PHXscuba's TR: Summer Sweet 16 at DLR -- New Photos 8/19
- Thread starter PHXscuba
- Start date
Disney127
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2009
I really wanted to see the Christmas version two years ago, but high winds stopped it less than 5 minutes into it.I love Christmas so I might have really like it. Some day ...
I know a lot of people were less than enthused about DCA when it first opened, but it has really grown into a first-class park than warrants a full day, at least for me, especially with a lot of great entertainment.
PHXscuba
We just saw WOC tonight, we like it better than the Christmas version but still think that the original version is better. We seem to like more of the traditional/original characters of Disney. We like Frozen but thought that they didn't have to put in the whole song. And the second showing does have less people. We did the Carthay Circle WOC lunch dining so we had a pretty good view behind some railings. We also found that it is much easier to move around DCA compare to DL.
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
Wow, who knew "Jungle Cruise Rules" would be a hit? I probably have some other ones I've developed over the years (creature of habit). I'll have to think if I have any more.
I feel like writing a TR is a way to extend the fun of the trip before and after. And you people don't mind me over-sharing all my photos. Non-DIS people start to wonder about me ...
PHXscuba
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
On our way to lunch (just before nixing the Jungle Cruise), I took one more photo that I would be horrified if I forgot to show y'all:
Longtime DIS friends know that I always, always, take a picture on the treehouse steps each trip. So of course there is one of my daughter and me, wearing ears on her birthday.
Tuesday, part 2 (DL birth-day)
We checked in at Carnation Cafe about 20 minutes before our noon reservation (also part of the reason we opted out of the JC). They weren't busy yet and gave us the option of indoors or outdoors seating. Although the day was warmish, I have always sat outside at Carnation Cafe. Plus, we were still wet from Splash Mountain -- I freeze when I am wet in A/C. So outdoors in the shade it is.
My daughter and I both opted for the loaded baked potato soup. I also split a sandwich with my friend. DD also had a salad, her friend had a sandwich, don't ask me which one. So plenty of food. As we were enjoying our meal, who should come over to check on us but the famous Chef Oscar!! He asked us how our food was and wished the girls a happy birthday after spotting their buttons. I wish I had pulled out my camera to take a photo but he was gone before I thought about it. Bad DISer!!
I was pleasantly surprised when the wait staff brought out cupcakes for the girls and embarrassed them a bit by singing happy birthday!!
<-- both girls. They were both so full from the meal that we opted to get a box and put the cupcakes in our locker for later. Once the cupcakes were boxed up, we were still relaxing, drinking our sodas. The girls had a little fun with their leftover sprinkles:
My daughter made a big "16" and her friend a Mickey head. Creative and Disney-crazy -- we've raised them right!!
We had decided to take the afternoon at a slower pace, so we thought it would be a good time to take the Obligatory Castle Photos. (*Insert minor rant*) Why can't the Photopass photographers ever get the tip of this castle in the shot?? It's not that big -- especially compared to WDW's -- and my camera's viewscreen is pretty visible even in daylight. Their success rate for this has been much lower than it should be.
The photos WE took of each other included all necessary castle parts
We split up to take some more artistic photos around the castle. I think this first one is my favorite:
Once again, no castle spires left behind
We then wandered into Fantasyland (first time that day, I think?) and rode Pinocchio. Fantasyland in the afternoon is a zoo, made worse without Peter Pan to soak up some of the crowds. We got to Matterhorn and entered the Single Rider Line.
I'd like to nominate the Matterhorn's SRL for "Best Single Rider Line Ever." My reasons:
1. Very few people know it's there. Old ride, new option.
2. The regular line wrapping around the mountain is very dull -- good one to skip
3. It moves really fast (see #1) and very few parties have exactly 6 riders.
Sure enough, we were soon on, almost back-to-back-to-back-to-back in consecutive bobsleds chasing each other down the mountain. The good news: Loved the new yeti effects. Very cool. Why didn't they do this when the ride was down for a major refurb a couple years ago? The bad news: Still as spine-jarring as ever.
By this time our FP for Space Mountain was due up, and at least we were in the same half of the park as our FP! I think we must have grabbed another FP for Star Tours, based on my notes from later.
You can see us all this time around
We were starting to get hungry and hot by now. We had seen a slushy cart (the machine kind, not the pre-packaged kind) near Innoventions. Unfortunately, when we returned to the kiosk, their machine was broken. 
We are either persistent or obstinate, and we really wanted slushies. The nearest cart was in Fantasyland, so we said, "let's take the train," which we hadn't yet been on. Also unfortunately for us, everyone else had the same idea. Very few people got off in Tomorrowland, so we didn't make it on the first train, and we barely made it onto the second train that came. Once we were on, we got a breezy, relaxing ride around the park, disembarking in Toontown.
After a few wrong turns courtesy of some misinformed CMs, we finally found slushies on the IASW mall. Sweet nectar of the gods, in regular and raspberry flavors. We quickly tired of slurping on a park bench in the sun, so we decided to queue up for IASW, eyeballing the length of the wait to be just long enough to finish our drinks before boarding.
I was initially skeptical that we would have a peaceful ride around the World, based on the behavior of our boat and the boat in front of us. We hadn't even made it inside when Front Boat started splashing each other and was warned by a CM. The lady in our boat started taking photos of her seatmate inside the ride and I feared the flash would go off, a foot from my face. Luckily it didn't, and she tired of it after a couple scenes.
