UncleGDogWord
01-04-2004, 02:24 PM
Well folks I have just returned from my five days at "The Happiest Place on Earth" and I have some stories to share.
To start of with my wife and I rolled into the Park Place Inn around 9:00pm on Tuesday listening to the UCLA Fresno State game (Yea Dogs) and checked into our room after getting the warnings about parking and News Year Celebrations we left to go get our Tickets for the park.
As we approached the Westside Ticket booth (the only ones opened) we mixed with the masses leaving DCA for DL and the shuttles. We got into the park around 9:30pm and made are way to POC and got on with no problem. We then headed for Haunted Mansion Holiday. We had to mill through the Fantasmic folks but other then that we were able to get into the rides with a very minimal wait we hit Star Tours and the train and finished off with Great Moments. We did some shopping and headed back to our room.
The next day was Wednesday was New Years Eve and we just plan to do are Holiday Tour and since are Tour wasn't till the afternoon we hit the Matterhorn first. When we got pass the turnstiles they shutdown the Mountain saying there would be a short 15 minute wait. As we were waiting in line there was a family with two kid talking with CM's in Suits. It turned out the one of the little kid lost his glasses on the ride and they shut down the ride to find them. There was a lot of angry people staring at that family as word past through the line that the ride was stop because some kid and his glasses.:mad: We then hit Star Tours and Small World where they had the exit to the boat storage open and you could see some of the boats and spare props.
We checked in for our tour at City Hall and waited as this lady was yelling at this poor CM about her loosing her Universal Tickets and wanted Disneyland to reissue them to her since Disneyland was a themepark too. The CM explained to her that just because we (Disneyland) was a theme park, that they had no association with Universal and Universal would need to re-issue her passes.
The Holiday Tour began on Main Street and they gave us a general over view of how the Holidays work in DL. By the time we started the tour it was a little crowded and navigating was a chore, but we got to go on the fast pass for the Train and the Haunted Mansion, Canal Boats, and Small World. After listening to the rich history about holidays at Disneyland along with Holiday Tradition we got to sit in special seating and watch the holiday parade (with our free sugar cookie and a free mug of coco). Before the parade we got to watch two High School Bands that were going to march in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
The parade was great! One of the Snowflakes took a header and had to be lifted up by two other snowflakes. It looked like one of her skates had locked up on her. Other then that fun time had by all in the Tour Group.
My wife and I went back to the room for nap. As we were exiting the gate we were advised by Disneyland Secret Service that we should return no later then 7, because there was a really good that they would close the gates due to the crowds (which they ended up doing). We napped, ate at Tony Romas (blah) and then made are way back to the park. We got to the park in time for the Holiday Magic in the Sky and we got snowed on.
Just a quick side note, I would like to say that the need to outlaw those motorize scooters for the Handicap people in the park. Now before everyone gets angry because handicap people have rights to be free too, well you are right handicap people do have those rights, but when I see an obese man or women who can walk but are too lazy to do so, or parents letting there little child drive it around and run into people like it was the Autopia it just makes me sick. I do not know how many times that me or my wife got hit or even had our foot ran over by some idiot on those things. On guy was just going a long on Main Street and because of the parade blocking his path got up and lifted the scooter on to the side walk! I think Disney should limit the amount of these vehicles on days of high capacity.
At around 10pm we got this really great spot next to the castle on the Tomorrowland side. We got to listen to that Route 66 group and see all the magic. It is amazing how fast the 2004 sign shot up over the Matterhorn. The fireworks were spectacular and it was a really a wonderful celebration. You got to love the Beach Balls. We ended up being in the park till around 2, not by choice it was just nuts trying to get to the main gate. I think they ended up opening the backstage area to exit the park.
We started our day on Thursday with "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps" Tour. I wish I could remember our Hostess name because she was excellent. We got all the history of the park along with some tidbits about Walt; like in the early 60's when smoking harms came out he had all the pictures of him smoking airbrushed out, because he did not want kids to see him smoking and think it was ok. We went to the Tiki Room and got to have a private moment with everybody's favorite CM Maynor. We went in to the Tiki Room before everyone else and got not only the history, but we got to peek at the supped up laptop that runs the whole show. Maynor then came in to get to reset the show and our guide asked him to explain his approach on being a CM. He spoke seriously about what he does and went on to finish his duties. He gave a great show and interruptive dance during "Lets All Sing Like the Birdies Sing" after which we went to the gallery and had lunch. We then spent a extra hour after the tour and just talked with are guide. She spoke of how Tomorrowland is going to be worked over to a Retro 50's look of how the people of the 50's though the future might look. She spoke of how Buzz will take over the People Mover tracks and if the budget works out they will finish Earthquake proofing the Sub show building and install the new Sub show (but she said that is a rumor in the wind). She also said that Innoventions will be closing soon for the Park Retrospect to be installed.
She was so wonderful and at the end of the tour we even got a "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps" pin. I highly recommend the tour to anyone! For $40 dollars you get a lunch with desert, a collectors pin, and a great tour. When you break down lunch and the cost of the pin it is a good price.
It was almost impossible to do many rides at Disneyland, so we went to DCA and went most the rides.
Friday was a mess during the day. The crowds were low and we hit both parks, but that drizzle took its toll. The cool thing was seeing the float. It was huge! It wasn't very wide, but man it was tall. We found that any ride outside we could do with no wait, but the shows and indoor rides were a 45 min to a hour wait. We ate a great lunch at ESPN and saw a movie at AMC. We then were very happy and were able to hit everything we wanted to at both parks at least twice before closing.
Saturday we spent two sunny hours going through all of Fantasyland and finished off at Splash Mountain and staying quite dry. They really adjusted those baffles at the bottom of the main drop.
We then left for our lives back here at home and they lived happy ever after.
