So we went to Disneyland

After last year’s wet, cold experience of sitting in Town Square in Disneyland for many hours, saving a seat for the Candlelight Procession, Lisa was bound and determined that we do it again this year.  She began her campaign early trying to recruit the veterans (Pauline and me) and getting us to commit to trying to do this special event again.  But Pauline flaked out because she’s a grandmother and will be making her way to So Cal after the Candlelight Procession and didn’t want to go so many times, have to work, can’t take off, etc.  (feeble excuses at best for the diehard Disneyland lovers).  So here I am the lone veteran with Lisa. 

Soooo, being the season passholder, L decides we should try to get the “preferred” seating dinner package – early dinner at a Disney Restaurant and then the “good” seats (actually white rickety folding chairs crammed very close together-pray the stranger next to you didn’t have anything disagreeable for dinner).  These seats are in the “roped off” area up in front of those view obstructing trees (why can’t they “Disney-magically” move them for events like this?), with a clear line of vision at the 600 voice choir, soloists, guitar soloists, bell choir, narrator (Hollywood celeb – different one each year), “living” Christmas tree, made up of Disney employees, so if they fall off and kill themselves, their surviving families can collect insurance galore.

Anyway, bottom line, the preferred seating places are much better and those folks don’t have to come early and sit and save these spots all day long like we did last year.

Lisa was on a mission from God and was bound and determined to get 3 of those preferred seats (Bruce, me and her – we got Bruce to come).  Her season past email stated that these dinner packages will go on sale only on line beginning on a Tuesday in November at 6 pm.  She got on line and began her selections, clicking, waiting, clicking, more waiting, more waiting and got to the point where she was in the shopping cart part of the purchase and was kicked off the system.  She never got back on.

Out of sheer frustration, she called me and told me after 3 hours, she had not been able to get back on.  So I tried on my computer, logging on as her and was asked to check back later due to the heavy demand.  Kept trying and trying and trying and finally, got a message saying that they will go online again tomorrow due to high demands at 6pm again.

Lisa never got that message on her computer.  So she went on line again with more determination the next day.  Again, same old waiting and waiting and waiting, and finally she got a chance to purchase a very expensive package (probably 2nd to the highest cost) and was a little reluctant, chatting with me on the phone and then decided ok, we’ll go for it.  She got kicked off the screen, saying that she waiting too long and her 7 minutes limit has gone by.  She and I hemmed and hah’d but not nearly 7 minutes – we’re not that flakey or indecisive.

So we were without a dinner package bottom line.  Later we found through other non-disney sites that scores of others had similar experiences and then some.  It was a major disaster and from what we hear among the tribal members, that this dinner package thing and trying to purchase it each year, has gotten worse and worse, and the demands greater and greater.

So we drove down Friday, Dec 5, praying that Embassy Suites doesn’t give our rooms away like they have in the past (will do a different blog, eventually).  We made a stop at Harris Ranch, gassed up and continued to Nate and Christina’s place to pick up our Disneyland tickets.  We got to Embassy Suites in Brea (which is sooooo much nicer, calmer, less crazy children, and pushy moms, elevators that work, fruit loops free floors in the dining area and no snippy, smart alecky omelette chefs) – soooo skip Garden Grove and drive a little and stay at Brea with the adults.

We woke up to 70 degree weather and got to Disneyland — it was very full in the garage and when we got there people were already jockeying for those green benches for the Candlelight Procession.  For as many people who know about this event, there are a lot of people who don’t know why chairs were set up and areas roped off in front of the Railroad station in Town Square. 

I grabbed a bench on the side where we were directly across the street from Abraham Lincoln theater, while Lisa scouted out the other side across from the fire station.  There were already cast members roping off some of the cheap seats for the preferred seating in case of overflow, thank you very much.  Not only do they not sell us the preferred seating, they’re trying to take our cheap seats away too.  The audacity of it all!

