Do Not Die Today: Southern California, 2022 (COMPLETE 2/23)

[ambula603]

Taking notes for our CA trip next summer - we love Friends AND Harry Potter so that is definitely a tour we would enjoy!

Thank you for sharing Club 33, I honestly can't think of a more dreamy day. Bob sounds fantastic!!

 

[franandaj]

And sure enough, the LA freeways were as clear as we’d seen them all week.

It's amazing what the Freeways look like on a Sunday morning. You would think that everyone was out late partying on a Saturday night.

The 5-lane horseshoe road into LAX, however, was still a hot mess inside of a train wreck inside of a dumpster fire (with apologies to Jake Tapper). I guess that airport never rests.

LAX is never quiet.

Burbank. Turns out most of the movie studios are on the other side of the mountain from the famous Hollywood sign.

I know, not sure why Hollywood got all the credit the real work was always done "over the hill" as we Angelinos like to say.

And Warner Brothers had the distinct advantage of not requiring a second mortgage for theme park admission in order to do the tour, so we opted for them. They only required a home equity loan.

Plus its a better tour. Actual working studio.

you may have noticed by picking up on the various movie references I like to slip into my TR’s

Our first stop was a grubby little forest area.

Yup, been there. I had no idea that it was so tiny in comparison to the rest of the lot.

As it turns out, this dirt road was where they filmed the T-Rex chasing the jeep in the original Jurassic Park.

I think when we did the tour they referenced a different movie, at least I thought they did. So I went back and found my recounting of the Jungle area, this is what I wrote.

"For those of you who saw Jurassic Park, most of it was filmed in Hawaii, but there were a few scenes that once they returned to the mainland they realized that they didn't get the correct scenes. Rather than fly everyone including camera crews and equipment back over there, they rented the Jungle from WB. I believe she said it was the chase scene when they are in the Jeep and the dinosaur is chasing them. They started at the end of this road drove all the way to the other end, turned everything around and shot them going the other way, as the road is actually quite short. That gave them the illusion of a longer chase scene."​

they took us inside one of the houses that could be used for filming interior shots.

We didn't get to go in the houses. On our tour they said that they were production offices.

Further along, the tram took us through sets that could be used for a small town square and then more urban cityscapes.

I remember that too.

We weren’t allowed to take any photos in there, just in case some of us worked for Disney or Universal and went running back to show those companies what a soundstage looks like.

Or you might spoil the cliffhanger from the season finale.

It’s not a tourist trap unless they try and sell you a photo op, so we got to sit in the couch on the set from the coffee shop in Friends,

Never watched it so I wouldn't know.

And I took a photo of the Big Bang Theory set just for @franandaj .

Yay! I want to sit in Sheldon's spot!

One of the fun exhibits you could try out had to do with forced perspective

That's neat! I need to go do that tour again! It looks like it's changed a lot.

The good news was that this lot was free. The bad news was that we had to hike a mile back up the mountain.

Yeah, I did that once 40 years ago, when I was a lot younger.

These were tasty but a little disappointing. They were very heavy on the mac and cheese, less so on the meat or flavoring. I was hoping for a “wow”, but just got an “ok” instead.

That's too bad. I won't rush to go there. Too many other better places.

whenever Disney property is within walking distance, it’s very hard to stay away.

Now these shakes are truly ridiculous. The prices are ridiculous, too. We knew that going in, so we decided to split one among everybody. We got the Cookies ‘n Cream Supreme for the princely sum of $17.

They do look ridiculous! I'm plenty happy with something small like a cone from Salt & Straw.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Boy when you go down... you drop off a cliff!

There was really nowhere to go but down after that VIP tour. Might as well rip the band-aid off.

Have done that one. Yours differed from the one I took, but that's probably a good thing. Variety being the spice of and all that.

I'm sure they try to keep it current with whatever is recent, marketing synergy and all that business school stuff.

Nope. Hadn't noticed.

So you've got that going for you, which is nice.

Huh. See? Didn't know that/see that on my tour.

And yet Alison heard it on hers! Maybe they cycle the stories in and out.

Can't see the link (at work), but will look out for it next time I watch.

It's a little hard to pick up, because it's just a bunch of trees. I think the guide said there was a fallen tree they pass 2 or 3 times in the scene.

I found that our guide asked us how many people saw certain shows and then geared the tour towards what seemed the most popular amongst the riders.

Our guide was pretty young. She might have just been calling out the shows she knew.

Had a similar experience. We saw lots of stuff that I didn't know anything about.

I was more interested in the basics, anyway. Here's how we use this type of set, etc.

Top left. Singing frog. Quite possibly one of the funniest animated skits ever.

Yes! That's a true classic.

Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal...

I was very disappointed by that. It's obviously not the real set. Not even all that close.

I never really watched Friends, so I had no idea.

Was that an actual set? Seems off, somehow?

They claimed it was, but again, I'm not really familiar with the show. So I just went with it. I knew Alison was a fan.

Huh. I don't remember that. Cool!

That was a fun demonstration! It was off to the side in a little theater. We had to wait a few minutes before they opened it for the next showtime, but it was worth sticking around for. Maybe a 10-15 minute show or so.

I'd agree with that statement

Especially if you love movies.

I really wanted to get there, but got turned around in the hills, ran out of time, and completely missed it.

It definitely wasn't easy to get to. We had to turn through some residential streets to get there.

Nah. I don't believe you.

I got it from Wikipedia, and everything is true on there!

Hah! Jokes on you. I love stuff like that.
Did you hear that SpaceX will be doing their first orbital launch of Starship in a couple months or so? Or that there's a mission to Venus (DAVINCI) expected to launch by 2029. It'll be the first probe to enter Venusian atmosphere since 1984.

No, I didn't hear about that. But that's pretty exciting news! I do like to check in on stuff like that from time to time. Occasionally in the summers if the weather is clear, we can see launches from Wallops Island in Virginia from my back yard.

I dunno. Maybe you can fit 63 Earths there but I know I couldn't.

I would need to stop at Taco Bell and clear myself out first.

Pro tip: Next time, walk backwards while zooming in. You can keep them the same size while increasing the background size.

Interesting. I haven't heard of that before, but I'll have to give it a shot.

Always a good rule of thumb.

I was pretty excited about it. Wish it had been better.

Well, that's a shame. They sure looked amazing.

Yeah...a bit disappointing. Oh well.

Looks pretty impressive. I won't be silly and ask if it got completely finished.

