The Things We Pack For A Disneyland Trip

We may take the 1 hour flight to Disneyland again some day but as for now, Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I drive the 434 miles from our home outside of Sacramento to the Disneyland front gates. While the plane flight is short and convenient, driving has spoiled us. Sound backwards? Maybe, but the one thing we have found out through the years is driving allows us to bring "stuff" all kinds of "stuff" we could never take on a plane.

Of course there are the essentials when packing for a Disneyland trip...you know....layers of clothes, comfortable shoes, a camera, toothpaste, deodorant, the usual suspects. Here are some of the more items we take that are a bit out of ordinary.

Those little 4 cup coffee makers they put in hotel rooms are pretty much a joke. 4 cups? Maybe in the world of the seven dwarfs you could get 4 cups out of one of those things - 2 cups max. Forget that, we bring a coffee pot - good ol' 12 cup Mr. Coffee. Of course we now have to pack sugar, splenda, and creamer. "Wait a minute" you interject "Don't you need to keep creamer refrigerated?" Unless its the powdered kind - yes you do. So into the back of the Disneyland Traveler Disney-mobile (a Ford Explorer currently) goes the ice chest - 48 quarts worth. "That's a little large for creamer" - well, add soda, water, beer, and anything else that needs to be kept cold and a large cooler comes in handy.

We live in a digital age, an age of cell phones, laptops, iPods, digital cameras,and video recorders. Everything has a battery that needs to be charged (kind of like people, that's what the beer is for). Well, most hotel rooms have like 2 visible outlets that aren't being used by something. Nothing that a large multi-outlet power strip couldn't fix and which we now always pack.

Speaking of plugging in.... most Disneyland area hotel rooms have working air conditioning that sufficiently keep rooms cool. But no, that's not quite good enough. Mrs. DLT needs a fan, an oscillating fan to blow a breeze on her when she sleeps. It also helps drown out noises from outside the room. Of course, every hotel room has a slightly different layout so just in case, we also pack an extension cord for the fan - about 20 ft. should do it.

Now this is the one that drives me crazy. Mrs. DLT can't seem to pack for a 5 day to Disneyland even though she appears to have enough clothes that will get her through any natural disaster. She has to make one trip to the hotel laundry room to wash clothes. She makes me go with her. So here we are at the Happiest Place On Earth separating lights from darks. Of course whatever detergent the hotel sells out of a vending machine isn't going to work so now we''re packing containers of liquid laundry detergent and fabric softener. Don't forget to pack some extra quarters for the machine.

Speaking of liquids. I'm pretty much good with hotel soap, shampoo, and conditioner. It works for me. Not for Mrs. DLT on the other hand as she brings bottles and bottles of stuff - not just shampoo and conditioner but assorted lotions and cremes. There isn't a square inch of flat space in that bathroom that doesn't have a bottle of something on it (and I'm not talking small bottles).

Some people are napkin people, Mrs. DLT and I tend to be more paper towel people. We go through a lot of paper towels. Better pack a roll or two along with plastic knives, forks, and spoons just in case. Then throw in some plastic garbage bags for dirty clothes and such. 

I mentioned a laptop computer earlier. Now, traveling with a laptop is commonplace these days. Maybe a trip to Disneyland is the one place you should be able to get away from computers for awhile. For us, a laptop is pretty much mandatory as I use it download huge amounts of pictures and videos on a daily basis so everyday we start with a clean memory card. The laptop also becomes essential to watch Disney suck the life out of our bank account on a daily basis. It's quite entertaining really in a perverted kind of way.

So that's pretty much our out of the ordinary packing items. I'm sure there are more. Pictures in this blog entry are of the Candy Cane Inn, our favorite place to stay outside of the Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian. It's very nice and a third of the price of a Disney hotel which leaves us more money to spend inside the park where we take a look each night and review how Disney has just sucked the life again out of our bank account.

Disneyland Can Be Yours - For $87 Down and $32 a Month

With Mrs. DisneylandTraveler returning to the ranks of the gainfully employed, the Boy bringing home a paycheck from a local taco establishment, and me forever hanging in there in whatever it is I do for my real job, things are clicking on all cylinders again at the Disneyland Traveler household. We'll skip over the fact that the band the Boy plays in is one of the opening acts for Marilyn Manson at the Sunset Strip Music Festival in Hollywood this month.  So as things move forward, the scheming begins as Mrs. DLT and I look towards just when we can make our next escape to the Disneyland Resort for some much needed fun and excitement (tempered by the moments of utter frustration that also occur with any visit to Disneyland). 

That last admission price hike was a bitter pill to swallow.  The annual pass that we normally get is up to $469, almost double from what we paid not too many years ago with our first go-around as annual pass holders.  I said I wasn't going to do it.  But here I am, thinking, "an annual pass, maybe not such a bad idea after all".  Yes, in this blog I think I've said that I was going with park-hoppers from now on, but I reserve the right to change my mind which I somehow seem to be doing.

Although we live 434 miles away from the Disneyland front gates (Disneyland fans keep track of things like that) we still have a California zip code.  And bless those people at Disney, they somehow conveniently offer California residents an opportunity to buy annual passes with a monthly payment option.  For our annual pass, right now (barring another price increase this year) the price is $87 down and about $32 a month per pass.  In my head, somehow that just seems a little more tolerable than shelling out close to a grand for two of them. 

