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View Full Version : Trip Report 11/29-12/3/05--long



rfaljean
12-06-2005, 05:48 PM
Ok, I've been reading everyone's trip reports, so I thought I'd share ours. Please bear with me though, this is my first trip report, so here goes...

Players: Me, DH, Daughters 13, 11, 7, Sons, almost 2 and 2 months (AP'ers)
Sister, her hubby, her sons, 6 and 18 month old twins (AP'ers):
Our Mom and 86 yr old Grandmother (Nana), 7 yr old niece (other sis couldn't come)
and Our Aunt and Uncle and their 13 yr old twin boys.....

Ok, here goes:

Preshow- We had actually booked resort hotel rooms in February, just in case everything booked up this Christmas season. We ended up cancelling those room reservations and booking through Walt Disney Travel. My family stayed off site at the Staybridge Suites, since there is 7 of us. Very nice. I would definately stay there again. The rest of my family stayed at the resort. My sis and her family at Grand Californian and everyone else at Paradise Pier.

Day 1- 11/29/05
Leave Sacramento at 4 am. We only stopped twice to feed baby and stretch. Once for gas before the Grapevine. We made it to our respective hotels by 11:30. Our room wasn't ready, so we went to the Hotel restaurant next door and had a decent lunch. We were able to check in early 1 hr later. Mom and Nana had checked in and were ready to go. My sis would arrive a little later on.

We arrived to the park at about 3:30pm via shuttle and Mom, Nana and I promptly cop a squat on Mainstreet on the front side of the hub in front of the castle to catch both parades and the fireworks. Hubby took the kids on Matterhorn. My sis showed up with her 3 boys and she took all of the girls to Pirates and HMH. Bro-in-law showed up for fireworks.... Excellent show! We all teared up! Thanks to all of the mousepadders for viewing tips. We did have to stand up, but it turned out great!!!!

We missed the ART (Anaheim Resort Transit) shuttle, so we went to Grand Californian and bro-in-law took hubby to our hotel to pick up our van. We decided to just drive over the rest of our time there. Park closed at 8 and we didn't get back to hotel until nearly 11.

Day 2-11/30/05
California Adventure today! Hubby and I had reservations at Napa Rose for dinner and sis was going to watch the kids. We decided that DCA would be easier for everyone. We met up at about 11ish in Bug's Land. Rode Heimlich's Chew Chew Train with the kids, (baby in Snugli). The girl's hit Tuck & Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies while hubbies took the little ones on Flik's Flyers. The kids had a blast. Then it was time for Tower of Terror. We met up w/my 13 yr old cousins and entered the Tower. This was my first time, as I was preggers the last time we went and no one would let me ride. Let me say, this was awesome! I am totally afraid of heights, so I made sure not to open my eyes when I knew the elevator door would open and reveal the stunning view of the park. I was totally fine. I would definately ride it again, but only once per visit :) .

We hit the Cocina in Pacific wharf for lunch, (baby needed to eat!) while the hubbies and older kids hit California Screamin'. Then we did GRR and got fast passes for Soarin'. While waiting for our time window-we went to EnginEar Toys and filled up boxes of parts for Potato Heads for the little boys for Christmas-that was totally fun!. Rode Soarin' then my little guys and I met my sis and her family for Turtle Talk. That was really neat. My 2 yr old was totally enthralled with the show. Crush talked to my nephew and my sister. It was totally rad, dude! Bought Christmas ornament in Off the Page.

Now it was time for dinner. We had all agreed to meet at Whitewater Snacks. Let me tell you, this seems like a nice place, but when you have 13 people in one party, it just doesn't work. My mom took my 7 yr old and my neice to their room and watched movies. My sis wore the baby in the Snugli and took my 2 older girl's and my 2 yr old to Build-a-Bear. Hubby and I hit Napa Rose for our 5:30 dinner. This was hubby's very early Christmas present as he has wanted to eat here for more that a year. We sat at the Chef's Counter and my hubby was stoked. He had the Vitner's table w/Wine paring and I had the Chef's salad of baby greens with Sherry vinagrette and the Peppercorn NY steak. Awesome!! Chef Sutton was working and played a trick on me. He had the server give me a little copper serving pot with soup in it and told everyone not to tell me what it was until I tasted it. I had 4 people watching me, waiting for me to taste it. I knew it was mushrooms w/gnocchi, but I was curious to know that the meat was. After being convinced that it wasn't seafood (I'm not a seafood person, at all), I gave it a try. It was delicious. Turned out is was Pheasant and mushroom soup-too good. I'd never had pheasant before, but would definately have it again.

Hubby was pleased beyond all words. This was the highlight of his trip!!

Day 3-12/1/05
Disneyland-Finally. We arrived at about lunch time. We rode the monorail from DTD. I remember reading about being able to ride up front with the driver, so we asked. Hubby and the girls and 2 yr old rode up front, baby and stoller and I rode in the care behind them. They had fun1. We arrived in Tomorrowland and met up with bro-in-law in line for SM. Well, SM had broken down, so I took baby to Club Buzz while they took the kids on Autopia. Met up w/Mom, Nana, Sis and twin babies. Waited, waited, waited. Rode Space.... awesome-not even an inkling of motion sickness. So smooth and fast. Rode with my neice-she had a blast.

