Pre-trip report! Holiday magic at the DLR

[rentayenta]

Cast: me (38) , DH (41) , DD (10) , DD (8) , and DS (5) .

When: Disneyland December 10-17, 2007.

Where: Paradise Pier Hotel; room with a view.

Transportation: Drive. I. Hate. To. Fly. I know that I will have to fly to WDW and have flown many times before but if given the option, I will choose to drive any day! DH and the kidlets love to fly but not me. It raises my already high anxiety level to intolerable heights. I know my limitations. We are in Utah and about 11 hours away from my door to Disneyland's. It's only 6 Disney movies away. Less if you watch Mary Poppins. On the way to Anaheim we stay the night in Vegas for a couple of reasons. One is to ensure an early arrival time on check in day to ensure the best room possible and two, because it's Vegas baybee! We drive straight through on the way home.

History: Our first trip to Disneyland during the holidays was in December 2004. It was pure magic and when DH turned from Disney muggle into Disney enjoyer. Still not a Disney lover but I am working on that.

In 2005 we went during the holidays again and enjoyed another fabulous trip.

December 2006: we had our reservations, tickets paid for, the whole sha-bang. 2006 was also the year we built our beautiful new home. Life being what it is, there was not enough money for vacation so sadly we had to cancel. I was extremely disappointed. I love my new home but building was very stressful and this was the light at the end of the tunnel for me. DH had got to go to Mexico for his 40th and various trips for "business" so he was not nearly as upset. The kids handled it amazingly well.

Fast forward to the present. I booked this trip through Costco about a week ago. 4 nights at the PPH, character breakfast, $20 gift card, and entry into Mickey's ToonTown Madness; all included in the package along with 5 day Hoppers. We are really looking forward to this as ToonTown seems to get really crowded very early on. I am still waiting and hoping that Expedia or one of the others will offer the 4th night free deal but for now I am trying to be patient and waiting to book the last 3 nights.

Curently I am searching for PPH deals for the last 3 nights and deciding on which character meal to choose. I have already started shopping for the kids. Because we will be there during Hanukkah, I bought plush Mickeys holding a dreidel for all 3 kidlets. I bought DH and DS Jack hoodies. I bought the girls Disney glow bracelets. I still have lots of shopping to do!

I am also looking for a good deal for December 9 in Sin City.

To be continued....................


Thanks for reading!


~Jenny

 

[disneyfanatic4]

Congratulations on your trip! Looking forward to hearing about all the planning you will be doing.

 

[rentayenta]

Congratulations on your trip! Looking forward to hearing about all the planning you will be doing.

Thanks! Your trip is really close. You must be so excited?!

I did find a few good deals on Expedia for Vegas. I am leaning towards the MGM Grand at $90 a night.

Planning is so much fun! DH says to me this morning: Don't you think you should start planning Disneyland for this December? Love the man but his skills of observation need a little fine tuning.

 

[disneyfanatic4]

Yes, our trip is getting closer every day. I am very excited. Whenever my family sees me on the computer they know I am doing something in regards to Disneyland. I think I am more addicted now then when I was a child.

 

[rentayenta]

Yes, our trip is getting closer every day. I am very excited. Whenever my family sees me on the computer they know I am doing something in regards to Disneyland. I think I am more addicted now then when I was a child.

I know the feeling! I grew up in California about 10 minutes from Disneyland. I loved it as a child but I think moving away has made me appreciate it more than ever! My kids never have to worry about when we'll go back because they know, we'll always go back!


Feel free to post any details that you want to share about trip in here.

 

[rentayenta]

Update: Booked the MGM Grand for December.


The even better news is that I have conformation that our very dears friends and her children, soon to be his, will be there Dec. 14-16! And another lovely lady and her DD will be there the 10th and 11th!

Yesterday I bought bubble blowers for the kids while waiting in line. $5.99 each. Got my little Buzz Lightyear and the two Ariel and Pooh.

 

[rentayenta]

Crocs: sell me on them. I want to like them, to know the magic that is the Croc but they are so hideous! I keep reading how fabulous they are for the parks. December in So Cal is not warm and my Reef's are fine for the day but my toes freeze if I wear them at night. Do you wear them with socks? Does that break the forbidden no socks with sandals rule?


Shoes are part of trip planning, right?

 

[disneyfanatic4]

You don't know how many times I have thought the exact same thing. I see people wearing them all the time but I just don't find them appealing at all. Maybe if you buy some and wear them around the house, as slippers, they would grow on you. I have heard how comfortable they are but since I am going in the summertime I will just stick with my flip flops.

 

[rentayenta]

You don't know how many times I have thought the exact same thing. I see people wearing them all the time but I just don't find them appealing at all. Maybe if you buy some and wear them around the house, as slippers, they would grow on you. I have heard how comfortable they are but since I am going in the summertime I will just stick with my flip flops.

Update: Crocs purchased but not for myself. I just can't do it! DS (5) got navy blue Crocs and DD (8) got Sketchers' version of the Croc in light blue. Hers came with 4 charms. I am going to have to find the Disney charms between now and the trip.


Last week the kids wrote Mickey and Minnie letters saying how excited they were to come see them again. They drew pictures too. I called Guest Services to get an address and the CM told me to mail the pictures and letters with a small note from me telling who each child's favorite is and they will send back a glossy 8x10 signed and some other little goodies. Disney magic at it's finest! I can't wait for them to receive their things in the mail. They will be so excited! I love having the planning be enjoyable for them too.

 

[rentayenta]

Just wanted to add a few pics from previous magical Disneyland holiday vacations:

DS with Cinderella

Family with Pooh Bear

DD2 and DS with Mulan

DD1 in Huntington Beach

All three with Minnie

DS with Pluto

IASW Holiday

Pluto needing a cute snack



Thanks for reading along.

 

[rentayenta]

Found a local store that sells Jibbitz for the kids' Crocs! Looks like they will be getting some Jibbitz from the Bunny on Sunday. They will get some that they can wear now and Disney ones for later. The Disney ones will go in the Disney trip bag!


I love when a plan comes together!

 

[disneyfanatic4]

The pictures you posted were adorable. I especially loved the one with your DS and Cinderalla. The look on his face says it all .

 

[rentayenta]

The pictures you posted were adorable. I especially loved the one with your DS and Cinderalla. The look on his face says it all .

Thank you. Cinderella left a big red kiss on his cheek that he wore proudly all day.



The kids received their autographed 8 x 10 photos, stickers, and postcards today. The envelope was addressed to them with a big Disneyland on the front. They about flipped out when I told them they had something from Disneyland and it took about everything in them not to rip through it. They opened it and all got these huge grins on their faces. Gabby (10) wrote a letter of thanks for me to mail back. Thankfully DH was home when they opened it so he could see the magic first hand. My little s and are very happy campers!

 

[rentayenta]

Update: Still haven't found a good deal for the last 3 nights. If anyone sees anything please let me know.

Character meal: We are deciding between Minnie and Friends and Storyteller's. We have done Ariel's our last 3 trips and it's wonderful to not have to stand in line to see the Princesses but Chloe and Joshua are really wanting to see Pooh and the gang this time. The lines to see them in Critter Country are always outrageous. I am going to need to research if they are at any of the character meals.

Maybe this means we need to do 2 character meals.

Thanks for reading!

 

[rentayenta]

Trip report officially on hold due to the fact that our good friends found amazingly cheap flights to WDW and now it looks as though we will do WDW in September and skip Disneyland in December.

Either way it's all good!