She turned 3, but the DDP's Free, a WL Bounceback PTR

[francis6306]

How cute is this PTR? I love it! I'm totally jealous that you live near the "motherland" and you get to come to the "World!" Love your Disneywear for your adorable little girl! I can sew, but no sewing machine… Well, that's not true. It's just not HERE in Illinois with me. There are several machines just waiting on me to take home at my Grandfather's home in GA! Maybe I'll finally get those suckers home this summer!

YAY for the free dining plan! Can't wait to see what else you have planned for this trip!

 

[WDWKOOK]

That was such a lovely post! How cute that you retraced your steps and got an adult's day out, too. Happy anniversary

My Matterhorn memory goes way back to 1987 when we were stationed at Vandenberg and we went down to DLR for the first time, as newlyweds. When the Matterhorn started, we some how managed to clonk heads! My head hurt for a while, but we had a great time. I've not had any injuries at WDW.

I just LOVE your official WL patch! It looks perfect! (You have to post it to the WL thread.) I would put that on everything! It would be so cute to take a picture of Allie wearing it alongside Ranger Jack.

 

[Wood Nymph]

What a great update. Happy Anniversary. What a nice way to celebrate it. And being able to eat a meal without having to cut someone's food up for them is very nice.

And those shows are amazing. I can see why people stop you to ask about them.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

How cute is this PTR? I love it! I'm totally jealous that you live near the "motherland" and you get to come to the "World!" Love your Disneywear for your adorable little girl! I can sew, but no sewing machine& Well, that's not true. It's just not HERE in Illinois with me. There are several machines just waiting on me to take home at my Grandfather's home in GA! Maybe I'll finally get those suckers home this summer!

YAY for the free dining plan! Can't wait to see what else you have planned for this trip!

Aww, thanks for following along! We do love going to Disneyland, and many of our early dates were there. There is just something amazing about WDW though, and seeing what Walt could do with more resources and most of all more space! We do get spoiled by having the "motherland" so close.

Get those sewing machines home and sew something fun. It is amazing how many cool patterns you can find online.

That was such a lovely post! How cute that you retraced your steps and got an adult's day out, too. Happy anniversary

My Matterhorn memory goes way back to 1987 when we were stationed at Vandenberg and we went down to DLR for the first time, as newlyweds. When the Matterhorn started, we some how managed to clonk heads! My head hurt for a while, but we had a great time. I've not had any injuries at WDW.

I just LOVE your official WL patch! It looks perfect! (You have to post it to the WL thread.) I would put that on everything! It would be so cute to take a picture of Allie wearing it alongside Ranger Jack.

Thank you for the compliments and the DL story. The Matterhorn is just the classic couples roller coaster, and the changes did affect the ambiance. Fortunately there's no chance of banging heads now though.

We will post pics of the WL dress to the WL thread as soon as it is finished. It was difficult for me to get Melissa to let me post any pics before it was done, but I was so excited about how the appliqué came out. Shouts from the dining room: "you posted that?"... Not really, but we will be sure to post the pics there once it is done.

What a great update. Happy Anniversary. What a nice way to celebrate it. And being able to eat a meal without having to cut someone's food up for them is very nice.

And those shows are amazing. I can see why people stop you to ask about them.

Thanks for the anniversary wishes. We had a great time. Amen to not having to cut up food of someone else. (Yep, the chicken nuggets were easy enough for me to cut all by myself...)

The shoes are fun. We'll post the new ones once we get to them. Allie will get another pair of red ones like she outgrew, and we'll come up with something cute for another set.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

I finished up the Wilderness Lodge dress last night. It came out really cute, I think Paul secretly wishes he could wear it.

So here's what happens when I finish a dress and need Allie to try it on before it goes into clothing circulation. First I show it to her and she'll say she doesn't like it without even looking up. So I say that's okay we'll give it to someone who does. Then she'll complain and finally try it on and most of the time she loves it. Some of her favorite things to wear I've made myself, which I love.
If I would like to take a picture of her in what I've made she must be bribed. Last night it was a chocolate bunny for a photo shoot.

And here is what happens if you take the bribe away if she isn't cooperating:

and I do love that logo...I wish it would fit on a polo shirt or something, because I don't look good in a dress...

