Lyn-CA
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 9, 1999
Day Two Saturday: Park-hopping / Plaza Inn / Dinner? / Discovering The Billy's
Finally, morning has broken. Were up and ready at 7 am as we were trying to be at DL by 8 am opening. We checked out of Courtyard and made a quick stop at the nearest Albertsons for waters, sodas and candy bars. Total cost $7.94, which would equal 2-1/2 bottled waters inside the park. I also used my ATM here so no bank fees.
Off to Magic Way. I told the guard were checking in! Woo Hoo. In all these trips to DL, this is our first time staying at an OFFICIAL Disneyland hotel. We self-parked and got in the check-in line. While waiting, I was observing the different CMs and decided that the friendliest CM was Christian so I crossed my fingers, toes and eyes, that we would get Christian to check us in. And voila, wish granted. I said, This is our first time ever staying here and I was told (by DIS) to request Sierra Tower. Christian disappeared in the back room, came back and said hell put us in a Sierra tower, pool view room for both nights, even though my first night was standard view. Yahoo!
We also bought 3-day hoppers, which it turns out is really a 4-day hopper if youre a guest at an OFFICIAL Disneyland hotel. Our room was not ready so we went off to find breakfast. We went to Brennans and got freshly deep-fried beignets and hot chocolate. Them beignets are good but oh so messy as the powdered sugar flew all over the place.
On to the monorail after a quick bag check and were in TOMORROWLAND. Major giddiness ensued at this point. Our first must do attraction was the ever popular, ever necessary restroom.
Our first actual ride was Alice, followed by the Teacups. Rob said he wasnt going to spin it at first, but he couldnt resist and about 3 seconds into the ride, he went a-spinning. Next, the Storybook canal boats. We had a fun CM who seemed to be an aspiring Jungle skipper as he cracked jokes and such. The CM asked where we all were from and the lady across from us said SF Bay Area. We said, So are we. Altogether now, Its a small world after all .
We walked around Fantasyland, with me still Disney-giddy and thankful for the mostly walk-on rides. I remembered about the Evil Queen peering down from the window and pointed it out to Rob. Next we rode Toad, Peter Pan, Snow White and Pinocchio. We were able to do these 6 rides in under an hour. Yeah!
As we walked around, both Rob and I were confusing things between WDW and DL. Rob was the first one to verbalize his confusion so I told him that I too was trying to sort out which rides are where. I said if it makes it any easier, just think that were at Disneyworld Junior.
At this time, DCA was open so we headed to the hub and took the horseless carriage. Our driver, Karl, taught us the proper Main Street wave: Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, touch your lips and blow a kiss.
We walked across to DCA and headed straight for THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Well, we did stop for quick pictures with the Incredibles, Goofy and Donald, along the way. The standby line was 10 minutes so we rode it 3x in a row. We got a sticker at the exit each time so we formed mickey ears on our shirts. We loaded downstairs first and then upstairs. Our favorite bellhop was Maynor. He was really into character. Before the elevator door opened, he stuck his hand through the opening and wiggled it. Then at the end of the ride, when the elevator doors opened, he got a LOT shorter as he was on his knees. Overall, we LOVE TOT here and at WDW.
Next, we headed to Muppets, another all-time favorite and this time with a bonus at the end as Ms. Piggy was at the exit so we took pictures with her. We decided to forgo lunch (at least for now) in order to get good seats for Aladdin. The last time we saw the show, we were way up in the nosebleed section about 4 rows from the very back. This time, we lucked out and got seats in the Orchestra section. I love this musical. It is so well done and worth the price of admission alone.
OK, now we can eat. We head out towards the DCA exit to Downtown Disney. We got a bit distracted as the Wave Riders were performing and the charactersMinnie and Lilowere dancing about. OK, now, for sure, we can eat. We walk by Soarin and oh, look, we can do single riders. So off we went. The CM was kinda mean-spirited and literally separated Rob from me. He told me to go to the right queue and sent Rob off to the left. I at least got the front row without asking. I think Rob did too.
OK, for real this time, were gonna eat. Its now way past lunch. We make our way to Brennans and I ask first if they have the catfish pecan on their lunch menu. The CM said nope, just dinner. I have set myself up to ordering that for months now ever since I studied the menu online. Well be back for dinner then.
So, Plan B was the famous fried chicken at the Plaza Inn. We monorailed back to DL/Plaza Inn {$31.95}. I got the fried chicken meal and Rob got the Cobb salad. There was a huge piece of strawberry shortcake calling out to us so we bought that too. I remembered to use the AAA discount and got 10% off. The chicken was very good and very filling.
