We Defected to the West! DLR 2013

[mom2rtk]

LOL!!! Yes, she did move. Just realize, though, that one of our ABD guides was taking the photo and maybe FGM was behaving in her presence! The guide didn't use the best composition, though, and cut off FGM's hand when she was trying to pull her dress out to take her pose....LOL!

That must have been it. Because she was just as persnickety the next morning for us. Bummer that your guide cut her off though.

 

[YodasMom]

That must have been it. Because she was just as persnickety the next morning for us. Bummer that your guide cut her off though.

Well, she wasn't what I had in mind for the perfect FGM! Really barely spoke, rather cold. Yeah, the ABD guides are good at what they do as far as being guides, but they're not photographers, even though they're asked to also take on that role. Oh well!

 

[amandaw]

Sounds like the Fairy Godmother needed another cup of coffee that day. What a grouch!

Hoping we'll get to see the little show with Mary & Bert when we go. It looks cute & they're 2 of my favorites.

Do you know if Jack meets all year long @ DL? I'd love to meet him when we go to the MNSSHP this year @ WDW but don't know if I'll have the time. I love the Haunted Mansion decorated with all the Nightmare before Christmas stuff. So cool!

Sounds like y'all had a very productive day & got lots done!

 

[Glennie5]

Thanks Glennie! So glad you found us in time.

Your timing is awesome. One day left. And it might just include one fabulous gown!

And look at your adorable princess! Is that Christmas Belle?

Yes she was Christmas Belle. I think that was taken on the same day that we ran into you at the Christmas party, waiting in line for the 7 Dwarfs (Julia had changed into a sparkly dress for the party by that time). Are you and Katie heading to DW at all this year?

 

[ArwenMarie]

You really should find a way to work out the details. Maybe sneak into town?

LOL!

Maybe some disguises!

 

[PHXscuba]

My mom and I were trying to beat the parade to IASW that same cold night and got caught in the crowds and ropes, so we watched the parade (which we had both already seen) unintentionally before jumping into the IASW line. The only good part was that the little facade projection show started up just before we got onto the ride -- we were telling people to go in front of us!

PHXscuba

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, she wasn't what I had in mind for the perfect FGM! Really barely spoke, rather cold. Yeah, the ABD guides are good at what they do as far as being guides, but they're not photographers, even though they're asked to also take on that role. Oh well!

I really just found the whole thing so funny given how warmly we are greeted by the real Fairy Godmother at WDW. In fact, we giggled about it as we left the meet & greet.

Sounds like the Fairy Godmother needed another cup of coffee that day. What a grouch!

Hoping we'll get to see the little show with Mary & Bert when we go. It looks cute & they're 2 of my favorites.

Do you know if Jack meets all year long @ DL? I'd love to meet him when we go to the MNSSHP this year @ WDW but don't know if I'll have the time. I love the Haunted Mansion decorated with all the Nightmare before Christmas stuff. So cool!

Sounds like y'all had a very productive day & got lots done!

I wonder if she was still a cup of coffee short the next morning when we met her again? LOL.

Do make sure you find the Bert and Mary show when you go to DL. It's so charming, so unique to DL.

I'm quite sure Jack is only out during Halloween and Christmas seasons by HM Holiday. We really lucked into a non-existent line. I think it's longer when Sally is out, but still. Compared to that huge line at MNSSHP, I'll take it!

It really was a great day.

Yes she was Christmas Belle. I think that was taken on the same day that we ran into you at the Christmas party, waiting in line for the 7 Dwarfs (Julia had changed into a sparkly dress for the party by that time). Are you and Katie heading to DW at all this year?

That was such a great night. And so fun to run into you in line!

We will not make it back to WDW this year. Not even sure about next year at this rate. I'm just not a fan of the FP+ stuff, so we'll have to evaluate as we go. I'm starting to experience withdrawal symptoms though, so who knows....

LOL!

Maybe some disguises!

You definitely have the right idea!

My mom and I were trying to beat the parade to IASW that same cold night and got caught in the crowds and ropes, so we watched the parade (which we had both already seen) unintentionally before jumping into the IASW line. The only good part was that the little facade projection show started up just before we got onto the ride -- we were telling people to go in front of us!

PHXscuba

Well, I if that's what it took to see the projection show, then I wish we had just missed getting across the seat to get in line too! We just caught a moment of it so decided to make it a priority the next night.

