Pre-Trip Report: Turkey Day with the Mouse 2012

[mariezp]

Hot diggity! Today is a pretty special day because as anyone knows who has ever counted down to a big trip when you hit the 200 day mark it is very exciting!..... BUT guess what? I missed the 200th day to start my pre-trip report…. BUT today marks only 199 days until our annual family vacation at Disneyland!!! I have no idea why I decided to start a pre-TR…. Lord knows I have enough trouble getting the real deal part of a trip report done… but anyway, I guess I am thinking it will give me something “useful” to do to help pass the next 6 months, 4 weeks and 3 days. So climb aboard and help me pass some time and get to planning.

So, here’s what I do know so far……

Our trip for 2012 will be officially November 17 – December 1. That’s right a full 2 week trip and will include Thanksgiving in the park! I can’t wait!

We already have our nice official reservations made for the full 2 weeks (no relocating mid trip like in our 2011 trip) at Dolphin’s Cove. We stayed with them one week last year for our very first time. The family loved it and is so looking forward to staying there again. My husband has told me several times already that he can’t wait to get back there. My one and only issue with our new found lodging is the distance to the park. For the previous 10 years we had always stayed at the Anaheim Desert Inn which is practically across the street from the park. I have been so spoiled to popping right over to the park in a matter of minutes. It takes a bit more time to make the trek to the park but I am confident that I will adjust and be completely satisfied with our new lodging in no time at all even if it does require a little extra time getting around.

So far the dates and our temporary home away from home are the only 2 things I have got lined out. I am, of course, currently keeping a close watch out for a great deal on airfare but so far the cost is still sky high. I caught a fantastic bargain last year in June and am hoping that I have the same sort of luck again this year. In the meantime, I will twiddle my thumbs, try to stay up to date with all the latest Disneyland info and spend many a day caught up in some serious daydreaming.

 

[mariezp]

Alrighty, just what did I do today to help me pass the time til our trip? As many of my fellow Disney lovers probably do, I started my day perusing my e-mail looking for any great Disney news. Not a whole lot for the day but I did follow a link and read up on the Jolly Holiday Bakery. I am very excited about trying their quiche and a varied assortment of their other yummy sounding goodies. They had a nice video so I got to see a little sneak peek so I'll share it with you just in case you have not seen it yet. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/05/all-about-the-details-at-jolly-holiday-bakery-cafe-at-disneyland-park/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DisneyParks+%28Disney+Parks+Blog%29.
Of course, once I got started looking at menus I ended up drifting over to see if anything was new at Blue Bayou and a few other dining options too. By the time I was through browsing menus I am pretty sure I was drooling on my keyboard.

I also ended up watching Sarah's latest Micechat video. Here's a link in case you want to check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz_BsuE7Vxk&feature=uploademail. I for one know I am looking forward to Starbucks coming to the park. Life will be so good touring the Happiest Place on Earth with a White Chocolate Mocha in my hand.... or an occasional Vanilla Bean Frappuchino.

Next on my agenda for the day was to head on over to the American Airlines site to see if they might have come out with any air fare deals today. It's been my experience that the majority of sales seem to show up on Tuesday or Wednesday. Not this week.... so the search will continue.

I checked our snail mail today and had one of those wonderful Disney envelopes arrived! The Disney Fund Fairy sent us a gift card to apply to our vacation fund. So far we have $500 to put towards meals and souvenirs.

Also sorta Disney related....
I pre-ordered John Carter on my Disney Movie Rewards account. Haven't heard a lot about it but it looks like the sort of movie the guys would like so we'll give it a try.

Sad news for the day. My poor little Mickey head wine stopper that I just got from WDW in April broke off his little cork today. Didn't figure he was really going to be all that sturdy. Looks like for now what's left of him is just going to hang out in the china cabinet. He might make a good replacement for a lost chess piece.


My favorite Disney related fun for the day was sitting on our front porch with my son and reading our Disneyland Detective book. Always fun learning more detailed info about the park but it was even more special sharing the moment with my son and knowing he is developing a real love for the parks right along with me.

