Our Year of Disney Continues. A December Photo Trip Report. Completed 7-2

[Teknik_DC2]

Next up on the tour is the European sets that can become pretty much any European country depending on what flags are raised lol. However unlike Saturday we didn't go into the sets. We just drove past them which I thought was odd considering there wasn't any filming going on in there today.

The Earthquake portion of the tour is next as we pulled into the soundstage to experiance what an Earthquake would feel like. Those of you in Orlando of course have the same experiance in Disaster but I think Diasters experiance is a bit more extreme since it has a dedicated ride vehicle instead of an unanchored tram going thru it. This is another one of the best parts of the Studio tour in my opinion.

After surviving this Earthquake we made our way up a hill and entered the town of Amity where we would now have to survive an attack from the Great White Shark JAWS. The right side of the tram is better for this experiance and you will still see Jaws well being in the front car of the tram. However what you do miss being in the front is the fire effects on the dock unless you turn around to see them.

When you leave Amity you next go to Westeria Lane which is the famous neighborhood from the TV show Desperate Housewives. With that showing being over with now the area doesn't see as much filming anymore and is open more regularly to the trams. Although no filming was going on today there were many Golf Carts parked for the show Go On as they were prepping some of the houses to be used in and upcoming episode of that show.

We next entered Whoville which as you may recall from a previous update was very active with Who's and the Grinch performing for the trams driving past. Such was not the case today though since Grinchmas was only taking place on the weekends. The place looked pretty sad with the stages covered with tarps and no characters around. We just drove right on past the set.

Around the bend though as we drove up to the Bates Motel, Norman Bates was out and up to his old habbits again carrying a dead body to his car. Not happy about us seeing what he was up to he pulled out a knife and started to walk towards the tram. We've already survived a T-Rex fighting King Kong, Sptting Dinosaurs, an Earthquake, and Jaws so escaping a man with a knife wasn't a big deal.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

The next movie set is I believe billed as the largest set Universal has ever built and its the 747 wreck from the War of the Worlds movie. This set is huge and the distruction looks so real. This part of the tour is best experianced on the Left side of the tram and will leave you in awe. It is so eery looking.

The last thing you will experiance on the Studio Tour is the Mummy's Tomb. This use to be the formal Avalanche tunnel that has been rethemed to the Mummy. The spinning Tunnel still happens and will really throw you off. It still amazes me that such a simple effect can make it feel like your really spinning around and around. Daniel was asleep by this point so it didn't bother him at all.

After surviving the Mummy you start your return to the Tram loading area. To the left is the parking structure that you likly parked in today when coming to the park and normally wouldn't be anything too cool. However this was the parking structure that the used to film the Trailer Cliff scene from the Lost World on.

Our Studio Tour was now over as we pulled into the station and unloaded the Tram. I've said it before and i'll say it again that the Studio Tour is an absolutly must see when going to the Hollywood park. This is the whole reason the park exists. You should even try to do it more then once if you can. However this tour wasn't nearly as good as the tour we had on Saturday. Although its great to see so much action taking place on the Front and Back Lots during the week, because of this filming taking place many portions of the tour are cut out and the tour is much shorter. Seeing the whole full tour on Saturday mixed with the Grinchmas production really made the tour much better then, then the tour that we had today. Of course many people only visit Universal Studios Hollywood for one day so they won't know the difference between the full tour and the condensed version when filming is taking place. In the words of Jimmy Fallon. "Have a Tramtastic Day".

And thats all for the update today. Thanks to everyone still following and looking at the pictures. Sorry for the long wait between updates but thanks for sticking with me.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Day 5, Part 3: Universal Studios Hollywood & Westwood

After the Studio tour and with Daniel still sleeping we figured there wasn't a better time to attempt The Simpsons ride again. I was once again very suprised when we arrived at the ride and found a 25 minute wait still posted at the attraction. Unlike last time though where the line was very long there was no line for the attraction at this time.

I got in line while Kiera went to the Child Swap area with the sleeping child. I expected the Child Swap room to be themed much like the Orlando version however that was not the case. Infact the Child Swap area for the Simpsons ride is located outside of the attraction. The line for the Simpsons ride in Hollywood is themed pretty much the same as the Orlando version with some Krustyland attraction posters and TV moniters playing clips from the show. Dispite the que's being similar in Florida and Hollywood though I think the building and facades themselves look MUCH better in Hollywood which based on the "Krustyland" map is what Universal Creative likely designed the facade around and then forced it on the Florida building. In Hollywood the 2 theaters are in seperate buildings connected only by the que line where in Florida its all one building. I had practically no outside wait before being guided inside to wait direction to what theater and vehicle I would be riding.

The rides themselves and videos are exactly the same in Hollywood and Florida. In 2008 I was still really dissapointed to see my former all time favorite Motion Simulator Ride Back to the Future replaced by the Simpsons. Although I was sad to see Back to the Future gone though I thought although not as good that back the Simpsons ride was a worthy replacement. Especially if your a fan of the show. Heck Kiera doesn't care much for the show but loves the ride. The Simpsons is a very good ride that I consider a do not miss wether your in Hollywood or Orlando. But it no longer has the title of my favorite "current" Motion Simulator like it did from 2008-2011. That title is now claimed by Star Tours: The Adventure Continues. There is one difference though between the Orlando and Hollywood versions of the ride though and that is in Hollywood there is a ride photo taken of you that you can view at the bottom of the exit ramps of the ride.

I meet Kiera in the Child Swap area which was actually pretty cold as the sun started to set on our day. Kiera took the Child Swap card I got earlier and entered the ride dispite it really not being needed. I waited around in the cold until Daniel woke up from his Nap. Once he did and figuring we would keep warm while moving I decided to walk over to check out the Kwik-e-Mart. Theres a few things different about this store between Hollywood and Florida. First of all the Facade of the store is So much better in Hollywood then Florida because it actually looks like the Kwik-E-Mart from the TV Show. The store also had different themed facades depending which side your standing on with Moes being on one side and the Androids Dungion on the other. So sorta like you see currently under construction in Orlando but on a smaller scale. Although the stores main enterance facade looked more anthentic to the show you soon realized once inside the store that it is very small. You could probably fit 2 of them inside the Orlando store.

Next to the Kwik-E-Mart Bart Simpson was out meeting guests. Since we meet Homer and Marge earlier in the day I figured we should see Bart as well. There was no line to see him and he was cute with Daniel dispite Daniel not really giving a crap lol.

Kiera seemed to be taking longer then I thought she would so after sending her a text and finding out she was still in the indoor waiting room I figured I would take Daniel to the Curious George Play area to let him run around while we waited instead of the cold Child Swap area. I was shocked to find when we got there though that it was already closed for the night dispite us still being about 20 minutes away from official park closing. That was something that seemed to echo thruout the park as Daniel and I walked around. Shrek 4d already had its final showing of the day, almost all the food service locations were closed and most of the smaller shops. It was pretty strange. I guess it all fit in though with all the closed off Grinchmas areas.

