Trip Report: 10-09-08

[Brina78]

I would like to say that I had a good time going up to DL, but for the most part, I suffered off and on headaches and sleep deprivation. On top of that, the weather was pretty warm and the parks heavily crowded. Only my sister, Christine, went with me this time.

To start off, we arrived at around 11:30 a.m. We purchased a POTC postcard for our dad to wish him a Happy Birthday from DL. We took the postcard to sit in the Opera House lobby room. Then, it was off to find something to eat. We first went to try the new River Belle Terrace, but those prices are way too high. With money tight, we ended up buying corn dogs and bottled water back on Main Street and eating them in the Coca Cola area. Our food and drink came to $16.07 with the AP discount included. Yeah, for two corn dogs (with apple slices) and two water bottles, that's an insane price. One good thing came about as we stood in line at the River Belle Terrace before leaving: two girls talked about my Basil pin on my backpack! Yessssssss!

After eating, Christine had to use the restroom. We went through the new Timepiece store and towards the restroom located behind the Carnation Cafe. As I stood and waited in that archway between the shops and the restaurant, I caught sight of Oscar, the longest-running chef of Carnation Cafe. We made eye contact and I waved to him. He came over to give me a hug and we talked for a little bit before he had to go back to work. He then gave me a kiss before leaving! Awww, he is such a sweet guy.

Next, we made our way over to the Haunted Mansion and saw the line was outside the gate with a forty-five minute wait! We decided to get a Fast Pass to return between 1:40 and 2:40. Wow! In the meantime, we went to ride POTC with another long wait. We sat in the second row with another family, a nice lady and her two daughters. We talked to them about getting wet on Splash Mountain. They were cute little girls. Once we got off the ride, we bumped into Jack and Sally near Cafe Orleans! I wasn't fast enough and missed getting their picture.

By then, it was time for our Fast Pass return to Haunted Mansion at 1:40. The FP line still zig-zagged in the back, but it bypasses much of the outer line. Lord, that ride was packed. We got stuck in the gallery hall with loads of people all around us. We finally got on and relaxed in the Doom Buggy. It felt good to sit in cool, dark rooms. After HM, we went over to the fountain and asked a CM if Jack and Sally were coming out. The CM replied in a rude way, "Didn't I tell you already?" I blinked and said, "Uh, no, this is the first time I'm asking you." Jeez, I was cranky too, not feeling good at all, but that was uncalled for! I got his name, but didn't report him. He told us to come back around 3. Good. That gave us time to do other things.

We walked over to Fantasyland to ride more dark rides, or Pinocchio and Snow White, and then venture over to the DLRR station in Toontown to relax again. At one point, I fell over on Christine's shoulder and slept for a couple of minutes. I had to take a stronger prescription of Ibuprofen and rub Head On on my forehead. We were both in bad shape, but tried to have a good time. We got off at the Main Street station and almost left for DCA, but remembered we wanted to go see Jack and Sally. We got back in time and they were late in showing up. We started to leave to go eat something at the French Market when we bumped into them again! We hurried back to the fountain and a line quickly formed. I almost wanted to just take photos and leave but then I realized I really wanted to meet them. We got in the line and ended up being the last ones next to the CM. The poor guy needed a sign to tell people we were the last family to meet Jack and Sally! He kept getting asked repeatedly, plus, people kept trying to cut in and take pictures.

As we stood waiting, I told the other CM (the one who brought them out) my photo-taking plan. I wanted one photo with just Jack and Sally posing, then a photo of Christine and I with them, and then just one with me and Jack only. I love the guy, I had to have one with just him! The CM agreed and I said it was good to go in with a plan instead of snapping random pictures! We got up there and got the photos taken as planned, and because we were the last ones, we got to walk with them until they went to the back! It was fun walking alongside Jack and talking to him. The costumes are so adorable.

Even though that was a great and memorable experience, I still wasn't feeling good. Jack got me to smile and laugh, a big plus, but my head was still pounding. We had to go get food and the McDonald's place in DCA sounded real good. Though, I wish I had known it had closed down instead of walking all the way over there to find out the hard way! Pizza Oom Mow Mow was our next stop. One order of the Chicken Fusilli and a bottled water was $10.70! And that included the AP discount! We sat at the table to eat and relax some more. It was empty and quiet inside, dark too.

Next, we tried to do the new Toy Story ride, but even the Single Rider line was ridiculously long. We headed to Soarin' Over CA instead still using the Single Rider line. We got separated, but that's expected. I got the front row on the left-hand side but seated at the very last seat on the right while Christine sat in the third row of the last seat, actually in line with where I was. I had a row of young girls and their mom. One of the girls sat next to me and I helped buckle her seatbelt. They were adorable, chatting about everything on the screen and screaming, "Tinker Bell!!!" at the very end. That was hilarious! Poor Christine had an elderly couple sitting next to her and the guy kept smiling to her as if glad he was sitting next to someone like fifty years his junior!

