Second All in One Disneyland TR Thread - Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout Review 5/30-6/2

[mvf-m11c]

[post=52715765]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 2 – November 15th, 2014 – Part 9

Time for the Second Version of World of Color Winter Dreams​

After walking around DL that night of getting long exposure shots, I was now heading on back to DCA so I can meet up with DAF so we can watch the 9:45pm World of Color Winter Dreams that night. I was looking forward to seeing the new improve version of WoC Winter Dreams after last year version which made its debut didn’t turned out really well.

It was not that bad that night after 7pm since most of the guests were now in the parks.


I just walked around DCA until I head on over towards the Pacific Wharf where I was planning on meeting DAF.




As always, I had to make a detour towards Cars Land with its holiday decorations. For some reason, we didn’t spend a lot of time at CL during the holiday season even at night since I have seen the decorations these last three years. I still enjoy seeing CL and any lands that have decorations during the holiday season but it just seems like nothing new has been added these last couple of years.












After walking around Cars Land, I head on over towards Pacific Wharf to meet up with my DAF. It is nice to see some of the Christmas decorations at PW which has the string of lights.


Since we weren’t able to have dinner at the ESPN Zone or Storyteller’s Café, we ate at our favorite quick counter restaurant at DCA which was Lucky Fortune Cookery which is an Asian rice bowl restaurant. Since we are Asian’s we love the rice bowl at DCA. This place has never let us down for getting something quickly when the sit down restaurants are busy.

I had the Spicy Korean beef rice bowl that night.


We sat around the light tower at Paradise Pier in order to wait to get into the viewing area for the 9:45pm World of Color Winter Dreams show. We didn’t get in the queue since the queue to enter the blue area was full and we weren’t planning on going closer to the lagoon but to our usual favorite spot where the green fire hydrant is located.

When the guests were now in the bottom part of the viewing area, we moved in the queue and we were able to secure our favorite spot with about an hour to go until the 9:45pm WoC Winter Dreams show. Mostly we don’t have to get there in about 30 minutes but I want to get the spot since the crowds have been so heavy and to be able to videotape it that night.

While waiting for WoC Winter Dreams, I played with my DSLR and get long exposure shots of Mickey’s Fun Wheel of Doom. The viewing area at PP was getting busy that night in which it was not even half an hour.






Mickey’s Fun Wheel Challenge game was going on that night as well.


It wasn’t too long and an hour went by really quickly and all of a sudden, it was time for the 9:45pm World of Color Winter Dreams show. I have taken thousands of pictures of World of Color from this spot and it never gets old to me. I still prefer this spot to any other spot around the PP viewing area unless I do the dining package and get the front center spot one day. That will be a while since I like the back area more than the front.

Also this was the debut week of World of Color Winter Dreams version 2.0. This show that I watched that day will be completely different from 2013 World of Color Winter Dreams show. I was able to watch see WoC Winter Dreams twice last year and it was nice but it didn’t have that Disney feel like the original WoC show. It was nice that Disney did a new version of WoC instead of the original one where they have added segments to the original one. Last years did had a lot of mixed reviews where it was good and some didn’t like it like the original one. I don’t like to criticize WoC Winter Dreams last year since it was new and to see a different variation of the show was great. I remember last years was all about the movie “Frozen” in which Disney was promoting for WoC Winter Dreams before the movie came out in theaters after my trip. I first didn’t see much clips of the movie Frozen until I saw Winter Dreams last year and it got me hooked on to see it when it came out.

I will also put to together with this post pictures from last year’s World of Color Winter Dreams show and show what is the difference from this years and last year’s.

Here is my video of World of Color Winter Dreams 11/24/13 Full Show from last year. I haven’t uploaded the 2014 version yet and I will consider uploading it later on.

Like the original WoC Winter Dreams, the show begins with Dick Wesson’s original introduction to Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color words.


Last year it didn’t have the Wonderful World of Disney quote which had Olaf presenting Winter Dreams.

Also this year’s version didn’t have the virtual honor choir with hundreds of voices from all different people.


