Jennifer's Pixie Vacations

10/25/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas Cruise - October 2026 - Day 10 - Woke up before the 6:30 alarm. I was so tired last night I fell asleep without the highway nice bothering me at all. However after that first 5 hours, I woke up and noticed it. Had crackers and the free water for a quick breakfast before dropping off my bags at the front desk. When I checked in, she offered late checkout but I knew I would be in the park most of the day. I scheduled a Lyft for 6:30 pick up and then walked to the park. Security went fast and then it slowed at the gate. I'm amazed at how many people don't have their tickets out and ready to scan. It is a line to get into the park people! After scanning in, I headed to the line for Frontier land. I purchased the Multi Pass and scheduled Indiana Jones as my first LL. It was about 7:45 and there were gobs of people lined up for each land. I decided to head to Galaxy's Edge and do Rise of the Resistance. It is not an option for the Multi Pass and I knew the line would only get worse. Rope Drop was at 8:00 exactly. Many who were headed to Indiana Jones were turned away as it wasn't opening yet. When I found the end of the Rise line, it looked daunting. They said it was about 40 minutes but it was really just under 30. I then rode Winnie the Pooh which is better than the WDW version as I didn't intend to come back up to this area. Then the Indiana Jones LL was ready and the ride was running. I really couldn't tell if they made any changes while it was being refurbished. I selected Haunted Mansion for my next LL and then did Jungle Cruise as again I was right there. I headed to Fantasy Land and did several of the non LL rides there until the Haunted Mansion time came up. The Nightmare Before Christmas overlay is really cool. Mobile ordered lunch from Toreador Tavern - a baked potato with pizza toppings on it. I hit up Toon Town and Mickey's Runaway Railway. The LL line here bypassed all the cool displays that are in the regular line. I didn't remember that. Next up I did LL for Star Tours and Buzz. I saw a new scene in Star Tours which is always fun. I went to the Disney Visa photo op which is the only thing in Star Wars Launch Bay at the moment. It was a series of 3 Magic Shots. I was running out of steam and decided to ride the Mark Twain Riverboat. I can't remember the last time I did that. It was a really nice ride around the Rivers of America and you got to see all the corny displays they have set up. From there I went to the front of the park to hear the Dapper Dans. They did a selection of Halloween tunes for about 10 minutes. I went into the Main Street Theater and saw the selection of Mickey Mouse shorts they were showing. It was close to 5:00 and decided instead of trying to get dinner in this mass of people, I would eat at the hotel restaurant again. The park was really crowded and was getting worse - not better. I walked back, picked up my luggage and changed out of the sweaty clothes. Didn't want to fly in the same clothes I had on all day. Had a turkey club and fries which was really tasty. Then it was time for the Lyft to take me to LAX. This driver was the first really chatty one I had on the trip. He was super nice. While in the car, I got the notification that the flight was pushed back 7 minutes and the terminal and gate had changed. However, the driver knew that for American with luggage still had to drop off at terminal 4 because you can't check the luggage at terminal B. The terminal had been changed to the International terminal. So, I checked the bag and breezed through TSA. And then walked and walked and walked to the new gate. It was not close. Arrived at the gate at 8:15. Flight boards at 8:45 and arrives home at 5:00 am. I sent a text earlier today to R.J. to remind him of pick up. He still has yet to respond. Hopefully, I get home in the morning.

