Thank you Amtrak for a Decade of Disneyland!

[mariezp]

Day 7, Sunday, November 6, 2011

Woke up this morning and it was raining again.Thankfully it was not a big deal because I needed to wait for our 2nd grocery delivery anyway which was due sometime between 10:00 am-11:00 am. The Von's driver showed up about 11:00. We thought we would check out the game room while we waited for the weather to clear up. We played foosball and air hockey. They guys also shot a game of pool. (My photos are not so good but I just wanted to give anyone who is interested in Dolphins Cove an idea of what their gameroom looked like. It was really a pretty nice area.)

It finally started warming up so we finally headed to the park at about 2:00. We had decided to explore another option for getting to the park so we set out to see how far the Disney Toy Story parking lot was. The lot itself was not so far but you also had to walk up into the lot a good ways so we just kept on walking down Harbor Blvd. instead. By the time we finally got there we knew without a doubt that we did not want to walk from Dolphins Cove every day.

We made our way into Disneyland and decided we would rest up from our long walk while we watched Mr. Lincoln. I snapped a few shots in the lobby.

Everyones breakfast had just about worn off. DS seldom ever makes any requests but he did suggest Pizza Port so off we went. I think we have only ever eaten there once and it had been a really long time. The chicken fusilli was very good and the portions were huge. DD and I shared. However, good as it was, I am not so sure it agreed with our tummies later.

We rode Autopia.

 

[mariezp]

Continued....

We then headed over to Nemo.

Then we decided to ride the train around to NOS and then rode HM.

The skies had began to look dark again so we opted to head out before it started raining again. We were all a little cold and not quite sure about how we were going to get back to our room. On the way out of the park we stopped off at Market House for cookies and a warm drink. Dh called a cab and we made it back to Dolphin’s Cove with no problem. We stopped in the lobby and rented Yogi Bear and called it a night.

 

[lozzypop]

Really nice pictures of Storybook Land mariezp!

 

[Sherry E]

Ummmm...hello? Did you not notice something that would be interesting to ME in this photo? What is it, you ask? What's hanging on the wall? What is my other favorite place besides Disneyland?

It's a Catalina Island poster thingy!


I'm just giving you a hard time, of course, but seriously - I had just gotten through reading your comments to Molly/bumbershoot about being glad that someone pointed out a specific picture because it gives you a chance to see details you may have overlooked.

And then I got to the Dolphin's Cove kitchen photo. I said to myself, "Cool! What a nice kitch -- oooooh!!! Catalina!"

Anyway, that was a nice surprise for me.

I wanted to pop in and comment on a few specific things so you know I have followed along. I realize that we all don't always have the time to do a line by line commentary on an entire TR, even if we have read it all. But sometimes people will pop in and offer up a very generic remark that makes me wonder if they have been following along at all. I think that TR writers like to know that people have been paying attention to specific things.

So even a super brief comment on one specific thing in a TR is better than nothing, am I right?

Anyway, here's what I wanted to say:

1. I love the photos around the Pooh ride on Page 1 - specifically, the details around the outside and the queue;

2. I, too, have never noticed the Hook light fixture at Peter Pan, which is funny because I have been making a point of looking 'up' much more often lately at DLR (even if I don't always take pictures of what I see), just to see what the lights are like. I like the Saturn-themed lights in the Buzz Lightyear ride, for example, and the seashell-esque lights in the Paradise Pier Hotel hallways. But that Hook light in Disneyland was new to me, although I have seen the Hook light fixture in World of Disney;

3. It's so funny - looking at where you guys were sitting when you got your gingerbread cookies at the Market House that one morning (the same morning you saw the Cast Members with the Mickey hands waving hello), I think that is the exact same table where I sat when I got my gingerbread cookies at the Market House this past December (also on a morning when the park had just opened!)!!! It looks like the same vantage point, although I did not take any photos from the table so you won't be able to tell where I was sitting when I get to that point in my TR;