 

[Wood Nymph]

I love that fabric and the dress is adorable. Were you able to embroider that logo using your machine, or was it a purchased logo?

 

[GrandCalifornian]

I love that fabric and the dress is adorable. Were you able to embroider that logo using your machine, or was it a purchased logo?

Thanks! Melissa was able to embroider it using her machine. She purchased the programing steps to have the machine do it from misskenziemac.com. It does the outline and pauses for you to add the next layer of fabric and it stitches around that color. Then you hand trim the applique fabric layers and the machine goes around and does the final embroidery. Here is a picture from when she was just starting the WL logo:

 

[DisMomJill]

Just letting you know I'm joining in, but still need to catch up I'm currently planning outfits for our December trip, and one of the dresses will be a Cinderella one for BBB. So I'm curious to see the one you make... it might give me some ideas

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Just letting you know I'm joining in, but still need to catch up I'm currently planning outfits for our December trip, and one of the dresses will be a Cinderella one for BBB. So I'm curious to see the one you make... it might give me some ideas

Welcome! We are glad you found us. I should be starting the Cindy dress soon. I just have to figure out which pattern to start from or if I'm drafting my own.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We realized that an important part of our Disney trips (both at DL and WDW) is the bag we carry with all our stuff. It is important to have the stuff we might need, but to not have to carry a giant heavy bag all day.

We went through several different bags when Allie was tiny before we finally settled on using this green Baby Bjorn backpack. I got this backpack for Paul on Allie's first Christmas and I meant for it to be his Daddy diaper bag. Honestly I didn't expect for it to get used much.

It has been the perfect bag for us for Disney and other excursions, it always stays packed and has the features we need. After we came home from Disneyworld last year I noticed how tired our poor bag was getting. The padding in the shoulder straps is almost gone and the zippers pull open if you leave them at the top of the bag.
We looked at an identical replacement but of course the bag had been discontinued probably right after I bought it. So the hunt was on for the perfect park bag to replace our old friend.

One of the things we really like about our old bag is it has an inslulated pocket. I carry insulin pens, and they need to be kept from getting too hot. This narrowed our search somewhat, but there are still a lot of different back packs out there.

It needed to be large enough to carry our junk but not weigh a ton when it was empty. It could not be black, or at least flat black for a couple of reasons. One, everyone has a black backpack and using it for flying I wanted to be able to glance and know it was ours. Two black is just boring.

Speaking of color, since I often carry it I didn't want anything too crazy girly. I know I am with two girls, but walking around with a pink/purple flowered bag isn't my favorite.

So after much internet searching I finally found a bag that might just meet our needs! Here is a link http://www.ebags.com/product/dakine/prom-pack/207157
It came in the mail yesterday and for the price I think it is a great bag.

We chose the Juno color scheme and I like it alot. It reminds me of a sunset. The shoulder straps are pretty comfy and it has some other great features too.

Despite the fact Amazon calls it a woman's bag I'm ok with carrying it. Besides, maybe it will match my shoes...

While switching bags it gave us a chance to look at what we actually carry in our park bag. The setup seems to work very well for what we need. Here are some of the essentials:

So here is what typically stays packed in the backpack.

Pepto Bismol (this was a LIFESAVER on our Disneyworld trip last year, it will be refreshed before we go this year)
Advil
Sunscreen
chapsick
Random crackers (I don't know why we have crackers from Wendy's in the bag but there they were)
Smarties (othewise known in our household as "potty candy" throwback from when we were potty training. We don't really use them for that anymore)
Gum (I chew about 4 pieces a day, I'm kind of addicted)
Wet Ones (for when I can't convince Allie to wash her hands or for before meals if we are grimy)
Bobble Bottle (Allie loves these things and they are great for taking that sulfur taste out of the water in Florida. The water in Anaheim isn't that bad but we still use them there too)
Clorox Wipes (for wiping down dirty tables or airplane tray tables and armrests or whatever other germy surface needs to be degermified)
Mickey sucker (briebery.... that is all)
Baby Wipes ( sooo many uses for these I will forever carry baby wipes )
Mickey Cookies ( you could replace these with whatever snack I happen to have at the moment, sometimes it's cereal, sometimes granola, but we usually have some kind of munchy snack in the bag)
Penny Press book ( This one is for Disneyland, we'll leave it at home and get a new Disneyworld one on our trip)
M&M tube ( always stocked with quarters and pennies for pressing)
One of the pouches has a first aid kit with childerens Tylenol, bandaids, and neo to go, the other has extra hair bands for Allies hair, and the third is Mommy's
The fruit snacks are mainly for me as "low snack" to raise blood sugar, since with all the activity in the parks it tends to be lower than normal. Often I just throw a handful in the bag before we go. I am thinking we had more than enough in there...

