Mission: Characters - Halloween 2009 About This Page:

[Vala]

Day 14 - November 10: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Pictures taken from our hotel room at Grand Californian:









And some more shots in our room:









When we enter for our last Magic Morning there’s again several characters out on Town Square. I want to say good bye to Chip and Dale, so we get in Chip’s line. He recognizes me and gives me a big hug, then motions that Dale is coming over and we’ll wait for him to take a picture. Thank you Chip.





Some more rides on Buzz later I do have a new highscore. Nowhere near the one they robbed be off, but hey… it’s a start.



Pixie Hollow does have a line like last year meanwhile… looks like others realized meanwhile that the line was a breeze, and it’s not a breeze anymore.

Assorted shots from Fantasyland during Magic Morning:

































We’re headed for another showing of the Showboat Jubilee when there’s a speaker announcement: the Disneyland Band is playing at the castle. On a Monday? Why isn’t this on the schedule?! Change of plans, we’re staying for the concert.









Excuse the picture quality, I was trying not to get in anyone’s way with the scooter.

After that it’s just time for another performance of the Showboat Jubilee.





















We just have enough time for the Meet & Greet with Tiana and Naveen – better play safe and get another picture while I can, plus I want them to sign the park map for my friend.

It’s a little more busy this time, but still not what I expected. I’m third in line this time, this gives me a nice view and I can tape the arrival of the parade.





Andrea also asked if we could go to Café Orleans again, so this is our stop for lunch. We have – you guess it – the Monte Cristo.





And yes, I cleared the plate a third time. I wish I had any idea why this dish isn’t bothering me.

Christmas Decorations at New Orleans Square:



Turns out Café Orleans is quite a good place to snap more photos of the Showboat Jubilee if your camera has a strong zoom.











Leaving the Café we bump into the arriving Princess again and I decide to get in line for the Meet & Greet again. Hey, all good things come in threes, right?

This time one of the dancers passing gives me beads too.





We do some more pin trading until it’s 2.10 PM… we really have our last chance to see Alice and the Mad Hatter at Coke Corner today. Rafael’s in the area and has some spare time, so he comes to say good bye. We look for a seat there and have extremely delicious Cherry Cokes. (Definitely a spot I will visit again next year.) Mad Hatter arrives on time, but Alice is late. That way I get a picture with him.



And we get to listen to him performing with the piano player.



Windows at Coke Corner:



We’ve been listening for a while when Chip & Dale come out of a door in the back of the seating area.

Some kids yell out for them. But then Chip catches sight of me, jumps and comes running towards me to give me a that big hug that for a moment I am afraid the scooter might topple over. Andrea snickers. Okay, okay, I admit it… I may have taken too many photos with them.

A couple of minutes later the next visitors are passing through. A cast member working at Aladdin’s Oasis walks through the door. And he’s got someone in tow… someone large and blue. Oh my god. The Genie?! The Genie is out?

I know he's out more at WDW, but this was the first time in all of the years I have been going to Disneyland that I saw him out. The only time I actually saw him before was in the Christmas parade.

The duo wanders of in the direction of Adventureland, pretending to look for Aladdin. Forget about Alice, I want to see the Genie. I ask Rafael to toss out the rest of my coke and take off. Andrea yells after me: “You can't follow them like a 3 year old." “Of course I can… it’s the freaking Genie!” – yelled back from quite a distance away.

After a lot of “searching” they find Aladdin near Indiana Jones and Aladdin and Genie start taking pictures and signing autographs. You can tell from the stupid grin on the photo how happy I was.



Rafael has to leave, and another friend is coming to say goodbye, so we make our way back to GCH through DCA again.























Shots from the Grand Californian lobby:







TBC in Day 15: Time to say goodbye

[PrincessSharon]

I know exactly what you mean about the Disneyland Hotel. It's the most "Disney" of any Disney hotel I've ever visited, and I loved that about it! I'm so glad you got to meet Genie! I get excited when I meet characters I've never seen before too! Except the stupid grin seems to stick with me, even when I'm meeting the regulars. I'm sorry to see this coming to an end but looking forward to more!

[ccmom]

I just found this tr and am really enjoying it. You take the most interesting pictures of all the little details.

[DyanKJ130]

Great updates and photos! Sure am wishing I had tried that Monte Cristo, when we visited! Looking forward to more

[Vala]

Originally Posted by PrincessSharon

I know exactly what you mean about the Disneyland Hotel. It's the most "Disney" of any Disney hotel I've ever visited, and I loved that about it!

Exactly.

I actually talked my friend to "downgrade" to Disneyland Hotel from the Grand Californian for this year. The Grand is a great hotel, but if I am at Disneyland I want to feel it in my hotel too.

Originally Posted by PrincessSharon

I'm so glad you got to meet Genie! I get excited when I meet characters I've never seen before too! Except the stupid grin seems to stick with me, even when I'm meeting the regulars.

I'm the same. We met some characters daily, but I enjoyed each time. Some of my US friends (like Rafael) only come to the parks because they know I love it there so much. Then I am running after characters and apologize because this is something they couldn't care less about. But sooner or later they're sitting on a park bench having some popcorn and they tell me: "No worries, we're having fun looking at you."

Originally Posted by PrincessSharon

I'm sorry to see this coming to an end but looking forward to more!