The only way we could justify the cost was if we split it 5 ways. And we still had two teenage boys with us, so...yeah, not a problem.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Taking notes for our CA trip next summer - we love Friends AND Harry Potter so that is definitely a tour we would enjoy!

Yeah, if that's the case it sounds like it would be a no-brainer!

Thank you for sharing Club 33, I honestly can't think of a more dreamy day. Bob sounds fantastic!!

Bob is fantastic for sure, and we are forever in his debt. Such a neat experience to step inside there.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

It's amazing what the Freeways look like on a Sunday morning. You would think that everyone was out late partying on a Saturday night.

And here I thought all those people would be going to church on Sunday morning.

LAX is never quiet.

Yep, found that one out the hard way.

I know, not sure why Hollywood got all the credit the real work was always done "over the hill" as we Angelinos like to say.

Maybe it sounds more exotic than "Burbank"?

Plus its a better tour. Actual working studio.

It definitely had that going for it.

Yup, been there. I had no idea that it was so tiny in comparison to the rest of the lot.

It didn't seem that tiny on the tour, but it's kind of funny looking at the satellite image.

I think when we did the tour they referenced a different movie, at least I thought they did. So I went back and found my recounting of the Jungle area, this is what I wrote.

"For those of you who saw Jurassic Park, most of it was filmed in Hawaii, but there were a few scenes that once they returned to the mainland they realized that they didn't get the correct scenes. Rather than fly everyone including camera crews and equipment back over there, they rented the Jungle from WB. I believe she said it was the chase scene when they are in the Jeep and the dinosaur is chasing them. They started at the end of this road drove all the way to the other end, turned everything around and shot them going the other way, as the road is actually quite short. That gave them the illusion of a longer chase scene."

Hey, looks like I got this one right! (as opposed to Club 33)

We didn't get to go in the houses. On our tour they said that they were production offices.

Maybe that's how they were being used at the moment?

Or you might spoil the cliffhanger from the season finale.

They weren't filming anything at the time. And it was the same set they use for every episode. So I doubt we'd spoil anything. But hey, we're good rule-followers.

Never watched it so I wouldn't know.

I never got into Friends either.

Yay! I want to sit in Sheldon's spot!

Sadly, this was behind a rope. Look, but no touch.

That's neat! I need to go do that tour again! It looks like it's changed a lot.

Yeah, those exhibits were fun! We enjoyed that part.

Yeah, I did that once 40 years ago, when I was a lot younger.

It wasn't too bad of a hike, although if the sun is beating down it wouldn't be much fun. No shade and an uphill climb all the way.

That's too bad. I won't rush to go there. Too many other better places.

Yeah, I was hoping to have a better report for you. It had looked cool from the photos.

They do look ridiculous! I'm plenty happy with something small like a cone from Salt & Straw.

It didn't last long with 5 of us, though!

 

[pkondz]

There was really nowhere to go but down after that VIP tour. Might as well rip the band-aid off.

Can see that.

I'm sure they try to keep it current with whatever is recent, marketing synergy and all that business school stuff.

Good point. Although... I seem to remember them mentioning Gilligan's Island... hmmm...

And yet Alison heard it on hers! Maybe they cycle the stories in and out.

Could be?

Our guide was pretty young. She might have just been calling out the shows she knew.

"Gilligan's Island? No such show."

Yes! That's a true classic.

Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal...

Yes!!!

I never really watched Friends, so I had no idea.

And yet you posed there. What the heck, dude??

They claimed it was, but again, I'm not really familiar with the show. So I just went with it. I knew Alison was a fan.

As was I. There's a lot there that looks right, but it looked small. But that could just be TV angles.

I got it from Wikipedia, and everything is true on there!

Oh! In that case I totally believe it.

No, I didn't hear about that. But that's pretty exciting news! I do like to check in on stuff like that from time to time. Occasionally in the summers if the weather is clear, we can see launches from Wallops Island in Virginia from my back yard.

Cool! I've only seen one launch, and that was a suborbital rocket. I was shocked at how fast it went up. Gone in the blink of an eye.

I would need to stop at Taco Bell and clear myself out first.

This is... good (?) planning?

 

[afwdwfan]

I guess that airport never rests. Anyway, for Sarah it was a short, but hopefully fun vacation. Now she was headed back to school for the summer.

Poor Sarah

The Warner Brothers Studio Tour takes roughly two hours, and you get to see a real Hollywood backlot and soundstages.

Seems oddly familiar. Kind of like a tour I took in Orlando in the early 90s...

and then you pile into a tram for a tour of the backlot.

Did they just pack up MGM Studios, move it to California and re-brand it???

As we drove along a dirt road, the guide asked if it looked familiar. As it turns out, this dirt road was where they filmed the T-Rex chasing the jeep in the original Jurassic Park.

Wait a minute... they sell you this Warner Brothers is best propaganda then they point out this famous scene from a Universal movie?

It’s not a tourist trap unless they try and sell you a photo op, so we got to sit in the couch on the set from the coffee shop in Friends, which I think was last relevant well over a decade ago but they were still selling it as an experience.

But at least you finally got to see something from a sitcom you've heard of, and I'm sure by now, seen at least a few episodes of.

As you can see, Andrew had quite the time re-creating Harry Potter’s entire existence.

Jurassic Park
Harry Potter

Are you sure you didn't go to the Universal Studios tour???

All in all, it was interesting and a lot of fun. As fun as Disneyland? No. But worth the time? Definitely.

It really does look like it was an interesting tour. Well worth the time you took to do it!

In the interest of science and the promotion of learning, I made it my mission to chart as many facts and figures about the various planets so I could share them for the benefit of you, my loyal reader. No need to thank me—I’m just doing my job.

As it turns out, whenever Disney property is within walking distance, it’s very hard to stay away.

I think it is a law that you have to go.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Poor Sarah

Yeah...we've tried to tell her how awful it is becoming an adult, but she just won't stop.

Seems oddly familiar. Kind of like a tour I took in Orlando in the early 90s...

Gatorland USA?

Did they just pack up MGM Studios, move it to California and re-brand it???

I mean...you're not wrong. We didn't get drenched on this tour, though.

Wait a minute... they sell you this Warner Brothers is best propaganda then they point out this famous scene from a Universal movie?

At least it was filmed there. That was the first production they mentioned that I'd actually watched.

But at least you finally got to see something from a sitcom you've heard of, and I'm sure by now, seen at least a few episodes of.

So we had that going for us, which was nice.

Jurassic Park
Harry Potter

Are you sure you didn't go to the Universal Studios tour???

To be fair, the Harry Potter films are WB movies. Universal just owns the theme park rights.