After that, we walked over to watch Muppet Vision 3D after hearing it might close down. BIG mistake if Disney decides to do that! I love that show, it's considered the last thing personally supervised by Jim Henson! We then looked at the souvenir cart outside the attraction. I found a story book with a small portion of the Great Mouse Detective movie! But, Basil's tie was yellow instead of teal? Yuck! It didn't look right! Teal, blue, or something darker is more him! I think he's a winter!

Next, we jumped in what said a ten minute wait for Monsters Inc., but it was like twenty minutes instead. It's still a cute ride, cool and dark. Heh. And does anyone ever crave sushi when going through Harryhausen's? I do! I do! But, then again, I love Japanese food! At the end, our taxi got stuck in front of Roz for a bit too long and she got annoyed with us. She goes, "Well, what are you waiting for? An autograph?" I kept looking to the ride operator up ahead wondering what was wrong. She wouldn't pull us forward and Roz was not happy staring at us!

By the time we got out, the sky turned to a dark gray over cast as if it were about to rain any minute. We then walked over to the Candy shop to buy two chocolate-covered caramel marshmallow logs, a white chocolate raspberry cookie, and a chocolate-iced rice crispy treat. Had to get another bottle of water for those snacks. We each ate the marshmallow logs while sitting in the Candy Corn Acres. I didn't know Heimlich comes out of that candy corn! I missed photographing him! We left for home after that and ate some of the white chocolate raspberry cookie in the car. It's oh-so-sinful! The rice crispy treat block took a few days to finish. Just as delicious!

And that's my report for that trip!

 

[Sherry E]

I know what you mean about the Haunted Mansion Line - it was longer than I had ever seen it last weekend, winding into places I didn't know it could go. We called it the "ghetto of Disneyland"! It took forever, and it doesn't move that quickly because there is a lot of stopping and starting in the line when people are let into the first room. And we were packed like sardines walking past the gallery. In any case, I wish you had gone on Toy Story Midway Mania. First of all, no matter what the wait time says, the line moves quickly. They load and unload the cars very quickly, like POTC loads the boats quickly, and it is SO worth it! The HMH line was way worse than Toy Story!!! Oh well, hopefully next time! And yes, Disney food is expensive even at the less expensive places, but we all know that when we go there! I used my PAP 15% discount and it really paid off. I was getting $7.00 off here, $5.00 off there, $6.00 off here, etc. At the end of the trip, I had more money in my wallet than I expected to and I had even bought a mug and a shirt!

It sounds like you had an okay time but not your best DLR trip. I was suffering with bad leg pain related to a disc problem in my back last weekend, and at times my leg was hurting so badly, then it felt dead! But I suffered through it because I was determined to get my money's worth! (Though if you read my trip report you will see that I had some not so great experiences at DLR too!)

Hope you feel better on your next trip! Are you going back soon - like around Christmas time?

 

[Brina78]

Oh, Christine and I got to do the Toy Story ride on Sept. 5. Didn't report the trip, I should have because that was such an awesome time! It was a crazy long line, but we took the Single Rider line and snuck in a different boarding zone to ride together. Don't think the CM appreciated it, but once I discovered what the ride was like, I was glad we sat together! It is so much fun and absolutely hilarious!!!

But, yeah, the highlight was meeting Jack and Sally, everything else was kind of blah. Not one of our best times, especially when we couldn't do any rough rides. Ooh, sorry about your leg pain! That sounds so awful! I'll check out your report! We'll hopefully go back before the Halloween theme ends. I saw Mickey in his purple costume but didn't get a photo! He looks so adorable! We'll probably go in early December too, and November 6 for my sister's birthday. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Sherry E]

Oh, Christine and I got to do the Toy Story ride on Sept. 5. Didn't report the trip, I should have because that was such an awesome time! It was a crazy long line, but we took the Single Rider line and snuck in a different boarding zone to ride together. Don't think the CM appreciated it, but once I discovered what the ride was like, I was glad we sat together! It is so much fun and absolutely hilarious!!!

But, yeah, the highlight was meeting Jack and Sally, everything else was kind of blah. Not one of our best times, especially when we couldn't do any rough rides. Ooh, sorry about your leg pain! That sounds so awful! I'll check out your report! We'll hopefully go back before the Halloween theme ends. I saw Mickey in his purple costume but didn't get a photo! He looks so adorable! We'll probably go in early December too, and November 6 for my sister's birthday. Thanks for the reply!

