A Gamer Does Disneyland - Solo Halloween Trip - 10/22-10/25/14 (Completed)

[Jennafoo]

This is my first ever trip report and my first ever trip! I checked an item off my bucket list by taking myself to Disneyland - solo - for my birthday this October.

I'm Jenna, and here I am with Minnie:

To give you some background, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my dog. I have one daughter, but she's grown up and finishing up her degree at Louisiana State University, far away.

I have a high-powered job in the financial industry, but I'm a geek at heart. I love all kinds of games, particularly Dragon Age (DA3 will come out soon!) and Ingress, the GPS-based game that my friends and I are obsessed with.

I like comic books and watch mainly comic book TV shows like Arrow and Agents of Shield. I'm also a HUGE football (soccer, to you) fan, and have a popular blog about world football's referees.

In fact, that was one of the reasons for this trip, in a round about way. You see, I've had a tough couple of years, but in 2014 I've accomplished a lot. My daughter is graduating with no student loans because of what I've sacrificed. I started a successful new blog and got a new job. I had my first short story published in a trade magazine.

So when my 45th rolled around, it was time to celebrate and do something I've always wanted to do:

Disneyland!

 

[Jennafoo]

After working a full day on Tuesday (and driving everyone crazy with my excitement), I took the train from downtown SF to the airport, where I paid entirely too much for six pieces of dim sum and a bottle of water. Fortunately, the San Francisco airport is a hotbed of Ingress activity, so I was able to pass the hour or so wait attacking portals.

Even though it was a short flight on a smaller jet, I had upgraded to first class. When I got to the gate, the gate agent asked me if I’d be willing to switch seats from the front row to the second with another first class passenger so he could sit with his wife.

Being the nice person I am, I said “Sure. Why not?”

Let’s just say it would have been a better flight for everyone if I were a little less nice.

They had four kids and have been married 42 years and are still very much in love, and I know all this because they proceeded to get drunk on bad airplane wine and shout at the top of their lungs – nonstop - for the entire flight. They then made out messily, and the guy I graciously switched with promptly reclined his seat into mine so I couldn’t use my laptop.

Sigh.

Fortunately, I had loaded my iPad with the latest Agents of Shield and Arrow episodes, and playing them at top volume seemed to help.

We landed in SNA around 8:30, which was definitely a good choice both in airport and timing. I grabbed a taxi and was at the Howard Johnson and checked in by 9:05.

The HoJo is nothing to write home about, but it’s clean and the room is quiet and dark, the way I like. The free wifi seems pretty decent as well. And that bed! It seems like it shouldn’t be as comfy as it is, but it’s definitely nice.

I was still wound up from the flight, so I decided to do the walk down the Esplanade to see how far it was (about 10 minutes, door to door). For some reason, I thought there would be a Halloween party and I could get my AP then, but it was Tuesday and everything was closed.

So I wandered into Downtown Disney and became immediately overwhelmed by World of Disney.

So. Much. Stuff.

I escaped over to Starbucks to buy a Protein Box for my breakfast (and hack a few Ingress Portals, natch) and headed back to bed.

 

[Jennafoo]

I made it to the parks fairly early, but due to some confusion on my part I ended up in the wrong line and was pretty far back at the gates. However, it seemed like most people were heading for the Frozen line, so I was still close to the front of rope drop near Tomorrowland.

I guess, looking at this photo, that I wasn't as far back as it felt!

You can see the rope in the little opening here. Pretty close!

I had a vague thought that I’d head to Peter Pan, but considering I had no idea where I was going and have no sense of direction to speak of, by the time I made it there the line was already crazy, so I skipped it.

Instead, I was the first rider on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (or, as I like to call it, “Mr. Toad Goes to Hell”).

Best description of this ride ever: "It's about a toad who made bad choices."

After that, I started checking off my “must rides”. In fact, only two hours and a half hours after park opening, I’d ridden all the following:

Mr. Toad, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Star Tours (felt like puking), Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones (felt like puking again), and Space Mountain (nearly did puke).

The puking will commence at 11:05

By the way, all this almost-puking happened with a motion-sickness patch from my doctor behind my ear! I cannot imagine what it would have been like without the patch, but the guy next to me on Space Mountain should be grateful...

