Pumpkins, and candy, and Mickey, oh my! (TR complete!)

[mommaU4]

Hey Beth!
Thanks for sharing that story. My DD's and I went for a bike ride today. I was telling them, WOW, look at how beautiful it is! It is like out of the entire Universe that we know of we won the ultra-mega lottery to be born here and now. How lucky we are. (long story short).
Giving Thanks,
Melissa

That's nice you guys went for a bike ride together and were able to enjoy the scenery. It's good to stop and look around now and then to remember how lucky we are.

It was her friend's birthday, she was so glad she came, although I think she thinks we're all a bit wacko!!

Just a little bit. She was pretty sneaky herself, so she was definitely getting in to it.

Great Story and so true. Thanks for sharing it.

Sure.






I'm being lazy this morning when I should be cooking. But our dinner is going to be a late one, so I have time. Hope you are all enjoying your day so far!

 

[DisneyLaura]

Beth so glad you finally won DFP, that's great.

That was a great story you shared too.

Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours everyone on the DIS boards.

 

[mommaU4]

Beth so glad you finally won DFP, that's great.

That was a great story you shared too.

Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours everyone on the DIS boards.

Thanks. I am so stuffed!! LOL Time to double check my shopping list. I've convinced Noelle to hit the stores with me tomorrow at 4 a.m.!!

For anyone hitting the sales tomorrow, good luck! I hope you find some great deals.

 

[travelmel]

I just saw your new siggie!

AND CLUB 33?????



That is SO awesome, Beth!

 

[mommaU4]

I just saw your new siggie!

AND CLUB 33?????



That is SO awesome, Beth!

Yep, AND Club 33!!!! I am so super excited. One of the ladies going on the trip this
year worship: Heather/LittleBlackRaincloud) knows someone who is a member, and she was able to get a reservation for a small group to eat Sunday brunch there.

She invited me because she wanted to say thank you to me for planning the trip and getting everyone together. I can't wait!!!

My next TR will be for the Ladies Only Trip in March and it should be a good one between all the craziness of the trip AND now getting to eat there.

 

[mommaU4]

After getting everything taken care of at City Hall we wanted to head over to California Adventure to take our Disney Visa photo. Chip and Dale were there which the kids were happy about.

After the pic we went on Monster's Inc and then took a pic with the Queen. She was so funny. When she saw our DFPs, she was pretending to be mad because she didn't have one and was scolding the CMs and ordering them to go find her some. LOL

I had to pose with my fastpass! I was still all giddy. Yes, I'm a dork, but I was happy.

We made our way to Soarin and used our first tab off our passes. I LOVE that ride. Then the kids wanted to ride on Grizzly Rapids so Ruben and I waited up on the bridge while they went on that. I enjoy that ride, but I was not in the mood to get drenched.
I do love the waterfall there. So pretty, and it really makes you feel like you are someplace other then a theme park in SoCal.

After the rapids ride, it was almost time for the twins and I to head off to our character meal at Ariel's Grotto. I was so excited! I'd never been and had always wanted to. I wasn't expecting much since I'd heard bad reviews about the food and service, but still, I had to see for myself.

Since Ruben and the older kids had no interest in the princesses, they went off on their own. (Found out later they went on Screamin, Golden Zephyr, and to eat at Taste Pilot's Grill)

We checked in for our meal about 10 minutes early, and they asked if I wanted inside or out. I said inside, not realizing it now costs more to sit inside. Oh well. No big deal. No sooner had we sat down to wait when our pager went off and they were ready for us! OK, that was fast!! LOL
We went down a staircase and waited for our turn to take a picture with Ariel.

The girls didn't look to thrilled to be there, LOL, but trust me, they were very excited.

We had a nice table in the middle of the room and our waitress was there immediately giving us menus. I realized quickly that the menu had been changed from what had been posted on another Disney website. You no longer got to choose your appetizer or dessert, just your entree. Which was still fine with me, just sort of confused me at first.

