Our 3rd Annual Holiday Trip to DL in November - November 22nd - 25th, 2013 Post #3416

[WDWJonasGirl]

That looks really cool!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 4 – August 21, 2011 – Part 14​

HydroGuy and I were waiting for the 10:30pm WoC when I was on the threads that Sunday night after a long day at the D23 Expo. It was nice to go to the parks that night with HydroGuy and see my favorite show at DL.

Here are some pics from the 10:30pm F! show that night. These pictures were from my video camera that I have videotaped. But sadly since the quality is not that good, I am not putting it on youtube. So enjoy.

It was nice to see Jane on the Mark Twain after not seeing her on the boat for a few years ago

Some imagination, huh? Huh huh.

When F! was over, I was tired and about to head back to the room. I met up with HydroGuy again and he was about to go back to his room so we parted at the sitting area.

Once we parted, I walked out through Adventureland and through MS. There were quite a number of people leaving the park that night. It was nice to head on back to the room after a long day at the Expo.

I left the park around 11pm and now a 15 minute walk back to the hotel. I got back around 11:15pm and called it for the day.

This was a great day that I got to do more picture taking, Radiator Springs Reality, Vintage of DL and shopping back at the Mickey’s of Glendale store. Plus I got to do WoC and F! that same night. Plus I got to experience it with HydroGuy that night which made it better. It was nice to talk to someone that knows a lot about DL.

Last is Monday which is a day that I would take a lot of pictures at DL. So stay tuned for Monday.

 

[tksbaskets]

You did quite a bit this day! We are planning to watch F! when we visit DL in December.

The vintage Disney pictures were very interresting. Thanks for sharing.

Looking forward to your Monday adventures.

TK

 

[mvf-m11c]

You did quite a bit this day! We are planning to watch F! when we visit DL in December.

The vintage Disney pictures were very interresting. Thanks for sharing.

Looking forward to your Monday adventures.

TK

It was great and exhausting that Sunday doing all those different activities. I hope that you will be able to enjoy F! TK as I always do.

Your welcome.


Now its time to get to the TR.

Day 5 – August 22, 2011 – Part 1​

After a long day on Sunday at the D23 Expo and the nighttime events at the DLR. My DA and I were about ready to go home, but first we need to stop at DL & DCA to get some pictures and go on some rides.

Since DL didn't opened at 9am, that morning I was packing and loading all of our stuff in the car. It took quite awhile to load the bags which is the cloths, souvenirs from the Expo, etc.

I finished around 8:15am and now it was time for the two of us to head on over to DL for a short time until it was time to go back home to Livingston and Sacramento.

On the way out of BW Stovall's it was just a little cloudy that morning not an overcast like it has always been every morning.

It took us about 12 minutes to get from BW Stovalls to the security check point and it was quite long that morning. But it only took about one minute until we got past the security check point.

When we got to the turnstile, there were quite a number of people that were trying to get in the park that morning. It has been awhile since I been to DL when the park opens at 9am instead of the usual 8am. But it was not that bad and we walked through the turnstile with no problem.

The first thing we did was head on over to MS while we wait until the park officially opens at 9am. While we were waiting, I took a lot of different pictures around the area before the park opens.

Just 5 minutes until the park is open

When the parked opened at 9am the first thing we did was head on over to ST and see what the wait time was. Most of the people that were in front of us were heading towards TL and go on ST or get a FP for ST.

Look at all those people just heading on over to TL

Already a huge line for ST standby queue.

Just a few minutes when the park was open the wait time was already at 20 minutes

Instead on going on ST that morning, we went to the FP line and it was already a few minute wait time just to get a FP that morning. It took about 2 minutes to get through the queue and get our FP. I don't have a picture of the FP, but our return time was 10am to 11am. Talk about a big time difference when I got a FP that morning.

On the way out, my DA wants to go on POTC and see the Blackbeard screen. So we were on our way over there. But on the way I had to get a lot of different pics. We went through the FNSV lagoon area and walked towards the back way instead of going through the Hub.

