One Happy Dog Family Lands it for Halloween -- 12/29 final post and MVMCP link!!!

[Charleston Princess]

Love those big baskets of mums at DL! Tom Sawyer Island and Frontierland look like a lot of fun!

I am ready for the Haunted Mansion!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I am ready for HM too!

 

[Native NYer]

The fall decor is so pretty!
I'm ready for your HM update

 

[Happydog]

At last! Finally, we have The Haunted Mansion post!!! Now I basically have taken the best of the photos I have from the four times we rode this attraction! and I stuck them together... I have to say, It is hard to take photos once inside, but I have some. WHAT fun this was. Even after four times, when we declared riding it more would make us freaks, we decided that there was still so much to take in, but it was totally worth it. What a special, fun, and totally neat twist to the Haunted Mansion. I loved it. We all did! Made watching Jack and his friends all the more fun!! I know there are probably way better photos around, but I sure had fun taking them! Because we had fast passes, we were constantly moving in the line, so taking pictures was also kind of tricky if I didn't want to get run over!! So... here we go...

Oh, Jen! I almost forgot! Are YOU ready??!! Let's go!

Now inside we go... after the stretching room, where there was a big surprise hello and face of Jack up in the rafters, we went down into this holding area, where they had these pictures that changed back and forth with the movie themes...

On one of the rides, I can't recall which trip through, the ride stopped. Of course this gave me a perfect view of some of the themeing.. and I took advantage of that! We actually stopped twice, but the second time was in the graveyard and it was too dark. Still, you get the idea...

More to come in the next post!!!

 

[Happydog]

Of course I am soooo excited to get this out there, I accidently double posted my first entry...

 

[Happydog]

SO we continue inside the Haunted Mansion Jack Skellington Holiday overlay!

These are some decorations from inside the graveyard...

So once back outside, on one of our returns we were luck enough to see these two visiting with guests, and strolling around the area outside the Haunted Mansion. Too cool!

Well, Jen, I hope you enjoyed your visit!!!!

Yoo Hoo.... Jen? Can you hear me??? I know you couldn't see everything inside my purse, but I hope you enjoyed the Haunted Mansion!!!

Okay, folks... MORE coming up! Just a few more hours, dinner at the Blue Bayou, Pirate's and Tarzan's treehouse!

I also want to share my Christmas trip BEFORE Christmas....

OH! And I also have to unveil my Disney Christmas tree! I can't wait to share it!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Too cool for school! I must confess that I have never seen the Nightmare b4 Christmas movie but those decorations look awesome! Why don't they do that in FL?? And how great that flat Jen could come along for the ride!

Looking forward to more and seeing your Disney tree. Merry Christmas to the Happy Dog family!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

How cool! I've never seen the movie either, but I love the overlay - I probably would have ridden over and over again too, just to make sure I didn't miss any details

 

[lovegrumpy]

I remember the first time we rode HM with the layer my younguest was only 6 at the time. We took him kicking and screaming. He did okey wants we were on the ride. Loved it so much he wanted to go again. He looked at r oldest and he was crying. So there wasn't a second time riding.

Hoping when we go again in 2013 during Christmas the boys well go on.

 

[jenjolt]

Oh I did enjoy my ride!!! I DID I DID I DID!!! What a great ride!!! Thank you so much for taking me with you!!! Oh I am so glad you enjoyed the theming!! It looks like such a fun ride!!!

 

[skiingfast]

Oh I did enjoy my ride!!! I DID I DID I DID!!! What a great ride!!! Thank you so much for taking me with you!!! Oh I am so glad you enjoyed the theming!! It looks like such a fun ride!!!

I got such a good laugh from those special photos. I'm glad you enjoyed HMH.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Hurray for a great Haunted Mansion post! So, so, so neat! I would love to see it in person one day! I adore the fact that Disneyland's HM looks like an old Southern mansion, and the Nightmare Before Christmas decorations just make it so much better!

