The ABCs of a New 'Ohana Adventure-G is for: Greetings From Teppan, Good-Byes, and Good News!!! - COMPLETED 1/7

[franandaj]

So to answer your question about what do I do in line....

Well it all depends. If I'm by myself I mostly play my phone games, usually Mahjong. That is unless I'm at WDW then I'm working on journaling my trip report. I might work on the DIS, but most often the ride queues are in buildings with no service.

When I have the good fortune to have DIS friends in town (like last weekend) we have so much to catch up on and talk about that the devices stay put, and we're all chatting.

Good news!! Laptop is fixed and I’ll be writing tonight!

Yay! I didn't see this since we were madly trying to get out of town, so I didnt know when I saw you that it had been fixed.

I find it hilariously ironic that we’d gone from Club 33 to Club $3.33.

I love this!

I believe that ^ is made entirely of chocolate...

I believe you are correct.

I got to thinking about the prospects of a real Big Thunder Saloon

I think that's what the Golden Horseshoe was supposed to be only they let all the performers go so no more shows.

Alison didn’t want to ride and she was smart. I don’t remember about anyone else, but Kari and I who rode in the front were SOAKED and I don’t mean like after-a-Florida-downpour soaked, I mean soaked like I-swam-in-the-Pop-pool-with-my-clothes-on soaked.

Which is exactly why I don't ride....

When we got off, she was holding a nomalicious looking plate of Seafood Boil that had chunks of sausage, boiled corn, potatoes, and all kinds of other good stuff including a couple good-sized hunks of sourdough bread.

Pictures coming in my next bonus feature update...which will be after my next main TR update....

Everyone else had had a chance to be the pilots, so we took our turn at crashing and burning ad nauseum for an entire ride cycle.

Until this weekend your pilot ride had been the one where we hit the most stuff. Not anymore.

I think they also serve Bao Buns and Spring Rolls and perhaps others in our group got those? I honestly don’t know. Memory is beginning to fade a bit there.

They have Bao, chips, Lumpia (which look similar to spring rolls) and Dole Whips. They used to have a Ramen salad, but that doesn't seem to be on the menu anymore.

Believe it or not, this trip did not include a:

​

It did for me!

There is very little planned, so I imagine lots of catching up and quiet visiting.

Well that's not quite how it worked out! Well at least the quiet visiting...

 

[afwdwfan]

Fran and Alison drove us through the other Mickeys (the one with marginal food choices and a revenue that rivals Disney’s.) I find it hilariously ironic that we’d gone from Club 33 to Club $3.33.

I got to thinking about the prospects of a real Big Thunder Saloon where you could go and have a stiff drink (buahahahaha who am I kidding and don’t get me started!) or sarsaparilla and have streetmosphere pop in, rob the place, interact, do a song or dance, etc… I dunno, sounds like a fun idea to me. Not really a dinner show like Hoop, but more come and go, casual style.

I'd be on board for that! Great idea!

I don’t remember about anyone else, but Kari and I who rode in the front were SOAKED and I don’t mean like after-a-Florida-downpour soaked, I mean soaked like I-swam-in-the-Pop-pool-with-my-clothes-on soaked

Ok, I'm confused... isn't after-a-Florida-downpour soaked wetter than I-swam-in-the-Pop-pool-with-my-clothes-on soaked???

Everyone was still a bit peckish, so a churro stop was made. Mmm, DLR churros!

Can't go wrong there!

Even though we’d all ridden the Millennium Falcon before, Kari and I for the first time just the day before, we decided to head there and fill a cabin. Everyone else had had a chance to be the pilots, so we took our turn at crashing and burning ad nauseum for an entire ride cycle. Stressful does not even begin to describe it, and well, I guess it was fun, but yeah, I suck at that sort of thing.

Ok, just go be an engineer or gunner or something.

Indiana Jones was next up and I’d forgotten how fun that ride is.

So it's safe to say that you haven't ridden Dinosaur in a while?

Most of us were only interested in 2 rides, and we hit up the racers first. While we all had a great time, we lost. But we did get a fun photo and really, that’s all the counts. LOL! I just adore the theming in the whole of Carsland and noticed a lot of detailing I hadn’t noticed before. So cute!!!

