solo trip report!

Hey Molly, great trippie, love it!! Love the Nemo ride photos!! They are great. Thank you for the name of the shake place, can't wait to try it. Thank you for letting me know the photopass photographers are out, that will be a big help in March and Dec. :goodvibes
 
Dh wants me to try Screamin' when we go. I'm not sure. I might need some liquid courage too. :scared:

Lovin' the trip report. Your pictures are so beautiful. :lovestruc

And the dragon is from the movie "Pete's Dragon." It was a favorite movie of mine as a kid.
 
I'm such an 80s girl...love the neon. I once thought I would have a loft apartment with a big neon Billy Idol, just like in St Elmo's Fire.

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I am sooo an 80's girl, too. I just love myself some Miami Vice! :cool1:

I am loving your TR especially since we are planning our first DL trip in September!! :banana:

MadiMouse
 
Thanks, all!



I can't believe this is all in one day. But that's the bonus of being by yourself, with no one else to help, encourage, take breaks when you don't want to, and so on.


I went over to Disneyland, and waited in the fairly long and slow lines to get in. Some recently mentioned that they cut the number of gate CMs during that time to slow down the influx from DCA, and it sure seemed like it!


editing starting now

When I came in to DL, I decided to see the 50 Years movie with Steve Martin and Donald Duck. Just sounded like fun. Has that building been there since DL opened? It sure does smell like an older building! Went in when the doors opened, sat down, and really enjoyed the little movie. I love Steve Martin, and he was funny. As a kid I was a big Donald Duck comic book reader, so that was fun, too.

I highly recommend taking a little break and seeing that movie. I meant to see Steamboat Willie etc later, but I never did.

editing stop



I wandered along, and as the street opened up again before Plaza Inn, I wondered where I was going to go. I decided to keep wandering, and as I got up onto the sidewalk, I noticed a Cast Member. A very familiar looking cast member. I don't know any CMs, how could this be?

Oh my goodness...it's Maynard. :banana:

OK so I'm not a "fangirl" of any kind. I adore from afar and never write letters to people or wait at exits to concerts, or anything like that. So to just see this "celebrity CM" was cool enough. But suddenly I found myself doing a double-take and saying "I've heard of you"....

And he was very pleasant and made silly small talk with me! After a minute or so I figured he had places to go and was likely bored talking to me, so I said that it was nice meeting him and that my name was Molly. For some reason that caused him to keep talking, and I think we talked for about 20 minutes!

He sang a song about lions and tigers that he wrote for Jungle Cruise, when they could sing unsanctioned songs. And some silly song with made up words. I said something like he was something of a celebrity online, and he talked about how Disneyland does treat him as such; they even give him an apartment so he doesn't have to commute. At that point he patted the garbage can we were standing near, and said that it was his deluxe accomodations. He kept going back to that, and it was so funny. Talked about the kids whose parents have bought them $40 sodas, then complain that it's "too sweet", and throw them away, dumping 40 gallons of soda on him as he sleeps in his "apartment". Then went on a tangent about being sticky. He just had me in stitches. I asked where I should watch the fireworks from, and he told me, but then the announcements came on to start the show, and he had to go back to work and I didn't have time to find any good places (I don't see all that well in the dark, either...bionic eyes due to Lasik during the day, semi-blind at night, also due to Lasik).

So I watched from the sidewalk on the left, across the circle from the Partners statue. Since it was winter the big tree was bare and didn't really bother me, and actually DH liked the way the fireworks showed through the branches of the tree.

I am still learning how to work with my camera, and I still rely heavily on Auto, and I didn't have a tripod (before our next visit I'm definitely getting one of those, even if it's just a little one), so most of the pix didn't really come out. And mine aren't amazing (I won't be posting them in the picture of the day thread or the photography board), but they're kinda cool, the ones I saved, and it does sort of show that even if your view is blocked, fireworks are still Good Things.

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Look at the rainbows of the fireworks and on the castle! Out of focus, but I didn't even notice that rainbow at the time.

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The important/cool part of the picture below is that tiny little smoke circle at the middle towards the top.

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More tiny circles, and some bigger circles on the opposite plane.

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This is part of the POTC bit, where it's depicting battles. I love that part!

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This picture just looks disturbing. They were actually big tall wheels of fireworks turning around and around, but I guess my camera wasn't set fast enough to catch it, so instead it just looks like something bad is happening.

