Half a Ton of Big Guys goes to Southern California

[FauntleroyFAN07]

good update, you should have tried to fit 2 of you in 1 dumbo

 

[Bloodhound]

Merry Christmas everyone

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hope yours was Merry! I enjoyed your journey into Fantasyland!

 

[nurse.darcy]

I haven't heard from Pluto in a while, so I will forge ahead. We managed to get up Saturday by 7 and were at the gates by 7:45. We were on the Southern California City Pass, so we had to go to the ticket booth to swap our voucher for a 3 day parkhopper. We were a few minutes after 8 when we got in the back of the line, and wer in by 8:10. We headed straight to Peter Pan, but there was a veerryy long line, so we went on by to the next ride, which had no wait. If you know FL well, you know Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is next. So I got to do my must do for FL as the very first thing. Yea. On to Dumbo. Yep, the half a ton took up four elephants, but there was a shockingly short line, so what the hey. Besides, when I was a teenager, Muhummad Ali visited DL and declared Dumbo his favorite ride, so it must be manly. In spite of my fear of heights, I love this ride.
Next we head to Pinocchio's Adventure(yawn) and Snow White's Skerry Adventure. I did rub the apple. Made Goofy jump. hehehe. Working back to the right, we hit Alice in Wonderland, possibly the cutest ride in all the Land. Then I convinced(begged) one of the guys to ride the Mad Hatter Tea Party with me. I'm pretty sure it was Pluto, so if he ever returns from where ever he's hiding, we'll ask him. Then we for the first of many times this trip, we climb on the Matterhorn. This ride is worth the crosscountry trip by itself. It's not the best mountain, but it is the most unique. As we head into the mountain, the cute teenaged cm notices my tshirt, The Three Cabelleros and says it's her favorite movie. Before we got in the mountain, I'd told her of the ride at Mexico and she said she HAD to go the the World now. Kewl.
This first ride was on the old Tomorrowland side, although the ride is completely in FL now. Since the wait was so short, we immediately rode the FL side. It really is a step slower. But the drops are slightly higher I think. When we get off, it's not yet 10:00.
A short walk and we are at the place that we would return to about 10 times- Space Mountain. WDW should change the name of theirs to Lame Mountain until they can rehab it to where there's at least a comparison. From the time you cross over the ride in the line and see the handicapped car on the side with its separte loading and sideways conveyer belt to put it in queu as soon as it's loaded to the music as you take off to the smooth dark track, everything is fantastic. And since we'd picked up a fast pass on our way in, we know we'd be back that day.
We go over to Autopia, a much kewler ride than that thing at WDW. First of all, they give you a 'special' driver's license for Autopia. Secondly, the cars are cooler. Thirdly, the track is far more interesting, at least than the last time I rode Indy. And the ride uses a biofuel, and the whole area smells of french fries.
Breakfast had been at the motel's free bar, and I found it better than average, but lunch time is barreling at us. We decide to head to New Orleans Square, and the train is right there, so we hit the rails. The panoramas add nothing. I'd rather see trees. But everything is so packed in, they use them to hide attractions, or at least the back of attractions. Our first thought was to eat at the French Market, but 20,00 others thought of it first. We decide to head to the Hungry Bear, which by this point we all resemble. We all got burgers and fries and thought they were much better than our first meal of burgers and fries at WDW last year, at Backlot in MGM.
Nest time, PotC, HM/NBC, and how I learned to hate the DL version of my favorite ride at WDW.

Oh hun, I love you, but you have to know that Pluto is a bit preoccupied these days. . .lol. I will get on with my late sunday all day monday trippie . . . you can finish Saturday anytime. Not sure bloodhound will chime in.

 

[nurse.darcy]

Oh hun, I love you, but you have to know that Pluto is a bit preoccupied these days. . .lol. I will get on with my late sunday all day monday trippie . . . you can finish Saturday anytime. Not sure bloodhound will chime in.

Anyway, I, and my traveling companion Tom, arrive at Disneyland sometime around 11, That works after a 4 hr drive . . .

 

[nurse.darcy]

We get there and immediately head for a ride. Of course I am calling Pluto like crazy trying to figure out where they are. We hit up POTC and HM, and then I hear from Pluto and they are all over at California Adventure. So Tom and I head to California Adventure to meet up with the big guys. We all decided to meet at the Taste Pilots Grill cause everyone is starving and its lunchtime. Tom and I are waiting for the guys and they sneak up behind us, not quite sure how that happened but we finally all meet up and head in to get lunch. Burgers, ribs, chicken sandwiches, good solid "big guy" food. I believe we hit up Soarin for fastpasses after lunch then headed off to TOT. Quite a different ride from the one at WDW but we had a blast. . .We decide to wait in the standby line cause I personally know that unless the line is wrapped around outside of the gate, the line only takes about 20 minutes. Here we are:

After this we head over to California Screamin for I believe 3 turns on this coaster. The lines are fairly short and we are having a ball so why not. Here are a couple photos:

The guys appear content to just let me lead them around so after screamin we head to Toy Story Mania. We decided to do the standby line (no fastpasses in Cali) though it appeared fairly long. The ride stopped twice while we were in line but we stuck it out and got on the ride finally. Of course, the ride broke down while we were on it so we ended up getting escorted off. . .too funny. Nothing like ruining disney magic by turning the lights on on a ride and making you walk out. Crazy. After that we decide its beer thirty so we head over to Fishermans Wharf and try some different varieties of Carl Strauss beer. Yummy stuff. Up next, kiddie rides, Soarin, and then over to the Land side. . .

 

[Bloodhound]

Great update Darcy .... we need all the help we can get ... lol

Hapy New Year Everyone

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Happy New Year! Thanks for the update, Darcy. Looks like you were having fun being the official DL tourguide! Too bad about TSM - that is such a fun ride.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

thanks for the update, hope all is well with everyone and you had a good holiday

 

[travelmel]

keep up the good work!

 

[Bloodhound]

thanks for the update, hope all is well with everyone and you had a good holiday

Hi Dan, good to hear from you...we had a great holiday season witch ended Sat with a family get together with a great meal you would have loved with pork tenderloin, smoked rib roast, spiral ham, slow cooked grean beans with seasoned meat and augraton potatoesc, biscuits and homeade pecan pie an cheese cake...you see we are all about the meats....lol

keep up the good work!

Hi to our trippie its been a slow start so please stick with us

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

MEAT=GOOD

 

[nurse.darcy]

Okay thought I posted an update with pics. .. will try again tomorrow.

 

[nurse.darcy]

Okay, well, so much for "tomorrow". Tomorrow is that day that never comes. I am leaving on a jetplane tomorrow and won't be back till the 3rd. I AM taking my laptop so I should probably do an update while there. . .BUUUUUUUUUT, that all depends on how much time I actually spend on the puter. . .l l l


Not exactly sure what happened to DonaldT. He should have updated this report a while ago. . .