Trip Report A Walk in Walt's Footsteps: Max's California Adventure

Hello to All - As the title suggests the Max family has returned from a fun adventure in the Golden State.

For those who have not read the PTR I have copied a link below:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-going-to-do-i-am-going-to-disneyland.929704/

If you do not want to read the pre trip report I understand - there are so many PTR, TR ,Live reports on the go it is a lot of work to keep up with everything.

We will start with the players:

Me - Max - turned 51 a few days before we left (and yes I wore my Bday button proudly - more to come on that one though). Trip number 25 to a Disney Resort ( WDW, DLR, DLP and TDL)

My DW - T - age is just a number - She really likes Disney, really loves DCA and is over the moon on going back to San Diego (Trip number 23 to a Disney Resort (WDW, DLR and DLP)

My older DD - S - 22 - just finished her undergrad in Music Therapy, working at a summer camp and starting her mandatory intenrship to become certified in September. Trip number 20 (WDW,DLR,DLP)

My younger DD - C - 20 (not yet legal to drink in your country) - almost halfway through Biomedical Engineering - just finished a school term in August (co-op program) - starting to work in September - same trip count as her sister.

Next up: Day 1 travel day and first day in park all in one!!

 

[amjt660]

Day 5 cont'd
S and C had a quick swim in the pool after we settled

We went for dinner at a nearby TexMex place called Flying Fish
Margaritas and fresh guacamole!!

Sunset on the beach - LIFE IS GOOD!!

I don't know where she gets this from.....

Beautiful view

Beautiful DD

This is the theme for remainder of the trip - not as much go go go - more chillin

End of Day 5!!

Max

 

[MinnieM123]

I particularly enjoyed the ToonTown pictures! Small World looked nice. Your hotel accommodations look very comfy, with lots of room!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Walts apartment made me melt into a puddle on a the floor.

And baby groot is sooo cute! I think I know what plush I want now!

 

[krause]

Looks like a pretty small "lucky fin" so probably Nemo! Great trip report! You're making me want to do DLR again! I've only done both parks crammed into one day (and Matterhorn and Splash were both closed ) so a longer visit is in order I believe!

 

[amjt660]

I particularly enjoyed the ToonTown pictures! Small World looked nice. Your hotel accommodations look very comfy, with lots of room!

Toon Town is a fun place (for the young and the young at heart - I wonder which category C and I fit into?)
The hotel room was a splurge for sure but the extra space was good to have with 4 adults (they grow up so fast!!)

Walts apartment made me melt into a puddle on a the floor.

And baby groot is sooo cute! I think I know what plush I want now!

Walt's apartment was an incredible experience for a Disney fan.
Over the years I realize how much I admire and respect his accomplishments
I am not naïve - I understand he was not perfect
The "Uncle Walt" image is just that - an image
But his drive and compassion to innovate and succeed is what truly makes me a fan of him and what he did.

Baby Groot is making the rounds in our house now - all four of us are finding hiding spots for him - almost like an Easter Egg hunt

Looks like a pretty small "lucky fin" so probably Nemo! Great trip report! You're making me want to do DLR again! I've only done both parks crammed into one day (and Matterhorn and Splash were both closed ) so a longer visit is in order I believe!

Good catch - you are correct on that being Nemo
I hope you get a chance to go back to DLR
Going during peak(ish) times will give you more crowds but also will allow you to see/ride all attractions.
Thanks for responding

Max

 

[75disney]

Love Baby Groot. Might need to get one. I enjoyed DL's IASW with the Disney additions. Spent most of the ride just trying to spot them. Think I may have missed a few. At least you weren't going home after DLR. You still had SD to look forward to. Hotel looks nice. Wish I was back on the beach in SD watching a sunset. It was one of my favorite SD moments (we did SD first then moved up to DLR). Have safe travels on your business trip.

 

[D Hulk]

I wish wish wish I could have gone to TDR on a weekday
Both my trips were on Sat and Sunday ( because I had to work during the week)

I will be doing a mini report when I get back from HK ( and I finish my DLR trip report)

Actually it would be cool if you could go through my current TR
With all your DLR experience I am sure you could help me out and clear up some things

Max

Hey Clarence!

Not sure what you need me to help clear up. Sounds like you had an exceptional tour of DLR. There's actually a lot you've now done there which I haven't. The private tour with Walt's apartment is the big one, of course. There's also that Frozen show (I'm not yet over them removing Aladdin), and getting something other than "Free Ride" on GOTG (I've done it 4 time now and that's the only song I get!).

Grand Californian rooms look nice. Are you staying on Disney property in Hong Kong?

Fun TR! Great family! Love your staged ride photos.

 

[amjt660]

Love Baby Groot. Might need to get one. I enjoyed DL's IASW with the Disney additions. Spent most of the ride just trying to spot them. Think I may have missed a few. At least you weren't going home after DLR. You still had SD to look forward to. Hotel looks nice. Wish I was back on the beach in SD watching a sunset. It was one of my favorite SD moments (we did SD first then moved up to DLR). Have safe travels on your business trip.

Baby Groot rocks!
Small world is sooo much better theming and the ride itself.
Longer so it is even harder to get the song out of your head!!
More SD to come

Hey Clarence!

Not sure what you need me to help clear up. Sounds like you had an exceptional tour of DLR. There's actually a lot you've now done there which I haven't. The private tour with Walt's apartment is the big one, of course. There's also that Frozen show (I'm not yet over them removing Aladdin), and getting something other than "Free Ride" on GOTG (I've done it 4 time now and that's the only song I get!).

