PHXscuba's Club 33 Christmas

[tksbaskets]

Glad you are home safe and sound! I'll be monitoring my email for the notice that there is action on your thread.

TK

 

[Lynne G]

Thanks to all for the well wishes while we were traveling.

We are back home, safe and sad I miss CA already and Disneyland too. It was nice to spend some time with my parents for a couple days and we will be seeing them for a family event over here in a couple weeks.

I probably won't start the TR for a couple days. I have to hold it out as the incentive for me to get some work done before I let myself dive in. But never fear, I was taking notes on my phone every day so I could remember everything. I was just scrolling through the pictures I took and I have never seen so many goofy faces as this trip!

And I never ate a churro

So "watch this space" for something middle of the week.

PHXscuba

p.s. I just noticed I hit 2000 posts yesterday!!

Woot, glad you had a great trip. Take it easy. getting back into routine after vacation is always a chore unto itself. Love to see the pictures.

 

[kaoden39]

I'm glad you had safe travels!

 

[PHXscuba]

The Prologue (and disclaimers)

I am almost ready to start the real trip report ... tonight if I get some time. But I thought I'd start with a short intro for those who don't want to wade through 19 pages to see how we got here!!

We traveled to Disneyland March 10-14. We stayed in the Paradise Pier Hotel and had 4-day parkhoppers. My original plan was to scheme my way into an AP -- and that dream miraculously came true!!

My family consists of me, DH, DS16, DD13, DD10, and DS 7-turning-8, who shall be referred to as DS8 for consistency's sake throughout our journey. Special guest appearance on our third park day by ....? Photos of us and the kids are all posted on the first page of the pre-trip report, but don't worry, you'll be seeing lots of them soon enough!

Things you WILL and WON'T see in this trip report:

-- You won't see a lot of artful landscape photos of park icons, etc. My family is in about 95 percent of the pictures. If that's not what you're looking for, there are some great park photos on lots of other trip reports. This one is mine, mine, mine, as the seagulls would say.

-- You won't see many photos of what we ate, except for a few cherished snacks. My family thinks I'm weird enough anyway without me taking pictures of their food, and I honestly don't think I could have held back the hungry hordes from their plates at most meals.

-- You will see lots of Goofiness. I swear every time I reviewed photos on the camera, someone was making a loopy expression, on purpose. We also did some funny poses on the ride photos.

-- You will get my opinion on what was great, what was missed, what was worth it and what wasn't. I have visited enough to have a good idea of what kind of a standard we can hold Disney to.

I am excited to start writing. You should see my Sanskrit notes -- I'm a bad typist to start with, and I so cannot type on an iPhone keyboard!


PHXscuba

p.s. I think I have a title for the TR -- watch the thread title to see what I came up with. OoooOooo) suspense!

 

[PHXscuba]

I also failed to welcome denluvsdisney to the trip report because it was posted while I was there. Thanks for reading and I hope you had a great time too!

PHXscuba

 

[tksbaskets]

I like the title I will miss the food shots but I totally understand. I get a lot of this "you are in so much troooouuble....you started eating before mom got a picture"

 

[lsulindy]

Things you WILL and WON'T see in this trip report:

-- You won't see a lot of artful landscape photos of park icons, etc. My family is in about 95 percent of the pictures. If that's not what you're looking for, there are some great park photos on lots of other trip reports. This one is mine, mine, mine, as the seagulls would say.

-- You won't see many photos of what we ate, except for a few cherished snacks. My family thinks I'm weird enough anyway without me taking pictures of their food, and I honestly don't think I could have held back the hungry hordes from their plates at most meals.

-- You will see lots of Goofiness. I swear every time I reviewed photos on the camera, someone was making a loopy expression, on purpose. We also did some funny poses on the ride photos.

I could have written that! Except that I'm a terrible writer! Looking forward to the report.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Haha I have plans the same as you!! When we hit WDW in October for the TOT 10 mile run, I have very big plans to either scheme myself into an AP for WDW, or a premier pass for both parks!! I am going to use the 'coast to coast' runner's medal as a ploy, and maybe a Christmas DL trip so we can see the ride makeovers as another ploy to get Brian to agree.

