First, HoJo's...can't say enough good about the people there!!! I couldn't have picked a better place to stay! And, it was really nice to be the first stop on the shuttle after a long day at the park!
Second...take extra sunglasses if you have small-fry. We lost a hat and two pairs of glasses in 5 days. Sigh. Replacements weren't terribly expensive, just inconvenient!
Third...the best thing I did was download the menus from all the various restaurants. I didn't have to spend time trying to find places that served what my kids wanted!
Fourth...the ESPN Zone! You MUST do this!!!! It's the only true bargain you'll find...but WOW!!! what a bargain it is! And it was so nice to have a fresh high-quality salad!
Finally...the Disney people are wonderful! From the tip about where to sit for Fantasmic (for free!!!) to adding to the entertainment with their silliness...I didn't think it was possible, but they made this trip as successful as our last Disney visit!
Now for my trip Journal:
May 28th - June 1st, 2005
DAY ONE:
I only got about 3 hours of sleep on Friday night, between trying to get packed, clean, etc. I was up at 4 on Saturday...I packed the car the night before so all I had to do was get the kids up and get going.
They've reconfigured the entrance to the airport since the last time we were there. As a result, we were in the wrong area to do the cheapie parking. I could have circled back, but decided to go ahead and do the spendy covered parking. With 2 kids and 3 suitcases and a stroller, it was easier to have my car right there outside the terminal!
The United workers here were very friendly and helpful. I'm still a bit confused as to why I couldn't use the tickets I already had...even if you go thru an agency and get paper tickets, you have to check in and print out tickets there at the airport!
We got there at just about the right time. Our flights out were wonderful. Both boys enjoyed them...which was nice! I wasn't much impressed by Denver's new airport. You had to go a looong way to find food, and then the lines were just too long. I managed to round up muffins and milk in time for our second leg of the flight.
Once we got to John Wayne I decided to forget about waiting for the Airport Bus...Teiguen was just too excited...so we took a cab.
The hotel staff was wonderful. They let us check in early and gave us a quieter room than the one we'd originally been assigned to. Plus, since I was traveling alone with kids, they gave me a bottom floor so I didn't have to haul luggage up stairs.
We got changed, I called the limo company to confirm times, and then we went across to Mimi's Cafe...the West Coast version of Bob Evan's. I had the Blue Crab cakes and the boys had chicken. All the food was great.
Our transport to Laguna Beach was right on time. We used a guy named Tony the Limo King, lol!!! On the way to the beach he sent a driver with a van since all the limos were in use. It was nice to get to see some scenery. If you took away the palm trees, it looks a lot like Colorado. The approach to the beach was beautiful. You go through foothills, then suddenly, there's the beach in front of you!
We spent 4 hours there. Liam was in the water the whole time. He got to see...luckily just SEE...a jellyfish, a starfish, and a small octopus. I was amazed how he took to the water! This was the kid who said he wouldn't go in the water because it was dirty, lol! He made friends with other kids there and they played nonstop.
Teiguen got knocked over by the first wave he went into, so he spent the afternoon either charging the waves, then running back laughing when they went over his feet, or throwing clumps of sand into the waves. He built some sand castles and played on the play equipment there.
That beach is a wonderful family-oriented place. There are public showers and bathrooms, a little store right there that sells and rents beach toys (so we really didn't need to haul buckets cross country, lol!) and places to grab take-out food and ice cream. Everyone on the beach was super nice. It was all families...even the teenagers were well behaved.
The shops in the area remind me of Manitou Springs, CO. It's very artsy, but in a friendly way.
I see that they had a major landslide there yesterday. Liam and I agreed that we wouldn't want to live in any of the houses perched on the hillside there. I guess there are nutty people everywhere...we have a whole new subdivision that went in just east of here in a flood plain.
Despite the chance that the homes on the hill may become beachfront property at any second, we'd definitely go back to Laguna Beach on our next visit to CA!!!!
Tony came back right on time to pick us up...with a limo this time. The kids loved it!
Poor Teiguen was so confused. As we went by Angel's Stadium he said he'd gone by there on a field trip with Miss Nicole. He just didn't get the distance issue!
After we got back to the hotel we had some cereal for dinner and the kids wanted to go to the pool to swim. We swam maybe half an hour...and they were zonked!
We showered and everyone was in bed by 8:30...which of course was really 10:30 our time!
DAY TWO
The gates opened at 9, so we got up about 7:30 and had breakfast in our room. I'd bought a pass for the tram, but we decided to go ahead and walk that first morning. It was much shorter than I'd expected, based on other people's reports.
For some reason, when they said a 9 a.m. opening, they meant it! They did a count-down and had a band and the Red Queen and flowers from Alice in Wonderland waiting on the other side of the gate.
We went back toward Critter Country. I had to ride the Haunted Mansion ride first, lol! Liam freaked out and wouldn't get on, but Teiguen and I enjoyed it! We were alone on the ride! Next we did Pooh. Again, we were first! It was cute, but very kiddish. The third ride we headed to was Pirates of the Caribbean. Teiguen loved the flumes...Liam hated the whole thing, or so he said. He's still talking about the cool room where the pirate on the ship is shooting at you, thought!
Next, we headed to the Jungle Cruise. The guide was very dead-pan. Liam laughed his head off all the way through! Then I let the boys explore Tarzan's tree house while I checked our schedule.
We were supposed to take the train to Toontown next, but the train wasn't running yet. So much for plans, lol!
We cut through Frontierland headed for Fantasyland. First we rode Peter Pan (and began Teiguen's traditional 2/3's of the way through the line cry of "I have to go potty!" Sheesh!). Both kids liked it. Then we did Pinnochio. Dumbo was next.
I was worried about Dumbo. Months ago I showed the kids some online photos...one was of the golden Dumbo. Teiguen told everyone he was going to ride the gold Dumbo. Uh-oh!
By this time it was after 11 and the lines were getting looong. They had brought out the white ropes...meaning lines were longer than normal. We waited and waited and waited...and as we got closer to the front, I realized that on every ride they were letting a group from the handicapped entrance on first.
Every time, the kids in that line were getting the gold Dumbo. I started trying to prepare Teiguen, not wanting fisticuffs or a meltdown.
