The CLQ Heads West - Even Eileen!! About This Page:

[chezp]

Yay - you've made it! The room looks nice and fun.

[shazza]

Glad to see you've started. I debated about waiting til you were almost finished, as that's how I've caught up on your TRs, and really enjoyed the,. But, couldn't resist following along as you do your report . Great start - bumpy but on time is better than serious weather delays.

[JoanneS]

So glad you started! The room looks so cute, expecially with the beach ball pillows. Can't wait to hear more.

[Colexis Mom]

Glad you've made it to DL! The room looks great!

[DawnK]

I am glad things at work have settled down and that I get to read this while I am in WDW!! If I am not mistaken, you arrive on your family trip the day after we leave.. Katie will warm up TOT for you !!

Anyway, I can't wait to read more!!

[Shari2137]

Yay, you started. Nice view!!!! Looking forward to more....

[cajunlace]

I love the beach ball pillows. How Cute!!!!

[mousestruck]

And so it begins! Great start to your TR. And what a cute room.... love, love, love those beach ball pillows!

[PrincessSharon]

Originally Posted by shnewell

Glad your trip was mostly uneventful, though landing in bad weather is no fun. We once had to do that on a puddlejumper between Houston and Baton Rouge. I was traveling with 2 co-workers and all I could think of was that I didn't want to throw up in front of people I work with. Thankfully, nothing of the sort actually happened!

Sorry you weren't a fan of Chick-Fil-A. I like their original chicken sandwich but I lerve me a spicy chicken sandwich! I'm not a pickle fan, so I always order mine without. But I can see how a warm, soggy pickle would be unappetizing.

And oh my goodness, those beach ball pillows are cute!

I would've been like you - I don't want to throw up in front of my coworkers, either! And next time I try Chick-Fil-A, I'll have to get the spicy chicken sandwich (sans pickles). That sounds tasty!

Originally Posted by LLaffinPlace

Woohoo! You've started!

While the beach ball pillows are cute, I have to say that even though the room looks very nice, I can't say that I am overwhelmed by the theming. Doesn't it seem, I don't know, a bit perfunctory? Anyway, I completely understand wanting to check this one off, but I think for my first stay I will go with Grand Californian or the Disneyland Hotel.

Gosh, Sharon, you went right to sleep?

Yes, the Paradise Pier isn't really anything special, but I wanted to check it off the list. I would absolutely recommend the DLH or GC.

And I did go right to sleep, but I was tempted to sneak into the park for a few minutes! I could actually hear people having fun at DCA without me. But I wanted to get a good night's rest and knew it'd be an early morning, so I was good.

Originally Posted by disneydani

That is a gorgeous view from PP!
Sorry you had such a lumpy, bumpy flight...summer afternoons are definitely prime time for those.

danielle

I was really happy with the view, considering I booked a room without a view.

Originally Posted by lexiemom

I am glad you had a good travel day (minus the bumpy flight). I find the chicken at Chick-fil-A just meh, but what I do love there is the waffle fries. Your room at PP is so cute, and add me to the list of those that love the beach ball pillows.

The waffle fries were tasty! I do love me a good waffle fry!

Originally Posted by lauriep

Glad all is well! I like that room-- very bright and sunny looking. I always pictured PP as being sort of out-of-the-action, but it's really right in the midst of it.
Congratulations to Eileen and her sister! I'll be waiting for that book.

PP really is out of the action (well, compared to DLH and GC). If you look carefully at the photos, you can see there is actually a city street between the hotel and the park!

Originally Posted by disney_duke

Yay, you started! Lesson learned on the day of departure. Work or leave early! I'd totally be amused by the French girl's sudoku too. It's the little things.
The room is cute, if a little.. Um.. basic. Nice touch with the pillows though!

People used to call me crazy when I came in to work when I'd be flying out the same day. Now I think they're crazy for taking the day off!

Originally Posted by MayraLR

I was cracking up reading about the girl with the Sudoku. I imagine it was very entertaining to watch.
Love the room! And what a view!

I forgot to mention she dropped her pencil about 20 minutes before we landed and I almost climbed under my seat to help her find it just to get my entertainment back!

