TamiJean
02-10-2008, 08:43 PM
• Tami Olson
• rgardenantiques@cox.net
• 11/27/07-12/2/07
• Time of Year: Christmas
• Travel Method: Car
• Resort: Offsite
• Accommodations: Ages Represented in Group: Preschool, Elementary Age, Adult
• Disneyland Experience Represented in Group: Veterans
Cast:
Bobby Olson, 30, My Husband – Disneyland Veteran
Tami Olson, 25, Me – Disneyland Veteran
Brice Olson, Our Son – 5 ˝ years old – 13th Disneyland Trip
Megan Olson, Our Daughter – 3 ˝ years old – 10th Disneyland Trip
Accommodations: Park Vue Inn
Places Visited: Disneyland & California Adventure & (Not) Legoland
Pre Trip Planning:
Last year was the first time we went to Disneyland at Christmas time…and it was great… I think that it will have to be a tradition!! So, this year we planned it a little earlier in the year, but still after Thanksgiving. We ended up at the Park Vue Inn. We hadn’t stayed there since having kids because there is no elevator and we didn’t want to have a second floor room and have sleeping kids in the stroller at the end of the day. But, now the kids are much older – so we decided since the kids were older and it had a good price and had a room with a queen bed & a set of bunk beds to try it. We were very happy with the hotel – check in was great and the staff was great. The continental breakfast was also better than we expected – coffee, juice, muffins, donuts, bananas & apples, French toast, cereal, oatmeal and sometimes yogurt! It was $89 a night for the weeknights & about $120 for the weekends.
Wednesday – November 27, 2008
I was up about 5am and we got out the door at 6:45…stopped for a bathroom break about Phoenix and we gave the kids each a little metal book with lots of magnets – one had a zoo theme and the other was a horse ranch…of course they both wanted the zoo one – but it was a neat toy to help keep them busy on the car ride. Of course, we have the DVD player too that is a life saver with little kids on the road!! We stopped in Blythe for lunch and had been promising the kids we would go to McDonalds and let them play for a little while in the play place. But, when we got there McD’s play place was closed!! But, luckily we noticed that the Carl’s Jr across the street had a brand new play place. It was really neat – four levels and had a jungle theme. I ordered food for us all and Bobby & I ate while the kids played. We had to eat out in the main dining area and watch the kids through the window because it was freezing in the play area!! Lunch was $19 – I saw on the receipt afterwards that the 9 pc chicken stars I got the kids was outrageous – like $7 I think. Bobby went up and asked about it and they said that was the correct price – they didn’t have any of the chicken star prices up on the menu. When we had stopped for lunch it was 11:30 – but then we realized that we had just gained an hour coming over the border and it was only 10:30 so we were ahead of schedule!! We got back on the road & feed the kids in the car and got to the hotel at 2:00 and were able to check-in! We got in the very first room on the ground floor…the closest room to Disneyland
We unpacked just a bit – set up our little Christmas tree. We started a tradition last year that we bring a little 12” Christmas tree to put on the desk in the hotel room to help our hotel feel like Christmas!! And, amazingly enough – every day Tinkerbell leaves presents under the tree, wrapped in Tinkerbell paper for the kids! So, the kids and dad walked around the gift shop for a few minutes while I was busy unpacking…and Tink snuck right in the room and left a present!! It was hat & gloves for the kids – Megan got pink princess ones and Brice’s was Lighting McQueen!!
We headed into DL and got onto Buzz about 3pm!! After, we looked at the line at Nemo and decided not to wait just then, and instead headed back to Small World – Megan’s favorite ride…and we all love it at Christmas time! After, we headed back to ToonTown and all rode RR CarToon Spin…and then bumped into Goofy. He was just getting ready to leave as we showed up though, so no good pictures. Next we headed over to the Carousel – just as we are about to get on, Megan announces that she has to go to the bathroom…but then says that she can wait until the ride is done. So, we took the chance and she made it. I headed to the bathroom with Megan while Brice & Dad headed over to Toad…but when we got back, Brice had decided he was too scared for Mr. Toad. Everyone was getting a bit tired & grumpy – so we went looking for food and ended up at one of our favorites – Stage Door Café. This restaurant was so much better before they changed the food. We got a chicken strips & a mozzarella sticks meal and we all shared ($20). We always bring in some food for the kids to eat – lunchables or uncrustables & applesauce. And, then they usually have some of our fries too. It really helps on the cost of food!