We waddled onto Main Street and decided to wait for the Parade of Stars. We shared a bench with a woman and her baby, with the rest of her family/friends on the next bench over. It was so funny watching how the one dad would buy something for his kid, like a balloon, and the other dad would follow suit. We also watched as the CMs started to recruit the 40 guests for the parade.
Finally, the parade was on and it was picture-taking time. I love seeing all 7 dwarves, mostly during parades. It was funny watching the men in tutus. Also funny was when Rob pointed to Tarzan and called him, Monkeyboy. LOL.
After the short parade, we got mint juleps and headed to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon. I kept reading on these boards to make sure and see Billy Hill and the Hill Billies so we did. And boy, are we glad we did. What a hoot! We fell in love with the Billys. We couldnt believe we never checked them out before. Their show is now a MUST see for future trips.
Our room was ready by this time so we headed back to DLH via monorail. We grabbed our bags from the car and headed to Room 2236, corner room on the fourth floor. I opened the doors and took 3 steps inside. Rob was right behind me when I yelled, Freeze! Dont go any further with those bags. It was time for our tradition to take a picture of the room when we first get there while its still clean. [This tradition started during our European trip as we were practically sleeping in a different hotel each night so we took pictures to keep all the hotels straight.]
After taking pictures, we checked out the room. I showed Rob the Tinkerbelle pixie dust, the Disneyland map on the armoire doors and the Disney touches on the bedspread. Next, we checked out the bathroom and our neighbor was right, it is cool!
We were so glad we decided to stay here. We fell in love with this hotel and well stay here from here on out.
Our next step was to catch the catfish dinner at Brennans. Ive only been salivating over this for about 3 months now so I was walk-running towards Brennans. But, when we got there, they would closed for that evening for a PRIVATE PARTY! Aaaghhh--when did the world (of Brennans) decide to conspire against my simple wish of having their pecan catfish? At this point, I am at a loss for dinner ideas since I already switched around my lunch and dinner plans.
Off we go in search of food. Plan B was to try and switch our PS at Napa Rose to tonight. No can do as theyre fully booked. Plan C was to try to get into Granvilles. They had an opening at 8:15 pm but I didnt want to be rushed because we were going to see the fireworks from inside the park as they wont have any fireworks on Sunday night. Plan D was Whitewater snacks but when we got there, it was closed. Into DCA we went. Plan E was either Ariels or Trattoria but it was about 7:40 PM and the park closed at 8 PM. In fact, people had staked out their spots for the Electrical Parade so we scratched out those two. We walked across to DL.
Plan F was Rancho El Zocalo but there was a really long line for the Mexican food that we werent willing to wait for. Hey, was all this one big hint that we shouldnt eat anymore? LOL. Well, if it is, we aint taking the hint coz were hungry.
OK, on to Plan G. I really wanted a turkey leg because (a) I didnt know they sold these at DL, only WDW and (b) the guy sitting next to us at the parade was eating one so I made a note to get one myself. We asked the CM at the info board and they pointed me to a cart on main street. I got one for $6. At first, Rob said he didnt want it because he remembered not liking it from the Renaissance Faire (which we attended eons ago) but when he tasted this turkey leg, he liked it and thankfully so, as I was not about to finish one all by my lonesome.
We got a table outside the Plaza Pavilion. I waited for Rob to get a hotdog from Caseys. We ate our impromptu dinners and people- watched. For dessert, Rob got Fantasia ice cream with whipped cream and nuts. This is in keeping with another one of our vacation traditions--you must eat ice cream everyday youre on vacation, its the law!
As it got closer and closer to fireworks time, the two extra chairs from our table and other surrounding tables started disappearing. Then, when I started clearing off our table, some guy immediately asked if we were leaving. I said nope. Rob said, see what you get for being a neat freak ;-).
We waited and we were kinda cold from the ice cream and ice waters. LOL. We also couldnt help but watch the teens in front of us who were engaging in lots of PDA. Even if you didnt want to look, they kept screaming and yelling, thus attracting attention. Sigh.
The fireworks went off and we really enjoyed them. There were trees in the way for the lower ones but we had no problem seeing the higher ones. We especially thought the heart-shaped ones were ever so cute.
After, we walked to Indy and asked the CM if they do single riders, and were told not anymore.
So, we rode Jungle Cruise instead. We had a fun night cruise.
Even though the park wasnt closed yet, we left via (express boarding) monorail back to room. I made a checklist of rides/shows we wanted to do for each park then it was off to dreamland.
Day Three Sunday: Birthday Eve
We were able to sleep in since DL opened at 9 am. I got ready early anyway because I had to check out and check right back in again so I went to the front desk. She told me were all squared away and that our keys should work later on. I picked Rob up from the room and we walked to La Brea for breakfast. There were so many goodies to choose from but we got a strawberry muffin with crumb topping for me and a scone for Rob. The brownies were calling out to us so we made note to be sure and pick some up later.
