DonnaS
Ratsrule & CathyCanada-- 2 who are greatly missed
- Joined
- Aug 18, 1999
Adventurers:
Donna.... trip reporter and veteran Disneyland guest but first time DCA guest!
Roger... DH of Donna who also is a Disneyland veteran but first time DCA guest. Roger had been diagnosed with an illness a month before and we weren't quite sure how he would do on this trip...
Thursday, July 5, 2001
We got up around 8am and dressed and headed down for the complimentary continental breakfast. As usual, the Candy Cane breakfast included 3 types of cereal, bread, muffins, bagels, fresh fruit, juice, coffee, etc. We then finished getting ready and caught the shuttle. The day was rather overcast but warm. Our plan was to head to Splash Mountain and get a Fast Pass. We did this and got one for 30 minutes later at 1020am. In the interim we rode Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean then at 1020 went and got a Fast Pass for Indiana Jones for 1110am before heading back to Splash. We got wet on Splash but not as wet as at Grizzly River Run yesterday. We were having a much more productive day than the day before and Roger was feeling better.
We rode the train around the park after Pirates and got off in Tomorrowland. While in Tomorrowland it began to pour. We took shelter and then went and got Fast Passes for Space Mountain for 1215. We headed over and rode Indiana Jones (we practically walked on with the Fast Pass) and then killed time until we went back to ride Space Mountain. The ride broke down while we were about 20 people from riding but it came back up very quickly. This ride is great; it's rougher than Screamin' but the music and speed are great. It is much better than the one at Disney World.
We had decided we'd have lunch at Downtown Disney and head back to the hotel for Roger to rest. He said he was feeling pretty good. Still fatigued but no pain today. We enjoyed walking through Downtown Disney and headed for ESPN where Roger had the Zone Burger and I had a Turkey Burger. They were great! Both burgers were huge and we had no room to try the dessert afterwards.
We window shopped our way towards the World of Disney and did some souvenir shopping before catching the bus back to the Hotel. We also peaked around inside the Grand Californian. It is much like the Wilderness Lodge but less rustic. It is gorgeous with gorgeous wooden floors and stairs and beautiful stonework.
Some things we noticed: Disneyland really has come a long way in creating an "on property" feel. One reason we had never stayed at a Disneyland Resort hotel was the lack of that feel. The addition of Downtown Disney and of course DCA has changed that. It's still not WDW but it's so much better than it was.
Roger agreed that next time we could splurge and stay at the Grand Californian with a DCA view room. Yeah!!!
We rested for a couple of hours and then returned to Disneyland via the shuttle around 6pm. We showed our hand stamps and re-entered the park. The weather had cooled but we were still comfortable in shorts and short sleeve shirts. We wanted ice cream but the line was long at the Main Street ice cream shop so we headed for Clarabelle's Yogurt in Toontown. Unfortunately it was closed. Since Roger Rabbit was still closed after the accident several months ago we headed out to It's a Small World and rode it and then had ice cream bars.
We rode Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and a partial trip around on the train. We spent a lot time people watching in Frontierland and then found a nice bench and sat for an hour waiting for the fireworks at 925pm. We were laughing because there was a woman behind us who kept talking and talking and then kept complaining about people who never shut up! Unfortunately from the spot we found the fireworks were obstructed by a tree. We had lovely view of the castle but the fireworks were more to the left so we had to move. After the fireworks we went to wait for Fantasmic. We found a spot behind the rope pretty much dead center.
Oh, how our feet hurt with people crowding us and sitting around us such that we could barely move our legs. We decided right then that next time we see Fantasmic we'll have to do the Dessert Buffet again. It is so nice to be so much more comfortable. We love Fantasmic at DL and don't really care for the one at MGM too much. We like the charm of the venue and the fact that they use the Columbia and Mark Twain and it seems like the action is so much closer to the audience too.
After Fantasmic we turned around and rode Pirates until the crowd let out. Then it was our favorite time of the day. The weather was comfortable and the crowd had let up. We headed for Fantasyland and it was much nicer (less crowded). We rode Peter Pan and Snow White and just strolled around before heading back to the room around midnight.