For so many things already being closed before the official park closing I was actually suprised to see Characters still out. Not only did we see Bart Simpson but Sponge Bob was also out still at his Meet and Greet. There was a small line but with time to kill until Kiera was done we waited to see Sponge Bob who Daniel seemed to enjoy the most.

We made our way next into the International Streets where I had more time to look around. The International Streets right now are easily the most well themed area of the park. Although not large take your time and look around as theres some neat details and even some movie props such as the Mini Cooper from one of the Bourne movies and Biff's Car from Back to the Future. Mels Dinner is also back here although its not as big or as themed as the Orlando one.

In the back behind the International Streets is an attraction and store that I was really hoping would still be open. The now closed Terminator 2 3d. I really wished we would have got to see this show one last time before it closed because it is pretty good. However with Daniel and time constraints its one we didn't plan to experiance. The building (along with the old Coke Soak play area) is now behind walls as its converted into the Dispicable Me Ride. What I was going back here for was for the Terminator exit store as it was also where Universal had all there markdown merchandise at. In addition to the Markdown stuff the Terminator store was like it is in Orlando and carry's a bunch of different stuff including franchises not in or owned by Universal like Marvel and DC stuff. Kiera finally meet up with us at this store and after looking thru all the Markdowns and not finding anything we left.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Since Kiera had now rejoined Daniel and I we walked around the International streets again as we made our way towards the exit of the Park. Again these areas are so detailed that its fun to look around. Especially with the Holiday decore and window displays that are set up.

Most of the shops were closed before the park was but like every major theme park the main stores at the park enterance stay open later then the park does. This was good as we had a few things to get before leaving the park for the day and the trip. Those of you who follow my reports may recall the items we buy each time we go on vacation. A postcard and a Christmas Ornament. Both of these seem to frustrate me more though each trip we go on. Postcards seem to be harder and harder to come by. Especially since Universal (even Disney) hasn't updated there cards in a very long time. Yes some of the Universal cards still had Back to the Future, the Original Kong Encounter, and Backdraft on them. What really suprised me though was the lack in Christmas Ornaments. ESPECIALLY at Christmas time. We found no Ornaments that said Universal Studios on them. I found a Keychain that I could convert to an Ornament but I figured we could look at the Grinchmas store first. The Grinchmas store had Grinch and Dr. Suess themed ornaments but again none of them said Universal Studios much less Grinchmas on them. Still we decided a Grinch Ornament would be symbolic of Grinchmas so thats what we settled on. I thought about getting a shirt or a lanyard but I couldn't find any styles that I really liked.

Don't forget to see the filming sign as you exit or enter the park to see what is filming that day. I wish we would have seen it on Saturday when we came (dispite being told nothing was filming as everything we were told was being filmed today was wrong). We exited the park and our time at Universal Studios Hollywood was over. I mentioned it when I posted earlier about Universal but the Hollywood park really is a great little park. Is it as good as Orlando? Of course not. Universal Studios Hollywood will always be a Movie Studio first and theme park second. Still the parks Studio Tour is something you will not see anywhere else. Some parks may try to replicate it but its nothing like the real deal. That alone is worth a visit to the park. And it will only get better as Dispicable Me is finished and the Wizarding World is built over the next few years. Although it was much busier on Saturday I can't help but admit that it was the better day to go. Honestly I feel bad for the people who go on a weekday and don't know all that there missing due to filming on the Studio Tour. The tour was better Saturday and Grinchmas adds a whole nother level of fun to the park. Still I couldn't imagine going to California and not going to Universal. Its always been that way since I was little.

CityWalk was bustling with people once again. It was nearly as packed as it was Saturday night but it was still pretty busy and much more packed then it was during the day. But then again Night time is really when this place comes alive. No concerts were taking place tonight with just Music Videos being played over the big screen.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

The night was still young as we exited the parking garage and left the Universal Property. The park closed today at 5pm and at 5:45 we were on the freeway. With the night still free we started to make our way to the Westwood area of Los Angeles. This little area just off the campus of UCLA is a little area we fell in love with on our Honeymoon in 2008 and a place we return to each time we are in Southern California. The GPS directed us to take Santa Monica Blvd thru Hollywood to get there and dispite not being too far distance wise, the drive took about 45 minutes to get from Universal to Westwood. Parking is a pain in the butt to find around Westwood as its a very popular hang out for the Collage crowds. Even on a weeknight. We ended up finding a parking garage with $3 parking after driving around in circles for a bit.

If you didn't notice we never ate lunch today in the park since we had a late breakfast and didn't get to the park tell later in the day. So by this point in our day we were starving. There are many diffrent restaurants around the Westwood area but we were so hungry that we just went strait to the Califonia Pizza Kitchen. Suprisingly we got right in and sat at a table. Its been so long now but I think I got a Meat lover type pizza and Kiera got a Salad. Daniel of course got his Milk as well. The food was good and priced pretty much the same as it is back home.

The real thing though that brings us back to Westwood each trip is a little place called Diddy Riese. This little place sells the best Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches that we've every had. You choose what kind of Ice Cream you want and then choose 2 cookes to have it placed between. The best part is the sandwich only costs $1.50. That is rediculously cheap for very good food especially in an area like Westwood. There is always a line and the shop is small so be prepaired to wait. And make sure you have cash as thats all that they accept there. We try to go multipule times and even get a dozen cookies before the end of our trip (only $6). I can't recommend this place enough.

After walking around the area we finally left Westwood to head back to our hotel in Anaheim. We got on the freeway and started the long drive back as with traffic tonight it took us over an hour to get back to Anaheim. To make matters worse something unthinkable happened. Daniel thru up all over the back seat of the rental car. Kiera was sitting back there with him already so she was able to start cleaning up the best she could while I drove. But the damage was done. He was soaked and so was his car seat and the seat of the car. And it didn't smell good.

When we got back to the hotel we hoped to have time to head over to the pool but do to the throw up incident that was out the window. We got Daniel and his car seat into the bedroom where Kiera started getting him cleaned up. While she did so I took the car to go find an auto parts store or somewhere that I could buy some upolstry cleaner to try to get the throw up and the smell out of the seats cushion. I found a K-Mart and got what I needed there. Dispite being a few miles from Disneyland It was intersting that I could still hear the Fireworks exploading inside the K-Mart and even see them outside from the Parking Lot.

Once back at the hotel I got to work on the cushion. I scrubbed and sprayed and did all I could. I got the stains out of the seat and most of the smell. But unfortunatly the smell still lingered. I would end up scrubbing it a couple more times before we returned the car at the end of the trip. I just couldn't believe this happened. Its never happened before in ether of our personal cars so it figures it would in a rental car. I just hoped we wouldn't get charged extra for this accident.

