DisneyWHAT?? - oh, DisneyLAND - 3/16-20 - COMPLETE!! About This Page:

[chezp]

Great update Eileen - very interesting how I can suddenly read your trip report in a whole new light, thinking "I've been there, I've seen that, I know what she's talking about". [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

More please! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img]

[Caldercup]

<tap, tap, tap...>

I'm trying to patiently wait for Karen to add an update and pics (like she promised)...

But if she doesn't get her act in gear soon, I'm going to have to plow right in to the next day. 'Cause I soooo want to tell you about the Tower of Terror!!

Eileen

[MKBaughan]

I loved the ToT in DL.... I still like the one in WDW better, but it was pretty cool out there....

[zacksmom_1993]

Well, I can’t find my handy, dandy trip report notebook so you’re all just going to have to settle for mostly pictures and not so many words from Ms. Karen. Come on now, that audible sigh of relief is just not nice! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] I think I was last heard on this ol’ trip report talking about the Tigger incident, after which I took the boys off to Tom Sawyer’s island. Zack was complaining (pretty much the normal state of his pre-teen voice [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]) that he didn’t want to go, but warmed to the idea on the way over.


Our transport to the island.

The boys took off pretty much immediately, hiding in nooks and crannies of caves and jumping out at innocent passers-by. Zack came up to me at one point and said he couldn’t find Calder. Instantly in my head I’m thinking of Eileen… “I let you have possession of my only child for TWO minutes, and you lose him.” So, like the total sucker that I am, I race into the cave where Zack last saw him only to have Calder jump out at me. Immediately, Calder says, “I can’t believe you fell for that.” Then, he repeated and repeated. And. Repeated. Seriously Calder, I’m that stupid.

Having thoroughly humiliated me and with it beginning to drizzle a bit, I parked my bottom on a bench under a tree and let the boys be boys. I did catch a couple of cool shots.






If you look closely in the picture above, you can see what looks like the masts of a pirate ship above the buildings in New Orelans Square. I love, love, love little details like that.



We rounded out our visit with a little clowning around on the treehouse, on opening day, the highest point in Disneyland. It’s true!



Of course drama boy decides that they should act out a little “mock” fist fight to show to Eileen when we returned to shore.


It begins…


The battle intensifies…


Friends no more!

What I love about it is that Calder is totally game with the fighting, and then when I said, “OK. One nice picture.” He totally performs. Zack, on the other hand. Has. To. Be. DRAMATIC. Where does he get it?

And, now I’ve got a big ol’ gap in all of the pictures, but the afternoon went something like this…
Returned to shore. Rode Buzz Lightyear. Ate at Pizza Port. Took our (sad little miniature) monorail. Shopped ‘til we dropped. Checked in at the Carousel. Modeled poor behavior by yelling at the clerk. Vowed to have a cocktail. Walked over to Goofy’s Kitchen. ‘Nuff said?

Goofy’s Kitchen was an absolute blast. Zack and I always have such a great time there, and having our friends with us made it that much better. Mad Hatter was a riot, and the moves on Rafiki? Man, can that blue butt move! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] To memorialize the night…


The boys with the Mad Hatter. Calder’s got that “I don’t know which camera to look at” disease again. Always look at Karen, Calder!


Calder with his birthday bucket. As I said to the Lloyds when we were visiting at Easter, “It’s a good thing we like you so much because we don’t usually like to hang out with people that are so attractive!”

Zack was Goofy one year for Halloween, so we sometimes bring his “face” with us when we’re visiting the Goof.


Goofy notices there’s two of him.




Seeing things nose to nose.

After Eileen stopped slobbering all over Minnie, she had some time for Zack too. Just kidding, Eileen! Love ya’. Kisses. And all that!




I snagged a picture of Goofy with Max.


And, then we got the dysfunctional family photo.


After dinner we had a great time at Fantasmic, and a great time hanging around with Bob. Bob was in rare form, funny, erudite, but I can’t find my trip report notebook so you’ll have to take my word for it. OK, Eileen. Onward and upward (er, downward?) with Tower of Terror!

[DawnDenise]

[ QUOTE ]
Instantly in my head I’m thinking of Eileen… “I let you have possession of my only child for TWO minutes, and you lose him.” So, like the total sucker that I am, I race into the cave where Zack last saw him only to have Calder jump out at me. Immediately, Calder says, “I can’t believe you fell for that.” Then, he repeated and repeated. And. Repeated. Seriously Calder, I’m that stupid.

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img] Sorry I don't mean to laugh because I would have thought and done the EXACT same thing but well...I am reading about your adventures and I'm aloud to laugh. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I was so hoping for some pics of Eileen with Minnie. Note to self: remember to have camera primed and ready for DL trip next year.

Great updates you two!! Now...more please??? I'm very intrigued by the whole Tower of Terror thing.

[Caldercup]

This is the best shot - I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] it


[ QUOTE ]
...And, then we got the dysfunctional family photo.


[/ QUOTE ]
[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]

EXCELLENT PICTURES - totally love them.