Well, this is probably a good place to break the day up. Now you know that we saw Chef Oscar, and that we chased slushies all over the park, but some mysteries are left to solve when we return to the TR!
PHXscuba
Longtime DIS friends know that I always, always, take a picture on the treehouse steps each trip. So of course there is one of my daughter and me, wearing ears on her birthday.
Tuesday, part 2 (DL birth-day)
We checked in at Carnation Cafe about 20 minutes before our noon reservation (also part of the reason we opted out of the JC). They weren't busy yet and gave us the option of indoors or outdoors seating. Although the day was warmish, I have always sat outside at Carnation Cafe. Plus, we were still wet from Splash Mountain -- I freeze when I am wet in A/C. So outdoors in the shade it is.
My daughter and I both opted for the loaded baked potato soup. I also split a sandwich with my friend. DD also had a salad, her friend had a sandwich, don't ask me which one. So plenty of food. As we were enjoying our meal, who should come over to check on us but the famous Chef Oscar!! He asked us how our food was and wished the girls a happy birthday after spotting their buttons. I wish I had pulled out my camera to take a photo but he was gone before I thought about it. Bad DISer!!
I was pleasantly surprised when the wait staff brought out cupcakes for the girls and embarrassed them a bit by singing happy birthday!!
<-- both girls. They were both so full from the meal that we opted to get a box and put the cupcakes in our locker for later. Once the cupcakes were boxed up, we were still relaxing, drinking our sodas. The girls had a little fun with their leftover sprinkles:
My daughter made a big "16" and her friend a Mickey head. Creative and Disney-crazy -- we've raised them right!!
We had decided to take the afternoon at a slower pace, so we thought it would be a good time to take the Obligatory Castle Photos. (*Insert minor rant*) Why can't the Photopass photographers ever get the tip of this castle in the shot?? It's not that big -- especially compared to WDW's -- and my camera's viewscreen is pretty visible even in daylight. Their success rate for this has been much lower than it should be.
The photos WE took of each other included all necessary castle parts
Once again, no castle spires left behind
I'd like to nominate the Matterhorn's SRL for "Best Single Rider Line Ever." My reasons:
1. Very few people know it's there. Old ride, new option.
2. The regular line wrapping around the mountain is very dull -- good one to skip
3. It moves really fast (see #1) and very few parties have exactly 6 riders.
Sure enough, we were soon on, almost back-to-back-to-back-to-back in consecutive bobsleds chasing each other down the mountain. The good news: Loved the new yeti effects. Very cool. Why didn't they do this when the ride was down for a major refurb a couple years ago? The bad news: Still as spine-jarring as ever.
By this time our FP for Space Mountain was due up, and at least we were in the same half of the park as our FP! I think we must have grabbed another FP for Star Tours, based on my notes from later.
You can see us all this time around
We are either persistent or obstinate, and we really wanted slushies. The nearest cart was in Fantasyland, so we said, "let's take the train," which we hadn't yet been on. Also unfortunately for us, everyone else had the same idea. Very few people got off in Tomorrowland, so we didn't make it on the first train, and we barely made it onto the second train that came. Once we were on, we got a breezy, relaxing ride around the park, disembarking in Toontown.
I was initially skeptical that we would have a peaceful ride around the World, based on the behavior of our boat and the boat in front of us. We hadn't even made it inside when Front Boat started splashing each other and was warned by a CM. The lady in our boat started taking photos of her seatmate inside the ride and I feared the flash would go off, a foot from my face. Luckily it didn't, and she tired of it after a couple scenes.
Well, this is probably a good place to break the day up. Now you know that we saw Chef Oscar, and that we chased slushies all over the park, but some mysteries are left to solve when we return to the TR!
PHXscuba
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
Dear readers, I have bad news ... my TR is nearly over. It seems fitting to finish the Tuesday part today, exactly a month after it. I have to warn you, the pictures get fewer and worse from here. I have made no secret of my camera's (and my) limitations. Most of my night shots were more to remember I saw the entertainment than an attempt to really photograph them well. PLEASE don't make a decision on seeing Paint the Night or Disneyland Forever based on my photos! 
Tuesday, part 3 (DL birth-day)
After riding IASW, we had FPs for Star Tours that we could use. Since we had only ridden Big Thunder once, I proposed being the FP runner and walking the long way from Fantasyland by way of the Big Thunder FP machine, while the rest used the bathroom and met me at Star Tours. When I got to BTMRR, the FP (as I said earlier) was only about 45 minutes away. I got one anyways, although we still hoped to come back and ride at night, especially since the FP wasn't advancing very fast.
Our Star Tours experience was perfect -- all the scenes different from our morning ride. Seeing as we had time before our Big Thunder FPs, but needed to head that general direction, we decided to enjoy the Tiki Room's air conditioning. Strangely enough, I don't think I had ever seen the little pre-show in the courtyard with all of the masks. How have I missed that? The Dole Whip lines were bonkers long then and every other time we walked by that day -- I may have to start getting one for breakfast. With beignets.
We got a back-row bench with a backrest. That, combined with sitting and the pleasant temperature, was enough for me to only be about one-third awake during the show. My head was bobbing more than the animatronic birds! It was a nice rest and I am glad we did it even if I saw very little of the show.
