The $16,000 "Free" Disney Trip **Updated 12/11** COMPLETE - Page 14 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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I'm so jealous. I have always wanted to go to DL. I have no idea when I'll be able to get to Disneyland. Five people is an expensive flight. I will be so happy if/when I can afford to do it!
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I *know* that was a zing... it actually hurt a bit.
I have to admit to a little "Scorpio" behavior here (and Sharon knows what I mean as she's a Scorpio too with a birthday in November.... actually a birthday really soon!) The more someone presses me to do something, the more likely I am not to do that thing at all.
So... do with that what you will.
Eileen
PS - but know that I'm feeling guilty for not setting the record straight with the TRUTH of what happened on our June trip and I have high hopes of not leaving for Mousefest with an "oustanding" TR sitting there unfinished. Not to mention that I have some fabu pics that are blackmail-worthy.
I have to say first that I didn’t have my camera with me for a good part of the day, so the first section won’t have any photos. Hopefully Karen will be able to post her pictures soon. But no worries, I took lots of photos after the first afternoon (filled up the memory card, even) and even some video – which I’ll share if I can figure it out!
Day One – Saturday, October 25 California, Here I Come!!
The day started out early. Well, I shouldn’t say day, since my alarm went off at 4:00 am. But I was heading to Disney, so it wasn’t hard to hop out of bed (well, not so much hop, but the closest one can get to hopping when it’s still the middle of the night).
So I got ready and once again, my DF ( Dad, you’re the greatest) was willing to get up at that hour and drive me to the airport. He was actually in a great mood, too! DF makes a great chauffeur! Plus he lugs my bags out to the car for me, too!
It was 4:50 when we left for the airport (and 41° ). At that hour, there was nobody else on the road, so we made it to the airport fairly quickly (Dad doesn’t drive like a maniac like many car service/taxi drivers do – which is an advantage unless you’re running late!). There were only a couple of people in the airport, so I decided to skip the curbside check in (remember, the whole 41° thing!).
I checked my suitcase (which weighed 47.5 pounds – but I’d packed an empty suitcase inside of it, so I had no worries about souvenirs and junk that I’d purchase). I was through security quickly and grabbed a comfy seat at my gate.
We boarded quickly and the flight was slightly bumpy. Also, I believe the Giants were playing the Ravens that weekend, because there were a lot of Giants fans on board (I had to change planes in Baltimore). The interesting thing was that there were no kids at all on the flight. Our flight attendant even noted it.
I was able to get a bit of sleep on the very short flight, and then when I changed I scored the exit row for the next part of my flight. I slept some more, which was really good for me (I won’t say I’m a terrible sleeper on planes, but I’m not great either).
The flight was great (I say that because we landed 25 minutes early). I collected my bags and went out to wait for Karen to pick me up. While I was there, I noticed everyone was picked up in fancy cars by people wearing Bluetooth headsets (that’s LA for you).
When Karen arrived we hopped in her car (and I struggled a little bit with my 47.5 pound suitcase) and then were on our way! During the drive, Karen filled me in on their previous night at Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party. Before I knew it, we were pulling into the Downtown Disney parking lot. Wait! That’s not right! We turned around and headed for the Disneyland Hotel.
We headed inside to check in, where I received my very first “Welcome Home.” I was also happy to discover that you now get DL’s version of a Key to the World card, with charging privileges and for use on Early Entry days. You used to get a stupid little slip of paper that was hard to keep track of.
Our room wasn’t ready, but the CM did let us know that we had a great view. Karen needed to get Zack, who was having lunch with Karen’s sisters. While she went to get him, I headed to Guest Services to try to get my e-ticket issue straightened out (I never got the email with the .pdf of my ticket). They couldn’t help me there, so I went to Crocs Bits & Bites to get lunch – a tasty barbecue chicken sandwich.
I was just finishing up when Karen and Zack joined me. They both got a drink and then we headed to Disneyland where I got my ticket issue straightened out. For some reason, they could see I had purchased a ticket, but one had never actually been issued, which meant the CM couldn’t just issue another one. She ended up just giving me a new 5-day parkhopper, since she could see that’s what I’d purchased. I also got my Mickey’s Trick or Treat party as an e-ticket, but I had no problems at all with it.
Karen had collected a bunch of FPs from earlier in the day, but we didn’t have TOT FPs, so that was our first order of business in DCA. Then we headed into the Animation building so they could show me the Toy Story zoetrope, which is kind of a living flip book and the coolest thing ever. I didn’t have my camera, so no pictures, but I did go back later in the week for pictures and even some video (which I'll share if I can figure out how to do that).
