TraceyMcF
02-09-2005, 08:40 PM
Great, great trip. It's so thrilling to be there. You'll see, I'm an optimist, and we get to go so rarely that I am happy with almost everything.
All our flights/connections/airportbus trips went perfectly. The hotel (Best Western Park Place) was clean and quiet (I am almost always next door to the partiers with the deep booming voices and shrieking drunken laughs - not this time!). We stayed at Paradise Pier hotel last time, and this hotel was way closer to the gates, no question (except for PP's back way to DCA).
Managed to talk Nick (9 yr DS) into Haunted Mansion, but not Spencer (7 yr old DD). Cait (13 yr. DD) was game for everything, even Winnie The Pooh, which Spencer loved. Nick did ToT the last day, after he'd had 4 days to screw up his courage. We of course loved ToT, screamed ourselves silly. Is the raise/drop pattern different each time?
CM's were great, except for one situation: we'd gone thru Indy lineup, with my DH and I downplaying the ride so youngest two would go on it ("oh it's not that scary, it's all pretend, just close your eyes", etc etc), and when we got to the boarding area, I somehow ended up with the reluctant littles, and DH ended up in the row ahead of us with Cait (who didn't need any encouraging). Nice. Both kids wanted me beside them, but neither wanted the outer seats. As you know, with only 4 seats across this is a mathematical and physical impossibility. So I buckle the two of them in the center seats, trying to jam my fanny pack into the pouch, gently and quietly panicking because everyone else in the ride is seated and buckled but me. I go to sit down, but the outer two belts are already buckled (must have been empty on the previous run). I could not get the belt unbuckled, and the jeep begins moving (unbeknownst to me, only one spot further so they can load another jeep). I panic, and yell (quietly, so as not to make a spectacle out of myself - oops, too late!) "I'm not buckled! I can't get it undone!" The CM across the way gives me the look that conveys that I am unquestionably the stupidest tourist he has ever seen, and I am single handedly screwing up Indy for the rest of the day, ruining untold countless holidays. He grinds out just one word. "Ma'am." Then I think that perhaps this particular seat belt is faulty, and is always secured. So I fumble my way past the two kids (both whimpering "why aren't you sitting beside me Mommy?") and try to undo the similarly locked seat belt on the other side. Again, "Ma'am", even more acidic than the first time. The CM on the other side finally gets that belt undone, I sit and jam the belt home, thankful that I will not be hurled off the side of the ride into oblivion and Disneyland history. I turn to apologise to the riders with me, who are all peeing themselves laughing - the guy behind me says "lady, it was all worth it to see the look he gave you". To top it all off, the kids held my hands for the whole ride (yes, you're right - I couldn't hold on to anything) and kept their heads so far down they couldn't see anything, even if they could have somehow pried their eyes open. Sigh. If I'd had the presence of mind to get the guy's name, I would have gone to City Hall right then and there, I was so mad. I realized later that as soon as the jeep moves, the belts probably lock, and they had to do something to unlock them, but he could have been nicer. And someone could have assured me that they wouldn't leave until I was buckled in! Oh well. I took the advice of someone here and thanked every CM on every ride. Cait and I went on Screamin', and Nick didn't want to ride (DH and Spencer at hotel), so we told a CM, who parked him on the platform, then brought him over to us after we were done (we started on the L track, ended up on the R track). Worked perfectly. Cait thought being a CM would be the most perfect job in the world.
The Indy thing was the only stress. We noticed so many details that I'd never noticed before (the hoof prints/wagon wheel marks in the pavement in Frontierland, the way the pavement veers into the cement in front of NOS in the profile of a city skyline, the spectacular reflection of the castle in the moat at night). I took the time to get a coffee at NOS and people watch (which DH never wants to do, he's always in a huge rush to get in as much as possible), the kids rode every ride they wanted to, several times, and they made me so proud - D'land lets you see every combination of parenting choices/child behaviour that there could possibly be, and my kids were just great. The little ones waited while Cait did what she wanted, and vice versa. She rode Heimlich ("I miss you already!") as much as they did.
