SANTA! OH MY GOD! SANTA'S COMING! I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM! PTR Nov 2014

[chttyangel]

Yes; I know that is a line from Elf and not Disney....but nothing gets me in the Christmas Spirit more then Peppermint Mochas from Starbucks, watching Elf and SNOW ON MAIN STREET!!

Hi. I'm Alicia. I'm from Nor-Cal and a huge Disney fan. Most of the time when my kids were growing up I was a busy full time single mom working as a Project Manager (full time as well) and finishing college myself. Our trips to Disney were so special to me because it was a time for me to slow down and not worry about being mom/dad/CFO/taxi/maid (you get the picture) and just enjoy being mom. I loved cuddling up next to my kids and watching the parades or seeing them dance down main street. So like many of you Disney is a very special place to me.

Any ways.....I have 3 kids (8, 17, 19) and I recently married the most AMAZING man ever. We have been married about a year now and he has not only made me over the moon happy; he also has dived fully into being a dad for the first time and has made special relationships with all my kidos. His only downfall is he knows NOTHING about Disney (movies, parks, NADA).

We had planned a trip to DL/DCA last spring but life got in the way; so we are now planning a trip for the holiday season. This will be DH's FIRST EVER Disney experience and I am hoping he will love, want to buy AP's, want to book immediately for WDW. HIGH HOPES.

Here are the basics;

The CAST-
Myself (30 something) Disney Nut with multiple trips to DL/DCA and 1 trip to WDW. Loves the old MS Electrical Parade, Tigger Tails, Haunted Mansion and Soarn! Hates the swinging gondolas!

DH Andy (30 something) Disney Newbie. Will be in town for business (he has customer is 11 western states so travels to Ontario allot). Loves traveling in general, good food and microbrews! (he hates having his pic taken so I have very few of him alone)

DS Austin (8). A lover of Cars, Planes, Monsters Inc, Muppets & Toy Story. Has already been to DL/DCA/WDW more times then I EVER went as a kid! Loves TSM but hates anything close to a rollercoaster.

MIA; DS 19 is no longer into Disney and nothing there interests him so he will be staying him with our fur babies (tear). DD 17 is going with friends a week later and couldn't miss work/school for this trip too. (another big tear)

The BASICS-
November 14- November 17th
Flying SWA to LAX; got tickets during $49 sale and used DH's SWA points so flights were $5 EACH!!!!
Staying at Ayres Orange. I have NEVER stayed this far away from the park but it got great reviews, has a cook to order breakfast, has a private shuttle & is located at an ART shuttle stop AND was 106 a night out the door with a free night thru my Hotels.com account. SCORE!
Tickets- Two day; 1 Park per Day Tickets. UGH!!!! Not sure about this. But this is a quick trip and I didn't see the need to hop back/worth allot when have such limited time. I guess if I hate it; we can add hopping at the ticket booth. Bought the tickets thru AFB so got all three tickets for $484. (Don't worry; these are the tickets civilians can use and not the salute ones; I buy them thru TFO every time and always confirm)

A SPECIAL NOTE; DS knows NOTHING about this trip. He has been asking to go and I told him we are doing LEGOLAND for his bday in Jan and Hawaii for spring break so DL was just not in the cards this year. I am planning on picking him up from school and telling him we are getting DH from the airport. Then I am going to say he is flying back out so we are bringing him his suitcase. And then we are meeting him at the gate. AND SO ON...until he figures it out. I am not good at surprises so this has been the hardiest part.

FINALLY the PLAN-
Fri- Fly to LAX and arrive at 3:00
Shuttle to hotel and meet DH; relax and maybe get a beer at Anahiem Brewery. (We brew and have visited over 50 breweries; ever need to know a good brewery in CA or OR; just ask)
830 Dinner at House of Blues (has anyone used the restaurant.com cert??)
DTD exploring

Sat- DCA Day (I would prefer to do DL first but it is EM there and Touring Plans is showing a 3 at DCA this day so well we don't mind crowds...seemed like the way to go)
Lunch snacks in the park; maybe Trader Sam's or Cove Bar for a drink
Dinner at Earl of Sandwich using are free sandwich coupons!

No real plan of attack which is unusal for me. I just want to explore and let things happen naturally. I really want to hit a few of DS' fav rides TSM and RSR. DH wants to check out Soarn. But plan on playing it mostly by ear. I have never waited for WOC so maybe this time. We all are pretty go..go...go people so will prob spend most of the time from opening at 9AM to close at 10PM.

Sun- DL Day
Lunch at Carnation Café at 1:30 (when did they start doing reservations.) Can't wait for some potato soup and friend pickles!!
Dinner at Plaza Inn for some yummy chicken whenever hungry or Corn Dog Cart if we don't end up hungry.
Fireworks and SNOW!

