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Thread: Pammer ~ January 15-19, 2015 ~ Offsite

  1. #1
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA

    Pammer ~ January 15-19, 2015 ~ Offsite

    You know things are going well for me if I was able to get another visit in to "my Happy Place" again...I hope you enjoy reading all about it!

    Travel dates: January 15-19, 2015
    Travel method: Plane
    Resort: Anaheim Del Sol Inn (Off-site)
    Accommodations: Standard
    Ages Represented in Group: Adult
    Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: Veteran & Occasional
    Comments: To attend the inaugural Star Wars race weekend
    Cast of characters:

    • Pam, 54: Trip planner/writer and self-proclaimed Disney Queen
    • Mike, 47: Co-worker friend from FL
    • Kim (co-worker friend) & family
    • Rebecca (co-worker friend)
    • Jeff & Kellie (co-worker friends) & kids


    The Planning

    I had just began my medical leave to treat my recently diagnosed breast cancer when the announcement broke regarding the new Star Wars races to be held in January 2015; however, I didnt find out about it until my co-worker friend Mike messaged me on Facebook to say that he was coming out for them and had already made his motel reservations at the Del Sol Inn! Since I am also a big fan of the Star Wars franchise, we made plans to do the 5K together and Mike would also do the half marathon as well (he elected to skip the Rebel Challenge so he could have more time to play in the parks).

    I also contacted some runner friends at my local office to see if they were interested: Jeff and his wife Kellie, along with their two children, have done previous runDisney races, and had even earned Coast-to-Coast medals back in 2012 (they are also DVC members). Two other co-worker friends, Kim & Rebecca, also were interested in registering for the half as well. By the time registration had closed, we all were in!

    • Pam 5K
    • Mike 5K & Half Marathon
    • Jeff & Kellie 5K (with their kids) plus the Rebel Challenge (10K & Half) for themselves
    • Kim & Rebecca Half Marathon


    Ultimately, I decided to skip the 5K as I was still very fatigued from the cancer treatment and wanted to be able to spend time in the parks; in fact, I only finished radiation two days before I left for Anaheim!

    Lodging: The online schedule wasnt yet open for January at my usual motel (Anaheim Del Sol Inn) so I called to make a reservation for January 15-19 ($487, including taxes & fees).

    Transportation: I booked airfare on Southwest Airlines from Sacramento to Orange County in early August when there was a fare sale using points (equivalent cost = $57 each way) and then rebooked my departure flight in mid-October when that fare dropped down to $49; total TSA fee & Early-Bird option came to $36.20 round-trip (without points the total cash cost would have been $131).

    I also made reservations with SuperShuttle for travel to/from my motel ($18 round-trip after the AAA group discount was applied).

    Tickets: I have a Deluxe Annual Pass and Mike bought a 4-day hopper pass using our corporate discount ($260.10).

    Dining: When Mike came out for the inaugural Disneyland Dumbo Double Dare races in 2013, he was a vegan and very cautious about what he was eating. He currently is less strict about his diet and was interested in eating at some of the places we had eaten at the last time he was here in 2013: Blue Bayou, Rainforest Cafe, and Carnation Cafe in particular. Since Id enjoyed my meals at Tortilla Jos & Ralph Brennans Jazz Kitchen last August, I asked Mike if he was interested in eating at either place; he was so I planned a schedule for the various places and made reservations for BB, CC, and TJs. I knew I could use my Landry Select Club card at the RFC to get priority seating so I didnt make one there; I also decided that RBJK would most likely not be too busy when we would be going, so I didnt make one there either.

    Disney Visa Rewards Card: I transferred $106 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:

    • January 15: Fly down in the morning; meet up with Mike; check-in to the Del Sol Inn; Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Rainforest Cafe; Fitness Expo
    • January 16: Star Wars 5K; Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Blue Bayou
    • January 17: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at Tortilla Jos
    • January 18: Star Wars Half Marathon; Disneyland/DCA; early lunch at Ralph Brennens Jazz Kitchen; dinner at the Carnation Cafe
    • January 19: Disneyland/DCA; check-out of the Del Sol Inn; fly home in the mid-afternoon


    Wednesday, January 14, 2015

    Actual: I had medical appointments this morning and then we went to an early lunch at On the Border. Afterwards, James stopped at Subway, where I intended to buy a sandwich to take with me to the airport tomorrow morning. However, the line was slow-moving and I remembered I had some sourdough bread at home that would most likely go bad during my absence. I decided I would make some grilled cheese sandwiches to take with me instead, so I left the store and we drove back home.

    We arrived home shortly after noon, and I printed off my boarding pass (A24, with Early Bird check-in). I spent the rest of the afternoon doing laundry and packing! I took my meds and was in bed shortly after 10pm.


    ...to be continued...
    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

    "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."


    Thursday, January 15, 2015 (78o)
    Plan: Fly down in the morning; meet up with Mike; check-in to the Del Sol Inn; Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Rainforest Cafe; Fitness Expo

    Actual: I slept really well until after 5am, which is very good for me these days (I thought for sure it was only 3am or so when I awoke)! I got up to feed Sidney (or else I would be listening to him complaining until I did) and tried to grab another half hour of sleep, but no dice ~ Im going to Disneyland today!!!

    I checked out the weather outside (FOG) and got up for good a little after 6am. I made a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches for later and ate a bagel for breakfast, before getting ready to leave. I woke James up around 6:30am and we were out the door just after 7am for the airport.

    It was still pretty foggy, but not too bad on the freeways within the city; however, as soon as we got away from downtown and closer to the airport, the fog got really dense! James dropped me off curbside at 7:40am and we said our goodbyes before I went inside to get in the check-in line to check my larger bag. It was short with only about 10 people in front of me, so it only took about 5mins. I checked my bag (17#; I think it was lighter than my carry-on ~ LOL!) and went on to TSA.

    I got in the regular line, which was about 1/3 filled in and moving quickly; however, when I got to the front of the line, the TSA agent told me I was actually pre-approved (the notation TSA PRE was listed above my name), which meant that I could have bypassed this line and gone into the shorter line on the other side. She directed me across to that agent, where I was quickly processed. The cool thing about this line is that I did NOT have to remove my shoes, jacket, or liquid-filled Ziploc quart bag; I just had to make sure that all metal was removed from my person before proceeding through the old-fashioned scanner! I removed my pedometer and put it in my backpack before walking through; they didnt even have bins here, just bowls for phones, wallets, keys, etc. (they looked like water/food bowls for dogs!).

    The agents are constantly reminding travelers to remove metal, phones, belts, etc. before proceeding through the scanner, yet the older gentlemen in front of me STILL walked through with his cell phone in his pocket! In fact, you will keep hearing announcements in the airport asking people to come back for their phones and other things left at the check-point.

    I walked through the scanner and the agent on the other side made some comment about Darth Vader being in the new Star Wars movie (I had a DV shirt on that said It is pointless to resist); I wasnt sure exactly what he had said so I just laughed, gathered my belongings from the conveyor belt, and left the area.

    I filled up my water bottle and sat in a quiet part of the airport (NOT the Southwest side!) to call James. I left him a message about my pre-approved status and then snacked on one of my sandwiches. Around 8:40am I headed to my gate (B17), which was just boarding an outgoing flight that had been delayed by the fog. I found a seat and talked to James when he called, before chatting with the couple next to me who were also flying down for the races.

    After a while, they switched us to gate B15 and those at that gate were switched to our gate! Since the gates were next to each other, we just stayed where we were and waited to be called for boarding. We finally started boarding at 9:15am and I was able to snag the window seat in the exit row. The flight was pretty full and we pushed back about 5mins late at 9:35am. It was still really foggy when we took off, and it looked like a sea of foam once we climbed above the fog line!

