3duckgirl3
08-11-2007, 02:12 PM
Travel dates: July 31-August 5
Travel method: Plane, train, and automobile (aka plane, MetroRail, and SuperShuttle)
Resort: Disneyland!
Accommodations: Travelodge LAX the first night, Paradise Pier thereafter (standard)
Ages Represented in Group: 19, mid 20s, mid 30s
DLR Experience Represented in Group: one old pro, two moderate, and one virtual novice
Comments: Can I go back now?
Cast of characters: yours truly, the dear little brother (DLB), the roommate (RM), and the good ol’ friend (GOF)
Planning:
I started planning this trip, oh, around last September, but really kicked it off in November when I bought tickets for Wicked. We were waiting on GOF to confirm that he could go, so the actual WDTC package got booked in April and arrived on a much-anticipated day in July.
July 31st
The alarm was set for 4:00, but I woke up at 3:30. Might have been a little bit excited, considering that I’d finished packing somewhere around 1:00 AM. Dad was taking us to the airport, and he and the DLB showed up around 4:45 to pick up the RM and me. The GOF lives a couple of blocks away, so we swung by and picked him up by 5 and were on our way to the airport for our 7:30 flight. The DLB and I were about bouncing off the walls at this point, although the RM and the GOF were significantly more subdued (read: catatonic).
Check-in at our small local airport was fast, efficient, and painless. Kissed Dad goodbye and settled in for a bagel at the restaurant, boarded the plane on time, and had a smooth, insanely fast flight to LAX (first time the DLB and I have flown—lame, I know). We got our bags quickly, called the Travelodge for a shuttle, were picked up within 15 minutes, checked in early, had lunch at Denny’s, changed into our fancy clothes, grabbed the shuttle back to the airport, and hopped yet another shuttle over to the Green Line Metro Rail. There began what I will call, putting it lightly, “an experience.”
It took about an hour and a half to get from the Aviation station on the Green Line all the way through the Blue Line and up to Universal City on the Red Line. Convenient? Definitely. Cheap? Without a doubt. Clean? Not so much. Terrifying? You betcha. Considering how little sleep we’d all gotten, it would’ve been nice to sleep through the whole ride, but the constant stopping and starting and having to switch trains a couple of times made that impossible. At any rate, we made it off the last train and took still another shuttle up to the Universal City Walk. For a girl who would pretty much live at Disneyland if they’d let her, the whole Universal experience wasn’t all that thrilling. We really weren’t there long, considering that our only purpose in going was so that the GOF could get himself a Hard Rock Café t-shirt (he’s a man obsessed, I tell you). With that accomplished and a Jamba Juice each in our systems, we headed back to the Metro and finally arrived at the Hollywood and Highland stop for a bit of sightseeing, including the walk of fame, the Chinese Theatre (not at all like I was expecting, but totally cool), the Wax Museum, and the Guinness World Records Museum. Being decently dressed up meant not wearing our most comfortable footwear, so at that point, we were ready to sit for a bit before our dinner reservation, and sit we did. The Hollywood and Highland outdoor mall is really lovely, and it was fun to just sit and people-watch for a half hour or so. Promptly at six, we showed up at Wolfgang Puck’s Brasserie Vert and proceeded to have a wonderful meal, watched over by the wonderful Liam, my new favorite waiter. Being small-town folk, the whole dining experience was totally fun, and the food? Who knew virtually raw fish on some sort of bean thing could be so stinkin’ delicious!?!? At the end of the meal, full and happy, we paid up (very reasonably priced, we thought) and headed for the shuttle to Wicked.
If you live in LA and haven’t seen Wicked yet—well, that’s just nuts. The Pantages is gorgeous (even the bathrooms!), the set is phenomenal, the leads are to-die-for, and the company is perfect. Our seats were perfect, too, being about 24 rows back, dead center. I’m pretty sure I spent the entire show leaning forward with a glazed, goofy expression on my face, because it was just so dang incredible! I could go on about the show for days, but since that’s not really the point here, I’ll just say that, for your own sake, see it before Megan Hilty’s contract expires!
After the show (sadly) ended, we made our way across the street (after some back-and-forth-ing, trying to find it—they’re doing construction and it’s a bit difficult to spot) to the Hollywood and Vine Metro Station. Even though it was near midnight, the trains were packed—I don’t think we sat down once. The show euphoria wore off somewhere around the third stop, and from then on, we were just ready to be back at the hotel. We met some really friendly drag queens who brightened up the evening, but the foul-mothed female gang-bangers who got on a couple of stops later did nothing to enhance the experience (one of them literally lost her pants every time she let go…how is that practical?!).
At long last, we caught the shuttle back to the airport, then the final ride of the day to hotel, arriving somewhere around 1 AM. I chose to shower, but everyone else was out within five minutes, easily.
Best moments:
Wicked. Amazing. Without a doubt. Couldn’t be happier that we went.
Vert. A bit out of our normal food experience, but soooo fun and yummy!
The Chinese Theatre. Seeing all the stars’ hands and footprints was touristy, but totally fun. Favorite one? “Dear Sid, May you never die till I kill you. Humphrey Bogart.”
Lessons Learned:
Schedule a later flight! A stopover in San Francisco is worth those precious extra hours.
You can’t beat the Metro for price, but… I don’t know if I’d do this again. It’s cheap and better than trying to navigate traffic, but I think I might just suck it up, work a few extra hours at the second job, and spring for a limo next time.
Fabulous Firsts:
Hollywood! Been to LA a million times, but never the land of stars and Universal Studios.
The Theatre. We have our local productions of course, but they just can’t compare to the big budget extravaganza version.
August 1st
Disneyland Day! Understand this: I am never, ever the first one up. Ever. I hate waking up. I’m cranky when I wake up. I lay in bed for great whiles, trying to wake up. Yeah. Not so much on this trip. At 6:30, I popped out of bed, woke everyone else up, and dragged my sleepy (to the point of whiny) companions onto the 7:30 shuttle back to LAX. There was no SuperShuttle attendant standing at the center island, so I called their offices and spent a fairly frustrating 10 minutes trying to communicate to the girl that I was, in fact, standing directly next to the sign that said SuperShuttle and that there was not, in fact, a blue-clad attendant anywhere in sight. Fortunately, a van pulled up and was able to radio the Anaheim shuttle that he had a pickup at our terminal. The driver was rude but efficient, and we arrived at the Paradise Pier by 8:45.
The moment we pulled up, the magic started in the form of an elderly black man called Reggie, who is the best CM Paradise Pier could ever dream of having. He raced over to the shuttle, greeting us with a “There you are!” as if he’d been expecting us for ages and we were long-lost friends who’d finally come back home. He directed me over to pre-check-in and chatted up the others while checking our bags into the bell desk. As soon as I was done, he whisked us out to his golf cart and took us to the DD Monorail station with admonishments to call him as soon as our room was ready so that he could get our bags taken up, and most of all, to have a wonderful day. I didn’t mean to tip him quite as much as I did, but when you hand a guy a 20 and some ones instead of five ones, you can’t really take it back, now can you? And hey, I’d say he was worth it for as great as he made us feel!
