TR w/4000+ Pics/Disney on Ice w/184 Pics!!

[DizNee Luver]

I'm so glad you're not done yet. I am going to miss my daily fix of your families trip

Well thank you for reading along.....it will seem weird when I do get this done.....

 

[mommaU4]

Well thank you for reading along.....it will seem weird when I do get this done.....

Nooooo, it can't end. Go again, 'kay?

I love your pics! So detailed. Did you get to actually enjoy things or were you photographing the whole time??!! LOL It's been great to follow along. And OMG, Cafe Orleans is one of my fave places to eat.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[PoohNFriends]

All caught up again, can't wait to read and see more though!

Is Surf's Up the only restaurant with that Chocolate PB Banana French Toast? Chocolate PB is my most favorite food combination so I would love to try this. Just not sure how many character meals we will do our 1st trip - I have Goofy's kitchen ranked 1st for food & Characters than Minnie's for characters (would love to see Pooh bear and/or Alice), and might have to add Surf's up too!

Any updated news on Little Mermaid? I've heard May 2011 and we are going the 1st week of May so thinking I will miss it then.

BBQ, Pomme Fritas, Beignets, and Monte Cristo all look sooooo yummy and are also on my list of places to go - probably not on the same day though since that would be a lot of heavy food!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Nooooo, it can't end. Go again, 'kay?

I love your pics! So detailed. Did you get to actually enjoy things or were you photographing the whole time??!! LOL It's been great to follow along. And OMG, Cafe Orleans is one of my fave places to eat.

Thanks for sharing.

I'd love to go again.....I'm ready to move down there!! lol

I did enjoy myself....I just snapped a lot of photos in the process!!

Cafe Orleans is the bomb!! That's why we saved it for our final meal at Disneyland!!

All caught up again, can't wait to read and see more though!

Is Surf's Up the only restaurant with that Chocolate PB Banana French Toast? Chocolate PB is my most favorite food combination so I would love to try this. Just not sure how many character meals we will do our 1st trip - I have Goofy's kitchen ranked 1st for food & Characters than Minnie's for characters (would love to see Pooh bear and/or Alice), and might have to add Surf's up too!

Any updated news on Little Mermaid? I've heard May 2011 and we are going the 1st week of May so thinking I will miss it then.

BBQ, Pomme Fritas, Beignets, and Monte Cristo all look sooooo yummy and are also on my list of places to go - probably not on the same day though since that would be a lot of heavy food!

As far as I know, the Surf's Up meal is the only place you can get the Choc/PB french toast.

It's always possible they may open a tad early....but not the expert on those kinds of things...lol

All good food but as you said.....heavy foods!! That's why we found 2 meals a day to work out nicely.

 

[kaoden39]

I have found on trips that I normally prefer the two meals a day when I am at Disneyland. I am sorry to see it end too.

You were talking about blogging. I find that I like tumblr.com, you can do random posting and carry on conversations with your friends that are on tumblr. Like me!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

I have found on trips that I normally prefer the two meals a day when I am at Disneyland. I am sorry to see it end too.

You were talking about blogging. I find that I like tumblr.com, you can do random posting and carry on conversations with your friends that are on tumblr. Like me!!

I'll have to check that out!!

 

[kelmac284]

As always loving the latest installment and the pics from the gallery, I have almost the SAME ones!! I have one of the girls and mom in that safe from the bank and I have that same pic of the bench that walt sat on in Griffith park LOL. Did you guys see Lincoln or just look around? We actually saw it because I had never seen it and I am wanting the girls to learn a little bit more about history and not just think Disney is all about rides. In fact when we go to DW we are going to do the Hall of Presidents. It was on refurb last time because Obama was being added.

I too am sad to see the trip end but hey it aint over yet, you haven't posted the Jelly Belly part yet!

And I think a blog would be fun. I used to post an online one and I just did it cuz I love to just write down my thoughts about my day and I was surprised at how many people read it and when I got rid of it I had a bunch of people asking me WHY. So you would be surprised at what YOU might think is boring life others might find interesting.

