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View Full Version : Trip Report Sept 18-21



infinite
09-23-2006, 07:54 AM
September 18-The first day we arrived really early, much earlier than we expected. We went to check into the hotel (probably too early) and for the first time ever we were told to check in at the registration desk, and not escorted up to the 6th floor for concierge check in. My husband saw the line and decided to try the 6thfloor anyway. When we arrived, we were told to always come up there if no one greets us downstairs, they usually get a call when a guest arrives, but sometimes they don’t. I kept apologizing for being really early, but George (or it maybe Jorge, I didn‘t read his name tag…I HAVE to remember to do that!) who is a very (extremely) nice guy, said it was great, he preferred people checking in throughout the day than all at once. He let the boys and I into the lounge (it was filled with guests), while my husband finished check in. the boys each had a piece of fruit, then we went back out to check in with daddy, the lounge was uncomfortably crowded. George gave us a folder filled with information, and postcards and other assorted things, then offered to hold onto it for us until the room was ready. We went down to storytellers for breakfast and got the call the room was ready before we reached the restaurant. We decided to eat and go to the park before getting our room. The morning was spent at breakfast and California Adventure park, where the boys watched the Brother Bear show and my littlest was able to hug Koda for a very long time (he loves bears). We went on Grizzly River run and shared a raft (tube?) with another family from our area (they were from Reno, we are from Fernley), maybe the post here? It was a nice day., but the rest is a blur. We went to Goofy’s Kitchen for dinner, I remember that. There were quite a few characters, all very nice.

September 19-We spent the whole day in Disneyland. There weren’t any waits in lines. Sure the signs SAID 5 minutes, but I doubt anything was that long of a wait. We had lunch at Blue Bayou, I prepared my husband for the fact it changed and he may not like it, he still loved it. He has prime rib, as did our youngest son. My older son had macaroni and cheese and I had the portobello mushroom. Afterwards we saw the pirates show, “The Bilge Rats and Bootstrappers”, the boys thought that was great. It was a full day, and a fun day, but I don’t remember any details. Wait, this may have been the day Splash Mountain broke down and we were taken through the back, lined up and told to wait a minute. Some suggested they were going to give us hush money, other suggested they needed new skeletons for pirates. In the end they just wanted to give us fast passes so we could ride again later…hush money would have been fun…they should do that give out chocolate coins when rides breakdown. My older son LOVES ride breakdowns, because you get to see some of the behind the scenes stuff.

September 20-Today we did build a bear. My younger son made a snow leopard dressed him in khakis and named him “Indiana Kitty”, my older son made a Halloween pumpkin bear and named him “Mickeyio”. we spent a lot of this day going back and forth between parks. The crowds were very light. We had lunch at the Trattorio (it is being remodeled), and we ate outside, leaves were falling and it was just so…pleasant. We saw the Parade of Dreams for the first time (I am not kidding the first time, my boys get tired early) from over by Alice, the tea cups. It stopped for a bit, so we decided to ride Alice, and as we were coming out, on the top part, we had the best view of Simba, that made my little ones night. We had a room service dinner, of I don’t remember what, and were awoken at 2 am to “Daddy, I can’t sleep because can’t breathe”, our littlest guy was so stuffy and uncomfortable!

September 21-our last day, and early entry and the little one is still stuffy. We went on all of the Fantasyland rides, then we spent a good long time with the animals at the petting farm. My littlest one could stay there all day if we let him, and in fact my husband and older son went on a few rides while I sat there with him, he LOVES the animals. We went on Pirates one more time before lunch, there was a couple of guys taking a LOT of flash pictures in the seat behind us. Constant flashing, finally my husband tried to politely ask them to stop, my husband was very polite, he even sad “I am sorry, but…”the guy was so defensive all he did was kept repeating I said okay…I said okay”. He kept taking picture, though. After the ride I heard him complaining to his friends about us. It kind of hurt my feeling, my husband was VERY polite, but flash photography in the dark of a setting really can hurt ones eyes. My husband helped me calm down, but I really felt bad for upsetting the man. Oh, today is our funny story highlight of the trip. The boys need to use the restroom, so I waited for them outside the one in New Orleans Square…Jack Sparrow walked RIGHT by me, and I didn’t even notice he was a character, until other people asked for photos, and he stopped with in a few feet for where I was standing. My son walks out RIGHT by him and then says something like “It would be nice if Jack Sparrow was in the park”. I told him, you walked just past him, turn around look.!” and sure enough there he was. My boys don’t stand in line for autographs often, they are shy, so they just stood and watched in awe of him. It was fun. We had lunch at Rain Forest Café, it was nice, our first visit downstairs, I prefer upstairs, but it was still a lot of fun. We had time for a few more rides, so we went to California Adventure and went on Grizzly River Run, where we met the nicest people form Australia, and got very wet. We were in line behind them again (on Grizzly) and when the CM asked them how many, they included us in their party…how nice is that! Oh and we got socked again a second time.

