Sing with me...California Here We Come! Days 7 & 8, updated 12/20 About This Page:

[Meggera]

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<u>Day 2 - October 31, 2006 – Part 4</u>
[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/birthday.gif[/img] Victoria!

Fantasyland! Sadly, It’s a Small World was closed to put in the Christmas decorations, so we never got to ride IASW here. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zcry.gif[/img] Something to look forward to next time. We did take pictures, though. It was beautiful!


We left IASW and saw the Storybook Land Canal Boats. The line was HUGE!! We decided to come back to them. We then found the teacups. Too cute! I love the lanterns and the fact that they are out in the open. Maxine thought she could handle this ride, so we bypassed the line and headed for our cup. We all squeezed into one teacup. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]


The ride began, and I told Victoria not to spin too fast. We didn’t know how Maxine would handle it. We had fun in our teacup and were glad to get out of that tight space. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Alice in Wonderland looked too cute! But, we didn’t have a lot of time. We had dinner reservations at Ariel’s Grotto in California Adventure at 2:20 p.m. Yes, dinner. Early breakfast, late lunch/early dinner. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] It was now about 1:30 so we decided to start making our way to CA.

I had to take Victoria’s picture in front of the White Rabbit’s home.


Then I spotted Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. I HAD to ride this. I was so sad when they took it away from WDW. I have been waiting to ride this again for years. There was a really long line. Maxine’s wheelchair once again came in handy. We bypassed the line and got right on. It’s like we had our own Fastpass to ANY ride there. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


I giggled like a little girl. I was in heaven. I was the only one who had ever ridden this ride, so no one I was with understands how much this is missed at WDW. I [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] loved my ride with Mr. Toad. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

We stopped by Sleeping Beauty dancing with her Prince at the castle.


And I took a picture of the castle from this vantage point.


As we left the park, there were no crowds around the Mickey out front, so we took advantage of that, and a CM kindly took our photo.


All the Mickey jack-o-lanterns were just too cute. Disney really goes out of their way to make things extra special.


Boy do I love park hopping here. It’s a cinch. We stopped in front of a candy corn for a photo opportunity.


And we entered California Adventure. Our first time here was wonderful. I snapped a pic in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.


And this is a store front. Great store!


We slowly walked around and took in the sights. I didn’t know how long it was going to take to get to Paradise Pier. I didn’t think it would hurt to get there a little early. It was going on 2 p.m., by now. We rounded a corner, and I saw the beautiful sun wheel and the orange stinger.


We headed for Paradise Pier and our dinner date with some princesses.


Boy was it busy at Ariel’s! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] I got in line to check in, gave the CM our name, and he said we could have a seat and wait. Have a seat? Where? There were no seats available. My family waited outside while I stayed inside so I could hear our name called. We had about a 10 minute wait, then they called our name. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img] I got the others. Maxine and Michael took the elevator to the lower level, and Victoria and I took the stairs. We were shown to our table near the servers’ door. I wasn’t too pleased about that until the CM told us we were the first table the princesses would see. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] I don’t mind the table too much now. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Up Next: A birthday dinner!
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[Colexis Mom]

More great pictures! Can't wait to haer about the princess lunch/dinner [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[lauren-roxy]

Great update!! I really miss Mr. Toad's Ride at WDW too. Can't wait to hear all about your dinner!!

[DyanKJ130]

I totally understand what you mean about Mr Toad's Wild Ride! Can't wait to hear about your meal with the princesses.

[chezp]

Another great update - I understand your excitement about Mr. Toad, as I don't remember this at all from WDW and I really enjoyed riding it. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I still prefer the Halloween decorations at Disneyland to the ones we saw in WDW.

[tinksmom]

I "toadily" agree about the Wild Ride. I can't wait to ride it in June.
More, please!
tenya

[Meggera]

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<u>Day 2 - October 31, 2006 – Part 5</u>
[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/birthday.gif[/img] Victoria!

I loved the theme to this restaurant. When you go downstairs, it is like you have gone under the sea. The lights were shells and jellyfish. Very cute theming. Our server arrived and gave us menus and took our drink order. We had three courses to order, so we all got busy looking over our menus.