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Then the Star Wars music started up, and....it all stopped. Announcement came on that due to high winds at upper elevations they had to stop. :confused3


Oh well!


I went over to POTC (continuing my wandering) and there was truly no wait. Just as quick as you could get in, you got on.


Then I have in my notes that I went on Star Tours again, and was in the second row from the front. Still my fave ride!

I wandered some more, bought a decaf latte and some sort of snack at the bakery, and slowly meandered out.


My feet were in a bit of pain, though nowhere near as bad as they felt last September. I got back to the hotel and was so tired, but I had to organize for the next day. I was taking part in micechat's Rally, and needed to be at the picnic area at 8am. I didn't know if they would need anything official from me, so I couldn't plan to go back to check out at 11. Therefore I needed to rent a locker, or leave things with the front desk, and therefore I had to be ready! Well, I love organizing things, but it also takes me awhile. So it was getting later and later and I was hurting more and more...finally I wanted to take a bath but the tub scared me a little bit. So I took a shower and it was so nice that the timer on the fan went off....and when I got out, the steam set off the smoke detector alarm. :laughing:

It all got figured out and I was finally able to put my head down on the pillow, and I fell to sleep almost immediately.
 

Bumbershoot

Thank you very much for the great trip report loaded with fun pictures. I always enjoy your reports and find your information helpful. I am a Disneyland veteran but have not been in 5 years. As we all know, much has changed, so you tips are very helpful in planning my next trip.

Now I find myself in a position to give you a little tiny bit of information. You know that little, often short lived, guilt you feel about being at Disneyland without your lovely son and husband? Those moments when you think about how much they would have liked this-or-that? Night time when you miss them the most? Well…. That never ever goes away. I wish I could say it did but it does not. My youngest is a senior at the University of Washington and has no interest in vacationing with her family at this point in her life but I still feel guilty when we are on any vacation without her. Even when I remind myself that she is not interested in being there I still can’t get her out of my head. Just thought you should know. :)

Thanks again for the great report and I am glad you had some grownup fun.
 
"My youngest is a senior at the University of Washington and has no interest in vacationing with her family at this point in her life but I still feel guilty when we are on any vacation without her."

:scared:

:)
 
Great Trippy, Bumbershoot. :thumbsup2

Random Thoughts:

- Top Secret Single Rider line at Screamin' Rocks!
- Screamin' Rocks!

- I like the Trat (my new name for it because i never spell it right) too. Did you sit outside? & you're right, the portions are good sized & kinda olive oily (a good thing :cool1: ) I like the fact that you get deluxe ambiance (it's pretty sitting outside & you're waited on) for moderate prices. It's a good place to split entres & appetizers i bet.

- You & negotiating the GCH secret passages .... :rotfl: Don't worry, you'll nail it on your next PP stay. :thumbsup2

Great pictures & great report, Bumbershoot, thanks for sharing. :yay:
 
GREAT trip report...I loved the build up to riding Screamin. I loved that ride!
 
Ooh, now you guys know I'm not done yet, right? I haven't even gotten to Rally day. :cool2:

When they asked inside or outside at the Trat I said "whatever is faster" b/c I was hungry. Ended up just inside, and I was glad, because I was cold.


But that must wait for tomorrow.
 
Yea Molly! Congrats on California Screamin! I know that you never did find "the pin" but did you ever get in contact with the woman that had a duplicate? I know that you were really hoping for one for your DH.

I am very glad that you had a great time on your solo trip. I know when I went without kids & spouse, it really was a very different experience. I got to ride the horse drawn carriage and the omnibus. I saw things that I was never slow enough to see. I am glad to go with my family but I am really glad I was able to experience Disneyland in a whole new light.

When you go back with your family, I bet you will really appreciate that you were able to take your time, at least once. BUT, I know that you will really appreciate that your family is there.

Thanks for the report!
 
Great report, I am having so much fun following your stay. You are making me very excited about my first & probably only trip to Disney at the end of the month, thank you.
 
Ooh, I've been waiting for your solo trip report! It's good to be finally reading it! So when's the next update??
 
Yea Molly! Congrats on California Screamin! I know that you never did find "the pin" but did you ever get in contact with the woman that had a duplicate? I know that you were really hoping for one for your DH.

I am very glad that you had a great time on your solo trip. I know when I went without kids & spouse, it really was a very different experience. I got to ride the horse drawn carriage and the omnibus. I saw things that I was never slow enough to see. I am glad to go with my family but I am really glad I was able to experience Disneyland in a whole new light.