It ended up that we were the first in line for our turn on Dumbo. They opened the handicapped gate, and lo and behold, it was just adults....who didn't take the gold Dumbo! As soon as our gate slid open Teiguen bolted...and got the gold Dumbo after all, lol!!! I couldn't decided if he was the luckiest kid in the universe or if I'm the luckiest mom! He LOVED the ride!
After exiting the ride we went to see the Snow White show. The boys didn't expect to enjoy a "girl" show, but they did! The special effects, especially the Magic Mirror and the Queen morphing into the old hag, were wonderful! Teiguen's favorite part was when they blew bubbles from the roof, lol! Both kids ended up really enjoying the show.
Next up was Toontown...Fantansyland had become sardine-land,
so it was time to move along!
The boys played around with all the boxes and doorknobs, and then declared they were hungry. It was nearing 2 by then, so we made our way back to Frontierland and got in line for the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies show.
They have chicken strips and mozzarella strips, and HUGE cookies, so the kids were in heaven! The show was funny...but poor Liam got up to go to the bathroom and since we were in the front, they made fun of him. He was so embarrased he was in tears, sigh! He thought the show was hysterical, so that made up for the little glitch.
That was when we realized that whenever the question at Disneyland is "Where are the bathrooms?", the answer is, "Not here!"
Anyway, after the show people were already staking out spots for the Parade of Dreams. We did a bathroom break and pulled up a piece of curb on Main Street to wait it out.
The parade was absolutely wonderful! The golden train with Tink and Peter Pan stopped right in front of us. I think Peter Pan was Liam's favorite!!! The kids were singing and clapping along. Liam used nearly his whole roll of film during this one parade!
After the parade ended we headed back to our hotel for a nap. All of us needed it!
Around 7 pm we headed back to the park. First, we rode the Disneyland Railoroad all the way around the park. I'd made Teiguen walk by train after train all morning, and knew he'd have a meltdown if he didn't get to ride a train soon! Then we went to Innoventions. Liam was in HEAVEN! It is basicly every video game made by Disney...plus some cool new stuff.
Our favorite thing was a virtual sports field. They project the ball from above, and you run around and kick it! We played soccer...until Teiguen once again had a potty crisis!
Of course we had to leave Innoventions and go a ways away to find a bathroom. By then it was dark and we needed to head for Frontierland. The fireworks were starting, so there was a huge bottleneck. It took us probably 30 minutes to get from Tomorrowland to Frontierland!
The Disney Dining gal gave me a GREAT tip! We got to the Stagedoor cafe, parked our stroller, and pulled chairs up to the metal railing in the outside dining area there. Just before Fantasmic started they closed down the walkway, so the kids had a clear view for the show! I felt sorry for all the people standing...and especially those with little kids!
While waiting for the show to start we got to see the end of the fireworks.
After two false starts, they got Fantasmic going. What a Show!!! I think the WDW version still beats this one, but there they designed the whole area just for the show. At this one they had to fit it in to the existing park. Both kids loved the show...Teiguen had the same reaction Liam had the first time he saw the show...he couldn't stop talking about how Mickey saved us, lol!!!
After the show we headed out, decided to walk to McDonalds. We had a midnight dinner, lol!!! Both kids were seriously ready for bed that night!
DAY 3:
Next up: California Adventure.
I'd considered getting the kids up for the 9 a.m. opening of Disneyland, doing an hour there, then heading to CA. However, the 1 am bedtime the night before convinced me that a later start would be good!
We got up at 8, ate in the room, then grabbed the tram. We got to the park about 20 minutes early, but they were already letting people in! We went right to Soarin' and got in line for the first ride. Liam wasn't so sure about the whole thing...and Teiguen was a bit intimidated by a fly-over by the Blue Angels, but by the end of the first time, they insisted we go again!
A good thing, too, because on the way down the ramp, Liam realized he'd left his fanny pack...with his $50 cash and my camera in it...under the seat during the ride. Some honest soul had turned it in, and we got it back right away!!!
The second time through they both fell in love with this ride! It is absolutely amazing. I'd tell anyone going that they need to plan enough time to ride this one at least twice...if not more!
After the second time thru we headed to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. I quickly gave up on trying to follow the kids, and waited below, lol! They were too excited to slow down enough to let mom keep up! I let them romp about half an hour, and it was time to head to Ariel's Grotto for lunch.
This lunch was the best investment I made! We sat outside on their covered dining area that projects out into the water. We could watch everyone riding the rides in the Paradise Pier area...and had a family of ducks to entertain us. The ducklings were enchanting....
Shortly before our food arrived we were visited by Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Then Goofy...followed by Pluto. While we were eating Donald Duck showed up...and then Dale from Chip and Dale. Teiguen was a little hesitant, but after Pluto licked him on the head he was all giggles!
I had a salmon BLT, Liam had chicken strips, and Teiguen ordered but didn't eat a hotdog and mac and cheese. (He was having too much fun to eat!). At the end of our meal they brought us cotton candy...and the boys got involved in a conga line and limbo contest!!!
My children are so much like I was at that age...very inhibited. The nice thing about being old is that I can jump in a conga line and not give a hoot about what anyone thinks, lol!!!
After lunch Liam made his first find...a shop with make-your-own necklaces. He chose a 3-d Mickey head, a 3-d sorcerers hat with Mickey ears, and the letters for "Liam". Amazingly, this is the same type of souvenir he chose from WDW...there he chose beads with Dumbo, a Mickey dressed as a pirate, and the letters "WDW"!
Then we headed to Flik's Fun Fair. The kids played in the water and Liam rode some rides. We tried Tough to Be a Bug, but once again Liam freaked out and we left half way thru the show! He did ride the Tuck-n-Roll buggies and the Ladybug Boogie, and loved them. Teiguen was in a funk...I think he was just plain tired...and chose to watch rather than ride.
After that we headed across the park to see Aladdin. What a production!!! We took seats in the back row of the orchestra section...a serendipitous choice! This is a major stage production...the elephant and flying carpet effects were amazing! During the "Prince Ali" sequence, a performer wearing a unicorn costume had the unicorn kiss Teiguen on the head! That's all he talked about all day long...it made his day!!!
