Originally Posted By WestWind Well, here I am typing this on DDs notebook computer in our room at HoJos (topfloor - Disneyview - building 1). It is getting late, the park is now closed, and most of the family is asleep. I can turn my head to look out the window at Disneyland. Some of the colorful lights are still on and the Matterhorn is very peaceful with just enough light on it. We arrived here 3 days ago in the late afternoon. After checking in to the room it was straight to DL. With no plan we just went where we wanted. First ride was the Matterhorn with about a 20 minute line. The rest of that evening and the next day was all DL: pirates with no wait, splash with a 30 minute wait and 5 minutes with FP, Big thunder, Peter Pan's Flight, etc, etc, ... Yesterday was mostly DCA: Soarin with and without FP (20 minutes,5 minutes), Screamin a few times, ToT a few times with almost no wait. Then DD17 thought we should ride the Grizzly rafts as there was only a 5 minute wait - real just about a walk on. Great idea except it was our turn to get wet. We had never been so soaked on that ride before. We walked out and left puddles where we stood... it was a blast (would have been nicer if the weather was hot like Monday tho). Today was a mix. First in to DL, front seats in Space Mtn (that is the best seat), then Star Tours, then over to watch the Billys in the Golden Horseshoe - take the monorail to DtD for a little shopping and lunch at the Jazz Kitchen and a little more shopping - into DCA - the DDs go ride Screamin while DW and I have a relaxing glass of wine in a good spot to watch the Pixar Parade - great parade loved it - another ride on ToT (they closed the doors for the day behind us) - back to HoJos - to Mimis to eat and ... well here I am ... Tomorrow is a new day in DL. The plan is for a long day and stay to the end... more to come ... PS: we were 'dreamed' today in DTD with Mickey ears for all of us!
Originally Posted By liveforvacations Sounds like you are having a wonderful time! Ten more days and we will be at Hojos too with a Disneyview in Building 1 as well! Thanks for the update-hope the lines will be short for us also!
Originally Posted By Shiva WestWind, glad to hear you and the family are having fun. I'll see you on Sunday!
Originally Posted By TINK-MOBILE Hope you are having fun, sure wish we would get dreamed..pout pout , maybe at christmas time..shiva ..tinkeroon has a email...have fun you guys hugs from the tink-mobile ox
Originally Posted By WestWind Here I am back in our HoJos room. It is now late Saturday. The park is still open however we did not go in today as it is a blockout day for our APs. I did not post yesterday as it was a very long day and we were back too late to post anything. Friday in the park started a bit late as we knew we would be late leaving. First stop was the Main Street Cinima for a look at some original cartoons - it was empty, quiet and cool - a nice break area. The park was more crowded than I thought it would be. Next stop was a FP for Splash - standby wait time 35 min. On our way to Big Thunder we made a stop for a trip on Rivers of America on the Mark Twain because the timing was right to board. A relaxing ride it was. Off the Twain and onto Big Thunder - wait time 20 minutes. Then over to Pirates (20 minute wait) for a cool down ride. Next stop was for lunch - we were so bad - an ice cream lunch at the Golden Horseshoe - caught the end of a Billies show as we were in line, then as everyone cleared out we had our pick of tables. It was then back to Splash to use the FP - 55 min standby time but with FP - 5 min. We then headed back to HoJos for a mid afternoon break. For re-entry we walked through DtD to catch the monorail to Tomorrowland. The entry line was shorter than the main gates. Getting off at Tomorrowland we stopped to enjoy the live music at Tomorrowland Terrace - Instant Replay. Our goal was to ensure a good spot to watch Fantasmic! so we headed that way, stopping to catch the fireworks from Carnation Plaza and then Frontierland. As people left the area after the fireworks we secrured our spot on the railing right behing the reservation seating and waited for Fantasmic! (and we did let the 2 young children behind us in to the railing so they could get a good view). ... wow great show. After the show we just soaked up the evening atmosphere in NOS, had a Churro then boarded the train for an evening ride to Main Street. It was then some shopping as the park closed. Three of our family headed back to the hotel and the other three headed to DtD for some late shopping - I think we were the last customers out of the World of Disney store. Back to the hotel and to bed was about 1:00 am. Saturday was a blockout day for our APs so we had plans to go to Seaworld in San Diego. It was a good day there. Once back to the hotel, we ordered pizza for a late dinner. We were hoping to watch the fireworks from the hotel but it appears they did not happen tonight - perhaps too much wind?? The family is all now asleep and here I am on DDs computer on the internet! I must now go to sleep ... looking forward to another day in the park tomorrow before we must go home on Monday. I hope to post photos once we get home and organize them. PS: One of our rides on Pirates included the many camera flashes of people on the boat in front us - how annoying.
