Strike yer colors, you brazen wench, no need to expose yer superstructure! New p. 16

[rentayenta]

Wow, you really lucked-out with the low crowds! Interesting that there may have been an "altercation" at the WoC....I bet people were disappointed that it got cut short.

That's my guess. The water for the projections stayed on for at least 5 minutes after. It seemed like a malfunction as they whole system didn't turn off.

If we pay cash, the difference in price from DLH and GCH isn't a deal breaker. I want to stay where we're going to have the best experience overall. I love the entrance to DCA. That might seal the deal for us.

How is Anaheim weather in February?



Is that the same as Tomorrowland Speedway? My nephews love that ride and I HATE it. The line moves so slowly!

The entrance is UNREAL and in my opinion the best part of DCA.


I think it's the same, push pedal cars on a rail track right? If so, then yes- the line is horrific. But at almost 15, Gabby is begging to drive ANYTHING.

 

[franandaj]

But at almost 15, Gabby is begging to drive ANYTHING.

 

[rentayenta]

I know, right?! And she stunk at it too.

 

[Native NYer]

The entrance makes GCH/GCV slighly more appealing than DLH. Also, I love that I can book a theme park view room at GCH.

 

[rentayenta]

The entrance makes GCH/GCV slighly more appealing than DLH. Also, I love that I can book a theme park view room at GCH.

I want you to stay at both. I want a comparison. When in 2013 are you thinking? I'd wait until Carsland is complete. But then I heard about a nasty Tomorrowland facelift similar in length to WDW's Fantasyland makeover.

 

[kaoden39]

I want you to stay at both. I want a comparison. When in 2013 are you thinking? I'd wait until Carsland is complete. But then I heard about a nasty Tomorrowland facelift similar in length to WDW's Fantasyland makeover.

But it really needs it.

 

[rentayenta]

But it really needs it.

It does. Having said that, I don't love WDW's Tomorrowland either. I guess I am not a huge Sci Fi person.

 

[Native NYer]

I want you to stay at both. I want a comparison. When in 2013 are you thinking? I'd wait until Carsland is complete. But then I heard about a nasty Tomorrowland facelift similar in length to WDW's Fantasyland makeover.

I want to stay at both too! Maybe 3 nights at DLH and 3 nights at GCH.
As of right now, I'm considering February or April 2013. I'm leaning toward February. A Christmas trip would be amazing, but the crowds scare me. Is it too soon to make a February ticker?

Not another refurb. I guess there will never be a time to go when everything is complete.

 

[rentayenta]

I want to stay at both too! Maybe 3 nights at DLH and 3 nights at GCH.
As of right now, I'm considering February or April 2013. I'm leaning toward February. A Christmas trip would be amazing, but the crowds scare me. Is it too soon to make a February ticker?

Not another refurb. I guess there will never be a time to go when everything is complete.

The rides will still be open, it's just a facade refurb.

Heck NO! Make that ticker baybee! I started my WDW trip report at 500+ days out. It's never too early.

I think 3 and 3 sounds perfect.

 

[rentayenta]

.

 

[pooh'smate]

.

...

 

[rentayenta]

...

Ready for Christmas?

 

[pooh'smate]

Ready for Christmas?

Almost, Lexi's big gift will come after Christmas most likely. She wants an American Girl doll and I am 99% we will go and let her pick it out herself. We have a store about 2 1/2 hours from here, but we wont be able to go after Christmas. I just have to wrap what I have and then I will be done.

 

[rentayenta]

Almost, Lexi's big gift will come after Christmas most likely. She wants an American Girl doll and I am 99% we will go and let her pick it out herself. We have a store about 2 1/2 hours from here, but we wont be able to go after Christmas. I just have to wrap what I have and then I will be done.

What one does she want or does she want a look alike? Chloe got Molly with matching pjs a few years ago.

Update coming......

 

[rentayenta]

Our final Disneyland day; just typing that makes me happy and sad. I love reliving the memories but sad that we don't have solid plans for when we'll be back. But of course, I'm always working on it.

The plan for today was to make MM which was from 8-9 am, hit Fantasyland as we still hadn’t stepped foot in it unless you count The Matterhorn , Holiday Tour with DS at 3:00, then close the place down at 8 pm We also had planned to use those random 20% off coupons for some shopping because at this point the kids had only bought those hats from the parks and DTD. We also had plans to meet one of my friends and her kids at some point during the day. She had planned on meeting mid afternoon but I told her I had my tour so we could meet after. She knows my family well so she said she’d meet with DH and the girls at 4. Perfect!

I woke the kids at 6:45 knowing we had to be in line for security between 7:30 and 7:45. It was chilly and overcast but no rain in the forecast.
Of course, I was up much earlier to make DH and I coffee. Have you tried the Holiday Roast they sell at the coffee house on Main St? If not, I suggest you do. It’s got great flavor.

The kids grabbed some crackers and fruit, we packed our backpack with waters and snacks, and headed to Happiest Place on Earth. Can I still say that even though Disney doesn’t?

After only a few minutes, security started letting us through. We hustled and ended up here. I love being in the front.

I took a few photos:

We weren’t chosen to open the park even though my darling spawn were wearing their character hats. It appears that they generally choose families with younger kids and they did today as well.

After they allowed us in the park, we made it to rope drop with no one in front of us!