Donna.... trip reporter and veteran Disneyland guest but first time DCA guest!
Roger... DH of Donna who also is a Disneyland veteran but first time DCA guest. Roger had been diagnosed with an illness a month before and we weren't quite sure how he would do on this trip...
Thursday, July 5, 2001
We got up around 8am and dressed and headed down for the complimentary continental breakfast. As usual, the Candy Cane breakfast included 3 types of cereal, bread, muffins, bagels, fresh fruit, juice, coffee, etc. We then finished getting ready and caught the shuttle. The day was rather overcast but warm. Our plan was to head to Splash Mountain and get a Fast Pass. We did this and got one for 30 minutes later at 1020am. In the interim we rode Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean then at 1020 went and got a Fast Pass for Indiana Jones for 1110am before heading back to Splash. We got wet on Splash but not as wet as at Grizzly River Run yesterday. We were having a much more productive day than the day before and Roger was feeling better.
We rode the train around the park after Pirates and got off in Tomorrowland. While in Tomorrowland it began to pour. We took shelter and then went and got Fast Passes for Space Mountain for 1215. We headed over and rode Indiana Jones (we practically walked on with the Fast Pass) and then killed time until we went back to ride Space Mountain. The ride broke down while we were about 20 people from riding but it came back up very quickly. This ride is great; it's rougher than Screamin' but the music and speed are great. It is much better than the one at Disney World.
We had decided we'd have lunch at Downtown Disney and head back to the hotel for Roger to rest. He said he was feeling pretty good. Still fatigued but no pain today. We enjoyed walking through Downtown Disney and headed for ESPN where Roger had the Zone Burger and I had a Turkey Burger. They were great! Both burgers were huge and we had no room to try the dessert afterwards.
We window shopped our way towards the World of Disney and did some souvenir shopping before catching the bus back to the Hotel. We also peaked around inside the Grand Californian. It is much like the Wilderness Lodge but less rustic. It is gorgeous with gorgeous wooden floors and stairs and beautiful stonework.
Some things we noticed: Disneyland really has come a long way in creating an "on property" feel. One reason we had never stayed at a Disneyland Resort hotel was the lack of that feel. The addition of Downtown Disney and of course DCA has changed that. It's still not WDW but it's so much better than it was.
Roger agreed that next time we could splurge and stay at the Grand Californian with a DCA view room. Yeah!!!
We rested for a couple of hours and then returned to Disneyland via the shuttle around 6pm. We showed our hand stamps and re-entered the park. The weather had cooled but we were still comfortable in shorts and short sleeve shirts. We wanted ice cream but the line was long at the Main Street ice cream shop so we headed for Clarabelle's Yogurt in Toontown. Unfortunately it was closed. Since Roger Rabbit was still closed after the accident several months ago we headed out to It's a Small World and rode it and then had ice cream bars.
We rode Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and a partial trip around on the train. We spent a lot time people watching in Frontierland and then found a nice bench and sat for an hour waiting for the fireworks at 925pm. We were laughing because there was a woman behind us who kept talking and talking and then kept complaining about people who never shut up! Unfortunately from the spot we found the fireworks were obstructed by a tree. We had lovely view of the castle but the fireworks were more to the left so we had to move. After the fireworks we went to wait for Fantasmic. We found a spot behind the rope pretty much dead center.
Oh, how our feet hurt with people crowding us and sitting around us such that we could barely move our legs. We decided right then that next time we see Fantasmic we'll have to do the Dessert Buffet again. It is so nice to be so much more comfortable. We love Fantasmic at DL and don't really care for the one at MGM too much. We like the charm of the venue and the fact that they use the Columbia and Mark Twain and it seems like the action is so much closer to the audience too.
After Fantasmic we turned around and rode Pirates until the crowd let out. Then it was our favorite time of the day. The weather was comfortable and the crowd had let up. We headed for Fantasyland and it was much nicer (less crowded). We rode Peter Pan and Snow White and just strolled around before heading back to the room around midnight.
