Wenatchee Celebrates Graduation!!! July 2010

[Karenann*]

Here goes for my first Pre-Trip Planning Report. 4 years in the making and now I am taking my daughter and her 3 best friends for a graduation celebration July 3-12. These are my favorite girls in the world (except my sisters- “I could never love anyone like my sisters” – Louisa M. Alcott). We got flights and hotel in January and the girls gave me an idea of what they wanted to do in Cali so the last few months I’ve been having a blast planning. We have 10 days including our travel days from Washington State. Now to catch you all up, here are the details so far.

Sat: Arrive SNA 11:15 AM Groceries, lunch, unpack, swim relax. Afternoon and evening in Downtown Disney, dinner at Rain Forest Café.

Sun: Metrolink, bus to Hollywood. Walk of Fame, Lunch at Disneyland Soda Shoppe, ToyStory 3D at El Capitan Theatre (possibly), bus to LA. Santee Allee in
LA if time allows. Metrolink back to Anaheim

Mon –Thurs: Disneyland/DCA all the way every day!!! Tues MM and Goofy’s Kitchen.

Friday: Seaworld

Sat: Free Day to be decided later, depending on energy, $, whim etc! (shop in LA or Anaheim, relax, swim, additional Disney day, Knotts and Medieval Times- we’ll see)

Sun: Disneyland/DCA

Mon: Pack, relax, Downtown Disney, leave for airport 4pm. On to home.

The girls are all busy with their last few weeks of school, choir trips, prom, finals etc. DisBoards has been my outlet, hobby, passion (obsession) and an unending resource for me. I’m waiting for WoC to get some details out and RideMax to update to get some daily schedules ready. Canned the idea of July 4th in the park so I need to re-arrange PS meals now. Thank you for all the info I get here!!! Disneyland here we come!

 

[deejdigsdis]

Your trip sounds so fun! I would have loved to do a trip like this with some friends right after graduation! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures.

 

[Karenann*]

Read your trip report today and rentayenta's and koaden's. Got inspired by them and encouraged by Michelle to start one, so voila!

 

[Karenann*]

Today I decided to purchase our tickets with Lastminute Travel. I saved $30.00 each on 5 Day Hopper Passes for all 5 of us. Hope it works as easily as reported here. I need 3 more passes for our October trip because my daughter and I will be upgrading to AP's after our MM. I'll wait and see if this is a good decision before I buy for Oct. Crossing my fingers that this will be just fine!

Reserved Goofy's Kitchen for Tues late brunch after an early MM. Also got PS for Carnation Cafe and Cafe Orleans. We haven't done any full service before except Blue Bayou so I'm looking forward to trying their specialties! We plan on eating lunch in the Park everyday and dinner in on our last day. There is so much I have never tried!

 

[Karenann*]

Myself: The Trip Planner, Mom and "Mom" for all the girls. Each trip I get better and better about our time and plans. Usually go in off season for 7-9 days at a time, but am preparing for the July crowds and soaking in everything I can about touring in Summer. We'll be using FP, Hydroguy's posts and RideMax to help us out. The biggest challenge I face will probably be getting 4 teenage girls out the door in the morning! May be touring in a wheelchair this trip (did my last trip too), currently recovering as fast as I can from my second foot surgery in 5 months!

The Graduates:
Daughter Melissa
Should be a princess (I know, I am biased)! Is our FP Runner and takes good care of her mama! Knows DL and DCA and all the ins and outs about FP and touring. Loves Disney Trivia and Hidden Mickeys.

Friend Chalese
Has an auntie who lives nearby DL and has visited the park for 1 day whirlwind type visits over the years. Also a Disney trivia lover.
Knows every Disney song and will sing them for you!

Friend Amanda
Easy going and always up for anything! Has visited the park for just 6 hours on a school choir trip last year (during spring break!!!). Her dad's jaw dropped when I told him we'd be getting 5 day passses. He said he went to DL once for one day and had no idea people spent more time than that there!

