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View Full Version : Trip Report Sat., Dec. 11, 80*!



DebbieinLA
12-11-2004, 10:05 PM
I live in Los Angeles, about 1 hour 15 min., from my driveway to the gate of DL. Therefore, the husband (who doesn't share the DL love), only wants to stay for the day then return home. So this is just a daytrip. We go every December with our daughter, now 4 who loves all the Princesses and we saw many of them this visit around Fantasy Land.

We last went in March 2004 for the Snow White show w/ Grandpa (my dad, who likes DL) so we had done a lot (husband was working).

We got to DL about 10:30 AM. It was sunny, 75*. Judging from the lines at the parking garage, I knew it was going to be busy, but frankly, lines moved along whereever we went, so it didn't seem so bad. We entered main gate, went right and saw the beautiful tree and railroad square. The line was long-ish to see Santa, it cost $5.00 to decorate a sugar cookie at the Fire Station, so we didn neighter. DD liked looking in the store windows. We were eager to walk and look so we went on our merry way toward the castle. There was a children's choir singing songs at the pavilion area to the left of the castle. Daughter wanted to "ride the boats" i.e. It's a Small World, so we hardly gave the choir a glance as we took some quick photos of ourselves in front of the castle. They've really spruced it up; the drawbridge walls actually sparkle. We did a shortcut in castle to Tomorrowland to get toward IASW and Sleeping Beauty was receiving picture takers by the Snow White wishing well. We continued onward. At It's A Small World, I know from past visits that the swiftest line is the far RIGHT lane. You want to be on the bridge closest to the building to get on the boats. The left line gets bogged down by privileged people who are allowed to cut in by CMs or those who need handicap accessible boats. My theory bore itself out as a dad pointed to his son from the bridge of the left lane as we were going under in the boat and he said pointing to us "they were right next to us a few minutes ago!" I enjoy seeing IASW and liked that little things here or there were added or changed, keeping it fresh. Or maybe I didn't remember some things from last year! LOL.

Next we headed to Autopia, but there was a 45 min. wait. so we skipped it.Tomorrowland seems the least populated to me in the park. We came back here for the 2:30 pm Buzz Light year show. The husband liked being there to take a breather after the crush of FantasyLand, which is Strollerland!

So I had jumped ahead above. After not going on Autopia we went to lunch a the place we always do lunch at at DL: the Plaza Inn. Usually we walk right in to have lunch early at 11:45 pm to avoid the lunch rush, but when we got there at 11:50 pm, there was a CM w/ a rope and a small line of people. She said they'd open at 12:00, which got pushed back to "5 more minutes" twice. She blamed it on a "late closing". Excuse me? Meanwhile, a few people were exiting the place, so I wonder if they had had an event there or breakfast? They let us in at 12:10. We had a big, tasty hot meal and lunch there is the husband's favorite part of suffering through DL. Plus, they do have fountain-style soft drinks you can serve yourself in the cafeteria style restaurant w/ either disposable cup or hard plastic cafe cup.

After lunch DD and DH rode the Astro Orbiter. They waited in line from 12:50 to 1:25. The line got shorter though, after they had waited in it.
Then we went to Fantasy Land. We rode Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and then Peter Pan's Flight, our first time for both. The former was nice since the waiting line area was shaded and tucked away and moved well, the latter was harder since it was sunnier and the long line lane is clautrophibically narrow throughout. As we were about to board the PP Flight, the Sword and the Stone ceremony was taking place. I just saw the purple wizard type guy there, but not much else. DD didn't want to ride the Snow White ride which was next.

We went back to TomorrowLand for 2:30 pm Buzz Lightyear show. DD really wanted to see him. I bought a $4.00 cup of frozen lemonade and a $2.75 bottle of Diet Coke. We hung out there awhile in the shade to sip our drinks, then went to the Railroad stop. Our plan was to ride it a full loop plus 1/4 more to the Main Street depot in time for the 4:00 pm parade. It worked out perfectly. The train was a nice way to see the park w/o having to walk as the DD and DH were getting tired. When the train deposited us at Main Street we walked to the bottom of the stairs, perched on a wall and saw the 1st marching band go by. (note: We had seen them lined up waiting backstage during our train ride. Somewhere to the right of IASAW, the train had been stopped to allow some of the parade floats to cross the tracks to get into position, a big gate was open and a man w/ a walkie talkie was there. Beyond him that band had been lined up.)

As Santa was bringing up rear of parade, DH was itching to leave since he knew that was the last thing we HAD to see since it included DD's Princesses in one fell swoop. We stopped at Disneyland Emporium in the square to buy two souvenir Christmas tree ornaments as mementos of this visit. Visited the restroom, then headed for tram, as DD pouted on the outside and I pouted on the inside. It was hard for me and DD to go; dusk was setting in and Chrismtas lights were up, so pretty! She fell fast asleep right after we drove away from the parking garage and didn't wake up at home.

