# A Tale of Two Trips: Disneyland and Hawaii July 2014 Long Way Home: The End  9/13 p.40



## natebenma

and 




What do you get when you add 13 nights, 6+ flights, 4 resorts, 3 islands, 2 teens?


28


Coincidentally, that is anniversary Mark and I were celebrating on this trip of a lifetime.



 




Just in case I have some new readers who don't know us-

I am Dee, mostly stay-at-home mother, part-time museum educator at a 300 year old farm, active school volunteer and manager of the Beach & Yacht Club FAQ here on the DIS Resort Board.

I married my high school sweetheart, Mark, 28 years ago.  He is the manager of a software development team.

We have two sons, Nate (age 16) and Ben (age 13)


Our family loves to travel.  We have shared (many) trips to Disneyworld, of course.  We enjoy Universal/Islands of Adventure.  We love the tropics (Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Bahamas).  


Here are a few blasts from the past!  



 



20082009​


 

 

20102011​




2013


But we had never been to Hawaii. 


Although there were several reasons we chose to plan this trip at this point in our lives, one of the primary ones was the realization that the clock is ticking on the number of family vacations that we will be able to take together.  Nate will be going to college in 2 years, Ben is a few years behind that, and with summer jobs and other activities, I dont know when we would be able to find another chunk of time to do this.  

We considered a few options for our summer vacation.  We have never been out west, so touring the National Parks was definitely a contender.  A standalone trip to Disneyland was also considered, maybe mixing it up with some other activities in California, but when we looked at prices for DL/CA compared to what a trip to Florida would be, it didnt make sense.

The thing that has always scared us from booking a trip to Hawaii is the amount of time it takes to get there from the east coast.  Once we decided to add a few days in Disneyland to break up the travel time and to help adjust with jet lag, we were ready to tackle this! 







We had a few different iterations of our schedule as we were planning this trip, mainly due to the reality that I really didnt know anything about the different Hawaiian Islands and what they have to offer.  The boys- they wanted volcanoes!  This almost didnt happen because of my inexperience with just how BIG The Big Island is, but in the end, we found a perfect solution.







This is how our final itinerary looked:

Saturday July 12- 6 am (EST) to 9:30 am (PST) flight from Boston to Los Angeles 

Saturday July 12-Wednesday July 16- Disneyland, Grand Californian resort

Wednesday July 16- 9:00 am (PST) to 11:40 am (HST) flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu Oahu

Wednesday July 16- Sunday July 20- Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki Oahu
(Pearl Harbor, Hike Diamond Head, Snorkel Hanauma Bay)

Sunday July 20- 12:05 pm to 12:44pm flight from Oahu to Maui

Sunday July 20-Thursday July 24 Honua Kai, Maui
(Lahaina, surfing, Trilogy Snorkel Excursions to Molokini Crater, more snorkeling, sunsets)

Thursday July 24- 2:40 pm to 3:12 pm flight from Maui to Big Island

Thursday July 24-Friday July 25- Hilton Waikoloa Village
(Volcanoes by Land & Air Tour with Paradise Helicopters and Hawaii Forest & Trail)

Friday July 25- 11:15 pm (HST) to 7:00 am (PST) flight from Big Island to San Francisco

Saturday July 26- 8:30 am (PST) to 5:15 (EST) flight from San Francisco to Boston


In my Hijinks trip report, I posted preview pictures of our fabulous trip.

Grand Californian 
Disneyland
California Adventure
Oahu 
Maui 
Maui, Activities 
Big Island 
Volcanoes by Land and Air 


I introduced my family, but I forgot to also introduce my other traveling companions, the ones who are with me even when I am solo:

My cameras! 

On this trip, 1 had 3 point & shoot cameras (a Panasonic Lumix and two Fuji XPs) that can be used underwater and 1 big girl camera, a Canon EoS Rebel DSLR.  One of the cameras ended up on life support.  And I am sad to report that even though I dragged the Canon across the country, to Disneyland and 3 Hawaiian Islands, I took it out exactly once.  In Maui, when Ben and I went out to the beach to watch the sunset.  Once again, I didnt have the motivation to haul it around on long days, and it certainly wasnt the camera I wanted to have on the beach.  

Oh, and I will also admit to a little jealousy!  Ben will occasionally take pictures with one of my cameras, especially when we are snorkeling and a lot at Pearl Harbor and the Army Museum, but he wasn't into it as much as he has been in the past.  Mark and Nate rarely take pictures, but when they do they use their phones and their pictures are incredible!  

I hope you will follow along with our adventures.  I promise you MANY more pictures, some helpful travel info and a few interesting stories.


*First up:  California Here We Come!*


----------



## natebenma

Here is a preview of coming attractions

*Intro*

*Day 1: Saturday July 12 Travel, arrival at Disneyland*
California, Here We Come!

Welcome to the Hotel California
Grand Californian Hotel
Entrances/Exits to Downtown Disney and California Adventure
Whitewater Snacks
Pool
Room 4427
The View! 


Disneyland
To All That Come To This Happy Place, Welcome!"
Awkward! (Blue Bayou)

Getting to Know You: More DL Fun, Part 1
Getting to Know You: More DL Fun, Part 2
Getting to Know You: More DL Fun, Part 3
Getting to Know You: More DL Fun, Part 4

Checking Out California Adventure
Pool break, Breakfast Prep and Adventure! Part 1
Adventure! Part 2


*Day 2: Sunday July 13 California Adventure/Disneyland/California Adventure/Disneyland*

California Adventure
RSR and Birth of (Another) Coaster Junkie
Mama Did That!
Mickey's Fun Wheel (of Death) and RSRx3
Go with the Flo's
More California Adventures in Carsland, Part 1
More California Adventures in Carsland: The Ride (Continued)


Resort break(See following post)

Disneyland
More Disneyland
Magical Meeting Months in the Making
Mon-NO-Rail

CA/DL
Back to California Adventure
California Adventure After Dark/Wait, What Did We Forget?


*Day 3: Monday July 14, California Adventure/Disneyland*

Early Morning at CA, Part 1
Early Morning at CA, Part 2

Morning at DL, Part 1
Morning at DL, Part 2
Morning at DL, Part 3

RSR
Corner! World of Color Lunch at Carthay Circle
"Solo" on a Raft

We NEVER Do This on Vacation!  
T-shirt choice

Disneyland- That was Quick!

Dee’s Solo California Adventure: Animation and Aladdin
In the Dark, Nobody Hears You Screamin' and World of Color 
Video: Mickey's Pretty Fun Wheel of Death After Dark

*Day 4: Tuesday July 15, Disneyland/California Adventure*
This Magic Morning, Part 1
This Magic Morning, Part 2
More Magic Morning, Part 1
More Magic Morning, Part 2 (Pixie Afternoon)
Less than Magical Evening/At Least We Saw Fireworks

String Bag Theory



********************************************************
*Wednesday July 16, Los Angeles/Oahu*

Arrival – Are you the Sequoias? and Not the View we Expected on the 2nd Floor

Exploring the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach:
First Look at Waikiki/Lunch at Hatsuhana
First Dip in the Pacific and Splash!
Dinner at CJ's Deli/ABC Market


*Thursday July 17, Oahu*
Pearl Harbor: Bowfin Submarine, Lost Submarine Memorial, USS Arizona Memorial
Pearl Harbor: USS Missouri ("The Mighty Mo") and Aviation Museum
Is That Your Final Answer?

*Friday July 18, Oahu*

Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam!  and Blizzard Juno

A Profitable Hike and Taxi Driver, Part 1
A Profitable Hike and Taxi Driver, Part 2
Walking Wonderful Waikiki, Part 1
Walking Wonderful Waikiki, Part 2
Lunch at CJ's and Mom is AWOL
Military Museum
Waikiki
NOT Shave Ice, Lunch at Hatsuhana (again)
Fireworks! 

*Saturday July 19-  Happy Anniversary!, Oahu*
Rainbow (Breakfast Buffet) Connection, Part 1
Rainbow (Breakfast Buffet) Connection, Part 2
Rainbow (Fish) Connection: Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, Part 1
Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, Part 2
No Drinks at Dukes, Mai Tai's at Margaritaville
You Went WHERE for Your Anniversary Dinner in Hawaiii?  Red Flopster 

*Sunday July 20, Flight from Oahu to Maui*
Aloha Oahu, Aloha Maui, Part 1: Fire
Aloha Oahu, Aloha Maui, Part 2
Aloha Oahu, Aloha Maui, Part 3

*Maui, Arrival Sunday July 20*
That’s Gotta Hertz
Honua Kai Resort
You Need an Engineering Degree to Stay in this room (and That Doesn’t Even Help) 
Dukes Re-do
Dukes Re-do, Food Porn
Times to Go Grocery Shopping

*Monday July 21, Maui*
Breakfast and the Contest You Don't Want to Win
Beach Time!
Lahaina
Shave Ice is Nice
Beach Time Again!
Sunset

*Tuesday July 22, Maui*
Snorkeling is Greater at Molokini Crater
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3: Second Snorkel Spot and Lunch
Part 4: Sailing along coast
Part 5: Finally turtles
Maui Ocean Center
Dukes, Again
We must be in the EAC, dude! 
Sunset 1
Sunset 2 (Big Girl Camera)

*Wednesday July 23, Maui*
Surf’s Up!
Surf's Up! Continued 
Snorkel - There's Squirt! and Dukes Again
Just Keep Snorkeling! Just Keep Snorkeling!
Shave Ice, A Refund, What Do You Say, Ray? and Why Planes Crash

*Thursday July 24, Maui to Big Island*
Aloha (Goodbye) Maui 
How We Almost Lost Ben at the Airport 
[URL='http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-tale-of-two-trips-disneyland-and-hawaii-july-2014-big-island-hilton-waikoloa-7-18-p-37.3315186/page-37#post-53982719']Are We There Yet? [/URL]
[URL='http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-tale-of-two-trips-disneyland-and-hawaii-july-2014-big-island-hilton-waikoloa-7-18-p-37.3315186/page-37#post-54065700']"Welcome Home!" and Look Both Ways!  Hilton Waikoloa 
[URL='http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-tale-of-two-trips-disneyland-and-hawaii-july-2014-big-island-hilton-waikoloa-7-18-p-37.3315186/page-36#post-53911956Just Keep Snorkeling!  Just Keep Snorkeling! [/url']
[URL='http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-tale-of-two-trips-disneyland-and-hawaii-july-2014-big-island-hilton-waikoloa-7-18-p-37.3315186/page-36#post-53911956Just Keep Snorkeling!  Just Keep Snorkeling! [/url']
[URL='http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-tale-of-two-trips-disneyland-and-hawaii-july-2014-big-island-hilton-waikoloa-7-18-p-37.3315186/page-36#post-53911956Just Keep Snorkeling!  Just Keep Snorkeling! [/url'].[/URL][/URL][/URL][/URL]


----------



## glennbo123

Oh, well in that case, I'll sign up!


----------



## Missyrose

I'm in! I can't wait to hear about it all!


----------



## mommyrosa2

Following along


----------



## JanetMom

I'm so in!

2008 Ben is too cute, and 2010 Nate looks like he is almost smiling.


----------



## HockeyMomR

I'm in


----------



## KatMark

you started, Dee. I am so anxious to read all about it and seeing more pictures.

I love the intros.


----------



## jwwi

That is quite the trip, wow!  Can't wait to read how it all went.


----------



## mickeystoontown

I just  logged onto Facebook and saw the bat signal.  Looking forward to seeing and hearing all about your trip.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

I'm here 
Cant wait to hear all about it.

I swear as your kids are getting older you are getting younger in those photos  How'd you do that  
Brilliant start


----------



## teekathepony

I'm definitely in! Can't wait to read all about this trip!


----------



## ProudMommyof2

Hurray! Can't wait to read all about it!!


----------



## MickeyT

I'm here too! Looks great.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Here Dee, and well done on the math. That is impressive.

Hehe, you gotta love the logic of using a Disneyland visit to help with a long travel. Of course it works for me.

You are just so darn organized with Days and titles already done. Looking forward to all the stories to go along with the wonderful photos.


----------



## hill6

Sounds like quite an adventure.  Can't wait to read all about it.


----------



## ddluvsdisney

Looking forward to hearing all about it!!


----------



## MEK

Totally in for this amazing trip!  Your teaser pictures on your other TR are amazing and you look like a total pro surfing. 

I also love all the throw back pictures!  

Your were so right on to plan this trip before college.  We never travel with our kids anymore.  Getting summer jobs and internships is competitive and the kids have to do those things in addition to attending school.  

Too funny that you did not use your new camera.  Sometimes its just easier to go with what feels right.  You will have plenty of time to use that one.


----------



## tiggerfan77

I'm here Dee! And ready for your to hear all about your trip!!


----------



## jenseib

joining in...I just had a feeling I should've checked yesterday!


----------



## dtr_angel

I'm in! I enjoyed your preview pictures and cannot wait to read about your trip of a lifetime. I always love your TRs and learn so much too! We hope to get to Disneyland for Gavin's 3rd birthday. It's been so long since I've been to Hawaii, definitely looking forward to a trip back there when Gavin is older!


----------



## natebenma

I am so glad to see all the friends who have followed me over here! I'm going to try to get a few updates posted before my drive-by trip for the Beach & Yacht Club FAQ DISmeet next week, so stay tuned and catch up when you can! (But no, Joanie, I'm not going to finish the report by then)






glennbo123 said:


> Oh, well in that case, I'll sign up!



 Glenn and congratulations on being first!  Someone was in the right place at the right time! 






Missyrose said:


> I'm in! I can't wait to hear about it all!



 Missy!  

So glad you are here! 






mommyrosa2 said:


> Following along



 Rosa and thanks for joining in!  See you next week!






JanetMom said:


> I'm so in!
> 
> 2008 Ben is too cute, and 2010 Nate looks like he is almost smiling.





I'm so glad!!! 

That 2008 picture cracks me up.  I had to go to Photopass support for something and when the CM saw the picture, like something out of a State Farm commercial, she said  "You should get this picture taken again.  Your daughter does not look good in this"  "Yeah, that's my son, so..."

See you next week! 






HockeyMomR said:


> I'm in



 and thanks, Rebecca!  For everything!

See you next week!






KatMark said:


> you started, Dee. I am so anxious to read all about it and seeing more pictures.
> 
> I love the intros.



 Kathy!

I am so glad you are here! 

More coming soon...





jwwi said:


> That is quite the trip, wow!  Can't wait to read how it all went.





It was an amazing trip!  Can't wait to share it.


----------



## natebenma

mickeystoontown said:


> I just  logged onto Facebook and saw the bat signal.  Looking forward to seeing and hearing all about your trip.



 Lisa! 

Thanks for coming! 






luvpoohandcompany said:


> I'm here
> Cant wait to hear all about it.
> 
> I swear as your kids are getting older you are getting younger in those photos  How'd you do that
> Brilliant start





Favorite.Comment.Ever!  

Thanks!






teekathepony said:


> I'm definitely in! Can't wait to read all about this trip!



 Wendy! 

I am so glad you are here!






ProudMommyof2 said:


> Hurray! Can't wait to read all about it!!





I am excited to share this trip with you.  It truly went better than we even imagined-  it was a really nice, but exhausting, vacation.  






MickeyT said:


> I'm here too! Looks great.





Thanks for joining in, Mike! 






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Here Dee, and well done on the math. That is impressive.
> 
> Hehe, you gotta love the logic of using a Disneyland visit to help with a long travel. Of course it works for me.
> 
> You are just so darn organized with Days and titles already done. Looking forward to all the stories to go along with the wonderful photos.



 Rob!

Yeah, I checked the math about a dozen times!  I have a degree in math and worked as an actuarial assistant in a past life so it would have been very awkward if I got that wrong! 

Including DL was totally the right thing to do.  The only downside is that we were already exhausted by the time we started our journey to Hawaii, but it really worked out well with our adjustment to the jet lag.  

I can't promise that some of the titles won't change, but it really helps when you start to form the stories as the experiences are actually happening, and taking good notes everyday is crucial!  

The boys were funny-  "Are you going to write about this in your trip report?"  "Do you use real names?"  



Oh, and I forgot to mention- the resort on the Big Island that was trying to be Disney-  they actually welcomed us home when we arrived! The nerve!


----------



## natebenma

hill6 said:


> Sounds like quite an adventure.  Can't wait to read all about it.





Thank you, Debbie, for all of your advice and reaching out to share your love of Hawaii with me before my trip!






ddluvsdisney said:


> Looking forward to hearing all about it!!





So glad you are here!






MEK said:


> Totally in for this amazing trip!  Your teaser pictures on your other TR are amazing and you look like a total pro surfing.
> 
> I also love all the throw back pictures!
> 
> Your were so right on to plan this trip before college.  We never travel with our kids anymore.  Getting summer jobs and internships is competitive and the kids have to do those things in addition to attending school.
> 
> Too funny that you did not use your new camera.  Sometimes its just easier to go with what feels right.  You will have plenty of time to use that one.



 Mary Ellen!

So glad you are here! 

It was fun going back to look at the pictures from our previous Disney trips.  Our first trip with the boys was a very quick trip in 2004, and unfortunately I don't have a picture of us all in front of the castle for that one     I can't believe how much Nate changed between 2010 and 2011.  

We are very fortunate that we have been able to share our love of travel with the kids and we have had so many great experiences together.  

I am going to try again next week with the big girl camera.  Since I will be solo, I can take my time lining up shots instead of shooting while I am literally on the go!  I will also have some on-site support from friends who actually know what to do with a camera like that.  






tiggerfan77 said:


> I'm here Dee! And ready for your to hear all about your trip!!





Thanks for joining in! 






jenseib said:


> joining in...I just had a feeling I should've checked yesterday!



 Jen! 

Thank you for being here, and also for your great, great report about Disneyland-  you really had some great advice that helped this first-timer!






dtr_angel said:


> I'm in! I enjoyed your preview pictures and cannot wait to read about your trip of a lifetime. I always love your TRs and learn so much too! We hope to get to Disneyland for Gavin's 3rd birthday. It's been so long since I've been to Hawaii, definitely looking forward to a trip back there when Gavin is older!





I appreciate you joining in.  I'll try to provide some useful info, but to be honest, it wasn't a trip focused on toddler activities!


----------



## natebenma

We booked this trip in October 2013.  I had over 8 months to plan and prepare for our vacation of a lifetime.  So what was I doing the night before our trip?

Scrambling! No matter how much I do to get ready, I am always in panic mode with last minute details.

Every.Single.Time! 

I had completed some required research on the Disneyland subforum on the DIS, spent some time on Trip Advisor reading about the 3 islands we would be visiting in Hawaii and I had talked/cyberchatted with friends who have been to one of these destinations or the other.  Still, I did not feel fully prepared as we departed on our trip.  

I had exactly 1 dining reservation scheduled for our 14 day trip (Carthay Circle for the World of Color package at California Adventure), 2 tours booked in Hawaii (Trilogy Snorkel in Maui, Paradise Helicopters on BI), and tickets for the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial that we reserved online 6 months before our trip.  That was it.  For someone who considers herself an uber-planner, I was not feeling I had done my job adequately.

The other pre-trip concerns had to do with our flights.  Originally, our United Airlines flight from Boston to LA was scheduled for 8 am to 11:30 am.  Great timing, we wouldn’t have to be up at an unreasonable hour, we still would have lots of park time once we arrived in California.  Then, I learned about two months out that the flight had been changed and was now 6 am to 9:30.  Holy early wakeup call, Batman! 

Then, I noticed when we received our paperwork about 3 weeks out, that one of the legs of our flights was not showing up-  Oahu to Maui.  I could go into the Hawaiian Airlines website and see the flight, but it was not printing up on our itinerary.  Ruh-Roh!  When we tried printing our boarding passes from home for our flight to California, we couldn’t do it.  I guess that will have to wait until morning at the airport.  

But, prepared or not, the alarm went off at 3:00 am, the car service picked us up a 3:30 and we were at Boston’s Logan Airport by 4:10.  We were able to check-in for our flight (PHEW), and made our way to security.

We were behind a young couple with an adorable 3 year old boy.  The dad got wanded, and the boy asked if he could be wanded, too.  The TSA guy refused.  The boy threw himself on the ground in a (cute) tantrum and was inconsolable.  I turned to Nate to prepare him by telling him that they may not wand him either.  He cracked me up when he answered “You think THAT kid pitched a fit?!?”  

We found seats at the gate, and then made a very long trip across the terminal to Dunkin’ Donuts.  For the first time in forever, there was not a huge a line there! We ate our breakfast (sorry, no picture) and then I got into line to pick up a couple of sandwiches for the 5 hour flight.  

But the line moved at a snail’s pace, and our flight was called for boarding, so I had to abandon my mission.

This was the longest flight the boys had ever taken so far.  Everybody was powered up with electronics.  I love to read and actually enjoy flying because it gives me time when I can’t be doing anything else.  I had just loaded up the 7th book in Kingdom Keepers series on my Kindle because it features Disneyland.  I think I had only read the first one or two previously.  I really wasn’t getting into it, but that was ok because the scenery outside my window was so captivating.  I haven’t flown west in over 25 years, so I enjoyed watching the farmlands, the mountains, the canyons below.  

Bye Bye Boston!
























Hello, LA! 






I do have a little rant.  Kind of a plea for any of my male readers.  When the guy sitting next to Mark got up to use the bathroom, I decided that would be a good time for me to have a bio-break as well.  I was in line behind him and when I got into the stall, he had left the seat up.  Dude, those things are gross enough to begin with so if you raise the seat, please be considerate and lower it before you leave.  Thank you!  A Public Service Announcement from your fellow (well, gal) travelers.

We landed about 25 minutes early, at 9:00.  

This will come up again, but neither Mark nor I really like to drive on vacation.  There was no way I was going to rent a car in Los Angeles.  Based on some recommendations on the DL forum in the DIS, I had booked a private car service through Lansky Transportation (formerly DK Livery).  The round-trip cost was $180 plus tip and we could have a grocery stop if we wanted.  I would totally recommend the service to friends traveling to Disneyland.  

The driver was waiting for us with a sign when we got to baggage claim, our luggage came out right away, and we were on the road by 9:25!






And now the moment everyone anticipates at the start of a Disney vacation.  

The Disney welcome sign:







Pretty impressive, huh?

We arrived here a little after 10 am:







*Next up: Welcome to the Hotel California*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52076461&postcount=46


----------



## ProudMommyof2

Awesome start!!! I agree that the build up to Disneyland just isn't the same.

I know the feeling that despite my now famous packing list, I worry I have forgotten something. I try to remember that all we really can't replace or buy is my license to get on the plane.


----------



## glennbo123

natebenma said:


> Glenn and congratulations on being first!  Someone was in the right place at the right time!



I thought it was kind of funny -- I had not kept up very well and you had a zillion Hawaii preview pics that I was catching up on and when I replied on that thread I saw that you had just posted the new link.    Right place at the right time!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Lovin the photos from the air  Hate scary-o-clock wake up calls but at least if you have to have one it's because you are going on vacation 
Like you we don't like to drive on vacation. This year, for the first time ever we used a car service in Orlando (usually we get either bus transfers, cab or magical express). We loved the car service. It was same price as a cab and the driver was lovely and waiting for us at the luggage carousel. Such a stress-free way to arrive at your hotel


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Honestly Dee, it's not a real trip unless there's last minute scrambling. Totally required IMO. Because if it's not required, then I'm doing something terribly wrong...

Haha, funny that I generally rant about the toilet seat being left up... 

I'll be honest, I was terribly nervous about LA driving, but I really didn't find it all that bad. But, I totally get not wanting to do it either. Plus, pretty VIP cool to arrive to a driver holding your name on a sign.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee- I love your airplane view pics. Good job on those. Really looking forward to more great pictures and reading about your DL fun!

Rebecca


----------



## momabbate

Wow Dee, do you always tease like this? lol First the preview pictures, now titles to look forward to. Sounds like you all had a great trip. I can't wait to read all about it. Thanks so much for putting in all your effort for us. Love the old pictures.


----------



## JanetMom

Awesome start indeed. Love the canyon shots from the plane. Very impressive.


----------



## MEK

It really is interesting to fly out west.  The mountains and various rivers really look amazing.  I guess it was worth suffering through the 3am wake up call to get there by 9am.  Nice!  

Hello VGC!  NICE!  

Too funny about the little guy throwing a fit for not getting wanded.


----------



## natebenma

ProudMommyof2 said:


> Awesome start!!! I agree that the build up to Disneyland just isn't the same.
> 
> I know the feeling that despite my now famous packing list, I worry I have forgotten something. I try to remember that all we really can't replace or buy is my license to get on the plane.



I wondered what kind of signs would indicate that we were entering Disney territory.  The sad thing is that this is probably a better picture than any I have of the welcome arch in Florida.  



Chargers.  I am always afraid I will forget the chargers for the cameras and my phone. 






glennbo123 said:


> I thought it was kind of funny -- I had not kept up very well and you had a zillion Hawaii preview pics that I was catching up on and when I replied on that thread I saw that you had just posted the new link.    Right place at the right time!



I won't comment that it appears neither of us had anything better to do on a Saturday night.  Oops, I guess I did comment! 



I posted a bat signal on Facebook, but you still beat the "masses"




luvpoohandcompany said:


> Lovin the photos from the air  Hate scary-o-clock wake up calls but at least if you have to have one it's because you are going on vacation
> Like you we don't like to drive on vacation. This year, for the first time ever we used a car service in Orlando (usually we get either bus transfers, cab or magical express). We loved the car service. It was same price as a cab and the driver was lovely and waiting for us at the luggage carousel. Such a stress-free way to arrive at your hotel



Although I am someone who wakes up early every single day, 3 am is a little early for me.  But when you know what is on the other end of the day, it just isn't bad at all.



The Disneyland car service (Lansky) was totally worth it.  

I was really annoyed that when I would go to Trip Advisor to look for the answer about how much it cost to get from the airports in Oahu and Big Island to the resorts where we were staying, by taxi or car service, the destination experts would not answer the question.  All they would say is "You really need a car on the islands"  Well, we were only on the Big Island for one day and our tour included pickup, and we stayed in Waikiki for time purposes- plenty to do there- so no, we really didn't need a car!  






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Honestly Dee, it's not a real trip unless there's last minute scrambling. Totally required IMO. Because if it's not required, then I'm doing something terribly wrong...
> 
> Haha, funny that I generally rant about the toilet seat being left up...
> 
> I'll be honest, I was terribly nervous about LA driving, but I really didn't find it all that bad. But, I totally get not wanting to do it either. Plus, pretty VIP cool to arrive to a driver holding your name on a sign.



OK, good.  I can never seem to get to bed before 11 the night before a trip.  

I am picturing a t-shirt-  toilet seat up with a line through it.  

There were only a couple of drivers there with signs.  I thought for sure we would pegged as celebrities and mobbed by the paparazzi from TMZ wanting to know who we were, but it looks like we slipped out of there too quickly.  






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee- I love your airplane view pics. Good job on those. Really looking forward to more great pictures and reading about your DL fun!
> 
> Rebecca



Glad you liked the photos from the window seat.  I really held back in posting them.  I took 40!!! 






momabbate said:


> Wow Dee, do you always tease like this? lol First the preview pictures, now titles to look forward to. Sounds like you all had a great trip. I can't wait to read all about it. Thanks so much for putting in all your effort for us. Love the old pictures.



I got into the habit of writing trip report chapter titles in advance during the class trip I took with my 13 year old son.  When you have titles like "The EMTs show up and We Haven't Even Left the Airport Yet"  and "The Showering Habits of Teens" you just have to tease.  

Thanks so much for your kind comments! 






JanetMom said:


> Awesome start indeed. Love the canyon shots from the plane. Very impressive.



It was such a pretty plane ride heading out west.  I'm glad the weather was good and we could see so much from the air.  I actually have pictures from some upcoming flights that I love even more.  






MEK said:


> It really is interesting to fly out west.  The mountains and various rivers really look amazing.  I guess it was worth suffering through the 3am wake up call to get there by 9am.  Nice!
> 
> Hello VGC!  NICE!
> 
> Too funny about the little guy throwing a fit for not getting wanded.



Walking into Disneyland by 11:30 am was totally worth the early morning wake up! 

We loved the Grand Californian, and I hear the villas are spectacular- really nice views, too.  

The boy throwing the fit was very cute, not obnoxious at all.  It was a full-out on the floor of the airport tantrum, but silent tears.  Poor kid.


----------



## hmwinter85

Can't wait to find out what happens next.


----------



## Wood Nymph

I'm looking forward to your trip report.  I've never been to California, so that will be totally new to me. And the one time we stayed on Oahu we took one look at our Waikiki hotel room, then asked if they could move us to the north shore. We get enough of the big city life here. 

We like to take the 6am flight to Orlando. It gives us plenty of time for WDW and the afternoon nap is nice, too. Did you get any food to eat on that morning flight?


----------



## teekathepony

YAY You started!!
I get that feeling of being not prepared. I felt like that going to Germany. Where are my ADRs and park times and FP+ reservations and lists?? 
You're right about long flights, it's nice to kick back and read while there's no guilt. I can't possibly be doing anything else!


----------



## mickeystoontown

The comment Ben made about pitching a fit was hilarious!  That's my kinda kid.    Your pictures from the airplane are so pretty!  It's neat to see the different landscapes from that perspective.  The only time that I've flown was in my uncle's small private plane and our scenery didn't look anything like that.


----------



## jwwi

Great pictures from the plane.  I'm sure you were so excited at this point in the trip.  
Love, love, love the GC.  Stayed there for 5 nights and got an upgrade to CA view.  WOC everynight from the balcony 
Can't wait to read more about this trip.


----------



## KatMark

Dee, a fun update. Although I hate that they changed your flight and you had to get up so early. 

I'm not the world's best flyer (although I've gotten much better since I started flying on my own in able to go on my girls trips with Mary) and Vegas at 3-1/2 hours was my longest flight since our honeymoon to Hawaii 31 years ago. I'm thinking if we can swing Disneyland next year, I'll be fine on the flight.

Your son cracks me up "you think that was a fit?" 

So you didn't rent a car? But you were on property so you really didn't need one. Hmmm...something to ponder.

The sign is kind of small compared to what we are used to, yes?

I can't wait to see pics of the resort.


----------



## natebenma

hmwinter85 said:


> Can't wait to find out what happens next.



 to the report!  Thank you so much for following along!






Wood Nymph said:


> I'm looking forward to your trip report.  I've never been to California, so that will be totally new to me. And the one time we stayed on Oahu we took one look at our Waikiki hotel room, then asked if they could move us to the north shore. We get enough of the big city life here.
> 
> We like to take the 6am flight to Orlando. It gives us plenty of time for WDW and the afternoon nap is nice, too. Did you get any food to eat on that morning flight?



This was my 3rd time to California- once with my dad and brother and once with Mark over 25 years ago.  We didn't make it out of Disney bubble on this trip, but that is just fine.

It is a shame that we never made it to the North Shore on Oahu, but as first timers, there were plenty of iconic tourist things for us to do on Waikiki.  

We always love the early morning flight to Orlando too.  Great question about food on the plane.  The answer is no- we only had the small amount of snacks I had packed.  Nothing on the breakfast menu interested us.  

This lack of food will play a part in my update "Awkward", which is coming up in a couple of posts.  






teekathepony said:


> YAY You started!!
> I get that feeling of being not prepared. I felt like that going to Germany. Where are my ADRs and park times and FP+ reservations and lists??
> You're right about long flights, it's nice to kick back and read while there's no guilt. I can't possibly be doing anything else!



And the worst thing?  Friends from our town were travelling to DL at the same time we were, and I prepared a great document for us with park hours, links to menus, contact phone numbers, tips, rides with FP, rides with Photo Pass.

And I forgot to print it out or email it to myself!  






mickeystoontown said:


> The comment Ben made about pitching a fit was hilarious!  That's my kinda kid.    Your pictures from the airplane are so pretty!  It's neat to see the different landscapes from that perspective.  The only time that I've flown was in my uncle's small private plane and our scenery didn't look anything like that.



It was the funniest thing!  I just kept looking at him and cracking up.  There really aren't many other sources of humor before 5 am! 

I can't believe how much time I spent looking out the window and not reading!






jwwi said:


> Great pictures from the plane.  I'm sure you were so excited at this point in the trip.
> Love, love, love the GC.  Stayed there for 5 nights and got an upgrade to CA view.  WOC everynight from the balcony
> Can't wait to read more about this trip.



Thank you!  I think the excitement was winning over exhaustion at that point.

We loved the GC, too!  The location was great.  The rooms were large and beautiful and what can I say-  Disney Does Details.  

Wow!  A CA View with World of Color would be incredible.  






KatMark said:


> Dee, a fun update. Although I hate that they changed your flight and you had to get up so early.
> 
> I'm not the world's best flyer (although I've gotten much better since I started flying on my own in able to go on my girls trips with Mary) and Vegas at 3-1/2 hours was my longest flight since our honeymoon to Hawaii 31 years ago. I'm thinking if we can swing Disneyland next year, I'll be fine on the flight.
> 
> Your son cracks me up "you think that was a fit?"
> 
> So you didn't rent a car? But you were on property so you really didn't need one. Hmmm...something to ponder.
> 
> The sign is kind of small compared to what we are used to, yes?
> 
> I can't wait to see pics of the resort.



Thanks!  

Fortunately, we are pretty good flyers.  I am really proud of my boys, too.  They are courteous and quiet on the flights, they know what to do going through security and baggage claim and that makes our experience much less stressful.  

My son's comment still puts a smile on my face.  

We absolutely did not need a car for DL.  I can see if you are doing some other things in the area (Hollywood or a nearby beach), but everything was walking distance for us, especially from the Grand Californian. 

I am going to post the resort update today.  My plan is to do that because I want to get to my chapter with Disneyland before I leave for the Beach Club on Sunday night.


----------



## jenseib

So did Nate get wanded???? Or did you have that embarrassing moment of a teen throwing a fit on the floor?  

That's pretty funny.

I came upon DL at night, so I never even thought to look for a sign to take a picture of...but yeah it was very different thant WDW.  We had issues finding the DL hotel...it wasn't really marked very well at all. So different there than WDW...but still super cool experience.

Glad you made it!  Sounds like you might have a long day like I did on my arrival day too.  Did you stay up for 24 hours????


----------



## CarlaT

I'm joining in as a new reader! I'm all caught up on reading your trip report and looking at the wonderful pictures. I'm excited to hear more!!
We (me,DH&DS13) are DVC members and going to DL and Hawaii (Aulani) in Nov. Never been out west before. We love WDW, but I'm feeling a bit overwelmed by DisneyLand. I have been doing alot of reading. We are staying at the Grand Californian also. I will be looking up the Lansky Transportation for car svc round trip. Thanks for mentioning it. I was inbetween a bus and a car svc.
Carla


----------



## emmysmommy

I'm here!  Welcome to CA!  I'm in time to see your arrival.  Glad to know that all worked out with your flights and ground transportation.  Let the trip begin!


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> So did Nate get wanded???? Or did you have that embarrassing moment of a teen throwing a fit on the floor?
> 
> That's pretty funny.




No, he didn't get wanded, but he was thankfully able to hold it together.  After we got through he gave me a little look that said  "You are welcome.  I really could have made a scene there!"






jenseib said:


> I came upon DL at night, so I never even thought to look for a sign to take a picture of...but yeah it was very different thant WDW.  We had issues finding the DL hotel...it wasn't really marked very well at all. So different there than WDW...but still super cool experience.



I was in the front of the van with the driver.  I'm sure he was thinking "What the heck is she taking a picture of?" 

 It wouldn't be the last time that sentiment was shared on the trip, both from my family and strangers.  






jenseib said:


> Glad you made it!  Sounds like you might have a long day like I did on my arrival day too.  Did you stay up for 24 hours????



Just about.  Our day started at 3 am (EST) and I finally got to bed around 10 pm, which would be 1 am according to my body clock.






CarlaT said:


> I'm joining in as a new reader! I'm all caught up on reading your trip report and looking at the wonderful pictures. I'm excited to hear more!!
> We (me,DH&DS13) are DVC members and going to DL and Hawaii (Aulani) in Nov. Never been out west before. We love WDW, but I'm feeling a bit overwelmed by DisneyLand. I have been doing alot of reading. We are staying at the Grand Californian also. I will be looking up the Lansky Transportation for car svc round trip. Thanks for mentioning it. I was inbetween a bus and a car svc.
> Carla





So glad you have joined in for my report, especially since you will have such a similar trip coming up.  Hope I can give you some useful information.  

How long will you be at DL, and how long in Hawaii?  

I was intimidated about DL, too, but really more is familiar there than not.  It is strange trying to keep track of where familiar rides are since some are in different lands than in WDW.  They are still using legacy Fast Passes there, so we were familiar with that process-  just need to keep track of which rides have this and which ones don't.  Also, with the age of your son, you should be able to take advantage of Single Rider lines on rides like Matterhorn, California Screaming and Radiator Spring Racers.

Please speak up with any questions you have along the way! 

The Grand Californian Hotel was awesome, which you will see in my next posts- coming up VERY soon! 






emmysmommy said:


> I'm here!  Welcome to CA!  I'm in time to see your arrival.  Glad to know that all worked out with your flights and ground transportation.  Let the trip begin!





It wouldn't be the same without you!

I would have to say we encountered pretty smooth sailing for our arrival.  

I never did a full write-up of our meet, but I will do that here on the report.


----------



## natebenma

Grand Californian Hotel Super Thread from the DIS

_FYI- reports on this thread have discussed that the GCH will undergo refurbishment (rooms, I think) in 2015.  At this point, I have not seen a start date or timetable announced. _


We were a couple of families back in the line to check-in.  A greeter in line took our information and when she learned we were first-time visitors, she gave us some information and tips about Disneyland.  Stuff I knew, from my research, but whatever.  We got to the desk, and asked if our request for a room with a daybed was met.  The CM told us to wait a minute and she went out back.  When she returned, she said that unfortunately, all of the rooms with day beds were needed for families of 5 (I totally understand this from the BC FAQ), but she was able to upgrade us to a Downtown Disney View Room.

That’ll work! 

They would text us when our room was ready.

I was skeptical about this information, because I have heard too many times from friends on the DIS that the text never comes.  I told Mark this when he was out of earshot, and he didn’t believe me.  (Spoiler alert- he was right!  We got our text at 2:49 pm)

Since room was not ready yet, we gave our luggage to bell services.  Then, it was off to Disneyland! 

But that will have to wait for the next update because this is the place in the report where I like to do a thorough overview of the resort. 

So, may I now present 

The Grand Californian Hotel! 

Lobby and Public Spaces

















































 



 













For my friend with a light fixture fetish!



 













This pretty outside courtyard is where the monorail goes through the resort, but we never saw that happening














*Continued in Next Post:  Getting to Disneyland and California Adventure*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52076484&postcount=47


----------



## natebenma

Here are some pictures of the entrance/exit to Downtown Disney from the Grand Californian resort.  This is the route you take to get to the front entrances of Disneyland and California Adventure










Once of the really nice features of staying at the Grand Californian is the entrance/exit right to California Adventure (near Grizzly River Run).  We used this portal in the afternoons or evenings, but in the mornings during early entry, we used the regular Downtown Disney/front entrance for California Adventure.









This was how the CA entrance looked on one of the early entry mornings (7 am on Monday July 14)  






As a comparison, here is what the main entrance of CA looked like at early entry (7 am on Sunday July 13)











*Whitewater Snacks*


----------



## natebenma

Whitewater snacks is the Quick Service and Market location for the Grand Californian Hotel.  You can get drinks, pastries, breakfast items, some grocery items (since this is a DVC resort) and sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, pizza and nachos.  

Get the nachos! 


Menu picture borrowed from internet
































































*More GCH*


----------



## natebenma

Grand Californian Hotel Super Thread from the DIS

_FYI- reports on this thread have discussed that the GCH will undergo refurbishment (rooms, I think) in 2015.  At this point, I have not seen a start date or timetable announced. _


Will scan and post "Grand News", Resort Map and Resort Activities Sheet (July 9-15) when I have the time.


*Pool*


----------



## natebenma

Slide


















Hot Tub







We never had a problem finding one or two loungers when we needed them in the afternoon.










*Room 4427*


----------



## natebenma

Bathroom Area:





































Mini-fridge
























 



Safe-  in the second picture, there is a Surface Tablet, Kindle Fire and phone 













We noticed that the time was about an hour and twenty minutes off.  We could not figure out how to change the time setting on the clock.  We even tried googling "Setting clock at Grand Californian Hotel" and we got instructions on setting the time on the Grandfather Clock in the lobby, but not on the one in our room!  We intended to stop by the front desk to ask, but we never ended up doing that.  I think we also tried leaving a note for the housekeeper to ask to correct the time.  

Funny thing- we had the same exact clock in one of our rooms in Hawaii, but fortunately, that clock displayed the correct time.


Here was a helpful post on the Grand Californian Superthread about the airconditioning unit/controls in the room.  

Believe it (or not):  I didn't take a picture of the a/c control panel on the wall.  I must be slipping! 



mikedoyleblogger said:


> The maintenance man who successfully fixed our AC showed us the new method of putting the AC units on bypass, which disables the motion sensor, stops the units from bouncing back to the relatively high pre-set temperature, and keeps the units regulating the temperature at all times (instead of shutting off if you're sitting in one place too long or sleeping--and thus not triggering the motion sensor.)
> 
> It all works with the little Fahrenheit/Celsius button on the left side of the electronic thermostat. First make sure the fan is on "Auto". Then, assuming you want to use Fahrenheit, first press the button to change over to Celsius, then long press (i.e. hold down) the button until the display shows "bp". The long press will also switch the unit back to Fahrenheit. Then you can simply use the arrows to select your target temperature. Turning the unit off and on turns off the bypass function.
> 
> According to the maintenance man who did this for us, you can specifically request for maintenance to come up and set your unit on bypass. He said because the units are old and in need of renovation (which of course is happening next year), they often just put them on bypass if guests complain that their rooms are too warm. Apparently it's common practice there. It makes your room go from overly warm to ice age pretty darn fast, too.



*The View!*


----------



## natebenma

Why, yes, that IS Space Mountain and the Train Station off to the right!




















We could see the monorail (when it was running)






The view at night was breathtaking! 
























And the best part of the view is yet to come!

Since we had such a nice view of Space Mountain and the train station, I suspected that we may be able to see some of the nightly DL fireworks.  Even though I was dead-tired after being awake for more than 21 hours on our arrival night, I went out on the balcony after the guys went to bed, and waited.

I was rewarded with a straight on view of the fireworks from the park! 

Here is just a small sampling of the display from that night.



































I think we’re gonna like it here!!! 


*Next Up:  To All Who Come To This Happy Place, Welcome!*


----------



## Wood Nymph

Great pictures! I love that you can see the fireworks. 

The Grand Californian is gorgeous. Have you ever been in the Wilderness Lodge? Some of the features are similar, but different, too. How does the resort compare to one of WDW's deluxe resorts? How do the room rates compare and is it hard to get a room there?


----------



## mickeystoontown

The Grand Floridian reminds me of the Wilderness Lodge but yet it's different.  I am sure that there are a whole lot of folks out there who are super happy to see your informative type pictures.  Someone can describe the heck out of something but actually seeing it helps me make a final decision.

Talk about a view from your room!  I love the views during both the daytime and the nighttime.


----------



## CarlaT

Great Resort pictures and view of the fireworks!! I would like to call and request a certain view/room, but still a bit confused on where to request? We are staying at GC Thurs to Sun. Leave for Hawaii Sun. We are planning on buying 3day hopper passes.
Will you be giving reviews of the restaurants in the GC? I'm thinking about eating at the Story Teller Cafe for lunch or dinner buffet.
How did you and your family do with the time change?
Carla


----------



## elphie101

I'm here! And I'm actually going to keep up with this one (well, for the next two months of course).

The Grand is stunning, stunning, stunning and I'm so envious that you were able to stay there. Those nachos look DELICIOUS! The Grand is definitely on the bucket list for our next trip to DL for sure. You got a fantastic view to boot!

United switched the flights out on us too when we went to DL - only they canceled our nonstop and booked us on a connection instead (through Newark)  Still not as bad as Delta though!


----------



## KatMark

WOW! Just WOW! What a beautiful resort and what a fabulous room location! The pool looks spectacular and I love that the chairs have cushions on them!

Great firework pictures from your balcony your first night. Despite being tired, you are a great DISer staying up to get those shots!


----------



## jwwi

Great pictures of GC.  The lobby is so dark so it is difficult to take good pictures, did you notice the carpeting and flooring around it continues the flower pattern?  It is in the details with Disney, isn't it?  
What a great view of DL, and the fireworks.  I'm sure you were elated with that room location.  I just loved how both parks were so close, with DTD right there too.  Did you find entering the main gate to CA to be easier or quicker than thru the GC?  I'm sure your TR will cover it, but it will be interesting to see what you went to first. 
Those cushions on the pool chairs were so comfortable, we enjoyed a short amount of pool time each day.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Isn't that hotel beautiful??? I only saw it passing through it daily, but it is so lovely. And you cannot beat the location. Better than anything in WDW.

It's nice to see all of the areas I didn't see as a non guest. But one thing I just do not understand is the thin-ness of the room safes. You did get some stuff in there though.

Wow, great room location too. Being able to see the fireworks... yeah I'd give up the day bed.


----------



## natebenma

I forgot to write about the alarm clock in the room.  We noticed that the time was about an hour and twenty minutes off.  We could not figure out how to change the time setting on the clock.  We even tried googling "Setting clock at Grand Californian Hotel" and we got instructions on setting the time on the Grandfather Clock in the lobby, but not on the one in our room!  We intended to stop by the front desk to ask, but we never ended up doing that. 

Funny thing- we had the same exact clock in one of our rooms in Hawaii, but fortunately, that clock displayed the correct time.






Wood Nymph said:


> Great pictures! I love that you can see the fireworks.
> 
> The Grand Californian is gorgeous. Have you ever been in the Wilderness Lodge? Some of the features are similar, but different, too. How does the resort compare to one of WDW's deluxe resorts? How do the room rates compare and is it hard to get a room there?



Thank you!  I was so happy that we were able to see the fireworks.  That actually was useful more than once for us. 

I have not been in the Wilderness Lodge.  Mark and I would like to check it out, but the boys have not been interested.  The only Disney resorts I have stayed at have been the Beach Club and a couple of the All Stars.  The GC was definitely deluxe!  The amount of room in the room.  The amenities.  

The room rate was $$$.  We did a package through AAA, and if I get a chance, I'll take out the estimated price of the park tickets and figure out the nightly rate.  Not sure if rooms are hard to get or not, but discounts certainly are.






mickeystoontown said:


> The Grand Floridian reminds me of the Wilderness Lodge but yet it's different.  I am sure that there are a whole lot of folks out there who are super happy to see your informative type pictures.  Someone can describe the heck out of something but actually seeing it helps me make a final decision.
> 
> Talk about a view from your room!  I love the views during both the daytime and the nighttime.



The GC is definitely a sister resort to the WL.  As we have discussed, Lisa, I am compelled to take pictures of all sorts of aspects of a resort for informational purposes.  So you'll be seeing more resort spreads like this for the 3 other places we stayed on this trip.

The views were so interesting.  It was fun just sitting out there and staring the scenery any time of day! 






CarlaT said:


> Great Resort pictures and view of the fireworks!! I would like to call and request a certain view/room, but still a bit confused on where to request? We are staying at GC Thurs to Sun. Leave for Hawaii Sun. We are planning on buying 3day hopper passes.
> Will you be giving reviews of the restaurants in the GC? I'm thinking about eating at the Story Teller Cafe for lunch or dinner buffet.
> How did you and your family do with the time change?
> Carla



Are you in the resort or the villas?  What room category?  

The GC Superthread has some info on suggested room requests if you are able to wade through the pages.  

Carla, I have some good news and some bad news for you.

I am a big fan of food porn, so I will have lots of pictures and reviews of our meals.  The bad news is, I think we only ate at two table service restaurants (Blue Bayou and Carthay Circle).  We looked at the menu for Story Teller Café and it looks awesome, but we were never able to fit it in.  

I was pretty impressed with how well we did with the time change.  I was really scared before hand that I would be waking up at 1:30 every day, since I wake up between 4:30 and 5 am every single day of the year when I am home.  We had to wake the boys at 6 most mornings so that we could get to the parks by the 7 am opening, and it was never a problem.  Then, once we hit Hawaii, we continued to adjust well.  






elphie101 said:


> I'm here! And I'm actually going to keep up with this one (well, for the next two months of course).
> 
> The Grand is stunning, stunning, stunning and I'm so envious that you were able to stay there. Those nachos look DELICIOUS! The Grand is definitely on the bucket list for our next trip to DL for sure. You got a fantastic view to boot!
> 
> United switched the flights out on us too when we went to DL - only they canceled our nonstop and booked us on a connection instead (through Newark)  Still not as bad as Delta though!





I totally agree about the Grand Californian.  We loved it!  It is beautiful and SO CLOSE to the parks!!!  We LOVED our view! 

Jenseib is the one who suggested the nachos in her trip report-  I don't think I would have considered them if she hadn't mentioned how good they were.

YUM! 

AirTran once changed us from a direct flight to a connection through Atlanta-  GRRRRR!!!! 





KatMark said:


> WOW! Just WOW! What a beautiful resort and what a fabulous room location! The pool looks spectacular and I love that the chairs have cushions on them!
> 
> Great firework pictures from your balcony your first night. Despite being tired, you are a great DISer staying up to get those shots!



The Grand Californian is spectacular.  Our room location was great.  I forgot to add that we were close to the elevator that took us to pool and quick service location, and was also pretty close to the California Adventure entrance.  

ALL GOOD!

Yes, I was indeed tired.  I was sitting out on the balcony and I believe I may have drifted off once or twice while trying to read and wait to see if there would be fireworks.






jwwi said:


> Great pictures of GC.  The lobby is so dark so it is difficult to take good pictures, did you notice the carpeting and flooring around it continues the flower pattern?  It is in the details with Disney, isn't it?
> What a great view of DL, and the fireworks.  I'm sure you were elated with that room location.  I just loved how both parks were so close, with DTD right there too.  Did you find entering the main gate to CA to be easier or quicker than thru the GC?  I'm sure your TR will cover it, but it will be interesting to see what you went to first.
> Those cushions on the pool chairs were so comfortable, we enjoyed a short amount of pool time each day.



Yes the lobby is a real bear to photograph.  Like you said, it is dark, but then there are the windows that let the light stream through.  

I guess I didn't pay much attention to the floor.  We weren't in the lobby very much, just for checkin and checkout.  We were able to bypass the lobby on our way to parks based on our location.

We used the CA entrance if we were going in the afternoon or evening, but we used the regular front entrance on the two early morning days.  The line didn't look too bad when we went by, though, so I think it would have been a wash the days we were there.  

We visited the pool a lot more than we usually do on a Disney trip.  We were always able to find a lounger or two.  






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Isn't that hotel beautiful??? I only saw it passing through it daily, but it is so lovely. And you cannot beat the location. Better than anything in WDW.
> 
> It's nice to see all of the areas I didn't see as a non guest. But one thing I just do not understand is the thin-ness of the room safes. You did get some stuff in there though.
> 
> Wow, great room location too. Being able to see the fireworks... yeah I'd give up the day bed.



Yup, loved the GC! I don't think I am able to say that it is better than anything at WDW *cough* Beach Club *cough* but it is definitely our resort of choice at DL! 

The safe was fine for our purposes, but wouldn't have fit a laptop.  

No question, the location trumped a daybed (at least for all of us but Nate).  He did fine though.


----------



## LongTimeFan

LOVING your photos of the hotel! Very detailed of all areas. Thank you!
Now I can't wait for the rest of your trip report.


----------



## jenseib

I am loving all the shots!!!!
It makes me long to be back there.  how awesome to see the fireworks from your room!

That resort is so lovely and nice.  I really hope Skip still wants to go back to Cali next year as a family...of course I am not sure if I want to stay at the Grand or DL hotel...or maybve a split stay?


----------



## gardengirl2790

Hello,

I am new to your trip report, and am really enjoying reading along!

My husband and I are headed to the Hilton Waikoloa in October, so I was happy to read your thoughts on the resort. I don't have huge hopes for it. Do you have any recommendations for morning coffee (espresso) or restaurants there? We will be there a week for his work related conference. TIA


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Loving the virtual walk through the hotel. Awesome room, gorgeous view and just love the fireworks  The pool and loungers look very inviting  Always good to see nice short queues for entering the park!
And as for the sunset photos -just WOW !!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee 
Beautiful Hotel. It is Wilderness Lodge like with a Craftsman style flair. Love it.  And nice job on the view upgrade. Wonderful! 

Almost WDW time!

Rebecca


----------



## natebenma

LongTimeFan said:


> LOVING your photos of the hotel! Very detailed of all areas. Thank you!
> Now I can't wait for the rest of your trip report.





So glad you enjoyed the photos. 

I hope to get started on the park part of the report in the next day or so.






jenseib said:


> I am loving all the shots!!!!
> It makes me long to be back there.  how awesome to see the fireworks from your room!
> 
> That resort is so lovely and nice.  I really hope Skip still wants to go back to Cali next year as a family...of course I am not sure if I want to stay at the Grand or DL hotel...or maybve a split stay?



We really loved it!  

We are all about location since we spend so much time in the parks which is why we prefer the GC in DL, Beach Club in WDW and the Hard Rock at US/IoA.

Oooh....  split stay sounds great.  We were disappointed we didn't get over to the Disneyland Hotel.  We really wanted to try some of the food at the lounge there.  We have never been "split/stay people", but last July we did a Hard Rock/Beach Club split and this summer we stayed at 4 different resorts on our 2 week vacation, so I think that may have changed. 



The fireworks view was a super treat. 






gardengirl2790 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am new to your trip report, and am really enjoying reading along!
> 
> My husband and I are headed to the Hilton Waikoloa in October, so I was happy to read your thoughts on the resort. I don't have huge hopes for it. Do you have any recommendations for morning coffee (espresso) or restaurants there? We will be there a week for his work related conference. TIA



 and thank you for the kind words.  

As you could probably tell from my comments, the Waikoloa was not our favorite resort of our stay, but I will readily admit that a lot probably had to do with our attitudes and exhaustion at that point at the end of the trip.  We had trouble going with the flow and it was hard for us to deal with the size issues of the hotel and our fellow guests.  Lots of families with young, unruly kids and parents not intervening.  Perhaps there will be much less of that in October since kids are in school.  

We dined at two places during our stay.  Imari, which was an Asian-themed restaurant where you order a la carte dishes to share, was wonderful.  Interesting menu, the food was great, the service was stellar.  We also ate at Dona & Toni's pizza right before heading to the airport for our return home.  The spaghetti and meatballs were really good (HUGE portion), the pizza was pretty bad and the service may have been the worst we have experienced anywhere.  We had to ask the hostess for help, and another waiter kicked in to cover for our absentee waitress.  We got pastries one morning at the Waikoloa Coffee Company (Lagoon Tower) and the food and coffee were decent.  I am pretty sure they had espresso and other coffee offerings, but I just drink my coffee straight and black, so I can't comment on how that is.  My son had a smoothie that he liked there.  

What are you going to be doing for activities on the Big Island during any down time?  A friend recommended visiting the petroglyphs near the resort, and I hear the snorkeling on the island is really spectacular.  We didn't have time to check those things out.







luvpoohandcompany said:


> Loving the virtual walk through the hotel. Awesome room, gorgeous view and just love the fireworks  The pool and loungers look very inviting  Always good to see nice short queues for entering the park!
> And as for the sunset photos -just WOW !!!!!!!!!!!



Thanks! 

Aren't the colors in the sunset pictures gorgeous?  Funny- a running theme during our trip is that Mark refused to look at pictures of sunsets because the colors usually are enhanced through the lens of a camera and don't depict reality.  I'll hand over the camera and push the playback button, but he says 

"It doesn't look like that!"






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee
> Beautiful Hotel. It is Wilderness Lodge like with a Craftsman style flair. Love it.  And nice job on the view upgrade. Wonderful!
> 
> Almost WDW time!
> 
> Rebecca



It definitely does have a WL vibe (says someone who has never been there)

We were so pleased with the upgrade!   We loved the views in that room and the location was great.  

SO EXCITED!!!  Let me know if there is anything you need me to do.  I'll text you once I am on the Magical Express but I will try not to disrupt you with my arrival.  

:


----------



## jmskinner

I made it to your TR!!!!   

Seeing that you already have your TR planned out and chapters names, yes it is shocking that more things weren't scheduled.

  I'm still laughing that there are instructions out there to change a Grandfather clock in the lobby.  I'm sure they just want anyone to do that.  

Loving all the pics.  Too funny that you never used the DSLR.  I'm currently trying to upgrade mine, but life keeps getting in the way.

One of my coworkers just returned from DL and loved it, she is a huge WDW fan like us.  I have suggested it to my BFF since I can't get the hubby to go near CA.    Think I will send her a link to follow your TR.  Hey, she started my addiction by sending me my first Disney Parks planning video.

Looking forward to more!


----------



## ddluvsdisney

The GCH reminds me of Wilderness Lodge. What a great view you had even though you didn't get the day bed 
My boys also HATE sleeping in the same bed. We try to avoid that as much as possible. I don't know how you were able to stay awake for the fireworks, but it was rewarding!!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## itr452

nice write up, im a first timer going to GCH in September and this has helped alot

Just a note, how much were the jugs of milk, I can't quite make it out from the picture


----------



## natebenma

jmskinner said:


> I made it to your TR!!!!
> 
> Seeing that you already have your TR planned out and chapters names, yes it is shocking that more things weren't scheduled.
> 
> I'm still laughing that there are instructions out there to change a Grandfather clock in the lobby.  I'm sure they just want anyone to do that.
> 
> Loving all the pics.  Too funny that you never used the DSLR.  I'm currently trying to upgrade mine, but life keeps getting in the way.
> 
> One of my coworkers just returned from DL and loved it, she is a huge WDW fan like us.  I have suggested it to my BFF since I can't get the hubby to go near CA.    Think I will send her a link to follow your TR.  Hey, she started my addiction by sending me my first Disney Parks planning video.
> 
> Looking forward to more!



 Melissa!

Maybe I had the illusion if I didn't have much scheduled, it would be a relaxing, go-with-the-flow kind of vacation.  Nope!  Not us!

It was so weird when the instructions and info about the Grandfather clock came up.  

I think I will be taking the DSLR with me to the Beach Club/Disney tomorrow.  Maybe this time it will make it out of the case!

We really enjoyed DL, but WDW is still home!






ddluvsdisney said:


> The GCH reminds me of Wilderness Lodge. What a great view you had even though you didn't get the day bed
> My boys also HATE sleeping in the same bed. We try to avoid that as much as possible. I don't know how you were able to stay awake for the fireworks, but it was rewarding!!
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards



You can't help but compare the two resorts.  I haven't really looked into the ways they are connected-  I don't know if both resorts had the same architect or builders, but they must be related in some way.

I think at all of the places we stayed, renting a rollaway cot was an option, but for $25-$35 a night, for 13 nights, we let Nate know he could "Suck it up, Buttercup!"

I did, literally, fall asleep in the chair on the balcony waiting for the fireworks, but I perked right up when they started! 






itr452 said:


> nice write up, im a first timer going to GCH in September and this has helped alot
> 
> Just a note, how much were the jugs of milk, I can't quite make it out from the picture



 and thank you! 

I was able to zoom in on my photo- the milk was $3.29 for a half gallon.  And then I could see the price tag on the juice, which was $6.49.  I don't remember paying that much, but clearly I did since it was in my photo of the fridge.  We got breakfast items/pastries from White Water Snacks the day or night before and kept them in our room for an early pre-park breakfast.


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> You can't help but compare the two resorts.  I haven't really looked into the ways they are connected-  I don't know if both resorts had the same architect or builders, but they must be related in some way.


The WL and AKL have the same architect. I don't know about GC. It might be based on the lodges of the national parks. But you should stop over at the WL on Tuesday to check it out. The boat ride over there is only about 12 minutes long, and it is a lovely ride over there.  Then you can grab the MK bus for the 5 minute bus ride to the bus depot for your trip back to the BC. Or you can hop on another boat and go to the Contemporary to catch the monorail to Epcot. That boat ride is about five minutes long. There is a reason why we split our trips now between the YC/BC and WL, and it becomes obvious when you're seen the resort. 


natebenma said:


> I think at all of the places we stayed, renting a rollaway cot was an option, but for $25-$35 a night, for 13 nights, we let Nate know he could "Suck it up, Buttercup!"


That was our attitude, too. We have a son and two daughters. The son never complained about the daybed. And the girls never complained about sharing a bed. After all, they were at Disney and that was all that mattered.


----------



## emmysmommy

Ahhhh such a lovely (and convenient) resort!  I love the snail lamps at the registration counter.  For some reason I always take a photo of those since they are so unique.  I suppose you can put me in that light fixtures fixated category as your other pal! 

When I first saw the view from your balcony I was thinking "tram stop traffic" but then thought FIREWORKS view!  That was the perfect location and the evidence with your photos is awesome!  

That was the first hotel that I had seen freshly laundered linens lined up in baskets down the hallways in the morning and laundry baskets in the rooms.  Very nice.

I'm looking forward to reading all the details! 

BTW, I finally got around to posting about our meet up in my TR.


----------



## itr452

Thank you the milk price I was going to be lugging around milk in my suitcase I guess not I'll just buy from whitewater

Great report and looking forward to more pictures!


----------



## MEK

natebenma said:


> We noticed that the time was about an hour and twenty minutes off.  We could not figure out how to change the time setting on the clock.  We even tried googling "Setting clock at Grand Californian Hotel" and we got instructions on setting the time on the Grandfather Clock in the lobby,






Funny!  You never KNOW when you might need that particular bit of information!  

Leave it to you to photograph every square inch of the property.  Just lovely.  Your room is really beautiful and the view is phenomenal.  Great trade off for the boys having to sleep together.  How did THAT go?    I remember when my kids where that age and having to do sleeping arrangements.   

What an even better bonus to get to see the fireworks!  COOL!  

Great update Dee!


----------



## JanetMom

Just caught up...  The GCH is beautiful, so similar to WL. Your views were amazing, how great to see the fireworks from the comfort of the room.

Normally pictures like the ones from your report would have me longing for a trip to WDW, but not tonight!!  

We can talk more about your trip soon!


----------



## saintstickets

I have no idea how I missed the link to this TR in your previous TR but here I am and caught up in one single reading!  As usual, a great TR with loads of information for your fellow DISboard readers.   Keep it coming Dee!


----------



## natebenma

Brenda and Bill!

Ill be taking a break from this report for a few days while I go play with my beach club friends.  At airport.  Should be home at the BC by 7 tonight.  Kouzzina tonight and again for breakfast on Tuesday.


----------



## jenseib

natebenma said:


> Brenda and Bill!
> 
> Ill be taking a break from this report for a few days while I go play with my beach club friends.  At airport.  Should be home at the BC by 7 tonight.  Kouzzina tonight and again for breakfast on Tuesday.



Dee how long are you staying for? I am heading down Friday night.


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> Dee how long are you staying for? I am heading down Friday night.



Have a fantastic time!!!  Villains Party?

Already home  

It was a quick drive-by trip, just for the Beach Club FAQ meet.  Arrived Sunday night (Kouzzina), Monday (Stormalong Bay, EPCOT, DISMeet) and Tuesday (MK, SAB).  Home by 11 pm Tuesday.  

I originally didn't have park tickets and was going to fly out Tuesday morning, but I was given a couple of tickets, so I changed my flight to later in the day.

Had a BLAST!!!

Lots of stories to share.


----------



## dadof2boys

Following along. Thanks for all the detail. I'm loving it!


----------



## natebenma

dadof2boys said:


> Following along. Thanks for all the detail. I'm loving it!



 and Thank You! 

New update coming right up.


----------



## natebenma

We decided to start our visit by going to Disneyland because it was the right thing do and also because we would be starting the next morning with early entry at California Adventure. We followed signs out of the resort to Downtown Disney, then we got a little confused about which direction to go, but obviously, we figured it out.  






Ignore the time on the clock in the picture.  I cheated and used a photo from later in the day.

Once again, we find ourselves "Walking Right Down the Middle of Main Street USA", a little bit before 11 am.





I swear, there is a castle up ahead there somewhere! 

Oh, yeah, you will see lots of pictures of the backs of my family as I linger behind and take pictures, then catch up!


Our first stop was at the Main Street Photo Supply Company to pick up the Photopass card I had preordered for $69.95.  The price goes up to $99.95 if you order within a few days of your actual trip.  The CD or download that you get includes photos taken at any of the spots with Photopass photographers around the park as well as ride photos at California Screamin’, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers and Tower of Terror.  If you do any character dining, the photos there are included too (Goofy’s Kitchen, Ariel’s Grotto, Disney’s PCH Grill and the Plaza Inn).  Like Photopass/Memory Maker at Disneyworld, you can add borders and other edits like black and white to your photos if you wish.  You also get some stock photos on a CD.  

Our priorities for DL that afternoon were two attractions not found in Florida- Indiana Jones (FP) and the Matterhorn (no FP).  Originally, Matterhorn was scheduled for rehab while we were there, but fortunately for us, the work was postponed to later in the year.  

We made our way into Adventureland to pull Fast Passes for IJ, but the ride was down, so they weren’t distributing any.











We decided to hop on Jungle Cruise since it was right next door. 















The Backside of Water!  Looks just like it does in Florida. 






I loved the Piranha effect!










After we returned from our journey in the jungle (11:22), Indiana Jones was back in business so we pulled a Fast Pass with a return time of 1:00-2:00.






Next stop:  Pirates! 





Mark is not a big fan of me taking ride photos, so I kept my camera stowed on this ride.  But I was really tempted.  

Pirates at Disneyland is AWESOME!!!  

The attraction was also a little wetter than we expected.  Everyone’s shorts got a bit wet during the ride.

But we had a much bigger problem facing us…

*Next up:  AWKWARD! (Blue Bayou)*


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Welcome back Dee. I hope your mini trip was a good one.

"I swear, there is a castle up ahead there somewhere!" Oh Snap!!!

The Dland photopass price is quite reasonable I think. A lot of potential bang for the buck there.

Ugh, Matterhorn was on refurb when I was there. I wish they could have postponed it to maybe do, oh I don't know, I'll just pick something randomly, Small World instead. Just an example of course.

Score on the Indy FP. Looking forward to hearing how you liked it.

Isn't Pirates amazing???


----------



## jenseib

natebenma said:


> Have a fantastic time!!!  Villains Party?
> 
> Already home
> 
> It was a quick drive-by trip, just for the Beach Club FAQ meet.  Arrived Sunday night (Kouzzina), Monday (Stormalong Bay, EPCOT, DISMeet) and Tuesday (MK, SAB).  Home by 11 pm Tuesday.
> 
> I originally didn't have park tickets and was going to fly out Tuesday morning, but I was given a couple of tickets, so I changed my flight to later in the day.
> 
> Had a BLAST!!!
> 
> Lots of stories to share.



Mines a quickie too.  And I am not really touring the parks either...but a getaway is still nice...even if I am sitting in a meeting most of the day tomorrow.


----------



## catho72

I'm finally here!  Oh my gosh!  I love your pictures!  After you posted your room pics I said to myself, "hey!  What about the view?!?!"  Silly me, they were in the next post.  That view is magnificent!  I spy a modified Hidden Mickey in one of them.  I haven't been to DL since 1988 and can't wait to see the rest of your DL pics.  And your Hawaii pics too!!!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## ddluvsdisney

Oh how I miss the old FP!!!  I was looking forward to hearing about Indiana jones. It's a ride in DL right?  
Have you posted any pics from the DIS meet yet??

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## KatMark

natebenma said:


> We decided to start our visit by going to Disneyland because it was the right thing do and also because we would be starting the next morning with early entry at California Adventure. We followed signs out of the resort to Downtown Disney, then we got a little confused about which direction to go, but obviously, we figured it out.
> 
> Glad you figured it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ignore the time on the clock in the picture.  I cheated and used a photo from later in the day.
> 
> Didn't even notice.
> 
> Once again, we find ourselves "Walking Right Down the Middle of Main Street USA", a little bit before 11 am.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I swear, there is a castle up ahead there somewhere!
> 
> Oh, yeah, you will see lots of pictures of the backs of my family as I linger behind and take pictures, then catch up!
> 
> Not as noticeable as DW, huh? And that's okay...we wanted lots of pictures.
> 
> Our first stop was at the Main Street Photo Supply Company to pick up the Photopass card I had preordered for $69.95.  The price goes up to $99.95 if you order within a few days of your actual trip.  The CD or download that you get includes photos taken at any of the spots with Photopass photographers around the park as well as ride photos at California Screamin, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers and Tower of Terror.  If you do any character dining, the photos there are included too (Goofys Kitchen, Ariels Grotto, Disneys PCH Grill and the Plaza Inn).  Like Photopass/Memory Maker at Disneyworld, you can add borders and other edits like black and white to your photos if you wish.  You also get some stock photos on a CD.
> 
> Cheaper than the MM.
> 
> Our priorities for DL that afternoon were two attractions not found in Florida- Indiana Jones (FP) and the Matterhorn (no FP).  Originally, Matterhorn was scheduled for rehab while we were there, but fortunately for us, the work was postponed to later in the year.
> 
> That's good!
> 
> We made our way into Adventureland to pull Fast Passes for IJ, but the ride was down, so they werent distributing any.
> 
> Dislike!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We decided to hop on Jungle Cruise since it was right next door.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Backside of Water!  Looks just like it does in Florida.
> 
> Very good to know!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I loved the Piranha effect!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> COOL!
> 
> After we returned from our journey in the jungle (11:22), Indiana Jones was back in business so we pulled a Fast Pass with a return time of 1:00-2:00.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> YAY!
> 
> Next stop:  Pirates!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mark is not a big fan of me taking ride photos, so I kept my camera stowed on this ride.  But I was really tempted.
> 
> Pirates at Disneyland is AWESOME!!!
> 
> Too bad...would have loved to see them. Glad you thought it was awesome. I've heard that a lot.
> 
> The attraction was also a little wetter than we expected.  Everyones shorts got a bit wet during the ride.
> 
> We got drenched at DW in June on Pirates.
> 
> But we had a much bigger problem facing us
> 
> *Next up:  AWKWARD! (Blue Bayou)*



Oh dear...what does this mean?


----------



## tiggerfan77

Finally catching up on the DIS today! Whew! Great first day in California so far. I love the Grand Californian lobby, it looks similar to the Wilderness Lodge. Is it smaller than their lobby? Also fantastic view from your balcony. It still kind of blows my mind at how close everything is at Disneyland and that you can see DD, Space Moutain all in one view. (WHAT?!!) Looking forward to seeing IJ since I've been curious about that ride myself.


----------



## glennbo123

Caught up Dee.  Lovin' the pictures of the Grand Californian...I forget, did you say that you had to waitlist it or you were able to get it at 7 months?


----------



## petals

joining in. Luvin all the pics so far. GCH looks fab


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Welcome back Dee. I hope your mini trip was a good one.
> 
> "I swear, there is a castle up ahead there somewhere!" Oh Snap!!!
> 
> The Dland photopass price is quite reasonable I think. A lot of potential bang for the buck there.
> 
> Ugh, Matterhorn was on refurb when I was there. I wish they could have postponed it to maybe do, oh I don't know, I'll just pick something randomly, Small World instead. Just an example of course.
> 
> Score on the Indy FP. Looking forward to hearing how you liked it.
> 
> Isn't Pirates amazing???



I had a fantastic mini-trip.  Two castles in one summer.  

Even if one of those castles is itty-bitty.

Photopass at DL is quite a bargain (the PhotoConnect at US is such a deal, too)

So sorry you missed Matterhorn.  I was very pleased when the refurb was rescheduled this year.  

IJ will be coming up in the chapter after next.  

Pirates is absolutely amazing!  






jenseib said:


> Mines a quickie too.  And I am not really touring the parks either...but a getaway is still nice...even if I am sitting in a meeting most of the day tomorrow.



Hope you had a spectacular time!  A bad meeting at Disney is better than a good day at home!






catho72 said:


> I'm finally here!  Oh my gosh!  I love your pictures!  After you posted your room pics I said to myself, "hey!  What about the view?!?!"  Silly me, they were in the next post.  That view is magnificent!  I spy a modified Hidden Mickey in one of them.  I haven't been to DL since 1988 and can't wait to see the rest of your DL pics.  And your Hawaii pics too!!!
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards





Did you lose faith in me???  Keeper of the View Threads???

I can't begin to tell you how interesting and entertaining that view was!

I spied a Hidden Mickey firework.  Am I missing one somewhere else?

Thanks for joining in! 






ddluvsdisney said:


> Oh how I miss the old FP!!!  I was looking forward to hearing about Indiana jones. It's a ride in DL right?
> Have you posted any pics from the DIS meet yet??
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards



Our last WDW trip (July 2013) and this one still used legacy FP.  A system we know and love.  

Yes, Indiana Jones is a ride-  coming up in a couple of chapters.  

None of the pictures of the meet are on my camera- hopefully will have some to post by early next week.  






KatMark said:


> Oh dear...what does this mean?



Sorry, too lazy to go back and recapture your quotes.

I will eventually have some pictures of the castle. 

Yes, Photopass is MUCH cheaper than Memory Maker (and even the former PP at WDW)

I was so relieved that we would be able to ride Matterhorn.

Pirates at DL is INCREDIBLE-  definitely lives up to the hype.  What is up with getting wet on Pirates at both parks now, though?

Awkward update coming right up!






tiggerfan77 said:


> Finally catching up on the DIS today! Whew! Great first day in California so far. I love the Grand Californian lobby, it looks similar to the Wilderness Lodge. Is it smaller than their lobby? Also fantastic view from your balcony. It still kind of blows my mind at how close everything is at Disneyland and that you can see DD, Space Moutain all in one view. (WHAT?!!) Looking forward to seeing IJ since I've been curious about that ride myself.





I do know the two lobbies are very similar, but I have no idea about the size comparison.  I have never been in the WL lobby! 

The whole DL resort (theme parks/hotels/DTD) is very compact- and that is a great thing!

I'll have the update on IJ in a few days. 






glennbo123 said:


> Caught up Dee.  Lovin' the pictures of the Grand Californian...I forget, did you say that you had to waitlist it or you were able to get it at 7 months?



Neither-  it was a resort room, not DVC.  I'm not sure how popular GC is or how difficult it is to get a room using points.  

Sorry.





petals said:


> joining in. Luvin all the pics so far. GCH looks fab





Thanks!

We loved GCH!

:


----------



## natebenma

In my last update, I alluded to a big problem.

It was noon.  Our bodies thought it was 3 pm.  Our last meal had been breakfast sandwiches from Dunkin Donuts at the airport at 5 am.  

That’s 10 hours ago! 

We were ravenous! 

As we sailed on our Pirate ship, I pointed out that the Blue Bayou restaurant is right there.

We didn’t have a reservation.  As I mentioned, it was noon.  We decided to check it out, though.

And we were seated within 5 minutes!
























The waitress came by to take our drink order.  One Mint Julip, Louisiana Lemonade with souvenir glow cube (which we forgot to keep), Iced Tea and Coke. 






Ben, why so blue?






The assistant waiter, Quinn, came by to ask “Would you like some bread?” 
(Sourdough Dinner Roll and Sweet Potato Cheese Biscuit)


*“YES, PLEASE!!!”*


He brought it promptly and we inhaled it.  
















The lunch menu offers an entrée along with choice of Gumbo or salad.











2 of us ordered the gumbo and 2 of us had the salad.  Nate didn’t know which of the starters he would like, so Mark agreed to order one and Nate would get the other and they would change if necessary.  Nate/Ben had salad and Mark and I had the gumbo.  All good! 

Quinn came by again to refill our drinks and offered more bread before our entrees came out.  We all nodded our heads excitedly.  

At this point we started calling Quinn a superstar.  

For entrees, Ben and I both got the Jambalaya.  Nate got the Beef Strip Loin and Mark had the Flat Iron Steak.



















The steaks were very good.  The jambalaya was tasty, but very filling and extremely spicy.  Heat doesn’t usually bother me, but it was too much for me and way too much for Ben.  Plus, we were really full from the two bread services.

Throughout our meal, Quinn blew us away with his excellent service.  He kept our drinks filled and cleared plates as soon as we were done with them.  We were so impressed that we wanted to say something to the manager when she stopped by, but our waitress was there at the same time and we didn’t want to say something in front of her.

Later, though, the manager was coming through the room.  She took a picture of the family at the table next to us, and I asked her if she would mind taking a picture of us







After she took the photo, I told her that we wanted to let her know that we had received excellent, attentive service from Quinn.  The manager then started gushing about him.  

“Thank you for saying something.  Quinn has been with us for a long time, he is really good.  I went to school with Quinn.  I’m glad you got excellent service from Quinn….”  

She went on for quite awhile, and unfortunately our waitress came up behind her to drop off the check and overhead the manager’s comments.

*AWKWARD!*

She dropped off the check, and Mark and the boys were so embarrassed that they abandoned me at the table to deal with the bill, and left the restaurant.

I filled out the charge slip ($168 plus tip, a $200 lunch with a side of humiliation)

When the waitress came back with my Disney Rewards Card (this meal made quite a dent in the $350 credit I had), I got up to leave and she stopped me to ask 

“So how was my service?”

I’m glad it was dark in there because I’m sure my face turned 10 shades of red.  

I told her the service was great and we really appreciated everything she did.  

And I got out of there as soon as I could!


*Next up: Getting to Know You: More Fun at DL*


----------



## ddluvsdisney

OMG I can't believe she asked that!!! That was awkward 
I love jambalaya! Not many restaurants have it, but I get it at the Cheesecake Factory...yum!! I never could've waited that long to eat.


----------



## glennbo123

natebenma said:


> Neither-  it was a resort room, not DVC.  I'm not sure how popular GC is or how difficult it is to get a room using points.
> 
> Sorry.



Ohhh, that makes sense.  They appear to be pretty difficult to get at 7 months.  Even though we cancelled our big plans to hit DL and Aulani, I still looked at the availability when the 7-month mark came just to see if I would've been able to get what I wanted.  Aulani was open, but the Grand Californian had nothing available, so I don't know what I would've done.

Your lunch at Blue Bayou looked really good.  I'll bet you were starved!  And I can imagine inhaling that bread.

Oh wow, awkward isn't the word.  You knew it was bad, and then the waitress asked about _her_ service.  Yowza.  Well, you know the saying, "no good deed goes unpunished".


----------



## saintstickets

natebenma said:


> After she took the photo, I told her that we wanted to let her know that we had received excellent, attentive service from Quinn.  The manager then started gushing about him.
> 
> Thank you for saying something.  Quinn has been with us for a long time, he is really good.  I went to school with Quinn.  Im glad you got excellent service from Quinn.
> 
> She went on for quite awhile, and unfortunately our waitress came up behind her to drop off the check and overhead the managers comments.
> 
> *AWKWARD!*
> 
> She dropped off the check, and Mark and the boys were so embarrassed that they abandoned me at the table to deal with the bill, and left the restaurant.
> 
> I filled out the charge slip ($168 plus tip, a $200 lunch with a side of humiliation)
> 
> When the waitress came back with my Disney Rewards Card (this meal made quite a dent in the $350 credit I had), I got up to leave and she stopped me to ask
> 
> So how was my service?
> 
> Im glad it was dark in there because Im sure my face turned 10 shades of red.
> 
> I told her the service was great and we really appreciated everything she did.
> 
> And I got out of there as soon as I could!


I might have had to tell her, "If you have to ask...." and then just walk out.  Forced awkward situations like that don't bring out the best in me!  Anything else and my genteel Southern upbringing is in play but not when you put me on the spot!  You handled it much better!


----------



## whoever

Kind of surprised they were doing flash photos in the restaurant.


----------



## dtr_angel

wow that's great you were seated so quickly without a reservation. Is that the restaurant that overlooks Pirates? The food looked really yummy, but I guess for $200 it should be, haha. 

wow, super awkward! I would've ran out of there fast too.


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> OMG I can't believe she asked that!!! That was awkward
> I love jambalaya! Not many restaurants have it, but I get it at the Cheesecake Factory...yum!! I never could've waited that long to eat.


 
It was an uncomfortable moment! 

I am trying to think of other places that have Jambalya...  Bubba Gumps?

The flavors were good, but the spice was overpowering.  

I don't usually do very well without eating on a frequent schedule.  The excitement of arriving at Disneyland helped, but we were hurtin' puppies by the time we sat down to eat. 






glennbo123 said:


> Ohhh, that makes sense.  They appear to be pretty difficult to get at 7 months.  Even though we cancelled our big plans to hit DL and Aulani, I still looked at the availability when the 7-month mark came just to see if I would've been able to get what I wanted.  Aulani was open, but the Grand Californian had nothing available, so I don't know what I would've done.
> 
> Your lunch at Blue Bayou looked really good.  I'll bet you were starved!  And I can imagine inhaling that bread.
> 
> Oh wow, awkward isn't the word.  You knew it was bad, and then the waitress asked about _her_ service.  Yowza.  Well, you know the saying, "no good deed goes unpunished".



I highly recommend the GCH if you can get it!  As much as we loved the view from our room, I have seen pictures of some of the views from the villas...  WOWSA! 

We did our best to say something to the manager when the waitress was not around, and we would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids... I mean the manager gushing about Quinn.  Could you say his name a few more times and louder?  I don't think Jack Sparrow heard you.






saintstickets said:


> I might have had to tell her, "If you have to ask...." and then just walk out.  Forced awkward situations like that don't bring out the best in me!  Anything else and my genteel Southern upbringing is in play but not when you put me on the spot!  You handled it much better!



Honestly, her service was fine.  Good, not great.

But Quinn literally saved our lives.  WE WERE STARVING TO DEATH!!!

That deserved a shoutout!






whoever said:


> Kind of surprised they were doing flash photos in the restaurant.





Good point-  I didn't think of that.  We were at the very back of the restaurant and wouldn't even have known the Pirates ride was right there if we hadn't known.  We couldn't see it.  I wonder if they ask diners closer to ride to refrain from flash pictures-  I get that.  






dtr_angel said:


> wow that's great you were seated so quickly without a reservation. Is that the restaurant that overlooks Pirates? The food looked really yummy, but I guess for $200 it should be, haha.
> 
> wow, super awkward! I would've ran out of there fast too.



Yes, the restaurant overlooks Pirates, but we couldn't really see anything from where we were seated.  

It was fortunate that we were seated so soon.  Not sure what we would have done if it had been a 30-45 minute wait.  There is a nearby, similar restaurant Café Orleans, and I probably would have suggested that.  Would have been much less expensive.  

That may be the most we have ever paid for a lunch, anywhere! 

$$$


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

That restaurant looks gorgeous Dee and the food looks scrumptious
Love the photo of you all but EEK on the waitress moment! I would have totally reddened at her asking too Funny I can always think og good things to say about an hour after I need them


----------



## Wood Nymph

Was it hard to match your hunger times with the local meal times? Between the early wake up for your flight and the time change, I'm not surprised that you were starving.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

WOW. you not only got into Blue Bayou with no reservation but seated in 5 minutes? Clearly they knew what was up.

Hahahaha, I could see where we were headed here (excellent foreshadowing by the way.) That would be awkward, but at the same time, your heart was totally in the right place so you should feel good about that.

 OMG I would have DIED when the waitress asked that. I can't believe she asked that. Way to make an awkward situation WAY worse.


----------



## mickeystoontown

I read the next to the last update but forgot to post so I'll do that now and then read your latest.  

Every time I see the Disneyland castle, I think "it's so small compared to the Walt Disney World castle".    Looks like there are a few things that are different on the DL version of the Jungle Cruise.  Well, except for the backside of water.  You are right on that one, it looks the same. 

Dang, it I forgot what else I was about to say.  Guess I'll just stop and read your latest.


----------



## mickeystoontown

Wow, I can't believe that you were able to get into the restaurant, sans a reservation, at lunch time.    The breads look really really good but what the heck is up with a square biscuit?  Biscuits are round.  You'd never see anybody in Louisiana making square biscuits.   

Everything that you guys ordered looked really really good.  It's too bad that the jambalaya was a little on the "too spicy" side.  We live in the land of spicy food but I still hate it when we order something that's too spicy.  It kinda ruins the whole dish for you.  

So, the guys abandoned you just like that?  Where's their loyalty to the wife and mom?


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee - Love the Blue Bayou theming and your meals look delicious. Way to start a trip. 

Oops about the server, but you handled it well and the darkness played to your favor. 

Rebecca


----------



## jmskinner

As usual, I am playing catch up.  Your quick trip sounds fun, but I know I would be exhausted.

Loving the pics from DL.  That few down Mainstreet is so different since the castle isn't as tall.

I want to see the Piranha's!  Really got to get out to DL sometime.

And that sounds like my luck with the waitress...and sounds like my DH to run away and leave me to face her.

Food looked good!


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> That restaurant looks gorgeous Dee and the food looks scrumptious
> Love the photo of you all but EEK on the waitress moment! I would have totally reddened at her asking too Funny I can always think og good things to say about an hour after I need them



The restaurant was beautiful, but dark.  I don't really like eating in the dark.  The big appeal for the restaurant is the location-  in the Pirates ride- but we didn't really experience that since we were so far in the back.

The reviews I had read beforehand were pretty spot-on  "Everyone feels it is a must do-  food is ok, but overpriced"

We were honestly trying to compliment Quinn and not slight our waitress.  Best laid plans...






Wood Nymph said:


> Was it hard to match your hunger times with the local meal times? Between the early wake up for your flight and the time change, I'm not surprised that you were starving.



We adjusted to the time changes for meals and sleep pretty well.  Much better than I imagined we would.  I think we had most of our bigger meals at lunchtime, perhaps a little later than noon, but that is a habit we are into at home, as well.  

We did fine in Hawaii, too.

So.Very.Hungry!  






DisneyKid4Life said:


> WOW. you not only got into Blue Bayou with no reservation but seated in 5 minutes? Clearly they knew what was up.



And that was the moment we knew we were not in WDW anymore! 

Should we try this approach at Be Our Guest?!






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hahahaha, I could see where we were headed here (excellent foreshadowing by the way.) That would be awkward, but at the same time, your heart was totally in the right place so you should feel good about that.
> 
> OMG I would have DIED when the waitress asked that. I can't believe she asked that. Way to make an awkward situation WAY worse.



It was BAD!!! 






mickeystoontown said:


> I read the next to the last update but forgot to post so I'll do that now and then read your latest.
> 
> Every time I see the Disneyland castle, I think "it's so small compared to the Walt Disney World castle".    Looks like there are a few things that are different on the DL version of the Jungle Cruise.  Well, except for the backside of water.  You are right on that one, it looks the same.
> 
> Dang, it I forgot what else I was about to say.  Guess I'll just stop and read your latest.



It is a small castle, but pretty.  

We enjoyed going on the rides and comparing what was the same and what was different.  






mickeystoontown said:


> Wow, I can't believe that you were able to get into the restaurant, sans a reservation, at lunch time.    The breads look really really good but what the heck is up with a square biscuit?  Biscuits are round.  You'd never see anybody in Louisiana making square biscuits.
> 
> Everything that you guys ordered looked really really good.  It's too bad that the jambalaya was a little on the "too spicy" side.  We live in the land of spicy food but I still hate it when we order something that's too spicy.  It kinda ruins the whole dish for you.
> 
> So, the guys abandoned you just like that?  Where's their loyalty to the wife and mom?



People kept telling me not to worry about advanced reservations at Disneyland restaurants- that dining is totally different there-  and it is.

You will just have to pay them a visit and set them straight about the biscuits!!!

There can be a delicate balance between a properly spicy dish and one that is so spicy that it detracts from the meal.  Some bread would help cool down our mouths, but I'm not eating one of those square biscuits!

Totally abandoned in a flash!!! That's ok.  I got them back-  I left them alone last week for a trip to Disney.  






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee - Love the Blue Bayou theming and your meals look delicious. Way to start a trip.
> 
> Oops about the server, but you handled it well and the darkness played to your favor.
> 
> Rebecca



It certainly was a memorable start!  

The food was good, but I think if I had ordered the Jambalaya and Ben had gotten something else, and we split, it would have worked out much better.  The salad and gumbo were both excellent, but you can't come in and order just that.  You have to get the whole meal.  

I don't think I did anything embarrassing when we were out together last week.  Except maybe ordering a drink no longer on the menu.  And getting two breakfast entrees.  Oh, and singing my order for a Pina Colava.  Other than that, though!

At least I didn't bring my own takeout containers! 






jmskinner said:


> As usual, I am playing catch up.  Your quick trip sounds fun, but I know I would be exhausted.
> 
> Loving the pics from DL.  That few down Mainstreet is so different since the castle isn't as tall.
> 
> I want to see the Piranha's!  Really got to get out to DL sometime.
> 
> And that sounds like my luck with the waitress...and sounds like my DH to run away and leave me to face her.
> 
> Food looked good!



My quickie trip was so wonderful- lots of laughs!  

Definitely a different Main Street vibe-  the buildings had the same feel, but it was definitely not as dramatic as WDW.

I loved the piranha effect. 

No backup whatsoever from my family in the restaurant!


----------



## MickeyT

Ok. Just re-read your thread while listening to DL Dis review from last year. I am DL pumped. Fly out at 7am tomorrow.


----------



## natebenma

MickeyT said:


> Ok. Just re-read your thread while listening to DL Dis review from last year. I am DL pumped. Fly out at 7am tomorrow.



Safe travels, my friend!  Sorry I didn't get further on this report before your trip.  I'll post my next DL update today, but it may be too late for you.

HAVE A FANTASTIC TIME!!!


----------



## KatMark

I am drooling over that sourdough dinner roll right now!

Even if I wasn't starving having not eaten for hours, I'd be wanting lots of those.

Sorry about your awkward moment. That was very sweet of you to tell the manager about Quinn, but an oops that your waitress overheard. I'm a little surprised she had the nerve to ask you.


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> I am drooling over that sourdough dinner roll right now!
> 
> Even if I wasn't starving having not eaten for hours, I'd be wanting lots of those.
> 
> Sorry about your awkward moment. That was very sweet of you to tell the manager about Quinn, but an oops that your waitress overheard. I'm a little surprised she had the nerve to ask you.



