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Thread: Pammer ~ August 27-30, 2014 ~ Offsite

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    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA

    Pammer ~ August 27-30, 2014 ~ Offsite

    This is not my usual happy-go-lucky trip report; however, I hope you enjoy reading it anyway and know that things are going well for me...

    Travel dates: August 27-30, 2014
    Travel method: Plane
    Resort: Anaheim Del Sol Inn & Ramada Main Gate (Off-site)
    Accommodations: Standard
    Ages Represented in Group: Adult
    Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: Veteran & Occasional
    Comments: To hopefully complete another 5K!
    Cast of characters:

    • Pam, 53: Trip planner/writer and self-proclaimed Disney Queen
    • Heather, 51: College friend who last went to DL 10 years ago


    The Planning

    In late January, I got caught up in the excitement of the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend registration when I received a $15 coupon code in my email; it didn't say that it wasn't applicable for the 5K (which is the longest distance I care to do) so I tried it and it worked! The discount brought the price down to $55, and I figured that wasn't too hefty a price to forego in case I couldn't do the race for some reason. I also pre-purchased the 5K pin, as I add it to the finisher's medallion lanyard afterwards (total for registration, fees, and the pin = $76.27). The only downside was that I didn't have someone scheduled to do the race with me.

    At the end of March, I emailed my friend Heather in Modesto to see if she might want to join me; she and her husband last went to Disneyland for my birthday in December 2004 and had vowed that they were good for 10 years (although her hubby was pretty much totally done after that trip!) so I was pleased when she agreed to join me. For my part, I agreed to take a less-commando approach than usual to our trip together LOL!

    In mid-April, our trip was threatened when I was diagnosed with breast cancer; my treatment plan schedule consisted of 6 chemotherapy treatments, surgery, and probable radiation over the next several months. Because my cancer was also considered aggressive (but treatable), my oncologist felt I was a great candidate for a clinical trial, where I would have the chemo upfront, followed by surgery, followed by the radiation so I began my treatment on May 22, 2014. Chemo is every 3 weeks, and my last treatment is scheduled to occur the week after the race; however, since I feel lousy the first 10 days after a treatment and really only have energy the last few days before the cycle starts all over again, any type of exercise is pretty well non-existent right now. I knew just having energy to walk around the resort was going to be hard enough, so about a week before departure I decided to forego the race and just concentrate on a fun trip with Heather!

    Lodging: At the same time I registering for the 5K, I also was checking my usual motel (Anaheim Del Sol Inn) for availability; I ultimately made a reservation for August 27-30 ($340, including taxes & fees). Heather decided to get her own room in early July so our sleep issues wouldn't interfere with each other; since the Del Sol didn't have any more rooms for the entire stay, she ended up making a reservation at the Ramada Main Gate down the street (which ironically is the place we stayed in 2001 during our FiRST trip to DL together!) for a nightly rate of $109.

    Transportation: I booked my airfare on Southwest Airlines from Sacramento to Orange County in mid-March (equivalent cost = $77 each way) and then rebooked it in early July when the fares dropped down to $53 each way; total TSA fee & Early-Bird option came to $30 round-trip (without points the total cash cost would have been $131). I let Heather know the flight schedules and she purchased her airfare separately ($179) when she decided to go at the end of March.

    I also made reservations with SuperShuttle for travel to/from our motels ($18 round-trip for each of us after the AAA group discount was applied).

    Tickets: I have a Deluxe Annual Pass and had planned to leave on Saturday when I'm blocked anyway; Heather bought a 3-day hopper pass using my corporate discount ($238.50).

    Priority Seating: Heather requested a meal at the Blue Bayou (BB) and a drink at the Hearthstone Lounge (HL) in the Grand Californian Hotel, so I made a reservation at the BB for lunch on Friday and also planned an evening at the HL as she requested. In addition, I perused the Disneyland menus over at allears.net to see if there was another place we might be interested in (besides Rainforest Cafe, which is usually a given if I have time during a trip). I know Heather really loves the city of New Orleans, so I thought a lunch at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen would be nice and also a drink at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar might be fun as well!

    Lastly would be breakfast on Saturday; Heather was game for a character breakfast outside the parks so I made a reservation at Storytellers Cafe.

    Disney Visa Rewards Card: I transferred $170 out of my rewards balance on my Disney Visa Rewards Card (DVRC) to cover my Disney park meals and any park incidentals.

    The Itinerary

    The pre-planning was done, and we were ready to go! Here was our planned schedule:

    • August 27: Fly down in the early morning; check-in to the Del Sol Inn & the Ramada Main Gate; Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen
    • August 28: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Rainforest Cafe; Fitness Expo
    • August 29: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Blue Bayou
    • August 30: Breakfast at the Storytellers Cafe; check-out of the Del Sol Inn & the Ramada Main Gate; fly home in the early afternoon


    Tuesday, August 26, 2014

    Actual: Since I am currently on a leave of absence from work, I only had to worry about printing off my boarding pass (A41, even with Early Bird!) and packing, so that was my main focus for the day! Also, with my food taste issues, I decided against buying a sandwich from Subway to take with me to the airport the next day like I usually do.

    I was in bed around 10pm.


    Wednesday, August 27, 2014 (94o)

    Plan: Fly down in the early morning; check-in to the Del Sol Inn & the Ramada Main Gate; Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen

    Actual: I was awake at 4:30am, but didn't get up until 5:15am (that was plenty early!); James also got up and we both started getting dressed. I fed Sidney & had a couple of open-faced peanut butter sandwiches before taking one of my pain pills for the numbness I have in my feet (neuropathy ~ this should be temporary); however, I then had an attack of what I call my bad side effect, which put a damper on the morning for both James & me!

    Heather arrived just before 7am and James put our luggage in the car while I tried to get Sidney to say hi to her (Sidney and his brother Simon had previously belonged to Heather's late mother), but he ran under the dining room table so not today!

