PrincessTToo
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 11, 2003
PRESHOW A half-price/double-miles fare sale on NWA to LAX was all the incentive I needed for a trip to Disneyland. Ive only been to Disneyland one other time (October 2002) but Im a WDW veteran.
SHOW I woke up to a blinking alarm in my room at the GC Hotel at 5:30 AM. I guess it doesnt buzz, just blinks. Im not sure who would be woken up by a blinking alarm. I consider myself a light sleeper but not that light. I still got to Storytellers Café for my 7:00 AM reservation even after taking a wrong turn in the hotel.
The restaurant was so empty it looked like it wasnt even open yet. I was expecting the place to be hopping. Chip said hi to me at the door. Actually he was saying hi to the people behind me but he might have thought I was with them. At least thats what I told myself.
I got seated on the right-half of the restaurant. I had that side of the restaurant all to myself. But I really wanted to be where the action was. The closest I got to the characters was Chip at the door. I later saw him go to one of the computer stations and punch something in and sigh. I figured he was seeing the note that I was a Pluto fan.
The buffet was great and I had a wonderful waiter. After finishing my first plate of food, he asked me if I wanted anything else and I asked if they were going to have Mickey waffles. He said hed make sure there were some. I was expecting they would put them out in the buffet but shortly afterwards a chef walks up and brings me my own plate of Mickey waffles. How nice!
Having finished my characterless breakfast, I had lots of time to explore the hotel before the parks opened. I walked around the pools. No one was there except some lady doing laps. I didnt realize that all the GC Hotel the pools were right next to each other. So much for a quiet pool! I sat in a corner by a spa (hot tub) and called my husband at work. It was nice to hear his voice.
I had a little trouble getting out of the pool area. The gate says push the button to exit. After pushing lots of decorative buttons on the gate I finally found the real button way over on the right-hand side. I was glad no one was there to see me struggling.
I went back to my room and was going to go enjoy my balcony and listen to the parks waking up. But the smell of cigarette smoke was overwhelming. I couldnt see where it was coming from. I started to worry that my room was right above one of the outside smoking areas. It was so bad that I had to leave. I decided to go sit in the beautiful lobby. I took my MP3 player and my journal. I sat listening to all the vacation music on my MP3 player, people watching and writing. It was great fun and I was almost happy for the smoke driving me there. By the time I left at 8:45 AM. the lobby was definitely hopping. Kids were starting to go nuts in anticipation or was it from sugary breakfasts?
I went back to my room, put the MP3 player in the safe, left a tip for the maid and walked to DL. I walked around the stores on Main Street until it was time for the park to open (10:00 AM). I wanted to get my picture taken with Mickey in Toontown. I figured I better do it while my hair was still ok (pre-Matterhorn, etc.). I got lost on the way and had to actually look at a map! When I got there I found that Toontown was closed. Doh, then I remembered that it doesnt open until an hour after the rest of the park.
I found the right-hand line for Matterhorn. I had read that it was a little longer. So I got in the very short queue and was seated in the last seat with a family in front of me. The Dad was directly in front of me and tried to take video through the whole ride.
Afterwards I stopped at the teacups again but it was all families and I didnt feel comfortable doing it by myself. I wandered around Tomorrowland and ended up in front of Star Tours. Ive only ridden it once in WDW and thought it was a real barf-o-rama. But something made me try it again. I am so glad I did because I loved it. Have I changed or is this one different from the one at WDW? I cant wait to try the WDW version again.
Fantasyland was packed by now but there was a small line for Pinocchio. So I rode it and couldnt help but wonder why he didnt change into a real boy in the end. Maybe I missed something.
I then found a quiet place behind BTMR and caught up on my journal and reviewed the map. By now I wasnt ashamed to be using the map. I went down to the dock but had just missed the Mark Twain. So I rode PotC again. At the end of the ride, the kid behind me said I didnt like that. Do we have to do it again?
I strolled for a while and ended up at the Tiki Room. I got to see the whole preshow and once inside I sat under Michael. I noticed that lots of the flowers and other things werent working but I still enjoyed it.
I bought a small container of fresh vegetables at a stand outside the Tiki Room. Then I left the park and did some World of Disney store shopping. I couldnt find the hat I had seen on Main Street or the polo shirt Id seen in the gift shop in the hotel. But I found a copy of the Snow White picture that was in my hotel room. I just love it.