4. I love love love the signs about the different animals along the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (or whatever it's called now?). See, that is one area where I have not gotten past the entrance. I have been meaning to go in but haven't had time to yet, so I have not seen those cute signs;

5. I despise those hideous ToonTown Christmas trees and I don't know why they got rid of the trees they used to have in ToonTown. These 'new' ones are so tacky-looking;

6. I totally forgot about Mrs. Potts and Chip being in the Treehouse; and...

7. You mentioned Soarin' being your favorite ride in DCA. I never miss that ride on any DLR trip. It's one of a handful of 'can't miss' rides for me when I go. Even if I only make it on 4-6 rides in a DLR trip, for whatever reason, Soarin' would be one of them.

So...can you believe that in my 4 night/5 day holiday extravaganza this past December, I did not get on Soarin' one time? The line was too long on my first day and my friends didn't want to wait for it, nor did they want to fiddle with Fast Passes. Then, on the next morning/early afternoon, I was trying to knock out some photos on a photo-taking extravaganza. Then my out-of-state friends arrived and it all went downhill from there. IN FACT, you don't know this yet but Soarin' is actually a very sore spot from my trip because my wonderful (cough cough)out-of-state friend KNEW that I wanted to take her on that ride and be the first one to ride it with her - or at least, be there on her very first Soarin' ride. I had been telling her for years that I couldn't wait for her to ride it, and I wanted to be there when she rode it because I knew she would love it.

And would you believe that my darling (cough), wonderful (cough) out of state friend blew me off for another friend instead - and she text messaged me while they were in the line for Soarin' to tell me she was with other people?!!! She knew how much it meant to me to go on that ride with her the first time, and she texted me to tell me she was in the line with other friends of hers who just happened to "show up" out of the blue.










Anyway, my friend, I just wanted to pop in and lend my support for your TR. I am soooo glad to see that other people began to chime in after a rather slow, quiet start. You don't do DLR TR's more than once a year, so when you do them they deserve to be recognized!

As you and I have discussed, Marie, it's really discouraging when people don't comment on a TR you work hard on. Some of us may spend hours and hours and hours on one lone installment of a TR - just one single post, let alone the entire TR - and if no one likes it or says anything, it is not only disappointing, it's actually depressing. It makes me really sad, quite frankly.

Your TR's are unique in that they are always good 'snapshots' of a (roughly) 2-week period of time at DLR, give or take a day. Spending 2 weeks at Disneyland Resort is something that a lot of people would never think to do, and I bet a lot of people would not want to do. Spend 2 weeks in SoCal? Yes. Spend 2 weeks at Walt Disney World? How can you NOT spend 2 weeks at WDW? But I would bet that a lot of folks would never dream of spending 2 weeks at DLR, so your TR's are a way of showing people how such a trip can be managed from day to day.

Oh, and I feel the same way about people commenting on specific photos - it's nice to see what other people see in your own pictures, and which pictures catch other people's eyes (and which people notice the Catalina Island posters hanging in the background!)! And you know that I, too, am a big fan of the Canon SD880! I think it takes pretty good pictures, if I do say so myself!


Also - you are way too nice and too decent of a person to not have as many TR followers as you can possibly handle!!

THAT'S RIGHT, EVERYONE! If you all think that Marie seems like a nice person from her TR's, you would be correct! She is someone I have met in person, and I'm very glad I did. She has become a friend - a better friend than a few of my longtime friends, to be quite honest! So be sure to stick with her on this TR!

 

[mariezp]

Really nice pictures of Storybook Land mariezp!

Thank you!!!! I do believe Storybookland is one of my favorite rides. My mission next trip is to see if I can sit on the other side of the boat for a change so I can get some photos from a different vantage point.

Ummmm...hello? Did you not notice something that would be interesting to ME in this photo? What is it, you ask? What's hanging on the wall? What is my other favorite place besides Disneyland?

It's a Catalina Island poster thingy!

I am pretty sure I DO recall thinking of you when I saw this picture. The condo was fulll of travel posters throughout all the rooms.

