Disneyland Trips

I just got the scoop on the new Halloween-themed tour being offered Sept. 26-Oct. 31 at the Disneyland Resort.

• The tour will operate twice everyday (unlike last year when it was only run during the week): At 5:15 p.m. and at 5:30 p.m. -- and 20 people max are in each group.

•The tour lasts three hours and includes rides on the Tower of Terror, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and -- new addition this year -- Snow White's Scary Adventures. ...

Once upon a time there was a beautiful castle in a magical kingdom. For 46 years, boys and girls of all ages enjoyed walking around within its walls, seeing and hearing the enchanting tale of “Sleeping Beauty.” But one day, evil forces put a spell on the castle, causing the story within it to sleep forever — or so we thought…

Now, after nearly seven years of slumber, Disneyland’s Sleeping ...

Thanks to the amazingly perceptive AVP, Mr. Niwel and I both won our first ever in-park prize: mouse ears!!! She spotted the dream squad near the Carnation Gardens.
I wanted to hug the Disney Dream CM and thanked him profusely telling him it was a first for us.
It made our day to win that. Thank you to all who sent good YOAMD vibes to us!

We came, we saw, we failed.

We weren't among the first in the park. We went left and started our day on Big Thunder Mountain (I don't think I ever started there in all the times I've been to DL) ... then went to Mansion and then Pirates Lair and then POTC and then Indy.

Apparently we didn't go far enough out:
The Dream FPs were being given out at Winnie the Pooh while we were at HM. We got of the island and headed toward River Belle -- and just missed the hats ...

Some things are a given when Mr. Niwel and I visit Disneyland:

1) We will arrive before the park opens
2) We will get a FastPass for Space Mountain
3) We will share a chocolate milk
4) We will not win a prize from the Year of a Million Dreams.

Yup -- not a trip, not a churro, not even a magical FastPass or pair of ears.

Mr. Niwel says it is my fault. I have what my friends and family lovingly call "The Shana Method" to Disneyland ...