Trip Reports
10-16-2005, 06:37 PM
* Time of Year: Fall
* Travel Method: Personal Car
* Resort: DLH
* Accommodations: Standard Room
* Ages Represented in Group: Adult, Senior
* Disneyland Experience Represented in Group: Veteran, Frequent, Infrequent
* Comments: This is a detailed report covering Kelly's family's trip to Disneyland. The whole crew stayed in a couple of rooms at the Disneyland Hotel, and spent three days or so in the park. The report also includes a detailed description of Kelly's experience on the "Walking in Walt's Footsteps" Tour.
DISNEYLAND TRIP
SEPTEMBER 8TH - SEPTEMBER 11TH 2000
LIST OF "CHARACTERS"
* KELLY, myself, AGE 25, A VETERAN WHO HAS VISITED DISNEYLAND AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR USUALLY 2-3 TIMES SINCE I WAS A BABY
* SAM, my spouse, AGE 35, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WHO VISITED ONLY ONCE BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED
* DANNY, my brother, AGE 20, A VETERAN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TRACK RECORD AS ME
* SHERI, his spouse, AGE 21, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WHO HAS BEEN A FEW TIMES
* DONNIE, our dad, AGE 45+, A VETERAN WHO SHOULD OWN STOCK AS MANY TIMES HAS HE HAS BEEN THERE
* CATHY, our mom, AGE 45+, A VETERAN WHO SUFFERED FROM AN UNFORTIONATE CASE OF DISNEY BURNOUT (I DON'T KNOW HOW SUCH A THING IS POSSIBLE). SHE DIDN'T VISIT FOR MOST OF THE 90'S BUT WANTED TO GIVE IT A TRY AGAIN.
* FOREST, our grandpa, AGE 70+, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WHO HAS ONLY BEEN WHEN WE INVITE AND TAKE HIM, HE WOULD NEVER DREAM OF DOING IT HIMSELF. LAST TIME HE WENT WAS IN THE 80'S AT CHRISTMAS WHEN MICHAEL LANDON DID THE CHRISTMAS STORY AT THE CANDLELIGHT PROCESSIONAL.
* JUNE, our grandma, AGE 70+, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WITH THE SAME TRACK RECORD AS GRANDPA.
For those of you who wonder my reasons for writing a report on a family vacation, the answer is actually quite simple. I LOVE DISNEYLAND. I am referred to by my family as the Walking Disney Encyclopedia (who has way too much time on her hands). Also I don't know if I will be able to go again with my Grandparents and I wanted something to be able to read and look back on as a remembrance.
Dates of the trip were Friday September 8th through Monday September 11th. (Sam couldn't get off work on Fri. so we didn't leave until that evening when the rest of the group left that morning. They all left Sun. but we stayed and didn't leave until Mon.)
We traveled by car since we only live about 3 1/2 hours away.
We all stayed at the Disneyland hotel. We booked two rooms with 4 adults in each room. We ended up with adjacent rooms on floor 5 of the Sierra Tower. The view from our balcony was the ESPN building and the monorail walkway. Our room was nothing special really. It had a safe, desk, futon/couch, easy chair, 2 queen beds, TV and refrigerator. We did enjoy the two sinks in the bathroom, the fluffy pillows, the toilet was enclosed in a "throne room" in the bathroom so you had extra privacy, and the fact that there was a clothes line that pulled out from the shower for extra convenience. However the refrigerators in both rooms barely worked and didn't really cool sufficiently, the only Disney themeing was the free toiletries and the picture above the beds, we were also disappointed that there was no coffee maker in the rooms (even Motel 6 has that convenience now a days). The grounds were nice enough with the waterfalls, koi ponds, etc. We noticed that the Neverland Pool was fairly small especially for all the hoopla made about it. We were also extremely disappointed with the hours of the pool. It closed at 8:00 p.m. The pool at the Pacific didn't close until after 11:00 p.m. Who want's to walk that far just to get to a spa after walking all day in the park? The entire group was annoyed and we never got the good explanation we were hoping for from cast members. What is the point of a pool if it's not open? It was also pretty noisy all day long even on Saturday with the construction workers going at it a few feet away. It is a nice enough hotel but not nearly as well themed as Disneyworld. I would say basically ask yourself if you are willing to pay that much extra for an average upscale hotel for the name and having monorail access directly to the park.
FRIDAY SEPT. 8 2000
I should start out by saying that my husband and I did not arrive until very late that night after the park was closed. So all commentary for this day is from information supplied to me by the rest of the party. They checked into the hotel at around 3:00 and had to wait while the front desk made sure their rooms were ready. They found the bellman that helped them with their luggage (13 pieces in all) to be very friendly and efficient. After getting settled they headed to the park. The crowds were not that bad at all. The later in the day it got the fewer people there was. They enjoyed it very much compared to their normal visits at Christmas or during the summer. They rode several rides and were happy with most. The one complaint they had was the EXTREME RUDENESS of a cast member at Space Mountain. Danny is way over 6 ft. tall and just an all around big guy. The cast member directing the line sent Sheri and Him to the very first car. Well he got in but his legs are so big he couldn't get the lap bar down. That was when the rudeness started. Instead of offering to let him switch cars the cast member in the loading area asked him if he couldn't squeeze in a little bit to fit. After being badgered by this same particular cast member they finally pulled the entire "train" of cars off to a side track so everyone could get out and switch seats. Then to top it off the cast member made a rude remark about next time not getting in the front seat even though it was the one they were told to get into. They were so upset that they forgot to get the cast member's name or He would probably be fired by now for his inexcusable actions. So remember if you are large not to sit in the front car, as it is the smallest. Other than this incident everything went great and they had a wonderful evening.
SATURDAY SEPT. 9 2000
We all got up bright and early at 6:30 a.m. to be at the park in time for early entry at 7:30. The gates opened promptly at 7:30 and we were off. Loved the 45 years in flowers next to Mickey's face. They already had characters out and about, nice touch! We stopped by the Blue Ribbon Bakery to get breakfast. (While most of us could have gone without eating Grandpa HAS to have his morning coffee and Grandma needs to eat breakfast.) After taking the time to actually sit down and eat our combination of sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, baguettes, etc. we headed down Main Street towards Fantasyland. On the way we saw Piglet. WOW! Never in all the years and dozens of trips have we ever seen him out and about. (We never saw him again our whole trip either).
Headed through Snow White's Grotto, stopped at the wishing well then off through the castle into Fantasyland. We started off with Peter Pan, then off to Toad, Pinocchio, Snow White (I pointed out the Golden Apple), and Dumbo. (Cast Member at Dumbo was VERY HELPFUL willing to take pictures of us in our Flying Elephants). Next was Alice in Wonderland. (It always amazes me that the same lady who did the voice in the movie was able to make her voice sound the same when they redid this attraction.) Then we went to Matterhorn. The rest of the group went onto the side by Alice because it was shorter however Sam and I had to be stubborn and go on the side by Tomorrowland. By the time we got off the park was officially open.
While the rest of our party stayed in Fantasyland to finish up Sam and I headed over to The Blue Bayou to make lunch reservations for all eight of us. After what seemed like an eternity we had 11:30 waterside seating. We then met up with the rest of the group and went onto Pirates. Mom kept talking about all the changes some subtle and some not so subtle to the scenes. Some of the changes she mentioned were the improved treasure room, the shadows of the men fighting on the fort, and the "politically correct" changes. After Pirates we headed over to the Mansion. As a daily reader of mouseplanet.com I deliberately kept myself from looking at the higher stories on the Mansion. I just couldn't bear to do so. I did notice however that the graveyard scene was cloudier than I had ever seen it and that the screens desperately need a really need a good cleaning. On an up note the ghosts taunting the bride in the attic seemed be taunting her with a lot louder "I do, I do". We headed over to the Country Bear Playhouse. My Grandparents consensus's was that even though the Vacation show was cute the original just can not be topped and maybe next time it would be playing. I didn't have the heart to tell them that it would probably never be back. By then it was after 11:00 so we headed back to New Orleans Square for our lunch reservations and the Bayou. We were given a table by the water like we requested about 5 minutes after our reservation time. However, Pirates was down so the boats were not running which defeated the purpose of waterside seats. (I will do a detailed restaurant review rather than use up space here). After a nice lunch we headed out all of us very full.
We walked around New Orleans for a little while to try and get rid of that stuffed feeling. The Jungle Cruise was next. It was the first time that Mom, Gramps, or Grandma had ever had a woman skipper. As we were pulling out of the dock and waved goodbye this little girl on the dock yelled Whaaaaats Up and had almost the entire boat in hysterics. While on the cruise we got a couple of new jokes but a wonderful surprise. THE SECOND ELEPHANT IS NOW BACK AT IT'S HOME. I know to most people that are probably a minor thing but I was overjoyed when I saw him. We then headed out and gave in to Danny's requests to climb Tarzan's Tree House. BIG MISTAKE. The climb seemed steeper and higher with a lot more steps than when it belonged to the Swiss Family Robison. Besides that all 8 of us hated it. We thought it was a crummy replacement for the original. While it is just our opinion we honestly can not think of anything good to say about it. Next up was a glass of Pineapple Juice from Dole and a visit to our friends in the Tiki Room. Again I was haunted by past readings of Mouseplanet.com and noticed that many of the totem poles were not working properly and a couple of faces were totally broke. At least some were still working properly.
Since most of the group had fallen asleep in the Tiki Room we headed back to the Disneyland Hotel even though I felt that it was a waste. (I still have that Commando Disney in me though not as bad as in the past). On the way out we passed Pocahontas who looked like she was in her thirties. I guess young kids can't really tell but I sure could.