It's not that I wouldn't be 'allowed' to upgrade on my own, just the fact that I wouldn't have anyone to go with if he doesn't upgrade too.

 

[wiigirl]

In for your TR.

 

[Sherry E]

The Prologue (and disclaimers)

I am almost ready to start the real trip report ... tonight if I get some time. But I thought I'd start with a short intro for those who don't want to wade through 19 pages to see how we got here!!

We traveled to Disneyland March 10-14. We stayed in the Paradise Pier Hotel and had 4-day parkhoppers. My original plan was to scheme my way into an AP -- and that dream miraculously came true!!

My family consists of me, DH, DS16, DD13, DD10, and DS 7-turning-8, who shall be referred to as DS8 for consistency's sake throughout our journey. Special guest appearance on our third park day by ....? Photos of us and the kids are all posted on the first page of the pre-trip report, but don't worry, you'll be seeing lots of them soon enough!

Things you WILL and WON'T see in this trip report:

-- You won't see a lot of artful landscape photos of park icons, etc. My family is in about 95 percent of the pictures. If that's not what you're looking for, there are some great park photos on lots of other trip reports. This one is mine, mine, mine, as the seagulls would say.

-- You won't see many photos of what we ate, except for a few cherished snacks. My family thinks I'm weird enough anyway without me taking pictures of their food, and I honestly don't think I could have held back the hungry hordes from their plates at most meals.

-- You will see lots of Goofiness. I swear every time I reviewed photos on the camera, someone was making a loopy expression, on purpose. We also did some funny poses on the ride photos.

-- You will get my opinion on what was great, what was missed, what was worth it and what wasn't. I have visited enough to have a good idea of what kind of a standard we can hold Disney to.

I am excited to start writing. You should see my Sanskrit notes -- I'm a bad typist to start with, and I so cannot type on an iPhone keyboard!


PHXscuba

p.s. I think I have a title for the TR -- watch the thread title to see what I came up with. OoooOooo) suspense!

PHX -

That's a very cute title! You're good at coming up with titles - I'm still hoping to one day be able to use the "Nightmare Before Christmas" title that you suggested for my December 2011 TR (even though it would mean that my trip would have to go awry in some way to merit that title!).

Don't we know who made the special appearance on Day 3? You mentioned earlier that you met another DIS'er in line for RSR (I'm not mentioning her name because I don't know if you are building the suspense as to who it is). Or is there someone else who made an appearance?

It's always a fun idea to let people know up front what they will or won't see in a TR and what you did or did not get accomplished on the trip, but I think that the majority of folks who read these TR's have families. Thus, they want to read about and see photos of what other families like yours did so they can apply whatever information they gather to their own trips. So, my point is, I would be willing to bet that people would much rather see photos of families enjoying the parks in different ways (like we will see in your TR!) than see artful landscape photos in a TR -- because those family photos are more applicable and comparable to their own trips!

I'm a bad typist, too! Yay! Bad typists unite! The problem is that now that I've been struggling with typing for so many years, my actual handwriting is even worse.

I'm eager to start reading about your trip! It's hard to believe it has now come and gone. It seems like a short time ago when you first had the idea that you might try to go to DLR in early 2013.

If you start plotting to make a Christmas time sojourn to the parks with your new AP, come join us in the new Superthread!

 

[rentayenta]

I'm in too.

 

[PHXscuba]

In for your TR.

Welcome Wiigirl!! Thanks for catching the train as it's leaving. This part should be much more interesting than the months-long lead-up to the trip! At least I hope so!

PHX -

That's a very cute title! You're good at coming up with titles - I'm still hoping to one day be able to use the "Nightmare Before Christmas" title that you suggested for my December 2011 TR (even though it would mean that my trip would have to go awry in some way to merit that title!).