Both of us had a great time and I love my stay. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year!
To start of with my wife and I rolled into the Park Place Inn around 9:00pm on Tuesday listening to the UCLA Fresno State game (Yea Dogs) and checked into our room after getting the warnings about parking and News Year Celebrations we left to go get our Tickets for the park.
As we approached the Westside Ticket booth (the only ones opened) we mixed with the masses leaving DCA for DL and the shuttles. We got into the park around 9:30pm and made are way to POC and got on with no problem. We then headed for Haunted Mansion Holiday. We had to mill through the Fantasmic folks but other then that we were able to get into the rides with a very minimal wait we hit Star Tours and the train and finished off with Great Moments. We did some shopping and headed back to our room.
The next day was Wednesday was New Years Eve and we just plan to do are Holiday Tour and since are Tour wasn't till the afternoon we hit the Matterhorn first. When we got pass the turnstiles they shutdown the Mountain saying there would be a short 15 minute wait. As we were waiting in line there was a family with two kid talking with CM's in Suits. It turned out the one of the little kid lost his glasses on the ride and they shut down the ride to find them. There was a lot of angry people staring at that family as word past through the line that the ride was stop because some kid and his glasses.:mad: We then hit Star Tours and Small World where they had the exit to the boat storage open and you could see some of the boats and spare props.
We checked in for our tour at City Hall and waited as this lady was yelling at this poor CM about her loosing her Universal Tickets and wanted Disneyland to reissue them to her since Disneyland was a themepark too. The CM explained to her that just because we (Disneyland) was a theme park, that they had no association with Universal and Universal would need to re-issue her passes.
The Holiday Tour began on Main Street and they gave us a general over view of how the Holidays work in DL. By the time we started the tour it was a little crowded and navigating was a chore, but we got to go on the fast pass for the Train and the Haunted Mansion, Canal Boats, and Small World. After listening to the rich history about holidays at Disneyland along with Holiday Tradition we got to sit in special seating and watch the holiday parade (with our free sugar cookie and a free mug of coco). Before the parade we got to watch two High School Bands that were going to march in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
The parade was great! One of the Snowflakes took a header and had to be lifted up by two other snowflakes. It looked like one of her skates had locked up on her. Other then that fun time had by all in the Tour Group.
My wife and I went back to the room for nap. As we were exiting the gate we were advised by Disneyland Secret Service that we should return no later then 7, because there was a really good that they would close the gates due to the crowds (which they ended up doing). We napped, ate at Tony Romas (blah) and then made are way back to the park. We got to the park in time for the Holiday Magic in the Sky and we got snowed on.
Just a quick side note, I would like to say that the need to outlaw those motorize scooters for the Handicap people in the park. Now before everyone gets angry because handicap people have rights to be free too, well you are right handicap people do have those rights, but when I see an obese man or women who can walk but are too lazy to do so, or parents letting there little child drive it around and run into people like it was the Autopia it just makes me sick. I do not know how many times that me or my wife got hit or even had our foot ran over by some idiot on those things. On guy was just going a long on Main Street and because of the parade blocking his path got up and lifted the scooter on to the side walk! I think Disney should limit the amount of these vehicles on days of high capacity.
At around 10pm we got this really great spot next to the castle on the Tomorrowland side. We got to listen to that Route 66 group and see all the magic. It is amazing how fast the 2004 sign shot up over the Matterhorn. The fireworks were spectacular and it was a really a wonderful celebration. You got to love the Beach Balls. We ended up being in the park till around 2, not by choice it was just nuts trying to get to the main gate. I think they ended up opening the backstage area to exit the park.
We started our day on Thursday with "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps" Tour. I wish I could remember our Hostess name because she was excellent. We got all the history of the park along with some tidbits about Walt; like in the early 60's when smoking harms came out he had all the pictures of him smoking airbrushed out, because he did not want kids to see him smoking and think it was ok. We went to the Tiki Room and got to have a private moment with everybody's favorite CM Maynor. We went in to the Tiki Room before everyone else and got not only the history, but we got to peek at the supped up laptop that runs the whole show. Maynor then came in to get to reset the show and our guide asked him to explain his approach on being a CM. He spoke seriously about what he does and went on to finish his duties. He gave a great show and interruptive dance during "Lets All Sing Like the Birdies Sing" after which we went to the gallery and had lunch. We then spent a extra hour after the tour and just talked with are guide. She spoke of how Tomorrowland is going to be worked over to a Retro 50's look of how the people of the 50's though the future might look. She spoke of how Buzz will take over the People Mover tracks and if the budget works out they will finish Earthquake proofing the Sub show building and install the new Sub show (but she said that is a rumor in the wind). She also said that Innoventions will be closing soon for the Park Retrospect to be installed.
She was so wonderful and at the end of the tour we even got a "A Walk in Walt's Footsteps" pin. I highly recommend the tour to anyone! For $40 dollars you get a lunch with desert, a collectors pin, and a great tour. When you break down lunch and the cost of the pin it is a good price.
It was almost impossible to do many rides at Disneyland, so we went to DCA and went most the rides.
Friday was a mess during the day. The crowds were low and we hit both parks, but that drizzle took its toll. The cool thing was seeing the float. It was huge! It wasn't very wide, but man it was tall. We found that any ride outside we could do with no wait, but the shows and indoor rides were a 45 min to a hour wait. We ate a great lunch at ESPN and saw a movie at AMC. We then were very happy and were able to hit everything we wanted to at both parks at least twice before closing.
Saturday we spent two sunny hours going through all of Fantasyland and finished off at Splash Mountain and staying quite dry. They really adjusted those baffles at the bottom of the main drop.
We then left for our lives back here at home and they lived happy ever after.
Both of us had a great time and I love my stay. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year!