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shellybean
04-07-2007, 03:28 PM
Brian (my fiance) and I decided after our first trip to Disneyland we would get annual passes since we're only 1.5 hours away. :drive: We had friends who were there who called us Thursday night to say the crowds were INSANE. They warned us that it's Spring Break and crazy. So, Friday morning, we woke up early (5:00 AM) and were out the door by 7:00. We knew we were buying passes that day so I was super excited. I tortured fiance with skipping ot the ticketbooth. With our friends warning in mind and the time, a half hour after opening) I expected to wait not only in the ticket line, but the gate, and the line to get our pics for our AP's. NOTHING!! We walked right up for everything.

Our first ride was Space Mountain. I must say, being from the East Coast, I have been to WDW at least 9 times. Space Mountain was always top on our list. What a different ride this was with the Chilli Peppers!! What a blast!! We both loved it! As soon as we got off, we decided to take advantage of our AP's and head to DCA.

Neither of us had ever been there before, and it was a bit overwhelming not knowing where to go. We decided to do what any couple looking for adventure would do...head to Tower of Terror. Another ride I was quite familiar with from my WDW days, but again, a TOTALLY different experience! SO much more thrilling with the drops. Brian was a bit spooked and didn't know what to expect, so at the first drop, he grabbed my leg, and I found out afterwards, he grabbed the woman sitting next to him too. lol We were getting in line for Mike and Sully, but the Muppets Show was jsut about to begin. Brian is a Chemist and I actually call hime Dew, short for Professor Honeydew. So that we couldn't miss. He loved it!! Just as I was about to turn to him to point out the little kids who try to grab the 3-D things...he put out his hand... :heart: Gotta love him...

After exiting, the line for Mike and Sully was SUPER long...and figured to explore more. We ventured over to Condor Flats. The lines were outrageous for Soarin' so we kept walking. That is when we found the Grand Californian! I talked him into walking through...not realizing we couldn't go back the same way until we had already done so. We took a walk around, checked out the restaurants, the lobby, and of course the gift shop. What a beautiful hotel. So back to the main entrance. We headed straight for Paradise Pier, and right in line for California Screamin'. The wait was only about 40 minutes, so not too shabby. I hadn't been on an upside down coaster in quite a while and was a bit dizzy afterwards...it didn't stop us though. Next was the MaliBOOMER. That was fun! We liked how they tease you in the beginning...make you wait, then you pop up and down a little...then they shoot you off!

By this time we were hungry, so we left DCA and headed to Tortilla Jo's in Downtown. Always good food, and as a bonus, we used our passes to get a discount. YAY for Saving $$! We headed back into DL and did the Jungle Cruise. I had done the one in WDW in the late 80's, and I don't remember it being this fun! I guess it's really up to the tour guide to keep it that way.

Next was BuzzLight Year. We love this ride. As we were boarding, it was stopping intermittenly, but we got on...and believe it or not...I WAS WINNING!!! Then...right after that, he hit a bonus Z twice and got 40,000... I was pouty.

Since we now have our AP's, we had no pressure to fit it all in, or get our money's worth, and we have small puppies at home, so we left. It was a great time. I can't wait to head back. We are thinking of going next Sunday...it's our 2 year anniversary.

~Michele

NotaGeek
04-08-2007, 01:28 AM
:welcome: to INTERCOT!

Woo hoo! Annual passes! Thanks for the report, and congrats on your anniversary! :mickey:

Melanie
04-08-2007, 06:44 PM
How lucky you are to be so close. Sounds like a fun day! :mickey3:

Chescat
04-10-2007, 08:02 PM
The thing you will find with the Annual Passses is that you're not in that rush, rush mode. My husband absolutely hated the old company nights we would go once a year. You ran into the park at night and did everything in 5 hours. When I got the passes at first it was cool. The panic was over. Sometimes we just go to the park on the weekend for the afternoon. Ride something, then go to the Hungry Bear restaurant and sit on top. Just sit there and watch the people go by in the train, canoes, Mark Twain and Columbia.

I love watching the Pirate band now in New Orleans or the Jazz Band over there. During the week around lunchtime they have the band on Main Street with Mickey leading the band. Fun to just sit there and each lunch and watch them or the piano player outside of Coca Cola Terrace. Character interaction is fun also.

Take advantage of single rider also. Like on Splash Mountain, Soarin', Rapids, MaliBoomer, Mulholland Madness, and Screamin'. My husband hates when I go shopping for pins, so put him on Soarin' a few times. :D

ChipnDaleGal
04-11-2007, 12:09 PM
:welcome: to Intercot, Michele!!

I am so envious of you living close and having those AP's! I hope you have a lot of fun trips like this one. Thank you for sharing it with us!! :mickey:

*tinker_belle*
04-13-2007, 10:30 PM
Welcome to the boards and to Annual Pass Awsomeness!!
My boyfriend and i recently got our first annual passes and have been using them monthly. We live about 1.5 hours out as well. I like the freedom of waking up, not knowing what your going to do that day and then the other person suggests..."Hey lets go to Disneyland." Its awesome.
We still run around and try and do everything and squeeze in as many rides as possible even if we are there for 5 hours. But we do stop and smell the flowers more though. Like stopping to see a show once in awhile or shopping or sitting down to eat and people watch. I got a lanyard that holds my pass (which is like a must for passholders) and started pin collecting.
It's a nice change from the all out chaos i used to experience on one day trips pre annual passes.

Disdude
04-19-2007, 12:08 AM
Thanks for sharing. My wife and I also have APs as we live a little over an hour away. We are heading there on Sunday and I'm pretty psyched! Unfortunately, our APs run out this July and I don't think we will be renewing. We are very likely moving to Texas this summer and it just wouldn't make sense to renew now. We are now trying to go as often as possible.

On the plus side, we will be closer to WDW which is our true passion. We are also DVC members! ;)

Keep the reports coming!