Our Disneyland New Year's Park-Hopping Half-Marathon! 12/31/11-1/7/12 Complete!

[tksbaskets]

Wednesday January 4, 2012

No magic morning so we slept in a bit and brought breakfast back to the villa from White Water Snacks. We were at the GCH entrance to DCA by 9:40 and the line was all the way back to WWS. We went to the rope at Paradise Pier to wait for the park to open.

The line for TSMM was all the way up the bridge from the pier. Although we love TSMM we were not willing to spend most of the beautiful morning standing in line. Donald, Grumpy, and I went on CS as the S/B line was 10 minutes

Since every other park visitor was waiting for TSMM we had another meet 'n greet with Santa Mickey!

As you can see I had some fun adding borders. We decided this was an ideal time to head to Tower of Terror through Bug's Land. Man we have fun at Disney!

Pacific Warf in the morning.

Our family doesn't spend much time in Bug's Land but since the guys were going ahead for TOT FPs I took a few pics.

The S/B line was already at 50 minutes so I plugged that into my iPhone app and we headed over to Hollywood Backlot by Monsters Inc. for our Visa photo shoot.

We are from Michigan so we loved that a Kellogg's truck is outside by Aladdin.

Some more fun with borders after our exclusive meet with Pluto!

The wait was only 10 minutes for Monsters Inc. so I convinced the boys to take a cab and join me.

Guess where we went next?

Lots to look at during the pre-show.

Back to TOT for another set of FPs and use the first one. Great ride. A bit different from WDW but most excellent just the same. We never can figure out when the picture is taken.

We were having a great relaxing morning at DCA and so we stopped in for a little drawing lesson at Disney Animation. We think all Disney jobs are secure but it sure was fun to draw a silly old bear.

Next up: Lunch on the warf and afternoon at DCA

 

[franandaj]

Subbing in, just finished Aladdin. We saw the show two days ago and wondered the same thing about the carpet. Last time they flew overhead.

 

[tksbaskets]

Subbing in, just finished Aladdin. We saw the show two days ago and wondered the same thing about the carpet. Last time they flew overhead.

Thanks for subbing! Isn't that show great?

 

[tksbaskets]

Dining on the Warf

The warf is an excellent choice for a counter service meal as there are many tasty choices. Grumpy went to Lucky Fortune Cookery.

The rest of us enjoyed lunch at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill. It was delicious.

We listened to a nice band while we enjoyed our meal.

Fortified with our lunch we went back to Paradise Pier and waited 75 minutes for TSMM.

It was worth the wait for Donald and Grumpy~

We went back to the villa to relax and do a little laundry. When we entered the lobby Sarge mentioned that the piano had been moved. Not only the piano - the beautiful big tree had been taken away. WOW. How didn't we notice that in the morning? Visions of TSMM I guess.

We went back to DCA a bit before 6 pm and rode TOT. We were all in our seats and then our elevator malfunctioned before we started our ride. It was a really pretty encounter. A cast member came over the speakers to tell us everything was OK and that they could hear everything we were saying. They then asked if we had any questions. One of the guys in the front row asked "Where do babies come from?". We all had a good laugh.

When the elevator opened up the cast member asked who had the question. When the fella in question fessed up he asked the woman sitting with him if she was with the man and said she had to answer the question!

We were taken through the back entrance to a new elevator for our ride. It was fun and our elevator group was now bonded.

We stopped and watched a little Electronica on our way over to ride Soarin'.

We decided to go over the Paradise Pier Hotel for dinner at the PCH grill. It was not busy at all and we had a really nice, relaxing meal. Grumpy got plenty of Diet Coke refills too.

The guys went back to the GCH concierge to pick out a movie and I shopped a bit at the hotel gift shop. It was a nice relaxing day!

It's Magic Morning again tomorrow!

 

[mvf-m11c]

That is so funny seeing one of your sons texting while on the CS.

You spent a lot of time at DCA that day. Glad that you and your family had a great time.

Nice pics of the food porn from LCF, CCMG & PCH Grill.

Once again, you and your family have real guts of waiting that long to ride TSMM. I would not even wait an hour for that ride. But you can also say that the wait time at DCA is nothing compared to DHS TSMM which the wait time during the heavy season which could be 2+ hours.

Nice update TK.