I'm just giving you a hard time, of course, but seriously - I had just gotten through reading your comments to Molly/bumbershoot about being glad that someone pointed out a specific picture because it gives you a chance to see details you may have overlooked.

And then I got to the Dolphin's Cove kitchen photo. I said to myself, "Cool! What a nice kitch -- oooooh!!! Catalina!"

Anyway, that was a nice surprise for me.

I am still finding new things in my photos! When you are busy taking them it is a totally different experience behind the camera than when you actually have the photo sitting right in front of you. Sad to say after I get home and download them to my computer and then upload them to Webshots I really do not end up studying them very closely. About the best I do is to browse through them every few weeks or so and change my desktop photo regularily to a new Disney photo. I really need to work on this and start appreciating all the Disney photos that I have snapped over the years!

I wanted to pop in and comment on a few specific things so you know I have followed along. I realize that we all don't always have the time to do a line by line commentary on an entire TR, even if we have read it all. But sometimes people will pop in and offer up a very generic remark that makes me wonder if they have been following along at all. I think that TR writers like to know that people have been paying attention to specific things.

So even a super brief comment on one specific thing in a TR is better than nothing, am I right?

AMEN!!!!

Anyway, here's what I wanted to say:

1. I love the photos around the Pooh ride on Page 1 - specifically, the details around the outside and the queue;

Pooh is one place in the park where it is very easy to snap photos while you wait in line. It is usually not busy so there are times when you practically have the whole place to yourself. Unfortunately, I suppose that can also be a downside because when there is no line one tends to rush right on through and board the ride. Another example is Indy. I always find that we do "the big rush through" it's fantastically photo filled queue line. I never get many photos here because we just race through everything until we finally meet up with where the line begins. Of course, the fact that I only ever ride this with my son is also the reason I am always in such a hurry. At least when I tour the park with my DD she is open to humoring me when it comes to strolling leisurely while I take pictures.

2. I, too, have never noticed the Hook light fixture at Peter Pan, which is funny because I have been making a point of looking 'up' much more often lately at DLR (even if I don't always take pictures of what I see), just to see what the lights are like. I like the Saturn-themed lights in the Buzz Lightyear ride, for example, and the seashell-esque lights in the Paradise Pier Hotel hallways. But that Hook light in Disneyland was new to me, although I have seen the Hook light fixture in World of Disney;

Silly me. I have a tendency to notice light fixtures. I think it all began when we were building our house and I collected antique fixtures to install throughout every room. I developed an appreciation for interesting architectural elements, light fixtures still being one of my favorites. Needless to say, the parks are like a huge shopping center to me filled with unique finds. So while I practically hate shopping in the retail stores I do love noticing all the intricate details of lights, doors, windows, etc. that abound at every turn.

3. It's so funny - looking at where you guys were sitting when you got your gingerbread cookies at the Market House that one morning (the same morning you saw the Cast Members with the Mickey hands waving hello), I think that is the exact same table where I sat when I got my gingerbread cookies at the Market House this past December (also on a morning when the park had just opened!)!!! It looks like the same vantage point, although I did not take any photos from the table so you won't be able to tell where I was sitting when I get to that point in my TR;

That area can be very quiet and peaceful if you time it right. On this particular morning we were enjoying our yummy treats but the guys were also cluing DD and I in on one of the places they love to hang out. DD and I tend to keep moving most of the time but apparently the men tour the park in a more leisurely fashion. (unless they are going through that Indy queue line!) DD and I really need to try their more laid back method out a little more often... but doggone it...there are just so many things to see and do! Anyway, I will be sure to watch for your photos to see if we were noticing the same things.

4. I love love love the signs about the different animals along the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (or whatever it's called now?). See, that is one area where I have not gotten past the entrance. I have been meaning to go in but haven't had time to yet, so I have not seen those cute signs;

Honestly, if DD had not wanted to go in there I would not have been there either. I am not an outdoorsy type at all. I am pretty sure it comes from the 10 years we spent camping out every year in Colorado before discovering my happiest place on earth. However, once I actually went inside the area it did make for plenty of photo opportunities. You should try it sometime. Glad you enjoyed seeing things you don't often see.