Monorail Mark VII Orange at the TL station

Can't stop getting a pic of the Matterhorn with the heart shape in the mountain

I will get back to you later tonight.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 5 – August 22, 2011 – Part 2​

I have left off around the Matterhorn on the TL side. It is always neat to look at the Matterhorn from the TL side. When we were walking in that area, we decided to head on over to NOS and go on the POTC. We went through the backside instead of going through the Hub side.

FNSV lagoon where half of the subs are in the side dock

When I walked past the lagoon the next picture was the closed Matterhorn Mountain. It was just weird to see that the ride was closed during the summertime. I was hoping to see the new ride vehicle, but it was not on the TL side.

Now we were in Fantasyland where it was quiet that morning

The only ride that was the busiest was PP. I remember that it was close to about 15 minutes that morning.

We went through the back side of Frontierland

BT Ranch still the same during the summertime

BTMRR

Before we went on POTC, my DA wanted to stop at the shops at Adventureland and Frontierland which is the Adventureland Bazaar, Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost, and the Pioneer Mercantile store. She took awhile in the stores, but she didn’t find the items at the store she was looking for.

After finishing at the stores, we head on over to POTC. Before that, Indy wasn’t that long that morning only 10 minutes

Tarzan Treehouse closed

On the way down towards the ROA, we head on over to POTC. Good thing about the morning is that it doesn’t have a long line. Even though it is the fastest loading ride at DL, it was nice to go on it that morning then later during the day where the line can be as long as 30 minutes.

We went on POTC and it was just a walk on as expected. When we finished the ride, my DA said it was the same but the only difference was the Blackbeard scene. She really liked the Blackbeard mist scene then the Davy Jones scene.

On the way out it was close to time to head on over to DCA and do some other activities. On the way out I got some more pics of my path of goin gout of DL.

Adventureland

Exited Adventureland and now back in MS

As you all know that the AP Center at the Plaza Pavilion is closed to make way for the Jolly Holiday Bakery Café next year. Since I didn’t get the photo of the building, I did get a photo of the plaque

Now walking down MS

That’s it for now and I will get back to you tomorrow.

 

[kaoden39]

Wow!! What a bunch of updates!! I love all the photos. How wonderful!!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Love it. Here's all about my Shake It Up Experience:

I waited for a long time (almost 4 hours to be exact) just for the autograph session. When I finally got to the front of the line, they ran out of pictures Me being prepared, I had them sign my Walt Disney Imagineering Notebook I bought the day before. The choregrapher was there, not just the whole cast. He was first followed by Roshon Fegan (Ty, Rocky's older brother), Davis Cleveland (Flynn, Cece's younger brother), Adam Irigoyen (Deuce, Cece and Rocky's friend), Caroline Sunshine (Tinka, Gunther's twin sister), Kenton Duty (Gunther, Tinka's twin brother), Zendaya (Rocky, one of the main girls and Cece's best friend) and Bella Thorne (Cece, the other main girl and Rocky's best friend). Everyone was nice and Zendaya and Bella even hugged me.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Wow!! What a bunch of updates!! I love all the photos. How wonderful!!

Thank you Michele. It was just a little bad that morning when most of the people went on over to TL and get on ST or get a FP for ST. I will have the next update up shortly.

Love it. Here's all about my Shake It Up Experience:

I waited for a long time (almost 4 hours to be exact) just for the autograph session. When I finally got to the front of the line, they ran out of pictures Me being prepared, I had them sign my Walt Disney Imagineering Notebook I bought the day before. The choregrapher was there, not just the whole cast. He was first followed by Roshon Fegan (Ty, Rocky's older brother), Davis Cleveland (Flynn, Cece's younger brother), Adam Irigoyen (Deuce, Cece and Rocky's friend), Caroline Sunshine (Tinka, Gunther's twin sister), Kenton Duty (Gunther, Tinka's twin brother), Zendaya (Rocky, one of the main girls and Cece's best friend) and Bella Thorne (Cece, the other main girl and Rocky's best friend). Everyone was nice and Zendaya and Bella even hugged me.

Thank you Kaitlin.

Even though your wait time was long and they ran out of pictures when you got up there, it was good to hear that all the casts and choreographer were all nice and Zendaya and Bella hugged you was even better. I'm glad that you enjoyed meeting the cast of Shake It Up.