Guess that's about it for the day. Kinda fun when you start thinking about just how many times in a day something Disney related ends up crossing your mind.

Oh yeah! Almost forgot! Only 198 days to go!!!!

 

[mariezp]

This morning was a very good day for Disney related reading.

First, I read a Disney article showcasing the “Storytellers” statue that is going to debut at CA. I love the painting! It does an excellent job of drawing you into the era and evoking a different time and place. As much as my family and I tend to like holding on to how the park used to be for sentimental reasons, I for one, am beginning to get excited about the new transformation taking place. I have a feeling I am going to really be impressed. Now DH and DS are going to be quite a bit harder to convince but I have a feeling that they will come around too. Anyway…. thought I would share the link.
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...ampaign=Feed:+DisneyParks+(Disney+Parks+Blog)

Next, I followed a Facebook link and read an article on Storytellers Café. It’s been on my radar for our next trip so I thought it was a good idea for me to see what someone else thought. Not really a stellar review. However, I am wondering if the food was not all that great why did the guy go back a second time? I know the stuffed banana French toast is wonderful and from the looks of some of the photos I think there are a few other things that look appealing. That dessert plate alone could lure me in! So, now my dilemma remains….to go or not to go….. what will be my answer?
http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/05...el&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed

Of course, when I got to the end of the page I also noticed more dining review links so I ventured off to see what he had to say about the Jolly Holiday Bakery since I plan on heading there during our next stay. Though most of their menu consists of sandwiches that is not really what I am after. I am really looking forward to trying out their quiche and some of the pastries.
http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/01/20/culinary-quest-disneylands-new-jolly-holiday-bakery/

And then since I was already reading and my son has requested we check out some of the DTD dining options this trip I figured I might as well read about Naples since I already had a handy dandy link. I usually generally do not really consider going to an Italian place because we order so much pizza for delivery. However, after looking at the photos of the different pasta dishes I just might be persuaded to add it to ‘the list”. A bit pricey but might be worth trying once. Just gotta remember not to look at the sign on the way in. Am I the only one who finds the guy up there just a little creepy?
http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/07...les-ristorante-e-pizzeria-at-downtown-disney/

Then I got sucked into the French Market review. I had to laugh when I read the part where he was talking about the ambiance. Last year when we were there we tried eating under the awnings just after the end of a rainstorm. It was cold. It was drippy. We were wet. We were all pretty well miserable. As best I can vaguely recall the food was fair. So funny because just a few days ago we were laughing about this sad scenario. Still everyone agreed that it would be worth going back again. This time I am going to make double sure it’s sunny and bright so we can experience the ambiance in a different manner.
http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/08/08/culinary-quest-french-market-at-disneyland/

Next, I moved off of my dining theme and ended up taking a look at a link showcasing the remodeled Main Street's Gibson Girl Ice Cream, Candy Palace and Penny Arcade. All looks great to me. Can’t wait to be there and do a little sampling.
http://micechat.com/forums/disneyla...girl-ice-cream-candy-palace-penny-arcade.html
My final article for the day was a real gem for those of us who have ever been curious about Club 33. Curious I am but after reading this article it doesn’t look like I will be becoming a member anytime soon. Well…. maybe if one of us wins the lottery or something. Oh well. Doesn’t hurt to dream!
http://ocresort.ocregister.com/2012...ns-waiting-list-for-exclusive-club-33/111772/

As you can see I spent a good deal of my morning reading. It was great news on the Disney front but I must confess that I didn’t get much else done at home. Maybe tomorrow I won’t find so many distractions!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I'm here!!

 

[mariezp]

I'm here!!

Welcome! I am so glad you joined me! I know I have not gotten much going yet but I hope you will stick with me and see what happens during the next few months as I delve into planning our trip.

Today didn't register much on the trip planning scale but I did get myself over here and do some reading on the DIS which is something I have not taken the time to do in quite some time. Don't you just love a lazy Saturday?

