Only The Cool Kids Start Their Pre-Trip Reports This Early! - September Trip 2012

[BeckWhy]

I also want to add, that I'm not totally sure the restaurants in the area around Disneyland. I plan on doing all my eating in Disneyland. The only reason I checked on Fire & Ice and Bubba Gumps was because I thought Bubba Gumps looked cute, and then saw Fire & Ice was nearby and a friend loved the experience.

 

[kaoden39]

Have you looked at Anaheim Garden Walk? Here is the link to it for you in case you hadn't.

 

[BeckWhy]

Have you looked at Anaheim Garden Walk? Here is the link to it for you in case you hadn't.

Thanks! I've actually checked it out. That's where both Bubba Gump and Fire & Ice are.

I'm currently in Atlantic City for a long weekend. I know this is a Disneyland board, but I think I'm going to do a trip report on here for it ... I've realized a few things while being here, plus I don't know how many of you guys have been here so maybe y'all would like o hear it.

 

[BeckWhy]

I know I said I'll get up a trip report for my AC trip, but I've been a little busy since I got home, so it will have to wait a bit.

This is what's going on:

About four weeks ago, I noticed my car making really bad clunking noises from the rear. Now my car always had made bad noises, but this was really bad. So for some reason I decided to grab a hold of the wheel and pull on it. It was loose. From my experience, I assumed it was the wheel bearing. The only problem is that usually when it's the wheel bearing it growls instead of clunks.

Well I took it to my mechanic friend (who happens to be the best in town... or at least that's his reputation). He said everything was nice and tight, and no bad wheel bearing. He didn't even feel the wheel move. But I had a bent trailing arm which I would have to replace and bad rear brakes.

So I decided I would have the car worked on when I went to Atlantic City. In the mean time, my dad had his mechanic look at my car and he said the same thing, no bad bearing and I had a bent trailing arm.

Well about 3 weeks ago my mom and I were heading to Ruby Tuesday and my car was making this HORRIBLE noise. I thought for sure the brake broke apart and the shoe was dragging in the drum. So I called my roadside assistance to have my car towed to the garage. The tow truck guy looked at my car and goes "looks like the trailing arm broke." And after that my wheel really moved!

So I assumed that the trailing arm was what had made my wheel loose.

So I got my car back Tuesday night. It still was clunking. But I just figured it was the noise it always made and I just heard it because I didn't have my radio on. Drove to work yesterday... did some errands for the boss, used my front passenger door, and it was stuck. Someone hit my car! Actually, I'm being a bit of a drama queen right now. I knew someone hit it before I left. I noticed it when I was inspecting my car after the wheel broke. But I assumed it happened a while ago and I just never noticed. And I didn't try to use my passenger door up until now.

So at that point I decided maybe I should check my rear wheel again. Yep still loose! So I'm at a loss about what it could be. I just don't get it. It wiggles when it's on the ground, but once on the lift it's nice and tight. I just hope my wheel isn't going to break...

 

[kaoden39]

Thanks! I've actually checked it out. That's where both Bubba Gump and Fire & Ice are.

I'm currently in Atlantic City for a long weekend. I know this is a Disneyland board, but I think I'm going to do a trip report on here for it ... I've realized a few things while being here, plus I don't know how many of you guys have been here so maybe y'all would like o hear it.

Oh that sounds fun!

I know I said I'll get up a trip report for my AC trip, but I've been a little busy since I got home, so it will have to wait a bit.

This is what's going on:

About four weeks ago, I noticed my car making really bad clunking noises from the rear. Now my car always had made bad noises, but this was really bad. So for some reason I decided to grab a hold of the wheel and pull on it. It was loose. From my experience, I assumed it was the wheel bearing. The only problem is that usually when it's the wheel bearing it growls instead of clunks.

Well I took it to my mechanic friend (who happens to be the best in town... or at least that's his reputation). He said everything was nice and tight, and no bad wheel bearing. He didn't even feel the wheel move. But I had a bent trailing arm which I would have to replace and bad rear brakes.

So I decided I would have the car worked on when I went to Atlantic City. In the mean time, my dad had his mechanic look at my car and he said the same thing, no bad bearing and I had a bent trailing arm.