Had lunch at the Pizza Port. Food is good, but buyer beware! If you go with kids, just have them hold the table (if they are old enough) and get them what you think they may enjoy. There were tons of people just wandering around with trays not knowing what to do. My kids just took off and got whatever without thinking. We forgot to use our AP's for our discount-oh well. We wouldn't forget the rest of the trip.

Hit Tiki room-so nice to see it up and running and clean. 2yr old enjoyed the show. Hubby and bro-in-law took twins to get fastpasses for Splash. Had dole whip float-yummy. We all shared. Another Mousepad tip-thanks!

Met up with Aunt had her family in Adventureland. Sis took Nana on Jungle Cruise. Me and other kids were in next boat. Same old jokes-they were great! Loved the Piranha. Aunt and her family were 2 boats behind us. Hit Indy (yeah!!!) and Pirates. Had boat to ourselves. It was really nice to ride w/Nana. I hadn't been on this ride with her since I was a very little girls. It was a hoot hearing here go, "Whee!" down the 2 drops.

Next was a stroll through New Orleans square followed by HMH. Aunt had taken my 7 yr old with her on Pirates.

Then we did Splash. We were going to have dinner at Hungry Bear, but it was closed. Fed baby downstairs while older 4 kids went on Splash again and Sis took Nana on Pooh. (Nana is basically wheelchair bound).

Had dinner at Rancho de Zocalo-yummy. Split nachos between kids. Saved some money. Bought baby first Disney TeddyBear and toddler light up sword.
Did kid switch with hubbys. They took older kids then my sis and I rode together. Haven't done that in about 6 yrs or so-it was great. Headed out of park, back to hotel. Borrowed National Treasure (hotel had DVD player)-good movie- and went to bed.

Day 4-12/2/05
Couldn't decide what to do. Wanted to go to Regan Memorial Library and Museum, left directions in hotel room. Drove to the Block and Orange, but then decided to go to the park. Met up with family on Main St. Posed for Pics in front of Christmas Tree-amazing. Went to Santa's Round-up. Stood in line for Santa for about 15 minutes before deciding to bail. Hit Fantasyland for lunch (Village Haas). Then hit Fantasyland rides. Casey Jr, Dumbo, Mr.Toad, Storybookland Boats-had boat to ourselves, teacups, Alice, Small World -Nana got to ride in wheelchair boat-Small World was just beautiful. Then sis and family went to hotel and DTD and we finished Fantasyland, Peter Pan, Carousel, Snow White and Pinnochio. Met up w/13 yr old cousins and found my aunt and uncle at the 50th movie on Mainstreet-really good. Sent older kids to find sister in Fantasyland and found them all waiting on Mainstreet for fireworks. Left hubby and bro-in-law with little ones and took olders ones on Matterhorn. Whoohoo! Back to Mainstreet-it was raining. Watched Christmas parade again, then hit Plaza Inn for dinner-yummy! Sis had taken twin's back to hotel. Hubby and 7 yr old decided to wait for 2nd Fantasmic while the 3-13yr olds and the 11 yr old hit Pirates. Mom, Nana, neice and my two boys decided to ride the train around the park from NOS and back again.

Met up with kids at train station. Nana again, didn't have to leave the wheelchair-that was too cool. Sitting with my grandmother and her great grandson on the train. Awesome. Fantasmic was cancelled, hubby and daughter sat on Mainstreet by City Hall and had hot chocolate. Walked through Mainstreet shops, buzzed through Emporium to buy shirts for my boys and my 7 yr old and then left the park.

Day 5-12/3/05
Packed up stuff and got ready to go home. Went by Knott's Berry Farm for Chicken and Biscuits. Ended up getting it to go. Mom had already hit I-5 for home and sis and her family were dropping a bundle at the World of Disney. We had decided to go to the Reagan library on the way home, as it was only 40 miles out of our way (roundtrip), Wow! Got to board Air Force One! It was really neat. Hubby had wanted to visit for awhile.

We then headed home. We ended up meeting my sis and her fam at Harris Ranch for dinner. We finally got to Sac at about 1am.

Overall, we had a good time-once we got going. We all agree we could have used 1 more day. I didn't get to do that much shopping, but I guess that could be a good thing. We had wanted a family portrait-with all of us, but couldn't coordinate the time w/ my aunt, that was a disappointment. And, hubby was a grump all Friday :( . I definately enjoy impromptu weekend getaways over planning. This trip just went by too fast. It's hard to think that just 1 week ago we were there. It feels like a dream.

Thanks for reading, I know this is long!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

rfaljean
12-06-2005, 06:04 PM
Day 3-12/1/05


Had dinner at Rancho de Zocalo-yummy. Split nachos between kids. Saved some money. Bought baby first Disney TeddyBear and toddler light up sword.
Did kid switch with hubbys. They took older kids then my sis and I rode together. Haven't done that in about 6 yrs or so-it was great.


Sorry, I forgot to mention-this was BTMRR.

Mermaid
12-07-2005, 07:34 AM
Great report!! It makes me excited for my trip next week!!!

Gramiangel420
12-07-2005, 08:34 AM
thank you for the report. It sounded like you had a great time.:)