Wednesday May 1st
Our last day! It had gone so fast we were sorry for it to be the last day so we were up and ready to go! The only day we made a true opening. We got dressed and headed to McDonald’s for breakfast. It wasn’t too busy. We used the self ordering option and found a table right away. Security that morning was the fastest we had and we were about twenty people from the turnstiles at about 8:15, I think. The time is fuzzy in my memory.
I know we weren’t in a hurry when we scanned in and headed with the crowds to the Hub.
This was at 8:55. We were primed and ready for rope drop. We didn’t have any particular attraction in mind but we were going to knock out what we could of Fantasyland. We walked on to Snow White’s Scary Adventure, Pinnocchio’s Daring Journey, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Mad Tea Party.
Then we waited about 20 minutes for Alice in Wonderland. While in line I grabbed a Matterhorn Maxpass. My sister wanted to ride and despite her hesitancy on the first day DD decided she was willing to try it again. Matterhorn after Alice and we only stood in line for maybe five minutes. As soon as we scanned in to Matterhorn I grabbed a Maxpass for Space Mountain
After that we headed to It’s a Small World. On the way we ran into Peter Pan and Captain Hook! They were having a good time teasing one another and we watched and got pictures with them.
She was showing Peter Pan a coin she had found on the street that morning and he was showing her how to flip it and calling heads and tails.
We waited about 15 minutes for Small World. At this point we had only been in the park for about an hour. My sister usually has no plan whatsoever when visiting Disneyland so I was pleased when she commented how much we had done and I hadn’t made her feel rushed at all.
We did Space Mountain and I got a Buzz Lightyear Maxpass which was good almost immediately. After Space we headed over there. I had missed a call from a guy who was supposed to be putting in sprinklers at our house so my sister and daughter did Buzz and I ducked out of line to call them back.
We met back up and headed to Finding Nemo Submarines. My sister wanted to do Indiana Jones and DD refused to do that one again. I made a Maxpass for one for Indiana Jones and for DD and I passes for Star Tours. My sister gets motion sick on Star Tours and was happy to miss that.
We decided it was time for lunch. I know some people can’t stand it but we really like the pizza at, what is now, Alien Pizza Planet. We all got a slice of pizza and I shared a side salad with my sister. I think there was some confusion over if it was open. They were under construction still at that time and we didn’t have to wait in line at all for our food.
Then we split up. My daughter and I headed to Star Tours. I don’t remember what scenes we got but they were different than our first ride on Monday. We got off and I had a text message that Indiana Jones was temporarily down so my sister was standing in line for Pirates instead. My daughter and I made our way towards New Orleans Square. I knew that it would take a little while to get through Pirates so when we saw the Main Street vehicles out we caught a ride to the front of the park on a horse trolley.
We listened to the Dapper Dans on Main Street for a minute then rode a motor car back to the Hub.
We met back up with my sister and were supposed to use a Maxpass for Haunted Mansion but it was down and our passes were available for any other attraction. It took some convincing to get my sister to agree but it was decided to use it on Splash Mountain. She did NOT want to get wet. I told her we could ask for the back of the log and she grudgingly agreed.
A snack while in line.
I think this was her fourth cotton candy. She wanted one every time I let her choose a treat.
My daughter rode with my sister most of the day when we were all together. She loves and misses my sister and was not looking forward to her leaving us later today.
It was an excellent trip through the Briar Patch. I didn’t realize what a goofy face my sister was making until I was putting this trip report together!
I grabbed a Big Thunder Mountain Maxpass but it was a ways off so we decided it was time for a dole whip. On the way over I mobile ordered us a couple of dole whips and we were going to enjoy them in the Enchanted Tiki Room. When we passed the Tropical Hideaway the line was back out near the Jungle Cruise but there were only three people in-line for dole whips in the Tiki Room.
I really like the Enchanted Tiki Room. I always remember going with my little cousin once, she was only three and had been walking the entire day and when we were going into the Tiki Room she said “I hope they have beds in here.” She did get a nap but it was on my sister and not in a bed.
Next we rode the Jungle Cruise. We had an amazing skipper! This ride depends so much on the skipper it is always disappointing when we get one who is not quite on their game.
My sister still had her anytime/attraction pass from Indiana Jones, and since it was up again she decided to use that on Indiana Jones. We waited for her then all headed over to Big Thunder for a Maxpass. As soon as we scanned in for our Wildest Ride in the Wilderness I was able to get us a Maxpass for Haunted Mansion.