    We left shortly thereafter and had pretty much no traffic on our way to the airport (James would find an alternate route to avoid rush-hour traffic on his way home) and James dropped us off around 7:30am. We were able to by-pass check-in since we both only had carry-on bags at this time. I planned to possibly purchase a pair or two of the special runDisney New Balance shoes, but if I did I would then check the bag on the return trip and carry the shoes with me on the plane as my carry-on.

    We got through TSA quickly (my infusion port did not show up on the scan, nor did the pedometer I had forgotten to remove which HAD showed up on a previous trip!) but they had to pat my scalp and my shoulder down as that was the two spots that showed up for some reason. Heather had no issues, but they inspected my carry-on; I was shocked when they confiscated the small jar of peanut butter I had in it! It was considered a "cream"; darn it, there goes my breakfast option!

    We stopped at the restrooms and then Heather stopped to purchase a breakfast pastry from Peets Coffee & Tea; we walked down toward our gate and I stopped to buy a side of bacon from Famous Famiglia ($2.16). We sat down by our gate and finished our food; soon they were calling for everyone to start lining up! I was A41 & Heather was A42; I had been curious to see how the Early-Bird option had slotted us, since I had purchased that option two weeks before Heather had.

    Heather had told me that she prefers the aisle seat, like I do, so we decided that we would sit across from each other. She also prefers the back of the plane as she thinks it is safer; since the exit rows were pretty much filled in by now, we took our seats a couple of rows behind them. The father & daughter who sat next to me were also going down for the races; the daughter was running along with other members of their family who were driving down that day rather than flying. She had the Cinderella NB running shoes and had done several races in both CA and FL, so we chatted for quite a while about our experiences.

    We took off on time and were served Coke Zero (me) and tomato juice (H); our snack was one bag of lightly salted peanuts apiece. Again I wondered what determined the quantity of snacks you received on your flight as sometimes I get one bag and sometimes I get two!

    We arrived a couple of minutes early and stopped at the restroom, where I also changed from my jeans into my running skirt for the parks; I knew it was going to be a hot day plus I wasn't sure if my room would be ready yet and I was ready to change!

    We bypassed the baggage claim area and headed down to Ground Transportation, where we were directed to a waiting SuperShuttle van that was mostly full. We left about 5mins later and Heather was the second party dropped off and I was the third, so I was pleased about that!

    I checked in at the Del Sol Inn and told them that I would take whatever room was ready above the carport now, even a King bed room. I was given room #230, which was a lot further back than I would have liked given my current health situation, but I really wanted to get into a room now so I took it. It about killed me to drag my little carry-on up the stairs though!

    I got into my room & put my valuables in the safe; Heather texted me to say that her room wasn't yet ready but that she was waiting in the air-conditioned comfort of my motel's lobby so I said I would be there shortly. I topped off my water bottle, grabbed my fanny pack, and walked back to the lobby to find ~ no Heather! The clerk said no one had been waiting there since I had left a few minutes before, so I decided to check next door at the Anaheim Desert Inn ~ again, no Heather! The desk staff said someone had been sitting there a few minutes' earlier so I sat down to pull out my reading glasses and text Heather to find out where she was!

    I walked back outside to find Heather walking up from across the Denny's parking lot, so crisis averted and we were off to Disney California Adventure (DCA) around noon!

    I immediately noticed how exhausting it was for me to walk any distance, especially in the hot weather; I told Heather how my cheeks get red when I get over-heated and she said I was beet red at the time and should maybe sit down & rest right then, but I declined for the moment.

    Heather had her ticket voucher activated and we were soon through the turnstiles. We headed over to Hollywood Land and decided to ride Monsters Inc. with about an 8min wait; I was disappointed that Roz didn't say anything specific to anyone in our car at the end!

    Our next stop was the Disney Visa meet & greet, where we waited just a few minutes to see Stitch. I asked the Cast Member (CM) what the rotation schedule was that now included Daisy with Minnie and Stitch, and mentally made a note to try to catch Daisy tomorrow or the next day. Heather wasn't really interested in doing the meet & greet, until I insisted that I wanted her in the pictures with me!



    We cut back through the park and I picked up Fastpasses (FP) for Soarin' over California (2:20pm @ 12:35pm) and then I stopped to see what section the World of Color FPs were for that night (yellow; I guess we will try again for tomorrow night's show). We exited DCA through the Grand Californian Hotel (GCH) and I stopped at Storytellers Cafe to ask if they were no longer serving entrees at breakfast (I had seen an updated menu online and they only were showing the buffet; at $28 apiece, this was more cost & food than either of us wanted). The CM confirmed that it would only be the buffet so I asked her to cancel it for me (well probably go to Rainforest Cafe for breakfast on Saturday now instead).

    We walked through Downtown Disney to Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen for our 1pm reservation, and were immediately seated inside a fairly empty restaurant. I ordered a plain hamburger (ground filet mignon sounded mighty tasty) and a Diet Coke and Heather, wanting something cool, ordered the Blackened Chicken Spinach Salad and an Iced Tea. After a few minutes, Heather inquired about a bread service and we were brought (at a small cost) a baguette of bread and butter. We snacked on about half of that (Heather didnt think it was that great and I can't always trust my taste at this point of my treatment!) until our entrees arrived.

    OH MY GOSH ~ we both declared our entrees to be delicious! I put some Dijon mustard on my hamburger and it was very tasty and Heather ate her entire salad! My fries were good too, but I started to fill up after the first half of my burger so I decided to just eat the meat of the second half so it wouldn't go to waste. I also was so thirsty I think I drank three Diet Cokes!

    Too full for beignets, we settled the check ($47, after my 10% Annual Passholder discount) and headed back towards DCA via the private entrance in the GCH. We went straight over to ride Soarin' with our FPs right before they expired at 2:20pm and Heather really enjoyed the ride!