After I got done cleaning I went back into the hotel room where Daniel was already going down to bed. The kid was worn out after another day in a theme park and also after his accident. We tried cleaning the car seat with the cleaner as well before we went to bed. At least tomorrow would be an off day so again we wouldn't have to worry about waking up early. It was originally suppose to be our final day at Disney. But with how tired we were from the last 3 park days we decided to move it to Friday instead to take advantage of longer hours and Fantasmic. We were glad we did as we really needed this off day to just kick back, relax, and take it easy.



And that concludes this update and our final day at Universal. Thanks again to all of you following along or looking at the photos. I appreciate it.

 

[khertz]

Universal Hollywood looks really beautiful at night and dressed up for the holidays! Bummer you couldn't find any Christmas ornaments though. That seems strange!

Poor Daniel getting sick in the car! How awful. My DS used to spit up all the time when he was a baby, and you just never get used to that smell. I hope it just ended up being a one time deal!

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Day 6: Downtown Disney and Knott's Christmas Craft Village

Let me start off by saying that this recap of Day 6 may not have as much writing as the past days have. Since this was a down day that mostly focused on shopping I really don't have much detail to write about.

It was very nice to once again have a day to sleep in and not be in a rush to get to a Theme Park. As I mentioned before this day was originally planned to be our final Disney day. But do to how tired we had found ourselves and a chance of rain all day long we decided to make it an off day instead and do our final Disney day on Friday instead. We took our time getting ready for the day and ate a late breakfast before finally leaving for the day. Today would be a shopping day in addition to other take it easy type stuff.

We left the hotel at around 11:30am to drive over to Downtown Disney where we would be starting our day. Earlier in the week we got a coupon on the bottom of our reciept from the Bengle BBQ that would give us 20% off our entire purchase at the World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney (as well as the Emporiam in Disneyland and Elias and Co. in DCA) but it had to be used by 1pm. So Downtown Disney was the first stop since we were pressed for time.

Parking was easy to find at Downtown Disney and your first 3 hours are free. After that though the rates for parking skyrocket to discourage people from parking there for the theme parks thinking they can trick the system. Yes Downtown Disney was a short walk from our hotel but since it wasn't the only thing we would be doing today we decided just to drive over.

We entered the area between the Rainforest Cafe and the ESPN Zone which put us exactly where we were at a few days earlier when we rode the monorail in to grab lunch at Earl of Sandwich. Which is all on the West end of the area next to the Disneyland Hotel.

Since were were on a time crunch to use that coupon we immediatly started walking to the east side of Downtown Disney to where the World of Disney store is located. As we were walking though Daniel got really excited as we walked past the Lego Store and he saw the giant display of legos depecting a scene from Toy Story. Which is his favorite movies. He thought it was pretty cool.

We soon got to the World of Disney store which is very big but still noticibly smaller then the Orlando version. As with all of our vacations we had a few things we would be specifically looking for in the store. Notibly being our Christmas Ornament and a Postcard. Being Christmas time at the Disneyland Resort there diffenitly wasn't any shortage on Christmas Ornaments here like there were at Universal, however the Postcard was very difficult to find. Especially one that only featured Disneyland or only DCA instead of the whole resort (much like we found earlier in the year at Walt Disney World). We were still able to find some cards that worked though.

We typically aren't big spenders on merchandise outside of our traditional purchases. But we did decide to splurge a bit more on this trip. Kiera got a new Minnie Mouse Keychain and I got a Lanyard to wear for work. Kiera also got some Mickey Mouse Cookie Cutters that we found difficult to find when we thru a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Party for Daniels 1st Birthday back in September. But the biggest expense came when we decided it would be fun to all get shirts to wear tomorrow for our final day in Disneyland. I decided on a Tee Shirt while Daniel got a Zip Up jacket and Kiera a Pull over Hoodie. They didn't have the Hoodie in Kiera size though so she just settled for one a size larger in hopes that maybe another Disney store had it and we could exchange. We spent a lot of money at the World of Disney store but we also saved alot. I think our total purchase was just under $70. That coupon went a long ways so check your reciepts to see if you get one too.

Since we got done with the shopping we needed to first and foremost we now took our time exploring the rest of Downtown Disney as worked our way back towards the Disneyland Hotel. The World of Disney Store is located right across from the Tram drop off area and next to the Entry plaza for the Theme Parks. Its smaller then the WDW version but I thought it was unique in the that the Grand Californian Hotel is right above it. The store is on the first level with rooms above it which I don't know would make having those rooms bad or not. We stopped in and looked around the *********** store but found mostly everything to be pricey. Daniel did enjoy the fish tank though.

With a whole day to kill we decided to check out some of the Disneyland Resort Hotels as well. So when we got to the Downtown Disney enterance to the Grand Californian we decided to check it out. We havn't had the chance to explore any of the WDW Resort hotels so I won't be able to make any comparisons of them between the resorts but I thought the Grand Californian was pretty amazing. The Lobby will leave you in awe the first time you see it. It diffenitly puts the grand in its name. During Christmas time you can sometimes find Santa sitting at the Lobby tree and having photopass on this trip we really hoped we would See Santa today but he wasn't out at the time we were here.

We ventured outside and walked around some of the other public areas of the Hotel. Out by the pool area and even up to where the enterance to California Adventure is located at. For being practically inside a theme park we were really suprised by how quant and quite the Outdoor areas actually were. It was so relaxing and beautiful. Of course it would be an amazing experiance to stay here. Especially with a park view. However with very expensive nightly rates i'm sure thats something that will never happen. Still its worth checking out if your at the resort.

After checking out all the public areas of the Grand Californian we made our way back out to Downtown Disney and continued on our way. We next stopped in to the Ride Makerz and Build a Bear stores. I've always thought Ride Makerz seemed pretty cool. Especially since i'm into building and modifing cars myself. But again the prices seem to be so expensive that I couldn't justify actually building one. Although the slammed Mater kit seemed pretty cool. We just browsed thru Build A Bear and thought the Disney themed costumes were cute. It made us wonder if they would fit Daniels Duffy bear but we never bought one to try out.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

The next store we stopped by was D-Street which is a lot bigger in California then it is in Florida. This is the shop that sells the Vinylmations which I find to be pretty cool. I hoped I would be able to find some more Tron ones to finish my set but I think they have been discontinued. Unlike Florida that only sells the Vinylmations though the Anaheim shop had all sorts of geek type loves such as a lot of Marvel and Star Wars merchandise.

We had finally made our way back to the Lego store which is always worth a look as they always have some of the coolest displays made out of Legos. Inside the store you'll find Lego mockups of the Hulk, Aladdin and Jasmin flying on the Magic Carpet, and Gandolff from the Lord of the Rings. That store was recently remodeled so it has a very similar feel to the Orlando version. Even down to the Disney displays outside featuring Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, and Sleeping Beauty.