We walked into DL and saw the band. We walked up to the rope drop. We looked into the shop to see if it was better to wait there but went back where we were. When the rope dropped, we power-walked to Indy but ended up skipping it and instead went to Splash. Eeyore and Tigger were there and people in line would stop and take pictures but we declined. I told Rob, Theres nothing like getting your bottom wet at 9:15 in the morning. The lady in front of me turned around and laughed. We had an enjoyable ride but to me at least, it seemed darker inside than the one in WDW.
Next, we rode Indy and then decided on Fantasyland. We rode Dumbo and I timed the actual Dumbo flight and it was a mere 1:45 minutes. We then rode Small World, which took about 15 minutes since we got in the boat at 10:30 and got out at 10:45 so we got to see the clock. Next, we rode the train and then went to Billy Hills first show at 11:45. It seems that everyone around us was having their lunch there and buying burgers, fries and the soup bowls. But Rob and I planned on eating at ESPN Zone for lunch. So, we just got a brownie and milk for a mini-snack and then enjoyed another fun show with the Billys.
After, we walked to ESPN Zone via DCA. Rob was hoping to watch the Raiders game from the leather recliners at the zone throne but they were already sold out. Rob was disappointed but I told him it was okay since weve sat there plenty of times before. We went back to the room and grabbed our sodas and Nestle crunch bars and went to Whitewater snacks. {$17.09}. I totally forgot that what I really wanted to get from there was the chicken tenders. Instead I got a chicken salad on croissant and Rob got a chicken Caesar. We charged it back to the room and went outside to eat. We were able to listen to the Miner 49ers as we ate.
After lunch, we went through DCA and got Fastpasses for GRR. We watched the rest of the Miners show, with the kids doing musical chairs or in this case, musical crates. We were standing by the gate to the side of the gift shop and saw that Chip and Dale were about to come and join the show. I told Rob to take a picture but he was too late as, there were out of the gate by the time Rob had the camera turned on.
We walked over to Paradise Pier. We rode the Jellyfish ride. This is so fun even though it only lasts 45 seconds. Next up was the Orange Stinger, which is also fun.
Next on our to-do list was the Wash and Dry aka Grizzly River Ride and Screamin. We used our fastpasses and had a fun ride. Rob and I both got wet down our backsides. Off to the dryer, I mean, Screamin. We walked past the Maliboomer and we just werent up to riding this today, even though we have done it several times before. Instead, we shopped at Man Hat & Beach.
We headed back to TOT and rode it once and then we got Fastpasses. We decided to wait it out at the Animation building. I said to Rob, the Animation building was draw-ing us in. LOL.
Inside, we just sat at one of the plush seats and watched the interaction between the kids and Cindy, Jasmine, Woody and Sorcerer Mickey. Woody waved hi to us at one point. Rob was able to take a snooze, while I continued to people-watch.
Time to use our fastpasses on TOT. Maynor happened to be collecting the fastpasses so I told him, Youre our favorite bellhop. He smiled and thanked me and we were off for another fun ride on TOT.
We decided it was time for a break from the parks so we headed back to the hotel. We did take a detour at La Brea to get those brownies. There were none out on display so I asked the CM if they had anymore. He said he would check in the back. When he returned, he said he had to wrestle the brownies from a 6-year old girl but he managed to come up with two. LOL. We immediately said well take them. Rob and I had one each and they were soooo good. It was one of the best brownies evermoist and chocolatey. We figured since we havent had any ice cream today that we can substitute brownies instead in order to meet our ice cream quota for today.
Rob watched the game on TV while I checked out the Neverland pool. It was four feet deep all around so I asked the lifeguard where the other pools were. I also saw some guy snorkeling in the pool. I called Rob from a house phone and told him I was going to the Cove pool, in case he decided to go swimming too. I walked over to the Cove pool but the lock wasnt working. Another woman came along and tried her key too, but it still wouldnt open. Finally, some nice guy opened the gate for us and explained that the gate was broken. I hung out there for a just a bit since it was kinda windy and then went back up to the room.
As we got ready for dinner, I told Rob that I still wanted the pecan catfish at Brennans so we cancelled our PS at Napa Rose and went instead to Brennans. {$56.00}. We waited for a table by the upstairs balcony and we sat right next to the Brennans sign/sax. Rob ordered the bubble gum soda, which I found to be too sweet. We had delicious crab-stuffed mushrooms for appetizers and then we both ordered the catfish. Finally, I was able to have this for dinner and it was very good. Even though we wanted dessert, we were too full so even though the server was pushing for us to order dessert, we had to decline. Our minds were saying yes, but our tummies said no way. While we ate dinner, we saw a lot of people dressed in black/Goth attire heading over to House of Blues.
