Trip Report From East to West … Two Besties Tackle Disneyland (LIVE 2/20-2/26)

It’s been a long 22 months. It’s been the best of times, and the worst of times. And it was during one of those “worst of times” that the promise of this trip began.

I remember the moment exactly. Me, bawling in a supermarket parking lot, just completely and totally overwhelmed by lockdown after lockdown after lockdown, and my Bestie @NYwdwfan promising that we will make this trip happen.

And here we are. Exactly 5 weeks out, God willing.

So much has happened since my last live trip report … not all COVID-related. Some gains - a brand new hip, and a puppy that is the light of our lives. Some losses - our 2020 WDW trip, and 50 lbs.

Here are the 5 W’s:

Who?
Me - JenniferS - Canadian, huge Blue Jays fan. After almost 2 years of spending every second together, I’ll be travelling without my usual ride or die Mike … aka Hubby.
I have been to WDW more than a dozen times, starting in 1991.

I will let Bestie introduce herself.
Ideally this will be a tandem trip report, with regular input and photos from her as well.

What?
A first time visit (for both of us!) to the OG park. We will cry the first time we walk down MSUSA. Guaranteed!

We have 5 day ParkHopper passes, and plan on utilizing both Genie+ and ILL,

Where?
Disney’s Grand Californian Resort and Spa. I’m a Moderate girl, whereas Bestie has often stayed Deluxe at WDW.

When?
We arrive at LAX within 20 minutes of each other on Sunday, February 20th.
Park Days: 21st - starting at DL
22nd - starting at DCA
23rd - starting at DL
24th - starting at DCA
25th - starting at DL
26th - morning departures from LAX

Why?
Why not? Our original plan was to stay off-site, but an email discount code for GC was just too attractive to pass up.

If you’ve read any of my previous reports, you know I post live. Mike has always been a good sport about it. Hopefully Bestie will be equally accommodating.

We will eat well (oh boy, will we eat well), hit most of the rides (together and separately, because someone doesn’t like big drops or going boing boing), and will savour every second of our time together. It has incredibly been 3 years since we have seen one another in person.

I’ll share our dining plans in a separate post.

Me, ‘cause it’s been a long time!
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Mikey. Says he’s not sorry to have been excluded:
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And Daisy, the best thing to come out of all this COVID carp:
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Last edited:

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
Original Poster

So Over It

Well-Known Member
Jennifer’s going to work on that after she reads over what she needs to do for the covid return test.
1. Run warm water on thermometer to raise temperature up to fever level prior to submitting.
2. Practice fake coughs and sneezes.
3. Look flushed and fatigued.
4. Fail test and be told must wait in States another week.
5. More days at Disneyland!
6. Dance the happy dance.
7. Apologize to husband later.
 

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
Original Poster
Before dinner, we went Soarin’. Middle row, as far right as you can go, so we got the bendy castle and the Leaning Tower of Eiffel.

I did capture two hidden Mickeys for y’all.

Sheryl was mildly surprised that the movie ended in DL, as opposed to Epcot. I hadn’t given it much thought, but I would have been surprised to see it end in Epcot.

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NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
Day 2 recap - DCA with a hop to DL

1 Pixar Pal Around (Mickey Ferris Wheel) non-swinging

2 Jesse’s Critter Carousel

3 Toy Story Midway Mania

4 Incredicoaster LL (Jennifer only)

5 Incredicoaster LL (Jennifer only)

6 Little Mermaid

7 The Bakery Tour walk thru

8 Luigi’s Rollicking Roadsters

9 Radiator Springs Racers ILL

10 GotG Mission Breakout LL (Jennifer only)

11 GotG Mission Breakout LL (Jennifer only)

*Lunch - Pym Test Kitchen

12 Philharmagic

13 Monsters Inc. LL

*afternoon rest at hotel

14 Soarin LL

*Dinner - Carthay Circle

*Hop to DL

15 Disneyland Railroad -Tomorrowland to New Orleans Square

16 HM LL

17 Pirates

18 Pirates

19 Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-thru

20 Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

21 Peter Pan

22 Alice in Wonderland
 

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
Original Poster
Right after Soarin’, it was time for dinner. And boy did we dine well. Beautiful restaurant, beautiful photos, wonderful food, fabulous service.

Sheryl’s ordered rolls to start, with the cheese stuffed arepa for her app, and cedar roasted duck breast for her main.

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I just drank water (don’t say I didn’t warn you before hand), and had the endive salad and pomegranate glazed pork chop.

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Look at the thickness of this baby!
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Nobody had room for dessert. And no Mike, I did not pick up the bone and gnaw on it.
 

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
Original Poster
Tomorrow is a bit of a sleep-in day. We’re going to tap in at DL, leave immediately, and then head over to the Disneyland Hotel for our 8:55 breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen. We’ll buy our ILL for RotR during breakfast, along with our first LL.

We will be making droids at 4-something, before returning to the hotel so I can do my COVID PCR test, and get ready for dinner at Storyteller’s Cafe here at the hotel.

After that, we haven’t decided.

Busy day today:

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JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
Original Poster
Is it bad that I’m REALLY looking forward to hearing where/how you get your PCR test done?? That’s my most anxious part of booking a trip. Allll the details please!!
I know, right? I put so much time and effort, and fretting into this aspect of the trip.

I bought it at home and brought it with me. Of course, the rules change to a simple 24-hr Rapid Antigen test two! days after I get home. 🤦🏻‍♀️

 

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