Bob is pleased that you said he was erudite. (He had to look it up, but he's pleased [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] )

Calder cracked up at the memory of tricking you on Tom Sawyer's Island. Then said to me, "I can't believe she fell for that." Then he repeated it... and repeated it... and repeated it. (I just sent him to bed and he's muttering it from his room.)

Hey, Dawn... did you miss THIS pic of me? (My husband says it's the funniest thing he's seen me do in ages...)

... and that's saying something...

I'll post again after I watch My Name Is Earl...
Eileen

[DawnDenise]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, Dawn... did you miss THIS pic of me? (My husband says it's the funniest thing he's seen me do in ages...)


[/ QUOTE ]

OK...Blonde moment....totally missed that one. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/foreheadslap.gif[/img] Well, still beware...the camera will be out in full force in February. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img][img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]

[chezp]

Great update Karen - I love your photos, especially the one of the play fight and also the dysfunctional family photo at Goofy's Kitchen. How neat was that? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Colexis Mom]

Great update Karen [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img] Love the pics [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] More please [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[PrincessSharon]

Great update, Karen! It was worth the wait! I was chuckling after hearing about you "losing" Calder, and nearly spit tea all over my monitor when Eileen reported that Calder is still saying "I can't believe she fell for that!" [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img] Like Dawn, I can't wait for our girls trip in February! Beware of women with cameras! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/Flash.gif[/img]

[lauren-roxy]

Great update Karen!! Don't feel too bad, I would have fallen for their tricks too! Great pictures! Can't wait for more!!

[DrDolphin]

Great update Karen!! Dawn - I am right there with you on the camera ready thing!! More please - can't wait to hear about TOT!

[MAria R]

Great update Karen and cute pics.

[Caldercup]

I got distracted today - by this...

I'll get the update done in a moment (the pics are ready, I just have to do the typing.)
Eileen

[Caldercup]

<font color="blue"> <u>Saturday, March 18, 2006</u> (The day of the big awards ceremony!)

Despite a long and busy day the day before, my body woke up with a start at 7AM California time. I collapsed back into my pillows and laid there, going over in my mind all that we’d done the day before.

I must’ve drifted back to sleep because, at 8AM, I suddenly heard Edna Mode talking to me from the bedside table in her funny, androgynous monotone. “It’s time, Darling.” I totally cracked up as DH reached for his cell phone and turned off his alarm. (Gotta love those downloadable Incredibles ring tones!)

I got up and, after a shower for me then Bob, I stuffed Calder in the bathrooms with orders that he scrub well. Since we were doing California Adventure today, and it didn’t open until 10AM, we could have a slightly slower morning. Bob had to be at the Themed Entertainment Association conference again and he headed out before us. (Since it was being held at the Grand Californian and would end after lunch so people could get ready for the black tie awards ceremony, we had high hopes that we might see him again.) Calder and I weren’t that far behind him in heading out. After we got all gussied up, we made the short trek to the Tropicana, where Karen and Zack were staying.

We saw them sitting at an outdoor table, finishing up their breakfast. Zack looked a little more awake than he did the morning before, but that wasn’t saying much. ( [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] Oy, those “almost” teenagers!) Karen handed me a little slip of paper and told me to head up to the continental breakfast lounge. Her room came with 4 breakfasts per day so she told us to take advantage of the extras. Calder and I took the elevator up and grabbed a couple of Danishes. I tried the coffee, but it was rather burnt tasting. Calder got some OJ, but it was very watered down. Just as we finished up our food, the “cook” refilled the OJ machine and it came out great this time. We both guzzled a glass before hopping on the elevator to rejoin Karen and Zack. By this point, Zack had managed to put on his sneakers and his eyes were beginning to look more fully open.

We headed out to the parks and Karen must’ve had traffic light luck because it changed in our favor just as we walked up. Security only took a second and we were through the DCA turnstiles and heading under the “Golden Gate” monorail bridge in quick time. Karen wanted us to get Soarin’ FPs right away before we checked out the line at Tower of Terror. As we headed over to the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area, we checked out the wait at the new Monsters, Inc. ride. (When Karen and Zack had been there a few weeks before, it had just opened and the lines were in the 90-minute range.) The wait was only 30 minutes now and there was a shady spot the boys could stand in as Karen and I snaked through the line corral and gabbed.

When we were about to enter the actual building, we had the boys rejoin us. I gotta tell you, the queue area is fantastic and all themed out to be a cross between a transit authority office and a factory showroom. I was enthralled by the props and snapped tons of pictures. (I was surprised how little attention the other people paid to these props – they were a hoot!)


[Try to read the things in the vending machine - one is "primordial ooze" and another is "Bag O Calories" and underneath it is a box of "sinew chews."
My favorite has to be the one called "Same Old Raccoon Bar" [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] ]

Then it was time to hop into our taxi. Zack was pleased to see that the little view screen on the side of the taxi was working, but I have to be honest and say that I can’t now remember what exactly was ON the viewscreen. The ride went by so quickly and I was so busy ogling everything that I totally don’t remember much about it.


[I cracked up loudly when I saw these guys!!]

It was cool to see Sully and Mike and Boo. And Mike was a riot!