We made it over to Big Thunder only to find out that the ride was down. But the friendly CM dealing with disappointed people told me that our FPs would be good through park close!! Perfect! We wanted to ride at night anyways, and I didn't want to have to keep coming by to get a convenient FP timed around the evening entertainment. So the ride breakdown was actually a huge advantage!
Since we were on that side of the park, we thought we'd ride Pirates of the Caribbean one more time. While it was not a walk-on like early in the day, that line moves much faster than people give it credit for. We all agreed that we love the smell of Pirate water and would recognize it blindfolded if someone plunked us down in the ride to guess.
We went back to Critter Country after that. It was too late in the day to get wet on Splash Mountain -- honestly, I should remember to ride this back-to-back, when I'm already wet, if I ever know I want to do it twice. We waited in a very short line for Winnie the Pooh. While in line, I took this candid shot of DD16 (above). The lighting was just right and it is one of my favorite photos of her on the trip.
After Pooh we just had to go into the Critter Corner gift/candy shop. I was souvenir shopping for my younger daughter, who likes Piglet and the other Pooh characters. Sadly, the selection in the gift shop has really gone downhill. Instead of the whole shop filled with unique merchandise like I'd seen there before, almost all of it was just like what we'd seen around the rest of the park. There were a few Pooh plush that I hadn't seen elsewhere, but little else stood out. My daughter and I had to to get Tigger Tails before we left. I think my friend got something too but I was focused on my Tigger Tail.
I have a bad habit of forgetting how enormous these Tigger Tails really are, mainly because I'm usually splitting one about 5 ways. My daughter and I could each only finish a little more than half of one. The rest ended up in the bottom of my purse and was enjoyed for breakfast the next morning.
I think this must have been when we shopped more on Main Street. I bought a pillow for DD13's recently renovated room that I had seen earlier. At some point I must have gone back to Star Trader to get DS10's souvenir. I didn't keep good shopping notes. I will show the souvenirs in the wrap-up.
It was nearing dinner. We scored an empty table and four chairs outside of Jolly Holiday. We weren't quite ready for dinner, but we knew the hub would continue filling up with crowds and we wanted someplace to park it for awhile.
Everyone got out their phones to catch up and check in
The girls got food from Jolly Holiday -- salads and maybe some chicken. My friend and I went over to the Plaza where she got chicken and I got a Cobb salad. I remember because I had them make it special with ranch instead of icky blue cheese dressing. We made sure our table and stuff stayed occupied while we came and went.
Eventually we realized that we needed to suck it up and cross the hub to secure a better spot for the parade that wouldn't come to our side. We found a spot on the east side, behind a railing with grass in front. It wasn't the best view ever -- we didn't want to waste the afternoon holding such a spot. Its main drawback was that the trees would block the approach of the floats and we wouldn't see them until they were straight on or passing. But it was a "good enough" view for what we were willing to wait for, and we knew with the railing that no 6-foot-6 people (or shoulder-children) would stand up right in front of us.
I think my two favorite floats were the Triton float (middle photo) -- so gorgeously translucent with the lights -- and the last float with Mickey. That spinning ball was a masterpiece. I really, really liked the parade and would see it again, maybe from a different side or angle to see what I missed.
As soon as the parade ended, everyone spilled into the street to watch the Disneyland Forever fireworks. Knowing where we wanted to end up afterward, my friend's daughter slipped and slithered us through the crowds toward the west side of the street so we had a good view but an exit strategy toward Adventureland//Frontierland. We were nearest Coke Corner, just toward the hub.
In the sea of camera phones, I was unlucky enough to have a woman just over my right shoulder who didn't know how to use her video without the blinding video light. I kept glancing back and cringing with semi-dirty looks until she got the idea and took down her phone. (*Insert rant*) Please, people, learn how your features work before taking them out to play. And it's not like your crappy blurry video will ever be watched. I mean by anyone, including you. Go find a quality one on YouTube later.
They can ban selfie sticks but not long arms
Everything I critique about the fireworks will be based on my absolute love for their predecessor, Remember Dreams Come True. I thought that previous show really captured the essence of Disneyland and made the hub an immersive experience, but focused on the castle. Disneyland Forever took the focus all over the place. I kept craning my neck backward to see the projections on Main Street. We had specifically gotten a spot where we could see just the top bit of the Matterhorn and I kept looking over there. Plus the castle and in the air. I think next time I might try by IASW to have a little more focus, even if I miss the castle symmetry. I also thought the new fireworks were a very good Disney show but not as much about Disneyland as RDCT. I really liked everything they did ... I just think they did too much, and I liked the last show better. My 2-cent review. I'm sure it will be around long enough for me to see it from a couple different angles and have a more informed viewpoint. I know my friend really liked the fireworks, and she's seen them twice.
Our plan after the fireworks was to get to the Jungle Cruise and ride it at night (without going upstairs). The Parade Control CMs routed us through Frontierland to get there, which I had been expecting as a possibility. Luckily, few people had the same idea we did, and the ride was a walk-on. Our boat was only about 2/3 full and we cast off. I like riding the Jungle Cruise at night because the jokes are different and they can spotlight interesting things that they couldn't in daylight. Worth the (lack of) wait.
