We started the day off fairly early at 8:00 AM. We were awake early enough that I had time for a loot pic.
The bacon wallet and eye rings.
When we were ready, we went to go pick up AS’s brother first. We requested for him take the day off today so that we could go shopping.
A french macaron for a french kitty for breakfast.
First stop is Dollar Tree. I wanted to pick up a cheap over the door hanger to use on the ship. I was iffy on if we really needed it or not, so I figured we’d just buy a cheapo one rather than lug one from home.
We also found a super cute book all about Marie!
What a find xD. It’s amazing what you can find in dollar stores sometimes lol. Wish we had a $1 store here too though one from Japan and not from the US. I just find the ones in Japan so much better.
I wanted to buy more stuff since it was such a bargain, but AS reminded me that we didn’t have any room in the suitcase.
Sidenote: I’m seriously jealous over anyone that has access to so many dollar stores. I’m planning my wedding now and I keep reading how people get $1 vases for their centerpiece. The cheapest I’ve found it here for similar vases is $3.50 at Walmart.
Promptly at 9 AM, we walked over to Disney’s Character Warehouse, now known as Character Depot. We were planning on driving by the Pomona one later that day, so we took pics to compare prices and stock and then left, but we had to take a detour from our plans to go to Costco so AS’s brother could get a new memory card for his new camera. He wanted a new camera so he could get better pictures of Disneyland. Not that we minded since we like checking out Costco’s in different areas. I think that Costco’s layout mirrored our local one so it was like starting from the other end when we walked in.
Gives you the feeling of being home whenever you’re in a familiar setting xD.
We also filled up the tank since 1) Costco gas is cheap and 2) there was a lot of driving ahead that day, we were going to need it.
We finally get going and arrive at Company D! I was a little disappointed when I walked in because it looked so small, then I kept walking and walking…let’s just say I went a little nuts in there. AS’s brother, too.
I wish I had known that the area for castmembers only opened later. We wound up having to stay there longer just for it to open and then we had to wait for AS’s brother to shop and then stand in the one long line. He found some stuff for me, so I can’t complain too much, but it completely threw us off schedule. He actually went through the line pretty fast, but on the way out, he found more stuff and had to stand in line again. The woman ahead of him the second time had two HUGE trash bags full of clothes and then didn’t have enough money with her! So they rang up all that for nothing and wasted the time for everyone standing behind her. It was really irritating to watch. They held all her merchandise for her though, so perhaps she knew she didn’t have enough, but needed it saved somewhere. It seems like it’s every man for himself in there. Like Black Friday shopping basically, as soon as they opened the gates.
It was past 1 PM when we finally left. We were supposed to be eating lunch at WDI already. Instead, we drove our hungry selves to the Disney Soda Fountain to get the pin traders delight to get our free pin and pick up some other pins that I was pleasantly surprised about still being in stock.
I think we picked rocky road, chocolate and strawberry ice cream.
Note, I asked for no marshmallow fluff on it this time. I always seem to feel a little sick from eating it as it has a taste I don’t like and the sweetness of it is a bit intense.
We finally got to WDI at 3 PM! While AS’s brother signed in, I made a beeline for this huge Mickey vinylmation and stuck Marie on it for a picture. I realized that I forgot to take a picture of the vinylmation itself without her there but maybe that’s when I saw the “no photography” sign.
Of course, by then the cafeteria was closed.
We followed the guard’s directions down the hallway, while wishing we could take pictures of everything! We found Mickey’s of Glendale and immediately, AS’s brother has no problem finding more stuff to buy, but I searched really hard to find something unique that I’d be willing to spend money on. I really wanted that I would only be able to find there but not something boring like a pen or a notebook that says WDI. The pin selection was not to our (AS and I) taste, but we bought some anyway because it’s something we could only get there (well, and eBay but that’s not the same).
Turns out they were closing soon! My google-fu was extremely weak trying to dig up more info on MoG. The store hours is one of the things I couldn’t find. Good thing we rushed through DSF. We had just enough to browse carefully and then I had time to angst over what to buy.
When we were done, we lingered outside for pictures. We weren’t entirely certain if the no pictures was just inside or if it applied to outside, too, but no one said anything. Of course, there were very few people outside.
Once we took all the pictures we wanted to, we left and took the long drive to the Disney Store Outlet at the Ontario Mills mall. It was a very long drive considering how hungry we were. I did plan for a small detour to pick up a strawberry donut at The Donut Man.
I’m sorry, but we do not get the hype! Sure, fresh strawberries are always nice and there was a lot of it, but in the end, it was just another donut. I still prefer Krispy Kreme, more tasty and you don’t have to drive far to find one, at least not if you’re going to Disneyland.
It’s now 5 PM. The donut was a nice reprieve, but we’ve basically eaten nothing all day aside from a few macarons, ice cream, and strawberries and a donut. Let’s just say, tempers were short, while trying to find the Ontario Mills mall. Thankfully we were going to eat right after this stop.
Not sure if it was the hunger or the anger, but I felt the selection was pretty dismal. I know it’s a hit or a miss when it comes to outlet items but nothing was worth buying. AS’s brother found something though. I think he outshopped me all day so far!
Seems more like a regular Disney store than a “discount Disney store.” It was a nice mall xD.
For dinner, we went to the Cici’s Pizza in Chino Hills. I know a lot of people consider the pizza there to be gross, but we think it’s fine. We like that it’s cheap and all you can eat, especially since we were super hungry! But the main reason is that there’s no Cici’s Pizza where we live but we’re inundated with the commercials all the same. Just like Joe’s Crab Shack, and just like Olive Garden. Sure Olive Garden isn’t real Italian, but we can get good real Italian food at home. On the mainland, we want Olive Garden. And for what it’s worth, we think the food at Olive Garden is fine, too.
I enjoy Cici’s and the price is great for all you can eat pizza. We’ve limited the number of pizza variations that we eat but we agree that the Mac and Cheese pizza is the best. Plus they always come out fresh which is great. I would always go back if I ever had a hankering for pizza.
After dinner we headed to Frank and Sons for more Disney shopping. We came a little late so we rushed to the pin dealers first and it takes a long time since there’s so much to look at. We only got to go through two stalls before the voice on the loudspeaker was already telling us it’s time to leave, unfortunately. I like browsing the stalls here, you never know what you’ll see. Picked up some cute stuff, but definitely not as good of a selection of what we’re interested in like the last time.
After we left, we went back to Beach Live Fish again, to eat raw octopus.
I loved how the suckers stuck on my toungue lol. I love chewing on it and it wasn’t as slimey as it looks in my mouth. Next step is to eat a whole octopus live ^^.
We took AS’s brother back to his dorm after we finished off the octopus and then went back to our hotel to crash. It had been a long day.