Mom and Me at the Happiest Homecoming on Earth! - COMPLETE!
About This Page:

dsnytina · 09-20-2005, 07:14 PM

Sharon:
What a lovely hotel - palm trees inside?

Wow, that's cool!
And, that ocean and beach looked lovely!
Is that where they taped the opening to Three's Company, I wonder?
Anyway, glad you had such a great time with your DM!
Thank you for taking the time to add all the photos

- I know how time consuming it is!
Tina

PrincessSharon · 09-21-2005, 10:22 AM

Day Five – Monday, August 15
Headin’ home

I woke up before the sun, at 5:45. I was sort of glad, because that would make it easier to adjust to the time change tonight. I got out of bed and quietly showered and dressed before heading down to the business center. I wanted to print out our Southwest boarding passes. There was no one inside so I had to use my room key to enter. I printed out our boarding passes (we had A) and headed back to the room.

I hadn’t unpacked anything when we got to the room, but I needed to find room to put all the new purchases I made so I rearranged my suitcase and DM did as well. We checked out and waited for the car to be brought up, then headed to McDonalds for breakfast, which was one block away.

I remembered to get a picture of our convertible before we went in to eat.

Our flight home was out of LAX, which is very close to Santa Monica. In fact, the drive only took just about 20 minutes in LA traffic, which actually wasn’t bad at all. We checked in at Hertz and caught the shuttle to the terminal, which took a total of less than 30 minutes because Southwest was the first stop.

The line to check luggage looked horrific, but there was a SWA employee directing people who told us since we had our boarding passes we could wait in line for the kiosks. That line turned out to be pretty short (less than 10 minutes). We just made it with our luggage, mine was 48 pounds and DM's was 49.5!

When we dropped off our bags at security, the TSA agent asked the man in front of me if he had any firearms in his checked luggage (they ask everyone that question, actually). The guy was like “that’s a stupid question! Why are you asking me that?”

Then he turned to me and was like “what a stupid question.”

It only took us about 10 minutes to make it through the security screening, and then we headed to our gate. I’d heard horror stories about LAX, so I figured our experience there was pretty good. We had a long flight home with a stop in BWI (but not changing planes), so I wanted to get us something to eat for later. I went to the Starbucks and got a sandwich for myself and a salad for DM.

Our flight to BWI was uneventful, thankfully, and our flight home was the same. The only drawback to the second leg, which was about 45 minutes, was that once we were served our beverages, the flight attendants immediately started picking them up again!

The flight attendant came back twice before I was finished my water. We landed right at 9:25 and DF picked us up at the airport and I went home and right to bed since I had to work in the morning.

Up Next: Final Thoughts and Ramblings

**Colexis Mom** · 09-21-2005, 12:29 PM

Glad you made it home

What a great vacation Sharon

MKBaughan · 09-21-2005, 06:51 PM

Sharon, I have really enjoyed your trip report! I am going to DL next month, and you have done a lot of the things I have planned and answered a lot of the questions I had! I especially appreciate the description of the TOT. It is my favorite ride at WDW also, and I just don't like scary stuff (go figure) anyway, you said what happens in the ride that is different and that what I had been worrying about....

Hanners · 09-22-2005, 03:59 PM

I loved reading your report Sharon! I can't even tell you how excited it makes me about being there in a few weeks! Thanks for sharing!

PrincessSharon · 09-23-2005, 10:01 AM

Final Thoughts and Ramblings

This was really a terrific trip. I enjoyed seeing Disneyland all decked out for its 50th birthday and it was really nice to spend some quality time with DM. DM enjoyed being able to do “girly” things with me and not worrying about DF, and she really enjoyed having a bed to herself!
The weather was very nice. It was very sunny and hot during the midday hours, but not oppressively so.

Mornings and evenings were cool enough for long sleeves.

Transportation:

Hertz – Well, we got upgraded to a Mustang convertible for practically pennies, so I’m lovin’ Hertz. We had a great rate to begin with, which was booked by our AAA Travel rep, and we were quite happy with the outcome. I would definitely use Hertz in the future (though Hertz is offsite at MCO).

