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Disneyland April 3-6, 2006 (Adults only trip!!!)
Cast of Characters:
Me: Tina, 37
DC1: Lenette, 37
DC2: Cindy, 41
A little background:
My two cousins and I are Disneyland fanatics! Weve been going to DL together for several years now. Back in April of 2004 Cindy was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and has bravely fought and won the battle over the last two years. When we were there in October she couldnt really do a lot because she had just had reconstructive surgery. This trip was going to be the first time in two years she could enjoy and do everything there was to do!
Well, about two weeks before we were leaving, she developed an infection and had to have one of her implants removed. The surgery for that was on Friday March 31! Her doctor told her she could still go to DL, but she would have to take it easy. So once again, she couldnt fully enjoy herself, but still managed to have a great time!
In October we were there with my 6 year old niece and Lenettes 11 year old daughter. We love taking the kids to DL, but decided that it was time for an adults only trip.
Lenette booked the trip in February and we were raring to go. Just the three of us, no kids, we could do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted! Lets go!!!!
Monday April 3, 2006
Our flight out of Oakland was at 11:40 and we arrived at the airport at about 10:15. The airport wasnt busy at all and we were at the gate by 10:30. We boarded quickly and the flight took off on time!
We arrived in Long Beach at about 1pm. Our luggage was already waiting when we got to baggage claim. We went across the street and got in line for a taxi. We had to wait about 15 minutes. There were quite a few people waiting in line. We got to the Grand Californian at about 2pm. The taxi cost us $36.
Check in was easy. There were only a few people in line ahead of us. We had booked a Theme Park View room and got room 3436. Of course it seemed miles away from the elevator! Our view was of Soarin, Tower, & Grizzly River Rapids.
The weather was not pleasant! It wasnt raining, but it was cold and overcast. We left our stuff in the room and headed down to White Water Snacks for a light lunch. I got a kids grilled cheese, which was huge! DC1 had a Chili Dog and DC2 had veggies and a Mickey ice cream bar! We were fueled up and ready to go!
We headed to DCA and rode Soarin first. We all love this ride. It was about 3pm and we had to wait about 30 minutes, which wasnt bad. Next we headed over to Monsters Inc and waited 45 minutes. It was just ok, nothing special. I would never wait that long again for that ride! Next we went to the Animation Building and into Beasts Library to see which character we were most like! I was Cinderella, DC1 was Tinkerbell, and DC2 was Lady. Next we did a little shopping and ended up walking all the way around DCA. We rode the carousel, which I had never been on before! Cindy wasnt feeling up to Screamin so we passed on it for now. We made our way back to the Grand and out to DTD.
We went to Tortilla Jos for dinner and it was pretty good. They were super busy because they were not seating downstairs, so we waited for an hour. I had a steak burrito, DC1 had a cheese quessadilla, and DC2 had a veggie burrito. DC1 and I had margaritas! It was a nice dinner. After dinner we stopped at the candy store and got caramel apples. Then we shopped in World Of Disney for a bit. We were tired so we went up to our room and were asleep by about 10. The plan was to do Early Entry in to DL the next day!
Tuesday April 4, 2006
Plans get changed I suppose! I didnt wake up until 7:15am. That is very unusual for me! I am a very early riser so I didnt set the alarm figuring I would be up by 6! Oh well! We got ready and headed out the door at about 8:30. We went to LaBrea Bakery for a quick bite to eat. I had a bagel, some bacon and a mocha. DC1 had an egg and bacon croissant sandwich and DC2 had yogurt with fruit. It was all-good.
As soon as we entered DL it started raining! Not just a light rain either! It was pouring! Oh well! DL wasnt crowded at all! We walked right on Indy, Mansion, Splash, and Pooh! We got completely drenched on Splash, which made us even wetter than we already were. It was cold too, so we were just wet and freezing! It started pouring even more!
We rode Big Thunder, Matterhorn, and Small World, again with no waiting at all! We shopped our way down Main Street then went to see the 50th movie. We stopped at Napolini in DTD and got sandwiches to take back to the room with us. We ate and dried off! We ended up taking about a 3-hour break, which was nice. We had the heater on in the room and it felt so good!
At about 5pm we headed out again. We went into DCA and had dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria. It was very good! We all got a glass of wine. I had the chicken alfredo lasagna, which was so yummy! DC1 had the veggie lasagna, which was also very good, and DC2 had Minestrone soup and a dinner salad. We were all very pleased with our meals!
We made our way over to DL. We rode the train all the way around the park then one more stop to New Orleans Square. We got off and went on Mansion (no line). We shopped a bit in NOS, and then hopped back on the train to tomorrowland. It was still pouring and we were feeling pretty miserable! We went on Star Tours then walked around a bit. It stopped raining so we sat down and waited to see if they would be doing the fireworks. They announced they were cancelled so we decided to go back to the hotel, get warm, and go to bed!