After dinner squished up against the construction wall for the restaurant next door that is being renovated…we headed over to do Pirates. The kids were both a bit apprehensive of this ride, like they often are on the first few ‘scary’ rides every trip. So – when we got off we headed over to Pooh like we had promised. Then, stopped at Haunted Mansion on the way back.
We headed back to the middle of the park and stopped at the Adventureland bathrooms. The parade was just starting and everything was really congested at the hub – so we took a detour and went on the Jungle Cruise – which is always better at dusk. When we got done the parade was just finishing and we sat down to wait about three people in from the rope in front of the castle for the fireworks. It was about 6:40 and I headed off to get some snacks. Bobby requested his favorite – root beer float (I don’t know how he drinks them in November…), so I went and checked the tiny ice cream window by the lockers & I couldn’t believe it – but it was open!! So, I got his float & a Mickey ice cream on a stick for Brice and then stood in a pretty short line next door to get myself a coffee, Megan a gingerbread Mickey man (that was really good!) and some holiday flavors of fudge! The snacks cost more than dinner - $22!! But, they were sooo good!
I got back and we all ate our snacks…Brice had fallen asleep while I was gone, but woke up to eat most of his ice cream – and then went back to sleep in the stroller. We did get him to wake up and watch most of the fireworks though!! After the great fireworks show – we bundled the kids back up in the strollers and let most of the crowd leave and then browsed on Main St a while – mostly looking at the Olzsewski pieces. We had recently gotten the base for the Main St…and were looking to get a few more pieces to fill it in. They were busy and the staff wasn’t too helpful…so we headed back to the hotel.
• rgardenantiques@cox.net
• 11/27/07-12/2/07
• Time of Year: Christmas
• Travel Method: Car
• Resort: Offsite
• Accommodations: Ages Represented in Group: Preschool, Elementary Age, Adult
• Disneyland Experience Represented in Group: Veterans
Cast:
Bobby Olson, 30, My Husband – Disneyland Veteran
Tami Olson, 25, Me – Disneyland Veteran
Brice Olson, Our Son – 5 ˝ years old – 13th Disneyland Trip
Megan Olson, Our Daughter – 3 ˝ years old – 10th Disneyland Trip
Accommodations: Park Vue Inn
Places Visited: Disneyland & California Adventure & (Not) Legoland
Pre Trip Planning:
Last year was the first time we went to Disneyland at Christmas time…and it was great… I think that it will have to be a tradition!! So, this year we planned it a little earlier in the year, but still after Thanksgiving. We ended up at the Park Vue Inn. We hadn’t stayed there since having kids because there is no elevator and we didn’t want to have a second floor room and have sleeping kids in the stroller at the end of the day. But, now the kids are much older – so we decided since the kids were older and it had a good price and had a room with a queen bed & a set of bunk beds to try it. We were very happy with the hotel – check in was great and the staff was great. The continental breakfast was also better than we expected – coffee, juice, muffins, donuts, bananas & apples, French toast, cereal, oatmeal and sometimes yogurt! It was $89 a night for the weeknights & about $120 for the weekends.