Well about 3 weeks ago my mom and I were heading to Ruby Tuesday and my car was making this HORRIBLE noise. I thought for sure the brake broke apart and the shoe was dragging in the drum. So I called my roadside assistance to have my car towed to the garage. The tow truck guy looked at my car and goes "looks like the trailing arm broke." And after that my wheel really moved!

So I assumed that the trailing arm was what had made my wheel loose.

So I got my car back Tuesday night. It still was clunking. But I just figured it was the noise it always made and I just heard it because I didn't have my radio on. Drove to work yesterday... did some errands for the boss, used my front passenger door, and it was stuck. Someone hit my car! Actually, I'm being a bit of a drama queen right now. I knew someone hit it before I left. I noticed it when I was inspecting my car after the wheel broke. But I assumed it happened a while ago and I just never noticed. And I didn't try to use my passenger door up until now.

So at that point I decided maybe I should check my rear wheel again. Yep still loose! So I'm at a loss about what it could be. I just don't get it. It wiggles when it's on the ground, but once on the lift it's nice and tight. I just hope my wheel isn't going to break...

Oh that is just scary!

 

[BeckWhy]

Oh that is just scary!

You know, it's funny... this morning my wheel wasn't loose. But you know, it's not loose that a normal person would notice it. I'm a car girl, so of course I noticed it. If my parents' driveway was paved and nice and smooth-ish... I'd probably do most of the work on my car myself. But, I don't think my mechanic really charged me for labor this past time. It was $260 to replace my entire rear brake system, plus replace the trailing arm. When I priced out the brake parts, I think they came up to almost $225, WITH my discount at the NAPA store... So I'm not sure how he managed it all.

 

[BeckWhy]

I've been to Atlantic City several times, but the last time I went was in 2004, I believe (I went after the Borgota opened and after I bought Estelle, that's my car). It was 4th of July weekend, super hot. My mom received an offer from Trump's Taj Mahal for $29/night, so we went. Plus the Taj was paying up to $75 in CASH to pay for gas, if you drove. It was the first time I ever played a slot machine where it paid your winnings in coins. Oh my, that was the last time I ever did that! Carrying around $13 plus in nickles sucks! It was really too hot, you couldn't even go to the beach (which was a hop, skip, and jump away) because the sand was scalding! I thought AC was really dirty, and just depressed.

Anyways, for years my dad had been trying to get me to go back. I hate the drive... I totally would go if I could fly, but ticket prices are so high. Well finally, I broke down and decided to go.

We'd be staying at the Taj again. My dad wanted to know which building we wanted to stay in: Taj Tower or Chairman's Club or something. The rooms in the Taj are bigger than the Chairman's Club, or so my dad says. The trip was supposed to be my dad, my mom, my older sister, Vicki, and I. So I said let's just stay in the Taj because that's where I stayed before and I liked the rooms and the view.

Sometimes my dad stays at the Borgata, but he says the rooms are really small there... and it's at the marina, not the boardwalk.

Oh let me explain Atlantic City a little for everyone who hasn't gone. AC is on the Atlantic Ocean in New Jersy. Most of the casinos sit on the boardwalk. So you walk out of the casino, onto the boardwalk, then right onto the beach and HELLO Atlantic Ocean. But there are a couple of casinos that are at the marina, away from the ocean. Everyone's played Monopoly right? Well the properties on Monopoly are named for the streets in AC.

Ok, enough of the history lesson.

A couple days before we left, Vicki calls and says that she's going to Alaska and LA for work. So no Vicki. I was a little disappointed, because I kind of wanted to go to a bar or club, now I didn't have anyone to go with. Oh well.

My dad had a doctor's appointment 1 in New Jersey, so he wanted to get there at 10 am. I was like, No way Jose! What am I supposed to do for 3 hours, plus the time he's at his appointment... Plus we would have to leave at 2 am! My dad didn't want to leave later than 4 am... so I told him if we did that we won't get there until noon (which was OK with me).

So that was the decision, to leave about 4 am.

 

[kaoden39]

The only place I will ever leave that early to go to without grumbling is Disneyland.

 

[BeckWhy]

The only place I will ever leave that early to go to without grumbling is Disneyland.