Back at the room while Sheri, Sam, Mom, Gramps, and Grandma napped Dad, Danny, and I explored the shops and grounds a little bit then headed back to the rooms as well. What was supposed to be a short rest ended up lasting over 5 hours. I know that we needed it especially the Grandparents but I still couldn't help myself thinking that we wasted an entire afternoon.
Road the tram back to the park. (I really miss having a tram that goes straight to the hotel without going through the parking areas.). We stopped at the Theater on Main Street mainly because Sheri had never been inside. Then off to Adventureland and fast passes for Indiana Jones. We decided to go ahead and take a ride around the park on the Railroad. We noticed something major was about to happen in the back part of the former Thunder Ranch. There was tables and lights set up. You could see cast members moving about trying to get everything set up. We were never able to find out what was going on though. The cast members either didn't know or wouldn't say. Road the train a full time around and then got off.
Danny and Sheri decided they couldn't wait for Dinner so they took off and agreed to meet us at Dumbo for the Fireworks. We reroad a couple of the rides and then headed down ThunderTrail into Fantasyland. Even though it is my least favorite place to eat we stopped at the Village Haus for Dinner. Mom liked her Pizza and Salad, Gramps, Grandma, and Sam all though that their Hamburgers tasted fine but I hated mine. I thought it was the grossest hamburger I had tasted in quite a while. After everyone was finished we headed to Dumbo. We ran into Danny and Sheri (who had bought Glo In The Dark Mouse Ears) and we all waited for the fireworks to start. Now I know that a lot of people watch the fireworks from in front of the castle but we didn't think we could see all the ground fireworks way up there so we chose the open space between Dumbo and the Carousel.
What can I say about the Fireworks? Breathtaking, awesome, beautiful, etc. etc. None of those words seem to bring justice to the performance we saw. Everything about it was just Disney magic. The shooting stars, the music, the fireworks performance, TinkerBelle in a new-lighted costume. I was almost in tears it was just so magical and beautiful, truly the best fireworks show I have ever seen at Disneyland. When it ended everyone (not just our group) was silent for a moment and then applause broke out everywhere. Anyone, who is planning on visiting while they still are doing this fireworks show, even if it is for just one day, must take the time to watch.
After the people thinned out we headed to Adventureland to use our Indy Fast Pass's. My husband just had to grab the bamboo pole and scare all those other people in line behind us. I was busting up laughing but the rest of them didn't think it was so funny. When we got done at Indy Sheri, Gramps, and Grandma decided to head back to the Hotel for the night. Dad, Mom, Sam, Danny, and Myself were determined we were not leaving until after the park officially closed.
Those of us who were left then headed to Splash Mountain. I just LOVE this ride, next to Pirates it is probably my favorite. There seemed to be a higher level of water than the last time I rode it. All of us in our log got wet. It was great. Afterwards, since we had the entire log to ourselves we just had to buy the picture. Call us suckers if you want to but pictures are just our thing. After we then headed back to Fantasyland. We went through the castle and noticed that the scene with Prince Phillip and the Dragon had been replaced with a stained glass window. What's up with that? I guess the powers that be are too cheap to replace one animatronic dragon, oh well at least I still have pictures from a previous visit. From there we headed to the teacups and then off to Small World. I know that the song annoys a lot of people but quite frankly I have always enjoyed it. Dad made the comment though that it seemed that there were about 25% less dolls. While I don't have exact numbers it did seem that there were quite a few empty spaces. Mom noticed that several of the animal shaped bushes now have a second plant growing for horns, antlers, stripes, etc. If that is new or if we have just not noticed before it makes for a nice touch. We then went back and rode Indy three more times in a row to satisfy Mom. She finally believed me that even though it looks like three doors there is only one track. Closed the day by getting an ice cream and sitting in Town Square watching the castle until almost 1:00 a.m.
SUNDAY SEPT 10 2000
We had a very hectic morning because the rest of the group was leaving that night so they had to pack up all their stuff. Sheri also has health conditions that make it difficult to walk at times so she got a wheelchair for today she was in so much pain. I know that some people thought we were cutting to the front of lines but cast members were actually very helpful about letting all 8 of us get on together instead of the official 5 that are listed in the manuals.
We took the monorail over to the park. My husband wanted to ride in the front with the driver, a request that was easily obtained. We found the driver to be quite unfriendly and very stuffy but maybe he was just having a bad morning. We finally got into the park around 10:15 a.m., over an hour later than park opening (I was not happy).
After arriving at the Tomorrowland Station we hoofed it over to City Hall to get passes for the 10:45 Walk in Walt's footstep's Tour for all eight of us. Sam just had to stop and get a churro on the way. We noticed one of the Horseless Carriages was sitting at the hub empty but the driver wouldn't let us board because of Sam's churro. (I found this quite stupid but I guess rules are rules). We walked down to city hall and got the tickets.
It turned out that there were almost forty people who chose to take the tour this day so they broke us into two groups. Our tour guide was nice enough. After all the good things I had read on the internet about the tour I was looking forward to it but sad to say reality did not add up to my expectations. I knew more than what she was telling the group and she left out several pieces of information that could have enhanced the tour to the others in our group. The following is what we "learned" on our tour.
STARTED OUT IN THE FRONT ENTRANCE
Red bricks because Walt wanted his guests to receive Red Carpet Treatment.
The Movie Theatre Set Up Walt Originally had in mind with "coming events" posters and inner and outer lobby areas.
Walt wanted curtains to open for his guests but the tunnels were more realistic.
HEADED TO FIREHOUSE
Cast members always knew when Walt was in the park because the light was on in his apartment over the firehouse. It is left on today in his memory.
OVER TO THE WALT DISNEY STORY
Saw a short movie on the construction of Disneyland
Told about plumbers strike and it was toilets or drinking fountains on opening day
Told how the original Jose from the Tiki Room is in the glass case
Commented that the Dinosaur scenes in railroad are wrong scientifically speaking
IN FRONT OF THE TWO OFFICES
(I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL SHE TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE I HAD TO RUN TO BLUE RIBBON BAKERY AND GET GRANDPA SOME COFFEE, HE WAS STARTING TO GET SICK AND KIND OF SHAKEY)
BACK OUT TO MAIN STREET
Described forced perspective and how it was used.
Talked about the names in the windows being real people that had to do with the park.
Specifically she mentioned Elias Disney contractor, Walt's Father.
Mentioned the bakery smell that is piped out onto MainStreet
WALKED TO THE HUB
Told about the Weenies to draw you into each land such as The Carousel, The Mark Twain, The Rocket to the Moon, and nothing for Adventureland (the land itself was enough).
WALKED TO SNOW WHITE'S GROTTO
Described how the Italian sculptor who sent the statues over as a gift had never seen the movie and modeled them after a soap set that had all eight characters the same size.
How forced perspective (Snow White high on top next to a small deer and the dwarfs down below next to an extra large rabbit and squirrel) makes them look different sizes.
The drawbridge has only opened twice and it was actually not made to be opened and had to be redone a couple of days before the grand opening.
The spires on the castle are real gold plated and Roy thought that would be too much money so Walt did it while Roy was on a trip and they didn't speak for over a month when Roy got back and found out what he did.
WALKED INTO THE CASTLE THROUGH THE DRAWBRIDGE.
Our guide pointed out the gold metal button in the entry way that marks the exact middle of the park before the expansions.
The castle is actually flipped around and you enter through what was the exit not the entrance.
Fantasyland as it is now is more like Walt imagined it than when it first opened.
The carousel horses weren't painted all white until the late 70's.
The lead horse has bells
Carousels and Merry Go-Rounds Differ and those differences were explained.
WALKED FURTHER INTO FANTASYLAND
The Dumbo Ride was actually supposed to go into Disneyland Paris but Disneyland's Dumbo was in bad shape so they took the one for Paris and Paris made another one for their park.
We stopped at a popcorn vendor near the Matterhorn and listened to a story, VERY LAME (In my humble opinion) about how the two Abominable Snowmen brothers came to Disney looking for work and the scary one got a job in the Matterhorn but his little brother had to take a job inside the cart turning the popcorn maker.
STOPPED AT THE SUBMARINE LAGOON AREA BETWEEN THE TWO LANDS
Pointed out that the sidewalks change from land to land and that is how you can tell when one land starts and another ends.
Told the story about how Walt "kidnapped" Vice President Nixon on the monorail but no charges were filed.
She mentioned that a new ride was scheduled to open up between 2003-2006 probably based on the Atlantis movie that will be released.
ON WE WENT TO FRONTIERLAND
We did a brief stop in front of the Golden Horseshoe where our guide explained that the saloon was exactly like the one in Calamity Jane because the guy who built it retained the rights to all his sets. (Smart Man)
NEXT STOP WAS THE DISNEYGALLERY/WALT'S APARTMENT
We went up the back entrance via stairs (according to Dad this was the only part of the entire tour worth it since the average Disneyland public can't use this entrance.)
The various rooms were described including a refrigerator still in operation for the cast.
The courtyard had a cooling/heating system that allowed the patio to be the same temperature as the inside.
The haunted mansion was originally going to be a walk through and she told us the following brief version of a Haunted House story. A rich merchant who happened to really be a pirate was set to get married but wanted to have one last pirate adventure. On the night before the wedding the bride found out the truth and committed suicide by falling out the attic window. That is why you fall backwards, you are in a sense the bride and the caretaker is so frightened when looking at you because you are a ghost and he sees you. The pirate committed suicide by hanging as soon as realized his bride was dead. (Those who are Disney Addicts realize that there is no official story for the Haunted Mansion but I didn't want to ruin it for the few whom were still with the group.)
