Las Vegas-Disneyland-Memphis & More!!!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Ok where we?

Oh yeah. Saying good bye and then heading down the road to...Disneyland.

But first we made a pit stop.

Our son had just graduated from UTI and was accepted into BMW's sponsored training in Rancho Cucamonga, CA so we stopped by to see the facility.

DD loved it because of the corporate headquarters across the street.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

It was a nice facility, what we saw of it.

We jumped back in the car and headed down the road.

In no time we reached our hotel. Embassy Suites South, Anaheim. It's less than a mile from Disneyland.

It's really nicely themed with a AK vibe about it.

DD loved Simba sitting on Pride Rock.

Here's a close up of Simba.

It's a stock photo because when I zoomed in the picture got really blurry.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

It's a great hotel and I would highly recommend it. A few stock photos.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Ok! Ok! On to Disneyland.

We jumped on the shuttle bus, sorry Lou, and within a few minutes we arrived here.

If you arrive by bus this is where they will drop you off.

You walk about 200 yds and you arrive at the plaza.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Here's what you'll first see when you get to the plaza area.

From the plaza area if you look to your right (north). You'll see a familiar site. No not my beautiful wife. It's Disneyland. If you look past the monorail you'll notice the train station that looks surprisingly like the one at the one at the MK. Lol.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

If you look to your left you'll see the entrance to Disney's California Adventure. Is it me or does it look like Hollywood Studios?

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

And if you go straight across the plaza you'll run into...

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Before I go any further I want to apologize for having to post one or two pictures at a time but for some reason every now and then when I try to post more than one picture it deletes all the pictures and the text and I'm tired of retyping everything.

Well before we arrived, and since we would only have 1/2 a day at Disney we decided that we would enjoy DTD and not one of the parks. But after about 5 minutes in the plaza area I really wanted to go I to one of the parks. And my DW said she thinks she'd like to go into the parks also. But after looking at this...

We just couldn't spend almost $400 for a few hours since we were just here 2 years ago and it was a really busy spring break day. Sorry but I do have pix of our last trip to Disneyland if y'all really want to see them.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

So we stuck with our original plan and headed towards DTD.

It's really is a nice area. I might actually like it a little better than DTD-Disneyworld. It seems less crowded even though there were tons of people.

It has all the shops and restaurants you would expect.

They are really doing a lot of work and expand in the DTD area. It's twice as big as I remember it from 2 years ago.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

You can see the crowds are pretty heavy in this picture.

We decided to stop and grab a snack and a cold drink. This reataraunt had a great patio area which was right in the middle of the action.

We got a great table for people watching.

If you noticed in the last picture my DW wasn't in the picture. I think she must have been off taking this great picture I took off of her phone.

Did you see me and our DS under that folded umbrella? Look for the green and white plaid shirt.

It's getting late so the pood forn and the rest of DTD and the Disneyland hotel will have to wait till tomorrow.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 594]

I really want to go back to Disneyland. The last time I was there was a little over 20 years ago.

Hey DIT said he was looking at a summer 2015 trip. He probably wouldn't even notice me. I could blend right in with the other females that will be with him.

[Beckers 1,136]

Ray are you writing the report on your phone? I have the typing, insert pictures and then everything gets wiped out problem when I use my phone and switch back and forth between safari and my phony bucket app. Drives me BSC.

Disneyland is on my bucket list. I think we will wait until the kids are tall enough to ride everything because it will probably only be a once in a life time trip. Call me a dork but I want to walk where Walt has walked.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

I really want to go back to Disneyland. The last time I was there was a little over 20 years ago.

Hey DIT said he was looking at a summer 2015 trip. He probably wouldn't even notice me. I could blend right in with the other females that will be with him.

We are also looking at a 2015 trip out west, sounds like a gathering in the works :)

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

I really want to go back to Disneyland. The last time I was there was a little over 20 years ago.

Hey DIT said he was looking at a summer 2015 trip. He probably wouldn't even notice me. I could blend right in with the other females that will be with him.

.

You do need to head back. Even thought the MK is modeled after Disneyland there are differences and California Adventure is really cool.

Lol. Your right. I don't think Dave would notice another female in the van.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Ray are you writing the report on your phone? I have the typing, insert pictures and then everything gets wiped out problem when I use my phone and switch back and forth between safari and my phony bucket app. Drives me BSC.

Disneyland is on my bucket list. I think we will wait until the kids are tall enough to ride everything because it will probably only be a once in a life time trip. Call me a dork but I want to walk where Walt has walked.

Not my iPhone but my iPad ( same thing).

What I did on the last pictures was copy and paste one. Posted it. Then copied the next picture and edited the previous post and paste the new picture.

