Pammer ~ May 8 - 12, 2023 ~ Offsite

[Pammer]

Whew...it's taken me 3 months to get this written & posted...I hope you enjoy reading it!


Travel dates: May 8-12, 2023
Travel method: Southwest
Resort: Camelot Inn (Off-site)
Accommodations: Standard
Ages Represented in Group: Adult
Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: Veteran
Comments: Late spring trip before passes are blocked out
Cast of characters:

• Pam, 62: trip planner/writer/self-proclaimed Disney Queen!
• James, 63: Pam's hubby who likes Disneyland but is not as fanatic as Pam!
• Debbie: Pam's cousin who lives about 30mi from Disneyland

The Planning

We wanted to hopefully get one more trip in before our passes get blocked out for the summer; we went the second week of May last year and lucked out with weather that wasn't too hot for us! I kept Grad Nites in mind, knowing they were to begin on that Friday, May 12th, so I booked hotel and our airfare reservations for the weekdays leading up to that date.

Later, I was quite annoyed when Disney decided to add additional Star Wars Nites this year, one on our arrival day and one on our last theme park day, which can add to the afternoon crowds as well as shorten the theme park hours! Add a "special ticketed event" on that Wednesday at Disney California Adventure to close them early on another evening, makes for 3 of our 4 evenings forced into a specific park, along with everyone NOT going to the events! So much for my careful & early planning ~ BOO! It's nice that we have annual passes and can try to visit 3 or 4 times per year.

The good news is that my cousin Debbie is going to come spend the morning with me on that Wednesday; we still have a few attractions to do together in DCA, especially Guardians of the Galaxy & Radiator Springs Racers, and maybe we'll have time to park-hop back to Disneyland so she can ride (Hyper)Space Mountain and maybe the updated Indiana Jones Adventure before she has to leave (fingers crossed on the crowd levels!).

This will all become moot if the weather is forecasted for 90s and above that week; in that case we would have to cancel as neither one of us does well in that kind of heat, especially me, who runs hot all year long!

Lodging: I booked a Two-Bedroom ADA Family Suite in June at the Camelot Inn on Harbor Blvd.

Airfare: I booked airfare on Southwest Airlines using a gift card from my brother in January (2 one-way reservations) & then rebooked a few times as the fares went on sale.

Ground Transportation: We will park our car at the Sacramento airport and use Lyft between SNA & Anaheim.

Tickets: We have active Enchant Magic Key passes.

Theme Park Reservations: I made reservations for all 4 days of this trip as I used each day of the last trip:

• May 08: Start at Disney California Adventure
• May 09: Start at Disneyland Park
• May 10: Start at Disney California Adventure
• May 11: Start at Disneyland Park

Priority Seating: I was able to book both Lamplight Lounge and the Blue Bayou for the days & times I wanted by getting up early on the first available date at 60 days out for each! Everything else will probably be counter-service:

• May 10: Lamplight Lounge @ 12:30pm
• May 11: Blue Bayou @ 11am

The Itinerary

Here was the result of my pre-planning:

• May 08: Fly down in the afternoon; check-in to the Camelot Inn; DCA
• May 09: Disneyland/DCA
• May 10: DCA/Disneyland; meet up with cousin Debbie; lunch at Lamplight Lounge @ 12:30pm
• May 11: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Blue Bayou @ 11am
• May 12: Check-out of the Camelot Inn; fly home in the afternoon

Sunday, May 7, 2023 (1 day before departure)

Actual: I did my usual stuff and checked in with our neighbor to pick up our newspapers while we are gone; Steve used to cat-sit our elderly kitty for us as well, but Sidney passed away last month two days before his 21st birthday, so we only need the papers picked up this trip. I printed off our boarding passes when they went live at 3:10pm (A36 & A37) & then went down to Subway to get the foot-long veggie sandwich for James' lunch tomorrow.

We finished our packing and other usual pre-departure tasks and I was in bed before midnight, this time also taking 1/2 Tylenol PM to help me sleep and not get anxious as I did before the last trip! James followed a few hours later as usual.


