My Dapper Day Trip Report as it happens Feb, 2014

[Gisele]

And here I thought she was in the barn visiting the dog that hangs with the donkey!

That is her sister. Twin matter of fact. Their names are Daisy and Minnie.

 

[Gisele]

Almost over. We'd like to be on the toad by 16:30 so enough time for teacups and a cruise through world of disney on the way back to the grand, get loaded up and back to az. Should have today's trip report and the pics from day 1 up tomorrow.

That's comical sounding, to be on the toad. That is a fun ride.

 

[DizMe]

That's comical sounding, to be on the toad. That is a fun ride.

That's what I was thinking!

 

[Gisele]

lol

 

[whoever]

That's comical sounding, to be on the toad. That is a fun ride.

Hah.. I should pitch it to Disney. I meant road, but was typing on the phone. We did make it on the road, pulled out of the Grand at 4:27 pacific. Hit my driveway in Phoenix at 10:29 mountain. Everything went according to plan in that regard atleast.

 

[Here4mydisneyfix]

HAAA!!! I can see it now! "Have you done the toad?!" "Keep calm and toad on!" "It's TOADally awesome!" "second toad to the right...." wait...too much?!

 

[whoever]

By then it was 07:25, and we got in line for Peter Pan. After Peter Pan, we did Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and a mere few minutes afterwards, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, again a mere few minutes later, we were on the Teacups spinning away. By now, it was 08:10, and as Alice will be going down for a long refurb, we hit it once again. Matterhorn had a stated 25 min wait by this time, but the oldest and I went for it anyway while the wife took the two youngest on Canal boats. It turned out to be a 7 minute wait. We did the right side tunnel…. After getting off, we decided to do it again, and this time, under 5 minute wait. We took the left tunnel this time… much preferred that side.

 

[pepe3penelope]

Loved reading! Thanks again!

 

[cinder-ellah]

Loved reading about your Families Dapper Days !
Looking forward to pictures !

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

This has been fun to read.

We were at the Riverbelle Terrace for awhile. Sorry we missed you. I think we were kind of hard to find, though.

 

[dlander]

Super fun trip report! Can't wait for the pictures

 

[Girimama33]

Great report!

 

[whoever]

I've been slamming out 13 hour work days since I've been back, but I've got the pictures nearly done. Should be appending the report with them tonight if everything goes according to plan.

 

[lucysmom]

Looking forward to the photos. Your outfits must have been great!

 

[whoever]

We collected the rest of the family at canal boats, and headed over to NOS via Big Thunder Trail. Park was deserted over there. Pirates, complete walk-on. Youngest awoke from her nap for it, and was absolutely overjoyed. She LOVES pirates (all effects were working perfectly I might add).

Afterwards, tried for reservations at Blue Bayou to no avail. Hit up the Mint Julep Bar for some Louisiana Lemonade and a six-pack of beignets. After having a delicious breakfast, it was 09:55, and we hit up Haunted Mansion. It was maybe a 10-min-ish queue by now.

 

[whoever]

Afterwards, swung up to Critter Country and did Winnie The Pooh (Saw the characters on the wall from the old Country Bear Jamboree, but didn’t get a pic because I didn’t want to flash the ride vehicle behind us). By now, it was starting to get crowded down in NOS and Adventureland. We decided to grab four fastpasses for Indy, and then some Dole whips and hit up The Enchanted Tiki room. Ended up grabbing two whips, one float, and one juice in the collectable tiki cup. Youngest LOVED the Tiki Room. It helps that she hears the song every day in the car, and it is practically her theme song.

Afterwards, due to crowds, we decided to head up to Toontown hoping it was less packed… NOPE. The two oldest and I got in line for a 20 minute wait for Gadget’s Go Coaster, and the wife took the youngest through Mickey’s house, which she hated apparently. We had a great time on the coaster and wish it was longer. Grabbed some popcorn afterwards, and then planned the next steps….Toontown DESPERATELY needs some SHADE.

 

On the way to get some lunch, stopped at Buzz light year. Line didn’t look bad, which should be a sign that it really is. Boy can Disney wrap a line around every corner and back on itself sixteen times. At any rate, the ride was great when we finally got on, and I had the high score of the family around 200k points or so. Afterward, we were pretty hungry. 12:25.. Waited in line, and grabbed some chicken dinners and some drinks at Plaza Inn. Great deal and good meals.. Afterwards, the oldest and I went to use our Indy Passes while the rest of the family attempted to get fast passes for Space Mountain (FP machines were down or something we came to find out.)