We planned to drive halfway home, but out little guy was getting even stuffier, so I gave him some medicine, and my husband took us all the way home in one night. Yesterday was a blur of everyone sleeping and recovering…today my little one is STILL stuffy, but enjoying himself looking through his treasure (he likes to pick some up every visit, either form the pirate store, the princess store or the advenutreland store), they had orange jewels this time, and coins with pirate Mickey on them!

Sorry I am not the best trip report writer, but I always enjoy reading everyone else’s when they share, and I wanted to share as well.

nvmom
09-23-2006, 08:01 AM
Sounds like lots of fun! We too, are from N Nevada. So how long was your drive? We've always flown and probably we'll continue to do so, but you never know. :)

nvmom

infinite
09-23-2006, 08:43 AM
about 8 hours, maybe 7.5.

I would like to fly, but for some reason my son is terrified of flying...gets all clammy, and shakes. Every trip I ask if he will try again, and he says no. we have told him as soon as he is able, we will take him to Disney World. I am not sure what causes it, but my mom is the same way. She won’t fly, at all, ever. She will drive for days to see someone, but refuses to ever get on a plane again.

I have been told I should just take him, and make him deal with it, but I am personally not prepared to deal with that.

momuvseven
09-23-2006, 08:56 AM
We just got back last night, we were at DLR 19-21. Great trip and we never waited for anything. So nice to have the park to ourselves. The weather was fantastic and it seemed everyone was in a good mood. We also had some respiratory problems, not sure if it was pollution/smoke in the DLR area or because of all the smoke we drove through coming down 395 from Bishop area. Takes us about nine hours from our doorstep to the hotel with short stops every ninety minutes or so.

Thanks for sharing.

nvmom
09-23-2006, 08:59 AM
We are 2.5 from Reno so we'd look at probably 10-11 hrs or so drive. 2 or our 3 children are school age and we generally go when they're in school so we try to keep the days down. We love the Aloha flight from Reno to SNA... non-stop and perfect schedule... you don't waste a day traveling.

We drive so much here... to Reno for the ped. dentist/and special drs & for shopping... all our family is in WY or MT and at least a 13-14 hr drive... DLR is one place we can actually fly too, so not driving is part of the vacation treat for us and financial choice we make.

Sometime if we go in the summer I'd like to drive and go to San Diego etc.

nvmom

infinite
09-23-2006, 09:08 AM
We just got back last night, we were at DLR 19-21. Great trip and we never waited for anything. So nice to have the park to ourselves. The weather was fantastic and it seemed everyone was in a good mood. We also had some respiratory problems, not sure if it was pollution/smoke in the DLR area or because of all the smoke we drove through coming down 395 from Bishop area. Takes us about nine hours from our doorstep to the hotel with short stops every ninety minutes or so.

Thanks for sharing.
I wonder if we saw you there....hmmmm.

:)

annieb727
09-23-2006, 12:38 PM
where did you guys stay? you mentioned concierge...so I'm guessing one of the resort hotels?

infinite
09-23-2006, 01:36 PM
where did you guys stay? you mentioned concierge...so I'm guessing one of the resort hotels?
The Grand Californian.

momuvseven
09-23-2006, 06:19 PM
You might have seen us, we were dressed alike in a Mickey print and we always get lots of comments. It was just dh, myself and our three year old. Everyone else was at school. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary.

LostBoy02
09-24-2006, 12:29 AM
Mmmm Portobello Mushrooms are my favorite! Sounds like you had a blast, I cant wait till I'm ordering some.