Monday, May 8, 2023 (70^o)
Plan: Fly down in the afternoon; check-in to the Camelot Inn; DCA

Actual: I was up by 8:45am and was horrified about 30mins later when Clark Pest Control came knocking at the door, interrupting James' sleep! They've been told before to come in the afternoon and James was thoroughly ticked off; we've been a customer for over 30years and they will have one less customer if they come in the morning again! (Note: they came in the afternoon in July, so we won't fire them yet! )

We finished getting ready and left around 12:15pm, only 15mins behind my planned departure. We had an uneventful trip to the airport and James dropped me off with the Ranger electric wheelchair (EWC), its cover, my backpack, & the big suitcase, before going to park in the Daily Lot.

There was a long customer service line (I have to go to the full-service line because the EWC has to be inspected for damage before flight) and I eventually was at the front of the line checking in the bag (32.5#). I was sure James was going to beat me through TSA, but I did manage to beat him.

I filled our water bottle and sat in the food court seating area to wait for James; he arrived shortly thereafter and ate his Subway sandwich while I snacked on some Lunchables I'd brought for me.

We then went down to Gate B20 and were surprised that there weren't a lot of people in the area. I asked a Gate Agent for a claim check for my EWC, and then we settled in to wait for our plane.

We pre-boarded, stowed our EWC at the gate, and sat in Row 4 A & C; we ended up only having 67 people on board, so we were able to spread out in our row and not sit in the middle seat! We departed on-time around 3:10pm and had an uneventful flight: James had apple juice & I had Coke Zero, plus we had their yummy snack mix too.

We landed on-time around 4:30pm, collected our EWC & our big suitcase, and then I requested an XL ride from Lyft. Evaristo picked us up around 5:15pm & had us to the Camelot Inn just before 6pm, dodging the usual weekday evening commute traffic along the way.

We checked in & were again given rooms #303 & #304, which is the ADA Two Room Family Suite, like we had the last trip.

We quickly got situated, put our valuables in the safe & the lights on the EWC, and headed down Harbor around 6:15pm. I stopped at The Pizza Press & James continued on to the CVS on Katella (he bought 2 gallons of water, 2 sandwiches, chips, postcards, and some OJ).

I rode the EWC into the hotel entrance and around into the pizza place, where I parked it near an open table. I went up to order and had pretty much no wait! I ordered 2 cheese pizzas (me), 2 "Publish Your Own" pizzas (mostly veggie for James), and a soda.

I got a Coke Zero and ate about 2/3 of one of my pizzas while waiting for James to arrive; when he did, he ate an entire pizza as he was really hungry! We carried the leftovers back to the room, along with our supplies from CVS.

We put our food in the fridges and headed back out around 7:45pm; we quickly went through security & then entered Disney California Adventure, as Disneyland was about to close because it was a Star Wars Nite. I stopped at the Guest Relations kiosk on the way in to renew my DAS, and the CM made a DAS Return Time (RT) for Soarin' Around the World, as it had the shortest return time available (8:10pm @ 7:55pm).

DAS Tip: DAS RTs are 10mins less than the attraction's posted standby time, and then you can also arrive 5mins before your DAS RT to check-in; for example, standby for Soarin' above was 25mins, but our DAS RT was 15mins away & we could have also arrived early for check-in at 8:05pm.

James perused the Elias & Co. shops while I sat outside by the Disney 100 Medallion & watched guests activate it with their phone apps; the park was pretty crowded and I really hate navigating the crowds in my EWC, especially at night.



We arrived at Soarin' around 8:15pm, where there was another very long return line. We were off around 30mins later and I was done, since we still had unpacking to do. James wanted one of the collectible coins, so we bought one with the Walt & Mickey statue from one of the machines in the Kingswell Camera Shop.





We headed out just before 9pm and went back to the motel; we called the front desk for a "Do Not Disturb" sign for my room and to unlock the connecting door, which took them 30mins to fix!

The Star Wars Nite fireworks started up at 9:25pm, which we were able to view from the walkway outside our rooms, so that was cool!











We finished unpacking & got settled; I also wrote messages on the postcards I brought for my 95-year-old Aunt and my brother & updated my trip notes, while James watched TV on his side. I took a quarter Tylenol PM and was in bed by 11:30pm; James followed around his usual 2am.

Thoughts about the day:

• Loved the empty plane and smooth commutes, both in Sacramento and SoCal!!!