5. I despise those hideous ToonTown Christmas trees and I don't know why they got rid of the trees they used to have in ToonTown. These 'new' ones are so tacky-looking;

I agree. The old ones were so much better! Nothing like getting WDW's cast offs.

6. I totally forgot about Mrs. Potts and Chip being in the Treehouse; and...

If I am not mistaken Mrs. Potts used to be located up on a porch attached to the treehouse. Unfortunately, I think she was often abused and was relocated to a safer location down on the ground level safely out of reach of destructive little fingers. Too bad cause it used to make for a cute photo opportunity. Bet you don't go through the treehouse very often either anymore. Without children I doubt too many adults venture up there on their own. It can be quite a trek!

7. You mentioned Soarin' being your favorite ride in DCA. I never miss that ride on any DLR trip. It's one of a handful of 'can't miss' rides for me when I go. Even if I only make it on 4-6 rides in a DLR trip, for whatever reason, Soarin' would be one of them.

So...can you believe that in my 4 night/5 day holiday extravaganza this past December, I did not get on Soarin' one time? The line was too long on my first day and my friends didn't want to wait for it, nor did they want to fiddle with Fast Passes. Then, on the next morning/early afternoon, I was trying to knock out some photos on a photo-taking extravaganza. Then my out-of-state friends arrived and it all went downhill from there. IN FACT, you don't know this yet but Soarin' is actually a very sore spot from my trip because my wonderful (cough cough)out-of-state friend KNEW that I wanted to take her on that ride and be the first one to ride it with her - or at least, be there on her very first Soarin' ride. I had been telling her for years that I couldn't wait for her to ride it, and I wanted to be there when she rode it because I knew she would love it.

And would you believe that my darling (cough), wonderful (cough) out of state friend blew me off for another friend instead - and she text messaged me while they were in the line for Soarin' to tell me she was with other people?!!! She knew how much it meant to me to go on that ride with her the first time, and she texted me to tell me she was in the line with other friends of hers who just happened to "show up" out of the blue.

Oh Sherry, that is just rotten! Some people can be so inconsiderate! I hope you got a chance to air your dissatisfaction. And, I do hope that your friend saw the error of her ways and at the very least offered you an apology. For the record... if we are ever again at the park at the same time, I will be more than happy to ride Soarin with you and share a special ride!

Anyway, my friend, I just wanted to pop in and lend my support for your TR. I am soooo glad to see that other people began to chime in after a rather slow, quiet start. You don't do DLR TR's more than once a year, so when you do them they deserve to be recognized!

As you and I have discussed, Marie, it's really discouraging when people don't comment on a TR you work hard on. Some of us may spend hours and hours and hours on one lone installment of a TR - just one single post, let alone the entire TR - and if no one likes it or says anything, it is not only disappointing, it's actually depressing. It makes me really sad, quite frankly.

Your TR's are unique in that they are always good 'snapshots' of a (roughly) 2-week period of time at DLR, give or take a day. Spending 2 weeks at Disneyland Resort is something that a lot of people would never think to do, and I bet a lot of people would not want to do. Spend 2 weeks in SoCal? Yes. Spend 2 weeks at Walt Disney World? How can you NOT spend 2 weeks at WDW? But I would bet that a lot of folks would never dream of spending 2 weeks at DLR, so your TR's are a way of showing people how such a trip can be managed from day to day.

I do so appreciate you popping in and showing your support Sherry! (I actually appreciate everyone else who has shown up too.) Your post actually made me a little teary because it was so sweet. You are right that a lot of people never imagine doing a 2 week vacation at Disneyland. I've heard many say that they would get bored... which I just cannot imagine. Maybe it is that they think in terms of spending every waking moment in the park. That might get a little redundant. However, we love being able to take our time and do things at our own leisure so we are not actually inside the park for 2 whole weeks.This trip we actually spent more time than I liked transitioning between the two hotels since we were trying something new. And, also the rain impacted several days of our park time. I honestly do hope next year we do spend a little more time at the park.Truth is that I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be for 2 weeks.

