The Happiest Celebrations on Earth--Update 1/29
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lauren-roxy · 01-02-2006, 02:54 PM

I am all caught up now!! Sounds like fun, especially the hairdoos and etc. My daughters would love it!! Can't wait to read more!!!!

**DebiDebiDebi** · 01-02-2006, 07:41 PM

OH your girls look sooooo cute with their make-overs! What fun!!!

**Colexis Mom** · 01-04-2006, 12:21 PM

Great updates and pictures! I love the girls makeovers, how cute [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

More please [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Grammy Grumpy · 01-06-2006, 10:25 PM

Great report! Love the makeover pics!! More please.

Tink and co. · 01-21-2006, 07:57 PM

Tink and co. · 01-21-2006, 09:00 PM

Day 3

I made a wake up call and set the alarm for 6:00am this morning. I didn’t want to be late on my first day to Disneyland! We were up showered, dressed, stuff in car and off to breakfast lickety split. Jack and Hal slept fine, but the rest of us had trouble with the beds again. I’d happily stay at the Candy Cane Inn again. We liked everything except for the beds. We dined on bagels, Danish, and cereal again and were on our way. We pulled up to the Grand and the valet unloaded our bags and we went inside. Rob went to the desk to check in and the rest of headed to the gates and got in line with the cousins. Rob met up with us a few minutes later and we all went in and got pictures taken in front of the flowers right in front of the train station.

Rob said we could call after 3 and get our room number and told us we didn’t get the bunk bed room as requested, and we had a roll in shower. Hmmmm…remind me not to let him check in again.

And we were off, but stopped shortly to look at and find our pictures in the HUGE Steamboat Willy mural. After we found them all, we stopped at the lockers and dropped off our packet of stuff from the hotel and my Neat Sheet which I’d brought along for the fireworks later. My cousin wanted to start with Space Mountain, so we were off to Tomorrowland where we stopped and went on Buzz first. We then went to Space Mountain, and discovered a 30 minute wait. Not bad. We had a great time on this ride! It was so awesome. The updates seriously improved the ride. So smooth…next, we went to Autopia and found a 20 minute wait. So we hopped in line. Fun for all. We all hoped for the gold car, but we didn’t get it. Matterhorn was next on the list, and we found about a 20 minute wait again. I rode with Zoie and she whipped her head back and bumped my nose so hard it bled and hurt for 2 days. I’ll ride with one of the short ones next time!

Next we got Fastpasses for Indiana Jones and went on Pirates. Everyone was getting hungry so began to walk over to Rancho Del Zocalo, and got sidetracked by a short line for Thunder Mountain, so we rode and then went into the restaurant where we discovered that the menu had changed. My cousins and DH wanted BBQ, so we decided to try Riverbelle Terrace across the way instead. I had chicken and Jack had mini corn dogs, but I have no idea what anyone else ate! The food was better than the last time we’d eaten here.

After lunch we decided to use our Fastpasses for Splash Mountain (don’t remember when we got them!) We had a great ride. I wore my poncho and got quite a lot of ribbing, but I was dry! After the ride, Rob went back to DTD to watch football at the ESPN zone. He said he’d call us and re join us about 4 or 4:30. We then shopped in the Pooh store and rode the Pooh ride. Then we went for a spin on the Haunted House. I just love the Nightmare before Christmas overlay. It’s so cool! Next we rode Indiana Jones and then the Jungle Cruise, where we got the gold boat!!! The updates to the Jungle Cruise were just great, so much fun!

We met up with Rob again at the entrance to Thunder Mountain and rode it again, then took the trail around to Santa’s Reindeer Roundup. It was really pretty all lit up at night. The line for Santa was really long so we just wandered around and took pictures and then decided to come back the next day.

When we made it to Fantasyland, there was virtually no line for Casey Jr. so we hopped on. It was a fun ride in the dark too! Everyone was starving at this point, so we headed for the Plaza Inn for dinner. Everyone else in the park must have had the same idea because there was a long, long line. So we regrouped and headed to Redd Rockett’s instead. There were a lot of people in here, but the line wasn’t long. The cm serving the pasta must have been new, though; she was having lots of trouble serving people. The meal was good though. Next, Rob took Brandon and the girls for another spin on Space Mountain while I went to stake a spot for fireworks. I found a decent spot in front of the Plaza Inn, and we called Rob to let him know where we were. The other ladies went shopping on Main Street, and a short while later Rob and the girls showed up. They’d decided not to wait on Space Mountain, and Jack and Brandon were riding Buzz and Star Tours. About this time the crowd control folks came and moved the bench I’d claimed to an even better spot. We wound up with an absolutely perfect view of both the castle and the Matterhorn! Score!

The fireworks were absolutely astounding. I can honestly say there the best Disney has ever done. I can’t even really explain them. Just simply eye-popping. After they were finished and it snowed on Main Street, everyone else was done. No one wanted to see Fantasmic! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/pout.gif[/img] so we headed with the mass of humanity, each adult taking a kid, to meet up at the O in California out in the plaza. Then after hugs and some more pictures, we were on our way to the Grand, and the cousins were on there way to the tram and driving home.