We waddled over to the monorail and requested to ride up front with the driver. Luckily, we were the first ones to ask so we were able to ride with CM Ron and 2 girls who turned out to be off-duty CMs. They were talking about their assignments and such. Wow, we were listening in on insider information. ;-)
When we got off at Tomorrowland, Rob wanted to ride Autopia so we did. At the exit, I told Rob I was getting annoyed by the guy in front of me who kept stopping his car. Rob said, Ill tell everyone that even on Autopia, you have road rage. LOL.
We walked over to the ride information board to see if Pooh was open but there was no CM there. So, we rode Indy and then Jungle Cruise. We got another great CM who said her name was Miss Capable and at the end, she thanked me and Rob personally and said she appreciated every laugh she gets, especially that late at night. We rode Pirates before taking the monorail back to the hotel. We went in search for Mickey bars but the shops were closed. Oh well, at least we didnt have sugar in our system to keep us awake. Good night.
Day Four Monday: Lyns 33rd Birthday
Happy Birthday to me. No need to wake up early today as both parks opened at 10 am. We woke up, got ready and packed. We checked out and left our luggage with bell services. We walked over to Compass Books and got muffins and madelines for breakfast. We scarfed down our breakfast goodies and rode the monorail. We got a fun driver who made quirky announcements and at the end said, If you thought my driving was good, my name is James, but if you thought it was bad, my name is Fred. So when we got out, I went over to the driver and said, Bye Fred wink, wink. He said, Ah, you didnt like my driving while pretend-pouting.
Our first stop was City Hall for my birthday sticker. Next, we went to the Bonanza shop so I can get my Minnie ears headband. I joked with Rob and said after all these years of Disney obsession, I finally earned my ears.
We lined up for Indy but nature called urgently so we got out of line and Rob answered natures call while I went ahead to wait for opening at Blue Bayou. {$59}. I went up to the counter at 11 am and they said to check back in 15-20 minutes. So, while we waited, we watched a little girl dressed up as Belle, having her caricature sketched out. I also went into the crystal shop and browsed.
At 11:15 am, I checked in again and asked for waterside table which we had no problem getting. Both Rob and I ordered the prime rib. Rob loved the Bayou potatoes. We were trying to guess what the ingredients were and came up with potatoes, mayo, and dill. We also got mint juleps. After they cleared our plates, the server came back with 3 others and brought a chocolate mousse with birthday candle and sang Happy Birthday to me. Rob ordered a chocolate volcano, which we shared. You can never have enough chocolate. We also got our gold coins with the check.
After lunch, we caught the train right on time, which dropped us off at Toontown, right by Snow White, the Musical. We waited in line for the 1 pm show and just people watched and eavesdropped. We watched the show from the second row, right in the middle. When we exited, CM Alex greeted me happy birthday and told us to have an enchanted day.
We went back to Bonanza so Rob can pick up the Billys CD, I Want U to Want Me and a Disneyland shirt. We were going to ride Pooh but we headed the wrong way towards Big Thunder so we backtracked and rode Indy instead. We then did Jungle Cruise. CM Chris immediately noticed my bday sticker and asked me how old I was. I said, 29. Wink, wink or more like, I wish. CM Chris also did the bday song at the end. Very fun.
Before we left the Blue Bayou, I told Rob, after lunch this is our agenda: Snow White, Bonanza shop, Indy, Lincoln. Then over to DCA for TOT for our last ride. OK, repeat after me. Rob got as far as Snow White and asked me, What did you say again? LOL.
We headed towards the hub and took a picture in front of the covered-up castle. Then we took the omnibus (sat on upper level) to Main Street. I got my picture with Minnie and showed her that I had the same headband on as hers, and Rob got his picture with Mickey across the way. Next, we did Walts story/Lincoln with the fun sound effects. Im so glad Rob wanted to do this attraction because I forgot how fun it was. Finally, we waved goodbye to the DL park.
We walked across to DCA and I tried to take a picture of Rob with the whole CALIFORNIA sign in the background. Then, we headed to TOT with a 10-minute standby line and also got a Fastpass. We walked around and caught Cruella de Ville so I had my picture taken with her. She saw my bday sticker and said, Oh, and we have yet another birthday. We used our fastpasses on TOT and said bye to DCA. We went to Whitewater Snacks {$12.90} and got two chicken tenders meals to go. They came in cute little red plastic lunchboxes.
We walked back to DLH, collected our luggage and our rental car. We drove to SNA in rush hour traffic, returned the rental (didnt need to get gas as we only drove 54 miles total) and headed into the terminal. We found out our flight was delayed so we ate our meal at the airport and waited. We were 45 minutes behind schedule but we made it back home safe. And that concludes another wonderful trip to DL.