    Heather was also interested in riding Grizzly River Run so we headed back over there, but the single rider line was longer than she cared to wait for right now so we walked on to Ariel's Undersea Adventure instead; I noticed the new animation scenes that had been added since my visit in March.

    We walked back through the Pacific Wharf and in the back way of Cars Land; I stopped to show Heather some of the details of Radiator Springs Racers, and she looked forward to riding it the next day!

    Cars Land was pretty busy (and hot!), so we walked over to ride Mater's Junkyard Jamboree around 3:20pm (5min wait); we both had a lot of fun on that one!

    Heather wanted some ice cream, so we stopped at Clarabelle's where she bought a single scoop of chocolate in a cup. She hung out and enjoyed that while I stopped to pick up our free photo from Kingswell Camera Shop.

    We were ready for a break and Heather wanted to get into her room, so we headed for the exit. I had to stop and rest just before bag check as I got too tired, and then we resumed our walk. I stopped at the Mickey & Me Outlet (Park Vue Inn) to pick up 3 liters of bottled water ($8.39) while Heather continued on to her motel. I then took my water up to my room at the Del Sol, arriving around 4pm. I turned the A/C up full strength, but never felt its full potential!

    I called James to fill him on the day so far, and then texted Heather to say that I wasn't ready to meet at 5pm like we had originally planned. She decided to go on over to the Hearthstone Lounge inside the Grand California Hotel and have a drink like she had wanted, and then we would meet at Disneyland around 6pm.

    I continued to rest and then left my room about 10mins until 6pm. I stopped in the lobby and let Loretta know that my A/C didn't seem to have enough Freon, so she dispatched the maintenance guy to my room. We caught up a bit (Loretta has worked here for several years and always recognizes me), and then I excused myself to go meet Heather.

    We met up inside the park, and I was already tired from just walking over from the motel! We sat down on a bench in Town Square and visited for a few minutes; we also asked a nearby CM to take our photo, which turned out pretty nice!



    Once I felt a bit stronger, we walked up to Star Tours and enjoyed about a 10min wait (Darth Vader, Hoth, Yoda, Naboo); Heather was very impressed with the reboot but I think we both were a little bit queasy afterwards as I think the combination of DV & Hoth is a little bit hard on the stomach!

    Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters showed a 5min wait, but went down as we neared the loading platform so we proceeded through the Disabled entry door and out through the exit. We saw the Frozen pre-parade float pass by and then crossed over the parade route and through Sleeping Beauty Castle into Fantasyland. Heather wanted to ride Alice in Wonderland, which had a long queue, where I preferred to wait until Friday morning when the line should be shorter so we split up; I went into Pinocchio's Village Haus while Heather went to Alice.

    Many guests don't understand how the ordering works at the counter-service restaurants, where both sides are open on either side of the CM. There were several people waiting in line at the open registers, but only on one side so I breezed up along the other side and had my order for a large Coke Zero ($3.59 after the 10% AP discount) placed right away!

    I got my drink and found a quiet spot over in one of the side rooms near a nursing mother and took a seat. I worked on my trip notes while I enjoyed my refreshing drink and waited about 20mins for Heather to find me (it took her a little while to locate the right place, since she isn't as familiar with the parks like I am). She had been able to see some of the Mickey's Soundsational Parade from the Alice queue as it passed by, so that was fun for her as was the ride itself.

    We left Fantasyland and walked Big Thunder Trail towards Big Thunder Mountain Railroad around 7:30pm; the wait was listed as 5mins with FP only 35mins away but I was hungry so we decided to bypass for now ~ hindsight is 20/20! We went into the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, where there was some period-appropriate music being piped in but nothing else going on by this hour. I placed an order of chicken nuggets, which I had always heard to be good here, plus a regular Coke Zero for Heather ($11.84 after the AP discount). I got Ranch dressing for my dip, but I only managed one bite before I declared it as unpalatable! Heather took a bite as well and agreed with me, so I ended up only eating the fries (at least I know this time it wasnt my faulty taste buds!).

    We left a little bit after 8pm and went back to BTMR which now had a 25min wait! Bummer ~ needless to say, we bypassed it for tonight!

    We decided to ride Pirates of the Caribbean, which was queuing outside; Heather went to the left without me being able to check each side and decide which side might be shorter. The line actually didn't move for several minutes, which had me suggesting we come back later, but Heather wanted to wait it out and it only took about 15mins altogether; we both enjoyed this classic ride!

    As we were exiting Pirates, Heather told me she was willing for us to cancel our Blue Bayou reservation on Friday, given my faulty taste buds. She didn't want me to spend $35+ on a meal and not be able to enjoy it, so I took her up on her generous offer and we stopped at the BB podium to cancel and thereby not have the $10/person no-show penalty.

    We were both getting tired as we walked through Adventureland around 9pm; Jungle Cruise was queuing outside, so we decided to try Buzz once again as our last ride. It was up and we only waited about 6mins before defeating Emperor Zurg. Due to my experience with the ride, I easily out-scored Heather 154,400 to 5,000; however, our scores were switched on the picture! I've never seen that before, but I do know deep down that I beat her ~ LOL!



    I stopped to email the photo home and we headed towards the exit; Heather decided she wanted popcorn so we stopped in Town Square so she could buy some. We ended up sharing it (she remembered I had said that popcorn had tasted good to me at home before the trip, which is why she thought to buy it now for us) and we watched the Magical fireworks through the trees while we enjoyed our treat!

    We finished up about the same time as the fireworks and headed out of the park. When we got to the Cold Stone Creamery outside the Park Vue Inn, we split up and Heather went on to her motel while I stopped for some ice cream. I ordered a Love It Mint Chocolate Chip and momentarily wondered how the brownie would taste to me, before just going with the regular mix-up ($6.49). I took my treat back to the room to enjoy; however, I ended up not liking the brownie part of it after all!

    I was very pleased to find the A/C fixed and the room cooled down very quickly; between it and my ice cream I even got a chill! I called James around 10:30pm from underneath the covers (!) and was asleep by 11:30pm.