Oh, and I feel the same way about people commenting on specific photos - it's nice to see what other people see in your own pictures, and which pictures catch other people's eyes (and which people notice the Catalina Island posters hanging in the background!)! And you know that I, too, am a big fan of the Canon SD880! I think it takes pretty good pictures, if I do say so myself!

Definitely has been a good camera for both of us!

Also - you are way too nice and too decent of a person to not have as many TR followers as you can possibly handle!!

THAT'S RIGHT, EVERYONE! If you all think that Marie seems like a nice person from her TR's, you would be correct! She is someone I have met in person, and I'm very glad I did. She has become a friend - a better friend than a few of my longtime friends, to be quite honest! So be sure to stick with her on this TR!

Thanks for the high praises Sherry. Be careful though and don't put too much pressure on me! You already have raised the bar on TRs with your latest so the pressure is already steep! Looks like I better get it in high gear and put together another installment here before the readers I do already have give up on me! Daily life can get in the way so much some times.
I hope you know I think you are pretty terrific too Sherry!

 

[mariezp]

Day 8, Monday, November 7, 2011

Another morning of moving slowly. We popped into Dolphin’s Cove’s gameroom for a few rounds of foosball and air hockey. Then we set out and walked down to Gardenwalk for lunch at Bubba Gump’s. DH said his food was not as good as usual and we were all a little disappointed that we didn’t get a Forrest Gump trivia quiz from our waitress. I suppose it was worth the trip just to experience the hand dryers in the restrooms. We went ahead and finished our walk to the park since we were already halfway there. Since we were passing by we stopped in Coldstone’s for a little sweet treat… and another song.

We decided to spend our day at CA. We had a little time to waste before the next Aladdin show so we took a quick ride on Monster’s Inc.

Then we had just enough time to take in some sites and snap some photos as we wandered over to the Hyperion.

The show was good as usual. We had a good genie which always makes a huge difference.

 

[mariezp]

Continued....

Next we went over to the Animation Academy.

We got to draw Minnie.

Then we looked around a little and drifted over to catch the next showing of Crush.

We thought next we would head in the direction of Paradise Pier.

I rode the Golden Zephyr with my son for the very first time.

And then we headed over to Toy Story. I did much better this time and tied for second place.

Then it was time for a spin on the carousel.

And finally Ariel.

We grabbed a cab back to our room. Picked up the movie Gulliver’s Travels and called it a night.

 

[Sherry E]

I only have a minute because my Internet has been crashing and giving me problems for the last couple of hours, so I am trying to remember some things off the top of my head for commentary.

1. That "Down Catalina Way" poster is one of the things I had planned to show my out of state friend in DCA in December (because she is also a Catalina Island fan), but after the Soarin' fiasco that I explained to you, it never happened.

2. It's funny how, in a Disney-created world/land, Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard appear to intersect - they appear to be perpendicular. However, as Los Angeles residents know, Sunset and Hollywood are actually parallel to each other!

3. You were mentioning before about not noticing certain things in your photos until you go back and look at them later - IF you ever do look at them later or if someone points something out.

In my case, what happens is that I am very detail-oriented anyway - probably way too much so - so IF I am actually taking the time to stop and photograph a particular thing in DLR, you can bet I probably noticed all the details of it and am trying to find a way to get those details to show up on camera (such as the planters with Birds of Paradise near Rainforest Cafe, that are meant to look like torches with fire shooting out of them). I am sometimes the one spotting things in other folks' photos (I spotted a hidden Mickey-looking thing in one of Laurie's pictures, but she hadn't noticed it).

BUT...here is the catch...all of that is assuming I have seen whatever the focal point is in the first place! If I see it and take a photo, I probably have noticed the details. But I overlook a lot of things in general - there may be tons of light fixtures or planters that I have never looked at, such as the Hook light fixture at Peter Pan. So if I actually see something, I zero in on it and study the nuances, but I may not see it to begin with - I may skip over it altogether!!