    One of the flight attendants (Tony or Tommy) pulled a prank on another FA by hiding her prop oxygen mask during the safety briefing; this made the 3rd FA giggle while she was giving her spiel!

    I worked on my trip notes and read the Sky Mall magazine (good thing, since they are going bankrupt now!) during the flight; our snacks were pretzels AND honey-roasted peanuts, and I requested Diet Dr. Pepper for my drink.

    They did something special for a young girl (Kylie) who was celebrating her birthday; the FA had everyone close their shades and ring their attendant call buttons so they were all lit up in the semi-darkness, resembling candles on a birthday cake. Then we all sang Happy Birthday to her as she walked down the aisle, blowing out her candles (we would turn off the call button lights row by row as she passed by) ~ it was so cute! I love Southwest Airlines!

    We landed on time at 10:55am and I turned on my phone; a text from Mike popped up that he had arrived from FL (he was due in 20mins earlier) and was waiting for me at the John Wayne statue. I stopped in the bathroom to change into my black Sparkle Skirt running skirt (I knew it was going to be too warm for long pants today), picked up my checked bag from the carousel, and headed over to meet Mike. We hugged and I was shocked at that he could carry everything he needed (including for the races) in one carry-on backpack ~ I was SO jealous! Now I DID bring a shaker mug with me, plus I have a bunch of meds & lotions I needed to bring this trip so thats what I told myself was taking up so much room ~ LOL!

    We went over to check-in with SuperShuttle and were put onto a waiting van, which left just a few minutes later. We were dropped off at the Del Sol Inn around noon and checked in with Praveed to our respective rooms (#236 for me and #233 for Mike). Both rooms were ready and Praveed gave us our yummy freshly baked chocolate chip cookies before we left the lobby!

    Mike helped me carry my heavier bag up the stairs and then we made plans to meet back up at 12:30pm. However, when Mike tried to get into his room, his keys didnt work so he had to go back down and get them re-keyed!

    I turned on the A/C and freshened up; I also locked up any valuables that I wasnt carrying with me and met up with Mike when he stopped by at 12:30pm. We headed over to Disney California Adventure (DCA) and Mike activated his ticket at the turnstile. There were a lot of people around but it didnt look too terribly busy yet!

    We went to Hollywood Land to do the Disney Visa meet & greet at 12:45pm; there was a longer line than Im usually used to (except during spring break times) and it took us 15mins to get in. I was very excited that our character was Daisy, as I couldnt get the timing right on my last trip to see her! She was very playful with us, and admired my Mickey earrings as well as my pink rubber breast cancer awareness bracelet; she even showed me her purple bracelet too!







    The Cast Member who was assisting the PhotoPass photographer at the time said he enjoyed it when guests had fun with the characters, and we certainly did!

    We next headed over to Cars Land via a bugs land and entered the Single Rider queue for Radiator Springs Racers; we had about a 15min wait before riding in separate cars. As I was stepping into my car, my sunglasses slipped off of their lanyard and fell onto the ground; I picked them up and managed to climb into the back seat of my assigned car right before it moved forward. I quickly worked to fix the loose lanyard, rather than fastening my seatbelt, so that I was still struggling to get it fastened when we arrived at the checkpoint! The CM joked about maybe they should first make sure all seatbelts were actually FASTENED before asking guests to pull on the yellow straps as confirmation ~ LOL!

    My car got a nifty new paint job thanks to Ramone and we won our race! I made it to the picture area, found my photo, and then I watched the monitors looking for Mike. After a couple rounds of photos came and went with no Mike, I headed out and later found him at the exit ~ somehow he had boarded a car that got ahead of mine!



    I had noticed when I walked out that the SR line was even shorter than it had been before, so I suggested we ride again; this time we only waited about 5mins before being assigned to our cars. This ride Guido gave my car snazzy new tires and we again won the race ~ whoo-hoo!



    We met up at the photo monitors and headed out of the attraction around 2pm. I suggested we ride Maters Junkyard Jamboree since the line was so short and we were on in just a couple of rotations. Mike didnt remember riding this in 2013 and we enjoyed it a lot (I apologized beforehand for me sliding into him during the ride, as I knew I would!).

    We walked over to Kingswell Camera Shop and picked out our free photo, before heading out of the park. We walked through Downtown Disney and stopped at the Rainforest Cafe. I checked in at the elephant with my Landry Select Card and was told it would be about a 15min wait (standby was running about 35mins). We walked around the retail store and then James called; I stepped outside to find a quiet(er) spot to return his call, as music was playing both inside and outside the restaurant.

    It had been 15mins by the time I finished my call, so I stopped back at the elephant to see if they had called my name while I was outside; the hostess said that the waterfall inside had overflowed and they were moving guests to a different part of the restaurant and it would be a little while longer. However, a table opened up in the bar at that exact time so I took it and tried to locate Mike, who was wandering around the store; I spotted him a minute later and we sat down to look at our menus.



    I asked Mike if he preferred separate checks or did he want to pay cash; he wanted to do separate checks so he could use his credit card. I ordered the chicken tenders appetizer with ranch dressing and a Diet Coke, and said that fries were fine with them; I was surprised to see they charged me extra for them when I got the bill ~ if I knew that, I wouldnt have ordered them as the tenders were filling enough for me!

    Mike ordered the Natural burger with a side salad and water, and we both ate quickly as we were pretty hungry by now! We settled our bills (mine = $24) and headed over to the fitness expo around 4pm.



    We checked in and got our bibs for the applicable races, and I also got the 5K pin I had pre-ordered. I also stopped to pick up the Star Wars race jacket I had pre-ordered (sight-unseen) and really liked the design! However, it fit a bit more snug than I would have liked so I tried the next size on and decided to swap them out.

    I was taken to the next booth (Dooney & Burke purses), since they had a register, and the CM there took care of the exchange. He asked me if I had an Annual Pass and I was able to get the 10% discount ($8.64) as a credit from the transaction! (If I had thought about it, I could have asked him to exchange the 5K pin to get that AP discount as well, but no worries!)



    We headed upstairs and picked up our race shirts, and then I stopped at the Sparkle Skirts booth to check out their latest merchandise. I ended up buying their Salute Blue (navy with black shorts) tech skirt ($80.25) and chatted a few minutes with Tom and Leah since they both remembered me from previous expos!

    My next stop was Lasting Commemoratives to pick up the expo artwork bookmark I had requested from them and then we checked out the event merchandise. They had a good amount of stuff still on the racks, even though it was extremely busy in there; at least there werent lines wrapped around the event center like there was in 2013 for the Dumbo Double Dare merchandise!

    I picked up a t-shirt, tech shirt, and two magnets for $78.54 after the 10% AP discount, and Mike purchased the same tech shirt design for himself to wear in the race on Sunday. As we headed out we noticed the short line for the photo backdrop and stopped to take pictures with it before stopping in the Disneyland Hotel lobby so I could show Mike the cool lighted map they have in there!



    I also pointed out the Monorail pool slides through the evenings twilight before we headed back through Downtown Disney.

    I had to stop for a rest about halfway back, so Mike tried on his shirts while I sat on the bench. After several minutes we continued on and decided to walk through the World of Disney. I ended up buying a gift card (The Incredibles) with $15 loaded on it (the new minimum amount) and then 2 ornaments with the premium throw as well ($53.52 after the 10% AP discount).

    We walked through the esplanade and stopped at the Mickey & Me Outlet located at the Park Vue Inn. I bought 2 liter-bottles of water ($5.59) and Mike bought the same plus two bottles of Power Ade. We lugged all of our purchases back to the Del Sol and I stopped at the lobby to visit with Loretta around 6:30pm. I said good night to Mike, with plans to meet tomorrow morning around 7:30am after his 5K, and he continued back to his room as his long day had finally caught up with him!