Passing the Monorail station we were back at where we started from. Earl of Sandwich looked so good again and not packed at all but we wouldn't be eating there again this day. For the Holiday season and to promote the new Tinkerbell movie Disney constructed an ice rink in Downtown Disney. Although we never saw many people using it. Probably because the prices to do so were about 3 times the amount it is back home. They also had a "Christmas Village" set up but it was so poorly done that it wasn't even worth looking at.

At the end of Downtown Disney sits the Disneyland Hotel. So thats where we would go next. It was mentioned to us that the Fantasia Store at the Disneyland Hotel might have the Hoodie Kiera bought in the size she really wanted so we would at least be checking that out while we were here. Compared to the Downtown Disney stores the Fantasia store was dead. We were the only ones in there. But sure enough they did have the Hoodie in Kieras size so she exchanged the one we bought earlier for that one.

Since we were at the hotel we decided to look around it a bit. The Fantasia store is located inside the Fantasy Tower and also the Main lobby for the hotel is located here. Although the Disneyland Hotel might not be as classy or elegant as the Grand Californian I think I prefer it more. It seems more fun and Disney-esc to me. The hotel was recently remodeled and I loved all the retro decor and vintage Disneyland photos and art all around the Hotel. Theres even old ride vehicles.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

We hoped that since we missed Santa at the Grand Californian that he would be here but he was also gone. Although I think the Disneyland Hotel had the best set up to meet Santa Claus out of the Hotels.

Before returning to Downtown Disney we walked thru the outdoor areas of the Disneyland Hotel but we never did go in the Frontier or Adventure Towers. The hotel grounds look great since the hotels remodel. I think the vintage Monorail Slides are a very nice addition to the pool area but overall i'm kind of dissapointed that they removed the Neverland pool that had such a unique Peter Pan overlay to it. Now its just a basic pool. The old Waterfalls are gone and in there place is a guyser that is a call back to the old Mine Train thru Nature's Wonderland which was located where Big Thunder Mountain now sits. The Disneyland Hotel is also home to the Terrice and Trader Sams which I hear is a pretty fun experiance that we never got the chance to go to.

After walking around the Disneyland Hotel and back out to Downtown Disney we decided our time there was done. We had seen everything we wanted to see and walked thru some of the Hotels. The only Hotel we didn't go to was the Paradise Pier Hotel which is the cheapest of the 3 Disneyland hotels. It was just a short walk down the street form the Disneyland Hotel but we never made it down to it. The Ice Rink was more busy now though.

This was the first that we acually spent a lot of time at the Disneyland Resorts Downtown Disney. When we've gone to Orlando Downtown Disney is always a must visit no matter if we are going to WDW or not. Compared to the Florida version we have to say that the Florida Downtown Disney is much better then the Disneyland version (i've only known Floridas without the clubs). I like how its much larger and seems to have much more stuff going on and more unique dining opperunities. What I do like though about the California Downtown Disney is its close proximity to the parks and hotels. Once again the same reason why we love the Universal Orlando resort is because everything in the resort is within walking distance. Of course I still think Universal's Citywalks are done better.

We spent almost 3 hours in Downtown Disney by the time we finally left so we were getting pretty hungry. For lunch we decided on a California Must Go to In-N-Out Burger. Yes we have these back home in Utah now. But theres just something that didn't seem right about going to Southern California and not going to eat at In-N-Out. Plus I think it still taists slightly better then the ones we have back home. If you want some good fast food make sure you check out In-N-Out burger and get your burger and fries Animal Style.

Since we still had half the day left we decided to fall back on doing something that we looked in to but didn't give much thought to doing. We would go to Knotts Berry Farm. But not to go on any rides or attractions. During the Holiday Season they do a Christmas Craft Fair in the Ghost Town section of the park that is open for free to the public. Thats right FREE. From Mon-Thrusday you can get in to the Christmas Craft Village for no cost. Just don't plan on sneaking on any rides or to other sections of the park as they had many employees stationed at all rides and other section enterances checking if you were a paying guest or not.

We parked in the Knotts Marketplace parking which just like Downtown Disney gives you I think 3 hours of free parking. To get to the Christmas Craft Village you enter the park thru the Marketplace area instead of thru the main park gates. There were plenty of signs directing us to where we need to go. Walking in was very easy as there was an open gate and we were in the Ghost Town. The Ghost Town at Knotts might be the only area of the park that one ups Disneyland as the Ghost Town is much better themed then Frontierland. You actually feel like your walking thru the old west in a small town. Of course though all this amazing theming is thrown out the window when you see Roller Coaster supports intruding on the themeing as Knotts has just thrown there Coasters wherever they can find room not giving much thought to how it effects the theming of an area. Knotts has some great coasters but it really keeps getting built on top of each other.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Theres a building at the Craft Village called Santas Toy Barn where you can buy toys and also meet Santa himself. So we took Daniel to see Santa once again in hopes that he would eventually warm up to the big guy. He at this point was getting better but once he was put on Santas lap he wasn't having it. He wanted down right away. Of course he loved that candy cane he gets afterwards though.

During the Christmas season they also have demostrations taking place in the Craft Village such as a Chainsaw wood carver and some guys Doing Glass Sculputures the old way by blowing the glass. We never saw the Wood Carver demonstration but the Glass blowing seemed to be really cool.

We stopped by one of the shops and picked us up a little holiday snack. Some home made fudge. This is something we usually get during the Holidays that we hadn't yet so why not today. We ended up getting some Mint fudge and it was very delicious. And cheap too.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Although we couldn't go into the rest of the park you could see many of Knotts thrill rides towering in the distance such as the Silver Bullet, Windseeker, Excelerator, Extreme Scream, and so forth. Also some of Knotts classic attractions like the Calico Mine Train and Timber Mountain log ride were right next to the main plaza. Had we stayed in the park long enough we would have been able to see there nightly Christmas tree lighting in the main plaza as well as the Peanuts Gang Christmas parade but without rides to go on we couldn't find anything to keep us in the park longer then we were.

After making the full loop around the Ghost Town and looking at all the shops we wanted to we decided to call it a day and leave Knotts. The Christmas Craft Village was cool in the fact that it was free and you could enjoy some aspects of the park free of charge. Plus there were some unique gift ideas there. But it doesn't replace spending a whole day at Knotts. Knotts Berry Farm is a park that still really needs to find itself and balance out its themeing and Thrill Rides. I do wish we could have gone to the full park as there are some really great rides at Knotts but we couldn't justify the extra cost. If your in the area during the Holidays and are looking for something to do then check out the Christmas Craft Village as it really is a fun way to kill some time. Also check out the Marketplace shops on your way out.

Back at the Hotel we took advantage of the early evening and went again to the Hotel pool and Jacuzzi to relax. We weren't the only ones swimming though as there was another family swimming in the pool at this time. It was nice to relax in the hot tub after an easy day not trying to fit the parks in to one day.