 

[Happydog]

I know it! Christmas is coming much too quickly this year! I still haven't done my Christmas cards yet!

You are telling me! I was/am woefully behind. I will be "elfing" every night this week!!! -- that is what I call my "secret Christmas work"

I'm totally behind but just stopping by to say Hi!

Oh I hear ya! I have popped over to your TR and PTR and see that this is the case! We are all hit with it this fall it seems!!!

Hey there HD! I'm back from my DIS hiatus and all caught up on your report. You're really making me want to head back to DL, but I'm holding out until they get all of the referbishments at DCA done

What did you think of Space Mtn there? Much different from WDWs version isn't it? And, I absolutely adored DLs Toontown, you are so right - there is just so much to see and do, such a fun, cute area!

Oh I will totally want to go back when all the new work is done, of course! Boys and Carsland... you tell me ??!! There are really some neat differences, I actually like Space Mtn felt less "jerky" to me, but my DH said otherwise.. not sure. It was all so much to take in. But I loved every brief minute we had there!

 

[Happydog]

OOH OOOH Me ME ME ME! I'm ready I'm ready!!! I'm really ready!!! Let's see it!! Oh pretty pretty please

Love all the fall decorations at Disney!! It is such a fun time of year to go!!!!!!!!

Bring on the Haunted Mansion!!!

Love those big baskets of mums at DL! Tom Sawyer Island and Frontierland look like a lot of fun!

I am ready for the Haunted Mansion!

The fall decor is so pretty!
I'm ready for your HM update

Okay everyone! I hope I didn't disappoint! I know it has taken me a bit of time to get this all posted! I am closing in on the final hours of Halloween , and then we are off for a quick trip to Disneyworld and MVMCP!

 

[Happydog]

Too cool for school! I must confess that I have never seen the Nightmare b4 Christmas movie but those decorations look awesome! Why don't they do that in FL?? And how great that flat Jen could come along for the ride!

Looking forward to more and seeing your Disney tree. Merry Christmas to the Happy Dog family!!

Thanks Christine! I have had so much fun getting ready for Christmas, that it makes me laugh looking over these photos from Halloween! I have Christmas Disney pics to share!!! I want to get those up before Valentines day!!

You have to see Nightmare before Christmas! It is so much fun... Makes the HM come alive in a whole new way!!!

How cool! I've never seen the movie either, but I love the overlay - I probably would have ridden over and over again too, just to make sure I didn't miss any details

Okay people, rent that movie!!! It is kinda silly but so much fun. My boys can sing all the songs... is that a bad thing??

Four times was enough, but I wish we had more time overall in Disneyland!

I remember the first time we rode HM with the layer my younguest was only 6 at the time. We took him kicking and screaming. He did okey wants we were on the ride. Loved it so much he wanted to go again. He looked at r oldest and he was crying. So there wasn't a second time riding.

Hoping when we go again in 2013 during Christmas the boys well go on.

Hi there!!!
Mine were a little resistant at first, too, but I managed to keep them distracted a little enough to get excited by what they saw inside, because I think they were so familiar with the characters it made it more fun... but at the beginning that stretching room always makes them a little scared!

Oh I did enjoy my ride!!! I DID I DID I DID!!! What a great ride!!! Thank you so much for taking me with you!!! Oh I am so glad you enjoyed the theming!! It looks like such a fun ride!!!

I am so glad. I had so much fun "bringing" you!! It was really really neat!!

I got such a good laugh from those special photos. I'm glad you enjoyed HMH.

Hi! Welcome! I am glad you got a good laugh! That is what I aim for in these TRs! Just fun to share the fun!

Hurray for a great Haunted Mansion post! So, so, so neat! I would love to see it in person one day! I adore the fact that Disneyland's HM looks like an old Southern mansion, and the Nightmare Before Christmas decorations just make it so much better!

