Brina78
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2005
- Messages
- 311
Due to this being a very disappointing visit, this won't be a very positive report. It was just my Mom, sister Christine, and myself whom went. The first downer was not getting a parking pass. We like to collect those, helps us to remember what days we went to DL, not to mention it helps us remember where we parked! I found it strange how the guy just told us to go through! But, believe me, I'll remember this visit, oh, yes, I certainly will. 
We got there by 2:30 in the afternoon, a late start, but oh, well. It took two times before we caught the tram from the parking structure into the park, and that told us it was going to be very packed inside. To make matters worse, I smelled bile on the tram, like some child threw up or something. It was awful. Sure enough, it was very crowded, and it was a type of crowd that had more rude vibes than friendly ones.
I'll explain along the way.
Upon arriving in Main Street, I went up the stairs of the DLRR station to get a clear shot of the Christmas tree. So, this is the first artificial tree, huh? Kind of skinny if you ask me, looking like from when the Grinch folded up the Whoville Christmas tree into an umbrella. That could be a good example of it!
We then went straight to the French Market to get a late lunch early dinner. Three chowder bowls, one cheesecake dessert (with the Jack Skellington decoration) and two water bottles came to a little over $40! Outrageous!
After that, we went to get a Fast Pass for Haunted Mansion to return between 4:55-5:55, and that meant getting in the way of the time for Billy Hill and the Hillbillies starting at 5:15. Mom really likes them and wanted to see the show. Once we got our tickets, we started to walk past the HM enterance and I smelled that horrible bile smell again! What on Earth was going on?
As we waited for our return time, we went to ride Winnie the Pooh. Now, let me just say something right here and now. I do NOT appreciate children who climb all over rocks and walls. Two little girls were walking along the moss area high above the walk way of the Winnie the Pooh ride and the parents did nothing! They let them climb up there until the walk way turned and then the father grabbed them and put them back on the path. So, what happened next? Another person from their party came through the line late and walked past us because they were purchasing, get this, Churros! Right, reward those kids with sugar, get them more high-strung!
It was only 4:40 when we got off the ride, so we looked in the different shops of Critter Country, also stopped at the NBC cart near HM. I saw a pack of Haunted Mansion Playing Cards for only $5 and debated on buying them. Eventually, it was time to use our FP. As we breezed through the FP line, kids were climbing on the railings. Two boys were actually in the path of our line after climbing and stretching their legs all over. I had to stop and wait for them to move. They didn't, so I said, "Excuse me!" giving the parents the evil eye. Christine brought this to my attention, but that gallery room after getting off the elevator always stinks like smelly feet! Don't know why for the life of me, but I was more concerned about not getting trampled. It was so crowded, it was hardly enjoyable. I rode with Mom while Christine rode alone. I know they always say groups of three, but it's way too cramped. We walked out of HM and I returned to the NBC cart to buy those Playing Cards after all. Made me happy.
We had four minutes to get to the Golden Horseshoe to see the 5:15 showing of Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. This is when we learned never to arrive late. All the good seats were taken. The other two went to use the restroom while I went on ahead to try and find three seats. I found chairs along the wall and just needed two more sitting together. At one table the girl was saving a chair, leaving me with just one when I needed two. I went to get up to grab another unused chair at another table, but a guy snatched it up, giving me a look like, "Oh, did you need this?" and left me standing there! I got real pissed and ended up walking toward the exit to stand on the first step of the staircase. Mom and Christine entered and I told them what happened. Christine said the room smelled like B.O. and was getting disgusted. We left right after that. I kind of wanted to watch the show, too.
With it dark out, I wanted to grab a Fast Pass for BTMRR. The return time was 6:05-7:05. Christine and I got them and we all wandered off toward Big Thunder Ranch. This is at a point when I got so frustrated with my digital camera not working properly. I had it set on "Night" to capture pictures of the huge tree decorated with Christmas lights and my photos kept coming out blurry! I stood perfectly still and it was not working picture after picture. Finally, I got a clear shot and we continued on to walk through Big Thunder Ranch. Once again, I tried to photo the reindeer, constantly getting a blurry picture! Got one clear shot after so many tries. Another smell affected our nostrils, that typical animal smell around the reindeer pen, but for once, I wasn't offended. It reminded me of the zoo, so I was used to it and know how that smell is always associated with animals.
We then went over to It's A Small World with the intention of continuing on to Mickey's Toontown. Never made it. We got as far as IASW and stopped for me to try and photograph it (actually had better luck) and with it chiming right at 6 p.m., we were treated to that Nutcracker special upon the building itself. I changed my camera setting to Video and got it recorded. It was so heavily crowded in that area, we decided to make our way back to Frontierland to use our FP's for BTMRR. As we walked past Storybook Land, we ran right into a huge and disgusting crowd fart. It was horrendous. Were we cursed to have bad smells everywhere?