Oh, okay! I got it. So you have been on TSMM before, at least! That's great! I was afraid you were depriving yourself of a great ride!

I can empathize with your headache issue at DLR! It is awful to be in DLR with any kind of ailment - be it a headache, some sort of stomach problem, a pain like I had - it just really ruins a good time. And for folks who don't have AP's and can't get back to DLR often, it must be really maddening if they plan and save to get there and then someone gets sick or becomes incapacitated and bedridden for whatever reason!

Do you ever notice that the whole DLR experience is one that can alternately bring the greatest joy but also the greatest frustration for all of us?!! There are times when it can just be too much, and people start getting snippy, and suddenly it seems like there is nothing to do even if there are tons of things to do, and nobody is happy with anything, and the prices and the rides and the whole Disney 'thing' just seem aggravating momentarily, and you are just bone-tired and want it to be over. But whenever I get that way, for some reason, I always want to go back the next day!!! I think I burn out and reach my limit for the day, so I assume I am done for the whole trip. But what I really need is just to call it a day for that day and then carry on the next day!!! I always feel guilty spending too much time in the hotel room when I should be in the park accomplishing something, but if I don't let myself just kind of relax in the room and not worry about what to ride next or what I have to see next, then I end up getting more done when I am back on my feet the next day!!!

 

[Brina78]

Do you ever notice that the whole DLR experience is one that can alternately bring the greatest joy but also the greatest frustration for all of us?!! There are times when it can just be too much, and people start getting snippy, and suddenly it seems like there is nothing to do even if there are tons of things to do, and nobody is happy with anything, and the prices and the rides and the whole Disney 'thing' just seem aggravating momentarily, and you are just bone-tired and want it to be over. But whenever I get that way, for some reason, I always want to go back the next day!!! I think I burn out and reach my limit for the day, so I assume I am done for the whole trip. But what I really need is just to call it a day for that day and then carry on the next day!!! I always feel guilty spending too much time in the hotel room when I should be in the park accomplishing something, but if I don't let myself just kind of relax in the room and not worry about what to ride next or what I have to see next, then I end up getting more done when I am back on my feet the next day!!!

Oh, I know it! When we had our Premium passes between July 9, 2005 and July 9, 2007 (when we couldn't renew), we went A LOT! It was a stress relief at times, but then it often brought on stress too, which sounds bizarre! I get set goals to do attractions or have a craving to eat somewhere, even get a photo op with a character. Christine doesn't like to wait for characters; she'd rather do rides so we bypass many I want to say hi to! I'm cool with it knowing we'll come back, but sometimes I'll see a rare character and go, "Oh, no, we HAVE to say hello!"

This recent time felt stressful and tiresome. I longed to do Space Mountain and Christine wanted to do Indiana Jones, but neither of us felt up to getting thrown around and the rides alone would have upped our headaches even more! We mostly went to get the postcard and wander through the atmosphere...and meet Jack and Sally. Wow. I still loved that experience very much!

 

[Sherry E]

Oh, I know it! When we had our Premium passes between July 9, 2005 and July 9, 2007 (when we couldn't renew), we went A LOT! It was a stress relief at times, but then it often brought on stress too, which sounds bizarre! I get set goals to do attractions or have a craving to eat somewhere, even get a photo op with a character. Christine doesn't like to wait for characters; she'd rather do rides so we bypass many I want to say hi to! I'm cool with it knowing we'll come back, but sometimes I'll see a rare character and go, "Oh, no, we HAVE to say hello!"

This recent time felt stressful and tiresome. I longed to do Space Mountain and Christine wanted to do Indiana Jones, but neither of us felt up to getting thrown around and the rides alone would have upped our headaches even more! We mostly went to get the postcard and wander through the atmosphere...and meet Jack and Sally. Wow. I still loved that experience very much!

It can be very stressful planning a DLR trip and being there. And it is always an energy sapper when you and your traveling companions are not on the same page. The worst thing is when nobody can make a decision and everyone sits or stands there, looking confused, like there is nothing to do! You always need to have one firm decision maker in the group who can take charge if things suddenly hit a wall. Sometimes I do feel like stopping for photos with characters, and I am all about getting pictures with characters. Sometimes I am not. Sometimes I am more interested in looking in all the shops and sampling holiday treats and then, other times, I am not! Sometimes I want to take photos of all kinds of little details I ordinarily miss, and other times I am not in a photo-taking modd! Sometimes I feel like going on a bunch of rides and then the next trip, I only need to get on a few. I know I never like to feel as if my hard-earned money is going to waste by me just sitting there like a lump and not doing anything! But my friend like to sit a lot, or go back to the hotel and rest a lot. So then I am in the position of either venturing off on my own - which I could do on a different day, when I didn't have any friends with me! - or sitting/resting with her. And sometimes I really need the rest.