Oh! No one said I wasn't complaining! But I have to add WDW to my list... I don't know about Disneyland yet, since I've never been! But it looks like a 6:00 am flight, need to be there an hour early, and it takes two hours to get to the airport... OY! And that's Eastern time. Then to be awake until 10 pm Pacific! I don't know man! HAHA

No, the ride to AC was definitely nerve racking for me.

 

[BeckWhy]

So, I try to be in bed by 9 on a normal night... of course the night before we leave for AC I can't fall asleep. I think I was still pack! I think I woke up about 3:30 am to leave at 4 am. Now we have a cat (Will named after Will Smith) and a dog (Duke, I don't know how he got his name) who were very anxious that we were leaving. Both are very affectionate, but Duke loves people. My brother was going to take care of them while we were gone, but all he does is play video games all day...

So we got in the car. I took front passenger. I can't sleep in a car, unless I pass out from complete exhaustion. My dad was driving. We stopped and got gas before we hit the highway, then we were off. Even though I was awake for the drive, I don't remember much of it... just being so nervous.

I won't cover food much for the drives, since it was just fast food. We stopped somewhere at McDonald's for bathrooms & breakfast. We got two big breakfast things. I'm not a pancake eater, but they weren't bad. The eggs, were ICKY. I'm weird about eggs made anywhere not at home, though. My dad complained about his biscuit not tasting good... so he took it back and the cashier just stared at him... like she didn't know what to do. Mine tasted fine... I don't know.

My mom took over driving from there. I felt less nervous with her driving. She told me that we drive through a tunnel. I know I'm 29 years old, but I'm still like a kid at heart! So I was excited. I kept trying to guess where the tunnel was...

Drove some more... and some more... Then we crossed the Delaware River.

After that we got to the area where my dad's doctor was. So we stopped for food there. Now wherever we were had a SONIC! I've never seen a Sonic before. We have commercials here, but the closest one is like in Phili... my dad rejected my Sonic right away.

My dad saw that KFC had 7 pieces of chicken or something for $7.99, so he wanted to go there. But when we got there and they saw it was $12.99 to make it a full meal, it was rejected. So we went to Wendy's. In New Jersey they had a Monterey Chicken Sandwich. We don't have them where I live, so my mom and I each got one. My dad got a double bacon cheeseburger. The chicken sandwich was ok, the cheese was too mild and there wasn't enough sauce, so it kind of just tasted like a chicken sandwich.

So we went to the doctor's and then my dad told me it would take about 3 hours! It's really not my day! So I thought I'd sleep in the car, but he wanted me to go to the office... I brought my book in, but it was too loud for me to read.

It wasn't too bad, the receptionists were kind of talkative.

So finally after that we headed off to Atlantic City. Now just to let you know, it's still another hour or two to AC.

So AC is actually on an island... you drive this long highway into it.

Here's the Borgata & Harrah's at the marina... plus some windmills.

Borgata

The really tall dark building in the distance is a brand new casino, just opened April 2nd: The Revel.

The white buildings are the Taj.

Getting closer (SEE BALTIC AVE!)

We waited while my dad checked in... here's some chandeliers!

 

[BeckWhy]

Oh! The pictures are really big! Let me see if I can figure out how to make them smaller!

 

[BeckWhy]

Oh! The pictures are really big! Let me see if I can figure out how to make them smaller!

Ok! I don't know how, so if anyone has any tips let me know!

 

[BeckWhy]

So after my dad checked in we headed back to the cars to get our belongings. The parking garage is on the opposite side of the casino from the hotel... It's a little bit of a walk.

My dad tells us that we are in 5000... meaning we are on the 50th floor and need our room keep to access the elevator to get to our room. I was just tickled pink by this!

So we hop aboard our elevator and... it's a glass one. I mean it looks out over the ocean! It really freaked me out! Plus it goes pretty fast, for an elevator, I think.

My first impression of the room is OOOO They updated them since I was here last! My dad said they just gave it new sheets.

It has an HDTV! I was excited about that!

