Oh what a horrible trip!!!! Now for something completely different-Final blast ......

[Poolrat]

So sorry to hear about your kitty. He looked like a sweet little guy. I have a grey and white tabby and he puts his paw in my hand like that too.

That Paradise Pier area looks cool. I really would like to see DLR someday.

He was sweet. Very friendly and always underfoot. I tripped or stepped on him all the time. I still open my side door to the garage carefully since I expect him to be sitting there trying to worm his way in.


Paradise Pier is nice but a little disjointed cince you cannot waalk all the way around the water. You walk down past TSM and the arcade stuff and the big Mickey wheel and then it dead ends. And it is a long way back.

Another good set of pictures of things I have never seen and most likely never will. Bella would like King Triton's Carousel.

Never say never. Glad you are enjoying the pictures. The Carousel is cute. Like the castle - a bit small than Cinderella's but fits the Pier atmoshere.

I like the signs in the tatoo shop!

Very cool that Midway Mania ends upstairs, like you're in Andy's house.

I thought those signs were pretty funny.

So that's what it is supposed to be. It was such a small area and not really connected it was hard to place...... But in DHS the area right before loading is supposed to be Andy's room and CA does not have that really since it is open to the outside so I guess that is what it is supposed to represent but a little more little boy and child like would have helped.

Cool pictures! So what did you think of California Screamin'? I assume TSM is the same as Florida's version, but exiting through Andy's room is a really cool touch.

California Screamin' was cool- nice and long. It is postitioned in the corner of the park so no views or special themeing as you are zipping along which would "plus" it so think of any amusement park wooden coaster and it would be similar.

TSM was the same and obviously the exiting through Andy's room was lost on me. Look more like Andy's great aunt's sitting room.

 

[Poolrat]

Mickeys fun wheel - Not your regular fun wheel. The cars slide back and forth. Until I got used to it I was hanging on for dear life. The Mother Daughter in the car with me were laughing at me.

View of world of color from fun wheel – geek shots Even with being a bit freaked out, I was able to take some shots.

Grizzly

View for swings

Jumpin Jellyfish

Goofys Sky School

 

[jenseib]

That is the most awesome picture of Grizzly I have ever seen.

 

[englishrose47]

Great Pix Pat!!! I can't get over how different DL and WDW are !!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Cool pictures!!! Cross your fingers for some pixie dust for us at the 7 month mark so we can go for our Spring Break!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Hey, Pat! Trying to catch up a bit lad - glad I started here first. Your cats are beautiful! Aw, Shiny sounds like he was a sweetheart. Chocolate had especially pretty coloring. With just Ashley, will you get another? Of course, the local shelter would be delighted to see you. I am not much of a cat person (they kind of scare me) but they always seem to want to be near me....even the very anti-social ones will come and sit near me on the arm of a couch. Every time, even if I've never met them before. It is the strangest thing. Thank you for posting the photos - love seeing fluffs. (We are adopting another Maltese - going to pick her up in a few weeks).

Wow!! Your photos continue to be fabulous! I like the midway look/feel they created - It seems to have much more of a midway feel than the Boardwalk area at WDW. Looks like fun - well, not the Mickey Wheel (great shots from up there!) or CA Screamin'.

Tritons Carousel is cute! What is Grizzly?

I have never seen so many great pictures of CA!

 

[Flossbolna]

You are brave!!! the wheel looked far too dangerous to me when I was at DCA!!

 

[Poolrat]

That is the most awesome picture of Grizzly I have ever seen.

I happened to be at the right height.

Great Pix Pat!!! I can't get over how different DL and WDW are !!!

Thanks - Yes very different yet very familiar. Made for a very interesting experience.

Cool pictures!!! Cross your fingers for some pixie dust for us at the 7 month mark so we can go for our Spring Break!

and Fingers and toes crossed!!!!

Hey, Pat! Trying to catch up a bit lad - glad I started here first. Your cats are beautiful! Aw, Shiny sounds like he was a sweetheart. Chocolate had especially pretty coloring. With just Ashley, will you get another? Of course, the local shelter would be delighted to see you. I am not much of a cat person (they kind of scare me) but they always seem to want to be near me....even the very anti-social ones will come and sit near me on the arm of a couch. Every time, even if I've never met them before. It is the strangest thing. Thank you for posting the photos - love seeing fluffs. (We are adopting another Maltese - going to pick her up in a few weeks).

Shiny was such a loving cat, almost to the point of being annoying, but loving. Chocolate was so aloof and a very pretty cat. He also was a big Cat , very tall and well fat.

Ashley the psycho cat is fine being alone, and no I won't get another. Wanting to travel more and having the kids moving on ( and out ) soon, having someone to care for more while I am away would be impractical.

