28 days 19 hours 54 mins and 50 seconds - pre trip report
Me - Disney Matriarch
DS26 - His first time back to Disney since he got out of the Navy
DS26's gf - Never been to Disney
DS24 - Goes along with anything as long as his gf is there
DS24's gf - has been to Disneyland one time before
DD22 - Will make a fine disney matriarch when I am gone. She can plan with the best of them.
DD22's bf - Has been to Disneyland when he was young. Doesn't have a clue about anything Disney
DGD 6 months - First trip, obviously
This will be our first Disney trip as a family in several years and I'm very excited. We are staying at Paradise Pier Hotel. Kathy at Magical Journeys has done an amazing job and taking care of our reservations for us.
I am flying home to Phoenix from my contract in Virginia on May 7. On the morning of May 8, Mother's Day, my granddaughter is getting dedicated at my mother's church. After the service, we will have a Mother's Day lunch and then drive to California. I feel kind've bad that I'm stealing my children's significant others away from their mothers on Mother's Day, so hopefully lunch will appease them. ;)
We have reservations at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen for dinner at 8:15 pm. Our initial plan is to see Captain America at the theater in Downtown Disney. We do have an extra day on our tickets if we decide to go to the park instead.
May 9 - Universal Studios
Breakfast at Egg Slut. One of my boys works in the fraud department of a major credit card company. A charge from Egg Slut came across that he had to investigate. Once he found out it was an actual restaurant, he decided he had to go there.
We have a couple of Harry Potter fans in the group, so we are going to head over to Universal Studios after breakfast to check out the new Harry Potter area. I haven't been there since the kids were young (like less than 10 years old), so it will be interesting to see how it has evolved.
My guess is that we will be eating at Three Broomsticks for dinner. I haven't seen anywhere to get reservations for it yet, so we will just hope for the best.
May 10 - Disney's California Adventure
I would like to do Radiator Springs and Soarin together as a family. I expect everyone will divide into different groups and do their own thing after that. I have reservations at Wine Country Trattoria with the World of Color dining package. I was pretty hesitant about doing this with a baby, but Lillian is a remarkably good baby. If there are any problems with her, I will probably just take her back to the hotel where we will both need a good rest.
May 11 - Disneyland
I saved the best for last. Well, almost - I wasn't able to get reservations for Blue Bayou. They have the restaurant shut down for some reason.
I anticipate spending a good chunk of time in Fantasyland. I know Lillian won't remember it, but I have fond memories of taking my kids when they were little. Of course Pirates, Splash, Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion are must dos.
We may eat at Rainforest Cafe for dinner. I will just leave this open to the group. We have a foodie in the group, and I have a lot of dietary restrictions. There has been a lot of compromise going on.
May 12 - I have to fly back to Phoenix in the morning. The kids have a day on their park tickets, so they can decide when they want to drive back home.
It is a month away, but that gives me time to come up with a real name for my trip reports.
