Southern California. Will it be attached to the state once we're done with it? *Updated 7/9* COMPLETE About This Page:

[DopeyGirl]

*AHEM*

Hello? *blows into microphone* Is this thing on? Hello? Oh . . . HI!!!


Well, it is time, yet again, to visit the world of Disney through my eyes and ears . . . a thing that could prove to be dangerous . . . or hilarious. Judging from this trip's cast of characters, I am sure it will be the latter, though.

So, what's going on, you ask? Well . . . I'm going to Disneyland!!! Well, I 'm not going ALONE, so let me let you in on our cast of characters and a little backstory.

Well, first there's me, Sarah (Hi! ) and my daughter Emilie (who will turn 6 four days after we get home from this trip).

I was born in San Diego and lived there until I was 12 years old, so I was able to go on quite a few day trips up to Disneyland growing up. After we moved, we made a return trip for my high school graduation in 1994 . . . then I didn't get back to Disneyland until June 2005 when my parents flew Emilie and I out to meet them there! That was, obviously, Emilie's first trip.

I like to call this my "I am eternally grateful to EVERYONE." Report.

I was floating around the boards sometime in March of last year and noticed that Tina had posted about maybe heading out to Disneyland. More and more people started to sign on to the idea of an all girls' trip out . . . and I started to think that I might be interested, but was afraid that my finances were not going to allow for it. After crunching some numbers, and knowing I would be relying on my tax return, I figured out that I would be able to afford about 2/3 of a trip, but wasn't sure I would be able to swing a whole one. Then one day I got an e-mail from Terri (DrDolphin) asking "Would a Disneyland trip be doable if you had, say, a FREE plane ticket?" Terri had offered up one of her free Southwest rewards tickets for me to use (and I am VERY thankful for that. ) . . . and with that, I signed on to the trip as well. I am still not completely sure that I "sold" Mike on it . . . but, he has "signed off" on it, nonetheless. My mother, however, is less than enthused, since I am taking Emilie out of school. But after having spoken with her teacher about it, and having her ENCOURAGE the trip (telling me that she "won't miss much but her friends" ) I am thinking she should get over it eventually.

As plans started to get hashed out a bit more and time went on, some people dropped out of the trip and other signed on . . . as of now (just about 2 weeks out!) it looks like our final roster is:

Me and Emilie (duh. )
Terri (DrDolphin)
Crystal (crystalloubear) and DH, Doug
Tina (loobyoxlip)
Janine (FanOfMickey)
Dawn (DawnDenise)
Robin (RobinKay6573)
Cindy (Lumieregirl)
Liz (EmpressLizBunny)
Eileen (Caldercup)
Karen (zacksmom_1993)
Sharon (PrincessSharon)

So, I think you can now see why I think that the report may end up being a bit hilarious. Get 14 people (12 wacky PassPorter girls, a husband of one of said wacky women and a 6 year old) in one place and see if hilarity doesn't ensue.

------ CONTINUED IN NEXT POST ------

[DopeyGirl]

So, anyhoo . . . when the planning on my end started, it was Disneyland only. The plan was to fly into LA, do the DL thing and then fly back to "whereever it was I would be living" (because, remember, the planning for this started nearly ONE YEAR ago and Mike still had not received new orders yet . . . so we hadn't the foggiest where we'd be living come this time of the year!) As time went on and more plans were made, San Diego was added into the mix for a few of us! Terri and Crystal mentioned that they were going to the NASCAR race, so I figured I would show them my hometown of San Diego, then rent a car and drive up to Anaheim, stay in an offsite hotel ( offsite) and get a head start on the Disneyland touring while they headed to to the race. Sounds like a plan, right?

Well, then Crystal offers up tickets to the race in exchange for lunch or dinner one day. I have never been to a NASCAR race . . . DH has been twice and taken a buddy with him both times instead of taking me. The offer of tickets was very exciting to me . . . so I agreed. Off to the races we'll go!

Well . . . what to do with the 2 days in between the race and Disneyland? Ummmm . . . Hows about we hit Universal Studios and then take a little tour around the Hollyweird area?

My last trip to Universal Studios Hollywood was in 1994. All I remember is Backdraft, seeing the Hollywood sign from near Back to the Future and getting accidently run into by Woody Woodpecker . . . and the fact that I wore a god-awful "belly shirt", knee length cut-off shorts, slouch socks, high-top black on black Nikes and had a my hair in a big fat braid. (I have a video of the trip, but don't remember anything vidily except those few things.) Terri booked a room at the Hilton LA/Universal City and we were set!