Wednesday – November 27, 2008
I was up about 5am and we got out the door at 6:45…stopped for a bathroom break about Phoenix and we gave the kids each a little metal book with lots of magnets – one had a zoo theme and the other was a horse ranch…of course they both wanted the zoo one – but it was a neat toy to help keep them busy on the car ride. Of course, we have the DVD player too that is a life saver with little kids on the road!! We stopped in Blythe for lunch and had been promising the kids we would go to McDonalds and let them play for a little while in the play place. But, when we got there McD’s play place was closed!! But, luckily we noticed that the Carl’s Jr across the street had a brand new play place. It was really neat – four levels and had a jungle theme. I ordered food for us all and Bobby & I ate while the kids played. We had to eat out in the main dining area and watch the kids through the window because it was freezing in the play area!! Lunch was $19 – I saw on the receipt afterwards that the 9 pc chicken stars I got the kids was outrageous – like $7 I think. Bobby went up and asked about it and they said that was the correct price – they didn’t have any of the chicken star prices up on the menu. When we had stopped for lunch it was 11:30 – but then we realized that we had just gained an hour coming over the border and it was only 10:30 so we were ahead of schedule!! We got back on the road & feed the kids in the car and got to the hotel at 2:00 and were able to check-in! We got in the very first room on the ground floor…the closest room to Disneyland
We unpacked just a bit – set up our little Christmas tree. We started a tradition last year that we bring a little 12” Christmas tree to put on the desk in the hotel room to help our hotel feel like Christmas!! And, amazingly enough – every day Tinkerbell leaves presents under the tree, wrapped in Tinkerbell paper for the kids! So, the kids and dad walked around the gift shop for a few minutes while I was busy unpacking…and Tink snuck right in the room and left a present!! It was hat & gloves for the kids – Megan got pink princess ones and Brice’s was Lighting McQueen!!
We headed into DL and got onto Buzz about 3pm!! After, we looked at the line at Nemo and decided not to wait just then, and instead headed back to Small World – Megan’s favorite ride…and we all love it at Christmas time! After, we headed back to ToonTown and all rode RR CarToon Spin…and then bumped into Goofy. He was just getting ready to leave as we showed up though, so no good pictures. Next we headed over to the Carousel – just as we are about to get on, Megan announces that she has to go to the bathroom…but then says that she can wait until the ride is done. So, we took the chance and she made it. I headed to the bathroom with Megan while Brice & Dad headed over to Toad…but when we got back, Brice had decided he was too scared for Mr. Toad. Everyone was getting a bit tired & grumpy – so we went looking for food and ended up at one of our favorites – Stage Door Café. This restaurant was so much better before they changed the food. We got a chicken strips & a mozzarella sticks meal and we all shared ($20). We always bring in some food for the kids to eat – lunchables or uncrustables & applesauce. And, then they usually have some of our fries too. It really helps on the cost of food!
After dinner squished up against the construction wall for the restaurant next door that is being renovated…we headed over to do Pirates. The kids were both a bit apprehensive of this ride, like they often are on the first few ‘scary’ rides every trip. So – when we got off we headed over to Pooh like we had promised. Then, stopped at Haunted Mansion on the way back.
We headed back to the middle of the park and stopped at the Adventureland bathrooms. The parade was just starting and everything was really congested at the hub – so we took a detour and went on the Jungle Cruise – which is always better at dusk. When we got done the parade was just finishing and we sat down to wait about three people in from the rope in front of the castle for the fireworks. It was about 6:40 and I headed off to get some snacks. Bobby requested his favorite – root beer float (I don’t know how he drinks them in November…), so I went and checked the tiny ice cream window by the lockers & I couldn’t believe it – but it was open!! So, I got his float & a Mickey ice cream on a stick for Brice and then stood in a pretty short line next door to get myself a coffee, Megan a gingerbread Mickey man (that was really good!) and some holiday flavors of fudge! The snacks cost more than dinner - $22!! But, they were sooo good!
I got back and we all ate our snacks…Brice had fallen asleep while I was gone, but woke up to eat most of his ice cream – and then went back to sleep in the stroller. We did get him to wake up and watch most of the fireworks though!! After the great fireworks show – we bundled the kids back up in the strollers and let most of the crowd leave and then browsed on Main St a while – mostly looking at the Olzsewski pieces. We had recently gotten the base for the Main St…and were looking to get a few more pieces to fill it in. They were busy and the staff wasn’t too helpful…so we headed back to the hotel.