We also carry a change of clothes for Allie, a clean shirt for the two of us (you just never know and I've been peed on before) a spare gallon ziploc bag and a Pull-Up. Why a Pull-Up for a potty trained kid? Well she doesn't always give a ton of warning so if we are on a bus or say a slow moving boat ride and she says "I have to go NOW" I just slip the Pull-Up on over her clothes incase she doesnt make it. Normally she's wearing a dress so it's kind of discreet and is way less embarassing than a puddle in the seat.

I recall a couple minutes in to the bus ride to Coronado Springs last trip when we first used this approach. She made it, but it had to be close.

For Disneyworld we'll add a swimsuit and a pair of sandals that can get wet, our rain jackets, and a lightweight sweater for me and Allie (I always get cold after I eat and sometimes the AC in the restaurants is a little intense).
See all the spare clothes fit nicely in a ziplock bag

My camera also rides in the backpack. Its a tough little bugger and normally hangs out in my purse so it's nice and comfy riding on top of the spare clothes.

We got everything all packed up in the new backpack and I'm anxious for a Disneyland trip to try it out. You really don't know how well a bag is going to do until you use it a couple of times. This new one has great potential though and I think we found a nice one. We'll keep you posted on how it does.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Looking forward to the trip, we each have some of our favorite things that we are looking forward to, so we thought it would be fun to share them here.

Walk the path between WL and FW
Yes! This was one of our favorite things about WL during our honeymoon, and with everybody there last trip we never did it. It is a nice quiet way to start a day.

Ride Test Track (It was still being refurbished last year, and it is my favorite. For me the best part is the gift shop at the end, and I can't wait for that.)
I am curious to see the changes with Test Track, I wish Allie was tall enough to ride it so that we could do the vehicle design thing together.

Take the walking path from the Contemporary to MK
Yes! This link is something we have never done. Since CR is such a short boat ride from WL, walking to MK from there might be a nice alternative transportation option.

Ride the boat to CR. This is such a quick trip, and it gives WL access to the monorail or even to walk the path to MK. We'll tie this in with Melissa's above.

Eat at Pecos Bills
We wanted to do this last trip and never made it. We'll make it an early priority this time.

Ride Expedition Everest (We rode it for the first time last year, and loved it. It might even be my favorite Disney roller coaster, so we'll have to do it again.)
I second Expedition Everest!

Visit the GF
Yeah, we walked in on our honeymoon, but didn't even do that last trip. There should be new stuff to see with the construction wrapping up.

Eat at Trail's End (Oh those Ribs...)
I want to try and do Trails End breakfast. That was one of my favorite of the trip last time and I'd like to squeeze it in

Ride a bus from one park to another.
We didn't know these buses existed until last year. What an easy way to park hop.

Spend more time in Downtown Disney. I know it can be a pain logistically, but I like stopping by Downtown Disney in the afternoons or evenings. Grabing food at WPE or dessert at Ghirardelli doesn't hurt either.
I really want to try something at Ghiradelli, I LOVE hot fudge

Ride the Barnstormer

Ride Spaceship Earth
I remember this from when I was five. They let me ride in the middle and the seat was hard. I bet it has changed somewhat in 25 years.

Ride the Peoplemover
I'm surprised Melissa missed this last time, but we did it on the morning she was sick at the hotel. We can skip that this time around.

See more of AOA
We walked around it a little last year after our dinner at POP. I am all for doing this again.

Visit OKW
We've never been, but this looks liek a nice DVC property not too far from DTD.