I will get to the TR shortly so stay tuned.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 5 – August 22, 2011 – Part 3​

After going on one ride during the first half hour of DL, my DA and I were heading on over to DCA and get on MFW. On the way, more and more people started to show up at DL that Monday morning. It was kind of different to go to the park one hour later then I normally do when I go to DL. Mostly DL is opened at 8am when I come here, but it is one of those times when the park opens at 9am.

Walking down MS

Here is the picture that you wanted Lil’ Grumpy of the movie poster right by the Emporium. I believed I put the picture up before, but I am doing it again for the TR.

MS City Hall

The DL band playing in front

Over at the turnstile to enter the park it was really quite busy that morning

So now it was time to head on over to DCA. It wasn’t that bad as DL

Let the Memories Begin! Campaign sign still out there

The side entrance to DCA is all ready to go when BVS is closed

When we got in the park, the first thing we did was head on over to GRR and get our FP for WoC. Actually I was getting a FP so I can collect it. There is a lot of walls around the area. This is the last time I will see the front entrance of the Sunshine Plaza and it will be BVS next year.

Carthay Circle Theater

We walked down where the former California Zephyr train used to be

Now entering Condor Flats

Over at Condor Flats by Soarin, the mist rocket engine was on that morning. I don’t want to get wet!!!

The new entrance and exit to DCA when BVS is under construction

When we left Condor Flats, we head on over to GRR and get our FP. The queue for the WoC FP was short and we went in. As expected we got the blue FP for the 9pm WoC show.

After getting the FP, we head on over to PP. On the way, I got a lot of different pics.

Most of the people were already at the Light Tower to head on over to TSMM.

Over around the Light Tower, there were quite a number of people around the area. Before the park opens at 9am, I took some random pics around the area.

This is for you Deej and I hope that your parents get better. Flowers around the Light Tower

We were still waiting and I had to get a picture of the front entrance of the LMAUA.

This is it for this post and I will get back to the next one.

 

[Wonder2008]

Thank you very much for taking the time to post all of those pictures from the D23 Expo. I almost feel like I was there after looking at all of your pictures. I liked how you took "crowd" pictures as well, not just displays and presentations. Did you go to the first D23 Expo? I'm interested to hear your comparison of the two.

Thank you again,
Robert

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thank you very much for taking the time to post all of those pictures from the D23 Expo. I almost feel like I was there after looking at all of your pictures. I liked how you took "crowd" pictures as well, not just displays and presentations. Did you go to the first D23 Expo? I'm interested to hear your comparison of the two.

Thank you again,
Robert

Your welcome Robert.

I always like to take pictures of the crowds and show everyone what it was like at the D23 Expo or the Disney parks. Not too many places on the website that you would see a lot of crowd pictures instead of just displays and presentations.

Yes, I went back to the D23 Expo back in 2009. That was my very first TR. That TR from 2009 is way bad then the one that I am about to be finished with. You can read my TR right here First TR DLR & D23 Expo It mostly just talks about my experience at the D23 Expo and I barely took any pictures back in 2009.

Now my comparison between the 2009 Expo and this year is that it was shorten from 4 days in 2009 to 3 days this year. This Expo didn't give us any much news about the Parks and Resorts like the 2009 one. The 2009 told us a lot of things that we didn't expect at the Parks and Resorts while this year we know what was happening. The only thing that surprise us the most was the Fantasy Faire at DL. The presentations for this year are not as spectacular then the ones in 2009. The only one that I enjoyed the most this year was the Radiator Spring Reality presentation while the 2009 didn't have that. I loved the WoC presentation back in 2009 which told us everything about the show. The only problem I had back in 2009 was that we couldn't bring any electronics into the arena for the Intro Ceremony with Bob Iger, Legends Ceremony, Disney Movie Magic: Inside the Disney Studios and "The Future of WD and Pixar Animation. I really hate to give my electronics to the staff and had to get it after the presentation. The only one time we had to give up our electronics was the WD Studios presentation. This Expo had way more store to choose from then back in 2009. It is a big difference to have more stores than just a few back in 2009. The 2009 was way bigger then this year and the crowd control was just as bad as the 2009. At least they had queue rooms for Stage 23 & 28, but the queue for the Disney Archives room was just as bad. The worst in my opinion was the queues for the stores. (Dream Store, Mickey's of Glendale store at the WD Parks and Resorts pavilion, Disney Store pavilion & the Disney Archives store) It was crazy to see those lines very long all three days. They did have a lot of celebrities and Disney legends at the Expo where you can meet them and have all those different pavilions on the show room floor. This year had more to do then the 2009. One of the things that they should improved at the Expo in the future is the small presentations where people are turned away like the Radiator Springs Reality, Vintage DL, etc. where they can only hold a few hundred people while they could use the arena for a few thousand people. But we will wait and see in 2013.