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10/24/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas cruise - October 2026 - Day 9 - Another early day as sadly had to be out of the stateroom by 8:00. I packed up what was left in the room and triple checked all the storage. I went to the Key breakfast in the main dining room at 7:30. I saw the line for the regular breakfast and was very glad to be seated right away. With the Key you can disembark at whatever time you choose starting just after 8:00 if you have baggage to collect. I went to head out and was directed to a special exit for Suite guests and the Key guests which bypassed all the lines leading to the gangway. Scanned out for the last time, found my suitcase and breezed through customs. Facial recognition is a wonderful thing. Got in the Taxi line and was on my way back to Disneyland before 9:00 am. Checked into the Four Points by Sheraton - another Good Neighbor hotel - this time on Harbor Blvd. The lovely front desk attendant found me a room that was ready which I was very thankful for. She was right that the room has a pool view and a fireworks view but also a highway view. The sound from the highway is so loud the hotel leaves packages of earplugs by the bed. Room is spacious - king bed, sofa bed, desk but much less storage space then the room at Springhill suites. Actually, less then on the ship. I organized my park bag and then headed out to walk over to the parks. The walk is straight down Harbor Blvd which leads to the front of the park entrances. It is a shorter walk since I don't have to walk through Downtown Disney. I entered Disneyland Park at about 10:45. Decided this would be my show day and not to buy the Multi-Pass. I'll buy it tomorrow and concentrate more on rides. The timing for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln wasn't good so I headed to Fantasyland. I waited for the Tangled show in the Royal Theater. It was pretty cute. I went to the Pixar Shorts Film Festival in Tomorrowland next. It had 17 minutes before the next show so I went to get popcorn and a Gatorade Zero to bring into the show with me. I liked the first and the third short. The middle one I did not understand. I went back for the Lincoln show as they only did it until 1:30. Saw that and then road the Railroad all the way around the park. Got off just in time for the little Mickey Halloween parade. It was cute. Then made my way over to California Adventure. Had time for Mickey's Philamagic before the Mickey and Minnie Trick or Treat show. The show was really cute with Mickey and friends singing and dancing but you had to sit on the floor. Then went into the Animation building where they have Turtle Talk with Crush, Ana and Elsa meet and greet, The Sorcerer's Workshop and the Animation Academy. The workshop left a lot to be desired but I enjoyed the Animation Academy. We were shown how to draw Scar. Mine wasn't any good but it was fun to do. I grabbed a churro and rested for a few before going over to Carsland to check on a Cars request from Jessica. They did not have what she wanted. I headed back to Disneyland Park and checked the shops there. Then I rode the monorail which goes from Tomorrowland to Downtown Disney and back. I did the whole loop. I walked through Galaxy's Edge. It is not the exact same as the one at Hollywood Studios. I headed to the Winnie the Pooh ride which had a short wait. However, as I got in line it started to drizzle and they closed the ride. Decided to pick up the souvenirs on Main Street I had spotted and then crossed back to California Adventure for Jessica's updated request. I wanted everything bought today to pack up. I saw lightening and decided to try to head back before it really stormed. I made it about halfway back to the hotel before it starting pouring. I got soaked. Decided I had to change before heading to dinner at the hotel's bar and grill. Food was good, service not so much. Now to pack up one last time. Tomorrow - one last Disneyland day and heading home!

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10/23/2026

Disneyland Pixie Fam and Ovation of the Seas cruise - October 2026 - day 8 - woke up as we were pulling into Ensenada. Decided to forgo the crowds at Windjammer and try the continental breakfast offered in the Crown Lounge. It was very quiet and I had cheese and a croissant. Only bummer was no apple juice. They only offered orange juice. The excursion meeting point was on the pier. Walked off a little early, hoping to check out the area near the pier but there really wasn't anything and you had to go through security to leave the area and then again to come back in. So, I just waited for the tour time. The 2 running the tour seemed quite disorganized. At the start time, they finally started lining people up, collecting tickets and trying to divide the group in 2. Finally, they managed to everyone through security and loaded onto the 2 small buses. First stop, was the Mexican Folklore fiesta. The mariachi band and the 2 dancers were good but it wasn't quite what I expected. It was in a restaurant and they played in front - no stage. They did 3 dances and the band played a few other songs. Tacos were served - at 10:00 in the morning and people were served very disjointed. Some were finished before others got their food. The next stop was a Tequila tasting. The owner did an informative presentation but it was pretty much just a sales pitch. The last stop was La Bufadora - a large geyser set within a water alcove and a rocky mountainside. It was pretty but about 10 minutes at it was plenty. And then the whole path leading to the geyser is a long marketplace of vendors selling all kinds of souvenirs and food offerings complete with restrooms you had to pay to use. Again, not what I expected. I did buy a couple of things. Probably did not bargain well but didn't pay what they initially offered. It was a beautiful sunny day and a pleasant excursion but not what I imagined. Was brought back to the ship at 3:00 and with all aboard at 3:30, I just got right back on. Grabbed a couple of pizza slices and cookies for a very late lunch. Then tackled the task of packing everything up. I had no intention of having to wait for an elevator with the large suitcase so needed that ready to put out before 10. Then headed to the sports pub and watched the first half of the Bears game. There were quite a few Patriot fans who were convinced that the Bears are moving to Gary, Indiana. Before heading to dinner, I said Bears were winning since Mike Ditka was being honored. Dinner was taste of the Caribbean. Not my favorite, but I do really like the coconut shrimp on the appetizer menu. So I ordered a double portion with a baked potato as my entre and it was good. I went to the adult karaoke. Usually, everyone is quite good or at least reasonably okay. This time most were actually quite bad. Left there to put out my suitcase and wander the shops. I still had $25 onboard credit left to spend. Then I went to the 270 venue for the Crazy Quest. It seemed much tamer then most. Probably since they did only 3 teams instead of 6. Picked up a bedtime snack and headed back to the room. Put on a Minions movie and got ready for bed. Tomorrow - back to Disneyland!