And here's a few from Allie:
Ride the Ariel Ride
Run down the ramp to Roaring Fork!
Watch Parades, especially at AK and MK
Rent a Surry Bike
Play in the pool at the hotel
Eat sugar cookies as big as my head!


A small side note: While cleaning up Allies room a couple weeks ago I found a bear backpack that I bought at Disneyland when Paul and I started dating. (read: pre-Duffy) I know these bears can be worth a bundle so I checked out eBay to see if there was another one or if it was worth anything at all. Well I couldn't find one so on a whim we decided to list it with a starting bid of 99 dollars just to see what would happen. It ended up selling for 123.50!

We are both ecstatic. So, that means between that sale and a couple smaller ones on eBay we are able to pay for Photo Pass +. I think it's going to be really nice to have photo pass as I think we'll be doing more character meet and greet opportunities.
Now I just have to come up with a way to make up some money for the Halloween party tickets....

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We decided that with the new backpack (and the fact we didn't want to spend a hot Saturday doing housework) we really needed to head to DL for another full day.

Yes, what better thing to do on the first really hot Saturday of the year than spend it at Disneyland with 3 million of our closest friends. (she says sarcastically) We figured the best plan of action would be to get to the park at opening or as early as we could to avoid some of the heat and the crowds. We don't often do this, our normal Disney trip is in the afternoon or after work on a weekday. We threw Allie in the car asleep in her jammies and after cleaning up a spilled smoothie we were on our way.

One thing we decided to do that we never have done before in all of our trips to DL is to have breakfast in the park. Allie loves pancakes, and didn't want to miss out on them since we usually get them from McDonalds on Saturdays. A quick web search showed us that River Belle Terrace had pancakes, so that was our first destination.

We arrived at the parking garage just as the park was opening. We got Allie dressed in the back of the car and then headed down to the trams. We were anticipating huge crowds but with most of the passes blocked out and the weather predictions I think most of the locals stayed home. The lines for the trams or to enter the park weren't bad at all. When we got over to Riverbelle Terrace there was only two families ahead of us in line. We decided to get the Steamboat, a Mickey Mouse pancake, and a cinnimon roll to share.

Eating breakfast at Disney reminded me of being on a WDW trip. We just usually eat before coming to Disney, so it was a treat to start the day with food there.

I really enjoyed the pace of the morning and the food was really good. The cinnimon roll was heavenly and the pancakes were some of the best I've ever had.

After breakfast we walked through the new Fantasy Faire meet and greet area, and since the line was short we decided to do it. Allie actually wanted to talk to the princesses. This is a big change from our last WDW trip, when she was too shy to even smile for a picture.
While we were waiting in line some of the cast members who were running the line did an excellent job and really made it fun for the little kids. They had the little girl ahead of us totally convinced that opening the chain to the line required a magic key, and she had to get it in order to make the chain open. This was hilarious when an adult asked to leave, and she politely told him that she needed to go get the magic key. The little girl loved it, and the guy leaving the line had the most confused look on his face, it was great.

Allie really enjoyed seeing each of the princesses, she got to see Aurora, Ariel, and Cinderella and ran up to each one talked to them and actually posed for pictures. (I am thinking we might do an autograph book this year at DisneyWorld but I'm still not sure if I want to mess with it or not)

After the princesses we had one must do from Allie, her favorite ride...

Small World! We took that little boat around the world... again....

After Small World we still had some time to kill before we tried tocatch the first Magical Map show, so we played around Toon Town for a bit and then saw that the first showing had been cancelled. So, we headed toward another one of Allie's favorites, the Goats.

Here she is with Stitch, her favorite goat. Yep, she actually has a favorite, but probably just because we also have a Dog named Stitch at home, but she asks to find Stitch the Goat each time we visit. This is one reason we will have to spend more time at Rafiki's Planet Watch in AK this time.

Yes! She loves those darned goats. I really like the setup at Disneyland and the goats are super friendly. Some will even walk up and ask to be petted. The crowds were still way lower than we expected them to be and we had the goats to ourselves for the most part.