 

[tksbaskets]

That is so funny seeing one of your sons texting while on the CS.

You spent a lot of time at DCA that day. Glad that you and your family had a great time.

Nice pics of the food porn from LCF, CCMG & PCH Grill.

Once again, you and your family have real guts of waiting that long to ride TSMM. I would not even wait an hour for that ride. But you can also say that the wait time at DCA is nothing compared to DHS TSMM which the wait time during the heavy season which could be 2+ hours.

Nice update TK.

LOL about Grumpy's pose for the CS picture. He had a death grip on his Droid as he always plans before the photo what he's going to do. He originally wanted to hold his shoe up to his ear like he was going to make a call but felt that getting off the ride with one shoe could be problematic. He'll be happy to know that someone got what he was doing.

 

[mvf-m11c]

LOL about Grumpy's pose for the CS picture. He had a death grip on his Droid as he always plans before the photo what he's going to do. He originally wanted to hold his shoe up to his ear like he was going to make a call but felt that getting off the ride with one shoe could be problematic. He'll be happy to know that someone got what he was doing.

Good thing that he has a strong grip on his Droid or he would loose it on the ride which is not a good thing.

That would have been a funny pose while showing your shoe and out up by his ear. I like to do funny pose on the photo rides like SM, Splash, BLAB etc. but I would not do as something like using hand objects on the ride. Maybe I should try to do something like that when I do BLAB.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

All caught up and sub'd for the rest of the ride

 

[tksbaskets]

Good thing that he has a strong grip on his Droid or he would loose it on the ride which is not a good thing.

That would have been a funny pose while showing your shoe and out up by his ear. I like to do funny pose on the photo rides like SM, Splash, BLAB etc. but I would not do as something like using hand objects on the ride. Maybe I should try to do something like that when I do BLAB.

I'll keep an eye out in your TR for what you do for your picture. Of course on BLAB you are usually getting many points.

All caught up and sub'd for the rest of the ride

Thanks for coming along!

 

[deejdigsdis]

Ah, I've missed so much! Just finished catching up through Monday.

Great parade pics! Like my sister, I got a chuckle out of the family picture by the parade with Grumpy missing. I was also wondering how the CM could have made that mistake!

I've never tried French Market, although I've always wanted to. Those potatoes look so good.

Off to read some more...

 

[deejdigsdis]

OK, finished up another installment or two.

I love that close up picture of the guy driving the Main Street vehicle! I didn't take the time to go back and find it, so hopefully you know what I'm talking about.

Glad you got to have some baked potato soup at C.C. Did you happen to catch a glimpse of Oscar?

I can't wait to try out Paradise Garden Grill (is that what it's called?) the next time we go. The menu looks so good and the music sounds fun.

 

[tksbaskets]

Ah, I've missed so much! Just finished catching up through Monday.

Great parade pics! Like my sister, I got a chuckle out of the family picture by the parade with Grumpy missing. I was also wondering how the CM could have made that mistake!

I've never tried French Market, although I've always wanted to. Those potatoes look so good.

Off to read some more...

Just don't get the beef at the French Market. Unless the goal is to drink more water.

OK, finished up another installment or two.

I love that close up picture of the guy driving the Main Street vehicle! I didn't take the time to go back and find it, so hopefully you know what I'm talking about.

Glad you got to have some baked potato soup at C.C. Did you happen to catch a glimpse of Oscar?

I can't wait to try out Paradise Garden Grill (is that what it's called?) the next time we go. The menu looks so good and the music sounds fun.

I know just which picture you mean. I think that MS vehicle picture is my favorite non-family picture. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

No glimpse of Oscar. I did make the soup last weekend from a recipe I found on-line and it was almost as yummy.

You'd love sitting out and listening to the music while dining on pretty darned good food. I think because it's situated beyond the rides on PP it is not very crowded yet. The only downside is having to walk through the smoking area to get there. Cough cough.

We had never really spent much time in this area on our previous trips. We found ouselves frequenting the pretzel stand and corn dog place

Lunch time....no corn dogs here...

Glad you've caught up. Our trip is over half way done now.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Officially all caught up!

You really got a lot of Santa Mickey pictures this trip! Very fun.

I love your YMCA poses on TOT. Earlier you said you weren't sure when they take the picture, so do you just pose like that the whole time?

