Holy Mess!! Where Did The Time Go??? Kaitlyn's Sweet 16 Trip to Disney **Updated 5/26** - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Disneyland Park opened at 8am on Sunday. We set wake up calls for 7am, and everyone got up and ready. We checked out of the Hilton, picked up the car from Valet, and headed to the Parks by opening time. The kids didn't want to eat at the hotel - instead, they were anxious to get a jump on the day and opted to get breakfast there.
Sunrise over Anaheim - our view from the Hilton
We drove into the parking garage at Disneyland, and I was getting very frustrated. There was traffic, yeah - but it seemed like the line we chose had the sllloooowwwweeeessssssstttttttt CM in the entire Disney Company working the parking ticket booth. I was complaining my head off , not being very Disney-like, and Kaity and Justin weren't saying a word in the backseat. When we got up to the window FINALLY, I plastered on my best fake-smile and handed him my $12.00. The CM asked me if we were celebrating YOAMD, and I kinda said "Yeah! ". Honestly, my mind had been on making it to park opening to try and score some of those Dream FP's that I see so many people with. This is my 5th trip during the YOMD promotion, and I have yet to get one of those!!! So anyway, the CM took my money, and then came back and said that he was going to help me celebrate the YOAMD promotion. He handed me back the ticket, and my money, and said something to the effect of 'have a Disney day!'. Still clueless, it took me a moment to realize… … I won a YOAMD! It was a small thing, but holy cow! I have spent thousands at Disney for this free parking, and I was thrilled!
My YOAMD ticket!!
I decided right there that I was going to stop being snippy, and get in a more Disney frame of mind. We didn't make it to rope drop, so we decided to stop in Downtown Disney and sit down at La Brea Bakery Café for breakfast. We had been running so much, it was good to just sit, chillax, and eat a meal.
After breakfast, we headed straight for Indiana Jones. I think there was maybe a 5 minute wait. I breezing through this long queue, because it seems like it goes on FOREVER and I would never have the patience to actually stand in it! By the time we came out, the line was already at 30 minutes. From there, we got in line for POTC. The standby was still low, maybe 10-12 minutes. I never understand the suckers - I mean, the people - who decide to sleep in, cuz you can get so much accomplished in those first couple of hours that the park is open!
Splash was up next, and the lines were getting noticeably longer. I think we waited here for about 20 minutes or so… still not too bad. It was faster than I remember from March, and I just that drop!!
I forgot to mention that we were able to do HM on Saturday night - and I always prefer to do HM in the dark. It was a good thing we had ridden it the night before, because the line was super long by the time we passed it after Splash. It was listed at something like 20 minutes, but - the queue was all the way out the gate!
We wanted to do Big Thunder, so we walked in that direction next. Unfortunately, they had just closed it. The CM's in the front of the attraction indicated that it would be down for awhile. So no BTMRR this trip! The one thing that Justin had asked to do the entire time was to ride Matterhorn. We didn't have any luck last night, so we headed in that direction. Matterhorn had an hour and a half wait!! The line wrapped alllll the way around the mountain!! And can somebody tell me why this ride doesn't offer FP's?!?!? As we were walking around the queue, I checked out the line for Nemo. It was close to 2 hours long!!! There was no dang way we were standing in line that long, for how hot and humid it already was! This is Southern California, for Pete's sake!
I made the mistake of asking what Kaity and Justin wanted to do next. You know the answer to that one!! So I sent them off to get FP's for SM, and then we decided to check out something indoors for awhile - Innoventions. We killed some time playing video games and just cooling off in here. They had this weird sort of aging machine in there that was not my best look!!
Kaitlyn was hungry, so while we waited for our FP's to be ready, we ate at Redd Rockett's Pizza Port. I will not eat there again. That was the worst food I have had on Disney property in a long time!! Finally, it was time again for our journey through space! We breezed through the queue at SM, taking evil pleasure in waving at all of the sucka's standing in standby! And because that was us just yesterday, it was even more fun!!!
We still had a long journey home, and since the two IDK, IDC teenagers couldn't decide on anything else they just had to do, we ventured out of the park. Kaitlyn knew that she wanted to get some sort of big lollipop, and I thought it would be smart to just hit WOD in DD on the way out. Note to self: Stop at the candy shop on Main Street next time. We found a couple of suckers, but I knew she could've found a better selection at the Candy Shop. Oh well.
Of course, Kaitlyn never made it out of Anaheim before she was in her usual pose:
We actually made good time, and made it back to Phoenix by 7pm or so. It was an exhausting, but really fun, weekend. And next time - I don't care what she says - I AM PLANNING!!!!!!!!
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Saturday, October 9, 2014 - Kaitlyn and I before the Happy Haunted 5K at ESPN Wide World of Sports
How great getting a Dream at the start of the day - and thank goodness you got there early, as obviously those crowds built as the day went on. It sounds like a great, albeit short, trip.
Congratulations on the dream, Amy!! That sure makes the wait you had to endure a lot easier!! you didn't get to ride some of the attractions because of the waits....good thing IDK & IDC were there with you, so you were able to make the most of it!!
How great that you live so close to DL, that you can venture there for a weekend!! I would it!!! for sharing your TR with us!! I really enjoy reading them!!
Sounds like a fun weekend despite the lack of a plan. I'm surprised you didn't plan Sunday after Saturday's "I don't know and I don't cares".
Yeah, I was sorely tempted. But by the time we finished our last trip on SM - I was tromping through Tomorrowland ranting about how much Passporters plan and how NECESSARY it is to good touring!!
And Dyan, that is hysterical!! I am going to start referring to them now as IDC and IDK!!! I wonder if they will even get it.... hehehehe....
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Saturday, October 9, 2014 - Kaitlyn and I before the Happy Haunted 5K at ESPN Wide World of Sports
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I was complaining my head off 
, not being very Disney-like, and Kaity and Justin weren't saying a word in the backseat. 
When we got up to the window FINALLY, I plastered on my best fake-smile and handed him my $12.00. The CM asked me if we were celebrating YOAMD, and I kinda said "Yeah! 
It was a small thing, but holy cow! 
We had been running so much, it was good to just sit, chillax, and eat a meal.
breezing through this long queue, because it seems like it goes on FOREVER and I would never have the patience to actually stand in it! 
From there, we got in line for POTC. The standby was still low, maybe 10-12 minutes. I never understand the suckers - I mean, the people 
- the queue was all the way out the gate! 
The CM's in the front of the attraction indicated that it would be down for awhile. So no BTMRR this trip! 
I will not eat there again. That was the worst food I have had on Disney property in a long time!! 
PassPorter Guide Author
you didn't get to ride some of the attractions because of the waits....good thing IDK & IDC were there with you, so you were able to make the most of it!! 
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