4. I have not been in the treehouse in years, but I would go in it. The only reason I haven't gone lately is because either my friends have not wanted to, which was fine with me, or there just wasn't enough time to get to it. I would have eventually gone up in the treehouse on a solo photo mission - I planned on it sooner or later. There just has not been enough time to get to it yet!


Okay, time to sign off before this darn Internet locks up again! Looking forward to the next installment...

 

[mariezp]

I only have a minute because my Internet has been crashing and giving me problems for the last couple of hours, so I am trying to remember some things off the top of my head for commentary.

1. That "Down Catalina Way" poster is one of the things I had planned to show my out of state friend in DCA in December (because she is also a Catalina Island fan), but after the Soarin' fiasco that I explained to you, it never happened.

2. It's funny how, in a Disney-created world/land, Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard appear to intersect - they appear to be perpendicular. However, as Los Angeles residents know, Sunset and Hollywood are actually parallel to each other!

3. You were mentioning before about not noticing certain things in your photos until you go back and look at them later - IF you ever do look at them later or if someone points something out.

In my case, what happens is that I am very detail-oriented anyway - probably way too much so - so IF I am actually taking the time to stop and photograph a particular thing in DLR, you can bet I probably noticed all the details of it and am trying to find a way to get those details to show up on camera (such as the planters with Birds of Paradise near Rainforest Cafe, that are meant to look like torches with fire shooting out of them). I am sometimes the one spotting things in other folks' photos (I spotted a hidden Mickey-looking thing in one of Laurie's pictures, but she hadn't noticed it).

BUT...here is the catch...all of that is assuming I have seen whatever the focal point is in the first place! If I see it and take a photo, I probably have noticed the details. But I overlook a lot of things in general - there may be tons of light fixtures or planters that I have never looked at, such as the Hook light fixture at Peter Pan. So if I actually see something, I zero in on it and study the nuances, but I may not see it to begin with - I may skip over it altogether!!

4. I have not been in the treehouse in years, but I would go in it. The only reason I haven't gone lately is because either my friends have not wanted to, which was fine with me, or there just wasn't enough time to get to it. I would have eventually gone up in the treehouse on a solo photo mission - I planned on it sooner or later. There just has not been enough time to get to it yet!


Okay, time to sign off before this darn Internet locks up again! Looking forward to the next installment...

Thanks for popping back in Sherry. Although, I am so pitiful at getting back to respond I can assure you that I appreciate you and everyone else who has taken the time to look at and/or comment on my trip report.

I gotta say that I am also in awe of some of our peeps around here who seem to have an uncanny ability to get out their trip reports in a timely and unseemingly uninterrupted fashion. I freely admit that I am just no good at managing my time. I am one of the world’s worst at getting distracted! Just this morning my primary goal was simply to get caught up on your TR and my own. However, from the moment I cranked up this computer I ended up sidetracked by e-mails and their links, Facebook and it’s addictiveness and chasing rabbits as I pursued information on health issues and where I might find a wholesale source to buy cases of Wheat Thins to keep up with the new addiction DH and I have created since we started our most recent diet. Even as I type right now my cat has decided that she requires my lap and one hand. Ahhhh the never ending interruptions!

At any rate.... I MUST continue on! So, first is to finish responding to your comments....
I was thinking of you when I saw that poster! I knew you would like it. Too bad you didn't get a chance to point it out to your friend on this trip. It sounds like she may not have appreciated it anyway but in the meantime some of us can certainly enjoy it.

I can honestly say that I had no idea about Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard not connecting. Thanks for the geography lesson for the day. I am rather surprised that with Disney and all their attention to detail that they used it this way. Guess they were just more interested in the use of the famous street names than in presenting it as it is in real life.

I love the way you described your attention to details. You can be so funny! I do realize how often people see things differently in other aspects of life so I guess it should come as no surprise that 2 or even 20 people can look at the exact same subject in the park and come away from it focused on completely different things. Interesting thoughts on how you see things from your perspective.