Originally Posted By Pollyana Great report. We will be staying at Hojos in June. We have requested #1711. We had that room before and loved it. Your report was very fun to read and made me feel like I was with you. I will be waiting for the pics. Have a great day!
Originally Posted By Tinkeroon WestWind...it was great meeting you, your wife and beautiful daughters. Wish we'd had more time to spend getting to know you all better. Felt bad that we had to rush off so quickly. Hope the rest of your trip went well and that you all made it home with no major mishaps. Sounds like it was a great trip though!
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove Great report, WestWind. Thanks for taking the time to let us in on your adventures. Looking very much forward to your pictures! xoxo
Originally Posted By WestWind Our trip is no longer in progress as we are now home. The last day in the parks started a bit late for us. We did not have a plan other than to do what we wanted and meet Shiva and Tinkeroon. The Space Mtn line was 60 minutes and we decided not to wait ... some indecision but Autopia was next. As we were entering the line, I recognized Shiva and Tinkeroon (from LP photos posted) near the front of the line. A quick "Hello" as we were passing in opposite directions was exchanged but we would meet later. The Matterhorn (west side) was next with a 30 minute wait. We then met up with Shiva, Tinkeroon and family for an introduction and photo. I do hope to meet again and with more LPers. Tinkeroon and Shiva, it was great to meet you - almost like meeting a celebrity with all the LP posts you do and the LP photos I have seen. I must say my family was a bit tired at this point after some long days... also it was the last day of our trip so not quite the same mood as our first few days. Then a ride on BTMR (20 min wait)... back to HoJos for a swim before meeting some hometown friends arriving today. We walked to the Garden Walk to check it out and had dinner at the Cheese Cake Factory - great food and service. We got back into DCA to catch the Pixar Parade... 4 rides in a row on Screamin with no more than a 2 min wait (one was walk right on). Last ride was ToT again (love that attraction). A little shopping on the way out at "Everything under the Sun". The next day was travel day. If we had been very organized we could have squeezed in one more attraction in the morning before leaving but it didn't work. Shuttle to the airport, flight, and drive, and we home by 9:30pm. Now to avoid withdrawals and depression I will organize all the photos, make a trip movie for us, start thinking of the next trip, wear the Disney shirts, and visit LP regularly. We did visit our brick in the Esplanade area each day on the way in and out of the parks. It was also our meeting place if we separated. PS: Pollyanna, we have had HoJo rooms 1707, 1709, 1717, and 1719, but not 1711. I will post photos soon.
Originally Posted By ShivaThDestroyer WestWind, Tinkeroon and I really enjoyed meeting you and your lovely family. If you were getting a little tired by that time, it certainly didn't show. I was surprised that you recognized me on the Autopia as that was one of the few days I have ever been in the park (shudder, dare I say it??) without Ears on. >>almost like meeting a celebrity with all the LP posts you do and the LP photos I have seen<< ROFLMBO! that couldn't be further from the truth but I know what you mean and thank you for the compliment. Tinkeroon and I are just regular people that happen to have a love of the park and some very good friends. We now think of you and your family as part of our "family" too. I glad you made it home safe and sound. Thank you for a most enjoyable trip report and we can't wait to be with you again in the park. The next time we're together we'll make sure that you get to meet a little more of the LP family. BIG HUGS to you and your family!!! {{{WestWind, the DW & the DD's}}}
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove <<that was one of the few days I have ever been in the park (shudder, dare I say it??) without Ears on.>> Without Ears? Say it ain't so, Joe. I am bereft. It's like Lady without her Tramp.