Grumpy's texting pose was clever as well. Haven't seen that one before. The shoe phone one would have been good too. My boys LOVE the old Get Smart show from the 60s. They would love to have a shoe phone like Maxwell Smart.

How sad that the big GCH tree came down. Funny that you didn't notice.

Also loved the Kellogg's truck. Has that always been there? I don't remember it.

OK, my little guy wants help with something...motherhood calls.

 

[tksbaskets]

Officially all caught up!

You really got a lot of Santa Mickey pictures this trip! Very fun.

I love your YMCA poses on TOT. Earlier you said you weren't sure when they take the picture, so do you just pose like that the whole time?

Grumpy's texting pose was clever as well. Haven't seen that one before. The shoe phone one would have been good too. My boys LOVE the old Get Smart show from the 60s. They would love to have a shoe phone like Maxwell Smart.

How sad that the big GCH tree came down. Funny that you didn't notice.

Also loved the Kellogg's truck. Has that always been there? I don't remember it.

OK, my little guy wants help with something...motherhood calls.

I was kidding about not knowing where the ride photos are snapped. We did have to hold the YMCA pose for quite a while because the drop sequence is always different. Once we see the flash we go back to normal ride mode.

I can't believe I didn't notice the tree was gone when we went through the lobby in the am. Obviously my Diet Coke level was not adequate enough for me to walk and observe. Sarge and I got a good laugh about noticing that the piano had moved first. A lobby lurker said that a crew of about a dozen cast members came in around 11:30 pm and that the tree was all gone at 7 am.

I don't remember the Kellogg's truck from past trips. You think I would have noticed it but then again I didn't notice a 50 ft tree was missing.....

My motherhood calls now days usually have something to do with a request for cash..... Enjoy your little ones and I hope to post some more tonight.

 

[IndayMichelle]

I can't believe I didn't notice the tree was gone when we went through the lobby in the am. Obviously my Diet Coke level was not adequate enough for me to walk and observe. Sarge and I got a good laugh about noticing that the piano had moved first. A lobby lurker said that a crew of about a dozen cast members came in around 11:30 pm and that the tree was all gone at 7 am.

Diet Coke! It's my favorite legal addictive stimulant!

It really is magic how quickly they put things up and put things away. I'm so happy they extended their holiday season through the first week of January! It made for a better trip!

 

[tksbaskets]

Diet Coke! It's my favorite legal addictive stimulant!

It really is magic how quickly they put things up and put things away. I'm so happy they extended their holiday season through the first week of January! It made for a better trip!

Disney never ceases to amaze me! I watched a special last year on decorating WDW for the holidays and it was amazing what the cast members do while we are all sleeping.

I love Christmas time at DL/WDW so I was very glad that the holiday season extened into January.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I'll keep an eye out in your TR for what you do for your picture. Of course on BLAB you are usually getting many points.

Thanks TK. I am still wondering what pose I should do on the rides that have the photos. We'll just wait and see in two and a half weeks.

 

[tksbaskets]

Thursday January 5, 2012

We were up and at the gate of Disneyland by 6:45 am for magic morning. We stood for a half hour at the turn styles as they didn't let us in until 7:15. Never did figure out what was up with that.

We immediately took off for TL and rode our favorite rides. Grumpy, Donald, and I also took a spin on Space Mountain before the rest of the guests were let in the park. The park was quite crowded that morning. We went on Star Tours twice and SM once before 8 am. Then we grabbed a set of FPs for ST.

I talked the guys into stopping at the hub for a couple of photopass pics. They really aren't too busy in the morning Fun with borders!

Again my squinty family was not complaining about the wonderful sunshine! Ah, vitamin D!

Off to:

Through:

We ate a yummy breakfast and then rode POC and HMH.

Time on the DIS boards pays off!
I remember from many reports that Jack Skellington hangs out down the street off of NOS in the picture above. On our way to POC I told the guys I wanted to head around the back way. Sure enough!! There was Jack and NO LINE! Donald and I had the nicest interaction with Jack. He was giving Donald lessons on how to look "Goolish". Sarge, Donald and I were smiling for quite some time after meeting with Jack. Grumpy had made himself scarce. His loss!

Donald looking fiendishly goolish!