As for Tarzan, I hope you get the chance to visit the treehouse on one of your trips. It would be interesting to see some pics from someone else's vision instead of my own. Lord knows I have taken enough photos in there while I am patiently waiting for DD to get her fill of exploring the area.

Well, I've run out of time for now but at least that pretty much wraps up some comments I wanted to make to you Sherry. Doesn't look like I will have any more time this evening to add any new info on my trip report but I do have high hopes of getting something new posted this weekend. Crossing my fingers anyway.

 

[mariezp]

Day 9, Tuesday, November 8, 2011

What a nice surprise when we arrived at the park this morning. The Christmas tree was up!

DD and I decided to take a leisurely stroll and check out some of the window displays on Main Street.

The Ratatouille window is one of my favorites! I love all the attention to little details.

 

[mariezp]

Continued....

Then we went inside the Emporium to see the dioramas and we got sucked into doing some Christmas shopping. DD scored another stuffed animal and I sent a package home to greet us when we get home. I got a new coffee mug and puzzle for myself which is something I seldom ever do. I love my new mug!

We finally decided if we wanted to ride something before lunchtime we should get going so we set off and rode Jungle Cruise.

Next we met up with the boys, grabbed some food from Stage Door Café and sat down to watch The Laughing Stock performance. The show was very short but funny as usual.

We decided to ride the Mark Twain.

 

[mariezp]

Continued....

Next we took the raft over to the island.

We rode Haunted Mansion. Then we separated from the boys and DD and I headed for Toontown for a spin on Roger Rabbit.

Then we rode Alice and the Teacups. As we waited in line for the Teacups there was some sort of disturbance going on. 3 security officers showed up and talked to a woman. After they talked with one other lady they raced off in the direction of the Matterhorn. Never did know what that was all about.

We decided to head in for the night. Called in more Mexican food and watched Monsters VS Aliens…. some of us did. I fell asleep again.

 

[mariezp]

Day 10, Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Bummer! Only 3 days left! I’d given up on arriving at the park early on this trip so this morning was another sleep in day. We finally decided to head to the park just about lunch time. On the way out of our room we stopped off for another family match of foosball and then air hockey. The game room is definitely going to be one of the favorite things about DC for my son.

We lucked out and grabbed a cab right in our parking lot and had him drop us off in the DTD area. Interesting drive. We had never seen this side of the resort since we have never stayed in any of the Disney hotels. We made it to Rainforest Café just in time for our 1:30 reservation. Since DD loves the place so much and since Blue Bayou was closed we decided we would take her here twice on this trip. We all love seafood so it really wasn’t too hard to convince the rest of us.

After we finished our meal we decided to ride the Monorail over to the park. Luckily Captain Bill somehow found his way back to Disneyland after being lost for a brief moment.

Finally in the park, we chose Autopia for our first in park ride since we were so close.

Next up was Nemo.

I discovered I had an underwater setting on my camera!

 

[mariezp]

Continued....

DD had decided that she owed us another ride on Splash since our last photo had her crying and I had refused to buy it. She wanted a photo with her in it to put on the shelf with her brother and one of his earlier rides. So, we called the guys and asked them to meet us at Splash.

The modern age in the park.

DD was pretty nervous this time but she sat in the very back and was able to hold on to me tightly so she came through this time much better. As a matter of fact, she was jumping up and down and so excited and proud of herself for surviving again. Truth be told I think she actually enjoyed it. It looks like she may be a full time Splash rider in no time. We lucked out and were mostly dry in the very back of the log. DS on the other hand was drenched and came out in a pretty foul mood. After he bit my head off he finally got around to telling me that he had not wanted to ride because he had wanted to keep from getting sicker. After all that.... guess what? The stupid photo did not turn out

After that we headed in for the night. Stopped in DC’s lobby and checked out Up to watch later for our nightly movie. DH hit the hot tub, DD splashed in the pool and DS and I played ping pong. We cut up with the security guard for awhile before heading up to our room. We went in and ordered Thai food which was not exactly what we expected. They watched Up and I just gave up and went on to bed.

