[Chat] Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

[Gandalf75]

We have 17 days before our next trip to Disneyland. And I was wondering what people do to get ready for trips to Disney???

Some of the things I do are:

1) Make a paper count down chain and remove a link everyday until we get to the drive to Disney link

2) Watch a Disney movie once or twice a week

3) Since it is a 12 hour drive, I make up bags for my friends and family driving with me filled with Mad Libs, silly putty, etc... (even though we are grown ups) and lipgloss, hand sanitizer, lotion, gum, mints and so on...

I was wondering what you guys do to prepare or get yourselves excited for an upcoming visit?

[Ron W]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

Since I am only 20 mins. away, I just get in the car and go. I like the idea of watching Disney movies to get in the mood and I would suggest narrowing it down to movies that have attractions based on them so they will be fresh in your mind and you will be able to "get" the references.

[cositaluvsmickey]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

I only 15 mins..but I listen to disney radio stations and then I jump into my car and put even more disney music to hype me up

[kelbelle]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

I had never seen Nightmare Before Christmas, and we watched it last night to do our "homework" before going to the park for halloweentime, just to have a frame of reference.

Usually it just involves breaking out the ugly but comfortable shoes.

[SCUBAbe]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

I don't do anything...except stop by an atm and take out more cash than I normally carry on me...

[ASC]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

Cram a bunch of Disney movies and music on my iPod and just GO!

[ASC]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

I also, grab all my pins, clean them individually, pack them in a special case, then I'm off.

[tikicub]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

1. mentally prepare self for crowds.
2. mentally prepare self for waiting in lines.
3. mentally prepare self for dealing with people who should never have been allowed to live past age 12, let alone reproduced and who now let their children run wild sans any apparent discipline or regard for anyone else.
4. buy lots of hand sanitizer.
5. load Disney tunes on the mp3 player.

[lou_mom]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

my kids make a paper chain and we watch the Disneyland travel videos.

[lou_mom]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

Tiki.... if it is such a mental preperation (sp.) to go to Disneyland then why go? I'm not rying to be rude just wondering where you find the fun.

[tikicub]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

*chuckle* I love Disneyland but hate crowds. Disneyland is worth the preparation!!! :-)

(for now, but if the AP thing gets worse... I'll have to see)

[d1mex]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

This past time I prepared by listening to my friends Disneyland soundtrack, that got me really pumped up.

Other than that I just watch Disney movies or simply remember how awesome it felt the last time I went. That always helps.

[SCUBAbe]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

1. mentally prepare self for crowds.
2. mentally prepare self for waiting in lines.
3. mentally prepare self for dealing with people who should never have been allowed to live past age 12, let alone reproduced and who now let their children run wild sans any apparent discipline or regard for anyone else.
4. buy lots of hand sanitizer.
5. load Disney tunes on the mp3 player.

1-3 can be solved with valium...

[Mad_Hatter_Lover]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

I just listen to a lot, and I mean A LOT of Disneyland related music!

[kaykay07]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

1. gather a lot of patience so i can deal with traffic, crowds and lines
2. put gas in car the night b4 i leave (im like 100miles away hence the reason i do so)
3. make sure i already know what i want to wear and how i will style my hair lol
4. get enough sleep
5. do some stretchings lol

[RooBear]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

In the weeks prior, I hit the gym's treadmill and slowly increase my ability to walk a bit each day.

Cash in my Reward Points on my Disney Visa.

2 weeks beforehand, I figure out what time I'll need to wake up in California and start to reset my biological clock by waking up at that time MST. Usually it's 5am to go to the East coast; 6am for the West Coast.

Saturday nights are usually set aside for friends and the flicks, but before a Disney Park, I'll usually try to save money by staying in watching Disney movies to prep, as it were.

Peace,
Roo

[JIrish780]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

Lots of good suggestions, especially the walking. I'll have to get a regime ready for April so I can be physically up to snuff. Loading up the iPod is a good idea, too. I need a good version of Grim Grinning Ghosts!

In the 8 days before my flight, I'm planning a Disney animated flick for each night, starting with Tinkerbell, then Monsters Inc and working my way backwards chronologically through some other personal faves until I reach Snow White on the night before my trip.

[wvnative]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

We're 6 hours away and it's usually a 4 day trip for us.

Our countdown is mickey heads and starts at 90 days out. There are "thing to do/watch/find/see under random heads. Sometime during that 90 days we'll watch every Disney movie we own. There are at least 2 scavenger hunts and Disney themed games and food.

I also keep a list of what needs to be done by a certain time period. For instance, we buy park tickets about a month out. I check the weather about a week out. A couple days before we leave, I clean the car, select/make CD's for the trip and do the grocery shopping. The day before is all the last minute stuff.

Of course, by the time the day before gets here I am an overly excited basket case and wish I'd done some mental preparations. lol

[Darth Mickey]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

Since our Disneyland trips involve a flight, major expense and major preparations I usually find myself calling the hotel and Disney dining to reconfirm our reservations. I'll also ask if the front desk can have a signed character photo or two for my daughter when we check in.

I also usually find myself watching the Travel Channel shows on Disneyland and Disneyworld I've recorded on the DVR over the last year as well as the Disney Vacation planning DVDs. My daughter can't get enough of Samantha Brown's Disney Favorites or the "Disney on a Dime" special they show from time to time.

The other thing we do is talk and daydream about what rides we want to go on, what characters we want to meet and what kind of adventures we might have.

[DebiTasha]

Re: Do you do anything special to get ready for a trip to DLR?

Lurk around Mice Chat!