Years ago, my sister and her husband were into boating.  Over many years, they bought 3 boats I think, making payments on all of them.  So in the middle of January, when boating is the furthest thing one would be thinking about, you are still making a monthly payment.  It's like that for 6 or 7 months out of the year when you have a boat, making payments on something you can't use at all. Disneyland isn't like that.  I can go to Disneyland in January with my annual pass in hand.  I might be cold, wet, miserable, irritated that half the rides in the place are closed for refurbishment, but at least I'm there.  Monthly payments for a Disneyland annual pass - better than a boat payment at least.

Disneyland In July - Better Than You Think

I see by the little date thing in corner of my computer that the calendar has rolled over and it is now July. Which gets me to thinking - if you ask the man (or woman) on the street, not the Disneyland veteran but just an everyday person who plans a summer vacation, how about spending your summer vacation in Disneyland - you are many times going to get an answer like this - "Too crowded, too hot....". I'm here to say "not so fast partner".

Now I'm not here to give a money back guarantee but Disneyland in July, the peak of summer, doesn't necessarily mean a hot, miserable, crowded trip because quite the opposite can be true. Granted, Mrs DisneylandTraveler and I tend to stay away from Disneyland in the summer but it has more to do with probably being able to get a better deal, especially with hotel rooms, during a different part of year. Our summer avoidance of the place has nothing to do with crowds and maybe only a little bit about the weather.

The pictures in this post were shot near the end of July 2005, Disneyland's 50th Anniversary year. A whole group of us went down and split the cost of a 3 bedroom suite at the Disneyland Hotel (plus another room). I think the count was 16 people including about a half dozen or so kids. It was awhile ago now. Maybe there were more. 

We really had a great trip, a fun time for all. It lasted 6 days with one day going to Universal Studios (why?). And one of the things I remember most about that trip was that the crowd level was quite comfortable and manageable. Yes, don't get me wrong, it was busy but a Disneyland veteran knows the ins and outs of dealing with crowds. With an early start and some good planning, a lot can be accomplished on the busiest of Disneyland days. One thing the summer months do for the average vacationer is block out a huge population of Southern California annual pass holders. Generally, this group is blocked from the park from about mid-June until mid-August. If you don't think it makes a big difference, guess again. We were there for a June trip a few years ago that crossed over the days when the SoCal pass holder block out went into effect. The day we arrived, we were greeted with a 60 minute wait for Pirates of the Caribbean. The next day, after the block out went into effect, the wait was down to about 15 minutes. Night and day. The only pass holders that the month of July is completely open to is the premium pass holders (who are now paying $649 a year for that privilege). The Deluxe pass holders can get into the park mostly during the week days after the 4th of July holiday. Socal pass holders - see you at the end of August. Note: I repeat, it is still busy in July so if you want that special dinner at the Blue Bayou - make a reservation. Also note that the Fourth of July holiday is extremely busy at Disneyland due to special patriotic firework shows that Disney puts on. It's not uncommon for Disneyland to be filled to the max on the Fourth of July.

Which brings us to the weather. "It's hot in Southern California in the summertime." Yes, it can be quite warm with weather sometimes approaching close to 90 degrees. But trust me on this, that is more the exception rather than the rule. Since Disneyland is near the coast, coastal breezes generally provide some much needed air conditioning. It works generally like this - at night as the sun begins to set, the gentle winds (hardly noticeable) cool things down significantly. It is not uncommon to need a sweat shirt in Disneyland once darkness arrives even in July. It will remain cool overnight and into the next morning when the park day begins. Get there early. Once it gets to about 11 a.m., things will begin to heat up until nightfall once again. Knowledgeable Disney veterans often use this time to go back to their hotels and use the pool or take a nap. Me? I find a nice place in the shade to sit and people watch or use the heat of the day to head to the rides and attractions that feature man-made air conditioning for long periods of time. Long rides like Pirates, Haunted Mansion, or small world are excellent choices to beat the heat a bit. A ride on the Mark Twain steamship can also provide relief. Shows like the Tiki Room and Lincoln are also excellent choices. (But I'd rather burn to a crisp in the mid-day sun than see Captain EO again). If you want to get something to eat, think about the Pizza Port in Tomorrowland - supposedly the best air conditioning of any Disneyland dining facility (though I haven't made a scientific study of this).

It should be noted that the heat index kind of builds in Anaheim through the summer. August will tend to be hotter than July and the beginning of September can be hotter than both of them as this is the time of year of the infamous Santa Ana winds that blow in from the desert. Now you are talking some heat because the coastal breeze stops and it just stays hot, night and day.

So, while it wouldn't be my first month of choice to go to Disneyland, if the circumstances and opportunities presented themselves, I wouldn't hesitate about going to Disneyland in July. Wouldn't mind it a bit.

Picking A Month To Go To Disneyland

The excitement continues to build for the biggest summer season of all at the Disneyland Resort. Will this be the biggest since the 50th Anniversary celebration in 2005? I think so. Calculating and careful marketing on the part of Disney has fans of the resort building to a fever pitch for the relaunch of DCA and especially Cars Land featuring the biggest most highly anticipated attraction probably since Indiana Jones - Radiator Springs Racers. Yep, this summer is going to be a monster. And as I have previously stated, getting trampled under foot is not my idea of a good time. At my age, being the first to do anything isn't all that important anymore other than maybe being the first one in the bathroom here at the old homestead in the morning.