Oh man... I love Carsland. Having seen Toy Story land... I prefer Carsland. DW and I were just talking the other day after watching the Imagineering Story on Disney + that we need to go back to Disneyland sometime.

Sorry, I know I just fell to a new low on most of y’all’s opinion, but there you have it.

I like Guardians. But don't worry, my opinion was already low enough that it didn't drop you any.

Believe it or not, I’m headed back tomorrow... SURPRISE!!!!!

I hope you're having/had fun!

 

[Steppesister]

Y is for: Y?? Y Not?!?
(Y is for: Yes, that title's a stretch...)
​

As you all know, I took a weekend to meet some dear ones at DLR. No days off work, back by Sunday night. Er... well technically this morning. 2:30 AM to be exact. Due to a plane AND crew switch we left a little later than I’d planned. But hey, better than a cancellation and a missed Monday morning. Or worse, a torqued off boss.

Honestly, I am pretty wiped out and wanting to get to bed earlier than later tonight and rather than write, I’m going to let a massive ChunkyPhotoDump do the talking. To be brief however, I’ll say that during the 2 days I was there I rode a grand total of 8 attractions and spent most of my time wandering aimlessly and taking a zillion photos. I’m an old fart now and am happy watching the bands, stopping for snacks, shopping (gasp! but I did have specific items), enjoying the holiday decorations.... old fart stuff.

But the highlight of the weekend was visiting over leisurely breakfasts, an exquisite dinner, and ummm, I never thought I’d EVER say, “I took a nap at Disney”.

And now brace yourselves.... it begins:

We stayed at the Grand California, which blows my mind with the Arts and Crafts decor. I wanted to take all the lamps and wallpaper and rugs home!







The bathroom wallpaper! OMG! Pinnochio-themed Arts and Crafts style wallpaper?!?!



Some goodies from the Lounge:


#notaturditsgolddustedturtle



This year's gingerbread house:











Where I spent my last hour before calling my Lyft:



A room with a view:



From the Lounge:









From DCA:

























The Coco Exhibit that was there last September has been replaced with a Feliz Navidad Area. Crafts for kids, a meet with Elena, and some super colorful, festive decorations.





^^ Yes, it was 98 degrees yesterday in Anaheim, Yes, I took off my hoodie. No, I didn't plan accordingly with my fashion statement.

 

[Steppesister]

Y2...K?
(I brought back a LOT of photos)

​

I'd not gotten to ride Monster's Inc. in September (you read that update carefully and remember that, right?) so obliged myself. It's cute, but unless it's a walk-on... one and done. I do apologize, my photos suck from this ride. Most of the rides, in fact. Didn't take the camera.



Surely the numbers mean something on this. Pretty sure it's all very family friendly too.

Ahem...





ohhh, stiffed on a date... eek!






There had BETTER be a joke inserted here...^







Time to park hop!!! Let's go!!











Popped into the Opera House again; the same HM exhibit was there, but I did spy THIS!! Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls... it's THAT bench.





So, did you know that if a parent puts a kid on the trolley while it's moving, they will stop it and make a scene and kick the family off? Yessirree. Seriously.... who would think handing off a kid on a moving attraction at Disney is okay? Anyway, after that debaucle, we were off and being serenaded.

A little closer to dark:













Eventually, I made my way deeper into the park and found myself in New Orleans Square where it looked like Mardi Gras came in an vomited Christmas.











Heading over to Frontierland:









I got sad when I saw this turtle with a broken shell. Made me wonder what happened to him or her.



Lunch at Rancho de Zocalos:



My view over lunch:


Don't worry, it's not over yet!

 

[franandaj]

Wow! That you got all this together since you got home and posted it! I'm impressed! That beef burrito was da bomb! It was what I had as well. Nice amount of rides you got on. I just did Guardians twice before going home....

 

[Steppesister]

Z is for: Zero Ideas for Any More Clever Titles​

After using a FiP for BTMRR, I headed to POTC where I took exactly zero photos. With a phone camera, they just don't work out so well. After that, I saw the line for JC was only 15 minutes, so decided Y not? Which means that the following photo should have been up in the last chapter. And if you haven't figured it out already, this last little weekender is NOT in order. Since it's not stories so much, I grouped by area, ride, dinner etc...

