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Thread: Pammer ~ January 10-14, 2016 ~ Offsite

  1. #1
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Pammer ~ January 10-14, 2016 ~ Offsite

    A few months late, but here is my latest trip report ~ hope you like it!

    Travel dates: January 10 - 14, 2016
    Travel method: Southwest
    Resort: Anaheim Del Sol Inn (Off-site)
    Accommodations: Standard
    Ages Represented in Group: Adult
    Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: Veteran
    Comments: Celebrating James' birthday a couple of weeks early
    Cast of characters:

    • Pam, 55: trip planner/writer/self-proclaimed Disney Queen!
    • James, 55: Pam's hubby who likes Disneyland but is not as fanatic as Pam!



    The Planning

    Mike (my co-worker friend from FL) had signed up for the Star Wars Half Marathon so I decided to fly down and hang out with him at the parks as I had done the year before. I was also planning a trip for James & me around the end of January for his birthday, and was originally going to make two separate trips. However, I thought about it further, discussed it with James, and we came up with a new plan: we decided to fly down together on the Sunday before the race weekend, spend the week together, and then James would fly home on Thursday and I would stay to meet up with Mike.

    A few months before the race, Mike informed me that he was going to do a different endurance event in Canada at that time instead, so I modified that part of my itinerary and planned to fly home with James on that Thursday.

    After we had finalized our travel plans, Disney announced that Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular would end its successful run on our arrival date, and several attractions at Disneyland Park would also be closing for various reasons (e.g. refurbishment and development of the Star Wars land) the following day; we wouldn’t have much time after we arrive to see them all, but they would become our highest priority that night!

    A note about flying: James had been having issues with flying the past couple of years, but now he takes blood pressure medicine & uses a sleep apnea machine so he felt confident he could fly again; our fingers are crossed that all will go well! I booked mid-afternoon flights in hopes he will be better rested beforehand.

    Lodging: I had originally booked a room at the Anaheim Desert Inn on Harbor Blvd. (a 5-minute walk from the parks) for January 14-18 when I was going to meet up with Mike for his race (the Anaheim Del Sol Inn's schedule wasn't open for January 2016 yet), so I made a connecting reservation there for January 10-14 with a nightly rate of $89. I cancelled the 14-18 reservation when Mike decided to skip the race.

    A week before departure I rechecked the Anaheim Del Sol Inn and their Annual Passholder (AP) rate had dropped to $81.48, so I booked that and cancelled the Anaheim Desert Inn; then I rechecked the Del Sol 3 days before departure and saw that the rate had now dropped to $73.09! I cancelled & rebooked for a total of $367 for the 4 nights.

    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 = $79 each way) and then rebooked our return flight in mid-October when that fare dropped down to $76; total TSA fees & Early-Bird option came to $72.40 round-trip (without points the total cash cost would have been $360).

    I also made reservations with SuperShuttle for travel to/from our motel ($36 round-trip after the AAA group discount was applied).

    Tickets: We have active Deluxe APs.

    Priority Seating: I made a reservation at Blue Bayou for Wednesday (1/13) @ 11:30am, in hopes of getting a waterside table; we also most likely will eat at the Rainforest Cafe and The Pizza Press on Harbor Blvd. at some point during the trip, plus maybe Tortilla Jo's and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen as well, but I didn't make any reservations for them. Everything else will probably be counter-service and off-site to keep costs and calories down.

    Disney Visa Rewards Card: I transferred $270 out of our rewards balance on our Disney Visa Rewards Card (DVRC) to cover our Disney park meals and any park incidentals.


    The Itinerary

    The pre-planning was done very quickly, and here was the result:
    • January 10: Travel down in the afternoon; check-in to the Del Sol Inn; Disneyland/DCA
    • January 11: Disneyland/DCA
    • January 12: Disneyland/DCA
    • January 13: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at Blue Bayou @ 11:30am
    • January 14: Check-out of the Del Sol Inn; Disneyland/DCA; travel home in the afternoon



    Saturday, January 9, 2016 (pre-departure date)

    Actual: Most of today was spent doing laundry, packing, and cleaning the house; I also printed off our boarding passes (A28 & A29) around 2:20pm and checked the weather forecast for Anaheim. Around 3:30pm I dropped off our house keys with our neighbor Steve, who was going to kitty-sit, and then drove over to Subway to pick up food for the airport tomorrow (a veggie foot-long sandwich for James & a turkey/cheese foot-long for me = $14).

    I went to bed around midnight & James followed at some later time.