We also had an anytime Big Thunder FP to use. I love waltzing up to a 40-minute line and presenting a FP. We all agree Big Thunder is even better at night. This time they put us near the front. It's not my favorite spot on the train, but it allowed me to see the exploding effect on the final hill much better than from the back of the train. I've found most of the CMs will honor your request to sit where you want so you can have the experience you want.
We thought that the crowds might have eased in Fantasyland, so we took the dark, quiet back route behind Big Thunder. While part of me hopes they expand Disneyland back toward Big Thunder Ranch, part of me would be sad to lose that stretch of solitude. I was pretty sure the Storybookland Canal boats had already closed for the night, and I was right. I will have to see the new Frozen scenes on another trip. I also wanted to see the new Alice effects since they did a major reno not long ago.
The Alice line was longer than I had hoped but gave me time to try to get a nighttime teacups shot
The Matterhorn was right across the walkway, and we all decided our backs could handle one more bobsled ride. We again used the Best Single Rider Line ever and practically walked on.
By this time, the later parade was about to come through and we had to decide where we wanted to be when it cut the park in half. It was 11:00 after two long days and we decided it was time to get a quick snack and finish our shopping. We made it to Gibson Girl for ice cream and even secured a table as the parade started going by! We picked up a couple of caramel apples.
The girls had seen some sketches at the Disney Gallery that they wanted for their souvenirs. So we cleaned out the rest of our locker stuff and bought the sketches. By this time we were about to turn into pumpkins as the park closed at midnight.
One last picture of the park
We staggered back to the PPH and tried to collect our luggage and our cars. Turns out, the PPH only has one combination bellhop/valet at that time of night. So it took longer than I'd hoped to retrieve our things and the Suburban. We drove the 40 minutes to my parents and my night-owl father let us in. We dragged in all of our stuff to repack and collapsed in bed.
Next: the final day headed back, souvenirs, and what's next for PHXscuba and the parks.
PHXscuba
Tuesday, part 3 (DL birth-day)
After riding IASW, we had FPs for Star Tours that we could use. Since we had only ridden Big Thunder once, I proposed being the FP runner and walking the long way from Fantasyland by way of the Big Thunder FP machine, while the rest used the bathroom and met me at Star Tours. When I got to BTMRR, the FP (as I said earlier) was only about 45 minutes away. I got one anyways, although we still hoped to come back and ride at night, especially since the FP wasn't advancing very fast.
Our Star Tours experience was perfect -- all the scenes different from our morning ride. Seeing as we had time before our Big Thunder FPs, but needed to head that general direction, we decided to enjoy the Tiki Room's air conditioning. Strangely enough, I don't think I had ever seen the little pre-show in the courtyard with all of the masks. How have I missed that? The Dole Whip lines were bonkers long then and every other time we walked by that day -- I may have to start getting one for breakfast. With beignets.
We got a back-row bench with a backrest. That, combined with sitting and the pleasant temperature, was enough for me to only be about one-third awake during the show. My head was bobbing more than the animatronic birds! It was a nice rest and I am glad we did it even if I saw very little of the show.
We made it over to Big Thunder only to find out that the ride was down. But the friendly CM dealing with disappointed people told me that our FPs would be good through park close!! Perfect! We wanted to ride at night anyways, and I didn't want to have to keep coming by to get a convenient FP timed around the evening entertainment. So the ride breakdown was actually a huge advantage!
Since we were on that side of the park, we thought we'd ride Pirates of the Caribbean one more time. While it was not a walk-on like early in the day, that line moves much faster than people give it credit for. We all agreed that we love the smell of Pirate water and would recognize it blindfolded if someone plunked us down in the ride to guess.
We went back to Critter Country after that. It was too late in the day to get wet on Splash Mountain -- honestly, I should remember to ride this back-to-back, when I'm already wet, if I ever know I want to do it twice. We waited in a very short line for Winnie the Pooh. While in line, I took this candid shot of DD16 (above). The lighting was just right and it is one of my favorite photos of her on the trip.
After Pooh we just had to go into the Critter Corner gift/candy shop. I was souvenir shopping for my younger daughter, who likes Piglet and the other Pooh characters. Sadly, the selection in the gift shop has really gone downhill. Instead of the whole shop filled with unique merchandise like I'd seen there before, almost all of it was just like what we'd seen around the rest of the park. There were a few Pooh plush that I hadn't seen elsewhere, but little else stood out. My daughter and I had to to get Tigger Tails before we left. I think my friend got something too but I was focused on my Tigger Tail.
I have a bad habit of forgetting how enormous these Tigger Tails really are, mainly because I'm usually splitting one about 5 ways. My daughter and I could each only finish a little more than half of one. The rest ended up in the bottom of my purse and was enjoyed for breakfast the next morning.
I think this must have been when we shopped more on Main Street. I bought a pillow for DD13's recently renovated room that I had seen earlier. At some point I must have gone back to Star Trader to get DS10's souvenir. I didn't keep good shopping notes. I will show the souvenirs in the wrap-up.
It was nearing dinner. We scored an empty table and four chairs outside of Jolly Holiday. We weren't quite ready for dinner, but we knew the hub would continue filling up with crowds and we wanted someplace to park it for awhile.
