"I'll Do You One Better: Why is Gamora?" (WDW Vets Visit Cali, April/May 2019) Completed 6/23

[asuburbanman]

Sounds like a great place. The black fox is so neat looking! The Philly zoo is neat because they have trails all around the zoo the animals can walk in and on. I’d like to check out San Diego zoo but it is a bummer the pandas are not there anymore.

 

[Tracy161]

This is so relatable.

and on the way up we stopped to check out this view:

Wow. Absolutely gorgeous.

He's such a little angel:

Awww, this is so bittersweet for me! This fox reminds me so much of the fox that "adopted" my mom and stepdad last summer. Foxes have got to be one of the most beautiful animals ever.

but mostly she just hid under me and popped out from under the bench in a hilarious manner

How cute!

Before we left we each got to hold Viktor:

This makes my day! I can't even imagine how amazing this was for you. I'm SOOOO glad you did it!!!

I just didn't have many questions because I read so much fox stuff already

I believe it!

I can say without a doubt that those animals are part of their family and they really want to establish this sanctuary to help animals and educate/help people with animals.

This is so amazing to hear. I love this so much.

"Did you get to pet mechanical foxes?" like wouldn't it be weirder if someone built a bunch of robot foxes?

 

[missangelalexis]

Your pictures of the foxes are great! Sounds like a dream come true for you, love the pics of you holding Viktor!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Did you get to pet mechanical foxes?" like wouldn't it be weirder if someone built a bunch of robot foxes?

I love it!

 

[Raeven]

This is so relatable.

I wore a winter coat today

Awww, this is so bittersweet for me! This fox reminds me so much of the fox that "adopted" my mom and stepdad last summer. Foxes have got to be one of the most beautiful animals ever.

Aw, I'm sorry about your fox loss
They really are.

This makes my day! I can't even imagine how amazing this was for you. I'm SOOOO glad you did it!!!

It was so amazing! I told Josh I want to go back whenever we're in California
Thanks for supporting my fox dreams!

This is so amazing to hear. I love this so much.

Yeah, I was really happy seeing how much they love the foxes.

New business idea?

Your pictures of the foxes are great! Sounds like a dream come true for you, love the pics of you holding Viktor!

Thank you! It was so amazing! ​

 

[Raeven]

2 Hotel Reviews & First Ocean Visits
April 29th, Part 2

So since we checked out of Hotel Republic on this day (in the morning, but I forgot to mention it in the other post) I thought I'd wrap up with a review of our room/the hotel. So my original room review still stands for the most part. It was a clean and nice room. We didn't hear any street noise. The hotel itself was the perfect location, and it was very cute. I loved the window seat and Josh loves when rooms have robes.

My only complaint would be with the water temperatures in our room. Our sink either ran boiling hot or cold, you could not turn the cold on with the hot to make warm water (they would both just come out boiling), but that was manageable. The bigger issue was the shower. Most days the water never got hotter than warm, but again it was manageable. However on our very last day there was no hot water at all!



I know we probably should've called the front desk to get maintenance to fix it, but we were running on a tight schedule. So I ended up taking the worst/coldest shower ever, and I did email them about it afterwards. So if it was just an isolated issue (which I think it was), I would stay there again.

Now onto the rest of the 29th!

After the fox encounter we decided to visit somewhere that had been a little out of the way from our hotel which was La Jolla Cove! I knew we couldn't leave San Diego without seeing it especially because our other beach plans were dashed when we moved our days around.
This was especially exciting because La Jolla Cove is known for having seals and sea lions on the beach/in the water.



But it was also exciting because I've never been to the ocean before! Like any ocean, at all. I know weird, right? I've been to Florida countless times, and there's even places in or near NY you can visit the ocean. We're just not really beach goers so I've never sought out a visit to the beach in any of those places. So now I can say I touched the Pacific Ocean!





I know this is a weird and very obvious observation, but I was kind of amazed at how huge the ocean looked. Of the beaches I have been to in upstate NY all of them were for lakes which obviously look totally different. The colors in the water looked really cool!
In fact anyone swimming in an actual bathing suit had to be insane.
There were different levels around the beach, and we walked down to the bottom level to get a closer look (and so I could touch the ocean because I definitely wasn't going swimming ).





People were walking so far out on the rocks for pictures of the seals and sea lions! I would definitely have fallen in the ocean if I tried that so I stuck to the main beach.

I wanted to take a picture on the beach, but I had to be fast because the waves kept coming further up the beach




Zooming in on this cuddle puddle!




All in all La Jolla Cove was incredibly beautiful, and I'm very glad we got to see it. I wish the weather had been a little nicer, but it was really cool to see.