    Steps: 19,126
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



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  3. #2
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Thursday, August 28, 2014 (96o)
    Plan: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Rainforest Cafe; Fitness Expo

    Actual: I woke up off and on during the night as I kept going from hot to cold with the A/C! I finally awoke for good at 5:45am and just laid there planning my day. About an hour later I turned the TV on and watched the news, before finally getting up and dressed. Since my peanut butter had been confiscated the day before by TSA, I decided to grab breakfast at Denny's so I texted Heather to see if she wanted to join me; she had already eaten so we agreed to meet around 8:30am in front of Denny's.

    BTW ~ James apparently was able to register me for the New Balance runDisney shoes as I received a confirmation text around 7:30am to report at 1:40pm ~ a perfect show-time for today!

    I left my room just before 8am and was quickly seated next door at Denny's ~ Im not an egg-eater or even a traditional breakfast person so I just ordered a side of crispy bacon, a side or crispy hash browns, and a Diet Coke. I worked on my trip notes while I waited to be served and then ate everything! I paid my bill ($10 with tip, after the 10% local motel discount) and then waited for Heather out front.

    We joined up and Heather gave me 3 packets of peanut butter from her breakfast offerings, so now I am set for tomorrow!

    We headed over to DCA at 8:40am and were let inside the park to wait for rope drop. I was very surprised that they were not letting anyone queue up for the Radiator Springs Racers FP yet; the nearby CM said they haven't done that in several weeks (I found that hard to believe since there would still be summer crowds onsite during that time). After they did the opening ceremony at 9am, I headed to the far left and got in the now-forming FP queue. The CMs were asking for only one person per group to get in the line, so Heather spent the time looking around the area and taking photos. I soon had FPs at 9:07am for 10:10am ~ WOW!

    We next walked over to get FPs for World of Color, but the machines were down. Heather wanted to ride Grizzly River Run, so she entered the line and I took photos of her after she came down the flume.



    I then noticed the WoC CM giving out generic FPs for that nights performance, so I picked up two (BLUE!) and met back up with Heather.

    We walked to the back of the park and entered the queue for Toy Story Midway Mania around 9:30am; Mr. Potato Head spoke to Heather as we passed by, which surprised her!



    We waited about 15mins and then I managed to beat Heather 178,900 to 30,900. Afterwards, Heather remarked that she didn't care for this attraction too much so we didn't try to ride a second time.



    I was already fatigued, so we decided to take a break; I bought us a couple of large Coke Zero drinks from Pacific Wharf Cafe ($7.17 after the AP discount) and we sat in the outdoor seating area chatting and enjoying our drinks. A side note: Heather used to LOVE Diet Pepsi, and had recently weaned herself off of sodas; however, I apparently was a bad influence on her this trip as she had sodas a couple of times with me (sometimes they are more refreshing than other beverages)!

    After we finished our drinks, we headed over to ride RSR with our FPs, which took about 15mins. Standby was posted as 60mins, but its queue was pretty short and there was no wait for single rider! Heather really enjoyed this ride, as did I, and I took great care to hold onto my wig during the outdoor race portion (except during the ride photo) ~ LOL!



    We next headed over to do the Disney Visa meet & greet around 11:20am; since it was Stitch, we went over to the side and sat in the shade until they changed characters at 11:30am. We then went back and had our meet & greet with Minnie!



    We were getting hungry, so we cut across the park and exited out through the GCH towards Downtown Disney. We arrived at the Rainforest Cafe and I purchased a gift card in the retail shop ($100) before flashing my Landry's Select Card at the check-in desk for priority seating. We looked around the shop until they called us to be seated. Since we were being seated upstairs, we took the elevator as stairs are very difficult for me right now. We were quickly seated and had a very tasty lunch (chicken tenders & a Diet Coke for me and the portabella wrap and Corona Light for Heather; total = $46).



    Note: when you earn 250 points with your Landry's Select Card ($1 = 1 point) in a one-year time frame, you receive a $25 reward certificate good for a future purchase over the next year. Since I earn points both on food and on gift card purchases (but not on retail purchases; there I just get 10% off), it's in my best interest to buy a gift card to pay for my meal and get points on both purchases! I usually buy the gift card from the bar so the points get added immediately to my account; however, this time I bought it in the retail shop ~ when you do that, they have to manually request the points to be credited, which should only take a few days. This time it took them nearly TWO MONTHS to credit me, so I will ALWAYS buy gift cards from the bartender in the future! Rant off ~

    We left around 1pm and headed over to the Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel; even though I wasn't doing the 5K the next morning, I still needed to get the shirt & pin I had already paid for so we did that first. By the time we got back upstairs, it was time for me to join the New Balance virtual queue, so I did that while Heather looked around at the various booths. It only took about 10-15mins to get to the front of the line and I was soon trying on the Sorcerer Mickey shoes (my feet are too big for traditional women's shoes, so I went for the men's style/size). Heather joined me as I tried on two different sizes, and then offered to wait in the purchase queue for me until she got up to the front isn't she just great?), so that's what we did. I ended up buying two pairs (impulsively), one size 10 and one size 11 (thinking James may wear the second pair or else there is always eBay) for $269.89.

    We also stopped at the Sparkle Skirts booth and I purchased the Leilani style (which would have been the perfect style for the 5K the next day!) for $81; I have several of their skirts and had the plain black one on this day as they are SO comfortable to wear in the theme parks.

    I next stopped at the Lasting Commemoratives booth to pick up the art postcard for the expo that I had signed up for, and then we left as I was pretty beat by now. I wasn't interested in the race merchandise, as they rarely have anything for 5K races, plus I wasn't doing the race anyway! The convention center was pretty busy and it was time for a break.