After the Goats we figured out we could grab lunch before the next Magic Map show, so we headed to one of our favorite places, Hungry Bear. We just really enjoy "Disney Wilderness" as a theme, and eating on the patio here with a view of the water is alway really nice. I am a big fan of the chili cheeseburgers too.

The onion rings here are super yummy too, as is the lemon cupcake. We skipped the cupcake today though.

Then we headed back to catch the Mickey and the Magic Map show. This was something else totally new for us, and we weren't sure how Allie would do with a live show. It turned out that it was awesome, and she loved it!

She was even talking about it at lunch today at work. I think we'll be seeing it again soon.
After the show we were hot and wanted something to cool off so we headed over to CA Adventure to get my favorite iced tea and a strawberry creme frappacino.

I liked this too, and since I'm not a coffee drinker it gives me a yummy treat to get at Starbucks. I also really like how the Starbucks is tied into Disney at CA Adventure. You can order drinks or food items, and can pay with a Disney or Starbucks gift card, and you get the Passholder discount too. Nice stuff.

And a nice treat on a hot day. We sat at the bar by the window which turned out to be a cool place to watch the parade. Not a super great view but you could see what was going on and still be in the AC

After that we walked around and did our usual CA Adventure things. We had to ride the Ariel ride, and it was basically a walk on. This showed that there just wasn't the 10 out of 10 crowds that we had been expecting. In the past we've waited over an hour for this ride.

We also walked right on that silver rocket ride and only waited 25 minutes or so for Toy Story Mania. Allie was excited to ride this, it was her idea but it ended up being loud and overwhelming for her. We'll definitely skip it at WDW.

We cruised through Cars Land and shopped on our way out of the park. Then we enjoyed Downtown Disney before most people left the parks, so it was nice and quiet.

We stopped at Fossil to return a wallet I got Paul for Fathers Day and I fell in LOVE with a purse... so it joined us home I'm thinking it'll be my carryon for Disneyworld too

Then we headed to our favorite food spot for dinner, Nachos at Whitewater Snacks at the Grand Californian. These are our most common Disney meal, and they are just the best.

I get them with no jalepenos and salsa on the side. They are DELICIOUS! I love that they let you get refills on drinks here too.
On our way out of Downtown Disney we stopped to watch some Hula dancers

and then we saw a super rare sighting

A food truck! This one was selling shaved ice. We've never seen a food truck at Downtown Disney that I can remember.

We walked back to the parking structure and headed home. It was a great day at the parks and really felt like a mini vacation. The new backpack worked out perfectly. The insulated pocket did really well in the heat and the straps are really comfortable to carry.

It was a fun day, and we are super excited for WDW. The backpack is going to be great, Allie is getting into seeing characters, and I CANT WAIT for 10 days of Disney food!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I love seeing the pictures of Disneyland. I've never been there before. Who would have guessed that they have goats there?

 

[WDWKOOK]

I got behind while on vacation - what fantastic updates! I can't wait for Allie to wear her WL proudly into the lobby. You have to report to us how many people stopped you to ask where in The Mercantile you found that!

It's fun seeing what you pack in your park bag and yes, Pepto is a travel staple. I like Gas-X, too. WDW must feel so different from DLR, but DLR is perfect for your weekend getaways and much more manageable I would think. What are your favorite DLR attractions or must-dos?

I was just boasting (and hyperlinking) about you and your PTR on the Club Level thread to a poster who lives 30 miles from DLR. Were your (Mickey) ears burning?

My responses are in red:

Looking forward to the trip, we each have some of our favorite things that we are looking forward to, so we thought it would be fun to share them here.

Walk the path between WL and FW
Yes! This was one of our favorite things about WL during our honeymoon, and with everybody there last trip we never did it. It is a nice quiet way to start a day.

Me, too! I walk/run that path almost everyday on vacation. I love it in the early morning when it's misty and you hear all the frogs and see deer and armadillo. It's nice and wide, too.

Ride Test Track (It was still being refurbished last year, and it is my favorite. For me the best part is the gift shop at the end, and I can't wait for that.)
I am curious to see the changes with Test Track, I wish Allie was tall enough to ride it so that we could do the vehicle design thing together.