Mon- Pinks for lunch and DH drop us at LAX; he has to stay another day

Once again; other then above no huge plan on attack. I feel I know the parks and the dos/don't well enough to just relax this trip and play it by ear. Really want DH to experience HM, Pirates, and most of Fantasy Land. Have to ride IASW and need a treat from Pooh's Corner. The fireworks/snow/IASW lights are a must. I also think a train ride around the park at night is the perfect way to see everything....other then that open to close and play by ear again!

So that's my PTR. I am great at writing the PTR and horrible at writing the actual trip report . SO I am really going to try harder this time because I know how much I love reading everyone's adventures and seeing the pics, especially if they go to a food place I haven't been to or a ride/show I haven't experienced!. So hope you enjoy following along AND if I am forgetting something that might make DH fall in love then feel free to chime in!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Hi There!! Can't wait to read it

 

[chttyangel]

Hi There!! Can't wait to read it

Thanks! Happy to have you following along!

 

[chttyangel]

So couple of updates/changes;

- I booked Wine Country Trattoria for afternoon lunch on Saturday at 2:00. Originally I was just going to do snacks in the Park and dinner at Earl of Sandwich. The more I thought about it thou; we really enjoy eating out and DS/I usually take a mid day break so having a nice lunch and cocktail sounded about perfect. I really debated between here and CC but I LOVE pasta and the sangria and Godiva liqueur flight sounded delightful! I did not go with WOC because I did not see many pasta selections on the menu for that. Funny thing is the menu on a couple of sites DID show pasta but not the official DL site so not willing to chance it.

2 weeks and I will be sitting out here enjoying sangria and pasta! YUM

- We still have our Earl of Sandwich "free sandwich" coupons. Since lunch on Saturday is at 2:00; we prob won't need dinner. So we will use these on the way out of the Park for a late night snack.

I can't to try the Italian!

- I kind of had a hotel crisis earlier this week and debated changing to something within walking distance. I was seeing allot of people get the Desert Suites on Priceline for less then I was paying and decided to take a chance. SO I canceled my resies and booked a 3.5 star on Priceline at a great rate. Funny thing; I got Ayres Inn Orange, same hotel I had. Bright side; hotel is now paid for, saved $40 and have read some great reviews on the place since so really excited!


- Lastly; DH finally booked his trip for work today and will be flying in a day before me. So no shuttle for us; DH will be picking us up. Almost wondering if I should have planned something away from the Disney area that night; maybe dinner of the Queen Mary or something. I guess I can think on it a couple of day!

 

[crystal1313]

I think I responded to your hotel crisis thread, but I've stayed at the Ayers in Orange and really enjoyed it. It was clean, quiet, and breakfast was fantastic! Would stay there again. Also, there's a great BBQ place right down the street called Lucille's that we love! Have a great trip!

 

[chttyangel]

I think I responded to your hotel crisis thread, but I've stayed at the Ayers in Orange and really enjoyed it. It was clean, quiet, and breakfast was fantastic! Would stay there again. Also, there's a great BBQ place right down the street called Lucille's that we love! Have a great trip!

Thanks Crystal 1313!

 

[crystal1313]

Sure! Can't wait to read more And surprising Your son is SO much fun!! We've done that for our boys multiple time and if was fun to see their reactions

 

[yupikgal]

What Earl of Sandwich "free" coupons? I want in on this action, we are planning on eating there one night!

 

[chttyangel]

What Earl of Sandwich "free" coupons? I want in on this action, we are planning on eating there one night!

If you go to their website and sign up for the sandwich club right now; next day you will get an email good for a free sandwich. No restrictions and nothing else to purchase. It is good for 30 days. Someone mentioned in the past they did free brownies so not sure if this is new or how long it will last. ENJOY!

 

[chttyangel]

QUICK UPDATE! So since DH and I first met I have gushed over DL and WDW telling him how much I wanted him to experience one or both. Usually when traveling he is as big of a planner as I am; researching hotel reviews, finding cool places to eat, and looking at attractions. This time he said he was happy to go BUT NADA, nothing. I was kind of feeling a little down like he was just going along with thing. AND this was not only his first DL trip; this was our first big trip as a family (we have done a ton of local stuff and DH & I have traveled but not with DS yet)

Would this be DH our whole first trip?

Well like magic last night an old coworker/friend called him to see when he would be in So Cal again so they could meet up for drinks. DH told he was going down for work and that we would be going to DL. His friend went on and on about how much DH will love it. Told him and I quote "Its corny but when I go there I instantly become a kid again. I just have a huge smile on my face." Well now DH is finally getting into it. Guess he just needed to hear another grown "manly" man say how much he loved the mouse.

