puffkin
DVC Owner- SSR & AKV
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2001
Cast:
Woody- Disney nut and obsessive trip planner, age 23
Buzz- fiancé of Woody, tolerates Disney, age 25
Day 3 (Sunday November 2, 2003):
Today was another busy day since it was Buzzs last day in the parks before he had to work, so we had a lot to get accomplished. So, the alarm started beeping at 7:15 am and we were up and ready to go in no time. We took a little detour and found Buzzs work before we headed out to Disneyland. We arrived in no time and were directed to park in the Pinocchio parking lot.
Disneyland officially opened at 9:00 am, but they had Main Street open early, so we entered the park around 8:45 am and grabbed some cookies and a rice treat ($7) at the Bakery and waited for the rope drop. The mission for today was to see Fantasyland, so we headed there first.
In not time, we had ridden Pinocchio, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland and the Tea Cups. All the rides in Fantasyland were walk-ons. Buzz spun our tea cup so fast; I could barely walk when we got off. He refused to ride Dumbo, so he took some pictures of me in my flying elephant. Pinocchio was ok, but I really liked Alice in Wonderland. I think that is my second favorite Fantasyland attraction, behind Peter Pan.
We then headed over to Peter Pan but found it had a 20 minute wait. Since this is my favorite Fantasyland attraction in WDW, we decided to wait so that we could compare the two. This version was good, but I like the one at WDW much better. The one in DL seemed much shorter, but then again I have been known to make things up! After Peter Pan, we caught sight of the evil Queen peering out the window, and then we rode Snow White with no wait.
Our next stop was the Storybook land Canal Boats, with a 10 minute wait. I thought this ride was cute, Buzz was indifferent. We then headed over to the Matterhorn. There was only one line (starting on the Tomorrowland side) that split at the loading platforms. We ended up going on the right side (10 minute wait). This ride was ok, but it really hurt my bottom!
Since we had pretty much finished Fantasyland by this time (10:45 am), we decided to head over to DCA. I noticed that Ariel had no wait, so we stopped quickly to get a picture. Although I love how huge and spread out WDW is, it was kind of nice to walk over to the other park. Our main objective was to catch the 12:45 Aladdin, so we headed towards the attractions on the Hollywood Backlot.
We ventured into the Animation building and walked through some of the displays. We especially enjoyed the machines were you can put your voice in a Disney character. However, Buzz would only participate if no one else was around. We also saw the animation movie with Mushu. I thought this was really funny, but we were both disappointed because we thought that someone was going to do an actual drawing demonstration.
By this time we were extremely hungry, so we grabbed some hot dogs and sodas ($17) and grabbed a quiet bench to eat at. We noticed a lot of people were streaming down towards the Hyperion Theater to line up for Aladdin, so we finished our food and headed down to grab a place in line. Once we were allowed in to the actual queuing area, we decided to sit in the Orchestra section. I got a good laugh when the people in front of us started talking about the Tower of Terror. They actually thought it was going to be a hotel.
I thought the Aladdin show was very good, a not to be missed attraction. Buzz enjoyed it, though he would rather die than admit he liked it. We decided to head back to Paradise Pier to ride the attractions we had missed last night. Of course, we had to grab a fast pass for California Screamin though. We stood and watched the roller coaster take offs for awhile, which is highly amusing. Then we headed over to the Orange Stinger and rode after a 5 minute wait. I am absolutely terrified of flying swing type rides, but this one didnt bother me too much because it is somewhat enclosed.
We grabbed a fast pass for Mulholland Madness before heading back to California Screamin. We rode in the back this time, which is the best spot in our opinion! You really get to experience the full force of the takeoff there. Maliboomer only had a 10 minute wait, so we decided to ride. This is definitely one of those rides that looks MUCH scarier than it actually is. We were lucky to get seated on the side facing Disneyland, so we got some great aerial views of both parks. We then grabbed slushes and took a much needed break before our Mulholland Madness fast pass. I was very disappointed in this one. It is your standard, run of the mill wild mouse ride. The theming was bland and there wasnt much worthwhile on this one. Disney should be ashamed. Even though it isnt one of our favorite attractions, at least they tried to spice up Primeval Whirl in the Animal Kingdom.
