Well it's time to kick this party in to high gear! pg. 8

[kaoden39]

Hi everybody there is a long story to explain my thread title. On our first honeymoon DH and I's we brought my parents and my niece and nephew which were like 5 and 12 at the time. That was 16 years ago. And we brought home a souvenir to be named 9 months later. The most important plans I have made so far is we are going alone this time and there will not be a souvenir to be named 9 months later unless it is a stuffed animal.

We are in the bare bones of planning but I have our dates and I want to make this a group participation. OK the truth is I would love help. The most definite plans I have is we are going September 11 thru September 14 and we will be spending some of our time in Beverly Hills exercising with RIchard Simmons at Slimmons. Now we haven't decided whether we are flying and renting a car when we get there or if we want to drive. It is around 7 or 8 hours for us to drive. I lean towards flying because we can leave the morning of the 11 and be there in less that 2 hours.

And I also know we are staying onsite, DH won't sway on this at all. He definitely wants to stay at the Disneyland Hotel and I keep waffling between the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel. We love staying at the Disneyland Hotel and that is where we stay when we take our three DK's and my DM. But because we are alone I am leaning toward the Grand because it is supposed to be so romantic.

That's it for now. I have left everyone with enough room for thought.

Michele

 

[betsywdw]

Hi Michele!

I'm in for this one

I don't know much about DL but I hope to learn from you!

Looking forward to more

 

[Trentmom]

Hi Michele

I am here


Like Betsy said, I do not know a lot about Disneyland, but I hope to learn a lot by being here.

I am hoping to get there in next 5 years when ds is a tad bit older, so he can survive that 5 hr plane ride.


Me, too

 

[julezdisney]

Hi Michelle! I'm on board!

 

[kaoden39]

Hi Michele!

I'm in for this one

I don't know much about DL but I hope to learn from you!

Looking forward to more

Hi Betsy gald to have you aboard.

Hi Michele

I am here


Like Betsy said, I do not know a lot about Disneyland, but I hope to learn a lot by being here.

I am hoping to get there in next 5 years when ds is a tad bit older, so he can survive that 5 hr plane ride.


Me, too

Boy I know I think that is why I always pick Disneyland and also because I am less than eight hours away by car.

Hi Michelle! I'm on board!

Hi Julie! Glad you are joining us! I only hope I can make my pre-trip report as fun as you have made yours.

 

[kaoden39]

Upon arriving the first day and pre-registering at our hotel. We will walk through Downtown Disney. Window shopping and walking toward La Brea Bakery to grab a quick breakfast. After getting breakfast it is just a quick walk to security and then the lines to wait to get into Disneyland. Waiting in line on the first day has got to be the hardest part of the whole trip for me because I am at my most excited. When the gates open and we get inside we always go in under the right hand tunnel. Now I know this is something I have seen people debate to great extent, for me it is always the right tunnel in and the other tunnel going out. The first thing that happens when I get in under the tunnel my senses go to work and the sights and smells hit me.

Now to me one of the great joys of Disneyland is Main Street. I could spend at least half a day there, if not longer. Dh and I will walk slowly down Main Street we don't hurry for the opening at the end of Main Street. I don't really worry about that. When we get to the end and it comes to deciding where to go I really enjoy going into Adventureland first. It will take all of my self control to not to stop and shop. I love the stores in Adventureland so much. I cannot resist the windchimes. I try to bring one home every trip. There is something in the way that bamboo wind chimes sound.

Well I am leaving it there. What will do next? What ride will we go on first?

Michele

 

[Beana9802]

Hi Michelle! I am Kathleen (Beana) and I would also like to learn more about Disneyland!

 

[mommaU4]

Well I am leaving it there. What will do next? What ride will we go on first?

Jungle Cruise!! LOL I love Adventureland and New Orleans Square and for some reason we always end up hitting Jungle Cruise first followed by Pirates of the Caribbean. It never fails.

Anyway, lovin it so far.

 

[kaoden39]

Hi Michelle! I am Kathleen (Beana) and I would also like to learn more about Disneyland!

Hi Kathleen! I'll do my best to draw you a good picture of Disneylland with my words.