It was a very wet and cold day, but there were no crowds at all, which was really nice!
Wednesday April 5, 2006
We were up and out of the room by 9am. Man, was it cold outside. It wasnt raining but it was super cold and windy! We decided to have breakfast at the Rainforest Café. None of us had eaten breakfast there before. Boy, was it good! I ordered the chicken fried steak and it was huge! I am a good breakfast eater, but could only eat half of it. The biscuit that came with it was enormous! DC1 ordered this Mexican breakfast pizza, and again, it was huge! Three people could have eaten that thing! DC2 ordered the Tonga Toast, which was French toast. It was normal sized! We all enjoyed breakfast there!
Cindy wasnt feeling good, so she went back to the room. Lenette and I took the Monorail into DL and rode Autopia then Buzz Lightyear. She was having a massage at noon at the new Mandara Spa, so we headed over to DCA. She went back to the Grand and I stayed in DCA by myself! I got a water and rice krispie treat and did a little people watching. Then I shopped in Greetings from California. Then I decided to ride Tower since its one of my favorites. There was no line! Next I did single rider for Soarin and didnt have to wait at all! After the ride I went back to the hotel to meet the cousins in the room.
Cindy had gone to the spa and had a facial. She said it was wonderful! Lenette, however, didnt have such a great experience. She was having the hot stone massage which was to be 75 minutes. She said that it was not good at all! The masseuse was terrible. She talked to Lenette the whole time about her kids and barely massaged her at all. The massage cost her $218 with tip. I told her to complain, but she didnt. She said she will never go back there and would not recommend it to anyone!
We headed into DCA and rode the Jumpin Jellyfish. Again, this is a ride I had never been on. It is definitely for the little ones, but it was ok! We walked along the boardwalk and played a few games. We decided to have a late lunch/early dinner at the Pacific Wharf Café. I got a Nicoise Salad in a bread bowl. It was yummy! It was tuna, olives, green beans, lettuce, and new potatoes mixed in a vinaigrette dressing! DC1 had the broccoli cheese soup and DC2 had the veggie chili. It was so windy outside we could barely stand to sit there and eat. DC1 had to go back to the room to get another jacket she was so cold!
DC2 and I walked over to Soarin and waited for her to come back. We all rode Soarin and had to wait about 30 minutes. We went over to DL and took the train to NOS. We rode Mansion again! We love that ride! Next we went to find a spot to watch the 50th parade. I hadnt seen it when we were there in October so I was really looking forward to it. I ended up being a bit disappointed in it. I guess I just thought it would have been longer and better. Oh well, it was cute.
Since it wasnt raining we were hoping again for fireworks. We got a seat right in front of the castle at about 7:30 then took turns going on rides and stuff. DC2 went to ride Star Tours and DC1 went and bought some ice cream. People started gathering and before long the place was packed. At about the time the fireworks were to start, they announced that due to the wind the fireworks would be cancelled. We were so disappointed!
We walked around a bit and went on the Tea Cups! Then I rode the Matterhorn again. We took the Monorail to DTD and shopped for a while. We didnt go to bed until about midnight that night.
Thursday April 6, 2006
The plan was to get up early and do EE in Disneyland, but once again we slept until about 7:45am. So we just took our time getting ready, packed everything up, then called for our bags to be held. We headed out about 9am and stopped for a quick bite at LaBrea Bakery again. It was good.
We went into Disneyland at about 10 or so. We went on Autopia then Space Mountain. Both had a good 45-minute wait so by now it was about noon. We were all so tired and our feet and legs were sore! We headed down Main Street and stopped at Gibson Girl for some ice cream. You would not believe the stream of people entering Disneyland. It was just people everywhere! We were so glad we were leaving!
We decided to go to DCA for a bit. We rode on Tower then went into the Animation Building. We did the Drawn to Animation (I think it might have a different name now, I cant remember). We drew Donald Duck. It was hilarious. The real animator ended up giving me his drawing, which was cool! We then went to see Turtle Talk with Crush, which is awesome!
We decided to hit Screaming and had to wait about 35 minutes. By then it was close to 3:30 and we were all just spent, so we headed to DTD for a late lunch/early dinner. We went to Rainforest and had a great meal! I had the Rasta Pasta and my cousins had the Tuscan Chicken and a cheeseburger. It was very good. Now it was about 5:30 so we headed to the Grand to hang out for a bit and then go to the airport. We sat in the lobby until about 6:15 then got our bags and called for a taxi. We got to the Long Beach airport at about 7. Our flight was at 8:20 and we were home in Oakland by about 9:45.
Overall it was a fantastic trip. Yes, the weather sucked for three of the four days, but it also made the crowds a bit lighter. The only regret is that we never saw the fireworks!
