Booked For DL in March 2006

Pulled the trigger and booked 3 nights at Hyatt Orange County and bought the DL 3-days hopper tickets ($119/adult - not bad!) Guess we're going to DL in March. Friend H.W. also bought her 3-days hopper ticket. We're committed now!

Friend H.W. to Disneyland Too

Friend H.W. decided to join DW and I for the March Disneyland trip. Now, planning for three!

Disneyland?

DW suggested that we should go to Disneyland after my work's March expo in Las Vegas. I suggested that she should spearhead the trip planning process this time and she agreed!

Disneyland, here we come!

We're Home

After driving straight from Florida back to Iowa (took us around 20 hours), we are finally home. We went from a location with 70 degrees weather to a sub-zero frozen Midwest.

Should have stayed in Florida!

Day Seven - Meals

Last day in WDW - so we are using up our dining credits.

Breakfast @ Roaring Fork Snacks, 2 CS

We had two breakfast pizzas with chocolate milk and juice. These are some huge "personal" pizzas. The toppings, I kid you not, were piled up about an inch from the top of the thick crust. Lot's of eggs, cheese, and sausage/ham. Very yummy.

Lunch @ Roaring Fork Snacks, 2 CS

We had chicken strips, double cheeseburger, 2 vanilla pudding, and 2 pops. We ate outside and DD7 got buzzed couple times by the blackbirds wanting her half of the cheeseburger. Poor kid. Other than the scenes from The Birds, the food was good for counter service.

Dinner @ The Mara, 2 CS

We had fried shrimp platter and fish and chips platter. We also used up all our snack credits here to get Mickey Krispy Treats. The food was good, but slow (see below). I think I waited 15 minutes for our food. We met a nice CM from South Africa who chatted freely with the DDs. It was a nice, casual meal at WDW before we got on the road to come home.

One thing I noticed about counter services at WL and AKL - why are they so slow? My theory is that it forces people to eat at table service restaurants, since the wait time is about the same. I believe some of the services we got from WCC were faster than Roaring Fork Snacks! When eating at some counter service places, don't expect "fast" food.

Day Seven - Parks & Resorts

Today is our last day at WDW.

DW took DD7 to the park in the morning while I checked out in the morning. Then, I took our younger DD to MK, via the boat, to meet up with them. We did the three rides the DDs enjoyed. For the older DD, we did Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Montain several times each. For the younger DD, we did It's a Small World couple more times.

We took a side trip to Tink's gift shop and let the girls find Tink in her drawer. The younger DD was giggling and laughing every time she saw Tink through the keyhole and cried out "I see her!" at each sighting.

We returned back to WL and walked the grounds a bit to take some photos. Then, we picked up our rental car that we had not driven for a week and headed to Downtown Disney.

At DTD we did some shopping.

Not wanting to leave WDW so soon, even though it is already afternoon, we headed to Animal Kingdom Lodge with the excuse of "checking it out". There, we had dinner at The Mara, toured the resort a bit, and saw a few animals on the "savannah".

We did not leave WDW until 6 PM. It was hard to leave!

Another Towel Animal

Got another towel animal today - a mouse.

Day Six - Meals

Lunch @ Tusker House - 2 CS

We ordered two meals and split with the DDS. DW had chicken sandwich and I had half rotisserie chicken. We all had pop and carrot cakes. The chickens were not dry and rather good for counter service food. The portions were large for the entrees and the carrot cakes - more than enough for 2 adults and 2 kids.

Dinner @ 1900 Park Fare - 3 TS, if paid OOP = $87.45

I guess we saved the best character dining for last. Great food and great character interactions. Compared to other character dining experience we had so far this week, this is by far the best (Norway one comes in as a close second). Characters took their time at each table. The tables were not too close together so that you worry about bumping into people. The overall experience was excellent. This is definitely one we will do again, along with Norway and CP. I'll eat at CRT again when it is the last restaurant left in MK (even then I may just settle for popcorn kernels on the sidewalks).

Day Six - Parks & Resorts

Today we celebrated DD2's birthday. At first, we thought we only need to get one birthday button, which we did first thing in the morning at MK. But, when we hit AK later that morning, a CM told us that every park has its own birthday button.

The mission was on.

Today was EMH for MK, so we hit that park bright and early at 8 AM.

ABC was also filming in MK today (and tomorrow) for the ABC's "live" Christmas parade from Disney World. Live my butt. This is a totally simulated parade in a simulated fantasy environment. They can't even let a parade be a parade. The Main Street was sectioned off for the "parade". Everyone was told to keep off the street and filming did not start until everyone has done so. Then, the announcer told everyone to cheer. The first float came down the street. Cut. Street sweepers came out to clean up the street. Thirty minutes later, the second float came down the street. Repeat the process several times over throughout the two days of filming process. They can't leave a parade alone and just let it run its course? Macy can do it, why can't Disney/ABC? Weird.