The Monorail arrived quickly and we hopped on (first time in my memory that I’ve ridden—seriously!). The standby line for Space was only 15 minutes, so we grabbed FastPasses and rode it for our first real ride of the trip—I don’t care what anybody else says, thinks, or feels; that will always be my favorite roller coaster! The soundtrack, the tight turns, even the queue—love it all! The DLB and I remembered where the picture was from last time and were able to pose, beginning the trend for the rest of the trip—if we’d bought all the ride pictures we wanted to, we would’ve ended up broke!
As was our intention, immediately after Space, we headed over to DCA for the opening of that park. We grabbed coffee (sweet mochas, how I love you!) and proceeded to walk on to Soarin’, Grizzly River Run (a double geyser—good thing it was warm that day), Mulholland Madness, the Orange Stinger, and only had a 15 minute wait for Screamin’. This was the DLB and my first time on Screamin’, since we’d refused to go on it with our parents on the last trip several years ago. I’m still not a huge drop fan, but we both loved it—him to the point of obsession, really. After Screamin’, the GOF and the RM wanted to go on Tower (put my foot down on that one), so we split up and they headed out while the DLB and I went to It’s Tough to Be a Bug, Sully and Mike to the Rescue (Roz to the DLB: “I like you.”), and the Muppets’ 3-D show. My two favorite parts of that show are totally random and involve Sam Eagle: In the pre-show, he admonishes the audience that “Stopping in the middle of the row would be distinctly unpatriotic,” and his part of the 3-D movie is called “A Salute to All Nations, But Mostly America,” both of which I find hysterical and which other people give me A Look for laughing so hard at…oh well.
All of this only took two and a half hours or so, but since it was around 12:30, we decided to meet up at the Pacific Wharf for bread bowls (so yummy—the DLB and I shared and were both full). At this point, we found out the ToT had broken down just as the GOF and the RM had gotten on, beginning the RM’s week-long habit of breaking things (Beware—the girl is a menace. She broke multiple rides, a bathroom, and THE BLUE BAYOU!!! Seriously, it started leaking on her!) After lunch, we hopped on Soarin’, Screamin’, and GRR again, then headed up to our room to settle in and (for some) relax. Our room was good-sized, even for four adults, the bathroom was great, and the beds were totally comfortable (although beds of nails would’ve been fine some of the nights). The lack of sleep over the last couple of days had caught up with a couple of members of the party, making them fairly cranky and a bit on the high maintenance side, so I was happy to leave the RM sleeping in the hotel room and the boys down at the pool while I went back into DCA for some shopping. (Side note: coming and going by way of the Grand Californian was fabulously convenient and easy. No lines, and they never even asked for proof that we were staying at one of the hotels. Loved it!) I had a grand ol’ time shopping with no one in tow. I always thought it would be lonely and a little depressing to spend time alone in the parks, but boy, was I wrong! Especially after 48 hours in constant company, it’s kind of nice to just browse back and forth between all the shops, not being rushed or feeling obligated to hurry up! I bought presents galore and had them sent back to the room, which made me feel rather posh and, more practically, left me happily unencumbered with packages. I caught the Block Party parade, which was fun, and called a friend who was supposed to go on this trip but was unable because of her husband’s work schedule. I include this seemingly irrelevant information only because it was at that point that we began planning next summer’s trip to the Happiest Place on Earth! Whoo!
After a couple of hours of Splitsville, we met up for dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria, which was yummy and lovely out on the terrace. The only problem was the major guilt I felt when I didn’t finish even a quarter of the Pizzeta Salad. I recommend it highly, but for crying out loud, don’t try to eat it by yourself! It won’t happen! Afterwards, we ran over to Soarin’ again, then split again for the two daredevils to try ToT (success that time, leading to a bit of an obsession) and for the DLB and I to try the Bug’s Land. Yeah, not all that impressive. Adorable themeing, of course, and Heimlich saying “I miss you already” is funny once, but altogether, the rides just seem short and rather dull. I still love all the Fantasyland rides, so it’s not that, but…I don’t know. Needs work. Okay, stepping off the soapbox now.
Around 8:00 or so, we decided to head over to Disneyland. We caught a quick Big Thunder Mountain (15 minute wait—not bad) and then I headed over to save spots for the fireworks while the others did a couple more rides (they rode Pirates without me, the big meanies!). I had a perfect spot, just to the right of the “Partners” statue, and the others joined me around 9:00. Please note that the fireworks are basically my favorite part of the Disneyland experience, and I’d pretty much pay the fee just to watch. You can imagine my stupid grin, then, when the lights dimmed, the show started, and, if you’ll excuse me, magic filled the sky. You can also imagine my look of horror when, just as they got to the Shooting Exposition section, everything ground to a halt and they announced that the show was cancelled due to winds at a high elevation. Nuts!
Disappointed but not defeated, we headed for the Haunted Mansion. Unfortunately, it appeared that the CMs weren’t quite ready to deal with the Fantasmic! crowd and the fireworks crowd merging, and we were at a virtual standstill for several minutes. Really wasn’t a huge problem, except for the woman who had her sleeping child in the flimsiest stroller imaginable and was basically using him as a battering ram whilst shrieking at all and sundry to stop stepping on her child. In a sardine-type crowd like that, I guarantee I’d be holding my kid.
After the HM (I saw the cracked glass spider—yay!), the state of our feet inspired us to take an obstructed view of the late show of Fantasmic! rather than walking around (and we wanted churros). Since we were seated directly behind a large tree on the left side of the Rivers, it wasn’t quite all the show is meant to be, but I just love the music, so it was fine by me. After the show, we quickly hit Indy and headed back to the hotel by way of Main Street. Again, I showered and the others crashed.
Best moments:
Reggie. The man could charm Cruella herself. I’d stay at the Pier just for his smiling face.
Screamin’. Facing the fears—not always rewarding, but this time, definitely.
Shopping. Browsing to my heart’s content and people-watching. Gotta’ love it! Especially enjoyed the family buying all their school supplies at the park. That’s like buying your Halloween candy at the movie theater!
Lessons Learned:
SuperShuttle. Okay, this was the beginning of the lesson. Not fully realized until the trip back. But avoid shuttles.
Being by yourself isn’t the worst thing in the world. If people in your party want to do different things, then, for crying out loud, split up! It’s not worth people getting annoyed because they’re not getting their way. Some time apart makes the time together even better.
Fabulous Firsts:
Screamin’. Obviously.
Monorail. Hard to believe, I know.
Taking advantage of online info. From late FastPasses to the Hidden Mickey on the golf ball in Soarin’, it’s kind of fun to feel “in the know.”
August 2nd
Okay, from here on out, I’m just hitting the highlights. This was an EE day, so I was up at 6 in order to make it over to the park by 6:30. The others? Not so much. I think they hit the park at 7:10, just about the time I was getting in line for Nemo. I really didn’t want to let them in, the big slackers, but they looked so forlorn that I took pity. Also, the family just behind us had done the same thing, so I didn’t feel quite as bad. The line took about half an hour, and the ride was very cute. Definitely worth a half hour wait. Worth a three hour wait? Not so much.