Anyway, I did run across Riahsha's Vacation of a Lifetime thread and felt the need to leave my comment on her long (15 days in the park) trip plan. I can so relate to loving being able to spend more days than most people get to (or ever even want to) in the park. Our upcoming trip will give us 13 glorious days to spend wandering the Happiest Place on Earth! I am so ready!

Only 195 days!!!!

 

[monkey30]

YAY I am following along as well! Hope to be able to sit down tomorrow and read those links. Today is a bit of a busy day.

 

[mariezp]

YAY I am following along as well! Hope to be able to sit down tomorrow and read those links. Today is a bit of a busy day.

YAY! Always good to have some one else join in. Hope you enjoy the links. There were some pretty good ones in that e-mail round.
I see you are heading for the park in September. That is a pretty good time of year to go. We went in September 2007. It was great for low crowds but unfortunately we also managed to have the luck of being there during record breaking temps! It was 107 degrees one day! I can honestly say after having been to WDW twice now that even that heat was not as bad as in Florida.




This morning I read an article that reminded me that it’s almost time for the good old annual park ticket increases. I preferred when they waited until August, since it is closer to our trip, but last year they got an early start and raised prices in June. With the big reopening in CA it’s probably anyone’s guess what they will do this year. Anyway, now it’s got me to thinking and wondering when I should get our APs. I’ve been comparing the Deluxe and Premium passes to see which one works best in our case. I’m leaning about 95% towards the Premium. Just struggling a little to bring myself to fork over that much money!


Checked airfare today.... still too high. $444 each! Hoping and praying that drops significantly. Sure would like to find something more like last year's $210.



I got an e-mail letting me know that our Photopass pictures from our recent WDW trip were expiring soon. Thankfully I have ordered everything I want which really was not a very hard decision this time around because the photographers really were off. I hope this is not a sign of the way things are going to go from now on. I really love getting the Photopass because it provides one of the rare opportunities that I actually end up in the photos along with the rest of my family. Generally they usually do a good job which is what I expect if I am going to have to pay a premium price to purchase the photos. I really don't mind because IMHO it is a priceless souvenir. However, when the quality of the photos begins to decline it certainly takes away from the value of this service. Here's an example from our WDW trip. Just what do you think? Am I exaggerating or do you also think that it is not to much to expect the Photopass photographer to be able to do a little better job? Is it really to much to think that I shouldn't be leaning, we could be spaced out a little more evenly and possibly centered in the photo?

Thank heavens for being able to edit! However, I really would have liked to have been able to have kept a little more detail in the background. Here's what I actually ended up with after cropping. I realize the castle photo is not the exact copy of the above photo. I had to choose from several that were basically the same but had a little bit different facial expressions but you should be able to get the idea.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I love the photos

 

[mariezp]

Thanks WDWJonasGirl. They did turn out okay with a little cropping.




Today was not a very productive day.

My DD did play the Small World song for me today on a kazoo and my DS joined in on his harmonica. That was good for a smile. Guess that was my Disney fix for the day.


192 days to go!

 

[monkey30]

Finally got to read those links you added! Love disunplugged. I am addicted and go as far as listen to old podcasts for the second time to make sure I didn't miss anything!LOL

The countdowns are great and I am having a hard time waiting for all of it to happen! Guess I better go and create a little more, maybe it will help!

 

[mariezp]

Whew! It's been a busy month! Finally got a chance to pop in here.

monkey30, I hope you enjoyed the extra reading! It is definetly a good thing that there are always so many articles floating around about Disney. It's a good way to keep up with what's going on, updated on changes and an excellent way to pass time until your trip gets here! Always good to see those countdowns ticking away!


179 left days for me!


So, since I last posted I have....

Finally finished reading my book Walt Disney The Triumph The American Imagination by Neil Gabler. Bought it in November 2006 and just now got through!

Made a Disney themed birthday cake for my DH. Not sure if he appreciated it as much as I did but I thought since he is nutty about Disney right along with me and a pilot that it was a perfect fit. I think with him the important thing was that it tasted good!