Plus the one I did was read only but it might be fun to have one where others can join in and respond or chat or whatever. Let us know if you start one!

As always ever looking forward to the next installment!

 

[DizNee Luver]

As always loving the latest installment and the pics from the gallery, I have almost the SAME ones!! I have one of the girls and mom in that safe from the bank and I have that same pic of the bench that walt sat on in Griffith park LOL. Did you guys see Lincoln or just look around? We actually saw it because I had never seen it and I am wanting the girls to learn a little bit more about history and not just think Disney is all about rides. In fact when we go to DW we are going to do the Hall of Presidents. It was on refurb last time because Obama was being added.

I too am sad to see the trip end but hey it aint over yet, you haven't posted the Jelly Belly part yet!

And I think a blog would be fun. I used to post an online one and I just did it cuz I love to just write down my thoughts about my day and I was surprised at how many people read it and when I got rid of it I had a bunch of people asking me WHY. So you would be surprised at what YOU might think is boring life others might find interesting.

Plus the one I did was read only but it might be fun to have one where others can join in and respond or chat or whatever. Let us know if you start one!

As always ever looking forward to the next installment!

The pictures from the exhibit were taken by Tyler.....I don't think he actually went in to the show.....I don't think anyone got to it....even though we all talked about doing it.

I'll have to check this blog thing out.....never thought about doing one....but it might be a great way to get stuff off my chest!! lol

Still have the 2 travel days to go........guess I should go & sort pics!

 

[Belle Ella]

Awwws. It's so sad to see your park days coming to a close!

 

[DizNee Luver]

Awwws. It's so sad to see your park days coming to a close!

I know....... So many things I wanted to do....but alas, it just didn't happen this trip!

 

[Belle Ella]

I know....... So many things I wanted to do....but alas, it just didn't happen this trip!

I know the feeling! But at least it definitely gives you a reason to go back, right?

 

[DizNee Luver]

I know the feeling! But at least it definitely gives you a reason to go back, right?

Who needs a reason......

 

[Belle Ella]

Who needs a reason......

Certainly not us! I just like to have a few on the back burner for those who just don't understand, lol.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Day 11, Tuesday, August 3rd.
I'd have to say, this is the worst day of all. Having to pack everything up & know we are leaving.....heavy sigh. As you remember....getting everything into the van for the trip down was a process....imagine that, plus add in all the stuff we bought (and we bought a ton).

I woke up & started the process of packing. Once everyone was upright, we took a break & headed to Mimi's Cafe for breakfast. Have heard lots of good things about this restaurant, so glad we finally had the chance to try it for ourselves.

Arriving at Mimi's:

Tyler & Shyann:

Mike & Michayla:

Betty & Anthony:

Nick & Derek:

Addy:

Family:

The drinks.....check out the fancy glasses:

Next post will have *+*+*FOOD PORN*+*+*!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

*+*+*FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD*+*+*

Shy had the norm.....watermelon:

The famous Mimi's Muffins:

Addy & Anthony's breakfast:

Derek had the Belgian Waffle Breakfast:

Tyler had the Chipolte Breakfast Burrito:

Nick had the French Toast Breakfast:

I had the Santa Fe Breakfast Wrap:

Mike had the Corned Beef Hash:

Betty had the Triple Berry French Toast:

Betty paid for this meal, so I don't have a clue what it ran us. The food was as good as promised in all the other reviews. The muffins are brought you to steamy hot with butter....delicious!! I absolutely loved my wrap & Tyler raved about his burrito. The service was good & the place was clean....so no real complaints!!

We went back to the motel & finished the tedious job of packing. We took everything down to the van so I could start filling up all the possible holes. While we were out in the parking lot working on this, a car pulls up behind us & yells "Laurie" thru the window. It was Tracey (QueenDoOver), one of the DIS Divas I was going to try & hook up with on Sunday when they arrived. Things didn't work out, but it was great getting to talk with her for a couple minutes. DIS Meet-Up #3!!!! (wish I had my camera with me!!)