After a few other rides and some breakfast (love the yogurt parfait!), the DLB and I went over to Tom Sawyer Island for some pirate-y fun. Frankly, I was shocked at how much pirate-y fun there was to be had! We had a lovely time skipping around the island, looking in all the hidey-holes (the DLB is somewhere around 6’1” and smacked his head on one of the low-hanging rocks—I think he still has a bump!) and trying to nab the treasure. Easily the highlight was when a CM came running up and asked, “Have you seen Jack Sparrow?” We answered in the negative, as did those around us, and the CM ran off. A couple of seconds later, Jack himself poked his head out of one of the caves, looking around suspiciously. This led to several minutes of people trying to get a picture with him (a difficult task, since he’s so dang opposed to having his picture taken). The CM came puffing back and Jack was off, darting into the caves, chased by the theatrically cross CM. Jack was fabulously in character the entire time—totally enhanced the experience! We were joined by the RM and the GOF at this point, engaged in a bit more pirate-y fun, took in the extremely talented pirate band over by Lafitte’s, and departed the island. I was hoping to get back to see the pirate show, but the closest we came was a glimpse from across the Rivers. Definitely next time!
After several more rides, the DLB and I headed back to the hotel to be picked up by our mom and aunt for some family time. (Most of Mom’s family is in LA; she was visiting for a few weeks to take caring of our ailing grandmother). Considering how family time often goes, it was really a nice visit, culminating with dinner at Fuddrucker’s with an aunt, uncle, and several cousins we haven’t seen in years. I’ve driven by these restaurants before but never stopped—loved it!
After being deposited back at the park, the DLB and I did Star Tours (always fun, but the idea of a new movie isn’t the worst thing) and a full circle on the Railroad. Dad says we did that when we were kids, but I certainly don’t remember it. We had no idea all that stuff was back there! A nice rest for the feet and a fun time, although I had a moment of panic when I pulled my foot up to adjust my shoe and felt a pop and pain in my (notoriously bad) knee. I massaged it furiously for the rest of the ride and was relieved to feel fine when I put weight on it—whew!
Hoping and praying for things to happen right, the four of us gathered on Main Street for the fireworks. What a perfect spot! I always thought the Hub was the only way to go, but being just in front of all the shops is lovely—you can see everything, and you feel more in the middle of things, especially during the HM portion. Out came the goofy grin again and I breathed quite the sigh of relief when we made it through the Shooting Exposition part. After the glorious finale, we decided to swing over to Tomorrowland and jump on Star Tours again, since the bulk of the crowd seemed to be headed toward Fantasmic! We then headed to Indy for FastPass use, but as we arrived, the CMs were ushering people off the ride, assuring them that it would reopen soon. We decided to wait, since the feet were collectively screaming, and enjoyed watching the CMs clowning around and dancing to the Fantasmic! music. Just as the show ended and we were almost ready to give up, the ride reopened and we ran on for a quick spin, after which the RM and the GOF headed back to the hotel, while the DLB and I hit a few Tomorrowland rides, then took the last Monorail out.
Best moments:
Fireworks. Fabulous. Wonderful. Phenomenal. Can’t say enough.
Fuddrucker’s. Love the build-your-own-burger aspect—never too much sauce, never “no pickles, no onions, extra tomato, etc.”
Tom and Jack. Pleasantly surprised at how much there was for (reluctant) adults to do! And how can you not adore Jack Sparrow?
Lessons Learned:
Take the Monorail out of the park! Especially if you’re staying at the hotels. Hit the Tomorrowland stuff last, and it will save your feet. Oh, they’ll still hurt, but that hotel doesn’t seem quite as far away. Oh yeah, and trying rubbing Vicks VapoRub on them before you sleep—seems to help!
Fabulous Firsts:
Tom Sawyer Island. I don’t think I’d been there even before it was pirated.
The Railroad. A nice way to spend some restful, still-experiencing-the-park time.
August 3rd
Second-to-last day in the park. Sigh. The boys and I left the RM sleeping (she slept ‘til 11! In Disneyland!) and were pretty close to the front for entry. I stopped off at City Hall and got some rolls of coin (very helpful CMs in there) while the boys jumped onto the Matterhorn. I joined them and we rode it again (Tomorrowland side is much bumpier, but has better drops), then we hit a number of Fantasyland rides (they seriously almost made me puke on the Teacups), Winnie the Pooh (not my very favorite ride, but not as bad as I was expecting based on other posters’ comments), Splash for the boys (I’m designated cell phone holder), and HM before heading over to DCA. We walked on to virtually everything again, then headed out to DD for lunch at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen. The food was great, although the DLB and I just got appetizers because of small appetites, and the only problem was the timing—we got our food at 1:05, and we had movie tickets for The Bourne Ultimatum at 1:20! I scarfed my coconut shrimp and raced over to save seats—probably not necessary, but the others arrived midway through the last preview. The DLB fell asleep several times, but the rest of us stayed awake for a very entertaining movie. Afterwards, the others headed back into DCA for some Screamin’ and ToT (they convinced the DLB to try it—not a huge fan, but he did it) and I went to DL for some more shopping. We met at the Blue Bayou for dinner (there was a Priority Seating mix-up, but they graciously accommodated us anyway), but I was feeling a little forlorn and unable to eat (the whole “being surrounded by happy little families and not having one yet” thing—bleah), so I took off to save seats for Fantasmic! This turned out to be a good move, because not only did we meet some fun people, we had front row seats for the show! We had lots of fun personifying the ducks (our favorite was the smallest, who was ridiculously feisty) and playing IRS with my new Pirates playing cards (I’ll bet they sell lots of those in NO Square in the hours just before Fantasmic!). The RM held the spots while the boys and I FastPassed Indy, making it back just in time for the show to start. I’ve loved Fantasmic! since the first time I saw it over 10 years ago, and seeing it from the front row is about as good as it gets (and to think I almost paid all that money for priority seating!). We also caught the fireworks from there—if you can’t be on Main Street, be at the Rivers! I took simply ridiculous amounts of pictures—thank heaven for digital! We ran onto Pirates (good timing—coming out, it was about an hour wait!) and over to Space for FP use, then the Monorail and back to the hotel. This was the only night I left the park a little early, thinking that EE the next day was going to kill me if I didn’t try for at least an extra half hour of sleep.
Best moments:
Fireworks. Fabulous. Wonderful. Phenomenal. Can’t say enough. Again.
Fantasmic!. You can’t beat the front row. Sadly, I love my camera, but I really need one that takes better night shots.
Lessons Learned:
Early, early, early! Yeah, so other people have said it a million times, but there’s nothing like arriving early and walking on to pretty much any ride you want.
Fabulous Firsts:
Watching a movie at the Resort. Seems like a waste of time, but when you’re there for multiple days, fun ways to relax come in handy.