Loved the Skippers Christmas Tree! (I went from zero photos of POTC to ONE at the Jungle Cruise. The phone was dying and I categorically REFUSE to buy a Fuel Rod. However... Touron Beware: While WDW has the charging stations down pat, there is NOT ONE SINGLE USB OR OUTLET IN THE ENTIRE PARK FOR CHARGING a phone.

Side note: before heading back to the Grand after I was done in the park on Sunday, I walked across Harbor towards Katella and bought a wall/charging adapter for $5.00 at a mini-mart. IF Disney HAD sold them in the parks (at all) I'd have probaby had to easy pay 3 times that. I may be a sucker, (there's one born every day) but I ain't stupid.



Time for something entirely Disneyfied Christmas-like! The one attraction I absolutely didn't want to miss was It's a Small World with the Holiday overlay. I do so wish I hadn't have crapped out after dinner on Saturday night so I could see it at night, but I had been up since 4:30AM Friday morning, got to bed at the Grand at 1:30AM that night, was up at 7:00AM Saturday... I can be like the Energizer Bunny, but by Saturday night I was more like....


an old fart.




#waitedonesecondtoolongtosnapthisone































The last attraction I wanted to do was Alice, since I'd missed that one in September as well. More sucky photo alert!!













During our weekend, we enjoyed some time over dinner and having drinks. Santa was having a little Meet and Greet and when I walked in he asked what I'd like for Christmas. It took me a while to answer, but I came up with "Flying Lessons!". His comeback was brilliant: "Like, to fly and airplane or, like lessons from Tinkerbell?" Without missing a beat, I retorted, "Well, I was thinking more along the lines of lessons from (you) on how to fly a sleigh!!" His laugh was jolly and deep and after our Christmas portrait, we wished each other a very Merry Christmas.



Around the Lounge:

 

[franandaj]

You got yourself some lovely pictures during that time when you were out in the parks and love your pictures with Santa!

 

[Steppesister]

Z is for: Z Very Last DLR chapter... PROMISE!!! I swear WDW is coming! ​

And last but not least, I present to you... Dinner!













Quite possibly one of the top 5 fish dishes I've EVER eaten:





Pheasant Rarebit:





Some really cool tables inside:





And other pieces of art:





I forgot this one from outside in NOS:



Time to head out for Fantasmic and the Holiday Fireworks where the Crappy Photo Festival lives on:









Except this photo I'm rather proud of:



















It started to snow pretty heavily so we shoveled our way back to the Lounge for dessert course. Erm, maybe that was we went back to the Lounge and shoveled some more food into our faces. Mine was very delicious!! And that makes for a very sweet ending to this quick little weekend trip.



Hope you enjoyed your virtual mini-vacation. I've got a lot going on this weekend, but the next time I can write it'll be...

A is for: ??? ​

 

[Steppesister]

Okay, All, I have a 12 hour day tomorrow and I've been up since 7:45 today after getting back home and in bed at 2:30 this morning from LAX due to the delay. I'm tired and hitting the sack. I know, oh Lordy how I KNOW, I'm WAY behind on replies to you all!!! And worse, I'm pages and pages and PAGES behind on EVERYONE'S threads I am subbed into. But I WILL get there and catch up. Don't give up on me, k?

Meantime, I'm mulling over what to tackle for Letter A at WDW.

 

[pkondz]

Er... well technically this morning. 2:30 AM to be exact. Due to a plane AND crew switch we left a little later than I’d planned.

Holy crap... and then you went to work???

Honestly, I am pretty wiped out and wanting to get to bed earlier than later tonight

Gee! What a shock! I'm surprised you posted all this.

I’ll say that during the 2 days I was there I rode a grand total of 8 attractions

Hmmm... for some people ("Hi. I'm new here. I don't know about rope drop or FPs...) that's a lot.

and spent most of my time wandering aimlessly and taking a zillion photos.

I approve.

I’m an old fart now

I hardly think so. I've met you.

“I took a nap at Disney”.

