served. We were starting to get a bit worried about making it over to Aladdin in time.

My sister has good memories of the gumbo from our Blue Bayou lunch last fall, so she was looking forward to eating it again.

I thought the green onion looked kind of like a squished Mickey Head!

Apparently 75 degrees is a little chilly for my sister!

But she wasn't too cold to take Chief's menu and do ALL the word finds, puzzles, etc.

Chief ordered the Caesar Salad with Blackened Chicken. He's a huge Caesar Salad fan and he loved it.

I ordered Pommes Frites and French Onion Soup.

The fries would have been a lot better if they were super hot. I don't care for lukewarm fries. The soup, on the other hand, was soooooooo good. Mmmm Mmmm. Chief gave me the bread that came with his meal, so I dipped that in as well. Delish!

We were all stuffed. The last thing we felt like doing was making a mad dash over to DCA for the 2:20 Aladdin show. But we did it anyway. It was our only chance to see it, and I really wanted Chief to see it. We missed it when we took all the kids in Nov. 2009. We had it in our plan, but then the opportunity came up for me and Chief to be in the Tiana's Showboat Jubilee show on the Mark Twain. That seemed like a once in a lifetime deal to me, so we skipped Aladdin for our debut performance at Disneyland. So glad we did, too. It was a blast!

Off we go toward DCA, and who should we run into for the second time? That family that used to live in our neighborhood 5 years ago! So funny to see them 2 days in a row.

As we walk toward the theater Chief asked, "So what is this we're going to?" Apparently he thought it was an Aladdin puppet show. "No...I don't do puppets. They creep me out." He was still a little reluctant. It just didn't sound as exciting as going on rides. We settled into our seats with about 5 minutes before showtime. It felt so good to sit down after walking briskly on a full stomach.

No pictures of the show, as I don't seem to be able to capture any good shots. But -- Chief LOVED it! I kept looking over at him and he was laughing and smiling a lot. He especially loved the part where Aladdin "jumps" -- just as I knew he would. When my husband and I saw the show for the first time last spring (kid-less trip) and Aladdin "jumped" I remember thinking to myself, "Oh, the boys would think that was so cool. Wish they were here..."

Moving on...I finally got a picture of one of the cutest restrooms ever. I love this upside down tissue box!

Chief wanted to do a quick ride on Screamin' while were were in DCA, because once we headed back to Disneyland we planned to stay put for the rest of the day/night. Gotta end the trip in Disneyland. We went over and I wasn't feeling up to riding, so I sent him through the Single Rider line. I've never done Single Rider on this ride so I just told him to "Hop in line behind those 2 kids and follow them..." I was paying attention to the Standby Line, just out of curiosity. Chief got on the roller coaster right before the Standby Line group got on. (People who got in the Standby Line right as he got in the Single Rider Line.) No pictures this time since I recorded his ride.

Making our way out of DCA...

A picture of Oswald the Rabbit for the boys at home.

I took several pictures of this sign. This is the one with the least amount of excavator showing. If that's what it was, that is.

Looks like a good stopping point.

 

[tksbaskets]

A good stopping spot?? I want more!

Now I want some French onion soup! YUMMMo~ Where is the tisssue box rest room? I can't believe we never noticed it. I'm quite jelous of your seeing Aladin. You know if had technical difficulties on our last trip and I went in October on the one day it wasn't showing.

Looking forward to more!

TK

 

[deejdigsdis]

Those filming are very rare to see at the DLR. It is always neat to see something out of the ordinary at the DLR.

I was happy that they were down since I have videotaped RDCT from the Hub on Sunday night. The streets looks very nice and clean. It needed it so badly since there were some cracks and the color looks ugly. At least everything is down and your SIL will have a good time at the DLR.

I agree. It's nice to see something out of the ordinary like a bit of filming. When we took our kids in Nov. 2009, there was some filming going on in Town Square. Mickey was wearing his Christmas sweater and there was an actor with him. I didn't recognize him, but I took a picture of him. I found out later it was a guy from an ABC Family show.

I bet the streets look nice with the fresh pavement!

A good stopping spot?? I want more!