SUMMARY OF THE TOUR
Our guide did give some Disney Trivia facts that the average person would probably find informative. Our tour certainly did not live up to the expectations I had but that could have been because my expectations were too high or our tour guide was too new. The major things that our tour did not get that I know others received on their tour were as follows:
Actually going inside the Golden Horseshoe and having similarities with Calamity Jane pointed out.
Riding the Mark Twain and having parts of old rides pointed out.
No train ride in the Lilly Belle presidential car or even a raincheck to ride it later
None of the handouts like photos or posters that others received on their tours.
Trivia and facts that the guide didn't mention but that other guides have mentioned.
Mom and Sam thought it was an informative enough tour and they enjoyed it but Dad and I
didn't care for it at all and thought it was a big waste of time and a disappointment. The other four didn't really have a set opinion one way or the other.
Back to the rest of the report. After the tour we stopped to eat lunch. I have always liked the inside of the Plaza Inn so we headed over there. Sam and I both ordered chicken plates. We actually could have split one because neither of us ate all three pieces of chicken. We found the meal to be overly salty and so did the rest in our party. None of the desserts looked tempting so we passed.
After a so-so lunch we decided to do Small World. After all the walking in the tour without sitting or breaking we still weren't up to par. Small World was relaxing as always. We then headed over to Toon Town. Dad has never liked Toon Town since it was created with very small children in mind. I mentioned that we had to at least ride Roger Rabbit since the theming in the que is great and it is a decent ride. My husband discovered the Gorilla Bouncer door. (The one you knock on and the peephole opens up and the gorilla makes comments to you.) I thought he knew it was there but apparently not because I felt like I had a two-year-old on my hand the way he kept knocking on the door. Oh well, it is the little details that make the Disney Magic what it is.
I stopped on the way out of Toon Town to get a Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich and then the rest of the party decided to as well. So we all sat on the benches under the bridge eating our ice cream and people watching. We headed off to MainStreet and great moments with Mr. Lincoln.
While going down Main Street we noticed the Bakery smells were working. (They were turned off earlier.) We noticed the Parade was about to start so against our better judgement we stopped to watch it. TALK ABOUT LAME! IT WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST DISNEY PARADE WE HAVE EVERY SEEN. All off us couldn't believe they even call it a parade. The one good thing Sheri, Mom, and I noticed was Tarzan. WOW, all the internet comments I read about him were not joking.
We then went into see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. I always have liked this show. After the show we stopped into the DCA information area and I finally convinced Mom that those were bees buzzing around inside the orange peel not flying fish. The rest of the group thinks it will turn out O.K. and be a decent park but I just don't see it happening. Maybe I'll be surprised after it opens.
Off again to New Orleans Square. Danny and Sheri wanted to buy Christmas ornaments. We also road Pirates again. Pirates seemed to have a heavier fog and more water than usual. Then off to Splash Mountain. Gramps and Grandma had never ridden this before. (They were back at the room when we road it yesterday). Grandma was not happy at all. I have never seen anyone get so wet on the ride. She was actually mad at us. (We told her she wouldn't get very wet because in all the times we had ridden it not one of us had gotten barely more than a wet sleeve.) The fact that we bought the picture and captured her face for eternity didn't help much either.
Danny and Sheri left the rest of us to head to Main Street and finish their shopping. We rode Pirates again and then the Jungle Cruise. There is just something about riding the Jungle Cruise at night. Cast Members seem even crazier. We had a different woman skipper who was actually pretty good even putting the boat in reverse a couple of times. If you have never ridden the Jungle Cruise at night I strongly recommend doing so. It is just an altogether different experience.
Since it was almost closing at this point we headed down Main Street to finish up shopping. We stopped into the Ice Cream Parlor and each got late night snacks. I noticed that there were lots more choices as far as flavors go than the night before. I guess that they were just really busy on Saturday. We waited for everyone to kind of eat down his or her cones and then we headed back to the hotel parking lot for the rest of the group to head home.
Our tram footman was actually pretty funny. Danny, Sheri, and Sam were laughing way too much over nothing and actually were making him smile and laugh. Back at the Hotel we had a little bit of a wait because the lady working the Valet Parking Booth couldn't find their vehicle. After loading up, once again the bell man was friendly and efficient) Sam and I followed them to Denny's for a late dinner, wished them well, hugs good byes, they hit the freeway to head home and we went back to the hotel to finish out our trip.
MONDAY SEPT. 11 2000
Sam and I woke up bright and early anxious for our day together in the park. We decided to take the day at a relaxed pace since it was day three and we were a little sore. We went ahead and checked out of the hotel around 8:00 and then moved our car into the parking lot so we could leave as soon as the park closed. We got to the front gates around 8:15 for the early entry at 8:30. My husband struck up a conversation with the family in front of us. (He can do that anywhere-just talk to strangers.) I saw a young mother who was letting her two small children use her as a may pole while waiting for the gates to open. I couldn't help but think how nice it was, especially after someone else in line commented that she would NEVER let her kids do that that they drove her nuts every time they tried to do it. (I AM GUESSING THAT HER FAMILY DIDN"T HAVE THE BEST DAY POSSIBLE.) But I'm pretty sure the other family did.
Gates opened and down Main Street we went. We stopped again at Blue Ribbon for my husband to get some juice and fruit. I noticed that there was no board up listing what was running during early entry like there had been on Saturday. I also noticed no characters out and about this morning during early entry. Kind of seemed almost undisney to start the day without characters oh- well I knew they would be out later. We figured that at least part of Tomorrowland would be open so we headed there.
First stop was Space Mountain. After what seemed like an eternity (I still miss that escalator) we were inside. Only one loading side was open but the line was short and moved fast so it wasn't that big a deal. I LOVED the new music. (Even though we were there this past Christmas I hadn't noticed it.) It also seemed faster, probably just me but it did seem like a better ride. Stopped at the Starcade but noticed the entire top half was blocked off so we kept right on going.
We headed to Autopia but it was not yet open so we headed to the Rocket Rods they were down and mechanics were trying to fix them in time for the official opening time so we headed over to Star Tours. We boarded almost immediately. I hope that the talk about them coming up with new destinations eventually becomes a reality because as much as I enjoy this ride it is becoming a little predictable.
Next we headed over to Fantasyland through the Garden's. Overheard people complaining about the point of messing with early entry when most of the stuff is not open and complaining even louder about not being able to get in line for closed Tomorrowland rides until 9:45. Hit the Matterhorn and then into the heart of Fantasyland. I did notice that some of the attractions in Fantasyland that had been open for early entry on Saturday were closed today but it was Monday and we actually were expecting less to be open. We road a few that were open such as Alice in Wonderland and then off to Frontierland.
It was not quite 10:00 yet so the rope was still across the entrance to Frontierland. While waiting they were playing the music from Oklahoma which just happens to be my favorite musical. I truly enjoyed the wait just listening. Finally we saw our first characters of the day. Genie came out and headed straight to the throngs waiting on MainStreet. Chip and Dale joined him shortly thereafter entertaining the crowd. All of a sudden this herd of people starts thundering towards you and you realize that it must be 10:01 the park is now officially open.
There was a painter working on the Frontierland shops, which was a wonderful sight. (Even though it would have been nice if it was going on before or after park hours not during but at least it was happening.)
We stopped for a late breakfast at the Riverbelle Terrace. My husband ordered the Mark Twain and really enjoyed his country potatoes. I had the pancakes, which were made fresh before my eyes. (Their batter tool is actually very effective one push and equal circles no lopsided Mickey pancakes here). We went out to the edge of the patio enjoying our breakfast and people watching. We were surrounded by birds, birds, and more birds on the ground and tables around ours. After deciding we should probably get some more rides in we headed out.
Up first was Pirates; the fog didn't seem to be near as heavy as before but still a great ride. To me the cannonball holes in the fort look like a Mickey silhouette so check it out for yourselves and see if you agree or not. We hit the haunted mansion again. I noticed that one of the dancers in the ballroom scene looked like she was dressed in a princess gown. Is it my imagination or an inside "joke"? Maybe one of these days I'll get cozy with those who do maintenance inside the mansion and find out.
Next up was Splash Mountain. We got in line but there was a 10-15 minute delay while they got a log unstuck. I couldn't believe that they gave us the real reason for the delay instead of some nice little spiel about difficulties but the ride would be moving again shortly. As always it was a nice ride. We opted not to get this particular picture. However we heard a lady commenting how this ride was "So not politically incorrect having the voices sound black and everything". PLEASE, GIVE ME A BREAK. It's people like that who are the ones keeping this classic masterpiece from being re-released for the rest of us. I better get down of my soapbox and continue with the report.
Afterwards we went into the Briar Patch to look around. While it was nice I don't understand wanting to decorate your kitchen in Pooh Décor. The baby items were quite adorable. My husband just had to have his picture taken with Tigger. Tigger was just standing in front of Brer Bar so Sam waited patiently until the kids were done and then went up. People cutting in any type of line but especially in front of kids are a pet peeve of mine while at the park.
We stopped to rest on the bottom level of the Hungry Bear Restaurant enjoying the ducks. They just seem to multiply more and more each visit. (Maybe one of these Christmas' the Blue Bayou will have Roast Duck as a dinner special.)
We then headed back to Frontierland but the shop we wanted was not yet open. Since Sam had slept through most of the Tiki Room the last time we headed over there. It was great. There were less than 15 of us total, over half, which were kids. It was the most enjoyable Tiki performance I have seen in some time. The kids were totally entranced and there were no rude people talking throughout the performance. I will definitely remember to check out the Tiki Room on an off day next trip!