 

[yupikgal]

If you go to their website and sign up for the sandwich club right now; next day you will get an email good for a free sandwich. No restrictions and nothing else to purchase. It is good for 30 days. Someone mentioned in the past they did free brownies so not sure if this is new or how long it will last. ENJOY!

Thanks!

 

[chttyangel]

So next weeks surprise is coming together.

DH has been traveling allot the past few weeks and has 3 big trips between now and Christmas. Last night he left for Colorado and DS really didn't want him to go. So on drive to airport we were talking about all his upcoming trips. We told DS that he was going out of town next week BUT that he would be able to come home for a few hours on Friday to see us before he flew out again and since DS was missing him so much we would go to the airport and have dinner with him there/see him off. So now DS thinks we are having dinner at the airport on Friday. LOL! DH wants me to tell him when we get on the plane the surprise is we are going to LA to meet him for the weekend so he can then surprise him with Disneyland when we get there. Not sure if that will work but I will try.

Anyways....I guess we will see how quickly an 8 year old catches on but it will be fun to try!

 

[poppinspal]

I love your thread title. I have this horrible/wonderful habit of saying that when I see Santa in unexpected places. (Horrible to my brother who I make groan. Wonderful to me as I find myself funny.)


My ex-bf was so skeptical the first time we went to Disney World. Just dragged his feet about the whole thing but agreed to give it a chance. We got there and he instantly changed his tune. He found certain things that really appealed to him which hooked him in and now he really loves it. So much he is taking his niece just the two of them on a trip over the winter. (Yes we have a weird relationship where we are still friends.) So if your DH is at least open to it then I'd bet you'd be surprised.

I'm going to be there about the same time as you for my first trip! I'm going to follow along on your trip too!

 

[poppinspal]

Oh also the surprise is totally worth it! My parents surprised us with a trip when I was around 13. They pulled us out of school one day and told us we were going to the airport to drop off my uncle then we were going to have lunch as a family. I was so mad to miss a day of school. (I was an odd child I know.) We got to the airport and my parents opened the trunk and there were all our suitcases in the back already packed and they told us we were going to Disney World. I got over being mad about missing school real quick!

 

[chttyangel]

Poppinspal. Thanks for the reply. I will check out your report right now as well. So exciting; it is almost time!!! Have a great trip!

 

[kaoden39]

Hi!

We usually stay at the Ayres in Anaheim and it's wonderful! I know they just opened a new Ayres in Orange so maybe that is the one you got. That would be great! Their hotels are nice and the staff is amazing! Have a great trip! I look forward to hearing how well the surprise goes!

 

[chttyangel]

Hi! We usually stay at the Ayres in Anaheim and it's wonderful! I know they just opened a new Ayres in Orange so maybe that is the one you got. That would be great! Their hotels are nice and the staff is amazing! Have a great trip! I look forward to hearing how well the surprise goes!

Thanks Kaoden39. So far I have heard nothing but good things about Ayres so I'm pretty excited to check it out. Funny thing; DH is going down early to work and is staying in Ontario. He used Hotwire and got the Ayres there too!

 

[poppinspal]

Almost time for you too! Weather is looking good for our time there, lets hope it stays that way.

 

[chttyangel]

I offically check in on SWA in 2 hours. I actually have EB so its taken care of but like the count down! Weather.com is showing it is currently 68 there so about 3 degrees warmed then home. Clothes are out and ready to put in suitcase. DH's new GoPro came yesterday so that should be a fun addition. DH has already left and will meet us AND DS still does not have a clue. SO FUN!! Tomorrow night I will be dining at DTD!!!

All of you traveling at the same time; have fun. I will have a report when I get back!! AND hopefully I will also have DH in love with the Parks ready to book WDW for Summer!

 

[chttyangel]

Were back!! I'm going to try and do a trip report in the next week but thought I would start with a few highlights.

Let me start by saying that any day at Disneyland is a good day and I did have fun on this trip. So well I do have some negatives/lessons learned. WE STILL HAD a MAGICAL TIME!

Positives-
- The holiday décor was amazing as always
- DH really enjoyed and will happily returned (more on his favorites later)
- The surprise with DS was priceless; I will always remember
- Uber was fast, easy, cheap
- ** A weekend trip was the perfect length to give DH a taste (this will also be on my negative)


The Negatives
- The Ayres Inn is too far away. I am NOT a have to stay in walking distance gal. I have NO issues with ART. But there is a difference in riding a few blocks and riding this far. Never again.
- I will never stay again on a Run Disney weekend. TOO CROWDED, messed up roads!
- The service at Carnation Café is not what it use to be.
- ** One weekend is NOT long enough. We didn't get to any of Fantasyland, Tom Sawyer Island...missed a TON; including the fireworks due to wind.

Trip report to follow. Overall it was a fun quick weekend but the crowds did make it difficult to see everything so it had its "challenges".