Everyone got out their phones to catch up and check in
The girls got food from Jolly Holiday -- salads and maybe some chicken. My friend and I went over to the Plaza where she got chicken and I got a Cobb salad. I remember because I had them make it special with ranch instead of icky blue cheese dressing. We made sure our table and stuff stayed occupied while we came and went.
Eventually we realized that we needed to suck it up and cross the hub to secure a better spot for the parade that wouldn't come to our side. We found a spot on the east side, behind a railing with grass in front. It wasn't the best view ever -- we didn't want to waste the afternoon holding such a spot. Its main drawback was that the trees would block the approach of the floats and we wouldn't see them until they were straight on or passing. But it was a "good enough" view for what we were willing to wait for, and we knew with the railing that no 6-foot-6 people (or shoulder-children) would stand up right in front of us.
I think my two favorite floats were the Triton float (middle photo) -- so gorgeously translucent with the lights -- and the last float with Mickey. That spinning ball was a masterpiece. I really, really liked the parade and would see it again, maybe from a different side or angle to see what I missed.
As soon as the parade ended, everyone spilled into the street to watch the Disneyland Forever fireworks. Knowing where we wanted to end up afterward, my friend's daughter slipped and slithered us through the crowds toward the west side of the street so we had a good view but an exit strategy toward Adventureland//Frontierland. We were nearest Coke Corner, just toward the hub.
In the sea of camera phones, I was unlucky enough to have a woman just over my right shoulder who didn't know how to use her video without the blinding video light. I kept glancing back and cringing with semi-dirty looks until she got the idea and took down her phone. (*Insert rant*) Please, people, learn how your features work before taking them out to play. And it's not like your crappy blurry video will ever be watched. I mean by anyone, including you. Go find a quality one on YouTube later.
They can ban selfie sticks but not long arms
Everything I critique about the fireworks will be based on my absolute love for their predecessor, Remember Dreams Come True. I thought that previous show really captured the essence of Disneyland and made the hub an immersive experience, but focused on the castle. Disneyland Forever took the focus all over the place. I kept craning my neck backward to see the projections on Main Street. We had specifically gotten a spot where we could see just the top bit of the Matterhorn and I kept looking over there. Plus the castle and in the air. I think next time I might try by IASW to have a little more focus, even if I miss the castle symmetry. I also thought the new fireworks were a very good Disney show but not as much about Disneyland as RDCT. I really liked everything they did ... I just think they did too much, and I liked the last show better. My 2-cent review. I'm sure it will be around long enough for me to see it from a couple different angles and have a more informed viewpoint. I know my friend really liked the fireworks, and she's seen them twice.
Our plan after the fireworks was to get to the Jungle Cruise and ride it at night (without going upstairs). The Parade Control CMs routed us through Frontierland to get there, which I had been expecting as a possibility. Luckily, few people had the same idea we did, and the ride was a walk-on. Our boat was only about 2/3 full and we cast off. I like riding the Jungle Cruise at night because the jokes are different and they can spotlight interesting things that they couldn't in daylight. Worth the (lack of) wait.
We also had an anytime Big Thunder FP to use. I love waltzing up to a 40-minute line and presenting a FP. We all agree Big Thunder is even better at night. This time they put us near the front. It's not my favorite spot on the train, but it allowed me to see the exploding effect on the final hill much better than from the back of the train. I've found most of the CMs will honor your request to sit where you want so you can have the experience you want.
We thought that the crowds might have eased in Fantasyland, so we took the dark, quiet back route behind Big Thunder. While part of me hopes they expand Disneyland back toward Big Thunder Ranch, part of me would be sad to lose that stretch of solitude. I was pretty sure the Storybookland Canal boats had already closed for the night, and I was right. I will have to see the new Frozen scenes on another trip. I also wanted to see the new Alice effects since they did a major reno not long ago.
The Alice line was longer than I had hoped but gave me time to try to get a nighttime teacups shot
The Matterhorn was right across the walkway, and we all decided our backs could handle one more bobsled ride. We again used the Best Single Rider Line ever and practically walked on.
By this time, the later parade was about to come through and we had to decide where we wanted to be when it cut the park in half. It was 11:00 after two long days and we decided it was time to get a quick snack and finish our shopping. We made it to Gibson Girl for ice cream and even secured a table as the parade started going by! We picked up a couple of caramel apples.
The girls had seen some sketches at the Disney Gallery that they wanted for their souvenirs. So we cleaned out the rest of our locker stuff and bought the sketches. By this time we were about to turn into pumpkins as the park closed at midnight.
One last picture of the park
Next: the final day headed back, souvenirs, and what's next for PHXscuba and the parks.
PHXscuba
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
I am a linear thinker, so doing it chronologically helps me organize. I make quickie notes in my phone's notes app while we wait in lines to remember to funny little things that I'd forget. And I know I have to bang it out within a few weeks of the trip or I will forget it all!! Like I said somewhere above, writing about it extends the trip for me. I can anticipate it for months earlier while I line things up, craft, shop, etc., and then I can review it afterward with the TR, photos, etc. I am always amazed when I read an old TR thread or something on my personal blog from years earlier, and not even remember all of the story, so I'm glad it's being preserved from my fallible memory.