There’s a great moment when Boo is smacking Randall with the bat and he’s changing colors, but I was laughing too hard to nab a pic.

Roz greets you at the end and she's enormous!

I would’ve loved to go back on this ride again to get more time to see and remember stuff, but the line had now grown to an hour and the boys were ready to go elsewhere – specifically Tooooowwwwwweeeeeerrrrrr of Terrrrrrooooorrrrr……. Da da duuuummmmmm!

For Calder this was a big step.

He’s never been what I’d call a rough-and-tumble sort of boy. He loves Disney World, but has only just worked up the courage for the “Mountains” and Test Track in the past year or so. He was convinced that TOT was not something he’d like. Then, after meeting Zack and hearing how his buddy overcame his fear of this ride and now loves it, … well, … that got Calder to thinking about it. A few weeks before we left, he started asking me questions about the TOT. Unfortunately, I’d never ridden it either. So, he asked his dad, who’d ridden it solo in Nov ’04. Bob had, at the time and while still feeling a tad green from riding it, said that I’d have been sobbing and Calder would’ve sued for separation if we’d have forced him onto it.

Heeerrrrmmmm….

Well, Calder tried to coerce me into “daring” him to ride it. I wouldn’t agree (even though I knew what he was trying to do) because I also knew that I’d be blamed for it if he hated TOT. The only thing I’d say was that I really wanted to go on it and that I knew he’d survive it. If he didn’t like it, he’d never have to ride it again.

But… as we approached the tower looming at the end of the street… and as the excitement to ride this ride grew stronger in me… I did a terrible thing.

I bribed my son.

I told him I’d give him $20 if he rode it.

In my defense, this was actually a nice thing for me to have done. Firstly, I knew that he’d probably like the ride. Secondly, I knew that he hadn’t saved much money for the trip and he was jonesing to buy some merchandise, but didn’t have the funds. So – two birds with one stone.

He bought it.

We headed over to the tower and got in line. There wasn’t a very long wait and I didn’t really get a chance to look around much. The sunshine was streaming into the lobby, so it wasn’t really spooky. I did enjoy the CMs a lot – they were creepy without scaring the beejezus out of my son. When we got into the library (or whatever it was), I could tell that this would be one of those moments where it would be wise to draw my guy against my side. I’m glad I did, because he wasn’t prepared for the room to go dark and scary. We were escorted into the boiler room and had a bit of a wait as we climbed the stairs to board our elevator. There was a momentary confusion when we were lined up – Karen wasn’t sure what would be the least scary place for Calder to sit and a few of our fellow riders offered up their advice. Eventually, it was decided that Calder would sit in the front row (!!) right against the wall. I would sit next to him and Zack would sit on my right. Karen took a seat in the row behind us in the middle. I put my arm around my boy and starting soaking up “the atmosphere” of the pre-show.

Then we flew up the tower and the doors opened. Holy Heck!! Eeeeeeeeeyyyyyaaaaaaaa… wwwwoooooooo….hoooooooo……eeeeyyaa-ugh…whooo-whooo-whooooo….eeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaa ….wow! WOW!...wwwooooeeeeeyyyaaawhhhoooooeeeeeyyyyaaaaa

I swear to you, this was one of the best experiences on a ride that I have ever had! Up, down, up, up, up, down, down, down, down, down, up, down, up, up, down, down, down, up, up… There were sections where I couldn’t tell which direction we were going and I’m absolutely convinced that, at times, we were totally floating. Whenever we passed the open window, I tried to peek at Calder to see his reaction, but I couldn’t gauge how he was feeling. He wasn’t saying much, but that’s no indication with him. He generally doesn’t make sounds on a ride until he’s ridden it 5 or 10 times.

Then, suddenly, we were descending for the last time and I knew we were back on terra firma again. This time I could see my boy and he was shaky, but totally happy! YAY! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thewave.gif[/img]

By the time we hit the gift shop, he was hootin’ and hollerin’ about the ride. Then he stuck his open hand in my face and said, “Gimme the twenty dollars!” I told him to pick stuff out and I’d pay for it when I bought the ride photo.

He and Karen saw the Stitch plushy in the bellhop costume at the same time. I grabbed one of the TOT “bellhop” antenna toppers and a T-shirt with Stitch as a bellhop mauling Mickey's luggage. Calder saw a spiked, rubber bracelet and someone put a bag of candy and some crumpled dollar bills in my hands (I think it was Zack, but it might’ve been Calder. I can’t remember.)

Then it was time to see the ride photo:


I so had to show you close-ups of the four of us. Calder looks like he’s having a terrible time, but it’s really just his reaction to the bright lights (he has sensitive baby blues!)I’m watching him for his reaction, but totally loving it myself!


Zack’s doing the full-on coaster demon thing...


And Karen’s experiencing one of her favorite things about this ride – feeling as “light as a fairy princess”


Afterwards, Calder posed to show his reaction to the ride! Plus he wanted me to document some of his prizes...



Our FPs for Soarin’ had ripened, so we headed back in that direction.

[Up next – “I was sittin’ there, minding my own business...”]
</font>