So pick a month, any month, when would be good time to plan a trip? Going over my past trips as I do in writing this blog I can see for the last several years we tend to have made our trips in the spring March - April - May time frame or mid-September. That seems to have been the pattern since 2008. Time to shake it up a bit.

Now, this summer is out for reasons stated though Mrs. DisneylandTravel and I have made several trips in June and July over the years. A word to the Disney wise out there. If you want to go in June, watch the annual pass blackout dates. One of the worst times to visit the park are those days in mid-June right before the SoCal pass holders with summer blackouts dates kick in. All of them, thousands of them, hit the parks before they are kicked out for the summer. A 50 minute wait to get on Pirates is no fun at all. Surprisingly, we have had pretty good trips in July including the 50th Anniversary celebration. With a large segment of local pass holders kept out, you are dealing with primarily vacationers and those with high end annual passes. Not bad at all providing the weather remains comfortable (and we have been fortunate with our summer time weather I must say).

In this blog, I may have mentioned once or twice (or 20) that I am not a Halloween person. Why we have made so many September trips is beyond me as we seen to hit the park in mid-September right when the now named Halloweentime starts up. Nice to see, but enough already.

When I think of all our trips over the years, maybe our most special trips have been during Christmas. The week right before Thanksgiving when everything is decorated and the holidays are just getting started is a great time to go. Been there during this week maybe two or three times. It's really quite enjoyable. Even better are the first two weeks of December. The holidays are in full swing but it is still considered a low season before the Christmas school break starts. A great time to go if the weather cooperates. Yes, it does rain in Southern California and the first major rain storm seems to target sometime in December.

So that's what I am hoping for - a trip right before Thanksgiving week or the first two weeks in December. There's a lot going in the life the life of the Disneyland Traveler outside of Disney that could prevent this from happening but it is always good to dream, and hope, and plan, and maybe even scheme a bit to make that next trip to Disneyland.

Do's & Don't's of a Disneyland Trip - Part 1

As mentioned in my previous post to this blog, my sister is going to Disneyland. She is leaving today. And like I mentioned earlier, while she is riding rides, seeing the shows, and soaking in the atmosphere of Disneyland, I will be watching her dogs. 

She is a Deluxe Annual Passholder so today (Saturday) is a blackout day for her so there is no particular rush for her to make a mad dash down there. Disneyland is 434 miles from where I live which is where she will be leaving from after she drops off her dogs. She told me she hoped to be over about 10:00 this morning which would probably get her to the Disneyland Resort around 5:00 or so this evening. I texted her a little while ago and asked that she send me a message when she gets close to my house so I could put my dog (Jasmine) away and allow her dogs to enter my house without pandemonium ensuing.

At 7:00 this morning when I texted her, she said she was still in bed catching up on some work, hadn't packed at all, and had her husband looking around for her missing Disneyland fanny pack which she has always worn on her trips. Huh? You are leaving for Disneyland today and you haven't packed and still looking for a must-have item for your trip???

Now to be honest, my sister works very hard at her job. She is one of those who does have to take work home with her. Even though she will be at Disneyland all next week, she will probably still have to keep tabs on her work. But if it were me, my trip Disneyland would have already started.

All last week I would have gathered up my Disneyland essentials, making lists and checking them twice. Most of the clothes I was taking would have been already washed and packed in a suitcase leaving room for the last minute add-ons. Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I mostly drive to Disneyland now as opposed to fly since we take so much stuff. The night before we leave, all our trip gear would have been staged by the door that enters the garage. Come morning, it takes about 10 or 15 minutes to load up and we are gone. We kind of have this down to a science and to be honest, I consider packing to be part of the trip itself. It's fun. 

Now granted, there really is no rush to get down there if today is a blackout day but I don't think we would really let that hold us back. If we got down to Anaheim at an early hour and couldn't get into the park, there is always Downtown Disney to get your park-hopping juices flowing. You unpack, have everything organized for morning and prepare yourself to be ready to be one of the first in line to get into the park tomorrow. 

Yes, I am 434 miles away from Disneyland but in my mind, if I were going, the trip would have started a few days ago. My advice? If you are going to Disneyland for a week's stay, treat the week before like an extension of the trip. Make the preparing for the joy and excitement for a a trip part of the trip itself. Carefully go over what you absolutely need to bring or what you might want to bring. Create packing lists, check to make sure your camera is working and the necessary battery sources and memory cards are ready to go. Go to the Disneyland website so you know what shows are playing on what days and make a stab at planning an itinerary if though the best laid plans of mice and men..... You shouldn't even need that little paper flyer they pass out at the entrance turnstile. If you have Disneyland videos, watch them before a trip. They might trigger some "must-do's" or red flags to beware. Plan your meals. If you are going to go to a table service restaurant, call ahead and reserve a dining time. This is almost mandatory if you are going to a place like the Blue Bayou.

You know, the real Disneyland fans (not local to Southern California) already do this. Plan a trip is what we do. Having a trip turn from a thought to the best trip possible is a never-ending quest.

Envy Strikes! Sister Is Going To Disneyland

So the little green monster rears its ugly head.  The Hulk?  Well, it is the opening weekend for The Avengers movie but in this case I’m not talking about our big green Hulkish friend.  The green monster  I’m talking about is called Envy and it goes something like this…

My little sister calls me up about a week ago and says “we (her and her husband) are taking a trip down to Disneyland.  Would you like to join us for a few days?”  Stunned silence is followed by a myriad of racing thoughts and monetary calculations.  The answer to the question as to whether I want to make a trip to Disneyland is always ‘Yes!’ But ‘Yes’ ignores the realities of life sometimes.