It really does look like it was an interesting tour. Well worth the time you took to do it!

Yeah, it's fun to look behind the scenes. Especially if you love movies!

I think it is a law that you have to go.

I mean, what else am I going to do? Hang out in Hyatt Place?

 

[Steppesister]

Hey Mark,

Spending the morning reading reports I've neglected for far too long, but sure am enjoying these hours of quiet.

I LOVED your chapter on the Club and it brings back so many fantastic memories of my time there. The memorabilia is so fun to take in and the decor and Imagineering that went into the effects are amazing. I'm not sure I felt hoity-toity, but did keenly feel I was in someplace really magical and special.

I didn't realize Walt never visited his envisioned space either. Had no idea! Nevertheless, I like that 2005 painting.

And yes, the prices are outrageous in there, but even the riffraff can afford it now and then, right?

Hard to stay away from Disney property if nearby? Yep. I'm guilty too. Glad the whole family could spend this time together, even if Sarah had to get back earlier.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Hey Mark,

Spending the morning reading reports I've neglected for far too long, but sure am enjoying these hours of quiet.

Hey Liesa, welcome back!

I LOVED your chapter on the Club and it brings back so many fantastic memories of my time there. The memorabilia is so fun to take in and the decor and Imagineering that went into the effects are amazing. I'm not sure I felt hoity-toity, but did keenly feel I was in someplace really magical and special.

It was absolutely magical and special. I think we were also aware of the fact that it would probably be our one and only chance to be in there, and knowing we wouldn't normally have ever been allowed made it seem fancy. But we all were grateful for such a special experience.

I didn't realize Walt never visited his envisioned space either. Had no idea! Nevertheless, I like that 2005 painting.

Yeah, I botched that one. Luckily Alison is here to keep me straight.

And yes, the prices are outrageous in there, but even the riffraff can afford it now and then, right?

I mean...if we each eat half a burger, sure!

Hard to stay away from Disney property if nearby? Yep. I'm guilty too. Glad the whole family could spend this time together, even if Sarah had to get back earlier.

I was glad Sarah could get the whole VIP experience. It was a whirlwind, but worth getting her out there for it!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Chapter 10: We Now Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming

So, remember that time we got the VIP Tour of Disneyland and could do whatever we wanted? We were royalty. It was a fever dream of entertainment and fun.

Appropriately enough, it was now a Monday, and we returned to our rightful status as peons. No tour guides. No jumping to the head of the line. No invitations to Club 33. Heck, we didn’t even have a park hopper, and I wasn’t going to spring for Genie+. It was time to experience Disney parks for regular, normal people with no connections and a limited budget.

Spoiler alert: it’s not as fun.

This was to be the second of our three days in the parks. Bob had graciously offered us 1-day park hoppers for our last day (Tuesday), so I only had to get 1-day tickets for everyone for Monday. Considering 1-day passes for five people just to get into Disneyland were well over $700, I decided against the surcharge for the park hopper. Genie+ would have been an additional $15 per person, not to mention having to pay for individual lightning lanes, and all of this adds up quickly when you have to pay for 5 people.

This is my biggest fundamental problem/rant when it comes to the state of Disney Parks in 2023 and all of the new costs/surcharges that have been introduced as pure cash grabs. As I’ve said before, I understand that Disney is a corporation and needs to make a profit. In my mind, there are three different versions of the Walt Disney Company: Nostalgic Classic Disney (of the animated feature films and classic dark rides like Peter Pan and Pirates), Amazing Cutting-Edge Disney (of the blow-you-away theatrics of Flight of Passage and Rise of the Resistance), and Soulless Corporate Disney (of the constant rising costs and charging you for stuff that used to be free, like fastpasses).

Genie+ comes from Soulless Corporate Disney, and I believe is a slap in the face to Walt’s original vision for the parks. If you recall, way back when, Walt took his kids to a small amusement park in California and sat on a bench while they rode the merry-go-round. It was there that he had the idea of a park the entire family could enjoy together. At that point, of course, he had no idea what it would eventually become, but the point was that it was built first and foremost for families.

But now the pricing structure is basically a tax on families for having children. I understand that having a larger family necessarily means you pay more. That’s simple math. But when so many fees are introduced on a per person basis, it becomes a huge burden on anyone daring to have more than one child. The cost factor favors singles and couples over the family. Not only that, but because lightning lanes and Genie+ reservations are capped at a certain number, it becomes much harder for the larger family to get on rides. It’s a lot easier for a single person to pay the fee and find a time available for one than it is for me to pay for 5 and then find 5 slots available all at once. So the single or couple with money ends up having all of the advantages, whereas the family with multiple children will struggle to get full enjoyment of the experience. I don’t think this meshes with Walt Disney’s original vision.

Anyway, it was yet another reason we were so thankful to have the VIP experience gifted to us over that weekend. This day would be an interesting experiment to see if we could enjoy a Disney park without paying for all the extras.

I chose to skip Sunday figuring that weekend crowds would be higher with all the California residents and annual passholders. My hope was that Monday would feature fewer people. As always, we went for Rope Drop.

Welp.

We decided to walk to Galaxy’s Edge and see if we could get on one of the Star Wars rides before the lines got too long.

It’s always nice to see a Disney park fresh and ready to go early in the morning.

You’ll never believe this, but Rise of the Resistance was down first thing in the morning. So we continued walking all the way around to the Millenium Falcon ride.

It was posted as a 5-minute wait time. That works for me! We hopped right in line and soon found that it was basically a walk-on.

The boys wanted to redeem themselves as pilots, so we let them take the chairs once more. I was an engineer, which meant I was basically useless.

Wait, I didn’t mean it to sound like that.

The boys did a great job as pilots this time, and even somehow managed to avoid that rock pilar just before the landing that everybody always hits. I don’t remember the scores or rankings but I think we got 2 coaxium barrels on that run. So that was a good time.

We wandered a bit in Galaxy’s Edge hoping Rise of the Resistance would come back online and we could hop in line, but to no avail. After wandering the shops a bit and not getting any payoff, we made our way towards Adventureland. As I checked the Disneyland app for wait times, I was already disheartened. Between the rides that were down and the crowds, there was already hardly anything available that was less than an hour wait.

I think we tried to get to the Haunted Mansion as it was showing 30 minutes, but it was 65 by the time we got there. Indiana Jones was listed at 45 minutes, so the big boys and I decided to get in line there. Drew wanted nothing to do with it, so he and Julie went to the Jungle Cruise next door.

In Disney vacations past, my rule was always not to wait longer than 40 minutes for anything. I quickly found that this was an impossible standard in the Genie+ era.

