Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

[Melonballer]

OK that is it for now. Soon I will post some of my plans for the days I am there.

[Missviolet]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Good idea!!

Keep us posted!

[Melonballer]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Thanks Miss Violet. Ya know I love that Disneyland day tracker you have in your sig. All I have to do is remove 1 day and I know how long unitl I go.

Anyways since I am posting I might as well talk more about my plans. I figure that since the 11th is Veteran's day and a Saturday it will be quite crowded. Maybe not Saturday after Thanksgiving crowded, but crowded enough. I should reach the park by 2pm or so, depending on traffic and if my flight is on time. I am going to concentrate that day on seeing Parade of Dreams and Fantasmic. Of course being the smart guy I am I will wait for the second showing of Fantasmic. It shouldn't be too hard to get a good view. I am going solo on this trip. Everyone else who talked about going was unable to pull it together. But like I said back when I announced this trip last year around this time, I am going whether or not anyone else is. I figure I will get a few rides in, epecially on rides with Single rider like Splash MOuntain. Of course the first thing I plan on doing is getting food when I get into the park. Since so many people like them I think I will go straight down mainstreet to the Corndog wagon. I love a good corndog. I plan on catching the Train as well. That will probably be the second thing I do, the old grand circle tour. Of course Donald Duck, pretty Princesses and pin stands could be a distraction from that goal.

I'm pretty much planning to play it by ear and not get too frustrated. I have a week so no reason to rush around and go all crazy. I'll get a few rides in, watch some parades and shows and just take it easy. I'll go all ride warrior once the weekdays hit.

[Missviolet]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

A whole week! My Husband would go insane... I would LOVE tog o for a week.. but I don't think he could handle that much Disney!


I'm very much a "checklist" kind of girl... when I went in July, I brought a little handmade mini-book with me that had listed everything I wanted to try. It was so awesome to actually have something in my hands reminding me what my goals were.

Ha! My goals... it sound like a business trip!!

I so plan on staying till midnight (is that right?) on Sunday the 12th.. Nothing better than Fantasyland at night! Make sure you ride BTMRR at night.. it's a doosie!

[Melonballer]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

A whole week! My Husband would go insane... I would LOVE tog o for a week.. but I don't think he could handle that much Disney!

I so plan on staying till midnight (is that right?) on Sunday the 12th.. Nothing better than Fantasyland at night! Make sure you ride BTMRR at night.. it's a doosie!

Yep a whole week. This is going to be an interesting trip since I have never gone on a vacation completely by myself. I have always been with a family member or with some people from my school, so this might be a real experience. Also I am wondering if I will and when I will get tired of it. I imagine it will be later in the week, but then again the CHristmas parade will start by then. Hopefully some fellow micechatters will be around to keep me sane.

And I will be there till midnight on Sat and Sun. Thanks for the BTMRR tip. That's part of the reason why I started this thread in the first place to get good advice and fun little tips.

[Melonballer]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

So on the 14th I have to start calling to get priority seatings for restaurants. I don't plan on doing any sit down places on the 11th or 12th. Things can change of course, but that is the current plan. I get a free character breakfast, so I'll probably do the one at Plaza Inn on Monday, the 13th. I want to do 1 meal at Blue Bayou as well. It will probably be a lunch since I have heard that you can get a waterside table easier at the lunch seating as long as you get there early and get the early seating. Of course if I am wrong on that someone speak up. I am not sure which day I will eat there. I also want to do a nice dinner 1 night, probably at one of the hotel restaurants. I've been looking over menues and have not decided which one to eat at. While I am willing to try most things I am a bit of a picky eater and I am not a big fan of seafood. That's mostly because I get fresh Salmon and Halibut frequently and I have found that my father and my father's neighbor cook fish better than most restaurants I have been to. I'm also thinking about having lunch at Ariel's in DCA once while I am there. I figure it will be a good way to get some princess pictures. So of course if people have suggestions I am happy to hear them.

