We're going to a halloween party: A ptr 10/13-10/18

[belle10]

Hi everyone! So I have loved reading trip reports and living vicariously through other people's trips, I decided to do one myself!!!!

First let me introduce the cast:

First, there is ME!!! I'm Rachelle aka the Birthday Princess. I'm turning 25 this year and in honor of my quarter century celebration (and graduating with my MBA and MA), I decided I wanted to go on a vacation. I've done Disney World a lot (I'm a former Fairy Godmother in Training there) and needed a break from it, so I decided on Disneyland. 1st time EVER. And in case you can't tell, my favorite character is Belle.

And last, but not least, is my lovely and charming boyfriend, Scot (yes, with 1 T). He is thee single most sarcastic and originally anti-Disney people I knew. He accepted me despite my addiction. When I told him, at the 180 day mark, that we were going to Disneyland and that he better make sure he's off work, he was not excited about the Disney part, but the vacation part he was. More on that later. He has never been to any Disney park (or store for that matter) and his favorite characters are Merida, Hercules, and Mulan.

We are going from October 13-18 and staying on my lovely DVC points at the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. Our plans are super tentative right now, because DLR has a 60 day booking window compared to WDW's 180.

As of right now, all we have booked are flight from PIT to LAX with layover in Chicago on 10/13, Halloween Party on 10/15, and Flight from LAX to PIT with layover in Denver 10/18

 

[belle10]

So I just realized, in our pictures, we are both supporting Universal, but that's ok.

Anyways, like I had said, Scot wasn't excited that it was Disney. He is your typical "gamer"/nerd. He likes video games with violence, super hero/action movies, and Star Wars.

The beginning was slow going. I told him about Star Tours and he basically said "Oh ok, fine. I'll go." From that point on, he has seen the following Disney movies: Brave, Tangled, Wreck it Ralph, Finding Nemo, and Monsters University. All in 3D. I also bought him Avengers so he became a little more interested.

Typically, I do all Disney vacation planning, even with my parents. However, I wanted him to be a part of it. However, neither of us knew much about Disneyland. I read DisBoards and AllEars and MouseSavers and created a wonderful plan for us, but left a lot of choices for him too. I told him to do research. It was like pulling teeth!!! I never thought it'd be THIS hard to get someone to want to go to Disney.

Desperate, I tried my last ditch effort: Videos! I had ordered the lovely planning DVD WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS SOONER! His response was "Shut up and take my money, Disney." Since than, he has been onboard with everything so that is fabulous.

I just told him I was writing this about him, he told me to add that he's secretly doing this for Merida.

 

[Skippydoo]

Hi Belle10,

We're going to be there 10/16-10/20.I'm taking my best friend and suprising my 2 godsons (8yr and 6yr), who have never been to any Disney park, with the trip. We're doing the party on that Friday.

I love that the DVD got Scot excited for the trip. It's so much fun to share Disney parks with people that haven't been there before.

 

[belle10]

That's really awesome Skippydoo! Is she doing anything special to reveal the surprise? I love first visits for people! It's so exciting. No gonna lie, I cried my first time walking down Main Street in WDW and seeing Cinderella's Castle! I can't wait to see Scot's reaction... however I'll probably cry again when I see Sleeping Beauty's Castle for the first time!

 

[belle10]

So a very important thing to know about me and Scot is our work schedules/sleep schedules. I work a standard 9-5ish job so I'm up most days before the sun. Scot typically works closing shifts so his day doesn't usually start until noon most days.

So typically when I take my morning breaks, I can call about Disneyland stuff due to the time difference. So one day, when the Halloween tickets FINALLY became available (I literally checked the site 4 times a day), I got really super excited and called Scot at the ungodly hour of 10:45am and in my super duper excited voice said "WE'RE GOING TO A HALLOWEEN PARTY!!!!!" No hello or anything just that. In his sleepy state, his first response was "Who is this???" It took about 3 more hours of sleep for him to process that I bought us tickets for the Halloween Party where he can act like a child and wear his Star Wars costume and get candy (every "Man-Child"'s dream).