 

[DizNee Luver]

We finally got everything into the van, including the people, checked out from the HoJo & drove over to DTD for some last minute shopping.........otherwise known as, We're Leaving So Time To Get Everything You Wanted but Hadn't Picked Up Yet......In other words, Dig Deep Into the Pocket Book Cause This One's Gonna Hurt!!!! (and it did....will explain later)

Downtown Disney:

We stopped into the Lego store, so Anthony could sufficiently whine about needing some & also get these pictures:

The water fountain:

We went into Build A Bear with the thoughts of doing one for each of the 4 little ones......they had a great sale going: Any animal & one outfit including shoes for $29.99. But for some reason, we decided not to do it.

Vinylmation....I'm sure I'm gonna step on toes here....but.....WHO CARES!! I was so sick of seeing them & waiting in line for people to trade, buy, etc. I really don't see the draw to them......if someone knows why these are so popular....please explain, cause the whole concept was lost on me.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Ahhhh, The World of Disney Store:

Absolutely love going in here.....my hubby maybe not so much so....this always gets expensive!! lol I sent everyone off to retrieve that "I have to have this" item or items & after about an hour....we all started gathering together. We had 2 of their huge bags filled with items. Stuff was falling out because they were so full. We sent everyone out & Mike and I went to check out. I sat & watched as the total crept up.....$100.....$200......$300......$400.....oh please stop!!!.......$500.....$600.....hyper-ventilating at this point......and finally the finish line.......$680!!!! Ok, everyone calm down & take a deep breath.....lets minus the $20 gift card....$660.....lets minus the $34 Disney Visa Rewards Card....$626......and please, please, please......let's get my 20% AP Discount........drumroll please............$494 !!!! Under $500.....doable!! That works out to $50 per person....I can live with that!

As we made our way to the exit.....our bags set off the security buzzer....so as the CM dug thru our bags trying to find the one item that was causing this issue.....I left, leaving Mike & Tyler to deal with it. She tried everything & never found the problem....so they started out the door & it buzzed.....oh well.

We made our way back out of DTD.....saying good bye for one last time!!

We finally left Anaheim close to 1pm. Kinda a late start....luckily we weren't meeting anyone today, so it just means getting to the motel late tonight. We made it all the way (saying sarcastically) to Santa Clarita!!! The kids were hungry & the twins needed fed, so we stopped for good old McDonalds.

Finally hit the open road & got these pics along the way:

Crop Duster Plane:

Cows.......Moo!

I have to say....I may complain about the road work in Oregon, but after this trip....I may not anymore. I was NOT impressed with the conditions of I-5.....reminded me of a country road....not a major interstate.

 

[DizNee Luver]

From the Road again.....Tomatoes (either plum or roma):

The twins:

We went by an accident:

More from the road:

The twins were absolutely being goofy in the van:

Tyler & Addy:

Anthony & Derek:

 

[DizNee Luver]

Still more from the road:

Peppers:

Even more from the van:

Getting close to our destination:

Homewood Suites in Fairfield California:

Our first room was a Studio Suite with a kitchen:

Small dining table:

Small living room:

King size bed.....Sooooooo comfy!!:

Another table w/computer hook-ups:

TV/dresser:

 

[DizNee Luver]

The bathroom:

Huge shower....you could hold a party in there!!

The closet & all the extras in there:

Mike & I stayed in the studio suite with the twins.


Everyone else stayed in the 2nd room....a 2 bedroom Suite with kitchen:

Bedroom #1, King bed with tv/dresser & table:

Bathroom:

Bedroom #2, 2 Double Beds with tv/dresser & table:

Bathroom:

These rooms were huge....I could have lived in them!


The lobby area of the hotel:

The dining area:

The breakfast area:

The outside of the Hotel:

What a comfortable, quiet hotel. This would be a great place if you were needing an extended stay. The kitchen is supplied nicely. The beds are so comfortable with lots of extra pillows. The bathrooms were big & stocked with all the amenities you could need. The breakfast in the morning was not that great, which was unfortunate since there isn't a single restaurant on the street this hotel is located at.

That ends this day....it was after 10:30pm when we pulled in & after checking in....we had to go do a dinner run. The last travel day brings us the Jelly Belly Factory & more DISers!!