Grand Californian rooms look nice. Are you staying on Disney property in Hong Kong?

Fun TR! Great family! Love your staged ride photos.

Thanks for reading - I just wanted to see if I made any wrong assumptions with my fun facts.

The tour was the highlight for sure but GOG was a close second
Do not waste your time on Frozen
I like your comment about DLR folks not going for the shows as much
At least with Aladin it was changing and staying current with the Genie stand up act

I am actually staying at the same hotel you did in Hong Kong (Hollywood)
I could not get the Disneyland hotel cost down low enough for our business travel limits
(Hollywood is on the upper cusp - Work pays for one night and I pay for the other)

Max

 

[amjt660]

A few Photopass picture that turned out okay
Oswald was playful - he got me on this one

 

[D Hulk]

Thanks for reading - I just wanted to see if I made any wrong assumptions with my fun facts.

The tour was the highlight for sure but GOG was a close second
Do not waste your time on Frozen
I like your comment about DLR folks not going for the shows as much
At least with Aladin it was changing and staying current with the Genie stand up act

I am actually staying at the same hotel you did in Hong Kong (Hollywood)
I could not get the Disneyland hotel cost down low enough for our business travel limits
(Hollywood is on the upper cusp - Work pays for one night and I pay for the other)

Max

Genie's ad libs we're definitely what got me returning to the Aladdin show, plus generally high quality. Shame that Frozen has nothing similar.

Halloween hasn't fully begun at HKDL while I was there, just some decorations. They weren't yet doing the villain parade or the scare maze. I'd love to hear about those!

 

[amjt660]

Day 6 - Thursday August 31- San Diego Zoo!!
We went to the Zoo!!
It has been almost 10 years since we visited and wanted to accomplish 2 things
To see the special animals (Koala and Panda) and to meet up with some friends
Here are some random pics from the early morning
It was a hot morning so not a lot of movement

 

[amjt660]

Day 6 cont'd
Polar Bears - yes Polar bears in San Diego - their fur is always a little yellow - which is their summer coat

C found a new look

After this we walked over to Balboa Park - which is adjacent to the SD Zoo
Balboa park is a beautiful setting of amazing gardens and architecture.
It is also the home of a large number of small museums.
Some pics from the walk

 

[amjt660]

Day 6 cont'd
We had purchased a pass to go to the Zoo and 3 museums (build your own and save approx. 20%)
First up was the Model Train Museum ( we all have a little Sheldon in us right?)

But first this one is for @Doc Disney

and now the trains ( now before you run for the door it was cute and some parts of the modelling was quite funny)

Time for some amusement

Different sizes of trains (based on scale of full size)

Who knew Rod Stewart was into trains -well now we all do!!

Good luck finding this type of service anymore!!

C - need I say more

 

[amjt660]

Day 6 cont'd - more trains

Wedding day!

Mountain climbers

Looks like we had an accident

Give me back my chicken!!

Drive in movie!

Any way - you get the picture - a cute diversion until our friends arrived at the Zoo entrance
So we walked back

Now a little background

T and I did a cruise in 1993 (after marriage but before kids)
We met a couple that were older than us - had been on cruises before and sort of took us under their wing for the cruise and the remaining 3 days in Ft Lauderdale

Fast forward 24 YEARS later - we have stayed in touch through email and eventual Facebook
They had moved from San Fran to Maui to Washington State( ill parent) and then moved to SD in 2012.

And we finally had our reunion!!! After a few minutes of introduction (S and C had never met them!!) and we were back together just like on the cruise

it is a small world after all!

As you can tell by my shirt is was extremely hot (over 100 F)

 

[amjt660]

Day 6 - more zoo
C found this one in a gift shop but did not purchase

She also dropped her glasses and we had to buy her new ones

We did the bus tour around the zoo then walked around and saw a few more friends

It was around 2:30 and we were all running out of steam
D and R made a dinner reservation for us in the city of La Jolla for latter
Parted ways and agreed to meet at the restaurant.

 

[amjt660]

Day 6 - cont'd
We obviously did not do all of the zoo - probably 40-50% tops but it was just too uncomfortable
We went to Crab Catcher for dinner
La Jolla is a beautiful city that you tell has some money.
Did not take any food pics but here are a few of the view from the dinner room

Great food, great company
We did our first Uber in a Cadillac Escalde ( oh yeah - smell of money) back to the Pacific Terrace
Went back to the hotel after, play some cards, drank some wine and eventually D&R heading home.

 

[amjt660]

Day 7 - Friday Sept 1 - Chillout day
This was literally the lazy day of the trip
I got up early enough to be first into the pool area to claim a cabana
And proceeded to alternate from reading, hopping into the pool and napping of the pool chair until well past noon
AND IT WAS AMAZING!!!

D & R came to the hotel later in the afternoon
We snacked around the pool area - continued to get caught up on each others lives

Dinner was back at Flying Fish - we liked it - why not go back

The only pictures from this lazy day was of the sunset - Can you imagine how great these photos would be if @sheriffwoody or @fractal was there to take them!
Oh well, you will just have to live with my phone pictures

Again - not an exiting day - just chill

 

[amjt660]

Day 8 - Saturday Sept 2 - Last day before travel day home
First off a did a short walk around the resort exterior to take some picture
We were on the ground floor so the one shot is of our private patio
My cabana from the day before.

 

[fractal]

You didn't do too bad of a job on the sunset photos yourself! Beautiful scene.

 

[becca_]

I love seeing photos of the zoo & La Jolla! I really need to go back, I haven't been since 2013. Thanks for sharing all your lovely pictures