Jungle Cruise!! LOL I love Adventureland and New Orleans Square and for some reason we always end up hitting Jungle Cruise first followed by Pirates of the Caribbean. It never fails.

Anyway, lovin it so far.

Hi Beth! I only hope I can keep up with your standard of a pre-trip report. I now have Hotel California running through my head. I haven't heard that song in ages.

Michele

 

[minniecarousel]

May I recommend the California Grand for just the two of you? It is definitely more expensive, but IMHO, worth it! DH & I are staying at the Disneyland Hotel next month. We usually stay at the Grand (on DVC points). Staying practically inside DCA is such a plus! I would sometimes run out to get Soarin' fastpasses as DH would go up to our room. I won't be doing that and walking all the way back to the DLH by myself.

We very often go to Disneyland in September - for our Anniversary on the 13th, but this year we're going to St Helena for a wedding. Besides, our Annual Passes expire in August and we won't renew them.

I look forward to more of your plans. hmmm....maybe I'll finally do a trip report.

 

[kaoden39]

Julie,
I am so torn. We love the DLH so much we tend to lean that way. The extra walk doesn't bother either one of us. I look forward to reading your trip report. I always think about buying at least one AP but I never do.

Michele

 

[kaoden39]

We head to Indiana Jones to get fastpasses and we go straight to my favorite ride the Pirates of the Caribbean. I like to save the Jungle Cruise for night time. Since we got the fastpasses so early we shouldn't have to wait to long to use them. But I should still have sometime to hit some of my favorite shops. My absolute favorite land is New Orleans Square. Now when I was younger they had a perfume shop where you could get custom made perfume and that was always a must for me. And there was a hat shop where they made the fancy ladies hats. I always promised myself I would buy myself one of the hats when I grew up, but unfortunately by the time I grew up the shop was gone.

It's time to head back to Indiana Jones. Now everytime I have ridden on Indiana Jones I feel like I have whiplash but I continue to ride on it because I just love it. After we get off of Indiana Jones we will go visit Pirates Lair. This is totally new to us. And it should be fun for us to visit, Pirates are always fun and we can act like kids all we want. Our kids won't be there to laugh at us or to pretend they are too grown up to enjoy being silly. Unfortunately while we are there the Haunted Mansion will be closed so no happy haunts for us. So off to Critter Country and my first ride on Splash Mountain. I have never ridden because we usually take my Mom and she won't ride on it so I keep her company.

The first day is not going to be a complete day because DH and I are going to see my weight saint Richard Simmons. He teaches an exercise class on Thursday nights at his exercise studio Slimmons in Beverly Hills ( I have the location for anybody interested.) There won't be any dinner until we are done. But we aren't done with our day yet so after Splash Mountain we will ride on Winnie The Poohs ride whose name escapes me right now. I have seen it referred to as Pooh's acid trip. After Pooh we are going to visit Pooh's Corner. Which has that wonderful candy store inside. Now should we chance having candy for lunch the day before we visit Richard or will we be relatively good and eat a better lunch? For the answer to this and other exciting questions stay tuned for more fun adventures with Scotty and Michele.

 

[julezdisney]

Boy, you ARE a pro! You write this PTR just like a TR! Awesome!

 

[kaoden39]

Boy, you ARE a pro! You write this PTR just like a TR! Awesome!

There's a reason for that I don't have to write a trip report then. And I can just post pictures.

Michele

 

[Tat2ddisneymom]

Pooh's acid trip!!!

Any particular reason why you like Jungle Cruise better at night? You would think it would be harder to see things at night. Of course, like Sharky and Betsy, I know nothing of DL, so I'm wondering if its anything like the Jungle Cruise at WDW. Do they light it up at night?

So how exactly do you make this perfume? I'm a Bath and Body Works addict, and I love smelly stuff. I would love to make my own perfume!

 

[kaoden39]

Pooh's acid trip!!!

Any particular reason why you like Jungle Cruise better at night? You would think it would be harder to see things at night. Of course, like Sharky and Betsy, I know nothing of DL, so I'm wondering if its anything like the Jungle Cruise at WDW. Do they light it up at night?