Buzz had seen everything he wanted to in DCA by this point, so we decided to head back to Disneyland. On the way out, we walked through the Bugs Life area, which was really cute. I wanted to tape the parade, so we grabbed a tram and headed out to the car to grab the video camera and Buzzs coat. We had about 15 minutes until the parade started, so we headed back to Fantasyland and grabbed a spot on the elevated terraces that are near the front of Its a Small World. There was no one up here yet, and we were able to get a seat and have a great view without having to worry about people blocking our view. I enjoyed the parade, though I thought it was very short.
Unfortunately Its a Small World was closed the rest of the week while they did the holiday overlay, so we didnt get a chance to see it. So, we headed back to Adventureland because I wanted to see the original version of the Tiki Birds. We got there just as a show was starting. I thought this show was good, but surprisingly I like the version in WDW much better. We decided to do Indy again, so we grabbed fast passes for later and then rode the Jungle Cruise with no wait.
We decided to grab some dinner, so we ate at the Mexican place in Frontierland. We had nachos, campfire fries, and two drinks ($20). We had a few more minutes until our Indy fast pass, so we tried the Frontierland Shooting Arcade, which was much more difficult (and less fun) than the one in WDW. We then had another enjoyable ride on Indy, with no wait using our fast pass. We were both pretty tired by now, so we meandered through some of the shops on our way out. We stopped to see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln before we left. Buzz was satisfied since he had a chance to see pretty much all the major attractions.
We headed back to the hotel with intentions of relaxing in the whirlpool. Of course it was closed by the time we got back so we collapsed in bed by 9:30. Stay tuned for Day 4, when Woody tours the parks solo!
Day 4 (Monday November 3, 2003):
Today was the start of my solo touring of the parks, since Buzz had to go to work. I had plans to take the Walk in Walts Footsteps tour at 9:00 am, so I needed to make sure I had plenty of time to get to Disneyland. Buzz had to use the rental for work, so I had to be creative with my transportation. The alarm went off at 6:30 am, but I was already awake because I was still on Pennsylvania time.
Since a taxi from the hotel to Disneyland cost $35, I decided to find an alternate route. I came up with a plan to take the hotel shuttle to the airport, and then take the Airport Bus one way to a Disneyland resort for a cost of $11 total. I knew that this plan would take a lot of time, but I hoped it wouldnt be too much of a hassle.
I had arranged for the shuttle at the hotel to pick me up at 7:00 am. However, when I got up front, the shuttle was closing its doors and ready to pull out. Luckily, the driver saw me and I was able to get on. I guess they only thought they were picking up one group, and didnt realize I was coming too. I was at the airport in a few minutes and I went to the ground transportation area to wait for the 7:30 am Airport Bus (according to their website, they came every hour on the half).
Well, 7:40 rolled around and still no bus. I used the courtesy phone and called the dispatch operator who informed me that there was no 7:30 bus today, that the next bus would be there at 8:30. I didnt feel like waiting around for another hour, so I walked over to the shuttle dispatch area. The guy told me a shuttle would be heading to the Anaheim resort area in 15 minutes, so I decided to take that instead. I ended up getting on a Lucky shuttle with one lady and a guy. First we dropped the guy off at his house, which ended up taking 30 minutes because of traffic instead of the 5 minutes he originally said.
By this time, it was after 8 and I knew there was no way I was going to make it to Disneyland in time to take the 9:00 am tour. I was disappointed, but I figured I would try again tomorrow. Once we got on the freeways though, the driver took off. Gotta love the carpool lanes. We were in Anaheim in 10 minutes. I couldnt believe it. We dropped the lady off at her hotel, and then the driver dropped me off right at the main gates at 8:45 am. The driver drove a little fast and it was scary, but I made it in time.
At the guest services window, I signed up for the tour, getting an AAA discount ($39). I then proceeded to wait at the gates for our tour guide, Nancy. Our group was rather large; there were 13 of us, which surprised me. Nancy arrived and we started the tour by having some free time on Main Street to take some pictures of the empty park. Much to our surprise, as we turned the corner, the Christmas tree had been put up since last night. What a sight! After some pictures, she ushered us into the preshow area of Mr. Lincoln so we could watch the video on Walt Disney. Then it was back onto Main Street to watch the rope drop before we headed to a private showing of the Tiki Birds.