    I visited with Loretta for about 45mins and then headed up to my room; however, my room keys didnt work so I had to lug everything back downstairs to get them rekeyed and then back upstairs again ~ I was very tired by the time I got back in my room around 7:20pm!

    I looked through my purchases, took a quick shower, and watched The Biggest Loser and Two and a Half Men before chatting with James around 9:30pm. I took my meds and was asleep around 10:30pm with a very achy body!

    Steps: 14,976

    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, January 16, 2015 (76o) (Part I)
    Plan: Star Wars 5K; Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Blue Bayou

    Actual: After drinking a ton of water once I got back in my room last night, it was really no surprise that I was up every couple of hours during the night! I was finally awake around 5:45am and laid there until my alarm went off at 6:30am. I had heard people outside leaving at some point; Im guessing they were going to the 5K but I didnt want to look at the clock to find out!

    I got up, had a protein shake, and proceeded to get ready (it doesnt take very long since I dont have to mess with long hair right now!); I texted Mike around 7:20am and asked to meet downstairs at the breakfast nook at 7:40am instead of 7:30am; he had just returned from the race and said that was fine (he had stopped at McDonalds up the street on his way back for breakfast).

    I took a couple slices of sourdough bread down with me and put them in the toaster; there were a bunch of young kids taking up all of the chairs when I arrived at 7:30am, but fortunately a table opened up once my toast was done. I ate my toast and also a chocolate donut and greeted Mike when he arrived with his coffee and sandwich.

    We finished eating and headed out; I stopped at the lobby to borrow some scissors to cut the tag off of my new navy Sparkle Skirt that I had put on today and we were soon across the street. We walked over to DCA and waited for the 8am rope drop.

    At 8am, I took our tickets and went to get in the line now forming for the RSR FPs; I told Mike he should go ride Single Rider and that I would then catch up with him when I was done. It only took me about 5mins to get the FPs (for 9am) and as I exited the queue I heard someone say Star Tours ~ what are you doing here?! I looked over and it was the CM at the entrance of Its Tough to be a Bug! speaking to me; he could see that my shirt had the Star Tours speeder on it (it was from the Disneyland 5K I had done back in 2011) ~ I thought his comment was so cool!

    I walked over to the Cars Land entrance and texted Mike that I was waiting for him; he replied that he was on his way. However, I never did see him coming ~ it turned out that he had gone to ride California Screamin instead of RSR and that was the direction he was coming from! I told him that I would meet him at the hub by the bridge and headed over there.

    We walked over to Toy Story Midway Mania! but it was down, so we went to ride Mickeys Fun Wheel (red cars) in the interim; TSMM was still down afterwards so Mike went to ride Screamin again while I waited. I couldnt get a good photo of him at the start, so I got a picture of his ride photo instead!



    We next rode Ariels Undersea Adventure (walk-on) and then got our free sample from Ghirardelli (caramel mini) as we strolled through the Pacific Wharf area. Our FP window was now open at RSR, so we headed over there to ride together; we got the tire side again and I think we may have won again as well!



    We left Cars Land past Luigis Flying Tires, which we debated riding one last time before it went down for refurbishment/re-theming in February; Ive only ridden it once and I just wasnt that fond of it so we both decided to skip it.

    We again walked through a bugs land and picked up FPs for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at 9:30am (10:10am), before entering the queue to ride Monsters Inc. (5mins); Mike got a kick out of Roz talking to guests at the end (I dont think he rode this back in 2013).

    We went into the Disney Animation building and I saw that there was no line for the Elsa & Annas Royal Welcome meet & greet ~ or so I thought! I spoke to the CM and realized that we needed FPs, which we could get outside so thats where we headed; unfortunately, they were for 11:30am, which is when we had dining reservations at the Blue Bayou! I mentioned this to the CM, and she handed me two FPs that someone had turned in: one for 10-10:20am and one for 10:20-10:40am!

    We went back inside and we walked through the Sorcerers Workshop and then The Beasts Library, where we took the who are you most like quiz. I was Eve (WALL-E) and Mike was Mufasa (The Lion King); then I took the quiz again, but this time I answered the opposite of what I had before and was now Ursula (The Little Mermaid)!

    They had the exit blocked so we had to go back the way we came; we also discussed our FP situation: the Elsa & Anna FPs were conflicting with our ToT FP, and we still had to do the Disney Visa meet & greet before going over for lunch at 11:30am! Since Mike preferred doing ToT, we headed over there and gave our E&A FPs to another family who was at the FP kiosk speaking to the CM as we passed by.

    We rode ToT with our FPs at 10:20am, and I was very pleased we were directed to the library on the right so I wouldnt have to walk up the stairs (that is still challenging for me).



    Afterwards, we hit the meet & greet to see ~ Daisy again! It was only about 10:40am and the line was quite long already; in fact, we were lucky that some of the guests in front of us didnt want Daisy so we got to bypass them and see her right before 11am.



    After we finished getting our photo with Daisy, we headed over to Disneyland Park. We first headed into Frontierland and walked Big Thunder Trail up to the portable FP kiosk to get tickets for Fantasmic!; I was pleased they were for the first show at 8:45am (BLUE section, which didnt mean anything to me at this point)!

    We then turned around and picked up FPs for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 11:20am (12:20pm), thinking we could ride this after lunch.

    We continued over to the Blue Bayou, where it was quite busy already! I checked us in at 11:25am for our 11:30am reservation and requested a waterside table. The CM was noncommittal in his response and just told us to have a seat in their parlor. We found an open bench and sat down for about 2mins, and then they were calling us in to be seated. They gave us the farthest table to the left, but we were at the railing! Our view of the boats was hampered somewhat, but at least we were able to see the menu without a flashlight for once!

    Our server, Charles, was friendly and took great care of us. They have a new item on the menu: Herb-Marinated Flat Iron Steak and both of us ended up ordering it. I requested mine without veggies (as I wont eat them), so they gave me extra potatoes ~ YUM!



    I also upgraded to the zesty Shrimp Cocktail, which I didnt care for as much this visit (too much work to find the itty-bitty shrimp hidden in the greenery); the yummy bread is quite filling too ~ we even got an extra basket of them to snack on. I need to remember to just skip the salad, soup, & shrimp cocktail next time, as the bread and entree will fill me up just fine!

    I also had a Diet Coke (total = $48, after the AP discount); Mike drank water with his meal. We both really LOVED the flat iron steak; I think this is my new favorite now over the Tesoro Island Chicken Breast!

    We left the restaurant around 12:30pm and I noticed that I had missed a call from James at 10:50am, so I tried to find a somewhat quiet spot to return the call. I sat down at the portrait-drawing area as it wasnt open and left a voice-mail back for him since he didnt answer.

    We walked over to get FPs for Indiana Jones Adventure; the park had really gotten busy and they had a queue set up like they do for RSR at DCA. We ended up not getting them as the return time was for 3:35pm and I knew I would be resting back at the motel by then.

    We went to ride BTMR with our FPs (5mins) and both really enjoyed the ride; those special effects they have added are great! As we were exiting the mine car, the lady in front of us thanked me for my commentary during the ride (I was mentioning things like the rattlesnakes, skunks, etc. to Mike when we were going up that big hill); I apologized as I thought she was being sarcastic, but she said that she really liked knowing where things were!

    It was almost time for the 1pm performance of The Laughing Stock Co., so we walked over to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon. I knew it would be crowded since it was lunchtime, and I was right ~ the only seats we found were upstairs behind the sound guy in that elevated balcony section. Mike didnt want to be anywhere that he could be called upon anyway, so this worked out OK since we could still see the bulk of the show. These performers do a great job, but they are NO Billy Hill and the Hillbillies! Disneyland, you messed up on letting those guys go, but I digress...

    After the show, we walked over to Tomorrowland to check out the queues ~ we thought about going on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, but they were queuing back and forth outside and we were getting tired. Our next stop was to check the FP return time for Space Mountain; we thought if it fit our plans we would get FPs for later. However, the return time was for 4:10pm and I knew we would be taking our afternoon break by then so we skipped getting them.