I haven't been on it since the rehab either, I've read mixed reactions. Allie will be tall enough before you know it.

Take the walking path from the Contemporary to MK
Yes! This link is something we have never done. Since CR is such a short boat ride from WL, walking to MK from there might be a nice alternative transportation option.

I have to warn you, once you do it, you may be booking a stay at CR or BLT


Eat at Pecos Bills
We wanted to do this last trip and never made it. We'll make it an early priority this time.

I like their veggie burger and I load on just about everything from the fixins' bar. Is there a similar QS at DLR?

Ride Expedition Everest (We rode it for the first time last year, and loved it. It might even be my favorite Disney roller coaster, so we'll have to do it again.)
I second Expedition Everest!

I third it! It's my favorite, too. It's not too scary and it's not too boring. As Goldilocks would say...

Visit the GF
Yeah, we walked in on our honeymoon, but didn't even do that last trip. There should be new stuff to see with the construction wrapping up.


Try to go in the late afternoon when the orchestra is playing. Or you could book 1900 PF - Allie would love the characters and they would love her outfit.


Eat at Trail's End (Oh those Ribs...)
I want to try and do Trails End breakfast. That was one of my favorite of the trip last time and I'd like to squeeze it in


Breakfast, lunch and dinner - it's all good at TE!



Ride a bus from one park to another.
We didn't know these buses existed until last year. What an easy way to park hop.

Does Allie collect the bus trading cards? I believe they have them like they do the boat and monorail cards.

Spend more time in Downtown Disney. I know it can be a pain logistically, but I like stopping by Downtown Disney in the afternoons or evenings. Grabing food at WPE or dessert at Ghirardelli doesn't hurt either.
I really want to try something at Ghiradelli, I LOVE hot fudge

Mmmm... Fudge. You could even bus to DtD, then take the boat over to POR and get a beignet at POFQ, then bus back to the MK, walk the path to CR and Blue Flag it to WL. Phew, I'm tired and need more fudge.

Ride the Barnstormer

I don't think the new one will be open till 2014

Ride Spaceship Earth
I remember this from when I was five. They let me ride in the middle and the seat was hard. I bet it has changed somewhat in 25 years.

Nope, seat still hard, but a welcome refuge from the heat. If Allie doesn't mind the dark some, she'll love it (I still love it each visit). She'll get her face imposed on a video at the end of the ride. They take the image at the start of the ride as you ascend. She'll be able to touch the screen, too and you can film the result at the end. Dame Judy Dench will tell you before it starts...

Ride the Peoplemover
I'm surprised Melissa missed this last time, but we did it on the morning she was sick at the hotel. We can skip that this time around.

I could ride this all day - or at least half a day. Yes, skip being ill - nothing worse on vacation. There is hardly a wait for this ride, but it does move along in the dark.

See more of AOA
We walked around it a little last year after our dinner at POP. I am all for doing this again.

AoA held so much promise, especially their creative food court. It's a real shame that the service has been so problematic there. People have said it's a nightmare. I still think the FS is very clever and looks so comfortable.

Visit OKW
We've never been, but this looks liek a nice DVC property not too far from DTD.

They are the original DVC and also have the largest DVC rooms.

And here's a few from Allie:
Ride the Ariel Ride
Run down the ramp to Roaring Fork!
Watch Parades, especially at AK and MK
Rent a Surry Bike
Play in the pool at the hotel
Eat sugar cookies as big as my head!

That's a great list, Allie. Just don't do the last three simultaneously.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

I love seeing the pictures of Disneyland. I've never been there before. Who would have guessed that they have goats there?

We're glad you enjoy the pictures. There are so many similarities between DL and WDW, but many differences too. It is amazing how much they fit into such a small amount of room at DL.

We have some more pictures we took with our real camera (rather than my phone) so we'll be sure to post those soon.

The goats are in a small ranch themed petting area on the back walkway between Frontierland and Fantasyland. It just doesn't have an equivalent in the MK, because it feels like it is about where the MK haunted mansion is... Comparing maps of MK and DL will drive you crazy.

I got behind while on vacation - what fantastic updates! I can't wait for Allie to wear her WL proudly into the lobby. You have to report to us how many people stopped you to ask where in The Mercantile you found that!