10/22/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas Cruise - October 2026 - Day 7 - I set the alarm for 6:00 and had ordered room service breakfast to be delivered between 6:30-7:00. They have been on the early end of it every time I've ordered. Today, they called just after 6:00 asking if they could deliver early. I saw the sun rise as I ate on the balcony. My shore excursion met in the theater at 8:00. Catalina Island has no docks for cruise ships and we had to tender over to the island. The tender boat was one of the nicer ones I've ever been on. After getting off the boat, we were walked to a tram like open air bus. The tour was about an hour ride around the island. The island was owned and developed by the Wrigley family. Before the Cubs moved to Arizona for Spring training it took place on Catalina Island. The ball field is no longer there. Only the clubhouse is still there. The Wrigley mansion is now a bed and breakfast hotel and their other estate is still their private residence that we drove by. After the tour, I walked over to the Avalon Casino - no gambling. Casino means gathering place in Italian and was named long before casinos became associated with gambling. There is a large movie theater and the Wrigley ballroom. The theater was showing old black and white news reals, talkies and even Steamboat Willie. You can rent roller stakes and skate in the ballroom. No one was doing that today. I walked back into the town and it had gotten pretty windy with rain predicted. I looked in some of the shops and then headed back to the dock. Took the tender back to the ship and went to the Windjammer for lunch. The buffet is still not my favorite but it was simple and easy. Took a short nap and then went to the Family Halloween costume parade. Participation was pretty good. Quite a few cute children with the standard costumes but some creative ones. One family was Rock, Paper, Scissors. One couple was a piñata and the piñata bat. After, I stopped at Guest Services as there was an onboard credit I didn't know where it came from. Apparently, I won a raffle and wasn't informed. I dressed for dinner and then stopped in the Crown lounge. Appetizers seem to be the same every night. Dinner was the Taste of Italy - my favorite meal of a cruise. After dinner, I stopped in and listened to the Karaoke with a live band. Most were good but there were a few duds. I wandered the shops and bought a Pandora ring with the raffle winnings. I decided to skip the main show and go watch the Perfect Couple game show. I thought it would be this ships version of Love & Marriage but it had the 3 couples doing stupid tricks. They were all in costumes and the Power Rangers won. Decided to call it a night. Put on Moana as the movie of the night before bed. Tomorrow - Ensenada.