When you go back with your family, I bet you will really appreciate that you were able to take your time, at least once. BUT, I know that you will really appreciate that your family is there.

Thanks for the report!


I haven't opened your PM yet but from the subject you have a very good idea about ebay. :) The lady hasn't called me yet (I gave her my number), but I have hopes. The problem with ebay is that I'm annoyed at the two people I noticed were selling that pin. I find it fundamentally unfair that they snagged pins with no intentions of keeping them (it's not yet Chinese New Year, so it's not like they wore them for the celebration then sold them) and took them away from people like me who actually wanted one. It's hard for me, in my state of mind right now, to help them profit on sneaky behaviour. On the other hand, they are going to profit anyway... So the question is, how much do I want to get DH that pin!?

I love how often you've been going.:)


Great report, I am having so much fun following your stay. You are making me very excited about my first & probably only trip to Disney at the end of the month, thank you.

Yay!


Ooh, I've been waiting for your solo trip report! It's good to be finally reading it! So when's the next update??


Soon. My brain is moving slow today.
 
By the way, I just edited my post about fireworks, because I just remembered that I saw the 50 years of Disneyland movie with Steve Martin and Donald Duck.



************
Ooh boy did the day dawn early, and I had slept so solidly I woke up in the same position I fell asleep in. I had my cellphone alarm set, with the clock radio in the room set 15 minutes later as a backup. First alarm went off, I hit snooze, and turned off the clock alarm. Snoozed a couple more times, and finally got up.

Got myself ready to go, went and got change from the front desk for tips that day, got b'fast. Pretty pretty room for b'fast and fireworks viewing at the Carousel, but a bit smaller than I expected. Chocolate or powdered sugar covered store-bought donuts, fruit, coffee. Cereal too, I think. Option of buying Quiznos b'fast Sammies for $2. I snagged two donuts and a coffee and went back to my room.

Got my stuff, left the room, checked out and left my bag with the desk.

Walked over, wearin' my Crocs 'n socks, carrying my running shoes for later.

I had an 8am meeting with the micechat "spotters" near the picnic area, and I was on time (amazing). The leader was not.

She finally got there, and I found out I was the official "lurking floater". Basically if I saw any of the teams being naughty or cheating, I had a phone number to call and I was to move along. It just felt so silly to be there but not participate in any way, but as it turned out, I should have just not participated at all. But then I wouldn't have gotten the cute lanyard that I don't know when I'll wear it...I didn't wear it that way because I was *lurking* and incognito. ;)

So that's pretty much all of the story about the Rally. Saw a couple teams trying to go and see *everything*, with answers to write down for each thing, saw no one running or cheating, and left three hours before it was over and the dinner/awards ceremony was, so in retrospect it was silly of me. :confused3


So what did I do on Saturday? Got into the lines just before 9, and they were already letting people in. MM had been that morning and I had no burning desire to go to FL anyway, so I stayed away. I was busy with my "turn left into Adventureland" normal touring style anyway. :)

Indy was a ridiculously short wait, so I went on it! This time was put into a car filled with Korean tourists who had a blast on the ride. Just like the women I rode with the day before, they were gripping the bars of the ride. I just don't know why people do that. I feel so much better by not trying to keep myself still. Maybe I'm just weird. It wouldn't be the first time I'm opposite from all others!

Upon exiting I sat on the rocks and had a chat with the hubby, who had called at some point that early morning. He and Eamon were heading up for breakfast with some of his friends (he always makes friends with white guys who are dating Korean women, it's funny, but the shared experience of a Korean mother seems to bond people, and the routine first question when he sees someone that looks familiar is..."your mother?" and it almost always is the mother with a half-Korean person of a certain age....anyway, I've digressed into Robert's social life and that wasn't really my intention), and then they were off to the zoo in Seattle.

While I sat there I noticed some girls running, all excited about dream fast passes. I'm nosy, I'll admit it, and I'll talk to anyone when I'm alone...so I went over and asked them what ride they were on. They'd been on Indy! I hadn't gotten out of there even 5 minutes before, but right after I went through I guess the dream squad got in there. sigh.

I almost passed it, but suddenly realized that it was sunny so Tarzan's Treehouse was open (unlike the rainy day before), and I had that on my list. I went up and reveled in the sunshine, and got some pictures.

