PDA

View Full Version : Trip Report 10/27-10/29



uvsc_wolverine
11-03-2004, 11:21 PM
I would have gotten this TR going if not for some unpleasant events that will be detailed as part of the report. Now then...on with the show!

Wednesday October 27:
We got to the hotel (Castle Inn) at about 10:30 a.m. and got all checked in. The first place we went was DCA (since one of our group had never been). We did everything except California Screamin' within 90 minutes (Screamin' wasn't running because of the rain). Then we headed over to DL and went and did all of the rides we wanted to make sure that we didn't miss (Indy, HMH, BTMRR, Pirates, etc.). My cousin didn't like the paint job on the castle (direct quote: "It's pink!"), but I thought it looked great! I don't really remember much of the rest of the day, but I know we had fun!

Thursday October 28:
Went straight to the Blue Bayou to request waterside seats for lunch (made the reservations a month ago) and was informed that I couldn't make my request until the time of my reservation! Since the other people I was there with hadn't gotten to the park yet I went on Pirates alone...in the front. Once I met up with my friends we went on Splash. We almost went on Pooh (none of us have been on it), but it broke down while we were in line (we never did get to ride it - we just didn't care that much). At 12:30 we had lunch at the Blue Bayou. Waterside seats of course. Oddly enough we were seated right next to the projector for the shooting star effect. I had a Monte Cristo and a Mint Julep(oh man that was good! I can still taste it!), the other two guys both got some sort of pork dish. Then we headed straight over to DCA to ride TOT (yeah, right after lunch). After TOT we caught Aladdin. I was pleasantly surprised by Aladdin. I was expecting something cheesy on a small stage. I was expecting a theater the size of the Golden Horseshoe. Boy was I wrong! I have to say that I really enjoyed the show. It was extremely well done. I felt like if they just knocked it up a notch and lengthened it out a little it would easily be broadway-worthy. So, basically, I really liked Aladdin. After Aladdin we went and did Soarin'. Here's where things started to suck. As we were going over Yosemite my cell phone rang. Now I'd been trying to get ahold of my parents all day. My dad was going in for Gaul Bladder surgery that morning and I just wanted to check on him. When my phone rang on Screamin' it was my mom. I told her I'd call her back when I got off the ride. As soon as I had a signal I called her, and she immediately told me to find a quiet place to sit down (she scared the living crap out of me!). I waled over to Taste Pilots (I sat down underneath a speaker of course!), and my mom informed me that as my dad was coming out of the anesthetic he had a heart attack (his second). Thankfully he was already in the hospital so he got prompt medical attention. But, by the time this conversation with my mom was taking place my dad was already taken care of and in Pulmonary ICU. He was slightly conversant, and insisted that I finish out my vacation instead of cutting it short to come see him. His prognosis was good and I didn't want to make him feel any worse (he knew that I had been looking forward to this trip for months), so I made flight arrangements to fly to San Jose from Ontario on Saturday morning. Just so everybody knows - my dad is fine now. He was discharged from the hospital on Monday and is recovering just fine. So that was how my Thursday went.

Friday October 29:
We made Friday a leisurely day. We went around and did the shopping we wanted to do, got some pics with various characters, did TOT a few more times, finally managed to get on California Screamin', and had lunch at the Golden Horseshoe. I had never been inside the Horseshoe in my life (and this was like my twentieth trip to DL). I really enjoyed Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, and my Chilli Dog was quite good. We went on HMH and Pirates again, ran around Tom Sawyer's Island for 45 minutes (we're all over 18 by the way), and just generally wandered around, relaxed, and had a good time. Around 7:00 p.m. we started trying to find Donald (we're all Donald fans), but couldn't find him. We went and asked at City Hall about him and they said they would try to find him for us. They got our names and told us to come back in an hour. So we went over to Denny's and got dinner, then went back to City Hall. Unfortunately they weren't able to get Donald for us, but there were 8x10 glossies waiting for us with personalized autographs from the duck himself! Even though we didn't get to meet Donald, we thought that was pretty cool (not to mention the fact that the pics were free!). Once we got our Donald pictures we did a little shopping, and waited for the fireworks. We really enjoyed the show (not as good as Believe, but still good). We really thought the fan tail effect framing the castle was cool (it would have been even better if the castle had been lit up, but, oh well). Once the fireworks we over we packed up and headed back to my aunt and uncle's house in Victorville. Then I got up early the next morning (Saturday) and flew to San Jose to be with my family. Now that my dad is home and doing good I'll be heading back to school in Utah this Saturday.

All in all it was a good trip - except for the whole "dad had a heart attack" thing. Just to reiterate - my dad is fine now, so no need for worrying!

3894
11-04-2004, 10:49 AM
Sorry to hear about your dad, uvsc_wolverine. How scary that must have been for you.