10/21/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas - October 2026 - Day 6 - Did not set an alarm today but was up earlier than need be anyway. Went to the Windjammer for breakfast and sat outside at the back of the ship. Very beautiful day. Afterwards, walked around and ended up sitting in the Solarium for awhile reading. Then I walked around the main pool area and found one of the big cushy loungers and decided to just lay out in the sun for awhile. Its not often I do nothing but it was that kind of day. I enjoyed the sun, the live band and people watching. At noon, the Belly Flop competition took place. First time, I've seen women enter the contest. It was pretty mild compared to a few I've seen. I then got lunch from the Fish & Chips stand. Had Fried Shrimp and fries. The shrimp was good, the fries not so much. I brought it to my room and ate it on the balcony. Took a little nap and did a little work. Still needed a snack so I went to Sorrento's for a couple of pizza slices and picked up a chocolate chip cookie. Then went to the main theater for the Price is Right Game show. First time I've seen this on the ship. It was free to watch put you paid to play. Everyone could play along on their phones - if you paid. I just watched though a lot of people paid to play. Got ready for dinner then went to the Crown Lounge for a drink and appetizers. I then went to the 270 lounge for the Generations game show before dinner. Dinner was chicken Corden blu, baked potato and apple cobbler. Dinner service moved a little faster tonight. And the last event of the night for me, was the Live, Love and Legs show with the Royal Caribbean singer and dancers. I know I recognized the name of the show so I think I've seen it but it was changed up some. The theater sold popcorn again which was nice. I put on the Mandalorian and Grogu movie. We shall see if I stay awake long enough to finish it. Tomorrow - Catalina Island.

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10/20/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas Cruise - October 2026 - Day 5 - Was able to sleep in a little but still up before the alarm. Had one last breakfast at the hotel and finished packing up. I scheduled a Lyft that arrived early. After clearing up that I was going to the Port and not LAX the drive went smoothly. Arrived early at about 10:45. Had no trouble dropping off luggage and checking in. I walked onto the ship at just about 11:00. I checked in at the Key desk, dropped off my back pack and picked up my soda cup. By the time I got a Shirley Temple, the Key lunch was ready. I had the shrimp cocktail, bacon burger and fries. All was very good. After lunch, I wandered around until the stateroom was ready. I found my suitcase in the hall on the way to my room. The backpack had been dropped off. I spent some time unpacking and organizing. The balcony stateroom has a lot of storage - 2 closets, a dresser, desk, extra drawers and 2 large overhead bins. Then I went down to the Next Cruise desk and booked a Baltic cruise for June 2028. And at the Voom desk, I was able to combine both the internet plans I had to be able to have 2 devices hooked up at the same time. I went up to the top decks, checked out the Seaplex and tried a hotdog from the Seadog. After a short nap, I went to the Crown Lounge. First time I've had access to one. Its very nice and peaceful. They had a snack spread and served drinks. I checked out some of the shops and then headed down to dinner. I had checked in earlier and was given a card with my table number on it and said I would be at that table each night. Dinner was good - tomato soup, baked potato, fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies. Service was on the slow side but I made it out to the evening show in 270 lounge. The show as a techno, dance and singing odd show. Not my taste. Afterwards, I went to the adult comedy show. They had popcorn which was good. The comedian was okay. Headed back to the room. Turned Toy Story 5 on. They have a library of about 20 movies that you can choose from. Tomorrow - Day at Sea.

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10/19/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas cruise - October 2026 - Day 4 - Was up earlier today with the goal of being in California Adventure for its 8:00 am open. Walked over and made it into the park around 7:50. Entered and purchased the Lightening Lane multi-pass. Selected Guardians of the Galaxy for our first LL. Then went to Carsland to ride Radiator Springs Racers first. The ride didn't have people in it until a few minutes after 8:00. We were on and off of it before 8:30 and our Guardians LL was ready. I like the ride better without the Halloween overlay. Our next LL was The Incredicoaster. On our way, we saw Webslingers was now running and had a 10 minute line. This time we were able to ride it. Then it was Incredicoaster, Soarin Across America and Monsters Inc - all with Lightening Lanes. We then grabbed a LL for the Haunted Mansion with the Halloween overlay before having lunch at Pym's. I had grilled cheese and very tasty tater tots. Having crossed off everything we wanted at CA, we crossed over to Disneyland Park. We had time before the Haunted Mansion LL so we went to Fantasy Land where there are no LL. We walked through Sleeping Beauty's castle. It is very small compared to Cinderella's castle. Next up we did Snow White and then the Storybook Canal Boats. In the meantime, we stacked a LL for Space Mountain. There was no wait for Small World and afterwards we boarded the Walt Disney Railroad to get to New Orleans Square and finally rode Haunted Mansion. The Nightmare Before Christmas theme is really cool. We stayed in the area and did Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle cruise and then had an early dinner at the Mexican Quick Service place. I had the kids cheese quesadillas and cinnamon tortilla chips. We got a LL for Big Thunder Mountain but had some time before it was available. Rode Star Tours and then grabbed a LL for Buzz Lightyear which was up immediately. Then did Roger Rabbit and Big Thunder with LL. This brought us to about 6:00. Our Space Mountain LL was for 7:30 and nothing else was available that we wanted. And I was getting tired. We rode Pinocchio and Mr. Toad then walked up Main Street. Watched the Walt Disney Story in the theater. The movie is the same as the one at Hollywood Studios but there is a cool animatronic of Walt Disney himself. Decided I was done for the day. The $38 for the Multi Pass was well worth it. Never waited more then 30 minutes for anything with most waits under 15 minutes. I picked up popcorn at the Disneyland Hotel and walked back to my hotel. It will be early to bed tonight! Tomorrow - embarkation day!

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10/18/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas Cruise - October 2026 - Day 3 - Woke up again right before the alarm. Same getting ready routine and headed down for the included breakfast. The hot offerings changed out a little and pumpkin spice waffles were available. Conference started back up at 9:00. Today we had more presentations, played some group games (there are some awesome singers among the Pixies) and learned a lot. Lunch was again from Panera - this time soups and salads. Conference time ran past the 5:00 and could have gone on longer but dinner and leg stretching was needed. Walked over to Downtown Disney with the intention of eating at the pizza quick service but there was no place to sit. Put in for a reservation at Naples - sit down pizza and pastas. It was going to be about an hour wait so it was back to the World of Disney. Was not tempted to buy anything else and it was still a zoo in there. Table was ready a few minutes early and we headed back to eat. Had the New York style cheese pizza which was pretty good. It was close to 9:00 but I had a park ticket that if I didn't use today was going to go to waste. So, I headed over to Disneyland Park. There were crowds everywhere packed down Main Street for the Halloween Fireworks show. The walking crowd was veered off into Tomorrowland. I got in line for Star Tours. It is one of my favorites and it gave me a chance to make a plan. I joined the virtual que for World of Color over at California Adventure as it would be the only night I could see it. The Oogie Boogie party was taking place on the other nights I would be here. I did see new Star Tours scenes and then headed back to Main Street. I ended up finding a good viewing spot in front of the Railroad station. I could see all the projections on Main Street, a little bit of the castle and most of the fireworks. Afterwards, I crossed over to California Adventure. Remember park hopping here is a quick 5 minute walk. Entered and asked where the virtual ques entrance was. I looked for popcorn but hardly any of the outposts were open. Found the viewing area right in front of the Ferris Wheel. Had a great view and was only misted on from the fountain. The show had changed since the last time I saw it. Worth seeing if you haven't. Show was at 10:15 and park closing was announced at 10:00. Though the announcement did say the shops on Buena Vista Street would remain open for your shopping convenience. Disneyland Park was open until midnight but with the plan to get back to California Adventure for its 8:00 am open decided to call it a night. It was a pretty night and I walked back to the hotel with the plan to be in bed by midnight! Tomorrow - full park day!!