So we settled in our bench over on the left side (as you are facing the Railroad station).  Bruce got his book out and hat, and started to read.  Lisa and I settled and got our stuff appropriately spread out, and went to take pictures in front of the tree and look at the Emporium.  There was a dad doing the same thing right in front of us (from San Diego area, 2 daughters and wife out in the park somewhere ready to do tag teaming). 

While at the Emporium browsing, Bruce calls on my cell and tells us that cast members are not allowing people to save a whole bench unless there are at least 2 members of your party sitting on the bench.  What?  Sooo stupid – already paid to be there, got there early to save a bench, and now there’s a minimum # of people needed to save a bench?  Sooo I high tailed it back to the bench and we began sitting in 2’s to save our bench. 

It’s a good thing we did…within minutes all the green benches were scouted out and saved and then the whole area was roped off.  After a few minutes, we had an unexpected reunion with a single older man we met last year saving seats at Disneyland, Michael of Anaheim Hills.

So we passed the time knitting, chatting, Bruce reading, Lisa writing her Christmas cards, going on bathroom breaks – saving each others seats, finding out that the family in front of us were Christians, and dad was a preschool teacher, Mom had packed everything under the sun for her family including lunch and early dinner, snacks, blankets, jackets, you name it.  Michael of Anaheim Hills updated me on his daughter at Westmont, (Michael is a Christian too) how his intestinal issues were ok this year healthwise and so is his job.  He’s divorced and attends a small local church, celebrated his 50th b-day  visiting Colorado where his brother and and his family lives, this is his 10th year coming to Candlelight Procession, how it use take place at the theater near Toon Town, how preferred seating was saved for special groups invited, i.e. underprivileged children, hospitals, etc., but now goes to the fastest and richest bidders.

Yes, we do get to know each other well after 8 hours sitting on a bench.

Then the parades came and we have front row seats for the Christmas Parade.  Last year, Giselle from Enchanted was the Grand Marshall and this year was Prince Caspian on horse back and later Bolt, the Dog.  The rest of the parade was pretty much the same with one toy machine float that looked like it was new to the parade.  The snowmen, tin soldiers and gingerbread men are still my favorites.  Santa and Mrs. Santa were perfect as always, and the wicked step sisters and step mother from Cinderella were wonderful.

Finally at 5:30 the procession began and our celeb narrator was John Stamos from ER and that other sitcom with the twins.  He was good, the soloists were good, the coronet players were great even though I couldn’t see them as well, and John Stamos ventured from the politically correct phrasings of Happy Holiday.  The only unscripted part he got to say after the program included his comments about how he was a local boy growing up in Orange.  How he would always come to Disneyland and have seen many Candlelight Procession sitting in the “cheap seats”, pointing at us on the green benches – I lead the roar of cheer for our side, how Walt Disney was right, dreams do come true, allowing him the privilege of being the narrator.

He ended with Merry Christmas and God Bless you from me and my family.  Wow…big stuff even in Orange County these days.

From there we decided to feed Bruce at the chicken place.  From there we went to a Small World, since Lisa has never seen the inside at Christmas time.  Also the boats are smaller now since fat people damaged the canals in the past.  (different blog)

It was very crowded and we weaved around a lot.  From there we fought our way to the back of the castle and stood in front of the Dumbo ride for a different view of the fireworks.  The fireworks started and they were exploding right over our heads, behind our heads, in front of our heads and everywhere.  Was a different vantage point and fun.  But no snow, no music, no narration…like Stephanie said, I didn’t know what I was suppose to be seeing without the music.

From there we went to the front of the castle for this picture.

We finished the evening window shopping and buying a few more things at the World of Disney Downtown Disney and left around midnight.  A good day – mission accomplished – putting us in the right place for Christmas. 

The joy sustained me for Gingerbread House Making Day at school, all the Christmas Program rehearsals, rainy day schedules, Christmas Performance, Christmas Waffle Breakfast, finishing all the parent gifts, cards, banners, pictures, ornaments, bag puppets and symbols of Christmas projects, Happy Birthday baby Jesus party, and the all school Assembly.  That’s just part of the CCS Kindergarten Christmas experience.

Merry Christmas!