tiring_day
<font color=green>Founder member of the DJP<br><fo
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2007
- Messages
- 632
So after a bit of a restless night for myself I woke up at around 4.30am, while I was awake I set the alarm call for 6am. We had breakfast this first day at 7am and had agreed to meet Joshs friend and Grannys. I was struggling to get back to sleep but there were peaceful sleepy sounds coming from the other bed. 6am came and Goofy called us personally and invited us to join him in the park which I thought was nice as he must be very busy, calling each room individually what a guy. I answered the phone being the only one awake and roused the other members of my family. Tracey went to get in the shower but needed me to help her as the taps were just too complicated. So we were both showered and we thumped around the room like good parents do but Josh was still flat out asleep as below
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573359539/" title="DSCF2097 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2573359539_bc902ab342.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2097" /></a>
So I set the alarm again, this time for 6.45 hoping that hearing a Disney voice would bring him to life. Well after some 5 minutes trying to convince him to wake up the phone rang and it was pushed against his ear, the look of surprise on his face was classic but still very sleepy. Just after 7am we were ready and the 6 of us headed for breakfast, I wish we could have gotten 7am everyday as it was so quiet but we did not have that luxury every day. The breakfast was very good or as my wife recently put it very disappointing, I enjoyed sitting there sipping my orange and coffee and eating croissants, ham rolls and pan au chocolate (you know the chocy ones). Is it just me or are there an excess of ands in the previous sentence? Well apparently Tracey was not as impressed as I thought. Josh loved every morning getting a bowl and putting a little bit of every cereal in it. So there we sat sampling everything from the buffet, well it was our first morning. Josh and his little friend ate very little and we had a hard job just trying to keep them sat still.
Well breakfast done it was time to head for our first day at Disney and meet up with Beth and Harry who we had not seen for about 18 months. It was around 7:50 when we headed back to our room to get Joshs pushchair, so there was no way we were going to get to the Disneyland Hotel for 8am. So with Josh once again tied down we headed for the parks, it was a really nice walk between the Santa Fe and Disney Village. Our room was the furthest point from the parks, well not quite the last as we had put Joshs friend in the last one but you know what I mean. It took around 15/20 minutes for us to walk all the way there so we enjoyed the UFO and waved at the better people who were staying in the Sequoia as we walked past. I felt the need to stop and take pictures of the HNY and PBC and that giant balloon thing. Tracey kept moving so I had to rush to catch her up, I didnt say run as I do not believe in over exerting myself as it is just not healthy for a body. So we passed through Disney Village and oh what a change since the last time we were here, not sure if I said but it is over 15 years since we have been and boy it looks so much better now than it used to. It really has grown into its own little town now, pleased to see the New York Sandwich shop is still there, it was the place I first tasted pastrami making it my favourite sandwich filler just ahead of mayonnaise. We saw the Golden Arches and decided we would not be eating there on this trip, little did we know that we would be queuing there later. Coming to the end of Disney village we first caught a look of TOT and the Earful Tower, it is so strange to have everything on top of each other after so many years of only visiting WDW. Not saying its a bad thing just different and in some cases very advantageous.
So now we heading down in Disneyland, we see hundreds of people flooding of the trains and heading to the same security gate us, I thought it were only hotel guests getting in this early. As we approached the security point I realised that all of these people were actually Cast Members turning up for work. So after a cursory glance at our bags we were now on our way down the slope to try and find Beth and Harry. It did not take long for me to find Beth and we were waving like crazy all the way to her. So hugs and greetings exchanged we asked about Harry and as she was about to answer he turned up. So more hugs all around and we were now all on our way into the park.
Why is it that no matter who you are behind for the ticket machines they always have problems using them, it is really not that complicated. In this hi-tech world surely the majority of people should be able to understand a red light means stop and a green light means go, well apparently not. These are the same people who I queue behind at cash points, who take 5 minutes just looking at the machine, poking it a bit, pointing at the screen and then just giving up and going into the branch. So while the CM is helping them we are stood with a pushchair unable to enter, after she finishes we all get to go into the park. It is strange just how much I cant remember from our last visit. Everything looks great, the trees and bushes have now grown in and the whole place seems a lot more welcoming. We head over to City Hall to try to book lunch at Walts for Beths birthday but it is closed for the duration of our stay. We book lunch for 1pm at Blue Lagoon instead and order a surprise cake for after our meal.