Wow!! Your photos continue to be fabulous! I like the midway look/feel they created - It seems to have much more of a midway feel than the Boardwalk area at WDW. Looks like fun - well, not the Mickey Wheel (great shots from up there!) or CA Screamin'.

Tritons Carousel is cute! What is Grizzly?

I have never seen so many great pictures of CA!

Yes Paradise Pier is very much a Midway and has that feel, yes just like a seaside carnival.

The Mickey Wheel was fun. I really need to ride it again so I can truly enjoy it. Longish line and slow load made that not possible.

Grizzly River Run was the raft ride like Kali River rapids. Very close to GCV entrance.

You are brave!!! the wheel looked far too dangerous to me when I was at DCA!!

It does look dangerous. Being in a cage I felt a bit safer but Open cars freak me out. I guess I have a fear of falling out more than heights. If I am strapped in or closed in tight I am good. The swinging of the cars gave me pause.

 

[Millie12591]

Loving the kitty pics.

The paradise pier pics are great to see!! I've never been there, so I had no idea what to expect.

Need to go back and read more....

 

[Poolrat]

Loving the kitty pics.

The paradise pier pics are great to see!! I've never been there, so I had no idea what to expect.

Need to go back and read more....

CA is nice but very eclectic- almost seems like the sections were meant to be stand alone and don't really flow into each other but Hey I am not complaining.

 

[Poolrat]

More around the Paradise Pier area.

Ariel’s grotto

Bathroom in Ariels Grotto Restaurant

Little Mermaid Ride

Exact same ride- entrance queue is different-

On the conveyer belt

Ride

Cont. next post

 

[Poolrat]

Geek photo

Is it me or does Ariel whole face just change here? Maybe it is being out of the water?

Hidden Mickeys on the way out

Sorry for the randomness of these - They all loaded chronologically but I had to sort and I guess missed a few.

FP for California screamin

For whatever reason you can hold a FP for this AND another one in CA. I guess because it is pretty remote from the other big rides. No signs you just have to know…. Now you know.

Random Garbage cans

Balloon guy

Roaming over to Soarin'

 

[Poolrat]

Soarin’

Notice what is missing?

Now most important things are the same

Dinner at Carthay Circle- lots of Gin drinks. I am sure they would have made me anything I wanted but I tried the Pims punch.

Pims Punch

The view

Carthay House Biscuits - Stuffed with White cheddar, bacon, and jalapeno. served with apricot honey butter - $12.00 A House specialty and oh so good.

I think this is what I had unless the menu changed. Don't remember this being lamb, but hey it says lamb.

Cavatelli Pasta with Tuscan style Braised Lamb - Sun Dried Tomatoes, spinach, and Grana Padana Cheese in a rich lamb Jus. - $23.00

Great memorabilia

Next time World of Color

I promise to hopefully do better on updating.

 

[englishrose47]

Great pix of Ariel's Grotto !!I agree she does look different in that pix !!! Those biscuits looked delish!! Can't wait to try all the new attractions in the new Fantasy land in October !!!!

 

[teekathepony]

Oh I LOVE all the Ariel's ride and surrounding area pictures!! It's all so pretty, I can't wait to see WDW's version for myself.
Glad to hear the essentials of Soarin' are the same!

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Loving the pictures of the Paradise Pier area. Reminds me of younger days growing up along the coast, and California Screamin' reminds me of those old wooden coasters that I always loved to ride!!!

Interesting the different feel it appears you get with similar rides just because of the outside queue! I'm sure it does make TSMM seem very different since the queue is such a big part of the ride at DHS!

Don't you usually get a professional picture of the lifeguard card when you are in line???

You got some great pictures when you were on Mickey's Fun Wheel! Looks like a very interesting ride though.........but it looks like you are secured in there pretty good, so maybe not so bad.

The Little Mermaid ride does look familiar and what a great Geek photo!!!

Nice Princess hat picture...............

Looks like you had a great meal at Carthay Circle! Some of that food looks delicious and those biscuits? sound really yummy!!!

 

[Flossbolna]

I agree with GoofyFan that the different design of the queues makes for a different atmosphere for the attraction. I must say that I like the look of the Ariel line at DCA better than at the MK. I think to the colourful (and a little plastic looking) style of the ride, the simpler line is better fitting.

Those food pictures form the Carthay Circle look delicious!!! I always thought that Pimms was something the English upper class was drinking in the summer on the lawn of their country seat... And those bisuits look so delicious, make me hungry even though I just had breakfast!

I loved the pictures of the line at Soarin over California. I went on that before I experienced it at Epcot and remember that I was disappointed with the look at Epcot and had vague memories of it looking more interesting at DCA but had forgotten all of the specifics. So it was great to see it again! I just noticed that our absolute favourite flight attendant has a different sig (the Soarin over California one) behind him and now I am wondering whether they changed that out at Epcot...