I didn't take a ton of ride pictures because I was moving fast and too busy gawking (and as you can tell, I'm not the most talented photographer). But here are a few random shots, in no particular order:

Into the rabbit hole... (Alice in Wonderland)

Crazy robot (Star Tours)

Crazy scarecrow (Haunted Mansion)

Not a ride, but...duckies!

It was already getting hot (SF is way cooler year round than SoCal, so I'm pretty soft when it comes to temperatures above 75 degrees), so I took a break toward the end of the morning to see the Big Hero 6 preview. I'm crazy about Big Hero 6, but the preview managed to get me even more excited, which I didn't think possible.

Hi, Baymax!!

Despite all the go, go, go, I did manage to get in a few snacks. I had a list of "must-have foods" for the trip that included both classic Disneyland treats and seasonal ones, and I crossed a couple of those off this morning between rides.

Somewhere during Ride-a-palooza, I got this pumpkin muffin for breakfast at Jolly Holiday. Not as good as it looks, unfortunately.

I also got a Dole Whip float mid-morning. People aren't kidding around with these things; may be the best thing I've ever put in my mouth.

Speaking of delicious food, all the heat and near-puking was starting to get to me, so it was time for lunch!

 

[kaoden39]

Some days it just doesn't pay to be nice. You had good shows to watch and keep you occupied though! I look forward to our trip report.

 

[Jennafoo]

I had a long lunch at Café Orleans. I tried both the pommes frites and monte cristo, and aside from being WAY too much food, both were good but probably not something I’d go out of my way to get again.

There was just too much of everything: grease, sweetness, garlic…you name it, there was probably too much of it in that meal.

Pommes Frites – Definitely too much for one person; I barely made a dent.

Classic Monte Cristo – I liked this better than the Pommes Frites.

Birthday beignet! Delicious. Somehow, sadly, this was my only beignet of the trip…and I’m from Louisiana!

After lunch, I rode Winnie the Pooh (SUPER cute) and got a marshmallow wand at Pooh Corner to have later.

Why, yes, I did sing the Heffalumps and Woozles song for a week. Why?

The lady at Pooh Corner did wonder out loud why I was taking pictures of everything! And yeah, I guess I kind of did. But it all looked so good! Here’s a sampling:

Various marshmallow and pretzel wands

Was going to get the classic Tigger Tail, but got the Halloween pumpkin version on the right. Same thing, but more Halloween-y

How cute is that ‘Frozen’ caramel apple?

 

[kaoden39]

It has been crazy hot down there hasn't it?

 

[Jennafoo]

Kaoden - Yes, to me it was really hot, but I'm probably just spoiled!

 

[kaoden39]

Kaoden - Yes, to me it was really hot, but I'm probably just spoiled!

I'm from Fairfield and I truly understand!

 

[Jennafoo]

After my trip to Pooh-ville, I wandered aimlessly around the Fantasy Faire area but was too shy to take pictures with the princesses.

I also visited the Halloween carnival; I saw some of the magic show and did ‘Conjure a Villain’ but we got Cruella and I didn’t stay for pics.

Waiting outside the Conjure a Villain tent…

Shot of the stage from the haybale ‘benches’ outside the tent. I totally want that pennant garland for my house.

At some point in the afternoon, I also did the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough. It is really cute and well done. I wish the corridors were a little wider, because you do get pushed along by the people behind you and I wanted to gawk!

I loved that it was scenes from the film!

Definitely worth doing when you have a few spare minutes, especially if you – like me – loved the film.

I decided to take a break from the heat and head back to the hotel. On the way, I stopped at City Hall for a DAS, since the lines were getting longer. I have kidney problems, and the resulting frequent bathroom breaks make standing in long lines hard when you’re solo.

Turns out they start you off with a ride when they give you the card, so I figured “why not” and asked for Peter Pan. She cut the wait time to only 20 minutes, so I ate as much of my marshmallow treat as I could stand before the sugar made my eyes twitch, and then took the train from Main Street to Toon Town.

Sugar break!!

By the time I got to the ride, I was basically able to walk on, which was great – and probably the only way I’d get to ride Peter Pan. It turned out to be one of my favorite rides of all.