Speaking of princesses, I only get my picture with princesses and Donald. However, I think this time I am going to get as many pictures of characters outside of parades and shows as I can. Just for the heck of it. Maybe I will get a rare or uncommon character. It will be something to do.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Sounds like an awsome trip planned, of course we better see so many pics it wil make out head spin right? I also did a lot of planning for my trips, in the end I chucked them but it was so fun planning I know you are mega excited, I am also always totally excited

[tassie]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

So on the 14th I have to start calling to get priority seatings for restaurants. I don't plan on doing any sit down places on the 11th or 12th. Things can change of course, but that is the current plan. I get a free character breakfast, so I'll probably do the one at Plaza Inn on Monday, the 13th. I want to do 1 meal at Blue Bayou as well. It will probably be a lunch since I have heard that you can get a waterside table easier at the lunch seating as long as you get there early and get the early seating. Of course if I am wrong on that someone speak up. I am not sure which day I will eat there. I also want to do a nice dinner 1 night, probably at one of the hotel restaurants. I've been looking over menues and have not decided which one to eat at. While I am willing to try most things I am a bit of a picky eater and I am not a big fan of seafood. That's mostly because I get fresh Salmon and Halibut frequently and I have found that my father and my father's neighbor cook fish better than most restaurants I have been to. I'm also thinking about having lunch at Ariel's in DCA once while I am there. I figure it will be a good way to get some princess pictures. So of course if people have suggestions I am happy to hear them.

Speaking of princesses, I only get my picture with princesses and Donald. However, I think this time I am going to get as many pictures of characters outside of parades and shows as I can. Just for the heck of it. Maybe I will get a rare or uncommon character. It will be something to do.

That's the one I want to do too!!

[Melonballer]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

That's the one I want to do too!!

I ate at Ariel's back in 2003. The food was good. At that time it was not a princess meal, but a meal with Mickey, Goofy, Pluto and Minnie in sailing outfits. Ariel also made an appearance. Its important that she showed up there because the day before while I was wandering alone around Disneyland I saw Ariel at her picture place in DL and was totally smitten. I told my mother about it and the next day she showed up at the lunch. When my mother discovered it was the same Ariel she made me get my picture with her. This started a trend of princess collecting where I would get my picture with as many princesses, villianesses and female face characters as possible. That's why this one is now so cool to me since I should be able to get several of them in one mealtime.

[Melonballer]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Sounds like an awsome trip planned, of course we better see so many pics it wil make out head spin right? I also did a lot of planning for my trips, in the end I chucked them but it was so fun planning I know you are mega excited, I am also always totally excited

It is fun planning. Like my mother said the planning and anticipation is the best part. I realize a lot of my planning is going to go out the window as I roam around, though I imagine my Priority Seatings will be somewhat locked. As far as pictures go, well just look at some of my picture threads from earlier trips. I had lots of pcitures there and those were just some of the best shots since I had to scan them. This trip will be my first with my digital camera. I'm planning on taking at least 2 1 gig memory cards, plus the 256 card I got with the camera. Not only will your head spin, but your eyes may bleed.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

I am so excited for you, this is going to be an amazing trip! you will see the new pirates, space mountain, and the decorations up. monsters ride, and so much more. I know that when I went the first time a lot of new things were in the making, and when go this time next month I will get to see the new pirates that was closed when I went last time. Your going to have a ball!!!

[clara]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Mellonballer! I have been living in Tacoma since mid-June. I'm returning to California at the end of this month *points to siggy*

Its a small world

[elly]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

If you make a lunch reservation at the BB and ask what time they open (i think its 11am) get that time as your seating time. For lunch they fill in the water seats first then work their way back from there.

We went to dinner at 4pm this last trip and only waited 15 extra mins to get our water table, so its really not that bad. And the filet mignon was FABBO!

[ssturgeo]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Mellonballer...I was there June 2005 and again last November...but, I still have a list of things I want to see/do that I missed. The last trip before those two 50th trips was 2001 and that was a just for not quite two full days. June was 7 days and November was 9 days...NO, I NEVER got tired of Disney, nor bored! This time just about 3 1/2 days...

Hope to get to meet both you and MissViolet in November...and whoever else might be there the 14th-16th ... the days that I know are full days in the park...from open to close!!