The Blue Bayou. I made it in—maybe next time I’ll be able to eat!
August 4th
Last day in the parks. Sniff. Again, the boys and I hit EE while the RM snoozed. We went for the Monorail “Hotel Guests Only” entrance, which probably wasn’t the best idea, since it had issues and didn’t open until almost 7:30 (the GOF had taken off early and gotten in the regular line as the second one there…came over because he didn’t have the hotel voucher…aw, nuts!). In line, I saw a guy I went to grad school with and who taught at the same school as I do last year. I knew he was leaving, but in line, I found out that he’s leaving to take up his law practice again! $20,000 and two years later…but I digress. Once we made it in the park, we hit most of the Fantasyland rides quickly, then headed over for the Toontown Morning Madness. We walked on to Roger Rabbit, did a quick bit of shopping (love the all-you-can-stuff-in-a-box Potato Head accessories!), watched the little show, and met Goofy. Fun!
After Toontown, we decided on breakfast at the Tomorrowland Terrace. I kid you not, this was the longest wait of the entire trip. Longer than any ride. I honestly think the kid waiting on my line had smoked pot before he came to work—completely glazed over, kept forgetting people’s orders…yikes! Couple this with the fact that there was an entire family (parents included) throwing temper tantrums near the line, and it really wasn’t the most fun. At least the food was delicious!
Against my better judgment, I let myself be dragged into Innoventions in the theory that the DLB and I could do Dance, Dance Revolution. Yeah, not so much. Didn’t know they took those out. Boy, was that a wasted hour and a half! The DLB accidentally set down his souvenir bag inside and had to run back in to get it. Rather than asking a CM if he could dart back in, he waited for the whole Tom Morrow show to go through…and this kid was the undisputed valedictorian! Sheesh… Anyway, the bag was already in Lost and Found, which was a pleasant surprise.
From there, the GOF decided to head back to the hotel for a shower and then to DCA for some Screamin’ and Tower fun, so the rest of us went to the Tiki Room. Again, one of those Disney staples that I’ve never done. Ridiculous, I know! Loved the Dole Whip, cute show—I’ll definitely not miss it again. We Cruised the Jungle again (better guide the first time), and I forgot to ask for a map, dangit, then headed for the explorer canoes, since the order of the day seemed to be trying new things. Yeah, that one wasn’t the best of the new things. You just row around (and the foreigners in front of us weren’t so hot at it—we were drenched with that nasty water!) and the only thing the CM in front said was “Keep rowing! Keep rowing!” Didn’t even stop at the Indian Village or anything! Since we have real rivers at home, complete with rafts and rapids, we probably won’t be doing that one again. From there, we tried the Shooting Exposition, which was also a first—a much more fun one. I like Buzz’s laser sights better, but it was still a good time. After a run up Tarzan’s Treehouse, we headed over to DCA for a repeat of our favorite rides and attractions, including Priority Seating at the Bug’s Life and Muppets. Not a huge deal, but fun. I love the pre-show for Muppets. Probably my favorite “queue” in the parks.
I took a quick break to pack and shower, then met up with the others at GRR before our PS at the Vineyard Room. Yeah, that wasn’t very bright. Yet again, we got double-geysered. Soaked. Drenched. Sopping. Just in time for our fancy-schmanzy meal. Sigh. The manager actually turned the overhead heater on for the DLB and me, because we were shivering. In 80 degree weather. Ridiculous. The food was fabulous, though, and I’m so glad we did the outdoor seating. The GOF and I did the 3 course meal, and the RM and the DLB mixed and matched. Everyone loved their meals and felt they were reasonably priced—and filling! We were planning on hitting Screamin’ again, but being so full, we decided to just Soar once more and head back to Disneyland for a last bit of souvenir-gathering and the fireworks. I ran around the Penny Arcade making pressed pennies, and found the amazing foot massager machine. Okay, so your feet only feel better for a little bit, but it actually does work, and it’s only a quarter! I highly recommend.
We settled in for our last view of the fireworks…probably the best spot we had between the four nights. Unlike the first three, with the one cancellation and enough wind to make us concerned about cancellations on the other two nights, this time, there was virtually no wind, and the smoke settled so much that you could hardly see some of the more distant explosions. The bonus there was getting the fireworks smell, which I (odd, I know) love. After deep sighs of contentment tinged with regret, we scurried around to the favorite rides and finally hit the Monorail for the last ride back to the hotel.
Best moments:
Fireworks. Fabulous. Wonderful. Phenomenal. Can’t say enough. Yet again.
Beating the DLB on Astro-Blasters. This kid is good at everything, so beating him by a lot was strangely rewarding. Of course, he “didn’t think his blaster was working right,” but that’s a bunch of hooey.
Main Street. I spent quite a bit of time leaning on a hitching post on Main Street, just soaking up the atmosphere before the fireworks. I swear, when it’s all lit up and dusky, there’s nowhere on earth I’d rather be.
Lessons Learned:
Skip Innoventions. And the Explorer Canoes. If it looks like a waste of time, it probably is.
A Day of Rest. If you’re staying at the Resort for more than a couple of days (and putting one jam-packed day in front of that), schedule a rest day. We were pretty much exhausted most of this day, and the feet? Started hurting about 9:00. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but throwing in that extra day would’ve helped.
Fabulous Firsts:
The Tiki Room. Fun and nostalgic. Gotta’ love it! And Dole Whips? Oh, so yummy.
The Shooting Gallery. Totally random, but a fun little sidebar.
Four days in Disneyland! The longest I’ve been before was one and a half, and one of those was spent performing in Carnation Plaza…fun, but not as much fun as extended time in the parks. Loved feeling like I knew everything there was to know, saw everything there was to see, etc., even if it wasn’t true. Familiarity definitely does not breed contempt!
August 5th
Not the best day I’ve ever had. Not only were they taking me away from my parks, but the SuperShuttle driver was 20 minutes late, rude, and spent most of his driving time on the cell phone. Talking very loudly in a language I’ve never heard before. The Alaska/Horizon terminal at LAX is NOT to be dealt with—no concept of line control, horrid employees, and vague admonitions to go “over there.” Bleah. The flight was fine, although I prefer jets to props, but coming home is always a bit melancholy, and the travel part definitely didn’t help. Next time, I’m definitely getting a limo or some other (nicer) form of transportation to the airport, and I’m flying United!
All in all, it was a wonderful trip, and coming home was (as always) a letdown. I seriously almost started crying in Arco the next day when I realized that nobody there cared if I was happy, the machines were broken and I wasn’t going to get a FastPass out of it, and the line I was standing in wasn’t even for something I wanted! Good thing football season’s right around the corner, and there’s always next summer’s trip to plan (if I don’t make it back for Christmas-time). Going in the summer was great—the weather wasn’t really all that hot, the rides were all open, and I don’t know if it’s just because Nemo was pulling everyone away, but the lines really weren’t that long! We got on everything we wanted to, and like I said, the longest wait of the trip was for breakfast at the Tomorrowland Terrace! If you’ve read through this, you’re amazing, and thanks for reading. Sorry it was so long…English major. We’re a wordy people…
Travel method: Plane, train, and automobile (aka plane, MetroRail, and SuperShuttle)
Resort: Disneyland!