The rolls were fantastic!  Too good.  We filled up on bread and did not end up finishing our meals.  

I never expected her to say something, I was just trying to leave as quickly and gracefully as possible...


----------



## elphie101

Yay in park!! I love that you went straight for Adventureland, it feels proper to me.

Pirates in DL gets  - it's amazing!! 

Blue Bayou looks delicious; we didn't do any TS meals during our trip so I'm living vicariously through yours. Although talk about a seriously awkward interaction!  If you ask me your waitress should just take that as a sign that she needs to step up her game! I would've bolted right on out of there.


----------



## natebenma

elphie101 said:


> Yay in park!! I love that you went straight for Adventureland, it feels proper to me.
> 
> Pirates in DL gets  - it's amazing!!
> 
> Blue Bayou looks delicious; we didn't do any TS meals during our trip so I'm living vicariously through yours. Although talk about a seriously awkward interaction!  If you ask me your waitress should just take that as a sign that she needs to step up her game! I would've bolted right on out of there.



It was good to finally step foot in DL, where it all began! 

Pirates is soooooooooooo good! 

Blue Bayou was good, but a bit pricey.  The only other TS we did in DL was Carthay Circle, which was my favorite meal during our stay.

The waitresses service was ok- nothing we would complain about or rave about, but Quinn just rocked it!!! 

Oh my, so embarrassing- I wasn't quite quick enough on my escape, but at least my family made it out...


----------



## natebenma

Bellies full, it was time for more fun in Disneyland. 

You may recall that we had a FP for Indiana Jones for 1 pm to 2 pm, but since it was past 1:00, we were able to pull another.  We made the short walk along the Rivers of America from New Orleans Square over to Frontierland.

















I can row.  Canoe?











The line for Pirates is pretty long! 






Now, it was finally time to experience “Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye”

We had read and heard that this ride is a lot like Dinosaur in AK.  The ride mechanism it the same, but we found the ride to be much less jerky than Dinosaur.  The attraction also reminded me a lot of Mummy at Universal Studios, which may be my favorite all-time ride anywhere.  

I didn’t take any pictures while on the ride, but here are a few from the queue:















































I recommend checking it out- when you can.  We experienced quite a few incidences of the ride being down.

After the ride I tried to find the place where I could add on our ride photo to my Photopass card.  Maybe I missed it as we were exiting.    The dump shop for IJ is across the path from the exit, so I went there to ask.

The ride doesn’t have a ride photo.

What?!?

*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

We had a little time before it was time for our BTM FP, so we decided to check out Haunted Mansion.  

Wow!  The line went out past the courtyard gates, but it moved pretty quickly.  Maybe 10 minutes.  The ride was pretty similar to the WDW version, except for the exterior.  Oh, yeah, and the stretching room is a real elevator! 







































For a friend with a fixture fetish:






It was getting crowded!

We checked out the return time for Splash Mountain, but the return time was too late for us. 

Big Thunder is my favorite ride in all of WDW, so I was excited to check out the version in California.  

The verdict.  Loved it!!! 

I don’t know that I prefer it to the one in Florida, but there are some different, fun scenes, and I liked the close-up critters (goat, tortoises, rattlesnake)































































*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

Finally, it was time to experience the Matterhorn.




















































Here we go!!!















It's no Everest, but it is a fun ride.  I didn’t experience the bumpiness others have complained about.  I can’t remember which track we were on.  The boys rode this again later in the trip, but I think this was the only opportunity I had.  The line was just too long during our other visits, and I never quite figured out how the Single Rider line worked at this attraction.


We started to make our way out of the park through Tomorrowland, figuring we would do whatever caught our fancy.

We got into line for Space Mountain.  It was a little strange because you go into a building, up a ramp and then you are outside, up a story from ground-level.  It was pretty hot out in the sun before we got to the covered area.  We were in a line that was barely moving when the dreaded announcement came over the speaker.  The ride was experiencing delays, they did not know how long it would be before starting up again.  So we bailed. 











Fortunately, the ride for Buzz Lightyear was only 5 minutes, so we did that.  

The ride is pretty much the same as in WDW, except that you can remove the laser guns from the holster.  































Again, no ride photo available here.



*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

When we exited Buzz Lightyear, I looked across the plaza and saw Jack Sparrow!





With a shopping bag


It looked like he was distributing pins to Cast Members, at the gift shop where I originally spotted him and then at the hub. 







I couldn’t figure out if he was a guest or a CM.  I know in WDW guests are only permitted to dress as characters during special events.  But I also know that CMs at WDW are only allowed to be in character in the lands where they belong.  Jack Sparrow would be restricted to New Orleans Square so he wouldn’t be spotted in Tomorrowland.  But I’m guessing that isn’t a restriction in DL.


We had one more important thing to do before we left, and it would turn out to have the longest line we experienced that day:

The dreaded *Dole Whip Queue* 







This line was about 15-20 minutes long, but was necessary as Nate decided he would need a Dole-Whip-A-Day.

While he and Mark were in line, Ben and I had a mission.  As part of our AAA travel package, we were entitled to a free pin and lanyard, and one of the places I could pick it up was a pin-trading place in nearby Frontierland.  I handed my coupon to the person behind the counter and he asked how many in my party.  

“Four” 

So he gave me 4 packages with a pin and lanyard.  

Here is a picture of one of the packages.  All of the pins were Donald and Daisy Disneyland.  I traded for one Mickey and Minnie Disneyland and will hopefully trade the other D&D pin for another Disneyland one someday.  
Wait, that's only 3











When we met back up with Mark and Nate (still in line), they were talking to the man in line ahead of them.  He had a young daughter in a stroller and I think the rest of the family was off riding something.  Turns out that he was a NE Patriot’s fan so we talked football for a bit.  I offered him one of our pin/lanyard sets since we really didn't need all of them.  Spreading a little magic.








Finally, it was our turn to order!












Shhhh!  Don't tell him, but I got Nate a Dole Whip air freshener for his Christmas stocking






BTW- we were told by a CM at the counter that you can get waited on much quicker if you go through the turnstiles of the Tiki Room and order your Dole Whip there.  We ended up using this tip later in the trip.  






According to the time on the train station clock, it was 4:15.




This is the same picture I posted earlier in the report


We had a pretty darn good start for our arrival day at DL.  

Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Blue Bayou, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain, Matterhorn, Buzz Lightyear and a Dole Whip.  

And the day ain’t over yet! 

A text had come in at 2:49 pm with our room number
Mark was right, they really did contact us!

We made our way to DTD to return to our room to settle and maybe spend a moment or two at the pool before figuring out what we were going to do for the rest of our evening. 

As we were leaving, we were greeted by a parade of girls in matching dresses.  There would be a group of about 40-50 girls in the same color, then there would be a grouping in a different color.  There were at least 10 groups.  It was quite a sea of girls.  






















We were glad we were headed in the opposite direction!!!




*Next up: Pool break and White Water Snacks 


.*


----------



## ProudMommyof2

Great 1st day!

Did you ever find out what the group of girls was about?


----------



## Wood Nymph

I didn't know that the Matterhorn at DL was a bobsled ride. I always assumed it was like the Skyway at WDW. 

I love the Haunted Mansion exterior at DL, although the one at WDW looks more haunted.


----------



## teekathepony

I'm catching up and going back an update. Glad you got a seat at Blue Bayou so easily! I'm a terrible spice wimp (seriously, I don't even use pepper!) so I'm sure I would have run screaming from the spicy jambalaya.
Quinn sounds great and I'm so glad you said something to the manager about that. That waitress however, now that's a rude thing to come right out and ask, imo! Just because you complimented someone else doesn't mean you didn't also compliment her earlier, she doesn't know.  

Now I'm on the most recent post. 

Indiana Jones sounds so fun!! I also love Dinosaur AND The Mummy ride so that would be right up my alley.

The DL haunted mansion looks so pretty outside! More like the one in Paris. Love it!

What's with all the girls in the different coloured dresses?? Haha that's quite the sight! 

What an awesome day at DL! I love reading all about Walt's first park. So similar and yet so different.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Yes I absolutely agree. Indy is a cross between Dino and Mummy. And Yeah, before Manta, The Mummy was my fav Orlando ride. 

Still bummed I never got to ride the Matterhorn. Not so much for the ride itself, but I remember seeing all those photos of Walt himself riding it so I really wanted to ride for just that reason.

And for what it's worth, I found the single rider function everywhere in Dland to be confusing. I seem to remember having to get some ticket from the CM  or something?

Hmmmm, that Jack Sparrow ting is actually quite weird. I'm guessing it's a guest and maybe the hat/hair is sold there?


----------



## petals

Thanks for the tip re dole whip queue  I need to try one of these beauties on this trip... I loled at the groups of girls walking in.


----------



## mickeystoontown

First off, lovin' the purple fingernail polish!  I have a purple polish but it's darker than that and after seeing your's, I think that I *need* that shade. 

It's so very interesting to read your comparisons of the rides at DL and the ones at WDW.  The one glaring thing that I notice from your pictures is the lack of covering/shades in the queues.  Am I seeing that correctly?

Too bad you guys didn't know about the alternate line for the Dole Whips until it was too late.   At least you could take advantage of it later in the trip.


----------



## KatMark

Mega update, indeed.

You sure got a lot done. 

Seems you worked on that selfie before you got to DW. 

Tell me more about Matterhorn. You said it is not Everest, but fun. I cannot do Everest anymore (as I pointed out in my TR). Would I like Matterhorn?

I have to admit I do not like Dole Whips, but great tip for those going to DL for getting into a shorter line.

Congrats, I think, on Nate's driver's permit.


----------



## natebenma

ProudMommyof2 said:


> Great 1st day!
> 
> Did you ever find out what the group of girls was about?



It was an awesome start!

We never did find out who the girls were and we didn't see them again.






Wood Nymph said:


> I didn't know that the Matterhorn at DL was a bobsled ride. I always assumed it was like the Skyway at WDW.
> 
> I love the Haunted Mansion exterior at DL, although the one at WDW looks more haunted.



Yes, it's a bobsled coaster.  Not a very extreme one, though.

I like the look of the HM building at DL too.  Definitely a Southern vibe.  The inside of the rides is pretty much the same, though.  Things are just in a different order, I think.






teekathepony said:


> I'm catching up and going back an update. Glad you got a seat at Blue Bayou so easily! I'm a terrible spice wimp (seriously, I don't even use pepper!) so I'm sure I would have run screaming from the spicy jambalaya.
> Quinn sounds great and I'm so glad you said something to the manager about that. That waitress however, now that's a rude thing to come right out and ask, imo! Just because you complimented someone else doesn't mean you didn't also compliment her earlier, she doesn't know.
> 
> Now I'm on the most recent post.
> 
> Indiana Jones sounds so fun!! I also love Dinosaur AND The Mummy ride so that would be right up my alley.
> 
> The DL haunted mansion looks so pretty outside! More like the one in Paris. Love it!
> 
> What's with all the girls in the different coloured dresses?? Haha that's quite the sight!
> 
> What an awesome day at DL! I love reading all about Walt's first park. So similar and yet so different.



Blue Bayou would probably not be the best place for you.  

The waitress certainly made what was an uncomfortable situation so much worse. 

We had a really great day, and it was fun comparing the similarities and difference between WDW and DL.  One of the really weird things is where certain attractions are located.  Not in the same places in the two different resorts.

I couldn't believe when we saw all those girls parading by.  It was like an endless stream.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Yes I absolutely agree. Indy is a cross between Dino and Mummy. And Yeah, before Manta, The Mummy was my fav Orlando ride.
> 
> Still bummed I never got to ride the Matterhorn. Not so much for the ride itself, but I remember seeing all those photos of Walt himself riding it so I really wanted to ride for just that reason.
> 
> And for what it's worth, I found the single rider function everywhere in Dland to be confusing. I seem to remember having to get some ticket from the CM  or something?
> 
> Hmmmm, that Jack Sparrow ting is actually quite weird. I'm guessing it's a guest and maybe the hat/hair is sold there?



I was so happy at the similarities between IJ and Mummy.  

The Matterhorn is the one thing I slightly remember from my one and only day at DL back when I was in high school.  It isn't the most thrilling of rides, but it is certainly worth doing.  I wish I had gone more than once.  

You're right- for Grizzly River Run single rider, I got a ticket that I gave to the CMs.  I don't think we needed anything for Radiator Springs Racers, though. Ben says for California Screamin' they gave him a purple ticket, he went up an elevator, across the bridge, down an elevator and then in a special queue.  So, yes, Single Rider was a bit of a production.

Still don't know about Jack Sparrow.  It seemed like he worked there, the way he was interacting with the CMs in different areas of the park.


----------



## JanetMom

Life got away from me this week, so I'm just getting caught up on this now.

Your Blue Bayou meal looked great. I wish WDW had a bit of a New Orleans section somewhere in the parks (not just at POFQ). 

Love seeing all your DL pictures. HM is our family's favourite ride so I'd love to go to DL to see that different exterior. It looks so nice to me.





natebenma said:


> I don't think I did anything embarrassing when we were out together last week.  Except maybe ordering a drink no longer on the menu.  And getting two breakfast entrees.  Oh, and singing my order for a Pina Colava.  Other than that, though!
> 
> At least I didn't bring my own takeout containers!



 

Loved talking with you about things like takeout containers. During our discussions I never confessed that before we even went to WDW I had put a special Ziploc bag (just sandwich sized, not garbage bag sized) in my purse in case I needed to rescue a pretzel roll during our trip. My husband was quite wide-eyed when I pulled the bag out seriously at the Biergarten. I figure it is difficult to find the right  souvenir to bring home to a 17-yr old boy. I thought he'd like the pretzel roll (which may not have been quite fresh enough by the time it made it to Canada.)

Oh, and I don't know too many people who would order two breakfast entrees, just for "research".


----------



## MEK

You are quite the boss with the pictures!  

HM - LOVE!

BTMMR - Love!

Indian Jones - COOL!  Great queue.  

Matterhorn - LOVE!  

Did I miss anything?

Oh yeah - cool for the detachable guns on Buzz and boo for the ride being down at Space.

Love your pins!  

Those girls are TOO cute!  

Yay for the room being ready!


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee -
Wow, Wow & Wow.  You sure did do a lot on your first day.  I really love Indiana Jones ride.  We haven't visited DL since summer 2000, but Connor really liked this ride (and just was tall enough above that Cobra height measurement to get on), but he is not a fan of Dinosaur.  Really wish they had Indiana Jones ride in WDW.

 on the canoe joke!

Nice way to spread some magic with the lanyard sharing. 

Rebecca


----------



## JMBB216

Joining in. Loving all your photos.


----------



## jenseib

My first thought on the Mummy last weekend was how it reminded me of Indy and DL...I had ridden it a few years ago, but it clicked this weekend with me. 

I can't even believe that waitress asked that.  Nothing like putting you on the spot and kind of rude on her part.
Glad you were able to get a walk in there. I do like that part about DL....walk ups are much easier.


----------



## glennbo123

Wait...the stretching room is an elevator?!



I'd really like to try out Indiana Jones and the Matterhorn.  Hafta get there someday.

Whoa, you can disconnect the laser guns on Buzz?  That would be much better!


----------



## natebenma

petals said:


> Thanks for the tip re dole whip queue  I need to try one of these beauties on this trip... I loled at the groups of girls walking in.



Glad you liked the tip. One of my friends who is in DL this weekend for the half-marathon used the Tiki Room line to get a Dole Whip.  Have you not tried a Dole Whip yet?  So yummy and refreshing! 

We couldn't believe how many girls there were.  It was a never-ending line.  






mickeystoontown said:


> First off, lovin' the purple fingernail polish!  I have a purple polish but it's darker than that and after seeing your's, I think that I *need* that shade.
> 
> It's so very interesting to read your comparisons of the rides at DL and the ones at WDW.  The one glaring thing that I notice from your pictures is the lack of covering/shades in the queues.  Am I seeing that correctly?
> 
> Too bad you guys didn't know about the alternate line for the Dole Whips until it was too late.   At least you could take advantage of it later in the trip.



I'm glad you like the nail polish color.  This was only like my third manicure ever.  I don't like reds and I'm picky about pinks, so I decided to go a little bold with purple.  

You are correct about the lack of coverings.  I don't know if it is because the park is older, and rides Space Mountain and Pirates have been there since the beginning.   Or maybe it is because the weather in Southern California is much better than Florida- not as hot/humid and definitely not as rainy.  

We had Dole Whips every day, so the tip did eventually come in handy.






KatMark said:


> Mega update, indeed.
> 
> You sure got a lot done.
> 
> Seems you worked on that selfie before you got to DW.
> 
> Tell me more about Matterhorn. You said it is not Everest, but fun. I cannot do Everest anymore (as I pointed out in my TR). Would I like Matterhorn?
> 
> I have to admit I do not like Dole Whips, but great tip for those going to DL for getting into a shorter line.
> 
> Congrats, I think, on Nate's driver's permit.



Knowing Disney World so well helped us to navigate the parks at DL.  

Yes, I started my selfie practice in DW.  Some were more successful than others.  

The Matterhorn is similar to Everest in that it is a rollercoaster type ride through a mountain haunted by a beast.  It does not go backwards and it is not nearly as intense as Everest, but it is a pretty rough and bumpy ride.  

I'm not sure that you would love it. 

Thanks for the good wishes on Nate's permit.  He went out driving with Mark for the first time this morning.


----------



## natebenma

JanetMom said:


> Life got away from me this week, so I'm just getting caught up on this now.
> 
> Your Blue Bayou meal looked great. I wish WDW had a bit of a New Orleans section somewhere in the parks (not just at POFQ).
> 
> Love seeing all your DL pictures. HM is our family's favourite ride so I'd love to go to DL to see that different exterior. It looks so nice to me.
> 
> 
> 
> Loved talking with you about things like takeout containers. During our discussions I never confessed that before we even went to WDW I had put a special Ziploc bag (just sandwich sized, not garbage bag sized) in my purse in case I needed to rescue a pretzel roll during our trip. My husband was quite wide-eyed when I pulled the bag out seriously at the Biergarten. I figure it is difficult to find the right  souvenir to bring home to a 17-yr old boy. I thought he'd like the pretzel roll (which may not have been quite fresh enough by the time it made it to Canada.)
> 
> Oh, and I don't know too many people who would order two breakfast entrees, just for "research".



A busy week, indeed!

Disneyland has a few New Orleans dining options.  In addition to Blue Bayou, there is a counter service, Café Orleans right next door and the Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney.  

Nice job planning ahead for your trip to Biergarten!  

It's a difficult responsibility having to report back to the FAQ followers.  If it means I have to order two breakfasts, then that's the way it has to be!






MEK said:


> You are quite the boss with the pictures!
> 
> HM - LOVE!
> 
> BTMMR - Love!
> 
> Indian Jones - COOL!  Great queue.
> 
> Matterhorn - LOVE!
> 
> Did I miss anything?
> 
> Oh yeah - cool for the detachable guns on Buzz and boo for the ride being down at Space.
> 
> Love your pins!
> 
> Those girls are TOO cute!
> 
> Yay for the room being ready!



Thanks so much for the comments about the rides and photos.  I took just a few...  

I would love to trade one more pin for another similar one in the DL series.  

The detachable laser gun at Buzz is great, but I still had a crappy score! 

I'll try to give as much info as I can about the rides for anyone who might be planning a trip out that way.






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee -
> Wow, Wow & Wow.  You sure did do a lot on your first day.  I really love Indiana Jones ride.  We haven't visited DL since summer 2000, but Connor really liked this ride (and just was tall enough above that Cobra height measurement to get on), but he is not a fan of Dinosaur.  Really wish they had Indiana Jones ride in WDW.
> 
> on the canoe joke!
> 
> Nice way to spread some magic with the lanyard sharing.
> 
> Rebecca



That is the way we roll at Disney- whether it is a land or world:  true commando! 

The IJ ride was a lot of fun-  yes, it would be a nice addition somewhere in HS, especially if they close down the IJ show.  

Glad you appreciated the joke- thought I would float it out there.  I was shore someone would like it.  Oar not.  

The boys did some pin trading a few years ago, and I really don't do much.  I bring along a trader or two and I have scored a Yacht Club pin by trading a couple of years ago.  I was only expecting to get one set with a pin, so getting 4 was a bonus.  Allowed me to trade and also to give one set away.  I wanted to give away another set, on the last day of our trip, but the circumstances I was hoping for didn't happen.  






JMBB216 said:


> Joining in. Loving all your photos.



 and thanks so much!!!

More pictures coming! 






jenseib said:


> My first thought on the Mummy last weekend was how it reminded me of Indy and DL...I had ridden it a few years ago, but it clicked this weekend with me.
> 
> I can't even believe that waitress asked that.  Nothing like putting you on the spot and kind of rude on her part.
> Glad you were able to get a walk in there. I do like that part about DL....walk ups are much easier.



I just love the Mummy ride!  Indiana Jones was a nice imitation.  Although I don't know which came first. 

It was a really weird situation with the waitress and then it got even more uncomfortable when she asked about her service.

This was the only walk-up we tried, but it worked out. 






glennbo123 said:


> Wait...the stretching room is an elevator?!
> 
> 
> 
> I'd really like to try out Indiana Jones and the Matterhorn.  Hafta get there someday.
> 
> Whoa, you can disconnect the laser guns on Buzz?  That would be much better!



That's what I hear.  

It was fun to try some different attractions.  

I hadn't thought about it before, but I guess the ability to detach the guns is just like the Men In Black ride at Universal.  With cute fluorescent aliens instead of dark, scary ones.


----------



## petals

natebenma said:


> Glad you liked the tip. One of my friends who is in DL this weekend for the half-marathon used the Tiki Room line to get a Dole Whip.  Have you not tried a Dole Whip yet?  So yummy and refreshing!
> 
> We couldn't believe how many girls there were.  It was a never-ending line.



I had the ice cream on it's own but I want the float 

I was in WDW with a group of dancers before. I often wonder if people had mini heart attacks when they saw our group arriving all at once


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee- I knew I forgot to mention something....the goat!

Rebecca


----------



## natebenma

petals said:


> I had the ice cream on it's own but I want the float
> 
> I was in WDW with a group of dancers before. I often wonder if people had mini heart attacks when they saw our group arriving all at once



They are both delish! 

The thing that was striking to me was all of the matching costumes- similar but different patterns and colors.

I have a story about a group of students striking terror into the hearts of fellow travelers.  Every year, the 8th grade in our middle school has an end of year trip to Disney World (pretty cool, huh?)

We have two different Jet Blue flights.  One for the boys and one for the girls.  I guess last year, when other passengers got to the gate and saw the large group of boys, they all changed to the next flight that day.

And ended up on a plane with teenaged girls!






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee- I knew I forgot to mention something....the goat!
> 
> Rebecca



Oh, gosh!  Was I telling goat stories in public again?


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

You really got a lot done on day 1 
I have to confess I have never had a dole whip ever!!
I always mean to but then I get distracted by Mickey bars and well I'm a goner 
Jack Sparrow person was a bit weird/strange 
Would love to have known what all the girls were about-very pretty dresses. Like you I'd have been delighted to be headed in the opposite direction all the same


----------



## JanetMom

natebenma said:


> AGlad you appreciated the joke- thought I would float it out there.  I was sure someone would like it.  Oar not.


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> You really got a lot done on day 1
> I have to confess I have never had a dole whip ever!!
> I always mean to but then I get distracted by Mickey bars and well I'm a goner
> Jack Sparrow person was a bit weird/strange
> Would love to have known what all the girls were about-very pretty dresses. Like you I'd have been delighted to be headed in the opposite direction all the same



We had an awesome day 1, and day ain't over yet-  I'm working on my post for the rest of the day- pool time and a visit to California Adventure.  And of course, the bleary-eyed fireworks display.



Do you like the flavor of pineapple?  Dole Whips/Floats are very refreshing, but I won't turn my nose up at a Mickey Bar, either! 

I still honestly don't know if Jack Sparrow was a CM or guest.  Based on the behavior I observed, I would say CM, but the shopping bag he is holding throws me off.

Cute girls and they were headed in the right direction.  Away from us.






JanetMom said:


>



Oo-Oo.  I edited the post

"I can row.  Canoe?"

"Glad you appreciated the joke- thought I would float it out there.  I was *shore* someone would like it.  Oar not."


----------



## natebenma

After our very busy introduction to Disneyland, we returned to the Grand Californian to check out our room.  Although I have already posted all of the pictures of the room, this is actually when we checked it out for the first time and we saw what an amazing view we had.  

We got settled in the room for a bit and then Ben, Mark and I went down to the pool.  My family rarely takes pool breaks on vacation, so I was very surprised when they wanted to go.  I think it was probably around 5 pm when we got to the pool area.  We found quite a few empty loungers in the shade at the back pool (not the nearby main pool)

Again, I have posted pictures of the pool in my update about the Grand Californian resort, but here are the ones I took that afternoon






































We got out of the pool and dried off.

Before we returned to the room, we popped into White Water Snacks, which is near the pool, to pick up some breakfast foods for the next few days- we would come back daily for more bananas, parfait and cereal.  

Single Serve cereal $2.49
Banana, $1.99
Half-gallon OJ, $6.49
Single Serve limeade, $4.29
Yogurt Parfait, $5.19
Package of 6 bagels, $2.69  
A single bagel was about as expensive as the whole pack, so this was a great way to go.  The person working the counter told us to take some cream cheese and jelly from the condiment area if we wanted it.

Total $24.26  (Disney Visa Rewards Card)

We returned to our room to put away our groceries.

Time, approx. 6:15 pm

We then made our way to the special Grand Californian entrance to California Adventure so we could check out the lay of the land there.  We didnt really plan on doing much for rides since we would be there first thing in the morning, but we wanted to get oriented to where everything was.

I forgot to mention that when we exited DL earlier in the day, we had to get our hand stamped if we were planning on returning there or going to CA.  Im still not sure I understand why that is necessary.  We had park-to-park tickets, and our pictures were taken and associated with the tickets that we used every time we entered a park, so I dont really get it.  

There was not much of a line at all to get into the park- a quick bag check and there we were at Grizzly River Run.














Closeup of Grizzly Peak.
Which is a Wolf?











Next we walked to the beautiful Paradise Pier area.  This is where you find California Screamin, Toy Story Mania, Mickeys Fun Wheel-of-Death, a boardwalk area and a few other rides/attractions. 































*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

Of course, one of the biggest attractions of California Adventure is Radiator Springs (Carsland).

I'm sure you have all seen the comments before.  

The theming of this area is A.MAZ.ING! 











































After getting a quick look at Radiator Springs, we cut through Bugsland to get to Hollywoodland:











































We entered the land of Condor Flats- where Soarin’ is located.  










The wait time said 20 minutes, which is unheard of for us east-coasters! We jumped into line. 

And almost immediately regretted it.  It had been a really long day for us, and in line in front of us was a group of tweens, I think 4 or 5 of them, no adult supervision and not well-behaved.  They were loud, their language was not appropriate for a family theme park and they wouldn’t stop climbing on and  playing with the iron queue dividers.  

We stuck it out and fortunately were separated from them when it came time to load into the preshow area.  

After Soarin’ Over California (in California Adventure) (in California), we were done! 

We headed back into Grizzly Peak.  

Ben and I returned to the room, but Mark and Nate went across the street to Naples in Downtown Disney to get a pizza ($28.00) and a couple of drinks.





picture taken earlier in the day




Margharita, no basil


Time, approx. 8:30 pm (11:30 according to our body clocks)

We demolished the pizza, Mark and the boys went to bed and I went out on the balcony to wait to see if I could see the fireworks from Disneyland.  

From this previous post:   The View! 







Mission Accomplished!

It was quite a day and tomorrow would be an early one-  California Adventure opens at 7 am and we plan to be there for rope drop! 

*Next Up:  RSR and Birth of Another Coaster Junkie*

.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I bet being walking distance from the parks helps make pool time a lot less of a "time waster" if you can call it that. Such an added convenience.

OMG yes, the hand stamp. Such a throwback in this age of Magic Bands. I can't remember if I ever actually had to show it or not, but I sure do remember being completely thrown by it.

I LOVED Paradise Pier. Just the open-ness about it was so different and unlike anything else at a Disney park. Of course being home to California Screamin' doesn't hurt.

Still bummed I missed Radiator Springs by a few months. Such an amazing job Imagineers.

That was definitely a big difference I noticed in Disneyland Resort. LOTS of unsupervised kids. Not saying they are all bad by any means, but just lots of them. I guess when local parents can easily drop them for the day, that's the result. Just a completely different beast.


----------



## petals

natebenma said:


> They are both delish!
> 
> The thing that was striking to me was all of the matching costumes- similar but different patterns and colors.
> 
> I have a story about a group of students striking terror into the hearts of fellow travelers.  Every year, the 8th grade in our middle school has an end of year trip to Disney World (pretty cool, huh?)
> 
> We have two different Jet Blue flights.  One for the boys and one for the girls.  I guess last year, when other passengers got to the gate and saw the large group of boys, they all changed to the next flight that day.
> 
> And ended up on a plane with teenaged girls!



That's brilliant  I'm not sure how bothered people were by our group. We got stopped alot in the parks and asked were we the dancers and told we were amazing so I guess they were ok with us. I think large groups just look daunting at first but then we always split up when we got in to the park so it wasn't 129 of us trying to get on Small World all at once or something


----------



## JanetMom

natebenma said:


> Oo-Oo.  I edited the post
> 
> "I can row.  Canoe?"
> 
> "Glad you appreciated the joke- thought I would float it out there.  I was *shore* someone would like it.  Oar not."



You shore did push those puns over the brink.


----------



## HockeyMomR

JanetMom said:


> You shore did push those puns over the brink.



LOL. 

Rebecca


----------



## tiggerfan77

Wow! What a fantastic first day! Thanks for all the info on Indiana Jones. I'm a big fan and have always jealous that WDW doesn't have the ride. Also I love that way the Haunted Mansion looks at Disneyland. The way the decorate during the holidays is so cool! 
I like how Nate thinks. I would love to do a Dole Whip a day too 
Also love your pics from CA. The ferris wheel is so pretty. I bet it's gorgeous at night!


----------



## ProudMommyof2

So glad you got to enjoy the pool. It kills me how your family stays at these awesome hotels and never enjoy the pools! I know, it is all about how I feel


----------



## glennbo123

Great idea to get a lay of the land before you plan to actually attack the park.    I'm sure you were exhausted though!


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> I bet being walking distance from the parks helps make pool time a lot less of a "time waster" if you can call it that. Such an added convenience.
> 
> OMG yes, the hand stamp. Such a throwback in this age of Magic Bands. I can't remember if I ever actually had to show it or not, but I sure do remember being completely thrown by it.
> 
> I LOVED Paradise Pier. Just the open-ness about it was so different and unlike anything else at a Disney park. Of course being home to California Screamin' doesn't hurt.
> 
> Still bummed I missed Radiator Springs by a few months. Such an amazing job Imagineers.
> 
> That was definitely a big difference I noticed in Disneyland Resort. LOTS of unsupervised kids. Not saying they are all bad by any means, but just lots of them. I guess when local parents can easily drop them for the day, that's the result. Just a completely different beast.



The Grand Californian really was in a convenient location, and like you said, it didn't seem to take a lot of time out of our day to take a swim break.  

The hand stamp thing was weird.  

Paradise Pier was an awesome area-  Great attractions and SO GORGEOUS!!!  And we loved it at night!  One of our personal goals was to ride California Screamin' with the lights on.

I didn't know you just missed out on Carsland  

This was the worst instance we encountered with unsupervised kids, so I guess that is not too bad.  







petals said:


> That's brilliant  I'm not sure how bothered people were by our group. We got stopped alot in the parks and asked were we the dancers and told we were amazing so I guess they were ok with us. I think large groups just look daunting at first but then we always split up when we got in to the park so it wasn't 129 of us trying to get on Small World all at once or something



Our school group does the same.  We have walking groups of between 6-12 kids, with a pretty high teen-to-chaperone ratio.  We don't have matching shirts or anything, so you don't necessarily know we are part of a group except when we are traveling together.  






JanetMom said:


> You shore did push those puns over the brink.








HockeyMomR said:


> LOL.
> 
> Rebecca








tiggerfan77 said:


> Wow! What a fantastic first day! Thanks for all the info on Indiana Jones. I'm a big fan and have always jealous that WDW doesn't have the ride. Also I love that way the Haunted Mansion looks at Disneyland. The way the decorate during the holidays is so cool!
> I like how Nate thinks. I would love to do a Dole Whip a day too
> Also love your pics from CA. The ferris wheel is so pretty. I bet it's gorgeous at night!



IJ is such a great ride.  I know you would love it!!!

I hear the HM Nightmare Before Christmas layover is out of this world!

Stay tuned to see if we accomplish a Dole-Whip-A-Day

California Adventure is amazingly themed!  Radiator Springs is just like being in the movie and Paradise Pier is incredibly beautiful and fun.

I'll have some night pictures from PP later in the report.






ProudMommyof2 said:


> So glad you got to enjoy the pool. It kills me how your family stays at these awesome hotels and never enjoy the pools! I know, it is all about how I feel



Yes, it bothers me at times, too.  I will make a lot of solo trips to the pool while the rest of the family has downtime.  But seriously- we were at Beach Club for 4 days in July 2013 and I was the only one who visited SAB?!?



I spent HOURS at SAB during my recent 2 day trip to the Beach Club!!! 






glennbo123 said:


> Great idea to get a lay of the land before you plan to actually attack the park.    I'm sure you were exhausted though!



Yes we were running on fumes by the time we got back to our room, but it was really nice to have an intro to CA.  I liked that we didn't really plan on doing any attractions so we could just take in all the scenery (and perhaps snap a picture, or two!)


----------



## MEK

Yay for getting checked in and grabbing some grub for breakfast.  Smart move on the bagels!  

Thanks for taking me on a quick tour of CA.  I love the secret entrance.  

Boo to the tweens on Soarin, but yayayayayay for an unheard of 20 minute wait.   Nice!  I was only a girl's trip once when I got stuck in a row of middle school boys who were he%% bent on rocking the glider.  Yup, that was fun!  

Your pizza looks yummy!

What a fun and exhausting day!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:
			
		

> We had an awesome day 1, and day ain't over yet-  I'm working on my post for the rest of the day- pool time and a visit to California Adventure.  And of course, the bleary-eyed fireworks display.
> 
> 
> 
> Do you like the flavor of pineapple?  Dole Whips/Floats are very refreshing, but I won't turn my nose up at a Mickey Bar, either!
> 
> I still honestly don't know if Jack Sparrow was a CM or guest.  Based on the behavior I observed, I would say CM, but the shopping bag he is holding throws me off.
> 
> Cute girls and they were headed in the right direction.  Away from us.
> 
> 
> 
> Oo-Oo.  I edited the post
> 
> "I can row.  Canoe?"
> 
> "Glad you appreciated the joke- thought I would float it out there.  I was shore someone would like it.  Oar not."



Love pineapple (favourite soda growing up was pineappleade). Lemonade man delivered every wednesday and us kids got to pick 2 flavours while my dad always got a bottle of appleade as his choice  Thoroughly enjoying all the corny jokes/puns


----------



## jenseib

That pizza looks so good.
My husband brought up the fact that if I wasn't going away later this month we could've worked a family trip to CA yet this year.  I think he was really trying to make me feel bad about going away with my Mother, but in all honesty, this is business, with a little pleasure thrown in....for my Mom it's all pleasure though.  

Getting the lay of the land was a good idea!


----------



## KatMark

Dee, I got behind on this one as I got hooked on your other one and trying to get mine done since Mark and I leave so soon.

If nothing else, I want to go to DL for that Radiator Springs area in Carsland...it just looks so cool.

I enjoyed seeing all of your pictures around the two parks.

What is it with tweens and the language? I just don't understand it.

The pool looks really nice.

And that pizza now has my tummy grumbling.


----------



## elphie101

Aaaaaaand caught up! Not too shabby for a Disneyland afternoon and I enjoyed your mini-tour through CA. I can definitely appreciate adding some pool time in your day, we almost never seem to fit it in either. That pool looks like a ton of fun!

Oh my goodness that pizza looks delicious. It actually made my stomach grumble from here. I'll take a slice!


----------



## natebenma

UGH!!!  I am having so much trouble keeping up with this report, and even making it over to this board to reply for comments.  Hope to have a new update, our first morning at California Adventure tomorrow or Saturday.

Thanks for sticking with me!






MEK said:


> Yay for getting checked in and grabbing some grub for breakfast.  Smart move on the bagels!
> 
> Thanks for taking me on a quick tour of CA.  I love the secret entrance.
> 
> Boo to the tweens on Soarin, but yayayayayay for an unheard of 20 minute wait.   Nice!  I was only a girl's trip once when I got stuck in a row of middle school boys who were he%% bent on rocking the glider.  Yup, that was fun!
> 
> Your pizza looks yummy!
> 
> What a fun and exhausting day!



The bagels were a real bargain when compared to getting a single bagel.  It was the perfect amount for breakfast on a few days.  

The secret entrance, and even the regular Downtown Disney entrance to DL and CA made getting around so convenient.  Location!  Location! Location!

Soarin' was funny.  The longest wait we ever saw there was 25 minutes.  So this became the go-to ride when we needed to kill a little time.  Nate kept asking to go on Soarin' whenever we had some downtime.

Our next ride on Soarin' would have another fellow rider who was even more annoying than the tweens! 

The pizza was yummy.  And EXPENSIVE!!! It was $28 for the pie.  We paid less for pizza in Hawaii the following week! 

It was a fantastic day! 





luvpoohandcompany said:


> Love pineapple (favourite soda growing up was pineappleade). Lemonade man delivered every wednesday and us kids got to pick 2 flavours while my dad always got a bottle of appleade as his choice  Thoroughly enjoying all the corny jokes/puns



I love the sound of a lemonade man.  All we ever had was a milk man.  The pineappleade sounds yummy.

Don't encourage me on the corny jokes!






jenseib said:


> That pizza looks so good.
> My husband brought up the fact that if I wasn't going away later this month we could've worked a family trip to CA yet this year.  I think he was really trying to make me feel bad about going away with my Mother, but in all honesty, this is business, with a little pleasure thrown in....for my Mom it's all pleasure though.
> 
> Getting the lay of the land was a good idea!



The pizza was really good, but I'm glad that most of us were not very hungry from our big lunch at Blue Bayou.  

I hope you do get the family to CA sometime. 

I think you did something similar on your first night, just popping into a park to meet a friend and find your way around.





KatMark said:


> Dee, I got behind on this one as I got hooked on your other one and trying to get mine done since Mark and I leave so soon.
> 
> If nothing else, I want to go to DL for that Radiator Springs area in Carsland...it just looks so cool.
> 
> I enjoyed seeing all of your pictures around the two parks.
> 
> What is it with tweens and the language? I just don't understand it.
> 
> The pool looks really nice.
> 
> And that pizza now has my tummy grumbling.



I know what it is like trying to keep up with everyone's reports (and my own).  You do a great job!!!

Carsland is fantastic!  Probably the best themed area in any theme park (although the Harry Potter stuff at Universal is pretty darned good, too)

#$%@$ tweens!

The pool was nice, but not deep enough-  it was less than 5 feet in most places and I like a pool that is over my head in places.  

The pizza was delicious and probably worth the price$$$






elphie101 said:


> Aaaaaaand caught up! Not too shabby for a Disneyland afternoon and I enjoyed your mini-tour through CA. I can definitely appreciate adding some pool time in your day, we almost never seem to fit it in either. That pool looks like a ton of fun!
> 
> Oh my goodness that pizza looks delicious. It actually made my stomach grumble from here. I'll take a slice!



We had a fabulous, fabulous day! 

We rarely fit in pool time and I think we went to the pool 3 of our 4 days.  Definitely a record for us.  And it wasn't even that hot! 

Fortunately, you could get the pizza by the slice, which we did later in the trip.


----------



## natebenma

*Sunday July 13*

In my last update, I described how my family spent the evening of our arrival in California Adventure so that we could learn our way around and be ready for when we would actually be “doing” the park.

Today was early entry at California Adventure, so our goal that morning was:  Radiator Spring Racers in Carsland!

We decided not to use the private entrance from the Grand Californian because we heard that the bag check there can take a little while.  Here is how it looked at the DTD Main Entrance to CA at 7:05 am











Since we were there a little bit after rope drop, we didn’t experience the “running of the bulls”.  











A little more crowded as we reached Radiator Springs






















The Stand-by time for RSR was around 25 minutes.  I took a couple of pictures in the queue, but it was moving along quickly so I didn’t have too much time to stop and snap.











I wanted to fully “experience” the ride for the first time, so I vowed I would not take any pictures.

Mission Accomplished! 




Almost










This is a very cool ride.  You ride in your car through different scenes with life-size “auto”animatronic figures from the movie.  My favorite scene here is the Tractor Tipping.  At one point in the ride, the cars break off into one of two scenes, either Ramone’s Paint Shop or Luigi’s Casa del Tires.  Then, your car speeds out onto the outside track through Monument Valley and you race the car next to you on the parallel track.  


It was 7:35 when we finished with the ride.  Since CA was still not open to the general public, we headed to the Paradise Pier area to enjoy some of the attractions there.    






Our destination was California Screamin’.   







We didn’t know how Ben would react-  on our last trip the prior summer to Disneyworld and Universal he was on the threshold of enjoying thrill rides.  Most coasters are ok, but the ones that go upside-down had been iffy for him.   

We rode.







And we rode again!






Ben loved it and declared it his favorite ride after the trip was over.












It was still a few minutes before 8, so it would be a great time to go on Toy Story Midway Mania.  Unfortunately, as we walked by, the ride was down. 

Where to next?


*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

We continued on and got in the queue for Goofy’s Sky School, which is one of the rides at CA that has Fast Pass.  I think we were the second family in line- the ride hadn’t opened yet so we had to wait.

I would compare this to ride to Primevil Whirl at Animal Kingdom, but not as fun.  It was super-jerky and whiplashy.  I don’t think any of us really enjoyed it, and we wouldn’t be riding again.























Nate wanted to go to Soarin’ again.  We made our way through Grizzly Peak (past Grizzly River Run) past the private entrance to the Grand Californian Hotel to Condor Flats.



















We didn’t have to contend with rude, annoying tweens in line this time, but we did have to deal with “Done That Mom”

You know that part of the preshow where they flash all the locations you will be flying over?  One of the women in our loading area kept saying  “Mama's been there”  “Mama's done that”  And it didn’t stop once the ride started!  I sat next to her and she gave commentary throughout the ride  “Mama has skied at Lake Tahoe”  “Mama’s done that (ballooning)”  "Mama's been there"

Add this to the list:  Mama's annoyed her fellow passengers!   

I was done with Done That Mama! 

We followed up our flight with a stop for some mid-morning treats at Starbucks.







When we had finished with our coffee break, we pulled a FP for Radiator Springs Racers for later that day







Back to Paradise Pier to check out Toy Story.  











The ride was running again, and had a 30 minute wait, so we jumped in line.  The queue in CA is not much like the one at HS-  there is a Mr. Potatohead, but none of the other cute toys throughout the queue.  The queue area is covered, but is not enclosed.  It is open to the outside conditions.


































Andy’s Room as you exit the ride is really cute, but the picture I took at this time was really blurry.  I have a better one coming up later in the trip.

*
Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

While we were in the Paradise Pier Area, we decided to try out something we hadnt done yet:

Mickeys Fun Wheel (of Death)

You have two choices on this Ferris Wheel type ride-  Enclosed cars that stay in one position or the swinging cars that move back and forth across a bar:

Who chose  






Ben and me!!!

Mark and Nate selected the regular cars






They chose wisely!












Holy Moley!  Those cars move fast!  We rode with a mom, dad and a boy who was a little younger than Ben and he did not like the ride at all.  He was terrified and screaming throughout the whole ride and had a death grip on his mother.  

Im pretty sure they would not be riding that again, and honestly, Ben and I would not be returning to the swinging section.

The views were good, as they were flashing by and I tried to take a few pictures, but these are the only one that came out close to decent.  
















I would get some better pictures later in the trip (from the non-swinging side)







We didnt go down into this courtyard, but I bet the pictures you can take of the Paradise Pier boardwalk are really nice from here.





We cut through A Bugs Land to get to Radiator Springs















At this point it was time for the family to split up for a little bit.  Ben is not a big fan of Tower of Terror, but the rest of us wanted to ride.  So we walked Ben over to Carsland so he could ride RSR via the single rider line and when we were done with ToT, we would meet Ben at Flos Café for lunch, before we used our FP for RSR.  Mark gave his phone to Ben, and we kept in contact.  Ben let us know when he was done with his ride and we let him know our progress through the Hollywood Hotel.













































Look how close Space Mountain and the Matterhorn in DL are! 






Ben was able to ride Radiator Springs Racers 3 times while we were on Tower of Terror!  

And each time, he had the same scene- Ramones Paint Shop.  

*Next up: Go with the Flos*


----------



## dtr_angel

Wow, I cannot believe how much you did on your arrival day. It makes me tired just thinking about it!

That pizza looks so yummy! So cool you could see the fireworks from your balcony.

I love all the pictures! I cannot wait to see Cars Land in person!
So glad Ben enjoyed California Screamin! I love the theming in that area of the park.

Very cool to see the differences between attractions in Florida vs. California
I love your picture from ToT! Wow 3 times? Thats awesome!


----------



## MEK

I can't believe how much you have already accomplished in one day.  How great that EMH starts at 7am!  That is really awesome.  

So this Mickey's Wheel of Death you speak of - I have heard of it before but didn't know that you can choose between moving and non-moving cages.  Are they located on different sections of the ferris wheel?

ToT looks just like the one at WDW, but I bet there are some difference.  Looks fun and woo hoo   for 3 rides on the Racers.  That's amazing!


----------



## jenseib

I can't believe you rode both of the Death Traps! You really were taking your lives into your hands!

Yay for Ben riding RSR 3 times in a row. 
I had the same scene 3 times and only my last ride did I get the other one...of course I no longer which one I had more.


----------



## petals

great updates. I actually can't wait to see Carsland. The Theming looks so like the movie!


----------



## natebenma

dtr_angel said:


> Wow, I cannot believe how much you did on your arrival day. It makes me tired just thinking about it!
> 
> That pizza looks so yummy! So cool you could see the fireworks from your balcony.
> 
> I love all the pictures! I cannot wait to see Cars Land in person!
> So glad Ben enjoyed California Screamin! I love the theming in that area of the park.
> 
> Very cool to see the differences between attractions in Florida vs. California
> I love your picture from ToT! Wow 3 times? Thats awesome!



It is amazing how much you can accomplish with a little adrenaline and excitement even when you are dead-tired!  That's the way we roll! 

Pizza and fireworks were a great way to end our evening after an exhausting day.

The details in Carsland are absolutely amazing.  I think it is the best theming in a Disney park.  When Gavin is old enough (and tall enough to ride RSR), you guys will love it.  I've heard rumors that they will be adding Carsland to HS in WDW.  I don't know if it is true, but it would be really cool!  

The Paradise Pier area is beautiful, especially at night! I'm glad Ben loved California Screamin' too.  Now I think he is ready to tackle almost any coaster at Disney and Universal.  

Yes, pretty amazing that Ben was able to ride RSR 3 times while we were at ToT.  If you remember, we rode RSR all together first thing that morning and we have a FP in our hands for after lunch.  And that may not be all...

Stay tuned!






MEK said:


> I can't believe how much you have already accomplished in one day.  How great that EMH starts at 7am!  That is really awesome.
> 
> So this Mickey's Wheel of Death you speak of - I have heard of it before but didn't know that you can choose between moving and non-moving cages.  Are they located on different sections of the ferris wheel?
> 
> ToT looks just like the one at WDW, but I bet there are some difference.  Looks fun and woo hoo   for 3 rides on the Racers.  That's amazing!



We had a great arrival day, and we were pretty happy with what we had done so far that morning at California Adventure.  7 am opening was great, especially since we were still pretty much on East Coast time.  Easy-peasy! 

Yes, there are two different types of cages.  You get in a line depending on which experience you want.  The swinging and non-swinging cages alternate, but I can't remember if it every other one swings, or for two stationary, one swings.  

The swinging ones were more intense than we expected.  It wasn't even that they were swinging, they rolled along a bar, side to side, really quickly! 



As I mentioned above, Ben really tallied up the rides on RSR that day! 






jenseib said:


> I can't believe you rode both of the Death Traps! You really were taking your lives into your hands!
> 
> Yay for Ben riding RSR 3 times in a row.
> I had the same scene 3 times and only my last ride did I get the other one...of course I no longer which one I had more.



After riding in the swinging section, the regular cages were no problem.  

Ben got lots of rides on RSR.  It was a fantastic and safe place for him to wait for us.  He would keep getting updates from us about how long we thought we would be, and he would get in line again.  

The second scene (Luigi's Tires) turned out to be as elusive as the Cowboy Scene on the Great Movie Ride! 






petals said:


> great updates. I actually can't wait to see Carsland. The Theming looks so like the movie!



Disney knocked it out of the park with Radiator Springs.  It is impressive during the day and breathtaking at night!   Just like the movie!!!

Fun rides, too.


----------



## mickeystoontown

No way, no how would I have been able to step foot in the swinging car on the wheel of death.  You and Ben are much braver than I.  I do have to say though that the views look great in the two pictures that you posted.  

I know that I said it over on Jen's report and I think here too but I will say it again. I love the Bug's Land section of the park.  Bug's Life is one of my favorite Disney movies.

I saw that ToT wait time was 25 minutes.  So, Ben was able to ride the racers 3 times in a half hour or so?  Wow!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I bet bypassing the resort entrance was a good idea in this case. I've heard it can get pretty backed up.

Bahahaha.... well it's hard not to take pictures.

"autoanimatronic"... NICE!

California Screamin' really is fantastic!! I rode it a lot as well. I wish RnRC lasted as long.

Wow, Done That Mama's done a lot. 

I wish I had done the swinging cars myself, but my ride mate would have none of that. But I imagine the regular is the MUCH better option for photos.


----------



## KatMark

Wonderful updates, Dee.

Radiator Spring Racers in Carsland is one of the main reasons I want to go to DL.

I will tell yout that California Screamin' is definitely NOT one fo the reasons I want to go to DL.

I would have been accidentally been elbowing "Mama's Been There" during the ride.

Great pictures throughout DL. I don't think I'd be doing those swinging things or that Goofy thing either...especially if it is similar to Primevil HURL!

Nice that Ben got on Radiator three times while the rest of you went to TOT.


----------



## natebenma

mickeystoontown said:


> No way, no how would I have been able to step foot in the swinging car on the wheel of death.  You and Ben are much braver than I.  I do have to say though that the views look great in the two pictures that you posted.
> 
> I know that I said it over on Jen's report and I think here too but I will say it again. I love the Bug's Land section of the park.  Bug's Life is one of my favorite Disney movies.
> 
> I saw that ToT wait time was 25 minutes.  So, Ben was able to ride the racers 3 times in a half hour or so?  Wow!



I don't know what we were thinking!  

The little details in Bug's Land were really cute, but we didn't spend much time there.  The rides were all kiddie rides, I think, so it was mostly a pass-through land for us.  The bug lights were adorable, though! 

Ben had about 40 minutes for his 3 rides, the 25 minute wait and the time it took us to walk to and from ToT back to Carsland.  

Single Rider Line is definitely a great way to get multiple rides on RSR!






DisneyKid4Life said:


> I bet bypassing the resort entrance was a good idea in this case. I've heard it can get pretty backed up.
> 
> Bahahaha.... well it's hard not to take pictures.
> 
> "autoanimatronic"... NICE!
> 
> California Screamin' really is fantastic!! I rode it a lot as well. I wish RnRC lasted as long.
> 
> Wow, Done That Mama's done a lot.
> 
> I wish I had done the swinging cars myself, but my ride mate would have none of that. But I imagine the regular is the MUCH better option for photos.



We didn't want to get caught up in a long bag-check process.  I'm not sure if we saved time or not, but the main entrance was easy enough to get to.

I guess I just couldn't not take a picture.  

That play on words came "auto"matically!  (someone stop me, please)

California Screamin' was so smooth and it really did last a long time.  Loved the funky music, too. 

Done That Mama has done everything except practice using her indoor voice! 

Well, I wish I could tell you that my family would ride with you in the swining cards in a future visit.  But we wont!






KatMark said:


> Wonderful updates, Dee.
> 
> Radiator Spring Racers in Carsland is one of the main reasons I want to go to DL.
> 
> I will tell yout that California Screamin' is definitely NOT one fo the reasons I want to go to DL.
> 
> I would have been accidentally been elbowing "Mama's Been There" during the ride.
> 
> Great pictures throughout DL. I don't think I'd be doing those swinging things or that Goofy thing either...especially if it is similar to Primevil HURL!
> 
> Nice that Ben got on Radiator three times while the rest of you went to TOT.



Carsland is great!

Say, how close to DL are Mary and the girls...

I am lucky that I can do rollercoasters without issue, but I can't hack any spinny rides.

I like the way you think.  But then on her next ride she would be saying "Mama got poked in the ribs on Soarin'"

I actually thought of you when we were on Goofy's Sky School and said to myself  "Kathy would NOT like this!"

It worked out well for all of us during the separation.  I felt good knowing Ben was doing something fun while we were on ToT


----------



## Wood Nymph

It is a good thing that you had that big lunch otherwise one pizza wouldn't have been enough for teenage boys.  

I think I need a map to get the "lay of the land" at DL. Was it hard to find your way around?

Did you ever see the kind of crowds at DL that they get at WDW? Your early morning rope drop didn't look very crowded. It looks like you got a lot done.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> It is a good thing that you had that big lunch otherwise one pizza wouldn't have been enough for teenage boys.
> 
> I think I need a map to get the "lay of the land" at DL. Was it hard to find your way around?
> 
> Did you ever see the kind of crowds at DL that they get at WDW? Your early morning rope drop didn't look very crowded. It looks like you got a lot done.



The pizza was really large, but I am surprised we were able to get by with just one.  If I recall correctly, I just had one piece and Nate had 3.  

As soon as we had booked the trip, I contacted Brenda (emmysmommy) and asked if she would mind sending me maps of DL and CA.  They were very helpful as we were planning our trip, and I will extend the offer to you if you would like me to send you some maps.  PM your contact info to me.  

The parks are small, so they weren't too hard to navigate but a lot of things are in different areas than they are in WDW (Pooh is near Splash, Star Tours is in Tomorrowland, Pirates and HM are in the same land).  Then other things are tucked away.  We almost missed Peter Pan in DL and we never saw the Monsters Inc or Muppets at CA (Hollywoodland).

DL definitely felt more crowded than CA, which is more spread out.  Mornings were better than afternoons and evening- our last night at DL was miserable with the crowds.  Wait times were mostly under an hour, except for Radiator Springs Racers.  Space and Indiana Jones had times of  around 45 minutes.  Toy Story was 30 minutes, Soarin- 15 to 25 minutes.  

It was good to have the legacy FP in parks that we didn't know well.  It would have been difficult to prebook FP not knowing typical wait times and exactly where things are located.  

Hope that helps!


----------



## ddluvsdisney

I have been so busy with my new job I haven't been on much. I'm loving hearing all about DL since we'll  probably never make it there. Thanks for taking me along for the ride.


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> I have been so busy with my new job I haven't been on much. I'm loving hearing all about DL since we'll  probably never make it there. Thanks for taking me along for the ride.



Hope the year is going well for you!!!

So glad to have you following along on this trip.  We really enjoyed our time at Disneyland.  Vive la difference! 

I can't remember, have you made it over to the report for my Beach Club DIS meet?  You may enjoy some of the antics over there.  The link for "What Happens at the Beach Club" is in my signature and I know you will love the latest installment "SAB Synchronized Pool Tube Team" featuring Ninja Mom.


----------



## natebenma

Our planned meeting spot with Ben was at Flo’s V-8 Café in Carsland.  We had to wait a few minutes for him as he finished up his third ride in a row at Radiator Springs Racers.  

Although I don’t recall if they show the interior of the diner in the movie Cars, the theming of this place was spot-on amazing inside and out.  



























And check out the view from the dining room!







But enough about how the place looks- how was the food?


Here are pictures of the menu:











I really liked that you could choose a couple of sides with the dinners and that you were able to choose a side with the sandwiches as well.


Ben chose the roast beef dinner with pasta salad and mashed potatoes, $12.49.






I had the turkey dinner with pasta salad and cole slaw, $11.99






Mark and Nate both ordered the roast beef and cheddar sandwich (mashed potatoes, cole slaw), $10.49.  Mark and I split our dinners.






Ben got a shake to go with his meal.










Everything was really good, but portions were large and we didn’t all finish our meals.  I think we could have managed 3 meals for the 4 of us.  Ben declared it his favorite meal of the trip.  He wanted to go back and eat there again, but we never found the chance to do that. 

Total bill for 4 meals, 2 shakes and 2 sodas was $65.25.


*Next up:  More California Adventure*


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

That looks like really good food for a decent price and wow what a view


----------



## ddluvsdisney

natebenma said:


> Hope the year is going well for you!!!
> 
> So glad to have you following along on this trip.  We really enjoyed our time at Disneyland.  Vive la difference!
> 
> I can't remember, have you made it over to the report for my Beach Club DIS meet?  You may enjoy some of the antics over there.  The link for "What Happens at the Beach Club" is in my signature and I know you will love the latest installment "SAB Synchronized Pool Tube Team" featuring Ninja Mom.



Thanks I'll check it out.
I forgot to tell you my DH was in CA for work last week, and my DS13 asked if he was going to DL? Nope. He was in San Jose 
When he told me about his flights I was like no way would I be able to handle being on a plane and in airports ALL day. He had 2 layovers on the way there, Chicago and Phoenix. On the way home only 1 layover and he started at 1:30 pm pacific time and got home at 12:00 am our time. UGH!! How miserable. I'm sure your flights were better since he got his at the last minute.


----------



## petals

Your pictures from flos helped me decide what I'm getting there in November lol  it's so sad it's 57 days away and I already know what I'm eating everywhere


----------



## MEK

What a cute restaurant and what an amazing view.  That food looks pretty good too.  I'd say its a winner!


----------



## tiggerfan77

Great update Dee Radiator Springs looks so awesome! It really does look just like the movie! Was that the first time Ben was on his own in the park? It was cool he got to ride RSR 3 times in a row! Looks like a really fun ride.
That poor kid on Mickey's Fun Wheel! I can totally relate. The first time I took EJ on Pirates, he screamed bloody murder which is how I found out he was afraid of dark rides for a while.


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> That looks like really good food for a decent price and wow what a view



 for Flos.  I would recommend it.






ddluvsdisney said:


> Thanks I'll check it out.
> I forgot to tell you my DH was in CA for work last week, and my DS13 asked if he was going to DL? Nope. He was in San Jose
> When he told me about his flights I was like no way would I be able to handle being on a plane and in airports ALL day. He had 2 layovers on the way there, Chicago and Phoenix. On the way home only 1 layover and he started at 1:30 pm pacific time and got home at 12:00 am our time. UGH!! How miserable. I'm sure your flights were better since he got his at the last minute.



That sounds like a horrible flight schedule!!!

Our trip out to CA was not bad- 6 am from Logan (that required a 3 am wakeup), landing at 9 am PST. The flight to CA was actually pretty great- I loved being able to watch all of the scenery we flew over.  

 Our flight home was a bit longer since it was from Hawaii.  11 PM flight to San Fran.  An hour and a half layover.  Flight at 8 am from SF to Boston, landing at 5 PM.  We had been on the go from 7 am Friday morning with our helicopter/volcanoes tour and didn't stop until we arrived home at 5 Saturday night.  






petals said:


> Your pictures from flos helped me decide what I'm getting there in November lol  it's so sad it's 57 days away and I already know what I'm eating everywhere



Your trip is coming up quickly!!!  Maybe not for you, but it won't be long now.



Do tell- what will you be having?

Not at all weird that you know what you are eating so far in advance.  For most of my trips to WDW, I know what I am having 180 days out, sometimes longer.  One of my favorite Disney quotes is

"I don't know what I am having for dinner tonight, but I know what I am having in 6 months!"






MEK said:


> What a cute restaurant and what an amazing view.  That food looks pretty good too.  I'd say its a winner!



We definitely recommend Flo's.  I was afraid it was going to be really crowded since Carsland can be crazy, but it was like 11 am, so we didn't have any issues.  Not sure how busy it is later in the day.  






tiggerfan77 said:


> Great update Dee Radiator Springs looks so awesome! It really does look just like the movie! Was that the first time Ben was on his own in the park? It was cool he got to ride RSR 3 times in a row! Looks like a really fun ride.
> That poor kid on Mickey's Fun Wheel! I can totally relate. The first time I took EJ on Pirates, he screamed bloody murder which is how I found out he was afraid of dark rides for a while.



You know what-  I think you are right, it probably was the first time Ben was on his own.  He did great, especially in a park that was new to him.  We actually thought Nate and Ben would split off together from us more during the trip than they actually did. 

Disney sure got Radiator Springs right!  It would great if they struck magic again with Carsland at Hollywood Studios.  

Never quite know what will make the kids uncomfortable.  My boys still refuse to go to It's Tough to Be a Bug after I didn't prepare them for the effects the first time we went.  Ben had an issue with the stretching room at Haunted Mansion for a long time (I think it was all of the other guests screaming when the lights go out) and he still doesn't like Tower of Terror- which is why he got to ride RSR solo.  

Poor EJ (and poor you, having to skip Pirates for a time)


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Is it bad that reading you trip reports has me wanting to photograph my food whenever I eat out anywhere 
Don't know who I'd show the photos to but seriously everytime I eat out now since reading TRs on here I think "ooh should take a pic before diving in"! I'd love to see my family's faces if I did


----------



## jmskinner

Playing catch up yet again.  Loving all of your photos and what a great idea to explore the parks the night before you plan to tackle them.  Great way to take it slow for us picture takers.  I laughed when I saw the pic of your guys backs'.  I have so many of those pictures.

So glad you got away from the kids at Soarin', but sorry about the Mom that has done it all.  

Wow, can't believe Ben got to ride RSR so many times.  That is .  

Flo's looks amazing and the prices don't seem that bad.

Looking forward to more, but I'll be playing catch up yet again, I'm about to head to the airport.


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Is it bad that reading you trip reports has me wanting to photograph my food whenever I eat out anywhere
> Don't know who I'd show the photos to but seriously everytime I eat out now since reading TRs on here I think "ooh should take a pic before diving in"! I'd love to see my family's faces if I did





That is funny! 

Occasionally I will take food photos in "civilian" situations.  My family makes fun of me and my friends shake their heads.  But another friend has started doing it and proudly shows me her photos.

My comment for Disney Food Porn is "I paid a lot of money for that meal.  I am going to take a picture so it lasts forever!"






jmskinner said:


> Playing catch up yet again.  Loving all of your photos and what a great idea to explore the parks the night before you plan to tackle them.  Great way to take it slow for us picture takers.  I laughed when I saw the pic of your guys backs'.  I have so many of those pictures.
> 
> So glad you got away from the kids at Soarin', but sorry about the Mom that has done it all.
> 
> Wow, can't believe Ben got to ride RSR so many times.  That is .
> 
> Flo's looks amazing and the prices don't seem that bad.
> 
> Looking forward to more, but I'll be playing catch up yet again, I'm about to head to the airport.



Thanks!  Exploring CA the night before really helped us get around the next morning. 

Yup, if I ever need the police to find my family I can say "This is what they look like from behind."




I can't believe that we were 2-for-2 on annoying experiences on Soarin'



Single rider is the way to go on RSR.  And day ain't over yet! 

We loved Flo's!

OMG!!!  Your trip is here!!!  Have a fantastic time! 


 (but not so much)
Last Monday, I went before our towns School Committee in support of the 8th grade Disney class trip.  We are a go for Ben's trip in June.  I can email you the details if you want.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

You know me Dee-I definitely want all the details lol So glad the trip is a go  Is Ben excited or is that a daft question??


----------



## natebenma

After we finished our great lunch at Flo’s it was still too early for our RSR FP.









Which of these two places would you like for lodging?  The Hollywood Tower Hotel or the Cozy Cone?


There are a couple of other rides in Carsland:

*Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree*- Get pulled around by little tractors while you spin and whirl to Mater’s music.  

We never did ride this during our trip.  Dang! I don’t think I have any pictures of this ride!


Mark and I wanted to try *Luigi’s Flying Tires*- Float and fly in a “spare” on a cushion of air!  

It is kind of like riding on a giant air hockey puck.  Or if you have been on the Buzz Lightyear thing at Disney Quest, it is similar to that without the part where you are trying to vacuum up balls.  

I am looking at the park map for CA and apparently, the ride is sponsored by Alamo Car Rental.  I didn’t know that! Shouldn’t it be Goodyear or Michelin or something?  And I guess it isn’t a great sponsorship if I didn’t notice it until after the trip.

Hmmm… I didn’t notice while we were there, but there wasn’t a lot of sponsorship like you see, especially in EPCOT.  A few restaurants are hosted by companies, but this is the only attraction I see in CA with sponsorship.  So I pulled my Disneyland map out and saw that other than some dining places and Innoventions in DL, there are 3 attractions with sponsorship.  One is Gadget’s Go Coaster in Mickey’s Toontown, sponsored by Sparkle.  The other two rides are classic attractions which also appear in Magic Kingdom.  *Anyone care to guess the two attractions and who sponsors them?*


Anyway- back to the ride.  The boys didn’t really want to try it, but we didn’t have anything else to do and we were right there, so we got in line, which was about 15 minutes long.  Most of the waiting area was not covered, and it was approaching noon, so it was pretty hot waiting out in the sun.  



























Those are a couple of big smiles from boys who didn’t want to ride!
















This was fun, but it was a one-and-done.  We never did get on this again during our trip.


On our way to use our Radiator Springs Racers Fast Pass, we stopped at the viewing area of Monument Valley behind Flo’s V-8  Café.  Gorgeous views!!!



























































*Continued in Next Post:  The Ride!* 
Click on the link to get to the next post


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

And finally, time to use our Fast Pass for RSR.  Ben, why don’t you lead the way since this is where you spent a lot of your morning! 


After boarding your vehicle, you take a leisurely ride through beautiful Monument Valley to a soundtrack of dramatic music that reminds me of the Soarin’ score.  Then, your vehicle goes inside, where you drive by scenes inspired by the movie Cars with life-sized “auto”animatronics (yes, I’m using that again).  A truck comes at you, you pass by the Sherriff, you go through the tractor-tripping scene and then the track breaks off into one of two scenes, allegedly.  Once again, we got Ramone’s Paint Shop.  Then, a la Test Track, you burst through doors into the outside track where you race the car next to you.








































Here is the walk-out after the ride















There is a ride photo for this attraction, however for some reason I don’t have it on my account!  I don’t remember if I didn’t add it to my card, or if they didn’t include it when I ordered the files, but I think now it is too late to go back and ask if they still have it.  Dang, again! 




It was 12:30.  We had been at California Adventure since 7 that morning.  We decided to take a break and return to the resort.

On the way out, I caught Lightning McQueen arriving for his meet & greet.  I think LM and Mater alternate meeting guests at the Cozy Cone, but my boys are not into character greets, so I don’t know for sure.














On our way out of the park, we pulled this:





CA closes at 10 pm that night, so at 12:30 in the afternoon, there are not that many remaining for the rest of that day.


We really wanted to ride RSR at night, so this was perfect!  

If anyone is keeping count (and you need two hands), if we make it to this ride, that would be 6 rides on RSR for Ben that day!  One first thing in the morning, 3 single rides between 10:30 and 11:10 am, a Fast Pass ride at around 12:10 and then a Fast Pass ride in the evening.

Not too shabby!


And a couple more pictures and we are out! 











*Next up:  Resort Break and More Disneyland*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52395936&postcount=208
Click on the link to go to the next post


----------



## natebenma

natebenma said:


> (but not so much)
> Last Monday, I went before our towns School Committee in support of the 8th grade Disney class trip.  We are a go for Ben's trip in June.  I can email you the details if you want.





luvpoohandcompany said:


> You know me Dee-I definitely want all the details lol So glad the trip is a go  Is Ben excited or is that a daft question??



Yes, Ben is very excited and has been for more than 3 years since Nate's trip.

He is a planner (don't know where he gets that from),  so we are already talking about what we are going to do.

"Mom, we ARE eating at Columbia Harbor House", unlike on Nate's trip when I had my heart set on dining there but got overruled.

"What do you mean my friends are going to want to go back to the resort  to swim?"

"Can we take all of my friends to Ohana?"  "Who's going to pay for that?"  "We are!"


Ben is going to be a little disappointed though because my husband has been considering coming along as well to chaperone and we would leave Nate behind with a neighbor (a friend of his) since he would still have school those 5 days of the trip. 

But Mark thought it would be fair to ask Nate how he felt about that, and gave him the option of going elsewhere to stay and Mark staying home with him since that is what he did with Ben.  Nate says he prefers Mark stays.


----------



## mickeystoontown

I somehow missed the update that included lunch.  Everything looks really really good and the view certainly can't be beat.  

Well, let's see, you wanted to know if we could guess two classic Disneyland AND Walt Disney World attractions and their sponsors.  I could only think of one....would it be Tower of Terror being sponsored by Depends Undergarments?  I know that I need them after taking that plunge. 

Luigi's Flying Tires does sound like it's similar to the Buzz whatever they are called things at Disney Quest.  I hope that they work better.  We always get stuck in the corner.  Course, that may have something to do with the fact that I was driivng and I suck at those sorts of rides.

RSR looks awesome!  I can certainly see why you'd want to pull another Fastpass so you could get a night time ride on it.


----------



## ProudMommyof2

I really want to see Carsland!!! It looks so fun and well themed!


----------



## petals

natebenma said:


> Your trip is coming up quickly!!!  Maybe not for you, but it won't be long now.
> 
> 
> 
> Do tell- what will you be having?
> 
> Not at all weird that you know what you are eating so far in advance.  For most of my trips to WDW, I know what I am having 180 days out, sometimes longer.  One of my favorite Disney quotes is
> 
> "I don't know what I am having for dinner tonight, but I know what I am having in 6 months!"



Love that quote! There's like 56 days to my trip.. soon it'll be the 30 day countdown and 30 days of disney movies 

In Flos they changed the menu so what I wanted is gone now but what i'm thinking now is i'm going to get a kids meal with a turkey sandwich and get the pasta side as extra  The still have some dishes with the potatoes/"proper" food as momma would call it so I still want to go there! Plus it looks awesome and you can't go to Carsland and not eat at Flo's!


----------



## jenseib

I am glad you enjoyed Flo's. Cass and i only thought it was so so.  I swear it was the gravy that did it in for me....had the canned cheap gravy taste.

Go Ben!  I love that he has rode it so many times....and it is a great ride.
You have gotten so many great pictures and you describe everything so perfectly!  I can picture it all as I read.


----------



## CarlaT

Just catching up on the updates. 
Your pictures are amazing! 
Can't wait for CarsLand!! Down to 58days.
The view from Flo's looks great. That will be on the list to make sure we eat at. Prices didn't seem that bad.
Also liking the tip for Dole whip! So yummy.


----------



## Wood Nymph

The scenery at Carsland looks very authentic. We have been to Sedona, AZ a few times and it reminds me of that area.


----------



## JanetMom

Note to self... Don't read Dee's trip report updates just before lunch. Those Flo's meals look so good. There is no way my lunch today will satisfy me after seeing those pictures. Mmmm


----------



## HockeyMomR

JanetMom said:


> Note to self... Don't read Dee's trip report updates just before lunch. Those Flo's meals look so good. There is no way my lunch today will satisfy me after seeing those pictures. Mmmm



Janet - I so agree. Just finished dinner and my food didn't compare!

Rebecca


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:


> Yes, Ben is very excited and has been for more than 3 years since Nate's trip.
> 
> He is a planner (don't know where he gets that from),  so we are already talking about what we are going to do.
> 
> "Mom, we ARE eating at Columbia Harbor House", unlike on Nate's trip when I had my heart set on dining there but got overruled.
> I remember that!! I hadn't eaten there until I read about it in one of your TR yonks ago and then on our next trip my daughter and I went there and got a window seat upstairs and had the most relaxing QS meal ever  All thanks to you
> "What do you mean my friends are going to want to go back to the resort  to swim?"
> 
> "Can we take all of my friends to Ohana?"  "Who's going to pay for that?"  "We are!"
> 
> 
> Ben is going to be a little disappointed though because my husband has been considering coming along as well to chaperone and we would leave Nate behind with a neighbor (a friend of his) since he would still have school those 5 days of the trip.
> 
> But Mark thought it would be fair to ask Nate how he felt about that, and gave him the option of going elsewhere to stay and Mark staying home with him since that is what he did with Ben.  Nate says he prefers Mark stays.



Shame that Mark wont be there but I get where he was coming from letting Nate choose. Don't suppose you can make late alterations if Nate should change his mind between now and then? Probably not but worth checking for sure before plans have to be finalised


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

The scenery in RSR is absolutely stunning and so lifelike! I would love to visit there someday.
If I had to choose between staying at Cosy Cones or Hollywood Hotel I would go for the latter just because I wouldn't want to get too comfortable and sleep too much during my stay 
No ideas on the attraction sponsors but my brain is fried because I haven't slept properly since last Thursday due to sick kiddo (who has hopefully turned the corner after being ill again at 3am this morning ).


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow, they really did hit a home run with Carsland. I hope to see the same level of detail (I'm sure we well) with whatever is coming next in WDW.

That is some unique food options. Love the ability to choose your sides. Yum!! Not bad pricing either for a theme park.

I still find it comical that they installed the Flying Tires. I saw a Dland video from way back when they had the spaceships with the same style of ride, but they hardly ever worked. You have to admire their perseverance.

Ah pretty cool that the cars actually come out for the greets


----------



## natebenma

Sorry it has been so long since I have been here for comments!  

Busy week last week and I am even working today, the first time I have had to be at the farm on a weekend.  We have a huge two day Harvest and Music Festival with bands playing all day (Entrain headlined yesterday), Old Fashioned Baseball, Tractor Rides, Corn Husking Bees, Cider Pressing.  The proceeds go to all of the local school foundations.

Lisa reminded me that I issued a quiz about the attractions at Disneyland that have sponsors.

Her response was the best!  (Tower of Terror hosted by Depends) but the answers are:

Enchanted Tiki Room sponsored by Dole and 
It's a Small World sponsored by Sylvania






mickeystoontown said:


> I somehow missed the update that included lunch.  Everything looks really really good and the view certainly can't be beat.
> 
> Well, let's see, you wanted to know if we could guess two classic Disneyland AND Walt Disney World attractions and their sponsors.  I could only think of one....would it be Tower of Terror being sponsored by Depends Undergarments?  I know that I need them after taking that plunge.
> 
> Luigi's Flying Tires does sound like it's similar to the Buzz whatever they are called things at Disney Quest.  I hope that they work better.  We always get stuck in the corner.  Course, that may have something to do with the fact that I was driivng and I suck at those sorts of rides.
> 
> RSR looks awesome!  I can certainly see why you'd want to pull another Fastpass so you could get a night time ride on it.



Luigi's Tires seemed to work pretty well- better than the Buzz Astroblasters at DQ- which is probably the best thing there.  Well, maybe Pirates, but I really don't care for much else there! 

Radiator Springs Racers is really a win for Disney!  I am so glad we had a Fast Pass for a night ride, but it was pretty late for us (9-10 pm, which is really past midnight on east coast time)





ProudMommyof2 said:


> I really want to see Carsland!!! It looks so fun and well themed!



The details in Carsland are amazing!!! 

We tried to watch the movie Cars a couple of weeks before our trip as a refresher, but the teens were not into it! But we were all still impressed by the area.  






petals said:


> Love that quote! There's like 56 days to my trip.. soon it'll be the 30 day countdown and 30 days of disney movies
> 
> In Flos they changed the menu so what I wanted is gone now but what i'm thinking now is i'm going to get a kids meal with a turkey sandwich and get the pasta side as extra  The still have some dishes with the potatoes/"proper" food as momma would call it so I still want to go there! Plus it looks awesome and you can't go to Carsland and not eat at Flo's!



Isn't that a great quote!  It was really weird going to Disneyland and California Adventure, and not having reservations and not knowing where we were going to eat!  

I can definitely recommend Flo's for the atmosphere and the food. 






jenseib said:


> I am glad you enjoyed Flo's. Cass and i only thought it was so so.  I swear it was the gravy that did it in for me....had the canned cheap gravy taste.
> 
> Go Ben!  I love that he has rode it so many times....and it is a great ride.
> You have gotten so many great pictures and you describe everything so perfectly!  I can picture it all as I read.



I remember that you guys were not all that impressed.  I went with the turkey anyway and I liked it. 

Ben OWNED RSR that day! 

Thanks so much for the kind words! 






CarlaT said:


> Just catching up on the updates.
> Your pictures are amazing!
> Can't wait for CarsLand!! Down to 58days.
> The view from Flo's looks great. That will be on the list to make sure we eat at. Prices didn't seem that bad.
> Also liking the tip for Dole whip! So yummy.



Thank you!

I see that you and petals will be there at about the same time- not sure how long each of you will be there. 

Can't wait to hear what you think of Flo's.  I wonder if it gets busy at other times of the day.  

The Dole Whip tip was very helpful, especially when it was Nate's quest for a Dole Whip a Day.






Wood Nymph said:


> The scenery at Carsland looks very authentic. We have been to Sedona, AZ a few times and it reminds me of that area.



We had considered going out west for our family trip this summer.  I guess you could consider this the best of all worlds.  






JanetMom said:


> Note to self... Don't read Dee's trip report updates just before lunch. Those Flo's meals look so good. There is no way my lunch today will satisfy me after seeing those pictures. Mmmm



Sorry to give you lunch envy! 






HockeyMomR said:


> Janet - I so agree. Just finished dinner and my food didn't compare!
> 
> Rebecca



Food porn is a dangerous thing.






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Shame that Mark wont be there but I get where he was coming from letting Nate choose. Don't suppose you can make late alterations if Nate should change his mind between now and then? Probably not but worth checking for sure before plans have to be finalised



I think it would be possible for Mark to join in if the situation changes, would probably have to be in early 2015 when they make final plane reservations.  We talked to Ben and he understands the reason behind Mark staying behind.  He stayed home with Ben during Nate's trip and he wants Nate to have the same opportunity.  Nate would rather stay home than go to a neighbor's house and at 16 we are not leaving him home alone.  

And fortunately, I will be rooming with a really dear friend, unlike the year I went with Nate and didn't even know my roomie until the day we arrived.






luvpoohandcompany said:


> The scenery in RSR is absolutely stunning and so lifelike! I would love to visit there someday.
> If I had to choose between staying at Cosy Cones or Hollywood Hotel I would go for the latter just because I wouldn't want to get too comfortable and sleep too much during my stay
> No ideas on the attraction sponsors but my brain is fried because I haven't slept properly since last Thursday due to sick kiddo (who has hopefully turned the corner after being ill again at 3am this morning ).



I love your reasoning for picking the Hollywood Hotel.

No sleeping in Disney!



I was glad to hear your little one is finally on the mend!  




DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, they really did hit a home run with Carsland. I hope to see the same level of detail (I'm sure we well) with whatever is coming next in WDW.
> 
> That is some unique food options. Love the ability to choose your sides. Yum!! Not bad pricing either for a theme park.
> 
> I still find it comical that they installed the Flying Tires. I saw a Dland video from way back when they had the spaceships with the same style of ride, but they hardly ever worked. You have to admire their perseverance.
> 
> Ah pretty cool that the cars actually come out for the greets



It would be EPIC if Disney could fit a Carsland in HS!  They already have the Lightning McQueen from LMA, so they are half-way there, right?



Flo's was a  for us.

The Flying Tires seemed to work pretty well.  They were fun.


----------



## KatMark

Wow...lunch looks great at Flo's. 

Beautiful pictures all around the area, Dee. And good for Ben getting that many rides in.


----------



## KatMark

Oh and to answer your question, I'm not sure how far DL is from Phoenix. We have decided to put DL on hold for three years...it will be my 60th birthday gift (we did DW at Christmas for Mark's 60th). We are still planning on going to Phoenix for four or five days sometime in March to see Mary, Jeff and our girls.


----------



## teekathepony

Carsland just blows my mind, it's so amazing and I'm not even a Cars fan! Your pictures of it are gorgeous. 
The tire ride looks pretty cute. 
Wow look at that scenery at the viewing area. Absolutely looks like you just stepped into the movie. 
Great description and photos of the RSR ride too. It's on my bucket list to do that some day.


----------



## MEK

I thought I read this update, but I guess I didn't.  I know I said this before, but I just think the Carsland land and all the rides are seriously amazing.  That Luigi's ride looks like so much fun.  

Score on the FP return time.  I miss the old fashioned FP's  Boo!  

Fun update.  Sorry I'm so late.  Doh!


----------



## natebenma

Once again, it has been forever since I have been over here, and even longer since I have posted a new chapter.

I don't have one ready quite yet, so instead, I am going to distract you with a couple of Disneyland-related news items.

The first is a story about how people were stuck on Mickey's Fun Wheel of Death for 90 minutes on Thursday:


Mickey's Not-So-Fun Wheel


The second is what I thought was an interesting article about possible changes to the Luigi's Flying Tire ride, including the history of the ride and enhancements that were tried out along the way.  Not really sure how accurate this article is or if this is just a rumor, but I found it interesting.


Luigi's Flying Tires Attraction to change


Enjoy!

Hopefully I'll be back here soon with some new material.






KatMark said:


> Wow...lunch looks great at Flo's.
> 
> Beautiful pictures all around the area, Dee. And good for Ben getting that many rides in.



We really enjoyed Flo's.

Thanks for the kind words about the photos.  

Ben really scored on RSR!






KatMark said:


> Oh and to answer your question, I'm not sure how far DL is from Phoenix. We have decided to put DL on hold for three years...it will be my 60th birthday gift (we did DW at Christmas for Mark's 60th). We are still planning on going to Phoenix for four or five days sometime in March to see Mary, Jeff and our girls.



Sounds like a great plan and you will have lots of time to learn all about Disneyland before you go.  

Glad to hear you will be out to visit Mary, Jeff and the girls.  That will be something to really look forward to so you can get through this winter!






teekathepony said:


> Carsland just blows my mind, it's so amazing and I'm not even a Cars fan! Your pictures of it are gorgeous.
> The tire ride looks pretty cute.
> Wow look at that scenery at the viewing area. Absolutely looks like you just stepped into the movie.
> Great description and photos of the RSR ride too. It's on my bucket list to do that some day.



Carsland is beautiful and has such great theming.  So many wonderful details! 

The tire ride was fun (see related article).  I'll be interested in seeing how the ride changes in the near future.  

RSR was fabulous-  I would love it if Disney World would add this to Hollywood Studios.  






MEK said:


> I thought I read this update, but I guess I didn't.  I know I said this before, but I just think the Carsland land and all the rides are seriously amazing.  That Luigi's ride looks like so much fun.
> 
> Score on the FP return time.  I miss the old fashioned FP's  Boo!
> 
> Fun update.  Sorry I'm so late.  Doh!



Carsland is an incredible area!  

It was great using the legacy Fast Passes.  Actually at that point in time, that is all we had ever used.   Our last WDW trip was in July 2013, before Magic Bands were used.  My first time using them was on my August solo trip.


----------



## ddluvsdisney

Cars land and Flo's looks so great!!!
Dee, have you heard of the Celebration Tavern ( restaurant in Celebration) ?? The owners used to live in MA and have/ had a restaurant called Kelly's Landing in Weymouth. It's a seafood place. Well anyway they opened up one in Celebration, I heard it was good. We're going next weekend. 

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> Cars land and Flo's looks so great!!!
> Dee, have you heard of the Celebration Tavern ( restaurant in Celebration) ?? The owners used to live in MA and have/ had a restaurant called Kelly's Landing in Weymouth. It's a seafood place. Well anyway they opened up one in Celebration, I heard it was good. We're going next weekend.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards



The Cars area at California Adventure is just so well done!!!

I have heard of Celebration Tavern, but didn't know of the Massachusetts connection. 

Definitely let me know how it is.  

*Mary Ellen*- is that where you have wanted to eat?


----------



## ddluvsdisney

natebenma said:


> The Cars area at California Adventure is just so well done!!!  I have heard of Celebration Tavern, but didn't know of the Massachusetts connection.  Definitely let me know how it is.  Mary Ellen- is that where you have wanted to eat?



I will let you know! 
If you google it, their website tells the history of the restaurant  

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## ddluvsdisney

ddluvsdisney said:


> I will let you know! If you google it, their website tells the history of the restaurant    it'll be good to have some real N.E. Seafood in FL! Sent from my iPad using DISBoards



Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## ddluvsdisney

ddluvsdisney said:


> I will let you know! If you google it, their website tells the history of the restaurant    Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


It'll be great to have real good N.E. See food in FL 

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> It'll be great to have real good N.E. See food in FL
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards



Enjoy!  and thanks for the tip on the history lesson.


----------



## natebenma

In my last post, I left off with leaving California Adventure for a resort break after a really great morning at the theme park.  Highlights were our first rides on Radiator Springs Racers (5 rides for Ben), California Screamin, eating at Flos.  Lowlights were Goofys Sky School and choosing the swinging cars on Mickeys Wheel of Death.  And we also got in rides on Soarin, Tower of Terror, Toy Story and Luigis Flying Tires.  

Once again, back at the resort, Mark and I headed to the pool.  I think Ben and Nate decided to stay in the room and chill for a bit.















I actually went down the slide a couple of times! 























We werent there too long, we only sat in the lounger long enough to dry a little bit, then we went back to our room, changed, collected the boys and we were on our way.  

According to the time on the train station clock, we entered Disneyland a little before 3 PM.  Im so glad to have this because for some reason the time-stamp on my cameras were all wrong.  






First place we wanted to go was Space Mountain. We were in line for it the previous day, but the ride broke down before we got a chance to try it.






We pulled Fast Passes for later that night and then got into the standby line.

A majority of this line is out in the open and it was hot.  It is also up on an upper level (think of the second floor of the Tomorrowland Noodle Terrace where the dessert party is held).  In a smart marketing move on Disneys part, there is a drink cart where you can get a bottle of water or soft drink while waiting in line. 

Two teen girls who were in front of us went to get drinks.  They were texting and drinking and set their drinks on the ledge.  One of the girls bumped her drink and it fell below, almost hitting someone below.  

The girl went back to the cart for a replacement drink, took a few sips and then we started hearing an announcement over the loudspeaker.  I cant remember the exact wording, but it was something about the ride being temporarily experiencing delays, but it was different than the message we had heard yesterday when the ride went down.  

A bunch of people left the line, including the two girls, who trashed the new drink that they had just gotten.  

There was a large multi-generational family in front of us who were kind of annoying.  The kids were out of control, playing with and trying to sit on the chains and running around.  The grandmother looked uncomfortable standing so at one point she sat down.  







Im not sure how long we waited, maybe 15-20 minutes, and finally the line started moving.

Here are a couple of pictures from the queue line.










We rode.

It seemed smoother than the one at Disneyworld and I loved the groovy music that played while we rode.  

I loved it!!!











My notes say when we finished here, we rode Buzz.  I dont have any pictures, but you cant argue with notes! 

Our next destination was 






When we got into line, we were handed this:









The red timing card and lanyard


Yesterday we had done this attraction with Fast Pass, but since we were in standby this time around, we got to see the whole, really cool queue.



















This is a great attraction! 

When we were done, it was getting to be time for one of my most anticipated parts of our trip.

But first, we sent off the boys with all four FP for Space Mountain, with plans to meet up a little later.

On our way out of IJ- we ran into a DIS group, RHMH (Bob), his daughter Midori and their friends.  Bob had an awesome thread for July Disneyland guests, with some great information, a list of when DIS guests were traveling and dining, opportunities for meet-ups and a lot of fun questions posted every week.  It was a great place to ramp up the excitement for our trips.







Unfortunately, the boys were not with us when we met up. I think it would have been nice for Midori to say hello to couple of other teens.  We also did not have much time to chat because we were running a bit late.  

But before we parted Bob, who is from the Lone Star State, gave us a sweet little gift.  It was a package of Texas Bluebell seeds to commemorate our meet.  Keep this little tidbit in mind, it comes into play later in the report.






*Next Up: Magical Meet Months in the Making*
Click on Link Above to Get to the Next Post


----------



## KatMark

We are leaving for the airport soon  and so I'm doing a little DIS catching up while waiting.

What a great looking pool and slide. It doesn't look like it was overly crowded either. I love how you take photos going down the slide.

And a fun day at Disneyland. But why of why must people let their kids climb over everything, swing on the chains, etc? I swear if anything were to happen to one of those kids that those parents would be the first ones to sue!

I like that Space Mountain has the seat next to each other...I much prefer that to the single seats.

And I've heard great things about the Indiana attraction.

 for a DIS meet.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Arg, I know it's not related to your report per se, but why can't cameras keep a time stamp right? Don't they know how important that is for TR's? It can't possibly be user error if it happens to all of us... right?

Hmmm, not only did the grandmother sit down... she also hauled out the stink eye.

But I have to say one of my biggest annoyances at Disney is kids playing on those chains. Obviously it's annoying, but also pretty dangerous and they could get pretty hurt. And who are they going to blame when they do?

Space in Dland is absolutely smoother than DWorld. I loved it too. A lot!

How awesome to have a DISmeet in Disneyland!!


----------



## mickeystoontown

Did the pool slides close early when you were there?  I have read several reports stating that they closed at 5:00 p.m. which sounded so odd to me.    Even if you didn't stay at the pool long, I am sure it was a nice way to cool off and have a little down time.  

The theming in the queue for Indiana Jones looks really neat.  You gotta love how Disney makes even the lines for rides a nice experience.  Well, except for when you get behind teenagers who drop drinks or families who are rowdy and/or rude.

Yay for a Dis Meet!  It sounds like Bob's thread was a good one to subscribe too.  I like fun threads like that.


----------



## JanetMom

Catching up on your latest installment...

Love the pedicured toes on the waterslide! 

Space Mountain sounds fun. Another reason I want to head out to Disneyland someday. But I think I'd rather have the indoor queue in the summer heat.

Selling drinks to the line is a brilliant idea, but unbelievable that the girls were willing to waste two drinks in a row!


----------



## MotoWifey185

Aloha! I am finally joining in. I just got all caught up with the first posts of your report. My DH and I just got back from Maui celebrating our anniversary as well, so this report will be fun for me to read! I love a good mix of my two favorite things... Disney and Hawaii! 

There is a lot to comment on but I was laughing at the "Mama Done That" lady!  It's unfortunate you had to be next to her though. 

The GCH is a beautiful hotel, and it looks like you really scored a good view! It is a dream of mine to stay there one day. I actually use it as inspiration when decorating my home. 

I am looking forward to reading more!


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> We are leaving for the airport soon  and so I'm doing a little DIS catching up while waiting.
> 
> What a great looking pool and slide. It doesn't look like it was overly crowded either. I love how you take photos going down the slide.
> 
> And a fun day at Disneyland. But why of why must people let their kids climb over everything, swing on the chains, etc? I swear if anything were to happen to one of those kids that those parents would be the first ones to sue!
> 
> I like that Space Mountain has the seat next to each other...I much prefer that to the single seats.
> 
> And I've heard great things about the Indiana attraction.
> 
> for a DIS meet.



Sorry about your return to reality, but it sounds like you had a fantastic trip!

We went to the pool 3 afternoons and it was never very crowded.  We didn't have any trouble finding a lounger or two for our stuff.  And I think the slide had 8-10 kids in line at a time (all kids- I may have been the only adult)

The queue chains are not jungle gyms.  That is all.

Side to side is a great way to ride Space, and I'm glad it is like that there since the Matterhorn is a toboggan, ride-in-a-line attraction.  IJ is fun and well-themed.  Unfortunately, it is prone to breakdowns.  

If you liked that DISmeet, you are going to LOVE the next one.  As I mentioned, I had to rush through the get together with Bob and his family/friends because I was late for something...







DisneyKid4Life said:


> Arg, I know it's not related to your report per se, but why can't cameras keep a time stamp right? Don't they know how important that is for TR's? It can't possibly be user error if it happens to all of us... right?
> 
> Hmmm, not only did the grandmother sit down... she also hauled out the stink eye.
> 
> But I have to say one of my biggest annoyances at Disney is kids playing on those chains. Obviously it's annoying, but also pretty dangerous and they could get pretty hurt. And who are they going to blame when they do?
> 
> Space in Dland is absolutely smoother than DWorld. I loved it too. A lot!
> 
> How awesome to have a DISmeet in Disneyland!!



The time stamp issue was really troublesome on this trip!  We had a 3 hour time difference in California and then another change when we got to Hawaii.  And even though I brought along the manual for my two Fuji cameras, it didn't cover how to change the time!!! 

Guess I will have to just keep photographing the train station and Fast Passes to keep on track.

Playing and climbing on the queue dividers=Not Cool!  That is quite the stink-eye from Grandma.  Maybe she should have directed it back at the kids!

Space was great! 

What's better than a DISmeet in DL?  TWO DISmeets in the same hour!  Especially when it involves DISRoyalty! 






mickeystoontown said:


> Did the pool slides close early when you were there?  I have read several reports stating that they closed at 5:00 p.m. which sounded so odd to me.    Even if you didn't stay at the pool long, I am sure it was a nice way to cool off and have a little down time.
> 
> The theming in the queue for Indiana Jones looks really neat.  You gotta love how Disney makes even the lines for rides a nice experience.  Well, except for when you get behind teenagers who drop drinks or families who are rowdy and/or rude.
> 
> Yay for a Dis Meet!  It sounds like Bob's thread was a good one to subscribe too.  I like fun threads like that.



Great question.  We were never at the pool that late.  I think I read the same in Jenseib's report (her trip was in Feb, I think).  I doubt the slides close that early in the summer but it would really stink if they do! 

The one advantage of watching kids and teens misbehave in line is that it makes me realize that my two are not so bad after all!   

Bob's thread was fantastic.  I didn't have much time to spend there, but I know a lot of  friendships were formed and he really had some great info and fun questions to help everyone get excited for their trips.  






JanetMom said:


> Catching up on your latest installment...
> 
> Love the pedicured toes on the waterslide!
> 
> Space Mountain sounds fun. Another reason I want to head out to Disneyland someday. But I think I'd rather have the indoor queue in the summer heat.
> 
> Selling drinks to the line is a brilliant idea, but unbelievable that the girls were willing to waste two drinks in a row!



Thanks!  I think this may have just been my 2nd or 3rd pedi, lifetime, but if I am going to photographing my toes, they really need to be gussied up! I was late booking my appointment for the day before we left on the trip, so I actually had to do the pedi in the morning and go back for the manicure later that afternoon.  That was a pain! 

The outdoor queues were weird for someone used to the summer heat and humidity in Florida.  But it is just a testament that California is much cooler (no humidity) and drier, so it is not as uncomfortable.  That was nice! 






MotoWifey185 said:


> Aloha! I am finally joining in. I just got all caught up with the first posts of your report. My DH and I just got back from Maui celebrating our anniversary as well, so this report will be fun for me to read! I love a good mix of my two favorite things... Disney and Hawaii!
> 
> There is a lot to comment on but I was laughing at the "Mama Done That" lady!  It's unfortunate you had to be next to her though.
> 
> The GCH is a beautiful hotel, and it looks like you really scored a good view! It is a dream of mine to stay there one day. I actually use it as inspiration when decorating my home.
> 
> I am looking forward to reading more!





Thank you for joining along! 

We loved Maui!!!  What part of the island were you on?  Which anniversary?

As bad as it was being next to "Mama Done That" can you imagine what it would be like to be her children who have to listen to that all the time?  

We loved the Grand Californian! Our view was so interesting, all times of day and night.


----------



## teekathepony

The pool looks lovely, I am picturing myself by it right now in fact, as i sit here shivering with my frost warning from last night... 
Yikes, families like that can be annoying in any line, but when you're stopped for a bit it's even worse. 
The Indiana Jones queue looks really cool. Sounds like such an amazing ride.
Yayyyy for Dismeets!!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## eandesmom

I forgot you used Lansky for pickup.  We loved him, worth every penny!  If I never had to drive on vacation that would be quite alright with me.  

I am glad you got your text on the room, spoiler alert, we never did.

Seriously great view !!!!!!!!!!  I dont think Ive ever seen anyone on their balcony when I look up, I love that you used it!

Oh no, you didn't get the memo on the hidden second line on the TIki room side for Dole Whips?  I see you were clued in later but bummer that you had to wait the whole time for the first get go.

That is a LOT of girls in matching dresses, must be a performance group but I wonder what?  I am jealous (and seem to recall posting this on FB) that your boys wanted pool time.  

I don't get the hand stamping thing either but my hand glowed for days.

CA Screaming is our favorite Disney coaster. 

I would have been DONE with that Mama as well!

Wheel of Death is right but I do have a cool story about it once I ever get my DL TR started and we get to that point.

I can't believe Ben got on RsR 3x while you did ToT.  ToT is actually much milder in DL according to my co-worker former Imagineer who worked on it, and I would have to agree.  Very different set up.  Im glad you liked Flo's, I didn't care for the food at all.  Maybe it was the time of day and things weren't fresh?

No Junkyard Jamboree?  I love that ride!

I love that you can sit side by side on Space at DL and I swear it is less jerky.

AndI think I am caught up.

YAY FOR ME!


----------



## natebenma

teekathepony said:


> The pool looks lovely, I am picturing myself by it right now in fact, as i sit here shivering with my frost warning from last night...
> Yikes, families like that can be annoying in any line, but when you're stopped for a bit it's even worse.
> The Indiana Jones queue looks really cool. Sounds like such an amazing ride.
> Yayyyy for Dismeets!!
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards



The Grand Californian had a nice pool.  The setting was really pretty and it wasn't crowded.  My biggest gripe, which I have with many resort pools, is that it is not deep enough.  I like it when pools are at least 5 feet deep in parts.  

People seem to think it is ok to take a vacation from parenting when they are on vacation.  It's not! 

IJ is just a perfect movie to immortalize in an attraction! 

I'll be writing about another DISmeet in my next update (probably tomorrow)






eandesmom said:


> I forgot you used Lansky for pickup.  We loved him, worth every penny!  If I never had to drive on vacation that would be quite alright with me.
> 
> I am glad you got your text on the room, spoiler alert, we never did.
> 
> Seriously great view !!!!!!!!!!  I dont think Ive ever seen anyone on their balcony when I look up, I love that you used it!
> 
> Oh no, you didn't get the memo on the hidden second line on the TIki room side for Dole Whips?  I see you were clued in later but bummer that you had to wait the whole time for the first get go.
> 
> That is a LOT of girls in matching dresses, must be a performance group but I wonder what?  I am jealous (and seem to recall posting this on FB) that your boys wanted pool time.
> 
> I don't get the hand stamping thing either but my hand glowed for days.
> 
> CA Screaming is our favorite Disney coaster.
> 
> I would have been DONE with that Mama as well!
> 
> Wheel of Death is right but I do have a cool story about it once I ever get my DL TR started and we get to that point.
> 
> I can't believe Ben got on RsR 3x while you did ToT.  ToT is actually much milder in DL according to my co-worker former Imagineer who worked on it, and I would have to agree.  Very different set up.  Im glad you liked Flo's, I didn't care for the food at all.  Maybe it was the time of day and things weren't fresh?
> 
> No Junkyard Jamboree?  I love that ride!
> 
> I love that you can sit side by side on Space at DL and I swear it is less jerky.
> 
> AndI think I am caught up.
> 
> YAY FOR ME!



 for getting caught up!  Most impressive! 

Yes, I found Lansky (DK Livery) to be very responsive and reliable.  We would use them again.  I need to go over to the DL thread and post my comments there. 

ITA about driving on vacation!  It could not be avoided on one leg of our journey, but for the most part we can work around having to rent a car.

See, Mark, not everybody gets the texts! 

We LOVED that view!!!  So many interesting things to look at.  Plus.  Fireworks. 

That's ok about the Dole Whip.  We had a nice interaction with the dad and his kid while in line.  But it was nice skipping it on future visits! 

The sea of girls was endless!!! I felt bad for the people who had to sew the costumes for each of the groups! 

I was so excited to have some company on my pool visits.  That usually doesn't happen.  Even at Stormalong Bay.

CA Screamin' is awesome, and is Ben's threshold coaster.  He is now saying he will do everything at Universal/IoA.  Go Hulk!  Can't wait to hear your Wheel of Death story (did you see people got stuck on that last week for 90 minutes).  How spinny is Junkyard Jamboree?  I can't do tea cups or even Astro orbitor.  

I really like Space at DL and that is interesting about ToT being less intense at DL.  It really is.  

Thanks for reading!


----------



## MotoWifey185

> Thank you for joining along!
> 
> We loved Maui!!!  What part of the island were you on?  Which anniversary?
> 
> As bad as it was being next to "Mama Done That" can you imagine what it would be like to be her children who have to listen to that all the time?
> 
> We loved the Grand Californian! Our view was so interesting, all times of day and night.



We stayed in Wailea! It was great, but we drove out to Kaanapali so many times I think we probably should have stayed out there instead haha! It was very nice having the beach to ourselves though... We celebrated our 2 wedding anniversary and 8 years of dating. We stayed on Oahu for our honeymoon so we decided to try a different island this time! 

Oh yeah I can't imagine being around the "mama done that" lady all the time haha! Her poor kids.


----------



## natebenma

MotoWifey185 said:


> We stayed in Wailea! It was great, but we drove out to Kaanapali so many times I think we probably should have stayed out there instead haha! It was very nice having the beach to ourselves though... We celebrated our 2 wedding anniversary and 8 years of dating. We stayed on Oahu for our honeymoon so we decided to try a different island this time!
> 
> Oh yeah I can't imagine being around the "mama done that" lady all the time haha! Her poor kids.



We never made it Wailea, but I really wanted to get to that area to eat at Monkeypod! 

We stayed at the Honua Kai in Kaanapali.  We loved the resort and the location.  The snorkeling from the resort beach was some of the best we have ever experienced!


----------



## natebenma

Almost as soon as I booked our trip to Disneyland and Hawaii in October, I contacted the unofficial DIS Ambassador to DL- 
Brenda, aka emmysmommy.  We have been DISfriends for a long time.  We “met” on the Yacht & Beach Club FAQ thread, she has followed my trip reports and I am one of the many devoted followers of her VERY POPULAR and impressive trip reports.

We also had a request for her, for a few park maps, so we could familiarize ourselves with the parks and start planning (overplanning) for our trip.  Brenda graciously and generously obliged us with maps (in about a dozen different languages, no less), some first visit buttons and a few bags of candy for the boys.  The boys consumed some of it right away, but they actually saved some of it until our actual vacation! 

Of course we made plans to meet.  I didn’t want to meet on our first day, since I figured we would all be wiped out zombies from our cross-country trip and not at our best, so I suggested that we get together sometime on Sunday, our second day.  Brenda would let us know when she was in the area.  

Around 5:00, just about the time we were visiting with Bob and his clan, she let us know she was on her way.  

I suggested meeting at the Partners Statue, in front of the castle because I thought the significance of this location was just perfect. 















First, I will give Brenda’s wonderful recount of our meeting from her trip report:


*originally posted by emmysmommy*

Before I wrap this thing up I’m excited to share two awesome DISmeets!

The first was with Dee (Natebenma) who is the “hostess” of the YC/BC resort thread in addition to being a prolific TR contributor (who doesn’t love her spot on comic intros for her posts) here on the DISboards.   I became familiar with Dee originally through the YC/BC resort thread in 2010 since that was the one of the first WDW resorts that Em and I stayed for our inaugural girls’ trip that year.  

When Dee asked for opinions regarding her family’s summer vacation plans in her current TR I was eager to share my thoughts and vote for a West Coast trip that included Hawaii with a side of Disneyland.  I’m pretty sure that my vote must have counted for something since she booked a trip that included Disneyland not too long after!   Yay!!  This was my opportunity to finally meet Dee face-to-face!  

Our plan was to meet on Sunday July 13th at Disneyland.  Exciting stuff to look forward to!  

Meeting up at the Partner’s statue in the middle of Disneyland was where I officially made a new friend and met her sweet husband Mark.  It was so awesome to actually meet Dee in person.  The Nate and Ben part of Natemenma were elsewhere in the park.   We didn’t have any plans so we chatted for a while.  Anyone that knows me would be shocked I’m sure!  Me chatty?   It was very thoughtful of Dee to come bearing gifts for not only me but my family.  Very generous!    

A Partner's Statue Photo Op: 




We had to have a castle photo!



For Em, she had Lisa (mickeystoontown) make an Ariel back sack.  Not any back sac, but Em’s favorite Disney character.  I was astounded that Dee had paid attention to this little fact when I can’t recall that I’ve shared that little known fact often.  Em was thrilled for this perfect gift.  Here’s a photo of it getting used during our latest WDW trip.







For my hubby Michael, she paid attention to the fact that he is a big Packer fan.  Giving my hubby Packer duct tape was like giving a cat, catnip.  It didn’t take him long to put it to good use.  Leave it to him to mail something to Kathy (KatMark) who is a big Bears fan.  I don’t think he felt any shame.

A little bundle of trouble is what this ended up being with my trouble-maker husband.


 



And finally, I received this really lovely Cinderella’s castle necklace.   It had a silhouette of the castle with a river rock accent.  It was made by a local artisan in Dee’s area.  This was a great gift because…. I sported this little beauty at our Cinderella’s Royal Table dinner last week.  This was so perfect for the occasion!  Thank you Dee for your kindness and generosity.  









Mark and the boys were cool enough to share their wife/mom for a little while so we went to Toontown and rode Roger Rabbit.  That was one time that I didn’t mind a long stand-by wait since it gave us time to talk Disney, kids, and life.  (Hey, you almost have DisneyKid4Life there!)  

Before saying goodbye, we swapped out taking a final couple photos after meeting up with the guys.  I’m not sure why I thought it was a good idea to stand in the photo with her family instead of taking one of their entire family.  It’s probably because I thought they needed more photos of me in their family vacation photo album.  









Dee, I’m so very glad that you took the time from your family vacation to spend a little time with me.  I’m wicked happy that worked out!  


Now here is my reply to her post, then I will expand a little bit on our time together. 


My family and I had a great time meeting you!  And of course we really appreciated the thoughtful gifts you brought.







We enjoyed all of the chocolate and other treats on our various plane rides and I opened the coffee and had some this morning.  Chocolate and coffee are two sure ways to our hearts! 

Here are a couple pictures of my own and from photopass.  










When my family saw this picture (which I believe I requested), they said "It looks like we are auditioning a new mother"

You could do worse, boys! 










As you said so eloquently, it was wicked awesome!!!




A little while after we met up with Brenda and posed for our photopass pictures, Mark offered to go off and look for the boys so Brenda and I could spend some time together.  We wanted to do a ride together, but what?

We finally settled on Roger Rabbit, but much later after the fact I thought that Peter Pan might have been a nice ride to do together.  We both love it, and we hadn’t been on it yet (in fact, to be honest, I had forgotten all about it!)

This was as close as I got to It’s a Small World during this trip:






We entered into Mickey’sToonTown, and I had to admit that I never made it to that land in Disney World! Sorry, Lisa!










We talked non-stop during the 30 minute wait for the ride.  It was just like getting together with a long-lost friend, which in a way, it was.  

Since it was Sunday evening, it was a “school night” for Brenda, so after the ride, it was time for Brenda to leave    We started to walk out of Mickey’sToonTown and who did Brenda spot, but the rest of my family! I am so glad Brenda got to meet the boys for just a little bit and they had a chance to thank her for the wonderful gifts. 

After a final hug and goodbye, Brenda walked off and we thought we would try an attraction we hadn’t done yet-  The Monorail.


*Click on Link to Get to Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

The Monorail is TOO a ride (even more so in Disneyland, since it really doesn’t take you anywhere, except for maybe DTD)







As we were waiting in line, we decided to “peek behind the curtain” of where the rehab of the Finding Nemo submarine ride was happening.











Unfortunately, after about a 7 or 8 minute wait, where we didn’t move at all, a CM came by to tell us the monorail was not operating.

It was around 6:30, we were getting hungry, there was nothing else we wanted to do at that point, so we exited the park.













Expecto Patronis! 

*Next Up:  Dinner, Back to CA and Wait! What are we forgetting?*
Click Here


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Love that you and Brenda got to finally meet face to face (I love reading Brenda's dining reviews  but don't often comment  - they are awesome though and talk about food porn ).
The gifts you got eachother are lovely and thoughtful and seem perfect for those that received them 
Nate and Ben have obviously inherited their mother's wit and turn of phrase "new mother auditions"
Great photos of all concerned


----------



## mickeystoontown

I loved the excerpts from Brenda's trip report which recounted your meeting!  I have said it before but I'll say it again, I love Dis Meets!  It's just like you said, we get to know one another on the boards and when we actually meet each other, it's like hugging long lost friends.   The pure joy at the meet shines through in the pictures.

What a bummer that the monorail wasn't running.  But, on the other hand, did you see how the crowds parted when you guys walked down Main Street? (If that's the correct name.)


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Hehe, I thnk maybe now she might be the official DLand ambassador. And considering all the WDW trips, maybe the WDW ambassador as well, lol.

Wow Dee what a great idea for an update... Just copy and paste (I tease of course). I loved reliving Brenda's ever so eloquent recounting of your meet and of course your lovely response as well. Plus, "auditioning a new mother".  Still makes me laugh.

It is so true. Meeting Brenda, there is just no "we just met" awkwardness at all. I miss her.  So glad you got to meet AND got to do a ride together.


----------



## JanetMom

What a nice update. So great to be able to meet a good friend!


----------



## tiggerfan77

Love that queue for IJ. Very cool!
Sounds like another fun day especially with a such a great DIS meet! I'm not a fan of It's a Small World but I must admit that Disneyland's version looks way better than ours. Love how detailed it is!


----------



## MEK

I remember reading about your Brenda meet on her TR.  Thanks for the recap.  She seems like a lovely person and truly IS the queen of DIS meets.  I can't imagine what it would be like to live so close to the Mothership (DL).  How very cool.

Speaking of cool - I really like that picture of IASW in the distance.  The facade is so cool.  I would have to ride it just because.  

Fun updates!


----------



## KatMark

Slowly trying to catch up so I can get an update done on my TR (just isn't happening the way I want it to be going right now...so far behind).

I loved reliving your DIS meet with Brenda and the trouble Michael got in with your gift.  So glad the two of you got to do a ride together.

Sorry the monorail wasn't running.

As much as I DISLIKE It's a Small World, I do want to do the one in DL.


----------



## jenseib

I have to say I am so glad you were behind with posting, because I am way behind with all my reading and I still have a couple I need to start reading as well!

Loving your day.  I thought I read somewhere that the slides close at 5 year round, but I could just be making that up in my head. I do think it's a stupid time to close though and I don't understand the reasoning for it.
Reading your report really makes me want to go back and I hope we can get there next spring again.

How wonderful to have a couple of Dis meets! Isn't it great to just pick up and talk like long lost friends.  Thats how it was for Cass and I at DL.  We had such a wonderful time and I wish I could plan more trips with her in the future.


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Love that you and Brenda got to finally meet face to face (I love reading Brenda's dining reviews  but don't often comment  - they are awesome though and talk about food porn ).
> The gifts you got eachother are lovely and thoughtful and seem perfect for those that received them
> Nate and Ben have obviously inherited their mother's wit and turn of phrase "new mother auditions"rotfl:
> Great photos of all concerned



Meeting Brenda was truly a highlight of my trip to DL-  I had been looking forward to it for months, and I was so excited to give her the gifts.  She was spot on with the gifts for my family!  Candy and coffee are definite favorites!



I read Brenda's dining reports as part of her trip reports.  I almost always want to go to the places she goes to! 

Glad you enjoyed the comment.






mickeystoontown said:


> I loved the excerpts from Brenda's trip report which recounted your meeting!  I have said it before but I'll say it again, I love Dis Meets!  It's just like you said, we get to know one another on the boards and when we actually meet each other, it's like hugging long lost friends.   The pure joy at the meet shines through in the pictures.
> 
> What a bummer that the monorail wasn't running.  But, on the other hand, did you see how the crowds parted when you guys walked down Main Street? (If that's the correct name.)



Thank you for your part in helping with the gift for Emmy-  I loved being able to design something meaningful and have it put together by someone they know as well! 

Missing the monorail is one of the biggest disappointments at DL.  Spoiler alert- we never did get on it  

Yes, the crowds certainly parted for us.  It was like we were on parade or something. 






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hehe, I thnk maybe now she might be the official DLand ambassador. And considering all the WDW trips, maybe the WDW ambassador as well, lol.
> 
> Wow Dee what a great idea for an update... Just copy and paste (I tease of course). I loved reliving Brenda's ever so eloquent recounting of your meet and of course your lovely response as well. Plus, "auditioning a new mother".  Still makes me laugh.
> 
> It is so true. Meeting Brenda, there is just no "we just met" awkwardness at all. I miss her.  So glad you got to meet AND got to do a ride together.



Got to love an update that practically writes itself!  



Well if not the official ambassador, she is most certainly the Queen of Meets! I love the way she is able to fit so many meets into her trips, and others' trips to DL and even making sure she gets in meets with her favorite restaurant CMs.  

They did all look great together, didn't they! 






JanetMom said:


> What a nice update. So great to be able to meet a good friend!



Thank you!  Meeting friends has become a favorite pastime at Disney- I think you know exactly what I mean! 






tiggerfan77 said:


> Love that queue for IJ. Very cool!
> Sounds like another fun day especially with a such a great DIS meet! I'm not a fan of It's a Small World but I must admit that Disneyland's version looks way better than ours. Love how detailed it is!



You and EJ would absolutely love the whole IJ experience! 

Part of the Small World ride is outside!  We didn't go over to check it out, but it sounds interesting.  

We had a great, great day and it isn't even close to over yet! 






MEK said:


> I remember reading about your Brenda meet on her TR.  Thanks for the recap.  She seems like a lovely person and truly IS the queen of DIS meets.  I can't imagine what it would be like to live so close to the Mothership (DL).  How very cool.
> 
> Speaking of cool - I really like that picture of IASW in the distance.  The facade is so cool.  I would have to ride it just because.
> 
> Fun updates!



Meeting Brenda was FANTASTIC!!!  

We never fit in IASW.  




KatMark said:


> Slowly trying to catch up so I can get an update done on my TR (just isn't happening the way I want it to be going right now...so far behind).
> 
> I loved reliving your DIS meet with Brenda and the trouble Michael got in with your gift.  x 3 So glad the two of you got to do a ride together.
> 
> Sorry the monorail wasn't running.
> 
> As much as I DISLIKE It's a Small World, I do want to do the one in DL.



When I gave the wrapped gift to Brenda for her husband she asked me- "Why are you giving a can of tuna to my husband?"





I honestly did not intend for Michael to torment you with his gift, but I do have to admit, I LOL'ed when I saw your post on Facebook.  Do you remember my innocent comment  ("Is that Green Bay Packers tape?").  And then he threw me under the bus! 

As a fellow football fanatic (I know, I root for an evil team), I love your Sunday posts.  



 about the monorail.  Especially since you can still ride up front there.

Sorry I can't give you a review of IASW.






jenseib said:


> I have to say I am so glad you were behind with posting, because I am way behind with all my reading and I still have a couple I need to start reading as well!
> 
> Loving your day.  I thought I read somewhere that the slides close at 5 year round, but I could just be making that up in my head. I do think it's a stupid time to close though and I don't understand the reasoning for it.
> Reading your report really makes me want to go back and I hope we can get there next spring again.
> 
> How wonderful to have a couple of Dis meets! Isn't it great to just pick up and talk like long lost friends.  Thats how it was for Cass and I at DL.  We had such a wonderful time and I wish I could plan more trips with her in the future.



I know that feeling of being happy when I discover I am not as far behind as I thought I would be on reports because they haven't been updated recently.  

You have been, um, a bit busy lately!!! In a great way! 

If these posts make you want to go back, I know the next one won't help that issue.  Let's just say you were the inspiration for what happens next!

I definitely felt the instant friendship with Brenda.  I also know what you mean about the trip with you and Cass.  It was like that when I stayed with Rebecca and her mom at the Beach Club!


----------



## ddluvsdisney

natebenma said:


> The Cars area at California Adventure is just so well done!!!  I have heard of Celebration Tavern, but didn't know of the Massachusetts connection.  Definitely let me know how it is.  Mary Ellen- is that where you have wanted to eat?



Thought I sent this already but the wifi at Universal has been awful!!
We tried the tavern last night. I thought it was really good. Really a cute place!
I had the Ipswich whole belly clams. DS13 had Parmesan jumbo shrimp ( this looked fab. But I was too full to try it) DS 17 had fried shrimp. DH had a fishermans platter. We sat outside bc it was first available. Really nice bar and huge outside seating area. The TV was huge!! It was so hot yesterday so not our first choice but we were hungry didn't want to wait.   Such a cute town. Now I know what the draw is to living there.


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> Thought I sent this already but the wifi at Universal has been awful!!
> We tried the tavern last night. I thought it was really good. Really a cute place!
> I had the Ipswich whole belly clams. DS13 had Parmesan jumbo shrimp ( this looked fab. But I was too full to try it) DS 17 had fried shrimp. DH had a fishermans platter. We sat outside bc it was first available. Really nice bar and huge outside seating area. The TV was huge!! It was so hot yesterday so not our first choice but we were hungry didn't want to wait.   Such a cute town. Now I know what the draw is to living there.



Sorry to hear about the crappy wifi at US. 

The Celebration Tavern sounds excellent.  I would love to try any of the things you ordered.  Thanks for sharing your review!


----------



## natebenma

It was around 6:30 when we left Disneyland and headed back to our room.  We were uninspired with our dinner choices.  We stopped at Naples, where we got last night’s pizza.  We got 4 slices of pizza, a turkey sub, a small salad and 4 drinks: $51.00







When we got back to the resort, we stopped at White Water Snacks so I could get an item highly recommended by jenseib: The chicken nachos!  $10.57







They were just as good as described!


We finished eating.  You may recall that we are holding on to Fast Passes for Radiator Springs Racers (8:55 pm to 9:55 pm)

We entered CA via the resort entrance, near Grizzly Peak.







We had some time before our Fast Pass matured, so we decided to spend some time here:


























This area is so beautiful at night! 

One of our goals was to ride California Screaming after dark.  Unfortunately, the ride was down when we went by.

We did have time for a little spin on Mickey’s Wheel of Death. 

Hmmm… Sliding or Non-sliding???

Duh!  Ben and I learned our lesson this morning.








What amazing views from the ride! 























































Nate uttered the words we would hear a lot on this trip

“Let’s go to Soarin’”

I decided to sit this one out.  Mark, Nate and Ben went off to Soarin’ while I ventured over to Carsland so I could walk around and take some pictures.  We made plans to meet up at the entrance of RSR.  


*Continued in Next Post: Carsland at Night*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

All I can say is WOW!!!  This area is gorgeous during the day but absolutely amazing at night!



































A couple of characters coming out for Meet & Greets:













When we arrived at the RSR entrance, we were glad we were in possession of our FPs.  










Still a 90 minute wait time.  As we walked through the quickie lane, we looked at the people who were in the standby line.  They did NOT look happy!























Ben did indeed get a final ride on RSR-  6 rides that day for him!!!  (3 for the rest of us)

I believe he had the same ending each timeon all of his rides that day. Ramone’s Paint Shop! 

We exited the ride to fireworks from Disneyland.











Speaking of Disneyland, WAIT!  We forgot something! 

What about A Dole Whip A Day?






Nate and I remedied that by entering Disneyland.  











We made use of the “super-secret” Tiki Room order window.  I got a regular Dole Whip and Nate got the float.  According to our receipt, it was 9:57 pm.

If anyone is keeping track- that’s 4 parks in a day.  

We started out at 7 am at California Adventure.  Took a resort/pool break, went to Disneyland (where we met Brenda).  Back to the resort for a takeout dinner, then more CA fun.  The finale was a Dole Whip night-cap at DL.

Not a bad day at all! 

And we still have two full days of fun left.


*Next Post: Early Morning at CA*
Click Here


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> If anyone is keeping track- that’s 4 parks in a day.
> 
> We started out at 7 am at California Adventure.  Took a resort/pool break, went to Disneyland (where we met Brenda).  Back to the resort for a takeout dinner, then more CA fun.  The finale was a Dole Whip night-cap at DL.
> 
> Not a bad day at all!



It was a wonderful day. Your TR makes me want to visit DL some day. It is so different than WDW.

But technically, it isn't four parks, since only two parks exist there. 
But your day reminds me of how we like to hop in and out of Epcot, throwing in another park for extra fun.


----------



## KatMark

Wow!!!! I'll never get Mark on Mickey's Wheel of Death but what an awesome view from it. That is spectacuar. Thanks for the pics, Dee.

And Carsland looks awesome at night. 3 rides for each of you and 6 for Ben. That is terrific. 

Four parks in one day...way to go.

And Michael is a rat for ratting you out.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I just flat out love Paradise Pier. It's just so fun. I guess I just really enjoy how open it is and you are so right, how cool it is at night?

Carsland really does look amazing at night too. 

6 rides on RSR? Go Ben!!

Ah probably my favourite thing. Being able to hop over to the other park in mere minutes.


----------



## jwwi

I just love how you can just decide, lets head into DL.  Can't do that in FL.....


----------



## natebenma

I forgot to add a couple of photopass pictures to the update.  

After I split off from the boys, I stopped here for pictures on my way to Carsland:







The photo from RSR came out great, so I have added that back into the update:









Wood Nymph said:


> It was a wonderful day. Your TR makes me want to visit DL some day. It is so different than WDW.
> 
> But technically, it isn't four parks, since only two parks exist there.
> But your day reminds me of how we like to hop in and out of Epcot, throwing in another park for extra fun.



I loved that DL was different from WDW but still familiar in many ways.  And since our 6 previous trips to 7 trips to Florida were in the summer, it was refreshing to be in the parks without the oppressive heat and humidity and impending rain.  In July!!!



The ease of hopping was fantastic! 

But I still don't understand why they have to stamp your hand whenever you exit one of the parks, since they view the picture associated with your ticket when you go into a new park.






KatMark said:


> Wow!!!! I'll never get Mark on Mickey's Wheel of Death but what an awesome view from it. That is spectacuar. Thanks for the pics, Dee.
> 
> And Carsland looks awesome at night. 3 rides for each of you and 6 for Ben. That is terrific.
> 
> Four parks in one day...way to go.
> 
> And Michael is a rat for ratting you out.



The heights don't bother me, and you do feel pretty protected since you are in a cage, but the swinging... Oh my! 

Plus, I found I couldn't get decent pictures when we were swinging out of control.  Much easier in a stationary car.

It was so incredible at night! I just loved the Paradise Pier area after dark! 

Carsland was also amazing at night.  Ben certainly ruled RSR that day.  The moral of that story is:  Single Rider Line! 

Boy, I wish I had invested in Neon before California Adventure was built.   

It is so easy to park hop! 

I thought I was in the clear with the duct tape.  Michael said it was a DISer, but didn't name names.  At first.  






DisneyKid4Life said:


> I just flat out love Paradise Pier. It's just so fun. I guess I just really enjoy how open it is and you are so right, how cool it is at night?
> 
> Carsland really does look amazing at night too.
> 
> 6 rides on RSR? Go Ben!!
> 
> Ah probably my favourite thing. Being able to hop over to the other park in mere minutes.



We didn't really do many rides when we returned to CA (WoD and RSR, plus Soarin' for the boys), but I was distracted by all the pretty lights.



I haven't checked to see if Ben broke any records or anything, but I'm pretty impressed with his 6 rides.  And how well he handled himself while he was away from us.  He stayed in contact and met us where and when he was supposed to.

I know- it is fantastic to be able to travel from park to park so easily.






jwwi said:


> I just love how you can just decide, lets head into DL.  Can't do that in FL.....



The setup at the Disneyland resort complex is just perfect.  DL, CA and DTD all within steps of one another.  And staying at Grand Californian made it easier still to get everywhere.


----------



## jenseib

So did you eat all the nachos? Or did your helpers help finish them off?  I think Cass has dreams about those nachos.  

I love that you can go back and forth from the parks so easily!  It makes it so easy to hop back and forth.


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> So did you eat all the nachos? Or did your helpers help finish them off?  I think Cass has dreams about those nachos.
> 
> I love that you can go back and forth from the parks so easily!  It makes it so easy to hop back and forth.



No Nachos Left Behind! 

We shared everything and I believe we polished it all off.   For better or worse, we are a clean plate club kind of family.


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> But I still don't understand why they have to stamp your hand whenever you exit one of the parks, since they view the picture associated with your ticket when you go into a new park.



I don't understand it, either. Back in the "old" days, when Disney still had paper tickets, they used to stamp your hand when you exited MK if you intended to come back later. That was also when they only had one park.  But that was before the days of the fingerprint recognition system. The stamps were invisible but would show up in black light, like when riding Peter Pan and other rides. The stamps changed daily. The purpose of the stamp was to make sure you weren't passing your ticket to someone else to use. 

Is your picture on the DL ticket or do they use the fingerprint system?


----------



## jenseib

Wood Nymph said:


> I don't understand it, either. Back in the "old" days, when Disney still had paper tickets, they used to stamp your hand when you exited MK if you intended to come back later. That was also when they only had one park.  But that was before the days of the fingerprint recognition system. The stamps were invisible but would show up in black light, like when riding Peter Pan and other rides. The stamps changed daily. The purpose of the stamp was to make sure you weren't passing your ticket to someone else to use.
> 
> Is your picture on the DL ticket or do they use the fingerprint system?




They take your picture and associate it with your ticket.  But the hand stamp is really lame. I to have no clue why they use this.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> But technically, it isn't four parks, since only two parks exist there.
> But your day reminds me of how we like to hop in and out of Epcot, throwing in another park for extra fun.



Well, yeah, only two different parks.  Spoiler Alert:  So I guess you won't be impressed with my "5 Parks" on our next day. 






Wood Nymph said:


> I don't understand it, either. Back in the "old" days, when Disney still had paper tickets, they used to stamp your hand when you exited MK if you intended to come back later. That was also when they only had one park.  But that was before the days of the fingerprint recognition system. The stamps were invisible but would show up in black light, like when riding Peter Pan and other rides. The stamps changed daily. The purpose of the stamp was to make sure you weren't passing your ticket to someone else to use.
> 
> Is your picture on the DL ticket or do they use the fingerprint system?



I'm glad that Jen answered because I couldn't remember if they fingerprinted or not.  I didn't think so, but it got jumbled in my head. 

They don't fingerscan anymore with the magic bands-  what prevents someone from handing over their Magic Band to someone else to use to enter a park?

Hmmmmm...




jenseib said:


> They take your picture and associate it with your ticket.  But the hand stamp is really lame. I to have no clue why they use this.



Glad I am not alone.  The hand stamp makes no sense to me!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:


> No Nachos Left Behind!
> 
> We shared everything and I believe we polished it all off.   For better or worse, *we are a clean plate club kind of family.  *



That is so me too! Hate leaving anything on my plate and hate my family doing it either so if they dont eat it up I have been known to "help" them out


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> That is so me too! Hate leaving anything on my plate and hate my family doing it either so if they dont eat it up I have been known to "help" them out



Actually 3 of us always clear our plates, but Nate has no issue leaving food unfinished.  Since I am not fussy about food, I will usually polish off what he has left behind. 

And the next thing I hear from Nate is "I'm not feeling well"



Every.single.time!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:


> No Nachos Left Behind!
> 
> We shared everything and I believe we polished it all off.   For better or worse, we are a clean plate club kind of family.





natebenma said:


> Actually 3 of us always clear our plates, but Nate has no issue leaving food unfinished.  Since I am not fussy about food, I will usually polish off what he has left behind.
> 
> And the next thing I hear from Nate is "I'm not feeling well"
> 
> 
> 
> Every.single.time!



Too funny


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Amazing night-time photos. I love when everything is lit up and how the atmosphere totally changes. Awesome views from scary wheel of death


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Too funny



So even if Nate is not really sick, once he makes the comment I immediately feel woogy.  






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Amazing night-time photos. I love when everything is lit up and how the atmosphere totally changes. Awesome views from scary wheel of death



So many places at California Adventure were really beautiful at night.  

I was distracted from any scariness on the Wheel of Death by the incredible views!


----------



## petals

I may need to try those nachos. Carsland looks amazing at night time as well.


----------



## natebenma

petals said:


> I may need to try those nachos. Carsland looks amazing at night time as well.



The nachos were soooooo good!  The entrance to the Grand Californian Hotel is right across from the Grizzly River Run ride.  I don't think you should have any trouble leaving the park through that exit.  White Water Snacks is not too far from there- head towards the pool (follow signs) and it is right around there. 

You have to get to Carsland during the day, dusk if possible (when the lights come on) and then at night.


----------



## natebenma

We started the next morning with breakfast in our room- bagels with cream cheese, yogurt parfait, bananas, juice and coffee.  

This time, we used the Grand Californian entrance into California Adventure.  






We walked over to check on the wait time for Radiator Springs Racers.  It was 35 minutes so we decided not to spend our Extra Magic Hour in line for this.  

I took a couple of pictures I hadn’t before:











 A closeup of Grizzly Peak as we walked out of Carsland.




I don’t care what you say.  That’s a wolf, not a bear! 


The only other section of the park open was Paradise Pier.  







I wonder what the wait time for Toy Story Mania is.




I guess we can tough it out! 

The queue line in California comes nowhere close to being as entertaining as the one in Hollywood Studios! 

When we got to the loading area, we noticed the family in front of us did not have their 3D goggle.  We told the CMs at the ride, and they were able to get them some glasses before their vehicle started moving.







One thing that is the same with the two rides-  it is very difficult to take decent pictures!!!



































At the ride exit, you go through Andy’s Room







When we were finished, we decided to ride again, since the line still wasn’t very long.

And once again, the family loading in front of us had not picked up their 3D glasses, so once again we alerted a CM.  I hope they have a LARGE stash of glasses at the ready! 












 


Our next destination was California Screamin’

We rode, then the 3 guys rode again, but I sat this one out.

I did take pictures, though! 


There they are!



 

No, not the ones waving.





In the back.










*Continued in Next Post*
Click Here or Keep Scrolling


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

Now it was time to head back to Radiator Springs.  We pulled a Fast Pass (time was 11:30 to 12:30, I think), which was perfect since we had a special lunch reservation at 12:20.

We rode Radiator Springs Racers, via the single rider line. 


There goes Ben! 






Mark













































Here is a picture of a guy taking a picture.


























This pretty scene is along the walkway as you exit RSR:






We decided to ride Tower of Terror, but once again Ben chose to sit it out.  He stayed to ride Radiator Springs Racers again, single rider, while the three of us “dropped in” at the Hollywood Hotel.

Here’s just a single picture from the queue of the Boiler room area, and then, the drop




















We planned to meet back at…  Where should we go, Nate?

“Soarin’!”


We caught up with Ben at Soarin’ at 9:07.












After a very satisfying two-and-a-half hours at CA, we wanted to spend some time at Disneyland.  For some reason, Mark and Nate went back to the room but I can’t remember why.  They were pretty close to the GCH entrance, so that was not at all difficult. 

Ben and I continued on to Disneyland.


*Next up: Morning at DL*
Click Here


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

I'm with you Dee -Grizzly Peak is definitely a wolf!!
Love the selfie with Ben in TSM but most of all I love the photo from RSR where Ben is looking across at you with such a gorgeous cheeky wee grin on his face you can almost feel the fun he's having 
Another very successful morning had by all


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

You didn't wait in line for Radiator Springs Racers???? Geez, you'd think you'd all ridden it before. Some as much as 6 times.

Good lord, 5 minutes for TSMM. That's insane. I guess with a 5 minute wait, the less entertaining queue is a moot point.

And you just earned some Disney points by mentioning the missing glasses... TWICE!!

Hahahaha, nice of the guy to wave at you anyway.


----------



## KatMark

I've never seen it, but it looks like a wolf to me too!

5 minutes for TSM? Unheard of! I would probably ride several times in a row if it stayed like that. Then again, maybe not...my arm would fall off. Good catch on those without their special glasses.

Tower of Terror...my favorite. Nice job taking pictures as you are riding.

How many times is that now for Radiator?


----------



## MotoWifey185

Another great update! I love DCA at dusk/night, it is so pretty! I never think to ride Mickey's Wheel of Death, but the views are great so I think we may need to add that to the list for our next trip! Last time I rode it WOC was being built so the lake was drained, not so pretty! Too funny that you went out of your way to get a Dole Whip so late at night!  Wow Naples is pretty pricey. How did you like the pizza?

Looking forward to more!!


----------



## tiggerfan77

LOVED the evening pics from CA! The neon lights are so cool in Radiator Springs! And the Wheel of Death looks amazing at night  I love the idea of having a Dole Whip as a night cap to a productive day!

Looks like you were able to get a lot done in the morning as well. Can't wait to see where you go for your special lunch


----------



## JanetMom

I don't know what I've been up to, but I fell behind on your report.

Love your pics of Paradise Pier. That and Carsland are two good reasons to go check out DL.

I can't believe how calm you are on TOT. I'll have to post my pic from WDW soon. I'm no where near that calm! I may be biased, but I like the view from the WDW TOT better.


----------



## natebenma

So, I have been spending the past day putting out fires here on the DIS and on Facebook



Yes, the Beach Club and Yacht Club will be undergoing renovation in the coming months.  

No, it will not be anything like the construction/destruction currently happening at the Poly.

Unfortunately, a recent blog article compared the two projects and it is sending guests into a frenzy.

For the record, from what I understand-  the renovation is mainly interior work, new carpeting, furniture and paint in the rooms and hallways.  Work on the BC will probably last 10 months to a year, followed by another 10 months to a year at the Yacht Club.  Sometime in between, the BCV will get some attention.

To the best of my knowledge, a refurb of Stormalong Bay is not on the schedule.  

This was a public service announcement from your friends at the Beach Club









luvpoohandcompany said:


> I'm with you Dee -Grizzly Peak is definitely a wolf!!
> Love the selfie with Ben in TSM but most of all I love the photo from RSR where Ben is looking across at you with such a gorgeous cheeky wee grin on his face you can almost feel the fun he's having
> Another very successful morning had by all



It is so hard taking selfies with a camera! 

I love that picture of Ben, too.  What a big smile on his face and you know he is thinking-  "We will leave you in the dust!" 

Great morning so far and we are only 2 1/2 hours in.  






DisneyKid4Life said:


> You didn't wait in line for Radiator Springs Racers???? Geez, you'd think you'd all ridden it before. Some as much as 6 times.
> 
> Good lord, 5 minutes for TSMM. That's insane. I guess with a 5 minute wait, the less entertaining queue is a moot point.
> 
> And you just earned some Disney points by mentioning the missing glasses... TWICE!!
> 
> Hahahaha, nice of the guy to wave at you anyway.



I think we did the standby for RSR just once, the first time we rode, first thing in the morning.  

Isn't that crazy for Toy Story!?! I guess when the masses are all at RSR, that's what happens.

The killer for me was that Soarin' always had a relatively short wait time- 15 to 20 minutes and became our go-to ride when we had time to kill.  



But the PoC line at Disneyland was always long! 

Could not believe that everyone forgot to pick up the glasses.  



Friendly people!  




KatMark said:


> I've never seen it, but it looks like a wolf to me too!
> 
> 5 minutes for TSM? Unheard of! I would probably ride several times in a row if it stayed like that. Then again, maybe not...my arm would fall off. Good catch on those without their special glasses.
> 
> Tower of Terror...my favorite. Nice job taking pictures as you are riding.
> 
> How many times is that now for Radiator?



I know, right! Totally a wolf! 

A couple times in a row was fine for TSM.  Especially when we had California Screamin' to get to.

I always try to take pictures of the drop on ToT.  And Splash.  And Rip Saw Falls over at Islands of Adventure.  Mark was annoyed that both of the ride photos from our two rides on ToT have a camera in it.  

So, 4 times on RSR so far for Mark, Nate and me (and we have a FP)
Ben is at 8 times plus an upcoming FP.  






MotoWifey185 said:


> Another great update! I love DCA at dusk/night, it is so pretty! I never think to ride Mickey's Wheel of Death, but the views are great so I think we may need to add that to the list for our next trip! Last time I rode it WOC was being built so the lake was drained, not so pretty! Too funny that you went out of your way to get a Dole Whip so late at night!  Wow Naples is pretty pricey. How did you like the pizza?
> 
> Looking forward to more!!



I can see that it wouldn't be quite as nice to ride the Wheel of Death with the lagoon drained   

The night views were so much better than the ones during the day.  I think.  Was too busy during that earlier ride holding on for dear life in the swinging cars to enjoy the scenery! 



It is funny that we were still standing so late at night.  It was just our first full day (emphasis on full) and to our bodies it was 1 am.  And at home, I normally turn into a pumpkin after 9 pm.



The pizza was really good, but like you said, expensive.  We thought the food overall at Disneyland was pretty pricey.  Even compared to our meals in Hawaii later in the trip.  

$$$





tiggerfan77 said:


> LOVED the evening pics from CA! The neon lights are so cool in Radiator Springs! And the Wheel of Death looks amazing at night  I love the idea of having a Dole Whip as a night cap to a productive day!
> 
> Looks like you were able to get a lot done in the morning as well. Can't wait to see where you go for your special lunch



DCA was incredible at night! 

I agree- pretty cool nightcap! 

We were very happy with how the morning was going.

Our lunch was the only meal we made a reservation for.  It was my favorite of the trip.  







JanetMom said:


> I don't know what I've been up to, but I fell behind on your report.
> 
> Love your pics of Paradise Pier. That and Carsland are two good reasons to go check out DL.
> 
> I can't believe how calm you are on TOT. I'll have to post my pic from WDW soon. I'm no where near that calm! I may be biased, but I like the view from the WDW TOT better.



DCA is so much fun!!!!!!

ToT does not bother me.  I just wish Ben would ride with us.  He says he will go on during his class trip in June, which is good because it is one of the rides during our class at HS.  I think the lightning ghosts bother him more than the drop.  

Both views are pretty cool.  Actually, I think there are a couple of different views you get on the WDW ToT depending on which window you are at.  Or maybe I'm thinking of EE at AK.


----------



## natebenma

When we left off, we had just spent a couple of early morning hours at California Adventure and now it was time for something completely different.  

Well, not completely-  we were returning to Disneyland.

Mark and Nate detoured to our room, so Ben and I were solo for a bit. 

According to my Town Hall clock, it is 9:30:















We are headed for Splash Mountain.

Is it here?





Nope!  Not in Disneyland.  You have to go to Critter Country

It’s weird.  In DL, Splash has single row seating, but Space Mountain has side by side.  It is reversed in MK.  



































































Why, yes, I do take a lot more pictures during a ride when I am not sitting with Mark.

Ben was mad that I wanted to stop to add the ride photo to my Photopass Card

“You can’t even see me in it!”







While the two of us were on Splash, Mark and Nate rode Buzz.  We agreed to meet up at Star Tours so we could pull a Fast Pass.

*Continued in Next Post*
Click here or keep scrolling


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post

*












Now that we are together again, it is time to hit some attractions. 

First up, family favorite Big Thunder Mountain











































Another Classic





















Then, off to do something we haven’t seen yet


*Continued in Next Post*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52510096&postcount=263
Click here or scroll on


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*








































Look at the line for Pirates!














Our Fast Pass time had come due, so we headed to a galaxy not-so-far away







Once again, Ben got the red timing card












































We got the Wookie Planet scene.  Cool!  I love 


We had a great and active visit to Disneyland, but we had places to go and things to do and meals to eat.


*Up Next:  RSR and Corner! *


----------



## mickeystoontown

I know that I mentioned it before but I love the comparison between WDW and DL.  It just seems so odd that you can move from Big Thunder Mountain to Star Tours and not have to park hop.  I wish that they'd change over the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse to the Tarzan theme.  I bet more kids know what Tarzan is than Swiss Family Robinson.  Heck, I'm 48 years old and barely remember the movie.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Haha yeah, Disneyland seems like bizarro Magic Kingdom (or vise verse I suppose). 

Bahahaha, Ben really is blocked out on Splash isn't he? OMG.

It's so much fun to see photos of Disneyland. Even though I've only been once, it does bring back some lovely memories. So the same and yet so very different.


----------



## natebenma

mickeystoontown said:


> I know that I mentioned it before but I love the comparison between WDW and DL.  It just seems so odd that you can move from Big Thunder Mountain to Star Tours and not have to park hop.  I wish that they'd change over the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse to the Tarzan theme.  I bet more kids know what Tarzan is than Swiss Family Robinson.  Heck, I'm 48 years old and barely remember the movie.



Having Star Tours in Tomorrowland makes total sense, but it was the classic MK rides in different places that really threw us off:

Pirates and Haunted together in New Orleans Square and

Splash Mountain and Winnie-the-Pooh in Critter Country

That, and the rides that DIDN'T have Fast Passes (Buzz, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan, Toy Story)  It would be nice if Pirates had FP, because that line can get very long, and does not have any cool theming, unlike the one in Florida.  

You are right-  they should switch up the theming for the tree house!  Send all of the Swiss Family Robinson props to DL and the Tarzan ones to MK! 

I'm a big believer in recycling! 






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Haha yeah, Disneyland seems like bizarro Magic Kingdom (or vise verse I suppose).
> 
> Bahahaha, Ben really is blocked out on Splash isn't he? OMG.
> 
> It's so much fun to see photos of Disneyland. Even though I've only been once, it does bring back some lovely memories. So the same and yet so very different.



It is fine that things are in different places, but it is just weird because we know exactly what to do and where to go when we are in MK, but we had to totally re-think our typical strategies in DL.

Yes, Ben is mostly missing in the Splash picture.  But I prepaid for the Photopass and durnit I'm gonna add the picture.  

I'm glad you are enjoying a trip down Memory Lane.  Wouldn't that be a great theme for a land for aging baby-boomer like me!  Maybe a VCR-themed gentle people-mover type experience.  The background music could all be from the 70's and 80's.  Well, maybe just the 80's.


----------



## ProudMommyof2

You got so much done for a busy summer day at DL. Did you find it was easier to get several "big" rides done in a day at DL than it is at WDW?


----------



## natebenma

ProudMommyof2 said:


> You got so much done for a busy summer day at DL. Did you find it was easier to get several "big" rides done in a day at DL than it is at WDW?



I was pretty impressed with what we were able to do in a couple of hours at DL that morning.  

The answer to your question is that yes, it is pretty easy to get in quite a few "big rides"- to me, Space Mountain, Matterhorn and Indiana Jones, BUT the biggest problem was that it seemed like rides frequently went down unexpectedly.  We experienced that way too much.  

Wait times did not seem bad- typically under an hour for everything (except for Radiator Springs Racers in CA) I didn't like the long lines at Pirates.   

The next day, which will be our last day, had early entry at DL, so that is where we started.  When I get to that, you will see that the day started really well and then went downhill...


----------



## KatMark

I knew the seats were different for Space Mountain at DL than DW, but did not know that about Splash Mountain. I'm glad you stopped for the photopass picture because I love you in it...great shot.

So is Tarzan's Clubhouse similar to Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, I assume?

Who doesn't love Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion.

I was so happy Star Tours did not upset my stomach this trip. But I have no idea what "Wookie Planet scene" or any other scene is. I'm not a Star Wars whiz at all.


----------



## jenseib

Great Morning!  Park hopping there is just so easy!
That kid in the front of Splash got soaked....just saying...   because I know!    Been ther done that! 

I never made it in the tree house either. Last night I saw my nieces and they had gone to WDW in late Sept. So I asked my youngest  niece who just turned 5 what her favorite ride was and she told me the tree house.    Her sister looked at her like she had 3 heads.  I asked her if she liked the Dwarves Mine train and she told me she didn't ride that but she did ride Snow Whites coaster.  

I really hope Skip still wants to go to DL this next spring.  your pictures are giving me that yearning again!


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> I knew the seats were different for Space Mountain at DL than DW, but did not know that about Splash Mountain. I'm glad you stopped for the photopass picture because I love you in it...great shot.
> 
> So is Tarzan's Clubhouse similar to Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, I assume?
> 
> Who doesn't love Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion.
> 
> I was so happy Star Tours did not upset my stomach this trip. But I have no idea what "Wookie Planet scene" or any other scene is. I'm not a Star Wars whiz at all.



I like that photopass picture, too.  

Yes, Tarazan's = Swiss Family Robinson.  Good if you need some exercise and to kill a little time.  Nice views from both attractions.  

I don't know who doesn't love Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion (and I don't want to know them!)

Wookie Planet Scene-  picture many Chewbaccas  (you know who that is, right?)  

Pretty exciting because I usually get a pod-racing scene.  






jenseib said:


> Great Morning!  Park hopping there is just so easy!
> That kid in the front of Splash got soaked....just saying...   because I know!    Been ther done that!
> 
> I never made it in the tree house either. Last night I saw my nieces and they had gone to WDW in late Sept. So I asked my youngest  niece who just turned 5 what her favorite ride was and she told me the tree house.    Her sister looked at her like she had 3 heads.  I asked her if she liked the Dwarves Mine train and she told me she didn't ride that but she did ride Snow Whites coaster.
> 
> I really hope Skip still wants to go to DL this next spring.  your pictures are giving me that yearning again!



The park hopping between DL and CA is insanely easy! 

And staying at GCH, it is as easy to park hop as it is to return to the resort.  Or both.  

It is kind of the same way at US/IoA, but even easier in California. 

But my favorite hop remains EP to MK or MK to EP via monorail!

Too funny about your nieces' visit and reviews!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:


> Having Star Tours in Tomorrowland makes total sense, but it was the classic MK rides in different places that really threw us off:
> 
> Pirates and Haunted together in New Orleans Square and
> 
> Splash Mountain and Winnie-the-Pooh in Critter Country
> 
> That, and the rides that DIDN'T have Fast Passes (Buzz, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan, Toy Story)  It would be nice if Pirates had FP, because that line can get very long, and does not have any cool theming, unlike the one in Florida.
> 
> You are right-  they should switch up the theming for the tree house!  Send all of the Swiss Family Robinson props to DL and the Tarzan ones to MK!
> 
> I'm a big believer in recycling!
> 
> 
> 
> I like the way you're thinking
> 
> 
> It is fine that things are in different places, but it is just weird because we know exactly what to do and where to go when we are in MK, but we had to totally re-think our typical strategies in DL.
> 
> Yes, Ben is mostly missing in the Splash picture.  But *I prepaid for the Photopass and durnit I'm gonna add the picture.  *
> You and I definitely think alike lol
> I'm glad you are enjoying a trip down Memory Lane.  Wouldn't that be a great theme for a land for aging baby-boomer like me!  Maybe a VCR-themed gentle people-mover type experience.  The background music could all be from the 70's and 80's.  Well, maybe just the 80's.


New career for you as an imagineer perhaps??


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> I like the way you're thinking
> 
> 
> You and I definitely think alike lol
> 
> 
> New career for you as an imagineer perhaps??



Yes, there is a place for both Tarzan's Treehouse and Swiss Family Robinson.  Why not switch them up?

I don't care how bad that picture is!  I paid for it.  I'm adding it! 

No, I don't think I'll be adding that to my plate.  

:


----------



## natebenma

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, FRIENDS!!!


----------



## teekathepony

I find it strange that they changed the seating arrangement on Splash and Space. I wonder what the reasons were! Maybe just a mis-spoken or maybe mis-understood order? 

"Hi yes, I'm calling from the Imagineers about Disney World, just a reminder, that's ONE seat per row on Splash, TWO seats per row on Space."

"One on Space, two on splash. Got it chief!  "



Too bad Ben got 100% blocked on Splash! 
I really like the Tarzan theme better than the Swiss Family Robinson. But that's me being too young to remember SFR too.
Wow you guys got a lot done!


----------



## natebenma

teekathepony said:


> I find it strange that they changed the seating arrangement on Splash and Space. I wonder what the reasons were! Maybe just a mis-spoken or maybe mis-understood order?
> 
> "Hi yes, I'm calling from the Imagineers about Disney World, just a reminder, that's ONE seat per row on Splash, TWO seats per row on Space."
> 
> "One on Space, two on splash. Got it chief!  "
> 
> 
> 
> Too bad Ben got 100% blocked on Splash!
> I really like the Tarzan theme better than the Swiss Family Robinson. But that's me being too young to remember SFR too.
> Wow you guys got a lot done!



I love your conversation of the botched order!



Ben was definitely blocked in the Splash photo.  On the plus side, I don't think either one of us got wet.  

I think I like the Tarzan theme a little better too, but I have only seen that movie once or twice. 

We were having a pretty darned good morning!


----------



## natebenma

We returned to California Adventure because we had a couple of things booked.  











First up- a Fast Pass for Radiator Springs Racers.  Along the way, we walked by the FP Distribution machine.  It was 11:50 am:







We didn’t pull one, though, because we knew we had other plans at that time.

We rode!































We got the Luigi scene!!!  That’s like getting the Cowboy scene on Great Movie Ride at HS.












How would we top yet another fantastic ride on RSR?

With a very special lunch.


*Corner!* http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52562037&postcount=278
Click here or scroll down for next update


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from previous post*

We were about to enjoy the only meal we had a reservation for:  The World of Color dining package at Carthay Circle.










From the Disneyland website:

Revisit Hollywood’s Golden Age Where Classic Décor Meets Contemporary Dining

_Carthay Circle Restaurant occupies the second floor of a detailed reproduction of the iconic Carthay Circle Theatre. The original Carthay Circle Theatre, built in 1926, played a significant role in the life of Walt Disney. His first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, premiered there in 1937, and in 1941, groundbreaking stereophonic Fantasound was installed in the theatre for the West Coast premiere of Disney’s Fantasia.

Carthay Circle Restaurant’s decor reflects the romance and glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including references to the accomplishments of Walt Disney and his original animators. See Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Courvoisier cels—the only animated art ever to hang in Walt Disney’s home—and charming pastoral scenes from the movie painted on the vaulted ceiling of the main dining room.

Feast on innovative modern fare featuring eclectic, Southern California flavors and fresh, locally sourced ingredients. At Carthay Circle Restaurant, discover bold seasonal cuisine by Chef Andrew Sutton, also executive chef of the award-winning Napa Rose restaurant at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa._


Sounds impressive, don’t it?  

But we were dining here mainly because they offered a special World of Color Viewing Dining Package- for $39, you get an entrée, dessert, soft drink and a ticket for one of the special viewing areas for the popular WoC show at California Adventure.  

We love the idea of not having to fight the crowds and having to stake out a viewing spot hours in advance.  And as Mark likes to say  “We gotta eat”
The WoC menu is limited- you have a few options to choose from but that wasn’t a problem.  We all found something we wanted.











The restaurant was really elegant, but (or maybe that is why) I didn’t take picture of the dining room.


We were seated in this corner:







Throughout the meal, we kept hearing the waitstaff calling out “Corner”.  We got excited because we figured that they were calling out that food was ready for the corner table and that meant our courses were coming out.  We were REALLY hungry.  

But eventually, we figured out that the wait staff was just warning their fellow servers that they were coming around the corner from the kitchen.  




Everything we ordered was fantastic.

The boys both ordered Wildberry Lemonade (additional $4.50 charge each)







The bread helped to satisfy our hunger, and we had learned our lesson at Blue Bayou not to overdo it so when our waitress offered more, we said “No, thank you.”







Ben LOVES potstickers, so we ordered these to split (additional $14 charge):





Potstickers filled with Gingered Pork on a mango lemongrass voodoo sauce

The starters that came with the meal were either a soup or a salad:





Carthay Salad Celebrating Summer
Garden Peas, Tender Green Beans, French Radish, Shaved Fennell, Frisee and Radicchio Tossed Lightly in a Lemon Champagne Vinaigrette. 





Roasted Chicken Broth accented with Basil, Fava Beans, Tender Peas, Carrots, Ham and Grilled Chicken. 


I actually thought the soup was Pea Soup when it was described to us and I was shocked when Nate selected this.  The rest of us ordered the salad and offered to switch with him if he wanted, but he really liked it. 


For entrees, Ben got the ravioli, I got the seasonal fish and Mark and Nate ordered the tempura shrimp.  Mark and I split our entrees.





Chicken and Spinach Ravioli with Summer Corn Broth, Crimini Mushrooms and Applewood Bacon





Tempura Fried Fish with Forbidden Black Rice Stirfry and Red Thai Curry





Sustainable Fish of the Season (Salmon) with Asparagus, Creamy Polenta and Lemon Fennel Tartar


For dessert, 3 of us ordered the  chocolate crème brulee tart and one of us ordered the semifreddo





Valrhana Milk Chocolate Crème Brulee, Fresh Marinated Raspberries and Chocolate Sauce





Summer Pineapple Coconut Semifreddo with Vanilla Rum Pineapple Conserve and Chilled Tropical Fruit Broth


Awesome meal!!!

Total bill, $193.32 plus tip.


*"Solo" on a Raft*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52562095&postcount=279
Click here or scroll to next post the next update


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from previous post*

When we were done eating, the boys were ready for a little break, but I decided I wanted to try something else.  I walked them to the Grand California hotel entrance and then took a few steps over to Grizzly River Run.  I thought about pulling a Fast Pass, but I think it was an hour or more out.

So I got into the standby line.  That didn’t move quickly at all. 

After about 10 minutes, an announcement came over the loudspeaker about the Single Rider Line.  I hadn’t thought about that!  

I got out of line, found the SRL entrance, collected a red paper single rider ticket and followed the signs up the exit stairway.  







In no time at all, I was put on a raft with a multigenerational family.  Grandma, mom and dad, kids.  








 








Even from this angle: It’s still a wolf!












Grand California Hotel





















I didn’t get too wet.


Obviously this ride is a lot like Kali River Rapids.  Honestly, I think I like Kali more- the theming is more interesting to me and there is more to look at.  But I did like being able to see my hotel from the ride. 

I probably could have taken another quick ride, but I decided to get back together with my family.


*Coming up:  We NEVER Do This on Vacation!*
Click here to get to next update


----------



## ProudMommyof2

Great update!! Love the SRL. I know you mentioned it for Radiator Springs. How many other rides have SRL?


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow Dee, you sure did get a lot of RSR this trip. Since it's unique to there that is obviously a good call. And congratulations on getting the "cowboy" version. If that is indeed its WDW equivalent then that is a BIG DEAL!!! The guy in the car with you seems to agree.

My goodness, eating at Carthay would be great enough given the original theatre's place in Disney history. But to get a reserved WoC spot too makes it a no brainer. You do indeed have to eat. Looking forward to your thoughts on that show.

Corner  Well I can see your confusion.

Wow, you know you may be the first I've heard that preferred Kali. It was in refurb when I was there so I can't compare myself, but it is interesting.


----------



## natebenma

ProudMommyof2 said:


> Great update!! Love the SRL. I know you mentioned it for Radiator Springs. How many other rides have SRL?



Thank you! 

SINGLE RIDER ATTRACTIONS

Disneyland Park

* Indiana Jones Adventure
* Matterhorn
* Splash Mountain

Disney's California Adventure Park

* California Screamin' 
* Goofy's Sky School 
* Grizzly River Run 
* Radiator Springs Racers
* Soarin' Over California

So, I prepared a really nice cheat sheet that had all sorts of info about Disneyland and California adventure before our trip in a really nice layout.  Fast Pass, Single Rider, World of Color tips, early entry and more. 

I emailed it to friends of mine (teachers at my sons middle school) who would be there at the same time.  Having it on their phone would be great, because they could just click on some of the links to get to some of the info.  

And I forgot to email it to myself or even print it out!!! 

So I had done all this prep work and then left it back at home.




Anyway-  if you are interested in this document, I can email it to you.  I can't remember if I have your email, but if you contact me at 

beachclubdee at yahoo, I will send it to you  (or anyone who requests it)


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow Dee, you sure did get a lot of RSR this trip. Since it's unique to there that is obviously a good call. And congratulations on getting the "cowboy" version. If that is indeed its WDW equivalent then that is a BIG DEAL!!! The guy in the car with you seems to agree.
> 
> My goodness, eating at Carthay would be great enough given the original theatre's place in Disney history. But to get a reserved WoC spot too makes it a no brainer. You do indeed have to eat. Looking forward to your thoughts on that show.
> 
> Corner  Well I can see your confusion.
> 
> Wow, you know you may be the first I've heard that preferred Kali. It was in refurb when I was there so I can't compare myself, but it is interesting.



RSR was definitely a priority!   Ben definitely was going for some sort of record.  

I think that was the first time in 8 rides that Ben had the Luigi scene, so it seems very cowboyish to me.  

It was a great meal, with or without the WoC ticket, but it certainly made it a better "bargain".  If you can call $39 per person, plus, for lunch a bargain.  

Having worked in a restaurant (Mark was a cook/manager and I was a waitress at a seafood restaurant together, although that's not how we met), we should have picked up on that.  But for us, it was "Behind you!"

I actually like the scenes in Kali and I love the burning smell.  I didn't find much interesting in GRR, or maybe it was because I wasn't enjoying it with my loved ones.  Or family.

But neither one holds a candle to Bluto's Raft Ride in IoA!


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> CA Screamin' is awesome, and is Ben's threshold coaster.  He is now saying he will do everything at Universal/IoA.  Go Hulk!  Can't wait to hear your Wheel of Death story (did you see people got stuck on that last week for 90 minutes).  How spinny is Junkyard Jamboree?  I can't do tea cups or even Astro orbitor.
> 
> I really like Space at DL and that is interesting about ToT being less intense at DL.  It really is.
> 
> Thanks for reading!



Junkyard is medium spinny, tons of fun but if you don't like spinny, I'd skip it.  Yes I heard about folks getting stuck YIKES, that could be panic attack inducing.

I cannot believe how much you got done with your DCA EMH, just craziness.  Two trips this year and I don't feel like I rode all that many rides!  Clearly I wasn't focused enough but then again, you guys do have mad commando skills.

Love the meet with Brenda, she is a sweetheart!  Emmy and her DH too.  I am glad you liked Carthay, people really seem to.  I can't seem to get past the limited menu for the price, nothing on it excites me and when it doesn't, I get cheap.  LOL!

All caught up.  For now.


----------



## teekathepony

> We got the Luigi scene!!!  Thats like getting the Cowboy scene on Great Movie Ride at HS.



That's cool! I didn't know there was another scene available.  Exciting!
Lunch looks really good, and if it comes with a special viewing area, bonus! 

Grizzly River Run looks cool, glad you got to go through the single rider line. It does look a lot like Kali!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:


> RSR was definitely a priority!   Ben definitely was going for some sort of record.
> 
> I think that was the first time in 8 rides that Ben had the Luigi scene, so it seems very cowboyish to me.
> 
> It was a great meal, with or without the WoC ticket, but it certainly made it a better "bargain".  If you can call $39 per person, plus, for lunch a bargain.
> 
> Having worked in a restaurant (Mark was a cook/manager and I was a waitress at a seafood restaurant together, although that's not how we met), we should have picked up on that.  But for us, it was "Behind you!"
> 
> I actually like the scenes in Kali and I love the burning smell.  I didn't find much interesting in GRR, or maybe it was because I wasn't enjoying it with my loved ones.  Or family.
> 
> *But neither one holds a candle to Bluto's Raft Ride in IoA*!


Without doubt Bluto's is my family's all-time favourite ride 
I didn't know the Cowboy scene was a rarity on the GMR??
 How did I not know this  We have gotten this scene on more than one occassion and I didn't even realise we were lucky! 
 I must pay more attention on the Dis.
 I must pay more attention on the DIS.

There that's as many punishment lines as I'm doing otherwise I won't have enough time to read and thus pay attention


----------



## jenseib

Lunch looks REALLY GOOD!!!! 
I am debating if we go next year to do the WoC dining package or not.  We had actually a better spot when we went in using FPs.  But we did wait a while and it was really chilly that night

I agree, definitely a wolf!


----------



## KatMark

Dee, playing catch up...again. 

 you got the Cowboy. I mean Luigi.  I know people often think the Cowboy is a figment of our imagination. 

Lunch looks really yummy. I love tempura shrimp and I'm now drooling over the plate.

The Grizzly River looks fun. Was it at least longer than Kali? I love Kali (Mark hates it because he hates getting wet), but it's so short of a ride.


----------



## momabbate

Oh wow, I got caught up before you left DL. Love reading about your trip. Makes me really think I will try to make a trip when visiting my mom in AZ. Down side is it will be more time before I get to WDW. I don't know how others Dis. I read every comment, then look up menus, and now look up rides. No wonder I get so far behind... This time when I was looking up rides my hubby, Chris made me hold the laptop so he could watch videos too. I think this might have convinced him we need a DL trip. Glad you and family are having a great time.


----------



## natebenma

eandesmom said:


> Junkyard is medium spinny, tons of fun but if you don't like spinny, I'd skip it.  Yes I heard about folks getting stuck YIKES, that could be panic attack inducing.
> 
> I cannot believe how much you got done with your DCA EMH, just craziness.  Two trips this year and I don't feel like I rode all that many rides!  Clearly I wasn't focused enough but then again, you guys do have mad commando skills.
> 
> Love the meet with Brenda, she is a sweetheart!  Emmy and her DH too.  I am glad you liked Carthay, people really seem to.  I can't seem to get past the limited menu for the price, nothing on it excites me and when it doesn't, I get cheap.  LOL!
> 
> All caught up.  For now.



I am disappointed that I didn't try Junkyard Jamboree.  I think I would have been ok, but nobody else had any interest.  It certainly wasn't anything we thought was worth waiting for.  

We were pretty happy with our pace on this trip.  We did get a lot done, but our biggest obstacle was ride breakdowns.  






teekathepony said:


> That's cool! I didn't know there was another scene available.  Exciting!
> Lunch looks really good, and if it comes with a special viewing area, bonus!
> 
> Grizzly River Run looks cool, glad you got to go through the single rider line. It does look a lot like Kali!



Yes, there is a second scene which seems a lot rarer, at least to us. But unlike the Cowboy scene, I don't think Luigi is far superior to Ramone's scene, just a less seen scene.

We liked knowing we had a guaranteed viewing area for WoC.

Grizzly River Run was good, just not as interesting to me as Kali.  I am so glad they made the announcement about the Single Rider Line.  It was perfect for me! 






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Without doubt Bluto's is my family's all-time favourite ride
> I didn't know the Cowboy scene was a rarity on the GMR??
> How did I not know this  We have gotten this scene on more than one occassion and I didn't even realise we were lucky!
> I must pay more attention on the Dis.
> I must pay more attention on the DIS.
> 
> There that's as many punishment lines as I'm doing otherwise I won't have enough time to read and thus pay attention



Our two previous trips to Universal/IoA have been in July, when the drenching at Bluto's is welcome.  That will probably not be the case in February, if the ride is even operating! 

Really?  You have seen the Cowboy scene a lot?  We have just seen it once.  

You are absolved!  






jenseib said:


> Lunch looks REALLY GOOD!!!!
> I am debating if we go next year to do the WoC dining package or not.  We had actually a better spot when we went in using FPs.  But we did wait a while and it was really chilly that night
> 
> I agree, definitely a wolf!



Like you said, you can get a pretty decent spot with Fast Pass, but we liked having a guaranteed spot.  Plus, we had a LOT of elbow room- people were not crowding us at all.  

And the meal was AWESOME! 






KatMark said:


> Dee, playing catch up...again.
> 
> you got the Cowboy. I mean Luigi.  I know people often think the Cowboy is a figment of our imagination.
> 
> Lunch looks really yummy. I love tempura shrimp and I'm now drooling over the plate.
> 
> The Grizzly River looks fun. Was it at least longer than Kali? I love Kali (Mark hates it because he hates getting wet), but it's so short of a ride.



The most exciting thing ever is when you pass right through those gangster gates without stopping!  The boys and I got the Cowboy Scene on GMR exactly once, and Mark was off getting Fast Passes for ToT! 

Nate loves, loves, loves tempura shrimp.  I think that is one of the reasons we ultimately chose Carthay Circle.  There are two other restaurants that offer the World of Color package.  

Yes, I think GRR is longer than Kali.  I was not impressed that I didn't get soaked.  






momabbate said:


> Oh wow, I got caught up before you left DL. Love reading about your trip. Makes me really think I will try to make a trip when visiting my mom in AZ. Down side is it will be more time before I get to WDW. I don't know how others Dis. I read every comment, then look up menus, and now look up rides. No wonder I get so far behind... This time when I was looking up rides my hubby, Chris made me hold the laptop so he could watch videos too. I think this might have convinced him we need a DL trip. Glad you and family are having a great time.



Good to see you back! 

We loved Disneyland, but WDW is still "home" for us. 

Too funny about how much time DISing takes!  I commented on another of my threads that logging on is like going down the rabbit hole.  You look up and two hours have passed while reading and commenting.


----------



## Wood Nymph

The meal price for a reserved seat at WoC seems like a bargain compared to WDW. But then again I have never bought a ticket for one of these reserved seat things . 

You are certainly getting a lot accomplished on this trip. Your careful research really paid off.  

I want to share a funny story about the GMR. We were with our five year old grandson and he got the seat right behind the driver. When the gangster got on and started to shoot, he started crying. He thought the gangster was going to shoot him, too. . Mom calmed him down and he was fine. But it was cute to have him believe in the storyline.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Think we've gotten the cowboy scene 3 or 4 times out of all the times we've been on the GMR (maybe ridden 12/13 times over the years) I just didn't think about it really and didn't register it was less common until you lot mentioned it  Think I'm so relaxed on holiday some things just go over my head 

Wood Nymph-very cute that your wee grandson thought it was real Glad his mum was able to calm him


----------



## jmskinner

Whew, I haven't been on the Dis much and kept thinking I needed to catch up on your TR.  So glad I am caught up before you have finished and started another.  

I remember why I always like your TR's, you are like me snapping pics on most of the rides. You got some really great shots!

Wow, 6 rides on Radiator Springs in one day, the 3 was impressing me.

Maybe I should have the DH read this, maybe then he will take me to DL and CA!


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> The meal price for a reserved seat at WoC seems like a bargain compared to WDW. But then again I have never bought a ticket for one of these reserved seat things .
> 
> You are certainly getting a lot accomplished on this trip. Your careful research really paid off.
> 
> I want to share a funny story about the GMR. We were with our five year old grandson and he got the seat right behind the driver. When the gangster got on and started to shoot, he started crying. He thought the gangster was going to shoot him, too. . Mom calmed him down and he was fine. But it was cute to have him believe in the storyline.



I hadn't really thought of comparing the price to the Disneyworld reserved seating deals, but you are right.  The Wishes Dessert Party is like $25 per person and I don't remember what the Fantasmic Dining package is, but I believe 2 dining credits if you are on the meal plan.  

You know, I feel ok about the ride and attraction research but really having experience from previous trips at Disneyworld and knowing the legacy Fast Pass system helped with the parks.  I did feel that I was a major planning fail at meals.  I didn't read up enough about what was available/where or have a good plan about where we should eat.  

Your poor grandson.  I can imagine how scary being up close to the gangster scene would be for someone his age.  Glad his mom was able to settle him down and you know have a great story!!!






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Think we've gotten the cowboy scene 3 or 4 times out of all the times we've been on the GMR (maybe ridden 12/13 times over the years) I just didn't think about it really and didn't register it was less common until you lot mentioned it  Think I'm so relaxed on holiday some things just go over my head
> 
> Wood Nymph-very cute that your wee grandson thought it was real Glad his mum was able to calm him



I think it takes a long time to reset the Cowboy set and I'm not sure what the ratio of Gangster/Cowboy scenes is, but it sounds like you have hit the jackpot and beaten the odds.  There is something you can do to request the scene, something about the trams on the right or something, but I have never paid much attention to that.  






jmskinner said:


> Whew, I haven't been on the Dis much and kept thinking I needed to catch up on your TR.  So glad I am caught up before you have finished and started another.
> 
> I remember why I always like your TR's, you are like me snapping pics on most of the rides. You got some really great shots!
> 
> Wow, 6 rides on Radiator Springs in one day, the 3 was impressing me.
> 
> Maybe I should have the DH read this, maybe then he will take me to DL and CA!



Thank you!

I love my little compact point and shoot so I can take pictures on the rides.  My traveling companions usually don't like when I do that, but they tolerate it.  

Experienced Fast Pass management and use of Single Rider Line are the keys to navigating Radiator Springs Racers.  I was pretty impressed at Ben's 6 rides.  And how well he handled himself when he was off on his own.  I think that is the longest we have allowed him to be off on his own.  

We really enjoyed our trip to Disneyland and California Adventure.  It was fun to try things that were familiar to us along with new experiences.  Vive La Difference!


----------



## MEK

That raft ride looks cute.  Is it longer than Kali?  I do love the theme of Kali but I always think it comes up too short. 

Yay for being wet and being able to walk to your hotel room.  Serious bonus! 

Your lunch really looks amazing.  Those entrees and those desserts are to die for!  Yum!  Sounds like lunch was a success and I can't wait to see where your viewing area was.

I have to say that I can't wait to ride that racers ride - someday.


----------



## mickeystoontown

Awww, you guys were hungry and thought that "corner' meant you were getting your food soon!  I am sorry that's not what "corner" really meant.  

Everything looked extremely good except for the green soup. Pea soup (or anything that looks like it) is not my favorite.   I'm a salad kinda gal so the salad is definitely something that I'd have chosen.

Yay for riding the rapids via the single rider line.  I know that you said that you like Kali more.  Is that just because of the scenery or the fact that you don't get drenched?


----------



## natebenma

MEK said:


> That raft ride looks cute.  Is it longer than Kali?  I do love the theme of Kali but I always think it comes up too short.
> 
> Yay for being wet and being able to walk to your hotel room.  Serious bonus!
> 
> Your lunch really looks amazing.  Those entrees and those desserts are to die for!  Yum!  Sounds like lunch was a success and I can't wait to see where your viewing area was.
> 
> I have to say that I can't wait to ride that racers ride - someday.



Yes, I think that Grizzly River Rapids is longer than Kali, but it didn't seem like there was much to look at. 

It was great being less than 5 minutes away from my room after riding GRR, but I didn't get very wet at all.  

Lunch was so good! 

Radiator Springs Racers is a great ride.  Wonder when (and where) you will get a chance to try it out.  






mickeystoontown said:


> Awww, you guys were hungry and thought that "corner' meant you were getting your food soon!  I am sorry that's not what "corner" really meant.
> 
> Everything looked extremely good except for the green soup. Pea soup (or anything that looks like it) is not my favorite.   I'm a salad kinda gal so the salad is definitely something that I'd have chosen.
> 
> Yay for riding the rapids via the single rider line.  I know that you said that you like Kali more.  Is that just because of the scenery or the fact that you don't get drenched?



It was kind of comical how excited we got when we heard "corner" and then realized "They keep using that word. I do not think it means what we think it means."



I was shocked that Nate ordered the pea soup since he can be very fussy and texture is a big issue for him.  I was even more surprised that he liked it! 

I make pea soup at home for Mark, Ben and me.  Nate almost tried it recently when I made some, but then he backed out.

I didn't really analyze why I didn't like GRR as much as Kali.  The lack of scenery was the biggest factor.  I didn't get nearly wet enough.  But I think the real issue was that I wasn't riding with anyone I knew.  Part of the fun of the ride is watching your loved ones get drenched.


----------



## natebenma

After I returned from my solo journey on Grizzly River Rapids, I didn’t have to change my clothes because they weren’t very wet.  We regrouped, and did something we rarely do on vacation.

We went shopping for souvenirs! 

It couldn’t get much easier- Downtown Disney was literally at our doorstep and World of Disney was right next door.







This is where our room was, and one of the entrances was just to the right of our room.




From our balcony



























And now, it is time for the “Tour de T’s” - These were some of the shirts we considered purchasing. 






















Mark ended up choosing one of the shirts above.  Which one do you think?

I was looking for a hooded sweatshirt and found this one.  It is the perfect thickness to take the chill off when I am in an air conditioned restaurant in warm destinations, or for the early morning breezes on a balcony with my coffee










Then Nate found a shirt he liked, the white Republic of California shirt, at one of the outside stalls at DTD  






Not sure how much time we spent shopping, maybe about an hour, but this is about the longest amount of time we have ever spent doing this activity while on vacation.


*Back to Disneyland- That was Quick! and Dee's (Solo) Adventure Must-Do* 
Click here for next chapter


----------



## KatMark

Fun update, Dee. I can't believe you guys never "shop" while on vacation. Mark makes me stop in almost EVERY SINGLE STORE in EVERY SINGLE PARK and DTD. 

I love seeing the different t-shirts that they have at DL as opposed to DW.
I'm guessing Mark got the I don't Tweet, I Quack shirt.


----------



## JanetMom

DL seems so unbelievably small compared to WDW. Can't believe your room was that close to the shopping and the parks.


----------



## mickeystoontown

Knowing that you aren't a shopper, I'm actually a bit surprised that you shopped for an entire hour.   I loved all of the t-shirts and would have had a hard time choosing just one of them.  Nice job on your jacket choice.  I like it!


----------



## Wood Nymph

This shirt reminds me of one that I've seen in the gift shop of the Wilderness Lodge. 

I never like to spend too much time shopping either, but a little bit can be fun.


----------



## CarlaT

Getting excited 1 week from today and we will be in DL!
I'm still having a hard time believing how close everything it. The pic from GRR with the Grand Californian in the background really give me some sense of the closeness. I'm use to WDW it could take a while to get back to the resort.
Love the grey zip hoodie you bought. I have a blue one with Mickey and a tan one with Minnie from WDW. I will have to find that same one and buy it too. Perfect for a cool night.
Your pics from the WOC meal makes me want to consider booking it. Is that something I should book ahead of time or can I book it there?

Carla


----------



## ProudMommyof2

I like to get a coffee mug from a new destination. THey are great conversation pieces when friends are over and useful


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> Fun update, Dee. I can't believe you guys never "shop" while on vacation. Mark makes me stop in almost EVERY SINGLE STORE in EVERY SINGLE PARK and DTD.
> 
> I love seeing the different t-shirts that they have at DL as opposed to DW.
> I'm guessing Mark got the I don't Tweet, I Quack shirt.



Thank you!

I don't like to shop in general and especially on vacation, I don't like to take the time out from having fun to go into stores.

Now if I had a habit of trying on different and interesting hats, that might be a different story! 

Good guess on the shirt, since Mark is a computer nerd...

Will reveal before the next update.






JanetMom said:


> DL seems so unbelievably small compared to WDW. Can't believe your room was that close to the shopping and the parks.



Everything really is close together and staying at the Grand Californian really puts you in the middle of the action!  5 minutes to DTD, 5 minutes to the special entrance to CA and 10 minutes to DL. 






mickeystoontown said:


> Knowing that you aren't a shopper, I'm actually a bit surprised that you shopped for an entire hour.   I loved all of the t-shirts and would have had a hard time choosing just one of them.  Nice job on your jacket choice.  I like it!



Yeah, it probably wasn't actually a whole hour, but just felt like it.  We really don't like shopping.  Let's just say our family and friends rarely get souvenir presents from us.

There were a lot of really great shirts.  Mark's line of thought was that he didn't know when or if we would be back to Disneyland again, so he wanted to get a shirt that represented our trip.

I love my light jacket, in fact I used it today.






Wood Nymph said:


> This shirt reminds me of one that I've seen in the gift shop of the Wilderness Lodge.
> 
> I never like to spend too much time shopping either, but a little bit can be fun.



Excellent guess! Mark is an understated kind of guy, so this is exactly his style.

Will reveal soon...

I have spent a little time looking around the Beach Club Marketplace, but I have never even been in the Yacht Club gift shop!






CarlaT said:


> Getting excited 1 week from today and we will be in DL!
> I'm still having a hard time believing how close everything it. The pic from GRR with the Grand Californian in the background really give me some sense of the closeness. I'm use to WDW it could take a while to get back to the resort.
> Love the grey zip hoodie you bought. I have a blue one with Mickey and a tan one with Minnie from WDW. I will have to find that same one and buy it too. Perfect for a cool night.
> Your pics from the WOC meal makes me want to consider booking it. Is that something I should book ahead of time or can I book it there?
> 
> Carla





I bet you are getting excited! 

It really is nice to have everything so close together. 

The jacket is great- the perfect thickness and very comfortable!  

We booked the WoC dinner package about a week out from our trip, so not too far in advance.  The restaurant did not seem very crowded at all, so I bet you could book when you are there.  The menu changes seasonally, so you may want to see what is offered while you are there.  

My WoC chapter is two updates away, but I will try to post it before you leave.  






ProudMommyof2 said:


> I like to get a coffee mug from a new destination. THey are great conversation pieces when friends are over and useful



I don't always go shopping, but when I do, I like to get something practical.  

A coffee mug often fits the bill for me too.  I like the travel mugs with the lids because it keeps my coffee warmer while I drink it, but I always have trouble with them leaking.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow, you were really close to WOD. Just a slide down the fire escape and you're there. 

Oh you have to get some Disneyland specific merch. It's mandatory. I like your choice of sweatshirt.


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, you were really close to WOD. Just a slide down the fire escape and you're there.
> 
> Oh you have to get some Disneyland specific merch. It's mandatory. I like your choice of sweatshirt.



We were seriously close to World of Disney.  Spitting-distance close (not that I know that from experience)  

Yes, getting some DL merchandise was mandatory, at least for Mark and me.  The shirt Nate got was not specifically DL, it was California, and I don't think Ben got any t-shirts here.

I actually don't have much WDW merchandise/clothing.  I have a Blue Mickey shirt that I had to purchase when I got drenched during Nate's class trip and I didn't have anything else to wear for the trip home.  And I have a Beach Club t-shirt that a friend got for me.  

I have more Harry Potter stuff from IoA 
A red and gold Potter Quiddich Shirt, a Maurader's Map/Mischief Managed t-shirt and Ben has given me his Deathly Hallows shirt.  So I will be close to all set for February.


----------



## natebenma

natebenma said:


> And now, it is time for the “Tour de T’s” - These were some of the shirts we considered purchasing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mark ended up choosing one of the shirts above.  Which one do you think?





KatMark said:


> I'm guessing Mark got the I don't Tweet, I Quack shirt.



This was an excellent guess, Kathy.  Mark really liked this one but ultimately, he did not pick this one because it didn't specifically represent Disneyland.






Wood Nymph said:


> This shirt reminds me of one that I've seen in the gift shop of the Wilderness Lodge.



Ding! Ding! Ding! 

This is the one he picked because it represented Disneyland and had lots of the DL/CA attractions depicted.


----------



## natebenma

After getting our requisite shopping out of the way, it was time to get back to the parks!

One thing I made clear to my family for this day is that I wanted to see the Aladdin show at California Adventure.  I have heard nothing but raves about this production, and Aladdin is one of my favorite Disney movies. 

The final show of the day was scheduled at 6:20.

Let’s check my watch to see what time it is.





5:10 pm

The boys wanted to go on Indiana Jones.  

We walked that way.

















Is this the Partners statue or the outdoor seating for Starbucks?


When we got to the Indiana Jones queue, and saw the wait time, I knew it would be cutting it close for me to do this and be able to get to see the Aladdin show. 

So I told my family I was leaving and would see them later.

The boys did Indiana Jones, Big Thunder Mountain and got a Dole Whip while we were apart.  


*Dee's (Solo) California Adventure: Animation and Aladdin (Continued in Next Post)*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from previous post*

I had a little bit of time to explore before I had to get to the theatre for Aladdin.  

I decided to head over to the Animation building  in Hollywoodland.  It is near the theatre and I knew my family would not be interested in seeing anything there. 


Disney Animation (from the Disneyland website)

Behold the art of bringing Disney characters to life, from pencil to pixel! Step into the Disney Animation building and learn firsthand the secrets of how animators apply their imagination to the screen through a magical collection of interactive adventures! 


The Animation Courtyard 

_When you enter the circular lobby, marvel at the enormous multimedia displays and breathtaking sound system. Original character sketches appear on giant screens along with clips from the films. Keep an eye out for alluring light patterns that paint the floor, as well as other optical treats!
This is the hub from which you can access the other experiences. So from here you can step on into any of the following wings:_

I guess I didn’t take any pictures here, but it was cool seeing some of the animation cells and scenes from Disney movies.


Animation Academy 





_In this magical classroom, learn the secrets of how to draw a classic Disney character with a hands-on lesson from a Disney artist! When class is over, you can take home your masterpiece._

I have always wanted to do this, I haven’t tried it at Hollywood Studios either, but there just wasn’t enough time.


Character Close-Up

_In Character Close-Up, discover how Disney artists create the characters loved the world over. Gaze upon the amazing works in this gallery dedicated to the art and artists of Disney animation. Learn from their sketches how Disney characters change over time, from initial concept to final format._

I didn’t do this, either.  


Turtle Talk with Crush

_Check it, dudes! You can totally talk to Crush in this awesome interactive encounter at the Animation Screening Room. Chill with the righteous surfer turtle from Disney•Pixar's Finding Nemo and learn mondo facts about his aquatic life as he asks you questions about being human.

Later, dudes!_

I haven’t seen this at EPCOT, either.  



Sorcerer's Workshop

_Check out these 3 rooms that each contain interactive experiences exploring the development of character appearance, personality and voice:

Magic Mirror Realm — Enter ye into this medieval castle and learn how to create simple animation. The very walls reveal many of your favorite Disney characters beautifully arranged by theme: Fairies and Spirits, Heroes, Villains and Mentors. See if you can spot the artful astrological symbols that grace each one!














The Beast's Library — Find your "Disney self" in this glorious library that fades to disrepair as the Beast's famous rose loses its petals! The library repairs itself before it darkens again, its pristine draperies becoming tattered and aged. Sit at one of the royal storybooks and take a quiz to discover which of the Disney characters you are most like.



















Ursula's Grotto — "Become" the voices of classic Disney characters in a mini-theater! Venture into the villainesses' undersea grotto and stand in each "movie pod," where you can choose to either act or sing in a famous Disney movie scene. The pod will play back the scene on 2 different projection surfaces complete with your voice! If you watch carefully, you might get a glimmer of Ursula's henchman, Flotsam and Jetsam, slithering around the room. _






I did walk through these areas, but I didn’t try any of the interactive stuff.


But the highlight of this building for me was this:





_Don't miss the mesmerizing Toy Story Zoetrope! Instead of using traditional, one-dimensional drawings, the Toy Story Zoetrope features 3-D figures of characters from the Disney•Pixar film Toy Story 2 mounted on spinning disks. As the disks whirl under a flashing strobe light, the characters appear to come to life right before your eyes!_


What is a Zoetrope you ask???  I didn’t know either!  This is from Wikipedia:


A zoetrope is one of several pre-cinema animation devices that produce the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs showing progressive phases of that motion. The name zoetrope was composed from the Greek root words ζωή zoe, "life" and τρόπος tropos, "turning".

The zoetrope consists of a cylinder with slits cut vertically in the sides. On the inner surface of the cylinder is a band with images from a set of sequenced pictures. As the cylinder spins, the user looks through the slits at the pictures across. The scanning of the slits keeps the pictures from simply blurring together, and the user sees a rapid succession of images, producing the illusion of motion. From the late 20th century, devices working on similar principles have been developed, named analogously as linear zoetropes and 3D zoetropes, with traditional zoetropes referred to as "cylindrical zoetropes" if distinction is needed.


I had read about Toy Story Zoetrope in jenseib’s trip report  It’s Always Sunny in California… Eh?  Li’l Bit! 

and I was excited to see it for myself.  























Here’s a video I took of the Zoetrope in motion






The "motion" is actually a lot smoother and fluid when you see it in person.

As mesmerizing as it was to watch this again and again, it was time for me to enter the theatre for the show.











It was kind of strange- you go inside the doors, but then you are outside in a covered courtyard, waiting to be let into the theatre.  There were some different corrals which I think corresponded to where you will be seated in the theatre, but I didn’t really know how that worked.  

I ended up with a seat pretty high up and slightly to the right







Because this is a live action show, and flash photography was prohibited, I limited the pictures that I took.  I shut off my flash, but I still felt weird taking too many photos.























The show was outstanding! The scenery was beautiful, the effects were amazing, the actors were very talented.  The genie was gut-bustingly funny.  He was ad-libbing, a lot of topical stuff.  I know he said something about the Kardashians and I also cracked up when he made a Harry Potter joke.  I wish I could remember what it was.

My only issue with the show was the length.  I guess I didn’t really pay attention to the run time, but it is about 40 minutes long.  Much longer than most Disney shows.  And the reason that this was a problem was that I knew my family would be looking to meet back up with me.  

I texted Mark to let him know when I thought the show would be done, and that I would contact him when I was out of the theatre.  It was a little after 7 pm when the show was over and I met up with Mark and Nate as they were waiting for Ben to ride California Screamin’ using the Single Rider Line. 

I’ll end here with our reunion and in the next update I’ll complete the rest of our Colorful night.

*Next Up: In the Dark, Nobody Hears You Screamin' and World of Color *

Click here for next update


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

My, what a big watch you have Dee. 

"Is this the Partners statue or the outdoor seating for Starbucks?" 

I didn't spend near enough time in the animation building when I was there. 

You can even visit a bit of Beast's castle without a reservation!!

Part of my problem for not exploring more... the Zoetrope. I was so fascinated by that. I just could not seem to pull myself away. 

The Aladdin show. Truly world class. Did they do the Flying Carpet scene (with the carpet actually flying)? They didn't when I was there because apparently there had been an accident a while before, so it was cut. Wondering if they ever brought it back. Loved this show though, and Genie was sensational.


----------



## Wood Nymph

It would be nice if they would bring the Aladdin Show to WDW. They need some new stuff at WDW, Too many of the shows are the same ones that they have had for decades.



> I actually don't have much WDW merchandise/clothing. I have a Blue Mickey shirt that I had to purchase when I got drenched during Nate's class trip and I didn't have anything else to wear for the trip home. And I have a Beach Club t-shirt that a friend got for me.


I only have two articles of Disney themed clothing. One is a waterproof jacket with a small Tigger on it. I've had it for at least 17 years and it is a well constructed jacket. I am not giving that one up. The other is a white hooded sweatshirt with a small Mickey Mouse that comes along on just about all my trips. I've had that one for at least eight years. Did you know that white is nice because it can be bleached. 



> In this magical classroom, learn the secrets of how to draw a classic Disney character with a hands-on lesson from a Disney artist! When class is over, you can take home your masterpiece.
> 
> I have always wanted to do this, I havent tried it at Hollywood Studios either, but there just wasnt enough time.


 It took a lot of trips before we finally found the time to do this class. I think it took a hot and humid Sept trip and the need to find some air conditioning that finally did it.  It is a lot of fun and very different from the usual types of entertainment available at Disney


----------



## KatMark

Dee, a fun update. I do like your "personal watch."

Love your tour of the Animation Courtyard. I remember reading about the Zoetrope in Jen's report. I enjoyed your video of it.

The Aladdin show sounds fabulous and I would love to see it. 40 minutes is a long time for a show.


----------



## MEK

natebenma said:


> Heres a video I took of the Zoetrope in motion
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The "motion" is actually a lot smoother and fluid when you see it in person.
> 
> As mesmerizing as it was to watch this again and again, it was time for me to enter the theatre for the show.



Cool video, even if it was better in person.  I really like that.  And I had no idea what a zeotrope was.  I learned something new today!  



natebenma said:


> The show was outstanding! The scenery was beautiful, the effects were amazing, the actors were very talented.



I have heard this show is fantastic.  I would love to see if for myself.  I always feel weird taking pics to even when they say no flash.  I usually hold the camera really low and cover the view finder.  

Did the boys ever get a chance to see this with you?


----------



## ProudMommyof2

I have heard so many good things about the Aladdin show. It is one of my favorite movies and now it will always make me think of Robin Williams with a smile.


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> My, what a big watch you have Dee.
> 
> "Is this the Partners statue or the outdoor seating for Starbucks?"
> 
> I didn't spend near enough time in the animation building when I was there.
> 
> You can even visit a bit of Beast's castle without a reservation!!
> 
> Part of my problem for not exploring more... the Zoetrope. I was so fascinated by that. I just could not seem to pull myself away.
> 
> The Aladdin show. Truly world class. Did they do the Flying Carpet scene (with the carpet actually flying)? They didn't when I was there because apparently there had been an accident a while before, so it was cut. Wondering if they ever brought it back. Loved this show though, and Genie was sensational.



I'm 50 now.  I can't read those small numbers on a wrist watch.

I took that picture for the Partners and Main Street and then when I looked at it, it was like "Everyone is having a latte!"

The Animation building was very cool and there was so much to explore.  It was great to visit the Beast's castle, but I looked all over for that "stained" glass window, but it must have been censored.  Speaking of censored.  Never mind! I'm 12.  

I am so glad Jen mentioned the Zoetrope in her trip report.  I wouldn't have taken the time to check it out if I had not read about it.

Aladdin.    SO GOOD!!!

Yes, the carpet was flying.






Wood Nymph said:


> It would be nice if they would bring the Aladdin Show to WDW. They need some new stuff at WDW, Too many of the shows are the same ones that they have had for decades.
> 
> I only have two articles of Disney themed clothing. One is a waterproof jacket with a small Tigger on it. I've had it for at least 17 years and it is a well constructed jacket. I am not giving that one up. The other is a white hooded sweatshirt with a small Mickey Mouse that comes along on just about all my trips. I've had that one for at least eight years. Did you know that white is nice because it can be bleached.
> 
> It took a lot of trips before we finally found the time to do this class. I think it took a hot and humid Sept trip and the need to find some air conditioning that finally did it.  It is a lot of fun and very different from the usual types of entertainment available at Disney



Aladdin was awesome! It would be really cool if the show was at WDW.  

I treasure the few Disney clothing items I have.  The blue 1971 WDW t-shirt, my grey hoodie, the Beach Club t-shirt given to me by Ninja.  I also proudly wear my Stormalong Bay Synchronized Pool Tube Team T-shirt.  Well, not really, but it is a great sleeping shirt. 

I would really love to try the Animation Class.  I can't draw, but I still think it would be fun.  It would be neat to see my kids' drawings too.  But I don't see us doing this any time soon.






KatMark said:


> Dee, a fun update. I do like your "personal watch."
> 
> Love your tour of the Animation Courtyard. I remember reading about the Zoetrope in Jen's report. I enjoyed your video of it.
> 
> The Aladdin show sounds fabulous and I would love to see it. 40 minutes is a long time for a show.



It was nice of Disney to customize a watch for me. 

Thanks-  the video does not come close to showing how impressive the Zoetrope is.  It truly looks like the pieces are moving and there was so much interesting action going on.  I loved the Green Army Men parachuting down.  

The only reason I minded that the show was so long was that I knew my family was waiting for me.  






MEK said:


> Cool video, even if it was better in person.  I really like that.  And I had no idea what a zeotrope was.  I learned something new today!
> 
> I have heard this show is fantastic.  I would love to see if for myself.  I always feel weird taking pics to even when they say no flash.  I usually hold the camera really low and cover the view finder.
> 
> Did the boys ever get a chance to see this with you?



The Zoetrope was so cool-  I guess there is a version of this one that travels.  I read about it on Wikipedia when I was writing this update. 

Aladdin was incredible.  I have a great appreciation of live action performances since my son Ben is a "theatre veteran".  The special effects were outstanding.  

Others were taking pictures and I took a few but I mostly showed restraint.  It is difficult, though!  

No, the boys didn't see it.  If we had one more day, I would have recommended they go and I totally would have seen it again, but we didn't really plan on being at California Adventure much on our final day. 






ProudMommyof2 said:


> I have heard so many good things about the Aladdin show. It is one of my favorite movies and now it will always make me think of Robin Williams with a smile.



Robin Williams was so good in the movie.  What a wonderful talent!


----------



## mickeystoontown

I am intrigued by the different things that you saw at Disneyland that are not at Disney World.  The Animation area seems really really cool especially the Zoetrope.  I remember reading about it in Jen's report.  Didn't she also see the Aladdin show at Disneyland or am I thinking about one of the shows she went to on a Disney cruise?  Either way, the show sounds like it's a good one despite the fact that it's fairly long.


----------



## natebenma

mickeystoontown said:


> I am intrigued by the different things that you saw at Disneyland that are not at Disney World.  The Animation area seems really really cool especially the Zoetrope.  I remember reading about it in Jen's report.  Didn't she also see the Aladdin show at Disneyland or am I thinking about one of the shows she went to on a Disney cruise?  Either way, the show sounds like it's a good one despite the fact that it's fairly long.



I enjoyed doing the things that were new to me and also the things that were familiar.  I would probably rank the Cars area/Radiator Springs Racers, the Aladdin Show and California Screamin' at the top of the list of DL-only attractions at CA.  Indiana Jones and Pirates were my two favorites at Disneyland.  Yes Pirates at DL is similar to WDW, but is so much more.  

Jen did see the Aladdin show and I just went back to look at her report and she has some spectacular pictures!  She had great seats and really captured some great scenes.


----------



## natebenma

*In the Dark, Nobody Hears You Screamin'* 

In my last update, I had just met back up with Mark and Nate.  They were watching the launch for California Screamin’ because Ben was in the single rider line.  It was quite a few cycles before we saw him.  

When he was done, we all got back in line.  One of the things we really wanted to do was ride California Screamin’ after dark, with the ride all lit up in neon, but there is a very small window since a lot of the rides in the Paradise Pier area close down when it is getting close to the time for World of Color.  

We rode and it was awesome! 

We didn’t have a plan for dinner, but in the Pacific Wharf area, there are a lot of different counter service places all together, with a common outdoor seating area.  We looked at the different offerings:


Pacific Wharf Café- Breakfast, salads, soups and sandwiches
Pacific Wharf Distribution Company- Karl Strauss handcrafted beers
Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill- tacos, burritos, fire-grilled chicken
Lucky Fortune Cookery- Stir-fry flavors from Asia
Rita’s Baja Blenders- Frozen Margaritas and blended non-alcoholic specialties
Ghiradelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop- Chocolately goodness and incredible ice cream


We ended up choosing:










We ordered 2 rice bowls, Thai Coconut Curry Tofu, Beef Teriyaki, Peel and Eat Edamame and Mango to share.  It was all very good, except the mango. It was not very ripe.  











Once we had eaten, it was about time for us to go to our reserved spot for World of Color.

Nate decided he did not want to watch the show, so he went back to the room.  We had him text us when he got there.  He watched the Disneyland fireworks from the balcony.


*World of Color *


You can purchase “Glow with the Show” mouse ears that light up and flash in time with the music and lights of the World of Color show.  I made a point to check the price.  But now I have forgotten! Around $15???  I don’t know!







If there is a sea of people wearing the ears, the effect can be really incredible.  But there really weren’t many who had purchased them around us.

We really liked having the reserved area.  The viewing was pretty good, but not spectacular, but we really had no issues with people crowding us.  Plus, we enjoyed a spectacular lunch.  It was expensive, but it was worth it for us.  

Here are the views from our spot.

















Mickey’s Wheel of Death does not look so intimidating when it is flashing in a rainbow of pretty colors and patterns.







I couldn’t resist taking videos and pictures of the show, even though I never watch the videos I take.  Actually, the Fuji cameras I have let me take photos at the same time I am recording the show.  At one point I had to deal with changing out a dead battery on one of my camera.  It definitely interferes with my appreciation of the show, but I am powerless to stop!  


The show was visually stunning! As songs from Disney movies played, scenes were projected on colored mist.  Plumes of water in a rainbow of colors shot up into the air.  There was fire! 













Under the Sea! 




UP




Genie! 






































We enjoyed World of Color, but the show seemed long to us, probably because we were so tired after our busy pace over the past few days.

It was fantastic to be able to get back to our room in about 10 minutes.  We had a big day ahead of us, our last day at the parks, early entry at Disneyland and the potential for two meets.  


*Next up:  This Magic Morning*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52730913&postcount=335
Click here for next update


----------



## Wood Nymph

I love the title of this post and have been curious to see what it was about. 

It looks like they use some of the some elements in World of Color and Fantasmic, like the projections on the mist of water. Were there fireworks, too?
The quick return to your room after the show also reminds me of the quick exit after Illuminations when staying at an Epcot resort. 

The Glow with the Show hats were pretty expensive in WDW. I didn't see very many people wearing them at any of the parks.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

NO NATE NO!!!!!!! DON'T SKIP WORLD OF COLOR!!!!!!! I guess it's pointless to try and yell that over the internet... and in the past... but it felt necessary to try.

I'm pretty sure those Glow with the Show hats can be had for a measly $25... because I have one. And yes... it is far too much but it still felt necessary. Mine were purchased at WDW though.

I actually do watch my videos of WOC. It's so good. And so great they still have the Pirates section. That was a fav. I loved it so much I saw it twice. I remember seeing videos online of it and being really underwhelmed. In person I was in awe. So yeah, I loved it.


----------



## KatMark

Dinner doesn't look too bad for counter service.

I remember a couple of the kids at our mega DIS meet at Christmas last year had those hats. I have no idea what they cost though.

Hmmmm...I will have to see if I can video and take pictures at the same time on my new camera (I'll practice at home first though).

The show looks wonderful and one of the main reasons I want to get to DL one of these days (three more years if all goes right).

Your pictures are good and I like how you can see the characters in all the colors.

Nice that you had such a short walk back to your hotel.

Last day.   I hate last days.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee - wow!  Great pictures of World of Color. Really spectacular. 

What a great choice of places for eat with some great drink choices as well. Yum!

Rebecca


----------



## eandesmom

2 rice bowls for the 4 of you??????????????????????????????????????

I can't imagine

Then again I can't imagine either of the E's being willing to try Tofu!



WOC is visually stunning

You got some great pictures!

But....standing for that long, at the end of the day, even with a priority area (did you actually sit?  no one seemed to sit when we saw it at any time) makes anything seem long!  It is a little long, but it is just lovely.  YAY for Screamin in the dark!


----------



## jenseib

I feel like a celebrity...I got more than one shout out, had my TR linked...and people talked about me!  No wonder my ears have been ringing!  

Wasn't the zoetrope just the coolest thing?  We stood and watched it for quite a while.
I loved the Aladdin show and yes I took about a zillion pictures. I am so gald the carpet flew for you too.
Cass and I had FP's for Cali Screamin one evening too. Not quite dark yet, but the sun was dropping, but the darn thing was down at the moment and we never did make it back.
I really loved WoC too. But I agree, it is kind of long....especially if it is cooling off for the evening.  I tackled a lot in the short time I was there, but there is still so much I missed or want to redo again. I am hoping we can make it there this spring as a family. I think Claire will love it and I am sure Skip will enjoy many things too.
I know Skip will want to do Cali things as well, so I am thinking I might have to plan on him going home early and Claire and I staying a few extra......well in my dreams that sounds like a good plan! 



mickeystoontown said:


> I am intrigued by the different things that you saw at Disneyland that are not at Disney World.  The Animation area seems really really cool especially the Zoetrope.  I remember reading about it in Jen's report.  Didn't she also see the Aladdin show at Disneyland or am I thinking about one of the shows she went to on a Disney cruise?  Either way, the show sounds like it's a good one despite the fact that it's fairly long.



I sure did!  The Fantasy also has the show but I have yet to get on that ship. I keep trying and one day it will happen!


----------



## teekathepony

Oh man... Disney Animation looks like a place where I could spend days and days. 
Zoetropes are so cool, and that one is pretty amazing. We made one in art class a long time ago... I'm pretty sure mine was a horse. 
Ohhhh the Aladdin show looks so awesome! 
Dee, you are making me really _need_ to go to Disneyland.
World of Color also looks really cool. I need to find a video of the show, I've never watched one.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> I love the title of this post and have been curious to see what it was about.
> 
> It looks like they use some of the some elements in World of Color and Fantasmic, like the projections on the mist of water. Were there fireworks, too?
> The quick return to your room after the show also reminds me of the quick exit after Illuminations when staying at an Epcot resort.
> 
> The Glow with the Show hats were pretty expensive in WDW. I didn't see very many people wearing them at any of the parks.



Glad you liked and were intrigued by the title.  One of my favorites since the preview chapter from the 2012 class trip "We haven't even left the airport and the EMTs arrive"

Yes, the projections on the water are like Fantasmic.  I want to say it was more impressive at WoC.  There may have been flashes of fireworks, like the ones that come out of the castle during Dream along with Mickey at Mk, but there may not have been.  Can't remember.  Nothing significant, apparently.  Before WoC started, we were able to look behind us and see some of the fireworks from Disneyland- either from Fantasmic or the fireworks show.  

We really love the convenience of hotels that are near to the parks.  That is one of the main reasons that Beach Club, Hard Rock and Grand Californian are our favorites. Plus. They are awesome!

Glow with the "Show Me the Money"






DisneyKid4Life said:


> NO NATE NO!!!!!!! DON'T SKIP WORLD OF COLOR!!!!!!! I guess it's pointless to try and yell that over the internet... and in the past... but it felt necessary to try.
> 
> I'm pretty sure those Glow with the Show hats can be had for a measly $25... because I have one. And yes... it is far too much but it still felt necessary. Mine were purchased at WDW though.
> 
> I actually do watch my videos of WOC. It's so good. And so great they still have the Pirates section. That was a fav. I loved it so much I saw it twice. I remember seeing videos online of it and being really underwhelmed. In person I was in awe. So yeah, I loved it.



Thanks, Rob, for the warning for Nate, but this just goes to show you that teenagers don't listen in the present, past or future.  



Should have borrowed the hat from you.  Shipping it back and forth probably would be less expensive than purchasing a new one. 

The Pirates scene from WoC was my favorite, too.  

I think there are viewing areas from the Grand Californian (6th floor?)(for guests only?) where you can watch the show and the music is piped in much like California Grill at the Contemporary, but we never looked for it.  That would be a great non-hassle way to get a birds-eye view of the show.  






KatMark said:


> Dinner doesn't look too bad for counter service.
> 
> I remember a couple of the kids at our mega DIS meet at Christmas last year had those hats. I have no idea what they cost though.
> 
> Hmmmm...I will have to see if I can video and take pictures at the same time on my new camera (I'll practice at home first though).
> 
> The show looks wonderful and one of the main reasons I want to get to DL one of these days (three more years if all goes right).
> 
> Your pictures are good and I like how you can see the characters in all the colors.
> 
> Nice that you had such a short walk back to your hotel.
> 
> Last day.   I hate last days.



We liked our meal from Lucky Fortune- something a little different from typical theme park fast food.  Both the tofu and beef teriyaki were yummy.

I was psyched when I read my camera could do both.  I think I first tried the feature at the Wishes dessert party.

You would love World of Color, and I hope your plans to visit DL come through!

Thanks for the kind words about the photos.  I am pretty happy with them, too.  

Yes, last days are sad.  There is always more to do, no matter how long the trip is.  But let's get real, we were on our way to Hawaii for 10 days, so really, not THAT sad!!!  Unfortunately, the last evening of our Disneyland visit was our most frustrating and disappointing of our time there.  






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee - wow!  Great pictures of World of Color. Really spectacular.
> 
> What a great choice of places for eat with some great drink choices as well. Yum!
> 
> Rebecca



Thank you!!! I am pretty happy with the pictures of WoC. There are some duds, too, but you don't get to see those!!!  

That was a really great area to pick up a meal-  I love places where there are lots of options to please everyone if necessary.






eandesmom said:


> 2 rice bowls for the 4 of you??????????????????????????????????????
> 
> I can't imagine
> 
> Then again I can't imagine either of the E's being willing to try Tofu!
> 
> 
> 
> WOC is visually stunning
> 
> You got some great pictures!
> 
> But....standing for that long, at the end of the day, even with a priority area (did you actually sit?  no one seemed to sit when we saw it at any time) makes anything seem long!  It is a little long, but it is just lovely.  YAY for Screamin in the dark!



Yeah, that is strange that amount of food was able to satisfy all of us, including 2 teens.  We had a large lunch at noon, but I can't remember if we had snacked since then.  Maybe leftovers back in the room. (Just looked back at my notes and our receipts.  We had beignets from Jazz Kitchen back in our room after our shopping spree, around 4 pm)

Ben is an adventurous eater and will try almost anything, but I don't think it was necessary to share the tofu with Nate.  

Thanks for the comments about the pictures.  Yes, we did stand for the show.  I think the area in front of us had some benches or other seating, and people sat while waiting, but of course stood during the show.  We went to the very back of our viewing area because there was nobody there crowding us.  That was the important part.  






jenseib said:


> I feel like a celebrity...I got more than one shout out, had my TR linked...and people talked about me!  No wonder my ears have been ringing!
> 
> Wasn't the zoetrope just the coolest thing?  We stood and watched it for quite a while.
> I loved the Aladdin show and yes I took about a zillion pictures. I am so gald the carpet flew for you too.
> Cass and I had FP's for Cali Screamin one evening too. Not quite dark yet, but the sun was dropping, but the darn thing was down at the moment and we never did make it back.
> I really loved WoC too. But I agree, it is kind of long....especially if it is cooling off for the evening.  I tackled a lot in the short time I was there, but there is still so much I missed or want to redo again. I am hoping we can make it there this spring as a family. I think Claire will love it and I am sure Skip will enjoy many things too.
> I know Skip will want to do Cali things as well, so I am thinking I might have to plan on him going home early and Claire and I staying a few extra......well in my dreams that sounds like a good plan!
> 
> I sure did!  The Fantasy also has the show but I have yet to get on that ship. I keep trying and one day it will happen!



Your trip report was the most detailed and informative one I read in preparation for my trip!  

The zoetrope was really cool! 

I'm glad you took so many pictures at Aladdin-  a couple may make it into my personal photo album if you don't mind.  I didn't get one of the Cave of Wonder which was such a great scene. 

One of the main reasons we HAD to ride California Screamin' in the dark was that Mark had missed going on Rip Ride Rocket at US after the sun went down on our last trip there.  He really wanted to do it, but Ben didn't so he hung out with Ben while Nate and I rode at night.  It was absolutely amazing to see all of the park lit up and decked out in neon while riding both RRR/US and CS/CA.  

I hope you do get to make a family trip to Disneyland!   






teekathepony said:


> Oh man... Disney Animation looks like a place where I could spend days and days.
> Zoetropes are so cool, and that one is pretty amazing. We made one in art class a long time ago... I'm pretty sure mine was a horse.
> Ohhhh the Aladdin show looks so awesome!
> Dee, you are making me really _need_ to go to Disneyland.
> World of Color also looks really cool. I need to find a video of the show, I've never watched one.



Yes, you would love the Animation area!  

Cool, you made a zoetrope???  

Aladdin = Awesome and Yes, you do need to go to DL when you have the chance.  It took us a while to get there... you will find the right time.  

I'll take a peek at my WoC videos, they are in short bursts I think and I'll see if there is a sample worth posting.  

ETA-  I thought I took small bursts of video, but it looks like I videoed most of the show, too long for me to upload and post.  See next post for a short video, though.


----------



## natebenma

I do have a video of almost the whole WoC show, but like I said, I haven't watched it yet.  

Here is part of the "preshow"-  Mickey's Fun Wheel animated with pretty colored lights.  The video is about a minute long.


----------



## jenseib

You sure can and if you need a bigger version for printing let me know.


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> You sure can and if you need a bigger version for printing let me know.



Thanks!!!

Just started to put together the albums now, and seeing what I need for pictures.  

I should just be fine "borrowing" it from your report, but if not, I'll be in touch.  Thanks so much.


----------



## natebenma




----------



## KatMark

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Dee.



​


----------



## emmysmommy

Hi Dee!  I'm so hopelessly behind in every subscription but I wanted to get caught up with you!      I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  

As much as I love WoC, we rarely take the 28 minutes or so to watch since I'm usually pooped out that late in the evening.  My favorite part is the Pirates segment - with the pyrotechnics.  If it's a chilly night it's not a bad thing to feel the heat of the blast of the furnaces.


----------



## natebenma

YIKES!!!  Sorry I have been gone so long from this report!  Will try to get an update done today- our morning at Disneyland.






KatMark said:


> Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Dee.
> 
> 
> 
> ​



Over a week late from me, but thank you, Kathy!!!

We had a nice Thanksgiving but have been so busy since then! 

Thinking of you often.






emmysmommy said:


> Hi Dee!  I'm so hopelessly behind in every subscription but I wanted to get caught up with you!      I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
> 
> As much as I love WoC, we rarely take the 28 minutes or so to watch since I'm usually pooped out that late in the evening.  My favorite part is the Pirates segment - with the pyrotechnics.  If it's a chilly night it's not a bad thing to feel the heat of the blast of the furnaces.



Thanks, Brenda!!!  Good to see you!!!  

I am having trouble keeping up everywhere.  

I think that was a lot of what we experienced with World of Color.  Great, impressive show, but since it is so late at night, after we had a few very busy days, we were exhausted and the show seemed just a bit too long.

The Pirates part was my favorite too!!!


----------



## natebenma

After two-and-a-half chock-full days at Disneyland and California Adventure, today was the last park day of our trip. 

Our final morning had early entry at Disneyland.

Other than starting there, we didn’t really have much on the agenda, although we had the possibility of a couple of exciting meets…  

Brenda and Emmy were checking into the Grand California Hotel later that day so maybe we would be seeing them.  

The other possible meet was actually with a family from our hometown back in Massachusetts.

About a month before our trip, I learned that the C. family would be at Disneyland/CA on the last day we were there.  

Mr. C. is an 8th grade Social Studies teacher at the middle school and one of Nate’s all-time favorite teachers.  Ben has him this year and loves his class.  He is one of the teachers who helps to organize the 8th grade class trip to Disneyworld so I have worked closely with him planning that annual trip for a few years.

Mrs. C. is also a teacher at the middle school but my boys have never been in her class.

They have two daughters, E. and R.  E. is in Ben’s class and is one of his friends.

We had no set plans about where or when we would try to meet up with them, but armed with each other’s text numbers, we were confident that something would work out during the day.  

*************************************************************

According to my watch, we were a little late this morning.  We arrived at 7:10, a little after rope drop.







We briskly walked down Main Street USA and through the castle.























What was the first ride we rushed to?  Space Mountain?  Matterhorn?  Indiana Jones?

No!







There is no Fast Pass for Peter Pan’s Flight at Disneyland.  

Just like in Walt Disney World, the only time we attempt standby for this attraction is first thing in the morning.   Like Disneyworld (BEFORE the recent addition of a themed queue line for Peter Pan), there is not much to look at in line other than some great murals on the wall.























Even first thing, the wait was around 25-30 minutes.  

Someone recognized me in line-  another DISer who had posted in Bob’s (rmh1) July DL thread.  We talked very briefly as we maneuvered the lane partitions.  

No picture, though, so officially, it didn’t really happen.  

No pictures on the ride, either, but I assure you, it did happen.  












On the way to our next attraction, this happened! 














Or didn't happen, since the sword did not budge.


We were headed for something a little wilder:















After our ride on the Matterhorn, we walked over to Space Mountain.  At 7:55, the standby time was 20 minutes.  Since we have had such poor luck in the standby line so far during this trip, we pulled a Fast Pass (9:50-10:50)



ETA:  OK, I have a Photopass picture with a time stamp of 8:30, so it looks like we actually DID ride!!! 





I guess I should have consulted my notes.


We were on our way to a family favorite:









*Continued in Next Post*

Click here or scroll down


----------



## natebenma

*Continued From Previous Post*

Big Thunder Mountain!


























Let’s Ride! 















This is one of my favorite series of pictures from the trip to Disneyland




 






 





Splash Mountain was not operating.






Pirates Next?





Nope!  It’s down.


Let’s visit 999 spooks instead.














We have been in DL from 7:10 to 9:30

This would be a great time to stop for some breakfast.  


*Next Up:  More Magic Morning*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52754798&postcount=346


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

You know, I am really starting to miss Disneyland a bit. Plus, it would be so much fun to see Brenda and Em on their home turf. Starting to get the bug...

Oh WOW, recognized in Disneyland!!! That is pretty cool. 

Pulled a Fastpass. It's amazing how that already sounds ancient for WDW. And it's really only been a year.


----------



## KatMark

Great pictures as you walked to you first destination.

No FP for Peter Pan? I won't wait more than 10 minutes for it.

Cool on someone recognizing you at DL.

Too bad the boys didn't get the sword up.

Great pictures around Big Thunder of all of you.

You had to bring up food. Now I'm hungry.


----------



## MEK

I love those murals at Peter Pan.  How cute.  Seems that the ride is just as popular in DL as it is in WDW.

Matterhorn, BTMMR, and HM seems like an excellent choice for the morning.  And the carousel area is just so cute.  Your pictures continue to do a great job of capturing all the fun details that make up DL!


----------



## momabbate

Wow, what a great morning. And to think that is all before breakfast. Growing up Peter Pan was the highlight of my Disneyland visits. At least till I got to Jr. High, then it switched to the Mountains. Sorry Splash was down.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Pretty successful morning so far Dee. You got a lot done even with SM beig down


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> You know, I am really starting to miss Disneyland a bit. Plus, it would be so much fun to see Brenda and Em on their home turf. Starting to get the bug...
> 
> Oh WOW, recognized in Disneyland!!! That is pretty cool.
> 
> Pulled a Fastpass. It's amazing how that already sounds ancient for WDW. And it's really only been a year.



Me too, Rob! Although WDW will always be our "home", we loved our visit to DL.  

Seeing Brenda was so special.  

That's the power of the DIS.  Wasn't your first DIS encounter at DL or am I misremembering that?

RIP "Pulling a FP" -  we have been very lucky.  Our last family WDW trip in July 2013 still had FP and it was definitely familiar ground for us at DL. 





KatMark said:


> Great pictures as you walked to you first destination.
> 
> No FP for Peter Pan? I won't wait more than 10 minutes for it.
> 
> Cool on someone recognizing you at DL.
> 
> Too bad the boys didn't get the sword up.
> 
> Great pictures around Big Thunder of all of you.
> 
> You had to bring up food. Now I'm hungry.



Thanks! 

It was weird trying to keep track of which rides did and did not have FP!  No FP for Peter Pan or Toy Story or Matterhorn! FP for Soarin' but most of the time we didn't need it! 

I love that Nate still tries to pull the sword out.  

That series at BTM is one of my faves.  Especially since the family cooperated! 

Yes, I brought up food.  And in the next post I'm gonna show pictures! 

That should help.






MEK said:


> I love those murals at Peter Pan.  How cute.  Seems that the ride is just as popular in DL as it is in WDW.
> 
> Matterhorn, BTMMR, and HM seems like an excellent choice for the morning.  And the carousel area is just so cute.  Your pictures continue to do a great job of capturing all the fun details that make up DL!



This was the only time we got close to Peter Pan, so I'm not sure what the wait was at other times.  But if it is 30 minutes at early entry, it must be long later in the day! 

We are cruising along this morning, for sure.






momabbate said:


> Wow, what a great morning. And to think that is all before breakfast. Growing up Peter Pan was the highlight of my Disneyland visits. At least till I got to Jr. High, then it switched to the Mountains. Sorry Splash was down.



Peter Pan has a warm spot in my heart, but I'm a Mountains girl too! 

So far, only Ben and I have been on Splash.  

Rides went down a lot at DL- Splash, Pirates, Space, the monorail, IJ.  That was one of the more frustrating things for us.  We have well orchestrated plan in mind and too often we had to change our approach.  






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Pretty successful morning so far Dee. You got a lot done even with SM beig down



Fun morning! We did hit a lot.  It is unusual for us to actually stop for breakfast, but that is actually what we did.


----------



## Wood Nymph

The murals for the Peter Pan ride are beautiful. I would love to see something like that at WDW. 

  I agree that your BTMR pictures are a very nice sequence, especially the one of you. 

Are you holding the string bag that is in the BC thread? I took your advice about using string bags to avoid bag check and it has worked perfectly. First of all I found the string bag very comfortable to wear. And most importantly, I don't have to keep taking my cellphone in and out of my pocket every time I sat down.   I also like to bring a refill mug with me into the parks.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

natebenma said:


> Wasn't your first DIS encounter at DL or am I misremembering that?



WOW, you have an impressive memory Dee. My first DISer spotting was indeed in Disneyland, but there was no meet at that time. BUT, she ended up being my actual very first DISmeet in WDW last December.


----------



## jenseib

So was Peter Pan just about the exact same as WDW?  I think I read it was, but the lines were usually 45- to over an hour while we were there so we never got on it.


----------



## natebenma

_I went back and edited my previous update-  I said that we did not ride Space Mountain early in the morning, but looking back at my notes, and the Photopass picture evidence, we actually did.

I'll do a recap of our DL morning at the end of this update._

9:30 am

We left off with plans for a breakfast break after a very busy early morning at Disneyland.  Ben and I went to the Tomorrowland Terrace and ordered two breakfast platters while Mark and Nate went to the Holly Jolly Bakery for some baked sweets.  We met back up and shared 2 breakfast platters, a cinnamon bun, a cream cheese Danish one coffee and one water.  $33.52











Look!  There goes the monorail.  Cant wait to ride it later







After finishing our filling breakfast,  it was time to cash in our Fast Pass for Space Mountain.  





Trying to do the Hawaiian "It's Cool" hand gesture.  Not sure what is blowing on our side of the car, but it is making both Ben and me close our eyes!" 


Since we were in the area, we pulled a Fast Pass for Star Tours for later (10:55 to 11:55) and then used the standby line.  I didn't make note of the scenes we got this time. 






Our next stop was Pirates, and Ahoy!  It reopened just as we were walking by.







I didnt want to upset my family during the ride, so my camera stayed stowed for the voyage.  

We were once again impressed with how incredible the DL Pirates attraction is!!! 

We walked to Critter Country and were pleased to see that Splash Mountain was up and running, so we got a Fast Pass (1-2 pm)

On our return to Tomorrowland, we checked to see if we could take a ride on the Monorail, but it was not operating.  Boo! 

We used our FP for Star Tours, and according to my notes, we had the Wookie Planet, Yoda and the Death Star.

There was a little time before we needed to make our way back to make a splash in Critter Country, so we decided to kill some time on the Jungle Cruise.



























Look, theres our Jungle Cruise driver from our first day!  






This is a picture from Day 1




















































*Continued in Next Post, Click Here or Scroll Down*


----------



## natebenma

Noon

We made our way to Critter Country, but it was not quite time to use our Splash FP.

We stopped for lunch at the nearby Hungry Bear.  The restaurant has a very rustic theming and great views of the Rivers of America and the DL train pulling into a station.































Since breakfast had not been too long ago, we split 3 entrees, 2 cupcakes, 3 drinks and a cup of ice water.  $53.70




Chili Cheeseburger




Chicken Sandwich




Big Al’s Salad








Lemon Cupcakes


Let’s follow-up our lunch with a little Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah!































The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh is close to Splash and it was a walk on, so we did that next.  The cars are a little different, but it is pretty much the same ride as WDW, although I can’t remember if there was a bouncing sensation.















Here’s a picture showing what the crowds looked like around 1:30.







Our energy level was starting to plummet, so we knew we needed to take a little break, go back to the resort and get ready for our morning departure and the next leg of our adventure.  

We made our way out of the park, stopping by to see if the Monorail was running, but alas, it was not.

We went to Indiana Jones, and pulled a FP for 6-7 pm.

On our way out, I stopped by the photo store because with our AAA package, we got a free 5x7 Photopass print.

I chose this shot:







I mentioned earlier that we were trying to meet up with some friends from our hometown today, a couple of awesome teachers from our middle school and their two girls.  For purposes of this report, let’s call him “Joe”.  While we were at lunch I tried to get in touch with him to see if we could figure out a place to meet. 

12:30 “Are you at Disneyland or California today?  We are at DL right now.  I can give you photopass badge to use for the rest of your trip”

1:09  “Hi Dee.  We are at DL.  Crowd was ok this am.  Having a blast, headed to Pirates now and have lunch at 2.  Maybe we can meet up after lunch.”

1:46 “We are leaving DL now.  At Indiana for FP for later.  Back this evening.”  


We had a couple of disappointments on our last morning.  No monorail and not meeting up with “Joe” and his family.  But no complaints about how we spent our time from 7 am to 2 pm:

Peter Pan, Matterhorn, Space Mountain (2x), Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, breakfast, Star Tours (x2), Pirates, Jungle Cruise, lunch at Hungry Bear, Splash Mountain, Winnie-the-Pooh and a FP for Indiana Jones. 


I don’t really have great notes about what we did after leaving DL. 

I know we stopped at La Brea Bakery to get a chocolate croissant and Danish and at Whitewater snacks for 2 yogurt parfaits and 2 boxes of cereal so we would be prepared for breakfast the next morning.  We came back to the room and found that housekeeping had left a gift for us- a canister with a Giant Sequoia seed as a souvenir of our stay at the Grand Californian Hotel.   Nate thought this was pretty cool, so we packed it.  

We packed up everything we could.  I don’t remember if we went to the pool, but since I don’t have any pictures, I doubt that we did. 


*Next up: Not So Magical Evening/At Least We Saw Fireworks*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52799561&postcount=364


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> The murals for the Peter Pan ride are beautiful. I would love to see something like that at WDW.
> 
> I agree that your BTMR pictures are a very nice sequence, especially the one of you.
> 
> Are you holding the string bag that is in the BC thread? I took your advice about using string bags to avoid bag check and it has worked perfectly. First of all I found the string bag very comfortable to wear. And most importantly, I don't have to keep taking my cellphone in and out of my pocket every time I sat down.   I also like to bring a refill mug with me into the parks.



I really liked the murals, and since I either didn't take any pictures on the ride, or they didn't come out, they are the only pictures in my photo album of the ride. 

The 4 BTM pictures are some of my favorite of the trip.  I make keepsakes of my trips with albums where you slide-in the photos.  I get albums that have a 10 photo per page layout, with 4 portrait and 6 landscape orientations per page, so those 4 are perfect for my BTM page.

Guess who has been working on her photo albums the past week???  

Yes, that is the bag from the thread.  I have two that Lisa (mickeystoontown) has made for me.  They are really the best for park travel.  I'm glad you have found the advice to be useful, and I'll post the advice from the FAQ in the next post here in case anyone wants to read what we are talking about.  






DisneyKid4Life said:


> WOW, you have an impressive memory Dee. My first DISer spotting was indeed in Disneyland, but there was no meet at that time. BUT, she ended up being my actual very first DISmeet in WDW last December.



Not hard to remember a great story!!! 






jenseib said:


> So was Peter Pan just about the exact same as WDW?  I think I read it was, but the lines were usually 45- to over an hour while we were there so we never got on it.



Pretty much the same ride.  Certainly not as significantly different as Pirates in DL vs. WDW.  I believe some of the scenes are set differently, and I don't think the London scene was exactly the same, but the cardinal rule still applies-  First thing in the morning for PP, or skip it.


----------



## natebenma

*Can you explain "String-Bag Theory" to me?*

Well, I am no physicist, but yes I can! 

Some of you know that I have an unhealthy obsession with string bags and Ziplocs.

1) On days when we don't need ponchos, we try to only bring what we can carry through in our hands or pockets.  Folded backsack(s) in back pocket.  Cell Phones and small point & shoot cameras in shorts pockets or larger camera hanging around neck (no camera bag)- extra memory cards/batteries in pockets. Carry bottles of water. 

Once you are through bag check, you can take the folded backsack out of your back pocket and empty the things in your pockets, plus the drinks, into the sack to make it easier to carry.  

2) This is how we packed our ponchos for the Disney parks last July.  

We rolled our ponchos into a large (2 or 2 1/2 gallon bag).  Any other stuff we brought into the parks, like moleskin, extra memory cards, camera batteries and journals for notes, went into another, smaller plastic bag.  We also carried another empty large ziploc to keep everything dry if it rained.  We would wear the ponchos and then the string bag and contents would fit into the bag.  When it stopped raining, we tried to wring out the ponchos, roll them up and place them back in their bag so they didn't get everything else wet.

It was great going through bag check. We had two clear see-through bags that the checkers didn't even have to open- just look and give a quick squeeze.  Someone else carried the deflated string bag in their pocket.  Once past that point, the two bags went back into the string bag.  










PS-  my bag was custom made by DISer *Mickeystoontown*.  She often adds  a Mickey Head outline decoration to the bag but I preferred to have mine without one.

PPS- the observant reader may notice that some of these bags are Hefty, not Ziploc.  A rose by any other name...


----------



## mickeystoontown

How cool that you were recognized while waiting in line!  It's like you said "power of the Dis".  

You guys got a whole lot done that morning and early afternoon.  Lots of attractions and two meals.  Great job!

I know that I've said it before but it's so odd to see that most attractions start or actually take place outdoors at Disneyland.  Odd but neat.

You are so sweet to post yet another picture of the bag that I made for you.  I agree that string bags are THE way to go when traveling the parks.


----------



## KatMark

Wow...you got a lot done that morning. 

The POTC outside looks awesome. 

I didn't realize that Splash Mountain was individual seats. Is there something in front of you to hold on to?

I am in LOVE with those pots at the Pooh ride...so cute.

What an ideal spot for lunch...what a view!

Sorry you didn't get to hook up with your friends.

I love your idea for the bag. I will have to remember that for May.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Ah Disneyland Space Mountain. While I would be sad to see it down for an extended period, I really would love the same upgrade done in MK. I absolutely loved this ride in Disneyland.

Haha, one of the other things I found with DL Pirates is the end and how it feels like you're totally on display for the people waiting in line as you slowly sail by. Actually I found that to be the case for a lot of Disneyland rides. You're part of the show!


----------



## natebenma

mickeystoontown said:


> How cool that you were recognized while waiting in line!  It's like you said "power of the Dis".
> 
> You guys got a whole lot done that morning and early afternoon.  Lots of attractions and two meals.  Great job!
> 
> I know that I've said it before but it's so odd to see that most attractions start or actually take place outdoors at Disneyland.  Odd but neat.
> 
> You are so sweet to post yet another picture of the bag that I made for you.  I agree that string bags are THE way to go when traveling the parks.



I didn't expect to get randomly recognized at DL! 

I have two favorite incidents when I have been recognized in the past.  One was in Atlantis.  A woman recognized me from my trip reports on the DIS.  She posted after the trip because she thought it would be too weird to say hello, and besides, I was walking too fast for her to catch up.  Yep.  That was me. 

Then, flying home from Miami from a cruise, one of the flight attendants recognized me.  She lives in our town and knows me from school events.  

I hate to say it, so instead I will sing it...  "It's a Small World, After All!"

We rocked DL that morning!!! Unfortunately, our pixie dust had an expiration date.   

It is strange that so many lines are outside.  Fortunately, that area of California stays pretty dry, but it stinks when they do get rain.   Eh, Jen?

I can't say it enough- I LOVE LOVE LOVE my string bags.  I know that a couple of people on the FAQ thread or from past reports have followed my advice.  Not sure if they are using bags you made or not, but I am a big fan and will continue to mention them whenever the opportunity arises.






KatMark said:


> Wow...you got a lot done that morning.
> 
> The POTC outside looks awesome.
> 
> I didn't realize that Splash Mountain was individual seats. Is there something in front of you to hold on to?
> 
> I am in LOVE with those pots at the Pooh ride...so cute.
> 
> What an ideal spot for lunch...what a view!
> 
> Sorry you didn't get to hook up with your friends.
> 
> I love your idea for the bag. I will have to remember that for May.



The queue for Pirates at DL is not very impressive, what I posted is really all there is, but the ride more than makes up for it.  It is SO incredible! 

We rode twice and I was never in the front, so I don't know if there is something to hold on to.  I don't think so.  The logs at Splash are individual seats, and the ride vehicle for Space Mountain are two to a seat.  

The Pooh pots are cute (that does NOT sound right!)  

The Hungry Bear was a nice find for lunch.  Lots of interesting things to look at.

I was sad we didn't connect with our friends, but we still had the evening ahead of us.  






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Ah Disneyland Space Mountain. While I would be sad to see it down for an extended period, I really would love the same upgrade done in MK. I absolutely loved this ride in Disneyland.
> 
> Haha, one of the other things I found with DL Pirates is the end and how it feels like you're totally on display for the people waiting in line as you slowly sail by. Actually I found that to be the case for a lot of Disneyland rides. You're part of the show!



Space was awesome!  

That's true- all the people who are waiting in line are glaring at you because you are on a boat and they are not.  

We're part of the show!!!  Does that make us all Cast Members?


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Loving the headhunter cartoon. Food, especially at lunch, looks great! Sorry you didn't manage to meet your friends from home but other than that and the monorail being down it sounds like you had a great day and I love all the photos you've managed to either take or have taken for you by photopass people. Your boys are so grown up lookingin them-Nate is definitely catching up on Mark


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Loving the headhunter cartoon. Food, especially at lunch, looks great! Sorry you didn't manage to meet your friends from home but other than that and the monorail being down it sounds like you had a great day and I love all the photos you've managed to either take or have taken for you by photopass people. Your boys are so grown up lookingin them-Nate is definitely catching up on Mark



I still have some leftover cartoons from my previous report! 

Missing the monorail and my friends were the two most disappointing things about that morning.  We still had the evening to make up for it, so do you think we will be able to make up for it? 

Situation:  Doubtful  

I'm happy with the pictures we got.  The Photopass was relatively inexpensive ($69 I think) and we found a fair number of photographers.  And most importantly, the boys did not complain too much about stopping for pictures. 

The boys sure are getting tall, which they obviously do NOT get from me!


----------



## MEK

OK - let's see what I can remember!  

Love your ride photos on Space and Splash.  I just think those single seats on Splash looks crazy.

Both Pirates and JC look like they are really cool at DL.  I can't believe you put your camera away.  I hope your family appreciated it, because your DIS friends don't!  



Beautiful view during lunch and the food looks super yummy - especially those cupcakes.  Serious yum to the lemon cupcake!!!!!!

Sorry you missed your friend from school.  Bummer!  

You really got a lot done between 7 and 2pm.  I don't blame you for needing a break.

Back to finish up reading.


----------



## MEK

Love your strategy for bringing your things into the park and that bag by Lisa is adorable!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:


> I still have some leftover cartoons from my previous report!
> 
> I'm in awe of your ability to find suitable cartoons
> 
> Missing the monorail and my friends were the two most disappointing things about that morning.  We still had the evening to make up for it, so do you think we will be able to make up for it?
> 
> Situation:  Doubtful
> 
> I'm hoping you at least get to ride the monorail
> 
> I'm happy with the pictures we got.  The Photopass was relatively inexpensive ($69 I think) and we found a fair number of photographers.  And most importantly, the boys did not complain too much about stopping for pictures.
> 
> 
> That's a decent price
> The boys sure are getting tall, which they obviously do NOT get from me!



Speaking as someone who is also vertically challenged I will only say that good things come in small packages although a certain family member has been known to remind me (for some unfathomable reason) that poison also comes in small bottles!!


----------



## jenseib

Loving the updates as always!!

Lunch looks fabulous!

I like your string bag theory!


----------



## KatMark

To you and yours, Dee, a very



​


----------



## natebenma

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY FRIENDS AND YOUR FAMILIES!!!







.


----------



## MEK

hahahahahahahahaha

I have the same one!


----------



## natebenma

MEK said:


> hahahahahahahahaha
> 
> I have the same one!



Great minds and all that! 

I really like the colors and candy in this graphic!


----------



## natebenma

Around 5, we had finished packing and we were ready to return to the parks.  We have Fast Passes for later for Indiana Jones but we decided to start out at California Adventure.  

We pulled FPs for California Screaming which would come due in 30 minutes.  The standby line for Toy Story was 30 mintues, so that was the perfect thing to do while we waited.  

















We are flashing the Hawaiian shaka sign in anticipation for the next part of our trip. 


We started texting with the friends we were trying to meet up with earlier:

5:20: “We are now at California Adventure.  In line for Toy Story now and we have Fast Passes for 5:50 at California Screamin’  Then heading to Disneyland.  We have Indiana Jones FP 6:40 to 7:40.  Will probably try to catch early Fantasmic and then the fireworks.  We have had an awesome time.  Got lots done.”

They responded at 6:05:
“Heading to Soarin’.  Just got off Tower.  We have Indy passes for 8 so might see u guys at Fantasmic or fireworks.  This place is a blast.

6:10 “Nate wants to do Soarin’ so we are headed there now from Paradise Pier”

6:18 “Walking past Soarin’.  Thirty min too long.  We have done it a lot.  

7:05 “We have 5 Soarin’ FP good for rest of night if you want them.  It shut down while we were in line.”


We headed into Disneyland around 6:30.  

It was pretty crowded.






We checked the lines for Space Mountain and the Matterhorn, but they were both too long.  We continued on to Big Thunder to pull a fast pass.  

At that point, it was time to use our FP for Indy.  We were in the line and it was not moving at all.  They were making an announcement that there was some sort of issue, but no indication of when (or if) it would be starting up again.  After about 10 minutes of that we decided to bail and see if they would give us a FP to use for later.  We talked to a couple of CMs at the entrance and said we didn’t know what was going on, so we left the line.  They told us that since we left voluntarily, they would not return our FPs to us.  We knew that our friends had FP for Indy at 8 and it would have been awesome to be able to experience that attraction with them. 

This really aggravated us.  So far things had not been going well that evening at DL.  

We were also hungry but couldn’t agree on what to get.  

We split up-  Mark went over to Royal Street Veranda (New Orleans Square) to get a chowder in a bread bowl.  Nate said he wanted a turkey leg.  I tried one once, back in 2004 and found it to be really greasy and sinewy.  We thought he was kidding, because we always make fun of the turkey legs in WDW.  But he was serious and we found a cart and got one.  We met back at Rancho del Zocalo, where Ben got the Beef Taco and I ordered the Chicken with Mole Sauce.  The ordering system at the Mexican place was weird and took a long time.  I think we had to go to different places for the two meals, then someplace else for drink, then to the line to pay.  It seemed to take forever.

The chowder was good.  I don’t think I tried the tacos.  The mole was good (not as good as mine, though) but it was difficult to eat because it had a bone in it.  We were all surprised and blown away by how good the turkey leg was.  Who knew?!?  It was very smoky, and tasted a lot like ham.  



























Eating helped improve our moods.  

I tried to get in touch with our friends again.


7:30  “At Mexican restaurant near Big Thunder.”

7:42 “We are on Flying Tires and heading over.  We also have 4 Radiator Springs FP good for 9-10 if u guys want them.  We are heading back to DL for Indy FP and fireworks."  

7:47  “Not sure we would use racers so make some family’s day if you can.”

7:48  “We have FP for Big Thunder right now.”











When we were done at Big Thunder, we stopped for a Dole Whip and I got a Mickey Bar.
















8:22 “Heading to Indy”

8:25 “In line for Jungle Cruise”

After Jungle Cruise, we were absolutely done.  We were exhausted and the crowds were getting to us.  We walked out the gate.  

8:55 “We just finished Indy.  R U guys anywhere around there?”  (unfortunately, we had JUST left the area)

8:57 “Bummer.  We just checked out of DL.  We are toast”

I considered going back in to meet them.  I asked Ben if he wanted to, but he didn’t.  

9:10  “K. Fantasmic is a horror show. Super packed.  We are gonna do pirates.  Any tips on fireworks viewing?”

9:11 “No.  We haven’t seen the fireworks in the park.  We can see them from our balcony but no castle.  Have fun on pirates.  Love it.     If you are anywhere Grizzly River Run in CA tonight I can meet you with Photopass lanyard.  So sorry we missed you all. See you in the fall and lets do Disneyworld together!”

10:14 “Sorry we missed you guys, too.  We walked out of Pirates and caught last half of fireworks.  Was very good.”


As I mentioned earlier "Joe" is one of the teachers in charge of the 8th grade class trip to Disney and I have been helping the last few years to plan the trip with them. Since this is Ben's year, I will be going along as chaperone.  

We had returned to our room and watched the fireworks from the balcony of our room.  I didn’t take any pictures while we watched, but since I took 140 from the show on our first night there, I’ll share a couple of those with you.



































With that, it was time for bed.  Our trip to Disneyland was over, but the next day we would be on our way to Hawaii for the first time. 

I thank you so much for following us as we experienced Disneyland and I hope you will join me for the continuation of our adventures to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.

If not, I will bid you “Aloha” which means Goodbye as well as Hello.


*Next up:  “You Must Be the Sequoias”*


----------



## ddluvsdisney

Wow Dee sounds like you had a fabulous time in DL. to bad you missed Ben's teacher and friend. I agree w the turkey leg... I always said that it tasted like I was eating ham. The boys usually share one. Looking forward to reading about Hawaii.

I just noticed your ticker... Are you going for Feb. vacation?? Me and DH will be there for 4 days. Just a little getaway for me from the cold.


----------



## ProudMommyof2

Sounds like an awesome Disneyland trip! Sorry you missed your friends. Can't wait to get to the Hawaii portion of the trip!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I think that's one thing I really miss about legacy FP. Having one for one park and still being able to pull in another. Granted, it's much easier in Disneyland given their closeness, but still, what a huge thing.

That's so not right regarding your Indy FP. If the ride's not running, just because you left "voluntarily" should make no difference. I guess you had to be pulled away kicking and screaming?

Ah yes, the famous theme park Turkey Leg. This used to be the bargain of the century. I remember paying around $5 for it a few years ago and it was every bit a meal. And yes, it does taste like ham.

That's too bad you missed out on Fantasmic and in park fireworks. But nevertheless, clearly a great visit with the original Disney park.


----------



## eandesmom

Well that's a bit of a frustrating evening on several levels but I am glad the food worked out and you were able to have one last fireworks on the balcony.  We had a similar FP experience with RRC where they wouldn't give us FP's for later even though it was really clear it wasn't coming back online.  That's frustrating.

Aloha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## KatMark

Dee, I'm sorry your last night at DL wasn't so magical. 

I've never had a turkey leg...they just look disgusting to me.

I would have had a Mickey Bar with you. 

I'm sorry you weren't able to hook up with your friends.

But I love your fireworks pictures.

I can't wait to hear about Hawaii.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Such a shame your last night was a frustrating one but at least you ended with some great fireworks on the balcony. I'm sure that soothed you all a little before bed. I always look at those turkey legs when we are in florida but I can never imagine eating one in the heat 
I'm definitely a Mickey Bar kind of girl


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> Wow Dee sounds like you had a fabulous time in DL. to bad you missed Ben's teacher and friend. I agree w the turkey leg... I always said that it tasted like I was eating ham. The boys usually share one. Looking forward to reading about Hawaii.
> 
> I just noticed your ticker... Are you going for Feb. vacation?? Me and DH will be there for 4 days. Just a little getaway for me from the cold.



We really did have a great trip.  Meeting up with our friends would have been wonderful, but if that is the worst thing that happened, I can't complain!

I am really glad we tried the turkey leg.  I had such a bad experience with one a few years ago, but was pleasantly surprised with how much we enjoyed this one.  Still not on my must-do list, though.




Yes, we will be at Universal (Hard Rock) during Feb Vacation, Monday-Friday.  Will not be making a visit to WDW, though.  We are really looking forward to seeing what it is like to go at a time when we won't be melting from heat.  Trying to figure out if we will be able to meet with Teena for dinner somewhere.  She won't drive to the Darkside and we won't have a car.  






ProudMommyof2 said:


> Sounds like an awesome Disneyland trip! Sorry you missed your friends. Can't wait to get to the Hawaii portion of the trip!



It was a great trip.

I'm excited to start sharing our trip to Hawaii!!! 






DisneyKid4Life said:


> I think that's one thing I really miss about legacy FP. Having one for one park and still being able to pull in another. Granted, it's much easier in Disneyland given their closeness, but still, what a huge thing.
> 
> That's so not right regarding your Indy FP. If the ride's not running, just because you left "voluntarily" should make no difference. I guess you had to be pulled away kicking and screaming?
> 
> Ah yes, the famous theme park Turkey Leg. This used to be the bargain of the century. I remember paying around $5 for it a few years ago and it was every bit a meal. And yes, it does taste like ham.
> 
> That's too bad you missed out on Fantasmic and in park fireworks. But nevertheless, clearly a great visit with the original Disney park.



It will be very sad if (when) they switch over to Magic Bands at DL.  

We were really surprised that the CMs were not more accommodating to our request-  really, it wouldn't have done any harm.



I really thought we would be able to catch the night shows at DL since we were there 4 nights.  But the first night we were exhausted, the next night we had Radiator Springs Racers night FP, then World of Color.  That last night turned our to be our last chance and unfortunately, we couldn't make it work.  

As you said, still it was a fantastic visit.  WDW still remains "our home park", but we are so glad we made it to the place that started it all, and reliving it has just made me want to go back that much more.  






eandesmom said:


> Well that's a bit of a frustrating evening on several levels but I am glad the food worked out and you were able to have one last fireworks on the balcony.  We had a similar FP experience with RRC where they wouldn't give us FP's for later even though it was really clear it wasn't coming back online.  That's frustrating.
> 
> Aloha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



We couldn't believe it when everything just seemed to be going wrong.  We were SO close to meeting up with our friends a few times, but it just didn't happen.  

We were close to blows when we were trying to decide what to do about dinner, but it all worked out and having food proved to be the trick to get us through the next couple of bumps.  

Aloha coming up soon! 






KatMark said:


> Dee, I'm sorry your last night at DL wasn't so magical.
> 
> I've never had a turkey leg...they just look disgusting to me.
> 
> I would have had a Mickey Bar with you.
> 
> I'm sorry you weren't able to hook up with your friends.
> 
> But I love your fireworks pictures.
> 
> I can't wait to hear about Hawaii.



It was not the perfect ending to a trip that up to that point had bee pretty darn great! 

The turkey legs really do look disgusting.  I had to try one once, a long time ago, to see what the fuss was and I didn't enjoy it.  But this time it was surprisingly good.  

Mickey Bars NEVER disappoint!!!

Watching the fireworks helped end the night on a positive note.  With a "Bang" if you will.



Sounds like I better get my hips in a hula and get shaking on the next part of this report!


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Such a shame your last night was a frustrating one but at least you ended with some great fireworks on the balcony. I'm sure that soothed you all a little before bed. I always look at those turkey legs when we are in florida but I can never imagine eating one in the heat
> I'm definitely a Mickey Bar kind of girl



Oops!  Missed your reply! 

Things really did hit a downward spiral that evening.  I am thankful that we were able to watch the fireworks from the balcony, but it wasn't enough to keep me from a restless night.  

That's a good point about the turkey legs in the heat-  they are just so heavy (looking and tasting).  That was one of the great things about DL- unlike Florida,  it was pleasantly not humid.


----------



## Wood Nymph

I love the way everyone has to get something different to eat, especially once they get to be teenagers.


----------



## jenseib

I know what you mean about just being too tired to go on.  Sometimes you just have to take some time to actually sleep.  it sucks!  

It sounds like a great trip though and glad you got to do so many things.

I can't wait to here about the next part!


----------



## momabbate

Thanks for sharing Disneyland with us! It was nice seeing the changes in the last 25 years. I can't wait to hear about Hawaii.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> I love the way everyone has to get something different to eat, especially once they get to be teenagers.



It certainly made feeding everyone that night a little more difficult.  






jenseib said:


> I know what you mean about just being too tired to go on.  Sometimes you just have to take some time to actually sleep.  it sucks!
> 
> It sounds like a great trip though and glad you got to do so many things.
> 
> I can't wait to here about the next part!



I had absolutely hit the wall that night.  Unfortunately, even though I was exhausted I did not sleep very well that night.  

Thank for following along, but mostly thank you for all of the helpful hints in your report.  I learned and used a lot of the info I read in your report in preparation for our first time trip to Disneyland.  






momabbate said:


> Thanks for sharing Disneyland with us! It was nice seeing the changes in the last 25 years. I can't wait to hear about Hawaii.



I really appreciate you being here and reading along. 

Thank you!

Hawaii coming right up!


----------



## natebenma

*Wednesday July 16*

It was the morning of our first trip to Hawaii.  We will be staying on Oahu at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach for 4 nights, then flying to Maui to stay at Honua Kai Resort (condominium) for 4 nights and finally one night at the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island where we will be immersing ourselves in volcanoes.  Well, not literally.  







Our flight from LAX to Oahu was at 9 am, scheduled to land at 11:40 am (almost 6 hours travel time).  We got ready and had breakfast in our room, then checked out, met our driver from DK Livery and had an uneventful trip to the airport. 

While on the plane, the flight attendants came around with customs forms.

We have traveled often to the Caribbean and Mexico so we are familiar with these.  At one point I wondered about the rules when flying to Hawaii.  Although it is technically a domestic flight since we were travelling within the United States, we were going to tropical islands with a large agricultural industry.  

But it is not like we were carrying large amounts of cash, or any restricted food, or any contraband agricultural items.

Or were we???

We got to the question about whether we were travelling with any plants or seeds.

We remembered that we had taken the souvenir sequoia seed left for us by housekeeping at the Grand Californian.  Does that count?  How about the packet of Texas blue bell seeds given to us by the DIS friend we met in Disneyland?



 




We debated.  Do we play dumb and not declare what we have?  Do we ‘fess up and then risk having to go to a long lines at the “Agricultural Regulation Station”, thus delaying the start of our Hawaii trip?

We asked one of the flight attendants if what we had counted as restricted product, but she didn’t know. 

We decided to be honest and filled out the form listing the items we had.


We are getting close!!!





That’s Diamond Head! 















We landed at the Honolulu airport-  really pretty views from here of Diamond Head and the mountains.  



















Aloha! 

We collected our luggage and then found the Agricultural Inspection desk.  There was one guy behind the counter and as we walked up, he said  

“You must be the sequoias.”  

We nodded.

“You are all set.”

Phew.


We did not rent a car for the time we were on Oahu, but we had a few options for getting to our resort.  There were plenty of taxis, but we had arranged for a ride to and from the resort from Hawaii23, a company we had had read about on Trip Advisor. They were ok, but we later found out that the resort has an arrangement and set rate with Charley’s Taxi.  Our driver was not there when we arrived, but we called, and he came along in a few minutes.  

We were soon off to our resort, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach.  







HHV is a very large hotel complex on Waikiki Beach.  It is in a great location for everything we wanted to do on Oahu and there are numerous shops and restaurants on property, making it a vibrant and active place to stay.  

If you saw the recent movie “Godzilla”, the Rainbow tower of this hotel was destroyed as the reptile came ashore in Hawaii.







Since this board is a forum for Disney lovers, I suppose I should mention Aulani.  From what I have seen of Disney’s resort on Oahu, it is a little slice of heaven.  But it was not right for us on this trip.  For one, when we priced it out it was double what we were paying to stay at HHV.  And as I mentioned earlier, the things we planned to do- Pearl Harbor, hiking Diamond Head and visiting Hanuama Bay for snorkeling- were all close to HHV.  I think these places are probably about an hour or so from Aulani.  


The resort rooms at HHV are located in a few different buildings, but everyone checks in at the same lobby.  We had no idea which building we would be in, but we didn’t have high hopes since we didn’t pay extra for a particular view or location.  We didn’t put in any room requests but we were hoping for a high floor.  So we were very disappointed to learn our room assignment was room 2034 in Kalia Tower- 2nd floor in the furthest building from the beach.  

We dragged our luggage over to the building, got onto the elevator and got off on the 2nd floor.  We saw the convention area, gym and other public spaces but we couldn’t see how to get to the hallway with the rooms.  We took the elevator back to the building lobby and asked there.

“Your room is on the 20th floor.”

Cool!  

Back onto the elevator, where we met a family who had the same confusion when they tried to get out on the 2nd floor looking for their room.

Up we went.  We found our room and opened up the door for the reveal:







View from our room- we had a view of the city, mountains, some of Diamond Head and even a slice of the ocean if we looked closely or zoomed in!






















Looking Down






Across the Street






We loved it!!! 

It was so beautiful at night that we did not close the curtains and slept with the lights of the city gently illuminating our room.  















*Next up:  Exploring the Resort and Splash! *


----------



## jwwi

Love reading about HI!  Also enjoyed the DL portion, but really looking forward to this part of your TR.  You really did luck out with your view, spectacular!


----------



## ProudMommyof2

Ahhhh- Hawaii! You must of been sooooo excited to get to this leg of the trip! 

Great view. I have heard good things about this hotel and look forward to your review. It would be hard for me to be on Oahu and not see Aulani.


----------



## eandesmom

Score on the room location and view!  I lucked out on my one work stay.  I was back from the beach and interestingly enough my building had it's own check in desk which was lucky as that is where I went first.  Now at least I know where the other one is lol!  

Too funny on the Sequoia seeds.  I have to admit it is likely we would not have even remembered we had them, or if we did mentioned them.  

Aulani is a slice of heaven.  But after many trips navigating the island, it is not ideal for seeing many of the city sights especially for a shorter trip.  Given Honolulu traffic, I think you made the right call.  

I'm now hoping my kids won't whine after only one night there followed by 5 at Aulani!


----------



## natebenma

jwwi said:


> Love reading about HI!  Also enjoyed the DL portion, but really looking forward to this part of your TR.  You really did luck out with your view, spectacular!



Oh good!  Definitely more to come.

We were blown away by our view at the Grand Californian in DL but I think we liked this view even more.  There were so many interesting things to look at.  On the last morning of our stay there, just before checking out, we saw a fire in the hillside.  






ProudMommyof2 said:


> Ahhhh- Hawaii! You must of been sooooo excited to get to this leg of the trip!
> 
> Great view. I have heard good things about this hotel and look forward to your review. It would be hard for me to be on Oahu and not see Aulani.



We were really excited- we love the beach and the tropics and we were looking forward to all of the exciting adventures we would have over the next 10 days.  

The Hilton Hawaiian Village was awesome.  I'll be touring the grounds of the resort in my next update. 






eandesmom said:


> Score on the room location and view!  I lucked out on my one work stay.  I was back from the beach and interestingly enough my building had it's own check in desk which was lucky as that is where I went first.  Now at least I know where the other one is lol!
> 
> Too funny on the Sequoia seeds.  I have to admit it is likely we would not have even remembered we had them, or if we did mentioned them.
> 
> Aulani is a slice of heaven.  But after many trips navigating the island, it is not ideal for seeing many of the city sights especially for a shorter trip.  Given Honolulu traffic, I think you made the right call.
> 
> I'm now hoping my kids won't whine after only one night there followed by 5 at Aulani!



A great place for coffee on the balcony.  Although every morning had an early morning activity on tap, so we didn't get to spend a lot of time lingering.  

We may have been able to check in right in the lobby in our building, but since we didn't know which tower we were in, we had to go to the main lobby.  We did checkout there, though.  

The sequoia seed episode is really funny looking back, but it was a bit disconcerting as it was happening.  We really did not know how much this little souvenir would cost us in vacation time.  

Someday I would love to stay at Aulani and experience other parts of Oahu, but since our trip was centralized with activities on the southside/Waikiki area of the island, the HHV was perfect for us.  

This was the boys favorite resort in Hawaii because of all of the activity, but Mark and I preferred the one in Maui.  Unfortunately, we heard an unbelievable amount of teen whining during our stay on the islands.  Occasionally from ours but mostly from kids in other families.  Are you kidding me?????

There is no question that we made the right call not renting a car in Honolulu, although we would have avoided a very sketchy incident if we had our own car.

Dun-dun-dunnnnnn...


----------



## jenseib

Loving it already!!!!


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> A great place for coffee on the balcony.  Although every morning had an early morning activity on tap, so we didn't get to spend a lot of time lingering.
> 
> We may have been able to check in right in the lobby in our building, but since we didn't know which tower we were in, we had to go to the main lobby.  We did checkout there, though.
> 
> The sequoia seed episode is really funny looking back, but it was a bit disconcerting as it was happening.  We really did not know how much this little souvenir would cost us in vacation time.
> 
> Someday I would love to stay at Aulani and experience other parts of Oahu, but since our trip was centralized with activities on the southside/Waikiki area of the island, the HHV was perfect for us.
> 
> This was the boys favorite resort in Hawaii because of all of the activity, but Mark and I preferred the one in Maui.  Unfortunately, we heard an unbelievable amount of teen whining during our stay on the islands.  Occasionally from ours but mostly from kids in other families.  Are you kidding me?????
> 
> There is no question that we made the right call not renting a car in Honolulu, although we would have avoided a very sketchy incident if we had our own car.
> 
> Dun-dun-dunnnnnn...



Luckily I do know my way around so the driving part is pretty easy and i do know the traffic patterns which helps with the planning.

I am worried about whining and "I am bored".

What activities did the boys like at HHV?


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Wow, I'm quite surprised to hear you had to fill out customs forms. I never would have thought that. Glad everything seemed to go quick, and on the plus side, your conscience is clear. 

That's quite the view for 2nd floor!


----------



## MEK

That resort is gorgeous.  So glad you were able to find the perfect resort for your family and for the activities you had planned.  

I absolutely love the view.  Just lovely.  

But why the confusion getting to the right floor?    That's sort of crazy.  

Can't wait to read all about Hawaii!


----------



## Wood Nymph

We heard a lot of whining when we took our teen girls to Maui. Less time sightseeing and more time at the beach fixed the problem, though. 

I can't wait to read more about your Hawaii trip.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Ahhhh. Lovely view. Pretty pictures looking forward to more to come!


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> Loving it already!!!!



I am so glad to hear that!  Thank you so much! 







DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, I'm quite surprised to hear you had to fill out customs forms. I never would have thought that. Glad everything seemed to go quick, and on the plus side, your conscience is clear.
> 
> That's quite the view for 2nd floor!



It was pretty anticlimactic going to Agricultural desk after we had built it up in our minds.  

I'm not sure I have ever been happier to be wrong about an assumption.  We haven't stayed at many multi-floored buildings with the kids, so I guess thinking we were on the 20th floor did not occur to us when we saw the room number.

Duh! 






MEK said:


> That resort is gorgeous.  So glad you were able to find the perfect resort for your family and for the activities you had planned.
> 
> I absolutely love the view.  Just lovely.
> 
> But why the confusion getting to the right floor?    That's sort of crazy.
> 
> Can't wait to read all about Hawaii!



We really were happy about the resort and the view.  There were just so many different and interesting things to look at depending on the direction and time of day.  

It was weird that we were not the only ones confused at the room location.  I guess they didn't explain it very well (or at all) at checkin.  Jet lag.  I'm gonna go with that as an excuse. 






Wood Nymph said:


> We heard a lot of whining when we took our teen girls to Maui. Less time sightseeing and more time at the beach fixed the problem, though.
> 
> I can't wait to read more about your Hawaii trip.



That is one of the reasons we skipped the road to Hana on Maui-  did not want to be stuck in a vehicle with whining teens for 6 plus hours!  At least when you are at the beach, some of the whining is downwind or you can stick your head underwater at the beach to drown it out.  






HockeyMomR said:


> Ahhhh. Lovely view. Pretty pictures looking forward to more to come!



Thanks!  More pretty pictures coming up.


----------



## natebenma

eandesmom said:


> Luckily I do know my way around so the driving part is pretty easy and i do know the traffic patterns which helps with the planning.
> 
> I am worried about whining and "I am bored".
> 
> What activities did the boys like at HHV?



We don't like driving.  Period.  So I would rather poke needles in my eye than drive in places like LA or Honolulu.  

I will post some pictures/info about the resort after I do replies.  My boys liked this resort the most out of the places we stayed in Hawaii.  I think it was mainly due to the shopping/restaurant area.  

We were fairly busy and did not have a lot of downtime at the resort.  

We hit a pool once or twice, but my guys, especially Nate, does not generally like to go into pools.  He is a social swimmer.  If his friends are around, he will swim.  I suspect your teens would enjoy one or more of the pools, especially if it is not crowded.  We did not try, or even see, the waterslide but it is probably worth checking out. 

We did take a dip in the ocean, but the beach right at resort did not blow us away.  But the rest of Waikiki can't be beat for gorgeous views and people watching- the surfers and paddleboarders.

There is an activities lagoon with some water sports (kayaking, paddle boats-  your guys are experts, I believe, and SUP-Stand Up Paddleboard).  We didn't check into prices, but I'm guessing $$$.  

We ate at the resort a lot because my family does not always like to push the envelope.  Japanese Hatsuhana and CJs Deli were favorites.  Nate said he loved the pancakes, which you could get all day (pictures to be posted shortly)

We made a couple of trips to the ice cream place (Lapperts)

Nate and Ben really love military history, so Mark took them to the nearby US Army Museum for a couple of hours.  I believe the admission was by donation since it is government run.  I didn't tag along for this excursion, so I had some afternoon alone time.  Didn't suck! 

If you are taking a walk along the beach, by all means avoid the stand selling shave ice at the resort next door.  Do not fall for the sandwich board sign that say "Best Shave Ice on Waikiki".  It isn't!


----------



## natebenma

.


----------



## natebenma

Once we got settled in, we walked to Waikiki beach, probably an 8-10 minute walk from our room.  Never timed it.



















It was around 2:30 pm (which was really more like 5 pm for us coming from California time), so we needed to find something to eat.  We looked around at the restaurants in the shopping village and decided to eat at a Japanese place called Hatsuhana.  







The food was incredible! 





Gyoza




Tako (Tuna) Poke








Nate and I both ordered the Tempura Udon & California Roll 

Ben got the Zaru Udon & California Roll.  Looks like I don’t have a picture of this, but I have no idea why not.  




Pineapple Juice 

Total was $78.00 plus tip.  


Once we had some food in our bellies, we went back to our room to change into swimsuits and get ready to explore the resort.

The first thing we did was return to the beach where we took our very first dip ever in the Pacific Ocean:











Views from the water










Our swim was quick and it was time for us to walk around and get acquainted with this huge, beautiful resort.


*Continued in Next Post, First Dip in the Pacific and Splash!*


----------



## natebenma

There were pools:

According to the resort’s website, there are 5 pools including a 10,000 square foot Super Pool plus the multilayered Paradise Pool, featuring dramatic waterfalls and the largest waterslide in Waikiki.























There is the 5 acre salt water Duke Kahanamoku Activities Lagoon, with kayaking, paddleboats and SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboards).  We never did get over here when activities were going on, and I don’t have a list of the prices for the different activities. 

Here is the one picture I do have, from one of our early evening walks:






Lots of pretty flora and fauna, landscaping and statues around the resort:



























I had read that there were live penguins that you could visit on the property, but they were no longer at the resort by the time of our trip. 


Statues













This picture came with a price.






I’m not sure where Mark was, I think returning towels after our swim in the ocean.  I stopped to take pictures of this tiki that was in front of one of buildings.  The boys stopped to wait for me.  All of a sudden a stream of water fell from above right onto Nate’s head.  It was a significant amount of water.  We still have no idea what it was or where it came from or how it just perfectly splashed onto Nate and no one else.

EWWWWW!!!!

We laughed.  One of those you just can’t help yourself, that was unbelievable sort of laughs.  Nate actually was laughing, too.  Fortunately, we were headed back to the room at the time, and I think Nate jumped into the shower.   

After unpacking during a little break at the room, we had just enough steam to have dinner and do some shopping at the market at the resort. 
*

Continued in Next Post: Dinner at CJ's Deli/ABC Market*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52828963&postcount=393http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52828963&postcount=393


----------



## natebenma

CJ’s Diner:

The menu at CJ's Diner really appealed to us-  they served breakfast all day, which is a big attraction for our pancake lover Nate.  Plus they had a wide range of sandwiches and other entrees.  

I opted for something with a Hawaiian twist.





Triple Play: Mini Wagyu Beef Loco Moco, Mini Macadamia Nut and Coconut Pancakes with Strawberries and Eggs Benedict with Gourmet Bacon, Tomato and Avocado  

This was really yummy, although the pancakes were not as good as my favorite Pineapple and Macadamia Pancakes at Kona Café at the Poly.  





Kahlua Pork Slider









Blueberry Pancakes and Banana Pancakes with Chocolate Chips

Everything was excellent!!


After our dinner, we were really starting to lose steam from our long day of travel and exploring the resort, but we needed to pick up a few things for the next morning.


The ABC Market is a grocery and gift shop right in the center of the shopping area.  

There were drinks, prepared foods and other snacks, toiletries and medicine, clothing (Hawaiian shirts), other souvenirs, beach toys, and a lot more.
















































We purchased a few items so we would be prepared for breakfast the following day, which was going to be an early one for us.  


*Next Up:  Pearl Harbor*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52876180&postcount=410


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Waikiki beach... that just sounds right doesn't it? Like every beach tries to be that famous but just can''t do it.

Was the water cold? I've always heard the Pacific Ocean is cold. Maybe not there though.

That place looks like paradise. I love a place with a lot of lush Flora.


----------



## jenseib

Now I am trying to figure out how to plan a trip to hawaii!!!  

Lunch looks so yummy!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Wow brilliant room view-I'm all about hte lit up night-time views so I too would have slept with the curtains open 
The resort looks lovely but goodness the beach is just gorgeous. Such pristine sand and clear skies make me want to visit


----------



## Wood Nymph

Your ABC store pictures remind me of some of the foods that are unique to Hawaii that we always bought when we stayed in a condo in Kauai. We always bought some breakfast food, with guava jelly and Hawaiian coffee on the must have list. I also really like the Hawaiian soda: 






Lilikoi was my favorite flavor.


----------



## eandesmom

Ah the ABC Store.  I do love that place.  It really is incredibly handy when on vacation.  I was amazed how many are actually in Waikiki, I knew there were a lot but boy, people joke about how close Starbucks are to each other and this puts it to shame.  I wouldn't be surprised if there were 20 between the start and end of the main drag there.

It really is great for cheap souvenirs and some of their food/booze prices aren't bad.  Some of the food is outrageous but oh it is handy!  They sell a special granola there than I've only found there.  Reading your update reminded me I didn't buy myself any when I was there in December so I went online and just ordered myself a big bag!  YUM!

The soda's/juice make me smile.  They are actually pretty tasty although on the sweet side.  Costco does a nice mixed case, maybe I will get that for the boys this next trip instead of soda for the room as I don't think they've tried any of them.

Your meals looked outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am definitely keeping CJ's in mind if folks are too hungry to stroll.

What the did boys think of the pools?  Especially the main one?  Or were you mostly in the ocean.


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Waikiki beach... that just sounds right doesn't it? Like every beach tries to be that famous but just can''t do it.
> 
> Was the water cold? I've always heard the Pacific Ocean is cold. Maybe not there though.
> 
> That place looks like paradise. I love a place with a lot of lush Flora.



It was really surreal to actually be at beach that famous!  

Now, Rob are you an ocean-goer?  I am surprised to hear that question from you since you live north of me.  I am from New England where ocean water temp upwards of 68 degrees is downright tropical.  

Water felt awesome!  

The resort was big and beautiful and it was lovely just to walk around.  

 




jenseib said:


> Now I am trying to figure out how to plan a trip to hawaii!!!
> 
> Lunch looks so yummy!



You really should!!!

Lunch and dinner were both excellent, in fact we ended up going back to both places for another meal later in the week.






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Wow brilliant room view-I'm all about hte lit up night-time views so I too would have slept with the curtains open
> The resort looks lovely but goodness the beach is just gorgeous. Such pristine sand and clear skies make me want to visit



We loved the view at all times of day, but the night was definitely the most magical.  

The resort was gorgeous.  The beach was wonderful, although I liked the stretch of Waikiki past our resort more than the area that was right there.  The water did not seem as clear as it was elsewhere. 

But I LOVED that you could look down the beach and see Diamond Head!!!





Wood Nymph said:


> Your ABC store pictures remind me of some of the foods that are unique to Hawaii that we always bought when we stayed in a condo in Kauai. We always bought some breakfast food, with guava jelly and Hawaiian coffee on the must have list. I also really like the Hawaiian soda:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lilikoi was my favorite flavor.



It was fun shopping here, and then when we were on Maui at an actual grocery store.  We tried a few of the Hawaiian sodas and I got the lilikoi since I am a sucker for passionfruit.  One of my favorite flavors.  






eandesmom said:


> Ah the ABC Store.  I do love that place.  It really is incredibly handy when on vacation.  I was amazed how many are actually in Waikiki, I knew there were a lot but boy, people joke about how close Starbucks are to each other and this puts it to shame.  I wouldn't be surprised if there were 20 between the start and end of the main drag there.
> 
> It really is great for cheap souvenirs and some of their food/booze prices aren't bad.  Some of the food is outrageous but oh it is handy!  They sell a special granola there than I've only found there.  Reading your update reminded me I didn't buy myself any when I was there in December so I went online and just ordered myself a big bag!  YUM!
> 
> The soda's/juice make me smile.  They are actually pretty tasty although on the sweet side.  Costco does a nice mixed case, maybe I will get that for the boys this next trip instead of soda for the room as I don't think they've tried any of them.
> 
> Your meals looked outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am definitely keeping CJ's in mind if folks are too hungry to stroll.
> 
> What the did boys think of the pools?  Especially the main one?  Or were you mostly in the ocean.



I don't think we got any granola, but we did try the Maui onion chips on your recommendation, and "Yum!"

CJ's was great.  As I mentioned above, we returned to both Hatsuhana and CJ's for other meals later in the week.  

Unfortunately, my boys are the wrong ones to ask about pools.  We tend to spend more time in the ocean, although I think we only took a couple of dips while there.  Ben and I went to one of the pools, but it was not the main pool and it was ok.  Less crowded than the main pool. Never saw the water slide.


----------



## KatMark

Dee, sorry I got a bit behind.

 you've arrived in Hawaii. Your pictures bring back wonderfu memories of our honeymoon there almost 32 years ago.

The resort you stayed at looks quite lovely.

And I'm wondering if it is lunch time as I am drooling over all of your food pictures.

Beautiful beach.

 at the water on Nate's head.


----------



## mickeystoontown

You'v made it to Hawaii!  It sounds like your resort choice was a good one given the fact that it was close to the places that you wanted to visit and the things you wanted to see.  Your meals looks absolutely delicious even though I am not a fan of Japanese food.  

Oh and I have to say it....if you have a pancake lover in your family then you should go to either Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I've never ever seen so many pancake houses in my life.  They are on every single block.


----------



## JanetMom

It's cold here today. The idea of Hawaii sounds good. I think I warmed up just a little by looking at your pictures.


----------



## MickeyT

Loving the pictures Dee. We're probably a year of two out from visiting Hawaii so you definite grabbed my attention.


----------



## dtr_angel

Dee I'm soooooo sorry! All caught up now though. Happy new year!


----------



## MEK

That resort is simply gorgeous!  So many amazing pools and the Pacific Ocean.  That sounds like nirvana right about now!  

Both your lunch and dinner look delish!  You are making me hungry so early in the morning.  

OMG - what the heck landed on Nate's head?  Ugh - all I can think was it was a bucket of water that had been used for cleaning.  I have visions of it dumping from the sky.  Glad everyone had a good laugh over that.


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> Dee, sorry I got a bit behind.
> 
> you've arrived in Hawaii. Your pictures bring back wonderfu memories of our honeymoon there almost 32 years ago.
> 
> The resort you stayed at looks quite lovely.
> 
> And I'm wondering if it is lunch time as I am drooling over all of your food pictures.
> 
> Beautiful beach.
> 
> at the water on Nate's head.



No worries Kathy!  It is so hard to keep up everywhere! 

I bet a lot has changed since your honeymoon trip, but Waikiki beach is still beautiful.  Did you stay at a hotel closer to Diamond Head?  I bet you would be shocked at how packed the resorts are along that stretch now.  

We enjoyed our meals that day and visited both restaurants again later in our trip.  It was kind of a cop out because we didn't venture off the resort much to eat, but I guess if you find something good, why bother?  I am sad that we never tried the coffee house that Cynthia really likes which was literally across the street from our building.  We could see it from our balcony but with my really poor sense of direction, I couldn't figure out how to get there!



The incident with the water on Nate's head was hilarious!  I felt a little guilty because if I hadn't stopped to take a picture, he wouldn't have stopped and the water would have missed him.  I'm glad he was a good sport about it.  






mickeystoontown said:


> You'v made it to Hawaii!  It sounds like your resort choice was a good one given the fact that it was close to the places that you wanted to visit and the things you wanted to see.  Your meals looks absolutely delicious even though I am not a fan of Japanese food.
> 
> Oh and I have to say it....if you have a pancake lover in your family then you should go to either Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I've never ever seen so many pancake houses in my life.  They are on every single block.



We really liked the resort- it had everything we needed to keep us fed and entertained.  In that order! Location was great- we were relatively close to every place we wanted to go and we had a spectacular view of Diamond Head from the beach.  

Thanks for the heads up on where to go for pancakes!  






JanetMom said:


> It's cold here today. The idea of Hawaii sounds good. I think I warmed up just a little by looking at your pictures.



You may need the pictures again today for a warm up.  BRRRR!!! It is cold here today, -20 degrees Farenheit with wind chill (about -28 Celsius)! They cancelled school for my boys today because we have a lot of walkers in town and it just isn't safe for anyone to be out. 






MickeyT said:


> Loving the pictures Dee. We're probably a year of two out from visiting Hawaii so you definite grabbed my attention.



Thanks, Mike!  I will be glad to share whatever info I have when it is time for you to make the trip.  I definitely recommend adding the DL piece first.  It really helped our adjustment to the time difference.

Hope all goes well with your runs this week at the World.






dtr_angel said:


> Dee I'm soooooo sorry! All caught up now though. Happy new year!



Not a problem!!!  I am so behind everywhere, including catching up with your report.  

Happy New Year to your family! 






MEK said:


> That resort is simply gorgeous!  So many amazing pools and the Pacific Ocean.  That sounds like nirvana right about now!
> 
> Both your lunch and dinner look delish!  You are making me hungry so early in the morning.
> 
> OMG - what the heck landed on Nate's head?  Ugh - all I can think was it was a bucket of water that had been used for cleaning.  I have visions of it dumping from the sky.  Glad everyone had a good laugh over that.



We love a big resort where we can walk around and enjoy the views and landscaping.  This was a great place for us to start our trip.  

There were a lot of food choices which was good, and every place we ate was decent.

That's what I think with the water- that it was from a cleaning bucket.  There was just so much of it, it wasn't like it was just a glass or so.  

I'm glad Nate had a sense of humor about it.


----------



## teekathepony

Hi De!  I'm taking some time to get caught up today.

Sorry to hear that your last night in Disneyland wasn't exactly perfect, but like you say, at least you got to see the fireworks. 

Excited for Hawaii! 

Surprised you'd have to fill out a customs form for that. "You must be the sequoias" -- hahaha that's funny, but glad you got through!

Beautiful view from your room! Wow! 

Waikiki beach looks so beautiful (as I sit here freezing in -10 degree weather. Oh sorry, that's about 14 degrees Fahrenheit.  )

Your meals both look yummy! What a beautiful resort and grounds, very beautiful.


----------



## jmskinner

I'm caught up!    Loved all of your Disneyland and California Adventure pics.  Funny how certain rides look exactly the same.  Like the fossils sticking out at Big Thunder Mountain.

Sorry you didn't get to meet up with your friends.  I have done that multiple times at WDW.  

Loving the pics of Hawaii.  And your view...


----------



## natebenma

teekathepony said:


> Hi De!  I'm taking some time to get caught up today.
> 
> Sorry to hear that your last night in Disneyland wasn't exactly perfect, but like you say, at least you got to see the fireworks.
> 
> Excited for Hawaii!
> 
> Surprised you'd have to fill out a customs form for that. "You must be the sequoias" -- hahaha that's funny, but glad you got through!
> 
> Beautiful view from your room! Wow!
> 
> Waikiki beach looks so beautiful (as I sit here freezing in -10 degree weather. Oh sorry, that's about 14 degrees Fahrenheit.  )
> 
> Your meals both look yummy! What a beautiful resort and grounds, very beautiful.



Hi Wendy! 

Good to see that, like treasured Disney movies, you have been "released from the vault"



So much on our Disneyland trip was amazing that our fails on the last night did not deter from a fantastic trip.  But it really would have been nice to hook up with our friends!

I laughed when the guy at the Agricultural Inspection desk greeted us that way.  I guess not many people from our flight had anything to declare.  

Waikiki was postcard gorgeous, the resort was big and beautiful, our hotel view was breathtaking and our meals were fantastic. 

Oahu was a win! 

Thanks for coming along.  






jmskinner said:


> I'm caught up!    Loved all of your Disneyland and California Adventure pics.  Funny how certain rides look exactly the same.  Like the fossils sticking out at Big Thunder Mountain.
> 
> Sorry you didn't get to meet up with your friends.  I have done that multiple times at WDW.
> 
> Loving the pics of Hawaii.  And your view...



Glad you are all caught up! 

Disneyland was so much fun.  We really enjoyed comparing the rides that were in both places.  Some things were very similar but the ones that weren't...

Vive La Difference! 

We were disappointed we didn't get to meet up with our friends.  

Aloha and  to Hawaii with us.


----------



## natebenma

As soon as we booked our trip to Hawaii, we knew the one thing we needed to do was visit Pearl Harbor.  This is such an important place in the history of our country and we wanted to pay our respects.  My boys are both history nuts, especially military history with a particular interest in World War II.  

Here is something that Disney fans can appreciate-  Reservations for the Arizona Memorial can be made online at 10 am,  180 days before the trip*

There are limited seats available on the ferry that goes over to the memorial and I think there only a few seats available per time slot to reserve in advance.  Otherwise, you either need to book a tour package that includes a reservation on the ferry or you have to get to Pearl Harbor early in the morning to be sure to get a seat.  We didnt want to risk that, so we knew we would be doing the advanced tickets.  Like with many National Park reservations, the tickets are free but you need to pay a small transaction fee for the reservation.  

One of the great things about my part-time employment is that it is usually no problem for me to be available to manage things like this.  Our date for ordering the tickets was January 17.  As it turns out, Ben was in his schools Geography Bee that morning, and I was able to be in audience to watch him.  No way was I going to miss that!  







So Mark had to take on this duty.  I hated for him to have to be responsible for this while at work, but there really was no other choice. I was relieved when I received the text from Mark that we got the day and time we wanted: Thursday July 17, 9:15 am.  

ETA, since Melissa asked:  Ben placed 7th out of 24 kids who were in the contest.  This was his first (and last) time in the bee- he just missed out on qualifying for this year's bee by two questions.  And as an aside-  Nate was in the Geo Bee his first year at the middle school and placed 2nd.  It was the only time a 5th grader has made it to the runner up position.  Both of my boys missed a question about where the Poconos are located.  D'OH! 


**ETA, based on Cynthia's reply- it appears that the reservation system has changed and tickets may now be reserved 2 months out, not 6 months.  Here is the info from the National Park Service reservation site:

NEW!: Two month Advance reservations now available for groups and individuals. 

NEXT DAY: 300 Next day Tickets available for individuals only 

 DAY OF: 2,000 walk-in tickets available daily at the Pearl Harbor visitor center. 

NOTE:  Reservations are available everyday starting at 7:00 a.m. (HST) through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. *



Meanwhile, back in Hawaii...

On the day of our visit, we ate a quick breakfast in our room, then got a taxi from the lobby of the resort.  The Hilton Hawaiian Village has an arrangement with Charleys Taxi and has set rates to places like Pearl Harbor and the Airport. 

I think we arrived at the site around 7:45 am.  This was our first full day in Hawaii, with a 3 hour time difference from California, and another 3 from our New England home base.  Since we are all early risers anyway, this time was not a hardship for us.  

We were at Pearl Harbor from 7:45 until about 2 pm.  I took 823 photos while we were there.  Ben took an additional 470 and Nate took a few with his phone. 

Don't worry!  I wont be posting them all here!  















We purchased the Passport to Pearl Harbor which included admission to the Bowfin Submarine, the USS Missouri (The Mighty Mo) and the Aviation Museum ($65).  We also purchased the headset tour.


We started at the *Bowfin Submarine*:























*Lost Submarine Memorial *

This marker to lives lost in submarine disasters has a personal meaning for my family.  My dad worked at the Portsmouth Naval Ship Yard for 30 years.  He was one of the engineers who worked on the Thresher submarine.  He was scheduled to be on board for a test dive, but one of my dads coworkers wanted to go in my fathers place.

Over 50 years ago, on April 10, 1963 the Thresher submerged and never resurfaced.  The 129 casualties is the largest number of lives lost in a US submarine disaster.  To this day, my dad attends the annual memorial service and has often been the escort for his coworkers widow and family.  















It was time for our reservation on the ferry that would take us out to the *Arizona Memorial*.  

Before going out, you watch a movie about the geo-political circumstances that lead to World War II, Japans involvement and the events that led up to the bombing of the battleships at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  

I cant describe how incredibly good and informative this movie was.  Of course, I knew the basics of how and why Japan bombed the US fleet, but the details presented were really illuminating and went way beyond anything we covered in history class. 


We then boarded the ferry that would take us over to the offshore memorial, where you could see parts of the submerged USS Arizona which still lies on the ocean floor.  

Dedicated on Memorial Day in 1962, the USS Arizona Memorial, built over the sunken hull, honors the 1,177 crewmen who died during the attack at Pearl Harbor.  The hull is both a tomb for over 900 sailors who remain within and a living reef providing habitat for marine life.  


_They fought together as brothers-in-arms, they died together and now they sleep side-by-side  _-Admiral Chester W. Nimitz




















It is amazing that to this day, oil continues to rise to the surface from the sunken battleship.

_There were 1.4 million gallons of fuel on the USS Arizona when she sank. Over 60 years later, approximately nine quarts still surfaces from the ship each day. Some Pearl Harbor survivors have referred to the oil droplets as "Black Tears."_












A somber display of the devastating loss of lives on December 7, 1941

























*Continued in Next Post*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52876255&postcount=411


----------



## natebenma

The next two places we visited were accessible by shuttle bus.  Before heading over to the USS Missouri battleship, we walked around the grounds a bit more, and then we got an early lunch at the meal counter.  Hot dogs and soup. 

Good, but not worthy of food porn.

The battleship *USS Missouri *was the site of the Japanese surrender in World War II and saw service during the Korean conflict before retiring to become an exhibit at Pearl Harbor.  










































R2D2



 




Interior of the ship














Site of the signing of the treaty that ended WWII. 


















We spent a lot of time exploring all of the decks of this huge battleship.


Close to where the USS Missouri is docked, you can find the *Oklahoma Memorial *which honors the 429 sailors who died when the ship capsized.  







The *Aviation Museum *in Hangar 79 contains examples of military aircraft and weaponry and has some wartime scenes set up. 

























It was starting to get hot and we were tired from hours of touring Pearl Harbor.  Time to get back to our resort.


*Up Next:  Is That Your Final Answer???* http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52906885&postcount=430


----------



## jmskinner

Going to Hawaii has never been on my to-do list, except that I would like to tour Pearl Harbor.  Thank you for sharing that part of your trip.

I had never heard the story of the Thrasher, can not imagine the feelings your father has lived with all these years.

So, how did Ben do in the Geography Bee?


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

180 day advance purchase. Who's Copying who? 

I really like the idea of a set rate taxi. Just nice to know in advance the cost.

My goodness, that story of your Dad is so tragic. Such a feeling of gratefulness and sadness all at once.

You know, a lot of people are obviously so familiar with Pearl Harbour, but for most (myself included) it's just this iconic site, far far away with a tragic history. To actually be there, especially as an American, must be surreal. I think this photo really captures the feelings one must have being at that site.






You both look so mournful and respectful.


----------



## Wood Nymph

I wish that we had gone to Pearl Harbor when we were in Oahu.  It looks fascinating. It must have felt a little strange for you to be there, considering your father and what happened to the coworker.


----------



## KatMark

What a tragic story about your Dad and his co-worker.

Mark and I never made it to Pearl Harbor on our honeymoon (I think it was the "honeymoon" aspect), and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing your pictures. My Dad served in World War II and I know how much he wanted to go see Pearl Harbor and he never got that opportunity.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Thankyou Dee for your latest update. Like many I knew some of the history of Pearl Harbor but it seems more real looking at your photos and reading your report. You really made me reflect on how fragile life is and how precious with your dad's story. A reminder to us all to appreciate the good fortune we have to be here at all!


----------



## jenseib

Fabulous update Dee.  It i such an interesting place. My parents went there a few years back and said it is just amazing and so sad all at the same time.  I have read that many crew members who did not die on the Arizona have had their ashes placed there when they died as well.


----------



## eandesmom

I am confused.  All the stuff I've looked at has the reservations at 60 days out, not 180.  I just double checked and can only find 60 days.  We are really hoping to get them at 60 (and should, it's not peak season) but I'd love to book it now.

Wow, what a story about your dad and the Thresher.  Just.  Wow.


----------



## ProudMommyof2

Such a piece of history that I don't think we can truly appreciate now. I wonder what it will be like to take my grandkids (some day in the distant future ) to the 911 memorial.


----------



## mickeystoontown

Oh wow Dee, what a tragic story.  I know that he must have felt relief but sadness too.  I am sure that your father is honored to be the escort for his co-workers family.

I can certainly see why you took so many pictures while at Pearl Harbor.  I am sure that you wanted to take as many as you could so that you wouldn't forget your visit there.


----------



## natebenma

I'll get to replies later today I hope, but I wanted to respond to this:




eandesmom said:


> I am confused.  All the stuff I've looked at has the reservations at 60 days out, not 180.  I just double checked and can only find 60 days.  We are really hoping to get them at 60 (and should, it's not peak season) but I'd love to book it now.



You are correct-  I just went to check the National Park Service site and it is now a 2 month instead of 6 month booking.  I don't know when that was changed.  

Sometime in the last year.



To put it in Disney terms, it is more like FP+ reservations than dining ressies.




I actually wondered about the fairness of the timing when we booked.  If someone is planning a trip only 2-4 months out, they would be SOL in getting a reservation since others got them 6 months out.  And plans could certainly change that far out, so someone who reserved tickets at 6 months may not actually need them.  The fee incurred is relatively minimal ($1.50 per ticket), so I am sure most people would not bother taking the time to "cancel" the reservation.  Not even sure that it is refundable.  

The next day ticket release is new, too.  


From the nps site:

NEW!: 
 Two month Advance reservations now available for groups and individuals. 

NEXT DAY: 
 300 Next day Tickets available for individuals only 


 DAY OF: 
 2,000 walk-in tickets available daily at the Pearl Harbor visitor center. 


NOTE: 
 Reservations are available everyday starting at 7:00 a.m. (HST) through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. 





Oh, and I just looked at what is available for tickets 6 months from today (March 12) and there still is pretty decent availability for most times.


----------



## jwwi

The Pearl Harbor Memorial is very well done, we also enjoyed going through the Museums that were there.  It rained the entire time we were there, so it felt somber from that standpoint too.  Very interesting about your father, it is so nice that he continues to honor the memory of the lives lost on the submarine.  I feel fortunate for all of those who served our country, both during times of war and during peacetime.  Both of my parents were Korean War Veterans, my Mother was a nurse.


----------



## hill6

Great review Dee.  Brings back many memories from our trip.


----------



## MEK

That is a very moving story about your dad.  Somethings are just meant to be and we will never know why.  I'm sure he struggled for a long time over that.  How wonderful that he continues to participate in the memorial service. 

I loved seeing and hearing about Pearl Harbor.  It's such a truly special place.  I hope that some day I have the opportunity to visit it.  I think the oil is especially intriguing.  You would think it would all be gone by now.    I guess there's no explanation for that.

What, no food porn?


----------



## natebenma

Thank you all for your comments about being moved by my father’s story.  



He doesn’t talk a lot about it, and certainly hasn’t shared his emotions about what happened, but my dad is one of the most compassionate and caring men I know, so the incident surely has been a difficult one for him to live with.

I am very blessed to have my dad.  The best qualities in me- my strength, my sense of humor and a compulsion to help others- all come from him.  Although there are a few things I wish I hadn’t inherited. I’m looking at YOU horrid sense of direction and hoarding tendencies.  

My dad visited Pearl Harbor in the mid-seventies during a 2 day business trip to Hawaii (from NH!), but I don’t think the lost submarine memorial was there at the time.  We actually have a few local memorials specifically to the Thresher and to the other lost subs with connections to the Portsmouth shipyard.  

Here’s a recent selfie I took with my dad during lunch at the Olive Garden.  









jmskinner said:


> Going to Hawaii has never been on my to-do list, except that I would like to tour Pearl Harbor.  Thank you for sharing that part of your trip.
> 
> I had never heard the story of the Thrasher, can not imagine the feelings your father has lived with all these years.
> 
> So, how did Ben do in the Geography Bee?



Our trip to Pearl Harbor was incredibly moving, a lot like visiting the memorials to WWII,  Vietnam and Korea in Washington DC. Actually, more so because we were at the actual place where it happened.  

The news about the Thresher disaster was definitely an important local story because most of the people involved were from around here, but I suspect it was also well known nationally at the time.  

Sorry for the oversight-  Ben came in 7th out of 24 students.  I edited the information into my update.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> 180 day advance purchase. Who's Copying who?
> 
> I really like the idea of a set rate taxi. Just nice to know in advance the cost.
> 
> My goodness, that story of your Dad is so tragic. Such a feeling of gratefulness and sadness all at once.
> 
> You know, a lot of people are obviously so familiar with Pearl Harbour, but for most (myself included) it's just this iconic site, far far away with a tragic history. To actually be there, especially as an American, must be surreal. I think this photo really captures the feelings one must have being at that site.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You both look so mournful and respectful.



I believe you are the king at finding Disney connections wherever you are.  In addition to advanced reservations, one of the symbols of Pearl Harbor is the Tree of Life.  




Not my picture

Admittedly, it looks a bit different from the one we are all familiar with.

Yes, the look in that photo of Ben and me pretty much sums up the feeling of being out on the memorial, standing over what is left of the USS Arizona. 






Wood Nymph said:


> I wish that we had gone to Pearl Harbor when we were in Oahu.  It looks fascinating. It must have felt a little strange for you to be there, considering your father and what happened to the coworker.



I didn't know the lost submarine memorial was there, but that connection really made an emotionally charged place even more so to me.  

The site is impressive when you think about what happened there and when you see how well the story is shared with visitors.  






KatMark said:


> What a tragic story about your Dad and his co-worker.
> 
> Mark and I never made it to Pearl Harbor on our honeymoon (I think it was the "honeymoon" aspect), and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing your pictures. My Dad served in World War II and I know how much he wanted to go see Pearl Harbor and he never got that opportunity.



That gives you a reason to return to Hawaii.  

There were a lot of active duty military personnel and veterans there at Pearl Harbor.  As it should be.  This is probably one of the most meaningful sites for people who are serving our country.  






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Thankyou Dee for your latest update. Like many I knew some of the history of Pearl Harbor but it seems more real looking at your photos and reading your report. You really made me reflect on how fragile life is and how precious with your dad's story. A reminder to us all to appreciate the good fortune we have to be here at all!



Thanks for the kind words.

Amen!






jenseib said:


> Fabulous update Dee.  It i such an interesting place. My parents went there a few years back and said it is just amazing and so sad all at the same time.  I have read that many crew members who did not die on the Arizona have had their ashes placed there when they died as well.



Thank you! 

Visiting Pearl Harbor was very emotional.  Sad and sacred, and yet healing, too.  If that makes sense.  






eandesmom said:


> Wow, what a story about your dad and the Thresher.  Just.  Wow.



The implications of my dad being on that sub affect me on a very existential level.  Literally.  






ProudMommyof2 said:


> Such a piece of history that I don't think we can truly appreciate now. I wonder what it will be like to take my grandkids (some day in the distant future ) to the 911 memorial.



Really good analogy.  I know what happened at Pearl Harbor, but I don't have the same experience as the people who were around at the time.  The 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York are like that for our generation, but my kids are removed from the same emotions we have because they were too young to remember the events.  






mickeystoontown said:


> Oh wow Dee, what a tragic story.  I know that he must have felt relief but sadness too.  I am sure that your father is honored to be the escort for his co-workers family.
> 
> I can certainly see why you took so many pictures while at Pearl Harbor.  I am sure that you wanted to take as many as you could so that you wouldn't forget your visit there.



Thanks, Lisa.  

Even I was shocked when I tallied up the number of pictures I took.  But between all of the different memorials and especially touring the submarine and battleship, there were so many fascinating things to see.  






jwwi said:


> The Pearl Harbor Memorial is very well done, we also enjoyed going through the Museums that were there.  It rained the entire time we were there, so it felt somber from that standpoint too.  Very interesting about your father, it is so nice that he continues to honor the memory of the lives lost on the submarine.  I feel fortunate for all of those who served our country, both during times of war and during peacetime.  Both of my parents were Korean War Veterans, my Mother was a nurse.



I regret that we didn't spend any time in the museums.  I know the visitor's center for the Arizona Memorial was recently renovated and I have heard it is really impressive.  Given the quality of the movie we watched, I can believe it.  

My dad served in Korea as well.  I am so thankful to the brave people who serve our country and to their families for their sacrifices!






hill6 said:


> Great review Dee.  Brings back many memories from our trip.



Thank you! I'm glad to hear this is giving you an excuse to remember your visit to Hawaii (and maybe getting you to think about a return do-over trip).






MEK said:


> That is a very moving story about your dad.  Somethings are just meant to be and we will never know why.  I'm sure he struggled for a long time over that.  How wonderful that he continues to participate in the memorial service.
> 
> I loved seeing and hearing about Pearl Harbor.  It's such a truly special place.  I hope that some day I have the opportunity to visit it.  I think the oil is especially intriguing.  You would think it would all be gone by now.    I guess there's no explanation for that.
> 
> What, no food porn?



My dad's story truly represents how fragile life can be and how it can change in an instant.  My philosophy for this year (and for the future) is to treasure the present moment.  

If that translates roughly into "More Travel", so be it! 

It took us awhile for us to make the trip to Hawaii, but it turned out that our timing was just at the right time for our family.

The thought that there is still oil coming up from the ship is mind-blowing.

Sorry about the lack of food porn.  Our lunch was hotdogs and I didn't want to cross that food-porn line.  I promise you will have some in the next update!


----------



## mickeystoontown

What a wonderful picture of you and your dad!  You are blessed to have such a loving father. I lost my dad in 1992 when he was just 62.    When you said that your dad rarely speaks of what happened, it reminded me of my uncle who was a Marine.  He only spoke of his time in service when he got together with his fellow Marines during their reunions and, even then, they didn't talk about the tough times.


----------



## KatMark

Great picture of you and your Dad, Dee.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Love the selfie with your dad Dee-you both have the same smile


----------



## natebenma

Sorry that I have gotten so far behind on everyone's reports this week!!!

I will be posting an update here (I wrote it while watching the Patriots on Saturday night, just added pictures this morning)

Busy week- a couple of rehearsals as our theatre group gets ready for opening night of Spamalot next Friday.  Plus Ben had a big castle project due this morning. 

Things we learned:  Spray paint eats through Styrofoam. Hot glue does too.






mickeystoontown said:


> What a wonderful picture of you and your dad!  You are blessed to have such a loving father. I lost my dad in 1992 when he was just 62.    When you said that your dad rarely speaks of what happened, it reminded me of my uncle who was a Marine.  He only spoke of his time in service when he got together with his fellow Marines during their reunions and, even then, they didn't talk about the tough times.



Thank you!  My dad is awesome.  He raised my brother and me, pretty much single-handedly while working full time.  He stuck with my mom through some incredibly rough times (severe bipolar disorder, numerous lengthy hospitalizations). 

We had lunch together yesterday and I do feel lucky that he is still in my life, and that now I can start to pay him back by helping him out when he needs it.  

:




KatMark said:


> Great picture of you and your Dad, Dee.



Thank you!  I really like this picture.  It is a selfie taken with my camera, not my phone.  And I didn't have a memory card in the camera so it saved to internal memory.  I couldn't figure out how to get the picture "off" the camera, but I finally pulled out the camera manual and figured it out.  

Phew! 






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Love the selfie with your dad Dee-you both have the same smile



Thanks.  One of my favorite pictures of the two of us together.


----------



## natebenma

When we returned back to the resort after our day at Pearl Harbor we had 3 things on the agenda:


1)	Figure out our plans for the next two days in Oahu (Friday and Saturday, our 28th Anniversary)
2)	Swim
3)	Have dinner-  the boys wanted to go to Benihana


The two things we still wanted to do while on Oahu were hiking Diamond Head and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve.  We knew we wanted to do both things early (different days), before these places got too hot and crowded but we didn’t really care which day we did which activity.  

We booked our trip through Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays tour company.  On each of the islands we were visiting, we received an invitation to a welcome breakfast and a packet of discounts.  We were busy every morning we would be in Oahu so we wouldn’t be able to attend the breakfast, but in the packet I found a coupon for $100 off excursions booked through PHH.  

According to the paperwork we received, there was a PHH agent located in the main lobby of the Rainbow Tower.  We had looked the day before for the desk, but it was not there because of some construction that was going on.  We called the phone number provided for PHH and asked if there was an excursion offered to Hanauma Bay (there was), the price ($23 per person) and whether there was a minimum purchase required to use the coupon (there wasn’t, but we would not get back any difference between the excursion price and the coupon value.  That’s fair!)  The person I talked to told me where the booking desk had moved to during the construction.

We went down to the desk to talk to the agent.

First, he tried to sell us a tour to Pearl Harbor, but we told him we had already visited that morning. 

It was too late in the day to sign up for the snorkeling tour the next day, so we focused on Saturday.  There were two times that the tour goes out.  8 am and 9:30.  We preferred the earlier time.  

We asked the price and he told us $35 per person if we needed snorkeling equipment and $25 per person if we just needed transportation and admission.

I said we would sign up for the excursion with no equipment since we had our own and then I told him that we had a coupon for $100 off and that we were told we could use it for the whole trip by someone from the PHH main office. 

The agent told us that we could couldn’t use it unless we booked a trip valued at more than $100.  OK, then we will do 1 equipment, 3 without.  $110.  

Then the agent changed the price for the kids so we would be below the threshold.  

Um, no.  With the prices he gave us, we were able to get to exactly $100 and that he could charge us a dollar more.

“Is that your final answer?”

Knowing he was defeated on that front, he tried another approach:

“Hanauma bay is really crowded with tourists.  The reefs have been destroyed and there is no marine life there.  You won’t see anything”  

He said we would be much better off doing a swim with the dolphin excursion on the other side of the island.  At $100 per person.  

We said we would take our chances at Hanauma.

He made another attempt:

“There is a big storm forecasted for Saturday morning.  It is going to be raining and conditions will be terrible”

Again, we would take our chances.  Heck, it wasn’t costing us anything, so we wouldn’t be out.

He called the booking agent and didn’t get an answer so he left a message.  It was about 3 pm, so he said to check back in an hour to see if there was space in either the 8 or 9:30 excursion on Saturday.  He told us that he leaves at 5 pm so we would have to come back before then. 

We said we would be back at 4- “Will YOU be here???”

We did go for a swim, but I can’t remember if it was the ocean or in one of the pools.  Ocean, I think.  On the way back to our room we stopped back at the excursions desk. The guy looked totally disappointed that we did indeed show up, but he told us he had us booked on the later snorkeling trip on Saturday.

Free excursion!!! 

Spoiler alert-  the weather was, in fact, perfect on Saturday and the snorkeling was spectacular!  

*******************************************************************************

It was time for an early dinner.  The boys love hibachi-style dining and since Benihana was just steps away from the lobby of our hotel building it doesn’t get much easier than that.





We were seated at a show table with a Japanese family.  They used a menu written in Japanese, and our waitress and cook spoke both English and Japanese so that was helpful to everyone involved.   We were all served chopsticks, but we wimped out and asked for silverware.  All the members of the other family took the paper that the chopsticks came in and folded it into cool chopstick stands.  We were majorly impressed and continue to talk about it still.  “Remember how the people at Benihana made the chopstick stands?”

A photographer came by and took pictures of the different family groups in the restaurant.  He said he would be by later in the meal with the prints and we could purchase one for $10 if we wanted it.  

I ordered a Mai Tai to split with Mark (when in Rome…)






We started out with miso soup and salad.  



 




The chef arrived, heated up the hibachi table and started the show.  First up was the flaming onion- always a favorite!  










Then he did some balancing trick with eggs.  But unfortunately, this did not go well.  He dropped a couple of eggs and I think a couple of things he tried did not work the way he wanted them to.














He got so discouraged that he just gave up and cooked the food without performing any other flashy moves.  	

The food was good but it was a little disappointing that the “show” was lacking.


*Fried Rice:* 



 


Nate got the *Filet Mignon*- Aged Tenderloin Steak





I guess I don’t have a picture of his cooked meal.  


Ben and Mark ordered the *Seafood Combination*- Lobster Tail, Scallops, Calamari






I got the *Big Splash*- Jumbo Shrimp, Scallops, Calamari 






Although we were absolutely stuffed after the meal, the boys ordered the *Dessert WonTons:*







Towards the end of the meal, the photographer came by with the prints.  He is not an employee of Hibachi said we needed to pay in cash.  The family we were seated with purchased theirs.  I looked at the picture and it was good, so I handed him two five dollar bills.  He then said it would be $15.

I heard $10.  Mark heard the same.  We declined the picture.  

I’m sure he would have taken $10 if the other family next to us had not paid $15 for theirs already.  But I was not going to pay more than we were told.  

I took a picture of the boys, and had them take a picture of Mark and me.  










Not nearly as good as the picture of all of us together, but the price was right!  


After dinner, we walked around the shops for a bit.  I walked over to the beach just as the sun had gone down and snapped a couple of pictures.  











We returned to our room and called it a night.







*Next up:  A Profitable Hike and Taxi Driver*http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52975380&postcount=445
Click Here


----------



## jenseib

Boy, people were trying to scam you out of money left and right that day.
I wouldn't have paid the $15 either.
And the excursion thing...I would call and complain about him. That is ridiculous. He obviously gets some kind of commission on what you book...minus the coupon.


----------



## TexasErin

natebenma said:


> Thank you!
> 
> SINGLE RIDER ATTRACTIONS
> 
> Disneyland Park
> 
> * Indiana Jones Adventure
> * Matterhorn
> * Splash Mountain
> 
> Disney's California Adventure Park
> 
> * California Screamin'
> * Goofy's Sky School
> * Grizzly River Run
> * Radiator Springs Racers
> * Soarin' Over California
> 
> So, I prepared a really nice cheat sheet that had all sorts of info about Disneyland and California adventure before our trip in a really nice layout.  Fast Pass, Single Rider, World of Color tips, early entry and more.
> 
> I emailed it to friends of mine (teachers at my sons middle school) who would be there at the same time.  Having it on their phone would be great, because they could just click on some of the links to get to some of the info.
> 
> And I forgot to email it to myself or even print it out!!!
> 
> So I had done all this prep work and then left it back at home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway-  if you are interested in this document, I can email it to you.  I can't remember if I have your email, but if you contact me at
> 
> beachclubdee at yahoo, I will send it to you  (or anyone who requests it)



I just started reading your TR a few days ago and I am loving it!

Can I take you up on your offer for the emailed cheat sheet? We go back for our second trip at the end of May and I would love to have a convenient place to find my info. Thanks!!


----------



## natebenma

TexasErin said:


> I just started reading your TR a few days ago and I am loving it!
> 
> Can I take you up on your offer for the emailed cheat sheet? We go back for our second trip at the end of May and I would love to have a convenient place to find my info. Thanks!!





Glad you are enjoying the trip report!!!

Yes, I will email what I have to you.  If you want you can go back and edit out your email address now, I have it.


----------



## TexasErin

Super!!  Thank you!!


----------



## natebenma

.


----------



## KatMark

Dee, were you wearing a sign that said, screw me on the cost or something? WOW! Twice in one day. 

I'm glad you got it all worked out.

Good Lord...I've not been to a Benihana in 30 years. I'll have to suggest it to Mark one weekend since the only other time we do that type of food is when we are in Naples.

That's a good picture of you and Mark.

Your sunset pictures are gorgeous, Dee.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oh my goodness Dee, that whole booking with the coupon story is priceless. $100 coupon and $100 minimum. Awesome deal. I have to appreciate the guys trying though even though he was clearly over-matched. 

I've never been to a Benihana. I do like the concept of having the food cooked right there. Sounds like a fun time.


----------



## MEK

Holy crap.  So many annoyances. Glad you got that coupon to work, but what a pain.  

And the picture!    Seriously?  I would have said no too!  I ca't stand that crap.

Beautiful sunset pic!  Love it!  

Cute pic of you and your dad!


----------



## Wood Nymph

We booked our first couple of trips to Hawaii using a travel company like Pleasant Hawaii, but then we started making the reservations on our own. I have a great mistrust of those coupons, and your experience justifies my viewpoint.  I'm glad you were able to get them to honor the coupon.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Catching up...first I must say I really like the picture of you and Mark at Benihana the boys took.  Very nice.  I wouldn't have paid the $15 price changing photographer either.  Also, your food looks really delicious and the boys look happy.

Rebecca


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> Boy, people were trying to scam you out of money left and right that day.
> I wouldn't have paid the $15 either.
> And the excursion thing...I would call and complain about him. That is ridiculous. He obviously gets some kind of commission on what you book...minus the coupon.


 
And we had MORE attempted scamming the next day!!!

I was not tempted to pay extra for the picture, even though it was a really good one.  I am SURE I heard $10, and although my hearing is really crappy, Mark heard it too.

Ultimately, we ended up getting what we wanted for the excursion, but if it didn't work out for us we would have complained to Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays. 






KatMark said:


> Dee, were you wearing a sign that said, screw me on the cost or something? WOW! Twice in one day.
> 
> I'm glad you got it all worked out.
> 
> Good Lord...I've not been to a Benihana in 30 years. I'll have to suggest it to Mark one weekend since the only other time we do that type of food is when we are in Naples.
> 
> That's a good picture of you and Mark.
> 
> Your sunset pictures are gorgeous, Dee.



I must have been radiating some sort of "sucker" vibe.  

The tour rep really wasn't going to lose out on anything by giving us a hard time, since we weren't going to do anything expensive, but we were persistent. 

The photographer guy probably figured, a trip to Hawaii is expensive, this meal is expensive, what's 5 more dollars?  NOPE!  

The boys love hibachi-style dining.  We haven't been to Teppen Edo in Japan since 2004, but there is a local place here that we go to with my dad, brother and his family about once a year and the resort we go to in Mexico has one which is included in the all-inclusive price.  

I wish the picture of Mark and me was not so dark.  

Glad you liked the sunset pictures.  We didn't seem to see many sunsets while in Oahu- bad timing I guess.  Some coming up in Maui though.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my goodness Dee, that whole booking with the coupon story is priceless. $100 coupon and $100 minimum. Awesome deal. I have to appreciate the guys trying though even though he was clearly over-matched.
> 
> I've never been to a Benihana. I do like the concept of having the food cooked right there. Sounds like a fun time.



We were just shaking our heads... Did that guy really think he was going to pull one over on us?  It was a riot the way he kept changing the price of the excursion.

And then trying to convince us that it wouldn't be good.

Hibachi dining is a blast, especially if you have a large group.  And the food is always so good and plentiful.






MEK said:


> Holy crap.  So many annoyances. Glad you got that coupon to work, but what a pain.
> 
> And the picture!    Seriously?  I would have said no too!  I ca't stand that crap.
> 
> Beautiful sunset pic!  Love it!
> 
> Cute pic of you and your dad!



Well, a ton of annoyances in Hawaii is still better than everything going right back at home! 

I was not going to reward that photographer's smarmy tactics by purchasing his photo for more than he said it would be.  

Thanks for the positive words about the sunset pictures and the photo with my dad.  






Wood Nymph said:


> We booked our first couple of trips to Hawaii using a travel company like Pleasant Hawaii, but then we started making the reservations on our own. I have a great mistrust of those coupons, and your experience justifies my viewpoint.  I'm glad you were able to get them to honor the coupon.



We really didn't know anything about the places to stay in Hawaii, so it was helpful to use a company familiar with the areas.  We were very happy with the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu and we were thrilled with the place we stayed in Maui.  

I'm so glad we were able to use the coupon for the excursion that we really wanted to do.  






HockeyMomR said:


> Catching up...first I must say I really like the picture of you and Mark at Benihana the boys took.  Very nice.  I wouldn't have paid the $15 price changing photographer either.  Also, your food looks really delicious and the boys look happy.
> 
> Rebecca



We had a good meal at Benihana, although it was not the best hibachi experience we have ever had.  

Thanks for the nice comments about the picture.  I wonder if there is a way I can lighten it up.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Dear goodness how many times can people attempt to scam one family in one day!!!!!!! Good for you sticking to your guns and not letting them away with it  Love the photo of you and Mark-you both look so relaxed and happy  Shame the chef's skills weren't quite up to it but hibachi (sp?) looks fun  Going to try talking my wee crew into it next time we are on your side of the pond 
Stunning sunset photos too


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Dear goodness how many times can people attempt to scam one family in one day!!!!!!! Good for you sticking to your guns and not letting them away with it  Love the photo of you and Mark-you both look so relaxed and happy  Shame the chef's skills weren't quite up to it but hibachi (sp?) looks fun  Going to try talking my wee crew into it next time we are on your side of the pond
> Stunning sunset photos too



Apparently, a lot!!! 

I can hold my own in a battle of the wits, but Mark is the real master!  I am pretty glad that for the most part, I am on the same side as he is.  

It is a shame that we don't have a picture of the 4 of us from the restaurant, but I'll settle for what we have.  

Hibachi dining is so much fun!  I hope you can convince the crew!


----------



## natebenma

Hi everyone!!!

So sorry I have been MIA on this report and on everyone else's.  I have (barely) managed to keep up with the Beach & Yacht Club FAQ.

Last week was tech week for Spamalot, and we had our first 3 shows Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The time commitment really kicks my butt!  We are at rehearsal every night until 10 and I have lots of things to get ready for props and concessions for the shows.

If you are familiar with the story of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this is a musical loosely based on the movie.  Ben is the Black Knight.  And the killer bunny.  

The show is absolutely amazing!  Ben has been in 12 other community theatre shows and 2 at his middle school, but this is the best production we have been involved with.  Every single member of our cast is immensely talented, the script is hilarious and the music is fantastic.  

It has been a lot of work, but so fun to watch! 

Here's a few pictures:

Spamalot

Theatre Décor









Ze Wooden Rabbit





Always Look on the Bright Side of Life





Ben as the Black Knight (who gets his arms and legs cut off, but still refuses to concede the fight)









Company Bow






*****************************************************

In other news, you may have heard that our area was hit with Blizzard Juno yesterday.  It took Mark more than 4 hours to get home from work on Monday (he left the office at 2:45).  We estimate that we probably got between 27-30 inches of snow here.  Boys had yesterday and today off from school.  We will see about tomorrow.  Mark is staying home today to clean up and because the commuter options are still not very reliable.  

Fortunately, we have not lost power or heat during the storm.  

I figure that this would be the perfect time for me to relive part of our trip to Hawaii.


Just to bring you back up to speed... We arrived in Hawaii on Wednesday afternoon.  We spent most of Thursday at Pearl Harbor, then managed to snag a free excursion to Hanauma Bay for later in the week and we dined at Benihana, where we would not pay an extra $5 for a family photo.

On Friday morning, in the update I'm about to post, we will be visiting Diamond Head State Monument.


.


----------



## natebenma

Coming up in this update, we will encounter the scariest adventure of our entire trip.

No, it was not Mickey’s Fun Wheel of Death.

Not going up in a helicopter.

15 hour travel day on the way home?  Nope! 

It was not even opening our Visa bill after the trip...

***********************************************

It was another early, but absolutely gorgeous, morning.















We were headed here:







Diamond Head is a 760 foot extinct volcanic peak that was once used as a military fortification.  Taking in the panoramic views at the top of Diamond Head is one of the must-do activities on Waikiki Beach.  

Although there is a bus system that we could have used to get around from place to place, we were not exactly sure where the bus stops were or the frequency of the buses that early in the morning, so we opted for the convenience of a taxi.  

We were at Diamond Head by 7 am.  
















We started our climb.







Even that early, there were people making their way down.

And even more impressive, there were people running up and down the trail.  No, thanks!!!


Ruh-Roh!






We stepped to the side of the path to take a picture of this unusual tree with the roots.






One of the people in a group behind us exclaimed “I don’t know what they are looking at!”

Um-  We can hear you!!!































We climbed up to a tunnel






A light at the end of the tunnel






Near the top, you need to tackle a couple of sets of stairs:















At the top of the spiral stairs, you enter into a bunker.  






*Continued in Next Post *http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52975411&postcount=446


----------



## natebenma

Killer Views! 

Looking down:






But the real money shots are looking out at the expanse of Waikiki Beach














Looking the other way






The sun was very bright, so we didn’t get any great pictures in this direction






A few family pictures at the top















Ben snapped these pictures on the way down.  Somewhere along these stairs, Ben found a $10 bill.


















We made it!!!







After our climb, we made a couple of purchases at the gift shop- some t-shirts and a hat.  The certificate I posted earlier in this update came “free” with purchase.

***********************************************

And what about that scary story I promised you?

When we were finished, we made our way to one of the cabs waiting out in the parking lot.  As we were about to get in, a guy came over and said 

“Hey!  What are you doing?  I am next.”

We didn’t want to get in to the middle of a taxi turf war, and the first cab driver didn’t seem to care, so we went with this new guy to his cab.  

Which resulted in the weirdest cab ride I have ever been a part of.

The car was cluttered and I think there were rips in the upholstery.  The radio was tuned to some doomsday station telling listeners what they needed to have on hand for the upcoming storm. 

The driver was not actually paying a lot of attention to what was going on in the road and a couple of times he did not immediately proceed when a stoplight turned from red to green.

He was too busy trying to sell us stuff.

He held up a big jug of water  “Have you purchased water yet?”  

“We’re good!”

“I can give you a tour of the Island.  I have been here for 30 years and I can take you to places that even the locals don’t know about.”  

That scared me a little.  No, make that a lot! 

We passed by a guy on the road who tried to flag down the car.

Taxi Driver asked us “Do you want to share a ride?”

Heck no!  I can’t remember how large the car was, but there were already 5 of us riding.  Let’s leave the extra stranger on the side of the road.  In reality, we actually did that guy a favor! 

“Have you seen the movie America?  (He said it like ‘Merica?)  Makes me feel patriotic.”

What?!?

He pulled the car over to the curb and said “We’re here.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t our hotel.  

I think there are two Hiltons on Waikiki, and I think I told him the correct one at the start of my journey (Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach).  Maybe I didn’t.  But my money is on me.

He sighed and we were underway again.  We probably should have just gotten out there and found our way back on our own, but by some miracle we actually ended up at the correct resort.

I paid the driver.  Cash.  No WAY was I giving this guy my credit card.  

In retrospect, we should have stuck with the first cab driver we approached.  I’m sure as we left, he was shaking his head at the dumb tourists.  Was this the stupidest thing we have ever done on vacation?  I’d like to say yes, but unfortunately the answer is no.  But this was probably one of the poorer decisions we have made while the kids were with us.  

Nonetheless, we made it back and had the rest of the afternoon ahead of us.  


*Next up:  Walking Wonderful Waikiki- Click Here *


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Wow the views from the top of Diamond Head are unbelievable! You truly deserve a certificate for making it to the top mind you-soooo many stairs to climb  
Hawaii looks very different to what I'd imagined along the seafront-much more built up. The beach and ocean look gorgeous though. 
Scary taxi driver indeed-and yeah I'd be NO NO NO too on picking up random strangers on the way to hotel! We have had a few scary drivers in our time one of which my husband actually told to either start paying attention to the road or to let us out at which point the driver grunted and decided it was a good idea to perhaps hold on to the steering wheel when heading down I4 

Now you have wondering about all your past scary adventures lol
Glad all ended well (as long as you didn't go AWOL with any scary people)


----------



## KatMark

Dee, so fun to see the pictures from Spamalot. It sounds like a great production and that you are all having fun with it.

I am sorry to hear about all the snow you have. They are predicting anywhere from 4 - 10 inches for us this weekend...guess I'll be shoveling while Mark works on Sunday. We've been lucky and only had an inch or two here and there all winter.

The pictures from Diamond Head are breathtaking. Absolutely beautiful. A few steps? I'd need oxygen after climbing all of those (definitely NOT in good shape).

How nice that Ben found $10. 

Oh my...that was one crazy cab ride. I'm glad everyone was okay after it.


----------



## jmskinner

Glad you are surviving the storms aftermath.  We only got a few inches, and this snow lover is very disappointed. 

Sounds like a lot of people try to take advantage of tourists there...the guy at the excursion booth and the photographer.  

And that taxi ride does sound scary.  We watched a guy while we were at Universal trying to get people to take his ride.  All of the other taxi's waited in line for the next guest.  

Love the pictures from your hike, amazing!  And what is with boys and finding money.  Jacob is always finding money.  He did a camp where they went to one historical home and he found a Coke bottle from the 20's sticking out of the ground.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oh my Snowmageddon. 27-30 INCHES!!!??? Goodness. I heard about Boston getting hammered with this, but just WOW.  We got a Blizzard yesterday, but thankfully nothing like what you did. Of course, I've been more nervous about my Thursday flight being cancelled. So far so good though.

But yes, this does seem like the perfect atmosphere to "go to Hawaii"

WOW... Just WOW. What a view from up there. I guess it is worth the walk.

And OOH Score on the $10 bill. Now you can go back to Benihana and get two family photos!!!!

OK, cab ride from HELL!! "I can take you to places that even the locals dont know about." Yeah... pull over.


----------



## KatMark

DisneyKid4Life said:


> And OOH Score on the $10 bill. Now you can go back to Benihana and get two family photos!!!!



 Good one, Rob.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee - hello! what an appopriate time for you to update as you look out your window at 2+ feet of snow. I think I prefer your view at the top
Of Diamond Head. Beautiful!

 Good on Ben for making his hike profitable. Glad you made it safely back to the hotel. Scary taxi ride for sure. 

Rebecca


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Wow the views from the top of Diamond Head are unbelievable! You truly deserve a certificate for making it to the top mind you-soooo many stairs to climb
> Hawaii looks very different to what I'd imagined along the seafront-much more built up. The beach and ocean look gorgeous though.
> Scary taxi driver indeed-and yeah I'd be NO NO NO too on picking up random strangers on the way to hotel! We have had a few scary drivers in our time one of which my husband actually told to either start paying attention to the road or to let us out at which point the driver grunted and decided it was a good idea to perhaps hold on to the steering wheel when heading down I4
> 
> Now you have wondering about all your past scary adventures lol
> Glad all ended well (as long as you didn't go AWOL with any scary people)



The hike to the top of Diamond Head was great. The stairs were the most strenuous part, but the rest was not bad.  

Honolulu and Waikiki are the most built-up areas of all of the places on Hawaii.  The boys actually liked the city feel of where we were staying.  Things were a lot mellower (and more what you expect in Hawaii) once we got to Maui.  

We really don't like to drive, especially on vacation, so this is the price we have to pay sometimes.  

Stupidest thing we ever did on vacation was following some guy off our resort in Jamaica (walking) when he promised to give us a private tour a beautiful garden nearby on the last day of our trip.  Which he did.  The place he showed us around was really cool, we were never in danger and we tipped him when we were done, but it was a stupid thing to do.  






KatMark said:


> Dee, so fun to see the pictures from Spamalot. It sounds like a great production and that you are all having fun with it.
> 
> I am sorry to hear about all the snow you have. They are predicting anywhere from 4 - 10 inches for us this weekend...guess I'll be shoveling while Mark works on Sunday. We've been lucky and only had an inch or two here and there all winter.
> 
> The pictures from Diamond Head are breathtaking. Absolutely beautiful. A few steps? I'd need oxygen after climbing all of those (definitely NOT in good shape).
> 
> How nice that Ben found $10.
> 
> Oh my...that was one crazy cab ride. I'm glad everyone was okay after it.



The show is great!  It is also bittersweet for me.  I think this may be Ben's last show  

He is an excellent actor who is always prepared for his roles, but he is very worried about high school.  He wants to get good grades this year so his teachers will approve him for all honors classes (he hasn't gotten anything less than an A- in middle school so far).  He didn't audition for his middle school drama club play, Fiddler on the Roof.  He will work crew for the show.  I was disappointed, but I really can't fault him for his motivation.  

I hope you continue to have a winter with light snowfall.  We are expecting more snow tomorrow and Saturday morning, and a possible bigger storm on Monday.  Always Looking on the Bright Side of Life, if the storm on Monday is significant, Mark and the boys will get to stay home after the Superbowl.  

We were glad we did the Diamond Head hike early in the day (7-8 am).  I can't imagine how hot it would be later in the day! 

Finding the money on the trail was nice! 






jmskinner said:


> Glad you are surviving the storms aftermath.  We only got a few inches, and this snow lover is very disappointed.
> 
> Sounds like a lot of people try to take advantage of tourists there...the guy at the excursion booth and the photographer.
> 
> And that taxi ride does sound scary.  We watched a guy while we were at Universal trying to get people to take his ride.  All of the other taxi's waited in line for the next guest.
> 
> Love the pictures from your hike, amazing!  And what is with boys and finding money.  Jacob is always finding money.  He did a camp where they went to one historical home and he found a Coke bottle from the 20's sticking out of the ground.



I don't ski and I don't like the cold.  You can have all of our snow that you want!!!

Let's just say we were meeting a whole lot of people who were not making the best impression on us! 

I didn't want to disrupt the taxi driver protocol, but we should have been suspicious of this guy's aggressive tactics. 

Mark and Ben are pretty good at finding money.  Mark also finds some pretty cool stuff when he is snorkeling, too.  

Good for Jacob!!!  What happened to the Coke bottle?






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my Snowmageddon. 27-30 INCHES!!!??? Goodness. I heard about Boston getting hammered with this, but just WOW.  We got a Blizzard yesterday, but thankfully nothing like what you did. Of course, I've been more nervous about my Thursday flight being cancelled. So far so good though.
> 
> But yes, this does seem like the perfect atmosphere to "go to Hawaii"
> 
> WOW... Just WOW. What a view from up there. I guess it is worth the walk.
> 
> OK, cab ride from HELL!! "I can take you to places that even the locals dont know about." Yeah... pull over.



We had another storm like this a couple of years ago, but it was over the weekend, so not as disruptive.  The governor of our state (wisely) put a ban on non-essential travel on roads.  

As we speak, I believe you are indeed on your way to Florida.  Have a fabulous time!!! 

The views at the top of Diamond Head were totally worth the walk! 

Seriously, we kept looking at each other in the cab and thinking "Is this really happening?"  I was waiting for someone to say "Smile. You're on Candid Camera!"






DisneyKid4Life said:


> And OOH Score on the $10 bill. Now you can go back to Benihana and get two family photos!!!!





KatMark said:


> Good one, Rob.



That totally made me snort!!! 






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee - hello! what an appopriate time for you to update as you look out your window at 2+ feet of snow. I think I prefer your view at the top
> Of Diamond Head. Beautiful!
> 
> Good on Ben for making his hike profitable. Glad you made it safely back to the hotel. Scary taxi ride for sure.
> 
> Rebecca



Mark commented yesterday that it was too sad to look at Hawaii photos because we are not there. 

I'm glad Ben found the money, but we spent like $40 in the gift shop and $8 on smoothies in the parking lot, so yeah, we ended up in the red.  

I'm glad we survived the taxi ride so I could bring that story to you.


----------



## momabbate

Wow! What I hike up to the top, but that view seems well worth it. It would have taken me all day. Way to many breaks to catch my breath. 
Wow! (My vocabulary is in a rut.) That cab ride sounds insane. Not a story I will share with hubby. 
Wow! That is great with all the scams for Ben to find $10.


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> Last week was tech week for Spamalot, and we had our first 3 shows Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The time commitment really kicks my butt!  We are at rehearsal every night until 10 and I have lots of things to get ready for props and concessions for the shows.



Tech is insane.  It's funny, it's almost better once the show actually starts!

LOVE Spamalot.  Super sad to hear Ben isn't doing the Spring Play.  While I get his rationale, I am curious about something.  Does he really have to be recommended for honors to get in them?  Here that is certainly preferred but at the end of the day you can sign up for whatever you want unless there is a prerequisite of some sort.  I hope he picks it back up in HS, colleges what to see more than just killer grades.



natebenma said:


> In other news, you may have heard that our area was hit with Blizzard Juno yesterday.  It took Mark more than 4 hours to get home from work on Monday (he left the office at 2:45).  We estimate that we probably got between 27-30 inches of snow here.  Boys had yesterday and today off from school.  We will see about tomorrow.  Mark is staying home today to clean up and because the commuter options are still not very reliable.



UGH!



natebenma said:


> Just to bring you back up to speed... We arrived in Hawaii on Wednesday afternoon.  We spent most of Thursday at Pearl Harbor, then managed to snag a free excursion to Hanauma Bay for later in the week and we dined at Benihana, where we would not pay an extra $5 for a family photo.



I felt like I was reading an alternate Hawaii update.  Having been there so much for work I just never see that kind of scamming and it really bums me out to hear a friend experiencing it.  I suppose an excursion desk, any excursion desk has an element of it though.  Still, at the end of the day you did get a deal.

Scary cab drives though, they are everywhere.  First one could have been horrid too.

It's a pretty quick bus ride from where you were and had you been dropped at the other Hilton, it's not a horrible walk.  But I am glad you made it!

I love Diamond Head.  It's a great little walk/hike and the views on a clear day can not be beat!  I would really like to fit it in on our Waikiki day but I think it's going to have to be a separate trip which is a bit of a pain but we will figure it out.  Preferably not right before we go to my cousins like our last trip, we cut it close and basically ran up, ran down, changed in the bathroom and drove to her house.

All sweaty and icky!.  LOL.


----------



## MEK

The play looks awesome!  How fun to be involved with that!  

Ugh to all the snow you got.  I was wondering how you made out up there.  I heard Boston got pummeled.  We got nothing.  Wait, no, we actually got a dusting.  Sort of comical considering the roads were empty Monday afternoon and then nothing happened.  

Diamond Head looks so super cool.  That looks like quite the workout.

OMG to the cab driver.  I think I would have gotten off at the wrong Hilton.    What a nightmare!


----------



## natebenma

momabbate said:


> Wow! What I hike up to the top, but that view seems well worth it. It would have taken me all day. Way to many breaks to catch my breath.
> Wow! (My vocabulary is in a rut.) That cab ride sounds insane. Not a story I will share with hubby.
> Wow! That is great with all the scams for Ben to find $10.



The stairs are the worst part of the hike.  The trail is actual a fairly gentle slope.  We are so glad we did it.

The cab ride just got weirder and weirder.  "Want to share a cab?"  Seriously!

I'm sure Ben's $10 went to something totally worthwhile.  Like candy.







eandesmom said:


> Tech is insane.  It's funny, it's almost better once the show actually starts!
> 
> LOVE Spamalot.  Super sad to hear Ben isn't doing the Spring Play.  While I get his rationale, I am curious about something.  Does he really have to be recommended for honors to get in them?  Here that is certainly preferred but at the end of the day you can sign up for whatever you want unless there is a prerequisite of some sort.  I hope he picks it back up in HS, colleges what to see more than just killer grades.



It's true- tech week is worse than the shows, however I am baking cookies at 5 am before I run 3 more errands for the show, so performance days are tough too! 

Spamalot is such an awesome show!  We have been with this theatre group since the beginning, so we are seeing some of the kids who started out 5 years ago performing in some pretty edgy roles.  

I am sad that Ben is not doing his school show.  He doesn't like to sing, so that limits his roles in musicals, but he is a very professional and talented actor and learns the entire show pretty early on.  So he will be great at crew.

I think the issue with the honors classes is that they discourage freshman from taking all honors classes and that is what he wants to do.  He wants the support from his teachers that he can handle it.  I believe class signups are next week (parents are not involved).  






eandesmom said:


> I felt like I was reading an alternate Hawaii update.  Having been there so much for work I just never see that kind of scamming and it really bums me out to hear a friend experiencing it.  I suppose an excursion desk, any excursion desk has an element of it though.  Still, at the end of the day you did get a deal.
> 
> Scary cab drives though, they are everywhere.  First one could have been horrid too.
> 
> It's a pretty quick bus ride from where you were and had you been dropped at the other Hilton, it's not a horrible walk.  But I am glad you made it!
> 
> I love Diamond Head.  It's a great little walk/hike and the views on a clear day can not be beat!  I would really like to fit it in on our Waikiki day but I think it's going to have to be a separate trip which is a bit of a pain but we will figure it out.  Preferably not right before we go to my cousins like our last trip, we cut it close and basically ran up, ran down, changed in the bathroom and drove to her house.
> 
> All sweaty and icky!.  LOL.



With all of the issues we encountered, I don't think this is a pervasive issue with the people in Hawaii.  I just think we had an extraordinary bad streak within a short time.  

That's good to know about the other Hilton-  that comes into play in the update of our trip to Hanauma Bay.  

I hope you can make it with the boys to Diamond Head and not have such a wham-bam hike like you and Jeff did! 

Every time I saw Koko Head, though, I though of you and said "My friends CLIMBED that!!!"  






MEK said:


> The play looks awesome!  How fun to be involved with that!
> 
> Ugh to all the snow you got.  I was wondering how you made out up there.  I heard Boston got pummeled.  We got nothing.  Wait, no, we actually got a dusting.  Sort of comical considering the roads were empty Monday afternoon and then nothing happened.
> 
> Diamond Head looks so super cool.  That looks like quite the workout.
> 
> OMG to the cab driver.  I think I would have gotten off at the wrong Hilton.    What a nightmare!



Spamalot is so much fun!  I love Ben's roles in the show.  I love watching all of the actors excelling in their parts.  

It is really difficult to move around.  Our downtown has snowbanks in the road, but people are continuing to park so the roads are very narrow.  It was gridlock in Boston last night, but fortunately Mark walks across town and then takes a commuter train, so his trip was ok yesterday.  We had more snow overnight, calling for light snow all day, snow overnight (3-6") and then a storm on Monday.  Originally we thought it was going to be enough to cancel school and work the morning after the Superbowl, but now the storm is being downgraded.

Diamond Head was really the perfect hike for us- just strenuous enough.  Loved all of the views! 

The cab ride was definitely one of those "That is going in the trip report!" moments!


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> I am sad that Ben is not doing his school show.  He doesn't like to sing, so that limits his roles in musicals, but he is a very professional and talented actor and learns the entire show pretty early on.  So he will be great at crew.



Evan LOVES crew.  I would love to see him try the stage but he is happy where he is at for now.  I hope at some point he will give it a shot, he is such a natural.



natebenma said:


> I think the issue with the honors classes is that they discourage freshman from taking all honors classes and that is what he wants to do.  He wants the support from his teachers that he can handle it.  I believe class signups are next week (parents are not involved).



The whole thing is so funny.  Both in the MS registration and then at HS it was a mixed message.  Like you have to check boxes A, B, and C to even remotely CONSIDER taking an honors class and if you can't do taht, then don't.  And then they have concerts where all the band members will stand and show how many honors classes they have, plus athletics, plus being in band to convince kids they don't have to give up music to be successful in honors.

UGH.

Eric will do all honors his freshman year.  Though at our school math is just track based, advanced tracks aren't considered honors, it just goes straight to AP.  Evan did all honors his freshman year but we let him bail on science this year and just keep the english and social studies.  I figured AP world history was more than enough, and it is.  It will be interesting to see what he does next year.  He could end up with 2 AP classes...or none.




natebenma said:


> With all of the issues we encountered, I don't think this is a pervasive issue with the people in Hawaii.  I just think we had an extraordinary bad streak within a short time.
> 
> That's good to know about the other Hilton-  that comes into play in the update of our trip to Hanauma Bay.



Ruh Row....




natebenma said:


> I hope you can make it with the boys to Diamond Head and not have such a wham-bam hike like you and Jeff did!
> 
> Every time I saw Koko Head, though, I though of you and said "My friends CLIMBED that!!!"



I am not going to even attempt to do that with the boys, I'd be a wreck worrying about them falling off!  I do need to find a hike for us to do, I'll be annoyed at myself if I don't.




natebenma said:


> It is really difficult to move around.  Our downtown has snowbanks in the road, but people are continuing to park so the roads are very narrow.  It was gridlock in Boston last night, but fortunately Mark walks across town and then takes a commuter train, so his trip was ok yesterday.  We had more snow overnight, calling for light snow all day, snow overnight (3-6") and then a storm on Monday.  Originally we thought it was going to be enough to cancel school and work the morning after the Superbowl, but now the storm is being downgraded.



Ugh, I am glad for the downgrade but oh I bet you will be glad to get out in a few weeks.


----------



## natebenma

eandesmom said:


> Evan LOVES crew.  I would love to see him try the stage but he is happy where he is at for now.  I hope at some point he will give it a shot, he is such a natural.
> 
> 
> 
> The whole thing is so funny.  Both in the MS registration and then at HS it was a mixed message.  Like you have to check boxes A, B, and C to even remotely CONSIDER taking an honors class and if you can't do taht, then don't.  And then they have concerts where all the band members will stand and show how many honors classes they have, plus athletics, plus being in band to convince kids they don't have to give up music to be successful in honors.
> 
> UGH.
> 
> Eric will do all honors his freshman year.  Though at our school math is just track based, advanced tracks aren't considered honors, it just goes straight to AP.  Evan did all honors his freshman year but we let him bail on science this year and just keep the english and social studies.  I figured AP world history was more than enough, and it is.  It will be interesting to see what he does next year.  He could end up with 2 AP classes...or none.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ruh Row....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not going to even attempt to do that with the boys, I'd be a wreck worrying about them falling off!  I do need to find a hike for us to do, I'll be annoyed at myself if I don't.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ugh, I am glad for the downgrade but oh I bet you will be glad to get out in a few weeks.



Well, Spamalot is over! Best show we have ever done-  the script, the songs and the incredible group of talent gathered together.  We have worked with some of these actors in shows over the past 6 years and it has been amazing to see the growth and we have met some new friends.  Still not sure if this marks Ben's final stage performance.  As they say "Too soon!"



I'll be interested in seeing what Ben's schedule looks like for next year.  I think if they discourage him from all honors classes, I can step in and challenge that.  If I want to.

So much for the downgrade of the snow on Monday!  We got another foot-and-a-half of snow.  No school Monday or Tuesday.  Mark stayed home too.  Traffic in the city was ridiculously gridlocked.  Commuting options like the subway and commuter rail were working sporadically and it was taking travelers in cars HOURS just to get through the city last night.  Snow everywhere.

I can't believe we are going to Florida in less than 2 weeks.  We have been so focused on other things for the past several months that this has snuck right up on us.


----------



## Wood Nymph

You are having really bad weather this year.  I heard that Boston got 47 inches of snow in the last 10 days. We got 19.3 inches on Superbowl Sunday, which was a lot, but I think everyone stayed home that day and the streets got cleared off pretty quickly. I suppose they don't have any place to put all that snow you have in Boston.

Spamalot sounds like it was a lot of fun. It must be a lot of work for Ben though, with his school work on top of the rehearsals and performances. Maybe once he is comfortable in his high school routine he'll have a better idea of whether or not he can become involved in the theater again.

The view from Diamond Head is fabulous. Now I wish we had taken the time to hike that trail when we were in Oahu. How long of a hike was it? Too bad you didn't have more shade. We loved to hike when we visited Hawaii but we usually looked for shady places to hike.

You seemed to have found a lot of shifty characters in Waikiki. I would have used cash to pay the cab driver, too. We also use cash for the WDW cabs. It just seems like the safest thing to do.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> You are having really bad weather this year.  I heard that Boston got 47 inches of snow in the last 10 days. We got 19.3 inches on Superbowl Sunday, which was a lot, but I think everyone stayed home that day and the streets got cleared off pretty quickly. I suppose they don't have any place to put all that snow you have in Boston.
> 
> Spamalot sounds like it was a lot of fun. It must be a lot of work for Ben though, with his school work on top of the rehearsals and performances. Maybe once he is comfortable in his high school routine he'll have a better idea of whether or not he can become involved in the theater again.



Up to this point the winter hasn't been too bad.  But the boys have had 4 snow days in the last two weeks.

Fortunately, there was only one day of bad weather for Spamalot-  it snowed all day on Saturday, but by the evening the roads were safe enough for all of our cast and most of our audience to get there.

I am going to try to post my first photos without use of Photobucket.  In addition to being the Black Knight, Ben was also the puppeteer who operated the Killer Rabbit.  At the end of the scene, the rabbit is blown up and he knocks over the board, revealing himself.  For every show he did some improv.  Usually he would scream at the knights  "You killed Phillip you Bs!" and one night he couldn't find the body because the rabbit got stuck in the curtain.  During the final show, he did a magic trick, pulling a rabbit out of his hat.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> The view from Diamond Head is fabulous. Now I wish we had taken the time to hike that trail when we were in Oahu. How long of a hike was it? Too bad you didn't have more shade. We loved to hike when we visited Hawaii but we usually looked for shady places to hike.
> 
> You seemed to have found a lot of shifty characters in Waikiki. I would have used cash to pay the cab driver, too. We also use cash for the WDW cabs. It just seems like the safest thing to do.



The trail is not bad at all.  According to the certificate we received, it is .8 miles.  Plus 327 steps.  That was the hardest part, but really not too bad.  I think it was around an hour and a half total for the hike, including time at the top. 

It was weird encountering so many people who were out for the almighty buck in the very short time we had been in Hawaii.  Did not spoil our trip in the least, though!


----------



## jenseib

Great pictures of Spamalot.  I love how Ben is so into theatre.  You have a budding star.

Diamond head looks so beautiful.  My parents also went there several years ago and loved it.

That is one scary taxi ride and I would've been a little nervous as well.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Loving all the photos from spamalot. Ben looks amazing. Shows what a talented young man he is that he ad libbed a little too!


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> Great pictures of Spamalot.  I love how Ben is so into theatre.  You have a budding star.
> 
> Diamond head looks so beautiful.  My parents also went there several years ago and loved it.
> 
> That is one scary taxi ride and I would've been a little nervous as well.



I really do hope Ben does more shows.  He has been in 12 plays with our community theatre group and 2 at the middle school, but I'm afraid that he may be done.  He is a natural on stage, but it is a lot of time/work and he is really concerned about his workload when he gets to high school. 

I would love to climb Diamond Head again.  It was not a bad hike at all and I would totally do it again.  I just might rethink the cab ride! 





luvpoohandcompany said:


> Loving all the photos from spamalot. Ben looks amazing. Shows what a talented young man he is that he ad libbed a little too!



Theatre has been really great for Ben.  He has lots of confidence and he has no fear getting up in front of a group, which is a really valuable skill in all aspects of life.


----------



## teekathepony

I got so far behind again. I'm getting really bad at this Dis thing.

Ok, caught up now.

Very interesting tour around Pearl Harbor. 
What a tragic story about your dad and the Thresher submarine. I got goosebumps reading about it. 
Ugh! What a frustrating story about the scammer trying to make it hard for you to use that coupon! Anyway, glad you did get it booked in the end!
Dinner looks yummy, too bad the show wasn't anything special.
Seriously? Again with the scams, that photographer in the restaurant? That's awful.

I've been loving the Spamalot pictures, looks like so much fun!

I've been hearing about your blizzards, they come my way when they're finished with you. We keep getting rain instead of snow, so we just have a ton of ice.

Diamond Head looks incredible! I probably would have had a heart attack on those stairs, but really, what a view from the top!

That taxi drive!!!


----------



## natebenma

teekathepony said:


> I got so far behind again. I'm getting really bad at this Dis thing.
> 
> Ok, caught up now.
> 
> Very interesting tour around Pearl Harbor.
> What a tragic story about your dad and the Thresher submarine. I got goosebumps reading about it.
> Ugh! What a frustrating story about the scammer trying to make it hard for you to use that coupon! Anyway, glad you did get it booked in the end!
> Dinner looks yummy, too bad the show wasn't anything special.
> Seriously? Again with the scams, that photographer in the restaurant? That's awful.
> 
> I've been loving the Spamalot pictures, looks like so much fun!
> 
> I've been hearing about your blizzards, they come my way when they're finished with you. We keep getting rain instead of snow, so we just have a ton of ice.
> 
> Diamond Head looks incredible! I probably would have had a heart attack on those stairs, but really, what a view from the top!
> 
> That taxi drive!!!



I'm glad you are enjoying the Spamalot photos.  I have a ton more, but I won't be posting them because 1) I am not a sadist  2) I don't feel right posting pictures of kids I know on a public board.  Of course, random kids at Disney are fair game!  3) A lot of my photos are "unauthorized".  Not supposed to take pictures during the show.  OOPSIE!

Congrats on getting all caught up!!! I have been having trouble finding the time to DIS, too.  No worries!!!  

Pearl Harbor was incredible to see.  I was not emotionally prepared for the lost submarine memorial.  I didn't know it was there.

We encountered a few people who gave us some issues, but we didn't let them taint our feelings about beautiful Hawaii or the number of really nice people we met during our trip.

The stairs at Diamond Head were the worst part, but we all made it fine.  You need to be in moderately decent, but not excellent shape to do it.

Ice stinks!!! We have more snow coming, no place to put it...


----------



## natebenma

*Walking Wonderful Waikiki*

After we survived our cab ride from hell, we returned to our room.

The boys wanted to relax for a little bit in the room, so Mark and I decided to go for a walk along Waikiki Beach.    There is a path that runs parallel to the beach which we used for a ways.  It is a little difficult to walk along the water because the beach is sloped and crowded.



 











We wanted to check out the surf lesson options in case Nate wanted to do that in the afternoon or on Saturday.  These boards offering rentals and lessons were all along the beach.










*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post: Walking Wonderful Waikiki*

We turned around and started to make our way back to the resort.

 

 




Our resort and beach are in sight:


 

 

 

 


What a beautiful beach!




*Next Up: Lunch at CJ's, Mom Goes AWOL, Military Museum*


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

That beach is stunning! Wouldn't mind being there now


----------



## saintstickets

Great pics from atop Diamondhead and Waikiki Beach!  DW and I were there 2+ years ago and there is just so much to see and not enough time to see it all...and that is just one island!!!
Interesting cab drive back to the resort...are you sure he wasn't a transplant from New York or New Orleans?


----------



## eandesmom

It's an odd little walk isn't it, on the beach side.  It just stops at a certain point and you have to go on the beach. Which is fine if you know and take off your shoes!  LOL


----------



## jwwi

You have great pictures of the beach, I love the one with all the surf boards lined up.  It looks just wonderful there, will winter ever end?


----------



## Wood Nymph

Your beach walk looks lovely. I loved the warm soft ocean breezes in Hawaii.

It is nice that they have a sign that lists the prices for the activities and rentals. It cuts down on price gouging, although I am sure that there are plenty of bargain rental places just off the beach. At least there are on the other islands.


----------



## teekathepony

What a gorgeous walk along the beach. I love that you can take surf lessons there, it would definitely be on my bucket list to try surfing!


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> That beach is stunning! Wouldn't mind being there now



You and me, both!!!






saintstickets said:


> Great pics from atop Diamondhead and Waikiki Beach!  DW and I were there 2+ years ago and there is just so much to see and not enough time to see it all...and that is just one island!!!
> Interesting cab drive back to the resort...are you sure he wasn't a transplant from New York or New Orleans?



There certainly is no shortage of things to do.  Oahu is a big, beautiful island, but we concentrated on the activities near Waikiki.

I'm not sure where the cab driver was from before coming to Hawaii (Mars?), but we tried to keep our interaction with him to a minimum.  He didn't seem to mind keeping up the conversation (and sales pitches).






eandesmom said:


> It's an odd little walk isn't it, on the beach side.  It just stops at a certain point and you have to go on the beach. Which is fine if you know and take off your shoes!  LOL



It is strange that there is not a continuous path along the beach.  And walking on the beach was difficult in places.  Didn't stop us from making this walk a few times, though.






jwwi said:


> You have great pictures of the beach, I love the one with all the surf boards lined up.  It looks just wonderful there, will winter ever end?



Thank you!  I really like the picture of the surfboards too.  It wasn't until I posted the picture here that I noticed the guy stretched out on a board with a book.  How awesome is that!!!  I would be perfectly content there instead of having to grab a shovel YET AGAIN today and tomorrow.





Wood Nymph said:


> Your beach walk looks lovely. I loved the warm soft ocean breezes in Hawaii.
> 
> It is nice that they have a sign that lists the prices for the activities and rentals. It cuts down on price gouging, although I am sure that there are plenty of bargain rental places just off the beach. At least there are on the other islands.



It really was nice being able to see and price out the different services along the beach.  We talked to a guy at one booth, and he had a great price for a group lesson, which would be a private lesson if nobody else was doing it at the same time. 

But Nate was not feeling it while we were on Oahu.






teekathepony said:


> What a gorgeous walk along the beach. I love that you can take surf lessons there, it would definitely be on my bucket list to try surfing!



We really did have a lovely walk.  I was hoping that Nate would take surf lessons here, since Waikiki is such an iconic surfing beach, but we ended up doing that later in the trip, when we were on Maui.


----------



## momabbate

What a nice afternoon stroll. It is nice that the boys are at an age you can leave them behind. I'm not sure why but lately I have been wanting to go to a beach.


----------



## MEK

Oh WOW Dee!  Those pictures are amazing!  You must love looking at them right now considering you are totally snowed in right now!  The beautiful hues of blue are just stunning.  What a great afternoon!  Loved seeing those pictures to get me psyched for warm weather!


----------



## KatMark

I am never going to finish my TR or get back to my PTR. Every time I think I can, I find updates. And with taking off Friday to go to Dubuque for the weekend, I got further behind. 

But what an update to come and read. Your pictures of the beach are making me remember our honeymoon and our time on the beaches in Hawaii. They are simply beautiful. A nice afternoon for you and Mark while the kids rested.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee - wow!!! Simply lovely. I want to be there right now. My work has been a headache as of late and that beach would be a perfect remedy. I am sure you would like to abandon your 4 feet of recent snow for a sandy beach and lovely blue water too. Thanks for the uplifting photos. 

Also, look forward to hearing about surf lessons!

Rebecca


----------



## natebenma

I will probably try to finish off our time on Oahu before we head off for Florida next week, but I need to get caught up on several trip reports first. 

Hey, are all of you entering the Travel Channels contest for a $100,000 trip to Hawaii?  Contest runs through March 24, I think.  Two of the excursions they are offering as part of the trip are with companies we used on our trip (Paradise Helicopters on the Big Island and Trilogy Exursions on Maui).   They also have a VIP tour of Pearl Harbor included.

:




momabbate said:


> What a nice afternoon stroll. It is nice that the boys are at an age you can leave them behind. I'm not sure why but lately I have been wanting to go to a beach.



Thanks!  We did enjoy our walk together.  

We were comfortable ditching the boys when we were restless to be out and about but they were more interested in chilling.  They spent a lot of time reading, and especially with Nate, we were happy to see that.  We actually gave Nate a lot of freedom (maybe too much, but it all worked out).  Being able to use cell phones to keep in touch really helped in these situations.

Can't imagine why you would have a beach on your mind!!!

  




MEK said:


> Oh WOW Dee!  Those pictures are amazing!  You must love looking at them right now considering you are totally snowed in right now!  The beautiful hues of blue are just stunning.  What a great afternoon!  Loved seeing those pictures to get me psyched for warm weather!



Thanks!  It really was a beautiful beach and a lovely walk.  Mark still hasn't looked at the albums I put together from our trip.  At one point a couple of weeks ago he said, "too depressing".

I'm with you!  Bring on Florida and the warm weather!!!






KatMark said:


> I am never going to finish my TR or get back to my PTR. Every time I think I can, I find updates. And with taking off Friday to go to Dubuque for the weekend, I got further behind.
> 
> But what an update to come and read. Your pictures of the beach are making me remember our honeymoon and our time on the beaches in Hawaii. They are simply beautiful. A nice afternoon for you and Mark while the kids rested.



I know exactly what you mean!!! So hard to keep up! Today is my first quiet morning in several days- boys off to school, Mark back to work now that the trains into Boston are running again (although not that quickly or well).  He left the house at 5:15 and got into work at 8:15.  No heat or lights on the train!!! But at least it got there.



Glad to bring back some of your honeymoon memories.  So many beautiful beaches on Hawaii.  I would love to be able to explore more of them.






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee - wow!!! Simply lovely. I want to be there right now. My work has been a headache as of late and that beach would be a perfect remedy. I am sure you would like to abandon your 4 feet of recent snow for a sandy beach and lovely blue water too. Thanks for the uplifting photos.
> 
> Also, look forward to hearing about surf lessons!
> 
> Rebecca



Me, too!  Me, too!!!

We ended up doing the surf lessons in Maui, so it will be a little time before I get to that. 

I would love be heading to a tropical beach right now!!!  Although no complaints- leaving for Florida soon.


----------



## ddluvsdisney

Dee you are so lucky you're leaving Monday!!
We were supposed to leave tomorrow night, doesn't look like it's gonna happen. 
I am so depressed I could cry.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee - Just watching the news and so happy you are on your way to Florida this week!

Rebecca


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> Dee you are so lucky you're leaving Monday!!
> We were supposed to leave tomorrow night, doesn't look like it's gonna happen.
> I am so depressed I could cry.



I am so sorry to hear that!!! I saw your post over on the BC/YC board.  Will you be able to fly out on Monday morning?

We really need to get away from this *S*tuff-*N*o-*O*ne-*W*ants!






HockeyMomR said:


> Dee - Just watching the news and so happy you are on your way to Florida this week!
> 
> Rebecca



Thanks for the warm wishes! 

It is just amazing how poorly this area has been handling all the snow.  There's no place to put it and it is so hard to get around.  Traffic into and out of the city has been a nightmare!  I'm so glad we are planning to get away from this for a few days.  I'll be sure to let everyone know if we are able to depart as scheduled!


----------



## ddluvsdisney

natebenma said:


> I am so sorry to hear that!!! I saw your post over on the BC/YC board.  Will you be able to fly out on Monday morning?
> 
> We really need to get away from this *S*tuff-*N*o-*O*ne-*W*ants!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the warm wishes!
> 
> It is just amazing how poorly this area has been handling all the snow.  There's no place to put it and it is so hard to get around.  Traffic into and out of the city has been a nightmare!  I'm so glad we are planning to get away from this for a few days.  I'll be sure to let everyone know if we are able to depart as scheduled!




We tried but by the time we saw the travel alert there was only one seat left. 
My DH wants to drive tomorrow afternoon after the snow stops, bc he knows I want to go so badly. I just need to get away from the freezing cold. As you know there's just so much you can take of this. 
Not sure about the driving yet. We'll see tomorrow. And my poor sister and her family are supposed to leave for Disney Wednesday and they are calling for more snow then too!!! When will this madness end???


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> We tried but by the time we saw the travel alert there was only one seat left.
> My DH wants to drive tomorrow afternoon after the snow stops, bc he knows I want to go so badly. I just need to get away from the freezing cold. As you know there's just so much you can take of this.
> Not sure about the driving yet. We'll see tomorrow. And my poor sister and her family are supposed to leave for Disney Wednesday and they are calling for more snow then too!!! When will this madness end???



Good luck!  Let us know how it works out for you.  :


----------



## ddluvsdisney

natebenma said:


> Good luck!  Let us know how it works out for you.  :


I will, thanks! Have a fabulous trip!! You will love Daigon Alley!!


----------



## natebenma

ddluvsdisney said:


> I will, thanks! Have a fabulous trip!! You will love Daigon Alley!!



Thanks!  Can't wait!!!

I saw from your post on the FAQ that you bagged the Feb Florida trip


----------



## natebenma

You may recall that the beginning of this day started with a hike up Diamond Head followed by a cab ride that I hope we never repeat!  Then Mark and I took a lovely stroll along Waikiki Beach while the boys relaxed and read back in our room.

I had contemplated finishing writing about Oahu before I take off for Universal, but between the time crunch that comes before a trip, and adjusting to the new features of the DIS, that didn't happen.  I did manage to finish up our 2nd full day, though, in the next few posts.

I hope everyone has a great week, and I'll catch up with you all next week.


----------



## natebenma

By the time we returned from our walk, it was time for lunch.  We weren’t very creative.  We returned to CJ’s Deli.

Mark and Nate both got pancakes.  Nate got the shortstack with strawberries and blueberries and Mark got the banana with chocolate chips.  They split a side of ham.  Ben and I switched orders from our previous trip.  He got the Triple Play and I got the Kahlua pork sandwich



 

 

Triple Play: Mini Wagyu Beef Loco Moco, Mini Macadamia Nut and Coconut Pancakes with Strawberries and Eggs Benedict with Gourmet Bacon, Tomato and Avocado 



During our cab rides to and from Diamond Head, we passed by something nearby that caught the boys’ interest-


 



Mark took one for the team and offered to take the boys, leaving me on my own for an hour or so.  I'll post some pictures in the next post.  


I sat out on the balcony, enjoying the view, catching up on messages, reading, generally just relaxing.  

Man, I never got sick of that view!!!

 

Looking down

 


Across the street from us, right below the rooftop pool was The Wailana Coffee House, a diner that Cynthia recommended.  Unfortunately, we never stopped there.  This would have been a much better place for us to have breakfast than where we ended up the next morning.


----------



## natebenma

Meanwhile, at the Military Museum...




Ben and Nate love military history.  They know WAY too much about guns and weapons (as my husband learned accompanying them).  I think the admission is by donation.  Ben also purchased a t-shirt which is one of his favorites.  Ben took around 250 pictures at the museum.  Here are a choice few. 

 











 


*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

When the boys got back, we changed into swimsuits and headed back to the beach.   


We took a dip in the ocean



 







 

Ben (and I) spent some time digging and writing in the sand.







*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

I forgot to post this Bride paparazzi picture for MEK- this was actually taken when Mark and I were returning from our afternoon walk




We took a short walk along Waikiki Beach, where we stopped at the resort next door for what was advertised as “The Best Shave Ice on Waikiki”


 


UGH!


True shave ice is made on a special machine and has a very smooth texture.  What we got were just bad snow cones.  We ended up taking a few bites and then ditching them.


It was time to start thinking about where we were going to eat dinner.  We had noticed that there was a Red Lobster near our resort.  Yes, with all of the wonderful dining options at our fingertips, we were thinking of dining at Red Lobster.  There used to be one open about 30 minutes from our home, but when you live in New England, arguably one of the seafood capitals of the country, a chain seafood restaurant does not cut it here.  But we are tortured whenever we see commercials with the amazing specials they typically offer.  We walked over to see about eating there that night, but they were booked with reservations.  So we put our names in for the following night (our 28th anniversary).  In retrospect, it is a shame they weren’t full for Saturday too…


We returned back to our resort, and returned to eat at Hatsuhana Japanese restaurant.  

It turns out that they didn’t have the exact meals we had ordered previously.  There was a breakfast menu, a lunch menu, and after lunch menu and a dinner menu.  Nate really liked what he had ordered when we went for lunch on our first day, and we tried to describe what he wanted.  

This is what we ended up getting- it was a LOT of food.  We were able to bring back leftovers to our room which I enjoyed for breakfast on our departure day.  




Tuna Poke





Spring Rolls





Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura




Seafood Noodle Bowl


We didn't order dessert at the restaurant, but we did get some ice cream at one of the other places in the plaza


----------



## natebenma

On Friday nights at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, they have fireworks on the beach.  There is also an outside show at the main pool.  


It was super crowded!  Tourists and residents from all over Waikiki come to watch.  We found a spot on the beach, waited as the sun set and fireworks started. 



 


It was a short display, about 5 minutes long, but impressive.  There was never a gap in the pyrotechnics.  We all loved the show.  


 









We fought our way through the crowds back to our room and called it a night.

*Next Up:  The Rainbow (Breakfast) Connection and We Swim With the Fishes*


----------



## saintstickets

Nice update!!  Red Lobster, really?    There was one on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that I never could understand its popularity with all the local restaurants that got their seafood fresh daily from the docks and not delivered in frozen like RL.  No worries though...there was one good thing about Hurricane Katrina, it took care of RL (and unfortunately everything else on the Coast) and it was never rebuilt.  Looking forward to more of your TR.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Great update. That view is gorgeous and I imagine it was pure bliss to sit and have some "me time" while enjoying it. So good of Mark to take the boys to the museum which looks pretty cool too. Love the sunset and fireworks photos- simply stunning sunset. Perfect end to the day


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> Ben and Nate love military history. They know WAY too much about guns and weapons (as my husband learned accompanying them).


Our oldest grandson used to love dinosaurs. Now it is tanks. I guess it is a "guy" thing.  It was nice to have that hour to yourself. 


It always bothers me that it is called shave ice instead of shaved ice. I want to put the "d" there.


----------



## natebenma

Been at airport since 6.  Plane has been here but they can't find a gate. We are told once the plane at our gate leaves we are next to board.  Better a 3 hour delay than cancel though.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

natebenma said:


> Been at airport since 6.  Plane has been here but they can't find a gate. We are told once the plane at our gate leaves we are next to board.  Better a 3 hour delay than cancel though.


Oh Dee I'm really rooting for you. Hope you're on your way soon. Keep your chin up and hang in there


----------



## ddluvsdisney

natebenma said:


> Been at airport since 6.  Plane has been here but they can't find a gate. We are told once the plane at our gate leaves we are next to board.  Better a 3 hour delay than cancel though.



Is it SW??


----------



## mickeystoontown

The "new" Dis is not my friend because I can't seem to keep up with who is updating what and where and all that jazz.  Anyway, I'm caught up again.  Spamalot looks like a ton of fun and every time I see Ben in character it makes me smile.  You can tell that he has a great time.

Speaking of Ben, way to spot the $10 buckaroos.  I get excited when I find a coin in the parking lot so I would have been bouncin all over if I found $10.     You guys sure got a work out with the hike and the stairs but the view was well worth it.  Gorgeous!  Beautiful!  Breaktaking!

Oh my gosh, talk about a horrible cab ride!  It actually sounds a bit scary to me! EEEEK!

On your homefront posts, I don't see how you all stand the weather you are getting.  They can call for a slight chance of freezing rain here and we all freak out.


----------



## KatMark

Great updates, Dee. Those pancakes are making me drool right now.

Boys and their guns. It definitely is a guy thing.

The pictures from your balcony are wonderful.

And I love your beach pictures and glad you had some time in the water and writing in the sand.

We don't have a lot of very good seafood options here and usually end up at Red Lobster (our favorite seafood restaurant is a good 45-60 minute drive from us). Uh oh...doesn't sound good about your RL experience coming up.

Oh my...that is a lot of ice cream.

Fireworks on the beach...what a great end to the day.


----------



## teekathepony

Yummy looking pancakes! 
Ahh I'm sure the boys all enjoyed the military museum. Johnny dragged me to one once... I think he still owes me for it. He knows way too much about guns too. 
Ohhh the swim in the ocean looks just heavenly.
I wish I liked seafood. I live on an island in the Atlantic... apparently we have the best seafood anywhere, and I hate all of it! 
Doesn't sound like a good experience coming up at RL for you guys though!

Just read that you guys got on your plane!! Have a wonderful trip!


----------



## MEK

How fun that the boys got to go to the Military Museum.  Denny would love that! 

And you got some down time, which is always a plus!

More beautiful pictures from the water.

Too bad the shaved ice was not really shaved ice.  Bummer.

You know - I see the commercials for Red Lobster and the food always does look really good, so I get it.  I guess you can't really go there when you live in NE, but you can when you leave that part of the country.  No judgement here.


----------



## jenseib

Catching back up.  Hope you made it on your plane and are having a good time now.

The museum looks very interesting. I am glad the boys had a great time.  The beach pictures are so amazing.  I could go for any beach in a warm climate right about now.


----------



## Lynne G

Well, took me some time to find this.  Sounds like a great trip.  We may do Hawaii some day, as my DS is a huge WWII fan.  My dad was in the Pacific during WWII, but was in the Army.

Glad to see you enjoyed the GC and DL.  Funny, after 6 days in DL this last time, and riding California Screamin' until it closed for the night, our last night at the parks, DS remarked that we may be done Disney.  That remark was after DD said the coaster only had one loop.  I have some great shots of the kids ride pictures.  They were such hams on that coaster.

Hope you are surviving the storms.  We have snow and ice, and then more snow and ice.  Now, contending with arctic low temps.


----------



## dtr_angel

Yum all that food looks so good! Bummer about the snow cones though. 

How are you doing with all the snow? Yay for a FL getaway hope you are able to depart as scheduled. Are you going to disney?


----------



## natebenma

We have gone and returned from our 5 day trip to the Dark Side.

After a 4 hour delay (it was only our plane that took so long to take off that morning    ), we made it to Florida. 

We had a fun trip, temps were cool and it was pretty crowded, but thankful we were staying on site and that we made dining reservations while we were down there. 

I'll be starting a trip report soon-  will keep you posted. 

And I'll be back with replies on this report and an update very soon...





natebenma said:


> Been at airport since 6.  Plane has been here but they can't find a gate. We are told once the plane at our gate leaves we are next to board.  Better a 3 hour delay than cancel though.







luvpoohandcompany said:


> Oh Dee I'm really rooting for you. Hope you're on your way soon. Keep your chin up and hang in there



We were not comfortable until we actually saw a plane pull up to our gate around 10:45. 






ddluvsdisney said:


> Is it SW??



No, Jet Blue. 






mickeystoontown said:


> The "new" Dis is not my friend because I can't seem to keep up with who is updating what and where and all that jazz.  Anyway, I'm caught up again.  Spamalot looks like a ton of fun and every time I see Ben in character it makes me smile.  You can tell that he has a great time.
> 
> On your homefront posts, I don't see how you all stand the weather you are getting.  They can call for a slight chance of freezing rain here and we all freak out.



Spamalot was great!  Missing it, but not all of the hard work.  The final two weeks- tech week and performance weekends- are EXHAUSTING!!!

Middle School show, Fiddler on the Roof, will be in a few weeks.  I help out with the production and Ben is going to do backstage crew for the show.

We are just trying to survive until spring!  I see you got some snow yesterday!







teekathepony said:


> Just read that you guys got on your plane!! Have a wonderful trip!



This was us finally seeing our plane arrive:






jenseib said:


> Catching back up.  Hope you made it on your plane and are having a good time now.





Fun times in Florida!

:




Lynne G said:


> Hope you are surviving the storms.  We have snow and ice, and then more snow and ice.  Now, contending with arctic low temps.



Hasn't this been a depressing, miserable winter?!?

Think Spring!  Think Spring!  Think Spring!






dtr_angel said:


> How are you doing with all the snow? Yay for a FL getaway hope you are able to depart as scheduled. Are you going to disney?



Worst things about the snow are that there is just no where to put it anymore, and it is really messing with Mark's commute because trains keep getting delayed or cancelled and the concern around here with roof collapse and ice dams.  We are mainly concerned about the roof over our porch, but Mark has been raking the snow down when he can.

No Disney on this trip.  Just 5 days/4 nights at Universal.


----------



## jwwi

Glad you finally made it to FL, the dark side.....this just cracks me up.  I love when people tell me about a certain ride and then go on to describe it, then they say, oh I guess that's at Universal.  I then tell them I have never been there, true, but kinda shocking to most since I am at Disney about 3-4 times per year.  My trips are so short, as I have a DD that lives within 3 hours of the world.  I just have not been able to get myself to go to Universal.  I'm sure someday I will, and I will like it, but I will need a lot of research to feel comfortable.  So in the honor of research, I will look forward to your report.  I always love your reports


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Just had to jump in quickly and say I LOVE Fiddler on the Roof! Brings back many happy childhood memories having family movie night on a Saturday evening singing all the songs and not a note between us ( not sure our neighbors were as thrilled by our enthusiasm but they were much too polite to say anything lol).


----------



## natebenma

saintstickets said:


> Nice update!!  Red Lobster, really?    There was one on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that I never could understand its popularity with all the local restaurants that got their seafood fresh daily from the docks and not delivered in frozen like RL.  No worries though...there was one good thing about Hurricane Katrina, it took care of RL (and unfortunately everything else on the Coast) and it was never rebuilt.  Looking forward to more of your TR.



I know! Not the wisest choice.

1) We are in Hawaii, with wonderfully diverse cuisines and
2) We are New England Seafood snobs.

But in my defense- Shrimp 30 ways for $9.99 and Crabfestpalooza are really hard to pass up.  Especially when they come with a cheddar biscuit!






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Great update. That view is gorgeous and I imagine it was pure bliss to sit and have some "me time" while enjoying it. So good of Mark to take the boys to the museum which looks pretty cool too. Love the sunset and fireworks photos- simply stunning sunset. Perfect end to the day



I love my family.  But I love "me time" too!!! It was nice just sitting on the balcony, taking pictures and chilling out.  The museum was probably nice, but I would have been bored after the first 5 minutes looking at guns and weapons.

It was a really fun end to the night!






Wood Nymph said:


> Our oldest grandson used to love dinosaurs. Now it is tanks. I guess it is a "guy" thing.  It was nice to have that hour to yourself.
> 
> It always bothers me that it is called shave ice instead of shaved ice. I want to put the "d" there.



That's Ben- used to love dinos.  Now anything military.  Nate was lions (and other animals).  Now anything military.

I am of two minds with the "shave" ice thing.  The grammar policewoman in me thinks "shaved" ice is more correct, but the rule-follower in me is bothered when people call it that.






mickeystoontown said:


> The "new" Dis is not my friend because I can't seem to keep up with who is updating what and where and all that jazz.  Anyway, I'm caught up again.  Spamalot looks like a ton of fun and every time I see Ben in character it makes me smile.  You can tell that he has a great time.
> 
> Speaking of Ben, way to spot the $10 buckaroos.  I get excited when I find a coin in the parking lot so I would have been bouncin all over if I found $10.     You guys sure got a work out with the hike and the stairs but the view was well worth it.  Gorgeous!  Beautiful!  Breaktaking!
> 
> Oh my gosh, talk about a horrible cab ride!  It actually sounds a bit scary to me! EEEEK!
> 
> On your homefront posts, I don't see how you all stand the weather you are getting.  They can call for a slight chance of freezing rain here and we all freak out.



I am so behind on everyone's trip reports!  I haven't had time to update mine, I just caught up on the BC/YC FAQ this morning and I have been at school during lunches all week, selling tickets to the staff variety show that will be tomorrow night  (Hope to be able to share some pictures and heaven forbid, video of me as Timon singing Hakuna Matata  in front of an audience of hundreds  )

That was really rewarding for Ben to the find the money during the hike.  We found a total of $2.11 during last week's trip.  Yes, I picked up the penny!!!

The views from Diamond Head were gorgeous.  It was too bad that it was too bright in one direction to really see well, though.

The cab ride was just unbelievable!  I kept thinking someone would jump out and scream "Smile!  You're on Candid Camera!"






KatMark said:


> Great updates, Dee. Those pancakes are making me drool right now.
> 
> Boys and their guns. It definitely is a guy thing.
> 
> The pictures from your balcony are wonderful.
> 
> And I love your beach pictures and glad you had some time in the water and writing in the sand.
> 
> We don't have a lot of very good seafood options here and usually end up at Red Lobster (our favorite seafood restaurant is a good 45-60 minute drive from us). Uh oh...doesn't sound good about your RL experience coming up.
> 
> Oh my...that is a lot of ice cream.
> 
> Fireworks on the beach...what a great end to the day.



The pancakes were really tasty!

Even my husband came back from the museum and told me "Our boys know way too much about guns!"

I was glad Nate joined us in the water- he doesn't always love the beach, but this was his second time swimming on the trip.

Red Lobster was a mistake!

Yes, a lot of ice cream (EXPENSIVE, too!)  

A meal at a Hawaiian restaurant, followed by fireworks on the beach.  Just like being at the Poly!






teekathepony said:


> Yummy looking pancakes!
> Ahh I'm sure the boys all enjoyed the military museum. Johnny dragged me to one once... I think he still owes me for it. He knows way too much about guns too.
> Ohhh the swim in the ocean looks just heavenly.
> I wish I liked seafood. I live on an island in the Atlantic... apparently we have the best seafood anywhere, and I hate all of it!
> Doesn't sound like a good experience coming up at RL for you guys though!
> 
> Just read that you guys got on your plane!! Have a wonderful trip!



So glad I got a pass on going with the guys to the museum!

The ocean was wonderful!

We love seafood.  It was a shame our meal at RL was so disappointing.  






MEK said:


> How fun that the boys got to go to the Military Museum.  Denny would love that!
> 
> And you got some down time, which is always a plus!
> 
> More beautiful pictures from the water.
> 
> Too bad the shaved ice was not really shaved ice.  Bummer.
> 
> You know - I see the commercials for Red Lobster and the food always does look really good, so I get it.  I guess you can't really go there when you live in NE, but you can when you leave that part of the country.  No judgement here.



Well, if we ever vacation together we can send the guys to the museum and you and I can go find the closest Mai Tai bar!



Shave ice from a little shack along the beach and dinner at RL-  not our best choices.






jenseib said:


> The museum looks very interesting. I am glad the boys had a great time.  The beach pictures are so amazing.  I could go for any beach in a warm climate right about now.



I don't think the Military Museum makes it very high on the Trip Advisor list of attractions.  But it worked for the guys.

I hear you on the beach wishes!!!






Lynne G said:


> Well, took me some time to find this.  Sounds like a great trip.  We may do Hawaii some day, as my DS is a huge WWII fan.  My dad was in the Pacific during WWII, but was in the Army.
> 
> Glad to see you enjoyed the GC and DL.  Funny, after 6 days in DL this last time, and riding California Screamin' until it closed for the night, our last night at the parks, DS remarked that we may be done Disney.  That remark was after DD said the coaster only had one loop.  I have some great shots of the kids ride pictures.  They were such hams on that coaster.
> 
> Hope you are surviving the storms.  We have snow and ice, and then more snow and ice.  Now, contending with arctic low temps.





There are so many things to do in Hawaii to suit all kinds of interests!  Pearl Harbor was really one of the most fascinating places we have ever visited.

There certainly is a big difference between the intensity levels on the coasters at Disney and Universal! My family did not really ham it up on the photos. !






dtr_angel said:


> Yum all that food looks so good! Bummer about the snow cones though.
> 
> How are you doing with all the snow? Yay for a FL getaway hope you are able to depart as scheduled. Are you going to disney?



We had some good meals, even if we did keep returning to the same places.


----------



## natebenma

jwwi said:


> Glad you finally made it to FL, the dark side.....this just cracks me up.  I love when people tell me about a certain ride and then go on to describe it, then they say, oh I guess that's at Universal.  I then tell them I have never been there, true, but kinda shocking to most since I am at Disney about 3-4 times per year.  My trips are so short, as I have a DD that lives within 3 hours of the world.  I just have not been able to get myself to go to Universal.  I'm sure someday I will, and I will like it, but I will need a lot of research to feel comfortable.  So in the honor of research, I will look forward to your report.  I always love your reports



We ended up having a really great evening at Universal once we arrived, but I wouldn't have minded skipping the extra 4 hours at the airport!

We really like Universal, but I will admit that by the end of the trip, I had enough.  We kept doing the same things over and over again (if I never shoot another MIB alien bug in my life, I will be ok). 

Glad to help you in your research and I appreciate your kind words about my trip reports!!!  

:




luvpoohandcompany said:


> Just had to jump in quickly and say I LOVE Fiddler on the Roof! Brings back many happy childhood memories having family movie night on a Saturday evening singing all the songs and not a note between us ( not sure our neighbors were as thrilled by our enthusiasm but they were much too polite to say anything lol).



I love Fiddler, too.  I am disappointed Ben is not doing the show, but I don't miss having to pick him up after rehearsals.  I will probably get to experience a good part of the show during tech week when I am helping out and Ben is doing backstage help.

Tradition!


----------



## glennbo123

Trying to get caught back up on here and I am waaaaaay back on the Disneyland chapters.  But anyway, I noticed something....is this the same woman, with a completely different expresssion in these two pictures?



natebenma said:


>





natebenma said:


>


----------



## natebenma

glennbo123 said:


> Trying to get caught back up on here and I am waaaaaay back on the Disneyland chapters.  But anyway, I noticed something....is this the same woman, with a completely different expresssion in these two pictures?



That is indeed the same woman.  She was pretty dour in line. I can't remember if I wrote about this multi-generational family in my report.  The kids were pretty unruly and I was surprised that the grandparents chose to remain in line when it was not moving and the announcements that the ride was experiencing difficulty continued to be made.

But it looks like she is a fan of the ride!


----------



## natebenma

OK, it has been way too long since an update between my trip to Universal and being at the middle school last week selling tickets for the school karoke show fundraiser.   My apologies!!!  I planned to actually write about breakfast and our excursion to Hanauma Bay, but I need to work on the second part of the update, so I am just going to post what I have for now (ETA:  I was able to get the rest of the update completed and posted)


Saturday July 19 (28th Anniversary)


Today was our last full day on Oahu and it was the morning of our free snorkeling excursion to Hanauma Bay.  

I started out the morning with a solo sunrise walk along Waikiki beach.

*Morning Walk on Waikiki*


































'SUP?


















What a way to start the day!


***************************************************

Rainbow (Breakfast) Connection:

We had hoped to book the early snorkel tour (8am to noon), but we were told there was no availability so we were going on the later tour (10-2).  This meant we had time to grab a leisurely breakfast.  

What we should have done was go across the street for breakfast at the Wailana Coffee House, which was recommended by Cynthia.  But I wasn’t able to find a menu on line to show to my family, and they were reluctant to try a place that was “off-resort”





So we went to check out the buffet at the Rainbow Tower lounge.

There was a 20 minute wait to be seated during which I received a phone call.  

“Hi.  This is Tommy’s Tours.  We are waiting for you for the Hanauma Bay excursion”

What???

I explained that we were told were booked on the later trip.  Not sure where the miscommunication was (although I think I know!), but even though we would have preferred to go earlier, we were not prepared.  So we kept the original plans for breakfast.  


We were finally seated.  After changing out a coffee cup that had lipstick on it and a dirty fork, we checked out the buffet tables.  There was a huge selection of yummy, diverse food, including a Japanese station with salmon, but the cost of the buffet was VERY expensive.


 



 

 


Bacon, Cheese & Chive Cocotte








*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

Continued from previous post



 




The breakfast was really satisfying, but as I mentioned earlier, expensive.

The breakfast was $27.95 per person (a total of $117 before tip).  That is a LOT to pay for breakfast, especially one without visits from Mickey and friends during our meal! 

But at least we were properly fueled up for our active morning of snorkeling.

*Next Up:  Rainbow (Fish) Connection*


----------



## Lynne G

ugh. that breakfast buffet would be something my DS would say, let's do that instead.  Needless to say, it would not be good for my family, as DD is not a breakfast person.  When we went to the Poly for the character breakfast, my DD had exactly one half a piece of toast and water.  Yeah, I paid an adult rate for the kids too.  Not again.  The spread looked good though.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oh wow, Mr. Congeniality strikes again!! That's a shame too since you would have preferred the earlier excursion.

Haha, it took me a minute to figure out that you meant the buffet as a whole was expensive, not just the Japanese Station. I kept trying to figure out how they policed that. Oh Lord, I need a nap.


----------



## natebenma

Rainbow (Fish) Connection:

After breakfast we got our gear together.  We had masks and snorkels for everyone, but we didn’t bring fins on the trip, so we would use the ones from the tour company.  

All went well with our pickup.  There was another couple in the van with us.  The driver asked what time he should pick us up-  I guess we could choose either 12:30 or 2 pm if we wanted to snorkel for longer. 

I think I mentioned before that Nate is not wild about snorkeling.  So he asked if he could leave during the earlier time.  The driver said that was fine and one of us would walk him up to the parking lot to meet the van.  

Right before we got to Hanauma Bay, we passed by Koko Head.  I have friends who were brave (and crazy enough) to climb this trail!  

 

 Cynthia!!!


We arrived at the National Reserve.  

 


Before they will let you down to the beach, you have to watch a movie about the dos and don’ts of snorkeling to keep the reefs safe.  Unfortunately, although the movie does explain that you shouldn’t stand on the reef or rocks, there was a scene where there were people doing just that.  The narration said not to do this, but the movie was in English, and there were a lot of non-English speakers in the audience.

That does not bode well! 

I had purchased a snorkeling field guide for Hawaii that showed samples of colorful fish we would possibly be seeing.  There were so many more types of fish than we were used to in the Caribbean and although we hoped to see some of the ones depicted, Mark said out loud what I was thinking

“Yeah, _sure_ we will see those…”









Of course, the guy who booked our excursion had told us we would not see anything because the place was overcrowded and all the marine life was gone.

 

Oh yeah, and it was going to be raining, too! That’s a shame!!!

 




I didn’t really take any pictures to show it, but there is quite a long and steep path that takes you to/from the parking lot/visitors center to the beach.  We climbed down, found a spot for our stuff and got our equipment on.



Pay no attention to the sign.  I'm sure it is perfectly safe here! 


Let’s go snorkeling! 


I took lots of pictures, at least I thought I did.  But at some point, I started recording a video when I thought I was snapping photos and ended up with a 15 minute long movie.  I never watched the footage I had- some would have fish in it, but in some my camera would have been down since I didn’t know I was recording.  And I may have accidentally deleted the video because I can’t find it now.  


But here is what I do have from our first foray out into the water:


 

Convict Tang




Longnose Hawkfish (The color of the rock makes it look like his nose is going through the rock)




Blue Striped Snapper




Parrotfish




Tang


*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

*We swam for about an hour, and then we all got out of the water so that Mark could take Nate back to the parking lot for the ride back to the hotel. Mark stuck around until the van came to make sure Nate got safely aboard.*


*Ben and I waited until Mark came back to return to the water.  And waited.  And waited.  It was a long way up those stairs!  And a long way down again.  *

* *


* *

Stop standing in the water!!!

*Finally, the three of us were back together again and headed for the water.*



Moorish Idols (aka "Gil")




Whitespotted Surgeonfish





??? Angelfish, Tang or Cori  ???




Toby or Gobi




4-Spot Butterfly Fish

Even though the bay was very crowded, and snorkeling conditions were not ideal (it was pretty breezy and wavy), we were blown away by the variety and number of fish we saw.


I would say our day was a success.






And how about Nate…


This is where the second Waikiki Hilton came into play again.  Apparently, the driver brought Nate to the wrong hotel.  Nate noticed this before getting out, but the driver asked him “How familiar are you with Waikiki?”  He was going to give Nate directions to walk back, I think.  


Nate said he was not comfortable with that, so the driver brought him to the road across the street from our resort. Unfortunately, Nate inherited his sense of direction from my side of the family (that is NOT good by the way), and he went the wrong way down the street.  Somehow, he realized it and made his way safely back to our room.


Next Up: No Drinks at Dukes, Mai Tai's at Margaritaville


----------



## KatMark

Breakfast looks absolutely yummy and my tummy is now grumbling. But I'm with you, if there's no Mickey or Tigger, that is a steep price for a buffet. 

WOW....the fish pictures are terrific. What beautiful colors on some of them. I've never been snorkeling (I'm not a great swimmer and so have avoided it, but I know my hubby would love that).

Oh dar...poor Nate and the two hotels with the same name. I'm glad he finally did find his way to the right hotel.

And I'm with you... Cynthia...I could never do it.


----------



## jwwi

Wow that is a lot of great fish that you found.


----------



## natebenma

Rainbow (Breakfast) Connection



Lynne G said:


> ugh. that breakfast buffet would be something my DS would say, let's do that instead.  Needless to say, it would not be good for my family, as DD is not a breakfast person.  When we went to the Poly for the character breakfast, my DD had exactly one half a piece of toast and water.  Yeah, I paid an adult rate for the kids too.  Not again.  The spread looked good though.



The breakfast was really good, but I don't think there is any breakfast worth $28 per person!

My oldest son used to be pretty picky, so I know what you are talking about overpaying at buffets for the amount of food actually eaten.  But Ben always made up for that!  And now Nate has really broadened his horizons about what he is willing to eat.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh wow, Mr. Congeniality strikes again!! That's a shame too since you would have preferred the earlier excursion.
> 
> Haha, it took me a minute to figure out that you meant the buffet as a whole was expensive, not just the Japanese Station. I kept trying to figure out how they policed that. Oh Lord, I need a nap.



Let's rub salt(water)  in your wounds!  We really wanted the earlier excursion and to find out there was space for us after all irritated me!

Hope you got your nap!  I edited the wording in my chapter slightly from your feedback.






KatMark said:


> Breakfast looks absolutely yummy and my tummy is now grumbling. But I'm with you, if there's no Mickey or Tigger, that is a steep price for a buffet.



I don't know what I was thinking with that breakfast!  I am the one who holds the line on the budget for our family.  Mark is "We're on vacation, I don't care what it costs"  and the boys just have no concept about what is "too expensive"




Rainbow (Fish) Connection  



KatMark said:


> WOW....the fish pictures are terrific. What beautiful colors on some of them. I've never been snorkeling (I'm not a great swimmer and so have avoided it, but I know my hubby would love that).
> 
> Oh dar...poor Nate and the two hotels with the same name. I'm glad he finally did find his way to the right hotel.
> 
> And I'm with you... Cynthia...I could never do it.



We love snorkeling and it was great to find so many different things than we were used to seeing in Mexico and the Caribbean. 

There are pool floats with clear windows in them so if you are on the water, you can see what swims beneath.

Nate was very insistent on leaving early and not being stuck waiting for us while we snorkeled.  Even though he had his book that he could have read while we were out in the water.  Maybe the "Falling Rocks" sign concerned him!



I was impressed with Cynthia and Jeff when she wrote about Koko Head, and I am even MORE impressed now that I have actually seen it.  Wow!






jwwi said:


> Wow that is a lot of great fish that you found.



The colors and varieties of fish we saw in Hawaii were just the best that we have seen anywhere.  We couldn't believe all of the great things we saw the second we got into the water.


----------



## jenseib

The fish pictures are amazing.  Glad you were able to make it there,but what a shame Mr. Wonderful couldn't get you set up for the right time and then tell you!  LOL! Poor Nate having to have an unplanned adventure to get back to the resort.


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> The fish pictures are amazing.  Glad you were able to make it there,but what a shame Mr. Wonderful couldn't get you set up for the right time and then tell you!  LOL! Poor Nate having to have an unplanned adventure to get back to the resort.



Thanks!  I love taking underwater pictures of sea life.  There will be lots more coming up on Maui.  We were really pleased with the excursion, but yes, I wish we had gone earlier when it was less crowded.  I was shocked to hear about the trouble Nate had making it back to the resort.  We thought we had it all covered.


----------



## mickeystoontown

Goodness gracious...$28 per person for the buffet? Yeah, that's a little steep.  At least the food looked good. 

The fish pictures are great!  You always take the best underwater pictures.  It's too bad that you couldn't find the video because who knows what you unknowning captured on the video.  Poor Nate being taken to the wrong resort.  At least he had the sense not to get out of the van and to have the driver take him to the correct one.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Ugh had written a long post and its disappeared! Anyhow breakfast looks delicious which is just as well at that price. Snorkeling is still on my bucket list- now more than eve after looking at your photos. Glad Nate survived the journey back to hotel and wasn't persuaded to walk. Life crazy busy so sorry not chatting more but I'm loving reading all your updates


----------



## Wood Nymph

We took our teen daughters on a snorkeling trip in Maui. It was our first time snorkeling and we had a great time. We were on a boat that took us out somewhere. After that experience we went snorkeling every chance we got when we were at the beach.


----------



## natebenma

mickeystoontown said:


> Goodness gracious...$28 per person for the buffet? Yeah, that's a little steep.  At least the food looked good.
> 
> The fish pictures are great!  You always take the best underwater pictures.  It's too bad that you couldn't find the video because who knows what you unknowning captured on the video.  Poor Nate being taken to the wrong resort.  At least he had the sense not to get out of the van and to have the driver take him to the correct one.



I am still cringing over the price of the buffet!!!  And I know that the place Cynthia recommended had some fantastic choices at much, much better prices.



Taking pictures while snorkeling is one of my favorite things to do.  All of the point and shoot cameras I have are rated for underwater use, but it appears that one of them, my Lumix, lost the underwater capability on the Hawaii trip.  It is still taking regular pictures, though.  I have two Fujis that can still swim with me.

We thought that as long as Mark got Nate onto the van, he would be all set.

Nope!






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Ugh had written a long post and its disappeared! Anyhow breakfast looks delicious which is just as well at that price. Snorkeling is still on my bucket list- now more than eve after looking at your photos. Glad Nate survived the journey back to hotel and wasn't persuaded to walk. Life crazy busy so sorry not chatting more but I'm loving reading all your updates



I hate it when that happens!

You are right.  At least breakfast was good.  If we paid $28 per person and it was just adequate, I would have lost it!



We love snorkeling and we were looking forward to the Maui portion of our trip since we planned to do that a lot there.

Poor Nate-  but that is the price he paid for not sticking it out with us.







Wood Nymph said:


> We took our teen daughters on a snorkeling trip in Maui. It was our first time snorkeling and we had a great time. We were on a boat that took us out somewhere. After that experience we went snorkeling every chance we got when we were at the beach.



I was not introduced to snorkeling until Mark and I went on a cruise about 25 years ago.  I was afraid I would be too uncoordinated to manage it, but as soon as my mask hit the water, I was hooked!



I snorkeled for HOURS on that trip, and learned a very valuable lesson-  always make sure you wear a long t-shirt, one that covers your butt, if you will be snorkeling for any length of time.  I not comfortable sitting for a couple of days



Ben likes to snorkel, but Nate isn't that interested.  He actually doesn't even like to swim that much, so I guess that shouldn't be a shock.


----------



## natebenma

*No Drinks at Dukes, Mai Tais at Margaritaville*


When we had all returned from our snorkeling tour, we were hungry and decided to order a couple of pizzas from Round Table Pizza in the marketplace area at the resort.  The pizzas were not cheap (medium Kahlua Pig and Pineapple, $22.00 and medium Thai Chicken, $25), but they were very good and we had a few slices left over for later.  


Surprisingly, I don’t have any pictures of our pizza, but we did enjoy them in our room with the backdrop of our gorgeous view with the added bonus of a rainbow.


 






The boys were perfectly content to hang around in the room and read after our late lunch, but Mark and I wanted to enjoy a walk on the beach. 









We thought we would celebrate our 28th anniversary with a couple of drinks at Duke’s Beach House, a famous Waikiki restaurant/bar (and incidentally, one highly recommended by Cynthia and some of my other friends)


We arrived at Dukes and it was packed! 

There were no open tables in the bar area, and if we wanted a seat, we would have to wait around and grab a table as soon as someone got up to leave.  A band was playing outside.  The people at tables looked pretty comfortable, nobody looked like they were leaving any time soon, and even if they did, there were a lot of others hovering around waiting for tables too.  We didn’t really feel like “pouncing” on a table when (if) one opened up, so we moved on.  





It is a shame, because the view from Dukes is just spectacular!






Not far from Dukes, across the street, is Margaritaville.  Being the Parrottheads that we are, this seemed like an appropriate place to commemorate our anniversary.






We sat at the bar, ordered a couple of Mai Tais (Happy Hour Special, $5 each) and enjoyed each other’s company for a few minutes.






Cheers!  To many more Happy Anniversaries! 


We didn’t want to leave the boys alone for too long, so we headed back and got ready for dinner- you may recall, we had reservations for…


Red Lobster!

**
*

Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

Continued from Previous Post

We walked to the restaurant  and took a couple of pictures along the way.  

 









We were seated pretty quickly.  Everything went pretty well at first- the waiter came over to take our drink order, brought our drinks and took our order.  




After that, things went very slowly. The restaurant was crowded and there were a lot of families with unruly kids.  It was loud.  For long stretches of time our waiter could not be found.  


We were still a bit full from the pizza earlier, so we ordered a few things to share-


Mark got a clam chowder.  Or maybe lobster bisque.  Our receipt says clam chowder but that is not what it looks like.





We ordered steamed mussels as an appetizer.  No picture???  

We ordered one Rock Lobster, Crab and Shrimp dinner and a dinner of 1 pound of Snow Crab Legs. 






The meals weren’t good.  Not in a “you are going to be out of commission for days with food poisoning” way, but in a “what the hell were you thinking?” way.  We are from New England, land of delicious freshly-caught seafood.  We ordered food that had obviously been frozen, and not heated up very well.  


We were at the restaurant for a really long time.  We were so exhausted that we didn’t even order dessert, which is really a first for the boys! 


This was a very disappointing meal for us and service was not good, but it was not the worst dining experience we would have on this trip (that will come much later)   


We got back to our room after dinner and packed as much as we could as we would be leaving for Maui the next morning.


*Next Up: Aloha Oahu and Aloha Maui!*


----------



## saintstickets

Great pics along the beach and the rainbow from your room!  Every time I see Hawaii pics the theme song from Hawaii Five-O pops up in my head!  Sighhhhh



natebenma said:


> This was a very disappointing meal for us and service was not good, but it was not the worst dining experience we would have on this trip (that will come much later)



Oh no!!  Looking forward to more of your TR .... well, maybe not the worst dining experience part!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Love the fact that you hot to grab some time alone together to celebrate your anniversary. Gorgeous beach and the view from your room is just beautiful. Shame about the meal at Red Lobster and I dread to think what coming next but hey at least the pizza was good


----------



## Wood Nymph

That would have been nice to have had your Mai Tai's at Dukes with the beautiful view. I guess too many other people had that idea, too. 
 By the way, I recently discovered that I like Mai Tai's and the Captain's Mai Tai at the YC/BC is my favorite - so far. I'm not much of a drinker and prefer my drinks fruity. Sunken Treasures are out because I don't like coconut rum. 



natebenma said:


> Mark got a clam chowder.  Or maybe lobster bisque.  Our receipt says clam chowder but that is not what it looks like.
> 
> We ordered one Rock Lobster, Crab and Shrimp dinner and a dinner of 1 pound of Snow Crab Legs.
> 
> The meals weren’t good.  Not in a “you are going to be out of commission for days with food poisoning” way, but in a “what the hell were you thinking?” way.  We are from New England, land of delicious freshly-caught seafood.  We ordered food that had obviously been frozen, and not heated up very well.


Lobster bisque is usually a pale reddish color. The soup Mark ordered actually looks like chicken soup. 

I'm very envious of the fresh seafood that you have at home. We live in the Midwest and most of our seafood is frozen,.. If we want fresh fish it has to be local, which means it would have to be things like perch, walleye and other freshwater fish. I've even had some Asian carp.  When we go to Hawaii I usually get Mahi Mahi, which is their local fish.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oh my Dee, the rainbow pictures are so beautiful. Just wow.

Aww that's too bad you didn't get to stay at Duke's. It does look like a lovely spot. Margaritaville is not a bad consolation though. And being Universal folks, somewhat appropriate. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (then).

Ugh, so sorry the dinner was so bad. Of course I'm glad no one died as a result, but still, not good.


----------



## eandesmom

Oh Dee. I remember the red lobster fiasco from FB but round table too? And the in hotel breakfast buffet?  Sadness!!!!!

Very sad about Dukes but yeah, the place is insane. On my last work trip I only snagged a table one night after 3 previous attempts and that was due to the fact it was raining! Tips for future visits for you. Lulu's which is upstairs from dukes has a lovely bar, it's set back but still has a view, has live music and the best HH Mai tai and bar menu I think. Dukes has a killer breakfast buffet for $16.95 each.

The coffee house does have the menu posted outside so you can look at it first.

I am glad you enjoyed Haunauma bay. It was magical when I first went a couple of decades ago but it is true that it's been quite damaged since then. Like you we were there in the afternoon and the wind made for cloudy water and not as clear fish viewing. I am really undecided if we will take the boys there or not.

Love the rainbow!!!

I will not be making them do Koko head though but we will be hiking 

So lovely to get caught up here this morning, exactly what I needed. I really am impressed with all you were able to do with your Oahu time and a drink at margaritaville (which is kind of a cool bar set up even if it misses the view) is not a bad thing at all and very appropriate for you guys.

I am thinking CJs is looking like a more and more viable lunch option on our arrival day though!

Sorry this is so disjointed, if I post from my phone I can't make edits anywhere but the end of the post! Unless I go into preview mode and even then it's wonky. Very glad the right Hilton was found and directionally challenged teen found his way. Fun on the army museum. I forgot about that, Jeff would likely enjoy it but right now I don't think it's on our list.


----------



## jenseib

Oh that really sucks about Red Lobster.  Now in Ohio we don't have any great sea food places but our Red Lobster is hit and miss...sometimes really good and other times not so great.


----------



## jwwi

Sorry you weren't able to get a drink at Dukes, we had dinner in the bar area on our trip.  It was good, but not outstanding.  It was a rainy evening, but the tables near the beach looked nice.  We stayed at the Beachcomber Holiday Inn, so Margaritaville was in our hotel, we did have a nice dinner there one night too.  Do you have a favorite drink or meal when you go there?  I loved the decor, very festive!  It was a busy bustling area, and was perfect for our two night stay on Oahu   How many Honolulu Cookie Co stores did you stop in to sample?  Please tell me you found these.  Too bad about Red Lobster, the food looked ok in the pictures......

Maui is my favorite island, it will be fun to see all your pictures, and hear about your stay there.


----------



## emmysmommy

Hi Dee!  I just had a marathon catch up session... I hadn't commented since your DL part of the trip so forgive me as I walk down memory lane going waaaaayyyy back......

As for the DL part of the trip:
I adore the Hungry Bear with the Mark Twain riverboat going by and the canoes.  But more than the scenery is those awesome lemon cupcakes.  Delish! 

Sorry you missed seeing "Joe" and family your last day but it sounds like you'll have some serious interaction with Ben's upcoming 8th grade trip.  You know they'll want to recruit you for future trips even after your youngest is graduated due to your knowledge and expertise.   

Rancho del Zocalo - their carne asada is yum, yum, yum.  One of my favorite places to eat in DL - especially if you sit right where the trains end their wildest ride in the wilderness.

Onto the Oahu part of your TR:
I've obsessed over a HI trip but keep going back to WDW so you see my priorities.  Although I have priced a package with Hilton Hawaiian Village in the past.  It's quite the popular place.  And it's good to know that it is in proximity to so many things to see and do.  What a view from your room!  Glad that it as on floor 20 and not 2!  Makes it so much easier to see the ocean from higher up.  

Back to food commentary (you see my priorities here) ....Any place that offers a breakfast menu all day sounds like my kinda place.  I'd put CJ's on my must do list.  I do have to admit that the pineapple macadamia nut pancakes at Kona Café have my heart.

I'd love to visit the Pearl Harbor memorial with my family.  What a great way to remember that tragic event.  Wow! Your dad's tragic but touching past with the Thresher.  So glad you shared a photo of you and your dad - you obviously adore him - that is so sweet.    

Seeing the Mighty Mo and Arizona… so sobering to know the number of lives lost.  Visiting those memorials is better than any history lesson you could get in school. 

Back to a food comment...I love anything teppan but why have I never seen a chopstick stand made out of paper?  That's clever.  Makes me wonder why it would be necessary like is the table not clean?   Ha ha ha!

Seriously some beautiful sunset photos after your Benihana dinner.  That's what I picture when I think of a tropical sunset.

Whoa!  That's a lot of steps at Diamond Head.  But those views… awesome.

Oh man!  That was one creepy taxi story for sure.  Wow.  Glad you survived.

Glad that Spamalot was as success!  

An afternoon to relax alone reading on the balcony while Mark and the boys went to the "I know too much about guns" museaum.  Yes please!

With the fireworks on the beach at the HHV were you humming any tunes along with the 5 minutes firework show?  Assuming there wasn't any background music. 

Side note based on your US (aka dark side) trip... I'm inserting an admission for the MIB ride.  I had no clue what to shoot at.  We were the only ones in the car and just kept trying to shoot at anything. Loved the spinning though.

Such a pity about that rainy day snorkeling at Hunauma Bay for your 8am tour where you wouldn't see any marine life!!  Wow.  Talk about a sleezy salesman.  I was secretly hoping to see a dramatic scene where you would go into the Thunderdome with that  tour guy but I suppose it is better just to see things go the way you expected.  Awesome snorkeling photos.  I have no clue one fish species versus another.  At least you didn't see anything that had a big jaw with jagged teeth.

Poor Nate with the taxi dropping him off at the WRONG Hilton.  Wouldn't you think they would confirm better.  Are the two Hiltons close together?

Oh sorry your Red Lobster meal was memorable for all the wrong reasons. I do like their biscuits.  I don't recall anything too exciting about the food. At least you had a memorable 28th!


----------



## justafigment27

I am really enjoying your trip report!  We were in Hawaii around the same time last year ... so it's fun to see what you did!


----------



## KatMark

Quite a view as you were enjoying pizza from the comfort of your room.

I'm glad you and Mark got a little "alone" time for your anniversary and could celebrate with a cocktail (I could go for a Mai Tai right now).

That's too bad about Red Lobster. We don't have many good seafood places. We have one that flies in their seafood fresh daily, but it is about an hour drive from us and VERY expensive. Our Red Lobster, like Jen's, can be hit or miss. That was definitely NOT clam chowder soup in that picture.


----------



## natebenma

saintstickets said:


> Great pics along the beach and the rainbow from your room!  Every time I see Hawaii pics the theme song from Hawaii Five-O pops up in my head!  Sighhhhh
> 
> Oh no!!  Looking forward to more of your TR .... well, maybe not the worst dining experience part!



OK, that wasn't happening to me with the theme song, but now it is! Book 'em Dano!

There's a lot more good (dining and otherwise) before we get to the bad dining experience.  It was our last meal.






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Love the fact that you hot to grab some time alone together to celebrate your anniversary. Gorgeous beach and the view from your room is just beautiful. Shame about the meal at Red Lobster and I dread to think what coming next but hey at least the pizza was good



We had a nice walk along the beach and it was good to sit for a few minutes and toast our life together over drinks at Jimmy Buffett's place.

We really did have an amazing view from our room.

On the plus side, Red Lobster was one of our least expensive meals on Hawaii since we didn't order that much to eat!






Wood Nymph said:


> That would have been nice to have had your Mai Tai's at Dukes with the beautiful view. I guess too many other people had that idea, too.
> By the way, I recently discovered that I like Mai Tai's and the Captain's Mai Tai at the YC/BC is my favorite - so far. I'm not much of a drinker and prefer my drinks fruity. Sunken Treasures are out because I don't like coconut rum.
> 
> 
> Lobster bisque is usually a pale reddish color. The soup Mark ordered actually looks like chicken soup.
> 
> I'm very envious of the fresh seafood that you have at home. We live in the Midwest and most of our seafood is frozen,.. If we want fresh fish it has to be local, which means it would have to be things like perch, walleye and other freshwater fish. I've even had some Asian carp.  When we go to Hawaii I usually get Mahi Mahi, which is their local fish.



You know what.  It was kind of hectic at Dukes, so it was actually nice to go someplace a little quieter.

I do believe that within the next 24 hours we would be enjoying a Mai Tai at Dukes.  Different Day.  Different Island.

Thanks for the heads up on the Captain's Mai Tai.  I'll put it on the list.

One of the reasons I take the picture is so I can identify what we had.  Picture fail in this situation!

We are certainly spoiled with excellent seafood here.







DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh my Dee, the rainbow pictures are so beautiful. Just wow.
> 
> Aww that's too bad you didn't get to stay at Duke's. It does look like a lovely spot. Margaritaville is not a bad consolation though. And being Universal folks, somewhat appropriate. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (then).
> 
> Ugh, so sorry the dinner was so bad. Of course I'm glad no one died as a result, but still, not good.



We saw a few rainbows during our trip, at least one on every island, but not as many as I expected.  Although that is good because I believe rainbows = rain.

The place we celebrated didn't matter as much as what we were celebrating.  

No one died on our anniversary.  That would have been bad!






eandesmom said:


> Oh Dee. I remember the red lobster fiasco from FB but round table too? And the in hotel breakfast buffet?  Sadness!!!!!
> 
> Very sad about Dukes but yeah, the place is insane. On my last work trip I only snagged a table one night after 3 previous attempts and that was due to the fact it was raining! Tips for future visits for you. Lulu's which is upstairs from dukes has a lovely bar, it's set back but still has a view, has live music and the best HH Mai tai and bar menu I think. Dukes has a killer breakfast buffet for $16.95 each.
> 
> The coffee house does have the menu posted outside so you can look at it first.
> 
> I am glad you enjoyed Haunauma bay. It was magical when I first went a couple of decades ago but it is true that it's been quite damaged since then. Like you we were there in the afternoon and the wind made for cloudy water and not as clear fish viewing. I am really undecided if we will take the boys there or not.
> 
> Love the rainbow!!!
> 
> I will not be making them do Koko head though but we will be hiking
> 
> So lovely to get caught up here this morning, exactly what I needed. I really am impressed with all you were able to do with your Oahu time and a drink at margaritaville (which is kind of a cool bar set up even if it misses the view) is not a bad thing at all and very appropriate for you guys.
> 
> I am thinking CJs is looking like a more and more viable lunch option on our arrival day though!
> 
> Sorry this is so disjointed, if I post from my phone I can't make edits anywhere but the end of the post! Unless I go into preview mode and even then it's wonky. Very glad the right Hilton was found and directionally challenged teen found his way. Fun on the army museum. I forgot about that, Jeff would likely enjoy it but right now I don't think it's on our list.



I swear I was sitting at Red Lobster thinking "Cynthia is NOT gonna like this!"

Good to know about breakfast-  Wailana across the street or killer buffet at Dukes.  My family really likes buffets, so finding a place $11 less per person than we paid would be a score.

We were pleased with what we saw at Hanauma Bay since we had never been before and didn't know it in its glory.  But now that you mention it, there wasn't a lot of coral- the coral was much better once we hit Maui.

We give CJ's .  In fact, looking back that would have been a better breakfast choice than the buffet!






jenseib said:


> Oh that really sucks about Red Lobster.  Now in Ohio we don't have any great sea food places but our Red Lobster is hit and miss...sometimes really good and other times not so great.



What the Red Lobster lacked in quality, it made up for in crowd.  It was really busy in there!






jwwi said:


> Sorry you weren't able to get a drink at Dukes, we had dinner in the bar area on our trip.  It was good, but not outstanding.  It was a rainy evening, but the tables near the beach looked nice.  We stayed at the Beachcomber Holiday Inn, so Margaritaville was in our hotel, we did have a nice dinner there one night too.  Do you have a favorite drink or meal when you go there?  I loved the decor, very festive!  It was a busy bustling area, and was perfect for our two night stay on Oahu   How many Honolulu Cookie Co stores did you stop in to sample?  Please tell me you found these.  Too bad about Red Lobster, the food looked ok in the pictures......
> 
> Maui is my favorite island, it will be fun to see all your pictures, and hear about your stay there.



We don't have any "regulars" a Margaritaville, but we ate at the one in Orlando a couple of weeks ago and I had this:

Yummy!

Well we only stopped in at the one at the resort, but we made a few trips there.  At one point one of the sales girls said "Oh, you're back!"   

We will be in Maui soon!!!






emmysmommy said:


> Hi Dee!  I just had a marathon catch up session... I hadn't commented since your DL part of the trip so forgive me as I walk down memory lane going waaaaayyyy back......



I'll come back with a reply to your post...






justafigment27 said:


> I am really enjoying your trip report!  We were in Hawaii around the same time last year ... so it's fun to see what you did!





Which islands did you go to and what activities did you do???






KatMark said:


> Quite a view as you were enjoying pizza from the comfort of your room.
> 
> I'm glad you and Mark got a little "alone" time for your anniversary and could celebrate with a cocktail (I could go for a Mai Tai right now).
> 
> That's too bad about Red Lobster. We don't have many good seafood places. We have one that flies in their seafood fresh daily, but it is about an hour drive from us and VERY expensive. Our Red Lobster, like Jen's, can be hit or miss. That was definitely NOT clam chowder soup in that picture.



It was such a lovely view!!!

On the whole, it was a wonderful anniversary.  Except for almost losing Nate in Hawaii!


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee- Sorry your meals weren't good. I totally get it as we are also so accustomed to fresh seafood here in Maryland. 

And here is to many more Happy Anniversaries for you and Mark!!!


----------



## natebenma

HockeyMomR said:


> Dee- Sorry your meals weren't good. I totally get it as we are also so accustomed to fresh seafood here in Maryland.
> 
> And here is to many more Happy Anniversaries for you and Mark!!!



Delicious seafood is just second nature around here, so I guess I didn't realize that I can't just assume I will get yummy fresh seafood from a chain restaurant. 

Thank you for the very sweet anniversary sentiments! 

:


----------



## natebenma

emmysmommy said:


> Hi Dee!  I just had a marathon catch up session... I hadn't commented since your DL part of the trip so forgive me as I walk down memory lane going waaaaayyyy back......
> 
> As for the DL part of the trip:
> I adore the Hungry Bear with the Mark Twain riverboat going by and the canoes.  But more than the scenery is those awesome lemon cupcakes.  Delish!
> 
> Sorry you missed seeing "Joe" and family your last day but it sounds like you'll have some serious interaction with Ben's upcoming 8th grade trip.  You know they'll want to recruit you for future trips even after your youngest is graduated due to your knowledge and expertise.
> 
> Rancho del Zocalo - their carne asada is yum, yum, yum.  One of my favorite places to eat in DL - especially if you sit right where the trains end their wildest ride in the wilderness.
> 
> Onto the Oahu part of your TR:
> I've obsessed over a HI trip but keep going back to WDW so you see my priorities.  Although I have priced a package with Hilton Hawaiian Village in the past.  It's quite the popular place.  And it's good to know that it is in proximity to so many things to see and do.  What a view from your room!  Glad that it as on floor 20 and not 2!  Makes it so much easier to see the ocean from higher up.
> 
> Back to food commentary (you see my priorities here) ....Any place that offers a breakfast menu all day sounds like my kinda place.  I'd put CJ's on my must do list.  I do have to admit that the pineapple macadamia nut pancakes at Kona Café have my heart.
> 
> I'd love to visit the Pearl Harbor memorial with my family.  What a great way to remember that tragic event.  Wow! Your dad's tragic but touching past with the Thresher.  So glad you shared a photo of you and your dad - you obviously adore him - that is so sweet.
> 
> Seeing the Mighty Mo and Arizona… so sobering to know the number of lives lost.  Visiting those memorials is better than any history lesson you could get in school.
> 
> Back to a food comment...I love anything teppan but why have I never seen a chopstick stand made out of paper?  That's clever.  Makes me wonder why it would be necessary like is the table not clean?   Ha ha ha!
> 
> Seriously some beautiful sunset photos after your Benihana dinner.  That's what I picture when I think of a tropical sunset.
> 
> Whoa!  That's a lot of steps at Diamond Head.  But those views… awesome.
> 
> Oh man!  That was one creepy taxi story for sure.  Wow.  Glad you survived.
> 
> Glad that Spamalot was as success!
> 
> An afternoon to relax alone reading on the balcony while Mark and the boys went to the "I know too much about guns" museaum.  Yes please!
> 
> With the fireworks on the beach at the HHV were you humming any tunes along with the 5 minutes firework show?  Assuming there wasn't any background music.
> 
> Side note based on your US (aka dark side) trip... I'm inserting an admission for the MIB ride.  I had no clue what to shoot at.  We were the only ones in the car and just kept trying to shoot at anything. Loved the spinning though.
> 
> Such a pity about that rainy day snorkeling at Hunauma Bay for your 8am tour where you wouldn't see any marine life!!  Wow.  Talk about a sleezy salesman.  I was secretly hoping to see a dramatic scene where you would go into the Thunderdome with that  tour guy but I suppose it is better just to see things go the way you expected.  Awesome snorkeling photos.  I have no clue one fish species versus another.  At least you didn't see anything that had a big jaw with jagged teeth.
> 
> Poor Nate with the taxi dropping him off at the WRONG Hilton.  Wouldn't you think they would confirm better.  Are the two Hiltons close together?
> 
> Oh sorry your Red Lobster meal was memorable for all the wrong reasons. I do like their biscuits.  I don't recall anything too exciting about the food. At least you had a memorable 28th!



Woah, Brenda!  You really did binge. 

The lemon cupcakes were REALLY good.  And I don't really even like cupcakes that much (I know, heresy)

I was really bummed that we didn't meet up with "Joe" and that some other things were not going our way.  That was also the night you and Emmy were checking in at the GCH, but I was spending so much time trying to plan a meet with "Joe" and his family that I didn't even have time to text you a "goodbye".  The class trip is less than 3 months away!  In 4 weeks, we can make Fast Pass selections (if we have the ticket numbers by then).  I have been helping with the trip for the past few years, but they are mad at me now because I informed them that Pirates would be closed during our upcoming trip.  

Food was good at Rancho but I'm disappointed we missed the seating by BTM!!! 

**********************************************************

I  hope you are able to make a visit to Hawaii someday.  It took us awhile to get there, and I'm not sure when we will be back, but we are so glad we went when we did. 

Nothing beats Kona's Macadamia-Freaking-Pineapple-Pancakes, but CJs was definitely a great place to eat. 

Pearl Harbor is such an important place to visit and experience.  It really has a mystic, spiritual feel to it. 

Thanks for the kind words about my dad.  He is an incredible guy.  He has been through so much in his life through it all he has a smile and an incredible sense of humor.  I am blessed to have him in my life. 

I scoured through my Benihana pictures to see if I had any of the chopstick stands.  Wish I had taken a picture.  it was just so incredible how quickly they all made them!

Diamond head was incredible!!!  As was the taxi ride back, in an entirely different way! 

Mark and I were just talking about the museum- he said he was glad to be able to give me some alone time. 

No humming during the fireworks show.  I have only seen Wishes once  so I do not really have the soundtrack memorized...

The guy who booked our trip to Hanauma Bay was so full of it!  He just kept trying to come up with different reasons to scare us off from the trip.  Mark said he wished he had his phone with him when he talked about it raining because he would have whipped out his weather app. 

I don't know where the other Hilton is, but I think Cynthia said it is close.  But not if you are 16 and in the area for the first time.  And have your moms awful sense of direction.  

A memorable anniversary, indeed!



Thanks so much for reading along!

**************************************************

Oh, MIB-  I have no idea what I am shooting at either, and if I never shoot another $%#^ alien I am good, but I did get the highest overall score in the whole family on our last ride (652,000) and that was without the bonus!!!


----------



## natebenma

*Aloha Oahu and Aloha Maui!* 

ETA:  I wrote my last few updates without looking at my trip notes.  A couple of things I would like to add - here are the edits to the original posts:

Overnight on our last night it rained, and there were some fierce thunderstorms.  It was pretty impressive.  Perhaps the bad weather we were supposed to get at Hanuamu Bay?  

At 4:45 the phone in our room rang.  I don't know why!  It woke me from a dream I was having about Disneyland Fast Passes.  This was one of the few mornings on the trip we were able to sleep in.  So much for that!

At least we woke to gorgeous views.








Mark and I took a final short walk along the beach before we had breakfast.  

For breakfast we finished up some of the food we had left over from the previous few days- the pizza, a noodle dish from Japanese place, bagels, a parfait.

We heard sirens off in the distance.  We went out onto the balcony and saw smoke.

Fire!!!









It didn’t take too long for the fire to be brought under control.  


We took a few final pictures out on the balcony.


 





*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post
*
We met our ride to the airport and since it was a Sunday morning, there was very little traffic. It took about 30 minutes to get to the airport and before long we were waiting for our flight.

The flight from Oahu was departing at 12:05 and landing in Maui at 12:44.  











 


We took off and had some amazing views on our way to Maui:


Here’s our resort, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach




Diamond Head





Stretch of Waikiki Beach




Hanauma Bay and Koko Head










*Continued...*

*
*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued...*


Entering Maui airspace











We touched down at the Maui airport in a heavy rainstorm.

Maui Noka Oi!  (Maui is the Best)


*Next Up: That’s Gonna Hertz! *


----------



## KatMark

Beautiful pictures from your balcony, Dee. And stunning pictures as you flew to Maui. We really liked Maui a lot and can't wait to hear about your experience.


----------



## Wood Nymph

I hope you get back to Hawaii without the kids. It is much more fun that way.


----------



## eandesmom

I am totally cracking up that you thought of me at red lobster.

HHV is a classic really. When I ran by there (literally) yesterday, late morning on a Tuesday, a pop band from Australia was filming live. Pretty good too! I met my family for coffee in the afternoon, a huge group on my aunts side is coming in and all are staying at HHV. The kids had 3 choices and that was their tops so... There you go. It really is rock solid! 

On the food side...

Lulu's is moving up very high on my Waikiki list after this past trip. I'm actually at the "service" bar at Dukes as I type. Great service, killer steak tacos (after the double ahi day I figured I'd branch out and I've had their fish tacos before) but...it's a mob scene and I'd like to be closer to the tiki torches. Not sure Jeff will have the patience for bar table pouncing. Hulu grill may have to do for adult time and Lulu's for group dinner.

After this trip I have an even better feel for proximity. Funny how running can really do that.

You got some amazing shots from the plane, well done! 

Yay Maui!!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oooh, FIRE is not what you want to see in the morning. Glad it got under control quickly.

Wow, those views from the plane are wicked cool. I bet there are helicopter tours or something like that so to essentially get this view "free" is a super bonus.


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> Beautiful pictures from your balcony, Dee. And stunning pictures as you flew to Maui. We really liked Maui a lot and can't wait to hear about your experience.



Thank you!!! 

Those pictures from the air are some of my favorite plane photos.  It was cool that I knew what I was taking pictures of as we flew over the places we had been.  Such a clear day. 

I loved Maui!!!






Wood Nymph said:


> I hope you get back to Hawaii without the kids. It is much more fun that way.



From your lips...

Yes, if we make it back to Hawaii, it will be just the two of us.  Maybe our 30th anniversary, 2016, but we don't know yet. 






eandesmom said:


> I am totally cracking up that you thought of me at red lobster.
> 
> HHV is a classic really. When I ran by there (literally) yesterday, late morning on a Tuesday, a pop band from Australia was filming live. Pretty good too! I met my family for coffee in the afternoon, a huge group on my aunts side is coming in and all are staying at HHV. The kids had 3 choices and that was their tops so... There you go. It really is rock solid!
> 
> On the food side...
> 
> Lulu's is moving up very high on my Waikiki list after this past trip. I'm actually at the "service" bar at Dukes as I type. Great service, killer steak tacos (after the double ahi day I figured I'd branch out and I've had their fish tacos before) but...it's a mob scene and I'd like to be closer to the tiki torches. Not sure Jeff will have the patience for bar table pouncing. Hulu grill may have to do for adult time and Lulu's for group dinner.
> 
> After this trip I have an even better feel for proximity. Funny how running can really do that.
> 
> You got some amazing shots from the plane, well done!
> 
> Yay Maui!!!





The boys are going to love HHV!

Thanks for additional food tips.  I'm really going to have to do a better job remembering them.  Keep 'em coming!

Thanks for the comments about the plane photos-  I love having the view from above. 

Yay, Maui, indeed!






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oooh, FIRE is not what you want to see in the morning. Glad it got under control quickly.
> 
> Wow, those views from the plane are wicked cool. I bet there are helicopter tours or something like that so to essentially get this view "free" is a super bonus.



I didn't mention that in addition to the gorgeous views from the balcony, we heard sirens all day long.  Hawaii 5-0 is real  (and oh, crap, why didn't I name my TR that, since it was a year of milestone BD's for both me and Mark) 

I was concerned about the fire.  I hope nobody was hurt!

Thanks for your comments about the photos and your proper use of the adjective "wicked", eh!


----------



## jwwi

I love all the aerial shots, great pictures of the coast line.  Yah! Maui!!


----------



## dtr_angel

Sorry your anniversary dinner was a bust  great shots from the plane!


----------



## momabbate

I feel like I am just lurking on you. I am enjoying your TR, just doing it quietly since I keep getting far behind. Just thought I would let you know I am still around and loving your report.


----------



## MEK

Beautiful views from your balcony!  Crazy that you could actually see the smoke from the fire so well.  Did you know what was going on at first?  

Beautiful views from the plane and I just know that that resort is going to be fabulous.  Can't wait!


----------



## jenseib

wow...loving the pictures.  The water looks like heaven


----------



## natebenma

jwwi said:


> I love all the aerial shots, great pictures of the coast line.  Yah! Maui!!



Thanks!!!  I thought the pictures from the plane came out great.  I love how clear the details are.

I really, really loved Maui!!!






dtr_angel said:


> Sorry your anniversary dinner was a bust  great shots from the plane!



We had a wonderful day, and a great anniversary.  Fortunately the dinner was just a small part of it.






momabbate said:


> I feel like I am just lurking on you. I am enjoying your TR, just doing it quietly since I keep getting far behind. Just thought I would let you know I am still around and loving your report.



That's fine!  Just glad you are reading a lot.  Thanks so much for the kind words.






MEK said:


> Beautiful views from your balcony!  Crazy that you could actually see the smoke from the fire so well.  Did you know what was going on at first?
> 
> Beautiful views from the plane and I just know that that resort is going to be fabulous.  Can't wait!



We saw all the smoke and didn't know if it was something like a smokestack or fireplace.  Then when we heard the sirens, we knew it was a fire.

Yes, the resort we were heading to was fabulous.  I should have our arrival update in the next day or so.






jenseib said:


> wow...loving the pictures.  The water looks like heaven



Thank you, thank you!  Yes, I could go for a dip in those waters right now!


----------



## natebenma

*Bonus Tracks!  *

I wrote my last few updates without looking at my trip notes.  A couple of things I would like to add - I will go back and edit the original posts:

Overnight on our last night it rained, and there were some fierce thunderstorms.  It was pretty incredible.  Perhaps the bad weather we were supposed to get at Hanuamu Bay?  

At 4:45 am the phone in our room rang.  I don't know why!  It woke me from a dream I was having about Disneyland Fast Passes.  This was one of the few mornings on the trip we were able to sleep in.  So much for that!

Mark and I took a final walk along the beach before we had breakfast.  I also remembered that I took a solo walk along the beach Saturday morning, before our resort buffet breakfast and snorkel at Hanuama Bay. 


*Morning Walk on Waikiki
*

































'SUP?













What a way to start the day!

.


----------



## natebenma

*That’s Gotta Hertz!* 


We landed in Maui and I believe we deplaned using one of those rolling staircases.  The boys thought that was pretty cool.  


We were renting a car for this portion of the trip, against our will, but it was absolutely necessary.  Maui is big and we would be going to some distant excursions.  There really isn’t decent (affordable) transportation in place for tourists.  


But neither Mark nor I like to drive, period, and especially on vacation, in areas we are not familiar with.  


I would be the driver and Mark (and Cortana) would be my navigators.  Cortana is the voice on our Microsoft phones.  I don’t like her.  


As we were walking through the airport, on our way to the Hertz rental counter, a distressing thought occurred to me.


My driving glasses were back at home, in my van, where I always keep them.  I only use glasses to drive, so I leave them in the dashbox.  I didn’t think to pack them for the trip.  I did have my prescription sunglasses, but I don’t really like to wear them because of the altered reality vision through bronze-colored glasses.  


But they would have to do.  


We got to the Hertz Counter, there was a long line, and everyone at the counter was having issues.  But I spotted the AAA diamond express line, and since we had booked our trip through AAA, we were next.  


We had rented a mid-size (economy) car, and of course they tried to upsell us.  “Your luggage will never fit in this car” 


I know this scam.  They get you to pay extra for a larger car, but they really only have the larger cars on the lot, so you will end up with the upgrade whether you pay for it or not. 


So we went out to find our chariot which was…


A Nissan Versa. 


It really was a small car, it WAS difficult to get the luggage to fit and the boys had a pretty uncomfortable ride to the resort cramped with bags between them.


Ben, particularly, was not happy.  He was uncomfortable, he didn’t remember us ever renting a car before since it has been over 10 years and he knew this situation would be stressful for both Mark and me.


It was just sprinkling lightly when we started driving.  I got lost in the rental lot trying to find the main road (Mark, please stop fiddling with the $#^% GPS and help me look for signs). I drove through a stop sign in the rental lot due to my nervousness and Ben uttered


“I don’t like this at all!”


The ride took a little less than an hour.  We first drove south across the countryside and then headed west towards Maalaea Harbor, and then we drove north along the coast to Ka’anapali.  


We arrived at our resort without incident.  And without any photos of the trip since not only am I the designated driver, I am also the official family photographer.


*Next up:  You Need an Engineering Degree to Stay in this Room (and Sometimes that Doesn’t Even Help!)*


This may be my first trip report chapter ever without pictures! 

Sorry about that, but since I am having a devil of a time trying to post pictures today, it is a good time for this chapter. 

I do have a few "forgotten" pictures from my morning walk along Waikiki in the post right before this one...


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

I feel for you renting a car Dee, I really do. I'm used to it now, but in the beginning it was rough. Dealing with the upsell (even if they are actually right, lol) is a outright pain. It's the reason I joined the free membership for Dollar. Preferences are filled in so now they don't even ask. So yeah, I feel for you.

And if it makes you feel any better, the very first time driving in Florida (and never leaving the tourist area mind you) I had to refill the car... the very first day. THAT's how lost I got.


----------



## KatMark

You and Lisa (mickeystoontown) were having problems with pictures today. 

Great beach pictures...the ones you forgot to post earlier. Nothing like an early morning walk on the beach.

We always rent a car and my Mark is really good with directions. But I don't think I would want to drive in Maui. I remember one tour we took when we were there and the car we were in with our tour guide. 

Poor Ben.


----------



## natebenma

DisneyKid4Life said:


> I feel for you renting a car Dee, I really do. I'm used to it now, but in the beginning it was rough. Dealing with the upsell (even if they are actually right, lol) is a outright pain. It's the reason I joined the free membership for Dollar. Preferences are filled in so now they don't even ask. So yeah, I feel for you.
> 
> And if it makes you feel any better, the very first time driving in Florida (and never leaving the tourist area mind you) I had to refill the car... the very first day. THAT's how lost I got.



The rental car was one of the things I was dreading.  It actually wasn't too bad, because we mostly stayed on the main road and it was easy to get around.  But I was mad at myself for leaving my glasses behind.  I never take them on vacation, but this time I needed them.

Oh, no, on needing to gas up on the first day!!! Did you have any trouble finding where the gas tank (or release latch) was.  I hear that is sometimes a problem.







KatMark said:


> You and Lisa (mickeystoontown) were having problems with pictures today.
> 
> Great beach pictures...the ones you forgot to post earlier. Nothing like an early morning walk on the beach.
> 
> We always rent a car and my Mark is really good with directions. But I don't think I would want to drive in Maui. I remember one tour we took when we were there and the car we were in with our tour guide.
> 
> Poor Ben.



Picture problem appears to be ok so far this morning.  But you saw first hand what I was talking about with the [/url] issue.  

I was mad at myself for missing those pictures.  I had a lovely walk on the beach, although I am always just a little nervous walking anywhere alone that early in the morning.  Never stops me though!

Maui wasn't bad to get around (we didn't do the Hana highway), but there is no WAY I would have rented a car in Oahu/Honolulu/Waikiki.  All of the resorts we stayed at in Hawaii had parking fees, like $25 per night, so that was another reason to try to minimize the car rental on this vacation.

Ben survived!

:


----------



## Lynne G

Which is why I have only used Hertz once.  My kids called what we had the crappy car.   It was.  At least wherever we parked, we were sure no one would look twice at it.  When I returned the car, the guy said, well, if I didn't like the car, I should have said something, and they would have given me a different car.  Right.

Glad Ben was ok.  Great pictures.


----------



## natebenma

Lynne G said:


> Which is why I have only used Hertz once.  My kids called what we had the crappy car.   It was.  At least wherever we parked, we were sure no one would look twice at it.  When I returned the car, the guy said, well, if I didn't like the car, I should have said something, and they would have given me a different car.  Right.
> 
> Glad Ben was ok.  Great pictures.



I can't remember who we rented from 10 years ago.  I think it was Alamo.  I didn't necessarily have a problem with Hertz.  I got the car I paid for.  I was just too cheap to pay for the car we needed!!!

Thanks for the kind word about the photos.

:


----------



## KatMark

natebenma said:


> Picture problem appears to be ok so far this morning.  But you saw first hand what I was talking about with the [/url] issue.
> 
> I most certainly did. I'm sorry about that.
> 
> I was mad at myself for missing those pictures.  I had a lovely walk on the beach, although I am always just a little nervous walking anywhere alone that early in the morning.  Never stops me though!
> 
> I feel the same way you do. leery, but do it anyway.
> 
> Maui wasn't bad to get around (we didn't do the Hana highway), but there is no WAY I would have rented a car in Oahu/Honolulu/Waikiki.  All of the resorts we stayed at in Hawaii had parking fees, like $25 per night, so that was another reason to try to minimize the car rental on this vacation.
> 
> :


 
The Hana Highway...oh that was nervewracking. That is insane for parking at a hotel.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

natebenma said:


> Did you have any trouble finding where the gas tank (or release latch) was. I hear that is sometimes a problem.



Seriously, why is there not a universal gas tank location and release latch on vehicles??????? Every rental car I've had, I had to pull over as I entered a gas station because I realize I have no idea where the gas tank is.


----------



## KatMark

DisneyKid4Life said:


> Seriously, why is there not a universal gas tank location and release latch on vehicles??????? Every rental car I've had, I had to pull over as I entered a gas station because I realize I have no idea where the gas tank is.


 
You do know that on most newer models, there is a gas tank picture on the dashboard and it shows which side the tank is on. It took me the longest time to figure that out.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

KatMark said:


> You do know that on most newer models, there is a gas tank picture on the dashboard and it shows which side the tank is on. It took me the longest time to figure that out.



Haha, nope, I had no idea. But I will definitely keep that in mind.


----------



## teekathepony

Hahaha I was SO sure you guys would get upgraded to a bigger car!! That's not fun at all, I hate driving (well, passenging? I don't actually do the driving.) anyway, and being crowded in makes me really cranky. Like this one time we made a too-big trip to Costco with our little truck... and it was raining so we couldn't put our stuff in the back... oh dear, I'm rambling.
Whew! Glad you got there without incident!


----------



## mickeystoontown

You've seen my posts on Facebook so you know my feelings for the Dis right now.  No need for me to rant any further but I probably will anyway.  Thanks to my  "no-longer-getting-e-mail-notification" status, I keep falilng behind.  I'm glad that you and Mark got to spend some alone time together even if it wasn't for very long.   Oh goodness, your dinner at Red Lobster sounds like a real flop.  I also come from a land of seafood plenty so we rarely eat any type of seafood from chain restaurants.  At least you can now say that you've been there done that (and ain't going back). 

Given the fact that you don't like to drive in unfamiliar places, I'm sure that you were happy when you pulled into your new resort for this portion of the trip.


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> The Hana Highway...oh that was nervewracking. That is insane for parking at a hotel.



I would love to go on the Hana highway on a future trip, but we WON'T be driving it ourselves.  We figured it wouldn't really hold the boys' interests on this trip, and we preferred to be in and on the water, anyway.

Parking costs were ridiculous!!!






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Seriously, why is there not a universal gas tank location and release latch on vehicles??????? Every rental car I've had, I had to pull over as I entered a gas station because I realize I have no idea where the gas tank is.



Now what really gets me is the inconsistency of vehicles when it comes to the installation of car seats for little ones.  I used to run a car seat safety checkpoint for a mother's club in our area and the percentage of car seats incorrectly (not safely) installed is extremely high.  Police officers who specialize in installation have to go to a week-long school for proper instruction.  I believe legislation is in the process to require car companies to have universal connections for car seat installation.






KatMark said:


> You do know that on most newer models, there is a gas tank picture on the dashboard and it shows which side the tank is on. It took me the longest time to figure that out.



Thank you so much for this Public Service Announcement!!!






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Haha, nope, I had no idea. But I will definitely keep that in mind.



Great tip from Kathy!!!

:




teekathepony said:


> Hahaha I was SO sure you guys would get upgraded to a bigger car!! That's not fun at all, I hate driving (well, passenging? I don't actually do the driving.) anyway, and being crowded in makes me really cranky. Like this one time we made a too-big trip to Costco with our little truck... and it was raining so we couldn't put our stuff in the back... oh dear, I'm rambling.
> Whew! Glad you got there without incident!



I was sure too!!!  There was no way I was going to go back with my tail between my legs and admit I was wrong!  Here, Ben, do you mind holding this suitcase in your lap for an hour?






mickeystoontown said:


> You've seen my posts on Facebook so you know my feelings for the Dis right now.  No need for me to rant any further but I probably will anyway.  Thanks to my  "no-longer-getting-e-mail-notification" status, I keep falilng behind.



Yes, these past couple of days have been rough ones in DISworld!

I am actually terrified about when I have to start a new FAQ thread and migrate 20 very long, picture filled posts when we get to our page limit.





mickeystoontown said:


> I'm glad that you and Mark got to spend some alone time together even if it wasn't for very long.   Oh goodness, your dinner at Red Lobster sounds like a real flop.  I also come from a land of seafood plenty so we rarely eat any type of seafood from chain restaurants.  At least you can now say that you've been there done that (and ain't going back).



We didn't have the best dinner, but it was still a pretty awesome anniversary.

:



mickeystoontown said:


> Given the fact that you don't like to drive in unfamiliar places, I'm sure that you were happy when you pulled into your new resort for this portion of the trip.



I was very happy when we arrived at our resort.

All of other road trips would be along the same route we had just taken, so at least I would be comfortable with getting around.


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> That’s Gotta Hertz!
> 
> 
> We landed in Maui and I believe we deplaned using one of those rolling staircases.  The boys thought that was pretty cool.
> 
> 
> We were renting a car for this portion of the trip, against our will, but it was absolutely necessary.  Maui is big and we would be going to some distant excursions.  There really isn’t decent (affordable) transportation in place for tourists.
> 
> 
> But neither Mark nor I like to drive, period, and especially on vacation, in areas we are not familiar with.
> 
> 
> I would be the driver and Mark (and Cortana) would be my navigators.  Cortana is the voice on our Microsoft phones.  I don’t like her.
> 
> 
> As we were walking through the airport, on our way to the Hertz rental counter, a distressing thought occurred to me.
> 
> 
> My driving glasses were back at home, in my van, where I always keep them.  I only use glasses to drive, so I leave them in the dashbox.  I didn’t think to pack them for the trip.  I did have my prescription sunglasses, but I don’t really like to wear them because of the altered reality vision through bronze-colored glasses.
> 
> 
> But they would have to do.



UGH!  I actually drive primarily in rx sunglasses but I know the feeling of not having what you want and are used to and it's stressful!  I hate driving elsewhere.  When I can, I'll skip a car be it for work or personal.  In Hawaii it is not an option.  When it's vacation not such a biggie as Jeff likes to drive (though we skip it at Disney) but for work it's just me and I can't stand it.  Hawaii can be particularily challenging.


natebenma said:


> We got to the Hertz Counter, there was a long line, and everyone at the counter was having issues.  But I spotted the AAA diamond express line, and since we had booked our trip through AAA, we were next.
> 
> 
> We had rented a mid-size (economy) car, and of course they tried to upsell us.  “Your luggage will never fit in this car”
> 
> 
> I know this scam.  They get you to pay extra for a larger car, but they really only have the larger cars on the lot, so you will end up with the upgrade whether you pay for it or not.
> 
> 
> So we went out to find our chariot which was…
> 
> 
> A Nissan Versa.
> 
> 
> It really was a small car, it WAS difficult to get the luggage to fit and the boys had a pretty uncomfortable ride to the resort cramped with bags between them.
> 
> 
> Ben, particularly, was not happy.  He was uncomfortable, he didn’t remember us ever renting a car before since it has been over 10 years and he knew this situation would be stressful for both Mark and me.
> 
> 
> It was just sprinkling lightly when we started driving.  I got lost in the rental lot trying to find the main road (Mark, please stop fiddling with the $#^% GPS and help me look for signs). I drove through a stop sign in the rental lot due to my nervousness and Ben uttered
> 
> 
> “I don’t like this at all!”
> 
> 
> The ride took a little less than an hour.  We first drove south across the countryside and then headed west towards Maalaea Harbor, and then we drove north along the coast to Ka’anapali.
> 
> 
> We arrived at our resort without incident.  And without any photos of the trip since not only am I the designated driver, I am also the official family photographer.



UGH!  I had a similar experience but in reverse this last work trip.  I had booked a corolla, got their late and all that was "left" was a mustang convertible or I could pay to upgrade to an SUV.  UGH!  Convertibles are theft magnets and you can't see for squat.  Not to mention it screams TOURIST and I had my local co worker giving me crap for days!

I have booked/rebooked our April car now at least 3 times trying to get the biggest sedan with a full trunk (non SUV for aforementioned theft reasons) possible for the lowest price.  Total pita and they will probably try to give me something else anyway and I'll throw a little fit.

I'm stressed just reading this.  Glad you made it to the resort ok!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Oh My Goodness what a beautiful walk early in the morning! Simply beautiful!!

Have to agree with you on driving while on vacation. Totally hate it which is another reason why I love WDW as its so easy to do without the car . We did hire one the first time we went to Florida in1993 but the whole 'wrong side of the road' really threw us when it can to road junctions and then add in being able to turn against a red light some of the time and well it simply wasn't pretty. Our rental spent more time parked than on the road lol
We have driven in Italy, Spain , Portugal, Lanzarote and nothing but nothing was scarier than driving from Pisa airport in Italy. No idea what their rules are for road users as they clearly don't follow ANY of them!


----------



## Wood Nymph

On one of our early trips to Hawaii it was dark by the time we got to whatever island we were traveling to. After at least thirteen hours of flying time and a heck of a long day, we had to figure out how to find our way in the dark to our resort. Hawaii doesn't have street lights like they do in the Chicago metropolitan area. And for some reason my eyes didn't want to work. 

Our second rental car experience is similar to yours. It was the trip to Maui with our two teenage daughters and we though it would be fun to get a Mustang convertible for the island. What a mistake that was. The back seat was very small and the girls complained a lot about it. I sat back there once and indeed, it was tight. And we had done a lot of traveling, like the road to Hana, for example. We really regretted that decision to rent a small car, especially when it got too hot to have the convertible top down.


----------



## natebenma

eandesmom said:


> UGH!  I actually drive primarily in rx sunglasses but I know the feeling of not having what you want and are used to and it's stressful!  I hate driving elsewhere.  When I can, I'll skip a car be it for work or personal.  In Hawaii it is not an option.  When it's vacation not such a biggie as Jeff likes to drive (though we skip it at Disney) but for work it's just me and I can't stand it.  Hawaii can be particularily challenging.
> 
> 
> UGH!  I had a similar experience but in reverse this last work trip.  I had booked a corolla, got their late and all that was "left" was a mustang convertible or I could pay to upgrade to an SUV.  UGH!  Convertibles are theft magnets and you can't see for squat.  Not to mention it screams TOURIST and I had my local co worker giving me crap for days!
> 
> I have booked/rebooked our April car now at least 3 times trying to get the biggest sedan with a full trunk (non SUV for aforementioned theft reasons) possible for the lowest price.  Total pita and they will probably try to give me something else anyway and I'll throw a little fit.
> 
> I'm stressed just reading this.  Glad you made it to the resort ok!



Good luck with the car for your upcoming trip.  Now will you drive in Oahu or will Jeff?

Nate would have loved if we got a flashy sportscar, but I know that is dangerous for theft reasons. 






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Oh My Goodness what a beautiful walk early in the morning! Simply beautiful!!
> 
> Have to agree with you on driving while on vacation. Totally hate it which is another reason why I love WDW as its so easy to do without the car . We did hire one the first time we went to Florida in1993 but the whole 'wrong side of the road' really threw us when it can to road junctions and then add in being able to turn against a red light some of the time and well it simply wasn't pretty. Our rental spent more time parked than on the road lol
> We have driven in Italy, Spain , Portugal, Lanzarote and nothing but nothing was scarier than driving from Pisa airport in Italy. No idea what their rules are for road users as they clearly don't follow ANY of them!



Thank you!  It was a beautiful walk.  I loved watching the surfers and paddleboarders out at sunrise.

I would be terrified of driving in Europe and I can certainly understand how it would be difficult for you to drive here.  Heck, locals can't even maneuver our rotaries (roundabouts) properly. 

"My Mazzarati does 185!"  Driving in Italy?  No thanks!







Wood Nymph said:


> On one of our early trips to Hawaii it was dark by the time we got to whatever island we were traveling to. After at least thirteen hours of flying time and a heck of a long day, we had to figure out how to find our way in the dark to our resort. Hawaii doesn't have street lights like they do in the Chicago metropolitan area. And for some reason my eyes didn't want to work.
> 
> Our second rental car experience is similar to yours. It was the trip to Maui with our two teenage daughters and we though it would be fun to get a Mustang convertible for the island. What a mistake that was. The back seat was very small and the girls complained a lot about it. I sat back there once and indeed, it was tight. And we had done a lot of traveling, like the road to Hana, for example. We really regretted that decision to rent a small car, especially when it got too hot to have the convertible top down.



The late night drive to find your hotel sounds miserable!

Too funny about the Mustang!  That is my favorite car, and although I would like to drive one (as much as I would want to drive anything), I'll stick to a sedan.  The boys were cramped to and from the airport, but the rest of the time they were ok.  Not great, but ok.


----------



## natebenma

*Honua Kai Resort*

The Honua Kai would be our home on Maui for the next 4 nights.  It is one of the newer, if not newest, resort on Ka’anapali Beach on the west coast of Maui.  It is about 10 minutes away from Lahaina, a former whaling village and current quaint shopping spot.





We really loved this resort.  The villa was huge, the location was great, it is on a beach with fantastic snorkeling and the grounds are gorgeous.  Duke’s Restaurant is right on property (and in fact is the only restaurant on property), which is both a blessing and a curse.  00



















There are a number of beautiful pools all around the property.  















There was a plaza nearby (walking distance) that has a Times Market grocery store, pizza/Mediterranean restaurant, Hawaiian deli, shave ice, a pancake restaurant, Snorkel Bobs rental and more! I’ll talk about this later.  


*Next up:  You Need an Engineering Degree to Stay in this Room (And That Doesn't Even Help!)*


----------



## natebenma

*You Need an Engineering Degree to Stay in this Room (And That Doesn't Even Help!)*

*Room 324, 1 Bedroom villa*



We have never stayed in a villa-style room with the boys before (only hotel rooms) and they could not believe all of the space we had.



















 





[/URL
]



[URL=http://s657.photobucket.com/user/natebenma/media/Hawaii/Maui/P1240632.jpg.html]
	







The bathroom was enormous and had a separate tub and shower.














I loved the huge balcony and the view!















We loved the room, and all of the appliances were new and upscale, but within 5 minutes of being in there we couldn’t figure out how any of them worked, I made two calls to housekeeping and we had a visit from maintenance.


The room was very warm and Mark tried and tried to adjust the thermostat, but he could not get it working.  That was one call and visit from maintenance.  I can’t remember what the guy did to reset the thermostat, but it was not something we would have been able to figure out on our own.


We had trouble figuring out how to get ice and water from the dispenser in the refrigerator door and I had a moment of panic when it took me awhile to determine how to operate the coffee maker.


I never did figure out the washer/dryer.  It was a combo unit and you couldn’t run one without the other.  There were a lot of times we ran a load of laundry, but when we were finished, it wasn’t dry.  We couldn’t figure out how to adjust the drier so we had to keep redoing the laundry and hope it would dry.  It seems like we were constantly running the washer/dryer whenever we were in the room. 

It was great having high tech appliances, but I wish they would have left the manuals in a drawer or something. 

*Next Up: Duke's Restaurant*[/URL]


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Wow that villa is gorgeous. Sometimes I fantasize about staying at a villa simply for the ease of doing laundry but that only works if you can actually figure the machines  (ok pretend that's a washing/dryer combo)lol


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

What a lovely resort. And those rainbows seem to be following you.

I love pools with a little character to them, almost like they weren't man made. It looks a little like everything was built around them.

That room is almost like staying in a condo. So much room!! My goodness that balcony is HUGE!


----------



## Wood Nymph

We've had some challenging appliance controls when we've stayed in villas and condos, too. I remember one coffee maker that frustrated me to no end, which is not a good thing when you wake up and really need that cup of coffee. The washers and dryers, mostly washers, have been tricky, too. I had a little trouble with the one in our OKW villa. I think I ended up washing those clothes more than once until I got a whole cycle to run.

The villa looks really nice. I like the view. We stayed in that Ka'anapli area, too.


----------



## jenseib

We had the Versa last year in Orlando....the biggest piece of crap I have ever driven and yes very small!  We made due but I would really try to avoid them at all cost if I can in the future.

What a fabulous resort.  It is really spacious.  Too bad it was too high tech.  I hate when I can't figure out how to work things.


----------



## sharona

Oooh you stayed at Honua Kai!  We were thisclose to booking there when we went on our Maui/Oahu trip in 2013 but we ended up at Maui Ka'anapali Villas which is just down the beach - we loved it and it had great snorkeling right next door on the reef at "airport" beach.  No laundry in the unit though which was a pita.  HK looks gorgeous!  So new and modern, just what I love.  One of the things that scared me away from there were the reviews about how windy it was by the pool, what did you think?

I've seen those Versas and they are tiny, can't imagine fitting 4 people plus the luggage!  I know you don't rent cars often but next time try National - no waiting in line at the counter and you can pick something from the Aisle so you get what you need, although in Maui choices are limited.  We're opposites on this - I don't mind driving so we always get a car on vacation at WDW or Universal, even on Oahu we rented one for a few days. 

Can't wait to hear all about your adventures on Maui.


----------



## dtr_angel

The resort looks gorgeous! I love the villa, bummer about the appliances though! Having a washer and dryer has been our favorite part of staying off site at disney.


----------



## hill6

Dee I just read about the attempted scamming and the crazy cab ride.  Makes me glad we had a car and didn't have to take a cab back.   The pictures from the top of a Diamond Head brings back many memories of the beautiful view and the many steps it took to get there.  We thought folks were insane to even attempt running there.mm


----------



## hill6

Dee just had Red Lobster last night.  I love breaking up the biscuits into the clam chowder (New England of course).


----------



## eandesmom

The resort looks gorgeous, live that area. We usually stay in a condo about 10 min north of ka'anapali and then drive over. Lovely! But not fun at all about the appliances and dryer, that's a pita.

Have the boys adapted back to a regular hotel room now?


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Wow that villa is gorgeous. Sometimes I fantasize about staying at a villa simply for the ease of doing laundry but that only works if you can actually figure the machines  (ok pretend that's a washing/dryer combo)lol



We loved our stay at this resort.  The villa was huge and it was fantastic to have all that space!  Especially the balcony.

Great smilie to represent how I felt.  We don't normally do laundry while on vacation- overpacking is my preferred method of travelling!  But with a two week trip and airport luggage charges, we didn't have a choice.  I think the only other time we have used a laundry room while on a trip was our trip to Disney during Tropical Storm Faye.  Our clothes were so wet that we had to use the dryers.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> What a lovely resort. And those rainbows seem to be following you.
> 
> I love pools with a little character to them, almost like they weren't man made. It looks a little like everything was built around them.
> 
> That room is almost like staying in a condo. So much room!! My goodness that balcony is HUGE!



Well, Hawaii is kind of known for rainbows.    Although fortunately, we weren't plagued by a lot of rain, so I think we had less than our quota.  And that is OK!

It seemed like there were a lot of little pool areas- they were really pretty and as you pointed out, looked very natural.

The villa really was spacious and oh, that balcony!!!  Lots of seating and a great place for a cup of coffee or an al fresco meal.

:



Wood Nymph said:


> We've had some challenging appliance controls when we've stayed in villas and condos, too. I remember one coffee maker that frustrated me to no end, which is not a good thing when you wake up and really need that cup of coffee. The washers and dryers, mostly washers, have been tricky, too. I had a little trouble with the one in our OKW villa. I think I ended up washing those clothes more than once until I got a whole cycle to run.
> 
> The villa looks really nice. I like the view. We stayed in that Ka'anapli area, too.



I made sure I figured out the coffee maker in the daylight hours before going to bed.  I can't imagine it would have been pretty if I was struggling to figure out how to make coffee first thing in the morning, without the benefit of caffeine.  

It is reassuring to hear that we are not the only ones who struggle when encountering new appliances.  As luvpoohandcompany pointed out






jenseib said:


> We had the Versa last year in Orlando....the biggest piece of crap I have ever driven and yes very small!  We made due but I would really try to avoid them at all cost if I can in the future.
> 
> What a fabulous resort.  It is really spacious.  Too bad it was too high tech.  I hate when I can't figure out how to work things.



Duly noted on the Versa!

I guess the large room made up for the itty bitty car.






sharona said:


> Oooh you stayed at Honua Kai!  We were thisclose to booking there when we went on our Maui/Oahu trip in 2013 but we ended up at Maui Ka'anapali Villas which is just down the beach - we loved it and it had great snorkeling right next door on the reef at "airport" beach.  No laundry in the unit though which was a pita.  HK looks gorgeous!  So new and modern, just what I love.  One of the things that scared me away from there were the reviews about how windy it was by the pool, what did you think?
> 
> I've seen those Versas and they are tiny, can't imagine fitting 4 people plus the luggage!  I know you don't rent cars often but next time try National - no waiting in line at the counter and you can pick something from the Aisle so you get what you need, although in Maui choices are limited.  We're opposites on this - I don't mind driving so we always get a car on vacation at WDW or Universal, even on Oahu we rented one for a few days.
> 
> Can't wait to hear all about your adventures on Maui.



The Honua Kai was fabulous.  Pretty much everything we needed.  The only thing missing was a place where we could grab something to eat quickly and economically (there was a small market there with big prices), but it was very easy to get to the nearby grocery store and plaza.

The snorkeling was awesome and we loved not having to leave the resort whenever we wanted to go.  We saw all sorts of colorful fish, turtles, rays (including an eagle ray) and some pretty coral.

We didn't spend any time sitting at the pool.  Mark and I went for a dip each night in one of the smaller waterfall pools, but it was protected by surrounding rocks so we didn't notice a lot of wind.

Getting to and from the airport in the Versa was like a version of Tetris played with humans and luggage.  I am very short, so I had plenty of leg room and the size of the car didn't bother me!

We have an SUV (through Avis) reserved for our summer trip to Yellowstone.

That should be big enough.






dtr_angel said:


> The resort looks gorgeous! I love the villa, bummer about the appliances though! Having a washer and dryer has been our favorite part of staying off site at disney.



It truly was a fantastic resort.  The appliances were a headache, but it is just occurring to me now that we probably could have looked up the appliance manuals online, at least for the washer/dryer.  It frustrated me that I had to keep running it because I HATE wasting water and electricity.






hill6 said:


> Dee I just read about the attempted scamming and the crazy cab ride.  Makes me glad we had a car and didn't have to take a cab back.   The pictures from the top of a Diamond Head brings back many memories of the beautiful view and the many steps it took to get there.  We thought folks were insane to even attempt running there.mm



I guess we had a big bulls-eye on us that said "Tourist Family!"

It was totally worth it getting to Diamond Head.  So beautiful!

The runners were crazy though!!!






hill6 said:


> Dee just had Red Lobster last night.  I love breaking up the biscuits into the clam chowder (New England of course).



I hope you enjoyed the meal more than we did.

New England clam chowder is really the only way to go!!! Mark and I worked for a small local based chain seafood restaurant, Weathervane Seafoods.  When they opened a couple of restaurants in NY, and we served the clam chowder, people freaked out because it wasn't red.  They also had issues with the steamer clams because they were used to littlenecks.  





eandesmom said:


> The resort looks gorgeous, live that area. We usually stay in a condo about 10 min north of ka'anapali and then drive over. Lovely! But not fun at all about the appliances and dryer, that's a pita.
> 
> Have the boys adapted back to a regular hotel room now?



Maui was so nice and I really loved the Ka'anapali area.

Great villa except that it made me feel stupid!  

They had to adjust to a regular hotel room before the end of our trip when we stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island.  We did fine at the Hard Rock since we don't spend a lot of time in the room.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

I was thinking of you last night as there was a tv program with 2 chefs, 1 of whom was from here Paul Rankin, cooking a meal for a family of Scottish descent who live in Boston. They tasted your creamy clam chowder and then did their version of it for the family to judge, oh and there was Boston cream pie for dessert but I can't remember what the main was. Anyhow that was a long way of saying it all made me think of you. Boston looks very pretty indeed


----------



## hill6

Just caught up with the rest of your report.   You would have hated our Hawaii trip.  We had five different rental car reservations.    


Red Lobster wasn't too bad.  Definitely not as good as the wonderful seafood we had when we lived in Newport.   I loved going to the boat docks and buying cull lobsters for $2.99 a pound.   Also the tremendous chowda at Brick Alkey Pub (a must if you go to Newport).  Loved it there.


----------



## WDW2012

Finally catching up on the DIS. I know the feeling of not wanting to rent a car in a strange place.  I remember when we went to Hawaii eons ago when either GPS was not readily available or we were too cheap to get it and we had the toughest time with all the street names!  That last villa was beautiful!


----------



## jwwi

Such a beautiful villa, your balcony just rocks!  How fun for the boys, and you and Mark, to get some private space.  Car rental can just be so frustrating sometime.  I just want a free upgrade, or what I rented, quit bugging me!


----------



## sharona

WDW2012 said:


> Finally catching up on the DIS. I know the feeling of not wanting to rent a car in a strange place.  I remember when we went to Hawaii eons ago when either GPS was not readily available or we were too cheap to get it and we had the toughest time with all the street names!  That last villa was beautiful!



On Oahu, our GPS kept calling the Like Like Highway (pronounced Leekie Leekie) the like like highway.   We thought it was hilarious at the time.  Hmm, that was funnier before I typed it out.  Oh well...


----------



## teekathepony

Oh my word, what an absolutely gorgeous resort, and what a room! So much space! Look at those pools... I'm drooling just thinking of all that tropical warmth.
I should apologize for having a bit of a laugh over your misfortune with all the techy stuff. I would have had the same troubles!


----------



## natebenma

Once again, sorry to take so long to update!

I'll place the blame "To Life!"  (little Fiddler reference there!)  



luvpoohandcompany said:


> I was thinking of you last night as there was a tv program with 2 chefs, 1 of whom was from here Paul Rankin, cooking a meal for a family of Scottish descent who live in Boston. They tasted your creamy clam chowder and then did their version of it for the family to judge, oh and there was Boston cream pie for dessert but I can't remember what the main was. Anyhow that was a long way of saying it all made me think of you. Boston looks very pretty indeed



Connecting food with thoughts of me-  that sounds about right!

Yum!!! Sounds like a fantastic hometown meal!  Maybe Yankee pot roast for the entrée???






hill6 said:


> Just caught up with the rest of your report.   You would have hated our Hawaii trip.  We had five different rental car reservations.
> 
> Red Lobster wasn't too bad.  Definitely not as good as the wonderful seafood we had when we lived in Newport.   I loved going to the boat docks and buying cull lobsters for $2.99 a pound.   Also the tremendous chowda at Brick Alkey Pub (a must if you go to Newport).  Loved it there.



I know!  I remember our discussions before my trip when you warned me to be sure to have my rental car reservations all set and I told you we didn't like to rent cars.

I love someone who uses the term "cull".  $2.99 a pound is awesome for lobster.  They are $10.99 a pound around here right now, the highest I have ever seen.






WDW2012 said:


> Finally catching up on the DIS. I know the feeling of not wanting to rent a car in a strange place.  I remember when we went to Hawaii eons ago when either GPS was not readily available or we were too cheap to get it and we had the toughest time with all the street names!  That last villa was beautiful!



I can't even imagine driving around (especially Oahu) without technical help!  Maui was not too bad because it was mainly one highway with well-marked roads.  Not sure how long it has been like that.

We loved the villa in Maui!!!






jwwi said:


> Such a beautiful villa, your balcony just rocks!  How fun for the boys, and you and Mark, to get some private space.  Car rental can just be so frustrating sometime.  I just want a free upgrade, or what I rented, quit bugging me!



The villa was spectacular and I am still in shock about how big that balcony was!  An oversized table and plenty of seating with room left over.

I know!  Stop trying to scare me about the size of the car (even if you are right)  






sharona said:


> On Oahu, our GPS kept calling the Like Like Highway (pronounced Leekie Leekie) the like like highway.   We thought it was hilarious at the time.  Hmm, that was funnier before I typed it out.  Oh well...



No, that is really funny!!! 

My boys would be repeating "Like Like"  for the entire trip.

OK, maybe that would be less funny as it got old.






teekathepony said:


> Oh my word, what an absolutely gorgeous resort, and what a room! So much space! Look at those pools... I'm drooling just thinking of all that tropical warmth.
> I should apologize for having a bit of a laugh over your misfortune with all the techy stuff. I would have had the same troubles!



After this winter, we all deserve a little tropical treat!

I'm not comfortable from high-tech stuff here, never mind away, but to have Mark perplexed was the really surprising part.


----------



## natebenma

*Duke's Beachhouse Restaurant*

After settling in to our room and wrestling with the appliances, we were hungry.  It was time for a late lunch/early dinner.  Fortunately (and unfortunately) Duke’s Beachhouse is the only restaurant on the property.  Great food! Resort prices! 


Duke’s Beachhouse Website





















The views from Duke's in Maui do not rival the ones of Diamondhead in Oahu, but they are not bad! 











Continued in Next Post- Duke's Food Porn


----------



## natebenma

*Duke's Food Porn*

There are different menus offered throughout the day and depending on whether you are eating in the bar or dining room.  

Duke’s Beachhouse Website

We ordered from the Keiki Bar Lunch & Dinner menu, and I believe it was “Aloha Hour, 3-5 pm” so there was a deal on the Mai Tais, $6.  


 




Ho Daddy Fish and Chips -Kona Brewing Co. Fire Rock Pale Ale battered, citrus herbed tartar sauce  $16.50




Beachside Grilled Tacos-Fresh line caught fish OR dry rubbed Certified Angus Beef® steak, flour tortillas, cilantro-lime cream, avocado-tomato salsa $16.50





Steak & Fries-Double R Ranch Signature beef, shoestring fries, arugula salad, citrus butter $23.25




Kaanapali Luau Plate-Kalua pork, teriyaki chicken & steak kabob*, steamed rice, ginger bok choy $23.25




Dessert was a foregone conclusion-  when you are at Duke’s you get the Hula Pie  (and apparently also the lava cake) 






*From the menu:

Hula Pie*

Okay, its time you know about the Kimo’s Original Hula Pie®. Billed as “this is what the sailors swam ashore for in Lahaina” this dessert that was developed at Kimo’s long ago and has been pleasing even the heartiest of dessert eaters ever since.

Hula Pie is made with Kimo’s favorite macadamia nut ice cream piled high on a chocolate cookie crust and topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and more macadamia nuts. It is sized for sharing, but rarely goes unfinished! Come on in and enjoy a slice. Although created at Kimo’s, Hula Pie is now a favorite at most of our restaurants.

Aloha!

*How to eat a Hula Pie*

*Size it Up.* Choosing your angle is very important in a situation like this.

*Turn it on its side.* It’s pretty when you first get it, but now it is time to eat.

*Let each flavor be known.* With a dark chocolate cookie crust, macadamia nut ice cream, rich fudge sauce, macadamia nuts and whipped cream there’s a lot of tasting to be done.

*Finish it Off!* Don’t be shy, whether you are with a group or all by your lonesome, it’s rewarding (and very possible) to finish.








The above 3 images are from our next visit but are here to demonstrate that we can follow instructions!
ETA: You can't really tell unless you look closely at the pictures, but they give you a spork, or at least a spoon with jagged teeth, so you can tear into the ice cream pie. 


Everything was fantastic!!! I don’t have a copy of our receipt for this meal because there was an offer to turn in our check for a free Hula Pie on a subsequent visit. I'll see if I can find what we paid for the meal on our resort bill or charge statement.  


Continued in Next Post: Times to go shopping


----------



## natebenma

*Times to Go Shopping*

When we finished eating, it was time to burn off our meal with a walk.  I mentioned in an earlier post that there was a grocery store, the Times Market, and other restaurants and shops, in a nearby Plaza.  The problem was, we didn’t know exactly where it was. 


I suggested asking someone in the lobby where it was, but Mark wanted to try out the walking directions on his phone.  He set our destination and off we went…


Down the road that we had entered to get to the resort.  We got to the intersection where we turned from the main road.  There was a little plaza across the street, so we crossed over to check it out.


The only place I can remember was “Sketchy Sal’s Snorkel Supplies”.


Ok, that was not really the name, but a pretty good description.  Of course, we walked in.  It was about a billion degrees in there and there may have been a haze of smoke coming from the back room.  The store had lots of beach stuff for rent- chairs, snorkel equipment, etc.  and the prices seemed reasonable.  It was about 10 minutes to 5, closing time, and the guy in there didn’t really seem very interested in selling us anything.


We told him we were looking for the grocery store.


“Yeah, man, follow the main road to the next light, cross over there and you will see it.  Best sushi on the island!”


What are the chances that these directions were any good???  And that the sushi was edible?


Apparently, excellent! 


We found the plaza and checked out the offerings.  There was a pancake restaurant, Pizza Paradiso/Mediterranean Restaurant, a Hawaiian Deli and a place to get shave ice.


Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill


There was also a “Snorkel Bob’s”, a small chain store where you can rent whatever you need for the beach. 



Snorkel Bob's Website




Times Supermarket Website

We went into the Times Market to pick up a few things to stock up our villa.  I didn’t take pictures because it felt strange taking pictures at a grocery store, where both locals and tourists were shopping.  They did indeed have a large sushi section (we picked some up), some interesting tropical soft drinks, a lot of prepared items to grab and go, along with regular grocery items.


On this first stock up trip, we picked up two kinds of sushi, soft drinks, POG (Passion Orange Guava juice), microwave breakfast sandwiches (don’t judge), bread, peanut butter, jelly, chips, bagels, cream cheese, pickles, cupcakes and soy sauce, $65.68. 


I wanted to pick up some local beer that was on sale, $10 for a six pack, but Mark said he probably wouldn’t have any.  The shocking truth is that we don’t drink much, vacation or otherwise and I knew I wouldn’t drink it all myself.  I think I could have purchased a bottle or two for around $3 each, but cheapskate logic prevented me from doing that.  I can’t pay $3 a bottle when I can get six for $10.  And because of my New England frugality, I can’t buy 6 when I will only drink one or two. 




When our shopping trip was done, we returned to the resort, much more quickly than the time it took us to walk there since we had walked a complete rectangular path getting there and back.  

We had ended up walking along the street, pretty much following the blue-dotted path in this picture, but if we had just walked across the resort lawn, (along the beaten-down path everyone else uses) it is a straight shot, about 5 minutes.  







We put away our groceries, unpacked, did some laundry and got ready for our first full day on Maui.


*Next up:  Our “Do Nothing” day.*


----------



## sharona

Yuummmmy Hula Pie!  One of the many reasons to go back to Hawaii.  Summer 2016 I think for us!  Great update.  Looking forward to more.


----------



## eandesmom

Hmmmn you know I love my Dukes!  But yeah, it's pricey.  Not that it isn't any worse than most downtown restaurants here but it's not brew pub pricing (but has that vibe) Pretty much why I always eat in the bar, or go for brunch, so I can order off of the bar menu.  I was just crunching some budget numbers yesterday for our trip and it really chaps my hide how the dinner menus everywhere go through the roof.  If only the lunch menus were also always available at dinner.  But I digress.

Glad you liked it!  Cracking up about the beer though, that's pretty funny.

I know that market well.  We have stayed multiple times in a friends condo at Aston Kaanapali shores which is practically across the street so we would walk over and buy all our groceries there and not bother driving.  Bought one of the best maps ever from that Snorkel Bob's.  A $2 "where to hike in Maui" paper "map"/flyer.  It was the best off the beaten track random thing we ever could have snapped up!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Mai Tai for $6, not too bad. But holy WOW $16.50 for Fish & Chips? Yikes. Definitely not an every day eat out type of place. But the desserts do look tasty, as does the scenery.

Well, look at it this way Dee. You wanted to walk off the meal, so the long way to the Market was possibly just a subconscious way to accomplish that.


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> The views from Duke's in Maui do not rival the ones of Diamondhead in Oahu, but they are not bad!


One of my favorite things about Hawaii is all the outdoor dining options. We don't get much of a chance to eat outdoors here in the Midwest, and when we do it mostly involves air pollution  , so the soft ocean breezes in Hawaii make it a very special treat. Your restaurant looks very typical of the standard island resort restaurants. I always liked the fact that these were not usually chain restaurants like we get at home.



natebenma said:


> Beachside Grilled Tacos-Fresh line caught fish


 The first place I ever had a fish taco was in Hawaii. I like that the fish is grilled. Around here most of the fish that is served in a fish taco is battered and fired, just like a fish stick. They have no idea how to properly prepare a fish taco when they serve it that way. 



natebenma said:


> I wanted to pick up some local beer that was on sale, $10 for a six pack, but Mark said he probably wouldn’t have any. The shocking truth is that we don’t drink much, vacation or otherwise and I knew I wouldn’t drink it all myself. I think I could have purchased a bottle or two for around $3 each, but cheapskate logic prevented me from doing that. I can’t pay $3 a bottle when I can get six for $10. And because of my New England frugality, I can’t buy 6 when I will only drink one or two.


 You sound like me  We don't drink much, either. And I wouldn't have bought the bottle of beer, either.


----------



## jwwi

Yum, POG juice.  I just love that stuff; plain, mixed with diet white soda with or without some rum.  So good, and I sure miss it.  Have tried to find it here, but have not had any success.  LOL about the beer.  Depends on who I'm with, but our last trip we may have made frequent stops to the store to stock up on liquor.  There were six of us, and we cooked at the condo most nights.  When we traveled with the kids as they were growing up, I rarely drank, and I can assure you that it wasn't because the trips with kids are more relaxing.  Love your view at lunch, some of the best meals are enjoyed outdoors.  Can't wait to see more of the Island, even if you did nothing but sit on the beach.


----------



## natebenma

sharona said:


> Yuummmmy Hula Pie!  One of the many reasons to go back to Hawaii.  Summer 2016 I think for us!  Great update.  Looking forward to more.



The Hula Pie was great.  Whatever excuse you need to get back to the islands!  That is exciting that you are planning on next summer!

Not sure about us.  The next trip there will be without Nate and Ben.  And our 30th anniversary is in 2016.  Hawaii is definitely a contender!






eandesmom said:


> Hmmmn you know I love my Dukes! But yeah, it's pricey. Not that it isn't any worse than most downtown restaurants here but it's not brew pub pricing (but has that vibe) Pretty much why I always eat in the bar, or go for brunch, so I can order off of the bar menu. I was just crunching some budget numbers yesterday for our trip and it really chaps my hide how the dinner menus everywhere go through the roof. If only the lunch menus were also always available at dinner. But I digress.



We made up for missing Dukes on Oahu while staying at the Honua Kai!  I'm not sure if they had a brunch at the Dukes in Maui.  I'm thinking no.

We find we often eat our big meal at lunch, so that works in our favor.  Would not want to be around when you were crunching your meals budget for Hawaii!!!

We missed out on Monkeypod on Maui, but I bet that will be part of your upcoming plans!






eandesmom said:


> Glad you liked it! Cracking up about the beer though, that's pretty funny.



Looking back, I really should have just got the six pack.  




eandesmom said:


> I know that market well. We have stayed multiple times in a friends condo at Aston Kaanapali shores which is practically across the street so we would walk over and buy all our groceries there and not bother driving. Bought one of the best maps ever from that Snorkel Bob's. A $2 "where to hike in Maui" paper "map"/flyer. It was the best off the beaten track random thing we ever could have snapped up!



We loved stopping by the market.  We went 3 or 4 times.

Oh, the Maui hiking map sounds awesome!  Such a bargain!  We didn't really have a lot of extra time, but a hike would definitely be something I would try to fit in if it was convenient.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Mai Tai for $6, not too bad. But holy WOW $16.50 for Fish & Chips? Yikes. Definitely not an every day eat out type of place. But the desserts do look tasty, as does the scenery.
> 
> Well, look at it this way Dee. You wanted to walk off the meal, so the long way to the Market was possibly just a subconscious way to accomplish that.



Dining in Hawaii is NOT for the faint of wallet!

I guess the Fish and Chips are expensive compared to what you get at Rose and Crown. Who knew Disney could be considered "inexpensive"

All the food was good. 

We probably needed to walk twice as far as we did to walk off that Hula Pie!






Wood Nymph said:


> One of my favorite things about Hawaii is all the outdoor dining options. We don't get much of a chance to eat outdoors here in the Midwest, and when we do it mostly involves air pollution  , so the soft ocean breezes in Hawaii make it a very special treat. Your restaurant looks very typical of the standard island resort restaurants. I always liked the fact that these were not usually chain restaurants like we get at home.



Dukes was the perfect open air restaurant.  Mark is not a huge fan of dining outdoors because you can't control the weather or the flies, but we enjoyed Dukes and we ate outside on the balcony of our room.  We have a large screened in 3 season porch here at home and that is where we eat in the summer.





Wood Nymph said:


> The first place I ever had a fish taco was in Hawaii. I like that the fish is grilled. Around here most of the fish that is served in a fish taco is battered and fired, just like a fish stick. They have no idea how to properly prepare a fish taco when they serve it that way.



You are correct!  A fish taco should be grilled fish.  Otherwise it is just a fish sandwich, even if it is served in a tortilla.



Wood Nymph said:


> You sound like me  We don't drink much, either. And I wouldn't have bought the bottle of beer, either.



I think we would get along just fine, having drinks together. Or not!

:




jwwi said:


> Yum, POG juice.  I just love that stuff; plain, mixed with diet white soda with or without some rum.  So good, and I sure miss it.  Have tried to find it here, but have not had any success.  LOL about the beer.  Depends on who I'm with, but our last trip we may have made frequent stops to the store to stock up on liquor.  There were six of us, and we cooked at the condo most nights.  When we traveled with the kids as they were growing up, I rarely drank, and I can assure you that it wasn't because the trips with kids are more relaxing.  Love your view at lunch, some of the best meals are enjoyed outdoors.  Can't wait to see more of the Island, even if you did nothing but sit on the beach.



  POG!!!

Is that what the juice is at Kona or Ohana at Disney?

The main reason we don't drink a lot is the expense.  When we vacation at an all-inclusive place we have a few drinks each day, but still not a lot.  I am encouraged by my kids reactions when they see others who drink in excess.  The boys comment about how stupid they look!



We dined outdoors more in Hawaii than we normally do.


----------



## hill6

Loved Dukes in Oahu.  Ate there twice.  The Hula Pie was amazing.  We stayed at the hotel and the same view from our room that the restaurant did.


----------



## MEK

That Hula pie looks amazing.  You whole dinner looks delish and that view is phenomenal.  

How great that you found a convenient grocery story, but I definitely think you should have bought that beer.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Dukes looks lovely and I didn't think the price was too bad for such a tasty meal but maybe that's just because I'm used to Disney/Belfast prices!  Love that you found a grocery store and your budget conscious logic sounds scarily like my own although I'd probably have bought the beer and then convinced my husband he really wanted one lol


----------



## hill6

Wow $10.99 a pound for culls. That is horrible.


----------



## KatMark

I'm very slowly getting around to all my subscribed threads. I can't imagine what will happen when I'm gone for 8 days in May. 

Your resort looks lovely (love the pools) and your villa is absolutely spectacular. Too bad about the appliances and not figuring them out.

Dinner looks extremely yummy. I don't eat pie, but that chocolate cake looks really good.

Glad you finally found the grocery store and were able to get some things.

Can't wait to hear about the first full day on Maui.


----------



## teekathepony

Yum! Food porn looks really, really good. That hula pie... omg... looks and sounds so good.
Glad you found the grocery store!


----------



## natebenma

hill6 said:


> Loved Dukes in Oahu.  Ate there twice.  The Hula Pie was amazing.  We stayed at the hotel and the same view from our room that the restaurant did.



We were sorry we didn't get to eat at Dukes in Oahu, but we made up for it in Maui.  Yes, the Hula Pie was incredible!  I'm glad there were four of us.  Are you able to post a picture of the view from your hotel room?  Bet it was spectacular!!! I can't remember, were you there one night or two, before/after the cruise?

:




MEK said:


> That Hula pie looks amazing.  You whole dinner looks delish and that view is phenomenal.
> 
> How great that you found a convenient grocery story, but I definitely think you should have bought that beer.



Yes, the meal was great.  Almost all of the food we got at Dukes was great.  There was just one dish that we weren't wild about.

Beer Run Fail!!!  You are right!  I should have gotten the beer.  Still regret it a bit. 






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Dukes looks lovely and I didn't think the price was too bad for such a tasty meal but maybe that's just because I'm used to Disney/Belfast prices!  Love that you found a grocery store and your budget conscious logic sounds scarily like my own although I'd probably have bought the beer and then convinced my husband he really wanted one lol



Your approach to a potential excess of beer is much better than mine!!!






hill6 said:


> Wow $10.99 a pound for culls. That is horrible.



Well, the $10.99 is for chicken lobsters, but still...  




KatMark said:


> I'm very slowly getting around to all my subscribed threads. I can't imagine what will happen when I'm gone for 8 days in May.
> 
> Your resort looks lovely (love the pools) and your villa is absolutely spectacular. Too bad about the appliances and not figuring them out.
> 
> Dinner looks extremely yummy. I don't eat pie, but that chocolate cake looks really good.
> 
> Glad you finally found the grocery store and were able to get some things.
> 
> Can't wait to hear about the first full day on Maui.



That's ok, I'm behind everywhere too, especially on my own threads!

The villa was fantastic!

The pie is actually more of an ice cream pie/cake.

Maui coming up. 






teekathepony said:


> Yum! Food porn looks really, really good. That hula pie... omg... looks and sounds so good.
> Glad you found the grocery store!



Not only do I have enticing pictures, I included a sultry description of the Hula Pie, too.  I take my Food Porn seriously!


----------



## natebenma

*Monday July 21, Maui*
*Our "Do Nothing" Day*

I am missing a series of pictures from this day.  Not a lot- 35 or so- but I can’t figure out what happened.  The last pictures I have from the previous day are from exploring the beach and the next pictures I have are from the following day, back at the beach after breakfast.

This was the only morning of our trip when we had breakfast plans.  I mentioned earlier that on all the islands we visited, there is an orientation breakfast put on by the tour company we booked with.  They provide a continental breakfast, show slides about the island and then describe the various excursions that they have available for you to book.  Representatives from some of the tours talk about their outings. 


“Our island experts will introduce you to beautiful Maui and inform you of the most exciting activities and sights to visit.  Many exclusive discounts will be offered and just for attending you will be eligible for door prize drawings”


The breakfast was at 8 am at the Royal Lahaina Resort in Ka’anapali, about a 10 minute drive from our resort. 


I KNOW I took a few pictures of the breakfast offerings, but those are some of the missing.  There were muffins, pastries, some fruit and coffee.  I don’t remember it to be exceptional- not fantastic, not bad.  


We already had the one excursion we wanted to do booked- a snorkel tour to Molokini crater.  The only other thing we were interested in hearing about was surf lessons.  


Some of the other popular tours were the Old Lahaina Luau (and other luaus), various “Road to Hana” excursions and sunrise at Haleakala Volcano.  One of the door prizes they were raffling off was a bike ride down from the peak of Haleakala.  This did not appeal to us because 1) Nate does not ride a bike 2) according to what I had read, this excursion results in a lot of injuries and 3) it is not near the beach.


Apparently you can’t give this trip away!  Out of the 10 families who were there, the first 3 who were picked turned it down  with the following excuses- heart condition, no free time, already booked or did it (right!).  We were sweating it out trying to come up with an excuse to politely turn it down, but fortunately, someone finally accepted the prize.  


Nate was impressed with the representative from Maui Wave Riders in Lahaina, so we booked surf lesson for Nate and me for Wednesday.  The other thing that both boys wanted to do was the Maui Ocean Center, an aquarium that is at Ma’alaea Harbor, right where our Molokini snorkel excursion sailed from on Tuesday.  


Convenient, no?


No!    But we will get to that tomorrow. 


Here is the brochure with the booking prices and the websites for Maui Waver Riders and the Maui Ocean Center.

 



  


 




 
http://www.mauioceancenter.com/


 
http://www.mauiwaveriders.com/


I can’t remember exactly when the orientation ended, but after we returned to our resort, it was long past due time to hit the beach! 




*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

Continued from previous post

We headed to the beach at our resort, part of Ka'anapali Beach.







 


Nate doesn’t really like snorkeling that much, so he hung out on the beach, reading (or looking at his phone), while we were in the water. 

 


I think some of my snorkeling pictures are missing, but this is what I have:


Turtle



Corals



Humuhumu Nukunuku Apuaa (Triggerfish), Longnose Butterfly Fish, Raccoon Butterfly Fish




Raccoon Butterfly Fish




Ornate Butterfly Fish



We swam until it was time to head back for some lunch in the room- PB&J Sandwiches and Sushi.  


*Next up on our “Do Nothing Day”-  Shave Ice is Nice, Another Trip to the Strip Mall  and More Snorkeling! *


----------



## sharona

Looking at those brochures, I'm having flashbacks to how expensive everything is in Hawaii in general but Maui in particular.  Maui was also a little too laid back for us!  I enjoyed it on my honeymoon and on our family visit but we never did get on "Maui time" as they say.  We have that New England puritanical need to be "getting stuff done".  When we arrived in Waikiki Beach after a lovely week of beaches, snorkeling, and sunsets on Maui, DD (10 at the time) actually sighed and said "Ahhhh, civilization!"  I thought our driver was going to pee himself he was laughing so hard.  It's now a running joke in our family when we go somewhere new for her to determine if we've reached civilization or are in "the country".  I have definitely raised a city chick.  

I know your request wasn't directed toward me but we also stayed directly above Dukes on Oauhu (8th floor) and had the best view imaginable of Waikiki Beach.  We could hear the music from Duke's at night which was nice.  Hope it's ok to share a pic.  I looked but I couldn't find the ones that were not zoomed in.  Diamondhead was much further away than this pic indicates.


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

natebenma said:


> “Many exclusive discounts will be offered and just for attending you will be eligible for door prize drawings”



Wow, that kinda sounds a bit like time share speak.

I tend to be quite fine with Continental breakfasts. Usually very little waiting (unless a big crowd). Not to mention I am usually quite fond of the price.

OMG that's kind of hysterical (and sad) that the one prize couldn't even be given away. 

So very cool to see the underwater photos. Seeing that stuff in an aquarium just doesn't compare.


----------



## hill6

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hill6/8262014631/in/set-72157632215876995


https://www.flickr.com/photos/hill6/8263083258/in/set-72157632215876995


Not sure how to get the actual photos to just show up.


----------



## KatMark

Wow...those are some steep prices. I remember it was expensive almost 32 years ago but that is just crazy.

I love your snorkeling pictures...such pretty fish.

I don't like either...but PB&J and sushi sound like an odd combo.


----------



## natebenma

sharona said:


> Looking at those brochures, I'm having flashbacks to how expensive everything is in Hawaii in general but Maui in particular.  Maui was also a little too laid back for us!  I enjoyed it on my honeymoon and on our family visit but we never did get on "Maui time" as they say.  We have that New England puritanical need to be "getting stuff done".  When we arrived in Waikiki Beach after a lovely week of beaches, snorkeling, and sunsets on Maui, DD (10 at the time) actually sighed and said "Ahhhh, civilization!"  I thought our driver was going to pee himself he was laughing so hard.  It's now a running joke in our family when we go somewhere new for her to determine if we've reached civilization or are in "the country".  I have definitely raised a city chick.
> 
> I know your request wasn't directed toward me but we also stayed directly above Dukes on Oauhu (8th floor) and had the best view imaginable of Waikiki Beach.  We could hear the music from Duke's at night which was nice.  Hope it's ok to share a pic.  I looked but I couldn't find the ones that were not zoomed in.  Diamondhead was much further away than this pic indicates.



Beautiful picture!!! Thanks for sharing!  We really liked our city view from our resort on Waikiki, but wow, I would have loved this scene with my coffee on the lanai every morning!!!

That story about your daughter arriving "to civilization" cracks me up.  I think Maui was a little laid back for my teens, too.  I'm normally go-go-go, but I enjoyed  the laid-back vibe of Maui, especially after the chaos of Disneyland and all of the activity on Oahu.  There is nothing better than being able to get to a beach easily and to snorkel when we want!






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Wow, that kinda sounds a bit like time share speak.
> 
> I tend to be quite fine with Continental breakfasts. Usually very little waiting (unless a big crowd). Not to mention I am usually quite fond of the price.
> 
> OMG that's kind of hysterical (and sad) that the one prize couldn't even be given away.
> 
> So very cool to see the underwater photos. Seeing that stuff in an aquarium just doesn't compare.



I'm glad we went to the breakfast.  I wish it were a little closer to our resort (like, right there) but it wasn't bad and we didn't have any set plans that day.  It is definitely a sales-y type of presentation.

It was starting to get embarrassing when everyone was turning down the trip. The four of us were looking at each other with a "what will we do?" expression.

I'll have some aquarium pictures coming up, but it is so much more special when we see fish and other marine creatures in the wild.

:




hill6 said:


> https://www.flickr.com/photos/hill6/8262014631/in/set-72157632215876995
> 
> 
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/hill6/8263083258/in/set-72157632215876995
> 
> 
> Not sure how to get the actual photos to just show up.



Thanks for sharing the link to your pictures!!! I saw some of them- I think in your cruise report- before our trip, but it was funny to see how similar our Diamond Head pictures were.  Took that one!  That one, too!  Yup, got that one.  There's one picture in there that is a closeup of the water, where you can see the reef below.  I love that!   The sunset pictures are great!  And front row on the outrigger-  is that a good seat or not?






KatMark said:


> Wow...those are some steep prices. I remember it was expensive almost 32 years ago but that is just crazy.
> 
> I love your snorkeling pictures...such pretty fish.
> 
> I don't like either...but PB&J and sushi sound like an odd combo.



We rarely book excursions through tour companies or when we have cruised.  The internet can be a great thing, and we are often able to find recommended excursions that are similar (or better) and much less expensive than the ones offered in presentations like this.  But I'm glad we went to this.

We were really amazed at the variety and beauty of the fish in Hawaii.

I kind of thought that sounded like a weird lunch when I wrote it.


----------



## Wood Nymph

The price for the bike ride down the volcano is super expensive. I've seen those bikes going down the volcano while we were driving up it and they really travel fast. I can't see where it would be worth that cost, either.  All the interesting stuff is in the Haleakala visitor center.


----------



## jenseib

Finally caught up again.
Loving the pictures.  Meals sure are a bit pricey.  The steak actually looked like a normal price but everything else looked quite high.  I am enjoying all of this.


----------



## hill6

natebenma said:


> Thanks for sharing the link to your pictures!!! I saw some of them- I think in your cruise report- before our trip, but it was funny to see how similar our Diamond Head pictures were.  Took that one!  That one, too!  Yup, got that one.  There's one picture in there that is a closeup of the water, where you can see the reef below.  I love that!   The sunset pictures are great!  And front row on the outrigger-  is that a good seat or not?





I said the same thing when I was looking at your pictures from Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor.  


I got absolutely soaked sitting in the front seat of the outrigger.  Mike was a lot less wet sitting in one of the back seats.  The other girls in the canoe with us got to ride for free since they needed more folks to fill the boat. They pulled them off the beach.  It wasn't cheap but it was an awesome experience.  Got to cross it off the bucket list.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

That is one beautiful beach and one vey expensive price list for tours but I'm so glad you found one you liked


----------



## MEK

Your pictures are just so lovely.  I feel an inner peace whenever I see those spectacular beaches.  

WOW - want an impressive array of excursions.  They all look and sound amazing.  Is it weird that I would have taken that volcano bike ride in a hot second because I love bike riding.  I would have taken my chances, that's for sure.


----------



## MEK

Oh - and I love the snorkeling pictures.  Sorry so many are MIA!


----------



## saintstickets

Great snorkeling pics!  I just wish I could do it.  I somehow always seem to get a mask that doesn't fit right.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> The price for the bike ride down the volcano is super expensive. I've seen those bikes going down the volcano while we were driving up it and they really travel fast. I can't see where it would be worth that cost, either.  All the interesting stuff is in the Haleakala visitor center.



Even at the price of "free" there weren't many takers!

We didn't make it to Haleakala, but the visitor's center at Kilahuea was pretty cool!






jenseib said:


> Finally caught up again.
> Loving the pictures.  Meals sure are a bit pricey.  The steak actually looked like a normal price but everything else looked quite high.  I am enjoying all of this.



Thanks for reading!  Maui was pretty expensive and Dukes certainly knew they had us hostage as the only restaurant on property.






hill6 said:


> I said the same thing when I was looking at your pictures from Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor.
> 
> I got absolutely soaked sitting in the front seat of the outrigger.  Mike was a lot less wet sitting in one of the back seats.  The other girls in the canoe with us got to ride for free since they needed more folks to fill the boat. They pulled them off the beach.  It wasn't cheap but it was an awesome experience.  Got to cross it off the bucket list.



It's almost like you can enjoy someone elses photos and not even do the Diamond Head hike!  

The outrigger sounds really fun.  We saw a few of them out and about.  Lucky girls who got to ride along on your dollar!






luvpoohandcompany said:


> That is one beautiful beach and one vey expensive price list for tours but I'm so glad you found one you liked



We loved the beach.  It didn't look like your typical snorkeling beach because normally you can see the rocks/coral below the surface, but it turned out to be amazing underwater!

We were happy with the tour we had booked (although one of the Molokini snorkeling tours had a boat with a slide into the water- and maybe a glass bottom boat- which would have been fun.  But our Trilogy tour ended up being top-notch.  We were glad we found a surf school that Nate was interested in.






MEK said:


> Your pictures are just so lovely.  I feel an inner peace whenever I see those spectacular beaches.
> 
> WOW - want an impressive array of excursions.  They all look and sound amazing.  Is it weird that I would have taken that volcano bike ride in a hot second because I love bike riding.  I would have taken my chances, that's for sure.



Thank you!!!

That is funny about the bike ride.  There wouldn't have been a lot of competition!






MEK said:


> Oh - and I love the snorkeling pictures.  Sorry so many are MIA!



I just love taking pictures underwater and I am so disappointed that I lost so many at the nature preserve in Oahu (because I had the video setting on, and now I can't find the video!) and here in Maui.





saintstickets said:


> Great snorkeling pics!  I just wish I could do it.  I somehow always seem to get a mask that doesn't fit right.



Thank you.  It can be tough to get a decent fit when you have a moustache.  So I'm told.  I occasionally have problems with leaks.  Mark has his original mask from when we started snorkeling more than 20 years ago.  My trusty mask, purchased at the same time as his, had its last swim in St. Thomas in 2007 and I haven't found one I like as much since then.


----------



## natebenma

*More of our “Do Nothing Day”-  Shave Ice is Nice, Another Trip to the Strip Mall  and More Snorkeling!* 


After lunch we decided we needed to go on a road trip to find some real shave ice.  The glorified snow cone that the resort next door to us in Oahu tried to pass off as “The Best Shave Ice on Waikiki” was not. 


According to Trip Advisor and many other travel surveys, Ululani’s Hawaiian Ice in Lahaina (and other locations) is the best on the island.  Front Street along the ocean in Lahaina is famous for great restaurants, shops, bars and art galleries.  I was a little worried about parking in such a popular area, so we found a nearby shopping plaza which validated parking if you went into any of the stores. 



We walked along Front Street looking for Ululani’s.  We are not really shoppers, the shops along the street did not interest us.  There was one very large gift shop, Whaler’s General Store that we went into because they had a lot of different things like Hawaiian shirts, food, other local trinkets.  The boys got very excited when they saw “Pocky”, little chocolate covered cookie sticks, for sale.  They wanted that and Nate saw a Clif bar he wanted.  We didn’t see anything else, so we got into line.  (Of course, we could find these things very easily back home)



















*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

It took us a little while to find Ululani’s because it was actually set back into a plaza off of Front Street. 






 

http://www.ululanishawaiianshaveice.com/



The ice is shaved into special cups and then the flavor syrup is added.  There are signs all over that they are happy to add more flavor as you start eating, especially if you encounter white spots.



 





I believe I got one of their flavor combinations, the No Ka Oi:  Coconut, Mango and Liliko’I (Passionfruit).  The Mango is just slightly darker in color than the passionfruit.


The others can’t remember exactly what they got. 


Ben’s looks to be blue Hawaii and perhaps cherry






Nate’s was watermelon and some sort of orange (maybe Tiger's blood)


 


Mark has mango and maybe watermelon

 


We walked along the street a little bit more and then we were ready to go back to the resort.  But I think to validate our parking, we had to go into a shop.  Nate picked the ADIDAS store.  We purchased some t-shirts- Nate really liked one but they didn’t have it in his size.  But Mark liked it too, so he got it!!! Nate did find a shirt he liked, so we were able to take advantage of the 2 for $25 special.  





We also went into a popular island tourist shop, Hilo Hatties, but we didn’t purchase anything.  

*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

On our way back to the resort, we stopped at the nearby strip mall.  


We rented some beach gear from Snorkel Bob’s- 3 sets of fins for $8 each for the week and a beach chair for $15 for the week.  We were shocked when we returned these things 3 days later- we actually received a refund because we returned everything early.


We picked up some food from dinner Pizza Paradiso.  We got a large ½ cheese, ½ Maui Wowie pizza $20.75, a Vegetarian Platter (4 falafel fritters, two domathakia- grape leaves, hummus, baba ghannouj, yogurt sauce, tabbouleh & pita bread  ), $13.95 and a Caesar Salad ($6.95).  We had a $3.00 coupon from one of the tourist books we were given, so the total of our dinner was $40.26. 


The food was excellent!





We also stopped in at the Times Market for more sushi, drinks, dessert and donut holes for the next morning ($18.69, with a $2.53 frequent shopper discount).  


We didn’t eat right away.  We left the food and went to the beach to try out our newly rented fins and play at the beach.




























The boys returned to the room, Mark and I stopped at one of the pools-  this ended up being a nightly ritual and it was great because very few people were at the pools when we visited. 




*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post

*
We then returned to the beach for the sunset



 

 

 





 


 


 


We came back to the room and I think we relaxed for the rest of the evening- we played cards while downloading pictures onto Mark’s surface tablet.

And that was the end of our "do nothing day".

*Up Next: Snorkeling is Greater at Molokini Crater*


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Seriously Dee that sunset is simply beautiful! I love yours and Marks nightly ritual of a dip in the peaceful pool to round off the day  I must also confess I have never eaten a shaved ice! Am I missing out? They look tasty and the menu reads well but I don't think I've ever seen them for sale


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Your trip report is making me want to visit Hawaii asap!


----------



## hill6

Love the sunset pictures.

We did the luau in Lahaina.  We walked Front Street also.  Did you see the huge banyan tree there?


----------



## HockeyMomR

I love your "do nothing day"!  Great snacks, food, picture perfect sunset and the water looks lovely. 

Rebecca


----------



## saintstickets

Beautiful pics and  to a do-nothing day!  Those can make the best memories!


----------



## momabbate

Amazing pictures!!


----------



## MEK

Sorry I missed this update.  Where was I?  

I'm glad you finally found some authentic shaved ice.  I know from reading Podsnel's TRs that is a VERY big thing.  Nothing but the best.  Love the menu with all the possible add-ons.  

Sounds like fun shopping, but even better is the yummy food picture.  I would be all over that.  

The prices for your fins and chair are amazing and I can't believe they gave you a refund for returning early.  

That pool looks lovely.  I can definitely see getting into that type of evening routine.

And that sunset is to die for!  Just stunning!


----------



## KatMark

What a great do nothing day. Glad you got the right shaved ice and the sunset pictures are spectacular. You are making me want to go back more and more.


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Seriously Dee that sunset is simply beautiful! I love yours and Marks nightly ritual of a dip in the peaceful pool to round off the day  I must also confess I have never eaten a shaved ice! Am I missing out? They look tasty and the menu reads well but I don't think I've ever seen them for sale



It's so funny.  Mark refuses to look at sunrise or sunset pictures because they look different through the lens of a camera than they do just watching them.

I was surprised how much he enjoyed the nightly swim, since he doesn't usually use pools that much on vacation, especially when we have the ocean for an option.  But we took a few mid-day swim breaks at Disneyland, too.   None on our Feb Universal trip, though.  

Shave ice is definitely a Hawaiian treat.  You don't see it in too many other places.  They are good, but to be honest, I'm more of an ice cream gal.







luvpoohandcompany said:


> Your trip report is making me want to visit Hawaii asap!



Not a bad plan!  It was the right time to visit Hawaii for our family.






hill6 said:


> Love the sunset pictures.
> 
> We did the luau in Lahaina.  We walked Front Street also.  Did you see the huge banyan tree there?



Thanks!

Was it the Old Lahaina luau?  I think that is the most famous one.

You know, we must not have walked far enough in the right direction.  I'm guessing I would know if I saw the banyan tree.







HockeyMomR said:


> I love your "do nothing day"!  Great snacks, food, picture perfect sunset and the water looks lovely.
> 
> Rebecca



It was really strange for us not to have an agenda or itinerary for the day, but in spite of that, it was a great day!






saintstickets said:


> Beautiful pics and  to a do-nothing day!  Those can make the best memories!



Thanks!  It was a welcome, relaxing sort of day, which was just perfect after our 4 days at DL, the activity on Oahu and our travel day.






momabbate said:


> Amazing pictures!!



Thank you so much!!!






MEK said:


> Sorry I missed this update.  Where was I?
> 
> I'm glad you finally found some authentic shaved ice.  I know from reading Podsnel's TRs that is a VERY big thing.  Nothing but the best.  Love the menu with all the possible add-ons.
> 
> Sounds like fun shopping, but even better is the yummy food picture.  I would be all over that.
> 
> The prices for your fins and chair are amazing and I can't believe they gave you a refund for returning early.
> 
> That pool looks lovely.  I can definitely see getting into that type of evening routine.
> 
> And that sunset is to die for!  Just stunning!



  The one we had in Oahu was not good, and we had some later in the trip that was ok, not great, but baby bear would definitely approve of the ones from Ululani's.  The shave ice that afternoon was just right!

I love a mixed Mediterranean platter like that, or like you can get at the Tangierine Café in EPCOT.  Such light, but satisfying tastes.

We were shocked at a refund at the Snorkel place.  After the high cost of everything there we almost asked- "Are you sure?"  Almost!

I know you would definitely appreciate the pool and the sunsets!






KatMark said:


> What a great do nothing day. Glad you got the right shaved ice and the sunset pictures are spectacular. You are making me want to go back more and more.



I hope you and Mark can make it back there, but it is hard with so many competing travel destinations.  Oh, yeah, and the huge pricetag!


----------



## hill6

Dee it was Old Lahaina luau.  It was awesome.

The banyan tree covers a block. You would know if you seen it


----------



## natebenma

*Tuesday July 22: *
*Snorkeling is Greater at Molokini Crater*

Today was day of our snorkeling excursion to Molokini Crater.  

 

Picture from internet


There are several companies that will take you out there on various types and sizes of boats, but after reading several Trip Advisor reviews, we chose Trilogy Excursions.  They have two departure times each day:  7 am and 8 am.  We chose the earlier time as recommended because the later you arrive at Molokini, the busier it is.  


The 7 am trip required leaving our resort at 6 to arrive at the dock for check-in at 6:30.


http://sailtrilogy.com/


Here’s some boat stats if anyone is interested


64' searunner/cutter, rigged sailing catamaran

Built: 1993, Shaw boats/Aberdeen, WA
Sails: 1,700 sq. ft. working sail area, custom spinnaker
Specs: 64' x 32', Draft @ DWL 5'
Capacity: Normal working capacity/ 55
Crew: Captain, 1st mate, 2nd mates as needed
Other Info: Twin 350 hp Yanmar turbo diesel full electronics, covered cabin, netting forward & aft, two heads, large galley, cushioned seating inside and outside.






Nate chose not to join us on this excursion.  No, it was not the early time that got him.  Nate does not really enjoy snorkeling.  And he isn’t always wild about being on boats, either.  He decided not to go in time for us to cancel his reservation without penalty, so that was good. 


What was less good was that the excursion that both boys wanted to do, Maui Ocean Center, was RIGHT THERE at the dock where Trilogy is based.  Nate suggested that we come and get him after we docked and then go back so we could go together.  The resort is about 30 minutes from the harbor and I informed him that there was no I was doing an hour round trip to bring him to a place we already were going to be. 


Our compromise-  we would pay for a taxi to take Nate from the resort to the aquarium.  Nate was not too happy about this plan- although I can’t imagine why not.  Maybe it had to do with our experience with the cab driver who was a reject from “Deliverance” or maybe it was the van from the snorkel tour that tried to drop him off across town from our resort on Oahu asking “How well do you know Waikiki?” 


In any event, I stood firm that if he wanted to go to the aquarium, this was how it was going to go down.

We didn’t encounter much traffic on our way to the harbor, we parked and then found the boat we would be taking. 





Orientation







Shortly after setting sail, breakfast was served.  There was coffee (thankfully), hot chocolate, fruit and Mama’s Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.  











Approaching the crater:








*
Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Molokini Crater*

This was a great snorkel spot, very clear, a huge variety of colorful fish and marine creatures.  We had to pay attention to where we were swimming, because we didn’t want to get to close to the crater walls, where it is shallow or too close to the boats and other snorkelers that continued to appear.  A member of the Trilogy crew was out in the water on a surfboard in case anyone needed assistance.


----------



## natebenma

*More Molokini*














“Snake Alert”


I spotted a Moray- in fact, a spotted Moray- who was chasing a fish. I got Ben’s and Mark’s attention and we were actually able to follow it for a minute or so before anyone else noticed, so we got some of the best looks we have ever had of a swimming eel.  




















Another highlight was seeing a fairly large octopus- about the size of a small Frisbee.  With arms.  We caught a quick glimpse as it burrowed into a rock. 


Here is a picture of Mark trying to take a picture of the octopus.





And here is the picture!!! 






I didn’t even realize Mark got the octopus in the picture because it is so well camouflaged.  Look just below and to the right of the white marking- you can see the eye.  And you can just make out the rest of the head and some tentacles.


----------



## natebenma

* Second Snorkel Spot*


We came back in and dried off before heading to our second snorkel spot.  

Pulling away from Molokini







The normal place they go is a reef nicknamed “Turtle Town” because of the large number of turtles who gather at this natural cleaning station- the resident fish clean the turtles’ shells.


Unfortunately, there had been some storms over the past couple of days and visibility at Turtle Town was not good, so we were diverted to another spot, in front of this resort (sorry, can’t remember which one)


I didn’t really love this spot-  It was deep and because it was not very sunny, it was pretty dark under the water.  We didn’t see too much of interest here- some rays and a puffer fish. 















After coming back onboard, it was time for lunch- a delicious BBQ teriyaki chicken, salad, rice, rolls.  The crew served us on plastic plates with real silverware and then came back through several times with seconds and thirds.  The food was delicious!  It really hit the spot after such an active morning. 









Dessert was hot fudge sundaes in plastic cups.  


The crew on board the Trilogy was top notch!  Friendly and talkative, informative and the service they provided was impeccable! 
*
Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

Before returning to port, we sailed along the picturesque coastline.  At one point, they even let one of the passengers pull up the sails and steer the catamaran! 


















*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

Once returned to land, we stowed our bags and equipment to our rental car and as we looked into the water, we were able to watch a couple of turtles.  


 



 



 








  




 


We saw more turtles in the parking lot than we did on our snorkel trip!


I texted Nate to let him know we were done, and gave him instructions about how to get to us.  


*Next up: Maui Ocean Center*


----------



## justafigment27

Wow!  That's awesome that you were able to spot an eel and an octopus!  We went on a snorkeling excursion on The Big Island and I think I enjoyed the boat ride out and the view of the island from the water almost as much as the snorkeling!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

Oh dear. Yeah I can fully empathize with Nate's aversion to Taxis this trip. Hard to argue.

Those underwater photos are fantastic Dee. The water really is clear. But then... eel. Yeah, way to close to a snake, and Rob does not do snakes. Although seeing a Moray in the wild does sound pretty neat.

What a great experience. They really look like they took care of you.


----------



## jenseib

Lunch looks fabulous.  Thats really a nice spread!

How awesome to see all the sea life.  
I agree...take a taxi or you don't come at all.  LOL


----------



## hill6

Looks like you had a great day.  I read a number of great reviews about Triology and that tour.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Sounds like a really worthwhile tour- too funny that you saw more turtles while you were on dry land than in the water
Totally agree worth the taxi ride  for Nate. Good to get some life lessons in before he heads for college too


----------



## glennbo123

Trying to get caught up Dee.  I've made it through the chapter where you nearly get scammed out of using your excursion coupon and asked to pay an extra $5 for a photo at Benihana.  Way to hold your ground.  Loving the report!


----------



## saintstickets

Loved the snorkeling pics!  I've got to figure out a way to do that without drowning!


----------



## MEK

natebenma said:


> View attachment 90298
> 
> 
> *Continued in Next Post*



Not sure if this is going to be a picture of not.  But I am trying to post that super cute picture of you and Mark.  

What an amazing day of snorkeling.  You got some beautiful underwater pictures.  Just lovely.  Sorry the second place ended up being dark.  That's sort of a bummer.

And that catamaran is quite a lovely boat.  Well worth getting up early for such a great experience.


----------



## MEK

natebenma said:


> View attachment 90307
> 
> 
> We saw more turtles in the parking lot than we did on our snorkel trip!
> 
> 
> I texted Nate to let him know we were done, and gave him instructions about how to get to us.
> 
> 
> *Next up: Maui Ocean Center*




I love this picture, too.  That turtle is so cute with its nose poking out of the water.


----------



## natebenma

hill6 said:


> Dee it was Old Lahaina luau.  It was awesome.
> 
> The banyan tree covers a block. You would know if you seen it



I thought we missed it.






justafigment27 said:


> Wow!  That's awesome that you were able to spot an eel and an octopus!  We went on a snorkeling excursion on The Big Island and I think I enjoyed the boat ride out and the view of the island from the water almost as much as the snorkeling!



We were really excited about the cool things we saw.  And it was great that all 3 of us saw the eel and the octopus.  We followed that eel for some time before others realized we were tracking it.  Once others got involved we pulled away.

We were only on the Big Island for a day and had other plans, but I hear the snorkeling there is pretty spectacular-  manta rays and sharks! I haven't seen a shark on past snorkeling trips, but I would love to see one out in the wild.  We have snorkeled with sharks in controlled enviroments like Shark Reef at Disney, the big tank at Atlantis and at Dolphin Cove in Jamaica.

Stuarts Cove in the Bahamas offers a snorkel with the sharks excursion and I have even made up a tag line for the trip:

"Two-for-one shark dives:  Bring your chum!"






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Oh dear. Yeah I can fully empathize with Nate's aversion to Taxis this trip. Hard to argue.
> 
> Those underwater photos are fantastic Dee. The water really is clear. But then... eel. Yeah, way to close to a snake, and Rob does not do snakes. Although seeing a Moray in the wild does sound pretty neat.
> 
> What a great experience. They really look like they took care of you.



Spoiler Alert!  Nate survived the taxi ride.

I did not know that Rob does not do snakes.  I am ok with snakes and eels.  The only thing that makes me uncomfortable is when there is an eel out free swimming near the surface where I am.  That happened to us in Cozumel.  Still a very cool experience, but we kept our distance.



The Trilogy excursion was everything we hoped it would be!

:




jenseib said:


> Lunch looks fabulous.  Thats really a nice spread!
> 
> How awesome to see all the sea life.
> I agree...take a taxi or you don't come at all.  LOL



Lunch was SOOOOO good, especially after being on and in the water all morning.  We were really hungry and the food was delicious.  We were pretty pleased with what we saw at the crater.

I was pretty adamant that Nate would have to come and meet us if he wanted to go to the aquarium.






hill6 said:


> Looks like you had a great day.  I read a number of great reviews about Triology and that tour.



We definitely give Trilogy










luvpoohandcompany said:


> Sounds like a really worthwhile tour- too funny that you saw more turtles while you were on dry land than in the water
> Totally agree worth the taxi ride  for Nate. Good to get some life lessons in before he heads for college too



I know for a lot of people, snorkeling with turtles was a priority.  We have been fortunate that we have had a few occasions when we were able to swim with turtles (at the Barceló in Mexico, numerous friendly turtles) and even at our resort beach in Maui, so we weren't too disappointed that we didn't see turtles while we were snorkeling on the tour.






glennbo123 said:


> Trying to get caught up Dee.  I've made it through the chapter where you nearly get scammed out of using your excursion coupon and asked to pay an extra $5 for a photo at Benihana.  Way to hold your ground.  Loving the report!



Thanks, Glenn!

My husband and I make a great team-  I am a cheapskate and he is very, very good at arguing in a calm, polite but convincing manner.  My oldest son just told me everything he knows about debating he learned from Mark.

It's too bad the photographer took such a nice picture of the 4 of us and then tried to get extra money, and that I was too stubborn to pay it.






saintstickets said:


> Loved the snorkeling pics!  I've got to figure out a way to do that without drowning!



I am so disappointed that Nate does not love to snorkel.  Some of it is a coordination issue, some is that he doesn't love to swim.  A little TMI- he actually tossed his cookies and fed the fish one time when we were snorkeling because he swallowed salt water.

I have been tempted to get him a clear float so he can comfortably see the beautiful things that are under the water.






MEK said:


> Not sure if this is going to be a picture of not.  But I am trying to post that super cute picture of you and Mark.
> 
> What an amazing day of snorkeling.  You got some beautiful underwater pictures.  Just lovely.  Sorry the second place ended up being dark.  That's sort of a bummer.
> 
> And that catamaran is quite a lovely boat.  Well worth getting up early for such a great experience.



I really like that picture of the two of us, too.  

Taking pictures underwater is my fetish!

Most of the excursions we did in Hawaii were early morning, but since we never fully adjusted to HI time, it was no problem.






MEK said:


> I love this picture, too.  That turtle is so cute with its nose poking out of the water.



We got some pretty decent views of the turtles from shore.  It was fun to watch them while we waited for Nate.


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> We didn't make it to Haleakala, but the visitor's center at Kilahuea was pretty cool!


The visitor center at Kilahuea is the best one, anyway, although the crater at Haleakala is more dramatic because it is closer to the center. We never had a chance to take our daughters to Haleakala since it was covered in clouds for our whole trip.


natebenma said:


> We also went into a popular island tourist shop, Hilo Hatties, but we didn’t purchase anything.


 We used to shop at Hilo Hatties and buy just enough stuff to get a free mug. I have at least three or four of them and we only had to spend something like $20 for each mug. It was a bargain compared to Disney mugs. 



natebenma said:


> The ice is shaved into special cups and then the flavor syrup is added. There are signs all over that they are happy to add more flavor as you start eating, especially if you encounter white spots.


 The shave ice looks delicious. Liliko'i is one of my favorite flavors. 



natebenma said:


> The boys returned to the room, Mark and I stopped at one of the pools- this ended up being a nightly ritual and it was great because very few people were at the pools when we visited.


 Yes, you definitely need to return to Hawaii without the boys. 



natebenma said:


> We then returned to the beach for the sunset


 Watching sunrises and sunsets are some of my favorite things to do in Hawaii. We used to stay at a condo in Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai. It is at the southern tip of the island and we could walk to the rocky coast from our condo, or stay on the balcony if the view was good enough, to watch the sunrise. And it was a short walk to the nearby beach to see the sunset. I loved it. 



natebenma said:


> Unfortunately, there had been some storms over the past couple of days and visibility at Turtle Town was not good, so we were diverted to another spot, in front of this resort (sorry, can’t remember which one)
> 
> I didn’t really love this spot- It was deep and because it was not very sunny, it was pretty dark under the water. We didn’t see too much of interest here- some rays and a puffer fish.


That looks like the area where we went snorkeling, but the water was clear when we were there.



natebenma said:


> After coming back onboard, it was time for lunch- a delicious BBQ teriyaki chicken, salad, rice, rolls. The crew served us on plastic plates with real silverware and then came back through several times with seconds and thirds. The food was delicious! It really hit the spot after such an active morning.


 Lunch looks really good. Your snorkel trip looks like it was a success. Did Ben enjoy it, too?



natebenma said:


> Most of the excursions we did in Hawaii were early morning, but since we never fully adjusted to HI time, it was no problem.


 We were early birds in Hawaii, too. We'd be wide awake by 4:30 - 5am. We'd eat our big meal at lunch time which would be dinner time at home. And we'd go to bed early, which was pretty easy since there wasn't a lot of nightlife there anyway.


----------



## KatMark

Sorry I am behind, Dee. I am caught up now just before I go.

What great pictures at Molokini Crater. You got some great photos underwater...love the fish and the eel. And how cool that Mark got a picture of the octupus.

Sorry the next spot was a bit dark and you didn't see much.

Lunch looks yummy.

And I love the turtles that you saw once you docked.

Oh dear...I hope Nate finds you.


----------



## RHMH

Hello Dee - Sorry I've not been actively following on a regular base...Getting Midori ready for her 2 month trip to Korea scheduled in June...

Love the trip report and all the pictures...Glad you made it to Hawaii with the Sequoia and Bluebonnet seeds. Midori & I are planning some out of he way vacations before she goes off to college..

Bob


----------



## natebenma

YIKES!!!  It has been forever since I have posted here, and on all of my subscriptions. 

As my Beach & Yacht Club friends know, I have been spending a significant amount of time in past week or so dealing with a family situation-  my dad has unexpectedly decided to stop driving due to some dizzy spells he is having. I am trying to get him settled in a home-bound situation and ultimately find a different living arrangement for him.  He really shouldn't be living alone for much longer.  Would appreciate positive energy and prayers as he/we deal with these lifestyle changes. 

Any time that I am not working or volunteering at the middle or high school has been spent running errands or helping my dad around the house-he lives about 30 minutes away from me.  Today we signed him up for Meals on Wheels. 

On the bright side-  on Mothers Day I get to make FP selections for the 160 or so people going on the class trip. The big question is do I set the alarm for 2 am when I can start making the reservations or just wait until 4:30 when I normally wake up???

:




Wood Nymph said:


> The visitor center at Kilahuea is the best one, anyway, although the crater at Haleakala is more dramatic because it is closer to the center. We never had a chance to take our daughters to Haleakala since it was covered in clouds for our whole trip.
> We used to shop at Hilo Hatties and buy just enough stuff to get a free mug. I have at least three or four of them and we only had to spend something like $20 for each mug. It was a bargain compared to Disney mugs.
> 
> The shave ice looks delicious. Liliko'i is one of my favorite flavors.
> 
> Yes, you definitely need to return to Hawaii without the boys.
> 
> Watching sunrises and sunsets are some of my favorite things to do in Hawaii. We used to stay at a condo in Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai. It is at the southern tip of the island and we could walk to the rocky coast from our condo, or stay on the balcony if the view was good enough, to watch the sunrise. And it was a short walk to the nearby beach to see the sunset. I loved it.
> 
> 
> That looks like the area where we went snorkeling, but the water was clear when we were there.
> 
> Lunch looks really good. Your snorkel trip looks like it was a success. Did Ben enjoy it, too?
> 
> We were early birds in Hawaii, too. We'd be wide awake by 4:30 - 5am. We'd eat our big meal at lunch time which would be dinner time at home. And we'd go to bed early, which was pretty easy since there wasn't a lot of nightlife there anyway.



We will have to visit Haleakala if we make it back to Hawaii without the boys.  I'd also love to see more of Maui.  But no complaints with what we did. 

Lilikoi (passionfruit) is one of my favorite fruits! When you can find them around here they are over $1 each for a single, small fruit.  When we were in St. Lucia, a long time ago, we purchased them for 10 cents each!!!

It was a shame about the conditions at our second snorkeling spot.  Makes me think we should have just gone to Turtle Town anyway, as they usually do.  Ben loved the trip.  He has seen eels snorkeling before, but never a view as good as this one and it was his first octopus.  I was so glad we all saw it!

I am an early bird at home, so I was really scared that I would be waking up in the middle of the night while in Hawaii.  Stopping for several days in California really helped with our adjustment.  I work up early, but not too much earlier than I would back at home.






KatMark said:


> Sorry I am behind, Dee. I am caught up now just before I go.
> 
> What great pictures at Molokini Crater. You got some great photos underwater...love the fish and the eel. And how cool that Mark got a picture of the octupus.
> 
> Sorry the next spot was a bit dark and you didn't see much.
> 
> Lunch looks yummy.
> 
> And I love the turtles that you saw once you docked.
> 
> Oh dear...I hope Nate finds you.



I didn't get a chance to reply to this or to get over to your pre-trip to wish you a fantastic trip!  I know it will be!

I loved the snorkeling at Molokini.  And I love my underwater cameras.  A woman on the excursion had a Fuji just like mine and I was giving her instructions because she had not used it before.  I hope her pictures came out!

The lunch was soooooo good!  Especially since we were super hungry. 

Seeing the turtles was a special treat.  They hung around for a while.  And we were just waiting for Nate, anyway.

Spoiler Alert-  we do hook back up with Nate, thankfully!






RHMH said:


> Hello Dee - Sorry I've not been actively following on a regular base...Getting Midori ready for her 2 month trip to Korea scheduled in June...
> 
> Love the trip report and all the pictures...Glad you made it to Hawaii with the Sequoia and Bluebonnet seeds. Midori & I are planning some out of he way vacations before she goes off to college..
> 
> Bob



 Bob-

Thanks for checking out my report.  We really loved Disneyland but found attractions broke down a lot more frequently there than WDW.  But DL is a 60 year old beauty so I'll cut her some slack!

It was great to meet you and I apologize once again for not being able to spend more time with you, Midori and your friends.  Especially since we had been trying to connect all that day! We had the same problem with the teacher and friends we tried to meet up with our last night.  We never did get together with them.  

Thanks again for the memorable souvenir!!! 

Wow, Midori's trip should be amazing!  Sending wishes for safe travels.  Where else are you headed?  We are off to Yellowstone in August, our first time.


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Just popping in to say hi and I'm glad you are getting organized with your Dad. We are living parallel lives you and I except it's my mum that's needing the help and lives 30 minutes away! Funny that journey sounds like so little but it can really take a chunk out of the day especially if they ring needing something when you've  just left. But I will say that it gets easier in some ways when you've got a routine up and running. You have been in my thoughts and I'm hoping you get your Dad settled into this new chapter of his life as easily as possible. Remember to take care of you a little too 
Oh and I vote you just get up at your usual time - what will be will be


----------



## Lynne G

Hugs to you.  Had to deal with a homebound DM for several months.   Take time for yourself, and yeah, I'd get up my usual time!  Great pictures of the fish. My kids both like the water.  Bugging me for a cruise, but that is not happening at Christmas holiday break. We're heading to San Diego this year, so hope to see whales.


----------



## sharona

Wonderful updates and snorkel pics.  Can't wait to hear more about it!

Reading about your adventures in Hawaii really brings back memories of our trip - thanks for that.


----------



## KatMark

I'm sorry to hear about your Dad...it's so hard when they get older. 

I hope you got your FP+ selections done; what a way to spend Mother's Day.


----------



## momabbate

I am sorry to hear about the adjustment with your dad. Will keep you all in prayers. 
I never really thought about going snorkeling, your pics are changing my mind. I can't believe how clear those came out.


----------



## DisneyAllen

Subbing over from the Yacht and Beach forum. As a Disneyland local, I'm looking forward to going back and reading your impressions of our park.


----------



## natebenma

Hey all!!!

I finally got caught up on the BC/YC FAQ board and I'm starting to binge read the trip reports I am subscribed to, but I also want to get back to updates on my reports.  Thank you all  for you patience!






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Just popping in to say hi and I'm glad you are getting organized with your Dad. We are living parallel lives you and I except it's my mum that's needing the help and lives 30 minutes away! Funny that journey sounds like so little but it can really take a chunk out of the day especially if they ring needing something when you've  just left. But I will say that it gets easier in some ways when you've got a routine up and running. You have been in my thoughts and I'm hoping you get your Dad settled into this new chapter of his life as easily as possible. Remember to take care of you a little too
> Oh and I vote you just get up at your usual time - what will be will be



Thanks for the sympathetic words and ear. 

It really would be easier if my dad was closer.  Working on that!

I can't remember if I posted about when I woke up to do Fast Passes-  It was 3:40 am, I woke without the alarm.  Got everything we wanted, at mostly decent times.  Mission Space for the girls' groups was later than I would have liked, but overall the selections went well.






Lynne G said:


> Hugs to you.  Had to deal with a homebound DM for several months.   Take time for yourself, and yeah, I'd get up my usual time!  Great pictures of the fish. My kids both like the water.  Bugging me for a cruise, but that is not happening at Christmas holiday break. We're heading to San Diego this year, so hope to see whales.



Thank you!

I love taking snorkeling pictures.  It is kind of like an underwater safari- you never know what you will encounter. 

I have been to San Diego a couple of times-  beautiful city with awesome weather.  Whales are awesome!!!  Will you visit the zoo?

  (closest smilie to a koala)




sharona said:


> Wonderful updates and snorkel pics.  Can't wait to hear more about it!
> 
> Reading about your adventures in Hawaii really brings back memories of our trip - thanks for that.



Thank you! I'm glad my report is helping you to think about your trip. 

Speaking of-  have you started a report for your April trip?  I haven't had time to check, but would love if you would post a link here.






KatMark said:


> I'm sorry to hear about your Dad...it's so hard when they get older.
> 
> I hope you got your FP+ selections done; what a way to spend Mother's Day.



Thank you! 

Doing the Fast Passes was not too bad.  I had 13 groups to book (boys at MK and girls at EP), that took about 2 1/2 hours.  The really difficult part was double-checking everything.  I found that two people had not been added to groups and one had the wrong ticket number.  I spent hours looking at all of the groups.   But I rewarded myself with a  walk in our beautiful local state park.

Then the next two mornings I had to book for our other two days in the parks after getting feedback on what each group wants to do on the free day. 

PHEW!






momabbate said:


> I am sorry to hear about the adjustment with your dad. Will keep you all in prayers.
> I never really thought about going snorkeling, your pics are changing my mind. I can't believe how clear those came out.



Thanks so much!

I was so scared the first time I went snorkeling.  I'm a really good swimmer, but not really that coordinated, so I didn't think I would be able to do it.  But once I saw what was under the water, I haven't looked back (or up!)


----------



## natebenma

DisneyAllen said:


> Subbing over from the Yacht and Beach forum. As a Disneyland local, I'm looking forward to going back and reading your impressions of our park.





Thanks for joining in on my report.

:


----------



## natebenma

*Maui Ocean Center, Dukes Again and We must be in the EAC, Dude! and Sunset* 

Tuesday July 22, Maui Ocean Center

Recap: Mark, Ben and I had just finished our wonderful snorkel excursion with Trilogy.  We were waiting for Nate to arrive via taxi from the resort.  It would be about 30 minutes travel time.  

The texting conversation between Nate and me as I guided him through every step of what he needed to do was amusing.  Unfortunately, it is archived on my old phone and although I think I can still access the messages, I can't find the charger for the phone! If I manage to solve that technical difficulty, I'll post our conversation here.  I did tell him to ask the driver to let him know when they were 5 minutes away and to text us so we could meet the cab. 

I had instructed Nate to grab enough cash to cover the ride, but we paid the driver with a credit card, which she wasn't really thrilled about.  Oh, well!  The fare was around $70, plus tip. 

Once reunited we went in to the aquarium. 

 


 


It was small, compared to the New England Aquarium in Boston and Atlantis in the Bahamas.  But the exhibits were excellent and I loved the focus on native Hawaiian marine life.  There was a shark tank/tunnel and lots of displays/information about sharks.  The species is one of our family's favorites.  

Here are just a few pictures from our visit.


----------



## natebenma

Dukes, Again!

We were pretty hungry after our visit to the Maui Ocean Center.  

One of the possibilities for dinner was heading south to Makena to go to Monkeypod.  On Oahu, fans of Disney's Aulani rave about nearby Monkeypod, so I was very tempted to try the sister restaurant on Maui, but that would mean more driving in unfamiliar territory.  Instead, we headed back to our resort, and back to Dukes for another fantastic meal. 

We ordered two salads-  this one and a Caesar-style


 


 


Waipoli Farms Romaine Heart- Shaved Parmesan, grilled baguette, lemon-anchovy dressing and cherry tomatoes.


For entrees, I got the fish special, Nate got the NY strip steak and Mark and Ben both ordered the Seafood Risotto.





Two types of fish- Mahi Mahi and Sea Bass, I think.  One with a macadamia crust and pineapple sauce, the other with an Asian style sauce.






New York USDA Prime 14 oz. center cut, Hawaiian salt massaged, Meyer lemon gremolata butter, roasted fingerling potatoes, vegetable







Seafood Risotto- Lobster, shrimp, scallops & fresh fish, chardonnay herb risotto


For dessert, we shared the Hula Pie, which was free because we presented our receipt from Sunday's meal.  


  


*Next up: We must be in the EAC, Dude! and Sunset*


----------



## sharona

natebenma said:


> Thank you! I'm glad my report is helping you to think about your trip.
> 
> Speaking of- have you started a report for your April trip? I haven't had time to check, but would love if you would post a link here.



Hi!  Yes, started my report and just finished the part about our 1 awesome day at MK.  The link is in my signature.  Pop in when you have the time!!  There's a Key Largo snorkel report in there for you!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Great updates Dee. The photos of the entry to the aquarium remind me of the ones u used to take at the Jaws ride in universal 
That food looks awesome and the Hula pie!!!! Yum!!!


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

natebenma said:


> but we paid the driver with a credit card, which she wasn't really thrilled about.



Hmmm, that's kind of odd. A little under the table skimming perhaps? You guys sure do have some adventures with cabs.

I love aquariums that have tunnels. Makes you feel like your right there with the marine life... without having to actually be right there with the marine life.


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> Nate chose not to join us on this excursion. No, it was not the early time that got him. Nate does not really enjoy snorkeling. And he isn’t always wild about being on boats, either. He decided not to go in time for us to cancel his reservation without penalty, so that was good.



I assume the excursion would have been more than the pricey cab ride?



natebenma said:


> What was less good was that the excursion that both boys wanted to do, Maui Ocean Center, was RIGHT THERE at the dock where Trilogy is based. Nate suggested that we come and get him after we docked and then go back so we could go together. The resort is about 30 minutes from the harbor and I informed him that there was no I was doing an hour round trip to bring him to a place we already were going to be.
> 
> Our compromise- we would pay for a taxi to take Nate from the resort to the aquarium. Nate was not too happy about this plan- although I can’t imagine why not. Maybe it had to do with our experience with the cab driver who was a reject from “Deliverance” or maybe it was the van from the snorkel tour that tried to drop him off across town from our resort on Oahu asking “How well do you know Waikiki?”
> 
> In any event, I stood firm that if he wanted to go to the aquarium, this was how it was going to go down.



you are WAY nicer than we are.  We'd have parked his behind at a Starbucks or other restaurant with a book and food money.



natebenma said:


> Shortly after setting sail, breakfast was served. There was coffee (thankfully), hot chocolate, fruit and Mama’s Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.



Those cinnamon rolls look fabulous!



natebenma said:


> After coming back onboard, it was time for lunch- a delicious BBQ teriyaki chicken, salad, rice, rolls. The crew served us on plastic plates with real silverware and then came back through several times with seconds and thirds. The food was delicious! It really hit the spot after such an active morning.



This sounds like an outstanding excursion all around!  I would have loved do so something like that with the E's on Oahu but didn't for a couple of reasons.  1, the budget allowed for one excursion and surfing one and 2, the water was really cloudy our whole trip.  Which we didn't know ahead of time but were glad we hadn't planned on a snorkeling excursion.



natebenma said:


> I had instructed Nate to grab enough cash to cover the ride, but we paid the driver with a credit card, which she wasn't really thrilled about. Oh, well! The fare was around $70, plus tip.



OUCH!



natebenma said:


> One of the possibilities for dinner was heading south to Makena to go to Monkeypod. On Oahu, fans of Disney's Aulani rave about nearby Monkeypod, so I was very tempted to try the sister restaurant on Maui, but that would mean more driving in unfamiliar territory. Instead, we headed back to our resort, and back to Dukes for another fantastic meal.



Yeah, that isn't exactly around the corner for a meal.  Can't go wrong with Dukes!


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> As my Beach & Yacht Club friends know, I have been spending a significant amount of time in past week or so dealing with a family situation- my dad has unexpectedly decided to stop driving due to some dizzy spells he is having. I am trying to get him settled in a home-bound situation and ultimately find a different living arrangement for him. He really shouldn't be living alone for much longer. Would appreciate positive energy and prayers as he/we deal with these lifestyle changes.
> 
> Any time that I am not working or volunteering at the middle or high school has been spent running errands or helping my dad around the house-he lives about 30 minutes away from me. Today we signed him up for Meals on Wheels.



Oh Dee, I am so sorry you are going through this, I did not know.  I am grateful he came to that decision on his own but how hard for all of you.



natebenma said:


> On the bright side- on Mothers Day I get to make FP selections for the 160 or so people going on the class trip. The big question is do I set the alarm for 2 am when I can start making the reservations or just wait until 4:30 when I normally wake up???



Holy cats!  How do you even do that????  What did you do?


----------



## natebenma

sharona said:


> Hi!  Yes, started my report and just finished the part about our 1 awesome day at MK.  The link is in my signature.  Pop in when you have the time!!  There's a Key Largo snorkel report in there for you!



As you know, I have been over to check out your report, but I still need to get caught up!

:




luvpoohandcompany said:


> Great updates Dee. The photos of the entry to the aquarium remind me of the ones u used to take at the Jaws ride in universal
> That food looks awesome and the Hula pie!!!! Yum!!!



Sharks' Jaws make the best photo ops!  Here are a couple of my favorites, although I know I have another one with Ben holding up a sharks jaw, but I can't think of where it is from.









We never have been able to get a decent picture inside The Seas, in Bruce's mouth, though- the ones I have are blurry.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Hmmm, that's kind of odd. A little under the table skimming perhaps? You guys sure do have some adventures with cabs.
> 
> I love aquariums that have tunnels. Makes you feel like your right there with the marine life... without having to actually be right there with the marine life.



Yes, I suspect that may have been it with the driver preferring cash.  Or maybe it is because of the fees charged to a vendor when you use a credit card.

I wanted to make sure Nate had the cash in case the driver didn't trust him, but it was more convenient for us to charge the fare.

Oh, well.






eandesmom said:


> I assume the excursion would have been more than the pricey cab ride?
> 
> Yes, Nate was surprising at the Youth rate (that rarely happens these days), but it still was around $100 for the excursion.  Plus, he doesn't really like snorkeling and sometimes gets seasick on boats, so it was better to leave him behind.
> 
> 
> you are WAY nicer than we are.  We'd have parked his behind at a Starbucks or other restaurant with a book and food money.
> 
> I felt he was safer back at the resort, he was comfortable going out to the beach to read and could go back and forth to the room if he wanted to.
> 
> 
> Those cinnamon rolls look fabulous!
> 
> The cinnamon rolls were good, but not as good as I expected.  They really build those up on their Facebook page and website.  Then again, I prefer savory to sweet at meals, including breakfast, so it could have been me.
> 
> 
> 
> This sounds like an outstanding excursion all around!  I would have loved do so something like that with the E's on Oahu but didn't for a couple of reasons.  1, the budget allowed for one excursion and surfing one and 2, the water was really cloudy our whole trip.  Which we didn't know ahead of time but were glad we hadn't planned on a snorkeling excursion.
> 
> We were really pleased with the excursion! Loved the boat, the crew, the food and the fish we saw.
> 
> 
> OUCH!
> 
> That shows just how much I hate to drive.  Miserly me would rather pay the $70 than shuttle the boy back and forth.
> 
> 
> Yeah, that isn't exactly around the corner for a meal.  Can't go wrong with Dukes!



We had some great meals at Dukes.  We aren't done yet!




eandesmom said:


> Oh Dee, I am so sorry you are going through this, I did not know.  I am grateful he came to that decision on his own but how hard for all of you.
> 
> Holy cats!  How do you even do that????  What did you do?



Thank you!  It is going ok with my dad, but it is difficult being so far away (just 30 min, but still).

So the important part of the Fast Pass scenario was in the set up.  We needed 13 email accounts set up for the 13 groups.  Then I set up each of the 13 walking groups.  I picked a lead for the group and added the rest of the people to be managed by that lead.  When we got the tickets a couple of weeks ago, we had to link all of the ticket numbers.  A couple of us worked on that project.  Then on Mothers Day, I booked the Fast Passes for the 13 groups for Tuesday- boys in MK and girls in EP.

Although we are staying on site, we don't have our resevations linked so I had to book each day 30 days out.  The next day I booked boys at EP and girls at MK.  Then for the final day, I tried to get input from the leads of each group to see what they wanted.

Fun times!

:


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> We were pretty hungry after our visit to the Maui Ocean Center.
> 
> One of the possibilities for dinner was heading south to Makena to go to Monkeypod. On Oahu, fans of Disney's Aulani rave about nearby Monkeypod, so I was very tempted to try the sister restaurant on Maui, but that would mean more driving in unfamiliar territory. Instead, we headed back to our resort, and back to Dukes for another fantastic meal.


The food looks really good and you can't beat a free serving of Hula pie. We had our favorite place for breakfast when we stayed on Kauai and we went there almost every morning. It was at a golf course and cost something like $6. There's no rule that says you can't eat at the same restaurant more than once on vacation.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> The food looks really good and you can't beat a free serving of Hula pie. We had our favorite place for breakfast when we stayed on Kauai and we went there almost every morning. It was at a golf course and cost something like $6. There's no rule that says you can't eat at the same restaurant more than once on vacation.



I didn't mind going to Dukes a few times, but it was kind of expensive.  I wish there were a few other choices at our resort.  But we did ok, especially since we picked up some food from the nearby grocery store and strip mall.  We certainly didn't starve!


----------



## natebenma

*We Must Be in the EAC, Dude!*

After dinner, we discussed what we wanted to do.  It was around 5:30 pm.  Even though we had spent the morning snorkeling, Mark and I tried to decide if we wanted to go out again.

We did.

And I'm really glad.  

We saw some pretty interesting things, including the largest turtle we have ever seen snorkeling.  It was not a green turtle like we normally see, I think it may have been a loggerhead.  We also swam with a pretty large green turtle.  


 


 


 


 


 


We must be in the EAC, Dude!!! 




Sea Star




Parrotfish




I have not been able to identify this one.  I think it is a wrasse.

*Next up: Sunset*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from previous post*

After snorkeling, I'm not sure whether Mark and I stopped by for a dip in the pool on the way back up to our room, but we did see this rainbow. 




We changed into dry clothes, Mark decided to stay in the room and Ben and I slipped out to watch the sunset.  


These pictures are from my Lumix point & shoot camera:
























Continued in Next Post:  Sunset Captured with my Big Girl Camera


----------



## natebenma

This was one of the very few times on the 2 week trip that I used my Canon EOS Rebel T3.  Ben and I took turns taking pictures.



























*Next up: Hanging 20*


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Wow! Just wow!!


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> So the important part of the Fast Pass scenario was in the set up. We needed 13 email accounts set up for the 13 groups. Then I set up each of the 13 walking groups. I picked a lead for the group and added the rest of the people to be managed by that lead. When we got the tickets a couple of weeks ago, we had to link all of the ticket numbers. A couple of us worked on that project. Then on Mothers Day, I booked the Fast Passes for the 13 groups for Tuesday- boys in MK and girls in EP.
> 
> Although we are staying on site, we don't have our resevations linked so I had to book each day 30 days out. The next day I booked boys at EP and girls at MK. Then for the final day, I tried to get input from the leads of each group to see what they wanted.



Oh my word.  I sure hope none of the adults OR kids complain about what you picked FP wise!  Do they have any idea how lucky they are to have you????



natebenma said:


> After dinner, we discussed what we wanted to do. It was around 5:30 pm. Even though we had spent the morning snorkeling, Mark and I tried to decide if we wanted to go out again.
> 
> We did.
> 
> And I'm really glad.
> 
> We saw some pretty interesting things, including the largest turtle we have ever seen snorkeling. It was not a green turtle like we normally see, I think it may have been a loggerhead. We also swam with a pretty large green turtle.



How how magical!!!!!!!!!!!  And to cap that with the sunset, YES!

Dukes is pricey.  I actually don't ever eat in the dining room for lunch or dinner for that reason.  I always opt for the bar menu.  At Dukes in Oahu though, I don't know if kids can be in the bar.  They can upstairs at Hula Grill though, we took the kids there this last trip and then saved Dukes for brunch which is actually a pretty darn good deal.


----------



## KatMark

I don't know how I got behind, but I did.

$70 for a cab ride???? OUCH!

The aquarium looks really nice. We really should get to ours one of these days...it's been years. I love that fish with the puffy face.

Dinner looks yummy and you guys sure cleaned up that pie real nice. 

I'm glad you and Mark went back out and got to swim with some turtles...that is just so cool.

Your sunset pictures are terrific.


----------



## MEK

You got some beautiful pictures at the aquarium and at the EAC.  Those turtles are super cool.  

More importantly - that food from Dukes looks even more amazing than your last meal there.  And yay for a free piece of Hula Pie.  i totally want that!


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> We must be in the EAC, Dude!!!


 I feel very dumb for asking, but was is the EAC?  The turtle pictures are really cool. I bet that a real treat to see them so close to you.



natebenma said:


> Ben and I slipped out to watch the sunset.


 I love your sunset pictures. Hawaii has the best sunsets and sunrises, too.  You really need some clouds in a sunset picture to make all those colors, and Hawaii has them, usually.


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> I feel very dumb for asking, but was is the EAC?  The turtle pictures are really cool. I bet that a real treat to see them so close to you.



EAC=East Australian Current

From Finding Nemo- it is where Marlin and Dory first meet Crush and Squirt and a whole bunch of turtles.

 

:


----------



## glennbo123

You are not going to believe this Dee, but I am caught up!  I can't believe you went to Dead Lobster for your anniversary, in Hawaii!    Oh well, you're making it up in all of the other excursions and things.

Your suite in Maui looked incredible, I love the wood cabinetry.  Great pictures snorkeling, and amazing sunset pictures in the last chapter.


----------



## WDW2012

Those sunset pictures are amazing!!! I see from your ticker you are days away from your next trip. I hope you do a trip report for that one. I cannot imagine traveling with all those kids!!! Good luck and I hope it is fun and uneventful in the traveling with middle schoolers sense ;-)


----------



## jenseib

Now that pie looks sooooo good! 

Gorgeous Sunset pictures!


----------



## natebenma

Thanks for all of the positive feedback about the sunset photos.  I can't remember if I have mentioned this, but Mark refuses to look at sunset photos because they don't always reflect the reality of what you see.  Sometimes the colors are altered or enhanced by the camera and he thinks that is "cheating"





luvpoohandcompany said:


> Wow! Just wow!!



Thank you!!!






eandesmom said:


> Oh my word.  I sure hope none of the adults OR kids complain about what you picked FP wise!  Do they have any idea how lucky they are to have you????
> 
> How how magical!!!!!!!!!!!  And to cap that with the sunset, YES!
> 
> Dukes is pricey.  I actually don't ever eat in the dining room for lunch or dinner for that reason.  I always opt for the bar menu.  At Dukes in Oahu though, I don't know if kids can be in the bar.  They can upstairs at Hula Grill though, we took the kids there this last trip and then saved Dukes for brunch which is actually a pretty darn good deal.



The teachers organizing the trip have been great about letting the parents (and I think the kids) know how much planning help and work I have done.  I have customized some of the FP for chaperones- switching out Test Track and booking Soarin' instead for those who prefer it and changing some times the last day, which is a free day.

I booked FP for the groups last year and will offer to help again next year.

The early evening snorkel was so wonderful.  That is the great thing about snorkeling.  You never know what you are going to see when you go out.

That was a really nice sunset, one that just kept changing and getting more beautiful as time went on.

:




KatMark said:


> I don't know how I got behind, but I did.
> 
> $70 for a cab ride???? OUCH!
> 
> The aquarium looks really nice. We really should get to ours one of these days...it's been years. I love that fish with the puffy face.
> 
> Dinner looks yummy and you guys sure cleaned up that pie real nice.
> 
> I'm glad you and Mark went back out and got to swim with some turtles...that is just so cool.
> 
> Your sunset pictures are terrific.



It was an expensive ride, but worth it for me not to have to do the drive from the harbor to pick Nate up at Ka'anapali and back to the harbor again and then back to the resort.

No dessert left behind!!!  

I'm glad we decided to snorkel.  We debated about doing it, but to be honest, it was a very short debate.

Thanks for the kind words about the pictures.






MEK said:


> You got some beautiful pictures at the aquarium and at the EAC.  Those turtles are super cool.
> 
> More importantly - that food from Dukes looks even more amazing than your last meal there.  And yay for a free piece of Hula Pie.  i totally want that!



Thank you!

I think sea creatures are my favorite subjects to photograph.  Either in the wild or behind glass.

Food-  that is my second favorite subject! 

We will have one more opportunity to eat at Dukes.






Wood Nymph said:


> I love your sunset pictures. Hawaii has the best sunsets and sunrises, too.  You really need some clouds in a sunset picture to make all those colors, and Hawaii has them, usually.



Thank you!!!

Yes, clouds are key in beautiful sunsets and sunrises.






glennbo123 said:


> You are not going to believe this Dee, but I am caught up!  I can't believe you went to Dead Lobster for your anniversary, in Hawaii!    Oh well, you're making it up in all of the other excursions and things.
> 
> Your suite in Maui looked incredible, I love the wood cabinetry.  Great pictures snorkeling, and amazing sunset pictures in the last chapter.



Wow!!! That is impressive.

Yeah our anniversary dinner seemed like a good idea at the time.  It wasn't.  

We were really pleased with all of our excursions.

The suite at Honua Kai in Maui was awesome!  We have never had so much space on vacation.  And everything was new and well-appointed.  But our favorite thing about the resort was that there was incredible snorkeling right from the beach.  That is really important to us.

Thank you!







WDW2012 said:


> Those sunset pictures are amazing!!! I see from your ticker you are days away from your next trip. I hope you do a trip report for that one. I cannot imagine traveling with all those kids!!! Good luck and I hope it is fun and uneventful in the traveling with middle schoolers sense ;-)



Thanks!

I am really excited about the trip.  These are truly a great group of kids we are traveling with.  Everyone at the school has kept repeating all year that this is the best class they have had, ever!  

I will definitely be writing about the trip.  My favorite trip report to date remains the one I wrote when I chaperoned my older son's class trip.

You honestly can't make up the drama we experienced on that one.






jenseib said:


> Now that pie looks sooooo good!
> 
> Gorgeous Sunset pictures!



Yes, that is a yummy pie!!!

Thank you so much for your kind words!


----------



## natebenma

*Hanging 20!*

A couple of days ago, we had gone to the excursion presentation and we booked surfing lessons for Nate and me.  Today was the day.  We took the first lesson spot which I think was 8 am.

We met at Maui Wave Riders in Lahaina.



We had a quick orientation, got our rashguard shirts and met our instructor, Sonny.

Here we are carrying our boards to the water:

















And here is the spot where we would be catching some waves














*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from previous post*

Here are the boys hanging out while waiting for us. 





Mark took a few pictures of our land training 
















That was easy! Let's try it on the water.  

Our group was Nate and me, preteen brother and sister and a college-aged girl.  Our instructor Sonny was excellent, and WICKED strong!!!  When we were done surfing, he grabbed my surfboard and Nate's by his big toes and towed (toed?) us in to shore.



 


Pictures by Maui Wave Rider independent photographer:


Nate's rides:


 

 


 


*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from previous post*

Here I go!











This shows how crowded it was.  The hardest part of surfing for me was not getting balanced on the board, it was trying not to bump into other surf students


 


Synchronized Surfing?









Wipe Out!








Our surfing certificates


----------



## DisneyKid4Life

natebenma said:


>



Now THAT is the face of excitement!!!!



natebenma said:


> That was easy! Let's try it on the water.



For some reason I'm thinking I would still fall in the water from there somehow.



natebenma said:


>



Way to go Dee!! That is awesome!



natebenma said:


> The hardest part of surfing for me was not getting balanced on the board, it was trying not to bump into other surf students



Well I guess they can't make is _too_ easy.


----------



## hill6

Awesome job surfing.  What a great memory.


Spectacular sunset.  The only sunsets that have come close to Hawaiian ones are those on cruises.


----------



## HockeyMomR

Catching up. Wow! Lots of fun since last I posted in here. Great huge turtle. The sunset shots were truly marvelous. Enlargement and frame quality!

Surfing - you look good. Way to go!  And it is crowded. I would find that difficult too with that many people in close proximity.

Rebecca


----------



## Wood Nymph

Your surfing lesson looks like it was a lot of fun. The waves don't look very big, though. Were they good for surfing?


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Love that you and Nate went surfing and managed it!!
The excitement on you face as you carry your board is priceless. Brilliant shots of you both


----------



## glennbo123

natebenma said:


> We met at Maui Wave Riders in Lahaina.



Oooo, chicks hanging out at the surf shop.  This looks promising.  For Nate, I mean.  Of course.



natebenma said:


>



Always a good idea to get the pictures taken before -- when you're still thinking how easy this is going to be and how cool you're going to look while doing it.  (Which it turns out you did!)



natebenma said:


>



This IS going to be easy -- you've got this!!



natebenma said:


>



The guitar riff from "Wipeout" started playing in my head the moment I saw this!!  I love the "Minnie" hands too!



natebenma said:


> Synchronized Surfing?



Now quick, swap boards.  I'll be super-impressed.

You did good Dee!!


----------



## KatMark

You look as excited as a girl in a candy shop. Good for you. IT looks like a fun time. I have to say I am very impressed with your Syncronized Surfing.


----------



## jenseib

That looks like so much fun and you guys really did a great job!!!


----------



## saintstickets

Well, well, well, look at you!  He'e (Hawaiian for surf's up!) Next thing you know you'll be going to the North Shore for the Billabong Pipe Masters! Kowabunga dude!!  Great pics and great update.  I'm so envious of this trip.


----------



## natebenma

Aloha folks!!!

I did manage to catch up on the Beach Club FAQ thread, but I never got a chance to get caught up here!

Off to Disney for 5 days.  3 actually.  Have to be at school at 11:30, flight is at 3, should be at ASMo around 7:30 or 8 pm tonight.  Back on Friday.

MK in morning Tues, EP in morning Wed  (nights are up in the air).  Thurs- AK in morning, HS after lunch (FP ToT, RnR, Star Tours), resort break then MK until 1 am. 

Have a great week, everyone!

Dee

:


----------



## KatMark

Have a blast and I hope you don't end up in a corner again.


----------



## natebenma

Apparently, I have been “chillin’ out” since my last update, because it has been 3 weeks since writing about my adventures in surfing.  In my defense, sort of, I was away at Disney for some of that time.






DisneyKid4Life said:


> Now THAT is the face of excitement!!!!



Or terror.  Sheer terror!   



DisneyKid4Life said:


> For some reason I'm thinking I would still fall in the water from there somehow.



There was some of that.



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Way to go Dee!! That is awesome!



Thank you!



DisneyKid4Life said:


> Well I guess they can't make is _too_ easy.



Check!




hill6 said:


> Awesome job surfing. What a great memory.
> 
> Spectacular sunset. The only sunsets that have come close to Hawaiian ones are those on cruises.



Thank you so much! Nate and I had a lot of fun surfing (and I think Mark enjoyed watching).  Hawaiian sunsets really are so gorgeous.

:




HockeyMomR said:


> Catching up. Wow! Lots of fun since last I posted in here. Great huge turtle. The sunset shots were truly marvelous. Enlargement and frame quality!
> 
> Surfing - you look good. Way to go! And it is crowded. I would find that difficult too with that many people in close proximity.
> 
> Rebecca



Thanks!  Maui was really so much fun.  I love the water, so it was great to be able to spend our time snorkeling, swimming and surfing.

A couple of times I sat down on the board, which is what you are instructed to do, when I thought I was going to hit someone.






Wood Nymph said:


> Your surfing lesson looks like it was a lot of fun. The waves don't look very big, though. Were they good for surfing?



The waves were big enough!!! 

The waves would take us to the shallow water, so it was fine.






glennbo123 said:


> Oooo, chicks hanging out at the surf shop. This looks promising. For Nate, I mean. Of course.



I didn't notice.




glennbo123 said:


> Always a good idea to get the pictures taken before -- when you're still thinking how easy this is going to be and how cool you're going to look while doing it. (Which it turns out you did!)



I was not thinking how cool I was going to look.  I was just hoping I would stand at least once.




glennbo123 said:


> This IS going to be easy -- you've got this!!



I'm glad you are confident!



glennbo123 said:


> The guitar riff from "Wipeout" started playing in my head the moment I saw this!! I love the "Minnie" hands too!



Sounds about right!



glennbo123 said:


> Now quick, swap boards. I'll be super-impressed.
> 
> You did good Dee!!



I should show the rest of the series this incident.  It looks like I push the other girl off the board (I didn't!) and then I'm smiling, like "Yeah!  I'm still up!"











 




KatMark said:


> You look as excited as a girl in a candy shop. Good for you. IT looks like a fun time. I have to say I am very impressed with your Syncronized Surfing.



We are both just trying to stay up.





jenseib said:


> That looks like so much fun and you guys really did a great job!!!



I enjoyed it.  We live about 15 minutes from the beach and about 30 minutes from a beach where you can take surf lessons.  Somehow, doing this in 60 degree water is not quite as enticing.






saintstickets said:


> Well, well, well, look at you! He'e (Hawaiian for surf's up!) Next thing you know you'll be going to the North Shore for the Billabong Pipe Masters! Kowabunga dude!! Great pics and great update. I'm so envious of this trip.



Thanks!

No, I think I will stick with tropical, amateur surfing.

It really was a great trip!





KatMark said:


> Have a blast and I hope you don't end up in a corner again.



I visited the corner, but I didn't need to escape this time.


----------



## natebenma

*Snorkel-There's Squirt! and Dukes Again!* 

After returning to the resort from surfing, it was time to snorkel! 

Nate actually joined us.  I was sticking close to Nate while he was in the water.  

Ben was with Mark and I believe Ben is the one who took these pictures.  He came up to the surface all excited and said “There’s a baby turtle down there!”  We dived down to look and didn’t see it, but when I looked at the pictures-  there it is! 











My pictures, I think:


 
Ornate Butterflyfish



Coral


  

Can you see the little white Gobi-thing peeking out from the bottom of the coral?


 We took a break from the water for some lunch… wait for it… at Dukes!


We had the Banana Macadamia Nut pancakes, Grilled Steak Tacos, BBQ ribs & Huli Huli chicken and a Cheeseburger.  

 


 


 





Along with a Tropical Smoothie, soda and iced tea, our check was $71.30 plus tip. 

What to do after lunch???  

Snorkel, of course! 

*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

*Just Keep Snorkeling! Just Keep Snorkeling!*


What to do after lunch???  

Snorkel, of course! 

This time it was Ben, Mark and me.




Wrasse





4 Spot Butterfly Fish





Moorish Idol





Puffer-type, Box Fish?





Parrotfish





Ornate Butterflyfish and Yellow Tang






*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

We returned to the room to relax for a little while before walking over to the nearby plaza to return the boys snorkel equipment (and our fins) and the beach chairs we rented.  We had rented everything for a week since the price was better than the daily price, and because we returned everything early, we actually received a refund of part of the cost! 


We also got some shave ice.  It was not quite the same experience as Ululani’s in Lahaina.  There were just a couple of tables.  When we asked for more syrup, the woman kind of scowled at us.  





We purchased some more sushi and drinks from the market and a got two veggie platters from Pizza Paradiso to eat back on our balcony.  This all turned out to be way too much food for that evening and even the next morning for breakfast, but I made a valiant effort to finish as much as I could.  








After our meal, Mark and I went for a walk around the resort and debated about whether we wanted to snorkel one more time-  we still had our own masks, just no fins.  


Of course we did! 


And we were really glad because even though we were out there for just a short while, we ended our Hawaiian snorkel by seeing this eagle ray.  








The rest of our night was packing for our move the next day to the Big Island, playing cards (BS) and watching TV.  I questioned the boys viewing choice: a documentary title “Why Planes Crash”


*Next Up: Last Morning in Maui and How We Almost Lost Ben in the airport.  *


----------



## mickeystoontown

Finally, finally, I am caught up with your report.  Thank goodness you were at Walt Disney World part of the time or I would have never caught up. 

You always get THE best underwater pictures!  Oh and the sunset pictures?  Gorgeous!


----------



## KatMark

Great updates, Dee. I love the snorkeling pictures and glad Nathan went with you for a bit. All of your lunch items look yummy. And how cool that you saw a Ray when you went back to snorkel that evening?

What were those boys thinking with your flight the next morning?


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> Grilled Steak Tacos


 The steak tacos look like they have slices of real steak! I'm used to dried out, over-cooked, really tough meat, but this looks good, although my favorite is fish tacos. 



natebenma said:


> we ended our Hawaiian snorkel by seeing this eagle ray.


 That is a gorgeous fish.



natebenma said:


> The rest of our night was packing for our move the next day to the Big Island


 I can't wait to hear about the Big Island, but it also means that your trip is almost over.


----------



## natebenma

mickeystoontown said:


> Finally, finally, I am caught up with your report. Thank goodness you were at Walt Disney World part of the time or I would have never caught up.
> 
> You always get THE best underwater pictures! Oh and the sunset pictures? Gorgeous!



I feel thankful about your recent trip to WDW for the same reason!  Catchup is soooooo hard!

Thank you so much!  As you know, I love photographing the fishies.  But Mother Nature gets the credit on the beautiful sunsets.






KatMark said:


> Great updates, Dee. I love the snorkeling pictures and glad Nathan went with you for a bit. All of your lunch items look yummy. And how cool that you saw a Ray when you went back to snorkel that evening?



Thank you!  I always love it when Nate joins us in the water, but he really does not care for snorkeling. 

The food at Dukes was awesome!  Expensive, but awesome.

We really felt we made the right choice about the last snorkel when we saw the ray. 






KatMark said:


> What were those boys thinking with your flight the next morning?



Seriously, right!?!






Wood Nymph said:


> The steak tacos look like they have slices of real steak! I'm used to dried out, over-cooked, really tough meat, but this looks good, although my favorite is fish tacos.



We had fish tacos at an earlier visit there.  Both were great. 






Wood Nymph said:


> That is a gorgeous fish.



Yes, the eagle ray is really an incredible creature!






Wood Nymph said:


> I can't wait to hear about the Big Island, but it also means that your trip is almost over.



Thanks!  Still many more posts to go.  The volcano excursion was the best one of our trip.  It was a full, full, full, day.


----------



## sharona

natebenma said:


> I should show the rest of the series this incident. It looks like I push the other girl off the board (I didn't!) and then I'm smiling, like "Yeah! I'm still up!"



Super impressed that you surfed and so jealous of your skills!  I tried surfing on my honeymoon too many years ago to admit and it is not easy!  Loving your updates - what a great trip you all had!!!


----------



## jenseib

MMM food looks so good.
Love the snorkeling pictures.


----------



## jwwi

crashing planes movie, no!!!!

Your snorkel pictures are great, what a neat looking Ray.  And identifying the type, you should get extra points.


----------



## natebenma

Bad, bad DISser!  Not only have I failed to post a recent update, I haven't even responded to these comments.  Hope to get updates on my reports posted in the next day or so.





sharona said:


> Super impressed that you surfed and so jealous of your skills! I tried surfing on my honeymoon too many years ago to admit and it is not easy! Loving your updates - what a great trip you all had!!!



Thank you!  Sonny B, our instructor, was really good.  I had my doubts I would be able to do it, but I was pretty happy I caught a couple of rides!

It really was a fantastic trip.  Really happy memories.

:




jenseib said:


> MMM food looks so good.
> Love the snorkeling pictures.



Dukes puts out a great meal.  Expensive.  But great!

Thanks!  We love to snorkel.  Wish we had time on the Big Island, but this was the last of the snorkeling.






jwwi said:


> crashing planes movie, no!!!!
> 
> Your snorkel pictures are great, what a neat looking Ray. And identifying the type, you should get extra points.



I could not believe when the boys told us what they were watching! Didn't bother them, though. 

I love that we never know what we might see under the sea!  I love to try and figure out the types of fish we saw.


----------



## natebenma

*Bye Bye Maui!* 

On our final morning on Maui, our first priority was breakfast.  We had a significant amount of food to finish up- seafood risotto, Mediterranean platter, pizza, peanut butter sandwiches and sushi.  We added to our feast with a visit to the Ania Marketplace onsite where we purchased fresh pineapple ($6, ouch!), a chocolate croissant and Nate got a smoothie. 

Here's a few pictures from the Market.  We didn't visit here much during our trip, but they had pastries, deserts, prepared food and sandwiches.  They even had meats you could purchase to use on the shared grills around the resort.  











I am a compulsive plate clearer, so with my help, we did a pretty good job finishing up all of the food.  There was some jelly left in the jar, and some soy sauce, but other than that, we left the cupboards pretty bare.  

After breakfast, Mark and I took a final walk around the resort.


Bye bye beach!






















Our rental car had to be back at noon, so we left around 10:30 and arrived at the rental lot at 11:45.  As I mentioned earlier, we don't have much experience with rental cars, but we knew we had to return the tank full.  I'm sure you all know the dilemma about trying to find a gas station close enough to the airport, but not so close that you are going to get gouged on the price of gas.  We found one pretty close to the airport and filled up the tank for about $20.  We estimated it would have cost us over $40 if we had the rental company charge us for a fill-up.

By the way, I just saw a report on the Today show that investigated gas stations near the Orlando airport and found that they charged tourists almost double what other gas stations charge to fill their tanks.  Again, since we don't normally rent a car, we haven't experienced this, but buyer beware!!!

*Next Up:  How We Almost Lost Ben at the Airport*


----------



## natebenma

*How We Almost Lost Ben in the Airport*

We had a long wait from the time we returned our rental car until our flight at 2:40 pm

Another airport with amazing views!

 


The boys got some lunch at Burger King-  I didn't order anything because I was still stuffed from the breakfast "buffet" back in our room.  Then Mark and the boys took an unauthorized trip to get some ice cream at Pink Berry.  This was one of those choose your ice cream and toppings and then weigh your selection and pay an exorbitant price.  Mark tried to hide all evidence of the cost but I think it was over $20 for two soft serve ice creams! 





This guy was our dining companion in the food court




In the gate area for our flight, there was a group of probably 50 middle school age kids all wearing orange t-shirts that were advertising a computer camp.  




This is what Ben was wearing.




We teased him that he better not get too close or we might lose him to this group.

*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Are we there yet?* 

Our flight from Maui to the Big Island was 20 minutes! 

The views from the plane, and from the ride to the resort were beautiful.  A nice preview of what we would be seeing from the air on excursion the next day.












Lava Field



Aloha OGG Airport









Lava tube













We arrived at our resort that tried to emulate Disney.


*Next up:  " "Welcome Home!" "  (The Hilton Waikoloa Village)*


----------



## justafigment27

The Big Island!  Yeah!  We spent a week there last year before heading to Aulani ... I loved it and can't wait to read your thoughts (and see your beautiful pictures!).


----------



## KatMark

Beautiful final pictures around your resort on Maui, Dee.

I'm glad that Ben didn't get lost with that sea of orange.

Oh, but the ice cream that Mark got looks awfully good.

Can't wait to hear about the big island (when I return from my trip, of course).


----------



## hill6

Great update Dee. We will probably return to Hawaii in 2017 and stay at Aluani.


----------



## jwwi

The Big Island, so beautiful!  You got some great shots from the plane.


----------



## natebenma

justafigment27 said:


> The Big Island!  Yeah!  We spent a week there last year before heading to Aulani ... I loved it and can't wait to read your thoughts (and see your beautiful pictures!).



Nice!

I know you said you did some snorkeling on the Big Island- heard that it is pretty decent there, but we didn't get a chance.  Where did you stay and what were some of the things you did on your trip?  Any beaches that you loved?






KatMark said:


> Beautiful final pictures around your resort on Maui, Dee.
> 
> I'm glad that Ben didn't get lost with that sea of orange.
> 
> Oh, but the ice cream that Mark got looks awfully good.
> 
> Can't wait to hear about the big island (when I return from my trip, of course).



Thank you!!!

The thing is, Ben would have fit right in with the group, with both attire and interests!  

For $10 a cup, it better have been good!!!

We took an all day volcano tour on the Big Island.  Lots to write about.

Have a fantastic trip with your buddies!!!  



hill6 said:


> Great update Dee. We will probably return to Hawaii in 2017 and stay at Aluani.



Sounds like a FANTASTIC plan!!!

We came "this" close to booking a Feb trip back to Oahu.

Ben had said he wants to go back, we found a trip with a pretty decent price, but when we talked to the boys, they didn't want to do it.  They didn't want to do it.  They both want Europe.  We will see. This coming year may be one of our last chances to travel with Nate, at least for awhile, until he graduates from college. 






jwwi said:


> The Big Island, so beautiful! You got some great shots from the plane.



Thank you!

I'll have some more shots from the air coming up.

Have a fantastic trip!


----------



## Wood Nymph

You must have trained them right since someone took a picture of the "secret" sundae. It also looks like it was soft serve ice cream. I never trust those pay by weight items. I always like heavy toppings.


----------



## chunkymonkey

Hi Dee! Finally catching up on your amazing TR. DLR and Hawaii! That is really an incredible itinerary!

I'm still reading, but loving all the pictures...they are bringing back memories! We're headed back to Honolulu this fall...can't wait to see all those places again. Dukes is touristy yet fun, but it can get packed. I'd suggest Hula Grill or Tiki's if that's the case. Next time 

DH and I climbed Koko Head before! It was really tiring. We rewarded ourselves with some shave ice after!

We also stayed at the Honua Kai on Maui. It's the perfect resort for families. We also did a volcano helicopter tour of the BI. 
Can't wait to read the whole thing!


----------



## justafigment27

natebenma said:


> Nice!
> 
> I know you said you did some snorkeling on the Big Island- heard that it is pretty decent there, but we didn't get a chance.  Where did you stay and what were some of the things you did on your trip?  Any beaches that you loved?



You have a good memory!  We stayed at Kona Surf & Racquet in a VRBO condo for most of the trip with one night at Volcano House inside of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  We went to Hapuna Beach for our big "beach day" and it was quite nice - we also went to Punalu'u black sand beach (but just to see the turtles and walk around, not to swim or snorkel). 

I am looking forward to your Hilton review - it's one of the places we looked at when trying to decided where to stay.


----------



## carissa1970

Just read all 37 pages and cannot wait to see what you did on the big island!  Love your writing style.

We alternate WDW and Hawaii each summer, and have done that for 4 summers.  2016 will be the first time we island hop, from Aulani to the Big island, so I hope to get some tips!


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> You must have trained them right since someone took a picture of the "secret" sundae. It also looks like it was soft serve ice cream. I never trust those pay by weight items. I always like heavy toppings.



No, that's my picture.

I was allowed to see the sundae. It was the receipt they tried to hide from me.

Ouch!





chunkymonkey said:


> Hi Dee! Finally catching up on your amazing TR. DLR and Hawaii! That is really an incredible itinerary!
> 
> I'm still reading, but loving all the pictures...they are bringing back memories! We're headed back to Honolulu this fall...can't wait to see all those places again. Dukes is touristy yet fun, but it can get packed. I'd suggest Hula Grill or Tiki's if that's the case. Next time
> 
> DH and I climbed Koko Head before! It was really tiring. We rewarded ourselves with some shave ice after!
> 
> We also stayed at the Honua Kai on Maui. It's the perfect resort for families. We also did a volcano helicopter tour of the BI.
> Can't wait to read the whole thing!





It truly was a fabulous trip!  Our first time to both places, so it was all new to us.  And our longest trip ever.

Yay for returning to Honolulu in the fall!  I remember your trip report was the first time I really read about Hawaii and I remember you describing your quest for Shave Ice. MMMMmmmm.

I have another friend who is an expert on Hawaii and she recommends the Hula Grill as well!

  For climbing Koko head!  Wow!

We loved the Honua Kai.  The resort was beautiful, the rooms were huge, the location was great and the snorkeling was AWESOME!

Our helicopter/volcano tour was incredible.  We went up in Paradise Helicopters.  Who did you use?  Blue Hawaii? Paradise?  Someone else?

:





justafigment27 said:


> You have a good memory! We stayed at Kona Surf & Racquet in a VRBO condo for most of the trip with one night at Volcano House inside of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We went to Hapuna Beach for our big "beach day" and it was quite nice - we also went to Punalu'u black sand beach (but just to see the turtles and walk around, not to swim or snorkel).
> 
> I am looking forward to your Hilton review - it's one of the places we looked at when trying to decided where to stay.



Oh wow, the stay inside of VNP sounds really neat!  Sounds like you had a great stay on the BI.

I will have lots of pictures, and lots of caveats to go along with my review of the Hilton Waikoloa.






carissa1970 said:


> Just read all 37 pages and cannot wait to see what you did on the big island! Love your writing style.
> 
> We alternate WDW and Hawaii each summer, and have done that for 4 summers. 2016 will be the first time we island hop, from Aulani to the Big island, so I hope to get some tips!





Oh, wow!  Thanks for reading everything so far and for your very kind comments.

How long will you be on the Big Island?  And where are you planning on staying?

We were just there for a day, so we will see if I have any helpful hints, but I will say that Paradise Helicopters and Hawaii Forest and Trail both rate two big thumbs up!!!


----------



## carissa1970

We are looking at 7 days or more on the big island.  Right now we have a week VRBO house rented on the Hilo side, but looking for something to add on the Kona side.


----------



## jenseib

We got gouged by that gas station near MCO before.  skip kept telling me to keep goping and then of course this was the only one we found and I said I was backtracking and he said no just do it.  I want to say it was like either $5 or $7 a gallon...whatever it was it was SUPER high.

Great shots from the plane.  Wouldn't be nice if all flights were 20 minutes.


----------



## eandesmom

Finally catching up!!! You guys are snorkel junkies, I love it! Looks like the surf lesson was a big hit but wow that was crowded! I am glad the boys had less folks around for their lesson.

I feel your pain on the "last trip" discussion. We have only one as well and that's just all kinds of wierd!  Evan's request is somewhere spanish speaking...so far Puerto Rico is winning but we shall see.  It may well come down to whether we can get an RCI exchange or not on that front.

YAY, you've made it to the Big Island.  Cracking up about the orange shirts!

Great update


----------



## natebenma

carissa1970 said:


> We are looking at 7 days or more on the big island. Right now we have a week VRBO house rented on the Hilo side, but looking for something to add on the Kona side.



That sounds nice!

I didn't do any research about places to stay on the Big Island.  I will be hopefully be posting my review of the Hilton Waikoloa sometime this weekend. 

Have you made flight arrangements yet?  Would you fly into Hilo and then out of Kona?






jenseib said:


> We got gouged by that gas station near MCO before. skip kept telling me to keep goping and then of course this was the only one we found and I said I was backtracking and he said no just do it. I want to say it was like either $5 or $7 a gallon...whatever it was it was SUPER high.
> 
> Great shots from the plane. Wouldn't be nice if all flights were 20 minutes.



How is that legal???

Thank you! 

We probably waited at the airport more than 5 times longer than our flight was.






eandesmom said:


> Finally catching up!!! You guys are snorkel junkies, I love it!



You have no idea! 






eandesmom said:


> Looks like the surf lesson was a big hit but wow that was crowded! I am glad the boys had less folks around for their lesson.



Where did your guys surf?




eandesmom said:


> I feel your pain on the "last trip" discussion. We have only one as well and that's just all kinds of wierd! Evan's request is somewhere spanish speaking...so far Puerto Rico is winning but we shall see. It may well come down to whether we can get an RCI exchange or not on that front.



Mark and I went to Puerto Rico for our 25th anniversary in 2012.  We stayed at Las Casitas (El Conquistador).  The boys did not accompany us on that trip. 

February or April may be our last trip together.  We came "this" close to booking a trip to Oahu again for Feb vacation because Ben said he wants to go back.  But when we discussed it with the boys, they didn't want to do the same thing.

They both, miraculously came to us with the same destination as a suggestion:  Europe!

If we do this is may be for a week during April vacation or for longer in the summer.  Ben wants to do the World War II tribute tour.  His proposed itinerary has about a dozen military museums on it!

We shall see. 




eandesmom said:


> Cracking up about the orange shirts!



It was really funny, same shirt color, same ages, and the kids seemed to be at the same geek level as our son (sorry Ben!)


----------



## natebenma

*Who Knew the Big Island was so, Big?*




As I have mentioned, I really had no familiarity with Hawaii before our trip.  Our original vacation plan for Hawaii included 4 days at this resort on the Big Island, and 4 nights in Oahu, but no time in Maui.  But before we booked, I discovered that the Hilton Waikoloa was not on a swimming/snorkeling beach.  That really did not work for me! Friends convinced me to add a stay on Maui.  I'm so glad we did!

I wanted to skip the Big Island all together, but the boys wanted volcanoes, so we arranged our trip with a single night at the Hilton Waikoloa.

Here's the problem.  The resort is on the opposite side of the island from the volcanoes!  How could I have known that it would be a 3 hour trip, each way, to get to the other side of the Big Island to tour Volcano National Park on the one day we would be there?  I suppose the name "Big Island"  should have been a clue!!!

Had I done the proper research before booking, I would have flown into/out of Hilo on the east coast of the island for a stay in that area instead of Kona, but by the time I figured that out, it was too late (expensive) to make the changes.

We knew we wanted to take a helicopter tour over the volcanos, which we could easily do from the Kona area, but I also wanted a land-based volcano experience.  And I couldn't figure out how we were going to accomplish this.

Fortunately, a few months before the trip, we found a solution.  A really good one.  A really EXPENSIVE one.  But worth every penny!

But that is an upcoming chapter.




*Hilton Waikoloa Village
Thursday July 24-Friday July 25*

*" Welcome 'Home' "*





Hilton Waikoloa Village, from the air


We had scheduled a van pickup to bring us from the airport to the HWV.  I think it was about a 30 minute drive to and from the hotel (I should know this because the following day we would be doing this round trip twice)

We pulled up to the entrance way, which was quite crowded.  There were 3 lanes of vehicles dropping off passengers.  We looked over as one driver was pulling out and actually drove into a bellman who was trying to help guests in another vehicle! It was a light tap, and the bellman was not hurt, but this was our first impression of the resort.

Our second impression was as we got out of our van and the bellman said "Welcome Home!"

Wait, what?

Isn't that a phrase trademarked by Disney for their guests???

I have very mixed feelings about this resort.  It is trying to be "Disney", but it is not.  The resort is expansive and beautiful.  It even has monorails and boats to help you get from place to place.

Reminiscent of Stormalong Bay at the Beach Club, the main pool is huge and even has a sand-bottom feature.  

The welcome message on our room phone even told me to "Have a magical day"

But I have been to Disney.  I am friends with Disney.  You, sir, are NO Disney!


There are a ton of activities, an amazing watersports lagoon, lots of interesting places to eat, a Dolphin experience.  

But the resort was full of screaming kids, rude parents who didn't care and slobs- there was trash left all around by guests.  Don't get me wrong, I love kids, I have two of my own, but I was appalled that parents let their kids climb all over things they shouldn't and to be so loud in enclosed spaces like the monorail, without asking them to use an inside voice.  

We found our room to be a bit dingy and dated.  When we were walking to our room after checking in, in the hallway near the elevator, we saw a blue rubber glove on a railing.  That glove stayed there the entire time we were there.

I actually found a diamond earring on the floor of our room which made me seriously doubt the room had been vacuumed thoroughly. 

It could also be that I was a crank, at the end of an amazing, but exhausting, 14 day trip, with a long day of touring (11 hours) and a punishing day of traveling home ahead of us, but I was not feeling it! 



Our room was in the Palace building.  That is the middle building, with the two wings extending out, in the picture above.

Lots of nice features in the large room, the view was ok (although not compared to what we had everywhere else), but we weren't going to spending much time here other than to sleep.

We did spend a little time in another room (a convenience room after we had checked out) and that one was in better shape, but I was so exhausted at that time that I didn't even take any pictures.  Trip Report Fail!!!!



*Room 3261*

















Biggest Walk-in closet ever! 







*Balcony and View*


















*Getting Around:*


















*Activities Lagoon:*









Backside of Water






*Beach:*






*Pool:*


----------



## natebenma

*More of the Hilton Waikoloa and Dinner at Imari

Coming Soon! *


----------



## HockeyMomR

Dee - Big Island is big! Looking forward to hearing about your alternate time saving, but expensive plan.

The grounds look beautiful. Agreed though your room does look tired. What a shame. The uncleanliness clues  - very yucky.

Look forward to hearing more about your final days outside in beautiful surroundings!


----------



## Vernie822

Dee - So glad I have found your trip report! I remember reading one of yours before. 

My fiance and I are also from the northeast (well, Pittsburgh), and we are planning our honeymoon. One of our ideas is DLR + Aulani.. So this is perfect! We are first time DL'ers too.. I am so excited to read all about your trip. And I just love your "through the years" pics in the first post. Too cute.


----------



## Wood Nymph

The first time we went to the Big Island we only stayed in Kona and made that long round trip to Volcano National Park in one day. The second time we split the trip and stayed near Hilo for a night before flying to Honolulu.


----------



## natebenma

HockeyMomR said:


> Dee - Big Island is big! Looking forward to hearing about your alternate time saving, but expensive plan.
> 
> The grounds look beautiful. Agreed though your room does look tired. What a shame. The uncleanliness clues - very yucky.
> 
> Look forward to hearing more about your final days outside in beautiful surroundings!



Why couldn't there be some sort of description to let me know we were headed to a Big Island???

I don't think my time saving, expensive plan is a big secret since I have a picture of the helicopter on the first page of my report, but this was a relatively new tour offered and it was exactly what I wanted.  It was the best excursion we have ever done.  Just amazing!






Vernie822 said:


> Dee - So glad I have found your trip report! I remember reading one of yours before.
> 
> My fiance and I are also from the northeast (well, Pittsburgh), and we are planning our honeymoon. One of our ideas is DLR + Aulani.. So this is perfect! We are first time DL'ers too.. I am so excited to read all about your trip. And I just love your "through the years" pics in the first post. Too cute.



 and Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

So glad to have you back for another report!

I would be happy to answer any questions you have, if I can.  We totally loved visiting both Disneyland and Hawaii.  It was a great way to break up the travel time and it was nice having the gradual adjustment to the time differences.

When would the trip be?  The one recommendation I have right now is to book tickets to the Arizona Memorial 6 months before your trip if you are planning on visiting Pearl Harbor.  There are a limited number of tickets offered in advance and it was nice for us to know we were all set. 






Wood Nymph said:


> The first time we went to the Big Island we only stayed in Kona and made that long round trip to Volcano National Park in one day. The second time we split the trip and stayed near Hilo for a night before flying to Honolulu.



As you know, not only is the island BIG, but there are limited roadways to get around. 

We knew we didn't want to have a 6 hour road trip to Volcano National Park on the day we were flying back home.  We certainly wouldn't have the luxury to stop along the way at any other attractions or areas to help break up the trip.  I was so disappointed with the thought that we were not going to have the opportunity to visit VNP.  

Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy a solution to our problem.  And honestly, it wasn't much more than a regular helicopter tour.


----------



## Vernie822

natebenma said:


> and Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
> 
> So glad to have you back for another report!
> 
> I would be happy to answer any questions you have, if I can. We totally loved visiting both Disneyland and Hawaii. It was a great way to break up the travel time and it was nice having the gradual adjustment to the time differences.
> 
> When would the trip be? The one recommendation I have right now is to book tickets to the Arizona Memorial 6 months before your trip if you are planning on visiting Pearl Harbor. There are a limited number of tickets offered in advance and it was nice for us to know we were all set.



Thank you SO much! Even reading through your trip report (and Cynthia's from when they went to Aulani), I have learned so much. I think a mix of some adventure at DLR plus relaxation (and more adventure) in Hawaii would be perfect.

Our trip will be September 2016. Our wedding is Sept 3rd (Labor Day weekend) so we are hoping to fly out Sunday or Monday. How many days would you suggest at DLR? We are thinking of arriving Sunday late afternoon/evening, and doing parks Mon-Tues-Weds, then leaving Thursday hopefully in the AM to get to Hawaii by late afternoon. Probably just exploring/getting our bearings/having a nice dinner on Sunday. It seems like you guys did about equal - would you say 3 full days is enough?

And I will definitely keep that in mind about Pearl Harbor, thanks for the heads up! We would love to see the memorial and learn all about it.


----------



## saintstickets

Nice update Dee!  We've been to Hawaii twice (30 years apart) but never made it to the Big Island.  If we ever make it back, I'd love to do some kind of volcano tour.  That resort looks like they really were influenced by Disney.  



natebenma said:


> Money can't buy happiness,


'Tis true but let me win the lottery and if I'm not somewhat happier, I can always give it away!


----------



## momabbate

What awesome trip. Thank you for sharing it all with us. Loved hearing the DL part from new eyes. I haven't been in 26 years. As for Hawaii, it is just a lovely place I am so glad you got to do so much. I never had any desire to go snorkeling, seeing your pics may have changed my mind.


----------



## natebenma

Vernie822 said:


> Thank you SO much! Even reading through your trip report (and Cynthia's from when they went to Aulani), I have learned so much. I think a mix of some adventure at DLR plus relaxation (and more adventure) in Hawaii would be perfect.
> 
> Our trip will be September 2016. Our wedding is Sept 3rd (Labor Day weekend) so we are hoping to fly out Sunday or Monday. How many days would you suggest at DLR? We are thinking of arriving Sunday late afternoon/evening, and doing parks Mon-Tues-Weds, then leaving Thursday hopefully in the AM to get to Hawaii by late afternoon. Probably just exploring/getting our bearings/having a nice dinner on Sunday. It seems like you guys did about equal - would you say 3 full days is enough?
> 
> And I will definitely keep that in mind about Pearl Harbor, thanks for the heads up! We would love to see the memorial and learn all about it.



Definitely pay attention to Cynthia's report(s)!  She knows what she is talking about with Hawaii and won't steer you someplace like Red Lobster!

We were in DL for 4 nights.  We arrived mid-day (CA time) on Saturday and left for Hawaii on Wednesday morning, so we had one half day on our arrival and 3 full days.  I think that was the perfect amount of time. 

Yes, we arrived in Hawaii in the afternoon and had enough energy to explore and have a simple dinner.  We were pretty wiped out by the end of that day, though, but refreshed the next morning. 






saintstickets said:


> Nice update Dee! We've been to Hawaii twice (30 years apart) but never made it to the Big Island. If we ever make it back, I'd love to do some kind of volcano tour. That resort looks like they really were influenced by Disney.



You will have to read up on our volcano day.  Definitely a great experience.

I hear that the snorkeling is pretty amazing on the Big Island, so I am a little disappointed that we didn't have a chance to do that.   There are places you can snorkel with giant Manta Rays, and although we did that in Atlantis, it would be supremely cool to do that in the wild!









saintstickets said:


> 'Tis true but let me win the lottery and if I'm not somewhat happier, I can always give it away!



Excellent point!







momabbate said:


> What awesome trip. Thank you for sharing it all with us. Loved hearing the DL part from new eyes. I haven't been in 26 years. As for Hawaii, it is just a lovely place I am so glad you got to do so much. I never had any desire to go snorkeling, seeing your pics may have changed my mind.



Thank you so much!

We really enjoyed our time in Disneyland.  I loved the way it was both familiar and different from what we were used to at WDW.

My husband had to convince me to try snorkeling many many years ago.  I was sure that I wouldn't be coordinated enough to swim and breathe through the snorkel at the same time.  But once I hit the water and was able to see beneath the sea, I was hooked.  I spent that entire day face down in the water, which, for the record, is not a great idea unless your back is covered with a t-shirt and you are sunscreened really well.


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> Mark and I went to Puerto Rico for our 25th anniversary in 2012. We stayed at Las Casitas (El Conquistador). The boys did not accompany us on that trip.



There are a couple of RCI's I can trade into and they look lovely.  Ideally I'd be doing wait list now but that's a $96 fee.  My struggle is that it's a room that sleeps 4.  Which means teens sharing a bed.  We actually did survive this last weekend, amazingly, for 3 nights on the Oregon Coast. Which was encouraging after the disaster that was our one night at HHV.  We surrvived because 1) it was a bigger room.  Not huge but a little separation went a long way and 2) the bed, and pull out, were both queens.  These seem to be both double beds.  Which could be livable if we got 2 studios but as they only show dates through December, I really have no idea of how probable or possible it would be to get 2.  Or to have them close to each other at the resort itself.   So the idea of $96x2 to potentially hold something is a little scary.  But the point value for it is fabulous.  So...we will see.



natebenma said:


> February or April may be our last trip together. We came "this" close to booking a trip to Oahu again for Feb vacation because Ben said he wants to go back. But when we discussed it with the boys, they didn't want to do the same thing.



Of this year????  What grade is Ben?  



natebenma said:


> They both, miraculously came to us with the same destination as a suggestion: Europe!
> 
> If we do this is may be for a week during April vacation or for longer in the summer. Ben wants to do the World War II tribute tour. His proposed itinerary has about a dozen military museums on it!
> 
> We shall see.



I would love to do that with the boys.  Instead, they will be doing it without us.  That is their trip this year, with school.  Ireland.  I'd love to go along (not chaperone but stalk lol) but I don't see it happening.



natebenma said:


> Here's the problem. The resort is on the opposite side of the island from the volcanoes! How could I have known that it would be a 3 hour trip, each way, to get to the other side of the Big Island to tour Volcano National Park on the one day we would be there? I suppose the name "Big Island" should have been a clue!!!
> 
> Had I done the proper research before booking, I would have flown into/out of Hilo on the east coast of the island for a stay in that area instead of Kona, but by the time I figured that out, it was too late (expensive) to make the changes.
> 
> We knew we wanted to take a helicopter tour over the volcanos, which we could easily do from the Kona area, but I also wanted a land-based volcano experience. And I couldn't figure out how we were going to accomplish this.
> 
> Fortunately, a few months before the trip, we found a solution. A really good one. A really EXPENSIVE one. But worth every penny!



Oh my word, I didn't even think about it and should have counseled you better.  I think I forgot you were doing this for one day...and planning on volcano's.  We stayed in Kona and yeah...it was a LONG day of driving there and back and you were much further into town than we were I think.  DISfriend FAIL!



natebenma said:


> I have very mixed feelings about this resort. It is trying to be "Disney", but it is not. The resort is expansive and beautiful. It even has monorails and boats to help you get from place to place.
> 
> Reminiscent of Stormalong Bay at the Beach Club, the main pool is huge and even has a sand-bottom feature.
> 
> The welcome message on our room phone even told me to "Have a magical day"
> 
> But I have been to Disney. I am friends with Disney. You, sir, are NO Disney!



I had NO idea that place was so massive.  No clue at all!  We were in a condo, shoot.  If you ever go back to the Big Island, the place we stayed at was fabulous.



natebenma said:


> But the resort was full of screaming kids, rude parents who didn't care and slobs- there was trash left all around by guests. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, I have two of my own, but I was appalled that parents let their kids climb all over things they shouldn't and to be so loud in enclosed spaces like the monorail, without asking them to use an inside voice.
> 
> We found our room to be a bit dingy and dated. When we were walking to our room after checking in, in the hallway near the elevator, we saw a blue rubber glove on a railing. That glove stayed there the entire time we were there.
> 
> I actually found a diamond earring on the floor of our room which made me seriously doubt the room had been vacuumed thoroughly.
> 
> It could also be that I was a crank, at the end of an amazing, but exhausting, 14 day trip, with a long day of touring (11 hours) and a punishing day of traveling home ahead of us, but I was not feeling it!



ick ick and I wouldn't have been feeling it either!


----------



## natebenma

eandesmom said:


> There are a couple of RCI's I can trade into and they look lovely. Ideally I'd be doing wait list now but that's a $96 fee. My struggle is that it's a room that sleeps 4. Which means teens sharing a bed. We actually did survive this last weekend, amazingly, for 3 nights on the Oregon Coast. Which was encouraging after the disaster that was our one night at HHV. We surrvived because 1) it was a bigger room. Not huge but a little separation went a long way and 2) the bed, and pull out, were both queens. These seem to be both double beds. Which could be livable if we got 2 studios but as they only show dates through December, I really have no idea of how probable or possible it would be to get 2. Or to have them close to each other at the resort itself. So the idea of $96x2 to potentially hold something is a little scary. But the point value for it is fabulous. So...we will see.



Can't wait to hear what works out for you.

My boys are PITAs about sharing a bed, too, but we made them suck it up on the DL/Hawaii trip.  At Universal we do give in and get a rollaway cot for Nate for $25 per night. 



eandesmom said:


> Of this year???? What grade is Ben?



Feb 2016-  family vacation.  We are thinking this may be the "last" big trip together.  I know, we justified the DL/Hawaii trip with the same excuse, but again, one never know what circumstances might come into play- health, finances, part-time jobs.  So we will just keep on traveling together as much as we can. 

Nate will be a senior in HS this year, Ben will be a freshman. 




eandesmom said:


> I would love to do that with the boys. Instead, they will be doing it without us. That is their trip this year, with school. Ireland. I'd love to go along (not chaperone but stalk lol) but I don't see it happening.



Do they get to go together?




eandesmom said:


> Oh my word, I didn't even think about it and should have counseled you better. I think I forgot you were doing this for one day...and planning on volcano's. We stayed in Kona and yeah...it was a LONG day of driving there and back and you were much further into town than we were I think. DISfriend FAIL!



NO, totally not your fault.  I'm sure we had everything booked before I mentioned the trip to you.  So it was already too late. 

There were other clues I should have picked up on that would lead me to understand the size of the Big Island!

But it all worked out wonderfully.




eandesmom said:


> I had NO idea that place was so massive. No clue at all! We were in a condo, shoot. If you ever go back to the Big Island, the place we stayed at was fabulous.



If we return to the Big Island, I'll probably hit you up for the info.  We really liked the condo stay we had on Maui. 

The resort was really too big for we needed.  A place to crash for the night before our all-day excursion.



eandesmom said:


> ick ick and I wouldn't have been feeling it either!



Could have been cleaner.  My OCD urged me to pick up that glove and throw it away but my sense of hygiene wouldn't let me. 



You may have seen on Facebook-  Mark and I totally redeemed ourselves on this year's anniversary dinner.

1) No Red Lobster
2) No boys joining us
3)




Lobster and Corn Flatbread




Bleu Cheese Crusted Sirloin with Truffle Mashed Potatoes




Seared Scallops with Corn and Pancetta


----------



## eandesmom

natebenma said:


> My boys are PITAs about sharing a bed, too, but we made them suck it up on the DL/Hawaii trip. At Universal we do give in and get a rollaway cot for Nate for $25 per night.



Sucking it up is one thing but if they fight all night, it keeps us awake as we are in the same room.  If it's a different room and I don't have to hear them, or more importantly hear Jeff getting mad at them and then keeping me awake, they can suck it up.  LOL!.  Jeff and I don't do that well in a double bed either so that's a bit of a concern.  We will see.  Cabo is an option as well but the hook (for me) for PR is that we could tack on WDW on one end and Universal on the other and use MCO as our layover/flight change spot which is what we did on our anniversary cruise.  It isn't until July 2017 though...LONG ways away.  



natebenma said:


> Feb 2016- family vacation. We are thinking this may be the "last" big trip together. I know, we justified the DL/Hawaii trip with the same excuse, but again, one never know what circumstances might come into play- health, finances, part-time jobs. So we will just keep on traveling together as much as we can.
> 
> Nate will be a senior in HS this year, Ben will be a freshman.



Ah yes, that's exactly our situation in 2017 except Eric will be a sophmore and Ev a sr..  You just don't know.  And much as I hate to say it, we've not had a trip with K or T since they graduated HS.  Doesn't mean it won't ever happen again but they have their own lives and it's just different, and schedules are even more complicated.



natebenma said:


> Do they get to go together?



Yes.  It's another band trip.  12 nights in Ireland, March of 2016.  They will march in the St. Patrick's Day parade.  I would LOVE to go but it's a really pricey trip and chaperons pay more than the kids and have a lot less free time.  Chaperoning doesn't sound remotely fun.  I'd go on my own, or with Jeff but $$ wise I just don't see it happening.  The school does this every 4 years.  Evan is not happy it falls so that he and Eric go together.  I think it's both a good and a bad thing. Cool for them to share the experience but ugly for my wallet.  I've done week long trips for 4-6 for less than this will cost.  



natebenma said:


> NO, totally not your fault. I'm sure we had everything booked before I mentioned the trip to you. So it was already too late.



You did, I am fairly sure you booked everything and then announced the details.



natebenma said:


> If we return to the Big Island, I'll probably hit you up for the info. We really liked the condo stay we had on Maui.
> 
> The resort was really too big for we needed. A place to crash for the night before our all-day excursion.



Jeff and I LOVED the big island.  I would go back there for a week.  It is so varied and so much to do.  We stayed at Kanaloa at Kona by Outrigger.  It was crazy, I booked a 1B ocean view.  We got a 3 bedroom!  It was huge, with a fabulous lanai.  It did not have a beach...Big Island is pretty rocky as you know so it had seriously cool vistas and walks but no immediate beach.  Lovely pools and close to a grocery store.  The better beaches are definitely up where you were, we went up there a couple times for beach time.  If it were just the 2 of us and we were splurging, I'd probably look at Mauna Kea...which is even further up!  Or the Four Seasons, which is a bit further down.  But our spot was great for heading into Kona Town for eats and then heading the other way to the Volcano, black beach, etc.  Probably an hour closer than you were.  Hilo is signficantly closer!



natebenma said:


> You may have seen on Facebook- Mark and I totally redeemed ourselves on this year's anniversary dinner.
> 
> 1) No Red Lobster
> 2) No boys joining us



YAY!

That food looked yummy!!!!!!!!!!!  You deserved a real do over.


----------



## jenseib

You look really tired in that monorail picture.  The place looks decent, but compare to everything you have done I can see how this resort is not living up to it all.  Still nice....and heck it's Hawaii!
Glad to see you had a better anniversary dinner this year. 
We went to Habachi...and it was awesome....but we brought Claire with us. It didn't matter to me either way but my husband told her the day before she could come and then he got to thinking we could go to the casino and eat dinner there. We've never been to the local one and we hear the restaurants are good there..Too late Claire was not going to bow out on a good meal and night out with mom and dad.


----------



## heybets30

Can't wait to read the rest!! We will stay at the Fairmont Orchid in October, down the road from Waikoloa Village. We loved the Big Island from our honeymoon,  and put 4 days there ahead of Aulani. We'll drive to VNP, not a big deal as we have a few days ... Letting the kids see the different areas of the island is why we chose it. That, and the littles love coffee!! We'll be at a coffee plantation possibly daily ;-) Great trip report!


----------



## KatMark

I am glad to see I wasn't too far behind on at least one or two TR's.

I hate parents who let their children just be absolute monsters when in places and do not use their "indoor" voice. And to let the kids just climb over everything...just blows me away.

I have to say that I'm not impressed with your room...looks like a hotel room anywhere. But your view sure isn't bad and I have to say the grounds look quite lovely.


----------



## natebenma

eandesmom said:


> Sucking it up is one thing but if they fight all night, it keeps us awake as we are in the same room. If it's a different room and I don't have to hear them, or more importantly hear Jeff getting mad at them and then keeping me awake, they can suck it up. LOL!. Jeff and I don't do that well in a double bed either so that's a bit of a concern. We will see. Cabo is an option as well but the hook (for me) for PR is that we could tack on WDW on one end and Universal on the other and use MCO as our layover/flight change spot which is what we did on our anniversary cruise. It isn't until July 2017 though...LONG ways away.



We leave for our "camping" vacation to Yellowstone on Thursday.  As my definition of camping it is a hotel without a pool, we are semi roughing-it.  We share a pool with a neighboring resort.  And there is only a two burner stove in our 2 bedroom cabin.  




eandesmom said:


> Ah yes, that's exactly our situation in 2017 except Eric will be a sophmore and Ev a sr.. You just don't know. And much as I hate to say it, we've not had a trip with K or T since they graduated HS. Doesn't mean it won't ever happen again but they have their own lives and it's just different, and schedules are even more complicated.



Are you any closer on figuring out your trips?

We haven't done any more planning for our "last family trip" or for our anniversary, but Mark actually suggested Disney when I told him there was a time when we could go to MNSSHP, Food & Wine and MVMCP in one trip! However, to do this would be a weeklong trip, so that may be a bit much to leave Ben with someone, or heaven forbid, to come along! I am trying to devise a way to maybe have him come for part of the trip.






eandesmom said:


> Yes. It's another band trip. 12 nights in Ireland, March of 2016. They will march in the St. Patrick's Day parade. I would LOVE to go but it's a really pricey trip and chaperons pay more than the kids and have a lot less free time. Chaperoning doesn't sound remotely fun. I'd go on my own, or with Jeff but $$ wise I just don't see it happening. The school does this every 4 years. Evan is not happy it falls so that he and Eric go together. I think it's both a good and a bad thing. Cool for them to share the experience but ugly for my wallet. I've done week long trips for 4-6 for less than this will cost.



Then you have the right attitude as a chaperone! The worst kind I run into are the ones who think that a class trip is just a convenient way for them to have a family vacation with their child.






eandesmom said:


> You did, I am fairly sure you booked everything and then announced the details.



Yes, I have learned my lesson.  Before my next vacation to Hawaii, talk to Cynthia!






eandesmom said:


> Jeff and I LOVED the big island. I would go back there for a week. It is so varied and so much to do. We stayed at Kanaloa at Kona by Outrigger. It was crazy, I booked a 1B ocean view. We got a 3 bedroom! It was huge, with a fabulous lanai. It did not have a beach...Big Island is pretty rocky as you know so it had seriously cool vistas and walks but no immediate beach. Lovely pools and close to a grocery store. The better beaches are definitely up where you were, we went up there a couple times for beach time. If it were just the 2 of us and we were splurging, I'd probably look at Mauna Kea...which is even further up! Or the Four Seasons, which is a bit further down. But our spot was great for heading into Kona Town for eats and then heading the other way to the Volcano, black beach, etc. Probably an hour closer than you were. Hilo is signficantly closer!



The way I think I would try to tackle the Big Island is to find a resort/condo on the beach, preferably one with decent snorkeling.  Possibly a split stay with a place in Hilo, flying into Hilo and out of Kona, with a one day drive between the two where we could hit visit of the other attractions on the island.  Although I know Mark would want to do the same tour we did this time.





eandesmom said:


> YAY!
> 
> That food looked yummy!!!!!!!!!!! You deserved a real do over.



We had such a fabulous meal!  Our town has come a long way in the dining scene since we moved here 20 years ago.  At that time, everyone would cross the river into the next city for a night out, but now we have people coming here for some of the restaurants.  We had a wait for our table, but instead of giving us a buzzer, the owner took my cell number and we walked to another restaurant for a drink first until he called (not creepy, he is the son of one of my dear friends/best real estate agent in town).  We were too stuffed for dessert, so we walked to a new place downtown and took home fresh-made crepes.

 Mmmmmm!


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> You look really tired in that monorail picture. The place looks decent, but compare to everything you have done I can see how this resort is not living up to it all. Still nice....and heck it's Hawaii!
> Glad to see you had a better anniversary dinner this year.
> We went to Habachi...and it was awesome....but we brought Claire with us. It didn't matter to me either way but my husband told her the day before she could come and then he got to thinking we could go to the casino and eat dinner there. We've never been to the local one and we hear the restaurants are good there..Too late Claire was not going to bow out on a good meal and night out with mom and dad.



So.Very.Tired!

I don't think I have a picture from 30 hours later, though.  Even worse!

I'm sure the resort is very nice and I was looking at it though tainted sunglasses.  Like you said, we had incredible stays elsewhere and we were all so tired after 9 busy days.  Still, hard to overlook some cleanliness issues and rude families who were getting on our nerves.

We (and by that I mean Mark), doesn't mind if the boys come along on our anniversary celebrations.

Glad you had a nice meal at Hibachi!  Sounds like you probably had a decent chef.  That can really make or break an experience.  Have you ever been to Teppen Edo at EPCOT?  It has been years for us, but we like it.





heybets30 said:


> Can't wait to read the rest!! We will stay at the Fairmont Orchid in October, down the road from Waikoloa Village. We loved the Big Island from our honeymoon, and put 4 days there ahead of Aulani. We'll drive to VNP, not a big deal as we have a few days ... Letting the kids see the different areas of the island is why we chose it. That, and the littles love coffee!! We'll be at a coffee plantation possibly daily ;-) Great trip report!



Thank you so much and  to my report!!!

I won't make promises, but I should be able to finish this up by October!  Just a few more updates, but they are going to be full ones. 



I will be interested in hearing your review of the Fairmont.  Sounds like an awesome trip!

There really are a lot of great places to explore between Kona and VNP, ESPECIALLY if you all love coffee!!!


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> I am glad to see I wasn't too far behind on at least one or two TR's.
> 
> I hate parents who let their children just be absolute monsters when in places and do not use their "indoor" voice. And to let the kids just climb over everything...just blows me away.
> 
> I have to say that I'm not impressed with your room...looks like a hotel room anywhere. But your view sure isn't bad and I have to say the grounds look quite lovely.



Thanks for keeping up.  I am doing my part by only updating every 3 weeks or so...



We were just too tired to deal with parents who couldn't be bothered parenting their loud and unruly children.  And when you are in an enclosed space like a monorail, it is even worse! And people were slobs!  We found cups and trash all over the place, like the pool.  I know you are on vacation, people, but you can still walk your garbage to a trash can!

There was a lot to do at the resort and the room was spacious, but it did not blow us away


----------



## natebenma

*A Little More Waikoloa*

Before I get to the Main Event, our volcanoes excursion, I'll post a little more about the Hilton Waikoloa Village.

After we settled into our room (well, not too settled since we would only be there one night), we took explored the resort.

This is the lobby/courtyard in the Palace, which was the building our room was in.  


 


In front of each of the 3 resort buildings, there is a monorail stop and a boat dock to catch transportation.  We waited for a boat to take us on a little ride to the main building.








This is the activities lagoon, where you can rent paddleboards, kayaks and other water toys.

 


We continued on past the area with the Dolphin encounter.  





Across the way was the only beach we saw.  Not sure if there is another beach elsewhere on the resort property.



We had changed into swimsuits when we were in our room and Mark, Ben and I went for a dip in the pool.  You get towels at a shack inside a cave near the pool.  I don't seem to have any pictures of that.  We had to show some type of room key to get the towels.  

The pool was huge and it felt really good, but it is no Stormalong Bay.  





Ben and I swam over to the waterfall. 






I was disgusted at the pool deck, though.  People just left their empty cups and other trash under their chairs.  

*Continued in Next post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

Also on the grounds were some animal displays.



Flamingos-  is that a hidden Mickey island?  Nope, but close

 


 

Nene


Then, we made our way back to our room to change into dry clothes for dinner.

The hallways are filled with Hawaiian art and artifacts.  Not sure which of these are authentic and which are reproductions. 

 


 


 


We had scoped out some of the restaurants on our walk around the resort, and we settled on this one, which was conveniently located in our building.

 

The idea of this restaurant is to order a lot of different selections to share, family-style

Here are some really cruddy, blurry shots of the menu


  


*Continued in Next Post- Dinner at Imari*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post

 *

* 



 

View from our table




Sushi- 3 California Roll, eel, octopus and sea urchin.  We really didn't care for the sea urchin




Shrimp Tempura




Fried Rice-  Portuguese sausage, bacon, peas, carrots, Kula onion, edamame, soy and oyster sauces





Shrimp and Pioppini Mushroom Yaki Udon- Pioppini mushrooms, Kula onions, cabbage, carrot, cilantro, oyster sauce




Tempura Banana Split- Crispy apple banana, Tropical Dreams vanilla ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauces, seasonal berries, toasted coconut and whipped cream.

I can't find my receipt for this meal, but the total  according to my credit card statement, was $128.73 including the tip.  

The meal was fantastic and very filling.  YUM! 



And even though we just had a fantastic meal, I am going to post the pictures from our breakfast now, so that we can get started bright and early tomorrow morning.

Friday July 25






I can't find my receipt for this breakfast from the coffee kiosk, but according to my trip notes, we got a coffee, a smoothie and some pastries. 

After breakfast, we headed via monorail to the main lobby where we would be picked up at 7 am for our all-day tour.


Next Up, Up and Away-  Lava Me Now, or Lava Me Not?*


----------



## hill6

YHave a great time on you "camping trip" to Yellowstone.


----------



## Wood Nymph

That resort is huge. I would think it would take a few days to explore it all. We were on the Big Island back in the late 1990's and went over to explore the resort. It was lot smaller back then.


----------



## MEK

Once again - several updates behind.  

So much amazing food porn on this TR, but how dare you asked for more syrup for your shaved ice?  The nerve!  

Too funny that Ben and the entire computer camp had the same orange shirt on.  Yup - bet he was loving that.  Not!  

Love all the snorkeling pictures.  Just lovely.  

Cool pictures from the plane.

I am planning a long trip to California next spring and I can imagine that an the end of 14 days I will be pretty whooped, too.  But I see what you mean about the room.  It needs a face lift, although the rest of the resort looks cool and having a monorail run through it is definitely unique.  Sorry you just weren't feeling the place.  

Bring on the volcanoes!


----------



## justafigment27

Wow!  That place really is big!  Glad your dinner was tasty though!   Can't wait to see your volcano pictures ...


----------



## KatMark

Large resort, slob people. I get ticked off when I occasionally see people leaving their garbage at a quick service table at Disney. People are just downright lazy and rude.

I'm glad dinner was good...that shrimp looks yummy right about now.


----------



## jenseib

Dinner looks fantastic!

Have fun on your trip!


----------



## mickeystoontown

I'm with you on being disgusted by people who don't have the common courtesy of picking up after themselves.  Just pick your stupid trash up and dispose of it properly people!    Dinner looks extremely delicious, especially the dessert.


----------



## sharona

Finally a chance to catch up!  Love all the pics and details!  We're heading back to HI next summer and considering the Hilton for our big island stay.  We would be there for 5 nights.  Assuming  we spend 1 night of the 5 in Hilo for a trip to VNP (we wouldn't check out of HWV just pay for 2 places for that 1 night...), do you think there's enough to do at HWV and the surrounding area to keep us busy for the other 3 days?


----------



## natebenma

Well, once again, it has taken me forever to get back to this report.

As those of you on the Beach Club FAQ thread, or Facebook know, we returned from our trip to Yellowstone, which was fantastic, and a day later I ended up in the local hospital.  I was feeling lousy the last couple of days of the trip, which I attributed to the altitude.  I live at sea level and we were between 6,600 and 9,000 feet in the park.  When my shortness of breath did not disappear after the trip and I couldn't walk and talk at the same time, I went to the ER and was surprised to be admitted.  Thankfully, all of the cardiac tests came back with good results.  Final diagnosis was infection, likely pneumonia.  Let me tell you, the prescription to "take it easy" is a difficult one for me to swallow.

But I didn't enjoy my night in the hospital, so I don't want to repeat that.  Plus we leave in one week for Florida (4 days with family at Universal then they fly home and I join my friends at the Beach Club for a couple of days.  I need to be well for that. I think my gals plan on doing a lot of drinking.  Alcohol is medicinal, right?






hill6 said:


> Have a great time on you "camping trip" to Yellowstone.



Thanks!  The brochure for the place we stayed calls the room style "cabineering".  Two bedroom cabin with kitchenette, gas fireplace and two flat screen tvs.  "Glamping" is another word that might apply to our experience.






Wood Nymph said:


> That resort is huge. I would think it would take a few days to explore it all. We were on the Big Island back in the late 1990's and went over to explore the resort. It was lot smaller back then.



It was too big for our purposes.  Normally, we would love having all that space to walk around and places to explore, but we just needed a place to eat and sleep and it was a pain getting around because of the size.






MEK said:


> Once again - several updates behind.
> 
> So much amazing food porn on this TR, but how dare you asked for more syrup for your shaved ice? The nerve!
> 
> Too funny that Ben and the entire computer camp had the same orange shirt on. Yup - bet he was loving that. Not!
> 
> Love all the snorkeling pictures. Just lovely.
> 
> Cool pictures from the plane.
> 
> I am planning a long trip to California next spring and I can imagine that an the end of 14 days I will be pretty whooped, too. But I see what you mean about the room. It needs a face lift, although the rest of the resort looks cool and having a monorail run through it is definitely unique. Sorry you just weren't feeling the place.
> 
> Bring on the volcanoes!



We had 3 distinct shave ice experiences.  Downright nasty in Oahu, acceptable at the strip mall in Ka'anapali and heavenly in Lahaina!



The nerd jokes were flying.  Sorry Ben!

I miss snorkeling!!!

Helicopter tour coming right up. Get it?  Up?






justafigment27 said:


> Wow! That place really is big! Glad your dinner was tasty though!  Can't wait to see your volcano pictures ...



Great dinner.

The resort was huge.  Perhaps an advantage in some situations, not ours.

I'm trying to get to my helicopter tour update...

:




KatMark said:


> Large resort, slob people. I get ticked off when I occasionally see people leaving their garbage at a quick service table at Disney. People are just downright lazy and rude.
> 
> I'm glad dinner was good...that shrimp looks yummy right about now.



What is wrong with people?!?

I was so proud of Nate on the Yellowstone trip.  When he found pieces of paper on trash on the ground, he picked them up.

Yes, at least the meal was good.  Should have gone back to the same place for our last meal...






jenseib said:


> Dinner looks fantastic!
> 
> Have fun on your trip!



It was!

We did!

And I survived (barely...)






mickeystoontown said:


> I'm with you on being disgusted by people who don't have the common courtesy of picking up after themselves. Just pick your stupid trash up and dispose of it properly people! Dinner looks extremely delicious, especially the dessert.



I am with you on your rant!

I am proud of my boys who not only take care of their garbage, but also pickup after slobs who are out in the world.

Great dinner!






sharona said:


> Finally a chance to catch up! Love all the pics and details! We're heading back to HI next summer and considering the Hilton for our big island stay. We would be there for 5 nights. Assuming we spend 1 night of the 5 in Hilo for a trip to VNP (we wouldn't check out of HWV just pay for 2 places for that 1 night...), do you think there's enough to do at HWV and the surrounding area to keep us busy for the other 3 days?



We knew we weren't going to be around at all during our stay on the BI, so we didn't look into the things to do at the resort or in the area.  But I know the snorkeling is supposed to be excellent  on the BI (I so want to snorkel with real manta rays and sharks).  Not sure about beaches, or plantations or other areas to explore, but I'm sure you will have plenty to do.


----------



## jenseib

Have fun!!!


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> Have fun!!!



Thanks!!!


----------



## natebenma

UGH!!!

I have an update written, with all of my photos (Photobucket) embedded, but I am getting some sort of URL error when I try to post. 

Driving me crazy!


----------



## natebenma

*Lava Me Now or Lava Me Not?*


As I have mentioned all along, we had a problem when we were trying to plan our itinerary on the Big Island.  We only had one day, and what we wanted to do was tour Volcano National Park.  On the other side of the island.  3 hour drive each way.

We looked at all sort of options, like hiring a tour company to take us there and back or changing our stay to the Hilo side of the island and flying out of there to the mainland.  All of the helicopter tours we looked at left from and returned to the Kona airport.

I was thinking how great it would be to find a helicopter tour that would fly us to Hilo so we could do a ground tour of VNP and then return back to the Kona area by helicopter.  And at the end of April, about 3 months before our trip, we found just what I was looking for:


Paradise Helicopter Volcano By Air & Land- Duration: 11 hours.  A one hour helicopter tour going over the Big Island’s volcanoes. Then, touch down in Hilo and tour Volcano National Park with a guide from Hawaii Forest and Trail.  Return from Hilo to Kona by helicopter along the scenic coastline.

This was a brand new tour that had just started to be offered.

It wasn’t cheap ($629 per person), but then again if you consider that just a single helicopter ride along can be around $300 for a one-hour trip, this was practically a bargain!

And just to confirm that we made the best choice, about 2 weeks before we left on our trip, we learned that after a long absence, lava had started flowing again and could be seen from the air.

Here is the write-up of the tour from the Paradise Helicopters website.  It looks like they have made the tour even BETTER with visits to a black sand beach and samples of Kona coffee at Ka’u Coffee Mill.

_Paradise Helicopter’s Volcano by Air & Land tour allows you to explore the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park area in flight and on foot – including sinking your toes into a beautiful black sand beach and sipping on award-winning coffee.  This adventure departs from the Kona International Airport in an executive style Bell 407 helicopter.  En route to the Volcano area, you will overfly the world-famous Kona coffee district and skirt three of Hawai‘i’s towering volcanoes: Hualālai, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.  Upon arrival to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, your pilot will search out the day’s activity – sometimes a burning forest fire, a stream or lake of glowing lava, or an entry into the ocean – usually only accessible from the air.

After the first part of your “air” experience, you will land in Hilo and meet your expert Hawaii Forest & Trail interpretive guide.  Travel through the remote and rugged landscape of Kaʻū — home to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, historic farming plantations and the famous black sand beach of Punaluʻu. Discover how the powerful forces of nature have shaped the people and landscape of this dynamic region, Hawai’i’s largest land district.  The perfect blend of nature and culture led by an expert interpretive guide, this tour reveals what it’s like to live on two active volcanoes.

·  Discover all the “must see” spots within the Park; including Jaggar Museum, Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube) and Halema‘uma‘u Crater
·  Sample and shop for award-winning farm fresh coffee at Kaʻū Coffee Mill, along with other Hawai‘i Island grown treats like macadamia nuts, honey and chocolate
·  Walk across a crystal-fine black sand beach as you search for basking sea turtles at Punaluʻu
·   Immerse yourself in stories of Hawaiian legends and mythology, with a focus on Pele, Hawaiian goddess of fire, lightning, wind and volcanoes
·  Explore a lava tube and discover the mysteries of how these tunnels are formed

A picnic lunch is served during your adventure before you return to the Hilo Airport to take to the sky again.  Back in the air, you’ll take the leisurely route to Kona along the eastern and northern coasts. You will venture deep into uninhabited valleys that showcase Hawai‘i’s wild, untamed beauty. Water cascades down sheer valley walls, and surf pounds rocky cliffs and unreachable beaches.  Finally, watch the landscape shift again, as you fly over Pololū Valley, south to Kawaihae and over beautiful white and black sand beaches to make your way down the coastline and return to the Kona Airport in time to enjoy one of Hawai‘i’s famed sunsets._

********************************************************************

The morning of the tour, we got a quick breakfast and waited for our ride to the airport which was coming at 7 am.  When the van arrived, we got on board with a middle-aged couple from Wisconsin.  They would be our tour companions for the day and were very nice.

We arrived at the airport where we watched an orientation/safety video.  Then came the weigh-in.  Everybody has to step on the scale so that the weight in the helicopter can be properly distributed.  Our instruction crew handed us some ginger candy to help with nausea and told us we were lucky that Cal, the owner of Paradise helicopters, would be flying our helicopter

(Later, we would hear one of the crew say “Cal, great to see you flying again!”  What does THAT mean…)









Mark was placed, almost literally, in the drivers’ seat.  He was right next to our pilot.  He had a fantastic view through the windshield and asked “Is there anything I should be careful not to touch?”  “That lever!” answered Cal.  I tried to hand over one of my cameras to Mark, but he refused to take it.








I was seated on the same side as the man and the boys were on the same side as the woman.














We were given headphones and microphones so we could listen to Cal’s descriptions and ask questions and make comments.  Cal said we were a pretty quiet bunch and most of our comments were brief, like “Wow!” “Breathtaking!” “Unbelieveable!”








We flew over pastureland, forests, lava fields, craters, steam vents, the observation center at Mauna Kea, Kilauea Volcano and the active lava flow.





















The dark “rivers” are where lava has flowed and since cooled:



























Mauna Kea Astronomy Center:



























Flying over Kilauea:









Then, we flew toward the area that had active lava flow.  Would we see it?
Lava Me Now or Lava Me Not? 






















The answer is, yes, with varying degrees of vantage point.  From Mark’s front row seat, he saw rivers of lava flow.  I was taking video and pictures, and the best view I had of lava was this pool:





















Pretty amazing!  The color of the lava was just unreal.

_ETA:  Since our trip, the lava has really started flowing furiously and last summer actually threatened one of towns in its path._


All too soon, we were approaching the Hilo airport, for the ground portion of our excursion.  Which turned out to be my favorite part of the day.














*Next Up: Can You Spare a Few Moments To Learn About Our Volcano God Pele?*


----------



## natebenma

Got it!  PHEW!!!


----------



## wiscbugs

That helicopter tour looks awesome!


----------



## jwwi

Hey wait, I'm part of a middle aged couple from WI.  And we are nice too, but it wasn't us.....   
Loved your views.  We did the long drive from Kona to VNP, to Hilo then back around the northern route to Kona.  Long day, but one of my favorites from our two week trip to HI.  Really loving your TR.  Have fun in FL, and feel better soon!


----------



## justafigment27

I am sorry to hear about your hospital visit, but glad you are ok! 

What a coincidence that you went to Yellowstone this summer ... we were in HI around the same time as you were last year and we were in Yellowstone this July.  You aren't going to CA in summer 2016, are you?! LOL!

Anyway, I loved this latest installment!  We did a self styled circle tour of the Big Island on land, so it is super neat to see everything from the air.  It looks like you had a wonderfully clear day for your tour - we were there during the remnants of tropical depression Wali so conditions were very rainy and foggy & it wasn't until our secod day that we were able to have a clear view of the crater - on the plus side, we had the Thurston Lava Tube & Devastation Trail to ourselves (literally, not another car in the parking lot at either spot b/c it was cold and rainy - I told my family it was like Disney and we were touring rain or shine - even purchased ponchos from the hotel gift shop!).

Anyway, I loved The Big Island so much - VNP was just amazing and felt unreal.  Looking at those photographs of yours is bringing it all back! I bet your tour was amazing with a local guide & I look forward to hearing the tale!


----------



## jenseib

Wow that is stunning.  What an adventure!


----------



## Wood Nymph

I really like your pictures of the volcanic activity from the air, especially the picture of the cinder cones sticking out of the field of black lava. I would never have thought that the cones could be anything but black but there must have been a lot of ash that came out later to build up cinder cones like that.

The active lava flow is not very abundant except for that orange pool. That is neat.


----------



## natebenma

Since this trip report has already seen its first birthday, I have two other reports moving along like glaciers and (at least) one more in the wings I am anxious to finish this one off.  I worked on an update last night, then I will have the return helicopter flight home and a brief chapter about our final hours in Hawaii and our return home.

Once again, thank you to everyone who is following along.  I appreciate your patience and perseverance!






wiscbugs said:


> That helicopter tour looks awesome!



It really was!  My favorite excursion ever.  We had a helicopter flight over volcanoes, followed by a land-based tour of Volcano National Park and we still had the flight back to look forward to!

:




jwwi said:


> Hey wait, I'm part of a middle aged couple from WI. And we are nice too, but it wasn't us.....
> Loved your views. We did the long drive from Kona to VNP, to Hilo then back around the northern route to Kona. Long day, but one of my favorites from our two week trip to HI. Really loving your TR. Have fun in FL, and feel better soon!



Wouldn't that have been a fun grouping!

I did look at the drive and the places to explore between Kona and Hilo, but we just didn't have the time (or desire) for all that driving.

I have been feeling much better, especially the past few days.  Thankfully, because we leave on Wednesday.  The trip to the hospital really set me back, I have so much I need to do before we leave and then when I come home, the boys have an open house at the high school that night and start school the next day.






justafigment27 said:


> I am sorry to hear about your hospital visit, but glad you are ok!
> 
> What a coincidence that you went to Yellowstone this summer ... we were in HI around the same time as you were last year and we were in Yellowstone this July.  You aren't going to CA in summer 2016, are you?! LOL!
> 
> Anyway, I loved this latest installment! We did a self styled circle tour of the Big Island on land, so it is super neat to see everything from the air. It looks like you had a wonderfully clear day for your tour - we were there during the remnants of tropical depression Wali so conditions were very rainy and foggy & it wasn't until our secod day that we were able to have a clear view of the crater - on the plus side, we had the Thurston Lava Tube & Devastation Trail to ourselves (literally, not another car in the parking lot at either spot b/c it was cold and rainy - I told my family it was like Disney and we were touring rain or shine - even purchased ponchos from the hotel gift shop!).
> 
> Anyway, I loved The Big Island so much - VNP was just amazing and felt unreal. Looking at those photographs of yours is bringing it all back! I bet your tour was amazing with a local guide & I look forward to hearing the tale!



Thanks!  I'm feeling MUCH better!

That is funny about our parallel vacations!  I do remember being shocked at the storms that hit Hawaii after we came home.  It sounds like you made the most of the crummy weather by enjoying the absence of crowds.

What is on your itinerary for CA next summer?  Are you doing the Disneyland thing?

We do not have our next trip planned!  ACK! It is the first time in a long time that we don't "have one in the hopper".  I would love to go back to Mexico in February, but the place we go to is getting super expensive.  The boys are pushing for Europe in either April or next summer.  They are history buffs and Ben wants to visit important WWII sites in England and France.  He has about 10 museums on his wish list!



Next summer is our 30th anniversary, so we are trying to decide how to celebrate that.  A tropical island always works, of course, but with Nate in college and Ben in high school, we would keep it domestic (one of the US Virgins, probably). Or Mark has floated out a trip to WDW.  He hasn't been since 2013.  Maybe during the fall for Food & Wine and the Halloween Party.  Dilemma is whether to bring Ben or not...

Pictures from VNP coming up soon.  We loved it!






jenseib said:


> Wow that is stunning. What an adventure!



Thank you so much!  It was a GREAT tour!






Wood Nymph said:


> I really like your pictures of the volcanic activity from the air, especially the picture of the cinder cones sticking out of the field of black lava. I would never have thought that the cones could be anything but black but there must have been a lot of ash that came out later to build up cinder cones like that.
> 
> The active lava flow is not very abundant except for that orange pool. That is neat.



Thank you!

I like the cones, too.

That was all I saw for lava.  Mark and the boys said they saw flowing lava.  I missed it and of course Mark had refused to take a camera!



Even a week or two later, the pictures we were seeing from the Paradise Helicopter Facebook page showed a lot more lava than what we saw.


----------



## natebenma

*Volcano National Park*
*Can You Spare a Few Moments To Learn About Our Volcano God Pele?*











After landing at the Hilo airport, we were greeted by our guides from Hawaii Forest and Trail.  











Our main guide would be “Danger Dan”.  His real name was Matt, but that was the (secret) nickname we gave him.  Danger Dan was a talker!  Mostly in a good way.  He related a lot of information and told lots of stories during our time together.  A lot of stories about Pele, the volcano goddess.  Many of his sentences started  “Here’s a (another) story about Pele”  











As an aside: When we were recently in Yellowstone, we also had a tour guide named Matt who talked a lot.  Maybe being a tour guide in a National Park is your destiny if your name is Matt and you are loquacious.  


Accompanying Danger Dan on this tour was Brittany.  She had just started a job in the office of Hawaii Forest and Trail and all employees go on the tours as an orientation. 


They greeted us with a fantastic breakfast.  A delicious baked bread, fruit, bagels, cream cheese.  They also had cold drinks and gave us reusable water bottles to use throughout the day.









It was quite a ride to Volcano National Park from Hilo.  Maybe 45 minutes.  But no worries, Danger Dan had plenty of things to tell us on the way.











Kilauea Iki overlook-  The first stop we made was a vista with Kilauea in the distance:






































Then, it was on to the *Thurston Lava Tube- Nahuku* which sits hidden under a rain-forest canopy.


A lava tube is a natural conduit formed by flowing lava which moves beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow. Tubes can be actively draining lava from a volcano during an eruption, or can be extinct, meaning the lava flow has ceased and the rock has cooled and left a long, cave-like channel.


Thurston is massive, 600 feet long with a ceiling height of more than 20 feet in places. When it was discovered in 1913, the ceiling was covered with lava stalactites. No more: collectors all but destroyed the original appearance of the cave.  












































That didn’t work out!








That’s better!  Well, except for the red-eye I need to fix.  


*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

Continued From Previous Post

*Napua Crater Trail*











The next place we stopped was a hike through an old lava bed.  We only covered a very small piece of this trail, but hikers who complete the entire 14 mile round trip (7 + hours) hike will experience varied, diverse terrain ranging from recent lava flows to dense tree fern rain forests.  


This is where we really loved having a knowledgeable guide with us.  He explained what we were looking at, often telling tales weaving nature and culture together.  Of course, there were stories about Pele! 

























Ohia Lehua plant









We sampled these berries, after tossing a few to the ground as an offering to Pele, as advised by Danger Dan.  









Hapuu

This fern had a story about a lover who was pursuing Pele or maybe something about Pele’s sister.  Or both.  I can’t remember and I am getting all of the Pele stories confused.  Danger Dan was very funny as he was trying to be discreet in telling some of the racier stories in front of the boys.  A few of them discussed people, gods and goddesses who wanted to “get together” with one another.  



















Pandanus or Plumeria















































At one point, we came to a large gap in our path.  We all made a dramatic leap over the crevice so we didn’t fall in.  Then Nate came over, stretched his long legs and just stepped over the gap! 









Funny and slightly embarrassing! 


We picked up pieces of lava and looked closely at the different textures and colors.

















Danger Dan pointed out a couple of common lava formations called Pele’s tears and Pele’s hair
















Pele’s tears


I don’t have any of my own pictures of Pele’s hair, although we did find some.  This is from the Jaggar Museum









Then Danger Dan pointed out this rock and asked us what we think it looks like










My vote was for monk seal. 


*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*

*Kilauea*

After our hike, we got back into the van and drove to a lunch spot overlooking the coastline.  It was a great place to enjoy the box lunch which was included with our tour.  Although it wasn’t worthy of food porn, the sandwich, chips, cookie and drink really hit the spot. 

























Across the street from where we ate were these hills.  You can see where the places where lava has travelled from the island’s volcanoes to the sea.  

















After lunch we made our way to the rim of Kilauea and the Jaggar Museum.













































































OK.  Thanks for the warning!




One the way back down from the crater, we stopped at a roadside steam vent.

















With that, the tour was finished and we returned to the Hilo airport for our ride home.


*Next Up:  Helicopter Mom*


----------



## natebenma

.


----------



## KatMark

Wow...what a tour (and what a price ). First, you would NEVER get me in a helicopter. I don't do helicopters and I don't do small planes.

Your pictures are marvelous from the plane, on the ground, etc. 

I love that you gave a nickname to Matt...Danger Dan. Love it.

Sounds like an awesome tour, Dee.


----------



## jenseib

This tour was really amazing.
Of course when I saw Pele's tears ...I thought...Otherwise known as Rabbit Poop.


----------



## justafigment27

I am laughing at your "Danger Dan" nickname as well.  How neat that you got to see Pele's Hair and Tears in the wild ... we only saw them at the Jagger Museum.   What an amazing place!  So glad you were able to make this stop and share these pictures!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Wow what an amazing adventures you had. Love travelling with you through your stunning photos and reports


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> Wow...what a tour (and what a price ). First, you would NEVER get me in a helicopter. I don't do helicopters and I don't do small planes.
> 
> Your pictures are marvelous from the plane, on the ground, etc.
> 
> I love that you gave a nickname to Matt...Danger Dan. Love it.
> 
> Sounds like an awesome tour, Dee.



It was expensive, especially when we had to pay for 4 of us, but it was an all-day, all-inclusive tour with knowledgeable and professional staff.  Worth every penny we paid for this once-in-a-lifetime experience!

The name just seemed to fit him.  I think it was the hat.  And all his stories.  It amused me that I had to go back and look up his real name, because Danger Dan was all we used (privately) during the tour and afterwards when discussing it.






jenseib said:


> This tour was really amazing.
> Of course when I saw Pele's tears ...I thought...Otherwise known as Rabbit Poop.



The tour was awesome!

Of course, the rabbit poop comparison would come from the farm girl!  

But you are so right!






justafigment27 said:


> I am laughing at your "Danger Dan" nickname as well. How neat that you got to see Pele's Hair and Tears in the wild ... we only saw them at the Jagger Museum. What an amazing place! So glad you were able to make this stop and share these pictures!



We visited the Jagger Museum at the end of our tour, so there is no way we would have noticed Pele's tears or hair on our hike if Danger Dan had not described them to us.  He also showed us samples.  I was very proud of Ben when we were walking back to the van after lunch and he found some of Pele's hair on his own.  Somehow, I didn't get a picture of any of the "hair" we found, though.






luvpoohandcompany said:


> Wow what an amazing adventures you had. Love travelling with you through your stunning photos and reports



Thank you so much! Glad to have you along, too.


----------



## natebenma

I am working on my next update to this report, the helicopter flight back to the Kona area.  Then one more chapter, our return home, just for closure. 

Thanks for sticking around with me!


----------



## natebenma

*Helicopter Mom*

After our spectacular ground tour of Volcano National Park, we still had a major part of our tour remaining.  The return flight from Kona to Hilo along the scenic coastline.


Remember when Mark refused to take the camera for the first helicopter flight, even though he was almost, literally, in the driver’s seat with spectacular views?  Well, I wasn’t going to let that happen again, so I foisted one of my cameras on him with the command that he take some pictures!  


Unfortunately, the camera I gave him did not have much battery life left and it died after 10 photos, before we got to the coastline and waterfalls.  


So you are stuck with my pictures, from a not quite as great vantage point.  


Here’s our ride! 






















Bye, Bye Hilo Airport!









































Some estate that just sold.  I can’t remember if Cal told us who purchased it or for how much.




























It started raining, heavily, as we entered the valley with all of the tall waterfalls




















































*Continued in Next Post*


----------



## natebenma

*Continued from Previous Post*
















































*Pu`ukohola Heiau*









This is the remains of a temple built by King Kamahehameha I-  I actually did not know anything about this National Park until I was researching it this morning.  I am fascinated by sharks, along with my boys, and part of this location is a submerged temple to sharks.  


"Endless is the good that I have given you to enjoy."--Kamehameha I

How many places in America can you walk in the footsteps of a king? Where else has a stranded sailor risen up to become a great chief over an entire island? Where else can you experience the culminating event of a people, foretold from centuries past? And where else can you stand on a beach and watch as sharks pass over a submerged temple? Experience all this & much more only at Pu`ukohola Heiau!



Chasing Rainbows:





















My other boat is a yacht:





























Here is the Hilton Waikoloa Resort from the air:




























Thank you Paradise Helicopters, Captain Cal, Hawaii Forest and Trail and Danger Dan for the most amazing excursion ever! 



*Next Up:  The Long Way Home*


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Wow stunning scenery!  Love the long waterfalls


----------



## Wood Nymph

I love the pictures from the helicopter. Hilo is much more tropical than the west side of the island. In fact, it seems like there are more fields of lava than fields of green on that side of the island.


----------



## saintstickets

Fantastic excursion and pics Dee!  I know Hawaii gets an abundance of rainfall but it still boggles my mind to see all the waterfalls everywhere!


----------



## natebenma

luvpoohandcompany said:


> Wow stunning scenery! Love the long waterfalls



It was gorgeous!  I just wish it hadn't been raining when we were in the waterfall valley.






Wood Nymph said:


> I love the pictures from the helicopter. Hilo is much more tropical than the west side of the island. In fact, it seems like there are more fields of lava than fields of green on that side of the island.



That's true.  We noticed all the lava fields flying in and then on the road from the airport to our resort.

I think the Hilo area gets a ton of precipitation!






saintstickets said:


> Fantastic excursion and pics Dee! I know Hawaii gets an abundance of rainfall but it still boggles my mind to see all the waterfalls everywhere!



Thank you so much.  We loved, loved, loved every part of that tour.  You just did a helicopter tour in Alaska, right?  First time?

Really gorgeous waterfalls and seeing them from the air is a great way to view the entire falls, and the groupings of falls.


----------



## teekathepony

Oh man, what an awesome ride! Those views are absolutely breathtaking, especially the waterfalls.
Love the story of the king, especially the submerged temple!


----------



## natebenma

teekathepony said:


> Oh man, what an awesome ride! Those views are absolutely breathtaking, especially the waterfalls.
> Love the story of the king, especially the submerged temple!



Thank you!

It was such a great excursion and an amazing way to see the volcanoes and scenery both from the air and land.

I'm glad I looked up the story about the King Kamehameha's temple.  The helicopter pilot didn't really do into what it was, so it was nice to learn a little bit more.

:


----------



## jenseib

natebenma said:


>


 
Are these the Fantasy Island water falls? i know they are somewhere in Hawaii.



natebenma said:


> *Pu`ukohola Heiau*


 
Bless you!  hahahah

Great update.  Just amazing views and scenery.  The valley of the waterfalls is amazing.


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> Are these the Fantasy Island water falls? i know they are somewhere in Hawaii.



I had to look it up, but the Fantasy Island waterfalls are Kailua Falls in Kauai.  Same thing with the Jurassic Park Waterfall:  *Manawaiopuna Falls, *also in Kauai.



jenseib said:


> Bless you! hahahah



That's funny!





jenseib said:


> Great update. Just amazing views and scenery. The valley of the waterfalls is amazing.



Thank you!

:


----------



## natebenma

*The Long Way Home*

So, apparently I don’t have any more pictures from Hawaii.

That surprises me, because when we returned to the resort, we had dinner (looks like I was too tired for food porn) and we were given access to a hospitality room (but I didn’t take any pictures there, either)


We ate at Dona & Toni’s, an Italian place at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.  It was easily our least favorite meal, even worse than our Red Lobster Anniversary fiasco in Waikiki.  The service sucked! 

There was inside and outside seating.  Mark prefers to sit inside so that the temperature is controlled and so we are not bothered by breezes or bugged by bugs.  That could have been part of the problem.  I think all of our waitresses other tables were outside. 

She disappeared for LONG periods of time.  There were not many other restaurant employees in our dining room either.  So when we were out of water/drinks, there was nobody to ask for a refill.  I think at one point I actually went to the hostess station to let them know we needed more water.  If I had found a place to fill a pitcher, I would have done it myself!

Our food took forever to get to our table. 

For the record, this is what we ordered:

The boys had a Shirley temple and an Italian soda for drinks.

We ordered a small Caesar salad, $9. I can’t remember if this was any good or not.  We got an order of breadsticks for $8.  That's a lot of dough for some dough.  

For meals, we split two spaghetti and meatball dinners ($19 each) and a small Hawaiian Pizza with Spam, 12 inch ($25).

The meatballs were big and fabulous.

The pizza was NASTY.  Our bad for ordering Spam.  But unfortunately there was nobody around to complain to.

The boys wanted dessert.  Somehow, from someone, we were able to order two chocolate mousses.  I didn’t know until seeing the receipt at the end of the meal that they were $12 each!  OUCH!  They weren’t that good and neither boy finished his.  

Total bill: $113.98


I don’t remember what I tipped.  As a former server it is almost impossible for me to tip less than 15% and I usually tip much more, but I suspect that this time I broke my own rule.  

Dinner had taken a lot longer than we expected it to.  We rode the monorail to the main lobby building to retrieve our luggage.  I had packed everything very efficiently so that one suitcase contained all of the things we would need to shower, refresh and change for our all night/all day flights home. 

We asked about a hospitality room.  They assigned us a room way over in the building where our room had been.  I think we walked over dragging our luggage. 

When we got to the room, all of us were just too tired to shower and even change. And we didn’t really have much time anyway, before we needed to catch the shuttle that would bring us back to the airport. So we all used the bathroom, watched a few minutes of tv and then dragged our luggage back to the main lobby.

No pictures. 




We had a shared shuttle back to the airport and listened to everyone talking about their trips.

We arrived at the Kona airport and our flight was sometime after 11.

Security was non-eventful.  Nate was in the TSA pre-screen line.  He seems to get that a lot.  I suspect that the reason is that the agents do not want a teenager removing his shoes. 

The airport is small and mostly outside, under cover in some places.  There was nothing open that late at night and the only available food or drink was from vending machines.  There were announcements that the plane we were taking was full and that they would check carry-ons all the way through to our final destination.  We had some extra carry-ons we didn’t need since we were trying to save on checked baggage fees.  And we were just going home, so if our luggage did not arrive, it would not be anything we would need right way.

So we took a chance and sent the bags.  There were no problems- those bags arrived along with our others when we reached Boston.

Our red-eye flight from the Big Island to San Francisco was uneventful.  I distributed Benadryl to everyone.  I was skeptical that I would be able to sleep on the flight because I am NEVER able to sleep on a plane, no matter how tired I am.  But the exhaustion of the trip must have taken over, because I did catch some shut-eye along with the rest of my family.


Our layover in San Fran was brief, and soon we were on our final flight to Boston.


I have a few pictures from the cross-country ride, but that is it.

 

 

 


****************************************************************************************

I sincerely thank everyone for joining us on our trip of a lifetime! 

We loved visiting Disneyland for the first time and we were able to appreciate the similarities and differences between DL and WDW, which we know so well.

Hawaii was exciting and beautiful, as we expected, and we are dreaming of a day when Mark and I may visit again. 

Aloha!


----------



## Wood Nymph

natebenma said:


> There was inside and outside seating. Mark prefers to sit inside so that the temperature is controlled and so we are not bothered by breezes or bugged by bugs. That could have been part of the problem. I think all of our waitresses other tables were outside.


 Everyone dines al fresco in Hawaii. The breezes are the best part. But they still should have been a lot more attentive to your table.



natebenma said:


> There were announcements that the plane we were taking was full and that they would check carry-ons all the way through to our final destination. We had some extra carry-ons we didn’t need since we were trying to save on checked baggage fees. And we were just going home, so if our luggage did not arrive, it would not be anything we would need right way.
> 
> So we took a chance and sent the bags. There were no problems- those bags arrived along with our others when we reached Boston.


 We've  never had a problem with the bags on the way home, but the bags from home to Hawaii sometimes arrive on a different flight, especially when taking one of those small, inter-island flights.



natebenma said:


> Hawaii was exciting and beautiful, as we expected, and we are dreaming of a day when Mark and I may visit again.


 I hope you get a chance to return someday. There are still more islands to explore.


----------



## justafigment27

Sniff, sniff!  I'm sad to see this report end!  What an great trip and what a great report - I really enjoyed all of your pictures and your play by play descriptions.  Thanks for sharing!!!


----------



## natebenma

Wood Nymph said:


> Everyone dines al fresco in Hawaii. The breezes are the best part. But they still should have been a lot more attentive to your table.



Not us  



Wood Nymph said:


> We've never had a problem with the bags on the way home, but the bags from home to Hawaii sometimes arrive on a different flight, especially when taking one of those small, inter-island flights.



We have only had trouble with baggage not arriving once- another situation when the plane from Nasssau to Boston (with a stopover somewhere) was full and they were looking for volunteers to gate check carryon luggage.  We did that and the bags did not arrive when we did.  But we were able to go home and it was delivered to our home overnight. 





Wood Nymph said:


> I hope you get a chance to return someday. There are still more islands to explore.



I totally agree!  More islands and more to do on the islands we did visit.  I wouldn't mind going on the road to Hana (with someone else driving), but we didn't think the boys would be interested in that long trip just to see scenery! Kauai remains the island I have wanted to visit the most, but again, it does not have the types of activities the boys want.

Thank you so much for joining me as I relived our trip!






justafigment27 said:


> Sniff, sniff! I'm sad to see this report end! What an great trip and what a great report - I really enjoyed all of your pictures and your play by play descriptions. Thanks for sharing!!!



Thank you so much for joining in and for all of your kind comments!


----------



## jenseib

Glad the flight was uneventful and you made it home safely!!!


----------



## luvpoohandcompany

Aw I'm a wee bit sad to see this trip report end with a not-so-great meal 
I've loved reading along and seeing the sights with you and your family.
Sorry I haven't commented as much as usual but as you know life has been chucking a few wobbly moments my way-still I'm hanging in there and surviving 
Glad that you and the bags (oh and the boys too) made it home safely and without incident


----------



## teekathepony

Wow Dee, what an amazing trip! Thank you so much for sharing it all with us! Sure makes me want to see Hawaii some day.


----------



## natebenma

jenseib said:


> Glad the flight was uneventful and you made it home safely!!!



Thanks! We are glad that it was an anti-climatic end to our family trip of a lifetime!

:




luvpoohandcompany said:


> Aw I'm a wee bit sad to see this trip report end with a not-so-great meal
> I've loved reading along and seeing the sights with you and your family.
> Sorry I haven't commented as much as usual but as you know life has been chucking a few wobbly moments my way-still I'm hanging in there and surviving
> Glad that you and the bags (oh and the boys too) made it home safely and without incident



I think we had a pretty bad attitude about the resort due in large part to our exhaustion at the end of our long, busy trip, but that last meal was really a let down.

Thank you so much for following along and for all of your great comments!






teekathepony said:


> Wow Dee, what an amazing trip! Thank you so much for sharing it all with us! Sure makes me want to see Hawaii some day.



I do hope you and Johnny make it to Hawaii some day and I hope even more that I will get to see your awesome photos from the trip!


----------



## KatMark

I know I've not posted in a long time, but I did finish reading and thoroughly enjoyed, once again, reading your TR. Thanks for sharing Dee.


----------



## mickeystoontown

I come over to get caught up and the trip report is done. over. finished.  The helicopter ride looks amazing but I'd be pooping my pants because of my fear of heights.  The tour sounds and looks like the perfect way t end the trip.  Notice I didn't say your final meal was a good way.  Too bad that the food wasn't good and the service was even worse.


----------



## natebenma

KatMark said:


> I know I've not posted in a long time, but I did finish reading and thoroughly enjoyed, once again, reading your TR. Thanks for sharing Dee.



Thank you so much for joining me on this journey, my friend!

:




mickeystoontown said:


> I come over to get caught up and the trip report is done. over. finished.  The helicopter ride looks amazing but I'd be pooping my pants because of my fear of heights.  The tour sounds and looks like the perfect way t end the trip.  Notice I didn't say your final meal was a good way.  Too bad that the food wasn't good and the service was even worse.



Yeah, even the trip reports that stretch out more than a year after the trip have to end sometime.  KWIM?  

I don't have an issue with heights but there was definitely a moment when we were strapped in, before we took flight, that I thought-  "What am I doing with my family?"

Yes, I think I will consider this the beautiful end to the trip and try to forget the last meal that left a bad taste in my mouth.

Thanks so much for joining me while I re-lived our trip!


----------



## glennbo123

I had a few chapters to catch up on, but finally finished this puppy!  Thanks for writing it -- it was so enjoyable and informative.  I still hope to make it to Hawaii someday.

Had to quote this one:



natebenma said:


> But I have been to Disney. I am friends with Disney. You, sir, are NO Disney!



I was just thinking about the quote you're referencing here, what with the recent presidential debates.  Who was it that that made the original quote, "You, sir, are no John F. Kennedy"?


----------



## natebenma

Thanks so much for reading!

I do hope you get to Hawaii.  I also hope that mark and I make it back there someday.

That quote was from Lloyd bentson, mike Dukakis's running mate, directed to Dan Quayle at the 1988 VP debate.

Yes I had to look it up.  I knew it was said to Dan Quayle and I could picture the speaker but couldn't remember his name.


----------



## glennbo123

natebenma said:


> That quote was from Lloyd bentson, mike Dukakis's running mate, directed to Dan Quayle at the 1988 VP debate.
> 
> Yes I had to look it up. I knew it was said to Dan Quayle and I could picture the speaker but couldn't remember his name.



Okay, I looked it up too.  YIKES - 1988!!  I am not supposed to remember anything from the year I was born.


----------



## natebenma

*Chapter posted below is the edited combination of two previous chapter- for a link to the Beach & Yacht Club FAQ discussion about scary taxi rides. 


*


----------



## natebenma

*Taxi Driver*

Coming up in this update, we will encounter the scariest adventure of our entire trip.

No, it was not Mickey’s Fun Wheel of Death at Disneyland.

Not going up in a helicopter.

15 hour travel day on the way home? Nope!

It was not even opening our Visa bill after the trip...


When we were finished our hike at Diamondhead, we made our way to one of the cabs waiting out in the parking lot.  As we were about to get in, a guy came over and said 

“Hey!  What are you doing?  I am next.”

We didn’t want to get in to the middle of a taxi turf war, and the first cab driver didn’t seem to care, so we went with this new guy to his cab.  

Which resulted in the weirdest cab ride I have ever been a part of.

The car was cluttered and I think there were rips in the upholstery.  The radio was tuned to some doomsday station telling listeners what they needed to have on hand for the upcoming storm. 

The driver was not actually paying a lot of attention to what was going on in the road and a couple of times he did not immediately proceed when a stoplight turned from red to green.

He was too busy trying to sell us stuff.

He held up a big jug of water  “Have you purchased water yet?”  

“We’re good!”

“I can give you a tour of the Island.  I have been here for 30 years and I can take you to places that even the locals don’t know about.”  

That scared me a little.  No, make that a lot! 

We passed by a guy on the road who tried to flag down the car.

Taxi Driver asked us “Do you want to share a ride?”

Heck no!  I can’t remember how large the car was, but there were already 5 of us riding.  Let’s leave the extra stranger on the side of the road.  In reality, we actually did that guy a favor! 

“Have you seen the movie America?  (He said it like ‘Merica?)  Makes me feel patriotic.”

What?!?

He pulled the car over to the curb and said “We’re here.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t our hotel.  

I think there are two Hiltons on Waikiki, and I think I told him the correct one at the start of my journey (Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach).  Maybe I didn’t.  But my money is on me.

He sighed and we were underway again.  We probably should have just gotten out there and found our way back on our own, but by some miracle we actually ended up at the correct resort.

I paid the driver.  Cash.  No WAY was I giving this guy my credit card.  

In retrospect, we should have stuck with the first cab driver we approached.  I’m sure as we left, he was shaking his head at the dumb tourists.  Was this the stupidest thing we have ever done on vacation?  I’d like to say yes, but unfortunately the answer is no.  But this was probably one of the poorer decisions we have made while the kids were with us.  

Nonetheless, we made it back and had the rest of the afternoon ahead of us.  


*Next up:  Walking Wonderful Waikiki- Click Here *


----------



## natebenma

.


----------