Now I want some French onion soup! YUMMMo~ Where is the tisssue box rest room? I can't believe we never noticed it. I'm quite jelous of your seeing Aladin. You know if had technical difficulties on our last trip and I went in October on the one day it wasn't showing.

Looking forward to more!

TK

I want some French Onion soup tonight too! I will be settling for pork chops baked in cream of mushroom soup.

The tissue box restroom is in A Bug's Land. So cute!

 

[tksbaskets]

I agree. It's nice to see something out of the ordinary like a bit of filming. When we took our kids in Nov. 2009, there was some filming going on in Town Square. Mickey was wearing his Christmas sweater and there was an actor with him. I didn't recognize him, but I took a picture of him. I found out later it was a guy from an ABC Family show.

I bet the streets look nice with the fresh pavement!



I want some French Onion soup tonight too! I will be settling for pork chops baked in cream of mushroom soup.

The tissue box restroom is in A Bug's Land. So cute!

That explains why we've never seen it. We've only stepped inside Bug's Land once when we got lost.

Pork chops sound yummy!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I agree. It's nice to see something out of the ordinary like a bit of filming. When we took our kids in Nov. 2009, there was some filming going on in Town Square. Mickey was wearing his Christmas sweater and there was an actor with him. I didn't recognize him, but I took a picture of him. I found out later it was a guy from an ABC Family show.

I bet the streets look nice with the fresh pavement!

That must have been neat to see an actor filming at DL.

The streets look really good in Town Square and the Hub.

 

[deejdigsdis]

That explains why we've never seen it. We've only stepped inside Bug's Land once when we got lost.

Pork chops sound yummy!

Stepping into Bug's Land when you got lost! Yes, I can't quite see Grumpy and Donald rushing to ride anything there.

PS - still waiting for my calendar to arrive...

That must have been neat to see an actor filming at DL.

It was neat...too bad I didn't know who he was.

 

[Sherry E]

I love the reminders on the dates. It really does entice me to make a calendar for my sibs and their families that includes birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Did you notice YOUR post on DeeJ's thread was behind my calendar?

TK - Yes! I did notice my post was right there! That was something that I noticed right away because saw the blue Moderator thingy on the side.

It's so interesting to see the little (and not so little) differences in the holiday decor at WDW vs. what's in DLR. Just the lamppost alone is unusual and specific to WDW. We don't have those specific Mickey wreath-ish things on the posts at DLR like the one in your photo from WDW. And the Mickey-shaped ones we did have at DLR in the past - which were different from the WDW ones - are now few and far between. They have a few of them hanging over Main Street from the garland during Christmas time, but they are gone from the lampposts in both ToonTown and on Main Street.

I did our immediate family members' birthdays. Believe it or not I still had some pics I wanted to use after all my collage-y-ness. So...I looked up when certain rides opened, and put the pictures on those dates. I didn't do a ton, but it will be kind of fun to see. Boy, there were a lot of July 17th things.

That is a great gift idea. Something that will last. And I have to say that I noticed Sherry's post in the background!

If you haven't gotten your calendar yet, deej, it will surely arrive by Monday. My hat's off to you for coming up with clever ways to use additional photos. You could have easily just stuck in photos of your family on their respective birthdates and left it alone. I didn't even do THAT much. I should have at least stuck in some people's faces where their birthdates were.

But you actually took the time to look up when some of the rides opened and chose those dates to post photos of those rides. That's clever!!!

I think both you and TK have outdone me on the calendars! I haven't seen yours yet, but you get major points just for looking up when rides opened!!

So...after Haunted Mansion we headed toward Cafe Orleans for lunch. We stopped off at the restroom on our way over. I always told Chief where to meet us outside the restroom, because he was ALWAYS out before we were. This time I told him to meet us by this mask.

It's no secret that I'm scared of clowns. These kind of masks are right up there in scariness for me. But something about this one seemed kind of pretty (did I really just say that?) in its own way. Nothing I'd want hanging in my house, though...

Views from our table:

Moving on...I finally got a picture of one of the cutest restrooms ever. I love this upside down tissue box!