Liam admitted that he thought he wouldn't like the stage shows, but he loved both Snow White and Aladdin! Our next stop was Playhouse Disney. Teiguen wasn't sure about Bear...Bear is rather large. But, he enjoyed the rest of the show. Kudos to Disney for putting a bathroom in this theatre!
Our next stop was soda and fries...and we headed to Who Wants to be a Millionaire. It was down
so we chose to go to Muppets 3-D next. Talk about a hit!!! Liam didn't remember the show from when we did WDW...so it was "new" to both kids. They laughed thru the whole thing!
By then it was time to stake out an area for the Block Party Bash. While Liam held our spots, Teiguen and I went shopping. I got a box full of accessories for Mr. Potato Head. Teiguen helped me shop, lol, so we ended up with doubles of some things. When I thought the box was full the gals working there assured me it wasn't, and helped me cram 5 or 6 more items into it!!!
Teiguen picked out a Buzz and Woody metal car as his souvenir. He wanted a train, but they had sold out of 50th anniversary trains, sigh!
The parade was fun...we were near the Bugs Life float. It's very high energy...I embarassed the kids by dancing along! At the end they shoot out little Nerf balls that say Block Party Bash. Liam got one...a free souvenir!
After the parade we took the long way around to Paradise Pier. The kids rode the Jumpin Jellyfish. About the time they got on, the parade made it to that area, so we got to see the front float, too.
Then they played in the little water attraction there. I had to pry them away from there to go ride the Sun Wheel. A great tip...the fixed cars load from the exit, and, while there was a line of people waiting for the moving cars, we got right on! Teiguen loved this ride. Heights make Liam nervous, but he was fine.
By this time the kids were hungry again, so we stopped at Strips, Dips,and Chips. The kids got chicken and I got an apple and caramel sauce,! So much for healthy eating!
Teiguen was finally out of his grumps, so we went back to Flik's Fun Fair. We rode Heimlich's Chew Chew train twice...the little spiel that goes with it was different each time! Then the kids did the Tuck and Roll Buggies twice, The Ladybug Boogie twice, and Teiguen and I did Flik's Fliers. After that they wanted to play in the water AGAIN...LOL!
After a quick bathroom break, it was time for us to stake out a spot for the Electrical Light Parade. We found a great spot, and I went to pick up our photo that had been taken earlier that day by the Disney folk. When I got back the Wave Riders were parked right in front of the kids...playing beach music. They let kids play the drums during Wipe Out...of course Teiguen had to get in on that action. He thought he was pretty darned special, lol!
Both kids loved the parade! Again, Liam didn't remember this one from WDW...so it was something new to both boys!!
After the parade we grabbed the tram back to our hotel.
The boys wanted to swim, so we headed to the pool. The pool was great...the air was darned cold, lol! We swam for about 25 minutes and then went back to shower and jump in bed.
The kids loved watching the Disney preview channel to see all the things they'd done that day...but they were ready for lights-out almost right away!
DAY 4:
Day 4 meant we were back to Disneyland. We had Early Entry tickets, but wasted our time waiting for the tram, sigh. We ended up only have about 15 minutes, so we headed to Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, only to have the ride go down while we were in line.
As usual, Teiguen had a potty crisis, so we left the line, did the bathrooms, and went to Autopia where the boys got to ride without having to wait in line! Liam loved being able to really drive!
Next we headed to Fanstasyland. We did the teacups twice. The first time thru we were first in line...and Liam grabbed the gold teacup! Both boys were officially in heaven...Teiguen got to ride the gold Dumbo and Liam got to ride the gold Teacup. Funny what matters to kids!
After the teacups we got our Mickey ears...and the kids loved the mirror in the Matter Hatter's shop, lol!
The next stop was the Storybook Canal Boats. This is the only thing we did in our 4 days that I would suggest anyone skip. The kids did get to ride up on the bow...but still, I'm not sure who this ride really appeals to, other than Disneyphiles who have to do everything!
After that we rode Casey Jr. Teiguen was thrilled that we got to ride in an animal cage.
On the way out of Fantasyland we rode It's a Small World. I actually enjoy this ride, for the nostalgia if nothing else! Liam managed to survive it, despite it's decidedly uncoolness. Teiguen liked the color and sweetness of it. I would have gone again, but both boys had an eye on Toontown!
Once in Toontown, we went thru Mickey's house, exiting before we got to the que to wait to meet him. Then, we snuck in thru the back door to Minnie's. There was a looong line out front because Minnie was there greeting people. The kids had a ton of fun playing in the kitchen.
The boys then spent nearly a half hour on Donald's boat...I had to haul them off of it!
Teiguen wanted to ride Gadget's Go Coaster, so we spent 20 minutes waiting in line. I knew he'd hate it, but couldn't convince him, lol! He didn't cry or get hysterical, but he did let out several "ooohhhh!"s. When we got off he said, "I HATED that!". LOL!
Both boys were glad to spend a few minutes romping in Chip and Dale's treehouse!
Then we made our way to the Monorail station in Tomorrowland. We rode the Monorail to Downtown Disney.
Our first visit there was The ESPN Zone. I cannot say enough about their membership club! I showed my confirmation e-mail from them and they gave me a free mini-cooler, a coupon for $20 off anything, and a card with 40 free points for games in their Game Zone.
We had lunch there. I had a delicious Shrimp Caesar Salad. There must have been 25 shrimp in it...it was HUGE! I also ordered a side of garlic bread to share with Liam. Both boys had chicken strips and fries...the chicken in each kids meal was about 2 chicken breasts!!! We all had soda, and we split a milkshake. With the coupon, the total cost to me was $18!!!!
Then we went upstairs for their games...which are not like anything we'd seen elsewhere. For instance, they had a mini bowling alley and a game where the kids could ride a skateboard to do virtual skating! Our Disney tickets came with 30 points each, so the boys had a total of 130 points to use. Each game cost 7 to 16 points. They played for nearly an hour and still hadn't used all the points!!!!
I hauled them out of there to the Lego store. I filled a bucket with Lego pieces, intending for Teiguen to give it to Nicole. Nope, he claimed it as his own, lol! Luckily I got her a Lego Salt and Pepper shaker, too! The store there is not as elaborate as the one at The Mall of America, but the kids enjoyed the visit...and had their pics taken with a life-sized Lego Darth Vader!
