# Disneyland or Bust: A Mother-Daughter Coastal Road Trip



## RGirl

* Hello DIS Friends! Welcome to my latest trip report! First, a brief introduction for the new readers I hope will join in here: My name is Roni - In real life, Im an attorney. Im pretty much Elle Woods.


​
Wait, more *this* version, Id say.


​
On weekends and evenings, I morph into an obsessed Disney Trip Planner. I have one child, 7-year-old Willow, and she is, if possible, an even bigger Disney fan than I am. Here we are (back row, right) on one of Willows favorite rides in January at DLR.


​
Willow and I treasure our Disney trips above almost anything else that we do because they have become a way for the two of us to escape the routine and stress of day-to-day life, which at times gets pretty intense as it is just the two of us trying to keep everything on track. On a Disney vacation, we are able to leave all that behind and just have fun together. I am willing to move mountains to make these trips happen for that reason!


​
This trip was a little different because it involved more than Disney.  Thats right, we took a two-week road trip from our home in Eastern Washington State, down the coast of Oregon and California, stopping to see the sights along the way, ending with a 6-night stay at Disneyland Resort.


​
I plan to share our entire trip here, because the non-Disney part of this trip was equally as fun and meaningful for us, and because I hope that there will be at least a few people who will have an interest in reading about some of the other things we did or who may be contemplating a family road trip like this themselves!  And now..

A CHALLENGE!

Now this is a trip report all about Disney and all about road tripping as a family. So I thought I would try something a little different here and shake things up a bit. Each chapter title will feature a (hopefully spot-on, appropriate, relevant) quotation from either a Disney movie or a family road trip movie (not necessarily Disney). The first person to identify the movie from which the chapter-title quotation hails will get a point; two points if the character who said the line is also identified. (If the first person only identifies the movie, the first person to identify the character will also get one point.) 

The person with the most points at the end of this trip report will get, well, a lot of points at the very least and, at the most, a shout-out photo of some sort in the upcoming 2015 trip report that will follow the Two DIS Princesses trip scheduled for Willow and Shannons (shan23877) daughter Maddie next year!  

No fair using Professor Google to figure out the answers - wheres the fun in that?????

So fasten your seat belts and get ready for a ride through Oregon, California and Disneyland! And awaaaaaaaay we go!!!!!

Up Next: Day 1*


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## RGirl

*Reserved for chapter links. *

1. Day 1

2. Day 2A

3. Day 2A (cont.)

4. Day 2B

5. Day 2B (cont.)

6. Day 3A

7. Day 3A (cont.)

8. Day 3A (cont. again)

9. Day 3B

10. Day 3B (cont.)

11. Day 3C

12. Day 3C (cont.)

13. Day 3D

14. Day 4A

15. Day 4A (cont.)

16. Day 4B

17. Day 4B (cont.)

18. Day 4C

19. Day 4C (cont.)

20. Day 4D

21. Day 5

22. Day 6

23. Day 7A

24. Day 7A (cont.)

25. Day 7B

26. Current Day (Oct/Nov) Update

27. Current Day (Oct/Nov) Update Cont.

28. Day 8A

29. Day 8A (cont.)

30. Day 8B

31. Day 8B (cont.)

32. Day 9A

33. Day 9A (cont.)

34. Day 9B

35. Day 9B (cont.)

36. Day 10A 

37. Day 10A (cont.)

38. Day 10B

39. Day 10B (cont.)

40. Day 10B (cont. again)

41. Day 10C

42. Day 10C (cont.)

43. Day 10D

44. Day 10D (cont.)

45. Day 10E

46. Day 10E (cont.)

47. Day 10F

48. Day 10G

49. Day 10H

50. Day 10H (cont.)

51. Day 10I

52. Day 10I (cont.)

53. Day 11A

54. Day 11A (cont.)

55. Day 11A (cont. again)

56. Day 11B

57. Day 11B (cont.)

58. Day 11C

59. Day 11C (cont.)

60. Day 11D

61. Day 11D (cont.)

62. Day 11E

63. Day 11F

64. Day 11F (cont.)

65. Day 11G

66. Day 11H

67. Day 11H (cont.)

68. Day 11H (cont. again)

69. Day 12A

70. Day 12A (cont.)

71. Day 12B

72. Day 12B (cont.)

73. Day 12C

74. Day 12C (cont.)

75. Day 12D

76. Day 12E

77. Day 12F

78. Day 12G

79. Day 12G (cont.)

80. Day 12H

81. Day 13A

82. Day 13B

83. Day 13C

84. Day 13D

85. Day 13D (cont.)

86. Day 13E

87. Day 13F

88. Day 13G

89. Day 14A

90. Day 14B

91. Day 14B (cont.)

92. Day 14C

93. Day 14D

94. Day 14E

95. Day 14F

96. Day 14F (cont.)

97. Day 14G

98. Day 14G (cont.)

99. Day 15

100. Day 16


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## shan23877

Hello Friend! I do hope that you'll teach me the Bend and Snap when we finally meet up!

And you can smash mountains too. You are beyond fabulous.

I can't wait to hear about the whole trip! And if I win the game you have to buy me a can of spray cheese. I'm assuming I'll already have some shout outs.

SO EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS TRIP!!!


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## gardengirl2790

I read your trip report from January, although I never commented! Looking forward to seeing where you two stopped along the way to the DLR!  Road trips are so much fun.


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## lwyrwood

I'm in.  I love the Elle Woods' pics.  That is one of my nicknames.  I am actually L. Wood (singular) and also a lawyer.  I would opt for pic 2 as a better depiction as well, mostly because of the facial expression.


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## MonsterWDWmom

Joining in, can't wait to hear about you new adventure!


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## jedijill

Marking my place to go back and read!

Jill in CO


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## lwanthony

I'm a serial lurker on here, but I am hooked already! Looking forward to following your adventure. I have always wanted to do a long road trip down the coast from Portland.

-Lane


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## DisneyKid4Life

Here Roni and so looking forward to riding along on your journey.

Oooh a contest with a shout out prize in what will I'm sure be an EPIC trip report? I'm intrigued...


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## STLMickeyMom

I'm here!  You can start now.....  this sounds like an awesome TR!  I'm excited to see all the things you did on your road trip!


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## courtneybelle

Your use of gifs kills me!! 

I'm so glad you're including the road trip portion! One of my best friends from high school lives in Oregon now and he really wants me to visit, but I'm a broke college kid so flying to the opposite coast isn't really an option right now. So I'll be excited to see West Coast pictures 

I LOVE CONTESTS. Count me in!!!


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## KatMark

I'm joining in. I will try to keep on top of this although it will be hard with my own TR still going and a PTR and we leave in 23 days for Disney. If I don't post often, please know that I am reading along.


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## afwdwfan

Hi!  Came over from the joint PTR.  We always do road trips and we'll be visiting the West Coast park in January, so I'm looking forward to reading about your trip.


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## rpcvpanama

Joining in, love your trip reports!


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## ajsary

Joining in!  I've loved reading your other trip reports.  You offer great advice.  Fellow attorney, Disney fanatic and mother of princesses (DD12 and DD1), so I find myself relating to just about everything you write.


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## petals

joining in


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## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> Hello Friend! I do hope that you'll teach me the Bend and Snap when we finally meet up!


*Oh, you know it! *



shan23877 said:


> And you can smash mountains too. You are beyond fabulous.


*Yeah, there's not much I can't do.  *



shan23877 said:


> I can't wait to hear about the whole trip! And if I win the game you have to buy me a can of spray cheese. I'm assuming I'll already have some shout outs.


* Deal!!!*



shan23877 said:


> SO EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS TRIP!!!


*SO EXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT!!!  *



gardengirl2790 said:


> I read your trip report from January, although I never commented! Looking forward to seeing where you two stopped along the way to the DLR!  Road trips are so much fun.


*Welcome!!!  I'm so glad that you have been reading the January report as well - thanks for letting me know! I should have that one all wrapped up pretty soon. 

Thanks for deciding to join in this time - I hope you will continue to read and comment as it goes. It makes it so much more fun to write! *



lwyrwood said:


> I'm in.  I love the Elle Woods' pics.  That is one of my nicknames.  I am actually L. Wood (singular) and also a lawyer.  I would opt for pic 2 as a better depiction as well, mostly because of the facial expression.


*Hey there! Thanks for making your way over here as well. I'm so happy to have you on board - you know, every trip report could use more lawyers, right?!  *



MonsterWDWmom said:


> Joining in, can't wait to hear about you new adventure!


*Hi Megan! Thanks for joining in over here as well - I'm so glad to see you. I hope you will enjoy the journey with us!*



jedijill said:


> Marking my place to go back and read!


*Hi Jill! Thanks for joining in again! *


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## RGirl

lwanthony said:


> I'm a serial lurker on here, but I am hooked already! Looking forward to following your adventure. I have always wanted to do a long road trip down the coast from Portland.


*Welcome Lane!!!  Thank you SO MUCH for coming out of lurkdom. I hope that you will read along and continue to comment from time to time - it's so nice to know that people are reading. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Here Roni and so looking forward to riding along on your journey.


*Hi Rob! Thanks so much for coming on over to the DLR board! I'm so glad to have you joining in with us. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oooh a contest with a shout out prize in what will I'm sure be an EPIC trip report? I'm intrigued...


*Who can pass up such a prize, right?????  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I'm here!  You can start now.....  this sounds like an awesome TR!  I'm excited to see all the things you did on your road trip!


* It's true! I couldn't start without you, Lori! Thanks for tuning in once again! *



courtneybelle said:


> Your use of gifs kills me!!


* Thanks! I couldn't stomach posting a no-picture update! *



courtneybelle said:


> I'm so glad you're including the road trip portion! One of my best friends from high school lives in Oregon now and he really wants me to visit, but I'm a broke college kid so flying to the opposite coast isn't really an option right now. So I'll be excited to see West Coast pictures


*Maybe you will be intrigued enough to make the trip at some point.  Seriously, I hope you get to - the Pacific Northwest is really an amazing place.*



courtneybelle said:


> I LOVE CONTESTS. Count me in!!!


*Yay!!!! I was hoping at least a few people would want to play. *


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## RGirl

KatMark said:


> I'm joining in. I will try to keep on top of this although it will be hard with my own TR still going and a PTR and we leave in 23 days for Disney. If I don't post often, please know that I am reading along.


*Hey there! Thanks so much for coming on over! I totally understand being overwhelmed trying to keep up on the DIS - no worries! And I plan to come along on your next TR as well - I feel like I am way too late to try to catch up on the PTR since you are leaving in less than a month. *



afwdwfan said:


> Hi!  Came over from the joint PTR.  We always do road trips and we'll be visiting the West Coast park in January, so I'm looking forward to reading about your trip.


*Thanks so much for joining in, Andy! 

I haven't done a real road trip (i.e., more than one day) in a looooong time and had never done with Willow. Turns out that we will definitely be doing more - they are a lot of fun, aren't they??  

DLR in January, huh? Have you done that before? We have visited twice in January, and it is AMAZING. I am seriously considering going again in January 2015 for Willow's eighth birthday. *



rpcvpanama said:


> Joining in, love your trip reports!


*Thanks so much! I'm so glad that you are joining in again! I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride this time. *



ajsary said:


> Joining in!  I've loved reading your other trip reports.  You offer great advice.  Fellow attorney, Disney fanatic and mother of princesses (DD12 and DD1), so I find myself relating to just about everything you write.


*Wow - thanks! I'm so glad that you have enjoyed my TRs. And I'm even more glad that you decided to post! I hope you will continue to read along and comment - it's so nice to know that people are reading and, hopefully, enjoying!

Wow - we DO have a lot in common!  Who knew there were so many DIS lawyers????  *


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## RGirl

petals said:


> joining in


*Welcome! It's great to "see" you here!   I hope you will enjoy reading along as we make our way to Disneyland! *


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## RGirl

*"I'm such a fool. I can't be free."*​*
Day 1 - Friday, 25 July 2014 - Home

Okay - let The Challenge begin! First to name the movie from whence the chapter title hails gets a point; two points for movie and character who uttered the line. One point for the first person to name the character if the person who guesses the movie correctly does not name the character. Ready, set, GO!

Note: I don't have a lot of pictures for this update, so I've tried to supplement with other things to keep your eyeballs entertained.  

I'm guessing some of you are wondering if you have been reading this TR (to the extent that there even is a TR yet!) correctly. Did some crazy woman decide to take a 1,300-mile road trip alone with a 7-year-old child????*
*

*​*Well, yes, yes, that crazy woman did indeed decide to do just that! Why, you ask? Well, we are on the West Coast, so we tend to try to do WDW/East Coast every other year and had gone in 2013. I got us APs to DLR for Christmas and the clock started running on those when we went to DLR for Willow's 7th birthday in January. So I knew that whatever vacation we took this summer would involve DLR. My original plan was that my mom would join us, we would fly to San Francisco and spend several days there visiting friends and family and then would rent a car to drive the coast over the course of a few days and end up at DLR for a few days. Well, Mom decided not to go, which meant she also decided not to split the costs (obviously!). I looked at airfares and rental car costs and then had A Brilliant Idea. We would just drive the whole thing, Willow would have her first real road trip, and we would see more of the country. GENIUS!!!!*
*

*​*Okay, a lot of people did imply in passing (and a few flat out said) that I was not, in fact, a GENIUS, but instead CRAZY. I didn't listen. I planned and plotted - and, let me tell you, there is a LOT of planning and plotting that goes into a two-week road trip (what towns are we going to stay in, which hotels do we book, what roadside attractions will we see, how long will we stay in any given place, how many miles to drive on any given day, etc.). And you know what? I WAS a GENIUS - this turned out to be a truly fun, exciting, and very different trip! Yep, I'm totally using it again:*
*

*​*And it all started on 25 July - a Friday and my first day off work for the start of our vacation. I woke up at about 6:45 and was thrilled because the fact that I had woken up meant that I had actually slept! (Work stress had been wrecking havoc with my sleep during the weeks leading up to this trip.) But I was even more thrilled when I realized that I was ON VACATION, people!!!!*
*

*​*Willow had decided that she would rather go to her day camp than stay home and pack with me. , so I packed the dog in the car and dropped Miss Willow off at camp at about 8:00 so she could say good-bye to her friends. Now I wasn't present for the good-byes and obviously don't have any pictures, but I imagine, given the dramatic nature of Willow and her friends, that it went something like this:*
*

*​*Oh, Willow decided that she wanted to be part of writing the trip report this year, so you will see her pop in with her own comments from time to time. Like right now....

Willow: I kind of was sad to leave my friends, but I knew they would have a nice time together with a break from me. And I knew they felt sad too to leave me. So we spent the rest of the day together. And we made ice cream!

After leaving Willow at camp, I took the dog, Oscar, to the vet for a vaccination and then to the next town over, which has a nice kennel that he very much enjoys. During the course of these little errands, I received TWO panicked calls from work. I was thrilled that my first day of VACATION featured work calls - awww, they love me so much! Thrilled, I tell you; I was thrilled.*
*

*​*BTW, here's Oscar. Isn't he cute??*
*

*​*(Yeah, Willow gave him a toothbrush for his birthday last year - it didn't last long.)

After running errands, I went home and got the packing done. I had been kind of freaking out about this for quite some time (just ask Shannon), but not exactly doing anything about it - I found it paralyzing even to think about what all we would need to take on a trip of this sort (two weeks, various types of weather - from the cool Oregon coast to the heat of southern California - various activities, etc.) and yet freeing to think we were driving so that I did not have to weigh my luggage (unfortunately, I did not really think about the fact that I would have to unpack all the stuff from the car every night and repack it every morning). Anyway, I must have gotten more done during the preceding week than I thought, because between the evening before and this day, I managed to finish packing before noon!*
*

*​*Willow had been enjoying her countdown ring for quite some time now and receiving little trip-related gifts via a clue on the back of each Mickey head she pulled off. Okay - that sentence probably made no sense without a picture. Here's what the countdown ring looked like:*
*









*​*Hopefully, that makes more sense now!  Among a lot of other stuff (such as tons of books to keep her reading all summer), she got quite a few things to make the car trip more bearable, um, fun, I mean, fun. I had that stuff all ready to go too!*
*

*​*I do believe that this was her absolute favorite pre-trip gift this year though. *
*

*​*Willow: I like my karaoke; I love singing on it, and on the first day I got it, I sang to Nini [grandma]!

I felt like our vacation really began that afternoon around 1:30 when I picked Willow up at camp and we headed to the salon! We got our hair done and had pedicures. Willow designed our nails - I think Minnie Mouse would be proud. *
*













*​*Willow: I just got an idea, and it just popped in my head, and I just decided we could do Minnie toes. Mommy could have pink Minnie toes for Minnie's pink dress, and I could have red Minnie toes for Minnie's red dress.

Having cleaned out the fridge completely by this point, we were very happy when my parents invited us over for one last home-cooked meal. We really enjoyed spending some time with my parents before leaving as well since we were going to be gone for quite a while - Willow sees my dad every weekday morning as she has breakfast with him and he takes her to school (or camp in the summer), so she is not used to being away from him for such a long time. We made it home by about 7:30; Willow was asleep not long thereafter, and I didn't stay up very late myself, wanting to get an early start on our adventure in the morning.*
*

*​*Willow: Awww, Poppy [grandpa].

Up Next: Day 2A*


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## courtneybelle

ELSA FROM FROZEN!!!

Going back to read now hehehe

***

As you can see, I am in it to win it.

I think you’re a genius. I’m pretty convinced you’re good at everything you try, so I don’t see why road tripping would be any different!

Aww glad to see Willow joining in the TR fun! I’m sure her friends missed her a lot, but were happy she got to have fun at Disneyland.

HA the work calls bring back many “fond” memories of people from work calling my dad when we were at WDW. One time he wired money to a client when we were in line for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. It never ends!

Oscar is adorable!

Frozen karaoke sounds sooo fun.

The Minnie toes are so precious!!! Such a good idea.

That Tiana gif is VERY me.


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## gardengirl2790

Cute toenails! Willow had a great idea


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## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> I haven't done a real road trip (i.e., more than one day) in a looooong time and had never done with Willow. Turns out that we will definitely be doing more - they are a lot of fun, aren't they??


 



RGirl said:


> DLR in January, huh? Have you done that before? We have visited twice in January, and it is AMAZING. I am seriously considering going again in January 2015 for Willow's eighth birthday.


I've never been to Disneyland, ever.  I have a conference in San Diego, so we're taking advantage of the fact that a nice chunk of our travel costs out to the west coast will be coming out of someone else's pocket and taking the kids and a few extra days to see it.



RGirl said:


> Okay, a lot of people did imply in passing (and a few flat out said) that I was not, in fact, a GENIUS, but instead CRAZY.


Well, road trips aren't for everybody.  You either enjoy them or you think they're crazy. 



RGirl said:


> Willow: I kind of was sad to leave my friends, but I knew they would have a nice time together with a break from me. And I knew they felt sad too to leave me. So we spent the rest of the day together. And we made ice cream!


The key is ice cream.  It makes everything better.  Even good bye. 



RGirl said:


> I was thrilled that my first day of VACATION featured work calls - awww, they love me so much! Thrilled, I tell you; I was thrilled.


Well, at least you know you're important.  



RGirl said:


> (unfortunately, I did not really think about the fact that I would have to unpack all the stuff from the car every night and repack it every morning).


Next time you'll just have to pack smaller bags and take different bags for different climates.   I mean, it is a car.  you're not limited to a bag and a carry on. 



RGirl said:


> I do believe that this was her absolute favorite pre-trip gift this year though.


Did it go along in the car ride?  Because while I'm sure she thoroughly enjoyed the gift and I'm sure you enjoyed watching her sing with it, I can only imagine it on a road trip...


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## DisneyKid4Life

OK since Courtney apparently was stalking the thread to jump in first I'll just continue with the rest of the update. But first since she didn't say it specifically "For The First Time In Forever (Reprise)" for the song title even though it's not part of the contest. That should be worth half a point I think  

Wait, Willow preferred to go have fun at camp than pack????? How strange, lol.

Awww, she's even putting in her own thoughts. Too precious.

Oh my goodness what a cute horse. Oh wait... Dog??? Wow.


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## petals

Luv the toe nails!


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## KatMark

Awww....I don't think you are crazy at all. I like that you and your DD did this trip.

Love the pedi's (a favorite thing for me to do...so relaxing).

That is a big puppy!


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## NancyLuvsMickey

I've been following along on your past TR's (loved them by the way) just never commented on them... I know... Shocking!!! 

So I thought I'd try something different and say HI!!! I'm buckled up and along for the ride!!!


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## jedijill

Awesome start (minus the panicked work calls!) to your vacation.  Love the Minnie toes.

Jill in CO


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## lwyrwood

Absolutely no idea on the movie quote.  I'm so bad at those type things.  Love love love the Minnie toes.  You may have inspired me to do the same.  Let's see if I can get Sid on board.


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## courtneybelle

DisneyKid4Life said:


> OK since Courtney apparently was stalking the thread to jump in first I'll just continue with the rest of the update. But first since she didn't say it specifically "For The First Time In Forever (Reprise)" for the song title even though it's not part of the contest. That should be worth half a point I think








Rob, you'll get it next time, but I think for now you should...LET IT GO...I'm here all night, folks.


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## KatMark

courtneybelle said:


> Rob, you'll get it next time, but I think for now you should...LET IT GO...I'm here all night, folks.



 Love it!


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## DisneyKid4Life

courtneybelle said:


> Rob, you'll get it next time, but I think for now you should...LET IT GO...I'm here all night, folks.





KatMark said:


> Love it!








Ok Courtney... Well done, lol.


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## yeheyprincex2

hello, I jumped over from you 2013 trip report and I'm about half way through the trip.

But your road trip caught my attention, we took our first family road trip this past March from Dallas, Texas down to McAllen Texas with two stops in San Anotnio Texas to break up the ride.  It was a experience with lots of cute moments.  I don't know if we will ever do it again till our boys are older.


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## STLMickeyMom

sounds like a great start for your trip!  and quicker then expected packing?  bonus!  

i'm so excited for the start of your TR, but i'm even MORE excited about the napoleon dynamite gif!  we love that movie!!


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## pkondz

Okay, so I'm late.... but this looks like fun, so I'm grabbing the passing train TR while it's just pulling out of the station.




RGirl said:


> *Im guessing some of you are wondering if you have been reading this TR (to the extent that there even is a TR yet!) correctly. Did some crazy woman decide to take a 1,300-mile road trip alone with a 7-year-old child????*



Nope. Not me.

I've done a 2,700-mile road trip with a five year old, did it again with the other rug rat when she was.... 10? I think?
And of course, you know about the last one that's an ongoing TR right now.

So, I believe it.

And I believe we're both a little nuts.



RGirl said:


> *Well, Mom decided not to go, which meant she also decided not to split the costs (obviously!).*



Obviously, nothing!
Tell her to cough up some moola! 



RGirl said:


> * I looked at airfares and rental car costs and then had A Brilliant Idea. We would just drive the whole thing, Willow would have her first real road trip, and we would see more of the country. GENIUS!!!!*



Until you've driven for 10 straight hours and you're wondering about your sanity.



RGirl said:


> *I planned and plotted - and, let me tell you, there is a LOT of planning and plotting that goes into a two-week road trip (what towns are we going to stay in, which hotels do we book, what roadside attractions will we see, how long will we stay in any given place, how many miles to drive on any given day, etc.)*



 But it's fun, too, right?



RGirl said:


> *And it all started on 25 August - a Friday and my first day off work for the start of our vacation.*



um.

You mean _July _25th, right?



RGirl said:


> *Oh, Willow decided that she wanted to be part of writing the trip report this year, so you will see her pop in with her own comments from time to time. Like right now....*



Cool! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I kind of was sad to leave my friends, but I knew they would have a nice time together with a break from me. And I knew they felt sad too to leave me. So we spent the rest of the day together. And we made ice cream!*



Hi Willow! 
How was the ice cream? What flavour did you make?



RGirl said:


> *I received TWO panicked calls from work. I was thrilled that my first day of VACATION featured work calls - awww, they love me so much! Thrilled, I tell you; I was thrilled.*





Work: "Hi Roni? It's work. Got a second?"
Roni: "No hablo Inglés. <click>"



RGirl said:


> *
> BTW, heres Oscar. Isnt he cute??*







RGirl said:


> *I had been kind of freaking out about this for quite some time (just ask Shannon),*



Shannon? Was Roni freaking out?



RGirl said:


> * but not exactly doing anything about it - I found it paralyzing even to think about what all we would need to take on a trip of this sort (two weeks, various types of weather - from the cool Oregon coast to the heat of southern California - various activities, etc.)*



Here's a tip that took me a while to figure out.

By all means, make a packing list. The sooner the better.
Add to it as you think of things you've missed.
Now here's the important part.

Don't sweat it.

It's not like you're going to be air lifted into the middle of the amazon.

"Oh no! We forgot to pack Band-aids!"

Yeah. Big deal. Pop into almost any store you can think of and buy some.



RGirl said:


> *(unfortunately, I did not really think about the fact that I would have to unpack all the stuff from the car every night and repack it every morning).*



Oh, I hear you!
I'm not commenting on it on my TR, because I don't want to upset Dee's mom or the other moms that might possibly read it.
But those dang tutus!!
Every day I had to haul 'em out, get out the suitcases and put 'em back.
Repeat in the morning.

Pain in the but I agreed to bring 'em, so...



RGirl said:


> *Willow had been enjoying her countdown ring for quite some time now and receiving little trip-related gifts via a clue on the back of each Mickey head she pulled off. Okay - that sentence probably made no sense without a picture. Heres what the countdown ring looked like:*



What a great idea! 



RGirl said:


> *she got quite a few things to make the car trip more bearable, um, fun, I mean, fun.*



car trip + adult = fun
car trip + child = not so much fun... "Are we there yet?"



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I like my karaoke; I love singing on it, and on the first day I got it, I sang to Nini [grandma] Let it Go!*



And I bet you were simply marvelous!



RGirl said:


> *Willow designed our nails - I think Minnie Mouse would be proud.*



I don't see why not.
I must admit, I have never had my toes done like that.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I just got an idea, and it just popped in my head, and I just decided we could do Minnie toes. Mommy could have pink Minnie toes for Minnies pink dress, and I could have red Minnie toes for Minnies red dress.*



Of course!

You're a genius too, huh?



RGirl said:


> *I didnt stay up very late myself, wanting to get an early start on our adventure in the morning.*



Curious to see if you'll sleep.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 2A*



Great so far! Looking forward to more!


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> ELSA FROM FROZEN!!!
> 
> Going back to read now hehehe
> 
> ***


*Dang, girl!!!!  You are FAST!!!  *



courtneybelle said:


> As you can see, I am in it to win it.


*No kidding! Let the other contestants be warned!!!!  *



courtneybelle said:


> I think youre a genius. Im pretty convinced youre good at everything you try, so I dont see why road tripping would be any different!


*Ha! Flattery will get you MANY points!   *



courtneybelle said:


> Aww glad to see Willow joining in the TR fun! Im sure her friends missed her a lot, but were happy she got to have fun at Disneyland.


*It cracked me up when she said they would enjoy a break from her. *



courtneybelle said:


> HA the work calls bring back many fond memories of people from work calling my dad when we were at WDW. One time he wired money to a client when we were in line for Rock n Roller Coaster. It never ends!


*Sheesh! That's pretty bad! I'm happy to report that, after the first day, they left me alone. *



courtneybelle said:


> Oscar is adorable!


*Thanks! We think he's pretty cute. *



courtneybelle said:


> Frozen karaoke sounds sooo fun.


*She has had a lot of fun with that machine - she got quite a few different Disney song discs to go with it. She uses it a lot as a CD player too.*



courtneybelle said:


> The Minnie toes are so precious!!! Such a good idea.


*I really liked them - in fact, they STILL look great!*



courtneybelle said:


> That Tiana gif is VERY me.


*I actually kind of feel like that right now....*



gardengirl2790 said:


> Cute toenails! Willow had a great idea


*Thanks! We really enjoyed sporting our Minnie toes.  *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> I've never been to Disneyland, ever.  I have a conference in San Diego, so we're taking advantage of the fact that a nice chunk of our travel costs out to the west coast will be coming out of someone else's pocket and taking the kids and a few extra days to see it.


*Nice!!  I hope you love DLR as much as we do. How many days will you have to explore DLR?*



afwdwfan said:


> Well, road trips aren't for everybody.  You either enjoy them or you think they're crazy.


* That certainly seems to be true! We definitely enjoyed ours.  *



afwdwfan said:


> The key is ice cream.  It makes everything better.  Even good bye.


*This theory certainly seemed to hold true with Miss Willow. *



afwdwfan said:


> Well, at least you know you're important.


*Oh, yes, sooooo important.  *



afwdwfan said:


> Next time you'll just have to pack smaller bags and take different bags for different climates.   I mean, it is a car.  you're not limited to a bag and a carry on.


* We definitely had a lot more than a bag and a carry-on each. The car was LOADED. *



afwdwfan said:


> Did it go along in the car ride?  Because while I'm sure she thoroughly enjoyed the gift and I'm sure you enjoyed watching her sing with it, I can only imagine it on a road trip...


* What a horrifying thought! No, no, and NO! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OK since Courtney apparently was stalking the thread to jump in first I'll just continue with the rest of the update. But first since she didn't say it specifically "For The First Time In Forever (Reprise)" for the song title even though it's not part of the contest. That should be worth half a point I think


*I think Courtney has shown herself a contestant to be reckoned with.  

No changing the rules now, Rob, despite how impressive your answer.   *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wait, Willow preferred to go have fun at camp than pack????? How strange, lol.


*She's a weird kid, isn't she???  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww, she's even putting in her own thoughts. Too precious.


*She was quite insistent that she get her say.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my goodness what a cute horse. Oh wait... Dog??? Wow.


**


----------



## RGirl

petals said:


> Luv the toe nails!


*Thanks! It was a really fun way to start our vacation.  *



KatMark said:


> Awww....I don't think you are crazy at all. I like that you and your DD did this trip.


*Thanks! There were definitely times when I questioned my sanity, but I was pretty sure it would be a fun trip to take, and it was! *



KatMark said:


> Love the pedi's (a favorite thing for me to do...so relaxing).


*Isn't it just the most relaxing thing to do!? I don't do it often, but if I could, I would go all the time!!!  *



KatMark said:


> That is a big puppy!


*He is Willow's best friend, for sure. *



NancyLuvsMickey said:


> I've been following along on your past TR's (loved them by the way) just never commented on them... I know... Shocking!!!


*Wow - thanks for letting me know! It's so cool to hear from someone who has read along - I'm so happy to know that there are people out there reading and enjoying. *



NancyLuvsMickey said:


> So I thought I'd try something different and say HI!!! I'm buckled up and along for the ride!!!


*I'm so glad you decided to pop in and say "hi"! Welcome to the TR!!!!  Please continue to chime in and have fun with all of us along the way.  *



jedijill said:


> Awesome start (minus the panicked work calls!) to your vacation.  Love the Minnie toes.


*Thanks Jill! A pedicure is a lovely to start a vacation, I think. *



lwyrwood said:


> Absolutely no idea on the movie quote.  I'm so bad at those type things.  Love love love the Minnie toes.  You may have inspired me to do the same.  Let's see if I can get Sid on board.


* No worries! Courtney was lightening fast on that one! 

Oh, you two should do it! It was so fun!!!*


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Rob, you'll get it next time, but I think for now you should...LET IT GO...I'm here all night, folks.





KatMark said:


> Love it!





DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ok Courtney... Well done, lol.



* Nothing beats a little healthy competition!*


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> sounds like a great start for your trip!  and quicker then expected packing?  bonus!


*I know! I always love it when the packing actually comes together quickly.  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> i'm so excited for the start of your TR, but i'm even MORE excited about the napoleon dynamite gif!  we love that movie!!


* I love that one too!*



pkondz said:


> Okay, so I'm late.... but this looks like fun, so I'm grabbing the passing train TR while it's just pulling out of the station.


*Thanks for hopping aboard!*



pkondz said:


> I've done a 2,700-mile road trip with a five year old, did it again with the other rug rat when she was.... 10? I think?
> And of course, you know about the last one that's an ongoing TR right now.
> 
> So, I believe it.
> 
> And I believe we're both a little nuts.


* It is a little crazy, but definitely fun too. Now that you mention it, I can recall driving from Western Washington to upstate New York with an 8-week-old puppy. I should have remembered that when I was thinking THIS trip might be crazy. *



pkondz said:


> Obviously, nothing!
> 
> Tell her to cough up some moola!


**



pkondz said:


> Until you've driven for 10 straight hours and you're wondering about your sanity.


*So true ... so true.....*



pkondz said:


> But it's fun, too, right?


*It is - I do really love the planning of a good trip.  *



pkondz said:


> um.
> 
> You mean _July _25th, right?


*DOH!!!!





Back to edit......  ​*




pkondz said:


> Hi Willow!
> How was the ice cream? What flavour did you make?


*Willow: It was vanilla! And we made it in a bag!!!!*



pkondz said:


> Work: "Hi Roni? It's work. Got a second?"
> Roni: "No hablo Inglés. <click>"


*Taking notes for the next vacation.....  *




pkondz said:


> Here's a tip that took me a while to figure out.
> 
> By all means, make a packing list. The sooner the better.
> Add to it as you think of things you've missed.
> Now here's the important part.
> 
> Don't sweat it.
> 
> It's not like you're going to be air lifted into the middle of the amazon.
> 
> "Oh no! We forgot to pack Band-aids!"
> 
> Yeah. Big deal. Pop into almost any store you can think of and buy some.


*I usually do have a good packing list, and I eventually got one together to a certain degree this time, but for some reason, it was just not coming together very well early on.

I DID keep reminding myself of your latter point - there are plenty of stores between here and DLR.  *



pkondz said:


> Oh, I hear you!
> I'm not commenting on it on my TR, because I don't want to upset Dee's mom or the other moms that might possibly read it.
> But those dang tutus!!
> Every day I had to haul 'em out, get out the suitcases and put 'em back.
> Repeat in the morning.
> 
> Pain in the but I agreed to bring 'em, so...


* I was actually thinking about that when I read your description of loading them. I was all, , if he's anything like I am, he's going to be unloading and repacking those dang things every day.  *



pkondz said:


> What a great idea!


*Thanks! We have had a lot of different countdown calendars over the years, but the Mickey head ring has stuck the last couple of years - it's the easiest to make and just as fun as anything more elaborate. Of course, Willow really digs all the little gifts.  *



pkondz said:


> car trip + adult = fun
> car trip + child = not so much fun... "Are we there yet?"


*So true! Luckily, Willow had gotten all her "are we there yet's" out of the way on our Spring Break trip. I am not sure, but I don't think she actually said that line the whole trip. Of course, we had had several conversations about it before our departure. *



pkondz said:


> And I bet you were simply marvelous!


* Certainly her mother and grandmother thought so. *



pkondz said:


> I don't see why not.
> I must admit, I have never had my toes done like that.


*You should try it!*



pkondz said:


> Of course!
> 
> You're a genius too, huh?


*Totally!*



pkondz said:


> Curious to see if you'll sleep.


*Spoiler Alert: I actually did! Something about not having to work the next day results in much more sleep for me. *



pkondz said:


> Great so far! Looking forward to more!


*Thanks! I appreciate you joining in! *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Willow: It was vanilla! And we made it in a bag!!!!*



Cool!
And I love Vanilla. Good choice!



RGirl said:


> *I was actually thinking about that when I read your description of loading them. I was all, , if he's anything like I am, he's going to be unloading and repacking those dang things every day.*



Oh, Lord.
Every Freaking Day.



RGirl said:


> *Luckily, Willow had gotten all her "are we there yet's" out of the way on our Spring Break trip. *



I was not so fortunate on this last one.


----------



## dizneeat

Roni!  Thanks so much for the shout out!

I still have so many threads to catch up on, so I missed this one. But I am here, saving my spot and now going back to read!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I was not so fortunate on this last one.


*When Willow was a little younger, every time we went to Portland, as soon as she saw a tall building, she would say, "Is that our hotel????" EVERY tall building.  *



dizneeat said:


> Roni!  Thanks so much for the shout out!
> 
> I still have so many threads to catch up on, so I missed this one. But I am here, saving my spot and now going back to read!


*Hi Karin! Thanks so much for stopping by. I know you have a LOT of catching up to do after your looooooooong vacation.  *


----------



## RGirl

*Why arent we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. You know that.*​*
Courtney really came out swinging with the opening round of our competition, correctly identifying the movie Frozen and the character Elsa. So for now, the scoreboard looks like this:

Courtney: 2
Everyone else: 0

But there's lots of time remaining! Remember, first to name the movie from whence the chapter title hails gets a point; two points for movie and character who uttered the line. One point for the character if the first person to get the movie doesnt get the character. Good luck!

A Quick Note: During travel days, at least at the beginning, many (if not most) of the photos were taken by Miss Willow. For some reason, she stopped being excited about/willing to take photos right when we got to the most beautiful part of the drive, so there ya go. But you can enjoy a lot of pictures of the really boring parts of the drive, so there's that!

Day 2A - Saturday, 26 July 2014 - Southeastern Washington to Lincoln City, Oregon

The day was finally here! We were leaving!!!  We got up pretty early, showered and all that jazz, and I worked on packing the car with Miss Willow's help, of course. Willow pulled off the last Mickey head on the countdown ring.*
*

*​*While we were packing the cooler and trying to cram everything into the car, my dad wandered by out on his morning walk, so Willow and I got one more chance to say good-bye before we headed out.  Before long, however, the car was ready and so were we!*
*

*​*We hit the road at about 7:30AM. Willow was pretty psyched.*
*

*​*Willow: I was pretty sad to leave home and Poppy and Nini [grandparents], but I was excited to get to Disney and the rest of the road trip.

Now, of all the driving we did, this is probably the most boring stretch. It's brown.*
*

*​*There are a lot of windmills.*
*





*​*And that's about it. Eventually, however, you do start spotting mountains.*
*









*​*Willow: We spotted a mountain that kind of looked like Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom!

But it's mostly brown and dotted with windmills for a while. Luckily, for much of this drive, you are driving along the Columbia River, and that is pretty. Willow likes to get close-up, zoomed-in photos of water, so you can't really tell how pretty it is.*
*





*​*

There are also dams, but again, for some reason, Willow wanted her pictures as zoomed-in as possible. She later explained that she was trying to make sure that she got a pic of the fish ladder.*
*





*​*Anyone familiar with Willow's picture-taking propensities from last year's TR will not be surprised that some of these showed up.*
*





*​*I guess she was admiring her new purse at this point. *
*





*​*And she was apparently enjoying a Tinker Bell movie.*
*





*​*Willow: Because I like fairies and because there is a funny thing that Vidia says. And I like Silvermist because she can make bubbles out of water. I like Fawn - she's an animal fairy - because she takes care of the animals. I like when she teaches the birds how to fly. And I like Vidia when she makes a big cast of wind.

Up Next: Day 2A, Why aren't we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. You know that. (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 2A, Why aren't we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. You know that. (cont.)*​*
Since we were traveling by car, I did decide that we would bring a cooler with food so that we could avoid eating out for every meal at least during the first few days of our trip. By the time Willow was hungry for lunch (having eaten leftover pizza for breakfast ), we weren't really at a lovely picnicking spot. So I ended up just parking after fueling up the car and putting together a little lunch plate for Willow to enjoy in the car - we called it her lunch buffet because it consisted of such a variety of things - ham, cheese, crackers, bell peppers, Cheetohs, and I dont remember what else. She was happy with it though!*
*

*​*Willow: Cookies!!!

Once we got through Portland and headed out towards the coast, traffic picked up considerably - not surprising on a weekend day in summer, I suppose.*
*

*​*The scenery did get a bit more interesting too, and Willow took a few pictures for you.*
*

























*​*Wait, what? I guess her favorite blanky and pillow-pet Pluto were a little more interesting than whatever was going on outside.

Willow: Its name is Blue Blanky! Which I love VERY much.

At some point along here, this conversation ensued:
Willow - I just saw a ghost.
Roni - Thats nice..
Willow - Yeah, it was eating grass.
Roni - [thinking, A ghost? Eating grass? Has she lost her mind???] WHAT???
Willow - Yes, eating grass.
Roni - [thinking, Ooooooh] Did you say GOAT???
Willow - Yes.
Roni - I thought you said GHOST!

And much laughter ensued.

Willow: That's one of my favorites!

We made it to our destination, the Surftides in Lincoln City, Oregon, at about 2:15PM. We were struck by the change from the 100+-degree temperatures we had been experiencing at home to the cool 60s temps at the coast. Pleasantly struck, let me be clear. *
*

*​*Surftides was completely sold out for the night and had been the night before as well, so our room most definitely was not ready. We took the opportunity to check out the VERY windy beach.*
*

















*​*There was a VERY windy wedding ceremony about to take place.*
*

*​*Willow played in the sand for a few minutes, but the wind was really not that pleasant, so we decided to wander back up the stairs to the hotel area and check it out and then check on the room situation.

We ran into the bride on our way back from the beach. Willow has not attended a wedding before (all of my friends were married LONG before I became a parent), so she was just awe-struck, staring at the bride. Amazingly, this lovely young woman stopped on her way down to the stairs to take her to the beach TO GET MARRIED and said hello to Willow and chatted for a few seconds. Willow was thrilled.

Of course, when we got back to the office, our room still wasn't ready. We were hanging around in the main lobby area, and a nice desk employee called us over and gave Willow a set of paddles and a ball and told us we could go across the street and play at the tennis court. Now this ball was NOT made for tennis courts since it did not bounce - I guess it was designed for some kind of beach play, but that wasn't going to happen with the wind; it likely would have ended up far out into the ocean the first time we let go of it. Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time just goofing around with the ball and paddles at the tennis courts. Willow had never played a paddle/ball-type sport before, so it was a rather hilarious endeavor.*
*









*​*Willow: I kept missing, but sometimes I hit it, and then Mommy missed, and I said Let me handle this. Sometimes she hit it far, and I laughed because it was funny. I felt like something was funny to me - it was hilarious!

Up Next: Day 2B*


----------



## jedijill

Clark Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation.  Now going back to read the updates. :0)

Jill in CO


----------



## pkondz

I haven't even read the update yet (but I will!) but had to post.
_Had_ to!

I mean, I better get this one, right? 

National Lampoon's Vacation.
Chevy Chase as Clark W. Griswold


----------



## pkondz

Aw, man! If I hadn't taken the time to type the preamble...


----------



## WDWJonasGirl

Loving it so far!!


----------



## dizneeat

Roni and Willow, that is ONE fun TR to read! 

Roadtrips can be so much fun and I just love the lunch buffet for Willow. We travel just like that when we go to Italy. 

Oh, and I am sorry I completely fail in the quiz ..... maybe if you would post those quotes in German?


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

"We spotted a mountain that kind of looked like Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom!" Awww I love it! And she's right.

Ok Roni, Willow''s CLEARLY got this TR thing down. 

Wow, how sweet of the bride to do that. My goodness. Such kindness.


----------



## lwanthony

I love Lincoln city! We head that way at least once a month from our home here in Portland. I feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

-Lane


----------



## KatMark

Sounds like a smooth travel date despite a little traffic on a summer weekend.

I love Willow's pictures and her offering her own thoughts as you go along.

Sorry the beach was so windy. How lovely of the bride to speak with Willow.

I hope your room is ready soon.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *Nice!!  I hope you love DLR as much as we do. How many days will you have to explore DLR?*


Our plan is 3 park days.  Probably get there mid-day on a Tuesday.  Grab a bite to eat and check out DTD, Wed, Thur, Fri in the parks and fly home on Sat.  



RGirl said:


> Willow: We spotted a mountain that kind of looked like Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom!


She is being brainwashed well!  



RGirl said:


> Luckily, for much of this drive, you are driving along the Columbia River, and that is pretty. Willow likes to get close-up, zoomed-in photos of water, so you cant really tell how pretty it is.


I absolutely love that drive.  It definitely is beautiful and unlike anything we have around here! 



RGirl said:


> Willow wanted her pictures as zoomed-in as possible. She later explained that she was trying to make sure that she got a pic of the fish ladder.


Well, at least she know what she's trying to do. 



RGirl said:


> Willow: Cookies!!!


That's all it takes to make a so/so lunch great. 



RGirl said:


> At some point along here, this conversation ensued:
> Willow - I just saw a ghost.
> Roni - Thats nice..
> Willow - Yeah, it was eating grass.
> Roni - [thinking, A ghost? Eating grass? Has she lost her mind???] WHAT???
> Willow - Yes, eating grass.
> Roni - [thinking, Ooooooh] Did you say GOAT???
> Willow - Yes.
> Roni - I thought you said GHOST!






pkondz said:


> Aw, man! If I hadn't taken the time to type the preamble...


Did it take you 8 minutes to type it???


----------



## STLMickeyMom

that mountain picture is really pretty--and it does sort of look like Everest!  good eye, willow!

the ghost/goat story was so funny!  I love conversations like that.

the surftides looks like a pretty hotel.  how nice that the bride stopped to talk to willow.

I see willow has tinsel in her hair again.  I love that sparkle in her hair.  how do you do that?  I think it'd be sort of fun to do in our hair for our trip.....


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Clark Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation.  Now going back to read the updates. :0)


*Whoa! Speedy McGee there, Jill!!!  *



pkondz said:


> I haven't even read the update yet (but I will!) but had to post.
> _Had_ to!
> 
> I mean, I better get this one, right?
> 
> National Lampoon's Vacation.
> Chevy Chase as Clark W. Griswold





pkondz said:


> Aw, man! If I hadn't taken the time to type the preamble...


* Lesson learned!*



WDWJonasGirl said:


> Loving it so far!!


*Thanks! I'm so glad you joined in again!  *


----------



## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> Roni and Willow, that is ONE fun TR to read!


*Thanks Karin!!  I'm so glad you have joined in again! *



dizneeat said:


> Roadtrips can be so much fun and I just love the lunch buffet for Willow. We travel just like that when we go to Italy.


*She truly enjoyed it, and it was a fun way to eat on the road.  *



dizneeat said:


> Oh, and I am sorry I completely fail in the quiz ..... maybe if you would post those quotes in German?


* I would translate if I could!  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> "We spotted a mountain that kind of looked like Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom!" Awww I love it! And she's right.


*I knew you, in particular, would love that observation, Rob! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ok Roni, Willow''s CLEARLY got this TR thing down.


* She's VERY excited to be co-writing it.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, how sweet of the bride to do that. My goodness. Such kindness.


*It was really pretty shocking and SO SWEET.  *



lwanthony said:


> I love Lincoln city! We head that way at least once a month from our home here in Portland. I feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.


*Hi Lane! I love Lincoln City too - I remember going there as a kid. We have done several trips to Seaside and really enjoy that as well.

And you live in one of my favorite cities! *



KatMark said:


> Sounds like a smooth travel date despite a little traffic on a summer weekend.


*It was definitely a VERY smooth first day - I was quite pleased.  *



KatMark said:


> I love Willow's pictures and her offering her own thoughts as you go along.


*She is loving having some input this year. *



KatMark said:


> Sorry the beach was so windy. How lovely of the bride to speak with Willow.


*It really was so sweet. And very unexpected!*



KatMark said:


> I hope your room is ready soon.


*Oh man! We were really hoping so too!!!  *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Our plan is 3 park days.  Probably get there mid-day on a Tuesday.  Grab a bite to eat and check out DTD, Wed, Thur, Fri in the parks and fly home on Sat.


*That sounds like a great plan! We have done three park days on our January trips, and it has worked very well. I can't wait to hear about how much you LOVE it! *



afwdwfan said:


> She is being brainwashed well!


*Bwahahahahahaha  *



afwdwfan said:


> I absolutely love that drive.  It definitely is beautiful and unlike anything we have around here!


*I have done it many times, and I still enjoy most of it. The river is gorgeous, and everything gets so green as you get over to the western part of the state.*



afwdwfan said:


> Well, at least she know what she's trying to do.


*She definitely had a plan of some sort!*



afwdwfan said:


> That's all it takes to make a so/so lunch great.


*Hey, are you calling my buffet "so/so"??????  *



afwdwfan said:


> Did it take you 8 minutes to type it???


* Gah!!  I almost choked to death I was laughing so hard!!!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> that mountain picture is really pretty--and it does sort of look like Everest!  good eye, willow!


*She got quite a few good shots among the selfies and the close-up water.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> the ghost/goat story was so funny!  I love conversations like that.


*Oh man! I was laughing SO HARD! Both of us were!!!  I just love moments like that!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> the surftides looks like a pretty hotel.  how nice that the bride stopped to talk to willow.


*It was so sweet and unexpected!!!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I see willow has tinsel in her hair again.  I love that sparkle in her hair.  how do you do that?  I think it'd be sort of fun to do in our hair for our trip.....


*They just tie it in. But the last couple of times we have had it done, it has slipped out really quickly. So I think we'll be finding something different to do next time.  *


----------



## librarygeek

I'm so excited for this TR!  I love the idea of doing the quotes as a contest at the beginning - too bad I'm such a slacker on checking TRs lol! 

I'm loving the fact that Willow is chiming in.  And her nail idea was too cute!

I would love to do a road trip someday like that.  The most we've done is driven to a place and stopped at one other place along the way (When we went to Chicago we stopped in Ohio to visit the Cedar Point amusement park).  Once I have more than a week's worth of time off that's something I'd really like to do!  I love the mountains.  And your first stop, that beach, is beautiful.  Can't wait to visit the west coast!


----------



## RGirl

librarygeek said:


> I'm so excited for this TR!  I love the idea of doing the quotes as a contest at the beginning - too bad I'm such a slacker on checking TRs lol!


*Hi Becky!!!  Thanks so much for joining in.  *



librarygeek said:


> I'm loving the fact that Willow is chiming in.  And her nail idea was too cute!


*Thanks! She was very pleased with herself for the nail idea. *



librarygeek said:


> I would love to do a road trip someday like that.  The most we've done is driven to a place and stopped at one other place along the way (When we went to Chicago we stopped in Ohio to visit the Cedar Point amusement park).  Once I have more than a week's worth of time off that's something I'd really like to do!  I love the mountains.  And your first stop, that beach, is beautiful.  Can't wait to visit the west coast!


*You should do it! This trip ended up being so much fun - really reminded me of how great a road trip can be!  *


----------



## RGirl

*First day of school! First day of school! Wake up! Wake Up! Come on, first day of school!*​*
So I had to stick in a little intermission, a recess if you will, from the TR to share with you a little real-life update.

Of course, I couldnt post an installment - even a recess - without continuing our game. So first person to name the movie from whence the chapter title hails gets a point; two points if you name the movie and character. One point to the person who names the character if the first person doesnt do it. 

And the standings to date:

Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 2 points

And back to the recess:

Today was the first day of school here! Little Miss Willow is officially a big second grader!

But first, we had a great last weekend of summer. We started by going to our local fair on Saturday.*
*

































*​*And then we did some Fall clothes shopping. I had agreed to buy one or two new outfits. Somehow we left the store like this:*
*

*​*Of course, she had to put on a new outfit and her new boots before we even left for the ride home. *
*

*​*When we got home, Miss Willow put on a fashion show, so we thought we would share that with all of you. As you can see, she chose no character clothes this year - she's all Girl Meets World instead of Sofia the First now, I guess. *
*

















*​*I have no idea where she gets the crazy poses!!!  

And then today, it was off to the second grade! Thankfully, she is still a Disney girl through and through and just had to have a Frozen backpack (and lunchbox and thermos). Here she is all ready to head to school this morning.*
*









*​*Growing up way too fast.

More actual trip updates coming soon!!!

*


----------



## gardengirl2790

They do grow up too fast! I miss the elementary years, so cute, sweet and fun. Very cute outfits that you two picked out. 

 I'm sending my 12th grader off to her first day of school tomorrow, my only child.  next year she's off to college.


----------



## jedijill

Nemo in Finding Nemo

Now back to read the update. 

Jill in CO


Ok, back.  Miss Willow is a cutie patootie!  Nobody can leave Kohl's with smaller bags than that...its just a rule.   Love her outfits and all her Power Ranger poses!

Jill in CO


----------



## dizneeat

I can't believe how much Willow has grown! 

And boy, you have got a model on your hands here! She really is into posing. 

Great to see those first day of second grade photos, even though they remind me that it will soon be time for me to go back as well.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Nemo from finding nemo!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Awwww, poop--somebody already got it


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Ok, a real reply finally! I can't believe willow wore a white outfit to the fair and left clean!  Way to go, girl!  I would have found a mud puddle to fall in for sure....

I like all the new outfits for school--super cute. The boots are rockin'!

Hope your first day of school was awesome, Willow!


----------



## ajsary

Love fashion show!  Willow is so cute.  I hope she has a fantastic 2nd grade year!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow, that actually looks like a fun fair!!

Haha, I look at the fashion show and I just think, wow, when Willow and Maddie get together, look out! Some epic poses going on.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *Hey, are you calling my buffet "so/so"??????  *


Absolutely not!  There were cookies!!!  


Willow sure does seem to enjoy her new clothes.  I hope she enjoys second grade and has a great year!


----------



## RGirl

gardengirl2790 said:


> They do grow up too fast! I miss the elementary years, so cute, sweet and fun. Very cute outfits that you two picked out.


*It is a fun time, isn't it? I can't believe how fast it all goes by though!*



gardengirl2790 said:


> I'm sending my 12th grader off to her first day of school tomorrow, my only child.  next year she's off to college.


*Wow - I hope she has a great senior year! I know you must be so proud of her but still dreading next year in a way as well. *



jedijill said:


> Nemo in Finding Nemo


*Two in a row, Jill!  You are ON FIRE!  *



jedijill said:


> Ok, back.  Miss Willow is a cutie patootie!  Nobody can leave Kohl's with smaller bags than that...its just a rule.   Love her outfits and all her Power Ranger poses!


*It is a rule!!  

Those DO look like Power Ranger poses, don't they? But I don't think she even knows what a Power Ranger is!  *



dizneeat said:


> I can't believe how much Willow has grown!


*Right????  Ugh - she's totally a big kid now. How did that happen???*



dizneeat said:


> And boy, you have got a model on your hands here! She really is into posing.


* She's such a ham!!!!*



dizneeat said:


> Great to see those first day of second grade photos, even though they remind me that it will soon be time for me to go back as well.


*When do you go back, Karin?*


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> Nemo from finding nemo!
> 
> Awwww, poop--somebody already got it


*GAH - so close!!!!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Ok, a real reply finally! I can't believe willow wore a white outfit to the fair and left clean!  Way to go, girl!  I would have found a mud puddle to fall in for sure....


*I couldn't believe she wore that either. Or that I let her!  But you are right - she somehow managed to keep it perfectly clean. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I like all the new outfits for school--super cute. The boots are rockin'!


*Thanks! Aren't those boots so cute????  I totally want some!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Hope your first day of school was awesome, Willow!


*Thanks Lori! She had a great day.  *


----------



## RGirl

ajsary said:


> Love fashion show!  Willow is so cute.  I hope she has a fantastic 2nd grade year!


*Thanks!!!!  I hope so too - she definitely had a good first day! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, that actually looks like a fun fair!!


* It is pretty fun. They keep raising the prices every year though, so that is much less fun.....  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Haha, I look at the fashion show and I just think, wow, when Willow and Maddie get together, look out! Some epic poses going on.


* You are SO right!!!  I can't even imagine the pictures we are going to get next summer!*



afwdwfan said:


> Absolutely not!  There were cookies!!!


*Oh, okay then.   *



afwdwfan said:


> Willow sure does seem to enjoy her new clothes.  I hope she enjoys second grade and has a great year!


*The child LOVES to shop. 

Thanks! I hope she does too. *


----------



## RGirl

*Listen to me. The human world is a mess.*​*
Day 2B - Saturday, 26 July 2014 - Lincoln City, Oregon

After playing a little non-bounce-paddle-ball thing, we headed back to the lobby to check on our room again. It wasn't ready, so I took a few pictures of the lobby.*
*









*​*Willow took quite a few more. And as you can see, hers were much more creative.*
*













*​*Surftides had a neat mermaid theme going on. We even saw a sign about winning a prize for finding Hidden Mermaids! 

And then our room was ready! Hallelujah! 

Willow:  Hurray!!!!

Now, this place is a little more MO-tel than HO-tel, so there aren't exactly a lot of employees standing around waiting to help with luggage. However, because we were only staying here one night, I had kind of cheaped out and booked the cheapest room category - non-view (smart move when the main selling point of the place is its location ON THE BEACH! In my defense, the cheapest, non-view, MO-tel room was still a whopping $210 before taxes and fees) - and it turned out that all of the rooms in this el-cheapo category are on the second floor. With no elevator. Did you see how much stuff we had just in the back of our car? No? Let me remind you.*
*

*​*And you'd be fooling yourself if you think the rest of the car wasnt pretty full of stuff too. I am not comfortable leaving luggage in a car in a motel or hotel parking lot overnight, so it all had to come in, which meant it all had to come UP the stairs. I went ahead and asked the nice front-desk person if there might be someone who could help us. She called someone right away, and THAT, my friends, is how we actually ended up with our belongings in our room that night.

The room was perfectly fine - nothing special, but clean and everything we needed - your basic decent motel room. In my opinion, the room was over-priced for what it was, but maybe I would have felt differently if I had spent even more money and actually been looking out at the ocean.  Regardless, I wasnt complaining - like I said, it was clean and roomy enough, and frankly, I was just happy to have a room finally!

Willow:  That was great!
*
*

















*​*We liked the Surfitdes take on the Do Not Disturb sign.*
*





*​*And we did have a nice view of the parking lot when we stepped outside. *
*





*​*(The funny domed building housed the pool and gym.)

Up Next: Day 2B (cont.)*


----------



## jedijill

Sebastian in The Little Mermaid.

Jill in CO

(Gotta get my points in before I leave for my trip!)


----------



## RGirl

*Listen to me. The human world is a mess. (cont.)*​*
Now, at this point, we were both kind of beat and just happy not to be in the car (or the Surftides lobby). So we chilled in the room for a little bit. Willow even worked on her trip journal!*
*





*​*I had tentatively planned to eat at some yummy seafood place in Lincoln City and maybe wander around a bit, but we were both hungry quite early and just kind of tired. It had been a long day. So we decided to eat at the restaurant affiliated with Surftides - MIST.*
*









*​*Uh, I have no idea what was up with Willow in those pics.

This was a decent enough place. Our server was very nice, albeit forgetful. We had a pretty nice view.*
*





*​*Willow was happy about bread.*
*

*​*
*
*

*​*I had a Caesar salad and fish tacos (sorry about the taco pic - I had scraped off the aioli that I had requested be left off, so they look a mess).*
*





*​*Willow ordered mac and cheese, which she said was awful - no cheese taste at all.*
*

*​*Willow:  Yep.

When our server saw that she wasn't eating it, she brought her a PB&J, which made Willow happy and was a very kind thing to do.*
*





*​*Willow:  Yay! Yummy! Yay!

This meal cost me $30, which included the tip and a glass of wine, so seemed very reasonable. The price did not include the entertainment though - that was just a bonus! Now, when dining out, I generally am focused on my food, talking to my child, trying to tune out the sound of my child incessantly telling me about a Sofia the First episode - wait, what? I would never do that!!! - messaging Shannon on my phone (again, no! I would not be messaging during dinner!) and not so much on other diners. Sometimes, however, you just cant help but notice. 

So the table across from us was one of those hard-to-miss train wrecks. There were two parents, a teen girl, a boy about Willow's age, and a toddler. The toddler was throwing fish on the floor - like, just hucking it across the way - and smearing tartar sauce all over the booth. The young boy was refusing to eat anything because he didn't like it and was instead playing a handheld video game device thing. Classic. The teen seemed quite pleasant at first, but a closer look (obtained when she got up and started the athletic portion of their evening) noted that she was dirty, FILTHY dirty (I mean, oddly so - somebody being a little unkempt or even dirty in an appropriate environment wouldn't get my attention), and then she spent the last part of the meal just chasing the toddler all over the restaurant laughing. The parents didn't seem to mind at all - they were drinking a bottle of wine and chowing down.  

It was crazy! The booth was just DESTROYED when they were done - food everywhere, silverware all over the floor, food in the walkway, etc. I felt terrible for the busboy who came to clean it up. It was one of those things where you wanted to look away but just had to keep watching. I'm afraid both Willow and I likely looked a bit like this.*
*

*​*Willow: They were quite messy, and I just couldn't take my eyes off it!

Anyway, after we finished our dinner, we decided to walk back to the room without even checking out the pool!  Willow put Babe on the included DVD player and watched that before falling asleep shortly after 8. I stayed up later uploading pictures and coordinating with my friend in the Bay Area with whom we would be staying in a few days.

Up Next: Day 3A*


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Sebastian in The Little Mermaid.
> 
> Jill in CO
> 
> (Gotta get my points in before I leave for my trip!)


* Holy cow!!!  You are FAST, woman!  

And I totally forgot to tally points.....*


----------



## RGirl

*The Score​
Just realized that I forgot to post a tally of our competition score! And, of course, before I could even do it, a contestant came swooping in to steal 2 more points!

So here are the current standings:

Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 6 points

Jill is totally running away with this thing at the moment. But there's still hope, DIS Friends - there are lots more updates to come!  *


----------



## jedijill

RGirl said:


> *The Score​
> Just realized that I forgot to post a tally of our competition score! And, of course, before I could even do it, a contestant came swooping in to steal 2 more points!
> 
> So here are the current standings:
> 
> Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
> Jill (jedijill): 6 points
> 
> Jill is totally running away with this thing at the moment. But there's still hope, DIS Friends - there are lots more updates to come!  *



Lol...my time zone and email stalking paid off!  I leave on the 17th for a cruise so I hope you wrap up by then.   

Jill in CO


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I like the do not disturb sign and all the mermaid touches around the hotel!  And thank goodness someone could help with all the bags. But I sure do hate when there's no elevator to load all the stuff into (including the kids!). 

The view from the restaurant looks pretty--but maybe the free entertainment was more interesting?  I sometimes wonder what people are thinking when they go out in public. No wonder mom and dad were having some wine!


----------



## courtneybelle

Well, this is what happens when you move to college...you lose your lead  I'll see if I can catch up!

Definitely see the similarities between that mountain and Everest.

I haven't seen any of the Tinker Bell movies, but I had such a good meet with her last trip that I may have to watch one.

HAHAH goat/ghost. Love it.

Wow, the sky looks so beautiful on the beach!

That was so sweet of the bride to chat with Willow for a few minutes.

I love that pink and grey dress with the leather boots. I wish I had a Frozen backpack!

I'm digging the mermaid pillows!

I generally have a similar expression to Willow's when I receive bread.

Yeah, that mac and cheese kinda looks just like pasta  So nice of them to give Willow a PB&J, though!

Oh my gosh, I can't imagine being the poor guy who had to clean up after that family. Hopefully they tipped well.

Awesome updates and hopefully I can redeem myself in the challenge soon!!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Hmmm... Mermaid pillow... Disney is everywhere. And hidden mermaids??? Oh my.

$210???? Wow!!!! I guess Disney prices aren't that bad after all.

It looks like in the photos that the room's ceiling is angled/slanted? Kinda neat.

Oh my, I know that feeling when you want to look away, but you just can't. Just way too entertaining. Plus, happy and relieved they aren't me. And I have to add that Willow's comments are killing me.


----------



## hstrickland

I'm late!!!  But finally made it over. Haven't read a thing, yet. Getting ready to go back and read, read, read. Rainy here today, so I have an excuse to do nothing 

Heather


----------



## hstrickland

GREAT introduction!! Love all the video snippets!!  Nice touch. And a fab idea with the quote game! Like it lots!!! Very creative. 


Your road trip sounds fantastic! Would love to travel down the West Coast from Washington...lots to see. And the anticipation of getting to DL is probably through the roof!! 


Tell Willow she did an outstanding job capturing some memorable moments...love the selfies  Too bad ya didn't snap a photo of your dinner entertainment  I love people watching...ya never know what your gonna get  And apparently you got an eyeful!!


Looking forward to more!!! 
Have a great weekend!
Heather


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> Did it take you 8 minutes to type it???



It did!
I knew the movie.
I knew the actor.
I knew the character... but...

I sat there thinking, "Does he refer to himself as Clark W. Griswold _Junior_?
Or Clark W. Griswold _the second_?
Wait... or was it the third?

No, pretty sure it's the second.

No, wait. It's Junior, right?
Sure it is.
He says that just before he takes the saucer down the hill in Christmas Vacation.

But does he say "the second" at some time?
Can't recall, for sure.

Let's just put Clark W. Griswold Junior....


It _is_ junior... right?

um....

Oh, Geez....

hmmm.....

Heck with it, I'm putting Clark W. Griswold. Period.



So, yup.
Eight minutes.

And now, back to typing away comments.... so far behind...


----------



## pkondz

<sigh> To paraphrase Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.
I'm trying to be like the Poppa tomato who squishes the baby tomato and says "Catsup".






RGirl said:


> *Since we were traveling by car, I did decide that we would bring a cooler with food so that we could avoid eating out for every meal at least during the first few days of our trip.*



And right there is my biggest complaint when I do road trips.
Pretty much all our road trips start with a one hour drive south to the Canada/US border.
We can't bring dairy products, fruits or vegetables.
I think probably not meats either. Don't know. Don't wanna risk it.

So bringing food along is restricted to... pre-packaged stuff we can buy cheaper in the States.



RGirl said:


> *So I ended up just parking after fueling up the car and putting together a little lunch plate for Willow to enjoy in the car - we called it her lunch buffet because it consisted of such a variety of things - ham, cheese, crackers, bell peppers, Cheetohs, and I dont remember what else. She was happy with it though!*



Why not? Sounds great! Who doesn't love a buffet??



RGirl said:


> *Wait, what? I guess her favorite blanky and pillow-pet Pluto were a little more interesting than whatever was going on outside.*



Seems reasonable.



RGirl said:


> *At some point along here, this conversation ensued:
> Willow - I just saw a ghost.
> Roni - Thats nice..
> Willow - Yeah, it was eating grass.
> Roni - [thinking, A ghost? Eating grass? Has she lost her mind???] WHAT???
> Willow - Yes, eating grass.
> Roni - [thinking, Ooooooh] Did you say GOAT???
> Willow - Yes.
> Roni - I thought you said GHOST!*



For whatever reason, this brought back a memory from over 400 years ago when I was about 4.
We were in a church basement, about to watch a movie.
A man I didn't know, asked me if I knew what "that" was and pointed to the blank, white screen.
I don't remember if I answered, but he said, "It's a cow eating grass."

Dramatic pause...

"He ate all the grass so he went home."

I've told that same 'joke' to my kids. And anyone else who's foolish enough to listen.



RGirl said:


> *We took the opportunity to check out the VERY windy beach.*



What an _odd_ name for a beach!



RGirl said:


> *We ran into the bride on our way back from the beach. Willow has not attended a wedding before (all of my friends were married LONG before I became a parent), so she was just awe-struck, staring at the bride. Amazingly, this lovely young woman stopped on her way down to the stairs to take her to the beach TO GET MARRIED and said hello to Willow and chatted for a few seconds. Willow was thrilled.*



Impressive.
A bride on her way to her wedding is so together that she can stop and chat with a little girl?

Very nice.



RGirl said:


> *play at the tennis court. Now this ball was NOT made for tennis courts since it did not bounce*



Tennis with a rock?
Ooohhh... fun.

Not.



RGirl said:


> *Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time just goofing around with the ball and paddles at the tennis courts.*



So what do I know.
Tennis with a rock?
Apparently fun!




RGirl said:


> *First day of school! First day of school! Wake up! Wake Up! Come on, first day of school!*



I love those Staples commercials (assuming you have 'em there too) where
the kids are dragging their feet down the aisles while their parents are jumping for joy to the tune of "It's the most wonderful time, of the year."

And I so agree with them.



RGirl said:


> *So I had to stick in a little intermission, a recess if you will, from the TR to share with you a little real-life update.*



 Been there, done that!



RGirl said:


> *Today was the first day of school here! Little Miss Willow is officially a big second grader!*



Getting bigger!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Nice throw! 



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> *



I'm going to go out on a limb and say milk from that cow has a lot of fiber in it.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



What are you eating there, Willow?



RGirl said:


> *Of course, she had to put on a new outfit and her new boots before we even left for the ride home. *



Well, yeah!
Hello! New outfit!



RGirl said:


> *I have no idea where she gets the crazy poses!!!  *



Probably from her mom 

It's a veritable pose-a-thon!



RGirl said:


> *Thankfully, she is still a Disney girl through and through and just had to have a Frozen backpack (and lunchbox and thermos).*



Up here, around the time school starts, if you want a frozen backpack, lunch box and thermos, just leave them outside.
By morning they'll be frozen.



RGirl said:


> * Here she is all ready to head to school this morning.
> Growing up way too fast.*



And mom sheds a silent tear, right?
I remember when mine were that age.



RGirl said:


> *Willow took quite a few more. And as you can see, hers were much more creative.*







RGirl said:


> *And then our room was ready! Hallelujah!*



And there was great rejoicing.



RGirl said:


> *Willow:  Hurray!!!!*



See?



RGirl said:


> *Now, this place is a little more MO-tel than HO-tel, so there arent exactly a lot of employees standing around waiting to help with luggage.*



Still, not a bad looking room. Heck, you had a couch!
(If it's a sofa bed... stay far, far away from it. Trust me.)



RGirl said:


> *the cheapest, non-view, MO-tel room was still a whopping $210 before taxes and fees)*



 I assume the room came with complimentary diamonds sprinkled about?



RGirl said:


> * - and it turned out that all of the rooms in this el-cheapo category are on the second floor. With no elevator. Did you see how much stuff we had just in the back of our car?*



erk.
Might I suggest you attempt to _drive_ up the stairs?



RGirl said:


> *I am not comfortable leaving luggage in a car in a motel or hotel parking lot overnight,*



Especially not, no, definitely not if it's visible like it looks like yours would be.



RGirl said:


> * so it all had to come in, which meant it all had to come UP the stairs.*



My back hurts just thinking about it.



RGirl said:


> * I went ahead and asked the nice front-desk person if there might be someone who could help us. She called someone right away, and THAT, my friends, is how we actually ended up with our belongings in our room that night.*



Phew!



RGirl said:


> *maybe I would have felt differently if I had spent even more money and actually been looking out at the ocean.*



Nope.
Because if you had, guaranteed that there'd be thick fog so you _still_ couldn't see it.



RGirl said:


> *We liked the Surfitdes take on the Do Not Disturb sign.*



Should have asked for one for Willow's room.
Right Willow?



RGirl said:


> *Now, at this point, we were both kind of beat and just happy not to be in the car (or the Surftides lobby). So we chilled in the room for a little bit.*



I love that time.
That's my "aaaaah" time.
Great time to regenerate some energy.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



All you had to do was post that picture.
Would've saved yourself a lot of writing.



RGirl said:


> *I had a Caesar salad and fish tacos (sorry about the taco pic - I had scraped off the aioli that I had requested be left off, so they look a mess).*



How was it?



RGirl said:


> *Willow ordered mac and cheese, which she said was awful - no cheese taste at all.*



Nothing better than mac 'n cheese... except if it's awful.
Too bad.
Nice of the waitress to bring Willow something else, though.



RGirl said:


> *The price did not include the entertainment though - that was just a bonus!*



This should be good...



RGirl said:


> * Now, when dining out, I generally am focused on my food, talking to my child, trying to tune out the sound of my child incessantly telling me about a Sofia the First episode - wait, what? I would never do that!!!*



: No, of course not. 
We parents are _always_ 100% focused on what our 'lil darlings are saying.

Yup.

Uh, huh.



RGirl said:


> *So the table across from us was one of those hard-to-miss train wrecks. There were two parents, a teen girl, a boy about Willows age, and a toddler. The toddler was throwing fish on the floor - like, just hucking it across the way - and smearing tartar sauce all over the booth.*



Step one.
Too young to dine out apparently.
Parents, get in there and _parent_ for Pete's sake!



RGirl said:


> * The young boy was refusing to eat anything because he didnt like it and was instead playing a handheld video game device thing. Classic.*



True. But not in _my_ house. 
No way, no how.



RGirl said:


> * The teen seemed quite pleasant at first, but a closer look (obtained when she got up and started the athletic portion of their evening) noted that she was dirty, FILTHY dirty*



Weird. But maybe something happened that she couldn't change, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.



RGirl said:


> *and then she spent the last part of the meal just chasing the toddler all over the restaurant laughing.*



No, no, no, no, no, no!
You do _not_ let your child run free in a restaurant!
EVER!
And it's not just because it annoys the heck out of everyone else, it's a safety hazzard.
Unless the parents _want_ the server to spill an entire tray of hot food on him.





RGirl said:


> * The parents didnt seem to mind at all - they were drinking a bottle of wine and chowing down.*



Oblivious.
Ugh.



RGirl said:


> *It was crazy! The booth was just DESTROYED when they were done - food everywhere, silverware all over the floor, food in the walkway, etc. I felt terrible for the busboy who came to clean it up.*



Don't you just want to leave an extra tip for him?
Sometimes I wish I was rich, just so I could do that.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 3A*



Thanks for all the posts!


----------



## lwanthony

Next time you are in Lincoln City check out the Sandcastle Motel. It is on the south end of town, and is not fancy. However, it is clean and so close to the ocean you could throw rocks in the water at high tide form your room! I have been staying there since I was about 5 years old and absolutely love it. Plus all the rooms are water front and under $150. 

Looks like a fun trip so far!!!!!!!


-Lane


----------



## KatMark

I got a bit behind trying to finish up my TR.

Looks like a last "fun-filled" summer weekend. Love Willow's modeling of all her new fashionable school attire.

Thank the Lord the room is finally ready!

I'm glad they found someone to help you upstairs with all of that stuff in the back of your car. 

How sweet of the waitress to bring a PBJ seeing that Willow was not enjoying her mac and cheese which does not look cheesy at all.


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Lol...my time zone and email stalking paid off!  I leave on the 17th for a cruise so I hope you wrap up by then.


* I have my doubts that I'll be done before you leave for your cruise....

But I am CERTAIN that you won't care at all when you are enjoying your vacation!!!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I like the do not disturb sign and all the mermaid touches around the hotel!  And thank goodness someone could help with all the bags. But I sure do hate when there's no elevator to load all the stuff into (including the kids!).


*Oh yeah - I was really kicking myself for not inquiring about which floor and the elevator situation at the time I booked. I was very thankful they were able to help me out!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> The view from the restaurant looks pretty--but maybe the free entertainment was more interesting?  I sometimes wonder what people are thinking when they go out in public. No wonder mom and dad were having some wine!


* It was QUITE a sight to behold!*



courtneybelle said:


> Well, this is what happens when you move to college...you lose your lead  I'll see if I can catch up!


* I expect you to be back in it to win it soon!

I hope you had a good move and that the new school year has started off great!*



courtneybelle said:


> Definitely see the similarities between that mountain and Everest.


*Willow will be very pleased - unfortunately, I didn't get to replies until after she went to bed. *



courtneybelle said:


> I haven't seen any of the Tinker Bell movies, but I had such a good meet with her last trip that I may have to watch one.


*I am sure Willow could recommend some for you.  *



courtneybelle said:


> HAHAH goat/ghost. Love it.


* It was just one of those things that was so stupid that it was hilarious!*



courtneybelle said:


> Wow, the sky looks so beautiful on the beach!


*I love the Pacific Northwest coast. *



courtneybelle said:


> That was so sweet of the bride to chat with Willow for a few minutes.


*I couldn't believe it! So sweet!*



courtneybelle said:


> I love that pink and grey dress with the leather boots. I wish I had a Frozen backpack!


*I am going to have to get Willow to do her own replies sometime this week. *



courtneybelle said:


> I'm digging the mermaid pillows!


*Cute theme, huh?*



courtneybelle said:


> I generally have a similar expression to Willow's when I receive bread.






courtneybelle said:


> Yeah, that mac and cheese kinda looks just like pasta  So nice of them to give Willow a PB&J, though!


*It was VERY nice of them to accommodate her.  *



courtneybelle said:


> Oh my gosh, I can't imagine being the poor guy who had to clean up after that family. Hopefully they tipped well.


*I hope so - I have bussed tables before, and I might have cried if this event had occurred in my section. *



courtneybelle said:


> Awesome updates and hopefully I can redeem myself in the challenge soon!!!


*Thanks! I have no doubt that you will come through with another win soon.  *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hmmm... Mermaid pillow... Disney is everywhere. And hidden mermaids??? Oh my.


*I don't see Disney in as many places as you do, but the very idea of a Hidden Mermaid did provide me with a bit of a Disney moment. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> $210???? Wow!!!! I guess Disney prices aren't that bad after all.


*It definitely seemed a bit excessive to me. It was a very pleasant place, great location, and VERY popular. That said, if/when we return to Lincoln City, I think we'll try another establishment that is not quite so pricey for a non-view room. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> It looks like in the photos that the room's ceiling is angled/slanted? Kinda neat.


*You know what's funny, when I was writing this update and saw that picture, I thought, "Hey, the ceiling was slanted! Go figure!" I do NOT remember that at all!   *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my, I know that feeling when you want to look away, but you just can't. Just way too entertaining. Plus, happy and relieved they aren't me. And I have to add that Willow's comments are killing me.


*Exactly! I mean, I really didn't want to stare, but it was just so over the top!*



hstrickland said:


> I'm late!!!  But finally made it over. Haven't read a thing, yet. Getting ready to go back and read, read, read. Rainy here today, so I have an excuse to do nothing


*Hi Heather!!!  Thanks so much for joining in!!!!*



hstrickland said:


> GREAT introduction!! Love all the video snippets!!  Nice touch. And a fab idea with the quote game! Like it lots!!! Very creative.


*Thanks Heather! *



hstrickland said:


> Your road trip sounds fantastic! Would love to travel down the West Coast from Washington...lots to see. And the anticipation of getting to DL is probably through the roof!!


*It was really just a WONDERFUL trip - I loved combining a Disney vacation with seeing other parts of the country too. Win-Win!*



hstrickland said:


> Tell Willow she did an outstanding job capturing some memorable moments...love the selfies  Too bad ya didn't snap a photo of your dinner entertainment  I love people watching...ya never know what your gonna get  And apparently you got an eyeful!!


*I will tell Willow - I am sure she would have a reply for you here if she wasn't already in bed. 

It was quite a scene!  *



pkondz said:


> It did!
> I knew the movie.
> I knew the actor.
> I knew the character... but...
> 
> I sat there thinking, "Does he refer to himself as Clark W. Griswold _Junior_?
> Or Clark W. Griswold _the second_?
> Wait... or was it the third?
> 
> No, pretty sure it's the second.
> 
> No, wait. It's Junior, right?
> Sure it is.
> He says that just before he takes the saucer down the hill in Christmas Vacation.
> 
> But does he say "the second" at some time?
> Can't recall, for sure.
> 
> Let's just put Clark W. Griswold Junior....
> 
> 
> It _is_ junior... right?
> 
> um....
> 
> Oh, Geez....
> 
> hmmm.....
> 
> Heck with it, I'm putting Clark W. Griswold. Period.
> 
> 
> 
> So, yup.
> Eight minutes.
> 
> And now, back to typing away comments.... so far behind...


* I have nothing else to say!  *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> And right there is my biggest complaint when I do road trips.
> 
> Pretty much all our road trips start with a one hour drive south to the Canada/US border.
> 
> We can't bring dairy products, fruits or vegetables.
> 
> I think probably not meats either. Don't know. Don't wanna risk it.
> 
> So bringing food along is restricted to... pre-packaged stuff we can buy cheaper in the States.


*Oh yeah, that would NOT be good - I guess if you aren't repeatedly crossing the border, you can stock up after you cross. But from your current TR, it sounds like you sometimes cross the border more than once. Bring on the Cheetohs!  *



pkondz said:


> For whatever reason, this brought back a memory from over 400 years ago when I was about 4.
> 
> We were in a church basement, about to watch a movie.
> 
> A man I didn't know, asked me if I knew what "that" was and pointed to the blank, white screen.
> 
> I don't remember if I answered, but he said, "It's a cow eating grass."
> 
> Dramatic pause...
> 
> "He ate all the grass so he went home."
> 
> I've told that same 'joke' to my kids. And anyone else who's foolish enough to listen.


*I may have to borrow this one - I am sure it will get a total "HUH????" face from Miss Willow.*



pkondz said:


> Impressive.
> 
> A bride on her way to her wedding is so together that she can stop and chat with a little girl?
> 
> Very nice.


*No Bridezilla this girl!  *



pkondz said:


> Tennis with a rock?
> 
> Ooohhh... fun.
> 
> Not.
> 
> 
> 
> So what do I know.
> 
> Tennis with a rock?
> 
> Apparently fun!


*Hey - I was as surprised as you are!*



pkondz said:


> I love those Staples commercials (assuming you have 'em there too) where the kids are dragging their feet down the aisles while their parents are jumping for joy to the tune of "It's the most wonderful time, of the year."
> 
> And I so agree with them.


*I haven't seen it, but I can totally understand the sentiment. For us, the school year is not that different from the summer as far as routine though - my child is just in a better mood during the summer months! *



pkondz said:


> I'm going to go out on a limb and say milk from that cow has a lot of fiber in it.






pkondz said:


> What are you eating there, Willow?


*If she was awake, she might tell you it was a funnel cake. More likely, however, she would say, "Um, Mom, what was that thing again???" *



pkondz said:


> Up here, around the time school starts, if you want a frozen backpack, lunch box and thermos, just leave them outside.
> 
> By morning they'll be frozen.


*Remind me not to move to Canada.....*



pkondz said:


> And mom sheds a silent tear, right?
> 
> I remember when mine were that age.


**sigh* Oh yes....*



pkondz said:


> Still, not a bad looking room. Heck, you had a couch!
> (If it's a sofa bed... stay far, far away from it. Trust me.)


*It was not a bad place at all - just over-priced. 

When we have a sofa bed, Willow gets it. *



pkondz said:


> I assume the room came with complimentary diamonds sprinkled about?


*I was certainly LOOKING for them......*



pkondz said:


> erk.
> Might I suggest you attempt to _drive_ up the stairs?


*Considered that...*



pkondz said:


> Especially not, no, definitely not if it's visible like it looks like yours would be.


*Yeah, I think they would be visible to anyone really looking. My dad really pounded that requirement of taking all the luggage in every night when I did my first cross-country road trip.  *



pkondz said:


> Nope.
> 
> Because if you had, guaranteed that there'd be thick fog so you _still_ couldn't see it.


*  You are SO RIGHT!!!!  I mean, literally - I'm pretty sure there was a VERY thick fog the next morning.*




pkondz said:


> Should have asked for one for Willow's room.
> 
> Right Willow?


*If she was awake, I am convinced that she would indeed agree with this.*



pkondz said:


> I love that time.
> That's my "aaaaah" time.
> Great time to regenerate some energy.


*Me too - it just feels so good NOT to be driving!*



pkondz said:


> All you had to do was post that picture.
> Would've saved yourself a lot of writing.


*Willow is much more succinct than I....*



pkondz said:


> How was it?


*Oops!  It was okay - I have had much better, but it was not bad by any means.  *



pkondz said:


> Nothing better than mac 'n cheese... except if it's awful.
> Too bad.
> Nice of the waitress to bring Willow something else, though.


*I thought it was very nice of the server to help Willow out like that. *



pkondz said:


> Step one.
> Too young to dine out apparently.
> Parents, get in there and _parent_ for Pete's sake!


*Exactly!*



pkondz said:


> True. But not in _my_ house.
> No way, no how.


*Not in mine either.  ::no::*



pkondz said:


> Weird. But maybe something happened that she couldn't change, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.


*You make a very good point. I will say, however, that the dirt did not have the look of an accident - more ground-in and stained. Maybe she just didn't have other clothes or something, but they obviously had the money to eat in the restaurant and seemed to be staying at the hotel (which we've established was not cheap ). So the whole situation was just ODD.*



pkondz said:


> No, no, no, no, no, no!
> You do _not_ let your child run free in a restaurant!
> EVER!
> And it's not just because it annoys the heck out of everyone else, it's a safety hazzard.
> Unless the parents _want_ the server to spill an entire tray of hot food on him.


*I know - this kind of thing drives me crazy and gives me anxiety to see!*



pkondz said:


> Don't you just want to leave an extra tip for him?
> Sometimes I wish I was rich, just so I could do that.


*If I'd found some of those diamonds sprinkled around the room, I totally would have given him some.  *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for all the posts!


*Thanks for reading and joining in!  *


----------



## RGirl

lwanthony said:


> Next time you are in Lincoln City check out the Sandcastle Motel. It is on the south end of town, and is not fancy. However, it is clean and so close to the ocean you could throw rocks in the water at high tide form your room! I have been staying there since I was about 5 years old and absolutely love it. Plus all the rooms are water front and under $150.


*Thanks Lane! Next time we head to Lincoln City, I will definitely check out your recommendation. I really appreciate it! *



lwanthony said:


> Looks like a fun trip so far!!!!!!!


*Thanks! I finally finished my January TR, so maybe I can actually get some updates moving on here soon! *



KatMark said:


> I got a bit behind trying to finish up my TR.


*No worries! I know you're busy. Thanks for continuing to join in!  *



KatMark said:


> Looks like a last "fun-filled" summer weekend. Love Willow's modeling of all her new fashionable school attire.


*It was definitely a good way to end the summer. *



KatMark said:


> Thank the Lord the room is finally ready!


*Oh my gosh! I know!!!  It felt like we'd been waiting forever. *



KatMark said:


> I'm glad they found someone to help you upstairs with all of that stuff in the back of your car.


*Me too! I think I might have actually cried if they hadn't been able to help me. *



KatMark said:


> How sweet of the waitress to bring a PBJ seeing that Willow was not enjoying her mac and cheese which does not look cheesy at all.


*It was SO nice of her - we really appreciated it.  *


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> I went ahead and asked the nice front-desk person if there might be someone who could help us. She called someone right away, and THAT, my friends, is how we actually ended up with our belongings in our room that night.


I'm glad they were able to help because... wow...  



RGirl said:


> The room was perfectly fine - nothing special, but clean and everything we needed - your basic decent motel room. In my opinion, the room was over-priced for what it was


You tend to find that in a lot of places.  Especially in close proximity to water.



RGirl said:


> Willow ordered mac and cheese, which she said was awful - no cheese taste at all.


Wow... I mean when you rank the lists of foods that are easy to screw up, Mac and Cheese has got to be pretty far from the top.



RGirl said:


> When our server saw that she wasnt eating it, she brought her a PB&J, which made Willow happy and was a very kind thing to do.


Ok, Great save by the server.  



RGirl said:


> Anyway, after we finished our dinner, we decided to walk back to the room without even checking out the pool!  Willow put Babe on the included DVD player and watched that before falling asleep shortly after 8. I stayed up later uploading pictures and coordinating with my friend in the Bay Area with whom we would be staying in a few days.


Not a bad end to the day.  Sometimes just getting into the hotel room and unwinding a bit is what you really need after a day on the road. 



pkondz said:


> It did!
> I knew the movie.
> I knew the actor.
> I knew the character... but...
> 
> I sat there thinking, "Does he refer to himself as Clark W. Griswold _Junior_?
> Or Clark W. Griswold _the second_?
> Wait... or was it the third?
> 
> No, pretty sure it's the second.
> 
> No, wait. It's Junior, right?
> Sure it is.
> He says that just before he takes the saucer down the hill in Christmas Vacation.
> 
> But does he say "the second" at some time?
> Can't recall, for sure.
> 
> Let's just put Clark W. Griswold Junior....
> 
> 
> It _is_ junior... right?
> 
> um....
> 
> Oh, Geez....
> 
> hmmm.....
> 
> Heck with it, I'm putting Clark W. Griswold. Period.
> 
> 
> 
> So, yup.
> Eight minutes.
> 
> And now, back to typing away comments.... so far behind...


Ok, you should get at least a point for completely over thinking it.   

Did you happen to see this picture making its way around the internet this weekend?


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> Ok, you should get at least a point for completely over thinking it.    Did you happen to see this picture making its way around the internet this weekend?



Point for me? I'm all for it!

And no, I didn't see that pic. 
That's pretty funny!


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad they were able to help because... wow...


*Me too! I was getting a little worried. *



afwdwfan said:


> Wow... I mean when you rank the lists of foods that are easy to screw up, Mac and Cheese has got to be pretty far from the top.


*I know! And Willow is generally a big fan of mac and cheese, so I'm thinking it really was pretty bad. *



afwdwfan said:


> Ok, Great save by the server.


*It was VERY nice of her.  *



afwdwfan said:


> Not a bad end to the day.  Sometimes just getting into the hotel room and unwinding a bit is what you really need after a day on the road.


*Definitely true, and this was a pretty long driving day. Thankfully, on the trip down, all the other days were planned to have a lot less driving. Best laid plans and all that, of course......  *



afwdwfan said:


> Ok, you should get at least a point for completely over thinking it.
> 
> Did you happen to see this picture making its way around the internet this weekend?





pkondz said:


> Point for me? I'm all for it!
> 
> And no, I didn't see that pic.
> That's pretty funny!


* Love the picture!

If this was a contest for over-thinking, I'm pretty sure pkondz would have already taken the grand prize! *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn't name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standings:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 6 points*


*I don't know, he seems kind of hairy and slobbery to me.*​*
Day 3A - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Lincoln City, Oregon and down the Coast of Oregon

After our brief stay in Lincoln City, we were up at about 6:30AM. And I was faced with the massive amount of STUFF that had been kindly brought up to our room by a Surftides employee the evening before. I was too stubborn to call the front desk to see if there was someone who could help us, so I made about 243 trips down the tiny, twisty outdoor stairs to haul all of our stuff back down to the car and shove it all back in there.*
*

*​*Please ignore the fact that the woman above is going UP the stairs; picture it in reverse or something.

Despite my extensive morning luggage exercises, we found ourselves back on the road at 7:30 after stopping off at the Surftides front desk to check out and pick up some complimentary coffee with disgusting powdered complimentary creamer. 

Willow:  Ewwwwww!

And today, we had some truly spectacular ocean views during our drive. Enough so that I had to pull over a few times to get some non-zoomed-in pictures for you.*
*





*​*Willow was eagerly taking pictures today too. (Reminder: this enthusiasm will not last.)*
*

*​*Some pics Willow took as we zoomed along:*
*





























*​*Wow - sorry - Willow got a lot of pics today, and some of them were quite good. I don't think she'd forgive me if I didn't share, so just keep scrolling for a couple secs, okay???*
*

























*​*Phew! Sorry about that - you'll understand why I shared so many when you (very soon) see that she completely stopped taking photos during the car journey.  Plus, I just LOVE the Pacific coast - I couldn't pick just one or two!

Willow:  *giggle*

Up Next: Day 3A (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*I don't know, he seems kind of hairy and slobbery to me. (cont.)*​*
Day 3A (cont.) - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Lincoln City, Oregon and down the Coast of Oregon

When not taking pictures, we were rocking out with Michael Jackson. Okay, listen, we are big Michael Jackson fans - just deal with it. Hey, at least we weren't listening to Let It Go, a song I have only heard 845.7 million times.*
*





*​*Willow:  

Willow watched a brief bit of a movie, but soon gave up on it - the views and the music were entertaining enough apparently.*
*

*​*Willow:  Yay, yay, yay!

Today was not all about driving though; today marked the first day of our trip dedicated to actually doing stuff. I had planned a relatively short drive so that we could stop along the way and enjoy some of the semi-historical roadside attractions that the Pacific Coast has to offer. And by about 9:00AM, we had arrived at our one planned destination for the day - the Sea Lion Caves!*
*

*​*Sea Lion Caves is a privately owned wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary, in existence since 1932. It is the country's largest sea cave and the year-round home to the Steller sea lion.

Because we were here at opening, there was almost no one else around, which was really nice. We were able to park right outside the door to the place. When we departed a short while later, people were parking in the lots across the highway, so getting here early is a good plan for sure!

We went in and purchased our tickets to view the sea lions - $18, I believe. Willow was in picture-taking mode for the moment, having to get a quick pic out the window on the way to the restrooms before we headed out to actually see the views and sea lions.*
*

*​*Soon we were heading out, pausing to take a pic with the sea lion statue, of course.*
*

*​*We headed down the path to the caves, enjoying the incredible ocean views along the way.*
*





*​*The nice people at the Sea Lion Caves had warned us that there would not be a lot of sea lions in the cave at all because it was summer. They were outside, enjoying the "warm" weather. But we wanted to see the caves, and I'm glad we did! First, we took an elevator down 200 feet below into the cave. We carefully avoided any jumping.*
*









*​*And soon we were entering the cave.*
*

*​*We watched a little educational video.*
*

*​*Willow: Which was fun.

We checked out a sea lion skeleton.*
*

*​*Willow:  Ooooh, thats yucky!

And we viewed the few sea lions who were hanging in the cave being unsociable while all their buddies sprawled around outside on the beach.*
*

*​*Willow posed with a sea lion statue again.*
*

*​*And we started up ALL these stairs to see what we could see.*
*

*​*Pretty darn nice view up here!*
*









*​*Up Next: Day 3A (cont.)*


----------



## jedijill

Scuttle in The Little Mermaid


The coast looks stunning....Willow got some great photos!

I feel your pain on hauling the luggage....my parents do the same thing and they don't pack lightly!

Jill in CO


----------



## KatMark

The Little Mermaid; but can't remember who said it

***Dang Jill beat me to it again.

I'll be back tomorrow to read the update. Finishing watching Robin Williams Special and then hitting the sack.


----------



## RGirl

*I don't know, he seems kind of hairy and slobbery to me. (cont.)*​*
Day 3A (cont.) - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Lincoln City, Oregon and down the Coast of Oregon

We headed back down.*
*

*​*And then took the elevator back to the surface, where Willow RAN up the long hill to where we started. And I slogged my way up.*
*

*​*When we had reached our starting point, we traveled down in the other direction to the Sea Lion Lookout.*
*





*​*Here, we kind of saw the sea lions on the rocks far below us, and definitely heard them - man, these guys are LOUD.*
*









*​*We made our way back up, and Willow did a little shopping in the gift shop, picking out a little stuffed penguin for her first souvenir of the vacation. (Willow had her own souvenir money this trip that she had earned by doing chores for an allowance and by reading extra books through the school year and summer.) Looks like she got a picture of her penguin after we returned to the car.*
*

*​*We also got some popcorn to snack on as we continued on our way.*
*





*​*Up Next: Day 3B*


----------



## shan23877

Yoo Hoo! Look who's managing to comment! 

I'm going to need some update hints if I'm going to get any points I guess! Darn it!

Loving hearing about the trip! Sea Lion Cave looks AWESOME! That's a lotta sea lions! Very cool.

And I remember you messaging me about those kids at dinner. I'm still not over it. YIKES!


----------



## shan23877

Oh! And MJ rocks. Thriller was my very first LP


----------



## gardengirl2790

I have to say that Willow is quite the photographer, great job!

We've visited the Sea Lion caves too, unfortunately what I remember most was the smell . . .


----------



## ajsary

I agree, Willow is a terrific photographer!  What camera do you guys have?  I'm looking for an easy camera to take on our Disney Cruise in four weeks.  I am the worst photographer in the family.  I think my one year old can frame up a shot better than me.  The sea lion caves look so neat!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow, Willow's pictures really are great, especially from a moving car. That is not easy. Good Job!

Hey, MJ is a legend and musical genius Roni. There is never any shame in rocking out to MJ. Ever. Anyone who disagrees can Beat It.

The caves look really really cool even if there isn't an abundance of Sea Lions.


----------



## petals

Great updates and great pictures from the car Willow


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Scuttle in The Little Mermaid


*Dang, Jill!! You are ON FIRE! *



jedijill said:


> The coast looks stunning....Willow got some great photos!


*Thanks! I was so happy to see her pics - one down side of driving is you can't really take pictures. *



jedijill said:


> I feel your pain on hauling the luggage....my parents do the same thing and they don't pack lightly!


*Ugh - I used to be such a light packer. And then I became a parent of a little girl......  *



KatMark said:


> The Little Mermaid; but can't remember who said it
> 
> ***Dang Jill beat me to it again.


*So close!!!!!!*



KatMark said:


> I'll be back tomorrow to read the update. Finishing watching Robin Williams Special and then hitting the sack.


*I haven't watched any of the tributes yet - I know they will make me too sad (I did DVR a couple though for later).*


----------



## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> Yoo Hoo! Look who's managing to comment!


*What???  Who is that????  *



shan23877 said:


> I'm going to need some update hints if I'm going to get any points I guess! Darn it!


* I'm still convinced you'll get at least one.  *



shan23877 said:


> Loving hearing about the trip! Sea Lion Cave looks AWESOME! That's a lotta sea lions! Very cool.


*It was a very fun stop. *



shan23877 said:


> And I remember you messaging me about those kids at dinner. I'm still not over it. YIKES!


*Right?  CRAZY!*



shan23877 said:


> Oh! And MJ rocks. Thriller was my very first LP


*Well, you know how Willow and I feel about him. *



gardengirl2790 said:


> I have to say that Willow is quite the photographer, great job!


*Thanks! I thought she did a pretty great job this day.  *



gardengirl2790 said:


> We've visited the Sea Lion caves too, unfortunately what I remember most was the smell . . .


* Luckily,we did not experience that - probably because they were all outside enjoying the sun.*



ajsary said:


> I agree, Willow is a terrific photographer!  What camera do you guys have?  I'm looking for an easy camera to take on our Disney Cruise in four weeks.  I am the worst photographer in the family.  I think my one year old can frame up a shot better than me.  The sea lion caves look so neat!


*Thanks!

We both have Canon PowerShots - I pass mine down to Willow when I upgrade. 

The sea lion stop was really fun! *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, Willow's pictures really are great, especially from a moving car. That is not easy. Good Job!


*Thanks! I was pretty impressed with some of the shots she got - and grateful since I couldn't really get any pictures myself. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hey, MJ is a legend and musical genius Roni. There is never any shame in rocking out to MJ. Ever. Anyone who disagrees can Beat It.


* I couldn't agree more. Willow is one of his Biggest Fans. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> The caves look really really cool even if there isn't an abundance of Sea Lions.


*It was a great stop - we liked going all the way down to see the caves, and then it was cool to observe all the sea lions sunning themselves on the rocks. And man, were they ever LOUD! *



petals said:


> Great updates and great pictures from the car Willow


*Thanks! I thought she really got some decent shots. *


----------



## RGirl

*Willow wanted to respond to all the nice comments she received! *



dizneeat said:


> Roni and Willow, that is ONE fun TR to read!


*It sure was a fun trip!*



KatMark said:


> I love Willow's pictures and her offering her own thoughts as you go along.


*Thank you!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> that mountain picture is really pretty--and it does sort of look like Everest!  good eye, willow!
> 
> the ghost/goat story was so funny!  I love conversations like that.
> 
> the surftides looks like a pretty hotel.  how nice that the bride stopped to talk to willow.


*Thank you!

Me too! [goat conversation]

It was pretty cool to see a bride for my first time.*



librarygeek said:


> I'm loving the fact that Willow is chiming in.  And her nail idea was too cute!


* Thank you!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Ok, a real reply finally! I can't believe willow wore a white outfit to the fair and left clean!  Way to go, girl!  I would have found a mud puddle to fall in for sure....
> 
> I like all the new outfits for school--super cute. The boots are rockin'!
> 
> Hope your first day of school was awesome, Willow!


*That is silly!!! I stayed clean!

The boots ARE rockin'!

It was! Thank you!!!*



hstrickland said:


> Tell Willow she did an outstanding job capturing some memorable moments...love the selfies


*I like myself that's why I take selfies! Thank you!!!*



pkondz said:


> What are you eating there, Willow?


*I'm eating a funnel cake! It's such a LARGE funnel cake! It's good - you should try one.*



pkondz said:


> Should have asked for one for Willow's room.
> Right Willow?


*Right!*



gardengirl2790 said:


> I have to say that Willow is quite the photographer, great job!


*Thank you!*



ajsary said:


> I agree, Willow is a terrific photographer!


*Thank you! I agree too! []*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, Willow's pictures really are great, especially from a moving car. That is not easy. Good Job!


*Thank you!And if you want to try to do that, you have to snap it really fast before you past it and make it look blurry.*



petals said:


> Great updates and great pictures from the car Willow


*Thank you!*


----------



## STLMickeyMom

the sea lion caves look really awesome, and i'm glad you all didn't do any jumping in the elevator! 

willow's pictures of the drive are very good.  man, I live in the wrong part of the country!


----------



## NorCalGal

RGirl said:


> * I dont know, he seems kind of hairy and slobbery to me. (cont.)​
> Day 3A (cont.) - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Lincoln City, Oregon and down the Coast of Oregon
> 
> 
> Here, we kind of saw the sea lions on the rocks far below us, and definitely heard them - man, these guys are LOUD.
> 
> 
> Up Next: Day 3B*



I'm following your report and just wanted to comment on this.  I live in Eureka (you practically drove by my house if you were on 101!), and I live on the bay so I hear California sea lions all the time, and they ARE loud.  During mating season the whole town can hear those guys barking all night, LOL.


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn't name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standings:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 8 points

"Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes ... or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away?​
Day 3B - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Coast of Oregon

So, when I last left off, we had said good-bye to our sea lion friends and hit the road again. We were zipping along until we came around a bend and spotted this.


​
Another roadside attraction!  (I had read about this one prior to leaving on our trip as well, although I had not specifically planned to stop unless we happened to notice it in passing, which we obviously did!)

This was certainly better than the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth! This was the Prehistoric Gardens. In 1953, dinosaur enthusiast and former CPA E.V. "Ernie" Nelson set out to fulfill his dream of building a dinosaur park. He chose a prehistoric rainforest on the Southern Coast of Oregon. It took years to construct, including extensive research to attempt to ensure that the life-size dinosaur replicas were scientifically correct. The Prehistoric Gardens opened on 1 January 1955. Amazingly, like so many of the roadside attractions we visited on this trip, the Prehistoric Gardens remains a family business. How can anyone pass up a visit to this place? This is America, folks! 

First order of business was to get a pic with Rex out front.






​
We then paid the entrance fee ($20 - $12 for adults and $8 for kids) and started on our self-guided tour, map in hand. Basically, this is a rain forest area dotted with giant dinosaurs. Who can ask for anything more????


​
Among the dinosaurs, we also spotted a real and very blue bird.


​
This was very fun - it was silly, but somewhat educational, and a nice little hike. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was well worth the $20.

Willow: And I kind of felt like I was in a real dinosaur world. But I was glad they werent real.


























​
Crush, is that you???


​
(Hey, Rob! Did you see that? I managed to pull off a Disney reference in a totally non-Disney environment.  )

Here, we were trying to demonstrate how ginormous these leaves are.










​
Up Next: Dat 3B (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* "Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes ... or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away? (cont.)​
At first we thought that maintenance had missed this toppled fish thing. Then we read the sign, which explained that these creatures were helpless as a fish on land and often got stranded like this in low tide. Who knew?? 














​
Of course, we had to make a stop in the gift shop for Willow to examine every potential souvenir and finally make her purchase.






​
She attempted to get a picture in the car.


​
Okay - this one is slightly better.


​
Psst - it's a necklace!

When we were done exploring the dinosaurs, it was getting close to 1:00, so I quickly fixed us both a little lunch "buffet" from the cooler, and we headed out on our way.


​
We were treated to more amazing views as we traveled on. Don't worry - I actually pulled the car off the road and got these shots.














​
See - told ya.






​
Willow once again passed on watching a movie and instead insisted on listening to more Michael Jackson.

Don't worry - I'm not going to let you down:


​
Up Next: Day 3C*


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> the sea lion caves look really awesome, and i'm glad you all didn't do any jumping in the elevator!


* We were very careful in the elevator!!!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> willow's pictures of the drive are very good.  man, I live in the wrong part of the country!


*It's gorgeous, isn't it? I just want to go to the coast all the time! *



NorCalGal said:


> I'm following your report and just wanted to comment on this.  I live in Eureka (you practically drove by my house if you were on 101!), and I live on the bay so I hear California sea lions all the time, and they ARE loud.  During mating season the whole town can hear those guys barking all night, LOL.


*Hey there! I'm so glad you're following along, and thank you so much for taking the time to stop and comment! 

 Nothing like a little sea lion noise to keep you up at night!!!!*


----------



## jedijill

Clark Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation

I love those family run roadside attractions!  Every time I drive home to Missouri, I pass the world's largest prairie dog but I never stop.  

Those dinosaurs look really cool!  The coast continues to be stunning.  I love all those rocks out in the water.

Jill in CO


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I just love roadside attractions!!!  this looks like a stop we would love in our family!  I've already decided that the next time we need a weekend family trip, we're going down to see the world's largest rocking chair. 

willow--I think those dinos look so fun, but i'm glad they're not alive anymore too!!  we just saw the world's largest ketchup bottle the other day.  you'll have to look it up online.  it's in Illinois.

jedijill--we're in St Louis!  a couple summers ago I took the kids I nanny on a roadside attraction vacation.  we did a cave/underwater lake, world's largest fork, largest solo cup and a really fun drive through zoo.  I've never heard about the world's largest prairie dog though.  gonna have to find that one!


----------



## petals

The Dinosaur yoke looks cool. Love Willow's necklace as well


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *After our brief stay in Lincoln City, we were up at about 6:30AM.*



And how did Willow handle that?



RGirl said:


> *I was too stubborn to call the front desk to see if there was someone who could help us, so I made about 243 trips down the tiny, twisty outdoor stairs to haul all of our stuff back down to the car and shove it all back in there.*



I would've done it in one.

And paid the price... again.



RGirl said:


> *Please ignore the fact that the woman above is going UP the stairs; picture it in reverse or something.*



I did, but couldn't figure out why she kept walking backwards.
Back problems with her too?



RGirl said:


> *pick up some complimentary coffee with disgusting powdered complimentary creamer.*



I don't drink coffee... but I can't imagine ever putting that stuff in.



RGirl said:


> *Wow - sorry - Willow got a lot of pics today, and some of them were quite good. I dont think shed forgive me if I didnt share, so just keep scrolling for a couple secs, okay???*



 I don't mind. I've never seen the west coast... well, I did see a tiny bit in Vancouver, but that's it.
My bucket list has a drive down Hwy 1/101 from Canada to California.



RGirl said:


> *When not taking pictures, we were rocking out with Michael Jackson. Okay, listen, we are big Michael Jackson fans - just deal with it. Hey, at least we weren't listening to Let It Go, a song I have only heard 845.7 million times.*



That seems to be a very common complaint these days.

Very common.



RGirl said:


> *And by about 9:00AM, we had arrived at our one planned destination for the day - the Sea Lion Caves!*



I would so stop there! That looks so cool!



RGirl said:


> *We checked out a sea lion skeleton.*



He's dead, Jim.



RGirl said:


> *Willow posed with a sea lion statue again.
> 
> 
> *



You should've said that it was real, but tame.
Who would've guessed differently?



RGirl said:


> *And then took the elevator back to the surface, where Willow RAN up the long hill to where we started. And I slogged my way up.*



Were there certain quiet mumblings about kids and surplus of energy?



RGirl said:


> *Here, we kind of saw the sea lions on the rocks far below us, and definitely heard them - man, these guys are LOUD.*



It's because of two factors.
1. Obviously is the number of sea lions.
2. Lesser known fact, they're a little hard of hearing.

"Did you hear about Hank?"
"Huh?"
"Who?"
"Wha?"
"Huh?"
"Hunh?"
"Who?"
"Wha?"
"Huh?"..... you get the idea. Just multiply by the number of sea lions and keep repeating until everyone gives up and goes to sleep.



RGirl said:


> *I like myself that's why I take selfies! Thank you!!!*



*So *love that attitude.



RGirl said:


> *I'm eating a funnel cake! It's such a LARGE funnel cake! It's good - you should try one.*



Ah! I've never had one. As far as I know, we don't have any in Canada.



RGirl said:


> *"Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes ... or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away?*



!!!

Clark Grisw.... oh, poop. She beat me to it again.



RGirl said:


> *How can anyone pass up a visit to this place? This is America, folks!*



You're absolutely right!



RGirl said:


> *Willow: And I kind of felt like I was in a real dinosaur world. But I was glad they werent real.*



You're right. Because if they were real, you'd have to deal with dinosaur farts, which couldn't possibly be very good, now, could they?



RGirl said:


> *Here, we were trying to demonstrate how ginormous these leaves are.*



Those suckers are huge! Each leaf is like an umbrella, at least that's the first thing that popped into my head.



RGirl said:


> *At first we thought that maintenance had missed this toppled fish thing. Then we read the sign, which explained that these creatures were helpless as a fish on land and often got stranded like this in low tide. Who knew?? *



Who indeed. I wonder where they got those facts from?
Possibly the same people who advised them on their dino colour choices?



RGirl said:


> *Psst - it's a necklace!*



Well of course it is, silly.
And a very nice one, too.



RGirl said:


> *so I quickly fixed us both a little lunch "buffet" from the cooler, and we headed out on our way.*



Two buffets in two days! 


So envious.



RGirl said:


> *We were treated to more amazing views as we traveled on. Don't worry - I actually pulled the car off the road and got these shots.*



"pulled off"? Or skidded off?

Hmmmm????



RGirl said:


> *Don't worry - I'm not going to let you down:
> 
> 
> *



Still one of the coolest things ever.



RGirl said:


> *
> Up Next: Day 3C*



Can't wait! Thanks for all the updates!


----------



## lwanthony

Clark W Griswald

National Lampoons Vacation!!!!


----------



## lwanthony

Darn you Jill!!!!!!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Hmm, Prehistoric Gardens opened in January 1955. They just HAD to get open before Disneyland I bet. 

It's cute how the dinos seem to have a very slight cartoon feel to them to make them a little less frightening to children.

HA Non-Disney Disney sighting!!! LOVE IT!!!! It's easy once you get started. 

I don't even care, the moonwalk is still one of the coolest freakiest things ever.


----------



## KatMark

Darn, Jill....are you glued to this TR? 

Dinosaurs dinosaurs dinosaurs. There is a big one like that first one in your picture somewhere on the road when you leave Disney World but can't remember exactly where or if it's some kind of dinosaur exhibit or what. 

Lunch looks yummmy....and since I skipped lunch today my stomach is now grumbling.

Beautiful pictures of Willow by the water.


----------



## jedijill

KatMark said:


> Darn, Jill....are you glued to this TR?
> 
> Dinosaurs dinosaurs dinosaurs. There is a big one like that first one in your picture somewhere on the road when you leave Disney World but can't remember exactly where or if it's some kind of dinosaur exhibit or what.
> 
> Lunch looks yummmy....and since I skipped lunch today my stomach is now grumbling.
> 
> Beautiful pictures of Willow by the water.



Yes. 

Don't worry....after Wednesday I'm checking out for 10 days. 

Jill in Co


----------



## courtneybelle

Willow's pictures came out great! I am impressed 

The Sea Lion Caves look so fun!! I love how they clump together on the rocks.

I totally approve of Willow's purchase. Penguins are my favorite!!!

The dinosaurs look awesome! Like Jurassic Park, only less terrifying.

That beach is gorgeous! The water is so blue.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> I was too stubborn to call the front desk to see if there was someone who could help us, so I made about 243 trips down the tiny, twisty outdoor stairs to haul all of our stuff back down to the car and shove it all back in there.


But at least gravity was on your side.   



RGirl said:


> Wow - sorry - Willow got a lot of pics today, and some of them were quite good. I dont think shed forgive me if I didnt share, so just keep scrolling for a couple secs, okay???


Works for me...  Anything to keep me from having to start doing actual work yet.



RGirl said:


> Sea Lion Caves is a privately owned wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary, in existence since 1932. It is the country's largest sea cave and the year-round home to the Steller sea lion.


Cool!  No zoo ever compares to getting to see animals in their natural habitat! 



RGirl said:


> And then took the elevator back to the surface, where Willow RAN up the long hill to where we started. And I slogged my way up.


If she's so energetic, maybe you should have loaded her up with some luggage back at the hotel. 



RGirl said:


> How can anyone pass up a visit to this place? This is America, folks!


Roadside attractions and tourist traps are the American way. 



RGirl said:


> Who can ask for anything more????


Well, I remember watching a movie in my formative years that set the standard for any dinosaur park to ever be built...  



RGirl said:


> At first we thought that maintenance had missed this toppled fish thing. Then we read the sign, which explained that these creatures were helpless as a fish on land and often got stranded like this in low tide. Who knew??


So what looks like a mistake, was actually an intentional detail.  Kind of a like something you might find at a certain park we all know and love...


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> No zoo ever compares to getting to see animals in their natural habitat!


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Clark Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation


*And another two points!  *



jedijill said:


> I love those family run roadside attractions!  Every time I drive home to Missouri, I pass the world's largest prairie dog but I never stop.


*You should stop!!!    I too have driven by a lot of roadside attractions and never considered stopping - they were all so fun on this trip!*



jedijill said:


> Those dinosaurs look really cool!  The coast continues to be stunning.  I love all those rocks out in the water.


*Oh, I was just loving the coastal views. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I just love roadside attractions!!!  this looks like a stop we would love in our family!  I've already decided that the next time we need a weekend family trip, we're going down to see the world's largest rocking chair.


*That's awesome! It's a total blast to stop at these places, isn't it???*



STLMickeyMom said:


> willow--I think those dinos look so fun, but i'm glad they're not alive anymore too!!  we just saw the world's largest ketchup bottle the other day.  you'll have to look it up online.  it's in Illinois.


*Willow: Wow! We just looked it up, and I'm glad it isn't real or else we could be splatted with ketchup all over! Maybe I could climb it since it isn't real!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> jedijill--we're in St Louis!  a couple summers ago I took the kids I nanny on a roadside attraction vacation.  we did a cave/underwater lake, world's largest fork, largest solo cup and a really fun drive through zoo.  I've never heard about the world's largest prairie dog though.  gonna have to find that one!


*Wow - what a totally fun vacation idea!!!!*



petals said:


> The Dinosaur yoke looks cool. Love Willow's necklace as well


*The dinosaur stop was a total blast! *

*Willow: Thank you!*


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> And how did Willow handle that?


*That was sleeping in for Willow.  She definitely wasn't on "vacation time" yet.*

*Willow: I was pretty good at handling it, and I was kind of tired.*



pkondz said:


> I would've done it in one.
> 
> And paid the price... again.


* Well, as long as you were going to include cases of water and giant tutus.....*



pkondz said:


> I did, but couldn't figure out why she kept walking backwards.
> Back problems with her too?


*Yes - I'm sure that's it.*



pkondz said:


> I don't drink coffee... but I can't imagine ever putting that stuff in.


*It was enough to make me not drink coffee as well. *



pkondz said:


> I don't mind. I've never seen the west coast... well, I did see a tiny bit in Vancouver, but that's it.
> My bucket list has a drive down Hwy 1/101 from Canada to California.


*That would be an amazing trip! Hmm - I wouldn't mind doing that one myself. *Adds to lengthy list....**



pkondz said:


> That seems to be a very common complaint these days.
> 
> Very common.


*Oh, yes. I'm happy to say it has tapered off a LOT around here. *



pkondz said:


> I would so stop there! That looks so cool!


*It is definitely worth visiting. *



pkondz said:


> He's dead, Jim.


