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View Full Version : Two Day trip without the Family Day 1



Lizzie
08-10-2007, 09:59 PM
Thought I would share about my quick trip to DL. I was in CA for a wedding and we stayed a couple of extra days to check out DL which I haven't seen since 2001 but have been to DW three times since than. (I am also going to DW at the beginning of September with the husband and kids)

I was there with my Mom, Dad and little sister. My husband and 16 month old twin daughters were at home.

We arrived at Howard Johnson at around 11 PM on Sunday night August 5th. My sister and I thought we would check out Downtown Disney but apparantly most things closed at 10:30. Which is weird to me because everything in Flordia stays open later especially with DL not closing until 12. So we headed up to our rooms.

The rooms were okay, we were in building 2. I had heard great reviews of this place so I was a little disappointed. There was plenty of space in our room with two queens, and it was clean. The balcony which was wide enough for you to only stand on overlooked the pool. Which closed at 10 which was a bummer cause you couldn't swim after you got back from the parks. We had a small frig but no microwave. For some reason I thought breakfast was included which it is not. My sister and I were sharing a room, so we got all our electronics in and charging. And went right to bed.

I set the alarm for six, my goal was to be out the door by 7. We managed to get to McDonalds by 7 where we were not impressed with the cashiers. They were very slow and acted like they had never seen a line before. But we beat the crowd by about 5 minutes.

We than walked over to where we got our first Annual Pass (I will be back in December with the husband and kids). We got in line and talked with the family behind us about our cameras. Both of us have the Sony Digital SLR which we really enjoy. At 8 the gates opened for us (early entry was already going) and headed over to get our AP. The cast member who helped us was great and friendly. We than walked up main street and were amused at the site of the castle. DL castle was all I knew for years but this was my first trip since I started visiting DW and was amazed at how small it was. And why was it pink?

But we hurried on to ride Indiana Jones for the first time. We got to sit in the front row. Which for this one is fun but I don't think it changes the ride by much. I love this ride so much more than dinasour. We stopped to get Fast Passes for this. We than headed up to HM to grab a Fast Pass for it since I remember this machine being on a different system but they never had the machines running. We enjoyed how empty it was in the park at that moment and how short the walk was to each attraction. But we were off to Space Mountain.

SM is way better in DL than the MK. We sat in the front row and really enjoyed our ride. We were eligable for fast passes so we grabbed some for later.

My parents had just entered the park and had gotten their Annual Passes so we met them on Main Street and they grabbed some breakfast at the bakery while we threw our sweatshirts in their locker. I do enjoy the feeling of Main Street at DL and the ice cream shop brings back fond memories from my honeymoon.

At this point it was about 945 and it was hectic. Just crossing the road was like taking your life in your hands. So we decided to head over to CA which my sister had never seen.

CA had just opened to we jumped on Soarin which is my Dad's favorite ride and one of the few he will ride. We than headed down to the Pier and jumped on CS since there was a 10 minute wait, my Dad watched us take off. My mom loved it so we grabbed fast passes and headed on. Up next was the Sun Wheel, we opted for the stationary cars while my Dad watched again. Now Ferris Wheels are one ride that scare me. And in the stationary cars you have a great view but go up extremly high. We skipped the Maliboomer I am not a big fan of the plastic in front of your face. My mom and sister jumped on the swings while my Dad sat and I grabbed a drink. We than headed over to Mullholland Madness since the wait was 10 minutes. I don't know why but I find this ride fun. By this time our fast passes were good so we went on Screming again, my sister and I in the front and my mom right behind. She did not like the front but I love it.

After that we headed up to Taste Pilots Grill (I think thats what its called). We all got our own burgers and drinks and my mom shared some onion rings. Food was good but there was a lot of it, onion rings I heard were really good.

By this time this part of the park was defanetly busier than the last time we were here. But it was time to head over to the studio section. Our first stop was the animation building. We ended up in the area where you take the test and sing the songs, but I am amzed at how many parents push their kids in front of you. Just because there are no kids in your group doesn't mean you don't want to do something.

Anyway afterthat we headed over to Turtle Talk which is a family favorite. It was weird to do it with no kids in our group. Last time we saw it with my kids and my brothers and sisters kids we had a total of 7 kids. But Crush was great and super funny and really quick. We also enjoyed the nice seats which they didn't have at Epcot last time.

We than headed over to the Monsters Inc ride which is super cute and my kids are going to love. And a ride we could get my Dad on. (his shoulder was hurting this trip so he wanted to be careful). The best part was the lady at the end (I don't remember her name) asked my mom if that was her husband next to her and she said yes and she than warned her he had been blowing kisses at her.

When we got out there was a show at the theatre across the way starting soon. So my mom and dad grabbed some seats and my sister and I headed to get Fast Passes for TOT. We were so bummed to see that we were going to miss the Aladin show. But we got back in time to see the little stage show and it was cute and short. A nice break.