We also stopped at Fashion Valley for shopping and food afterwards. I didn't find anything in the mall, and since it was a semi outdoor mall (and it was cold and rainy), we headed to dinner.

Stacked Review

Mirror selfie in the Stacked bathroom:



Afterwards Josh drove us the 1.5 hours to Anaheim. It wasn't a bad drive, we didn't hit any traffic, and we got there at a pretty decent time.

Let me present the Ayres Orange!


Check in was smooth, and you could park anywhere as long as they gave you an overnight pass. Parking was free at this hotel which was one of the reasons I picked it.

Here's our room which I think was the king suite:



This hotel was a great price, had excellent reviews, was relatively new, and was only 4 miles outside Disneyland. I do think overall we had a clean, nice room and I don't really have any complaints. It wasn't the best hotel I've ever stayed in and we might pick another if we were to come back, but it was like half the price of most of the hotels closer to Disneyland, and we had no issues. I didn't mind the Lyft ride back and forth at all either.

My only complaints are kind of silly, but despite being a newer hotel I did feel everything looked very dated and old fashioned. Our room also had a smell that was kind of like an old woman's perfume and it smelled that way the whole time we were there which is probably the biggest complaint I have. It wasn't terrible, just weird. Also the AC unit was incredibly loud, and would constantly kick on randomly even if we set it to only go on at certain temps. So I would stay here again, but I'd like to look at other hotels the next time too.

Also the hotel wasn't too small but it was a compact, although it had big rooms. There was a restaurant that I think we would've gotten free breakfast in if we'd ventured in, but it seemed like basic diner style food and didn't look too appetizing. There's also another Ayres hotel next door that they share buses to Disneyland with, however we never used this service because we took a Lyft each day.
After we checked in Josh did the laundry, I unpacked, and then we watched Paranormal 911 until we went to sleep.

Next Up
Disney's California Adventure!

​

 

[Raeven]

*video is unavailable*​

 

[Lesley Wake]

I wore a winter coat today

We have the heat on. In May. In Los Angeles! WTH!

People were walking so far out on the rocks for pictures of the seals and sea lions! I would definitely have fallen in the ocean if I tried that so I stuck to the main beach.

Oooh, that gives me sooo much anxiety! Not just the walking on wet stones, but getting too close to the animals! Those guys are mean-every year people get attacked (mostly stupid tourists who don’t listen to the signs and decide they want to pet them)!

This hotel was a great price, had excellent reviews, was relatively new, and was only 4 miles outside Disneyland.

It was also like 2 blocks from the office I work at in Anaheim! You probably had to pass by it whenever you went to/from Disneyland!

 

[Raeven]

We have the heat on. In May. In Los Angeles! WTH!

I know! I’ve ween some people posting about the weather in LA being bad too. It’s awful! We keep having like 2 days here and there where it’s like 80, and then it’s raining and cold for a week

Oooh, that gives me sooo much anxiety! Not just the walking on wet stones, but getting too close to the animals! Those guys are mean-every year people get attacked (mostly stupid tourists who don’t listen to the signs and decide they want to pet them)!

Yeah! I’ve heard about that too. There was a sea lion that swam pretty close to the these people in the water and they pushed their kid out towards it and like tried to call to it! Like no don’t do that! (It didn’t get to close to them though). And on that lower beach I zoomed in on people were surrounding one that had come on shore like you can take the pictures from afar. ​

 

[missangelalexis]

It's surprising to hear you've never been to the ocean before! But what a great place to pick for your first time! Your pics are gorgeous and ahh the baby seal is so cute!

 

[Raeven]

It's surprising to hear you've never been to the ocean before! But what a great place to pick for your first time! Your pics are gorgeous and ahh the baby seal is so cute!

It’s strange, I’ve had opportunities too location wise, but just usually wouldn’t go out of my way to go to a beach because it doesn’t appeal to us. But this was a very unique and gorgeous beach. Thank you! It was so cute! ​

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I had no idea La Jolla was the place where you could find all the seals and sea lions. I only knew it for its playhouse lol But looked like a lot of fun and I definitely relate to not being too much of a beach person but CA beaches are such fun adventures.

So excited to finally hear about your first time at Disneyland!!

 

[amalone1013]

Car wall on the way up the escalator:

This is so weird but so cool looking. I have a picture of it too!

I like to reserve with Alamo because a.) all the insurance extras can be put into the price online so there's no surprises, and b.) they have a drop off at Disney. The only Alamo I could find in San Diego was in the airport, and I was afraid picking a car up at the airport might be time consuming; however it was a really fast process since that airport isn't too big.