So how exactly do you make this perfume? I'm a Bath and Body Works addict, and I love smelly stuff. I would love to make my own perfume!

Hi Nikki!

The Jungle Cruise is more romantic. Yes things are lit up but the boat ride is not so lit up.

They used to have these bottles in a line and they would ask you questions and based on your answer they would give you a paper strip with the scent on it and you would pick out the one you liked and there was your perfume. They would wrap the bottle in tissue paper and they had a special little box they put it in for you to take home. I even still have one of the boxes from when I was a teenager.

Talk about being a packrat. At Christmas time in 2006 I made lotions and chapsticks and bath salts. I made everything but the chapstick for the ladies in the family. And I sewed sachets and made them smell real pretty. I was in an old fashioned Christmas mood.

Michele

 

[kaoden39]

No we won't give into eating candy for lunch, knowing Richard Simmons he would know by looking at us we had eaten candy for lunch. That man is uncanny. There will be things to buy though at Pooh's Corner and thankfully because we are staying onsite we will be able to send our packages back to the hotel. Yay for staying onsite. I think we will probably stop at the Hungry Bear for lunch, I love it there. It's not because the food is that good it's because the seating next to the Rivers Of America downstairs can't be beat. It's too bad it's not a fancy eating place they would bring in the money if they made it fancier with that location.

After eating our lunch we will start walking back towards New Orleans Square and we will need to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean again. I mean gosh miss out on a chance when it is right there? After Pirates we will head towards Big Thunder Mountain and wait to ride it. It is another ride I really enjoy. We will save Mark Twain until night time because I am sure in September Fantasmic will only be on weekends. Next we will head towards Fantasyland via the walk way behind Big Thunder Mountain. I am also sure there will be plenty of stops to take pictures. After all that is why DH got the camera from me for his birthday. Now as we get to Fantasyland what will we do first? Visit the Mad Hatter? Where last time I was there they had the coolest Maleficent hat? Or will we start riding rides starting with Alice in Wonderland?

Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter..........

Michele

 

[julezdisney]

After all that is why DH got the camera from me for his birthday.......

huh?

 

[kaoden39]

Why of course I am going to visit the Mad Hatter and if they still have that Maleficent hat it will be mine. She's my gal. I am a major Disney villain fan. After that we will ride Alice in Wonderland because I will be ready for an un-birthday party by then. After Alice unfortunately I think we should start thinking about walking to Tomorrowland to catch the Monorail to head back to the hotel(whichever one I choose that is.) It's time to maybe rest a little before heading to Beverly Hills because the freeways are always crowded. Now this is a major part of our trip. At this point right now (5/28/08) I have lost 171 pounds thanks to Richard Simmons and his diet and exercises. Not to mention how much guidance, support and love he has given.

We will get ready and put on exercise appropriate clothing and head off to Beverly Hills and Slimmons. It has been over a year since we were able to exercise with Richard and I went into the hospital not long after leaving Disneyland and Beverly Hills last year. I almost died and Richard prayed for me on his Easter Sunday Sirius radio show in 2007. He is a wonderful person. DH emailed him the most recent picture of me and Richard's reply was WOW with about 20 exclamation points. You see when he actually met me in October of 2006 I still weighed like 385 pounds. I look a lot different now.

There will be tears and hugs when we talk but first it will be exercise and it will be wonderful exercise. Sorry for the but I thought I should add it. We will build up a huge sweat but a good sweat. We will visit with Richard and get current sweaty pictures with him. I have a picture of DH sitting on Richard's lap. I want a new one. In 2006 I wouldn't sit on Richard's lap because I didn't want to break him. This year I will sit on his lap.

After exercise it is time to go shower at our room and go out to Downtown Disney for dinner and maybe some entertainment. I am not sure where we shall eat. Will it be Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen? Or maybe the House of Blues or maybe we will stick with fitness and go to ESPN? For the answer to this and other exciting questions stayed tuned to the Scotty and Michele Love Tour 2008!

Michele

 

[Marshay]

Joining in -- will go back and read. I'm so very excited for you!