PHXscuba's Club 33 Christmas

[kaoden39]

I pick Goofy's Kitchen for the birthday meal. To me it's just more festive.


As far as hotels I had the good fortune to stay in the Disneyland Hotel in 2011 right after they finished the refurb on two of the towers. The room was amazing so nice. One of the things I love the most about the DLH versus PP and GCH is the room size. The rooms in the PP are nearly as big but not quite.


But, if I may share in February my DH and I celebrated our 20th anniversary and we stayed at the Ayres Hotel on Katella. We absolutely fell in love with the place. From hominess of the place to the wonderful breakfast they served. It is off of the beaten path and I really liked that aspect of it. At the end of the day it was nice to relax away from the hubbub. The ART stops right in front of the door of the hotel and it is the second stop after the Amtrak station so normally it is empty when it picks you up. I really enjoyed our stay.

 

[PHXscuba]

I pick Goofy's Kitchen for the birthday meal. To me it's just more festive.


As far as hotels I had the good fortune to stay in the Disneyland Hotel in 2011 right after they finished the refurb on two of the towers. The room was amazing so nice. One of the things I love the most about the DLH versus PP and GCH is the room size. The rooms in the PP are nearly as big but not quite.


But, if I may share in February my DH and I celebrated our 20th anniversary and we stayed at the Ayres Hotel on Katella. We absolutely fell in love with the place. From hominess of the place to the wonderful breakfast they served. It is off of the beaten path and I really liked that aspect of it. At the end of the day it was nice to relax away from the hubbub. The ART stops right in front of the door of the hotel and it is the second stop after the Amtrak station so normally it is empty when it picks you up. I really enjoyed our stay.

Part of the appeal of staying onsite (besides the EE) is being close enough to leave the parks and walk back to the hotel. One thing that makes DL so much easier than WDW is not having to take a bus to go anywhere.

I see us going back after lunch to enjoy the room and the amenities. Here's what would likely happen if we do:

DH would take a nap
I would try to shop through DTD
The girls would want to swim
The boys would play their Nintendo DSs

So we would all be rested after doing something different.

I had forgotten that the DLH rooms are the biggest -- this is a big plus for me with four kids sharing a room. My 6-foot DS16 and wiggly DS7 don't share a bed well, which means a cot or something on the floor. So we use every square foot!

I need to do a little more research on the DLH since we stayed there pre-reno.
--I like the menu for Tangaroa Terrace.
--The pool time is iffy in March (we're AZ wimps who are used to warm pool water).
--We got the back tower last time and I'd prefer something a little closer.

PHXscuba

 

[kaoden39]

I know that there are couches in some of the rooms that turn into beds so that might help.


Going back to the room is a plus especially if it is hot and you are having long days. The ground of the hotel are so nice too.



You can find menus for all of the restaurants here.

If you call you can put in a request for a certain tower. I did this once and got the tower I wanted and the next time it didn't work so it is hit or miss.

 

[PHXscuba]

I know that there are couches in some of the rooms that turn into beds so that might help.


Going back to the room is a plus especially if it is hot and you are having long days. The ground of the hotel are so nice too.



You can find menus for all of the restaurants here.

If you call you can put in a request for a certain tower. I did this once and got the tower I wanted and the next time it didn't work so it is hit or miss.

Good thought on the couches! I just bookmarked the DLH superthread and when I have a block of time I'm gonna learn more about the room types. Last time we stayed there it was with a big group so I was just happy to have connecting rooms (overlooking a parking lot)! Our travel agent never put our connecting-room request in, and luckily I called the DLH the day before confirm. So no special views last time.

I guess I never think of Disneyland as "hot" because we are in AZ, where it's still 95 degrees here this week! I think spring break should be pretty nice weather; it's more the "long days" I worry about.

I have the AllEars menus permanently bookmarked

PHXscuba

 

[kaoden39]

Good thought on the couches! I just bookmarked the DLH superthread and when I have a block of time I'm gonna learn more about the room types. Last time we stayed there it was with a big group so I was just happy to have connecting rooms (overlooking a parking lot)! Our travel agent never put our connecting-room request in, and luckily I called the DLH the day before confirm. So no special views last time.

I guess I never think of Disneyland as "hot" because we are in AZ, where it's still 95 degrees here this week! I think spring break should be pretty nice weather; it's more the "long days" I worry about.

I have the AllEars menus permanently bookmarked

PHXscuba

The last time I stayed there my bff and I were in what they are calling the Frontier Tower now. The furthest one out and we had a parking lot view, but we were way up there so it was kind of fun too. My favorite tower used to be called Magic, no clue what the new name is. We have had both a pool view in that tower as well as a view of DTD. We liked both. In 2007 we stayed in the main tower with a view of the pool. It was a great fun view.