The wait times weren’t lying—it was at least 45 minutes to get on the ride. We enjoyed it, of course, and then made our way back to meet up with Julie and Andrew. Two rides done, and it was almost 10:30 a.m. Clearly we had to adjust our expectations after the pace of the VIP tour.

Another look at the app showed no good options for waiting without lines. The shortest line nearby was for the Dole Whip stand. As the saying goes: Never Turn Down A Dole Whip. Or was it It’s Always A Good Time For A Dole Whip? One of those.

I thought the magic carpet tile on the ground was a fun touch.

It was here that the manipulation of wait times on the app became more apparent, too. We saw a 30-minute wait for Space Mountain, so we set off for Tomorrowland. But by the time we arrived, it was up to 65 minutes and the line was snaking through the upstairs switchbacks. This is as far as we got before we bailed on the line.

We had to keep reminding ourselves that we’d already done all the rides we really wanted to on Saturday, so this was basically bonus time in the parks. With that in mind, we tried to concentrate on some of the smaller, quieter attractions we’d skipped on the first day. It was still hard to shake the feeling of wasting time in lines, though.

We hopped on the monorail for a spin around the parks.

Not content with a futuristic train, we tried the old-fashioned one as well. I’d never seen the dioramas on this ride, so now I can say that I have. They are definitely things that exist.

We did the whole loop and got off in Tomorrowland again. Without any good options for short lines, we decided to grab some lunch at the Alien Pizza Planet. Someone was very happy when she discovered her favorite character in dessert form.

It was here that I really began to despair. No, not because Julie ordered pineapple on her pizza. But rather, there were no good options for rides. Rise of the Resistance had finally become operational, but we had missed our chance.

Space Mountain was closest…nope.

I quickly found that in the Genie+ world, there are the haves and have-nots. If you don’t pay the freight, you will average about 1 ride per hour.

We ended up giving up and just getting in line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, just because we wanted to eventually do something fun.

We look pretty happy for having spent 90 waiting in the heat, don’t we?

The lines got so bad that we eventually did the unthinkable. To this day, I can’t even believe I agreed to this. But it was signed at only 30 minutes, so…

But Disneyland even suckered us here, because the ride went down briefly and we ended up waiting almost an hour. At least there were some trees and shade in the queue, though. So we had that going for us, which was nice.

I can say that the DL version of It’s A Small Earworm is a slight improvement on the WDW version. They have some Disney characters interspersed in the scenes in California, so you can at least occupy yourself by trying to spot them.

I did say slight improvement.

We had 4:00 reservations at Café Orleans for our dinner (it was the only time I could get) and then the boys and I were going to be leaving for a ball game. We tried to see if there was any other ride we could squeeze in quickly, but…well, this is how bad it got.

There was a 20-minute wait for the canoes. The CANOES. I really wanted to find Jeff and show him that one. We gave up and walked to New Orleans Square to get dinner.

Everybody ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich here, because really—why would you get anything else?

I guarantee you this sandwich was invented by a drunk guy at 3 in the morning who really wanted a jelly donut, but only had a ham-and-cheese sandwich to work with. And you know what? I’m so thankful he persevered, because it’s so good.

After our meal, the boys and I started to head out while Julie stuck around for some solo time in Disneyland. I know, I can’t believe she chose that over a baseball game, but between you and me, she’s always been kind of weird.

The final tally was, what? Six rides in about 8 hours of park time? Note to Soulless Corporate Disney—for over $700, I’m not really seeing the value there. We’d have to see if we could do better on Tuesday, our final day in the parks.

I did remember this time to look up and spot the light in Walt’s apartment window that is always on in memory of him.

The boys and I walked back to the hotel and picked up our van, then drove just a couple of miles to Angels Stadium, just one the other side of I-5 in Anaheim.

Did you know that the Los Angeles Angels were briefly owned by the Walt Disney Company? In what was either amazing corporate synergy or hubris (or both), they bought the team not long after the release of their forgettable remake of the film Angels In The Outfield. They made some improvements to the stadium back then, including some signature Disney Imagineering rock work and a waterfall in the outfield that still remains today. Eventually they sold the team. But you can still see the rock work, which I guess was meant to make it feel more California-like?

Anyway, I’m sorry to say that this stadium is not nearly as romantic and beautiful a setting as Dodger Stadium. Truth be told, it’s kind of a dump.

The Angels played the Kansas City Royals in a mostly forgettable game that evening. But there’s still something to be said for spending a summer evening at the ballpark with my sons, watching the sun go down and two of the greatest players in the game do their thing. I wasn’t complaining.

Apparently neither was Julie. I don’t recall all that she did, but at one point she texted us that she was getting in line for Rise of the Resistance to see if she could get on before the park closed.

She reported back to us that it was about a 45-minute wait for her in the evening. We’d have to take that into consideration for Tuesday….

Coming Up Next: Will we be able to beat 6 rides in a day without paying for Genie+? The final showdown is next!

 

[pkondz]

It was time to experience Disney parks for regular, normal people with no connections and a limited budget.

Spoiler alert: it’s not as fun.

Really? Would not expect that. I mean really... what would you rather have? Being led around by the nose, running as quickly as you could from place to place and then having to stop and try to clean up enough that you're not stared at in a fancy restaurant...

Or... Having all the time in the world to saunter wherever life's whims takes you, without a care in the world?

This was to be the second of our three days in the parks.

Well, there's your problem. If you'd planned this out better, you should've done the VIP tour all three days.

Bob had graciously offered us 1-day park hoppers for our last day

Nice of Bob.
Does Bob have access to jet transportation from Canada? Asking for a friend.

Considering 1-day passes for five people just to get into Disneyland were well over $700, I decided against the surcharge for the park hopper. Genie+ would have been an additional $15 per person, not to mention having to pay for individual lightning lanes, and all of this adds up quickly when you have to pay for 5 people.

I dunno...

Some things you can't put a price on.
I mean... for a slight increase in cash outlay you could have this:

Or own this:

Or one of these: (pilot included)

Choose wisely.

In my mind, there are three different versions of the Walt Disney Company: Nostalgic Classic Disney (of the animated feature films and classic dark rides like Peter Pan and Pirates), Amazing Cutting-Edge Disney (of the blow-you-away theatrics of Flight of Passage and Rise of the Resistance), and Soulless Corporate Disney (of the constant rising costs and charging you for stuff that used to be free, like fastpasses).

That's very well said. And how many people think of it. (At least me.)