Hope this help you.


Now its time to get back to the TR.

Day 5 – August 22, 2011 – Part 4​

We left off when my DA and I were waiting right by the Light Tower at PP for the opening of DCA at 10am. While we were waiting, a lot of the people were waiting at the bridge to TSMM. That is what I expected for a lot of the people that are heading on over. My DA didn’t want to go towards the big crowds to MFW, so she asked if we could go through the other way to PP. It was the back way towards the restaurants. Since it will be less crowded to walk that way instead of going through the usual way to MFW.

MFW

When it got to 10am that Monday morning it was time to head on over to PP and see where all these other people are heading too.

Now we are running on our way to MFW. Most of the people that went that direction that we did was to head on over to Goofy’s Sky School

As expected that most of the people head on over to GSS

So we went through the PP restaurant seating area and it looks very nice to walk by it that morning.

After passing the PP restaurant area, we past SSS and over to the Boardwalk area where MFW is located

The Man Hat ‘n’ Beach store was closed that morning

Then we head on over to MFW and get some aerial photos of the DLR.

We had to wait awhile when MFW was still kept moving when there were no people in the gondolas. I will be right back to you tomorrow of the aerial photos from MFW.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 5 – August 22, 2011 – Part 5​

Now its time for the aerial photos from MFW that Monday morning. It is always great to get aerial photos of the DLR from MFW. So here are some pics from MFW.

Nice photo of Cadillac Range

That’s it from MFW and I will get back to you later tonight.

 

[tksbaskets]

I'm always glad when you go on MFW and post the aerial pictures. Gives a great view of DCA that I will never have. I love roller coasters but really don't like heights.

Nice shout out to deej!

TK

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Love the pictures!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I'm always glad when you go on MFW and post the aerial pictures. Gives a great view of DCA that I will never have. I love roller coasters but really don't like heights.

Nice shout out to deej!

TK

Thanks TK. It is always great to go up on MFW and take a lot of different pictures around the resort. Hopefully I will be able to get on MFW this upcoming Saturday and get some nice ones.

I hope Deej is doing okay during this difficult time.

Love the pictures!!

Thank you Kaitlin

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Thank you Kaitlin.

Even though your wait time was long and they ran out of pictures when you got up there, it was good to hear that all the casts and choreographer were all nice and Zendaya and Bella hugged you was even better. I'm glad that you enjoyed meeting the cast of Shake It Up.

Thank you. I'm glad I did too.

 

[franandaj]

Great reports! I've really enjoyed everything! I finished up my TR and pointed people in your direction since you had so much different than I did and so many great pics of the Parks and Carsland!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Great reports! I've really enjoyed everything! I finished up my TR and pointed people in your direction since you had so much different than I did and so many great pics of the Parks and Carsland!

Thank you Allison. I read the rest of your TR and glad that you had a great time at the Napa Rose on Monday.


Now its time to finish my last part of the D23 Expo TR and get to the next one.

Day 5 – August 22, 2011 – Part 6​

After finishing MFW, it was time to head on back to the room and get the car. This was the saddest part of every trip every time. It is always sad that you don’t want to leave the resort, but it was time to return to the real life. I was also glad to go back home that day after 5 days in Anaheim and got to do a lot of great stuff that week.

While we were still in DCA, I took a few more pics until we got to the GCH exit. The park started to pickup that morning with more and more people around the area. When we passed TSMM, the wait time was already at 30 minute wait time. I was going to ask my DA if she wanted to go on TMSS that morning, but she wanted to head on back to the hotel.

