"That’s not how the Force works!" - January 2017 Rebel Challenge + More! 3/14 Complete

[Dis_Yoda]

Table of Contents

Pre-Trip
Introductions/Initial Plan
Trip Updates

Trip Report

January 10th
Plane Rides
A Little? Day Drinking
I CAN Adult Drunk

January 11th
Sneaky Cupcakes
Mission: Breakage
Meatgasm
Mission: Accomplished
Relaxation & Warmth

January 12th
Special VIP
California Adventure in the Rain
Break In Rain?!?
How To Catch A Cold

January 13th
Early Morning Rides
You Spin Me Around
I Never Said I Was Sane
Our Friday Tradition

January 14th
Star Wars 10K - Start
Star Wars 10K - Finish
Warner Brothers Studio - Outside Lots
Warner Brothers Studio - DC & Harry Potter Exhibit
Warner Brothers Studio - Close Sets & Batman Vehicles
Warner Brothers Studio - Prop Shop & Studio 48
Steakhouse 55

January 15th
Star Wars Half Marathon - Start
Star Wars Half Marathon - Finish
ESPN Zone VIP Party
Napa Rose Chef's Counter

January 16th
Before The Backlot
Movie Tour (Start)
Inside A Crash Scene
The Good Place & Props
Lower Lot Thrills
Afternoon Thrills
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Finishing The Day

January 17th
Travel Home​

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Introductions & Initial Plans

Dis_Yoda
30 Year Old Engineer
Lover of Stitch, Yoda, Food, Tolerates Running
Loves Carbs & Protein

Star Wars 2015 Rebel Challenge

Princess Half Marathon 2015 Start Line

Mr. Dis_Yoda
33 Year Old Retail Manager
Love of Star Wars, Boba Fett, Running, Enormous Sweet Tooth despite wanting to be healthy

Star Wars Weekends 2015

Post Rebel Challenge 2015

This will be our 3rd trip together for the Rebel Challenge! This year we're changing up some of the plans. We are trying the last of the official Disneyland hotels - staying at the original finally - Disneyland Hotel! We are also renting a car. We only bought 3 days worth of park tickets but we have some other things planned such as Warner Brothers Studio Tour, Universal Hollywood VIP Tour, and an afternoon where we're undecided on what we're doing!


January 10th
6:20AM - Leave RSW
8:05AM - Arrive Houston
9:00AM - Leave Houston
10:37AM - Arrive Santa Ana, CA
11:00AM - Rental Car from AVIS (Gotta love my premium status there!)
12:00PM - Arrive & Check In Disneyland Hotel
1:00PM - Leave Hotel and Explore...

Possibilities:
http://alakazamcomics.com
http://flightdeck1.com/fighter-jets/
http://www.southcoastplaza.com
http://www.queenmary.com/stay-aboard/nearby-attractions/
http://www.aquariumofpacific.org
http://www.discoverycube.org

5:00PM - Back on Property
5:30PM - Tortilla Jo

January 11th
Disneyland Day!
11:30AM - River Belle Terrace
6:00PM - Cafe Orleans

January 12th
6:30AM - Wake Up
7:30AM - Expo Time w/ Star Wars Light Side VIP Experience
9:00AM - DVC/AP Sign Up for Wine & Dine Half (Challenge for Husband, 10K for me!)
10:00AM - Head to California Adventure
5:00PM - La Brea Bakery Cafe Dinner

January 13th
Split Between Disneyland and California Adventure!
5:00PM - Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria

January 14th

5:30AM - Star Wars 10K Starts
7:00AM - 10K Over!
Breakfast In Room
9:30AM - Leave Disneyland Hotel w/ @Tankgirl
Visit... (I really must love my husband)
House of Secrets Comic Book Store
1930 West Olive Avenue, Burbank, CA 91506

12:00PM - Warner Brothers Studio Tour!!!!
...enjoy Harry Potter & DC Geekiness!

3:30PM - Head back to Disneyland
6:00PM - Steakhouse 55

January 15th
5:30AM - Star Wars Half Marathon Starts
9:00AM - Half Marathon Over
Clean Up!

12:30PM - Star Wars Light Side VIP Lounge Buffet - ESPN Zone
Enjoy Unlimited Video Games!

6:00PM - Napa Rose Chef's Counter

January 16th
8:45AM - Universal Hollywood VIP Tour

January 17th
6:45AM - Leave Santa Ana, CA
12:00PM - Arrive Houston
1:05PM - Leave Houston
4:24PM - Arrive RSW​

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Can't wait to hear about this trip! Am laughing b/c as I was scrolling through your plans I said to myself, "no Napa Rose??" Relieved to find it toward the end.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Can't wait to hear about this trip! Am laughing b/c as I was scrolling through your plans I said to myself, "no Napa Rose??" Relieved to find it toward the end.

Yay! Welcome along! I can't wait to go on this trip to start off 2017.

No way we would go to Disneyland for 7 nights and not do Napa Rose - we just like to do it after all that running so I can have some wine and enjoy it!

