One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Look Out Universe, the Thumpers are Coming, The Thumpers are Coming. Run! Hide!
STOP!!! Where is everybody going? Youre not afraid of 2 cute cuddly bunnies are you? Besides, I was just about to tell you how I, ok we, decided to not only go to DL; but to SW and US as well.
Just dawned on me I havent let you know exactly when were going. Probably thinking to yourselves, when are these 2 going? Are they really going or just telling us theyre going? They havent posted any dates yet. Just telling us theyre going in a couple of weeks. Bet theyre making up a TR from the Unofficial Guide to
Disneyland book and the Disney Website.
Did I mention the purpose of this trip is to celebrate our wedding anniversary? In case you didnt know, Lady H and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary. This coming Saturday (August 18th) DW and I will celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. This will be our gift to each other and a much needed vacation from work. Our flight in the AToD is scheduled to leave at 9:15 am (MST) on Saturday August 25th. Well be in CA for a week and return home on Saturday September 1st. Figured we would get out of there before the Labor Day Weekend rugrats come in with their get out of my way I need to be in line first parents. If anyone is wondering why were not going the weekend of our anniversary, thats because most schools around the Anaheim and Southern California area dont go back until August 26th. I gurgled it during my research. We picked this week hoping the crowds will have died down when the kids go back to school and they send their parents back to work.
If you remember from my last chapter, I said stay tuned and I would tell you how we decided to go to SW and US as well. As I was researching ticket prices, I came across one ticket that I grew particularly fond of. The ultimate ticket, the ticket I knew I had to get. The Southern California City Pass. I waste no time and take out my credit card and order 2 right away. Better buy these puppies before they go up in price. Especially since DL tickets had just gone up in price. Guess what? Theyre still the same price, even after DL has raised their prices.
With the So. Cal City Pass, we get 3 fabulous days to tour DL/DCA. We can park hop between to the parks if we so choose. We also get one day each to Sea World and Universal. This is the best deal around. Its almost like buying a 3-Day Park Hopper ticket to DL and getting US and SW for free. Who could resist that offer? Put your hand down Nebo. The CP costs $279 per ticket. A 3-Day Park Hopper for DL costs $250. Purchase separate tickets to SW and US, and it comes out to $393 per person. We knew that we wanted to go to US as well this trip. Really hadnt planned on SW since we went there last year. I had to tweak the plans months in advance to work it in. Last year it got really cold, windy, cloudy and rained the day we went. Going to SW hopefully will be better this trip, and be a better do over.
Heres a quick list of how were hoping (well how IM hoping) our week will go:
The day we get there, we arrive in Los Angeles at around10:30 am. Pick up the rental car (because I have super duper strength), fly us over to our resort and check-in. Buy a bus pass and head on down to Downtown Disney. I know what youre thinking, they just rented a car? Why not drive to Downtown Disney? Were pretending that well be in WDW. Uh-oh, its starting already. I have to remind myself its not WDW. We calculated it will be cheaper for us to take the bus to/from Disney, then to drive to the park and pay for parking each day. We want to get a feel for the bus system to see if it will actually work out for us. If we feel like it wont work for us, then well just have to fork over more money to Disney and pay to park.
After we hitchhike a ride on the bus, well head back to the resort and change for our ADR over at Steakhouse 55 for our anniversary dinner. I did mention its our wedding anniversary right? Ill mention it one more time to be on the safe side. Lady H and I will be celebrating our 5-year wedding anniversary. Decided we would do SH 55 first while we will still have money. If we wait until later on, I might spend all our money on souvenirs I dont really need. Like a glass sculpture or something.
Sunday will be our first Park Day DL. This is one of the only days well get to see Fantasmic and get to take advantage of an extra early morning hour. Might sneak out of the park and go across the street to the Garden Walk and replenish the Sunny D mixtures. Now that I mention it, I better write that down on our shopping list.
Monday well head out to Universal. Eat at Hard Rock Café. Hard Rock is changing theyre All Access Club, so I have credits to use before I lose them. Cant wait to see how US remodeled after the fire. Looking forward to doing the new Transformers ride as well. Yes, Lady H and I have been here to. I have bragging rights though; I got to go there before she did.
Tuesday-DCA. Get up and out the door early, and hope theres not a ton of people waiting to get into Carsland. Really looking forward to World of Color as well.
Wednesday-Sea World. Get up even earlier and drive to SW. No time for breakfast this morning, unless theres a Mc. Ds on the way. Hopefully Lady H wont be too sleepy. If I remember correctly, the drive down to San Diego takes you close to the coast. Beautiful drive. Get Lady H in the car for a drive that lasts longer than 45 minutes, and shes out like a light. Although I must admit, lately shes gotten better a staying awake. Im willing to bet coming back from San Diego is when shell sleep. Place your bets. Oh right, gambling isnt allowed on this site.
Thursday Sleep in. Im promised Lady H a day of rest. Might even try to go to the beach this day depending on what time we get up. Of course what time we get up depends on what time we get back from San Diego. If we dont make it to the beach, well just lounge around on some lungers at our resort pool. Spend the day relaxing and recuperating from the constant hangover. At night well go to Downtown Disney again. Well for sure have to take the bus this night. Have an ADR for Rainforest Café. 3 words: Orange Sherbet Margarita.
So much for recuperating from the hangover. Of course to recuperate from a hangover, arent you just supposed to drink more?
Friday- DCA/DL. Probably park hop on this day as this will be our last full day there. Do our favorites again, or do the things we wanted to do but couldnt because we wouldve had to wait 10 hours in line.
Saturday. Get up, pack and head back home. Our flight home doesnt leave until the afternoon. So we can sleep in a little. Might be up early anyways so we can have breakfast before heading to the airport.
I think the hardest part of planning this trip has been deciding where to eat. We looked at the website and not too many TS places jumped out at us. And there seems to be a ton of CS places. We might find ourselves spending a lot of time at GardenWalk when it comes to meals. GardenWalk is a shopping center just a little ways down the street from DL. Some of our favorite restaurants are there.
Now that Ive provided yall with the 411, I hope Ive provided enough to get you through until such time we take the trip and come back. Nebo and Smidgy are back (though Nebo is broken it sounds like) Im sure they will pick up where they left off. So you will all have something more entertaining to read while were gone. Besides Im running out of things to talk about; unless you want to start posting your favorite cocktail recipes in addition to the cake and pie recipes.
Date is getting closer and almost time for us to fly.