Originally Posted by Linnynad

I'm glad the work front is calming down..a bit I guess.
Those nasty pickles on the Chick Fil A sandwhiches are the most annoing thing. They come off right in the beginging for us
Sucks about the bumpy flight, I would have been a mess.
Your room is cute, but I think I liked the one you had last year. Which of course I can't remember now which hotel that was.
Glad you got to see your peeps right off the bat

Work is calming down (though I expect it to be busy again just after I get back in September ). The room last year was at the DLH, which is like 10 times better! Of course, I forgot to take any pictures of it this time.

Originally Posted by jlhill4444

Yay! You have started! I am heartbroken about you not liking Chik-fil-a. It is my kids and my favorite fast food place in our area. Maybe because it was at the airport it was not the same tasty goodness as usual?? Also about Cincinnati chili, I do not like it at all. It has a sweet, cinnamon in it and that just doesn't go with chili in my opinion.

The room is cute, and I love the beach ball pillow!

Now, I didn't say I didn't like it. It's chicken after all. I just had built it up in my mind so much that I was kind of let down, that's all. I'd definitely eat there again. But I'm not heartbroken that there aren't any locations right near me. And from your description of the Cincinnati chili, I'm glad I passed!

Originally Posted by sc507

I love Sudoku, but that girl sounds like she has an interesting way of playing! I'm shocked she didn't erase through the page!

Your room had a great view! Great start

I guess you use whatever method works for you. She was burning through the puzzles, though, so all that erasing didn't slow her down too much.

Originally Posted by shazza

Glad to see you've started. I debated about waiting til you were almost finished, as that's how I've caught up on your TRs, and really enjoyed the,. But, couldn't resist following along as you do your report . Great start - bumpy but on time is better than serious weather delays.

At least you won't have to wait very long between updates. The next one's coming right up!

Originally Posted by DawnK

I am glad things at work have settled down and that I get to read this while I am in WDW!! If I am not mistaken, you arrive on your family trip the day after we leave.. Katie will warm up TOT for you !!

Anyway, I can't wait to read more!!

Too bad! I guess you're leaving on the 24th?

[PrincessSharon]

Day Two – Saturday, July 28
My first look at Cars Land

I slept well and woke up at 5:00. That’s late, actually, especially considering I napped a bit on the plane! I checked out the view in the daytime.



Nice! I got ready and then headed down, ready to meet Karen (and anyone else she managed to drag along) for EMH at DCA. I took a few pics in the lobby.





I called my DM to let her know I’d arrived safely. True to my weather mojo (there are two parts to it, generally – I get good weather wherever I am and there is lousy weather at my home) it was raining. And expected to rain all day. I tried not to gloat too much about the California sunshine.

Just as I ended my phone call, Karen arrived. She couldn’t get any of the other sleepyheads to get up (but we later learned that they all got up just a few minutes after Karen left, anyway). I quickly went in to check out and discovered the same CM who’d checked me in was still on duty. That’s a short stay! It’s actually a good thing that Karen and Jill decided not to stay with me – I don’t want to get a reputation at DL like Karen has at WDW.

We drove to the parking lot (there were so few people around, we had trouble finding an open lane to get into the parking lot). We parked (and neither of us remembered to note our parking location ) and headed in. There were two separate waiting areas – one for resort guests (guests of the three Disneyland resorts were able to enter either park an hour early every day) and the other for AP holders (you had to register ahead of time for this).



We started off on the hotel guests line, but then switched over when the AP line seemed to be shorter. Our logic was that AP holders knew what they were doing and it would be more efficient. It turned out to be good logic, because when the line started moving, we beat the people we had been standing behind.

Once we entered the park, we headed with the rest of the crowd back to Cars Land. I got to enjoy the new entrance area, Buena Vista Street, for the first time as well. We noticed that there were people already lining up to get FPs for Radiator Springs Racers. Keep in mind that the FP distribution doesn’t start until 8:00 and it was 7:00. A really stupid strategy, if you ask me. They’re wasting the entire early entry period waiting in line to get a ticket to wait in a shorter line.