Finally, morning has broken. Were up and ready at 7 am as we were trying to be at DL by 8 am opening. We checked out of Courtyard and made a quick stop at the nearest Albertsons for waters, sodas and candy bars. Total cost $7.94, which would equal 2-1/2 bottled waters inside the park. I also used my ATM here so no bank fees.
Off to Magic Way. I told the guard were checking in! Woo Hoo. In all these trips to DL, this is our first time staying at an OFFICIAL Disneyland hotel. We self-parked and got in the check-in line. While waiting, I was observing the different CMs and decided that the friendliest CM was Christian so I crossed my fingers, toes and eyes, that we would get Christian to check us in. And voila, wish granted. I said, This is our first time ever staying here and I was told (by DIS) to request Sierra Tower. Christian disappeared in the back room, came back and said hell put us in a Sierra tower, pool view room for both nights, even though my first night was standard view. Yahoo!
We also bought 3-day hoppers, which it turns out is really a 4-day hopper if youre a guest at an OFFICIAL Disneyland hotel. Our room was not ready so we went off to find breakfast. We went to Brennans and got freshly deep-fried beignets and hot chocolate. Them beignets are good but oh so messy as the powdered sugar flew all over the place.
On to the monorail after a quick bag check and were in TOMORROWLAND. Major giddiness ensued at this point. Our first must do attraction was the ever popular, ever necessary restroom.
Our first actual ride was Alice, followed by the Teacups. Rob said he wasnt going to spin it at first, but he couldnt resist and about 3 seconds into the ride, he went a-spinning. Next, the Storybook canal boats. We had a fun CM who seemed to be an aspiring Jungle skipper as he cracked jokes and such. The CM asked where we all were from and the lady across from us said SF Bay Area. We said, So are we. Altogether now, Its a small world after all .
We walked around Fantasyland, with me still Disney-giddy and thankful for the mostly walk-on rides. I remembered about the Evil Queen peering down from the window and pointed it out to Rob. Next we rode Toad, Peter Pan, Snow White and Pinocchio. We were able to do these 6 rides in under an hour. Yeah!
As we walked around, both Rob and I were confusing things between WDW and DL. Rob was the first one to verbalize his confusion so I told him that I too was trying to sort out which rides are where. I said if it makes it any easier, just think that were at Disneyworld Junior.
At this time, DCA was open so we headed to the hub and took the horseless carriage. Our driver, Karl, taught us the proper Main Street wave: Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, touch your lips and blow a kiss.
We walked across to DCA and headed straight for THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Well, we did stop for quick pictures with the Incredibles, Goofy and Donald, along the way. The standby line was 10 minutes so we rode it 3x in a row. We got a sticker at the exit each time so we formed mickey ears on our shirts. We loaded downstairs first and then upstairs. Our favorite bellhop was Maynor. He was really into character. Before the elevator door opened, he stuck his hand through the opening and wiggled it. Then at the end of the ride, when the elevator doors opened, he got a LOT shorter as he was on his knees. Overall, we LOVE TOT here and at WDW.
Next, we headed to Muppets, another all-time favorite and this time with a bonus at the end as Ms. Piggy was at the exit so we took pictures with her. We decided to forgo lunch (at least for now) in order to get good seats for Aladdin. The last time we saw the show, we were way up in the nosebleed section about 4 rows from the very back. This time, we lucked out and got seats in the Orchestra section. I love this musical. It is so well done and worth the price of admission alone.
OK, now we can eat. We head out towards the DCA exit to Downtown Disney. We got a bit distracted as the Wave Riders were performing and the charactersMinnie and Lilowere dancing about. OK, now, for sure, we can eat. We walk by Soarin and oh, look, we can do single riders. So off we went. The CM was kinda mean-spirited and literally separated Rob from me. He told me to go to the right queue and sent Rob off to the left. I at least got the front row without asking. I think Rob did too.
OK, for real this time, were gonna eat. Its now way past lunch. We make our way to Brennans and I ask first if they have the catfish pecan on their lunch menu. The CM said nope, just dinner. I have set myself up to ordering that for months now ever since I studied the menu online. Well be back for dinner then.
So, Plan B was the famous fried chicken at the Plaza Inn. We monorailed back to DL/Plaza Inn {$31.95}. I got the fried chicken meal and Rob got the Cobb salad. There was a huge piece of strawberry shortcake calling out to us so we bought that too. I remembered to use the AAA discount and got 10% off. The chicken was very good and very filling.
We waddled onto Main Street and decided to wait for the Parade of Stars. We shared a bench with a woman and her baby, with the rest of her family/friends on the next bench over. It was so funny watching how the one dad would buy something for his kid, like a balloon, and the other dad would follow suit. We also watched as the CMs started to recruit the 40 guests for the parade.
