[Goofy Daddy]

Hiya everyone. I am going to attempt to include pictures with this trip report but bear with me because I have never done that before on this particular forum and so I may mess it up!

I went to the annual Law Enforcement Association's Conference this last week end which this year was held at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Basically it's a meeting for PORAC which is an organization that encompasses a large number of Police/Sheriff Employee Associations (Unions). I am on my Association's Executive Board and so I got to go. Of course the family came with me!

Day one found us arriving on Thurday the 16th at about 1pm. After checking into the hotel and the conference and finding that the first conference meeting wasn't until that night at 7pm we headed out! The Monorail is shut down during the construction of The Nemo/Sub ride and so we walked through Downtown Disney to the park. The group was my wife (DW), Daughter age 7 (DD), and son age 3 (DS). Since we have plans to return in December as well we decided to buy Annual Passes. We got a nice little surprise when we found that since we have AAA membership we received a $10 gift card with each AP we bought.

Once in the park and with out APs in our lanyards we set out to do what ever we could before I had to get back to the conference, by this time it was about 330pm. My DS requested the Jungle Cruise and so that's where we headed first. I was pleased to find that there were no crowds and long lines at all. The only ride in the park down for maintainence was the Materhorn. The Jungle Cruise was literally a walk straight onto the boat "wait" and pleased my son quite a bit. Next we headed to Pirates at the request of my DD and again walked straight on. Jack Sparrow and the rest of the scurvy dogs are doing well and I'm pleased to say everything was working.

Next my DD and I went to visit Jack Skellington at the Haunted Mansion (my DS still wasn't quite up to it). Since we were on that side of the park we headed over to the Winnie the Pooh ride and walked straight onto our "beehicle" and enjoyed that ride. We all agreed to try to get on Buzz Lightyear next (my DS enthusiastically agreed!! ) and so we went over to tomorrowland. We found a "5 minute wait" sign greeting us at the Astro Blasters que and found that the wait was more like 2 minutes so we rode it...twice. I scored a level 4 both times...yayyyy! It was getting close to the time for me to have to leave and so we headed to Peter Pan's Flight and found an actual ten minute wait to get on that one!

After that we all headed out of the park. My wife and kids were tired from the long drive down and I had to go to the conference assembly. They stopped and got Wetzel's dogs for dinner (the conference was feeding me) and we headed back to the hotel. It was a nice first day (half day actually) and the family topped it off by watching the fireworks show from the room while I was doing "official conferenceing" at the Pavilion dining area.

I will post day 2 of the trip report soon and it will include info on winning the "year of a million dreams" gear as well as contruction site pictures (I hope) of the Finding Nemo ride. I will try to attach a link to a picture of the family and I in the "most photographed place in the world." below. I hope it works!

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...a/DSCF0690.jpg

[dac921]

What a great first 1/2 day... great photo...

What did you win??? I gotta know!1

[Goofy Daddy]

tsk, tsk, tsk...ya gotta wait for day two! I will hopfully be posting it later this afternoon.

[Goofy Daddy]

Day 2 and I awake to the very insistant tugging on my arm from my DS. "Time get up daddy, we go Disneyland!" he announces several times. I have to attend to conference at 1130am...it's 715am now...plenty of time for park fun! My DD and DS truely act like a princess and prince as they enjoy their room service breakfast. With full tummies we make the walk through DTD and get to the park just as it opens. As with the previous afternoon, I am pleased to see no crowds.

We decide to take advantage of the lack of crowds and head to tomorrowland to ride Autotopia. We see immediately that the rocket ride is a straight walk on...no line at all. My DD and I ride that one first. We then continue over to Autotopia and get in the very short line and get into our cars. My DW and DD are in the car ahead of us and my DS is ready to take me for a drive. While he drives me around the track I keep my eye out for any glimpses into the sub lagoon.

I can see right away why the Monorail is closed. The construction for the Finding Nemo ride is not just in the lagoon, it is also going on around, under and even ON the Monorail track. The follwing pictures show some of what i am talking about:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3.../DSCF0617b.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3.../DSCF0617a.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3.../DSCF0617c.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3.../DSCF0616b.jpg

After our car ride we headed back to "the hub" and got on the mainstreet firetruck and rode it back to town hall. We left DL and headed into California Adventure. We found a very short line for Monsters Inc and enjoyed that ride. Unfortunately after that one it was time for me to head back to the hotel and the conference that my association was paying me to attend. So off I went, with my family deciding to walk around DCA for a while and see what else there was to enjoy there.