Accommodations: Travelodge LAX the first night, Paradise Pier thereafter (standard)
Ages Represented in Group: 19, mid 20s, mid 30s
DLR Experience Represented in Group: one old pro, two moderate, and one virtual novice
Comments: Can I go back now?
Cast of characters: yours truly, the dear little brother (DLB), the roommate (RM), and the good ol’ friend (GOF)
Planning:
I started planning this trip, oh, around last September, but really kicked it off in November when I bought tickets for Wicked. We were waiting on GOF to confirm that he could go, so the actual WDTC package got booked in April and arrived on a much-anticipated day in July.
July 31st
The alarm was set for 4:00, but I woke up at 3:30. Might have been a little bit excited, considering that I’d finished packing somewhere around 1:00 AM. Dad was taking us to the airport, and he and the DLB showed up around 4:45 to pick up the RM and me. The GOF lives a couple of blocks away, so we swung by and picked him up by 5 and were on our way to the airport for our 7:30 flight. The DLB and I were about bouncing off the walls at this point, although the RM and the GOF were significantly more subdued (read: catatonic).
Check-in at our small local airport was fast, efficient, and painless. Kissed Dad goodbye and settled in for a bagel at the restaurant, boarded the plane on time, and had a smooth, insanely fast flight to LAX (first time the DLB and I have flown—lame, I know). We got our bags quickly, called the Travelodge for a shuttle, were picked up within 15 minutes, checked in early, had lunch at Denny’s, changed into our fancy clothes, grabbed the shuttle back to the airport, and hopped yet another shuttle over to the Green Line Metro Rail. There began what I will call, putting it lightly, “an experience.”
It took about an hour and a half to get from the Aviation station on the Green Line all the way through the Blue Line and up to Universal City on the Red Line. Convenient? Definitely. Cheap? Without a doubt. Clean? Not so much. Terrifying? You betcha. Considering how little sleep we’d all gotten, it would’ve been nice to sleep through the whole ride, but the constant stopping and starting and having to switch trains a couple of times made that impossible. At any rate, we made it off the last train and took still another shuttle up to the Universal City Walk. For a girl who would pretty much live at Disneyland if they’d let her, the whole Universal experience wasn’t all that thrilling. We really weren’t there long, considering that our only purpose in going was so that the GOF could get himself a Hard Rock Café t-shirt (he’s a man obsessed, I tell you). With that accomplished and a Jamba Juice each in our systems, we headed back to the Metro and finally arrived at the Hollywood and Highland stop for a bit of sightseeing, including the walk of fame, the Chinese Theatre (not at all like I was expecting, but totally cool), the Wax Museum, and the Guinness World Records Museum. Being decently dressed up meant not wearing our most comfortable footwear, so at that point, we were ready to sit for a bit before our dinner reservation, and sit we did. The Hollywood and Highland outdoor mall is really lovely, and it was fun to just sit and people-watch for a half hour or so. Promptly at six, we showed up at Wolfgang Puck’s Brasserie Vert and proceeded to have a wonderful meal, watched over by the wonderful Liam, my new favorite waiter. Being small-town folk, the whole dining experience was totally fun, and the food? Who knew virtually raw fish on some sort of bean thing could be so stinkin’ delicious!?!? At the end of the meal, full and happy, we paid up (very reasonably priced, we thought) and headed for the shuttle to Wicked.
If you live in LA and haven’t seen Wicked yet—well, that’s just nuts. The Pantages is gorgeous (even the bathrooms!), the set is phenomenal, the leads are to-die-for, and the company is perfect. Our seats were perfect, too, being about 24 rows back, dead center. I’m pretty sure I spent the entire show leaning forward with a glazed, goofy expression on my face, because it was just so dang incredible! I could go on about the show for days, but since that’s not really the point here, I’ll just say that, for your own sake, see it before Megan Hilty’s contract expires!
After the show (sadly) ended, we made our way across the street (after some back-and-forth-ing, trying to find it—they’re doing construction and it’s a bit difficult to spot) to the Hollywood and Vine Metro Station. Even though it was near midnight, the trains were packed—I don’t think we sat down once. The show euphoria wore off somewhere around the third stop, and from then on, we were just ready to be back at the hotel. We met some really friendly drag queens who brightened up the evening, but the foul-mothed female gang-bangers who got on a couple of stops later did nothing to enhance the experience (one of them literally lost her pants every time she let go…how is that practical?!).
At long last, we caught the shuttle back to the airport, then the final ride of the day to hotel, arriving somewhere around 1 AM. I chose to shower, but everyone else was out within five minutes, easily.
Best moments:
Wicked. Amazing. Without a doubt. Couldn’t be happier that we went.
Vert. A bit out of our normal food experience, but soooo fun and yummy!
The Chinese Theatre. Seeing all the stars’ hands and footprints was touristy, but totally fun. Favorite one? “Dear Sid, May you never die till I kill you. Humphrey Bogart.”
Lessons Learned:
Schedule a later flight! A stopover in San Francisco is worth those precious extra hours.
You can’t beat the Metro for price, but… I don’t know if I’d do this again. It’s cheap and better than trying to navigate traffic, but I think I might just suck it up, work a few extra hours at the second job, and spring for a limo next time.
Fabulous Firsts:
Hollywood! Been to LA a million times, but never the land of stars and Universal Studios.
The Theatre. We have our local productions of course, but they just can’t compare to the big budget extravaganza version.
August 1st
Disneyland Day! Understand this: I am never, ever the first one up. Ever. I hate waking up. I’m cranky when I wake up. I lay in bed for great whiles, trying to wake up. Yeah. Not so much on this trip. At 6:30, I popped out of bed, woke everyone else up, and dragged my sleepy (to the point of whiny) companions onto the 7:30 shuttle back to LAX. There was no SuperShuttle attendant standing at the center island, so I called their offices and spent a fairly frustrating 10 minutes trying to communicate to the girl that I was, in fact, standing directly next to the sign that said SuperShuttle and that there was not, in fact, a blue-clad attendant anywhere in sight. Fortunately, a van pulled up and was able to radio the Anaheim shuttle that he had a pickup at our terminal. The driver was rude but efficient, and we arrived at the Paradise Pier by 8:45.
The moment we pulled up, the magic started in the form of an elderly black man called Reggie, who is the best CM Paradise Pier could ever dream of having. He raced over to the shuttle, greeting us with a “There you are!” as if he’d been expecting us for ages and we were long-lost friends who’d finally come back home. He directed me over to pre-check-in and chatted up the others while checking our bags into the bell desk. As soon as I was done, he whisked us out to his golf cart and took us to the DD Monorail station with admonishments to call him as soon as our room was ready so that he could get our bags taken up, and most of all, to have a wonderful day. I didn’t mean to tip him quite as much as I did, but when you hand a guy a 20 and some ones instead of five ones, you can’t really take it back, now can you? And hey, I’d say he was worth it for as great as he made us feel!