Friend Samantha:
Visited DL once as a toddler. Is SOOOOO excited for this trip. She has no idea what is in store and I can't wait to see her experience the Magic! She loves to shop, shop, shop and I know DL and DTD won't disappoint!

 

[deejdigsdis]

We used Last Minute Travel for our 3-day Park Hoppers a few weeks ago and the voucher exchange was totally fine. I wish I had known about LMT when we took our kids last fall. That would have saved a lot of $$, plus we could have stayed longer. I also upgraded my 3-day Park Hopper to a Deluxe AP after my Magic Morning. I was expecting to pay the difference between my discount Park Hopper price and the AP price, but I only had to pay the difference from Disneyland's 3-Day PH price. I even mentioned that I bought my ticket at a discount and was prepared to pay the difference from that, but the lady that was helping me said I didn't need to. I don't know if that's normal or not, but that was my experience. I saved $36.

It sounds like you are having fun making plans! The big trip will be here before you know it.

 

[Karenann*]

That's great info, so glad to hear how smooth it was! In Oct I will be taking my 5 children and 2 of us will have upgraded so 4 more at Last minute prices sounds great! Wonder if the upgrade price will be the same for us. We're down to 46 days til July! Woot Woot!

 

[Karenann*]

Watches Finding Nemo and Beauty and the Beast this week. Next is Little Mermaid then Aladdin. My DS11 wants to see Pinnochio and some more of the classics.

 

[mamaso]

for Graduation! for Disneyland!!!! Enjoy! And have the best time ever! Sounds like you'll have a grand time!

 

[Karenann*]

for Graduation! for Disneyland!!!! Enjoy! And have the best time ever! Sounds like you'll have a grand time!

Thanks!!! and thanks for coming along on our trip! Mega planning this weekend for some daily details!

 

[Belle Ella]

Welcome to the TR fold!! I'm totally signing on

 

[Karenann*]

Welcome to the TR fold!! I'm totally signing on

Welcome to random planning!!! So glad I discovered you all! Making my way thru your trips, too!

I"ll be back in Oct with all my family so the October thread has been a favorite "haunt" for me lately!

 

[6Smiles]

Sounds like your trip is going to be a blast! How exciting!

 

[Karenann*]

Sounds like your trip is going to be a blast! How exciting!

Welcome!!! so glad to have you along!

And another shout out to all of the rest of you-hey! I'm glad you're here too! PTR has taken my planning to a completely different dimension hearing about other folks trips (some of you are there now or on the way) and sharing my own plans. I am a complete convert!

And Happy Friday everyone!!! BIG planning this weekend! Getting Ridemax on board and working with daily schedules, planning ground transport...limo may be an option-more on that decision later...
The girls all have Senior Prom tomorrow and do not have DL on the brain today... So, it's all on me (love it) and my good friends here to be grooving with the mouse planning! Saw some really cool trip planning books on the scrapbooking threads and now I want one!!! First things first, though...gotta have the plan.

Happy weekend to those of us planning, cheers to those of you there and welcome home to those of you back from your trip! Woot!

 

[Belle Ella]

Welcome to random planning!!! So glad I discovered you all! Making my way thru your trips, too!

I"ll be back in Oct with all my family so the October thread has been a favorite "haunt" for me lately!

Saw you around the October thread! Hopefully we all have wonderful times! Hope you're enjoying my TR, BTW It's quite an undertaking considering all the chatting we do on it. Hence the handy-dandy clickables!!

Welcome!!! so glad to have you along!

And another shout out to all of the rest of you-hey! I'm glad you're here too! PTR has taken my planning to a completely different dimension hearing about other folks trips (some of you are there now or on the way) and sharing my own plans. I am a complete convert!

And Happy Friday everyone!!! BIG planning this weekend! Getting Ridemax on board and working with daily schedules, planning ground transport...limo may be an option-more on that decision later...
The girls all have Senior Prom tomorrow and do not have DL on the brain today... So, it's all on me (love it) and my good friends here to be grooving with the mouse planning! Saw some really cool trip planning books on the scrapbooking threads and now I want one!!! First things first, though...gotta have the plan.