I still haven't figured out the perfect formula for making a DLR trip the most successful and least stressful, and feeling like I got a good balance of rest and activities done. I have tried two days in the park and three nights at the hotel. I have tried two nights at the hotel and three days in the park. I have tried planning and not planning. I have tried lots of rest and lots of activities. I tend to think, in the end, that more time spread out over more days at DLR would be more successful, because I always end up feeling like I missed out on things. You know, maybe make a weeklong trip to DLR, and go in the parks for shorter increments each day. Trying to squeeze in a bunch of things AND rest into only two days is a lot to take on, because bodies do give out at some point and there is just not enough time to do everything, but yet you still burn out!!

 

[Brina78]

It can be very stressful planning a DLR trip and being there. And it is always an energy sapper when you and your traveling companions are not on the same page. The worst thing is when nobody can make a decision and everyone sits or stands there, looking confused, like there is nothing to do! You always need to have one firm decision maker in the group who can take charge if things suddenly hit a wall. Sometimes I do feel like stopping for photos with characters, and I am all about getting pictures with characters. Sometimes I am not. Sometimes I am more interested in looking in all the shops and sampling holiday treats and then, other times, I am not! Sometimes I want to take photos of all kinds of little details I ordinarily miss, and other times I am not in a photo-taking modd! Sometimes I feel like going on a bunch of rides and then the next trip, I only need to get on a few. I know I never like to feel as if my hard-earned money is going to waste by me just sitting there like a lump and not doing anything! But my friend like to sit a lot, or go back to the hotel and rest a lot. So then I am in the position of either venturing off on my own - which I could do on a different day, when I didn't have any friends with me! - or sitting/resting with her. And sometimes I really need the rest.

I still haven't figured out the perfect formula for making a DLR trip the most successful and least stressful, and feeling like I got a good balance of rest and activities done. I have tried two days in the park and three nights at the hotel. I have tried two nights at the hotel and three days in the park. I have tried planning and not planning. I have tried lots of rest and lots of activities. I tend to think, in the end, that more time spread out over more days at DLR would be more successful, because I always end up feeling like I missed out on things. You know, maybe make a weeklong trip to DLR, and go in the parks for shorter increments each day. Trying to squeeze in a bunch of things AND rest into only two days is a lot to take on, because bodies do give out at some point and there is just not enough time to do everything, but yet you still burn out!!

Totally! One plan, and it's the utmost important, is good walking shoes. My poor mom has a condition called Plantar fasciitis and we have to go slow due to her trouble walking. She refuses to pay for a wheelchair, wants to be as less of an inconvenience as possible, so she'll try for the best walking shoes and ignore the pain. But, it was towards the last days of our Premium pass expiration when I wore the wrong shoes and paid dearly for it.

It was Sunday, July 1, 2007. I wore a nice purple tank top and decided to wear my purple jelly shoes to match with it. Usually I wear these other sandals that I can walk anywhere in, but I didn't this time. Oh...my...gosh. I did incredible damage to my feet like you wouldn't believe! Jelly shoes have NO support whatsoever! The worst came to standing in line for the new Finding Nemo ride and not moving. I ended up switching shoes with Christine just so that my feet could relax. By the end of the evening, I had to pause at every bench to rest up to the exit. Mom and Christine laughed so hard to the way I walked, and yet, it made me laugh too! I laughed till my stomach hurt all the while going, "Shut up, it's not funny! Bwahahahaha!"

Finally, I carried my shoes and walked out barefoot. Wow, the ground is so warm and smooth! We got to level 5, or Donald's structure, and I put my shoes back on. My legs locked and I was stuck! My feet were in such bad shape I could not walk anymore and we were parked all the way in 5G! Mom and Christine left me by the elevators to get the car and bring it up to me! I drove home since I wasn't walking, but we had to park the car closer to our apartment door than where we usually park! Yeah, that was bad. The next two days I crawled around the rooms to get to places. I seriously could NOT walk.

I have so many interesting stories with DL, humorous ones too!

 

[Sherry E]

Totally! One plan, and it's the utmost important, is good walking shoes. My poor mom has a condition called Plantar fasciitis and we have to go slow due to her trouble walking. She refuses to pay for a wheelchair, wants to be as less of an inconvenience as possible, so she'll try for the best walking shoes and ignore the pain. But, it was towards the last days of our Premium pass expiration when I wore the wrong shoes and paid dearly for it.