The trip through the stars and over London is amazing! Just wish it were longer!

[/URL]
Off to Neverland!

After that, I took a nice long, air-conditioned break and worked on my Dragon Age Keep world states. By 4:30, I felt human again and decided to walk to Downtown Disney to see a movie (Dracula Untold, which I didn’t expect to like as much as I did) and play some Ingress.

Pre-movie fountain (Downtown Disney)

Post-movie Legos (Downtown Disney)

The movie let out at 7, and DCA was open til 8. I was planning on a full day there Thursday, but decided to check out the lights in Cars Land, which did not disappoint. Man, that place is gorgeous.

I can’t do those neon lights justice!

I did check out single rider on RSR, but it was half an hour and I figured I’d do better earlier the next day.

I stopped at Flo’s for dinner, and was surprised to see it completely empty. I actually thought it was closed. After I got my nearly-inedible Turkey Dip sandwich and tiny scoop of mashed potatoes, I understood.

Worst food of the trip goes to…Flo’s Cardboard Sandwich

That food is not so awesome…

Then it was back to the hotel for a good night’s rest. Tomorrow: DCA and Goofy’s!

 

[Vala]

*reading along*

Kaoden - Yes, to me it was really hot, but I'm probably just spoiled!

No, you're not spoiled. I was melting on my own trip too.

 

[Jennafoo]

The parks didn’t open until ten, so I started with breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen, which turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip.

Thumbs up for Goofy’s Kitchen!

I was a bit nervous about going solo, but everyone made me so comfortable. It was a good way to get pictures of me with some of the characters without feeling I was taking a spot from a child…

And the food was delicious!

Plate one: Mickey pancake, Mickey waffle and (half-eaten) sausage. It took me a bit to find the syrup, which is self-pour

Plate two: Fruit, breakfast potatoes and Eggs Benedict (I didn’t notice it had a face at the time…)

Plate three: Red Jell-O, bananas foster crepe and I think a lemon cupcake…

Delicious chocolate birthday cupcake (it came with a birthday button)!

I met Goofy (at the entrance), Chip, Minnie, Dale and Pluto.

When Chip came over, after learning I was alone, he insisted on grabbing my camera and taking a selfie of the two of us.

Chip solo.

Selfie with Chip!

Minnie did him one better, by running off, grabbing an unsuspecting guest and making her take pictures of us.

Not the most flattering pose, but Minnie was a love.

I didn’t have anyone to take pictures of me with Dale and Pluto, but they were both really animated and fun.

Dale, straightening his tie.

It’s hard to take pictures of a happy dog! They can’t stand still…

Just an FYI, my trip came a week or so after the big change to just five characters from a variety. Personally, being a non-character person, and never knowing the “old way”, I thought it was great.

The interaction is really good, and it seemed more organized than I’d heard in the past. I saw all the characters in about an hour.

I was so thrilled by the whole experience that I brought the manager over and thanked her, and I even bought the photo package (which I normally don’t do).

Did I mention the food was great?

Minnie says: “Go to Goofy’s!”

 

[Jennafoo]

*reading along*

No, you're not spoiled. I was melting on my own trip too.

Yay! I'm glad you're along for the ride.

I think it was actually cooler my week than when you were there.

 

[Jennafoo]

Apologies in advance; my picture-taking appears to have been a bit sporadic on this day.

After breakfast, it was about 9:30 and time to head toward DCA. I stood at rope drop behind maybe 50-60 other people at the Condor Flats rope. I decided not to brave the huge crowd going to Carsland, surmising (correctly) that I’d be able to use single rider to my advantage there.

I started off with Toy Story, and only waited a few minutes – maybe 5 or 10. I suck at that game, though; I think I got 50K points.

Then I made my way to Carsland, and rode Radiator Springs Racers TWICE via the single rider line (never waited more than five minutes). The first time I sat in the back seat and had the Luigi’s tires scene; the second time I sat in the front and had Ramone’s paint job. Both times, my car won the race!

Great, great ride. Probably the best amusement park ride I’ve ever been on.

No pictures, sadly, but I did get this tasty Pear-a-Dice soda while in the neighborhood.