    As we came back to The Hub, we saw that the Horse-Drawn Streetcar was about to depart so we hopped aboard for a one-way ride back up Main Street. Our horses name was Robert and he delivered us safely by Town Square. I too seldom take advantage of these simple pleasures and was happy to take the time to do so today; however, it was amazing to see how many guests are oblivious of us coming down the street and almost get hit ~ its like a Mack truck, the horses cant stop on a dime!

    We walked up the stairs at the Disneyland Railroad and I showed Mike the map that displays where the trains are along the tracks; unfortunately, it didnt seem to be working right today as they werent lit up as usual! We hopped aboard the next train for a grand circle tour of Walt Disneys original Magic Kingdom; I always enjoy riding the train as it is so relaxing and also a great way to get around the park!

    I noticed during the ride that I had missed another call from James; I knew we were about to head out so I figured I would call him from my room.

    After the train ride, we went over to DCA so I could get my free photo and then we left for our break. We stopped at the Mickey & Me Outlet so we could get some more water (2 1-L bottles = $5.59 for me) and were back at our rooms by 2:30pm with plans to meet around 5:30pm.

    I turned on the A/C and called James to chat. Afterwards as I was going through my receipts, I realized that I had under-calculated my tip for Charles at the Blue Bayou by a couple of dollars; Mike later assured me that he had probably over-tipped so everything should be fine ~ I felt guilty though!

    I also texted Kim to see if they had made it to Anaheim; she called me back to say that she and her family were at their hotel waiting for the shuttle so she could check-in at the expo for her race. We chatted for a while and then I just continued to rest, watch TV, and update my trip notes. I didnt feel a need to nap since I had slept okay overnight, but just having some down time in the cool A/C was very nice!


    Part II of Friday to follow...
    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
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Friday, January 16, 2015 (76o) (Part II)

    Mike and I met back up and walked over to Disneyland around 5:30pm; we headed straight into Tomorrowland to see what the FP return time for Space was now up to ~ it was for 10:45pm! I knew that was too late for me, but Mike went ahead and got a FP for himself just in case he was still around.

    We were hungry so we went to a very busy Redd Rocketts Pizza Port for dinner. There was a line along the counter that stretched from the trays past the salads and all the way over to the pastas. I know from past experience that you dont have to stand in that line if you arent eating pasta, so I walked past everyone to get a slice of Lunar Cheese pizza. I then backtracked a bit to get a package of breadsticks, and then went back to where Mike was still in line. I asked him what he wanted (Celestial Caesar Chicken Salad), so I excused myself and reached between two guests to pick up the salad (everyone in line who was blocking access to the salads were just standing there waiting to get up to the pastas anyway, so I knew it was OK to do what I did!). Mike also got a slice of the Lunar Cheese pizza, and we both just drank the water we had brought with us (my total was = $11.64, after the AP discount).

    As busy as the restaurant was, there were open tables so we were able to snag one for us to eat at. We enjoyed our meals and I gave one of my breadsticks (there were two) to Mike ~ on hindsight, they are kind of pricey ($4.99 for two), so they arent that great a deal although they are tasty!

    We left at 6:40pm and stopped in Star Traders to check out the latest Star Wars merchandise for sale; it seems like they had a lot more designs available due to the race theme this weekend!

    We headed over towards Adventureland and got caught in the parade traffic as we tried to cross over ~ it was CRAZY busy! We went to Indy and got single rider passes; the SR line inside was incredibly long and it took about 30mins to finally get on the ride. The nice thing was Mike & I ended up getting seated together in the last row of the car so that was cool! Unfortunately, the audio stopped a few times after the snake and the car also stopped a few times as well; afterwards, I was really hoping that we would exit to the left side so I wouldnt have to walk up all of those stairs on the way out but of course we went to the right ~ YUCK! As we walked out, we heard them announce that the ride was down so bummer for those in line!

    It was nearing the time to get in line for Fantasmic!, so we headed over towards the Mark Twain dock; along the way I asked a CM (who looked like she was a lead) about whether there was any seating in the BLUE area since it would be difficult for me to stand for an hour before the show due to my neuropathy (numbness) in my feet. She told me to ask for Steve or Erica when I got to that section and that they would help me.

    We joined the combined BLUE/YELLOW queue and we started moving slowly forward around 7:45pm; the CMs were asking people with a BLUE section FP to keep to the left of the walkway and those with a YELLOW section FP to keep to the right side ~ of course, this caused some confusion as guests were trying to move back and forth across the narrow pathway to where they needed to be and then there were those who werent listening to the CMs anyway! I think separate queues (like they have for World of Color) would be more organized, but I realize that they are still fairly new to this FP process for this show.

    As we walked along the waterfront, the YELLOW queue broke off to their section at the right and we kept on walking towards the Haunted Mansion. We got to an area with 4 CMs, and one of them was directing us into the viewing section in front of us; I stopped to ask for Steve or Erica and the CM giving the directions ended up being Steve (with Erica standing there as well). I told him of my standing problem and he asked how many of us were in my party; I said two and he said they had a seated area outside the River Belle Terrace restaurant that was set aside exactly for people in my predicament. We accepted his offer and he walked us over to the roped off section that was also being manned by CMs. We were told to take any seat we wanted; it was empty so we were able to sit right along the railing, which was elevated above the people standing along the waterfront for the show below us! The view wasnt perfect (I always preferred the bridge over the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance) as there were trees and light poles around the area, but it was wonderful to be able to sit while we waited for the show!

    I left at one point to use the restroom over by Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante (which was quite crowded since it is so small) and when I came back there was another party seated in our section next to us. We ended up being the only guests in the area, so it was great!

    We watched Fantasmic! at 8:45pm and I was pleased to see more acrobatics in the Peter Pan segment again (back in August, it was greatly scaled back), which is my favorite segment (except for the Mickey ones, of course!). They were completely missing the Snow White barge and there didnt seem to be as many characters on the Mark Twain as usual; surprising, since it was a Friday night of a holiday weekend! Other than these small issues, the show was fantastic as usual!









    Afterwards, we stayed in our seats to watch the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks at 9:15pm. Although they were no match to my favorite Remember fireworks, they still were a good, albeit very short (at 5mins) show and I even spotted the hidden Mickey! The soundtrack was vaguely familiar, and I believe this might have been the firework show prior to the 50th anniversary show.



    We were feeling tired about this time, so we decided to head out of the park (along with a few thousand other guests!); I was tempted to stop for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery but it was chilly out so I decided against it. We were back at our motel around 9:45pm and made plans to meet up around 8:40am at the breakfast area again the next morning.

    I called James, took a shower & my meds, updated my trip notes, and watched TV until I fell asleep around midnight.

    Steps: 23,118
    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



  6. #5
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Saturday, January 17, 2015 (78o) (Part I)
    Plan: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at Tortilla Jos

    Actual: My alarm went off at 7:30am; I had slept well along with the help of Tylenol PM (only a half pill though)! I had a protein shake, got ready, and went down for breakfast at 8:30am. I brought a couple slices of my sourdough bread with me and toasted them again, and also ate a chocolate donut as well. Mike came in around 8:40am (he had woken up early due to still being on FL time and bought breakfast at McDonalds again) and we left for the parks about 10mins later.

    We went into DL and waited to the left of the Partners statue for rope drop at 9am; as soon as they let us we headed straight into Fantasyland through Sleeping Beauty Castle. Peter Pans Flight was already busy (this park had early entry this morning) so we went straight to Mikes favorite attraction: Mr. Toads Wild Ride! We waited about 3mins (Winky) and then I took a photo of Mike outside the ride entrance to commemorate the occasion!



