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| | | Earning My Ears
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Last Login: 5/31/2005 3:25:00 PM
Posts: 14, Visits: 1 |
| Monday, May 9th -- We left San Diego at 6:30am and drove up to
Anaheim, arriving at the GCH at 8:30am. We left our bags with Bell
Services to store until 3pm (when we could get our room key) and
registered at the front desk. Grace loved the lobby of the hotel and
was especially impressed with the kid-sized chairs by the fireplace.
We got a quick bite to eat at Whitewater Snacks (quality of food was
disappointing, especially after hearing and reading so many good
things about the place) and headed out through GCH's special Downtown
Disney entrance, where we took a right straight towards DL. It was an
overcast, cool day with drizzle here and there, which I think helped
keep the crowds down because it was definitely the least crowded of
our three park days. Quick stop at security and not too terribly long
a wait at the gates to get in. Right inside was a marching band and
Alice and the Mad Hatter dancing up a storm. Pretty exciting! We
walked through the left tunnel and saw Mickey and Minnie with long
lines signing autographs. We passed by them and waited in the crowd on
Main Street for the rope to drop. I had thought over and over what we
would race off to do first... what I decided that Grace would like
best would be to go to Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. She LOVED it!
She and Husband went several times in a row while I waited outside and
had a bit of a stroll around. I saw Princess Aurora near the castle
with a long line. After Grace and Husband were done with Buzz, we
walked over and rode Alice in Wonderland, then headed to the
Matterhorn Bobsleds. We rode both lines and had a great time. The next
hour or two is a blur of rides, but I do know that we went on 10 rides
between opening (10am that day) and noon. We were so thrilled to walk
onto every ride! After Pirates of the Caribbean, we had lunch at the
Hungry Bear Restaurant and encountered our first line of the day... we
waited probably 30-40 minutes to order and pick-up our lunch. The food
was fine, but I realized we'd made a big mistake eating lunch at such
a peak time. After lunch we took a raft over to Tom Sawyer's Island
where Grace had THE BEST time exploring the caves with Husband. We
were there for quite a long time actually, but we were finally able to
convince Grace to head back to the hotel for a swim. We picked up our
room key (#5407) and asked Bell Services to send up our luggage, which
they promptly did. I had requested that our room be one with a
balcony, that the mini bar be locked, and that a usable fridge be
brought in. The fridge was not there, so I called and one was brought
to the room in less than five minutes. Our balcony overlooked the GCH
courtyard with the Monorail track running through it and right
underneath our room... it was fun to see the Monorail pass underneath
us! I never once heard the noise of it while inside our room with the
sliding glass door shut. We changed into swimming suits and had a
great time at the pool. Grace wasn't big enough for the big redwood
slide, but very much enjoyed the smaller kid's slide. The hotel offers
little life jackets for the guests (which I didn't know) and Grace
thought it was so cool to wear one. Back up to our room to change for
dinner... we ended up at Storytellers Cafe although we had a PS at
another establishment (oh well!). Grace ordered a Make-Your-Own pizza,
Husband had the dinner buffet because the prime rib was calling his
name, and I had a salad and spaghetti. The spaghetti must be the best
value in the whole resort! Enough to feed a whole family, quite good,
and a steal at $12.95. Our waiter was fantastic, although he seemed to
disappear when it came time to bring the check. We headed back to DL
and arrived right in time to grab good spots for the parade... right
inside the entrance at the very beginning of Main Street, the circle
area (this must have a name, but I don't know what it is?). The parade
didn't show up until about 7:30pm because we were at the very end of
the route. It was really exciting and Grace loved to see Tinkerbell
and Peter Pan! The music and performances were great and it just was
really a special time. We had a super view of everything and I got
some neat pictures. After the parade we decided to head back to the
hotel for the night because we were very tired from our long day and
early start from San Diego. We took long hot showers and were in bed
by 9:30pm! We could hear the fireworks booming at 8:45-9pm, but we
never heard people in our neighboring rooms at all during our stay.