For dinner tonight we decided to stay close to the hotel and keep it simple so we just went to a Panda Express that was down the street about a mile. The food is always good and filling. We ended up spending the remaining time of the day in our hotel room where we just watched some tv and went to bed early. We moved our final Disney day back 1 day so that we could have this rest day and avoid some forecasted rain. Although it was very nice to have the easy day and we were able to do things we couldn't otherwise (like visiting Knotts) it ended up not raining today. Instead the rain was now forecasted for Friday when we would be in the parks. I guess we could hope that the rain would miss us once again. Only time would tell.

Untill then we needed to get some sleep and rest up for our busy day tomorrow. We were about to do something we have never done before. We were gonna spend all day in the Disneyland Resort parks. 8am until Midnight. The 16 hour day that we originally didn't plan on doing would soon be upon us.



And that concludes this update. Feels kinda nice to knock out an entire day in one update. Unfortunatly that rolls in to my next update which will possibly be the longest one I have EVER done. The 16 hour day is up next and will probably take 5 or 6 updates to complete so stay with me. I hope to start it soon. Thanks again to all those following and commenting. You guys are great.

 

[khertz]

That's great that you decided to take a slow day and visit they resorts. That's something we just never made the time to do on our 2 short DL trips last year aside from our dinner at Steakhouse 55. I wish we would have!

Wow a 16 hr day with a toddler?! I'd be too scared to attempt that!! Lol

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Day 7, Part 1: Disneyland Resort

The big day was upon us. The 16 hour Disney day. The longest day we have ever spent in a theme park resort. As I mentioned before this day (Friday) was not originally intended to be a park day. Thursday was. However with rain forecasted on Thursday (which didn't happen) and long hours today (plus the added bonus of Fantasmic) we decided to switch our final park day to today. Of course it wouldn't all be a walk in the park though as rain was forecasted for today as well.

To make the most of our day we hoped to be at the parks again prior to opening. With a toddler though that means that goal didn't always happen. And such was the case today. Dispite being up at 6am again we didn't leave the hotel until almost 8am. The time that the parks would be opening today. We quickly got ready, ate breakfast, and thru on the Disneyland shirts that we bought for our family at Downtown Disney the previous day then We walked the nearly mile long walk from the hotel to the parks very quickly though and entered Disney California Adventure at about 8:15am.

We would be starting out our long day today in DCA because it was the park that we still had stuff to see in. Since we parkhopped over to Disneyland on our DCA day earlier in the week for a few hours we never got around to seeing everything we wanted to see. Upon entering the park we noticed that it felt significantly less packed then it did on Monday when we were here. Yes the park was already open when we arrived but we thought it would be much busier on a Friday. The mile long line for the Radiator Springs Racers fastpass line was just pass the Carthey Circle Theater when we arrived. The theater looked great this early in the morning.

Had we wanted to we could have hopped in the RSR fastpass line and got some Fastpasses for later in the day. But the fastpasses weren't our top priority today like it was on Monday. Although Radiator Springs Racers was. We thought the ride was great. The Best in DCA and one of the best Disney has put in any of its parks. But with how popular the ride is knew we would have to ride again early. So today we would attempt to ride it again via the Single Riders line.

As we stepped on to Route 66 and walked into Radiator Springs the lack of people echoed here as it did on Buena Vista Street. It was much less packed then it was on Monday. Had we wanted to at this time we could have walked on to Maters or Luigi's rides. The land looked great as well this early morning and with blue skys above we hopped for a great day ahead of us weather wise.

When we reached the entrance to RSR the standby wait was already up to 75 minutes but Single Riders only said about 5. I would go first so I entered the line and made my way towards the load area. I walked all the way to the ramps before I finally caught somebody else. There was no repeat of the first time we rode where the ride broke down and we waited over an hour for it to start back up and in just over 5 minutes time I was being loaded in to a vehicle.

No hicups so far as the ride started out. We passed the belt check and our scenic journey into ornament valley began. Something immdiatly seemed off though as the car kinda jerked a couple times. That was until it came to a complete stop right past the waterfall before entering the showbuilding. Although the views of the park were great from this area of the ride it wasn't great that we were stopped as RSR is known for frequently going down. We were stopped for about 4 minutes before the ride started moving again. I seriously started to think in that time that we would be evaced from the ride.

When the ride started back up we entered the show building and all the animatronics and effects seemed to be working fine. Well up until we got to the first Mator AA. The one that drives next to your vehicle until it eventually backs into a bush. Well it was nowhere to be found although the voice was though. When we reached that bush you could see the Tow truck stuck behind it. The 2nd animatronic worked though and we made it to the cow tipping scene until the ride once again stopped in its tracks. We saw the tipped tractors reset and then sat and waited for the ride to start again. Luckly this time we were only stopped for about a minute or so before the ride restarted.

For the most part the ride was smooth sailing from here. We rolled into Radiator Springs and this time the car drove in to Romoans Paint Shop (last time we got Luigi's) so I was happy to see both rooms. I think I liked Luigi's a little more though as the White wall tire effect is much better then the colored mist effect you get in Romoans to simulate the painting. When we pulled up to the starting line to race We were the only car there so for a moment I thought we would be the only ones. I quickly noticed that the Mouth projections on the Luigi Animatronic were also off to go along with the other ride problems. Soon another car pulled up though and our race began. This is the best portion of the ride as its so much fun especially with the racing aspect. I really wish it could be longer but I'll take what we can get. Again though the car I was in lost the race. We made a last scenic drive thru taillight caverns and then the ride was over.

Dispite the issues the ride was still a great ride and a lot of fun. I'm really glad we got to ride it once before though with a ride that was flawless as it really would have been dissapointing if this was our only ride on the thing. I'm sure hundreds of people a day have that experiance and with how long the line is for this ride they never get the chance to go on it again. Still RSR is a do not miss attraction and I can say that I think the Single Rider line first thing in the morning worked out much better and quicker then the Fastpass line did on Monday.

Upon exiting the ride I found Kiera and Daniel and switching off the child it was now Kieras turn to ride. She too entered the Single Riders line and into the attraction she went. While she rode I decided to take Daniel and go back to the RSR Fastpass distibution area in the off chance that Fastpasses were still avalible for later in the evening. Radiator Springs still didn't seem to be as packed as I thought it would be as we walked to the top of the street. As we were walking past the Cozy Cone Lightning McQueen was pulling out from his Meet and Greet so we stopped and watched. Daniel seemed pretty excited to see Lightning drive on past.