Reasons for not making a trip to Disneyland fall somewhere in here: 1) No time. 2) No Money. 3) Physically not up to it. 4) Other Priorities.  Sometimes there are combinations of reasons.  Mrs. DisneylandTraveler in I fall somewhere in a couple of those reasons right now.  As much as my heart and brain tells me to make a trip to Disneyland, life’s circumstances currently says ‘Not now buster’.  Darn It!

So my sister is going to Disneyland. ‘Have fun, have a great time’ as I grit my teeth trying to keep the green monster under control.  So now comes another element to the envy story, the one that starts with a text message from her that reads something like this: ‘Just standing in line waiting to get on  (insert your favorite ride)’.  Now I get the wonderful opportunity to live vicariously through someone else’s trip.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Well, the answer is both.  Any connection to someone’s trip to Disneyland is a good thing. The bad thing is – I’m not there. Did I say –‘darn it!’ already?

My sister is leaving for Disneyland tomorrow morning. She is stopping by my house first on her way down so that I make my contribution to her wonderful week. Mrs. DLT and I get to watch my sister’s dogs.

I should be much more grown up about this, more mature, more gracious, but she’s going to Disneyland and I’m not – ‘Darn It!’.  Such is the life of the Disneyland Traveler.

A New Year, A New Beginning - Disney Style

My intentions were good. December, Christmas time at the Disneyland Resort, I had so much to write about, so many pictures to post and share. It didn't work out that way. As they say "sometimes life gets in the way" even in the life of a Disneyland blogger. My output to this blog this past December was pretty meager - 5 posts - all very early in the month. What happened? - I guess stress of the holidays, stress of my real job (for the first time in many years I didn't take any extra days off around the holidays), and company here at the old homestead from Christmas till New Years made it very difficult for me to focus on my alter-ego, the Disneyland Traveler.

But its a new year. For Disneyland a new bakery opened yesterday while the rest of the month things close down for winter refurbishments and assorted maintenance that goes on during the park's slowest time of the year. We'll trudge are way through these changes as time goes on but for now its just good being back as The Disneyland Traveler.

And when will the DLT be heading down to his favorite park, favorite destination? Sad to say but as of right now, there are no plans and probably not any time this year. The funds aren't there for any time this winter or spring. I won't go near that place anytime after the immediate opening of Cars Land for fear I will be (quoting Led Zeppelin here) "trampled under foot" by a maddening crowd. If there is a chance of making it down to Disneyland it will probably be towards the end of year. 

It's a pity, I really look forward to trying out the new bakery along with all the other recent additions I have missed out on (Star Tours, the Little Mermaid ride, and the 2 Paradise Pier restaurants). In the meantime, I live my Disneyland experiences in trips of others with a hopeful eye of that magical trip in the future.

The Return of the Disneyland Hotel

It's taken a few years but the construction walls have been taken down, the assorted bulldozers and cranes have been removed, and finally the new and improved Disneyland Hotel is back in full operation (almost).  Well there is that sticking point of an on premises laundry facility not quite ready just yet - a deal breaker for Mrs. DisneylandTraveler - but other than that, the venerable DLH is back in business and updated for the 21st century.

Gone are sliding doors and the mini-balconies, the romantic waterfalls, the koi pond, the remote control boats, the Lost Bar, the Peter Pan pool, the giant Mickey Mouse statue to greet you, and the remnants of Dancing Waters.  In their places come all new rooms and lobbies, new expanses of lawns and tropical landscaping, an E-Ticket pool with an adjoining monorail themed water-slide, Trader Sam's, and a host of new details and touches.  Is all this change for the good?  Probably.  Something needed to be done with the old hotel which started construction back in the 1950's.  It needed to be brought up-to-date and modernized for a new generation of high-rolling park vacationers.  But at the same time, many people had a special bond with the old Disneyland Hotel.  Me, Mrs. DLT, and other family members spend many fine days (and nights) at the old DLH.  My claim is that the DLH felt like much more of the magic of Disneyland itself rather than just a hotel.  It had much more Disney charm than even the more costlier, grander, and convenient Grand Californian.  If you could fit it your Disneyland budget, a stay at the DLH was something quite special.

Will the new DLH be the same?  Will it have the same charm and magic?  I think so far the reports are quite good about the changes to the rooms, restaurants, and grounds but it remains to be seen if the new and improved version of the DLH can match what made the old DLH so special for me and Mrs. DLT.  Hopefully we will get back there sometime.

Andrienne Vincent-Phoenix gives a tour of the the hotel in her latest Disneyland Resort Update on MousePlanet.  You can read what she has to say and pictures of the hotel here.

Alone in Disneyland

I'll preface my comments by saying, by definition, I've never made a trip to Disneyland by myself.  I guess that's a good thing because it proves I have family, friends, and loved ones who think enough about me to want to spend time with me because I'm not really that much of a curmudgeon or ogre.  But as things work out, I have found myself spending large amounts of time in Disneyland by myself leaving me the challenge of keeping myself entertained.  As mentioned in previous posts, Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and myself do not keep the same morning hours.  I generally get up at the crack of dawn and like to get to the park when it first opens.  She likes to sleep in and take her time getting ready.  So often there is 2 or 3 hours in the morning where I'm in the park by myself while she is off doing whatever it is she needs to do.  I also took a trip to Disneyland with my sister where, unfortunately, she became sick and had to spend a large amount of time back at the room while I wandered around the parks and lands.