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Sorcerer Mickey
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 11/17/2008 5:38:21 PM
Posts: 10,885, Visits: 6,229 |
| Sarah, Awesome report! Thanks so much for sharing it with everyone. I didn't mean to beg so much.  Okay, yes I did. Welcome to the boards, I am so happy to have you here!!!! Tink/Leanne
 
May All Your Days Be Filled With Magic! And your nights full of Disney Dreams! |
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| | | Earning My Ears
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/31/2005 3:25:00 PM
Posts: 14, Visits: 1 |
| | Tuesday, May 10th -- We woke up somewhat rested (I shared one of the queen beds with Grace and she kept laying sideways and kicking me in the head!) and decided to give Whitewater Snacks another try for breakfast. Not a good idea. Husband ordered the Breakfast Burrito and I ordered the Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwich and both were awful... neither of us were able to finish our meals. And, no, we didn't complain although perhaps we should have. Grace was quite pleased with her croissant she had chosen and milk. After vowing not to eat at Whitewater Snacks ever again, we hit the Grand Californian game room and Grace played a few games to pass the time. Then we went to the special GCH entrance to Disney's California Adventure and waited. While waiting, a very nicely dressed young woman approached the gathered hotel guests and asked us if we were ready for our Sneak Peek Tour. Husband and I looked at each other in a surprised way and said, "Yes! We're ready!" having no idea what the lady was talking about. We entered DCA at 9:10am and learned all about the Condor Flats area of the park. Then we all walked over to Soarin' and got to ride as the first people of the day to go! Grace was not quite tall enough to go on the ride, so we got a Baby Swap Pass. I went first (loved it!) and Husband went second (loved it!). While Husband was on the ride, the park apparently officially opened because hoards of people ran to get in line and the line quickly backed up. We were so thankful for the surprise perk of the GCH that allowed us to be first! Very cool! Nothing like stumbling into something unexpectedly great. After Soarin', we headed to Screamin', but it was closed. It did open after about 30 minutes, but we never made it back. We all then rode the Sun Wheel in a swinging gondola, which I REALLY regretted because it was a bit too much for me! I'm so not into heights and swinging... bad combo! So I white-knuckled it and was happy to soon be back on the ground! Husband then rode Maliboomer and we rode Golden Zephyr twice and Grace was thrilled because she's all about rockets and the like. The Cast Members were hilarious on this ride... just hamming it up and being so funny. They let us stay seated for the second go round because there was no line. Then off to "a bug's land" where we had a fantastic time watching "It's Tough to be a Bug". So fun!!! Right when we got out, we were able to catch Flik and Atta's show and then meet Flik. Grace was over the moon! She knows that movie and thought it was super to meet Flik (Atta had left quite promptly). After that, we did all the rides available in "a bug's land" and Grace especially liked Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, which we rode twice. It was quite tame, but Heimlich talking made us all laugh. We were hungry for lunch, so we headed out of the park for lunch at La Brea Bakery. The food there was fine, nothing special. Back to the hotel for a loooong swim and then we got ready for dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. Now, I'm getting ready to say that the food there was not very great... and I know I've been so negative about the food so far in my trip report, but that's just the way we really felt! With the exception of beignets (which I will tell you about in the next day's report) the food we ate while at the resort was either not good or nothing to write home about. We were prepared for the expense of the food, but not for being disappointed with the majority of our meals. Soooo, Husband ordered the Shrimp Platter, I had the Big Islander Caesar Salad with chicken, and Grace had macaroni and cheese, of which she hardly had two bites since she was crabby and on the tired side. The food was not delicious, the service was not prompt, but the thunder storms every 20 minutes or so were pretty cool. After dinner, we headed to DL and rode almost every ride in Fantasyland while the majority of the crowds were watching the parade. At about 8pm we staked out a spot for the fireworks, and drank soda, ate popcorn, and gnawed on a turkey leg (hilarious!) while we waited for the show to begin. We were in the Plaza Gardens area. The fireworks were great, although where we were did not have the "best" vantage point (every spot in the hub directly in front of the castle was taken). It was a thrill to see Tinkerbell fly around the castle! The lighting effects were super and the fireworks had Grace absolutely in awe! It was a wonderful time. After the show, it took quite some time to make our way out of the park with the crowds and Grace fell asleep in her stroller. Back to the GCH and to bed! |
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Mickey Mouse
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Last Login: Today @ 12:56:18 AM
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| I'm surprised at the bad food at Whitewater Snacks. Leanne and I would always stop their on the way to DCA and remember it being pretty good. (Its been awhile since we stayed at GCH) I'm not sure we ever really ate a meal there however... mainly just picked up something for breakfast. Sarah mentioned the long lines for the characters at opening. I assume she meant right inside the gates and all around town square. It's better to skip the characters here (or pick a few with really short lines) and ride some rides at this point. The several hours after opening the rides will usually be pretty close to walk-ons. The characters you can get reasonably short lines most of the day in their usual spots. Andy
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| | | Earning My Ears
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/31/2005 3:25:00 PM
Posts: 14, Visits: 1 |
| Wednesday, May 11th -- The BIG BIG DAY! Grace's 4th birthday! We slept
in until 8:30am and found that the hotel had slipped an envelope under
the door for Grace. Inside was a "Happy Birthday" pin with her name on
it and a black and white picture of four princess signed with their
names. Special! We dressed and left the room on search of breakfast...