We have 3 meals that I guess are 'tradition' now for us on this annual trek (3 in a row makes it tradition, right?)

Friday Night - Naples for Carb Loading
Saturday Night - Steakhouse 55 for Protein
Sunday Night - Celebratory Meal at Napa Rose! First Year we did the main dining room. Last year we did Chef's Counter. I liked the Chef's Counter better!

 

[NMDisneyMom]

I'm joining in on this trip report (don't usually comment; just read). But I have to say it was reading your trip report from last January that was the inspiration for me to do my first ever runDisney event. I participated in the Disneyland Half Marathon last September. I wasn't able to finish but made it 10 miles and felt great. And I really do credit your trip report for that, so thank you. Can't wait to hear about this years trip.

 

[ljcrochet]

Can't wait to hear all about your trip.

 

[kastoney]

I'm here and looking forward to seeing how the other coast lives

 

[franandaj]

Joining in!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I'm joining in on this trip report (don't usually comment; just read). But I have to say it was reading your trip report from last January that was the inspiration for me to do my first ever runDisney event. I participated in the Disneyland Half Marathon last September. I wasn't able to finish but made it 10 miles and felt great. And I really do credit your trip report for that, so thank you. Can't wait to hear about this years trip.

Thank you for joining along. I'm glad I inspired you to run in Disneyland for the half in September! Are you going to try to run another half? That is great you made it to 10 miles and felt great about it! With the way this fall has gone, the half portion of the challenge is going to end up being very interesting for me.

Can't wait to hear all about your trip.

Thanks! I'm ready for 2016 to be over with and for 2017 to start off with this trip!

I'm here and looking forward to seeing how the other coast lives

I do like our yearly trip to the other coast, even if WDW is our 'home.' This race is just a perfect excuse to always get out there each year!

Joining in!

Welcome!

 

[chunkymonkey]

I'm joining in! Sounds like fun! When you say Tankgirl...do you mean Betsy? Because she and I are friends too and I know she's in Disneyland at that time! If we're not talking about the same tankgirl...then never mind! Looking forward to your adventures. I'm running my first Run Disney event in Fen (Princess 5k) so these events are fun for me to learn about something new!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I'm joining in! Sounds like fun! When you say Tankgirl...do you mean Betsy? Because she and I are friends too and I know she's in Disneyland at that time! If we're not talking about the same tankgirl...then never mind! Looking forward to your adventures. I'm running my first Run Disney event in Fen (Princess 5k) so these events are fun for me to learn about something new!

Welcome! I do mean Betsy! We met for the first time 2 years ago at the inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend when we kept randomly running into each other having kinda knowing each other from this board in the cupcake thread. Since then we've met up a few times at various race weekends and when she went to Food & Wine with her boyfriend for her graduation.

Yay for you running your first RunDisney event! They totally get addicting! Next thing you know you'll be signing up for 10K + Half Marathon Challenges!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Welcome! I do mean Betsy! We met for the first time 2 years ago at the inaugural Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend when we kept randomly running into each other having kinda knowing each other from this board in the cupcake thread. Since then we've met up a few times at various race weekends and when she went to Food & Wine with her boyfriend for her graduation.

Yay for you running your first RunDisney event! They totally get addicting! Next thing you know you'll be signing up for 10K + Half Marathon Challenges!

Oh that's awesome! Tell her Su-Lynn says hi!! We had a Dismeet the very first time she ran a Run Disney event...the Tower of Terror 10k in 2012 (say that 10x as fast, lol) - my DH and I went to the Villans after party and we met up then, it was really fun! Since then we've met up in NYC, Boston as well as WDW! Good luck on the half!

I just found out I have a stress fracture on my ankle...yikes. I hope it heals in time for the 5k! I guess I can just walk it although I really wanted to attempt to run!

 

[Pintail]

That is a great plan, I hope you have a blast!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Oh that's awesome! Tell her Su-Lynn says hi!! We had a Dismeet the very first time she ran a Run Disney event...the Tower of Terror 10k in 2012 (say that 10x as fast, lol) - my DH and I went to the Villans after party and we met up then, it was really fun! Since then we've met up in NYC, Boston as well as WDW! Good luck on the half!

I just found out I have a stress fracture on my ankle...yikes. I hope it heals in time for the 5k! I guess I can just walk it although I really wanted to attempt to run!

I shall tell her that when I see her! We did the Tower of Terror in 2014 as our first long distance race - we were too pooped to enjoy the after party

Oh no about the stress fracture! Keep off of it and let it heal! I'm like the queen of ankle injuries and you don't want to be messing with those, unless you're like me and have a perpetually bad one that you no longer feel the pain in....(hint: you don't want to get to that point!).

That is a great plan, I hope you have a blast!

Thank you! I hope to have a blast as well! I'm also hoping for minimal work interruptions during the trip but we'll see how that works!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Trip Updates

Less than 36 Hours Before Vacation Officially Starts! Maybe less than 24 hours if you count it starting once I leave work on Monday…

We’ve changed some things over the past week or so!