First up was the: Bakery Basket of whole-grain, sourdough-epi and spiral rolls.

Next they filled the three tier tower with: A salad of tender greens, served with Ariel's Grotto house vinaigrette.

And then the: Salami, marinated mozzarella, string cheese, Roma tomatoes, gherkins, olives, red pepper bracelets, watermelon triangles, chilled crunchy veggies with Pesto and Ranch dips, and "Jewels of the Sea" fruit gelatin

I ordered the Herb-Crusted Chicken Breast
Served with Cheddar-herb mashed potatoes and medley of seasonal vegetables.

The girls ordered the Meatball Lollipops
Hearty ground turkey nestled atop spaghetti and house Marinara sauce.
Served with fresh fruit

Then they bring out the dessert platter.

Seahorse lava cake, chocolate-chip strips, cheesecake tarts with raspberries, s'more chocolate bites and a white chocolate conch shell of garden-fresh berries.

The Princesses started arriving shortly after our appetizer was served. It was soooo nice to sit at our table and have each one come to us, as opposed to waiting in line forever at PFF. I was really glad we did this.

We realized as Snow White was making her way towards us that the girl's autograph book was full! Oh no! I quickly grabbed the paper crowns they had been given and told them to have each Princess sign the back white part of their crown, then they'd have an autographed princess crown! The girls loved that idea so it all worked out nicely. Whew!

Lindsey's autographed crown:

I was very pleased with our meal. There was not one thing I could complain about. We were seated right away, the service was quick, the food was good, and the interaction with the Princesses was just right. Maybe we just got lucky, I don't know. But I'd go back again.
I just wish it wasn't so expensive. For the three of us it was over $80.

After the meal, we met up with Ruben and the kids were who over at the Blue Sky Cellar preview of the new California Adventure.
Just one picture of some of the changes in store.

It all looks like it's going to be great once the remodel is complete. I have to admit that I will miss the way DCA is now.

Right now it's our escape park that we can run to when DL gets too hectic. I'm kind of scared to see what it's like once everything is done. I bet it's going to be packed! Then what?? I fear there will come a time when both parks are just too crowded to really enjoy them. It already feels like there isn't really an "off" season anymore. Or at least not as much of one.
I guess time will tell.

After the preview it was off to the tortilla factory. Mmmm.

Next up the kids wanted to do Mulholland Madness. I hate this ride! Mainly because I hate heights and I always feel like we are going to fall on those fast turns. LOL But I went on it to make the kids happy.

From there they wanted to ride Tower of Terror. Now, let me just say that I had never been on this ride in DCA. I'd been on the one in Florida three times, but not the one here. I always said no, even when the kids would beg me. But......seeing as how this was our last trip together for awhile and the day had gone so well already, I finally gave in and agreed to ride it.

The girls in front of the Service Elevator.

My stomach was doing flip flops right about now!! I almost backed out, but I went on it. My eyes were shut the entire time.

Afterwards I joked that I deserved one of these "I Survived" shirts! LOL

I'm at my image limit, so I'm going to stop here for now. But there's more fun to come!!

 

[kaoden39]

I love that tie-dye shirt. Mission Tortilla is one of my favorite places to grab a snack.

 

[mommaU4]

I love that tie-dye shirt. Mission Tortilla is one of my favorite places to grab a snack.

I liked the tie-dye tee too. It was a little too pricey for me though, and since I don't really wear Disney tees outside of Disney, and this was our last day, it didn't really make sense to spend the money. Holding it up and taking a pic was a much cheaper option.

I had on my birthday button when we went to the factory so I got a package of free corn tortillas. Yum. The kids prefer the flour, but I like both.

 

[dwheatl]

Did your girls like the meatball lollipops? My kids have always been so picky, we never could eat there. And I say this with them as adults.

 

[kaoden39]

I agree. I never buy myself things like shirts at Disneyland and I only buy the hats if I really, really want it. That was great about you getting dreamed.