[Pammer]

Tuesday, May 9, 2023 (69^o) ~ Part I
Plan: Disneyland/DCA

Actual: I was up with my alarm at 6:30am, ate some leftover pizza for breakfast, & finished getting ready. I was moving a bit slow this morning, so I didn't leave the room until around 7:45am. Lines for security & the parks both moved quickly and I was inside Disneyland Park just before 8am. I stopped to drop my postcards in the mailbox by the tunnel on the right side, quickly made my first DAS RT for (Hyper)Space Mountain (8:04am @ 7:59am), and headed in that direction, enjoying the rope drop music as I went!



I went to the attraction exit, parked my EWC, and inquired about riding with no stairs; there weren't hardly any accessible guests wanting to ride yet (which is why I usually go there first thing in the morning), and I was able to ride 4 times in a row without exiting back up the ramp!

Accessibility Tip: I usually ride in Row 6, as I can grasp the nearby podium to help me get in & out of the vehicle (I also like Row 1 if no one is in front of me the first time, as I can also grasp the railing to get out at this spot as well), and just ask the CM to please check if there is room for me to ride again without going back & forth ~ almost everyone is very accommodating!



Things were getting busier now, so I exited after my fourth ride and went up the ramp; I used the restroom & then canceled my DAS RT for Space, replacing it with one for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (8:52am @ 8:47am).

I also made a Mobile Order for the Little Red Wagon (corn dog, chips, & bottle of Coke Zero) for pickup 10:30-11am.

I collected my EWC and rode over to Star Tours - The Adventures Continue, where I entered via the non-existent standby queue and parked the EWC outside. I rode the elevator up and had an excellent ride (Kylo Ren, Jakku, BB8, & Exegol).

I took the elevator back downstairs, collected my EWC, and rode over to the Buzz Lightning Lane (LL) return queue to check-in; I didn't get a very high score (285,800), but it was good enough for #23 at that time of day!



I made a DAS RT for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (9:45am @ 9:30am), rode my EWC over to Fantasyland, parked it, and then asked to ride Mr. Toad's Wild Ride via their accessibility return line.

I then got a Location Return Time (LRT) for Peter Pan's Flight, collected my EWC, and rode over to the exit of BTMR, where I parked the EWC, checked in, and walked up the exit to ride.

Accessibility Tip: I usually will ask for the Transfer Access Vehicle (TAV) on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Snow White's Enchanted Wish, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, & Alice in Wonderland; these will open up to allow easier & quicker access in & out of the vehicle, plus some even have additional handrails as well. The DL website states that these other attractions also have a TAV, but I have never used them: Haunted Mansion, Rise of the Resistance, Peter Pan's Flight, Star Tours - The Adventures Continue, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Tea Party, Golden Zephyr, Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, & Incredicoaster. I may ask to use the TAV on HM or Rise someday soon though!

I collected my EWC and stopped at the Guest Relations kiosk near Fantasyland to inquire about making a DAS RT for the other park before park-hopping begins at 11am and confirmed that you must wait (I had hoped I could make one for Guardians of the Galaxy now to be ready just after 11am when I park-hopped, but no go!), and then headed the rest of the way into Fantasyland, where I parked the EWC and rode Peter with my LRT.

I next got my EWC and rode over to the LRW, where I was 5mins before my scheduled pickup window & could say "I'm here ~ prepare my order!" It only took a couple of minutes and then I was hunting for a seat in the section behind the wagon; fortunately, someone finished up right then so I grabbed his table right away!

I enjoyed my tasty lunch & then spent about 10min perusing Clothiers-China Closet & the Emporium, looking for an inexpensive (for Disney, ha!) small crossbody type of purse and some postcards. I did NOT want a mini-backpack and the Dooney and Bourke purses are too heavy for my liking, so I struck out. And apparently, postcards are a dying breed, and they no longer sell the inexpensive ones (only the artsy kind, which are $7-8 apiece!); I'd last bought them here at the Emporium a couple of years ago, but they were virtually non-existent throughout the resort now.


...to be continued

[Pammer]

Tuesday, May 9, 2023 (69^o) ~ Part II
Plan: Disneyland/DCA

I said hello to Walt at his apartment...



...and then park-hopped over to DCA, where I made a DAS RT for Guardians (11:37am @ 11:02am).

I perused Elias & Co. for a suitable purse and then found a Guardians tank top I liked at the Super Store (Avengers Campus) outside of Mickey's PhilharMagic, so I took a photo of it and made a mental note to purchase it later.