Back onto the monorail we went...
Once back in Disneyland our first stop was the Buzz Lightyear ride. There wasn't much of a line, so we rode twice. We e-mailed ourselves photos of us riding! It frustrated Liam, but I beat his score both times, lol!
Next up, Innoventions for a second go. This time, we were smart and didn't stand thru the presentation...we just snuck off into the computer games right away. We ended up going back upstairs and the kids played virtual soccer again...and virtual hockey and virtual whack-a-mole, lol! The technology for those games seem pretty simple...I could see them being a big draw at local game places!
We were headed to Tom Sawyer's Island next, but it had already closed (sigh) so we went back and did the Jungle Cruise again. The line this time was looooonnnnggg!!!! Luckily, we had some fun folks in line around us and chatting with them helped to make it seem to go more quickly.
We got stuck on that side of the park due to the parade...so we went up Main Street to the Penny Arcade to squish some pennies, then use the bathrooms. I decided to cut across after the parade passed to try to go pick up our photos from our first day in Disneyland.
It was a great time...I cut thru the shops and there was NO LINE at the photo shop!!! 10 minutes later the parade cleared the Hub and the line was 40 people long within seconds!
By that time people had begun staking out spots for fireworks! We grabbed a bench on the inside right side of the Hub...right next to the walkway. Teiguen and I waited while Liam went to get popcorn and soda. Then Teiguen had a bathroom crisis and was cold...so we went to use the bathrooms in Adventureland and I had a good excuse to buy myself a 50th anniversary sweatshirt!
I have to say, once the fireworks were about to start, the Disney folks did a great job of clearing the walkway, and we had a clear view of the castle. We'd already seen the fireworks twice...but not from in front of the castle. This is a show that you MUST see from that viewpoint! It was fabulous! Teiguen couldn't stop talking about the smiley-face fireworks!
After the show ended we did a bit of shopping. A comment...why doesn't anywhere in Disneyland sell little boys socks? You can get girls, womens, and men's character socks, no boys! We all got matching retro 50th anniversary shirts. I got a mousepad for work, a Christmas ornament, and the earrings I'd been kicking myself for not getting when we were at WDW almost 6 years ago!
Since we hadn't had dinner, we walked to McDonalds. Teiguen fell asleep on the way, poor thing!
Once back to the hotel, Liam showered and hopped in bed. I packed so we'd be ready to check out first thing!
DAY 5:
This was our "do it again" day. We were in the gates when they opened around 8:30 and waiting at the end of Main Street for the rope drop.
First up, Buzz twice! Liam was so enthused about this that he wouldn't let me stop to e-mail photos, lol, so our best scores are lost!
Then the boys did Astro Orbiter twice, too.
After a stop by the bathrooms and a visit to Carnation Cafe to grab breakfast (which I'd suggest you skip...everything there is way too sweet!) we headed over to California Adventure to be in the line for the first ride of Soarin'!
We did the ride twice in a row...no wait for the first ride, about 15 minutes for the second.
Then, we headed back to Disneyland. First we hit the bathrooms (AGAIN!!! We did the grand tour of bathrooms!) then saw the Steve Martin movie about Disney's first 50 years. Both boys laughed thru the whole thing. I guess they've inherited either my sense of humor or my love of Steve Martin...or both, lol!
Next we headed to Tom Sawyer's Island. We spent about half an hour romping around there.
By then the boys were hungry so we stopped at the Stagedoor Cafe for lunch. We passed Woody 3 times...all three times he was rushing somewhere, so I didn't get my photo taken with him after all, sigh!
Next we went to Fantasyland. First we rode Pinnochio so Liam could see his nose glow in the dark, lol (the hand stamps glow under black lights...so as soon as he got his hand stamped, he rubbed it on his face!). He was sad that our camera wouldn't take a photo in the dark!
Then, we did the teacups again.
We could have spent another hour riding rides had I known how easy the trip back to the airport would be, but after the teacups we called it quits.
Liam hadn't spent his souvenir money, so we went to Main Street, watched the Mickey shorts, and Liam shopped. He ended up choosing a bow and arrow set and a 2 cd set of the music of Disneyland!
I got a t-shirt for our neighbor who watched the cats for us.
On the way out, we wanted to take our photo by the Mickey/50 floral design in the entry plaza. A nice family offered to take our photo...then we took theirs. Teiguen zonked out just about then. As we left, both Liam and I were in tears.
I've told him that I have considered moving to Florida after I retire just so I can work at WDW. I've done the tourist thing...8 years of it at the Royal Gorge...so I know what you're in for. But, I like that kind of work...making people's vacations a little more fun and interesting.
You know, I could easily see Liam going to work for Disney. He mentioned that he would love to live in Los Angeles. You never know. I wouldn't want to live in California, but it's a nice place to visit!
We grabbed the tram back, got our luggage, and waited for the transport company. The front desk had arranged a van transportation company called Jag to take us to the airport. It was the same price as a cab, but a little roomier. I'd suggest this company to anyone, but especially to large groups. While the cab just fit us comfortably, the van could easily transport 8 or 9 people plus luggage!
We got checked in and thru security with no problem...then had over an hour to wait until we could board our plane. The kids played with their souvenirs. I'd grabbed a Disneyland handheld video game system for Liam from California Adventure. He played that and Teiguen played Legos.
The first leg of our flight back went wonderfully. However, when we got to Denver, there was another plane still at the gate we were to use, so we had a short wait on the tarmac. That left us about 15 minutes before boarding the next plane. I rushed Teiguen to the bathroom and grabbed a small pizza, breadsticks, and mild for the boys' dinner.
When we got back to the waiting area, Liam told me they'd announced a delay. Turns out, the plane we were supposed to use had some sort of mechanical problem and was being pulled for maintenance. We had to wait for a plane coming in from San Francisco to land and be cleaned. So, after an hour on the ground, we were finally back in the air.
After a very bumpy flight, a wait for luggage, and a search for the car (I was a bit tired by that point!) we finally got home just after 1:30 a.m.!
I'm still tired, but not so tired that I'm not already thinking about where and when we'll do our next Disney vacation.