 

[dwheatl]

We buy DL shirts about once every five years, then we wear them to death. Usually, they start out as something we wear only on vacation. Gradually, they become raggy shirts. Today I wore a DL shirt to the gym that was from their 35th anniversary. That means the shirt is 17 years old. Who's my daddy?

 

[mommaU4]

Did your girls like the meatball lollipops? My kids have always been so picky, we never could eat there. And I say this with them as adults.

They did like it actually. I mean it was just spaghetti and meatballs, they just stuck them on a stick to make it more appealing and unusual to kids I guess.
My kids are very picky and only eat the most basic "kid food" like chicken nuggets, pizza, spaghetti, corn dogs, hamburgers, etc. My fault for not exposing them to a wider variety when they were little I suppose.
They do like almost all fruits, so I try to throw in something a little healthy now and then. And at home I'll use vege burgers, low fat cheese on their pizzas, etc. But I'd go to Ariel's again based on the experience/food we had.

I agree. I never buy myself things like shirts at Disneyland and I only buy the hats if I really, really want it. That was great about you getting dreamed.

I was so excited! It really took the pressure off the rest of the day. We were able to just take it easy and relax knowing we could go on pretty much all the main rides with no worries. It made for a relaxing and fun day.

 

[mommaU4]

We buy DL shirts about once every five years, then we wear them to death. Usually, they start out as something we wear only on vacation. Gradually, they become raggy shirts. Today I wore a DL shirt to the gym that was from their 35th anniversary. That means the shirt is 17 years old. Who's my daddy?

Wow, 17 years! LOL At least you get your money worth!!
Most of the kids Disney tees come from Disneyshopping when they are on sale or from the outlet store.

 

[travelmel]

[

There you are with your beautiful, golden, hair again.

After the rapids ride, it was almost time for the twins and I to head off to our character meal at Ariel's Grotto. I was so excited! I'd never been and had always wanted to. I wasn't expecting much since I'd heard bad reviews about the food and service, but still, I had to see for myself.

The bonus of not going is getting the great pic of the riders!

Lindsey's autographed crown:

Too cute! I have never collected autographs so this is my first time seeing them. That could look great on a resume: "Can handwrite any given princess signature with finesse"

Right now it's our escape park that we can run to when DL gets too hectic. I'm kind of scared to see what it's like once everything is done. I bet it's going to be packed! Then what?? I fear there will come a time when both parks are just too crowded to really enjoy them. It already feels like there isn't really an "off" season anymore. Or at least not as much of one.
I guess time will tell.

I hear ya. Change is scary for me. But, it'll be fun to visit for the next few years to see the new additions. That's what I tell myself, anyway.



Great update!

 

[mommaU4]

I hear ya. Change is scary for me. But, it'll be fun to visit for the next few years to see the new additions. That's what I tell myself, anyway.



Great update!

Thanks. The new additions do look like they will be great. I'm just afraid they will be too great and then everyone will want to be there all the time.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Great update! The princess lunch looks soo yummy! I need to convince Jesus to take me..!

You are one smart thinking about signing on the girl's crowns! Good job!

 

[mommaU4]

Great update! The princess lunch looks soo yummy! I need to convince Jesus to take me..!

You should! The food was good, and if you are a Princess fan at all, it's really the way to go.

 

[mommaU4]

After ToT we went to one of Noelle's favorite places in both parks, the Animation Academy. She loves art and drawing so we always have to stop in here at least once on each trip. This time we were drawing Piglet, which was one we hadn't done before. We usually end up drawing Pooh Bear.

Here is her Piglet drawing. She said he looked a little evil, lol, with devil horns, but hers still looked about a 100 times better then mine.

After the class she was able to go down and ask the CM for the drawing that the teacher did. She was thrilled about that.

We stopped in to see Turtle Talk with Crush. Always a cute show. Then we did some shopping.

I loved this window display with Donald as Jafar and Daisy as Maleficent.

Such cute Halloween merchandise! See the Mickey pumpkin and the three smaller ones up near the top?? Those are the ones I got from the outlet. I'm so glad I waited and was able to get a good deal on them.