Id wait till the kids were a little but older also. And I'd save up and stay at a Disneyland hotel. Ill post some pictures of the Disneyland hotel tonight.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Great report you have going here, Ray.

 

That Embassy Suites looks very nice. 

 

I hope to see Disneyland for myself one day.  It's so strange to me that the park entrances are next to each other like that, and that you can simply walk to Downtown Disney from there.  Even though I love WDW buses, I think I'd like that.

 

TCD

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Keep it coming Ray!

I would love to go to DL with the fam someday.

Devores' DL trip report was one of my all-time faves.

Bring on some more!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Great report you have going here, Ray.

That Embassy Suites looks very nice.

I hope to see Disneyland for myself one day. It's so strange to me that the park entrances are next to each other like that, and that you can simply walk to Downtown Disney from there. Even though I love WDW buses, I think I'd like that.

TCD

. Embassy suites is a great hotel. I would highly recommend it. But in saying that. I would also recommend one of the 3 Disneyland hotels. And yes.

I didn't measure the distance but all three hotels seem to be closer to the action than even the Contemporary is to the MK.

The Grand Californian Hotel is right next to the action. They have rooms that look out over the California Adventure Park. It has rooms over the restaraunts and shops of DTD. It has its own private entrance to CA park. It has a lodge like feeling. If I remember correctly you can look above the Roxy store and you'll see some of the Grand Californian.

I've never been to the Paradise Pier hotel. But from the pictures I've seen it looks really nice.

The original Disneyland Hotel is really nice also. I've got some pretty good pictures of it. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Those pix will be posted shortly.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Keep it coming Ray!

I would love to go to DL with the fam someday.

Devores' DL trip report was one of my all-time faves.

Bring on some more!

You have to go to Disneyland. I grew up I Southern California and spent many a summer day at Disneyland. I prefer Disneyworld but it is the original.

Unfortunately my Disneyland TR portion won't hold a candle yo Dave's but maybe you'll get a little info out of it.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Ok we left of with us stopping for a snack and something cool to drink.

As soon as I looked at the appetizers I knew what I wanted... Garlic Fries w/Parmesan cheese.

If you've never had them. They are awesome. I could eat nothing but garlic fries if my doctor would let me.

I was missing Disneyworld so as you can see I had a mojito. I was really good.

After our drinks and snacks we headed out and went to the House Of Blues to look around.

It is a pretty neat place. DW and DD grabbed a ice water, DS had a Irish whiskey and I had a beer. I don't remember if it was Irish. Did I mention it was St. paddy's day? Well it was. And today I was Irish.

After our beverages, we continued discovering the expanded DTD. It's really beautiful.

DTD-Disneyland has a lot of same stores as DTD-Disneyworld. But there's enough of a difference that we really enjoyed our time there.

Ok. Those of you that have met me or seen me know I'm not the prettiest guy around but dang look at my good looking family.

Our DD and DS both like the pressed penny machines. This one is inside of the Rainforest Cafe.

If I remember correctly DIT and Carol are both thinking about going do Disneyland in 2015 so they'll be happy to know that they'll find this little sammich shop in DTD.

This was are last stop before we explored the Disneyland hotel. Keep up. We almost to the Disneyland Hotel.

Looks familiar? I thought I was at HS. But if you look closely it says...

Well. It's getting late so the Disneyland Hotel pictures will have to wait till tomorrow. Just wait till you see the swimming pool area. The theming is really old school Disney.

Also I might have a few bonus pictures from our 2012 Disneyland trip from inside the parks.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Loving this Ray. I dont think I have ever even seen pictures of the Disneyland Hotel so bring it on!

Oh wait. You say no one in their right mind is up at this time?

I agree.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Loving this Ray. I dont think I have ever even seen pictures of the Disneyland Hotel so bring it on!

Oh wait. You say no one in their right mind is up at this time?

I agree.

Disneyland hotel will be in tonight's update.

It's. Pretty cool property.

You and Beckers are the only ones up that late. But she's got a baby. What's your excuse? lol

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Keep it coming, Ray.

 

I am looking forward to the Disneyland Hotel photos.

 

It would take me a while to grasp how compact everything is at Disneyland.  Even with the photos, I am having a hard time visualizing what it's like to have everything so close together.

 

TCD

[Big Kahuna aka John 71]

This is perfect Ray... I'm just starting to mess with the idea that sunny Cali may be the proper response to a brutal February 2015 Pennsylvania winter.  I'm now taking notes.

[Beckers 1,136]

This is perfect Ray... I'm just starting to mess with the idea that sunny Cali may be the proper response to a brutal February 2015 Pennsylvania winter. I'm now taking notes.

Is this a typo or are you predicting next year's weather?!?