Heading up Main Street I realised that I had forgotten just how impressive the castle is here, I still prefer the WDW one but this comes a really close second, the design and construction is a thing of beauty. We totally ignore the shops and eateries on Main Street except to pause and take a few pics, our goal is Fantasyland and the rides it contains. I cant get over just how quiet the parks are and how we walk straight on Dumbo.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573359695/" title="DSCF2102 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3038/2573359695_71f1cd4f4f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2102" /></a>
Well this was Joshs first ride at Disney and will therefore always hold a very special place in my heart. Josh a typical 2 year old after figuring out that the little joystick made us go up and down wanted to then know how it all worked and spent most of the ride looking down at the hydraulics and ride mechanisms. I am sure we have a budding engineer here. Payback is the word for a female dog beginning with a B, when I was a kid I insisted on taking things apart to see how they worked even if I couldnt put them back together again and now my Dad must looking down on us and laughing his back off seeing that his Grandson is going to be just the same. I should say taking things apart, breaking them and then denying it all, sorry Dad. Anyway, Dumbo came to a stop quicker than expected and as there was no line we got to have another go without waiting. The Tea Cups was our next port of call and once again josh loved it, they must have put a brake on these since last time we were on them as could not convince it to spin really quickly.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2574183138/" title="DSCF3644 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2574183138_1bcf442f37.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF3644" /></a>
Once again, no line so Tracey jumped off to video us and Josh and I tried our best to spin that cup fast but failed. The carousel was calling from across the park so we figured we had better answer the call, Josh wanted to ride by himself on one of the big horses that were on the outside, also because it was blue. Josh loved the idea of riding around and around but then realised he was also going up and down so then needed to check out how it was working and spent the rest of the ride staring up above his head at the mechanics.
It had now hit 10am and Fantasyland seemed to be getting flooded by people, so we decided it was time to leave and head for Discoveryland and Buzz Lightyear. Josh was a little unsure when he saw the giant Buzz Lightyear shouting and waving his arms but loved it once he got on. He loved pointing the gun at stuff and pulling the trigger and could not care less what he was hitting which was good for me because I won. Once we got off Beth, Harry and I were busting to go on Space Mountain and Josh wanted to go back on Buzz so we split into two parties. The three of us were buzzing about getting to ride on Space Mountain as it looks so cool. So after about a 15 minute walk up down and around we found no queue and walked straight on. If I had wanted to get the sides of my head bashed in I could have gone into a boxing ring and not spent money to come here, all three of us vowed never to go back on that ride. I tried keeping my head back, forward and pinned to one side but nothing helped, maybe our heads were just the wrong shape for the ride.
We met back up with Tracey and all decided we needed something more sedate and something we could all ride together. The Canal Boats called out to us and we answered that call, when we were at DL the ride was closed for refurbish so we never experienced them, if however they were anything like this it was a shame we missed them. Josh loved looking at the little scenes and loves generally just being anywhere near water he was a little unsure when we came to the Cave of Wonders and the fact that we paused just before its gaping maw did not help but after we explained that it was just a ride and we were moving again he was cool with it. As we were so close when we came off this we headed for Casey JR and once again we walked straight on as soon as a Train arrived at the station.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573359843/" title="DSCF2121 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2056/2573359843_24982ae153.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2121" /></a>
This was Joshs first ever thrill ride, well when your 2 jumping off the bottom step of the stairs is fairly thrilling. I would have been happier to have had more space in the train but it was great for Josh, love the choo chooing as you head up the hill and its a very twee ride but Josh loved it and once again as there was very little queue we got to stay on, Tracey got off and took the photo below.
Now we had to do the thing I had been dreading since we arrived at DLP, yes you guessed it was time for Its a Small World. The façade here is just like the one at DL and so much better than the store front at WDW. As it was so close to 11am we waited to see little parade of characters that come out of the big clock. Then unfortunately it finished and we had to go on the ride, okay its not as bad as I make out and I dont dislike it that much either but did my son have to decide that it was his favourite ride and that we had to ride it every spare minute.