We checked out more shops in Adventureland and Frontierland waiting for the one shop we had to get to in Frontierland to open. In case you are wondering we were waiting for the leather shop that takes up a small corner across from the fort to open. Mom had seen a pewter key chain there but by the time she got back to it the shop was closed so she asked us to pick it up for her. If you see something you really want buy it then because you don't know if it will be available later. Now that was finally over so we could head back to a different area of the park.
Shopping in Fantasyland was next. First stop was my favorite store, The Villain's Store right by the castle. I got a porcelain Wicked Witch from Snow White and a Maleficent to add to my collection. (This was the only place in the park I saw them by the way.) I also enjoy listening to the Wicked Witch in chains and a cage that they used to have on Main Street but then moved over to this location. Then we checked out TinkerBelle's and headed through the castle back to the hub.
Once in the hub we boarded a horse drawn streetcar pulled by Buddy and exited at Town Square. We walked up a little ways to a get a locker. I noticed that the Dentists Office sounds weren't on, I hope it was just a temporary thing and not permanent. (Yes, I know that you can have all packages sent to the front of the park to be picked up later when you buy something but we didn't want to deal with that at the end of the day so we got a locker.)
We walked back down Main Street and once again boarded Buddy, this time with a different driver and headed back to Tomorrowland. We stopped for frozen lemonade and then headed briefly to the Starcade. Next up was Autopia. The wait was about 20 minutes but they wouldn't even let us in the que because of the frozen lemonade even though it had a lid. I found this to be an unnecessary delay since it would have been finished by the time we got to the cars.
We decided to head over to Honey I Shrunk the Audience. I just love the preshow. A kid screaming directly behind me ruined the inside however. This was a little kid and every time something "scary" would happen like darkness, the glass breaking, or the lion clawing at you the kid would start crying at the top of his lungs. Now you would think that decent parents would have had the common sense to remove the child, but no. By the time it got the snake scene he was crying non-stop and they still didn't leave. I felt so sorry for the child. He will be scared for life because of selfish parents.
By this time our frozen lemonade was pretty much done so back to Autopia we went. The new cars were cute enough but with all the hype I was expecting more. I loved the car park area with the tribute to Mr. Toad and the old Autopia Cars. The off road idea was cute but so short. Sam really enjoyed the pre-ride cartoons and the themeing. We checked out the store area when we got off the ride. It was a bitter moment for me since most of the store area used to be loading for the submarines. I still think that taking them out was a horrible decision on all accounts.
We headed to Innoventions simply because we had never checked it out since it's opening. I was not expecting much and I was not disappointed. The high number of cast members in this attraction could easily have been better utilized elsewhere such as keeping the submarines running a few more years but I digress. We went ahead and tried the virtual reality GM Show because my husband wanted to sit down. That was about all we could handle and we headed out. I truly miss America Sings but at least a lot of the characters were able to migrate to Splash Mountain.
Sam and I decided it was lunchtime so we headed to Red Rockets and thought we'd give it a try. I couldn't believe all the people that had allowed their kids to strip to underwear to play in the fountain. I am not talking about babies I mean kids that should have had on swimsuits. (We did notice when we came out of Red Rockets that the fountain had been turned off, but I don't know the reason). Lunch at Red Rockets was actually pretty decent, more so than I expected it to be.
We both got refills on our cokes and then headed to the train station. There were people in our car that kept taking flash pictures during the diorama scenes. It was quite rude and annoying. I really like the little extras as far as themeing goes such as the panther during Adventureland, the Mardi Gras Props in New Orleans, and the Frontierland theming on the backside as well.
ToonTown was our point of departure and that is where we got off. We decided to do a leisurely exploration of Toon Town since we never have before. It just always seemed like a place for families with toddlers. We checked out all the houses but didn't ride the coaster, it just seemed too kiddy. We went into Mickey's house and I loved the movie screening area with Donald and Goofy up in the projector area. It was quite enjoyable. We noticed that the signs leading up had Mickey on a Steamboat Willie set and costume but when we got there it was just a plain Mickey a little disappointing but we went ahead and had our picture taken anyways.
We headed to the Toon Town Five and Dime so my husband could get a Sorcerer's Apprentice Mouse Ear Hat. While the paint on the buildings did look faded I still enjoyed the extra touches such as Goofy's Garden, the interactive nature of the buildings, the dog that comes out of the firehouse window, but especially the writing on the windows such as P.L. Pete Prosthetics, B.B. Wolf Demolitionist, etc.etc. I found the windows to be a good laugh and seriously doubt that many young kids would have gotten the jokes. I also enjoyed the way that the Mickey Mouse Club Anthem would play and then characters would come out for pictures and autographs. One last picture with Donald, a nice lady from Australia offered to take it for us and then we headed to Fantasyland.
Being so close I just had to ride It's A Small World again. We happened to catch it just as the clock was striking the hour and the dolls came out. On our way back up the Small World walk way area we noticed that there were no characters in the greeting area. If I had kids I would have been disappointed with the lack of character choices this day. After riding Alice one final time we headed over to the Storybook canal area. We had a Male Skipper (a first for us). The narration was more Jungle Cruise than in the past as well. There was a family of ducks that had somehow migrated here from the Rivers of America. It was quite comical to see these Giant Ducks Attacking the Villages. Afterwards we headed over and road the Carrousel. (Getting up on those horses after three days of walking was harder than either of us expected, but as always there is something magical about riding a carrousel). After walking through the castle and once again wondering why the dragon had been replaced by stained glass be headed out towards the hub.
We hopped on what turned out to be the last fire truck of the day and after stopping off at the locker we went through the Main Street shops. I showed my husband the party line telephones inside the store after realizing he thought they were just for looks. Took time to admire the Art Store. I just love looking at limited addition cells and sculptures but the prices made Sam nervous so we didn't stay too terribly long. I thought about stopping and getting a Silhouette done but decided against it. After looking through the rest of Main Street we headed off to Frontierland to check out the Golden Horseshoe Show. I wasn't sure what to expect with Billy Hill and the Hill Billies since I hadn't seen anything there since the original saloon type show ended. First thing I missed in the new show was the fact that waitresses no longer come to your table you have to stand at the bar and order yourself. It was actually a pretty decent show and my husband really loved it. He really enjoys the slapstick so stupid it's funny type of comedy.
We headed over to the Mark Twain as soon as the show was over but we were disappointed. It turned out that the last boat of the evening had just docked and the last passengers were disembarking. I was very upset over this. Not only did it open very late but also they had no signs up saying that it would be closing early. I realize that it is not an E-Ticket ride but I still enjoy it. I was also hoping to find out why the settlers cabin is no longer burning (I read somewhere that the gas line broke but I was hoping to be able to confirm if that is the true reason or not.) Made a mental note to be sure and ride it in the middle of the day from now on to be sure it is open.
Headed to Pirates once again and noticed that the Blue Bayou was totally closed down for dinner. I don't know if it is every Monday that they are closed or just in the off season but I will definitely keep it in the back of my mind for future visits. Headed into the pirate store to get a piece of eight but alas the machine was broken. I just knew I should have waited in line on Saturday to get one, oh well. It does seem however that the last few times I have visited the machine has been broken at least part of the trip if not the entire trip. Looked inside the few shops that were still open in New Orleans Square. The estate jewelry shop is really something even though I doubt that very many people shop there. I almost gave into the temptation to buy a hand painted parasol like I had when I was a little girl but I resisted the impulse. We decided to stop at the French Market for dinner. Both of us just love the clam chowder in the bread bowls. We did notice that the price was up to $5.99 instead of the $4.?? it was a Christmas but we still felt it was worth it. My husband gets a kick out of the way they make the bread look like Mickey. (He is so easily amused at times). Almost got one of the desserts to split but decided against it. There were no live musicians but we still enjoyed the jazz being played over the speakers.
After dinner we headed over to Critter Country for one last ride only to be disappointed that it too had closed early with no warning. There were lots of upset people over this one. Since it was close to 7:30 we headed back to Main Street. My husband got in line to buy our Mickey Picture and I headed off for one last ride on Small World. There was only one other person and myself on the boat. It was wonderful, a peaceful end to an overall relaxing day. On the way back to Main Street I kept trying to find the Mouse Ears that Glow-In-The-Dark like Danny and Sheri got on Saturday. A helpful cast member finally informed me that those are only sold on Saturdays except during the summer. I then headed up Main Street to meet my husband in Town Square. We decided against an ice cream since we would be driving home. We sat in Town Square for a few minutes just watching the castle and basking in the last bit of Disney Magic before we had to head home. Onto the tram and then away we went.
SUMMARY
. It was a wonderful trip overall. While there were a few maintenance issues overall we noticed quite a bit of maintenance going on the days we were there. We also noticed that certain cast members looked like wardrobe needed to do a better job when it came to fitting them in the proper sizes. Even though it seemed that taking the park at such a relaxed pace was somewhat wasteful it was relaxing. I have heard more positives than negatives about the Walk In Walt's Foot Steps Tour so I tend to believe we just had bad luck and ended up getting a below par tour. The park truly is less crowded during the week even though there is not as much happening as on the weekends. If you see something you want buy it then because you might not be able to later in your trip. *TIP* In case you don't know almost all the eateries will let you get free refills on your drinks while you are still at the establishment. No matter what your age there is something for you to enjoy. Disneyland is still Disneyland!
While I realize this trip report is somewhat lengthy I do hope that you find it enjoyable and that at least some of the information in it helps you in planning your own personal trip.