No sooner had I reached the hotel and conference center when my cell phone buzzed. It was a voice messege from my daughter. "We won!! We won!! Call you later!!" was the shouted, almost frantic messege. Later??? No way...I have to know now! I called my DW's phone. For those who don't know, as part of the "Year of a Million Dreams" theme, Disney cast member "prize crews" are out in the parks (and later we found out in DTD as well) and at certain times and places they give out various prizes. Near the tortilla factory my family was greeted by a cast member who guided them to where two other cast members wearing white vests were standing. They gave them a "dream pass", one for each person there so my DW, DD, and DS each got one. The dream pass, picture link below, is a fast pass good any time of the day you receive it, for any fast pass ride in either park. You can see the pass has little tabs on it in the picture...when you use it on a ride the CM breaks off the tab for that ride.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...a/DSCF0627.jpg

I pass the word on to the others I had come to the conference with and they called their families and told them what to look for. Hey what can i say...if there's one things cops learn how to do, it's call in back up to help with any situation! About an hour later my phone buzzes and I answer it quietly. "Honey!" My wife says quickly on the other end of the line, "The prize people in white vests are under the big mickey hat here at the hotel!!" Now folks...i am a 40 year old man...a sergeant in my department...and executive board member at a conference...so you know what I did of course...you guessed it, me and a co-worker snuck out the back door of the conference room, giggleing like kids, and RAN out to the area. We got there in time and received our prizes. This time it was a nice lanyard with two exclusive collector pins on them. Sorry I thought I got a picture of them...but I can't find it so I will take one later and post it another time.

OK, the conference ajourns at 3pm until 7pm so I meet my family by the pool to see if we are going to head into the park again or not (silly question...OF COURSE WE ARE!) Comming out of the pool area we see that once again the prize crew are under the big hat! Three times in one day?? Could we be that lucky??? YES! This time we all received exclusive light blue with silver ears Micky Ears One is pictured below:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...a/DSCF0629.jpg

So, off we go. We use our dream fastpass in DCA so my DW and DD can ride Soaring Over California. Then we cross over to DL and my DD and I enjoy Turkey Legs for dinner and my DW a Chimichanga...my DS gets a little of both. We head over to one of my DD's favorites, Thunder Mountain RR and use our dream fastpass there. We then rode the Haunted Mansion and this time my DS thinks he's ready for it. He rode with me and did so very well! He was very nervous but ended saying it was "good." It was dark by now and so we went on the Jungle Cruise...if you have never done it at night in the dark, try it...it's fun! We then used our dream fastpass again to get onto Buzz Lightyear one more time! LEVEL 5!!!!

That was it for us on this day. I had to go back to the conference. My DW tried to stay for the fireworks but the kids were bushed from a day in the parks and an afternoon of swimming and so they couldn't make it.

I'll post day three and four soon and they will include a report on the early entry we got on Saturday, the Jedi Academy and the Princess' Art Fair.

[Goofy Daddy]

Originally Posted by packerbeth

I have a dd7 also, so I'm always up for a TR that talks about what kids do at a Disney park. Can't wait to hear about YOaMD!

Cool, I posted day 2 of 4 a little bit ago.

[Dana]

Loving your report so far. Please keep your days all in one thread however. It's easier to read and part of the trip report guidelines stickied on this page. I have merged your report for you. Keep the report and the pics coming!

[Goofy Daddy]

Originally Posted by Dana

Loving your report so far. Please keep your days all in one thread however. It's easier to read and part of the trip report guidelines stickied on this page. I have merged your report for you. Keep the report and the pics coming!

My bad!! No problem, one thread it shall be!

[Goofy Daddy]

Originally Posted by packerbeth

So it sounds like you were able to walk up to the Dream Patrol, get in line and get a prize. Is that the way it worked? I'd read that it was more of a random they-pick-you kind of a thing. We're going to WDW in January; we'll definitely be on the lookout for them!

It is definately random as far as when they pass stuff out. In the case of the Dream Fastpass my wife said a CM who was dressed "normally" signaled her to come over to him. She did and the "white vested" prize crew was around a corner and they came out and gave her and a few other people that had been called over the prizes.

With the lanyards and hats the prize crew (two of them) showed up under the big Mickey wizard hat at the DLH and handed out the items to anyone who walked by them until they were out of items.

We were not able to work out yet if they have certain areas that are always used but the times are random or what...I'm going back in December and will try to figure that out!

[Goofy Daddy]

One thing that we did discover is that they are not allowed to give any extras out AT ALL. In other words they give one prize to each person in your group. Begging and pleading that "my hubby is at a conference, can I have one for him" or "My daughters are on a ride right now can I have one for them" will be politely refused. They are polite, but very strict on this policy.

[Dopey]

Wow, nice trip and great pictures. Congrats on the dreams. Now on to day 3 please

[Goofy Daddy]

DAY THREE FOUND US SURROUNDED BY HOTTENTOTS AND RUNNING LOW ON AMMO...

