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Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:40 am
by KeithS
Disney Fantasy Part 5
Ahhhh - Castaway Cay! It really does look like those images of the Bahamas you see in James Bond movies!
Castaway Cay family beach
Minnie is there to greet us
Serenity Bay - this is the adult beach and there was hardly anyone around! Della and I sat there for hours and had lunch at the BBQ there
Our ship from the beach - we were on our way to the Stingray Adventure
Stingray! Photo taken during our Castaway Cay Port Adventure
Another one.
About to depart Castaway Cay - the view from our ship.
Hope you enjoyed a very small selection of photographs from the cruise!
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:48 am
by KeithS
Here is the final journal entry of our trip! I'll be back to post more theme park photos from WDW, Universal and Disneyland later today.
7 April 2013 – Disneyland - LAX
Finally our last day on holiday arrived. After breakfast this morning, we went back to our room just to check on our packing, but we were fairly confident by this stage so headed over to Disneyland for a half-day goodbye.
When we entered the park this morning, the Disneyland Band were at the entrance, along with Alice and the Mad Hatter - and what was the band playing when we came through the turnstiles? Waltzing Matilda! Our first stop after entering the park was Pirates – there were quite a few major rides that we hadn’t been on because of the spring break crowds so today was as good a day as any to knock them off. After Pirates, we headed straight onto Haunted – both these attractions were walk-ons today; an indication that the holiday period was finally over.
After leaving Haunted, we headed up past Splash to Winnie the Pooh and had a turn on that. We were contemplating Splash but it was cooler today and we didn’t want to pack wet clothes.
After Pooh, we headed back to the hub via the Big Thunder trail and on the way we visited the Wishing Well. Princess Belle was blocking the path back to the hub, so we scooted through the castle and then got a photopass picture in front of the castle.
Next up, we headed up towards the Matterhorn which had the shortest queue we’d seen in five years! So we hopped on and finally got to ride it again. It wasn’t as bumpy as I was lead to believe, although not as smooth as newer coasters.
We then headed over to the Teacups as that is always a last day tradition for Della and I. I also wanted to ride Alice in Wonderland, but the queue was 50 minutes, so that wasn’t going to happen today.
After the teacups, we headed into Tomorrowland and Space Mountain queue was also quite long, so we jumped on Buzz Lightyear for a final battle. It was now time for lunch and we headed to our traditional last day lunch at the Plaza Inn of Cobb and House salad (something light before flying).
It was getting close to our departure time, so we decided to get some last minute shopping in for office gifts. I bought chocolates while Della got some ear hats at the Mad Hatter.
With that done, it was time for our final attraction of the holiday – our traditional Grand Circle Tour of the Magic Kingdom on the Disneyland Railroad. We hopped aboard after a short wait and relaxed as the train took us around the park. Finally, it came back to Main Street and we headed down the stairs and out of the right-hand passageway. We passed through the exit gate around 3:20pm and after a quick visit to our brick in the Esplanade, we headed across Harbor Blvd and back to the hotel.
Once there, we got showered and changed before finalising all our packing. Around 5:10pm, we took all our luggage downstairs and checked out of the hotel. The Disneyland Express bus came and before long, we were on the freeway heading to LAX. Our dream Universal, NASA, WDW, Cruiseline, Disneyland holiday was at an end.
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:48 am
by KeithS
Universal Studios
This is the Royal Pacific Hotel at Universal Orlando - beautiful!
This is where we had breakfast.
View of the swimming pool area.
Hogwarts Castle
Hogwarts Express
Entrance to Forbidden Journey at Hogwarts
I love this - the Weasley's Ford Anglia
Seuss Landing at Islands of Adventure - nicely themed!
More Seuss Landing
The Hulk - pretty intense
Close up!
Nice comic theme
The Jurassic Park area - again it is well done
More Islands of Adventure theming
Islands of Adventure is a really great looking park - but the attractions just aren't quite as good in most cases as the theming!
Entrance of Universal Orlando
Chief Wiggum had me bailed up!
The Nascar Sports Grill at Universal Citywalk - the food here was brilliant!
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:08 am
by KeithS
Kennedy Space Center
The entrance! Anyone who knows me knows that I love this stuff - this was a great day for me!
The Rocket Park
The Vehicle Assembly Building
The Apollo 11 Gantry Arm
An unused Saturn IB
A Saturn V built to take men to the moon before the program was cancelled - so glad they didn't scrap it!
Another view of the Saturn V
Apollo Command and Service Module
The original Apollo 15 Lunar Excursion Module - this was not used as they swapped it for a newer model that could take the lunar rover when it was obvious the missions were going to be cut short
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:16 am
by calisota
I've been okay with all the stories and photos (apart from the required jealousy) but I choked up at the photo of the alleyway in St Thomas.
Now I'm going to spend the rest of the day debating if I should sell up my house and all my belongings and just spend the rest of my life travelling.
Greg
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 2:12 pm
by KeithS
Walt Disney World
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Parade in Magic Kingdom
Castle show
Cinderella Castle
Gaston's Tavern in the New Fantasyland
Inside Gaston's Tavern
Meeting Romero Britto (designer of the Britto pieces) at Magic Kingdom
Meeting Mr and Mrs Easter Bunny
Ice cream in the hub
Castle at night
More Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
Lotso!
Peter Pan above the UK pavillion
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 2:49 pm
by KeithS
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 2:58 pm
by KeithS
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 3:22 pm
by KeithS
Disneyland Resort
And finally, here are a bunch of photos from Anaheim.
Railroad Station
The spring blossom was out in Disneyland...
...and in DCA
Spring flowers were everywhere
Princess Belle at park entry - we saw quite a few different characters at the entry this year
More blossoms in the hub
Part of the new Fantasy Faire part of Disneyland - it was very well done
Finally got to see Minnie's Fly Girls in Condor Flats
And we also saw Goofy's Instant Concert in Paradise Bay
Soundsational Parade was still going strong in Disneyland
Donald in Soundsational
More Soundsational
And we enjoyed the Mad T Party again
Partners statue in the sunshine
Astro Orbiter flies by
Mickey balloons!
And finally it was time to leave and head home.
Hope you enjoyed the photos!
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 5:03 pm
by ColinA
The Grand Floridian does a great display. I only see the resort at Christmas where it is always the Gingerbread house. Anything Disney does is excellent.
Did you get any photos with Becky at Be Our Guest!
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 7:22 pm
by KeithS
Did you get any photos with Becky at Be Our Guest!
I sent it to your Yahoo address a couple of days ago - it must have got lost - I'll repost here shortly.
EDIT: Here she is!
In the next few days, I'll post some thoughts on the holiday itself - so far I posted what we did, but little in opinion on what was good and not so good. Put it this way, there is not much in the 'not so good category' as it was the best all round holiday we've ever had!
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 7:26 pm
by churros
...and I think to myself, what a wonderful world! -/
Who's next?
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:20 pm
by KeithS
Who's next?
Only 7 months until you're off!
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 8:44 am
by mushu mama
Who's next?
Possibly me? Japan in 2 months ( well, as long as North Korea don't bomb it first) . or do you mean WDW only?
Re: WDW, Disney Cruise, Disneyland Trip 2013
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 9:52 am
by Mel
Love the pics!!! -/ -/ -/ -/