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I'll admit it, part of the reason I walked through the tree house was because I had heard that the dream squad sometimes hangs out there. They were not there. sigh.


I walked over the bridge and saw a CM at the other entrance to the Dream Suite. He verified that it opens next week, and we joked that I should come back to try for it. Of course yesterday it seems Ellen Degeneres gave away the first night there...so I'm a little harumphy about that. Oh well!

I went to Haunted Mansion.

Hadn't noticed this before!

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Still spooky.

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After that I opted for Tom Sawyer's Island, to check out the Pirate's Lair.

The costumes of the CMs there even go to their socks, which just cracked me up.

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On "my" raft was the tall pirate with the booming voice. He was in jadedarkstar's signature, if anyone saw her sig. He's great; he always calls DS "my recessively-gened friend". So he was on the raft and started chatting with people. Commented on a red-head, of course, using that phrase. Then he turned around and was talking to people that I couldn't see.

He greeted someone and asked how old they were.
10.
Asked their name.
A girl's name was given.
He asked "are you married?"
When she said no, he said "why not, what's the matter? Oh, I see, no dowry? Too bad."

I was cracking up.

Then he turned to someone I could see a preteen boy.

"What's your name, lad?"
boy's name given.
"How old are you?"
11.
"You married?"
No.

"Ah! Boy's name meet Girl's name!" "So, you want to marry her?"
um, well, um, no....
"Why not? Ohhhh. No dowry. Smart man, hold out for the money."

I was rolling. Figuratively, of course. Not safe to roll on a raft with a pirate!


Then we were there and I disembarked.


Did anyone see my concerned post before I went about the passageways inside the caves? Well, I braved them.

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They were fine. I had two bags hanging off my shoulders, which made it slightly tricky, but I only had one moment where I had to squeeze, and it wasn't a bad squeeze. I've told hubby that he could probably get through most places fine as he is, but he'd be more comfy once he hits 250 (he's 5'10").

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As they say, reach for treasure when you're in the caves! I don't want to ruin anything for anyone, so I'll just post this picture, and then will post links to two other pictures.

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Only click on these if you will never go in but want to know, have a heart condition and need to control your surprises (seriously, the second one freaked me out), have skittish kids and need to preview, or whatever reason...but if you LIKE surprises don't click.

spoiler

another spoiler



So after I explored as thoroughly as I wanted to, I headed back towards the raft. The Bootstrappers were playing, and the tall booming-voice pirate is part of them! I did not know that, and I have seen them perform before. Just never with him (in fact I had never seen him on the island). He was great.

He had a whole spiel about the "lands" that surrounded them, and how weird it was. That he's seen huge mice, as big as him, walking around, and that he heard the male mouse owns the place. That the girl rat is called (and I mis-spell on purpose here) a "Mini" mouse. Big as he is, but "mini". And do we know what the boy mouse's name is? Well, you would think it would be "Maxi", to go with Mini. But no, it's not, it's Mickey. He asks "why would he be named after a drink?''

Then he started a routine about the big building off that way, and hundreds upon hundreds of tiny little people lived in there and never came out (or something like that). And that he was horrified of the song they sang all day, how scary it was. They then went into a really dark, minor key, version of Small World. Like a lament, instead of a celebration of the world.

Again, I was rolling. But the raft I was waiting for had docked so off I went. Turns out Sparrow was on the raft that had docked, and how cool would that have been, to be on that raft? Oh well. Back to NOS I went!
 
I LOVE the Bootstrappers. They're always hilarious, but not so threatening when they're holding a princess dance party... :rotfl:

Out of curiousity, what pin were you looking for? Year of the Rat...?
 
Yes, year of the rat.

Oh dear, now I can't send DH a link to the trip report. :) You guys know more about my trip than he does, so far!!!!:lmao: He keeps falling asleep with DS when DS goes to sleep, so I'm not sure we've talked more than an hour total since I got home. :upsidedow
 
When I got back to land, I could still hear the Bootstrappers, and was kind of bummed that I had left. Oh well...I wanted to stay and go at the same time, so I chose at that moment in favor of the *other* things I wanted to do that day.

From my notes, it seems I went on POTC at that point.