Sarge asked me how I knew Jack would be down there. I replied, "the DIS boards!". Where else do you learn all the good tips?!

It was about time to head over to DCA for the morning and also time to gather another FP for ST. Sarge and I hung out at the hub while the boys went to get the FPs in TL. Sarge enjoyed the sunshine on one of the nice benches, I wandered around the Partners statue.

Next up: DCA morning and our early dinner at Big Thunder Ranch

 

[tksbaskets]

We collected our first hand stamp of the day entering DCA and collected our Soarin' FPs. Off to Paradise Pier to ride TSMM. DCA was quite busy that morning too so we waited 70 minutes in line figuring the line wouldn't get any shorter. Next we headed over to TOT to snag a set of FPs.

Stopped by Blue Sky Cellar to see what the vision is for DCA. I can't wait to see the new Mickey/Walt statue!

We were feeling a little peckish so decided a snack was in order. Our dinner reservations weren't until 4:30 so we all went for our snack of choice.

Obviously we took the long way back to the villas! This was calling to Grumpy and me!

We changed into shorts and headed out to DL at 1:30 pm. Took three turns with FPs on ST (Sarge found a FP on the ground at the hub so we had 9) then went to watch the Jedi Training Academy. If you have never taken the time to see this you're missing a good time. We sipped a diet soda and watched the young Padawans.

We took our time walking through Frontierland to get to Big Thunder Mountain Ranch.

Big Thunder BBQ
This was our first time dining here. Another DISer Deej had reported from her December TR that she loved the food and atmosphere at BTM BBQ so we were excited to try it ourselves. I had even shown Sarge the pictures from Deej's report so he was looking forward to the 'all you care to eat' dinner.

We checked in for our dinner reservations and the BBQ was not very crowded. The cast member escorted us to a table right on the edge of the restaurant eating area directly across the sidewalk from the reindeer. Not that I don't enjoy a nice view of reindeer eating, the table was also as far from the stage as possible.

I politely asked to be seated closer to the stage and after a discussion at the desk we got the table right in front of the stage! We wanted to be able to experience the whole shebang for our first dinner here.

The entertainment wasn't scheduled to start up again until 5 pm so we took our time enjoying a delicious BBQ.

YUM!

We had an excellent server. The fella (we are at the ranch so he's a fella) kept us fed and watered! The entertainment started about 4:50 pm and I was so glad I had asked for a different table. The entertainment was charming! They did a few songs, took a short break, and then came back. Now this is a table with a view!

This would have been the first table view:

We took a quick inventory of our FP stash. What should we do next?? (hint, we'd actually already used the ST ones...)

We tried not to look into the eye of the idol on Indy but we couldn't help ourselves. What can I say we are 'tourists'. LOVE that ride.

Next stop at DL:

and

Next installment will be a little DCA and some retro gaming

 

[tksbaskets]

Fourth Hand Stamp

Hey - look what we found on Hollywood Pictures Backlot - a Photopass Photographer

Another one!!

Off to use or TOT FP Oh no.... is the pressure gauge stuck at zero???

Don't ask me what everyone thought they were doing! I don't think the guy in the front row was making that face to be funny.

ElecTRONica was taking place that evening on the backlot. When we got our TOT fastpasses we also got a token for a arcade game that was back in the corner by the bathrooms and the little water tower on the park map. Grumpy and Sarge got a head start and when Sarge and I arrived we were magically transported back to the 80's and our youth (OK, mine). Foreigner was playing "Waiting for a Girl Like You" and all the arcade game were the ones I played for hours in college and after. Then there it was...the game I excelled at in the 80's....

How quickly the moves come back, arm twitch, foot kick, rapid fire sequence, dodging the bombarding aliens.... Let's just say it's a good thing I ran out of tokens and someone took my spot while I looked around. I guess I know where my guys get their love of video gaming. LOL!

The Muppet's 3-D was now a short showing of TRON. Unfortunately it was like an extended commercial to watch the newer TRON movie. Oh well, it didn't cost us any extra.

We took our ride on Soarin' and then Grumpy and Sarge headed back to the room. Donald and I went past the entrance to GCH and purchased a Churro. He was one happy camper that the cart wasn't closed for the night!

The next day was not a magic morning so the plan was to sleep in a bit. Wonder what we'll do on our last full day at DL?