Here's some pictures of the view:

After we got settled in... don't ask me what time it is... like 8:30 pm... my dad wants to go to the grocery store to get milk. (We brought cereal from home to eat for breakfast.) So I agree to go with my dad because he wants to show me this island... Brighton or something... I can't remember the name. And to show me how to get to the Borgata or Harrah's if I want to go.

I can't believe how expensive things are else where! We pay $1.79 for a gallon of milk. It was $4.29 here! OY! We also picked up some pop (or soda... whatever you want to call it).

Brighton or whatever this island is called is like a bunch of giant condos... brand new too. I don't think I've seen so many new houses at one time.

After we got back, we decided we were hungry. So we went to Plate in the Taj. It's one of a few restaurants in the Taj where you can use your comp money. It sits right at the top of the escalators that lead to the casino. It's not really walled in from the rest of the level. The design is pretty nice. I wanted to order a chicken panini, but they were all sold out. So I ordered a deli sandwich made with chicken salad on white with french fries. My mom ordered chicken fingers with french fries also. They bring out a basket of bread and butter almost immediately after you sit. It's not bad, it's a little bit of a denser bread, so you can get filled up on it alone.

Let me just say, the staff here is bogus... I'm not sure if they are taught what customer service is or not. They are rude, take a long time, never check up on you... I don't think they know any better, I think they weren't trained correctly.

So my sandwich was HUGE. Normal size pieces of bread, but with the chicken salad it sat about 5" tall. The chicken salad was some of the best chicken salad I ever had. Sweet with grapes, and salty. Not overly moist with mayo either. The fries were sprinkled with parmasean cheese and nice and crispy. It also came with a pickle. I only ate half of my sandwich, so the rest got packed away for left overs.

My mom wasn't as happy with her portion. 3 chicken figures... but they weren't like chicken fingers you get at most restaurants (at least not around here). They were flat and kind of round-ish (like veal scalopini, but chicken, and breaded and fried). She said they were really good though, cooked perfectly. Her serving of fries was ginormous though. She brought food back to the room also.

After that, we were all so exhausted we went to bed.

Here's my feelings about the beds. I thought they were comfortable. I like my beds a little more softer though. And they didn't have a comforter or quilt so I felt really cold. My dad called to order extra blankets, but they said they didn't have any and asked if a couple of sheets would be fine. In the end the extra sheets were really all I needed.

 

[kaoden39]

I am used to paying around $4 a gallon for milk, I would be thrilled to pay $1.79.



I cannot stand bad customer service. Especially in a service based industry. There is no excuse for it and businesses need to remember that the consumers are the only reason they are making any money.



Now this was the thing that really got me. No extra blankets? Really? In a hotel in a major resort town? Unheard of. Boo for them.

 

[BeckWhy]

I am used to paying around $4 a gallon for milk, I would be thrilled to pay $1.79.



I cannot stand bad customer service. Especially in a service based industry. There is no excuse for it and businesses need to remember that the consumers are the only reason they are making any money.



Now this was the thing that really got me. No extra blankets? Really? In a hotel in a major resort town? Unheard of. Boo for them.

It's so funny, if you drive 30 minutes in any direction from where I live and go to a Walmart milk skyrockets (our Walmart's milk is $1.89, it's $1.79 at Wegman's which is a grocery store chain).

As for customer service, I worked in retail management since 2007... It really pained me when the company I worked for last started to instate these rules that really affected the customers. It was the most stupidest thing they could do. I always did what made the customer happy... and I'm sad to say that the store lost a lot of business when I left. But I don't support people who don't respect others.

 

[kaoden39]

It's so funny, if you drive 30 minutes in any direction from where I live and go to a Walmart milk skyrockets (our Walmart's milk is $1.89, it's $1.79 at Wegman's which is a grocery store chain).

As for customer service, I worked in retail management since 2007... It really pained me when the company I worked for last started to instate these rules that really affected the customers. It was the most stupidest thing they could do. I always did what made the customer happy... and I'm sad to say that the store lost a lot of business when I left. But I don't support people who don't respect others.

That sounds pretty normal to me. I am not surprised that Walmart is more expensive.



I think that one of the things that I like best about Disney is the fact that they still appreciate their guests.

 

[BeckWhy]

So Friday we had to go back to the doctor's. 8 am appointment, so we were out on the road by 6:30 am.

