Today, we're going south on Southwest to pay our dues to the West Coast Mouse, Mickey at Disneyland. We haven't been here since about 1980, so this will be a real treat. Bryant works for the mouse; he and Susan are frequent visitors, so we'll just follow them around and have fun.
Here's a picture of D & Susan there in 1970:
Day by day:
20151012:
We got to SFO and flew to SNA (John Wayne Airport, Orange County, CA) on Southwest 2509, a nice boring flight (full to the walls, of course).
I'm putting in the outline first and I'll fill it in later.
We took a taxi (exactly like our minivan) to the Disneyland Hotel. Up I-5, etc. Easy traffic, since it was noon on a holiday. While checking in, there were some cast characters in the lobby amusing kids, so they amused us as well.
We ate burgers for lunch in a tropical-themed light restaurant. Then we walked Downtown Disney for an hour or more while waiting for our room. S&B got their room, so went to it briefly. Finally got our room by walking to Guest Services at the check-in counter. We went to the room and rested for an hour.
One store of note in Downtown Disney is the Lego store. There's a very impressive St George & the Dragon assembly of Legos:
Then we got up and headed out again. It was twilight now, so Downtown Disney looked a lot different. We waited a half-hour for dinner at the Jazz Kitchen, a Louisiana themed place - good food. Had a Manhattan, the first in years. We people-watched and saw all the usual types plus more, since there was a Halloween-themed costume contest ongoing.
We did the Ariel ride on our way to the evening show - it was cute and air-conditioned (still about 90*F ourside). Bryant had us in VIP seating on benches for the WaterColor Show, a definite boon. Spectacular WaterColor Show - lights, flames, projections, water, colors…. you have to see it to believe it.
Then we walked back to the hotel with the thousands who were leaving after the show, to our room and went to sleep. Exhausted. Walked nearly eight miles today per the iPhone's pedometer app.
20151013:
Up at a reasonable hour, and hiked through Downtown Disney to Disneyland, the park originally opened by WD in 1955. Thus, it's the 60th anniversary of the opening. We arrived at 0900, as the park was opening, so there were quite a few people trying to get in.
The sky was bright blue and promised to get hot, which it did.
We walked around and Bryant pointed out how much more compact this park is compared to WDW's Magic Kingdom. It's very crammed with attraction on top of attraction or at least side-by-side. We had breakfast near the water that the steamboat uses. We did the Pirates of the Caribbean ride first, and I recalled some of it. Dolores & I were here in 1970 & 71, and we brought the kids here in 1983 or so. But that's the last time we were here.
We took the Disneyland Railroad around the park and hopped off near the Haunted Mansion. The HM is really strange at this time of year, since they try to combine Halloween and Christmas effects into one and present that as you ride through the mansion. But it was fun. In our walks we saw several of the characters, including a Goofy dancing to the fire department band.
We had lunch near there at a place with Mexican food. Dolores & I split a chicken since it was so hot we didn't have much of an appetite. We hiked around some more, with Bryant pointing out interesting things. Then the shops beckoned so we entered and bought a few things for the grandsons.
Now the heat was affecting us all, so we tried to ride the monorail back to Downtown Disney. Nope. Closed due to heat - first time I'd heard that one. So we walked back to the Lego store where mom bought one more thing. Then back into the room where it was 80*F. We set the thermostat cooler and relaxed for a while.
We met again at 1730 to go to dinner at Napa Rose, a high-class room in the Grand Californian Hotel. We were seated fairly quickly and waited upon quite well. Of course the food and wine were at the standards of the room - all excellent. We did rush our departure a bit, in order to take our place for the evening parade and fireworks.
But once again, Bryant had it covered. We went into VIP seating in the center of the hub at the end of Main Street toward the castle. The parade came at us from our left shoulder, across our left front, and directly away from us. So we could see the parade characters and "floats" very well.
Main Street toward the entrance and train station before the parade:
At the end of the parade we turned our seats around in order to see the fireworks presented over the castle. The fireworks were loud and well choreographed to the music being played. At the end, about all one could say was, "Wow".
We waited a bit for the crowd to thin out, then walked to the monorail which took us to Downtown Disney. From there, we walked to the hotel, parting to say we'd meet around 0800 tomorrow.
What a wonderful day.
20151014:
Morning with the mouse, then the train to San Diego.
Actually, that's what happened. D & I packed up and took our luggage to the Bell Captain.
Then we all had breakfast in the 55 Steakhouse in the Convention Center. Then down Downtown Disney to World of Disney for a few gifts to take along.
We walked around for a while until Susan & Bryant excused themselves to go into the park and have fun. We waited, then changed our train reservation to an earlier train. Took a taxi to the (NICE) Amtrak terminal and checked the two carry-ons. The train came along, we boarded and relaxed.
After a lot of Southern California houses and businesses the tracks shifted to the shore of the Pacific. We had good views of water and surfers.
On arrival at downtown San Diego we found Hertz's instructions faulty - no direct phone for pickup. Took a cab to Hertz ($13) and rented a car. They said they'd repay the $13 on our bill.
We drove out to Lakeside and snuck up on Lou & Glenn by coming in the back door.
We had a beer and chatted. They started dinner (roast pork) while Dolores & I played with Daniel (Carla's youngest) and his homework. Daniel showed me a couple of tricks on my iPhone (out of the mouth of ….).
Emmy, Laura's oldest, came in after college and opening Starbucks early this morning. She said "hi" and went to bed to get up in the wee hours to open again.
We ate & had wine, and talked, and eventually moved out onto the deck when the temperatures went down. Finally, everyone faded and we went to bed around 10pm.