Bought our PREMIUM ANNUAL PASSES! Did manage to get them before the big price increase so they are still a fantastic bargain for us and will carry us through our next two annual trips. Not so sure what we will do in 2014. Who can even begin to guess what the price will be by then!!!!??? Who even wants to think about that? I guess I lucked out though because my dear sweet hubby said that we would still go no matter what they cost.




Thought I would share a couple links I read fairly recently that I found amusing....

Rubber Duck race at Disneyland
http://ocresort.ocregister.com/2012/05/09/rubber-ducks-race-through-disneylands-its-a-small-world/112527/

Cute Carsland promo video
http://www.disneylandscoop.com/2012/05/top-secret.html

 

[mariezp]

Made it through another birthday around here. No Disney theme this time but I do think DD's zebra cake came out pretty good.

Anyway, that has nothing to do with Disney.... just one of the ways I have been passing my time lately. Now we just have to get through this holiday weekend and then things can get back to normal around here.... which means I can get back to concentrating on the land of Disney.

In recent Disney news, I did see the new photos sent via newsletter of the new Carthay Circle Theatre. I have to say that I am really impressed. It looks beautiful, don't you think? The new fountain looks awesome too!
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/05/first-look-carthay-circle-theatre-at-disney-california-adventure-park/

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/05/carthay-circle-fountain-revealed-at-disney-california-adventure-park/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DisneyParks+%28Disney+Parks+Blog%29

I am getting excited about the next time we enter CA in November. It is going to be amazing. CA is actually going to have it's own HUB! IMHO, everything is such a huge improvement. I love the new way the new buildings tie in together with one theme. Before it was such a hodge podge of so many different styles, yet not one that really looked great. Anyway, I also can't wait to try out the new dining option at the Carthay Circle Theatre. The menu looks interesting. (click on it to enlarge-thank you MousePlanet)
https://twitter.com/MousePlanet/status/205788561574871040/photo/1


I am still trying to work up my excitement for Carsland. I know it is going to be so cool but for some reason it just doesn't grab me nearly as much as the new Buena Vista Street area. Maybe it's because Cars was not a huge hit in our household but then again I think it may be because my mailbox just stays full of updates on construction progress. Maybe I am on overload? One thing is for sure and that is that there are a lot of people who are excited and it is going to be one crazy madhouse in the park on June 15th when Carsland opens. I know I will be glad that I am far far away from the park on that one day!


Still checking on airfare everyday. No luck. Attempted to call Dolphin's Cove this week and combine my reservations since I made each week at a separate time. Sure want to be able to stay in the same room and not have to move. The guy I talked to said he did not have the info up until 2 weeks before we arrive. Seems to me like they would have something in their system way before that. Think I will call again next week just to double check.



Aside from that.... I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!

Almost forgot.... only 174 days!

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Hi!

Jumping onboard! All sounds good so far and it sure is so good to know I am not the only Disney obsessed adult around! I read you TR from your last trip.......the Amtrak one, and I must say I smiled from start to finish!

There just is nothing like a Disneyland holiday! I can't wait for our next trip and we too got annual passes ( not without buying them twice though but that in itself needs a whole thread )

I had to laugh about the stuffed animals with your DD ( who is quite the actor I must say !!! )! My DD has just turned 15 and she still loves to collect them! The last trip we relieved the Disney store and Disneyland of 17 ( yes 17!!! ) and we had to get them back to Australia ( I know what you are thinking..........yep, we had to apy excess baggage!!!!)

So, if your DD is anything like ours, then be prepared for lots more to come!!!

Looking forward to more!

P.S. Loved the cakes!!!

 

[DisneytheKid]

Subscribing!

 

[mariezp]

Hi!

Jumping onboard! All sounds good so far and it sure is so good to know I am not the only Disney obsessed adult around! I read you TR from your last trip.......the Amtrak one, and I must say I smiled from start to finish!

