Chunky's USA Trip 2009

[chunky]

Well an uneventful trip through Brisbane International. We were lucky to be put through the express queue because we had all the little ones but it wasn't really needed. The flight over was not full so we took advantage of a row or two for ourselves.

Couldn't use the bassinet for our 14 month old as she would just get up and try to jump out - not a good thing to think about. Melanie was very restless and I just squeezed 2 movies in bits and pieces as I juggled looking after her with the +1. The other 3 chunky kids loved it especially being able to pick their own movies.

I must say the Qantas crew over were excellent. All of them made particular effort to make sure we were ok and bent over backwards for any requests. One even carried some of our carry on out to customs in the US.

Thanks to Jasper, who was busting to go and the requests from that same Qantas crew member 'Stephen' we were allowed to quick queue through the USA citizens line and bypass all the Aussies waiting in the main queue. We even had help completing our green forms from the customs official - yes this is LA airport - I was just as confused but very plesantly surprised at their 'niceness'.

Hassle free SuperShuttle to Anaheim and I am writing this after we ducked down for lunch at Downtown Disney. Hmmm, yumm some nice sangria and a nachos. I have to remember their portions are big over here. Ordered two for out family but only one was needed. Unfortunately for the baby - the time difference has taken its toll and while the kids were extremely happy to soak up the atmosphere we wanted to get Melanie back for an afternoon nap.

So the piccies will come. Too tired to do them now and the only reason I am not napping is that I will go to bed in sync tonight. We also have a character dinner to go to later so looking forward to that.

[Xena]

Great start!

[Farty The Snowman]

Good To hear Chunky...

Goodluck for the rest of the trip smile.gif

[Podlettte]

Sounds like a lovely experience of LAX chunky! looking forward to pics etc :D

[SnowSnow]

Sounds like I will be flying with Qantas.

[karen97]

Nice one Chunky :D Say hi to Mickey Mouse for me smile.gif

[Jahoota]

Originally posted by chunky:

I must say the Qantas crew over were excellent. you musta got lucky. Hopefully you'll be just as lucky on the way home. My SIL had a horror one trip from japan with her young brood on qaint****. The experiance was so unpleasant she's used JAL ever since....

[Polaris]

Sounds like the perfect start Chunky!!

Hope it continues that way.

[chunky]

Thanks guys. Yes the Qantas staff were very good to the point that +1 wants to send a complimentary letter about it.

[chunky]

The kids finally getting excited even though today was just visiting the Disney Downtown area.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3442/3224027267_1283211490.jpg?v=0


My son wanted the light sabre and tried wrenching it out of Darth Vader's hand. Luckily he did not.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3224884574_49a09425fc.jpg?v=0

Ok as I mentioned before we went to Goofy's kitchen for the character dinner. A Snowatcher said this was a good idea. Well it's $36 USD for adults and $16 for over 3's for kids. The food was nice - not what I would normally pay for that sort of buffet food but there was a nice selection. But that's not what we came here for.

The staff are extremely friendly and once they found out it was our first visit we all received Disney first visit badges and also as it is a reunion of sorts with my best friend, who is working overseas and my sister's family we also received 'family reunion' badges. A nice touch and they also wrote on our dinner tablecloth (it was just paper) in big writing - 'Welcome to the USA'. They made us feel really welcome.

This next shot is of Minnie visiting our table and Melanie's reaction and she did this to every character that came. It was something I wish I had videotaped!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3224027489_b067660400.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3224027527_f4db38a411.jpg?v=0


We came for the Disney characters. We had Goofy, Princess Yulan, Peter Pan, Chipendale and Minnie Mouse visit our table. They gave us time to take photos, played with the kids a bit and signed 'autographs' in their holiday journal. It was great for the family and what we hoped for. Seeing the joy on our kids faces as they got over their shyness was wonderful.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3224027587_5d855d3015.jpg?v=0

Long day but a great start. On to Disneyland tomorrow.

[ 25.01.2009, 05:44 PM: Message edited by: chunky ]

[Vet]

glad you're having a fab time - I used my daughter as the excuse to go too :D

[skijacski]

OH MY GOSHGOODNESS - how many kids and only two adults! They seem a handfull - holiday, you will need one when you get back!

Good on you, love the report.

[SnoWhite]

Good to hear the holiday is off to a great start. OMG 5 kids! (So good to know someone is having my share for me.) Have fun and look out of the seven dwarves, they're hanging out over there somewhere at the moment. ;)

[Xena]

With 5 small kids and 2 adults, they ARE the 7 dwarves!

[Xena]

Chunky, Missy, Smiley, Grinner, Twinner, Thorn and Supermum.


Edited, because at first Thorn was called Garbo - then I remembered that the garbage truck loving one is Frog's boy, so he got renamed Thorn - in between all those roses!

[ 25.01.2009, 10:48 PM: Message edited by: Xena. ]

[chunky]

graemlins/big_laugh.gif

The little girl second from right in kiddie group shot is my niece. 4 is enough :D

[chunky]

Day two was pretty amazing. Our first Denny's breakfast in a long time. We took advantage of the one adult meal gets a kiddie one for free. Still too much food. We headed into Disneyland and took it fairly leisurely throughout the day. I should say the ART shuttle system is very efficient over here. Pick ups from what I can see from almost every major hotel in the area and they come every 20 mins. $3 for an adult or $1 for a child for the day or we took the 3 day pass, which was $10 for adults and $2 children. We are within walking distance of about 20 mins or so and we have already done the trip to the park either way.

We didn't see everything but we knew that would be the case. Everyone had a great time as we saw parts of each area.

[karen97]

Nice Chunky smile.gif Did you go on the Haunted Mansion?

[chunky]

The highlight for my son was getting picked to be in the Jedi Academy training along with accidental pick - one of his twin sisters, who really didn't know what she was getting into. We were lucky as they only pick a certain number from the audience and our son had been wanting to be selected for months! Very fortunate!

It was fantastic for both us as the parents and the children. They get lightsabres and a padawan jedi cloak. They learn some 'moves' and then a nasty guest arrives, who tries to persuade them to turn to the dark side. Of course they all refuse and one by one they get to take on either Darth Vader or Darth Maul!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/3228297980_0532e95b80.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3227441381_af9a6aeec3.jpg?v=0

Two more from Mickey's toontown. The 3 kids in first 3 carriages on roller coaster are from the Chunky family - I think they like it!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/3228294574_1610da850b.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3227441477_d3b29d8ae6.jpg?v=0

A truly great effort from the kids. They survived (maybe the parents as well) barely. Got in just before 11pm so we had been in the park for about 14 hours.

Another big day tomorrow planned. Disney California then a 5-6 hour drive to Las Vegas for a very late/early morning check in at the Excalibur.

[chunky]

Originally posted by karen97:
Nice Chunky smile.gif Did you go on the Haunted Mansion? No :( It was closed for maintenance :(

[karen97]

Make sure you go on Soaring over California and if you like coasters, California Screamin' is one of the best ever!! :D

[ 26.01.2009, 07:17 PM: Message edited by: karen97 ]

[Podlettte]

sounds great Chunky :D

[karen97]

Start another thread in the OS forum Vet :rolleyes: I am over the SPAM

[SA]

graemlins/big_laugh.gif Got the irrits much, kaz? :D