Karen had already worked out the best strategy, so rather than join the standby line for RSR (which was currently down anyway), we headed directly for Luigi’s Flying Tires. I imagine this line gets very long – it’s slow loading. Karen and I rode together and were nearly the only ones on the ride!



It probably would’ve been better to ride alone, as it’s easier to control the tire that way, but the ride was fun anyway. Next up was the Single Riders line at RSR. The ride is similar to Test Track, in that the cars seat three in front and three in back, so a SRL is a necessity. The ride still wasn’t up yet, but they were testing it, so we figured we’d stick around.


The empty queue is for Fastpass

After watching empty cars go by for like 10 minutes (with me complaining that all the testing was going to break the ride ), the ride went down (well, it was already down, but they weren’t even testing any more – I told them! ). We decided to bail and left the queue.

I was able to get a few photos of the place. I forgot to say how amazing it is (but I’m sure by now you’ve heard the raves). Our first time through, I was just taking everything in. I got some shots of the area.















I actually made a special trip on my last full day just to get some photos without people in them – you’ll love those, they’re incredible!

We went on Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree next. OMG, that ride is too, too cute! It’s kind of like the teacups, but the tractors don’t spin, just the turntable they’re sitting on. And Mater’s singing is made of awesome. So catchy!





It was nearly 8:00 by then, so we decided it was a good idea to join the FP queue before it opened to regular park guests. The FP queue is right near the front of the park, far away from the actual attraction. I think this is for crowd control issues, because there seems to be a FP distribution spot right outside RSR, where it would make sense. They will probably switch it over once the craziness dies down.

We were pretty far back in the line, but once it opened, we were to the front of it in less than 10 minutes, so it was a good strategy. While we waited, though, we chatted with the couple behind us. They were DVC members and WDW veterans who’d come to check out Cars Land. The wife seemed excited, but the husband was kind of grumpy. Maybe because it was early.

I also took a picture of Grizzly Peak or whatever it’s called. I seemed to be obsessed with it this trip.



And voila, we finally got our FPs.



By the way, DL still does not enforce return times for FPs. Once your window is open, you can use it any time after that. Honestly, though, the other way isn’t bad, it just requires more planning.

With FPs in hand, we made our way to my favorite ride (though it’s better at WDW), the Tower of Terror. Whoo!

When we came out, there was a show going on – 5 and Dime, a musical act (I love how much live entertainment there is at DL and DCA).



We decided (note: whenever I say “we decided,” what I really mean is Karen decided and we all followed ) to take the Trolley back to the entrance of the park. We got to watch one “turn around.” It doesn’t actually turn around, but they reverse the cables so it’ll go in the other direction. It was kind of cool.



Karen and I were the only passengers.


We had a bit of a wait before departure, most of which we spent chatting with the CMs. Then we were off. This was super cute! I loved riding down Buena Vista Street, imaging myself in Walt’s early days.






This is near the end of the Fastpass line for Radiator Springs Racers! Note that the beginning of the line isn't in that little building, it's further along! Those people probably have about a 30-40 minute wait! For FPs!

I have to say, Toy Story Mania is nothing compared to RSR! People waiting in a FP line for an hour should tell you that! And people seemed to think nothing of waiting in 3-hour-long standby lines. Yikes!

We walked to the parking lot tram stop and waited more than a few minutes without a tram coming. It was then that we realized we had no idea where we’d parked. I mean, we knew we were in the Mickey and Friends parking structure, but we didn’t know what level. Luckily, we were right at the end of our row, so we wouldn’t have to walk the entire lot if it came to that. Karen asked the CM which level we were likely to be on if we’d arrived at about 6:45, and he told us where it would be (and he was right, so no parking lot search for us ).

It seemed like there was an issue, and the CM confirmed that we’d be better off walking. That was fine, but it seemed like an entire tram of people were coming the other way (we surmised that it had mechanical difficulties and emptied out onto the walkway). There were like 400 people walking against us, and they seemed to think they owned the walkway (which was for two-way traffic). Karen and I got jostled around quite a bit, and some kid bumped into me (on purpose) really hard. Some jerk even rudely announced that it was a one-way path. That was a lot harder than it needed to be.