Happy weekend to those of us planning, cheers to those of you there and welcome home to those of you back from your trip! Woot!

Hope they have fun at Prom!!

 

[Karenann*]

5 days to go and time to revive this neglected PTR!!!!! Girls are all graduated and we are in full summer mode now. School has been out only 2 weeks (June 17) and we are all excited for this trip!

Had a meeting with the girls and their parents last week to go over trip plans, schedule, $, etc and just to have a touch base for any questions. Funny thing about these girls-they all decided what they wanted to include in the plan last Jan and don't have any other interest in being part of the planning just go and have fun! They have no idea the amount of pre-planning to make it all happen-esp during high season! At least they have a well informed tour guide-Thanks Dis! and RideMax and it has given me lots of leeway to put together the daily.

TRAVELING IN STYLE!
Leaving Wenatchee at 6AM Sat July 3. The girls all wanted to stay with us the night before so I think that means RedBull and no sleep. Arrive at John Wayne 11:15 am and have reserved Americam Limo for transportation to Homewood Suites. They won't know until our "reserved shuttle" arrives with our name in their window! Have ART tickets for during our stay.

FOOD...GLORIOUS FOOD!!!
Ressies at Goofy' Kitchen (brunch)
Carnation Cafe
Cafe Orleans
Rain Forest Cafe dinner then later again for a VOLCANO!
House of Blues (appetizers one afternoon and another day for dessert)
Buci di Beppo for Italian takeout dining in room(with coupon!)
WOC picnic (good viewing still seems like russian roulette)
We plan on eating every other lunch out in the parks wherever we happen to be and 4 dinners provided by Homewood suites. I'll fix a couple easy healthy meals in our room's kitchen for our other dinners.

DAY ONE:
Travel, and afternoon of relax, swim, sleep (I'm thinking at this point the girls may crash!) Late afternoon we take Art to DL to exchange LMT vouchers, a little shopping then dinner at RFC. On to Toy Story 3 in Downtown Disney, then take in the sights and sounds of it all. Sat. night should be hopping down there with some music.

DAY TWO:
Knotts Berry Farm: Not too early of a get up and go today. Scheduled this in for our free day. Thrill rides and Joe's Backyard BBQ (in Knotts). Park opens at 10 am so we will catch ART to DL, then take the 460(bus) to Knotts. Even if it is crowded, we didn't want to use up a DL day on the 4th when the park could max out. Park closes at 10 pm (if we even stay that long) so a somewhat early night in also.

OK, that's the first couple days so far. Gotta get going with my day so check in later, coming up- DAY THREE through DAY TEN!

 

[DizNee Luver]

5 days to go and time to revive this neglected PTR!!!!! Girls are all graduated and we are in full summer mode now. School has been out only 2 weeks (June 17) and we are all excited for this trip!

Had a meeting with the girls and their parents last week to go over trip plans, schedule, $, etc and just to have a touch base for any questions. Funny thing about these girls-they all decided what they wanted to include in the plan last Jan and don't have any other interest in being part of the planning just go and have fun! They have no idea the amount of pre-planning to make it all happen-esp during high season! At least they have a well informed tour guide-Thanks Dis! and RideMax and it has given me lots of leeway to put together the daily.

TRAVELING IN STYLE!
Leaving Wenatchee at 6AM Sat July 3. The girls all wanted to stay with us the night before so I think that means RedBull and no sleep. Arrive at John Wayne 11:15 am and have reserved Americam Limo for transportation to Homewood Suites. They won't know until our "reserved shuttle" arrives with our name in their window! Have ART tickets for during our stay.

FOOD...GLORIOUS FOOD!!!
Ressies at Goofy' Kitchen (brunch)
Carnation Cafe
Cafe Orleans
Rain Forest Cafe dinner then later again for a VOLCANO!
House of Blues (appetizers one afternoon and another day for dessert)
Buci di Beppo for Italian takeout dining in room(with coupon!)
WOC picnic (good viewing still seems like russian roulette)
We plan on eating every other lunch out in the parks wherever we happen to be and 4 dinners provided by Homewood suites. I'll fix a couple easy healthy meals in our room's kitchen for our other dinners.