    Sunday, January 10, 2016 (63o)
    Plan: Travel down in the afternoon; check-in to the Del Sol Inn; Disneyland/DCA

    Actual: I was awake off & on since 4am, got up to feed Sidney around 7:45am, and then was up for good around 8:30am; James got up around the same time. No one had won the Powerball jackpot the night before so I drove over to Safeway to buy tickets for my office & for us since the new jackpot of $1.3 BILLION would fall during our trip.

    Once I returned home, we finished getting ready, said goodbye to Sidney, packed up the car, & left for the airport around 11:40am. Traffic was light this Sunday morning and we were soon parking in the economy lot right next to the last bus stop (42G2). A bus arrived a few minutes later and we were soon at Terminal B.

    There was a long line to check our suitcase in, but I didn't see any Skycaps outside to alleviate the wait; I was done in 10mins (35.5#) and then we encountered an even longer line at TSA! I guess today was a very popular travel day.

    We hadn't noticed that James' boarding pass was marked “Pre TSA” until after we had waited in the regular line, so oh well! We were finally though around 1:20pm and found a table in the dining area to eat half of our sandwiches; I also filled our H2O bottle.

    We used the restrooms and headed over to Gate B17 around 20mins later; we were able to both get exit row seating when we boarded, but not together. I was on the aisle and James was in the row behind me by the window ~ I kept checking him throughout the flight and fortunately all went well with him!

    We departed on-time & I updated my trip notes during the flight; James drank his usual Ginger Ale and I drank Diet Dr. Pepper. The male flight attendant gave us extra peanuts & pretzels when he came by, even though we had already been given peanuts by another FA!

    My ears kept popping and it was great to land 10mins early at 3:30pm. We deplaned and stopped at a kiosk in the walkway to buy a long-sleeved "California" t-shirt for James ($11) before retrieving our checked bag from the carousel and walking down to meet our SuperShuttle van.

    We waited about 10mins and left the airport around 4:10pm; we had a very aggressive driver but safely arrived at the Del Sol Inn around 4:30pm after one stop. We checked in and received 2 packages of homemade warm chocolate chip cookies ~ YUM!

    We got situated in room #237 and left for McDonald's around 4:45pm; we walked through The Cove Market to check on their supply of H2O (they had gallons) so we'll stop back later tonight to buy some for the room.

    At McD's we used the buy-one get-one (BOGO) offer printed on our motel key card to get 2 Big Macs for James, 2 plain hamburgers for me, and we shared a small soda ($8.62). We inhaled everything and headed over to a very busy Disney California Adventure around 5:15pm.

    The Pixar Pals Parade was in progress, but we managed to dodge the crowds and make our way over to The Hyperion Theater to inquire about any possibility of seeing the last Aladdin show; the Cast Member (CM) told us that all Fastpasses (FP) had been distributed, there were no extra performances scheduled, and no standby would be available ~ BOO!  Well, at least we got to see it on our last trip.

    We next walked over via "a bug's land" to check out the single rider line for Radiator Springs Racers (RSR); it was quite long so we decided to head over to Disneyland Park.

    We picked up FPs for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at 5:55pm (6:35pm) and walked over to Star Wars Launch Bay (SWLB); we checked in for the new Darth Vader Chase Disney Visa meet & greet and was told to go down the hallway. We had the heck scared out of us when DV suddenly appeared around the corner to stand inches in front of us (I think I said "Oh crap!")!!! DV accused James of being in the Rebel Alliance and made him stand to the side while he posed for pictures with me; then he let James join us for more pictures ~ it was a great experience for both of us!!!



    We looked around SWLB and then rode Buzz around 6:35pm with our FPs; James easily beat me with 486,800 points vs. my 235,300!

    We emailed the photos home and then walked over to ride the Jingle Cruise; they were queuing upstairs which we normally wouldn't wait for, but the attraction was closing the next day for refurbishment. We waited about 15mins and boarded Irrawaddy "Snow" Woman for a lovely journey with Skipper Alex (great skipper, very funny!); James had missed this two years ago and really liked it as well.

    Our next stop was Haunted Mansion Holiday, which was also closing the next day for refurbishment; both sides were open & for once I chose the one that moved the fastest so we were boarding our Doom Buggy about 15mins later. It had been two years since we had last rode this version and it was a lot of fun!

    I was interested in beignets from the Mint Julep Bar but they had a very long queue, so we decided to bypass for now. We stopped for our free DV photo at the Camera Center around 8pm, where the CM tried to encourage us to do standby for the 10:30pm showing of Fantasmic! (it was also closing the next day for the rest of the year); however, we were just too tired!