It was Sunday, July 1, 2007. I wore a nice purple tank top and decided to wear my purple jelly shoes to match with it. Usually I wear these other sandals that I can walk anywhere in, but I didn't this time. Oh...my...gosh. I did incredible damage to my feet like you wouldn't believe! Jelly shoes have NO support whatsoever! The worst came to standing in line for the new Finding Nemo ride and not moving. I ended up switching shoes with Christine just so that my feet could relax. By the end of the evening, I had to pause at every bench to rest up to the exit. Mom and Christine laughed so hard to the way I walked, and yet, it made me laugh too! I laughed till my stomach hurt all the while going, "Shut up, it's not funny! Bwahahahaha!"

Finally, I carried my shoes and walked out barefoot. Wow, the ground is so warm and smooth! We got to level 5, or Donald's structure, and I put my shoes back on. My legs locked and I was stuck! My feet were in such bad shape I could not walk anymore and we were parked all the way in 5G! Mom and Christine left me by the elevators to get the car and bring it up to me! I drove home since I wasn't walking, but we had to park the car closer to our apartment door than where we usually park! Yeah, that was bad. The next two days I crawled around the rooms to get to places. I seriously could NOT walk.

I have so many interesting stories with DL, humorous ones too!

I have plantar fasciitis too! I wear my New Balance shoes with inserts all the time! Last year in December, my PF and my back/disc problem (which causes pain all down my hips and legs when it is really bad) were acting up at the same time! Oh, I somehow managed to get through the day at DL or DCA, but when I got back to the hotel and when I woke up in the morning, I was popping Motrin like crazy. The PF was really bad and the bulging disc was causing me all kinds of pain. Thankfully, the PF has not acted up in a long time and the severity of the back problem comes and goes. Sometimes it is hardly there and other times it is excruciating. So to have them both flaring up at their worst levels while in DLR is one of my worst nightmares!! So I can empathize with your poor mom!

When you had to walk barefoot to the M&F parking structure (at least DLR keeps their ground nice and smooth for you!), was that because your feet hurt from walking in those jelly shoes all day? You mentioned your legs locking up on you. I have had that happen - where both of my legs from the knees down lock up on me like a double whammy Charley horse and I can't walk or move!!! Like all the muscles in my calves and feet all cramp in unison! Is that what happened to you or did the shoes just kill your feet in general? How unbearable for you to have that happen at DLR! Yikes! Orthopedic and podiatric pain is the worst!

Oh Lord, thank God for Motrin and other painkillers!!

 

[Brina78]

When you had to walk barefoot to the M&F parking structure (at least DLR keeps their ground nice and smooth for you!), was that because your feet hurt from walking in those jelly shoes all day? You mentioned your legs locking up on you. I have had that happen - where both of my legs from the knees down lock up on me like a double whammy Charley horse and I can't walk or move!!! Like all the muscles in my calfs and feet all cramp in unison! Is that what happened to you or did the shoes just kill your feet in general? How unberable for you to have that happen at DLR! Yikes! Orthopedic and podiatric pain is the worst!

Oh Lord, thank God for Motrin and other painkillers!!

It was the weirdest thing. I was able to walk better without the shoes on and when I did put them on, I could not bend my legs! They refused to bend with the heel of the shoe. But, my legs worked fine. It was as if they knew not to work with the shoes on! Ugh, so PF can be a common thing? That's so awful, makes it less enjoyable in the park! I used to carry 800mg of Ibuprofen, my wonder drug. I only have 600mg right now and sometimes I have to take two for them to work!

 

[Sherry E]

It was the weirdest thing. I was able to walk better without the shoes on and when I did put them on, I could not bend my legs! They refused to bend with the heel of the shoe. But, my legs worked fine. It was as if they knew not to work with the shoes on! Ugh, so PF can be a common thing? That's so awful, makes it less enjoyable in the park! I used to carry 800mg of Ibuprofen, my wonder drug. I only have 600mg right now and sometimes I have to take two for them to work!

I think PF is more common than I had known prior to last year. I take Motrin/Ibuprofen as needed, and that means if it is a mild pain day, maybe it will be a 400 mg (two over the counter pills) day, or if it is a severe pain day, sky is the limit. And then, if there is no pain, no Motrin. But there are some days where just 400 mg or even 800 mg won't do the trick! And at DLR, being in any kind of discomfort with all the walking involved can really make you miserable! Imagine people who don't have APs and they go on their one big trip to DLR for the whole year and they get sick or are in terrible pain, without having a chance to go back and 'do it over.' Yikes!