*Very!*



pkondz said:


> You should've said that it was real, but tame.
> Who would've guessed differently?


*Hmm, that would definitely have spiced up the TR entry. I need to start twisting my TR truths a little.....*



pkondz said:


> Were there certain quiet mumblings about kids and surplus of energy?


*There may have been....  *



pkondz said:


> It's because of two factors.
> 1. Obviously is the number of sea lions.
> 2. Lesser known fact, they're a little hard of hearing.
> 
> "Did you hear about Hank?"
> "Huh?"
> "Who?"
> "Wha?"
> "Huh?"
> "Hunh?"
> "Who?"
> "Wha?"
> "Huh?"..... you get the idea. Just multiply by the number of sea lions and keep repeating until everyone gives up and goes to sleep.


*What's that you say???*



pkondz said:


> *So *love that attitude.


*Right?  I hope she can maintain that attitude to at least some extent over the years.*



pkondz said:


> Ah! I've never had one. As far as I know, we don't have any in Canada.


*Willow: That is not fair!!  *



pkondz said:


> !!!
> 
> Clark Grisw.... oh, poop. She beat me to it again.


*I believe Jill is on vacation now - maybe the next update will be your big chance. *



pkondz said:


> You're absolutely right!






pkondz said:


> You're right. Because if they were real, you'd have to deal with dinosaur farts, which couldn't possibly be very good, now, could they?


*Willow:   So funny!!!!!!*



pkondz said:


> Those suckers are huge! Each leaf is like an umbrella, at least that's the first thing that popped into my head.


*Willow: I thought the same thing!*



pkondz said:


> Who indeed. I wonder where they got those facts from?
> Possibly the same people who advised them on their dino colour choices?


* Their web site maintains that there were several visits to the Smithsonian to ensure the accuracy of their dinosaurs......*



pkondz said:


> "pulled off"? Or skidded off?
> 
> Hmmmm????


**



pkondz said:


> Still one of the coolest things ever.


*Couldn't agree more!*



pkondz said:


> Can't wait! Thanks for all the updates!


*Thanks for continuing to follow along and join in. *


----------



## RGirl

lwanthony said:


> Clark W Griswald
> 
> National Lampoons Vacation!!!!





lwanthony said:


> Darn you Jill!!!!!!!


*

Hang in there, Lane! I'm pretty sure Jill is on vacation this week! There are points to be had!!! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hmm, Prehistoric Gardens opened in January 1955. They just HAD to get open before Disneyland I bet.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> It's cute how the dinos seem to have a very slight cartoon feel to them to make them a little less frightening to children.


*They definitely have that look, don't they? *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> HA Non-Disney Disney sighting!!! LOVE IT!!!! It's easy once you get started.


*I knew you would appreciate that. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I don't even care, the moonwalk is still one of the coolest freakiest things ever.


*It is! *


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> Darn, Jill....are you glued to this TR?






KatMark said:


> Dinosaurs dinosaurs dinosaurs. There is a big one like that first one in your picture somewhere on the road when you leave Disney World but can't remember exactly where or if it's some kind of dinosaur exhibit or what.


*Really? I had no idea!  I wonder what it is.*



KatMark said:


> Lunch looks yummmy....and since I skipped lunch today my stomach is now grumbling.


*You know, we really enjoyed our little car buffets. *



KatMark said:


> Beautiful pictures of Willow by the water.


*Aww - thanks! *



jedijill said:


> Yes.
> 
> Don't worry....after Wednesday I'm checking out for 10 days.


*I better get to posting updates so someone else will have a chance of catching up to you! *



courtneybelle said:


> Willow's pictures came out great! I am impressed


*Willow: Thank you!*



courtneybelle said:


> The Sea Lion Caves look so fun!! I love how they clump together on the rocks.


*It was a really fun place to stop. *



courtneybelle said:


> I totally approve of Willow's purchase. Penguins are my favorite!!!


*Willow: Thank you! I like penguins too. And I gave this one to my friend we visited next - a little boy named Theo. *



courtneybelle said:


> The dinosaurs look awesome! Like Jurassic Park, only less terrifying.


* Definitely a lot less terrifying!*



courtneybelle said:


> That beach is gorgeous! The water is so blue.


*Oh, yeah, the Oregon coast is just gorgeous. *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> But at least gravity was on your side.


*See, that's the positive attitude I could really have used at the time.....*



afwdwfan said:


> Works for me...  Anything to keep me from having to start doing actual work yet.






afwdwfan said:


> Cool!  No zoo ever compares to getting to see animals in their natural habitat!


*Very true!  *



afwdwfan said:


> If she's so energetic, maybe you should have loaded her up with some luggage back at the hotel.


*You make a good point - she was noticeably unhelpful with the luggage that morning.....*



afwdwfan said:


> Roadside attractions and tourist traps are the American way.


*It's true! We just couldn't resist them. *



afwdwfan said:


> Well, I remember watching a movie in my formative years that set the standard for any dinosaur park to ever be built...


* This one was definitely a little different from that one.....*



afwdwfan said:


> So what looks like a mistake, was actually an intentional detail.  Kind of a like something you might find at a certain park we all know and love...


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn't name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standings:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 10 points*

*"Heeeere's Brucie!"​
Day 3C - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Coast of Oregon to Crescent City, CA

When I last left off, we were enjoying the beautiful coastal views as we made our way down the coast of Oregon and into California. Our destination today was Crescent City, CA. I had picked Crescent City because of its location - I really was making an effort to keep most of the drives short on the way down so that we could explore and see the country a bit - and because of our lodging choice here. We were going to stay at the Curly Redwood Lodge. 

The Curly Redwood Lodge was built in 1957 from the wood of a single Redwood tree. The tree that gave its life for the lodge was felled in 1952 - it was just over 18 feet wide at the cut and produced 57,000 board feet of lumber. You can see the beauty of this Redwood tree throughout the Lodge. And, although the lodge is kept clean and carefully maintained, it has not been updated with any kind of modern look. The proprietors prefer to keep it a "blast from the past," and it is just that!

I will admit that, despite how excited I was about staying here, I was also a little nervous - I mean, this was a motel built in the 1950s that had not really been updated, and our room (before tax) was slated to cost only $78.  

So it was with some slight anxiety that I pulled into the Curly Redwood Lodge parking lot at 2:20PM. 










​
We checked in at the office. 










​
Willow took one pic inside the office.


​
Good news! Our room was ready!  

We moved our car and admired the beautiful redwood. 






​
Elizabeth (our car - Willow named her) was quite pleased with her spot for the night right outside our window.


​
We were excited and nervous to get in and see our room. And it was adorable, hilarious and CLEAN - possibly the cleanest place we stayed in the two weeks we were traveling. As you can see, it was like stepping into another era.


















​
And when was the last time you saw one of these "sanitized for your protection" strips???? Probably some of you have NEVER seen one.


​
Willow: If you saw the shower, when you stepped in it, it looked like a tunnel. But if you put your head sideways and you crawled through, it really looked like a tunnel. And you might find buried treasure!

(I have no idea….  )

Over all, we were very pleased with the Curly Redwood Lodge and would stay here again. And at the price, it is beyond a bargain. It had excellent wi-fi on top of the very functional amenities and cleanliness. It did not have AC or a refrigerator, but it was not overly warm in Crescent City, so the AC wasn't a big issue, and there was an ice machine a few steps from the room, so we were able to keep our food at an appropriate temperature even without a refrigerator.

Up Next: Day 3C (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* "Heeeere's Brucie!" (cont.)​
Day 3C (cont.) - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Coast of Oregon to Crescent City, CA

We went back to the office after unloading to inquire about where they recommended for dinner. We got a recommendation for a restaurant and also a suggestion that we visit Ocean World along with a 10% coupon towards that. Well, another roadside attraction, you say? We don't mind if we do! We piled ourselves back into the car and drove the few minutes to Ocean World, which was a throw-back to another time as well. 






​
Ocean World is a privately owned establishment and has been operating in Crescent City since 1964. It was originally known as the Under Seas Gardens and was actually a barge, which was built in Seattle as an aquarium and floated down to Crescent City. Visitors would descend below the surface of the water to observation windows. The barge was moved to land in 1985, and the establishment became Ocean World, featuring tanks holding over a million gallons of water and lots of sea life, including sharks, rays and eels.

Willow even took a pic of the flyer for you.


​
We purchased our tickets ($12.95 for adults and $7.95 for kids - I paid $18.81 total with our discount coupon) and then, surprise, surprise, checked out the enormous gift shop while we waited for our tour.


​
Obviously, we found a way to entertain ourselves.






​
This was a fun way to spend our afternoon. We got to see and touch some sea life, pet a shark, and watch a little seal-sea lion show (which was probably inhumane and wrong, but the whole experience really felt like we had stepped into a long-past time before we became conscious of such things, and I wasn't really going to stage a protest or something ).

The tour started with star fish and other creatures that we were allowed to touch.






​
Willow even got to hold something up to show everyone while the guide told us about it. I have no recollection what it was! 


​
Willow: It was a starfish! A big, giant starfish. It was red too.

Willow's favorite part was petting the shark - interesting since, until this moment, she was terrified of sharks.










​
Willow: Yes, I was afraid of sharks until this. But this shark kind of liked me and kept going back and forth to me.

No really, she did pet a shark. I was surprised she was willing to do it though - I mean, some of you may remember that she refused to swim in the quiet pool at the BW last year because there might be sharks in it. Perhaps it helped that our guide explained to us that the only way these sharks would bite us is if we took a hand, shoved it into the shark's mouth and then squeezed its jaws shut. 










​
Epcot????  Confusing..

Looks like Willow took at least one pic of the aquarium tanks. Apparently, I took none. 


​
A few shots of the non-PC seal/sea lion "show."










​
Anyway, this was pretty silly, but we had a lot of fun, and the price was right!

Willow: You know how I was afraid of sharks? Its just that I feel like, since Ive heard a lot about other people getting bit by sharks, I thought I dont want to get one. Thats why I always say I dont want to swim in the ocean. A lot of people say they wont bite you if you dont bother them, but I just dont want to be chased by one.

Up Next: Day 3D*


----------



## pkondz

Bruce! The shark from Finding Nemo!

OMG did I beat her? I don't care if she's on vacation.... she'll find a way!

Going back to actually read the post now....


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *I had picked Crescent City because of its location - I really was making an effort to keep most of the drives short on the way down so that we could explore and see the country a bit*



I so love that.
Usually, I'm pretty pressed for time and have to do long drives.
My Niagara Falls trip is the first time I stayed in one spot (Chicago) for more than one night.
Of course that meant the next driving day would be 12 hours or so...

Some day, some day...



RGirl said:


> *The Curly Redwood Lodge was built in 1957 from the wood of a single Redwood tree. The tree that gave its life for the lodge was felled in 1952 - it was just over 18 feet tall from the cut to the tip and produced 57,000 board feet of lumber.*



Something didn't quite add up when I read that.
Redwoods can grow taller than *300* feet! So an 18 footer didn't sound like that big a deal.
I was right, I looked up the Curly Redwood's website and the tree was 18'2'' _wide_ at the base cut.



RGirl said:


> * You can see the beauty of this Redwood tree throughout the Lodge. And, although the lodge is kept clean and carefully maintained, it has not been updated with any kind of modern look. The proprietors prefer to keep it a "blast from the past," and it is just that!*



OMG, I _so_ want to stay there! It looks terrific!
I think I'm in love.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Covered parking! Loading/unloading in the rain not a problem. 

So awesome.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



My folks used to have that same lamp!
Or one really similar.

Actually, I should take a look in their basement (last place I remember seeing it) they might still have it! 



RGirl said:


> *And when was the last time you saw one of these "sanitized for your protection" strips???? Probably some of you have NEVER seen one.*



I've seen 'em... but you're right, not for a long time now.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: If you saw the shower, when you stepped in it, it looked like a tunnel. But if you put your head sideways and you crawled through, it really looked like a tunnel. And you might find buried treasure!
> 
> (I have no idea.  )*



I do.
Make's perfect sense.
Willow, see if I've got this right.
The shower was tall but narrow, right? So if you lay down and looked up, it looked like a tunnel.
Am I right?



RGirl said:


> *We piled ourselves back into the car and drove the few minutes to Ocean World, which was a throw-back to another time as well.*



Cool!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



 That 'stache looks like a very stylized soul patch on Willow.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Now that's hilarious.



RGirl said:


> *Perhaps it helped that our guide explained to us that the only way these sharks would bite us is if we took a hand, shoved it into the shark's mouth and then squeezed its jaws shut.*



I'm still not gonna test it by putting my hand near its mouth, thankyouverymuch.



RGirl said:


> *A few shots of the non-PC seal/sea lion "show."
> 
> 
> *



Nah. Not buying it. It's a statue. Fake!

And I'm not judging. I love those shows.
Frankly, I don't know how it's such a big deal.
"Those seals shouldn't be kept in captivity! It's cruel!"

Uh, huh. But instead of getting regular meals they get to be eaten by killer whales or great white sharks.

Whatever.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: You know how I was afraid of sharks? Its just that I feel like, since Ive heard a lot about other people getting bit by sharks, I thought I dont want to get one. Thats why I always say I dont want to swim in the ocean. A lot of people say they wont bite you if you dont bother them, but I just dont want to be chased by one.*



Who does? I understand your fear, but you're really quite safe in the ocean by the beach. I wouldn't worry too much about it. 



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 3D*



Sweet! Thanks for the chapter!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Bruce! The shark from Finding Nemo!
> 
> OMG did I beat her? I don't care if she's on vacation.... she'll find a way!
> 
> Going back to actually read the post now....


*You did it! You did it!!!  

Honestly, I'm kind of surprised that Jill didn't find a way to get the points despite being on a cruise.....

And thank you - I corrected my ridiculous height to width on the tree. Sheesh - anything seems tall when you're only 5'2".   *


----------



## hstrickland

Hi there! Finally catching up!


Ok...one word for ya...WOW!!!! I can't believe how gorgeous that Pacific Coast is!! Absolutely beautiful....so much different than what we have on the East Coast. 


The cave pictures are great, too. Looks like lots of fun. Bill and I did something similar years ago in Nevada. Really cool to go underground, isn't it?!



Love how Willow is answering posts Precious!


Hope y'all have a great week!
Heather


----------



## STLMickeyMom

the hotel is so pretty!  ok, dated, but clean and pretty nice for the price!  i'd definitely stay there.  plus, I love a place where you can park right in front of your room!

the sanitized for your protection strip!!!  that's cracking me up.  I didn't even know they made those any more!

when I saw the "large unique gift shop" sign, I knew you'd all have to stop in there! 

I do remember willow being afraid of sharks in the pool, because I remember it reminded me of being afraid of the same thing on vacation one year!  i'm glad she got over that and could enjoy her chance to touch a shark!  that's pretty cool!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *You did it! You did it!!!  *



Woot! 



RGirl said:


> *Sheesh - anything seems tall when you're only 5'2".   *


----------



## afwdwfan

The motel looks awesome!  I mean you can't beat the price, it is clean, it has some historic significance being built from a redwood, and you can park right by your door to save on the luggage hauling distance.  Total win.  The place screams 50's/60's Americana too! 

Ocean World seems like a great touristy distraction.  Not too terribly expensive either, which always helps.  And most importantly, congratulations to Willow for overcoming her fear of sharks.  

I'm kind of with pkondz on the seals though...  I mean it is hard to tell what they were doing and how they were treated, but they could be living a better life than some people.  However, I'm sure that isn't the case for all animals in some type of attraction like that.  It all comes down to people who care for them.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I so love that.
> Usually, I'm pretty pressed for time and have to do long drives.
> My Niagara Falls trip is the first time I stayed in one spot (Chicago) for more than one night.
> Of course that meant the next driving day would be 12 hours or so...
> 
> Some day, some day...


*Yeah, I tend to always be in a hurry, so it was a real treat to take our time and experience the various places along the way.*



pkondz said:


> OMG, I _so_ want to stay there! It looks terrific!
> I think I'm in love.


*It was absolutely wonderful - I can't recommend it highly enough.*



pkondz said:


> Covered parking! Loading/unloading in the rain not a problem.
> 
> So awesome.


*Think how easy it would be to transport those tutus in....*



pkondz said:


> My folks used to have that same lamp!
> Or one really similar.
> 
> Actually, I should take a look in their basement (last place I remember seeing it) they might still have it!


*You know, I took that picture because the lamp reminded me so much of lamps we had when I was a kid. *



pkondz said:


> I've seen 'em... but you're right, not for a long time now.


*It was a true blast from the past! *



pkondz said:


> I do.
> Make's perfect sense.
> Willow, see if I've got this right.
> The shower was tall but narrow, right? So if you lay down and looked up, it looked like a tunnel.
> Am I right?


*Yes!*



pkondz said:


> That 'stache looks like a very stylized soul patch on Willow.






pkondz said:


> I'm still not gonna test it by putting my hand near its mouth, thankyouverymuch.


*I think Willow would agree with that approach. *



pkondz said:


> Nah. Not buying it. It's a statue. Fake!
> 
> And I'm not judging. I love those shows.
> Frankly, I don't know how it's such a big deal.
> "Those seals shouldn't be kept in captivity! It's cruel!"
> 
> Uh, huh. But instead of getting regular meals they get to be eaten by killer whales or great white sharks.
> 
> Whatever.


*Yeah, I have to admit that I have not read up on the whole issue enough to make an informed decision, nor do I have time to do so. We enjoyed the show, and the trainer seemed very dedicated to the animals and cognizant of their moods. *



pkondz said:


> Sweet! Thanks for the chapter!


*Thanks for continuing to join in! *



pkondz said:


> Woot!


*What's really pathetic here is that I totally short-changed myself - I'm 5'3"!!!  *


----------



## RGirl

hstrickland said:


> Hi there! Finally catching up!


*Hi Heather! Great to see you! *



hstrickland said:


> Ok...one word for ya...WOW!!!! I can't believe how gorgeous that Pacific Coast is!! Absolutely beautiful....so much different than what we have on the East Coast.


*It is different, isn't it? I really missed it during all my years on the east coast.  *



hstrickland said:


> The cave pictures are great, too. Looks like lots of fun. Bill and I did something similar years ago in Nevada. Really cool to go underground, isn't it?!


*It was very cool - fun to have Willow experience some totally new things.*



hstrickland said:


> Love how Willow is answering posts Precious!


*She loves it! *



hstrickland said:


> Hope y'all have a great week!


*Thanks! You too, Heather!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> the hotel is so pretty!  ok, dated, but clean and pretty nice for the price!  i'd definitely stay there.  plus, I love a place where you can park right in front of your room!


*It was just great - like stepping back in time. It was cool for Willow to experience something that hardly exists anymore.  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> the sanitized for your protection strip!!!  that's cracking me up.  I didn't even know they made those any more!


*I didn't either! I laughed so hard when I saw it. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> when I saw the "large unique gift shop" sign, I knew you'd all have to stop in there!


*Right????  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I do remember willow being afraid of sharks in the pool, because I remember it reminded me of being afraid of the same thing on vacation one year!  i'm glad she got over that and could enjoy her chance to touch a shark!  that's pretty cool!


*I could not believe how long she stayed by that shark pool. She didn't want to leave!*



afwdwfan said:


> The motel looks awesome!  I mean you can't beat the price, it is clean, it has some historic significance being built from a redwood, and you can park right by your door to save on the luggage hauling distance.  Total win.  The place screams 50's/60's Americana too!


*It was wonderful - I would happily stay there again.  *



afwdwfan said:


> Ocean World seems like a great touristy distraction.  Not too terribly expensive either, which always helps.  And most importantly, congratulations to Willow for overcoming her fear of sharks.


*It was a lot of fun - kind of a throw-back to another time and definitely not bad price-wise. We were glad we did it.  *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm kind of with pkondz on the seals though...  I mean it is hard to tell what they were doing and how they were treated, but they could be living a better life than some people.  However, I'm sure that isn't the case for all animals in some type of attraction like that.  It all comes down to people who care for them.


*I agree. I don't pretend to have done the research to make an informed decision, so I don't have a real opinion on the issue. And it's not likely one that I will get the time to research properly anytime soon - a few too many other things going on. These particular animals seemed healthy, and the trainer seemed very in tune with them. *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn't name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standings:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 10 points
pkondz: 2 points



"No one gets left behind! No one gets left behind! Outstanding soldier!"​
Day 3D - Sunday, 27 July 2014 - Crescent City, California

When I last left you, Willow and I had enjoyed yet another throw-back-to-yesteryear roadside attraction. We decided that we needed to see the beach at this point - it was about 4:45PM - so we headed out to see if we could find the restaurant where we would be dining tonight and then stopped at the beach.










​
Willow loves the water - swimming pools, rivers, oceans (sharks aside) - so she was thrilled to spend a little time playing in the shallow waves.










​
Willow: My sandals also got filled with sand, and I couldnt wear them for a long time. Until I got back home.

Soon, however, it was time to head back to the Curly Redwood Lodge to get cleaned up for dinner. And in no time, we were right back to the same area but this time parking at The Chart Room restaurant. 






​
Now let me tell you, this place is POPULAR. We were there quite early as we had not had a lot to eat this day - about 5:15PM - and there was already a wait for tables. Granted, there are not a lot of tables in this place, but every table was full the entire time we were there with people waiting at the front and outside. This was a very casual, seafood-y kind of place.


​
After we ordered, Willow took the opportunity to update her trip journal.






​
I ordered a seafood plate - grilled (which, apparently, did not mean to skimp on the grease! ), hold the coleslaw and garlic toast. It was tasty.


​
Willow went out on a limb and ordered chicken strips and fries. :


​
Willow: Yay!!!  I had those almost every day, but they were yummy!!!

The food was good, the atmosphere was loud and fun, and we had a really great time talking about our trip so far and what was still to come.

When we were done eating, I went to stand in line to pay at the front (as I said, this is a small place and one big room, so I could see our table from the cashier's desk) while Willow got her trip journal and stuff situated. I had quite a bit of a wait to pay, and I kept wondering what was taking Willow so long. I mean, she tends to move at the pace of a snail in these situations, so I wasn't worrying, just wondering. I kept looking over at our table, but all I could see was the back of her head - seriously, how long does it take to close a journal, get up and walk over here????

Finally, I looked over and caught her turned around looking at me. She mouthed, "I'm stuck!!!!" She couldn't move her chair out, and it had arms on it that went up to the edge of the table. We looked at each other across the room and just started guffawing! I went over to release her from her dining jail, and we were both just DYING we were laughing so hard.

Willow: That was so funny! I was like, HELP! Im stuck! It was so funny!  



​
Okay, that one's more me, here's one that's more fair to Willow.


​
We laughed the whole drive back to the motel and into our room. It was only about 6:30PM, but we were both pretty tired from our early start and all of our roadside attraction adventures. Willow put Frozen on her DVD player and chilled out while I wrote up some trip notes and used the handy wi-fi to upload pictures.


​
Up Next: Day 4A*


----------



## MonsterWDWmom

Frank, from Little Miss Sunshine! 

Now to read the update!


----------



## dizneeat

*Yeah, finally I have enough time to comment on an update! 

Love your drive so far. That is something that is still on our bucket list, drive down the WHOLE west coast of the USA. 
That motel looks so nice! I just love the look from the outside, so much wood and covered parking! 
On the inside, well, nice and clean, not really modern, but I would be very happy to be there right now. 
OMG I joined the two of you laughing, imagining being stuck at the dining table. And what a good girl Willow is keeping her trip journal up to date! 
*


----------



## petals

Willow's journal looks cool. Think I need one of those for the trip report diary  Poor Willow getting stuck in the table as well!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow Roni, that place is super cool. Also love the ability to park right outside.

Buried Treasure... I love it!!!

Geez Roni, it was a starfish that Willow held up... how did you not know that? 

Ahhh Disney Spotting!!!! Nice!! See how addictive it is?

Chicken strips rule... just saying.

OMG "I'm Stuck!" I would have died.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *"No one gets left behind! No one gets left behind! Outstanding soldier!"*



I had no idea, so I Googled it. (Which meant I couldn't post, I know.)
Yup. Never saw it.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Something I noticed about this shot.
Notice the shadow beneath her foot?
Notice how the sand looks like water?
Doesn't it look like Willow is walking (okay, running) on water?



RGirl said:


> *Willow: My sandals also got filled with sand, and I couldnt wear them for a long time. Until I got back home.*



I hope you mean "back at the hotel", otherwise, that's a long time to go sandal-less.



RGirl said:


> *Now let me tell you, this place is POPULAR. We were there quite early as we had not had a lot to eat this day - about 5:15PM - and there was already a wait for tables.*



Any idea why it was so popular?



RGirl said:


> *After we ordered, Willow took the opportunity to update her trip journal.*



What cracks me up is how Willow writes she _did_ sea lions, dinosaurs and shark petting...
But only saw trees and a beach. 



RGirl said:


> *Finally, I looked over and caught her turned around looking at me. She mouthed, "I'm stuck!!!!" She couldn't move her chair out, and it had arms on it that went up to the edge of the table. We looked at each other across the room and just started guffawing! I went over to release her from her dining jail, and we were both just DYING we were laughing so hard.*







RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



_Someone_ looks snug as a bug in a rug! 



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 4A*



Thanks for the update!


----------



## RGirl

MonsterWDWmom said:


> Frank, from Little Miss Sunshine!
> 
> Now to read the update!


*Nice job!!!!  *



dizneeat said:


> *Yeah, finally I have enough time to comment on an update! *


*Hi Karin! *



dizneeat said:


> *Love your drive so far. That is something that is still on our bucket list, drive down the WHOLE west coast of the USA. *


*It was amazing - it was on my bucket list too, only now I want to do it again! Kind of like the Alaska cruise with DCL....  *



dizneeat said:


> *That motel looks so nice! I just love the look from the outside, so much wood and covered parking! *


*We just loved it - it was like a little lost-in-time taste of history. *



dizneeat said:


> *On the inside, well, nice and clean, not really modern, but I would be very happy to be there right now. *


* Yeah, it was fun to step back in time!*



dizneeat said:


> *OMG I joined the two of you laughing, imagining being stuck at the dining table. And what a good girl Willow is keeping her trip journal up to date!
> *


* I don't know why it was so funny, but it really cracked us up!

She really enjoyed the little trip journal - it was definitely easier for her to update BEFORE the Disney part of our trip though. *



petals said:


> Willow's journal looks cool. Think I need one of those for the trip report diary  Poor Willow getting stuck in the table as well!


*The journal was really cool - it had a lot of neat different pages to get kids interested in their travels.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow Roni, that place is super cool. Also love the ability to park right outside.


*It was a really neat experience. And I would totally stay there again!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Buried Treasure... I love it!!!


*Crazy....  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Geez Roni, it was a starfish that Willow held up... how did you not know that?


*Right????  What's wrong with me? BTW - I'm still not convinced by her description - I don't think she remembers either.....*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ahhh Disney Spotting!!!! Nice!! See how addictive it is?


*A little Epcot in the middle of a fabulous dated roadside attraction! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Chicken strips rule... just saying.


*Willow completely agrees - as you will see during the course of this TR. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG "I'm Stuck!" I would have died.


*We just couldn't stop laughing - it was so ridiculous!!!  *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I had no idea, so I Googled it. (Which meant I couldn't post, I know.)
> Yup. Never saw it.


*Okay, first, congratulations on your fantastic honesty and ability to stick to the rules - I'm tempted to give you a point for that alone.

Second, you should see that movie - it's GREAT!  *



pkondz said:


> Something I noticed about this shot.
> Notice the shadow beneath her foot?
> Notice how the sand looks like water?
> Doesn't it look like Willow is walking (okay, running) on water?


*Ha! It does!!!  Totally not telling her this - she has a high enough opinion of herself. :*



pkondz said:


> I hope you mean "back at the hotel", otherwise, that's a long time to go sandal-less.


*Willow: Actually, they were my Bibbity Bobbity Boutique shoes, not my sandals.  But I did wear them again on the trip, but not until Disneyland.*



pkondz said:


> Any idea why it was so popular?


*I'm thinking maybe there weren't many options.   I don't know!*



pkondz said:


> What cracks me up is how Willow writes she _did_ sea lions, dinosaurs and shark petting...
> But only saw trees and a beach.


*She is kind of a minimalist - never going to write something twice. *



pkondz said:


> _Someone_ looks snug as a bug in a rug!


**



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the update!


*And thank you for continuing to read and comment!!!  *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 10 points
pkondz: 2 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points*

*"The Wilderness must be explored!"​
Day 4A - Monday, 28 July 2014 - Crescent City, California through the Redwoods

This morning, we were up at 7:00AM. We showered, packed up, got a cup of coffee in the lobby (me, not Willow) and hit the road at 8:00AM. We had a planned destination for this morning - the Trees of Mystery! Trees of Mystery is located in the Redwood National and State Parks and touts itself as Californias original redwood Nature Attraction. This place has been in operation for 67 years.

Willow was excited.


​
Willow: Yeah, I was excited.

We arrived at our destination shortly after we left - about 8:20AM. 














​
Willow: We met Butt and Banana. Wait, who were they again? [assistance from Mommy] Oh, right, Paul Bunyon and Babe!

I believe the place opened at 8:00AM, so we enjoyed the lack of people - hitting these places early really was a treat. It was quite cool this morning - low 60s and foggy. There were only a few cars in the parking lot, and we didn't run into another human being the entire time that we were exploring the Trees of Mystery. I paid the $15 for me and $8 for Willow and we headed in.






​
We walked the various trails, taking it slowly and really enjoying taking in all the sights and the quiet of this amazing forest. We were impressed with the World's Largest Family Tree, which was twelve trees with one trunk - basically, there are trees growing out of the horizontal branches of one large tree.






​
We walked through the Wildflower Garden and speculated that this would be an ideal place for fairies to live.










​
Willow: I thought Tinkerbell lived there. And Queen Clarion. And Vidia - her mean friend. Oh, and her sister, Periwinkle.

We didn't really "see" an elephant in the Elephant Tree, but it was a cool place for a photo.






​
We checked out the Upside Down Tree.






​
Up Next: Day 4A (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* "The Wilderness must be explored! (cont.)​
Day 4A - Monday, 28 July 2014 - Crescent City, California through the Redwoods

And the Fallen Giant - huge trees have grown over, around and atop it - really quite a sight.














​
Willow had to try out Nature's Underpass, of course.






​
We spent a lot of time looking up. Because why wouldnt you in here?!






​
And Willow LOVED the Cathedral Tree where weddings are performed. I have to admit, it was very cool - what an amazing place to get married! 






​
Willow decided to pretend to be a guest at MY wedding. 


​
Later, we came across another cathedral tree just beginning; I think Ill wait for this one. 






​
Up Next: Day 4B*


----------



## shan23877

Russel from UP!!!!


----------



## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> Russel from UP!!!!


*Woot!!!  You did it!!   *


----------



## jedijill

Dang so close to getting it. 

Those trees are amazing!  Nice that no one else was there at the same time you were.

Jill in CO


----------



## shan23877

Cool trees!

I assume you intend to marry either Butt or Banana?


----------



## MonsterWDWmom

I love seeing just how excited Willow was! 

That is an awesome trip, being from the Northeast our trees are tiny in comparison.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

"Willow: Yeah, I was excited." Not that I would ever doubt you Roni, but good to have that confirmation, lol.

YAY, there is something just awesome about giant statues. Maybe why I love Pop Century so much.

I am LOVING the Disney references to everything.


----------



## afwdwfan

I'm glad that Willow was ready to dip her toes in the water, especially after overcoming her fear of sharks.  Thankfully, nothing other than sand brushed against her foot.  

Dinner looks like it was nice.  Always a treat to check out some of those types of places on vacation.  Even if chicken strips and fries is as far down the menu as you'll go.  

The redwood tree park looks amazing.  Money well spent.  I'd be walking around looking up too.  Beautiful pictures.


----------



## petals

The wilderness must be explored... it just needs the Caw caw at the end 

I love Willow's top. 

Also the baby wedding tree will be ready in 600 years? That's probably when I'll be ready to get married


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Dang so close to getting it.


* Welcome back! *



jedijill said:


> Those trees are amazing!  Nice that no one else was there at the same time you were.


*It was a great way to start the morning!*



shan23877 said:


> Cool trees!


* I knew you wouldn't have much to say about this update.  *



shan23877 said:


> I assume you intend to marry either Butt or Banana?






MonsterWDWmom said:


> I love seeing just how excited Willow was!


*Yeah, we really had a great time on our journey down to California. *



MonsterWDWmom said:


> That is an awesome trip, being from the Northeast our trees are tiny in comparison.


*Yeah, I lived on the East Coast for years - I really missed "real" mountains and trees. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> "Willow: Yeah, I was excited." Not that I would ever doubt you Roni, but good to have that confirmation, lol.


* Yeah, I was glad she had my back on that one. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> YAY, there is something just awesome about giant statues. Maybe why I love Pop Century so much.


*You know, I always love the pictures of Pop - I need to get over there someday and actually see all that stuff for myself!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I am LOVING the Disney references to everything.


*Well, good because every time I make one, I think, "man, Rob's going to be impressed."  *



petals said:


> The wilderness must be explored... it just needs the Caw caw at the end


**



petals said:


> I love Willow's top.


*Thanks! That's one of the first appliquéd ones I ever made for her. *



petals said:


> Also the baby wedding tree will be ready in 600 years? That's probably when I'll be ready to get married


*You and my both! *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad that Willow was ready to dip her toes in the water, especially after overcoming her fear of sharks.  Thankfully, nothing other than sand brushed against her foot.


*Thank goodness! We really dodged a bullet there! *



afwdwfan said:


> Dinner looks like it was nice.  Always a treat to check out some of those types of places on vacation.  Even if chicken strips and fries is as far down the menu as you'll go.


*Yep - we really had a great time. The food was tasty, the environment was fun, and the company could not have been better! *



afwdwfan said:


> The redwood tree park looks amazing.  Money well spent.  I'd be walking around looking up too.  Beautiful pictures.


*It was wonderful. I kept having little flashbacks to seeing the Redwoods with my dad when I was a kid - not sure whether we went to that same place or not, but it was neat to be recreating that experience with Willow. *


----------



## KatMark

All caught up (still in Florida until Sunday but my best friend's grandmother died so our evenings are free and I am trying to finish catching up on the DIS; and I did start my TR from our trip last week).

I love Meadow's journal entries.

That room looks like it is right out of the 60's. I truly can't remember the last time I saw that sanitizing thing on a toilet...and yes, I remember them.

The Trees of Mystery looks really cool.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *"The Wilderness must be explored!"*



Yeah, well, that's another one I haven't seen.
I've heard it's really good, but.... 



RGirl said:


> *We showered, packed up, got a cup of coffee in the lobby (me, not Willow)*



Willow had an _espresso_.



RGirl said:


> *We had a planned destination for this morning - the Trees of Mystery!*



Ooohh.... sounds... well, mysterious.



RGirl said:


> * Trees of Mystery is located in the Redwood National and State Parks and touts itself as Californias original redwood Nature Attraction. This place has been in operation for 67 years.*



So cool.
I've heard of Cali's redwood trees for years and would love to visit.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was excited.
> 
> 
> ​
> Willow: Yeah, I was excited.*



Really? Doesn't show. 



RGirl said:


> *We arrived at our destination shortly after we left - about 8:20AM. *



How can you arrive somewhere shortly after you left?
Oh.
Did you drive in a circle?
That would explain it.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: We met Butt and Banana. Wait, who were they again? [assistance from Mommy] Oh, right, Paul Bunyon and Babe!*





I remember when everyone knew who Paul Bunyan was.
He was very popular.
I Googled and there are at least _nine_ larger than life statues of him in the States.
Nine!

Now, most kids have never heard of him.



RGirl said:


> *we didn't run into another human being the entire time that we were exploring the Trees of Mystery.*



Even more mysterious, no?



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I thought Tinkerbell lived there. And Queen Clarion. And Vidia - her mean friend. Oh, and her sister, Periwinkle.*



I can see why you would think that.
It really does look like they should, right?



RGirl said:


> *Willow had to try out Nature's Underpass, of course.*



Okay.
Don't judge me.

When I first read that, I thought you said "Nature's _Underpants_ and wondered why Willow would want to try them on.



RGirl said:


> *We spent a lot of time looking up. Because why wouldnt you in here?!*



Of course!



RGirl said:


> *And Willow LOVED the Cathedral Tree where weddings are performed. I have to admit, it was very cool - what an amazing place to get married! *



They have a divorce tree, but it's just a stump.





RGirl said:


> *Willow decided to pretend to be a guest at MY wedding. *



Congrats!



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 4B*



Thanks for all the pics and descriptions, unlike Shan, I found it quite interesting and entertaining. 

And thanks for the update!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

i'm back and all caught up!  love the pics of willow on the beach--so pretty!

all those redwoods are just so amazing!  we want to see them whenever we make it to California.  I want to find the one you can drive your car through (if that's even a thing anymore).

willow--I almost fell out of my chair!  I can't believe you didn't order mac and cheese for your dinner!  

can't wait to hear more!


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> All caught up (still in Florida until Sunday but my best friend's grandmother died so our evenings are free and I am trying to finish catching up on the DIS; and I did start my TR from our trip last week).


*Oh my gosh! I was so excited to finally be able to read one of your TRs before it was 400 pages, and I went to post, and my initial post ended up on PAGE SEVEN!!!!   *



KatMark said:


> I love Meadow's journal entries.


* Willow  really had a lot of fun with the journal (until we hit DLR, and then it didn't get a lot of use ).*



KatMark said:


> That room looks like it is right out of the 60's. I truly can't remember the last time I saw that sanitizing thing on a toilet...and yes, I remember them.


*I laughed so hard when I walked into the bathroom - I loved that they maintained the original era even with the sanitation strip. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw one of those!*



KatMark said:


> The Trees of Mystery looks really cool.


*It was one of the best stops of the trip.  *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Yeah, well, that's another one I haven't seen.
> I've heard it's really good, but....


*Oh, it is excellent. Quite a tear-jerker, but very good.  *



pkondz said:


> Willow had an _espresso_.


*Thinking about Willow hopped up on espresso is just not something I want to do! *



pkondz said:


> Ooohh.... sounds... well, mysterious.


*Doesn't it?  *



pkondz said:


> So cool.
> I've heard of Cali's redwood trees for years and would love to visit.


*Well, we highly recommend that you do so. *



pkondz said:


> Really? Doesn't show.


*I know - it would be nice if she could show a little enthusiasm from time to time.....*



pkondz said:


> How can you arrive somewhere shortly after you left?
> Oh.
> Did you drive in a circle?
> That would explain it.


*Yes, that's just what we did......*



pkondz said:


> I remember when everyone knew who Paul Bunyan was.
> He was very popular.
> I Googled and there are at least _nine_ larger than life statues of him in the States.
> Nine!
> 
> Now, most kids have never heard of him.


*I certainly realized on this day that my child had never heard of him. And then I couldn't really remember enough about him (nor did I have the patience to listen to all the little audio stations) to really clue her in. *



pkondz said:


> Even more mysterious, no?


*It was - I don't think the Trees of Mystery would have seemed nearly as mysterious and cool had there been tons of people milling around.*



pkondz said:


> I can see why you would think that.
> It really does look like they should, right?


*Willow: Right! It's because there's some things that kind of look like it.*





pkondz said:


> Okay.
> Don't judge me.
> 
> When I first read that, I thought you said "Nature's _Underpants_ and wondered why Willow would want to try them on.


*Don't judge me, but when I first read, "Don't judge me" from you after what you quoted, I thought, "Okay, he's going to say that he initially read that as Nature's Underpants." *



pkondz said:


> They have a divorce tree, but it's just a stump.






pkondz said:


> Congrats!


*Thanks......*



pkondz said:


> Thanks for all the pics and descriptions, unlike Shan, I found it quite interesting and entertaining.
> 
> And thanks for the update!


*That Shannon - she just can't muster up any love for the outdoors - even from the safety of her own home! 

Thanks for reading along and commenting! *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> i'm back and all caught up!  love the pics of willow on the beach--so pretty!


*Oh my goodness! You've been and returned already!!!???  When will the Trip Report start????  Let me know immediately! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> all those redwoods are just so amazing!  we want to see them whenever we make it to California.  I want to find the one you can drive your car through (if that's even a thing anymore).


*You may be very interested in an upcoming update.  

I hope you get to visit the redwoods one day - they are just AMAZING!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> willow--I almost fell out of my chair!  I can't believe you didn't order mac and cheese for your dinner!


*Willow: Oh, I ordered the chicken strips because I didn't know if the mac and cheese would be a kind that I like.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> can't wait to hear more!


*Thanks! Coming up soon!  *


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 10 points
pkondz: 2 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 2 points

Is anybody worried but me?"​
Day 4B - Monday, 28 July 2014 - The Redwoods

Soon our beautiful and peaceful hike was interrupted by signs like this.


​
Ugh - they have recently added a gondola to this place. A gondola taking you UP above the giant redwoods. This is NOT my idea of fun, but I had promised Willow we would do it. I have a pretty bad fear of heights - I can do most roller coasters and such, but I cannot get on a ferris wheel, and gondolas are the WORST. I mean, you are just hanging out there by a string, and they stop all the time and hang there, and they bump over those track things intermittently and it feels like you are going to fall to your death. I mean, they are AWFUL. Willow, however, felt like this about the Sky Trail.






​
Willow: Oh, and I kind of like those kind of rides, but it wasnt that fun because I think Disney, whoever controls the ride, checks it and sees if its more safer.

So on we walked


​
I thought that we should go right here. Willow insisted on left.






​
This looked like a nice place to stop. Hey, Willow, should we stop here for a while?


​
She declined.



​
Hey, look at this neat Brotherhood Tree, Willow. We should check it out.






​
She was already gone.



​
How about a picture with this big tree, Willow? Ha! I got her with that!


​
But then she was off again.



​
And soon we were here.






​
And soon, we were HERE.


​
There are no pics of me on this hideous contraption. If there were, they would look like this but with less eye-liner.


​
I tried to take some pictures through my tears and while having a heart attack.










​
After about 3 hours (well, come on, it felt like 3 hours to me), we arrived here.


​
I have no idea who Ted is, but he had a nice place up here.

Unfortunately, it was very foggy, so we couldn't really see very far.


​
This is what was supposedly out there.


​
Up Next: Day 4B (cont.)*


----------



## jedijill

Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

You are such a great mom for riding the Gondola of Death for Willow!  I hope Willow was extra nice to you for making that sacrifice!

Jill in CO


----------



## RGirl

* Is anybody worried but me?" (cont.)​
Day 4B - Monday, 28 July 2014 - The Redwoods

It was a nice little observation area.






​
I could have stayed there forever. Basically, because leaving there meant riding that heinous gondola again. *sigh*

Before I knew it, I was looking at this.






​
And we were back on the Gondola of Doom.


​
Willow:  Ooooh, you think its doom? I think its kind of fun. I tried to act scared to make my mommy feel better, but my mom said that I should just be who I am and not pretend to be scared of heights. Rides are fun, even if your mommy is scared. I loved the gondola!

I was so busy having a heart attack and stroke this time that I apparently didn't take any more pictures.


​
Back safely on land, we continued our hike of the trails. We thought the Candelabra Tree was very cool!






​
And then we entered into an area where the tale of Paul Bunyon was told in carvings and audio stations. We walked through here, listening to some of the audio as we went.


























​
After all that, it was only a little after 9:30AM. Of course, Willow had to pay a visit to the gift shop where she fell in love with a bear.


​
And Bigfoot. :


​
This was an extensive gift shop with some pretty nice items.






​
I kind of wanted to buy something here, but I was afraid to touch anything.  


​
Willow purchased a magnet here as her Trees of Mystery souvenir. She was braver than I....

After Willow made her purchase, we used the restroom and then were going to head out. You can see how foggy it was.


​
By this point, Paul Bunyon was talking - people were yelling things up to him and he was responding. We felt that, at the very least, we better get a picture of Willow with Paul and Babe.






​
Willow: Every time you say something, Paul says something back. And I wish I was as tall as he was. But I would kind of look like a monster, so that is why I would rather be like a grown-up size tall. Because I dont want to scare anybody.

We then yelled good-bye to Paul, and he responded with a "Good-bye!"

Up Next: Day 4C*


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.


*Okay, tell the truth - did you seriously know that one without Googling it??????   I didn't think anyone would get it.  You must be a Professor in Disney!*



jedijill said:


> You are such a great mom for riding the Gondola of Death for Willow!  I hope Willow was extra nice to you for making that sacrifice!


*Thank you! when she was younger, I didn't want to pass my irrational fear onto her, so I didn't tell her about it and ended up having to do some things (like a GONDOLA) that nearly killed me.  Now I can explain to her that my fear is totally irrational, but I still feel like I need to do the things that she truly enjoys with her - and she loves rides of any kind - the higher, faster, crazier, the better! *


----------



## jedijill

I watched the Winnie the Pooh movie last week on my stateroom TV. 

Jill in CO


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> I watched the Winnie the Pooh movie last week on my stateroom TV.
> 
> Jill in CO


*Well, you have now officially blown me away!!!!!  

How was the cruise??????  Are you going to do a Trip Report?*


----------



## jedijill

RGirl said:


> *Well, you have now officially blown me away!!!!!
> 
> How was the cruise??????  Are you going to do a Trip Report?*



The cruise was amazing!  I am planning on writing a TR.  I'm trying to download my pics now and hopefully the Dis starts cooperating better!

I'll let you know when I start.

Jill in CO


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> The cruise was amazing!  I am planning on writing a TR.  I'm trying to download my pics now and hopefully the Dis starts cooperating better!
> 
> I'll let you know when I start.
> 
> Jill in CO


*Oh good! I can't wait to read all about it - you will get me in the right frame of mind for our cruise next summer!   Please do let me know when you start!

The DIS is totally messed up tonight - I can't believe I finally managed to get this thing updated. *


----------



## dizneeat

*Sorry for not commenting more last week, even though I was reading along. 

I loved to see those pictures of your visit to the Trees of Mystery. You got some great photos. 
Well, you did some great excursions along the way to be honest.

I had to  when you spoke about getting onto that little gondola! There are a gazillion of those here in Austria. I am sure you would get used to them.  
Very brave, Miss Willow! *


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Haha, sounds like somebody (not mentioning any names but it rhymes with pillow) wanted on that gondola.

OMG Roni, I love your description of the ride of doom. Too funny. 

UGH... Paul Bunyon. Nothing against it per se, but THIS is what they replace Off Kilter with at the Canada pavilion. A Paul Bunyon lumberjack show??? I am not amused.


----------



## MonsterWDWmom

Roni I am very happy you survived the Gondola of Doom!


----------



## petals

RGirl said:


> * Rides are fun, even if your mommy is scared. I loved the gondola!*


*

I loled! 

Kids are fearless. I used to do self defence and would hesitate with rolls and stuff but watch kids launching themselves at the ground over and over! I wish I had their fearless nature *


----------



## STLMickeyMom

gondola of doom!  sort of like a doombuggy at HM, but way scarier?   I'm glad you survived the trip!  and willow, your mom is right!  always be yourself!  that's one smart mom you have!

that candleabra tree is awesome!  so pretty!

and, I will be doing a TR but haven't started it yet.  i'll let you know when I do.


----------



## courtneybelle

Yep, I've never seen one of those strips on the toilet. The room is precious, though.

Good for Willow for petting the shark! You guys should totally do Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon  wellll maybe wait a couple years on that.

"I'm stuck!!!" Oh man, that's totally something I would do!

The Trees of Mystery look very cool and I agree that the Wildflower Garden is ideal for fairies!

I love the Cathedral tree too!!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Is anybody worried but me?"*



Well I've seen Winnie the Pooh about 400,000 times.... and I _still_ wouldn't have gotten that one.



RGirl said:


> *Ugh - they have recently added a gondola to this place. A gondola taking you UP above the giant redwoods.*



When I first read that, I thought something along the lines of:
"Interesting, she doesn't think the pristine forest should be marred with technology like a gondola."

No idea that it was strictly terror based.



RGirl said:


> *I mean, you are just hanging out there by a string, and they stop all the time and hang there, and they bump over those track things intermittently and it feels like you are going to fall to your death. I mean, they are AWFUL.*



Oh, they're not that bad.
Just because every. single. movie that has them, someone dies is no reason to panic. :

You would have loved this one.
When I was about 10 years old, my folks took me to Europe.
In the Alps they put me on a chair lift.
Just you, a chair and a skinny little bar going up to the rope... high in the air.
I loved it. It went on and on for what seemed like forever.
Closest I've ever come to flying.

And I can also see that someone afraid of heights would completely and totally freak out if they saw it... let alone _rode_ it!



RGirl said:


> * Willow, however, felt like this about the Sky Trail.*



That's how I'd feel too.



RGirl said:


> *She was already gone.*



 Loved all the descriptions (and gifs) of you and Willow's interactions with all the different sights.



RGirl said:


> *There are no pics of me on this hideous contraption. If there were, they would look like this but with less eye-liner.*



He looks quite thrilled. Is that it? You were thrilled?



RGirl said:


> *I tried to take some pictures through my tears and while having a heart attack.*



Aw. Poor Roni.



RGirl said:


> *After about 3 hours (well, come on, it felt like 3 hours to me), we arrived here.*



<snort>



RGirl said:


> *I have no idea who Ted is, but he had a nice place up here.*



Fred's cousin.
Twice removed.



RGirl said:


> *I could have stayed there forever. Basically, because leaving there meant riding that heinous gondola again. *sigh**







RGirl said:


> *Willow:  Ooooh, you think its doom? I think its kind of fun. I tried to act scared to make my mommy feel better, but my mom said that I should just be who I am and not pretend to be scared of heights. Rides are fun, even if your mommy is scared. I loved the gondola!*



Love that you tried to make your mom feel better.
But she's right. Just be yourself. That's good advice.



RGirl said:


> *I was so busy having a heart attack and stroke this time that I apparently didn't take any more pictures.*



Again... Aw. Poor Roni.

The things we do for our kids.



RGirl said:


> *Of course, Willow had to pay a visit to the gift shop*



Of course.



RGirl said:


> *And Bigfoot. :*



Makes sense. We teach them to love all the Disney characters, no matter how big and odd looking. 
James P. Sullivan or Mike Wazowski anyone?



RGirl said:


> *I kind of wanted to buy something here, but I was afraid to touch anything. *



You're all grown up now. Next time, go ahead and pick 'em up!



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Every time you say something, Paul says something back. And I wish I was as tall as he was. But I would kind of look like a monster, so that is why I would rather be like a grown-up size tall. Because I dont want to scare anybody.*



That seems very sensible.
But....
Wouldn't it be fun to be able to just step over houses?



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 4C*



Thanks for the chapter!


----------



## NancyLuvsMickey

And the Mother-of-the-Year award goes to Roni for riding the gondola with Willow!!! 

Loving the trip so far!!!


----------



## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> *Sorry for not commenting more last week, even though I was reading along. *


*No worries, Karin! I know how hard it is to find time to read and comment on all the various TRs. *



dizneeat said:


> *I loved to see those pictures of your visit to the Trees of Mystery. You got some great photos.
> Well, you did some great excursions along the way to be honest.*


*We really had so much fun checking out these various tourist attractions on our way down the coast.*



dizneeat said:


> *I had to  when you spoke about getting onto that little gondola! There are a gazillion of those here in Austria. I am sure you would get used to them.
> Very brave, Miss Willow! *


*No way - clearly, I would just die if I went to Austria!!!!!!!!  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Haha, sounds like somebody (not mentioning any names but it rhymes with pillow) wanted on that gondola.


*Willow:  WILLOW!!!!!*

*Yeah, well, it certainly wasn't anyone whose name rhymes with Bonnie or Connie or Tawny......  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG Roni, I love your description of the ride of doom. Too funny.


*I don't know if you caught this, but I REALLY don't like gondolas. 



REALLY!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> UGH... Paul Bunyon. Nothing against it per se, but THIS is what they replace Off Kilter with at the Canada pavilion. A Paul Bunyon lumberjack show??? I am not amused.


*Is that right???  I had no idea. I never even got to see/hear Off Kilter. *


----------



## RGirl

MonsterWDWmom said:


> Roni I am very happy you survived the Gondola of Doom!


*Thank you, Megan! Me too!!!!  *



petals said:


> I loled!
> 
> Kids are fearless. I used to do self defence and would hesitate with rolls and stuff but watch kids launching themselves at the ground over and over! I wish I had their fearless nature


*They are amazing, aren't they? When it comes to rides of any kind, Willow is totally without fear.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> gondola of doom!  sort of like a doombuggy at HM, but way scarier?   I'm glad you survived the trip!  and willow, your mom is right!  always be yourself!  that's one smart mom you have!


*Ugh - it was horrifying!!!!*

*Thank you!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> that candleabra tree is awesome!  so pretty!


*That was a favorite of mine as well - so cool looking! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> and, I will be doing a TR but haven't started it yet.  i'll let you know when I do.


*And thank you for letting me know! I'm so excited to hear all about your trip. *



courtneybelle said:


> Yep, I've never seen one of those strips on the toilet. The room is precious, though.


*See the type of cool thing you could know about if only you were OLD????  *



courtneybelle said:


> Good for Willow for petting the shark! You guys should totally do Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon  wellll maybe wait a couple years on that.


*I wonder if she would be willing to do that. I'm thinking not....  *



courtneybelle said:


> "I'm stuck!!!" Oh man, that's totally something I would do!


*I wish I could properly describe how funny it was! *



courtneybelle said:


> The Trees of Mystery look very cool and I agree that the Wildflower Garden is ideal for fairies!


*It was definitely one of our favorite stops - so many cool things to see and so peaceful.*



courtneybelle said:


> I love the Cathedral tree too!!


*That was definitely Willow's favorite! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Well I've seen Winnie the Pooh about 400,000 times.... and I _still_ wouldn't have gotten that one.


*Honestly, I didn't think anyone would get that one!   *



pkondz said:


> When I first read that, I thought something along the lines of:
> "Interesting, she doesn't think the pristine forest should be marred with technology like a gondola."
> 
> No idea that it was strictly terror based.


*Yeah, when faced with a gondola, I don't care at all about nature or the environment. It's all about TERROR. *



pkondz said:


> Oh, they're not that bad.
> Just because every. single. movie that has them, someone dies is no reason to panic. :
> 
> You would have loved this one.
> When I was about 10 years old, my folks took me to Europe.
> In the Alps they put me on a chair lift.
> Just you, a chair and a skinny little bar going up to the rope... high in the air.
> I loved it. It went on and on for what seemed like forever.
> Closest I've ever come to flying.
> 
> And I can also see that someone afraid of heights would completely and totally freak out if they saw it... let alone _rode_ it!


*Oh, just the description of that makes me feel slightly terrified. I have never been skiing for a number of reasons, but largely because I'm afraid of the chair lifts. *



pkondz said:


> That's how I'd feel too.


*Willow: That's how I felt, but then I started feeling a little bad that my mom was afraid.*



pkondz said:


> Loved all the descriptions (and gifs) of you and Willow's interactions with all the different sights.


*Thanks - I didn't think I could properly describe it with words alone. *



pkondz said:


> He looks quite thrilled. Is that it? You were thrilled?


*Yes, yes, that's exactly it.......  *



pkondz said:


> Aw. Poor Roni.


*Hmmm, I do not feel the level of sincerity here that one might expect....*



pkondz said:


> Fred's cousin.
> Twice removed.


*Mystery solved!*



pkondz said:


> Love that you tried to make your mom feel better.
> But she's right. Just be yourself. That's good advice.


*Willow: Yeah, I should be myself. My mom said that she wished she was like me - not afraid.*



pkondz said:


> Again... Aw. Poor Roni.
> 
> The things we do for our kids.


*Yes, poor me!!!!  *



pkondz said:


> Makes sense. We teach them to love all the Disney characters, no matter how big and odd looking.
> James P. Sullivan or Mike Wazowski anyone?


*Very good point!*



pkondz said:


> You're all grown up now. Next time, go ahead and pick 'em up!


*I may do that!*



pkondz said:


> That seems very sensible.
> But....
> Wouldn't it be fun to be able to just step over houses?


*Willow: Oh, yeah!!  And I could just step a large step for crossing a street! And I would take BIG steps on the stairs! And I would probably not fit on the slide.*



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the chapter!


*Thanks for continuing to join in! *


----------



## RGirl

NancyLuvsMickey said:


> And the Mother-of-the-Year award goes to Roni for riding the gondola with Willow!!!


*Why thank you, Nancy! It was certainly one of my more challenging moments!!  *



NancyLuvsMickey said:


> Loving the trip so far!!!


*Thank you! And thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I hope you will continue to join in. *


----------



## RGirl

* Before I get to the update, I hope you will indulge me in sharing with you a few things that I made recently. They were so fun to make that I just have to show you! I am lucky enough to have friends who had a baby a few months ago and asked if I could make them some new cute little onesies for him (I had made them a little elephant one when he was born). So I got to get a little creative as they did not specify anything in particular; I decided to go with an ocean theme. (Of course, now Willow wants tshirts with all of them - especially the shark , so that will be next on my to-do sewing list )














​
Willow: If they’re fake sharks, I like them. If they’re real sharks, not so good. But I do want all the sea creatures!

Thanks for letting me share!  

And now on with the update!!!

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 12 points
pkondz: 2 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 2 points


"Well, the road didn't cut through the land like that interstate. It moved with the land, it rose, it fell, it curved. Cars didn't drive on it to make great time. They drove on it to have a great time."​
Day 4C - Monday, 28 July 2014 - Redwoods in California

When I last left off, we had just finished up our visit to the Trees of Mystery. We were back on the road at about 9:50AM. And we were treated to another beautiful drive.






​
We actually reached our destination for the day, Garberville, California, around noon. We decided to check to see if, by some chance, our room was ready. We were staying at the Best Western Plus Humboldt House Inn tonight. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, our room was not ready. The friendly front desk agent, however, got out a map of the Avenue of the Giants, recommended a lunch destination and circled some attractions we might like to visit. Lunch? And roadside attractions? Why, yes, we will take you up on that!


​
As it turned out, we were quite hungry by this point, so we took the front desk agent's advice, and headed to the Avenue of the Giants and found the Chimney Tree Grill. It was the cutest little place!


















​
Grassfed cows are the tastiest cows!


​
This is a burgers-and-shakes kind of place, and we were all for some tasty non-healthy grub at this point! Willow decided that we would sit inside since it was quite warm out at this point, and we were pretty much dressed for the cool temps of Crescent City still.


​
Willow: They don’t have regular chairs - they have little circle seats attached to the table.

Willow, quite unbelievably, had more chicken strips and fries.


​
And I had a burger with a lettuce "bun."






​
What???? I like pickles!


​
Okay, that one was so bad that I couldn’t NOT put it in here!

We both also had shakes, which was a real treat. I can't remember the last time I had one, and the espresso shake was delicious! 


​
I think Willow has had a shake once before in her life, so she was pretty excited for the chocolate-y goodness.


​
Willow:  I like chocolate! It had whipped cream! And it was so delicious! It tasted like chocolate and whipped cream.

This was a great lunch and just the thing to get us refueled and ready to continue our roadside attraction adventures.

Up Next: Day 4C (cont.)*


----------



## afwdwfan

Gondola rides are the best!!!!  

You're clearly a good parent, to put your fears aside and do it for Willow.  She clearly had a blast.  It's just kind of a shame that the fog was too thick to really be able to take in the view once you made it up there.


----------



## RGirl

* "Well, the road didn't cut through the land like that interstate. It moved with the land, it rose, it fell, it curved. Cars didn't drive on it to make great time. They drove on it to have a great time." (cont.)​
Day 4C - Monday, 28 July 2014 - Redwoods in California

In fact, the very first such attraction was about 10 feet away from the restaurant - the Chimney Tree! This is a big redwood that burned but did not die - the entire interior is gone, but the outside has lived on and grown - you can go inside and look up to the sky and all the new growth branches. It was cool to see.










​
Willow: We hoped we didnt have to climb up a cliff to find the tree, but then my mom said, Oh look, its over there! And then we went down, it felt like we were going underground, and then we were inside the tree. It was pretty neat!

Obviously, we could not explore the Redwoods and pass up the experience to drive through a tree.






​
Willow: I liked that place!

Note to any fellow travelers: A Toyota Highlander will JUST fit through this tree; I highly recommend flipping in your side mirrors first though. 

Willow: Yeah, because the tree bent our mirror, but we could fix it. It was so tight, my mom was a little scared, but we did it.

For the record, the car was not damaged at all, but do listen to that tip about folding in your mirrors BEFORE you go through. 

While there, we explored some Redwood tree houses as well.










​
And some carvings.






​
And another tree house.










​
Up Next: Day 4D*


----------



## STLMickeyMom

sally from cars!!!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

did I get the movie quote?  i'm gonna freak out if I finally got one!

love the onesies you did--especially the sea turtle one!  they are my FAVORITE!  and it makes me giggle that willow wants the shark one!  she's funny!

the pictures from your drive are beautiful, the tree house is neat and that chimney tree sounds so cool!  of course, i'm most excited about the drive through tree!!!  good to know about the tight squeeze, but how cool!  you DROVE through a TREE, for cryin out loud!  I don't know why that makes me so excited, but I just think that's so crazy cool! i'm a nut!  

ohhh, your burger looks perfect to me--I love pickle!  when I was pregnant with Hannah, all I wanted was pickles and hamburgers (no bun, just the burger) and I still think they taste like heaven!  

and willow, you are one smart cookie!  nothing tastes better then chocolate, except maybe chocolate with whipped cream on it!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Awwww I love your creations!!! So precious Roni. Especially Willow's comment on the shark, lol... Even if she can't remember Stacey. 

Oh cool, you can actually go inside the tree???? And then drive through a tree???? 

Wow, now THOSE are legit tree houses.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> * Before I get to the update, I hope you will indulge me in sharing with you a few things that I made recently.*



No! Get on with the update!

Oh.... All right. Go ahead. But just this once!



RGirl said:


> *asked if I could make them some new cute little onesies for him*



Nice job on the baby clothes! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow: If theyre fake sharks, I like them. If theyre real sharks, not so good. But I do want all the sea creatures!*



Good idea. Because a real shark would eat your shirt if it was on it.



RGirl said:


> *And we were treated to another beautiful drive.*



Agreed! Nice pics!



RGirl said:


> *Lunch? And roadside attractions? Why, yes, we will take you up on that!*







RGirl said:


> *the Chimney Tree Grill. It was the cutest little place!*



That looks like my kind of place!



RGirl said:


> *Willow: They dont have regular chairs - they have little circle seats attached to the table.*



"little circle seats".  Love that description. And accurate, too!



RGirl said:


> *Willow, quite unbelievably, had more chicken strips and fries.*



No! 



RGirl said:


> *What???? I like pickles!*



You can never have enough pickles.

It's a rule.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Okay, that one was so bad that I couldnt NOT put it in here!*







RGirl said:


> *I think Willow has had a shake once before in her life, so she was pretty excited for the chocolate-y goodness.*



I'll never forget when our first kid had her first shake.
She was about one year old.
We thought we'd let her try it.

We couldn't get her off the straw! 



RGirl said:


> *
> Willow:  I like chocolate! It had whipped cream! And it was so delicious! It tasted like chocolate and whipped cream.*



Shakes with whipped cream are the best, right?



RGirl said:


> *This is a big redwood that burned but did not die - the entire interior is gone, but the outside has lived on and grown - you can go inside and look up to the sky and all the new growth branches. It was cool to see.*



That _is_ cool!



RGirl said:


> *Willow: We hoped we didnt have to climb up a cliff to find the tree, but then my mom said, Oh look, its over there! And then we went down, it felt like we were going underground, and then we were inside the tree. It was pretty neat!*



I must admit, that's the first time I've ever seen a door in a tree.



RGirl said:


> *Obviously, we could not explore the Redwoods and pass up the experience to drive through a tree.*



Obviously.



RGirl said:


> *Note to any fellow travelers: A Toyota Highlander will JUST fit through this tree; I highly recommend flipping in your side mirrors first though.
> 
> Willow: Yeah, because the tree bent our mirror, but we could fix it. It was so tight, my mom was a little scared, but we did it.*



 Whoops!



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 4D*




Thanks for the update!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> Grassfed cows are the tastiest cows!


The steaks are way too lean.  Give em some corn. 

Your lunch spot looks fantastic.  Can't go wrong with burgers and milkshakes.   

I'm glad that you made it through the drive through tree without any significant damage.


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Gondola rides are the best!!!!


**



afwdwfan said:


> You're clearly a good parent, to put your fears aside and do it for Willow.  She clearly had a blast.  It's just kind of a shame that the fog was too thick to really be able to take in the view once you made it up there.


*That is the second time I've ridden a gondola with her. I can't say that I could make myself do it a third time. 

It definitely would have been neat to actually see the view up there! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> sally from cars!!!


*2 points!!!!!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> did I get the movie quote?  i'm gonna freak out if I finally got one!


*You did it!!!!!!!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> love the onesies you did--especially the sea turtle one!  they are my FAVORITE!  and it makes me giggle that willow wants the shark one!  she's funny!


*Thanks! They were so fun to make. I have some more cupcakes I'm going to be doing soon too. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> the pictures from your drive are beautiful, the tree house is neat and that chimney tree sounds so cool!  of course, i'm most excited about the drive through tree!!!  good to know about the tight squeeze, but how cool!  you DROVE through a TREE, for cryin out loud!  I don't know why that makes me so excited, but I just think that's so crazy cool! i'm a nut!


*We thought it was pretty cool too!!!  All the roadside attractions were really just so much fun.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> ohhh, your burger looks perfect to me--I love pickle!  when I was pregnant with Hannah, all I wanted was pickles and hamburgers (no bun, just the burger) and I still think they taste like heaven!


*Ha! It's a perfect combination, isn't it?????  Mmmmmmmmmm*



STLMickeyMom said:


> and willow, you are one smart cookie!  nothing tastes better then chocolate, except maybe chocolate with whipped cream on it!


*Willow:  Thank you!!!  I think you're cool!*


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awwww I love your creations!!! So precious Roni. Especially Willow's comment on the shark, lol... Even if she can't remember Stacey.


*Thanks Rob! I still can't believe she forgot Stacey though!!!  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh cool, you can actually go inside the tree???? And then drive through a tree????


*It was all so fun! Especially because I know we did some of it when I was a kid - just made it that much more special to be doing these things with my child. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, now THOSE are legit tree houses.


*Right? How cool would it be to have one of those in your back yard???*



pkondz said:


> No! Get on with the update!
> 
> Oh.... All right. Go ahead. But just this once!
> 
> 
> 
> Nice job on the baby clothes!


*Thank you! *



pkondz said:


> Good idea. Because a real shark would eat your shirt if it was on it.


*Willow: *



pkondz said:


> Agreed! Nice pics!


*Thank you!*



pkondz said:


> That looks like my kind of place!


*It was just perfect for what we were wanting to do that afternoon. *



pkondz said:


> "little circle seats".  Love that description. And accurate, too!


*I thought that was a great description as well. Apparently, she forgot the word "stool" or something? Or maybe had just never seen stools like that before. *



pkondz said:


> No!


**



pkondz said:


> You can never have enough pickles.
> 
> It's a rule.


*Agreed!*



pkondz said:


>


*Oh, come on! You of all people should appreciate the sheer awfulness of that one!*



pkondz said:


> I'll never forget when our first kid had her first shake.
> She was about one year old.
> We thought we'd let her try it.
> 
> We couldn't get her off the straw!


* I love it! I had a similar experience when Willow was little like that and leaned over and took a bite out of a sugar cookie without being asked - she had never had a sweet treat before at that point. The look of sheer joy on her face was unforgettable. *



pkondz said:


> Shakes with whipped cream are the best, right?


*Willow: They are - especially chocolate!*



pkondz said:


> That _is_ cool!


*It really was something totally different. Very neat to see.*



pkondz said:


> I must admit, that's the first time I've ever seen a door in a tree.


*Willow: Me too!*



pkondz said:


> Obviously.


*I'm not sure you're allowed to visit without going through a tree. *



pkondz said:


> Whoops!


*That nearly became a very embarrassing moment.  *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the update!


*Thanks for continuing to read along and join in! *



afwdwfan said:


> The steaks are way too lean.  Give em some corn.


**



afwdwfan said:


> Your lunch spot looks fantastic.  Can't go wrong with burgers and milkshakes.


*It really hit the spot - we had a lot of fun there, and the food was very tasty!*



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad that you made it through the drive through tree without any significant damage.


* I felt like a horse's you-know-what at that point. But the car was fine. Phew!!!!*


----------



## courtneybelle

That lunch place looks adorable, and those milkshakes look heavenly!!! 

Driving through the tree looks awesome, but I would be so nervous!! Glad to hear the car didn't suffer any major damage


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Oh, come on! You of all people should appreciate the sheer awfulness of that one!*



Shhhh... Don't tell anyone, but.

 I loved it.
Not only that, but at the first opportunity, I'm going to use it.


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 12 points
pkondz: 2 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 2 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 2 points

This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. You're going to have fun, and I'm going to have fun."​
Day 4D - Monday, 28 July 2014 - Garberville, California

A quest for a pool and fun, that is!

After we had explored as many roadside attractions as we could handle on this day, we headed back to the hotel around 2:30, hoping that our room would be ready. It was! And we dragged all of our stuff in (no stairs!) and found the room to be quite nice and clean. 










​
Now, throughout this day, all I had heard from Willow was how much she wanted to swim - all she wanted to do was swim - why wasn't the room ready because she wanted to swim. You get the idea.....

Willow: I wanted to swim because swimming is fun!

So as soon as we got the car unloaded, Willow put on her swimsuit and we headed to the pool. But there were a few leaves in the pool - it's an outdoor pool, so go figure. Well, Willow no longer wanted to swim.  I tried to convince her that they were just a few leaves and that otherwise the pool seemed to be fine, etc. Nope. Not going to happen. No way is she getting in there. 






​
Willow: Cuz there were bees! I saw two bees! And I didnt want them to be real. Thats why I decided not to go.

[There was NO mention of bees at the time, nor did she get close enough to the pool to make out a bee.]

It was over 100 degrees, and I'll admit I was starting to feel a little crabby at this point. So we just headed back to the room to soak up some A/C. We hung out for a while - reading, watching a movie, whatever boring stuff people do in hotel rooms when it's 100+ degrees outside and the swimmer in the family won't step foot in the swimming pool.

Not surprisingly, it wasn't too long before Willow started saying she wanted to go swimming. Um, WHAT????


​
Willow: Because there were other families in the pool! That made me feel better about it.

Well, this particular hotel was offering "free" wine and cheese and such at 5:00 or 5:30. At this point, there was no way I was missing that. So I told her that she could go swimming after we got some snacks (and wine, people, WINE) - we had already decided that we weren't going out to dinner tonight because of our filling and late lunch; we were going to enjoy the snacks offered by the hotel and then eat some of the stuff that we had brought with us if we were hungry later, so a later-in-the-day/evening swim seemed very doable.

At 5:30, we headed down to the wine/cheese tasting thing. It was quite nice - they had wine (in case you hadn't noted that yet), cheese, crackers, bread, soda, etc.






​
We chatted, and Willow worked on her trip journal.






​
And then it was pool time! I think it was about 6:45 by the time we got down there, and there were quite a few other kids splashing around, so Willow was able to make some quick friends. 










​
Willow: There was one swimmer whom I met who had a dad and a mom who did sign language. And she taught me how to dive in the pool, which I enjoyed. And I saw some other friends - they had to leave, but they let me play with their sea horse squirt gun.

And I ended up chatting with a nice couple for about an hour when they came over to compliment me on Willow. Awwww - she had been chatting them up in the hot tub and I had gone over to make sure that she wasn't driving them crazy. They wanted to thank me for caring what my child was doing  and to tell me how fun she was to talk to. They were such a nice couple.


​
We headed back to our room at about 8:45, which is pretty late for Willow actually, but vacation had definitely set in! Of course, Willow was hungry after showering off the chlorine, so she enjoyed some snacks that we had brought with us before going to bed.


​
Willow: I loved the cookies and the snacks. It was really good! I had some cheese, some crackers, some cookies - very good!

[Seriously - she had vegetables too. Really!]

Up Next: Day 5*


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> That lunch place looks adorable, and those milkshakes look heavenly!!!


*It was so fun! And the milkshakes were a real treat!*



courtneybelle said:


> Driving through the tree looks awesome, but I would be so nervous!! Glad to hear the car didn't suffer any major damage


* I was pretty much freaking out - I didn't think it through very well! *



pkondz said:


> Shhhh... Don't tell anyone, but.
> 
> I loved it.
> Not only that, but at the first opportunity, I'm going to use it.


*Phew!!!  I thought I had completely mis-assessed you! *


----------



## pkondz

Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold National Lampoon Vacation!!!


----------



## pkondz

Okay, so now that I've blurted out my answer, I can actually read the chapter now.

(Plus I did a breakdown of Jill's last chapter a few minutes ago so this way I keep her busy over there.)





RGirl said:


> *This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. You're going to have fun, and I'm going to have fun."*



Good thing you didn't quote any more of that. 



RGirl said:


> *and found the room to be quite nice and clean. *



Looks nice.
And clean.
But what I noticed is that you can't see outside because it's too bright out, right?
But you can tell exactly what's out there by looking at the reflection in the TV.
See?



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *







RGirl said:


> *Now, throughout this day, all I had heard from Willow was how much she wanted to swim - all she wanted to do was swim - why wasn't the room ready because she wanted to swim. You get the idea.....*



No.
Did she want to swim?



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I wanted to swim because swimming is fun!*



Well now _that_ clears it up!
Why didn't your mom just say so?



RGirl said:


> *So as soon as we got the car unloaded, Willow put on her swimsuit and we headed to the pool. But there were a few leaves in the pool - it's an outdoor pool, so go figure. Well, Willow no longer wanted to swim. *



Well of course.
She wanted to swim, but the pool said "Just leaf."



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Cuz there were bees! I saw two bees! And I didnt want them to be real. Thats why I decided not to go.*



Sensible.
Who wants to swim with bees?
They always splash you when you least expect it.

We have a pool, so I know what I'm talking about.



RGirl said:


> *There was NO mention of bees at the time, nor did she get close enough to the pool to make out a bee.]*



Nope. I'm on Willow's side.
She's young. She's got better eyesight than you do I bet.
If she says there were bees.
There were bees.



RGirl said:


> *We hung out for a while - reading, watching a movie, whatever boring stuff people do in hotel rooms when it's 100+ degrees outside and the swimmer in the family won't step foot in the swimming pool.*







RGirl said:


> *Not surprisingly, it wasn't too long before Willow started saying she wanted to go swimming. Um, WHAT????*



 Of course she did!



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Because there were other families in the pool! That made me feel better about it.*



Sure! They scared off the bees, right?



RGirl said:


> *Well, this particular hotel was offering "free" wine and cheese and such at 5:00 or 5:30. At this point, there was no way I was missing that.*



Wine is a great way to deal with whine.



RGirl said:


> * So I told her that she could go swimming after we got some snacks (and wine, people, WINE)*



Wait, what?
What was there?



RGirl said:


> *It was quite nice - they had wine (in case you hadn't noted that yet), cheese, crackers, bread, soda, etc.*



So.... You're saying... and correct me if I don't have this quite right.
They had wine? Maybe?



RGirl said:


> *We chatted, and Willow worked on her trip journal.*



Succinct and to the point.
Wait. That's redundant.



RGirl said:


> *And then it was pool time! I think it was about 6:45 by the time we got down there, and there were quite a few other kids splashing around, so Willow was able to make some quick friends.*



Amazing how kids can do that, isn't it?
If an adult tries that it's "What's he/she want? What's their angle?"



RGirl said:


> *Willow: There was one swimmer whom I met who had a dad and a mom who did sign language. And she taught me how to dive in the pool, which I enjoyed. And I saw some other friends - they had to leave, but they let me play with their sea horse squirt gun.*



That's really nice!
Did you learn any sign language?



RGirl said:


> *They wanted to thank me for caring what my child was doing*



Because, unfortunately, it's so darn rare to see a parent who actually parents these days.



RGirl said:


> *[Seriously - she had vegetables too. Really!]*



Ve-ge-ta-bles?
What is this thing you talk about on vacation?



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 5*



Looking forward to it!
Thanks for the chapter!


----------



## jedijill

Teach me to get sucked into binge watching Orange is the New Black....Pkondz beats me to the answer!

Yay for free wine!

I'm glad Willow finally swam and met some nice people!


Jill in CO


----------



## STLMickeyMom

oh, miss willow....you're cracking me up with the leaves and bees!  i'm glad you finally decided to swim and had fun with some new friends.  isn't sign language amazing?  I've met people who know it before and it is so interesting to me.   

your room looks so nice!  not sanitized for your protection though, I notice....


----------



## afwdwfan

Too bad that leaves in the pool brought a quick end to the swimming idea.  At least she got to get some swimming in and make some friends later on though!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

That's actually quite a nice little room.

Bahahaha, clearly there were bees Roni. People don't just make that stuff up. 

The real pressing question is, did they have wine? Or maybe you mentioned that and I missed it? 

I just love how kids make friends so easily. Adults can learn a lot from kids.


----------



## dizneeat

*Wow! So far you have been pretty lucky with your hotel choices. This one looks really nice as well.

How funny is the bees and leaves in the pool story! 

Love the photo of Willow on the bed. Real cute!*


----------



## hstrickland

Hi there! 


Caught up once again - the story of my life 



Let me just tell ya...I'm lovin' the idea of this road trip thing!!! Y'all are seeing some fabulous sites, Roni!! I mean fabulous!!! And this is such a great experience for Willow. Chimney Tree sounds fab Cute pics of Willow there!  I've always wanted to see the Redwoods, but guess I better not try to take my big Yukon through the tree....might not make it! 

And "bees and leaves"...  cute!


Hope y'all have a great weekend!
Heather


----------



## queenbetsey

caught up and loving the tr.  I need to make notes we have been talking about going up the coast for quite a few years now.  Willow is just so stinking cute!!!!!  I love her Mickey dress.  I have a question that is  was the material already smocked or did you do that when you made it.  you do make some really cute stuff too.  thanks for the great tr 
   I agree with you on the gondolas and ferris wheels they just stink. lol


----------



## KatMark

Roni, sorry I got a bit behind again.

Great updates. I'm glad you both got to enjoy a shake...those are a nice treat every once in awhile.

How fun that you got to drive through a tree. 

Too funny about the leaves and bees (but I don't like either one of those either).


----------



## Curiouser&curiouser!

Just found your report.  

Don't get me wrong . . . I can't wait for the Disneyland updates obviously . . . but I am loving the Roadside attraction adventures as well.  I'd love to do something like that someday with my boys!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold National Lampoon Vacation!!!


*Woot! Another one!!  *



pkondz said:


> Okay, so now that I've blurted out my answer, I can actually read the chapter now.
> 
> (Plus I did a breakdown of Jill's last chapter a few minutes ago so this way I keep her busy over there.)


*Wait, what? I didn't even know she had a TR going! *



pkondz said:


> Good thing you didn't quote any more of that.


* Right???*



pkondz said:


> Looks nice.
> And clean.
> But what I noticed is that you can't see outside because it's too bright out, right?
> But you can tell exactly what's out there by looking at the reflection in the TV.
> See?


*You could have a good career as a detective or a stalker, I think......  *



pkondz said:


> No.
> Did she want to swim?






pkondz said:


> Well now _that_ clears it up!
> Why didn't your mom just say so?


*I don't know!*



pkondz said:


> Well of course.
> She wanted to swim, but the pool said "Just leaf."






pkondz said:


> Sensible.
> Who wants to swim with bees?
> They always splash you when you least expect it.
> 
> We have a pool, so I know what I'm talking about.


*You are awesome and amazing! And smart! *



pkondz said:


> Nope. I'm on Willow's side.
> She's young. She's got better eyesight than you do I bet.
> If she says there were bees.
> There were bees.






pkondz said:


> Sure! They scared off the bees, right?


*Right!!!*



pkondz said:


> Wine is a great way to deal with whine.


*I have found that to be true, and I have tested the theory many times.....  *



pkondz said:


> Wait, what?
> What was there?
> 
> So.... You're saying... and correct me if I don't have this quite right.
> They had wine? Maybe?






pkondz said:


> Succinct and to the point.
> Wait. That's redundant.






pkondz said:


> Amazing how kids can do that, isn't it?
> If an adult tries that it's "What's he/she want? What's their angle?"


*Yep - always amazes me. Of course, I actually did end up hanging out with some really nice adults for quite a while this evening too. Everyone is a little nicer on vacation, I think. *



pkondz said:


> That's really nice!
> Did you learn any sign language?


*Not really. *



pkondz said:


> Because, unfortunately, it's so darn rare to see a parent who actually parents these days.


*Makes me sad. *



pkondz said:


> Ve-ge-ta-bles?
> What is this thing you talk about on vacation?


* Well, there weren't a LOT of them! But there were some - really!!!*



pkondz said:


> Looking forward to it!
> Thanks for the chapter!


*Thanks for sticking with me!  *


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Teach me to get sucked into binge watching Orange is the New Black....Pkondz beats me to the answer!


*Oh, man! I started watching that on the treadmill a few weeks ago - it's like magic - keeps me on the treadmill for a LONG time!  *



jedijill said:


> Yay for free wine!


*Big fan here of hotels with free wine. *



jedijill said:


> I'm glad Willow finally swam and met some nice people!


*It ended up being a GREAT evening! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> oh, miss willow....you're cracking me up with the leaves and bees!  i'm glad you finally decided to swim and had fun with some new friends.  isn't sign language amazing?  I've met people who know it before and it is so interesting to me.


*Willow: Yeah, it is so interesting! I just wish I knew sign language - sometimes I get tired of speaking English!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> your room looks so nice!  not sanitized for your protection though, I notice....


*

It was a very nice place to stay.  *



afwdwfan said:


> Too bad that leaves in the pool brought a quick end to the swimming idea.  At least she got to get some swimming in and make some friends later on though!


*Yes - it was a bummer for a bit, but we ended up having a great night, so I can't complain!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> That's actually quite a nice little room.


*It was a very pleasant place to stay and perfectly located right near the Avenue of the Giants. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Bahahaha, clearly there were bees Roni. People don't just make that stuff up.


*GAH!!!!!!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> The real pressing question is, did they have wine? Or maybe you mentioned that and I missed it?


* Not sure - goodness knows I wouldn't have partaken in any.......*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I just love how kids make friends so easily. Adults can learn a lot from kids.


*It is amazing, isn't it???*


----------



## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> *Wow! So far you have been pretty lucky with your hotel choices. This one looks really nice as well.*


*We really were lucky - I mean, I did quite a lot of research, but still, you just never know for sure until you get there!*



dizneeat said:


> *How funny is the bees and leaves in the pool story! *


*Gah! I couldn't believe it when we got all ready and went down there, and then she wouldn't swim!  *



dizneeat said:


> *Love the photo of Willow on the bed. Real cute!*


*Thanks!  *



hstrickland said:


> Hi there!


*Hi Heather!!!  *



hstrickland said:


> Caught up once again - the story of my life


*No worries - you know I'm always in the same boat! *



hstrickland said:


> Let me just tell ya...I'm lovin' the idea of this road trip thing!!! Y'all are seeing some fabulous sites, Roni!! I mean fabulous!!! And this is such a great experience for Willow. Chimney Tree sounds fab Cute pics of Willow there!  I've always wanted to see the Redwoods, but guess I better not try to take my big Yukon through the tree....might not make it!


*Honestly, I was pretty worried about doing a road trip with just the two of us, but it turned out to be about the best vacation we have ever done! *



hstrickland said:


> And "bees and leaves"...  cute!


*Gah! It was NOT funny at the time!!!  *



queenbetsey said:


> caught up and loving the tr.  I need to make notes we have been talking about going up the coast for quite a few years now.  Willow is just so stinking cute!!!!!  I love her Mickey dress.  I have a question that is  was the material already smocked or did you do that when you made it.  you do make some really cute stuff too.  thanks for the great tr


*I'm so glad you are enjoying the TR! Thanks so much for continuing to take the time to read along and comment - it always means so much when people join in. 

On the Mickey dress, I did the smocking myself. It's quite easy, and I cannot believe how much they charge for pre-smocked fabric!   Plus, doing it yourself, you can choose any fabric you want! *



queenbetsey said:


> I agree with you on the gondolas and ferris wheels they just stink. lol


*Right????  *



KatMark said:


> Roni, sorry I got a bit behind again.


*Don't worry about it, Kathy! As you know, I am always playing catch-up. I sure appreciate that you continue to read and join in. *



KatMark said:


> Great updates. I'm glad you both got to enjoy a shake...those are a nice treat every once in awhile.


*What a treat those were! Mmmmm*



KatMark said:


> How fun that you got to drive through a tree.


*Fun and a close call! *



KatMark said:


> Too funny about the leaves and bees (but I don't like either one of those either).


* I just couldn't believe she wouldn't swim! *



Curiouser&curiouser! said:


> Just found your report.


*Welcome! Thank you so much for joining in!!! I hope that you will continue to enjoy it. *



Curiouser&curiouser! said:


> Don't get me wrong . . . I can't wait for the Disneyland updates obviously . . . but I am loving the Roadside attraction adventures as well.  I'd love to do something like that someday with my boys!


*Really, the non-Disney part of this trip was just as fun as the Disney part. I'm so glad that you are enjoying reading about it. When I first decided to do a report for this trip, I was a little uncertain about it because I didn't know if people would really want to hear about the non-Disney stuff, you know? But it's been so fun to write it, and so many of you have been supportive that I'm very happy I decided to do it!!!  *


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 2 points
Jill (jedijill): 12 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 2 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 2 points

"I could get used to a view like this. Yep, I'm used to it."​
Day 5 - Tuesday, 29 July 2014 - Garberville, California to Oakland, California

After our late night of swimming, we slept in a little and got to the hotel's included continental breakfast at about 7:40AM. 


​
We ran into our friends from the pool there and dined with them, which was nice. But we were back on the road at 8:30AM, heading to the Bay Area via Highway 1.


​
Highway 1 is the Pacific Coast scenic highway and one of the big reasons that I wanted to do this drive, so I was really excited about it. However, it doesn't start out along the coast - instead it takes you through foresty mountains. At the time that I was driving this portion (yes, friends, that is foreshadowing), I thought that it was the most treacherous drive I would ever make - very narrow road, drop-offs to the side, switch-back after switch-back. I mean, there were no speed limits posted, because it was impossible to go over about 25 miles per hour. 


​
Willow: It was a fun drive.

Obviously, I wasn't able to take any pictures. It looks like Willow tried to get some.










​


Now, this whole time I was fighting with Elizabeth. You remember Elizabeth, right? Our car? Well, Elizabeth is actually both our car and our GPS system (which lives in my iPhone) - to Willow, they are one and the same because iPhone Elizabeth talks through car Elizabeth's speakers. Anyway, Elizabeth did NOT want us to take Highway 1; she was a proponent of the much more efficient but less scenic 101. So I was kind of navigating on my own but listening to Elizabeth yelling at me the entire time trying to get me back on what she considered to be the right track.

Willow: Yeah. Elizabeth - I kind of said some mean things to her. Elizabeth seemed to get us back on track later though.

But the treacherous journey through the forest was well worth it when we came out the other side, because we were treated to views like this.


















​
Elizabeth, however, was not impressed - not at all. She was still insistent that we "turn here," "u-turn here," "turn here" to get back to 101. 


​
I'm sure some of you are wondering why I didn't turn Elizabeth off. I am too...

At some point along here, we ran into some construction that was blocking road signs, including the sign that I now believe indicated that we needed to turn right to stay on Highway 1.  What did I do? In my panic to not hold up everyone behind me as we went through the construction zone with people flagging us through and stuff, I LISTENED TO ELIZABETH!  Why? Well, again, I was kind of flummoxed, the road sign was blocked, and at this point, I had thought that Elizabeth had finally gotten on board with our desired route, because she had been going along quite nicely with me for some time now. She had not made the switch, folks. And it took me a loooooong time of mindless driving to realize that we were not at all where I wanted us to be.


​
I was really upset. Unnecessarily so, actually. I mean, we would make better time on 101 anyway. But Highway 1 was one of the main reasons that I had decided to do this drive. So I wasn't giving it up! Wah!!! I was being a big baby, basically. So I made the incredibly stupid decision to try to cut back over to Highway 1. On the map, it was only about 30 or 40 miles out of our way, so it shouldn't be a big deal, right? And the views and experience would be worth it, right?

Nope. It was a TERRIBLE decision. TERRIBLE. I somehow convinced Elizabeth to provide us with a route to Highway 1 (although I was sure she would refuse to stay on Highway 1 once we got there). And boy, did she have it in for us. This road was terrifying - it was desolate; I think we saw maybe 3 cars the entire time. And that 30 or 40 miles took hours. This road wound through the mountains, often narrowed to one lane with constant switchbacks and cliffs, with the sides eroding along the edge of the cliffs. Yeah, those places where it narrowed to one lane? That was because the side of the cliff was falling off. This drive made the morning's foresty mountain drive seem like a walk through the park with Snow White's little animal friends. If I had not had a child in the car with me, I would have cried. Instead, I just did everything I could to keep us alive. I have to say, I was pretty proud of my driving skills by the end of this, because we did not die.


​
Okay - it might not have been quite as bad as that, but it was darn close!

Towards the end, there were some stretches where I could see far enough ahead to know no one was coming, so I got these pics for you. They don't show anywhere near how scary the drive was, because taking pictures was the last thing on my mind during that piece of it. By this point, we were very near the end of this road and nearing Highway 1, so I was feeling pretty elated.






​
Finally, we came through the trees and saw this.


​
Was it worth it to make it back to Highway 1? Nope - not at all. We had a stretch of some beautiful views for sure, but I was so rattled by then that it was hard to appreciate them. And Highway 1 is pretty scary driving itself since you are basically on a cliff over the ocean most of the time - I had known this going in, but I wasn't planning on being completely deranged with fear before I even started that piece of the drive. 


​
On top of that, there wasn't really a lot of Highway 1 driving left before we had to move back inland to get to Oakland. 


​
Thankfully, we DID make it to Oakland and arrived at my friends' house at about 5:00PM.


​
The Bay Area portion of our trip will not be chronicled in detail here. We were not really there to explore the Bay Area, so there is not a ton to share. Before I moved up here and before I had Willow, I lived in San Francisco and Alameda, and I had not been back in about seven years. So we were here to visit with family (my brother and his family live in SF) and friends I hadn't seen in a long time. 

We were very blessed to have wonderful friends who opened their home to us for the two nights that we spent here. And on this night, they prepared a delicious meal for us, which really hit the spot after all the junk we'd been eating and the somewhat harrowing day we had had. I also got to meet their 2 and ½ year old son for the first time, and Willow found him so charming and adorable that she promptly gifted him with the first souvenir she had purchased for herself - the little blue stuffed penguin she got at the Sea Lion Caves. 

Willow: Yeah, I liked that penguin, but its nice to give someone a gift. Besides, he was so cute that I couldnt help it! I kind of miss the penguin, but I still feel great that Theo has him.

Up Next: Day 6*


----------



## courtneybelle

I promise I will get caught up tomorrow, but Flynn Rider from Tangled!!


----------



## lwanthony

Tangled Flynn Rider!!!!!


----------



## lwanthony

Second again!!!!!!


----------



## dizneeat

*OMG ...... that is some kind of a drive! I can only imagine what the road must have looked like. 

We have often driven HW 1 between San Francisco and San Diego, but never ventured towards the north. Therefore all of your pics are so interesting. The road back to HW 1 not so much. 

Love that you got to stay with family and friends and how sweet of Willow to give her new toy as a gift. What a wonderful young lady you are bringing up! *


----------



## hstrickland

RGirl said:


> Really, the non-Disney part of this trip was just as fun as the Disney part. I'm so glad that you are enjoying reading about it. When I first decided to do a report for this trip, I was a little uncertain about it because I didn't know if people would really want to hear about the non-Disney stuff, you know? But it's been so fun to write it, and so many of you have been supportive that I'm very happy I decided to do it!!!




Non-Disney stuff leading up to your Disney stuff is fabulous!!!   The TR wouldn't be the same without your journey TO Disneyland....seriously. 





RGirl said:


> I'm sure some of you are wondering why I didn't turn Elizabeth off. I am too...



 kind of.... But then Elizabeth is part of the family. Turning her off would be like throwing her out of the car....wasn't gonna happen.





FANTABULOUS photos of Highway 1!! OMG beautiful! We don't see things like that on the East Coast. Even though you had a very treacherous journey, at least you got a small glimpse of the West Coast terrain. And....just think...it will be great conversation starters for years to come


How sweet of Willow to give her souvenir to your friend's child.  As a mom, I know that made you proud. 


Ok....it's the weekend! So I'm ready for Day 6


----------



## petals

Aw that was so nice of Willow to give the little guy her penguin


----------



## RGirl

*So I thought I would do a double update this weekend since it had been a while and last night's update was pretty short. 

BTW, did you happen to notice my new ticker????????

 That's right! This week, I took the plunge and went ahead and booked another trip to Disneyland for Willow's eighth birthday. I just HAD to use those APs one last time before they expire! *

*Okay, let's get going here!*

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 4 points
Jill (jedijill): 12 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 2 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 2 points*

*And well always be friends forever, wont we?​
Day 6 - Wednesday, 30 July 2014 - Oakland, California

Today, Willow and I enjoyed a leisurely morning at my friends' house after they had gone to work, taking our time getting ready since we were in no hurry to be anywhere before about 11:00. We ended up leaving the house at about 9:00AM, I think. We were heading to Alameda - this is where I used to live, so I wanted to show Willow my old house and around my old stomping grounds. We stopped for some Starbucks first and even did a little shopping at Trader Joe's. (Where we live now is woefully deficient in decent stores of any type, although you can easily purchase gourmet cupcakes and $100 bottles of wine just about anywhere. Children's shoes though? Or decent groceries? Nope So TJ's was like a mecca for us, and don't think for a second that Willow didn't return from this trip without a couple pairs of new shoes, although we did not buy those at TJ's. )


​
And then we drove around the island of Alameda so that I could show Willow various things. We ended up on the street where my old house is located and parked there. We checked out my house and then walked to the near-by park so Willow could burn off a little energy.






​
It was totally bizarre being here. I became a parent at an older age (37, to be exact), so being here where I had lived quite a few years of an adult life without children felt strange - it was like I had had two completely separate adulthoods. They had really absolutely nothing to do with each other. Even the dog that I had (who was my only "child" for a long, long time) had passed just a few months before Willow came home, and by the time she came home, I was living in Washington State and had a new puppy. So there was no continuity at all. WEIRD!


​
Anyway, enough of that. At about 11:00AM, we went over to visit an old friend of mine and had a lovely time with her and her family, just catching up and introducing them to Willow. We left there at about 1:00PM and headed to the Oakland zoo to meet up with my brother and his family. Willow was super-excited to see her little cousin (3 and ½ years old). Willow and I checked out many of the animals while we waited for my brother to arrive.


















​
And then, after my brother arrived, Willow and her cousin had a grand old time playing at the zoo, grooming goats, and then riding the little rides that they have set up just outside the zoo area. (No pics of Willow with her cousin (other than back of the head) - dont think her parents would appreciate it.  )














​
After the zoo, we headed back to our friends' house, where we joined them for a Thai food dinner. I did some laundry - thank goodness for good friends! - and Willow played with their little boy until bedtime.

Up Next: Day 7A*


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> I promise I will get caught up tomorrow, but Flynn Rider from Tangled!!


* Two more points for Courtney!  *



lwanthony said:


> Tangled Flynn Rider!!!!!





lwanthony said:


> Second again!!!!!!


*Good effort, Lane!  *


----------



## STLMickeyMom

dang it! I knew this movie quote too!

that drive.....i'd be exhausted by the end of it, but I get why you wanted to go that way.  it was the plan.  doesn't Elizabeth understand the importance of THE PLAN?  I do the same thing to myself all the time.

i'm glad you got to spend some time with family and friends!  and how sweet was willow giving the baby a gift?!?  so thoughtful!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

wait--it's copper and tod from fox and the hound, I think


----------



## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> *OMG ...... that is some kind of a drive! I can only imagine what the road must have looked like. *


*It was so scary!!!  *



dizneeat said:


> *We have often driven HW 1 between San Francisco and San Diego, but never ventured towards the north. Therefore all of your pics are so interesting. The road back to HW 1 not so much. *


*That road was AWFUL. And I was so mad at Elizabeth! *



dizneeat said:


> *Love that you got to stay with family and friends and how sweet of Willow to give her new toy as a gift. What a wonderful young lady you are bringing up! *


*She is a very generous young lady - she has always been like that. I think it's just her nature. *



hstrickland said:


> Non-Disney stuff leading up to your Disney stuff is fabulous!!!   The TR wouldn't be the same without your journey TO Disneyland....seriously.


*Thanks Heather! I'm so glad that you are enjoying it.

And we're actually getting close to the Disneyland portion of the trip now too!!!*



hstrickland said:


> kind of.... But then Elizabeth is part of the family. Turning her off would be like throwing her out of the car....wasn't gonna happen.


* I prefer your explanation to the fact that I just really never thought to turn her off. *



hstrickland said:


> FANTABULOUS photos of Highway 1!! OMG beautiful! We don't see things like that on the East Coast. Even though you had a very treacherous journey, at least you got a small glimpse of the West Coast terrain. And....just think...it will be great conversation starters for years to come


*It really is a beautiful part of the country. I have had the great joy  of driving the East Coast a few times - definitely not as scenic. *



hstrickland said:


> How sweet of Willow to give her souvenir to your friend's child.  As a mom, I know that made you proud.


*It was very sweet - she tends to do stuff like that, always has. *



hstrickland said:


> Ok....it's the weekend! So I'm ready for Day 6


*Your wish is my command - posted a second update just for you. *



petals said:


> Aw that was so nice of Willow to give the little guy her penguin


*It was very sweet - she's a generous kid. *


----------



## STLMickeyMom

hey, you were sneaky this morning, getting another update in there while I was posting away, oblivious to my chance to get more points!  

that looks like a fun day spent out and about with family and friends!  and you know they love you when they let you do your laundry!


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> dang it! I knew this movie quote too!






STLMickeyMom said:


> that drive.....i'd be exhausted by the end of it, but I get why you wanted to go that way.  it was the plan.  doesn't Elizabeth understand the importance of THE PLAN?  I do the same thing to myself all the time.


*Ugh - I had such visions of that drive. I just couldn't let it go. I was SO MAD at Elizabeth! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> i'm glad you got to spend some time with family and friends!  and how sweet was willow giving the baby a gift?!?  so thoughtful!


*We had such a lovely time visiting with good friends I hadn't seen in so many years. And it was very sweet when Willow immediately gave her new friend her first souvenir. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> wait--it's copper and tod from fox and the hound, I think


*Ooooh, but which one????  *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> hey, you were sneaky this morning, getting another update in there while I was posting away, oblivious to my chance to get more points!


* Well, you got 1 of the 2 points, lady!!!  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> that looks like a fun day spent out and about with family and friends!  and you know they love you when they let you do your laundry!


*You're so right! And we were going to be at DISNEYLAND very soon - we needed clean clothes! *

Edited because I completely forgot my own game and how many points are actually available for movie titles and characters.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

ooooo, i'm not sure which one now....i'll guess copper, but maybe someone else will get the points for the right character....


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I can't go any further without saying... I LOVE "free" breakfast.

   OMG too much. RONI, "Worst ,most scary and treacherous drive ever!!!!" WILLOW, "It was fun".   

Hahahaha, my GPS also yells at me. They are so stuck up and set in their ways.

Oh Lord that drive does sound scary. But I will give you credit Roni. You had a goal and you did everything you could to fulfill it.

Aww that is so sweet of Willow to give away something she liked so much. Just precious.

Wow, so nice to be able to visit your old stomping grounds and especially to show that to your daughter.


----------



## hstrickland

RGirl said:


> *Your wish is my command - posted a second update just for you. *



Thank you so kindly. I knew it was just for me....




For a split second, I thought y'all were at Animal Kingdom ....beautiful animals! 

Love Thai food...especially a good peanut sauce!! Very nice of your friends to open up their house and provide "good" meals!




I guess a third installment this weekend may be asking too much  
Y'all enjoy your weekend! We're off to a football game in a bit then some shopping for Stephen.

Heather


----------



## courtneybelle

As promised, I'm back

A+ gif usage in the Pool Saga. And free wine? I'm sold.

You thought it was treacherous, Willow thought it was fun. I'm not even surprised at this point 

Ugh we yell at our GPS a lot too. "Turn around when possible." Don't tell me how to live my life!

Oh my gosh that sounds terrifying  but you seem like a driving pro and I'm glad you got to your destination safe and sound!

Awww that is so sweet and generous of Willow to give away her penguin.

YAY DISNEYLAND!!! So exciting! Though how is Willow eight years old already?? That can't be right.

The zoo looks super fun! Love those giraffes!!


----------



## jedijill

What a scary drive!  I hate when the GPS doesn't agree with me....I swear but the voice always seems to get snottier as you go.  

That was so sweet of Willow to give her penguin to your friends little boy.  

Jill in CO


----------



## petals

Todd says "And we’ll always be friends forever, won’t we?" in Fox and the hound

I love that movie. Those characters need way more attention in the parks. But I did find plushies of them in paris


----------



## queenbetsey

Another great update as usual...  Props for not bursting into tears.  I might have evn with the kid  in the car.  Also glad to hear you are heading down to the House of Mouse again.  I just need to be quicker on the chapter quote contest I so far have known them.....  so sweet of Willow to give up her penguin.


----------



## KatMark

two updates from Roni. 

Oh my...I don't think I would have survived that drive...neither the first part or the second part, no matter the promise of that view at the end. 

How nice of your friends to put you and Willow up for two nights. And how very sweet of Willow to share her toy with your friend's little one.  

I'm glad you got to show Willow where you used to live and she got to play in the park for a bit.

Oh my, the Oakland Zoo looks lovely. You got my favorite giraffes and Mark's elephants. And those tigers are gorgeous.


----------



## afwdwfan

Those narrow, cliff side roads are the fun part!!!!!

I'm sure it was stressful, but think of the stories you and Willow will have to tell for years!  At least you got to see some less traveled areas and catch the views of the ocean from HWY 1.  I'd have definitely turned the navigation off though.   

It looks like a nice little stop over for you in the Bay area.  Always nice to re-connect with old friends and family.  And probably a lot of fun to show Willow around the area that used to be home for you!


----------



## pkondz

Still catching up from just before, during and after my quick east coast trip.
Sorry I've been AWOL for a bit.
But I did read both updates just after you posted.





RGirl said:


> *After our late night of swimming, we slept in a little and got to the hotel's included continental breakfast at about 7:40AM.*



 Only a parent thinks getting to breakfast at 7:40am is "sleeping in".



RGirl said:


> *Highway 1 is the Pacific Coast scenic highway and one of the big reasons that I wanted to do this drive, so I was really excited about it.*



It's on my bucket list.



RGirl said:


> *At the time that I was driving this portion (yes, friends, that is foreshadowing), I thought that it was the most treacherous drive I would ever make*



"foreshadowing"...

uh, oh.



RGirl said:


> *very narrow road, drop-offs to the side, switch-back after switch-back. I mean, there were no speed limits posted, because it was impossible to go over about 25 miles per hour.*



Wow. That bad?

And it gets worse???? 



RGirl said:


> *Willow: It was a fun drive.*



 So only one girl had white knuckles on this drive?



RGirl said:


> *You remember Elizabeth, right? Our car? Well, Elizabeth is actually both our car and our GPS system (which lives in my iPhone)*



Sounds like Elizabeth has a split personality.



RGirl said:


> *to Willow, they are one and the same because iPhone Elizabeth talks through car Elizabeth's speakers.*



Ah. Well that would explain it.



RGirl said:


> *Anyway, Elizabeth did NOT want us to take Highway 1; she was a proponent of the much more efficient but less scenic 101.*



less scenic + more efficient = less death defying?



RGirl said:


> *I'm sure some of you are wondering why I didn't turn Elizabeth off.*







RGirl said:


> *In my panic to not hold up everyone behind me as we went through the construction zone with people flagging us through and stuff, I LISTENED TO ELIZABETH!*



Don't do it!!!!




Too late.



RGirl said:


> *and at this point, I had thought that Elizabeth had finally gotten on board with our desired route*







RGirl said:


> *I was really upset. Unnecessarily so, actually. I mean, we would make better time on 101 anyway. But Highway 1 was one of the main reasons that I had decided to do this drive.*



I hear ya.
I would feel the same way.
My bucket list is not to take 101, darn it!



RGirl said:


> *It was a TERRIBLE decision. TERRIBLE. I somehow convinced Elizabeth to provide us with a route to Highway 1 (although I was sure she would refuse to stay on Highway 1 once we got there). And boy, did she have it in for us. This road was terrifying - it was desolate; I think we saw maybe 3 cars the entire time. And that 30 or 40 miles took hours.*



Don't think of it as the worst thing you've ever done or ever could do...
Think of it as an _adventure._



RGirl said:


> *This road wound through the mountains, often narrowed to one lane with constant switchbacks and cliffs, with the sides eroding along the edge of the cliffs. Yeah, those places where it narrowed to one lane? That was because the side of the cliff was falling off. This drive made the morning's foresty mountain drive seem like a walk through the park with Snow White's little animal friends.*



A very, very scary... make that horrifyingly terrifying adventure.



RGirl said:


> * If I had not had a child in the car with me, I would have cried.*



Awww... poor Roni.



RGirl said:


> * Instead, I just did everything I could to keep us alive. I have to say, I was pretty proud of my driving skills by the end of this, because we did not die.*



Plus. This TR would've been a lot shorter.


A _lot_.



RGirl said:


> *Was it worth it to make it back to Highway 1? Nope - not at all.*



 Sorry. Don't mean to laugh.
But I was so expecting a "Yes! It absolutely was!!!!" there.



RGirl said:


> *but I wasn't planning on being completely deranged with fear before I even started that piece of the drive.*



Not many people do plan that.
Takes some of the fun out of it.



RGirl said:


> *On top of that, there wasn't really a lot of Highway 1 driving left before we had to move back inland to get to Oakland.*



Oh no! After all that???



RGirl said:


> *Willow found him so charming and adorable that she promptly gifted him with the first souvenir she had purchased for herself - the little blue stuffed penguin she got at the Sea Lion Caves. *



Awww... That's pretty nice.



RGirl said:


> *
> Willow: Yeah, I liked that penguin, but its nice to give someone a gift. Besides, he was so cute that I couldnt help it! I kind of miss the penguin, but I still feel great that Theo has him.*



People will tell you that it's better to give than to recieve...
And they're right, don't you think?



RGirl said:


> *So I thought I would do a double update this weekend since it had been a while and last night's update was pretty short. *







RGirl said:


> *
> BTW, did you happen to notice my new ticker????????
> 
> That's right! This week, I took the plunge and went ahead and booked another trip to Disneyland for Willow's eighth birthday.*



Hey! Good for you guys!



RGirl said:


> *We were heading to Alameda - this is where I used to live, so I wanted to show Willow my old house and around my old stomping grounds.*



I know that feeling.
I really want to take Elle back to where she spent her first year, but it's prohibitively expensive.



RGirl said:


> *It was totally bizarre being here. I became a parent at an older age (37, to be exact), so being here where I had lived quite a few years of an adult life without children felt strange - it was like I had had two completely separate adulthoods.*



Interesting.
I guess it's true about "You can't go home again."



RGirl said:


> *And then, after my brother arrived, Willow and her cousin had a grand old time playing at the zoo, grooming goats, and then riding the little rides that they have set up just outside the zoo area.*



Looks like they had a fun time. 



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 7A*



Thanks for the updates!


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> I can't go any further without saying... I LOVE "free" breakfast.


* You and Willow both - she has never met a breakfast buffet she couldn't do justice. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG too much. RONI, "Worst ,most scary and treacherous drive ever!!!!" WILLOW, "It was fun".


* Pretty typical us, I think. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hahahaha, my GPS also yells at me. They are so stuck up and set in their ways.


*I had never known Elizabeth to be SOOO annoying! Sheesh!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh Lord that drive does sound scary. But I will give you credit Roni. You had a goal and you did everything you could to fulfill it.


*Yeah, the drive was really not fun. I can be a little stubborn though....  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Aww that is so sweet of Willow to give away something she liked so much. Just precious.


*She's a generous kid.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, so nice to be able to visit your old stomping grounds and especially to show that to your daughter.


*It was very cool! A little surreal at times, but very cool!*



hstrickland said:


> Thank you so kindly. I knew it was just for me....


*Of course!  *



hstrickland said:


> For a split second, I thought y'all were at Animal Kingdom ....beautiful animals!


**



hstrickland said:


> Love Thai food...especially a good peanut sauce!! Very nice of your friends to open up their house and provide "good" meals!


*Mmmm - me too!!!! We felt very blessed to be able to stay with such great friends and have the opportunity to catch up with them after so many years. *



hstrickland said:


> I guess a third installment this weekend may be asking too much
> Y'all enjoy your weekend! We're off to a football game in a bit then some shopping for Stephen.


* Apparently a third installment last MONTH was a bit too much for me! *



courtneybelle said:


> As promised, I'm back


**



courtneybelle said:


> A+ gif usage in the Pool Saga. And free wine? I'm sold.


*Thank you!

And I wouldn't be totally upfront if I did not admit that many of my hotel choices are based on free wine.....  *



courtneybelle said:


> You thought it was treacherous, Willow thought it was fun. I'm not even surprised at this point


**



courtneybelle said:


> Ugh we yell at our GPS a lot too. "Turn around when possible." Don't tell me how to live my life!


*Why are they so bossy?????  *



courtneybelle said:


> Oh my gosh that sounds terrifying  but you seem like a driving pro and I'm glad you got to your destination safe and sound!


*It was very scary! I don't consider myself a great driver, but I was pretty impressed that I kept us alive. *



courtneybelle said:


> Awww that is so sweet and generous of Willow to give away her penguin.


*She is almost always pretty generous. Even so, I was a bit surprised when she immediately went and got the little bird for him. *



courtneybelle said:


> YAY DISNEYLAND!!! So exciting! Though how is Willow eight years old already?? That can't be right.


*I know! Eight years old in January!!!  *



courtneybelle said:


> The zoo looks super fun! Love those giraffes!!


*It was a very fun day - nice for Willow to get to spend some time with her only cousin. *


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> What a scary drive!  I hate when the GPS doesn't agree with me....I swear but the voice always seems to get snottier as you go.


*Exactly! Elizabeth was just being so outrageously difficult about the whole thing!*



jedijill said:


> That was so sweet of Willow to give her penguin to your friends little boy.


*I was very proud of her. *



petals said:


> Todd says "And well always be friends forever, wont we?" in Fox and the hound


* You made the scoreboard with your first point!  *



petals said:


> I love that movie. Those characters need way more attention in the parks. But I did find plushies of them in paris


*How cool!!!*



queenbetsey said:


> Another great update as usual...  Props for not bursting into tears.  I might have evn with the kid  in the car.  Also glad to hear you are heading down to the House of Mouse again.  I just need to be quicker on the chapter quote contest I so far have known them.....  so sweet of Willow to give up her penguin.


*Thanks Betsey! It was definitely the scariest driving experience I have ever had - I'm just glad we lived through it. *


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> two updates from Roni.


*Thanks Kathy! *



KatMark said:


> Oh my...I don't think I would have survived that drive...neither the first part or the second part, no matter the promise of that view at the end.


*It was really scary - definitely the most frightening driving experience I've ever had. *



KatMark said:


> How nice of your friends to put you and Willow up for two nights. And how very sweet of Willow to share her toy with your friend's little one.


*We felt very blessed to have such kind friends, and it was so fun to catch up with them. I was very proud of Willow and how sweet she was with their little guy. *



KatMark said:


> I'm glad you got to show Willow where you used to live and she got to play in the park for a bit.


*It was very cool. And weird. My life was SO different when I lived there. *



KatMark said:


> Oh my, the Oakland Zoo looks lovely. You got my favorite giraffes and Mark's elephants. And those tigers are gorgeous.


*We had a really fun afternoon there - Willow especially enjoyed being able to spend some time with her little cousin. *



afwdwfan said:


> Those narrow, cliff side roads are the fun part!!!!!


*Next time, you can do the driving. *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm sure it was stressful, but think of the stories you and Willow will have to tell for years!  At least you got to see some less traveled areas and catch the views of the ocean from HWY 1.  I'd have definitely turned the navigation off though.


*Yeah, yeah - I can't believe it never occurred to me to turn Elizabeth off! *



afwdwfan said:


> It looks like a nice little stop over for you in the Bay area.  Always nice to re-connect with old friends and family.  And probably a lot of fun to show Willow around the area that used to be home for you!


*We really enjoyed our brief stay there - just so nice to see good friends I hadn't seen in so many years. *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Still catching up from just before, during and after my quick east coast trip.
> Sorry I've been AWOL for a bit.
> But I did read both updates just after you posted.


*No worries - I went missing for quite a while myself. I hope you had a good trip!*



pkondz said:


> Only a parent thinks getting to breakfast at 7:40am is "sleeping in".


* So true!*



pkondz said:


> It's on my bucket list.


*Yeah, it was on mine too. Unfortunately, it still is..... *



pkondz said:


> "foreshadowing"...
> 
> uh, oh.


*Uh oh, indeed!*



pkondz said:


> Wow. That bad?
> 
> And it gets worse????


*So much worse....*



pkondz said:


> So only one girl had white knuckles on this drive?


* She was shockingly oblivious back there.*



pkondz said:


> Sounds like Elizabeth has a split personality.


**



pkondz said:


> Ah. Well that would explain it.






pkondz said:


> Don't do it!!!!
> 
> Too late.


*Such an unfortunate mistake. *



pkondz said:


> I hear ya.
> I would feel the same way.
> My bucket list is not to take 101, darn it!


* I hope you get to drive Highway 1 sometime. I HEAR it's beautiful! *



pkondz said:


> Don't think of it as the worst thing you've ever done or ever could do...
> Think of it as an _adventure._
> 
> A very, very scary... make that horrifyingly terrifying adventure.


**



pkondz said:


> Plus. This TR would've been a lot shorter.
> 
> A _lot_.


*You make an excellent point!*



pkondz said:


> Sorry. Don't mean to laugh.
> But I was so expecting a "Yes! It absolutely was!!!!" there.


*It sooooo wasn't. *



pkondz said:


> Oh no! After all that???


*Yep - it just wasn't meant to be on this trip, I guess. No matter how much I tried to force it! *



pkondz said:


> Hey! Good for you guys!


*Pretty excited to be going back at a less crowded time!  Willow has no idea though. *



pkondz said:


> I know that feeling.
> I really want to take Elle back to where she spent her first year, but it's prohibitively expensive.


*Oh, that's too bad. Where is it?*



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the updates!


*Thanks for continuing to read and comment! *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 4 points
Jill (jedijill): 12 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 2 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point*

*I shall call him Squishy, and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy.​
Day 7A - Thursday, 31 July 2014 - Oakland, California to Monterey, California

Today we were packing up and leaving the Bay Area. But we didn't have far to drive, because we wanted to visit Monterey! We were on the road at 9:00AM.