-- Side note --
I went to an Arizona Diamondbacks game last night with my family (we had passes that got us in free, long story). We know from experience that it's pricey to buy food there, so we bring almost all of our snacks (DH's big treat is a big Pepsi and nachos when we go). I think I am getting too used to Disney food pricing because some of the food seemed to be "not horrible" prices, if still high. For example, they had an enormous waffle bowl of Coldstone ice cream for $7, which can't be much more than buying it locally. DH's souvenir Pepsi cup was $6, which I think I've paid at a college stadium recently. But the real surprise was the churros -- $5.00! That's a dollar more than Disney. That one surprised me.
PHXscuba
Disney127
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2009
I think as I get older, my memory fades! LOL. I can remember the first couple days of out trip but after 10 days, each day just blends in with each other! DD took lots of photos so I will just go refresh my memory when I see them. I usually take hundreds of photos too but this trip, I didn't - maybe it was the heat and the crowds!
I forget about Disney prices too - we ate at Mimi's Cafe one night and was pleasantly surprised that our sit down meal cost the same as a quick meal at the Plaza Inn. Now if only I could have paid in Cdn dollars instead of US! LOL
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
Well, we are nearing the end, no reason to put it off any longer
Wednesday (the return)
I am "sorry not sorry" that the return trip to Arizona was not nearly as bloggable as the trip over. We slept in at my parents' house until about 9 a.m. the next day. Boy, did that feel good. We got up and put ourselves back together and had breakfast. The girls finally had their cupcakes from Carnation Cafe! My parents were preparing to do some painting, so I had offered our 8 hands to help take down pictures and curtain rods before we hit the road. My parents also gave my daughter her birthday presents. We finally got on the road headed east late morning.
We returned to the Palm Springs area and reclaimed my friend's van. After filling the rental SUV back up with gas, I returned it to the Palm Springs airport and my friend picked me up. We got some lunch at Firehouse Subs (my favorite and DD's) before getting back on the road.
Back in the van, with headsets and Disney movies
We got back to the Phoenix area without incidents. 
Since my friend had been using her AP to pay for a lot of things using her discount, I totaled up our receipts on the way back and figured out how much I owed her so I could write her a check on the spot, which I did while my husband helped unload our luggage. I didn't want to take advantage of her generosity!
The younger kids were of course most interested in their souvenirs!
Horrible picture of the black and white pillow I got for my DD13's recently-redone room, which also has Walt Disney quotes in vinyl lettering on the walls
DS10 loved "Master Stitch." He is big into Star Wars right now and has always loved Stitch, so it was a perfect combo!
So that is the end of the traveling part. I will leave you with a few thoughts/conclusions after mulling it for the last month:
1. The weather was supposed to be on the warm side but really wasn't a factor for us. Of course, we were toughened up by our first day sweating! But it still pays to drink lots and take it easy in air-conditioned rides and lines in the afternoons. I had colder-than-average weather on my last two visits in fall and winter, so I didn't mind the heat.
2. I would rank the new 60th anniversary nighttime entertainment as follows: Paint the Night parade, Disneyland Forever fireworks, World of Color Celebrate. Probably no great surprise from what I've written so far. But ALL of them are definitely worth seeing, and I would have no problem seeing all of them again if my family went back, or recommending them to others.
3. I left AZ on the low side of my usual weight, and we obviously sweated some off on Sunday. We ate well and often at Disneyland but walked the equivalent of half-marathons, two days in a row. And I still came home about 3 lbs. heavier than I left, once again proving to myself that it's more about how you eat than how much you exercise. I'm not sorry about anything I chose to eat, but I have to pay for it!
4. Summer crowds are still not awful if you are willing to get up early (EMH or not) and go hard during the morning. We crossed the park A LOT. It's not the itinerary I would try toting the smaller kids, or if I had more days, but we covered so much ground the first few hours each morning, even without using very many FPs. I will say the new evening entertainment pulls a lot people to watch, but many people are staying in the park through the evening, so the lines didn't seem to slack much between 10 and midnight in DL.
So what's next for PHXscuba??
The short answer is who knows? The family will probably got to my parents' house in Orange County over fall break but it will likely include a day trip to Legoland with DS10, who barely remembers his visit at age 3. I will likely bribe my daughters with a spa day with Grandma instead of paying for them to go and roll their eyes all day. DS19 will be around for at least a few weeks next summer, and we will probably go to CA again. I'm not sure if he'd pick Disneyland, Knott's, Universal, or Magic Mountain if given the choice.
DH has given me a wonderful thought to hold out for: our 25th wedding anniversary is in April 2017. It's right before DD16 graduates from high school, and the family trip will probably be the biggie that year for time and money. So he asked me this spring if for our anniversary I would want to go to Disneyland just the two of us, stay at the Grand Californian, and do grown-up Disneyland stuff like perhaps a behind-the-scenes tour. Umm, YES!! So I have that to look long-distance forward to.
So I really don't know when my next visit to Disneyland will be. That makes me a little sad but I have been so blessed with various Disney trips. Over the last 9 years, there's only been one calendar year (2012) that I haven't been in a Disney park at some point.
I look forward to reading other people's Disneyland trip reports and living vicariously through their joy!! I hope this TR has brought any of you who have read it a little Mickey Magic in your life. Thanks for reading!
PHXscuba
p.s. And I am happy to answer any questions about DL or my trip!!