 

[BellaBaby]

Ahhh, the Bert and Mary show. When we were there 3 years ago, they pulled kids from the audience and my 2 DDs got to dance with them all holding hands. So cute!!

I love all your photos! The decorations are beautiful on IASW and in Toontown. Also, I love what they do with the HM overlay. Maybe we will make it there to see for ourselves one day….:roll eyes:

We also enjoyed Mickey and the Magical Map!! Fun show!!

 

[Sherry E]

Janet --

I think we will still see some AP discounts coming down the turnpike at some point soon, but for right now:


Disney Visa Debit Card (which means that the Credit/Rewards card should have the same thing, or better) is offering discounts of "20% on most rooms at any Disneyland® Resort Hotel most Sunday through Thursday nights (subject to availability)":

Booking period: 9/10/14 - 12/18/14
Travel dates: 10/26/14 - 12/18/14

Travel must be completed by 12/19/14.

Call 866-275-1417 for more info.


I promised I would tell you if I learned of any discounts, just so you could get a sense of what the hotels are looking like for December. So this is the first Fall discount of which I am aware, but there will probably be one or two more.

 

[mom2rtk]

Janet --

I think we will still see some AP discounts coming down the turnpike at some point soon, but for right now:


Disney Visa Debit Card (which means that the Credit/Rewards card should have the same thing, or better) is offering discounts of "20% on most rooms at any Disneyland® Resort Hotel most Sunday through Thursday nights (subject to availability)":

Booking period: 9/10/14 - 12/18/14
Travel dates: 10/26/14 - 12/18/14

Travel must be completed by 12/19/14.

Call 866-275-1417 for more info.


I promised I would tell you if I learned of any discounts, just so you could get a sense of what the hotels are looking like for December. So this is the first Fall discount of which I am aware, but there will probably be one or two more.

Thank you so much for thinking of me Sherry! I might piece together a decent deal yet. I have 2 weeks booked at full price just to make sure I can get the 6th at any price. I still need to drop off the days I don't need. Then I got 3 nights (The 11th, 12th and 13th) at 25% off on Orbitz. Now it looks like I should be able to book the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th at 20% off. What a headache I'm going to make for the hotel staff with a 3 part reservation!

 

[YodasMom]

I have 2 weeks booked at full price just to make sure I can get the 6th at any price. I still need to drop off the days I don't need. Then I got 3 nights (The 11th, 12th and 13th) at 25% off on Orbitz. Now it looks like I should be able to book the 8th, 9th and 10th at 20% off. What a headache I'm going to make for the hotel staff with a 3 part reservation!

Sounds like what I have going for WDW in October! It's a 4 part piecemeal mess, so far! LOL!!! Some of it will end up being cancelled.

Good luck!

 

[mom2rtk]

Sounds like what I have going for WDW in October! It's a 4 part piecemeal mess, so far! LOL!!! Some of it will end up being cancelled.

Good luck!

At least I'm not alone with my very messy reservation! Nice to know I'm in good company.

I just hope I don't have to pack up and move twice in the course of a week!

 

[YodasMom]

At least I'm not alone with my very messy reservation! Nice to know I'm in good company.

I just hope I don't have to pack up and move twice in the course of a week!

I hate moving, too! Part of my reservation is with DVC points, and the rest is piecemeal......waiting for something else to open up for the other 5 days, so I can unload some of these!

 

[mom2rtk]

OK, we interrupt this trip report to bring you ....... a trip report.

As mentioned, and as I have done in the past, I'll add a mini-trip report on our summer vacation. This year it was a road trip to Utah, my hands down favorite state.

After flying to Florida last summer, we decided to keep the budget down this summer. But the years when we can get Timmy to come along are limited, so we definitely didn't want to skip it entirely. Living in the middle of the country, everything is just SO far away. My husband Drew really wanted to try a raft ride on the Colorado, so we narrowed it down to heading west.

The raft ride sounded somewhat interesting to me, but if I was going that far west, I wanted to photograph some spectacular scenery again. After finding Zion's main road closed on our last trip through, I really wanted to give that park a try again. From there it was an easy decision to add Arches and Bryce. If time allowed, I also wanted to add Canyonlands since that seemed to be the one park in that area we had not fully experienced previously.

This was our fifth trip west, and while we were up to the task, we weren't so sure about the 9 year old mini-van. So we rented one this time and put the miles on someone else's wheels. We know how boring that first day heading west across Kansas was, and it didn't disappoint. We left early on June 4th and hit Denver just ahead of rush hour.