    James left the park and headed to The Cove for two gallons of H2O ($9.60), before going back to the room. I crossed over to Coke Corner and bought 2 hot dog/chip combos & a Mickey pretzel ($17.46, after the 10% AP discount) before heading back as well.

    We ate, unpacked, and got settled in the room, then James watched the NFL network playoff replays while I showered & updated my trip notes. I was in bed around 11:30pm and James followed around midnight.

    Steps: 15,496
    Last edited by Pammer; 04-30-2016 at 06:28 PM.
    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
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    Sacramento, CA
    Monday, January 11, 2016 (70o)
    Plan: Disneyland/DCA

    Actual: James had some problems sleeping (he's on a new BP medication that caused issues the whole trip; he has since discontinued it and gone back to his original medication), but I got up around 8:30am. Our refillable H2O bottle had frozen in the fridge, as had my Subway sandwich leftovers! I tried warming it up in the microwave but it just wasn't that satisfying to me.

    I got ready and left for DL around 9:45am (Disney Diamond Days "Word of the Day" = Cinema); bag check was very busy and it took me 15mins to get through before waiting another 15mins to get through the park entrance turnstiles!

    Note: I was surprised to see the CM's confiscate a bottle of Corona beer from someone in front of me, but it was glass & alcohol so I understood why; I was mostly surprised to see someone even attempt to smuggle one in!

    I picked up a FP for Hyperspace Mountain at 10:30am (12pm); standby was posted as 35mins but the queue was filled in all the way to the entrance so I left. I went next door to SWLB and waited about 3mins to see Chewbacca; he gave me a big hug and really liked seeing himself on my Rebel t-shirt!



    I then waited 15mins to see DV; he was most unhappy to see my Rebel shirt and turned his back on me! He relented and took a couple of pictures with me and I was on my way again.



    I saw the Tomorrow Landing store and remembered reading about their Star Wars/Star Tours name badges; I bought two for me and two for James ($38.69, after the 10% AP discount).





    I waited for them to be engraved and then picked up a FP for Buzz at 11:05am (11:45am).



    I walked over to the exit of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (BTMR) to ride without using stairs; CM Bree was very nice & took me right in to ride ~ I avoided both the stairs and a 20min wait!

    I walked over to ride Pirates of the Caribbean at 11:30am; the wait was posted as 15mins but I was on in about 5mins; I then headed to the Mint Julep Bar to buy a 6-pack of Mickey beignets ($8.09, no 10% AP discount here!). I sat in the seating area nearby to eat a couple of them while updating my trip notes.

    I walked over to ride Buzz at 12:30pm with my FP (189,800) and then went to ride Hyperspace but it was closed! I perused the SW merchandise at Star Traders and bought two shirts ($48.50, after the 10% AP discount) while waiting to see if it came back up; I eventually gave up around 1pm and left the area.

    I stopped at City Hall to leave a compliment for CM Bree and headed over to DCA. I couldnt find my Chapstick so I stopped in Elias & Co. for that and a few dangles ($12.10, after the 10% AP discount).

    I went to the Chase Disney Visa meet & greet around 1:20pm and waited about 20mins to see Daisy ~ great character interaction!



    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



  4. #3
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Sacramento, CA
    Monday, January 11, 2016 - Part 2

    It was about time for the 1:45pm performance of the Frozen Sing-Along, so I enjoyed that before cutting through "a bug's land" and Cars Land.

















    I headed to Ghirardelli's around 2:20pm, where I received my free Mini Caramel sample and ordered a large Oreo milkshake with skim milk ($8.26, after the 10% AP discount). I sat outside the shop to enjoy my treat while updating my trip notes, and then walked over to Kingswell Camera to pick up my free photo; as I was leaving the store I felt something pop in my left foot, which caused me to limp the rest of the trip!


    To be continued...
    Last edited by Pammer; 04-30-2016 at 06:37 PM.
    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
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    Sacramento, CA
    Monday, January 11, 2016 - Part 3


    I went back to DL around 3pm and picked up another FP for Buzz at 3:05pm (3:45pm); Hyperspace was up so I did that next via a VERY LONG FP return line. I was off in 20mins and OMG ~ I LOVED the overlay!!!



    I next saw the Path of the Jedi around 3:30pm and loved that film montage salute to the SW franchise as well. I then saw that I had a missed call from James (he doesn't do texts) so I called him back and we agreed to meet at Rainforest Cafe (RFC) in about an hour.

    I rode Buzz with my FP at 3:50pm and had a great score (over 330K) when the ride stopped just before exiting the Zurg room (where they take your photo); the lights came on, the rails came up, and my score went blank ~ boo! We were eventually evacuated by the CMs, and they also gave us each an electronic FP for later by scanning our tickets/passes. I checked for my photo, but of course it was missing!