We all decided to do Star Line's Grand Tour of L.A. on the morning of Feb. 27th, which is the day that everyone else will be arriving in the area! (Thanks, Chez, for a great description and recommendation in your report! ) To be completely honest, I have NEVER done the touristy thing around Los Angeles. I have been there plenty of times, but NEVER have done the tourist attractions. Graumann's Chinese Theater, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills . . . I can tell you right where they are, but this will be the first time I have seen them "up close". Heck, the "closest" I have ever seen the Hollywood sign is from near Back to the Future at Universal Studios . . . and that ain't very close.

So, having our days and destinations pretty well figured out, all we had left to do was book everything (tours and dining) and buy attraction tickets! Military members and their families get discounted tickets through Information, Tickets and Travel on base. I called the base ticket office here and they told me they would not be able to sell me any tickets for attractions on the west coast from this office and that I would have to visit an office there. No problem . . . our hotel in San Diego isn't TOO far away from the main ticket office on base there, so we can take care of that! I still need to buy my Disneyland, Universal and San Diego Zoo tickets as well as discounted tickets for the San Diego harbor cruise. There was no discount to be found for the Star Line tour, though, so we all got that booked . . . as well as the shuttle to the airport. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT PART . . . my procrastination.

OK, well, it wasn't TOTALLY procrastination . . . I was just waiting on the IRS to get that tax return to me so I could buy Emilie's plane tickets. With Terri's help, I was able to get MY ticket changed, so instead of leaving from Orange County (SNA), I would be leaving out of LAX (yikes!) then I purchased Emilie's ticket to match, since it was fairly cheap. Now . . . I had a way to get Emilie home with me . . . I just had to get her THERE. A couple of days later, I got a voice mail from Terri saying that there was a really cheap fare on a later flight from Norfolk to San Diego than the one I was originally on and that she had booked it for me, and changed my free ticket to the same flight just to make sure we had that taken care of . Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh? We finally got airfare figured out LESS THAN A MONTH prior to the trip.

Tina had taken care of a majority of the dining ressies for the group . . . Terri took care of the ones for us . . .

Crystal, Terri and I are A WEEK AND A HALF out from the trip . . . EVERYTHING is taken care of, save for a few easy things (tickets) . . .

ELEVEN months we've planned this trip . . . and it is REALLY going to happen!!!!!!!!!!

MEEP!!!! I'm a tiny bit excited!!!

COMING UP NEXT: Just what do those wacky girls (and the husband in a skirt) have planned for those 11 days?

[chezp]

I'm getting so excited at everyone's pre-trip report about the Disneyland girls' trip. I can't believe you've never done the "touristy" thing in Los Angeles - I can't wait to see what you think of it from that perspective!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start! More please

[DrDolphin]

I can tell I am going to enjoy this TR (oh heck this TRIP) so much!!! I won't need to go to the gym for an ab work out since I will be laughing so hard my abs will be getting a good work out!!

[lauren-roxy]

Great start Sarah!!!! I really am so excited for you guys!!

[loobyoxlip]

Whooo hoooo! This DL trip reports forum is going to be HOPPING for a while

[DyanKJ130]

Originally Posted by loobyoxlip

Whooo hoooo! This DL trip reports forum is going to be HOPPING for a while

HOORAY!!!!

Nice start, Sarah! And...I can't believe Emilie will be turning 6!! Where does the time go???

[DawnDenise]

Great start Sarah!!! I can't wait for this trip! :thewavE:

[WDWfan]

TR #4 for the girl's trip!

[simbarel]

I'm sure Emilie will survive the time away from school---if it was September it might be weird, but it's February. I still can't believe this trip was proposed ELEVEN months ago, where has the time gone??? Sounds like you guys have a lot of fun-reading ahead for us, have a safe trip!! Oh, and...

NICE FONT!

[crystalloubear]

Emile surviving missing school isn't the question you should be asking - will she survive spending all that time with us??

Can't wait to hear all about it!

[DrDolphin]

Originally Posted by crystalloubear

Emile surviving missing school isn't the question you should be asking - will she survive spending all that time with us??

Can't wait to hear all about it!

Ok - who is the US?? You and Doug? She's already survived a week with me

[PrincessSharon]

Another TR! All these TRs are making me really, really, really, really, really excited! So glad you were able to make this trip happen, Sarah, and I can't wait to meet you & Emilie!

[TroianRae]

Sounds great!!!

Let's get this party STARTED!!!!!