After coming off here we all needed a sugar fix and it was still about 90 minutes until lunch, dont know who had the idea to go for Ice Cream but it was a great one, we all had giant cones, no idea now what everyone had but I had a chocolaty one and it was so sweet and sickly, it was fantastic.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573360035/" title="DSCF2133 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2573360035_99f47748d2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2133" /></a>
We were trying to go and see the dragon but then the character train came passed and Josh once again was sat there in a state of shock as all these characters he has seen on the TV came passed and they waved at him. Train gone and the characters all mobbed by the autograph hunters we just ignored them and took Josh to see the dragon, we werent sure how he would react as he can be a bit funny with anything that moves that isnt meant to. Well he didnt scream and run out but he was a little unsure when its giant head came swinging around and it roared at him he decided it was time to leave and do something else.
I figure that when I was a kid we were a lot tougher than kids nowadays. What I am talking about is playgrounds, we went to the pirates playground and its all safe and the ground is all cushioned, how ridiculous is that. When I was a kid we had concrete to fall onto and for a softer surface they sometimes laid some tarmac around the rides, however the tarmac was usually sprinkled liberally with some broken glass. The kids however when we got there were loving it and Josh quickly joined in and after getting bored of the toddler side of it went straight into the bigger kids bit, below is a picture of him causing a traffic jam on the rope bridge.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2574182974/" title="DSCF2139 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/2574182974_cd51c0bf92.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2139" /></a>
Following this we explored the caves and the pirate ship.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2574183510/" title="DSCF3786 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2574183510_59a2ccb247.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF3786" /></a>
Then it was time for lunch and so the Blue Lagoon was our next stop and we walked into the piratey gloom from which there is no return, well no return within 2.5 hours.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573360905/" title="DSCF3812 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2573360905_ff4b31f7b5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF3812" /></a>
We had a great meal here and it was not rushed and for that I am grateful, sometimes you just feel like your being pushed out so they can turn tables but not here. We also had a couple of bottles of the 15th Celebration wine which was okay. Josh loved watching and waving at the folks going by on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride but he decided that he would not be doing it and I was not going to carry a kicking and screaming child on as I have seen done in the past. We will let him decide when he feels ready to do that and HM. I am sure at some point in the future he will want to drag me onto some ride called something like the Puke-a-Tron and I will remind him of my kindnesses when he was younger, at this point he will have forgotten them and I will be carried onto the ride kicking and screaming.
Well I think that is enough for half of our first day, I appear to have meandered through this part but I will try to be more concise with the future editions or I will never get this finished.
Enjoy
steve
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573359539/" title="DSCF2097 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2573359539_bc902ab342.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2097" /></a>
So I set the alarm again, this time for 6.45 hoping that hearing a Disney voice would bring him to life. Well after some 5 minutes trying to convince him to wake up the phone rang and it was pushed against his ear, the look of surprise on his face was classic but still very sleepy. Just after 7am we were ready and the 6 of us headed for breakfast, I wish we could have gotten 7am everyday as it was so quiet but we did not have that luxury every day. The breakfast was very good or as my wife recently put it very disappointing, I enjoyed sitting there sipping my orange and coffee and eating croissants, ham rolls and pan au chocolate (you know the chocy ones). Is it just me or are there an excess of ands in the previous sentence? Well apparently Tracey was not as impressed as I thought. Josh loved every morning getting a bowl and putting a little bit of every cereal in it. So there we sat sampling everything from the buffet, well it was our first morning. Josh and his little friend ate very little and we had a hard job just trying to keep them sat still.
Well breakfast done it was time to head for our first day at Disney and meet up with Beth and Harry who we had not seen for about 18 months. It was around 7:50 when we headed back to our room to get Joshs pushchair, so there was no way we were going to get to the Disneyland Hotel for 8am. So with Josh once again tied down we headed for the parks, it was a really nice walk between the Santa Fe and Disney Village. Our room was the furthest point from the parks, well not quite the last as we had put Joshs friend in the last one but you know what I mean. It took around 15/20 minutes for us to walk all the way there so we enjoyed the UFO and waved at the better people who were staying in the Sequoia as we walked past. I felt the need to stop and take pictures of the HNY and PBC and that giant balloon thing. Tracey kept moving so I had to rush to catch her up, I didnt say run as I do not believe in over exerting myself as it is just not healthy for a body. So we passed through Disney Village and oh what a change since the last time we were here, not sure if I said but it is over 15 years since we have been and boy it looks so much better now than it used to. It really has grown into its own little town now, pleased to see the New York Sandwich shop is still there, it was the place I first tasted pastrami making it my favourite sandwich filler just ahead of mayonnaise. We saw the Golden Arches and decided we would not be eating there on this trip, little did we know that we would be queuing there later. Coming to the end of Disney village we first caught a look of TOT and the Earful Tower, it is so strange to have everything on top of each other after so many years of only visiting WDW. Not saying its a bad thing just different and in some cases very advantageous.