DAY ONE:
Travel, and afternoon of relax, swim, sleep (I'm thinking at this point the girls may crash!) Late afternoon we take Art to DL to exchange LMT vouchers, a little shopping then dinner at RFC. On to Toy Story 3 in Downtown Disney, then take in the sights and sounds of it all. Sat. night should be hopping down there with some music.

DAY TWO:
Knotts Berry Farm: Not too early of a get up and go today. Scheduled this in for our free day. Thrill rides and Joe's Backyard BBQ (in Knotts). Park opens at 10 am so we will catch ART to DL, then take the 460(bus) to Knotts. Even if it is crowded, we didn't want to use up a DL day on the 4th when the park could max out. Park closes at 10 pm (if we even stay that long) so a somewhat early night in also.

OK, that's the first couple days so far. Gotta get going with my day so check in later, coming up- DAY THREE through DAY TEN!

So not sure how I missed your report....but here now!!

I like your plans so far....sounds like you all will have a blast!! Good call on not doing DL on the 4th!! We did this in 2005 & holy moly.....what a packed house!!! Do try to get back to catch the fireworks that night.....they do an extra set of them just for the 4th after the main show. You could watch from anywhere around the park area (DTD, the esplanade, Harbor Blvd, etc)...you won't hear the soundtrack but the show will still be spectacular!!

We're also doing a Knott's day....so will be interested in hearing your opinion on them!!

Almost time to gooooooooo!!!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Ditto for me! Not sure how I missed this before!

Sounds like a great plan! Can't wait to read all about it!

We actually took DS on his first trip to WDW for the 4th of July in 2004! Loved it so much, we went back the following year. Spent the 4th in the MK two years in a row. Heck, if it wasn't for free dining, that would probably still be out week of choice. Crowded? Yeppers but we had an absolute blast both years!

 

[Karenann*]

So not sure how I missed your report....but here now!!

I like your plans so far....sounds like you all will have a blast!! Good call on not doing DL on the 4th!! We did this in 2005 & holy moly.....what a packed house!!! Do try to get back to catch the fireworks that night.....they do an extra set of them just for the 4th after the main show. You could watch from anywhere around the park area (DTD, the esplanade, Harbor Blvd, etc)...you won't hear the soundtrack but the show will still be spectacular!!

We're also doing a Knott's day....so will be interested in hearing your opinion on them!!

Almost time to gooooooooo!!!

Ditto for me! Not sure how I missed this before!

Sounds like a great plan! Can't wait to read all about it!

We actually took DS on his first trip to WDW for the 4th of July in 2004! Loved it so much, we went back the following year. Spent the 4th in the MK two years in a row. Heck, if it wasn't for free dining, that would probably still be out week of choice. Crowded? Yeppers but we had an absolute blast both years!

Thanks for coming along! I keep going back and forth on DL for the 4th. I really wanted to see the fireworks there that night but was wary of going to the park on a holiday weekend. We may still flip and go that day but if we do it will be with our high season mode and our crowd game on!

Knotts only does the entry and BBQ on weekends, so I have to be careful what days to change up, if we do any at all. I haven't been there in 20 years so that was way before all it's newer roller coasters.

 

[Karenann*]

DAY THREE:
Up at the crack of dawn for us, this will be our first day in DL! We eat at the hotel, then ART to DL at 7AM for the 8AM opening. RideMax has done our am schedule. We are mostly in Adventureland, Frontierland and Critter Country ing the am with stops at BLAB and SM for FP. Lunch is Cafe Orleans at 11:30. We will head back to the hotel around 1 or 2 for rest etc. Dinner is at the Hotel (a light meal served between 4 and 6) then off to the park again. We will do FP rides and just ding around as we want, then catch the late F! show.

Figured out how to see my 4th of July DL Fir4eworks - they are showing on Sat night and after dinner and a movie in DTD, we can watch them from the esplanade!! Cool!