I can't wait to go back next December. Hopefully we'll have our relatives in town to go with so we can stay longer! DH would be relieved to sit it out.

Debbie in LA

Wendi
12-12-2004, 09:38 AM
Sounds like you had a really good day, but I'm pouting for you and DD too... too bad you couldn't have stayed for the entire day. Maybe you and DD can sneak back without him next time and have a nice girl's day out!!!

Hakuna Makarla
12-12-2004, 12:02 PM
Nice trip report! To bad hubby was a poop but I would leave him home and spend the night next time and go another day or 2. Sounds like you are the disneyfan he is not. Thank you for the nice report, glad you had a great time!!!

3894
12-12-2004, 12:06 PM
We had a big, tasty hot meal and lunch there is the husband's favorite part of suffering through DL.

That really made me LOL! Mr. 3894 might be Mr. DebbieinLA's long-lost twin.

Thanks for the report. Very fun read.

Susan L
12-12-2004, 12:18 PM
I'm glad you had such a fun day. I remember doing those all day trips to DL when we lived in Torrance. We would get there early and stay until the park closed.

Opus1guy
12-12-2004, 01:28 PM
You missed a really beautiful evening. We were there yesterday too.

We were just finishing up our incredible Vintners Dinner and evening at Club 33 around 10pm, when our waiter looked out the balcony window and asked, "Is that smoke from the fireworks?" It was not. It was fog. It really came out of nowhere fast.

It was pretty thick at times but it made for a wonderful atmosphere in the New Orleans Square area with all the holiday lights up, and the Mark Twain all lit up in the mist. Even better was Main Street and the Castle all shrouded in fog. It really made the holiday lights stand out with the defused effect the fog gave them. Fantastic! The Castle looked great in the mist too. By the time we got down to the big Xmas tree, the Castle was just starting to disappear completely. It was so pretty out.

And we had such a great dinner at Club 33. It is so tastefully decorated for the holidays and outside the windows and out on the balconies it's beautiful with all the lights and decorations throughout the Quarter. A lot of Member parties for dinner last night. Everyone was dressed so nice. Chef Marcel was out making the rounds at the tables and Asst Mgr Russel was out doing the same. The Winter Vintners Menu with the wine paring is to die for. I don't know how anyone could sit up there with those kinds of views in that kind of place, with that kind of excellent service and with the culinary skills of those Chefs and not think they had died and had gone to heaven! It was one of the most magical Disney evenings we've had in years! :)

And the weather during the day was pretty cracker jack too!! :)


The husband liked being there to take a breather after the crush of FantasyLand, which is Strollerland!

I was just mentioning yesterday to my guests that I don't recall ever seeing that many strollers throughout the park. It wasn't just Fantasyland...they were everywhere! I go to Disneyland quite a lot and let me tell you it must have been New Baby Day or something. It was bumper to bumper like I've never seen it before. And I wasn't the only one thinking that. As we were walking through Frontierland, I heard someone exclaim out loud, "Christ! What's with all the strollers!" :)

rentayenta
12-12-2004, 02:35 PM
Thank you for the report. You are a better woman that I because I would have made DH stay :~D I hope you can stay longer on your next trip! I miss the day trip days.

DL addict
12-12-2004, 05:33 PM
You missed a really beautiful evening.

I too was there yesterday and also thought last night was beautiful. At first I thought the smoke from the fireworks was blowing down main street, but then after fifteen minutes I noticed it had not gone away and was getting thicker. The castle looked pretty cool in the fog (i took some pics,but don't know how to post them.) By the time I left at around 11:30, I could just barely make out the top of the castle.

Other than that, the park was really crowded. I don't know if it is normally that crowded on a Saturday or not, since I normally plan a trip for the weekdays and not weekends. I just took my time and wandered around. I walked thru fantsyland once and also noticed an abundence of strollers. The large amount of strollers are part of the reason I didn't go thru that area again.

Debbie, how long did you have to stand in line at IASW? When I walked back there between 11-12 the lines were EXTREMLY long. Thanks for the trip report, it sounds like you guys had fun!

sediment
12-12-2004, 08:38 PM
Don't take him next time. Easier for everybody that way. Take a friend who has a child near your child's age.

cstephens
12-13-2004, 11:13 AM
I too was there yesterday and also thought last night was beautiful. At first I thought the smoke from the fireworks was blowing down main street, but then after fifteen minutes I noticed it had not gone away and was getting thicker.

It wasn't even just the fog - the temperature pretty much plumeted (sp?) fairly quickly after the fog came in. We were having dinner in Downtown Disney on the balcony, and even with the heater on, it just got really cold all of the sudden.