Kelly Pierce
* Travel Method: Personal Car
* Resort: DLH
* Accommodations: Standard Room
* Ages Represented in Group: Adult, Senior
* Disneyland Experience Represented in Group: Veteran, Frequent, Infrequent
* Comments: This is a detailed report covering Kelly's family's trip to Disneyland. The whole crew stayed in a couple of rooms at the Disneyland Hotel, and spent three days or so in the park. The report also includes a detailed description of Kelly's experience on the "Walking in Walt's Footsteps" Tour.
DISNEYLAND TRIP
SEPTEMBER 8TH - SEPTEMBER 11TH 2000
LIST OF "CHARACTERS"
* KELLY, myself, AGE 25, A VETERAN WHO HAS VISITED DISNEYLAND AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR USUALLY 2-3 TIMES SINCE I WAS A BABY
* SAM, my spouse, AGE 35, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WHO VISITED ONLY ONCE BEFORE WE WERE MARRIED
* DANNY, my brother, AGE 20, A VETERAN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TRACK RECORD AS ME
* SHERI, his spouse, AGE 21, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WHO HAS BEEN A FEW TIMES
* DONNIE, our dad, AGE 45+, A VETERAN WHO SHOULD OWN STOCK AS MANY TIMES HAS HE HAS BEEN THERE
* CATHY, our mom, AGE 45+, A VETERAN WHO SUFFERED FROM AN UNFORTIONATE CASE OF DISNEY BURNOUT (I DON'T KNOW HOW SUCH A THING IS POSSIBLE). SHE DIDN'T VISIT FOR MOST OF THE 90'S BUT WANTED TO GIVE IT A TRY AGAIN.
* FOREST, our grandpa, AGE 70+, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WHO HAS ONLY BEEN WHEN WE INVITE AND TAKE HIM, HE WOULD NEVER DREAM OF DOING IT HIMSELF. LAST TIME HE WENT WAS IN THE 80'S AT CHRISTMAS WHEN MICHAEL LANDON DID THE CHRISTMAS STORY AT THE CANDLELIGHT PROCESSIONAL.
* JUNE, our grandma, AGE 70+, AN INFREQUENT VISITOR WITH THE SAME TRACK RECORD AS GRANDPA.
For those of you who wonder my reasons for writing a report on a family vacation, the answer is actually quite simple. I LOVE DISNEYLAND. I am referred to by my family as the Walking Disney Encyclopedia (who has way too much time on her hands). Also I don't know if I will be able to go again with my Grandparents and I wanted something to be able to read and look back on as a remembrance.
Dates of the trip were Friday September 8th through Monday September 11th. (Sam couldn't get off work on Fri. so we didn't leave until that evening when the rest of the group left that morning. They all left Sun. but we stayed and didn't leave until Mon.)
We traveled by car since we only live about 3 1/2 hours away.
We all stayed at the Disneyland hotel. We booked two rooms with 4 adults in each room. We ended up with adjacent rooms on floor 5 of the Sierra Tower. The view from our balcony was the ESPN building and the monorail walkway. Our room was nothing special really. It had a safe, desk, futon/couch, easy chair, 2 queen beds, TV and refrigerator. We did enjoy the two sinks in the bathroom, the fluffy pillows, the toilet was enclosed in a "throne room" in the bathroom so you had extra privacy, and the fact that there was a clothes line that pulled out from the shower for extra convenience. However the refrigerators in both rooms barely worked and didn't really cool sufficiently, the only Disney themeing was the free toiletries and the picture above the beds, we were also disappointed that there was no coffee maker in the rooms (even Motel 6 has that convenience now a days). The grounds were nice enough with the waterfalls, koi ponds, etc. We noticed that the Neverland Pool was fairly small especially for all the hoopla made about it. We were also extremely disappointed with the hours of the pool. It closed at 8:00 p.m. The pool at the Pacific didn't close until after 11:00 p.m. Who want's to walk that far just to get to a spa after walking all day in the park? The entire group was annoyed and we never got the good explanation we were hoping for from cast members. What is the point of a pool if it's not open? It was also pretty noisy all day long even on Saturday with the construction workers going at it a few feet away. It is a nice enough hotel but not nearly as well themed as Disneyworld. I would say basically ask yourself if you are willing to pay that much extra for an average upscale hotel for the name and having monorail access directly to the park.
FRIDAY SEPT. 8 2000
I should start out by saying that my husband and I did not arrive until very late that night after the park was closed. So all commentary for this day is from information supplied to me by the rest of the party. They checked into the hotel at around 3:00 and had to wait while the front desk made sure their rooms were ready. They found the bellman that helped them with their luggage (13 pieces in all) to be very friendly and efficient. After getting settled they headed to the park. The crowds were not that bad at all. The later in the day it got the fewer people there was. They enjoyed it very much compared to their normal visits at Christmas or during the summer. They rode several rides and were happy with most. The one complaint they had was the EXTREME RUDENESS of a cast member at Space Mountain. Danny is way over 6 ft. tall and just an all around big guy. The cast member directing the line sent Sheri and Him to the very first car. Well he got in but his legs are so big he couldn't get the lap bar down. That was when the rudeness started. Instead of offering to let him switch cars the cast member in the loading area asked him if he couldn't squeeze in a little bit to fit. After being badgered by this same particular cast member they finally pulled the entire "train" of cars off to a side track so everyone could get out and switch seats. Then to top it off the cast member made a rude remark about next time not getting in the front seat even though it was the one they were told to get into. They were so upset that they forgot to get the cast member's name or He would probably be fired by now for his inexcusable actions. So remember if you are large not to sit in the front car, as it is the smallest. Other than this incident everything went great and they had a wonderful evening.
SATURDAY SEPT. 9 2000
We all got up bright and early at 6:30 a.m. to be at the park in time for early entry at 7:30. The gates opened promptly at 7:30 and we were off. Loved the 45 years in flowers next to Mickey's face. They already had characters out and about, nice touch! We stopped by the Blue Ribbon Bakery to get breakfast. (While most of us could have gone without eating Grandpa HAS to have his morning coffee and Grandma needs to eat breakfast.) After taking the time to actually sit down and eat our combination of sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, baguettes, etc. we headed down Main Street towards Fantasyland. On the way we saw Piglet. WOW! Never in all the years and dozens of trips have we ever seen him out and about. (We never saw him again our whole trip either).
Headed through Snow White's Grotto, stopped at the wishing well then off through the castle into Fantasyland. We started off with Peter Pan, then off to Toad, Pinocchio, Snow White (I pointed out the Golden Apple), and Dumbo. (Cast Member at Dumbo was VERY HELPFUL willing to take pictures of us in our Flying Elephants). Next was Alice in Wonderland. (It always amazes me that the same lady who did the voice in the movie was able to make her voice sound the same when they redid this attraction.) Then we went to Matterhorn. The rest of the group went onto the side by Alice because it was shorter however Sam and I had to be stubborn and go on the side by Tomorrowland. By the time we got off the park was officially open.
While the rest of our party stayed in Fantasyland to finish up Sam and I headed over to The Blue Bayou to make lunch reservations for all eight of us. After what seemed like an eternity we had 11:30 waterside seating. We then met up with the rest of the group and went onto Pirates. Mom kept talking about all the changes some subtle and some not so subtle to the scenes. Some of the changes she mentioned were the improved treasure room, the shadows of the men fighting on the fort, and the "politically correct" changes. After Pirates we headed over to the Mansion. As a daily reader of mouseplanet.com I deliberately kept myself from looking at the higher stories on the Mansion. I just couldn't bear to do so. I did notice however that the graveyard scene was cloudier than I had ever seen it and that the screens desperately need a really need a good cleaning. On an up note the ghosts taunting the bride in the attic seemed be taunting her with a lot louder "I do, I do". We headed over to the Country Bear Playhouse. My Grandparents consensus's was that even though the Vacation show was cute the original just can not be topped and maybe next time it would be playing. I didn't have the heart to tell them that it would probably never be back. By then it was after 11:00 so we headed back to New Orleans Square for our lunch reservations and the Bayou. We were given a table by the water like we requested about 5 minutes after our reservation time. However, Pirates was down so the boats were not running which defeated the purpose of waterside seats. (I will do a detailed restaurant review rather than use up space here). After a nice lunch we headed out all of us very full.
We walked around New Orleans for a little while to try and get rid of that stuffed feeling. The Jungle Cruise was next. It was the first time that Mom, Gramps, or Grandma had ever had a woman skipper. As we were pulling out of the dock and waved goodbye this little girl on the dock yelled Whaaaaats Up and had almost the entire boat in hysterics. While on the cruise we got a couple of new jokes but a wonderful surprise. THE SECOND ELEPHANT IS NOW BACK AT IT'S HOME. I know to most people that are probably a minor thing but I was overjoyed when I saw him. We then headed out and gave in to Danny's requests to climb Tarzan's Tree House. BIG MISTAKE. The climb seemed steeper and higher with a lot more steps than when it belonged to the Swiss Family Robison. Besides that all 8 of us hated it. We thought it was a crummy replacement for the original. While it is just our opinion we honestly can not think of anything good to say about it. Next up was a glass of Pineapple Juice from Dole and a visit to our friends in the Tiki Room. Again I was haunted by past readings of Mouseplanet.com and noticed that many of the totem poles were not working properly and a couple of faces were totally broke. At least some were still working properly.
Since most of the group had fallen asleep in the Tiki Room we headed back to the Disneyland Hotel even though I felt that it was a waste. (I still have that Commando Disney in me though not as bad as in the past). On the way out we passed Pocahontas who looked like she was in her thirties. I guess young kids can't really tell but I sure could.