The Monorail arrived quickly and we hopped on (first time in my memory that I’ve ridden—seriously!). The standby line for Space was only 15 minutes, so we grabbed FastPasses and rode it for our first real ride of the trip—I don’t care what anybody else says, thinks, or feels; that will always be my favorite roller coaster! The soundtrack, the tight turns, even the queue—love it all! The DLB and I remembered where the picture was from last time and were able to pose, beginning the trend for the rest of the trip—if we’d bought all the ride pictures we wanted to, we would’ve ended up broke!
As was our intention, immediately after Space, we headed over to DCA for the opening of that park. We grabbed coffee (sweet mochas, how I love you!) and proceeded to walk on to Soarin’, Grizzly River Run (a double geyser—good thing it was warm that day), Mulholland Madness, the Orange Stinger, and only had a 15 minute wait for Screamin’. This was the DLB and my first time on Screamin’, since we’d refused to go on it with our parents on the last trip several years ago. I’m still not a huge drop fan, but we both loved it—him to the point of obsession, really. After Screamin’, the GOF and the RM wanted to go on Tower (put my foot down on that one), so we split up and they headed out while the DLB and I went to It’s Tough to Be a Bug, Sully and Mike to the Rescue (Roz to the DLB: “I like you.”), and the Muppets’ 3-D show. My two favorite parts of that show are totally random and involve Sam Eagle: In the pre-show, he admonishes the audience that “Stopping in the middle of the row would be distinctly unpatriotic,” and his part of the 3-D movie is called “A Salute to All Nations, But Mostly America,” both of which I find hysterical and which other people give me A Look for laughing so hard at…oh well.
All of this only took two and a half hours or so, but since it was around 12:30, we decided to meet up at the Pacific Wharf for bread bowls (so yummy—the DLB and I shared and were both full). At this point, we found out the ToT had broken down just as the GOF and the RM had gotten on, beginning the RM’s week-long habit of breaking things (Beware—the girl is a menace. She broke multiple rides, a bathroom, and THE BLUE BAYOU!!! Seriously, it started leaking on her!) After lunch, we hopped on Soarin’, Screamin’, and GRR again, then headed up to our room to settle in and (for some) relax. Our room was good-sized, even for four adults, the bathroom was great, and the beds were totally comfortable (although beds of nails would’ve been fine some of the nights). The lack of sleep over the last couple of days had caught up with a couple of members of the party, making them fairly cranky and a bit on the high maintenance side, so I was happy to leave the RM sleeping in the hotel room and the boys down at the pool while I went back into DCA for some shopping. (Side note: coming and going by way of the Grand Californian was fabulously convenient and easy. No lines, and they never even asked for proof that we were staying at one of the hotels. Loved it!) I had a grand ol’ time shopping with no one in tow. I always thought it would be lonely and a little depressing to spend time alone in the parks, but boy, was I wrong! Especially after 48 hours in constant company, it’s kind of nice to just browse back and forth between all the shops, not being rushed or feeling obligated to hurry up! I bought presents galore and had them sent back to the room, which made me feel rather posh and, more practically, left me happily unencumbered with packages. I caught the Block Party parade, which was fun, and called a friend who was supposed to go on this trip but was unable because of her husband’s work schedule. I include this seemingly irrelevant information only because it was at that point that we began planning next summer’s trip to the Happiest Place on Earth! Whoo!
After a couple of hours of Splitsville, we met up for dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria, which was yummy and lovely out on the terrace. The only problem was the major guilt I felt when I didn’t finish even a quarter of the Pizzeta Salad. I recommend it highly, but for crying out loud, don’t try to eat it by yourself! It won’t happen! Afterwards, we ran over to Soarin’ again, then split again for the two daredevils to try ToT (success that time, leading to a bit of an obsession) and for the DLB and I to try the Bug’s Land. Yeah, not all that impressive. Adorable themeing, of course, and Heimlich saying “I miss you already” is funny once, but altogether, the rides just seem short and rather dull. I still love all the Fantasyland rides, so it’s not that, but…I don’t know. Needs work. Okay, stepping off the soapbox now.
Around 8:00 or so, we decided to head over to Disneyland. We caught a quick Big Thunder Mountain (15 minute wait—not bad) and then I headed over to save spots for the fireworks while the others did a couple more rides (they rode Pirates without me, the big meanies!). I had a perfect spot, just to the right of the “Partners” statue, and the others joined me around 9:00. Please note that the fireworks are basically my favorite part of the Disneyland experience, and I’d pretty much pay the fee just to watch. You can imagine my stupid grin, then, when the lights dimmed, the show started, and, if you’ll excuse me, magic filled the sky. You can also imagine my look of horror when, just as they got to the Shooting Exposition section, everything ground to a halt and they announced that the show was cancelled due to winds at a high elevation. Nuts!
Disappointed but not defeated, we headed for the Haunted Mansion. Unfortunately, it appeared that the CMs weren’t quite ready to deal with the Fantasmic! crowd and the fireworks crowd merging, and we were at a virtual standstill for several minutes. Really wasn’t a huge problem, except for the woman who had her sleeping child in the flimsiest stroller imaginable and was basically using him as a battering ram whilst shrieking at all and sundry to stop stepping on her child. In a sardine-type crowd like that, I guarantee I’d be holding my kid.
After the HM (I saw the cracked glass spider—yay!), the state of our feet inspired us to take an obstructed view of the late show of Fantasmic! rather than walking around (and we wanted churros). Since we were seated directly behind a large tree on the left side of the Rivers, it wasn’t quite all the show is meant to be, but I just love the music, so it was fine by me. After the show, we quickly hit Indy and headed back to the hotel by way of Main Street. Again, I showered and the others crashed.
Best moments:
Reggie. The man could charm Cruella herself. I’d stay at the Pier just for his smiling face.
Screamin’. Facing the fears—not always rewarding, but this time, definitely.
Shopping. Browsing to my heart’s content and people-watching. Gotta’ love it! Especially enjoyed the family buying all their school supplies at the park. That’s like buying your Halloween candy at the movie theater!
Lessons Learned:
SuperShuttle. Okay, this was the beginning of the lesson. Not fully realized until the trip back. But avoid shuttles.
Being by yourself isn’t the worst thing in the world. If people in your party want to do different things, then, for crying out loud, split up! It’s not worth people getting annoyed because they’re not getting their way. Some time apart makes the time together even better.
Fabulous Firsts:
Screamin’. Obviously.
Monorail. Hard to believe, I know.
Taking advantage of online info. From late FastPasses to the Hidden Mickey on the golf ball in Soarin’, it’s kind of fun to feel “in the know.”
August 2nd
Okay, from here on out, I’m just hitting the highlights. This was an EE day, so I was up at 6 in order to make it over to the park by 6:30. The others? Not so much. I think they hit the park at 7:10, just about the time I was getting in line for Nemo. I really didn’t want to let them in, the big slackers, but they looked so forlorn that I took pity. Also, the family just behind us had done the same thing, so I didn’t feel quite as bad. The line took about half an hour, and the ride was very cute. Definitely worth a half hour wait. Worth a three hour wait? Not so much.