So for everyone wondering, THAT is where the title came from!

 

[Chaitali]

Hi, I loved the story about Scot's conversion . I guess it should be easier now with them owning Star Wars and Marvel! My husband was easy to convince since he loves Pixar (he's an animation geek) in addition to Star Wars and comics. Oh, and we're going to be in Disney Land from October 15th to 19th.

 

[belle10]

Well the Star Wars part was easy... he wants to go on Star Tours sooooo badly! But after he saw Avengers and wanted to know what in Disney was Avenger's theme, he wanted to go to Universal instead. He wanted to do a CityPass, but I just didn't have the time off from work. He just couldn't fathom that Disney has nothing really Avenger/Marvel themed.

 

[Skippydoo]

That's really awesome Skippydoo! Is she doing anything special to reveal the surprise? I love first visits for people! It's so exciting. No gonna lie, I cried my first time walking down Main Street in WDW and seeing Cinderella's Castle! I can't wait to see Scot's reaction... however I'll probably cry again when I see Sleeping Beauty's Castle for the first time!

We have this whole evil plot for the reveal. We've told the boys that they are coming to visit me in Albuquerque, but the flight has a connection so they have to take 2 planes... when they land at John Wayne mom is going to direct them around like they are going to another plane and I'll be waiting there with a sign that says they're going to Disneyland. I shall of course be video taping the whole event. We expect much screaming and jumping...

I did WDW at Christmas last year with some friends and I cried at the lighting ceremony for the castle... it was so beautiful...

For a real reaction from Scot you should take him to Jedi Training. That's one of those things that turns every grown man into an 8 year old boy!

 

[dnamertz]

For a real reaction from Scot you should take him to Jedi Training. That's one of those things that turns every grown man into an 8 year old boy!

Also tell him he can pose for pictures with Stormtroopers at the Halloween Party.

 

[belle10]

Skippydoo that sounds awesome! I love those Surprise we're going to Disney stories.

He knows he can pose with the Stormtrooper, but he is boycotting the Jedi Training Academy since its just for kids. He says that's ageism. But we will probably try to catch one of them. I keep hoping he'll get picked as the rebel spy on Star Tours but the chances of that are low.

 

[belle10]

Ok so Monday is my 60 day window for the trip. And you know what that means: DINING RESERVATIONS! Ok yes I know DL doesn't do actual reservations like WDW, but I am still booking them just to be safe. I was told typically you can just walk up and wait a little, but I am super duper schedule oriented.

So here is what we are planning so far:
Oct 13: Steakhouse 55 for dinner. I don't care about the time at all!
Oct 16: Big Thunder Ranch BBQ for a late lunch/ early dinner
Oct 17 (my birthday) Ariel's Grotto for Dinner with a WOC dining package

Being that it is both of our first trips, I don't want to spend all of our time in sit down restaurants, plus I noticed there is a wider variety of CSR foods than WDW. Like Cozy Cone is definitely high on our list for CSR's.

However, I am super duper indecisive so this may change. Stay tuned!

 

[Skippydoo]

I've heard the secret to getting as the Rebel Spy is to sit very still once seated...


I know the difference for ADRs between WDW and DLR is huge... I've been going back and forth about Blue Bayou... Bad reviews... But it inside Pirates! Sigh.

 

[belle10]

Skippydoo-- oh I know. I've read probably every singly blog post about How to be the Rebel Spy... but he will have serious difficulty sitting still! He will be acting like he is 5 due to 1. It's Star Wars,2. He's in Disneyland, and 3 He probably will have had a lot of sugar already.

I went back and forth a lot on BB. I had read some good reviews (especially the Mint Julep), but a lot of bad ones too. But like you said, IT'S IN PIRATES!!!! Which happens to be one of my favorite dark rides in MK.