​
And then, through the magic of trip reporting, we arrived at the Embassy Suites in Seaside, California (right next to Monterey) at about 11:20AM. (I chose the Embassy Suites because it was FREE with Hilton Honors points yay!, and because we love Embassy Suites for the roomy suites and the free breakfast and WINE!) 

Unbelievably, our room was ready! And it was a standard, clean and very nice Embassy Suites room.










​
I guess I missed getting a pic of the living room area; Im sure you can imagine it. 

We unloaded the car and headed to the aquarium - our main planned destination for this day. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located where a cannery (opened in 1916) used to stand. The cannery closed in 1973, and in 1977, plans began for a world-class aquarium. Finally, in 1984, the aquarium opened, and it has been growing and thriving ever since.










​
Willow pic:


​
It took a long time to find parking and then cost me $20!  And then when we got to the aquarium, there was a line outside just to get into the line inside to pay. AND the sign indicated that it was going to be $70 just for the two of us. 


​
Now it was already 12:30PM, and I knew that we were unlikely to want to spend the rest of the day here, so I was kind of contemplating ditching the aquarium. I knew I was going to feel like we had wasted a lot of money if we only stayed a couple of hours. But I decided to go ahead and do it since we really did want to check it out.

So we got to the front of the line to get in line to pay and were cut off by the rope since the lines to pay were full. While we were standing there waiting, a woman and her young daughter came out of the aquarium and walked up to us. The woman said, "Is it just the two of you?" I said that it was, and she said, "Come with me - you can have our visitor passes!" They were passholders and apparently got free visitor passes, so she just walked us over to the entrance, gave the employee her passes, and we were in! WOW! People like this - who take that little extra effort to make someone else's day - always renew my belief in the human race. We were so grateful!


​
We checked out the otters for a bit.


​
And then we had to get some lunch because we had really had pretty much nothing to eat today. We went to the little cafeteria-style restaurant where we got pizza and salad to share.






​
Willow had me take a pic of her with her camera somewhere along the way:


​
Up Next: Day 7A (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 7A (cont.) - Thursday, 31 July 2014 - Oakland, California to Monterey, California​
Now, we didn't spend a ton of time at the aquarium, but we enjoyed what we did - we saw the living seas exhibit






​
Willow pic:


​
the kids' area










​
the puffins


​
The Jellies Experience














​
I liked these light fixtures!


​
and the Tentacles exhibit.






​
By about 2:30PM though, we were ready to go - Willow was wanting to swim, and my book and a chair by the pool were sounding pretty good.

Up Next: Day 7B*


----------



## courtneybelle

Dory from Finding Nemo!!!

The Embassy Suites looks very nice! We actually used to stay at the Embassy Suites in Orlando when I was really little, before Kylie was born. 

I love aquariums and this one looks great, but I do agree they're crazy expensive given that there's only so much time you want to spend in there. But wow, how awesome of that woman to give you visitor passes!! Probably good karma since Willow gave away her penguin 

The aquarium pics are awesome!! I am a huge fan of jellies so I love those pics!


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Dory from Finding Nemo!!!


*Another 2 points for Courtney! *



courtneybelle said:


> The Embassy Suites looks very nice! We actually used to stay at the Embassy Suites in Orlando when I was really little, before Kylie was born.


*Willow and I stay at them a lot (which I guess you know because I think you've read more than enough of my TRs ) - they are perfect when you have a small child with the whole every-room-is-a-suite thing and the WINE. *



courtneybelle said:


> I love aquariums and this one looks great, but I do agree they're crazy expensive given that there's only so much time you want to spend in there. But wow, how awesome of that woman to give you visitor passes!! Probably good karma since Willow gave away her penguin


*Oh, that is such a neat thought! It WAS good karma!!! *



courtneybelle said:


> The aquarium pics are awesome!! I am a huge fan of jellies so I love those pics!


*It was a very nice aquarium, and we really enjoyed it. I think we enjoyed it more knowing that we would leave when we wanted to and not feel bad about "wasting" money by not staying there for hours and hours and hours. *


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 12 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 2 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point

"All good things! All good things!"​
Day 7B - Thursday, 31 July 2014 - Monterey/Seaside, California

When I last left off, we were leaving the Monterey aquarium for our hotel at about 2:30PM. Willow was in the hotel pool by about 3:00PM. 






​
When Willow was done swimming, we headed up to the room so Willow could shower and we could just have a little down time. At 5:30PM, however, we headed downstairs for the Embassy Suites Manager's Reception - one of our favorite things. 


​
If you haven't stayed at an Embassy Suites, you may not know that they do this every evening - complimentary adult beverages (including wine and beer and mixed drinks at some Embassy Suites, at others there is a slight charge for those), juices and soda, and snacks such as chips and salsa, veggies, crackers and cheese - whatever they happen to have out on any given night.

We enjoyed our snacks and libations, and Willow worked on her trip journal a bit.














​
While we were hanging out here just enjoying chatting and laughing together, we decided that we really weren't in the mood to venture back out for dinner tonight. We decided that, instead, we would order some dinner from room service - one of Willow's absolute favorite things in the world.


​
We went back up to the room at about 6:30 or 6:45, but we weren't really hungry yet (after all those snacks). Willow put on a movie, and I got my book out. 


​
We finally decided to eat at about 7:30 or so. We decided on Caesar salads and potato skins. Willow was THRILLED - she LOVES room service!










​
Everything was tasty, and we really enjoyed a relaxing evening together.

Up Next: Day 8A*


----------



## shan23877

OLAF!!!! From Frozen of course 

And:

Free wine! Yay!

Libations is such a fabulous word.

Nice, nice aquarium lady. Love her.

Who doesn't love room service (and caesar salad and potato skins for that matter)? Willow knows what's up.


----------



## dizneeat

*Wow! You have been a busy bee!!!!!! 

I just realized that I never commented on your previous updates, but since I knew them, I must have read them. Sorry, I blame the absense of responses on real life. 

Just made a note of the Embassy Suites - we have travelled that area a lot (SF to SD) and the last time we stayed at the Sand Dollar Inn. They have since closed so ES sounds like a good idea.

Yeah, Cannery Row. Love it there and the aquarium is awesome. And what a nice lady to give you her visitor passes. 

Is that an indoor pool at the Embassy Suites?

And I just loved the photo of the "courtyard". It took me right back to the one we have stayed at.

What a nice way to end the day. What a shame we can't meet next summer, as Willow and I would get along so well. Put on a good movie, order Room Service and enjoy the day. (Guess the two of us would get along pretty well too! She IS her mother's daughter, isn't she? )*


----------



## petals

Great updates and yay I got a point.


----------



## queenbetsey

yeah an update! I have been on Highway 1 and it is pretty and scary. on the upside it gets less scary down here in so cal. Love it: Leave the aquarium at 2:30 in the pool at 3. too funny. BTW have you checked Willow for gills? she sure loves the water. But most kids do. Thanks for the update. Glad I checked in before I went to the sewing machine. You see, there is this gal on the Dis and she makes the cutest things for her dd to wear I just felt the urge to sew again this time for the dgd  thanks for the inspiration


----------



## afwdwfan

Wow.  $70 for 2 tickets to an aquarium??? I'd have definitely been tempted to bail.  That was awesome that you were given the visitor passes so that you could get in to see it though!  

Nice way to end the day just relaxing and getting some room service.  It really is the little things about a vacation that make it so enjoyable.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> No worries - I went missing for quite a while myself. I hope you had a good trip!



I did! And you can read about it starting tonight.  



RGirl said:


> Oh, that's too bad. Where is it?



It's in a town called Churchill. You might have heard of it, it's fairly well known. There are no roads to get there though, so you have to either fly $$$$ or take the train, which is also $$$ and looooong.  

Now off to read your last post!


----------



## jedijill

I totally missed the update!  

Wow, that's crazy expensive tickets but so nice that you lucked into the visitor passes!  That lady was so nice!  I would really like to visit the aquarium someday...Monterrey is beautiful!

Looks like a great day!

Jill in CO


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow, it's so amazing that in TR's the travel time goes by in flash!

You know it's funny, but whenever I hear Monterey, I think Manta Ray, so an aquarium seems so appropriately perfect.

WOW, a line for a line. Yikes. And also, YIKES on the $90 total (with parking). And people think Disney is expensive.

But then... OMG HOW INCREDIBLY NICE of that woman to do that. Just WOW!

Haha, and I bet that Excited Room Service picture of Willow wasn;t even posed. Too cute.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

what an awesome aquarium and some pre-Disney pixie dust on the free passes!  that was so super nice of her!  I love random acts of kindness!

the aquarium looks super fun!  we went to the shedd in Chicago a year ago and saw a similar jelly fish exhibit.  I could have stood and watched them and the sea horses for hours.  they are some peaceful....

yay!  more swimming and free drinks at the hotel!  the drury inn (if you have those near you) do the same in the evenings.  we done a stay-cation there a couple times.  they have a great breakfast too.

willow---I LOVE room service too!  isn't it so fun?  we stayed somewhere awhile ago and they rolled the tray in, set everything up on the table and even put a flower out (a pink gerber daisy, which happens to be one of my favorite flowers!).  it was so pretty, but I have to tell you, I took my plate to the bed and ate there while I watched some tv!  isn't it fun to stay at a hotel?


----------



## KatMark

Fun updates. We've stayed at Embassy Suites a couple of times and love them there.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the major  with the aquarium passes. That aquarium looks awesome (I know DH would LOVE it). 

Pool time is always fun. 

And it's always nice to order room service and just lay back once in awhile. And those potato skins are reminding me it is lunch time and I'm hungry.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *We were on the road at 9:00AM.
> And then, through the magic of trip reporting, we arrived at the Embassy Suites in Seaside, California (right next to Monterey) at about 11:20AM.*



Beam me up Scotty.



RGirl said:


> * (I chose the Embassy Suites because it was FREE with Hilton Honors points yay!, and because we love Embassy Suites for the roomy suites and the free breakfast and WINE!) *



Free...
Such a _nice_ word.



RGirl said:


> *I guess I missed getting a pic of the living room area; Im sure you can imagine it. *



What???? No living room pic!?!?!

That's it! I'm done reading this TR!



Although I do want to see what happens next...


Maybe I'll keep reading.

But you're on probation, lady!



RGirl said:


> *The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located where a cannery (opened in 1916) used to stand.*



Fish cannery I'm betting.



RGirl said:


> * The cannery closed in 1973, and in 1977, plans began for a world-class aquarium.*



Well of course. If the cannery closes, what are you going to do with all the extra fish???



RGirl said:


> *AND the sign indicated that it was going to be $70 just for the two of us. *



I am not shocked by that pricetag at all.
Aquariums (at least the big ones) all seem to be expensive.



RGirl said:


> *While we were standing there waiting, a woman and her young daughter came out of the aquarium and walked up to us. The woman said, "Is it just the two of you?" I said that it was, and she said, "Come with me - you can have our visitor passes!" They were passholders and apparently got free visitor passes, so she just walked us over to the entrance, gave the employee her passes, and we were in! WOW! People like this - who take that little extra effort to make someone else's day - always renew my belief in the human race. We were so grateful!*



Wow! That's really great!
Pixie dust _outside_ of Disney, for a change.
Nice! 



RGirl said:


> *We checked out the otters for a bit.*



Well of course.
If you're going to visit an aquarium, you otter see it all.



RGirl said:


> *And then we had to get some lunch because we had really had pretty much nothing to eat today. We went to the little cafeteria-style restaurant where we got pizza and salad to share.
> 
> 
> *



Ha! Cheese pizza. The hallmark of the parent-with-child meal.
I have no idea when it ends.
Kay is almost 14 and still only wants cheese pizza.



RGirl said:


> *Willow had me take a pic of her with her camera somewhere along the way:*



Well of course, otherwise how will she know she was there? 



RGirl said:


> *Now, we didn't spend a ton of time at the aquarium, but we enjoyed what we did - we saw the living seas exhibit
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Willow pic:
> 
> 
> *



Hmmm..... there's something fishy about those pictures.

Did you know you can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish?



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Never seen those before.
Pretty cool



RGirl said:


> *I liked these light fixtures!*




Do you know how long I stared at that photo before I could decide whether they were alive or not?



RGirl said:


> *When I last left off, we were leaving the Monterey aquarium for our hotel at about 2:30PM. Willow was in the hotel pool by about 3:00PM. *







RGirl said:


> *If you haven't stayed at an Embassy Suites, you may not know that they do this every evening - complimentary adult beverages (including wine and beer and mixed drinks at some Embassy Suites, at others there is a slight charge for those), juices and soda, and snacks such as chips and salsa, veggies, crackers and cheese - whatever they happen to have out on any given night.*



Pretty good!



RGirl said:


> *We decided that, instead, we would order some dinner from room service - one of Willow's absolute favorite things in the world.*



Whose isn't it?



RGirl said:


> *Willow put on a movie, and I got my book out.*



Sounds nice. Nice and relaxing.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 8A*



Can't wait! Thanks for posting!


----------



## courtneybelle

The free food and wine in the lobby sounds fabulous! 

Room service is always a nice treat, and those potato skins look awesome!


----------



## hstrickland

Howdy 


Hope life is treating y'all well. I'm finally getting some real Dis time this morning since the house is quiet. Thank goodness I'm not too far behind! 


First and foremost, I must say that I like your taste in handbags  I did notice your Disney Dooney by the salad  I have the same print  It's a summer must! 


Hooray for the sweet lady with visitor passes!!! Just a little bit of  to get you ready for Disneyland!! And aren't you glad you didn't have to dish out $70 for just 2 hours. Seems a little pricey.


Funny how kids just love a pool...any pool...doesn't matter  Lucky for you, right?! Have never stayed in an Embassy Suites, but looks very nice...especially the "free" libations. Food looked good, too! Especially the potato wedges! 

Hope you have a fab weekend!!! We are actually having a cold snap which is a nice change for South Georgia.

Looking forward to more! 
Heather


----------



## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> OLAF!!!! From Frozen of course






shan23877 said:


> And:
> 
> Free wine! Yay!


 



shan23877 said:


> Libations is such a fabulous word.


*It seemed to fit the moment. *



shan23877 said:


> Nice, nice aquarium lady. Love her.


*We were stunned and grateful - it worked out so perfectly! *



shan23877 said:


> Who doesn't love room service (and caesar salad and potato skins for that matter)? Willow knows what's up.


*She does - it's one of my favorite things too. *



dizneeat said:


> *Wow! You have been a busy bee!!!!!! *


* If I don't get caught and comment on TRs in one big binge session on the weekends, I never get caught up! *



dizneeat said:


> *I just realized that I never commented on your previous updates, but since I knew them, I must have read them. Sorry, I blame the absense of responses on real life. *


*No worries - as you well know, I have a VERY hard time keeping up on here.*



dizneeat said:


> *Just made a note of the Embassy Suites - we have travelled that area a lot (SF to SD) and the last time we stayed at the Sand Dollar Inn. They have since closed so ES sounds like a good idea.*


*We enjoyed our stay very much. But we almost always have a good experience at ES. *



dizneeat said:


> *Yeah, Cannery Row. Love it there and the aquarium is awesome. And what a nice lady to give you her visitor passes. *


*It was a great moment! *



dizneeat said:


> *Is that an indoor pool at the Embassy Suites?*


*It is, indeed. Nothing fancy, but it fit the bill!*



dizneeat said:


> *And I just loved the photo of the "courtyard". It took me right back to the one we have stayed at.*


* Yeah, almost every ES looks pretty much the same. The one in Portland, Oregon, however, is something truly special!*



dizneeat said:


> *What a nice way to end the day. What a shame we can't meet next summer, as Willow and I would get along so well. Put on a good movie, order Room Service and enjoy the day. (Guess the two of us would get along pretty well too! She IS her mother's daughter, isn't she? )*


*I am so disappointed that we are just missing each other next year. I think all 4 of us would have had a great time hanging out at WDW or the Fantasy. *



petals said:


> Great updates and yay I got a point.


*Thanks! And  for points!!!*


----------



## RGirl

queenbetsey said:


> yeah an update! I have been on Highway 1 and it is pretty and scary. on the upside it gets less scary down here in so cal. Love it:


*Ugh - I really wanted to truly experience it - it was a HUGE part of why I decided to do the road trip. Oh well - turned out that the road trip was a great idea regardless of the road!  *



queenbetsey said:


> Leave the aquarium at 2:30 in the pool at 3. too funny. BTW have you checked Willow for gills? she sure loves the water. But most kids do.


* I should check!!!!*



queenbetsey said:


> Thanks for the update. Glad I checked in before I went to the sewing machine. You see, there is this gal on the Dis and she makes the cutest things for her dd to wear I just felt the urge to sew again this time for the dgd  thanks for the inspiration


*Awww - you are too sweet! What are you working on?????*



afwdwfan said:


> Wow.  $70 for 2 tickets to an aquarium??? I'd have definitely been tempted to bail.  That was awesome that you were given the visitor passes so that you could get in to see it though!


*It was a really tough call for me - I don't like to waste money (well, I guess most people don't ), so I knew if I paid that, I'd be forcing us to stay longer than we might want. It worked out so perfectly! *



afwdwfan said:


> Nice way to end the day just relaxing and getting some room service.  It really is the little things about a vacation that make it so enjoyable.


*You are so right. Those quiet, non-planned moments are the best! *



pkondz said:


> I did! And you can read about it starting tonight.


*Oh good - I am going to try to catch up on everyone's TRs tonight and tomorrow! *



pkondz said:


> It's in a town called Churchill. You might have heard of it, it's fairly well known. There are no roads to get there though, so you have to either fly $$$$ or take the train, which is also $$$ and looooong.


*Wow - that sounds so interesting. I have not heard of it - I'm going to have to check Professor Google. *



jedijill said:


> I totally missed the update!


*WHAT?????   *



jedijill said:


> Wow, that's crazy expensive tickets but so nice that you lucked into the visitor passes!  That lady was so nice!  I would really like to visit the aquarium someday...Monterrey is beautiful!


*We were so grateful to that wonderfully kind woman. She made our day! *



jedijill said:


> Looks like a great day!


*It was a great and easy vacation day! *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, it's so amazing that in TR's the travel time goes by in flash!


*If only it were like that in the real world.....*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> You know it's funny, but whenever I hear Monterey, I think Manta Ray, so an aquarium seems so appropriately perfect.


* I can honestly say that I have never made that connection!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> WOW, a line for a line. Yikes. And also, YIKES on the $90 total (with parking). And people think Disney is expensive.


*Right?  It seemed outrageous to me. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> But then... OMG HOW INCREDIBLY NICE of that woman to do that. Just WOW!


*It was so AWESOME! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Haha, and I bet that Excited Room Service picture of Willow wasn;t even posed. Too cute.


*If it was posed, I had nothing to do with it. But the child does know how to strike a pose. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> what an awesome aquarium and some pre-Disney pixie dust on the free passes!  that was so super nice of her!  I love random acts of kindness!


*It was amazing - especially because I was feeling so wishy-washy about spending the money for the tickets. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> the aquarium looks super fun!  we went to the shedd in Chicago a year ago and saw a similar jelly fish exhibit.  I could have stood and watched them and the sea horses for hours.  they are some peaceful....


*I really enjoyed that part too. There was a neat area with Puffins as well that I could have watched for a lot longer than we did. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> yay!  more swimming and free drinks at the hotel!  the drury inn (if you have those near you) do the same in the evenings.  we done a stay-cation there a couple times.  they have a great breakfast too.


*We do not have those! But Embassy Suites also does a great breakfast! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> willow---I LOVE room service too!  isn't it so fun?  we stayed somewhere awhile ago and they rolled the tray in, set everything up on the table and even put a flower out (a pink gerber daisy, which happens to be one of my favorite flowers!).  it was so pretty, but I have to tell you, I took my plate to the bed and ate there while I watched some tv!  isn't it fun to stay at a hotel?


*Yeah! It's awesome!*



KatMark said:


> Fun updates. We've stayed at Embassy Suites a couple of times and love them there.


*I always look for them - they are so perfect for us. *



KatMark said:


> LOVE LOVE LOVE the major  with the aquarium passes. That aquarium looks awesome (I know DH would LOVE it).


*It really is a great aquarium, but I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if I had spent $70 for a couple of hours. *



KatMark said:


> Pool time is always fun.


*Unless there are leaves or bees! *



KatMark said:


> And it's always nice to order room service and just lay back once in awhile. And those potato skins are reminding me it is lunch time and I'm hungry.


*I never regret a room service evening. *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Beam me up Scotty.


*I wish I could do that for real.....*



pkondz said:


> Free...
> Such a _nice_ word.


*It is! Especially when combined with wine.  *



pkondz said:


> What???? No living room pic!?!?!
> 
> That's it! I'm done reading this TR!
> 
> 
> 
> Although I do want to see what happens next...
> 
> 
> Maybe I'll keep reading.
> 
> But you're on probation, lady!


* I will try to do better!*



pkondz said:


> Fish cannery I'm betting.


*Seems like a safe bet.....*



pkondz said:


> Well of course. If the cannery closes, what are you going to do with all the extra fish???


*The circle of life....  Or something like that! *



pkondz said:


> I am not shocked by that pricetag at all.
> Aquariums (at least the big ones) all seem to be expensive.


*Really??  I had no idea. I was shocked! *



pkondz said:


> Wow! That's really great!
> Pixie dust _outside_ of Disney, for a change.
> Nice!


*It was a great break for us - such a nice thing for a stranger to do. *



pkondz said:


> Well of course.
> If you're going to visit an aquarium, you otter see it all.


*Oh lordy......*



pkondz said:


> Ha! Cheese pizza. The hallmark of the parent-with-child meal.
> I have no idea when it ends.
> Kay is almost 14 and still only wants cheese pizza.


* So funny - the only topping that Willow will allow is bacon. Although I convinced her to try ham last weekend, and she now chooses that. She's all about pork products, that kid.*



pkondz said:


> Well of course, otherwise how will she know she was there?


*Good point.  *



pkondz said:


> Hmmm..... there's something fishy about those pictures.
> 
> Did you know you can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish?


*REALLY?????  *



pkondz said:


> Never seen those before.
> Pretty cool


*I hadn't either  - they were neat!*



pkondz said:


> Do you know how long I stared at that photo before I could decide whether they were alive or not?


*Maybe as long as I stared at the picture while writing that update trying to remember if they were real or fake before I remembered they were lights????*



pkondz said:


> Pretty good!






pkondz said:


> Whose isn't it?


*An excellent point.  *



pkondz said:


> Sounds nice. Nice and relaxing.


*It was. We enjoy evenings like that.*



pkondz said:


> Can't wait! Thanks for posting!


*Thanks for hanging in here and continuing to read and comment. *


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> The free food and wine in the lobby sounds fabulous!


*We are huge fans! *



courtneybelle said:


> Room service is always a nice treat, and those potato skins look awesome!


*They were so good! I don't think I'd had one since the 1980s. *



hstrickland said:


> Howdy


*Hi Heather!!!*



hstrickland said:


> Hope life is treating y'all well. I'm finally getting some real Dis time this morning since the house is quiet. Thank goodness I'm not too far behind!


*It's good to see you! No concern of falling very far behind on this TR lately - life has definitely been getting in the way of my DIS time. I need to spend about 5 hours tonight catching up on everyone's TRs too. *



hstrickland said:


> First and foremost, I must say that I like your taste in handbags  I did notice your Disney Dooney by the salad  I have the same print  It's a summer must!


*Oh, I love that print so much too! I saw a DCL print recently that was awesome - sort of hoping I don't see it on the Fantasy next year so I won't be tempted to spend the money! *



hstrickland said:


> Hooray for the sweet lady with visitor passes!!! Just a little bit of  to get you ready for Disneyland!! And aren't you glad you didn't have to dish out $70 for just 2 hours. Seems a little pricey.


*We were so grateful to that kind woman for her generosity. It was a real treat! *



hstrickland said:


> Funny how kids just love a pool...any pool...doesn't matter  Lucky for you, right?! Have never stayed in an Embassy Suites, but looks very nice...especially the "free" libations. Food looked good, too! Especially the potato wedges!


*We are big fans of ES - almost always they are quite nice, and the extra room with the suite cannot be beat at the price!*



hstrickland said:


> Hope you have a fab weekend!!! We are actually having a cold snap which is a nice change for South Georgia.


*We are having a MAJOR and totally unusual for this time of year cold snap too - it was 18 degrees when we went out this morning. And we actually got snow on Thursday!!!  What in the world????  *



hstrickland said:


> Looking forward to more!


*Thanks! I'm hoping to do some major updating here in a few minutes. *


----------



## RGirl

*Current Day Update*​*
So it's been a while since I shared anything about what we've been up to in our non-vacation life, and I thought I would take the opportunity to do that now since we had a little bit of Disney in our lives this month.

So far, our Fall has been full of fun times!

Willow painted our pumpkins.*
*

*​*We went to the corn maze and spent hours trying to find our way out and would never have made it home alive without assistance.*
*













*​*We baked cookies.*
*

*​*I finally made the long-awaited shark shirt.*
*

*​*We had a great time at Willow's school Halloween party. Willow made a monster pencil!*
*

*​*Willow was, of course, Elsa for Halloween.  Oscar was more interested in her candy.*
*

*​*And I surprised Willow with an afternoon at Disney on Ice! Here are some pics from the show.

There was an un-birthday party.*
*





*​*We were excited when these folks showed up.*
*

















*​*Mickey met Jack Skellington.*
*

*​*Lots of villains came around.*
*









*​*Mickey tried to trick-or-treat with the villains, but was offered a poison apple instead.*
*

*​*Luckily, these ghosts came out to save the day.*
*

*​*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## RGirl

* Continued from Previous Post

Minnie became a princess.


​
Lots of other princesses came along.






















​
Minnie was excited to see her prince.






​
Everybody went to Hawaii.


​
There was fire on the ice.


​
Lilo and Stitch showed up.


​
Goofy went surfing.


​
Minnie went to Japan.


​
Mickey went to China.


​
They both went to New Orleans.






​
Pluto looked for Santa.


​
Everyone helped Santa out of the chimney.






​
Some other friends joined in the celebration.


















​
It was a VERY weird story line. But a lot of fun!*


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 12 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 4 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point

"So the Big Blue? What's it like?"​
Day 8A - Friday, 1 August 2014 - Monterey, California to San Luis Obispo, California

We slept in until 7:30 today! As I noted above, Embassy Suites offers a complimentary breakfast, which Willow LOVES. (It features eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, pancakes, made-to-order omelets, pastries, cereal, fruit, yogurt, etc.) So we headed down to the lobby pronto.


​
Willow generally is not a huge eater, but she LOVES a good breakfast buffet!






​
Willow: I sure do [love a breakfast buffet]! Its yummy!!

After breakfast, we headed up to the room to get ready and pack our bags (again). I called down to bell services to get some help with the luggage. We waited. And waited some more. And stood outside our room and watched the glass elevators for any sign of assistance. And waited. And then waited. 


​
Finally, I called back down to see if maybe we had been forgotten. The employee I got on the phone went to find out and called back to let me know that the bellman was having a hard time finding a cart (we could see guests wheeling them all over the hotel, so we knew why he couldn't find one ) and was VERY upset that he wasn't up to our room yet. I said no worries, and we went back to waiting. 

When the bellman arrived, he was very apologetic, but we weren't mad - we were in no hurry, and it certainly wasn't his fault. He loaded up all of our stuff, chatted with Willow about Disney on the way down to the lobby, waited outside with our luggage while we went to get the car, and loaded up our car for us. And then he wouldn't even take a tip!  He said that he does it because he likes to help. Wow. Just wow. We were really meeting some amazing people on this trip.


​
Willow: Hes awesome!

Even with all the waiting, we were on the road at 9:40AM.


​
And it was a beautiful day!


​
Today we were heading for San Luis Obispo - a name that Willow enjoyed saying MANY times on this trip!  I was very excited about this destination because I had read about this unique hotel that I knew we were going to love - the Madonna Inn!


​
No, come on, people! Not THAT Madonna! 

The Madonna Inn is a family-owned unique establishment. It was built in 1958; it originally had twelve rooms, but twenty-eight more were quickly added, bringing the total to forty. In 1960, the main building, including a wine cellar, bakery, coffee shop, dining room, cocktail lounge, banquet hall, and shops was added. And the Madonna Inn now features 110 guest rooms. What Willow and I fell in love with upon reading about this place was the fact that each guest room is decorated completely differently in some type of unique style or theme. The Inn lives on an area of over 1,000 acres, and large rocks from this lot were used in constructing the inn. Needless to say, we were really excited to be staying at this one of a kind, landmark establishment.

Willow: Oh, I loved it! I met some friends, and we swam together. We even pretended we were surfing. Because there werent any stairs, just at the deep end, so we would run in and back up.

We arrived at the Madonna Inn at about noon.










​
Our room was not ready, so we explored a bit. We walked up the hill from the main office/restaurant/gift shop building...


​
And found the building where our room, The Portugal Room, was located.










​
Up Next: Day 8A (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 8A (cont.) - Friday, 1 August 2014 - Monterey, California to San Luis Obispo, California (cont.)

We then walked along past another building filled with more themed rooms...






​
And along a pretty path.


​
To check out the pool area!










​
We thought that the front desk person had indicated that the room would be ready by 1:30, so after running some snack-related errands, we returned only to discover that our room was still not ready and likely wouldn't be until 3:30. Hmm, what to do?

Go to the beach, of course! We headed out to Pismo Beach and arrived at about 2:00PM. We walked along the beach, and Willow did a little wading.


















​
We walked out the long pier and checked out the views from there.


















​
We walked into the little touristy beachy town area and found your typical beach store filled with candy and souvenirs. We decided to get a beverage there and have a seat for a bit. Willow enjoyed a watermelon Italian soda.


​
Willow: Yummy! That was so good!

And I had some kind of frozen coffee thing.


​
This place had a line every time we saw it - a huge line. They must have very tasty fish and chips!


​
At this point, we decided to head back to our car. Willow had to make a quick detour to swing on a swing.


​
Eventually, Willow was convinced to leave through the lure of a swimming pool awaiting her at the Madonna Inn.

Up Next: Day 8B*


----------



## RGirl

* "Will you get your head out of the clouds and back in the water where it belongs?"​
Day 8B - Friday, 1 August 2014 - San Luis Obispo, CA

When I last left off, we were departing Pismo Beach to return to the Madonna Inn in hopes of finding our room ready. We arrived back at the Madonna Inn at about 3:45PM, and our room was ready. Plus, Willow got cookies!


​
Willow: Yay! Cookies! They were yummy.

We were so excited to check out our room - the Portugal Room. It did not disappoint! It was huge with two separate sleeping areas and a very nice bathroom. The theming was awesome. 






​
My bed:


​
Willows bed:






​
From Willows sleeping area into mine and front window:


​
Bathroom:










​
Towels for the pool:


​
We loved all the little touches that made this place unique:






















​
Every time we walked down to the ice machine, it was so tempting to try to peer into the other rooms to see what the décor was like. We refrained from doing so as best we could. 

Next Up: Day 8B (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 8B - Friday, 1 August 2014 - San Luis Obispo, CA (cont.)

We got the car unloaded and headed to the pool at 4:15PM. We had such a fantastic afternoon and evening here.


​
I enjoyed this spot - reading my book and chatting with my lounge-chair neighbor.






​
And Willow made a great friend in the pool, and they played together the entire time. Man, I wish we were there right now.










​
We got some drinks from the pool bar, which also featured a limited food menu.






​
At some point, Willow and the other swimmers spotted some deer on the hillside behind us. Of course, Willow was absolutely adamant that I must get a picture, so here you go.


​
We had tentatively planned to just get some dinner at the pool, but as it got to be about 7:00PM, I knew that there was no way that Willow would actually eat unless she was removed from the pool.  So at about 7:15PM, we left this beautiful oasis and returned to our room so that Willow could shower and get dressed. 

The Madonna Inn features a steakhouse, a cafe, a lounge and a bakery. We opted for the casual Copper Cafe and Coffee Bar.














​
We had a great time here toasting our vacation to date and our soon-to-be arrival at Disneyland!






​
Willow once again really broke out of the vacation comfort zone and went with chicken tenders and fries. (Seriously, I'm going to start posting pictures and descriptions of our meals at home so that y'all know she doesn't eat this way the rest of the year! )


​
And I went for a bunless burger. (Same here - I should be posting my at-home meals for proof that I am not a junk-food addict. )


​
The food was very tasty, service was great, and the atmosphere couldn't be beat. Willow got a HUGE slice of black forest cake to take back to the room.


​
After enjoying making the tiniest dent in that giant piece of cake, Willow got ready for bed and curled up with The Sound of Music for a bit before going to sleep around 9:00PM with dreams of tomorrow's arrival at Disneyland Resort!

And let me just take a moment here to tell you just how much we truly enjoyed our stay at the Madonna Inn - it was unique, comfortable, and even luxurious. I would absolutely come back here except that I would plan to spend more time here. The Inn not only features unique rooms and a beautiful pool, but it also has a spa, horseback riding, two restaurants, and shopping. We would have been very happy to spend more time here.

Up Next: Day 9A and Disneyland!!!*


----------



## jedijill

Memo in Finding Nemo

Sebastian in The Little Mermaid

Going back to finish reading.

Jill in CO


----------



## jedijill

Looks like you guys have been having list of fun this fall.

I haven't been to SLO in close to 20 years...looks awesome.  I want to stay at the Madonna Inn...it looks so fun!  Yay for being one day away from Disneyland!


Jill in CO


----------



## STLMickeyMom

holy updates!  yay!!!

ugh--corn mazes!  we get lost in them every time!

your hotel is so pretty.  i love the bathroom!  and that chocolate cake looks delicious!


----------



## dizneeat

*Holy Mega Update!!!!!!!!!

I just love all the photos of your fall activities! So cute

We don't have Disney on Ice here, so that was a really nice treat. Thank you for taking so many photos. Funny storyline, though. 

Wow! You got to stay at the Madonna Inn. The one hotel I really wanted to stay at during our first trip to the US and the TA refused to book it for us. No, she just would not book THAT hotel. 

And Pismo Beach! Did you find any sand dollars? My mom and I went there one day in the early morning and there were sand dollars literally everywhere.

Very brave Miss Willow, wading in the Pacific - it is just so cold. 

That is quite the large room! The decor is "different".  Not your usual chain hotel. I would LOVE to see for myself. 

Miss Willow and the pool! I just love how happy she looks (and you must be seeing her like this )
Dinner looks very nice and I do completely understand that you eat differently on vacation. You should see what we eat during the year. It is NOTHING like what we have on vacation. But eating the "not so healthy" things is part of being on vacation. *


----------



## petals

great updates. The wallpaper in your hotel room would make me dizzy though


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I did a corn maze too!!! Of course mine was at night and filled with the undead and creepy clowns.

Aww little Elsa. I bet she was the only one too, lol. And the pumpkin candy holder. I had one just like it for trick or treating... until I discovered pillow cases.

Oh my goodness I want to see a Disney on Ice so bad. It looks like so much fun and a great way to get a little Disney at home.

AHHHH what a cool lobby shot.

Look at that. You met a Disney CM in that bellman and he wasn't even a Disney CM.

I have to admit... I also like saying San Luis Obispo.

That hotel is ADORABLE!!! I can't get over how cute that place is.

Themed rooms. You know, other places could learn from that. 

Hey, at work I am known as the "chicken fingers and fries" guy (in addition to "Disney guy" of course), so I'm totally on board with this common selection.


----------



## queenbetsey

Wow great pics again.  I have heard about the Madonna inn.  Now that I know it is more than just themed rooms think it might be fun to head up there for a day or two.  We have kicking around the idea of heading back to Hearst's castle again and think this might be a nice inclusion.  Looks like Miss Willow got a visit from the tooth fairy not too long ago.  So cute !


----------



## KatMark

Wow...mega updates.

Willow you were a lovely Elsa.

Roni, love the shark shirt!

How sweet of the bellman not to take a tip from you.

The beach looks lovely as does Willow's drink.

Wow...what a hotel! It looks amazing (although that wallpaper would probably make me very dizzy). How fun that all the rooms are differently themed, and the hotel has a lot to offer.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Willow painted our pumpkins.*



Do you not carve them?
Or is it because Willow's a bit too young for that?



RGirl said:


> *We went to the corn maze and spent hours trying to find our way out and would never have made it home alive without assistance.*



Did it last year, this year the ground was too wet.
Who wants to slog through mud for a few hours????



RGirl said:


> *I finally made the long-awaited shark shirt.*



And I see someone was still brave enough to wear it.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was, of course, Elsa for Halloween.  Oscar was more interested in her candy.*



Of course.
To both statements! 



RGirl said:


> *Mickey met Jack Skellington.*



Always nice to meet new folks.



RGirl said:


> *Mickey tried to trick-or-treat with the villains, but was offered a poison apple instead.
> 
> Luckily, these ghosts came out to save the day.*



Ummm... Okay?



RGirl said:


> *Everybody went to Hawaii.*



Because why _wouldn't_ you???



RGirl said:


> *There was fire on the ice.*



Ice melted. The end.

No?



RGirl said:


> *Pluto looked for Santa.
> 
> 
> *



Cute shot.



RGirl said:


> *We slept in until 7:30 today!*



Parent!



RGirl said:


> * As I noted above, Embassy Suites offers a complimentary breakfast, which Willow LOVES. (It features eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, pancakes, made-to-order omelets, pastries, cereal, fruit, yogurt, etc.)*



Hello! Of _course_ she loves it!
What's not to love about that food list, right Willow?



RGirl said:


> * So we headed down to the lobby pronto.
> 
> 
> *



You JUMPED?????
Please tell me you at least used a bungee cord or parachute!! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I sure do [love a breakfast buffet]! Its yummy!!*



 I completely agree.



RGirl said:


> *The employee I got on the phone went to find out and called back to let me know that the bellman was having a hard time finding a cart (we could see guests wheeling them all over the hotel, so we knew why he couldn't find one ) and was VERY upset that he wasn't up to our room yet.*



While it was really nice that he was apologetic and (AND) refused a tip...
Isn't it odd that the hotel wouldn't keep a cart or two handy behind closed doors somewhere?
You know, so the bellman can do his job?



RGirl said:


> *Today we were heading for San Luis Obispo - a name that Willow enjoyed saying MANY times on this trip!*



I've already said it countless times in my head, reading this TR! 



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Like a sturgeon.
Swimming for the very first time!


What?



RGirl said:


> *No, come on, people! Not THAT Madonna!*



Oh.



RGirl said:


> *The Madonna Inn is a family-owned unique establishment.*



It looks really amazing! Love the way the buildings sprawl and straddle the road.



RGirl said:


> *
> Willow: Oh, I loved it! I met some friends, and we swam together. We even pretended we were surfing. Because there werent any stairs, just at the deep end, so we would run in and back up.*



That sounds like a lot of fun!



RGirl said:


> *And along a pretty path.
> 
> 
> *



Of course it's pretty. Look who's on it!



RGirl said:


> *We headed out to Pismo Beach and arrived at about 2:00PM.*



Guess how many times I've said, "Pismo Beach at San Luis Obispo."

Wrong. It's more.



RGirl said:


> *We walked out the long pier and checked out the views from there.
> 
> 
> *



Prettiest view right there.



RGirl said:


> *Willow enjoyed a watermelon Italian soda.
> 
> Willow: Yummy! That was so good!*



It looks really good, too!



RGirl said:


> *At this point, we decided to head back to our car. Willow had to make a quick detour to swing on a swing.*



Well of course.
No swing set should be passed by without testing.



RGirl said:


> *We were so excited to check out our room - the Portugal Room. It did not disappoint! It was huge with two separate sleeping areas and a very nice bathroom. The theming was awesome. *



That room looks great! Love the tile work in the shower.



RGirl said:


> *Every time we walked down to the ice machine, it was so tempting to try to peer into the other rooms to see what the décor was like. We refrained from doing so as best we could. *



It would not do to end your vacation with a "stalker" or "peeping Tom" label.


Who the heck was peeping Tom anyway?



RGirl said:


> *I enjoyed this spot - reading my book and chatting with my lounge-chair neighbor.
> 
> 
> *



Uh... Sure Roni. Nice that you could chat with your lounge-chair neighbor.

(pssst. Everyone. Don't tell her there's no one there. Just let it go and back away slowly from the TR.)



RGirl said:


> *At some point, Willow and the other swimmers spotted some deer on the hillside behind us. Of course, Willow was absolutely adamant that I must get a picture, so here you go.*



Well of course. She's right.
If you didn't take a picture, it never happened.



RGirl said:


> *We opted for the casual Copper Cafe and Coffee Bar.*



That place looks great! I love the woods and the upholstery.
You just don't see that anymore.



RGirl said:


> *Willow once again really broke out of the vacation comfort zone and went with chicken tenders and fries. (Seriously, I'm going to start posting pictures and descriptions of our meals at home so that y'all know she doesn't eat this way the rest of the year! )*



Oh, don't worry. I believe you.
I'm sure sometimes she has fries and tenders instead of tenders and fries.



RGirl said:


> *And I went for a bunless burger. (Same here - I should be posting my at-home meals for proof that I am not a junk-food addict. )*



You're on vacation.
You are legally, morally and ethically required to eat junk food.
I think it's a religious requirement too.



RGirl said:


> *Willow got a HUGE slice of black forest cake to take back to the room.*



Atta girl.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 9A and Disneyland!!!*



Thanks for the (multiple) posts!


----------



## afwdwfan

She was Elsa for Halloween?  Really?  If I had to guess what she was for Halloween, I think that would probably be the last thing I could possibly imagine.   

You guys must have had great seats for Disney on Ice.  Looks like you're right down there on the ice!  I appreciated your cliffs notes version of the show.  

I agree with Willow about breakfast buffets.  You can't go wrong with them.  They are awesome.  Show me a good hotel breakfast buffet, and I'll eat enough that I won't need lunch later. 

The hotel looks very interesting.  I'm glad you had such a good time there checking it out and getting some pool time for Willow!


----------



## Curiouser&curiouser!

How fun!!  I want to stay at the Madonna Inn now!


----------



## hstrickland

Hiya 

And let me just preface this by saying....YAY for Thanksgiving break!!!! I can catch up on my threads and slowly read every word without feeling rushed  Now... on with the comments.


I did chuckle a little when I saw your "life" updates. While creating pumpkins and such, Willow was sporting the Disney attire. A sure sign of a Disney lover  Very cute! 


Disney on Ice looks like fun. We've thought about taking the kids, but then never do it. Guess I'm gonna need to break down and do it next time they are in Savannah. 


Ok....so the Madonna Inn looks FABULOUS!!!! Love it!!! What a quaint little place! The pink umbrellas really make that pool area...well, not to mention the view; that certainly helps, too  How did you find these places??? Luck of the draw or did you do major research? 


Looking forward to Disneyland!!! You're almost there!!!!


----------



## courtneybelle

Hi Roni!!! Super behind on the DIS because of school/work/dance/life but I'm catching up now!

Looks like you guys are having all kinds of fall fun! Obviously I love the Elsa costume, and Disney on Ice looks great, if not confusing.

The Madonna Inn sounds so unbelievably cool. It would be awesome to stay there a few times and see the different rooms you'd get!

The beach is so gorgeous! And that watermelon soda looks so yummy.

The Portugal Room is beautiful! It looks so spacious too. 

HA I would totally be that person peering into other people's rooms to see how they were decorated.

I wish we were in a pool right now tooit's pouring rain here 

You're on vacation!!! You have to eat chicken strips! No judgment whatsoever here.

That cake  Do you think they'd deliver across the country?

AHHHH DISNEYLAND IS COMING!! I've loved the road trip portion but I'm so excited to hear about Disneyland!

And happy Thanksgiving to you and Willow


----------



## KatMark

​


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Memo in Finding Nemo
> 
> Sebastian in The Little Mermaid
> 
> Going back to finish reading.
> 
> Jill in CO


*Wow! 4 more points! *



jedijill said:


> Looks like you guys have been having list of fun this fall.


*It's a great time of year leading into the holidays - always so much to do!*



jedijill said:


> I haven't been to SLO in close to 20 years...looks awesome.  I want to stay at the Madonna Inn...it looks so fun!  Yay for being one day away from Disneyland!


*You should! We absolutely loved that place. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> holy updates!  yay!!!


* Seems like if I actually manage to get on here and catch up on everyone else's TRs, the only way I can keep this one moving is to do a lot at once. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> ugh--corn mazes!  we get lost in them every time!


*Oh man - we were AWFUL at finding our way through that thing. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> your hotel is so pretty.  i love the bathroom!  and that chocolate cake looks delicious!


*It was a great place to stay! *



dizneeat said:


> *Holy Mega Update!!!!!!!!!*


* Seems like the only way I can manage to get anything posted is to drop in and do a big update and then disappear again for ages. *



dizneeat said:


> *I just love all the photos of your fall activities! So cute*


*Thanks - it was definitely a fun time of year for us!*



dizneeat said:


> *We don't have Disney on Ice here, so that was a really nice treat. Thank you for taking so many photos. Funny storyline, though. *


*The story line was truly bizarre. *



dizneeat said:


> *Wow! You got to stay at the Madonna Inn. The one hotel I really wanted to stay at during our first trip to the US and the TA refused to book it for us. No, she just would not book THAT hotel. *


*Wow! Really? What was the reason she wouldn't book it????  We absolutely loved it!  *



dizneeat said:


> *And Pismo Beach! Did you find any sand dollars? My mom and I went there one day in the early morning and there were sand dollars literally everywhere.*


*We did not - wrong time of day/tide, I think. Too bad - I love sand dollars!*



dizneeat said:


> *Very brave Miss Willow, wading in the Pacific - it is just so cold. *


* The child can't resist water!*



dizneeat said:


> *That is quite the large room! The decor is "different".  Not your usual chain hotel. I would LOVE to see for myself. *


*It was awesome - I loved how over-done every room was. Just a whole lot of fun - probably Willow's favorite place she's ever stayed.  *



dizneeat said:


> *Miss Willow and the pool! I just love how happy she looks (and you must be seeing her like this )*


*I do indeed - it was a truly amazing vacation filled with so much fun. *



dizneeat said:


> *Dinner looks very nice and I do completely understand that you eat differently on vacation. You should see what we eat during the year. It is NOTHING like what we have on vacation. But eating the "not so healthy" things is part of being on vacation. *


*You are totally right - I just can't believe how many times she had chicken strips. It's not usually her first choice even on vacation.  *


----------



## RGirl

petals said:


> great updates. The wallpaper in your hotel room would make me dizzy though


* It really wasn't obtrusive in person. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I did a corn maze too!!! Of course mine was at night and filled with the undead and creepy clowns.


* The one here turns scary (I've been told, VERY scary) a week or so before Halloween. Willow was very keen to go to the scary version, but we just couldn't find an evening to give it a try. Honestly, I don't think we ever would have gotten out in dark. Apparently, we are terrible at mazes.   *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Aww little Elsa. I bet she was the only one too, lol. And the pumpkin candy holder. I had one just like it for trick or treating... until I discovered pillow cases.


* I was having a great time playing "Spot Elsa" during the school Halloween festivities.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my goodness I want to see a Disney on Ice so bad. It looks like so much fun and a great way to get a little Disney at home.


*They are super-fun. This was our third year in a row - it's become a bit of a tradition. We always go with my mom and then all go out to dinner after. Unfortunately, my mom has been unwell lately and wasn't able to join us this year, so we had a third seat just for our purses. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> AHHHH what a cool lobby shot.


*Thanks!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Look at that. You met a Disney CM in that bellman and he wasn't even a Disney CM.


*So true - he was exactly the kind of person who makes a great Disney CM.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I have to admit... I also like saying San Luis Obispo.


*It was right up there with "bungalow" for Miss Willow. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> That hotel is ADORABLE!!! I can't get over how cute that place is.


*It was such a treat to stay there. Definitely recommend it if you ever decide to do a West Coast of the USA vacation. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Themed rooms. You know, other places could learn from that.


*Right????  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hey, at work I am known as the "chicken fingers and fries" guy (in addition to "Disney guy" of course), so I'm totally on board with this common selection.


*If Willow was up, she would be thrilled to read this comment. *



queenbetsey said:


> Wow great pics again.  I have heard about the Madonna inn.  Now that I know it is more than just themed rooms think it might be fun to head up there for a day or two.  We have kicking around the idea of heading back to Hearst's castle again and think this might be a nice inclusion.


*I definitely recommend it - Willow LOVED it there.

I regret that we didn't make it to Hearst's Castle - by the next morning though, we were just ready to get to Disneyland!*



queenbetsey said:


> Looks like Miss Willow got a visit from the tooth fairy not too long ago.  So cute !


*If I ever get to the last day of this trip, you may read about that there. *



KatMark said:


> Wow...mega updates.


* Seems to be the only way I can keep this TR moving - I haven't been able to get on the DIS in such a long time.*



KatMark said:


> Willow you were a lovely Elsa.


*Willow would definitely say thank you if she were up.*



KatMark said:


> Roni, love the shark shirt!


*Thanks! Willow has requested a matching one for her little cousin as a Christmas present.*



KatMark said:


> How sweet of the bellman not to take a tip from you.


*I have never had that happen before!*



KatMark said:


> The beach looks lovely as does Willow's drink.


*Both were very nice!*



KatMark said:


> Wow...what a hotel! It looks amazing (although that wallpaper would probably make me very dizzy). How fun that all the rooms are differently themed, and the hotel has a lot to offer.


*It was a perfectly wonderful place for us - a ton of fun. And the wallpaper wasn't bad at all in person. *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Do you not carve them?
> Or is it because Willow's a bit too young for that?


*Both - I hate carving pumpkins (it's hard to do and messy), but I will be happy to let Willow do all the pumpkin-carving she wants when she's old enough to wield a big knife.

Honestly, if she cared about it, I would do it. She really likes painting them. *



pkondz said:


> Did it last year, this year the ground was too wet.
> Who wants to slog through mud for a few hours????


*We were wishing the ground would have been a bit wet. A HUGE dust storm came up while we were lost in there - we were filthy when we got out of there and choking on dust.*



pkondz said:


> And I see someone was still brave enough to wear it.






pkondz said:


> Of course.
> To both statements!


*Yeah, neither of those statements was a big surprise, huh? *



pkondz said:


> Because why _wouldn't_ you???


*Definitely the strangest Disney on Ice storyline we have ever seen. *



pkondz said:


> Cute shot.


*Thanks - it was a truly cute moment in a bizarre story line. *



pkondz said:


> Parent!






pkondz said:


> Hello! Of _course_ she loves it!
> What's not to love about that food list, right Willow?


*If she were up, she would be strongly agreeing - the child loves a good breakfast!*



pkondz said:


> While it was really nice that he was apologetic and (AND) refused a tip...
> Isn't it odd that the hotel wouldn't keep a cart or two handy behind closed doors somewhere?
> You know, so the bellman can do his job?


*Yeah, it was a bit strange. It was one of those Embassy Suites moments, though, when the ENTIRE HOTEL checks out at the same time. I'm thinking maybe even the super-secret carts were all being used by other bellmen?  I really don't know! *




pkondz said:


> I've already said it countless times in my head, reading this TR!


*It's really hard not to - I've said it a few times just responding to comments. *



pkondz said:


> It looks really amazing! Love the way the buildings sprawl and straddle the road.


*It was a great place to stay. I think it's probably Willow's favorite hotel to date. *



pkondz said:


> Of course it's pretty. Look who's on it!


*Awwww - Willow would love this. I really shouldn't do replies after she goes to bed. Of course, it's taken me weeks to get them as it is, so I think I made the right call to actually get on here and post. *



pkondz said:


> Guess how many times I've said, "Pismo Beach at San Luis Obispo."
> 
> Wrong. It's more.






pkondz said:


> Prettiest view right there.






pkondz said:


> Well of course.
> No swing set should be passed by without testing.


*Certainly seems to be true..... *



pkondz said:


> That room looks great! Love the tile work in the shower.


*It was a really fun and HUGE room. *



pkondz said:


> It would not do to end your vacation with a "stalker" or "peeping Tom" label.
> 
> Who the heck was peeping Tom anyway?


*Are you kidding me? You didn't go look it up?????  *



pkondz said:


> Uh... Sure Roni. Nice that you could chat with your lounge-chair neighbor.
> 
> (pssst. Everyone. Don't tell her there's no one there. Just let it go and back away slowly from the TR.)


*I knew someone would make a comment such as this. And I could have won a lot of money if I'd been able to place a bet on who it would be. *



pkondz said:


> That place looks great! I love the woods and the upholstery.
> You just don't see that anymore.


*I was really impressed with the decor as well. Gosh, what a neat place this was.*



pkondz said:


> You're on vacation.
> You are legally, morally and ethically required to eat junk food.
> I think it's a religious requirement too.


*Phew! I feel much better now!*



pkondz said:


> Atta girl.






pkondz said:


> Thanks for the (multiple) posts!


*Thanks for continuing to read along and comment - I know it's slow-going. *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> She was Elsa for Halloween?  Really?  If I had to guess what she was for Halloween, I think that would probably be the last thing I could possibly imagine.


*Yeah, she really went out on a creative limb with that one! * 



afwdwfan said:


> You guys must have had great seats for Disney on Ice.  Looks like you're right down there on the ice!  I appreciated your cliffs notes version of the show.


*Yes - we were right on the edge of the ice. We have kind of a tradition of going to Disney on Ice with my mom, and last year, she shelled out for those seats. She decided we could never sit anywhere else after that, so got the same ones this year. Unfortunately, she wasn't well enough to go with us this year, but I'm hoping that we can make that up next year.*



afwdwfan said:


> I agree with Willow about breakfast buffets.  You can't go wrong with them.  They are awesome.  Show me a good hotel breakfast buffet, and I'll eat enough that I won't need lunch later.


* That is definitely Willow's approach too - I'm not sure how much she actually ends up eating, but she sure likes to have some of everything at the table. *



afwdwfan said:


> The hotel looks very interesting.  I'm glad you had such a good time there checking it out and getting some pool time for Willow!


*It really was a ton of fun.*



Curiouser&curiouser! said:


> How fun!!  I want to stay at the Madonna Inn now!


*We absolutely loved our stay!*



hstrickland said:


> Hiya


*Hi Heather!*



hstrickland said:


> And let me just preface this by saying....YAY for Thanksgiving break!!!! I can catch up on my threads and slowly read every word without feeling rushed  Now... on with the comments.


*I had planned to do the same. And now it's Sunday night and I'm just getting on the DIS, trying to catch up on everyone else's reports. Not sure I'll even manage to get an update posted.  If I can get caught up on other TRs though, maybe I can get mine updated tomorrow night. *



hstrickland said:


> I did chuckle a little when I saw your "life" updates. While creating pumpkins and such, Willow was sporting the Disney attire. A sure sign of a Disney lover  Very cute!


*I hadn't noticed that! How funny. She doesn't wear Disney stuff quite as often anymore, so it's cute to see her randomly sporting something like that.*



hstrickland said:


> Disney on Ice looks like fun. We've thought about taking the kids, but then never do it. Guess I'm gonna need to break down and do it next time they are in Savannah.


*It really is a lot of fun. This was our third year in a row.*



hstrickland said:


> Ok....so the Madonna Inn looks FABULOUS!!!! Love it!!! What a quaint little place! The pink umbrellas really make that pool area...well, not to mention the view; that certainly helps, too  How did you find these places??? Luck of the draw or did you do major research?


*It was a great place to stay!

I did a ton of research prior to this trip - I didn't want any horrible surprises as far as hotels go on a road trip of this length. *



hstrickland said:


> Looking forward to Disneyland!!! You're almost there!!!!


*Thanks! I'm hoping to get us there tonight, but it may not happen until tomorrow. *


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Hi Roni!!! Super behind on the DIS because of school/work/dance/life but I'm catching up now!


*No worries, Courtney. I am having a terrible time getting on here lately too. I hope things calm down for you!*



courtneybelle said:


> Looks like you guys are having all kinds of fall fun! Obviously I love the Elsa costume, and Disney on Ice looks great, if not confusing.


*It has been a very fun Fall. *



courtneybelle said:


> The Madonna Inn sounds so unbelievably cool. It would be awesome to stay there a few times and see the different rooms you'd get!


*Oh, I know! I hope we get to go back one day. Totally fun place to stay!*



courtneybelle said:


> The beach is so gorgeous! And that watermelon soda looks so yummy.


*Willow indicated it was as tasty as it looked. *



courtneybelle said:


> The Portugal Room is beautiful! It looks so spacious too.


*It was ENORMOUS. *



courtneybelle said:


> HA I would totally be that person peering into other people's rooms to see how they were decorated.


*Oh, it was so hard not to just go press our noses against the windows and check everything out. *



courtneybelle said:


> I wish we were in a pool right now tooit's pouring rain here


*It's 13 degrees here with snow on the ground. WAH!!!!*



courtneybelle said:


> You're on vacation!!! You have to eat chicken strips! No judgment whatsoever here.


*It was strange that she got so obsessed with them - I mean, mac and cheese is more her vacation fave usually. *



courtneybelle said:


> That cake  Do you think they'd deliver across the country?


*Wouldn't that be nice????*



courtneybelle said:


> AHHHH DISNEYLAND IS COMING!! I've loved the road trip portion but I'm so excited to hear about Disneyland!


*I'm so excited to finally get to it! *



courtneybelle said:


> And happy Thanksgiving to you and Willow


*Thanks Courtney! I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving. *



KatMark said:


> ​


*Thanks Kathy! I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving - I know times have been awfully hard lately. *


----------



## RGirl

* Sorry for the long delay - work has been insanely bad lately. I am hoping to get a second update posted this week to make up for the absence! 

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 16 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 4 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point

"Let's show our new friends where they'll be staying!"​
Day 9A - Saturday, 2 August 2014 - San Luis Obispo, CA to Disneyland Resort

We were up at about 7:30AM today, got showered and loaded up the car. We made a quick stop at the lovely San Luis Obispo Target for some presents for friends we would be seeing today.


​


We managed to hit the road at about 9:00AM.


​
It was another beautiful day.


​
Somehow, we managed to drive straight through today with no stops other than the constant L.A. traffic, which had us at a complete stop on multiple occasions.


​
Despite the traffic, we were pulling up here at 1:20PM.


​
Um.


​
Yeah, we were excited!


​
Yes, DIS friends, we were staying at the Disneyland Hotel yet again - this would be our third stay in three trips! We love it here!  We had, however, never DRIVEN here before. But it was all very easy. We pulled up to the front, and a bellman unloaded the car for us and gave us a ticket with an extension to call once we were in our room. 

We made our way to the front doors, stopping to admire the Mickey and Minnie statues out front, of course.


​
We headed into the lobby area. It's so pretty in here - LOVE the teacup chairs!














​
We checked in with a nice Earning-My-Ears CM who (as the CMs at the DLH do) went in back and returned with a signed photo of the characters for Willow. Now I know that Willow has gotten one of these on every trip, but she must have never looked at it before. Because she thought this was just grand - all of her friends had made such an effort to welcome her back! 


​
Soon we had our room keys and were headed out of the Fantasy Tower and over to the Frontier Tower. Why don't you come along with us?






















​
Up Next: Day 9A (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 9A - Saturday, 2 August 2014 - San Luis Obispo, CA to Disneyland Resort (cont.)

On our first trip for Willow's 5th birthday, we were in the Adventure Tower and had gotten upgraded to a view that included the Disneyland fireworks. On our second trip for Willow's 7th birthday, the AP winter special had included an upgrade to a pool-view room in the Fantasy Tower. So this was our first time staying in the Frontier Tower and our first time with a true "standard view" room. When we first arrived to the Frontier Tower, the first thing we noticed was the perfect Frontierland music playing. I kind of wished that the rest of my life had perfectly themed music playing at all times until I realized that, given my profession, it would probably be mostly the theme from Jaws.

The lobby was very Frontier-oriented as well (I got more pics later).


​
We headed up to our floor.


​
And into our room. I did notice that the room was significantly smaller than the Fantasy Tower room that we had had in January, but there was still more than enough room for the two of us. And, of course, we loved all the little details as always - especially the light-up headboard.






































​
There was a beautiful print of a picture of Walt coming through the castle in Disneyland. Willow opted for the bed over which the picture looked, saying that she "wanted to sleep by Walt." 


​
Willow: Because I wanted to have good dreams, and I really like Walt. Hes a good guy. I wanted to sleep by him because he was Mickeys pal.

As you can see, we had a SPECTACULAR view of the parking lot.


​
Willow: Boring.

We called down to bell services for our luggage, and quick as can be, the kind bellman was there and had unloaded everything for us.

Up Next: Day 9B*


----------



## jedijill

Lotso toy story 3


I want to stay at the DLH! It just loons so magical!

Jill in CO


----------



## afwdwfan

You're killing me here!!!!   We were torn between DLH and GCH for our Disneyland trip and we chose GCH.  I wish you would have done this update a couple of months ago!  I really wish we could do both so we could experience the best of both worlds.  DLH just seems to have this magical feeling to it.  

And I love Willow's reasoning for wanting to sleep in the bed by Walt's picture!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

DISNEYLAND!!!!!  I'm just in love with the old school sign for the hotel.

I only wandered the outside on my one Disneyland trip, so very cool to see the inside. And seriously... TEA CUP CHAIRS????? That is awesome.

"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes".   I'm no thief but if I was staying there that pillow may have found itself in my luggage somehow... accidentally.

Plus that photo of Walt and the castle is one of my favourites.

And that headboard... DYING OVER HERE!!!


----------



## RGirl

* Hey there DIS Friends! I will be back to do replies tonight, but I wanted to jump on here quickly during my lunch break and get another update posted since I waited so long between updates last time. 

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 18 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 4 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point

"Sorry folks, park's closed. Moose out front shoulda told ya."​
Day 9B - Saturday, 2 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, our luggage had just been delivered to our room. Our car, however, was still in front of the hotel, so we headed down to move it at about 2:00PM. 


​
Have I mentioned how much we love the Disneyland Hotel???






​
Here are some of the Frontier Tower lobby pics.










​
We walked by Trader Sam's and the outdoor seating area. Isn't it pretty?










​
We made note of the wedding area just off to the side near the Frontier Tower. 


​
We made our way to the Fantasy Tower.






​
We walked through it and out to the entryway where we found our car. We drove around to the Magic Parking Lot and found a spot for Elizabeth for the week. 


​
Willow: Elizabeth got dirty. Not fun.

And then we made the short walk back to the Fantasy Tower.






​
Willow, of course, needed her traditional picture with the greeting statues.


​
Up Next: 9B (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 9B - Saturday, 2 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

Back through the Fantasy Tower we went.






​
And around towards the Frontier Tower.






​
Here's the little wedding area. Isn't it pretty?


​
Soon we were back at the Frontier Tower.






​
I took this opportunity to unpack while Willow updated her trip journal.


​
You may be wondering why in the world we weren't racing off to a park! Well, friends, the park was closed to us today. Saturdays during summer are blocked for AP holders. 


​
But we were okay with that because we had big plans at the pool.

With our stuff unpacked, we headed down to the pool at about 2:45PM. Friends of ours would be joining us there shortly. I found a seat WAY in the back - loungers were in scarce supply at this time of day.


​
Willow tested out the pool while she waited for her SoCal friend.


​
Isn't the pool area pretty here? 


​
We spotted Goofy on the bridge above the pool! He was probably heading to Goofy's Kitchen to oversee the prep for tonight's dinner service. 














​
Eventually, Willow came to hang out with me until our friends arrived.


​
Soon, our friends arrived, and the girls spent some time in the pool while the moms caught up. It wasn't long, however, before the girls were clamoring to move on over to the water slide area, so we accompanied them over there. They spent a LONG time here - it is a really cool monorail-themed slide area with several slides of varying heights.










​
Willow: Like two slides where you can just go short, but theres one slide - that was blue and fun and then a red slide that was really awesome.

They eventually returned to the pool and continued their fun for quite a while. At some point, we actually just ordered dinner from one of the pool CMs circulating to take drink and food orders. This was such a great way to spend our first Disney evening - the girls would come out of the pool for a few bites of food and then head back in, and so on and so forth. My friend and I enjoyed a lovely poolside cocktail and nice salads for dinner in an environment that can't be beat!


​
We even spotted one of the Disneyland cats!!! (For anyone who does not know, cats - feral cats, essentially - have been residents of Disneyland since around the time it opened in 1955; they keep the non-cartoon mouse population under control so are much appreciated residents of the parks.) 


​
Eventually though, we had to say good-bye. Willow and I had a very early morning planned, so we said good night to our friends a little after 7 and went back to our room to get settled in for the night.

Up Next: Day 10A*


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Lasky, National Lampoons Vacation!!!!!!!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

OK, now that I got my first (and probably only) title out of the way, I can actually read the rest. 

I want that carpet.

Lovely lobby. And if I flip the photo a bit, it appears the, I'm assuming either footrests or seats, are a Mickey head!!

You know you're in California when you have furniture like that outdoors. In Florida it would be constantly soaked I think.

Being that close to the parks, I would have such a hard time staying away. But staying in that lovely area would be pretty good consolation. Plus... GOOFY!!!! How cool!

Again, I LOVE that sign by the pool. Old school, yo!


----------



## courtneybelle

The Disneyland Hotel is SO BEAUTIFUL!!!  When we went to Disneyland we stayed at some random offsite hotel which was fine but the theming of the Disneyland Hotel looks just incredible.

And music too!!! Ahh I would die. I'm also very amused by the idea of you walking around a law firm with the Jaws theme song playing in the backgroundand then you come home and it's Michael Jackson or Frozen music.

Willow's gonna make me cry with her comments about Walt!!!  I'm sure sleeping near him gave her magical dreams.

Do you have to pay extra for that spectacular view? 

I am VERY excited that a Trader Sam's is coming to WDW. Seems like my kind of place (alcohol + tiki themewhat could be better?)

Fairy Tale Wedding Unfolding. I love that!

I'm pretty sure riding the monorail slide would be enough to justify the cost of the Disneyland Hotel for me. 

Those cocktails are so pretty!!


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Lotso toy story 3
> 
> 
> I want to stay at the DLH! It just loons so magical!
> 
> Jill in CO


* Another correct answer!!!!

We adore the DLH!*



afwdwfan said:


> You're killing me here!!!!   We were torn between DLH and GCH for our Disneyland trip and we chose GCH.  I wish you would have done this update a couple of months ago!  I really wish we could do both so we could experience the best of both worlds.  DLH just seems to have this magical feeling to it.


*Oh, I am sure that you will love the GCH - it is gorgeous! I mean, I've only been in the lobby and the common areas , but they are breath-taking. I would LOVE to stay there, but I can never get past the idea of spending even more than I spend for the DLH, which is outrageous itself. *



afwdwfan said:


> And I love Willow's reasoning for wanting to sleep in the bed by Walt's picture!


*In true DIS fashion, I nearly shed a tear when she said that. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> DISNEYLAND!!!!!  I'm just in love with the old school sign for the hotel.


*Oh - the sign! It's one of my favorite things. I stayed in the original DLH when I was a girl (back when it was located so that the monorail actually came right to it), and the signage was all that style. When I returned with Willow when she was 5, I was so thrilled to see they had kept the original type of signage. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I only wandered the outside on my one Disneyland trip, so very cool to see the inside. And seriously... TEA CUP CHAIRS????? That is awesome.


*Love those chairs! They were a recent addition during a refurb a couple of years ago. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes".   I'm no thief but if I was staying there that pillow may have found itself in my luggage somehow... accidentally.


*Wouldn't it be nice to have a couple of those????*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Plus that photo of Walt and the castle is one of my favourites.


*You and Willow both! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> And that headboard... DYING OVER HERE!!!


*Possibly the best thing about the rooms there - when you press the button, it plays When You Wish Upon a Star while the fireworks go off; then the fireworks lights twinkle until you turn them off. Willow goes to sleep every night to that. *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> * Sorry for the long delay - work has been insanely bad lately. I am hoping to get a second update posted this week to make up for the absence! *



You shouldn't let a silly little thing like work keep you from your duties.
And as far as a second post, I'll believe it when I see it!



RGirl said:


> *We were up at about 7:30AM today, got showered and loaded up the car.*



And moved to Beverly.
Hills that is.
Swimming pools,
Movie stars.


And if you have no idea what I'm talking about.... nevermind.



RGirl said:


> * We made a quick stop at the lovely San Luis Obispo Target*



San Luis Obispo got mentioned in a show I watched just the other day.
Really!

I just can't remember which show it was!!



RGirl said:


> * for some presents for friends*










RGirl said:


> * we would be seeing today.*



oh.



RGirl said:


> *Somehow, we managed to drive straight through today with no stops other than the constant L.A. traffic, which had us at a complete stop on multiple occasions.*



I've heard so much about how bad LA traffic is that I actually want to see it for myself.


Which is weird.
It's like saying you've never had a root canal, so you'd like to have one just to see.



RGirl said:


> *Um.
> 
> 
> *



Scorpions! Scorpions all over the floor!!!!!



RGirl said:


> *Yeah, we were excited!*



Or that.



RGirl said:


> *We pulled up to the front, and a bellman unloaded the car for us and gave us a ticket with an extension to call once we were in our room. *



Just out of curiosity, if you tipped, did you tip him then? 
Or when the bags got to the room? Or both?



RGirl said:


> *We checked in with a nice Earning-My-Ears CM who (as the CMs at the DLH do) went in back and returned with a signed photo of the characters for Willow. Now I know that Willow has gotten one of these on every trip, but she must have never looked at it before. Because she thought this was just grand - all of her friends had made such an effort to welcome her back! *



Are you saying they didn't?
Of course they did! They all took the time to sign it for her!



RGirl said:


> *Soon we had our room keys and were headed out of the Fantasy Tower and over to the Frontier Tower. Why don't you come along with us?*



Sure!



RGirl said:


> *I kind of wished that the rest of my life had perfectly themed music playing at all times until I realized that, given my profession, it would probably be mostly the theme from Jaws.*





Which begs the question...


Shark tank cleaner?



RGirl said:


> *And, of course, we loved all the little details as always - especially the light-up headboard.*



That's so cool.



RGirl said:


> *There was a beautiful print of a picture of Walt coming through the castle in Disneyland. Willow opted for the bed over which the picture looked, saying that she "wanted to sleep by Walt." *



Awww... Smart girl.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Because I wanted to have good dreams, and I really like Walt. Hes a good guy. I wanted to sleep by him because he was Mickeys pal.*



You got that right.
I think Walt Disney was a really nice guy.
He built a whole theme park, just so his little girls would have someplace nice to go!



RGirl said:


> *As you can see, we had a SPECTACULAR view of the parking lot.
> 
> 
> *



oooh! A red SUV... and a white pedo van! 
And OMG!!!!! Not one... but _two_ BLUE VANS!!!!! 



RGirl said:


> *
> Willow: Boring.*



Did you not see those two blue vans????



RGirl said:


> *Hey there DIS Friends! I will be back to do replies tonight, but I wanted to jump on here quickly during my lunch break and get another update posted since I waited so long between updates last time. *



I don't believe it! I'm seeing it... but I don't believe it!!



RGirl said:


> *"Sorry folks, park's closed. Moose out front shoulda told ya."*



Aw, man! Why didn't I come on here sooner!
Giftwrapped for me!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



 Now there's a girl on a mission!



RGirl said:


> *Have I mentioned how much we love the Disneyland Hotel???*



Hmmmm.... No, no, don't think so.






RGirl said:


> *We walked by Trader Sam's and the outdoor seating area. Isn't it pretty?*







RGirl said:


> *Willow: Elizabeth got dirty. Not fun.*



Did you get to sit in it while it went through a car wash?
I always love doing that.
Except I usually wash mine myself, now.



RGirl said:


> *Here's the little wedding area. Isn't it pretty?*



Look.
You already asked me if I thought the seating area was pretty.
Are you *trying* to make it impossible to get my man card back????

So...

No. Not pretty.
Needs more explosions.



That should do it.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Gee. I'll probably never get to DL, but I wish they'd kept that.
I love BTMRR, but since there's already one in WDW...



RGirl said:


> *
> I took this opportunity to unpack while Willow updated her trip journal.
> 
> 
> *



Wow, Roni. You sure have a lot of princess dresses.
Does Willow have as many?



RGirl said:


> *
> You may be wondering why in the world we weren't racing off to a park! Well, friends, the park was closed to us today. Saturdays during summer are blocked for AP holders.*



Really??
Wow.



RGirl said:


> *I found a seat WAY in the back - loungers were in scarce supply at this time of day.*



I see there are some WDW resort truisms that hold true in California as well.



RGirl said:


> *Isn't the pool area pretty here?*



STOP IT!



RGirl said:


> *We spotted Goofy on the bridge above the pool!*



Did Willow flip out?

Did _you_?



RGirl said:


> *Eventually, Willow came to hang out with me until our friends arrived.
> 
> 
> *



Someone looks way too cozy.



RGirl said:


> * They spent a LONG time here - it is a really cool monorail-themed slide area with several slides of varying heights.*



Cool. Cool I can do.
And yes.... very cool.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Like two slides where you can just go short, but theres one slide - that was blue and fun and then a red slide that was really awesome.*



So the red one was super fast?



RGirl said:


> *This was such a great way to spend our first Disney evening - the girls would come out of the pool for a few bites of food and then head back in, and so on and so forth. My friend and I enjoyed a lovely poolside cocktail and nice salads for dinner in an environment that can't be beat!*



Sounds like a great way to spend an evening.



RGirl said:


> *
> We even spotted one of the Disneyland cats!!!*



I know about those!
Never thought I'd see one, though.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 10A*



Can't wait! Thanks for the update(s)!


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Lasky, National Lampoons Vacation!!!!!!!!


*  Rob's on the scoreboard!!!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OK, now that I got my first (and probably only) title out of the way, I can actually read the rest.


*Pfft! I think you just needed us to get to Disney - you'll probably run away with it now. Although it is interesting that your first points come from a non-Disney movie....*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I want that carpet.


*Isn't it awesome???*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Lovely lobby. And if I flip the photo a bit, it appears the, I'm assuming either footrests or seats, are a Mickey head!!


*Yep! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> You know you're in California when you have furniture like that outdoors. In Florida it would be constantly soaked I think.


* I hadn't thought of that.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Being that close to the parks, I would have such a hard time staying away. But staying in that lovely area would be pretty good consolation. Plus... GOOFY!!!! How cool!


*We knew that we had a lot of days compared to a typical DLR visit, so we were happy to hit the pool on this day - and we were really excited to see our friends.

We were psyched to see Goofy up there! On one of our visits in January, we actually walked into the DLH lobby and ran right into Baloo; then Willow hung out with Goofy and Peter Pan while I was checking in. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Again, I LOVE that sign by the pool. Old school, yo!


*Right???  So cool that they kept the look.*



courtneybelle said:


> The Disneyland Hotel is SO BEAUTIFUL!!!  When we went to Disneyland we stayed at some random offsite hotel which was fine but the theming of the Disneyland Hotel looks just incredible.


*It really is a beautiful hotel. So many special touches.*



courtneybelle said:


> And music too!!! Ahh I would die. I'm also very amused by the idea of you walking around a law firm with the Jaws theme song playing in the backgroundand then you come home and it's Michael Jackson or Frozen music.


* I lead a very disjointed life....  *



courtneybelle said:


> Willow's gonna make me cry with her comments about Walt!!!  I'm sure sleeping near him gave her magical dreams.


*Right?? I nearly shed a tear at that moment. *



courtneybelle said:


> Do you have to pay extra for that spectacular view?


* Gorgeous, wasn't it????  *



courtneybelle said:


> I am VERY excited that a Trader Sam's is coming to WDW. Seems like my kind of place (alcohol + tiki themewhat could be better?)


*Makes me wonder why I only go to DLR when I have a small child with me.....   *



courtneybelle said:


> Fairy Tale Wedding Unfolding. I love that!


*I love subtle little things like that. So Disney!*



courtneybelle said:


> I'm pretty sure riding the monorail slide would be enough to justify the cost of the Disneyland Hotel for me.


*Well, I know one 7 year old who would totally agree with that.*



courtneybelle said:


> Those cocktails are so pretty!!


*Wish I had one now.....*


----------



## afwdwfan

Looks like a fantastic way to spend your afternoon.  I'm really going to have to make an effort to get over to DLH while we're out there and explore the grounds a little bit.  Nothing like just hanging out by the pool with friends with some food and drinks. 



RGirl said:


> *Oh, I am sure that you will love the GCH - it is gorgeous! I mean, I've only been in the lobby and the common areas , but they are breath-taking. I would LOVE to stay there, but I can never get past the idea of spending even more than I spend for the DLH, which is outrageous itself. *


Oh, believe me... I didn't want to spend that much either.  But once I saw how much DLH would cost and put it into perspective that it's "only" a "little" bit more...


----------



## KatMark

Roni, great updates. And you are making me regret our decision to skip our first ever trip to Disneyland next year and waiting until 2017. I don't think I've ever seen a report with the Disneyland Hotel (just the Grand Californian) and I am in love with DL hotel and that is where I now want to stay.

I think your arrival day of spending time with friends at the pool sounds perfect after all the driving you had been doing prior to getting to DL. 

Willow sure enjoys her pool time (as long as there are no leaves in the pool  or bees ).

I can't wait to hear about the first park day.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I've been gone for so long I'm behind on everyone's reports!! But I'm back and catching up!

This looks like the most exciting day of your trip yet! Your pictures really make me want to stay at DLH-even with a view of the parking lot!

Spending the day with friends at the pool sounds like a great day to me. And I don't know what your drinks are in the last picture, but those look fabulously delicious too!


----------



## petals

You're at Disneyland


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> You shouldn't let a silly little thing like work keep you from your duties.
> And as far as a second post, I'll believe it when I see it!


*Ha! I actually managed to do it!  *



pkondz said:


> And moved to Beverly.
> Hills that is.
> Swimming pools,
> Movie stars.
> 
> And if you have no idea what I'm talking about.... nevermind.


*Oh, yes, I know it well....*



pkondz said:


> San Luis Obispo got mentioned in a show I watched just the other day.
> Really!
> 
> I just can't remember which show it was!!


* I would think it would have made such an impression you would remember!*



pkondz said:


> I've heard so much about how bad LA traffic is that I actually want to see it for myself.
> 
> Which is weird.
> It's like saying you've never had a root canal, so you'd like to have one just to see.


*Yeah - that IS weird. I can tell you that I had no desire to experience it. *



pkondz said:


> Just out of curiosity, if you tipped, did you tip him then?
> Or when the bags got to the room? Or both?


*You know, I'm trying to remember. I think both times because I wasn't sure we'd get the same person, but I honestly can't remember. Actually, I may have tipped when the bags got to the room with the intent to find the first guy when we got down there if the second guy was different, but it was the same guy. And who's on first???*



pkondz said:


> Are you saying they didn't?
> Of course they did! They all took the time to sign it for her!


* Definitely not saying that!  Just find it interesting that she had no recollection of receiving the same picture on the prior trips. *



pkondz said:


> Which begs the question...
> 
> Shark tank cleaner?


*Something like that. *



pkondz said:


> You got that right.
> I think Walt Disney was a really nice guy.
> He built a whole theme park, just so his little girls would have someplace nice to go!


*Poor Miss Willow is sick in bed with a stomach virus today, so she can't reply, but I know she would have plenty to say about Walt - a little preview for you, we did the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour during our stay (coming up very soon actually), and much of it made quite an impression on her. *



pkondz said:


> oooh! A red SUV... and a white pedo van!
> And OMG!!!!! Not one... but _two_ BLUE VANS!!!!!


*Jealous, aren't you?*



pkondz said:


> I don't believe it! I'm seeing it... but I don't believe it!!


**



pkondz said:


> Aw, man! Why didn't I come on here sooner!
> Giftwrapped for me!


*Right? I was really expecting you to get that one.....*



pkondz said:


> Look.
> You already asked me if I thought the seating area was pretty.
> Are you *trying* to make it impossible to get my man card back????
> 
> So...
> 
> No. Not pretty.
> Needs more explosions.
> 
> That should do it.


* I was getting a little redundant AND girly there, huh? I'll try to find some explosions for you soon. *



pkondz said:


> Gee. I'll probably never get to DL, but I wish they'd kept that.
> I love BTMRR, but since there's already one in WDW...


*Yeah, but I love BTMRR - especially the DL version. *



pkondz said:


> Wow, Roni. You sure have a lot of princess dresses.
> Does Willow have as many?


*When she gets a job, she can have as many of her own as she cares to buy. *



pkondz said:


> Really??
> Wow.


* During the height of the crowd seasons, there are blocked days for AP holders, except for the most expensive version of the AP, which we do not have. *



pkondz said:


> I see there are some WDW resort truisms that hold true in California as well.


*Very true!*



pkondz said:


> Did Willow flip out?
> 
> Did _you_?


*We were quite happy to see him - it would be a sad arrival day at the DLH not to see Goofy somewhere. On one of Willow's birthday trips, we got off the shuttle bus, walked into the lobby, and ran right into Baloo. Then Willow got to hang out with Goofy and Peter Pan while I checked us in. That was amazing!*



pkondz said:


> Cool. Cool I can do.
> And yes.... very cool.


*Phew! *



pkondz said:


> Sounds like a great way to spend an evening.


*It was really nice! We weren't chomping at the bit for the parks either knowing we had so many days - plus, you may not know this, but Willow really enjoys a good pool. *



pkondz said:


> I know about those!
> Never thought I'd see one, though.


*I was so excited to spot one! *



pkondz said:


> Can't wait! Thanks for the update(s)!


*Thanks for continuing to read along and join in! *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Poor Miss Willow is sick in bed with a stomach virus today, so she can't reply, but I know she would have plenty to say about Walt - a little preview for you, we did the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour during our stay (coming up very soon actually), and much of it made quite an impression on her. *



Aw, poor thing.
Tell her ponzi hopes she feels better soon.



RGirl said:


> *Jealous, aren't you?*



Yes!

TWO BLUE VANS!!!!



RGirl said:


> *Right? I was really expecting you to get that one.....*



Oh, I knew right away. But Rob beat me to it.



RGirl said:


> *you may not know this, but Willow really enjoys a good pool. *



No!

I had no idea.


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Looks like a fantastic way to spend your afternoon.  I'm really going to have to make an effort to get over to DLH while we're out there and explore the grounds a little bit.  Nothing like just hanging out by the pool with friends with some food and drinks.


*You should - it's a really neat resort. The pool area was redone not too many years ago, and it is just a blast now!*



afwdwfan said:


> Oh, believe me... I didn't want to spend that much either.  But once I saw how much DLH would cost and put it into perspective that it's "only" a "little" bit more...


* I have used just that argument to try to talk myself into every trip! Usually, we are just going for a short trip, which makes it even more possible, but then I think, but this is supposed to be a short, non-expensive trip, I can't spend even MORE money the hotel! *



KatMark said:


> Roni, great updates. And you are making me regret our decision to skip our first ever trip to Disneyland next year and waiting until 2017. I don't think I've ever seen a report with the Disneyland Hotel (just the Grand Californian) and I am in love with DL hotel and that is where I now want to stay.


*Hi Kathy! I'm so excited that you are going to visit DLR in a few years! You will LOVE it. And I certainly recommend the DLH - it's like a home away from home for us at this point.  Of course, I haven't tried either of the other resorts, but I'm sure they are great as well.*



KatMark said:


> I think your arrival day of spending time with friends at the pool sounds perfect after all the driving you had been doing prior to getting to DL.


*Thanks - I was very happy with how I had planned it. It had the added benefit of getting the I-want-to-go-back-and-swim bug out of Willow before we even started seeing the parks. *



KatMark said:


> Willow sure enjoys her pool time (as long as there are no leaves in the pool  or bees ).






KatMark said:


> I can't wait to hear about the first park day.


*I'm really hoping I will get the update done very soon. I thought I would have it posted by now having been home all day with a sick Willow, but I ended up working from home all day since she slept for about 7 hours. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I've been gone for so long I'm behind on everyone's reports!! But I'm back and catching up!


*Hi Lori! You may have noticed I haven't been around much either - not a ton to catch up on! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> This looks like the most exciting day of your trip yet! Your pictures really make me want to stay at DLH-even with a view of the parking lot!


*It's a great hotel - just keep the drapes shut if you have our view. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Spending the day with friends at the pool sounds like a great day to me. And I don't know what your drinks are in the last picture, but those look fabulously delicious too!


*Seriously wish I had one of those drinks right now!*



petals said:


> You're at Disneyland


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Aw, poor thing.
> Tell her ponzi hopes she feels better soon.


*Awww - thanks! I will tell her. She has been asleep ALL DAY.*



pkondz said:


> Yes!
> 
> TWO BLUE VANS!!!!






pkondz said:


> Oh, I knew right away. But Rob beat me to it.


*I expected your Vacation radar to go off and alert you to the need to swoop in and take the points! *



pkondz said:


> No!
> 
> I had no idea.


*It's true. I swear. We try to keep it quiet.*


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 18 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 4 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points


"I can't be late on the first day!"​
Day 10A - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

To say that we were excited to be back at Disneyland would be an understatement for sure. Willow woke me up this morning at 5:45 - too excited to sleep! So, I said what the heck, got up, showered, packed our park bag, and we were out the door at 6:20.


​
Extra Magic Hour (for Disneyland Resort guests) was at DCA today from 7:00AM until park opening at 8:00AM. So even though we had a lot of BIG plans in the DL park today, we were going to hit up DCA first!


​
When we stepped outside, however, we were shocked to discover that it was raining!  See - check out DTD!


​
Now, you WDW vets are probably thinking, "Yeah so?" But rain in SoCal in the heat of summer is not the norm at all. We had no umbrellas or ponchos with us, because it wasn't supposed to rain! It wasn't pouring or anything though, so we just slogged along through DTD. Luckily, the rain did not last long, but it did leave behind a level of humidity for which we were not prepared, having expected the dryer heat of the West Coast.

We made it through bag check and were at the gates by 6:35 along with a few other early birds.


​
We watched the CMs having a little meeting.


​
Disneyland was looking a little lonely over there as it wasn't opening until 8.


​
We saw the trolley make its way through.


​
We were pretty psyched to head on in at 7:00.


​
We headed straight back towards Radiator Springs Racers with everyone else. We had planned to employ the fabulous Wide Right technique, but the way the CMs were herding people made everyone go Wide Right, so it was less effective this morning. Why don't you walk along with us through CarsLand?


















​
And the RSR queue...














​
Despite the less than effective technique, we still managed to board the second round of cars to go through the ride at about 7:13AM.


​
Up Next: Day 10A (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10A - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

Anyone who read my January 2014 TR knows that Willow and I LOVE this ride - it has a little bit of everything: a gorgeous outdoor segment with beautiful music, a fun dark-ride interior through Radiator Springs, and an awesome racing segment at the end in which your car races another carload of guests. Super-fun!!!






​
When we got off the ride, we made a quick note of the number for our ride photo since we had not stopped to pick up our PP+ card in the rush to get to RSR. And then we set off on that little errand towards the front of the park.






​
PP+ card in hand by 7:30, we headed back to enjoy what was left of the EMH. Willow spotted a candy shop window that she didn't want to leave.


​
We were headed to Paradise Pier.  Come on, lets go!


















​
Our destination? TSMM, of course! Now, this attraction does not get as crowded at DCA as it does at DHS by any means; however, it was the height of summer, so we figured it would be a valuable use of our EMH time. 






​
There was no wait - even the 5 minutes predicted was a total overstatement. We just walked up and got in a vehicle (well, after letting that woman in front of us get in one). The queue area (which is VERY boring and outside) was not even open. It was 7:39 at this point. 






​
As you can see, we are not exactly TSMM fanatics or experts. 


​
But we sure had a lot of fun!

Up Next: Day 10B*


----------



## jedijill

Nemo in Finding Nemo.

Jill in CO


----------



## shan23877

A drive by contest entry:

The slug from Monster's University?


----------



## jedijill

Boo for the rain and humidity but yay for getting on RSR and TSM so quickly!  

Jill in CO


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *"I can't be late on the first day!"*



Dang. Late to the party again.



RGirl said:


> *To say that we were excited to be back at Disneyland would be an understatement for sure.*



Elated? Thrilled? All atingle and agog?



RGirl said:


> *Willow woke me up this morning at 5:45 - too excited to sleep!*



While we sometimes joke about "There's no crying in Disney World" (and yes. I know you're on the other coast) I do believe, especially for most DISers:
"There's no sleeping _in_ in Disney World (Land.... happy?)



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Oh, boy. _Someone_ looks slightly stoked!



RGirl said:


> *When we stepped outside, however, we were shocked to discover that it was raining!  See - check out DTD!*



What??? They didn't put up the dome??



RGirl said:


> *Luckily, the rain did not last long, but it did leave behind a level of humidity for which we were not prepared, having expected the dryer heat of the West Coast.*



Humid heat is way, waaaaay worse than a dry heat.



RGirl said:


> *We watched the CMs having a little meeting.
> 
> 
> *



The Monty Python purist in me is going: "Morning!" "Morning." "Morning!!"

But in reality the conversation was probably more like.
"Humid, huh?"
"Yup. Humid."
"Hey, Carl. How about that humidity?"
"Yep. Pretty humid."
"Hey, guys? Is it humid or what?"
"Yeah, I'd say it's pretty humid."
"Hot, too."
"Yeah. Hot... and humid."

etc.



RGirl said:


> *Disneyland was looking a little lonely over there as it wasn't opening until 8.*



Aw. You should go visit some day.



RGirl said:


> *
> We were pretty psyched to head on in at 7:00.*



Nothing better than being first at the turnstyle.



RGirl said:


> *Why don't you walk along with us through CarsLand?*



Sure!


Nice pics... although it looks a little humid.



RGirl said:


> *and an awesome racing segment at the end in which your car races another carload of guests. Super-fun!!!*



Super-fun? Does that mean you won?



RGirl said:


> *Willow spotted a candy shop window that she didn't want to leave.*



Wellll.... YEAH! Hellooo! Candy!!



RGirl said:


> *Our destination? TSMM, of course! Now, this attraction does not get as crowded at DCA as it does at DHS by any means; however, it was the height of summer, so we figured it would be a valuable use of our EMH time.*



Did you happen to see the wait times later on?



RGirl said:


> *As you can see, we are not exactly TSMM fanatics or experts. *



Perhaps. 
I also see that Willow is almost three times the expert you are.

At least I assume she scored higher than you.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 10B*



Thanks for the update!


----------



## KatMark

You know, I never thought it rained at DL during the summer, and yours is the second TR I've read that had rain at DL. I hope this will be the end of it.

I loved your journey to Radiator Springs...love seeing pictures of the park I've never been to.

How great is that there is no line for TSM? I would love that to save me more time to do TOT (my favorite).

Can I just say again that Willow is adorable?


----------



## afwdwfan

How about that... rain and humidity at a Disney park...   I'm sorry that you had a little surprise from the weather that morning, but at least it didn't turn out to be too bad.  RSR really looks amazing.  I can't wait to see it all for myself.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

AHHHHHHH I'm so excited to see myself on the contest board. I can die happy now. Mission complete 

7am Magic Hour, and you were ready!!! Kudos!! You can't waste that opportunity.

Rain in So-Cal??? Well the one plus is the locals will all stay indoors.

Aww that picture of Willow at the *gasp* turnstiles is super adorable.

I wish RSR had been open when I was there. Nothing but praise I hear. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE Paradise Pier. And the TSMM low wait time is just so Twilight Zone. But given all the other attractions (that DHS does not have), I get it.


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Nemo in Finding Nemo.
> 
> Jill in CO


*Ooooh, a swing and a miss! *



shan23877 said:


> A drive by contest entry:
> 
> The slug from Monster's University?


*2 points!!!!!  *



jedijill said:


> Boo for the rain and humidity but yay for getting on RSR and TSM so quickly!
> 
> Jill in CO


*The rain and humidity really took us by surprise, but it wasn't going to stop us from having a great time!*


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Elated? Thrilled? All atingle and agog?


*Yes! Perfect, Mr. Thesaurus. *




pkondz said:


> While we sometimes joke about "There's no crying in Disney World" (and yes. I know you're on the other coast) I do believe, especially for most DISers:
> "There's no sleeping _in_ in Disney World (Land.... happy?)


*So true. *



pkondz said:


> Oh, boy. _Someone_ looks slightly stoked!


*Right? There's nothing like that first morning and heading out to a park you love. *



pkondz said:


> What??? They didn't put up the dome??


*Seriously - it's not supposed to rain in SoCal in the summer!!!  *



pkondz said:


> Humid heat is way, waaaaay worse than a dry heat.


*It is - especially when it is completely unexpected. We're prepared for that in Florida, not so much Cali.*



pkondz said:


> The Monty Python purist in me is going: "Morning!" "Morning." "Morning!!"
> 
> But in reality the conversation was probably more like.
> "Humid, huh?"
> "Yup. Humid."
> "Hey, Carl. How about that humidity?"
> "Yep. Pretty humid."
> "Hey, guys? Is it humid or what?"
> "Yeah, I'd say it's pretty humid."
> "Hot, too."
> "Yeah. Hot... and humid."
> 
> etc.


*
"But why is it so humid?"
"Yeah, I know, this isn't Florida."*



pkondz said:


> Aw. You should go visit some day.


*We just might!*



pkondz said:


> Nothing better than being first at the turnstyle.


*I do love being up there in front. *



pkondz said:


> Nice pics... although it looks a little humid.






pkondz said:


> Super-fun? Does that mean you won?


*RSR is so fun that it doesn't even matter. *



pkondz said:


> Wellll.... YEAH! Hellooo! Candy!!






pkondz said:


> Did you happen to see the wait times later on?


*They definitely are higher in the summer than when we usually go in January. In January, we tend to skip it if the wait time gets to be 20 minutes.  I'm sure there were times when it was about an hour while we were there this summer. But it's not one of Willow's big faves so we don't check it a lot. *



pkondz said:


> Perhaps.
> I also see that Willow is almost three times the expert you are.
> 
> At least I assume she scored higher than you.


*Yes, let's assume that. *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the update!


*Thanks for following along and taking the time to comment. More soon! *


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> You know, I never thought it rained at DL during the summer, and yours is the second TR I've read that had rain at DL. I hope this will be the end of it.


*I really don't think it usually does. Our SoCal friends were shocked - in fact, she texted me that night stunned that it was raining. *



KatMark said:


> I loved your journey to Radiator Springs...love seeing pictures of the park I've never been to.


*Thanks! I am just crazy about CarsLand - I think it's one of the best themed lands Disney has ever done. *



KatMark said:


> How great is that there is no line for TSM? I would love that to save me more time to do TOT (my favorite).


*I know the line definitely gets "long" in the summer, but just nothing like DHS. And Willow and I would always choose ToT over TSMM too!  *



KatMark said:


> Can I just say again that Willow is adorable?


*Awww - thank you! *



afwdwfan said:


> How about that... rain and humidity at a Disney park...   I'm sorry that you had a little surprise from the weather that morning, but at least it didn't turn out to be too bad.  RSR really looks amazing.  I can't wait to see it all for myself.


*Yeah - it wasn't awful, just seemed worse because it was so unexpected.

RSR is, in my opinion, one of the best attractions Disney has done in years if not ever. It is such a great experience. And we would know - there have been times when we have just done it over and over and over. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> AHHHHHHH I'm so excited to see myself on the contest board. I can die happy now. Mission complete


* I have higher goals for you, Rob - I expect to see you stage a major come-back now that you're on the boards.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> 7am Magic Hour, and you were ready!!! Kudos!! You can't waste that opportunity.


*Oh, of course we were!  I will say that we were certainly longing for the 8AM Magic Hour of off season later in the week. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Rain in So-Cal??? Well the one plus is the locals will all stay indoors.


*Yep, it was a surprise for sure. I think that is only the second time we have experienced rain at DLR. The first was on the last day of a January trip, and it was awesome - no one else seemed to be in the park at all. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Aww that picture of Willow at the *gasp* turnstiles is super adorable.


*Thanks! We like to be right up front whenever possible! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I wish RSR had been open when I was there. Nothing but praise I hear.


*Oh, man, I wish you could have experienced it. It is really one of the best things Disney has done - so much fun. I guess you will have to make another trip to DLR. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> LOVE LOVE LOVE Paradise Pier. And the TSMM low wait time is just so Twilight Zone. But given all the other attractions (that DHS does not have), I get it.


*Yeah, it's weird, isn't it, when you're used to DHS? It kind of cracks me up every time we ride TSMM at DCA. *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *RSR is so fun that it doesn't even matter. *



Sooooo.... You lost.
Check.

How's Willow feeling today?


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Sooooo.... You lost.
> Check.
> 
> How's Willow feeling today?


*  Worse! I have absolutely no memory of whether we won or lost! 

She was still feeling pretty awful early this morning, but she finally seems to be bouncing back now - even ate a piece of toast. Thanks so much for asking. *


----------



## dizneeat

Unexpected rain? No thank you!

But I love that you braved it and were able to get on some rides pretty quickly. 

The park looks awesome so empty.


----------



## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> Unexpected rain? No thank you!


*I know! We were not pleased - luckily, it did not last or return. *



dizneeat said:


> But I love that you braved it and were able to get on some rides pretty quickly.


*Gotta suck it up and make it happen when on a Disney vacation, right? *



dizneeat said:


> The park looks awesome so empty.


*If only it could have stayed that way.....  *


----------



## RGirl

*Well, I'm at home with a sick kiddo for the second day in a row, so why not update again, right???  

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 18 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"Oh, I don't know why, but I've always loved the idea of summer, and sun, and all things hot...."​
Day 10B - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left you, we had just enjoyed a spin on TSMM during EMH. From there, we were headed to one of Willow's long-time favorite attractions - Tower of Terror! (We were not doing DCA with any rhyme or reason this morning - we had a lot of plans in DL, so we were just trying to hit a few faves during EMH.) Hey, why don't you join us as we make our way from Paradise Pier to Hollywood Land.

Isn't the bug area so cute???






​
We walked through a cereal box.






​
I loved this version of what would be a typical employees only sign anywhere else.










​
Ahhhh - an old fave.


​
It was about 8:00 when we arrived, and there was no wait at all yet.










​
After a terrifying ride on ToT, we retraced our steps a bit through a bugs land.


​
And headed back into Carsland from the back.














​
Up Next: Day 10B (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10B - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

We needed to get our RSR ride photo! Of course, the best way to get that was to ride again! But we are not fans of standing in line for over an hour, so we noted that the single-rider line was completely empty. We fixed that!






​
And by 8:20, we were ready to ride again - same car, different rows. 


​
The first vehicle you come across when you enter the interior part of the ride.


​
Uh oh! Better slow down!


​
Hi Mater! Let's tip some tractors!






​
Oh no!!! Hurry!!!!!


​
Phew! Made it into town.






​
We finally got the paint job side! (At this point on the ride, your car goes onto one of two tracks - one takes you to get your tires changed, the other to get a new paint job. We have done this ride a LOT, and this was only the second time we have ever gotten the paint side. )










​
We got our racing tips.






​
And then we were off!


​
Up Next: Day 10B (cont. again)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10B - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont. again)

I totally want to stay at Comfy Caverns on our next road trip. They have a Lincoln Continental Breakfast!


​
Here's our ride pic from earlier in the morning.


​
By this point, we were feeling the gross humid weather that we had not expected. We decided to make a quick pit stop at Flo's for some unsweetened iced tea (me) and an orange juice box (Willow).














​
We paused for some PP pics on the way out of CarsLand.






​
It was about 8:40 now, and we headed to the front of the park.






​
We stopped at a shop or two along the way - me all the time trying to explain that shopping would be better done during the heat and crowds of midday.  Willow had a purchase that she just HAD to make today though, so it was imperative that she look things over at every possible opportunity.










​
Willow:    Thats my way!

Finally, we were at the front of the park.


​
And soon we were walking across the plaza area to Disneyland!


​
Up Next: Day 10C*


----------



## jedijill

Olaf in Frozen

Wow, you guys covered a lot of ground that morning!  The park looks empty...I love the single rider lines!  WDW needs more of them.



Jill in CO


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Holy updates Bat... um... Woman. While it is great to see, I can't say I'm happy about the how. Hoping for a  quick recovery for Miss Willow. 



RGirl said:


> * I have higher goals for you, Rob - I expect to see you stage a major come-back now that you're on the boards.  *



Um, yeah, I don't see that happening. 



RGirl said:


> *Oh, man, I wish you could have experienced it. It is really one of the best things Disney has done - so much fun. I guess you will have to make another trip to DLR. *



THAT on the other hand is a never say never. I did say after my one trip that I was done because the travel is so long. But I am starting to get that urge...


I too liked the Bug's Life area. I didn't do anything (although my friend did ride the bumper cars which of course I found hysterical).

Aren't the genius "Employees Only" signs well... Genius? I love how they do that.

Overall a pretty calm Tower group EXCEPT fort that one kid. OMG! Just a little excited.

WOW!! Willow does single rider? I know you ended up in the same car, but that's some guts right there.

"We have done this ride a LOT, and this was only the second time we have ever gotten the paint side" This sounds like getting the Cowboy scene on the Great Movie Ride.

"Lincoln Continental Breakfast" 

"Willow: Thats my way!" That would be my way too!


----------



## petals

Great updates. 

Boo to rain. 

I find it interesting that you say you've only ever gotten the paint job twice on RSR 

Carsland is amazing!

Hope Willow is feeling better btw


----------



## KatMark

Roni, I am so sorry that Willow is still unwell. I hope with the weekend here that she will be her usual self by Monday. 

That bug area is absolutely adorable. 

 my favorite ride -- TOT. Are they the same in both parks?

Fun pictures during the ride on RSR and cute ride photos.

And I love the photopass pics of Willow. However why are you not in any of them?


----------



## STLMickeyMom

wow--what a fun (early) morning! I don't blame willow for being ready to get into a park.  it's hard to sleep in on the first park day!

I wasn't worried about the rain--I know you WDW troopers aren't scared of a few rain drops!

i'm wondering what willow's shopping for......

your rides on RSR look so fun!  man I can't wait to get there!  the paint side of the ride looks bright and fun.  and flo's looks like a fun stop too!


----------



## courtneybelle

Not rain!!  the biggest advantage DL has over WDW, in my opinion, is the weather, so I would be so sad if it was rainy while we were there. Glad it didn't last long though! But still, humidity 

I don't even like Cars and I still want to ride RSR so badly!!! Your description makes it sound so awesome.

Wahhhh I miss Paradise Pier. I literally could have hung out there for hours and had the best time.

Sad I didn't get the Olaf onethat's my song!!

Willow's love for TOT makes me laugh, mostly because I'm so terrified of itshe's always smiling and has her hands up, meanwhile I have a death grip on the bars and look like I'm being tortured.

Okay that is REALLY cool that there are two different sides to RSR. I love that!


----------



## pkondz

Sorry I've been AWOL for the last few days.
Busy.
But I've got my Fastpasses booked, so now I have time to comment.





RGirl said:


> *Well, I'm at home with a sick kiddo for the second day in a row, so why not update again, right???*



I trust she's all over her cold by now....

Which probably means, _you've_ got it now!



RGirl said:


> *(We were not doing DCA with any rhyme or reason this morning - we had a lot of plans in DL, so we were just trying to hit a few faves during EMH.)*



I've always shied away from the thought of doing am EMH at one park, then going to the next.
The travel time cuts into touring time.
But with DL right next to DCA, that makes it a moot point.



RGirl said:


> * Hey, why don't you join us as we make our way from Paradise Pier to Hollywood Land.*



Okay! Thanks for the invite!
(I was feeling kind of left out, and was just going to stay put.)



RGirl said:


> *We walked through a cereal box.*



Shoulda stopped to cut out the bug figures for Willow.



RGirl said:


> *I loved this version of what would be a typical employees only sign anywhere else.*



Gotta love that Disney attention to detail.



RGirl said:


> *Ahhhh - an old fave.
> 
> 
> *



Who doesn't love a park bench?
Always nice to sit for a bit and relax.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



The woman bottom right is hillarious. 
But how ticked are you if you've paid for Memory Maker (or just want a TOT picture) and you're the two guys back row, center?



RGirl said:


> *
> And headed back into Carsland from the back.*



You backed in?
Good for you!

A lot of people have trouble with parallel park touring.



RGirl said:


> *We needed to get our RSR ride photo! Of course, the best way to get that was to ride again!*



Seems legit.



RGirl said:


> *But we are not fans of standing in line for over an hour, so we noted that the single-rider line was completely empty. We fixed that!*



So many people out there who never do a lick of research or pre-planning.
They'll stand in lines for hours while the FPers and single-riders go on the same ride multiple times.

I love those people.



RGirl said:


> *Hi Mater! Let's tip some tractors!
> 
> 
> *



Gee. I hate to do this.
But I feel obligated to report you to PETT.
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Tractors)


Of course, for a small <coff, coff> _donation_, I might look the other way.



RGirl said:


> *We finally got the paint job side! (At this point on the ride, your car goes onto one of two tracks - one takes you to get your tires changed, the other to get a new paint job. We have done this ride a LOT, and this was only the second time we have ever gotten the paint side. )*



Never knew there were two sides to this story.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Disney pros get your arms UP!!
(Too bad you can't see Willow's face, though.)



RGirl said:


> *I totally want to stay at Comfy Caverns on our next road trip. They have a Lincoln Continental Breakfast!*



While the breakfast is still good, the inn itself is tired, worn and losing its grip.
Ever since they lost their Michelin rating, they just haven't been the same.


Really quite sad, actually.



RGirl said:


> *We decided to make a quick pit stop at Flo's for some unsweetened iced tea (me) and an orange juice box (Willow).*



I'll never forget the first time I ordered ice tea in the States.
What a shock!
Ice tea up here is probably the same as sweet tea in the south.
Sweet, anyway.



RGirl said:


> *We stopped at a shop or two along the way - me all the time trying to explain that shopping would be better done during the heat and crowds of midday.  Willow had a purchase that she just HAD to make today though, so it was imperative that she look things over at every possible opportunity.
> 
> 
> Willow:    Thats my way!*




You *go* girl!



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 10C*



Thanks for the chapters!


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Olaf in Frozen


*Another two points! *



jedijill said:


> Wow, you guys covered a lot of ground that morning!  The park looks empty...I love the single rider lines!  WDW needs more of them.


*It was a nice early entry for sure! Yeah, we are huge fans of single rider - I wish it was an option on more attractions.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Holy updates Bat... um... Woman. While it is great to see, I can't say I'm happy about the how. Hoping for a  quick recovery for Miss Willow.


*Well, as probably guessed, she recovered - and all the updates stopped! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Um, yeah, I don't see that happening.


*You never know! Here's a tip - look for a lot of updates over the next two weeks.   I'm off work and also thinking about the fact that we leave on another trip in just over two weeks! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> THAT on the other hand is a never say never. I did say after my one trip that I was done because the travel is so long. But I am starting to get that urge...


*I think you should do it! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I too liked the Bug's Life area. I didn't do anything (although my friend did ride the bumper cars which of course I found hysterical).


*We don't usually do any of the attractions there either, but I always enjoy walking through. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Aren't the genius "Employees Only" signs well... Genius? I love how they do that.


*Me too! One of those things that isn't NECESSARy but makes everything that much better.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Overall a pretty calm Tower group EXCEPT fort that one kid. OMG! Just a little excited.


*Right???  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> WOW!! Willow does single rider? I know you ended up in the same car, but that's some guts right there.


*She tried it for the first time on her 7th-birthday trip and wanted to do it on every ride. I had to break the news to her that it was only available on a few.  There are some we won't do it on - like Soarin' - we would get way too separated. On RSR, we've been in the same car almost every time we've done single rider. And on the Matterhorn, we're always within a car or two of each other. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> "We have done this ride a LOT, and this was only the second time we have ever gotten the paint side" This sounds like getting the Cowboy scene on the Great Movie Ride.


*Oh yeah! I forgot about that! It's so weird though because I know that HALF of the cars are going through the paint section. Why in the world do we always get the other one? *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> "Lincoln Continental Breakfast"






DisneyKid4Life said:


> "Willow: Thats my way!" That would be my way too!


* Willow is definitely the shopper in our family. *


----------



## RGirl

petals said:


> Great updates.


*Thanks! *



petals said:


> Boo to rain.


*I know - we felt very lucky that that was the only rain we had though. *



petals said:


> I find it interesting that you say you've only ever gotten the paint job twice on RSR


* I say it because it's what has happened - and it's weird. *



petals said:


> Carsland is amazing!


*Isn't it? I think one of the best Disney "lands" I've visited. *



petals said:


> Hope Willow is feeling better btw


*Thanks! She is. *



KatMark said:


> Roni, I am so sorry that Willow is still unwell. I hope with the weekend here that she will be her usual self by Monday.


*Thanks Kathy!  She is all better now - I guess I should hope so since I haven't posted in weeks. *



KatMark said:


> That bug area is absolutely adorable.


*Isn't it? There are so many great details in there.*



KatMark said:


> my favorite ride -- TOT. Are they the same in both parks?


*ToT is the one attraction that I would say is better at WDW. The others - almost all are better at DLR. But ToT at DCA does not have the part where the car moves down to the drop place with all the neat twilight zone stuff, and I don't think it has the randomized drop sequences either. Still fun, but not as good as DHS.*



KatMark said:


> Fun pictures during the ride on RSR and cute ride photos.


*It is such a great ride!*



KatMark said:


> And I love the photopass pics of Willow. However why are you not in any of them?


* I didn't like many of my pics this trip. Hopefully I'll have more of the two of us in January!  *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> wow--what a fun (early) morning! I don't blame willow for being ready to get into a park.  it's hard to sleep in on the first park day!


*Yeah, we were both pretty darn excited!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> I wasn't worried about the rain--I know you WDW troopers aren't scared of a few rain drops!


* Very true - just really surprised!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> i'm wondering what willow's shopping for......


*Don't worry - all will be revealed. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> your rides on RSR look so fun!  man I can't wait to get there!  the paint side of the ride looks bright and fun.  and flo's looks like a fun stop too!


*RSR is really one of the best attractions we have ever experienced.  *



courtneybelle said:


> Not rain!!  the biggest advantage DL has over WDW, in my opinion, is the weather, so I would be so sad if it was rainy while we were there. Glad it didn't last long though! But still, humidity


*It was a huge surprise. Thankfully, this was the only time it happened, and the humidity disappeared along with it, although it was certainly hot all week. *



courtneybelle said:


> I don't even like Cars and I still want to ride RSR so badly!!! Your description makes it sound so awesome.


*Same here! I have never been a fan of those movies - they just aren't my thing. But I am in LOVE with CarsLand and RSR. Disney did such an amazing job with the whole area.*



courtneybelle said:


> Wahhhh I miss Paradise Pier. I literally could have hung out there for hours and had the best time.


*It's a really fun place, huh?*



courtneybelle said:


> Willow's love for TOT makes me laugh, mostly because I'm so terrified of itshe's always smiling and has her hands up, meanwhile I have a death grip on the bars and look like I'm being tortured.


* She loves that ride so much! For quite some time, it was her absolute favorite (before she was tall enough for EE and before she had done RSR). There was one day that we rode ToT at DHS 13 times in one day. *



courtneybelle said:


> Okay that is REALLY cool that there are two different sides to RSR. I love that!


*It is very cool - I still don't know why we always get the "new tires" side. It's so weird! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Sorry I've been AWOL for the last few days.
> Busy.
> But I've got my Fastpasses booked, so now I have time to comment.


*And I'm sorry I've been AWOL for the last few weeks! 

I hope you got some great FPs!*



pkondz said:


> I trust she's all over her cold by now....
> 
> Which probably means, _you've_ got it now!


*It was a stomach bug , and she is definitely well over it. And somehow I ended up NOT GETTING IT!  *



pkondz said:


> I've always shied away from the thought of doing am EMH at one park, then going to the next.
> The travel time cuts into touring time.
> But with DL right next to DCA, that makes it a moot point.


*I so love how close the parks are to each other! *



pkondz said:


> The woman bottom right is hillarious.
> But how ticked are you if you've paid for Memory Maker (or just want a TOT picture) and you're the two guys back row, center?


* I know! Don't you just love checking out all the other people in ride photos? There's always something funny. *



pkondz said:


> You backed in?
> Good for you!
> 
> A lot of people have trouble with parallel park touring.


*I have always been an excellent parallel parker. *



pkondz said:


> So many people out there who never do a lick of research or pre-planning.
> They'll stand in lines for hours while the FPers and single-riders go on the same ride multiple times.
> 
> I love those people.



*I am a HUGE fan of those people*



pkondz said:


> Gee. I hate to do this.
> But I feel obligated to report you to PETT.
> (People for the Ethical Treatment of Tractors)




Of course, for a small <coff, coff> _donation_, I might look the other way.[/QUOTE]




pkondz said:


> Disney pros get your arms UP!!
> (Too bad you can't see Willow's face, though.)


*Being that short is kind of a bummer sometimes. *



pkondz said:


> While the breakfast is still good, the inn itself is tired, worn and losing its grip.
> Ever since they lost their Michelin rating, they just haven't been the same.
> 
> 
> Really quite sad, actually.


*This is so disappointing. *



pkondz said:


> I'll never forget the first time I ordered ice tea in the States.
> What a shock!
> Ice tea up here is probably the same as sweet tea in the south.
> Sweet, anyway.


*I think almost everyone I know does sweeten iced tea, although it is usually served unsweetened. I prefer mine completely without sweetener though. *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the chapters!


*Thanks for hanging in here with me! I'm taking the next two weeks off, so I'm hoping I'll get some major updating done. *


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"Why, it ... it's a very unusual cake, isn't it?"​
Day 10C - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we were leaving DCA for DL. It was about 8:45 when we entered Disneyland for the first time this trip.










​
Right away, we spotted an old friend, and Willow just had to greet him, knowing that he was likely looking forward to seeing her again after these many months.


​
Pluto REALLY liked the shirt I had made for Willow - he kept trying to eat his cupcake.














​
Eventually, they posed for a pic. Well, Pluto did anyway. 










​
I finally managed to wrest Willow from Pluto's paws, and we continued on our way.






















​
When we got to the hub, we veered left past the Jolly Holiday Bakery.






​
We were headed to Frontierland. 














​
When we were here in January, BTMRR had been undergoing a major refurb, so we were both really ready to visit the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!


​
Up Next: Day 10C (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10C - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

We entered the VERY long queue area (thankfully, there were no people in it) at 8:57 and were on the ride at 9:02.






































​
See, didn't that seem like a really long walk????  

There are quite a few queues at DL (and DCA) that involve stairs-climbing.






​
We had a GREAT ride!






























​
There was a whole new section where we got to experience a mining explosion, so that was exciting! Unfortunately, my pictures did not turn out on this particular ride, but I kept trying every time, so maybe there will be some at some point. Here - isn't this a nice building?


​
Up Next: Day 10D*


----------



## courtneybelle

I'm actually here first and I don't know the quote 

LOVE that Pluto was your first stop!! Not that I'd expect anything different.

I love your on-ride photos! And too cool that there's a brand new section. I wish WDW had gotten that, but heywe got a new queue

Very nice building. Rain makes cornand corn makes whiskey


----------



## pkondz

I know, I know!
Sleeping Beauty!

But as to who said it.... I have a one in three shot...

Flora, Fauna or Merryweather.

No clue, so I'll randomly guess.... Merryweather.



Okay. So I just googled it and.... I'm half right!
(Just like my wit!)