A lot less sorry you didn't ride Pooh! It's fun, cute, all that but no Country Bears, as you know. And I have never been inside the Golden Horseshoe, either (even though, like you, I've been to DL a bazillion times). Glad to hear it's fun!

Thanks again for your trip report. And best wishes to your folks.

junglejoy
11-07-2004, 07:55 PM
I'm so glad to hear your dad is doing well. How scary!!!

We live in Utah County too. We were supposed to go UEA weekend but my Grandma died (she was 104, had a wonderful life!) so I had to go to N. Calif instead. I was wondering how crowded the parks were that weekend because of all the Utahns and Nevadaites out of school. Maybe it's good our little family had to put off our trip a couple of months.

I'm glad you had a nice trip in spite of the difficulties. Hope your Dad continues to improve - and watch your diet and lifestyle. Those things tend to run in families. :)

uvsc_wolverine
11-07-2004, 09:54 PM
I'm so glad to hear your dad is doing well. How scary!!!

We live in Utah County too. We were supposed to go UEA weekend but my Grandma died (she was 104, had a wonderful life!) so I had to go to N. Calif instead. I was wondering how crowded the parks were that weekend because of all the Utahns and Nevadaites out of school. Maybe it's good our little family had to put off our trip a couple of months.

I'm glad you had a nice trip in spite of the difficulties. Hope your Dad continues to improve - and watch your diet and lifestyle. Those things tend to run in families. :)

The crowds weren't too bad on Wednesday (pretty much walked on everything), but things got progressively worse through Friday, although it was still pretty easy to go on whatever we wanted. Waits were still pretty minimal on most rides. When I went on the Jungle Cruise Friday night, I was talking to the skipper while the boat was still loading and she asked where I was from. I told her I was from Utah and her was response was something like, "I should have known. You know we're thinking of changing the name of this part of the state to Southern Cali-Utah!" I thought it was pretty funny. But I saw a LOT of U of U and BYU t-shirts and sweatshirts while I was there, and I think that just about everyone at the hotel I stayed at (Castle Inn) was from Utah (in reality it was about 2/3 - but that's still a lot).

BTW strange coincidence. My parents live in Northern California (near San Jose).

junglejoy
11-08-2004, 01:16 AM
Glad to hear you had a good trip with short lines. How was the Castle Inn? I don't even know where that is. We usually stay at HoJo's when we go to DL but hubby got a bonus so we're splurging on our next trip and staying at the GCH. I can't wait!!! We got a great rate with our AP's so we had to do it. We've never stayed at the resort before. And we always drive. Too expensive to fly with a family our size. I think half of our neighborhood went to DL UEA weekend. I thought it might be pretty crowded.

The funeral was in Walnut Creek. Both of my parents grew up in the Bay Area. I grew near Sacramento. Mr. Joy is from the Bay Area. How we ended up in Utah?!? When we got married he still had 2 yrs at BYU so we came here. He got his first job here, we're still here. I really like it, but we both wish we could be closer to our families. This is a great place to have children - our kids have a gazillion friends where we live (n. utah county - highland), but home is home. We've been here so long I seriously doubt we could ever leave, even if we could afford it. Why are you here? I assume you're going to UVSC. ;) BIL goes there, part-time. Mr. Joy and I are both BYU alums - from ages ago... Go Cougs!

uvsc_wolverine
11-08-2004, 12:14 PM
Yeah, I'm majoring in Computer Science at UVSC. I pretty much grew up here, but my family moved to San Jose shortly after I got home from spending two years walking/biking around Illinois ;)

kisroo
11-08-2004, 12:23 PM
Wow~sorry about your dad! That must have been scary. I was once gone out of town when my dad had a heart attack~such a helpless feeling. Glad to hear he is ok, though.

The Golden Horseshoe show is one that we are going to *have* to do this Dec.
Thanks for sharing your trip. Best wishes to you and your family.
~kisroo:)

DISNEYloon
11-08-2004, 12:31 PM
Glad to hear your Dad is doing well........man, that must have been scary!!!!

Great TR! Interesting hearing about billy hill, i've never seen that either. I'll have to check that out in 52 days!

Thanks and again, hope your Dad is doing well......

tinklover25
11-08-2004, 01:14 PM
i live in San Jose! i hope all goes well for your family from now on!

junglejoy
11-08-2004, 02:11 PM
What a small world. He was there 1991-93. I went to Philadelphia for the same reason. ;) But I was there ages ago (I'm quite a bit older than hubby) 1987-88. Gotta love the mish!

I think BIL may be majoring in CS too - something computer related.

Susan L
11-08-2004, 05:30 PM
I'm happy to hear you dad is doing better. And it sounds like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing.