Trip Report Loco goes to Hollywood!

Hello once again my friends. It’s finally time for another TR from yours truly(it’s been over a year since the last one)! This one will be a bit different, since we travelled to Southern California rather than our usual destination of WDW. We packed a lot into one week, and I’m happy to share here with you fine people. Let’s get started shall we?

Day one

We had a fairly early flight out of Dallas. I had enough points for us to get a hotel room the night before so we didn’t have to feel rushed getting over there(it’s about a two hour drive).

We spent the evening before departure playing top golf. We were going to be joined by some friends of ours, but some issues arose and they were unable to join us. We still had fun!

Such grace. Such power.
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The wife who is a new golfer.
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Our plan of getting a good nights rest before our flight was not to be. It wasn’t that we were too excited to sleep. Far from it actually, as the hot night of hitting golf balls had really taken it out of us. No the reason we couldn’t sleep was because the hotel was having issues with the fire alarm, and it went off every two hours. The entire night. Without fail.

On the plus side we were quite close to love field airport. Our arrival and boarding process all went smoothly and we departed right on time.

A bit of a shock to the system going from 98 degrees and humid the day before to 65 and cloudy! I wasn’t complaining!
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After a bit of trouble getting my phone to work I was finally able to get an Uber ordered and we made it to Anaheim without any major traffic problems.

Because we had to make some pretty big changes to our original plans, we actually ended up staying at the Hyatt Place by the convention center for a few nights before going on property at DLR. I don’t have any photos, but the rooms here are very spacious and well appointed, and a nice breakfast is included. It’s a bit of a walk to Disneyland, but it is directly across from the Toy Story parking lot, so we just walked over to that shuttle and security checkpoint. It was actually faster to get to the parks from there than at our room at Disneyland Hotel! I’d recommend the Hyatt to anyone looking to save some money, but still wanting a nice place to stay.

Anyways, we got checked in and the hotel had a room available early for us. We got settled in our room and caught a little nap before heading over to downtown Disney to grab a bite to eat.
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We had lunch out on the balcony at Ballast Point. I ordered the fish tacos and A had a burger. We both enjoyed the meal and the people watching from up on the patio.
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Downtown Disney had a few displays for Pixar Fest.
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This is the large piece located on the promenade between the two parks.
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We spent the afternoon checking out the resorts on property and trying to stay awake. I swear I had pictures from that afternoon, but my phone says otherwise. Nonetheless, we were in our room pretty early and called it a night around 9 PM despite our best offorts to stay awake.

Up Next : A day of fun in Orange County.
 
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Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I really enjoyed the DL part of this TR!
The only alarming part was when you mentioned not loving the Cars movies - this might be a mark against your good character. 😂
Looking forward to more!
Hey nobody’s perfect right?! I didn’t mind the first and third ones, but Cars 2?
Home Alone Kevin GIF


Agree on Radiator Springs at night - a feast for the eyes!

Blue Bayou - glad you were able to check that off. I really enjoyed the atmosphere from the other side while riding POTC.
I am sure you have some fantastic photos from Cars Land at night. I certainly lack your eye when it comes to capturing beauty.

I totally loved reading your TR! It's obvious that you and A totally enjoyed your trip out to DL and having a bit of cooler weather and lighter crowds I'm sure added to the enjoyment. Thank you for sharing this fun adventure with us. Any plans to visit WDW in 2025?
It was a great trip. I was surprised at the low crowds, but I’ll take it! Of course we have plans for WDW in 2025! In fact, we also have plans for 2024 at WDW. And by 2024 I mean 13 days from now.
 
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Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This Louisiana gal says that the California gumbo pictured looks more like gumbo than the new gumbo offering at MK.
As someone who was born in Louisiana(sort of, Shreveport), and has spent a lot of time in all parts of the state, I would agree. You could tell the roux was from one of those pre made packs, but it was better than I expected.

I just love tagging along with the two of you! You do so much, and have (what looks like) so much fun doing it! Can't thank you enough for taking the time to entertain us!
We do have a ton of fun! I’m glad you enjoy!
 

Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day six.
We got some much needed sleep and awoke late in the morning feeling refreshed. We made the “walk of shame” through the lobby and hailed a ride up to Burbank for the second leg of our trip. Thankfully traffic was “light” and we made it in under an hour.

We were fortunate to have a room ready. We dropped off our bags and walked around the block to the original Bob’s Big Boy for lunch!
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Not life changing food, but a neat experience. Hand mixed sodas were delicious!

Our hotel was very close to the Warner Brothers lot. Like really really close.
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We spent the afternoon at Griffith Observatory.
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The views from up on the hill are stunning.
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The Greek style Architecture both inside and out is beautiful.
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Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day six.

Our evening activity was a game at Dodger Stadium! It had long been on our bucket list, so this was a big deal for us!
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The fact the they were hosting our local Texas Rangers team was a fun bonus. I had fun interacting with the locals about the game, they were good sports!
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The setting in Chavez Ravine is beautiful!
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Gotta have a Dodger Dog(or two)!
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A nice sunset lead to another cool night.
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Freddie Freeman is an old favorite of this long time Braves fan.
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An exciting play at the plate ended the game. A narrow victory for the boys from Texas! It was a fantastic night at the ballpark!
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Tuvalu

Premium Member
Day six.

Our evening activity was a game at Dodger Stadium! It had long been on our bucket list, so this was a big deal for us!
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The fact the they were hosting our local Texas Rangers team was a fun bonus. I had fun interacting with the locals about the game, they were good sports!
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The setting in Chavez Ravine is beautiful!
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Gotta have a Dodger Dog(or two)!
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A nice sunset lead to another cool night.
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Freddie Freeman is an old favorite of this long time Braves fan.
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An exciting play at the plate ended the game. A narrow victory for the boys from Texas! It was a fantastic night at the ballpark!
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I hope you sent these pictures to Darlene. 😉
 

Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day seven.

We spent this day doing basic tourist stuff around Hollywood. I found a small group tour operator to guide us and one other couple around town for the morning. We arrived early and checked out the front of the Chinese Theater to kill some time.
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Some random foot and hand prints located in the courtyard.
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We skipped the long wait at Starbucks by using the one inside of target. Not so fun fact- there’s such a huge crime and homeless issue in Hollywood that Target has to keep even basic necessities locked up.
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The famous Roosevelt Hotel, host of the very first Academy Awards show, among other things.
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Disney-owned El Capitan is across from the Chinese theater.
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Jimmy Kimmel tapes next door.
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The Dolby Theater is the location of many large awards shows, including the Oscar’s.
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Whenever they have a big movie premiere or awards show they block off this stretch of Hollywood avenue and dress it up to make it look glamorous. In reality it’s a pretty gritty part of LA. I definitely had my guard up while we walked around early in the morning before the crowds showed up.
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
Day seven.

We spent this day doing basic tourist stuff around Hollywood. I found a small group tour operator to guide us and one other couple around town for the morning. We arrived early and checked out the front of the Chinese Theater to kill some time.
View attachment 798113

Some random foot and hand prints located in the courtyard.
View attachment 798116
View attachment 798118
View attachment 798117

We skipped the long wait at Starbucks by using the one inside of target. Not so fun fact- there’s such a huge crime and homeless issue in Hollywood that Target has to keep even basic necessities locked up.
View attachment 798115

The famous Roosevelt Hotel, host of the very first Academy Awards show, among other things.
View attachment 798114

Disney-owned El Capitan is across from the Chinese theater.
View attachment 798119

Jimmy Kimmel tapes next door.
View attachment 798120

The Dolby Theater is the location of many large awards shows, including the Oscar’s.
View attachment 798121

Whenever they have a big movie premiere or awards show they block off this stretch of Hollywood avenue and dress it up to make it look glamorous. In reality it’s a pretty gritty part of LA. I definitely had my guard up while we walked around early in the morning before the crowds showed up.

When we visited the Chinese Theater/Hollywood area we were there early too. There were a few interesting people around, the one that kind of scared me though was a guy that had a shopping cart full of soda and any time a car drove past he would throw the can of soda towards the car. It seemed like his purpose was not to hit the car but to come close and make the can explode. I'm just glad we didn't see him hit a car or anyone (including us) with the soda. I can just imagine how angry someone could have gotten, especially if their car was hit with a full can of soda. I'm glad we saw the area and got to go inside the Chinese theater, but it isn't something I need to do again.
 

Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day seven.
Our tour guide drove us in a minivan. This allowed us access to Hollywood hills park, which forbids the big tour buses and vans.
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The tour was mostly about the history of the area and less so about seeing the gates of celebrity houses. We did get to stop by the hocus pocus house. The owner is kind and does not mind pictures.
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I thought this house in Beverly Hills was interesting. Turns out it once belonged to Dr. Suess. Makes sense.
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We opted to have the tour guide drop us off in Beverly Hills.
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I was getting a kick out of all the girls trying to find the perfect instagram pose.
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We spent a little while laughing at prices in the rodeo drive shopping district. It’s a far cry from Hollywood boulevard I can assure you!
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We did have to cut our window shopping a bit short and make our way back over to Glendale for a taping of price is right!
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It was so fun seeing how the show is made and getting to chat with the announcer George Gray, who we were seated near. Drew Carey also came by and said hello and was a really great host not just for the show but for the studio audience. He stayed on set during breaks and chatted with the audience between every game.
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I’m not allowed to say what happened on the show. You’ll just have to tune in on 02/18/25 to find out!
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ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
Day seven.
Our tour guide drove us in a minivan. This allowed us access to Hollywood hills park, which forbids the big tour buses and vans.
View attachment 798176
View attachment 798177

The tour was mostly about the history of the area and less so about seeing the gates of celebrity houses. We did get to stop by the hocus pocus house. The owner is kind and does not mind pictures.
View attachment 798178

I thought this house in Beverly Hills was interesting. Turns out it once belonged to Dr. Suess. Makes sense.
View attachment 798179

We opted to have the tour guide drop us off in Beverly Hills.
View attachment 798180

I was getting a kick out of all the girls trying to find the perfect instagram pose.
View attachment 798181

We spent a little while laughing at prices in the rodeo drive shopping district. It’s a far cry from Hollywood boulevard I can assure you!
View attachment 798182

We did have to cut our window shopping a bit short and make our way back over to Glendale for a taping of price is right!
View attachment 798183

It was so fun seeing how the show is made and getting to chat with the announcer George Gray, who we were seat near. Drew Carey also came by and said hello and was a really great host not just for the show but for the studio audience. He stayed on set during breaks and chatted with the audience between every game.
View attachment 798184

I’m not allowed to say what happened on the show. You’ll just have to tune in on 02/18/25 to find out!
View attachment 798185

So cool about seeing the Price is Right and please remind us of the air date of the show!
 

Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
When we visited the Chinese Theater/Hollywood area we were there early too. There were a few interesting people around, the one that kind of scared me though was a guy that had a shopping cart full of soda and any time a car drove past he would throw the can of soda towards the car. It seemed like his purpose was not to hit the car but to come close and make the can explode. I'm just glad we didn't see him hit a car or anyone (including us) with the soda. I can just imagine how angry someone could have gotten, especially if their car was hit with a full can of soda. I'm glad we saw the area and got to go inside the Chinese theater, but it isn't something I need to do again.
There was a guy trying to sell us illegal drugs in broad daylight. I had to get pretty ugly with him to get him to go away. Definitely some shady characters around, especially if you go past the Chinese theater in either direction.
 

lindawdw

Well-Known Member
Day seven.

We spent this day doing basic tourist stuff around Hollywood. I found a small group tour operator to guide us and one other couple around town for the morning. We arrived early and checked out the front of the Chinese Theater to kill some time.
View attachment 798113

Some random foot and hand prints located in the courtyard.
View attachment 798116
View attachment 798118
View attachment 798117

We skipped the long wait at Starbucks by using the one inside of target. Not so fun fact- there’s such a huge crime and homeless issue in Hollywood that Target has to keep even basic necessities locked up.
View attachment 798115

The famous Roosevelt Hotel, host of the very first Academy Awards show, among other things.
View attachment 798114

Disney-owned El Capitan is across from the Chinese theater.
View attachment 798119

Jimmy Kimmel tapes next door.
View attachment 798120

The Dolby Theater is the location of many large awards shows, including the Oscar’s.
View attachment 798121

Whenever they have a big movie premiere or awards show they block off this stretch of Hollywood avenue and dress it up to make it look glamorous. In reality it’s a pretty gritty part of LA. I definitely had my guard up while we walked around early in the morning before the crowds showed up.
We visited this area years ago and thought it was kind of gritty back then, but I've heard it's a lot worse now. So many famous movie stars from back in the day showed up at the theater for many great movie premieres and to be honored with their handprints in the cement. I love that type of movie history from back in the day!
 

lindawdw

Well-Known Member
Day seven.
Our tour guide drove us in a minivan. This allowed us access to Hollywood hills park, which forbids the big tour buses and vans.
View attachment 798176
View attachment 798177

The tour was mostly about the history of the area and less so about seeing the gates of celebrity houses. We did get to stop by the hocus pocus house. The owner is kind and does not mind pictures.
View attachment 798178

I thought this house in Beverly Hills was interesting. Turns out it once belonged to Dr. Suess. Makes sense.
View attachment 798179

We opted to have the tour guide drop us off in Beverly Hills.
View attachment 798180

I was getting a kick out of all the girls trying to find the perfect instagram pose.
View attachment 798181

We spent a little while laughing at prices in the rodeo drive shopping district. It’s a far cry from Hollywood boulevard I can assure you!
View attachment 798182

We did have to cut our window shopping a bit short and make our way back over to Glendale for a taping of price is right!
View attachment 798183

It was so fun seeing how the show is made and getting to chat with the announcer George Gray, who we were seated near. Drew Carey also came by and said hello and was a really great host not just for the show but for the studio audience. He stayed on set during breaks and chatted with the audience between every game.
View attachment 798184

I’m not allowed to say what happened on the show. You’ll just have to tune in on 02/18/25 to find out!
View attachment 798185
I love that you got to see the taping of The Price is Right! Back in the mid 1970's, I got to see the Jeopardy game with Art Fleming being taped in NYC along with Who Wants to be a Millionaire sometime in 1999 in NYC. It's fun to see what goes on while taping a TV show!
 

Loco_driver

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Day 8

Our last day in CA. We didn’t have far to walk to our destination.
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They had several interesting items on display in the lobby. This is Phoebe’s guitar from friends.
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Jack Warner had some pretty important phone numbers!
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The backlot tour starts with “town square”. It was stripped down during our visit, but is used to film countless shows and movies. There were remnants of its use in “Young Sheldon”.
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Around the corner is New York street. If you’ve seen a show or movie with exterior shots of NYC, it was probably filmed here. It was originally created to film the popular gangster films of the 1930s and 1940s. Our tour guide was telling the story of how difficult it was for them to film the Kissing Scene between Toby McGuire and Kirsten Dunst in the 2002 Spider-Man on this location.
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Apparently this is where the Gilmore Girls live.
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Who knew the lived next door to Ross and Monica’s parents and shared a garage with them?
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“Philadelphia” is used to film Abbott Elementary.
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