For our Seaside Starter, Michael and Maxine ordered the Boathouse Salad (just your basic house salad). Victoria ordered the Swimmin’ Chicken Noodle Soup, and I ordered Ship-Shape Cheesy Onion Soup.

It took a little while, but our server finally brought out our drinks and some bread.

There was suddenly a fanfare and a flurry and a CM entered and announced that there was a special family here today to begin the festivities. They went to a family two tables over who had been chosen as family of the day (or something like that) and they read a proclamation announcing the arrival of the Princess Ariel. Ariel then entered and went to that family and met with them. Ariel made a big deal over the family. The two children were obviously delighted with their royal treatment. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Ariel then began her rounds around the restaurant, starting with us. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] She was on legs (we had never seen her on legs before) and in her beautiful blue dress. She wished Victoria a happy birthday and signed her autograph book. She was gorgeous!


The princesses then steadily came out to visit everyone. Next up was Mulan.


Our server finally got around to bringing us our starters. He brought me chicken noodle soup, though. I told him I had ordered the onion soup. He looked at his little pad and said I ordered chicken noodle. I told him I did not, I ordered onion soup. He told me to keep the chicken noodle soup, and he would bring me my onion soup. We prayed and dug into our food. (Well, except me, since I didn’t have mine yet.) I did try the chicken noodle soup…not very flavorful. But, Victoria enjoyed it. The server brought out my onion soup, and it was heavenly. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] It was worth the wait.

During our first course, Cinderella arrived looking stunning in blue.


Belle was next to arrive. She had on her yellow dress. Too bad she had on a cape. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] I guess she was cold. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]


Jasmine then stopped by. She must have been cold, too. (Of course, she has every reason to be cold with what she wears.) [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


Jasmine was the last princess, and as you can see, our meal hadn’t even arrived yet. Everyone around us had gotten their food, and we were still waiting. Sadly, service was not its best here. While we were waiting for our food, I took a picture of Victoria. I wanted the light fixtures in the pic. Silly me!


Our dishes were cleared, and we finally received our entrees. I made sure to take pictures of our food. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Victoria ordered the High Striker Penne Pasta. She loved it!


Michael ordered the “Under the Boardwalk” Half-Pound Burger with Cheese.


Maxine got the Maliboomer Meatloaf with chunky tomato relish and white cheddar mashed potatoes.


I had the Avalon Chicken Caesar Salad. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]


We all enjoyed our food. It was really good. I can’t believe we still had dessert coming up. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] We never order dessert because we are always too full to eat it. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] But first, someone at our table was celebrating a birthday. Several servers arrived with a big fluff of pink cotton candy with a candle stuck in it. They sang happy birthday to Victoria, and she blew out the candle. She was tickled with the cotton candy. She was sad when she hadn’t been able to order from the kids menu. Why? Because she had wanted the cotton candy dessert. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


Then our desserts arrived. YumOh!!! Michael and Maxine ordered the Peach at the Beach Cobbler - sweet peaches baked in cinnamon and brown sugar, with a cobbler topper and a scoop of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream..


Victoria ordered the Chocolate Paradise Cake – a chocolate malt cake with dark chocolate icing and caramel-corn brittle.


And I ordered the Three for the Rocky Road - Rocky Road ice cream covered in even more marshmallows, almonds and mini chocolate chips. All atop a rich chocolate brownie. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/facelick.gif[/img]


Can you say stuffed? Victoria never even touched her chocolate cake and had to get a to go box.

Almost two hours later, we were ready to go. We all really enjoyed the food. I wish the princesses hadn’t seemed so rushed and that the service had been a little better. All in all, it was good, and we would return.

Now this is where our day gets really hectic. Michael and Maxine decided to stay in the parks. Victoria and I needed to go back to the hotel to get her transformed into Tinkerbell. So, Victoria and I headed out while Michael paid our bill. We had crossed the bridge leading to Paradise Pier, when I realized I had DH’s and DF’s tickets. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] Victoria ran the tickets back to them and ran all the way back. What a trooper. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thanx.gif[/img] Victoria.

We knew our hotel bus left on the half hour, and it was now going on 4:15 p.m. We knew we had some time in order to get there. As we made our way to the bus parking area, our bus was there!!! I told Victoria to run, run, run and don’t let them leave without us! We just might get back quicker than we thought we would.