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



I get chills of anticipation, just looking at that picture.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



The nemesis of all characters.... kids' elbows



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Yup. Hunched over, sucking air. 
Been there buddy... been there.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Doesn't help when they laugh at you.
But one thing always helps....



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Nothing beats a good belly rub.



RGirl said:


> *When we were here in January, BTMRR had been undergoing a major refurb, so we were both really ready to visit the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!*



Woot! Love BTMRR!



RGirl said:


> *See, didn't that seem like a really long walk????  *



Oh, no. Not at all.... 

Can you imagine on a hot, crowded day.... 



RGirl said:


> *There was a whole new section where we got to experience a mining explosion, so that was exciting! Unfortunately, my pictures did not turn out on this particular ride, but I kept trying every time, so maybe there will be some at some point.*



Cool! Hope you caught it.
Thanks for the update!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Awwwwwww, there is nothing like seeing a child be so excited to see Disney characters. What a great interaction with Pluto. 

I will add though that I wonder if characters wear cups. I would think it would be pretty necessary for any male chacters. 

I so love Disneyland Main Street. Just enough differences to make it and MK Main Street unique. I really miss things like the Cinema in Magic Kingdom though.


----------



## afwdwfan

Looks like a fun morning in DCA!  I'm glad you got to do RSR twice!  And it is nice to see some photographic evidence that you were actually there on this trip with Willow. 

Willow looks very excited to see Pluto.  Not a bad way to start off your time in DL at all. 

I can't wait to get there and see the new Thunder Mountain myself!


----------



## KatMark

Oh I am loving the pictures of Willow and Pluto.   And what a fun interaction.

Wow...the queue is longggggggggggggggggggggg, isn't it?

In case I don't get back here, I wanted to wish you and Willow and all of yours a very happy holiday season.




​


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> I'm actually here first and I don't know the quote


*Oh no! So close!!!*



courtneybelle said:


> LOVE that Pluto was your first stop!! Not that I'd expect anything different.


*We were pretty excited to see him there!*



courtneybelle said:


> I love your on-ride photos! And too cool that there's a brand new section. I wish WDW had gotten that, but heywe got a new queue


* Yeah - the new scene is pretty cool. Seems like they could have added it at WDW too!*



courtneybelle said:


> Very nice building. Rain makes cornand corn makes whiskey






pkondz said:


> I know, I know!
> Sleeping Beauty!
> 
> But as to who said it.... I have a one in three shot...
> 
> Flora, Fauna or Merryweather.
> 
> No clue, so I'll randomly guess.... Merryweather.
> 
> 
> 
> Okay. So I just googled it and.... I'm half right!
> (Just like my wit!)


*one point for pkondz!*



pkondz said:


> I get chills of anticipation, just looking at that picture.


*I know - I fell the same, especially knowing that we will be back there one week from today! *



pkondz said:


> The nemesis of all characters.... kids' elbows
> 
> 
> 
> Yup. Hunched over, sucking air.
> Been there buddy... been there.
> 
> 
> 
> Doesn't help when they laugh at you.






pkondz said:


> Woot! Love BTMRR!


*Me too - it's been one of my faves since I first went to DL as a kid. *



pkondz said:


> Cool! Hope you caught it.
> Thanks for the update!


*Thanks for sticking with me. I really thought I would get a lot more updates done during the break. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awwwwwww, there is nothing like seeing a child be so excited to see Disney characters. What a great interaction with Pluto.


*Willow and Pluto are such great friends. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I will add though that I wonder if characters wear cups. I would think it would be pretty necessary for any male chacters.


* I'm going to assume they do. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I so love Disneyland Main Street. Just enough differences to make it and MK Main Street unique. I really miss things like the Cinema in Magic Kingdom though.


*I love that the parks have so many similarities but so many differences at the same time - it's kind of amazing, really.*



afwdwfan said:


> Looks like a fun morning in DCA!  I'm glad you got to do RSR twice!  And it is nice to see some photographic evidence that you were actually there on this trip with Willow.


*We love some RSR!*



afwdwfan said:


> Willow looks very excited to see Pluto.  Not a bad way to start off your time in DL at all.


*Pluto has long been her fave - she is always so excited to hang out with him.*



afwdwfan said:


> I can't wait to get there and see the new Thunder Mountain myself!


*Well, you are going to be there VERY soon! Actually, looking at your ticker, it's insane how close we are to going at the same time. *



KatMark said:


> Oh I am loving the pictures of Willow and Pluto.   And what a fun interaction.


*Willow always has so much fun with Pluto.*



KatMark said:


> Wow...the queue is longggggggggggggggggggggg, isn't it?


*Right???  *



KatMark said:


> In case I don't get back here, I wanted to wish you and Willow and all of yours a very happy holiday season.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ​


*Thanks Kathy!   I hope you and Mark enjoyed the holidays.*


----------



## RGirl

* ***NOTE: There is still a point available for the first person to identify the character who uttered the title quotation from the last update!***

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 5 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"No, I'm the king of the swingers, whoa. The jungle V.I.P."​
Day 10D - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After surviving the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness, we wandered through Frontierland and into Adventureland, loving all those little Disney touches along the way.














​
When we saw PotC up ahead, we couldn't resist! (Anyone who has only done this attraction at WDW's MK needs to go to Disneyland and do the version there - you may never do the one in MK again!) 










​
There was no wait at this point - 9:10AM - and we had a great ride!  This questionable picture was taken in an attempt to show you the Blue Bayou restaurant, which is situated inside the Pirates attraction.


​
We exited PotC into New Orleans Square, one of my favorite areas in DL.










​
We made our way into Adventureland.






​
We wanted to ride the Indiana Jones ride for the first time - we were hopeful that Willow would be tall enough this trip. The line looked VERY long.


​
Up Next: Day 10D (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10D - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

But the posted wait time was 20 minutes, so we decided to go for it. We got in line at 9:27 and made our way through the queue, with Willow having her height checked two or three times.






























​
Surely were going to find the ride in here at some point, right?????







​
And we were on the ride at 9:49, so that was a pretty accurate wait time! 


​
Willow LOVED this ride, and I liked it pretty well - it is very jerky, which is a plus for Willow but less so for me. I have read, I believe, that it is essentially the same as Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom. However, the theming here is very good, so it really does not feel like the same ride at all. Over all, I definitely prefer it to Dinosaur.

Willow: The bridge was very scary! Because it looked like it was wavy. But it wasnt real.

We were done with Indy and next door at the Jungle Cruise by 9:58. We had never done JC at Disneyland before (well, I had several decades ago, but you know what I mean). We enjoyed the queue, mostly because there were almost no people in it.






​
And, of course, we had a fun and corny cruise!










​
Up Next: Day 10E*


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> ****NOTE: There is still a point available for the first person to identify the character who uttered the title quotation from the last update!****



Okay. I looked it up... then promptly forgot... so I'm taking another guess! 

I've got a 50/50 chance here.... Flora?



RGirl said:


> *"No, I'm the king of the swingers, whoa. The jungle V.I.P."*



Gotta be King Louie from The Jungle Book.

Going back to read now...


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Okay. I looked it up... then promptly forgot... so I'm taking another guess!
> 
> I've got a 50/50 chance here.... Flora?
> 
> 
> 
> Gotta be King Louie from The Jungle Book.
> 
> Going back to read now...



*And right there, you have yourself THREE POINTS!  *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *After surviving the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness*



Wait. You went back to that road just off HWY 1 that terrified you?

AGAIN????



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



What??? Brewing _what_????

Plus.... now I want popcorn.



RGirl said:


> *When we saw PotC up ahead, we couldn't resist! (Anyone who has only done this attraction at WDW's MK needs to go to Disneyland and do the version there - you may never do the one in MK again!) *



Really!
I thought they were both essentially the same!
Now I'm really intrigued.



RGirl said:


> *This questionable picture was taken in an attempt to show you the Blue Bayou restaurant, which is situated inside the Pirates attraction.*



I question that photo...



RGirl said:


> *The line looked VERY long.
> But the posted wait time was 20 minutes, so we decided to go for it.*



Woot!



RGirl said:


> * We got in line at 9:27 and made our way through the queue,*



I fully expected at some point to read that the wait was far, far longer than 20 minutes.



RGirl said:


> * with Willow having her height checked two or three times.*



Did she grow, or worse, shrink, in between measurements?



RGirl said:


> *Surely were going to find the ride in here at some point, right?????*



No. They moved it. Now it's just the queue.



RGirl said:


> *And we were on the ride at 9:49, so that was a pretty accurate wait time!*



No it's not!
That's an extra two minutes!!! Who has that kinda time????



RGirl said:


> *Willow: The bridge was very scary! Because it looked like it was wavy. But it wasnt real.*



It wasn't real wavy? That's so strange!



RGirl said:


> *We had never done JC at Disneyland before (well, I had several decades ago, but you know what I mean).*



I hear ya.
People tell me that MK has changed since 1977... but I don't believe 'em.



RGirl said:


> *And, of course, we had a fun and corny cruise!*



The best kind! Thanks for the update!


----------



## KatMark

Roni, fun update.

Question...does POTC break down at DL as much as it does DW?  POTC is one of the main reasons I want to get to DL at some point.

I love all of your pictures as you walk along.

Glad you had a great cruise in the Jungle and that Willow was able to do Indiana Jones.

Wishing you and Willow a very



​


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Wait. You went back to that road just off HWY 1 that terrified you?
> 
> AGAIN????


*What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment!*



pkondz said:


> What??? Brewing _what_????
> 
> Plus.... now I want popcorn.


*That picture had the exact same thoughts running through my head.....*



pkondz said:


> Really!
> I thought they were both essentially the same!
> Now I'm really intrigued.


*The one at DL is significantly longer and has two drops - one of them quite a big drop. It is far superior. *



pkondz said:


> Did she grow, or worse, shrink, in between measurements?


*It's a distinct possibility given the difference in measuring approaches taken by different CMs. *



pkondz said:


> The best kind! Thanks for the update!


*Thanks for joining in! Going to try to get quite a few posted this week since we leave again next week!  *



KatMark said:


> Roni, fun update.


*Thanks Kathy!!!*



KatMark said:


> Question...does POTC break down at DL as much as it does DW?  POTC is one of the main reasons I want to get to DL at some point.


*We have seen it broken down once, but I don't know whether we've just been lucky. 

It really is something you just have to do - I think you'll really enjoy it. *



KatMark said:


> I love all of your pictures as you walk along.


*Thanks!*



KatMark said:


> Glad you had a great cruise in the Jungle and that Willow was able to do Indiana Jones.


*She was so excited to make that height cut-off. She still hasn't reached the point where she can ride California Screamin' at DCA, so it was nice that there was something she was able to graduate into riding. *



KatMark said:


> Wishing you and Willow a very
> 
> 
> 
> ​


*Thanks so much, Kathy! I hope 2015 is a wonderful year for you. *


----------



## RGirl

* A Christmas Intermission​
Hello DIS friends! I thought I would share a little with you about how Willow and I have spent our holidays.

We did a lot of decorating this year.










​
I made this ornament for the piano.


​
Oh, these are the ornaments we picked out at Disneyland this year (we get ornaments on every trip) :






​
Our Christmas card photo.


​
Tree on Christmas Eve with snowman door behind.


​
Willow decorated a snowman door too.


​
Willow had a great time at her school Christmas program:


​
Willow visited Santa:


​
I host Christmas Eve at my house (for my folks and my brother and his family). I made lots of food, including treats like reindeer chow, caramel candy, chocolate fudge, gingerbread fudge, red velvet fudge, hot cocoa cookies, and peanut butter kiss cookies.














​
We did have non-sweet food too - homemade meatballs and sugar dogs, caesar salad, cheese and crackers, chips and guacamole, chips and dill pickle dip (I have a great love for dill pickle flavor - I have seriously considered moving to Canada just because there are so many more dill pickle-flavored foods there).

Willow and her cousin opened their traditional Christmas Eve presents from me - a photo ornament and new jammies for each of them.


​
Willow left cookies and milk for Santa and reindeer chow for the reindeer, along with a note (translation: Dear Santa - You may turn on the fireplace when you are eating your milk and cookies) :


​
What was left after Santa visited:


​
The presents Santa left:


​
Willow had asked Santa for feetie jammies with Anna, Elsa, Sven, and Olaf on them and a Snow Glow Elsa doll. He delivered those items along with the full 9 season collection of Little House on the Prairie. Willow and I have been reading the Little House books (my favorite childhood books) together, and Santa must have known how much I was looking forward to sharing the television show with her.

Willow digs into her presents pretty early on Christmas morning. Everyone (my folks and bro and fam) all come over late morning for Christmas breakfast. Here she is with the loot from her stocking:


​
Thrilled about her Olaf robe:


​
Willow had kind of a retro Christmas. Among other things, she got the Simon Says game, a potholder loom, and an Easy Bake Oven - all favorites from when I was a kid.


​
Later on Christmas, we went to my parents' for dinner, and Willow got MORE presents.


​
And since then, weve basically spent our time like this.


​
Oh, and Willow is learning to cook (wearing her new chefs coat, of course) - she cooked scrambled eggs for herself for the first time last night.


​
I sure hope all of you are having as wonderful a holiday as we are!*


----------



## KatMark

Roni, it sounds like wonderful holidays (and Willow is so cute). Wonderful presents. And I remember the Easy Bake Oven myself.

That's a lot of food you made. And your decorations are all lovely.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *We did a lot of decorating this year.*



Love the mantle decorated.



RGirl said:


> *I made this ornament for the piano.*



I really like that!



RGirl said:


> *Our Christmas card photo.*



Too cute!



RGirl said:


> *Willow had a great time at her school Christmas program:*



She wasn't upset to be the only one without the nose and glasses?


yes, I'm kidding.



RGirl said:


> *treats like reindeer chow,*



What is that? M&Ms and... ?



RGirl said:


> *chocolate fudge,*



Love fudge.
Can never have enough fudge.



RGirl said:


> * gingerbread fudge,*



Yay! More fudge! 



RGirl said:


> * red velvet fudge,*



FUDGE!!!



RGirl said:


> *We did have non-sweet food too - homemade meatballs and sugar dogs,*



sugar dogs?



RGirl said:


> *(I have a great love for dill pickle flavor - I have seriously considered moving to Canada just because there are so many more dill pickle-flavored foods there).*



Our first DD's first non-baby food was.... sucking on pickles.

I'm not making that up.



RGirl said:


> *Willow and her cousin opened their traditional Christmas Eve presents from me - a photo ornament and new jammies for each of them.*



Awwww.... Look at them in their jammies!!



RGirl said:


> *Willow left cookies and milk for Santa and reindeer chow for the reindeer, along with a note (translation: Dear Santa - You may turn on the fireplace when you are eating your milk and cookies) :*



This was the first year that DD didn't leave milk and cookies for Santa.


Yes.... I was sad.



RGirl said:


> *Willow and I have been reading the Little House books (my favorite childhood books) together, and Santa must have known how much I was looking forward to sharing the television show with her.*



Smart Santa.



RGirl said:


> *Willow digs into her presents pretty early on Christmas morning.*



What kid doesn't???? 





RGirl said:


> *Among other things, she got the Simon Says game, a potholder loom, and an Easy Bake Oven - all favorites from when I was a kid.*



Ah yes... the Easy Bake Oven. I remember when my DSis got one... And we got DD one as well.

Nothing says patience like cooking with a light bulb! 



RGirl said:


> *Later on Christmas, we went to my parents' for dinner, and Willow got MORE presents.*



Sounds like my DDs.



RGirl said:


> *And since then, weve basically spent our time like this.
> 
> 
> *



Ooohhhh.... Nice.
I went back to work on the 26th. Boo!



RGirl said:


> *Oh, and Willow is learning to cook (wearing her new chefs coat, of course)*



I want one of those chef's coats!



RGirl said:


> * - she cooked scrambled eggs for herself for the first time last night.*



Good for her!
(And doing it right, too!)



RGirl said:


> *
> I sure hope all of you are having as wonderful a holiday as we are!*



Totally exhausting.... and wonderful. 
Thanks so much for sharing this with us!


----------



## pkondz

Happy New Year Roni & Willow!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Awww, it looks like you both have had a wonderful Christmas!  Hope your New Years was fun!


----------



## afwdwfan

Looks like you had a great Christmas.

And all those snacks... mmmm...  looks delicious!

I hope you and Willow have a Happy New Year!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Does the fact that it's "Diamond Horseshoe" and not merely Golden in Magic Kingdom automatically make it better?  Probably not.

Pirates in Dland truly is a completely different experience. That was one of my main goals on my trip. It's almost hard to call it the same ride. Doesn't the beginning remind you a bit of of the Gran Fiesta Tour in Epocot's Mexico?

Yes I believe the Indy and Dino vehicles are the same, but for me, that's where the comparison ends. Indy for the win!

Awww thank you for the Christmas update. I LOVE that Mickey ornament with the big "D".

And more AWWWWWWWW, what an adorable Christmas card.

Oh wow, the snowman door is so clever. I may have to steal that one.

Um OK, I have a bit of a head cold, but still no excuse. At first I could not figure out why Willow was the only one who didn't get a pair of nose glasses.  Yeah, I'm slow.

"Dear Santa - You may turn on the fireplace when you are eating your milk and cookies" OK, that may be the cutest thing EVER!

Incidentally, that is EXACTLY how I'd look if I'd gotten an Olaf robe.


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> Roni, it sounds like wonderful holidays (and Willow is so cute). Wonderful presents. And I remember the Easy Bake Oven myself.


*Thanks Kathy! We really have had a very nice time - especially this week when it was all about being lazy. *



KatMark said:


> That's a lot of food you made. And your decorations are all lovely.


*I went a little nuts this year - I was SO TIRED once Christmas was finally over. *



pkondz said:


> Love the mantle decorated.


*Thanks!*



pkondz said:


> She wasn't upset to be the only one without the nose and glasses?
> 
> yes, I'm kidding.






pkondz said:


> What is that? M&Ms and... ?


*It's basically the standard "puppy chow" recipe (Chex cereal, peanut butter, chocolate, and powdered sugar) with the M&Ms to make it Christmasy.*



pkondz said:


> Love fudge.
> Can never have enough fudge.
> 
> Yay! More fudge!
> 
> FUDGE!!!


*And I don't even really like sweets. I have no idea what possessed me to make so many of them. *



pkondz said:


> sugar dogs?


* Sugar dogs - I make them once a year on Christmas Eve, and Willow will never let a Christmas Eve pass without them. They are horribly unhealthy but wildly delicious - basically hotdogs cut into bite-sized pieces, wrapped in bacon and then cooked in brown sugar.*



pkondz said:


> Our first DD's first non-baby food was.... sucking on pickles.
> 
> I'm not making that up.


*That's hilarious! Does she still like them???*



pkondz said:


> This was the first year that DD didn't leave milk and cookies for Santa.
> 
> Yes.... I was sad.


* That is so sad. *



pkondz said:


> Smart Santa.


*The guy really knows his stuff. And we have been binge-watching Little House now for DAYS. *



pkondz said:


> Ah yes... the Easy Bake Oven. I remember when my DSis got one... And we got DD one as well.
> 
> Nothing says patience like cooking with a light bulb!


*We haven't fired it up yet, but my mom (who purchased it) said that they no longer use a light bulb as the heating element. *



pkondz said:


> Ooohhhh.... Nice.
> I went back to work on the 26th. Boo!


*Ugh - that bites. I'm so sorry. As the only parent in this family, I hoard my paid leave and calculate out the whole year from the start because I need to be off when the schools are closed. It's actually great - forces me to take vacation time. But I am very lucky to get quite a lot of it, which makes it much easier.*



pkondz said:


> I want one of those chef's coats!


*Me too! I can't believe my mom didn't get one for me too. *



pkondz said:


> Good for her!
> (And doing it right, too!)


*She was very proud of herself and ate every bite that she cooked. *



pkondz said:


> Totally exhausting.... and wonderful.
> Thanks so much for sharing this with us!


*I'm glad you had a good holiday as well. Back to real updates now! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Happy New Year Roni & Willow!


*Thank you!!  We are looking forward to a great year. Happy New Year to you too!*

*Willow: I like when you do comments, and I like that card that says Happy New Year. Thank you! And a happy new year to you too! I hope you liked our card.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Awww, it looks like you both have had a wonderful Christmas!  Hope your New Years was fun!


*Thanks! We did. Happy New Year!!!*



afwdwfan said:


> Looks like you had a great Christmas.
> 
> And all those snacks... mmmm...  looks delicious!
> 
> I hope you and Willow have a Happy New Year!


*We have really enjoyed our Christmas Stay-cation. I hope your holidays have been great as well. Happy New Year!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Does the fact that it's "Diamond Horseshoe" and not merely Golden in Magic Kingdom automatically make it better?  Probably not.


* Well, based on other dual-coast attractions, it just might.....  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Pirates in Dland truly is a completely different experience. That was one of my main goals on my trip. It's almost hard to call it the same ride. Doesn't the beginning remind you a bit of of the Gran Fiesta Tour in Epocot's Mexico?


*It really is so much better, isn't it? I love the beginning with the fireflies and Blue Bayou. I remember when we went to WDW for the first time when Willow was 3. I was so excited to ride PoTC. And afterwards, I thought, "Wow - we really do remember things from childhood as being a lot more exciting than they really are." Of course, then we went to DLR when she was 5, and I learned that I had remembered it exactly right - the WDW just doesn't have the excitement. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Yes I believe the Indy and Dino vehicles are the same, but for me, that's where the comparison ends. Indy for the win!


*Totally agree!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww thank you for the Christmas update. I LOVE that Mickey ornament with the big "D".


*That is the one that I chose! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> And more AWWWWWWWW, what an adorable Christmas card.


*Thanks! I had to get that picture so quickly - we were late getting our tree this year, so I was down to the wire to get pictures taken for a card. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh wow, the snowman door is so clever. I may have to steal that one.


*That was a Pinterest find - so easy to do but a pretty nice impact. We had a lot of fun doing them.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Um OK, I have a bit of a head cold, but still no excuse. At first I could not figure out why Willow was the only one who didn't get a pair of nose glasses.  Yeah, I'm slow.




*I hope you feel better soon!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> "Dear Santa - You may turn on the fireplace when you are eating your milk and cookies" OK, that may be the cutest thing EVER!


*Thanks! She almost always leaves some kind of note for Santa. I will miss those. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Incidentally, that is EXACTLY how I'd look if I'd gotten an Olaf robe.


----------



## RGirl

* ***NOTE: Don't miss the last update on page 24 - I think I distracted from it being there by posting all the Christmas stuff right away on the next page.***

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 8 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 3 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"And if you can find something suitable to wear."​
Day 10E - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After our Adventureland fun, we headed over to Tomorrowland. 






​
It was about 10:15 at this point, and we really wanted to see if we could do Space Mountain before the line got too long. When we arrived, we decided that we would opt for FPs, which were going to be usable at 11:25. Not bad!! (Yep - Disneyland Resort still sports the old paper FP system. )


​
Hmmm, looks like the stand-by wait was only 25 minutes.


​
Shows you just how much we hate standing in line. 

What to do when in Tomorrowland and waiting to use a FP for Space? Well, head to the Matterhorn, of course - one of Willow's absolute favorite attractions. 


​
We got in the line at first, but it seemed VERY long and wasn't moving very fast. So we quickly ducked out of line and walked over to the front of the attraction where we entered the Single Rider Line. Willow LOVES the single rider line here and always flaunts her little green single rider card.






​
There was pretty much no one in the single rider line with us, so we were soon being seated in opposite ends of a bobsled pair. As usual on my first ride of the trip on the Matterhorn, I tried to get some pictures for you. *sigh*














​
After the Matterhorn, Willow was hoping to do the Alice ride, but the wait seemed quite long, so we opted for the teacups instead. The cups had no wait whatsoever - my kind of attraction!














​
I love the little cottage for the CMs!






​
After we left the Teacups, it was about 10:45. Now, Willow has done the BBB at MK several times and even the BBB on the Fantasy, but she had never done it at DL before. And this trip, she was going to get the chance! In fact, she had her appointment later this very day. However, she had been torn for months on what dress she was going to get (which shouldn't really be surprising since she already has almost every dress ). Anyway, we thought that this would be a good opportunity, before our Space FPs were usable, to figure out exactly where the BBB is at DL and to check out the available dresses. So we headed to the DL BBB!






​
Up Next: Day 10E (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10E - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

Willow looked around in here for a LOOOOOONG time. 














​
At the end of this browsing session, she still wasn't totally sure. She had REALLY been hoping that the Elsa dress would be here, but I had warned her that it wouldn't, and sadly, I was right. So many of the dresses that she didn't have (such as the Anna non-coronation dress and the Merida dress) were long-sleeved, and it was just too hot for that. I did suggest a couple of times that maybe she didn't actually need to get a dress this time. Somehow that suggestion was not really heard. : By the time we left, Willow was pretty sure that she was going to go with the Minnie Mouse dress for a little change of pace.

When we left the BBB, it was getting very close to 11:00. Our Space FPs would not be usable for another half hour, and we knew that we wanted to have an early lunch since we hadn't really had any breakfast. So we decided to head back towards Tomorrowland and get some lunch at the pizza place. However, on the way there, Willow spotted the Tomorrowland Terrace where we had eaten on our last trip, and she really wanted to go there instead. So I got in line to order while Willow went to find us a table (no easy feat).


​
Check out the Stormtrooper mug! Are these at WDW too now? 


​
Soon, I was delivering our lunch to the table - man, we were hungry!!! Willow went out on yet another limb with chicken strips and French fries. Sheesh!


​
And I tried the chicken sandwich with avocado salsa.






​
Do you think Willow was a little hungry there? Her hand was in everything! 


​
Both meals were tasty and much appreciated by our tummies. We enjoyed relaxing here for a bit.






​
After lunch, it was time for Space Mountain, of course! We made short work of the FP queue.










​
The stand-by line was at about 40 minutes, I believe. We were happy to find ourselves ready to board very quickly!






​
After our ride, Willow needed to do a little more merch browsing and was soon pretty confident that she had settled on her pillow-pet purchase for the day, although she was going to wait to actually buy it until the end of the day since we still had a lot of big plans ahead.














​
Up Next: Day 10F*


----------



## pkondz

Okay I'm 90% certain on this one.
The evil stepmother in Cinderella


----------



## pkondz

Aaaaand... Going back to read... Later


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Can I get a pity point for saying the evil stepmother is lady tremaine? 

I missed the updates before the Christmas ones, but they all look great! I can't wait to see what dress willow finally decides on!

I like that space mountain is a side by side ride in DL. That looks fun and different then wdw. It's weird to see paper FP though!

Oooooo, the tea cups! Best ride ever! I love how they are uncovered. And look so pretty!

And those pics of willow and Pluto are adorable! I love how much she loves Pluto.


----------



## Dugette

Okay, joining in after reading the whole thing in one sitting last night! 

Love the report! Driving the west coast is one of my favorite road trips! As a kid, we used to take road trips to visit family in Oregon and I know I've been to some of the touristy places you stopped at - we have pictures from the drive-through tree for sure. Then, when I was college age and beyond, I made a couple drives up the CA coast on my own. I know Highway 1 and all those gorgeous views! When Izzy is older, we'd love to do a trip much like this (with DL included, of course!) We are hoping to get to DL sometime soon (maybe even late this year), so that part of the report is great to read as well! 

Really cool to hear what the mother/daughter travel is like when the daughter isn't two anymore.  Sounds like you two have a really great time together - so much fun! Looking forward to more!


----------



## jedijill

Looks like you guys had a great Christmas!

Looks like another fun morning at DL!  So many dress choices!  I'm shocked that Willow had chicken strips again!  Yay for Space Mountain!  DL's version is my favorite!

Jill in CO


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Okay I'm 90% certain on this one.
> The evil stepmother in Cinderella


*You are correct, sir!  *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Aaaaand... Going back to read... Later


*Happy reading! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Can I get a pity point for saying the evil stepmother is lady tremaine?


*I think that would be totally appropriate. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I missed the updates before the Christmas ones, but they all look great! I can't wait to see what dress willow finally decides on!


*Thanks! She has never had so much difficulty choosing a dress at the BBB before. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I like that space mountain is a side by side ride in DL. That looks fun and different then wdw. It's weird to see paper FP though!


*I definitely prefer Space at DL over WDW - but that's true of many attractions. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Oooooo, the tea cups! Best ride ever! I love how they are uncovered. And look so pretty!


*Oh, you with your great love of the teacups would really enjoy the DL version, I think.  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> And those pics of willow and Pluto are adorable! I love how much she loves Pluto.


*Pluto is definitely her favorite dog next to her own dog at home. *


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Okay, joining in after reading the whole thing in one sitting last night!


*Wow - that was a lot to get through!   Thank you so much for taking the time! *



Dugette said:


> Love the report! Driving the west coast is one of my favorite road trips! As a kid, we used to take road trips to visit family in Oregon and I know I've been to some of the touristy places you stopped at - we have pictures from the drive-through tree for sure. Then, when I was college age and beyond, I made a couple drives up the CA coast on my own. I know Highway 1 and all those gorgeous views! When Izzy is older, we'd love to do a trip much like this (with DL included, of course!) We are hoping to get to DL sometime soon (maybe even late this year), so that part of the report is great to read as well!


*How neat that you have those great road trip memories too - it is so fun to relive them as a parent. 

Ooooh, I hope you get to DLR soon! I know you will all love it!!!!*



Dugette said:


> Really cool to hear what the mother/daughter travel is like when the daughter isn't two anymore.  Sounds like you two have a really great time together - so much fun! Looking forward to more!


* It definitely gets easier. Willow has done a decent amount of traveling since she was a baby (like your Izzie has), and I really think that's part of why she's such a good traveler now. I bet Izzie will be the same way.  *



jedijill said:


> Looks like you guys had a great Christmas!


*Thanks - we definitely did!*



jedijill said:


> Looks like another fun morning at DL!  So many dress choices!  I'm shocked that Willow had chicken strips again!  Yay for Space Mountain!  DL's version is my favorite!


*It was very unusual that Willow took so long to decide on a dress - usually she has it picked out months in advance. The lack of Elsa dresses really threw her off her game.  *


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 6 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

This is a hobo suit, darling. You can't be seen in this. I won't allow it.​
Day 10F - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After Space and a little shopping, it was a little after 12, so we decided to head back to the BBB to check in.






​
It was a madhouse in the BBB - people everywhere. While we were waiting to be called up, Willow settled on the Minnie Mouse dress. However, when her FGiT came to get her, she promptly changed her mind. 

Willow: After I changed my mind, I chose to do Sofia the First. 

The Disneyland BBB looks a little different from the one at MK.










​
Willow had a great time getting her make-over.






















​
And the Big Reveal is very cool at the DL BBB. They have curtains that are closed during the entire make-over process.






​
At the end, the FGiT, pulls the curtains, the mirror sparkles to life, and the little princess gets to see her made-over self. Very cool!










​
Willow: They ask you to say Bibbity Bobbity Boo, and the curtains open, and the mirror shimmers with flowers, and there are birds.

With the Castle Package (which I am somehow always suckered into buying, but which was much less painful with the AP discount), you also get a little photo shoot. And here is another difference between the DL BBB and the MK one - the photo studio at the DL BBB is in back near the dressing rooms in the BBB, and it is ADORABLE!

Willow: Oh, and I even got to sit in Cinderellas carriage!























​
Up Next: Day 10G*


----------



## courtneybelle

I'll catch up in a bit but Edna Mode from the Incredibles??


----------



## courtneybelle

Hi Roni, back and catching up on what I've missed!

YESSSS I love Disneyland's Pirates!!! Eating at the Blue Bayou is on my bucket list.

We must have done Indiana Jones three or four times when we went to DL. It's so much fun!! Glad Willow enjoyed it 

I love your snowmen doors! And oh my gosh, gingerbread AND red velvet fudge? Those are my two favorite flavors!

Love the note for Santa, and props to Willow for using the right "your"-I know college students who can't do that! She's wicked smart as we say in MA.

I love the Olaf robe!! I got some Elsa pajama pants but I'm guessing the Olaf robe doesn't come in my size

I'm pretty sure I mention this in all your DL reports, but the Matterhorn was down for maintenance when we were there, and I'm STILL sad about it four years later. It seems like my kind of ride!

Wait, I love that they have Pumbaa pillow pets! I had a much-loved stuffed Pumbaa when I was younger. Excited to see which one Willow picks out 

Great choice on Sofia. I love the color of that dress! Willow looks gorgeous and I love how they do the reveal.

I LOVE the carriage and the animals in the photo shoot!!! Too cute!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I still get so sad that Matterhorn was closed when I was there. I know it's not the most thrilling coaster on the planet, but I think it was the first steel coaster ever made. Not to mention I always loved the photos/video of Walt riding it. It would have been nice to ride.

Haha, the single rider thing really threw me at first because of the little card. I got used to it though. 

I really adore the teacups in Disneyland. Having them open air with no roof adds to it I think. So pretty at night.

Are you sure Willow is as young as you claim? Single rider... table finder... I think she's an adult in a child's body, lol.

Awww Willow is clearly a pro at BBB. And that is so cute how they do the reveal. AND the photoshoot backdrops are ADORABLE!!


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> I'll catch up in a bit but Edna Mode from the Incredibles??


*And TWO POINTS for Courtney!  *



courtneybelle said:


> Hi Roni, back and catching up on what I've missed!


*Good to see you. As you know, I am very familiar with the catch-up game.   I hope you had/are having a great break!*



courtneybelle said:


> YESSSS I love Disneyland's Pirates!!! Eating at the Blue Bayou is on my bucket list.


*Isn't PotC at DL just markedly better?????

I remember eating at Blue Bayou when I was a kid - very vague memories, but I'm 95% sure it happened. And, spoiler alert! we did eat there on this trip. *



courtneybelle said:


> We must have done Indiana Jones three or four times when we went to DL. It's so much fun!! Glad Willow enjoyed it


*Willow LOVED it. I am sure that we will be doing it a few times in about 5 days.....  *



courtneybelle said:


> I love your snowmen doors! And oh my gosh, gingerbread AND red velvet fudge? Those are my two favorite flavors!


*Awww - thanks! We had a lot of fun with the doors. I'm guessing we will have every door covered in a snowman next year. 

I wish you had been here - I don't eat sweets, and Willow is only about chocolate. Let's just say that I threw out a lot of delicious sweets.....  *



courtneybelle said:


> Love the note for Santa, and props to Willow for using the right "your"-I know college students who can't do that! She's wicked smart as we say in MA.


* Well, she got the "your" right - the rest is a little more questionable.  Their idea of spelling at this age is so funny. The child has had 100% on every weekly spelling test this year, but I don't she actually retains any of it - I think the whole concept is probably beyond their years. 

But I do think she's wicked smart. And you would love this - I did a clerkship with a federal judge in Boston. He loved my Boston accent so much that he would have me do command performances during our lunches.  It was hilarious!  (I lived in Southy so I was VERY attuned to the lingo  . )*



courtneybelle said:


> I love the Olaf robe!! I got some Elsa pajama pants but I'm guessing the Olaf robe doesn't come in my size


*Ooooh, I want Elsa PJ pants!!!  I need to shop for myself once in a while.....*



courtneybelle said:


> I'm pretty sure I mention this in all your DL reports, but the Matterhorn was down for maintenance when we were there, and I'm STILL sad about it four years later. It seems like my kind of ride!


*It's a really fun ride - I mean, you may not be able to count on me for that, but Miss Willow is obsessed with it. As you will eventually see in this TR.....

Sadly, it will be down for refurb during our trip next week. That is actually one of the reasons that I told Willow about the trip in advance - I wanted her to have fair warning that the Matterhorn would not be an option. *



courtneybelle said:


> Wait, I love that they have Pumbaa pillow pets! I had a much-loved stuffed Pumbaa when I was younger. Excited to see which one Willow picks out


*I was surprised by what she chose but not unimpressed - it is a really nice one. They had several that I hadn't seen/noticed before, including the Pumbaa one. You should get one!!!!*



courtneybelle said:


> Great choice on Sofia. I love the color of that dress! Willow looks gorgeous and I love how they do the reveal.


*Thanks! She really had a terrible time choosing a dress given all the dang long sleeves and the lack of Elsa mercy, but the Sofia one ended up being very cute. And the sparkly/flowery/birdy light up mirrors at the DL BBB were great - I wonder why they don't have them at WDW. *



courtneybelle said:


> I LOVE the carriage and the animals in the photo shoot!!! Too cute!


*That was a surprise to us! We LOVED it!!!*


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> I still get so sad that Matterhorn was closed when I was there. I know it's not the most thrilling coaster on the planet, but I think it was the first steel coaster ever made. Not to mention I always loved the photos/video of Walt riding it. It would have been nice to ride.


*Hmmm, I think this is another indication that you probably need to make another trip to DLR. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Haha, the single rider thing really threw me at first because of the little card. I got used to it though.


*Me too! And to be honest, I still don't understand the purpose of the cards. I mean, you are IN THE SINGLE RIDER LINE - why do you need a card too???  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I really adore the teacups in Disneyland. Having them open air with no roof adds to it I think. So pretty at night.


*Yep - it's another attraction that just has a little something extra at DLR. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Are you sure Willow is as young as you claim? Single rider... table finder... I think she's an adult in a child's body, lol.


*Well, let's be clear. When acting as table-finder, she is only allowed in the section I can see from the food line. I guess I am comfortable with these things because I have been very clear with her about what to do in any situation and feel very confident that she would do what we have talked about (as shown by her actions when we did get separated on our cruise in 2013). It's a fine line we walk as parents between being freaky helicopters and providing opportunities for independence and growth. I find it a hard one, but I try to follow my child's indications of what she can do. I still am not comfortable with single-rider lines in certain attractions - but for RSR and Matterhorn where we are almost always in sight of each other and there is virtually no waiting alone or being in an enclosed environment and where she knows exactly what to do in a break-down situation, I am willing to let her do it. It's hard, but I think it's good that she is confident in herself and has my confidence in her. I will admit that it is much easier to do during the off season, but that is very hard to explain when the next trip is in a more crowded season.  And I suppose part of it is that it's just the two of us - she is probably more independent because she has HAD to have more independence with only one set of eyes on her and two hands to hold when those hands are both full, etc.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww Willow is clearly a pro at BBB. And that is so cute how they do the reveal. AND the photoshoot backdrops are ADORABLE!!


*She definitely loves the BBB. And we were both so pleasantly surprised with the additional magic at the DL version of it. *


----------



## Dugette

Aw, what a sweet little princess!  That is a really cute photo shoot too! I'm surprised WDW doesn't have those special touches!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I totally knew that one was Edna Mode, but now all I can hear is her yelling "No capes!"   we love that movie!

Willow surprised me! I thought for sure she'd stick with Minnie, but Sophia's dress is awfully pretty!  I ADORE her picture in the carriage--how stinkin cute is that? And the mirror sparkling and birds flying--that is SO very princessy!  Maybe we'll have to try the BBB at DL whenever we get there. We've never done it so it'd be fun to have them try it there first!


----------



## dizneeat

Hi Roni and Willow,

first off, even if it is a little late .........



​
As always, I just love all your updates, but there is far too much to comment on individually, so let me just say that I WANT to go to DL right now.  Unfortunately it is not in the cards in the near future, but we must make plans for it soon.

Willow, what a wonderful princess you are! Doesn't matter which princess you are, you are always the fairest of them all.

You are bringing up a sweet princess there, Roni. I only warn you, the way she looks you are going to have your hands full when she gets a little older.


----------



## petals

Luvin all your updates esp the pics with Pluto. Looks like you had a great Christmas as well.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Sugar dogs - I make them once a year on Christmas Eve, and Willow will never let a Christmas Eve pass without them. They are horribly unhealthy but wildly delicious - basically hotdogs cut into bite-sized pieces, wrapped in bacon and then cooked in brown sugar.*



Oh, dear Lord... That sounds good.



RGirl said:


> *That's hilarious! Does she still like them???*



Oh, yes. Keeping pickles in our fridge for any length of time only happens if I accidentally buy ones that she doesn't like.

And those are few and far between.



RGirl said:


> *We haven't fired it up yet, but my mom (who purchased it) said that they no longer use a light bulb as the heating element. *



Huh. I wonder what they use now.
Couldn't possibly be anything weaker...



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I like when you do comments, and I like that card that says Happy New Year. Thank you! And a happy new year to you too! I hope you liked our card.*



I'm glad you like my comments Willow!  And I'm glad you liked my card to you!

I *did* like your card!! Thanks!!



RGirl said:


> *(Yep - Disneyland Resort still sports the old paper FP system. )*







RGirl said:


> *Hmmm, looks like the stand-by wait was only 25 minutes.
> 
> Shows you just how much we hate standing in line. *



Disney snobs!!!!





RGirl said:


> *What to do when in Tomorrowland and waiting to use a FP for Space? Well, head to the Matterhorn, of course - one of Willow's absolute favorite attractions. *



Seems reasonable.
I will almost certainly never get to ride it.



RGirl said:


> *Willow LOVES the single rider line here and always flaunts her little green single rider card.*



You go girl!
If you've got it, flaunt it!



RGirl said:


> *As usual on my first ride of the trip on the Matterhorn, I tried to get some pictures for you. *sigh**



 Love the *sigh*



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> *



blur



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> *



big rock, probably some sky



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> *



blur again



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> *



more rocks. more sky.

Yup.... *sigh*






RGirl said:


> *After the Matterhorn, Willow was hoping to do the Alice ride, but the wait seemed quite long, so we opted for the teacups instead. The cups had no wait whatsoever - my kind of attraction!*



But *not* a pkondz ride! 
pkondz does *not* do spinning rides.

Nope.
Nada.
Not gonna happen.





RGirl said:


> *I love the little cottage for the CMs!*



Especially that thatched roof.



RGirl said:


> *After we left the Teacups, it was about 10:45.*



See? 
If I was writing this TR it would be like this:
"After we left the Teacups, it was about time to revisit what I had for breakfast."



RGirl said:


> *However, she had been torn for months on what dress she was going to get (which shouldn't really be surprising since she already has almost every dress ).*



 What? Comment? Nope. Not me.



RGirl said:


> *Willow looked around in here for a LOOOOOONG time. *



Do *not* rush a young lady picking out dresses.

You just _don't_.



RGirl said:


> *By the time we left, Willow was pretty sure that she was going to go with the Minnie Mouse dress for a little change of pace.*



Really!

Times have really changed.
Before they had meet 'n greets with the princesses, I'm pretty sure every girl wanted to meet Minnie.
She's now been relegated to a minority role, I think.



RGirl said:


> *So I got in line to order while Willow went to find us a table (no easy feat).*



I already read your comment on this, but still, good for Willow being self assured enough to do this on her own.



RGirl said:


> *Check out the Stormtrooper mug! Are these at WDW too now? *



I don't know.... but if they are, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to get one!



RGirl said:


> *Willow went out on yet another limb with chicken strips and French fries.*



No way!!! Was this the first time ever that she's had that?!?!?!?!?


What?



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *



Awesome gif! 



RGirl said:


> *This is a hobo suit, darling. You can't be seen in this. I won't allow it.*



I'm too late... But even though I've seen it, I never would've gotten this one.



RGirl said:


> *It was a madhouse in the BBB - people everywhere.*



I read that and gave silent thanks that my girls are too old for this now.


Then thought... "If I ever have granddaughters, I know I'll be taking them."



RGirl said:


> * While we were waiting to be called up, Willow settled on the Minnie Mouse dress. However, when her FGiT came to get her, she promptly changed her mind. *



Woman's prerogative.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: After I changed my mind, I chose to do Sofia the First. *



Sorry, maybe I'm dumb, but... _Who's Sofia the First_???



RGirl said:


> *And the Big Reveal is very cool at the DL BBB. They have curtains that are closed during the entire make-over process.
> 
> At the end, the FGiT, pulls the curtains, the mirror sparkles to life, and the little princess gets to see her made-over self. Very cool!*



Cool!



RGirl said:


> *Willow: They ask you to say Bibbity Bobbity Boo, and the curtains open, and the mirror shimmers with flowers, and there are birds.*



Wow! That's really a nice touch! 

And might I add that you looked absolutely beautiful?
Even more so than you usually do.



RGirl said:


> *With the Castle Package (which I am somehow always suckered into buying,*



Because if you don't, you're a bad parent of course.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Oh, and I even got to sit in Cinderellas carriage!*



No way!!



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 10G*



Whew! Thanks for all the posts!


----------



## KatMark

More fun updates, Roni. Willow sure looks excited holding her single rider ticket. Fun picture on Space Mountain (yet another ride I can't do anymore).

Willow, you make a beautiful Sophia the First. I have to say I like the extras that they have at the BBB in DL. Very cool.


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Aw, what a sweet little princess!  That is a really cute photo shoot too! I'm surprised WDW doesn't have those special touches!


*Thanks!

WDW has a nice photo shoot for sure, but we really enjoyed this cute little spot. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I totally knew that one was Edna Mode, but now all I can hear is her yelling "No capes!"   we love that movie!


*  It's a great movie, right?*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Willow surprised me! I thought for sure she'd stick with Minnie, but Sophia's dress is awfully pretty!  I ADORE her picture in the carriage--how stinkin cute is that? And the mirror sparkling and birds flying--that is SO very princessy!  Maybe we'll have to try the BBB at DL whenever we get there. We've never done it so it'd be fun to have them try it there first!


*Oh, you should! We have always enjoyed the WDW BBB, but I dare say that I liked the DL one better.  It is definitely very crowded (at least in the height of summer), but I just loved the mirrors and the photo shoot spot. *


----------



## afwdwfan

The Matterhorn... I was soooo looking forward to riding it.  Darn refurbs.  Thanks for the pictures though. 

I'm glad that Willow finally decided on a dress.  And you, thinking you could talk her out of it... yeah, right.  

I'm glad she got to enjoy her DL BBB experience!


----------



## RGirl

*Hey DIS Friends!!!!  I promise I will be back to finish replies and update this report very soon.

We are headed for Disneyland tomorrow morning!!!!  

I may try to post from there in the evenings since the parks aren't open super-late, but I can't promise anything. You know how tired one is after a day of fun!   I will definitely play the catch-up game on all of your awesome TRs when we return though. *


----------



## Dugette

I was just going to stop by to wish you a wonderful trip! I hope you have a fantastic time and happy birthday to Willow!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *We are headed for Disneyland tomorrow morning!!!!  *



Have a great and fun trip!!


----------



## dizneeat

Have a great trip with lots of magical moments!


----------



## jedijill

Have a fantastic trip!

Jill in CO


----------



## burly

Just jumped back on the Dis and I love your trip report.
 Chapter links are awesome!!!
 Have fun, looking forward to more..


 KIM


----------



## afwdwfan

Have  great time!  Let me know how the crowds are.


----------



## KatMark

Hope you are having a blast


----------



## hstrickland

Hi there Roni! 


Happy 2015... (a little late ) Hope y'all are having a FABULOUS trip!!!!! All caught up now! This morning I was up early as usual, had my coffee brewed, took the puppy out and got him fed...then immediately thought "I have to catch up on Roni's TR!!!" So now I have.



Every time I read your stuff about DL, it sooooo makes me want to go!!! Not any time soon, though. Oh well...I'll just live vicariously through your TR



The crowd looked rather slim. And you're right about Pirates of the Caribbean...I've heard it was much better. When my parents went a couple of years ago, they said the exact same thing. Funny how the teacups are not covered. BTMR looks very similar to WDW - is it? 



I was sooooo hoping to see Willow in the Minnie Mouse dress  But she still looked adorable as Sopia! I totally love the photo shoot Much cuter than WDW for sure...especially the carriage shot.  Ok, here's a kinda  question about the Fantasy BBB. Faith is going to do it on our June trip. I was actually a bit surprised that she still wanted to do the dress up thing - but happy about it. Is it as "magical" as the parks? I know they turn it into the Pirates League on Pirates night, so I can't imagine how they make the transformation???? Guess I'm picturing just a basic room that they do hair and make-up in. 



The Indiana Jones ride...I didn't know it was a new attraction. It looked great until you said "similar to the Dinosaur ride"  That thing gives me a headache  I wish DHS would get rid of the Indiana Jones show and do something more like the DL ride. The show is a bit dated to say the least. 




Your DL portion of the TR is off to a great start (no surprise, though) I always enjoy y'all's adventures. Glad Willow got to do her rollercoaster rides. Looking forward to more 


Have a great weekend!
Heather


----------



## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> Hi Roni and Willow,
> 
> first off, even if it is a little late .........
> 
> 
> 
> ​


*Thanks Karin! I hope the New Year is treating you well. *



dizneeat said:


> As always, I just love all your updates, but there is far too much to comment on individually, so let me just say that I WANT to go to DL right now.  Unfortunately it is not in the cards in the near future, but we must make plans for it soon.


*Oh, I so hope you get to go sometime soon. We would have to come visit you there! *



dizneeat said:


> Willow, what a wonderful princess you are! Doesn't matter which princess you are, you are always the fairest of them all.


*Willow: I've never heard that compliment before! Thank you!*



dizneeat said:


> You are bringing up a sweet princess there, Roni. I only warn you, the way she looks you are going to have your hands full when she gets a little older.


* I have no doubt - I feel like my hands are already very full with her though!  Thank you - I sure think she's pretty great. *



petals said:


> Luvin all your updates esp the pics with Pluto. Looks like you had a great Christmas as well.


*Thank you! My gosh - I desperately need to catch up on your TR. I'm so sorry! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Oh, dear Lord... That sounds good.


*They are insanely good. ONCE a year. *



pkondz said:


> Oh, yes. Keeping pickles in our fridge for any length of time only happens if I accidentally buy ones that she doesn't like.
> 
> And those are few and far between.


* That's so funny. And totally understandable - pickles are the best!*



pkondz said:


> Huh. I wonder what they use now.
> Couldn't possibly be anything weaker...


* Well, I didn't break into the oven to figure it out, but it did manage to cook some dime-sized "cupcakes" that Willow thought were excellent. *



pkondz said:


> I'm glad you like my comments Willow!  And I'm glad you liked my card to you!
> 
> I *did* like your card!! Thanks!!


*Willow: You're welcome!*



pkondz said:


> Disney snobs!!!!


*Can't deny that....*



pkondz said:


> Seems reasonable.
> I will almost certainly never get to ride it.


*Willow: What does that mean? You'll never ever get to ride it? Have you never been to Disneyland?  If you haven't, then I feel bad for you. *



pkondz said:


> Love the *sigh*
> 
> 
> 
> blur
> 
> 
> 
> big rock, probably some sky
> 
> 
> 
> blur again
> 
> 
> 
> more rocks. more sky.
> 
> Yup.... *sigh*


* What can I say? *sigh**



pkondz said:


> But *not* a pkondz ride!
> pkondz does *not* do spinning rides.
> 
> Nope.
> Nada.
> Not gonna happen.


*Willow: Just like my uncle. He won't take rides that spin. Because, you know, he could do, you know....  *



pkondz said:


> See?
> If I was writing this TR it would be like this:
> "After we left the Teacups, it was about time to revisit what I had for breakfast."


*Willow: For us, not gonna happen!*



pkondz said:


> Really!
> 
> Times have really changed.
> Before they had meet 'n greets with the princesses, I'm pretty sure every girl wanted to meet Minnie.
> She's now been relegated to a minority role, I think.


*Oh, don't doubt Willow's love for Minnie - she always has to meet her. And, in fact, last time we were at WDW, I made her a Minnie dress complete with hair bow and a matching apron to the one Minnie wears at Chef Mickey's.  



*




pkondz said:


> I already read your comment on this, but still, good for Willow being self assured enough to do this on her own.


*Thank you! It's nice to hear from people like you and Rob who actually think it's a good thing to teach kids some independence. *



pkondz said:


> I read that and gave silent thanks that my girls are too old for this now.
> 
> Then thought... "If I ever have granddaughters, I know I'll be taking them."


*And you will love every second of it! *



pkondz said:


> Sorry, maybe I'm dumb, but... _Who's Sofia the First_???


*Willow: Good question! She's a girl that became a princess and is in one of my favorite shows on Disney Channel. She wears a purple dress with some white on it. And she has a magic amulet. And she has a beautiful crown. And everything on her is purple. And she has purple high-heeled shoes. You should watch it! Oh, she has brown hair.*



pkondz said:


> Wow! That's really a nice touch!
> 
> And might I add that you looked absolutely beautiful?
> Even more so than you usually do.


*Willow: Thank you! When my hair's down, I kind of worry about the back of my hair, but when I have it up in a bun, I kind of like it that way. And you should see the new Elsa look that I have [later in this TR].*



pkondz said:


> Whew! Thanks for all the posts!


*Thanks for hanging in here with us and always taking the time to comment. *


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> More fun updates, Roni. Willow sure looks excited holding her single rider ticket. Fun picture on Space Mountain (yet another ride I can't do anymore).


*Thanks Kathy! It was certainly a great first Disney park day! (With plenty more still to come. We tend to overdo first days every time. *



KatMark said:


> Willow, you make a beautiful Sophia the First. I have to say I like the extras that they have at the BBB in DL. Very cool.


*Willow: I thought so too - it was hard to decide, but I liked the Sofia one. Thank you for the compliment!*



afwdwfan said:


> The Matterhorn... I was soooo looking forward to riding it.  Darn refurbs.  Thanks for the pictures though.


*Ugh - I know. This month was not the first January trip we have done with the Matterhorn has been under refurb. 

I sure hope you enjoyed your time at DLR!!!!  Are you doing a TR??????*



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad that Willow finally decided on a dress.  And you, thinking you could talk her out of it... yeah, right.


* The BBB is always a very important experience with MANY hard choices. *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad she got to enjoy her DL BBB experience!


*Thanks - it was really neat! I liked that it was different from the WDW one - I really wasn't expecting that. I guess I just didn't think about it. *


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> I was just going to stop by to wish you a wonderful trip! I hope you have a fantastic time and happy birthday to Willow!


*Thank you!!!  We had a ton of fun - can't wait to share it with everyone here. And now I need to get caught up with everyone else's TRs and get this one FINISHED! *



pkondz said:


> Have a great and fun trip!!


*Thank you! We had a blast!*



dizneeat said:


> Have a great trip with lots of magical moments!


*Thank you! It was so fun!!!!  *



jedijill said:


> Have a fantastic trip!
> 
> Jill in CO


*Thanks! We did - can't wait to tell everyone about it. *



afwdwfan said:


> Have  great time!  Let me know how the crowds are.


*Thanks! Sorry - didn't manage to get on the DIS while we were away. I hope crowds were okay for you. We found them pretty high compared to other January trips, but we usually go later. *



KatMark said:


> Hope you are having a blast


*Thanks Kathy! We had so much fun!*


----------



## RGirl

burly said:


> Just jumped back on the Dis and I love your trip report.
> Chapter links are awesome!!!
> Have fun, looking forward to more..
> 
> 
> KIM


*Hi Kim! Thanks so much for joining in. I hope you will continue to read along and comment - it's great to have you here. *



hstrickland said:


> Hi there Roni!


*Hi Heather! It's great to "see" you!*



hstrickland said:


> Happy 2015... (a little late ) Hope y'all are having a FABULOUS trip!!!!! All caught up now! This morning I was up early as usual, had my coffee brewed, took the puppy out and got him fed...then immediately thought "I have to catch up on Roni's TR!!!" So now I have.


*We had a great trip - thanks!

I'm so glad you were able to get a moment to stop by. It's so hard to stay caught up with everyone, isn't it???*



hstrickland said:


> Every time I read your stuff about DL, it sooooo makes me want to go!!! Not any time soon, though. Oh well...I'll just live vicariously through your TR


*Thanks Heather! I love telling all my WDW friends about the wonders of DLR - it's such an amazing place. I truly hope that you get to experience it one day.*



hstrickland said:


> The crowd looked rather slim. And you're right about Pirates of the Caribbean...I've heard it was much better. When my parents went a couple of years ago, they said the exact same thing. Funny how the teacups are not covered. BTMR looks very similar to WDW - is it?


*Oh, Pirates is so much better at DLR - we don't even need to ride it at WDW because it's disappointing. 

BTMRR is similar, but not identical. Previously, I had said that I liked the WDW version better as it was a bit more smooth. After last year's refurb, though, I don't think I would say that. We both really enjoyed DL's version this time, and we loved the new mine-blasting segment that they added - it was really fun.*



hstrickland said:


> I was sooooo hoping to see Willow in the Minnie Mouse dress  But she still looked adorable as Sopia! I totally love the photo shoot Much cuter than WDW for sure...especially the carriage shot.  Ok, here's a kinda  question about the Fantasy BBB. Faith is going to do it on our June trip. I was actually a bit surprised that she still wanted to do the dress up thing - but happy about it. Is it as "magical" as the parks? I know they turn it into the Pirates League on Pirates night, so I can't imagine how they make the transformation???? Guess I'm picturing just a basic room that they do hair and make-up in.


*Yeah - we were both really impressed with DL's BBB and the photo shoot.

The BBB on the Fantasy is very good. It is not a basic room at all - they really do manage to transform it (they cover the chairs and change the signage and stuff - it's pretty amazing). Willow REALLY enjoyed going there on the Fantasy - I think it feels VERY special to get to do something like that on the ship. I'm sure she'll want to do it this summer again. 

If I can remember, I'll try to get you some links to our experiences there from my 2013 TR - Willow did the BBB and the Pirates' League on the Fantasy that trip. *



hstrickland said:


> The Indiana Jones ride...I didn't know it was a new attraction. It looked great until you said "similar to the Dinosaur ride"  That thing gives me a headache  I wish DHS would get rid of the Indiana Jones show and do something more like the DL ride. The show is a bit dated to say the least.


*Oh, it's not really new - Willow has just never been tall enough for it before. 

I have read that it is the same track as Dinosaur, and I think that's accurate. But it definitely feels like a totally different ride - the theming is a billion times better. *



hstrickland said:


> Your DL portion of the TR is off to a great start (no surprise, though) I always enjoy y'all's adventures. Glad Willow got to do her rollercoaster rides. Looking forward to more


*Thanks Heather! I can't wait to share more - I need to get this thing rolling along a little faster. I have another TR to write now that we're back!  *


----------



## pkondz

So, obviously you're home now, so... Welcome back!





RGirl said:


> *Well, I didn't break into the oven to figure it out, but it did manage to cook some dime-sized "cupcakes" that Willow thought were excellent. *



Mmmm.... dime-sized "cupcakes"....



I remember the "cakes" my sister used to make. 



RGirl said:


> *Willow: What does that mean? You'll never ever get to ride it? Have you never been to Disneyland?  If you haven't, then I feel bad for you. *



Nope. I've never been to Disneyland.
But don't feel bad for me, I've been lots of other places.
Plus I'm going to be in Disney_world_ in just a few more weeks.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Just like my uncle. He won't take rides that spin. Because, you know, he could do, you know....  *



Yup. And I would, too.
Well, maybe not... but I'd feel miserable for quite a while.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: For us, not gonna happen!*



So I see! 



RGirl said:


> *
> Oh, don't doubt Willow's love for Minnie - she always has to meet her. And, in fact, last time we were at WDW, I made her a Minnie dress complete with hair bow and a matching apron to the one Minnie wears at Chef Mickey's.
> 
> 
> 
> *



What a great pic! Had I seen that before???



RGirl said:


> *Thank you! It's nice to hear from people like you and Rob who actually think it's a good thing to teach kids some independence. *



Oh, I agree. 
Look up snowplow parents.



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Good question! She's a girl that became a princess and is in one of my favorite shows on Disney Channel. She wears a purple dress with some white on it. And she has a magic amulet. And she has a beautiful crown. And everything on her is purple. And she has purple high-heeled shoes. You should watch it! Oh, she has brown hair.*



Thanks, Willow. 



RGirl said:


> *Willow: Thank you! When my hair's down, I kind of worry about the back of my hair, but when I have it up in a bun, I kind of like it that way. And you should see the new Elsa look that I have [later in this TR].*



I tried to put my hair in a bun... but it just looked like an overly extravagant comb over. (Ask your mom about that, she'll explain.)


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 8 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"Let's Make Some Magic!"​
Day 10G - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, Willow had just finished her princess photo shoot as part of the BBB Castle Package. At DL, the Castle Package also includes a personal escort for the little princess over to the Royal Hall where you get to skip the line and go right in to meet the princesses!

Princess Willow visited with Snow White first.






​
Wait, what??

Oh, there she is.






​
Next up was a very exuberant Ariel. These two princesses chatted for a long time. And we got one of those above-and-beyond PP photographers who actually took pictures of the interactions instead of just the posed pics.










​
Here, they were talking about how big their dogs are.


​
They finally took time to pose for the cameras.






​
Finally, Princess Willow got to chat with her old friend Cinderella.






​
We had big plans this afternoon, and I knew that we needed to get some kind of refreshment before we started our next adventure. Our next appointment was at 2:30, and it was already about 1:30. So we were going to head towards the front of the park (where we needed to be before long) and get something to drink - it was crazy-hot and very humid (again - really???? - this is SoCal, NOT Florida, people!). But almost immediately, Princess Willow spotted another princess she had to visit!






​
Yep, Merida! And this Merida was NUTS! In a good way, of course. She was the highest-energy princess I have ever seen at any Disney park. She was goofing around with all the guests and having a great time. She tried to get Willow to teach her how to curtsey, but nearly fell over instead.


















​
Finally, they stopped goofing around and posed for some princess-y pictures.






​
And said their good-byes.






​
Up Next: Day 10H*


----------



## courtneybelle

The Genie from Aladdin?! Going back to read now...


----------



## dizneeat

Lots of beautiful princesses! My favourite? The smallest one! What a poser!


----------



## courtneybelle

First, welcome back from Disneyland!!! I hope you had a magical trip (I'm sure you didOlaf was there, after all!) and the transition back to "reality" has been OK.

Skipping the line?! That is AWESOME. Total royal treatment right there.

Haha, I was like, where's Willow? Behind Dopey? Hiding in the well?!?!

Willow's got the princess skirt-holding pose down pat.

My girl Merida!!! Love that hug picture


----------



## jedijill

Doh!  Courtney beat me. 

Willow looks great in her princess dress...lots of good princess meets!  Merida sounds like a good one!

Jill in CO


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Well gee Roni, I know it's not the answer you were looking for, but I was going to say the title was said by me.  

Wait, what?? was exactly what I was thinking about those first two Snow and Dopey photos. Because I would pretty much die if she met in that spot.

That's so lovely that the package includes the princesses. And Ariel was the standout. No shock here.

Awww I really want to meet Merida. Her set up in MK is just way too long of a line for me. And it's still a while before another Princess movie, so I don't see anyone replacing her and moving her to a less popular spot (or something with FP) anytime soon.  I love that Merida was so into it and so much fun. It makes such a difference in the experience.


----------



## queenbetsey

Great update as usual.  Great pics as always too.  
 I think we are going to start saving for BBB for the granddaughter (she is still on the young side) Your post really made it look like fun.  I also love those cute little cupcake tshirts. think I just may have to teach myself a new trick (leave it alone Ponzi  with my sewing machine.  After seeing all the cute stuff you make for miss willow inspired me to start sewing again.  Thankfully I have a cute granddaughter so I have someone to sew for again.  thanks again for the great update I am always happy to see "our" park get some dis love.


----------



## KatMark

What beautiful pictures of Willow with the princesses. They are perfect. And I LOVE when the PP takes more than just the pose. The interaction with Merida looks absolutely wonderful. One of these days we have to stop and meet her.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Nope. I've never been to Disneyland.
> But don't feel bad for me, I've been lots of other places.
> Plus I'm going to be in Disney_world_ in just a few more weeks.


*Willow: I wish I could be there in a few weeks! But Im going there this summer!*



pkondz said:


> Yup. And I would, too.
> Well, maybe not... but I'd feel miserable for quite a while.


* Willow: I wouldnt because I like spinning rides.*



pkondz said:


> What a great pic! Had I seen that before???


*I don't think so - that was from our 2013 trip and TR; I don't think we were DIS-acquainted back then. *



pkondz said:


> Oh, I agree.
> Look up snowplow parents.


*Oh, for crying out loud! *



pkondz said:


> I tried to put my hair in a bun... but it just looked like an overly extravagant comb over. (Ask your mom about that, she'll explain.)


*Willow: *


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> The Genie from Aladdin?! Going back to read now...


*Two more points for Courtney! *



dizneeat said:


> Lots of beautiful princesses! My favourite? The smallest one! What a poser!


*She sure does know how to pose! *

*Willow: THANK YOU!!!!!*



courtneybelle said:


> First, welcome back from Disneyland!!! I hope you had a magical trip (I'm sure you didOlaf was there, after all!) and the transition back to "reality" has been OK.


*Thanks Courtney! We had a great trip - transition back not so great as by the time we arrived home, I was totally sick with the January Plague (even ended up missing two days of work last week), but on the mend now!*



courtneybelle said:


> Skipping the line?! That is AWESOME. Total royal treatment right there.


*It is a REALLY nice touch. I wonder why WDW BBB doesn't do something like that - it's a great perk!*



courtneybelle said:


> Haha, I was like, where's Willow? Behind Dopey? Hiding in the well?!?!






courtneybelle said:


> Willow's got the princess skirt-holding pose down pat.


*Right? The child knows how to pose! *



courtneybelle said:


> My girl Merida!!! Love that hug picture


*Oh, Merida was a in rare form this day - SO FUNNY! *


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Doh!  Courtney beat me.


* She's really staging a bit of a come-back.*



jedijill said:


> Willow looks great in her princess dress...lots of good princess meets!  Merida sounds like a good one!


*Yep, it was a really great princess experience over all.  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Well gee Roni, I know it's not the answer you were looking for, but I was going to say the title was said by me.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wait, what?? was exactly what I was thinking about those first two Snow and Dopey photos. Because I would pretty much die if she met in that spot.


*Actually, on our first DLR trip for Willow's fifth birthday, we did meet Ariel at that spot - she was just hanging out there by herself until we stopped by to chat. I have seen other princesses meeting there too - I think Snow White included. Now that they have the Royal Hall (or whatever it's called), I wonder if they ever have the princesses over there anymore. I hope so.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> That's so lovely that the package includes the princesses. And Ariel was the standout. No shock here.


*It is a really great touch - I wish they would do it at WDW. Maybe they do now. 

You're not going to like this, but at WDW, Ariel has always been our least-interactive princess; we've had a few that were almost snotty.  But every time we've met her at DLR, she's been great. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww I really want to meet Merida. Her set up in MK is just way too long of a line for me. And it's still a while before another Princess movie, so I don't see anyone replacing her and moving her to a less popular spot (or something with FP) anytime soon.  I love that Merida was so into it and so much fun. It makes such a difference in the experience.


*We met her at her MK spot once - got there early and didn't have to wait too terribly long, but I know that line gets crazy. We were surprised to find her where we did, but we weren't going to pass her by - and glad we didn't, she was in rare form.*



queenbetsey said:


> Great update as usual.  Great pics as always too.


*Thank you! *



queenbetsey said:


> I think we are going to start saving for BBB for the granddaughter (she is still on the young side) Your post really made it look like fun.  I also love those cute little cupcake tshirts. think I just may have to teach myself a new trick (leave it alone Ponzi  with my sewing machine.  After seeing all the cute stuff you make for miss willow inspired me to start sewing again.  Thankfully I have a cute granddaughter so I have someone to sew for again.  thanks again for the great update I am always happy to see "our" park get some dis love.


*Awww - you are so sweet! I'm glad you are feeling inspired - I bet your granddaughter will love the things you make for her. I'm so glad that Willow is still at an age where she loves everything I make for her; I know that won't last. Luckily, I have a little niece who also loves to get something that I make, so I may have a few more years with her once Willow is sick of my creations. *



KatMark said:


> What beautiful pictures of Willow with the princesses. They are perfect. And I LOVE when the PP takes more than just the pose. The interaction with Merida looks absolutely wonderful. One of these days we have to stop and meet her.


*Oh, I do too! I wish more of them would take those "extra" shots - instead, so many of them just stand there looking bored during the entire meet and then snap two posed pictures. I mean, I guess I can't expect them all to go above and beyond.  But I do just LOVE the more candid shots when one of them actually takes them. *


----------



## Dugette

Sounds like they really do a good job at the DL BBB - great princess meets! Also nice spontaneous Merida meet - sounds fun!


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 10 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land."​
(Okay - this one is not a movie quotation, but its a VERY apt quotation and one that Im sure some of you can get without Googling.)

Day 10H - 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had just finished a very lively meet-and-greet with Merida. It was about 1:40 now, and you may recall that our next adventure started at 2:30. We therefore headed to Main Street and the front of the park in search of the Tour Garden. 

We found it and checked in for the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour - something we were both VERY excited about. We were given the opportunity to order our dinner from the Jolly Holiday Bakery and provided with our name tags. After checking in, we luckily still had a little time and went off in search of a frozen beverage of some sort. Willow, however, was complaining that her feet hurt - she had insisted on wearing these tennis shoes that I had thought were too small, but she had said were fine. Yeah, they were too small.  So we stopped in a shop and picked up some flip-flops for her. No way did we want to start a 3.5-hour tour of the park with sore feet! 

We headed to the Main Street Starbucks location.










​
Here, we picked up some cold frappuccino-type beverages - figuring we could use the burst of cold and the burst of sugar before the tour. We took them back to the Tour Garden area and had a seat at one of the cute little tables there in the shade.






​
At about 2:30, our tour guide, Mychal, introduced himself and gave us all our earpieces, and we were set to go!


​
This tour was just amazing. I can't possibly remember everything we learned, but I will try to tell you a bit about the tour and some of the Disney facts that were shared with us. If you would rather not know, just scroll past. 

One of my absolute favorite things about the tour was that, at various points, the audio would switch over to a speech that Walt made. In fact, at the very beginning, we stopped right here and listened to Walt's opening day speech at Disneyland.


​
Mychal also told us about how when Walt was a boy, he saw a production of Peter Pan and immediately went home and built a harness so that he could fly. I loved that little anecdote because it just highlighted how imaginative Walt was and how he was kind of a go-getter from the very beginning.

We made our way down Main Street and into FL with Mychal sharing information along the way. When Mychal wasn't speaking, there was usually appropriate music playing through the earpieces.


​
When we got to FL, this was the line for Peter Pan. 


​
However, PP is one of the attractions that this particular tour experiences (at least this time anyway - I think this is pretty standard). So our guide kindly took us through the exit so that we could experience this long-time favorite attraction without the wait. You can see Mychal over there talking to the CMs at the exit, working his magic to get us in.


​
I love Fantasyland. 


​
Oh, sorry, we really enjoyed Peter Pan!










​
Up Next: Day 10H (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10H - 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

We headed into Frontierland next. 






​
Our guide shared with us how Walt and a friend, when in the Army, had talked about one day building a raft and going down the Mississippi River like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. But when Walt got home, his girlfriend had gone off and married someone else, the friend was busy getting married, the dog they had shared had died or something along those lines; anyway, things were kind of bleak, and the Mississippi River dream looked dead. Of course, we're talking about Walt here, so the dream didn't really die - when he built Disneyland, he created his own version of the dream right there in Disneyland with the rafts and paddle boat.






​
Our guide showed us the beautiful (?) petrified tree that Walt once gave to Lillian as an anniversary present. :


​
We moved onto New Orleans Square at this point. 










​
During the course of the tour, we learned that Pirates was originally going to be called Blue Bayou something (sorry - memory fading here) and was going to be a walk-through with wax figures. Similarly, the Haunted Mansion was going to be the House of Weird and was also going to be a walk-through. Later, after Walt had helped create attractions for the New York World's Fair that involved moving people instead of having them walk through, he determined that the better approach to PotC and HM - to avoid people taking too long or getting lost - would be to make those attractions ride-throughs. Okay - I'm reporting that as accurately as I can remember. I hope I didn't totally mess it up!  I think he made the right decision though! (And I will note that Willow, although only 7 years old, was paying enough attention during this tour that she brought up this topic while we were in line for HM in January 2015, so that we talked about how this was originally going to be a walk-through. So I dont think these types of tours are lost on young children at all.)

We next made our way through Adventureland and over to Tomorrowland - you can see how crowded the park was in these photos.






​
I know we learned some things about the monorail here. And Willow and I really enjoyed learning about the Matterhorn. I remember, when I was a kid, there were gondolas that went over the park and through the Matterhorn. Well, I guess the gondolas were there first, but they required this big tower in the middle of the park. Walt didn't care for that too much, so while on vacation in Switzerland, he had the idea to create the Matterhorn to cover up the tower. And then, of course, he felt that it was necessary to use that space, so they had to dream up a coaster-type ride that could go inside it. Love it!


​
We even spotted a few parade floats before we were given the go-ahead to cross the parade route.


​
We made our way back around to Adventureland at this point.






​
Up Next: Day 10I*


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Sounds like they really do a good job at the DL BBB - great princess meets! Also nice spontaneous Merida meet - sounds fun!


*We were completely impressed with the DLR BBB experience! 

Merida was hilarious - she was just downright goofy. It was very fun.*


----------



## KatMark

Sorry about Willow's feet hurting, but glad you could find her something comfy for the tour. 

And who doesn't love Starbucks cold drinks.

The tour, so far, sounds awesome and something I'd really enjoy. We couldn't take pictures at the two tours we took at Disney World.


----------



## Dugette

That tour sounds really cool - something like Keys to the Kingdom at WDW. Love all the little stories about Walt and how certain attractions came to be!


----------



## courtneybelle

Walt's opening day speech at Disneyland 

MMMM frappuccinos!! My favorite!!

The tour sounds awesome. I love how Walt was creating ingenious things like a Peter Pan harness all his life. 

I for one am very glad HM is not a walk through-I would be sprinting through it!! And good job Willow on remembering the trivia  

Can't wait to hear more!!


----------



## queenbetsey

That tour sounds great.  I really like hearing background stories about the park.  can't wait to hear the rest.


----------



## hstrickland

Precious, precious pictures of Willow and the princesses  She looks absolutely mesmerized by them. Kinda sad now that the princesses have lost some of their magic for Faith, but guess that's what comes with age. 


The tour looks fabulous!! Because I'm a total Disney nerd, I would so love to do something like that. It's always fun and interesting to learn facts about Walt Disney and his innovations. Do they have something like that at WDW 


Have a great Monday!
Heather


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> Thanks! Sorry - didn't manage to get on the DIS while we were away. I hope crowds were okay for you. We found them pretty high compared to other January trips, but we usually go later.


Well, I don't know what normal is... but it wasn't horrible.  FL rides (PP, Alice, Storybookland Boats, Toad etc) seemed to be around 20 - 30 minute waits most of the time.  We were able to do FL after rope drop one day so it wasn't too bad.  I found Space and BTMRR to be around 30 minutes most of the time with plenty of FP availability about an hour out.  But walkways did feel pretty crowded.  

And Friday got a little nuts.  We did see the PP line looking like it did in your picture a few times. 



RGirl said:


> When I last left off, Willow had just finished her princess photo shoot as part of the BBB Castle Package. At DL, the Castle Package also includes a personal escort for the little princess over to the Royal Hall where you get to skip the line and go right in to meet the princesses!


Wow... that's a nice little perk.  



RGirl said:


> Next up was a very exuberant Ariel. These two princesses chatted for a long time. And we got one of those above-and-beyond PP photographers who actually took pictures of the interactions instead of just the posed pics.


Those are sometimes better than the posed pictures! 



RGirl said:


> Yep, Merida! And this Merida was NUTS! In a good way, of course. She was the highest-energy princess I have ever seen at any Disney park. She was goofing around with all the guests and having a great time. She tried to get Willow to teach her how to curtsey, but nearly fell over instead.


That is great!!!

We didn't take time to wait in lines to meet many characters, but I absolutely loved how they would just randomly be out at times.  We saw Cinderella one afternoon standing along side the tunnel under the railroad tracks on the right hand side right after we came through the turnstiles.



RGirl said:


> I think he made the right decision though! (And I will note that Willow, although only 7 years old, was paying enough attention during this tour that she brought up this topic while we were in line for HM in January 2015, so that we talked about how this was originally going to be a walk-through. So I dont think these types of tours are lost on young children at all.)


I'm glad that Willow got something out of it.

And I think the choice to make them rides was definitely the right call.  We do enough walking around the parks as it is.  It is nice to get off your feet for a few minutes and enjoy those rides!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

your tour sounds so fun!  rich wanted to do one at WDW about the trains, but we just couldn't fit it in.  also, he wanted to take Hannah, but I think there was an age limit on it of 10 so I didn't think she'd be able to go.  those two are train nuts.  when she can go, they're gonna be all over that.  anyway, I love those tours where you get to learn new fun things!

glad willow changed shoes before the tour--nothing worse then having sore feet when you have walking to do!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Awww, so I didn't get half a point for the previous contest update... . An even bigger bummer is of course I knew this current one. But that's ok, Courtney needed the points. And what a quote it is. It gives me chills just reading it.

Hmmmm... so the tennis shoes were in fact too small. I'm sure that was in no way designed to get a new pair of flip flops.  

I'm not a crazy Starbucks person, but in Disney I kind of am. And mostly because of the Mouse Ears on the cup names. 

I always thought the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour was more akin to the Keys to the Kingdom at Magic Kingdom. But clearly not as they have a minimum age for the Keys tour (16 I believe). Interesting. But I guess it's because it doesn't go backstage.

OMG Roni, I think I would melt into a tiny puddle if I was standing there and Walt's opening day speech started playing.

This update came at a perfect time because my internet went out for a bit last night, so I popped in my "Real Disneyland Story" DVD to watch once again. A lot of the tour stuff is in that DVD, so this was a perfect companion piece.

And as an aside, the fact that Willow was bringing up these little bits of trivia months later makes me so happy that the next generation of Disney lovers is all set to carry the torch. The legacy is in good hands.


----------



## pkondz

Whoo boy! I'm gettin' just a tad behind here!
I might be a bit more brief than usual. It's either that or I don't comment for a few more days, and that just will not do!






RGirl said:


> *Princess Willow visited with Snow White first.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wait, what??
> 
> Oh, there she is.*



Willow, your mom's silly.



RGirl said:


> *And we got one of those above-and-beyond PP photographers who actually took pictures of the interactions instead of just the posed pics.*



Shouldn't they _all_ do that?
Yes. They should.



RGirl said:


> *So we were going to head towards the front of the park (where we needed to be before long) and get something to drink - it was crazy-hot and very humid (again - really???? - this is SoCal, NOT Florida, people!). But almost immediately, Princess Willow spotted another princess she had to visit!*



A young girl's visit to a princess shall not be denied.


That's a rule.



RGirl said:


> *Yep, Merida!*



*Two* redheads??? In _one_ day????






RGirl said:


> * And this Merida was NUTS! In a good way, of course. She was the highest-energy princess I have ever seen at any Disney park. She was goofing around with all the guests and having a great time. She tried to get Willow to teach her how to curtsey, but nearly fell over instead.*



That's so great! Bet Willow had a lot of fun with her!



RGirl said:


> *Willow: I wish I could be there in a few weeks! But Im going there this summer!*



Wouldn't it be fun if you guys were there at the same time as me?



RGirl said:


> * Willow: I wouldnt because I like spinning rides.*



Well then, I'd wave each time you went by. How's that?
You could have fun on the ride and I could have fun not losing my cookies.



RGirl said:


> *"To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land."
> 
> (Okay - this one is not a movie quotation, but its a VERY apt quotation and one that Im sure some of you can get without Googling.)*



Neil Armstrong!
Pat Sajak!
Miss America!


No?



RGirl said:


> *We found it and checked in for the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour - something we were both VERY excited about.*



As am I, to read all about it! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow, however, was complaining that her feet hurt - she had insisted on wearing these tennis shoes that I had thought were too small, but she had said were fine. Yeah, they were too small.  So we stopped in a shop and picked up some flip-flops for her. No way did we want to start a 3.5-hour tour of the park with sore feet! *



No. You definitely do not! What fun is a tour if you're too busy concentrating on your hurting feet?
Good call on taking care of that.



RGirl said:


> *At about 2:30, our tour guide, Mychal, introduced himself and gave us all our earpieces, and we were set to go!*



Is that pronounced like "Michael"?



RGirl said:


> *If you would rather not know, just scroll past. *



Are you crazy??? Of *course* I want to know!!!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> One of my absolute favorite things about the tour was that, at various points, the audio would switch over to a speech that Walt made. In fact, at the very beginning, we stopped right here and listened to Walt's opening day speech at Disneyland.*



You.


Had a speech.


From Walt....


I'm pretty sure I would've lost it, then and there.



RGirl said:


> *
> Mychal also told us about how when Walt was a boy, he saw a production of Peter Pan and immediately went home and built a harness so that he could fly. I loved that little anecdote because it just highlighted how imaginative Walt was and how he was kind of a go-getter from the very beginning.*



Wow. Can you imagine anyone from this generation of "always with smart phone in your face" kids doing that?
That just blows my mind.

And totally doesn't surprise me in the least.
(That he _would_ do it... not that he _did_ do it.)



RGirl said:


> *We made our way down Main Street and into FL with Mychal sharing information along the way. When Mychal wasn't speaking, there was usually appropriate music playing through the earpieces.*



Did you get a lot of funny looks from people since you all must've had huge grins the whole time?


Wait. What am I saying?
It's Disney!
Huge grins are the norm here, right?



RGirl said:


> *
> However, PP is one of the attractions that this particular tour experiences (at least this time anyway - I think this is pretty standard). So our guide kindly took us through the exit so that we could experience this long-time favorite attraction without the wait.*



Nice!



RGirl said:


> *Oh, sorry, we really enjoyed Peter Pan!*



One of my all time faves!
Very close with BTMRR and HM.

Is it any different from Florida's?



RGirl said:


> *Our guide shared with us how Walt and a friend, when in the Army, had talked about one day building a raft and going down the Mississippi River like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. But when Walt got home, his girlfriend had gone off and married someone else, the friend was busy getting married, the dog they had shared had died or something along those lines; anyway, things were kind of bleak, and the Mississippi River dream looked dead. Of course, we're talking about Walt here, so the dream didn't really die - when he built Disneyland, he created his own version of the dream right there in Disneyland with the rafts and paddle boat.*



Can you imagine that?
"Well, I kinda wanted to raft down the Mississippi... guess I'll just build my own."
"What? Raft?"
"No. River."



RGirl said:


> *Our guide showed us the beautiful (?) petrified tree that Walt once gave to Lillian as an anniversary present.*



Yeah, but how do you put it on a ring?



RGirl said:


> *we learned that Pirates was originally going to be called Blue Bayou something (sorry - memory fading here)*



Interesting. Did not know that.
And nor, apparently, do you! 



RGirl said:


> *Similarly, the Haunted Mansion was going to be the House of Weird and was also going to be a walk-through.*



That one I knew. I've seen the drawings, too.
No where near as good as it turned out, I think.

Then again, it would be nice to be able to stand in one spot and admire everything for as long as you'd like.



RGirl said:


> *(And I will note that Willow, although only 7 years old, was paying enough attention during this tour that she brought up this topic while we were in line for HM in January 2015, so that we talked about how this was originally going to be a walk-through. So I dont think these types of tours are lost on young children at all.)*



A tour that interests all ages. Not easy to come by.



RGirl said:


> *I remember, when I was a kid, there were gondolas that went over the park and through the Matterhorn. Well, I guess the gondolas were there first, but they required this big tower in the middle of the park. Walt didn't care for that too much, so while on vacation in Switzerland, he had the idea to create the Matterhorn to cover up the tower. And then, of course, he felt that it was necessary to use that space, so they had to dream up a coaster-type ride that could go inside it. Love it!*



Cool story!
(Yes. I'm loving reading all this. "Scroll past", indeed!)



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 10I*



Can't wait! Thanks for the updates!


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> Sorry about Willow's feet hurting, but glad you could find her something comfy for the tour.


*It was definitely the right thing to do - the tour was three and a half hours long! *



KatMark said:


> And who doesn't love Starbucks cold drinks.


*Soooo refreshing on a day like that. *



KatMark said:


> The tour, so far, sounds awesome and something I'd really enjoy. We couldn't take pictures at the two tours we took at Disney World.


*It was great - worth every dime and the time put into it for sure. That's too bad about no pics at the WDW tours. Is it because they spend more time backstage?*



Dugette said:


> That tour sounds really cool - something like Keys to the Kingdom at WDW. Love all the little stories about Walt and how certain attractions came to be!


*Oh, it was just a great experience! I am SO glad that we took the time to do it. *



courtneybelle said:


> Walt's opening day speech at Disneyland


*Two more for Miss Courtney! *



courtneybelle said:


> MMMM frappuccinos!! My favorite!!


*Definitely one of my favorite treats. YUMMY!*



courtneybelle said:


> The tour sounds awesome. I love how Walt was creating ingenious things like a Peter Pan harness all his life.


*Isn't that so cool? I really enjoyed all those little stories so much.*



courtneybelle said:


> I for one am very glad HM is not a walk through-I would be sprinting through it!! And good job Willow on remembering the trivia


* I don't think it would have worked all that well with people like you sprinting through and others pausing for hours at certain things. *



courtneybelle said:


> Can't wait to hear more!!


*Sorry for the long delay - will try to get some updates moving here soon. After all, I have another TR to start working on! *


----------



## RGirl

queenbetsey said:


> That tour sounds great.  I really like hearing background stories about the park.  can't wait to hear the rest.


*It was a wonderful experience! I highly recommend it.*



hstrickland said:


> Precious, precious pictures of Willow and the princesses  She looks absolutely mesmerized by them. Kinda sad now that the princesses have lost some of their magic for Faith, but guess that's what comes with age.


*You know, I'm surprised at how much Willow still enjoys the princesses and characters - very pleasantly surprised, mind you. *



hstrickland said:


> The tour looks fabulous!! Because I'm a total Disney nerd, I would so love to do something like that. It's always fun and interesting to learn facts about Walt Disney and his innovations. Do they have something like that at WDW


*Oh yes - there are several tours at WDW, but the one that is probably the most like this one is the Keys to the Kingdom tour, I think. I haven't done it, but I have read about it. It sounds great! No kids under something like 16 allowed though - I'm assuming because it has a lot more backstage time.*



afwdwfan said:


> Well, I don't know what normal is... but it wasn't horrible.  FL rides (PP, Alice, Storybookland Boats, Toad etc) seemed to be around 20 - 30 minute waits most of the time.  We were able to do FL after rope drop one day so it wasn't too bad.  I found Space and BTMRR to be around 30 minutes most of the time with plenty of FP availability about an hour out.  But walkways did feel pretty crowded.


*Sounds pretty good! I'm glad to hear it.*



afwdwfan said:


> And Friday got a little nuts.  We did see the PP line looking like it did in your picture a few times.


*Yeah - that attraction seems to get like that at some point at almost every time of year.*



afwdwfan said:


> Those are sometimes better than the posed pictures!


*They are almost always my favorites - I wish more of the photographers would do them.*



afwdwfan said:


> We didn't take time to wait in lines to meet many characters, but I absolutely loved how they would just randomly be out at times.  We saw Cinderella one afternoon standing along side the tunnel under the railroad tracks on the right hand side right after we came through the turnstiles.


*It's neat, isn't it? There is often a princess or two hanging out in that spot or the other side. They used to meet on either side of the castle occasionally too - not sure whether they still do that now that they have the Royal Palace/Fantasy Faire or whatever it is called. *



afwdwfan said:


> And I think the choice to make them rides was definitely the right call.  We do enough walking around the parks as it is.  It is nice to get off your feet for a few minutes and enjoy those rides!


*I could not agree more! *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> your tour sounds so fun!  rich wanted to do one at WDW about the trains, but we just couldn't fit it in.  also, he wanted to take Hannah, but I think there was an age limit on it of 10 so I didn't think she'd be able to go.  those two are train nuts.  when she can go, they're gonna be all over that.  anyway, I love those tours where you get to learn new fun things!


*Wow - I didn't know there was a tour about the trains. I would love to do that with Willow one day. How cool!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> glad willow changed shoes before the tour--nothing worse then having sore feet when you have walking to do!


*Yeah - it was definitely the right call.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww, so I didn't get half a point for the previous contest update... . An even bigger bummer is of course I knew this current one. But that's ok, Courtney needed the points. And what a quote it is. It gives me chills just reading it.


* Sorry about that! I am still expecting you to wage a major contest come-back. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hmmmm... so the tennis shoes were in fact too small. I'm sure that was in no way designed to get a new pair of flip flops.


* I hadn't thought of that. I'm pretty sure it was just the usual belief that "Mom doesn't know what she's talking about, and I in my infinite wisdom gained from seven years on the planet know better."  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I'm not a crazy Starbucks person, but in Disney I kind of am. And mostly because of the Mouse Ears on the cup names.


* I definitely enjoyed that. I like Starbucks (I mean, I am from Washington State), but we don't go there often because the cost is ridiculous. At Disney, however, I can't pass it up - such a huge improvement over the coffee that you used to have to drink there.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I always thought the Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour was more akin to the Keys to the Kingdom at Magic Kingdom. But clearly not as they have a minimum age for the Keys tour (16 I believe). Interesting. But I guess it's because it doesn't go backstage.


*I think that must be it - there is only one backstage moment, and you don't really see anything that could destroy any magic - you're just whisked through to walk up some stairs. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG Roni, I think I would melt into a tiny puddle if I was standing there and Walt's opening day speech started playing.


*It was VERY cool. Mychal had set the scene, telling about how Walt had been in his Main Street apartment and came down to deliver the speech, etc. And then the speech played in our ears - it was perfect.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> This update came at a perfect time because my internet went out for a bit last night, so I popped in my "Real Disneyland Story" DVD to watch once again. A lot of the tour stuff is in that DVD, so this was a perfect companion piece.


*Perfect! Hopefully, you can correct me if I get something wrong! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> And as an aside, the fact that Willow was bringing up these little bits of trivia months later makes me so happy that the next generation of Disney lovers is all set to carry the torch. The legacy is in good hands.


*I was pretty impressed by that. At the time, I wasn't sure how much she was really hearing or taking in. Clearly, she paid better attention than I realized. *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Whoo boy! I'm gettin' just a tad behind here!
> I might be a bit more brief than usual. It's either that or I don't comment for a few more days, and that just will not do!


*No worries! I seem to be able to keep this thing going only by doing several updates at once since it takes me so long in between.*



pkondz said:


> Shouldn't they _all_ do that?
> Yes. They should.


*I agree! *



pkondz said:


> A young girl's visit to a princess shall not be denied.
> 
> That's a rule.


*True story!*



pkondz said:


> *Two* redheads??? In _one_ day????


*Quite a feat, eh?*



pkondz said:


> That's so great! Bet Willow had a lot of fun with her!


*She really did - she remembers that interaction well.*



pkondz said:


> Wouldn't it be fun if you guys were there at the same time as me?


*Willow: Yeah! That would be funny!  And we could maybe hang out all day in the parks. We could choose which ride is the closest, and Maddie and I can switch off who chooses the ride.*



pkondz said:


> Well then, I'd wave each time you went by. How's that?
> You could have fun on the ride and I could have fun not losing my cookies.


*Willow: Good idea! But wouldn't you feel a little bored?*



pkondz said:


> As am I, to read all about it!






pkondz said:


> No. You definitely do not! What fun is a tour if you're too busy concentrating on your hurting feet?
> Good call on taking care of that.


*It was definitely a good decision!*



pkondz said:


> Is that pronounced like "Michael"?






pkondz said:


> Are you crazy??? Of *course* I want to know!!!


*Phew!!!*



pkondz said:


> You.
> 
> 
> Had a speech.
> 
> 
> From Walt....
> 
> 
> I'm pretty sure I would've lost it, then and there.


*It was pretty incredible. Such a great way to start the tour.*



pkondz said:


> Wow. Can you imagine anyone from this generation of "always with smart phone in your face" kids doing that?
> That just blows my mind.
> 
> And totally doesn't surprise me in the least.
> (That he _would_ do it... not that he _did_ do it.)


*It really spoke a lot to Walt's personality from a very early age.*



pkondz said:


> Did you get a lot of funny looks from people since you all must've had huge grins the whole time?
> 
> 
> Wait. What am I saying?
> It's Disney!
> Huge grins are the norm here, right?






pkondz said:


> One of my all time faves!
> Very close with BTMRR and HM.
> 
> Is it any different from Florida's?


*I *believe* that it is the same as the one in Florida, although I haven't done them both enough or close enough together in time to be totally certain. Most of the bi-coastal attractions are not the same, however.*



pkondz said:


> Can you imagine that?
> "Well, I kinda wanted to raft down the Mississippi... guess I'll just build my own."
> "What? Raft?"
> "No. River."


*Amazing, isn't it?*



pkondz said:


> That one I knew. I've seen the drawings, too.
> No where near as good as it turned out, I think.
> 
> Then again, it would be nice to be able to stand in one spot and admire everything for as long as you'd like.


*I can't imagine it not being a ride-through - trying to see everything with people not moving along. Yikes. *



pkondz said:


> A tour that interests all ages. Not easy to come by.


*I was a little nervous about it given how young Willow was, but she did very well and really seemed to get a lot out of it.*



pkondz said:


> Cool story!
> (Yes. I'm loving reading all this. "Scroll past", indeed!)






pkondz said:


> Can't wait! Thanks for the updates!


*Thanks for continuing to join in! *


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 12 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"Come feed the little birds, show them you care.​
Day 10I - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we were still enjoying the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour of Disneyland. We had made our way back to Adventureland where we were going to do an attraction that Willow had never done before!


















​
I think everyone enjoyed this - especially after having heard the story of how Walt was in a store and saw a little mechanical bird in a cage. From that one experience, the idea for animatronics (from the Tiki Room to Pirates and on) was born. Of course, we also really appreciated the opportunity to rest our feet!

After the Tiki Room, we headed back to Main Street.






​
We visited the gallery just off of Main Street, which featured pictures of a variety of go-getter famous types. 


​
Willow just loved the picture of Walt in one of the Disneyland cars with Mickey Mouse.


​
It was at this point that our guide told us about Walt's last months. How he was working night and day on WDW and went to his doctor for an old back injury only to learn he had lung cancer. He passed away just a couple of months later with his brother Roy at his bedside rubbing his feet. I'd be lying if I said that Willow and I managed to maintain dry eyes through that story.  (And this is another thing that Willow has never forgotten from this tour and has mentioned several times - especially at Disneyland - she always notes how much she wishes that Walt hadnt smoked.)

After that incredibly sad moment, thankfully, we were off to see the highlight of this tour - Walt and Lilian's apartment over the Fire House. You aren't allowed to take pictures in here, so I will only have the one picture that the guide (we got two new guides specific to Walt's apartment for this part of the Tour) took of us. But this was such a neat thing to get to do! We were ushered backstage and up the stairs into Walt's apartment. And it is soooo tiny! The main room is a living room with two small couches that converted into Walt and Lilian's beds. There is a little kitchenette as well, and a bathroom/closet area. Walt's grandchildren used to stay here with them on occasion - how cool would that be to get to sleep in Disneyland at your grandparents' apartment? Apparently, there used to be a fireman's pole through the apartment, which Walt would use sometimes. And one day, a small child climbed up the pole and right into the apartment where Walt was sitting reading the newspaper!  They took out the pole after that!


​
Of course, there is also the lamp that was lit whenever Walt was there so CMs would know. Since his passing, it always remains lit. After this tour, every time Willow and I entered DL, we would look up to the lamp and say hello to Walt. 


​
After our tour of the apartment, we returned to Tour Garden where our pre-ordered dinners from the Jolly Holiday Bakery were waiting for us.










​
Willow had a PBJ, fruit cup, and flourless chocolate cake.


​
I had the Jolly Holiday Salad (blend of lettuce with spiced pecans, feta, red and yellow tomatoes, and craisins with raspberry vinaigrette) and flourless chocolate cake.


​
We really enjoyed our meal and talking about all the things we had seen and learned during the tour. We were also given these incredibly cool pins!










​
Up Next: Day 10I (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

* Day 10I - Sunday, 3 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

Our guide came and sat with us for a while, and we had a nice time chatting with him. When we had finished, however, we realized that we were just completely BEAT. I am pretty sure that we had been in the park, mostly on our feet, for 12 straight hours at this point. 


​
There was no way that we were doing any more touring tonight. We headed out of the park and into DTD.










​
Willow reminded me that she had some important pillow-pet shopping to complete, so we ducked into World of Disney.


















​
Souvenir money happily spent, we headed through DTD towards our hotel.


















​
Which pillow pet do you think she chose this trip?????

Soon we were back at our hotel.


​
And making our way down the path to the Frontier Tower.


​
Willow took a quick shower and was in bed, totally exhausted, at about 7:30.


​
Up Next Day: 11A*


----------



## courtneybelle

Mary Poppins from...Mary Poppins! I'm making my comeback!!  Going back to read now...


----------



## courtneybelle

The Tiki Room!!! One of my absolute favorites. I'm glad you guys enjoyed it, even if it was just to rest your feet 

I love that pic of Walt and Mickey in the car together too!! So adorable. 

The apartment is absolutely adorable!! I wish Keys to the Kingdom let us go in the Cinderella Suite...and SO touching that they keep the lantern lit at all times now. My heart!!!

They did a similar thing at the end of Keys to the Kingdom about the end of Walt's life...there was MUCH crying. I'm with Willow, smoking is bad. 

THAT PIN!!! I am in LOVE. The quote, the dedication...I need to get back to DL pronto!! Thank you for sharing so many great details about the tour, I really want to do it now!!

I'm VERY excited to see which pillow pet Willow got. My guess is Sulley...I'm not sure why but that's one that stuck out in the pictures!


----------



## jedijill

I bawled at the end of the WiWF's tour too.  So sad!  The apartment is so cool.  Best part of the tour!

Jill in CO


----------



## Dugette

Wow, I'm getting teary here reading about Walt's last months and reading those plaques about his vision for Disneyland. And that's awesome that you got to visit his apartment!  Sounds like a really great tour experience.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

How appropriate to include the Tiki Room... no wait... WALT DISNEY'S ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM, on the tour. I think these were the very first audio-animatronics the Imagineers did. And yup, you just confirmed it. lol. What a dreamer and visionary that man was.

Hehe, just FYI, they have a big version of that Walt and Mickey Disneyland car picture in One Man's Dream. 

There is no doubt in my mind that if/when I ever get back to Disneyland that I will be doing this tour. I won't feel complete until I see that apartment. Hmmm, I wonder if the rooms at WDW (particularly the Values) are so small in honour of Walt's Disneyland apartment?  It would be a great marketing tool regardless.

Oh yeah, I made sure to visit the lamp when I was there as well.

Lovely to have lunch included, but I'm a little disappointed at such a missed opportunity. I spot 4 circles in your names (2 dots and 2 o's) and yet not one Mickey head.

I want that pin!!!!!

I sure do miss the ability to walk back to the hotel. And look... Disneyland still has the Sorcerer's Hat.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Willow: Good idea! But wouldn't you feel a little bored?*



Nope! I have fun watching others have fun too.
Plus I'd go on the other (thankfully non-spinning) rides.





RGirl said:


> *I think everyone enjoyed this - especially after having heard the story of how Walt was in a store and saw a little mechanical bird in a cage. From that one experience, the idea for animatronics (from the Tiki Room to Pirates and on) was born.*



Really! I had no idea.
That's a very interesting tidbit.



RGirl said:


> *We visited the gallery just off of Main Street, which featured pictures of a variety of go-getter famous types.
> 
> 
> *



I can't make him out, but the far left photo.
Mark Twain?
And I'm going to feel stupid, I'm sure (what else is new ), but who is in the bottom right hand photo?



RGirl said:


> *It was at this point that our guide told us about Walt's last months. *



So sad. 
I remember when I learned he'd passed. 
I couldn't believe it.
"But I just saw him on TV last Sunday!!"



RGirl said:


> *(And this is another thing that Willow has never forgotten from this tour and has mentioned several times - especially at Disneyland - she always notes how much she wishes that Walt hadnt smoked.)*



Back then the health risks for smoking were not well known.
Of course now everybody knows smoking is bad for you.

SO WHY DO KIDS STILL DO IT????????




I see groups of teenagers out smoking.
I just want to run up to them and demand if they're all stupid.



RGirl said:


> *we were off to see the highlight of this tour - Walt and Lilian's apartment over the Fire House.*



Cool!



RGirl said:


> *And it is soooo tiny!*



That doesn't surprise me in the least.
Living spaces just keep getting bigger and bigger.
Back then, I'm sure it was considered a very acceptable size.



RGirl said:


> *Apparently, there used to be a fireman's pole through the apartment, which Walt would use sometimes.*



I wonder if there's footage of that somewhere?
Wouldn't that be something to see?



RGirl said:


> * And one day, a small child climbed up the pole and right into the apartment where Walt was sitting reading the newspaper!*



I'd love to hear what that child has to say about that now!

Found this while looking into info about the pole.








RGirl said:


> *Of course, there is also the lamp that was lit whenever Walt was there so CMs would know. Since his passing, it always remains lit. After this tour, every time Willow and I entered DL, we would look up to the lamp and say hello to Walt.*



I had heard of this. Thanks so much for including a photo.



RGirl said:


> *We were also given these incredibly cool pins!*



Nice pin! 



RGirl said:


> *When we had finished, however, we realized that we were just completely BEAT. I am pretty sure that we had been in the park, mostly on our feet, for 12 straight hours at this point. *



Wow! I'm surprised Willow lasted that long!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> *



 That gif is hysterical!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> 
> 
> Which pillow pet do you think she chose this trip?????*



I have absolutely no idea.
But she sure looks pleased with her purchase! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow took a quick shower and was in bed, totally exhausted, at about 7:30.*




And I'm sure Mom wasn't far behind.

Thanks for the update!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> We had made our way back to Adventureland where we were going to do an attraction that Willow had never done before!


That is just a crime!  I'm glad you were finally able to make it right! 



RGirl said:


> We visited the gallery just off of Main Street, which featured pictures of a variety of go-getter famous types.


I loved seeing that!  I never knew it was there until I walked around the corner and saw it. 



RGirl said:


> I'd be lying if I said that Willow and I managed to maintain dry eyes through that story.  (And this is another thing that Willow has never forgotten from this tour and has mentioned several times - especially at Disneyland - she always notes how much she wishes that Walt hadnt smoked.)


It definitely is a sad ending to the story... but I'm glad that Willow took something valuable from the experience.  



RGirl said:


> Of course, there is also the lamp that was lit whenever Walt was there so CMs would know. Since his passing, it always remains lit. After this tour, every time Willow and I entered DL, we would look up to the lamp and say hello to Walt.


   I had heard the story about his apartment and the lamp.  When we got to Disneyland, that was basically the first thing I looked for when we entered the park, and the last thing I looked at when we left.  There might have been some dust in the air when I said thanks to him on our way out the final time. 

I love how it is kind of a way that they keep that connection to Walt's presence for us all these years later. 



RGirl said:


> Which pillow pet do you think she chose this trip?????


I was hoping you'd tell us!  I'm not even going to try to guess. 



RGirl said:


> Willow took a quick shower and was in bed, totally exhausted, at about 7:30.


 Wow, she really was wiped out!  Certainly a productive day.


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Mary Poppins from...Mary Poppins! I'm making my comeback!!  Going back to read now...


*Another two points for Courtney! *



courtneybelle said:


> The Tiki Room!!! One of my absolute favorites. I'm glad you guys enjoyed it, even if it was just to rest your feet


* We did enjoy it - AND sitting down! *



courtneybelle said:


> I love that pic of Walt and Mickey in the car together too!! So adorable.


*Isn't it so sweet? The pictures of Walt with Mickey always make me want to cry though. *



courtneybelle said:


> The apartment is absolutely adorable!! I wish Keys to the Kingdom let us go in the Cinderella Suite...and SO touching that they keep the lantern lit at all times now. My heart!!!


*Yeah - I had heard about the lantern before, but it sunk in more having actually been up there and hearing the story. Willow and I always check for the lantern when we go into DL now. *



courtneybelle said:


> They did a similar thing at the end of Keys to the Kingdom about the end of Walt's life...there was MUCH crying. I'm with Willow, smoking is bad.


*Ugh - it was SO sad! And I didn't really think about the fact that it would be coming up, so I didn't prepare Willow at all. She was very sad. *



courtneybelle said:


> THAT PIN!!! I am in LOVE. The quote, the dedication...I need to get back to DL pronto!! Thank you for sharing so many great details about the tour, I really want to do it now!!


*Isn't that an incredible pin? I was very impressed. You really do need to get yourself back to DLR and take the tour!*



courtneybelle said:


> I'm VERY excited to see which pillow pet Willow got. My guess is Sulley...I'm not sure why but that's one that stuck out in the pictures!


*Okay, have I posted pics on FB with Sully in them or something???  If not - that's just downright freaky! *



jedijill said:


> I bawled at the end of the WiWF's tour too.  So sad!  The apartment is so cool.  Best part of the tour!


*Ugh - it was just so dang sad! The apartment was amazing. I loved the teeny bathroom and "kitchen" as well.*



Dugette said:


> Wow, I'm getting teary here reading about Walt's last months and reading those plaques about his vision for Disneyland. And that's awesome that you got to visit his apartment!  Sounds like a really great tour experience.


*Oh, it was an amazing experience. Definitely very bittersweet toward the end, but how could it not be, right? We thought the pins were an incredible addition, and of course, it was so special to be inside Walt's apartment. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> How appropriate to include the Tiki Room... no wait... WALT DISNEY'S ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM, on the tour. I think these were the very first audio-animatronics the Imagineers did. And yup, you just confirmed it. lol. What a dreamer and visionary that man was.


*Based on what our guide was saying, I think that's correct. What an imagination!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hehe, just FYI, they have a big version of that Walt and Mickey Disneyland car picture in One Man's Dream.


* I am never going to hear the end of it if I forget to go in there this summer, am I???  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> There is no doubt in my mind that if/when I ever get back to Disneyland that I will be doing this tour. I won't feel complete until I see that apartment. Hmmm, I wonder if the rooms at WDW (particularly the Values) are so small in honour of Walt's Disneyland apartment?  It would be a great marketing tool regardless.


*

Seriously though, you would SO LOVE this tour. I can't say enough good things about it. And being right there inside Walt's apartment was amazing. They showed us the little bathroom area and the tiny "kitchen" was right behind us when we were looking at the living room. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh yeah, I made sure to visit the lamp when I was there as well.


* We always look up there now whenever we enter the park. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Lovely to have lunch included, but I'm a little disappointed at such a missed opportunity. I spot 4 circles in your names (2 dots and 2 o's) and yet not one Mickey head.


* I was thinking the same thing when I posted that picture!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I want that pin!!!!!


*Isn't it amazing? I mean, they really didn't cheap out with that thing - I thought it was an incredible souvenir of the tour.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I sure do miss the ability to walk back to the hotel. And look... Disneyland still has the Sorcerer's Hat.


*Oh, it is going to be downright weird for us this summer when we have to bus and boat everywhere. *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I can't make him out, but the far left photo.
> Mark Twain?
> And I'm going to feel stupid, I'm sure (what else is new ), but who is in the bottom right hand photo?


*Sheesh - I can't tell either. And I certainly don't remember!*



pkondz said:


> So sad.
> I remember when I learned he'd passed.
> I couldn't believe it.
> "But I just saw him on TV last Sunday!!"






pkondz said:


> Back then the health risks for smoking were not well known.
> Of course now everybody knows smoking is bad for you.
> 
> SO WHY DO KIDS STILL DO IT????????
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I see groups of teenagers out smoking.
> I just want to run up to them and demand if they're all stupid.


*I think most of us are just dumb or feel invincible or something when we're kids. I know I started smoking in college (thankfully stopped many, many years ago), and I certainly knew better.  I can't explain it!*



pkondz said:


> That doesn't surprise me in the least.
> Living spaces just keep getting bigger and bigger.
> Back then, I'm sure it was considered a very acceptable size.


*True. But I have to think this was small even for the time - I mean, no bedroom or anything. But one would expect it given its location and purpose, I think. 

I know that they did manage to entertain there, and like I said, host the grandchildren, so it was very small for a "home," but probably just right for overnight visits at Disneyland. It was certainly larger or akin to a hotel room. *



pkondz said:


> I wonder if there's footage of that somewhere?
> Wouldn't that be something to see?


*I would love to see that!*



pkondz said:


> I'd love to hear what that child has to say about that now!
> 
> Found this while looking into info about the pole.
> *No kidding!
> 
> Looks pretty much just like that a far as I can remember! *
> 
> 
> 
> pkondz said:
> 
> 
> 
> I had heard of this. Thanks so much for including a photo.
> 
> 
> 
> *It's a really neat thing - Willow and I always look up to check in with Walt now when we first enter DL. *
> 
> 
> 
> pkondz said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice pin!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *I was really impressed with how elaborate that pin was. Very cool!*
> 
> 
> 
> pkondz said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow! I'm surprised Willow lasted that long!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *We have a terrible habit of over-doing it big-time on the first day of every trip. We were BEAT by the end of that tour. *
> 
> 
> 
> pkondz said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have absolutely no idea.
> But she sure looks pleased with her purchase!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *She definitely was. You know, some people collect pins, some people collect other little trinkets. My child has to collect HUGE pillow pets. I can hardly even find her in her bed. *
> 
> 
> 
> pkondz said:
> 
> 
> 
> And I'm sure Mom wasn't far behind.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *I wish! I always end up spending hours writing trip notes, uploading pictures from cameras, and then needing to relax with my book. *
> 
> 
> 
> pkondz said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the update!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *Thanks for continuing to follow along! *
Click to expand...


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> That is just a crime!  I'm glad you were finally able to make it right!


*I know! I guess it's just one of those things that I somehow forget is there or something. *



afwdwfan said:


> I loved seeing that!  I never knew it was there until I walked around the corner and saw it.


*It was a good place to end the tour, I think. Kind of full circle. And then go from that to the cute apartment and a meal - very good.*



afwdwfan said:


> It definitely is a sad ending to the story... but I'm glad that Willow took something valuable from the experience.


*Me too - I hope it sticks. *



afwdwfan said:


> I had heard the story about his apartment and the lamp.  When we got to Disneyland, that was basically the first thing I looked for when we entered the park, and the last thing I looked at when we left.  There might have been some dust in the air when I said thanks to him on our way out the final time.


* We do that every time we enter and leave too. *



afwdwfan said:


> I love how it is kind of a way that they keep that connection to Walt's presence for us all these years later.






afwdwfan said:


> Wow, she really was wiped out!  Certainly a productive day.


*Yeah - it was a LONG day with a lot of walking. However, to be fair, that was her regular non-vacation bedtime. *


----------



## RGirl

* The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesnt name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 20 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points

"The sky's awake, so I'm awake."​
Day 11A - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

We were up bright and early yet again and out of the room before 6:30.


​
We headed out through our "secret path" (seriously - we only saw maybe 2 or 3 other people use this walkway during the entire time we were at the Disneyland Hotel) to DTD.










​
We arrived at the DCA gates at 6:41 for early entry at 7:00. 


​
We got lined up at a turnstile.






​
And then were told that they were only going to open one turnstile per gate, so we had to get in line behind people who arrived after us - always a bummer, but not really a big deal. 


​
Unfortunately, when the gates opened, the folks in front of us apparently had no idea what to do - you know, use your ticket or card to get into the park....  


​
We were bummed because it really did take this particular group an incredibly long time, and we therefore found ourselves WAY back from the RSR rope - not the way we roll, people! Here, you can kind of see the rope CMs up ahead - normally, we are right at the rope. 


​
Nonetheless, we persevered and stayed to the right in hopes of getting on RSR relatively quickly. The masses, including us, were moving into CarsLand and back towards RSR when we heard the CMs telling everyone that RSR was down. Wah-wah-wah. 


​
What to do? We could stay here in this mass of humanity:


​
Or we could ditch our favorite DCA attraction for the morning and go do something else. Well, like everyone else, we stayed put to wait it out.  It wasn't down long, but it was funny to watch people in this situation. There were folks kind of milling around not sure whether to stay or go. Then there were the folks who would kind of wander outside the RSR pack and then surreptitiously wander back into it but several groups of people in front of where they had wandered out. We got a couple of these who wandered in front of us - two teens, brothers, I think. The funny thing was that their parent was clearly somewhere behind because they kind of kept looking over my head to someone.


​
Anyway, RSR soon opened, and the mass of people moved forward, relatively politely.


​
Soon we were actually in the queue.






​
All the way through the queue, the teens were in front of us and constantly craning their necks to see over me to the parent. Finally, as we were getting close to the last part of the queue, the older teen said something to me like, "Um, my dad's back there, can he ....." at which point I kind of interrupted and gave him a big warm smile and said, "SURE! You can absolutely go back and join him!" And he stood still with a stunned look on his face, so we walked around him and made our way to the ride. Maybe I'm not the nicest person, but I don't like this kind of stuff - if you "get separated" (or separate yourself in an attempt to get ahead of people who were in front of you) and you want to ride with someone behind you, step aside and wait for the person or persons behind you.


​
Anyway, soon we were in position to board.


​
And, of course, we were excited because, as you may have heard, we love this attraction!


​
Oh, here are the shoes that Willow picked out the day before prior to the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. 


​
Up Next: Day 11A (cont.)*


----------



## jedijill

Anna from Frozen.

Going back to read.


Your response back to that teen is PRICELESS!  Yay for standing up for yourself and not rewarding bad behavior.  Glad you got on RSR...It's one of my favorites.  Love Willow's shoes!

Jill in CO


----------



## RGirl

* Day 11A - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

And some pics from the ride.














​
As you can see here, we got the new-tire room this time (as we usually do).


















​
We had a good time, but RSR was totally wonky. The waterfall had no water.  We got stuck for a while after tipping the tractors. Etc. Nonetheless, it was still a good ride. Because of all the delays getting to it, however, it was already 7:40 when we exited, so our early hour was almost over! What should we do????????


​
Well, in a complete detour from our normal Disney reality, we decided that we would just take it easy and not worry about trying to do anything else "big" during EMH. This was one of the greatest benefits of having more than one trip this year - we had just been there in January, so we felt okay with slowing it down a little and maybe even trying a few new things and/or doing some of the less headliner-ish attractions instead of stressing about how many times we could do RSR in a row. Even Willow was on board for this! 

So we wandered through CarsLand.


​
Willow met Mater at about 7:45.


​
And then we hit up Mater's ride, which almost never has any kind of wait and looks kind of boring. However, we think it is REALLY fun! 


























​
And I believe it was here that I first pointed out the Disney "No Dancing" sign to Willow. To say that she found this hilarious would be quite the understatement. It became our new favorite Disney game.

Hey, Willow, no dancing!


​
And then something like this would happen:


​
Followed by peals of laughter and "I disobeyed you!!!!" 

Up Next: Day 11A (cont. again)*


----------



## courtneybelle

Oh no, that's a rough start to the morning. There were so many times in July when we got stuck behind people who couldn't use the MagicBands--just put the Mickey to the Mickey!! 

And such a bummer that RSR was down, but I love that gif of Bonnie from Toy Story.   I laughed OUT LOUD at what you said to that boy, you go, Roni!!! Tell them how it is!!! 

I love Willow's flip flops! Excellent choice!

Mater's ride looks so cute, and the new No Dancing game KILLS ME. I'm glad Willow is one of us DISers!!


----------



## RGirl

* Day 11A - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont. again)

After fun with Mater, we wandered through CarsLand some more.