Disney Hong Kong opens this fall...and my friend's son and daughter-in-law live in Hong Kong.....
I'll keep you updated, lol!
Second...take extra sunglasses if you have small-fry. We lost a hat and two pairs of glasses in 5 days. Sigh. Replacements weren't terribly expensive, just inconvenient!
Third...the best thing I did was download the menus from all the various restaurants. I didn't have to spend time trying to find places that served what my kids wanted!
Fourth...the ESPN Zone! You MUST do this!!!! It's the only true bargain you'll find...but WOW!!! what a bargain it is! And it was so nice to have a fresh high-quality salad!
Finally...the Disney people are wonderful! From the tip about where to sit for Fantasmic (for free!!!) to adding to the entertainment with their silliness...I didn't think it was possible, but they made this trip as successful as our last Disney visit!
Now for my trip Journal:
May 28th - June 1st, 2005
DAY ONE:
I only got about 3 hours of sleep on Friday night, between trying to get packed, clean, etc. I was up at 4 on Saturday...I packed the car the night before so all I had to do was get the kids up and get going.
They've reconfigured the entrance to the airport since the last time we were there. As a result, we were in the wrong area to do the cheapie parking. I could have circled back, but decided to go ahead and do the spendy covered parking. With 2 kids and 3 suitcases and a stroller, it was easier to have my car right there outside the terminal!
The United workers here were very friendly and helpful. I'm still a bit confused as to why I couldn't use the tickets I already had...even if you go thru an agency and get paper tickets, you have to check in and print out tickets there at the airport!
We got there at just about the right time. Our flights out were wonderful. Both boys enjoyed them...which was nice! I wasn't much impressed by Denver's new airport. You had to go a looong way to find food, and then the lines were just too long. I managed to round up muffins and milk in time for our second leg of the flight.
Once we got to John Wayne I decided to forget about waiting for the Airport Bus...Teiguen was just too excited...so we took a cab.
The hotel staff was wonderful. They let us check in early and gave us a quieter room than the one we'd originally been assigned to. Plus, since I was traveling alone with kids, they gave me a bottom floor so I didn't have to haul luggage up stairs.
We got changed, I called the limo company to confirm times, and then we went across to Mimi's Cafe...the West Coast version of Bob Evan's. I had the Blue Crab cakes and the boys had chicken. All the food was great.
Our transport to Laguna Beach was right on time. We used a guy named Tony the Limo King, lol!!! On the way to the beach he sent a driver with a van since all the limos were in use. It was nice to get to see some scenery. If you took away the palm trees, it looks a lot like Colorado. The approach to the beach was beautiful. You go through foothills, then suddenly, there's the beach in front of you!
We spent 4 hours there. Liam was in the water the whole time. He got to see...luckily just SEE...a jellyfish, a starfish, and a small octopus. I was amazed how he took to the water! This was the kid who said he wouldn't go in the water because it was dirty, lol! He made friends with other kids there and they played nonstop.
Teiguen got knocked over by the first wave he went into, so he spent the afternoon either charging the waves, then running back laughing when they went over his feet, or throwing clumps of sand into the waves. He built some sand castles and played on the play equipment there.
That beach is a wonderful family-oriented place. There are public showers and bathrooms, a little store right there that sells and rents beach toys (so we really didn't need to haul buckets cross country, lol!) and places to grab take-out food and ice cream. Everyone on the beach was super nice. It was all families...even the teenagers were well behaved.
The shops in the area remind me of Manitou Springs, CO. It's very artsy, but in a friendly way.
I see that they had a major landslide there yesterday. Liam and I agreed that we wouldn't want to live in any of the houses perched on the hillside there. I guess there are nutty people everywhere...we have a whole new subdivision that went in just east of here in a flood plain.
Despite the chance that the homes on the hill may become beachfront property at any second, we'd definitely go back to Laguna Beach on our next visit to CA!!!!
Tony came back right on time to pick us up...with a limo this time. The kids loved it!
Poor Teiguen was so confused. As we went by Angel's Stadium he said he'd gone by there on a field trip with Miss Nicole. He just didn't get the distance issue!
After we got back to the hotel we had some cereal for dinner and the kids wanted to go to the pool to swim. We swam maybe half an hour...and they were zonked!
We showered and everyone was in bed by 8:30...which of course was really 10:30 our time!
DAY TWO
The gates opened at 9, so we got up about 7:30 and had breakfast in our room. I'd bought a pass for the tram, but we decided to go ahead and walk that first morning. It was much shorter than I'd expected, based on other people's reports.
For some reason, when they said a 9 a.m. opening, they meant it! They did a count-down and had a band and the Red Queen and flowers from Alice in Wonderland waiting on the other side of the gate.
We went back toward Critter Country. I had to ride the Haunted Mansion ride first, lol! Liam freaked out and wouldn't get on, but Teiguen and I enjoyed it! We were alone on the ride! Next we did Pooh. Again, we were first! It was cute, but very kiddish. The third ride we headed to was Pirates of the Caribbean. Teiguen loved the flumes...Liam hated the whole thing, or so he said. He's still talking about the cool room where the pirate on the ship is shooting at you, thought!
Next, we headed to the Jungle Cruise. The guide was very dead-pan. Liam laughed his head off all the way through! Then I let the boys explore Tarzan's tree house while I checked our schedule.
We were supposed to take the train to Toontown next, but the train wasn't running yet. So much for plans, lol!
We cut through Frontierland headed for Fantasyland. First we rode Peter Pan (and began Teiguen's traditional 2/3's of the way through the line cry of "I have to go potty!" Sheesh!). Both kids liked it. Then we did Pinnochio. Dumbo was next.
I was worried about Dumbo. Months ago I showed the kids some online photos...one was of the golden Dumbo. Teiguen told everyone he was going to ride the gold Dumbo. Uh-oh!
By this time it was after 11 and the lines were getting looong. They had brought out the white ropes...meaning lines were longer than normal. We waited and waited and waited...and as we got closer to the front, I realized that on every ride they were letting a group from the handicapped entrance on first.
Every time, the kids in that line were getting the gold Dumbo. I started trying to prepare Teiguen, not wanting fisticuffs or a meltdown.