I went to ride Guardians ("Born to be Wild") and made another DAS RT for it as soon as I checked in (12:09pm @ 11:34am).



When I got off, I saw that I had a missed call from James so I called him back just before noon. He called back again from the DCA hub, then met me at the exit from Guardians, where I had just cancelled my second DAS RT for it & made a new one for WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure (Toy Story Midway Mania! was down).

We went to the Animation Building lobby to listen to the music while waiting for our RT to get closer, then went over to ride WEB around 12:30pm. I beat James as usual 261,600 to his 220,200 (the whole car totaled 567,300)!



We next rode Jumpin' Jellyfish around 1:10pm and then went to ride TSMM afterwards [I had made a DAS RT for TSMM earlier as soon as we checked in to WEB (1:19pm @ 12:29pm)]. James beat me here as usual, albeit not by much: 179,500 to my 174,200; he also was Best In Vehicle!





I stopped at the nearby Guest Relations kiosk, hoping to get a DAS RT for Rise of the Resistance but it was down, so I got one for Buzz instead (2:35pm @ 2pm).

I'd been craving a Jack-Jack Cookie Num Num (warm Chocolate Chip Cookie) for some time now, so we stopped to buy one; pricey, but oh so tasty!!!



We took it with us over to Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, where James got his usual spaghetti & meatballs with pomodoro sauce, I got a slice of pepperoni pizza, and we shared a Coke Zero; we were hungry and scarfed everything down with no problem!

We headed out of DCA and over to World of Disney, where I purchased a Disney cat car magnet, and then we headed over to Disneyland around 3:10pm.



We went to ride Buzz with our DAS, where I shockingly beat James 363,000 to his 146,500+200 (he claimed defective guns!)!





Since Rise was now up, I made a DAS RT for it (3:56pm @ 3:21pm; only 35mins away, so it must have just recently come up!) and then we crisscrossed the park to get a LRT for Haunted Mansion (4:15pm @ 3:40pm) along our way.

We enjoyed Rise immensely (as always!) and I also made a DAS RT for Indiana Jones Adventure (4:47pm @ 3:52pm).

We went back to HM to ride and I was SO ready for a break; I ended up canceling the Indy DAS RT so I could make a LRT for it instead when we passed back by (5:30pm @ 4:50pm), making a DAS RT for Star Tours for later (5:17pm @ 4:52pm), and then we left for the room around 5pm.

We stopped at McDonald's for 2 Big Macs, a double hamburger, and a large fry and went up to the room to eat, rest, & charge the EWC.

Around 7:30pm, I told James I was too tired to go back to the parks, so we decided to just stay in & watch TV. I caught up on my trip notes & went to bed around 10:30pm (James followed around his usual 2am).

Things we missed: Disneyland Railroad, Star Tours (James only), Disneyland Monorail, most of Fantasyland, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Jungle Cruise, Radiator Springs Racers, Soarin', The Little Mermaid, Monsters Inc., Mickey's PhilharMagic, & Turtle Talk with Crush.

Thoughts about the day:

• Waited too long for our break, so I wasnt up to going back at 7:30pm, even though the parks were open another couple of hours!
• Enjoyed beating James on Buzz for once, even if his guns WERE defective!

[Pammer]

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 (67^o) ~ Part I
Plan: DCA/Disneyland; meet up with cousin Debbie; lunch at Lamplight Lounge @ 12:30pm

Actual: I got up with my alarm at 6:30am and was sad to see a message from Debbie that she wasn't feeling well & couldn't join me this morning after all! I ended up going back to bed & got back up around 8:30am.

I got ready and left for DCA around 9:30am, where there were short lines for security and both parks. I initially had no DAS button on my app and finally had to get on Disney's wi-fi before it appeared (I hadn't realized that I hadn't auto-connected when I entered the park), then I made a DAS RT for Guardians (9:55am @ 9:40am).

I rode over towards Grizzly River Run to look for Snickers the cat, but had no luck, so I came back and took some pictures of the Disney 100 decor on the Carthay Circle Theater building.



I checked into Guardians and immediately made another DAS RT (#2 = 10:13am @ 9:53am).