​
And decided to do the Luigi tires ride. (I'm sure it does have a name, but I can't remember it right now.) Only we couldn't find the entrance.

Maybe it's this way.


​
Nope.

Maybe this way?


​
Nope.

Oh! It's that storefront that we have passed a million times during our hundreds of visits to CarsLand and never realized that it was actually an attraction!






​
As you can see, this attraction is not exactly in high demand. Perhaps because, although people can view the ride, which is OUTSIDE, they can't figure out how to get to it! No? Just us? Okay.  Lets go in then.


























​
After admiring the queue we had never seen before, we noticed that there were a lot of instructions for riding this ride.










​
After taking notes about HOW to ride, we finally boarded our tire.


​
This is definitely a weird attraction. You basically get in a tire, which then inflates and is propelled by air vents in the floor and steered by guests leaning in the direction they wish to go. 






​
We had fun, but it was definitely weird. (The last rumor I read indicated that the expectation is that this attraction will be replaced this year.) When we disembarked, it was about 8:00, park opening. Where should we go?????

Up Next: Day 11B*


----------



## courtneybelle

Whoops, interrupted your updates!!

I think between finding the entrance and following all the instructions, Luigi's is just too complicated for tourists!! It does look like it would be fun, but I imagine something really cool will replace it. 

Excited to see what happens next!!


----------



## jedijill

I rode Luigi's solo...that was an interesting experience!  

Jill in CO


----------



## Dugette

Okay, first, I LOVE what you said to the teen!!!   When you first said that he cut in line, I wondered if you were just going to let him. Perfect response! 

I want to ride RSR so badly!!! It sounds so fun. I love Test Track and I love Cars theming, so it seems awesome. Really hoping we can get out there soon for DL. The rest of Cars Land looks fun too!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> Unfortunately, when the gates opened, the folks in front of us apparently had no idea what to do - you know, use your ticket or card to get into the park....


  We ran into this situation a lot!  We got stuck one day behind someone at the next turnstile over who couldn't get in but had their stroller parked in the middle so we couldn't get through even though our tickets were scanned.  The CM helping us apologized several times, but they essentially shut down 2 whole turnstiles. 



RGirl said:


> Nonetheless, we persevered and stayed to the right in hopes of getting on RSR relatively quickly. The masses, including us, were moving into CarsLand and back towards RSR when we heard the CMs telling everyone that RSR was down. Wah-wah-wah.


Can I just copy and paste this into my TR?  Because 2 out of 3 ropedrops for us, this is exactly what happened.  You'd think maybe if they have this much trouble getting it running in the morning they might eventually start working on getting it up and running a little bit earlier?????  



RGirl said:


> All the way through the queue, the teens were in front of us and constantly craning their necks to see over me to the parent. Finally, as we were getting close to the last part of the queue, the older teen said something to me like, "Um, my dad's back there, can he ....." at which point I kind of interrupted and gave him a big warm smile and said, "SURE! You can absolutely go back and join him!" And he stood still with a stunned look on his face, so we walked around him and made our way to the ride. Maybe I'm not the nicest person, but I don't like this kind of stuff - if you "get separated" (or separate yourself in an attempt to get ahead of people who were in front of you) and you want to ride with someone behind you, step aside and wait for the person or persons behind you.










RGirl said:


> As you can see here, we got the new-tire room this time (as we usually do).


I really think the paint shop thing is a myth. 



RGirl said:


> And then we hit up Mater's ride, which almost never has any kind of wait and looks kind of boring. However, we think it is REALLY fun!


Totally agree!  And the soundtrack is interesting as well. 



RGirl said:


> Oh! It's that storefront that we have passed a million times during our hundreds of visits to CarsLand and never realized that it was actually an attraction!











RGirl said:


> No? Just us? Okay….  Let’s go in then.


Yep... just you.   



RGirl said:


> After admiring the queue we had never seen before, we noticed that there were a lot of instructions for riding this ride.


After the first ride, I kind of hated the fact that they stop you at the one point in the queue to explain it to you.  I've got it... don't step on the sidewall, lean, but not too far.  It ain't that complicated. 



RGirl said:


> We had fun, but it was definitely weird. (The last rumor I read indicated that the expectation is that this attraction will be replaced this year.)


We really thought this one was a lot of fun.  The kids loved it and we rode it multiple times.  According to some info I saw before our trip, I thought it was to have already been closed down, but we were glad it was still running.  Quite frankly, I hope it doesn't go away, because it really is a fun ride.  I think the biggest problem with it is that they have too many tires out there.  It isn't much fun if you get stuck in the middle with nowhere to go, but if you can stay along the fringes and out of traffic you can really get some speed going around there.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Ugh. I know it's not a huge deal, but that is frustrating to end up behind people who arrived later.

"SURE! You can absolutely go back and join him!"  Roni, you are my hero!!!!!  That is seriously one of the best things I've ever read on here. 

I so agree Roni. I love being in a position where I don't feel the need to do everything and can just go with the flow.

Hahaha, another tradition the next Generation will maintain... NO DANCING!!

I find the tire ride so funny. Apparently they had a similar ride in Disneyland way back in the early days, except Spaceships or something. But they often couldn't get it to work so they took it out. It sounds like history is going to repeat itself.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

love that you used the HOW RUDE pic!  loved that show and my friends and I used to say that all the time!  and those teens.....how rude!  totally agree with you.  if you're waiting for someone behind, you let people pass you until your party catches up with you.  you definitely DON'T expect people to let then cut the line!

carsland looks so pretty in the morning!  someday we will see it!!!  glad you got an early morning RSR ride in!

the tire ride.....too many directions for first thing in the morning....


----------



## KatMark

I'm in tears sitting at my desk at work after reading the end of the tour you took. If I do NOTHING else at DL in three years when we go for my big birthday, I want to do that tour.

I can imagine you and Willow had to be exhausted after 12 hours. Okay, did I miss which pillow pet she got?

And you were right at it again the next morning...impressive. 

I am glad you did what you did with those boys. Some people just have to learn common courtesey!

Sorry the ride had issues, but glad you enjoyed it once again.

That last ride you were on does sound a bit weird.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *We were up bright and early yet again and out of the room before 6:30.*



Yeah, but do that at home?
Because of work or school????


5 more minutes!!!



RGirl said:


> *We headed out through our "secret path" (seriously - we only saw maybe 2 or 3 other people use this walkway during the entire time we were at the Disneyland Hotel) to DTD.*



That qualifies.
Secret path it is.



RGirl said:


> *We got lined up at a turnstile.
> And then were told that they were only going to open one turnstile per gate, so we had to get in line behind people who arrived after us - always a bummer, but not really a big deal. *







Bummer.



RGirl said:


> *Unfortunately, when the gates opened, the folks in front of us apparently had no idea what to do - you know, use your ticket or card to get into the park....  *



I would make a snarky comment.... except that'll probably be me in a couple of weeks.

(Less!)



RGirl said:


> *The masses, including us, were moving into CarsLand and back towards RSR when we heard the CMs telling everyone that RSR was down.*



I bet they did that on purpose, just to mess with you guys.



RGirl said:


> *Then there were the folks who would kind of wander outside the RSR pack and then surreptitiously wander back into it but several groups of people in front of where they had wandered out.*



But there were snipers in the trees who took care of them!

No? 



RGirl said:


> *Finally, as we were getting close to the last part of the queue, the older teen said something to me like, "Um, my dad's back there, can he ....." at which point I kind of interrupted and gave him a big warm smile and said, "SURE! You can absolutely go back and join him!" And he stood still with a stunned look on his face, so we walked around him and made our way to the ride.*



Way to go!!!

I am _so_ using that if it happens to me.





RGirl said:


> * Maybe I'm not the nicest person, but I don't like this kind of stuff - if you "get separated" (or separate yourself in an attempt to get ahead of people who were in front of you) and you want to ride with someone behind you, step aside and wait for the person or persons behind you.*



I guess I'm not nice either then.

Of course I already knew that.



RGirl said:


> *And, of course, we were excited because, as you may have heard, we love this attraction!*



Whaaaat?????
No!



RGirl said:


> *Oh, here are the shoes that Willow picked out the day before prior to the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. *



Good choice Willow. Those are very nice.
Do you think I should get a pair for myself?



RGirl said:


> *The waterfall had no water.*



Doesn't that make it just a fall?



RGirl said:


> *  We got stuck for a while after tipping the tractors.*



Well that's what you get!
Next time, leave those poor tractors alone!



RGirl said:


> *Well, in a complete detour from our normal Disney reality, we decided that we would just take it easy and not worry about trying to do anything else "big" during EMH.*



Is that even possible?
How do you _do_ that???



RGirl said:


> *And then we hit up Mater's ride, which almost never has any kind of wait and looks kind of boring. However, we think it is REALLY fun! *



Does it go in a circle?
Or is there a more complex pattern?



RGirl said:


> *And I believe it was here that I first pointed out the Disney "No Dancing" sign to Willow. To say that she found this hilarious would be quite the understatement. It became our new favorite Disney game.
> 
> 
> And then something like this would happen:
> 
> 
> ​
> Followed by peals of laughter and "I disobeyed you!!!!" *



OMG! That's hysterical! 



RGirl said:


> *As you can see, this attraction is not exactly in high demand. Perhaps because, although people can view the ride, which is OUTSIDE, they can't figure out how to get to it!*



It's only for those few who are persistent enough to find it.
Kind of like being in an exclusive club.



RGirl said:


> * No? Just us?*



Apparently not!



RGirl said:


> *This is definitely a weird attraction. You basically get in a tire, which then inflates and is propelled by air vents in the floor and steered by guests leaning in the direction they wish to go.*



Did you have the feeling that at any time, a giant arm was going to come down and smack you? ala air hockey?



RGirl said:


> *(The last rumor I read indicated that the expectation is that this attraction will be replaced this year.)*



Well, I suppose if you hide the entrance really well, the attraction won't do so great.



RGirl said:


> * When we disembarked, it was about 8:00, park opening. Where should we go?????*



I don't know!!! 
But I can't wait to find out! Thanks for the update!


----------



## shan23877

All caught up! The tour sounds amazing, and I am totally jealous. Love that pin! So what pillow pet did she get? I assume that she already had a Pluto..

Yay for getting your RSR ride in! And for taking it easy. Good job!

Will you please like my comment? I think I need likes.


----------



## dizneeat

*There has so much been added to CA since we last visited in 2006  How funny is it that you had to hunt for the entrance of that ride. *


----------



## disneyhopeful4

Really enjoying your trip report... I love how much fun you guys have


----------



## jedijill

Making sure I'm still subscribed. 

Jill in CO


----------



## petals

Did anyone answer that last quote yet??? It's Anna from Frozen 
Anyway trying to find everyones trip report and catch up. Was very sick in January so the only trip report I was watching was my own  
I love Willow's BBB photoshoot and the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour sounds great.
I agree with Willow on the wishing Walt wasn't a smoker either. 
I also love what you did in the cars ride line with the teen saving a spot. That was one thing that annoyed me so much in Disneyland one person waiting in line and then just as they got near the top like 6 or more family members arriving to join them!


----------



## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Anna from Frozen.
> 
> Going back to read.
> 
> 
> Your response back to that teen is PRICELESS!  Yay for standing up for yourself and not rewarding bad behavior.  Glad you got on RSR...It's one of my favorites.  Love Willow's shoes!
> 
> Jill in CO


*Two points for Jill!  *

*I didn't want to be mean to the teen, but I get sick of all the line-cutting at DLR. I couldn't help myself. I think I did it in a relatively nice way. *



courtneybelle said:


> Oh no, that's a rough start to the morning. There were so many times in July when we got stuck behind people who couldn't use the MagicBands--just put the Mickey to the Mickey!!


 *It is hard when you're rarin' to go - it makes a few minutes of nonsense feel like hours!*



courtneybelle said:


> And such a bummer that RSR was down, but I love that gif of Bonnie from Toy Story.   I laughed OUT LOUD at what you said to that boy, you go, Roni!!! Tell them how it is!!!


*I just couldn't help myself! Line-cutting is rampant at DLR, and this RSR situation with everyone kind of milling out of line and then conveniently milling back in ahead of where they were? I just couldn't take it anymore! *



courtneybelle said:


> I love Willow's flip flops! Excellent choice!


*Willow: Thank you!  You know, if I hadn't seen those, I bet you wouldn't have said "excellent choice."*



courtneybelle said:


> Mater's ride looks so cute, and the new No Dancing game KILLS ME. I'm glad Willow is one of us DISers!!


*We really enjoy Mater's silly little ride. The song that plays during it is so funny and fast-paced, and it really swings you around pretty wildly. *

*I'm glad you like the No Dancing game - you will be seeing a lot of it......*



courtneybelle said:


> Whoops, interrupted your updates!!


*No problem - there were quite a few installments that time! *



courtneybelle said:


> I think between finding the entrance and following all the instructions, Luigi's is just too complicated for tourists!! It does look like it would be fun, but I imagine something really cool will replace it.


*Well, it was certainly difficult for US to find!!!  *

*I think I read this week that they have closed it up and that it will be replaced by something completely new. I bet whatever it is will be pretty cool. Wish I had a trip planned......*



courtneybelle said:


> Excited to see what happens next!!


*Sorry for the long delay (again) - coming soon!*



jedijill said:


> I rode Luigi's solo...that was an interesting experience!
> 
> Jill in CO


*I bet!!!  I can't even really imagine!*


Dugette said:


> Okay, first, I LOVE what you said to the teen!!!   When you first said that he cut in line, I wondered if you were just going to let him. Perfect response!


*I kind of couldn't believe that I did it - I usually just get all huffy and do nothing. I thought it was a pretty decent way to handle the situation though - the least mean approach that still didn't just let everyone cut in front of us. *



Dugette said:


> I want to ride RSR so badly!!! It sounds so fun. I love Test Track and I love Cars theming, so it seems awesome. Really hoping we can get out there soon for DL. The rest of Cars Land looks fun too!


*You would absolutely love it!!!  We are not even big fans of the Cars movies, but CarsLand and RSR especially are some of our favorite things in any Disney park. I hope you can make it there sometime soon!*


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> We ran into this situation a lot!  We got stuck one day behind someone at the next turnstile over who couldn't get in but had their stroller parked in the middle so we couldn't get through even though our tickets were scanned.  The CM helping us apologized several times, but they essentially shut down 2 whole turnstiles.


*GAH! That kind of stuff just drives me crazy. I know I should just chill out and not let it bother me, but I'm a go-go-go! kind of person! *



afwdwfan said:


> Can I just copy and paste this into my TR?  Because 2 out of 3 ropedrops for us, this is exactly what happened.  You'd think maybe if they have this much trouble getting it running in the morning they might eventually start working on getting it up and running a little bit earlier?????


*You bet!  Actually, of all of our DCA rope drops over the last year or so, this is (I think) the first time that this has happened to us!*



afwdwfan said:


>








afwdwfan said:


> I really think the paint shop thing is a myth.


*We had much better luck with it this last month, but we have gotten the tire side probably 90% of our rides. So strange!*


afwdwfan said:


> Totally agree!  And the soundtrack is interesting as well.


*I love that soundtrack - it cracks me the heck up! *



afwdwfan said:


> Yep... just you.


*Really????  You just walked right up and knew where to go?  I am dying - we had NEVER noticed that that weird tire-shop building was actually the ride entrance. I can't begin to tell you how many times we have walked past that place! *



afwdwfan said:


> After the first ride, I kind of hated the fact that they stop you at the one point in the queue to explain it to you.  I've got it... don't step on the sidewall, lean, but not too far.  It ain't that complicated.


*Thankfully, we didn't feel the need to do it more than once!  *



afwdwfan said:


> We really thought this one was a lot of fun.  The kids loved it and we rode it multiple times.  According to some info I saw before our trip, I thought it was to have already been closed down, but we were glad it was still running.  Quite frankly, I hope it doesn't go away, because it really is a fun ride.  I think the biggest problem with it is that they have too many tires out there.  It isn't much fun if you get stuck in the middle with nowhere to go, but if you can stay along the fringes and out of traffic you can really get some speed going around there.


*Hmm, maybe we would have enjoyed it more if we had taken the time to figure out the best way to do it by riding more than once. *

*I'm sorry to report that I read this week that it has closed and will be replaced by something completely new.*


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


>


 
Loved that movie.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Loved that movie.


*Oh, me too! I haven't seen it in years. I may have to check Netflix tonight and see if they have it!*


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ugh. I know it's not a huge deal, but that is frustrating to end up behind people who arrived later.


*It IS frustrating. I really wish I was a more easy-going person and didn't let stuff like this bother me at all, but I admit, I was a little perturbed. It didn't ruin my morning or anything, but I am so GO-GO-GO that these little hiccups get to me for a few seconds. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> "SURE! You can absolutely go back and join him!"  Roni, you are my hero!!!!!  That is seriously one of the best things I've ever read on here.


*Why, thank you!  Looking back on it, I'm kind of surprised that I did it. But honestly, I just wasn't going to let someone from behind me walk past me to join people who were also BEHIND me except that they got out of line and decided to shove their way back in ahead of where they were. It just didn't work for me at all! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I so agree Roni. I love being in a position where I don't feel the need to do everything and can just go with the flow.


*It was a very different experience for us - we are always rushed and trying to do EVERYTHING. I really enjoyed just taking our time at least for a little while. So pleasant!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hahaha, another tradition the next Generation will maintain... NO DANCING!!


 *She LOVES it - believe me, you will be seeing quite a few more references to this.....*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I find the tire ride so funny. Apparently they had a similar ride in Disneyland way back in the early days, except Spaceships or something. But they often couldn't get it to work so they took it out. It sounds like history is going to repeat itself.


*Is that right? I had no idea! It really wasn't my favorite - I just didn't "get" it.  I did read this week that they have closed it and it will be completely replaced.  *



STLMickeyMom said:


> love that you used the HOW RUDE pic!  loved that show and my friends and I used to say that all the time!  and those teens.....how rude!  totally agree with you.  if you're waiting for someone behind, you let people pass you until your party catches up with you.  you definitely DON'T expect people to let then cut the line!


*Uncle Jessie!!!!   That show was fantastic!*

*DLR has a lot of line-cutters - way more than I have ever seen at WDW. I suppose people are just a bit more laid-back there or something? But this was my chance to do something about one of them without ending up in a fistfight or something, so I took it! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> carsland looks so pretty in the morning!  someday we will see it!!!  glad you got an early morning RSR ride in!


*I hope you get to - it really is one of our favorite places from all the Disney parks we have visited.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> the tire ride.....too many directions for first thing in the morning....


*Right????    A ride that requires you to get a degree in its operation is just not my thing! *



KatMark said:


> I'm in tears sitting at my desk at work after reading the end of the tour you took. If I do NOTHING else at DL in three years when we go for my big birthday, I want to do that tour.


*Oh, Kathy, you will enjoy it so much. It really was the highlight of our vacation. I'm so excited that you'll be going to DLR in three years!!!!!!  *



KatMark said:


> I can imagine you and Willow had to be exhausted after 12 hours. Okay, did I miss which pillow pet she got?


*Somehow, and seriously, I think she may be stalking us or something , Courtney actually guessed correctly. She picked Sully! And there is no reasonable way to have guessed that - she likes Monsters Inc. and all and Sully, but he is hardly a character that she freaks out over. I will say though, it is a particularly nice pillow pet. I am certain that pictures of it will surface in the TR soon.*



KatMark said:


> And you were right at it again the next morning...impressive.


*We take our Disney time very seriously!  Honestly, I hope that we learn how to slow down someday - I really think we would enjoy it more. But we just get into this crazy GO-GO-GO zone. It's exhausting! *



KatMark said:


> I am glad you did what you did with those boys. Some people just have to learn common courtesey!


*I just couldn't get okay with the idea of letting their party catch up with them - I mean, I have many times had people shove by me in lines with the excuse that they are catching up with their party, and I have always wanted to tell them that their party can wait for them to catch up by standing to the side and letting people pass. But I'm usually afraid the people will knock my block off or something since they tend to be SUPER-aggressive people. This situation was perfect for teaching line etiquette in what I thought was a very polite way! *



KatMark said:


> Sorry the ride had issues, but glad you enjoyed it once again.


*Yeah, it was weird, but it didn't ruin it for us or anything. It's such a great ride!*



KatMark said:


> That last ride you were on does sound a bit weird.


*It was SO WEIRD!  *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Yeah, but do that at home?
> Because of work or school????
> 
> 
> 5 more minutes!!!


*Not in this house - we are out the door by 6:20 every morning, and I'm at work by 6:30. *



pkondz said:


> I would make a snarky comment.... except that'll probably be me in a couple of weeks.
> 
> (Less!)


*Holy cow! You leave in two days!!!!!  *



pkondz said:


> I bet they did that on purpose, just to mess with you guys.


*It was definitely one of those road-block mornings. *



pkondz said:


> Way to go!!!
> 
> I am _so_ using that if it happens to me.


*You should! It was thrilling to actually do something about a line-cutter. *



pkondz said:


> I guess I'm not nice either then.
> 
> Of course I already knew that.


*Yeah, the jury wasn't out long on me either - nice has never been my thing in situations like this. *



pkondz said:


> Good choice Willow. Those are very nice.
> Do you think I should get a pair for myself?


*Oh man, I wish she was up right now - she would LOVE this one! *



pkondz said:


> Is that even possible?
> How do you _do_ that???


*I'm not sure - it was the first and, to date, only time we have managed it. It was very pleasant though!*



pkondz said:


> Does it go in a circle?
> Or is there a more complex pattern?


*Hmm, I'd say it's more of a figure eight. It really does fling you around though, and Miss Willow thinks that is just awesome.*


pkondz said:


> OMG! That's hysterical!


*She just thought that "no dancing" thing was the best thing ever. It kind of became the theme of this trip. *



pkondz said:


> It's only for those few who are persistent enough to find it.
> Kind of like being in an exclusive club.


*Seriously! Maybe we're just clueless, but we NEVER noticed that that building was the entrance to the ride way around on the other side and outside. *



pkondz said:


> Did you have the feeling that at any time, a giant arm was going to come down and smack you? ala air hockey?


*This is perfect! It's the best way to describe the ride I've seen - it's like sitting on a giant air hockey puck except that the puck has to try to move itself!*



pkondz said:


> Well, I suppose if you hide the entrance really well, the attraction won't do so great.


*I don't think giant neon arrows could have saved this one....*



pkondz said:


> I don't know!!!
> But I can't wait to find out! Thanks for the update!


*Thanks! Sorry for the long delay - I've been sick for ages. And you'll probably be enjoying WDW during the next update! Thanks for reading along. *


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## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Holy cow! You leave in two days!!!!! *


Tomorrow, now! (Just _slightly_ excited.)


RGirl said:


> *You should! It was thrilling to actually do something about a line-cutter.*


I've told a few people about it already. And I'm ready to use it!


RGirl said:


> *Hmm, I'd say it's more of a figure eight. It really does fling you around though, and Miss Willow thinks that is just awesome.*


----------



## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> All caught up! The tour sounds amazing, and I am totally jealous. Love that pin! So what pillow pet did she get? I assume that she already had a Pluto..


*Hello! Yes - Pluto was her first-ever pillow pet. Courtney guessed correctly - she chose Sully! Unfortunately, she seems to be collecting pillow pets now and getting one on every trip - soon there will be no room in our house for anything OTHER than pillow pets. Those things are not small!!!  *



shan23877 said:


> Yay for getting your RSR ride in! And for taking it easy. Good job!


*It was a good morning despite the minor hiccups. Lots of fun!*



shan23877 said:


> Will you please like my comment? I think I need likes.


*You know, I cannot get used to the fact that there is a "like" button now - I never remember to use it! *


dizneeat said:


> *There has so much been added to CA since we last visited in 2006  How funny is it that you had to hunt for the entrance of that ride. *


*You need to come back to DLR!!!*

*Oh, we were laughing so hard at ourselves over not being able to find the ride entrance! *



disneyhopeful4 said:


> Really enjoying your trip report... I love how much fun you guys have


*Thanks so much! It's great to have you posting! *



jedijill said:


> Making sure I'm still subscribed.
> 
> Jill in CO






petals said:


> Did anyone answer that last quote yet??? It's Anna from Frozen


*Sorry - Jill got it. *



petals said:


> Anyway trying to find everyones trip report and catch up. Was very sick in January so the only trip report I was watching was my own


*I totally understand - I have been sick for over a month. It's hard to keep up with everything. I sure hope you're feeling better. I still need to catch up on your TR too - I'm so far behind! *



petals said:


> I love Willow's BBB photoshoot and the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour sounds great.


*Thanks! The tour was just amazing. *



petals said:


> I agree with Willow on the wishing Walt wasn't a smoker either.






petals said:


> I also love what you did in the cars ride line with the teen saving a spot. That was one thing that annoyed me so much in Disneyland one person waiting in line and then just as they got near the top like 6 or more family members arriving to join them!


*Yeah - it seems to be very common at DLR, even accepted, I guess.  I usually let it go and try not to let it bother me, but this particular incident just presented the perfect opportunity to do something about it. *


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## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Tomorrow, now! (Just _slightly_ excited.)
> 
> I've told a few people about it already. And I'm ready to use it!


*Have a great trip!!!  I can't wait to read about it!*

*Is it wrong that I'm now hoping you run into a line-cutter so you can respond accordingly???  *


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## petals

*


RGirl said:



			Sorry - Jill got it.
		
Click to expand...

I didn't see that but wasn't really looking at the other comments lol*


*


RGirl said:



			I totally understand - I have been sick for over a month. It's hard to keep up with everything. I sure hope you're feeling better. I still need to catch up on your TR too - I'm so far behind! 

Click to expand...

**I'm alot better now finally. Was sick when I was in California and think it didn't really clear up properly so ended up on 2 inhalers, 2 antibiotics one of which was for bronchitis/pnuemonia, pain killers and steroids all over the course of about 3 weeks in January but it's finally cleared up and I've stopped coughing alot as well. *

*


RGirl said:



			Yeah - it seems to be very common at DLR, even accepted, I guess.  I usually let it go and try not to let it bother me, but this particular incident just presented the perfect opportunity to do something about it.
		
Click to expand...

*It bugged me a bit but they were alot friendlier in Disneyland than they are in Paris so I kind of tried to ignore it.


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## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:

Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points*

*"Slimy, yet satisfying."*​
*Day 11B - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort*

*When I last left off, it was just about park opening time and we had exited the weird tire ride. We figured we would hit up ToT next since it was a short walk from CarsLand and one of Willow's favorites. We had to cut through Bugs Land, of course. 
*
*

*
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*
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*​
*And suddenly, Willow wanted to ride the rides in here - these are all sort of little-kid oriented; very cute, but not really anything too exciting. Now, normally, I would have encouraged her to do those later as they were not likely to get too crowded whereas the bigger rides certainly would. But remember! We were taking a new, laid-back approach today. So we rode some rides in Bugs Land!

First up was Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies - basically bumper cars.
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And then Francis's Ladybug Boogie.
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No dancing, Willow!
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I disobeyed you!
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This is basically like any number of spinning carnival-type rides. But we had fun.
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And then we did head on through Bugs Land to ToT. 
*
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It was only about 8:15, but the CM out front was warning folks that they only had one elevator running and the wait time would likely be longer than posted. We decided to get out of line and grab some FPs to return between 8:55 and 9:55 - not long at all!
*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 11B (cont.)




*


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## RGirl

*Day 11B - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

We figured we could use that time to ride the Monsters Inc. ride, which we love but apparently is not a favorite of very many others. We have never had a wait here at all, but again, we had always visited in January before this. We headed in that direction.
*
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*​*


And spotted Sully hanging out right in the entrance to the ride! And he was wearing his letterman's jacket!!!!  Well, we weren't going to pass that up!
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We headed into the ride queue.
*
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And walked right on through to a ride vehicle at 8:25 AM.
*
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*​*


I tried to get some pictures of the interior of this attraction for you - we love that you can smell the ginger in the sushi restaurant and the lemon snow cones. 
*
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Up Next: Day 11C*


----------



## Dugette

Ooh, maybe I can get one! Lion King and I think Timon?

I'll come back for other comments when I'm not on my phone.


----------



## petals

Luvin the updates.

Little side story related to Sulley there. My 4 year old nephew was visiting today and spotted Sulley in our attic. He told me he was the wrong colour though because he didn't have his college jacket on


----------



## Dugette

Okay, back to respond!

That must have been hard to take it easy and go on the kiddie rides during prime touring time! (Though, maybe not a bad strategy as they seem like slow-loading rides?)

Yay for ToT FP that are less than an hour from good! 

Haha, that first picture of Sulley - I didn't even realize Willow was in it at first until I saw the feet sticking out! Love the pictures of Willow and Sulley, though! So cute and she looks SOOOO happy! 

I'm really surprised about the lack of line for the Monsters, Inc. ride. I swear I have heard good things about it and assumed it would be popular. Maybe not so much, huh?  Looks fun, at any rate!

Looking forward to more!


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Ooh, maybe I can get one! Lion King and I think Timon?
> 
> I'll come back for other comments when I'm not on my phone.


*Oh, right movie, wrong character! That's one point though, and you are now in the running! *



petals said:


> Luvin the updates.
> 
> Little side story related to Sulley there. My 4 year old nephew was visiting today and spotted Sulley in our attic. He told me he was the wrong colour though because he didn't have his college jacket on


*Awww - that's so cute! Sully really is even more adorable in his jacket!*



Dugette said:


> Okay, back to respond!


*So glad you came back!*

*Seems like you and I are often frantically doing DIS comments at the same times. Mommy Schedule, I guess! *



Dugette said:


> That must have been hard to take it easy and go on the kiddie rides during prime touring time! (Though, maybe not a bad strategy as they seem like slow-loading rides?)


*You know, it wasn't that hard, which is weird. I think we had SUCH an insanely long day on our first day and then we knew we had a longer DLR stay than usual and had just been there in January (and I, not Willow, knew we would be back the next January) - it really did make it easier to slow down a little. Of course, we have completely lost that easy-going attitude now. *



Dugette said:


> Yay for ToT FP that are less than an hour from good!


*Oh yeah, that was SWEET! Willow loves ToT! It has lost some of its shine now that she can do EE and has experienced RSR, but she still loves it. Thankfully not enough to do it 13 times in one day as we did on one of our WDW trips..... *


Dugette said:


> Haha, that first picture of Sulley - I didn't even realize Willow was in it at first until I saw the feet sticking out! Love the pictures of Willow and Sulley, though! So cute and she looks SOOOO happy!


*I *think* this was the Sully meet in which he was totally messing with me - every time I went to snap a picture, he would completely engulf Willow. Thank goodness for PP! *



Dugette said:


> I'm really surprised about the lack of line for the Monsters, Inc. ride. I swear I have heard good things about it and assumed it would be popular. Maybe not so much, huh?  Looks fun, at any rate!


*I don't get it either. It's a great classic-style ride - great stuff to look at and even the scents. It's weird that it's not more popular. Maybe it's the location - there's not much else there.*

*Or there WASN'T at the time. That area has since been FROZEN, and we didn't even manage to ride Monsters, Inc. in January because the line was always long and that was just not acceptable to us after years of no line. *



Dugette said:


> Looking forward to more!


*Thanks! I'm hoping to get a little faster at updating. I really need to start the January TR before I forget everything!  I think I'm going to be stuck in a two-tsr-at-once situation again. Always terrifying.....  *


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> Oh, right movie, wrong character! That's one point though, and you are now in the running!


Oooh, then it must be Pumba. Was debating - my "movie memory" is terrible! (And if it's not that, put me down for Simba! )


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> Seems like you and I are often frantically doing DIS comments at the same times. Mommy Schedule, I guess!


Yep, night owl here - after Izzy's in bed, usually. Or sometimes nap time. 



RGirl said:


> Thankfully not enough to do it 13 times in one day as we did on one of our WDW trips.....


Oh, my. That is impressive! 



RGirl said:


> Or there WASN'T at the time. That area has since been FROZEN, and we didn't even manage to ride Monsters, Inc. in January because the line was always long and that was just not acceptable to us after years of no line.


Oh, that's a bummer there are lines now. How long does the Frozen stuff go on there? Is it indefinite or just for a certain period? 



RGirl said:


> I think I'm going to be stuck in a two-tsr-at-once situation again. Always terrifying.....


I happen to know what that is like and you have my sympathies!


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Oooh, then it must be Pumba. Was debating - my "movie memory" is terrible! (And if it's not that, put me down for Simba! )


 *You are so funny! And you just nailed the second point - Pumba!  *



Dugette said:


> Yep, night owl here - after Izzy's in bed, usually. Or sometimes nap time.


*I can't remember where you are, but I think you are at least a couple of hours ahead of me. I am lucky that Willow is an early-to-bed kid - I get to work during the week at 6:30AM, so if she wasn't, I would never have any DIS time! *



Dugette said:


> Oh, my. That is impressive!


*Horrifying, isn't it? *



Dugette said:


> Oh, that's a bummer there are lines now. How long does the Frozen stuff go on there? Is it indefinite or just for a certain period?


*I think if memory serves that it's supposed to be in place until May. I would assume they will extend that, but who knows. That area is a fluctuating area - they vary the dance party and stuff there. But Frozen has taken over a lot of space there - the Sing Along is occupying what was the Muppets theater, and Do You Want to Draw a Snowman has actually taken over the animation drawing class. That one is kind of sad - I mean, it's fun to draw Olaf and Marshmallow, but it's nice to get to draw all the others too! Nonetheless, we had a great time exploring all the Frozen stuff last month - which will hopefully be fleshed out in a TR sometime soon. *



Dugette said:


> I happen to know what that is like and you have my sympathies!


*It's scary, isn't it?  I have a hard enough time keeping up with one - having more than one going at the same time is a serious challenge for me! *


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## DisneyKid4Life

I have to admit, I didn't spend a lot of time in Bug's Land. The friend I was with did, however, ride Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies. I, however, did not. 

Ugh, I'm kind of on board with FP+ now, but oh do I still miss paper fastpasses and what you did there at ToT reminds me why.

I don't know why Monsters Inc would have such a short wait. I quite liked it. Reading the comments, I bet it was the location and being (once upon a time) a pretty quiet place.

Willow is just so freaking adorable.  I get such a kick out of all the photos of her running ahead to the next big thing.


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## linetbo

First, I am only in day 5, but, loving it!!!!  Now I want to do the same with my 14yo daughter. I am thinking 2016, can you tell me how did you plan this trip, I am trying to find on the internet.  We are from Puerto Rico and only been once to Cali.


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## courtneybelle

Alright, you've convinced me to try out the new DIS. It's going OK so far, the reorganization of the emoticons is my favorite part, but we'll see how posting my own update goes tomorrow 

I've been apologizing to everyone for being so far behind, but you know how my life is. School, work, making evil plans for the summer… 

We completely avoided the Bug's Life stuff when we went because my sister and I were both teens by that point, but it looks adorable!

People don't like the Monsters, Inc. ride?! I love it!!

Oh my gosh, that picture of Willow where Sulley's completely covering her with his fur is too precious


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## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *Hmm, maybe we would have enjoyed it more if we had taken the time to figure out the best way to do it by riding more than once. *
> 
> *I'm sorry to report that I read this week that it has closed and will be replaced by something completely new.*


I know... Oh well, at least we got to at least do it while we were there.  I guess that gives us reason to come back later and see what replaces it.



RGirl said:


> *When I last left off, it was just about park opening time and we had exited the weird tire ride. We figured we would hit up ToT next since it was a short walk from CarsLand and one of Willow's favorites. We had to cut through Bugs Land, of course. *


I thought that seemed like a weird pathway.  Kind of a choke point getting through there too.



RGirl said:


> Now, normally, I would have encouraged her to do those later as they were not likely to get too crowded whereas the bigger rides certainly would. But remember! We were taking a new, laid-back approach today. So we rode some rides in Bugs Land!


Wow... you really were sticking to that laid back approach.  Very brave of you.



RGirl said:


> It was only about 8:15, but the CM out front was warning folks that they only had one elevator running and the wait time would likely be longer than posted. We decided to get out of line and grab some FPs to return between 8:55 and 9:55 - not long at all!


Good call.



RGirl said:


> And spotted Sully hanging out right in the entrance to the ride! And he was wearing his letterman's jacket!!!! Well, we weren't going to pass that up!


Great pictures with Sully. 

I really enjoyed the Monsters Inc ride!  I thought it was really neat and a lot of fun.  Although, Monsters Inc is one of my favorite Pixar movies, so I might be biased and overly excited to finally have been able to experience it in ride form.

And I don't count Laugh Floor... it's alright, but it just doesn't do the movie justice.


----------



## KatMark

Roni, finally have some time to play catch up on all my threads.

Bugs Land looks really cute and I like your laid back approach and that you hit a couple of attractions there, even if Willow disobeyed and "danced." 

Smart call on the FP for TOT.

I just love when you get a picture of Willow ahead of you. She looks like she's just enjoying herself so much and knows where to go without a care in the world.

 Sulley...love that big guy and cute pictures with Willow.

The Monsters ride looks like it is really cute.


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> I have to admit, I didn't spend a lot of time in Bug's Land. The friend I was with did, however, ride Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies. I, however, did not.


*Yeah, Bug's Land is not my favorite as far as rides, but I do think the theming is incredible in there. And the little kids sure seem to enjoy the rides.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ugh, I'm kind of on board with FP+ now, but oh do I still miss paper fastpasses and what you did there at ToT reminds me why.


*I hear ya! This summer will be our first FP+ trip.  I'm hopeful that we will enjoy it. But I can't imagine it working at DLR - it's just so different from WDW.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I don't know why Monsters Inc would have such a short wait. I quite liked it. Reading the comments, I bet it was the location and being (once upon a time) a pretty quiet place.


*I've always been surprised by the fact that we've never encountered a line there.  Well, until last month, when I was surprised for the opposite reason. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Willow is just so freaking adorable.  I get such a kick out of all the photos of her running ahead to the next big thing.


*Awww - thanks! She sure does have a lot of fun zipping ahead of me. *



linetbo said:


> First, I am only in day 5, but, loving it!!!!  Now I want to do the same with my 14yo daughter. I am thinking 2016, can you tell me how did you plan this trip, I am trying to find on the internet.  We are from Puerto Rico and only been once to Cali.


*Hi Linet! It's great to see you here!!!  I'm impressed that you've started from the beginning of this saga and kept going! 

You should definitely do a trip like this with your DD - it's so fun!!  As for planning, I just did a lot of research on-line ahead of time, figuring out where to stay based on how many miles we wanted to travel on a given day and what places looked interesting and got good reviews. I highly recommend the places we stayed on the way down the coast - we were VERY lucky that we were quite pleased with every place we stayed and attraction we visited. It was truly one of the best trips I've ever done.  Let me know if you have any questions - I'm happy to try to answer them!*



courtneybelle said:


> Alright, you've convinced me to try out the new DIS. It's going OK so far, the reorganization of the emoticons is my favorite part, but we'll see how posting my own update goes tomorrow


*Welcome to the new DIS, Courtney!!!   *



courtneybelle said:


> I've been apologizing to everyone for being so far behind, but you know how my life is. School, work, making evil plans for the summer…


*You know I love the evil plans!  *



courtneybelle said:


> We completely avoided the Bug's Life stuff when we went because my sister and I were both teens by that point, but it looks adorable!


*Yeah, I'm not a fan of the attractions in there, but I do enjoy that we are kind of forced to walk through it frequently - it's so well-themed.*



courtneybelle said:


> People don't like the Monsters, Inc. ride?! I love it!!


*I don't know if people don't like it or just didn't realize it was there. Until last month, we have never had a wait and, honestly, most of the time, we have been the only people walking through the queue. Last month, however, was a different story - that area is where they've put all the Frozen stuff. And suddenly, there were a lot of people riding the Monsters ride.  Darn it! *



courtneybelle said:


> Oh my gosh, that picture of Willow where Sulley's completely covering her with his fur is too precious


*I love that one too! He was really goofing around with us - lots of fun!*


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> I know... Oh well, at least we got to at least do it while we were there.  I guess that gives us reason to come back later and see what replaces it.


*It's never a bad thing to have an excuse to go to DLR!*



afwdwfan said:


> I thought that seemed like a weird pathway.  Kind of a choke point getting through there too.


*Really? We have never encountered a lot of crowds going that way. How strange! I always like cutting through there and looking at all the cool themed touches in Bug's Land.*



afwdwfan said:


> Wow... you really were sticking to that laid back approach.  Very brave of you.


*I was pretty proud of myself! *



afwdwfan said:


> Great pictures with Sully.


*Thanks! We always seem to have a lot of fun with Sully. *



afwdwfan said:


> I really enjoyed the Monsters Inc ride!  I thought it was really neat and a lot of fun.  Although, Monsters Inc is one of my favorite Pixar movies, so I might be biased and overly excited to finally have been able to experience it in ride form.


*We love that ride, but we too are pretty big Monsters fans. I want to go on the Monsters ride at Tokyo Disneyland!!!  *



afwdwfan said:


> And I don't count Laugh Floor... it's alright, but it just doesn't do the movie justice.


*Completely agree! It's fun, but Monsters deserves a RIDE. *



KatMark said:


> Roni, finally have some time to play catch up on all my threads.


*Hi Kathy! You know I'm always playing catch-up, so I totally understand! *



KatMark said:


> Bugs Land looks really cute and I like your laid back approach and that you hit a couple of attractions there, even if Willow disobeyed and "danced."


*Bug's Land is one of the cutest places on earth, I think.  It was nice to scale back the GO-GO-GO approach. I'm not good at that, but at least I managed it for this particular morning. It felt great!*



KatMark said:


> Smart call on the FP for TOT.


*Knowing that paper FP is gone from WDW, I always feel very excited to get those little suckers in my hand at DLR. *



KatMark said:


> I just love when you get a picture of Willow ahead of you. She looks like she's just enjoying herself so much and knows where to go without a care in the world.


*She really loves forging ahead with me following. I have no idea why!  *


KatMark said:


> Sulley...love that big guy and cute pictures with Willow.


*We love him too! He was having a lot of fun hiding Willow from my camera.*



KatMark said:


> The Monsters ride looks like it is really cute.


*It's a great ride, Kathy. I bet you will really enjoy it when you visit DLR. *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points
Dugette: 2 points*

*"Hey look, buildings! That building's so close, I can almost touch it!"*​*
Day 11C - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had just enjoyed a taxicab ride through Monstropolous. Keeping with our laid-back approach to this morning, we kind of wandered around a little, checking out the Muppets area.
*
*

*​
*

*​*
A show wasn't set to start anytime soon, so we continued on.
*
*





*​*
Until we arrived at Condor Flats....
*
*





*​*
It was about 8:35, and we thought a flight over California was sounding pretty good.
*
*









*​*
When we exited Soarin', our ToT FPs were usable, so we started back in that direction.
*
*









*​*
Willow sure does love this ride! (It is, however, the one ride that is on both coasts that I think is better at WDW.)
*
*


*​*Up Next: Day 11C*


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## RGirl

*Day 11C - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)*

*After ToT, Willow purchased some Minnie ears in the gift shop, thinking they would be perfect for our next destination….
*
*

*​
*Now, we had a very important matter to attend to in DL at 10:00, so we decided to start making our way to the front of DCA. However, we were stopped in our tracks when Miss Willow spotted a character whom she had never met before!  Doc was out!
*
*

*

*

*​
*I have to say here - Doc was a little on the awkward side. She didn’t seem to know where to look or how to interact. But she’s new to the parks, so she’s probably just a little frazzled by all the attention. *

*After meeting Doc, I got a lesson in how much easier life was before Willow could read. You see, friends, we have never been to the Disney Junior Live on Stage show. Why? Well, during our first two trips when Willow was really in the age group for that scene, she hadn't seen any of the shows, so there didn't really seem to be a reason to see it. And then I kind of forgot about it, except when reading TRs and thinking, "yeah, I don't feel bad about missing that." I don't know why, people!  Anyway, we met Doc and started walking along when Willow spotted the marquee for Disney Junior Live on Stage and went insane, "Disney Junior Live on Stage! Disney Junior Live on Stage!!  I've seen commercials for this on the Disney Channel! I want to see it! Can we see it? Let's see it!!!"*

*Obviously, we weren't going to see it right now as we had another appointment and I don't think it had even started running yet today. But I did have to promise that we would come right back to DCA to see it. *

*We continued on out of DCA.
*
*

*​
*And joined the herds at the gates to DL.
*
*

*​
*We were in at about 9:40, I think.
*
*


*​*And we set out down Main Street.
*
*

*​
*BTW, this is where you can pick up your PP+ card in DL park - it's towards the end of Main Street to the right. 
*
*

*​
*Up Next: Day 11D*


----------



## Dugette

Ohhhh, Up and Russell!

Back for comments once I read the rest...


----------



## Dugette

I think I am going to attempt Disney Junior Live with Izzy again at WDW in May. We did it her first trip (when she was 14 months) and, as you said, it didn't matter since she didn't watch the shows. She was bored. She really only watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse now, but I think she'd enjoy it at this point. Interested to see how Willow likes it...


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.*

*Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points
Dugette: 4 points*

*"Mmmm ... tastes like cherry tart. Custard. Pineapple. Roast turkey. Goodness! What did I do?"
*​*Day 11D - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort*

*When I last left off, we were heading into DL for a very important appointment. Where were we going? The Plaza for Breakfast with Minnie and Friends, of course!
*
*

*

*

*

*

*​
*We checked in at about 9:50 and were told that we could sit now if we wanted to be outside or wait 20 to 25 minutes to go inside. It looked very pretty outside.
*
*

*

*

*​
*However, it was HOT. So we opted to wait for an inside table. While we were waiting, Willow started saying that she felt sick, she wanted to go back to the hotel, etc. We went back and forth on this a bazillion times - I feel sick, I want to leave; no, I'm fine, I want to stay; rinse and repeat - but she finally decided that she wanted to stay. (I think the heat and exhaustion were getting to her, and she needed something to eat.)*

*So we waited. And then we waited. And finally, we waited. It began to become clear to me that the hostess had forgotten about us. I caught her eye, and she was all, "Oh! You're Nicole, right?" Nope - I'm not. After learning that, she looked like this --->  And very soon after that look appeared on her face, we were being shown to the PP photographer to get our picture.
*
*

*​
*(You can tell by how gross we look that it was HOT! )*

*And then we were seated in the restaurant. We had barely even sat down when Hook came by to say hello.
*
*

*

*

*​*
Right after Hook, the Fairy Godmother stopped by. She loved Willow's Chip 'n' Dale cupcake shirt. In fact, she loved it so much that, when we were up at the buffet, she came up to us dragging Chip with her to show it to him. 
*
*

*

*

*​
*We enjoyed our breakfast here - Willow was especially happy to discover that Mickey waffles are apparently VERY good for the tummy; she had two to make sure that her "sickness" was all gone. 
*
*

*​
*Up Next: Day 11D (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 11D - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)*

*The interior here is so pretty!
*
*

*

*

*

*

*​
*Eeyore was our next visitor - he had a little fun sneaking up behind me before visiting with Willow.
*
*

*​
*I can't do a character meal with Eeyore without taking a picture of his crazy-adorable tail!
*
*

*​
*I received a plethora of tasty food from the allergy chef.
*
*

*​
*Our hostess came by to say hi.
*
*

*​
*And when Willow was up at the buffet getting her second Mickey waffle, Tigger came by to visit with me. Willow was a little jealous upon her return and took over completely:
*
*

*​
*





*​
*Next up was Chip. Always a favorite of ours!
*
*

*

*

*​*
And Winnie the Pooh totally tiptoed up and surprised Willow.
*
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*​
*We waited a bit for Dale because Willow wanted to show him her shirt. But he was nowhere to be seen, and we finally got impatient enough to leave. *

*Up Next: Day 11E*


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## Dugette

No clue on that movie.

However, what a great character meal! (Well, after you finally got seated). I'm glad that the Mickey Waffles cured Willow's illness.  That was a ton of different characters that came around - how cool!  I am going to keep that breakfast in mind if we make it to DLR sometime.


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## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Ohhhh, Up and Russell!
> 
> Back for comments once I read the rest...


*And another two points! You are officially in the running!  *



Dugette said:


> I think I am going to attempt Disney Junior Live with Izzy again at WDW in May. We did it her first trip (when she was 14 months) and, as you said, it didn't matter since she didn't watch the shows. She was bored. She really only watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse now, but I think she'd enjoy it at this point. Interested to see how Willow likes it...


*I think, if she likes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, she will really enjoy it. If she starts watching Sofia or Doc or Jake by then, it will be a "must do."*


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> No clue on that movie.
> 
> However, what a great character meal! (Well, after you finally got seated). I'm glad that the Mickey Waffles cured Willow's illness.  That was a ton of different characters that came around - how cool!  I am going to keep that breakfast in mind if we make it to DLR sometime.


*Oh, DLR character meals are a whole different animal from WDW character meals. Both Goofy's Kitchen and Plaza at least have always been filled with very random characters and TONS of them. We have had so much fun at both places on more than one occasion.  But stay tuned for our January TR to hear why we skipped Goofy's for the first EVER. *


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## shan23877

Not a great start to that meal huh? Mickey waffles always make me feel better...Cute, cute, cute character photos. Love that Fairy Godmother!

Alice in Wonderland, I'm guessing Alice??


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## dizneeat

*Wow! The Soarin queue line looks so different from the one at Epcot. We have been to the one in CA but somehow I could not remember that it was so different.

Okay, you may start laughing now, but I had to google the Disney junior thing. Never even heard of it.  So, yes, I am with Willow - I am interested.

I can't get over how early the two of you are able to get up. The second park by 9.40 *


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## petals

Sounds like a great breakfast. Willow looks so excited in all the pictures


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## DisneyKid4Life

I'm still so amazed at all the stuff they pack into those two parks. I mean a park with Soarin', ToT, AND Screamin', (basically the best of Epcot and DHS) and so much more.

I do agree that ToT in WDW is better and is admittedly a rare thing.

Oh my I so miss the easy ability to park hop in Dland. In fact, on my just completed trip, the subject of Dland came up as a possible future trip. Since I was the only one who had actually been there before, it was imperative that I come along. I didn't argue.


----------



## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> Not a great start to that meal huh? Mickey waffles always make me feel better...Cute, cute, cute character photos. Love that Fairy Godmother!


*It was actually just funny watching the realization on the hostess's face. And we sure did have a lot of fun once we got inside!*



shan23877 said:


> Alice in Wonderland, I'm guessing Alice??


*Two more points for Shannon! *



dizneeat said:


> *Wow! The Soarin queue line looks so different from the one at Epcot. We have been to the one in CA but somehow I could not remember that it was so different.*


*
It is quite different, isn't it? Of course, I think I have maybe done the stand-by queue at Epcot one time - didn't they add some kind of games or something? 



dizneeat said:



			Okay, you may start laughing now, but I had to google the Disney junior thing. Never even heard of it.  So, yes, I am with Willow - I am interested.
		
Click to expand...

That's so funny! I have always read about it in other WDW TRs; it was fun to do once. 



dizneeat said:



			I can't get over how early the two of you are able to get up. The second park by 9.40 

Click to expand...

**It's much easier for us at DLR because we are in our regular time zone. I get to work by 6:30 every morning during the week, so we are used to getting up quite early. The time change at WDW is really hard on us (although we still almost always get to the parks at rope drop there too); I'm sure the time change must be HUGE for you.*



petals said:


> Sounds like a great breakfast. Willow looks so excited in all the pictures


*Thanks! We love having breakfast at the Plaza with Minnie. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I'm still so amazed at all the stuff they pack into those two parks. I mean a park with Soarin', ToT, AND Screamin', (basically the best of Epcot and DHS) and so much more.


*I know - it's amazing. I am so used to it now though, that I was looking at the MDE app the other day and checking out the wait times at the WDW parks (I have NO idea why), and I kept thinking, "Is that all there is????" *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I do agree that ToT in WDW is better and is admittedly a rare thing.


*It's the only two-coast attraction that I personally find better at WDW. Some think BTMRR is as well, but I don't see it. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my I so miss the easy ability to park hop in Dland. In fact, on my just completed trip, the subject of Dland came up as a possible future trip. Since I was the only one who had actually been there before, it was imperative that I come along. I didn't argue.


*That's awesome!!  Maybe it will be sometime when we are **visiting too! *


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## RGirl

*Okay - I am going to REALLY try to move this TR along. If I’m going to do a TR for our January trip, I need to get it started before I forget everything. And I really would like to avoid trying to maintain two TRs at the same time again! So get ready for more regular updates, people! I hope…..*

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes get a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points
Dugette: 4 points*

*"Whoa! So this is heat. I love it."*​
*Day 11E - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort*

*When I last left off, we had just finished our Breakfast with Minnie and Friends. It was about 11:00, and all Willow really wanted to do was (1) see the Disney Junior Live on Stage show and (2) sleep. So we headed back out of DL.
*
*

*​
*And over to DCA.
*
*

*​
*We went straight to the show and got in line. It was HOT and CROWDED. And we were tired! Look at this kid!
*
*

*​
*But she was all smiles when we made it into the show.
*
*

*​
*Now, Willow was 7 years old at this time, but she still really enjoys the Disney Junior shows, so she had a blast at this show (which basically features Mickey and friends planning a birthday party for Minnie and learning some good lessons through appearances by other Disney Junior characters). Plus, it was COOL in here!
*
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*​
*After the show, Willow just wasn't feeling that great - again, it was HOT and she was kind of worn out from the day before. She really just wanted to take a nap, if you can believe that! She did need to make one stop though - you guessed it, a shop! She just HAD to have this Frozen shirt she had spotted on another shop-browsing session.
*
*

*​
*After Willow's purchase, we headed back to the hotel and arrived at about 12:20.
*
*

*​
*Our "secret" path.
*
*

*​
*Our room was clean, and you can finally see which pillow pet Willow chose!
*
*

*​
*Willow went right to sleep with fireworks going off above her head. (Yes, she was very pleased that the Hidden Mickey firework was over HER bed.)
*
*

*

*

*​
*Up Next: Day 11F*


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## Dugette

Frozen and Olaf!!!

Back for comments once I read!


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## Dugette

Glad the Disney Junior show was fun! If it's mostly Mickey and friends, I think Izzy will enjoy it too.

Nice to be able to park-hop and go back to your room so easily!

Sulley! We actually just watched Monsters, Inc. today with Izzy.

Cool headboard fireworks!


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## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *We had to cut through Bugs Land, of course.*


 
Of course!
Wait. I've never been there.... of course?
Sure. I just have to trust you here.
But ya know, you could'a said. "We had to cut through Albuquerque" and I would've believed you



RGirl said:


> *Now, normally, I would have encouraged her to do those later as they were not likely to get too crowded whereas the bigger rides certainly would. But remember! We were taking a new, laid-back approach today. So we rode some rides in Bugs Land!*


 
Laid back is less stressful... or was it _more_ stressful since that little voice in the back of your mind was telling you all about the long lines ahead.



RGirl said:


> *First up was Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies - basically bumper cars.*


 
Yeah, but more fun than the Tires ride, yes?



RGirl said:


> *I disobeyed you!
> *
> *
> 
> *​


 
 And were subsequently tossed out of the park!



RGirl said:


> *We decided to get out of line and grab some FPs to return between 8:55 and 9:55 - not long at all!*


 
"Grab some FPS"???? What is this sorcery?





RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
All the pics with Sully are great, but I really got a kick out of this one.



RGirl said:


> *we love that you can smell the ginger in the sushi restaurant and the lemon snow cones.*


 
mmmm....



RGirl said:


> *Willow sure does love this ride! (It is, however, the one ride that is on both coasts that I think is better at WDW.)*


 
Any particular reason why? (Other than one has two functioning elevators, that is.)



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
Too cute! Nice ears, Willow! :thumbsup:



RGirl said:


> *I have to say here - Doc was a little on the awkward side. She didn’t seem to know where to look or how to interact. But she’s new to the parks, so she’s probably just a little frazzled by all the attention.*


 
First time I was a Disney character, I was a little akward at first too. So I get it.



RGirl said:


> *I got a lesson in how much easier life was before Willow could read. You see, friends, we have never been to the Disney Junior Live on Stage show.*


 
Would it shock you to learn that I did _not_ go this trip? 



RGirl said:


> *walking along when Willow spotted the marquee for Disney Junior Live on Stage and went insane*


 




RGirl said:


> *Obviously, we weren't going to see it right now as we had another appointment and I don't think it had even started running yet today*


 
Saved!



RGirl said:


> *But I did have to promise that we would come right back to DCA to see it. *


 
Or not!



RGirl said:


> *And joined the herds at the gates to DL.*


 
moo!



RGirl said:


> *When I last left off, we were heading into DL for a very important appointment. Where were we going? The Plaza for Breakfast with Minnie and Friends, of course!*


 
Nice! I bet _someone_ was just a little excited! Willow too, I bet!



RGirl said:


> *It looked very pretty outside*


 
It does. Eat there!



RGirl said:


> *However, it was HOT. So we opted to wait for an inside table*


 
Okay! Nevermind! Eat inside! It's air conditioned!



RGirl said:


> *While we were waiting, Willow started saying that she felt sick, she wanted to go back to the hotel, etc. We went back and forth on this a bazillion times - I feel sick, I want to leave; no, I'm fine, I want to stay; rinse and repeat - but she finally decided that she wanted to stay. (I think the heat and exhaustion were getting to her, and she needed something to eat.)*


 
Ah yes the classic burnt out/starving/over heated child syndrome.



RGirl said:


> *So we waited. And then we waited. And finally, we waited.*


 
Finally! Wait... what?



RGirl said:


> *It began to become clear to me that the hostess had forgotten about us*


 
I actually don't mind being forgotten, as long as they make it right afterwards.
And it seems they did.


RGirl said:


> *(You can tell by how gross we look that it was HOT! )*


 
So it wasn't too hot since you both look fabulous.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
Hey! Where's Hook's hook?
OMG, he's been de-hooked!!



RGirl said:


> *Right after Hook, the Fairy Godmother stopped by. She loved Willow's Chip 'n' Dale cupcake shirt. In fact, she loved it so much that, when we were up at the buffet, she came up to us dragging Chip with her to show it to him.*


 
Willow must've loved that!
Geez, don'tcha love how Disney does things like that?



RGirl said:


> *Willow was especially happy to discover that Mickey waffles are apparently VERY good for the tummy; she had two to make sure that her "sickness" was all gone*


 
Well of course. You can't be too careful, ya know.



RGirl said:


> *I can't do a character meal with Eeyore without taking a picture of his crazy-adorable tail!*


 




RGirl said:


> *Tigger came by to visit with me. Willow was a little jealous upon her return and took over completely:*


 
And Roni smiled... but cried a little on the inside.



RGirl said:


> *We waited a bit for Dale because Willow wanted to show him her shirt. But he was nowhere to be seen, and we finally got impatient enough to leave.*


 
Huh. Odd. Usually where there's one, there's the other.



RGirl said:


> *all Willow really wanted to do was (1) see the Disney Junior Live on Stage show and (2) sleep*


 
Hopefully not both at the same time.



RGirl said:


> *It was HOT and CROWDED. And we were tired! Look at this kid!
> *
> *
> 
> *​


 
Get that kid a nap! Stat!



RGirl said:


> *But she was all smiles when we made it into the show.*


 
Air conditioning and adrenaline... it's a wonderful combination.

Until the inevitable crash.



RGirl said:


> *She really just wanted to take a nap, if you can believe that!*


 
Actually, after the week that I had?

Yes. Yes I do.
Disney just takes it right out of you, doesn't it?
In a good way, of course.



RGirl said:


> *She just HAD to have this Frozen shirt she had spotted on another shop-browsing session*


 
There are two things that I've learned.
1. When a girl's gonna shop, a girl's gonna shop.
2. I can't do anything about #1.



RGirl said:


> *Our room was clean, and you can finally see which pillow pet Willow chose!*


 
Nice choice, Willow! I like it!



RGirl said:


> *Willow went right to sleep with fireworks going off above her head. (Yes, she was very pleased that the Hidden Mickey firework was over HER bed.)*


 
Fit for a princess.
Thanks for the updates! :


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oops, I missed the breakfast post. Yes, Mickey Waffles are a complete cure all I have found. 

What a great character breakfast. Such an array of characters. Hook... Fairy Godmother???? Just nohting in common at all, but I kind of like that variety.

Awww, Willow does look miserable in that picture which is so unlike her. What a sin. Nice to see her perk up once you got inside. Plus, any show with bubbles gets a thumbs up from me.


----------



## KatMark

Roni, what fun updates. Is Soarin' different in DL than DW?

Willow is my kind of gal...LOVE TOT!

I have never seen Disney Junior Live and have no idea who those characters are (guess I'll find out some time when I have grandchildren).

Great character pictures at the breakfast with Minnie & Friends...and some of my favorites too -- Tigger, Chip and Pooh. I LOVE Eeyore's tail.

Willow does look very tired and VERY hot. I'm glad she got to see the show and got her bit of shopping in before a nap.

Great pillow pet.

And what could be better than taking a nap with fireworks over your head with a hidden Mickey too.


----------



## dizneeat

KatMark said:


> I have never seen Disney Junior Live and have no idea who those characters are (guess I'll find out some time when I have grandchildren).



*Kathy, that makes two of us! *


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Frozen and Olaf!!!
> 
> Back for comments once I read!


*Two more points!!!*



Dugette said:


> Glad the Disney Junior show was fun! If it's mostly Mickey and friends, I think Izzy will enjoy it too.


*I think Izzy would definitely enjoy it. *



Dugette said:


> Nice to be able to park-hop and go back to your room so easily!


*Oh, I just love that about DLR. I'm going to miss that when I'm spending hours on buses this summer! *



Dugette said:


> Sulley! We actually just watched Monsters, Inc. today with Izzy.


*How did she like it????*



Dugette said:


> Cool headboard fireworks!


*That is definitely one of my favorite things about the DLH! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Of course!
> Wait. I've never been there.... of course?
> Sure. I just have to trust you here.
> But ya know, you could'a said. "We had to cut through Albuquerque" and I would've believed you


 *I'll remember that for next time. We took a right at the giant over-sized Duffy streetlamp, then sidled past the Jafar-themed bakery and through the elegant Olaf-inspired tea room......*



pkondz said:


> Laid back is less stressful... or was it _more_ stressful since that little voice in the back of your mind was telling you all about the long lines ahead.


*You know, normally, for me, it would have been the latter. But we really did manage to just be laid back on this day. Knowing we were there for a while, that everything was going to be crowded that time of year no matter what, and that we had just been there in January - it was easier to relax a little.*



pkondz said:


> Yeah, but more fun than the Tires ride, yes?


*True story!*



pkondz said:


> And were subsequently tossed out of the park!






pkondz said:


> "Grab some FPS"???? What is this sorcery?


*It's funny how odd they seem now, even though we haven't made it to WDW since the change. I feel like I've been reading about it for YEARS. Oh, wait, I guess I have.....  *



pkondz said:


> All the pics with Sully are great, but I really got a kick out of this one.


*He was having a lot of fun messing with my picture-taking. *



pkondz said:


> Any particular reason why? (Other than one has two functioning elevators, that is.)


*Yes - the DCA version does not travel through the dark hallway to the drop area - it just backs up a little bit, and you're where you're going. Also, I do not believe that there are so many varying drop sequences (if any) at the DCA version. DHS's is definitely better.*



pkondz said:


> Too cute! Nice ears, Willow! :thumbsup:






pkondz said:


> First time I was a Disney character, I was a little akward at first too. So I get it.


*I can just imagine that.....*



pkondz said:


> Would it shock you to learn that I did _not_ go this trip?


*Did you shed a tear when you realized you'd missed it? *



pkondz said:


> Nice! I bet _someone_ was just a little excited! Willow too, I bet!


*Definitely! This is a favorite of both of ours.*



pkondz said:


> It does. Eat there!
> 
> Okay! Nevermind! Eat inside! It's air conditioned!


*Definitely! August heat.... *



pkondz said:


> Ah yes the classic burnt out/starving/over heated child syndrome.






pkondz said:


> Finally! Wait... what?
> 
> I actually don't mind being forgotten, as long as they make it right afterwards.
> And it seems they did.


*I'm the same - mistakes happen; it's how you handle the mistakes that counts. Plus, the look on her face when she realized I wasn't Nicole was priceless. *



pkondz said:


> So it wasn't too hot since you both look fabulous.


*Are you trying to flatter yourself into some game points there? *



pkondz said:


> Hey! Where's Hook's hook?
> OMG, he's been de-hooked!!






pkondz said:


> Willow must've loved that!
> Geez, don'tcha love how Disney does things like that?


*It was great! We always have really wonderful interactions with Fairy Godmother at the Plaza - she is so much fun!*



pkondz said:


> And Roni smiled... but cried a little on the inside.






pkondz said:


> Huh. Odd. Usually where there's one, there's the other.


*It was strange - they usually do stick pretty close to each other. *



pkondz said:


> Air conditioning and adrenaline... it's a wonderful combination.
> 
> Until the inevitable crash.


*So very true, and all the more important to stick with that back-to-the-hotel-after-the-show plan.*



pkondz said:


> Actually, after the week that I had?
> 
> Yes. Yes I do.
> Disney just takes it right out of you, doesn't it?
> In a good way, of course.


*It really does - Disney vacations are a lot of things, but relaxing is not one of them! I know that I will be ready to relax at sea after our 10 days at WDW in the heat of summer!*



pkondz said:


> There are two things that I've learned.
> 1. When a girl's gonna shop, a girl's gonna shop.
> 2. I can't do anything about #1.


*I am going to have to remember this this summer - I am going to be hanging out with three girls who love to shop! *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the updates! :


*Thanks for continuing to read along and post! I hope you had a great trip!!!  Are you going to do a trip report????*


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oops, I missed the breakfast post. Yes, Mickey Waffles are a complete cure all I have found.


*Funny how that works, isn't it? *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> What a great character breakfast. Such an array of characters. Hook... Fairy Godmother???? Just nohting in common at all, but I kind of like that variety.


*You know, before we attended our first DLR character meal years ago, I was a bit worried that it would just be too weird with the randomness of the characters. Turns out is actually just SO MUCH fun! It ends up being hilarious! We had dinner at Goofy's Kitchen once, and we were chatting with Cinderella when Pluto ran across the whole restaurant with an autograph book and got her autograph. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww, Willow does look miserable in that picture which is so unlike her. What a sin. Nice to see her perk up once you got inside. Plus, any show with bubbles gets a thumbs up from me.


*Yeah, she was just hot and exhausted that morning. Poor thing.*



KatMark said:


> Roni, what fun updates. Is Soarin' different in DL than DW?


*Hi Kathy! No - Soarin' is one of the few attractions that is the same on both coasts. The other one I can think of is Star Tours.*



KatMark said:


> Willow is my kind of gal...LOVE TOT!


*I wish you'd been with us the year that she did ToT 13 times in one day - you could have taken over for me a couple of times! *



KatMark said:


> I have never seen Disney Junior Live and have no idea who those characters are (guess I'll find out some time when I have grandchildren).


 *Don't worry - you're not missing a whole lot.  *



KatMark said:


> Great character pictures at the breakfast with Minnie & Friends...and some of my favorites too -- Tigger, Chip and Pooh. I LOVE Eeyore's tail.


*The characters and interactions at the Plaza have always been fabulous when we've eaten there. Just so much fun! And the food is tasty too. My kind of character meal!*



KatMark said:


> Willow does look very tired and VERY hot. I'm glad she got to see the show and got her bit of shopping in before a nap.


*She was definitely beat. It was certainly the right call to head back and rest up during the heat of the day. *



KatMark said:


> Great pillow pet.


*Isn't that a cute one???  I was surprised when she picked it - she likes Monsters Inc., obviously, but I never would have thought of Sully as that high up on her list; it is crazy-soft and snuggly though, so I'm guessing that was the reason.*



KatMark said:


> And what could be better than taking a nap with fireworks over your head with a hidden Mickey too.


*Love the Disneyland Hotel so much!!!!*


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 2 points
Dugette: 6 points*

*"I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery."*​*
Day 11F - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had ditched the parks for a nap!  And it was a much-needed nap, I think. Willow actually slept for almost 2 hours! We both showered and got ready to head out again after that. At 3:30, we were headed back to DCA. 
*
*

*​*
Before we headed out, however, I realized that Willow was missing her Minnie ears that she had just purchased that morning.  We figured she had probably left them at Disney Junior or the shop where she had bought her Frozen shirt. So we were on a mission!

Quickly, we made it through Bag Check.
*
*

*​*
To the Gates!
*
*

*​*
Oops - had to stop to take a picture with a neat car.
*
*

*​*
(I believe that Oswald meets right around here now - how bummed was I to learn that he started meeting there shortly after we got home????)

First, we went to Guest Relations to see if they might be in a lost-and-found place there.
*
*

*​*
Well, it turns out that lost-and-found is outside the park, but the CM there suggested that we try Disney Jr. because they likely would not have been turned in yet. So we hoofed it over there and found a CM out front handling the queue. We talked to her, and she was the only CM there and seemed a bit frazzled (understandably). She did call back and try to see if she could find someone who could check, but eventually she suggested that we take our receipt back to the shop where Willow had purchased the ears. I didn't want to do that yet because it really didn't have anything to do with the shop - Willow had lost them. So we decided to try the last possibility - the shop where Willow had purchased her Frozen t-shirt. Maybe she had left them on the counter there.

So we hoofed it back over to that shop (okay - it was across the street and down about a block). There was a CM in the doorway, so we asked her if they had any kind of lost-and-found or somewhere they kept things that were left behind before they delivered to the bigger lost-and-found, explaining what had happened. She told us to come with her and walked over to a display of ears. She asked Willow which type she had lost and then took down a pair, walked them over to the cash register, and charged them to Mickey. 

Willow couldn't believe her luck and was VERY grateful. We headed out, sporting ears, of course, and headed off to try something we had never done before. 
*
*

*​*
Of course, we had to stop first for a picture with Walt.
*
*

*​*
We saw this musical crew heading down the street.
*
*

*​*
But we were headed here!
*
*

*​*
We were finally going to try the Animation Academy!!! (At DCA, this building also houses Turtle Talk and some other things.)
*
*

*​
*

*​
*

*​
*

*​*
When we arrived, there was still a bit of time before the next class, so we went in to one of the other rooms and checked out the Toy Story zoetrope, which was amazing! What’s a zoetrope? I’m glad you asked! It is a device that flashes a series of still images to produce an illusion of motion; however this version does not use one-dimensional drawings but instead three dimensional figures. Large disks with the figures whirl around while a strobe light flashes, and it looks like the toy Story characters come to life. It is VERY cool!!!
*
*

*​*
A picture cannot do this justice, so I got a little video clip for you. (And then spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how to get that clip from my phone, onto my Mac and then onto PhotoBucket. You ARE WELCOME!)
*
*

*​*
Okay, admittedly, that was not a great video clip. I tried!

We headed back here a little before 3:45.
*
*

*​*
And soon we were ready to draw!
*
*

*​
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 11F (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 11F - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

For our first-ever animation class, we got to draw Piglet!
*
*





*​*
We LOVED this! I mean, really loved it! When we exited, Willow wanted to do it again, so we just walked back around to the front and got in line for the next class. And we got to draw Olaf!!!!  
*
*





*​*
When we were finally done drawing for the day (about 4:25) - okay, we weren't really done, but that had been their last class of the day - we walked out and discovered the parade just starting. We couldn't believe our luck - we grabbed a spot right there and watched the whole thing!
*
*









































*​*
I LOVE the Buzz Lightyear girls!!!
*
*









*​*
Jessie and Woody were shooting the crowds with water.
*
*

*​*
For some reason, Slinky wasn’t walking today!
*
*





*​*
Up Next: Day 11G*


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Rapunzel - Tangled???


----------



## KatMark

What a terrific CM! That's what Disney magic is about you unbelievers! 

I have seen the zoetrope in another TR (jen's maybe) and it looks really cool.

How great that you went to the Animation Class and were able to do back-to-back classes (I doubt that would ever happen at DW). And two of my favorite characters -- Piglet and Olaf. You both did great.

What a fun looking parade. I'm with you...love the Buzz Lightyear girls.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *I can just imagine that.....*


 
Ah. You think I'm kidding.
You'll see.


RGirl said:


> *Are you trying to flatter yourself into some game points there? *


 
 No. But if you're going to just give 'em away, then, sure!



RGirl said:


> *I hope you had a great trip!!! Are you going to do a trip report????*


 
I did! And yes. Probably start on it as soon as I read your latest update.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Willow actually slept for almost 2 hours! We both showered and got ready to head out again after that. At 3:30, we were headed back to DCA.
> *
> *
> 
> *​


 
Someone looks a little more rested, that's for sure!



RGirl said:


> *Before we headed out, however, I realized that Willow was missing her Minnie ears that she had just purchased that morning.*


 
Oh, no. I presume there were a few tears shed.



RGirl said:


> *(I believe that Oswald meets right around here now - how bummed was I to learn that he started meeting there shortly after we got home????)*


 
How bummed were you?

Sorry, was that not the correct straight line?



RGirl said:


> *Well, it turns out that lost-and-found is outside the park*


 
Of course it is! 



RGirl said:


> *So we hoofed it back over to that shop (okay - it was across the street and down about a block)*


 
 I told you. I'd believe anything. "So we hoofed it back over to that shop. It was located in Pennsylvania."



RGirl said:


> *She told us to come with her and walked over to a display of ears. She asked Willow which type she had lost and then took down a pair, walked them over to the cash register, and charged them to Mickey.*


 
That's great! Pure Disney magic.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
Looks pretty happy! 



RGirl said:


> *however this version does not use one-dimensional drawings but instead three dimensional figures. Large disks with the figures whirl around while a strobe light flashes, and it looks like the toy Story characters come to life. It is VERY cool!!!*


 
Cool!



RGirl said:


> *A picture cannot do this justice, so I got a little video clip for you*


 
No, I got it. That _is_ cool!



RGirl said:


> *For our first-ever animation class, we got to draw Piglet!*


 
You both did very well with your drawings.



RGirl said:


> *For some reason, Slinky wasn’t walking today!*


 
Dog tired. It was the heat.
Thanks for the update! :


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

They NEED to  bring Oswald to WDW. Like seriously NOW!!

Oh I am in LOVE with the Minne Ear story Roni. These are the things that make me so proud to be a Disney fan.

OMG the Zoetrope!! I remember that so well. I was just mesmerized by it.

I really like the look of the Animation Academy there. It looks like maybe kind of stadium seating? The stage area looks so cute.

Aww what a cute little parade. That is definitely new since I was there.


----------



## courtneybelle

Hi Roni! I replied earlier not realizing I missed two updates…you're a machine!!!

Haha, love that picture of Patrick from Soarin'!!!

Willow shaking Captain Hook's hand just made me laugh out loud. So polite even to the villains.

Gluten-free Mickey waffles! 

I hate to tell you this, but your summer trip isn't that far away…you're going to be working overtime on these boards getting all your TRs done!

Nothing makes me feel old (well relatively) than seeing these Disney Junior shows…so different from when I was a young'n!

Aww, I just love that cupcake shirt!

So glad Willow was able to get a new pair of Minnie ears!!

The Animation Building at DCA is AMAZING. I could hang out there for hours. You can also rent that place out for weddings, which is something I've considered…just gotta find a husband first 

And the zoetrope is the COOLEST.

Okay I am so jealous you guys got to draw Olaf!!!! You both did a fantastic job! We do the Animation Academy all the time at WDW because my mom and my sister are super artistic and I like to pretend I am.

I had no idea there was a Pixar parade! The floats are amazing!

I really like those Incredibles scooter things. We should probably invest in those in case we're ever in WDW together and get sick of walking around. You can even get a sidecar for Willow.


----------



## shan23877

*Sigh* Disney Jr show. We had to do it this year as well. So annoying that they can read now LOL It is a nice place to get out of the heat.

Love the Sully pillow pet! so cute! I think we should all have fireworks over our heads all of the time!

Fantastic that the CM got her a new pair of ears. So sweet!

Yay for the Animation Academy! Cute drawings! Very jealous of your Olaf.

You guys had perfect timing that afternoon!

YOu are an updating machine!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> We went straight to the show and got in line. It was HOT and CROWDED. And we were tired! Look at this kid!


Wow... She needs some A/C.



RGirl said:


> But she was all smiles when we made it into the show.






RGirl said:


> *Our room was clean, and you can finally see which pillow pet Willow chose!*


Excellent choice!  I like him!


RGirl said:


> When I last left off, we had ditched the parks for a nap!  And it was a much-needed nap, I think. Willow actually slept for almost 2 hours! We both showered and got ready to head out again after that. At 3:30, we were headed back to DCA.


I'm glad she was re-energized.  I was afraid you were going to say she wasn't feeling well or something.



RGirl said:


> (I believe that Oswald meets right around here now - how bummed was I to learn that he started meeting there shortly after we got home????)


We saw that he was supposed to be there, but never saw him once... Not that we actually actively checked times and tried to find him, but you'd think we'd see him at least one of the times we passed by there.



RGirl said:


> So we hoofed it back over to that shop (okay - it was across the street and down about a block). There was a CM in the doorway, so we asked her if they had any kind of lost-and-found or somewhere they kept things that were left behind before they delivered to the bigger lost-and-found, explaining what had happened. She told us to come with her and walked over to a display of ears. She asked Willow which type she had lost and then took down a pair, walked them over to the cash register, and charged them to Mickey.


I'm glad that the CM made the effort to replace her ears!



RGirl said:


> We LOVED this! I mean, really loved it! When we exited, Willow wanted to do it again, so we just walked back around to the front and got in line for the next class. And we got to draw Olaf!!!!


Great drawings!  I'm glad you both enjoyed it!

The parade looks awesome.  We didn't get a chance to see it.  Had I seen the pictures before our trip, I'm pretty sure we would have made more of an effort to get over there to see it one afternoon.


----------



## afwdwfan

shan23877 said:


> *Sigh* Disney Jr show. We had to do it this year as well. So annoying that they can read now




As far as our kids are concerned, they don't have this show in Disneyland...


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> As far as our kids are concerned, they don't have this show in Disneyland...


----------



## shan23877

afwdwfan said:


> As far as our kids are concerned, they don't have this show in Disneyland...



Oh you are so lucky! We avoided that show for YEARS! It's fine, not a bad show, but not how I'd choose to spend my time LOLOL


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Rapunzel - Tangled???


*Go Rob!!!!  *



KatMark said:


> What a terrific CM! That's what Disney magic is about you unbelievers!


*So true, Kathy! I had a feeling that's what they would do at the shop where we purchased them, which is why I wanted to check the shop where I thought she might have left them first - I would rather we find hers in the lost and found than have them gift us with them when it was our fault we lost them. But it was so nice of the CM, and Willow was BLOWN AWAY. *



KatMark said:


> I have seen the zoetrope in another TR (jen's maybe) and it looks really cool.


*Oh, it is so cool, Kathy! I know you will really love it when you visit DLR. Assuming that Frozen has exited the building and you can visit it......*



KatMark said:


> How great that you went to the Animation Class and were able to do back-to-back classes (I doubt that would ever happen at DW). And two of my favorite characters -- Piglet and Olaf. You both did great.


*Oh, we loved it SO MUCH! Are the classes super-crowded at WDW? I don't think people realize they are there at DCA. It was VERY easy to exit, walk around, and get back in the queue for the next class with plenty of open space. And this was the height of summer!*



KatMark said:


> What a fun looking parade. I'm with you...love the Buzz Lightyear girls.


*It's a really great Pixar parade! Weren't those Buzz girls **awesome??*



pkondz said:


> Ah. You think I'm kidding.
> You'll see.


*Oh my....  I can hardly wait!*



pkondz said:


> No. But if you're going to just give 'em away, then, sure!


*Never!!!  *



pkondz said:


> I did! And yes. Probably start on it as soon as I read your latest update.


*Ooooooh, I need to check your signature for a link! DOH!!!!!*


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Ooooooh, I need to check your signature for a link! DOH!!!!!*


 
Please do.
Especially since you'll be mentioned in... post #2 or #3.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Someone looks a little more rested, that's for sure!


*I was very relieved - I was a little concerned that she might actually be getting sick. Phew!*



pkondz said:


> Oh, no. I presume there were a few tears shed.


*We both handled it reasonably well. *



pkondz said:


> Of course it is!


*That's pretty much how I felt. Really???  We lost something in DCA, so we make the STUPID mistake of going INTO DCA to try to locate the lost and found. *



pkondz said:


> I told you. I'd believe anything. "So we hoofed it back over to that shop. It was located in Pennsylvania."


*And yet I still can't remember to use that to my evil advantage!!!!  *



pkondz said:


> That's great! Pure Disney magic.


*We were both very grateful. Honestly, the reason that I went to so much effort to try to find our actual ears was that I just knew that, if we  went back to the original shop, they would do something like this. Which is AWESOME. But I thought it only fair that we make every effort we could to find the ones Willow had paid for. I would have preferred to find our ears just because it seems more "fair," but we were both really appreciative that the CM at the shop where Willow got her Frozen shirt was so kind. We did talk about how this is very much a Disney thing - you can't expect to lose things and have shops anywhere just give you a new one. *



pkondz said:


> No, I got it. That _is_ cool!


*Oh good! It didn't feel like it came across very well in the video - it is sooooo much better in person. But I'm glad you could get the effect. It is so cool!*



pkondz said:


> You both did very well with your drawings.


*Thank you!  We loved doing them - crazy that one of the highlights of our trip to DLR where there is so much to see and do was sitting in a drawing class. Spoiler alert - this will not be the last time we do this class!  *



pkondz said:


> Dog tired. It was the heat.
> Thanks for the update! :


*Thanks so much for continuing to join in! *

*I'm so glad you have started a new TR! BTW, from whence hail the Buffoon titles of your TRs? You couldn't possibly know this about me, but that is one of my favorite descriptive words on earth - unfortunately, I find need to use it at work pretty much every day and often MANY times a day! *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> They NEED to  bring Oswald to WDW. Like seriously NOW!!


*Wait, what???  I thought that they must have brought him to DHS since they had brought him to DCA. They didn't!!??  Well, that makes our decision in our January trip all the MORE important. PHEW!!! More on that once I finally get that TR going......*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh I am in LOVE with the Minne Ear story Roni. These are the things that make me so proud to be a Disney fan.


*Yes, it was wonderful! I had a feeling it would happen, which is why I made such an effort to find Willow's original ears - I really didn't want Mickey to have to give her another set if we could have found her original with some effort. The CM in the shop where we went looking for lost-and-found items was sooooo sweet. And Willow was stunned. We did talk about how that doesn't really happen in the real world though. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG the Zoetrope!! I remember that so well. I was just mesmerized by it.


*Isn't it cool????  We loved it! With the Frozen stuff, I don't think it's accessible, although I didn't make a specific effort to find it last month.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I really like the look of the Animation Academy there. It looks like maybe kind of stadium seating? The stage area looks so cute.


*Yes - it is stadium seating - VERY nice, steep stadium seating so that there is no chance of a kid not being able to see. We haven't done it at WDW - I'm guessing from your comment that it's not like that there. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Aww what a cute little parade. That is definitely new since I was there.


*It's a great parade with so many great Pixar movies represented! We have seen it on several trips. I can't remember when you went - they must have added sometime between then and our trips. Too bad - it's a good one! And VERY easy to see - even during high summer crowds, we had no trouble getting a front row right as the parade began. *



courtneybelle said:


> Hi Roni! I replied earlier not realizing I missed two updates…you're a machine!!!


* I'm going to completely confuse and forget our trip from last month if I don't get this one done and that one started! *



courtneybelle said:


> Haha, love that picture of Patrick from Soarin'!!!


*I had to post it - I knew SOMEONE would appreciate it!*



courtneybelle said:


> Willow shaking Captain Hook's hand just made me laugh out loud. So polite even to the villains.


*But of course!  Willow really likes Hook - she has a good appreciation for the villains lately, definitely growing up. *



courtneybelle said:


> Gluten-free Mickey waffles!


*SO awesome!!!!!!  *



courtneybelle said:


> I hate to tell you this, but your summer trip isn't that far away…you're going to be working overtime on these boards getting all your TRs done!


*I know - it almost makes me weep. I have GOT to move faster on this one. I really need to get the January one written because I'm starting to confuse them.  And yeah, what, just over 5 months until our BIG SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA????  *



courtneybelle said:


> Nothing makes me feel old (well relatively) than seeing these Disney Junior shows…so different from when I was a young'n!


*Well, this should help: when I was young (okay, seriously, even when I was in high school), we had four channels at my house: ABC, CBS,  NBC, PBS. Disney Channel? Not even a hint of someone's imagination at that point. *



courtneybelle said:


> Aww, I just love that cupcake shirt!


*Thank you!!!  You are not going to believe what I have started with the cupcakes for our next trip (debuting in the January trip as a test run)......*



courtneybelle said:


> So glad Willow was able to get a new pair of Minnie ears!!


*It was so sweet! I mean, it was totally our fault that they were gone.*



courtneybelle said:


> The Animation Building at DCA is AMAZING. I could hang out there for hours. You can also rent that place out for weddings, which is something I've considered…just gotta find a husband first


*Really???  That is so cool! Makes me almost wish I was getting married! *



courtneybelle said:


> And the zoetrope is the COOLEST.


*We had a hard time breaking away from that thing.*



courtneybelle said:


> Okay I am so jealous you guys got to draw Olaf!!!! You both did a fantastic job! We do the Animation Academy all the time at WDW because my mom and my sister are super artistic and I like to pretend I am.


*Okay, this is something that we MUST do together if we ever happen to be at WDW at the same time. How fun would that be????*



courtneybelle said:


> I had no idea there was a Pixar parade! The floats are amazing!


*Oh, it's a great one! We have stopped for it several times over the years. I mean, that may partially because it is so much easier to stop for a parade at DLR. Even in the height of summer crowds, we always seem to be able to find a front-row spot right as the parades start. *



courtneybelle said:


> I really like those Incredibles scooter things. We should probably invest in those in case we're ever in WDW together and get sick of walking around. You can even get a sidecar for Willow.


*I am obsessed with those things! I think the best job at DCA is Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Frozone - you can totally tell how much fun they are having on those things. It's hilarious! So, YES, we NEED them in WDW!!!!!*



shan23877 said:


> *Sigh* Disney Jr show. We had to do it this year as well. So annoying that they can read now LOL It is a nice place to get out of the heat.


*Ugh - Willow never knew it existed until she spotted that marquee. GAH!*



shan23877 said:


> Love the Sully pillow pet! so cute! I think we should all have fireworks over our heads all of the time!


*He has been a great pillow pet - super-soft. And I agree - would it be weird if I had such a headboard installed in all the bedrooms in my house???*



shan23877 said:


> Fantastic that the CM got her a new pair of ears. So sweet!


*It was so nice - I felt bad!*



shan23877 said:


> Yay for the Animation Academy! Cute drawings! Very jealous of your Olaf.


*We had SO much fun!!!!!  I was glad we got Olaf after the fact - obviously from our drawings, he is one of the easier ones to "get."  *



shan23877 said:


> You guys had perfect timing that afternoon!


*Very true! It was awesome!*



shan23877 said:


> YOu are an updating machine!


*I am trying, but I'm still not moving fast enough - I need this one done so I can start the next. My memories of the two are starting to blur and become confused.....  *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Wow... She needs some A/C.


*Seriously! That child was looking done in!  *



afwdwfan said:


> Excellent choice!  I like him!


*I have it on good authority that he makes a great pillow pet - very snuggly. *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad she was re-energized.  I was afraid you were going to say she wasn't feeling well or something.


*I was afraid of the same - I seriously thought that we had a good chance of being struck by a vacation illness that would sideline the rest of the trip. I was so glad to see that was not the case. Phew!!!*



afwdwfan said:


> We saw that he was supposed to be there, but never saw him once... Not that we actually actively checked times and tried to find him, but you'd think we'd see him at least one of the times we passed by there.


*He hadn't started meeting yet when we were there. HOWEVER, we may or may not have learned that his meeting spot is kind of across the way from there during our January trip. *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad that the CM made the effort to replace her ears!


*It was so nice. I mean, it was totally OUR fault that her ears went missing. They had absolutely no obligation to give her another pair - helping us try to find them would have been more than enough. But it's Disney - they went the extra mile. Of course! *



afwdwfan said:


> Great drawings!  I'm glad you both enjoyed it!


*Thank you! I can't describe how much fun we had with this. I had never expected that it would become a highlight of the trip for us.*



afwdwfan said:


> The parade looks awesome.  We didn't get a chance to see it.  Had I seen the pictures before our trip, I'm pretty sure we would have made more of an effort to get over there to see it one afternoon.


*Oh, I'm sorry - I wish I would have thought to tell you about how great that parade it.  You have to go again!*


afwdwfan said:


> As far as our kids are concerned, they don't have this show in Disneyland...


*Yep - I have relied on that for every WDW trip we have ever done. The independent reading of signs caught up with me this time. *sigh**


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Please do.
> Especially since you'll be mentioned in... post #2 or #3.


OOOOOOH, I like that!!!!  

Just so you know, even before you posted this, I had ran over there to read and post.


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 4 points
Dugette: 6 points*

*"Now, here you are-a, the best a-spaghetti in a-town."*​*
Day 11G - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had just enjoyed the DCA parade. After it had ended, we kind of followed it around towards Paradise Pier. We had a reservation for dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria for their World of Color dinner. (For those who don't know, there are three restaurants in DCA - Wine Country, Ariel's Grotto, and Carthay Circle - that offer a World of Color (WOC) meal (lunch or dinner). For a fixed price, you get a three-course limited menu and then tickets for a preferred viewing spot for the nighttime World of Color spectacular!)

We arrived at Wine Country a little before our 6:00 reservation. It was kind of crowded at the hostess stand.*
*

*​*
But it seemed to be parties without reservations who weren't interested in waiting, because they cleared out quickly. And we were soon sent upstairs.*
*

*​*
Here, we were greeted by another hostess and seated in a lovely open-air but well ventilated balcony area.*
*





*​*
Willow was happy. Oops, forgot my ears, Mom!*
*

*​*
Take the picture again!*
*

*​*
Menu pics for those who would like to figure out what they would eat if they were there! *
*









*​*
Willow started with some very tasty bread.*
*

*​*
I chose the Salad - arugula, fennel, red onion, spiced walnuts, and goat cheese with a fig-balsamic dressing - as my appetizer. It was tasty, of course.*
*

*​*
Willow was provided with some carrots and celery and dip. She promptly became Olaf.*
*

*​*
We traded ears and had to make sure we could hear each other well enough.*
*

*​*
For her dinner, Willow had pizza.*
*

*​*
I had the Herb-Roasted Chicken Breast served with Broccolini, Caramelized Onions, Red Peppers and pasta with a White Wine Garlic Sauce. I have no idea why I chose this - I had been planning on the seafood pasta for a long time, and at the last minute, I chose this. It was fine, but I just don't find chicken interesting enough to waste a restaurant experience on. What was I doing?????*
*

*​*
We (and the table next to us) waited an incredibly long time for dessert (yeah - it was long enough that we started talking about it between tables. ). More hearing tests ensued.*
*

*​*
And then Willow was presented with a chocolate caramel tart.*
*

*​*
And I got a brownie.*
*

*​*
We ate about half of our desserts before heading out - at almost 8:00.

Our meals at Wine Country were very good - I would definitely come here again.

Up Next: Day 11H*


----------



## KatMark

Lady and the Tramp, uttered by Tony


----------



## pkondz

Gotta be Tony from Lady and the Tramp.
Going back to read now.


----------



## pkondz

Aggghhhh! Missed it while I was typing!


----------



## KatMark

RGirl said:


> *The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.
> 
> Current Standing:
> Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
> Jill (jedijill): 22 points
> pkondz: 10 points
> Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
> Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
> Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
> petals: 1 point
> Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 4 points
> Dugette: 6 points*
> 
> *"Now, here you are-a, the best a-spaghetti in a-town."*​*
> Day 11G - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort
> 
> When I last left off, we had just enjoyed the DCA parade. After it had ended, we kind of followed it around towards Paradise Pier. We had a reservation for dinner at the Wine Country Trattoria for their World of Color dinner. (For those who don't know, there are three restaurants in DCA - Wine Country, Ariel's Grotto, and Carthay Circle - that offer a World of Color (WOC) meal (lunch or dinner). For a fixed price, you get a three-course limited menu and then tickets for a preferred viewing spot for the nighttime World of Color spectacular!)
> 
> We arrived at Wine Country a little before our 6:00 reservation. It was kind of crowded at the hostess stand.*
> *
> 
> *​
> 
> *Looks like the line for the Princess meals in Norway.
> But it seemed to be parties without reservations who weren't interested in waiting, because they cleared out quickly. And we were soon sent upstairs.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> That's good to hear. And obviously Willow was like, "come on, mom...this way."*
> 
> *Here, we were greeted by another hostess and seated in a lovely open-air but well ventilated balcony area.*
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *​
> 
> *I love outdoor restaurants (as long as there is some ventilation).*
> 
> *Willow was happy. Oops, forgot my ears, Mom!*
> *
> 
> *​*
> Take the picture again!*
> *
> 
> *​
> 
> *Always a happy girl.*
> 
> *Menu pics for those who would like to figure out what they would eat if they were there! *
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *​*
> Oooh...I see things on the menu I would like. *
> 
> *Willow started with some very tasty bread.*
> *
> 
> *​
> 
> *Love me some tasty bread.*
> 
> *I chose the Salad - arugula, fennel, red onion, spiced walnuts, and goat cheese with a fig-balsamic dressing - as my appetizer. It was tasty, of course.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> Willow was provided with some carrots and celery and dip. She promptly became Olaf.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> OLAF!!!!*
> 
> *We traded ears and had to make sure we could hear each other well enough.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> For her dinner, Willow had pizza.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> Oooh...that looks good. I hope it is better than Disney World pizza.*
> 
> *I had the Herb-Roasted Chicken Breast served with Broccolini, Caramelized Onions, Red Peppers and pasta with a White Wine Garlic Sauce. I have no idea why I chose this - I had been planning on the seafood pasta for a long time, and at the last minute, I chose this. It was fine, but I just don't find chicken interesting enough to waste a restaurant experience on. What was I doing?????*
> *
> 
> *​*
> Yes, Ronik, what were you thinking. The seafood pasta caught my eye immediately and was hoping to see a review of it. *
> 
> *We (and the table next to us) waited an incredibly long time for dessert (yeah - it was long enough that we started talking about it between tables. ). More hearing tests ensued.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> And then Willow was presented with a chocolate caramel tart.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> And I got a brownie.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> Why such a long wait? It didn't look that crowded. The brownie looks like of "bleh." No sauce, no ice cream????*
> 
> *We ate about half of our desserts before heading out - at almost 8:00.
> 
> Our meals at Wine Country were very good - I would definitely come here again.
> 
> Up Next: Day 11H*


 
Good to know about Wine Country...I'll keep it in my Disneyland folder I've started.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *I was very relieved - I was a little concerned that she might actually be getting sick. Phew!*


 
Ugh. *Not* what a parent wants while on vacation.
Heck, even when you're at home.

(ETA after posting this and my comments, I went over to Rob's TR and saw that you posted there as well. Sorry to hear about Willow not feeling well. Tell her I hope she starts feeling better real soon.)



RGirl said:


> *We did talk about how this is very much a Disney thing - you can't expect to lose things and have shops anywhere just give you a new one*


 
 That's true. "Excuse me? Mister? I lost my Manolo Blahnik shoes, could I get a free pair to replace them?"



RGirl said:


> *I'm so glad you have started a new TR! BTW, from whence hail the Buffoon titles of your TRs? You couldn't possibly know this about me, but that is one of my favorite descriptive words on earth - unfortunately, I find need to use it at work pretty much every day and often MANY times a day!*


 
It comes from trying to figure out a title for my second TR.
The first one, I referenced Monty Python (although it's doubtful anyone made the connection).
For our European trip, I immediately thought of National Lampoon European Vacation.
I wanted to indicate that I wasn't from the U.S. in the title for context so switching National for Canadian was easy.
I briefly considered "International" but it made me sound like a spy or something, so... no.
Then I didn't want to use Lampoon, since it had _nothing_ to do with me.
So I got introspective and said. "What one word best describes myself that sorta sounds like "Lampoon?""
Voila.
From then on, the title just stuck and I've been using it ever since.
If I ever write _another_ TR, it'll probably be in the title somewhere.

Hilarious that it's one of your favorite words, though! What are the odds??



RGirl said:


> *Just so you know, even before you posted this, I had ran over there to read and post.*


 
 I saw that! When I finish reading (and commenting) on your latest post, I'll head over there and comment on your comment.

Then my head will explode.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *For a fixed price, you get a three-course limited menu and then tickets for a preferred viewing spot for the nighttime World of Color spectacular!)*


 
Oh! Geez, where's my head. For some reason I was thinking that it was a meal _while_ watching WOC. 
Of course it's for later.
Sheesh, I knew that.



RGirl said:


> *Here, we were greeted by another hostess and seated in a lovely open-air but well ventilated balcony area.*


 
i.e. Not too hot?



RGirl said:


> *Willow was happy. Oops, forgot my ears, Mom!*
> *
> 
> *​


 
OMG! That picture cracks me up!
Willow! You're too cute!



RGirl said:


> *Menu pics for those who would like to figure out what they would eat if they were there!*


 
Okay, let's see if I guess your meal right. (At least it's what I would pick)
The salad.
Braised lamb
Panna Cotta



RGirl said:


> *I chose the Salad*


 
I'm one for one!



RGirl said:


> *Willow was provided with some carrots and celery and dip. She promptly became Olaf.*


 
Oh, Willow. You're so silly. 



RGirl said:


> *We traded ears and had to make sure we could hear each other well enough.*


 
Good idea. If there's a defective set, just throw them out and you can replace them with free ones.





RGirl said:


> *For her dinner, Willow had pizza.*


 
Yup.
When Kay was eight, she subsisted on Mac 'n' cheese for an entire week.



RGirl said:


> *I had the Herb-Roasted Chicken Breast*


 
Dang. Swing and a miss. One for two.



RGirl said:


> *I have no idea why I chose this - I had been planning on the seafood pasta for a long time, and at the last minute, I chose this. It was fine, but I just don't find chicken interesting enough to waste a restaurant experience on. What was I doing?????*


 
Okay, I'm a bit relieved. I was sort of thinking the same thing. 
The seafood pasta was a close second choice.



RGirl said:


> *And I got a brownie.*


 
I failed. One out of three. I feel so.... dissatisfied.



RGirl said:


> *We ate about half of our desserts before heading out - at almost 8:00.*


 
Two hours? Those desserts _did_ take a while, didn't they!



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 11H*


 
Can't wait! Thanks for the update!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> We ate about half of our desserts before heading out - at almost 8:00.
> 
> Our meals at Wine Country were very good - I would definitely come here again.


It looked like a nice place to eat.  I think it was closed when we were there?  It appeared to be pretty much abandoned anytime we went by there.  Honestly though, there were so many refurbs going on, I only worried about the rides, so I didn't even research the restaurants that were closed.  Maybe...

Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner there.  I think that would probably be my first choice for a WoC meal.  Maybe Carthay Circle... I don't know.  But 2 hours... wow, that's a long meal for 2 people!


----------



## courtneybelle

Hi Roni! That restaurant looks beautiful!

BAHAHAHA I LOVE Willow as Olaf!! That picture may be the highlight of my day thus far.

You know, I distinctly remember from your last WDW TR that you hate ordering chicken at restaurants…so yeah, I can't tell you what you were thinking either 

How was Willow's tart? It looks great!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Look at me with 4 points. The benefit of being logged in right as you posted.

Have you eaten at Ariel's Gotto? I'm curious if it's a character meal and I'm too lazy to look it up. I do remember seeing that restaurant.

Haha, and there goes Willow running ahead, lol.

 the "Forgot my ears" photo. Precious. Phew, crisis averted.

I'm sure you'll get there but I'm curious as to the benefit of this over a World of Color FP. Better spot I assume? I remember when I was there they offered a picnic lunch option, but I think it offered the same place as a FP did.






I just assumed it was a Hulk Hogan impression.  Whatcha gonna do?


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> Lady and the Tramp, uttered by Tony


*Yay!!!  Kathy makes the boards! 2 Points!  *



pkondz said:


> Gotta be Tony from Lady and the Tramp.
> Going back to read now.





pkondz said:


> Aggghhhh! Missed it while I was typing!


*Oops - not even a long intro as the culprit this time....*


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> Good to know about Wine Country...I'll keep it in my Disneyland folder I've started.


*You should! We really enjoyed the food and atmosphere, despite the weirdly long wait - I have to think that was a fluke. We did the Carthay Circle WoC meal the last time - I think we both enjoyed this one more.*



pkondz said:


> Ugh. *Not* what a parent wants while on vacation.
> Heck, even when you're at home.
> 
> (ETA after posting this and my comments, I went over to Rob's TR and saw that you posted there as well. Sorry to hear about Willow not feeling well. Tell her I hope she starts feeling better real soon.)


*Thank you. She was pretty sick this week - in fact, the doctor was concerned enough to treat her for whooping cough. Our little town has a HUGE outbreak of it going on right now. (Yes, Willow is vaccinated, but apparently it is still possible to get it - albeit in a hopefully milder form.) She is definitely on the mend, but the cough is AWFUL. *



pkondz said:


> That's true. "Excuse me? Mister? I lost my Manolo Blahnik shoes, could I get a free pair to replace them?"


*Right?????  I was all, "Oh, it's so nice that she gets to experience the Disney Magic. But wait - is she going to think this is what the real world is like????? "*



pkondz said:


> It comes from trying to figure out a title for my second TR.
> The first one, I referenced Monty Python (although it's doubtful anyone made the connection).
> For our European trip, I immediately thought of National Lampoon European Vacation.
> I wanted to indicate that I wasn't from the U.S. in the title for context so switching National for Canadian was easy.
> I briefly considered "International" but it made me sound like a spy or something, so... no.
> Then I didn't want to use Lampoon, since it had _nothing_ to do with me.
> So I got introspective and said. "What one word best describes myself that sorta sounds like "Lampoon?""
> Voila.
> From then on, the title just stuck and I've been using it ever since.
> If I ever write _another_ TR, it'll probably be in the title somewhere.
> 
> Hilarious that it's one of your favorite words, though! What are the odds??


*National Lampoon - Canadian Buffoon. I love it!*

*I wish you could watch me on the job for 8 hours or so - LOTS of buffoons.......  *



pkondz said:


> I saw that! When I finish reading (and commenting) on your latest post, I'll head over there and comment on your comment.
> 
> Then my head will explode.


*Pretty much describes my DIS time.....  *



pkondz said:


> i.e. Not too hot?


*Exactly! The temperature was perfect, but it seemed like we were outside. Kind of. It was really nice!*



pkondz said:


> OMG! That picture cracks me up!
> Willow! You're too cute!


*I hope I can remember to show her your comments to this update - she will be thrilled!*



pkondz said:


> Okay, let's see if I guess your meal right. (At least it's what I would pick)
> The salad.
> Braised lamb
> Panna Cotta


*Yeah - I SHOULD have chosen thusly.*



pkondz said:


> I'm one for one!






pkondz said:


> Good idea. If there's a defective set, just throw them out and you can replace them with free ones.






pkondz said:


> Yup.
> When Kay was eight, she subsisted on Mac 'n' cheese for an entire week.


*Yeah, Willow's vacation eating is an embarrassment. Of course, mine is too. Seriously? Is it vacation if the eating isn't a little bad??  *



pkondz said:


> Dang. Swing and a miss. One for two.


**sigh**



pkondz said:


> Okay, I'm a bit relieved. I was sort of thinking the same thing.
> The seafood pasta was a close second choice.


*It's a huge mystery to me. I don't choose chicken in restaurants. I mean, chicken is fine, but it is sooooo boring. I don't know what possessed me.*



pkondz said:


> I failed. One out of three. I feel so.... dissatisfied.


*If it makes you feel any better, I wish I had made your choices.*

*AND I may have a new game for the cruise portion of our summer trip - Guess What They Ate!!!  *



pkondz said:


> Two hours? Those desserts _did_ take a while, didn't they!


*Oh, man! I was NOT kidding - it was a loooooong wait. But the food and atmosphere there were good enough that it didn't make me crazy. Or maybe I was just really happy to sit down for a while. *



pkondz said:


> Can't wait! Thanks for the update!


*Thank you so much for always reading along and commenting! *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> Seriously? Is it vacation if the eating isn't a little bad??



Exactly!



RGirl said:


> AND I may have a new game for the cruise portion of our summer trip - Guess What They Ate!!!



On a cruise?
Guess What They Ate!!! Guess What They Kept Down!!!


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> It looked like a nice place to eat.  I think it was closed when we were there?  It appeared to be pretty much abandoned anytime we went by there.  Honestly though, there were so many refurbs going on, I only worried about the rides, so I didn't even research the restaurants that were closed.  Maybe...


*You know, I have no idea! I didn't pay any attention to restaurant closures either during our January trip - we weren't focused on TS dining that trip. That said, it is a great place to eat, and I think both Willow and I would recommend it for WoC dining were you to return again when WoC was going.  *



afwdwfan said:


> Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner there.  I think that would probably be my first choice for a WoC meal.  Maybe Carthay Circle... I don't know.  But 2 hours... wow, that's a long meal for 2 people!


*We had done Carthay Circle the last time. It is very good too. Not to post a spoiler or anything, but for some completely inexplicable reason, the WoC viewing area for Wine Country is MUCH better than for Carthay Circle. It makes no sense at all, and maybe they have fixed it, but we were shocked when we got to the viewing area for Wine Country after having done Carthay Circle. *



courtneybelle said:


> Hi Roni! That restaurant looks beautiful!


*Hi Courtney!!!*

*Wine Country was such a pleasant environment. It was a little oasis from the craziness of the parks - kind of like HBD at DHS.*



courtneybelle said:


> BAHAHAHA I LOVE Willow as Olaf!! That picture may be the highlight of my day thus far.


*She is one goofy kiddo! *



courtneybelle said:


> You know, I distinctly remember from your last WDW TR that you hate ordering chicken at restaurants…so yeah, I can't tell you what you were thinking either


*Obviously, I completely lost my mind. I seriously have no idea what happened. That would be the last thing I would order in my right mind. I mean, it was fine - very good, but it was CHICKEN. How BORING!!!!!!*



courtneybelle said:


> How was Willow's tart? It looks great!


*I thought it looked really good too. She seemed to think it was good, but she felt a little sick later that night, and she 100% blamed it on that tart and swore she would never have it again. I have no idea....  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Look at me with 4 points. The benefit of being logged in right as you posted.


*Go Rob! Go Rob!!!  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Have you eaten at Ariel's Gotto? I'm curious if it's a character meal and I'm too lazy to look it up. I do remember seeing that restaurant.


*We have! We went there for Willow's 5th birthday. It is a princess meal during breakfast and lunch. No princesses at dinner, but they do offer a WoC menu then with a very good viewing area.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Haha, and there goes Willow running ahead, lol.


*Always, Rob, always!*


DisneyKid4Life said:


> the "Forgot my ears" photo. Precious. Phew, crisis averted.


*The child is hilarious! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I'm sure you'll get there but I'm curious as to the benefit of this over a World of Color FP. Better spot I assume? I remember when I was there they offered a picnic lunch option, but I think it offered the same place as a FP did.


*So, I'm not sure where the FP WoC viewing area is. I do know that the restaurants have different areas, so I'm guessing that they are (at least should be, given the price) "better" areas than the FP areas. For me, it was a nice way to do a TS meal at a relatively okay cost with a little bonus. We did the Carthay Circle WoC meal on our preceding trip. So color me surprised when we went to find the Wine Country viewing area and it was way down near the water. Cathay Circle's viewing area had been way up at a top tier far from the water. At the end of the day, was one really better than the other? I don't think so, but it FELT like we were in a better place with Wine Country. I think they were about equal but probably only because we had gotten spots right at the railing at the Carthay Circle area, so there wasn't really anyone blocking us. I don't know - I'm not convinced that there's much of a different to any of the areas. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I just assumed it was a Hulk Hogan impression.  Whatcha gonna do?


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Exactly!
> 
> 
> On a cruise?
> Guess What They Ate!!! Guess What They Kept Down!!!


*OMG - I am laughing hard enough that I may not be able to keep my on-dry-land dinner down!!!  *


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> How did she like it????


She liked Monsters, Inc. quite a bit, I think. Though she has been obsessed with monsters recently (before the movie), telling us they were hiding under our bed and such.  But she does seem to think they are friendly monsters, so that's good. 

Anyway, just got caught up on the last updates.

Glad that they were able to make some Disney magic and get Willow some Minnie ears! 

That zoetrope things looks pretty cool. Izzy loves Toy Story, so I'm sure that and the Toy Story characters in the parade would be a big hit. 

Glad you had a good time at the drawing class(es).

Dinner sounds nice. Love all the ear pictures. And Willow's dessert looks tasty!


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 14 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 4 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points*

*"Have faith in your dreams, and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through."*​
*Day 11H - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort*

*After our dinner at Wine Country Trattoria, we decided to check and see if there was any chance that Donald was still greeting guests over in Paradise Pier. (Willow was wearing her Donald cupcake shirt and wanted to show him.) Of course, Donald was in for the night, so, since we were in the area, we thought we would wander over and check the TSMM wait time just on the off chance that it was doable. (We had limited time before we needed to get a spot for WOC.)*
*

*​*
Nope - wait time was 40 minutes. So Willow decided that we would ride the no-wait King Triton's Carousel.*
*

*​*
Willow was longingly eyeing this attraction, but she is still not tall enough. *
*

*​
*So the carousel would have to do!*
*





*​
*Our fish:*
*

*

*

*​
*Our neighbors:*
*

*​
*After our spin on the carousel, Willow really wanted to go check the wait time for ToT. I knew that this was going to be too long of a wait, and I'm not sure why I didn't just say no. Kind of dumb. We headed out though, and immediately stopped for some PP pics.*
*

*

*

*​
*The stand-by wait at ToT was 40 minutes, of course. I suggested that we head back over to Paradise Pier and do the Little Mermaid ride since there is never a wait for that (at least not in my experience), but we were so close to CarsLand that there was no convincing Willow not to wander over and check the wait time for the single rider line at RSR. I do LOVE CarsLand at night, so I didn't fight her too much on this.*
*

*

*

*

*

*​
*Unfortunately, the single rider line was at a 35-minute wait, and we just couldn't risk that given that we did need to get back and find a spot for WOC. So we decided to do Mater's ride since, as usual, there was no wait!*
*

*

*





*​
*No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​
*I disobeyed you!!!*
*

*​
*Up Next: Day 11H (cont.)*


----------



## courtneybelle

Cinderella from...Cinderella!!

Going back to read!


----------



## RGirl

*Day 11H - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)*

*It was about 8:30 at this point, so we headed back over to Paradise Pier where the WOC viewing is. We decided that we had time to squeeze in the Little Mermaid ride since there was (as usual) no wait.


*

*

*

*

*​
*I so miss Ariel's cupcake hair.....*
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*​
*We made a quick restroom stop and then went looking for the Wine Country viewing area. Turns out that Wine Country and Ariel's Grotto share a viewing spot quite close to the front. (Last time, we did the Carthay Circle WOC dining, and its viewing spot is way in the back - strange.) We found some steps to sit on while we waited for the show to start - it was about 9:00, and the show was scheduled for 9:45. The view was pretty nice!*
*

*

*

*

*

*​
*At some point, they started the Wheel of Doom - er, I mean Fun Wheel - game. This is a game that you play on your phone - you have to try to match the color sequence shown on the Wheel of Doom.*
*

*​
*The person in the crowd with the best score then gets to control the Wheel of Doom colors for a minute or so. It was fun, and this really made the time go by faster for us and everyone else, I think. Smart idea, Disney!*

*Soon, the show began, and it was spectacular. We LOVE this show. (There was a weird moment when everything went dead, including most of the lights in the area, but the show started back up again fairly quickly.) I got the best pics I could.... (Oh, for anyone who does not know, this show is a fountain show with scenes projected onto the water and music, of course.)*

*I find it very hard to get good pics of this show, but I did the best I could!*
*

*​
*Sure, she’s got everything….*
*

*

*

*​
*You’ve got a friend in me…*
*

*​
*Adventure is out there!*
*

*

*

*​
*A whole new world…*
*

*​
*RIP Genie*
*

*​
*Up Next: Day 11H (cont. again)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 11H - Monday, 4 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont. again)

I will ride, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky…*
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*​*
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?*
*

*

*

*

*

*​*
It’s a pirate’s life for me!*
*

*

*

*

*

*​*
Lots of love towards the end.*
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*​*
After the show, we headed out through the GCH.*
*

*​*
And back to the Disneyland Hotel.*
*

*​*
We were back in our room at about 10:35 and getting to bed as fast as we could to be ready for another early morning.....

Up Next: Day 12A*


----------



## Dugette

Love all the pics of the World of Color show! I've mostly seen pictures of the colorful fountains (which is great, of course), but I haven't seen many pics of the projection scenes, so those were really neat!


----------



## courtneybelle

Back!! Love the title quote, one of my absolute favorite Disney songs!

Oh man, I am so excited for Willow to ride California Screamin'. She will love it. One of my absolute favorite rides!

I'm pretty sure "I disobeyed you!" is going to be a new catchphrase of my trips...

I totally remember the cupcake hair!!! What a thing of beauty!

Actually crying at Wheel of Doom. I imagine Willow would be all about the swinging ones...I was terrified in the non-swinging one. 

Wow, I really like that the winner gets to pick the colors of the Wheel! That's super cool. 

Your WOC pics are fab. I especially love the one with the Up balloons! I just remember being completely breathless when I saw that show for the first time-it's so incredible!


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> She liked Monsters, Inc. quite a bit, I think. Though she has been obsessed with monsters recently (before the movie), telling us they were hiding under our bed and such.  But she does seem to think they are friendly monsters, so that's good.


*Awwww - that is so cute!!!!  Monsters Inc. was perfect for her then! I think she may need a Sully pillow pet.....*




Dugette said:


> Glad that they were able to make some Disney magic and get Willow some Minnie ears!


 
*It was so sweet of the CM. *



Dugette said:


> That zoetrope things looks pretty cool. Izzy loves Toy Story, so I'm sure that and the Toy Story characters in the parade would be a big hit.


*Izzy would LOVE DCA - I think you should go as soon as possible!  *



Dugette said:


> Glad you had a good time at the drawing class(es).


*Oh, we had so much fun! I don't know if you have done them before, but in a couple of years, you will have SUCH a blast doing these classes with Izzy!*



Dugette said:


> Dinner sounds nice. Love all the ear pictures. And Willow's dessert looks tasty!


*It was a great evening!*



courtneybelle said:


> Cinderella from...Cinderella!!
> 
> Going back to read!


*I think Courtney is officially BACK!!!  Two more, baby! *



Dugette said:


> Love all the pics of the World of Color show! I've mostly seen pictures of the colorful fountains (which is great, of course), but I haven't seen many pics of the projection scenes, so those were really neat!


*Oh, thank you! I obviously struggled to get any decent pictures, but I really wanted to be able to show at least a tiny bit of how cool this show is. In person, it is amazing!*


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Back!! Love the title quote, one of my absolute favorite Disney songs!