    We headed back towards our motels and Heather carried my NB shoes for me; it was SO HOT and it was exhausting for me just to make it through DD and the esplanade without collapsing (I think I still had to take a couple of short breaks as we crossed over)! When we got to the DCA main entrance, I went inside to pick up my free photo from Kingswell Camera Shop before rejoining Heather in the esplanade.

    We parted ways at Denny's, and she took the NB shoes with her so I wouldn't have to tote it both up the stairs now and then down to her motel on Saturday morning when we get picked up by the shuttle.

    I spent the next couple of hours soaking up the A/C and resting, which was much appreciated! I then texted Heather and found out that she was over at Disneyland Park because she had been unable to sleep. We decided to meet at the train station at 6pm, so I freshened up and left the motel.

    We met up on the train platform and rode the next train full circle; I stumbled trying to step up into the train, which startled me and made me even more aware of the lack of strength in my legs!

    We had a relaxing ride around the park and then got off at Main Street. We stopped at The Mad Hatter as one of Heather's friends had asked for a Minnie ear hat for a grandchild; the CM gave Heather my AP discount since she was paying cash, so that saved her a couple of bucks.

    I wanted a corn dog from the Red Wagon and the line was short, so I got in line; I bought a corn dog with chips & a large Coke Zero ($10.09) and we walked over to the seating area outside Rancho del Zocalo. Heather took our tickets and got FPs for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (7:50pm @ 7:10pm) while I took a bite of my corn dog. I was SO disappointed that it tasted bad to me (I'd had a corn dog at the CA State Fair in July with no issues); Heather took a bite and said it was delicious so it was just me ~ darn it! I offered the rest of it to Heather, but she wasn't too hungry so she only took a couple more bites. I did manage to eat the potato chips and drink my soda though!

    After I finished eating, we headed around the Rivers of America so Heather could ride Splash Mountain, which is her favorite attraction. I picked up a box of popcorn from an ODV cart in New Orleans Square ($4) and sat down outside of the Haunted Mansion (which was closed, getting its Halloween overlay) to wait for Heather. Standby was listed as 10mins and it was getting dark! I had a couple of parties ask me about riding the HM, and I explained to them that it was closed for a few weeks.

    When Heather came back, I asked at the nearby Nightmare before Christmas merchandise cart for a small bag to pour my leftover popcorn in and then we headed back to ride BTMR. I really enjoyed how smooth the ride was and the special effects on the last lift ~ very well done! I was also happy that I had no wig issues either (will my luck continue to hold?) ~ LOL!

    We had already decided against going to see WoC; I don't think I could have stood that long (before & during) and I didn't want to chance it that there would be space for me on a bench in the disabled section if I were to walk all the way over there. I'm sure Heather would have enjoyed the show, but we had to "pick our battles" on this trip and we were enjoying Disneyland in the dark!

    We walked over to the Jungle Cruise and checked out the line, but it was much longer than either of us cared to wait in so we kept on walking. We both were getting tired so we headed over to Main Street; I thought some ice cream sounded good so I got in line at Gibson Girl Ice Cream for a single scoop of mint chocolate chip in a cup ($4.53). We sat on a bench in Town Square enjoying the ambiance of the evening as I ate my treat.

    When I was finished, it was 9pm and we were both ready to leave so we headed out of the park and to our respective motels. I watched "Big Brother", called James, and was in bed around 11pm.

    Steps: 17,327
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  4. #3
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Friday, August 29, 2014 (88o)
    Plan: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Blue Bayou

    Actual: After such a full day the day before, I slept really well and didn't wake up until 7am so that was nice! I got up and dressed, and enjoyed the peanut butter packets that Heather had given to me the day before on the bread that I had brought ~ YUM!

    I met up with Heather at 8:40am and we went straight to Disneyland Park; they were letting everyone in and holding them at The Hub, so we went to the left side to position us for Fantasyland. When they dropped the rope at 9am, we headed straight in through Sleeping Beauty Castle and into the queue for Peter Pan's Flight! After a quick trip to Never Land and back, we went next door to ride Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Toady).

    Heather wanted to ride King Arthur's Carrousel, so we were able to jump aboard that next; I didn't have enough energy to climb onto a horse, so I sat on the bench instead.



    Our next stop was around the corner at Alice in Wonderland; I was surprised at how long the queue was already and it was only 9:30am! We waited 15mins and then were aboard a green caterpillar (Heather in front and me in the back); with my illness this summer I had not kept up on the changes they had made to this attraction ~ I LOVED the new animation and Alice animatronics! Very well done, Disney! Now I understand the wait at this time of the morning.

    We next walked over to ride my favorite attraction ~ SPACE MOUNTAIN!!! We had about a 10min wait before blasting off and I was SO disappointed in my experience; about a third of the way through, I felt my wig lift up (I was holding on to the ends, thank goodness) and I mentioned to Heather that my wig was coming off! I hurriedly repositioned it but ended up tweaking my back in the process, since I wasnt holding on to the ride vehicle at all and was being jerked back and forth! Heather ended up hating the ride and both of us felt beat up afterwards, so it was time for a break (terrible ride photo!)!



    We slowly walked over to Tomorrowland Terrace, where I bought us a couple of large Coke Zero drinks ($7.17, after the AP discount). We sat down in the seating area and waited for the Jedi Training Academy to begin at 10:30am; this is always fun to watch, even if you don't have children participating!

    After about 20mins, we headed over to the Royal Theatre to see the Tangled show at 11:05am; I had never seen it before and thought it was very cute! However, Heather has never seen the Disney movie so this version was just OK for her.



    We next walked back to Tomorrowland and hiked up to the Monorail station, where we boarded Monorail Blue to Downtown Disney. We disembarked and walked over to Tortilla Jo's for lunch; it was pretty busy but we were seated immediately right before noon. I enjoyed two chicken enchiladas ala carte with a Diet Coke and Heather ordered the chicken fajitas with iced tea ($45, after the AP discount); the server asked Heather if she wanted ala carte too (she declined that offer and later wished she had accepted it!) and she ended up with a TON of food!