I am just so worried since we only have 4 park days (1 of which being a Halloween party so we can't go in until 3pm) that we won't have the time to do EVERYTHING so we cut down our sit down meals to 3. We originally wanted 1 each day. I just don't want to miss something since we don't know when we will be back, being east coasters. With WDW, I used to work there so I spent 7 months straight there so I didn't miss much. It makes me nervous I'm going to miss something! Haha

 

[Skippydoo]

I know what you mean about being worried to miss something. If I were going alone I could concentrate on the things that are different from WDW and I know I'd be in good shape... but in addition to those things there's sharing the overall experience with people who've never been in a Disney Park.

There's never enough time for it all!

 

[belle10]

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. This week has been crazy! At least it's almost FRIDAY! Anyways... I have my first two reservations for Disneyland! Drum roll...... Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

October 13 (day of arrival) Steakhouse 55 at 5pm aka first dinner seating!!!!
Oct 14: Surfs Up at PCH Grill with Mickey and friends at 7am!

So for those of you who have been reading, you know Scot is NOT a morning person. I told him about our 7am ressie and he groaned. Literally. I told him he will be getting up before 6am. He said what about 5:59? I feel like that day will be a battle!

 

[belle10]

Yay! So we now have all our reservations booked for dining!!!! Yay!!! I'm excited.

So to recap from the previous post:
Oct 13: Steakhouse 55
Oct 14: Surfs Up with Mickey and Friends

And now the new ones:
Oct 16: Big Thunder Ranch BBQ
Oct 17 (My birthday) Ariel's Grotto WOC dinner package!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell I'm just a little bit excited? We are still indecisive about Surfs Up because of the jet lag and it may cut into park hours and thus RSR fastpasses, so that might get canceled as time goes on.

I think my OCDD (obsessive compulsive Disney disorder) is driving Scot crazy this morning. He wanted to sleep in today and I said I had to call Disneyland dining at 10am. All he wanted to do was cuddle and I said NOOOOO Disney! Well that backfired cause now I'm off the phone with Disney and he's on Facebook. Oh well, time for more planning!

 

[MarbleBob]

Sounds awesome! We'll be there the same week as you and I share your excitement. Can't wait!!!

 

[DisneyMarvelStarWars]

Is Scot a Thor fan? Thor will be in Disneyland this fall. I'm so excited!

Surf's Up is a great place for breakfast, they're usually calm, not a lot of guests, and the characters have a lot of time to interact with the guests.

Some of the other fun Star Wars things to do are build your own light saber and build a droid. So much fun!

Awesome hoodie in your picture, I am a huge Harry Potter fan! I was sorted into Slytherin on Pottermore. Belle is my favorite princess!

Please keep sharing your PTR and I hope to see lots of pictures after you return. I am currently writing my own first full trip report. I really appreciate how much work people put into writing them.

 

[belle10]

Scot is more of a Hulk guy but he'd probably go meet Thor because of Nordic culture ( he like vikings)

BTW I LOVE PTRs now. Kinda addicted because it gives me an outlet for my excitement! I go into work every day with my countdown and I either get told calm down or my boss, who is in denial I'll be gone for a week, says "What vacation? I didn't approve a vacation." Then I produce the paper he signed at the 6 month mark saying yes! I can't exactly say I blame my boss as the last coworker who went on vacation ended up be stuck for another week. I also think I'm driving Scot crazy again haha

 

[belle10]

So a small wrench has been thrown into my plans. I'm currently working on my 3rd Masters Degree through an online program. Its really nice because you only take 1 class at a time, but you have to take 2 a semester to remain part time so they accelerate the classes and you have 2 a semester.

Well my first class just posted the syllabus. Final exam: Wednesday October 16. Final Paper due: Friday October 18. In addition to a mini paper (2 pages) and a discussion board all due by the 18th as well.

I emailed my prof and asked if I can do them all a week in advance (wanna see someone go crazy? That will be my week. Packing, wrapping up loose ends at work, and 2 weeks of homework with a final!) Hopefully he says Of course and I can keep my cool that week.