    I limped over to ride the Monorail and James called as I was heading up the ramp; he was walking through the Esplanade and was going to wait for me there if I was nearby ~ I told him where I was and that I would see him in Downtown Disney (DD). I rode in the back of Monorail Red to the DD station and met up with James at the ride exit.







    We walked over to the RFC and checked in with my Landry's Select Club card around 4:50pm; we got right in and had a great server (Chris). I ordered the chicken tenders appetizer and a Diet Coke and James ordered the Volcanic Cobb Salad and a raspberry tea; we also shared a side of fries and everything tasted really good ($41 with tax & tip, after the $10 e-gift bonus card I had). We later looked through their retail store after we ate, but didn't buy anything.



    We went back to the Monorail station just after 6pm and rode in the back of Monorail Red back to DL; we exited and walked over to take pictures of the it's a small world holiday faade.




    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



  6. #5
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Sacramento, CA
    Monday, January 11, 2016 - Part 4


    We next found seats to see Mickey and the Magical Map at 6:30pm ~ great show as always!

















    Afterwards we went to SWLB for the Disney Visa meet & greet with Darth Vader (no wait!) and then checked out the wait for Path of the Jedi; we had just missed it so we picked up FPs for Buzz at 7:10pm (7:50pm).



    I remembered I had the FP from earlier when Buzz went down so we decided to ride it now. I had a terrible gun and had a very low score (45,700), but James scored 1,021,600 (#21)!




    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



  7. #6
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Monday, January 11, 2016 - Part 5


    We then walked over to the restrooms by Alice to wait for the Paint the Night parade at 8pm; this was a GREAT viewing/photo location that I had read about in someone else's trip report and we'll have to remember it for future trips!















    After the parade passed by, James took our FPs and went to ride Buzz while I headed to First Aid to ask about my foot; they were only able to give me ibuprofen & ice pack materials. However, the RN did take my info down and then gave me a voucher for a free wheelchair rental the next day.

    After I left First Aid, I watched the end of the Remember fireworks from outside the Camera Center and then went in to pick up my free DV photo.



    When I was done, DL was closed so I called James and we met up by the Corndog Wagon. James said that he had ridden Buzz twice with the FPs: the first photo didn't have his score (about 440k) but the second photo did (848,500 = #53)!

    We left the park and James detoured over to The Cove (bandage wrap = $6.42) while I limped back to the room. When James came back, he got me some ice and wrapped my foot; it doesn't look swollen but still hurts!

    I updated my trip notes while we watched The Biggest Loser and other shows, did my usual evening stuff, and was in bed around 12:30am.

    Steps: 18,939
    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
    Tuesday, January 12, 2016 (73o)
    Plan: Disneyland/DCA

    Actual: James had a rough night and didn't get to sleep until 5am! He was warm and apparently I was making some weird noises in my sleep which also contributed to his insomnia. I slept off & on until 8:45am and then got up. James awoke around 9:20am while I was getting ready and asked me to get another room for our last two nights so he could sleep!

    I left around 10:15am and stopped at the office; Loretta was there and she was able to book the room next to ours (#238) for two nights ($97.11/night). We chatted for a bit longer and then I limped over to DCA (WotD = Grizzly); there were shorter lines for both bag check & the turnstiles, but it was a bit later than yesterday!

    I picked up a FP for World of Color at 10:40am (8:15am = BLUE) and a very nice CM gave me an additional one for James; I got emotional at her kindness!

    I encountered the 60th photo backdrop for Grizzly River Run and stopped for a picture before continuing on to Toy Story Midway Mania. There was a CM photographer on the bridge along the way and she recognized me from the Daisy meet & greet yesterday!



    I got in the TSMM standby queue around 10:45am and waited about 40mins to ride (157,400) and then limped over to ride The Little Mermaid (walk-on).



    Afterwards, I stopped at Ghirardelli for the free sample (mini caramel) and then got in line at The Cozy Cone around noon for a pulled pork cone with cheddar cheese & corn chips plus a Coke Zero ($12.18, no AP discount). The lady behind me had the exact same cell phone wallet design that I have for my regular cell phone that I normally use at home ~ a small world indeed!

    I carried my food over to a bench in the shade across from The Hyperion Theater, after stopping at The Twilight Tower of Terror for a FP at 12:10pm (12:55pm). YUM!!!

    While I was sitting there updating my trip notes, Five & Dime drove by and I recognized Anders from Billy Hill & the Hillbillies playing the bass; darn, I was too slow to snap a picture!