    When we were done, we walked back through DD and into DCA by way of GCH (acronyms galore!); we picked up FPs for GRR at 12:50pm (1:45pm) and then crossed the park to take advantage of the Disney Visa meet & greet. Unfortunately, we missed out on Daisy this trip and instead had Stitch again (15min wait).





    It was so freakin' hot that we next stopped in at Disney Animation, which was a popular place this afternoon with lots of families also trying to escape the hot temps. I showed Heather the Toy Story Zoetrope and then we walked through the Sorcerer's Workshop; inside the Beast's Library we took the test to see what Disney character we were most like ~ I was Eve (from WALL-E) and Heather was the Evil Queen, since she was very naughty in her answers!

    We crossed over so Heather could ride GRR with her FP just before 2pm; I found a spot in the shade near the entrance to the GCH while I waited for her. Heather had both of the FPs but elected to just ride the one time and then she met back up with me.

    We were ready for a break so we headed towards the front of the park; Heather wanted a treat so she got a scoop of chocolate ice cream from Clarabelle's while I went ahead to pick out the free photo from Kingswell. We met back up and walked to our respective motel rooms around 2:30pm and this is what I found:



    After a couple of hours resting and enjoying some A/C, I met up with Heather outside Denny's around 5pm and we headed for Disneyland. We boarded the train for a trip to Toontown Station and then we disembarked. We headed into Mickey's Toontown to try for some FPs to Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin; however, it had just gone down and guests were exiting the queue so we were out-of-luck!

    We exited Toontown and Heather stopped at a kiosk to buy two boxes of popcorn and a bottle of water for me; we took our bounty into the seating area of the Mickey and the Magical Map show and enjoyed them while we waited for the show to begin at 5:45pm. I hadn't seen the show in several months but it was just as good as I remembered it and I was pleased that Heather liked it as well!



    After the show we headed towards and through Fantasyland on our way to Adventureland; the Jungle Cruise was queuing upstairs so that attraction looks like it will be on our "just-missed" list this trip!

    I grabbed FPs for the Indiana Jones Adventure (7:15pm) and then we headed towards The Hub; I stopped at a cart for a Mickey Premium ice cream bar ($4.50) and then we walked over to the Tomorrowland Terrace. We found a table and I enjoyed my treat as we waited for "A Hard Days Night" (Beatles tribute band) to start playing at 7pm. I had seen them perform back in March and they were just as good as they were then; Heather really enjoyed watching them as well! I went up closer to get better pictures of the group while they were playing and then we left when this first show was over.



    We walked back over to ride Indy with our FPs (standby was now 45mins) and it still took about 15-20mins to actually get ON the ride! By the time we were off, we were pretty darn tired so we hiked back out to Adventureland. JC still had a long queue so we skipped it and headed for The Emporium so Heather could do some shopping.

    Heather ended up buying two shirts for herself and a polo shirt for her husband Jonathan; I let her use my 20% AP renewal certificate (I had one for me and one for James; as long as Heather paid cash, the CMs were fine in letting her use the discount), which saved her more than $20!

    We exited the park and walked back to our respective motel rooms; I called James, watched a little TV, and was in bed around 11pm.

    Steps: 17,851


    Saturday, August 30, 2014 (90o)
    Plan: Breakfast at the Storytellers Cafe; check-out of the Del Sol Inn & the Ramada Main Gate; fly home in the early afternoon

    Actual: I slept pretty well again, waking up around 7:30am; I was SO HAPPY that I hadn't attempted that 5K this morning! I got dressed, packed up my suitcase, and met Heather in front of Denny's at 9am. Since we had cancelled the Storytellers Cafe reservation, we decided to get breakfast at the Rainforest Cafe; the bad thing is that it was a LONG hike to get there and it was ALREADY getting warm!

    I checked us in with my Landry's Select Card and we were soon seated downstairs near the elevator. I ordered a plain waffle with a Diet Coke and Heather ordered an Ozzie's Omelet and tomato juice ($37). After we finished eating, we looked around the retail shop and I ended up buying a long-sleeve shirt for James ($16.51, after the 10% discount) and a couple of name signs for our grand-niece and grand-nephew ($9.70, after the 10% discount). Heather saw a hat that she wanted to buy for Jonathan, so I let her use my 10% discount for that as well.

    We headed back through a crowded and hot Downtown Disney, where I left Heather at World of Disney; I needed to check-out by 11am and it was already after 10:30am by this time! I got back to my room, collected my bags, and hauled them downstairs to the lobby; I checked out ($339.50) and then hauled everything up to the benches outside of Denny's to wait for Heather.

    Unfortunately, I had missed the texts from Heather where she said that she had already gone back to her room! I can't read my phone display in the daylight (I need readers and no glare) and I couldn't tell what she had typed ~ OOPS! She finally called me and I told her I would head on down to her motel (where the shuttle was picking us up just before noon). We met up and sat outside in the shade by the pool, after she checked out of her room.

    The shuttle was due 11:55am 12:10pm and arrived at 12:15pm; I'm surprised we didn't get lost as the driver wasn't listening to his GPS tell him how to get onto I-5 and he had to change lanes and make a U-turn in order to do so ~ maybe he was new, but I wasn't too impressed with him. We made it safely to the airport and I checked my suitcase in at the counter (24#) since the running shoes were now my carry-on! We got our boarding passes (A17 & A18) and made it through TSA with no issues.

    We sat in the empty seats across from Carl's Jr. and Heather walked around looking for some frozen yogurt; after she found some and came back, I went over to Carl's and got a medium Famous Star combo ($7.21) as my waffle was wearing off!

    I shared my fries with Heather and we eventually made our way down to our gate around 2pm for boarding and an on-time departure. We both had Coke Zero with the peanuts they gave us and soon were landing on-time as well! I picked up my suitcase, called James, and he picked us up a few minutes later. We drove back to our house, said goodbye to Heather, and she headed home ~ me, I was EXHAUSTED, but happy to have made the trip with Heather!