Cast of Characters:
Me: Tina, 37
DC1: Lenette, 37
DC2: Cindy, 41
A little background:
My two cousins and I are Disneyland fanatics! Weve been going to DL together for several years now. Back in April of 2004 Cindy was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and has bravely fought and won the battle over the last two years. When we were there in October she couldnt really do a lot because she had just had reconstructive surgery. This trip was going to be the first time in two years she could enjoy and do everything there was to do!
Well, about two weeks before we were leaving, she developed an infection and had to have one of her implants removed. The surgery for that was on Friday March 31! Her doctor told her she could still go to DL, but she would have to take it easy. So once again, she couldnt fully enjoy herself, but still managed to have a great time!
In October we were there with my 6 year old niece and Lenettes 11 year old daughter. We love taking the kids to DL, but decided that it was time for an adults only trip.
Lenette booked the trip in February and we were raring to go. Just the three of us, no kids, we could do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted! Lets go!!!!
Monday April 3, 2006
Our flight out of Oakland was at 11:40 and we arrived at the airport at about 10:15. The airport wasnt busy at all and we were at the gate by 10:30. We boarded quickly and the flight took off on time!
We arrived in Long Beach at about 1pm. Our luggage was already waiting when we got to baggage claim. We went across the street and got in line for a taxi. We had to wait about 15 minutes. There were quite a few people waiting in line. We got to the Grand Californian at about 2pm. The taxi cost us $36.
Check in was easy. There were only a few people in line ahead of us. We had booked a Theme Park View room and got room 3436. Of course it seemed miles away from the elevator! Our view was of Soarin, Tower, & Grizzly River Rapids.
The weather was not pleasant! It wasnt raining, but it was cold and overcast. We left our stuff in the room and headed down to White Water Snacks for a light lunch. I got a kids grilled cheese, which was huge! DC1 had a Chili Dog and DC2 had veggies and a Mickey ice cream bar! We were fueled up and ready to go!
We headed to DCA and rode Soarin first. We all love this ride. It was about 3pm and we had to wait about 30 minutes, which wasnt bad. Next we headed over to Monsters Inc and waited 45 minutes. It was just ok, nothing special. I would never wait that long again for that ride! Next we went to the Animation Building and into Beasts Library to see which character we were most like! I was Cinderella, DC1 was Tinkerbell, and DC2 was Lady. Next we did a little shopping and ended up walking all the way around DCA. We rode the carousel, which I had never been on before! Cindy wasnt feeling up to Screamin so we passed on it for now. We made our way back to the Grand and out to DTD.
We went to Tortilla Jos for dinner and it was pretty good. They were super busy because they were not seating downstairs, so we waited for an hour. I had a steak burrito, DC1 had a cheese quessadilla, and DC2 had a veggie burrito. DC1 and I had margaritas! It was a nice dinner. After dinner we stopped at the candy store and got caramel apples. Then we shopped in World Of Disney for a bit. We were tired so we went up to our room and were asleep by about 10. The plan was to do Early Entry in to DL the next day!
Tuesday April 4, 2006
Plans get changed I suppose! I didnt wake up until 7:15am. That is very unusual for me! I am a very early riser so I didnt set the alarm figuring I would be up by 6! Oh well! We got ready and headed out the door at about 8:30. We went to LaBrea Bakery for a quick bite to eat. I had a bagel, some bacon and a mocha. DC1 had an egg and bacon croissant sandwich and DC2 had yogurt with fruit. It was all-good.
As soon as we entered DL it started raining! Not just a light rain either! It was pouring! Oh well! DL wasnt crowded at all! We walked right on Indy, Mansion, Splash, and Pooh! We got completely drenched on Splash, which made us even wetter than we already were. It was cold too, so we were just wet and freezing! It started pouring even more!
We rode Big Thunder, Matterhorn, and Small World, again with no waiting at all! We shopped our way down Main Street then went to see the 50th movie. We stopped at Napolini in DTD and got sandwiches to take back to the room with us. We ate and dried off! We ended up taking about a 3-hour break, which was nice. We had the heater on in the room and it felt so good!
At about 5pm we headed out again. We went into DCA and had dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria. It was very good! We all got a glass of wine. I had the chicken alfredo lasagna, which was so yummy! DC1 had the veggie lasagna, which was also very good, and DC2 had Minestrone soup and a dinner salad. We were all very pleased with our meals!
We made our way over to DL. We rode the train all the way around the park then one more stop to New Orleans Square. We got off and went on Mansion (no line). We shopped a bit in NOS, and then hopped back on the train to tomorrowland. It was still pouring and we were feeling pretty miserable! We went on Star Tours then walked around a bit. It stopped raining so we sat down and waited to see if they would be doing the fireworks. They announced they were cancelled so we decided to go back to the hotel, get warm, and go to bed!
