Chapter 5: Dinner on the Bayou and wait - I don't know what you look like!
Our buzzer went off, and we were taken inside Blue Bayou and seated at our table. I absolutely LOOOVED the theming once we were inside. I know I had gotten a chance to get a quick peek at it during our ride on Pirates, but it was even better up close.
I was excited to order one of the classic
Disneyland beverages Id heard so much about, the Mint Julep. It was just as delicious as described!
We were given bread when were first seated. I dont remember it being anything special, but due to our travel time, we hadnt really eaten much today, so I was excited to have SOME kind of food. Each entrée at Blue Bayou comes with the Blue Bayou House Salad (or a cup of gumbo).
It was a decent salad (I loved the walnuts), but I wished I would have asked for it without the cheese. Scott and I are unique, and neither of us really cares for cheese, so I had to pick most of it out of the salad.
My entrée however, was FANTASTIC. I had the pan-seared salmon with sweet corn risotto and I couldnt stop eating it.
Scott ordered the beef strip loan, and subbed in fingerling potatoes instead of the au gratin potatoes. Scott had a little bit of a difficult experience during this meal. When we were seated, he had asked for a soda, and we had to remind our server twice to bring it. Then when ordering his entrée, hed asked for the sauce on the side, and when his food came out, it was on the steak. Finally they got his order correct, but because of the rocky start, I dont think he enjoyed his meal as much as he would have if things had come out quickly and correctly.
Even with the bumps in the road, we still decided to order a dessert, and got the chocolate cake. It was delicious, and a good way to finish off our meal!
While we were eating, some of my friends that Id met through Twitter had arrived in the park and were finding a spot to watch Fantasmic. I was excited to join them and meet for the first time, although this did pose a bit of a problem how do you find people youre looking for in a big crowd, when its dark, and you dont really know what they look like?
Through a lot of texting and phone waving, we finally saw each other! Two of the people we were meeting up with, and the third was someone who was also visiting Disneyland for the first time! He and I had been excitedly chatting about this trip for months leading up to it. He had already been at Disneyland for a few days, so while we waited for Fantasmic to start, I kept asking him a million questions about everything hed seen so far and hearing his thoughts on all of it. It was raising my excitement levels again! After dealing with the crazy crowds and just feeling off by not knowing where anything was or how to get anywhere, I really think I needed that conversation. So EE, if youre reading this, thanks!
As soon as Fantasmic started, I could tell we were going to have excellent seats! I wasnt really sure how it would work, being located at the Rivers of America rather than a separate location like at DHS, but I really loved watching this show in the middle of Disneyland.
I was completely blown away by the dragon, as well as the Peter Pan scenes!
Also by watching my friend Matts expression in reaction to everything that was happening, haha. Hes one of the Disneyland locals that we were meeting up with, but everything that happened in Fantasmic made him so visibly excited, as though he was watching it for the first time. Its the little things that let you know you were instantly meant to be friends with a person.
After Fantasmic, we chatted for a few minutes trying to decide where to go next. I was up for just about anything, since there was still so much we hadnt seen yet. We decided to go to Fantasyland for a ride on Casey, Jr!
Our friends told us that we HAD to ride in the caboose, as they consider it the best seat on the train. I could see why they would say that, since you get such an awesome view of the rest of Fantasyland throughout the ride. Looking back, Im a little sad that we didnt get a chance to ride this again during out trip, since I would have loved to see everything from that angle during the day too!
After Casey Jr., we remained In Fantasyland and went to ride its a small world!! I had been looking forward to this SO much!
Oh hai.
I know that there is some division among Disney fans about whether or not they like the addition of Disney characters onto its a small world. I can see both sides. I think there were some characters who were designed EXTREMELY well and really fit in seamlessly onto the attraction.
However, there are others (Im looking at you Nemo and Dory), who are just thrown in there with absolutely no connection to the original ride. And some of the proportions seem to be off as well the Jessie and Woody characters seemed a lot larger than the rest of the figures throughout the attraction. (Sorry for lack of pictures of these I didnt take too many on this ride through because I wanted to really observe and enjoy it outside of my camera lens).
After we exited its a small world, it was just about closing time for Disneyland. Typically when we visit the Parks, we love hanging out a little bit past closing to take in the environment and see it without other people around, but we were so exhausted, physically, mentally and emotionally.
We made the
very short walk back back to our hotel heres the view of it while waiting at the crosswalk in front of the Disneyland entrance.
Once we arrived, we almost immediately got into bed. Tomorrow was going to be a big one our first FULL DAY at Disneyland!!
Continued in next chapter
The Rocket Rods in Tomorrowland were also insanely cool- but it was so rare that they ever worked. You could wait in line forever and just listen to them stop over and over again. I know Disney has to evolve as time does, but you never could beat when Tarzan's Tree House was Swiss Family themed, either.