I agree, the decorations just make it more "Disney-ish" for us, anyhow. I love the classic, don't get me wrong, but the movie overlay is just another example of the amazing creativity of Disney. And that is what keeps me coming back for more.

Of course the Southern Mansion is right up your alley CP!

 

[MeMom]

Please forgive me for being a very unthoughtful DIS friend. Everything has been so busy for the last two months that if something is not slapping me right in the face, I pretty much forget it exists. I am so sorry that I was not following along faithfully, but honestly, if it is not on the TR board, I just don't see it. I forgot about Dawn moving over to the Community Board, too, for sooo long!

I am so thankful for your reminder that you were doing this, because I have spent the last little bit reading it and it was such a nice treat for my first Christmas break day. I love seeing those handsome boys of yours having fun, and it was so neat to see all of the cool things at Disneyland! Everything but that submarine ride, that is. That one gave me a small heart attack, but I recovered to finish up.

I am so glad I didn't miss out on this. It is doubtful that I will ever get to Disneyland, but after seeing your pictures, I know now more than ever that I am missing something wonderful.

 

[Happydog]

Please forgive me for being a very unthoughtful DIS friend. Everything has been so busy for the last two months that if something is not slapping me right in the face, I pretty much forget it exists. I am so sorry that I was not following along faithfully, but honestly, if it is not on the TR board, I just don't see it. I forgot about Dawn moving over to the Community Board, too, for sooo long!

Oh MeMom don't be silly! I understand COMPLETELY!! I didn't even think twice! I am glad you came back over! Nice to have a little time to DIS, isn't it??!!

I am so thankful for your reminder that you were doing this, because I have spent the last little bit reading it and it was such a nice treat for my first Christmas break day. I love seeing those handsome boys of yours having fun, and it was so neat to see all of the cool things at Disneyland! Everything but that submarine ride, that is. That one gave me a small heart attack, but I recovered to finish up.

I am so glad I didn't miss out on this. It is doubtful that I will ever get to Disneyland, but after seeing your pictures, I know now more than ever that I am missing something wonderful.

Oh I am glad you enjoyed the photos! I was thinking all about my DIS friends when I was over there, how it would be fun to share what was different! It was fun. Thanks for the compliments on my guys, I am lucky. Re the submarine, You made me laugh with that one! Don't like closed spaces? Or is it the underwater bit? B/C you are not underwater, really... it just looks like it! the boys thought we had gone down into the depth of the ocean... I didn't have the heart to tell them that this was not the case...

Glad you enjoyed the pics! I have a few more then off the WDW for MVMCP!!!

 

[Happydog]

During the afternoon we had a few other areas to explore and so we headed back over to Fantasyland. We didn’t time this well I am afraid! I am not sure how or why we ended up leaving Fantasy land earlier, I think we got disoriented because afterwards I realized that where we had been earlier, with Alice and her rides, one turn had us headed to Toontown the other had us going into the heart of Fantasyland. However we went the way towards Toontown, and so when we finally circle back into Fantasyland, the line for Peter Pan was outrageously long, gee, at least there is something familiar from Disneyland to the MK, -- what IS it about that ride??!!
The line was crazy. So we passed, but just walked around a little... Here is the carousel...

And the castle from the back side...

I think it was here that it dawned on me we just were not going to see everything, and without really having a plan we had just seen bits and pieces. In the end we were fine with that, it was fun to explore, though we knew we were missing a lot. In hindsight, I consider this a scouting mission! I should have studied the park itself more, but I didn't have enough time, or thought it would be easier to get through based on our experience at DCA. So in this case I say you definitely need two days for each park, or at least two for Disneyland, and one for DCA... That is my plan next time.

So among the crowds at Fantasy land we mostly walked around but had our eyes set on one ride they do not have at WDW. Can you guess it?

Well what is not to like about a Toad’s wild ride??!!

I didn't take many pics at this point b/c my battery light came on, and I wanted to preserve a little longer until I could buy some.... so here is the statue!