Finally, the parade was on and it was picture-taking time. I love seeing all 7 dwarves, mostly during parades. It was funny watching the men in tutus. Also funny was when Rob pointed to Tarzan and called him, Monkeyboy. LOL.
After the short parade, we got mint juleps and headed to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon. I kept reading on these boards to make sure and see Billy Hill and the Hill Billies so we did. And boy, are we glad we did. What a hoot! We fell in love with the Billys. We couldnt believe we never checked them out before. Their show is now a MUST see for future trips.
Our room was ready by this time so we headed back to DLH via monorail. We grabbed our bags from the car and headed to Room 2236, corner room on the fourth floor. I opened the doors and took 3 steps inside. Rob was right behind me when I yelled, Freeze! Dont go any further with those bags. It was time for our tradition to take a picture of the room when we first get there while its still clean. [This tradition started during our European trip as we were practically sleeping in a different hotel each night so we took pictures to keep all the hotels straight.]
After taking pictures, we checked out the room. I showed Rob the Tinkerbelle pixie dust, the Disneyland map on the armoire doors and the Disney touches on the bedspread. Next, we checked out the bathroom and our neighbor was right, it is cool!
We were so glad we decided to stay here. We fell in love with this hotel and well stay here from here on out.
Our next step was to catch the catfish dinner at Brennans. Ive only been salivating over this for about 3 months now so I was walk-running towards Brennans. But, when we got there, they would closed for that evening for a PRIVATE PARTY! Aaaghhh--when did the world (of Brennans) decide to conspire against my simple wish of having their pecan catfish? At this point, I am at a loss for dinner ideas since I already switched around my lunch and dinner plans.
Off we go in search of food. Plan B was to try and switch our PS at Napa Rose to tonight. No can do as theyre fully booked. Plan C was to try to get into Granvilles. They had an opening at 8:15 pm but I didnt want to be rushed because we were going to see the fireworks from inside the park as they wont have any fireworks on Sunday night. Plan D was Whitewater snacks but when we got there, it was closed. Into DCA we went. Plan E was either Ariels or Trattoria but it was about 7:40 PM and the park closed at 8 PM. In fact, people had staked out their spots for the Electrical Parade so we scratched out those two. We walked across to DL.
Plan F was Rancho El Zocalo but there was a really long line for the Mexican food that we werent willing to wait for. Hey, was all this one big hint that we shouldnt eat anymore? LOL. Well, if it is, we aint taking the hint coz were hungry.
OK, on to Plan G. I really wanted a turkey leg because (a) I didnt know they sold these at DL, only WDW and (b) the guy sitting next to us at the parade was eating one so I made a note to get one myself. We asked the CM at the info board and they pointed me to a cart on main street. I got one for $6. At first, Rob said he didnt want it because he remembered not liking it from the Renaissance Faire (which we attended eons ago) but when he tasted this turkey leg, he liked it and thankfully so, as I was not about to finish one all by my lonesome.
We got a table outside the Plaza Pavilion. I waited for Rob to get a hotdog from Caseys. We ate our impromptu dinners and people- watched. For dessert, Rob got Fantasia ice cream with whipped cream and nuts. This is in keeping with another one of our vacation traditions--you must eat ice cream everyday youre on vacation, its the law!
As it got closer and closer to fireworks time, the two extra chairs from our table and other surrounding tables started disappearing. Then, when I started clearing off our table, some guy immediately asked if we were leaving. I said nope. Rob said, see what you get for being a neat freak ;-).
We waited and we were kinda cold from the ice cream and ice waters. LOL. We also couldnt help but watch the teens in front of us who were engaging in lots of PDA. Even if you didnt want to look, they kept screaming and yelling, thus attracting attention. Sigh.
The fireworks went off and we really enjoyed them. There were trees in the way for the lower ones but we had no problem seeing the higher ones. We especially thought the heart-shaped ones were ever so cute.
After, we walked to Indy and asked the CM if they do single riders, and were told not anymore.
So, we rode Jungle Cruise instead. We had a fun night cruise.
Even though the park wasnt closed yet, we left via (express boarding) monorail back to room. I made a checklist of rides/shows we wanted to do for each park then it was off to dreamland.
Day Three Sunday: Birthday Eve
We were able to sleep in since DL opened at 9 am. I got ready early anyway because I had to check out and check right back in again so I went to the front desk. She told me were all squared away and that our keys should work later on. I picked Rob up from the room and we walked to La Brea for breakfast. There were so many goodies to choose from but we got a strawberry muffin with crumb topping for me and a scone for Rob. The brownies were calling out to us so we made note to be sure and pick some up later.