Behind us:

We chatted while waiting for the rope to drop about how much fun this trip had been and what a great day this was going to be It was at this moment (enter foreshadowing) that Gabby told me she didn’t want me to do the tour and wanted us to stay together as a family. How often do you hear that from an almost 15 y/o? I told her no.

We had all day to be a family and I wanted my hot cocoa, gingerbread man, IASW, HMH, and our seats for the parade. Not to mention all the little Disneyland holiday morsels of info we were going to learn.

Can you guess what happened?


Cont in next post....

 

[rentayenta]

The rope dropped and we booked it to Fantasyland. We rode, in order: Peter Pan, Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Alice, and Pinocchio. Not too shabby for an hour.

I don’t care that DS’s eyes are closed.

After Fantasyland we decided that we were starving. The bag of BBQ chips during our FL fest didn’t make a dent. We decided on breakfast at the Tomorrowland Terrace purely for proximity. We sent our fearless FP runner for Space FPs, the kids grabbed a table, and I got our food. We ordered and shared, of course:

(1) Breakfast Burrito - Scrambled eggs, chorizo, black beans, queso fresco, breakfast potatoes and cilantro-tomatillo salsa, wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with fresh fruit. $6.49

(1) Breakfast Platter - Scrambled eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes and biscuit. $6.49

(1) French Toast - Dusted with powdered sugar, served with syrup, bacon and fresh fruit. $6.49

I also ordered the kids orange juice and DH and I each a coffee. I don’t remember the last time we had breakfast there but it was really good. River Belle’s atmosphere is better but the food was equal in quality.

With full bellies we headed to a very empty Tomorrowland. We rode Buzz and Space and then headed for Adventureland to grab Indy FPs. We rode HMH holiday again even though I’d be riding it later and we finally got on Pooh too. It was too cold for Splash but we grabbed FPs for when it warmed up.

Once again the tour subject got brought up but this time by Chloe and how we should all stay together on our last Disneyland day blah blah blah…..

Gabby decided at this point she was getting tired. What to do???

We decided to go the Emporium to do a little shopping and then see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. I still love it. I adore the animatronics.
As we headed towards Main St we noticed that POTC, Jungle Cruise, and Indy were all 101. I knew it would be temporary but still, three in a row is no bueno.

We had to have one of these:

And my ONLY character photo of the entire trip. I know. Sad. My babies are growing up. And it’s a blurry photo at that. They would hardly stand still enough for DH to take the picture.

While waiting for the esteemed Mr. Lincoln:

These bring back a flood of amazing childhood memories.

I miss the Country Bear Jamboree:

We all enjoyed GM with Mr. Lincoln.

Gabby decided she wanted a nap. I know, right?! So one of us had to take her back. Had we been in DCA I would have allowed her to go back to the villa alone not but didn’t feel comfortable with her going through DTD alone even for that little bit. I suppose she could have gone through DCA but she was that tired and didn't want to go alone.

Did someone say family togetherness? I headed back to the villa with Gab while DH stayed at Disneyland with the other two. Our plan was to have lunch separately, let Gab have a power nap, and then meet back at Disneyland no later than 2:30 so DS and I could get to the tour by 2:45.

To be continued….

 

[kaoden39]

I have never made it to Disneyland for rope drop. No one ever wants to be up that early on vacation except me. When I am up ahead of everyone else I might wander the hotel grounds or even DTD but not the parks. I wait for them.

 

[ddwlms]

Behind us:

WOW!!
I don't speak up much, but I've been here quietly enjoying your posts. I keep trying to keep your days straight in my mind and matching up what we may have been doing at that point in our own trip. So, I get to this picture and it just seems so crazy to me, small world, but there was probably one family, maybe two, standing between your family and mine. We're at rope drop when this picture was taken. We weren't first to get there, so we're standing on the sidewalk on the frontierland side of the street.

Most of us "walked with a purpose" to PP. Then begrudgingly let a dozen families, maybe yours included, in front of us while we waited for the husbands who insisted upon lagging behind.

This whole scenario is crazy and amazing to me!

 

[Native NYer]

I hope you make it to the tour!

 

[rentayenta]

I have never made it to Disneyland for rope drop. No one ever wants to be up that early on vacation except me. When I am up ahead of everyone else I might wander the hotel grounds or even DTD but not the parks. I wait for them.

I wait too. But I also make a lot of noice to get them stirring. You should try it one time, it's kind of fun. I love seeing Main St all clean and damp.

WOW!!
I don't speak up much, but I've been here quietly enjoying your posts. I keep trying to keep your days straight in my mind and matching up what we may have been doing at that point in our own trip. So, I get to this picture and it just seems so crazy to me, small world, but there was probably one family, maybe two, standing between your family and mine. We're at rope drop when this picture was taken. We weren't first to get there, so we're standing on the sidewalk on the frontierland side of the street.

Most of us "walked with a purpose" to PP. Then begrudgingly let a dozen families, maybe yours included, in front of us while we waited for the husbands who insisted upon lagging behind.

This whole scenario is crazy and amazing to me!

That's crazy! I like that *walked with purpose*. I actually do remember a family that was letting people go ahead of them on Peter Pan. Did you see us? We're ridiculous. Hope you enjoyed your trip.

I hope you make it to the tour!

I don't know. Such suspense huh?