We're Sailing to....Disneyland? Lots of Pics! GANGSTA KINGDOM 8/31

[Camster0307]

Don't want to pressure you, but ........... patiently waiting!

 

[travelmel]

Hi Tammie,

I just got back from a weekend trip to Klamath Falls! I went to OIT and we were down there visiting some friends... it's a small world after all!

We're up in Portland now. Your post about "we don't pump gas here in Oregon" caught my eye and I just wanted to pop by and say HI!

We are going to DL next week! Hoorray! Looking forward to your pics.
MElissa

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi, Im Glad You Started the TR so soon while all the little details are still fresh....very cute kids..Im sure Donald will overcome his fears of moving rides soonish

Hi! I really have to do it quickly or I will forget the best stuff! Thanks for the compliment on my grandkids! Unfortunately there wasn't much he rode.

Don't want to pressure you, but ........... patiently waiting!

I know - you have been so speedy in your report! I feel like I have to choose between catching up on everyone else's reports or writing mine!

Hi Tammie,

I just got back from a weekend trip to Klamath Falls! I went to OIT and we were down there visiting some friends... it's a small world after all!

We're up in Portland now. Your post about "we don't pump gas here in Oregon" caught my eye and I just wanted to pop by and say HI!

We are going to DL next week! Hoorray! Looking forward to your pics.
MElissa

Hey! Thanks for stopping by! It is a small world, which by the way is down for repairs Ha! I'm excited for you that you'll be at the Happiest Place on Earth real soon! There are lots of fun new things to see and do. Just in case I don't get there soon enough:

1. Nemo is fun, but no FP, so do it as soon as the park opens one day.
2. Skip Innoventions - terrible waste of time and space
3. Toy Story Mania - a MUST! It is so fun - no FP, but the stand-by said 40 minutes, and we only waited 20. It is a fast loading, fast moving ride.
4. Plan to get really wet on Splash - they've changed it.
5. Watch for "Random acts of Indian Jones" - he appears out and around Adventureland - FUN!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Okay, we are now finally ready to complete our journey and get to our appointment with the Mouse! We woke up too early and then tried to sleep some more - the beds in Springhill Suites were so uncomfortable, that DH and I actually tried to sleep on the tiny couchbed and let the kids have the two doubles with the babies - DDIL and I kept each other up the night before. I ended up putting the couch cushions on the floor and sleeping on those - best spot in the room! Let me tell you, I was so happy to be getting to a suite at the DLH! We had a nice waffle and boiled egg breakfast in the lobby, got some free snacks and waters with our credit left on our Marriot vouchers (yah, should have gotten two rooms - we learned!) and we were going to Disneyland!!!

When we had been on the road about 10 minutes, Donald said, "Papa, are we REALLY going to Disneyland?" I'm sure this trip made no sense to him at all! DDIL Tink had never seen the California coast, so we made a pit stop at Huntington Beach for her:

We then stopped at our favorite California hamburger place - a MUST DO every trip - In - n- Out Burger!!! I had a double-double animal style!!! Heaven I tell ya!

We stopped at Walmart for milk and juice, some snacks and breakfast stuff and water for the room. We hopped right on to Katella from there, which heads right to our resort! 20 minutes later, we were excited to see:

And this guy welcomed us:

Grumpy and Tink went to check us in, and Goofy and I unloaded the car for the bellman. I took the kids in the stroller and Goofy went to park the van in self parking, which is free. Valet is $12 per day, plus a service charge and tips.

Now Tink wanted to play the "birthday card" since it WAS my actual birthday, so she told the CM at the desk that it was my birthday and I was really hoping to have a fireworks view. (We were using DVC points for this stay, and it is the same either way, just first come, first served.) Well, the CM looked and didn't find anything, but she promised we would be happy with our accomodations. Our room wasn't ready yet - it was 1:30PM; we were told to come back at 3pm. She gave me a "special delivery" envelope - it had a signed pic of Mickey and Minnie with a birthday greeting! There was also a button for myself and little Minnie, who will be 1 this month.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I don't know why, but my above post went through before I was finished, so I'll just continue here.

Here is my birthday pic, and some scenery from around the lobby area:

Minnie needed to be fed, so she and her parents settled on a bench outside in the shade, and Grumpy, Donald and I went exploring a little bit.

We found Goofy's Kitchen, where we would be eating - we stepped inside the lobby, and the Chef Himself was entertaining some convention guests! Donald was really excited to wave and say hi, but didn't want to get too closed - I had my camera out, tried to get a pic, but somehow got a pic of the floor I'm sure I was star struck! Donald practiced driving in this car - before he got in he said, "does it move?" "Okay, I'll drive it."

 

[Camster0307]

Yeah! You're at Disneyland!

I can't tell you how excited I am to see pix of the place - especially from someone I know!

So jealous of the pix of the beach; and, what, no food porn? I'm totally curious as to what a "double-double animal-style" looks like!

Can't wait to see what your accomodations looked like!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Goofy had to go and get started cooking, so we peeked into the dining room and Donald decided he did want to eat there - good thing! We were reunited with Tink and the gang so we decided to head to DTD and Build a Bear.

Along the way, we snapped some pics of our resort

and Wall-E was there - sort of:

Minnie knew exactly what she wanted at Build a Bear right away:

Donald was pretty quick too:

We headed to the Lego store, where the best thing was the "big snake" on the wall.