So now we heading down in Disneyland, we see hundreds of people flooding of the trains and heading to the same security gate us, I thought it were only hotel guests getting in this early. As we approached the security point I realised that all of these people were actually Cast Members turning up for work. So after a cursory glance at our bags we were now on our way down the slope to try and find Beth and Harry. It did not take long for me to find Beth and we were waving like crazy all the way to her. So hugs and greetings exchanged we asked about Harry and as she was about to answer he turned up. So more hugs all around and we were now all on our way into the park.
Why is it that no matter who you are behind for the ticket machines they always have problems using them, it is really not that complicated. In this hi-tech world surely the majority of people should be able to understand a red light means stop and a green light means go, well apparently not. These are the same people who I queue behind at cash points, who take 5 minutes just looking at the machine, poking it a bit, pointing at the screen and then just giving up and going into the branch. So while the CM is helping them we are stood with a pushchair unable to enter, after she finishes we all get to go into the park. It is strange just how much I cant remember from our last visit. Everything looks great, the trees and bushes have now grown in and the whole place seems a lot more welcoming. We head over to City Hall to try to book lunch at Walts for Beths birthday but it is closed for the duration of our stay. We book lunch for 1pm at Blue Lagoon instead and order a surprise cake for after our meal.
Heading up Main Street I realised that I had forgotten just how impressive the castle is here, I still prefer the WDW one but this comes a really close second, the design and construction is a thing of beauty. We totally ignore the shops and eateries on Main Street except to pause and take a few pics, our goal is Fantasyland and the rides it contains. I cant get over just how quiet the parks are and how we walk straight on Dumbo.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573359695/" title="DSCF2102 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3038/2573359695_71f1cd4f4f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2102" /></a>
Well this was Joshs first ride at Disney and will therefore always hold a very special place in my heart. Josh a typical 2 year old after figuring out that the little joystick made us go up and down wanted to then know how it all worked and spent most of the ride looking down at the hydraulics and ride mechanisms. I am sure we have a budding engineer here. Payback is the word for a female dog beginning with a B, when I was a kid I insisted on taking things apart to see how they worked even if I couldnt put them back together again and now my Dad must looking down on us and laughing his back off seeing that his Grandson is going to be just the same. I should say taking things apart, breaking them and then denying it all, sorry Dad. Anyway, Dumbo came to a stop quicker than expected and as there was no line we got to have another go without waiting. The Tea Cups was our next port of call and once again josh loved it, they must have put a brake on these since last time we were on them as could not convince it to spin really quickly.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2574183138/" title="DSCF3644 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2574183138_1bcf442f37.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF3644" /></a>
Once again, no line so Tracey jumped off to video us and Josh and I tried our best to spin that cup fast but failed. The carousel was calling from across the park so we figured we had better answer the call, Josh wanted to ride by himself on one of the big horses that were on the outside, also because it was blue. Josh loved the idea of riding around and around but then realised he was also going up and down so then needed to check out how it was working and spent the rest of the ride staring up above his head at the mechanics.
It had now hit 10am and Fantasyland seemed to be getting flooded by people, so we decided it was time to leave and head for Discoveryland and Buzz Lightyear. Josh was a little unsure when he saw the giant Buzz Lightyear shouting and waving his arms but loved it once he got on. He loved pointing the gun at stuff and pulling the trigger and could not care less what he was hitting which was good for me because I won. Once we got off Beth, Harry and I were busting to go on Space Mountain and Josh wanted to go back on Buzz so we split into two parties. The three of us were buzzing about getting to ride on Space Mountain as it looks so cool. So after about a 15 minute walk up down and around we found no queue and walked straight on. If I had wanted to get the sides of my head bashed in I could have gone into a boxing ring and not spent money to come here, all three of us vowed never to go back on that ride. I tried keeping my head back, forward and pinned to one side but nothing helped, maybe our heads were just the wrong shape for the ride.