Rode BTMRR next, although, Christine was freezing and I felt bad when we've ridden it so much at night and loved it. That time was not too pleasant. We did a last stop at the Partners statue for me to photograph the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and its gorgeous holiday theme. Had trouble once again with repeated blurry pictures, but I eventually got it. By then, the holiday parade was starting and we wanted to high-tail out of there.
As we reached City Hall, Mom and I lost Christine somewhere in the crowd. I said I was going up to higher ground (or the stairs of the DLRR station again) to try and get some photographs of the end of the parade. Some came out, others were blurry and deleted, including Jolly Old Saint Nick. Disneyland was not a pleasant experience this time around, so it's just as well Santa.
My last stop was a chat with a CM of City Hall. A co-worker will be coming up in two weeks and wanted me to ask for the schedule of the meet and greet characters, preferably the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio. The CM explained she only appears in the Parade of Dreams and it is currently replaced with the holiday parade. She's certain the Blue Fairy never makes meet and greet appearances, but what my co-worker could do is call information for a 'toon' hotline before 4 p.m. to get a schedule of when the characters come out, and not just the regular ones. I chose this opportunity to hint my never-ending desire to meet Basil and Ratigan and explained how they do have the costumes, they just never take them out to meet and greet! She looked at me as if to say, "Oh, really?" I then said how I had a magazine at home with a photo of the two costumed characters and she said, "Well, it seems you know more about it than I do!" Goodness, is it really true that the Disney films of the 80's are completely dead except for The Little Mermaid?!
Left after that and if I thought our night would get better, it actually got worse. The trams were so packed, we walked all the way back to the parking structure. My hamstrings are still sore from doing that. Started to drive home on the freeway and Mom had a fit in the back seat when she thought she lost her expensive prescription sunglasses. Can't blame her, they really are expensive. Fortunately, they fell under my chair and it was a false alarm. We bought Del Taco in our home town and they made a huge mistake, giving us very spicy tacos. Had to go back out and exchange them, but not after Christine took a bite and nearly died from the hot sauce burning her mouth. She's very ill right now, feeling nauseous and has a migraine.
It was just a terrible day, one that I never want to repeat again.
We got there by 2:30 in the afternoon, a late start, but oh, well. It took two times before we caught the tram from the parking structure into the park, and that told us it was going to be very packed inside. To make matters worse, I smelled bile on the tram, like some child threw up or something. It was awful. Sure enough, it was very crowded, and it was a type of crowd that had more rude vibes than friendly ones.
I'll explain along the way. Upon arriving in Main Street, I went up the stairs of the DLRR station to get a clear shot of the Christmas tree. So, this is the first artificial tree, huh? Kind of skinny if you ask me, looking like from when the Grinch folded up the Whoville Christmas tree into an umbrella. That could be a good example of it!
We then went straight to the French Market to get a late lunch early dinner. Three chowder bowls, one cheesecake dessert (with the Jack Skellington decoration) and two water bottles came to a little over $40! Outrageous!
After that, we went to get a Fast Pass for Haunted Mansion to return between 4:55-5:55, and that meant getting in the way of the time for Billy Hill and the Hillbillies starting at 5:15. Mom really likes them and wanted to see the show. Once we got our tickets, we started to walk past the HM enterance and I smelled that horrible bile smell again! What on Earth was going on?
As we waited for our return time, we went to ride Winnie the Pooh. Now, let me just say something right here and now. I do NOT appreciate children who climb all over rocks and walls. Two little girls were walking along the moss area high above the walk way of the Winnie the Pooh ride and the parents did nothing! They let them climb up there until the walk way turned and then the father grabbed them and put them back on the path. So, what happened next? Another person from their party came through the line late and walked past us because they were purchasing, get this, Churros! Right, reward those kids with sugar, get them more high-strung!
It was only 4:40 when we got off the ride, so we looked in the different shops of Critter Country, also stopped at the NBC cart near HM. I saw a pack of Haunted Mansion Playing Cards for only $5 and debated on buying them. Eventually, it was time to use our FP. As we breezed through the FP line, kids were climbing on the railings. Two boys were actually in the path of our line after climbing and stretching their legs all over. I had to stop and wait for them to move. They didn't, so I said, "Excuse me!" giving the parents the evil eye. Christine brought this to my attention, but that gallery room after getting off the elevator always stinks like smelly feet! Don't know why for the life of me, but I was more concerned about not getting trampled. It was so crowded, it was hardly enjoyable. I rode with Mom while Christine rode alone. I know they always say groups of three, but it's way too cramped. We walked out of HM and I returned to the NBC cart to buy those Playing Cards after all. Made me happy.
