I exited the theater around 17:45 and was starting to get hungry. I wandered down the back lot, briefly considered Award Weiner’s, Carthay Lounge, and even wandered through Wine Country Tratoria, but remembered that the clam chowder over at Pacific Wharf looked and smelled good and I had already blown the budget on this trip, so something a little simpler was probably the best idea. I headed over there, got a bowl of it, and devoured it. Sooo good... Completely ate my bowl's "lid" as well. To wash it down, what else but my favorite on-property beer... another Tower 10 from the Straus beer truck.
By now it was 18:15. I knew that the Cars Land lighting was going to happen about 19:40, so I had some time. I headed over to RSR at 18:40 and hopped in the SR line. It was backed up nearly under the bridge and NOT moving. I determined it would be a while, and I wasn't waiting, so hopped to the exit and made my way over to Luigi's Flying Tires. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the queue of this. Unfortunately, it moves so fast I didn't even have time to snap a pic or two of it. Maybe next time. I was on the ride in a matter of a few minutes, and was able to REALLY get that tire a moving... fun time.. better than last time I rode it. By 18:50 I was off it, and running short on time for most major attractions... I walked down to Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, saw there was pretty much no line, so I jumped on it. I think it’s weight-based, because I was getting some pretty good whips going. They were short a few trailers on my platter for some reason too. Wonder what makes them take the trailers offline.
After Mater's it was time to get a drink and pick out a spot to watch the lighting from. I grabbed a vitamin water from Filmore's and staked out the bench across from Flo's all to myself. As I got to the bench, they had a street show going with some singing girls and one of the beat box cars. I watched that show till it ended, and then just sat there taking it all in. They brought Mater by not too much afterwards, and Lightening McQueen going the opposite direction immediately after that.
Around 19:40, the music started!!! The neon started lighting up coming from the courthouse and going towards Sarge's down at the other end. I had never used my DSLR as a video camera, and in fact this was my first body which had that feature, so I tried it out and videoed it. It’s a little shaky for my liking, but not bad for a first try while holding over my head. I'll get that up on YouTube in a bit and post a link. After the lighting, it was time to go. I still had to drive back to San Diego, and my legs and feet were killing me (did I mention I had a blister on the ball of my foot?).
I took my time on the way out of DCA just admiring all the Disney touches to everything. As I neared the exit, a CM asked if I would take a survey. Always glad to give my opinion, I obliged. I was taken into the Chamber of Commerce, through a door, down a hallway, and into a room with terminals set up. I took the survey, which primarily asked me about my dining experiences at DCA. After about 5 mins or so, I was done, and headed through the esplanade towards the trams. Got the car without much ado, left the property, jumped on the 5, and made it back to the condo in San Diego in a little over an hour. I had a 10:00 flight back to Phoenix the next morning, and had to clean the room/change the bedding, so it was lights out as soon as I got back.