Husband and Grace both opted for Wetzel's Pretzel's in Downtown Disney
and I bought a bag of beignets and OJ from Ralph Brennan's Jazz
Kitchen Express. Let me tell you, those beignets were heavenly! Hot
and delicious... I highly recommend them. Not the healthiest
breakfast, but quite a treat. After eating, we headed to Disneyland
and picked up Grace's birthday sticker from City Hall. Grace got to
pick up the phone and listen to her special birthday message from
Goofy. She didn't have any idea who was speaking to her on the phone
("Gramma?") but it was still fun! After rope drop, we bee-lined to
Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, since the birthday girl begged and
begged to go on her favorite ride again. Husband went off to Star
Tours and Grace and I rode BL several times before meeting back up
with him. We rode the Matterhorn Bobsleds one last time, then decided
it was already quite crowded at DL, so off we went to DCA. Grace and
Husband had a fun time at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail while I
dashed back to the room through the GCH entrance. When I joined them
again, it was three minutes until the "Magic of Brother Bear" show,
which we decided to see. At the beginning of the show, they called
Grace up to the front and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to her. The
show was cute. We then headed to the Mission Tortilla Factory where,
at the end of the tour, they gave Grace a bag of hot tortillas for her
birthday (big hit... and yummy, too!). Right outside, we had lunch at
Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill and Husband got a margarita from Rita's
Baja Blenders because it was a hot day! Lunch was fine and Grace
enjoyed eating some more of her hot tortillas from the bag. We made
our way to "a bug's land" for the second day in a row and right away
we saw Flik and Atta! We dashed over and Grace was so excited, but
when we got in line, the character handler said, "Flik and Atta have
to get ready for their next performance, so the line is closed. Oh,
happy birthday Grace." Argh! On one hand I was feeling so disgruntled
he turned us away, on the other hand I could understand that if he let
us visit with Flik and Atta, then he'd have to let everyone. But it
was HER BIRTHDAY! Thankfully, as we walked away, Grace hardly noticed
we were turned away... I was the person most upset! We watched "It's
Tough to be a Bug" for a second time and enjoyed every bit as much as
the first. We decided to go back to the hotel and on the way, I rode
Soarin' as a Single Rider and Husband and I both rode Grizzly River
Run, which was fantastic! I got soaked, but had such fun. With the
Single Rider Pass, I got on a raft in about two minutes... they put me
in with a big family who were so hysterically funny and my ride was
full of laughter and smiles. Good time! The GCH entrance is right by
the exit of GRR, so we didn't have to walk very far in our wet
clothes. After a long swim in the pool, we dressed for dinner and
walked over to Goofy's Kitchen at the DLH. There was a lot of chaos
and frenzy at the check-in area with unhelpful CM's (chatting amongst
themselves and ignoring customers) and impatient diners, but after
standing in several lines, I finally got us checked in and paid for
dinner. Grace had her picture taken with Pluto, but the pics did not
turn out well and we didn't purchase any. They called us back to the
check-in area because they had made an error with our bill (forgot to
charge us for the Birthday Bucket), then they lead us to our table. It
was only 5:30pm, so the restaurant was fairly empty. I had said to
Husband while still at the hotel changing for dinner, "If there's one
character I'd wish for her to meet at supper tonight, it's
Aladdin."... and he was the first person we saw! Grace went absolutely
nuts and he stayed with us for quite a long visit. Grace was able to
ask all her burning questions from the movie and he was incredibly
sweet to her. This set our dinner off to a great start! The food was
fine and while we ate, characters rotated around the restaurant from
table to table. Max was just lovely to her and the Evil Witch from
Snow White was very much in character, so Grace didn't understand why
she was so frowny and told Grace not to smile when I took their
picture together. Our waiter was attentive and pleasant. He was able
to round up Minnie and Goofy when it was time to deliver the Birthday
Bucket to Grace and she was just thrilled that everyone clapped and
sang and that she was the center of it all. The cake that came with
the Birthday Bucket was very nice and she was happy to blow out the
candles (she was worried that since we were in DL there would be no
cake!). She loved pulling all of the goodies out of the Birthday
Bucket and a good time was had by all. After dinner we caught the
Monorail from the DD station to Tomorrowland and rode a ride or two
more before leaving DL. Husband and Grace went up to the hotel room
and I did some shopping for souvenirs at the World of Disney Store.
Back to the hotel and to bed!
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| | | Earning My Ears
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/31/2005 3:25:00 PM
Posts: 14, Visits: 1 |
| Yes, Goofy, you're exactly right... the long lines for characters were right inside the gates and around in the Town Square area. -S |
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Sorcerer Mickey
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 11/17/2008 5:38:21 PM
Posts: 10,885, Visits: 6,229 |
| First, awesome trip report Sarah! Thanks so much for doing it! I hope I didn't twist that arm of yours too much. lol I really do appreciate it! And for you forum readers, as soon as Miss Sarah is done with her report, we will post in on the main website with pictures! So you can all go look at the pics. Second, I am so glad you had fun. I am real happy to hear that Grace liked BLAB so much (the anagram for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters), because I can't wait to ride it, and hope Alex likes it. Finally, a comment about the characters. When we go into the park and see those horrible lines, if the park is not yet open, we wait. If it is, we take advantage of shorter lines for the attractions, then hit ToonTown as soon as it opens. Here, Alex (and me, yes I admit, I love Mickey and Minnie too and am jealous that my son gets all their attention now  ) can get his fill of the mice, and we can carry on. Oh, and I forgot, I am glad Grace enjoyed Alexander's two favorite spots. Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and Tom Sawyer Island! I am so glad we had that advice on our website for you to take advantage of for Grace. Tink/Leanne Tink/Leanne
May All Your Days Be Filled With Magic! And your nights full of Disney Dreams! |
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