Wild Donkeys Couldn't Drag Me Away, A DLR, DVNP, and ZNP Trip Report (9/14/19-9/23/19)

[Professor_Cookie]

Well, it's my first trip report about my fifth trip to Disneyland. I'm sure it will be my only trip report about my fifth trip, as well. I have also been to WDW six times.

A little bit about us. We are Madeleine, our 29.5 week preemie who is an uncorrected 18.5 months now; Heather, my reina from Sooooooooouutth Texas; me-Matthew. I am an adult army brat, who considers the Seattle area to be "where I am from." We all currently reside in Park City, UT, and will for sometime since the owners of the two restaurants I am the chef of seem to think I am good enough to also take on a third next year. It's the longest I have lived in one spot as an adult(nowhere over two years at a time). Heather, being from Brownsville moved here to experience seasons, and then we ended up meeting and here we are with Maddie, our April Fools Day surprise in 2018, which I will get to another time.



Us at my parents place in Puyallup, WA. All trip photos were taken by pretty much Heather or I, so there is not a whole lot with all of us together.

Travel Day and Black Tap

Day One Rope Drop, Storytellers Brunch, and Fantasmic

Oga's Cantina Shenanigans

Day Two, California Adventure and Cookie Shots

Day Three, Ooogie Boogie Bash

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Easy wake up, baby fed, Duck Tales watched and then on to the road.


Quick shot from the road of Timpanogos. We had recently received our first high altitude snow fall, so we were really looking forward to getting away to SoCal before winter really sets in. It snowed pretty hard while we were away, apparently, too.

The drive was easy. I took it the whole way, and Maddie had no issues. We checked in, had a couple of drinks at the bar and then headed to Downtown Disney for dinner.


Excellent work by the janitorial staff.

We went to Black Tap, and it did not disappoint. I have a professional problem where I tend to order everything. no matter how few people are with us.

Maddie is upset about the fairly short wait to eat, I guess...












The shakes were ridiculous and great. And childless millennials aren't the only ones ruining Disney parks for families, but so are single child Xennial(that is apparently a thing) families, because the kids at the tables near us looked painfully jealous of our order.


Doesn't look like we enjoyed it, does it?

Next up, first park day, brunch, and running into some famosos at Oga's.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

So, here we are on day 1 in the parks. As many times as I have been to both Disneyland and WDW, I have never rope dropped a park. So while Heather and Maddie slept in I hopped on board the shuttle bus and was that weird guy by himself at the park. When the rope went down I made a bee line for Fantasyland and skipped Peter Pan for my favorite ride, Mr. Toad. After that I hit up all the Fantasyland rides I normally pass on and hit Snow White, Pinocchio, Storybookland Canal Boats, and Casey Jr. Loved them all, but the captain of our Storybook boat, Elijah was awesome, he was really into in and really excited. It may have been because it was first thing in the AM and he had just had his coffee, but I'd like to think he was just professional. After that I strolled over to Alice and then was texted that the fam was on their way to meet me at Starbucks.



After Starbucks we went to our Reservation for Brunch at Storytellers. I really love buffets and appreciate the work they do here on a professional level. Maddie was a little scared of her first character interaction, but then settled in for the rest.










For an autograph book we have a madeleine cookbook that we had Maddie's NICU nurses and doctors sign during her two months there.



It was hard to get Heather to agree to it, but I wanted Maddie's first ride to be her and her mother, and she is now glad they did. Unfortunately, I didn't plan well and Dumbo is a hard ride to photograph. Well, hard to get a picture of the riders, when one of them in 31 inches tall.

Next we hit Oga's but I'm going to give that it's own post.



After Oga's we lucked into catching most of Fantasmic, which none of us had seen before. I can't wait to see it again from a better vantage point.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

We didn't have reservations for Oga's but I waited in line with Maddie while Heather used her charm and background as a waitress and bartender to politely ask if there was anyway we could get in and sure enough the hostess came back and chatted with us and said it would be fine. I leaned in and asked her quietly asked thee hostess if it was going to get us in trouble with the First Order. She chuckled.





It was pretty neat being seated at a communal table with such chatty table mates. I joke, as I am painfully introverted, but after trying alllllll the drinks, I noticed some people I swear I knew. I went over and said I just wanted to say "Hi" and thanks for all the entertainment, but they insisted on pictures.



If you scroll fast enough you can see Maddie charm Craig and then lean in for the kill. When Madeleine came home from the hospital we watched a lot of the Dis while we held her. Oddly she found Pete's voice calming, I don't think it is the Jersey accent so much as his even and calm tone, but who knows? Craig's wife was on photo duty, and We have about 20 photos from this with the lady on the left photoboming all of them.













