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View Full Version : Niwel & Future Mr. Niwel -- July 17 -- no Hotel



Niwel
07-18-2007, 01:10 PM
Travel dates: July 17, 2007
Travel method: Car
Resort: Disneyland Park
Accommodations: No hotel
Ages Represented in Group: Adults
DL Experience Represented in Group: Expert
Comments: This is a half-day report – but we did so much in a short time I have to share.
Cast of characters: Me (aka Niwel), 29; Dear fiancé/DF (aka Future Mr. Niwel), 31

What an awesome day!

I left work in Koreatown around 4:30 p.m. and made it to the Mickey and Friends structure at 6 p.m.(taking the 10 east to the 110 south to the 91 east to the 5 south). DF left his office in Simi around 6 and made it to the park at 8 (taking the 118 east to the 405 south to the 110 south to the 91 east to the 5 south).

Amazingly, both of us ended up parking on the Donald level a few rows apart.
When I reached the tram there was no line at all; security was the same as was the gates to enter the park. The parade was about to start, so I maneuvered through the stores to get around it (I love doing that) as I headed toward Tomorrowland. I told DF that I would get in line for Nemo since we hadn’t had a chance to ride it yet. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to make it down fast enough to ride with me (I was in line about 1 hour and 45 minutes), which was just as well since he gets claustrophobic (we might try the room next time).

I walked over to the Plaza Inn to meet DF at 8 p.m. for dinner and we had no wait to enter or pay. I always get the Munch Inc. chicken (I miss the applesauce they used to have); DF got a specially made chicken salad without blue cheese.
After dinner (about 8:30), we walked over to Buzz Lightyear for our ongoing rematch – we both reached L-4 this time, but I had the higher score. The time on the wait board said 15 minutes – I think it was closer to 10.

Then we were going to go over and wait in front of the castle for the fireworks, but it was so crowded that we turned right to head toward Fantasyland. It had been a while since we had ridden Matterhorn at night, and because they had both sides running – with only one line – the wait was maybe 15 minutes.

DF said he didn’t feel like watching fireworks and that we should take advantage of the rides while we could. We started walking toward Big Thunder via Big Thunder Trail when DF had to make a pit stop at the Village Haus bathrooms. He emerged right before the fireworks were to start so I convinced him that we should stay and watch.
Since we usually are near “it’s a small world” for the fireworks, it was really interesting to watch them from near Casey Jr. (we were able to see Tinkerbell, the castle effects and the Matterhorn projections pretty well). I don’t mean to get mushy, but there’s nothing like getting kissed during the fireworks.

I kept hoping they would do something special because of the 52nd birthday – but no such luck.

The fireworks inspired us to head over to Haunted Mansion – but fate stopped us. We couldn’t get past the Mark Twain because they were clearing out the crowds, So we ended up on Big Thunder after all. The wait was about 15 minutes and we requested the last row, as always. It’s one of my absolute favorite rides! I take advantage of the mind-scrambling “goat trick”; DF can’t do it – it makes him a bit queasy.

When we left Big Thunder the line stretched out of the main queue and along the rocks – talk about good timing. Since I remembered that the one-way movement along the Rivers of America makes getting around a bit challenging, we went to Pirates before going to the Haunted Mansion (I told DF that I sometimes fall asleep on POTC if I ride it at night. He promised to wake me up) After waiting about six minutes we enjoyed a lovely boat ride – but we did notice a few changes: one of the pirates was missing from the jail; and the pirates on the bridge with the dirty foot now holds a jug that is on fire.

Our last ride of the night was the Haunted Mansion – four minutes and we were in the elevator. We both agree the attraction is getting creepier and creepier – especially the face on the wall of Madame Leota’s séance room. It was a wonderful final attraction – but I realized that, despite it being Disneyland’s birthday, we didn’t make it on any of the opening day attractions.

It was then 11 p.m., so after grabbing some drinks from the Blue Ribbon Bakery we decided to head home as both of us had a long drive back to the Valley.

We made sure to thank Uncle Walt for letting us play in his park and then encountered the second-longest line I’d waited in all day: the tram back to Mickey and Friends.

Was the shlep down worth it for just a few hours? Absolutely! DF wasn’t originally going to come with me, but I’m very glad he did. I’m sorry I missed the MP meet up earlier – but there’s always next year! :fez:

Darkbeer
07-18-2007, 01:57 PM
Just wanted to say, CONGRATS Niwel on the Future Mr.

It might have been posted here earlier, but I missed it, glad you found your special someone and hope you have a great life together!