By this time it had started to rain lightly (which wasnt in the forecast). We headed over to New Orleans Square and saw the lobby of Club 33. We then took the train to Tomorrowland and walked through parts of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Then, back to the Disney Gallery to have our lunch. I had the turkey croissant sandwich, chips and apple pie. Then we received our special Walk in Walts Footsteps pins, and the tour was over. I was very disappointed. Most of the information seemed to be regurgitated from a simple biography on Walt, and I didnt feel that we got much more insight than a regular tourist. Nancy wasnt exactly a brimming source of knowledge, and at times she seemed annoyed when people asked her questions. I just didnt feel that the tour accomplished much of anything; it certainly didnt hold a candle to the Keys to the Kingdom tour in WDW.
Anyway, after my tour I meandered around the park and took some pictures of the decorations that had gone up since last night. I then headed over to Tomorrowland and did Honey I Shrunk the Audience and Star Tours with no waits. By this time, it was pouring, so I decided to give Innoventions a try. What a waste of space! I dont really care for Innoventions in Epcot, but the one in Disneyland is even worse. I spent as much time as I could stomach here, but it was still pouring and very cold when I left. I didnt know what else to do, so I grabbed a hot chocolate and soft pretzel and sat at the Mexican restaurant in Frontierland to see if the rain would let up.
After about 45 minutes, it had stopped raining, so I resumed touring. I rode the Haunted Mansion again with no wait. I then headed back to Critter Country and rode Winnie the Pooh with no wait. I may be imagining things, but it seemed a lot different from the Winnie the Pooh in WDW. I liked the DL version better. I then figured that I was wet already, so I rode Splash Mountain using the single riders line. I thought the DL version seemed shorter and I didnt like the animatronics nearly as much as the WDW version. I also thought the DL versions storyline was much harder to follow. Still fun, but I prefer the WDW version.
I stopped by Pirates then and rode with a minimal wait. Again, I thought this attraction would be much better if the boats moved a little faster. I checked Matterhorn and Alice, but the lines were pretty long so I decided to head over to DCA. On my way out, I saw Mary Poppins and Pip the Penguin posing together, so I decided to get a picture. Then, in front of the fire house, Mickey, Minnie and Pluto were together, so I decided to wait for a picture with them too. However, just as it came to my turn, they had to go on break. The CM told me to run in front of them as they were walking, and they would stop real quickly for a picture. She snapped the picture, and as she went to hand my camera back to me, it fell, the back popped open, and all my film got exposed! I had been on picture 23, so a whole roll was lost.
I stood there stunned. I couldnt be angry at her, it wasnt really her fault, but I was still a little upset that I had lost all my pictures. Most of them could be retaken, but I was still a little upset. The CM looked like she was about to cry. She was so upset and she kept apologizing. She grabbed me and took me to City Hall to see what they could do. The lady there wrote up a report and told the girl to take me to the Emporium to get some film and then to take me around to all the characters that were still out to get my picture with. I told them that wasnt necessary, just a roll of film would be fine, but she insisted. So, at the Emporium they gave me two rolls of the Kodak film I use, not just one.
The CM kept asking me who I wanted pictures with, that she could take me to any of the characters still out. So I got Aladdin and Jasmine, Mary Poppins (again, but no Pip this time), Pinocchio and Gepetto, and Chip and Dale. She took me to the front of the line at each character and told them we were recreating memories. I thought this was very nice and beyond the call of duty.
After my own private little character tour, it was time to meet Buzz for dinner. After work, he had gone back to the hotel to change and then we were meeting at the ESPN Zone for dinner. So, I left DL and walked through Downtown Disney to the ESPN Zone. I waited a few minutes for Buzz, and when he arrived we had dinner, which was pretty good. We then walked through some of the shops in Downtown Disney and took a peek at the lobby of the Grand Californian before we called it a night.
We left Downtown Disney at 7 pm and were back at the hotel in about 15 minutes. Buzz was tired since he went into work at 6:30 so he fell asleep right away. I watched TV for awhile and was asleep by 10:30. Stay tuned for my second day of solo touring.