After a few other rides and some breakfast (love the yogurt parfait!), the DLB and I went over to Tom Sawyer Island for some pirate-y fun. Frankly, I was shocked at how much pirate-y fun there was to be had! We had a lovely time skipping around the island, looking in all the hidey-holes (the DLB is somewhere around 6’1” and smacked his head on one of the low-hanging rocks—I think he still has a bump!) and trying to nab the treasure. Easily the highlight was when a CM came running up and asked, “Have you seen Jack Sparrow?” We answered in the negative, as did those around us, and the CM ran off. A couple of seconds later, Jack himself poked his head out of one of the caves, looking around suspiciously. This led to several minutes of people trying to get a picture with him (a difficult task, since he’s so dang opposed to having his picture taken). The CM came puffing back and Jack was off, darting into the caves, chased by the theatrically cross CM. Jack was fabulously in character the entire time—totally enhanced the experience! We were joined by the RM and the GOF at this point, engaged in a bit more pirate-y fun, took in the extremely talented pirate band over by Lafitte’s, and departed the island. I was hoping to get back to see the pirate show, but the closest we came was a glimpse from across the Rivers. Definitely next time!
After several more rides, the DLB and I headed back to the hotel to be picked up by our mom and aunt for some family time. (Most of Mom’s family is in LA; she was visiting for a few weeks to take caring of our ailing grandmother). Considering how family time often goes, it was really a nice visit, culminating with dinner at Fuddrucker’s with an aunt, uncle, and several cousins we haven’t seen in years. I’ve driven by these restaurants before but never stopped—loved it!
After being deposited back at the park, the DLB and I did Star Tours (always fun, but the idea of a new movie isn’t the worst thing) and a full circle on the Railroad. Dad says we did that when we were kids, but I certainly don’t remember it. We had no idea all that stuff was back there! A nice rest for the feet and a fun time, although I had a moment of panic when I pulled my foot up to adjust my shoe and felt a pop and pain in my (notoriously bad) knee. I massaged it furiously for the rest of the ride and was relieved to feel fine when I put weight on it—whew!
Hoping and praying for things to happen right, the four of us gathered on Main Street for the fireworks. What a perfect spot! I always thought the Hub was the only way to go, but being just in front of all the shops is lovely—you can see everything, and you feel more in the middle of things, especially during the HM portion. Out came the goofy grin again and I breathed quite the sigh of relief when we made it through the Shooting Exposition part. After the glorious finale, we decided to swing over to Tomorrowland and jump on Star Tours again, since the bulk of the crowd seemed to be headed toward Fantasmic! We then headed to Indy for FastPass use, but as we arrived, the CMs were ushering people off the ride, assuring them that it would reopen soon. We decided to wait, since the feet were collectively screaming, and enjoyed watching the CMs clowning around and dancing to the Fantasmic! music. Just as the show ended and we were almost ready to give up, the ride reopened and we ran on for a quick spin, after which the RM and the GOF headed back to the hotel, while the DLB and I hit a few Tomorrowland rides, then took the last Monorail out.
Best moments:
Fireworks. Fabulous. Wonderful. Phenomenal. Can’t say enough.
Fuddrucker’s. Love the build-your-own-burger aspect—never too much sauce, never “no pickles, no onions, extra tomato, etc.”
Tom and Jack. Pleasantly surprised at how much there was for (reluctant) adults to do! And how can you not adore Jack Sparrow?
Lessons Learned:
Take the Monorail out of the park! Especially if you’re staying at the hotels. Hit the Tomorrowland stuff last, and it will save your feet. Oh, they’ll still hurt, but that hotel doesn’t seem quite as far away. Oh yeah, and trying rubbing Vicks VapoRub on them before you sleep—seems to help!
Fabulous Firsts:
Tom Sawyer Island. I don’t think I’d been there even before it was pirated.
The Railroad. A nice way to spend some restful, still-experiencing-the-park time.
August 3rd
Second-to-last day in the park. Sigh. The boys and I left the RM sleeping (she slept ‘til 11! In Disneyland!) and were pretty close to the front for entry. I stopped off at City Hall and got some rolls of coin (very helpful CMs in there) while the boys jumped onto the Matterhorn. I joined them and we rode it again (Tomorrowland side is much bumpier, but has better drops), then we hit a number of Fantasyland rides (they seriously almost made me puke on the Teacups), Winnie the Pooh (not my very favorite ride, but not as bad as I was expecting based on other posters’ comments), Splash for the boys (I’m designated cell phone holder), and HM before heading over to DCA. We walked on to virtually everything again, then headed out to DD for lunch at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen. The food was great, although the DLB and I just got appetizers because of small appetites, and the only problem was the timing—we got our food at 1:05, and we had movie tickets for The Bourne Ultimatum at 1:20! I scarfed my coconut shrimp and raced over to save seats—probably not necessary, but the others arrived midway through the last preview. The DLB fell asleep several times, but the rest of us stayed awake for a very entertaining movie. Afterwards, the others headed back into DCA for some Screamin’ and ToT (they convinced the DLB to try it—not a huge fan, but he did it) and I went to DL for some more shopping. We met at the Blue Bayou for dinner (there was a Priority Seating mix-up, but they graciously accommodated us anyway), but I was feeling a little forlorn and unable to eat (the whole “being surrounded by happy little families and not having one yet” thing—bleah), so I took off to save seats for Fantasmic! This turned out to be a good move, because not only did we meet some fun people, we had front row seats for the show! We had lots of fun personifying the ducks (our favorite was the smallest, who was ridiculously feisty) and playing IRS with my new Pirates playing cards (I’ll bet they sell lots of those in NO Square in the hours just before Fantasmic!). The RM held the spots while the boys and I FastPassed Indy, making it back just in time for the show to start. I’ve loved Fantasmic! since the first time I saw it over 10 years ago, and seeing it from the front row is about as good as it gets (and to think I almost paid all that money for priority seating!). We also caught the fireworks from there—if you can’t be on Main Street, be at the Rivers! I took simply ridiculous amounts of pictures—thank heaven for digital! We ran onto Pirates (good timing—coming out, it was about an hour wait!) and over to Space for FP use, then the Monorail and back to the hotel. This was the only night I left the park a little early, thinking that EE the next day was going to kill me if I didn’t try for at least an extra half hour of sleep.
Best moments:
Fireworks. Fabulous. Wonderful. Phenomenal. Can’t say enough. Again.
Fantasmic!. You can’t beat the front row. Sadly, I love my camera, but I really need one that takes better night shots.
Lessons Learned:
Early, early, early! Yeah, so other people have said it a million times, but there’s nothing like arriving early and walking on to pretty much any ride you want.
Fabulous Firsts:
Watching a movie at the Resort. Seems like a waste of time, but when you’re there for multiple days, fun ways to relax come in handy.
The Blue Bayou. I made it in—maybe next time I’ll be able to eat!