Back at the room while Sheri, Sam, Mom, Gramps, and Grandma napped Dad, Danny, and I explored the shops and grounds a little bit then headed back to the rooms as well. What was supposed to be a short rest ended up lasting over 5 hours. I know that we needed it especially the Grandparents but I still couldn't help myself thinking that we wasted an entire afternoon.
Road the tram back to the park. (I really miss having a tram that goes straight to the hotel without going through the parking areas.). We stopped at the Theater on Main Street mainly because Sheri had never been inside. Then off to Adventureland and fast passes for Indiana Jones. We decided to go ahead and take a ride around the park on the Railroad. We noticed something major was about to happen in the back part of the former Thunder Ranch. There was tables and lights set up. You could see cast members moving about trying to get everything set up. We were never able to find out what was going on though. The cast members either didn't know or wouldn't say. Road the train a full time around and then got off.
Danny and Sheri decided they couldn't wait for Dinner so they took off and agreed to meet us at Dumbo for the Fireworks. We reroad a couple of the rides and then headed down ThunderTrail into Fantasyland. Even though it is my least favorite place to eat we stopped at the Village Haus for Dinner. Mom liked her Pizza and Salad, Gramps, Grandma, and Sam all though that their Hamburgers tasted fine but I hated mine. I thought it was the grossest hamburger I had tasted in quite a while. After everyone was finished we headed to Dumbo. We ran into Danny and Sheri (who had bought Glo In The Dark Mouse Ears) and we all waited for the fireworks to start. Now I know that a lot of people watch the fireworks from in front of the castle but we didn't think we could see all the ground fireworks way up there so we chose the open space between Dumbo and the Carousel.
What can I say about the Fireworks? Breathtaking, awesome, beautiful, etc. etc. None of those words seem to bring justice to the performance we saw. Everything about it was just Disney magic. The shooting stars, the music, the fireworks performance, TinkerBelle in a new-lighted costume. I was almost in tears it was just so magical and beautiful, truly the best fireworks show I have ever seen at Disneyland. When it ended everyone (not just our group) was silent for a moment and then applause broke out everywhere. Anyone, who is planning on visiting while they still are doing this fireworks show, even if it is for just one day, must take the time to watch.
After the people thinned out we headed to Adventureland to use our Indy Fast Pass's. My husband just had to grab the bamboo pole and scare all those other people in line behind us. I was busting up laughing but the rest of them didn't think it was so funny. When we got done at Indy Sheri, Gramps, and Grandma decided to head back to the Hotel for the night. Dad, Mom, Sam, Danny, and Myself were determined we were not leaving until after the park officially closed.
Those of us who were left then headed to Splash Mountain. I just LOVE this ride, next to Pirates it is probably my favorite. There seemed to be a higher level of water than the last time I rode it. All of us in our log got wet. It was great. Afterwards, since we had the entire log to ourselves we just had to buy the picture. Call us suckers if you want to but pictures are just our thing. After we then headed back to Fantasyland. We went through the castle and noticed that the scene with Prince Phillip and the Dragon had been replaced with a stained glass window. What's up with that? I guess the powers that be are too cheap to replace one animatronic dragon, oh well at least I still have pictures from a previous visit. From there we headed to the teacups and then off to Small World. I know that the song annoys a lot of people but quite frankly I have always enjoyed it. Dad made the comment though that it seemed that there were about 25% less dolls. While I don't have exact numbers it did seem that there were quite a few empty spaces. Mom noticed that several of the animal shaped bushes now have a second plant growing for horns, antlers, stripes, etc. If that is new or if we have just not noticed before it makes for a nice touch. We then went back and rode Indy three more times in a row to satisfy Mom. She finally believed me that even though it looks like three doors there is only one track. Closed the day by getting an ice cream and sitting in Town Square watching the castle until almost 1:00 a.m.
SUNDAY SEPT 10 2000
We had a very hectic morning because the rest of the group was leaving that night so they had to pack up all their stuff. Sheri also has health conditions that make it difficult to walk at times so she got a wheelchair for today she was in so much pain. I know that some people thought we were cutting to the front of lines but cast members were actually very helpful about letting all 8 of us get on together instead of the official 5 that are listed in the manuals.
We took the monorail over to the park. My husband wanted to ride in the front with the driver, a request that was easily obtained. We found the driver to be quite unfriendly and very stuffy but maybe he was just having a bad morning. We finally got into the park around 10:15 a.m., over an hour later than park opening (I was not happy).
After arriving at the Tomorrowland Station we hoofed it over to City Hall to get passes for the 10:45 Walk in Walt's footstep's Tour for all eight of us. Sam just had to stop and get a churro on the way. We noticed one of the Horseless Carriages was sitting at the hub empty but the driver wouldn't let us board because of Sam's churro. (I found this quite stupid but I guess rules are rules). We walked down to city hall and got the tickets.
It turned out that there were almost forty people who chose to take the tour this day so they broke us into two groups. Our tour guide was nice enough. After all the good things I had read on the internet about the tour I was looking forward to it but sad to say reality did not add up to my expectations. I knew more than what she was telling the group and she left out several pieces of information that could have enhanced the tour to the others in our group. The following is what we "learned" on our tour.
STARTED OUT IN THE FRONT ENTRANCE
Red bricks because Walt wanted his guests to receive Red Carpet Treatment.
The Movie Theatre Set Up Walt Originally had in mind with "coming events" posters and inner and outer lobby areas.
Walt wanted curtains to open for his guests but the tunnels were more realistic.
HEADED TO FIREHOUSE
Cast members always knew when Walt was in the park because the light was on in his apartment over the firehouse. It is left on today in his memory.
OVER TO THE WALT DISNEY STORY
Saw a short movie on the construction of Disneyland
Told about plumbers strike and it was toilets or drinking fountains on opening day
Told how the original Jose from the Tiki Room is in the glass case
Commented that the Dinosaur scenes in railroad are wrong scientifically speaking
IN FRONT OF THE TWO OFFICES
(I DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL SHE TALKED ABOUT BECAUSE I HAD TO RUN TO BLUE RIBBON BAKERY AND GET GRANDPA SOME COFFEE, HE WAS STARTING TO GET SICK AND KIND OF SHAKEY)
BACK OUT TO MAIN STREET
Described forced perspective and how it was used.
Talked about the names in the windows being real people that had to do with the park.
Specifically she mentioned Elias Disney contractor, Walt's Father.
Mentioned the bakery smell that is piped out onto MainStreet
WALKED TO THE HUB
Told about the Weenies to draw you into each land such as The Carousel, The Mark Twain, The Rocket to the Moon, and nothing for Adventureland (the land itself was enough).
WALKED TO SNOW WHITE'S GROTTO
Described how the Italian sculptor who sent the statues over as a gift had never seen the movie and modeled them after a soap set that had all eight characters the same size.
How forced perspective (Snow White high on top next to a small deer and the dwarfs down below next to an extra large rabbit and squirrel) makes them look different sizes.
The drawbridge has only opened twice and it was actually not made to be opened and had to be redone a couple of days before the grand opening.
The spires on the castle are real gold plated and Roy thought that would be too much money so Walt did it while Roy was on a trip and they didn't speak for over a month when Roy got back and found out what he did.
WALKED INTO THE CASTLE THROUGH THE DRAWBRIDGE.
Our guide pointed out the gold metal button in the entry way that marks the exact middle of the park before the expansions.
The castle is actually flipped around and you enter through what was the exit not the entrance.
Fantasyland as it is now is more like Walt imagined it than when it first opened.
The carousel horses weren't painted all white until the late 70's.
The lead horse has bells
Carousels and Merry Go-Rounds Differ and those differences were explained.
WALKED FURTHER INTO FANTASYLAND
The Dumbo Ride was actually supposed to go into Disneyland Paris but Disneyland's Dumbo was in bad shape so they took the one for Paris and Paris made another one for their park.
We stopped at a popcorn vendor near the Matterhorn and listened to a story, VERY LAME (In my humble opinion) about how the two Abominable Snowmen brothers came to Disney looking for work and the scary one got a job in the Matterhorn but his little brother had to take a job inside the cart turning the popcorn maker.
STOPPED AT THE SUBMARINE LAGOON AREA BETWEEN THE TWO LANDS
Pointed out that the sidewalks change from land to land and that is how you can tell when one land starts and another ends.
Told the story about how Walt "kidnapped" Vice President Nixon on the monorail but no charges were filed.
She mentioned that a new ride was scheduled to open up between 2003-2006 probably based on the Atlantis movie that will be released.
ON WE WENT TO FRONTIERLAND
We did a brief stop in front of the Golden Horseshoe where our guide explained that the saloon was exactly like the one in Calamity Jane because the guy who built it retained the rights to all his sets. (Smart Man)
NEXT STOP WAS THE DISNEYGALLERY/WALT'S APARTMENT
We went up the back entrance via stairs (according to Dad this was the only part of the entire tour worth it since the average Disneyland public can't use this entrance.)
The various rooms were described including a refrigerator still in operation for the cast.
The courtyard had a cooling/heating system that allowed the patio to be the same temperature as the inside.
The haunted mansion was originally going to be a walk through and she told us the following brief version of a Haunted House story. A rich merchant who happened to really be a pirate was set to get married but wanted to have one last pirate adventure. On the night before the wedding the bride found out the truth and committed suicide by falling out the attic window. That is why you fall backwards, you are in a sense the bride and the caretaker is so frightened when looking at you because you are a ghost and he sees you. The pirate committed suicide by hanging as soon as realized his bride was dead. (Those who are Disney Addicts realize that there is no official story for the Haunted Mansion but I didn't want to ruin it for the few whom were still with the group.)