Yeah, I can see where heat wouldn't be a concern. Bumbershoot (Molly) was there recently and it was 105 degrees in Disneyland. I cannot imagine Disneyland being that hot. We were there for spring break a couple of times and one time it was miserable! There were cheerleaders there, and it was a crowded mess. Plus it was hot, and it made for a miserable trip. But, we went again in 2007 and it was amazing! It was warm enough to swim and no cheerleaders!


I have Allears favorited too! I love check to see if menus have changed and honestly to have an idea of meal costs.

 

[PHXscuba]

So I just read about Disney's new promotion "Limited Time Magic" next year, with every week having a new theme. Some of them seem obvious, like the Fourth of July week, or villains on Friday the 13th in September.

But I am wondering (the over-planner part of me) what we will get? The blog mentioned the Golden Horseshoe Revue coming back for a month, which I would like. It also mentioned "the Dapper Dans sing boy bands." Really? That's a theme week? I can only imagine the brainstorming sessions ...

So I will give Disney some potential other ideas for mid-March:
Hippity Hop week -- tied into Easter coming and some fab music
St. Patrick's Day -- Irish step dancing and lots of green treats
Daylight Savings Time -- begins March 10 -- keep everything open one hour later (earlier? I get confused because we don't switch time in AZ)
World Kidney Day (March 14) -- umm, I got nothing!

*********
Dear Disney:
Please give me a fun and amusing theme for the week, but not something SO fun that every AP holder in California will make a special trip just for this and drive up the crowds so I can't ride Radiator Springs Racers.

Sincerely,
PHXscuba

*********

 

[kaoden39]

Dapper Dan's sing boy bands? Oh my goodness, I can see it now. It's getting late and they need just one more idea and someone comes up with the idea, "I know let's have the Dapper Dan's sing boy bands. Everybody will love that."


I am sure that there are many of us that can give them much better and fulfilled ideas.

 

[PHXscuba]

Dapper Dan's sing boy bands? Oh my goodness, I can see it now. It's getting late and they need just one more idea and someone comes up with the idea, "I know let's have the Dapper Dan's sing boy bands. Everybody will love that."


I am sure that there are many of us that can give them much better and fulfilled ideas.

I know, right? That totally sounds like I made it up!! But it's real, right here!! Must have been a sleep-deprivation idea.

I'm sure someone has already started a thread on the DL or WDW board about "Ideas for Theme Weeks." I am excited to see what they come up with, but a little scared based on that particular gem. I don't envy them trying to come up with 52 GOOD ideas.

PHXscuba

 

[kaoden39]

I know, right? That totally sounds like I made it up!! But it's real, right here!! Must have been a sleep-deprivation idea.

I'm sure someone has already started a thread on the DL or WDW board about "Ideas for Theme Weeks." I am excited to see what they come up with, but a little scared based on that particular gem. I don't envy them trying to come up with 52 GOOD ideas.

PHXscuba

No I don't envy that job either. I am still laughing over the boy band thing. I am envious of the Valentines week. When we went for our 20th anniversary over Valentines day this year they barely even decorated. Boo!!

 

[PHXscuba]

DS16 is currently on his way to California with the marching band. He just texted me that the McDonald's in Blythe has been remodeled and looks nice. He picks the weirdest things to text me with, but I'm glad he does it at all!

The last two years the band has gone to DLR for an afternoon/evening -- first DL in November and then DCA last October. This year, due to time and money, they are taking the band to Medieval Times (poor, poor, knight ). I'm secretly kind of glad he's not going to DL this fall so we can experience the new DCA stuff together as a family next spring -- does that make me a selfish mom?

Of course DS also just gave the thumbs-down to a Mickey-Mouse themed bathroom when I renovate the boys' bathroom over Thanksgiving. He wants something boring like squares or stripes. Where did I go wrong?

PHXscuba

 

[kaoden39]

Boys are funny in the things that they tweet about. My son does this sort of thing all the time. Silly guys!


No, you aren't selfish. I totally get it!

 

[PHXscuba]

So I've been a trip-report slacker lately. Call it "When Weekends Attack". I will be so grateful when marching band and soccer end in a couple weeks. It's not that I don't love the activities, but it's a scheduling nightmare.

I think that's one reason I like family trips so much. We get away from the obligations, the friends, and most of the gadgets. Although we're smushed together for a week in a fraction of our normal personal space and spend so much of each day together, oddly enough our kids get along better. There's less fighting over turns, possessions, video games, attention, etc. They have our undivided attention for once, and almost none of their stuff.

One thing I am sad about is that my kids insist they are outgrowing some of the Disney characters. DD13 and DD10 are SO not into princesses any more. They'll go see Brave or watch Cinderella at home, but they don't want to wear a princess shirt or visit a princess in the park. I think they will slowly return to them as they get older or find new ways -- they are doing the Cinderella ballet at their dance studio this year and DD13 wants desperately to be one of the goofy stepsisters.