    Steps: 7,708


    Up Next:

    My 30th wedding anniversary was October 27th and I had hoped we would get down to the resort to celebrate; however, I had surgery 10 days prior to then and had to cancel. Therefore, I now have the last week of January reserved, which is also close to James' birthday!

    I also am registered for the inaugural Star Wars 5K in January, so I DEFINITELY will be there for that; even if I'm not healthy enough for the race, I will meet my friend Mike who's coming out from FL to do the 5K with me as well as the half for himself!


    Summary

    Despite my exhaustion, I enjoyed my short visit to the parks with Heather; now if I could only get her back with me in less than another 10 years' time!

    Highlights include:

    • Spending time with Heather!
    • The manageable crowds


    Lowlights include:

    • Without question, my fatigue
    • Still WAY too hot (darn summertime!)
    • Almost losing my wig on Space Mountain and then tweaking my back on the ride!


    Until next time...
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  5. #4
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    I stopped before reading Thursday
    First, oh no you said health issues and I didn't even think. I am so sorry hon. Hang in there. You even look red in the Stitch picture.
    Next, yeah it was still blazing hot when we went a week later. It just totally drained us, the trip was even a bit of a let down because of the heat.

    Buzz was not only switching scores within the vehicles, but between the vehicles as well. Sil got a great score and it gave it to A 2 cars behind. He wasn't amused.
    The lasers need to be fixed. My first time through was horrible. At one point I just pointed it and started pulling the trigger and the score was only moving sluggishly, one of the tips is to not stop firing because the score goes up for smaller kids. It barely moved at all. Ugh.
    It sounds like you were making the most of your trip. I was very excited to see a Pammer TR. I'll be back to read Thursday later.


  6. #5

    Yay!!! New Pam stuff to read! I'll be baaaaaack!


  7. #6
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by candles71 View Post
    I stopped before reading Thursday
    First, oh no you said health issues and I didn't even think. I am so sorry hon. Hang in there. You even look red in the Stitch picture.
    Next, yeah it was still blazing hot when we went a week later. It just totally drained us, the trip was even a bit of a let down because of the heat.

    Buzz was not only switching scores within the vehicles, but between the vehicles as well. Sil got a great score and it gave it to A 2 cars behind. He wasn't amused.
    The lasers need to be fixed. My first time through was horrible. At one point I just pointed it and started pulling the trigger and the score was only moving sluggishly, one of the tips is to not stop firing because the score goes up for smaller kids. It barely moved at all. Ugh.
    It sounds like you were making the most of your trip. I was very excited to see a Pammer TR. I'll be back to read Thursday later.
    Thanks candles...I had a feeling you would be one of the first to read my TR! I appreciate your kind thoughts and I am hanging in there!

    I read your Buzz comments to hubby, as it is his favorite ride at DL; I think I could even beat him (via the picture anyway) if they don't fix the errors before our next visit! I know he would be bummed if he had some fantastic score and then wasn't credited accurately for it - LOL!

    I hope you enjoy the rest of the report!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  8. #7
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spectromen View Post
    Yay!!! New Pam stuff to read! I'll be baaaaaack!
    Thanks Kelly!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  9. #8
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    Also super happy for a Pam report. I am almost at 5 years being a breast cancer survivor so hang in there the fatigue gets better and your taste for foods will come back. I also had a time with my daughter when I almost lost my wig it really is a scary feeling. By the way my hair came back white and curly. It was brown and straight go figure. I also loved the new effects to Alice, a job well done.

    So glad you had a nice time with Heather she sounds like a great friend and I do hope you guys go together again sooner then later.

    Keep a cap on your radiator & a smile on your bumper

  10. #9
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by letshavefun View Post
    Also super happy for a Pam report. I am almost at 5 years being a breast cancer survivor so hang in there the fatigue gets better and your taste for foods will come back. I also had a time with my daughter when I almost lost my wig it really is a scary feeling. By the way my hair came back white and curly. It was brown and straight go figure. I also loved the new effects to Alice, a job well done.

    So glad you had a nice time with Heather she sounds like a great friend and I do hope you guys go together again sooner then later.
    Thank you so much for your comments; it helps me so much as I continue on with my treatment (two surgeries just completed and next up will be 6 weeks of radiation). The fatigue got worse after this trip but is starting to get a bit better as time goes on; I am also very happy to say that my taste buds are working almost as good as before (yay for chocolate and In-N-Out burgers again!). It will be interesting to see what happens with my hair when it grows back - LOL!

    Heather had recently cared for her mother as she battled lung cancer for 3 1/2 years, so she was definitely sympathetic to my limitations; actually, it forced me to slow down and make the trip more enjoyable for her as well! Yes, she is a great friend.

    Thanks again!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  11. #10

    Good luck with your treatments! Great trip report. I love a leisurely trip to DLR.....sometimes if you slow down you see MORE.....I have talked to so many people that have been to the parks multiple times and SAID that they have seen it all but when I mention shows, and musical groups, and art of animation etc. etc. etc. they are actually surprised at what DLR has to offer. GREAT REPORT!


  12. #11
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MadasaHatter View Post
    Good luck with your treatments! Great trip report. I love a leisurely trip to DLR.....sometimes if you slow down you see MORE.....I have talked to so many people that have been to the parks multiple times and SAID that they have seen it all but when I mention shows, and musical groups, and art of animation etc. etc. etc. they are actually surprised at what DLR has to offer. GREAT REPORT!
    Thank you!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  13. #12

    Awww Pam, I am so darn sorry to hear this. But I know you will kick this damn cancer in the butt. Bless you and I will keep you in my prayers.

    I was excited when I saw you had a trip report up. YEA!! Even though it was a different kind of trip it still was a great one. Hang in there my friend!!


