Coming to Reverse Maleficent's Curse! A 16th Birthday to Disneyland PTR (COMPLETE)

[PlutosRHM55]

The Prince shall indeed grow in strength and wisdom,
Beloved by all who know him.
But, before the sunsets on his sixteenth birthday,
He shall prick his finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die!
~
It's Incredible! Sixteen years and not a trace of him!
He couldn't have vanished into thin air!
Are you sure you searched everywhere?​

It seems in some strange twist of fate, Maleficent is now searching for a 16 year old male, not a female. I think that takes the Beauty out of "Sleeping Beauty", I wonder what they will have to rename the move to now... Hmmm... Or maybe this is just a slight change of script for someone's own personal reasons... we may never know... (;

I'll just start discussing this trip I'm planning to go on to the Happiest Place on Earth while we try to uncover this mystery. Some introductions I think are in order:

Me on the PeopleMover, I will miss it dearly in DLR<3

My name's Timmy and I will be the resident PTR writer here. Like most people on here, I am a Disney Freak, though I'm not entirely sure, but I could be the worst. If there was an insane asylum for us, I would be in the Isolation Ward for the worst of us. I can turn any conversation into something about Disney. I can find any Disney reference within any sentence you may say. My friends can probably concur to this. I'm also very new to the world of Disney Geekdom. My first trip was just over a year ago, you can read about it here: When I First Felt the Magic... FINALLY! An April 2010 TR. And then I went again with Chorus and Band, you can read about that here: Cheerleaders! Blisters! Oversized Water Bottles! ...It Must Be Disney! A February 2011 TR. There also is a buddy PTR to this one since this trip originally wasn't supposed to be in Disneyland. You can read all about how this all changed around here: Even Miracles Take A Little Time... A Beyond Birthdays PTR. Besides Disney, my favorite TV show is Glee, my favorite song (as of now) is Candles by Hey Monday, my favorite non-Disney movie is (as of now) is The Blind Side, my favorite book is City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (I LOVE to read (and write!)) my favorite sport is swimming and my favorite hobby is writing. I think that sums me up! Here are some of my Disney favorites:

Favorite Disney Park: Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World
Favorite Disney Character: Sebastian
Favorite Disney Movie: The Lion King/Princess & the Frog
Favorite Disney Hero: Quasimodo
Favorite Disney Heroine: Tiana/Belle
Favorite Disney Song: Almost There/Go The Distance
Favorite of the Big Five: Pluto
Favorite Disney Attraction: Expedition Everest (Sad it won't be in DLR)
Favorite Disney Villain: Maleficent

Now, for my Trip Companions...

Yeah, this is the only photo I have in my possession of Nate in Disney.

This is Nate. If I had to pick one best friend, my closest friend, it would be him. We are so much alike and share the same interests. He is my co-conspirator in the planning of this trip, he was really edging me on to do this. Also, this trip is a way for me to see him through the school year since he moved recently to Pennsylvania and I won't see him at all, so this was another way of meeting up with him to catch up. He enjoys Disney and is very good when it comes to planning, so he will help keep on task. Besides Disney, Nate loves computers and video games, his favorite TV show is Heroes, his favorite music is... well he seems to be really liking Maroon 5 at the moment, his favorite book (like me he LOVES to read) is The Hunger Games/Percy Jackson series and his favorite non-Disney movie... I'm actually not sure of this one, I'll have to ask. I would give you his Disney favorites, but I'll ask him those later, I may have mentioned them in my last TR since he was featured in it...

My next companion is...

On the Magical Express, will miss this dearly too :'(

This is Jocelyn. As I said before, Nate, out of all my friends would be my best friend, but if it was down to how long we've known each other, Jocelyn would take the cake. We've been friends since 1st Grade (maybe before?) and have been very close all those years. We've been in and out of friendships, but we still remain friends. She does enjoy Disney and out of us three teens going on this trip, she has been the most to a Disney park. I think she has been to Disney World... 5 or 4 times, I might have miscounted and is supposed to go again this year. She also is a bit harder to please, she isn't a very nostalgic person, but all for thrills, but I hope to change that in her by taking her to Disneyland, the Cheesegasmic Extravaganza, full of nostalgia! Besides Disney, she is obsessed with basketball, anything to do with basketball. Along with that, she is very sporty, her favorite TV show is Big Time Rush (Eck!), her favorite book (she enjoys reading too) is Twilight, her favorite singer is Lil Wayne and her favorite non-Disney move is 17 Again, I have a feeling. I'm a bit more sure of her Disney favorites, but I don't know them all, so I'll add them later. She is featured in my last TR too, so maybe I said some there :/

Last, but not least, the person who is helping me make this all happen and will be joining us for most of the shenanigans...