Next up was Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, and I thought it was cute. The way they use the lights at the beginning to simulate going underwater was great.

Love the building Ariel lives in.

King Triton's abs and one happy turtle…

California Screamin’ gave RSR a run for its money; probably my favorite ride. I used single rider and rode right up front. It started to become clear that I don’t get sick on outdoor coasters, just the dark ones or motion simulators.

After riding Monsters Inc., I decided to skip Soarin' and Tower of Terror, mostly for the above pukey reasons. I was feeling decent, and neither of those rides was appealing enough to risk it.

“Look, Boo! No puking!”

Best vending machine ever.

Also, you’ll notice I didn’t use the DAS in DCA, mostly due to single rider. That and decent crowds – and a good plan to ride TSMM and RSR – meant I didn’t really need it.

I did see Aladdin, which was pretty good. I loved, loved, loved the set and the puppets and the flying parts. But the genie’s constant pop culture references were a bit much.

I paced myself better today, and after Aladdin I grabbed some sweets (my daily dose of caramel and chocolate covered marshmallow), the Goofy’s Kitchen photos I’d stored at Five and Dime and headed back to the hotel for an Arrow break.

This little guy was weird – a cake pop with licorice wings. Wasn’t expecting that.

Mickey marshmallow wand

Chocolate-y, caramel-y, marshmallow-y goodness

 

[Jennafoo]

Again, not many pictures. Sorry.

After my break, I headed to Disneyland, where I used the DAS card to help with the crowds. I got a return time for Jungle Cruise right off the bat, then had dinner at Plaza Inn.

That fried chicken…holy cow! It’s as good as everyone says. I got two servings of mashed potatoes (same price) because the green beans have peppers in them and I’m allergic. It’s definitely big enough to share, but I was hungry and it was delicious so I ate the whole thing!

The DIS didn’t steer me wrong on this one!

Then it was time for Jungle Cruise. I got on the boat first so was able to ride near the skipper.

Aww…cute fake baby elephant!

As a bonus, I finally get the ‘back side of water’ joke!

After that, I got a return time to Dumbo, and rode Pinnochio while I waited.

(Dumbo is a good example of how DAS is not necessarily a front of the line pass. I still had to wait two rotations even after I checked in for my return time.)

After that, I got a return time to Buzz, which I sucked at worse than Toy Story. My next return time was 40 minutes later at the Nemo subs. This was the only time the DAS steered me wrong; I killed the time riding Matterhorn via single-rider and wandering, but when I came back for my time, the subs had already closed.

BTW, the Matterhorn is just as rough as everyone says it is, and there is no room in those sleds if you’re over five feet or so. I had to sit cross-legged and I had bruises for a week. My family is Swiss, so of course I had to do the Matterhorn, but I think once may be enough…

Everyone was gathering for the parade, but I decided to call it a night.

 

[Jennafoo]

Friday was my actual birthday and it started out slowly. I got to the parks just after opening, but stopped by Jolly Holiday for a Matterhorn macaroon and some hot caramel apple cider.

Birthday breakfast.

It looks a bit weird here, but the caramel apple cider was delicious.

Interior shot: Matterhorn Macaroon.

I got a return time for the Haunted Mansion, rode the Carousel (giving up Jingles to a girl who really wanted her), and then went to Hell with Mr. Toad. (Alice was down this morning.)

I also did Storybook Land Canal and Casey Jr., neither of which I’d do again.

At that point, it was time for my next ride on Haunted Mansion Holiday, which I enjoyed as much as the last time. Tried to take some pics, but mainly just gawked.

Just Merry…

Oogey Boogey is actually huge and kind of intimidating…

To kill the time before I could ride Nemo, I rode Astro Orbiter and pulled a fastpass for Autopia.

I must say I liked the Sub ride a WHOLE lot better than I expected to. (I mostly just rode it because a friend used to work the ride, and he wouldn’t forgive me if I skipped it.) It’s really well done. I was sitting right by the stairs and did get dripped on a little, but it was a small price.

“Diving!”

Love the scenery.