*Gotta admit - that was one of the quotations I wasn't sure someone would get. Nice princess knowledge **there!*



courtneybelle said:


> Oh man, I am so excited for Willow to ride California Screamin'. She will love it. One of my absolute favorite rides!


*Oh man, that poor child has been tortured by that ride for years. At least with RnRC, she can't see it. This one, she just stands there watching it, dreaming of it. She is just DYING to do it. I, on the other hand, well, I can't say that I was THAT disappointed that she hadn't met the height requirement yet.....  *



courtneybelle said:


> I'm pretty sure "I disobeyed you!" is going to be a new catchphrase of my trips...


 *She LOVED that - better than the "no dancing" was being able to say "I disobeyed you!!!!" every **time!  *



courtneybelle said:


> I totally remember the cupcake hair!!! What a thing of beauty!


*Right???  I can't believe they let themselves be bullied into changing it. It was AWESOME!*



courtneybelle said:


> Actually crying at Wheel of Doom. I imagine Willow would be all about the swinging ones...I was terrified in the non-swinging one.


*Yeah, poor Willow. Unless and until we visit DLR with another adult crazy enough to experience that attraction, that is one that she will just have to miss. I do my best to go on even the things I really don't want to because of my height fears (I don't want to cause her to have the same irrational fears), but the Wheel of Doom? No - I'm sorry, I just can't do it. I can't. I won't. I can't. I have done gondolas and nearly had a heart attack - twice. I have done fair rides that made me want to die. But the Wheel of Doom? Nope. Can't do it. And, yes, she would LOVE the swinging cars. *



courtneybelle said:


> Wow, I really like that the winner gets to pick the colors of the Wheel! That's super cool.


*It really was a fantastic idea to make the wait for the show go by faster. It totally worked. We had so much fun trying to remember the colors and key them in correctly. That's really all it takes to make a long wait become much shorter. Disney genius!*



courtneybelle said:


> Your WOC pics are fab. I especially love the one with the Up balloons! I just remember being completely breathless when I saw that show for the first time-it's so incredible!


*Oh, thanks. I don't have a great camera or even decent photography skills, but I tried so hard to get at least a handful of pictures that would give a sense of what the show is like. I don't think it can be captured though. Isn't it amazing????  Ugh - we love it so much!!!!*


----------



## pkondz

Sounds like something Cinderella would say. From... well Cinderella.
I'm about 50% sure.

Ha! Just scrolled down some more.
Now I'm almost positive I'm right since Courtneybelle already said it!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Willow was wearing her Donald cupcake shirt and wanted to show him*


 
I noticed her shirt on the last post.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was longingly eyeing this attraction, but she is still not tall enough.*


 
Really? I would've thought the ears would've put her over the edge.



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!!!*


 
 That still cracks me up!



RGirl said:


> *I so miss Ariel's cupcake hair.....*


 
I didn't even know it'd been changed 'til just now.



RGirl said:


> *Turns out that Wine Country and Ariel's Grotto share a viewing spot quite close to the front. (Last time, we did the Carthay Circle WOC dining, and its viewing spot is way in the back - strange.)*


 
That's weird. "Dine here! Get the best seats in the house for WOC!"
"No! Dine _here_! Worst seats in the house!"



RGirl said:


> *This is a game that you play on your phone - you have to try to match the color sequence shown on the Wheel of Doom.
> The person in the crowd with the best score then gets to control the Wheel of Doom colors for a minute or so.*


 
That sounds like fun! It'd be cool to win.



RGirl said:


> *I find it very hard to get good pics of this show, but I did the best I could!*


 
And you did a very good job! Thanks for all the pics!
And for the update!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oh boy I bet Willow can't wait too ride Screamin'. I kinda fell in love with that one myself.

When I was there, Carsland was stil in progress, but they did turn on the lights at night, so you could still get a glipse of what was coming. It looks so pretty at night. All the more reason for a return visit I think.

The "No Dancing" protests just never get old. 

I was there when the Mermaid ride was still new (and still hadn't even opened in WDW) and even then it had very little wait. I don't get it.

I just LOVED World of Color. I saw it twice that trip. I saw a few videos beforehand and honestly thought it looked meh. This is for sure something that needs to be seen in person. I'm hoping that whatever they have planned for Animal Kingdom's nighttime show is something along the lines of this.


----------



## queenbetsey

RGirl said:


> Finally, as we were getting close to the last part of the queue, the older teen said something to me like, "Um, my dad's back there, can he ....." at which point I kind of interrupted and gave him a big warm smile and said, "SURE! You can absolutely go back and join him!"


oh my gosh I laughed so hard at this... good for you  lance is still cracking up and we think we may just use this one from now on..


----------



## queenbetsey

*


RGirl said:



			Yeah, poor Willow. Unless and until we visit DLR with another adult crazy enough to experience that attraction, that is one that she will just have to miss. I do my best to go on even the things I really don't want to because of my height fears (I don't want to cause her to have the same irrational fears), but the Wheel of Doom? No - I'm sorry, I just can't do it. I can't. I won't. I can't. I have done gondolas and nearly had a heart attack - twice. I have done fair rides that made me want to die. But the Wheel of Doom? Nope. Can't do it. And, yes, she would LOVE the swinging cars.
		
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you on this one ronni, lance talked me into it one time back when the park first opened, we call it mickey's not so fun wheel, haven't been on it since.    nope never ever ever going on it again.  when the granddaughter gets old enough papa can take her. lol

*


----------



## KatMark

I made the board!   Most excitement I've had in a while. 

Great update. I love the fish on the carousel. That is just too stinkin' cute.

Tell Willow when she becomes tall enough she can ride California Screamin' a few extra times for me since you won't see me getting on it. 

The pictures from World of Color are spectacular. I love seeing all of these in everyone's TR...looks like a terrific show.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *Willow was longingly eyeing this attraction, but she is still not tall enough. *


One of these days.  And it is definitely worth the wait!!!!



RGirl said:


> * I suggested that we head back over to Paradise Pier and do the Little Mermaid ride since there is never a wait for that (at least not in my experience), but we were so close to CarsLand that there was no convincing Willow not to wander over and check the wait time for the single rider line at RSR. I do LOVE CarsLand at night, so I didn't fight her too much on this.*


Willow made the right call.  Even if you aren't going to ride anything, Carsland at night is awesome!!!!



RGirl said:


> *So we decided to do Mater's ride since, as usual, there was no wait!*


 Fun ride.  No wait.  Can't go wrong!



RGirl said:


> *At some point, they started the Wheel of Doom - er, I mean Fun Wheel - game. This is a game that you play on your phone - you have to try to match the color sequence shown on the Wheel of Doom.*


This is the first I've ever heard of that game.  Looks like a cool idea!



RGirl said:


> *The person in the crowd with the best score then gets to control the Wheel of Doom colors for a minute or so. It was fun, and this really made the time go by faster for us and everyone else, I think. Smart idea, Disney!*


I think that is awesome!  It stinks that you have to get there 45 minutes or so before the show starts and just have to stand around waiting.  Anything to make the time go by faster is a win! 

That was my biggest complaint about Fantasmic! at DL.  You get your FP, they tell you to be there an hour before the show to get the best spots and you still end up standing there for an hour being bored.  They could really use something, anything there as well!



RGirl said:


> We were back in our room at about 10:35 and getting to bed as fast as we could to be ready for another early morning


WoC looks incredible!  Thanks for the pictures!  I'm so disappointed that we missed out on seeing it. 

10:35 looks like it could a short night before an early morning!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Sounds like something Cinderella would say. From... well Cinderella.
> I'm about 50% sure.
> 
> Ha! Just scrolled down some more.
> Now I'm almost positive I'm right since Courtneybelle already said it!






pkondz said:


> I noticed her shirt on the last post.


*AND thought it was spectacular, I'm sure.....  *



pkondz said:


> Really? I would've thought the ears would've put her over the edge.


*Man, that child would LOVE it if she could get them to measure her WITH ears. *



pkondz said:


> That still cracks me up!


*Let me just say, I sure hope it doesn't get old.....  *



pkondz said:


> I didn't even know it'd been changed 'til just now.


*Yep - I think it was swapped out pretty quickly. I for one LOVED the cupcake hair though. *



pkondz said:


> That's weird. "Dine here! Get the best seats in the house for WOC!"
> "No! Dine _here_! Worst seats in the house!"


*You know, our view from the Carthay area was perfectly good too, but that was likely because we were right at the railing - slow season and we arrived early. I don't think Willow would have seen anything had we been further back. But that was likely true of any viewing spot since she is shorter than the huge majority of viewers.  Still just weird that Carthay's section is so completely different from the other dining sections. *



pkondz said:


> That sounds like fun! It'd be cool to win.


*I REALLY wanted to win. Okay, I always REALLY want to win.....*

And you did a very good job! Thanks for all the pics!
And for the update! [/QUOTE]
*Thank you!!!  *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *AND thought it was spectacular, I'm sure..... *



But of course. I assumed that went without saying???



RGirl said:


> *I REALLY wanted to win. Okay, I always REALLY want to win.....*



No! I'm shocked! Shocked!


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh boy I bet Willow can't wait too ride Screamin'. I kinda fell in love with that one myself.


*Oh, Rob, she is just tortured by it. She always has to stop and watch it taking off. She is just dreaming of the day. It's the only real negative to being such a short kid (that and the teasing at school, of course ).*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> When I was there, Carsland was stil in progress, but they did turn on the lights at night, so you could still get a glipse of what was coming. It looks so pretty at night. All the more reason for a return visit I think.


*CarsLand at night is really something. I mean, CarsLand is ALWAYS good, but it is kind of spectacular at night. You really need to go back!!!!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> The "No Dancing" protests just never get old.


*I hope that's true, because you still have plenty of them coming......  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I was there when the Mermaid ride was still new (and still hadn't even opened in WDW) and even then it had very little wait. I don't get it.


*I don't get it either. I mean, it's not a thrill ride, but it's a very nice darkish ride-through story. Like many other popular attractions.  Willow and I both really like it though, so we are good with a short wait! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I just LOVED World of Color. I saw it twice that trip. I saw a few videos beforehand and honestly thought it looked meh. This is for sure something that needs to be seen in person. I'm hoping that whatever they have planned for Animal Kingdom's nighttime show is something along the lines of this.


*You know, I have thought the same thing. I wonder if the upcoming AK nighttime show will be something similar to WoC. I would NOT be disappointed in that. Both Willow and I really love WoC - it's so beautiful.*


queenbetsey said:


> oh my gosh I laughed so hard at this... good for you  lance is still cracking up and we think we may just use this one from now on..


*You should! You can call out a line-cutter without feeling like you are going off on someone or creating some big drama. It was very freeing! *



queenbetsey said:


> *I have to agree with you on this one ronni, lance talked me into it one time back when the park first opened, we call it mickey's not so fun wheel, haven't been on it since.    nope never ever ever going on it again.  when the granddaughter gets old enough papa can take her. lol
> *


*I hear ya! I try very hard to do things with Willow that challenge my heights phobia (including that horrible gondola earlier in this trip), but I KNOW that I cannot handle a giant ferris wheel. Just no. Can't do it. I feel bad, but I cannot do it. *


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> I made the board!   Most excitement I've had in a while.


*Nothing like a little healthy competition to add to a day's excitement!* 



KatMark said:


> Great update. I love the fish on the carousel. That is just too stinkin' cute.


*Triton's carousel is easy to pass up for more exciting rides, but it definitely is very cute.*



KatMark said:


> Tell Willow when she becomes tall enough she can ride California Screamin' a few extra times for me since you won't see me getting on it.


*She will be happy to do so, I'm sure! *



KatMark said:


> The pictures from World of Color are spectacular. I love seeing all of these in everyone's TR...looks like a terrific show.


*Oh, it is a show that I think you would absolutely love, Kathy!*



afwdwfan said:


> One of these days.  And it is definitely worth the wait!!!!


*I sure wish we had plans to go back this year - she should be tall enough for it before long. She is just dying to ride it! Due to her height, I have never ridden it either. I'm not quite as keen to give it a try as she is, but I'll be onboard when she hits 48 inches. *



afwdwfan said:


> Willow made the right call.  Even if you aren't going to ride anything, Carsland at night is awesome!!!!


*Totally agree. We try to get over there after the sun goes down as often as possible - just so cool!*



afwdwfan said:


> Fun ride.  No wait.  Can't go wrong!






afwdwfan said:


> This is the first I've ever heard of that game.  Looks like a cool idea!


*It really did make the waiting go by a lot faster. I thought it was a great idea!*



afwdwfan said:


> I think that is awesome!  It stinks that you have to get there 45 minutes or so before the show starts and just have to stand around waiting.  Anything to make the time go by faster is a win!


*Totally agree - I am not good at waiting. I definitely need distractions. *



afwdwfan said:


> That was my biggest complaint about Fantasmic! at DL.  You get your FP, they tell you to be there an hour before the show to get the best spots and you still end up standing there for an hour being bored.  They could really use something, anything there as well!


*All the different Fantasmic! FP stuff hadn't begun when we made our summer trip, but we did do a special Fantasmic! even that was available back then (more on that later) - same problem though. You just end up waiting anyway. *



afwdwfan said:


> WoC looks incredible!  Thanks for the pictures!  I'm so disappointed that we missed out on seeing it.


*I'm disappointed FOR you. It really is an amazing show.*



pkondz said:


> But of course. I assumed that went without saying???


*Phew!!!*



pkondz said:


> No! I'm shocked! Shocked!


*You seem to have gotten the idea that I'm competitive or something.  *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 16 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 10 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 4 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points*

*"How dare you open a space man's helmet on an uncharted planet? My eyeballs could have been sucked from their sockets!"*​*
Day 12A - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

We were up and ready to go bright and early once again - out the door at 6:25AM.*
*

*​*
Willow grabbed a cereal bar for breakfast, and we headed out to our "secret" path.*
*

*​*
A quick detour was needed for coffee and a chocolate milk.*
*

*​*
Early entry today was at Disneyland park, and there were already quite a few people in line when we arrived at 6:45.*
*

*​
*

*​*
We headed straight for Space Mountain when we were let in. Walk with us!*
*





*​*
Oh, this is the Little Red Wagon where you can get hand-dipped corndogs - supposed to be delicious....*
*

*​*
We arrived at Space and were in line by 7:15.*
*





*​*
Ride vehicle Hidden Mickey!*
*

*​*
After Space, we headed to the Matterhorn, but it was down. So we actually got to experience some of Fantasyland for a change!  

Dumbo was first on Willow's list.*
*









*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
Some views from our flight.*
*













*​*
Up Next: Day 12A (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 12A - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

DL still has Snow White’s Scary Adventures, so we had to do that, of course!*
*

*​*
Had to get some pictures for those of you who can barely remember this attraction…..  *
*





















*​*
After Snow White, it was a few minutes after 8. Check out the folks lined up to meet Anna and Elsa! (Have I mentioned how happy I was that Willow decided to skip this on this trip????  )  (I should mention here that the A&E meet has since changed; they have moved to DCA as part of Frozen Fun and can now be met via FP. You will hear MUCH more about all that if you join in for our January 2015 TR once I get it going!)*
*

*​*
In contrast, our stroll over to Frontierland was almost people-free. (Frontierland is not open during EMH, so it had just opened up at this point.)*
*

















*​*
Love the details in the concrete pavement!*
*

*​*
Of course, we were headed to BTMRR. Unfortunately, it was down.  We grabbed some FPs though.*
*

*​*
When BTMRR is down, where do we head? PotC, of course!*
*

*​*
No blurry dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
We were trying to find the Hidden Mickey's on the PotC ride this time. We did find the lily pad one near the beginning (we think!) and then this padlock one on the way out.*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 12B*


----------



## pkondz

Buzz from Toy Story!
Going back to read...


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *We were up and ready to go bright and early once again - out the door at 6:25AM.*


 
She looks pretty chipper for 6:25.
Is that just a Disney phenomenon? Or is she pretty good on school days?



RGirl said:


> *A quick detour was needed for coffee and a chocolate milk.*


 
Huh. I'm a little surprised. Most kids don't like coffee.
How was your chocolate milk?



RGirl said:


> *Early entry today was at Disneyland park, and there were already quite a few people in line when we arrived at 6:45.*


 
Perchance, the word on rope drop is getting out.



RGirl said:


> *We headed straight for Space Mountain when we were let in. Walk with us!*


 
Okay! Just let me tie my shoelaces... uh, hang on guys. Wait up! Waiiittt!!!



Dang it.



RGirl said:


> *Oh, this is the Little Red Wagon where you can get hand-dipped corndogs - supposed to be delicious....*


 
Nebo and Smidgy's corndogs!!!



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
 Nope. Still not old.



RGirl said:


> *Had to get some pictures for those of you who can barely remember this attraction….. *


 
Heh.
My girls were too scared to go on it first time (4 and 8).
When they rode it 4 years later, they didn't understand what I was talking about.
"That's not scary!"
But I credit it with giving them the courage to try HM (which they loved).



RGirl said:


> *Love the details in the concrete pavement!*


 
So many details. So little time.



RGirl said:


> *No blurry dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
And you got her hands to be blurry! 

Thanks for the update!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Is it wrong that the carpet in that hotel gives me goosebumps? Didn't think so.

I do remember how much I loved Space Mountain in Disneyland. It is just eons better that Magic Kingdom. The walk in to the ride seems so strange to me though. But I do also love a ride vehicle Hidden Mickey.

Ahhh classic Dumbo. I really really do like the look of it in WDW, it's breathtaking, but there is something special about Dumbo in DLand.

Ha, looks like someone needs a "No Dancing" shirt.

Roni, I did Snow White when I was there (of course), but I have a question. Does it kind of end... abruptly? I know we were really confused like "Wait... What... It's over????? It is quite different from the old WDW version so I'm just curious if you found the same. Maybe one time wasn't enough to get it.

I just love looking at your photos. They bring back such great Disneyland memories. The subject of which did come up on my last trip to WDW, so it is on the radar.


----------



## hstrickland

Hiya!  It's been a while since I've been over here, so I had a TON of reading to do  Fabulous pictures as always. I just love "Dancing Willow"! Too precious! Those really show her cute personality. 

Hope you haven't been working too hard. Life always seems to get crazy when Spring approaches...for whatever reason. 

Heather


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> Early entry today was at Disneyland park, and there were already quite a few people in line when we arrived at 6:45.


Wow, lots of early risers!  Though I suppose anyone coming from later time zones has a bit easier time with the early mornings...at least it would feel like 8:45am to us. 



RGirl said:


> Oh, this is the Little Red Wagon where you can get hand-dipped corndogs - supposed to be delicious....


Will have to remember that, if/when we get out there. Yum! And maybe Izzy would still like them (toddler food preferences don't stick around long here).



RGirl said:


> Ride vehicle Hidden Mickey!


I love that! Very cool.



RGirl said:


> DL still has Snow White’s Scary Adventures, so we had to do that, of course!


Oh, I forgot the ride was still out there! Thanks for the reminder.



RGirl said:


> (Frontierland is not open during EMH, so it had just opened up at this point.)


That surprises me - no early morning Big Thunder, huh? I guess there are probably plenty of other good EMH options, though.


----------



## KatMark

Roni, playing catch up again!

What a great way to start the day...Starbucks!  You are my kind of girl. 

Space Mountain walk on....nice.

Willow dancing...  I saw that pkondz posted a shout out to her in his TR for the "no dancing."

I miss the Snow White ride.

Too bad that BTMR was down, but glad you got a FP for it for later.

And nice catch on the hidden mickeys on POTC.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *We were up and ready to go bright and early once again - out the door at 6:25AM.*


Wow!  Willow looks awake and ready to go!



RGirl said:


> *A quick detour was needed for coffee and a chocolate milk.*


Apparently she was more awake and ready to go than you... 



RGirl said:


> *Oh, this is the Little Red Wagon where you can get hand-dipped corndogs - supposed to be delicious....*


I so wanted to get one of those.  Every time I passed by it was always a really long line though, and I never took the time to wait.



RGirl said:


> *Some views from our flight.*


Aaaaaah... I want to be back in Disneyland.  



RGirl said:


> *DL still has Snow White’s Scary Adventures, so we had to do that, of course!*


Naturally!



RGirl said:


> *(I should mention here that the A&E meet has since changed; they have moved to DCA as part of Frozen Fun and can now be met via FP. You will hear MUCH more about all that if you join in for our January 2015 TR once I get it going!)*


I was talking to a CM at the Village Haus restaurant one evening and he was telling me about how chaotic it used to be when A&E were there.  He also said that business had slowed to a crawl ever since they moved over to DCA.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Buzz from Toy Story!
> Going back to read...


*That's two more!!  You are creeping up on Courtney there....*



pkondz said:


> She looks pretty chipper for 6:25.
> Is that just a Disney phenomenon? Or is she pretty good on school days?


*She hasn't reached that age yet where they can't get up in the morning. She is a very early riser at home too. *



pkondz said:


> Huh. I'm a little surprised. Most kids don't like coffee.
> How was your chocolate milk?


*DEEEE-licious!*



pkondz said:


> Perchance, the word on rope drop is getting out.


*Right? I was pretty shocked by how many people were there that early. *



pkondz said:


> Okay! Just let me tie my shoelaces... uh, hang on guys. Wait up! Waiiittt!!!


*Oops - sorry!*



pkondz said:


> Nebo and Smidgy's corndogs!!!


*I'm pretty sure I have read one or two of their TRs years ago before I was really posting on the DIS myself. I didn't realize they were DL corndog fans.*



pkondz said:


> Nope. Still not old.


*Very relieved to hear that! *



pkondz said:


> Heh.
> My girls were too scared to go on it first time (4 and 8).
> When they rode it 4 years later, they didn't understand what I was talking about.
> "That's not scary!"
> But I credit it with giving them the courage to try HM (which they loved).


*Kind of missed their SW window there, huh?  *



pkondz said:


> And you got her hands to be blurry!


*And that, my friend, is just how good a photographer I am!!!!  *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the update!


*Thank you! And now I need to get back over to the WDW TR board and catch up on your TR!*


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Is it wrong that the carpet in that hotel gives me goosebumps? Didn't think so.


*Not at all! It's awesome, isn't it?*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I do remember how much I loved Space Mountain in Disneyland. It is just eons better that Magic Kingdom. The walk in to the ride seems so strange to me though. But I do also love a ride vehicle Hidden Mickey.


*I will really miss the DL version this summer. I do agree that the queue area is just bizarre. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ahhh classic Dumbo. I really really do like the look of it in WDW, it's breathtaking, but there is something special about Dumbo in DLand.


*I agree - I like the new Dumbo at MK, but it doesn't seem like it's in the right place back there. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ha, looks like someone needs a "No Dancing" shirt.


*You know, she really does!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Roni, I did Snow White when I was there (of course), but I have a question. Does it kind of end... abruptly? I know we were really confused like "Wait... What... It's over????? It is quite different from the old WDW version so I'm just curious if you found the same. Maybe one time wasn't enough to get it.


*Yes, I think it does! I cannot for the life of me remember what the WDW version was like, but I remember thinking that every time I've ridden the DL version. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I just love looking at your photos. They bring back such great Disneyland memories. The subject of which did come up on my last trip to WDW, so it is on the radar.


*Oh, do tell!!!  Are you going to go??????*



hstrickland said:


> Hiya!  It's been a while since I've been over here, so I had a TON of reading to do  Fabulous pictures as always. I just love "Dancing Willow"! Too precious! Those really show her cute personality.


*Hey there! I've missed you! Glad you stopped by. *



hstrickland said:


> Hope you haven't been working too hard. Life always seems to get crazy when Spring approaches...for whatever reason.


*Yeah, work has been crazy here. I know everything has probably been super-busy for you too. It's so hard to keep up with everything!*


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Wow, lots of early risers!  Though I suppose anyone coming from later time zones has a bit easier time with the early mornings...at least it would feel like 8:45am to us.


*Yeah - I was kind of surprised to see SO many people that early. Maybe they did have a lot of folks visiting from the East Coast - I don't know. *



Dugette said:


> Will have to remember that, if/when we get out there. Yum! And maybe Izzy would still like them (toddler food preferences don't stick around long here).


*Yeah, those changing food preferences - I hate to tell you, but they last a LONG time. So frustrating! *



Dugette said:


> I love that! Very cool.






Dugette said:


> Oh, I forgot the ride was still out there! Thanks for the reminder.


*I still don't understand why they got rid of it at MK. I mean, they have a lot of space, they have way more guests than they do **attractions. How about adding new ones WITHOUT removing old ones? Just an idea...   *



Dugette said:


> That surprises me - no early morning Big Thunder, huh? I guess there are probably plenty of other good EMH options, though.


*Yep - EMH is limited to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. There are a LOT of rides in those two lands though - definitely enough to keep everyone busy.  *



KatMark said:


> Roni, playing catch up again!


*Hi Kathy! As you know, I'm always playing that game! *



KatMark said:


> What a great way to start the day...Starbucks!  You are my kind of girl.


*With the kind of hours we were keeping and the amount of walking we were doing, I would have DIED without Starbucks! *



KatMark said:


> Space Mountain walk on....nice.


*It doesn't get much better than that!*


KatMark said:


> Willow dancing...  I saw that pkondz posted a shout out to her in his TR for the "no dancing."


*I saw that too! Wasn't that so sweet???*



KatMark said:


> I miss the Snow White ride.


*Another reason for you to visit DLR, Kathy!!!*



KatMark said:


> Too bad that BTMR was down, but glad you got a FP for it for later.


*Yep - we couldn't complain. PotC at DL is AMAZING. No complaints!*



afwdwfan said:


> Wow!  Willow looks awake and ready to go!


*Oh, yes, she is very much a morning person. *



afwdwfan said:


> Apparently she was more awake and ready to go than you...


*No doubt!*



afwdwfan said:


> I so wanted to get one of those.  Every time I passed by it was always a really long line though, and I never took the time to wait.


*You can get the hand-dipped corndogs in CA as well. I'm not 100% sure that they are exactly the same, but I think they may very well be.*



afwdwfan said:


> Aaaaaah... I want to be back in Disneyland.


*Oh, you and me both. I can't believe we have no current plans to return. I'm seeing a 9th-birthday trip cropping up out of desperation next year. *



afwdwfan said:


> I was talking to a CM at the Village Haus restaurant one evening and he was telling me about how chaotic it used to be when A&E were there.  He also said that business had slowed to a crawl ever since they moved over to DCA.


*I'm sure that's true! Waiting for A&E on Willow's 7th birthday trip was the longest I have ever waited in a line in my entire life. It was miserable!!!*


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 16 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 12 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 4 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points*

*"So you want a splash, Mr. Starkey? I'll give you a splash!"*​*
Day 12B - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After we disembarked our PotC boat, we made our way through New Orleans Square...*
*





 *​*
... and into Adventureland.*
*

*​*
Oh, hey, this is the entrance of the Dream Suite above PotC - like the suite in Cinderella's Castle, people can win stays here and such.*
*

*​*
Like I said, we made our way into Adventureland....*
*

*​*
Our plan was to get some FPs for Indiana Jones, but the machines were down. What in the world???   (For those counting, that's two mountains and the FP machines for one of the more popular rides all down in the first hour of the park being open.)

Anyway, we doubled back because Willow really wanted to see Tigger today as she was wearing her Tigger cupcake shirt. We knew Tigger and friends would not be out yet, but there were several things that we could enjoy on the way to and in Critter Country. Our first stop was the Haunted Mansion - it was about 8:43, and there was no wait at all. *
*

















*​*
As we were passing by Splash Mountain - I don't do Splash Mountain because I HATE walking around in wet clothes - Willow started begging to go on since the posted wait was basically nothing. Gah - for some reason, I said yes.  And we started our stop-less way through the queue area.*
*

*​
*









*​*
Up Next: Day 12B (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 12B - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

I requested the back rows (Splash in DL is single seats per row), which worked out well as far as getting wet. *
*

*​*
We did have a very nice ride. *
*













*​*
When we got off, we got in line to get our ride photo. But it was taking forever, so we decided to get it later and head over to use our BTMRR FPs since Pooh and friends were not going to be out until sometime between 10:30 and 11. It was only about 9:15 at this point. Thankfully, BTMRR was working now, and we had a great time!*
*









*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
I tried again to get some pics of the new mine-shaft/explosion area, but, well, not great....*
*





*​*
Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we gathered up another set of these.*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 12C*


----------



## Dugette

Sorry so many things were down that morning! Not cool. 

That dream suite over PotC is pretty cool, though, I bet! 

I hate getting wet too and always ask for the back in Splash. I love the ride, though, so can't skip it. So long and so much to look at. 

Oooh, DL Big Thunder! Sounds so fun! I'm sad that they didn't "plus" the WDW one last time they did a refurb.


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Sorry so many things were down that morning! Not cool.


*Yeah, it was weird. I mean, it didn't really bother us because there were plenty of other things to do, but it was strange. *



Dugette said:


> That dream suite over PotC is pretty cool, though, I bet!


*I certainly wouldn't be mad if someone offered me a night's stay there! *



Dugette said:


> I hate getting wet too and always ask for the back in Splash. I love the ride, though, so can't skip it. So long and so much to look at.


*I agree - now that I've figured out that I can ask for the back row, I'm much more willing to do it. I HATE being in wet clothes, but it is such a fun ride. Back row = perfect for me! Even then, I'm not sad if I happen to have a poncho on. *



Dugette said:


> Oooh, DL Big Thunder! Sounds so fun! I'm sad that they didn't "plus" the WDW one last time they did a refurb.


*You know, both Willow and I really enjoyed the addition to BTMRR. We had a lot of fun with it. Almost made it worth having to forego BTMRR on our previous trip due to the refurb. Almost....  *


----------



## dizneeat

*It's a shame so many things were down. 
I had completely forgotten that Splash is single seats at DL. But great to know that the back seats are somewhat more "splash safe". 
That is such a cute photo of Willow passing the regular line on BTMR. And again the "disobey" photos make me laugh.*


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Ooh ooh ooh no one yet? Hook in Peter Pan?

I love how you're able to add these quote titles and have them be so perfect for the chapter.

Oy, that is not a good sign when the FP machines are down for a ride. I don't remember ever seeing that happen, though I'm sure it has.

I love that the look of HM in Dland is so different that MK. In fact, that's something I really appreciated there. Even if the ride was (somewhat) the same, the look and feel is completely unique.

Case in point, Splash Mountain. Single seats there, doubles in MK, and yet Space Mountain is the opposite.


----------



## KatMark

That's too bad the FP machine was down (I think at DW they used to have someone there handing them to you if the machine went down  ).

I'm glad you went on Splash Mountain and didn't get wet. Single riders on Splash? Double riders on Space? Complete opposite of DW. Now, didn't DW used to have single riders on Splash? I'm so confused. 

There goes that Willow dancing again. 

Can I now go see Tigger with Willow?


----------



## pkondz

Oh, geez. Somehow I missed your last post!
Probably opened it, didn't have time to read or started and had to stop then it wasn't marked as "unread" anymore.
Well, I'll be reading it for sure in a bit!
(Won't forget this time, either. Sorry!)


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> Our plan was to get some FPs for Indiana Jones, but the machines were down. What in the world???  (For those counting, that's two mountains and the FP machines for one of the more popular rides all down in the first hour of the park being open.)


So, in other words a typical morning at Disneyland...  



RGirl said:


> As we were passing by Splash Mountain - I don't do Splash Mountain because I HATE walking around in wet clothes - Willow started begging to go on since the posted wait was basically nothing. Gah - for some reason, I said yes.


I love Splash Mountain... but I'm right there with you on the wet clothes thing.  Wet shoes are especially bad.  I always try to dress appropriately or do it right before leaving the park when I plan to ride.



RGirl said:


> *I requested the back rows (Splash in DL is single seats per row), which worked out well as far as getting wet. *


I'm glad you avoided being totally soaked.



RGirl said:


> *I tried again to get some pics of the new mine-shaft/explosion area, but, well, not great....*


Nice try.  That really is a cool effect.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Oh, hey, this is the entrance of the Dream Suite above PotC - like the suite in Cinderella's Castle, people can win stays here and such.*


 
Meh. I dunno. I think I would get a little tired of constantly hearing "Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me".
Especially around two o'clock in the morning.



RGirl said:


> *(For those counting, that's two mountains and the FP machines for one of the more popular rides all down in the first hour of the park being open.)*


 
I wasn't counting, but... Wow! That's a lot down.
I presume you got a full refund?

No?



RGirl said:


> *Willow really wanted to see Tigger today as she was wearing her Tigger cupcake shirt.*


 
I can't think of a better reason to want to go see Tigger.



RGirl said:


> *Our first stop was the Haunted Mansion - it was about 8:43, and there was no wait at all.*


 
Sweet! What's better than HM?
HM with no wait!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
Whoa, whoa, whoa there little girl. What's with the big smile? This is the _Haunted_ Mansion.
Are you not terrified?
Ooooohhhh..... ghosts.
Scared, now?

How about now?


Now?












Now?



RGirl said:


> *I don't do Splash Mountain because I HATE walking around in wet clothes - Willow started begging to go on since the posted wait was basically nothing. Gah - for some reason, I said yes.*


 
 I totally get it.
The sacrifices we make for our children!



RGirl said:


> *I requested the back rows (Splash in DL is single seats per row), which worked out well as far as getting wet.*


 
Oh? So the back rows are less likely to get you wet?
I'll have to remember that.



RGirl said:


> *Thankfully, BTMRR was working now, and we had a great time!*


 
Yes! Another awesome ride!
Who _doesn't_ love BTMRR??



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!*
> ​*
> I disobeyed you!*


 
 Nope. Still not old!



RGirl said:


> *I tried again to get some pics of the new mine-shaft/explosion area, but, well, not great....*


 
Tough getting a picture in there. The ride's moving, your moving, it's dark.
Not an easy shot to take.



RGirl said:


> *Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves so much that we gathered up another set of these.*


 
Woot!
Then again... why wouldn't you?!?



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 12C*


 
Looking forward to it!
Thanks for the update Roni!


----------



## afwdwfan

pkondz said:


> Meh. I dunno. I think I would get a little tired of constantly hearing "Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me".
> Especially around two o'clock in the morning.


We can never be roommates for a Disney trip then.


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> We can never be roommates for a Disney trip then.


 


All my plans, shot down in flames!


----------



## Canadian Harmony

Hi! I LOVE your photos and gifs. You're a talented writer too! Thank you for those pictures of the inside of the BBB. I'm going to show my kids before we go so they have a basic idea of what to expect. One of my DD's can't decide between Rapunzel and Jasmine, the other just wants to be Ariel, but after seeing the photos, they may have a harder time figuring out what they want!

I drove down with my mum to the Bay area when I was 10? 11? and remember (vaguely) stopping at the Sea Lion Caves. How wonderful you guys did that too.

Now I'm thinking, "hmm... planning a drive down in 2 years won't be so hard will it?"... we're leaving from BC though... 

Anyway, looking forward to the next instalment.


----------



## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> *It's a shame so many things were down.*


*
You know, we have generally had very good luck with rides and not having a lot of them go down on us, so this was kind of a weird morning. But not a big deal - there were plenty of other things to do!



dizneeat said:



			I had completely forgotten that Splash is single seats at DL. But great to know that the back seats are somewhat more "splash safe". 

Click to expand...

I won't ride Splash at either MK or DL unless I get the back row! 



dizneeat said:



			That is such a cute photo of Willow passing the regular line on BTMR. And again the "disobey" photos make me laugh.
		
Click to expand...

**Aww - thanks!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ooh ooh ooh no one yet? Hook in Peter Pan?


*You got it!!!  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I love how you're able to add these quote titles and have them be so perfect for the chapter.


*Thank you!!!  It has actually been REALLY hard, and for many of them, I've wondered if anyone actually "gets" what I was trying to do as far as the quotation matching the update at all! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oy, that is not a good sign when the FP machines are down for a ride. I don't remember ever seeing that happen, though I'm sure it has.


*It was definitely weird. Thank goodness there are so many other attractions to do!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I love that the look of HM in Dland is so different that MK. In fact, that's something I really appreciated there. Even if the ride was (somewhat) the same, the look and feel is completely unique.


*I agree! I think it's wonderful that the rides that were included in MK that were also at DL were altered even if just in appearance. And DL's HM is so perfect for its location at DL, and MK's is so perfect for it's location at MK. I love it!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Case in point, Splash Mountain. Single seats there, doubles in MK, and yet Space Mountain is the opposite.


*That one baffles me, but I do love having seats together at Space - in the darkness, I much prefer to have my kid sitting next to me (especially when she was smaller). *



KatMark said:


> That's too bad the FP machine was down (I think at DW they used to have someone there handing them to you if the machine went down  ).


*Hmm, you know, maybe that was the case here? I really don't know - there were SO MANY people kind of standing around confused that we just high-tailed it out of there! *



KatMark said:


> I'm glad you went on Splash Mountain and didn't get wet. Single riders on Splash? Double riders on Space? Complete opposite of DW. Now, didn't DW used to have single riders on Splash? I'm so confused.


*That I don't know. My first trip to WDW was only about 5 years ago! Never went as a kid - only DLR. I love the double-rider situation for Space though. MUCH prefer DL's Space over all, actually.*



KatMark said:


> There goes that Willow dancing again.






KatMark said:


> Can I now go see Tigger with Willow?


*Wouldn't that be so fun????*


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Oh, geez. Somehow I missed your last post!
> Probably opened it, didn't have time to read or started and had to stop then it wasn't marked as "unread" anymore.
> Well, I'll be reading it for sure in a bit!
> (Won't forget this time, either. Sorry!)


*Well, I'm glad you made it back! *



afwdwfan said:


> So, in other words a typical morning at Disneyland...


* You know, it makes me so sad that that was your experience. This was really the only time we have had significant problems with rides being down, and even this trip, it was just a couple of times. *



afwdwfan said:


> I love Splash Mountain... but I'm right there with you on the wet clothes thing.  Wet shoes are especially bad.  I always try to dress appropriately or do it right before leaving the park when I plan to ride.


*It makes me shiver in disgust to think about walking around in wet clothes. I just can't stand it! I am one of those geeks who will wear a dang poncho on Splash Mountain even when it's totally sunny out. I just can't stand wet clothes! *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad you avoided being totally soaked.


*And you know I was glad! *



afwdwfan said:


> Nice try.  That really is a cool effect.


*It drives me crazy that I can never get a decent photo in there - I really want all the WDW people to get a chance to see how cool it is! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Meh. I dunno. I think I would get a little tired of constantly hearing "Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me".
> Especially around two o'clock in the morning.


*Well, you do make a good point, I guess......  *



pkondz said:


> I wasn't counting, but... Wow! That's a lot down.
> I presume you got a full refund?
> 
> No?


*  Honestly, it didn't really put much of a dent in our day. The nice thing about a park filled to the brim with attractions is that there's always something else to do. If you were to go to AK and have EE and the Safari down, well, we would be disappointed. Heck, we were **disappointed on the last trip when just EE was down at rope drop. *



pkondz said:


> I can't think of a better reason to want to go see Tigger.


*I couldn't agree more! *



pkondz said:


> Sweet! What's better than HM?
> HM with no wait!


*Precisely!!!!*



pkondz said:


> Whoa, whoa, whoa there little girl. What's with the big smile? This is the _Haunted_ Mansion.
> Are you not terrified?
> Ooooohhhh..... ghosts.
> Scared, now?
> 
> How about now?
> 
> 
> Now?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now?


 *Willow would love this whole comment!  Too bad she is in bed. I did get to show her the update of your TR with the "no dancing" bit and the picture. She was THRILLED. And she was so excited to see the picture - "So, that's the Funny Guy?????" *



pkondz said:


> I totally get it.
> The sacrifices we make for our children!






pkondz said:


> Oh? So the back rows are less likely to get you wet?
> I'll have to remember that.


*I will not ride Splash without a back-row seat!*



pkondz said:


> Yes! Another awesome ride!
> Who _doesn't_ love BTMRR??


*It will always be one of my absolute faves. I remember loving it so much as a kid too - that and Space. And riding with my dad, which seems like a dream now since it's been decades (he's 80) since he would have been willing to go on a roller coaster. I think that's one of the things I most love about going to DLR with Willow - I can tell her about how I did X attraction with Poppy when I was a kid. She loves that!*



pkondz said:


> Nope. Still not old!


 *Thank goodness.  Still more to go......*



pkondz said:


> Tough getting a picture in there. The ride's moving, your moving, it's dark.
> Not an easy shot to take.


*I continue to try every time!  So stupid. I want the WDW people to see it!!!!  *



pkondz said:


> Woot!
> Then again... why wouldn't you?!?






pkondz said:


> Looking forward to it!
> Thanks for the update Roni!


*Thank YOU for continuing to read along and comment. It is much appreciated!  *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> We can never be roommates for a Disney trip then.





pkondz said:


> All my plans, shot down in flames!


*Now, now, gentlemen, I think you'll be perfect Disney roommates - we'll just get you the castle suite. *



Canadian Harmony said:


> Hi! I LOVE your photos and gifs. You're a talented writer too! Thank you for those pictures of the inside of the BBB. I'm going to show my kids before we go so they have a basic idea of what to expect. One of my DD's can't decide between Rapunzel and Jasmine, the other just wants to be Ariel, but after seeing the photos, they may have a harder time figuring out what they want!


*Wow - thank you so much!*

*Oh, your DDs are going to have SO much fun at the BBB!!!! It has been such a fun time for Willow on our trips, and the DL version is just amazing. We were beyond impressed.  But Willow too always struggles with which gown to get - even when she already has all but two or three! *



Canadian Harmony said:


> I drove down with my mum to the Bay area when I was 10? 11? and remember (vaguely) stopping at the Sea Lion Caves. How wonderful you guys did that too.


*That's so cool! We REALLY enjoyed the road trip part of this trip - at least as much as the Disney part, actually.*



Canadian Harmony said:


> Now I'm thinking, "hmm... planning a drive down in 2 years won't be so hard will it?"... we're leaving from BC though...


*Oh, you should totally do it. That doesn't add that much more time - just that much more to see and visit on the way down! Seriously - I would do this trip again in a heartbeat. It's so hard because there are so many other places I want to visit with Willow. So many wonderful travels, such limited vacation time and dollars! *



Canadian Harmony said:


> Anyway, looking forward to the next instalment.


*Thank you! I hope you continue to join in!!  *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 16 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 12 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
*
*"Half off swimming suits, clogs, and a sun balm of my own invention."*​*
Day 12C - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After the wildest ride in the wilderness, we crossed back over to Critter Country. It was still only about 9:45 at this point. We decided to check out the Winnie the Pooh ride - always fun and apparently never any wait.*
*

*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!!*
*





























*​*
After our ride, we couldn't resist trying some treats at the dump shop. Don't they look good???*
*

*​*
Willow chose a marshmallow Olaf.*
*

*​*
I went with a Tigger Tail - marshmallows, caramel, chocolate. *
*

*​*
And we quickly learned that we are better off sharing treats like this - WAY too much sugar for one person. Especially when you combine it with a blue raspberry Goofy Glacier!*
*

*​*
After our snacks, we wandered down to the Hungry Bear Restaurant area to use the bathroom down there. *
*

*​*
At this point, it was getting close to 10:30, so we headed back to the Pooh and Friends meet-and-greet area to see if they were making their way out yet. With no 100 Acre Woods characters in sight, we decided to check out the gift shop for a bit.*
*





*​*
I believe Willow bought a little Pluto clip-on thing here to add to her backpack for second grade. In fact, I am pretty sure that you can see it in the "first day of school" pics that I posted. Hang on, I'll get it for you....*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 12C (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 12C - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

Right about 10:30, we went ahead and got in the queue for Pooh and Friends - we were the second family in line. This is a really cute meet-and-greet spot.*
*

*​*
Unfortunately, only Eeyore showed up at 10:43. Not that we don't love Eeyore, but as you may recall, we were really here to find Tigger. Of course, Willow did not snub Eeyore.*
*

*​*
The CM with Eeyore said that Pooh and Tigger would be out at 11. So after meeting Eeyore, we decided to hoof it over to BTMRR to use our second set of FPs.*
*





*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*





*​*
And then it was BACK over to Critter Country to see if we could still catch Tigger and Pooh since we exited BTMRR just a few minutes after 11:00. Somehow, we managed to be in the line for Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore (again) at 11:07. Again, this is a really cute place with a little spot for each character.*
*





*​*
Willow was finally meeting Tigger at 11:17.  He loved her cupcake shirt - kept rubbing his tummy to tell us how delicious it was.*
*













*​*
Eeyore again - this time, Willow told him to "stop being sad" and he promised (crossed his heart) that he would do his best.*
*





*​*
And finally, Willow said hello to Pooh Bear before we ditched Critter Country for the morning.*
*





*​*
Up Next: Day 12D*


----------



## afwdwfan

Oaken from Frozen.

I'll reply tomorrow.   Excited to finally have a chance to play the game!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *I did get to show her the update of your TR with the "no dancing" bit and the picture. She was THRILLED. And she was so excited to see the picture - "So, that's the Funny Guy?????" *


 




RGirl said:


> *I think that's one of the things I most love about going to DLR with Willow - I can tell her about how I did X attraction with Poppy when I was a kid. She loves that!*


 
Awww... That's really nice.



RGirl said:


> *Now, now, gentlemen, I think you'll be perfect Disney roommates - we'll just get you the castle suite. *


 
Sweet! Let us know when you've made all the arrangements!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *After our ride, we couldn't resist trying some treats at the dump shop. Don't they look good???*






RGirl said:


> *And we quickly learned that we are better off sharing treats like this - WAY too much sugar for one person. Especially when you combine it with a blue raspberry Goofy Glacier!*


There's no such thing as too much sugar on vacation!

Love a good Goofy Glacier!



RGirl said:


> *Of course, Willow did not snub Eeyore.*


Of course not!  Any character meet is a good one!



RGirl said:


> Willow was finally meeting Tigger at 11:17.  He loved her cupcake shirt - kept rubbing his tummy to tell us how delicious it was.


I'm glad the effort to see him paid off! 



RGirl said:


> *Now, now, gentlemen, I think you'll be perfect Disney roommates - we'll just get you the castle suite. *


He might not like it if I wake up singing "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A pirate's life for me" at 2 am though.



pkondz said:


> Sweet! Let us know when you've made all the arrangements!


I'm in.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!!*


 
Aaaaaand..... still not old!



RGirl said:


> *After our ride, we couldn't resist trying some treats at the dump shop. Don't they look good???*


 
I defy anyone to show me Disney treats that _don't_ look good.



RGirl said:


> *I went with a Tigger Tail - marshmallows, caramel, chocolate.
> 
> 
> *


 
Must be something else on there? Powdered sugar or something? To give it the sparkly orange texture?



RGirl said:


> *WAY too much sugar for one person. Especially when you combine it with a blue raspberry Goofy Glacier!*


 
Oh, boy. Was she like this  when she finished all that?



RGirl said:


> *I believe Willow bought a little Pluto clip-on thing here to add to her backpack for second grade. In fact, I am pretty sure that you can see it in the "first day of school" pics that I posted.*



I remember that, but didn't notice the Pluto at the time.



RGirl said:


> *Unfortunately, only Eeyore showed up at 10:43.*


 
She must've been a little disappointed?



RGirl said:


> *we decided to hoof it over to BTMRR to use our second set of FPs.*
> *
> 
> *


 
There she goes! She's off!

 She really did hoof it!



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!*
> *I disobeyed you!*


 
Still cracks me up every time.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was finally meeting Tigger at 11:17.  He loved her cupcake shirt - kept rubbing his tummy to tell us how delicious it was.*


 
Willow must've been over the moon excited.



RGirl said:


> *Eeyore again - this time, Willow told him to "stop being sad" and he promised (crossed his heart) that he would do his best.*


 
Aw. But I'm pretty sure the best he can do is try.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 12D*


 
Thanks for the update!


----------



## KatMark

Hmmm....I don't know if it is just me, but some of your pictures are not showing up. 

Willow and her dancing. 

The Pooh ride looks like it has a few differnt things than the DW one.

That Tigger Tail with marshamallows, caramel and chocolate LOOKS very sugary. That's too much for me...especially that early in the day.

I love Willow's clip-on for her backpack.

And  for getting to Big Thunder Mountain and back again in time for for Tigger and Pooh. I do love that Tigger. And I love Willow's shirt.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Hahaha, oh that Winnie the Pooh ride threw me. Actually so many Disneyland attractions start/load outside that it seems so weird. No way they could do that that in Florida. But I am still saddened that the Country Bears got evicted. 

That Tigger Tail is so cute. I'd never seen that before.

I am a big fan of any well themed Meet and Greet. Outdoors is generally tougher, so nice that they cute it up like that.

Thank goodness Willow didn't snub Eeyore. He's depressed enough. That would have for sure put him over the edge.

This meet and greet area reminds me of the now defunct character trails at Animal Kingdom. Very cute. I'm a big fan of meeting the Pooh gang since they've been some of my most memorable meets ever. Love them.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

oh, Roni!  I feel like I've missed the whole trip!  i'm all caught up now and LOVING all this Disneyland-ness!  why just it just seem so colorful and happy in all your pics?  so there's way too much to comment on, but I will say that I LOVE all the dancing willow pics!  what a rebel she is!


----------



## Dugette

Fun stuff! Very cool that you could get right onto Pooh's ride. I have heard those Tigger Tails are a top-notch Disneyland treat! Sounds tasty. Nice job squeezing in your FP between the Pooh & friends meets. Glad that Willow finally got her Tigger meet!


----------



## shan23877

Your treat looks delish! And the pics of Tigger and Willow are too cute. Definitely worth the wait! 

I having the WORST time keeping up here. You are moving too fast for me! Though if I'm not commenting, that's actually less work for you replying to me. You're welcome. You might owe me some treats for all of the comments that I have meant to post, but didn't!


----------



## KatMark

shan23877 said:


> I having the WORST time keeping up here. You are moving too fast for me! Though if I'm not commenting, that's actually less work for you replying to me. You're welcome. You might owe me some treats for all of the comments that I have meant to post, but didn't!


 

Now, that's funny Shan.


----------



## courtneybelle

Bummed because I knew these quotes...but I was in Europe so I can't really complain 

I don't know if we did Dumbo while we were at DL. Nice views of the Matterhorn!

Ughhhh I HATE Snow White's Scary Adventures. Hate it hate it hate it. Because it still scared me up until it closed. Yes, I am a weenie.

Oh my gosh, Big Thunder Ranch! I LOVED that!

Okay, I am a WDW devotee, but I have to say that Splash Mountain in DL is WORLDS better than the one in WDW. I'm obsessed.

TIGGER TAILS. Oh my gosh. So good. Though now that there are marshmallow Olafs I think I'll have a new favorite...

"Stop being sad!" I'm crying that's so cute!


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Oaken from Frozen.
> 
> I'll reply tomorrow.   Excited to finally have a chance to play the game!


*Hurray! Welcome to The Land of **Points! *



pkondz said:


> Awww... That's really nice.






pkondz said:


> Sweet! Let us know when you've made all the arrangements!


*Will do! I'm thinking maybe this summer - late July/early August. I hear there will be extra princesses around during that time. *



afwdwfan said:


> There's no such thing as too much sugar on vacation!






afwdwfan said:


> Love a good Goofy Glacier!


*You know, I'm never tempted to drink neon-colored, no-flavor-found-in-nature beverages in my real life, but I sure do love them on a Disney vacation! *



afwdwfan said:


> Of course not!  Any character meet is a good one!


*Agree whole-heartedly!*



afwdwfan said:


> I'm glad the effort to see him paid off!


*So was Willow! *



afwdwfan said:


> He might not like it if I wake up singing "Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A pirate's life for me" at 2 am though.


*I think he'd end up joining right in.  *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm in.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Aaaaaand..... still not old!


*Phew!!*



pkondz said:


> I defy anyone to show me Disney treats that _don't_ look good.


*True story.*



pkondz said:


> Must be something else on there? Powdered sugar or something? To give it the sparkly orange texture?


*There was coarse, orange, decorative sugar to give that effect. Added a nice crunch. And even more SWEET. *



pkondz said:


> Oh, boy. Was she like this  when she finished all that?


*Not too bad. Thankfully, she is not usually super-affected by sugar. I, however, felt like I wanted to die. *



pkondz said:


> I remember that, but didn't notice the Pluto at the time.


*Cute, isn't it?*



pkondz said:


> She must've been a little disappointed?


*Nah - she was happy to see Eeyore and knew we would come back. *



pkondz said:


> There she goes! She's off!
> 
> She really did hoof it!






pkondz said:


> Still cracks me up every time.


*Thank goodness! This little exchange kept up the whole trip. *



pkondz said:


> Willow must've been over the moon excited.


*She loved it - it was right up there with when Pluto tried to eat the Pluto cupcake off of her shirt. *



pkondz said:


> Aw. But I'm pretty sure the best he can do is try.


*Willow is a weirdly empathetic person - she just can't let it go with Eeyore. She just desperately wants him to cheer up. She tries every time. *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the update!


*Thanks for sticking around. I really wish I could find a way to update more often. I keep trying, but it just doesn't seem to happen. I want to start the TR for our January trip before next January! *



KatMark said:


> Hmmm....I don't know if it is just me, but some of your pictures are not showing up.


*Oh no! They show up for me, so I don't know what happened. I hope they eventually showed up for you. *



KatMark said:


> Willow and her dancing.


*She got a real kick out of that whole "no dancing" thing on this trip. *



KatMark said:


> The Pooh ride looks like it has a few differnt things than the DW one.


*You know, I haven't done the WDW one enough times to know whether the inside is different, but the ride vehicles are completely different.*



KatMark said:


> That Tigger Tail with marshamallows, caramel and chocolate LOOKS very sugary. That's too much for me...especially that early in the day.


*Yeah, I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so it was too much for me. In the past, we have shared one, and it was perfect - it really is very tasty, but better shared. Willow really wanted that Olaf though..... *



KatMark said:


> I love Willow's clip-on for her backpack.


*Isn't that cute? He's still securely attached to her backpack after all these months too. *


KatMark said:


> And  for getting to Big Thunder Mountain and back again in time for for Tigger and Pooh. I do love that Tigger. And I love Willow's shirt.


*It really worked out very well!*

*And thanks - that Tigger cupcake is one of my favorites that I've done. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hahaha, oh that Winnie the Pooh ride threw me. Actually so many Disneyland attractions start/load outside that it seems so weird. No way they could do that that in Florida. But I am still saddened that the Country Bears got evicted.


*Yeah, the queue and entrance and ride vehicles on the Winnie the Pooh ride are completely different - seriously, I'm going to be so lost at WDW this summer. *

*You know, I think it's just weird that they got rid of the Country Bears at DL. I'm assuming it was original there and imported to MK, so I can't figure out why they wouldn't have found a way to keep it at DL. Sad. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> That Tigger Tail is so cute. I'd never seen that before.


*Oh, they are delicious! Just make sure you share one with someone. SOOOO much sugar..... *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I am a big fan of any well themed Meet and Greet. Outdoors is generally tougher, so nice that they cute it up like that.


*I was really impressed with it - well-themed and cute.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Thank goodness Willow didn't snub Eeyore. He's depressed enough. That would have for sure put him over the edge.


*Willow works very hard to try to get Eeyore to cheer up every time she meets him. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> This meet and greet area reminds me of the now defunct character trails at Animal Kingdom. Very cute. I'm a big fan of meeting the Pooh gang since they've been some of my most memorable meets ever. Love them.


*Oh, Rob, the demise of Camp Minnie/Mickey is the one thing that has broken our hearts about the changes to AK. Willow and I have amazing memories of character meets in those little AK trails there. So much fun and so easy to meet so many characters. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> oh, Roni!  I feel like I've missed the whole trip!  i'm all caught up now and LOVING all this Disneyland-ness!  why just it just seem so colorful and happy in all your pics?  so there's way too much to comment on, but I will say that I LOVE all the dancing willow pics!  what a rebel she is!


*Lori! It's so great to "see" you again. I'm so glad you're back. And I'm excited for your upcoming cruise too!!! *



Dugette said:


> Fun stuff! Very cool that you could get right onto Pooh's ride. I have heard those Tigger Tails are a top-notch Disneyland treat! Sounds tasty. Nice job squeezing in your FP between the Pooh & friends meets. Glad that Willow finally got her Tigger meet!


*Oh, yeah, the Winnie the Pooh ride at DL is always a walk-on - at least every time we have ever done it. I don't think we've ever really waited - maybe 5 minutes? It's so funny how some of the long-wait rides at WDW have no wait at all at DL. I guess it must be that there are so many more attractions crammed into each park in DLR???  *



shan23877 said:


> Your treat looks delish! And the pics of Tigger and Willow are too cute. Definitely worth the wait!
> 
> I having the WORST time keeping up here. You are moving too fast for me! Though if I'm not commenting, that's actually less work for you replying to me. You're welcome. You might owe me some treats for all of the comments that I have meant to post, but didn't!


*Nice try. You do know that I have actually written down and am **maintaining an iPhone Note of all the drinks you owe me, right???? *



courtneybelle said:


> Bummed because I knew these quotes...but I was in Europe so I can't really complain


*You know what? I believe you! And I do know that you were in Europe. Totally gettin' a point there! *



courtneybelle said:


> I don't know if we did Dumbo while we were at DL. Nice views of the Matterhorn!


*Yeah, nice views. Do you know that I hate the Dumbo ride? It terrifies me. I have to sit on the outside because I have a child with me, and that opening from which one could drop to her death is right there next to me, and my child insists on flying the poor elephant at his maximum height the entire time during which she controls him. *



courtneybelle said:


> Ughhhh I HATE Snow White's Scary Adventures. Hate it hate it hate it. Because it still scared me up until it closed. Yes, I am a weenie.


*Suddenly not feeling quite as bad about my Dumbo issues.....*



courtneybelle said:


> Oh my gosh, Big Thunder Ranch! I LOVED that!


*Yeah, I was actually getting pretty irritated that, in all our trips to DLR, I haven't been able to convince Willow to visit Big Thunder Ranch. *



courtneybelle said:


> Okay, I am a WDW devotee, but I have to say that Splash Mountain in DL is WORLDS better than the one in WDW. I'm obsessed.


*Oh, I'm interested to hear this. I have never been able to properly report on whether this one was better at DL or MK because I have only done the MK version once. What makes the DL one better?????*



courtneybelle said:


> TIGGER TAILS. Oh my gosh. So good. Though now that there are marshmallow Olafs I think I'll have a new favorite...


*I had very fond memories of the Tigger Tail, so the Olaf one didn't interest me at all. I couldn't change Willow's mind though, so we ended up with two. Definitely TOO much! *



courtneybelle said:


> "Stop being sad!" I'm crying that's so cute!


*Willow can't bear it when others are sad. She gets pretty sad herself. So she's kind of on a mission to cheer up Eeyore. Good luck, kiddo......*


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 17 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 12 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 2 points
*
*"Give me a snack! - What's the magic word?"*​*
Day 12D - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had spent the morning running between Frontierland, New Orleans Square and Critter Country. So after meeting Tigger and friends, we decided to make use of the train station in New Orleans Square and take the train all the way around to Tomorrowland as Willow was (as per usual) requesting that we try to ride the Matterhorn.*
*

*​
*

*​*
That picture just above was taken to remind me to tell you about a great story from our Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. When you are sitting in the train station waiting for the train, you can hear the tap-tap-tap of the Morse Code coming from that building. According to our guide, those tap-tap-taps are actually tapping out Walt's opening day speech at Disneyland. 

No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
Soon we were on the train, enjoying the scenery as we made our way to Tomorrowland.*
*









*​*
Hey, I said, no dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
Soon we spotted Willow's destination of choice in the distance.*
*

*​*
But when we arrived, we discovered that the wait time was INSANE, and the single rider line was closed for some unknown reason. 

It was about 11:30, so we decided to get lunch. We had a lengthy debate here - I was pushing for the Mexican food counter service (which, unfortunately, was back toward Frontierland) and Willow was pushing for the Tomorrowland Terrace again. I'll let you guess who won.*
*

*​*
Willow went for nuggets and fries once again.*
*

*​*
And I had a burger.*
*

*​*
Our meals were hot, fresh, and tasty. We were not unhappy at all.

We finished our early lunch at about 12:10 and decided that we really needed to get out of the sun and have a little rest. We started heading to the front of the park, but we had to stop for some delicious Disney popcorn to take with us.*
*

*​*
We also had to stop at City Hall for some very important tickets. 

And apparently, we stopped again at some point so that Willow could enjoy her popcorn while seated. *
*

*​*
By 1:00, we were arriving back at our hotel*
*





*​*
Willow was almost immediately asleep once we entered the room and continued to sleep for two and a half hours!  I believe even I slept a little, which would come as a HUGE shock if any of you actually knew me and my sleeping abilities.

Up Next: Day 12E*


----------



## afwdwfan

Frozen

Kristoff/Sven


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Frozen
> 
> Kristoff/Sven


*Impressive! Two in a row! You know, with a third (), I think we could say you were officially on a roll.....*


----------



## pkondz

Frozen... uh.... Kristoff


----------



## pkondz

agh! didn't even look to see if someone posted, just threw it out there....
after I got over my brainfart.... Name... name.... what's that name again???? Kristoff! Right!

sheesh.


----------



## afwdwfan

I've been sitting here watching basketball and trying to catch up on some threads.  As soon as I saw you doing replies, I opened your TR in a web browser and just kept refreshing every few minutes.  I have no pride.  And I'm competitive.  I've got to at least get off of the bottom of the board.


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 17 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 12 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 4 points
*
*"If it's not baroque, don't fix it."*​
*Day 12E - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort*

*When I last left off, we were napping in our comfy hotel. Awwww*

*Don't worry, we got up and headed out again. First, we showered and put on some clean clothes - we're classy like that. 

Anyway, we headed back out at 4:50PM. *
*

*​
*This time, we decided to take the monorail from DTD into Tomorrowland.*
*


*​*No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​
*We arrived in Tomorrowland at about 5:15PM.*
*

*​*
Unfortunately, the wait for Willow's beloved Matterhorn was over an hour, and everything just felt crazy-crowded. The very good thing about this was that Willow actually agreed that it would be a good idea to go over to the Royal Theater and see if we could catch the 5:45 show - this relatively new establishment was in existence for our January 2014 trip, but someone would not stop to check it out.  We arrived at about 5:20, and there was a small line waiting to get in to see the Beauty and the Beast show. Willow got in line for the show, and I got in line for a refreshment - a boysenberry apple freeze, which we shared and very much enjoyed.*
*

*​
*As you can see, Willow found a nice spot to SIT while we waited to be let in.*
*

*​*
We did not have to wait long. We were in the open-air theater and seated by 5:32.*
*

*

*





*​*
This was a very funny and entertaining version of Beauty and the Beast told by a small group of players - our narrators (and jesters, really) played a variety of roles, mostly Gaston and the Beast. These were our narrators.*
*

*​
*Belle was pretty funny too - correcting the narrators about certain things.*
*

*

*

*​
*One narrator became Gaston - nice touch with the skunk on his head!*
*

*​
*There was some concern that his muscles were not big enough, so a villager assisted with that.*
*

*​
*Lumiere was very cool!*
*

*​
*The Beast!*
*

*

*

*​
*Willow was pretty enthralled - she usually is; I can’t figure out why it’s so hard to get her to see the shows!*
*





*​
*A fight ensued.*
*

*

*

*​
*The Beast did not fare so well.*
*

*​
*But all turned out okay.*
*

*​
*This was a VERY good time! Bravo!*
*

*​
*Up Next: Day 12F*


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Frozen... uh.... Kristoff





pkondz said:


> agh! didn't even look to see if someone posted, just threw it out there....
> after I got over my brainfart.... Name... name.... what's that name again???? Kristoff! Right!
> 
> sheesh.





afwdwfan said:


> I've been sitting here watching basketball and trying to catch up on some threads.  As soon as I saw you doing replies, I opened your TR in a web browser and just kept refreshing every few minutes.  I have no pride.  And I'm competitive.  I've got to at least get off of the bottom of the board.


*I'm tempted to keep posting updates one on top of the other tonight just to keep this rivalry going!  *


----------



## pkondz

Cogsworth. Beauty and the Beast


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> But when we arrived, we discovered that the wait time was INSANE


Yuck, that's too bad.  



RGirl said:


> It was about 11:30, so we decided to get lunch. We had a lengthy debate here - I was pushing for the Mexican food counter service (which, unfortunately, was back toward Frontierland) and Willow was pushing for the Tomorrowland Terrace again. I'll let you guess who won.


Hey, she saved you a lot of walking.  You should be thanking her! 



RGirl said:


> Our meals were hot, fresh, and tasty. We were not unhappy at all.


That's always a good thing.  We actually ate there too.  Not that they were bad, but Disneyland burgers just didn't seem the same as Disney World burgers.  Just me?  Probably.



RGirl said:


> By 1:00, we were arriving back at our hotel


Ok, your picture of Disneyland hotel makes me want to be there.  I really wish we had stayed there instead of GCH. 



RGirl said:


> Willow was almost immediately asleep once we entered the room and continued to sleep for two and a half hours!  I believe even I slept a little, which would come as a HUGE shock if any of you actually knew me and my sleeping abilities.


I get it!  I'm not a napper and I definitely fell victim to the comfort of my bed on our WDW trip.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> I'm tempted to keep posting updates one on top of the other tonight just to keep this rivalry going!


It's midnight here.  I've got to go to work in the morning so I'm going to bed.  And I missed out on three in a row by trying to actually read and reply to the last update.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *I hear there will be extra princesses around during that time. *


 
Can two of them be Ariel?



RGirl said:


> *Not too bad. Thankfully, she is not usually super-affected by sugar. I, however, felt like I wanted to die.*


 




RGirl said:


> *Willow is a weirdly empathetic person - she just can't let it go with Eeyore. She just desperately wants him to cheer up. She tries every time. *


 
Awww!! That's so adorable!



RGirl said:


> *Willow was (as per usual) requesting that we try to ride the Matterhorn.*


 
Well.... of course.



RGirl said:


> *When you are sitting in the train station waiting for the train, you can hear the tap-tap-tap of the Morse Code coming from that building. According to our guide, those tap-tap-taps are actually tapping out Walt's opening day speech at Disneyland. *


 
That's so cool!



RGirl said:


> *I disobeyed you!*


 


RGirl said:


> *I disobeyed you!*


 
This child is the most disobedient child I've ever seen.
Good thing she's cute as a button, otherwise she'd be in trouble.



RGirl said:


> *But when we arrived, we discovered that the wait time was INSANE, and the single rider line was closed for some unknown reason. *


 
Ugh.
pkondz does not stand in line for rides.



RGirl said:


> *I'll let you guess who won.*


 
Too easy! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow went for nuggets and fries once again.*


 
What????? No!!!!
I'm absolutely gobsmacked!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
I've probably said this before but,
I love how Willow's always got this big smile going.
Yes, I know, she's a normal kid and has her not so happy moments too.
But man. If that right there doesn't make the price of admission to Disney worthwhile, I don't know what would.



RGirl said:


> *We also had to stop at City Hall for some very important tickets. *


 
Oh? Just gonna drop that in there, huh?



RGirl said:


> *By 1:00, we were arriving back at our hotel*


 
With popcorn still firmly in hand, I see.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was almost immediately asleep once we entered the room and continued to sleep for two and a half hours!*


 
Whoa! That was one tuckered out little girl!



afwdwfan said:


> I've been sitting here watching basketball and trying to catch up on some threads.  As soon as I saw you doing replies, I opened your TR in a web browser and just kept refreshing every few minutes.  I have no pride.  And I'm competitive.  I've got to at least get off of the bottom of the board. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]


 
Oh, it's on mister!!



RGirl said:


> *First, we showered and put on some clean clothes - we're classy like that.*


 
Cleanliness is next to impossible on vacation.



RGirl said:


> *I disobeyed you!*


 
Again???? Shouldn't you maybe try scolding her once in a while?
(And no. Still not old. Too adorable.)



RGirl said:


> *this relatively new establishment was in existence for our January 2014 trip, but someone would not stop to check it out.*


 




RGirl said:


> *a boysenberry apple freeze, which we shared and very much enjoyed.*


 
That sounds good. 



RGirl said:


> *There was some concern that his muscles were not big enough, so a villager assisted with that.*


 
Very helpful.



RGirl said:


> *Lumiere was very cool!*


 
Shouldn't he be classified as "hot"?



RGirl said:


> *I'm tempted to keep posting updates one on top of the other tonight just to keep this rivalry going!*


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> It's midnight here.  I've got to go to work in the morning so I'm going to bed.  And I missed out on three in a row by trying to actually read and reply to the last update.


 
Ha! I'm at work (and it's slow) so I've got allllll night.
Post a bunch more, Roni!


----------



## RGirl

*Replies to come - I'm really trying to get this thing wrapped up. And I can't resist the opportunity to see if pkondz is really paying attention, so I'm throwing him one more opportunity for points before I close up shop for the night! *
*
The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 17 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 14 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 4 points
*
*"Food always comes to those who love to cook."*​*
Day 12F - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left you, Willow and I were enjoying the Beauty and the Beast show at the Royal Theater. When that ended, we decided to head over to New Orleans Square, because we needed to be in that area for our exciting nighttime event! It was about 6:20 at this point, and we noticed that there was no wait for the Haunted Mansion, so we decided to do that again, having already determined that the wait times for PotC and Indy were far too long.*
*









*​*
Tonight was our Fantasmic! night, and I had sprung for the dessert/premium viewing tickets. We had picked those up earlier. This is an interesting thing that DL has going - the early showing of Fantasmic! starts at 9:00. There is no theater for Fantasmic! at Disneyland - the show happens on the River of America, and guests watch from the tiered walk-ways along the river. The tickets (which cost a ridiculous amount) entitle you to an actual chair, a reserved spot with a good view, a box of desserts, and beverages served to you prior to and during the show. Sounds great until you realize that, even with this special package, you are encouraged to line up early so that you can pick the best possible chairs.  (Of course, since this trip, DL has completely changed the Fantasmic! viewing with FPs and various FP dining options giving you some kind of "premium" seating, which I'm guessing is much like World of Color, which I described in a previous update.)

Knowing the above, after our spin on a Doom Buggy, we headed over to the check-in area for the premium viewing for Fantasmic! to see if anything was going on. It was a little after 6:30 at this point; remember, the show is at 9. There were already a lot of people camped out in the area right along the river with blankets spread out, eating dinner, etc. We found that there was already one person in line at the premium viewing check-in as well, even though check-in wasn't supposed to happen until 8. We chatted with him for a bit (he had done this many times, so we figured he knew what he was doing), and then another guy showed up and got in line behind us (he also had done this many times). We, of course, were newbies and had gotten in line without getting dinner. GAH! Luckily, the nice gentleman behind us said he would save our spot while we ran to get some dinner. We went to the Hungry Bear counter service and got food and came back. To find that the "line" (i.e., the two guys mentioned above) was gone!!!  

Luckily, there was a CM nearby who saw our confused faces, assumed I was the spouse of one of the guys (an assumption I was not about to correct at this point), and showed us through to the check-in podium where they were now lined up. Our friend gave us our spot back in line, even though I offered to let him stay in front of us. There were several other people in line now as well, so we were glad we had gotten in line early! It was about 7:00 now, still an hour prior to the check-in time for picking our chairs. We enjoyed our meal while in line. 

Willow chose the kid's Power Pack, which included yogurt, a banana, apples, carrots, goldfish, and a small water bottle.*
*

*​*
I had the Big Al’s Chicken Salad (smoked chicken on top of romaine and iceberg lettuce with watermelon, candied pecans, dried cherries, pickled red onions, and honey-lime vinaigrette), which was very tasty, albeit difficult to eat while standing at a railing.*
*

*​*
Here's what it looked like below our area - you can see tons of people had already settled in for the 9:00 show.*
*

*​*
Right ahead was Tom Sawyer Island (also the stage for some of the show).*
*

*​*
A little before 8:00, a CM came to the podium to check us in, and we chose front-row seats and went on our way. Once you choose your seats, they are yours, so you can go do something else for a little bit.

We used the time to make our way through New Orleans Square and find a bathroom.*
*

*​*
And we took another quick spin on a Doom Buggy, since there was no wait.*
*





*​*
Before I get to the next update in which we will actually see Fantasmic!, I want to kind of answer a question many of you may have at this point: Is it really necessary to line up at 6:30 to claim a chair for which you have already paid an excessive amount of money for a show that doesn't start until 9:00? Answer is I'm not totally sure. We had great seats, but it really didn't seem to me that any of the seats were bad. With a small child though, it's probably advisable to get there early and guarantee yourself a front-row chair. If everyone in our family were tall (okay, if anyone in our family was tall), I would seriously consider just foregoing this weird Wait to Reserve a Seat You Already Paid a Lot to Reserve. But I would still pay to have a real seat, nice desserts and beverages. Of course, again, I don't think this option exists anymore as the Fantasmic! viewing has gone to FP and dining options (like World of Color).

Up Next: Day 12G*


----------



## pkondz

Oh, poop. I know the movie... just not who said it.
Ratatouille... although I was thinking Kung Fu Panda at first!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *And I can't resist the opportunity to see if pkondz is really paying attention, so I'm throwing him one more opportunity for points before I close up shop for the night! *


 
See above.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *there was no wait for the Haunted Mansion, so we decided to do that again,*


 
Yes! Why wouldn't you?
I mean, really.... why wouldn't you???



RGirl said:


> *Tonight was our Fantasmic! night, and I had sprung for the dessert/premium viewing tickets.*


 
Ah! So that's what that was for.



RGirl said:


> *We had picked those up earlier.*


 
It feels like only minutes ago.



RGirl said:


> *The tickets (which cost a ridiculous amount)*


 
What? Expensive tickets at Disney?
Shocked!



RGirl said:


> *entitle you to an actual chair, a reserved spot with a good view, a box of desserts, and beverages served to you prior to and during the show.*


 
Pretty nice!



RGirl said:


> *It was a little after 6:30 at this point; remember, the show is at 9.*


 
Two and a half hours early????

No. Just no.



RGirl said:


> *We, of course, were newbies and had gotten in line without getting dinner. GAH!*


 
Gah indeed. If it was just me (and possibly, just you) I'd suck it up knowing I would just eat later.
But when a little girl is hungry.... yeah. Not gonna happen.



RGirl said:


> *Luckily, the nice gentleman behind us said he would save our spot while we ran to get some dinner.*


 
That's nice of him. 



RGirl said:


> *To find that the "line" (i.e., the two guys mentioned above) was gone!!! *


 
What???? And he seemed so nice!



RGirl said:


> *there was a CM nearby who saw our confused faces, assumed I was the spouse of one of the guys (an assumption I was not about to correct at this point),*


 
Hey! Congratulations on your recent nuptuals!
And you kept it so secret!



RGirl said:


> *Willow chose the kid's Power Pack, which included yogurt, a banana, apples, carrots, goldfish, and a small water bottle.*


 
No chicken nuggets there, huh?



RGirl said:


> *Here's what it looked like below our area - you can see tons of people had already settled in for the 9:00 show.*


 
That's insane.

Then again... these are the same people who will stand in line for eight hours to see Frozen princesses.



RGirl said:


> *Once you choose your seats, they are yours, so you can go do something else for a little bit.*


 
Oh, that's not quite so bad then.



RGirl said:


> *And we took another quick spin on a Doom Buggy, since there was no wait.*


 
Woot!

Thanks for all the updates! :


----------



## Woodskeeper

Gusteau from Ratatouille!

Ridiculous  long time lurker, had to come out for the game!


----------



## pkondz

Woodskeeper said:


> Ridiculous  long time lurker, had to come out for the game!


 
Gotta love someone who refers to themselves as "Ridiculous long time lurker".


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Um...  <--- Yeah this happened a little bit at just the thought of the Morse Code speech. Walt would LOVE that especially at the train station.

Awww the train. This is officially the very first attraction I did in Disneyland. Of course the fact that my first ever visit was during the Leap day 24 hour even in 2012 and everything else had insane lines definitely contributed to that.
Tomorrowland Terrace... the very first offical Disneyland eating establishment for me as well for much the same reason as above.

Hmm, that Beauty and the Beast show seems interesting. I used to be a hard one to get to shows as well. It wasn't because I didn't like them, though. It was usually a matter of, what else could I be doing right now?? And the "else" always won out. By the time you wait for a show and then watch said show, it's a pretty good time investment. I always was thinking about what I might be missing, lol. Given her love of thrills, I have a feeling Willow is possibly the same way. I've softened a lot on that now though and love watching shows.

This is one thing I don't know that I can get on board for. Getting in line hours before a show is one thing. But to waste all that time in Disneyland just makes me sad. Especially with a "premium" package. GAH! BUT, that's pretty interesting that once you select your seats you're good. So at least you're not waiting the entire time. But I guess it's all moot now, lol. YAY Fantasmic!!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Cogsworth. Beauty and the Beast


*TWO POINTS!!!!  *



afwdwfan said:


> Yuck, that's too bad.


*There were definitely a lot of long lines that time of year. *



afwdwfan said:


> Hey, she saved you a lot of walking.  You should be thanking her!


*Yes, I suppose I should! *



afwdwfan said:


> That's always a good thing.  We actually ate there too.  Not that they were bad, but Disneyland burgers just didn't seem the same as Disney World burgers.  Just me?  Probably.


*We've always enjoyed our food at Tomorrowland Terrace. However, we are almost always starving when we stop there, so we're not too picky at that point. I don't think I've had more than one burger at WDW, and that would have been quite a few years ago (the DxDDP means very few burgers I have found), so I cannot compare. *



afwdwfan said:


> Ok, your picture of Disneyland hotel makes me want to be there.  I really wish we had stayed there instead of GCH.


*Really???  I would think the GCH would be wonderful. I always feel slightly sad that I can't afford to stay there. Maybe I should stop feeling that way! We do REALLY love the DLH - it's such a great place.*



afwdwfan said:


> I get it!  I'm not a napper and I definitely fell victim to the comfort of my bed on our WDW trip.


*I barely sleep at night, so for me to actually fall asleep during the day - I had to have been beyond exhausted! *



afwdwfan said:


> It's midnight here.  I've got to go to work in the morning so I'm going to bed.  And I missed out on three in a row by trying to actually read and reply to the last update.


 *MANY more opportunities coming up - and hopefully soon. I have got to get this thing done and the other one started. I don't want to still be working on the January one when we leave for WDW in July. *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Can two of them be Ariel?


*I think Princess Maddie and Princess Willow would be pretty unhappy to be displaced by a fish woman (or two).*



pkondz said:


> Well.... of course.






pkondz said:


> That's so cool!


*It's one of my favorite things about DL!*



pkondz said:


> This child is the most disobedient child I've ever seen.
> Good thing she's cute as a button, otherwise she'd be in trouble.


*No kidding - I just don't know what to do with her!*



pkondz said:


> Ugh.
> pkondz does not stand in line for rides.


*And neither do Willow and Roni. I have zero patience for waiting. I'm worse than almost any child when it comes to that. *



pkondz said:


> I've probably said this before but,
> I love how Willow's always got this big smile going.
> Yes, I know, she's a normal kid and has her not so happy moments too.
> But man. If that right there doesn't make the price of admission to Disney worthwhile, I don't know what would.


*She definitely has her moments; we both do. But the vast majority of the time, she's a very happy kid - especially at a Disney park!*



pkondz said:


> Oh? Just gonna drop that in there, huh?






pkondz said:


> With popcorn still firmly in hand, I see.


*Of course!*



pkondz said:


> Whoa! That was one tuckered out little girl!


*I was pretty shocked, but she clearly needed some sleep! *



pkondz said:


> Oh, it's on mister!!






pkondz said:


> Again???? Shouldn't you maybe try scolding her once in a while?
> (And no. Still not old. Too adorable.)


*Honestly, I'm just a terrible parent! *



pkondz said:


> That sounds good.


*It was!!!!*



pkondz said:


> Shouldn't he be classified as "hot"?


*You make a good point.*



pkondz said:


> Ha! I'm at work (and it's slow) so I've got allllll night.
> Post a bunch more, Roni!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Oh, poop. I know the movie... just not who said it.
> Ratatouille... although I was thinking Kung Fu Panda at first!


*Well, that's one point at least! *



pkondz said:


> See above.






pkondz said:


> Yes! Why wouldn't you?
> I mean, really.... why wouldn't you???


*Our thoughts exactly! *



pkondz said:


> Ah! So that's what that was for.






pkondz said:


> It feels like only minutes ago.






pkondz said:


> What? Expensive tickets at Disney?
> Shocked!


*I know! I mean, it's Disney - I was expecting them to be very affordable. *



pkondz said:


> Two and a half hours early????
> 
> No. Just no.


*I know - really not my thing at all. I can't stand waiting. Have I mentioned that? Given how short Willow is though, I really wanted to ensure that we got front-row seats, and this was the best way to do that. Had we seen the show before (or had we been taller), I wouldn't have done it - we would have just shown up shortly before the show to get our seats. And it probably would have been just fine.*



pkondz said:


> Gah indeed. If it was just me (and possibly, just you) I'd suck it up knowing I would just eat later.
> But when a little girl is hungry.... yeah. Not gonna happen.


*Honestly? I just really wanted Willow to have something that was not sugary since she would soon be presented with a big box of desserts. *



pkondz said:


> That's nice of him.


*It really was. I was very grateful.*



pkondz said:


> What???? And he seemed so nice!






pkondz said:


> Hey! Congratulations on your recent nuptuals!
> And you kept it so secret!


*Thanks! I like to save a surprise or two for the TR. *



pkondz said:


> No chicken nuggets there, huh?


*Hmm, there may have been. She really likes those power packs though, and I know she was saving room for dessert. *



pkondz said:


> That's insane.
> 
> Then again... these are the same people who will stand in line for eight hours to see Frozen princesses.


*Yep - waiting. GAH!!!!    Did you know that I once waited in line for 2 hours to meet those Frozen royals? *



pkondz said:


> Oh, that's not quite so bad then.


*I was quite happy that we could at least go do something for a few minutes after waiting around so long.*



pkondz said:


> Thanks for all the updates!


*Thanks for reading!!  I hope I can keep up something close to this pace and get this baby finished! *


----------



## RGirl

Woodskeeper said:


> Gusteau from Ratatouille!


*Nice! First post, first point!!! *

*And WELCOME to the report!!!  I hope you'll stick around. *



Woodskeeper said:


> Ridiculous  long time lurker, had to come out for the game!


 *"Ridiculous long time lurker" - love it!!!*



pkondz said:


> Gotta love someone who refers to themselves as "Ridiculous long time lurker".






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Um...  <--- Yeah this happened a little bit at just the thought of the Morse Code speech. Walt would LOVE that especially at the train station.


*Right? It is really one of my favorite things I've ever heard. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww the train. This is officially the very first attraction I did in Disneyland. Of course the fact that my first ever visit was during the Leap day 24 hour even in 2012 and everything else had insane lines definitely contributed to that.


*I think it's very fitting that the train was your first ride at Walt's park. *

*You know, I'm not sure whether Willow and I have ever taken the train at the MK. We use it ALL the time at DL - a great way to get around the park.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Tomorrowland Terrace... the very first offical Disneyland eating establishment for me as well for much the same reason as above.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hmm, that Beauty and the Beast show seems interesting. I used to be a hard one to get to shows as well. It wasn't because I didn't like them, though. It was usually a matter of, what else could I be doing right now?? And the "else" always won out. By the time you wait for a show and then watch said show, it's a pretty good time investment. I always was thinking about what I might be missing, lol. Given her love of thrills, I have a feeling Willow is possibly the same way. I've softened a lot on that now though and love watching shows.


*This is exactly what it is with Willow - exactly. Once I actually convince her to see a show, she absolutely LOVES it. She's just always thinking of the rides she might miss out on if she stops for a show. The rides and characters are so immediate and in your face that having to actually specifically go to a show, get seated, wait for it to start - that doesn't appeal to her. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> This is one thing I don't know that I can get on board for. Getting in line hours before a show is one thing. But to waste all that time in Disneyland just makes me sad. Especially with a "premium" package. GAH! BUT, that's pretty interesting that once you select your seats you're good. So at least you're not waiting the entire time. But I guess it's all moot now, lol. YAY Fantasmic!!


*Yeah, I didn't care for that. I truly do not think it is necessary, however, although I can't say for sure. If I had been there by myself, I wouldn't have bothered - I would have just checked in at the specified time and gotten my seat and been on my way. I really wanted to make sure Willow had a front-row seat though so that she could see. That was really my only reason for getting there early enough to be second in line. *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 17 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 15 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 4 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point*

*"As a matter of fact, he was a little bit too bright, because he started practicing some of the boss's best magic tricks before learning how to control them."*​*
Day 12G - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

It was finally time for Fantasmic!  Something I haven't mentioned - Willow and I had NEVER seen Fantasmic! before!   So, as you can imagine, we were quite thrilled.

We were in our premium seats by 8:30, and a lovely CM was right there delivering our dessert boxes and beverages of choice. (They offered cocoa, coffee, tea, soft drinks, and bottled water.) Willow opted for cocoa, and I had a bottle of water. There were a LOT of desserts, plus cheese, crackers and fruit. Here is Willow's box.*
*

*​*
And here is mine:*
*

*​*
Honestly, this was an insane amount of food. Had we been heading straight back to the hotel after the show, we would have taken them with us and had treats for the rest of our vacation. Sadly, we had more to do this night, so we had to dump the majority of our goodies. 

Willow was excited about dessert and the show!*
*

*​*
We really enjoyed the show! I got a few pictures that are almost good enough to post (man - I got some BAD pictures though. ) I can’t say whether it is better or worse than the DHS version since we have never seen that one! *
*





















































*​*
Up Next: Day 12G (cont).*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 12G - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)
*
*Willow was impressed with the show!


*​*
After the show, we were allowed to stay in our seats and enjoy the fireworks (which followed just minutes after Fantasmic! ended). This is not the best spot for fireworks viewing, but it was pretty sweet to be sitting in a comfortable chair while watching!*
*









































*​*
Were our seats and desserts worth the steep ticket price of over $100 for the two of us? I think, for us, they were. As I mentioned, we had not seen Fantasmic! before - we have a hard time getting ourselves to scheduled shows because a certain someone will often spot a ride that just looks WAY better than a show sounds. So, having purchased the seats, we were guaranteed to actually go because I wasn't going to throw away all that money. I loved having an actual chair to watch from, and it was a big bonus to get to see the fireworks as well. I really think we would do it again if it was still offered.

Up Next: Day 12H*


----------



## Gracefulskinny

I am a bit of a lurker but Ill join in for the game, 

the narrator in fantasia introducing sourcers apprentice.


----------



## Dugette

Lots of shows in these updates! I had no idea that Beauty and the Beast show existed, but it looks like fun. The whole narrator thing makes me think of the Frozen Sing-Along style of show.

Fantasmic dessert package sounds pretty sweet, especially having your own chairs. Having to still get in line so early doesn't sound as great. If we end up making it to DL, I'll have to look into what the options are these days to see Fantasmic. I wonder if anything has a chair option anymore?


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Did you know that I once waited in line for 2 hours to meet those Frozen royals? *


 
No! Was it worth it?


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Something I haven't mentioned - Willow and I had NEVER seen Fantasmic! before!*


 
Wow. You guys were in for a treat then!



RGirl said:


> *Here is Willow's box.*


 
Both look yummy. Who doesn't love Babybels?



RGirl said:


> *Sadly, we had more to do this night, so we had to dump the majority of our goodies.*


 
Too bad, but I totally get it.
It's the same reason I didn't buy more Zebra Domes.
Who wants to lug food around when there are things to do?



RGirl said:


> *Willow was excited about dessert and the show!*


 
I bet!



RGirl said:


> *We really enjoyed the show!*


 
Good! Glad you guys liked it.
Sometimes I wonder, the way we all (on the DIS) build some things up, if the shows will measure up to your expectations.



RGirl said:


> *I got a few pictures that are almost good enough to post (man - I got some BAD pictures though. )*


 
Don't feel bad. That's a tough show to photograph.



RGirl said:


> *I can’t say whether it is better or worse than the DHS version since we have never seen that one! *


 
And I can't say either since I haven't seen this one.
But that pirate ship is pretty hard to beat!



RGirl said:


>


 
Well _someone's_ into bondage... 



RGirl said:


> *After the show, we were allowed to stay in our seats and enjoy the fireworks (which followed just minutes after Fantasmic! ended).*


 
Nice perk.



RGirl said:


>


 
You got a lot of great fireworks shots, but that one's amazing.



RGirl said:


> *I really think we would do it again if it was still offered.*


 
It did sound like a nice relaxed way to watch it.

Thanks for the update!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Ok, beep beep beep, back up the truck. You've never seen Fantasmic before??? In Dland OR MGM???? Yeah ok, then the premium seating expedition seems all the more worth it now. 

Hmm, I hope it was the fruit that got the majority of the dumping. 

There are definitely differences between the show on each coast. The atmosphere alone is a huge one. Big stadium vs well, regular Disneyland areas. I think most would say the Dland one is better though. That little Pinocchio section is so cute, and the Peter Pan section is off the charts. Not to mention that Murphy the Dragon is SO MUCH BETTER in Dland. So cool!!

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME Mickey head firework capture Roni!!!! Love that!!


----------



## Woodskeeper

RGirl said:


> *Nice! First post, first point!!! *
> 
> *And WELCOME to the report!!!  I hope you'll stick around. *
> 
> 
> *"Ridiculous long time lurker" - love it!!!*



Thanks! After booking my trip for this September the first thing I did was come to the boards and start gobbling up every possible TR I could find 


We did the Fant! Dessert Pkg about 3 years ago and found the same problem of not being able to eat all the treats, and not leaving immediately to save them. We're sad it's gone this year! As a WDW local, I highly recommend the Fant! here. I can see why the one in DL is popular, but the one at DHS has so many more movies from the 90s, the ones I grew up with. Granted, I used to work the concessions there and know the show by heart, so there might be a small bias...


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I love that mickey firework! So cute! Nice picture!

The waiting for seats part doesn't sound great but getting those awesome front row seats looks like a pretty sweet deal.  And those treat boxes! Yummy! We haven't seen fantasmic in forever. I think it'd be worth it to do at least once. And having a seat for fireworks--bonus!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> First, we showered and put on some clean clothes - we're classy like that.


Too classy to stink. 



RGirl said:


> *We were in the open-air theater and seated by 5:32.*


I saw that theater.  Neat location.  It is in the middle of everything, yet also kind of hidden off the beaten path.  It's just interesting how they have things situated like that around the park.  And I love the open air feel of a lot of the shows and attractions.  I'd assume the park pretty much shuts down during a rain storm, unlike WDW, but it really does give it a nice vibe.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was pretty enthralled - she usually is; I can’t figure out why it’s so hard to get her to see the shows!*


That's exactly how our kids are too.  They never want to go to any shows, yet they usually enjoy the ones we think they'll like.  But I guess in our defense, we did drag them to things like HoP, so I guess I can understand their skepticism. 



RGirl said:


> (Of course, since this trip, DL has completely changed the Fantasmic! viewing with FPs and various FP dining options giving you some kind of "premium" seating, which I'm guessing is much like World of Color, which I described in a previous update.)


Let me summarize.  We paid for a package.  They told us to be there an hour before, but not to be early.  We got there when told and there were tons of people already in the reserved areas.  Our seats sucked.  Only they weren't even seats.  



RGirl said:


> *Here's what it looked like below our area - you can see tons of people had already settled in for the 9:00 show.*


That's just ridiculous.  I mean it is a great show, but to spend 2 1/2 hours of park time just camping out there like that? 



RGirl said:


> A little before 8:00, a CM came to the podium to check us in, and we chose front-row seats and went on our way. Once you choose your seats, they are yours, so you can go do something else for a little bit.


Ok, I do like that aspect of your package.  Well worth the money for this reason alone.



RGirl said:


> Something I haven't mentioned - Willow and I had NEVER seen Fantasmic! before!


    That's just not right...



RGirl said:


> Sadly, we had more to do this night, so we had to dump the majority of our goodies.


Oh no!  I guess you really were just paying for a seat anyway.  And from my experience and seeing your comfy chair, I'd say money well spent. 



RGirl said:


> *I can’t say whether it is better or worse than the DHS version since we have never seen that one! *


Much, much, much, much, much BETTER!!!!!!!!!  

Still like it at DHS, but really, it doesn't hold a candle to DL's version.

Except for the stadium seating.  I've always thought the wait, being herded into the theater and sitting there waiting for the show to start was a PITA at DHS.  But having experienced the non-theater version, I really appreciate it the set-up that they have for the show there. 



RGirl said:


> *This is not the best spot for fireworks viewing, but it was pretty sweet to be sitting in a comfortable chair while watching!*


Hey, works for me.  And if you'd gotten up, you'd probably just be stuck in a crowd trying to move away from the Fantasmic area with a worse view that that one.



RGirl said:


> I loved having an actual chair to watch from, and it was a big bonus to get to see the fireworks as well.


  Looks like a good time, and I'd say well worth booking that package.


----------



## RGirl

Gracefulskinny said:


> I am a bit of a lurker but Ill join in for the game,
> 
> the narrator in fantasia introducing sourcers apprentice.


*And two points right out of the gates!*

*I hope you will continue to join in - it's so nice to know that people are reading!*



Dugette said:


> Lots of shows in these updates! I had no idea that Beauty and the Beast show existed, but it looks like fun. The whole narrator thing makes me think of the Frozen Sing-Along style of show.


*I can see that. Having seen the Sing-Along now, I will say that it is quite **different. The DL B&tB show (and the other shows they do here) - much more, hmm, not sure how to describe it, almost vaudeville-like, I would say. Lots of fun!!!*



Dugette said:


> Fantasmic dessert package sounds pretty sweet, especially having your own chairs. Having to still get in line so early doesn't sound as great. If we end up making it to DL, I'll have to look into what the options are these days to see Fantasmic. I wonder if anything has a chair option anymore?


*You know, the chairs were worth the price as sad as that sounds! *

*I think the options now are pull a FP or book a dining option, and I honestly don't know if there are any chair options at all. Before we return, I will DEFINITELY be looking into that though!*



pkondz said:


> No! Was it worth it?


*You know, it was painful - I do not do well with waiting in lines. I have very little patience. But yes - it was. It meant so much to Willow. And even though she froze up when she finally met them - just stood there in awe despite her normal talkative nature - it was worth it. She was on cloud 9 afterward. So yes. Had you asked me this question 30 seconds after the meet, my answer may have been different.....*


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Wow. You guys were in for a treat then!


*Very true! And I have heard that the DL version is even better than the DHS one. We certainly enjoyed it!*



pkondz said:


> Both look yummy. Who doesn't love Babybels?


*Both were really nice assortments. I wasn't in love with the fact that the gluten-free version had two jello-based desserts , but I honestly can't possibly complain because they were able to actually offer a gluten-free option, which meant I could have a dessert plate. And that was FABULOUS!*



pkondz said:


> Too bad, but I totally get it.
> It's the same reason I didn't buy more Zebra Domes.
> Who wants to lug food around when there are things to do?


*I had read so many reports where people took the rest of their plates back to the hotel, but seriously, I have no idea how they do it. Even if I could find a way to stuff it all in my backpack, I sure as heck wasn't going to want to eat it after it had been steaming in my backpack for hours. *



pkondz said:


> Good! Glad you guys liked it.
> Sometimes I wonder, the way we all (on the DIS) build some things up, if the shows will measure up to your expectations.


*I understand that - I often fear that my expectations have been built up too much by the DIS. But you know what? So far, I don't think that has ever happened. Willow had NO idea what Fantasmic! was, and she was just mesmerized. I really didn't need more than that to make me enjoy the experience, but I would have enjoyed it without her joy. It was a great show!*



pkondz said:


> Don't feel bad. That's a tough show to photograph.


*Just last week I decided to bite the bullet after about 10 years of arguing with myself and buy a real camera - it arrived yesterday. I have always been so worried about spending all that money and not being able to learn how to use it properly, but I'm determined. With Willow becoming more self-sufficient every day, surely I can fit in yet another "hobby," right?????  *



pkondz said:


> And I can't say either since I haven't seen this one.
> But that pirate ship is pretty hard to beat!


*I wish I had managed to get a decent shot of it with Pan and the pirates zipping around, but all my pics came out terribly.*



pkondz said:


> Well _someone's_ into bondage...






pkondz said:


> Nice perk.


*Definitely - it would have been next to impossible to move out of there and find a place to see the fireworks, so being able to stick around in CHAIRS and enjoy them from there was a major plus. (I knew about this when I bought the tickets - one of the reasons I decided to make the purchase. )*



pkondz said:


> You got a lot of great fireworks shots, but that one's amazing.


*That is very kind of you to say, but one of the banes of my existence is never having ever taken a good fireworks pictures. Honestly, I don't think it can be done with a point-and-shoot camera. If it can, it is out of my skill set. Someday I will master my new DSLR to such a level that I can take just one good firework picture, and I will be THRILLED. *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the update!


*Thank you so much for continuing to follow along! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ok, beep beep beep, back up the truck. You've never seen Fantasmic before??? In Dland OR MGM???? Yeah ok, then the premium seating expedition seems all the more worth it now.



*I know, right????    We have never done well with the late-night shows. Willow is an early-to-bed kid and stays out way later than normal at any Disney park, but it is really hard for her to bounce back with rope drop in the morning and late nights. She just needs a lot of sleep. Messing with it isn't pretty. I'm slightly worried about this summer because I know Maddie is a kid who needs a lot less sleep and Willow will want to keep up, but even at 8 years old, she still just ends up melting into a puddle if she doesn't get enough sleep. *


DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hmm, I hope it was the fruit that got the majority of the dumping.


*Ummmmm, that MAY have been the case with Willow's, although she does LOVE grapes. But for mine, the gluten-free options were nice to have but jello is not my thing, and the grapes and cheese were REALLY good. So sorry.......  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> There are definitely differences between the show on each coast. The atmosphere alone is a huge one. Big stadium vs well, regular Disneyland areas. I think most would say the Dland one is better though. That little Pinocchio section is so cute, and the Peter Pan section is off the charts. Not to mention that Murphy the Dragon is SO MUCH BETTER in Dland. So cool!!


*Yeah, I've started paying attention to this lately, and it seems most agree with you - there are just things about the DLR version that make it better. I think the pirate ship and Liberty Belle alone would do it for me based on the pictures I've seen. Maddie LOVES Fantasmic!, so I think we'll finally get our chance to compare this summer! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME Mickey head firework capture Roni!!!! Love that!!


*Oh, you are so sweet. Thank you! It's a miracle I caught it at all. I can only imagine what great shots people who really know how to photograph fireworks would have gotten. My technique is to aim my point-and-shoot camera in my line of sight and then just click as frequently as it will allow and hope that I get 1 or 2 semi-decent shots out of dozens.   Can you imagine what my pictures would be like in the days of having to use actual film????*


----------



## RGirl

Woodskeeper said:


> Thanks! After booking my trip for this September the first thing I did was come to the boards and start gobbling up every possible TR I could find


*Well, I'm so glad that you joined in! And I'm excited for your DLR trip!!!!*



Woodskeeper said:


> We did the Fant! Dessert Pkg about 3 years ago and found the same problem of not being able to eat all the treats, and not leaving immediately to save them. We're sad it's gone this year! As a WDW local, I highly recommend the Fant! here. I can see why the one in DL is popular, but the one at DHS has so many more movies from the 90s, the ones I grew up with. Granted, I used to work the concessions there and know the show by heart, so there might be a small bias...


*We really enjoyed the DLR show. And we are traveling with DIS friends this summer who really love the DHS show, so we will almost certainly finally get to see it! How cool that you worked the show area - did you get sick of it, or did you manage to just keep enjoying it?*



STLMickeyMom said:


> I love that mickey firework! So cute! Nice picture!


*Awww - thank you! I'm so glad people liked it. I was so wishing that I had a "real" camera and some real skills - it could have been awesome!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> The waiting for seats part doesn't sound great but getting those awesome front row seats looks like a pretty sweet deal.  And those treat boxes! Yummy! We haven't seen fantasmic in forever. I think it'd be worth it to do at least once. And having a seat for fireworks--bonus!


*Yeah, I was okay with the ridiculous price. Honestly, as lame as it sounds, having an actual chair rather than waiting for two hours on the ground? That was worth a lot to me! *



afwdwfan said:


> Too classy to stink.


*That's totally us!*



afwdwfan said:


> I saw that theater.  Neat location.  It is in the middle of everything, yet also kind of hidden off the beaten path.  It's just interesting how they have things situated like that around the park.  And I love the open air feel of a lot of the shows and attractions.  I'd assume the park pretty much shuts down during a rain storm, unlike WDW, but it really does give it a nice vibe.


*The princess theater is VERY new - that whole area just arose from nowhere in the last couple of years. 
*
*As for rain storms, they are almost non-existent in SoCal, so it's not usually an issue. But if you can possibly stay tuned, you will get some info on that in my January TR because Roni and Willow can ALWAYS be counted on to bring an end to SoCal droughts. I mean, even in the summer, we managed to bring rain our first day - that's unheard of. We have never visited DLR without rain, and no one else has ever visited it WITH rain. *



afwdwfan said:


> That's exactly how our kids are too.  They never want to go to any shows, yet they usually enjoy the ones we think they'll like.  But I guess in our defense, we did drag them to things like HoP, so I guess I can understand their skepticism.


*I hear ya! Honestly, though, I don't know why Willow balks at shows. She has never met one she didn't LOVE. She has been going to touring Broadway shows since she was 3 (Lion King, Shrek, Wicked, Sister Act - all in Portland, Oregon) and she has LOVED every one of them. She just becomes ride-focused at Disney parks and can't remember that they will still exist AFTER the show.  Once she sits down for the show and it starts, she becomes obsessed with it and wants to watch it over and over. THAT is why I occasionally "force" her to do it. I think that's fair. *



afwdwfan said:


> Let me summarize.  We paid for a package.  They told us to be there an hour before, but not to be early.  We got there when told and there were tons of people already in the reserved areas.  Our seats sucked.  Only they weren't even seats.


*DANG!!!!!  That is awful!!!  I am thinking we were lucky to have our multi-million-dollar dessert package! Which package did you do? Okay - I know I have to wait for your TR, but I want to know!!!!!!  It was worth a try! *



afwdwfan said:


> That's just ridiculous.  I mean it is a great show, but to spend 2 1/2 hours of park time just camping out there like that?


*It's definitely deranged. HOWEVER, this was the height of crowded summer season, and I will say that everyone seemed really happy and comfortable - it was like this was their dinner picnic (almost **everyone had picked up dinner or had brought it with them). No one seemed irritated or obnoxious, which lately (in my experience, at least) seems to be a lovely at a Disney park. So it seemed like it worked well for the people who were doing it. I, on the other hand, am an impatient, non-sitting-on-the-ground-40-something and might not have been so pleasant. Which, I guess, is why I had shelled out the big bucks for a chair! *



afwdwfan said:


> Ok, I do like that aspect of your package.  Well worth the money for this reason alone.






afwdwfan said:


> That's just not right...


*I know. The 3-hour time change at WDW really sets us back. Willow is a kid who requires a lot of sleep. She is not a night owl, and she just crumbles into a pile of sad goo after any extended period of reduced sleep. That really limits our nighttime show times on the East Coast. *



afwdwfan said:


> Oh no!  I guess you really were just paying for a seat anyway.  And from my experience and seeing your comfy chair, I'd say money well spent.


*Yeah, honestly, the seats were worth the exorbitant price. Did you happen to notice if there was still a seated option when you were there??????*



afwdwfan said:


> Much, much, much, much, much BETTER!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Still like it at DHS, but really, it doesn't hold a candle to DL's version.
> 
> Except for the stadium seating.  I've always thought the wait, being herded into the theater and sitting there waiting for the show to start was a PITA at DHS.  But having experienced the non-theater version, I really appreciate it the set-up that they have for the show there.


*Andy - it is great to hear a WDW vet's opinion. Thank you!*

*I assume that Willow and I will finally experience the DHS version this summer because it is Maddie's fave. I mean, assuming that I don't have to take Willow back to the resort to sleep given her crazy need to sleep a lot every night. *



afwdwfan said:


> Hey, works for me.  And if you'd gotten up, you'd probably just be stuck in a crowd trying to move away from the Fantasmic area with a worse view that that one.


*Given how quickly the fireworks follow that showing of Fantasmic!, I don't think we could have gotten a better spot at that point. And we had CHAIRS. I couldn't possibly complain.*



afwdwfan said:


> Looks like a good time, and I'd say well worth booking that package.


*It was ridiculously expensive, and yet, I can't complaint at all. *


----------



## Woodskeeper

RGirl said:


> We really enjoyed the DLR show. And we are traveling with DIS friends this summer who really love the DHS show, so we will almost certainly finally get to see it! How cool that you worked the show area - did you get sick of it, or did you manage to just keep enjoying it?



Yay! I'm glad you'll get to see it! I think working it was one of the more fun hospitality jobs I've had-- the shifts were quick, the people were great, and the show was just that much more fun to watch! It remains a favorite, especially the music. I have a sneaking suspicion that Forever Disneyland might beat it out as my favorite nighttime entertainment, though


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Even if I could find a way to stuff it all in my backpack, I sure as heck wasn't going to want to eat it after it had been steaming in my backpack for hours. *


 

mmmmmmmmmmm....... no.



RGirl said:


> *With Willow becoming more self-sufficient every day, surely I can fit in yet another "hobby," right????? *


 
Having kids is a great way to free up time for yourself so you can pursue other hobbies!






RGirl said:


> *I wish I had managed to get a decent shot of it with Pan and the pirates zipping around, but all my pics came out terribly.*


 
That would be a very hard shot to get... even with a fancy schmancy camera.


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 17 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 15 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 4 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points*

*"Then I was like ... WHOA! Then you were like ... WHOA!"*​*
Day 12H - Tuesday, 5 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort 

When the fireworks ended, it was close to 10:00, so we headed out of New Orleans Square with everyone else. But we were not headed back to the hotel! We were going to enjoy a late night tonight, and of course, our first stop would be the Matterhorn, which had been eluding poor Willow all day. And jackpot! The ride was actually running AND the single-rider line was open!  We entered the single-rider line at 10:02...*
*

*​*
And Willow was in a bobsled and ready to go at 10:03. *
*

*​*
I was placed in the bobsled right behind hers, and we were quickly reunited at the exit.

Of course, we headed right back around to the single-rider line, as we clearly had to make up for the lack of Matterhorn earlier in the day.*
*

*​*
If memory serves, we were placed one behind the other this time in the same bobsled. 

From the Matterhorn, we headed to Autopia - DL's (much better) version of the Tomorrowland Speedway. It was about 10:20 at this point, and I think we still had to wait about 20 minutes to ride.*
*

*​*
Willow's driving has definitely improved since January 2014, and we had a great time doing this ride in the dark. *
*





*​*
It was close to 11:00, and the wait for Space Mountain was still posted at 45 minutes, so we headed over to Buzz's Astro Blasters!*
*

*​*
Isn't Tomorrowland pretty at night?*
*

*​*
We love Buzz's ride at Disneyland because the guns actually come off the vehicle - makes for much better aiming. Not that I can ever actually tell which red dot is mine, but still.....*
*









*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
We checked on Space again, but the wait was still listed at 45 minutes, and we did see a ton of people heading in. We decided to skip it. But I did have to agree to one more single-rider ride on the Matterhorn. *
*

*​*
We had a great time - riding right together again. Willow was psyched about that!*
*





*​*
It was after 11:30 when we finished on the Matterhorn, so we walked over to the Tomorrowland monorail station.*
*

*​*
We were back at the Disneyland Hotel before midnight.*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 13A*


----------



## courtneybelle

Crush from Finding Nemo!!!


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Crush from Finding Nemo!!!


*Nice!!!!  *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 19 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 15 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 4 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
*
*"Don't underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."*​*
Day 13A - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After our late night, we planned to sleep in. And we did. Kind of. Willow was up at 7:30. I did make a half-hearted effort to convince her to go back to sleep. It was not very effective, but we were pretty slow this morning. We got showered and ready to go. Willow was feeling quite royal this morning, choosing the Anna Coronation Gown and some BBB make-up.*
*





*​*
We didn't manage to mosey out of the hotel until about 9:45 this morning! *
*

*​*
We did have an understanding (of sorts) that we would not be riding a bunch of rides today because of our late start but would instead find some other things to occupy our interests. (Willow did not know this, but I had a little special treat planned for her this afternoon.)

Our first stop was Starbucks for an iced latte and cocoa.*
*

*​*
As you can see, bag check and the front gates at DCA were pretty much mobbed at this hour. *
*





*​*
But we still managed to be in the park by about 10:15. We decided to ride the trolley for the first time - I, for some reason, did not take a picture of the actual trolley exterior for some reason, but I know I posted one another day - good luck with that. *
*

*​*
Hey, no dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
The trolley takes you from the front of DCA to right near ToT. When we got dropped off at ToT, we noted a wait time that was more than we cared to experience, so we obtained some FPs. Of course, Willow then wanted to check on the RSR single rider line, so we headed into Bug's Land, which leads to CarsLand. As we entered, we ran into Flik who led us and a few others to his meet-and-greet spot. Willow was the first to meet with him, and he was suitably impressed with her royal self.*
*





















*​*
Up Next: Day 13B*


----------



## courtneybelle

I know this one too! Winnie the Pooh from...uh...Winnie the Pooh


----------



## RGirl

*Hey there DIS friends!*

*Spring has sprung here in Washington State. Willow and I went out to look for signs of it in our yard today. I thought I would share what we found. (My apologies to any of you who still have snow. )*
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*​
*This is how Willow was feeling about it all! *
*

*​
*More updates coming up soon - I AM going to finish this thing and start the January report. In fact, I may get that one underway this weekend..... *


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> And Willow was in a bobsled and ready to go at 10:03.


Wow, a ONE minute wait!  Well played. Way to go, Single Rider Line.



RGirl said:


> Isn't Tomorrowland pretty at night?


I love WDW Tomorrowland at night - one of the reasons I love the Peoplemover - just looking at the pretty lights. DL's looks beautiful too!



RGirl said:


> As we entered, we ran into Flik who led us and a few others to his meet-and-greet spot. Willow was the first to meet with him, and he was suitably impressed with her royal self.


I love those magic character moments that you don't plan and they end up being so cute and into it. 



RGirl said:


>


Great picture!  I can't tell for sure, but are those Anna and Elsa leggings? I just bought Izzy a pair and they look familiar.

Looking forward to the rest of the report and the start of the new one!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I LOVE willow's happy spring picture!  amazing picture!

your late night at the park looks so fun!  we just discovered that we love the WDW speedway, so i'm sure we'd like the DL version too.  tomorrowland looks so amazing at night.  love all those lights.  really I just love any of the parks all lit up at night.....sigh.....

I can't believe you met flik!  we've never seen him.  cute!

can't wait to hear what the secret surprise is later!

and did I read new TR coming??!!??!!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

HA, I remember those single rider cards at Dland. I found that so odd, and yet so quaint at the same time. It took me a while to get used to that. Do they still do hand stamps when you leave a park by the way?

I'm still not a big fan of Astro Blasters (seriously... a red dot), but I did like Dland MUCH better for that exact reason. Being able to actually pick up the gun adds so much to the experience. I don't know why they haven't done this at MK

What??? Seriosuly??? No dancing on the trolley?? The nerve.

Awww Flik. I remember when he used to meet at Animal Kingdom. Thank goodness I got a picture with him when I did.

I love all of the ear shots, but this one in particular is precious. In her glory right there I bet.



RGirl said:


>



Um... Gee Roni. Thanks so much for your Spring update.
It's sprung here too!!






I'm sure it's under there somewhere.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *But we were not headed back to the hotel!*


 
No? Are you sure? It's getting late out ya know.



RGirl said:


> *our first stop would be the Matterhorn, which had been eluding poor Willow all day. And jackpot! The ride was actually running AND the single-rider line was open!*


 
Score! and Double score!



RGirl said:


> *We entered the single-rider line at 10:02...
> And Willow was in a bobsled and ready to go at 10:03. *


 
One minute! Nice!



RGirl said:


> *Of course, we headed right back around to the single-rider line, as we clearly had to make up for the lack of Matterhorn earlier in the day.*


 
Well, it only seems natural and normal that you would do so.



RGirl said:


> *DL's (much better) version of the Tomorrowland Speedway.*


 
It could hardly be worse. 

Personally, I think they should close the speedway around nine or so and run it like a real go-kart track for the rest of the evening.
You know, where you have to have a valid driver's licence and have 35MPH carts.
That you have to actually drive!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
You'll see this again... when she's about 16. 



RGirl said:


> *We love Buzz's ride at Disneyland because the guns actually come off the vehicle - makes for much better aiming.*


 
I can see that. I've been on other rides where you can pick up the gun.
No crouching over.



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
She's going to get ejected from the park!
Banned for life!



RGirl said:


> *We were back at the Disneyland Hotel before midnight.*


 
That's not too bad.
But I bet you guys were pretty much out like a light when your heads hit your pillows.



RGirl said:


> *After our late night, we planned to sleep in. And we did.*


 
Vacation sleep in. Ahhhhh....



RGirl said:


> *Willow was up at 7:30*


 
.... oh.



RGirl said:


> *choosing the Anna Coronation Gown and some BBB make-up.*


 
Very pretty.
And again... a sign of things to come.



RGirl said:


> *We didn't manage to mosey out of the hotel until about 9:45 this morning!*


 
Definitely not rushing this morning.



RGirl said:


> *I had a little special treat planned for her this afternoon.*


 
Oh?

Yes, I'm curious.



RGirl said:


> *As you can see, bag check and the front gates at DCA were pretty much mobbed at this hour. *


 
There's something to be said for rope drop, isn't there?



RGirl said:


> *But we still managed to be in the park by about 10:15.*


 
Well that wasn't bad at all.
From leaving your hotel to inside the park in 30 minutes?
Not bad.



RGirl said:


> *Hey, no dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
I would too.
It's a trolley for Pete's sake!



RGirl said:


> *Willow was the first to meet with him, and he was suitably impressed with her royal self.
> 
> 
> *


 
Love that he's bowing to her Majesty. 
All those pics with those two are really nice.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 13B*


 
Can't wait! 



RGirl said:


> *(My apologies to any of you who still have snow. )*


 
Yeah. Thanks for not rubbing it in... at all.
(We just got another dumping a couple of days ago.)



RGirl said:


> *This is how Willow was feeling about it all! *
> *
> 
> *


 
What a terrific picture!
You should frame that one.



RGirl said:


> *In fact, I may get that one underway this weekend*


 
Oh boy! Can't wait!

Thanks for all the updates!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *Did you happen to notice if there was still a seated option when you were there??????*


I didn't notice any seats anywhere.  They had a roped off area front and center that they weren't letting anyone into as we entered.  I don't know who it was reserved for, but as we were ushered past an hour before showtime, there were no chairs.  Everyone already in there ahead of us was sitting on the ground.  I guess they could have potentially had seats somewhere on a higher level that I didn't see?



RGirl said:


> *Which package did you do? Okay - I know I have to wait for your TR, but I want to know!!!!!! It was worth a try! *





Spoiler



We did the Aladdin's Oasis dinner to go package.


 


RGirl said:


> We were going to enjoy a late night tonight, and of course, our first stop would be the Matterhorn, which had been eluding poor Willow all day. And jackpot! The ride was actually running AND the single-rider line was open!