When I got off the first ride, I was very surprised to find that I had a missed call from James just after 10am! We played phone tag for a minute and then caught up; I told him to come on over to the Guardians exit. While waiting for him, I canceled the Guardians DAS RT and made one for the two of us for TSMM instead (10:43am @ 10:18am).

We met back up and went over to the Chase Disney Visa Meet & Greet over by Monsters Inc.; we haven't done this in ages, as the character lineup hadn't changed for years even before lockdown! We were first in line, as they were waiting for Stitch to arrive at 10:30am. James kept his distance as usual, but Stitch and I had a grand old time greeting each other like long-lost friends ~ LOL!!!









I decided I needed a pair of non-prescription sunglasses to use in the parks; I didn't bring any with me on the trip and I only need a prescription for distance (e.g., driving), so unnecessary for park use. We found several designs in Elias & Co., so I bought a pair ~ ahhh, relief!

We headed to the back of the park to ride TSMM, where James beat me 200,600 to my 186,500 and was again Best In Vehicle.





I also made a DAS RT for WEB (11:15am @ 10:55am), so we headed there next after TSMM. This time it was MY turn to beat James 242,400 to his 170,100 (total for the car = 761,800)!



I made a DAS RT for Radiator Springs Racers (12:16pm @ 11:21am) and then we rode Jumpin' Jellyfish standby.


...to be continued

[Pammer]

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 (67^o) ~ Part II
Plan: DCA/Disneyland; meet up with cousin Debbie; lunch at Lamplight Lounge @ 12:30pm

At 12:15pm, we checked in at Lamplight Lounge for our 12:30pm dining reservation and requested an inside table; while waiting, we looked through the nearby Knick's Knacks and I ended up buying a Disney 100-themed gift card with the minimum $15 loaded onto it!

We were called 10mins later and they ended up seating us at the bar, fortunately on the inside side!



We had a fun server (Lilybette) who took our order: I had my usual Cheddar Burger (Grilled custom Burger blend with Cheddar and Toasted Amish Bun served with Malted Fries, but without the Roasted Tomato, Red Onion, & Avocado Ranch Spread) with a Diet Coke...



...and James tried the new Stone Fruit Salad (Roasted Chicken Breast, Mixed Greens, Sweet Tea Vinaigrette and spicy Cornbread Crumbles) with his usual 2319 (frozen Mocktail made with Strawberry Puree, Cream of Coconut, and Pineapple Juice, topped with Diet Coca-Cola).



I wanted the special donuts that were chocolate-coated with nuts and had a lengthy discussion with Lilybette about them vs. the regular sugar-dusted ones, and I still got the sugar-dusted ones! They took them back and then we waited 20mins for the correct ones to be brought out! We were taking them to-go anyway and had already settled the bill, but I was on the verge of asking for a refund on the donuts so we could leave!!! Bad show ~





We finally made it to RSR to use our DAS around 2pm and the accessible return queue was super-long! Bummer ~ thanks, Lamplight Lounge!



We stopped at the Guest Relations kiosk for a DAS RT for Rise (3:09pm @ 2:24pm) and then went over to get the Guardians tank top I liked.



I also stopped at Elias & Co. to exchange the sunglasses I'd purchased for a different pair that were the same price, as I was concerned the previous plastic-framed ones might break more easily than the metal-framed ones I ended up getting instead.

We headed back to the room around 2:45pm to take a break and also charge the EWC.

We left for DL just before 5pm and stopped for a LRT for Indy (6:03pm @ 5:03pm) on our way to ride Rise with our earlier DAS RT.

I made another DAS RT for BTMR (5:43pm @ 5:13pm) just after we checked in to Rise, so we headed there next.

I made a DAS RT for Buzz (6:13pm @ 5:48pm) and then we went to Rancho del Zocala for some dinner; I got the Red Chile Enchilada Platter (Three Cheese Enchiladas topped with Red Chile Sauce served with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans) & the Crispy Chips con Limon, James got the Fire-grilled Half Chicken (Marinated with Chile and Citrus served with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans), and we shared a regular Coke Zero. I asked for the enchiladas on a separate plate, so James could eat the rice & beans.



We next rode Indy around 6:40pm; I asked the CM at the place they usually have the scooters & wheelchairs cut through the line to the other side if I could continue up the exit instead of trying to maneuver the queue inside the projection room, and he said yes (MUCH easier for me to navigate), so YAY! The ride is still rough on me, but it was cool to see the updated effects.

