The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 8

[Disneygrl36]

Welcome back May 18th DDA tripers.........I am enjoying reading about your trip. Keep the trip reports/photos coming.

 

[kc10family]

Well, Channon, as our resident travel expert, what time frame do you suggest? I know that several California schools go to DL from April through the end of school, so that time frame can get a bit crowded. Does anyone else have any time constraints? Theresa mentioned that Easter and from September through December are bad for her. Anyone who is interested, chime in with your BAD times, and we'll see if we can find a good time for us to go!

Per the DL web site here are the different "seasons" for 2006 I am sure 2007 will be very much the same.

2006 Seasons

Value Season: 1/3-4/6, 4/23-6/29, 9/3-11/21, 11/26-12/21
Regular Season: 6/30-9/2
Holiday Season: 4/7-4/22, 11/22-11/25, 12/22-1/2/07

Value seasonis the best time to go for price and crouds.
I have been in mid summer and it's ok, but crouded and hot. I have been the weekend of Labor day and it wasn't a never do again time frame. I was there the first week of Dec and it was fabulous. I have also been there the first week of Jan and it was great.

 

[kc10family]

I have been reading along but unable to post as I was in a funk due to DS Zachary. Thank goodness only 1 more month until our appt. for a second opinion. I just want to be able to help him so bad yet I seem to make things worse for him at times. Somehow, I lost all my notes that I was taking. for everyone who needs it. and to all that I missed. I'm glad to hear the May 18thers got back safely and had fun despite the rocky start. The pictures look great. I love all the topiaries. Very pretty. I'm up for a DL trip. I just love that place. Of course, Dec. 2007 is our tenth anniversary trip to WDW. But any other month would be great.
Denise Try to take care of yourself so you can get better.(I know easier said than done.) Your family is never far from our thoughts and prayers.
I hope all is well with the expecting moms.
I think that catches everything.

Thank you for letting us know.
Keep your head up. PD and Prayers for you.

 

[Glynis]

So do I understand that you all have started planning a trip to DL next year? Are the May 18thers invited or do we have to abdicate since we've had a trip already?

You BETTER plan on coming!!!! You guys will be the pros, that can give us newbies some advice. Besides, I want to meet you and Kate and Kristine, and Marti! Come on, join us! Chime in with available or unavailable times!

 

[tink2020]

I received the dvd's I purchased from Ebay today. I am so pleased with the few I have watched already. Makes me want to be there now

Kate sorry your trip had a rough start, but it sounds like all ended well. So where are the trip reports & pictures ladies????? We are all waiting

Hey! I know you posted this already, but can you share the link again if you can find it to the ones you purchased. I thought I had saved it, but apparently not.

 

[kc10family]

Link to the DL web site for those who might want to take a look.


http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/home/home?name=HomePage&bhcp=1

 

[Glynis]

April and May are bad for me. Which airport is best to fly into from either Dulles or Washington? Do they have transpo like WDW does?

I've never stayed onsite, so I don't know about shuttles from the resort hotels. Most of the good neighbor hotels have shuttles from the airports that are pretty reasonable.

I can't really help you with the airport question. We always fly into John Wayne. We hate dealing with LAX, and John Wayne is quiet and small and really closer to DL. I bet Channon could check it out for us, though!

 

[tink2020]

Denise -- thanks for checking in! I hope you are able to get some rest soon... give those kiddos a big hug from all of us!

 

[kc10family]

Day One – Thursday, May 18th



I was up at 0400 and out the door by 0510. My flight wasn’t until 1130 but I wanted to make sure I could get on the 0840 flight. Everyone else was supposed to be getting in earlier than me so I wanted to spend as much time as I could with them.