Wow!  That was a short wait.  I'm glad she finally got to ride!



RGirl said:


> *Of course, we headed right back around to the single-rider line, as we clearly had to make up for the lack of Matterhorn earlier in the day.*


Hey, you can never get enough of a good thing.  Not that I'd know how good the Matterhorn is. 



RGirl said:


> *Isn't Tomorrowland pretty at night?*






RGirl said:


> *We checked on Space again, but the wait was still listed at 45 minutes, and we did see a ton of people heading in. We decided to skip it. But I did have to agree to one more single-rider ride on the Matterhorn. *


Wow!  Too bad you couldn't use single rider there.  But Matterhorn seems like a good alternative.



RGirl said:


> *We were back at the Disneyland Hotel before midnight.*


Not a bad night at all.  Way to stay up late Willow! 

Hopefully you're up by noon tomorrow.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> After our late night, we planned to sleep in. And we did. Kind of. Willow was up at 7:30. I did make a half-hearted effort to convince her to go back to sleep. It was not very effective, but we were pretty slow this morning.


There's no time for sleeping in at Disneyland.  Just wait till you find out what time I woke up every morning... 


RGirl said:


> *We didn't manage to mosey out of the hotel until about 9:45 this morning! *


  That's just wrong.



RGirl said:


> *As we entered, we ran into Flik who led us and a few others to his meet-and-greet spot. Willow was the first to meet with him, and he was suitably impressed with her royal self.*


An early character meet.  I'd say I'm surprised, but that would be a lie. 



RGirl said:


> *Spring has sprung here in Washington State. Willow and I went out to look for signs of it in our yard today. I thought I would share what we found. (My apologies to any of you who still have snow. )*


How is it that a state that borders Canada is more spring like than we are right now? I mean, there's no snow, but I haven't seen anything blooming anywhere around here.  Mid-60's today though, so we're getting there!



RGirl said:


> *More updates coming up soon - I AM going to finish this thing and start the January report. In fact, I may get that one underway this weekend..... *


This coming weekend or the weekend that just passed without you starting it?


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> This coming weekend or the weekend that just passed without you starting it?


 
No. _This_ weekend -> May 20, 2017.


----------



## KatMark

Okay...I am way behind with going away for several days and work issues with one of my bosses leaving. In any event, I'm going to slowly try to catch up everywhere and just going in order of what is on the top of my page...and you were at the top Roni. 

Sorry to hear the Matterhorn was down.

Lunch sounds yummy and looks good too...but the popcorn looks even better. A nice afternoon nap is always a nice thing.

The Beauty & Beast Show looks cute, but I hate sitting on the floor at my age...always need help getting up (so glad I've not had to do Playhouse Disney for that reason).

I'm glad you finally got to see Fantasmic. I can't compare either...because I haven't been to DL.  I do like the sound of the chairs though. And so glad you got so stay in those seats for the fireworks.

Twice on the Matterhorn and then the Speedway and then back on the Matterhorn. Can't ask for better than that.

Your spring flowers look beautiful. Thankfully ALL of our snow is now gone.


----------



## courtneybelle

Hi Roni!!! I'm back for a catch up post...

Bummer you guys couldn't get on the Matterhorn. But that frozen apple drink looks delicious, and Beauty and the Beast!!! That show looks so fun!

Wait...you've never see the WDW version of Fantasmic? Thank goodness you've got that planned for next trip!!

Such a fun night at Disneyland, and you finally got on the Matterhorn!

Aww such a cute meet with Flik!

Ooooo grass. Not familiar with the concept, but spring looks lovely.


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> I know this one too! Winnie the Pooh from...uh...Winnie the Pooh


*Two more points!!!!  *



Dugette said:


> Wow, a ONE minute wait!  Well played. Way to go, Single Rider Line.


*Yeah, that was pretty sweet!!!  *



Dugette said:


> I love WDW Tomorrowland at night - one of the reasons I love the Peoplemover - just looking at the pretty lights. DL's looks beautiful too!


*It really is beautiful, isn't it? I love the Peoplemover - that is one thing that is definitely missing from DL. *



Dugette said:


> I love those magic character moments that you don't plan and they end up being so cute and into it.


*Me too - so much fun!!!*


Dugette said:


> Great picture!  I can't tell for sure, but are those Anna and Elsa leggings? I just bought Izzy a pair and they look familiar.


*These ones are Elsa alone, I think. And then she also has a pair with Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and Sven. Aren't they the cutest things????  I bet Izzy loves hers!*



Dugette said:


> Looking forward to the rest of the report and the start of the new one!


*Thanks!!!  I'm scared - less than 4 months to complete these reports! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I LOVE willow's happy spring picture!  amazing picture!


*Thank you! That is pretty much my favorite picture I've ever taken. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> your late night at the park looks so fun!  we just discovered that we love the WDW speedway, so i'm sure we'd like the DL version too.  tomorrowland looks so amazing at night.  love all those lights.  really I just love any of the parks all lit up at night.....sigh.....


*Oh, Lori - I think you would LOVE DL's Autopia. I am not a fan of the Speedway at all, but the Autopia is very cool - it's a longer track, much more to look at, and it just doesn't seem to stink as much (don't get me wrong, it still stinks, but maybe not as much ).*



STLMickeyMom said:


> I can't believe you met flik!  we've never seen him.  cute!


*Willow met him in AK once - I think when she was 4. We were surprised to run into him! But very happy about it!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> can't wait to hear what the secret surprise is later!


*I think you and your girls will really like it. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> and did I read new TR coming??!!??!!!


*Yep - started already at this point. I will post a link soon, but I think you already have it. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> HA, I remember those single rider cards at Dland. I found that so odd, and yet so quaint at the same time. It took me a while to get used to that. Do they still do hand stamps when you leave a park by the way?


*I love the single-rider cards. I TOTALLY do not understand what they are for, but they are hilarious to me. *

*You know, Rob, I'm not sure about the hand stamp. Wait - yes, I'm pretty sure they do. We had APs the last three trips, so we just zoomed on out, but now that I'm thinking about it, there were definitely CMs there stamping hands. I remember the first time we went a few years ago, I didn't know about the hand-stamping, and no CM offered it to us when we exited DL. We went over to DCA, and they couldn't let us in because no stamp. I was all, Um, what???  Finally, the CM decided that she would accept the pictures on my camera as proof that we had been in DL that day since Willow was wearing the same clothes. What in the WORLD??? How can the system be that antiquated with everything else they have going on there? It's just weird. I suppose they are just waiting to upgrade until the switch to MBs and FP+, something I cannot even imagine at DLR being such a locals park. I hope they don't do it - I LOVE DLR trips because I don't have to plan anything. Blah, blah, blah. Oops - went on a little tirade there! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I'm still not a big fan of Astro Blasters (seriously... a red dot), but I did like Dland MUCH better for that exact reason. Being able to actually pick up the gun adds so much to the experience. I don't know why they haven't done this at MK


*I'm with you - it's just not the ride for me. I CANNOT tell which dot is mine, and even when I'm sure and have it super-imposed on something that should give points, it doesn't seem to actually do that.  I MUCH prefer doing it with a lift-able gun though - I feel like I have a chance at least. BTW, I don't - I still suck. But I FEEL better....*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> What??? Seriosuly??? No dancing on the trolley?? The nerve.


*Ridiculous, right????*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww Flik. I remember when he used to meet at Animal Kingdom. Thank goodness I got a picture with him when I did.


*So he is completely absent from AK now? That's sad.  I know Willow met him there once - I think maybe when she was 4? He's a great meet.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I love all of the ear shots, but this one in particular is precious. In her glory right there I bet.


*I really liked that one too. And yes, she just LOVES anything that moves fast and jerks around.  I'm really worried about when she reaches the height requirements for all those hideous Universal coasters. I know that she will want to do ALL of them. There are quite a few that I just don't think I can do because of the heights. I guess there is a reason that I got a very tiny, slow-growing kid! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Um... Gee Roni. Thanks so much for your Spring update.
> It's sprung here too!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sure it's under there somewhere.


*UGH!!!  I know you won't believe this, but I really did feel bad about posting the spring pictures because I know so much of the continent is having a terrible long winter. But I couldn't help myself - I finally invested in a really good camera, and those were the first pics I took, and I just loved how much better they are than anything I ever took with my point-and-shoot, despite that I was just using the "automatic" setting because I haven't learned the ins and outs of "real" photography yet. *



pkondz said:


> No? Are you sure? It's getting late out ya know.


*Impressive and surprising, huh? *



pkondz said:


> Score! and Double score!


*Miss Willow was very excited. And, I think, relieved after having found the single-rider line closed so many times.*



pkondz said:


> One minute! Nice!






pkondz said:


> Well, it only seems natural and normal that you would do so.


*You know us so well! *



pkondz said:


> It could hardly be worse.
> 
> Personally, I think they should close the speedway around nine or so and run it like a real go-kart track for the rest of the evening.
> You know, where you have to have a valid driver's licence and have 35MPH carts.
> That you have to actually drive!


*Yeah, I agree. Before she was old enough to figure these things out and would just see the cars and want to do it, I would always tell her the line was too long. I know that's horrible!!!  But I REALLY don't like that attraction - the exhaust situation is very hard on my not-very-good lungs. I relented at DL (after having done the MK version once, I think) and was pleasantly surprised. While waiting down on the track, the exhaust is not great, but the actual ride is much more fun - a lot longer, a LOT more visual aesthetic, it's just better. *


pkondz said:


> You'll see this again... when she's about 16.


*I just truly hope that she gains some driving skills between now and then.......  *



pkondz said:


> I can see that. I've been on other rides where you can pick up the gun.
> No crouching over.


*Honestly, we are terrible at this game either way, but I feel better about it somehow when I can actually move the gun around and have a chance of hitting something. *



pkondz said:


> She's going to get ejected from the park!
> Banned for life!






pkondz said:


> That's not too bad.
> But I bet you guys were pretty much out like a light when your heads hit your pillows.


*Willow definitely was. I, as usual, stayed up way too late downloading pictures, writing notes, and then having to take some time to relax and read my book. *



pkondz said:


> Vacation sleep in. Ahhhhh....
> 
> 
> 
> .... oh.


**sigh**



pkondz said:


> Very pretty.
> And again... a sign of things to come.






pkondz said:


> Definitely not rushing this morning.


*No kidding! I have no idea what we did with all that time. I think we were both just slowing down after almost a full two weeks on the road and at DLR. Eventually you have to wear out a little! *



pkondz said:


> Oh?
> 
> Yes, I'm curious.


*I can tell you that Willow really enjoyed it!*



pkondz said:


> There's something to be said for rope drop, isn't there?






pkondz said:


> Well that wasn't bad at all.
> From leaving your hotel to inside the park in 30 minutes?
> Not bad.


*For WDW maybe. **Remember, it takes maybe 10 minutes (at most) to get from our hotel to the park gates.*



pkondz said:


> I would too.
> It's a trolley for Pete's sake!


*Right???*



pkondz said:


> Love that he's bowing to her Majesty.
> All those pics with those two are really nice.


*I thought so too. That particular PP photog did a very nice job.*



pkondz said:


> Can't wait!


*Thanks!!!  *



pkondz said:


> Yeah. Thanks for not rubbing it in... at all.
> (We just got another dumping a couple of days ago.)


*I really am sorry. Really. I was just so excited to try out my new camera and then so thrilled with the pictures I got even before learning how to use it to its maximum abilities.*



pkondz said:


> What a terrific picture!
> You should frame that one.


*Thank you! It is my favorite picture I have ever taken. *



pkondz said:


> Oh boy! Can't wait!
> 
> Thanks for all the updates!


*Thank YOU! And I realize I didn't quite get the other TR started that weekend, but I came VERY close, didn't I???  *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> I didn't notice any seats anywhere.  They had a roped off area front and center that they weren't letting anyone into as we entered.  I don't know who it was reserved for, but as we were ushered past an hour before showtime, there were no chairs.  Everyone already in there ahead of us was sitting on the ground.  I guess they could have potentially had seats somewhere on a higher level that I didn't see?


*If they had had any seating like they did last time, I think you would have noticed - they had racks of folding chairs out for quite some time before actually arranging the seating. That's disappointing. I am actually willing to pay for a chair at these kinds of things. *



afwdwfan said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> We did the Aladdin's Oasis dinner to go package.


*THANK YOU!!!  I am now going to go look this up and then eagerly await hearing about the reality of it. *



afwdwfan said:


> Wow!  That was a short wait.  I'm glad she finally got to ride!


*Me too! She deserved that no-wait experience after being so patient all day. *



afwdwfan said:


> Hey, you can never get enough of a good thing.  Not that I'd know how good the Matterhorn is.


*Seems like it is always being refurb'ed in January. *



afwdwfan said:


> Wow!  Too bad you couldn't use single rider there.  But Matterhorn seems like a good alternative.


*No kidding! *



afwdwfan said:


> Not a bad night at all.  Way to stay up late Willow!


*It was a really fun night - we both enjoyed all of it!*



afwdwfan said:


> Hopefully you're up by noon tomorrow.


*You know, if either of us (well, better both of us) could sleep in at all, these late nights might be a bit easier. *



afwdwfan said:


> There's no time for sleeping in at Disneyland.  Just wait till you find out what time I woke up every morning...


*Actually, there is no sleeping in for us anywhere!  Even with the time change you were up crazy-early, huh? That's nuts!*



afwdwfan said:


> That's just wrong.


*At this point, I can't remember how that even happened. I think maybe after two weeks of road-tripping and DLR and getting up early and staying up later than normal life, we were just getting worn down. *



afwdwfan said:


> An early character meet.  I'd say I'm surprised, but that would be a lie.






afwdwfan said:


> How is it that a state that borders Canada is more spring like than we are right now? I mean, there's no snow, but I haven't seen anything blooming anywhere around here.  Mid-60's today though, so we're getting there!






afwdwfan said:


> This coming weekend or the weekend that just passed without you starting it?


*HAHAHAHAHAHAHA - I nearly spit water all over my computer. So all day Sunday, I kept thinking about the fact that I had made this statement. And yet, all day, both Willow and I were just DEAD. There was nothing that could have inspired me to even turn ON the computer. Actually, I thought I did pretty well by mustering the energy on a weeknight to get the thing started - I felt so guilty!!!! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> No. _This_ weekend -> May 20, 2017.


*Hey, hey, hey!!!  I did reasonably well! *



KatMark said:


> Okay...I am way behind with going away for several days and work issues with one of my bosses leaving. In any event, I'm going to slowly try to catch up everywhere and just going in order of what is on the top of my page...and you were at the top Roni.


*Well, I like being at the top of anything!!!   *



KatMark said:


> Sorry to hear the Matterhorn was down.


*Willow was pretty disappointed, but she's a Disney parks veteran - she knows it happens. *



KatMark said:


> Lunch sounds yummy and looks good too...but the popcorn looks even better. A nice afternoon nap is always a nice thing.


*Willow and I are just HUGE fans of popcorn. And Disney popcorn is particularly yummy. I could happily just have that for lunch. *



KatMark said:


> The Beauty & Beast Show looks cute, but I hate sitting on the floor at my age...always need help getting up (so glad I've not had to do Playhouse Disney for that reason).


*Oh, I don't do well with the floor-sitting either. And this one only invited kids to sit on the floors. There were benches throughout, and Willow chose to sit there with me instead of the floor. Disney Jr. - that is awful for me. I'm glad we have only had to do it once. With my back, floor-sitting is just not good, but I have a young child, so I have to make the attempt. It ain't pretty or pain-free. But do NOT worry about this theater - there is proper seating.  *


KatMark said:


> I'm glad you finally got to see Fantasmic. I can't compare either...because I haven't been to DL.  I do like the sound of the chairs though. And so glad you got so stay in those seats for the fireworks.


*It was a really great experience. Probably even worth the ridiculous price I paid for it! *



KatMark said:


> Twice on the Matterhorn and then the Speedway and then back on the Matterhorn. Can't ask for better than that.


*It was a GOOD night! *



KatMark said:


> Your spring flowers look beautiful. Thankfully ALL of our snow is now gone.


*Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. I know that so much of the country has just had a ridiculous winter.*



courtneybelle said:


> Hi Roni!!! I'm back for a catch up post...


*Hi Courtney!!!!  I'm so happy to see you back! *



courtneybelle said:


> Bummer you guys couldn't get on the Matterhorn. But that frozen apple drink looks delicious, and Beauty and the Beast!!! That show looks so fun!


*The drink was VERY **refreshing. And it was really fun to see a sort of old-school vaudeville version of BatB - VERY fun!*



courtneybelle said:


> Wait...you've never see the WDW version of Fantasmic? Thank goodness you've got that planned for next trip!!


*Oh, I know! It's positively shameful. The time change just KILLS us at WDW. I have always forced these RD days on Willow, which means we're getting up at 3AM our time. Staying out late after that is just not happening. I hope things go better this summer, but Willow is a kid who needs her sleep. And Maddie is a night-owl not making quite the same time-change adjustment. I think there's a possibility that there may be nights that Willow and I have to call it over and head in, but you never know! We do have a relaxing DCL cruise afterwards to recover.  I do think we will manage to see Fantasmic! at least.  *



courtneybelle said:


> Such a fun night at Disneyland, and you finally got on the Matterhorn!


*Poor Willow - she was just rejected over and over again this day with the Matterhorn. I was happy that our last hour in the park could include two rides on one of her faves! *



courtneybelle said:


> Aww such a cute meet with Flik!


*Flik was great. Of course! And the PP photographer did a GREAT job - didn't just sit there and watch until there was a posed photo but instead took pics though the whole meet. I wish they would all do that!*



courtneybelle said:


> Ooooo grass. Not familiar with the concept, but spring looks lovely.


*Ugh - I'm sorry. I was so excited about the coming of spring and finally having a truly good camera. I knew it was unfair when I posted, but I couldn't help it. *


----------



## RGirl

*Hey there, DIS Friends! I wanted to let you know that I have gone ahead and started the TR for our little 8th birthday trip to Disneyland. I sure hope you will join in over there too! For those motivated by competition, there will be another shout-out competition on this TR - inspiration for me to get it finished before this summer's big trip! Here's the link:
*
*“I Miss Walt” - A Mother/Daughter Return-to-Disneyland Trip*
*
The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 21 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 15 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 4 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
*
*"It's sandwich day."*​*
Day 13B - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had met Flik in Bug's Land.*
*

*​*
And from there, we headed to CarsLand as Willow wanted to check the wait time for the RSR single-rider line.*
*

*​*
It was about 10:45, and the posted wait time for RSR single rider was 20 minutes. We, of course, got in line.*
*





*​*
We were, as usual, assigned to the same car - Willow rode in front with two kids, and I rode in back with their parents. We had a great ride!

We were off the ride at 11:15, and we headed back over to ToT to use our FPs.*
*

*​*
Willow was dancing even without the prohibition.*
*





*​*
After ToT, we decided that we had better get something to eat since Willow's surprise was scheduled for 12:50, and it was already noon. We stopped at Award Wieners in Hollywood Land where I got a hotdog, and Willow got herself another Power Pack. We carried them up the street a bit where we found a nice shaded spot to sit on a ledge near a back-stage entrance (exit?). The food was tasty.*
*





*​*
This ended up being a really nice spot to have lunch because there was really no one else around except for the occasional CM heading backstage. At one point, I was checking my phone to try to figure out the exact time for Willow's surprise. So, of course, I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings at all. When I looked up, Mickey was strolling by giving me a wave. Willow said that he had stopped, kissed his glove, and patted her head. Awwww.

Up Next: Day 13C*


----------



## RGirl

*"Were I a betting man - and I'm not, I stay away from games of chance - I'd wager I'm in the company of visiting royalty."*​*
Day 13C - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After our lunch encounter with Mickey Mouse, Willow and I headed out of DCA and into DTD.*
*





*​*
Where were we headed?*
*

*​*
Studio Disney 365! Not long before our trip, I had read that this place (which I had not even known existed) was offering Elsa- and Anna-inspired hair styles! Can you imagine?????  Well, of course, I was immediately on the phone making an appointment for Miss Willow. (Since this summer visit, this place has undergone a MAJOR transformation - and I will share that with you in my currently running January TR.  )

We arrived at Studio Disney at about 12:30, a little early for our 12:50 appointment, which gave us time to look around a bit.*
*













*​*
This place is really neat - they have the same nail and make-up supplies as BBB and, like BBB, give them to the child at the end of the make-over. They have a little book of hairstyles from which to choose, and they are all really cute and quite intricate - actually, much more interesting than the ones the BBB offers. Of course, Willow was just AMAZED when she discovered that she was booked for the Elsa-inspired style. And THRILLED, I might add.

Willow was in the chair and getting made over by 12:45. And the girls who were in charge of the make-overs here were just sweet as can be. Willow had so much fun with them.

This place is a pretty good value too - a fraction of the cost of the BBB. And they did a GREAT job! *
*

















*​*
And the finished product was great! Willow absolutely loved the braid, bun, and blue streak.*
*





















*​*
And this style was absolutely made to last - as you will see, Willow was able to keep it in for quite some time. 

Up Next: Day 13D*


----------



## pkondz

Argh!!!
I know the first one is Lilo & Stitch, but I don't know who says it. Lilo?
And no clue on the other. 

So I googled and I've never seen that one.


----------



## afwdwfan

pkondz said:


> And no clue on the other.
> 
> So I googled and I've never seen that one.


But... it is one of DW's favorites...

Princess and the Frog
Dr. Facilier

Great movie.  I recommend checking it out!


Thanks for leaving that one hanging there for me! 
I was clueless on the first one, but between the 2 of us, we're not half bad.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *It was about 10:45, and the posted wait time for RSR single rider was 20 minutes. We, of course, got in line.*


Well, you can't turn down RSR when the wait is reasonable!



RGirl said:


> *Willow was dancing even without the prohibition.*


She's just likes to dance!!!



RGirl said:


> This ended up being a really nice spot to have lunch because there was really no one else around except for the occasional CM heading backstage. At one point, I was checking my phone to try to figure out the exact time for Willow's surprise. So, of course, I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings at all. When I looked up, Mickey was strolling by giving me a wave. Willow said that he had stopped, kissed his glove, and patted her head. Awwww.


Fun character surprise.  Too bad you missed it.  



RGirl said:


> Studio Disney 365! Not long before our trip, I had read that this place (which I had not even known existed) was offering Elsa- and Anna-inspired hair styles! Can you imagine????? Well, of course, I was immediately on the phone making an appointment for Miss Willow. (Since this summer visit, this place has undergone a MAJOR transformation - and I will share that with you in my currently running January TR.  )


Ok, I was going to ask... I don't recognize the shop name at all.  But I'm going to assume the transformation means that this is the shop right by the entrance from DTD to GCH. 



RGirl said:


> *And the finished product was great! Willow absolutely loved the braid, bun, and blue streak.*


Looks great!  I'm glad she enjoyed it.

Although it does seem a bit odd seeing Elsa's hair with Anna's dress.  She didn't have another dress to change into?  I hear that's all the rage these days.



RGirl said:


> And this style was absolutely made to last - as you will see, Willow was able to keep it in for quite some time.


Always nice when you actually get your money's worth out of something like that.  DD refuses to keep anything in her hair for longer than an hour or 2 so she'd absolutely destroy it.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Lilo, lilo and stitch
Dr Facilier (voodoo man), princess and the frog


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Dang it--I should look ahead before I post


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Willow looks so cute in her coronation gown. Those colors really suit her!

Aaweww--Mickey patted her head? So sweet! Why do I feel like she was touched by royalty? Oh, right--I adore Mickey! 

I can NOT believe you can get Anna and Elsa makeovers!!  The girls would love that! Especially Madison--she might pass out in there. I'm making a note of that if we ever get to DL. Willow's hair looks adorable! I love the sparkles and the twist. So cute and so different then BBB. Awesome surprise!


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> I was clueless on the first one, but between the 2 of us, we're not half bad.


 
We're not half good either.

Oy. 



STLMickeyMom said:


> Dang it--I should look ahead before I post


 


I'll be coming back to read later today Roni, and will comment then.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

You now, it's kind of interesting that they actually post a wait time for a single rider line. You don't see that much in WDW. Then again, there isn't a ton of single rider lines there to begin with.



RGirl said:


>



Geez, she disobeys "No Dancing" even without the explicit warning.



RGirl said:


> Willow was dancing even without the prohibition.



... And then you made the exact same point. Great minds Roni, great minds.



RGirl said:


> When I looked up, Mickey was strolling by giving me a wave. Willow said that he had stopped, kissed his glove, and patted her head. Awwww.



Yeah, I'm sorry but without picture proof...

I still do love that you can say we left the park and headed to DTD, and it doesn't involve taking multiple buses and oodles of time.

Studio Disney 365!!! Is this not the place right where you come into DTD from the Grand Californian? I cut through that hotel every day, and I'm pretty sure this is where it comes out. I used this store as my landmark to find my way... my bread crumbs if you will.

Oh wow, they do the "makeover" right in the store too. Willow is seriously an old pro at this stuff now. And my goodness, what a cutie with her Elsa do...


----------



## Woodskeeper

I love love love the pictures from the Studio! I was so hoping that would be the surprise! Those braids are truly intricate and so much nicer than some of the BBB offerings!

My hotel's Spa just starting doing their own versions of the makeovers, and they have an Elsa braid that the little ones go insane over! I'm surprised WDW BBBs haven't started offering something similar, although I imagine here the reservations would be dreadful! 

BTW, I was in MK the other day, riding Little Mermaid and saw the "no dancing" signs and couldn't stop laughing. I see them everywhere now!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *I was just so excited to try out my new camera and then so thrilled with the pictures I got even before learning how to use it to its maximum abilities.*


 
I figured that out immediately. Especially with the jumping shot.
As soon as I saw that, I thought "Looks like Roni's using the new camera."



RGirl said:


> *we headed to CarsLand as Willow wanted to check the wait time for the RSR single-rider line.*


 
What??? No!
I'm shocked!



RGirl said:


> *the posted wait time for RSR single rider was 20 minutes. We, of course, got in line.*


 
Again! Shocked!






RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
Hey! Hey! Hey! Little girl! No dancing without the requisite no dancing sign!



RGirl said:


> *Willow was dancing even without the prohibition.*


 
Again? She's going to be in so much trouble!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
The child has no fear.



RGirl said:


> *We stopped at Award Wieners in Hollywood Land where I got a hotdog*


 
A hotdog? At a place called Award Wieners?

Who'd've thought it?



RGirl said:


> *When I looked up, Mickey was strolling by giving me a wave. Willow said that he had stopped, kissed his glove, and patted her head. Awwww.*


 
Indeed, Awwww...



RGirl said:


> *Studio Disney 365!*


 
Ummm..... What?



RGirl said:


> *I had read that this place (which I had not even known existed) was offering Elsa- and Anna-inspired hair styles!*


 
Ah! And I see I wasn't alone in not hearing about this place.



RGirl said:


> *We arrived at Studio Disney at about 12:30, a little early for our 12:50 appointment, which gave us time to look around a bit.*


 
Ooh, that can be dangerous... as in expensive.



RGirl said:


> *They have a little book of hairstyles from which to choose, and they are all really cute and quite intricate - actually, much more interesting than the ones the BBB offers.*


 
Huh. So score, then.



RGirl said:


> *Of course, Willow was just AMAZED when she discovered that she was booked for the Elsa-inspired style. And THRILLED, I might add.*


 
I bet! 



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
Nice! I can only imagine how thrilled she was with it!



RGirl said:


> *And this style was absolutely made to last - as you will see, Willow was able to keep it in for quite some time.*


 
Being an owner of a couple of girls, I have no doubt whatsoever that hairstyle would last .... well until you got to the point where you literally _forced_ her to wash her hair.



afwdwfan said:


> She didn't have another dress to change into? I hear that's all the rage these days.


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> When I looked up, Mickey was strolling by giving me a wave. Willow said that he had stopped, kissed his glove, and patted her head. Awwww.


Aw, how sweet!  Love the unexpected character meets when you're just minding your own business. 



RGirl said:


>


What a cute hairdo!  Someday, if Izzy ever gets enough hair , I'll have to keep this in mind!


----------



## shan23877

Okay, where was I   where indeed! Here's the problem with having the inside scoop-you forget if you commented here or in real time!

I'm gonna give this a shot-Yay for the Matterhorn, Fantasmic, and RSR!!! And in case it's here that I read it-yes I have a child who requires no sleep.  just another example of how we got the wrong ones.

Sweet Mickey meet! I would have missed it too. Smart phones have made me impatient.

Loving the Elsa hair, totally cute. I want to learn how to do that now. Would be a good bargaining chip for me to have for this summer....


----------



## courtneybelle

I just LOVE that Anna coronation dress! It's so cute!

I REALLY hope I get to ride TOT with you and Willow. I love how she always has her hands up and looks so happy...maybe she'll inspire me not to have a death grip on the handlebars...but probably not 

Ooo I vaguely remember that Studio Disney 365! I was a little too old for it when we finally made it to Disneyland but it looked super cute. At that time I think it was Hannah Montana makeovers.

EEEE the Elsa hairstyle is PERFECT. I want one!!!


----------



## pkondz

courtneybelle said:


> maybe she'll inspire me not to have a death grip on the handlebars...but probably not



No.... Probably not.
Not to worry... I don't let go either.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Argh!!!
> I know the first one is Lilo & Stitch, but I don't know who says it. Lilo?
> And no clue on the other.


*Two **points!!!  It was indeed Lilo! *



pkondz said:


> So I googled and I've never seen that one.


*Oh my! You should. It was a return to hand-drawn animation. And the music is great!*



afwdwfan said:


> But... it is one of DW's favorites...
> 
> Princess and the Frog
> Dr. Facilier
> 
> Great movie.  I recommend checking it out!


*And two for Andy too!*

*I'm with your wife - that is one of my favorites of the modern Disney princess movies. Willow loves it too.*



afwdwfan said:


> Thanks for leaving that one hanging there for me!
> I was clueless on the first one, but between the 2 of us, we're not half bad.


*Awwww - team work. Well, kind of. Okay, not really at all.....*



afwdwfan said:


> Well, you can't turn down RSR when the wait is reasonable!


*It would be a crime!!!*



afwdwfan said:


> She's just likes to dance!!!






afwdwfan said:


> Fun character surprise.  Too bad you missed it.


**sigh**



afwdwfan said:


> Ok, I was going to ask... I don't recognize the shop name at all.  But I'm going to assume the transformation means that this is the shop right by the entrance from DTD to GCH.


*Yep - that's the one. *



afwdwfan said:


> Looks great!  I'm glad she enjoyed it.
> 
> Although it does seem a bit odd seeing Elsa's hair with Anna's dress.  She didn't have another dress to change into?  I hear that's all the rage these days.


*Just wait...... *



afwdwfan said:


> Always nice when you actually get your money's worth out of something like that.  DD refuses to keep anything in her hair for longer than an hour or 2 so she'd absolutely destroy it.


*Willow is like that too. She will wear the BBB bun for the day, but she would never wear it for several days like some kids. This trip was actually the only time I have ever seen her do that - I think this particular CM (?) just did a really great job not making it uncomfortably tight but still very secure.*


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> Lilo, lilo and stitch
> Dr Facilier (voodoo man), princess and the frog





STLMickeyMom said:


> Dang it--I should look ahead before I post


* No, your approach is the right one. Just ask pkondz who has made the mistake of saying other stuff, etc. before giving his response and lost out. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Willow looks so cute in her coronation gown. Those colors really suit her!


*Aw, thanks! I love that particular dress too - very sweet.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Aaweww--Mickey patted her head? So sweet! Why do I feel like she was touched by royalty? Oh, right--I adore Mickey!


*I can't believe I missed the whole thing! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I can NOT believe you can get Anna and Elsa makeovers!!  The girls would love that! Especially Madison--she might pass out in there. I'm making a note of that if we ever get to DL. Willow's hair looks adorable! I love the sparkles and the twist. So cute and so different then BBB. Awesome surprise!


*Wait until you see what they've done to this salon since.  *

*AND they really do have some wonderful and fairly intricate hair styles offered here. At BBB, I can only stand one of the four they offer - the ones here really are much better. AND less expensive! *



pkondz said:


> We're not half good either.
> 
> Oy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be coming back to read later today Roni, and will comment then.


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> You now, it's kind of interesting that they actually post a wait time for a single rider line. You don't see that much in WDW. Then again, there isn't a ton of single rider lines there to begin with.


*Hmm, we have only used the RSR and Matterhorn single-rider lines, but only RSR posts the wait. And it isn't always posted there, but you can go up to the CM manning the single-rider line and ask, which Willow has done several times. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Geez, she disobeys "No Dancing" even without the explicit warning.


*The child cannot be stopped!!!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> ... And then you made the exact same point. Great minds Roni, great minds.


*It was only a matter of time with our amazing minds, Rob! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Yeah, I'm sorry but without picture proof...






DisneyKid4Life said:


> I still do love that you can say we left the park and headed to DTD, and it doesn't involve taking multiple buses and oodles of time.


*I truly do love the convenience of DLR over all. In fact, if I had to choose, I would probably pick DLR as my favorite of the two coasts. But I will reserve that decision until after our summer trip. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Studio Disney 365!!! Is this not the place right where you come into DTD from the Grand Californian? I cut through that hotel every day, and I'm pretty sure this is where it comes out. I used this store as my landmark to find my way... my bread crumbs if you will.


*Yep, that's the one! It looks a little different now though.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh wow, they do the "makeover" right in the store too. Willow is seriously an old pro at this stuff now. And my goodness, what a cutie with her Elsa do...


*Yep - they have two make-over areas - one set up in back with several chairs and one right in the middle of the store. I think they favor the latter, because it draws people in. I don't think most people realize that this option is available (I had never heard of it before the announcement of the A&E styles before this trip), so having the make-overs out where they can easily be seen is probably helpful to them in gathering business.*



Woodskeeper said:


> I love love love the pictures from the Studio! I was so hoping that would be the surprise! Those braids are truly intricate and so much nicer than some of the BBB offerings!


*I totally agree. I was VERY impressed with the styles and the quality of the experience at Studio Disney. We both were.*



Woodskeeper said:


> My hotel's Spa just starting doing their own versions of the makeovers, and they have an Elsa braid that the little ones go insane over! I'm surprised WDW BBBs haven't started offering something similar, although I imagine here the reservations would be dreadful!


*That's so cute!!!  They NEVER change the BBB styles, and honestly, I abhor all but the classic bun. We love the experience, but they really could do better with the hair styles.*



Woodskeeper said:


> BTW, I was in MK the other day, riding Little Mermaid and saw the "no dancing" signs and couldn't stop laughing. I see them everywhere now!


 *That's awesome!!!!*


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I figured that out immediately. Especially with the jumping shot.
> As soon as I saw that, I thought "Looks like Roni's using the new camera."


*I knew you would! *



pkondz said:


> What??? No!
> I'm shocked!


*We get a little predictable when it comes to CarsLand....*



pkondz said:


> Again! Shocked!






pkondz said:


> Again? She's going to be in so much trouble!


*She's off the rails!!!!  *



pkondz said:


> The child has no fear.


*When it comes to rides, this is completely true. She LOVES speed!!!!  *



pkondz said:


> A hotdog? At a place called Award Wieners?
> 
> Who'd've thought it?






pkondz said:


> Ummm..... What?


*There are still some Disney unknowns out there....*



pkondz said:


> Ah! And I see I wasn't alone in not hearing about this place.


*It's kind of a hidden treasure. *



pkondz said:


> Ooh, that can be dangerous... as in expensive.


*Very true. I got off easy this time. Phew!!*



pkondz said:


> Nice! I can only imagine how thrilled she was with it!


*She loved it. I did too - it was a pretty quality style, especially considering the not-mouth-dropping price.*



pkondz said:


> Being an owner of a couple of girls, I have no doubt whatsoever that hairstyle would last .... well until you got to the point where you literally _forced_ her to wash her hair.


*Willow has actually never been able to stand wearing one of these styles (read: BBB bun) overnight. I think we just lucked out with a stylist who did not make it too tight and yet very durable. She was never uncomfortable, and it stayed put very well - and was perfect for the hot days we had, keeping her hair off of her neck.*



Dugette said:


> Aw, how sweet!  Love the unexpected character meets when you're just minding your own business.


*Me too! I just wish that I had realized that this one was happening! *



Dugette said:


> What a cute hairdo!  Someday, if Izzy ever gets enough hair , I'll have to keep this in mind!


*She will! I know it feels like forever, but she will. I have a friend who was convinced her daughter was never going to have more than a few wisps of hair. She can wear pigtails now - I mean, not very LONG ones, but they are pigtails! *


----------



## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> Okay, where was I  where indeed! Here's the problem with having the inside scoop-you forget if you commented here or in real time!


*Well, you've been busy.  *



shan23877 said:


> I'm gonna give this a shot-Yay for the Matterhorn, Fantasmic, and RSR!!! And in case it's here that I read it-yes I have a child who requires no sleep.  just another example of how we got the wrong ones.


*I have no idea why you are saying this, so either it was NOT here, or I don't remember it - either one is a perfectly viable possibility. *



shan23877 said:


> Sweet Mickey meet! I would have missed it too. Smart phones have made me impatient.


*This particular smart phone incident was truly innocent - I wasn't even TALKING TO YOU! But Willow had a nice personal interaction with Mickey with no camera shoved in her face, so she probably enjoyed that. *



shan23877 said:


> Loving the Elsa hair, totally cute. I want to learn how to do that now. Would be a good bargaining chip for me to have for this summer....


*I've done a decent replica of it, so that ain't gonna work, honey. Start saving up those dollars for all my DRINKS! *



courtneybelle said:


> I just LOVE that Anna coronation dress! It's so cute!


*It is one of my favorite dresses Disney has come out with in quite a while. It's simple, but intricate at the same time, and just very sweet.*



courtneybelle said:


> I REALLY hope I get to ride TOT with you and Willow. I love how she always has her hands up and looks so happy...maybe she'll inspire me not to have a death grip on the handlebars...but probably not


*Okay, it's settled. We HAVE to meet up at DHS at some point (I mean, we're meeting up multiple times, right????) so that Willow can take you on ToT. She is going to be thrilled to think that she can show you how it's done. She always talks to the people in line (like teenage girls) who are scared and assures them that it's really fun. *

*Have you picked a meal to have with us yet? Or two? Or three?  *



courtneybelle said:


> Ooo I vaguely remember that Studio Disney 365! I was a little too old for it when we finally made it to Disneyland but it looked super cute. At that time I think it was Hannah Montana makeovers.


*I bet it was Hannah Montana! They had a kind of "rock start" thing going at this time - they filled out a little form/certificate for Willow that included her favorite singer - Michael Jackson, of course. *



courtneybelle said:


> EEEE the Elsa hairstyle is PERFECT. I want one!!!


*I was 100% impressed with the hairstyle. You should get one!!!*



pkondz said:


> No.... Probably not.
> Not to worry... I don't let go either.


*Pfft - Willow will have her flinging her arms in the air throughout the whole ride if given enough opportunities! *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 21 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 17 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 6 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
*
*"The mouse's name is Cheese?"*​*
Day 13D - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After Willow's transformation, we headed back into DCA via the Grand Californian entrance.*
*

*​*
I think this hotel is just gorgeous!*
*





*​*
We grabbed FPs for Soarin' on the way by.*
*

*​*
And then we finally got a Mickey bar and found a seat near Starbucks (Fiddler, Fifer, Whatever - it's Starbucks) to share it. *
*

*​*
I couldn’t get enough of Willow’s cute new ‘do!*
*

*​*
We watched a performance from the little band that makes its way down the street pretty regularly here and then performs right in this area. (Sorry - no recollection what their name is.)

When we had finished our ice cream treat, we saw that Hollywood Mickey was out meeting guests, so of course, we had to get in line as we had not officially visited with Mickey yet (our quick lunch encounter didn't really feel like it counted). Willow had a seat for a bit while I waited in line.*
*

*​*
She took the opportunity to call her grandmother and tell her that she was sitting on something that made her butt hot. *
*

*​*
Anyway....  Willow met Mickey at a little before 2:00, and he was very gentlemanly.*
*

*​
*

*​
*





*​*
After meeting Mickey, we cut through a shop for some AC, crossed the street to use the restrooms near Disney Jr. and then headed to our much-anticipated next destination. Oh, looks like I got a picture from over here of what Award Wieners looks like (where we got our lunch today).*
*

*​*
We were going back to the Animation Academy!*
*

*​*
We *just* made it into the 2:00 class. Phew!*
*





*​*
Up Next: Day 13D (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 13D - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

Every class that we attended had one animator doing the drawing and another animator available to help if people broke a pencil, needed paper, etc. When we came into this class, the "helper" animator talked to Willow for a bit - he was quite impressed with her sparkly hairdo.

And we got to draw Oswald!*
*





*​*
After our class ended, Willow wanted to do it again, so we walked back around and waited for the next course to start. This time we drew Sully!

And the drawing animator was the one who had been the "helper" animator during the last class. At the end of every class, they have everyone hold up their drawings and tell everyone how great they did. The drawing animator then usually gives his or her drawing to someone in the audience. Well, this time Willow was chosen, and she was so excited to get to take home the animator's drawing of Sully.*
*

*​*
And ours:*
*





*​*
After that fun, what do you think we did?

Of course, we turned around and went into the next class!  This time we got to draw Tigger! I thought Willow did a particularly nice job on this one. *
*





*​*
By the time we had finished with Tigger, our FPs for Soarin' were ready, so we headed over there and got in line at about 3:30. *
*













*​*
We had a great time on Soarin' and then headed to the front of the park. These caught our eye and certainly deserved a picture.*
*

*​*
As we were heading to the front, we saw Goofy out meeting guests and, of course, had to stop and say hi! Goofy was adorable as always in his Old Time Hollywood attire. And he bowed to and danced with Miss Willow!*
*

























*​*
Up Next: Day 13E*


----------



## courtneybelle

Tinker Bell from Tinker Bell


----------



## afwdwfan

Yep... Googled it.  Never seen that one.   I'll leave it for someone else.


Lol got beat anyway.


----------



## courtneybelle

Awww, Hollywood Mickey is just too dapper. Love him.

Looping Animation Academy...you two would fit in GREAT with my mom and sister. And all your pictures are wonderful!! I especially like your Oswald and Willow's Sulley.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> Oh my! You should. It was a return to hand-drawn animation. And the music is great!


I agree.   I thought it was an excellent movie.   Reminded me a lot of those early to mid 90's Disney movies.   I really felt like this one gets the shift compared to Tangled or Frozen... but I'd say I like it more than either of them. 



RGirl said:


> And then we finally got a Mickey bar and found a seat near Starbucks (Fiddler, Fifer, Whatever - it's Starbucks) to share it.


Mickey bars are always a good thing!  But yeah.   Starbucks is Starbucks.   Even in Disneyland. 



RGirl said:


> She took the opportunity to call her grandmother and tell her that she was sitting on something that made her butt hot.






RGirl said:


> By the time we had finished with Tigger, our FPs for Soarin' were ready, so we headed over there and got in line at about 3:30.


Good drawings! 

I'm glad you both had such a good time drawing the characters!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

You can share a Mickey bar? I'm impressed. It's everyone for themselves in our family when Mickey bars are involved!

Oh, Mickey and goofy look sssoooo cute!

My DH would have loved hanging with you guys--animation drawing class 3 times in a row? That would be his perfect day! Your drawings look great--nice job!


----------



## Dugette

Love the pics with Mickey and Goofy! Such cute outfits!

You guys sure love doing those animations. Nice job! And very cool that Willow got one of the animator's drawings.


----------



## chattadisser

I love Willows Elsa 'do. It looks so good on her.

Yea to multiple animation classes! We love to do the drawings and I love how their "classroom" is themed and so much larger than the one at DHS. 

With every update to this TR, I just want to run away to DL!

Christine


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

RGirl said:


> After Willow's transformation, we headed back into DCA via the Grand Californian entrance



I knew it!!!  I have to say, The Grand Cali may be one of the best "shortcuts" ever made. I never did use it to go directly into the park, but it was my short cut of choice daily none the less.

Ack, I love meeting Mickey in different outfits. There was a time when I found it frustrating not being able to find "regular" Mickey. But having seen so many different outfits now, I love all the variety.

Wow, I actualy do remember that Hot Dog place. You do not forget that name.

OMG you drew Oswald. Nothing else I can say. That is just awesome!!

Goodness how suave is Goofy? You'd think with a name like Goofy there is no way he could pull that off. But that is one Dapper Dog.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Two **points!!! It was indeed Lilo! *


 
 Score! And I just guessed. I figured the main speaking character would give me a decent shot.
But I'm like Andy on the next update... too late and never seen it.



RGirl said:


> *When it comes to rides, this is completely true. She LOVES speed!!!!*


 
That's a good kid ya got there.
Never take for granted a kid that'll go on rides that _you_ actually want to go on!



RGirl said:


> *Willow has actually never been able to stand wearing one of these styles (read: BBB bun) overnight. I think we just lucked out with a stylist who did not make it too tight and yet very durable. She was never uncomfortable, and it stayed put very well - and was perfect for the hot days we had, keeping her hair off of her neck.*


 
 Yup. I get it.
Mine?
DD#1: "Braid my hair!!!"
DD#2: "Don't touch my hair!!!"



RGirl said:


> *Pfft - Willow will have her flinging her arms in the air throughout the whole ride if given enough opportunities! *


 
I will accept photographic proof only.

Going back to read... possibly later. I've got a long night ahead of me and my update's already done.
(just not posted)


----------



## shan23877

Awesome animation classes! You guys did some great drawings!

Love the reason for the phone call 

Oh Goofy. I adore that dog...


----------



## KatMark

Yay for TOT (my favorite), a hot dog and a kiss from Mickey.

Caught up again. Love the make-over...how very cool (although you have me now very curious about the change-over).

Great pictures with Mickey and Goofy.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *"The mouse's name is Cheese?"*


 
Well I'm glad someone else already guessed, because I would've picked Ratatouille.



RGirl said:


> *I think this hotel is just gorgeous!*


 
Wow! I had no idea! That's really beautiful.



RGirl said:


> *We grabbed FPs for Soarin' on the way by.*


 
Because... Soarin'.



RGirl said:


> *(Sorry - no recollection what their name is.)*


 
Loved this band! But not enough to know their name or even take a picture.





RGirl said:


> *Willow had a seat for a bit while I waited in line.*


 
"Mom! Mom! I really want to do this! I'll do anything if I can do this!"
"But _you_ stand in line while I relax, okay?"





RGirl said:


> *She took the opportunity to call her grandmother and tell her that she was sitting on something that made her butt hot.*


 
 There are certain things that grandmothers are good for, right?



RGirl said:


> *Oh, looks like I got a picture from over here of what Award Wieners looks like*


 
A hot dog? At a place called... wait... didn't we do this already?



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
Interesting. At WDW they have long tables for you to draw on, except for the front row.



RGirl said:


> *And we got to draw Oswald!*


 
Cool!
All the pictures you guys drew were really good.
And I agree that Willow's Tigger was the best of them.



RGirl said:


> *At the end of every class, they have everyone hold up their drawings and tell everyone how great they did.*


 
Really? I like that!
At WDW, when we finished, everyone just got up and left.



RGirl said:


> *The drawing animator then usually gives his or her drawing to someone in the audience.*


 
Don't remember if our animator did that or not.
He might have, but I might have left by then. Dunno.



RGirl said:


> *Well, this time Willow was chosen, and she was so excited to get to take home the animator's drawing of Sully.*


 
Good for her! And I bet she was excited!



RGirl said:


> *After that fun, what do you think we did?*


 
Well, no more drawing, that's for sure!



RGirl said:


> *Of course, we turned around and went into the next class!*


 




RGirl said:


> *we saw Goofy out meeting guests and, of course, had to stop and say hi!*


 
Well, of course! Hello! Goofy!


----------



## hstrickland

Yikes... I was so far behind. All caught up once again...at least for a few days  I actually had to go back and reread because it had been so long since I was on the Dis.  Love pictures of Willow! She seems like such a fun kid....always smiling. 

Keep the beautiful photographs coming


----------



## librarygeek

Willow's hair looks so cute!  And I love Mickey and Goofy in their old Hollywood outfits.

I love the drawing class!  I'm just like Willow, I could do it over and over again


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Tinker Bell from Tinker Bell


*You have officially taken the lead!!!  *



afwdwfan said:


> Yep... Googled it.  Never seen that one.   I'll leave it for someone else.
> 
> Lol got beat anyway.






courtneybelle said:


> Awww, Hollywood Mickey is just too dapper. Love him.


*My obsession with characters in different outfits is always catered to at DCA. *



courtneybelle said:


> Looping Animation Academy...you two would fit in GREAT with my mom and sister. And all your pictures are wonderful!! I especially like your Oswald and Willow's Sulley.


*The Animation Academy was definitely the surprise hit of the trip - I think we were both surprised at how much we enjoyed it.*



afwdwfan said:


> I agree. I thought it was an excellent movie. Reminded me a lot of those early to mid 90's Disney movies. I really felt like this one gets the shift compared to Tangled or Frozen... but I'd say I like it more than either of them.


*I really enjoyed Tangled and Frozen as well, But PatF is really one of my all-time favorites. I love the music, and I love what a strong character Tiana is.*



afwdwfan said:


> Mickey bars are always a good thing! But yeah. Starbucks is Starbucks. Even in Disneyland.


*I mean, if I'm going to go to Starbucks, I'd prefer it be in Disneyland, but yeah.....  *



afwdwfan said:


> Good drawings!
> 
> I'm glad you both had such a good time drawing the characters!


*Thanks! It was a surprisingly fun experience for us. *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> You can share a Mickey bar? I'm impressed. It's everyone for themselves in our family when Mickey bars are involved!


 *Willow definitely gets about 90% of it, but I do enjoy a bite of an ear or two! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Oh, Mickey and goofy look sssoooo cute!


*I just love their Hollywood-wear!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> My DH would have loved hanging with you guys--animation drawing class 3 times in a row? That would be his perfect day! Your drawings look great--nice job!


*Thanks! I couldn't believe how much we enjoyed those classes. Definitely something we'll continue to do. How cool that your husband loves them too!*



Dugette said:


> Love the pics with Mickey and Goofy! Such cute outfits!


*Aren't they so cute???? *



Dugette said:


> You guys sure love doing those animations. Nice job! And very cool that Willow got one of the animator's drawings.


*It was really a nice surprise how much we enjoyed the classes. I never would have expected!*



chattadisser said:


> I love Willows Elsa 'do. It looks so good on her.


*Thanks! I was really impressed with the styles at Studio Disney.*



chattadisser said:


> Yea to multiple animation classes! We love to do the drawings and I love how their "classroom" is themed and so much larger than the one at DHS.


*We have never done the class at DHS. I hope we won't be disappointed! *



chattadisser said:


> With every update to this TR, I just want to run away to DL!


*You are going to love it there so much!!!!*


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> I knew it!!!  I have to say, The Grand Cali may be one of the best "shortcuts" ever made. I never did use it to go directly into the park, but it was my short cut of choice daily none the less.


*Isn't it great??? We never use it to get into the park at opening - rope drop is more successful from the front, but we almost always exit that way (unless heading back over to DL) and to enter in a situation like this in the afternoon. So nice!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ack, I love meeting Mickey in different outfits. There was a time when I found it frustrating not being able to find "regular" Mickey. But having seen so many different outfits now, I love all the variety.


*Oh, I have a teeny-tiny obsession with seeing characters in different outfits. Honestly, I think that's the biggest draw of DCL cruises for me!!!  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, I actualy do remember that Hot Dog place. You do not forget that name.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG you drew Oswald. Nothing else I can say. That is just awesome!!


*Yeah, I was pretty excited! And it provided a great opportunity to educate Willow about Oswald (which the animator did). That served us well during the next trip.....  *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Goodness how suave is Goofy? You'd think with a name like Goofy there is no way he could pull that off. But that is one Dapper Dog.


*Goofy is a complex fellow, Rob.  *



pkondz said:


> Score! And I just guessed. I figured the main speaking character would give me a decent shot.
> But I'm like Andy on the next update... too late and never seen it.


*Very impressive deductive skills! *



pkondz said:


> That's a good kid ya got there.
> Never take for granted a kid that'll go on rides that _you_ actually want to go on!


*Yeah, I'm not sure I would have adapted well to a child who was afraid of rides.  *



pkondz said:


> Yup. I get it.
> Mine?
> DD#1: "Braid my hair!!!"
> DD#2: "Don't touch my hair!!!"






pkondz said:


> I will accept photographic proof only.


*And I am on a mission to get just that! *


----------



## RGirl

shan23877 said:


> Awesome animation classes! You guys did some great drawings!


*Thanks! I was surprised at how fun these were.*



shan23877 said:


> Love the reason for the phone call


*I knew you would enjoy that. *



shan23877 said:


> Oh Goofy. I adore that dog...


*I love Goofy - especially when he's all Hollywood-style or tuxedo'ed on the cruise. So cute!*



KatMark said:


> Yay for TOT (my favorite), a hot dog and a kiss from Mickey.


*Yep - that's some good old fashioned Disney fun right there! *



KatMark said:


> Caught up again. Love the make-over...how very cool (although you have me now very curious about the change-over).


*I was very impressed with the hair styles offered. And you should be hearing about the shop changes very soon on the other TR as we hit the place early. *



KatMark said:


> Great pictures with Mickey and Goofy.


*Thanks! I just love the DCA outfits the characters wear. *



pkondz said:


> Well I'm glad someone else already guessed, because I would've picked Ratatouille.






pkondz said:


> Loved this band! But not enough to know their name or even take a picture.


*  To be fair, I don't think they really advertise the name! *



pkondz said:


> "Mom! Mom! I really want to do this! I'll do anything if I can do this!"
> "But _you_ stand in line while I relax, okay?"


 



pkondz said:


> There are certain things that grandmothers are good for, right?


*Apparently! *



pkondz said:


> Interesting. At WDW they have long tables for you to draw on, except for the front row.


*Interesting - I'm intrigued to try the DHS version. I hope we like it as much as the DCA one!*



pkondz said:


> Cool!
> All the pictures you guys drew were really good.
> And I agree that Willow's Tigger was the best of them.


*Thanks!*



pkondz said:


> Really? I like that!
> At WDW, when we finished, everyone just got up and left.


*Oh, that's too bad! It was fun to look around and see everyone else's drawings.*



pkondz said:


> Don't remember if our animator did that or not.
> He might have, but I might have left by then. Dunno.


*I hope they do it - it's a really nice touch!*



pkondz said:


> Well, of course! Hello! Goofy!


*You'd be crazy to pass up Hollywood Goofy!*


----------



## RGirl

hstrickland said:


> Yikes... I was so far behind. All caught up once again...at least for a few days  I actually had to go back and reread because it had been so long since I was on the Dis. Love pictures of Willow! She seems like such a fun kid....always smiling.


*Hey there, Heather! It's great to see you. I know how busy life gets.....*



hstrickland said:


> Keep the beautiful photographs coming


*Thanks! Hoping to wrap this one up here pretty quickly!*



librarygeek said:


> Willow's hair looks so cute! And I love Mickey and Goofy in their old Hollywood outfits.


*Hey Becky! It's great to see you again. And we can never resist Hollywood Mickey or Goofy (or Pluto, although I guess we didn't catch him this day).*



librarygeek said:


> I love the drawing class! I'm just like Willow, I could do it over and over again


*I was really surprised we enjoyed it so much - we will definitely do that any chance we get!*


----------



## RGirl

*My apologies for the semi-long delay in updates here. Willow's spring break was this week, so we spent much of the week vacationing on the Oregon Coast. I may do a little mini-TR about that trip on my other DLR TR once I get pictures organized and stuff. But let's continue on with this TR for now!

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 23 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 17 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 6 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
*
*"Royalty. Nobility. Gentry. How quaint. Even the rabble."*​*
Day 13E - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After our meeting with Goofy, we headed out of DCA as we had dinner reservations in DL tonight.*
*

*​*
It was a few minutes after 4 when we entered DL, and we realized that the parade was going on. Amazingly, we were able to snag a spot on the curb right outside City Hall. We are not usually big parade people - we will sometimes watch them when we're in the right place at the right time, and DL does have VERY good parades - but Willow was actually really, really wanting to see the DL parade this trip because she had learned that it was now featuring a pre-parade float with Anna and Elsa!!!! And we were just in time.*
*









*​*
Willow stood up and waved at Anna (in her Anna dress, of course), and she really lucked out because Anna spotted her and waved directly at her. Willow was quite pleased with the whole A&E pre-parade float. *
*

*​*
Hey look, folks! Willow does really eat decent food - I told you!*
*

*​*
Soon, the rest of the parade started going by, and we really enjoyed it all. Willow really lucked out with a lot of characters spotting her and acknowledging her. So much so that the woman sitting next to me commented on it. I really just think it was luck or possibly it just shows on her face how truly excited she is when she sees her favorite characters. Whatever it is, we had a great time. And now for total picture overload…..*
*

























































*​*
Probably the best character interaction Willow had, however, was when her old friend Bert stopped his carousel horse and chatted with her for several seconds. *
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 13F*


----------



## Dugette

After consulting with Dug, I'll go with the Evil Queen from Enchanted?

Be back for comments.


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> we spent much of the week vacationing on the Oregon Coast. I may do a little mini-TR about that trip on my other DLR TR once I get pictures organized and stuff.


Oooh, cool. I'd love to read a mini-TR on that. We were out in Oregon about a year ago and visited the coast one day (mini-TR is in the "off-topic" part of the index here - 4 parts - if you are interested: Bear Hugs & Piggy Kisses - Baby's 1st Trip ~ Updated 12/6: Aulani TR Started!!!)



RGirl said:


> Willow stood up and waved at Anna (in her Anna dress, of course), and she really lucked out because Anna spotted her and waved directly at her.


Love all the magic with this parade! The fact that you found a spot like that and then had amazing character interactions...pure pixie dust.


----------



## courtneybelle

I'm going to guess Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty! Back in a sec to comment...


----------



## courtneybelle

Even though you're not parade people I hope you try to see Festival of Fantasy on your WDW trip! I have a feeling Willow would flip over the Frozen float...

I love Soundsational SO MUCH oh my gosh. It's so beautiful and colorful! Great pics!!!

That is awesome that Bert stopped to talk to Willow!!! What a guy!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I honestly even miss the Esplanade between the two parks. Plus, I like saying "Esplanade".



RGirl said:


>



Well done multi-tasking there Willow. See, Disney trips are educational!!

I am not in the least surprised that Willow commands so much character attention. How could she not? Like seriously????

This is the Soundsational Parade, right? OMG You're gonna LOVE Festival of Fantasy!! (and One Man's Dream... yeah I'm throwing that in there.)


----------



## pkondz

Hmmmmmmm.... I'm sure that Courtney wouldn't make a mistake, but...
Just in case, I thought it was Stepmom from Cinderella.

ETA And after I posted, I Googled.... and I was right! I'm wrong!



RGirl said:


> *Amazingly, we were able to snag a spot on the curb right outside City Hall.*


 
"There was a family with two small kids that had been sitting there for over two hours, but they were weak from the heat and a lack of hydration and we were easily able to push them out of the way. Willow sat on the curb while I stood behind her. Several people behind me commented about blocking their view, but they're just rude and jealous that I got to see a parade without standing there for an hour first."



RGirl said:


> *We are not usually big parade people - we will sometimes watch them when we're in the right place at the right time,*


 
You just wrote my next chapter.
That was easy.



RGirl said:


> *it was now featuring a pre-parade float with Anna and Elsa*


 
Are they on the same float? Elsa's looks a lot higher than Anna's.



RGirl said:


> *Hey look, folks! Willow does really eat decent food - I told you!*


 
"Willow, I'm getting a lot of flak from my friends. Take this banana."
"Ewww!"
"No, no, no. You don't have to eat it. Just hold it and pretend like you're taking a bite out of it."
<click!>



RGirl said:


> *Willow really lucked out with a lot of characters spotting her and acknowledging her. So much so that the woman sitting next to me commented on it.*


 
 That's great!



RGirl said:


> *And now for total picture overload…..*


 
Needs more Ariel shots, but otherwise, great pics! 



RGirl said:


> *Probably the best character interaction Willow had, however, was when her old friend Bert stopped his carousel horse and chatted with her for several seconds.*


 
Wow! That's really awesome that he just stopped in the middle of the parade to chat like that!

Thanks for the update!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

What? Is willow eating a banana? I thought she only ate chicken nuggets and Mac and cheese! 

Those parade pictures are so amazing!  We don't always do parades either but that looks like a fun one. 

If Bert stopped to talk to Maddie, shed probably faint!


----------



## Woodskeeper

courtneybelle said:


> Even though you're not parade people I hope you try to see Festival of Fantasy on your WDW trip! I have a feeling Willow would flip over the Frozen float...



THIS times a million. Although Celebrate a Dream Come True will always have a special place in my heart from seeing it at work everyday... and Boo-to-You is without a doubt the *best* parade out there, Festival of Fantasy is extremely well done with fun floats, amazingly beautiful costumes and catchy music. Catch it in Frontierland this summer over by Pecos and Splash. Several great reasons: 1) It steps off there, 2) Not too many people wait there, 3) It's easy access to Pirates, Splash or Thunder afterwards, especially if you have a FP+ for the 3:15 area ;-)


----------



## courtneybelle

pkondz said:


> "Willow, I'm getting a lot of flak from my friends. Take this banana."
> "Ewww!"
> "No, no, no. You don't have to eat it. Just hold it and pretend like you're taking a bite out of it."
> <click!>



Do you ever laugh so hard you cry? Because I do.


----------



## pkondz

courtneybelle said:


> Do you ever laugh so hard you cry? Because I do.


 
pkondz make nice girl cry.
Bad pkondz! Bad!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> DL does have VERY good parades






RGirl said:


> *Willow stood up and waved at Anna (in her Anna dress, of course), and she really lucked out because Anna spotted her and waved directly at her. Willow was quite pleased with the whole A&E pre-parade float. *


I'm sure that really made her day. 



RGirl said:


> Soon, the rest of the parade started going by, and we really enjoyed it all. Willow really lucked out with a lot of characters spotting her and acknowledging her. So much so that the woman sitting next to me commented on it. I really just think it was luck or possibly it just shows on her face how truly excited she is when she sees her favorite characters


Or maybe not.  I guess it had nothing to do with Anna, Willow was just a character magnet!

I think your point about her excitement for certain characters being apparent probably played into it.  I know there are tons of smiling faces for the characters on the float to look at as they pass, but seeing an extra excited face front and center, maybe one with some glitter and make up and a princess dress to stand out a little more, probably really grabs their attention.



RGirl said:


> *Probably the best character interaction Willow had, however, was when her old friend Bert stopped his carousel horse and chatted with her for several seconds. *


Wow, that really is special!


----------



## KatMark

What a fun update, Roni. I am a lover of parades but can never get anyone to want to do them with me. 

And you got awesome pictures from your awesome spot. And lucky Willow having a conversation with Bert.


----------



## dizneeat

*All caught up - too much to comment on - just one thing: HOW cute is that BBB hairdo! I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!*


----------



## jedijill

Finally caught up!  Can I say I hate the new Disboards lack of notifications?!?!?1

Looks like you guys had an amazing time.  Love Willow's coronation dress and hairdo!

Jill in CO


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> After consulting with Dug, I'll go with the Evil Queen from Enchanted?


*Good guess, but not quite!*



Dugette said:


> Oooh, cool. I'd love to read a mini-TR on that. We were out in Oregon about a year ago and visited the coast one day (mini-TR is in the "off-topic" part of the index here - 4 parts - if you are interested: Bear Hugs & Piggy Kisses - Baby's 1st Trip ~ Updated 12/6: Aulani TR Started!!!)


*Oh good! I definitely plan to do one - we had such a great time. I may try to get my pictures ready and get it started this weekend.*

*And I totally have to check out your coastal installment - I want to see where you were exactly!*



Dugette said:


> Love all the magic with this parade! The fact that you found a spot like that and then had amazing character interactions...pure pixie dust.


*It really was a lucky break, for sure! So fun!!!!*



courtneybelle said:


> I'm going to guess Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty! Back in a sec to comment...


*Correct character, wrong movie. Interesting, eh????  One point for Courtney......*



courtneybelle said:


> Even though you're not parade people I hope you try to see Festival of Fantasy on your WDW trip! I have a feeling Willow would flip over the Frozen float...


*Oh, I really want to see it - the pictures all look amazing. I really enjoy the parades; I'm just not willing to camp out for them. We still manage to see quite a few - at least at Disneyland; it seems to be easier there. *



courtneybelle said:


> I love Soundsational SO MUCH oh my gosh. It's so beautiful and colorful! Great pics!!!


*We have actually managed to see this one a few times - it's always good!*



courtneybelle said:


> That is awesome that Bert stopped to talk to Willow!!! What a guy!


*Bert and Willow go waaaaaaay back - there old buddies. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> I honestly even miss the Esplanade between the two parks. Plus, I like saying "Esplanade".


*Don't you just love the Esplanade? Just makes you want to park hop back and forth all day long!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I am not in the least surprised that Willow commands so much character attention. How could she not? Like seriously????


*You are very sweet! I think she just really lucked out at this particular parade. It sure was a lot of fun for her!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> This is the Soundsational Parade, right? OMG You're gonna LOVE Festival of Fantasy!! (and One Man's Dream... yeah I'm throwing that in there.)


*It is - and I do think we will love the new one at MK too. It looks amazing! And One Man's Dream! *



pkondz said:


> Hmmmmmmm.... I'm sure that Courtney wouldn't make a mistake, but...
> Just in case, I thought it was Stepmom from Cinderella.
> 
> ETA And after I posted, I Googled.... and I was right! I'm wrong!


*Well, you are correct that you were wrong, but Courtney did make a tiny mistake......*



pkondz said:


> "There was a family with two small kids that had been sitting there for over two hours, but they were weak from the heat and a lack of hydration and we were easily able to push them out of the way. Willow sat on the curb while I stood behind her. Several people behind me commented about blocking their view, but they're just rude and jealous that I got to see a parade without standing there for an hour first."


*You know us so well!!! *



pkondz said:


> You just wrote my next chapter.
> That was easy.


*You are welcome!*



pkondz said:


> Are they on the same float? Elsa's looks a lot higher than Anna's.


*Same float - Elsa's spot is elevated. *



pkondz said:


> "Willow, I'm getting a lot of flak from my friends. Take this banana."
> "Ewww!"
> "No, no, no. You don't have to eat it. Just hold it and pretend like you're taking a bite out of it."
> <click!>






pkondz said:


> Needs more Ariel shots, but otherwise, great pics!


*Sorry about that! Here ya go....*
*

*

*

*

*

*



pkondz said:


> Wow! That's really awesome that he just stopped in the middle of the parade to chat like that!


*It was very cool. We have had multiple phenomenal interactions with Bert at DL. *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> What? Is willow eating a banana? I thought she only ate chicken nuggets and Mac and cheese!


*It's a Disney miracle! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Those parade pictures are so amazing! We don't always do parades either but that looks like a fun one.


*You know, we really always enjoy them when we actually stop. This one is particularly good, I think. We've seen it 2 or 3 times and still enjoy it.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> If Bert stopped to talk to Maddie, shed probably faint!


*It was very special.  Willow and Bert do go way back though....  *



Woodskeeper said:


> THIS times a million. Although Celebrate a Dream Come True will always have a special place in my heart from seeing it at work everyday... and Boo-to-You is without a doubt the *best* parade out there, Festival of Fantasy is extremely well done with fun floats, amazingly beautiful costumes and catchy music. Catch it in Frontierland this summer over by Pecos and Splash. Several great reasons: 1) It steps off there, 2) Not too many people wait there, 3) It's easy access to Pirates, Splash or Thunder afterwards, especially if you have a FP+ for the 3:15 area ;-)


*Thanks for the great tips!!*

*And I agree - Boo to You is amazing! Probably my favorite parade I've ever seen. *



courtneybelle said:


> Do you ever laugh so hard you cry? Because I do.


*  And it often has to do with pkondz, interestingly enough.*



pkondz said:


> pkondz make nice girl cry.
> Bad pkondz! Bad!


*You bad, bad man!*


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> I'm sure that really made her day.


*She was pretty darn excited!*



afwdwfan said:


> Or maybe not. I guess it had nothing to do with Anna, Willow was just a character magnet!
> 
> I think your point about her excitement for certain characters being apparent probably played into it. I know there are tons of smiling faces for the characters on the float to look at as they pass, but seeing an extra excited face front and center, maybe one with some glitter and make up and a princess dress to stand out a little more, probably really grabs their attention.


*Yeah, I'm sure all of that played into it. And then, I think it was just her lucky day with parade characters, you know? Whatever it was, it was very cool!*



afwdwfan said:


> Wow, that really is special!


*It was truly a great moment. *



KatMark said:


> What a fun update, Roni. I am a lover of parades but can never get anyone to want to do them with me.


*Did you ever figure out if our dates overlap? I'll totally watch a parade with you! *



KatMark said:


> And you got awesome pictures from your awesome spot. And lucky Willow having a conversation with Bert.


*Yeah, it was a pretty gosh darn great parade experience! *



dizneeat said:


> All caught up - too much to comment on - just one thing: HOW cute is that BBB hairdo! I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!


*Karin! It's so great to see you back! *



jedijill said:


> Finally caught up! Can I say I hate the new Disboards lack of notifications?!?!?1


*Jill!!!  I was wondering if you were some kind of new-board casualty!  Funny, I actually feel more alerted with the new version of the boards. But, as we all know, I'm terrible with any kinds of alerts and staying caught up anywhere. *



jedijill said:


> Looks like you guys had an amazing time. Love Willow's coronation dress and hairdo


*Thanks! The whole trip was just so great, and the new 'do was a BIG hit! *


----------



## RGirl

*Here ye, Here ye! There is still a point available for the first person who can identify the correct movie for the last quotation!

The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 pints
pkondz: 17 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 6 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
*
*"For too long I've been parched of thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starving to death and haven't died."*​*
Day 13F - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had enjoyed the parade at DL. After watching the last parade performers make their way past us, we headed off down Main Street with a quick stop at the restrooms so that Miss Willow could transform herself from Anna to Elsa. (Andy, I know you will appreciate this quick change moment!!!)*
*

*​*
We headed over towards the Matterhorn to check the wait time.*
*





*​*
The single-rider line wait was very doable, so at just about 5:00, we got in line.*
*

*​*
We had a great ride as always, although you wouldn’t know it from this pic. *
*

*​*
Next, we wandered over to Frontierland and picked up these babies at 5:20.*
*

*​*
We headed on to New Orleans Square to discover that PotC was down. So we headed over to the Blue Bayou where we had a dinner reservation for tonight. *
*





*​*
Our reservation was at 5:40, but we decided to go ahead and check in at 5:25 and request a table by the water. (For those who do not know, the Blue Bayou is located inside the PotC attraction.) We were told that there would be a 20- to 40-minute wait for a water table, and we said we were just fine with that. We headed in and had a seat in the lovely air-conditioned lobby.*
*









*​*
Isn't Willow's Elsa bun so cute?*
*

*​*
We were pretty happy to soak up some AC.*
*

*​*
By 5:45, we were sitting at a water table. *
*

*​*
It's not easy to take decent non-flash pics in here. At least for me. So this is the quality you get. *
*





*​*
When we were first seated, PotC was still down, so there were no boats going by. However, before long, we started seeing empty boats passing by.*
*

*​*
And then boats filled with guests started through. I had no idea that so many PotC guests think it's awesome to scream things at the Blue Bayou diners. 

Despite the occasional rude PotC pirate guest, we really enjoyed our experience here. The atmosphere is very cool, and occasional yells aside, it is mostly very quiet and serene (just like the beginning of the DL version of PotC, which is where the restaurant is located). Willow also enjoyed waving at the PotC cruisers.*
*

*​*
We both got mint juleps for our beverage.*
*

*​*
I had a salad to start (included with the entrée).*
*

*​*
At some point, Willow determined that there wasn't enough light to enjoy her menu activities, so she pulled out her flashlight pen. *
*

*​*
Willow very much enjoyed the mac and cheese here. She actually ate every bite of it.*
*

*​*
And I thought the jambalaya was really good too. The server had warned me that it was quite spicy, but I didn't find it to be too spicy at all (and I have a pretty sensitive palate when it comes to spice). It was good!*
*

*​*
At about 6:45, we were done with dinner and headed out of the Blue Bayou.*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 13G*


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> Well, you are correct that you were wrong, but Courtney did make a tiny mistake......


 
Well I'm just gonna say it then....
Maleficent from.... Maleficent.



RGirl said:


> *Sorry about that! Here ya go....*


 
Annnnnndddd..... Thank you. Thankyou very much!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *And it often has to do with pkondz, interestingly enough.*
> *You bad, bad man!*


 
<Hangs head in shame>


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *"For too long I've been parched of thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starving to death and haven't died."*


 
Easy one!
Barbossa.
Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black Pearl

Going back to read now...


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Well I'm just gonna say it then....
> Maleficent from.... Maleficent.


*And that would be another point for pkondz!!! *



pkondz said:


> Annnnnndddd..... Thank you. Thankyou very much!


*You are ever so welcome!*



pkondz said:


> <Hangs head in shame>


*The day you aren't thrilled to bring tears of laughter to someone is the day I believe the sincerity of a post like this..... *



pkondz said:


> Easy one!
> Barbossa.
> Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black Pearl


*Another two points!!! *

*For those counting and having trouble, that would be three more points for pkondz in the last, what?, 30 seconds?*


----------



## Dugette

Love her Anna/Elsa transformation! I'm sure it was done in a much more classy manner than what Andy saw. 

Love the meal at Blue Bayou! That's a Disneyland must-do for us. (We might be going in November - tagging it on after a retreat for Dug's work in Palm Springs). Izzy would love that mac and cheese too. I would wait to sit by the water too. I didn't know that people yelled from the boats, though.  Still sounds like a great time!


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 20 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 6 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points*

*"I'm surrounded by idiots."*​*
Day 13G - Wednesday, 6 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After leaving Blue Bayou at 6:45, we obviously had to pay a visit to PotC.*
*

*​*
Willow was clearly feeling it!*
*

*​*
We got in line at about 6:50 and were on a boat at 7:13, which I think is the longest we have ever waited for PotC. However, we were in line with a very nice young couple who chatted with Willow about Frozen and various other Disney things. The guy asked Willow for a picture with her so that he didn't have to wait in line to meet Elsa. (It was NOT creepy, I promise.)

No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
After Pirates, we headed over to BTMRR to use our FPs at a little after 7:30. The line moved very quickly!*
*

*

*

*

*

*​*
It took us all of 6 minutes to go from entering the FP line to being on the train. 
*
*Willow was feeling a little silly, I think.*
*

*

*

*

*

*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
As always, we had a great time!!!*
*

*

*

*​*
After BTMRR, we planned to call it a night because we wanted to get up early for one last EMH. Of course, this loomed in the distance.*
*

*​*
So we had to stop for one more single-rider ride at 7:50!*
*

*​*
While we were in line, we were joined by this ridiculous guy - a teen, I believe. The whole time we were in line, he kept yelling "YEAH!" really loudly at CMs, at guests boarding bobsleds, at nobody. He clearly thought he was very funny. 

Willow boarded her bobsled about 10 minutes after we got in line.*
*

*​*
I noticed that the little girl in the front seat of Willow's bobsled was dressed as Anna, so I yelled to Willow, "Hey, Elsa! Your sister is in the front of the sled!!!" As you may have seen above, Anna's dad was in between Elsa Willow and Anna. Well, this guy apparently made the ride absolutely AWESOME! He asked Willow to use her powers to get the ride going, and then pretended to be terrified during the ride, begging her to use her powers to stop it and such. She was ecstatic when we met up at the exit, telling me all about how fun it was and how she used her powers. Thank you, Awesome Anna Dad!

My ride, however, was less fantastic. The "YEAH" dude was in my bobsled. And you guessed it, he kept it up throughout the entire ride. It was really ruining the experience for everyone - he was so loud and so obviously pleased with himself. I don't think I can convey how loud and obnoxious he was. I mean, he was just SCREAMING it. Every few seconds. I have NEVER ridden a ride at Disney (or anywhere else) with something this obnoxious going on. Eventually, other guests even started screaming at him to stop it, eventually including hollering obscenities at him in a last-ditch effort to get him to shut up (obviously, not a great choice, but that is how frustrated everyone had become). He didn't stop....

Anyway, we were done with the Matterhorn about 8:15 and headed into Tomorrowland to get Willow her first-ever churro before going to the monorail station.*
*

*​*
We then headed up to the monorail station.*
*

*​*
And we were back at the Disneyland Hotel at 8:40.*
*

*

*

*

*

*​*
Willow was in bed by 9. 

Up Next: Day 14A*


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *When I last left off, we had enjoyed the parade at DL.*


 
That would be the one with Ariel.



RGirl said:


> * a quick stop at the restrooms so that Miss Willow could transform herself from Anna to Elsa. (Andy, I know you will appreciate this quick change moment!!!)*


 




RGirl said:


> *.*
> *
> 
> *​


 
Love that shot! Her excitement is palpable. 



RGirl said:


> *Next, we wandered over to Frontierland and picked up these babies at 5:20.*


 
Woot! BTMRR rocks!



RGirl said:


> *(For those who do not know, the Blue Bayou is located inside the PotC attraction.)*


 
I did know... and that's so cool.



RGirl said:


> *Isn't Willow's Elsa bun so cute?*


 




RGirl said:


> *It's not easy to take decent non-flash pics in here. At least for me. So this is the quality you get. *


 
But now you've got your new camera.
Bring a table pod, beanbag or gorilla pod with you.



RGirl said:


> *before long, we started seeing empty boats passing by.*


 
OH MY GOD!!!! THEY'RE KILLING THE TOURISTS!!!!!



RGirl said:


> *And then boats filled with guests started through.*


 
Oh.


Nevermind.



RGirl said:


> *I had no idea that so many PotC guests think it's awesome to scream things at the Blue Bayou diners. *


 
They what??? 


Maybe they're hungry.



RGirl said:


> *We both got mint juleps for our beverage.*


 
I never pictured Willow as a bourbon kind of girl.



RGirl said:


> *At some point, Willow determined that there wasn't enough light to enjoy her menu activities, so she pulled out her flashlight pen. *


 

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!



RGirl said:


> *Willow very much enjoyed the mac and cheese here. She actually ate every bite of it.*


 
I'm not surprised. That looks really good!



RGirl said:


> *And I thought the jambalaya was really good too.*


 
I love jambalaya. And that looks really good.



RGirl said:


> *The server had warned me that it was quite spicy, but I didn't find it to be too spicy at all (and I have a pretty sensitive palate when it comes to spice).*


 
So what you're saying is... You're a spicy mama?

It's either that or a hot tamale.




RGirl said:


> *And that would be another point for pkondz!!!*


 
Yay me!



RGirl said:


> *The day you aren't thrilled to bring tears of laughter to someone is the day I believe the sincerity of a post like this..... *


 




RGirl said:


> *Another two points!!! *
> 
> *For those counting and having trouble, that would be three more points for pkondz in the last, what?, 30 seconds?*


 
Yeah! Post more while nobody's looking and I'll wrap this puppy up right now!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *"I'm surrounded by idiots."*


 
Scar. Lion King.

It helps to have had a little girl who watched it 40,000,000 times.

Post more.


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Love her Anna/Elsa transformation! I'm sure it was done in a much more classy manner than what Andy saw.


*You're right - we actually used a restroom! *



Dugette said:


> Love the meal at Blue Bayou! That's a Disneyland must-do for us. (We might be going in November - tagging it on after a retreat for Dug's work in Palm Springs). Izzy would love that mac and cheese too. I would wait to sit by the water too. I didn't know that people yelled from the boats, though.  Still sounds like a great time!


*Oh my! I hope you get to visit DLR this year!!!!  That would be amazing! I wish we still had APs! *

*There wasn't a lot of yelling, but it was something I just didn't expect at all. I know **stuff like that didn't happen back when I was a kid and dined here and rode PotC, but we all know our world is very different from what it was decades ago. *


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *"I'm surrounded by idiots."*



I'll reply to the rest later but I just had to pop in because @pkondz got this quote wrong.

I say it.  

Every day at work.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> That would be the one with Ariel.


*Yes, yes, the one with fish girl....*



pkondz said:


> Woot! BTMRR rocks!


*It really does. You may have heard - my nostalgic favorite. I just love it!*



pkondz said:


> I did know... and that's so cool.


*I remember eating there probably over 3 decades ago. It was just as cool this time. *



pkondz said:


> But now you've got your new camera.
> Bring a table pod, beanbag or gorilla pod with you.


*Yeah, I have a feeling I'm totally going to start doing all this stuff. I haven't had a chance to really study up, but I did finally get a chance to play with it a bit while I'm at the coast - you know, sunsets over the Pacific Ocean and such blah things as that. I will be interested to hear what tips you have when I finally post my mini-TR and pics. *



pkondz said:


> They what???
> 
> 
> Maybe they're hungry.


*Or maybe just obnoxious. Oh, wait, that can't be! *



pkondz said:


> I never pictured Willow as a bourbon kind of girl.


*More of a champagne type, huh?*



pkondz said:


> I'm not surprised. That looks really good!


*Personally, I thought it was the best looking pasta and cheese sauce she had ordered all trip. *



pkondz said:


> I love jambalaya. And that looks really good.


*It was actually very good - I didn't have super-high expectations, but I really enjoyed it.*



pkondz said:


> So what you're saying is... You're a spicy mama?
> 
> It's either that or a hot tamale.


*I'm going to go ahead and claim both, all reality aside.*



pkondz said:


> Yeah! Post more while nobody's looking and I'll wrap this puppy up right now!


*I'm fading fast, but I may have one more in me. I REALLY need this TR done! *



pkondz said:


> Scar. Lion King.
> 
> It helps to have had a little girl who watched it 40,000,000 times


*Oh yeah! That's TWO MORE POINTS!!!!*


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> I'll reply to the rest later but I just had to pop in because @pkondz got this quote wrong.
> 
> I say it.
> 
> Every day at work.


*What a coincidence! Me too!!  But I usually sprinkle in "buffoon" a few thousand times as well. *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *After leaving Blue Bayou at 6:45, we obviously had to pay a visit to PotC.*


 
Well, obviously.
You had to have your own chance to scream at the diners in Blue Bayou.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was clearly feeling it!*
> *
> 
> *​


 
 No kidding!



RGirl said:


> *The guy asked Willow for a picture with her so that he didn't have to wait in line to meet Elsa. (It was NOT creepy, I promise.)*


 
I didn't think it was creepy for a second.
If it was anywhere other than Disney, maybe.
But in Disney. This kind of thing is the norm, right?



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
There it is!



RGirl said:


> *It took us all of 6 minutes to go from entering the FP line to being on the train.*


 
Nice!



RGirl said:


> *Willow was feeling a little silly, I think.*


 
Ya think???





RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
I swear, I don't know why this isn't the title of this TR.



RGirl said:


> *Of course, this loomed in the distance.*


 
Trees? It's the trees, right?


No?



RGirl said:


> *a teen, I believe.*


 
Had to be. Only a teen has the propensity to be quite that irritating.



RGirl said:


> *he kept yelling "YEAH!" really loudly at CMs, at guests boarding bobsleds, at nobody. He clearly thought he was very funny. *


 
YEAH!


Oh.
Sorry.



RGirl said:


> *"Hey, Elsa! Your sister is in the front of the sled!!!"*


 
Awesome! I bet she just loved that... and the little girl in front probably did too.



RGirl said:


> *this guy apparently made the ride absolutely AWESOME! He asked Willow to use her powers to get the ride going, and then pretended to be terrified during the ride, begging her to use her powers to stop it and such. She was ecstatic when we met up at the exit, telling me all about how fun it was and how she used her powers. Thank you, Awesome Anna Dad!*


 
That's terrific!
That's pure Disney pixie dust spreading right there! 



RGirl said:


> *My ride, however, was less fantastic. The "YEAH" dude was in my bobsled.*


 
Uh, oh.



RGirl said:


> *And you guessed it, he kept it up throughout the entire ride.*


 
 Ugh.

So... single rider line occasionally has it's (extreme) detriments.



RGirl said:


> *I don't think I can convey how loud and obnoxious he was. I mean, he was just SCREAMING it. Every few seconds.*


 
Don't you wish you could... oh, I don't know... undo his lap bar?






RGirl said:


> *Eventually, other guests even started screaming at him to stop it, eventually including hollering obscenities at him in a last-ditch effort to get him to shut up (obviously, not a great choice, but that is how frustrated everyone had become).*


 
 Wow. Doesn't take a hint very well.
Either that or he was so wrapped up in himself that he didn't even hear anything.



RGirl said:


> *headed into Tomorrowland to get Willow her first-ever churro before going to the monorail station.*


 
What??? _First ever churro_??? Are you serious?
She's never, _ever_ had a churro?
Really?
Honest?
Never?
Not even once?????


Me neither.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 14A*


 
Thanks for the updates Roni!


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
pkondz: 22 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 4 points
petals: 1 point
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 6 points
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
*
*"Okay, first crank a hard cutback as you hit the wall. There's a screaming bottom curve, so watch out. Remember: rip it, roll it, and punch it."*​*
Day 14A - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

It was our last day at Disneyland today, and we were determined to get as much in as we could. Our approach to last days is to hit anything we missed and/or anything that we just can't live without doing one more time. So we were out the door at 6:23.*
*

*​*
Miss Willow's Elsa hair was still looking great!*
*

*​*
We stopped for coffee and cocoa.*
*

*​*
And we were at the Disneyland gates (with a lot of other people) before 6:45.

The park opened at 7 (we were once again stuck behind a bunch of people who needed their pictures taken for their tickets or couldn't find their tickets or whatever, so it took us quite a few minutes before we actually got in), and eventually we were in!*
*





*​*
We were sad to see that our beloved Captain Eo had been replaced. *
*

*​*
We were headed here, of course!*
*

*​*
Willow was pleased with our quick progress onto the ride - less than 10 minutes.*
*

*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*













*​*
After our ride through Space, we went somewhere shocking!*
*

*​*
Okay, not shocking at all.

As you can see, the line for the Matterhorn was already snaking all the way around the mountain. As you can also see, Willow was not heading for that line.*
*

*​*
Nope - it was single rider for us!*
*

*​*
Here's Willow in her bobsled at 7:30AM.*
*

*​*
And here she is back in the single-rider line at 7:40AM. *
*

*​*
And ready to ride again!*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 14B*


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> I'll reply to the rest later but I just had to pop in because @pkondz got this quote wrong.
> 
> I say it.
> 
> Every day at work.


 
 You too???



RGirl said:


> *Yes, yes, the one with fish girl....*


 
Wish begs the question...
Is she better saucy.... or sautéed?



RGirl said:


> *It really does. You may have heard - my nostalgic favorite. I just love it!*


 




RGirl said:


> *More of a champagne type, huh?*


 

Oh, boy. You're cracking me up! 



RGirl said:


> *I'm going to go ahead and claim both*


 
Ah, yes. Of course. How stupid of me to only offer you the choice of one or the other.



RGirl said:


> *I'm fading fast, but I may have one more in me. I REALLY need this TR done!*


 
I'm waaaaiiiiting!!!!

(JK. Post what you can... _when_ you can. Believe me, I _know_ these things take work!)



RGirl said:


> *What a coincidence! Me too!! But I usually sprinkle in "buffoon" a few thousand times as well. *


 
Hey! Is that a shot at moi?


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *"Okay, first crank a hard cutback as you hit the wall. There's a screaming bottom curve, so watch out. Remember: rip it, roll it, and punch it."*


 
Not positive. But it sounds like something Crush would say.
Finding Nemo.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Well, obviously.
> You had to have your own chance to scream at the diners in Blue Bayou.


*Precisely!*



pkondz said:


> I didn't think it was creepy for a second.
> If it was anywhere other than Disney, maybe.
> But in Disney. This kind of thing is the norm, right?


*After the whole interaction, it really struck me how creeped out I would usually have been. And we have actually a couple of experiences in Disney parks with people wanting to take pictures of my child that have creeped me out and shut them down. But this was a very sweet interaction for a significant period of time in line that culminated in a request for a picture with "Elsa." Not remotely creepy, and rather awesome.*



pkondz said:


> I swear, I don't know why this isn't the title of this TR.


*The only explanation I can offer is that I did not have any idea how frequently we actually did this until I started writing the report. How strange is that???*



pkondz said:


> Had to be. Only a teen has the propensity to be quite that irritating.


*And yet I have NEVER encountered a teen this obnoxious. *



pkondz said:


> That's terrific!
> That's pure Disney pixie dust spreading right there!


*Oh, it was just so sweet. Willow had such an incredibly good time.*



pkondz said:


> Wow. Doesn't take a hint very well.
> Either that or he was so wrapped up in himself that he didn't even hear anything.


*That's possible too. The guy was just out of control. He was LOOKING to make trouble. It was obvious to me while he was in line. I half expected him to be ejected then - that's how loud and obnoxious he was. He really ruined that ride for a lot of people, and I'm sure many of them weren't getting the chance to do it over and over like I was.*



pkondz said:


> What??? _First ever churro_??? Are you serious?
> She's never, _ever_ had a churro?
> Really?
> Honest?
> Never?
> Not even once?????
> 
> 
> Me neither.


*Well, if you ever want to try one, I recommend DLR. I hear they have the BEST.*


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Wish begs the question...
> Is she better saucy.... or sautéed?


*Um, yeah, that question was totally being begged there.......*



pkondz said:


> I'm waaaaiiiiting!!!!
> 
> (JK. Post what you can... _when_ you can. Believe me, I _know_ these things take work!)


*You caught me on a motivated night. I'm calling it quits now, but I am SO CLOSE to finishing this one, which means I can actually focus on getting the other one done before we leave for the EPIC DIS TRIP in July! *



pkondz said:


> Hey! Is that a shot at moi?


 *I am dying!!!!  It actually wasn't at all. I literally use the word buffoon multiple times every day at work.  If you had any idea what my job entails, you would not question that for a second!!!!*



pkondz said:


> Not positive. But it sounds like something Crush would say.
> Finding Nemo.


*Ooooh, so close! You got the movie for one point, but not the character.......*


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *It was our last day at Disneyland today,*


 
Booooo!
Last days... How should I say it.
This needs to be said eloquently, with meaning and tenderness...

They suck!



RGirl said:


> *Our approach to last days is to hit anything we missed and/or anything that we just can't live without doing one more time.*


 
Good approach.
pkondz approves.



RGirl said:


> *Miss Willow's Elsa hair was still looking great!*


 
a.) That hairdresser really did a great job.
b.) That was definitely money well spent!



RGirl said:


> *We stopped for coffee and cocoa.*


 
So how was that cocoa, anyway?



RGirl said:


> *We were sad to see that our beloved Captain Eo had been replaced. *


 
Another movie that I've heard such good things about.... and still haven't seen.



RGirl said:


> *Willow was pleased with our quick progress onto the ride - less than 10 minutes.*


 
And again... Nice!



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
Last day. Get 'em in while you still can!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
Well, she looks like she's having fun, but too bad she's mostly hidden behind that woman.



RGirl said:


> *After our ride through Space, we went somewhere shocking!*


 
Nothing would shock me more than if you went on the Matterhorn.



RGirl said:


> *Okay, not shocking at all.*


 




RGirl said:


> *Here's Willow in her bobsled at 7:30AM.*
> *
> 
> *​


 
Actually, I like the woman in front.
"Oh! That nice lady is taking my picture!"




RGirl said:


> *And here she is back in the single-rider line at 7:40AM. *


 
 Well you did say that was your approach to the day.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 14B*


 
Awesome!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *The only explanation I can offer is that I did not have any idea how frequently we actually did this until I started writing the report. How strange is that???*


 
Very. Very, very strange.



RGirl said:


> *Well, if you ever want to try one, I recommend DLR. I hear they have the BEST.*


 
 Not that you'd know, of course.



RGirl said:


> *You caught me on a motivated night.*


 
Ya think????





RGirl said:


> *I'm calling it quits now, but I am SO CLOSE to finishing this one, which means I can actually focus on getting the other one done before we leave for the EPIC DIS TRIP in July! *


 
Okay. Good night, Roni!



RGirl said:


> *I literally use the word buffoon multiple times every day at work.*


 
I know. I remember you saying that.
Still, it struck me as funny.



RGirl said:


> *Ooooh, so close! You got the movie for one point, but not the character.......*


 
Dang! Well, considering it was a shot in the dark, I'll take the point.
Of course, now I have a pretty good idea who _did_ say it.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I believe that last quote is squirt from finding nemo. Am I right? Did I finally get something?


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Man, this movie quote thing is really bringing out my competitive side (which I didn't even know I had!). Anyway, back from reading....
Everything about this update REALLY makes me want to get to Disneyland!  

Blue bayou looks great! I really want to try a mint julep! And watch PotC boats sail by!

Big thunder looks so awesome! I love that ride! How did you get a picture on it? I'm always bouncing around and laughing and screaming too much to get a picture. 

How cool was "Anna's" dad?!!?  Too bad the annoying guy was with you. I'd like to hope that maybe there was something going on there (like a medical condition or something) but it seems like it was just someone being super rude...

I know you're sad for no captain EO but I can't tell ya how excited I was to see a guardians of the galaxy attraction!! That is so super cool and I don't even know what it is!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *After watching the last parade performers make their way past us, we headed off down Main Street with a quick stop at the restrooms so that Miss Willow could transform herself from Anna to Elsa. (Andy, I know you will appreciate this quick change moment!!!)*


  Way to keep it classy!



RGirl said:


> *Despite the occasional rude PotC pirate guest, we really enjoyed our experience here. The atmosphere is very cool, and occasional yells aside, it is mostly very quiet and serene (just like the beginning of the DL version of PotC, which is where the restaurant is located). Willow also enjoyed waving at the PotC cruisers.*


Awesome!  I think if we would have had a little bit more of a dining budget and willingness to try a few more ADR's, this one would have been one that we'd have done.  It looked like a beautiful place to have a meal.



RGirl said:


> *At about 6:45, we were done with dinner and headed out of the Blue Bayou.*
> *
> 
> *​


I love that picture.  It almost looks like there should be a trail of ice on the ground behind her! 



Dugette said:


> Love her Anna/Elsa transformation! I'm sure it was done in a much more classy manner than what Andy saw.


  I approve.  And Willow also seems to be much more willing. 



RGirl said:


> *After leaving Blue Bayou at 6:45, we obviously had to pay a visit to PotC.*


Naturally!  Who could resist after watching all the boats go by. 



RGirl said:


> The guy asked Willow for a picture with her so that he didn't have to wait in line to meet Elsa. (It was NOT creepy, I promise.)


Ok, that's cool... obviously as long as it wasn't creepy.  It is always nice when a CM or another guest can make a little princess feel like a princess. 



RGirl said:


> I noticed that the little girl in the front seat of Willow's bobsled was dressed as Anna, so I yelled to Willow, "Hey, Elsa! Your sister is in the front of the sled!!!" As you may have seen above, Anna's dad was in between Elsa Willow and Anna. Well, this guy apparently made the ride absolutely AWESOME! He asked Willow to use her powers to get the ride going, and then pretended to be terrified during the ride, begging her to use her powers to stop it and such. She was ecstatic when we met up at the exit, telling me all about how fun it was and how she used her powers. Thank you, Awesome Anna Dad!


And another case of a random stranger making Willow feel like a princess.  Or I guess in this case, Queen. 



RGirl said:


> My ride, however, was less fantastic. The "YEAH" dude was in my bobsled.






RGirl said:


> Eventually, other guests even started screaming at him to stop it, eventually including hollering obscenities at him in a last-ditch effort to get him to shut up (obviously, not a great choice, but that is how frustrated everyone had become). He didn't stop....


  Ok, it would have taken me about 2 seconds of hearing him yell before I'd be yelling back at him.  Probably either making sarcastic comments or mimicking him until he got the point.  Yeah, that's how I roll. 

But I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't resort to profanity if he was that irritating. 



RGirl said:


> *Anyway, we were done with the Matterhorn about 8:15 and headed into Tomorrowland to get Willow her first-ever churro before going to the monorail station.*


Matterhorn.

Churro.

Monorail.

Yep... I think that qualifies as the perfect way to end your day.



RGirl said:


> *There wasn't a lot of yelling, but it was something I just didn't expect at all. I know **stuff like that didn't happen back when I was a kid and dined here and rode PotC, but we all know our world is very different from what it was decades ago. *


I'm assuming it is similar to the yelling one might hear on It's a Small Mexico in EPCOT?  Riders randomly yelling asking someone for food or a drink.  Things like that.  Immature and maybe moderately funny the first time... but since they're probably only the 532,458 person that day to think of doing it, and it becomes significantly less funny every time... 



RGirl said:


> *The park opened at 7 (we were once again stuck behind a bunch of people who needed their pictures taken for their tickets or couldn't find their tickets or whatever, so it took us quite a few minutes before we actually got in), and eventually we were in!*


  They really need a better way of doing it.  You'd think they'd learn from WDW.  That whole picture thing just seems like a slow process. 



RGirl said:


> *As you can see, the line for the Matterhorn was already snaking all the way around the mountain. As you can also see, Willow was not heading for that line.*


I'm a little confused here.  What is Willow's favorite ride again?


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

RGirl said:


> We headed over towards the Matterhorn to check the wait time.



The heck you say?

HAHA, it must be weird to be banned from Flash Photography in a restaurant (I assume that's the case). I've only seen this from the PotC side (i.e. the boat). But I must say this is a much better ride to view while eating than Pinocchio's in Magic Kingdom's view of Small World. Talk about a loss of appetite.



RGirl said:


> The guy asked Willow for a picture with her so that he didn't have to wait in line to meet Elsa. (It was NOT creepy, I promise.)



I know it can be a fine line, but I find that rather sweet. And I would think it would make Willow feel special as well. 

Really a tale of two rides on the Matterhorn. Willow's awesome one with Awesome Dad, and then your's with Obnoxious Kid. I guess in the end it's good that she got the better of the two, but I am so sorry about your ordeal. I've had similar situations in the past and it is so infuriating.



RGirl said:


> Our approach to last days is to hit anything we missed and/or anything that we just can't live without doing one more time.



I'm guessing... Matterhorn. Do I get a point? Or is that a different contest?



RGirl said:


> We stopped for coffee and cocoa.



Don't leave me in suspense. Did you enjoy the Cocoa?

Guardians of the Galaxy replaced EO? What is it exactly? Just a preview?

HAHAHA, that guy in front of you on Space. THAT is the look of regret.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> Booooo!
> Last days... How should I say it.
> This needs to be said eloquently, with meaning and tenderness...
> 
> They suck!


*My sentiments exactly. *



pkondz said:


> Good approach.
> pkondz approves.






pkondz said:


> a.) That hairdresser really did a great job.
> b.) That was definitely money well spent!


*It really was a great discovery.*



pkondz said:


> So how was that cocoa, anyway?


*It's always good!*



pkondz said:


> Another movie that I've heard such good things about.... and still haven't seen.


*It's great ... if you are a big fan of Michael Jackson and the technology of yesterday. *



pkondz said:


> Last day. Get 'em in while you still can!






pkondz said:


> Well, she looks like she's having fun, but too bad she's mostly hidden behind that woman.


*A common occurrence for those of us who are vertically challenged. *



pkondz said:


> Nothing would shock me more than if you went on the Matterhorn.






pkondz said:


> Actually, I like the woman in front.
> "Oh! That nice lady is taking my picture!"


*I know! I love how well posed she was!*



pkondz said:


> Well you did say that was your approach to the day.






pkondz said:


> Not that you'd know, of course.


*I wouldn't - never had one. Willow approves though!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> I believe that last quote is squirt from finding nemo. Am I right? Did I finally get something?


*You did!!!!!!! *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> Man, this movie quote thing is really bringing out my competitive side (which I didn't even know I had!). Anyway, back from reading....


*Life is better with a little competition! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Everything about this update REALLY makes me want to get to Disneyland!


*I sure hope y'all get to go sometime soon - I think you would enjoy it so much!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Blue bayou looks great! I really want to try a mint julep! And watch PotC boats sail by!


*It is a quintessentially Disney experience. I remember so well eating there with my family once when I was young. We REALLY enjoyed it during this summer trip - Willow was a big fan.*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Big thunder looks so awesome! I love that ride! How did you get a picture on it? I'm always bouncing around and laughing and screaming too much to get a picture.


 *I'm not sure! Because that's usually what I'm doing too. I always start out taking pictures and then just give up. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> How cool was "Anna's" dad?!!? Too bad the annoying guy was with you. I'd like to hope that maybe there was something going on there (like a medical condition or something) but it seems like it was just someone being super rude...


*I considered whether it might be some kind of disability. The fact that he was so obviously enjoying making everyone else miserable though made me think that it was just good old fashioned obnoxiousness. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I know you're sad for no captain EO but I can't tell ya how excited I was to see a guardians of the galaxy attraction!! That is so super cool and I don't even know what it is!


*We never checked it out, but I'm assuming it was a preview kind of thing. *



afwdwfan said:


> Way to keep it classy!


*Always! *



afwdwfan said:


> Awesome! I think if we would have had a little bit more of a dining budget and willingness to try a few more ADR's, this one would have been one that we'd have done. It looked like a beautiful place to have a meal.


*I really like the QS options available at the DL parks, but we do like to have at least a handful of TS meals as well. This was certainly our major "splurge" meal of the DLR part of our trip. We really enjoyed eating there.*


afwdwfan said:


> I love that picture. It almost looks like there should be a trail of ice on the ground behind her!


*I thought the same!*


afwdwfan said:


> I approve. And Willow also seems to be much more willing.


*Yeah, you wouldn't catch me hauling dresses all over the park if it wasn't VERY clear that Willow wanted to change. *



afwdwfan said:


> Naturally! Who could resist after watching all the boats go by.


*No one I know!*



afwdwfan said:


> Ok, that's cool... obviously as long as it wasn't creepy. It is always nice when a CM or another guest can make a little princess feel like a princess.


*It was very sweet. They were a very young couple, and it was nice to meet young people who were so pleasant and kind to a child. It really made the wait go by a lot faster. *



afwdwfan said:


> And another case of a random stranger making Willow feel like a princess. Or I guess in this case, Queen.


*I love when Disney guests bring as much magic as they can with them to the parks. *



afwdwfan said:


> Ok, it would have taken me about 2 seconds of hearing him yell before I'd be yelling back at him. Probably either making sarcastic comments or mimicking him until he got the point. Yeah, that's how I roll.
> 
> But I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't resort to profanity if he was that irritating.


*Oh, I think you would have been IRATE by the end of the ride. Everyone was.*



afwdwfan said:


> Matterhorn.
> 
> Churro.
> 
> Monorail.
> 
> Yep... I think that qualifies as the perfect way to end your day.


*True perfection. *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm assuming it is similar to the yelling one might hear on It's a Small Mexico in EPCOT? Riders randomly yelling asking someone for food or a drink. Things like that. Immature and maybe moderately funny the first time... but since they're probably only the 532,458 person that day to think of doing it, and it becomes significantly less funny every time...


*Yeah, it was that kind of stuff. I have never eaten at SAI, so I didn't think about the fact that it probably happens there too.*



afwdwfan said:


> They really need a better way of doing it. You'd think they'd learn from WDW. That whole picture thing just seems like a slow process.


*I try to think of it as "quaint." But it's not - it's just irritating. *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm a little confused here. What is Willow's favorite ride again?


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> HAHA, it must be weird to be banned from Flash Photography in a restaurant (I assume that's the case). I've only seen this from the PotC side (i.e. the boat). But I must say this is a much better ride to view while eating than Pinocchio's in Magic Kingdom's view of Small World. Talk about a loss of appetite.


*I actually have no idea whether the flash photography is banned - I'm pretty sure that the table next to us was flashing away a few times. I wasn't personally comfortable using a flash though. *

* Yeah, I can imagine that that is NOT your favorite CS location.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I know it can be a fine line, but I find that rather sweet. And I would think it would make Willow feel special as well.


*It was VERY sweet. It really wasn't creepy at all, but I have certainly had experiences that WERE creepy, so I wanted to be very clear. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Really a tale of two rides on the Matterhorn. Willow's awesome one with Awesome Dad, and then your's with Obnoxious Kid. I guess in the end it's good that she got the better of the two, but I am so sorry about your ordeal. I've had similar situations in the past and it is so infuriating.


*Willow really had one of the most fun rides she's ever had on the Matterhorn. She was going on and on and on about it for ages.*

*I, on the other hand, had what I think may be the worst ride experience I've ever had. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I'm guessing... Matterhorn. Do I get a point? Or is that a different contest?


 *I think that's a different contest. But I'll give you a bonus point for it anyway. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Don't leave me in suspense. Did you enjoy the Cocoa?


*It's always delicious!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Guardians of the Galaxy replaced EO? What is it exactly? Just a preview?


*We paid it no attention whatsoever - it was an interloper stealing the rightful place of the King of Pop. That said, I'm certain it was just a preview thing.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> HAHAHA, that guy in front of you on Space. THAT is the look of regret.


*That is an awesome picture!  What's even funnier about it is that I never noticed the guy, just the fact that the woman was blocking Willow.*


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
pkondz: 23 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 5 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*"Where a million diamonds shine!"*​*
Day 14B - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After our two hurtling rides on the Matterhorn, we headed to Adventureland for regular park opening at 8:00. Adventureland is not open during EMH, and we wanted to get to Indy before the lines got too long. Willow was happy about it.*
*

*​*
We got to Adventureland in time for regular rope drop and headed straight for Indiana Jones. *
*

*​*
What's that you say, nice CM? Indiana Jones is not running? GAH! 

New plan - we race through Adventureland and straight over to Frontierland to ride BTMRR.*
*

*​*
Despite our detour, the line wasn't too bad, although long enough to give us an opportunity to enjoy the queue.*
*





























*​*
No dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
Not sure what this was all about.*
*

*​*
We were boarding our train by 8:20 and had a great ride. So great that we grabbed some FPs for later. *
*





*​*
And Willow measured herself - she likes to do this. *
*

*​*
Next Post: Day 14B (cont.)*


----------



## STLMickeyMom

7 dwarves, snow white!


----------



## RGirl

*Day 14B - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

Where do we go after BTMRR? PotC, of course! *
*

*​*
Did we have a wait?*
*

*​*
Well, we entered the queue area at 8:28 and were on the ride at 8:29! 

After that, we decided to walk the short distance over to Indiana Jones to see if it was up and running. It was, but the line was already looking pretty long. We couldn't get another set of FPs yet, so we opted for the Jungle Cruise, which had no wait at all.*
*

























*​*
After our cruise, it was about 9:00 and we decided to get a snack. *
*

*​*
Willow chose a big piece of juicy watermelon, and I went for a slab of pineapple. We grabbed a little table across from Indiana Jones and watched the steady line of folks moving through there.*
*





*​*
While we were enjoying our snacks, our window to obtain another set of FPs opened, so I ran across the walkway and grabbed a set for Indiana Jones.*
*





*​*
Up Next: Day 14C*


----------



## STLMickeyMom

yay! more big thunder!  that seems like a great way to start the day!


----------



## RGirl

*Your competitive side is showing again!!!  *

*That's two more points! *


----------



## pkondz

Haven't read the last updat yet, but....



RGirl said:


> *It's great ... if you are a big fan of Michael Jackson and the technology of yesterday. *


 
I was actually referring to Guardians of the Galaxy.


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> yay! more big thunder!  that seems like a great way to start the day!


*Wish I could start every day that way!*



pkondz said:


> Haven't read the last updat yet, but....
> 
> 
> 
> I was actually referring to Guardians of the Galaxy.


*That's fantastic!!!   I don't even know what it is! *


----------



## librarygeek

I love seeing the DL parade!  I really like the Ariel float, and it's cool that they have Simba in there too.

I'm really torn on whether or not to do Blue Bayou on our trip, because I've heard mixed things especially with the high prices.  I'm thinking we'll do Cafe Orleans instead, though the atmosphere of Blue Bayou looks awesome.  I guess the fact that I can't try every restaurant just means that I have to go back again someday in the future!

That is so sweet that "Anna Dad" made Willow's ride so awesome.  I love it when you meet great other guests like that at Disney!  But I feel really bad for you with your ride.  I've encountered some obnoxious stuff before but that just sounds like the worst.  Though one time I was on Haunted Mansion and when we were in the stretching room there was a group of teens that decided to be really over the top about it and kept screaming and wouldn't stop til the lights came back on, and there were several younger children in the crowd that had burst into tears.

LOL I love all of the Willow dancing photos


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Oooh, cool. I'd love to read a mini-TR on that. We were out in Oregon about a year ago and visited the coast one day (mini-TR is in the "off-topic" part of the index here - 4 parts - if you are interested: Bear Hugs & Piggy Kisses - Baby's 1st Trip ~ Updated 12/6: Aulani TR Started!!!)


*Just wanted to let you know that I checked out your mini-OR TR - I loved it! It was so fun to see y'all visiting places that I know so well. I'm so glad that you got to experience some of what the Oregon coast has to offer. And you have totally inspired me to go ahead and do a mini-TR on our Spring Break trip - because everyone should know how amazing the Oregon coast is! *


----------



## RGirl

librarygeek said:


> I love seeing the DL parade! I really like the Ariel float, and it's cool that they have Simba in there too.


*It's definitely a parade worth seeing in my **opinion. *



librarygeek said:


> I'm really torn on whether or not to do Blue Bayou on our trip, because I've heard mixed things especially with the high prices. I'm thinking we'll do Cafe Orleans instead, though the atmosphere of Blue Bayou looks awesome. I guess the fact that I can't try every restaurant just means that I have to go back again someday in the future!


*The best I can do here is offer my experience. On past trips, I did not want to spend what sounded like a lot of money to do Blue Bayou, and instead we did Cafe Orleans, because everything I read indicated it was just as good. I can't remember which trip it was that we did Cafe Orleans, but it was a very nice experience - I have nothing negative to say about it. I would recommend it.*

*However, last summer we did Blue Bayou, and for me, this was well worth whatever small price difference there was. Honestly, I don't feel like it was significantly more expensive. And the environment and service and just flat-out Disneyland special-ness of it - well worth any slight increase in expenditure. We would choose to do it again and again. It really is a great experience.*

*So, obviously, my advice is to just do Blue Bayou. Maybe you could look at it this way - if you are planning to go back again soon and want to save some money, do Cafe Orleans and skip BB. If your DLR trip is going to be a once-in-a-great-while experience, just make the Blue Bayou reservation and give it a try. *



librarygeek said:


> That is so sweet that "Anna Dad" made Willow's ride so awesome. I love it when you meet great other guests like that at Disney! But I feel really bad for you with your ride. I've encountered some obnoxious stuff before but that just sounds like the worst. Though one time I was on Haunted Mansion and when we were in the stretching room there was a group of teens that decided to be really over the top about it and kept screaming and wouldn't stop til the lights came back on, and there were several younger children in the crowd that had burst into tears.


*When all is said and done, I'm just REALLY glad that I got the YEAH guy and not Willow. I would have hated for her to be single-riding and listening to that stupidity.*

*You know, we have experienced a few incidents similar to that in HM (not as bad as you describe, but still unpleasant) - I wish those kids could think for just a second about someone else, especially about the little kids they are unnecessarily scaring. I do understand that that the teen brain is not fully developed and fairly narcissistic, but still.  YEAH! GUY though - I'm never going to forgive him. I wish I could say what I really think of him, but the DIS is a family-friendly environment. *



librarygeek said:


> LOL I love all of the Willow dancing photos


*Awwww - thanks!*

*I'm so glad to see you back and posting. I need to track down your TRs and discover how many bazillions of updates I have missed in my terrible ability to keep up on the DIS! *


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

RGirl said:


> Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points



OMG you actually did give me a point. 

Indiana Jones is not running? Why that's almost unheard of.



RGirl said:


> *Not sure what this was all about.*
> *
> 
> *​



To me it looks like Willow busted out a Rap... Yo.



RGirl said:


> Well, we entered the queue area at 8:28 and were on the ride at 8:29!



It's a good thing WIllow ran ahead like that or it would have potentially been 8:30 or 8:31. Phew... near miss.



RGirl said:


> While we were enjoying our snacks, our window to obtain another set of FPs opened, so I ran across the walkway and grabbed a set for Indiana Jones.



And THAT is what I miss the most about FP+. You'll see.  At least you won't need a FP for Voices of Liberty, Country Bears, or One Man's Dream.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *After our two hurtling rides on the Matterhorn, we headed to Adventureland for regular park opening at 8:00.*


 
Geez. I totally forgot that the rest of the place hadn't even opened yet.



RGirl said:


> *What's that you say, nice CM? Indiana Jones is not running? GAH!*


 
You are bad luck. If I tour with you I guess I would have to expect every ride to be closed, right?



RGirl said:


> *Despite our detour, the line wasn't too bad,*


 
I guess it is still early, the mad crush hasn't quite arrived yet.



RGirl said:


> *No dancing, Willow!
> I disobeyed you!*


 
 Some things don't change!



RGirl said:


> *Not sure what this was all about.*


 
T-Rex pose?



RGirl said:


> *We were boarding our train by 8:20 and had a great ride. So great that we grabbed some FPs for later.*


 
Of course you had a great ride... it's BTMRR!



RGirl said:


> *And Willow measured herself - she likes to do this. *


 
I get that. It couldn't have been that long ago when...
"Mom! I want to ride that!"
"I'm sorry Willow, you're not tall enough yet."



RGirl said:


> *Did we have a wait?*


 
Considering Miss Willow is disappearing into the distance,
I'm gonna go with... No.



RGirl said:


> *Well, we entered the queue area at 8:28 and were on the ride at 8:29! *


 
Sounds exactly like my POC experience.
I remember when the lines for this were always huge.
I wonder if it's starting to get a little dated.



RGirl said:


>


 
Awwww.... The lions babysitting the sleeping zebra. Such a tender morsel.

Scene! Such a tender _scene_!!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *​


 
That thing's bigger than she is!



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 14C*


 
Thanks for the update! Can't wait for more!


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> Adventureland is not open during EMH, and we wanted to get to Indy before the lines got too long.


Oooh, thanks for the tip - good strategy! 



RGirl said:


> What's that you say, nice CM? Indiana Jones is not running? GAH!


 Of course. The curse of rope drop.



RGirl said:


> And Willow measured herself - she likes to do this.


Ha, cute!  Might as well when you're tall enough.



RGirl said:


> Well, we entered the queue area at 8:28 and were on the ride at 8:29!


Sweet!  Wish it were always like that!



RGirl said:


> *Just wanted to let you know that I checked out your mini-OR TR - I loved it! It was so fun to see y'all visiting places that I know so well. I'm so glad that you got to experience some of what the Oregon coast has to offer. And you have totally inspired me to go ahead and do a mini-TR on our Spring Break trip - because everyone should know how amazing the Oregon coast is! *


Glad you enjoyed it! We both spent time there as kids too - visiting family in the area. I've actually driven the coast a number of times too. Love it!