Southwest – I’ve never been unhappy with Southwest and this trip was no exception. I will also make it part of my routine on any trip to visit the business center or front desk to print out my boarding pass, which makes getting through security a lot less stressful (and in most cases, quicker).

We flew into John Wayne Airport, which was a delight and completely stress free. We flew out of LAX, which being a major airport was understandably much busier. I think LAX is a smart choice from Santa Monica, though.

The Resorts:

Grand Californian Hotel – The Grand Californian was beautiful and majestic and we really enjoyed our stay. I know when visiting DL, staying on-site is not as important, but I was so happy we decided to do so. I felt like I never left the magic, and it was quick and convenient to walk to both parks. Our room was clean and it was quiet, but located very close to the elevator, which was convenient. We really enjoyed turndown service each night, but we never got any towel creations. Maybe they just don’t do that at Disneyland?

My next trip, I would like to try the Disneyland Hotel. It looked very nice and the pool looked like a lot of fun. The Disneyland Hotel is not as close to the parks as the Grand Californian.

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel – What a fabulous hotel! We both really loved it! It was very luxurious, but not at all stuffy, and the location simply can’t be beat. There was a lot to see and do within easy walking distance, and of course the beach and the Pier were mere steps away! We didn’t get to spend nearly as much time at the hotel that we wanted to, but we enjoyed every moment we were there, and the beds were sooo comfortable! I’m not sure if/when another trip to Santa Monica will happen, but I would definitely love to stay at LSMBH again!

The Food:

This is where I noticed the biggest difference between WDW and DLR. The counter service places just didn’t have much variety, and the table service restaurants were good, but there weren’t many choices. DLR was much crazier around the eateries than DCA.

I usually like to take a break in the middle of the day and schedule my PS’s for breakfast or dinner, but because we had only three days in the park, I scheduled sit-down lunches and used that as sort of our mid-day break. I really prefer a mid-day break, but without that option, a leisurely lunch is the way to go.

Ariel’s Grotto – This character meal actually features Ariel these days (good idea, huh?), but when we ate there it was Captain Mickey and friends. DM and I both enjoyed it immensely. There was great character interaction and lots of activities that kids could join in. The food was tasty and we were happy to be able to choose from the menu. We enjoy buffets, but always end up stuffing ourselves silly. The restaurant is in a great location with fantastic views, especially at the outside tables. Knowing now that it’s a princess meal, I would definitely try this again.

Blue Bayou – This was our least favorite of the three meals we had, but I would eat here again. The food is not that great, but the atmosphere can’t be beat. And I really must try the famous Monte Cristo sandwich, so another visit is definitely in the cards.

Goofy’s Kitchen – Another fun character meal with good food and stellar character interaction. Also, Goofy is my favorite character, so I would consider this meal a must-do for future trips.

We had three very different dining experiences and enjoyed the variety. I also was able to get my old favorites Dole Whip and Mickey bar, as well as something new for me, a Mickey pretzel (WDW should have these!). We kept saying we wanted to get ice cream sundaes, but we were always too full from lunch for a big ice cream. I never got a churro, which are like on every corner, but honestly, the smell of them was making me sick so I didn’t want one (sorry to all the churro fans out there). I will have to try one on my next trip, but very early into it, before the smell gets to me. Don’t know why it bothered me as frankly churros sound delicious and smell pretty good normally.

Fantasmic Dessert Buffet – AWESOME!

This was the highlight of our trip – and our trip pretty much rocked from start to finish. Many people question if this is worth the hefty price tag, but it is! I would definitely do this again, and hope to be able to on my next trip! The desserts were plentiful, fresh, and delicious.

There was a good variety of items available as well. The view for Fantasmic was unbeatable and we really felt like VIP’s.