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This has nothing to do with my trip report,but I found out this morning that the reason DS is against POTC right now (although he plays Jack Sparrow all the time, sings his version of "yo ho" all the time, tells me I'm Minnie Swann (even though he hasn't seen the movie he somehow knows Elizabeth), and even has long conversations about who, exactly, broke Davy Jones' heart (again, has never seen the movie but picks this stuff up from????)) is that the boat goes into Davy Jones' mouth. He did NOT like that, it turns out. He hadn't been able to really explain himself about it until today. I let him know that Jones is only seen in one place, and that it's like TV. He said "oh, it's on a screem?" (he says screem instead of screen) I said "yes, on a screen of mist." ohhhh. So now he might be brave enough again to go in the future. :cheer2:


OK, back to my day!

Now by now I was feeling low. I did get sleep but not quite enough. And the day before I'd only had 2 hours. I realized much later that all I had to eat for quite a lot of the day was sweets (I need to snag all my receipts so I can see just how much dessert food I had that day before early dinner). I had a disgusting headache that was causing nausea. My body was hurting, and I was just all sad. I wasn't feeling well at all.

Well, OK, but I still needed to make the best of things. I was going to snag an ibuprofen from the DL First Aid, but forgot. I decided to go to DCA.


On my way, I saw a fun-looking party going on in front of the castle. All of the characters, it seemed, were there. There was also a big crowd, so I just walked along, stopping for a latte (thinking the caffeine-withdrawals from the paltry tiny cup of coffee were to blame for my headache) and a cookie. Well look at this, they were leaving the "party"!

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And then there was a little parade!

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I really love that picture. :cool2:


I was walking in what shade I could find, hoping it would make me feel better. So I was looking at the Main Street shopfronts, and my favorite is the Ratatouille scene.

I took some closeups. Anyone else notice this fairly obvious homage to a certain exec?

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And is this a bow to John Goodman (though I don't think he had anything to do with ratatouille)?

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Notes on the fridge:

And I just googled (after doing so with enrico below) and found the movie La Chinoise, a French film centered in an apartment. Since I know they used many French films as inspiration for parts of Ratatouille, that makes sense.

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But the only Jenny Lynn I can find is a fitness instructor.


I'm editing because I just googled "pixar enrico" and found out that there's an Enrico who is a storyboard artist at Pixar.

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And another Pixar guy. :)

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Can you tell I watch the extra features on the Pixar movies? DS loves the "ads", as he calls them. :goodvibes
 
When I got to DCA...well I actually am a bit out of sorts as to the order. But I think I first went to the First Aid station to get some "drugs". They had one package of ibuprofen left. I'm sensitive so I took one pill from the package, and put the other into my pocket. I decided to go on the factory tours, and they were cute. We eat Mission tortillas all the time at home, but the ones they gave during the tortilla factory tour was SO good, so much better. The sourdough was sourdough, and the little movie tour they do is cute.

The starches didn't help, so I went to get a cup of water at the Farmer's Market. They gave me a really big cup of water, which was nice, but the cup had a leak. It took probably half an hour to realize it was leaking, that's how low I felt and how out of sorts I was.

While sitting there I swear I saw Jaime Lynn Spears. I swear it. She looked exactly like her, and was traveling with similarly-dressed (very wealthy-looking) young women. It was odd. I keep waiting to hear that she was at DLR last weekend, but all I hear is that she is out "partying". Well, she could have gone partying at DCA. :)

I wanted food but couldn't stomach it. I did actually crave the fish and chips I noticed they had there. I'm officially vegetarian, but sometimes, when far from Robert's mom (if she knew I would eat halibut she would sneak meat into EVERYTHING), I'll eat fish and chips. But since I was already feeling bad, I didn't want to risk it. I ate them once while pregnant and have never been so sick; it took over a year to eat them again. And the last time I had fish and chips one of the fish things was almost "melted" in appearance and texture, and just the thought of it almost sent me to the bathroom. So eating that, even though I was craving it, while already so sick was just not a good idea. Sigh.

I finally pulled myself together. Poured the water from leaking cup to waterbottle, cleaned up the granola bar crumbs from the table, and slowly moved alone. I had already taken the second ibuprofen, b/c it had been an hour since the first and it hadn't kicked in at all.

I decided to go on Soarin', because it makes me feel good. I figured the "fresh" air blowing on me would be good. And you know what? It was. Love that orange grove smell. I even took some time to look around at the other riders and the seat things we were on, trying to figure out just HOW they move it to make it feel so real. Amazing ride (though why is it still xmas on Main Street?).