We walked into DL and saw the band. We walked up to the rope drop. We looked into the shop to see if it was better to wait there but went back where we were. When the rope dropped, we power-walked to Indy but ended up skipping it and instead went to Splash. Eeyore and Tigger were there and people in line would stop and take pictures but we declined. I told Rob, Theres nothing like getting your bottom wet at 9:15 in the morning. The lady in front of me turned around and laughed. We had an enjoyable ride but to me at least, it seemed darker inside than the one in WDW.
Next, we rode Indy and then decided on Fantasyland. We rode Dumbo and I timed the actual Dumbo flight and it was a mere 1:45 minutes. We then rode Small World, which took about 15 minutes since we got in the boat at 10:30 and got out at 10:45 so we got to see the clock. Next, we rode the train and then went to Billy Hills first show at 11:45. It seems that everyone around us was having their lunch there and buying burgers, fries and the soup bowls. But Rob and I planned on eating at ESPN Zone for lunch. So, we just got a brownie and milk for a mini-snack and then enjoyed another fun show with the Billys.
After, we walked to ESPN Zone via DCA. Rob was hoping to watch the Raiders game from the leather recliners at the zone throne but they were already sold out. Rob was disappointed but I told him it was okay since weve sat there plenty of times before. We went back to the room and grabbed our sodas and Nestle crunch bars and went to Whitewater snacks. {$17.09}. I totally forgot that what I really wanted to get from there was the chicken tenders. Instead I got a chicken salad on croissant and Rob got a chicken Caesar. We charged it back to the room and went outside to eat. We were able to listen to the Miner 49ers as we ate.
After lunch, we went through DCA and got Fastpasses for GRR. We watched the rest of the Miners show, with the kids doing musical chairs or in this case, musical crates. We were standing by the gate to the side of the gift shop and saw that Chip and Dale were about to come and join the show. I told Rob to take a picture but he was too late as, there were out of the gate by the time Rob had the camera turned on.
We walked over to Paradise Pier. We rode the Jellyfish ride. This is so fun even though it only lasts 45 seconds. Next up was the Orange Stinger, which is also fun.
Next on our to-do list was the Wash and Dry aka Grizzly River Ride and Screamin. We used our fastpasses and had a fun ride. Rob and I both got wet down our backsides. Off to the dryer, I mean, Screamin. We walked past the Maliboomer and we just werent up to riding this today, even though we have done it several times before. Instead, we shopped at Man Hat & Beach.
We headed back to TOT and rode it once and then we got Fastpasses. We decided to wait it out at the Animation building. I said to Rob, the Animation building was draw-ing us in. LOL.
Inside, we just sat at one of the plush seats and watched the interaction between the kids and Cindy, Jasmine, Woody and Sorcerer Mickey. Woody waved hi to us at one point. Rob was able to take a snooze, while I continued to people-watch.
Time to use our fastpasses on TOT. Maynor happened to be collecting the fastpasses so I told him, Youre our favorite bellhop. He smiled and thanked me and we were off for another fun ride on TOT.
We decided it was time for a break from the parks so we headed back to the hotel. We did take a detour at La Brea to get those brownies. There were none out on display so I asked the CM if they had anymore. He said he would check in the back. When he returned, he said he had to wrestle the brownies from a 6-year old girl but he managed to come up with two. LOL. We immediately said well take them. Rob and I had one each and they were soooo good. It was one of the best brownies evermoist and chocolatey. We figured since we havent had any ice cream today that we can substitute brownies instead in order to meet our ice cream quota for today.
Rob watched the game on TV while I checked out the Neverland pool. It was four feet deep all around so I asked the lifeguard where the other pools were. I also saw some guy snorkeling in the pool. I called Rob from a house phone and told him I was going to the Cove pool, in case he decided to go swimming too. I walked over to the Cove pool but the lock wasnt working. Another woman came along and tried her key too, but it still wouldnt open. Finally, some nice guy opened the gate for us and explained that the gate was broken. I hung out there for a just a bit since it was kinda windy and then went back up to the room.
As we got ready for dinner, I told Rob that I still wanted the pecan catfish at Brennans so we cancelled our PS at Napa Rose and went instead to Brennans. {$56.00}. We waited for a table by the upstairs balcony and we sat right next to the Brennans sign/sax. Rob ordered the bubble gum soda, which I found to be too sweet. We had delicious crab-stuffed mushrooms for appetizers and then we both ordered the catfish. Finally, I was able to have this for dinner and it was very good. Even though we wanted dessert, we were too full so even though the server was pushing for us to order dessert, we had to decline. Our minds were saying yes, but our tummies said no way. While we ate dinner, we saw a lot of people dressed in black/Goth attire heading over to House of Blues.