Woody- Disney nut and obsessive trip planner, age 23
Buzz- fiancé of Woody, tolerates Disney, age 25
Day 3 (Sunday November 2, 2003):
Today was another busy day since it was Buzzs last day in the parks before he had to work, so we had a lot to get accomplished. So, the alarm started beeping at 7:15 am and we were up and ready to go in no time. We took a little detour and found Buzzs work before we headed out to Disneyland. We arrived in no time and were directed to park in the Pinocchio parking lot.
Disneyland officially opened at 9:00 am, but they had Main Street open early, so we entered the park around 8:45 am and grabbed some cookies and a rice treat ($7) at the Bakery and waited for the rope drop. The mission for today was to see Fantasyland, so we headed there first.
In not time, we had ridden Pinocchio, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland and the Tea Cups. All the rides in Fantasyland were walk-ons. Buzz spun our tea cup so fast; I could barely walk when we got off. He refused to ride Dumbo, so he took some pictures of me in my flying elephant. Pinocchio was ok, but I really liked Alice in Wonderland. I think that is my second favorite Fantasyland attraction, behind Peter Pan.
We then headed over to Peter Pan but found it had a 20 minute wait. Since this is my favorite Fantasyland attraction in WDW, we decided to wait so that we could compare the two. This version was good, but I like the one at WDW much better. The one in DL seemed much shorter, but then again I have been known to make things up! After Peter Pan, we caught sight of the evil Queen peering out the window, and then we rode Snow White with no wait.
Our next stop was the Storybook land Canal Boats, with a 10 minute wait. I thought this ride was cute, Buzz was indifferent. We then headed over to the Matterhorn. There was only one line (starting on the Tomorrowland side) that split at the loading platforms. We ended up going on the right side (10 minute wait). This ride was ok, but it really hurt my bottom!
Since we had pretty much finished Fantasyland by this time (10:45 am), we decided to head over to DCA. I noticed that Ariel had no wait, so we stopped quickly to get a picture. Although I love how huge and spread out WDW is, it was kind of nice to walk over to the other park. Our main objective was to catch the 12:45 Aladdin, so we headed towards the attractions on the Hollywood Backlot.
We ventured into the Animation building and walked through some of the displays. We especially enjoyed the machines were you can put your voice in a Disney character. However, Buzz would only participate if no one else was around. We also saw the animation movie with Mushu. I thought this was really funny, but we were both disappointed because we thought that someone was going to do an actual drawing demonstration.
By this time we were extremely hungry, so we grabbed some hot dogs and sodas ($17) and grabbed a quiet bench to eat at. We noticed a lot of people were streaming down towards the Hyperion Theater to line up for Aladdin, so we finished our food and headed down to grab a place in line. Once we were allowed in to the actual queuing area, we decided to sit in the Orchestra section. I got a good laugh when the people in front of us started talking about the Tower of Terror. They actually thought it was going to be a hotel.
I thought the Aladdin show was very good, a not to be missed attraction. Buzz enjoyed it, though he would rather die than admit he liked it. We decided to head back to Paradise Pier to ride the attractions we had missed last night. Of course, we had to grab a fast pass for California Screamin though. We stood and watched the roller coaster take offs for awhile, which is highly amusing. Then we headed over to the Orange Stinger and rode after a 5 minute wait. I am absolutely terrified of flying swing type rides, but this one didnt bother me too much because it is somewhat enclosed.
We grabbed a fast pass for Mulholland Madness before heading back to California Screamin. We rode in the back this time, which is the best spot in our opinion! You really get to experience the full force of the takeoff there. Maliboomer only had a 10 minute wait, so we decided to ride. This is definitely one of those rides that looks MUCH scarier than it actually is. We were lucky to get seated on the side facing Disneyland, so we got some great aerial views of both parks. We then grabbed slushes and took a much needed break before our Mulholland Madness fast pass. I was very disappointed in this one. It is your standard, run of the mill wild mouse ride. The theming was bland and there wasnt much worthwhile on this one. Disney should be ashamed. Even though it isnt one of our favorite attractions, at least they tried to spice up Primeval Whirl in the Animal Kingdom.