You mean to tell me that the New Orleans Square masks (first photo in this last bunch) were still up? I thought they had only been brought out for the holiday season! I didn't know they were supposed to be there all the time!

Or....maybe DLR just decided to keep them up after New Year's and through Mardi Gras? Or are the masks there year-round? I think the masks are beautiful in general (although creepy in that Mardi Gras creepy mask way), but I kind of like the idea of them being put up for the holidays and not being there all the time. I would like them to be a bit more exclusive.

Having them up for months on end makes about as much sense as the hearse "running away."

I love the contrast of the vibrant colors of the flowers in NOS! Very pretty!

I love A Bug's Land and all the oversized things. It gets a reputation as only being for kids, but if you're a fan of Disney details, that is one of the best places to go. I love the giant popsicle stick benches and the other giant things, like the tissue box restroom. There are some very creative sight gags there and it's a shame people miss them!

 

[deejdigsdis]

If you haven't gotten your calendar yet, deej, it will surely arrive by Monday. My hat's off to you for coming up with clever ways to use additional photos. You could have easily just stuck in photos of your family on their respective birthdates and left it alone. I didn't even do THAT much. I should have at least stuck in some people's faces where their birthdates were.

But you actually took the time to look up when some of the rides opened and chose those dates to post photos of those rides. That's clever!!!

I think both you and TK have outdone me on the calendars! I haven't seen yours yet, but you get major points just for looking up when rides opened!!

You mean to tell me that the New Orleans Square masks (first photo in this last bunch) were still up? I thought they had only been brought out for the holiday season! I didn't know they were supposed to be there all the time!

Or....maybe DLR just decided to keep them up after New Year's and through Mardi Gras? Or are the masks there year-round? I think the masks are beautiful in general (although creepy in that Mardi Gras creepy mask way), but I kind of like the idea of them being put up for the holidays and not being there all the time. I would like them to be a bit more exclusive.

Having them up for months on end makes about as much sense as the hearse "running away."

I'm thinking the calendar should be here by Monday, too. I will post pictures of it as soon as I'm done with this episode of my TR. Not much left to report on.

As far as the masks go...I was thinking they were left up for the Mardi Gras-themed Family Fun Weekends.

Off to do another TR update!

 

[Sherry E]

Have you seen this latest blog?

http://www.disunplugged.com/2011/03/05/a-taste-of-spring-comes-from-flowers-at-disneyland/

It's got your name written all over it (except for that it was written by YellowMickeyPonchos/Nancy!)!!

 

[deejdigsdis]

So...we just said our final goodbyes to DCA and headed across the Esplanade for our final entrance into Disneyland this trip.

This was kind of a funny sight. As we walked through the tunnel into Disneyland, here comes Goofy walking through the tunnel the opposite direction. The funny part was that no one else seemed to notice. Well, they probably noticed. It was just weird that no one seemed to acknowledge him.

We were just starting to head down Main Street when I caught a glimpse of a yummy-looking chocolate candy stuck in the trolley tracks. It brought back a memory from my last trip. I was sitting on the curb on Main Street sharing a tray of fudge with my mom and sisters. I dropped a piece on the street. I planned on picking it up and throwing it away, but my older sister reached it before I did and plopped it in her mouth! The rest of us thought it was gross, but we had a good laugh over it. So - I thought of my sister when I saw this candy stuck in the tracks. I stopped abruptly (after making sure no one was behind me, of course), bent down and took a picture.

A couple stopped, leaned over, and asked me what was so interesting down there. I briefly told them the story, and said I was taking the picture for my sister who had eaten the fudge off the street. My younger sister quickly chimed in to inform them that it was a different sister and not her. After all was said and done, the man said, "Uh...thanks for sharing that with us." The lady laughed and thought it was a great story -- I remember her using the word "cute."

We continued walking down Main Street. Destination: Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor. Once again I had put off my quest for enjoying ice cream in Disneyland 'til practically the last moment. It had been more than 15 years since I sat on Main Street with ice cream and people-watched. It was time to break the streak. I had good intentions during my first 3 trips of the last 15 months...but EVERY TIME the ice cream enjoyment was put off for too long and it never happened. I had gotten a text from my husband earlier in the day. "Have you had your ice cream yet?" When I replied "Not yet" I could almost see his head shaking in a "when will you ever learn?" sort of way.

