Mexican Riviera Cruise with WONDERful Souvenir in the Works! 6/7 PTR Link!

[Pinkocto]

Don't feel bad for DH! After all, this is MY TR, you're supposed to be on my side Pam! We'll be going to ESPN Zone for a few hours on Sunday, which is really his own request, and I don't mind doing that since I really enjoy ESPN Zone.

Okay, so I haven't been on the WDW boards in quite a while, since I haven't been planning a trip there, but all I know as of now, is that they're remodeling Fantasyland and it should be done by next Summer right? Someone had posted a link about it on one of the threads i'm subscribed to, now I can't seem to find it. Are they adding the Little Mermaid ride to the MK like the one we have at Disney's California Adventure?

My humblest apologies! You are so right!

Yep, they're adding the new Little Mermaid ride you guys just got, and a second castle, Beast's, which includes a new restaurant inside, and storytime with Belle, The 7 Dwarfs Mine Train (a new roller coaster) a new Princess meet and greet which will unfortunately replace Snow White's ride, and a new Barnstormer which was Goofy's coaster. Allears.net has a whole page on it. It's supposed to double to size of Fantasyland. Scheduled to open in phases late 2012, so we might be able to see part of it next September, my finger are crossed.

 

[franandaj]

We have to fix the tv and the knobs every night in order to see the screen and hear anything.

Just the fact that it still has knobs!

Okay, so I haven't been on the WDW boards in quite a while, since I haven't been planning a trip there, but all I know as of now, is that they're remodeling Fantasyland and it should be done by next Summer right? Someone had posted a link about it on one of the threads i'm subscribed to, now I can't seem to find it. Are they adding the Little Mermaid ride to the MK like the one we have at Disney's California Adventure?

Weren't you following along on my Destination-D TR when I covered all the updates on Fantasyland?

What Pam said, plus they are adding a Full service restaurant inside the Beast's Castle, and then they are also adding Gaston's Tavern around the corner. The way you will enter Beast's Castle is through Maurice's Workshop, you'll go through a wardrobe and meet some of the characters along the way. Not sure if this is how you get to the restaurant too, or just the Castle Meet & Greet. The Little Mermaid ride will be the same ride once you step into your clamshell, but the entrance queue theming will be totally different. Because DCA is a seaside theme park, the ride was themed that way. In MK it's going to be Ariel's world, sort of her Palace.

There's more, but without all my notes I don't remember!

I hope you're having a fabulous time at Disneyland!

 

[Pinkocto]

I just realized you didn't tell us about the new puppy! I know you're in DL, and hope you're having a fabulous time, but when you get back I don't want to forget to ask.

Alison I must now read your Destination-D TR, did they also say anything about Carsland? All these new things are so exciting!

 

[franandaj]

I just realized you didn't tell us about the new puppy! I know you're in DL, and hope you're having a fabulous time, but when you get back I don't want to forget to ask.

Alison I must now read your Destination-D TR, did they also say anything about Carsland? All these new things are so exciting!

The Destination-D TR is all about WDW, but if you're interested in Carsland, check out my D23 Expo TR, I went to the Radiator Springs Reality presentation where John Lasseter and his team went in depth about Carsland, the rides, the restaurants, even the landscaping! It was an awesome seminar.

 

[Pinkocto]

I will most definitely read them both, sounds like great fun!

 

[franandaj]

I will most definitely read them both, sounds like great fun!

Well, I'm not sure they were "fun", but they sure were educational, tiring and lacking in a lot of sleep, but would we do them again? Absolutely! So I guess it was "fun", just a different kind than running around the parks. We're total Disney knowledge geeks and they had Richard Sherman and Dick VanDyke as the evening entertainment, it was just fabulous on either coast!

 

[bangzoom6877]

This is going to be my last post, I believe until Monday I need to pack, get my DH packed, clean the house (can NOT leave a house dirty when I go on vacation, don't know why), pack my Percy up (he'll be staying over at my mom's house since she has a covered patio and he's friends with her dogs), and do some laundry. Oh and take a shower!

I hope you all have a great weekend and wish us luck! We can't have what happened on our last trip, that's for sure. I think a few of you know what i'm talking about

See you all soon!

I'm the same way with the house...has to be spotless before we go away. I drive everyone crazy, but we return to a beautiful house!

I hope you guys are having a blast...I'm sure you are! Can't wait to hear all about it after you return. And your cruise is only 20 days away!!!!! Tomorrow you hit the teens!