When I got to the RSR Fastpass Distribution area right outside of Bugs Land I wasn't just suprised the Fastpasses were still avalible. But I was also suprised that the time on them was at 1:55pm. I thought for sure anything left would be in the evening as I hoped to get a night ride on it. I pulled 2 fastpasses for Kiera and I to use later (since Single Rider would likely be much longer later tonight) and then walked back to Cars Land to meet up with Kiera.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Since I took many night photos of the new land our first night in the park I took the time walking back to take some daytime photos of the area. The attention to detail is so incredible. Seriously the best thing Disney has done in a long time. I still prefer the detail that you'll find at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter but Cars Land will still leave you in awe.

I thought Kiera would be done by the time we got back to RSR but she wasn't. Apparently the ride had another minor break down so she still hadn't rode. So Daniel and I just waited around the attraction for her to finish. The Rockwork on the Cadillac Mountain Range is really what is so amazing about the land. I can't belive how realistic it looks. Eventually though Kiera did finish her ride but as with my ride the ride still wasn't at 100%. She mentioned Mater still wasn't working and her car raced alone instead of against someone else.

We rode Maters Junkyard Jamboree a few nights earlier when we were at DCA but we still hadn't rode Cars Land's 3rd ride. Luigi's Flying Tires. So thats where we went to next. The wait time was posted at 5 minutes so we figured it probably wouldn't get shorter then this. We got a Rider Swap card for Kiera which works just like Maters. I had to stand in the regular line until I rode. After I was done though Kiera could take the card and go thru the Alternate entrance with a much shorter wait. I was really impressed by the Que to Luigi's as you basically tour the tire showroom passing many of the tires he sells including is prized White Wall Tires. But Luigi is also a big Racing fan so you will find much memorabilia from F1 Racing and the World Grand Prix.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

You exit the back of the shop and you are in a sort of Garden area where the "Festival of Floating Tires" is taking place. There are a few different design's cut into the bushes that are pretty cool. Eventually you reach a point where your devided into groups and then told how to make the tires move in the direction you want it to. Although the wait time said it was 5 minutes it was closer to 15 by the time I got to this point. Luigi's has an extremely low rider per hour capacity so be prepared to wait if you don't do it early.

After waiting your turn you're finally let us out onto the board to pick out our tires. I found one and quickly got belted in and was ready to ride. After collecting all the flags the air kicked on and our tires took flight. Many of you know this ride is a resurection of the old Flying Saucers Idea so I was really interested to see how it worked. Basically its like human Air Hockey. Just with about 20 extra pucks on the board. To make the Tires move you lean in the direction you want to go. But not too much or the tire will bottom out and make you loose momentum. After a couple minutes of leaning side to side it felt like I finally figured out how the Tire worked and was picking up some speed. Of course the ride cycle is only a couple minutes so by the time I figured it out the ride was over.

So how is Luigi's? Well the general concensious is that its the least favorite ride in Cars Land. And I think I would agree right now with that. Now I wouldn't say the ride is horrible and to skip it. You should try to ride it at least once as the ride is very unique and you won't find anything else like it anywhere. But right now I would say that Maters was the more fun ride. But I think that could change. If I rode Luigi's more and really got the hang of working the tire I think Luigi's has the potential to be the funner ride. Unfortunatly though you don't get enough time to really have the most fun you can on it. And with how slow loading the ride is its not something you'll want to stand in line twice for. So I like the ride. I just wish you had more time on it.

After my ride I exited and found Kiera and Daniel. She then entered the Alternate enterance and within 1 ride cycle she was in the next group to ride. As she waited to ride they brought Red the firetruck out who drove past us. Daniel got excited seeing him as well just like he did with Lightning earlier. Kiera was able to take a ride on the tires much quicker then I was and her thoughts were pretty much the same as mine regarding the ride. It would probably be a little funner if we could have gone on the ride together as well instead of switching off thru rider swap.

We had pretty much done everything now that we wanted to in Cars Land but there was still one more thing we wanted to do. We took Daniel to meet Lightning McQueen the other night. We still wanted to take him to meet Mater. So we swung over to the Cozy Cone Motel to see if he was out and to our luck he was. And the line was even shorter then it was for Lightning to meet him. We loved that during the Holiday Season that Mater had a Santa hat on. It seemed so fitting and was really cute. Daniel loved seeing Mater as we are pretty sure he is his favorite character from Cars.

One of our big goals for our final Disney day was to focus on taking Daniel to see Characters and also to find as many Photopass Photographers as we could. Especially since we were all wearing our Disneyland shirts. So we were excited to see after we were done meeting Mater that Red the Firetruck was still out and he also had a Photopass person with him. Although red wasn't decked out with anything Holiday themed like Mater he did play Christmas songs thru his horn. Parts of his body also moved and stuff which was pretty neat as well. We then went down to the Courthouse and got another picture there too as Daniel was asleep a few days earlier when we did.

After pictures we had finally seen everything in Cars Land so we moved on to another area of the park that we hadn't visited yet. A Bugs Land. This area is located right next to Cars Land and even has an enterance between the 2. Just head down cross street past Luigi's and you won't miss it. Theres even some route 66 style billboards telling you to stop by that is pretty unique.

Bugsland is a land that I have mixed feelings about. This was the first expansion of the struggling California Adventure Park when it first opened. One major complant about the new park was that there wasn't enough "Disney" and not enough things for kids and toddlers to do. So Disney's answer was a Bugs Land. Themeing wise I think the land is great. You really do feel like you've been shrunk down to bug size. I love the over grown grass and bushes and all the larger then life decor everywhere. They got the themeing right with this area. Thats for sure. They took what the imagineered with the Honey I shrunk the Kids playground in Orlando and made it much bigger. However the rides located in Bugs Land are what makes the area suffer the most. Instead of dropping in a couple original idea ride systems they went with all lightly themed off the shelf flat rides just like they did in Paradise Pier. The rides may be kid friendly but nothing about them scream Disney.

The first ride in the area that we rode was probably the most unique of all the Bugs Land rides. Its called Heimlichs Chew, Chew train. You climb on a train that looks like Heimlich the catapiller and he takes you on a ride past some of his favorite foods. You will pass Giant watermelon, Gram Crackers, and Candy Corn and one of the best parts of the ride is you can smell each of the foods you pass. This ride really could have been great and been basically an outdoor Dark Ride. But its short. Like way short. I was really suprised cause I remembered it being longer. Still its a cute little ride that had no wait to go on and kids seem to love it. It could have been better but its probably the best of the rides in the land. In my opinion anyways.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

As we walked around the land we decided to skip out on 2 of the rides in the area. One of those rides is Francis' Ladybug Boogie which is basically a Teacup on a figure 8 track and the other is Tuck and Roll's Drive'em Buggies which are your run of the meal Bumper Cars. Which of course Daniel is still too small to go on. So we skipped these two rides as we went to our the next Bugs Land ride we would go on.

That next ride was Fliks Flyers. For being an off the shelf ride this one is actually themed alright. Its kinda like a swing ride as you get in a gondela that lifts you high into the air and then spins you around. The wait was basically a walk on and then our airborne adventure began. But Daniel did not like it. I don't know if was the spinning or being up high but it was not a ride that he cared for at all. He was very happy to get off of it.