It ended up that we were the first in line for our turn on Dumbo. They opened the handicapped gate, and lo and behold, it was just adults....who didn't take the gold Dumbo! As soon as our gate slid open Teiguen bolted...and got the gold Dumbo after all, lol!!! I couldn't decided if he was the luckiest kid in the universe or if I'm the luckiest mom! He LOVED the ride!
After exiting the ride we went to see the Snow White show. The boys didn't expect to enjoy a "girl" show, but they did! The special effects, especially the Magic Mirror and the Queen morphing into the old hag, were wonderful! Teiguen's favorite part was when they blew bubbles from the roof, lol! Both kids ended up really enjoying the show.
Next up was Toontown...Fantansyland had become sardine-land,
so it was time to move along! The boys played around with all the boxes and doorknobs, and then declared they were hungry. It was nearing 2 by then, so we made our way back to Frontierland and got in line for the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies show.
They have chicken strips and mozzarella strips, and HUGE cookies, so the kids were in heaven! The show was funny...but poor Liam got up to go to the bathroom and since we were in the front, they made fun of him. He was so embarrased he was in tears, sigh! He thought the show was hysterical, so that made up for the little glitch.
That was when we realized that whenever the question at Disneyland is "Where are the bathrooms?", the answer is, "Not here!"
Anyway, after the show people were already staking out spots for the Parade of Dreams. We did a bathroom break and pulled up a piece of curb on Main Street to wait it out.
The parade was absolutely wonderful! The golden train with Tink and Peter Pan stopped right in front of us. I think Peter Pan was Liam's favorite!!! The kids were singing and clapping along. Liam used nearly his whole roll of film during this one parade!
After the parade ended we headed back to our hotel for a nap. All of us needed it!
Around 7 pm we headed back to the park. First, we rode the Disneyland Railoroad all the way around the park. I'd made Teiguen walk by train after train all morning, and knew he'd have a meltdown if he didn't get to ride a train soon! Then we went to Innoventions. Liam was in HEAVEN! It is basicly every video game made by Disney...plus some cool new stuff.
Our favorite thing was a virtual sports field. They project the ball from above, and you run around and kick it! We played soccer...until Teiguen once again had a potty crisis!
Of course we had to leave Innoventions and go a ways away to find a bathroom. By then it was dark and we needed to head for Frontierland. The fireworks were starting, so there was a huge bottleneck. It took us probably 30 minutes to get from Tomorrowland to Frontierland!
The Disney Dining gal gave me a GREAT tip! We got to the Stagedoor cafe, parked our stroller, and pulled chairs up to the metal railing in the outside dining area there. Just before Fantasmic started they closed down the walkway, so the kids had a clear view for the show! I felt sorry for all the people standing...and especially those with little kids!
While waiting for the show to start we got to see the end of the fireworks.
After two false starts, they got Fantasmic going. What a Show!!! I think the WDW version still beats this one, but there they designed the whole area just for the show. At this one they had to fit it in to the existing park. Both kids loved the show...Teiguen had the same reaction Liam had the first time he saw the show...he couldn't stop talking about how Mickey saved us, lol!!!
After the show we headed out, decided to walk to McDonalds. We had a midnight dinner, lol!!! Both kids were seriously ready for bed that night!
DAY 3:
Next up: California Adventure.
I'd considered getting the kids up for the 9 a.m. opening of Disneyland, doing an hour there, then heading to CA. However, the 1 am bedtime the night before convinced me that a later start would be good!
We got up at 8, ate in the room, then grabbed the tram. We got to the park about 20 minutes early, but they were already letting people in! We went right to Soarin' and got in line for the first ride. Liam wasn't so sure about the whole thing...and Teiguen was a bit intimidated by a fly-over by the Blue Angels, but by the end of the first time, they insisted we go again!
A good thing, too, because on the way down the ramp, Liam realized he'd left his fanny pack...with his $50 cash and my camera in it...under the seat during the ride. Some honest soul had turned it in, and we got it back right away!!!
The second time through they both fell in love with this ride! It is absolutely amazing. I'd tell anyone going that they need to plan enough time to ride this one at least twice...if not more!
After the second time thru we headed to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. I quickly gave up on trying to follow the kids, and waited below, lol! They were too excited to slow down enough to let mom keep up! I let them romp about half an hour, and it was time to head to Ariel's Grotto for lunch.
This lunch was the best investment I made! We sat outside on their covered dining area that projects out into the water. We could watch everyone riding the rides in the Paradise Pier area...and had a family of ducks to entertain us. The ducklings were enchanting....
Shortly before our food arrived we were visited by Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Then Goofy...followed by Pluto. While we were eating Donald Duck showed up...and then Dale from Chip and Dale. Teiguen was a little hesitant, but after Pluto licked him on the head he was all giggles!
I had a salmon BLT, Liam had chicken strips, and Teiguen ordered but didn't eat a hotdog and mac and cheese. (He was having too much fun to eat!). At the end of our meal they brought us cotton candy...and the boys got involved in a conga line and limbo contest!!!
My children are so much like I was at that age...very inhibited. The nice thing about being old is that I can jump in a conga line and not give a hoot about what anyone thinks, lol!!!
After lunch Liam made his first find...a shop with make-your-own necklaces. He chose a 3-d Mickey head, a 3-d sorcerers hat with Mickey ears, and the letters for "Liam". Amazingly, this is the same type of souvenir he chose from WDW...there he chose beads with Dumbo, a Mickey dressed as a pirate, and the letters "WDW"!
Then we headed to Flik's Fun Fair. The kids played in the water and Liam rode some rides. We tried Tough to Be a Bug, but once again Liam freaked out and we left half way thru the show! He did ride the Tuck-n-Roll buggies and the Ladybug Boogie, and loved them. Teiguen was in a funk...I think he was just plain tired...and chose to watch rather than ride.
After that we headed across the park to see Aladdin. What a production!!! We took seats in the back row of the orchestra section...a serendipitous choice! This is a major stage production...the elephant and flying carpet effects were amazing! During the "Prince Ali" sequence, a performer wearing a unicorn costume had the unicorn kiss Teiguen on the head! That's all he talked about all day long...it made his day!!!