And they still like the Fab 5. I will seriously cry if they ever tell me they don't like Mickey Mouse. Today, DD13 is wearing a subtle Mickey Mouse shirt and her Mickey necklace that she got several years ago at DLR. DD10 has a whole wardrobe of Tink, Mickey, Minnie, and Chip/Dale. Since she is tiny she has a much bigger selection than her older sister.

But I do think DS7 is too young to say he's outgrown Cars and Toy Story. Maybe because he's grown up on them? It's makes toy buying much harder when you cut out those two entire aisles of the store. I think about 80 percent of Disney boy toys are Cars or Toy Story. Luckily he LOVES Phineas and Ferb, in fact he's wearing a P&F shirt right now.

It means we don't stand in tons of character lines at the park. We'll have to see Tigger (more on that later) and I'll ask each kid who they want to see most. And you have to see Mickey -- I think it's against the Disney Law to go to the park and not visit with the Big Cheese himself.

So how did you deal with your kids getting "too big" for some of the Disney characters?

Are there any really fun characters we should look for who aren't as popular?

Which characters are "must-do" or tradition for you on every trip?

PHXscuba

 

[tksbaskets]

So I've been a trip-report slacker lately. Call it "When Weekends Attack". I will be so grateful when marching band and soccer end in a couple weeks. It's not that I don't love the activities, but it's a scheduling nightmare.

I think that's one reason I like family trips so much. We get away from the obligations, the friends, and most of the gadgets. Although we're smushed together for a week in a fraction of our normal personal space and spend so much of each day together, oddly enough our kids get along better. There's less fighting over turns, possessions, video games, attention, etc. They have our undivided attention for once, and almost none of their stuff.

One thing I am sad about is that my kids insist they are outgrowing some of the Disney characters. DD13 and DD10 are SO not into princesses any more. They'll go see Brave or watch Cinderella at home, but they don't want to wear a princess shirt or visit a princess in the park. I think they will slowly return to them as they get older or find new ways -- they are doing the Cinderella ballet at their dance studio this year and DD13 wants desperately to be one of the goofy stepsisters.

And they still like the Fab 5. I will seriously cry if they ever tell me they don't like Mickey Mouse. Today, DD13 is wearing a subtle Mickey Mouse shirt and her Mickey necklace that she got several years ago at DLR. DD10 has a whole wardrobe of Tink, Mickey, Minnie, and Chip/Dale. Since she is tiny she has a much bigger selection than her older sister.

But I do think DS7 is too young to say he's outgrown Cars and Toy Story. Maybe because he's grown up on them? It's makes toy buying much harder when you cut out those two entire aisles of the store. I think about 80 percent of Disney boy toys are Cars or Toy Story. Luckily he LOVES Phineas and Ferb, in fact he's wearing a P&F shirt right now.

It means we don't stand in tons of character lines at the park. We'll have to see Tigger (more on that later) and I'll ask each kid who they want to see most. And you have to see Mickey -- I think it's against the Disney Law to go to the park and not visit with the Big Cheese himself.

So how did you deal with your kids getting "too big" for some of the Disney characters?

Are there any really fun characters we should look for who aren't as popular?

Which characters are "must-do" or tradition for you on every trip?

PHXscuba

I hear you! We enjoy our Disney vacations for just what you said - we are away from distractions and enjoy time together as a family.

To answer your questions. Our family is DH, Me, DS 21, DS 21. Being 'excited' about the characters went away a while ago. Their love for their mom and excitement of a Disney family vacation is alive and kickin'

how did you deal with your kids getting "too big" for some of the Disney characters?

In all seriousness, if the lines aren't long and it's a character I'd like to have a pic with I usually just ask for indulgence from my men. "It would mean a lot to me" I don't think of asking when it's magic morning time or the line is long!

The other way is to plan character meals that are good food PLUS characters are around. Tusker House at AK, GCH Storytellers, Goofy's Kitchen. They know if they want mom/dad to pay for dinner they will be around when the characters come to the table They do tease me about 'oh look - here comes Goofy, time to get another plate'.

They will usually indulge me for the free Disney Visa photo shoot too! DSs were 19yo here.

Just wanted you to have proof that older children will still have pictures taken with the characters.

You will need to change your expectations a bit as your children grow up but we are proof that a love of Disney and wonderful family trips are possible way beyond when your babies are babies. Hey - we even sleep in some days and get to the park at lunch. Unheard of a few years ago.

We started going to Disney with our boys when they were 7. They'll almost be 22 when we go this December. I hope we have years of precious family trips in our future.