She is the one on the left, if you didn't know. Taken at Crystal Palace.

This is my mom. Probably one of very few people who really takes the most kindly to my new obsession with Disney. I think because she loves the place too, but agrees with my dad on the fact, there are more places than Disney. She has traveled a lot through work in her old job and has been to many, many places across the United States and the Islands of Central America. Out of the main players in this PTR, she is the only one to have gone to Disneyland. She doesn't remember it vividly as with taking a trip to WDW, but said she has been there or at least California. She basically finds the good in anything, which translates to rides, so simply put, she's an optomist. She also is pretty funny on the thrill rides, which will make for some pretty funny stories lemme tell ya. Outside of joining this adventure to DLR, my mom works as a Learning Specialist and Para Professional at a neighboring town's school, been doing Para work for... almost 5 or 4 years and Learning Specialist for 2 years. She loves to have fun and always takes risks because she knows she will regret not doing something everyone else does. Her favorite TV Show is the Real Housewives of Orange County (ironically where we are going), her favorite book (she has loved books her whole life) is... well, anything by Barbara Delinsky, her favorite song is Super Bass by Nicki Minaj and her favorite non-Disney movie is... I don't know this either, I will have to ask. And like everyone else I will post the Disney favorites later, but you can read about some of them in my first TR.

So, that is the main cast. We may have Nate's mom, my sisters and my dad join along, but they may go off on their own or Nate will fly on his own, we aren't sure. What we are sure of is the trip, as of now, will be from April 22nd to April 26th. No hotels chosen or booked, nothing is booked actually, but April vacation is what we are looking at. I will talk about the plans I've formed in my head for the 5 days later. For now...

Have A Magical Day!


_________________________________________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction- Above
Plans: Practically Perfect In Every Way- Page 2
Here You Leave Today And Enter Into The World of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy (Main Street and Fantasyland To-Do's)-Page 4
Hakuna Matata! Just Going Down the Bayou (Movies, Mascots and More)- Page 5
Making Memories! Taking Videos is... Making Memories (Camcorder Search and The Other Trip Decision)- Page 5
Quick Update- Page 7
Triple Mountain Whammy!- Page 7
O' Canada!- Page 8
Coming Back to M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!- Page 8
For We Need A Little Christmas... And a Happy New Year!- Page 9
And The Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down (Life and Disney Trips)- Page 9
Patience is a Virtue and is a Blessing (BIG Announcement)- Page 10
Post Disney 1 Year and Going Strong (Life Update)- Page 10
When In Need of a Disney Rant...- Page 10
Off to Quebec... What Next?- Page 11
Trip Report Name Decision- Page 11
How D'You Do? Time to Keep Moving Along... (LAST UPDATE!)- Page 12​

 

[Jazzabelle508]

Hi Timmy, just found this PTR and i'm in I'm excited to hear all about your plans!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I love your TR Timmy!!

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Hi Timmy, just found this PTR and i'm in I'm excited to hear all about your plans!

Hi Jenny! Glad you could join in!

I love your TR Timmy!!

Thanks!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Is this your first trip to Disneyland Timmy?

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Is this your first trip to Disneyland Timmy?

Yup, I'm very excited

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

If you have any questions, please pm me.

 

[Tink2Day]

Interesting change of plans.

I may convince my grandson to come on since he has been to Disneyland Park and Disney California many times.


As for me? Well I first went to Disneyland when it opened. Went every year thereafter for many decades. I saw the new adventures open, old ones close (Like the PeopleMover). Saw the debut of the Electric Parade there. Even met Walt Disney and sat next to him for a few hours.

