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View Full Version : One day trip report, October 13 -- Hot and Crowded!



seattlemouse
10-15-2005, 04:42 PM
My sister moved to So. Cal. last week so I decided to go visit her. I took my 3-year-old a new born 6 week old to visit, we left my husband behind. I also had some free passes to DLR through Walt Disney Travel Co., so I asked sister if she wanted to go to DLR. She said sure, why not. We'll take it really easy with the kids and just enjoy. We are both big Disneyland fans. My sister takes it to new levels of mania.

Anyway, we decided to go on Thursday since we thought it would be slow. As we pull into the parking garage at 10:30 AM we are surprised to see lots of cars. Then we park and go to the trams, oh the humanity. This is the first time I've parked in the Mickey and Friends parking lot so I hadn't used the trams. We usually stay in the hotels. Anyway, we soon find that this is not going to be a slow day.

We shove our way onto the trams, everyone around us says "I thought this was going to be a slow day." When we get off at DTD, instead of going to the ticket plaza, we go to Walt Disney travel Co. to pick up our tickets. It's next to the movie theaters. Then we go to the monorail to get to Disneyland.

Time saver note: On busy days, if you have APs or already have your tickets, take the monorail into Disneyland. It took us about 5 minutes to get through bag check and onto monorail, and we sat in front by the driver! The masses of people who went from the trams to the ticket plaza had to wait in long lines to go through security, then lines to buy tickets, then lines to get in. Crazy.

The park was so crowded. So. Cal schools were out, Arizona schools were out and it was Yom Kippur. No one expected it to be that crowded, not even Disneyland. They wound up keeping the park open an extra hour. I had my baby in a sling and my 3 year old walked. We went right to Space Mountain to get FP. My 3 year old is 40 inches now so he can ride the big kid rides. Then we went to Buzz light year and did stand by, it took about 30 minutes. I was so hot by this time. DS loved Buzz. Then I went to nurse baby in the baby center while my sister took DS on Star Tours.

After that my sister wanted to get a So. Cal annual pass so I took DS to the fire house while she did that. Then we rode an old time car up and down main street. Then we rested in front of the train station while sister got her AP at the Bank. It took her 45 minutes!

Then we are hungry so we go to the golden horse shoe's outside food service. My DS won't eat anything because he's so excited, he wants to do the Carribean as he calls it (POTC). I make him eat and we do POTC. Then we go to the Haunted Mansion and get FP. Don't ask me how, but my sister gets us right on with her FP. My sister can work a system. The Nightmare before Christmas is good. Baby is hungry so I nurse him on the ride, that's a first.

We then go to Splash Mt. but FP is sold out and I'm not doing the 90 minute stand by, so my sister takes DS to Pooh ride and baby and I relax. I watch the sea of humanity walk by.

We go to IASW, then toon town. DS does Goofy's bouncy house for the first time. we were going to do roger rabbit but it breaks down. I nurse baby again by Chip and Dales tree house, that's a nice quite spot.

Then back to tomorrow land. Sister takes DS on autotopia with a FP, but it still takes them half hour. The food court is sold out of fruit plates (DL was so unprepared for the crowds) so I eat a yogart instead. Back to Buzz Lightyear, baby is awake and enjoys the ride. Then we finally get to space mountain and use our FP. we get a parent pass so I take DS first then my sister takes him. (we have to show the CM my baby to prove we need a parent pass). My son is big enogh for Space Mountain but I'm afraid he might be scared. DS and I get on and I foget how dark and lound the ride is. I'm so worried about DS during the ride that I don't really enjoy it. When we get to the end I was so worried he'd be crying, he says he loved it. So I get off and find my sister and she gets to take DS on again, and he loves it again. Then sister takes DS to Buzz again (did I mention how much DS loves Buzz Lightyear?) and I take the baby to the circle on mainstreet with the statue of Walt and Mickey. I enjoy the castle and the relative quite at night.

By this time it's 8:30. DS has not napped, it was so hot and we haven't eaten much so it's time to go. DS falls asleep on the tram to the car so I have to carry my 40 pound son from the tram to our car while my sister pushes my infant's stroller. BTW, my baby did great. I had a front sling to carry him on the rides and he was awake for one of the Buzz Lightyear rides (we did it 3 times). Baby was, like, wow, lots of lights and noise. Also, the baby station is a great place for babys to take a break and a good place for little kids to go potty.

Althought we had fun, my sister and I sware never again will we go on a busy, hot day. We use to go on Saturdays in the summer when we were in our early 20s and didn't know any better, but now that I have kids I usually stay in the hotels and we go over 3-4 days, take our time, nap, and go during the slow season. Today took us completely by surprise. If we go on a one day trip again I'm going to check the LA schools calendar to see whether the schools are out or not.

We're going to DL again in December and staying at the DLH for 4 nights, and my husband is coming, so we can truly enjoy the experience. I'm looking forward to that, I sue hope it's cooler.

Whittibo
10-15-2005, 05:51 PM
You got a lot done for a busy day and with two little ones!

I had NO idea you had to show the "small child" to use the hand off pass. Sounds like it's being abused? I haven't used it for a couple years now, but it sure was handy!

coronado_g
10-15-2005, 06:15 PM
Wow - you deserve a DL reward for doing the park on a hot, crowded day with a toddler AND a baby. Sounds like the crowd/heat gave more trouble than the tots!

seattlemouse
10-15-2005, 06:32 PM
Did I mention that my sister is a maniac at DL? She can't help herself, she tries to get as much done as possible so she's dragging us along. I had to take breaks with baby, but she drags my very willing son to as many rides as possible. She said, we'll have a nice relaxing day and then she gets there and she's like Mr. Hyde.

My kids did do great but we were very tired the next day.

disneyhound
10-16-2005, 07:06 AM
Thanks for the great trip report; fun read about your day in the park!