Originally Posted By ShivaThDestroyer >>Without Ears? Say it ain't so, Joe. I am bereft. It's like Lady without her Tramp. << I was however wearing a rather dashing Captain Jack Sparrow leather tricorne hat with dreadlocks and beads.
Originally Posted By WestWind Pictures! Here is a link to some of our photos from this trip ... <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/WestWind.1200/Disneyland2008" target="_blank">http://picasaweb.google.ca/Wes...land2008</a>
Originally Posted By MickeyMama Thanks for sharing your photos and your trip. We'll be there in 27 more days. Can't wait! Just reading about your trip and looking at your pictures, I felt like I was there too.
Originally Posted By tripplanner We'll be leaving from Spokane in 60 days. Glad to see I'm not the only Disney freak (fan) in Spokane. I loved your pics. I was curious to see what the Gardenwalk looked like and the Pixar parade. Thanks for the great report and pics.
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove Pictures! How could I have not found this sooner! First of all, what kind of camera do you use? The pictures are just lovely. Second of all, I had to comment on some of them, hope you don't mind: The castle at night...gorgeous. The HoJo view! Can't wait! Did you like it? Cow kiss..adorable! Mark Twain's rear view...postcard-worthy (many of your shots are!) LOL! The squatting Indian on the log! My DH can't understand my primal need to photograph it! He says: honey, it's not real! But I take its picture, anyway. Captain Jack...what a lovely family you have. Crocs! Mom's wearing Crocs! Woo-hooo! The Matterhorn and submarines shot...simply beautiful. The Matterhorn and trees at dusk...lovely. Shiva and Tinkeroon with the family! Dreadlocks and all! xoxo The architectural shots my DH will appreciate very much when I show him...he loves the "lines" of things. Billy! Tortilla Jo's food! We've never been there, and I guess now we'll have to go. (Is it as good as it looks?) And the breathtaking hanging baskets of purple flowers and the other flowering pictures you took....so very, very pretty. Thanks for sharing. I felt like I was there, and it was a very nice vacation for me.
Originally Posted By bubsmom What fun..nice trip report and the pics...what a blast! I don't care how many times I go to Disneyland... I NEVER get tired of it!! Your family looks lovely!! Your pics were great and it made me yearn even more for my trip in two weeks!!! Thanks again!
Originally Posted By WestWind Thank you all for the nice comments. MickeyMama, you’ll be there in 17 more days, I wish I were going to be there is 17 days! Have a great time. tripplanner, about 55 more days ‘til you’re on your way, and you can see the Pixar parade yourself. I wish I had taken a few more photos of the Gardenwalk… oh well next time! SoThisIsLove, my camera I was using this time was a Canon PowerShot S1 Is – a point-and-shoot digital with a lot of features. There have been several new models come out since I got this one. I want to get a new digital SLR and get back into my photography hobby. We really like HoJos and will stay there next time. Crocs, yes we all have crocs. I was just not wearing mine that day. It was nice to meet other LPers – Shiva and Tinkeroon are great. The only other LPer I have met is Darkbeer. I think Tortilla Jo’s is my favourite food place there. Bubsmom, less than 2 weeks now – time to start packing. I have now managed to get copies of the kids photos and have posted some of theirs and some more of mine. I noticed my first set of photos was short of people pictures so this next set has a few more. <a href="http://picasaweb.google.ca/WestWind.1200/MoreDisneyland2008" target="_blank">http://picasaweb.google.ca/Wes...land2008</a>