Continued…

[PrincessSharon]

It was a quick ride to the Embassy Suites where the rest of the gang (except Eileen, who was still busy at her conference) were all ready to move over to the Disneyland Hotel. We went up to the room and I greeted everyone else then we stopped in the lobby for a quick breakfast while Thom loaded the suitcases into the giant car that Karen had rented.

There was a big traffic jam at the parking lot, which was no big deal (well, it was kind of annoying). Once we’d parked (and Karen noted the location this time), we all hopped off and caught the tram.



Zack decided that he wanted to be in all the pictures, but sometimes only just the corner of his head. At least he wasn’t doing the Dragonball Z poses yet! You’ll see what I’m talking about.

We headed into DCA and Karen decided we should get Soarin’ Over California FPs (the RSR FPs were gone for the day). We enjoyed the scenery on the way.



As we passed the Redwood Creek Challenge play area, a CM announced that there were lots of fun activities for Mary Devall and Maddie. He actually used their names! I was a little confused and checked to see if maybe they were wearing buttons or something with their names on them. They weren’t. We stopped to talk to him and he added, “There’s even stuff for Sharon to do!” I have to admit that I looked down to see if I had something with my name on it! It turns out this CM was the husband of a PassPorter (which he quietly admitted, since he was "on stage"), and he’d heard about our TRs! Cool! Unfortunately, though I remember Terry’s name, I don’t know his wife’s name. If you’re reading, speak up!

We got a photo with Terry, but it’s not on my camera, unfortunately, so you’ll have to wait for Jill to post it.

Our first ride as a group was Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. This had changed a bit since my last visit. They’d gotten rid of Ariel’s ice cream cone hairdo (although they replaced it with something equally creepy – it’s totally flat in the back, and clearly visible). Anyway, I tried to get a few photos.


Oh, I loved Zack’s Oswald ears! And this is the kind of face he usually makes when posing for photos, which I mentioned in the PTR















Then, we walked over to Cars Land. Karen gave Maddie her FP and the two of us went to ride RSR. Maddie was almost as excited to ride it as I was. It didn’t take us very long at all in the FP line (the standby at that point was 3 hours ). We buckled in and were on our way. I didn’t take any photos because I just wanted to take in the ride. Well, I did take one cute photo.



The ride is sort of like Test Track, but way better. The ride vehicles are very similar (though they look like the cars from Cars). And you start off inside and go outside for the race. There are scenes inside with lots of the residents of Radiator Springs (some of the audio animatronics are jaw droppingly good). I don’t want to spoil it too much, so I won’t give more details. Then at the end, you pull up beside another car and race around the track outside (which is a beautiful area). Maddie and I were in the winning car, so that made us both very happy.

The only unfortunate part was our ride photo. The woman riding in front of me had a long ponytail and it flew up in the air, so there was a huge puff of hair right in front of Maddie's face.

After the ride, we couldn’t find the rest of the group. Maddie was in need of a shopping fix, so I took her into the nearest gift shop while I found out where the rest of the group was. I didn’t take very good notes (or I figured I’d start my TR sooner than 2 weeks after my trip), so I don’t remember all of the details. Anyway, my notes tell me Karen went to pick up FPs for everyone for… something. Maybe Goofy’s Sky School? Either that or California Screamin’. Karen will have to reveal the truth.

I was thirsty, so we stopped at the Lucky Fortune Cookery to get something to drink. They also had mango slices that I couldn’t pass up. I saw this sign and with my peculiar sense of humor, it made me laugh.


Large bag of potato chips


The actual large bag – even Disney knows $3 for a large bag of chips is a ripoff!

Our next stop was Goofy’s Sky School, which is I guess what we had FPs for. Maybe Karen went to get them while Maddie and I were riding RSR? It seems awfully quick otherwise. I can’t understand why I am having trouble remembering – I took notes! Anyway, you’re lucky Jill is going to write a TR, she can fill in the gaps.

