DrDolphin's Great California Adventure *COMPLETED* About This Page:

[DrDolphin]

Since you can't change the title of the post to show updates, I had to pick a title that would carry well. I have no creativity... so it is what it is.


I also figured that if I do not start this Pre-TR NOW while I have time and am in town, I won't get it started.... so Here you go -


I’m going to California – again? AKA – The Passporter Girls San Diego/NASCAR/US/DL (is there anything we missed) trip!

Cast – Me – DrDolphin (36) Previous trips to DL – 1 (32 times to WDW)

11 other Passporters and associated DH and DD…. Sarah & Emilie; Crystal and DH Doug; Tina; Dawn; Janine; Sharon; Eileen; Karen; Liz; Robin and Cindy

Dates – For Sarah, Emilie and I – Feb 23 – Mar 5; For Crystal and Doug – Feb 23 – Mar 4
Where – San Diego – Feb 23 & 24
Los Angeles – Feb 25 – 27
Disneyland – Feb 27 – March 5

Why?? Well – it started out with someone else thinking about a girls DL trip. I saw a post on the boards from Tina last March that she, Amy (Iamgrumpy) and Robin (RobinKay6573) were considering a trip to DL in February or March 2007 and Tina asked who was up for the challenge. I started considering it, but was not totally sold on the idea. I saw Crystal say she wanted to come to – and she did not think that her DH Doug would not want to come as well and that Doug could be our “bag man” following in Bill’s WDW footstep (Doug trained with Bill during the May 2005 girls WDW trip). That planted a bug… I met Crystal and Doug when they came down to Daytona last year for the Daytona 500, and I PMed her about possibly adding a weekend before the DL trip to go to the NASCAR race at the California Speedway... Crystal is a Tony Stewart fan and I am a Jeff Gordon fan – so we should have a great time watching those two boys battle it out in the second NASCAR race of the year.

Knowing that Sarah (Dopeygirl) is a lover of DL, I PMed her to see if she could swing the trip west as my roomie. She told me we’d have a repeat of the rooming arrangements from our March 2006 trip with her DD Emilie and I figured I was up for that. We weren’t sure she could swing it at first – but a free Southwest ticket happened to appear in my inbox from all my travels, as well as a couple of free hotel rooms in Los Angles (more details on that later) and I think she was sold (now all she had to do was convince her DH ). We booked hotel rooms in Rancho Cucamonga (I love that name) and Crystal reserved our race tickets.

At some point – I think right after Chezp’s trip report about her trip to SoCal, the topic of San Diego came up. None of us was really interested in the Busch race on Saturday – so what would we do?? We canceled hotel reservations and changed our travel plans accordingly.



We looked at various hotel options in SD - quickly ruled out the Del Coronado (no way....$$$) and I ended up finding a Hampton Inn in San Diego - about a mile from the airport for $100.00 a night and booked two rooms under my name. We decided we wanted to take a harbor cruise and go to the San Diego zoo before heading north for the race. I have only been to San Diego once before - when I was there in Dec 2005 for a conference for work - and other than Sea World - didn't get to see much of the town.


Next – challenges and hurdles… And lots more details

[Mickeysgal]

You all are going to have such a great time! Sounds like a fun-filled week. Hurry back with more!

[mrsmac2001]

I am so jealous of you all but very glad for you at the same time. Does that make sense?

[ilovedisney0_0]

Hotel Del IS very pricey, but so beautiful...still, I would go for the less expensive option, too! San Diego is beautiful, hopefully you have a chance to go exploring. Don't miss Old Town or Seaport Harbor, if you can help it. the Zoo, and I can spend HOURS wandering around all of the cultural stuff at Balboa Park. Sounds like you guys are going to have a fabulous time!

[disneydani]

This sounds like such a wonderful opportunity...I am looking forward to reading all the TR's this "girls trip" generates!

[snoozin]

Goodness... sounds like a really fun weekend! Zoo there is great in SD.

[KirstenR]

Terri- I'm glad you've started this Trip Report already. You guys are going to have soo much fun, and we get to share it!! Thank you! So many of you are going at once, is this a really quiet time to visit DL? (I have a vested interest, my DSIL and I are springing a surprise trip on our kids 2/23-2/26.)

[crystalloubear]

Sounds like an awesome trip!! Can't wait to hear all about it

[simbarel]

Crystal is a Tony Stewart fan

She is???????



This sounds like so much fun, can't wait to read all about it!!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Terri! More please

[PrincessSharon]

Great start, Terri! I can't wait to meet you!

[WDWfan]

I'm glad somebody has started their TR from the DL Girl's group! I'm so excited to hear about all of your adventures.

I've never been to San Diego, but have always wanted to visit. Looking forward to learning about the Zoo.

[DawnDenise]

You go Terri! I haven't even thought about my pre-trip report. Can't wait to read more and see you again!!

[Caldercup]

Zoiks, .... seems Terri got the jump on the rest of us, ladies!!

Woo hoo! I'm looking forward to THIS!
Eileen

[DrDolphin]

Originally Posted by Caldercup

Zoiks, .... seems Terri got the jump on the rest of us, ladies!!

Woo hoo! I'm looking forward to THIS!
Eileen

Only because she had NOTHING to do on Sunday and decided she better start while she was in town with Internet access. The true test will be if I actually FINISH the report!!! We are talking 11 days here (not counting the Key West stuff before the trip!). It will be good practice foe teh 14 days of the Med Cruise trip and the 16 days of the PC Cruise trip!!