Liam admitted that he thought he wouldn't like the stage shows, but he loved both Snow White and Aladdin! Our next stop was Playhouse Disney. Teiguen wasn't sure about Bear...Bear is rather large. But, he enjoyed the rest of the show. Kudos to Disney for putting a bathroom in this theatre!
Our next stop was soda and fries...and we headed to Who Wants to be a Millionaire. It was down
so we chose to go to Muppets 3-D next. Talk about a hit!!! Liam didn't remember the show from when we did WDW...so it was "new" to both kids. They laughed thru the whole thing! By then it was time to stake out an area for the Block Party Bash. While Liam held our spots, Teiguen and I went shopping. I got a box full of accessories for Mr. Potato Head. Teiguen helped me shop, lol, so we ended up with doubles of some things. When I thought the box was full the gals working there assured me it wasn't, and helped me cram 5 or 6 more items into it!!!
Teiguen picked out a Buzz and Woody metal car as his souvenir. He wanted a train, but they had sold out of 50th anniversary trains, sigh!
The parade was fun...we were near the Bugs Life float. It's very high energy...I embarassed the kids by dancing along! At the end they shoot out little Nerf balls that say Block Party Bash. Liam got one...a free souvenir!
After the parade we took the long way around to Paradise Pier. The kids rode the Jumpin Jellyfish. About the time they got on, the parade made it to that area, so we got to see the front float, too.
Then they played in the little water attraction there. I had to pry them away from there to go ride the Sun Wheel. A great tip...the fixed cars load from the exit, and, while there was a line of people waiting for the moving cars, we got right on! Teiguen loved this ride. Heights make Liam nervous, but he was fine.
By this time the kids were hungry again, so we stopped at Strips, Dips,and Chips. The kids got chicken and I got an apple and caramel sauce,
! So much for healthy eating! Teiguen was finally out of his grumps, so we went back to Flik's Fun Fair. We rode Heimlich's Chew Chew train twice...the little spiel that goes with it was different each time! Then the kids did the Tuck and Roll Buggies twice, The Ladybug Boogie twice, and Teiguen and I did Flik's Fliers. After that they wanted to play in the water AGAIN...LOL!
After a quick bathroom break, it was time for us to stake out a spot for the Electrical Light Parade. We found a great spot, and I went to pick up our photo that had been taken earlier that day by the Disney folk. When I got back the Wave Riders were parked right in front of the kids...playing beach music. They let kids play the drums during Wipe Out...of course Teiguen had to get in on that action. He thought he was pretty darned special, lol!
Both kids loved the parade! Again, Liam didn't remember this one from WDW...so it was something new to both boys!!
After the parade we grabbed the tram back to our hotel.
The boys wanted to swim, so we headed to the pool. The pool was great...the air was darned cold, lol! We swam for about 25 minutes and then went back to shower and jump in bed.
The kids loved watching the Disney preview channel to see all the things they'd done that day...but they were ready for lights-out almost right away!
DAY 4:
Day 4 meant we were back to Disneyland. We had Early Entry tickets, but wasted our time waiting for the tram, sigh. We ended up only have about 15 minutes, so we headed to Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, only to have the ride go down while we were in line.
As usual, Teiguen had a potty crisis, so we left the line, did the bathrooms, and went to Autopia where the boys got to ride without having to wait in line! Liam loved being able to really drive!
Next we headed to Fanstasyland. We did the teacups twice. The first time thru we were first in line...and Liam grabbed the gold teacup! Both boys were officially in heaven...Teiguen got to ride the gold Dumbo and Liam got to ride the gold Teacup. Funny what matters to kids!
After the teacups we got our Mickey ears...and the kids loved the mirror in the Matter Hatter's shop, lol!
The next stop was the Storybook Canal Boats. This is the only thing we did in our 4 days that I would suggest anyone skip. The kids did get to ride up on the bow...but still, I'm not sure who this ride really appeals to, other than Disneyphiles who have to do everything!
After that we rode Casey Jr. Teiguen was thrilled that we got to ride in an animal cage.
On the way out of Fantasyland we rode It's a Small World. I actually enjoy this ride, for the nostalgia if nothing else! Liam managed to survive it, despite it's decidedly uncoolness. Teiguen liked the color and sweetness of it. I would have gone again, but both boys had an eye on Toontown!
Once in Toontown, we went thru Mickey's house, exiting before we got to the que to wait to meet him. Then, we snuck in thru the back door to Minnie's. There was a looong line out front because Minnie was there greeting people. The kids had a ton of fun playing in the kitchen.
The boys then spent nearly a half hour on Donald's boat...I had to haul them off of it!
Teiguen wanted to ride Gadget's Go Coaster, so we spent 20 minutes waiting in line. I knew he'd hate it, but couldn't convince him, lol! He didn't cry or get hysterical, but he did let out several "ooohhhh!"s. When we got off he said, "I HATED that!". LOL!
Both boys were glad to spend a few minutes romping in Chip and Dale's treehouse!
Then we made our way to the Monorail station in Tomorrowland. We rode the Monorail to Downtown Disney.
Our first visit there was The ESPN Zone. I cannot say enough about their membership club! I showed my confirmation e-mail from them and they gave me a free mini-cooler, a coupon for $20 off anything, and a card with 40 free points for games in their Game Zone.
We had lunch there. I had a delicious Shrimp Caesar Salad. There must have been 25 shrimp in it...it was HUGE! I also ordered a side of garlic bread to share with Liam. Both boys had chicken strips and fries...the chicken in each kids meal was about 2 chicken breasts!!! We all had soda, and we split a milkshake. With the coupon, the total cost to me was $18!!!!
Then we went upstairs for their games...which are not like anything we'd seen elsewhere. For instance, they had a mini bowling alley and a game where the kids could ride a skateboard to do virtual skating! Our Disney tickets came with 30 points each, so the boys had a total of 130 points to use. Each game cost 7 to 16 points. They played for nearly an hour and still hadn't used all the points!!!!
I hauled them out of there to the Lego store. I filled a bucket with Lego pieces, intending for Teiguen to give it to Nicole. Nope, he claimed it as his own, lol! Luckily I got her a Lego Salt and Pepper shaker, too! The store there is not as elaborate as the one at The Mall of America, but the kids enjoyed the visit...and had their pics taken with a life-sized Lego Darth Vader!
Back onto the monorail we went...