We stopped to get some rice krispy treats for the kids and I took some pics of the yummy treats for ya'll to drool over.........

After shopping the kids were getting hungry so we headed over to White Water snacks in the Grand Californian Hotel. I'd heard good things about that place but we'd never eaten there.
While we were there we ran into Wendy/wendylady36, Linda/lulubelle, Cheryl/toocherie, and Stacie/stacielee. (They were getting ready to go on the Halloween Haunt tour, which you can read about in Wendy's TR.)

These are the famous WWS nachos. They were really good actually.

The kids pizza, burger, and hot dogs were just ok. Typical kid food. Nothing to write home about. But I'd eat at WWS again, especially because of the free refills on the drinks.

After we finished eating, Ruben took the kids back into DCA to play in the Redwood Creek area. They love the tire swing ride in there. And they wanted to ride the rapids again.

Meanwhile I went across to DL to save us all a place for the parade. I got a great spot right on the curb in front of the steps to the train station, spread out our stuff to save spots for them and sat down to people watch for awhile. I love people watching while at Disney.

Before long Ruben and the kids showed up and they ate their Halloween treats while we waited for the parade to start.

I don't have any pics of the parade. I wanted to fully enjoy it without pausing to take any pictures. Sorry. But it was great as always. Nothing beats a Disney parade!!

After the parade we hit some rides using our Dream Fastpasses. Whoo hoo! We all went on Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion (they gave us separate FPs for this), Splash Mountain, and Thunder Mountain. It was so awesome to be able to go on one ride after another with little to no wait.

The kids wanted to ride Space Mountain next so we made our way through Fantasyland just as the fireworks were starting. We watched them in between the carousel and Dumbo. I'd never watched them from there before and it was a nice spot. Good view without being too crowded.

I think I'm reaching my image limit so this will have to be continued again......

 

[mommaU4]

The fireworks ended and we finished making our way over to Space Mountain. I'd been on it with the kids once already this trip, and there was no way I was going to do it again. LOL

So Ruben took them on that and Autopia, while I sat near the Tomorrowland stage and watched an Elvis tribute artist. His name was Scott Bruce and he was really good. The audience was loving it! He has a website: http://www.scotbruce.com/
I'm not a huge Elvis fan, but it was really fun to watch. Unfortunately I didn't get any really good pictures.

When Ruben and the kids showed up, we all went on Buzz, then the kids went on Star Tours. While they were doing that, I took some pics of the great pumpkins near the Partners statue.

And of course, even though my camera takes lousy night shots, I had to take one of the castle all lit up.

We ended our day in Fantasyland with a ride on Snow White, Pinocchio, Casey Jr, and last but not least Mr. Toad.

The kids trying to get the sword out of the stone.

Not only did we not cut this day short as I had once considered doing, but we closed the park!! We were there from 8 a.m. until midnight, and loved every minute of it.
I'm not sure if it was just about winning the Dream Fastpasses, but I think that had a huge part in it. Mainly because it allowed us to just take it easy and not stress about lines or running to collect another FP.

We went on all the rides we wanted to, and used all our tabs with the exception of the Roger Rabbit FP tab.
It was just a perfect day. I think because we weren't stressed about the lines, we were all much calmer with each other. No one was grouchy the way we can sometimes get after a day fighting tons of people. The kids even seemed to get along better.
I don't know why exactly, but it truly was one of those rare magical days at Disney where everything, the whole day long, just goes smoothly and you leave with a smile. I was not tired at all! LOL

The best end to a vacation ever.

Up next.......all good things must come to and end. Time to go home.

 

[Yakety76]

Yay!! I am so glad the dream fastpasses helped you have a magical last day. It sounds like it was a perfect day and a perfect end to a great vacation.

Seeing your pictures makes me realize how many of the decorations I really missed seeing. I didn't even notice the Donald as Jafar and Daisy as Maleficent display window. That is too cute!