Finding Walt: a DL TR: Update 2/23/12 - PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel
Finding Walt: a DL TR: Update 2/23/12
About This Page: This is a discussion on Finding Walt: a DL TR: Update 2/23/12 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; Welcome to my very first trip to Disneyland Pre-Trip Report. My countdown says 30 days, so I decided it was ...
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Welcome to my very first trip to Disneyland Pre-Trip Report. My countdown says 30 days, so I decided it was time to start. I'm still working on my WDW October TR so I'll be bouncing back and forth between the two!
Most of you know me as the food obsessed bartender who spends every possible moment at WDW., where I'm an AP holder, DVC member and frequent traveler. It will probably not surprise you to find out that I'm also a huge fan of Disney History and an avid reader of anything that concerns Walt and the Company. You might not know that I have a degree in History from Tulane University and am a bit obsessive about the subject. My bookshelves are full of Disney books, some are wonderful, some are fact filled and some of them are boring even for me.
At some point last year I started looking at the Adventures by Disney Backstage Magic tour, however the cost had me rethinking my options. When Princess Sharon told me that she was planning on being at Disneyland the same week I was considering taking the tour, I decided just to plan a trip to DL, rather than go on the ABD tour. Instead of paying buckets of money for the ABD tour I would get a regulars tour from Sharon and Karen!
I've spent countless hours looking at airfare and hotels and other nonsense. It's amazing to me how much info there is about WDW and how little there is about DL. I have the PP Disneyland, but the info is a little outdated. I bought the Unnofficial Guide to DL, but it is also sadly lacking. So I've been taking bits a pieces from lots of places and working out an itinerary for myself.
I had originally planned for my trip to be Sunday through Friday, but it turned out that flying on Saturday was about $150 cheaper than Sunday. This changed my whole game plan. Saturday would give me a whole day--my flight arrives at 10am or so. I decided to make Saturday all about Walt. This entire trip is about visiting Walt's park, so putting in some other sites that are important to the history of both the company and the man was really exciting for me!
I've spent countless hours sitting at the computer putting this together so hopefully all will go as planned!
I arrive at LAX at about 10am. I am flying Delta direct into California. I managed to get that flight for just under $150. I usually fly SWA, but the same flights on SWA were about $250 and didn't have the early morning arrival. I was thinking about using shuttles and taxis for the first part of my trip, but I managed to book a rental car through Alamo for $92 for the week. (BTW that's less than the cost of a taxi from Hollywood to DL.)
My plan for the first day is to pick up the rental car and head straight to Glendale, where I'll visit Forest Lawn. I know it is a little bit weird, but I love cemeteries. I particularly like very old ones that have historical value. On this trip, however, I'll be headed straight to the Freedom Mausoleum because Walt is buried just to the left of it in a small plot that is surrounded by a little fence and gate. Here's the link if you are interested: Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks and Mortuaries - Glendale
Next I'll be headed to Griffith Park, to see the Carousel that inspired Walt to build Disneyland. I'm going to spend some time sitting on a bench and taking in the atmosphere. I'm not sure if grownups are allowed to ride the carousel, but if they are you can be sure that I will! If I can navigate the park I'll be sure to stop by Walt's Barn and take photos of the outside. The barn itself won't be open for touring on the day.
Finally, I'll be checking in to the Renassiance Hollywood for a night's stay. I was planning on touring Hollywood in the afternoon, but my plans later in the trip changed my choices. I haven't decided what I'm going to do in the evening, but I might go see the Muppets Movie at El Capitan. I have to look some more at the website and times offered!
Yay! I'm so glad you're doing a PTR so I can hear about all the plans! Sounds great so far. I'm doing the Backstage Magic next summer and I bet you're going to get many of the same experiences and information without the cost. I'll be at the Renaissance also so will be interested on your experience there.
Awesome start! You've got some great plans for your first day! I really hope I'll be able to swing by DLR to say hi while you're here!
I hope you can swing by too!
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Originally Posted by lauriep
Yay! I'm so glad you're doing a PTR so I can hear about all the plans! Sounds great so far. I'm doing the Backstage Magic next summer and I bet you're going to get many of the same experiences and information without the cost. I'll be at the Renaissance also so will be interested on your experience there.
I'm so excited your going to do the BSM tour! I'm pretty sure that I'm going to have lots of info to share with you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chezp
Great start Heather! I've still yet to make it to Griffith Park and that's on my must-do list one day when we go back to Disneyland.
I'm a little intimidated by Griffith Park--there isn't a good map available anywhere that I've found so far and it is huge.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great start Heather! You've got some great plans there!
I've spent a lot of time working on it--so I hope it all works out!
This sounds like a wonderful start. I love the history angle!
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Revisiting DL is on the to do list - esp since hubs has never been (HOW can you live in San Diego for a YEAR and not go up to DL????? I will never understand that...)
I'm not sure what time I'll finally make it to my hotel, so my plans for the first evening are a little bit loose. I know I'm going to need a good night's sleep--so it won't be a late night.
I went ahead and made a reservation for 7:45 that night. I can't see going all that way and not making the trip to the restaurant that Walt spent so much time at. I know the ABD tour has lunch there--and I'm trying to fit as many things into this trip that are included in the ABD.
OH and the big news and the Disney mail I got this week. ABD is offering a 1 day tour of Hollywood and the Walt Disney Studios for a measly $199 starting on December 20th. Well I went ahead and booked the tour for Thursday December 22nd. (The tour is offered Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.) I'll be in the second group that gets to experience this special offering. The 1 day excursion, which can be booked as an add on to any DL resort hotel stay, picks up first thing in the morning at the Grand Californian. The itinerary I got in the mail yesterday lists: a tour of the Studios and Archives, Shopping at the Studio Store, Lunch at the Studio Commissary, a walking tour of Hollywood and a tour of either the Kodak or Grauman's Chinese Theatre (depends on day of availabilty), time to shop on Rodeo Drive, and a reception with drinks and appetizers at Gladstone's in Malibu. The tour lasts from 8am until 7pm. I am stoooopid excited for this tour. The fact that it was released just as I was planning the final details for this trip must have been fate. Plus it includes the major highlights of the ABD tour without the $3000 price tag, or at least all the reasons I was going to book that tour in the first place.
Hee I'm excited just writing about it! And now . . . I'm going back to reread Sharon's Trip Report from her Backstage Magic trip to see if there is anything else I can squeeze in!
So for those of you wondering--I have day one-mostly in Glendale, days 2-4 at DLR, day 5 on the ABD tour and day 6 back at DL. I have a 5 day park hopper ticket for DLR in the mail. I was thinking about a visit to Knott's Berry Farm, but the ABD tour won out in the end.
Ooooo, definitely go see a movie at the El Capitan! It's a great theater!!
Great about getting to do a 1 day ABD tour! You aren't missing much not going to KBF, IMHO.
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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)
Wow, the new tour really does have a lot that the 5-day BSM tour has! And most of the other things you'll be able to add on yourself. I'm tempted to cancel BSM and do the new one myself, but think I'll keep it. I don't drive, so it would be difficult to duplicate the tour on my own. Can't wait to hear how it all goes.
About This Page: This is a discussion on Finding Walt: a DL TR: Update 2/23/12 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; Welcome to my very first trip to Disneyland Pre-Trip Report. My countdown says 30 days, so I decided it was ...
I've still yet to make it to Griffith Park and that's on my must-do list one day when we go back to Disneyland.
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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)
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