I actually took dozens of photos, but I figure I’ll spare you guys…

After the utter snoozefest that is Autopia, I had enough time to walk to New Orleans Square and check in for my birthday lunch at Blue Bayou (grabbing a return time for Pirates on the way).

You guys?

Blue Bayou was AWESOME. I had a waterside table and yes the ambience was great, but the food was just as good. The hot sourdough rolls they bring out are a dream, the salad was fresh with tangy dressing, and my delicious Louisana Lemonade came with a glow cube and free refills.

I ordered filet mignon, which came with béarnaise sauce, Blue Bayou potatoes and crisp green beans. The steak was perfectly cooked and everything was delicious.

You can’t see it, but trust me: That’s a delicious steak.

For dessert, they brought what appeared to be pure dark chocolate ganache in the shape of a mickey head; so rich and decadent. I had planned to order the crème brulee, but there was no point and I enjoyed the free dessert with coffee.

After lunch, I used my DAS time on Pirates, and though I love the ride, the way of handling folks through the exit is a bit chaotic. On my way out, I got a return time for another favorite – Alice. While waiting, I checked out the one Disneyland attraction I hadn’t made it to (aside from It’s a Small World, which was in refurb, and the Tea Cups, which would make me sick):

Splash Mountain.

I used the single rider line and basically walked on. It was way more fun than I expected, and I got decently wet, but not too bad. Then I rode Alice again.

View of the Matterhorn from Alice.

I rode Alice, but by that time the parks were crowded and hot, and I decided to pick up some treats at Jolly Holiday (a raspberry macaron and caramel éclair) to have with a cup of tea in my room, and took a pre-Halloween party break.

Raspberry Macaron – I actually didn’t care for this, though it was pretty. The fresh fruit gave it a weird texture.

Caramel Éclair – Didn’t care for this either, but that’s probably because I didn’t eat it until the next day.

 

[Jennafoo]

I ended up falling asleep, and when I woke up, I wasn’t feeling great at all. Blame it on the heat and rich food. I managed to get myself down to the park, but missed my pre-party ADR at Carnation Café by about 20 minutes. Fortunately, they were able to get me in with a brief wait, and I felt like a human again somewhat after I had some food and a couple of Cokes in me.

I have to say, the food was delish: I had a cup of the potato soup and the fried pickles. Those were amazing: hot and crunchy outside and yet still firm and crisp on the inside. I loved them.

Fried pickles: Odd, but in a good way.

Baked Potato Soup – Only problem was the bowl was too small!

I still had an open DAS slot for Peter Pan, so I rode that after dinner. Then, it was time for the pre-party at Toontown, which I really enjoyed.

I had to send this pic to friends who couldn’t wrap their heads around ‘trick or treating at Disney.'

I did all three treat trails, which meant I got to see Mickey’s and Minnie’s Houses and Donald’s boat (I don’t think I’d have made a special trip). I also rode Roger Rabbit and Gadget’s Go Coaster without a wait.

Donald’s boat…

Minnie’s house…

The party itself, though, was kind of overwhelming. Everything was so spread out and dark, and there were ropes and barricades everywhere. I wasn’t into taking pictures with characters or watching the parade, and I was getting sicker by the second.

Pumpkin lantern.

So I just mainly wandered around, getting in every treat line I could find. I collected a metric boatload of candy. (Bringing it home through airport security was interesting; at least I didn’t have to buy candy for Halloween!)

There were some interesting treats like Peeps and Wurther’s caramels, but I got a TON of Peanut Chews (which, fortunately, I really like). Most of the long trails had at least one “healthy” alternative such as apple slices and carrots, giant Goldfish crackers, yogurt covered craisins, etc.

The Annual Passholder treat trail was in the Opera House.

My favorite though was the AP trail: I got cheese popcorn, a white chocolate dipped krispie treat and…

A Baymax knapsack!

I’ve become somewhat obsessed with Big Hero 6 and Baymax, so this was a great gift.

Baymax!!

I did manage to ride a few things: Toad, Snow White and Winnie the Pooh.

Overall, though, I just felt crappy and the crowds were horrendous. I ended up leaving way early and collapsing into bed like an old person.

An old person with a suitcase full of candy, that is.

When my daughter saw this pic, she said: “THAT is a legit trick or treat haul.”