Then I went on Grizzly. Oh man do I love that ride. Even though I still felt terrible, it made my mood happy, at least. The family in front of me was scoffing at ponchos, then noticed I was putting mine on. They then explained they had just forgotten theirs at the hotel, after doing the 85 foot flume ride at Universal the day before. Then, of course, I was put in their raft. I love how much chatting you can do on that ride, and of course it's interspersed with screams of delight. :goodvibes

On the first downhill bit I was succumbing to peer pressure, and hadn't put the hood of my poncho on. Well, of course, that meant I got icy water down my back! After that I put the hood on and didn't get at all wet the rest of the ride, while my companions were soaked.

Whee, fun ride. We spun down the final flume of the ride, which was an interesting and exhilarating experience.

Then there was the geyser, and we were all laughing about it.

Once I got my stuff out of the locker (so handy!) and put things away, the adrenaline wore off and I felt even worse.

But I had heard someone say something odd as they got off the rafts, yelling at someone on the paths looking over the geyser, that THEY were the ones who had made the geyser spout. :confused3

Well I know they do that at SeaWorld's Atlantis, and I've heard that it's done at Universal, but at Disney? I don't think so. But I went looking anyway. Didn't find any magic buttons to push to make the geyser go, but had a grand time watching people get soaked. Oh I laughed and laughed...

Then I decided to see what was over 'behind' GRR, and walked along the path. Wow, there sure is room for a LONG line at GRR! Yikes!

There are some pictures (not mine) in the Disneyland photo thread on the DLR forum of the stuff behind GRR, and one is an old truck with kayaks on it. I passed a woman and her possibly 3 year old son, and the son was just entranced by it. I gave her a smile that I hope she "got", one of "pay all this money to go to DLR, and he loves looking at an old truck and kayaks!" :rotfl: )

And then I found it's just a circle (which I had a feeling it was, from the Electrical Parade watchers coming back 'round while on the way out of DCA the night before). Aha, well, there's a bathroom! Always good to find a bathroom.

Came out and there were two male members of a Rally team, that I had seen earlier. I figured they were being good Rally members and waiting for the woman in their group. They looked wiped out, and it was only around 2. 6 more hours to go until the awards ceremony. I couldn't take it anymore, and asked how their Rally was going. I really shouldn't have done that, because they ended up thinking that I was a big cheater, but I couldn't come right out and say "I'm a lurking floater", so I did just explain that I'm a member of the website, but just happened to be there, and was leaving too early to be part of the Rally. But really, I should have just kept my mouth shut, b/c it just confused them. Though I guess it was something for them to talk about later!

While standing there, talking to them and/or just trying to feel better, I took pictures of the windows.

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I wandered back towards GRR and sat down on a bench.

At that point I called Robert and cried to him a bit, of how bad I felt, wah wah wah. It was maybe 2-ish, maybe just 1? not sure, and I was saying that if I had a cab to the airport I'd just leave right then because I was sad and hurting. :(

Well, after our conversation I decided to cheer myself up by watching rafters get soaked by the geyser.


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Is this person standing up????

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I didn't even notice that...


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Aw, bummer...

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Well, you know what? That made me feel a whole lot better. I laughed and laughed. I know, some day I'll go on while wearing all white with bright purple underwear and I'll forget my poncho and get drenched. I know I know....but for now I'm laughin'.
 
I really really should go to bed, but I just can't yet.

I really wish I could leave days, no, weeks, between updates, like they do on the WDW trip reports, to build the suspense and make people drool for more. But I just can't!


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I don't know where I was when I noticed, but suddenly I felt the lifting of the headache and related nausea. Since it had been quite a number of hours since I took the ibuprofen, I don't really know if it was related. I'm usually quite sensitive to it and it works quickly when I do use it, so it was very odd. But my neck felt more free, my head didn't hurt, and I didn't want to throw up from my kneecaps (you know that overall body gaaaaaah feeling?). So that was good!

Since I was just then feeling better, I should have continued to rest, should have taken it easy...did I? Heck no! I am the person who drank a beer and went on Screamin', are you kidding me?

Of course I went on Tower of Terror. Wouldn't you?


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It was there that I got to see a CM having a bad day. As we were waiting to "check in" I saw this female CM talking to a CM outside. Well, I heard it, then went looking for her, because she was talking pretty loud. She said something like "well hey, it's just an idea that I'm tossing to you. It's up to you if you want to catch it." I thought "ooh, she's not having a good day...." And I looked at the reactions of the male CMs she was talking to, and of course they didn't take her seriously. Not with that tone of voice. Nope. Wish I knew what it was about! She went stomping off, and I hoped that she was going on her break.