We than headed over to check out the Bug's Life area. On the way we stopped at first aid to get some ibuprofen for me. The lady asked me if I was over 18 which always amuses my family. We than made it to the bugs are which is cute and I am excited to take my kids on. We didn't intend to ride anything but the bumper cars looked too fun. And they were great and the car talking to you was really funny. After that we headed over to TOT. Now we had all done this in MGM but never here so we weren't sure what to expect. We were seated in the front row and it was such a fun ride.

My parents and sister wanted to try soarin again so they walked over there while I walked around the stores which is one of my favorite things to do.

But the line was too long so we quickly meet up again and headed over to DL.

(Continue on next post)

Lizzie
08-10-2007, 10:00 PM
(Continued from above)

We ended up splitting up. I tried to find a quiet place to call home. Mom and Dad went to the golden horseshoe and sister walked around with her camera. Trying to find a quiet place was impossable. I was going to head over to the island but it was 5:30 and apparantly they close. So I walked up to Critter Country which wasn't bad and ended up on the Winnie the Pooh ride which had a 10 minute wait. I than met up with the family at POC and we waited about 5 minutes for a great ride. So much better than the MK. After that we decided to have dinner on main street I think it is called Carnation Cafe. I had the kids meal with fried chicken and it was really good. I am going to have to come back here.

After dinner we went to the Jungle Cruise and Winnie the Pooh again to look for the moose heads from the country bears (was one of Dad's favorites) we didn't see it and asked the cast member as we were exiting apparantly it by where he is eating honey but we missed it somehow.

My parents aren't big fans of the haunted mansion but I wanted to see the new effects and there was only a 10 minute wait. So we jumped into line behind these two guys who are big fans. In the stretching room they listened to the walls to find out which door the group before went through to know where to stand. But as we got on the Doombuggies I asked the cast member to hit my Dad's car as he walked by but instead he walked by it silently staring into it. It starteled the parents and made me laugh since my dad is always looking for chances to give us a hard time.

After the ride we than raced over to Toontown to catch a spin on Roger Rabbit but apparantly they close for the fireworks we missed it by 5 minutes. So my Dad was tired so we thought we would catch the train to Main Street. One was loading up so we thought we would catch the next one. But apparantly the next one was emptying out so we waited half an hour for a train and found the best spot we could for the fireworks. Their lack of communicaton on this was a little frustrating.

After the fireworks mom and dad were going to shop and go back to the hotel but apparantly the stores were a circus so they watched the Steve Martin film and headed back. My sister and I got seats outside a restaurant facing the Island about 45 min or so early. But about 15 min before it started this guy asked a family in front of us if they were using one of their chairs. They said no. So he jumped the fence and moved that chair in front of a boy and mom who had been sitting there for at least half an hour. He than grabbed another one and put it directly in front of the boy and sat down.

I got his attention and told him the boy could not see. But he asked the kid and he said it was fine even though you know he couldn't. He than grabbed more chairs from different spots and blocked more people. I was getting a little frustrated. Apparantly his family was speaking in Russian. I than told the boy to move in front of us we would adjust and we still had a somewhat clear view. But by the time the show started 5 minutes into it I was frustrated with the same family lifting their kids up. So we left I figured I could see it at MGM in a month with my dinner package.

So we jumped on Big Thunder Mountain, which I have to say I prefer at MK just because of the view while you are on the ride. But the park was still so busy and everything in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland had a big wait we headed to Downtown Disney for shopping.

I was disappointed with the store closures at 11 PM when the park closes at 12. And the lack of restocking at the World of Disney. They were more concerened with doing things so they could close the store than helping us.

But we went off to the hotel plugged everything in and were in bed by 1.

NotaGeek
08-10-2007, 10:17 PM
Thanks for the report! Too bad the people ruined your Fantasmic! watching, it's amazing and a really different show at DL! Next time, make sure to watch it, you'll love it ... hopefully free of people that feel entitled to push their way in front of those who have waited patiently!

:mickey:

Dizneyfan
08-11-2007, 12:16 AM
Enjoyed your trip reports. Glad to see that you will be visiting WDW next month. Maybe we will see you there.:mickey:

tinkwest
08-11-2007, 11:21 AM
Wow did you ever pack a lot of stuff in to one day!!

BTW, Haunted Mansion does have FastPasses during its Holiday makeover so check for those when you visit in December. :jack:

ChipnDaleGal
08-23-2007, 12:27 PM
WOW! That was a very busy day and you packed a lot into it. I bet you all slept good that night. Thanks for reporting. :mickey:

CogsworthWest
08-29-2007, 01:07 PM
What a good husband to be home alone with two 16-month old girls while you have fun in Disneyland! I hope you brought him back something nice!:mickey: