love mary poppins and Bert
the one pic of him with his head back chuckling is great
My first stop was at the Teacups to meet up with Janelle, her dad Larry & her son Ayden. Ayden loves the teacups, but neither Janelle or her dad can ride them......so I was thrilled to take him!!! They were waiting & watching the riders when I showed up. It was great to finally meet Janelle in person. Janelle is one of the first people I started conversing with on the Dis a few years ago.....so I was very excited to meet up with her.
Ayden was ready for me to take him on all sorts of other rides, but they had plans on running over to DCA to get WoC Fastpasses & I would be meeting up with the early arrivers for lunch. So we said our goodbyes, but were hoping to meet back up for the Princess Fantasy Faire photo the next day.
Laurie I'm just now getting back on the boards and I'm so glad I ventured to your TR to see these. I am soooooo incredibly thankful for the time we spent together in DL. You really made Ayden's day taking him for a spin.
Thank you for being such a good friend to me, I was a little nervous to meet everyone and you certainly made me feel so welcome. I love this picture of my Dad, Ayden and I so I'm going to steal it if ya don't mind. I need to get back to updating my TR soon, I've just been so busy with work and little league starting. Have a great weekend my friend.
I've seen Max at Goofy's a couple of times - I wasn't even aware that he visited Surf's Up too, but, I guess wherever his dad goes, he can follow!
To me, I think Surf's Up definitely has a real bonus/draw in that you can find Daisy there...oh, and Mickey, of course (can't forget The Main Mouse!). And Stitch. Those 3 are all totally exclusive to that restaurant, or so it seems.
I'm really, really surprised that Surf's Up isn't more popular than it is. When I was staying at the PPH in December, and wandering to and fro, every time I walked past Surf's Up or the PCH Grill during later hours, it looked practically empty. The one and only time I saw the PCH Grill crowded was when I was considering going in and eating there!
The only thing I can guess is that it's all because of the location. Either people don't know about Surf's Up (because they don't follow the wise people on the DIS!), or they assume that the PPH is so, so far away when it really is not far (if you know where you are going and take the short cut). It's clearly not the cost, because people pay for Ariel's. People pay for Goofy's. It's clearly not the characters - who wouldn't want to see Mickey at a character meal? It's not the food - the food usually gets good reviews, and even if it didn't, it couldn't be any worse than some of the things I've heard about Minnie & Friends' food on an 'off' day!
Oh, and one other thing I wanted to mention that's wonderful about DLR at Christmas time - since you are now a big fan of the PPH, as am I, you will appreciate this - is the PPH Christmas tree!!
I think Sherri will agree with me that the PPH tree in the lobby (they remove Surfer Goofy and replace him with the tree and Santa) is just gorgeous. It does not translate well in photos at all, with or without flash, but you can see the tree from outside the entrance, glowing with blue and green lights (rather than red and green), and all kinds of ornaments in blue and pink, etc. It is sooooo pretty.
In fact, I've said before that if I am judging the Christmas trees of the 3 DLR hotels just on colors alone, or aesthetic appeal (to me), the PPH tree would be my favorite because I just love the coloring. It's really eye-catching. If I'm judging the trees on which one fits the theme and atmosphere of its resident hotel the best, I would say the GCH tree wins that battle hands down. But just for sheer color and beauty - and pretty blue/green glowy lights! - you have to see the PPH tree! (The DLH trees are kind of underwhelming next to the PPH and GCH trees, I think.)
You're not kidding about the prices of the DLR hotels! They are scary (even with an AP discount), and they are only going to get higher in the next year, as DLR tries to push the entire resort as a full vacation destination rather than just a place for locals to come! I actually think that they may start removing some existing perks from the discounted rooms and adding in extra perks to the higher-priced rooms, along with raising those rates!
I think I would appreciate Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln more now. When I was a kid and had to sit through it, it was a snoozefest. As an adult, I think I would like it a lot more.
About the PPH being off the beaten path and Surf's Up suffering...I totally agree with you. I think that is the main reason that Yamabuki was closed! I think it's hard for people to make the connection in their minds that the PPH is part of Disneyland Resort because it's across the street. They envision that it's so far away, but it's not. So if they are not going across the street for any other reason (like if they are not guests of the PPH), then they would not accidentally stumble upon Yamabuki (or even Surf's Up) and wander in. I think a lot of the DLR restaurants get business because people just happen to be walking by and they peek in to see what's there. People think PPH is miles away!
What I wonder is why they don't put another restaurant in where Yamabuki was - something that fits the beach/surf/sun theme a little better. DLR is in need of restaurants. But then again, if they did put in a new one, would anyone know it was there (other than those of us on the DIS)??
The Lincoln thing would be somewhat boring for a kid.....but for us "older" kids......it's good & very patriotic.
I have to agree that the GCH has the PPH beat for comfy seats!!! But I sure felt the staff was way friendlier at the PPH. You couldn't sneak thru without someone talking to you.......no one even said hi to us at the Grand. How rude!
Mike says the PPH is the ugly step-child of the Disney Resorts.....it doesn't get credit, when it's really a wonderful place. If people don't know about walking thru the Grand, then they would think it's miles away. Maybe if they did a little more promoting of it, the popularity would pick up. But, with that being said.....with it not being as popular....the prices are lower here....so I guess it's a trade off.
Mike thinks they need another sushi restaurant in there to keep with the theming of the PPH. I think the PCH Grill tends to cover more of the California style. I don't eat sushi....so I wouldn't go.....but it seems sad to have an empty place like that for so long.
Thanx Michele!!! This Bert was really good for the character.....he had that quirkiness that made me absolutely love Dick Van ****!!!
I'm glad she's home.....hope she's doing ok!
While enjoying our mango smoothie, we wandered into the Animation Building. The big room you walk into, used to show different film clips, but right now it's just colored screens as they are redoing "it"......now no one would tell us what "it" was.....but I kinda missed the movie clips & music all around me.
We went in to watch the zoetroppe.
I actually shot this one while it was in full spinning motion.........
If you've never seen a zoetroppe, then this might help explain things:
More Animation Building coming up.
I as you know am absolutely a HUGE fan of surfs up. They are already on our agenda for our October trip. breakfast for sure and possibly trying dinner there. We are considering staying at one of the GN hotels for most of the stay and then 1 night at PPH. We really have found a love for this place! That is the only way we can afford it this trip (maybe) but hopefully with the AP rate our spring trip will be all onsite.
As far as the tree goes...One of the most beautiful trees I think I have ever seen. So much so ...and I don't think I have mentioned this anywhere yet...when we got home we went to Home Depot and and I bought after Christmas sale strands of both blue and green lights...bunches of them...So next year our tree or or house lights (maybe both) will be all lit up like the PCH Christmas tree. The pics do not do it justice at all it is amazing well worth the short walk through GCHs beautiful lobby to experience it.
I have not seen Mr Lincoln since I was a child...always something the parents wanted to do...I think I would appreciate it more now but this was Colton's first trip and didn't think he would appreciate it, so I did not pencil it in for our last trip, however in February Colton studied Mr Lincoln at school and when he looked over my shoulder at Lauries pics he said it needs to go on our list for October so we shall see what he thinks then.
I think maybe that empty spot at PPH needs to be a counter service place like WWS in the GCH. Maybe like fish & chips or something
I def think people think PPH is far away but they all go to eat at GCH and it is right across the street!
sorry the placement of your **** amused me condsidering his first name LOL
Laurie...Colton was so very excited by your Zoetrope pics! We stood there and watched it over and over on our trip but took not one picture. Would you mind pretty please if I "steal" a couple of those? He would like them for the wallpaper on his computer and maybe printed out for his memory board.