Buzz had seen everything he wanted to in DCA by this point, so we decided to head back to Disneyland. On the way out, we walked through the Bugs Life area, which was really cute. I wanted to tape the parade, so we grabbed a tram and headed out to the car to grab the video camera and Buzzs coat. We had about 15 minutes until the parade started, so we headed back to Fantasyland and grabbed a spot on the elevated terraces that are near the front of Its a Small World. There was no one up here yet, and we were able to get a seat and have a great view without having to worry about people blocking our view. I enjoyed the parade, though I thought it was very short.
Unfortunately Its a Small World was closed the rest of the week while they did the holiday overlay, so we didnt get a chance to see it. So, we headed back to Adventureland because I wanted to see the original version of the Tiki Birds. We got there just as a show was starting. I thought this show was good, but surprisingly I like the version in WDW much better. We decided to do Indy again, so we grabbed fast passes for later and then rode the Jungle Cruise with no wait.
We decided to grab some dinner, so we ate at the Mexican place in Frontierland. We had nachos, campfire fries, and two drinks ($20). We had a few more minutes until our Indy fast pass, so we tried the Frontierland Shooting Arcade, which was much more difficult (and less fun) than the one in WDW. We then had another enjoyable ride on Indy, with no wait using our fast pass. We were both pretty tired by now, so we meandered through some of the shops on our way out. We stopped to see Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln before we left. Buzz was satisfied since he had a chance to see pretty much all the major attractions.
We headed back to the hotel with intentions of relaxing in the whirlpool. Of course it was closed by the time we got back so we collapsed in bed by 9:30. Stay tuned for Day 4, when Woody tours the parks solo!
Day 4 (Monday November 3, 2003):
Today was the start of my solo touring of the parks, since Buzz had to go to work. I had plans to take the Walk in Walts Footsteps tour at 9:00 am, so I needed to make sure I had plenty of time to get to Disneyland. Buzz had to use the rental for work, so I had to be creative with my transportation. The alarm went off at 6:30 am, but I was already awake because I was still on Pennsylvania time.
Since a taxi from the hotel to Disneyland cost $35, I decided to find an alternate route. I came up with a plan to take the hotel shuttle to the airport, and then take the Airport Bus one way to a Disneyland resort for a cost of $11 total. I knew that this plan would take a lot of time, but I hoped it wouldnt be too much of a hassle.
I had arranged for the shuttle at the hotel to pick me up at 7:00 am. However, when I got up front, the shuttle was closing its doors and ready to pull out. Luckily, the driver saw me and I was able to get on. I guess they only thought they were picking up one group, and didnt realize I was coming too. I was at the airport in a few minutes and I went to the ground transportation area to wait for the 7:30 am Airport Bus (according to their website, they came every hour on the half).
Well, 7:40 rolled around and still no bus. I used the courtesy phone and called the dispatch operator who informed me that there was no 7:30 bus today, that the next bus would be there at 8:30. I didnt feel like waiting around for another hour, so I walked over to the shuttle dispatch area. The guy told me a shuttle would be heading to the Anaheim resort area in 15 minutes, so I decided to take that instead. I ended up getting on a Lucky shuttle with one lady and a guy. First we dropped the guy off at his house, which ended up taking 30 minutes because of traffic instead of the 5 minutes he originally said.
By this time, it was after 8 and I knew there was no way I was going to make it to Disneyland in time to take the 9:00 am tour. I was disappointed, but I figured I would try again tomorrow. Once we got on the freeways though, the driver took off. Gotta love the carpool lanes. We were in Anaheim in 10 minutes. I couldnt believe it. We dropped the lady off at her hotel, and then the driver dropped me off right at the main gates at 8:45 am. The driver drove a little fast and it was scary, but I made it in time.
At the guest services window, I signed up for the tour, getting an AAA discount ($39). I then proceeded to wait at the gates for our tour guide, Nancy. Our group was rather large; there were 13 of us, which surprised me. Nancy arrived and we started the tour by having some free time on Main Street to take some pictures of the empty park. Much to our surprise, as we turned the corner, the Christmas tree had been put up since last night. What a sight! After some pictures, she ushered us into the preshow area of Mr. Lincoln so we could watch the video on Walt Disney. Then it was back onto Main Street to watch the rope drop before we headed to a private showing of the Tiki Birds.