Next we did Muppet Vision, which is just exactly as funny on the west coast as it is on the east coast. And that same lady who isn’t wearing a Goofy mask is in the audience! She really gets around!
We then headed over to the Blue Sky Cellar, which is the preview center for the new DCA. Again, no pictures, sorry. But it really looks great and I’m excited to see the park when it’s complete in 2012.
Zack wanted a free tortilla, so we went to the Mission Tortilla Factory for the tour and free tortilla. Zack was trying to think of ways to get a stack of birthday tortillas (I think he was thinking I should’ve done something, since my birthday was the closest ). But alas, we each got only one tortilla.
Our TOT FPs were ripe, so after getting a shake for Zack, we headed there. On the way, we saw a few villains doing meet and greets. We saw the Big Bad Wolf (I’d never even seen him before) but unfortunately, he was heading in for a break. We also saw Handy Manny, and I took a picture of him and sent it to Jill.
I like the TOT at WDW better (the queue is better, the ride is better, even the building itself is better), but the DCA version of TOT is still pretty great! While we were in line, we somehow got on the topic of scaring kids and Zack did a scary monster noise and really scared the little girl in the group ahead of us (to be fair, she was already on the edge, Zack just pushed her over). She ended up in the same elevator with us, so she wasn’t so terrified she refused to ride. Her little sister (who seemed less afraid than she did) was next to me, and I spent so much time talking to her that I forgot about the ride photo and ended up looking at the little girl in the picture. The little girls weren’t the most afraid, though. That honor goes to a woman in front of us. She was screaming her lungs out and was practically underneath her husband sitting next to/in front of her.
My notes say that Zack’s ride photo was hilarious, but he made so many great poses that I don’t remember which one he did that time.
When we headed out, we saw Frollo and Foulfellow just coming out. We did meet Frollo, who is quite creepy and scared me (and Karen, too). Karen had collected FPs for California Screamin’ earlier in the day, so we decided to use them. The park was far from crowded, but it was great to be able to knock out so many attractions so quickly.
Again, my notes say Zack’s ride photo was hilarious, but I can’t say which one it was. I think Karen took a picture of a few of them, so hopefully she’ll share.
Our next stop was Toy Story Midway Mania (which makes more sense thematically at DCA). We used the single riders line even though the wait was reasonably short in the regular queue. While we were waiting (the SRL is right at the loading area) we noticed a VIP guest and his family. We assumed the guy was a basketball player (mainly because he seemed to be 11 feet tall), but nobody knew exactly who he was – even the CMs.
I was paired with a guy who was quite friendly. He introduced himself to me and was quite chatty throughout the ride. I guess the new haircut does make me look younger, because my new friend asked me if I was in college! Karen was seated with some woman who read a magazine the entire ride (seriously!! ) She even gave Karen a few odd looks for you know, playing the game. She was with a couple of kids, so I assumed (actually hoped for those kids’ sake) that she was just the nanny.
I ended up with a score somewhere in the 140,000 range. My buddy (whose name I forgot 1.78 seconds after he’d told me) beat my score, but I beat both of his friends. We were ready to head back to the DLH and get ready for our dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen, so we headed out of the park (through the resort guest entrance of the Grand Californian).
Up Next: How to Not Be a Communist in 6 Easy Lessons
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Mickey's so happy to see me back, he can barely contain himself!
Woo Hoo! First Sharon update! So I know you have been to DL before but how does it "feel" to be in the park that Walt built? Only us Disney geeks will know what I mean haha
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Previous trips: POFQ 2005 & 2007, Boardwalk 2008, BCV & AKLV 2009 (our honeymoon) & 2012, BCV & BLT 2011, BCV 2013, AKLV 2014
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Danny and I at Epcot 8/14/08
But I was heading to Disney, so it wasn’t hard to hop out of bed (well, not so much hop, but the closest one can get to hopping when it’s still the middle of the night).
Dad, you’re the greatest) was willing to get up at that hour and drive me to the airport. He was actually in a great mood, too! DF makes a great chauffeur! 
Plus he lugs my bags out to the car for me, too! 
We turned around and headed for the Disneyland Hotel. 
I was also happy to discover that you now get DL’s version of a Key to the World card, with charging privileges and for use on Early Entry days. You used to get a stupid little slip of paper that was hard to keep track of.
I didn’t have my camera, so no pictures, but I did go back later in the week for pictures and even some video (which I'll share if I can figure out how to do that).
She really gets around! 
). But alas, we each got only one tortilla. 
) 
She was with a couple of kids, so I assumed (actually hoped for those kids’ sake) that she was just the nanny.
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