When we got in that always-long line, Chief very seriously asked, "Where's the sign that tells you how long the wait will be?" I'm with him...they really should have a sign. We waited for 20 minutes, definitely one of our longest waits this trip.

Decisions, decisions. Should I go with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Hot Fudge Sundae or a Double Scoop in a Chocolate-Dipped Cone? I went back and forth during that 20 minute wait. A Double Scoop Cone won out in the end. One scoop Chocolate, once scoop Nestle Toll House Cookie Swirl. Pure deliciousness! We rushed outside and found a spot along the Main Street curb. I needed to get a picture before the ice cream melted anymore than it had during that first minute. Good grief, it was melting fast! I thought about Sherry and her Peppermint Cone of Death. Mine was melting plenty fast at 5pm on a day not nearly as warm as the day she had. Crazy!

Our ice cream must have looked really good. A couple of people stopped and asked where we got it. Chief got a double scoop cone as well. Mint Chocolate Chip and Nestle Toll House Cookie Swirl.

I can't remember what my sister got. It was getting chilly by this time. I was wishing we had gotten our jackets before the ice cream. But the important thing was...Mission Accomplished! I finally had my eating-ice-cream-while-people-watching-on-Main-Street moment after a 15 year drought!

The high of that moment was soon replaced with the low of another moment. I realized it was probably too late to get Chief over to the island. We headed over in that direction and my thoughts were confirmed. The island was indeed closed. I felt horrible. This trip was supposed to be more about what he wanted to do. I apologized and asked him if he wanted to go back to DCA for another ride on Screamin' -- his favorite. He said no, that he'd rather finish the day out in Disneyland. The sadness that comes along with the realization that your Disneyland trip will soon be coming to a close was settling in. Chief actually said, "I'm sad that it's almost over."

So. Exploring the island was no longer an option. My sister had headed over to the Mark Twain when we headed toward the island, so we decided to try to catch her. We made it in time for the second to the last sail of the day.

 

[Sherry E]

So...we just said our final goodbyes to DCA and headed across the Esplanade for our final entrance into Disneyland this trip.

This was kind of a funny sight. As we walked through the tunnel into Disneyland, here comes Goofy walking through the tunnel the opposite direction. The funny part was that no one else seemed to notice. Well, they probably noticed. It was just weird that no one seemed to acknowledge him.

We were just starting to head down Main Street when I caught a glimpse of a yummy-looking chocolate candy stuck in the trolley tracks. It brought back a memory from my last trip. I was sitting on the curb on Main Street sharing a tray of fudge with my mom and sisters. I dropped a piece on the street. I planned on picking it up and throwing it away, but my older sister reached it before I did and plopped it in her mouth! The rest of us thought it was gross, but we had a good laugh over it. So - I thought of my sister when I saw this candy stuck in the tracks. I stopped abruptly (after making sure no one was behind me, of course), bent down and took a picture.

A couple stopped, leaned over, and asked me what was so interesting down there. I briefly told them the story, and said I was taking the picture for my sister who had eaten the fudge off the street. My younger sister quickly chimed in to inform them that it was a different sister and not her. After all was said and done, the man said, "Uh...thanks for sharing that with us." The lady laughed and thought it was a great story -- I remember her using the word "cute."

We continued walking down Main Street. Destination: Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor. Once again I had put off my quest for enjoying ice cream in Disneyland 'til practically the last moment. It had been more than 15 years since I sat on Main Street with ice cream and people-watched. It was time to break the streak. I had good intentions during my first 3 trips of the last 15 months...but EVERY TIME the ice cream enjoyment was put off for too long and it never happened. I had gotten a text from my husband earlier in the day. "Have you had your ice cream yet?" When I replied "Not yet" I could almost see his head shaking in a "when will you ever learn?" sort of way.