    I next went over to the Disney Visa meet & greet around 12:30pm and waited about 15mins to see Minnie; the lady behind me in the line was the same person behind me the day before ~ another small world moment!



    I took another bathroom break and then rode ToT with my FP around 1pm (standby = 30mins) = FUN!



    I next cut through "a bug's land" and found another 60th photo backdrop, so I stopped for a photo before walking over to the Radiator Springs Racers FP machines. There was a park ticket in the machine so I gave it to the nearby CM before picking up a FP for me at 1:30pm (7:40pm).



    I limped over to RSR and entered the single rider line; when I got to the merge point, I asked to go to the disabled area so I could avoid the stairs. I got right on with a family of 4 who were first-timers so that was fun; too bad the mother didn't like it!

    I headed back to Kingswell Camera to pick up my free photo and the CM (Cary?) kept changing up the order of the photos to start from the oldest, even though I kept telling him that I only needed to see the ones at the end; then he started a slideshow which began with the pictures from my previous trip over 4 months ago! So I would stop him, explain things again to him, he would switch up the pictures, and then start from the oldest again! We finally got the right photos on the screen and I placed my order for the free photo; then he almost gave me a picture of two other people instead of the one of me with Minnie! I think he needed a break; he was polite but just so detached from the whole incident.

    I stopped at the restroom and then headed over to DL around 2:20pm; I visited The Candy Palace for a cherry Goofy's Glacier ($4.65, after the 10% AP discount) ~ YUM!

    I picked up a FP for Star Tours at 2:30pm (5:05pm) and then one for Buzz (3:05pm) since it was currently not connected to the grid, and then sat down at The Galactic Grill to enjoy my slushy treat while updating my trip notes and resting my left foot. I also enjoyed the Star Wars music they were playing while I was in the area!


    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



  9. #8
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
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    Sacramento, CA
    Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - Part 2


    I next walked over to watch the Mickey's Soundsational Parade from the path to the south of the Matterhorn, when it passed by shortly after 3pm ~ a very good vantage point! I really like this parade; the performers have so much energy!




















    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



  10. #9
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Sacramento, CA
    Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - Part 3

    A few more parade pictures:







    After the parade, I walked back to see the last part of the Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple show (I liked the old Jedi Training Academy show better) from the back side of the stage.









    I picked up another FP for Buzz at 3:50pm (4:30pm) and then rode with my earlier FP (348,600).



    After Buzz, I limped over to watch The Laughing Stock Co. show at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, but James called and asked me to meet him at the wheelchair rental place outside of the main gate.

    I limped out and got the free rental around 4:30pm, and James showed up shortly thereafter. We went back into DL and over to The Galactic Grill, where the 4:45pm Jedi show was going on. I got a plain burger & fries, James got the veggie sandwich with fresh fruit, and we shared a large Coke Zero ($21.84, after the 10% AP discount). We found a table behind the stage and ate our food there while watching the end of the show.

    After we finished eating around 5pm, we went into SWLB for our meet & greet with Darth Vader again:



    We then then split up: James took my FP to ride Buzz (607,100) and I took the Star Tours FP, where I used the disabled entrance. I had Darth Vader, the new Force Awakens scene, BB8, and then Coruscant ~ I loved it!

    I met back up with James around 5:45pm and we watched the Path of the Jedi show; when we came out around 6pm the fireworks were going off again. We worked our way through the crowds and over to DCA.

    We rode Monsters Inc. (5mins) and then I realized I'd forgotten to pick up the DV free photo, so I trekked back over to DL. The had closed off Main Street to film stuff for the upcoming Wonderful World of Disney TV show that was going to air on 2/21/16, so everyone had to use the side walkway both in and out of the park.

    There was now a long line at the Camera Center so it took me about 15-20mins to get my free photo; I left around 7pm and met back up with James out in the Esplanade. He took the two photos and went to return the wheelchair (after which he was going to McDonald's and then the motel), while I went back into DCA.


    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



  11. #10
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
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    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Tuesday, January 12, 2016 - Part 4


    I stopped at Ghirardelli for another candy sample and then at the Boudin Bakery for a sourdough bread sample, before going to the WoC blue viewing section around 7:40pm. I was able to secure a seat on a bench in the disabled section and played solitaire on my phone until the Fun Wheel Challenge began at 8pm. I had over 28k points when it was through, which I thought was pretty good!



    I watched the WoC show at 8:15pm:











    DCA was now closed so I headed back to the motel; I stopped to get James a key card for the second room and then went to our room to get my stuff. James told me about going to McDonald's after he returned the wheelchair for a BOGO Big Mac deal ($4.27) and then remembering to get me a couple of plain hamburgers ($2.16)!

