We had a GRAND trip to Disneyland! March 2014 TR NEW 7/29 p.12

[Mndisneygirl]

Hi everyone!
Well, here we go again! Wait, not AGAIN! This is our first family trip to DISNEYLAND!!!

We are veterans of more than 10 visits to Disney World, and have gone on 4 Disney cruises, but we’ve never been to Disneyland. Well, I have, but it’s been long enough that I don’t remember much, and there was only the one park last time I was there! It occurred to me that I wasn’t much older than my oldest daughter when I was there last.
Want to hear all about it?

I thought so!


Do you know us?

Me – Sheree – the certified Disney geek/fan! I am a government attorney by day and taxi driver by night (not really!) I do feel like I do a lot of driving! My DH introduced me to WDW after we were married, and my first ever visit to Florida was in June 1999.

DH – Dave – I like to “blame” him for my Disney obsession! His family lived in FL when WDW was new, and apparently they all fell in love – most of them are big WDW fans too. He’s a mailman by day and works at the arena selling merchandise for concerts, and Vikings games too. He planned the bulk of this trip!

Our two beautiful daughters!
Sarah – turned into a teenager on this trip!! YIKES! And she will not stop reminding us that she is a teen now. She’s a straight A student, loves animals and dance! She’s on competition, started pointe in ballet this fall and is doing awesome!


Paige - She just turned 11 and is in 5th grade. She is also an awesome student – math whiz! – and is a competitive dancer. That’s where my taxi goes virtually every weeknight – the dance studio!



Last summer we were lucky enough to take a road trip out to Vancouver where we caught the Disney Wonder on a 7 night cruise to Alaska! While I failed to do a TR for that trip – it was amazing and fun and we decided after that to keep exploring new Disney vacation sites.


We are DVC members, so we knew we would want to stay at the Grand Californian when we went to Disneyland. We decided that our relatively early spring break would be a good time to try it. The trick was to get the reservation right at the 7 month mark – we needed a studio (based on our small amount of available points) and there aren’t too many of those!
But we got it!!!

One of our family goals is to have the girls (and us) set foot in all 50 states! We’ve done a fair amount already, but hadn’t ventured west at all until last summer. So to make sure we get at least two states in on this trip, Dave had a plan. Fly to Las Vegas and drive to Anaheim. We could go see Hoover Dam and cross the border to Arizona and then we’d get 3 states on this trip! Turns out, flights from here to Vegas are fairly cheap and run at better times than flights to LA.

So – here’s the plan for this trip:

Thursday March 6
Fly from MN to Las Vegas
Spend one night at a hotel south of town (not on the strip)

Friday March 7
Get up and drive WEST to Disneyland!
Start our 5 night stay at the Grand Californian

Saturday March 8 – Tuesday March 11
Visit the parks, go to the beach, celebrate Sarah’s 13th birthday
Have breakfast at Storyteller’s Café on Sunday
Have dinner at Steakhouse 55 on Monday


Wednesday March 12 – Thursday March 13
Drive back to Vegas, see Hoover Dam, look around at the big hotels on the strip, surprise the kids and have dinner at Buddy V’s restaurant (anyone familiar with Cake Boss?)

Friday March 14
Head home

Please join me on our California Adventure!

 

[KatMark]

I'm here...back to read in a bit. Thanks for heads up.


***I'm back. I love the intros Sheree. I adore Mickey and Minnie's outfits from the cruise.

I can't believe how those girls of yours are growing.

I'm anxious to read all about it as we are doing a first ever Disneyland trip next year.

 

[MEK]

Yay!!!!! Really looking forward to this!

 

[petals]

so joining in! Love the pic from the cruise

 

[wakica]

Love trip reports!!
This will be our first trip to DL and we usually do WDW as well.

I can't wait to hear all about your trip

 

[jenseib]

joining in....I just started mine too, but I haven't put the link in my signature yet
Edit...it's now in my signature!

 

[Viva Las Disney]

Subbing, I'm a Disney addict and DL AP holder living in Vegas so I can't wait to hear your opinion on both.

 

[Poolrat]

Joining in !!!!

Going back in the fall so can't wait to read up and do it better this time!!!!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Can't wait to read this and revisit Disneyland!

 

[uncw89]

I'm here and cant't wait to hear your opinions on DL and DCA!! I loved them and can't wait to go back sometime!

 

[eandesmom]

I am here!!!!!!!!!

Love the intro's, your girls are so wonderful.

Can't wait to hear about your trip, we will be there in TWO weeks (from yesterday, not that I am counting or anything lol).

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I'm here...back to read in a bit. Thanks for heads up.


***I'm back. I love the intros Sheree. I adore Mickey and Minnie's outfits from the cruise.

I can't believe how those girls of yours are growing.

I'm anxious to read all about it as we are doing a first ever Disneyland trip next year.

And she's first!! YAY! Hi Kathy and
Thank you - Sarah keeps checking to see if she's taller than me yet. Not that that is much of an accomplishment, but when you're 13…

Yay!!!!! Really looking forward to this!