Don't we know who made the special appearance on Day 3? You mentioned earlier that you met another DIS'er in line for RSR (I'm not mentioning her name because I don't know if you are building the suspense as to who it is). Or is there someone else who made an appearance?

It's always a fun idea to let people know up front what they will or won't see in a TR and what you did or did not get accomplished on the trip, but I think that the majority of folks who read these TR's have families. Thus, they want to read and see photos of what other families like yours did so they can apply whatever information they gather to their own trips. So, my point is, I would be willing to bet that people would much rather see photos of families enjoying the parks in different ways (like we will see in your TR!) than see artful landscape photos in a TR -- because those family photos are more applicable and comparable to their own trips!

I'm a bad typist, too! Yay! Bad typists unite! The problem is that now that I've been struggling with typing for so many years, my actual handwriting is even worse.

I'm eager to start reading about your trip! It's hard to believe it has now come and gone. It seems like a short time ago when you first had the idea that you might try to go to DLR in early 2013.

If you start plotting to make a Christmas time sojourn to the parks with your new AP, come join us in the new Superthread!

The "surprise appearance" is not a DISer. I saw Cristy on our first park day.

And yes, I'm definitely planning a Christmas-time visit. For sure.

I can't believe I made it through college and years in journalism with my bad typing skills, but I survived. I type about 50 wpm (with two fingers) but it would be cut in half if you count mistakes!

Random Disney notes for the week before I start into the TR:
1. The DDs just got their music for their piano recital -- DD13 is playing a POTC theme and DD10 is playing "You'll Be In My Heart" from Tarzan -- one of DH's favorite (big PHil Collins fan).
2. DS16 is back in California on his band trip. He took my Photopass+ card to get some more goofy ride photos with his buddies. So I can't order my CD til his weekend photos show up. He found out right before leaving that they get to go to DTD on Friday night as well as the parks Saturday.

PHXscuba

 

[PHXscuba]

Day 1 -- AZ to CA (Mar. 9, 2013)

I am such a mean mommy. I made my kids do their Saturday chores before we left -- vacuuming, bathrooms, yard, etc. DH dropped off the dog at the boarding place.There was no way I was coming home to intelligent mold, thigh-high weeds, and dust bunnies impersonating my Labrador.

Plus, we couldn't even leave until 3 p.m. My nephew was having his 8th birthday party, and he and DS8 are practically twins. So we took DS8 to his cousin's and then packed up during the party.

Those of you who read the PTR report (back on page 16) saw my poor van that was in an accident. I have had a rental van since (still a week until it is done being fixed). I have packed MY van's trunk with 6 people's cruise luggage for a week and it barely crests the backseat! We started loading the trunk of the Dodge rental and quickly realized that it has much less space than our Honda. I only had three large suitcases and a rolling cooler! FAIL. So we re-arranged a few things, divided them differently and got it all in eventually. Don't get me started on the backseat legroom.

We picked DS8 up from his cousin's party, made everyone use the bathroom one last time, and topped off the gas tank (which I also discovered is smaller than mine). On the road leaving Phoenix's East Valley about 3:30. No traffic leaving Phoenix for a change.

We ate lunch at the McDonald's in Blythe. They gutted it last summer and pretty much started over and it is very nice. The kids were really hungry and gobbled their food fast. The GPS said the van was only stopped for 13 minutes!!

I realized it was getting dark quickly and that I'd better take a few photos before I lost the light. I think DS16 looks handsomer-than-usual in this picture.

We got lucky the cloud cover came down low, cutting down on that time when the sun is right in your eyes heading west.

I love taking pictures of clouds and sunsets. I have a whole album of sunset/cloud pictures from our trip to Maui last year.

Ahh, that moment when the mountains finally block the sun for good in the evening. The little lone cloud reminded me of the Pixar short "Partly Cloudy" that played before "Up."

DD13, illuminated by the glow of her iPod Touch. Very Haunted Mansion.