Wednesday (the return)
I am "sorry not sorry" that the return trip to Arizona was not nearly as bloggable as the trip over. We slept in at my parents' house until about 9 a.m. the next day. Boy, did that feel good. We got up and put ourselves back together and had breakfast. The girls finally had their cupcakes from Carnation Cafe! My parents were preparing to do some painting, so I had offered our 8 hands to help take down pictures and curtain rods before we hit the road. My parents also gave my daughter her birthday presents. We finally got on the road headed east late morning.
We returned to the Palm Springs area and reclaimed my friend's van. After filling the rental SUV back up with gas, I returned it to the Palm Springs airport and my friend picked me up. We got some lunch at Firehouse Subs (my favorite and DD's) before getting back on the road.
Back in the van, with headsets and Disney movies
Since my friend had been using her AP to pay for a lot of things using her discount, I totaled up our receipts on the way back and figured out how much I owed her so I could write her a check on the spot, which I did while my husband helped unload our luggage. I didn't want to take advantage of her generosity!The younger kids were of course most interested in their souvenirs!
Horrible picture of the black and white pillow I got for my DD13's recently-redone room, which also has Walt Disney quotes in vinyl lettering on the walls
DS10 loved "Master Stitch." He is big into Star Wars right now and has always loved Stitch, so it was a perfect combo!
1. The weather was supposed to be on the warm side but really wasn't a factor for us. Of course, we were toughened up by our first day sweating! But it still pays to drink lots and take it easy in air-conditioned rides and lines in the afternoons. I had colder-than-average weather on my last two visits in fall and winter, so I didn't mind the heat.
2. I would rank the new 60th anniversary nighttime entertainment as follows: Paint the Night parade, Disneyland Forever fireworks, World of Color Celebrate. Probably no great surprise from what I've written so far. But ALL of them are definitely worth seeing, and I would have no problem seeing all of them again if my family went back, or recommending them to others.
3. I left AZ on the low side of my usual weight, and we obviously sweated some off on Sunday. We ate well and often at Disneyland but walked the equivalent of half-marathons, two days in a row. And I still came home about 3 lbs. heavier than I left, once again proving to myself that it's more about how you eat than how much you exercise.
I'm not sorry about anything I chose to eat, but I have to pay for it!4. Summer crowds are still not awful if you are willing to get up early (EMH or not) and go hard during the morning. We crossed the park A LOT. It's not the itinerary I would try toting the smaller kids, or if I had more days, but we covered so much ground the first few hours each morning, even without using very many FPs. I will say the new evening entertainment pulls a lot people to watch, but many people are staying in the park through the evening, so the lines didn't seem to slack much between 10 and midnight in DL.
So what's next for PHXscuba??
The short answer is who knows? The family will probably got to my parents' house in Orange County over fall break but it will likely include a day trip to Legoland with DS10, who barely remembers his visit at age 3. I will likely bribe my daughters with a spa day with Grandma instead of paying for them to go and roll their eyes all day
. DS19 will be around for at least a few weeks next summer, and we will probably go to CA again. I'm not sure if he'd pick Disneyland, Knott's, Universal, or Magic Mountain if given the choice.DH has given me a wonderful thought to hold out for: our 25th wedding anniversary is in April 2017. It's right before DD16 graduates from high school, and the family trip will probably be the biggie that year for time and money. So he asked me this spring if for our anniversary I would want to go to Disneyland just the two of us, stay at the Grand Californian, and do grown-up Disneyland stuff like perhaps a behind-the-scenes tour. Umm, YES!! So I have that to look long-distance forward to.
So I really don't know when my next visit to Disneyland will be. That makes me a little sad but I have been so blessed with various Disney trips. Over the last 9 years, there's only been one calendar year (2012) that I haven't been in a Disney park at some point.
I look forward to reading other people's Disneyland trip reports and living vicariously through their joy!! I hope this TR has brought any of you who have read it a little Mickey Magic in your life. Thanks for reading!
PHXscuba
p.s. And I am happy to answer any questions about DL or my trip!!
Disney127
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2009
Thank you for your trip report and photos and yes, it does bring a little bit of magic into my life! 
Prior to DD and I deciding that we would make DLR an annual trip, we would often feel pretty sad when had our last glance at the castle on our way out. But after our last week's trip, DD told me that she was okay because she didn't say ;good bye', instead she said 'see you soon' as we walked past Walt's apartment. After coming back from a trip, it always seems kind of surreal when we are plunked back into our everyday lives. Looking at the photos and talking about it helps us bring back the memories. Plus I also enjoy reading trip reports like yours and lurking around the Disboards! LOL DD and I are pretty lucky that DH and other DD(19) are okay with us making our annual trips but we are looking forward to going as a family during Christmas. Originally, it was supposed to be just me and my DDs but we didn't want to spend Christmas without DH so we voted and he's coming - whether he likes it or not! LOL
I do have a question about the Tigger Tails, are they just marshmellows covered in orange sprinkles with chocolate drizzle? I was thisclose to trying one but couldn't bring myself to paying over $4.00 for marshmellows! LOL But of course, I would pay $4.00 for the blue slushie!