 

[Leshaface]

and i'm sick!

We had a great time AND we didn't get food poisoning!

I'll post a mini-TR about our trip and of course i'll post some pictures. I would have posted sooner, but we didn't get back until around 8:30 Monday night and I was sick all day yesterday, trying to catch up on our laundry from the trip and getting some things done for our Thanksgiving on Friday.

I'm heading off for lunch right now, but will post an update this afternoon.

 

[Dream426]

Oh no I hope you feel better. Cant wait to see your mini TR of Disneyland.

 

[disneybarbie]

Get Well Soon! Looking forward to hearing about Disneyland.. I dream of going there one day


Emma x

 

[franandaj]

Sorry you came down with a cold, must have been running around in all that rain Sunday. I didn't even leave the house that day!

 

[Pinkocto]

I'm sorry you're sick I am also. Not cool for Thanksgiving. Hope you are still able to have fun and eat lots of goodies!

 

[Leshaface]

Oh no I hope you feel better. Cant wait to see your mini TR of Disneyland.

Get Well Soon! Looking forward to hearing about Disneyland.. I dream of going there one day


Emma x

Sorry you came down with a cold, must have been running around in all that rain Sunday. I didn't even leave the house that day!

I'm sorry you're sick I am also. Not cool for Thanksgiving. Hope you are still able to have fun and eat lots of goodies!

Thanks everyone!

I'm feeling a little better right now. Been drinking lots of green tea and taking medicine so i'm doing okay.

Alison - Oh my gosh, it was ridiculous on Sunday! Dan's sweater was SOAKED by the time we walked from Muppet 3D Vision to the Cove Bar. I mean, he wrung it out, soaked!

Pam - I hope you get better soon! It's no fun being sick during a holiday. Especially when you're eating food and can't really taste it. What a waste! Hopefully i'll be almost 100% by tomorrow!



Update coming up!

 

[Leshaface]

We left Tulare about 3:45 (we wanted to leave by 3:30 but no worries, we weren't in any hurry since we wouldn't be heading into the parks today)

The trip there was pretty quick, considering we had seen 3 accidents all along the 99 and the 5 (none in LA which is surprising!) and made it to the Grand Californian around 7:15.

I just love pulling up to the hotel! It's so gorgeous and elegant. I especially love the automatic doors!

We unloaded the luggage from the truck while my brother and DH went to put the truck in self-parking and DM went to check us in, so I took pictures while we waited.

The boys FINALLY made it back!

Mom told us our room number, and up we went to the 3rd floor, room 3101.

I have to say. When I saw the outside of the room, I got VERY nervous. On our last trip, our room was in the exact same location. Needless to say, I was so scared about having our last trip happening all over again. Until someone pointed out that we were actually on the 5th floor (5101) on our last trip. PHEW!

So depending on rates, we sometimes get 2 rooms to split between the 5 of us, sometimes we'll share a room. This time we shared a room. And honestly, it always works out for us. Plus it does save tons of money, but I have a feeling that next year, this will probably not happen.

After I took this pic, I looked up and saw this:

They must have been super excited to be here!

Our spread:

I love having breakfast in the room instead of me having to get presentable, go downstairs and grab some coffee and fruit. So I packed breakfast! And yes, that is a full size coffee maker! What can I say, I need my coffee, and not that nasty Nescrap. We had asiago and everything bagels with cream cheese, bananas, cheese danish, jam filled pastries, orange juice, and different individual creamers for the coffee.

We all freshened up a bit to get ready to go do something I have never done before, and thanks to Alison, I probably would have never found out about it! And that's going to the Disneyland Hotel to have drinks at Trader Sam's Bar! But first some more pictures are in order...

Something was funny...

Our view from the balcony:

Then we were on our way to the Disneyland Hotel!

 

[Leshaface]

I forgot to mention that Dsil's parents came on this trip. Usually it's just the 5 of us that go, but she ended up inviting her parents along, without informing her hubby first. He was a little upset at first but we ended up having a good time. I really like her parents. But one of the reasons my brother was upset, is because he knew that she would want to go off, just the four of them, and do stuff on their own, without me, DH, and my mom.....which did end up happening twice and she got mad twice. But that's later..

So DM, DB, DH, and I walked through Downtown Disney to get to the Disneyland Hotel and saw this:

I'm not 100%, but the sign looks like a replica of the old sign that used to be out on Harbor Blvd? It was neat to see!