So what about being by yourself in Disneyland?  Is it fun?  Can you really enjoy yourself without being around family and friends?  Like most things in life, that probably is left for individual personal preference but in my case, I know I can enjoy being in Disneyland without knowing a sole.

When I'm alone, all pressure is off because there is no agenda or schedule based on the endless answer to the question "what next?".  Alone, there is no compromise, there are no suggestions, or demands.  You set the schedule.  You set the agenda.  And it may all depend on how you feel on that particular day. Sometimes I like to grab some coffee, find a nice spot on Main St. and just enjoy the atmosphere by watching Disneyland unfold before my eyes with the sights and sounds.  Sometimes I get on the train and make a couple of trips on the "grand circle tour".  Sometimes I like to wander around shooting pictures maybe having the chance to look at a ride, or an attraction, or piece of scenery from a different angle or perspective.  Sometimes I hit the rides I know Mrs. DisneylandTraveler wants no part of (hello, Space Mountain).  There was one morning, where I hit Space Mountain, the Matterhorn, Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Splash Mountain one right after the other and tossed in the Haunted Mansion to boot.  It took about 90 minutes and when I was done, patted myself on the back.  Now that's an agenda.  When I'm alone I can also pick out my own choice in dining and explore menus.  Alone, I also stay out of the stores which is a particular favorite pastime of Mrs. DLT.

But there are some things I also wouldn't do if I'm alone.  No, I probably wouldn't dine at a Disneyland table service restaurant by myself.  I probably wouldn't see a sit down show like Billy Hill or Aladdin (I have seen Fantasmic and the Fireworks display by myself, that's a bit different because basically, you just stand there).  I don't think I would go on any Fantasyland ride by myself outside of the Matterhorn because they are so small and intimate that being by yourself makes you look like some kind of loser.  But all in all, there is plenty to do to keep yourself remarkably entertained.

I've written before that when Mrs. DLT and I take our trips, they are usually for about 5 days in the parks.  I don't think 5 days alone in Disneyland would work out because without being able to share, boredom would set in.  I could see 3 days alone though.

In the end, while this post is about being in Disneyland alone, the preference is to be able to share the magic with someone you love and care about.  That's what takes a memory and makes it into an experience. So I'm grateful for all the trips that me and Mrs. DLT have been able to take, just the two of us, with our son, and with family and friends.  I've said it before that the magic begins when you see the smile on someone else's face and not just your own.

Traveling to Disneyland With Groups

DLT's 2005 Traveling Group - I even think a few are missing

The hope is always to share Disneyland's magic, joy, and fun with family and friends. What better way than to get a group of Disneyland travelers together and make it one big party? The more the merrier, right?  Well not so fast.  Yes, traveling to Disneyland in a group can be huge fun, but I'm here to give just a few words of caution.

Watch out for high expectations.  I'm amazed at seeing groups of people standing in line for attractions with matching T-Shirts saying something like "Jim Bob's Family Reunion 2011." My question is - how did you get all those people to the same line at the same time?  From my experience, moving a group in unison is something akin to moving a boulder from one place in the park to another.  There's dragging, rolling, and a fair amount of resistance.  Oh the noble goal is to have everybody moving at the same time to the same place, but man is it hard.  And yes, getting people in your party to move as a group can lead to a great deal of frustration.

You see, once at Disneyland, everyone has a different agenda and a lot of people, especially park veterans think their agenda is, of course, the best agenda because they are experts and know what's best.  Some are thrill seekers, some aren't.  Some like shows like Lincoln, the Tiki Room, or Muppets, for others the shows are inconsequential to the rides.  Some defer to the fun for their kids while others in the group may be thinking "what about me?" Even getting people to the front gate in the morning is a challenge as some are early risers and others have a tough time getting going.  Sometimes being in Disneyland with a group is the equivalent of beating your head against the wall.

Here are some things I have learned.  Allow time for yourself.  If you constantly try to stay on the schedule set by others, you will find yourself getting upset.  Next lesson, you probably will get upset at some point traveling with a group, accept it.  You may find yourself in the "middle" from time to time where one person wants to pull you this way, while another may want to pull you that way.  Maybe that's the time you need to give yourself a time out and tell both to go on without you.  If you are with your significant other, be prepared to have at least one "knock-down, drag-out" fight.  Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I have kind of grown to expect this.  It seems to go along with the territory.  And do not try to do everything as a group - the best thing to do is have meet-ups - meet up at certain times, certain places, for dining, rides, or shows.  If you meet up as a group at a certain time or place, they tend to gain some momentum for staying together but sooner or later, parties in the group will want to go their own way.  That's just the way it is.

Also get plenty of rest.  A tired Disneyland traveler is a cranky Disneyland traveler, so don't let your getting tired affect others in your group.  And maybe at the end of a day, allow time to decompress.  Some of my most memorable experiences traveling with groups have come at the end of the day when those in the group  can meet up at someplace like the old Lost Bar (now Trader Sams) at the Disneyland Hotel and remember the fun you have had during the day.

Looking back, I have had a great time in each of my trips to Disneyland when I traveled with a group, but inside of those great times were moments when all did not seem like it was going very well at all.  Just don't sweat the small stuff and remember the fun of the big picture.