There just is nothing like a Disneyland holiday! I can't wait for our next trip and we too got annual passes ( not without buying them twice though but that in itself needs a whole thread )

I had to laugh about the stuffed animals with your DD ( who is quite the actor I must say !!! )! My DD has just turned 15 and she still loves to collect them! The last trip we relieved the Disney store and Disneyland of 17 ( yes 17!!! ) and we had to get them back to Australia ( I know what you are thinking..........yep, we had to apy excess baggage!!!!)


So, if your DD is anything like ours, then be prepared for lots more to come!!!

Looking forward to more!

P.S. Loved the cakes!!!

Well hello again Minnie Sue Oz!!! I just got through responding to you over on my trip report. Guess it's time to get busy over here now! Thanks for coming on over! Oh, and I am very glad you got a smile reading my TR.

Of course you are not the only Disney obsessed adult around these parts! That's what we are all here for!

I just subscribed to your PTR. Maybe we can swap ideas since we are both planning on being there in the fall. Never hurts to have an extra set of eyes keeping watch for ideas and news.

I totally agree! There really is nothing like a Disneyland holiday! I can think of nowhere else I would rather go. Not looking forward to the day my kids grow up and I have to try to convince my husband that it is okay for just us adults to keep going too. Probably shouldn't worry too much. By that time we'll probably have grandkids so we will still have a good cover story.

Yay! Another AP holder! Although I cannot imagine having to buy them twice. I bet you have a perfectly good explanation for that. I will be sure to keep watch on your report to see if it was a blooper that you managed to straighten out.

You noticed? Yep, my DD is quite a ham. Never a dull moment!

How in the world did you get 17 stuffed animals home???? I hope the word doesn't get out! So far I have limited DD to only 2 or 3 per trip. Sometimes even that many can call for some creative packing.

Subscribing!

Welcome! I do hope you find a little something that interests you. So far I seem to be doing a lot of rambling but I bet as trip time gets closer I will be able to make more posts with a bit more substance to them.


Not much news to report today which is probably good since I don't have much time at the moment. Good news is....

we are down to only 167 days!

 

[mariezp]

Just popping in to share an article I read this morning. It's called History of the Haunted Mansion. Always fun to learn a little something extra about one of your favorite rides. It's a two part-er and here are the links.

http://micechat.com/blogs/the-626/3135-history-haunted-mansion-part-1.html

http://micechat.com/blogs/the-626/3146-history-haunted-mansion-part-2.html

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I'm here!!

 

[mariezp]

Thank you WDWJonasGirl for stopping by and letting me know you were here! Hopefully as my trip gets closer there will be a little more to add around here.

I spent some time this morning brushing up on Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones trivia. My DS and I sat on our front porch and spent a little time reading Disneyland Detective. Fun book with lots of info and interesting tidbits. For example, did you know that all the props in Indy are authentic antiques or movie props from the Indiana Jones series? Or, that the Tiki Room opened in 1963 and is the longest running show in Disneyland? One can just never have too much Disney knowledge!

 

[mariezp]

I officially stand corrected! I previously said that I was having a hard time getting excited about Carsland but after having watch a video of the Radiator Springs Racers I can now say that I can't wait to see it! I thought it was going to be just another race car ride. I had no idea it was going to have all the animatronics and the indoor show building! This is going to be fantastic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ktjTqo-ONc&feature=player_embedded

 

[mariezp]

Oh man! All this excitement about the grand reopening on June 15th has been producing a plethora of interesting articles. I found several today that really peaked my interest so I thought I would share. They all sound like it's going to be amazing!!!

A Walk Down Buena Vista Street

http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/06/11/a-walk-down-buena-vista-street/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-walk-down-buena-vista-street&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed

Another Trip Down Buena Vista Street
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/4XeNqy/micechat.com/5481-trip-down-buena-vista-street/


Preview Dinner at Carthay Circle Restaurant

http://www.disunplugged.com/2012/06/11/preview-dinner-at-carthay-circle-restaurant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preview-dinner-at-carthay-circle-restaurant&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed

And then, of course, there's my friend, Sherry E's thread with a ton of amazing photos from the day she spent at the preview.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1979268&page=180