I will tell you that it is different there. More intimate, more compact. The crowds can be outrageous at times. I would suppose that is due to a lot of attractions packed into two parks rather than four but minus a number of things at WDW plus some things unique to Disneyland (The Matterhorn, Alice In Wonderland and Indiana Jones to mention a few). The fact that the Monorail actually goes into the park and stops in Tomorrowland is really neat.
You will just have to judge for yourself. I'll be interested to see what your comparisons are if you get to go.

But there is a lot to see, even if it's just sightseeing driving up the coast or going to the surfing towns.
The one thing different from Florida and California is the distance between the various non Disney parks and the lack of free transportation or even reasonably priced transport. I think the last time we went to Universal from Disneyland it took a couple of hours?? Don't remember but I really must say the Universal Parks in Florida were superior to CA, except they actually filmed/film movies at the one in CA. WWOHP just wowed me in FLA though.
I've found, when we didn't drive, that a rental car is a must. Be prepared for HUGE amounts of traffic, people and long commutes if you go anywhere away from the Disney area.
The opinions in the familiy differ. One likes WDW while I prefer Disneyland. But we both grew up going to Disneyland.
Hope you get to go and write all about it! THAT will be an interesting trip report.

 

[PlutosRHM55]

If you have any questions, please pm me.

Alright, thanks!

Interesting change of plans.

I may convince my grandson to come on since he has been to Disneyland Park and Disney California many times.


As for me? Well I first went to Disneyland when it opened. Went every year thereafter for many decades. I saw the new adventures open, old ones close (Like the PeopleMover). Saw the debut of the Electric Parade there. Even met Walt Disney and sat next to him for a few hours.

I will tell you that it is different there. More intimate, more compact. The crowds can be outrageous at times. I would suppose that is due to a lot of attractions packed into two parks rather than four but minus a number of things at WDW plus some things unique to Disneyland (The Matterhorn, Alice In Wonderland and Indiana Jones to mention a few). The fact that the Monorail actually goes into the park and stops in Tomorrowland is really neat.
You will just have to judge for yourself. I'll be interested to see what your comparisons are if you get to go.

But there is a lot to see, even if it's just sightseeing driving up the coast or going to the surfing towns.
The one thing different from Florida and California is the distance between the various non Disney parks and the lack of free transportation or even reasonably priced transport. I think the last time we went to Universal from Disneyland it took a couple of hours?? Don't remember but I really must say the Universal Parks in Florida were superior to CA, except they actually filmed/film movies at the one in CA. WWOHP just wowed me in FLA though.
I've found, when we didn't drive, that a rental car is a must. Be prepared for HUGE amounts of traffic, people and long commutes if you go anywhere away from the Disney area.
The opinions in the familiy differ. One likes WDW while I prefer Disneyland. But we both grew up going to Disneyland.
Hope you get to go and write all about it! THAT will be an interesting trip report.

Firstly, Glad you are joining in over here

Oh... wow! I must bow down to you right now I can't believe you've been to DLR so many times for so many years. You even met THE Walt Disney. That is pretty cool, something most of us DisFreaks dreamed we could've done and you did. And that must've been sad to see the PeopleMover go... I'm so sad I won't be able to ride it, it's one of my favorites in WDW and it's not in DLR Tomorrowland seems less and less for me at DL versus how it becomes more and more at WDW, very strange...

I've heard that and I'm excited to see and feel the differences. I mean, it's the same Disney magic, but two different places and I want to see how it works it's magic there versus in WDW. I love the fact though it is more compact and intimate, while I love the fact WDW is so big and there's so much in front of you, it can become overwhelming while DLR thinking about it relaxes me. I've also heard the characters roam freely without handlers, so that's pretty awesome too

Yeah, I've been reading some of the DLR TRs trying to get a feel for how the place is, as well as DCA and it does seem like there are more traffic problems. I'm hoping this won't hinder us too much, though I've also heard, getting from a nearby hotel to the parks is no trouble. So I will definitely have to plan separate days for other California attractions It will definitely be interesting to see how I come out of DLR, having been to the two original Disney theme parks.