Fly or Drive to Disneyland?

As the crow flies, we live 434 miles away from the Disneyland front gates. I've checked. Many times. Driving, it takes me and Mrs. DisneylandTraveler about 6 and a half hours with minimal stops for the basics - food, bathroom, gas. In the air, its a little over an hour flying time but when you factor in getting to the airport, getting there early, and getting from the John Wayne airport to Disneyland (by shuttle), that 1 hour easily becomes 3. We've done it both ways but for the last half dozen trips or so we've driven it.

The Pro's of Driving:
No restrictions on what you can bring. Bring all the clothes you want. If you run out of room in the suitcase, toss them in a plastic Wal-Mart bag. No matter how many clothes Mrs. DLT brings, she'll always have to do laundry at the hotel so we bring the laundry detergent and fabric softener as well. Bring all the food and drinks you want. We also bring coffee, sweetenter, cream, and a real coffee maker. The standard room in our favorite little hotel does not have a microwave. We don't bring a microwave but we certainly could. We do bring a table fan. No restrictions. Lesson learned: if you bring a lot of stuff, be sure to request a ground floor room with a minimum walk from where you park to the front door of your room. Also with driving out go time constraints, leave early, arrive late, whatever - it's your schedule not the airlines.

The Con's of Driving:
Since we live in California's central valley, we are primarily drive Interstate 5 from Sacramento to Anaheim and back again. It is the most god-awful boring drive this side of west Texas (which is way worse). There's nothing worth seeing 80% of the trip. Then there is the Grapevine, the mountain you climb over to get into the L.A. basin - it snows up there. And then there is the L.A. traffic - it's the nightmare everyone has heard about but only worse. Somewhere on an L.A freeway, day or night, you WILL coming to a complete stop. If you're lucky, it only happens once or twice.  It's horrible (until you get to Anaheim where everything seems to improve). Yes, its only 6 and a half hours but between boredom and anxiety by the time you get to your hotel room, you're pretty much spent.

The Pro's of Flying:
It's hard to get in a car accident in the air. It's just plain easier on the nerves and the flight we usually take gets us to our hotel and then into Disneyland by 10:00am. Not a bad deal. Other than making flight times, a lot of stress is taken out because the transportation work is pretty much left to professionals. Show up to the right place at the right time and let everyone else take care of the work. Doesn't happen as much anymore but you use to be able to get some pretty good discount air faires from time to time. Now the expense of flying is probably just a bit more than than the driving.

The Con's of Flying:
Well you are limited to what and how much you can bring and it gets more limiting (and costly) all the time. Packing takes more time and consideration. And then there's Mrs. DLT, not one of the world's great fliers. Once you are on the ground in Anaheim, your are at the mercy of the infamous airport shuttle. They're pretty reliable but some of the shuttle operations seem to "run by the seat of their pants".

Conclusion:
Well after thinking about it, if I was going down to Disneyland for a short or weekend type trip, I think I would opt for flying. Did that a few years ago where we flew down on a Saturday morning then came back on Monday evening. It worked out well. But if me and Mrs. DLT are going down to Disneyland, we are usually in it  for the long haul - at least 5 or 6 days. In that case we drive because we can take everything but the kitchen sink and set up camp.

Trips to Disneyland and Animal Anxiety

Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I are I guess what you call.....pet people. Since we've been married, we've always had cats, a dog, even a rabbit named Thumper. They can be a handful sometimes, but they are part of the family. Currently, we have three cats, George, Kona, and Herbie (sleeping on the left on the above picture). We also have a fairly recent addition to our family, Jasmine, an American Eskimo dog that just recently turned a year old. What does all this have to do with Disneyland?

On our last trip back in March, about half way through our week's stay, we got a call from The Boy back at home saying that George, the oldest cat (not sure how old - older than 10, probably less than 15), stopped eating wasn't looking good. A bit of panic started to set in with us knowing when a cat stops eating and taking care of itself, they can go downhill rapidly. We've gone through this before. This call came at night. Gathering to compose ourselves, we tell The Boy to keep the cat with him at all times - bring his food and water to him and to just pet him and keep contact with him. We would check back in the morning. The cat responded well to the instructions but still wasn't really moving around a whole let and wasn't really steady on his feet. We gave further instructions that unless The Boy was going to work, he needed to have George constantly with him at home and keep us posted. We would be home in about 3 days at this point.

George was suffering from separation anxiety. Even though The Boy was around, he was mostly attached to me. George is rather a demanding cat usually wanting his can of breakfast around 2:00 a.m. in the morning. As long as we have had him, that has always been the case. So I feed him. He appreciates it. As long he's fed, petted, and has a nice place to sleep, he's a fine old guy. Apparently on this trip, he couldn't handle the disruption.

But this episode with George got me thinking about the timing of some of our other trips to Disneyland. When we went last September, we returned, and order seemed to be restored in the household in a few days. But a about a week later, Sasha our lab mix (also in the picture above) suddenly over a weekend took a sudden turn for the worst. Now granted, she was 13 years old, a large dog, and nearing the end of her life anyway but she just couldn't recover and had to be put down. This all could have been coincidence but with us gone, could separation anxiety contributed to her quick failing?

And then there was Bud, another cat. Although she was 17, I seem to recall her failing health came shortly after we returned from Disneyland. And Thumper the rabbit, he was around 7 (about the normal lifespan of a rabbit), I'm thinking he passed away shortly after we returned from a trip.