So I’m at Reagan Airport at 0645 and I was able to get on the 0840 flight for a $25 fee. Not more than 3 minutes after that I get a call from Kate telling me that she was stuck in traffic and might not make her flight. She sounded so tense, and she told me if I don’t hear from her again that means that she made it, but if she didn’t she would call. I stopped for a Cinnabon/coffee and said a small prayer that Kate would make it. I called DH and the kids before they headed off to school. I almost told him to post that Kate needed some , but that would have taken too much explaining of how to do it. (computer challenged). I was sitting at my gate waiting to board when my phone rang. My heart sunk because I knew before I answered that it was going to be Kate. She was standing at her gate, crying , watching her plane leave without her. But all was well because she made her Delta flight that she never canceled!!



Fast forward to Orlando: Kristine and I arrive at the same time and meet at the Alamo counter. Kate called and made sure that I could pick up the car that was in her name. We wait in line for about ½ hour and guess what, I can’t pick up the car because it is paid with Kate’s CC and in her name. So Kristine and I go up to the food court to get a bite to eat. She tries Chick-fil-a since they don’t have them in Chicago. You can ask her for her opinion. While we were finishing up eating, Kate calls and says she is just now getting off of her plane!! We all meet at Alamo again, make it through the line and the agent tries to get us to upgrade to a full size as opposed to a compact. We politely say no thank you, that a compact will be fine. She gives our paperwork and out we go to pick up our car. Luck is changing….no compact cars on the lot! Sneaky agent. So we end up with an ugly orange Chevy HHR. This is one car that we never missed in a parking lot full of vehicles.

So we were finally on the road heading to the Dolpin at 2:25. Our room wasn’t ready so we boated over to MGM. We got a FP for RnRC and rode ToT. Then we headed over to play WWTBAM. This is where the story gets really funny. So the three of us are in our seats, Tammi in 100, Kristine in 99, and Kate in 98. We play the fastest finger round and I make the top 10. An older gentleman who appeared to be completely devastated to be the winner was in the hot seat. He lost on the second question. So after 2 more questions they list the new top 10. Now if you’ve never played at WDW, the person in 1st position now goes to the hot seat. No fastest finger round again. It flashes on the big screen that seat 99 is the winner!!!! All I hear is “that’s me!!” and up Kate jumps and heads down the aisle to take her position. Kristine then leans over and whispers “aren't I 99??” OOPS!!!! Not only is Kate a stealth milestone stealer, she is a stealth hot seat stealer as well. Kristine and I have a few jokes back and forth that if Kate wins the cruise, either Steve or one of her kids is going to have to bow out to make room for Kristine. In all fairness to Kate, though, in the excitement of the moment, it was easy to be confused. The way they had the seat numbers, 99 was more in front of her than Kristine. So we cheered her on and she made it to the $8000 question. She did win a hat and some pins. We then went back and rode RnRC, which Kristine was not thrilled with.
We shopped through a few stores and headed over to the Dolphin to change. It was now time to head over to Epcot and eat. We finally settled on counter service in Japan and then made it to Jonnette’s dessert party in France where we ate yummy cakes and cookies and had a front row view for Illuminations. She looked beautiful in her wedding dress. After it was over we walked back to the Dolphin and watched some TV before heading to bed.

AND!!!!
Feed us some more please.
We want more!
We want more!
We want more!
We want more!
We want more!

 

[Eeyorecln]

So glad to see you!!!
You should post even if you are in a funk. I have found this is the best place to relieve and vent some of those funky feelings. I haven't ever found better friends and ears than I have here and we always have room in our hearts, ears, shoulders to pray, listen and help carry some of those burdens.

Know that you are loved.

Thank you. I do appreciate it.

 

[triplefigs]

I am enjoying the trip report and pictures. Can't wait to hear from Kristine/Marti/Paul too!

 

[kc10family]

I've never stayed onsite, so I don't know about shuttles from the resort hotels. Most of the good neighbor hotels have shuttles from the airports that are pretty reasonable.

I can't really help you with the airport question. We always fly into John Wayne. We hate dealing with LAX, and John Wayne is quiet and small and really closer to DL. I bet Channon could check it out for us, though!

Ask me!
Ask me!

I have stayed on and off site.

Ask me!
Ask me!

 

[Eeyorecln]

Tammi and I spent A LOT of time with the photopass guys this weekend and we found out some VERY interesting info!!