When we got close to the GCH exit, my DA wanted to go on over to the WoD store and buy some stuff for her colleagues. It was interesting to hear that from her especially since she went shopping after WoC on Sunday night. But she didn’t buy any items that night since she could save more with my AP instead of her deluxe. So we head on over to the WoD store. So instead of going through the GCH, we went towards back to the Sunshine Plaza and went through the exit.

Even though I don’t have any photos that time, it was sad to see Sunshine Plaza gone and BVS construction around the area. It will be very interesting to see what the construction will be like tomorrow when I go to DL for my one day trip during the Halloween season.

We head on over to the WoD and the things that she bought at the store was some keychains. I thought that was nice gifts to get everyone since it is nothing special, just a nice token to her staff.

When we left the WoD store, she wanted to stop at the GCH shop inside the hotel. She found a nice cook book for her mom when we just left. It was nice to get her something at the store before we left.

We exited the GCH and went straight on back to BW Stovall’s. We only had to pack only a few things so it was completely easy to leave the room and head towards the car. We left around noon that Monday and now a five hour trip back to Livingston.

When we got back to my grandmothers house I transferred all my stuff to my mom car that afternoon. When I was packing all my stuff and my moms stuff, she was watching my grandmother when my DA and I were at Anaheim. It was as usual to pack the stuff in a car then I saw that my the car tire was flat. I was kind of surprise to see that the tire was flat.

It was around 7pm and we left my grandmothers house, we stopped at a gas station to fill up the car. When I put air into the tire, there was a slow leak in the tire. I can’t believe that I have another problem. After putting on the spare tire, my mom called Costco in Turlock and see if they can get us in and fix the tire. Luckily, Costco can take us in that late during the day.

This is almost like that time back in 2009 when I was coming home from the D23 Expo and I got stucked up on the Grapevine. I remember that I waited around 3 hours on the Grapevine after a big accident and all the lanes were closed going north on I-5.

After leaving the gas station, it took us about 15 minutes to get to the Costco in Turlock to get the car in and fix the tire. We had to wait awhile at Costco. It sucked that the car had a flat tire. But it was a good thing that I saw the tire or we would have an accident on the highway. It was around 8:30pm when the car was finished and we were on our way back to Sacramento.

We got home around 10pm that Monday night and that concludes my trip to the D23 Expo.

This was a fun experience just like the D23 Expo back in 2009. This was way better then the old one where I left half way through on Sunday in 2009 instead of staying at the Expo all the days. I got to attend a lot of great presentations and shop a lot of great merchandise at the D23 Expo. The best part of the D23 Expo was the Radiator Springs Reality, WD Studios, & Wonderful Vintage of DL presentations. The WD Parks and Resorts pavilion was also great to attend with the models of the new Fantasyland & Cars Land vehicles.

I got to meet a lot of nice people that weekend (HydroGuy, Franandaj, peepster, and all the other DISers that I met at the Expo weekend).

Got to go to the DLR on all five days which was nice. Even though I didn’t go to the parks on a full day, but it was nice to go after some nights at the D23 Expo. I also got to do Magical fireworks, WoC and F! during my trip which is always a must thing for me to do. The best part of going to the parks was when HydroGuy and I watched WoC at 9pm and ran all the way to DL for the 2nd show of F!.

My DA got her deluxe AP which is a good thing when we have our trips in November and June next year. She thought it was a bad investment, but in the end she will find out that it was a good thing to get especially with the trips planned in the future.

Now that this TR is finally concluded, now its time to start my upcoming trip tomorrow. I am excited to go to DL tomorrow even though it is only just for one day, I get to go on a all taking photo trip during the Halloween season. I got a lot to do when I go to DL tomorrow with all the photography of the Halloween decorations. My goal for this trip is to get as many pictures of the Halloween decorations at DL. And also some more pics from MFW.

I will get back to you tomorrow night or maybe during the day on Saturday.

 

[tksbaskets]

Have fun on your trip to DL for Halloween! Looking forward to seeing the pictures.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Have fun on your trip to DL for Halloween! Looking forward to seeing the pictures.

Thank you TK. I just got back just awhile ago and I am now uploading all my pics from today. I have about 600+ pics today and it will take some time to upload all the pictures.