 

[lozzypop]

Love your pictures from the Emporium windows and the underwater pictures from the Sub, mariezp. Too bad your Splash picture didn't turn out for DD!

I love the comment 10 days in - "only 3 days left" I agree - it's never long enough is it?

 

[auntiegem]

Just wanted to let you know that I'm really enjoying your trip report. I'm the type that usually waits until someone has their trip report completely done before I start reading (not in this case, obviously), because I'm too impatient to wait for the next installment. I also don't usually comment because I'm not really known on the boards or in the "in" crowd. But I did want to let you know you have people lurking in your report! Your pictures are great, and your kids are cute--love how your daughter mugs for the camera. She seems like a really fun girl.

SOOOOOOOOO, keep posting because I hate to wait!

 

[mariezp]

Love your pictures from the Emporium windows and the underwater pictures from the Sub, mariezp. Too bad your Splash picture didn't turn out for DD!

I love the comment 10 days in - "only 3 days left" I agree - it's never long enough is it?

Those windows ARE fun! I am so guilty of just passing them by and I have to make myself pause and take the time to check them out. I don't know why because we always enjoy them when we do slow down enough to take a good luck. I wonder how many other people seldom ever stop to "smell the roses"?
Can you believe I had a camera setting all along for underwater that I just found out about? I am so electronically challenged! The fact that I can actually turn the darn thing on is a miracle in itself!
I was sad that the SPLASH photo didn't turn out good but I think it worked out okay since we got to get an extra ride out of it!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm really enjoying your trip report. I'm the type that usually waits until someone has their trip report completely done before I start reading (not in this case, obviously), because I'm too impatient to wait for the next installment. I also don't usually comment because I'm not really known on the boards or in the "in" crowd. But I did want to let you know you have people lurking in your report! Your pictures are great, and your kids are cute--love how your daughter mugs for the camera. She seems like a really fun girl.

SOOOOOOOOO, keep posting because I hate to wait!

Thank you for letting me know you are here! And, also for the little prod to keep things rolling here. I think I mentioned that I have a hard time getting started simply because I am usually missing Disneyland after our trip. Now, besides the usual distractions, I think I am having a hard time again now since I am nearing the end of the trip report. Oh well. I just need to forge ahead and git er done! Besides, won't be long and I will have another trip behind us and another TR needing to be put together. Anyway, I am glad you didn't have to wait to start reading until the end and I will see what I can do about getting you some more reading material posted.

As for being in the "in crowd" don't you worry about that! There are plenty of us around here who haven't made it to that status and we are still here throwing in our little tidbits and garnering information right along with them. Maybe we should just start up our own little club for those of us who haven't quite made it to the big club!

Thanks for the compliments on the photos and on my DD. She is quite a ham but she sure makes a great park buddy!


I also appreciate the rest of you who are sticking around! I apologize for only getting a new post on weekends but life just gets so busy sometimes! I am trying to post some new details this morning but so far am not having much luck. For some reason I am having trouble getting photos to load BUT hang in there! I will keep at it and get this trip report finished one way or another!

 

[mariezp]

Day 11, Thursday, November 10, 2011

Work up this morning and spent a few minutes out on the balcony. From our balcony view looking to the right, the game room was almost directly across from us in an upstairs room and the pool was below to the right.

The view from the balcony looking left.

Before we headed out for the day we decided to look around and do a self guided tour of Dolphins Coves grounds. The grounds were nicely landscaped. There is even a tiny little golf course and a bbq grill.

 

[mariezp]

Continuing....

As customary on our second to the last day, we planned to spend the day getting everything that we would miss done one more time in CA. We looked around and took a few more pictures and then made out way over to the Muppet Theatre.

Then we leisurely strolled around, grabbed some lunch and fed the seagulls.

We visited the planning center for our first time.

 

[mariezp]

Continued....

We then went over to Pacific Wharf to do the bakery tour for our first time.

DD and I moseyed over and spent some time in Bugs Land. Rode Ladybugs, Bumper Cars and Heimlich.