Now I'm not sure about some of the dates, our trips to Disneyland, and how they corresponded with the passing of a pet. It seems like they were relatively close. Now all the pets we have had that have passed away were at the end of their lifespans. We had one cat, Brownie, that passed away at 13, which is kind of young, but the rest were all "typical" in terms of how long they were supposed to live. But its disturbing just enough to think about this pet separation anxiety thing. Maybe we just need to make shorter trips. I don't know.

Virtual Disneyland Trip - Part 7 - The End

I'm making this all up at home and I'm still getting tired. When last we left off, I just did a marathon session of 16 hours in the parks. As the new day comes, our last day to go back into Disneyland, I know I have paid a price. I'm still up at 7 a.m. but after a quick visit to the restroom I open the hotel room door, look at the beautiful morning, and slide the Do Not Disturb tag into the key slot. I'm heading back to bed for just a little more sleep. I'm still up making coffee by 8:30 and bringing Mrs. DisneylandTraveler to life even though she probably got 3 or 4 more hours of sleep than I did.

Stiff, sore, beaten, and tired, we make to Disneyland by 11, perfect for an 11:40 lunch reservation at the Carnation Cafe, and perfect for Mrs. DLT to wander around the Emporium for a half hour while I sit outside pondering how I really need to get on the treadmill more before making these trips.

We have our lunch, of course it had to include a cup of the potato soup. Then we hop back on the train for another grand circle tour. We like grand circle tours though Mrs. DLT has a problem with the Grand Canyon / Primeval World dioramas. If you've made as many grand circle tours as we have, the dinosaurs tend to get rather tiresome. After the grand circle tour we continue on to New Orleans Square. We get an Indiana Jones fastpass, and make our last trips on Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and the Mark Twain. Mrs. DLT stops off at store in Frontierland for some more browsing. We make one more trip to the Tiki room mostly for an excuse to eat pineapple ice cream. Another trip on the Jungle Cruise and we're ready for Indy. We're ready to call it quits.

We have a dinner reservation at the Cafe Orleans at 5:30. We're discussing whether we just want to blow it off but I just can't leave without having some Pommes Frites, a Disneyland food item not to be missed. We wonder around the little shops in New Orleans Square waiting for our dinner time then check in.

After dinner, we know we're through. Its been a great trip, and even though this one was imaginary, it was pretty typical though we did dine at table service restaurants a few more times than we normally would. So in the early evening we bid farewell to the "Happiest Place on Earth" but we are both to the point of exhaustion and being "happy" doesn't quite fit into the equation.

We make it back to the hotel. One final beer out of the little refrigerator and a very welcoming bed. Tomorrow, Saturday, we pack up and head for home.

Virtual Disneyland Trip - Part 2 - The Drive

Finally, the simple thought that "in about 8 hours, I'm going to be in Disneyland" becomes a reality. We got everything ready yesterday so it takes all of about 15 minutes to toss everything in the back of the Explorer. Now we used to leave at around 6 a.m. if not before but we hit a snag a few trips back. The drive from suburban Sacramento to Disneyland takes about six and a half hours stopping only for gas, bathroom breaks, and something to eat from a drive-thru along the way. No dilly-dallying from the DisneylandTraveler. That gets us to Disneyland around 12:30 or so. Technically the check-in time for all hotels is 3 p.m. What if the room isn't ready? At the Candy Cane Inn, where we plan to stay on this imaginary trip, it only happened to us once. That was enough. Of course, the CCI has no problem with you leaving your car, head to the park, and come back and check in later but the thought of going to the park still knowing that the check-in and unpacking part is still ahead of me doesn't sit well. Maybe I'm just a big baby. So now we leave between 7 and 8 getting to the hotel about 2:30 or so. Even if the room isn't ready, it will be shortly. I digressed a bit here.

Before leaving civilization, we make sure we have a full gas tank because once we hit I5, the gas gougers take over adding another 50 cents or so a gallon to the already ridiculous price of gas these days. We stop and take on only enough fuel to get us comfortably through the L.A. traffic and into Anaheim where gas returns to its normal high price.

The drive on I5 - well as they say "sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug". It's boring, absolutely nothing to see except billboards from farmers complaining that politicians have diverted all their water to Southern California so city people can water their lawns but at least on the way down you are full excitement, hope, and anticipation. Once you hit the I5 grapevine before L.A. then anticipation really builds but pay attention to the road. We've hit rain, high winds, snow, and wildfires going over that mountain, not to mention a fare share of absolutely insane drivers. Then you hit the L.A freeways. Sometimes you get a little lucky, sometimes you don't, but even on lucky days, on a Sunday afternoon, somewhere on that freeway, you WILL come to a dead stop. Brutal. But you arrive to the ultimate destination. It may be tough to read all the signs through all the bug goo on your windshield, but you know you have arrived.

So the Candy Cane Inn sits on Harbor Blvd. right behind the Tower of Terror (and right next to Carland interestingly enough). Why the Candy Cane Inn out of all the hotel/motel/inn choices around the Disneyland? We've tried others but the CCI is simply the best. It's grounds are impeccably cared for; they pride themselves on great customer service; the rooms are very clean rooms; the free continental breakfast is better than most; and even though its a fairly short walk to the Disneyland gates, they have their own private shuttle. It costs a bit more that other "Good Neighbor" hotels but its well worth it. Don't take my word on it. Read the reviews on tripadvisor.com

Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I have gotten wise in our old age so we request a first floor room and if your lucky, they'll be a parking place right outside your door. If it took 15 minutes to through everything in back of the Explorer leaving in the morning, it will take about 20 minutes to get everything out and unpacked. From the time I first open that hotel room door, I know I'll be in Disneyland in probably less than a hour.