If you lose your FP - you can go to the locations that can make a photo cd and ask them to help you find your pictures

he typed in his search criteria

Daisy
MGM
between 6 and 8
and EVERYONE who had their picture taken in that time frame with Daisy at MGM showed up - how cool is that!!!

Then they printed the picture and took it to look for the photopass stuff - we found out that photopass has a quality control center and as pictures come in - they crop, fix the exposure, delete any obscene photos, and add tink, stitch, simba etc. to photos! they also Tag good photos - when the girl helping us came back - she told us the picture she had of Tammi and I with Daisy had been tagged as a good photo - which meant they would use it as an example for photographers and I guess they keep track of how many good photos a photographer gets - it was good b/c we were smiling, looking at the camera, framed well, it was clear and the photo caught their eye!!!!

we also found out that Disney's ultimate goal it to sell a photo CD to everyone - and they hope to REALLY increase the photopass force - having photographers at every character meal - with every character - at the resorts - basically anywhere you would want your photo taken - AND they are working on the ability to put your ride photos on the photopass CD as well! (two different people told us this)

That sounds really cool, when we went years ago the only photographers we saw were in front of the castle/ball(Epcot)/tree etc. I would love to see photographers at the Character meals. That would make things so much easier.

 

[Glynis]

Per the DL web site here are the different "seasons" for 2006 I am sure 2007 will be very much the same.

2006 Seasons

Value Season: 1/3-4/6, 4/23-6/29, 9/3-11/21, 11/26-12/21
Regular Season: 6/30-9/2
Holiday Season: 4/7-4/22, 11/22-11/25, 12/22-1/2/07

Value seasonis the best time to go for price and crouds.
I have been in mid summer and it's ok, but crouded and hot. I have been the weekend of Labor day and it wasn't a never do again time frame. I was there the first week of Dec and it was fabulous. I have also been there the first week of Jan and it was great.

I think Value season would be the best for us. How is February/March for everyone?

 

[kc10family]

Garrett just came home from school & the gentleman that passed away where I work at was his soccer coach. I feel so bad, I did not realize it was him. He was slumped over so I could not tell. Garrett goes to school with his daughter & she was also on his soccer team. At school today they had the team members go to a classroom so they could let them all know. He was 46 years old & died of a heart attack. Prayers for his family

Prayers for everyone. I am so very sorry to hear this.

 

[Glynis]

Ask me!
Ask me!

I have stayed on and off site.

Ask me!
Ask me!

Ok, ok, already! I'm asking! What do you think we should do? Onsite or off? Is there transportation available from either? Which would you recommend?

 

[kc10family]

Here are some pictures from our trip.

Looks like so much fun.

 

[tink2020]

Tammi and I spent A LOT of time with the photopass guys this weekend and we found out some VERY interesting info!!

If you lose your FP - you can go to the locations that can make a photo cd and ask them to help you find your pictures

he typed in his search criteria

Daisy
MGM
between 6 and 8
and EVERYONE who had their picture taken in that time frame with Daisy at MGM showed up - how cool is that!!!

Woohoo! Now it's my turn!!! If you would have paid attention in class this time, I mentioned that on my trip report after we lost our card in December!

Pretty cool though, huh?! Those CMs are live-savers!!!

 

[babytrees]

Ask me!
Ask me!

I have stayed on and off site.

Ask me!
Ask me!

Paula, dear,

put the Monster drink down and step away from it now.

 

[triplefigs]

I have been reading along but unable to post as I was in a funk due to DS Zachary. Thank goodness only 1 more month until our appt. for a second opinion. I just want to be able to help him so bad yet I seem to make things worse for him at times. Denise Try to take care of yourself so you can get better.(I know easier said than done.) Your family is never far from our thoughts and prayers.
I hope all is well with the expecting moms.
I think that catches everything.

Hugs to you too. I do know exactly what you are going through. Know I am with you 100% in Faith and Spirit. PM me if you need to talk. Hang in there. You're DS is lucky to have a mom fighting for him.