By this time it had started to rain lightly (which wasnt in the forecast). We headed over to New Orleans Square and saw the lobby of Club 33. We then took the train to Tomorrowland and walked through parts of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Then, back to the Disney Gallery to have our lunch. I had the turkey croissant sandwich, chips and apple pie. Then we received our special Walk in Walts Footsteps pins, and the tour was over. I was very disappointed. Most of the information seemed to be regurgitated from a simple biography on Walt, and I didnt feel that we got much more insight than a regular tourist. Nancy wasnt exactly a brimming source of knowledge, and at times she seemed annoyed when people asked her questions. I just didnt feel that the tour accomplished much of anything; it certainly didnt hold a candle to the Keys to the Kingdom tour in WDW.
Anyway, after my tour I meandered around the park and took some pictures of the decorations that had gone up since last night. I then headed over to Tomorrowland and did Honey I Shrunk the Audience and Star Tours with no waits. By this time, it was pouring, so I decided to give Innoventions a try. What a waste of space! I dont really care for Innoventions in Epcot, but the one in Disneyland is even worse. I spent as much time as I could stomach here, but it was still pouring and very cold when I left. I didnt know what else to do, so I grabbed a hot chocolate and soft pretzel and sat at the Mexican restaurant in Frontierland to see if the rain would let up.
After about 45 minutes, it had stopped raining, so I resumed touring. I rode the Haunted Mansion again with no wait. I then headed back to Critter Country and rode Winnie the Pooh with no wait. I may be imagining things, but it seemed a lot different from the Winnie the Pooh in WDW. I liked the DL version better. I then figured that I was wet already, so I rode Splash Mountain using the single riders line. I thought the DL version seemed shorter and I didnt like the animatronics nearly as much as the WDW version. I also thought the DL versions storyline was much harder to follow. Still fun, but I prefer the WDW version.
I stopped by Pirates then and rode with a minimal wait. Again, I thought this attraction would be much better if the boats moved a little faster. I checked Matterhorn and Alice, but the lines were pretty long so I decided to head over to DCA. On my way out, I saw Mary Poppins and Pip the Penguin posing together, so I decided to get a picture. Then, in front of the fire house, Mickey, Minnie and Pluto were together, so I decided to wait for a picture with them too. However, just as it came to my turn, they had to go on break. The CM told me to run in front of them as they were walking, and they would stop real quickly for a picture. She snapped the picture, and as she went to hand my camera back to me, it fell, the back popped open, and all my film got exposed! I had been on picture 23, so a whole roll was lost.
I stood there stunned. I couldnt be angry at her, it wasnt really her fault, but I was still a little upset that I had lost all my pictures. Most of them could be retaken, but I was still a little upset. The CM looked like she was about to cry. She was so upset and she kept apologizing. She grabbed me and took me to City Hall to see what they could do. The lady there wrote up a report and told the girl to take me to the Emporium to get some film and then to take me around to all the characters that were still out to get my picture with. I told them that wasnt necessary, just a roll of film would be fine, but she insisted. So, at the Emporium they gave me two rolls of the Kodak film I use, not just one.
The CM kept asking me who I wanted pictures with, that she could take me to any of the characters still out. So I got Aladdin and Jasmine, Mary Poppins (again, but no Pip this time), Pinocchio and Gepetto, and Chip and Dale. She took me to the front of the line at each character and told them we were recreating memories. I thought this was very nice and beyond the call of duty.
After my own private little character tour, it was time to meet Buzz for dinner. After work, he had gone back to the hotel to change and then we were meeting at the ESPN Zone for dinner. So, I left DL and walked through Downtown Disney to the ESPN Zone. I waited a few minutes for Buzz, and when he arrived we had dinner, which was pretty good. We then walked through some of the shops in Downtown Disney and took a peek at the lobby of the Grand Californian before we called it a night.
We left Downtown Disney at 7 pm and were back at the hotel in about 15 minutes. Buzz was tired since he went into work at 6:30 so he fell asleep right away. I watched TV for awhile and was asleep by 10:30. Stay tuned for my second day of solo touring.
