losfp
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 25, 2014
LFMF15 Day 29, Wed 11 Nov: Disney's Grand Californian Hotel - Not much to report for me for this day. Unfortunately during the night I had somehow tweaked the foot injury I'd struggled through the early part of the trip with and now couldn't walk at all.
The original plan was to meet Jason early to go on some rides while the girls rested up from World of Color, but wifey took my place instead. I hung out with the kids and tried not to strangle either of them.
We grabbed dinner at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in downtown Disney. We'd had a great meal there in 2012 and this one was no different. Jason left to catch his flight back to Australia and we headed off to the hockey. It was actually handy that I'd gone on Monday with Jason so I knew where to go and what to do etc without having to figure it out while dragging kids around.
Loved the game again, and the exact same thing happened, game ended regulation time 3-3 and the ducks lost 4-3 in overtime. What are the odds!!
Took ages to get a cab to get back to the hotel but we were eventually back in bed at the Grand Cali.
LFMF15 Day 30, Thurs 12 Nov: Disney's Grand Californian Hotel - today was all about Phoebe as we had booked her in for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. We had several opportunities to book it in but decided to wait until Disneyland because we didn't think a big makeover would work (or last) in the Florida humidity, and it felt like a waste to do it on the cruise.
It's pricy, but the kids definitely get the royal treatment. After the hair and makeup makeover, Phoebe got a photo session with cinderella's carriage and then got walked to the princess meet and greets to skip the line (the real value-add component of the package!!). She of course chose an Elsa dress to go with her makeover and she got a real kick out of the experience. Bethany was too young to do it, but got some bonus glitter in her hair from the fairy godmother in training who did phoebes hair.
Glitter glitter everywhere. For the next three days. So far.
Lunch was at cafe Orleans, right next to the rivers of America. Got to try out a couple of Disneyland classics that I'd heard a lot about, the Monte Cristo sandwich and the pomme frites. The sandwich is basically a deep fried ham and cheese sandwich and really was big enough to share between two people. Good to know. The frites were fries tossed in Parmesan, garlic and parsley and were amazing. Must have if you are at Disneyland.
Quiet night in the hotel to relax.
LFMF15 Day 31, Fri 13 Nov: Disney's Grand Californian Hotel - I went into DCA for early entry so I could get in some more rides. Managed to do toy story, California screamin', soarin'. The girls joined me and we got the kids to sit for another portrait, this time as Anna and Elsa. It turned out great!
After another pleasant morning in the parks, we popped back to the room for a quick nap. Well the quick nap turned into a long nap and when I woke up it was time to get back into Disneyland for our dinner reservation! Of course we entered just as a parade had started so it was a trial to get to the restaurant.
We got there about fifteen minutes late but we're finally seated. The Blue Bayou in Disneyland is one of the more highly regarded restaurants in the Disneyland parks. The seating area is actually inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Boats from the ride actually float past just a few metres away. The ambience is therefore quite dark by necessity. I didn't love that but the food more than made up for it.
I'd booked fantasmic dining so that we would get access to a reserved area for the fantasmic show later that night. When we were here in 2012, we loved the show but had to stand waiting for a couple of hours to secure a spot where you could see the show. To be seated just a couple of metres back from the water was amazing, and the show is as good as I remembered. It is considerably better than Fantasmic at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando. After the show we stayed in the same area to watch the fireworks. Spectacular as always and then it was time to drag two tired kids back to bed.
The original plan was to meet Jason early to go on some rides while the girls rested up from World of Color, but wifey took my place instead. I hung out with the kids and tried not to strangle either of them.
We grabbed dinner at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in downtown Disney. We'd had a great meal there in 2012 and this one was no different. Jason left to catch his flight back to Australia and we headed off to the hockey. It was actually handy that I'd gone on Monday with Jason so I knew where to go and what to do etc without having to figure it out while dragging kids around.
Loved the game again, and the exact same thing happened, game ended regulation time 3-3 and the ducks lost 4-3 in overtime. What are the odds!!
Took ages to get a cab to get back to the hotel but we were eventually back in bed at the Grand Cali.
LFMF15 Day 30, Thurs 12 Nov: Disney's Grand Californian Hotel - today was all about Phoebe as we had booked her in for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. We had several opportunities to book it in but decided to wait until Disneyland because we didn't think a big makeover would work (or last) in the Florida humidity, and it felt like a waste to do it on the cruise.
It's pricy, but the kids definitely get the royal treatment. After the hair and makeup makeover, Phoebe got a photo session with cinderella's carriage and then got walked to the princess meet and greets to skip the line (the real value-add component of the package!!). She of course chose an Elsa dress to go with her makeover and she got a real kick out of the experience. Bethany was too young to do it, but got some bonus glitter in her hair from the fairy godmother in training who did phoebes hair.
Glitter glitter everywhere. For the next three days. So far.
Lunch was at cafe Orleans, right next to the rivers of America. Got to try out a couple of Disneyland classics that I'd heard a lot about, the Monte Cristo sandwich and the pomme frites. The sandwich is basically a deep fried ham and cheese sandwich and really was big enough to share between two people. Good to know. The frites were fries tossed in Parmesan, garlic and parsley and were amazing. Must have if you are at Disneyland.
Quiet night in the hotel to relax.
LFMF15 Day 31, Fri 13 Nov: Disney's Grand Californian Hotel - I went into DCA for early entry so I could get in some more rides. Managed to do toy story, California screamin', soarin'. The girls joined me and we got the kids to sit for another portrait, this time as Anna and Elsa. It turned out great!
After another pleasant morning in the parks, we popped back to the room for a quick nap. Well the quick nap turned into a long nap and when I woke up it was time to get back into Disneyland for our dinner reservation! Of course we entered just as a parade had started so it was a trial to get to the restaurant.
We got there about fifteen minutes late but we're finally seated. The Blue Bayou in Disneyland is one of the more highly regarded restaurants in the Disneyland parks. The seating area is actually inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Boats from the ride actually float past just a few metres away. The ambience is therefore quite dark by necessity. I didn't love that but the food more than made up for it.
I'd booked fantasmic dining so that we would get access to a reserved area for the fantasmic show later that night. When we were here in 2012, we loved the show but had to stand waiting for a couple of hours to secure a spot where you could see the show. To be seated just a couple of metres back from the water was amazing, and the show is as good as I remembered. It is considerably better than Fantasmic at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando. After the show we stayed in the same area to watch the fireworks. Spectacular as always and then it was time to drag two tired kids back to bed.
Just the last couple of 