I got closer to the podium and I could tell that the people in front of me were enough that the line was about to be closed. In fact he did convey that I would be on the next one, but when he asked how many were in my party and I said one, he opened it back up and said that one "is the magic number". :)

We went into the room with the TV, and oh dear, the bad-mood CM was the one in there. She said her spiel so quietly and peeved that I just wanted her to take a sick day and get some hugs from someone. I tried to hug her with a smile as I went into the boiler room, but she curled her lips up into what became a sneering snarl, and I felt sad. Hugs to that CM having a bad day...I'm sorry I couldn't make it better for you. :hug:

Woo boy is that a crazy ride. I had my camera bag in a big Disney shopping bag, along with some small things. Oh yeah, I called Robert again and then went shopping for a few little souvenirs while I was slowly feeling better. I also had my thin nylon bag that Sunshine Rewards sent to me for being a super member a quarter or so again, which was carrying Crocs, poncho, possibly my sweatshirt... I had those things, and I was holding their straps and trying to put them between my calves.

Well the ride started, and on the BIIIIIG drop, as my butt was SO far off the seat, I looked down and noticed my bags just going weightless, going up up up up up...to almost my chest level! They just kept going up, even after I was back on the seat. It was wild. And the whole experience just feels so surreal anyway.

We all got off the ride laughing at the amount of air we had caught, and it was fun.


Ultimately, the only souvenirs I bought were a big retro Disneyland magnet for me (I like magnets and keychains), a third light saber keychain for Eamon (you guys need to check those out when next in Tomorrowland or the Emporium...they are very small, but their effect is SO much cooler than the properly sized light sabers...Eamon loves his THREE more than he could love the big ones, and he does much less damage with the small/cool one than he would with a telescoping one), and "Doc" with civilian paintjob from Cars, because we couldn't find non-racing Doc anywhere else (so we paid twice as much for it at DLR).

I slowly wandered back over to DL, where I did some of that shopping (the light saber).

And decided that I was hungry! I noticed that it was approaching the parade time, and that if I wanted to get up to the Plaza Inn and across the street, I had better hustle. I made it, but no thanks to the lady with the very slow walk, pushing a HUGE and long stroller with only one baby in it, with a husband who seemed to be playing guard to her, even though no one was trying to hassle her...just get around her! Just when I would reach a point where I could skirt around her easily, she would speed up, or her husband would fall back and take away the space I wanted to use, and so on. I was just about to say something like "oh please can't I get by" when there was a space and hubby was distracted, and I actually jogged through.

I made it, and there were still people crossing under the ropes to cross the street (and no CMs were telling them not to), so I did it too. Sorry, CMs!

Got to the PI. Got a side salad and a kid's penne with marinara meal. Sat outside, with a blocked view of the parade. The food was very good!

I didn't think to get pictures until I had decimated my salad, so these are what I have.

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For any of you Ranch dressing lovers out there, their Ranch is incredible. I only used half of it on my salad, but you see those carrots and those apple slices in the pictures above? Oh yeah, those got dipped in Ranch, too. The half-breadstick as well. It was goooooood.


With the help of my zoomy-zoom, this is the kind of view I had of the parade.

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She deserves a photo too, because she was working so hard.

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Unfortunately, I mainly got "omg is she half nekky?" pictures of Ariel.

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I do love this picture, even more so that I hit "saturate color" with shutterfly, to make the colors in the picture match the colors that were in my eyes with that float.

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I also like the random Buzz balloon that floated into the shot *just* as I clicked.


AAAAAKKKKKKKK! A lion! I missed that guy; hadn't seen him since October of '06.

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Pretty. Again, liking the balloons.

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Spinny spinny! Must be fun to be a princess with twirly skirts and banners to dance with.

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Until it's time to put them away quickly, before you are needed again.

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Ack, that mickey balloon is lurking and looming; kinda scary!


Pretty poofy dress (I was just looking at my wedding pictures tonight, at my swoopy poofy gown, wishing it had been a little bit blue instead of silk-white).

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We'll pretend like this was the last picture I took, because, well, you don't know otherwise. You don't know that the last two shots were of Snow White's back (the girl would not face forward for long enough to get a proper picture) or of Chip or Dale's lower body (pic cut off just below his nose so I can't see if it's brown like a chocolate CHIP or red). Nope, nope, this was my last shot.


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