[tinkermonkey]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Mellonballer! I have been living in Tacoma since mid-June. I'm returning to California at the end of this month *points to siggy*

Its a small world

Claribella - so glad you get to go "home" to DL!! Too bad it is before the Music of DL exhibit opens at EMP in November!! Though right now, I'd move anywhere to get away from "THE BRIDGE"

Sorry about the threadjack melon! Your trip plans are great and I think it is really neat to go alone. I couldn't do it, but mostly because I love to share things. Well, I could do it, but not for a week. Ok, I could do it. That's what cameras and cell phones and Micechatters are for!!

[Melonballer]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Sorry about the threadjack melon! Your trip plans are great and I think it is really neat to go alone. I couldn't do it, but mostly because I love to share things. Well, I could do it, but not for a week. Ok, I could do it. That's what cameras and cell phones and Micechatters are for!!

No worries, the thread was not too jacked. I didn't intend to go by myself, its just everyone else who showed an interest at one point had to back out for whatever reason. Like I said, I'm going if I have to go by myself. I've discovered that it can be real tricky getting people ot do anything, especially something as expensive and time consuming as a Disneyland trip. People are busy and a lot of people my age are not really into Disney like I am. Hopefully I won't go too mad being by myself. Also I hope to be able to hang with some Micechatters from time to time. There is still a chance I might manage to talk someone else into going. Its not much of a chance, but it is better than nothing.

On my last trip to WDW I went on my last day in Orlando by myself to the 4 parks (my feet were killing me by the time i was done). I enjoyed some conversation while there. I got into a conversation with a father and his 2 kids while waiting for a sneak preview of Stitch. The father and I spoke about Nextel phones and how well they were working for us on that trip (Iwas working for Nextel at the time so I was real curious how the coverage was). Also when I would tell princesses I was going solo that day I got lots of sympathy and some good pictures. I was always able to get someone help me get my pictures wether it was another guest or a CM. So going solo isn't all that bad.

[clara]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Claribella - so glad you get to go "home" to DL!! Too bad it is before the Music of DL exhibit opens at EMP in November!! Though right now, I'd move anywhere to get away from "THE BRIDGE"

"the bridge"??? The only one I"m familiar with is the one that goes from Tacoma to Gig Harbor.

mellonball..didn't mean to hi-jack. just bored at work.

[WRDup]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

I am going to concentrate that day on seeing Parade of Dreams and Fantasmic. Of course being the smart guy I am I will wait for the second showing of Fantasmic. It shouldn't be too hard to get a good view.

If I were you Id try to watch Fantasmic on the far left side, more toward Critter Country. A week or two ago my friends and I decided to watch the show at the last minute after taking the little kids on Pooh. We were surprised at how easy (as compared to the middle(NOS) or right side(FL)) it was to find a good spot. Of course seeing the show from the middle offers the best view but the wait time is a bit too much. And it seems most last min or late arriving guests choose the Frontierland side of the Rivers of America to view the show. If you can make way toward the Haunted Mansion before the show I say go for it. I cant be sure how the crowds will be on the days your planning to be there but it seems like a good idea.

NOTE: WRDup is not responsible for the size of the crowds that gather to watch Fantasmic and can therefore not be held accountable for the accuracy of the statements made above.

[WRDup]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Oh yeah... and I wouldnt miss "Remember..." for HMH! Especially if you havent seen this fireworks spectacular before. HMH will be there all-day, every-day. "Remember" is a once a day and in your situation may be a once in a life-time opportunity. Dont miss it. You wont be disappointed.

[Melonballer]

Re: Melonballer's Disneyland Trip Planning Journal

Oh yeah... and I wouldnt miss "Remember..." for HMH! Especially if you havent seen this fireworks spectacular before. HMH will be there all-day, every-day. "Remember" is a once a day and in your situation may be a once in a life-time opportunity. Dont miss it. You wont be disappointed.

The Remember fireworks are ending in September, so I will not be able to see them. I made a choice a year ago to not go in 2005. I hoped that remember might still be playing in nov of 2006 and that crowds might be lighter than they would be at the same time as 2005. Well unfortuantely the fireworks will not be going on in Nov. I had to chose between going in Sept and maybe seeing them (if they did not get cancelled due to high winds) as well as having Haunted Mansion closed for the overlay or I could go during my favorite time of year at DL. While seeing Remember would be great, I am willing to let it go. There will always be another fireworks show.