Mary Ellen! Glad you are here!

so joining in! Love the pic from the cruise

Thanks and Those pics are all from our Alaska cruise - so many good ones! The family shot is my cover photo on FB too.

Love trip reports!!
This will be our first trip to DL and we usually do WDW as well.

I can't wait to hear all about your trip

I hope I can give you some good info! Let me know if you have any questions!

joining in....I just started mine too, but I haven't put the link in my signature yet
Edit...it's now in my signature!

Hi Jen! I'll have to pop over to yours and check it out.

Subbing, I'm a Disney addict and DL AP holder living in Vegas so I can't wait to hear your opinion on both.

Ooh, cool! I might need your help if I forget something! You probably know a lot!!

Joining in !!!!

Going back in the fall so can't wait to read up and do it better this time!!!!

Hi Pat!! It really is fun - you'll be so experienced, you probably won't need much from me!!

Can't wait to read this and revisit Disneyland!

Hey Lady!! I'm looking forward to reliving it as well! Feel free to chime in and tell us what you did too!

I'm here and cant't wait to hear your opinions on DL and DCA!! I loved them and can't wait to go back sometime!

Hi!! We really had a great trip!

I am here!!!!!!!!!

Love the intro's, your girls are so wonderful.

Can't wait to hear about your trip, we will be there in TWO weeks (from yesterday, not that I am counting or anything lol).

Hi Cynthia!
Thank you - the girls keep changing so fast, growing up…I'm feeling like so much is going on faster than I'm quite prepared for. But it's mostly good, so I'm not complaining!
Woohoo! Your trip is coming soon and then you have WDW in May too! You are so lucky! As much fun as I had at DL, I still feel the pull back to WDW soon! By the time we get back it will be over 2 years since our last visit! Too long for me, but at least I got to do a lot of other stuff too!

 

[micandminforever]

Joining the fun and looking forward to your report.

The girls are becoming beautiful young ladies, and have really grown since your last report.

I was hoping for a Alaska Cruise report, I need hints for my trip in 2015. The pictures look like you had a fun time.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Joining the fun and looking forward to your report.

The girls are becoming beautiful young ladies, and have really grown since your last report.

I was hoping for a Alaska Cruise report, I need hints for my trip in 2015. The pictures look like you had a fun time.

I can certainly help with Alaska hints! Feel free to ask any questions too. I can maybe throw in a quick summary!

Thank you - they do change so much during these "tween to teen" years!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hi!! I am here!! Now, back to read it!

 

[MeMom]

I look forward to seeing all of the pictures and hearing the stories. I am so bad about remembering the trips that are not on the regular WDW trip reports board. I start out reading Disneyland and Disney Cruise reports, and then during the little time I do DIS any more, I forget about the others! I enjoy them when I remember them, though, and I will do my best to keep up regularly.

I'd love to see all 50 states and even some other countries, too, but I'm pretty sure that is not going to happen. I've only done states from Texas and Oklahoma way to Florida and only as far north as Kentucky. That's nice that your girls are getting that experience. Jill and I have talked about doing some of the Adventures by Disney tours in order to force ourselves to go to new places, yet we'd still have a Disney connection.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I look forward to seeing all of the pictures and hearing the stories. I am so bad about remembering the trips that are not on the regular WDW trip reports board. I start out reading Disneyland and Disney Cruise reports, and then during the little time I do DIS any more, I forget about the others! I enjoy them when I remember them, though, and I will do my best to keep up regularly.

I'd love to see all 50 states and even some other countries, too, but I'm pretty sure that is not going to happen. I've only done states from Texas and Oklahoma way to Florida and only as far north as Kentucky. That's nice that your girls are getting that experience. Jill and I have talked about doing some of the Adventures by Disney tours in order to force ourselves to go to new places, yet we'd still have a Disney connection.

Memom! I move pretty slow with my TRs, so you should be able to keep up when you can squeeze it in! You have an open invitation to come and visit Minnesota anytime (I'd suggest summer though!) Then you can check out a new place and have a Disney connection - ME! I'll take you to the Mall of America and to the Disney store there. How's that sound? I would love to do the Adventures by Disney - there's one that goes to the Grand Canyon and I'd like that one!

 

[Poolrat]

Caught up and Great intros!!!!

The girls are so busy as dancers, as busy as it is it is great for them I am sure.

Looking for dining suggestions in DL between you and Cynthia.. Love the Alaska cruise picture.

 

[luulu1999]

I'm following along!!!! We are driving from MO and spending the night in Vegas, I was looking for a place for us to eat while we are there thanks for mentioning Buddy V's!! We may have to try it out!!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Thanks for the PM! I often don't even see when someone starts a new report otherwise. Going back to read the intros.

**I'm back: Loved all of the intro pics. The girls are starting to look all grown up. The cruise picture in the intro was adorable. I love Mickey & Minnie's Alaska outfits.