I went back to my room and it was 12:30 PM and the maid still hadnt come. I sat out on my balcony and ate my veggies and relaxed. The sounds of the DCA was so enticing that I changed into shorts and left. The private DCA entrance at the GC Hotel is great. There is no line. It only takes a couple seconds to get through security and the gates and youre right there in front of the Grizzly River Rapids.
I walked over to Soarin over California. This ride is fantastic and Im so glad theyre going to have it at WDW. I got in the single rider line and was on the ride in a flash. I got the bottom row and last seat on the left. I looked over the side once we were up in the air and couldnt believe how far it was to the bottom of the theater.
After Soarin I walked over to ToT and got a FP. Then I did all the Disney Animation rooms. I love the Beasts library and I found out that Im still Jane from Tarzan. Thats what I was last time we were there.
It was still a couple of minutes before my FP so I stood outside ToT. There didnt seem to be as much screaming as the one in WDW. I finally got in line in front of a couple of nice guys who started chatting with me. One of them was going to get married the next weekend and this was his bachelor trip. The line in the boiler room was very long so I had a great chance to get to know them. People at work give me crap because of my solo trips to Disney but one of the main reasons I go is to be able to meet and talk with new people.
The people behind my new friends were adamant that this ToT was better than the one at WDW. Im going to call it a draw. I like some of the new special effects like the picture of everyone in the elevator that changes. But I really miss the ride down the hallway. Either way its one of my favorite rides.
The bachelors had talked about going to Aladdin next. I started to go there but figured I had time for Muppets before they started seating everyone for the show. I think I sat too far back in Muppets because the 3D effects werent that good.
Then I got to Aladdin just in time and had to sit in the mezzanine level. I was in the 2nd row in an aisle seat. I couldnt see the elephant very well but got a great view of the flying carpets. This is a good show but I wouldnt put it on a list of favorites. I like Beauty and the Beast at MGM better. But thats just me.
By now it was so close to the 6:00 PM closing time that I knew I wasnt going to be able to get anything else in at DCA. So I slowly walked back to the GC Hotel private entrance stopping for popcorn and orange pop on the way. I went back to my room and it was made up but not turned down. I ate my snacks and one of the Kashi bars that I always bring with me on trips. I waited until 8:30 PM for turndown service but finally gave up and went to sleep. I was so tired but looking forward to one more day at DLR.
QUOTE FROM AROUND THE GC HOTEL:
Greet all with a friendly voice, and put soul into every touch.
SHOW I woke up to a blinking alarm in my room at the GC Hotel at 5:30 AM. I guess it doesnt buzz, just blinks. Im not sure who would be woken up by a blinking alarm. I consider myself a light sleeper but not that light. I still got to Storytellers Café for my 7:00 AM reservation even after taking a wrong turn in the hotel.
The restaurant was so empty it looked like it wasnt even open yet. I was expecting the place to be hopping. Chip said hi to me at the door. Actually he was saying hi to the people behind me but he might have thought I was with them. At least thats what I told myself.
I got seated on the right-half of the restaurant. I had that side of the restaurant all to myself. But I really wanted to be where the action was. The closest I got to the characters was Chip at the door. I later saw him go to one of the computer stations and punch something in and sigh. I figured he was seeing the note that I was a Pluto fan.
The buffet was great and I had a wonderful waiter. After finishing my first plate of food, he asked me if I wanted anything else and I asked if they were going to have Mickey waffles. He said hed make sure there were some. I was expecting they would put them out in the buffet but shortly afterwards a chef walks up and brings me my own plate of Mickey waffles. How nice!
Having finished my characterless breakfast, I had lots of time to explore the hotel before the parks opened. I walked around the pools. No one was there except some lady doing laps. I didnt realize that all the GC Hotel the pools were right next to each other. So much for a quiet pool! I sat in a corner by a spa (hot tub) and called my husband at work. It was nice to hear his voice.
I had a little trouble getting out of the pool area. The gate says push the button to exit. After pushing lots of decorative buttons on the gate I finally found the real button way over on the right-hand side. I was glad no one was there to see me struggling.
I went back to my room and was going to go enjoy my balcony and listen to the parks waking up. But the smell of cigarette smoke was overwhelming. I couldnt see where it was coming from. I started to worry that my room was right above one of the outside smoking areas. It was so bad that I had to leave. I decided to go sit in the beautiful lobby. I took my MP3 player and my journal. I sat listening to all the vacation music on my MP3 player, people watching and writing. It was great fun and I was almost happy for the smoke driving me there. By the time I left at 8:45 AM. the lobby was definitely hopping. Kids were starting to go nuts in anticipation or was it from sugary breakfasts?