We always end up with Alamo... they always seem to have the best prices and options and we've never had an issue. I think the SD airport car rental is genius! Of course it helps that it can be like 2 blocks from the terminal, but such a great idea that you can just hop on the first shuttle that comes vs waiting for a specific one and then every desk is on the ground floor of the garage!

We were greeted when we arrived by the New Guinea singings dogs, which were so adorable. I didn't have time to take a picture so I'll borrow one from their website, but one jumped up and licked my face

Ahhh they are so cute! We had a pair at the children's zoo back home, when I volunteered there in early high school. They didn't have an exhibit space anymore so occasionally a keeper would walk them on a leash through the zoo. I don't know if they still have them.

Overall it was a great experience, and I would totally do it again if I were in the area. I felt a little badly because I'm not the most talkative with people I don't know and I was in "fox awe" as Josh calls it so he kind of carried the conversation with the sanctuary owners.

They are so adorable and gorgeous! I did not know about the whole domesticated fox project. This looks like such a great place and great experience!

 

[Raeven]

This is so weird but so cool looking. I have a picture of it too!

I’m not the only one

We always end up with Alamo... they always seem to have the best prices and options and we've never had an issue. I think the SD airport car rental is genius! Of course it helps that it can be like 2 blocks from the terminal, but such a great idea that you can just hop on the first shuttle that comes vs waiting for a specific one and then every desk is on the ground floor of the garage!

Same! We took a Lyft there from our hotel so we were able to get let off right there too which was nice.

Ahhh they are so cute! We had a pair at the children's zoo back home, when I volunteered there in early high school. They didn't have an exhibit space anymore so occasionally a keeper would walk them on a leash through the zoo. I don't know if they still have them.

That’s so cool!

They are so adorable and gorgeous! I did not know about the whole domesticated fox project. This looks like such a great place and great experience!

They were! It was amazing! ​

 

[Cloe Colton]

The fox encounter sounds amazing!

Where did you return your Alamo car to? I was planning to rent a car for our LA stay and then drive ourselves out to Disneyland and return the car to Paradise Pier since I feel like that can't be too far from the Disneyland hotel?

 

[amalone1013]

Same! We took a Lyft there from our hotel so we were able to get let off right there too which was nice.

When we went, which was last April for my BILs wedding, it was still really new so the uber address was trying to take us to the old individual Alamo location (which at the time had just become extra car storage for them) and our driver was like, I bet I know where you're trying to actually go

 

[Raeven]

The fox encounter sounds amazing!

Where did you return your Alamo car to? I was planning to rent a car for our LA stay and then drive ourselves out to Disneyland and return the car to Paradise Pier since I feel like that can't be too far from the Disneyland hotel?

It was!

I returned it to Paradise Pier! All the hotels are pretty much one next to the other then next to Downtown Disney which leads into DL. Walking between those 2 hotels is like a 2 min walk.

When we went, which was last April for my BILs wedding, it was still really new so the uber address was trying to take us to the old individual Alamo location (which at the time had just become extra car storage for them) and our driver was like, I bet I know where you're trying to actually go

Oh no! I double checked the address a couple times because I didn’t want them to bring us to the main airport building and end up late ​

 

[Tracy161]

Aw, I'm sorry about your fox loss

Thank you

It was so amazing! I told Josh I want to go back whenever we're in California
Thanks for supporting my fox dreams!

Yes! You must go back!
Of course... I was SO happy you decided to go!

So I ended up taking the worst/coldest shower ever

Ugh! I got goosebumps just thinking about it!

The colors in the water looked really cool!

Gorgeous!

In fact anyone swimming in an actual bathing suit had to be insane.

Insane... or from New York (or at least the north). My dad lives in Florida and one time on a visit a bunch of us swam and someone pointed at us and said "they must be from New York"

A black towel for when you have makeup on, it's perfect! I feel so bad whenever I get any makeup on the white towels, and having a towel just for removing makeup is a great idea.

This is genius!!! I feel the same way... but I'd happily use a black makeup towel!

Yay! Excited to hear about your Disneyland portion of the trip!

 

[Jason2015]

Enjoyed the trip report so far. Looking forward to what you think of the park on the left coast

 

[Raeven]

Ugh! I got goosebumps just thinking about it!

I think I mostly blocked the memory out because it was so traumatizing It was definitely the worst shower I've ever taken on vacation.

This is genius!!! I feel the same way... but I'd happily use a black makeup towel!

Yes it is, I loved it! All hotels should have one.

Enjoyed the trip report so far. Looking forward to what you think of the park on the left coast

Thank you! ​