A week of crowds, heat and pink eye!

[BFJen]

Well, for anyone interested, here is my trip report!

We got into Anaheim on Monday the 19th. We took 200 kids from Utah for the National Health Occupation Students of America Competition. Luckily, we got them all on the plane and into the Doubletree Hotel without much problem.

We got settled, swam a little and then headed to Downtown Disney. We got into Goofy's Kitchen a couple of hours early for dinner - we were starving! We had a great time. I ate 3 big slabs of prime rib - yum!!

The next morning, up at 7:30 and to the park! We went straight to Autopia and then to Space Mountain. While waiting for Autopia, I snuck out of line and turned in all my many vmk quests. And they gave us 2 fastpasses a piece for any ride we wanted. So, we got Space Mountain and got 1 roger rabbit - the machine quit spitting out the tickets, so a supervisor came and gave us another written roger rabbit and buzz lightyear tickets. So we did rides until I went to the hub to meet Melly Mouse!!! She was so cute - and even paid her son to yell out MiceChat so she could find me!

That afternoon we went to Hungry Bear and rode Splash Mountain (with a fast pass of course - the wait was over 90 minutes) and did Pooh. My sons had both saved their allowances and bought pirate ears.

We had a great day. Lots of people, but we worked around it. We went and found a place for the fireworks right at the end of Main Street - where I finally met Maynard! He gave us a quick rendition of a commercial he did in Hawaii (Menehune drinks?) - cracked up my sons.

The fireworks were about to begin, when they told everyone to stand up. Little did we know, we had 4, 6'4 and up guys standing right in front of us. So, We had to put the kids on our shoulders so they could see. I couldn't see most of the fireworks.

Day 2! DCA! As I was waiting for the worst shuttle ever (it took an hour round trip) I felt something in my eye - I tried to get it out, my eye was watering, it really hurt.

Well, I toughed it out and we went to the park - we rode Soarin' first and then collected fast passes. My mom took my boys to ride the jumpin' jellyfish and I went to first aid to try and get some eye drops. The nurse was great! She irrigated my eye - but nothing was helping. We went on to Aladdin and Tower of Terror. By late afternoon, my eye was getting worse, so I went back to first aid. We tried more drops, nothing was helping. my youngest son said that I probably had the pink eye. He ended up being right. So, I toughed it out through BPB and Grizzly Rapids. Then we left and I got a taxi to take me to Walgreens to get eye drops - they helped immediately!

Day 3 - Knott's Berry Farm. Never going back. First, after we pulled in, about 20 school buses followed us. We took my boys to Camp Snoopy. Only 1 ride operator per ride - it took forever. Since they are all kiddie rides, they are very small seats and designed for kids not parents. But everywhere we went these really huge people tried to get on the rides - they didn't fit and were asked to get off - which took more time and aggravation. Now, I'm not petite, but when you're in a kiddie ride area - let the kids ride!!! Parents, stand aside and watch! Also, we rode these little kid trains and went behind the big rides and got to see all the electrical equipment, employees on their smoking breaks, trash, etc. It was awful. The only high point - the Silver Bullet roller coaster. But, being a single rider, I thought I'd be able to use a singler rider line or something - nope - an hour wait. We left early and since we had rented a car for that day, we went to the Disney Character Outlet and Wal-mart for goodies.

Day 4 - Back to Disneyland! Thank heavens! More rides - and a great storytelling event with the Mad Hatter, Peter Pan, Wendy, Alice and the Queen of Hearts. My 5 year old kept telling Alice that he went on her ride, and it started a running joke. Pretty fun. We did the Tiki Room and wished the birdies a happy 43rd birthday! And I finally got to see the 50th presentation in the Opera House. We left around 5 to go to DCA to see the Electrical Parade. Fun!! Back to Disney and night for Splash Mountain at night.

Okay, final day. The big POTC Premiere. I got a whole bunch of World Premiere badges to bring home to friends. We went to Fantasyland and walked on a bunch of rides - except Peter Pan which always has a wait! It was a great day! Everyone was camped out on the red carpet, so nobody was riding rides. We did so many rides. And did a bunch of shopping!!