On Tuesday, we will be visiting the Mission San Juan Capistrano While we aren’t religious people, we really enjoy history and the history of America. This is something unique to California that we haven’t done before. I’m hoping I can get some great photography there as well!

On Wednesday, Betsy is now joining us for Lunch!

On Thursday, we changed our dinner plans and we will now be doing the World of Color Dinner Package at Ariel’s Grotto. My husband wanted to do the dinner package rather that then dessert party so hopefully we won’t hate the crowds too much!

I’m all packed for the trip! I’m so happy Netflix now has Download & Go as I have downloaded Season 1 of Narcos to watch on the plane on my FireHD. I’ve been wanting to watch that but I know it is subtitled so the plane will be a great way to force my full attention to it. My husband still needs to pack his stuff as the only item in his suitcase is compression sleeves. He has off tomorrow so he’ll deal with it then!

I was feeling really nervous about this race but I’m feeling better about it after running 8.02 miles today and finishing that without injury or pain and below at 16:00 pace! I was never worried about the 10K portion but I was for the half. Starting in G for the half also helps my feeling safer about this.​

 

[franandaj]

I hope everything goes well for you. I'll be out there on Friday with a group of friends. I hope it doesn't really rain. Maybe we sill we see you guys!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I hope everything goes well for you. I'll be out there on Friday with a group of friends. I hope it doesn't really rain. Maybe we sill we see you guys!

I just looked at the weather...

I'm a horrible planner! I should pack our ponchos.

Here's to hoping the threat of rain keeps the crowds away on Wednesday & Thursday!

Friday looks like its 20% so hopefully that means it won't happen.

If you see me, totally say hi! We'll be between California Adventure and Disneyland that day - probably mostly Disneyland though. Feel free to Facebook Message me or I can send you my cell number

 

[franandaj]

I PM'd you my # on FB. As I said there, I don't have Messenger on my phone so text is the only way to reach me when I'm mobile. I hope your flights were good and you should be touching down soon! I thought of you boarding your plane when I had my middle of the night insomnia this morning!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I PM'd you my # on FB. As I said there, I don't have Messenger on my phone so text is the only way to reach me when I'm mobile. I hope your flights were good and you should be touching down soon! I thought of you boarding your plane when I had my middle of the night insomnia this morning!

Yes! Glad we have each other numbers now (considering how many times we've been at Disney together). Our flights were good! We were totally boarding when it was 3AM for you

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Plane Rides!

We woke up at 4:00AM. I was frankly shocked that my husband got ready so quickly in the morning and we were out the door in 15 minutes! He usually is slow moving in the mornings as he showers then and such, but we had a plane to catch! There was zero traffic on I-75 as we headed to the airport and it wasn’t long before we were dropping off our suitcases (49.5 lbs & 35 lbs) at the check-in counter and heading into security. There was zero line for the TSA which was great as well. Win! We got to our gate and I immediately left us to get breakfast from the Great American Bagel Company as it was either there or Sbarros and I wasn’t eating Pizza at 5AM.

Mr Dis_Yoda’s Sandwich - Egg, Bacon, Cheese on Plain Bagel

Cinnamon Crunch w/ Butter

Properly fed at 5AM in the morning, my husband left to get well more snacks. He got himself nuts and skittles for the next two flights and got me airheads. They begun boarding before 6AM and it wasn’t long before we were in our bulkhead seats for the first part of the journey! I watched the first couple episodes of Narcos on the plane which I’m sure people didn’t appreciate if they watched my screen but oh well! I’m sure they didn’t like my gasp at the end of episode 2 either. We landed over 30 minutes early which made us super happy as we originally only had a 55 minute layover in Houston scheduled.

Planes!

Settled at our new gate, I played on my cell phone while my husband got us drinks. The flight from Houston to John Wayne was uneventful as well outside of some turbulence but nothing too bad! We landed right on time at 10:40AM!

My husband wanted me to get the car from Avis while he picked up the luggage but lucky for us I'm a preferred member through work so our car was already ready for us outside!

yes, I'm better than you

I went back to the baggage claim and the luggage had just started coming out! It wasn't long before both of our suitcases were out and we were on our way across the street to pick up the car. We ended up in a VW Jetta and loaded up! For some reason, Siri didn't want to give me directions but my husband's phone did! I had to get used to listening to a different voice and not having my Apple Watch vibrate when it was time to exit or turn. I know. #firstworldproblem to the fullest!

We arrived at the hotel by 11:30am and parked. It had started raining pretty significantly for California at this time but it wasn't too bad for us outside of idiot drivers. We dragged our luggage in and checked in and hoped that our room would be ready. It was! AND it was in the Fantasy Tower! The only non win was that we had two double beds rather than a king but meh, we can sleep apart and enjoy the extra bed space! We headed upstairs to the 2nd floor and settled in. I received a lovely note from the TSA again this year because of the epsom salts! I should have followed Betsy’s advice for what she did for Wine & Dine and write the TSA a letter about traveling for a race!

[I]TSA's Love NoTe[/I]