It's fun seeing what you pack in your park bag and yes, Pepto is a travel staple. I like Gas-X, too. WDW must feel so different from DLR, but DLR is perfect for your weekend getaways and much more manageable I would think. What are your favorite DLR attractions or must-dos?

Thanks for your reply. We are pretty excited about the WL dress. We'll have to catch Allie on a day where she's in the mood to wear it, but with 10 chances I'm sure she will wear it at some point. She can have a bit of an opinion about what to wear...

Our DLR short list of Must Dos includes:
Small World (for Allie, and it really is bigger than at MK)

Eat at Hungry Bear (It feels kind of like eating on a patio outside of WL)
(and you get to watch the Riverboat and the Pirateship go by, and mock the people paddling the canoes)

Ride Ariel's Undersea Adventure (One of Allie's Favorites since it opened in CA Adventure over a year before MK)

Visit Cars Land (Yep, It is my favorite. RSR is like Test Track, but VERY Cars themed. We ride it when we can, but won't wait as long as the line usually is. Just walking through Cars land is neat though.
Flo's is a great place to eat too! I loved it at Christmas time)

Visit Stitch the Goat (And her friends Lilo, Lock, Shock, Barrel, Pongo...
and Briar Rose, she's my favorite)

Walk through and usually eat at The Grand Californian (It is our favorite hotel anywhere, and is kind of special to us... The snack bar is always cool and quiet, and has those great nachos.)

I'm sure we'll think of other favorites, and we'll post them randomly as they come to mind.

I was just boasting (and hyperlinking) about you and your PTR on the Club Level thread to a poster who lives 30 miles from DLR. Were your (Mickey) ears burning?

My responses are in red:

Thanks for thinking to mention us in the CL thread. We hadn't seen it, but made the trip over to check it out. It is interesting how many Southern California "Disney People" enjoy making the trip to WDW. For us while they are obviously related, and we love them both, they are very different. Going to WDW and getting to spend a week is so immersive, it is great to never have to leave the Disney bubble, while home at DL we often experience the fun for a few hours at a time before going right back into the real world.

I love not having to worry about work, diet, traffic, where the car is parked, or any of that stuff at WDW. It feels like an all inclusive resort to me.

The comments on the Must Dos are great. No big deal about the Barnstormer, it is just one we had heard about. EE really is "just right".
Perhaps a CR stay could be in the future, but we sure are happy to be home just a short boat ride away.

I agree Allie shouldn't eat cookies, ride a surrey bike, and play at the pool all at once! That might result in needing to use the pepto

 

[DisMomJill]

That fabric for the WL dress is great! Love it!

 

[IDreamofPoly]

Got linked here by WDWKOOK. So awesome to see some other West Coasties who love WDW. BTW we couldn't afford to get married at the DLR so we got married on July 17 (DL anniversary) instead! And DS was born on the anniversary of WDW, go figure!

 

[GrandCalifornian]

That fabric for the WL dress is great! Love it!

When I saw that fabric I immediately thought of the lodge. When fabric speaks you have to listen, and make cute dresses

Got linked here by WDWKOOK. So awesome to see some other West Coasties who love WDW. BTW we couldn't afford to get married at the DLR so we got married on July 17 (DL anniversary) instead! And DS was born on the anniversary of WDW, go figure!

Welcome! We are glad you came over. Happy early anniversary! That's pretty cool about DS's birthday. We love being so close to DLR, but WDW trips are wonderful. It is great to see what Disney can do without the limitation of space they have in So Cal.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

On the Fourth of July I finished up another outfit for Disney World. This one is a skirt set for our Akershus ADR. It started in my head as a dress but I couldn't find fabric that I loved for it, and I already had pink polka dot fabric left over from the small world dress, but didn't have enough for another whole dress. I decided to try a new pattern and make a skirt. I appliquéd the princesses on felt and then sewed them on to the skirt. I bought a plain pink tank top to go with it, and added the Disney Princess logo.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Yay! Mulan! My DD's favorite DP. Is Allie excited about this outfit or did she cry? Love all your embellishments. I'm sure there's a more appropriate term, but I don't sew so...