August 4th
Last day in the parks. Sniff. Again, the boys and I hit EE while the RM snoozed. We went for the Monorail “Hotel Guests Only” entrance, which probably wasn’t the best idea, since it had issues and didn’t open until almost 7:30 (the GOF had taken off early and gotten in the regular line as the second one there…came over because he didn’t have the hotel voucher…aw, nuts!). In line, I saw a guy I went to grad school with and who taught at the same school as I do last year. I knew he was leaving, but in line, I found out that he’s leaving to take up his law practice again! $20,000 and two years later…but I digress. Once we made it in the park, we hit most of the Fantasyland rides quickly, then headed over for the Toontown Morning Madness. We walked on to Roger Rabbit, did a quick bit of shopping (love the all-you-can-stuff-in-a-box Potato Head accessories!), watched the little show, and met Goofy. Fun!
After Toontown, we decided on breakfast at the Tomorrowland Terrace. I kid you not, this was the longest wait of the entire trip. Longer than any ride. I honestly think the kid waiting on my line had smoked pot before he came to work—completely glazed over, kept forgetting people’s orders…yikes! Couple this with the fact that there was an entire family (parents included) throwing temper tantrums near the line, and it really wasn’t the most fun. At least the food was delicious!
Against my better judgment, I let myself be dragged into Innoventions in the theory that the DLB and I could do Dance, Dance Revolution. Yeah, not so much. Didn’t know they took those out. Boy, was that a wasted hour and a half! The DLB accidentally set down his souvenir bag inside and had to run back in to get it. Rather than asking a CM if he could dart back in, he waited for the whole Tom Morrow show to go through…and this kid was the undisputed valedictorian! Sheesh… Anyway, the bag was already in Lost and Found, which was a pleasant surprise.
From there, the GOF decided to head back to the hotel for a shower and then to DCA for some Screamin’ and Tower fun, so the rest of us went to the Tiki Room. Again, one of those Disney staples that I’ve never done. Ridiculous, I know! Loved the Dole Whip, cute show—I’ll definitely not miss it again. We Cruised the Jungle again (better guide the first time), and I forgot to ask for a map, dangit, then headed for the explorer canoes, since the order of the day seemed to be trying new things. Yeah, that one wasn’t the best of the new things. You just row around (and the foreigners in front of us weren’t so hot at it—we were drenched with that nasty water!) and the only thing the CM in front said was “Keep rowing! Keep rowing!” Didn’t even stop at the Indian Village or anything! Since we have real rivers at home, complete with rafts and rapids, we probably won’t be doing that one again. From there, we tried the Shooting Exposition, which was also a first—a much more fun one. I like Buzz’s laser sights better, but it was still a good time. After a run up Tarzan’s Treehouse, we headed over to DCA for a repeat of our favorite rides and attractions, including Priority Seating at the Bug’s Life and Muppets. Not a huge deal, but fun. I love the pre-show for Muppets. Probably my favorite “queue” in the parks.
I took a quick break to pack and shower, then met up with the others at GRR before our PS at the Vineyard Room. Yeah, that wasn’t very bright. Yet again, we got double-geysered. Soaked. Drenched. Sopping. Just in time for our fancy-schmanzy meal. Sigh. The manager actually turned the overhead heater on for the DLB and me, because we were shivering. In 80 degree weather. Ridiculous. The food was fabulous, though, and I’m so glad we did the outdoor seating. The GOF and I did the 3 course meal, and the RM and the DLB mixed and matched. Everyone loved their meals and felt they were reasonably priced—and filling! We were planning on hitting Screamin’ again, but being so full, we decided to just Soar once more and head back to Disneyland for a last bit of souvenir-gathering and the fireworks. I ran around the Penny Arcade making pressed pennies, and found the amazing foot massager machine. Okay, so your feet only feel better for a little bit, but it actually does work, and it’s only a quarter! I highly recommend.
We settled in for our last view of the fireworks…probably the best spot we had between the four nights. Unlike the first three, with the one cancellation and enough wind to make us concerned about cancellations on the other two nights, this time, there was virtually no wind, and the smoke settled so much that you could hardly see some of the more distant explosions. The bonus there was getting the fireworks smell, which I (odd, I know) love. After deep sighs of contentment tinged with regret, we scurried around to the favorite rides and finally hit the Monorail for the last ride back to the hotel.
Best moments:
Fireworks. Fabulous. Wonderful. Phenomenal. Can’t say enough. Yet again.
Beating the DLB on Astro-Blasters. This kid is good at everything, so beating him by a lot was strangely rewarding. Of course, he “didn’t think his blaster was working right,” but that’s a bunch of hooey.
Main Street. I spent quite a bit of time leaning on a hitching post on Main Street, just soaking up the atmosphere before the fireworks. I swear, when it’s all lit up and dusky, there’s nowhere on earth I’d rather be.
Lessons Learned:
Skip Innoventions. And the Explorer Canoes. If it looks like a waste of time, it probably is.
A Day of Rest. If you’re staying at the Resort for more than a couple of days (and putting one jam-packed day in front of that), schedule a rest day. We were pretty much exhausted most of this day, and the feet? Started hurting about 9:00. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but throwing in that extra day would’ve helped.
Fabulous Firsts:
The Tiki Room. Fun and nostalgic. Gotta’ love it! And Dole Whips? Oh, so yummy.
The Shooting Gallery. Totally random, but a fun little sidebar.
Four days in Disneyland! The longest I’ve been before was one and a half, and one of those was spent performing in Carnation Plaza…fun, but not as much fun as extended time in the parks. Loved feeling like I knew everything there was to know, saw everything there was to see, etc., even if it wasn’t true. Familiarity definitely does not breed contempt!
August 5th
Not the best day I’ve ever had. Not only were they taking me away from my parks, but the SuperShuttle driver was 20 minutes late, rude, and spent most of his driving time on the cell phone. Talking very loudly in a language I’ve never heard before. The Alaska/Horizon terminal at LAX is NOT to be dealt with—no concept of line control, horrid employees, and vague admonitions to go “over there.” Bleah. The flight was fine, although I prefer jets to props, but coming home is always a bit melancholy, and the travel part definitely didn’t help. Next time, I’m definitely getting a limo or some other (nicer) form of transportation to the airport, and I’m flying United!
All in all, it was a wonderful trip, and coming home was (as always) a letdown. I seriously almost started crying in Arco the next day when I realized that nobody there cared if I was happy, the machines were broken and I wasn’t going to get a FastPass out of it, and the line I was standing in wasn’t even for something I wanted! Good thing football season’s right around the corner, and there’s always next summer’s trip to plan (if I don’t make it back for Christmas-time). Going in the summer was great—the weather wasn’t really all that hot, the rides were all open, and I don’t know if it’s just because Nemo was pulling everyone away, but the lines really weren’t that long! We got on everything we wanted to, and like I said, the longest wait of the trip was for breakfast at the Tomorrowland Terrace! If you’ve read through this, you’re amazing, and thanks for reading. Sorry it was so long…English major. We’re a wordy people…