But now the pricing structure is basically a tax on families for having children.

That's to make up for the tax breaks you claim for them.
See? Totally evens out.

But when so many fees are introduced on a per person basis, it becomes a huge burden on anyone daring to have more than one child.

Actually...
I do think that Disney could have added one fee for Genie+. I mean... "For families who wish to enjoy shorter wait times, the planning member may add Genie+ to the app for the entire family."
Maybe... I could even see "If your family wishes to split up, you may purchase more than one Genie+ access for a second family member. This way you could split your party in two."

Just spitballing. Having to pay for each person... I mean... a family with underage kids is not going to get Genie+ for just one kid.

, but because lightning lanes and Genie+ reservations are capped at a certain number, it becomes much harder for the larger family to get on rides.

And this I didn't know... or hadn't considered.

As always, we went for Rope Drop.

That always works!

Welp.

...erm...

It’s always nice to see a Disney park fresh and ready to go early in the morning.

It really is. It's like it just opened up for you!

You’ll never believe this, but Rise of the Resistance was down first thing in the morning.

What? That ride never goes down. Bad luck on your part.

It was posted as a 5-minute wait time. That works for me! We hopped right in line and soon found that it was basically a walk-on.

First and last walk on of the day.

The boys wanted to redeem themselves as pilots, so we let them take the chairs once more. I was an engineer, which meant I was basically useless.

I KNEW IT!!!!

Wait, I didn’t mean it to sound like that.

No, no. Totally understand. Yep. Get it. Will quote you from now on. Thank you for saying it.

We wandered a bit in Galaxy’s Edge hoping Rise of the Resistance would come back online and we could hop in line,

So... I thought that you couldn't ride it unless you had a boarding group? Or is that not a thing in California? Or it ended?

Between the rides that were down and the crowds, there was already hardly anything available that was less than an hour wait.

Thank goodness no one had to use the restroom in an emergency!

Two rides done, and it was almost 10:30 a.m. Clearly we had to adjust our expectations after the pace of the VIP tour.

Meh. Three rides... two rides... what's the big deal?

As the saying goes: Never Turn Down A Dole Whip. Or was it It’s Always A Good Time For A Dole Whip? One of those.

Yes

I thought the magic carpet tile on the ground was a fun touch.

Hey! I like that.
I certainly didn't notice it when I was there.

We hopped on the monorail for a spin around the parks.

Something I've never done, there.

I’d never seen the dioramas on this ride, so now I can say that I have. They are definitely things that exist.

I liked seeing the dioramas. So different from MK's train ride.

It was here that I really began to despair. No, not because Julie ordered pineapple on her pizza.

Ashamed of this Canadian invention. But to be fair, the creator of this monstrosity was a Greek immigrant who hadn't fully embraced the Canadian apologetic lifestyle yet.

So... sorry.

Rise of the Resistance had finally become operational, but we had missed our chance.

Oh come on. What's 3 hours in line? Barely a blip compared to an entire human lifecycle.

We look pretty happy for having spent 90 waiting in the heat, don’t we?

Actually... yes. It's a Disney miracle.

"So... how can me get them to stand in line for hours and then be happy?"
"Easy... put them on the wildest ride in the west!"

And... they were right.

The lines got so bad that we eventually did the unthinkable. To this day, I can’t even believe I agreed to this. But it was signed at only 30 minutes, so…

Dude... no.

But Disneyland even suckered us here, because the ride went down briefly and we ended up waiting almost an hour.

I can say that the DL version of It’s A Small Earworm is a slight improvement on the WDW version. They have some Disney characters interspersed in the scenes in California, so you can at least occupy yourself by trying to spot them.

Dude... ear buds. I can't stress that enough. Ear buds, buddy.

There was a 20-minute wait for the canoes. The CANOES.

Everybody ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich here, because really—why would you get anything else?

I guarantee you this sandwich was invented by a drunk guy at 3 in the morning who really wanted a jelly donut, but only had a ham-and-cheese sandwich to work with.

It had to be!

"I need... I <hic!> nee...need... a jel...jelly d'oh! <burp> nut. I ha...have jam and... a left... a lefto... a loft... leftov... old sanwich. I'll just dee...p fry it first."

I know, I can’t believe she chose that over a baseball game, but between you and me, she’s always been kind of weird.

then drove just a couple of miles to Angels Stadium, just one the other side of I-5 in Anaheim.

So close. I had no idea. Surprised I didn't see it in my drives around the area.

Did you know that the Los Angeles Angels were briefly owned by the Walt Disney Company?

I did not!

But you can still see the rock work, which I guess was meant to make it feel more California-like?

If they wanted to make it feel California-like, why didn't they put a bunch of unmoving cars on a track with people waving their fists in the air?

Truth be told, it’s kind of a dump.

Really? Was not expecting that!

at one point she texted us that she was getting in line for Rise of the Resistance to see if she could get on before the park closed.

She reported back to us that it was about a 45-minute wait for her in the evening. We’d have to take that into consideration for Tuesday….

Hmmm...
Standing by.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Really? Would not expect that. I mean really... what would you rather have? Being led around by the nose, running as quickly as you could from place to place and then having to stop and try to clean up enough that you're not stared at in a fancy restaurant...

Or... Having all the time in the world to saunter wherever life's whims takes you, without a care in the world?

You almost had me...but I do have a care in the world in this particular case. And that is: is it really going to take 90 minutes before I can get on this dumb ride?

Well, there's your problem. If you'd planned this out better, you should've done the VIP tour all three days.

(smacks forehead) What was I thinking?

Nice of Bob.
Does Bob have access to jet transportation from Canada? Asking for a friend.

At this point, I wouldn't put it past him.

I dunno...

Some things you can't put a price on.
I mean... for a slight increase in cash outlay you could have this:

Or own this:

Or one of these: (pilot included)

Choose wisely.

Out of all those? I'm think I'm gonna go private jet.

That's very well said. And how many people think of it. (At least me.)

Thanks. I know the corporate side is in part a necessary evil, but they don't need to be THIS evil.

That's to make up for the tax breaks you claim for them.
See? Totally evens out.

Oh. Well, then, I withdraw my--

Actually, no. I'm just gonna keep on complaining.

Actually...
I do think that Disney could have added one fee for Genie+. I mean... "For families who wish to enjoy shorter wait times, the planning member may add Genie+ to the app for the entire family."
Maybe... I could even see "If your family wishes to split up, you may purchase more than one Genie+ access for a second family member. This way you could split your party in two."

Just spitballing. Having to pay for each person... I mean... a family with underage kids is not going to get Genie+ for just one kid.