As we exited the ride we noticed that Flik the Ant was out meeting guests right near us so we took Daniel to see him. We were suprised to find that Flik also had a Photopass Photographer with him. Daniel really didn't know what to think about Flik. He hasn't seen Bugs Life yet so he wasn't familiar with him and just didn't care much lol.

We had now done all the rides we cared to do in the Fliks Fun Fair section of the A Bugs Land. The rides are alright and kids won't care how themed they are. But for the most part its an area of the park that you can skip if you are pressed for time. Wether you decide to skip the rides or not though you should still at least take a stroll thru the area to check out the great themeing thats in place. Also look for the Toy Story reference as you walk into the area from its main enterance.

There is one more attraction thats part of A Bugs Land that is not contained within the Fliks Fun Fair area. Thats because this attraction is one of the originals to the park. Its the "Its Tough to be a Bug" 4d show. This show originally debuted as part of Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando but was cloned to California for this parks opening. I unfortunatly will not be able to compare it to the Orlando version though as the attraction was closed when we were there. We just so happened to visiting WDW the week that the Branch fell off the Tree of Life causing the attraction to be closed and also all the paths around the tree.

This show was pretty much a walk on. We just had a one show wait. I love the que as you wind down the path making it feel like you going far underground. The show waiting area feels like a tunnel far below the earth with roots sticking thru the walls. Theres also some spoof posters of plays or musicals that the bugs are putting on. Since we didn't get to do this show in Florida it had been 4 years since I had seen it. And honestly I forgot how good and cute the show is. It was alot of fun. Even for Daniel who wasn't wearing any glasses. There are some darker more scary parts of the show that I thought would scare Daniel but he did just fine. Basically the bugs no that your human and are doing a show that teaches you about the different bugs and how hard it can be for them sometimes. The show is good fun and something that you should see if you havn't seen it before. 4 years ago I would have said that Shrek 4d at Universal was the better 4d show. But having done Shrek so many times now I think that Its Tough to be a Bug is probably the stronger attraction of the 2. Still though i'd have to say that Muppetvision 3d is my all time favorite 4d style show.

And thats all for this update. The 16 hour day is gonna be a long update with 5 of them planned. Hopefully I can update more regularly then I have been. Thanks to those still following and commenting. I do appreciate it.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Day 7, Part 2: Disneyland Resort

After we finished with "its tough to be a bug" we retrieved Daniels stroller and walked towards Paradise Pier. Right outside the enterance to the area a large group had gathered so we stopped to see what was going on. It was the Phineas and Ferb Dance Party. And it even gets a holiday overlay. Those that read my Florida recap may recall that I love Phineas and Ferb and dispite being an adult I have the show set to record on the DVR. Since then Daniel has also taken a love to watching Phineas and Ferb as well. So I was kinda sad that they don't do Meet and Greets for them like they do in Florida at the Hollywood Studios. This little show is the only think in the resort that has the characters. Its a fun little show but not something to go out of your way to see.

We were on the hunt today for Photopass CMs and Characters. There were many in DCA but they seemed to not be located where you would think they would be. When we came in 2008 there was always a Photopass CM taking pictures on the bridge with Paradise Pier in the background. This trip though there was never anybody there. I thought that was pretty odd as Paradise Pier is one of the most photographed areas of the park.

Directly across the bridge there are 2 character locations though. One is for Duffy the Disney Bear but he wasn't out at this time. The other is where you can find Donald Duck and since he was one of the remaining Fab 5 characters we need to find we stopped to see him. He had a Photopass CM with him so I was able to get in on some pictures. By this point in the trip Daniel had finally started to warm up to charcters and was cute with Donald just like he was in Florida.

There was also a Photopass CM taking pictures infront of the Paradise Pier Christmas tree. Yes we got a photo here a few nights earlier but we figured we would get some during the day too so that we could make the most out of our Photopass+.

In the heart of Paradise Pier we found the area where the Toy Story meet and Greets are done. Its located pretty much across from the Toy Story Midway Mania ride right along the waters edge. Woody was out when we walked up so we got in line. Unlike in Hollywood Studios the charcters only come out one at a time so if you want to see them all you will have to make multipule stops. The wait to meet Woody was only about 5 minutes and Daniel loved seeing Woody while waiting in line. I loved the views you got across the Lagoon and also seeing the Screamin' Roller Coaster trains shoot past. Kiera put Daniel down again to see if he would run to Woody but he started to run away from him instead. Dispite being more warmed up to Charcters Daniel still wasn't too sure about Woody even though The Toy Story movies are the only things he watches over and over again.

While we were in Paradise Pier I figured now would be a good time to ride California Screamin' again. Kiera took Daniel to go ride the King Triton Carousel again and I went to ask for a Single Rider card. When I asked though the CM instead handed me a Fastpass card saying a guy just gave it to him saying he wasn't gonna use it. So I took it and entered the Fastpass line. Although on hindsight I think Single Rider would have been quicker. Even though both sides of the load station were in use the line still backed up, across, and down the stairs. Eventually though I boarded the train and was on my way. We pulled up for the launch and the countdown began. But at 1 nothing happened. We just sat there. Did the ride break down? I didn't have to wait long to find out though as about 10 seconds later the countdown started and away we went. The ride was amazing once again. I don't know what it is about this coaster but it is so good. I could ride it all day long.

Upon exiting I loaded my ride photo to our Photopass+ then found where Kiera and Daniel were waiting for me. It was Kieras turn to ride next and this time she did get a Single Rider card. Single rider is done kinda odd on Screamin as you get the card then walk to a completly area to wait. I guess the area is the same that is for those in Wheelchairs. You then wait on the load plateform before being directed to a train. Kiera was on much quicker then I was so Daniel and I waited by the Lagoon to see her launch.

While Kiera was on the ride I noticed over at the Toy Story meet and greet that Jessie was now out. We originally didn't plan to meet Jessie but I figured why not. Daniel and I went and got in line (which was much shorter then Woody's) and Kiera rejoined us right before it was our turn. Daniel had about the same reaction to Jessie as he had with Woody. He was excited but not nearly as much as we thought he would be. We still wanted to see Buzz though and found out that he would be the next one coming out as they rotate ever 30 minutes.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

By this point in the day we were getting hungry for some Lunch. So with time to kill any ways until Buzz would be out we decided to go find something to eat. We made our way thru the rest of the Pier to the Paradise Garden Dinning area. We checked out what it had to offer. Mostly Pizza, Pasta, and Salad offerings and none of that really sounded too great to me. So we left the area and continued on thru the pier.