When we got in that always-long line, Chief very seriously asked, "Where's the sign that tells you how long the wait will be?" I'm with him...they really should have a sign. We waited for 20 minutes, definitely one of our longest waits this trip.

Decisions, decisions. Should I go with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Hot Fudge Sundae or a Double Scoop in a Chocolate-Dipped Cone? I went back and forth during that 20 minute wait. A Double Scoop Cone won out in the end. One scoop Chocolate, once scoop Nestle Toll House Cookie Swirl. Pure deliciousness! We rushed outside and found a spot along the Main Street curb. I needed to get a picture before the ice cream melted anymore than it had during that first minute. Good grief, it was melting fast! I thought about Sherry and her Peppermint Cone of Death. Mine was melting plenty fast at 5pm on a day not nearly as warm as the day she had. Crazy!

Our ice cream must have looked really good. A couple of people stopped and asked where we got it. Chief got a double scoop cone as well. Mint Chocolate Chip and Nestle Toll House Cookie Swirl.

I can't remember what my sister got. It was getting chilly by this time. I was wishing we had gotten our jackets before the ice cream. But the important thing was...Mission Accomplished! I finally had my eating-ice-cream-while-people-watching-on-Main-Street moment after a 15 year drought!

The high of that moment was soon replaced with the low of another moment. I realized it was probably too late to get Chief over to the island. We headed over in that direction and my thoughts were confirmed. The island was indeed closed. I felt horrible. This trip was supposed to be more about what he wanted to do. I apologized and asked him if he wanted to go back to DCA for another ride on Screamin' -- his favorite. He said no, that he'd rather finish the day out in Disneyland. The sadness that comes along with the realization that your Disneyland trip will soon be coming to a close was settling in. Chief actually said, "I'm sad that it's almost over."

So. Exploring the island was no longer an option. My sister had headed over to the Mark Twain when we headed toward the island, so we decided to try to catch her. We made it in time for the second to the last sail of the day.

Well, at least you didn't have the same experience I had with my Peppermint Cone of Death! Your photo of the ice cream is actually a good, clear shot, whereas my photo was blurry (after all the chaos that Cone of Death put me through)! And I was so traumatized after that debacle, I was not about to try getting a second photo!! I would surely end up on the ground with a broken camera and a spilled trash can at that point.

But you are right - that ice cream starts to melt instantly! Something in that Disneyland air hits the ice cream right away and starts breaking it down. And that is way too expensive of an ice cream cone - and way too long of a line to stand in to get it - to let it end up in a puddle. So you basically need to photograph it and scarf it down as soon as you step out of Gibson Girl. By the time I could have found an available bench to sit on, the ice cream would have been liquid.

How odd that no one paid Goofy any attention in the tunnel! Maybe people have gotten tired of Goofy? When he was standing around in the Disneyland Hotel lobby during my trip, he was totally alone and no one cared. Goofy needs love too! I don't think anyone realized how lucky it is to get a major character all by himself, with no people anywhere to be seen. It was like no one even saw him.

The sky is so blue in your pictures! What a nice day!

 

[deejdigsdis]

Well, at least you didn't have the same experience I had with my Peppermint Cone of Death! Your photo of the ice cream is actually a good, clear shot, whereas my photo was blurry (after all the chaos that Cone of Death put me through)! And I was so traumatized after that debacle, I was not about to try getting a second photo!! I would surely end up on the ground with a broken camera and a spilled trash can at that point.

But you are right - that ice cream starts to melt instantly! Something in that Disneyland air hits the ice cream right away and starts breaking it down. And that is way too expensive of an ice cream cone - and way too long of a line to stand in to get it - to let it end up in a puddle. So you basically need to photograph it and scarf it down as soon as you step out of Gibson Girl. By the time I could have found an available bench to sit on, the ice cream would have been liquid.

How odd that no one paid Goofy any attention in the tunnel! Maybe people have gotten tired of Goofy? When he was standing around in the Disneyland Hotel lobby during my trip, he was totally alone and no one cared. Goofy needs love too! I don't think anyone realized how lucky it is to get a major character all by himself, with no people anywhere to be seen. It was like no one even saw him.

The sky is so blue in your pictures! What a nice day!