After couple hours @ MK, we headed to Animal Kingdom. Boy, DW and I were disappointed. This is just a glorfied zoo with some shows and couple rides. Many sections are very confusing and seem to have been put together as an afterthought. There was not much of the "Disney magical feeling" anywhere in the park. It's a sad combination of a cheap local zoo with a carnival on steroids. DDs enjoyed it though, since there are animals. But, kids, I can take you to the local zoo and it is cheaper! Glad that we changed our plan and decided to see AK today rather than tomorrow, our last day. Would hate to end our WDW vacation on this note.

In midafternoon, we headed back to WL to get the DDs changed into their Cindy's outfits. Then, it was off to GF for the 1900 Park Fare dinner. The dinner brought disney magic back for us after a disappointing outing to AK. One of the special magic moment was when I noticed Sleeping Beauty, out in the hallway, peaking into the dining room. There was no line for her and she seemed bored. So, I took DDs to see her and she and the girls spend some time talking and twirling around in their dresses.

The mission continued with the birthday button acquisition.

After dinner, we made a quick trip to Disney/MGM to pick up the birthday button from that park. How disappointing. All the other parks have special birthday buttons marked with that park. Disney/MGM has just a "congratulations" button with WDW lettering/logo. Nothing on it about birthday. Nothing on it about Disney/MGM. How lame.

We wrapped up the day by going to Epcot and walked the World Showcase.

Pin Trading

I have lost my DW to the evil world of pin trading. The DDs are not too far behind.

Day Five - Characters

The main characters we saw today were at CP. Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore. Character sighting is slowly getting overtaken by pin trading. DW and DDs have become fanatics. Save me.

Day Five - Meals

Lunch DW @ Gasprilla Grill & I @ Columbia Harbour House - 2 CS

DW had Italian Sandwich, chocolate cake, and pop while waiting for DD7 @ the Tea Party. Good sandwich, but nothing to write home about.

I had the fish and chicken combo platter with apple pie and lemonade @ Clumbia Harbour House in MK. I shared the meal with DD2. The fish and chicken planks were very yummy. Batter was not too greasy and starchy and the inside morsels were tender. The apple pie was very good too.

Dinner @ Crystal Palace - 3 TS, if paying OOP = $83.81

Good buffet line with good Americanized food choices. The character interactions with Pooh and Friends were very good. Each character took his/her time to stop at each table. Would definitely do this one again.

Day Five - MVMCP

This PM our DD7 had the Tea Party w/ Alice and Mad Hatter at GF. DW took her there while I stayed in the room with the napping younger DD. We had an ADR at CP at 3:50 PM (early dinner - but they didn't have any later time slots available when we made the reservations couple months out!) so we planned to meet there, rather than back at WL.

During the Tea Party, DW had lunch, took monorail to MK, grabbed fast pass to Space Mountain, and did some pin trading before returning back to GF to pick up DD7 all within an hour. Busy!

DW and DD7 had an hour and half to blow between the end of the party and CP seating. So, they did some pin trading and rode Space Mountain 3 times. DD2 and I took a leisure bus ride from WL to MK. The bus was empty except for us two and the driver.

While we waited to be seated at CP, we chatted with Chad, a friendly Photopass guy. He's a good example of what every Disney CM should strive to be - friendly, funny, and informative.

MVMCP (Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party) was okay. We enjoyed walking around and soaking in the festivities, but not exactly sure if we will do it again. This may be one of those "been there, done that" thing. The snowfall on Main Street was disppointing. I know it would be heck to clean up, but I was semi-expecting snow covers like we get in Midwest, with inches of snow on top of everything, and not those wimpy little soapy, snow bubbles. We rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad about five times, with DW and I taking turns with DD7. We also did Space Mountain couple times. After the first fireworks, the kids got tired and we headed back to WL to crash.

We will try the Halloween Party next time.

We Got Towel Animals!

It is amazing what little things like this can excite us typically normal human beings.

Day Five - Morning MK

Today we hit MK when it opened to get a jump start on catching Space Mountain for DD7. She liked Big Thunder Mountain Railroad earlier in the week, so we thought we'll give Space Mountain a try. DW took DD2 to It's a Small World and do some pin trading while I had the luxury of taking DD7 to Space Mountain.

We rode it five times within an hour.

By the third time, the CMs along the line recognized us and started urging her on to ride more. I don't know about her, but I am still dizzy right now.

Then, we rode Buzz Lightyear. My score was around 8000. DD7 got 1100.

In the meantime, DW and DD2 did It's a Small World and Haunted Mansion. Not sure what marbles DW lost by taking DD2 to Haunted Mansion. She sat through it but said she doesn't like it.

We met DW and DD2 at Goofy's Barnstorming roller coaster ride in Toon Town. DW rode it with DD7. DD7 complained afterwards that it was over too quickly and the ride is for babies. I think we have spoiled her with Space Mountain!

I picked up couple fast passes earlier, so DW took DD7 back to Space Mountain to ride it another time. I took DD2 to It's a Small World (again).

This afternoon is DD7's tea party with Alice. Then, we have the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party tonight.