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10/17/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas - October 2026 - Day 2 - Slept very well after being up 23 hours straight. Woke up right before the 7:00 am alarm went off. Got ready and then went down to the included hotel breakfast buffet. There were a few hot dishes - eggs, potatoes, make your own waffles and bagels, English muffins and bread for toasting. They had apple juice and grape jelly so I was happy. Conference time started at 9:00. The hotel had a nice size conference room for us that easily sat over 30 Pixies. Did some getting to know you exercises and a lot of lively discussions. Heard a lot of cute dog stories. Talked about our new Client reservation system and best practices. Lunch was delivered from Panera. Can never go wrong with their sandwiches and cookies. After lunch many Pixies shared knowledge on a wide range of topics. Time went very quickly but we had to wrap it up at 5:00. Went back to the room to swap out shoes and bags and then it was a walk to Downtown Disney. This time with the group took the much shorter way then I walked it yesterday. And the path led through the Disneyland Hotel. Maybe next time I'll get to stay there again. We went to Splitsville for dinner and bowling. They had a very plentiful buffet with a wide variety on it - salad, chicken wings, 3 kinds of sliders and 3 kinds of pizza. I don't think any of the Pixies will be joining a Bowling tournament anytime soon but it was a lot of fun. Afterwards, I wandered around Downtown Disney and went to the World of Disney. Found the sweatshirt I liked from yesterday and this time I bought. I used Mobile checkout with the Disneyland app instead of waiting in one of the massive lines. It was really fast and easy. Then I walked back to the hotel. Again, with the shorter route and did not get lost on the way back. Decided to make it an early night. Tomorrow - another day of Pixie Con!

10/16/2026

Disneyland Pixie Con and Ovation of the Seas Trip - October 2026 - Day 1 - Very early flight this morning. Left the house just before 4:00. Curbside was open to drop luggage off. TSA pre-check was fast and I was at the gate at 4:30 - 45 minutes before boarding started. Flight was fine other then the toddler in front of me who at least slept for 2 hours but then woke up very cranky and vocal. Arrived at LAX and did a little work while waiting for a Pixie who was on the next American flight out of O'Hare. Met up and went to get on the bus to the Alamo Rent a car - which is not at the airport. Got the car and the ride was very pleasant to the hotel - Springhill Suites by Marriott at the Maingate. It was just about noon and rooms were at ready. Dropped luggage off in Lisa's room and walked to Downtown Disney for lunch. The promised 15 minute walk seemed a lot longer. Had Earl of Sandwich for lunch which is always good. Here they had tater tots to go with it. Then decided to head back in the hopes rooms were ready and could unpack before heading to the parks. With the Oogie Boogie party, it figured to be a late night. By the time we walked back, the rooms were ready. Picked up luggage and unpacked. The room is really nice - a little kitchenette with microwave and mini-fridge, desk and sofa area partitioned off from the 2 queen bed area, bathroom is large and its complete with a walk in closet. Cooled off, unpacked and headed out about 2:30. At this point, I was just going to use the party ticket and save park ticket for a different day. As I was about to walk in the right direction, which should have been shorter than the walk we took earlier, Lisa saw me and I went back to join her and other Pixies. I did stop at the gas station and picked up some Pepsi Zero. It was decided to Uber to Downtown Disney so made it there quickly. The line to get into the park was backed up even at 3:30. Got our wrist bands and goodie bags and headed in. Rode Monsters Inc and Mater's ride. Lines were still long. Got drinks and lined up for WebSlingers. Made it to the ramp where you can see the ride and it broke down. They tried to reset it and finally gave up directing everyone out. Met up with the entire group and then wandered off to find some dinner. Had Mac and Cheese in a bread bowl. Then we went to Guardians of the Galaxy that has a Halloween Overlay. We did quite a few trick or treat paths. Each path was elaborately themed with a villain in the middle - Oogie Boogie, Maleficent, the one from Phineas and Ferb - who was really good to name a few. And they gave out handfuls of candy several times in each path. Did not take long to fill the bag and its good candy. Then went through the Villain's Grove. The hiking trail was all decked out in evil until you find the light at the end. Rode Soarin over America - for the first time. It was pretty cool. Then I decided to stay for the parade. Got a cup of ice water - no charge and a large cup and found a seat along the route. The headless horseman rode through - slowly. Then the parade was mostly a few floats and lots of Haunted Mansion character dancers. The Boo to You parade is much better. Was pretty exhausted and headed out. I was warned not to walk back on my own and I wasn't confident of the route so I found the Lyft pick up area. And took a Lyft but to the wrong Springhill Suites. Apparently, there are 3 of them in the area. The front desk clerk, helped me get the address of the one I was at and the one I needed. Got another Lyft and finally made it back to the right hotel. I might have been better off walking! Tomorrow - first day of Pixie Con!

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