I called the front desk at 3:10 and our room still wasn't ready. It was promised at 4pm. We were starting to think we might be getting a surprise....

We checked out WOD store and the pin kiosk, scoping out what we might want later. Of course, Papa (grumpy) had already taken Donald to the hotel gift shop to purchase a Buzz hat and lazer gun. We decided to head back toward the hotel:

We arrived back at the desk at 4:15 - the CM called someone for quite a while to find out if our room was ready.... the suspense was building... YES! Our room was ready and we were given the magic key!

Now, remember, Mickey had some surprises for the kids, so Tink and I went up to the room to get it ready, and the guys hung out downstairs with the kids.

There were no big surprises, but we loved our rooms! We had a really large one bedroom suite overlooking the Neverland Pool! We had a small kitchen area, and a bathroom plus a powder room and 2 queen beds with a dressing room and our queen sized couch bed!

We loved the details of this room!

The powder room mirror and wall sconces:

The bedroom armoire and bed:

The table top:

The wall paper border - I heard this glows in the dark, but not in our room:

I ran out of pic room, so I'll have to continue later!

 

[punkin413]

wow.......great start! i love the neverland pool! and the room looks really nice. can't wait for more!!!

 

[stagemomx3]

Looks like a great start. How many beds did the one bedroom suite have?

 

[SwansLoveDisney]

That hotel is awesome!!!

 

[karajeboo]

OK, don't think about this, what is the first WDW resort that pops into your mind that is close to the Disneyland Hotel???? Don't think! First thought!

Love all the pics! Are Mickey and Tink the two that live with you? I get so confused!!!!

Looks like a great start - can't wait for more!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Yeah! You're at Disneyland!

I can't tell you how excited I am to see pix of the place - especially from someone I know!

So jealous of the pix of the beach; and, what, no food porn? I'm totally curious as to what a "double-double animal-style" looks like!

Can't wait to see what your accomodations looked like!

Think Double Cheeseburger - double meat, double cheese - with everything - including grilled onions and secret sauce! Really messy, but so good! You can get the fries animal style too!

wow.......great start! i love the neverland pool! and the room looks really nice. can't wait for more!!!

Thanks Dawn! I loved the theme at that pool, too! It was wierd that the good pool bar was outside a gate that was sometimes locked from the inside, but they had a mini bar inside the pool complex.

Looks like a great start. How many beds did the one bedroom suite have?

Thanks! There were two queens in the bedroom, and a queen pull-out in the living room.

That hotel is awesome!!!

We loved it - we loved the Grand Californian last time, but this was so much more fun in the details and way more space!

OK, don't think about this, what is the first WDW resort that pops into your mind that is close to the Disneyland Hotel???? Don't think! First thought!

Love all the pics! Are Mickey and Tink the two that live with you? I get so confused!!!!

Looks like a great start - can't wait for more!

Wow! Maybe someone else will win the challenge - I think the DLH was built before WDW, so I feel like it's a combo of a few of them - which were you thinking?

Goofy and Tink are "mommy and daddy" who live with us - Donald and Minnie are the babies

Thanks for reading everyone!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Okay, here is one more room detail I didn't have room for - I love this Sneezy tissues:

Our pool view:

The round building in the last pool pic is the window and outside seating at Goofy's Kitchen.

I already showed you the surprises from Mickey - so here I'll show you the notes he and Tinkerbell left for Minnie and Donald, and the reaction:

Next up: Happy Birthday with Alice!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Notice: I just realized that I am calling my DH "Grumpy" in the posts - that is because he is well, sometimes... umm... appears to be grumpy. He will deny it when asked. We talked about making a shirt that said, "I' m Grumpy because they all live with me!"

Anyway, his favorite character is Jiminy Cricket - so I will now be calling him Jiminy or Jim, as originally stated. He is also fondly known as "Papa" around here since becoming a grandpa.

 

[chickyann]

Great photos....... my DD8 has the same beautiful dress for her Build a Bear that your little Princess chose for her bear

 

[karajeboo]

Look how sweet they are! Love the surprise gifts from the Mouse himself! Cute idea.

 

[Camster0307]

Great view from the room Tammie!

And you guys did such a good job with the special gifts for Minnie and Donald!

 

[Bloodhound]

Very Nice Update...I like the beach and hotel pool veiw,,,we are staying off property about 2 blocks away.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Great photos....... my DD8 has the same beautiful dress for her Build a Bear that your little Princess chose for her bear

Thanks - I loved how that dress went with the gold strands in the bear!

Look how sweet they are! Love the surprise gifts from the Mouse himself! Cute idea.

Thanks! It was alot more fun and less expensive than fighting the crowds at the gift shops!

Great view from the room Tammie!

And you guys did such a good job with the special gifts for Minnie and Donald!

We did love our view. It was fun to look down at the pool and see if there were any chairs left and where they were!

Very Nice Update...I like the beach and hotel pool veiw,,,we are staying off property about 2 blocks away.

Where did you finally book your stay?

 

[Bloodhound]

We are staying at the Cartona Inn...I think is what Donald said, he made the ressie. I dont know anything about it...suppose to be 2 blocks away with a kitchenette and we will only be there to sleep anyway.