We passed by the Goofy's Sky School attraction that we skipped this time. The ride use to be known as Muhalland Madness and is just your typical run of the meal Wild Mouse coaster. Although the themeing is better since Goofy moved in the ride still wasn't that great. Honestly our Wild Mouse Coaster back home is better so I didn't have a desire to ride. Phenias and Ferb also cruised past while we were walking down the Pier.

Not far from Goofy's Sky School I found what I wanted for lunch. Corn Dog Castle. I had heard and read good things about this place and I just love Corn Dogs anyways so I figured I would give it a shot. I decided on the Hot Link Corn Dog. Before eating it though we made our way back to the Paradise Gardens where there was a Greek Salad that Kiera was interested in trying. We found a spot to sit and eat and enjoyed the area. There was a band playing and it wasn't packed at all. You wouldn't believe you were in a packed theme park. The Corn Dog was very good and I was happy with my choice. Its something I would have again. Kiera also enjoyed her salad.

Lunch took longer then we thought and we were almost near the time when Buzz Lightyear would no longer be out. So we quickly hurried back across Paradise Pier in hopes that he woud still be there. Luckly for us he was. But would we get thru the line quickly? It was now as long as it was when we meet Woody. But luck was on our side. We made it before Buzz left. The line moved much faster this time. Daniel actually got excited to see Buzz this time and was happy to see him. It was really cute. I guess that means Buzz must be his favorite.

After meeting Buzz we finished all we wanted to do in Paradise Pier. We still had more attractions that we wanted to see that we didn't earlier in the week so we started to make our way towards Hollywoodland. On our way out though we noticed that Duffy was now out. So we had to stop to see him as well. Now I know that not many people are fans of Duffy but we bought Daniel a Duffy Bear before he was born and he loves it. So he gets really excited seeing the character. We also loved that Duffy was dressed in Santa clothing.

Since we still had time to kill before the show started we went back to Buena Vista Street to kill the time. Like Cars Land, Buena Vista Street isn't lacking in Photopass CM's so thats what we would do to kill the time. There was a photographer by the Fountain in front of the Carthey Circle theater, by the Buena Vista Street Sign, Walt statue, and 3 around the DCA Christmas Tree. To make the most of our Photopass+ we stopped and took photos at all of them. I could sit and spend much time in Buena Vista street alone. Its so well detailed and theres just something so special about it.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

Buena Vista Street is also where you will be able to meet Santa Claus. And what better place then in the Elias and Company Department Store. Just like you would back in the 30's. When we arrived though Santa was on a break. Luckly it was a short one though and within 5 minutes he was back. In addition to Santa he also had his elf helping him. And then the Buena Vista Street Carolers came in. It was pretty fun seeing all of this in the environment we were in. This was now the 5th Santa Daniel had seen this winter but he still hadn't warmed up to him. He wanted down the second we sat next to him. Of course he loved the candy cane the elf gave him though.

The attraction we were waiting for was one that we were only doing for Daniels sake. It was Disney Jr. Live on Stage. Daniel spends almost each morning watching Disney Jr. and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jake and the Neverland Pirates are 2 of his favorite shows. So we knew we had to take him to see the show. When we finished with Santa the show was finally open and seating guests. Kiera took Daniel in while I quickly ran down to the Tower of Terror to get us some Fastpasses that we could use later in the day.

Hollywoodland is an area of the park that I do think is under rated. Yes there is a lack of attractions in the land. And yes the backlot area does hurt the area especially with all the Mad T Party stuff set up, and yes Monsters Inc. makes no sense whatsoever in the area. But the main street area I think works great. So great that it should have been designed as the original entry area to the park much like Hollywood Studios in Florida. I hope Disney works on this area next. Put another great ride in, and update the backlot area and it will be great.

I made it into Disney Jr. Live a few minutes before the show started. I found Kiera and Daniel sitting on the ground and as soon as the doors closed the show began. Know that this show is catered specifically towards toddlers so unless you have children fitting that demographic you can skip this show. The show is done thru puppetry and is actually kinda cute for what it is. It starts out with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse gang as they are gonna plan a birthday party for Minnie. However they need certain items for the party and thats where the other shows come in to play. After Mickey we next go to Handy Mandy. This is a show that Daniel has never seen before but he actually seemed to really like it. I mean whats not to love when your a toddler and theres music and fun characters on stage.

Next up was the Little Einsteins. This is a show that Daniel watches and enjoys and got excited to see. He clapped and laughed and danced. It was way cute. The final section of the show is Jake and the neverland pirates and Daniel really loved this. Almost as much as Mickey and the gang. The show concludes back with Mickey and his friends as they throw the party. Although the show is super simple and for kids it was another one thats worth it after you see your childs reaction. Next to World of Color I don't think there was anything else that Daniel enjoyed more then he did the Disney Jr. show. Totally worth it to see his reactions.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

As we exited the show we noticed that Chip and Dale were out meeting guests dressed in there 1930's attire. The line wasn't long so we figured what the heck and got in line. Daniel LOVED them. This was the best character interaction he seemed to have the entire trip.

We had only one attraction left that we planned to do in DCA before heading over to Disneyland. When DCA originally opened it had one stand out attraction that was a home run hit. That ride has sense been cloaned at Epcot and is consistantly the busiest and most packed attraction in the entire WDW Resort. That ride is Soarin Over California. And in DCA the ride actually makes perfect sense. The ride sits in an area called Condor Flats which is themed as a desert airfield. The Soarin Hanger is front and center and themed as such. The best part of the California version is that unlike in Epcot the wait is horrendous. When we walked up a 10 minute wait was all that was posted.

I planned to get a Single Rider card for the ride but was advised by the CM that Standby would be just as quick. The que still isn't themed too much but its significantly better then how the Epcot versions line is themed. Theres a bunch of aviation themed pictures and models all thruout the hanger before you devided to whichever theater your going in to. The ride itself is exactly the same on both coasts. Which is pretty sad for Epcot. Its bad enough that the film is all based on locations in the state of California. But even the Epcot version ends at Disneyland. Florida really needs a new ride film that works better in Florida. And don't even get me started on the conditions of the 2 rides. The DCA version is in much better shape. The film looked to be in better condition and the screen wasn't dirty like it is in Florida. Although in my Opinion I still think Soarin is a pretty over rated ride and not worth the waits it gets in Epcot, its still something that should be a must ride not matter what coast your on. The ride is just set up and overall better in California.

While I rode Soarin, Kiera took Daniel to ride the Little Mermaid ride again which he just loves. With now wait on that ride though she would be waiting for me back and Soarin to finish. When I was done it was now her turn to ride. The line had grown since I went in so she actually tried using Single Rider and entered the Fastpass line with the Single Rider card where she would wait until someone needed a single rider. While waiting for her I was gonna take Daniel to ride Monsters Inc again. But decided instead to walk around some of the areas we I hadn't been to yet like the rest of Condor Flats.

Alright and that concludes this update. Thanks everyone for looking.