Prior to DD and I deciding that we would make DLR an annual trip, we would often feel pretty sad when had our last glance at the castle on our way out. But after our last week's trip, DD told me that she was okay because she didn't say ;good bye', instead she said 'see you soon' as we walked past Walt's apartment. After coming back from a trip, it always seems kind of surreal when we are plunked back into our everyday lives. Looking at the photos and talking about it helps us bring back the memories. Plus I also enjoy reading trip reports like yours and lurking around the Disboards! LOL DD and I are pretty lucky that DH and other DD(19) are okay with us making our annual trips but we are looking forward to going as a family during Christmas. Originally, it was supposed to be just me and my DDs but we didn't want to spend Christmas without DH so we voted and he's coming - whether he likes it or not! LOL
I do have a question about the Tigger Tails, are they just marshmellows covered in orange sprinkles with chocolate drizzle? I was thisclose to trying one but couldn't bring myself to paying over $4.00 for marshmellows! LOL But of course, I would pay $4.00 for the blue slushie!
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
I do have a question about the Tigger Tails, are they just marshmellows covered in orange sprinkles with chocolate drizzle? I was thisclose to trying one but couldn't bring myself to paying over $4.00 for marshmellows! LOL But of course, I would pay $4.00 for the blue slushie!
Tigger Tails are dangerously sugary and delicious! Four marshmallows, covered in caramel, dipped in orange-colored white chocolate, covered with crunchy orange sprinkles, with the chocolate Tigger stripe. The caramel is what makes the difference (and which I have not been able to replicate with my home materials). If a churro or Mickey bar is $4.00, a handmade Tigger tail is definitely worth $4.00!! And they are really too big for one person to comfortably eat! You can sometimes see them making them in the big window at Pooh Corner.
PHXscuba
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
Just when you thought I was done!!
My friend had a new-ish iPhone on our trip and took the majority of her photos using it. She just now figured out how to e-mail them to me, so I got a treasure trove of pictures last night in 15 e-mails!! Best photo day!
So I will share a few more from another point of view:
I took this selfie with her phone (while she was on mine getting the tow truck) as we got stranded in the desert. We still look happy because we don't yet know that it will become a 3-hour ordeal
We rock the 3D glasses on Toy Story Mania. The score, not so much
The bows they did NOT buy
I seriously considered buying these ears before deciding on the 60th-anniversary ones
Jumpin' Jellyfish!
This may be my new favorite picture from the trip -- great colors, great smiles
Beignet alert! Mmm now I'm hungry
A good picture of DD16 and me at her birthday lunch
The girls outside of Space Mountain, soon to be Hyperspace Mountain
These are their "is the train ever going to come, mom?" faces
(Cropped from a larger photo) This is what I do in line so I can remember what we did on the trip when it comes time to write a trip report!!
I did notice one thing while comparing her photos and mine: despite advances in cell-phone camera technology, my little Canon Power Shot takes much better photos, especially indoors or in limited lighting. Cell phone flashes are still inadequate.
So I got to extend the fun of my trip just a little bit longer!
PHXscuba
My friend had a new-ish iPhone on our trip and took the majority of her photos using it. She just now figured out how to e-mail them to me, so I got a treasure trove of pictures last night in 15 e-mails!! Best photo day!
So I will share a few more from another point of view:
I took this selfie with her phone (while she was on mine getting the tow truck) as we got stranded in the desert. We still look happy because we don't yet know that it will become a 3-hour ordeal
We rock the 3D glasses on Toy Story Mania. The score, not so much
The bows they did NOT buy
I seriously considered buying these ears before deciding on the 60th-anniversary ones
Jumpin' Jellyfish!
This may be my new favorite picture from the trip -- great colors, great smiles
Beignet alert! Mmm now I'm hungry
A good picture of DD16 and me at her birthday lunch
The girls outside of Space Mountain, soon to be Hyperspace Mountain
These are their "is the train ever going to come, mom?" faces
(Cropped from a larger photo) This is what I do in line so I can remember what we did on the trip when it comes time to write a trip report!!
So I got to extend the fun of my trip just a little bit longer!
PHXscuba
PHXscuba
Mouseketeer since birth!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2008
During our trip, we talked about ways to display/store our Mouse ears without them getting dusty. I think I have found the perfect way:
It's a shadowbox frame, with a sheet of shiny scrapbook paper behind it (I considered a Disney paper or polka dots but decided on minimalist). The best part: the Mouse ears are held in place by simple pressure -- they are just slightly too thick for the frame -- so I can take them out and wear them when I visit Disneyland!!
In other news, I am super-excited about the announcement that they are building Star Wars Land on both coasts. We are big Star Wars fans around here and I can assure myself of more trips with DH in tow with this information. Now my current scheme is to get in a trip next spring when the new Star Tours locations are loaded (brilliant idea and use of the updated technology, btw) and Hyperspace Mountain. Mwa haha! And maybe a holiday trip next year ... I need an AP again!
PHXscuba
It's a shadowbox frame, with a sheet of shiny scrapbook paper behind it (I considered a Disney paper or polka dots but decided on minimalist). The best part: the Mouse ears are held in place by simple pressure -- they are just slightly too thick for the frame -- so I can take them out and wear them when I visit Disneyland!!
In other news, I am super-excited about the announcement that they are building Star Wars Land on both coasts. We are big Star Wars fans around here and I can assure myself of more trips with DH in tow with this information. Now my current scheme is to get in a trip next spring when the new Star Tours locations are loaded (brilliant idea and use of the updated technology, btw) and Hyperspace Mountain. Mwa haha! And maybe a holiday trip next year ... I need an AP again!
PHXscuba
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