First, thanks for the link to the blog post about the flowers. I think I like the tulips the best. Those ones around the Partners Statue are so beautiful! My sister-in-law and her family will be in Disneyland for the very first time next week. I may just have to request that she take a picture of those tulips for me. It's the least she could do after I spent a lot of time last week schooling her in the ways of FastPass, Jedi Training Academy, Magic Mornings, etc. It was a lot of fun, actually. Made me feel like I was going to be taking a trip soon. They are staying at Pioneer Pier. () I've never been there, but it seems like I've read about a short-cut to get to the parks. Is it something you can tell me about, and I can pass it along, or am I thinking of a different hotel?

That is so weird about the ice cream melting so fast. It wouldn't seem like such a mystery to me if it was a hot day. Crazy.

Goofy is such a fun character. I don't know what was up with people not giving him the time of day!

Yes, the sky was blue! No editing there. We had the perfect weather. I'm a low to mid 70s kind of girl. I like to be comfortable in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt.

Just checked the shipping status on my calendar. I should have it by the end of the day on Monday.

 

[Sherry E]

First, thanks for the link to the blog post about the flowers. I think I like the tulips the best. Those ones around the Partners Statue are so beautiful! My sister-in-law and her family will be in Disneyland for the very first time next week. I may just have to request that she take a picture of those tulips for me. It's the least she could do after I spent a lot of time last week schooling her in the ways of FastPass, Jedi Training Academy, Magic Mornings, etc. It was a lot of fun, actually. Made me feel like I was going to be taking a trip soon. They are staying at Pioneer Pier. () I've never been there, but it seems like I've read about a short-cut to get to the parks. Is it something you can tell me about, and I can pass it along, or am I thinking of a different hotel?

That is so weird about the ice cream melting so fast. It wouldn't seem like such a mystery to me if it was a hot day. Crazy.

Goofy is such a fun character. I don't know what was up with people not giving him the time of day!

Yes, the sky was blue! No editing there. We had the perfect weather. I'm a low to mid 70s kind of girl. I like to be comfortable in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt.

Just checked the shipping status on my calendar. I should have it by the end of the day on Monday.

Yay for the calendar arriving! Remember, it will be in a flat sort of box. The UPS guy will leave it without a signature. I don't know if you have the sort of UPS guy who will knock and give you your package or if he will just leave it for you to find, but just in case they don't knock, keep checking outside your door.

Yes, it's Pioneer Pier that has the famous "short cut" we all speak of! Well, actually, it's called the short cut because it's seemingly a bit shorter of a walk and less circuitous than following the signs on the actual hotel property that direct you to the parks. I've followed the signs on the property before, and it does, for some reason, feel like you are walking to New York rather than walking to the gates of the parks. It just seems too long. Taking the "short cut" not only guides you along a more interesting path (which is directly through the Grand Californian, which is something most people enjoy seeing), but it seems like it is a more purposeful, less meandering walk than the path the hotel grounds people would like you to take!

PPH and GCH are right across the street from each other, and down a few feet. When they've used the short cut the first time, they will have no trouble doing it again and again!

I'll try to explain the short cut in the simplest way:

Go out the front entrance of the PPH (near the Surfer Goofy statue), which is where the valet parking is. Veer to the left and head down the sidewalk (along Disneyland Drive) to the crosswalk (it's just a short jaunt from the PPH entrance). Cross over to the opposite side of the street where the Grand Californian is. Follow the footpath through the fir trees to the front entrance of the GCH. Enter through gorgeous sliding doors. Cut straight through the huge GCH lobby and follow the GCH signs to Downtown Disney (or to California Adventure, if that's where they want to go).

If you choose the DTD path from the GCH, you will exit into DTD by Studio 365. Then veer to the right and onward to the Disneyland gates.

To get back to the PPH, follow DTD to Studio 365, turn left into the GCH property, veer right and follow the signs to the huge lobby. Cut through GCH lobby and out gorgeous sliding doors into valet parking area. Veer left, head down footpath and to crosswalk. Cross the street to PPH!