​

Thanks to the army of electronic gadgets we took along, the ride was pretty peaceful and DH and I actually got to talk some. We rolled into Huntington Beach around 8:30 CA time (9:30 AZ time), meaning it only took 6 hours; about the best time we ever make.

We threw all the kids in bed and talked to my parents for awhile. Right around 9:35, we heard the muffled thumps of the Disneyland fireworks from Anaheim and I got even more excited.

Best line of the evening, from DS8, of course: (passing the prison out in the middle of nowhere along I-10): "So that's where you go when you cross the law?"

PHXscuba

 

[Sherry E]

I love the sunset photos (you know I'm a sunrise/sunset/dusk fan!)! It's always fascinating to watch interesting cloud formations in the sky.

I was wondering about the status of your van, so you answered my question. You still have one more week until you get it back?

 

[lsulindy]

love the sky pics!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I fought the law, and the law won.

Road trips on the way to vacation are the best. So much excitement.

 

[Jaina]

The Prologue (and disclaimers)

Things you WILL and WON'T see in this trip report:

-- You won't see a lot of artful landscape photos of park icons, etc. My family is in about 95 percent of the pictures. If that's not what you're looking for, there are some great park photos on lots of other trip reports. This one is mine, mine, mine, as the seagulls would say.

-- You won't see many photos of what we ate, except for a few cherished snacks. My family thinks I'm weird enough anyway without me taking pictures of their food, and I honestly don't think I could have held back the hungry hordes from their plates at most meals.

These two made me LOL. Sounds like my trip report. I seldom think to take pictures of our food, whether at home or "abroad..." and my kids are in most of my pictures too. THey would be in all of them, probably, if I wasn't taking some pictures with thoughts of having pics for the "ABC's of Disneyland game."

Excited to follow your TR and see how it all goes!

 

[kaoden39]

I always think that the trip is about the family. Plus so many times I just forget to take pictures except of the family. Love the start of the trip report.

I didn't realize that the Honda had more space. That may be the van I get next then.

 

[PHXscuba]

I love the sunset photos (you know I'm a sunrise/sunset/dusk fan!)! It's always fascinating to watch interesting cloud formations in the sky.

I was wondering about the status of your van, so you answered my question. You still have one more week until you get it back?

10 days to settle with the other lady's insurance (which I just found out is the high-risk kind for people who have bad driving records ), 10 days to get it disassembled and enough parts to tell how badly it was damaged, new damage estimate and need more parts, now 10 days until I get it back! NO FUN

I fought the law, and the law won

I always think that the trip is about the family. Plus so many times I just forget to take pictures except of the family. Love the start of the trip report.

I didn't realize that the Honda had more space. That may be the van I get next then.

I'm not going to bash the Dodge Caravan because there are a few neat things about it, but I LOVE my Honda -- it's my second Honda van. The trunk has a deeper well and it's longer too. PM me if you want more comparisons.

These two made me LOL. Sounds like my trip report. I seldom think to take pictures of our food, whether at home or "abroad..." and my kids are in most of my pictures too. THey would be in all of them, probably, if I wasn't taking some pictures with thoughts of having pics for the "ABC's of Disneyland game."

Excited to follow your TR and see how it all goes!

If I was traveling solo or just adults I would have many more artistic photos -- I actually love taking them despite my little Canon point-and-shoot. But the go-go-go of a family vacation doesn't really lend itself to quiet contemplation of a subject!

love the sky pics!

Thanks. I can't believe I caught anything through the window at 75 mph. Lucky I got the pictures before the bugs clotted the windshield!

PHXscuba

 

[Sherry E]

Which Canon camera do you have? Canon point & shoots are good little cameras! I use one. Mariezp uses one. Deejdigsdis uses one. Point & shoots are much better than they used to be in the old, old days of digital cameras.

I just found a whole Point & Shoot photo thread over in the Photography section of the board, and some of those photos do not look like P&S pics at all. Some of them look like DSLR-caliber photos.


So the woman who hit your van had a bad driving record? Yikes. She should start taking the bus, before she injures someone.