It was a very wet and cold day, but there were no crowds at all, which was really nice!
Wednesday April 5, 2006
We were up and out of the room by 9am. Man, was it cold outside. It wasnt raining but it was super cold and windy! We decided to have breakfast at the Rainforest Café. None of us had eaten breakfast there before. Boy, was it good! I ordered the chicken fried steak and it was huge! I am a good breakfast eater, but could only eat half of it. The biscuit that came with it was enormous! DC1 ordered this Mexican breakfast pizza, and again, it was huge! Three people could have eaten that thing! DC2 ordered the Tonga Toast, which was French toast. It was normal sized! We all enjoyed breakfast there!
Cindy wasnt feeling good, so she went back to the room. Lenette and I took the Monorail into DL and rode Autopia then Buzz Lightyear. She was having a massage at noon at the new Mandara Spa, so we headed over to DCA. She went back to the Grand and I stayed in DCA by myself! I got a water and rice krispie treat and did a little people watching. Then I shopped in Greetings from California. Then I decided to ride Tower since its one of my favorites. There was no line! Next I did single rider for Soarin and didnt have to wait at all! After the ride I went back to the hotel to meet the cousins in the room.
Cindy had gone to the spa and had a facial. She said it was wonderful! Lenette, however, didnt have such a great experience. She was having the hot stone massage which was to be 75 minutes. She said that it was not good at all! The masseuse was terrible. She talked to Lenette the whole time about her kids and barely massaged her at all. The massage cost her $218 with tip. I told her to complain, but she didnt. She said she will never go back there and would not recommend it to anyone!
We headed into DCA and rode the Jumpin Jellyfish. Again, this is a ride I had never been on. It is definitely for the little ones, but it was ok! We walked along the boardwalk and played a few games. We decided to have a late lunch/early dinner at the Pacific Wharf Café. I got a Nicoise Salad in a bread bowl. It was yummy! It was tuna, olives, green beans, lettuce, and new potatoes mixed in a vinaigrette dressing! DC1 had the broccoli cheese soup and DC2 had the veggie chili. It was so windy outside we could barely stand to sit there and eat. DC1 had to go back to the room to get another jacket she was so cold!
DC2 and I walked over to Soarin and waited for her to come back. We all rode Soarin and had to wait about 30 minutes. We went over to DL and took the train to NOS. We rode Mansion again! We love that ride! Next we went to find a spot to watch the 50th parade. I hadnt seen it when we were there in October so I was really looking forward to it. I ended up being a bit disappointed in it. I guess I just thought it would have been longer and better. Oh well, it was cute.
Since it wasnt raining we were hoping again for fireworks. We got a seat right in front of the castle at about 7:30 then took turns going on rides and stuff. DC2 went to ride Star Tours and DC1 went and bought some ice cream. People started gathering and before long the place was packed. At about the time the fireworks were to start, they announced that due to the wind the fireworks would be cancelled. We were so disappointed!
We walked around a bit and went on the Tea Cups! Then I rode the Matterhorn again. We took the Monorail to DTD and shopped for a while. We didnt go to bed until about midnight that night.
Thursday April 6, 2006
The plan was to get up early and do EE in Disneyland, but once again we slept until about 7:45am. So we just took our time getting ready, packed everything up, then called for our bags to be held. We headed out about 9am and stopped for a quick bite at LaBrea Bakery again. It was good.
We went into Disneyland at about 10 or so. We went on Autopia then Space Mountain. Both had a good 45-minute wait so by now it was about noon. We were all so tired and our feet and legs were sore! We headed down Main Street and stopped at Gibson Girl for some ice cream. You would not believe the stream of people entering Disneyland. It was just people everywhere! We were so glad we were leaving!
We decided to go to DCA for a bit. We rode on Tower then went into the Animation Building. We did the Drawn to Animation (I think it might have a different name now, I cant remember). We drew Donald Duck. It was hilarious. The real animator ended up giving me his drawing, which was cool! We then went to see Turtle Talk with Crush, which is awesome!
We decided to hit Screaming and had to wait about 35 minutes. By then it was close to 3:30 and we were all just spent, so we headed to DTD for a late lunch/early dinner. We went to Rainforest and had a great meal! I had the Rasta Pasta and my cousins had the Tuscan Chicken and a cheeseburger. It was very good. Now it was about 5:30 so we headed to the Grand to hang out for a bit and then go to the airport. We sat in the lobby until about 6:15 then got our bags and called for a taxi. We got to the Long Beach airport at about 7. Our flight was at 8:20 and we were home in Oakland by about 9:45.
Overall it was a fantastic trip. Yes, the weather sucked for three of the four days, but it also made the crowds a bit lighter. The only regret is that we never saw the fireworks!
