At SNA. We paid the $40 to get A cuz we were at the back of B despite checking in right at 24 hours (and i had paid the $25 for the prepaid checkin but I guess it doesn’t transfer when you switch flights?) and he needs to carry my bags and we want to sit together with extra legroom given he’s 6’5”. We’ll be home this afternoon.
I actually hate this about SWA. They love to advertise it as a good thing about the seat assignment but I think it’s stressful.
This is why I do not fly them.
Hope you have safe and comfortable travel back home.
We are home and it’s 40 degrees and raining and feels like 32. Ahhhhhh. Lol
Also, we didn’t tell them I just had surgery so we took exit row. I was looking at the pic and told hubby you know you’re gonna have to kick the door open right?!?
Also hubby got complimented on “his” flare bag on the way out. I was like hey! That’s my flare. He’s just a gentleman.
glad you made it home safe, sorry about the weather!
I originally planned this trip because I was depressed at son moving out. I felt a sense of being less needed that hurt. Like I’ve moved past the years of having a “family”. I also wanted to get away from some of the stress from working at home and fostering a special needs dog. What I learned was I am surrounded by family. I don’t have to have kids at home to feel like I’m part of family. I have my blood family, my friends, my work family who came together and got me an Uber gift card and I have a forum family. It may not have been the best ending but I learned something I definitely needed and maybe I needed to go thru this to feel the love. :-). So thank for following along to part 1 and being there with me at one of the most stressful moments of my life. It helped! I’ll post a summary of my Christmas review at some point in the near future and then continue with East Coast Part 2 Dec 17!
Aw that’s lovely!
Same, girl, same. Having one kid go away to school was hard enough for me, but when the second left this fall….it’s not been easy at all. It feels like everything that was normal day to day is just missing. Glad you are back home, take care of yourself!
Summary
Entertainment
Disneyland
| Lighting Ceremonies | |
|---|---|
| it’s a small world Holiday Lighting | 3 |
| Main Street, U.S.A. Holiday Tree Lighting | 3 |
| Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle | 3.5 |
| 3.2 | |
| Street Entertainment | |
| Dapper Dans Christmas performance | 4.5 |
| Disney Holiday Dance Party | 3.5 |
| 4 | |
| Parade | |
| A Christmas Fantasy Parade | 4 |
| Fireworks | |
| Believe…In Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular | 4 |
| Tour | |
| Holiday Time Tour | 3 |
| Average | 3.6 |
| Average w/o Tour | 3.8 |
| Average w/o Tour or Lighting Ceremonies | 4 |
Disney’s California Adventure
| Lighting Ceremonies | |
|---|---|
| Buena Vista Street Holiday Tree Lighting | 2.5 |
| Street Entertainment | |
| Mariachi Divas Christmas | 4.5 |
| Paradise Garden Bandstand presents The Wayu Band | 3.5 |
| Avengers Assemble! Christmas | 3 |
| Five & Dime Christmas | 3 |
| Paradise Garden Bandstand presents Dylan Carbone and the All the Vibes Band | 4 |
| Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party | 5 |
| Blue13 Dance Company | 4 |
| Holiday Concert featuring Phat Cat Swinger | 4.5 |
| Mostly Kosher | 4 |
| Holiday Toy Drummers | 4 |
| The Mistletoes at Pacific Wharf Stage | 2.5 |
| Holiday Concert featuring Tina and The Sounds of Celebration! | 4 |
| 3.8 | |
| Parade/Cavalcade | |
| Mickey’s Happy Holidays | 2.5 |
| Fireworks/Evening Extravaganza | |
| World of Color - Season of Light | 5 |
| Average | 3.5 |
| Average w/o Lighting Ceremonies | 3.8 |
| Average w/o Lighting Ceremonies or Cavalcade | 4.4 |
Overall DLR Entertainment Score = 3.6 with all small shows, 4.2 for street and major entertainment and 4.3 for just the major nighttime extravaganzas and full parade
Attractions
Disneyland
| Attractions | |
|---|---|
| Haunted Mansion Holiday | 5 |
| it’s a small world Holiday | 4.5 |
| Average | 4.8 |
Disney’s California Adventure
| Attractions | |
|---|---|
| Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl | 2 |
| Mater’s Jingle Jamboree | 2.5 |
| Redwood Creek Challenge Trail w/Santa Character M+G | 5 |
| Average | 3.2 |
Overall DLR Attractions Holiday Overlay rating 4
Food
| Food | |
|---|---|
| FOTH | 2 |
| Seasonal Menu Additions | 4.5 |
Overall Food Rating 3.3
Decorations/Ambience
including music and smells (like the gingerbread pumped outside the windows of the bakeries)
| Decorations | |
|---|---|
| DCA | 4 |
| Disneyland | 5 |
Overall Decorations Rating 4.5
DLR Overall Christmas Rating: 3.9 
Loving the ratings, how are you feeling?
Much better though I’m getting tired easily. Not sure if it’s just part of recovery or being back at work LOL! ;-).
Probably a combo! Take it easy and rest up or else you might not make it to WDE in December.
This was so thorough! Thank you for putting in so much effort!
I’m so sorry your trip had such a painful ending but even the review of the hospital was useful. We had a multi year streak of my youngest visiting urgent care or the er on EVERY trip (and we travel quite a bit) so the nugget to opt for UCIrvine is tucked away for future trips…
Looking forward to part 2! (But no need for any write ups on the Orlando area medical offerings - been there, done that ;P).
I can’t promise anything but I will darn sure try my hardest! 
I will have to maybe NOT play Drink Around the World?!? Maybe that might help 
And even my brother whom this happened to as well (the appendicitis not having it happen at DLR) saw my scars and said his weren’t as bad. I have bruising everywhere on my tummy and all over my arms. He was appalled. So yeah, I’d avoid Anaheim Global for sure!
*Also, I’m terribly sorry you have to go thru all of that. I know someone who has a daughter who also has a health condition which requires many hospital visits and it’s just awfully stressful. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
I had mine out 3 years ago and the scars turned out pretty well - the one in my navel is completely camouflaged; the other two are about 1cm and flat but the first year they were pretty angry looking so hopefully yours will improve with time.
Thank you for the well wishes for my son but he (thankfully!) doesn’t have any long term conditions aside from a lack of regard for safety and a willingness to put everything in his mouth 
ohhhhhh okay, well hopefully he’s learned by now!
I am convinced my son got Scarlett Fever at DLR because of his inability to not touch/climb on everything and I think (I sure hope he’s not out there doing that!) he’s learned that now (he’s 18). ha ha ha