Once back in Disneyland our first stop was the Buzz Lightyear ride. There wasn't much of a line, so we rode twice. We e-mailed ourselves photos of us riding! It frustrated Liam, but I beat his score both times, lol!
Next up, Innoventions for a second go. This time, we were smart and didn't stand thru the presentation...we just snuck off into the computer games right away. We ended up going back upstairs and the kids played virtual soccer again...and virtual hockey and virtual whack-a-mole, lol! The technology for those games seem pretty simple...I could see them being a big draw at local game places!
We were headed to Tom Sawyer's Island next, but it had already closed (sigh) so we went back and did the Jungle Cruise again. The line this time was looooonnnnggg!!!! Luckily, we had some fun folks in line around us and chatting with them helped to make it seem to go more quickly.
We got stuck on that side of the park due to the parade...so we went up Main Street to the Penny Arcade to squish some pennies, then use the bathrooms. I decided to cut across after the parade passed to try to go pick up our photos from our first day in Disneyland.
It was a great time...I cut thru the shops and there was NO LINE at the photo shop!!! 10 minutes later the parade cleared the Hub and the line was 40 people long within seconds!
By that time people had begun staking out spots for fireworks! We grabbed a bench on the inside right side of the Hub...right next to the walkway. Teiguen and I waited while Liam went to get popcorn and soda. Then Teiguen had a bathroom crisis and was cold...so we went to use the bathrooms in Adventureland and I had a good excuse to buy myself a 50th anniversary sweatshirt!
I have to say, once the fireworks were about to start, the Disney folks did a great job of clearing the walkway, and we had a clear view of the castle. We'd already seen the fireworks twice...but not from in front of the castle. This is a show that you MUST see from that viewpoint! It was fabulous! Teiguen couldn't stop talking about the smiley-face fireworks!
After the show ended we did a bit of shopping. A comment...why doesn't anywhere in Disneyland sell little boys socks? You can get girls, womens, and men's character socks, no boys! We all got matching retro 50th anniversary shirts. I got a mousepad for work, a Christmas ornament, and the earrings I'd been kicking myself for not getting when we were at WDW almost 6 years ago!
Since we hadn't had dinner, we walked to McDonalds. Teiguen fell asleep on the way, poor thing!
Once back to the hotel, Liam showered and hopped in bed. I packed so we'd be ready to check out first thing!
DAY 5:
This was our "do it again" day. We were in the gates when they opened around 8:30 and waiting at the end of Main Street for the rope drop.
First up, Buzz twice! Liam was so enthused about this that he wouldn't let me stop to e-mail photos, lol, so our best scores are lost!
Then the boys did Astro Orbiter twice, too.
After a stop by the bathrooms and a visit to Carnation Cafe to grab breakfast (which I'd suggest you skip...everything there is way too sweet!) we headed over to California Adventure to be in the line for the first ride of Soarin'!
We did the ride twice in a row...no wait for the first ride, about 15 minutes for the second.
Then, we headed back to Disneyland. First we hit the bathrooms (AGAIN!!! We did the grand tour of bathrooms!) then saw the Steve Martin movie about Disney's first 50 years. Both boys laughed thru the whole thing. I guess they've inherited either my sense of humor or my love of Steve Martin...or both, lol!
Next we headed to Tom Sawyer's Island. We spent about half an hour romping around there.
By then the boys were hungry so we stopped at the Stagedoor Cafe for lunch. We passed Woody 3 times...all three times he was rushing somewhere, so I didn't get my photo taken with him after all, sigh!
Next we went to Fantasyland. First we rode Pinnochio so Liam could see his nose glow in the dark, lol (the hand stamps glow under black lights...so as soon as he got his hand stamped, he rubbed it on his face!). He was sad that our camera wouldn't take a photo in the dark!
Then, we did the teacups again.
We could have spent another hour riding rides had I known how easy the trip back to the airport would be, but after the teacups we called it quits.
Liam hadn't spent his souvenir money, so we went to Main Street, watched the Mickey shorts, and Liam shopped. He ended up choosing a bow and arrow set and a 2 cd set of the music of Disneyland!
I got a t-shirt for our neighbor who watched the cats for us.
On the way out, we wanted to take our photo by the Mickey/50 floral design in the entry plaza. A nice family offered to take our photo...then we took theirs. Teiguen zonked out just about then. As we left, both Liam and I were in tears.
I've told him that I have considered moving to Florida after I retire just so I can work at WDW. I've done the tourist thing...8 years of it at the Royal Gorge...so I know what you're in for. But, I like that kind of work...making people's vacations a little more fun and interesting.
You know, I could easily see Liam going to work for Disney. He mentioned that he would love to live in Los Angeles. You never know. I wouldn't want to live in California, but it's a nice place to visit!
We grabbed the tram back, got our luggage, and waited for the transport company. The front desk had arranged a van transportation company called Jag to take us to the airport. It was the same price as a cab, but a little roomier. I'd suggest this company to anyone, but especially to large groups. While the cab just fit us comfortably, the van could easily transport 8 or 9 people plus luggage!
We got checked in and thru security with no problem...then had over an hour to wait until we could board our plane. The kids played with their souvenirs. I'd grabbed a Disneyland handheld video game system for Liam from California Adventure. He played that and Teiguen played Legos.
The first leg of our flight back went wonderfully. However, when we got to Denver, there was another plane still at the gate we were to use, so we had a short wait on the tarmac. That left us about 15 minutes before boarding the next plane. I rushed Teiguen to the bathroom and grabbed a small pizza, breadsticks, and mild for the boys' dinner.
When we got back to the waiting area, Liam told me they'd announced a delay. Turns out, the plane we were supposed to use had some sort of mechanical problem and was being pulled for maintenance. We had to wait for a plane coming in from San Francisco to land and be cleaned. So, after an hour on the ground, we were finally back in the air.
After a very bumpy flight, a wait for luggage, and a search for the car (I was a bit tired by that point!) we finally got home just after 1:30 a.m.!
I'm still tired, but not so tired that I'm not already thinking about where and when we'll do our next Disney vacation.
Disney Hong Kong opens this fall...and my friend's son and daughter-in-law live in Hong Kong.....
I'll keep you updated, lol!