Our room turned out to be beautiful, but since it was the accessible room there was no bathtub, so we’d have to wait to use our bath bombs. We also didn’t have any place to put the luggage. It would have been a fantastic room for someone in a wheelchair. It seemed as though everything had been considered. There was even a small ramp out to the balcony. The fridge we’d requested was delivered, as well as extra robes and towels. We all crashed for the night. Tomorrow was my birthday in the most wonderful place on earth, and it started out in a most magical way…
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snoozy · 01-22-2006, 01:53 PM

Great update can't wait to hear more [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

**Colexis Mom** · 01-22-2006, 02:39 PM

Great update [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img]

bsblady01 · 01-24-2006, 09:34 PM

more please

lauren-roxy · 01-25-2006, 02:50 PM

Wonderful update!!!! Sounds like a really busy day!! Can't wait to read about your birthday!!

Tink and co. · 01-29-2006, 07:56 PM

My Birthday in my Favorite Place on Earth…

I had put in a 6:30 am wake up call so we could use our early entry. However, my family was a bit slow-going after the late night and they had some birthday gifts that I NEEDED to open before we could head out, so early entry didn’t work out for us. I considered pouting, but I like gifts…so, all was well. DH and the children had gone shopping for me some time the day before, and I had a whole goodie bag full of 50th anniversary merchandise including a new purse, which I just love![img]/ubb/images/graemlins/love.gif[/img]
So we decided to try our exclusive Grand Californian entrance this morning and hit soarin’ before making our way to DL. We went down to the gate where there were two other families already waiting when a cast member dressed in the tour guide uniform approached us and asked if we were waiting for the “tour.” I said “sure” and then confirmed that we’d be done by 10:30 when we had a PS for Breakfast with Minnie. The other families declined the tour, so it was just the five of us. Our guide explained that the purpose of the “tour” was to choose the first family of the day to ride Soarin’!!!! Woo Hoo! We were escorted to front row center and got to ride all by ourselves with no one else in the room! It was so special that I officially teared up. Disney magic for sure. Afterwards, we exited the ride to see a whole bunch of people lined up for the ride, including the families who’d declined the tour! We headed right on over to Disneyland and on to the horse drawn carriage for a ride up Main Street! Here’s a little tip—don’t sit in the front seat or your view is of, well, a horses &%%! Remember, we were traveling with a seven year old boy, so there was laughter all around and dad took a picture of the posterior for posterity. I promise I won’t post that one. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Next, we decided to check in for our breakfast at the Plaza Inn, were I received a birthday sticker! We were called to our table a few minutes later and enjoyed a good breakfast of traditional fare. We were visited by Pooh and Tigger twice. We could see Goofy on the other side of the restaurant and Minnie outside, but when we asked about seeing those characters, we were told to “let the kids go to them, each character has their own section.” Which we didn’t do, but plenty of other folks did, and it was a ZOO! Now, the food was good, but breakfast cost a little over $90 for the five of us, and I wouldn’t do this one again. I just think the point of paying that sort of price for breakfast is for the one on one, not chasing them around character experience. And Minnie was the big draw for us, and she didn’t even come to our section. We were disappointed, but full at least!

The Girls Meeting Cinderella near the Castle
Next, I wanted to go directly to Fantasyland to ride Peter Pan and then all my other favorites. We saved the Storybook boats for after dark, as the ride is so pretty in the dark. Then it was on to Adventureland for my other favorites, Indiana Jones, Jungle Cruise, and Tarzan’s Tree house. We then hiked over to Santa’s Reindeer Round Up where we visited Santa and the kids decorated cookies. I bought myself a Christmas insulated mug full of hot cocoa that the kids enjoyed. After that we hit Pirates, the Haunted Mansion, and Splash. Then we went to check in for our dinner at the Blue Bayou. While waiting, Rob visited the Crystal Shoppe across the street and ordered our 50th anniversary frame that came with our package. We were seated a few minutes later, and we got a water side table! It was so much fun watching the boats go by. Jack waved to each passing vessel. We felt like celebrities! I had the Prime Rib for dinner, and I remember that Jack had mini corn dogs, but beyond that I don’t have a clue! The dinner was as good as I remembered it being. The salad had caramelized pecans on it and was just superb. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] Another magical part of my special day. I tell you, I’ve been spoiled, and now it’ll be hard to top this birthday celebration!

The kids with Santa

Now, we had just enough time to ride my storybook ride(we got to see the gold boat, which was of course named Tinkerbell, but we rode in a different boat) and snag a spot for fireworks, which were absolutely fabulous again, except Tinkerbell didn’t fly for some reason tonight. It was wonderful just the same. We then headed down Main Street and the short jaunt to our hotel where we made our plan for the next day, enjoyed the Christmas lights out our window and hit the sack.

Next up, we take another tour and will we ever make it over to DCA?

**chezp** · 01-30-2006, 01:38 AM

What a wonderful birthday you had! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/birthday.gif[/img] I can't wait to read more. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img]