It was a bear to just get into the FP line on Indy, and the queue was pretty backed up. Took so much time just getting through the queue that a pair of our FP expired. I will say, every effect on the ride was working and working great! The moving doors, Mara, the Snake, the Boulder, and even in the queue, all the gags worked, like the bamboo pole, the rope, etc. Great to see they got everything going again.

 

 

[whoever]

After Indy, met the rest of the family, and jumped on Jungle Cruise… or should I say… got to see every nook and cranny of both upper and lower queues. I think that queue is actually a quarter mile long. Skipper was great! Forgot his name though, and I didn’t like his hippo pool lack of use of gun. He had some original material (or at least I’ve never heard it), and was a great skipper to have. On return to the dock, the kids tried to get some jungle maps, but they were out

It was nearly 14:00, so we headed back to the room, making our way through the stores on main street, visiting the fire house/fire wagon, and browsing the hotel gift shop on our way. Made it back around 14:50. The kids were supposed to nap, which they didn’t. I got some time off of my feet and had an adult beverage pain killer. We killed some time, got cleaned up, restocked the cooler bag, got changed, and left back for DCA around 16:15.

We hit Jumping Jellyfish, and the middle girl was really excited because she was finally tall enough to ride. While we were doing this, wife took the youngest and got us FP for Screamin’ and Goofy’s Sky School. After JJ, we hit Silly Symphony… TWICE. Again, the middle girl was so happy to be able to ride big kid rides. By the time we were done there, it was 17:00. And time to head back to the Grand for the DisBoards Meet and Greet. I LOVE the convenience of the Grand with its private entrance to DCA. So easy to get back. We cruised over, and chatted for a few, got some buttons, and mingled. Great to finally meet some people I’ve chatted with for years now, and some I swear I’ve met even though it must have been through their trip reports. Had a kid potty emergency, so had to dash.

Next, it was back to DCA to use those fast passes. Oldest and I high-tailed it to Screamin’ while wife took the rest to Car’s land to wait for the nightly lighting ceremony. Screamin’ was great! We’ll do our usual on it tomorrow I’m sure (a LOT of back to back looping). Oldest was getting blisters so I hit the bathrooms after Screamin’ and cleaned up her feet really well, then hoisted her on my shoulders, and did a light jog all the way to Car’s land, and got there mid-lighting-song. I had missed the actual lighting by probably 45 seconds… . We also didn’t go back to use the Goofy Fast Passes because we needed Dinner, and everybody wanted to ride Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.

Yes, finally a somewhat thrilling ride (They had the whipping of the trailers in full force tonight) that the ENTIRE family can ride. The 16 month old was above the height limit by probably half-3/4 of an inch. Kids’ going to be able to ride Screamin’ before the middle girl at this rate. It was a fun ride. Afterwards we went over to Flo’s. Kids got the Mac n’ Cheese (they did NOT like it). I got the roast beef, and mashed potatoes and the pasta salad for my sides. Probably the best choice on the menu IMHO, and I thought it worth every penny paid. Wife got the Pork… I didn’t think it was anything special. Also a Racer 5 IPA to replenish my reserves after hoofing it with a 55# kid on my shoulders.

After Dinner we headed back to the room. Everybody was cranky and tired. Rolled in around 19:00. I got changed, grabbed some ponchos, and the oldest and I left to do a tradition… Riding Grizzly at night back to back. Our old record was 6 in a row… we smashed it. The wife stayed and got the younger kids bathed and put to some much needed bed.


After my first trip on GRR, the emergency poncho I had tore… had to buy an official Disney one made from heavier material to keep going, which we did… to the tune of EIGHT in a row. We didn’t even get out of the tube between #7 and #8. Had some good conversations with a bunch of different people over those eight runs. I did even get to experience a ride shut down because one of the occupants in my raft was more concerned with finding papers to sit on out of her back pack and putting away electronics AT the dock than buckling her seatbelt, so it caused a chain reaction through the ride, and we experienced probably 5 minutes of down time sitting at the lift waiting for it to restart. My first time watching the fireworks from GRR too. Not quite as good as watching them from Big Thunder Mtn, but cool nonetheless. At any rate, thoroughly soaked, we got back around 22:00, and are getting ready for tomorrow. Soo tired.

 

[whoever]

Sunday, Dapper Day will be up TONIGHT!

 

[Tasscrapper]

You have some incredible pictures. How fun to capture memories that way.

 

[cinder-ellah]

Wonderful pictures ! ! !
Looking forward to more........