    I warmed up my burgers in the microwave and ate them while we chatted, and then I took my stuff over to the room next door around 10pm. I got settled and watched Seinfeld reruns while updating my trip notes. I took my shower and then took some Sudafed along with my evening pills, since I felt a little congested. I was in bed around midnight.

    Steps: 17,288
    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
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Wednesday, January 13, 2016 (68o)
    Plan: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at Blue Bayou @ 11:30am

    Actual: My new bed was a bit hard, but I slept OK anyway; I was finally up around 8am and was out the door at 9:35am. There were short lines at bag check, and then I went to the Guest Relations window to enter James in to the 60th contest using their tablet, since I didn't have his phone to do so before 11am (WotD = Radiator).

    There was no wait at the DL turnstiles and I joked with the older CM that he looked lonely; he replied that he has bad breath (on purpose) ~ LOL!

    I made it up to The Hub around 9:55am (before rope drop) and I noticed that all of the camera equipment from last night was gone; only the stage in front of the Castle remained. At rope drop, I limped as quickly as I could to Peter Pan's Flight and entered the queue, which only stopped when filled in about 5mins later! I called James to ensure he was up (he sounded rested) as he is to meet me for lunch in about an hour.



    I was off of Peter Pan about 10:20am, so I went next door to ride Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (<5mins; MacBadger).



    After Toad, I walked around the corner to ride Alice in Wonderland around 10:30am; standby was already listed as 20mins, and it took me about that long to ride!

    I walked over to Tomorrowland and checked out the FP return time for Hyperspace; 1:10pm was not a good return time for me so I skipped it for now. I played phone tag with James a couple of times and we finally met up near The Hub. We went back to ride Buzz, where James was #10 for the day (556,700)! I had no photo, so I don't know what my score was.





    I picked up FPs for Star Tours at 11:05am (12pm), as well as two for Buzz (11:40am) before we hoofed it over to the Blue Bayou to check in for our lunch reservation. I requested a waterside table, which is pretty easy to get when your reservation is at 11:30am!



    We were actually seated right away (15mins early) and had a very good server. I ordered the flat iron steak and a Diet Coke:



    James ordered a portabella mushroom and a mint julep:



    They also brought a yummy birthday dessert since James' birthday is coming up ($83, after the 10% AP discount)!



    We left BB around 12:30pm and rode Buzz with the FPs, although they weren't needed; James scored 432,600 (#77) and I scored 128,300. After Buzz, we rode ST with our FPs, getting the same ride I had yesterday (DV, new sequence, BB8, & Coruscant).

    I then limped over to pick up FPs for Hyperspace at 1:10pm (4:45pm) and we headed over to DCA. We did the meet & greet with Stitch (same photographer as yesterday) and then we walked over to Cars Land.



    James got FPs for RSR along the way at 1:35pm (6:45pm) while I stopped to refill our water bottle, then we met up at RSR. We got in the single rider line at 1:40pm; James ended up riding twice while I went to the disabled side and rode once.




    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



  13. #12
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - Part 2


    The wait for TSMM was too long and James wanted a nap, so we stopped to pick up the free photo at 2:15pm and James took it back with him to the motel. I watched a bit of the Red Car Trolley News Boys show and then met Olaf over in Hollywood Land (3mins).





    I rode Monsters Inc. since I was in the vicinity (<5mins) and then headed over to DL around 3pm. I stopped at City Hall to pick up a new Disney Rewards Redemption Card, since the new ones dont have an expiration date on them anymore. The Soundsational Parade was in progress when I came out, so I watched from in front of the Fire Station.












    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



  14. #13
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Wednesday, January 13, 2016 - Part 3


    After the parade, I headed into Tomorrowland and watched the Jedi show at 3:25pm; when it was done I picked up FPs for Buzz at 3:50pm (4:25pm) and then walked over to Frontierland to pick up FPs for BTMR at 3:55pm (4:30pm).



    The Enchanted Tiki Room was about to begin at 4pm, so I enjoyed that next; this was a favorite of my dads and I always try to see it at least once per trip!



    After singing like the birdies sing, I stopped at Bengal BBQ for a Banyan Beef Skewer ($4.36, after the 10% AP discount) which I took over to the GHS to watch The Laughing Stock Co. at 4:20pm ~ a very funny show as always!



    After the show, I rode BTMR with my FP; boy, those stairs were rough on my knees! My next stop was to get FPs for Indiana Jones Adventure at 4:55pm (5:30pm) and then I headed back to Tomorrowland.