I'm sorry. That almost sounded like you took a nap at Disney.

I wanted to take all the lamps and wallpaper and rugs home!

Oh, you can!
You can't keep them for very long, you don't get to go back to Disney... ever... and your accommodations change and become much smaller... and barred... but sure! You can!

The bathroom wallpaper! OMG! Pinnochio-themed Arts and Crafts style wallpaper?!?!

#notaturditsgolddustedturtle

I'm so glad you wrote that. I spent a fair bit of time trying to figure out what I was looking at.

I am not normally a fan of plates on walls. Just seems so... passé.
But I really like how these line up.

^^ Yes, it was 98 degrees yesterday in Anaheim, Yes, I took off my hoodie. No, I didn't plan accordingly with my fashion statement.

1. Whoa! Hot!
2. It's that hot and fashion goes out the window and survival takes priority
3. I think you look very nice.
4. Hot! (Take that any way you like.)

​

I'd not gotten to ride Monster's Inc. in September (you read that update carefully and remember that, right?)

Oh. Sure. Yep. Totally remember that. Uh, huh.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls... it's THAT bench.

I wonder how many of "THAT" bench there are. There's that one. The one in 'Frisco. The one at Imagineering...
I have a theory...

Hey! You never told us the story of how you were serenaded by them on the trolley!

it looked like Mardi Gras came in an vomited Christmas.

I got sad when I saw this turtle with a broken shell. Made me wonder what happened to him or her.

He was attacked by a giant mouse.

I headed to POTC where I took exactly zero photos. With a phone camera, they just don't work out so well.

Yeah, that'd be a tough one with a phone.
Tough with a good camera!

After that, I saw the line for JC was only 15 minutes, so decided Y not?

While WDW has the charging stations down pat, there is NOT ONE SINGLE USB OR OUTLET IN THE ENTIRE PARK FOR CHARGING a phone.

Whoopsie! But... old park...
And thanks for the head's up!

IF Disney HAD sold them in the parks (at all) I'd have probaby had to easy pay 3 times that.

At least!

I may be a sucker, (there's one born every day) but I ain't stupid.

<Wisely keeps his mouth shut here.>

The one attraction I absolutely didn't want to miss was It's a Small World with the Holiday overlay.

You know how I feel about that ride, but... (with headphones firmly in place) I'd like to see it too, actually.

#waitedonesecondtoolongtosnapthisone

Now it's British. "Happy 'Oliday"

Santa was having a little Meet and Greet and when I walked in he asked what I'd like for Christmas. It took me a while to answer, but I came up with "Flying Lessons!". His comeback was brilliant: "Like, to fly and airplane or, like lessons from Tinkerbell?" Without missing a beat, I retorted, "Well, I was thinking more along the lines of lessons from (you) on how to fly a sleigh!!"

Cute "ears".

And last but not least, I present to you... Dinner!

Nice! Another Club 33 dinner!

Quite possibly one of the top 5 fish dishes I've EVER eaten:

Really! High praise!

Except this photo I'm rather proud of:

Very nice.

It started to snow pretty heavily so we shoveled our way back to the Lounge

You had to say "shovel", didn't you...

Erm, maybe that was we went back to the Lounge and shoveled some more food into our faces.

Okay, All, I have a 12 hour day tomorrow and I've been up since 7:45 today after getting back home and in bed at 2:30 this morning from LAX due to the delay. I'm tired and hitting the sack.

But thanks for all the great photos! I could've commented on a lot of them, but just too many!

 

[Steppesister]

Time is short before work, but @pkondz , go back and look at the Dapper Dan's section. I uploaded my short video and posted it.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Meantime, I'm mulling over what to tackle for Letter A at WDW.

You already used the letter A on the first page of this trip report.

It is a good thing that one of your DL trips had Halloween decorations and one of them had Christmas decorations or it would be very confusing. I love seeing the Grand Californian all decorated for Christmas. What a beautiful resort.

 

[Steppesister]

You already used the letter A on the first page of this trip report.

It is a good thing that one of your DL trips had Halloween decorations and one of them had Christmas decorations or it would be very confusing. I love seeing the Grand Californian all decorated for Christmas. What a beautiful resort.