For those of you who follow my TRs, we, of course, HAD to try our hand at the sword again... New place and all, who knew? but at it turns out, looks like they use the same “magic” in California…. I unfortunately do NOT have my DS8’s attempt – his photo got eaten by my camera chip. But trust me the outcome was the same as this one! Next time, Boys!

As I said earlier, the order of events gets a little fuzzy at times, but at some point DH went to get FP’s for the Indiana Jones attraction, so I rode Splash Mountain with the boys… . I didn’t take too many photos because I wasn’t familiar enough with the ride to know if it was okay to keep my camera out and when!

Critter country was really cute with a Winnie the Pooh ride, etc. in this area.

DH and the boys rode Splash without me when he came back, You can catch a glimpse of them in this picture!

We ended up back in Frontierland... again, we know what brings boys to Frontierland... the BTMRR and of course the shooting gallery!!! here are a few randoms from that... we rode BTMRR two times -- no line?!

These guys were hanging around....

More coming up!!!!

 

[Happydog]

Another stop we made was Tarzan’s tree house. Well, DS5 and I went up the tree, and I took some pictures. We were waiting for DH and DS8 to get back from their Indiana Jones adventure, and the two boys went up the tree again on their own. DH and I sat below enjoying the sun and our floats!

I was really impressed with the views, and didn’t think to take the photos of the Tarzan scenes in the tree – which I am assuming used to be the Swiss Family Robinson tree as well, but then was turned into Tarzan? Not sure … It was amazing to see the park from that vantage!

Our stop at the Tree must have been earlier in the day, because I am pretty sure we went to ride the HM for the last time, and then we made our way to the Blue Bayou for dinner!

Here are a few shots of the area outside the restaurant and our meal… They give these cute paper hats (which also double as the menu...)

This one I took from the boat on our final ride of the evening, Pirates...

Tonight the park was closing early. They had their MNSSHP that evening, and so after dinner we had just a few minutes to get one more ride in. And that was Pirates…

I thought I took a few photos, but they must not have come out or I didn't upload them... I'll look later. For Pirates, we had a little wait, it wasn’t long, but it was funny because everyone was dressed up and we got a few "Fett" comments! When we came out, it was clear they were gearing up for the party, with the candy stations setting up… it was time for us to slowly make our way back to the resort to get our things and head down to San Diego.
Here are a few shots on our way out. It was a perfect night for trick or treating!

Take a look at the crowds coming out the gates now!!

FINAL Halloween POST next!!!!

 

[Happydog]

The resorts had set up their own trick or treating stations and fun, as well. We got back to the Grand Californian just as they gearing up for their fun… including games and a fashion show… so my boys walked the catwalk in half a costume (helmets in the room) but they still gave a great mug for the camera!

I did get a Photopass pic of each of them which I will share at the end! They are cute, and a nice souvenier!

So then they played some fun games, received candy in the candy bags we were given as resort guests, and then a map, because the three Disney resort hotels were doing the same thing, and so we walked the circuit through the hotels and DTD to get candy. It was fun! The CMs at the other hotels were waiting to give it out, and my kids filled their little bags twice. I was happy because they got their Trick or Treating in!

Sleepy but content, we all piled into the car, luggage was stowed, and we said goodbye to our whirlwind 48 hours at the Grand Californian!

I actually bought myself a tile of this tree image, I’ll post that at the end…

I will go back and make sure I didn't miss any fun photos in random order, an will post those and my souveniers last, so look for that post tonight or tomorrow!

Away we drove, ready for the next installment of our trip! This was just the beginning; we had a fabulous week in San Diego, including trips to the beach and Legoland, to look forward to! Never mind a heat wave which had us pool side the whole time at our resort.. YAY! It was great. I will, however, be adding that trip to my new PTR for our summer fun, which I will probably start after Christmas.

However, I will post my short three day Christmas trip to Disneyworld in the next couple days, so be on the look out!!!!

Thanks for spending Halloween with the Happydog family!