After we exited, we stopped for a LRT at Jungle Cruise (7:15pm @ 7pm) and we perused Adventureland Bazaar while we waited; they had a new Stitch spirit jersey, so I took a picture and sent it to my friend Juanita, who is a huge fan!

We went back across to the JC exit and rode the Ganges Gal with CM Scott; they offered to put some steps inside the boat so it wasn't so steep for me getting in & out of the boat, so I took them up on it ~ VERY helpful, as I usually have issues getting out!

We next rode Buzz, where James was happy to beat me 591,500+26,500 to my measly 147,000; his score was #73 at that time.



I had made a DAS RT for Star Tours (7:39pm @ 7:34pm), so we went there next; it was crazy that we got the EXACT same scenes as I had yesterday morning (Kylo, Jakku, BB8, & Exegol)!

We were done, so we headed back to the room just after 8pm; we watched Survivor and other programs, while I updated my trip notes. I was in bed around 11pm (James followed around 2am).

Things we missed: The Little Mermaid, Soarin' Around the World, (Hyper)Space Mountain (me only; James hates it!), Disneyland Railroad, Disneyland Monorail, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, & all of Fantasyland.

Thoughts about the day:

• Missed spending time with cousin Debbie!
• Enjoyed James showing up earlier than expected, even though I missed riding Guardians a second time because of it!
• Loved the Stitch meet & greet fun!
• Annoyed by how long it took The Lamplight Lounge to bring out the correct order of donuts so we could leave!

[Pammer]

Thursday, May 11, 2023 (70^o) ~ Part I
Plan: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Blue Bayou @ 11am

Actual: I got up with my alarm at 6:30am, got ready, and left for DL around 7:40am; there were short lines again for security & theme parks, and I was inside DL within 10mins of leaving my room!

I pulled over to make a DAS RT for Space (7:57am @ 7:52am) and headed in that direction, with a brief wait for rope drop at The Hub along the way. I parked the EWC at the exit and asked about riding with no stairs; I was able to ride 4 times in a row before I had to go back up the ramp! I used the restroom and then rode one more time with my DAS RT.

I made a DAS RT for Buzz (8:46am @ 8:41am) and then rode ST via the elevator just after 9am; this time I got the Stormtroopers, Jakku, the sexy Poe Dameron, & Crait/Batuu.

I got my EWC and headed over to ride Buzz, where I scored an exciting 522,000! I was hoping to crack the Top 10, but got #13 instead, which was still awesome for me!




I made a DAS RT for Snow White's Enchanting Wish (9:41am @ 9:36am) and headed over to Fantasyland, where I parked the EWC and rode Toad via their accessible entrance.

I next rode Snow White, asking for the TAV to give me the extra room to slide in & out, plus the extra handrails too; I followed this with a ride on Pinocchio's Daring Journey via their exit, again using their TAV.

I collected my EWC and rode over to see The Enchanted Tiki Room show at 10:20am; James called three times right at showtime, so I called him back afterwards and we met up around 10:40am.

Right before he walked up, I made a DAS RT for Rise (11:32am @ 10:37am).

I parked the EWC across from the entrance to the Blue Bayou, then went to check-in around 10:45am prior to our 11am dining reservation. We could have boarded Pirates right then, but we didn't have enough time so I asked for a LRT to use after lunch (10:51am @ 10:46am).

We hung out in the BB lobby and waited for our name to be called for seating; we had a waterside table and our server was CM Mei.



I ordered my usual Filet Mignon with Gruyere & Pepper Mashed Potatoes, but without the Heirloom Carrots and Red Wine Reduction, plus a Diet Coke.



James had the new Lemon Basil Pasta (Asparagus, Squash Blossoms, Pea Tendrils and Cherry Tomatoes in Basil Beurre Blanc) plus a Mint Julep.



For dessert, we got the Creme Brulee, but without the Palmier and Macerated Berries; everything was WONDERFUL!



We collected the EWC and went next door to ride Pirates just before noon. We then headed back to Galaxy's Edge to ride Rise, which went down JUST as we got in the ride vehicle! They evacuated us and gave us Lightning Lane passes to use later, if possible.