 

[Poolrat]

Great pix of Ariel's Grotto !!I agree she does look different in that pix !!! Those biscuits looked delish!! Can't wait to try all the new attractions in the new Fantasy land in October !!!!

I hope to get to eat at Ariel's grotto next time. Other than Carthay Circle I really didn't do a great job with planning meals. Sort of went by the seat of my pants. Hopefully if I can make a return visit Fall of 2014 then I have a better idea of some places to eat. Eals of Sandwich will also be open in DTD so that is a great option for me.

Oh I LOVE all the Ariel's ride and surrounding area pictures!! It's all so pretty, I can't wait to see WDW's version for myself.
Glad to hear the essentials of Soarin' are the same!

WDW does have a much better queue. But it is so long and keeps moving due to the continuous load you just don't spend a lot of time enjoying it.

 

[Poolrat]

Loving the pictures of the Paradise Pier area. Reminds me of younger days growing up along the coast, and California Screamin' reminds me of those old wooden coasters that I always loved to ride!!!

The area really reminds me of an amusement park we had on LI and the Pavillion at Myrtle Beach. Which in turn, besides the giant Mickey head would make me feel like it was less Disney than WDW.

Interesting the different feel it appears you get with similar rides just because of the outside queue! I'm sure it does make TSMM seem very different since the queue is such a big part of the ride at DHS!

I can only imagine the shock people who are used to DL have when they wait outside AND the realize they have even longer to wait inside.

TSMM fits the seaside pier amusemnet parks of the boardwalk fascade and the ride but you really don't get the same feel like you do at DHS.

Don't you usually get a professional picture of the lifeguard card when you are in line???

I try the few times I ride stand by but NO LIFEGUARD LOUIS card at CA!!!! The old maid card is right inside the ride at DHS and I am usually spinning already so I miss it often.

You got some great pictures when you were on Mickey's Fun Wheel! Looks like a very interesting ride though.........but it looks like you are secured in there pretty good, so maybe not so bad.

Mickey's fun wheel was ...... fun. I would like another ride to actually enjoy it. As long as the whole thing does not fail I feel pretty good about riding again.

The Little Mermaid ride does look familiar and what a great Geek photo!!!

Nice Princess hat picture...............

Same exact ride - I am always up for a geek photo. I figured some hat wearing was appropriate.

Looks like you had a great meal at Carthay Circle! Some of that food looks delicious and those biscuits? sound really yummy!!!

It was a nice meal. Best meal ever???? Probably not but certainly one of the best. Those biscuits were good and worthy of the house specialty name.

 

[Poolrat]

I agree with GoofyFan that the different design of the queues makes for a different atmosphere for the attraction. I must say that I like the look of the Ariel line at DCA better than at the MK. I think to the colourful (and a little plastic looking) style of the ride, the simpler line is better fitting.

The queue to me is similar to the queue and building for Voyage of the little Mermaid show in DHS. It blends in at Paradise Pier in a way that say a water scene Ship wreck and Eric castle would not. To be fair the building at CA would not work in NFL either unless it was maybe where Snow White was? I am glad the Imagineers were able to be creative with the NFL queue but I am afraid with so many rushing right past most of it since the line moves so quickly, that all the details are overlooked.

Those food pictures form the Carthay Circle look delicious!!! I always thought that Pimms was something the English upper class was drinking in the summer on the lawn of their country seat... And those bisuits look so delicious, make me hungry even though I just had breakfast!

Seems like it would maybe be something high brow English would enjoy... I normally don't drink much gin but this was good. I hesitated quite a bit and the bartender finally offered to make me soemthing else if I was not happy with the Pimm's punch.

I loved the pictures of the line at Soarin over California. I went on that before I experienced it at Epcot and remember that I was disappointed with the look at Epcot and had vague memories of it looking more interesting at DCA but had forgotten all of the specifics. So it was great to see it again! I just noticed that our absolute favourite flight attendant has a different sig (the Soarin over California one) behind him and now I am wondering whether they changed that out at Epcot...

Here is one of the few inside ride queues that is more interesting than its EPCOT counterpart. There were planes and displays along the way that for some reason I did not get a picture of. Probably moving quickly with the FP and did not take the time to stop because I thought I would ride again.

The Logo is a bit different and I do not think they will change the one at EPCOT. I was interested to find that you don't have little hanggliders to stand on while waiting in line. That makes the CM counting you in the pressure of making sure they are right since there is no double check of the hang gliders to help them. I know the ends at EPCOT have lesss seats in some rows so I wonder if it the same in CA? That would be one reason the hang gliders made their appearance in FL. Judging by how less detailed the CMs seemed to be in CA, I wonder how many empty or overfiilled rows they have?