    We walked around the corner to ride Alice in Wonderland after about 8mins (pink caterpillar) and I again admired the digital additions to the attraction; I look forward to the planned additions to the rest of the Fantasyland attractions in the coming months!

    We walked over to Space and tried to get FPs but our tickets wouldnt work (they said no scan at 11); in fact, this same issue was happening to many of the guests. I went to ask for help from the CM at the ride entrance and she told me that our tickets werent properly scanned at the entrance so we would need to walk ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FRONT OF THE PARK and get rescanned before we could get FPs; here I am trying to limit my walking as much as possible and her only solution is for me to increase it (of course, she doesnt know about my physical problems right now). I was fairly certain that my AP HAD scanned at the gate and displayed my picture as I entered because I usually will look as I come through the turnstile.

    Now I KNOW that the CM has the power to get me FPs from her machine in the back, but I didnt want to come right out and ask for them. I stepped aside for a minute to think and Mike offered to take our tickets up to the front for rescanning, but I was afraid that they wouldnt believe his story without me being there too. I went back to the CM, who now had a couple of other families complaining about the FP machines as well. She took them back over to a machine to try to get FPs, but their tickets still wouldnt work either; she was also trying to keep track of the Standby queue to ensure no guests entered the queue who werent the minimum height.

    I suggested she call a lead but she said that they were short-handed ~ what? Its Saturday morning on a holiday weekend and you cannot call a lead anywhere in Tomorrowland for help? This was a bad show and I wish I had gotten her name at the time. Finally she went over to her little machine and got us two FPs at 9:35am (10:50am) after wasting about 10mins of our time not asking for help from anyone backstage!

    We walked over to the FP machines for Star Tours and had the same issue, so I went to the CM at the entrance and asked for help; she immediately walked back over to the machines with us and obtained a Fastpass Card from one of them. She used this to get one FP (10:20am) and then wrote on it that it was good for two people. Now I do feel a bit guilty for abusing the system in this manner to get an additional FP, but I may have been less inclined to do so had the first CM been a little more helpful. Its amazing how I have NEVER experienced an issue with scanning a ticket or an AP at the main gate on any of my visits over the years; I think this might have been some kind of glitch with the FP network, not just the turnstiles.

    ANYWAY, we decided to ride Buzz (10mins) since the queue was shorter than the day before; I was happy to beat Mike 123,200 to 87,100! We stopped to email our photo back home and then exited the building.





    Our ST FP window was open so we walked over to ride that; I always like to sit in the back of the simulator but didnt want to wait for the next one so we took the assigned row 3. Maybe it was due to my recent cataract surgery but the ride didnt bother me as much as it usually does if I sit too far forward. We saw Darth Vader, the Wookie planet, Yoda, and then crash-landed on Naboo at the end ~ it was a great ride!

    When we exited the building, the Jedi Training Academy was underway so we headed over to the backside of the Tomorrowland Terrace to get up close with Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers; I got a kick out of DV fist-bumping one of the other guests who was back there with us too!







    After the fall of the dark side, we went over to ride Space with our FPs; fortunately, there were additional CMs at the entrance now but we didnt check to see if there were still issues getting new FPs.



    After a fantastic ride on my favorite attraction, we walked over to the Monorail station; we were pleased to ride in the nose of Monorail Blue over to Downtown Disney, sharing our cab with a couple of other guests. We disembarked and headed over to Tortilla Jos for lunch; we were 30mins early for our noon reservation, but were seated right away near the bar (thank goodness as we were getting hungry!).

    We had a fantastic server (Otto) and we devoured chips & salsa with our drinks (Diet Coke for me and a Corona Beer for Mike), before our entrees arrived; I enjoyed two chicken enchiladas ala carte and Mike had a chicken enchilada/chicken taco combo plate ~ all very YUMMY! I provided my AP for the discount ($17 total for me) and they gave Mike a discount as well even though we had separate checks ~ thanks Otto!

    I texted Kim to see if she could meet us at the Disney Visa meet & greet around 1pm and then we left the restaurant around 12:30pm. We walked through DD, cut through the Grand California Hotel to get into DCA, and then made a right turn towards Paradise Park; as we were walking by that center hub, I hear Hi Pam! and there was Rebecca!

    I introduced her to Mike and she introduced us to her sister and her sisters kids; they were waiting for Rebeccas sons to come back from riding the roller coaster. I tried to get Rebecca to come with us for the picture, but she decided to stay where she was and wait for the rest of her party; we confirmed the meet tomorrow afternoon in front of the castle, I wished her well on her race, and we took our leave.

    We stopped at Ghirardellis for our free sample (mini caramel again) and Mike bought 3 more minis (different varieties) as a snack, again using my AP discount since he was paying cash this time!

    We cut through Cars Land and a bugs land, before picking up FPs for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror around 1:10pm (2:50pm). We found Kim with her son Andrew near the Sully meet & greet area (her husband and daughter were elsewhere in the park) and I introduced them to Mike. We got in the queue for the Disney Visa meet & greet (another fairly long line) and visited while we waited.

    When we finally had our turn to meet Minnie about 15mins later, Andrew went right up to her and gave her a big hug while the rest of us were putting our stuff down on the bench; fortunately, the PhotoPass photographer was busily snapping away with her camera!



    Andrew started to walk away so we had to convince him that we needed a group photo together:



    ...then the cutest thing happened: as we were all gathering our stuff up, Andrew went back to Minnie and kissed her on her nose! Darn if none of us had a camera ready to capture it, and he wouldnt do it again ~ LOL!


    Part II of Saturday to follow...
    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



  7. #6
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Saturday, January 17, 2015 (78o) (Part II)

    We went back to Cars Land via a bugs land, and walked by the Cozy Cone Motel to check out their offerings. Kim & Andrew stayed to meet Lightning McQueen and Mike & I headed back towards Paradise Pier. I stopped to buy a Diet Coke Float from the Paradise Pier Ice Cream Company ($4.96) after a 20min wait and Mike continued on to ride California Screamin via the Single Rider line (a 30min wait).

    As I left the window, my soda bubbled up through the lid opening and I kept trying to suck it down before I lost too much of it (the same thing happens whenever I get a float at A&W!); I finally was able to get my straw in and walk away without any more of it spilling.

    I found a bench to sit on near the ride exit and enjoyed my treat before Mike found me after his ride. We walked back the way we came to ride ToT with our FPs just before 3pm (15mins) and I was again happy to go to the library on the right and avoid the stairs that come with the other library!



    We stopped on the way out so I could get my free photo and then Mike stopped for more water at the Outlet; we were back at the motel around 3:35pm with plans to meet for dinner around 6pm.

    I called James, watched the various comedies on TBS, and then met back up with Mike; he gave me his 5K finisher medallion from the Star Wars race that I was unable to do ~ I was so touched!

    We walked up Harbor to The Pizza Press to get some dinner; I had printed off coupons for 15% off from the Orange County Visitors website and treated Mike to dinner for his medallion generosity! This place used to be a Quiznos and the oven looks like the one the previous place used; I had read great reviews about the place and it did not disappoint. The line was long but moved quickly; Mike ordered a cheese pizza light on the sauce and I had the same, but also substituted cheddar cheese for the ricotta ~ I also got a pre-packaged chocolate mousse (grand total for all = $21 after the coupon).

    We had our food by 6:30pm and walked back to the motel; we drank water with our meals and hung out in my room watching TV while we ate; the pizza was DELICIOUS! I know James wants to try this place on our next visit so I look forward to that in a few months.

    Mike left at 7:10pm to rest up for the race tomorrow; I continued to just take it easy as well. I watched TBS (Everyone Loves Raymond and The Big Bang Theory), updated my trip notes, and read MousePad and Facebook posts for a while.

