Originally Posted By dlkozy Well, almost solo-it was our Anniversary and out of 3 days in the park, DH was able to be there 3 hours! DH drove down last Sunday from No CA (he LOVES to drive) and I flew in Monday morning after getting the kids off. I flew Jet Blue for the first time and I loved it! It beats Southwest and Delta not only in price but in comfort and customer service too! I took the shuttle to the Paradise Pier Hotel. We had tried to get the DLH, but they were sold out so we decided to try PPH, as we had never stayed there before. For off season, I was very surprised that they were over $200 a night-but hey-they company picked up most of that! I checked in and SURPRISE they had bumped us up to a King Suite and it was HUGE! 2 full rooms-microwave, fridges, huge conference tables, big L shaped couch, desks, etc. We got a picture of Mickey and Minnie, Happy Anniversary buttons, and 2 big Mickey cookies! We came away enjoying that hotel stay more than we have ever enjoyed a DLH stay. The staff was certainly much more friendly (from the front desk to the maids) than any DLH experience that we have had. This is what I found out by being alone almost all of 3 days. 1) 2 days alone was fun-3 days started to get boring. I really missed family interaction. 2) No one thinks twice about your being alone. I ate at full service and no one blinked. So for those that think that they will need a book to bring with them so that people won't stare at them-relax and enjoy the view and people watch yourself. 3) Too many children are waaaaaay over tired at the parks and need to go back and take a NAP! Sad that some Moms and Dads feel the need to sqeeze every last Disney moment into their day, long after the kids have stopped having a good time. 4) The red cart on MS that sells the corn dogs-used to be yummy and fresh, and now I found it to be greasy and nasty-for over $5 for a hot dog and a tiny bag of chips, it was not worth it. 5) The French Market was a nice place to sit down and eat-but the food was just so-so. DH had the crab sandwich-it was bland and I had the Monte Cristo without the ham. I asked the server if it was the same as the BB had served in the past and he said yes. NOPE-the Monte Cristo used to be made with Texas Toast-the big bread used for French Toast. The MC now being served at the FM does not use Texas Toast. The jam served with it is WONDERFUL-I asked about it and was told that it is made right there in the kitchens. DARN IT, I would have rushed right out and bought a case of it to take home! The French Onion soup was great. The service was great! 6) It was interesting to watch families as they entered Main Street. Some go totally in commando mode and others just take a laid back "lets enjoy the moment" mode. I saw one Dad-totally in commando mode-stern look on his face, in the lead, yelling over his shoulder to his family (who by the way were running to catch up and were still trailing him a good 20 yards!) to hurry up! 7) We had dinner at Catal one night after the parks closed. The view was nice but I did not think that the food was worth the price at all. Service was spotty, and we had a waitress who continually was reaching over me instead of removing a plate, or glass off to my side. We certainly did not enjoy it enough to ever want to go back to eat there again. 8) You can't beat the weather in So CA! It was glorious all 3 days!
Originally Posted By dlkozy Almost forgot-I flew home Wed night. DH dropped me off at the Long Beach airport at about 7:30 pm. He was driving home Thursday afternoon. I called him about 8 pm to let him know that all was well, that I had made it to the gate. He was just about at the 605. I had a great flight home and just as I was boarding the Super Shuttle, I got a phone call from my DH saying that he had been involved in a head-on-collision and was in the Emergency Room and then I lost the connection-AND HE DID NOT TELL ME WHICH HOSPITAL THAT HE WAS AT! Needless to say-it was a loooong 1/2 hour drive to my house! I burst into the door and my 20 year old daughter and I hit the phones. I called every police jurisdiction and no one could tell me anything. I then started on the hospitals. He was staying in Pasadena and the accident happened somewhere between there and Long Beach! That is a lot of hospitals to cover! After about an hour-my daughter yells from the other room that she has a nurse on the line that thinks she has him! The nurse comes on the line, and I can hear my DH in the background talking-that was a RELIEF! But, all the info the nurse would give me was that he was alert and coherent. That was more than I had had moments before-but I needed more. I asked to talk to him and they let me talk to him for a couple of minutes. I told him that I would be on a plane in the morning and he said to wait, that other than being really banged up, he thought that he was O.K. This time before he got off the phone I asked him the name of the hospital! DH was VERY VERY lucky and only had lots of bruises. He spent most of Thursday in the hospital so that they could run some tests just to be sure-I don't think that they could believe that that was all that he had-just bruises. The company picked him up, put him in a hotel and put him on a plane home on Friday! When he got home-that was the best hug that I ever got! I am not only grateful that my DH is fine, but I am grateful that I was not in the car. After seeing the car on Friday, my DH said that the passenger side of the car was pretty much gone. It will be interesting to read the accident report. There were lots of witnesses and the other person involved did not seem to be hurt at all. It happened on a surface street near the 605 where DH had pulled off to get gas. The feeling is that this other person was going much much too fast among other things. It is so good to just be all together this weekend!