When we got back I wanted to head up to the new casino, The Revel. I took a few pictures from the room of the view:

You walk through the casino at the Taj and hit the boardwalk and walk north to the Revel. It was cold so we walked through The Showboat, which is pretty rundown, but it's New Orleans themed. The Revel is on the other side of the Showboat, but it's not connected.

The Atlantic Ocean

The Revel... now this place is HUGE... or at least looks it. It's kind of a skinny building, but it towers over any of the other hotel/casino in AC. The theme is ocean... whatever that means.

The lobby to the casino is actually a level below the casino. You walk into this glass entrance and it's like 5 stories tall... you have to take escalators to the casino, they're about three stories high... I was freaking out. I wanted the elevators but no one could find them.

So the casino was... a casino. Nothing fantastic. And it had all these new slot machines we didn't know how to play. This place was supposed to have amazing bars and clubs, plus shopping. Only one club was open, a burlesque club... and no stores... nothing, just a long dark hallway.

So after a while we headed back to the Taj... if I'm going to lose money I might as do it so I can storm off to my room right away! HAHA

I was excited to see this on the side of The Showboat, even though I never took advantage of it.

The Boardwalk

I think we skipped lunch, since we were gone all morning and I just ate leftovers from the Plate. But my dad kept talking about taking us to the Borgata for their buffet. So at about 5:00 we headed over to the Borgata.

The Borgata is like Italian theme or something. We got to the buffet just in time and missed the big lines. This buffet is huge! I couldn't even make it through the whole thing in one trip! I started with shrimp cocktail, pizza... some other junk. I ate too much to remember. Pizza was great, shrimps were good. Fried shrimp good, potato wedges were good. Onion rings were ok. Prime rib had no flavor. Oy! There was so much food!

But the star was the dessert table! IT HAD GELATO! I've never had gelato before. I didn't really like it that much... but they have baklava! And cheesecake and this peanut butter creme cup. The rest of the desserts were great. The peanut butter creme cup was a... it was like the cup was made from chocolate petals, filled with a peanut butter creme! YUMM!

My dad said he'd pick us up at 7:30 but called early...

After we headed back to the Taj we played some slots, got some free drinks... Then bed...

Oh... should I add that my mom was not feeling well now too...

 

[BeckWhy]

So I wake up Saturday to both my parents not feeling well. I was so excited too because there's a LOUIS VUITTON store at the Pier Shops. Well actually the only reason I figured that out is because there's a Disney Store at the outlet shops. But we didn't go shopping.

I got all ready to go shopping and my mom didn't feel well enough to walk the mile or so to the shops. So we decided to just stay around the hotel and play some slots at the casino.

This is the elevator hall on our floor.

We had lunch at the Plate... I finally got the chicken panini. I got it with chips this time. It was amazing! YUM! And I really liked the chips too. My mom got a BLT with fries. This place really does give fairly big portions.

Went back to the room after a few rounds of slots... my dad was watching Fast Five. So we watched that together, and then Charlie St. Cloud.

For dinner we went back to the Plate. They have a steak "special." 7 oz filet, 16 oz ribeye, NY sirloin, or prime rib. I got the prime rib. It was huge! It came with mashed potatoes and asparagus, my favorite vegetable!

It was way too much to eat... and the prime rib was AMAZING! But needless to say brought some leftovers back!

I think we watched another movie together, but I can't remember... and bedtime it was.

 

[kaoden39]

Too bad your parents didn't feel well. There is nothing like being ill on a trip. I cannot believe that casino had no shops. Craziness! You guys had a great view!

That prime rib was huge! Wow!

 

[BeckWhy]

Too bad your parents didn't feel well. There is nothing like being ill on a trip. I cannot believe that casino had no shops. Craziness! You guys had a great view!

That prime rib was huge! Wow!

The Revel doesn't technically open until Memorial Day. They said they would be in full effect then. I'm assuming they decided to open the casino early because AC is having higher than normal attendance.

As for the view, it was a great view, but if we had a room on the other side of the elevators the view would have been killer. But I'm not complaining. There's a ledge in front of the window and I love to sit there and just look out.