That's not a bad idea at all. It would certainly be more palatable than telling me I have to buy admission tickets for 6 people, and then pay 6 extra fees every single day on top of that. Plus more for individual lightning lanes, individual fees for transport from the airport, etc. It just becomes an impossible hill to climb.

Overall it rubs me the wrong way to see, say Rise of the Resistance advertised on TV as this amazing experience. Then I pay thousands of dollars to take my family to WDW, only to be told--yeah, that amazing experience you saw on TV? You might not get to experience it at all while you're here.

Like I said in the chapter, the original vision was for a park for families to enjoy together. Now it feels like there are many more obstacles for families to be able to enjoy them.

And this I didn't know... or hadn't considered.

That's more simple math/statistics. They only sell so many ILL's per day and can only take so many guests per hour on a ride. Having to find windows that are available for Genie+ reservations is tougher to do for 6 people as opposed to 1 or 2. So statistically the whole system again favors the individual or couple over the family.

That always works!

Always!

...erm...

Well, it was probably still better than later in the day.

It really is. It's like it just opened up for you!

Despite my whining, it still is a great feeling.

What? That ride never goes down. Bad luck on your part.

What are the odds? Just a freak occurrence, I guess.

First and last walk on of the day.

Yeah...pretty much.

I KNEW IT!!!!

Wait, no! I take it back. I TAKE IT BACK!!

No, no. Totally understand. Yep. Get it. Will quote you from now on. Thank you for saying it.

Son of a...

So... I thought that you couldn't ride it unless you had a boarding group? Or is that not a thing in California? Or it ended?

I believe the boarding groups had ended a couple of months prior. I know we didn't have to worry about it.

Thank goodness no one had to use the restroom in an emergency!

This was probably a bigger upset than RoR being down.

Meh. Three rides... two rides... what's the big deal?

It's all about efficiency!

Hey! I like that.
I certainly didn't notice it when I was there.

It was a fun little detail. I bet a lot of people just walk on by.

Something I've never done, there.

I hadn't done it on my first visit, either. So it was good to cross it off the list.

I liked seeing the dioramas. So different from MK's train ride.

It was nice to see something different from Florida. I do like noting the differences between the parks.

Ashamed of this Canadian invention. But to be fair, the creator of this monstrosity was a Greek immigrant who hadn't fully embraced the Canadian apologetic lifestyle yet.

So... sorry.

I don't run screaming from the room if there's pineapple on a pizza like a lot of people, but I don't really ever choose to eat it, either.

Oh come on. What's 3 hours in line? Barely a blip compared to an entire human lifecycle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_cost

Actually... yes. It's a Disney miracle.

"So... how can me get them to stand in line for hours and then be happy?"
"Easy... put them on the wildest ride in the west!"

And... they were right.

Having that ride at the end certainly increases the odds of waiting. As opposed to, say....

Dude... no.

I know.

Dude... ear buds. I can't stress that enough. Ear buds, buddy.

You've told me that before, and I clearly need to do a better job of listening.

It had to be!

"I need... I <hic!> nee...need... a jel...jelly d'oh! <burp> nut. I ha...have jam and... a left... a lefto... a loft... leftov... old sanwich. I'll just dee...p fry it first."

It's the only explanation.

So close. I had no idea. Surprised I didn't see it in my drives around the area.

Yeah, it was really maybe just a few miles. Just a little too far for us to walk comfortably.

I did not!

Well, now you do! They also owned the NHL's Anaheim Ducks for a while.

If they wanted to make it feel California-like, why didn't they put a bunch of unmoving cars on a track with people waving their fists in the air?

That would do the trick, for sure!

Really? Was not expecting that!

It's just an old stadium. There's not really anything special about it.

 

[Steppesister]

it’s not as fun.

But it is fun... at least a little. I mean you could be sitting in a cubicle drinking stale coffee and listening to your co-workers discuss politics.

Genie+ comes from Soulless Corporate Disney, and I believe is a slap in the face to Walt’s original vision for the parks.

Correct.

. I don’t think this meshes with Walt Disney’s original vision.

It's a travesty.

Now THAT is my nostalgic view I so love from my growing up at Disney.

You’ll never believe this, but Rise of the Resistance was down first thing in the morning.

NO. WAY.

This is as far as we got before we bailed on the line.

But hey, you got a super cool photo!

we tried the old-fashioned one as well. I’d never seen the dioramas on this ride

I love the train at DLR. This, POTC, and Small World are better there.

The lines got so bad that we eventually did the unthinkable. To this day, I can’t even believe I agreed to this. But it was signed at only 30 minutes, so…

Oh. My. Gosh.... As I live and breathe.

I guarantee you this sandwich was invented by a drunk guy at 3 in the morning who really wanted a jelly donut, but only had a ham-and-cheese sandwich to work with. And you know what? I’m so thankful he persevered, because it’s so good.

Did you know that the Los Angeles Angels were briefly owned by the Walt Disney Company?

I did not! That's a good factoid!

 

[pkondz]

You almost had me...but I do have a care in the world in this particular case. And that is: is it really going to take 90 minutes before I can get on this dumb ride?

So close...

Out of all those? I'm think I'm gonna go private jet.

It'll get you to Disney quicker. But then you'll have to sell it to buy a one day ticket to the park.

Thanks. I know the corporate side is in part a necessary evil, but they don't need to be THIS evil.

Exactly.

Oh. Well, then, I withdraw my--

Actually, no. I'm just gonna keep on complaining.

That's good because you excel at it.

Overall it rubs me the wrong way to see, say Rise of the Resistance advertised on TV as this amazing experience. Then I pay thousands of dollars to take my family to WDW, only to be told--yeah, that amazing experience you saw on TV? You might not get to experience it at all while you're here.

Yeah, that really doesn't seem very Disney-ish, does it?

Wait, no! I take it back. I TAKE IT BACK!!

Too late! No backsies!

It was nice to see something different from Florida. I do like noting the differences between the parks.

There are one or two.

I don't run screaming from the room if there's pineapple on a pizza like a lot of people, but I don't really ever choose to eat it, either.

I can eat it... but I'll never order it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_cost

I don't have 3 hours to read that.

You've told me that before, and I clearly need to do a better job of listening.

Sorry, what?

Well, now you do! They also owned the NHL's Anaheim Ducks for a while.

I did know. And... as much as it pains me to say it, they've won a Stanley Cup while my Jets have never.
Then again, they won it with the help of Teemu Selane, who was originally with the Jets. I'll never get over that we traded one of the best players in the league for... basically nothing.
And I also know that the Ducks, when owned by Disney, were called the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim... an incredibly lame name for a team, no matter the reason for it. (And no, I never saw the movie either.)