I already mentioned my red carpet experience on My premiere Report - but quickly, we walked up to the town square at 5:30 p.m. and got a great spot and got tons of autographs and pictures! I even got a bandana that they were throwing out. I did have one or the other of my 50-60 pounds sons on my shoulders, so my back was really hurting by the end of the night. But, it was worth it to get Bob Iger's autograph, Cal Ripken, Jr., Ozzie Smith, Lynda Carter, (of the few) and of course, Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp, and Keira Knightley.

We bailed right after the carpet - and went to the Rain Forest Cafe to get a VOLCANO!!!!!!

All in all, a great trip! Crowded, hot, and yes, a little pink eye, but any day at Disneyland is better than no day at Disneyland!!!! I hope to be back soon to ride POTC -

[brigeet]

Sounds magical. My husband hates Knotts for those same reasons. He moved to America two years ago. I have memories from my youth at Knotts so I don't hate it as much as he does. I have chaperoned a lot of stuff at Knotts and when it hasn't been crowded--I think it's decent when it's a ghost town, but I'll take Disneyland any day over Knotts.

[sir clinksalot]

Awesome TR!!! Sounds like you all had a blast.

[BFJen]

I forgot my kids favorite part! They got to talk to Stitch in Innoventions! It was sooo cute - although, they asked Stitch his favorite foods and he said, pizza, coffee, earwax and boogers - and that they should try it - it's good, my 5 year old proceeded to pick his nose....luckily we stopped him before he tried it. Stitch thought it was funny though.

And I finally got to see the Haunted Mansion changes in person - way cool

[BFJen]

Here is the picture that stitch took of us when we visited him in Innoventions.

[RobotMirror]

Wow. I always wondered how the Stitch meet and greet is in Innoventions. It always seems closed when I go. And from your picture, it doesn't seem you have pinkeye or any conjunctivitus related activity going on.

Then again, I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV.

[Athlonacon]

Knott's used to be such a fun place, it almost gave Disneyland a run for it's money...I said *almost*. :P

But after Cedar Fair bought it from the Knott family and turned it into Magic Mountain II, it's been downhill ever since. It really has no redeeming qualities and is run like a pigpen. It's too bad because Knott's decline started even before that, around the 1980's but it started very slowly then its decline picked up massive speed in the late 1990's and is now just an empty shell of itself from 20 years ago.

At least we still have Disneyland, that's really all that matters I guess. I'm sure the other Walt is spinning in his grave over what's happening at Knott's, but he just didn't leave a very strong legacy and set of guidelines like Walt Disney did.

By the way, are you the one on the right or left? I'm guessing the left?

[BFJen]

I'm the one on the left - and this was our last day in the park - the pink eye drops worked wonders!!!

[Rapunzel]

You're trip sounds wonderful... but pink-eye. Ugggh.

My family came down with pink-eye on one of our trips. IMO, it is one of the worst things. It can really put a damper on your vacation. But I am glad everything worked out.

At least it'll be an ultra-memorable trip

[BFJen]

Okay, I've been searching for this picture forever - and I finally found it!!!

Me and Melly Mouse!!!

[Hakuna Makarla]

I did not know you went. gee where was I in the belles thread when you anounced you were leaving hey more poics please love it love the trip report!

[barfownz]

^^^ Your standing right where i sat down to while meeting other MCers on July 17th!

[BFJen]

This trip was from back in June - I finally got all the pictures from my mom (as I had to download a few to her computer) - and I finally searched and found this one!

[~xxBooxx~]

aah....your story mad me smile. I love to hear all of the crazy Storeys here on miceChat. Even with pink eye you make it through and you had kids?!?! i gotta give you props on that one! Ya knotts is a dump now, back in the day is was better, the only thing going for them now is the yearly Halloween Haunt thing they do. Anyhow...loved the story!

[thejoshualee]

I bet it was the happiest pink eye on earth.