Originally Posted By mamacita Wow! What a miraid of emotions. I am SO glad your hubby is fine. We really enjoy the PPH too- we have also found the service to be exceptional. Yay on the upgrade- that is awesome! I agree, JetBlue is the BEST way to fly. Long Beach airport is so easy to navigate and not having to drive So Cal freeways is a huge bonus in my book.
Originally Posted By quincytoo OMG DLKOZY!!!!!!! I was grinning about the upgrade and most of your trip report Your poor husband also poor YOU and daughter, I couldn't imagine going through that!!!! Thank god you were not in that car!!!
Originally Posted By azgroves I am glad to hear that your husband is OK. Wow, I can't imagine what that must have felt like for you. We were also at DL Monday thru Wednesday. Did you notice that on Tuesday afternoon the park pretty much cleared out? I had a MC at BB last July and one this past week at CO. I did not notice much of a difference. But the jam is really good. I can only eat a half of one because it gets to sweet. But the garlic fries that they have are awsome. If you have not, try them next time.
Originally Posted By LacyBelle I'm glad you had a nice (almost) solo trip, dlkozy. I can understand what you mean about missing the interaction with your loved ones by the third day. Wow! Scary accident, but thankfully your husband is okay. Isn't that always the way? The guilty party suffers no damage and the victim is the one with the totalled vehicle and all the bumps and bruises.
Originally Posted By debtee ohhh I was enjoying reading your trip report and then BOOM the accident! I'm so pleased to read your husband is ok. He's so lucky! I bet that was one big hug when you finally got to see him. Sending him good thoughts to recover quickly!
Originally Posted By RAM1984 Sounds like you had a good trip. I have gone solo but it is always just for one day. I think after 3 days I would want some friends or family about. My recent trip was just the opposite. So much family that after 5 days DH and I wanted to be alone.LOL I know how you feel about your husband's accident. Years ago my husband was in a motorcycle accident on his way to work in Honolulu. He called me and before he could tell me where he was they came and took him off for x-rays. They said he would call me back so I waited quite some time before I started the police/hospital search and finally found him. He actually had a broken back and they sent him home THAT NIGHT!!(insurance thing) So glad your hubby was just bruised;but what a way to end your fun trip.
Originally Posted By MerryMouseWife Wow, so glad DH is okay. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions! I agree that doing DL all by your onesies for very long would get old with no family or friends to compare notes. Merry
Originally Posted By Rivkah86 I am so relieved that your husband is ok. what a way to be thrown back into reality after a great trip to DL! Well, I'm glad you had a good trip, and that everyone is ok. on all my solo trips, i've only been there for one day, and I was definately missing family interaction by the end of the evening
Originally Posted By dlkozy I know! It just was not the same when I couldn't grab my loved ones after the HMH and say "Wasnt' that great!". Strangers just didn't seem to like to be grabbed! ;0)
Originally Posted By sabrecat great report, dlk! talk about "ups & downs". yikes. I'm actually planning a solo trip next year. did a trip with my 20-year old daughter earlier this year. awesome. we started at sea world (she swam with the dolphins) ... hit the san diego museums ... then up to D-Land. we also stayed at the PPH and it WAS fabulous! if I go solo ... think I'll try one of the guided tours. I know D-Land like the back of my hand ... but it'll be neat to get a different perspective. dave