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

But it is fun... at least a little. I mean you could be sitting in a cubicle drinking stale coffee and listening to your co-workers discuss politics.

True, there's always a way to make things worse.

It's a travesty.

It's very sad. And makes me not want to go.

Now THAT is my nostalgic view I so love from my growing up at Disney.

It is a lovely sight first thing in the morning.

But hey, you got a super cool photo!

So I've got that going for me!

I love the train at DLR. This, POTC, and Small World are better there.

Agreed. So are BTMRR and Space Mountain.

Oh. My. Gosh.... As I live and breathe.

Desperate times and all that.

I did not! That's a good factoid!

Hey, it's not often I get one over on you!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

So close...

You almost had me!

It'll get you to Disney quicker. But then you'll have to sell it to buy a one day ticket to the park.

That's actually really close to the truth.

That's good because you excel at it.

Well, thank you. I--



HEY!

Yeah, that really doesn't seem very Disney-ish, does it?

It indeed does not.

Too late! No backsies!

Son of a...

There are one or two.

I think every ride that exists in both places is better in the DL version.

I can eat it... but I'll never order it.

That sounds about right.

I don't have 3 hours to read that.

I see what you did there.

Sorry, what?

Who's on first?

I did know. And... as much as it pains me to say it, they've won a Stanley Cup while my Jets have never.
Then again, they won it with the help of Teemu Selane, who was originally with the Jets. I'll never get over that we traded one of the best players in the league for... basically nothing.
And I also know that the Ducks, when owned by Disney, were called the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim... an incredibly lame name for a team, no matter the reason for it. (And no, I never saw the movie either.)

Hang on, I need to go look up that trade...

....Oof. Yeah, that's a whole lot of nothing for a Hall of Famer. Ouch. If it helps, I know the feeling.

You didn't miss anything with the movie. And yeah, it's still a lame name.

 

[pkondz]

That's actually really close to the truth.

I know. But if you had two jets, then you could trade them in for a one day ticket.

I think every ride that exists in both places is better in the DL version.

And yet... given a choice, I'd go to MK over DL.
Nostalgia? (for me)
But POTC... better in DL
BTMRR... better in DL
Just two off the top of my head.

....Oof. Yeah, that's a whole lot of nothing for a Hall of Famer. Ouch. If it helps, I know the feeling.

I know.

You didn't miss anything with the movie.

That's what I heard.

And yeah, it's still a lame name.

Yup

 

[QueenJen]

Mark!!! I've been lurking periodically and even looked for a new report from you a couple weeks ago - didn't find it. I then found a thread you commented on and noticed a 'new to me' TR in your sig block! The following start made me a bit sad that I'd missed so much - but then so happy to be able to binge read most of the TR the past few days.

Greetings and welcome to yet another Captain_Oblivious trip report.

I really love reading TR's that include what others do when they visit CA - your family has done many things my family has not done or heard of - and we live here!

Here’s a little better angle of the stadium so you can see how it fits into the ravine/mountain setting.

This ALMOST makes me want to go see a game at Dodger stadium.....ALMOST. It is not worth the traffic nightmare for me.

We also got our first glimpse at what was probably the best part of the tour: the chance to play on the actual field.

My boys and I felt like we couldn’t really leave until we’d each kicked a field goal in SoFi Stadium. It was only a 20-yarder, which is pretty much automatic for an NFL kicker.

This is something we did not know about and is now on my must do somewhere list....I've always wanted to try and kick a field goal (well since I actually started watching football after meeting my hubs). I may have to search out other stadiums that may offer this - just to avoid driving to SOFI.

I enjoyed the gardens and the view quite a bit!

We really need to make time to visit here - I think we would enjoy the grounds and views quite a bit.

We reported to the boat harbor in Ventura, CA at 8:15 a.m. to get checked in for a day trip to Santa Cruz Island, part of Channel Islands National Park.

I was researching this within the past year and was a bit turned off by the boat ride and I think something I read something about getting off/on the boat at the island (I don't quite remember). After reading about your experience, this has moved down my list of things I want to do. For sure only if the seas are confirmed calm.

We had another tourist destination to check off the list: the Griffith Park Observatory.

I've visited here a couple times - many many many years ago-for night time events. I'd like to go back during the day and really check out everything. My hubs has never been.

Have you seen those rental bikes that have been popping up in cities around the country?

Yes....and I'm old and get off my lawn! Cool concept - but tired of seeing these and the scooters just left in random spots on sidewalks, making the area look trashy.

I don’t know how we ever found Julie and Drew, but somehow they eventually ended up in our van.

This is how we feel every time we go to LAX.

Bob was graciously giving me and my family a VIP Tour for the day.

This is so awesome! So happy you and your family got to experience this as well as Club 33. It is an amazing experience for any Disney fan. I really enjoyed reading about your day.

I think by the end of the trip at least 3 family members declared it their favorite ride.

It is the favorite ride in our household. We were able to ride it twice within an hour yesterday. The first slingshot up gets me each time, but it is all really enjoyable and the bouncing is fun. I think it feels completely different than TOT.

More importantly, Scotty and I had teamed up with the Coolest Guy in the Park (are you sensing a theme here yet?) to bring home the best score of the hour on the ride. I like to think we all did our part.

I think Random Dude did his part too - without his score, it wouldn't have happened.

If I have one complaint, it’s that the loop kind of made my head hurt. I had to close my eyes to get through it.

This is truth! I love this ride, except for the loop because of how my head feels. For me, making sure my head is firm against the headrest and closing my eyes before/through the loop makes the difference now. I just feel a bit of pressure for that bit and then I'm good.

You have to see it to really understand it. I grew up picturing WDW as the Disney Experience. It's so weird to walk down a city block and see Mission: Breakout towering up above.

I have the opposite experience. Growing up here, it was natural to see the icons of the park (at the time of my youth, just the Matterhorn and Space Mountain) as you drove by - getting extra excited if we were going there for the day. Going to WDW was a whole new experience and we love it for the different experience that it provides.

I rolled up the cash in my fist and then did the ol’ gangster handshake with him, slipping him the bills as we shook.

I picture Chevy Chase tipping scene in Vegas vacation.