Ok, ok, just kidding...it's just that after all the day 2 prize winning, day three is semi-anticlimatic. One good thing is as hotel guests we got to go into DL at 7am as opposed to the normal public opening time of 8am. NICE since as we found out today would be the end of the "no crowds, no lines" luck we had been having!

So by a miricle my DW was able to get the kids, and me, out of bed and fed in time to walk through DTD and get to the gates of DL by 7am. We are sooooo glad we did. In the course of about 45 minutes we rode Dumbo, Snow White, the Tea Cups, The King Arthur Carosel, It's a Small World, and Buzz Lightyear (My DS loves that ride!!!) WHEW!! Small World is all decked out in it's holiday version and it is so nice to sit and enjoy the 15 minute boat ride.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...a/DSCF0658.jpg

As the gates were letting in the "general public" my DS and DW went on Buzz again (I TOLD you he loves that ride!) and my DD and I went on Star Tours. We shot over to ride Thunder Mountain RR. To relax a bit we took a full circle ride on the Disneyland RR. We then rode the good old Jungle Cruise again.

We joined a group of my co-workers and their families at lunch at the Zocalo in Frontierland. Good food, plenty of seating! My DD went with my co-worker and his older girls to ride Splash Mountain (another favorite of hers!)
and then over to DCA to ride the Grizzley Rapids (they ended up riding it four times!). While they were doing that my DW and I took our son to see Santa, then we rode the Casey Jr train and the Pooh Bear ride again.

We headed back through DTD and did some shopping. Once we were all back in the hotel room resting, the kids were tired and actually not up for a return to the park (it was 7pm by now) and so my DW, refusing to give in (that's why I love her!) and so she headed back out to see the fireworks show. She said it is still a wonderful show.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...a/DSCF0649.jpg

The day 4 report will include my opinions on the Jedi Academy and the Princess Fair.

[Cavey]

COPS at Disneyland

"Bad Boys! Bad Boys! Watcha gonna do? Wathca gonna do when they come for you?"

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Great report, though.

[Jen]

What a great TR!! Love how you were able to spend time with your family and still keep your schedual with the conference!! How cool is that about the Dream Team!!

Can't wait to hear more!

[Goofy Daddy]

Thanks for all the great feedback! We're leaving town today for the Thanksgiving Holiday...I will try to post the final day of the TR tonight from Grandma's house!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY to you all!!

[Goofy Daddy]

DAY FOUR

We packed our bags and checked out of the DLH (they'll "store" your luggage until midnight!) and headed through DTD for our last day (half day). We stopped and had beneigts ( I can never spell that right) for breakfast. I guess there was lots of partying going on the night before because the initial crowd at the 8am opening wasn't too bad. We hit Thunder Mountain RR two times in a row...ya gotta take advantage of short lines when ya can! Then we headed over to Fantasyland and rode Casey Jr and the Storybookland Boats. My DW just had to ride Small World one more time...ok, ok so I wanted to visit the dolls again too I admit it!

After ASW we saw a que forming outside the Fantasyland Theater. It was for the Princess Fair/Show. The show starts at 10am and it was now 950am so we decided why not. Here we come to the one and only rough spot in our trip, as far as the park is concerned. We had noticed that the princesses were not walking around the park like they normally did and were not out greeting kids and taking pictures. That's the first thing I don't like about the "princess fair" concept. The only way to meet the princesses now is to go to this fair. You can see them in the normal shows (Fantasmic) and parades, but to actually meet and take a photo with them the fair is the only way to do it...at least that we saw during this trip.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...a/DSCF0661.jpg

As you can see from the picture above the photo backdrops you get are very nice and the princesses do their best to spend a nice amount of time with each child. However, several problems come with this new set up, BESIDES the fact that you wont get a chance to see the princesses. Problem number one...we got in line, as I said, at 950am and we were not too far back in the line. Despite this we didn't actually get all the way through the que and "around the corner" to see the princesses until about 11am. Problem number two is they have 3 princesses out at a time and you don't know which ones you are going to see until you stand in the line and get around the corner where their photo stations are. Fortunately my DD has moved beyond wanting to see every one of them and wanting their autographs (she's in a Tink phase!) but for those families who are trying to meet all of the princesses and fill autograph books this fair makes it VERY difficult. An hour wait to see 3 of them...no real advanced knowledge of what 3 you get to see...it just rubs me wrong.

We got to meet and photo op with Snow White, Mulan, and Aurora. As said...my daughter is out of her princess infatuation stage and my DS is more of a Buzz & Woody fan so it was no big deal. I did hear plenty of parents complaining though that they would have to be in line "all day" to eventually see all of the princesses. At least the old way they used to do things the princesses could be found at certain times and at certain places around the park and you KNEW what princess you were standing in line for. Even during crowded summer months I don't recal ever waiting more than 20-30 minutes to see a princess.

OK...there's my vent for the trip. I will be back soon with the rest of the day four TR...it's dinner time!!