The Parks:

When we made our reservations for mid-August, I knew to expect crowds. Happily, the crowds weren’t overwhelming except Saturday afternoon at Disneyland. Using our AAA Fastpasses, we were able to hit everything we wanted to, sometimes multiple times. DCA was much less crowded than Disneyland.
The parks themselves were beautifully maintained and practically sparkled.

Disneyland was completely magical and California Adventure was great fun, though I didn’t really love Paradise Pier (it was sort of like Dinorama at AK). Also, there isn’t much for little ones to do at DCA, but thrillseekers (like myself) will have a ball.

I found that while every CM I spoke with was friendly, they didn’t seem to exude the magic that many WDW CMs do. It was also strange to see so many people at Disneyland as just a day trip. I’m used to a lot more vacationers. I have to say I didn’t see one celebrity, but someone on line in front of me pointed out someone who she thought was the blonde girl from some Freddie Prinze Jr. movie.

Santa Monica

We loved it! I really wish we’d planned for at least two days here. We did some exploring and spent some time on the beach, but there was a lot we wanted to do but just didn’t have time for. If you are considering a trip to DLR and want to visit someplace else in Southern California, I can heartily recommend Santa Monica Beach!

I feel like a public service announcement, but to find out more about Santa Monica, visit this link. I found the visitor’s guide invaluable in planning, definitely request one.

My next trip west, however, I will probably make a side trip to San Diego.

Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World:

I tried not to make WDW/DLR comparisons too much, but they are so similar it is inevitable. Here’s what I thought:

DLR compared to WDW resort just isn’t a fair comparison. WDW has much, much more to offer. I will say that in a comparison between Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom park, there was more to do in Disneyland and it just felt like Walt’s park. I would have to give the edge to DL. A lot of people told me I’d be disappointed with DLR when I told them I was going, but that certainly wasn’t the case (though I can see if you’re expecting WDW West how that can happen). I look forward to my next visit to Disneyland, some time in 2007!

Thanks so much for reading my report and especially to all of you who took the time to make wonderful comments!

Up Next: Walt Disney World, October 2005

Hanners · 09-23-2005, 10:56 AM

What a great trip report. I loved reading it! Thanks Sharon!!

**Colexis Mom** · 09-23-2005, 12:19 PM

Great report and pictures Sharon

Thanks for sharing your trip with us! Magical

dsnytina · 09-23-2005, 03:29 PM

Sharon:
Thank you for sharing your magical trip with your DM!

I loved your closing thoughts!
Tina

Suzie · 09-26-2005, 04:35 PM

I loved your report Sharon. Disneyland was the first park I ever visited, on a Calif. trip with my parents in 1969! I have never been back but I would so love to.
I liked the picture of you in your ears with Mickey, too cute!
Suzie

**chezp** · 03-24-2006, 03:46 PM

What a great report this was - I read a lot of it while waiting for the dentist yesterday and it certainly helped to calm my nerves. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img]

It was great to see things through your eyes, as the last time I went to Disneyland was also in 1987. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] And now I can't wait for our evening in Santa Monica, having read about your experiences there. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img]

Joy J · 03-25-2006, 10:47 PM

Sharon, I just finished reading your trip report and it was fabulous from start to finish! We're heading out to Disneyland in July and I've gotten a lot of great tips and ideas from reading your report.

Joy

**Caldercup** · 03-26-2006, 01:50 PM

I'm so glad that the new DLR boards brought this TR back to the forefront, where it belongs. It's terrific, Sharon!

I loved your comment that DLR is "Walt's park..." That's exactly how I felt about it and it made me so happy to walk where he walked!

I loved this report so much and I can't wait for your next one. Your pictures are terrific (and made me realize how little I took of the attractions themselves! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/foreheadslap.gif[/img] )

[img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img] Sharon [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img]
Eileen

PrincessSharon · 03-28-2006, 03:09 PM

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Bil · 04-06-2006, 04:08 PM

Even though I have read this before [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img], I still LOVE reading your Trip Reports!!

I'll tell you again, my next trip to DL or WDW, I want you to be with us so you can do our report!!!

Thanks for the great read Sharon!!

Bil