Victoria ran up there and I wasn’t too far behind her. I thanked the driver for waiting. It was then that we found out that he leaves on the quarter hours. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] So, we left as soon as we were on the bus. Now for our game plan.

I told Victoria to book it to our room and get changed very quickly into her Tinkerbell costume while I changed and then packed up DH’s and DF’s change of clothes. Then, I would gauge our time and either do her hair in there or in the bus.

I’ve never seen Victoria move so quickly. We ran to our room. We knew we had approximately 30 minutes. She changed. I changed. I packed clothes. She brushed her hair. We had time, so I fixed her hair in the room. I packed up her make-up, made sure I had our Mickey’s Halloween Treat tickets and park tickets, and we booked it back to the waiting bus. Phew! We did it! As we sat on the bus, I got busy with Victoria’s make-up. I had gotten a pale green eye shadow to put on her eyes and had lots of sparkly powder to make her shimmer. I then had some crystals to add around her eyes so she would sparkle. I had finished her eyes and was starting the shimmery powder when the bus pulled out. We got back to DL, and he opened the doors. A family got on to go back to the hotel. I told Victoria I would have to finish her make-up outside, but the driver said we were more than welcome to work in the bus. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thanx.gif[/img]

I added the crystals to Victoria’s make-up, a little lipstick, and we were done. The family (mom, dad and two little girls) kept asking us what we were doing, where we were going, etc. They were very nice, and we got to see them many times over the course of our trip.

We thanked the kind driver and exited the bus. We had planned to meet up with DH and DF at Haunted Mansion. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] We couldn’t wait to ride this!!

A little background information about Victoria’s costume. I knew that Victoria loved Tinkerbell. I thought she might like to be Tinkerbell but knew she would never go for the little girl type costumes. She needed something a little more grown up. She is 12 after all. I found a fabulous costume from the UK on ebay. I won it! Yay! The only problem was that it is a size 7/8. Now, DD is tiny, and I knew she would be able to wear the costume. The problem was the length. She has long legs. I surprised her with it at home, and she loved it. But, when she put it on, let’s just say you could see a bit more than I was comfortable with. I had to do something.

Now, I am not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination. But, I went to a fabric store and found some shimmery fabric I thought would work to add some length to her costume. When she and DH were at ballet one day, I traced one of the pieces of the Tinkerbell costume so I could make a similar, longer skirt. I made it longer and cut out several pieces from the fabric. I carefully sewed them together and then sewed in a little ribbon to tie it around her waist. When she got home, I surprised her with the skirt. She tried it on and surprised me. It fit around her waist, but it gaped open in the back. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] I truly am no seamstress. But, I know someone who is. I called a friend of mine and asked for her help.

During the course of sewing it and seeing it on her, I knew that it was too see through to work. So, I went back to the fabric store and bought some more shimmery fabric (a different kind). I “unsewed” my mess and went to my friend’s house with Victoria. She put the two sets of fabrics together and showed me how to gather the waist; she pinned it for me and said it should work. I went home and sewed again. It worked! Yay!!! Victoria tried it on this time, and it closed. Yay! Long story short, I made part of her costume. I also made her headpiece and used two of my snowflake ornaments to hot glue to her gold ballet slippers to make her Tinkerbell shoes.

Up Next: My Tinkerbell and the parade!!
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[lauren-roxy]

Great update!! Sounds like you had a wonderful dinner, despite the service. Can't wait to see pictures of your Tinkerbell!!

[Colexis Mom]

What a great lunch, even if the service was a little slow. The pictures were great, and the food look delish [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img] And what a great birthday celebration for Victoria [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Can't wait to see pictures of Victoria in her Tink costume [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[tinksmom]

Can't wait for more!
tenya

[PrincessSharon]

Just catching up. How cool that you got awarded a Dream! I can't wait to hear about your experience in the parade. And I love that picture of Buzz's butt! I would've been cracking up too! Hurry back with more, please.

[chezp]

I'm glad you had a good time at Ariel's, despite the poor service and I can't wait to see photos of Victoria as Tinkerbell. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Meggera]

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<u>Day 2 - October 31, 2006 – Part 6</u>
[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/birthday.gif[/img] Victoria!