IMG_6556 by mom2rtk, on Flickr



We ran into some construction on the way into town, but the bad news came on our way out of town. We saw signs that the Twin Tunnels would be closing soon for blast work. YIKES! The last thing we wanted to do was sit in traffic for an extended period of time after driving all day. So we picked up the pace in hopes of beating it.

One of our favorite pastimes when driving through the mountains is watching for wildlife. Ever since that first trip in 05 when Timmy claimed to see a billy goat, we have been watching mountain peaks for billy goats. Well, don't you know it..... just as we were trying to hurry....... we saw a group of goats hanging out along the highway! I didn't care about the tunnel, or waiting in traffic. I just wanted to break out the long lens and get a shot of those goats. So we turned around and went back. By the time we were done goat chasing and headed west again, I saw a CDOT truck pull out onto the road. It was the very truck with cones and flashers that was going to close the highway down at the tunnel. We were the last car through.

IMG_6630 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_6624 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_6625 by mom2rtk, on Flickr



We stayed the night in Dillon that night and had dinner at a small local pizza place. We did take a drive across the local dam before calling it a night.

IMG_6641 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


It took me a while to adjust to the altitude. I'm not sure I had a good deep breath all night.

 

[Glennie5]

That was such a great night. And so fun to run into you in line! We will not make it back to WDW this year. Not even sure about next year at this rate. I'm just not a fan of the FP+ stuff, so we'll have to evaluate as we go. I'm starting to experience withdrawal symptoms though, so who knows....

It was a great night, I was hoping we would run into you again at a Christmas Party this year. I am not looking forward to FP+ this trip. I am actually dreading booking them when our window opens up - I feel like I need to go back to school just to learn how to use their new system. The withdrawals are tough that is for sure!

 

[clsteve]

Great goat pics!

I've always thought Colorado has some of the most realistic animatronics of any Park in the US......

 

[YodasMom]

Yay........Love the western travel photos! I love the western national parks, as well as the surrounding areas! Great photos! Looking forward to more!

You know, I wish I could just take long weekends to visit some of them again so it doesn't have to be so long before I return.

 

[mom2rtk]

It was a great night, I was hoping we would run into you again at a Christmas Party this year. I am not looking forward to FP+ this trip. I am actually dreading booking them when our window opens up - I feel like I need to go back to school just to learn how to use their new system. The withdrawals are tough that is for sure!

Yeah.... no. We're still running scared from FP+. I have my moments where I start wishing we were going to WDW, then I open a couple FP threads and I'm good with DLR again!

Great goat pics!

I've always thought Colorado has some of the most realistic animatronics of any Park in the US......

Wait til you see the uber-realistic looking red rock photos later!

Yay........Love the western travel photos! I love the western national parks, as well as the surrounding areas! Great photos! Looking forward to more!

You know, I wish I could just take long weekends to visit some of them again so it doesn't have to be so long before I return.

Thanks for reminding me to post this. I had edited a bunch of the photos already, but this will get me to finish the rest.

I also wish we lived close enough for long weekends to the national parks. That first day's drive across Kansas is mind-numbing. Even worse on the way home! But I'm sure we'll be back. I've always wanted to see that area in the fall. Or even the winter. I've seen some gorgeous photos with snow on the red rocks.

 

[YodasMom]

I also wish we lived close enough for long weekends to the national parks. That first day's drive across Kansas is mind-numbing. Even worse on the way home! But I'm sure we'll be back. I've always wanted to see that area in the fall. Or even the winter. I've seen some gorgeous photos with snow on the red rocks.

I know the boring drive before you get there. We have to go through Iowa and Nebraska before getting to any of those areas! If it were a long weekend for me, it would involve a flight and also weather concerns. I know Glacier NP, my favorite, is already seeing snow threats.

 

[mom2rtk]

I know the boring drive before you get there. We have to go through Iowa and Nebraska before getting to any of those areas! If it were a long weekend for me, it would involve a flight and also weather concerns. I know Glacier NP, my favorite, is already seeing snow threats.

We still have not done GNP. I'd love to get there one day too.

And I always tend to forget to factor the weather at all these various altitudes in the national parks. We were in shorts and t-shirts on this drive to the top of Rocky Mountain National Park in 2011:

Rocky Mountain June Snow by mom2rtk, on Flickr