Hopefully that all made sense. It's really easy - and much more interesting and pleasant than the long walk they'd be taking if they followed the signs on the property.


After my call to Special Activities at DLR today and discovering that I won't have to put any deposit money down up front for a PPH room, I think I might just pick some dates for a holiday trip and book right away. I can always alter the dates later IF I need to for some reason. Why wait, if I don't need to put down a deposit? Might as well snap up the room at the great rate and then pay for it all when I check in. So, I, too, will be back at the Pioneer Pier (I have to throw in the obligatory lest anyone think that there really is a hotel called Pioneer Pier at DLR!!) and taking the short cut again by the end of the year. I may be in horrible pain again, but the extra walking is always good for burning off those Peppermint Cones of Death!!

I like low 70's too. It was in the low to mid-70's today, in fact. It's been in the 50's for a while, which I like as well. But the neighborhood flowers (which I like to snap photos of when I am out walking around) seem to bloom faster and are much prettier and more colorful when the weather warms up just a tad. I don't like it once it gets to the 80's and above, but the 70's are okay!

I really liked the blog that Nancy did about the DLR flora. There were some things in there that I hadn't seen before. The tulips are quite lovely. I was also wondering where the radicchio was that I apparently overlooked!

 

[deejdigsdis]

Yay for the calendar arriving! Remember, it will be an a flat sort of box. The UPS guy will leave it without a signature. I don't know if you have the sort of UPS guy who will knock and give you your package or if he will just leave it for you to find, but just in case they don't knock, keep checking outside your door.

Yes, it's Pioneer Pier that has the famous "short cut" we all speak of! Well, actually, it's called the short cut because it's seemingly a bit shorter of a walk and less circuitous than following the signs on the actual hotel property that direct you to the parks. I've followed the signs on the property before, and it does, for some reason, feel like you are walking to New York rather than walking to the gates of the parks. It just seems too long. Taking the "short cut" not only guides you along a more interesting path (which is directly through the Grand Californian, which is something most people enjoy seeing), but it seems like it is a more purposeful, less meandering walk than the path the hotel grounds people would like you to take!

PPH and GCH are right across the street from each other, and down a few feet. When they've used the short cut the first time, they will have no trouble doing it again and again!

I'll try to explain the short cut in the simplest way:

Go out the front entrance of the PPH (near the Surfer Goofy statue), which is where the valet parking is. Veer to the left and head down the sidewalk (along Disneyland Drive) to the crosswalk (it's just a short jaunt from the PPH entrance). Cross over to the opposite side of the street where the Grand Californian is. Follow the footpath through the fir trees to the front entrance of the GCH. Enter through gorgeous sliding doors. Cut straight through the huge GCH lobby and follow the GCH signs to Downtown Disney (or to California Adventure, if that's where they want to go).

If you choose the DTD path from the GCH, you will exit into DTD by Studio 365. Then veer to the right and onward to the Disneyland gates.

To get back to the PPH, follow DTD to Studio 365, turn left into the GCH property, veer right and follow the signs to the huge lobby. Cut through GCH lobby and out gorgeous sliding doors into valet parking area. Veer left, head down footpath and to crosswalk. Cross the street to PPH!

Hopefully that all made sense. It's really easy - and much more interesting and pleasant than the long walk they'd be taking if they followed the signs on the property.


After my call to Special Activities at DLR today and discovering that I won't have to put any deposit money down up front for a PPH room, I think I might just pick some dates for a holiday trip and book right away. I can always alter the dates later IF I need to for some reason. Why wait, if I don't need to put down a deposit? Might as well snap up the room at the great rate and then pay for it all when I check in. So, I, too, will be back at the Pioneer Pier (I have to throw in the obligatory lest anyone think that there really is a hotel called Pioneer Pier at DLR!!) and taking the short cut again by the end of the year. I may be in horrible pain again, but the extra walking is always good for burning off those Peppermint Cones of Death!!

I like low 70's too. It was in the low to mid-70's today, in fact. It's been in the 50's for a while, which I like as well. But the neighborhood flowers (which I like to snap photos of when I am out walking around) seem to bloom faster and are much prettier and more colorful when the weather warms up just a tad. I don't like it once it gets to the 80's and above, but the 70's are okay!