SUMMARY OF THE TOUR
Our guide did give some Disney Trivia facts that the average person would probably find informative. Our tour certainly did not live up to the expectations I had but that could have been because my expectations were too high or our tour guide was too new. The major things that our tour did not get that I know others received on their tour were as follows:
Actually going inside the Golden Horseshoe and having similarities with Calamity Jane pointed out.
Riding the Mark Twain and having parts of old rides pointed out.
No train ride in the Lilly Belle presidential car or even a raincheck to ride it later
None of the handouts like photos or posters that others received on their tours.
Trivia and facts that the guide didn't mention but that other guides have mentioned.
Mom and Sam thought it was an informative enough tour and they enjoyed it but Dad and I
didn't care for it at all and thought it was a big waste of time and a disappointment. The other four didn't really have a set opinion one way or the other.
Back to the rest of the report. After the tour we stopped to eat lunch. I have always liked the inside of the Plaza Inn so we headed over there. Sam and I both ordered chicken plates. We actually could have split one because neither of us ate all three pieces of chicken. We found the meal to be overly salty and so did the rest in our party. None of the desserts looked tempting so we passed.
After a so-so lunch we decided to do Small World. After all the walking in the tour without sitting or breaking we still weren't up to par. Small World was relaxing as always. We then headed over to Toon Town. Dad has never liked Toon Town since it was created with very small children in mind. I mentioned that we had to at least ride Roger Rabbit since the theming in the que is great and it is a decent ride. My husband discovered the Gorilla Bouncer door. (The one you knock on and the peephole opens up and the gorilla makes comments to you.) I thought he knew it was there but apparently not because I felt like I had a two-year-old on my hand the way he kept knocking on the door. Oh well, it is the little details that make the Disney Magic what it is.
I stopped on the way out of Toon Town to get a Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich and then the rest of the party decided to as well. So we all sat on the benches under the bridge eating our ice cream and people watching. We headed off to MainStreet and great moments with Mr. Lincoln.
While going down Main Street we noticed the Bakery smells were working. (They were turned off earlier.) We noticed the Parade was about to start so against our better judgement we stopped to watch it. TALK ABOUT LAME! IT WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST DISNEY PARADE WE HAVE EVERY SEEN. All off us couldn't believe they even call it a parade. The one good thing Sheri, Mom, and I noticed was Tarzan. WOW, all the internet comments I read about him were not joking.
We then went into see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. I always have liked this show. After the show we stopped into the DCA information area and I finally convinced Mom that those were bees buzzing around inside the orange peel not flying fish. The rest of the group thinks it will turn out O.K. and be a decent park but I just don't see it happening. Maybe I'll be surprised after it opens.
Off again to New Orleans Square. Danny and Sheri wanted to buy Christmas ornaments. We also road Pirates again. Pirates seemed to have a heavier fog and more water than usual. Then off to Splash Mountain. Gramps and Grandma had never ridden this before. (They were back at the room when we road it yesterday). Grandma was not happy at all. I have never seen anyone get so wet on the ride. She was actually mad at us. (We told her she wouldn't get very wet because in all the times we had ridden it not one of us had gotten barely more than a wet sleeve.) The fact that we bought the picture and captured her face for eternity didn't help much either.
Danny and Sheri left the rest of us to head to Main Street and finish their shopping. We rode Pirates again and then the Jungle Cruise. There is just something about riding the Jungle Cruise at night. Cast Members seem even crazier. We had a different woman skipper who was actually pretty good even putting the boat in reverse a couple of times. If you have never ridden the Jungle Cruise at night I strongly recommend doing so. It is just an altogether different experience.
Since it was almost closing at this point we headed down Main Street to finish up shopping. We stopped into the Ice Cream Parlor and each got late night snacks. I noticed that there were lots more choices as far as flavors go than the night before. I guess that they were just really busy on Saturday. We waited for everyone to kind of eat down his or her cones and then we headed back to the hotel parking lot for the rest of the group to head home.
Our tram footman was actually pretty funny. Danny, Sheri, and Sam were laughing way too much over nothing and actually were making him smile and laugh. Back at the Hotel we had a little bit of a wait because the lady working the Valet Parking Booth couldn't find their vehicle. After loading up, once again the bell man was friendly and efficient) Sam and I followed them to Denny's for a late dinner, wished them well, hugs good byes, they hit the freeway to head home and we went back to the hotel to finish out our trip.
MONDAY SEPT. 11 2000
Sam and I woke up bright and early anxious for our day together in the park. We decided to take the day at a relaxed pace since it was day three and we were a little sore. We went ahead and checked out of the hotel around 8:00 and then moved our car into the parking lot so we could leave as soon as the park closed. We got to the front gates around 8:15 for the early entry at 8:30. My husband struck up a conversation with the family in front of us. (He can do that anywhere-just talk to strangers.) I saw a young mother who was letting her two small children use her as a may pole while waiting for the gates to open. I couldn't help but think how nice it was, especially after someone else in line commented that she would NEVER let her kids do that that they drove her nuts every time they tried to do it. (I AM GUESSING THAT HER FAMILY DIDN"T HAVE THE BEST DAY POSSIBLE.) But I'm pretty sure the other family did.
Gates opened and down Main Street we went. We stopped again at Blue Ribbon for my husband to get some juice and fruit. I noticed that there was no board up listing what was running during early entry like there had been on Saturday. I also noticed no characters out and about this morning during early entry. Kind of seemed almost undisney to start the day without characters oh- well I knew they would be out later. We figured that at least part of Tomorrowland would be open so we headed there.
First stop was Space Mountain. After what seemed like an eternity (I still miss that escalator) we were inside. Only one loading side was open but the line was short and moved fast so it wasn't that big a deal. I LOVED the new music. (Even though we were there this past Christmas I hadn't noticed it.) It also seemed faster, probably just me but it did seem like a better ride. Stopped at the Starcade but noticed the entire top half was blocked off so we kept right on going.
We headed to Autopia but it was not yet open so we headed to the Rocket Rods they were down and mechanics were trying to fix them in time for the official opening time so we headed over to Star Tours. We boarded almost immediately. I hope that the talk about them coming up with new destinations eventually becomes a reality because as much as I enjoy this ride it is becoming a little predictable.
Next we headed over to Fantasyland through the Garden's. Overheard people complaining about the point of messing with early entry when most of the stuff is not open and complaining even louder about not being able to get in line for closed Tomorrowland rides until 9:45. Hit the Matterhorn and then into the heart of Fantasyland. I did notice that some of the attractions in Fantasyland that had been open for early entry on Saturday were closed today but it was Monday and we actually were expecting less to be open. We road a few that were open such as Alice in Wonderland and then off to Frontierland.
It was not quite 10:00 yet so the rope was still across the entrance to Frontierland. While waiting they were playing the music from Oklahoma which just happens to be my favorite musical. I truly enjoyed the wait just listening. Finally we saw our first characters of the day. Genie came out and headed straight to the throngs waiting on MainStreet. Chip and Dale joined him shortly thereafter entertaining the crowd. All of a sudden this herd of people starts thundering towards you and you realize that it must be 10:01 the park is now officially open.
There was a painter working on the Frontierland shops, which was a wonderful sight. (Even though it would have been nice if it was going on before or after park hours not during but at least it was happening.)
We stopped for a late breakfast at the Riverbelle Terrace. My husband ordered the Mark Twain and really enjoyed his country potatoes. I had the pancakes, which were made fresh before my eyes. (Their batter tool is actually very effective one push and equal circles no lopsided Mickey pancakes here). We went out to the edge of the patio enjoying our breakfast and people watching. We were surrounded by birds, birds, and more birds on the ground and tables around ours. After deciding we should probably get some more rides in we headed out.
Up first was Pirates; the fog didn't seem to be near as heavy as before but still a great ride. To me the cannonball holes in the fort look like a Mickey silhouette so check it out for yourselves and see if you agree or not. We hit the haunted mansion again. I noticed that one of the dancers in the ballroom scene looked like she was dressed in a princess gown. Is it my imagination or an inside "joke"? Maybe one of these days I'll get cozy with those who do maintenance inside the mansion and find out.
Next up was Splash Mountain. We got in line but there was a 10-15 minute delay while they got a log unstuck. I couldn't believe that they gave us the real reason for the delay instead of some nice little spiel about difficulties but the ride would be moving again shortly. As always it was a nice ride. We opted not to get this particular picture. However we heard a lady commenting how this ride was "So not politically incorrect having the voices sound black and everything". PLEASE, GIVE ME A BREAK. It's people like that who are the ones keeping this classic masterpiece from being re-released for the rest of us. I better get down of my soapbox and continue with the report.
Afterwards we went into the Briar Patch to look around. While it was nice I don't understand wanting to decorate your kitchen in Pooh Décor. The baby items were quite adorable. My husband just had to have his picture taken with Tigger. Tigger was just standing in front of Brer Bar so Sam waited patiently until the kids were done and then went up. People cutting in any type of line but especially in front of kids are a pet peeve of mine while at the park.
We stopped to rest on the bottom level of the Hungry Bear Restaurant enjoying the ducks. They just seem to multiply more and more each visit. (Maybe one of these Christmas' the Blue Bayou will have Roast Duck as a dinner special.)
We then headed back to Frontierland but the shop we wanted was not yet open. Since Sam had slept through most of the Tiki Room the last time we headed over there. It was great. There were less than 15 of us total, over half, which were kids. It was the most enjoyable Tiki performance I have seen in some time. The kids were totally entranced and there were no rude people talking throughout the performance. I will definitely remember to check out the Tiki Room on an off day next trip!