    Just after 9pm I dressed warmly and went next door to the roof of the Anaheim Desert Inn to watch the fireworks at 9:15pm:







    It was all over in about 5mins and then I went back to my room. I called James, took a shower & my meds, and was in bed around 11pm.

    Steps: 15,621
    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
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Sunday, January 18, 2015 (76o) (Part I)
    Plan: Star Wars Half Marathon; Disneyland/DCA; early lunch at Ralph Brennens Jazz Kitchen; dinner at the Carnation Cafe

    Actual: I had another pill of Tylenol PM but did toss & turn a bit overnight before my alarm went off at 7:30am. I sent a couple of good luck texts to Mike & Kim (Mike responded but Kim didnt at the time) and proceeded to get ready as usual. I had another protein shake and took some sourdough bread down to the breakfast area with me again, along with another chocolate donut.

    I left for DL around 8:30am and stopped at City Hall to express my concern about the turnstile issue yesterday (Disney doesnt do complaints, just concerns!); I just felt that the CM didnt handle things properly since she wouldnt ask for help and I dont want others to get that same experience.

    I was done just before rope drop at 9am, so I made my way down Main Street to the left side of The Hub to wait; at 9am I walked as quickly as I could to Peter Pan. Everyone started filling in the queue and it still took me 15mins to get on the ride ~ BUSY! In the queue I spoke to a woman behind me who was dressed up as Princess Leia and was wearing 4 medals (10K, Half, Rebel Challenge, and Coast-to-Coast) and her dad; they had been at Walt Disney World for the races there the previous weekend, which was how she had earned the C2C already ~ as Darth Vader would say Most impressive!!!!

    After the pixie dust brought me home, I went next door to ride Toad (Winky again) with about a 2min wait and then rode Alice (pink caterpillar again) with a 5min wait. As my ride began on Alice, I noticed Peter Pan (the character) around the corner from the entrance talking to a couple of guests. After I got off the ride, I asked the two CMs at the ride exit if they had happened to see Peter fly by in the last few minutes; neither had but they told me that Captain Hook was back in Fantasyland and the Mad Hatter was on the other side of the Mad Tea Party. I thanked them and headed back around the corner towards Toad and sure enough, there was Captain Hook! I asked another guest to take our picture together and then I walked back through Fantasyland looking for Peter.



    I didnt see him, so I took the side walkway past Snow Whites Grotto and over by Pixie Hollow was Peter chatting with another guest! I walked up and was waiting for them to finish their conversation, when up walks the Mad Hatter from the direction of the Matterhorn! Well, these two characters start up a lively & fun conversation, which ended with the Mad Hatter saying something about being mad, after all ~ LOL! I finally got pictures with each character, and Peter was quite charming as we talked about Wendy and other Never Land things ~ GREAT interaction!





    I headed into Tomorrowland, picked up a FP for Space around 9:45am (10:35am), and entered the Standby queue as it was only listed as 20mins and I figured there would be very few FP returnees at this early time; however, I ended up bailing since the queue was really long and barely moving upstairs.

    I walked over to Star Tours, which was also listed as 20mins for standby; the queue wasnt too long outside so I joined it but also bailed after about 5mins since it hardly moved as well!

    I walked over to ride Buzz (5mins ~ thats more like it!) and got up to a Level 4 with my 150,800 points; at this early time of the day my ranking of 98 was actually posted on the picture ~ whoo-hoo! I emailed the photo home and then saw that I had a text from Mike: he had just gotten back to his room and wanted to rest for a bit so we made plans to meet around 12:30pm for lunch.



    I sat down for a short break on a bench and updated my trip notes for a few minutes, while waiting for my FP window to open; once it did, I walked over to ride Space again at 10:35am ~ YAY!



    I left Tomorrowland and was crossing The Hub in front of the Castle, when I stopped to watch the Disneyland Band marching in through the Castle from Fantasyland; I took a couple of photos and then headed on into Fantasy Faire.



    I stopped at The Royal Theatre to see if I could watch the first show at 11:05am, when I found out that it was now a FP-only venue and the next show with FPs available was for 1:30pm this afternoon! However, they had a short standby queue to the side of the entrance, so I joined that in hopes I could still get in to see the show. Luckily I did, and I was seated in the back row (which is fine, since I am tall). I then enjoyed the story of Frozen with the help of Mr. Smythe and Mr. Jones!







    I waited for a few minutes afterwards to see if they would do a meet & greet with Anna & Elsa like they had done after the previous Tangled & Beauty and the Beast shows, but a CM said they werent doing that since the sisters were over in DCA for that purpose.


    Part II of Sunday to follow...
    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
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Sunday, January 18, 2015 (76o) (Part II)

    I headed down Main Street on my way to DCA and found the Dapper Dans singing in front of the Fire Station; I snapped a couple of photos and then continued on my way over to the other park.



    I stopped to get FPs for the Elsa & Anna meet & greet around 11:45am, but they were already for 4:40pm and I figured I would be resting at the motel by then so that wasnt going to work for me after all. I then entered the queue for the Disney Visa meet & greet, since the line was once again quite long and I wasnt sure what time Mike was going to make it over.

    I was almost to the front of the line when I got a text from Mike that he was on his way, so I stepped to the side to wait for him. He arrived around 12:20pm and we got back in line; we were the last ones to see Stitch for the day, so it was nice timing!





    We had originally planned to eat at Ralph Brennans for lunch, but since it was now 1pm and we had a dinner reservation at the Carnation Cafe for 6pm we decided to just grab something in the park. We waited at Award Wieners for about 15mins, where I got a plain hot dog, chips, and large Coke Zero ($10.18, after the AP discount); Mike got the same thing but drank water with his meal. We both wolfed down our food, which was very good, as we were pretty hungry by now!

    As we sat there in the dining area, Mike told me how disappointed he was that the lines for the characters during the race were so long and slow-moving; he only got a couple of photos: one with Luke & Princess Leia and one with Chewbacca.





    He was standing in the line for Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers, when staff came up and said that everyone was going to be swept if they didnt leave. Mike debated whether to get the photo or get the medal, so he left the queue and had to run an 8min-mile to make up the time difference! He had started in Corral B and had hoped to get some great photos, so he was really disappointed that there werent more opportunities to do so throughout the course. (I later read that we should have gone to the Wookie Welcome Party on Thursday night; lots of photo ops and even Jawas were roaming around causing mayhem throughout Tomorrowland! If Mike ever decides to come out for this again, I say we both skip the 5K and do the party instead ~ LOL!)

    We left the dining area and walked over to pick up my free photo around 1:35pm, and then we headed over to DL for the meet & greet we had set up with our co-workers in front of the Castle at 2pm. We sat down at one of the bridge corner benches to wait, and soon found Kim and her family; a few minutes later Rebecca arrived with Jeff, Kellie, and their kids. I introduced Mike to Jeff & Kellie, and we chatted for a short time; a nice visit! We also all got a kick out of Kims son Andrew, who went from being completely shy to being completely chatty in a matter of minutes!

    I asked a nearby PhotoPass photographer to take our photo in front of the Castle, and he kindly obliged; all of the racers were proudly displaying their bling!





    We split up around 2:30pm and Mike & and I left the park; we stopped at the Outlet so I could get one last bottle of water ($2.80) and then we stopped at Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream! I ordered a Like It Oreo Overload and Mike ordered a Like It Peanut Butter Cup Perfection ($12); as we were walking out, I noticed that Mike had a larger cup than I did ~ apparently his concoction wouldnt fit in the small cup, so they had to put it in the medium cup!

    We walked back to our rooms for a break, with plans to meet back up around 5:30pm; I spent the next several minutes finishing my ice cream in my air-conditioned room! I also called James and spent some time reading Facebook and MousePad.

    Mike and I met back up around 5:30pm and walked back over to DL; we stopped in at the Carnation Cafe to check-in for our 6pm reservation. I requested a table outside, so they had us sit for a bit until our table was ready.