So we're unpacked and heading to the park. Many people have their traditions when they first enter Disneyland, going through a certain tunnel, heading for a certain ride, etc. I don't think we really have one. A lot depends on how hungry we are after the long drive but assuming we grabbed a quick bite from our assorted snacks back at the hotel the typical thing me and Mrs. DisneylandTraveler to do is get on the train at the Main St. Station. We'll make the "grand circle tour" just kicking back and soaking in the Disneyland vibe. After the trip all the way around the park, we'll continue on to New Orleans Square and get on Pirates. Its just what we do. After that Mrs. DisneylandTraveler will begin to bother me about Indiana Jones but since its the afternoon, the stand-bye line is too long and I don't feel like messing with a fastpass. We'll go to the Haunted Mansion as the second thing we do and if the timing is right, we'll walk over the Golden Horseshoe to see Billy Hill. The Hillbillies show is over, there may be time for once around the Rivers of America on the Mark Twain and then its time to start thinking about dinner. We probably haven't made a reservation at one of the table service dining places on our arrival day but if we go over to the Big Thunder Bar-B-Q, you seldom need one. There may be a 20 or 30 minute wait. The food is good and since its all-you-can-eat, if you want more, they'll bring it. Its not fancy but we like Big Thunder and have never been disappointed.

After dinner, the effects of the long drive begin to kick in, and at 7:30 or so, I've had it. Find a nice place to watch the fireworks and that pretty much finishes off a very long day. Back to the hotel, a couple of Advil and a beer, and I'll see you in the morning.

Virtual Disneyland Trip - Part 1 - Day Before

I woke up this morning and was thinking about what I wanted to write about first in this blog today. I've got all kinds of topics jotted down so stay tuned, this will be a busy place. Anyway, while I was thinking about what to write about, my brain drifted somewhere else as it has a tendency to do. The brain was saying "Crap, it's July, the weather isn't all that blasted hot, all the SoCal passholders have been vanquished from the park, wouldn't it be great to actually be going to Disneyland instead of just sitting around writing about it?". So then the blogger part of me says "That's it! (the blogger sounds a lot like Charlie Brown) why not write a day by day account of an imaginary trip to Disneyland". Sounds like a winner.

Well assumptions need to be made. Me and Mrs. DisneylandTraveler live 434 miles away from Disneyland. We've flown. We've driven. The assumption is that we'll drive this trip. Flying is so much quicker but there is just something about driving that takes away some of the stress (until you hit the L.A. traffic). With driving, you are not limited. Pack a suitcase, if you run out of room, pack another one. Throw some stuff in Wal-Mart bags if you want. If you drive, you can bring a cooler full of water, soda, (beer), your own creamer for coffee, all kinds of items you can use during your trip and pack into that tiny hotel room refrigerator. You'll save some money too. Bring snacks, chips, cookies, things that will tide you over until you hit the Disneyland Park food machine that will suck cash out of your pocket faster than our vacuum sucks the cat hair off the carpet.

Yeah, this is the day to shop for food and beverage items, hit the ATM machine for the real cash you want to bring along, wash clothes, and pack them into a suitcase. We generally begin to pile items for our trip near the door that leads out to the garage. Come tomorrow morning, I'll just chuck them into the back of the Explorer.

Oh, I forgot to mention Mrs. DisneylandTraveler prefers to bring many or her clothes on hangers and instead of in a suitcase, they just lay flat in the back of the SUV (of course, we bring so much stuff, that the second row seats have to be folded down). She also needs to bring detergent and fabric softener because she'll do laundry at least once. Doesn't matter if it's a 4, 5, or 6 day trip, there will be a trip to the hotel laundry facility. Now the thought of wasting valuable park time to do laundry absolutely drives me nuts but I also know, after going through this ritual so many times, that there will be a time mid-week of this trip that we'll both want a break from the park back at the hotel so using this time for laundry isn't the worst thing. Forgot to mention in this imaginary virtual trip, we leave tomorrow (Sunday) and coming back next Saturday.

On the topic of electronics, we have laptops, digital cameras, video camera, cell phones, iPods, and they all come with assorted wires, cables, chargers, etc. Sometimes its hard to figure out what goes with what. On the last trip I got to where a put everything into labeled plastic freezer bags for each device to keep things straight, then everything goes into one backpack. Worked out great. We also take an extension cord and power strip because a hotel room just doesn't seem to have enough outlets. We also take a portable desk fan and a full size coffee maker. Yep, we go prepared (usually).

Another assumption we'll make on this trip is where we'll be staying at - a Disney property hotel or our favorite little hotel out on Harbor Blvd, the Candy Cane Inn. Every trip has to have some kind of budget so over the years Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and me have come to the conclusion that we'd much rather spend our budget money in the parks with nice dining options and money for shopping rather than a high priced room that we generally spend little time in. So for this trip we're opting for the Candy Cane Inn. We usually leave Disney hotels for special occasions or when we travel with groups and the expense can be shared a bit more.

Well, I need to start getting ready. It's almost time to leave even if it is only in my imagination.