LOL! I just keep going through the alphabet ad nauseum until I exhaust the photos and stories.

And yep, it's a two-fer, well, er, threefer TR. Lots packed in, my friend!

 

[Steppesister]

Double post....

 

[pkondz]

Time is short before work, but @pkondz , go back and look at the Dapper Dan's section. I uploaded my short video and posted it.

Was that there earlier? Or did you post it after I asked? I really don't know. My wifi right now is a bit on the slow side, so may have just not loaded it, if it was there earlier. I've watched it now, though. I love it! So wonderful!

 

[Steppesister]

Was that there earlier? Or did you post it after I asked? I really don't know. My wifi right now is a bit on the slow side, so may have just not loaded it, if it was there earlier. I've watched it now, though. I love it! So wonderful!

Just posted it.

 

[Steppesister]

And with Fran and Alison too.

Yeppers. Crab Pot AND Melting Pot.

Nah. Too overdone, actually.

Tarzan??

 

[Steppesister]

No, I meant Rock N Rollercoaster, although I'd do it for TT too. I just made up a position that I'm sure doesn't exist, but somebody should take a test ride in each seat of each limo every day just to make sure the experience is as good as it should be, right?

Ohhhh, now I get it. I thought you meant the old Crash Test Dummies they had in the pre-show area of TT . But, yes, if you can tolerate riding RnRC 86 times in a row without puking, more power to you!

 

[pkondz]

Yeppers. Crab Pot AND Melting Pot.

Tarzan??

Yeah, right!!! You've seen me... there's no way!
Tarzan is supposed to make the girls swoon... not retch!

 

[Steppesister]

I'm not sure how much relaxing actually happened during that time frame. In fact Fran and I didn't have a very fun relaxing day. But you ladies (and gent) made it better for us.

I remember you had a long day of rental/tenant issues and arrived a bit harried. I hope dinner made up for it at least a little.

Fran got a set, I think Lesley got one. I already had a set, and went with yummy drinks and wine pairing.

Nice! The mugs really have to call my name before I'll drop that kind of cash, so go with the normal (or themed but without the souvie mugs) cocktails instead.

I'd had that one before, and not only was it cool, it was tasty and potent!

Tasty is the way I like 'em!

I'm glad you asked about this. I may know people who might enjoy doing this in the furture....in fact you may enjoy doing this in the future!

Yes, I believe I will. But, gonna be a bit before I head back down.... need to save for the Italy cruise.

I already know, and you missed a picture of one of them, I think.

I do believe I did. Ah well.... I did get them all this time.

I can't believe how well your pictures came out! I thought I had done a relatively good job, but your pictures completely ROCK! You got perfect contrast and in the ones with the folks in the dresses and suits, I only get the lights, not the people.

I was very pleased with them, and I can't forget to look at the settings you asked for. Remind me after this weekend to post those.

That was a really good fireworks show! I'm so glad that I got to see it as well!

I'm glad you did too, I wasn't quite as impressed with the Holiday one, but firewords of any kind are pretty great.

I don't even remember what it was, but we have been tripping over it in the living for the last two months now.....

And as of last weekend, it was STILL not unpacked!

Same job, musician. However, in my 20's I probably would have wanted to be in the Sax quartet/quintet that they used to have way way back then. Now I'd probably rather do something a little more sedentary, if there is such a job.

I remember them!!! Loved that one so much. I guess the closest thing now is the Pearly Band and they definitely aren't very sedentary.

But I had one on an earlier occasion. It was very good. It had vodka, Blue Curacao (I'm a sucker for blue drinks), but I think there was also grenadine, and a couple other dashs of liquor for additional flavor.

Sounds amazing!

Actually, I had the opportunity to ride POTC with the lights on once, and I was amazed at how crystal clean that water is! You can really see the bottom of the ride, which is why they have to keep it so dark!

That makes total sense. I think they'd have to keep the water from being too putrid or else.... health hazard.

You'll get one. Fran and I will make sure of it!

I did, I did!!!

Sadly, the other one I got was basicall crushed when I got it home. I should have taken your advice and looked at how the server packaged it... there was no styrofoam around it so broke. Sadness abounds.