    We were seated outside around 6pm at a table for 4 near the back, which wasnt going to really help us see the parade when it passes by later but oh well! It was quite crowded with large parties out there, but we had a heater nearby to keep us warm (I actually took my jacket off!). Melissa was our server, and she did a great job of taking care of us when we needed her; I ordered a Coke Zero to start off and Mike surprised me by ordering a Coke instead of water for a change (he was on vacation, after all!). We both ordered the Main Street Cheeseburger (mine was plain) with fries and we both enjoyed our food very much. We listened to Mickeys Soundsational Parade when it passed by a little after 6:30pm, but could only see the top portions of the floats!

    We settled the bill ($20 for me) and left the restaurant around 7pm; Mike was interested in a Dole Whip, so we walked over to the Enchanted Tiki Room. CM Maynard was on duty at the entrance so I greeted him as we went through the turnstile and he replied as one of his crazy characters! We got in line for the Dole Whips, but just missed the next Tiki show by the time Mike was served; I didnt see CM Maynard anymore in the vicinity so I figured we had missed his Tiki Boy appearance already. The next show wasnt for 10mins; Mike was fine with skipping it, so we went back out through the turnstile.

    We still hadnt ridden Pirates of the Caribbean, so we walked over there; it was unfortunately closed, so we found a seat up by the River Belle Terrace so Mike could finish his treat (he ended up tossing about of it because he said there was too much of it ~ too bad I dont like pineapple!).

    We went back to check on Pirates and it was still closed, so we headed over to Fantasyland next; we first rode Pinocchios Daring Journey (15mins) and then Snow Whites Scary Adventures (Doc; also 15mins). By this time, we decided to leave as the park was very busy and we were tired.



    We walked back to the motel around 9pm and said our goodbyes for this trip; I spent the rest of the evening doing my usual routine: calling James, taking a shower & my meds, and watching TV. I was in bed around midnight.

    Steps: 16,080
    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



  10. #9
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Monday, January 19, 2015 (70o)
    Plan: Disneyland/DCA; check-out of the Del Sol Inn; fly home in the mid-afternoon

    Actual: I was awake by 7:15am, so I had a protein shake, dressed, and went down to toast my sourdough bread and grab a donut around 8:30am; I brought them back to the room to eat and then finished up my packing. I hauled everything down to the lobby around 9:30am and checked out ($486.43), leaving my stuff with them until I met my shuttle later.

    I walked over to World of Disney and returned the premium throw I had purchased on Thursday ($21.54); I really didnt need it nor did I really have room in my suitcase for it! Fortunately, I still had the gift card with me that it was originally purchased on and they credited that ~ not sure what they would have done if I didnt still have it!

    I also asked if they had any leftover expo merchandise at their store, which they didnt; I had wanted to exchange the red shirt Id bought for a smaller size (I had tried the XL on over a shirt and it was a bit small, so I had opted for the XXL which was more room than I needed as it turned out!). They didnt have anything for me to exchange; I could return the shirt but not exchange it so I ended up keeping it since I liked the design.

    I left WoD and went over to DCA and on into Hollywood Land, hoping to do some of the Frozen stuff. I first tried to get a FP for the For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, but it was for 12:45pm and I would already have left the parks by then so I left it on top of the FP kiosk (forgetting that I was probably now locked out of future system FPs for the next couple of hours). I then tried to get a FP for the Elsa & Anna meet & greet, but had to pass since it was for 12:50pm.

    I went back to the sing-along standby queue for about 5mins (the show was coming up at 10am), but it looked very doubtful that I would get in so I left. I checked wait times on MouseWait, and decided to try the single rider line at RSR since it showed a 15min wait; it was closer to 20mins but I DID get one more ride in!

    I sat with a family of 5 who were also here for the races (the mom had just done the WDW races the weekend before); we had a brief chat in the car before having another fun ride (tire side again)!



    I was off about 10:35am and stopped at the restroom to change into my red expo shirt. I then stopped at Ghirardelli for one last free sample (still mini caramel) before heading back over to Hollywood Land for one last Disney Visa meet & greet; it was another long wait that had a strange occurrence: we could see Minnie leave but then no other character came back for several minutes! Hmmm ~ a first time for everything...

    I finally met up with Daisy around 11am (funny, I couldnt time it right to see her back in August with Heather and this time I see her 3 out of 5 visits!). I might have had an even longer wait, had the guests in front of me not wanted to wait for a different character!



    I walked down towards the Hyperion Theater and sat down on a bench for a bit, just people-watching and waiting to see if any characters came out (I was hoping for Mike Wazowski or The Incredibles); I did see Sully come out but decided to pass on him.

    I didnt have a lot of time left, so I just walked over to the Elias & Co. store and browsed their scarves and purses; I found that most of the purses were either too small or too large for my liking (or too expensive!), and the scarves arent the right shape so I will keep looking.

    I had done so well this trip avoiding those yummy peanut butter treats I love so much, but darn it I had too much spare time on my hands so across the street to Trolley Treats I went! I bought 4 of them plus an M&M-covered pretzel rod ($19.39 after the AP discount) and then sat down on a bench outside the camera shop to kill another 10mins.

    I waited as long as I dared and then went in to get my free photo; fortunately, it had been loaded onto my account by now! Unfortunately, CM Ryan rang it up as a regular 5x7, not the Visa 5x7, so he had to re-do the order (tick-tock); it figures, when you are running short on time delays happen!

    I left just after noon and said goodbye to my Happy Place; hopefully I will be back in a few months! I walked back to my motel, retrieved my luggage, and waited for my shuttle to arrive. I chatted with the parking valet while I waited about the runDisney races (nice guy).

    The shuttle arrived at the end of the 15min window (12:35pm) and we were off; the driver delivered us all safely to our respective terminals, I checked my bigger suitcase in (23#), and got my boarding pass (A25).

    I drank the last of my water, changed into long pants, and went through the TSA line (no pre-check on the boarding pass this time); the agent had to check my wrist (must have been the sparkles on my Snow White watch) but I was through just after 1pm.

    I stopped at Carls Jr. for a large Famous Star combo ($7.54) and ate my lunch there at the restaurant. Afterwards, I moved over to my gate (16) and worked on my trip notes while I waited to board. We had an on-time departure at 2:50pm and I was able to snag the same seat as before (exit row window seat). The flight was full and we were served only pretzels on our flight (the FA mentioned a peanut allergy aboard); I had another Diet Dr. Pepper as my drink and was very sleepy as we flew home!

    We arrived on time, I collected my bag and called James; he picked me up just a few minutes later and we were home by 5pm.

    Steps: 10,122


    Up Next:

    I had reserved the last week of January to cover James birthday, but it was just too close to this trip and I need more time to recuperate; however, our passes expire on May 1st, and James hasnt used his yet! Therefore, Ive made reservations for mid-April for us to visit, most likely via Amtrak again.


    Summary

    Despite my fatigue and the holiday crowds, I enjoyed my visit to the parks with Mike!

    Highlights include:

    • Spending time with Mike!
    • The lovely springtime weather
    • Watching Fantasmic! from a seated area outside the River Belle Terrace
    • Not losing my bandana on the fast rides (Space, RSR, BTMR, ToT) ~ LOL!
    • Beating Mike on Buzz!
    • Just being back at the resort again!


    Lowlights include:

    • My fatigue & neuropathy, although they ARE improving!
    • The holiday crowds (not my favorite time to visit)
    • Missing out on some of my favorite attractions and shows: Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, Captain EO, Soarin, Toy Story Midway Mania, World of Color, & Aladdin in particular.
    • Missing out on most of the Frozen Fun stuff; hopefully I will be able to catch it on my next visit before it melts away!