 

[kaoden39]

There are some characters they never outgrow. But, I cheat just in case there is a character they don't want to see like the Princesses. We travel as a group with friends who have a young daughter. She is now 6 years old and I still have a few years of having a companion. The last two trips I went on were without any kids. In 2011 I stood in almost every line I could find with Duffy to get his picture taken with the characters. I was making a book for my great nephew with Duffy. Then in February for our 20th anniversary DH and I stood in line for as many characters as we could to get our pictures taken. We had a ball!

 

[PHXscuba]

My kids are pretty good about humoring me if I want photos. They know I don't have the patience to stand in line for every character. I try to prioritize what we want most and not stand in very many long lines. Older DS always rolls his eyes at home when I talk about character pictures, but I think he's genuinely smiling in every one I can think of.

******Switching gears, is everyone as happy as me that Disney is buying Lucasfilm?? If Lucas is going to sell, I'm glad Disney got it. Behind Disney, I'd rank Star Wars among my favorite concepts. My father took me to see Star Wars when it first came out -- I was not quite 5. I cannot imagine taking a kid that young to Star Wars today. Despite Darth Vader nightmares I grew to love the series. I rode Star Tours for the first time when it was still in soft openings in December 1986. I rode the old version for the last time the weekend before it closed in July 2010. Bookends! We rode the new Star Tours 3D at WDW last year and I'm excited to ride it again at DLR because I heard it's even better!

*And* Lucasfilm also includes Indiana Jones, another all-time favorite of mine. (I know, I have weird taste in movies for a girl. I also love James Bond movies. )

If you come back tomorrow, I promise a boatload of Halloween photos!! Cute little kids in costume!! DCA Halloween stuff that no longer exists!!

PHXscuba

 

[rentayenta]

I'm in. Now back to catch up.

 

[PHXscuba]

I'm in. Now back to catch up.

Welcome aboard!

I need to go catch up on your WDW trip. We had so much fun there last October!

PHXscuba

 

[tksbaskets]

My kids are pretty good about humoring me if I want photos. They know I don't have the patience to stand in line for every character. I try to prioritize what we want most and not stand in very many long lines. Older DS always rolls his eyes at home when I talk about character pictures, but I think he's genuinely smiling in every one I can think of.

******Switching gears, is everyone as happy as me that Disney is buying Lucasfilm?? If Lucas is going to sell, I'm glad Disney got it. Behind Disney, I'd rank Star Wars among my favorite concepts. My father took me to see Star Wars when it first came out -- I was not quite 5. I cannot imagine taking a kid that young to Star Wars today. Despite Darth Vader nightmares I grew to love the series. I rode Star Tours for the first time when it was still in soft openings in December 1986. I rode the old version for the last time the weekend before it closed in July 2010. Bookends! We rode the new Star Tours 3D at WDW last year and I'm excited to ride it again at DLR because I heard it's even better!

*And* Lucasfilm also includes Indiana Jones, another all-time favorite of mine. (I know, I have weird taste in movies for a girl. I also love James Bond movies. )

If you come back tomorrow, I promise a boatload of Halloween photos!! Cute little kids in costume!! DCA Halloween stuff that no longer exists!!

PHXscuba

I'm super happy about the merger. There was a link on fb to Eiger's press/phone conference talking about the merger. How Lucas knew Disney would take good care of his branded icons. Something like "we know iconic characters and how to preserve and protect them".

One of our favorite, although HOT, Disney vacations was to DHS for Star Wars Weekend. It is well worth the trip for any Star Wars lover. There is a link in my signature if anyone cares to see what my family looks like sweating like pigs while having pictures taken with Wookies.

 

[PHXscuba]

As promised ... cute kids in Halloween costumes (warning: sugar overload)

This is not a Halloween costume but it is one of my all-time favorite pictures of B, who is now 13 with stick-straight hair. They did the Mickey Mouse March tap dance for her first dance recital. Now she's en pointe.

My younger daughter K was Tinkerbell at 4 and Cinderella at 5.

B doing her best Jasmine impression at age 7.

This is B (right) with her BFF. BFF is the daughter of my BFF (who went to Disneyland at Christmas with me a couple years ago). We both bought this Sleeping Beauty costume for our girls without knowing it! They still dress alike without meaning to!

My younger DS S made a very cute Tigger. DH saw me uploading this photo last night and remarked again how cute DS was in it (remember Tigger is DH's favorite)

Same DS as Captain Hook a couple years later.

This year, B is going as Katniss from Hunger Games (she looks really good as her), K is a bumblebee, and S is a ninja. We don't let B or DS16 trick-or-treat (they're taller than most of the people handing out candy!) but DS16 will likely wear a Darth Vader mask and help me hand out candy, and B and her cousin are taking a friend's little kids around for her.​

More pictures later!

 

[Sherry E]

I don't think those kids could be any cuter!