  14. #13
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by EJ4Disney View Post
    Awww Pam, I am so darn sorry to hear this. But I know you will kick this damn cancer in the butt. Bless you and I will keep you in my prayers.

    I was excited when I saw you had a trip report up. YEA!! Even though it was a different kind of trip it still was a great one. Hang in there my friend!!
    Thanks Ellen...You always have the nicest things to say and I appreciate it!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  15. #14
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    I love your reports and I am sorry to hear about ball you have been going through. I will keep you in my prayers


  16. #15
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    Fabulous picture of you and Stitch together, such a wonderful smile on your face. Great trip report, and nice to know you reconnected with your friend at Disneyland like this. Hope you feel stronger each day from now on, too.


  17. #16
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    Just finished. Sounds like you still had a good trip.
    Next time, Jif to go. They are small enough to fit in your quart bag.


  18. #17
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by suejacken View Post
    I love your reports and I am sorry to hear about ball you have been going through. I will keep you in my prayers
    Thanks Sue...I appreciate it very much!

    Quote Originally Posted by Sansarc View Post
    Fabulous picture of you and Stitch together, such a wonderful smile on your face. Great trip report, and nice to know you reconnected with your friend at Disneyland like this. Hope you feel stronger each day from now on, too.
    Thank you so much!

    Quote Originally Posted by candles71 View Post
    Just finished. Sounds like you still had a good trip.
    Next time, Jif to go. They are small enough to fit in your quart bag.
    Hope you liked the rest of the report too! And do you know, I HAD a package of those Jif to Go things at home; I had purchased them at Grocery Outlet over the summer with the thought of using them on this trip but then brought that small jar (also purchased at Grocery Outlet) instead! The TSA agent actually mentioned bringing something small that would fit in the quart bag, but of course I didn't have time to go home and get it by that time! At least I learned something new on this trip...LOL!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  19. #18
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    I'm thinking you have it down to the nanosecond. I don't know that I would have thought of peanut butter as a liquid myself. I did enjoy the trip report.


  20. #19
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by candles71 View Post
    I'm thinking you have it down to the nanosecond. I don't know that I would have thought of peanut butter as a liquid myself. I did enjoy the trip report.
    LOL!
    Actually, he called it a cream, and I didn't remember creams being a part of the TSA list, only liquids (although I haven't checked the guidelines in quite a while, so I guess it's time to read them again)!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  21. #20
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    If you need a chuckle, wander to the traveling with children page. I find it hilarious and sad that they have to post the instruction to remove the child from the infant seat BEFORE placing it through the machine.


  22. #21

    Finished! Thanks for another great report, but so sorry to hear of the recent health issues. It sounds like you/they caught everything in time so this could all be behind you very soon! How was your final treatment? Hopefully your energy is just about back now. Let's hope nothing gets in the way of that anniversary/birthday trip next year

    So, the chicken nuggets - sigh...I fear it was half your tasting issue and half the fact that they're crappy. Remember Strips, Dips and Chips at DCA circa 2001? Now those were some AWESOME chicken and cheese strips! Then when it moved over to DL, the strips were OK but then they cheaped out and went the nugget route - and they're mostly breading. Even the mozzarella sticks just recently changed to something I can buy in the freezer aisle at Target, yet the price also went up. Very disappointing. I wish you had returned them and gotten your money back! Oh well, at least now you know. As far as the Golden Horseshoe, I do recommend the chili; on or off some fries!


  23. #22
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by candles71 View Post
    If you need a chuckle, wander to the traveling with children page. I find it hilarious and sad that they have to post the instruction to remove the child from the infant seat BEFORE placing it through the machine.
    I know, can you believe it? LOL!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  24. #23
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spectromen View Post
    Finished! Thanks for another great report, but so sorry to hear of the recent health issues. It sounds like you/they caught everything in time so this could all be behind you very soon! How was your final treatment? Hopefully your energy is just about back now. Let's hope nothing gets in the way of that anniversary/birthday trip next year

    So, the chicken nuggets - sigh...I fear it was half your tasting issue and half the fact that they're crappy. Remember Strips, Dips and Chips at DCA circa 2001? Now those were some AWESOME chicken and cheese strips! Then when it moved over to DL, the strips were OK but then they cheaped out and went the nugget route - and they're mostly breading. Even the mozzarella sticks just recently changed to something I can buy in the freezer aisle at Target, yet the price also went up. Very disappointing. I wish you had returned them and gotten your money back! Oh well, at least now you know. As far as the Golden Horseshoe, I do recommend the chili; on or off some fries!
    Thanks Kelly, I'm glad you were able to get through it!

    The last chemo (on 9/4) hit me just as hard as the one before it, which really surprised me...I thought I was a much stronger person and could handle everything so much easier! I've had two surgeries in the past month, and all residual cancer is now gone! I still have 6 weeks of radiation, which will start probably next month. I was happy that the oncologist extended my work leave through 1/2/15, so I SHOULD feel so much stronger and ready to go back to work by then!

    I remember the chicken strips place in DCA (as well as Mali-burritos), but we never ate at either place before they were closed. My hubby LOVED the Vallejo Vegetarian Chili at Pac Wharf Cafe, and he is SO bummed they took it off the menu there! I've told him that you think the chili at GHS is good, so I'm sure he will try it there on our next trip.

    I used to enjoy the mozzarella sticks at GHS too, but with cheese not agreeing with me over the summer, I decided to go with the chicken instead. I do remember that when my SIL and niece would eat them several years ago, that they were strips and not nuggets...maybe that's why they are not as good anymore! At any rate, I don't think I will be trying them again anytime soon - LOL!
    Pam
    DL trips: too many to remember actual dates, but they began in the 60s!
    WDW trips: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2021



  25. #24
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    WAIT. Stop the presses.... I can get chilli fries AT Disneyland? That is the definitin of heaven right there!!


  26. #25

    Pammer, I'm sorry that you've had to go through so much. I'm glad you were still able to enjoy your trip and know the next one will be even better!


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