I'd made a DAS RT for Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway right after checking in for Rise (12:46pm @ 12:26pm), so we headed over to ToonTown to ride that next; we also stopped at Alice in Wonderland to get a LRT (1:15pm @ 1pm) along the way.

We rode M&MRR via the accessible vehicle and then rode Alice, since Rise was still not back up (I kept checking!). However, it was up right after we rode Alice, so we hurried over there as fast as I could navigate the crowds to do so!

We used our LL Experience Redemption passes and enjoyed our capture by the First Order one last time this trip.

We posed for the special Magic Key PhotoPass shot in Galaxy's Edge, but the photographer messed up so it was just a photo of the two of us instead!



I'd made one last DAS RT for Buzz right after we had checked in for M&MRR (1:18pm @ 1:13pm), so we headed over to Tomorrowland. I remembered it was almost time to check-in for our flight tomorrow, so I did that too (A53 & A54, although we should be able to preboard).

We stopped to meet Darth Vader at the Chase Disney Visa Meet & Greet before going to Buzz:










...to be continued

[Pammer]

Thursday, May 11, 2023 (70^o) ~ Part II
Plan: Disneyland/DCA; lunch at the Blue Bayou @ 11am

We rode Buzz for the last time this trip, where James beat me 655,100 (#33) to my lousy 17,600+57,500! The darn picture didn't even have the better score on it ~ geesh!



Juanita had asked me to buy the Stitch spirit jersey for her, so I went over to Adventureland Bazaar to do that.







I then stopped at the Guest Services kiosk to get a DAS RT for TSMM (4:26pm @ 3:31pm), we said goodbye to Walt at his apartment above the Fire Station, and then left for the room immediately afterward for a break and to charge the EWC.

Around 5:25pm, I made a Mobile Order for Smokejumpers Grill for a pickup of now-6pm: I ordered a Chipotle BBQ Bacon Double Cheeseburger (two Angus Beef Patties, Provolone, & Bacon served with Crinkle-cut Fries, but without the Lettuce, Pickles, Onion Rings and Chipotle BBQ Sauce) & James ordered the Grilled Chicken Salad (Chicken Breast, Mixed Lettuce, Black Beans, Corn, Peppers, Cotija Cheese, Spiced Pumpkin Seeds with a Cilantro Lime Dressing); we planned to just drink our own water.

We left for DCA around 5:30pm and went straight to SG to pick up our food; everything was fine & James ate most of my fries since I had such a big burger!

We left SG and I again tried to find Snickers, but again she was a no-show! We went to the back of the park to ride TSMM, where the LL/DAS return line was very long. I was able to book another DAS RT after we checked in, this time for WEB (7:07pm @ 6:22pm), and James again beat me 221,400 to my 175,700 and was AGAIN Best In Vehicle!





We were going to head towards WEB, but noticed that it had gone down and we now had an Experience Redemption in its place! Therefore, I made a DAS RT for Soarin' (7:35pm @ 7pm) and went to use the restroom by The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure. Then I started scheming and ended up canceling the Soarin' RT and making one for Mermaid instead since it essentially was for right then (7:12pm @ 7:07pm) & we still hadn't ridden it yet this trip!

We rode Mermaid & then I made another DAS RT for Soarin' to replace the one I had just canceled (7:53pm @ 7:13pm). We then went over to WEB, which was still down; I spoke to a very nice CM at the entrance to clarify the Experience Redemption procedure and turned to leave. We hadn't gone very far when she caught up to us to let us know that WEB had just come back up, so we hurried back to check in.

The line moved VERY slowly, but I eventually was able to beat James again 366,900 to his 255,900 (total car score = 710,300)!



Magic Moment: On our way over to Soarin', we saw Mickey heading backstage; he stopped and shook James' hand and then turned to me & took my hand in his! I told Mickey I loved him and he kissed my hand! I was in heaven ~ LOL! Then he crossed his arms across his chest and shivered in his non-verbal way of asking me why I wasn't cold (I was in a tank top & the sun had already gone down)! I said not yet & laughed ~ I was so touched by the attention, as they so often are only focused on children or their destination & don't have time to stop.

We rode Soarin' around 8:10pm and then said a final goodbye to the Resort for this trip (it was interesting that Soarin' ended up being our first and our last attraction of the trip!).

We stopped at McDonald's for 3 hamburgers & a large fry; we were amazed it took 25mins for our order to come up!