Yeah, one last installment to come. But I may be going to Paris in summer and I have Disneyland scheduled for another trip in October. So there will be more in a couple of months.

Originally Posted by ccmom

I just found this tr and am really enjoying it. You take the most interesting pictures of all the little details.

Thank you. *blushes*

I really love my digital camera. I usually have to go through extra security at the airport (it's a semi professional Canon with a large zoom), but I think it's worth hauling my baby around.

Originally Posted by DyanKJ130

Great updates and photos! Sure am wishing I had tried that Monte Cristo, when we visited! Looking forward to more

Thank you too.

The Monte Cristo really is addictive. LOL We only tried it because on another forum they were raving about it. I never thought I'd have more Monte Cristos than Mickey icecream bars in the end.

[Vala]

Day 15 – November 11: Time to say goodbye.

Our flight is at 2.25 PM, airport transfer is ordered for 10 AM, so we have booked a goodbye dinner at Storytellers. It’s a lot more full this time, possibly due to Veteran’s Day.

We meet Terk,



Meeko,



Dale,



Kenai



and Koda.



And then we wait… and wait some more. Chip is not coming out. I take some photos meanwhile:









Finally the ranger comes to our table handing us some buttons and I ask her about Chip. “He’ll be back in about 20 minutes.” (It’s been over an hour since he disappeared at that point.) 20 minutes turn into 30, and after 40 minutes he’s finally at our table.



I know things can happen, sickness or whatever… but this is really not what you want to happen when you’re on your way to the airport!

We rush back to the room, get the bags downstairs and I wait outside for the airport transfer while Andrea checks out.

We had booked a towncar service through LuKen Limousines… very happy with them. Arrived right on time, driver very focussed and we felt safe all the time. We arrive at the airport on time, but the lines at check in are horrendous… a flight before hours was cancelled. Thankfully I had booked an earlier time slot than proposed.

Hotel wise… Grand Californian was nice, but I wouldn’t put it first on my list. The location can’t be beat, but I really preferred the atmosphere of the Disneyland Hotel.

Despite the room upgrade Paradise Pier definitely comes last. The snafu at check in was nothing I wish to anyone at the start of the vacation, then the several misunderstandings with bell desk and don’t even get me started on the elevators. When we returned after park closing we often waited around 15 minutes.

Food wise the Café Orleans was a nice unexpected treasure to find. I still have not tried a Dole Whip though. For character meals Storytellers dropped into last place now after I found Minnie’s at least improved with character interaction. Also Goofy’s lost its first place to Lilo & Stitch after Halloween – hopefully the new Surf’s Up breakfast hasn’t seen too many changes.

[PrincessSharon]

We had disappearing characters when we had breakfast at Storytellers as well. It's too bad that some of the restaurants aren't better organized. It certainly sounds like it was a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing it, and I'll be on the lookout for your next one!

[chezp]

Great finish to your trip. Sadly, we've had a similar experience at Storytellers with the characters as well.

[dolphin041599]

I'm so happy to have read this. Now I'm even more excited to go in October 2010 - though we are only going for 3 days. I really, really, really want to meet Captain Jack. He's my absolute favorite and we never saw him at WDW when we went last year. I'm not even sure he's there. Thanks for not only sharing, but letting me know that its entirely possible to be meeting the Captain. *squees*

[Vala]

Originally Posted by PrincessSharon

We had disappearing characters when we had breakfast at Storytellers as well. It's too bad that some of the restaurants aren't better organized.

Originally Posted by chezp

Great finish to your trip. Sadly, we've had a similar experience at Storytellers with the characters as well.

That's total news to me that characters disappear at Storytellers regularly.

I knew that Chip & Dale don't come out anymore after 10.30 AM or something like that. But we always had some of the best interactions there, and never had to wait that long for anybody.

Originally Posted by dolphin041599

I'm so happy to have read this. Now I'm even more excited to go in October 2010 - though we are only going for 3 days. I really, really, really want to meet Captain Jack. He's my absolute favorite and we never saw him at WDW when we went last year. I'm not even sure he's there. Thanks for not only sharing, but letting me know that its entirely possible to be meeting the Captain. *squees*

I am not sure how things are at WDW, but for DLR Captain Jack stopped appearing in the park in November 2008. The only way to meet him last year at DLR was the Halloween party, and you need to buy an extra ticket for that. During the parties he was at the photo stop at Pirate's (Pacific) Wharf.

[PrincessSharon]

Originally Posted by Vala

That's total news to me that characters disappear at Storytellers regularly.

I knew that Chip & Dale don't come out anymore after 10.30 AM or something like that. But we always had some of the best interactions there, and never had to wait that long for anybody.

Well, to be fair, Chez and I are talking about the same day, when we had breakfast together. I've had breakfast there before when the characters were great. I'll be trying it out again in April, so I'm hoping we just visited on an off day.

[DyanKJ130]

to hear about the disappearance of Chip at Storytellers. We had a wonderful experience there in February 2008. The character interaction was so awesome, my sides hurt from laughing so much.

for sharing your TR with us! I have enjoyed reading it!

[Meggera]

I just found your TR and loved reading it. It made me long to go back to DL. We loved it when we went. We really need to get back there. Your pictures are wonderful. We, too, had disappearing characters at Storytellers. Great TR!