But now the pricing structure is basically a tax on families for having children. I understand that having a larger family necessarily means you pay more. That’s simple math. But when so many fees are introduced on a per person basis, it becomes a huge burden on anyone daring to have more than one child. The cost factor favors singles and couples over the family. Not only that, but because lightning lanes and Genie+ reservations are capped at a certain number, it becomes much harder for the larger family to get on rides. It’s a lot easier for a single person to pay the fee and find a time available for one than it is for me to pay for 5 and then find 5 slots available all at once. So the single or couple with money ends up having all of the advantages, whereas the family with multiple children will struggle to get full enjoyment of the experience. I don’t think this meshes with Walt Disney’s original vision.

This is something hubs and I talk about every time we visit (we are a couple with no kids). We can't imagine how hard it is for a family to visit and enjoy the parks. It is cost prohibitive for so many.

A suggestion if you do decide to spring for Genie+, pick one day when you are park hopping and have a couple people try to book in smaller groups and you might get time slots close enough together to ride together. Strategize beforehand the order you want to use the reservations. We personally do not feel it is worth it if only visiting one park.

We have not been successful purchasing individual LL and quite frankly, I'm glad - after riding without the LL, I would have been irritated spending more $$ for any of those rides.

You’ll never believe this, but Rise of the Resistance was down first thing in the morning.

Everyone's mileage may vary - but in our experience, avoid Rise and Cars first thing in the morning. Those rides have always been down the mornings we do rope drop and all we would have done is waste precious time walking there, then to another ride.

The boys and I walked back to the hotel and picked up our van, then drove just a couple of miles to Angels Stadium, just one the other side of I-5 in Anaheim.

I think you meant "THE 5".

I've enjoyed reading the TR so far and am happy to be subbed now to keep up on the rest. Thanks for sharing.

I hope Dave is enjoying his first year of college.

 

[afwdwfan]

Heck, we didn’t even have a park hopper, and I wasn’t going to spring for Genie+. It was time to experience Disney parks for regular, normal people with no connections and a limited budget.

Well... I guess it's a good thing you hammered out the headliners already.

Genie+ would have been an additional $15 per person, not to mention having to pay for individual lightning lanes, and all of this adds up quickly when you have to pay for 5 people.

Tell me about it.

As I’ve said before, I understand that Disney is a corporation and needs to make a profit. In my mind, there are three different versions of the Walt Disney Company: Nostalgic Classic Disney (of the animated feature films and classic dark rides like Peter Pan and Pirates), Amazing Cutting-Edge Disney (of the blow-you-away theatrics of Flight of Passage and Rise of the Resistance), and Soulless Corporate Disney (of the constant rising costs and charging you for stuff that used to be free, like fastpasses).

But now the pricing structure is basically a tax on families for having children. I understand that having a larger family necessarily means you pay more. That’s simple math. But when so many fees are introduced on a per person basis, it becomes a huge burden on anyone daring to have more than one child. The cost factor favors singles and couples over the family. Not only that, but because lightning lanes and Genie+ reservations are capped at a certain number, it becomes much harder for the larger family to get on rides. It’s a lot easier for a single person to pay the fee and find a time available for one than it is for me to pay for 5 and then find 5 slots available all at once. So the single or couple with money ends up having all of the advantages, whereas the family with multiple children will struggle to get full enjoyment of the experience. I don’t think this meshes with Walt Disney’s original vision.

This is actually a fantastic assessment of it. I mean, when you're paying adult prices for a 10 year old, and then have this on top. It really isn't a family friendly destination from a budget standpoint at all. We did budget in Genie+ and bought it (thank God we were there the week BEFORE it went up to $35 because I didn't budget for that) but it really increases the cost exponentially. We basically sacrificed food/snack budget for more rides is kind of how we looked at it. We did a few ADRs, but shared a lot of meals and didn't get many snacks at all. I think one of the biggest things that irks me is the fact that you can't even lock things in ahead of time. Not only would it be easier to budget if they'd allow you to order and pre-pay Genie+ as part of your package like they originally did, but they add that extra dagger by basically not even letting you know how much it will cost until the morning you go to buy it. Thankfully our week at WDW was $4 less than I had expected and budgeted for but I would have really preferred to have had it taken care of before we went rather than feel like my credit card might melt from the daily overuse that it was experiencing on our trip.

You’ll never believe this, but Rise of the Resistance was down first thing in the morning.

And this is why we spent $133 for 5 people to ride with LL.

And I mean... $700/6 rides is, what, $140 per ride? Yes it is a cash grab and it is massively expensive. But they've engineered it so that there is some justifiable value. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

I was an engineer, which meant I was basically useless.

You said it...

In Disney vacations past, my rule was always not to wait longer than 40 minutes for anything. I quickly found that this was an impossible standard in the Genie+ era.

Very true. I've never seen standby waits posted as long as I saw last month. Ever.

It was here that the manipulation of wait times on the app became more apparent, too. We saw a 30-minute wait for Space Mountain, so we set off for Tomorrowland. But by the time we arrived, it was up to 65 minutes and the line was snaking through the upstairs switchbacks. This is as far as we got before we bailed on the line.

You can't trust the posted times at all. They use it to manipulate the crowd flow so much now. I really like the touringplans lines app for a better estimate of expected waits.

Not content with a futuristic train, we tried the old-fashioned one as well. I’d never seen the dioramas on this ride, so now I can say that I have. They are definitely things that exist.

That is actually a great summary of the experience!

There was a 20-minute wait for the canoes. The CANOES. I really wanted to find Jeff and show him that one. We gave up and walked to New Orleans Square to get dinner.

I knew you should have made him take you on them!

The final tally was, what? Six rides in about 8 hours of park time? Note to Soulless Corporate Disney—for over $700, I’m not really seeing the value there.

Yeah... it really doesn't work out so great. But they'd contend you did as much or more than the average person so you should be happy!

Sidenote, we have a family friend who took their kids and grandkids to the Orlando area last fall. They came back saying they'll never go back to WDW. They only did 1 day in MK but they were complaining that they spent so much money and only managed to ride 3 rides. Granted, I'm guessing they didn't know what they were getting into and probably didn't do much if any pre-planning, but this is the impression Disney leaves on new visitors now. Those who aren't Disney veterans/loyalists go to central Florida only to return home complaining about Disney World and singing the praises of Kennedy Space Center and Gatorland.

The Angels played the Kansas City Royals in a mostly forgettable game that evening. But there’s still something to be said for spending a summer evening at the ballpark with my sons, watching the sun go down and two of the greatest players in the game do their thing. I wasn’t complaining.

Seriously though. How can one team have 2 of (if not THE 2) the best and most entertaining players in the game and be so absolutely terrible? Did you get to see Ohtani pitch?