----------



## librarygeek

RGirl said:


> *The best I can do here is offer my experience. On past trips, I did not want to spend what sounded like a lot of money to do Blue Bayou, and instead we did Cafe Orleans, because everything I read indicated it was just as good. I can't remember which trip it was that we did Cafe Orleans, but it was a very nice experience - I have nothing negative to say about it. I would recommend it.*
> 
> *However, last summer we did Blue Bayou, and for me, this was well worth whatever small price difference there was. Honestly, I don't feel like it was significantly more expensive. And the environment and service and just flat-out Disneyland special-ness of it - well worth any slight increase in expenditure. We would choose to do it again and again. It really is a great experience.*
> 
> *So, obviously, my advice is to just do Blue Bayou. Maybe you could look at it this way - if you are planning to go back again soon and want to save some money, do Cafe Orleans and skip BB. If your DLR trip is going to be a once-in-a-great-while experience, just make the Blue Bayou reservation and give it a try. *




Thank you so much for your thoughts on this, it's really helpful!  It's possible we may end up doing both, too.  We still have one or two days that we haven't decided on a meal yet, so we'll see.  I know atmosphere is a really big thing for DH though so that makes me lean toward Blue Bayou a little more as well.  At least I still have some time to decide!

*


RGirl said:



			I'm so glad to see you back and posting. I need to track down your TRs and discover how many bazillions of updates I have missed in my terrible ability to keep up on the DIS! 

Click to expand...

*
I'm glad to be posting again too!  Things were a bit crazy for me because I was in a play that had multiple performances every weekend in March.  And I was sick during it - finally got to the dr. to find out I have pneumonia!    Sooo I've been ordered to rest up as much as possible this past week, which on the bright side meant more time on the DisBoards!  Hoping to be well soon as I leave for WDW again on Wednesday!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *After our two hurtling rides on the Matterhorn, we headed to Adventureland for regular park opening at 8:00. Adventureland is not open during EMH, and we wanted to get to Indy before the lines got too long. Willow was happy about it.*


Great plan.  And definitely something worthy of being excited about!



RGirl said:


> What's that you say, nice CM? Indiana Jones is not running? GAH!


Just a typical Disneyland Rope Drop. 



RGirl said:


> *And Willow measured herself - she likes to do this. *


Wow... Thank goodness that first ride didn't cause her to shrink!



RGirl said:


> *After that, we decided to walk the short distance over to Indiana Jones to see if it was up and running. It was, but the line was already looking pretty long. We couldn't get another set of FPs yet, so we opted for the Jungle Cruise, which had no wait at all.*


Not a bad alternative!  It's always nice to see the animals and the back side of water.



RGirl said:


> *While we were enjoying our snacks, our window to obtain another set of FPs opened, so I ran across the walkway and grabbed a set for Indiana Jones.*


The snacks look good.  Although ridiculously and oddly healthy.  

I'm glad you were finally able to grab an Indiana Jones FP!



And I'm trying to figure out the FP thing... was this trip made before they started enforcing the return times or did you waste a BTMRR FP?


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *That's fantastic!!!  I don't even know what it is! *


Guardians of the Galaxy is a surprisingly good movie.  I hadn't even heard of them before they announced the movie and I didn't particularly have high expectations for a movie starring a raccoon and character that is essentially a walking tree, but it really is very good.  If you're into the superhero/action movies.


----------



## courtneybelle

I am dying to try the Blue Bayou. I love the atmosphere there and I think I would like that jambalaya. Willow's too funny with her flashlight pen! Always prepared!

Wait that is TOO great that the guy asked for a pic with Willow so he wouldn't have to meet Elsa. I love that!!

:O WILLOW'S FIRST CHURRO? What did she think? At DHS they now have a CHURRO MILKSHAKE. As you can guess, I am very excited to drink them literally every day in Florida.

Even with the Indiana Jones detours it sounds like an awesome morning in Disneyland!!


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG you actually did give me a point.


*I thought you had a semi-valid argument. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Indiana Jones is not running? Why that's almost unheard of.


*That was the first time that ever happened to us!*

*Of course, I'm pretty sure we had only ridden one other time in our lives. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> To me it looks like Willow busted out a Rap... Yo.


*It does look that way! I don't actually think she knows what a rap is though, so..... *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> It's a good thing WIllow ran ahead like that or it would have potentially been 8:30 or 8:31. Phew... near miss.


*It was a close call....*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> And THAT is what I miss the most about FP+. You'll see.  At least you won't need a FP for Voices of Liberty, Country Bears, or One Man's Dream.


*You know, I have to admit that I'm looking forward to the Disney World part of this upcoming trip a lot less than I normally do mostly because of the FP+ stuff. I hate that we have to book them so far in advance, and it sounds like everything is just crowded all the time. I'm so glad that our trip is about so much more than the parks this time! And hopefully, the FP+ experience will be a pleasant surprise or at least not as awful as it sounds in my head.*

*And we can totally enjoy Voices of Liberty, Country Bears and One Man's Dream. If I can remember them...... *



pkondz said:


> Geez. I totally forgot that the rest of the place hadn't even opened yet.


*That one little early entry hour can really go on for a long time, can't it??? *



pkondz said:


> You are bad luck. If I tour with you I guess I would have to expect every ride to be closed, right?


*Really? Well, yes, I have been told many times that I am bad luck, but does it really seem like we had a ton of closed rides? I guess maybe we did on this trip. More than usual.  But we were there quite a bit longer than we usually would be too. I honestly don't think of DLR as constantly having rides closed, so it didn't make a big impression on me - I didn't FEEL like we were constantly running into shut-down rides anyway. *



pkondz said:


> I guess it is still early, the mad crush hasn't quite arrived yet.


*Yep - it wasn't bad at all. *



pkondz said:


> Some things don't change!






pkondz said:


> T-Rex pose?


*It's as likely as anything else! *



pkondz said:


> Of course you had a great ride... it's BTMRR!


*My sentiments exactly - I just love BTMRR!*



pkondz said:


> I get that. It couldn't have been that long ago when...
> "Mom! I want to ride that!"
> "I'm sorry Willow, you're not tall enough yet."


*Given that there are still 3 Disney rides for which she has not yet been tall enough, I'm sure she likes to remind herself that she has grown SOME. *



pkondz said:


> Considering Miss Willow is disappearing into the distance,
> I'm gonna go with... No.


*Smart man!*



pkondz said:


> Sounds exactly like my POC experience.
> I remember when the lines for this were always huge.
> I wonder if it's starting to get a little dated.


*I have definitely run into lines at PoC at both MK and DL, but I have always just SASHAYED on by knowing that I could come back shortly after and there would no longer be a line. I'm guessing that is less common now with FP+. *



pkondz said:


> Awwww.... The lions babysitting the sleeping zebra. Such a tender morsel.
> 
> Scene! Such a tender _scene_!!






pkondz said:


> That thing's bigger than she is!


*And she ate it all except for the rind. That child could eat a watermelon the size of a house - it may be her favorite food. *


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Oooh, thanks for the tip - good strategy!


*You are welcome!*



Dugette said:


> Of course. The curse of rope drop.


*Yeah, it was a disappointing surprise, but it all worked out okay. *



Dugette said:


> Ha, cute!  Might as well when you're tall enough.


*Or she was just reassuring herself after the sting of STILL not being tall enough for California Screamin'. She is so short for her age - it can be tough. I'm crossing my fingers that she makes it on RnRC this summer. She's got about a half inch (in shoes) to go, but I'm hopeful she'll get there.*



Dugette said:


> Sweet!  Wish it were always like that!


*You and me both!*



Dugette said:


> Glad you enjoyed it! We both spent time there as kids too - visiting family in the area. I've actually driven the coast a number of times too. Love it!


*The Oregon Coast has to be one of my favorite places on earth. If I ever thought I could afford to retire, I would want a little house right on the beach on the Oregon coast. *



librarygeek said:


> Thank you so much for your thoughts on this, it's really helpful! It's possible we may end up doing both, too. We still have one or two days that we haven't decided on a meal yet, so we'll see. I know atmosphere is a really big thing for DH though so that makes me lean toward Blue Bayou a little more as well. At least I still have some time to decide!


*Good luck with your decision! I know you'll be happy either way. *



librarygeek said:


> I'm glad to be posting again too! Things were a bit crazy for me because I was in a play that had multiple performances every weekend in March. And I was sick during it - finally got to the dr. to find out I have pneumonia!  Sooo I've been ordered to rest up as much as possible this past week, which on the bright side meant more time on the DisBoards! Hoping to be well soon as I leave for WDW again on Wednesday!


*Oh geez, Becky. I'm so sorry - I hope you are feeling better and continue to recover well. And I hope you have a great trip! I can't believe you are off to WDW again! *


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Guardians of the Galaxy is a surprisingly good movie. I hadn't even heard of them before they announced the movie and I didn't particularly have high expectations for a movie starring a raccoon and character that is essentially a walking tree, but it really is very good. If you're into the superhero/action movies.


*Um, raccoon and walking tree???  I guess I am going to have to look into this further. *



courtneybelle said:


> I am dying to try the Blue Bayou. I love the atmosphere there and I think I would like that jambalaya. Willow's too funny with her flashlight pen! Always prepared!


*The next time you get to DLR, we will have to meet you there for a meal at Blue Bayou!*

*You are going to do the DLR CP next, right? *



courtneybelle said:


> Wait that is TOO great that the guy asked for a pic with Willow so he wouldn't have to meet Elsa. I love that!!


*It was very sweet. They were a great couple. *



courtneybelle said:


> :O WILLOW'S FIRST CHURRO? What did she think? At DHS they now have a CHURRO MILKSHAKE. As you can guess, I am very excited to drink them literally every day in Florida.


*She liked it, but was obviously too full to really enjoy it. Her love for the churro grew to near Courtney Levels on the next trip though..... *



courtneybelle said:


> Even with the Indiana Jones detours it sounds like an awesome morning in Disneyland!!


*We had NO complaints - it was a great morning!*


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
pkondz: 23 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Shannon (shan2387): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 7 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 6 points
Dugette: 6 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*“Adventure is out there!”*​*
Day 14C - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After enjoying our snack in Adventureland, we headed back to BTMRR again to use our FPs. As you can see the FP wait was not bad at all! *
*

*​*
Willow was dancing even without making note of the sign.*
*

*

*

*​*
We were seated in the front row - for the first time ever in all our bazillion rides on BTMRR at DL or MK. *
*

*

*

*​*
I have no idea….*
*

*​*
After BTMRR, we again headed to Adventureland. (Yes, there is a lot more to do at DL - like I said above, on our last day, we generally just do the things that Willow can't live without doing before she goes basically as many times as we can do them.) *
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*​*
We did some merchandise browsing here.*
*

*

*

*​*
This pillow pet was one of the softest things on the planet. As you can see, it had a rather immediate and notable effect on Miss Willow.*
*

*​*
Making some music.*
*

*

*

*​*
Giving a monkey a ride.*
*

*​*
En garde!*
*

*​*
Captain H, is that you?*
*

*​*
And then it was time to use our Indiana Jones FPs. We were zipping through that FP queue at 10:10.*
*

*

*

*​*
9 minutes later, we were in our jeep.

No blurry dancing, Willow!*
*

*​*
I disobeyed you!*
*

*​*
Willow discovered on this trip that she LOVES this ride - it is very jerky, and she seems to think that is awesome.

Up Next: Day 14D*


----------



## pkondz

I've never seen it... but I know... well I think it's Up.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *As you can see the FP wait was not bad at all! *


 
I almost didn't see her there! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow was dancing even without making note of the sign.*


 
Is that legal? Can she do that?



RGirl said:


> *We were seated in the front row - for the first time ever in all our bazillion rides on BTMRR at DL or MK. *


 
And? Best ever? No different? Never again? I don't remember?



RGirl said:


> *I have no idea….*


 
Praying for just one more BTMRR ride!



RGirl said:


> *on our last day, we generally just do the things that Willow can't live without doing before she goes basically as many times as we can do them.) *


 
That's a good plan.



RGirl said:


> *This pillow pet was one of the softest things on the planet. As you can see, it had a rather immediate and notable effect on Miss Willow.*


 
And you came home with it, yes?



RGirl said:


> *Giving a monkey a ride.*


 
 That just strikes me as funny.



RGirl said:


> *En garde!*


 
Whoa. I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley!



RGirl said:


> *And then it was time to use our Indiana Jones FPs. We were zipping through that FP queue at 10:10.*


 
 Love that shot!



RGirl said:


> *Willow discovered on this trip that she LOVES this ride - it is very jerky, and she seems to think that is awesome.*


 
And what does Mom think?



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 14D*


 
Can't wait! Thanks for the update!


----------



## Dugette

For sure, Up, but I see that's been covered. I feel like multiple characters said it, but I'll go with Russell. 

Back when I have a chance to read - have to sleep now!


----------



## chattadisser

Holy updates girlfriend! You are flying now!

Ick about the obnoxious guy on the Matterhorn...karma will get him. Too bad you won't be there to see it! At least Anna's Dad lets you know that there are still good people in the world!

Every update I read I just want to literally drop everything and head to the airport for DL. I've got the whole fantasy complete...yeah, stop somewhere when we get there and grab a few outfits and toiletries. Wing the whole thing! Oh well I'll get to DL soon, planning on 2016. I've got no vacation in sight till October which seems like a long way away right now!

I love seeing those paper FP's in your hands! I miss those....

You may be pleasantly surprised at FP+ in WDW. I kinda felt the same way before we went last October, the over-planning was kinda fun killing in some way. But it turned out to be not as bad as I feared and it was kinda nice to not have to get to HS at rope drop in order to ride TS. But...we also couldn't work the system like we used to so there are trade offs. Now the Magic Bands I loved, no keeping up with everyone's cards, trying to find a card when your hands are full. 

Christine


----------



## afwdwfan

Up - the blimp guy.  Can't remember his name.


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *After enjoying our snack in Adventureland, we headed back to BTMRR again to use our FPs. As you can see the FP wait was not bad at all! *


I love that FP line.  It's great walking right past all those suckers without an FP!



RGirl said:


> *Willow was dancing even without making note of the sign.*


Who wouldn't want to dance when they're about to get on BTMRR?



RGirl said:


> Willow discovered on this trip that she LOVES this ride - it is very jerky, and she seems to think that is awesome.


It definitely is awesome!!!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Don't you just love those FP lines that run right alongside the standby line? Guilty much? 

Of course Willow was dancing. Willow's a kid and BTMRR is a kiddie ride after all.  

Awww  I have such special memories of the sword and hook.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Oh, Indiana jones ride!! I plan to love it whenever I get there to ride it!  

Dancing willow pics are the best!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I've never seen it... but I know... well I think it's Up.


*That's one point for pkondz! And I believe that puts you in a tie for first place!*



pkondz said:


> I almost didn't see her there!


*I was wondering if anyone would notice that that was actually her up there. *



pkondz said:


> Is that legal? Can she do that?


*I don't think she spent any time in jail for it, at least not to my knowledge. *



pkondz said:


> And? Best ever? No different? Never again? I don't remember?


 *We liked it. We had a lot more thoughts on it during our next trip, however. *



pkondz said:


> Praying for just one more BTMRR ride!


*A very reasonable guess!*



pkondz said:


> That's a good plan.


*It works very well for us. *



pkondz said:


> And you came home with it, yes?


*We did NOT!  Willow had already invested in one very expensive pillow pet on this trip, so I don't think she was willing to spring for another one, especially a non-character one! *



pkondz said:


> Whoa. I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley!


*Scary, huh??? *



pkondz said:


> And what does Mom think?


*Mom thinks it is VERY jerky, but the theming and overall experience is a huge improvement on its semi-counterpart, Dinosaur.*


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> For sure, Up, but I see that's been covered. I feel like multiple characters said it, but I'll go with Russell.


*Oh, so close!*


Dugette said:


> Back when I have a chance to read - have to sleep now!


*See ya soon! *



chattadisser said:


> Holy updates girlfriend! You are flying now!


*Feeling the pressure of the need to focus on the other TR and the looming ENORMOUS trip in our near future! *



chattadisser said:


> Ick about the obnoxious guy on the Matterhorn...karma will get him. Too bad you won't be there to see it! At least Anna's Dad lets you know that there are still good people in the world!


*I guess I have to look at it as I was lucky that he was the worst-behaved guest I saw. I know that others have experienced much worse.  And I'm VERY glad that Willow was not on the same bobsled with me and in fact, ended up having one of her best Matterhorn rides ever.*



chattadisser said:


> Every update I read I just want to literally drop everything and head to the airport for DL. I've got the whole fantasy complete...yeah, stop somewhere when we get there and grab a few outfits and toiletries. Wing the whole thing! Oh well I'll get to DL soon, planning on 2016. I've got no vacation in sight till October which seems like a long way away right now!


* That is such an awesome dream! I wish you could just do it!*



chattadisser said:


> I love seeing those paper FP's in your hands! I miss those....


*As much as I am not looking forward to FP+ at WDW, I can't even imagine what DLR will be like with it. I just can't see how it could possibly work there - it's just not the right atmosphere for such a system. *



chattadisser said:


> You may be pleasantly surprised at FP+ in WDW. I kinda felt the same way before we went last October, the over-planning was kinda fun killing in some way. But it turned out to be not as bad as I feared and it was kinda nice to not have to get to HS at rope drop in order to ride TS. But...we also couldn't work the system like we used to so there are trade offs. Now the Magic Bands I loved, no keeping up with everyone's cards, trying to find a card when your hands are full.


*I think you're right - there are things about it that I will appreciate. I KNOW I will love the Magic Band ease (although I am not a fan of wearing something on my wrist). I can definitely say that I am NOT pleased about having to plan rides in advance. I love making ADRs and everything, but having to do that with rides - I am just not finding that part fun at all. *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *That's one point for pkondz! And I believe that puts you in a tie for first place!*


 
Woot! 



RGirl said:


> *I don't think she spent any time in jail for it, at least not to my knowledge. *


 
You mean, you're not _sure_? 



RGirl said:


> *Scary, huh??? *


 




RGirl said:


> *Mom thinks it is VERY jerky, but the theming and overall experience is a huge improvement on its semi-counterpart, Dinosaur.*


 
More, less or as jerky as Dino?


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Up - the blimp guy. Can't remember his name.


*I'll accept that - one point!*



afwdwfan said:


> I love that FP line. It's great walking right past all those suckers without an FP!


*Oh man, I hate to admit how much I enjoy doing that!!! *



afwdwfan said:


> Who wouldn't want to dance when they're about to get on BTMRR?


*I can't imagine who wouldn't!*



afwdwfan said:


> It definitely is awesome!!!!


*I'm so glad you got to experience it. *


DisneyKid4Life said:


> Don't you just love those FP lines that run right alongside the standby line? Guilty much?


*I would be embarrassed to admit just how much I enjoy walking past all those people. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Of course Willow was dancing. Willow's a kid and BTMRR is a kiddie ride after all.


*Unbelievable. *

*You know, I did show Willow some of the Universal coasters on YouTube - she is more than ready to ride them. Me, not so much.... *


DisneyKid4Life said:


> Awww  I have such special memories of the sword and hook.


*That's right! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Oh, Indiana jones ride!! I plan to love it whenever I get there to ride it!


*I love that you PLAN to love it!!! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Dancing willow pics are the best!


*Thanks! *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> More, less or as jerky as Dino?


*Hmm, I would say about the same.  If one is less, it would be Indy - but I'm guessing that it just seems that way because the jerks make more sense and fit the story better and therefore are less noticeable to me.*


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
pkondz: 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 7 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 7 points
Dugette: 6 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*"I like warm hugs."*​*
Day 14D - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

When I last left off, we had just finished another spin with Indiana Jones. It was now 10:30AM, and we wanted to make sure that we had ample time to do a few last things in DCA on this our last Disney day. So we started our way to the front of the park from Adventureland.*
*

*​*
Before we could get far, though, we spotted an old friend with whom Willow had not yet conversed on this trip. So we stopped, of course.*
*

*​*
Mary was CRAZY about Willow's hair and even posed them in such a way to try to ensure it was in the picture.*
*

















*​*
After that practically perfect experience, we continued on.

We did not get out of the park quite that easily, however. Willow soon spotted her best Disney buddy and had to give him a few more hugs. 

While we were waiting in line, I spotted this cute display in the nearby shop - Disney Showcase.*
*

*​*
As always, Willow had a great time with her dear friend Pluto.*
*

*​*
Ugh - it's hard to know you will soon be saying good-bye. *
*

*​*
But we got some cute poses nonetheless.*
*

*​*
Bye Plutey, see you tonight!*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 14E*


----------



## afwdwfan

Olaf - Frozen


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Now that we've met her once, I just love Mary poppins meets. And what a cute pose to get the hair!

Willow and Pluto! She looks so happy!


----------



## afwdwfan

Looks like a great meet with Mary.  I like the fact that she did some different poses and made a big deal of Willow's hair. 

Always so hard to tell your Disney friends goodbye.  But it appears that she held it together just fine for Pluto.  Do I detect a character meal coming up later on?


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

See I love love love running into characters like you did with Mary. Most meets are planned nowadays, so these random ones seem extra fun to me. Plus... English Accent. 

Oh my goodness Roni, what precious photos with the main pup. I always like when the characters crouch down to eye level for the littles.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *a few last things in DCA on this our last Disney day.*


 
Last day. Boooo!!!!



RGirl said:


> *So we stopped, of course.*


 
I should hope so!



RGirl said:


>


 
Oh, wow. I love that shot.
Frameable!



RGirl said:


> *Ugh - it's hard to know you will soon be saying good-bye. *


 
Sucks, doesn't it.


----------



## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> Olaf - Frozen


*Two points!!!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Now that we've met her once, I just love Mary poppins meets. And what a cute pose to get the hair!


*I can honestly say that two of our best meets of all time involved Mary Poppins. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Willow and Pluto! She looks so happy!


*She loves that dog so much! *



afwdwfan said:


> Looks like a great meet with Mary. I like the fact that she did some different poses and made a big deal of Willow's hair.


*It was definitely a very good meet. We have never been disappointed when meeting Mary at Disneyland - usually, she has Bert with her too!*



afwdwfan said:


> Always so hard to tell your Disney friends goodbye. But it appears that she held it together just fine for Pluto. Do I detect a character meal coming up later on?


*A certain last-night tradition. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> See I love love love running into characters like you did with Mary. Most meets are planned nowadays, so these random ones seem extra fun to me. Plus... English Accent.


*Totally agree - I love surprise character meets. On our first day on our first visit to DLR, we had such a meet with a certain fish girl. *

*Surprise Ariel Meet*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my goodness Roni, what precious photos with the main pup. I always like when the characters crouch down to eye level for the littles.


*Pluto seemed to want to get as many last hugs as possible on this day too. *



pkondz said:


> Last day. Boooo!!!!


*It makes me feel sad all over again just writing about it! *



pkondz said:


> Oh, wow. I love that shot.
> Frameable!


*That Mary - she can do no wrong!*



pkondz said:


> Sucks, doesn't it.


*It really does. *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *That Mary - she can do no wrong!*



She's practically perfect!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> She's practically perfect!


 *Seems like I've heard that somewhere before.....*


----------



## Dugette

Big Thunder and Indy, sounds like a good time to me! 

I'm getting excited just seeing Disneyland pictures now that we're tentatively planning to go!


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Big Thunder and Indy, sounds like a good time to me!


*Always!!! *


Dugette said:


> I'm getting excited just seeing Disneyland pictures now that we're tentatively planning to go!


*I think you will love it so much! *


----------



## KatMark

What fun pictures with Mary Poppins and "Willow's" Pluto.


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
pkondz: 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 9 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 7 points
Dugette: 6 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Kathy (KatMark): 2 points
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*"The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability."*​*
Day 14E - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After lots of Pluto hugs, we were back on course for DCA at 10:45.*
*

*​*
Of course, we made a beeline for RSR, stopping on the way for some PP+ pictures, of course.*
*













*​*
Single Rider is our friend.*
*





*​*
The single-rider line took about 20 minutes, and we had a fun ride - this time in separate vehicles. However, there were a bunch of glitches with the ride, including that my car got stuck for quite a while, which allowed Willow's car to somehow arrive back first even though mine left first; neither one of us getting to race another car (both of our cars raced a ghost); and neither one of our cars getting a ride picture. Here is how Willow felt about all that!*
*

*​*
Not the best "last ride" of one of our absolute faves! But we dealt with it pretty well.  (Willow was really just hamming for the camera there.)

At this point, we realized that we hadn't followed up on a tip that we had gotten from PP the very first day - the PP CM who could do an Olaf shot! So we headed over to Paradise Pier. *
*

*​*
Eventually, we found the right PP CM. And she was having software issues. 

Just as we were about to leave, her camera started loading the software she needed, so we waited. And soon Willow got her Olaf pics!*
*





*​*
Next, we checked to see if Donald was around, since Willow had not found him yet this trip. Phew!*
*





*​*
He was especially excited when we told him he was Number 1!*
*





*​*
We were getting hungry for lunch and wanted to try something new on the other side of Paradise Pier, so we moseyed along until we had to detour to meet Woody!*
*

*​*
Woody and Willow teamed up to use their Frozen powers to cool things down a little.*
*





*​*
It was really pretty funny. It was HOT. And as soon as they did this, a cool breeze came through - the PP photographer and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, "It worked!"

Up Next: Day 14F*


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> What fun pictures with Mary Poppins and "Willow's" Pluto.


*Thanks Kathy! *

*Oh my goodness! Your trip is just days away. If I don't "talk" to you again before you leave, have a great trip!!!  I will look for picture updates on FB! *


----------



## KatMark

Remy in Ratatouille


----------



## KatMark

RGirl said:


> *Thanks Kathy! *
> 
> *Oh my goodness! Your trip is just days away. If I don't "talk" to you again before you leave, have a great trip!!!  I will look for picture updates on FB! *



Thanks, Roni. Three more days of work, a day of pampering and then I am off.


----------



## KatMark

Willow is just so photogenic. I love her "disappointed" look in no race, and her pictures with the balloons, Olaf, Donald and Woody are just great.


----------



## RGirl

KatMark said:


> Remy in Ratatouille


*Way to go, Kathy!!! *



KatMark said:


> Thanks, Roni. Three more days of work, a day of pampering and then I am off.


*Oh mean, doesn't it feel great to know that work is over in just a few days? I always struggle in those last few days - I keep wanting to add days off. *



KatMark said:


> Willow is just so photogenic. I love her "disappointed" look in no race, and her pictures with the balloons, Olaf, Donald and Woody are just great.


*Awww - thanks! She is definitely quite the picture ham! *


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> *However, there were a bunch of glitches with the ride, including that my car got stuck for quite a while, which allowed Willow's car to somehow arrive back first even though mine left first; neither one of us getting to race another car (both of our cars raced a ghost); and neither one of our cars getting a ride picture. Here is how Willow felt about all that!*
> *
> 
> *​


 Great picture. Bummer about the glitches, though. 



RGirl said:


> *Just as we were about to leave, her camera started loading the software she needed, so we waited. And soon Willow got her Olaf pics!*
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *​


Cute pictures!  Glad it worked out at the last minute.

Really cute character meet pics with Donald and Woody too!


----------



## Dugette

I missed the update with Mary Poppins and Pluto! Super cute pics there, too!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Of course, we made a beeline for RSR, stopping on the way for some PP+ pictures, of course.*


 
Of course. To both statements.



RGirl said:


>


 
Grab her Roni! She's about to float away!!!!



RGirl said:


> *Single Rider is our friend.*


 
 Yes, yes it is.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
Whoa. Dat right d'ere is one _angry_ kid.
I do _not_ want to come across her in a dark alley. <shudder>



RGirl said:


> *(Willow was really just hamming for the camera there.)*


 
Kinda figured. 



RGirl said:


> *And soon Willow got her Olaf pics!*


 
Those are pretty cute pics!



RGirl said:


> *He was especially excited when we told him he was Number 1!*


 
She said as Willow wears a Frozen shirt..... 



RGirl said:


> *It was really pretty funny. It was HOT. And as soon as they did this, a cool breeze came through - the PP photographer and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, "It worked!"*


 
 It's Disney magic!



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 14F*


 
Thanks for the chapter!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

What? RSR? You don't like that ride, do you?

Willow making a sad face? Totally cute but not believable. I'm sure all that cutie does all day is smile!

Love the Olaf pics! I forgot all about those on our last WDW trip and was so bummed when we got back. 

I love the Donald pictures! They look so cruise-y to me!  But pretty much everything reminds me of a cruise these days.....


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *The single-rider line took about 20 minutes, and we had a fun ride - this time in separate vehicles. However, there were a bunch of glitches with the ride, including that my car got stuck for quite a while, which allowed Willow's car to somehow arrive back first even though mine left first; neither one of us getting to race another car (both of our cars raced a ghost); and neither one of our cars getting a ride picture. Here is how Willow felt about all that!*


Sounds familiar.  

Seriously, we had the worst luck with that ride. 



RGirl said:


> (Willow was really just hamming for the camera there.)


Willow?  That's hard to believe! 



RGirl said:


> Eventually, we found the right PP CM. And she was having software issues.


Everything is buggy at Disneyland. 



RGirl said:


> *Just as we were about to leave, her camera started loading the software she needed, so we waited. And soon Willow got her Olaf pics!*


Thank goodness!  They turned out very well!



RGirl said:


> It was really pretty funny. It was HOT. And as soon as they did this, a cool breeze came through - the PP photographer and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, "It worked!"


Can I borrow Willow for our next summer trip to Disney World?


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

RGirl said:


> Of course, we made a beeline for RSR,



Phew. I was worried.



RGirl said:


>



OMG That is the first non smiley photo of Willow I've seen I think (even if it was "scripted"). But incidentally, I do not want want to run into that look in a dark alley. 

YAY Donald. I think that is the spot I met Sailer Mickey. I expect Donald is probably not too thrilled standing in front of a hidden Mickey. But he seems to be rolling with it.


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> Great picture. Bummer about the glitches, though.


*We are very lucky to have been able to ride it so many times - so, for us, it was just kind of perplexing and amusing. I think it would have been very disappointing if it were someone's only ride (especially if they had waited 2 hours for it). On a past trip, when something went wrong (a long stall), the CMs let anyone who was affected stay on for a second ride. Not this time though. *



Dugette said:


> Cute pictures!  Glad it worked out at the last minute.


*I was relieved - I couldn't believe that we had forgotten to get those pictures until the last day. *



Dugette said:


> Really cute character meet pics with Donald and Woody too!


*Both meets were great fun! *


----------



## RGirl

Dugette said:


> I missed the update with Mary Poppins and Pluto! Super cute pics there, too!


*Thanks! Willow has had some truly remarkable meets with Mary at DL. *



pkondz said:


> Of course. To both statements.


*Girls gotta do what girls gotta do - especially on the last day! *



pkondz said:


> Whoa. Dat right d'ere is one _angry_ kid.
> I do _not_ want to come across her in a dark alley. <shudder>






pkondz said:


> Those are pretty cute pics!


*I was happy I remembered to get them at the last possible opportunity. *



pkondz said:


> She said as Willow wears a Frozen shirt.....





pkondz said:


> It's Disney magic!


*It WAS! *



pkondz said:


> Thanks for the chapter!


*Thanks for sticking in there with me! *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> What? RSR? You don't like that ride, do you?


*I don't know why Mickey keeps forcing us to go on it! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Willow making a sad face? Totally cute but not believable. I'm sure all that cutie does all day is smile!


*Ha! Only through the magic of TRs where you can't hear the day-to-day back-talking and sassing. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Love the Olaf pics! I forgot all about those on our last WDW trip and was so bummed when we got back.


*Well, I came VERY close to having that exact same experience. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I love the Donald pictures! They look so cruise-y to me! But pretty much everything reminds me of a cruise these days.....


*They are indeed very nautical, huh? Still so excited for you to experience DCL!*



afwdwfan said:


> Sounds familiar.
> 
> Seriously, we had the worst luck with that ride.


*You really did. I feel bad - your luck on that trip was just unbelievable. *



afwdwfan said:


> Willow? That's hard to believe!






afwdwfan said:


> Everything is buggy at Disneyland.


*I hate that that's your experience with DLR. *



afwdwfan said:


> Thank goodness! They turned out very well!


*Thanks! I was happy I remembered (at the last minute).*


afwdwfan said:


> Can I borrow Willow for our next summer trip to Disney World?


*I sure am hoping those powers are working in a few months.... *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Phew. I was worried.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> OMG That is the first non smiley photo of Willow I've seen I think (even if it was "scripted"). But incidentally, I do not want want to run into that look in a dark alley.


*I would be lying if I said there aren't times she scares me! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> YAY Donald. I think that is the spot I met Sailer Mickey. I expect Donald is probably not too thrilled standing in front of a hidden Mickey. But he seems to be rolling with it.


*Donald was definitely being pretty chill about it all - I think it helped that we confirmed his number-one status. *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
pkondz: 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 9 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 7 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
Gracefulskinny: 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*"I walked with you once upon a dream."*​*
Day 14F - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

After Willow had exercised her powers with Woody, it was about noon, and we were really ready for some lunch. We went over to Corndog Castle and procured one of Disneyland Resort's famous hand-dipped corndogs for Willow's lunch.*
*

*​*
And then we doubled back through an area with several CS locations to find Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta.*
*









*​*
I had a gluten-free pepperoni pizza, which was quite delicious.*
*

*​*
Both of Willow's top two front teeth were quite loose at this point, so she did not enjoy her corndog as much as she might have at another time. 

While we were dining, we saw (and heard) these guys going by.*
*

*​*
After lunch, our FP for Goofy's Sky School (which we had obtained while making our way to get Willow's corndog) was usable, so we headed over there and walked through the not-often-used FP queue area.*
*













*​*
Willow had first been tall enough for this ride during our January trip, so that was the first time we had done it. I really did not care for it - it has a heights issue that is unpleasant for someone with issues with heights in that it feels like the car is just going to fly off the edge, and it is VERY jerky. However, I had had a terrible headache the one time we had done this before, so I didn't think it was fair to judge based on that encounter. So I agreed to ride. Willow, of course, loves it (like pretty much any ride!).*
*

*​*
Verdict? I still hate it.  It's the height thing combined with the neck-breaking jerkiness. I think this is very similar to Primeval Whirl (which I remember liking a lot better but have only done once years ago), but it must be somewhat different, because it definitely has a lower height requirement to ride. *
*









*​*
These guys were making their way through again when we got off the ride.*
*





*​*
Continued in next post*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 14F - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont. from previous post)

After flying with Goofy, I really needed to do something a little less horrifying. So we went to visit The Little Mermaid! It was about 12:50 at this point, and we waited approximately 2 minutes to board. No awesome queue area like at WDW here.*
*





*​*
But the ride is just as fun.*
*

*​*
When we exited the ride, we were just kind of at loose ends about what to do. We were hot, and our feet were just absolutely KILLING us. We had Hit.The.Wall, DIS Friends. *
*

*​*
I'm not sure this has ever really happened to us at a Disney park before - we just couldn't go on. We were discussing whether we were really going to call it a day or what, when we heard some music, and Willow popped around the column where we were sitting and then popped back around yelling, "Mommy!!  Goofy's controlling the water!!!"

You may be thinking, "huh?" I, however, in a weird moment of clarity, knew exactly what she was talking about. At various points during the day, Goofy comes out and conducts the orchestra of the fountains at Paradise Pier. We had never seen it before, and Willow hadn't known it existed, so we hobbled closer to watch.*
*

















*​*
Sorry for the picture overkill - we were really excited to see this; it is a perfect example of one of those special Disney things that they don’t HAVE to do, but that make a visit so special when you happen upon them. 

It was about 1:10 when Conductor Goofy ended his set, and we decided that we would ride TLM one more time and then head out. We spotted these guys from the queue.*
*





*​*
And we enjoyed our last ride of the trip.

Willow was hoping for a Mickey Bar, and I was thinking that we could probably get one at the CS or pool area at the GCH, so we exited through there. No Mickey Bars to be found. 

I felt bad since we could have easily stopped on the way out of the park. Luckily, there was a Haagen-Dazs right across from the GCH when we exited, so Willow got a scoop of ice cream there.*
*



We were back at our "secret" path for the last time a little before 2:00.


*​*
When we got back to the room, Willow showered - trying out a shower cap for the first time in her life to maintain her Elsa hairdo.*
*

*​*
And I packed before also showering and getting cleaned up for our last night traditional meal. Looks like Willow enjoyed viewing my packing efforts a lot more than I enjoyed the job.*
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 14G*


----------



## Gracefulskinny

Aurora sleeping Beauty


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I agree, aurora from sleeping beauty, but also prince Phillip sings it too when they dance--how do I know? I'm pretty sure we've watched that movie no less then 800 times! 

Anywho--

Mmmmmm, corn dog!

I'm so glad you and willow got to see goofy conducting! So fun to get to see something new!


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *We went over to Corndog Castle and procured one of Disneyland Resort's famous hand-dipped corndogs for Willow's lunch.*


Looks amazing.  I so wanted to try one of those corn dogs, but just never wanted to wait in the lines I saw every time I thought about it. 



RGirl said:


> *So I agreed to ride. Willow, of course, loves it (like pretty much any ride!).*


She looks somewhat happy...



RGirl said:


> Verdict? I still hate it.






RGirl said:


> *These guys were making their way through again when we got off the ride.*
> ​


Cool!  I never saw that. 



RGirl said:


> *But the ride is just as fun.*


It is just as... everything.  Except the queue, of course.  



RGirl said:


> *We had Hit.The.Wall, DIS Friends. *


  



RGirl said:


> I'm not sure this has ever really happened to us at a Disney park before - we just couldn't go on. We were discussing whether we were really going to call it a day or what


Brutal.  I don't know this feeling and I never want to. 



RGirl said:


> when we heard some music, and Willow popped around the column where we were sitting and then popped back around yelling, "Mommy!! Goofy's controlling the water!!!"


Goofy saves the day!!!  



RGirl said:


> Willow was hoping for a Mickey Bar, and I was thinking that we could probably get one at the CS or pool area at the GCH, so we exited through there. No Mickey Bars to be found.


Oh no!!!  I'm glad they had them there when I needed one.  Your fallback option was a pretty good choice though.



RGirl said:


> *And I packed before also showering and getting cleaned up for our last night traditional meal. Looks like Willow enjoyed viewing my packing efforts a lot more than I enjoyed the job.*


Somebody has to supervise.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *We went over to Corndog Castle and procured one of Disneyland Resort's famous hand-dipped corndogs for Willow's lunch.*


 
I've heard such good things... that might be the reason why I go to DL.



RGirl said:


> *I had a gluten-free pepperoni pizza, which was quite delicious.*


 
That looks no different from a glutenized pizza.



RGirl said:


> *Both of Willow's top two front teeth were quite loose at this point, so she did not enjoy her corndog as much as she might have at another time. *


 
What's going on with those teeth?
First they're there. Then they're not. Then they're back.


So confused...






RGirl said:


> *it has a heights issue that is unpleasant for someone with issues with heights*


 
I like how you make it that the ride has issues too.



RGirl said:


> *Verdict? I still hate it.*


 
Well, good for giving it the ol' college try.



RGirl said:


> *I think this is very similar to Primeval Whirl*


 
Oh. Yuck.



RGirl said:


> *but it must be somewhat different, because it definitely has a lower height requirement to ride. *


 
Maybe they just care less in California.



RGirl said:


> *So we went to visit The Little Mermaid!*


 
Good choice.
Not that I've ever been on it.
But anything with Arial can't be bad.



RGirl said:


> *We had Hit.The.Wall, DIS Friends. *


 
Oh, no. Poor guys.



RGirl said:


> *"Mommy!! Goofy's controlling the water!!!"*


 
Annnnnd.... wall scaled!



RGirl said:


> *You may be thinking, "huh?" I, however, in a weird moment of clarity, knew exactly what she was talking about.*


 
Nope. Even though I've never seen it, I've heard of it.



RGirl said:


> *so we hobbled closer to watch.*


 
"hobbled" 



RGirl said:


> *Sorry for the picture overkill - we were really excited to see this*


 
Not at all. I've never seen pics before, I don't think. So I liked the overkill.



RGirl said:


> *it is a perfect example of one of those special Disney things that they don’t HAVE to do, but that make a visit so special when you happen upon them. *


 




RGirl said:


> *And we enjoyed our last ride of the trip.*


 
Oh, I hate that term... "Last ride".



RGirl said:


> *I felt bad since we could have easily stopped on the way out of the park. Luckily, there was a Haagen-Dazs right across from the GCH when we exited, so Willow got a scoop of ice cream there.*


 
She doesn't look too broken up about it. 



RGirl said:


> *Willow showered - trying out a shower cap for the first time in her life to maintain her Elsa hairdo.*


 
She probably liked sticking her head under the water and listening to it bounce off her head.



RGirl said:


> *Looks like Willow enjoyed viewing my packing efforts a lot more than I enjoyed the job.*


 




RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 14G*


 
Thanks for the update!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

When I was Willow's age (I was 8 too). Actually what I meant to say is I was obsessed with Corndogs. Every chance I got. Since becoming an adult (in age if nothing else) I haven't had one. But a Disney corndog seems like the right place to re-start.

I'm not a big fan of "Disney pizza", but that one looks quite tasty. I'm also currently hungry.

Aww did you not see the Phineas and Ferb dance party?

Ha, yeah, no amazing queue for the Ariel ride, but as it was when I visited, no amazing line either.

I really wish I had seen the Goofy conductor show. This is a great use of the World of Colour fountains for the daytime. And I guess in a way, a more fun version of the Fountain of Nations at Epcot.


----------



## Cruzmom

Can you pick up PP+ from DTD?  We only have three full days in June, and are coming in the night before and I would like to get the pass before entering the park?  

Thanks for your help. 
Sarah


----------



## courtneybelle

Welp, pkondz and I seem to be at a bit of a stalemate. I have to up my game!

I love that picture of Willow and Mary Poppins looking over their shoulders--practically perfect! Darnit, pkondz made that joke already.

LOVE the Olaf magic shot, too! 

You got so many good character meets this day, I'm impressed!

Wow, I had no idea about Goofy conducting the water. That is so cool!


----------



## pkondz

courtneybelle said:


> Welp, pkondz and I seem to be at a bit of a stalemate. I have to up my game!


 
Aw. Do you have to?
I love being tied with you.

Uh, oh.
Andy's going to get me back now...



courtneybelle said:


> Darnit, pkondz made that joke already.


 
Ya snooze, ya lose!


----------



## luulu1999

It took me several days but I have FINALLY read all your TR, I wanted to read this one before I started on the next one!!! Awesome report!! I can't wait to be able to start planning our Summer of 2016 trip!!  I can't believe how many times you guys rode ToT we rode it once and I said never again!...Now I will be starting the other TR


----------



## wildflower329

Really enjoying your trip report (I am only a couple pages into it so far, but love it)! I am a fellow E. Washington person, possibly from the same area  Your TR is making me excited for our August trip (although we weren't brave enough to road trip it this year, with a 6 and a 4 year old).


----------



## RGirl

Gracefulskinny said:


> Aurora sleeping Beauty


*Two points!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> I agree, aurora from sleeping beauty, but also prince Phillip sings it too when they dance--how do I know? I'm pretty sure we've watched that movie no less then 800 times!


*Oh, you make an excellent point. And for that excellent point, you get a point!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> Anywho--
> 
> Mmmmmm, corn dog!


*It looked and smelled sooooo good! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> I'm so glad you and willow got to see goofy conducting! So fun to get to see something new!


*It was SO COOL! And such a neat way to end our park time this trip - something I had always wanted to see but never thought to seek out just fell into our laps. So perfect.*



afwdwfan said:


> Looks amazing. I so wanted to try one of those corn dogs, but just never wanted to wait in the lines I saw every time I thought about it.


*I wonder if we ate at a really off time this day. We have never tried to get one of these before (except at the Little Red Wagon, and we did give up because of the line there - not because it really would have taken that long but because the corndog eater didn't want to wait AT ALL), but there was definitely no line at all over here at DCA when we got this one.*



afwdwfan said:


> She looks somewhat happy...


*Just a tiny bit. *



afwdwfan said:


> Brutal. I don't know this feeling and I never want to.


*Yeah, it was really something. **Being on the road and at DLR for two weeks, doing almost every rope drop (during the summer when they are much earlier) and spending every day in the parks - we just couldn't go on. It was a sad way to end the trip. Almost.....*



afwdwfan said:


> Goofy saves the day!!!


*He totally did - much better last memory of the parks than sitting at the column outside the Ariel ride just unable to move. *



afwdwfan said:


> Oh no!!! I'm glad they had them there when I needed one. Your fallback option was a pretty good choice though.


*I'm sure they had them somewhere, to be honest. I just didn't really know what I was doing at the GCH having never stayed there, so we kind of wandered in and back out, dazed and exhausted. The fallback worked just fine. *



afwdwfan said:


> Somebody has to supervise.


*And she is VERY good at it. *


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I've heard such good things... that might be the reason why I go to DL.


*Okay, the truth comes out - I strongly, strongly encouraged Willow to go for this for lunch because Shannon HAD to know about the DLR corndog from a firsthand account. *



pkondz said:


> That looks no different from a glutenized pizza.


*And it tasted great! It's been enough years now, however, that I can't really be sure that it would not have tasted like cardboard had I been accustomed to real gluten-y pizza......*



pkondz said:


> What's going on with those teeth?
> First they're there. Then they're not. Then they're back.
> 
> 
> So confused...


*Seriously, these dueling TRs and mini-TRs in such different time frames - the teeth are starting to confuse me too!*



pkondz said:


> I like how you make it that the ride has issues too.


*I have no idea what you are trying to say here. The ride OBVIOUSLY has issues.*



pkondz said:


> Well, good for giving it the ol' college try.


*I thought I was pretty awesome. *



pkondz said:


> Oh. Yuck.


*Ha! See???*



pkondz said:


> Maybe they just care less in California.


*Now I would think that too. But California is the Land of Regulating Everything. It just doesn't fit. I haven't ridden Primeval Whirl since my first trip to WDW when Willow was 3 and only once then. So I am relying on things I've read - I'm thinking there has to be some kind of significant difference. I guess I will have to ride stupid Primeval Whirl in a few months so that I can confirm that. *



pkondz said:


> Oh, no. Poor guys.





pkondz said:


> Annnnnd.... wall scaled!


*Goofy really saved the last day. Biting the dust like we were would have been a terrible way to end our time in the parks. Thank you, Goofy!*



pkondz said:


> Nope. Even though I've never seen it, I've heard of it.


*That's interesting. I have this sense that not many people know about this. Maybe I am completely off base on that. *



pkondz said:


> "hobbled"


*We sure as heck weren't sashaying at this point!*



pkondz said:


> Not at all. I've never seen pics before, I don't think. So I liked the overkill.


*Thanks! It was so cool!*



pkondz said:


> Oh, I hate that term... "Last ride".






pkondz said:


> She doesn't look too broken up about it.


*Yeah, I think I managed to make it up to her.*



pkondz said:


> She probably liked sticking her head under the water and listening to it bounce off her head.


*You truly get kids - I am certain that is exactly what she was doing in there. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> When I was Willow's age (I was 8 too). Actually what I meant to say is I was obsessed with Corndogs. Every chance I got. Since becoming an adult (in age if nothing else) I haven't had one. But a Disney corndog seems like the right place to re-start.


*I see what you did there! *

*I have heard and read that the DLR corndogs are out of this world. I would have totally gotten one myself if I could have eaten it without getting sick. It definitely looked REALLY good!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I'm not a big fan of "Disney pizza", but that one looks quite tasty. I'm also currently hungry.


*I definitely enjoyed it - but when you have to avoid a primary pizza crust ingredient, getting to have pizza at all is a treat, so it may not have been quite as tasty to someone who can enjoy "real pizza." *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Aww did you not see the Phineas and Ferb dance party?


*You know, I don't know if they were doing the dance party at this point. I can't remember. But, no, we didn't see it. We were just lucky to see them going by at this point. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ha, yeah, no amazing queue for the Ariel ride, but as it was when I visited, no amazing line either.


*I'm happy to be able to count on no wait for a very nice ride and give up the "amazing queue." *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I really wish I had seen the Goofy conductor show. This is a great use of the World of Colour fountains for the daytime. And I guess in a way, a more fun version of the Fountain of Nations at Epcot.


*This was such a lucky break for us. Goofy really changed the mood for our final moments at DLR for this big summer vacation. It was the perfect way to end the vacation.*



Cruzmom said:


> Can you pick up PP+ from DTD? We only have three full days in June, and are coming in the night before and I would like to get the pass before entering the park?
> 
> Thanks for your help.
> Sarah


*Hi Sarah! No, unless things have changed, there is not a place in DTD where you can pick up your PP+ card. However, the location in both DL and DCA is very convenient to the front of the park, AND you can skip it and head to your headliner ride, go back after and get your card, and then add the pics from the ride if you write down your ride number. We had to do this once because there was no way we were going to stop for our card before hitting RSR at rope drop.

Good luck!*


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Welp, pkondz and I seem to be at a bit of a stalemate. I have to up my game!


*We're coming up on the end here, you two - the tie is going to have to break somehow! *



courtneybelle said:


> I love that picture of Willow and Mary Poppins looking over their shoulders--practically perfect! Darnit, pkondz made that joke already.






courtneybelle said:


> LOVE the Olaf magic shot, too!


*I am so glad I finally remembered it was available. *



courtneybelle said:


> You got so many good character meets this day, I'm impressed!


*As you may know, we are pretty good at hunting down the characters.  It was a pretty good last-day character fest though, especially since we weren't really making a huge effort to make it happen. It was great!*



courtneybelle said:


> Wow, I had no idea about Goofy conducting the water. That is so cool!


*For me, it was one of the most quintessentially Disney things I have seen - most people don't realize it's going to happen, lots of people don't even realize it's happening when it happens. And then you have a reaction like Willow's - expecting nothing, exhausted, happens to swing around the column at the LM ride and see something she had no idea was possible and yell, "Mommy!!!!! Goofy's controlling the water!!!!" It was just Disney Perfect.*



pkondz said:


> Aw. Do you have to?
> I love being tied with you.
> 
> Uh, oh.
> Andy's going to get me back now...






luulu1999 said:


> It took me several days but I have FINALLY read all your TR, I wanted to read this one before I started on the next one!!! Awesome report!! I can't wait to be able to start planning our Summer of 2016 trip!! I can't believe how many times you guys rode ToT we rode it once and I said never again!...Now I will be starting the other TR


*Hey there!!!!  Thank you so much for making what is truly an amazing effort to wade through this whole report! *

*Oh, ToT - there was a day, during the first trip that Willow was tall enough to ride, when we were at Hollywood Studios (back in the days of paper FPs at WDW and no enforcement of the time windows) - we rode that thing THIRTEEN TIMES in one day. 
*
*How awesome that you have a DLR trip to look forward to. I really hope that you love it there as much as we do. *

*Thanks again for reading and joining in. I'm so happy that you decided to participate in the January TR as well. *



wildflower329 said:


> Really enjoying your trip report (I am only a couple pages into it so far, but love it)! I am a fellow E. Washington person, possibly from the same area  Your TR is making me excited for our August trip (although we weren't brave enough to road trip it this year, with a 6 and a 4 year old).


*Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to comment and making the effort to read. I really appreciate it!*

*And what an amazing coincidence that we are from the same area. If you have time, please join in on my January 2015 TR - you might enjoy the mini-TR to the Oregon Coast over there. 
*
*So you're heading to DLR in August???  I'm so jealous - you will love it so much. And if you are from anywhere near where I am, that is a LONG road trip - I don't recommend it with small kids unless you can do like we did and take a full two-week trip. We really felt like we had more "doing stuff" time than car time, you know? And waiting until they are older is definitely smart! *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
pkondz: 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 9 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 8 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 4 points
Gracefulskinny: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*"Hey! Look! My stomach's distended! How great is that?"*​*
Day 14G - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort

Our last evening at Disneyland Resort had come. We headed out of our tower, but not the hotel, at about 4:45 so that we could do some souvenir shopping before our 5:30 reservation.*
*

*​*
Willow was excited - it's a tough call between sadness at knowing it's the end and the excitement of our last-night traditional dinner. *
*

*​*
But first, some shopping! The Disneyland Hotel has a very nice souvenir shop, and we spent a good deal of time in here. *
*









*​*
I am pretty sure that Willow purchased something, but I can't remember what it was at this point.  I know we did pick out Christmas tree ornaments - we get two new ones every year. Willow's pick:*
*

*​*
My pick:*
*

*​*
After our last shopping spree, we headed over to our last-night traditional dining spot - Goofy's Kitchen! This character-dining location is found right inside the Disneyland Hotel, so very convenient for us. 

The line to check in was looooooong.*
*

*​*
Luckily, it moved very quickly, and soon we were waiting to meet Goofy (who meets his guests out front prior to guests being seated in his restaurant), and then meeting Chef Goofy himself.*
*









*​*
Willow had worn the Goofy cupcake tshirt I made her, and Goofy was suitably impressed.*
*





*​*
We always have a great time here and find it the perfect way to end a Disney trip with a great big shot of fun and characters. And we met a lot of characters! First up was Cinderella:*
*

*​*
Willow had to see her shoes:*
*

*​*
Then we got some food.

Willow’s:*
*

*​*
Mine:*
*

*​*
And a beverage. *
*

*​*
Up Next: Day 14G (cont.)*


----------



## RGirl

*Day 14G - Thursday, 7 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort (cont.)

We eventually got even more food. 

Willow’s:*
*

*​
*Mine:*


​*
And the chef was so excited to make me some pizza that he brought me two (I didn't have the heart to tell him what I had had for lunch)! (Conveniently, I now had my breakfast for the car ride tomorrow. )*
*

*​*
Then Aurora stopped by.*
*

*​
*

*​*
Minnie came to say hello, and we finally remembered to show her our toes (at this point, you may not remember, but prior to the trip, we had had Minnie-inspired pedicures)!*
*





*​*
The chef brought me some more treats (which became road-trip snacks for the way home):*
*

*​*
Dale dropped by.*
*









*​*
Willow sampled a good percentage of the available desserts.*
*

*​*
And Chip stopped off to say hello.*
*

*​*
You may have noticed one very important character who had not come by to say "see ya real soon" to Willow. Pluto - we had seen him earlier, but our server let us know that he had had to zip over to Mickey's house for something and wouldn't be back for at least 20 minutes. 

Well, you know us. We waited. Willow wasn't leaving Disneyland without bidding farewell to her favorite Disney dog. The table next to us was waiting for Pluto too. We both waited a LONG time. I think it was more than 20 minutes, but Willow was so happy when he finally arrived.*
*





*​*
She did have a hard time saying good-bye though.*
*









*​*
After Pluto left, we were more than ready to head out. Willow had to stop to test this little car outside the restaurant.*
*

*​*
And then we headed outside towards the Frontier Tower for our last night at the Disneyland Hotel. On the way, I looked over at Willow, and she had tears streaming down her face. 

Up Next: Day 15*


----------



## luulu1999

Aww  We have been to DL twice and both times Goofy's is one thing that we do and will continue to do...all though I read somewhere else that now there is only 4 characters that come around??  My kids were SO excited our last trip because Genie was there and they just LOVED the Aladdin show


----------



## pkondz

Nope. Not a clue on this one.
Gus from Cinderella??


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *Okay, the truth comes out - I strongly, strongly encouraged Willow to go for this for lunch because Shannon HAD to know about the DLR corndog from a firsthand account. *


 
"Mom? I'd like something healthy for lunch. Maybe some nice fruit and veggies?"
"YOU'LL HAVE A CORNDOG! AND YOU'LL LIKE IT YOUNG LADY!"



RGirl said:


> *I have no idea what you are trying to say here. The ride OBVIOUSLY has issues.*


 
Well of course it's the ride. Did I give you the impression that I thought otherwise???






RGirl said:


> *I guess I will have to ride stupid Primeval Whirl in a few months so that I can confirm that. *


 
Can I get the address and how to book that Oregon coast house before you do?
I may never get out that way, but if I do I'll never be able to ask after you ride.



Going back to read the chapters now...


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Last meal--boo! But it sure did look like a great one! I'm glad to see willow had some Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets finally! 

All the character meets looks so cute, I love goofy the best this time. He just looks so excited to see her shirt!

I don't know about the pic of willow in the elevator. Is she excited about dinner or about going shopping? Tough call!


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> Our last evening at Disneyland Resort had come.


 
Booo!!!! Go back in time!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
Willow looks so grown up and pretty in this picture.



RGirl said:


> *it's a tough call between sadness at knowing it's the end and the excitement of our last-night traditional dinner. *


 
Emotions see-sawing back and forth.



RGirl said:


> But first, some shopping!


 
You girls and your shopping. I'll just sit quietly over here, 'k?



RGirl said:


> *The line to check in was looooooong.*


 




RGirl said:


>


 
What are you trying to do to me???? Cuteness overload!



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
 That's great!



RGirl said:


> *Willow had to see her shoes:*


 
Smart girl. Of _course_ she does!



RGirl said:


> And the chef was so excited to make me some pizza that he brought me two (I didn't have the heart to tell him what I had had for lunch)!


 
It's the thought that counts.



RGirl said:


> *(Conveniently, I now had my breakfast for the car ride tomorrow. )*


 
And it turned out to be a pretty good thought, too! 



RGirl said:


> *Minnie came to say hello, and we finally remembered to show her our toes (at this point, you may not remember, but prior to the trip, we had had Minnie-inspired pedicures)!*


 
That's right! I _had_ forgotten!



RGirl said:


> *Willow sampled a good percentage of the available desserts.*


 
Like I said... smart girl.



RGirl said:


>


 
Worth the wait!



RGirl said:


> *She did have a hard time saying good-bye though.*


 
Awwww... poor Willow.



RGirl said:


> *Willow had to stop to test this little car outside the restaurant.*


 
You are in so much trouble when she turns 16.



RGirl said:


> On the way, I looked over at Willow, and she had tears streaming down her face.


 
Awwwww.... 



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 15*


 
Usually I say "Can't wait!" but if it's the end of the ride... I can wait!
But thanks for the update!


----------



## lozzypop

Mittens from Bolt!


----------



## RGirl

luulu1999 said:


> Aww  We have been to DL twice and both times Goofy's is one thing that we do and will continue to do...all though I read somewhere else that now there is only 4 characters that come around?? My kids were SO excited our last trip because Genie was there and they just LOVED the Aladdin show


*Goofy's has been our traditional last-night dinner, and I agree - always so much fun. We have never seen Genie there - very cool!*

*There may or may not be some changes to our tradition in the January TR. *



pkondz said:


> Nope. Not a clue on this one.
> Gus from Cinderella??






pkondz said:


> "Mom? I'd like something healthy for lunch. Maybe some nice fruit and veggies?"
> "YOU'LL HAVE A CORNDOG! AND YOU'LL LIKE IT YOUNG LADY!"


*That's pretty much how it went down. *



pkondz said:


> Well of course it's the ride. Did I give you the impression that I thought otherwise???


*The RIDE has ISSUES! *



pkondz said:


> Can I get the address and how to book that Oregon coast house before you do?
> I may never get out that way, but if I do I'll never be able to ask after you ride.




*I think I'll wait and see if you have the nerve to ask again post-Primeval Whirl......*


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> Last meal--boo! But it sure did look like a great one! I'm glad to see willow had some Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets finally!


*Yeah - thank goodness she finally got some mac and cheese and nuggets!!!! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> All the character meets looks so cute, I love goofy the best this time. He just looks so excited to see her shirt!


*That was a great interaction. Gosh, we have really enjoyed the crazy character interactions at Goofy's Kitchen - just so random and fun!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> I don't know about the pic of willow in the elevator. Is she excited about dinner or about going shopping? Tough call!


*I'm sure they were both equally thrilling for her. Two of her favorite things! *



pkondz said:


> Booo!!!! Go back in time!


*As I sit here right now, I would be SO happy to do that.*



pkondz said:


> Willow looks so grown up and pretty in this picture.


*Awww - thanks on her behalf. I was struck by how grown-up she looked in that photo **too.*



pkondz said:


> Emotions see-sawing back and forth.


*Typical last Disney day. *



pkondz said:


> You girls and your shopping. I'll just sit quietly over here, 'k?


*Oh no, I'd be over there with you given the option. Our shopping time mostly consists of me following Willow around asking her if she's done yet. I REALLY don't like shopping. I am so doomed this summer traveling with three Big Shoppers. *



pkondz said:


> What are you trying to do to me???? Cuteness overload!


*Um, I'm trying to overload you with cuteness? *



pkondz said:


> It's the thought that counts.





pkondz said:


> And it turned out to be a pretty good thought, too!


*It really worked out very well. And he was SO NICE!*



pkondz said:


> That's right! I _had_ forgotten!


*I had almost forgotten myself. *



pkondz said:


> You are in so much trouble when she turns 16.


*I know. I KNOW! *



pkondz said:


> Usually I say "Can't wait!" but if it's the end of the ride... I can wait!
> But thanks for the update!


*I'm sad to end this TR, but I'm also looking forward to having only one TR going at a time. And I'm still hopeful that I can knock that one out before we leave in July since it was such a short trip! *


----------



## RGirl

lozzypop said:


> Mittens from Bolt!


*Two points!!!! *


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
pkondz: 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 9 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 8 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 4 points
Gracefulskinny: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
lozzypop: 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*"No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true."*​*
Day 15 - Friday, 8 August 2014 - Disneyland Resort to Redding, California

Well, we were leaving Disneyland today. I have to say, a two-week vacation is just perfect in my book. At the end of two weeks, I'm ready to go home - I'm not unhappy to still be on vacation, but I no longer feel broken up about heading home; I'm starting to look forward to my own bed, my dog, my daily routine, eating regular food, etc. Willow was not feeling the same way about things.

We were up and out the door, with a bell services CM helping with the luggage, at 6:10.*
*

*​*
We made our way through the Frontier Tower lobby for the last time (this trip, anyway!).*
*





*​*
We said good-bye to the statues we had so happily greeted last week.*
*

*​*
We walked to the parking lot.*
*

*​*
We retrieved Elizabeth from the lot, drove to the front of the hotel, and were loaded up and ready to go by 6:25. Not bad! Until I turned around and saw this.*
*

*​*
 Poor Miss Willow - she was really taking our departure hard this time. In the past, we have come to DLR for just 3 days in January, with a summer trip on the distant horizon. We had never stayed this long, and it had never been our "big vacation" before. She was just SO SAD.

I, on the other hand, although feeling bad for Miss Willow, was pretty psyched that, at least for the moment, there was no traffic!*
*

*​*
And eventually Miss Willow did cheer up a bit.*
*

*​*
And, of course, traffic increased dramatically - although I don't think those two things were related.*
*

*​*
We stopped for gas at about 8:25AM, and Willow gave me a big explanation about how her front tooth was too loose for regular food so that she needed ice cream for breakfast. Hey, what? It's still technically vacation! Plus, look how much it cheered her up! *
*

*​*


And then it was just driving and driving. I planned on us making it all the way back home in 2 days. For me, when a vacation is over, I just want to get home. I was not looking to stop and see any sights or spend any extra money on more hotels. So we drove and drove and drove without stopping except for a breakfast burrito (which Miss Willow was miraculously able to eat)…*
*

*​*
...bathroom breaks and gas for Elizabeth. Willow watched movies, did sticker books, and listened to music. 

We cracked up pretty wildly when we saw this:*
*

*​*
Buttonwillow!!!!  What in the world???  

And we made great time! We were at our hotel in Redding (570 miles from the Disneyland Hotel) at 3:30PM. And we had a HUGE double room - one set up as a bedroom with two queen beds and the other set up as a separate living room - at the Hilton Garden Inn.*
*





*​*
We headed straight to the pool, of course, because Willow had more than earned it by not making one complaint about all the driving. 

After some pool time, we decided to just have room service for dinner and go to bed early.*
*





*​*
Up Next: Day 16*


----------



## pkondz

I'm exhausted, but... Cinderella... from Cinderella


----------



## pkondz

So tired, almost forgot this...



RGirl said:


> *Oh no, I'd be over there with you given the option. Our shopping time mostly consists of me following Willow around asking her if she's done yet. I REALLY don't like shopping. I am so doomed this summer traveling with three Big Shoppers. *



I did remember that you don't like shopping.
And yes. You are totally and completely doomed.



RGirl said:


> *Um, I'm trying to overload you with cuteness? *



Mission accomplished.


----------



## STLMickeyMom

Oh my gosh--that crying picture! Are you trying to break my heart? Give the girl ice cream for breakfast, candy, clothes, diamonds, whatever it takes! Just don't make her look that sad again!

Your hotel room looks pretty comfy--yay, room service!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

RGirl said:


>



Why do I have a feeling she's a natural at working an ATM?



RGirl said:


>



OOH I really like this.



RGirl said:


>



I know the photo before this is technically "cuter" but this one really speaks to me. This is the look I picture every child having when meeting character. Happiness, wonder, amazement, joy. This is a Disney advertisement.



RGirl said:


> We eventually got even more food.



Well I would think so.



RGirl said:


>





RGirl said:


>





RGirl said:


>



 Yeah, you're creating a whole brochure for Disney I'm pretty sure.



RGirl said:


> On the way, I looked over at Willow, and she had tears streaming down her face.



          



RGirl said:


> *"No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true."*



Roni!!! My feels!!! Too many feels!!!!



RGirl said:


>



I have no problem admitting to sitting here with tears streaming down my face right now. No joke.



RGirl said:


> Willow gave me a big explanation about how her front tooth was too loose for regular food so that she needed ice cream for breakfast.



Roni, you are raising a genius.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> I'm exhausted, but... Cinderella... from Cinderella


*Ooooooh - taking the lead right there at the end. It's looking good for you....*



pkondz said:


> I did remember that you don't like shopping.
> And yes. You are totally and completely doomed.






STLMickeyMom said:


> Oh my gosh--that crying picture! Are you trying to break my heart? Give the girl ice cream for breakfast, candy, clothes, diamonds, whatever it takes! Just don't make her look that sad again!


*I know! She made me cry! *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Your hotel room looks pretty comfy--yay, room service!


*I was very pleasantly surprised with our room, which was not at all expensive. *


----------



## RGirl

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Why do I have a feeling she's a natural at working an ATM?


*Oh, shut your mouth!!!  You are SO RIGHT! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> OOH I really like this.


*I had a feeling that you in particular would really like that one. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I know the photo before this is technically "cuter" but this one really speaks to me. This is the look I picture every child having when meeting character. Happiness, wonder, amazement, joy. This is a Disney advertisement.


*Awwww - that's so sweet. I really liked this one too.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Yeah, you're creating a whole brochure for Disney I'm pretty sure.






DisneyKid4Life said:


>


*This was a really, really hard end of trip. Moreso than any other, I think.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Roni!!! My feels!!! Too many feels!!!!


*Sorry!!!!  There was no other quotation that would work here. *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I have no problem admitting to sitting here with tears streaming down my face right now. No joke.


*Honestly, I have a hard time not tearing up over it myself. She was just SO sad about leaving this time.*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Roni, you are raising a genius.


*Ha! I'm raising a little Mini-Me-Lawyer. *sigh**


----------



## RGirl

*The Contest: First person to provide the movie title from which the chapter heading comes gets a point; two points if the character who utters the line is also identified. If the first person doesn’t name the character, the first poster to do so will get a point.

Current Standing:
pkondz: 26 points
Courtney (courtneybelle): 24 points
Jill (jedijill): 22 points
Andy (afwdwfan): 9 points
Lori (STLMickeyMom): 8 points
Shannon (shan23877): 8 points
Rob (DisneyKid4Life): 7 points
Dugette: 6 points
Kathy (KatMark): 4 points
Gracefulskinny: 4 points
Megan (MonsterWDWmom): 2 points
lozzypop: 2 points
petals: 1 point
Rory (Woodskeeper): 1 point
*
*"Oy! Ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck."*​*
Day 16 - Saturday, 9 August 2014 - Redding, California to Home

Although we had gone to bed early the night before in order to ensure an early start for another long day of driving, I woke up at 3AM with an incredible migraine - possibly the worst headache pain I have ever had. By 4AM, I was puking, which at least marked a decrease in the head pain. I went back to sleep at about 5, but decided that I better sleep in a little so set the alarm back to 6:30.

Despite all of that, we were in the car and ready to hit the road just a few minutes after 7AM.*
*

*​*
This was another fairly uneventful day of driving, driving, and more driving broken up with stops for gas, snacks and bathrooms. 

I can tell from the scenery here that we were probably stopped somewhere in Oregon. (And it goes against everything I’m made of to let my child eat a lunchable , and yet somehow I did it.)*
*

*​*
At about noon, the one Big Event of the day occurred. Willow lost one of her two front teeth!*
*

*​*
She lost the other one shortly thereafter - within a few days of returning home. And, as you know, after MANY months, she actually has front teeth again now. 

At some point along the Columbia River, Willow decided she would try to sleep. Doesn't she look cute?*
*

*​*
Yeah, well, she couldn't get comfortable and had a mini-meltdown of sorts. Considering how much time we had spent in the car, I was grateful that that was the worst it got. She pulled herself together for the remainder of the drive. 

And we made it home (555 miles) by about 4:30. Phew!!!!

I found some photos on Willow’s camera from the next day that indicate how much she must have missed her own beast.*
*

*​*
So I’m not very good at the whole “wrap-up” post. I never get around to it. So I’ll just say here that this wild idea of doing a two-week road trip with a 7-year-old child (who is now 8) turned out to be one of the best ideas I have ever had. I can’t say for sure, but I THINK this was probably the best vacation we have ever had. We obviously had a ton of fun at Disneyland Resort. But, really, the drive there was possibly even more fun. We just had so much fun together, and it was such a treat to get to show Willow so many different sights and experiences. In fact, it was so much fun that I am starting to plan a totally different road trip vacation for our Summer 2016 vacation.

For now, I sure hope you will continue to join in on my TR for our little birthday trip to Disneyland in January (link in signature). And, of course, the EPIC DIS Princesses vacation is in full planning mode now and will be taking place this summer - in less than 3 months!!!!! And the Big Winner from this TR will receive a special shout-out photo in that TR!*


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> Well, we were leaving Disneyland today.


 
One of the worst lines you could ever read.



RGirl said:


> At the end of two weeks, I'm ready to go home - I'm not unhappy to still be on vacation, but I no longer feel broken up about heading home;


 
I find that very interesting.
Our vacations, have seldom been for more than a week.
The last time we had more than a week was when I threw my back out in Venice...
So I wasn't really looking forward to anything other than standing.



RGirl said:


> *We were up and out the door, with a bell services CM helping with the luggage, at 6:10.*


 
Willow looks a little sleepy still in that picture.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
Oh my God! So sad!! Willow! Don't cry!

RONI DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!



RGirl said:


> *She was just SO SAD.
> 
> I, on the other hand, although feeling bad for Miss Willow, was pretty psyched that, at least for the moment, there was no traffic!*


 
Kid issues vs adult issues.



RGirl said:


> *And eventually Miss Willow did cheer up a bit.*


 
Phew! I thought I was going to lose it there.



RGirl said:


> *Willow gave me a big explanation about how her front tooth was too loose for regular food so that she needed ice cream for breakfast. Hey, what? It's still technically vacation! Plus, look how much it cheered her up! *


 
Ice cream seems like a perfectly reasonable breakfast meal when teeth are loose.



RGirl said:


> *
> 
> *


 
Willow looks ummm.... stoned.





RGirl said:


> Buttonwillow!!!! What in the world???


 
I know! I know!
"I'm going outside Mom!"
"It's cold outside. Wear a sweater."
"Aw, Mom!"
"Put a sweater on young lady... and Buttonwillow!"

or

"Mom."
"Mom."
"Mom."
"Shhh... honey."
"Mom."
"Mom."
"In a minute, Willow."
"Mom."
"Mom."
"Mom."
"Willow. Just give me a minute here, okay?"
"Mom."
"Mom."
"Mom."
"Mom."
"Buttonwillow!!!!"




RGirl said:


> We headed straight to the pool, of course, because Willow had more than earned it by not making one complaint about all the driving.


 

Anytime you have a good driving companion, said companion is entitled to a reward.



RGirl said:


> *Up Next: Day 16*


 
Sounds good!


----------



## pkondz

Genie. Aladdin.


----------



## pkondz

That was fun.
I was just about to post some comments when I got the little window asking if I wanted to view new posts.
I click yes and see the new chapter.
I immediately know the quote.
So I hit "Post Reply", type up "Genie. Aladdin." and hit "Post Reply" again.
I get an error. "You must wait 27 seconds to post"
Noooo!!!! Someone else is going to post! (It's happened before."
POST! "You must wait 22 seconds to post"
POST! "You must wait 15 seconds to post"
come on! come on!
POST "You must wait 7 seconds to post"
Aaaaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh!!!
Be patient. Be patient. Hang in there.....
POST!!!!

Yes!
Piece of cake.


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> I woke up at 3AM with an incredible migraine - possibly the worst headache pain I have ever had.


 
Oh, no! Not good, with a long drive ahead of you!



RGirl said:


> By 4AM, I was puking, which at least marked a decrease in the head pain.


 
Umm... Uh... That's...... good?



RGirl said:


> *I went back to sleep at about 5, but decided that I better sleep in a little so set the alarm back to 6:30.*
> 
> *Despite all of that, we were in the car and ready to hit the road just a few minutes after 7AM.*


 
I'm impressed. Did you manage to get some sleep after all that? And how were you feeling when you hit the road?



RGirl said:


> *(And it goes against everything I’m made of to let my child eat a lunchable , and yet somehow I did it.)*


 
Meh. Still on vacation. It won't hurt her.



RGirl said:


> *At about noon, the one Big Event of the day occurred. Willow lost one of her two front teeth!*


 
Holy.... hole! 



RGirl said:


> She lost the other one shortly thereafter - within a few days of returning home. And, as you know, after MANY months, she actually has front teeth again now.


 
 And it's so confusing! They're there. They're gone. They're back!



RGirl said:


> *At some point along the Columbia River, Willow decided she would try to sleep. Doesn't she look cute?*


 
 snug as a bug in a rug.



RGirl said:


> Yeah, well, she couldn't get comfortable and had a mini-meltdown of sorts. Considering how much time we had spent in the car, I was grateful that that was the worst it got. She pulled herself together for the remainder of the drive.


 
Aww. But good for her to pull herself back together.



RGirl said:


> *I found some photos on Willow’s camera from the next day that indicate how much she must have missed her own beast.*


 
Awwww.... She so reminds me of my girls, in that regard.



RGirl said:


> So I’ll just say here that this wild idea of doing a two-week road trip with a 7-year-old child (who is now 8) turned out to be one of the best ideas I have ever had.


 
I am totally not surprised.
And after reading all the TR, would've been shocked if you'd said otherwise.



RGirl said:


> I can’t say for sure, but I THINK this was probably the best vacation we have ever had.


 
Swell! 



RGirl said:


> In fact, it was so much fun that I am starting to plan a totally different road trip vacation for our Summer 2016 vacation.


 
Good for you! I love road trips.
I've got a very interesting one in mind myself... but it'll take a lot of things falling together before it can happen.



RGirl said:


> For now, I sure hope you will continue to join in on my TR for our little birthday trip to Disneyland in January (link in signature).


 
Oh, I don't know. I'll have to think about it.






RGirl said:


> *And, of course, the EPIC DIS Princesses vacation is in full planning mode now and will be taking place this summer - in less than 3 months!!!!! *


 
Less than three months??? Where does the time go???
It was just yesterday you were trying to figure out how to do the reveal!


----------



## STLMickeyMom

I'm glad the headache/throwing up went away. I don't get migraines often, but I understand that pain!

Poor willow and the tired meltdown. She did great for so much driving!

I'm so happy for you all that you had such a fun trip and got to enjoy the time together. Road trips are so much fun!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

RGirl said:


> but decided that I better sleep in a little so set the alarm back to 6:30.



You and I clearly have a different definition of "sleeping in".



RGirl said:


> *I found some photos on Willow’s camera from the next day that indicate how much she must have missed her own beast.*
> *
> 
> *​



OK, that is flat out adorable.



RGirl said:


> but I THINK this was probably the best vacation we have ever had.



I have a feeling this is about to be topped, however.


----------



## STLMickeyMom




----------



## courtneybelle

Happy Mother's Day, Roni!!! Hope you and Willow are having a great day together 

Looks like such a fun and delicious dinner--princesses AND Chip and Dale? I wouldn't have expected anything less than you guys waiting a half hour for Pluto. I would've done the same!

Ice cream for breakfast?! I like it. Hope it helped the tooth feel better.

Alas, pkondz has beaten me for good...but it's okay because rumor has it I'll be making an appearance in the big WDW TR anyway... 

Thanks so much for this FABULOUS TR, Roni! I loved every minute! Of course, I'm even more excited for WDW...it's going to be a BLAST.


----------



## Dugette

RGirl said:


> We went over to Corndog Castle and procured one of Disneyland Resort's famous hand-dipped corndogs for Willow's lunch.


Mmmm, I have a feeling this will be a must-do meal with Izzy at Disneyland! 



RGirl said:


> Primeval Whirl (which I remember liking a lot better but have only done once years ago)


Ugh, we HATE Primeval Whirl! That is one ride I'd be fine skipping forever - along with Stitch, of course. 



RGirl said:


> At various points during the day, Goofy comes out and conducts the orchestra of the fountains at Paradise Pier.


Very cool that you saw this! 



RGirl said:


>


Aw, so cute!  Not to mention all her Pluto picture adorableness too! 



RGirl said:


> Willow had worn the Goofy cupcake tshirt I made her, and Goofy was suitably impressed.


As he should be! So cute - Izzy would LOVE that, I bet. She is really fond of a cupcake shirt she has these days (just a regular non-Goofy one).



RGirl said:


> On the way, I looked over at Willow, and she had tears streaming down her face.





RGirl said:


>


Oh my gosh! Poor Willow!  That farewell really hit her hard, poor thing!



RGirl said:


> Willow gave me a big explanation about how her front tooth was too loose for regular food so that she needed ice cream for breakfast.


Smart kid! 



RGirl said:


> And we had a HUGE double room - one set up as a bedroom with two queen beds and the other set up as a separate living room - at the Hilton Garden Inn.


Sounds great! Now that I have a kid, I have a new appreciation for rooms like that!



RGirl said:


> I woke up at 3AM with an incredible migraine - possibly the worst headache pain I have ever had. By 4AM, I was puking, which at least marked a decrease in the head pain.


 Oh no! What a terrible way to start a huge travel day! I'm amazed you made it okay!



RGirl said:


> At about noon, the one Big Event of the day occurred. Willow lost one of her two front teeth!


Congrats to Willow on her accomplishment.  



RGirl said:


> So I’m not very good at the whole “wrap-up” post. I never get around to it. So I’ll just say here that this wild idea of doing a two-week road trip with a 7-year-old child (who is now 8) turned out to be one of the best ideas I have ever had. I can’t say for sure, but I THINK this was probably the best vacation we have ever had. We obviously had a ton of fun at Disneyland Resort. But, really, the drive there was possibly even more fun. We just had so much fun together, and it was such a treat to get to show Willow so many different sights and experiences. In fact, it was so much fun that I am starting to plan a totally different road trip vacation for our Summer 2016 vacation.


I'm with you - I've done very few wrap-ups, as I'm always moving on to the next TR. Just finished my August one in a nick of time before this May trip (though Aulani will still be going for a long time... Maybe till we go back again. ). 

So glad that you had such a blast on this trip!  It's a big undertaking, but I totally get how showing your kid new sights is rewarding and memorable. And, of course DL is awesome too.  So glad you are planning another road trip and can't wait to hear about that one!


----------



## luulu1999

Ha we do the same thing on our way home, we just drive don't stop anywhere to sleep just take turns driving til we get home!!


----------



## missangelalexis

I was a lurker on this TR but just wanted to say how much I enjoyed it! Willow is the cutest and you guys seem to have a great relationship! I'm glad this epic road trip was such a success and no doubt it will be a memory that lasts a lifetime


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> I am pretty sure that Willow purchased something, but I can't remember what it was at this point.  I know we did pick out Christmas tree ornaments - we get two new ones every year.


Both look like great choices! 



RGirl said:


> *Willow had worn the Goofy cupcake tshirt I made her, and Goofy was suitably impressed.*


And ironically, a week later, Goofy's Kitchen started serving Goofy cupcakes. 



RGirl said:


> *We eventually got even more food.
> 
> Willow’s:*


She certainly knows what she likes, doesn't she? 



RGirl said:


> *And the chef was so excited to make me some pizza that he brought me two (I didn't have the heart to tell him what I had had for lunch)! (Conveniently, I now had my breakfast for the car ride tomorrow. )*


Wooohooo!  Breakfast pizza!!! 



RGirl said:


> *The chef brought me some more treats (which became road-trip snacks for the way home):*


Wow, the chef was taking good care of you!  You might have mentioned it before and I missed it or forgot, but are you on a gluten free diet?



RGirl said:


> * We waited. Willow wasn't leaving Disneyland without bidding farewell to her favorite Disney dog. The table next to us was waiting for Pluto too. We both waited a LONG time. I think it was more than 20 minutes, but Willow was so happy when he finally arrived.*


Hey, might as well wait!  What else are you going to do.  And if the wait takes long enough that you can digest some of the food you ate, there's a buffet full of dessert not far away from you! 



RGirl said:


> And then we headed outside towards the Frontier Tower for our last night at the Disneyland Hotel. On the way, I looked over at Willow, and she had tears streaming down her face.


Poor Willow.  I can feel her pain. 



RGirl said:


> Well, we were leaving Disneyland today. I have to say, a two-week vacation is just perfect in my book. At the end of two weeks, I'm ready to go home - I'm not unhappy to still be on vacation, but I no longer feel broken up about heading home; I'm starting to look forward to my own bed, my dog, my daily routine, eating regular food, etc.


I can see that.  We always go a week or a week + a couple of days.  We're discussing a possible summer WDW trip next year.  I'm kind of hoping to make it a 2 week trip with some stops along the way as we drive.  DW wants a few days at the beach and I just do not want to try to get through WDW in 4 or 5 park days in the middle of the summer.  



RGirl said:


> *We walked to the parking lot.*
> *
> 
> *​


      I'm still having nightmares about this sight.



RGirl said:


> *We retrieved Elizabeth from the lot, drove to the front of the hotel, and were loaded up and ready to go by 6:25. Not bad! Until I turned around and saw this.*
> *
> 
> *​*
> Poor Miss Willow - she was really taking our departure hard this time. In the past, we have come to DLR for just 3 days in January, with a summer trip on the distant horizon. We had never stayed this long, and it had never been our "big vacation" before. She was just SO SAD.
> *


I feel her pain!  I don't care how long or how short the trip is.  Leaving Disney property is never easy!



RGirl said:


> *We stopped for gas at about 8:25AM, and Willow gave me a big explanation about how her front tooth was too loose for regular food so that she needed ice cream for breakfast. Hey, what? It's still technically vacation! Plus, look how much it cheered her up! *


Seems logical to me!



RGirl said:


> Although we had gone to bed early the night before in order to ensure an early start for another long day of driving, I woke up at 3AM with an incredible migraine - possibly the worst headache pain I have ever had. By 4AM, I was puking, which at least marked a decrease in the head pain. I went back to sleep at about 5, but decided that I better sleep in a little so set the alarm back to 6:30.


Oh wow.  I'm glad that you were able to recover and make the drive, but I'm not so sure I'd have been quite as willing to set the alarm at 6:30 and even attempt it at that point! 



RGirl said:


> *I can tell from the scenery here that we were probably stopped somewhere in Oregon. (And it goes against everything I’m made of to let my child eat a lunchable , and yet somehow I did it.)*


I'm apparently a horrible parent.  



RGirl said:


> So I’m not very good at the whole “wrap-up” post. I never get around to it. So I’ll just say here that this wild idea of doing a two-week road trip with a 7-year-old child (who is now 8) turned out to be one of the best ideas I have ever had. I can’t say for sure, but I THINK this was probably the best vacation we have ever had. We obviously had a ton of fun at Disneyland Resort. But, really, the drive there was possibly even more fun. We just had so much fun together, and it was such a treat to get to show Willow so many different sights and experiences. In fact, it was so much fun that I am starting to plan a totally different road trip vacation for our Summer 2016 vacation.


It does look like it was a great experience for you.  With a lot of great memories and bonding time.  I'm definitely interested in seeing what this totally different road trip vacation might be...



RGirl said:


> And, of course, the EPIC DIS Princesses vacation is in full planning mode now and will be taking place this summer - in less than 3 months!!!!!


Sounds familiar.  I think I saw something similar to this in a PTR a long time ago.  A couple of crazy moms with a slight food obsession, it seems.


----------



## pkondz

afwdwfan said:


> I'm still having nightmares about this sight.


 
 I can't imagine why!



afwdwfan said:


> A couple of crazy moms with a slight food obsession, it seems.


----------



## chattadisser

Poor Willow! My girls are the same way about leaving Disney...tears all around. I tell them that that is a sign of a good vacation, you had so much fun that you don't want to leave! Goofy's Kitchen looks like so much fun. My DL trip seems like it just keeps getting pushed off (unfortunately life intervenes sometime and you have to be an adult) but I am determined to make it happen! 

You made great time driving! I totally support ice cream for breakfast on vacation.

My guess...Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio???

Christine


----------



## KatMark

Roni, back and caught up.

That pizza at lunch looks good (and hopefully better than Florida pizza).

I don't think I'd like that Goofy Sky Ride at all.

Yay for a ride on the little Mermaid.

Too bad no Mickey bar, but at least she got ice cream.

Cute picture of Willow in her shower cap.

The shop at the resort looks very nice. And great ornament choices.

What fun character pictures and I am glad you stuck around for Pluto.

Okay...I'm in tears hearing that Willow was in tears and then to see her crying in the car.

Nice first day of driving, but sorry about the migraine in the middle of the night. Glad you felt better to drive the rest of the way home.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I've thoroughly enjoyed it.


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> One of the worst lines you could ever read.


*Yep. *



pkondz said:


> I find that very interesting.
> Our vacations, have seldom been for more than a week.
> The last time we had more than a week was when I threw my back out in Venice...
> So I wasn't really looking forward to anything other than standing.


*Well, I have been lucky that my many body-falling-apart issues have not impacted my vacations any more than my regular life. But I will say this: Until I was blessed to have Willow (in my late 30s), I had never taken an actual vacation as an adult. I worked in private law firms and worked 10 to 12 hours a day, often 7 days a week. I changed all of that when Willow finally came along (after MANY years effort). I took my first real vacation as a parent when we went to WDW when Willow was 3. We went for a week, I think. I believe our next "big" vacation was a DCL cruise to Alaska - it was a week. It was during that vacation that I realized that a week doesn't work very well for me for the year's "big vacation" (interesting from someone who was previously used to "no vacation") - it takes me about 3 to 4 days to transition from work/life stress to vacation joy, and at about day 5 or 6, I start worrying about how close we are to the end and having to return to work/life stress. So I try very hard to budget financially and leave-wise for longer vacations now. I am very lucky to be able to do that (financially is much harder than private practice, but getting away is easier). We did 10 days at WDW the last time we were there without a cruise tacked on, and it was perfect - we weren't super-sad to go home because we had a lot of time there. The WDW/DCL combo vacation was amazing, and we were both ready to go home. Ten days to two weeks seems to be pretty perfect as far as being able to transition to vacation mode and not feel totally depressed to go back to real life (well, except for Willow on this particular trip). Interestingly, we will be off for just almost 3 weeks this summer - 10 days at WDW and 7 days on the Disney Fantasy combined with a day off before travel and a day off after we return. I'm wondering if there is anything that could be "too long" for a vacation. I guess maybe we'll find out. *



pkondz said:


> Oh my God! So sad!! Willow! Don't cry!
> 
> RONI DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!


*Oh, I can't - it was just SO SAD. And kind of unexpected - I thought she'd be sad but also happy to head home. I was wrong.....*



pkondz said:


> Kid issues vs adult issues.






pkondz said:


> Ice cream seems like a perfectly reasonable breakfast meal when teeth are loose.


*Apparently, I somehow bought into that idea. *



pkondz said:


> Willow looks ummm.... stoned.


 Okay, I nearly died at this comment. I was laughing so hard. You are SO RIGHT!!!!! 



pkondz said:


> I know! I know!
> "I'm going outside Mom!"
> "It's cold outside. Wear a sweater."
> "Aw, Mom!"
> "Put a sweater on young lady... and Buttonwillow!"
> 
> or
> 
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "Shhh... honey."
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "In a minute, Willow."
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "Willow. Just give me a minute here, okay?"
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "Mom."
> "Buttonwillow!!!!"


*I'm going with option 2.  *



pkondz said:


> Anytime you have a good driving companion, said companion is entitled to a reward.


*Totally **agree. That was a LOT of hours in a car for a 7-year-old kid  not to complain - we were totally going to the pool. *


----------



## pkondz

RGirl said:


> *it takes me about 3 to 4 days to transition from work/life stress to vacation joy*


 
You're just like Ruby. On one vacation, she was angry with me. She figured out it was because I wasn't "doing something".
There's always something that has to be done.
It took her about 2-4 days before she realized she was on vacation and didn't have to do anything.



RGirl said:


> *I'm wondering if there is anything that could be "too long" for a vacation. I guess maybe we'll find out. *


 
I wonder that too. I'd like to find out, though!



RGirl said:


> *Oh, I can't - it was just SO SAD. And kind of unexpected - I thought she'd be sad but also happy to head home. I was wrong.....*


----------



## dizneeat

*All caught up!!

So sorry to see that your trip has come to an end. Thank you for letting me "come along". I enjoyed every little bit of your trip so much. *


----------



## RGirl

*So I promise I will reply to all of your kind comments very soon. But I didn't want to let another moment go by before announcing the winner of our TR Contest. *

*With no further ado but with a lot of sashaying and a whopping 28 points, the winner is.......*

































































































































































































































*pkondz*
​*All that hard work and dedication will pay off with some kind of spectacular shout-out photo during our summer trip.  I have a feeling that photo may just happen to feature a certain two DIS princesses...... *


----------



## KatMark

Way to go pkondz!!!!!


----------



## RGirl

pkondz said:


> That was fun.
> I was just about to post some comments when I got the little window asking if I wanted to view new posts.
> I click yes and see the new chapter.
> I immediately know the quote.
> So I hit "Post Reply", type up "Genie. Aladdin." and hit "Post Reply" again.
> I get an error. "You must wait 27 seconds to post"
> Noooo!!!! Someone else is going to post! (It's happened before."
> POST! "You must wait 22 seconds to post"
> POST! "You must wait 15 seconds to post"
> come on! come on!
> POST "You must wait 7 seconds to post"
> Aaaaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh!!!
> Be patient. Be patient. Hang in there.....
> POST!!!!
> 
> Yes!
> Piece of cake.


*It sometimes feels like the DIS is out to get you, doesn't it? *

*And it was a kind of important contest entry - going for the win and all! *



pkondz said:


> Oh, no! Not good, with a long drive ahead of you!


*Yeah, I would have been hard pressed to be LESS pleased than I was during that night. *



pkondz said:


> I'm impressed. Did you manage to get some sleep after all that? And how were you feeling when you hit the road?


*I probably slept for about an hour. So combined with the few hours I got before it all started, it wasn't terrible - definitely not how I would choose to start a long drive. Other than tired, I didn't feel too bad at all though - that's the way with migraines for me (luckily, they are very rare these days). And the drive went very smoothly - I never found myself feeling like I might fall asleep or anything. So phew!*



pkondz said:


> Meh. Still on vacation. It won't hurt her.


 *They just gross me out - I am not even sure why. *



pkondz said:


> And it's so confusing! They're there. They're gone. They're back!


*I know! I've found myself confused at times! *



pkondz said:


> I am totally not surprised.
> And after reading all the TR, would've been shocked if you'd said otherwise.


*It was really so great - I'm so glad that we did it. *



pkondz said:


> Good for you! I love road trips.
> I've got a very interesting one in mind myself... but it'll take a lot of things falling together before it can happen.


*Are you seriously dropping another cliff-hanger comment on here? Are you going to TELL me what the interesting potential road trip is?????  I NEED to know! *



pkondz said:


> Oh, I don't know. I'll have to think about it.






pkondz said:


> Less than three months??? Where does the time go???
> It was just yesterday you were trying to figure out how to do the reveal!


*It's freaking me out a little!  Soon, we will need to choose our FPs (still such an odd concept for me), and we haven't even found time to talk about it. I need to make the countdown rings for the girls, and I haven't even begun. How does that always happen? We've been planning for something like two years at this point - how can it possibly feel like it sneaked up on us???? *


----------



## RGirl

STLMickeyMom said:


> I'm glad the headache/throwing up went away. I don't get migraines often, but I understand that pain!


*Thankfully, as I have aged, migraines are almost unheard-of for me. So it was just wildly bad luck to get one the night before a long drive. *



STLMickeyMom said:


> Poor willow and the tired meltdown. She did great for so much driving!


*I was really thrilled with how well she did. I was exhausted and sick of being on the road, so I know she had to have been!*



STLMickeyMom said:


> I'm so happy for you all that you had such a fun trip and got to enjoy the time together. Road trips are so much fun!!


*Thanks! I had really been nervous about doing a road trip that involved more than one day of driving, but it turned out to be so awesome. I can't wait to do another!*



DisneyKid4Life said:


> You and I clearly have a different definition of "sleeping in".


 *It was "sleeping in" relative to the time at which I had previously had the alarm set. And, given that I start my work day at 6:30, it felt like sleeping in compared to regular life too! *



DisneyKid4Life said:


> I have a feeling this is about to be topped, however.


*I'm certainly game to see if it can! *



STLMickeyMom said:


>


*Aw, thanks, Lori! I hope you had a great Mother's Day! *


----------



## RGirl

courtneybelle said:


> Happy Mother's Day, Roni!!! Hope you and Willow are having a great day together


*Aw, thanks, Courtney! *



courtneybelle said:


> Looks like such a fun and delicious dinner--princesses AND Chip and Dale? I wouldn't have expected anything less than you guys waiting a half hour for Pluto. I would've done the same!


*Yeah, there was no leaving that restaurant without saying good-bye to Pluto! *



courtneybelle said:


> Ice cream for breakfast?! I like it. Hope it helped the tooth feel better.


*It seemed to do the trick. *



courtneybelle said:


> Alas, pkondz has beaten me for good...but it's okay because rumor has it I'll be making an appearance in the big WDW TR anyway...


*Seriously! I expect to see you ALL OVER that TR!  I'm most excited for Willow to take you on ToT though! *



courtneybelle said:


> Thanks so much for this FABULOUS TR, Roni! I loved every minute! Of course, I'm even more excited for WDW...it's going to be a BLAST.


*Courtney, thank you for always following along. It's been such a pleasure getting to know you and becoming friends through the DIS. I can't wait for you to start your DCP in a VERY short period of time, and I really can't wait to hang out with you at WDW!!!!! *



Dugette said:


> Mmmm, I have a feeling this will be a must-do meal with Izzy at Disneyland!





Dugette said:


> Ugh, we HATE Primeval Whirl! That is one ride I'd be fine skipping forever - along with Stitch, of course.


*So, what I failed to mention is that I have done Primeval Whirl once - my recollection is that it was one of my least favorite rides at WDW (but it's been 5 years) - even with THAT recollection, Goofy's Sky School seemed worse to me. It could just be those years of aging and bone and joint deterioration though....  *



Dugette said:


> Very cool that you saw this!


*We could not have had a better unplanned way to end our park visits. *




Dugette said:


> Aw, so cute!  Not to mention all her Pluto picture adorableness too!


*She sure loves the characters!*



Dugette said:


> As he should be! So cute - Izzy would LOVE that, I bet. She is really fond of a cupcake shirt she has these days (just a regular non-Goofy one).


*Oh, I can't wait for you to see what I am working on now........ *



Dugette said:


> Oh my gosh! Poor Willow!  That farewell really hit her hard, poor thing!


*I was totally unprepared. I mean, she's always sad to leave, of course, and she has shed tears before on one or two trips, but this was unprecedented. I guess it really was a great vacation! *



Dugette said:


> Sounds great! Now that I have a kid, I have a new appreciation for rooms like that!


*Oh yes! My child is the reason that I am a slave to Embassy Suites! *



Dugette said:


> Oh no! What a terrible way to start a huge travel day! I'm amazed you made it okay!


*Yeah, it was NOT the best! Thankfully, the travel day actually went quite well, and I didn't feel sick at all - once a migraine is gone for me, it is GONE. (knock on wood.... )*



Dugette said:


> Congrats to Willow on her accomplishment.






Dugette said:


> I'm with you - I've done very few wrap-ups, as I'm always moving on to the next TR. Just finished my August one in a nick of time before this May trip (though Aulani will still be going for a long time... Maybe till we go back again. ).
> 
> So glad that you had such a blast on this trip!  It's a big undertaking, but I totally get how showing your kid new sights is rewarding and memorable. And, of course DL is awesome too.  So glad you are planning another road trip and can't wait to hear about that one!


*Oh my goodness! I forgot about the Aulani TR! I'm so sorry - I can't keep up with your constant travels!!!! *

*Thanks so VERY much for joining in - it's been awesome to get to know you these last few months over both of our TRs. *


----------



## pkondz

Yay me! Woot! 

I'd like to thank the Academy and my Mom and my non-existent-agent and you like me! You really, really like me!


Too much??



RGirl said:


> *And it was a kind of important contest entry - going for the win and all! *



I know! I was freaking out!

COME ON!!!! POST!!! POST!!!!!!!!



RGirl said:


> *I never found myself feeling like I might fall asleep or anything. So phew!*



That's good. That's some dangerous stuff right there.



RGirl said:


> *Are you seriously dropping another cliff-hanger comment on here? Are you going to TELL me what the interesting potential road trip is????? I NEED to know! *



No, no, no. No cliffhanger. Just an idea I've got semi-percolating right now.
Nothing concrete at all, honest.



RGirl said:


> We've been planning for something like two years at this point - how can it possibly feel like it sneaked up on us????


----------



## RGirl

luulu1999 said:


> Ha we do the same thing on our way home, we just drive don't stop anywhere to sleep just take turns driving til we get home!!


*It's the only way! When it's done, it's DONE! *

*Of course, Willow wouldn't take turns driving with me (well, she would have, but her driving scares the heck out of me), so we did have to make that one sleep stop. *



missangelalexis said:


> I was a lurker on this TR but just wanted to say how much I enjoyed it! Willow is the cutest and you guys seem to have a great relationship! I'm glad this epic road trip was such a success and no doubt it will be a memory that lasts a lifetime


*You know, it always means SO much when someone comes out of lurkdom to let the author know that he or she has been reading along and enjoying - thank you so much for taking the time to do that!*

*I'm really glad you enjoyed the TR - it really was such a great trip. I feel so blessed that it went as well as it did. *



afwdwfan said:


> Both look like great choices!


*Thanks - our tree seemed to appreciate them this year. *



afwdwfan said:


> And ironically, a week later, Goofy's Kitchen started serving Goofy cupcakes.






afwdwfan said:


> Wooohooo! Breakfast pizza!!!


*I have to admit - it worked out well for me. I didn't have to buy anything to eat for myself at all on the first day of the trip home.*



afwdwfan said:


> Wow, the chef was taking good care of you! You might have mentioned it before and I missed it or forgot, but are you on a gluten free diet?


*The Disney chefs are wonderful.*

*Yeah, I am. It's so irritating - and I hate bothering a chef about it; I muddle through life everywhere but at Disney where I know that they are not likely to be super-irritated with me. It has made a HUGE change in my life these last several years, so I stick to it at all times. But I resent it. *



afwdwfan said:


> Hey, might as well wait! What else are you going to do. And if the wait takes long enough that you can digest some of the food you ate, there's a buffet full of dessert not far away from you!


 *I am happy to report that we did NOT get any more food - I mean, we had taken a good bite out of that buffet already. *



afwdwfan said:


> Poor Willow. I can feel her pain.






afwdwfan said:


> I can see that. We always go a week or a week + a couple of days. We're discussing a possible summer WDW trip next year. I'm kind of hoping to make it a 2 week trip with some stops along the way as we drive. DW wants a few days at the beach and I just do not want to try to get through WDW in 4 or 5 park days in the middle of the summer.


*WDW during the summer is ROUGH. After our first and only summer trip, I wasn't sure we would do it again. Obviously, we are, so there were good things. I think it is a VERY good idea to give yourself more than a week. Your family may be different, but Willow and I are just done in by that Florida heat and humidity in the summer - it just saps us of strength and good moods. It's important to have more time so that you can slow down and not end up almost killing yourselves. It's hard! But still fun. Seriously. It really is. I'm pretty sure. I hope so. We will be there late July and August in just a very short while...... *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm still having nightmares about this sight.






afwdwfan said:


> I feel her pain! I don't care how long or how short the trip is. Leaving Disney property is never easy!


*The only other time I have seen her close to this upset was when we had to disembark the Wonder after our Alaska cruise. I figured she'd be in much better shape after the length of this trip (as she has been in the past at WDW), but nope. Just looking at the picture makes me sad! *



afwdwfan said:


> Seems logical to me!


*The logic worked on me! *



afwdwfan said:


> Oh wow. I'm glad that you were able to recover and make the drive, but I'm not so sure I'd have been quite as willing to set the alarm at 6:30 and even attempt it at that point!


*It was a very bad night, but I knew we had a long day ahead of us. Knowing myself, I knew it was better to get out early and just kill the drive. If I had started later, I would have had a hard time finishing. That's just the way I function somehow. *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm apparently a horrible parent.


*Oh, dear lord! NO!  There are a few foods out there (very few - I am not a picky eater at all) that just irrationally freak me out. Mayonnaise is the Number One culprit - I'm not sure that I could eat a spoonful of it for a million dollars, which is INSANE. For some reason, Lunchables are on The List - they just wig me out. There's no reason for it - I mean, there's lost of "processed food" out there that doesn't make me blink more than an eyelash (obviously, look at the junk my kid ate on this trip) - but they just FREAK. ME. OUT. Inexplicable. *



afwdwfan said:


> It does look like it was a great experience for you. With a lot of great memories and bonding time. I'm definitely interested in seeing what this totally different road trip vacation might be...


*I was really blown away by how great this trip was. I hope we are lucky enough to have many more like this! Or at least one more - it was so great! *



afwdwfan said:


> Sounds familiar. I think I saw something similar to this in a PTR a long time ago. A couple of crazy moms with a slight food obsession, it seems.


*I have NO idea what you're talking about! *


----------



## jedijill

Boo for the end of the trip and boo for the migraine on the way home.  
Congrats Pkondz!  I was on a roll until the Dis board upgrade....!!!

Jill in CO


----------



## pkondz

jedijill said:


> Congrats Pkondz! I was on a roll until the Dis board upgrade....!!!


 
So _that's_ what happened! I owe it all to wonky software!


----------



## chattadisser

Oh no!!! It's over??? Boo! Seriously, thanks for taking the time to write the TR and let us all come along. I have loved reading about your travels and now, I seriously need to start planning my DL trip! 

Can't wait to read about this summer...seriously, if you can, avoid Primeval Whirl! I thought I was going to toss my cookies on that thing and I'm not normally like that. And there was a small child in our car and I would have died had a lost it on someone else kid - talk about gross. So, lesson learned, no Primeval Whirl and no Mission Space.

Christine


----------



## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *The Disney chefs are wonderful.*
> 
> *Yeah, I am. It's so irritating - and I hate bothering a chef about it; I muddle through life everywhere but at Disney where I know that they are not likely to be super-irritated with me. It has made a HUGE change in my life these last several years, so I stick to it at all times. But I resent it. *


My sister has a severe gluten allergy.  She had stomach/gastro intestinal problems for YEARS and the Dr. could never pinpoint the problem.  They finally determined that she had a gluten allergy.  She went gluten free and the problems went away.  Unfortunately, once she went gluten free it got to the point that her reactions would become even more severe than before if she had anything with gluten in it.  When we were in WDW in 2012, she got really sick.  It was to the point that she didn't leave the room for about a day and a half.  She is certain it was cross contamination with gluten and from the timing of it, she is pretty sure it was from Cosmic Ray's.  She was talking to a manager at the QS place in the American pavilion later in the week and they told her that even though the food was GF, they recycle the oil in the fryers, so the oil in the GF fryer could have been contaminated and they think that's how it happened.   She was very happy with all the chefs at TS restaurants.  But she was a little leery of the managers at QS restaurants coming out with their little chart showing what she could or couldn't eat to begin with, but after that happened, she basically refused to eat anything that was prepared in the kitchen of a QS restaurant for the rest of the week.  She ate a lot of fruit and carrots.

Anyway, yeah, I hear ya.  I've never had to deal with that from a personal perspective, but I've seen my sister deal with it for most of her life.  It is always a PITA. 



RGirl said:


> *WDW during the summer is ROUGH. After our first and only summer trip, I wasn't sure we would do it again. Obviously, we are, so there were good things. I think it is a VERY good idea to give yourself more than a week. Your family may be different, but Willow and I are just done in by that Florida heat and humidity in the summer - it just saps us of strength and good moods. It's important to have more time so that you can slow down and not end up almost killing yourselves. It's hard! But still fun. Seriously. It really is. I'm pretty sure. I hope so. We will be there late July and August in just a very short while...... *


I'm sure you'll be fine!!!

I'm actually a summer veteran.  Until 2011, all of my trips had been summer trips.  But it has been a while since we've done one.  Having our last 3 trips in early December and then going back to the peak summer crowds is going to be hard. 

Our last summer trip was late July 2008.  I think it was 1994 when we were in WDW for 4th of July.  So, I've been there and done that.  But not sure I'm ready to go back.


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## RGirl

chattadisser said:


> Poor Willow! My girls are the same way about leaving Disney...tears all around. I tell them that that is a sign of a good vacation, you had so much fun that you don't want to leave! Goofy's Kitchen looks like so much fun. My DL trip seems like it just keeps getting pushed off (unfortunately life intervenes sometime and you have to be an adult) but I am determined to make it happen!


*Ending a good vacation is just ROUGH, isn't it?*

*Oh, that's too bad about your trip - I know you will get there one day. And you will LOVE it!*



chattadisser said:


> You made great time driving! I totally support ice cream for breakfast on vacation.


*It certainly seemed to make the transition away from vacation a little easier. *



KatMark said:


> Roni, back and caught up.


*Hi Kathy! *



KatMark said:


> That pizza at lunch looks good (and hopefully better than Florida pizza).


*It was very tasty - it's been a long time since I've eaten a normal pizza though, so what's good to me, likely wouldn't be great to someone who can eat gluten. *



KatMark said:


> I don't think I'd like that Goofy Sky Ride at all.


*Ugh - it's awful!*



KatMark said:


> Yay for a ride on the little Mermaid.


*Always a relaxing and enjoyable ride, huh? *



KatMark said:


> Too bad no Mickey bar, but at least she got ice cream.


*I actually felt really bad - she hadn't gotten to enjoy many Mickey bars this trip, and I totally failed at getting her one as her last Disney treat. Luckily, she forgave me. *



KatMark said:


> Cute picture of Willow in her shower cap.


*She couldn't believe such a thing existed! *



KatMark said:


> The shop at the resort looks very nice. And great ornament choices.


*I don't really enjoy shopping, but the shop at the DLH is a really good one. And I do enjoy picking out our ornaments every year.*



KatMark said:


> What fun character pictures and I am glad you stuck around for Pluto.


*We HAD to wait for Pluto! *



KatMark said:


> Okay...I'm in tears hearing that Willow was in tears and then to see her crying in the car.


*She was WAY more broken up than I was expecting. *



KatMark said:


> Nice first day of driving, but sorry about the migraine in the middle of the night. Glad you felt better to drive the rest of the way home.


*Yeah, that was wildly unpleasant. I am so thankful that I felt okay in the morning and was able to safely drive us the rest of the way home.*



KatMark said:


> Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I've thoroughly enjoyed it.


 *Thank you SO MUCH for joining in, Kathy. I'm so glad to have gotten to know you. *



pkondz said:


> You're just like Ruby. On one vacation, she was angry with me. She figured out it was because I wasn't "doing something".
> There's always something that has to be done.
> It took her about 2-4 days before she realized she was on vacation and didn't have to do anything.


*Yep - I can totally relate to this.*



pkondz said:


> I wonder that too. I'd like to find out, though!


*Me too!!!*


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## RGirl

dizneeat said:


> So sorry to see that your trip has come to an end. Thank you for letting me "come along". I enjoyed every little bit of your trip so much.


*Thanks so much, Karin. I am so happy that you decided to join in again. *



KatMark said:


> Way to go pkondz!!!!!






pkondz said:


> Yay me! Woot!
> 
> I'd like to thank the Academy and my Mom and my non-existent-agent and you like me! You really, really like me!
> 
> 
> Too much??


*Not at all! This was a BIG DEAL! *



pkondz said:


> I know! I was freaking out!
> 
> COME ON!!!! POST!!! POST!!!!!!!!






pkondz said:


> That's good. That's some dangerous stuff right there.


*I know - I made a point of being very aware of how I was feeling. I would have found a hotel for the night if needed. Luckily, every went okay.*



pkondz said:


> No, no, no. No cliffhanger. Just an idea I've got semi-percolating right now.
> Nothing concrete at all, honest.


*Gah! Hurry up and percolate - I want to know!!! *


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## RGirl

jedijill said:


> Boo for the end of the trip and boo for the migraine on the way home.


*Stupid endings to trips!   I'm glad you came along with our TR, Jill. *



jedijill said:


> Congrats Pkondz! I was on a roll until the Dis board upgrade....!!!


*I have wondered for ages what happened to you!!!! *



pkondz said:


> So _that's_ what happened! I owe it all to wonky software!


*Mad skills, dude. Mad Skills!*



chattadisser said:


> Oh no!!! It's over??? Boo! Seriously, thanks for taking the time to write the TR and let us all come along. I have loved reading about your travels and now, I seriously need to start planning my DL trip!


*I'm SO GLAD you joined in! It's great to see you on here again. *



chattadisser said:


> Can't wait to read about this summer...seriously, if you can, avoid Primeval Whirl! I thought I was going to toss my cookies on that thing and I'm not normally like that. And there was a small child in our car and I would have died had a lost it on someone else kid - talk about gross. So, lesson learned, no Primeval Whirl and no Mission Space.


 *To date, I have never had motion issues with rides - Willow and I are Orange on MS (that's the "more intense" one, right?) - it's the heights and the jerkiness that get to me. The combination of the two is just awful.*



afwdwfan said:


> My sister has a severe gluten allergy. She had stomach/gastro intestinal problems for YEARS and the Dr. could never pinpoint the problem. They finally determined that she had a gluten allergy. She went gluten free and the problems went away. Unfortunately, once she went gluten free it got to the point that her reactions would become even more severe than before if she had anything with gluten in it. When we were in WDW in 2012, she got really sick. It was to the point that she didn't leave the room for about a day and a half. She is certain it was cross contamination with gluten and from the timing of it, she is pretty sure it was from Cosmic Ray's. She was talking to a manager at the QS place in the American pavilion later in the week and they told her that even though the food was GF, they recycle the oil in the fryers, so the oil in the GF fryer could have been contaminated and they think that's how it happened.  She was very happy with all the chefs at TS restaurants. But she was a little leery of the managers at QS restaurants coming out with their little chart showing what she could or couldn't eat to begin with, but after that happened, she basically refused to eat anything that was prepared in the kitchen of a QS restaurant for the rest of the week. She ate a lot of fruit and carrots.
> 
> Anyway, yeah, I hear ya. I've never had to deal with that from a personal perspective, but I've seen my sister deal with it for most of her life. It is always a PITA


*That's crazy about the fryers - I thought that the QS places that actually serve fries to GF folks used completely dedicated fryers. Maybe they do now?  I don't have as severe a reaction as quickly as your sister though - for me, if I eat out over the course of a vacation, I will probably end up sick at some point I think due to the build-up over time (except, usually, at Disney, because they have always been great for me - but I haven't done QS at WDW since before I went GR as we did DxDDP on our 2013 trip). *



afwdwfan said:


> I'm sure you'll be fine!!!
> 
> I'm actually a summer veteran. Until 2011, all of my trips had been summer trips. But it has been a while since we've done one. Having our last 3 trips in early December and then going back to the peak summer crowds is going to be hard.
> 
> Our last summer trip was late July 2008. I think it was 1994 when we were in WDW for 4th of July. So, I've been there and done that. But not sure I'm ready to go back.


*I find that, as hard as the summer heat/humidity is on me, it's harder on Willow. It just saps her energy. That black hair just seems to PULL the heat in - you can touch the top of her head and it feels like a stove. I really need to make her wear hats.  *


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## afwdwfan

RGirl said:


> *That's crazy about the fryers - I thought that the QS places that actually serve fries to GF folks used completely dedicated fryers. Maybe they do now?  I don't have as severe a reaction as quickly as your sister though - for me, if I eat out over the course of a vacation, I will probably end up sick at some point I think due to the build-up over time (except, usually, at Disney, because they have always been great for me - but I haven't done QS at WDW since before I went GR as we did DxDDP on our 2013 trip). *


My sister used to be that way.  She could eat some, but then over time and accumulation it would catch up with her.  Over the years she's become increasingly sensitive to it to the point that she has to avoid it 100%.  The explanation that she received from the manager at the American pavilion during that trip was that they do have dedicated fryers, but the oil is actually filtered and recycled, so it is possible that the oil in the dedicated fryer could have been used in one of the other fryers the day before.  Whether it is true or not, I don't know.  But it tends to make sense of her situation.


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## theworldneedscolor

Finally got all caught up on this! Not sure if I've posted before this (I'm kind of a lurker-but I'm trying to change!). I've really, really enjoyed following along with this TR. Of course, the Disneyland part was magical, but the road trip section was also really enjoyable to read. I'm from Oregon, so I loved seeing you guys visit some of my favorite spots in the PacNW!


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## RGirl

afwdwfan said:


> My sister used to be that way. She could eat some, but then over time and accumulation it would catch up with her. Over the years she's become increasingly sensitive to it to the point that she has to avoid it 100%. The explanation that she received from the manager at the American pavilion during that trip was that they do have dedicated fryers, but the oil is actually filtered and recycled, so it is possible that the oil in the dedicated fryer could have been used in one of the other fryers the day before. Whether it is true or not, I don't know. But it tends to make sense of her situation.


*Your poor sister. Of course, this gives me pause, because I hate to think that is the direction I'm headed, although it wouldn't surprise me. It does seem to become more and more noticeable all the time.*

*The fryer thing is insane. How can they even call it a dedicated fryer if they are then going to filter the oil from it with all the others? Wow. I really hope **that they have stopped that practice. I could see a lot of people getting sick from that. *



theworldneedscolor said:


> Finally got all caught up on this! Not sure if I've posted before this (I'm kind of a lurker-but I'm trying to change!). I've really, really enjoyed following along with this TR. Of course, the Disneyland part was magical, but the road trip section was also really enjoyable to read. I'm from Oregon, so I loved seeing you guys visit some of my favorite spots in the PacNW!


*Hey there! Thank you so much for posting!!!! It's always a little scary to come out of lurkdom - I lived there for a **looooong time before I started posting on the DIS.  But please know that it means so much to me to hear that you enjoyed the report and to know that you read along. *

*I hope you will consider joining in on my current DLR TR - as another Pacific Northwesterner, you may find it rather hilarious that, so far, most of the TR has been a mini-TR about our trip to the Oregon Coast in April. *

*Either way, thank you so much for reading and thank you even more for letting me know that you were reading and that you enjoyed it. *


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