We then headed off the the aforementioned Fantasmic, and then back to the hotel for a nightcap and sleep. We would be changing hotels to The Grand Californian the next day.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Day Two, California Adventure and Cookie Shots

We started our day slowly, packed up our stuff and drove from AMG to the Grand Californian and left our stuff with Bell services. We then wandered over to DCA. There is not a ton of stuff for Maddie to do here, so it was a lot of rider switch sort of day. We rode RSR once and Incredicoaster numerous times. My first order of business was food, though, so we stopped by Award Wieners and waited in line for what seemed like for ever, until I realized I could mobile order and did that for the first time. I am in love with it to the point that I have been adamant with my business partners about implementing it in our next restaurant which will be a fast food concept.



after a couple of rides we made our way to lamplight lounge. I was our first time here and though it won't dethrone Carthay Circle, it was a great time and we will be back.


The Short. it said that they were "seasoned veggies" I am not sure how that works, but the drink was solid otherwise, except the serrano on top was as spicy as a bell pepper. Oh well.


The hog wings were great and I could have eaten four orders easily.


Lobster nachos were fine. I used to live in New England and have done lobster boil catering so I have eaten a ton of lobster in my time. I also live two buildings away from a lobster roll shop in my town. They are from Maine and they have won awards so they are solid. so, yeah. the nachos were okay, but i would have been fine without the lobster.


Pixar Sculptures.


After Lamplight we went to GCH to check in.

We wouldn't have stayed here without the generosity of one of our Daughter's NICU nurses. In 2018 we had planned to go to WDW for two weeks in April after the busy season was done here. In November of 2017 shortly before we went to DLR together for the first time my girlfriend's doctor began treating her for IBS. I had been to several of the appointments, and he had even given her an X-Ray that December.

I had asked her if she had taken a pregnancy test and she said yes, but it was negative and surely the doctor would have before the X Ray. Well, long story short, on March 31st I took her to her Doctor again where her blood pressure was 220/160 and extremely high urine protein. He sent us to the ER because, "There is probably something growing on your kidneys...'

At the ER, the first thing Doc did was ultrasound her, at which point we were formally introduced to our baby. My partner was in the later stages of Preeclampsia, and her body was shutting down. after the man ultrasound where we learned that it was a little girl and all her parts were there they were transferred to a larger hospital in Provo better that could handle this. I cancelled the trip to WDW against the protests of my partner who was, understandably confused as to what was going to happen over the next few days.

Our healthy baby girl was born on April Fools Day, so we couldn't/didn't announce it online. Normally that hospital doesn't get to hold onto babies that small(2# 13 oz), because they have some sort of other issue that moves them to Children's. She was perfectly healthy, just really early. After a while her main graveyard nurse, on hearing about our cancelled WDW trip offered to treat us to GCH which her family does every few years. We are thankful to them as I could never justify staying here, as much as I want to.

About those cookie shots. She had Bailey's, I had Grand Marinier. The liquere really needs to be chilled. Those were hard to drink. cookies were tasty though.



Solid, if expensive ramen.


The wrap was good, the bahn mi blah, wings okay.





We went on TSMM, then took Maddie on Emotional Whirlwind, and then wandered the park for a little longer.

Finished the night with a nightcap at Hearthstone Lounge. The next day we had lunch with our gracious hosts and then Oogie Boogie Bash at Night.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Day 3. Disneyland and and the first Oogie Boogie Bash.





Started the Day at Disneyland, went on Mr. Toad then on Pirates. Lunch was Blue Bayou with our hosts. Afterwards it was back to our room for Nap time and make up.







I ended up being Jack Skellington's mime cousin, Jacque Skellington.



Heather and Maddie were Sally and Zero respectively. We ended up hanging out at Carthay Circle and had snacks and drinks. It was perfect for watching the parade go by as well. We figure we will do this again when Maddie is older and engaging more with things. Really enjoyed Carthay, but maybe a little too much.....







...since I left my phone there, and lost and found claimed they did not have it the next day.

 

[Not Your Mom]

Day 3. Disneyland and and the first Oogie Boogie Bash.

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Started the Day at Disneyland, went on Mr. Toad then on Pirates. Lunch was Blue Bayou with our hosts. Afterwards it was back to our room for Nap time and make up.

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I ended up being Jack Skellington's mime cousin, Jacque Skellington.

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Heather and Maddie were Sally and Zero respectively. We ended up hanging out at Carthay Circle and had snacks and drinks. It was perfect for watching the parade go by as well. We figure we will do this again when Maddie is older and engaging more with things. Really enjoyed Carthay, but maybe a little too much.....

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...since I left my phone there, and lost and found claimed they did not have it the next day.

That Zero costume on your daughter is absolutely adorable!

 

[Professor_Cookie]

That Zero costume on your daughter is absolutely adorable!

Thanks! I should probably get back to work on this at some point so the title eventually makes sense and also before We go on another trip. But it’s extremely busy at work, so...