Celebrating where the Magic began
About This Page: This is a discussion on Celebrating where the Magic began within the DL: Sharing the Adventure: Disneyland Trip Reports, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; I wasn't sure I was going to do a PTR, but once I got thinking about it, I decide I ...
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
I wasn't sure I was going to do a PTR, but once I got thinking about it, I decide I wanted to share with everyone. So without further ado, On With the Show!!
When: October 6th-October 9th, 2011
Introducing our cast of characters:
Me (Kathy), Turning 35 on this trip. It’s my first trip to Disneyland. And I’m so excited. Sleeping Beauty is my favorite Disney movie and I can’t wait to see her castle in person!
Jennifer (DSis, 31) This will be her 3rd trip to Disneyland. She love Belle and is a huge Tigger fan. But most important she is excited to introduce her daughter to all things Disney!
Nate (DBiL, 31), This will also be his 3rd trip to Disneyland. Nate is more of a LEGO fan, than a Disney fan, but will tag along because he is awesome! Plus he will watch our stuff while Jay and I ride the rides!
Arabella (Dniece, 4 months), My brand new niece will be making her first trip to Disneyland, just like her aunt! I’m so excited to share our first trip together. She is most definitely a Princess in Training. (As of right now, at the request of DSis and DBiL, the family is not allowed to post pictures online. But trust me, she is a cutie pie!!)
So, you're probably wondering how this trip came about. It all began last summer, when I started thinking about how in 2011 the Magic Kingdom was going to be turning 40, and I would turn 35 the next day, that I wanted to celebrate my birthday at WDW. I had brought this up to my sister and she suggested since I haven’t been to Disneyland, I should go there instead for my birthday. Plus, she lives out in Arizona, so it would be easy for her to make the trip with me. So, Disneyland it was instead!
Back in October 2010 my sister and brother in law came home for a wedding. While having lunch at her in laws, Jennifer pulled out a picture to show all of us. And there it was in black and white, there was a baby on the way!!! I hadn’t even really thought about how this was going to affect the plans for the trip. I was just so excited I was going to be an aunt!!!! I kind of put everything to do with Disneyland on the back burner for the time being. Then on May 18th, 2011, my beautiful niece Arabella was born. I went out to Arizona in June to meet my niece and help out. While I was there, my sister asked if I was still interested in going to Disneyland for my birthday. Of course I was! And if it meant introducing Arabella to the magic, I was in! But it would be a few weeks before I would know if my sister was able to get the time off for work.
Up Next: Dates, Airfare and A Place to lay our Heads
Great start, Kathy! Looking forward to reading about your DL trip! I haven't been in 10 years. We LOVE Disneyland - and actually think that it is better than the Magic Kingdom at WDW in some ways. I've only been to DCA once, as it opened after we moved away from LA.
And is your bday October 2? That's my DS's bday! We tease him that if he'd had the sense to be born October 1, we could celebrate with a trip to WDW each year since they'd share a birthday!
__________________
DisneyLand too many times to count; DisneyWorld: ('82; '94; '00; '04; '05; '08 - twice!; '10;'11 - twice); DCL (3 ships): ('00, '05, '06, '10, '11); DVC Hilton Head Resort ('06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13)
Great start! Glad you decided to do a PTR for this.
Thanks for reading along. There has been a lot going on with the loss of my grandmother at the start of September and I wasn't sure I was going to write about the trip. But I decided I need help take my mind off of things and this was a great way to do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayraLR
Great start! Can't wait to read all about your plans. What a great way to celebrate your birthday!
Thanks! I'm pretty excited. It's been a while since I got the chance to celebreate my birthday at a Disney park!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Congrats on the new addition to the family!
Thanks!! Arabella is the light of our lives!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by cubfancolleen
Great start, Kathy! Looking forward to reading about your DL trip! I haven't been in 10 years. We LOVE Disneyland - and actually think that it is better than the Magic Kingdom at WDW in some ways. I've only been to DCA once, as it opened after we moved away from LA.
And is your bday October 2? That's my DS's bday! We tease him that if he'd had the sense to be born October 1, we could celebrate with a trip to WDW each year since they'd share a birthday!
I can't wait to see the differences between Disneyland and WDW. I've heard a lot of people say the attractions that are at both parks are a lot better at Disneyland. And yes my bday is Oct 2! I actually remember when I found out that WDW opened on Oct 1 that I wish I had been born a day earlier!
Quote:
Originally Posted by shnewell
Great start and congrats on becoming an auntie!
Thanks! Being an aunt is the best thing in the world!!
I had really wanted to be there for my Birthday. When my sister went back to work she put in for the time off, but she wasn’t able to get the Friday before my birthday off. Not a problem, we can move the trip to the following weekend. It did mean that I wouldn't be able to be there on my actual birthday, but what can you do. And the dates actually worked out better in the end for my Brother in Law too.
So with the dates in hand I began pricing out airline tickets. Southwest has always been my first choice, but tickets were really expensive! I started checking out other sites, and remembered one that a friend of mine had told me about, bookit.com. I found a really good rate of $278 with tax! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Southwest wasn’t even that cheap going one way! I checked the times with Jennifer and she gave me the ok, and I went ahead and booked it!
With dates and airline tickets in hand, it was time to start the search for a place to stay. Since my sister has been to Disneyland before she decided to take on the task of searching for a hotel. Being a planner, it was very hard for me to give up control, but I went with it. After some research on her part, she called me with a few options. One of them, we both sudded our noses at, but after some talking and looking at the website, we decided to go with Motel 6—Maingate. And I know you are all thinking the same thing I was. Motel 6, really? But after I looked at the website, the pictures weren’t like any Motel 6 I had ever seen. Motel 6 Anaheim Maingate Hotel - Anaheim, CA - Motels & Hotels Plus, we were pretty certain that Disneyland wouldn’t offer it as a Good Neighborhood if it wasn’t a good hotel. So, my sister went ahead and booked the hotel and our tickets. We are all set to go!
It's always a relief to get the hotel and airline reservations taken care of! Sorry you won't be there on your birthday, but it sounds like the dates worked out well for your DSis and DBIL's schedule.
__________________
Shayne
I'm sorry, what part of the duck did you say we're going to eat? Find out in A Foodie Celebrates 40-Updated 12/27
That does look like a nice hotel/motel! Definitely NOT what I'd picture when I hear Motel 6 (although I do love when Tom Bodett is on NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!).
__________________
DisneyLand too many times to count; DisneyWorld: ('82; '94; '00; '04; '05; '08 - twice!; '10;'11 - twice); DCL (3 ships): ('00, '05, '06, '10, '11); DVC Hilton Head Resort ('06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13)
About This Page: This is a discussion on Celebrating where the Magic began within the DL: Sharing the Adventure: Disneyland Trip Reports, part of the PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel; I wasn't sure I was going to do a PTR, but once I got thinking about it, I decide I ...
We LOVE Disneyland - and actually think that it is better than the Magic Kingdom at WDW in some ways. I've only been to DCA once, as it opened after we moved away from LA. 
DisneyLand too many times to count; DisneyWorld: ('82; '94; '00; '04; '05; '08 - twice!; '10;'11 - twice); DCL (3 ships): ('00, '05, '06, '10, '11); DVC Hilton Head Resort 
('06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13)
I'm sorry, what part of the duck did you say we're going to eat? Find out in 
me and my family at katie's sweet 16
Linear Mode