We met back up with Tracey and all decided we needed something more sedate and something we could all ride together. The Canal Boats called out to us and we answered that call, when we were at DL the ride was closed for refurbish so we never experienced them, if however they were anything like this it was a shame we missed them. Josh loved looking at the little scenes and loves generally just being anywhere near water he was a little unsure when we came to the Cave of Wonders and the fact that we paused just before its gaping maw did not help but after we explained that it was just a ride and we were moving again he was cool with it. As we were so close when we came off this we headed for Casey JR and once again we walked straight on as soon as a Train arrived at the station.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573359843/" title="DSCF2121 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2056/2573359843_24982ae153.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2121" /></a>
This was Joshs first ever thrill ride, well when your 2 jumping off the bottom step of the stairs is fairly thrilling. I would have been happier to have had more space in the train but it was great for Josh, love the choo chooing as you head up the hill and its a very twee ride but Josh loved it and once again as there was very little queue we got to stay on, Tracey got off and took the photo below.
Now we had to do the thing I had been dreading since we arrived at DLP, yes you guessed it was time for Its a Small World. The façade here is just like the one at DL and so much better than the store front at WDW. As it was so close to 11am we waited to see little parade of characters that come out of the big clock. Then unfortunately it finished and we had to go on the ride, okay its not as bad as I make out and I dont dislike it that much either but did my son have to decide that it was his favourite ride and that we had to ride it every spare minute.
After coming off here we all needed a sugar fix and it was still about 90 minutes until lunch, dont know who had the idea to go for Ice Cream but it was a great one, we all had giant cones, no idea now what everyone had but I had a chocolaty one and it was so sweet and sickly, it was fantastic.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573360035/" title="DSCF2133 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2573360035_99f47748d2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2133" /></a>
We were trying to go and see the dragon but then the character train came passed and Josh once again was sat there in a state of shock as all these characters he has seen on the TV came passed and they waved at him. Train gone and the characters all mobbed by the autograph hunters we just ignored them and took Josh to see the dragon, we werent sure how he would react as he can be a bit funny with anything that moves that isnt meant to. Well he didnt scream and run out but he was a little unsure when its giant head came swinging around and it roared at him he decided it was time to leave and do something else.
I figure that when I was a kid we were a lot tougher than kids nowadays. What I am talking about is playgrounds, we went to the pirates playground and its all safe and the ground is all cushioned, how ridiculous is that. When I was a kid we had concrete to fall onto and for a softer surface they sometimes laid some tarmac around the rides, however the tarmac was usually sprinkled liberally with some broken glass. The kids however when we got there were loving it and Josh quickly joined in and after getting bored of the toddler side of it went straight into the bigger kids bit, below is a picture of him causing a traffic jam on the rope bridge.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2574182974/" title="DSCF2139 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/2574182974_cd51c0bf92.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF2139" /></a>
Following this we explored the caves and the pirate ship.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2574183510/" title="DSCF3786 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2574183510_59a2ccb247.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF3786" /></a>
Then it was time for lunch and so the Blue Lagoon was our next stop and we walked into the piratey gloom from which there is no return, well no return within 2.5 hours.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lazydayz/2573360905/" title="DSCF3812 by LazyDayz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2573360905_ff4b31f7b5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCF3812" /></a>
We had a great meal here and it was not rushed and for that I am grateful, sometimes you just feel like your being pushed out so they can turn tables but not here. We also had a couple of bottles of the 15th Celebration wine which was okay. Josh loved watching and waving at the folks going by on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride but he decided that he would not be doing it and I was not going to carry a kicking and screaming child on as I have seen done in the past. We will let him decide when he feels ready to do that and HM. I am sure at some point in the future he will want to drag me onto some ride called something like the Puke-a-Tron and I will remind him of my kindnesses when he was younger, at this point he will have forgotten them and I will be carried onto the ride kicking and screaming.
Well I think that is enough for half of our first day, I appear to have meandered through this part but I will try to be more concise with the future editions or I will never get this finished.
Enjoy
steve