After that, we rode the Silly Symphony Swings, which are always fun. I got this photo of the bear again (I told you I was kind of obsessed with it this trip).



Then we went for lunch. I think the name of the place is Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta? I know it’s one of the updated restaurants. I had pasta.


Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

I find it very difficult to pass up anything with sun-dried tomatoes. Though honestly, there weren’t many of them. Maybe I’m just greedy for sun-dried tomatoes, though. The nice thing about having an AP at Disneyland/DCA is that you get a discount almost everywhere – like at counter service restaurants.

After lunch, we got more FPs for Goofy’s Sky School. The Pixar Play Parade was going by, so we stopped to watch that for a bit.






I want this job! Looks like so much fun!







I think this was when we rode California Screamin’, and Karen and Maddie went on Goofy’s Sky School again. Or maybe they went on Jumpin’ Jellyfish and the Golden Zephyr (is it still called that ). Then we walked over to the Redwood Creek Challenge so the girls could play.


Thom wanted his picture with the bears

Mary Devall was very serious about finding all the spots on the map. In fact, I don’t think she actually did much playing at all in the end.

There’s a part where you get your spirit animal or whatever (a leftover from the Brother Bear theme). Maddie was excited to be a wolf, and Mary Devall was very upset to be a dumb ol’ squirrel. And Thom teased her about it for a long time after. Zack had to go in to get his animal and ended up being a bear, which probably just made it worse for poor Mary Devall. I think the person who chose the animals must have been an only child. Even I know that putting a squirrel in with bears and wolves is going to cause some teasing, and I don’t even have kids!

After that, we went over and used our Soarin’ FPs. The only difference is the queue (and the fact that Patrick Warburton’s spiel is a tiny bit different – it was a little odd to hear him say, “Hello and welcome to Soarin’ tiny pause Over California.”

After Soarin’ tiny pause Over California, we came out to discover Minnie’s Fly Girls show. This was very cute! The Fly Girls sing old songs (like “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and the like), then Minnie arrives and they sing and dance some more. And Minnie is so sassy and charming! Loved it!












We were ready to check in to the Disneyland Hotel now, so we decided to leave the park. Rather than leave you hanging until the next update, I’ll reveal the surprise now. Karen and Zack had stayed at the DLH club level for his birthday trip (that was the one they took the same time I was at WDW). Karen texted me that she was tempted to upgrade us to club level/theme park view for our trip and suggested I try to talk her out of it. Ha! I’m the wrong person for that! I told her we should do it and offered to help pay for it, so the three of us surprised Eileen with an upgrade to club level!

Up Next: Getting our gold keys

[lauriep]

Oooh, such a fun report! I really can't wait to get back there and am taking notes for the "must do's" . I agree that the fastpass line for RSR in the early morning is insane! When I first saw people lined up way back towards the entrance I thought that was the way they let people into the park. Everyone in the park was in that line. You could ride anything in either park as a walk-on, while they were waiting, as you said, in an at-least one-hour line, in order to avoid waiting in line.

I'm so excited to be able to read a DLR TR without being confused all the time about distances and such!

[disney_duke]

How funny that the same girl that checked you into the hotel was still there when you left! How often does that happen?! Even better view from your room in the daylight!

Carsland is amazing. Wow! I see people on the roads though, and I keep thinking there should only be cars on the road, like in the movies. Very cool that a PP recognized you and the girls too!

[Grammy Grumpy]

OH MY! I must talk DH into going back to DLR!!! We loved DLH when we were there in 2008 and I would go back there in a second.

Can't wait to hear all about the surprise reveal to Eileen.

[Dlandmom2]

I guess I'm in the minority, but I really liked the simplicity of the PP room. Of course I'm sure I'd like your CL room better (and I wish I had taken you up on your offer to check out the room, because I can't remember now why I had to head back home sooner rather than later...probably had a paper to write or something!).

I love all that you accomplished that morning. I haven't tried the Boardwalk eatery yet, but that pasta looked quite tasty, so I'd better head over there soon to give it a try!

And what a cool thing it must've been for Terry to recognize all of you! Love it!