 

[petals]

Luvin your pics esp the character selfie with Chip.

 

[Jennafoo]

Luvin your pics esp the character selfie with Chip.

That's my favorite, too. He was so cute.

 

[Jennafoo]

My last day in the parks, and it was clear I needed to slow down. I was still feeling weird and had a sore throat, too. So, I brewed some tea, put out the do not disturb sign and stayed in bed for a while.

I had done zero shopping while at Disney, so the plan today was to go shopping and see some shows. I had 10:30 brunch reservations at Carnation and 6pm reservations at Carthay Circle. Figured I would keep those and enjoy a slower pace today.

I arrived at DL and headed straight for Carnation. Unfortunately, they were running behind on reservations. A twenty-minute wait followed by sit down breakfast seemed like too much of a time investment, so I dropped the reservation. Instead, I went to Jolly Holiday (stopping first to get a return time for Peter Pan) and got my go-to breakfast of champions: a Matterhorn Macaroon.

Behold...

Man, those things are good. I was expecting a lot more coconut but it’s really a rich yellow coconut cake topped with white chocolate.

After eating and shopping a bit, it was time for my third and final flight on Peter Pan. I was so grateful for the DAS; without it, I may not have ridden Pan at all; I was very take-it-or-leave it about the ride before I arrived, assuming it wouldn’t be worth the wait. Now, it’s one of my favorites.

Bye, Mermaids!

I got a return time to Alice, and then went to Fantasy Faire. Following a recommendation I'd got from reading (and re-reading!) Vala's last trip report, I had a boysen apple freeze and a garlic cheddar bagel twist from Maurice’s. She was right; both were a-MAZ-ing. The cheddar twist was perfect, both taste and texture-wise (later I got a chocolate twist and didn’t care for it; flaked all over and the chocolate tasted burnt). I ended up getting another Boysen drink later, too, it was so good. Very interesting flavor profile, especially once you mix the (very) sour foam into the sweeter drink.

Cheddar Garlic Bagel Twist (Maurice’s Treats)

BoysenApple Freeze (Maurice’s Treats). Warning! That foam is not whipped cream…

I took my snack into the Royal Theater to wait for the Tangled show (which, again, I’d heard about on Vala’s trip report), and sat in the very back, eating. Apparently, there was some kind of drama over seating to which I was completely oblivious. But the nice cast member seating people came to me and said:

“I’m sorry for all that seating business. Come with me.”

He then moved me to the front row of benches; the only ones in front of me where kids seated on the floor. I was happy where I was and usually don’t fight to get too far up front, but it was a nice bit of pixie dust and definitely a good view.

I was a lot closer than these iPhone photos would have you believe!

I actually really loved the show. It was genuinely funny and the slapstick nature was really awesome. The performers were great, and though I never saw the movie (I know, I know) I never felt lost. I didn’t stay after, so I don’t know if they came out, but I do know they greeted folks right before my show, because a dad got turned away trying to bring his daughter in to see them.

After that, it was time for Alice in Wonderland, and then I pulled a return time for my final ride: Mr. Toad.

While waiting, I walked over to Tomorrow Land and got a Baymax plush for me and a Baymax t-shirt for my college aged daughter, sending her texts with the different designs until she found the one she liked.

Bummed this only comes in smaller sizes. I LIVE in San Fransokyo! (Sorta.)

If you don’t love Baymax, you don’t love freedom.

I then went and saw Mickey and the Magical Map and was glad I did. The combination of video, live performers, sets and puppets worked seamlessly and was really interesting to watch.

Another photo taken from the moon, but you can see how huge and elaborate the set is.

I love that Disney is introducing kids to different types of theatrical performances. All three that I saw (Aladdin, Tangled and Map) had different styles.

The heat and crowds were definitely overwhelming by this point (so busy) and people were starting to act rudely. So my Disneyland adventure ended the way it started:

With a spin on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride!

Then it was time for a rest before a final trip into California Adventure.

 

[Vala]

That selfie with Chip is adorable.

Yay! I'm glad you're along for the ride.

I think it was actually cooler my week than when you were there.

That's what my local friends said, yeah. Still looked hotter than h*ll to me.