    I rode Hyperspace with one of my earlier FPs, and then got an immediate second ride when the car in front of us had a wet seat and it took too much time to dry it; they didn't have enough time to unload & reload our car before sending it out so they let us stay on for another ride ~ whoo-hoo!!!



    After the fabulous second ride, I hurried around to ride once more with my second FP ~ whew!



    I was done around 5:35pm, so I picked up FPs for Star Tours & Buzz, then stopped at The Galactic Grill for a Darth by Chocolate dessert ($5.82, after the 10% AP discount). It took a LONG time because the couple in front of me were taking forever to order; the wife didn't eat meat and they had the chef come out to discuss their options. I'm a picky eater, but it wasn't like she had a food allergy ~ she was just a vegetarian!

    I sat down to enjoy my dessert and the Jedi show was just ending; James called around 6pm to say he was on his way so since I had his AP I had to walk up to the front gate to give it to him ~ the fireworks were in progress and Main Street was congested, but I made my way around the one-way traffic restrictions.

    I handed James his pass through the fence and he came through the turnstiles; we hurried up the left side of Main Street, cutting through The Candy Palace to avoid the crowds as the fireworks ended. We walked over to ride Indy with the FPs around 6:20pm and then rode Pirates (5mins).

    I next took a bathroom break while James looked through the nearby shops in Adventureland, then we walked over to SWLB to see Darth Vader one last time just after 7pm.



    We next rode ST one last time as well with our FPs (DV, new sequence, BB8, & Boba Fett) and then James went over to ride Buzz (581,500) while I picked up our free photo just before 8pm.

    We met back up and rode Buzz two more times: the first time had the wrong score on my photo (it showed 134,000 and it should have been double that!) and there was no photo for James (he scored around 505k). The second ride's photos were there and accurate: 660,000 for James and 83,000 for me (I had a bad gun again).

    The Paint the Night parade has just ended, and we followed HUGE crowds out of the park around 8:35pm; we went to Pizza Press and ordered a cheese pizza for me and a veggie pizza for James ($20 after the 10% coupon I had). We took our food back to the motel and enjoyed it there while watching TV.

    I checked PowerBall and there was a winner in SoCal, so that was ALL OVER the local newscasts that night!

    I went next door to my room, iced my knee, and updated my trip notes while watching TV. I dozed a bit, and then finally showered around 11:30pm. I dozed a bit more and then finally hit the hay for good around 12:30am.

    Steps: 26,042
    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
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Thursday, January 14, 2016 (61o)
    Plan: Check-out of the Del Sol Inn; Disneyland/DCA; travel home in the afternoon

    Actual: I slept soundly until 5am, and then off & on until 8am; I got up, got ready, gathered my stuff, and went over to the other room around 9:15am. I woke James up when I came in (he had accidentally set his alarm for 9PM rather than 9AM OOPS!), so he got up and got ready while I packed us up.

    James took the bags downstairs and I checked us out just before 11am (#237 = $362.36 & #238 = $214.77). The lockers at the Anaheim Desert Inn next door were all full (surprisingly) and so we left everything but James' sleep apnea machine with the Del Sol Inn's office for now.

    We walked up to McDonald's for the BOGO Big Mac for James, 2 plain hamburgers for me, and a Diet Dr. Pepper to share ($8.62). We sat there to eat and kill time until just after noon, when we walked back to the Del Sol. We retrieved our luggage and SuperShuttle arrived around 12:35pm to pick us up. There was only one other passenger on board, so we arrived at the airport before 1pm.

    I printed off our boarding passes from a kiosk (A48 & A49) and checked in our big suitcase (36.9#), before heading to TSA; we both had the "Pre TSA" option and were able to bypass the long regular line! TSA swabbed my hands for some reason and James had to go through a couple of times because he kept setting off the machine (wallet & jacket). 

    We were done around 1:20pm, so we sat down at Gate 17 to wait for our flight; I was starting to get a sore throat this morning and was afraid I was coming down with a cold. 

    James wandered around while we were waiting and bought another long-sleeved "California" t-shirt ($11) at one of the stores in the terminal.

    When we boarded, we found seats in the exit row and departed on-time (full flight); James had his usual ginger ale and I had Diet Dr. Pepper, along with the peanuts & pretzels they gave us. We landed on-time and our bag was ready for us by the time we arrived at the carousel. Since it was cold & raining, James left everything with me and took the shuttle out to get the car.