We checked out more shops in Adventureland and Frontierland waiting for the one shop we had to get to in Frontierland to open. In case you are wondering we were waiting for the leather shop that takes up a small corner across from the fort to open. Mom had seen a pewter key chain there but by the time she got back to it the shop was closed so she asked us to pick it up for her. If you see something you really want buy it then because you don't know if it will be available later. Now that was finally over so we could head back to a different area of the park.
Shopping in Fantasyland was next. First stop was my favorite store, The Villain's Store right by the castle. I got a porcelain Wicked Witch from Snow White and a Maleficent to add to my collection. (This was the only place in the park I saw them by the way.) I also enjoy listening to the Wicked Witch in chains and a cage that they used to have on Main Street but then moved over to this location. Then we checked out TinkerBelle's and headed through the castle back to the hub.
Once in the hub we boarded a horse drawn streetcar pulled by Buddy and exited at Town Square. We walked up a little ways to a get a locker. I noticed that the Dentists Office sounds weren't on, I hope it was just a temporary thing and not permanent. (Yes, I know that you can have all packages sent to the front of the park to be picked up later when you buy something but we didn't want to deal with that at the end of the day so we got a locker.)
We walked back down Main Street and once again boarded Buddy, this time with a different driver and headed back to Tomorrowland. We stopped for frozen lemonade and then headed briefly to the Starcade. Next up was Autopia. The wait was about 20 minutes but they wouldn't even let us in the que because of the frozen lemonade even though it had a lid. I found this to be an unnecessary delay since it would have been finished by the time we got to the cars.
We decided to head over to Honey I Shrunk the Audience. I just love the preshow. A kid screaming directly behind me ruined the inside however. This was a little kid and every time something "scary" would happen like darkness, the glass breaking, or the lion clawing at you the kid would start crying at the top of his lungs. Now you would think that decent parents would have had the common sense to remove the child, but no. By the time it got the snake scene he was crying non-stop and they still didn't leave. I felt so sorry for the child. He will be scared for life because of selfish parents.
By this time our frozen lemonade was pretty much done so back to Autopia we went. The new cars were cute enough but with all the hype I was expecting more. I loved the car park area with the tribute to Mr. Toad and the old Autopia Cars. The off road idea was cute but so short. Sam really enjoyed the pre-ride cartoons and the themeing. We checked out the store area when we got off the ride. It was a bitter moment for me since most of the store area used to be loading for the submarines. I still think that taking them out was a horrible decision on all accounts.
We headed to Innoventions simply because we had never checked it out since it's opening. I was not expecting much and I was not disappointed. The high number of cast members in this attraction could easily have been better utilized elsewhere such as keeping the submarines running a few more years but I digress. We went ahead and tried the virtual reality GM Show because my husband wanted to sit down. That was about all we could handle and we headed out. I truly miss America Sings but at least a lot of the characters were able to migrate to Splash Mountain.
Sam and I decided it was lunchtime so we headed to Red Rockets and thought we'd give it a try. I couldn't believe all the people that had allowed their kids to strip to underwear to play in the fountain. I am not talking about babies I mean kids that should have had on swimsuits. (We did notice when we came out of Red Rockets that the fountain had been turned off, but I don't know the reason). Lunch at Red Rockets was actually pretty decent, more so than I expected it to be.
We both got refills on our cokes and then headed to the train station. There were people in our car that kept taking flash pictures during the diorama scenes. It was quite rude and annoying. I really like the little extras as far as themeing goes such as the panther during Adventureland, the Mardi Gras Props in New Orleans, and the Frontierland theming on the backside as well.
ToonTown was our point of departure and that is where we got off. We decided to do a leisurely exploration of Toon Town since we never have before. It just always seemed like a place for families with toddlers. We checked out all the houses but didn't ride the coaster, it just seemed too kiddy. We went into Mickey's house and I loved the movie screening area with Donald and Goofy up in the projector area. It was quite enjoyable. We noticed that the signs leading up had Mickey on a Steamboat Willie set and costume but when we got there it was just a plain Mickey a little disappointing but we went ahead and had our picture taken anyways.
We headed to the Toon Town Five and Dime so my husband could get a Sorcerer's Apprentice Mouse Ear Hat. While the paint on the buildings did look faded I still enjoyed the extra touches such as Goofy's Garden, the interactive nature of the buildings, the dog that comes out of the firehouse window, but especially the writing on the windows such as P.L. Pete Prosthetics, B.B. Wolf Demolitionist, etc.etc. I found the windows to be a good laugh and seriously doubt that many young kids would have gotten the jokes. I also enjoyed the way that the Mickey Mouse Club Anthem would play and then characters would come out for pictures and autographs. One last picture with Donald, a nice lady from Australia offered to take it for us and then we headed to Fantasyland.
Being so close I just had to ride It's A Small World again. We happened to catch it just as the clock was striking the hour and the dolls came out. On our way back up the Small World walk way area we noticed that there were no characters in the greeting area. If I had kids I would have been disappointed with the lack of character choices this day. After riding Alice one final time we headed over to the Storybook canal area. We had a Male Skipper (a first for us). The narration was more Jungle Cruise than in the past as well. There was a family of ducks that had somehow migrated here from the Rivers of America. It was quite comical to see these Giant Ducks Attacking the Villages. Afterwards we headed over and road the Carrousel. (Getting up on those horses after three days of walking was harder than either of us expected, but as always there is something magical about riding a carrousel). After walking through the castle and once again wondering why the dragon had been replaced by stained glass be headed out towards the hub.
We hopped on what turned out to be the last fire truck of the day and after stopping off at the locker we went through the Main Street shops. I showed my husband the party line telephones inside the store after realizing he thought they were just for looks. Took time to admire the Art Store. I just love looking at limited addition cells and sculptures but the prices made Sam nervous so we didn't stay too terribly long. I thought about stopping and getting a Silhouette done but decided against it. After looking through the rest of Main Street we headed off to Frontierland to check out the Golden Horseshoe Show. I wasn't sure what to expect with Billy Hill and the Hill Billies since I hadn't seen anything there since the original saloon type show ended. First thing I missed in the new show was the fact that waitresses no longer come to your table you have to stand at the bar and order yourself. It was actually a pretty decent show and my husband really loved it. He really enjoys the slapstick so stupid it's funny type of comedy.
We headed over to the Mark Twain as soon as the show was over but we were disappointed. It turned out that the last boat of the evening had just docked and the last passengers were disembarking. I was very upset over this. Not only did it open very late but also they had no signs up saying that it would be closing early. I realize that it is not an E-Ticket ride but I still enjoy it. I was also hoping to find out why the settlers cabin is no longer burning (I read somewhere that the gas line broke but I was hoping to be able to confirm if that is the true reason or not.) Made a mental note to be sure and ride it in the middle of the day from now on to be sure it is open.
Headed to Pirates once again and noticed that the Blue Bayou was totally closed down for dinner. I don't know if it is every Monday that they are closed or just in the off season but I will definitely keep it in the back of my mind for future visits. Headed into the pirate store to get a piece of eight but alas the machine was broken. I just knew I should have waited in line on Saturday to get one, oh well. It does seem however that the last few times I have visited the machine has been broken at least part of the trip if not the entire trip. Looked inside the few shops that were still open in New Orleans Square. The estate jewelry shop is really something even though I doubt that very many people shop there. I almost gave into the temptation to buy a hand painted parasol like I had when I was a little girl but I resisted the impulse. We decided to stop at the French Market for dinner. Both of us just love the clam chowder in the bread bowls. We did notice that the price was up to $5.99 instead of the $4.?? it was a Christmas but we still felt it was worth it. My husband gets a kick out of the way they make the bread look like Mickey. (He is so easily amused at times). Almost got one of the desserts to split but decided against it. There were no live musicians but we still enjoyed the jazz being played over the speakers.
After dinner we headed over to Critter Country for one last ride only to be disappointed that it too had closed early with no warning. There were lots of upset people over this one. Since it was close to 7:30 we headed back to Main Street. My husband got in line to buy our Mickey Picture and I headed off for one last ride on Small World. There was only one other person and myself on the boat. It was wonderful, a peaceful end to an overall relaxing day. On the way back to Main Street I kept trying to find the Mouse Ears that Glow-In-The-Dark like Danny and Sheri got on Saturday. A helpful cast member finally informed me that those are only sold on Saturdays except during the summer. I then headed up Main Street to meet my husband in Town Square. We decided against an ice cream since we would be driving home. We sat in Town Square for a few minutes just watching the castle and basking in the last bit of Disney Magic before we had to head home. Onto the tram and then away we went.
SUMMARY
. It was a wonderful trip overall. While there were a few maintenance issues overall we noticed quite a bit of maintenance going on the days we were there. We also noticed that certain cast members looked like wardrobe needed to do a better job when it came to fitting them in the proper sizes. Even though it seemed that taking the park at such a relaxed pace was somewhat wasteful it was relaxing. I have heard more positives than negatives about the Walk In Walt's Foot Steps Tour so I tend to believe we just had bad luck and ended up getting a below par tour. The park truly is less crowded during the week even though there is not as much happening as on the weekends. If you see something you want buy it then because you might not be able to later in your trip. *TIP* In case you don't know almost all the eateries will let you get free refills on your drinks while you are still at the establishment. No matter what your age there is something for you to enjoy. Disneyland is still Disneyland!
While I realize this trip report is somewhat lengthy I do hope that you find it enjoyable and that at least some of the information in it helps you in planning your own personal trip.
Kelly Pierce