We were too far to the left for Fantasmic the first night, but they liked it enough to want to wait an hour to see it the second night, so we got a spot dead center, and the difference was amazing. It chokes me up every time I see it. I feel so absurdly grateful to the performers for bringing that pleasure to our family. Saw Aladdin with a minor glitch just as they were leaving the cave of wonders - curtain down for 5 or so minutes. But still wonderful - the Genie's hysterical. We saw Blast there 3 years ago, which I alone loved. Saw Snow White, took the advice of someone here and saw that before Aladdin - good move.
We love DCA. I know I am in the minority, but we really do. I love the atmosphere on the Pier, and in the main hub. DH and the kids did the Redwood Creek Challenge thing, and loved it. I unfortunately missed that as I was taking a leisurely afternoon nap at the hotel. Too bad!
I was a good Mother and let them spend their money however they wanted, even if I thought it was the height of tacky. Oh yeah, you know it was. Cait got the baby Tigger purse and wallet, and Spencer got the Jasmine locket pin, and a 'she-thinks-it's-beautiful' necklace she made herself with Tinkerbell ceramic parts and the letters T I N K. Nick got the Disney chess set, I did agree with that.
We ate at RainForest Cafe, that was good, Taste Pilot's Grill (v. good), IHOP (good, with excellent, pleasant service), Denny's (pretty good), Captain Kidd's (in our hotel, not that great), Bengal BBQ (v. good), DH and the kids had Pizza Oom Whatever (they liked it), oh yeah, Whitewater Snacks (good). And of course churros, pretzels, ice cream, cream puff, frozen lemonade and cotton candy!
I'm sure there's more I'm missing, but there's the gist of the trip. It was great, wish I was still there (it was -13 degrees Celsius when we got home, about 5 or 6 degrees F?), scraping the windows of the car. Brr.
And really, thank you all here for advice and information. I can't tell you how many times I said to DH "they said...." or "I read..." or I was hauling out my sheets of notes I had jotted down as I sat here by my computer. I hope it won't be too long before I'm back!
Tracey
All our flights/connections/airportbus trips went perfectly. The hotel (Best Western Park Place) was clean and quiet (I am almost always next door to the partiers with the deep booming voices and shrieking drunken laughs - not this time!). We stayed at Paradise Pier hotel last time, and this hotel was way closer to the gates, no question (except for PP's back way to DCA).
Managed to talk Nick (9 yr DS) into Haunted Mansion, but not Spencer (7 yr old DD). Cait (13 yr. DD) was game for everything, even Winnie The Pooh, which Spencer loved. Nick did ToT the last day, after he'd had 4 days to screw up his courage. We of course loved ToT, screamed ourselves silly. Is the raise/drop pattern different each time?
CM's were great, except for one situation: we'd gone thru Indy lineup, with my DH and I downplaying the ride so youngest two would go on it ("oh it's not that scary, it's all pretend, just close your eyes", etc etc), and when we got to the boarding area, I somehow ended up with the reluctant littles, and DH ended up in the row ahead of us with Cait (who didn't need any encouraging). Nice. Both kids wanted me beside them, but neither wanted the outer seats. As you know, with only 4 seats across this is a mathematical and physical impossibility. So I buckle the two of them in the center seats, trying to jam my fanny pack into the pouch, gently and quietly panicking because everyone else in the ride is seated and buckled but me. I go to sit down, but the outer two belts are already buckled (must have been empty on the previous run). I could not get the belt unbuckled, and the jeep begins moving (unbeknownst to me, only one spot further so they can load another jeep). I panic, and yell (quietly, so as not to make a spectacle out of myself - oops, too late!) "I'm not buckled! I can't get it undone!" The CM across the way gives me the look that conveys that I am unquestionably the stupidest tourist he has ever seen, and I am single handedly screwing up Indy for the rest of the day, ruining untold countless holidays. He grinds out just one word. "Ma'am." Then I think that perhaps this particular seat belt is faulty, and is always secured. So I fumble my way past the two kids (both whimpering "why aren't you sitting beside me Mommy?") and