Hi there,
This is my first post on these boards, but I have enjoyed reading great tips about DL, even though I've been there before. I felt like sharing why this trip will be particularly special for us (in a few words as possible!) and asking one question at the end.
I'm from New Zealand so LA is a "small" distance from DL. My first trip there was in '95 when I was 14 as part of a school trip; I was pretty lucky as none of my family had been before. Needless to say I had a great time, and when I got home I told everyone (particularly my sister) that we'd have to go there some time in the future.
Fast-forward a few years. I went through university so I didn't have any funds available to take my sister to DL yet. Unfortunately she's having a hard time at high school so pulls out as early as is allowed in NZ, at 15 years. Instead she goes off to a series of computer courses held by private institutions. She does pretty well at those and works her way up to college. Her final educational objective was a 2 year course held at the college. Again, unfortunately she strikes some more difficulties. We've got a supportive family, but I wanted to provide her with a little extra motivation and reminded her about DL. I promised to take her if she was able to get through the course. She wasn't able to get through the full 2 years; she had to pull out after 1 year.
She found some good work and was there for a few years, but was sad she didn't finish the course and my DL motiviational plan didn't work out so well. So after she got her life in line, she decided to quit her job and go back and finish the course. She managed to finish the course this time - about 5 years after I made the DL promise. So now I have to get the trip sorted out!
The sister had some more difficult times in 2011/12, but now I've finally got the trip booked. We are going in April.... 17 years after I first told my sister that we should go there, and about 10 years after I first made my promise. I've actually been a total of 4 times over that period as a leader of a tour group. I'm still excited for myself but mostly for my sister.... it's going to be epic. I can't begin to describe how excited she is.
We've got a 3 day park hopper, and we'll also cover Universal Studios and some other sights around LA. Hoping to take in a taping of Jimmy Kimmel.
So my question. She'll obviously be having a great time, but I'm woundering what I can do to make it just that little bit more special. To do something that goes a little bit further to make ourselves feel a little bit more special.
I'm thinking about one of the Guided Tours (although that will be interesting, it may not make my sister feel extra special), one of those dining/reserved seatings for World of Colour or Fantasmic! (this is high on the list as a good possibility of what I'm thinking about), or something similar. Club33 would be the ultimate but I don't know any members. We have a magic morning ticket so I'm looking forward to that one (I have great memories of the first and only time I did one in 1994). I don't have heaps of $ but willing to spend a little for something special.
What other suggestions are there out there? Things that I may not have heard of. I'm sure there are lots of examples on the forums but I was hoping for some focused ideas similar to what I've mentioned here.
Thanks in advance!
PS: If anyone wants a great Disney activity to do at home, I highly recommend the "Disney Scene It?" DVD game. I just bought it - high quality!
This is my first post on these boards, but I have enjoyed reading great tips about DL, even though I've been there before. I felt like sharing why this trip will be particularly special for us (in a few words as possible!) and asking one question at the end.
I'm from New Zealand so LA is a "small" distance from DL. My first trip there was in '95 when I was 14 as part of a school trip; I was pretty lucky as none of my family had been before. Needless to say I had a great time, and when I got home I told everyone (particularly my sister) that we'd have to go there some time in the future.
Fast-forward a few years. I went through university so I didn't have any funds available to take my sister to DL yet. Unfortunately she's having a hard time at high school so pulls out as early as is allowed in NZ, at 15 years. Instead she goes off to a series of computer courses held by private institutions. She does pretty well at those and works her way up to college. Her final educational objective was a 2 year course held at the college. Again, unfortunately she strikes some more difficulties. We've got a supportive family, but I wanted to provide her with a little extra motivation and reminded her about DL. I promised to take her if she was able to get through the course. She wasn't able to get through the full 2 years; she had to pull out after 1 year.
She found some good work and was there for a few years, but was sad she didn't finish the course and my DL motiviational plan didn't work out so well. So after she got her life in line, she decided to quit her job and go back and finish the course. She managed to finish the course this time - about 5 years after I made the DL promise. So now I have to get the trip sorted out!
The sister had some more difficult times in 2011/12, but now I've finally got the trip booked. We are going in April.... 17 years after I first told my sister that we should go there, and about 10 years after I first made my promise. I've actually been a total of 4 times over that period as a leader of a tour group. I'm still excited for myself but mostly for my sister.... it's going to be epic. I can't begin to describe how excited she is.
We've got a 3 day park hopper, and we'll also cover Universal Studios and some other sights around LA. Hoping to take in a taping of Jimmy Kimmel.
So my question. She'll obviously be having a great time, but I'm woundering what I can do to make it just that little bit more special. To do something that goes a little bit further to make ourselves feel a little bit more special.
I'm thinking about one of the Guided Tours (although that will be interesting, it may not make my sister feel extra special), one of those dining/reserved seatings for World of Colour or Fantasmic! (this is high on the list as a good possibility of what I'm thinking about), or something similar. Club33 would be the ultimate but I don't know any members. We have a magic morning ticket so I'm looking forward to that one (I have great memories of the first and only time I did one in 1994). I don't have heaps of $ but willing to spend a little for something special.
What other suggestions are there out there? Things that I may not have heard of. I'm sure there are lots of examples on the forums but I was hoping for some focused ideas similar to what I've mentioned here.
Thanks in advance!
PS: If anyone wants a great Disney activity to do at home, I highly recommend the "Disney Scene It?" DVD game. I just bought it - high quality!
Hopefully someday she will realize that visiting Disneyland is cooler than hanging out with deadbeat friends hehe 