We arrived at Trader Sam's Bar and snagged a table for four (we were waiting on Dsil and her parents who were doing something else).

And the menu, sorry it's so blurry!

I already knew I wanted to try the Uh Oa, since it contained a lot of alcohol and I knew that me and DH could share it. We asked our waitress about the drink and said that easily, a party of 4 could share it. So we ordered it! DM ordered a margarita, and DB ordered a Long Beach. Right after we ordered, a table with a couch and some chairs opened up, so we took that for when the rest of our party showed up.

Since our drinks were taking a while, I wanted to go and see the sign and pool close up.

Right as I was walking back, our waitress came back with our drinks. With our drink, comes a little ritual, where she lights the 151 on fire while you sprinkle cinnamon on it, so I took some pictures.

We were expecting a big fire, but it was so little and we all laughed about it. My madres drink

And our drink

Boy was it yummy

Of course, as your drinking you become hungry, so we ordered some flatbreads and they were marvelous!

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/aliciacrow1/IMG_3423.jpg[/IMG

The drinks were very good, but I must say, that our drink would not be enough for 4 people. We felt that we each could have had our own and been fine. Especially for the price, which was $21.

As we were walking back to the hotel, we saw the humongous tree outside the hotel, where we stopped to take pics!

[IMG]http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/aliciacrow1/IMG_3424.jpg

We headed back to our hotels (Dsil's parents stayed at the Castle Inn on Harbor Blvd) and went straight to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day!

 

[Laundress]

Thanks for the great photos. We were at the DLH for sprikng break and they were still building the pool and bar. Looking forward to your next post.

 

[Pinkocto]

Happy Thanksgiving! So glad you're feeling better! Love the pics, that makes me want to see that resort even more, it's so gorgeous! That SIL

 

[franandaj]

Great trip so far! And I didn't think the Uh Oa would be for four, we got another drink each after ordering that one. Next time, sit inside, it's pretty fun and the whacky things that happen when the order the special drinks.

 

[disneybarbie]

Lovely photos & update Lesha!
The hotel looks wonderful - like a mix between Wilderness Lodge & Grand Floridian at WDW?!

Btw - is that the same brother that went on the cruise with you?! (The one who is in the background of one of my Serenity Bay photos and that I spoke to about summers in England! )



Hope you're feeling better & having a great thanksgiving ... we don't have that holiday here, but currently have the NFL games on tv as DH is a big fan!



Emma x

 

[Leshaface]

Thanks for the great photos. We were at the DLH for sprikng break and they were still building the pool and bar. Looking forward to your next post.

Thank you! The bar and pools look AMAZING!

Happy Thanksgiving! So glad you're feeling better! Love the pics, that makes me want to see that resort even more, it's so gorgeous! That SIL

Ugh, apparently, I thought I was getting better, but i'm STILL stinkin' sick! I haven't been able to talk the past two days and have been running a fever. I'm able to talk a little bit, but i'm so hoarse, no one's really able to understand me. And the worst part is, I just know Dan is going to get sick soon. The only good thing, is that we won't be sick on our cruise....hopefully!

Great trip so far! And I didn't think the Uh Oa would be for four, we got another drink each after ordering that one. Next time, sit inside, it's pretty fun and the whacky things that happen when the order the special drinks.

Yeah I didn't think it was for four either! I think it can easily be for one. We tried sitting inside first, because I liked the pictures you took, but it was really busy. I loved the way it looked inside, and Dan really liked it there, so I know where we'll be next time!

Lovely photos & update Lesha!
The hotel looks wonderful - like a mix between Wilderness Lodge & Grand Floridian at WDW?!

Btw - is that the same brother that went on the cruise with you?! (The one who is in the background of one of my Serenity Bay photos and that I spoke to about summers in England! )



Hope you're feeling better & having a great thanksgiving ... we don't have that holiday here, but currently have the NFL games on tv as DH is a big fan!



Emma x

Thanks Emma!

The Grand Californian is just like the Wilderness Lodge! It's so homey and warm.

Lol, Yep! That is the same brother! I only have one. He still asks if I talk to you on the boards and I say I do!

Oh yes! Your DH is a Saints fan right? We're Packers fans and are loving football right now. We're undefeated!

I took a picture while at Disneyland that reminded me of you, but it's on the last day, so you'll have to stick around!