try to undo the similarly locked seat belt on the other side. Again, "Ma'am", even more acidic than the first time. The CM on the other side finally gets that belt undone, I sit and jam the belt home, thankful that I will not be hurled off the side of the ride into oblivion and Disneyland history. I turn to apologise to the riders with me, who are all peeing themselves laughing - the guy behind me says "lady, it was all worth it to see the look he gave you". To top it all off, the kids held my hands for the whole ride (yes, you're right - I couldn't hold on to anything) and kept their heads so far down they couldn't see anything, even if they could have somehow pried their eyes open. Sigh. If I'd had the presence of mind to get the guy's name, I would have gone to City Hall right then and there, I was so mad. I realized later that as soon as the jeep moves, the belts probably lock, and they had to do something to unlock them, but he could have been nicer. And someone could have assured me that they wouldn't leave until I was buckled in! Oh well. I took the advice of someone here and thanked every CM on every ride. Cait and I went on Screamin', and Nick didn't want to ride (DH and Spencer at hotel), so we told a CM, who parked him on the platform, then brought him over to us after we were done (we started on the L track, ended up on the R track). Worked perfectly. Cait thought being a CM would be the most perfect job in the world.
The Indy thing was the only stress. We noticed so many details that I'd never noticed before (the hoof prints/wagon wheel marks in the pavement in Frontierland, the way the pavement veers into the cement in front of NOS in the profile of a city skyline, the spectacular reflection of the castle in the moat at night). I took the time to get a coffee at NOS and people watch (which DH never wants to do, he's always in a huge rush to get in as much as possible), the kids rode every ride they wanted to, several times, and they made me so proud - D'land lets you see every combination of parenting choices/child behaviour that there could possibly be, and my kids were just great. The little ones waited while Cait did what she wanted, and vice versa. She rode Heimlich ("I miss you already!") as much as they did.
We were too far to the left for Fantasmic the first night, but they liked it enough to want to wait an hour to see it the second night, so we got a spot dead center, and the difference was amazing. It chokes me up every time I see it. I feel so absurdly grateful to the performers for bringing that pleasure to our family. Saw Aladdin with a minor glitch just as they were leaving the cave of wonders - curtain down for 5 or so minutes. But still wonderful - the Genie's hysterical. We saw Blast there 3 years ago, which I alone loved. Saw Snow White, took the advice of someone here and saw that before Aladdin - good move.
We love DCA. I know I am in the minority, but we really do. I love the atmosphere on the Pier, and in the main hub. DH and the kids did the Redwood Creek Challenge thing, and loved it. I unfortunately missed that as I was taking a leisurely afternoon nap at the hotel. Too bad!
I was a good Mother and let them spend their money however they wanted, even if I thought it was the height of tacky. Oh yeah, you know it was. Cait got the baby Tigger purse and wallet, and Spencer got the Jasmine locket pin, and a 'she-thinks-it's-beautiful' necklace she made herself with Tinkerbell ceramic parts and the letters T I N K. Nick got the Disney chess set, I did agree with that.
We ate at RainForest Cafe, that was good, Taste Pilot's Grill (v. good), IHOP (good, with excellent, pleasant service), Denny's (pretty good), Captain Kidd's (in our hotel, not that great), Bengal BBQ (v. good), DH and the kids had Pizza Oom Whatever (they liked it), oh yeah, Whitewater Snacks (good). And of course churros, pretzels, ice cream, cream puff, frozen lemonade and cotton candy!
I'm sure there's more I'm missing, but there's the gist of the trip. It was great, wish I was still there (it was -13 degrees Celsius when we got home, about 5 or 6 degrees F?), scraping the windows of the car. Brr.
And really, thank you all here for advice and information. I can't tell you how many times I said to DH "they said...." or "I read..." or I was hauling out my sheets of notes I had jotted down as I sat here by my computer. I hope it won't be too long before I'm back!
Tracey