I went back to my room, put the MP3 player in the safe, left a tip for the maid and walked to DL. I walked around the stores on Main Street until it was time for the park to open (10:00 AM). I wanted to get my picture taken with Mickey in Toontown. I figured I better do it while my hair was still ok (pre-Matterhorn, etc.). I got lost on the way and had to actually look at a map! When I got there I found that Toontown was closed. Doh, then I remembered that it doesnt open until an hour after the rest of the park.
I found the right-hand line for Matterhorn. I had read that it was a little longer. So I got in the very short queue and was seated in the last seat with a family in front of me. The Dad was directly in front of me and tried to take video through the whole ride.
Afterwards I stopped at the teacups again but it was all families and I didnt feel comfortable doing it by myself. I wandered around Tomorrowland and ended up in front of Star Tours. Ive only ridden it once in WDW and thought it was a real barf-o-rama. But something made me try it again. I am so glad I did because I loved it. Have I changed or is this one different from the one at WDW? I cant wait to try the WDW version again.
Fantasyland was packed by now but there was a small line for Pinocchio. So I rode it and couldnt help but wonder why he didnt change into a real boy in the end. Maybe I missed something.
I then found a quiet place behind BTMR and caught up on my journal and reviewed the map. By now I wasnt ashamed to be using the map. I went down to the dock but had just missed the Mark Twain. So I rode PotC again. At the end of the ride, the kid behind me said I didnt like that. Do we have to do it again?
I strolled for a while and ended up at the Tiki Room. I got to see the whole preshow and once inside I sat under Michael. I noticed that lots of the flowers and other things werent working but I still enjoyed it.
I bought a small container of fresh vegetables at a stand outside the Tiki Room. Then I left the park and did some World of Disney store shopping. I couldnt find the hat I had seen on Main Street or the polo shirt Id seen in the gift shop in the hotel. But I found a copy of the Snow White picture that was in my hotel room. I just love it.
I went back to my room and it was 12:30 PM and the maid still hadnt come. I sat out on my balcony and ate my veggies and relaxed. The sounds of the DCA was so enticing that I changed into shorts and left. The private DCA entrance at the GC Hotel is great. There is no line. It only takes a couple seconds to get through security and the gates and youre right there in front of the Grizzly River Rapids.
I walked over to Soarin over California. This ride is fantastic and Im so glad theyre going to have it at WDW. I got in the single rider line and was on the ride in a flash. I got the bottom row and last seat on the left. I looked over the side once we were up in the air and couldnt believe how far it was to the bottom of the theater.
After Soarin I walked over to ToT and got a FP. Then I did all the Disney Animation rooms. I love the Beasts library and I found out that Im still Jane from Tarzan. Thats what I was last time we were there.
It was still a couple of minutes before my FP so I stood outside ToT. There didnt seem to be as much screaming as the one in WDW. I finally got in line in front of a couple of nice guys who started chatting with me. One of them was going to get married the next weekend and this was his bachelor trip. The line in the boiler room was very long so I had a great chance to get to know them. People at work give me crap because of my solo trips to Disney but one of the main reasons I go is to be able to meet and talk with new people.
The people behind my new friends were adamant that this ToT was better than the one at WDW. Im going to call it a draw. I like some of the new special effects like the picture of everyone in the elevator that changes. But I really miss the ride down the hallway. Either way its one of my favorite rides.
The bachelors had talked about going to Aladdin next. I started to go there but figured I had time for Muppets before they started seating everyone for the show. I think I sat too far back in Muppets because the 3D effects werent that good.
Then I got to Aladdin just in time and had to sit in the mezzanine level. I was in the 2nd row in an aisle seat. I couldnt see the elephant very well but got a great view of the flying carpets. This is a good show but I wouldnt put it on a list of favorites. I like Beauty and the Beast at MGM better. But thats just me.
By now it was so close to the 6:00 PM closing time that I knew I wasnt going to be able to get anything else in at DCA. So I slowly walked back to the GC Hotel private entrance stopping for popcorn and orange pop on the way. I went back to my room and it was made up but not turned down. I ate my snacks and one of the Kashi bars that I always bring with me on trips. I waited until 8:30 PM for turndown service but finally gave up and went to sleep. I was so tired but looking forward to one more day at DLR.
QUOTE FROM AROUND THE GC HOTEL:
Greet all with a friendly voice, and put soul into every touch.