    James paid for parking ($50), picked me & our belongings up at the terminal, and we had a slow, wet commute home; traffic was awful so we stayed on I-5 to go home a different way. It still took an hour and we arrived home around 6:20pm, in time to give Sidney plenty of love and for me to start in on some cold medicine.

    Steps: 6,915


    Up Next: A short trip with my best friend Danni in Mid-May!



    Summary: Except for our health issues (James with his new blood pressure medication that really zapped his energy and me with my knees, foot, & back), it was nice to be back at the Resort again!

    Highlights include:
    • James flew successfully again!!!
    • Just being at Disneyland!
    • Our delicious lunch at the Blue Bayou (waterside table) and the yummy pizzas at The Pizza Press!
    • All of the new Star Wars entertainment, especially Hyperspace Mountain, Darth Vader meet & greet, and the Path of the Jedi show
    • Seeing the new entertainment offerings for the 60th Diamond Celebration again (e.g. Paint the Night parade, fireworks, and new World of Color show)
    • Mostly great weather!


    Lowlights include:
    • Our health issues during the trip & me coming home with a cold



    Until next time - thank you for reading!
    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



  16. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Drexel Hill, PA

    I love your trip reports. I appreciate you taking the time to post them. Your pictures are awesome. I really like the night parade ones and the ones with Small World lit it. I hope your foot is better now. I can imagine it wasn't much fun to walk around DL with a bad foot. I think it's great that James was able to fly to make it easier for you. I have only been to DL and CA a few times but I still cant get the lay of the land. I love reading about your shortcuts.


  17. #16

    I am just now seeing your trip report. As always I loved it.

    I am so glad that James is able to fly again. YEA!! So what did you think you did to your foot? Have you had it looked at? The "pop" doesn't sound too good.

    Thanks again Pam!!

    Ellen


  18. #17
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by suejacken View Post
    I love your trip reports. I appreciate you taking the time to post them. Your pictures are awesome. I really like the night parade ones and the ones with Small World lit it. I hope your foot is better now. I can imagine it wasn't much fun to walk around DL with a bad foot. I think it's great that James was able to fly to make it easier for you. I have only been to DL and CA a few times but I still cant get the lay of the land. I love reading about your shortcuts.
    Thank you for the nice words, Sue; I hope you make it out here again soon (maybe when Star Wars Land finally opens in a couple of years, if not before)!

    Quote Originally Posted by EJ4Disney View Post
    I am just now seeing your trip report. As always I loved it.

    I am so glad that James is able to fly again. YEA!! So what did you think you did to your foot? Have you had it looked at? The "pop" doesn't sound too good.

    Thanks again Pam!!

    Ellen
    Thanks Ellen...I was thrilled he flew again as well (flying is a lot quicker than the train)! I did have my foot X-rayed and everything was fine; the doctor thought it was either Plantar Fasciitis or tendonitis. I went back to Fleet Feet and got re-fitted with another pair of shoes and am wearing them with heel cups and so far so good! I've used them to walk two 5Ks over the past few weeks so I am hopeful that all will go well on my next trip (which starts in a week)!!!
    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
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Beautiful Orange County, CA

    Always enjoy your trip reports!


  20. #19
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by josephfive View Post
    Always enjoy your trip reports!
    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



  21. #20
    Registered User buffy24's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Lincoln, Nebraska

    Great trip report, Pam!
    I would also love to know, where do you get those adorable skirts? I want one!
    Pam


  22. #21
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by buffy24 View Post
    Great trip report, Pam!
    I would also love to know, where do you get those adorable skirts? I want one!
    Pam
    Thanks!

    As far as the running skirts: http://sparkleskirts.com/ - they are the best! They have pockets on either side so I can store my camera on one side and my phone on the other side, plus they have a zippered pocket in the waistband to store money, key, credit cards, etc. (although I usually have a waist bag for that in the parks). I like the swing style best, but they also have a longer style (Hiker Chic) and a slim-cut style too. Oh, and the best part - the built in shorts don't ride up!
    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



  23. #22
    Registered User buffy24's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Lincoln, Nebraska

    I am totally going to check that site out. They sound amazing! Shorts that don't ride up are definitely the best part! Thanks for the information, Pam!


  24. #23
    Registered User buffy24's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Lincoln, Nebraska

    I just ordered two. You may have created a monster


  25. #24
    Self-Proclaimed Disney Queen! Pammer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by buffy24 View Post
    I just ordered two. You may have created a monster
    LOL - you will definitely want more, especially when they have a sale or free shipping!
    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



  26. #25

    Hey Pam!

    As always great trip report! Sorry about the health issues! Glad to read that James was able to fly again! Loved reading all of your details! Thanks for sharing!

    Heidi


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