We had four minutes to get to the Golden Horseshoe to see the 5:15 showing of Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. This is when we learned never to arrive late. All the good seats were taken. The other two went to use the restroom while I went on ahead to try and find three seats. I found chairs along the wall and just needed two more sitting together. At one table the girl was saving a chair, leaving me with just one when I needed two. I went to get up to grab another unused chair at another table, but a guy snatched it up, giving me a look like, "Oh, did you need this?" and left me standing there! I got real pissed and ended up walking toward the exit to stand on the first step of the staircase. Mom and Christine entered and I told them what happened. Christine said the room smelled like B.O. and was getting disgusted. We left right after that. I kind of wanted to watch the show, too.
With it dark out, I wanted to grab a Fast Pass for BTMRR. The return time was 6:05-7:05. Christine and I got them and we all wandered off toward Big Thunder Ranch. This is at a point when I got so frustrated with my digital camera not working properly. I had it set on "Night" to capture pictures of the huge tree decorated with Christmas lights and my photos kept coming out blurry! I stood perfectly still and it was not working picture after picture. Finally, I got a clear shot and we continued on to walk through Big Thunder Ranch. Once again, I tried to photo the reindeer, constantly getting a blurry picture! Got one clear shot after so many tries. Another smell affected our nostrils, that typical animal smell around the reindeer pen, but for once, I wasn't offended. It reminded me of the zoo, so I was used to it and know how that smell is always associated with animals.
We then went over to It's A Small World with the intention of continuing on to Mickey's Toontown. Never made it. We got as far as IASW and stopped for me to try and photograph it (actually had better luck) and with it chiming right at 6 p.m., we were treated to that Nutcracker special upon the building itself. I changed my camera setting to Video and got it recorded. It was so heavily crowded in that area, we decided to make our way back to Frontierland to use our FP's for BTMRR. As we walked past Storybook Land, we ran right into a huge and disgusting crowd fart. It was horrendous. Were we cursed to have bad smells everywhere?
Rode BTMRR next, although, Christine was freezing and I felt bad when we've ridden it so much at night and loved it. That time was not too pleasant. We did a last stop at the Partners statue for me to photograph the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and its gorgeous holiday theme. Had trouble once again with repeated blurry pictures, but I eventually got it. By then, the holiday parade was starting and we wanted to high-tail out of there.
As we reached City Hall, Mom and I lost Christine somewhere in the crowd. I said I was going up to higher ground (or the stairs of the DLRR station again) to try and get some photographs of the end of the parade. Some came out, others were blurry and deleted, including Jolly Old Saint Nick. Disneyland was not a pleasant experience this time around, so it's just as well Santa.
My last stop was a chat with a CM of City Hall. A co-worker will be coming up in two weeks and wanted me to ask for the schedule of the meet and greet characters, preferably the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio. The CM explained she only appears in the Parade of Dreams and it is currently replaced with the holiday parade. She's certain the Blue Fairy never makes meet and greet appearances, but what my co-worker could do is call information for a 'toon' hotline before 4 p.m. to get a schedule of when the characters come out, and not just the regular ones. I chose this opportunity to hint my never-ending desire to meet Basil and Ratigan and explained how they do have the costumes, they just never take them out to meet and greet! She looked at me as if to say, "Oh, really?" I then said how I had a magazine at home with a photo of the two costumed characters and she said, "Well, it seems you know more about it than I do!" Goodness, is it really true that the Disney films of the 80's are completely dead except for The Little Mermaid?!
Left after that and if I thought our night would get better, it actually got worse. The trams were so packed, we walked all the way back to the parking structure. My hamstrings are still sore from doing that. Started to drive home on the freeway and Mom had a fit in the back seat when she thought she lost her expensive prescription sunglasses. Can't blame her, they really are expensive. Fortunately, they fell under my chair and it was a false alarm. We bought Del Taco in our home town and they made a huge mistake, giving us very spicy tacos. Had to go back out and exchange them, but not after Christine took a bite and nearly died from the hot sauce burning her mouth. She's very ill right now, feeling nauseous and has a migraine.
It was just a terrible day, one that I never want to repeat again.
) and will have much better times in the future. This was just a day from hell, I guess!
If this were your first trip ever to DLR, I would suggest giving DLR another chance and trying it all over again and putting that bad memory out of your mind. But I know you and your mom and sister will be back, and hopefully you will make it back during the holiday season to have the kind of magical day you should have during the holidays at DLR - that is such a great time of year there, it is a bummer to have such a bad day during such a joyous, special season at DLR!