We took the food back to the room to eat & then went back out at 9:25pm to watch the Star Wars Nite fireworks. We watched TV, did a little pre-packing, I updated my trip notes, and was in bed around 1am, barely before James!

Things we missed: We were able to hit almost everything on our must-do list we wanted to today, except for Guardians of the Galaxy (me only), Tale of the Lion King, & Radiator Springs Racers. Other attractions we would have liked to do but missed included Disneyland Railroad, Disneyland Monorail, Peter Pan's Flight, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, & Monsters Inc.

Thoughts about the day:

• So excited with our spontaneous Mickey encounter!
• Great food & fun attractions!
• Lucky to still be able to ride two of our favorite attractions after they initially went down: Rise of the Resistance and WEB SLINGERS!
• Loved my 5 rides on (Hyper)Space Mountain!

Friday, May 12, 2023 (74^o)
Plan: Check-out of the Camelot Inn; fly home in the afternoon

Actual: I was up around 8:45am and called the front desk to request a late check-out of noon; the desk clerk checked with the housekeeping staff and said it was fine. James was up around 10am, we finished our packing, and checked out around 11:25am (it's nice to have that extra hour buffer!).

I requested an XL Lyft ride and Davis picked us up around 11:45am; he was a great driver and had us at the airport around 12:10pm.

I took the EWC and the big suitcase up to the counter while James waited with everything else; the agent checked in my bag, inspected the EWC, and gave us both paper boarding passes (A53 & A54, although we have pre-boarding).

We met back up and headed down to the Pre-TSA queue, where we were through quickly with no extra scans except of the EWC. We collected everything and headed down to Carl's Jr.

Carl's was VERY busy (it was lunchtime), and we finally found a place to park the EWC and our bags at the little counter in their seating area; James waited with everything while I went up to order our usual: cheese quesadilla with no Pico de Gallo for me, a bean/rice burrito without cheese nor Pico de Gallo for James, 2 chocolate chip cookies, and a medium Diet Dr. Pepper for us to share.

James ended up having to get his burrito remade, as they had put hot sauce on it (NOT a regular ingredient, as per their menu board)! My food was delicious, as was his once he had the second burrito! We filled our water bottle & then took everything all the way down to Gate 19 around 1pm; I asked a Gate Agent for a claim check for my EWC, and we settled in to wait for our plane.

The main Gate Agent who headed up the boarding process, Aaron T., was the same we'd had at least once or twice before; he's a real asset to Southwest! He remembered me from before as well; he was VERY helpful with our pre-boarding process, as he had been the other times too.

We departed on time around 2:40pm, had our usual snacks (Apple Juice, Coke Zero, & Snack Mix), and arrived about 10mins late. We saw some smoke somewhere over where we were flying, but not sure where.



We collected the suitcase, then I waited with everything while James went to get the car. He paid for parking and picked me up around 4:45pm.

We were in the middle of Friday commute traffic, so we went to an In-N-Out Burger closer to home and had our usual burgers, while sharing an order of fries & a small Diet Coke. We finally got home just after 6pm.

Thoughts about the day:

• Except for the hot sauce on James' first burrito, everything went smoothly today!

Up Next: Our next trip is scheduled for September 11-15 (as long as it's not too hot), which is smack dab in the middle of the Halloween season; unfortunately, there are two parties scheduled during our trip so I expect to have tons of crowds! Hopefully the weather won't cause us to cancel.


Summary & Final Thoughts: A very nice trip, even with the multiple early park closures most nights!

Highlights include:

• The electric wheelchair & DAS combo as always!
• Riding our favorite attractions multiple times ~ whoo-hoo!!!
• Beating James on Buzz for once, even if his guns WERE allegedly defective!
• The fun Meet & Greets with Stitch & Darth Vader, plus the unexpected special encounter with Mickey!
• The delightful weather, not too hot & not too cold!

Lowlights include:

• Not seeing cousin Debbie!
• Missing "The Tale of the Lion King" show!
• The donut mix-up at The Lamplight Lounge, which took WAY too long to correct!
• Missing the new Wondrous Journeys projection show & the new World of Color again, but we just weren't up to staying that late each night.
• Too many special events in 4 days' time, which caused one of the theme parks to close early nearly every evening!

Until next time...