As Victoria and I made our hectic departure from Ariel’s Grotto, Maxine surprised Michael and paid for everyone’s dinner for Victoria’s birthday. How generous! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thanx.gif[/img] Maxine. Then Michael and Maxine headed back over to DL. He took more pictures of the pumpkins in front of the train depot.


And a beautiful photo of the castle.

They headed over to the Haunted Mansion…a part of the park we hadn’t seen yet. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] While they waited, Michael took a lot of photos of the Mansion and the fabulous decorations there.








Victoria and I entered the gate of DL and proceeded to go straight toward HM. We were in such a rush, we didn’t take in the sights as we normally would. We saw DM and DF waiting at the front entrance for us. They commented on Victoria’s transformation, and I gave everyone their sweatshirts to put on so they wouldn’t be too cold. It was really getting chilly, and poor Victoria didn’t have on very much.

I took Victoria’s first picture as Tinkerbell going up the walk to HM. (We, by the way, bypassed the line and went in through the exit.)


The stretching room was fabulous. All of the pictures told the story of The Night Before Christmas.

<font color="red">***SPOILER***

If you have never been to HM during Christmas and do not know what happens and you do not want to know, don’t read any further. I would hate to spoil the fun for you…

Then normally when there is a hangman hanging over your heads, there was the huge skull face of Jack Skellington laughing. I got a GREAT shot of it another time we rode it. I will be sure to post it. It was great! We all loved it.

***end of spoiler***</font>

We left the stretching room and proceeded down a hall to the doom buggies. What beheld my eyes was wonderful!


I had heard that HM was transformed for Christmas. I didn’t realize to what extent. Ummm…COMPLETELY transformed. Wow! It was very difficult for me to get pictures. We took a new camera on the trip. Yea. Never do that. I was learning how to use it the whole time. But, here are two shots that turned out okay. The first is like the snowy embankment you see Jack climb up and sing and it is covered with jack-o-lanterns. The second is a pumpkin-headed angel blowing a trumpet. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]


So, how did we like HM Jack style? LOVED IT!!! It is so wonderful to see the old familiar ghosts dancing in the ball room intermingled with the new colors and creatures from Nightmare Before Christmas. Two thumbs up. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img][img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img] Way up!

We left HM and who to my wondering eyes should appear? But Captain Jack in all his loveliness. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] There was a nice sized line to see him. Who doesn’t want to seem him? But, we patiently waited and then it was our turn. Victoria walked up and he signed her book. He never said a whole lot.


And then I had to have my autograph and picture. If you will notice, I am rarely in photos. I am the photo taker of the family. But, I HAD to have my photo with Captain Jack. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] He kindly signed my paper, and we smiled. (In the excitement, I forgot the chin and cheese. Oops!)


We left Captain Jack and passed PotC. We didn’t have time to ride it yet. We were going to slowly make our way to the Partners statue for our meet with the Dream Squad. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] We do have our priorities! PotC would just have to wait.

We came upon Tarzan’s Treehouse and decided to climb the tree. We found a place for Maxine to people watch and up we went. Victoria crossed over the bridge at the top.


There were books stationed throughout the treehouse that tell the story of how Tarzan was rescued and such. Very neat idea.


Michael and Victoria got busy trashing the kitchen and making music with the pots and pans and another Tinkerbell. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


At the bottom…


There were a lot of people here this evening. I guess that is to be expected since it is Halloween. We left the treehouse and walked towards the Partners statue. I made sure to take some nighttime photos. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]




Victoria and her beloved Tinkerbell. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]




And, my Mr. Incredible. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


The time had come! A lady in blue approached us and asked if we were the Dawson family. Yes!! She introduced herself. (I wised up and remembered names this time.) Her name was Deb, and she told us that in a few minutes she would take us to the IASW backstage area where we would meet the Mayor and some characters. The Mayor would walk us through everything that was going to take place. We were so excited!

Up Next: Honorary Grand Marshals of the Parade!
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[Colexis Mom]

OMG, it's getting so good [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] Hurry back! And Victoria looks great in her costume [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img]

[DyanKJ130]

[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img] Victoria's costume. I'm sure this is going to be the birthday she'll be talking about for years to come! Hurry back with your parade experience!!