I'm really hoping to go and it seems even if I don't go for the sweet 16, it will happen over the summer on a TWO WEEK trip, so I'm wicked excited! I can't wait to share the experience with everyone on here

 

[StephaniexMarie]

I'm here! That's so exciting you changed to Disneyland. We'll both be learning about the place now! I'm very jealous your birthday is sooner than mine, but at least I'll get to read your TR before I go! I can't wait to hear your plans

 

[wdwgirl03]

Anxious to hear how your planning turns out. I'm dying to get back to Disneyland!

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I'm here! That's so exciting you changed to Disneyland. We'll both be learning about the place now! I'm very jealous your birthday is sooner than mine, but at least I'll get to read your TR before I go! I can't wait to hear your plans

Stephanie! Glad you could join in

Yeah, I'm so excited. I kinda had it at the back of my mind when you mentioned about how low the prices were for the Good Neighbor Hotels in Disneyland are, so when my mom said "I don't think we can go to WDW this year", I went right on it and discovered how it only cost so much, so that was pretty exciting. Hopefully there will be some discounts on tickets though since they are quite high, but we'll see. And YES! I'm so glad we'll both be able to help each other out with this. Like I didn't even know about the Soda Fountain Shop and Studio Store, so I got to check that out, because it's right smack dab on HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, THE HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD I wish our birthdays were around the same time so we could meet up, that would be very fun, as two newbies take on... the Land lol I'll be updating with plans ASAP! =D

Anxious to hear how your planning turns out. I'm dying to get back to Disneyland!

Sarah, glad you could join in!

I hope you get to go back! I actually may be going back soon after for a two week vacation (not just DLR, but whatever ), sorry just had to plug that in there, I'm so random.

 

[kaoden39]

I am joining in. I am anxious to hear what you think of Disneyland. Especially the rides that are the same yet different. Like the Pirates of Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. Interestingly enough the tracks for the People Mover are all still there.

 

[mimiloveswdw]

Here!! Love the introduction Sleeping Beauty is one of favorites!

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I am joining in. I am anxious to hear what you think of Disneyland. Especially the rides that are the same yet different. Like the Pirates of Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. Interestingly enough the tracks for the People Mover are all still there.

, Glad you could join in!

I can't wait to experience those differences. I think that's what interests me most about DLR is how the place can have the same rides, but yet they are still different. I really can't wait to do POTC, that is the #1 ride I wish to do Oh, that's so cool! If only they would bring it back then I wouldn't be mourning it while I was there WAH!

Here!! Love the introduction Sleeping Beauty is one of favorites!

, Erin! Glad you could join in!

Oh I love Sleeping Beauty, that was my childhood favorite Disney movie And Maleficent has been one of my favorite characters FOREVER!

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Alright, thanks!

Your welcome Timmy. My name is in my siggy.

 

[kaoden39]

, Glad you could join in!

I can't wait to experience those differences. I think that's what interests me most about DLR is how the place can have the same rides, but yet they are still different. I really can't wait to do POTC, that is the #1 ride I wish to do Oh, that's so cool! If only they would bring it back then I wouldn't be mourning it while I was there WAH!



, Erin! Glad you could join in!

Oh I love Sleeping Beauty, that was my childhood favorite Disney movie And Maleficent has been one of my favorite characters FOREVER!

I constantly mourn it when I am there. I live in hopes that they will bring it back. I miss a couple of other rides that are long gone like the Carousel of Progress. I guess I need to plan a trip to WDW!! But right now I will be happy with my February trip to DLR.

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Your welcome Timmy. My name is in my siggy.

Okay, Kaitlin Sorry didn't notice it at first.

I constantly mourn it when I am there. I live in hopes that they will bring it back. I miss a couple of other rides that are long gone like the Carousel of Progress. I guess I need to plan a trip to WDW!! But right now I will be happy with my February trip to DLR.

Well DLR is the original and has been there longer than WDW, but yeah definitely try to plan a trip to WDW. Carousel of Progress and the People Mover are two of my favorite rides, one reason worth going to WDW, along with the other parks But I can't wait to go to DLR

 

[kaoden39]

It's only been a little over six months since I was last at DLR and I can hardly wait for my next trip.

 

[fastergoofy]

Oh my goodness. The original post is too adorable. I hope you and your friends have the most magical trip ever! 16 is supposed to be a fun birthday! (My daughter had a pirate party for hers.)