We waddled over to the monorail and requested to ride up front with the driver. Luckily, we were the first ones to ask so we were able to ride with CM Ron and 2 girls who turned out to be off-duty CMs. They were talking about their assignments and such. Wow, we were listening in on insider information. ;-)
When we got off at Tomorrowland, Rob wanted to ride Autopia so we did. At the exit, I told Rob I was getting annoyed by the guy in front of me who kept stopping his car. Rob said, Ill tell everyone that even on Autopia, you have road rage. LOL.
We walked over to the ride information board to see if Pooh was open but there was no CM there. So, we rode Indy and then Jungle Cruise. We got another great CM who said her name was Miss Capable and at the end, she thanked me and Rob personally and said she appreciated every laugh she gets, especially that late at night. We rode Pirates before taking the monorail back to the hotel. We went in search for Mickey bars but the shops were closed. Oh well, at least we didnt have sugar in our system to keep us awake. Good night.
Day Four Monday: Lyns 33rd Birthday
Happy Birthday to me. No need to wake up early today as both parks opened at 10 am. We woke up, got ready and packed. We checked out and left our luggage with bell services. We walked over to Compass Books and got muffins and madelines for breakfast. We scarfed down our breakfast goodies and rode the monorail. We got a fun driver who made quirky announcements and at the end said, If you thought my driving was good, my name is James, but if you thought it was bad, my name is Fred. So when we got out, I went over to the driver and said, Bye Fred wink, wink. He said, Ah, you didnt like my driving while pretend-pouting.
Our first stop was City Hall for my birthday sticker. Next, we went to the Bonanza shop so I can get my Minnie ears headband. I joked with Rob and said after all these years of Disney obsession, I finally earned my ears.
We lined up for Indy but nature called urgently so we got out of line and Rob answered natures call while I went ahead to wait for opening at Blue Bayou. {$59}. I went up to the counter at 11 am and they said to check back in 15-20 minutes. So, while we waited, we watched a little girl dressed up as Belle, having her caricature sketched out. I also went into the crystal shop and browsed.
At 11:15 am, I checked in again and asked for waterside table which we had no problem getting. Both Rob and I ordered the prime rib. Rob loved the Bayou potatoes. We were trying to guess what the ingredients were and came up with potatoes, mayo, and dill. We also got mint juleps. After they cleared our plates, the server came back with 3 others and brought a chocolate mousse with birthday candle and sang Happy Birthday to me. Rob ordered a chocolate volcano, which we shared. You can never have enough chocolate. We also got our gold coins with the check.
After lunch, we caught the train right on time, which dropped us off at Toontown, right by Snow White, the Musical. We waited in line for the 1 pm show and just people watched and eavesdropped. We watched the show from the second row, right in the middle. When we exited, CM Alex greeted me happy birthday and told us to have an enchanted day.
We went back to Bonanza so Rob can pick up the Billys CD, I Want U to Want Me and a Disneyland shirt. We were going to ride Pooh but we headed the wrong way towards Big Thunder so we backtracked and rode Indy instead. We then did Jungle Cruise. CM Chris immediately noticed my bday sticker and asked me how old I was. I said, 29. Wink, wink or more like, I wish. CM Chris also did the bday song at the end. Very fun.
Before we left the Blue Bayou, I told Rob, after lunch this is our agenda: Snow White, Bonanza shop, Indy, Lincoln. Then over to DCA for TOT for our last ride. OK, repeat after me. Rob got as far as Snow White and asked me, What did you say again? LOL.
We headed towards the hub and took a picture in front of the covered-up castle. Then we took the omnibus (sat on upper level) to Main Street. I got my picture with Minnie and showed her that I had the same headband on as hers, and Rob got his picture with Mickey across the way. Next, we did Walts story/Lincoln with the fun sound effects. Im so glad Rob wanted to do this attraction because I forgot how fun it was. Finally, we waved goodbye to the DL park.
We walked across to DCA and I tried to take a picture of Rob with the whole CALIFORNIA sign in the background. Then, we headed to TOT with a 10-minute standby line and also got a Fastpass. We walked around and caught Cruella de Ville so I had my picture taken with her. She saw my bday sticker and said, Oh, and we have yet another birthday. We used our fastpasses on TOT and said bye to DCA. We went to Whitewater Snacks {$12.90} and got two chicken tenders meals to go. They came in cute little red plastic lunchboxes.
We walked back to DLH, collected our luggage and our rental car. We drove to SNA in rush hour traffic, returned the rental (didnt need to get gas as we only drove 54 miles total) and headed into the terminal. We found out our flight was delayed so we ate our meal at the airport and waited. We were 45 minutes behind schedule but we made it back home safe. And that concludes another wonderful trip to DL.
I am sure you do not look a day over 29....