    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



  11. #10
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Apr 2004
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    Sacramento, CA

    Dang...I forgot to manually correct all of the apostrophes that magically disappear when you copy over from Word (I did remember to manually correct the accents over the "e", like for Cafe, though)...oops!

    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



  12. #11
    Registered User
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    Drexel Hill, PA

    I love reading your reports. I am so glad that you were ablest go after all you have been through. I hope you continue to feel better quickly. I also really enjoy seeing your pictures especially with the characters. I look forward to tour next trip report and hope that James is able to go with you.


  13. #12
    Registered User
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    Jan 2006
    Location
    Beautiful Orange County, CA

    Great trip report! I really appreciate all the time you put into the recreating the details of your trip. Thank you.


  14. #13

    I enjoyed reading your report You have so many details to share that I felt like I was right there. YUM! reading about all the wonderful meals and treats!


  15. #14

    Tr

    Thank you so much for writing this-- I know it's a ton of work but we really appreciate it! sounds like you all had a ball! Only good thoughts too for your continued recovery.....a lot of it is fortitude and patience -- qualities I tend not to have myself

    all my best

    faith from Cape Cod


    Until next time...[/QUOTE]


  16. #15

    Pam,
    I was so excited to see your trip report that I read it all in one sitting at work. Shhh don't tell anyone. I was just so glad to see you back at your "Happy Place". Loved the report, but I am happier to hear you are feeling better. Prayers are with you my friend.
    I hope your and James trip in April will go as planned. I know you are happier with James is with you.
    Thanks so much for taking the time to write this - I loved it.
    Ellen


  17. #16
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by suejacken View Post
    i love reading your reports. I am so glad that you were ablest go after all you have been through. I hope you continue to feel better quickly. I also really enjoy seeing your pictures especially with the characters. I look forward to tour next trip report and hope that james is able to go with you.
    Thanks Sue; I was so pleased to be there again as well!

    Quote Originally Posted by josephfive View Post
    great trip report! I really appreciate all the time you put into the recreating the details of your trip. Thank you.
    Thank you; my hubby calls it 'wordy', but I call it 'detailed' - LOL! I enjoy re-reading it sometimes or using past reports for reference too.

    Quote Originally Posted by amazedncal View Post
    i enjoyed reading your report you have so many details to share that i felt like i was right there. Yum! Reading about all the wonderful meals and treats!
    Thank you! And I missed out on some yummy food things this past trip, like corn dogs!

    Quote Originally Posted by woods hole girl View Post
    thank you so much for writing this-- i know it's a ton of work but we really appreciate it! Sounds like you all had a ball! Only good thoughts too for your continued recovery.....a lot of it is fortitude and patience -- qualities i tend not to have myself

    all my best

    faith from cape cod


    until next time...
    Thanks Faith; I really know what you mean about the patience thing!

    Quote Originally Posted by ej4disney View Post
    pam,
    i was so excited to see your trip report that i read it all in one sitting at work. Shhh don't tell anyone. I was just so glad to see you back at your "happy place". Loved the report, but i am happier to hear you are feeling better. Prayers are with you my friend.
    I hope your and james trip in april will go as planned. I know you are happier with james is with you.
    Thanks so much for taking the time to write this - i loved it.
    Ellen
    Thanks Ellen (I'm replying from work as well - LOL!); I appreciate your kind words and always welcome the prayers too!

    I've already booked a lunch at Blue Bayou for April 19th and my next step is to buy the Amtrak tickets! The countdown is on...
    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



  18. #17
    Registered User Silvercat's Avatar
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    Sep 2007
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    Birmingham, UK

    Thanks for taking the time to write this Pam, I really enjoyed reading it! (And also at work - we are bad!) We went to Disneyland for the first time last year, and it was lovely to read your report, recognising all the things we had done and places we had been to during our trip.

    I wish you the very best for your future, hope the treatment goes okay and that all ends well for you - sending you a virtual, Mousepadder hug (which are the best kind!)

    Silvercat

    (Enjoy reading trip reports? Why not try my books, "Tiggerific Travels" - all 4 books available now as e-books)

  19. #18
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Silvercat View Post
    Thanks for taking the time to write this Pam, I really enjoyed reading it! (And also at work - we are bad!) We went to Disneyland for the first time last year, and it was lovely to read your report, recognising all the things we had done and places we had been to during our trip.

    I wish you the very best for your future, hope the treatment goes okay and that all ends well for you - sending you a virtual, Mousepadder hug (which are the best kind!)
    Thank you! I've always been a fan of your trip reports as well, and really enjoyed reading about your first time at Disneyland (especially the emotions...I still get them too!). I can't imagine being away from home for a full month, but when you fly so far ya just gotta take advantage of as much Disney as you can!
    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



  20. #19
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    Feb 2008
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    foresthill Ca

    Wonderful report, as usual.


  21. #20
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by candles71 View Post
    Wonderful report, as usual.
    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



  22. #21

    It sounds like you had a fun, yet exhausting, trip. I saw that you had ticket scanning problems. We actually had that exact same problem when we visited in December. It was very annoying, and the CM was not helpful with the FP either. We had to walk all the way back to the gates to re-scan. They gave us a bit of a hard time too because it was our entire party and not just one person (we have APs, so obviously not shared tickets). This was after we had waited the longest we ever have to enter the park gates. We arrived 20-30 minutes before opening, but did not get into the park until 10 minutes after opening. They claimed the scanning was a glitch, but it was apparently still happening 6 weeks later when you visited.


  23. #22
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bumblebeeonarose View Post
    I saw that you had ticket scanning problems. We actually had that exact same problem when we visited in December. It was very annoying, and the CM was not helpful with the FP either. We had to walk all the way back to the gates to re-scan. They gave us a bit of a hard time too because it was our entire party and not just one person (we have APs, so obviously not shared tickets). This was after we had waited the longest we ever have to enter the park gates. We arrived 20-30 minutes before opening, but did not get into the park until 10 minutes after opening. They claimed the scanning was a glitch, but it was apparently still happening 6 weeks later when you visited.
    Yes, VERY annoying! We had taken the time to get there by rope drop to beat the crowds, and their only suggestion is to swim upstream against the flow of arriving guests to the turnstiles to re-scan? Not only was that an inconvenience, but it would take away our rope-drop advantage...I was not a happy camper at the time.

    Do you remember which attractions you were trying to get FPs for? Was it only at DL? I'm curious as to whether this has happened at DCA as well. I plan to double-check as I go through the turnstiles on my next visit to make sure I scanned!
    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

    It was also Space Mountain that we tried, but when we went back to the gates it was obvious that we were not the only ones affected, although most parties was just one person. It was a very annoying morning since it took so long to get in and then we couldn't get FP. If it had just been one of us it would have been fine since we had to rider swap anyway. I just remembered that it actually started with the Frozen M&G in Fantasyland. That was the first place I went (DH took kids to rides in FL) because my daughter hadn't met Anna and Elsa yet and wanted to. They still gave us the FP, but our tickets and one of the tickets for the lady in front of me didn't scan right either. I thought it was just the hand held scanner, until we tried to get real FP for Space.


  25. #24
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bumblebeeonarose View Post
    It was also Space Mountain that we tried, but when we went back to the gates it was obvious that we were not the only ones affected, although most parties was just one person. It was a very annoying morning since it took so long to get in and then we couldn't get FP. If it had just been one of us it would have been fine since we had to rider swap anyway. I just remembered that it actually started with the Frozen M&G in Fantasyland. That was the first place I went (DH took kids to rides in FL) because my daughter hadn't met Anna and Elsa yet and wanted to. They still gave us the FP, but our tickets and one of the tickets for the lady in front of me didn't scan right either. I thought it was just the hand held scanner, until we tried to get real FP for Space.
    Interesting; thanks for the info...I hope they have fixed it by now (especially with Spring Break & Easter crowds on the way)!
    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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