I really liked the blog that Nancy did about the DLR flora. There were some things in there that I hadn't seen before. The tulips are quite lovely. I was also wondering where the radicchio was that I apparently overlooked!

Thanks so much for describing the "short cut" to me. I knew you would be very specific and very clear in your explanation. I felt like I could see it all very clearly in my mind and I've never even been there! I copied and pasted your response and emailed it to them. They thought it was an awesome tip.

Wow, that's great that you don't need to put down a deposit! I think time is flying by this year. Trip time will be here before you know it! Keep us posted.

Another (short) TR segment coming right up...

 

[deejdigsdis]

This episode of the ol' TR is really winding down...

We had just boarded the Mark Twain. I love riding it at dusk. I love seeing the park all lit up for the night. I took a couple of pics, but then Chief wanted to be in charge of the camera. I asked him to be sure and take some pics of the Splash Mountain area.

Pictures from our journey:

Tarps around the Hungry Bear restaurant:

Time to upload more pics to Photobucket.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Soooo close to wrapping this thing up...

OK, so we got off the Mark Twain and headed over to Indy to use our FPs. 10 minute wait. Chief wanted a picture of this:

I still have my decoding card that I was given the very first time I stood in line for Indy back in 1996. (An ever-so-long-line, that's for sure.) The decoding card was a nice way to occupy our time during the hours-long wait. Anyway, I had mentioned to Chief that I still have my old card, so he wanted a picture of the wall so he could decode it later at home.

Up next...Matterhorn. You might recall that we had stood in line for this ride earlier in the day. And it broke down. And we had to get out of line. We were really hoping things would pan out this time, as it was our last chance to ride this trip. So we were in line...all was well...we were directed to the Fantasyland side (we were excited about that as we had already ridden the Tomorrowland side on Day 1)...we were assigned to Rows 1 and 2...WHEW! We made it. Or so we thought. Something went awry with the Fantasyland side of the track. The good news is that we didn't have to get out of line. I have to say that the CMs did an excellent job of shuffling the people waiting in line on the Fantasyland side back over to the Tomorrowland side in a very fair, smooth, and non-chaotic way. Plus, it was a bonus that we still ended up with Rows 1 and 2!

Just had to get pictures of the bobsleds in case I never see them again:

Oh, and a light picture.

My sister wanted to do Small World one last time, so that was next. 2 minute wait.

Next up was dinner at Rancho del Zocalo. I liked the food better when it was La Casa Mexicana, but I still love the nighttime atmosphere. We always like to sit right by BTMRR and watch the trains come in. Love hearing that whistle blow as it rounds the tracks, too.

My food. That white cheese doesn't even look like something edible.

Time for one of my must-dos this trip. Remember...Dreams Come True Fireworks. I had never seen this show, and I had heard it was the best. I usually try to lower my expectations when I hear something is "the best" so I am not disappointed. Somehow, I knew this was going to be good, though, so I let my expectations fall where they may. They were pretty high. We walked over toward The Hub. Of course those crazy walls take out some of the space that would normally be occupied by people. But it was OK. I think we waited about 10 or 15 minutes 'til showtime. I didn't take any pictures. I filmed a bit here and there, but mostly I just wanted to enjoy. WOW. Did I ever enjoy. I absolutely loved it. It was such a blast from the past for me in so many ways. Music takes me back like nothing else, so it was ... I can't even think of the right words for it. Suffice it to say that my sister and I had tears STREAMING down our cheeks. We weren't sobbing-crying. There was just a constant stream of tears flowing down our cheeks. This was definitely not a reaction I was expecting, but wow...I didn't want it to end.

But it did end. I handed Chief the camera (whose favorite part was the Star Wars lasers, of course...very cool) and told him to take a picture of me and my sister with the Castle in the background. Tear-stained faces, puffy red eyes and all. Amazing.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Glad to hear Deej that you enjoyed RDCT. As you know the DLR needs to repair the cracks on the streets when the busy season comes by, but at least you had a decent spot to see RDCT that night.