My sister was beginning to think about leaving. She had to work tomorrow and didn’t want to be out too late. She agreed to do the parade with us and we went to get a spot for that. We had a little harder time getting a spot today and walked all the way down to It’s a Small World and sat on the steps there. I was able to mobile order some corn on the cob from Edelweiss Snacks. I got us each a corn on the cob, chili lime for my sister and me and a plain one for my daughter and a coke. My sister ran and picked up our snack/dinner and my daughter and I guarded our seats. She returned just in time for the parade.
We were going to do Peter Pan but my sister said she would rather ride Pirates again. That was going to be her last attractions then she was going to head back to the hotel for her car and to go home. We decided to grab the train at ToonTown Station and ride around to New Orleans Square. I love using the train for transportation, it doesn’t actually save time but it is a nice break and you get to go somewhere. We rode Pirates with a minimal wait and then had to say our goodbyes. I was glad my sister got to join us for a couple of days and we were sorry she had to leave but luckily we would see her in a couple of weeks when her assignment in CA ended.
I talked to my daughter and asked if she was ready for Peter Pan. I was torn on whether we should start thinking about leaving as well. We had a SuperShuttle picking us up at 5:00 in the morning. I was not looking forward to that but neither was I wanting to leave while the park was still open! I was trying to gauge how tired my daughter was, she then begged to close the park, which was midnight. So we tentatively planned to close down the park and headed back to Fantasyland.
Peter Pan had a line of course but it wasn’t too bad. I think we waited about 25 minutes. We hadn’t had a real meal since lunch so we decided to share a burger at the Red Rose Tavern before heading over to watch the fireworks and Mickey’s Mix Magic on Main Street. We got treats and settled in the street to wait for the show. Unfortunately, of every evening of our visit, this was the only one where they had to cancel the fireworks. It is nice that even if the fireworks are cancelled they had the projections but I was not impressed. I do not like the new style of the Mickey cartoons at all. I think they are so ugly! But my daughter was delighted so that was all that mattered.
I then gave my daughter free reign. I told her she could pick whatever she wanted and we would get as much done as we could before they kicked us out! She was ecstatic and the first thing she picked was the carousel. Definitely not what I would have chosen but this was about her!
It was 10:15 and I wasn’t sure what we would be able to do. Next up we stood in line for Dumbo, ironically there was a couple in line behind us who we had shared a shuttle with on the way from the airport on Sunday, or Monday morning as it had turned out. I didn’t realize that with the new Dumbo system you had to go to the elephant that had the number you were standing on in-line and tried to let my daughter choose. Well the people whose elephant we took were all peeved at us. We switched because I didn’t mean to take theirs but it was a couple of adults and I thought they could have just let us have the pink one but it was my misunderstanding. Either way we still got to soar with Dumbo. When we got off we had less than an hour left. My daughter didn’t know what to do next. We decided on Big Thunder and hoping we would get off in time to hoof it over to Pirates. The wait was about 15 minutes. It was 11:55 when we got off! We walked very quickly to Pirates of the Carribbean. On the way I kept up a litany of warnings that they may have already closed or we wouldn’t get there in time to get on before they closed for the night but we made it!! She was all giggles in line that we had made it. We ended up on the last boat! Then we walked slowly out of the park. It was nice and quiet, we walked through a couple of stores then headed to the hotel.
We had quick showers and my daughter went to bed while I finished packing. I was paranoid I would miss the alarm in the morning. I set it for 4:30 and then set another one for five minutes later, turned it on as high as I could and set a different alarm sound than I normally did.
Traveling home was no fuss. I did wake up for my alarm. We were the last group to be picked up, the same couple we had rode to the hotel with when we arrived, and ran into at Disneyland were also on our shuttle. The flight was on time this time and we made it home safe and sound.
It was so much fun to just take my oldest daughter. I had a great time with her and hope it is a trip she will remember fondly. I’m hoping that I can take each of my kids by themselves as they get older. If I have it my way, I will make a trip with my next daughter, currently five, next year. I’m not sure it will work out for next year but I can dream! In the meantime I talked my husband into a trip in December. My parents are going to go with us and maybe my mother-in-law. We’ll see. I like having my next trip lined up! I may try to figure out a financial way to get me an annual pass because I also want to go to Dapper Days with one of my best friends. It should be justifiable, December, Dapper Days and a trip with my next daughter, three more trips. It’s really my husband I have to convince it will work!