At the beginning, the new Winter Dreams started off with Anna and Elsa and the song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” which showed clips from the movie “Frozen”.






Last year, there were some scenes from this part of the show was added again to this year’s show but in a different area of the show. You’ll see it through my pictures from this years. This is from last year’s WoC Winter Dreams.

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[mvf-m11c]

[post=52731517]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 2 – November 15th, 2014 – Part 10

Compare World of Color Winter Dreams Part 2​

Olaf was back again for WoC Winter Dreams. Just like last year, this scene wasn’t change.






Last years 2013.




This year 2014, the Toy Story Nutcracker scene was back but it was close to the beginning while it was almost at the end of last year version.




Most of the scenes from Toy Story Nutcracker are just like last year but some of the scenes are in different plaes.






No Bambi this year like last year.




The snowflakes with the Disney characters in the center are back again this year compare to last years.


Last years which is in a different time of the show.




The Olaf Christmas card is back again just like this years while it is different from last years.


2013 version of Olaf Christmas card


This years of the cabin after the Olaf Christmas card.


Last years 2013 which is the same like last years

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[mvf-m11c]

[post=52731532]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 2 – November 15th, 2014 – Part 11

Compare World of Color Winter Dreams Part 3​

The difference from this years and last years is that they added the Disney characters while last year didn’t have them. The music is the same like last years which didn’t have the Disney characters.


Sorcerer Mickey


Snow White


Alice


Tiana


Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame.




Ariel


Cinderella and her fairy Godmother.




Merida


Tinker Bell


Last year was like a Small World Type building and people with all different countries.








New to this year was the hug scene with Baymax and Hiro Hamada.


Just like this year and last year with Anna and Elsa


The lantern scene from Tangled which is the same like last year.






Last years.

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[mvf-m11c]

[post=52731547]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 2 – November 15th, 2014 – Part 12

Compare World of Color Winter Dreams Part 4​

The sing along with the popular Christmas songs are back again just like last years with Jingle Belle, I Have a Little Dreidel, Feliz Navidad. This part of the show was in the middle while last years was more close to the end of it.










I can’t feel my legs


Back again was Frozen “IN Summer” song and clips.






There was a few flames added to the scene.


Last years.




A new addition to WoC Winter Dreams was once again from the movie Frozen and the song “Love is an Open Door” as well as the clips from the movie. This was not in last year’s WoC Winter Dreams.






And of course the most popular music from the movie Frozen “Let It Go” as well as clips from the movie. This version of “Let It Go” is different from last year where this one is close to the one from the movie.














Last years from “Let It Go” and there were some that weren’t there this years from last years.

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[mvf-m11c]

[post=52731557]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 2 – November 15th, 2014 – Part 13

Compare World of Color Winter Dreams Part 5​

The Toy Soldiers are back again this year which is getting closer to the end of the show.




Last years


This years.






Santa Mater








Last year’s WoC Winter Dreams where you can see the snowflakes in the sky.




The end of World of Color Winter Dreams. I also noticed something else during this year’s WoC Winter Dreams show where we didn’t see too many snowflakes come out of the presents around the viewing area. I remember last year that a lot of snowflakes came out of the presents while there was barely any coming out this year.


One of the snowflakes from this year after the show.




End of WoC Winter Dreams from last year 2013
f

My thoughts on the new version of World of Color Winter Dreams is that it is more Disney than a holiday version without any Disney characters. This is one of the missing parts from last year’s WoC Winter Dream where there weren’t too many characters in the show like the original WoC. Most of the scenes are just like the same like last year where there are some scenes in different areas of the show. Disney did add a lot of Frozen clips from the movie along with “Let It Go”, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman”, “Love is an Open Door” and “In Summer”. At least Olaf wasn’t annoying like last year. This show was way better this year and last year and I still watch this years and last year where I want to see what is the difference between them.

When WoC Winter Dreams was over, the park is now closed that night and we are on our way out of the park. I thought about going on over to DL that night but I was a little tired that night so we went back to the hotel.


We got back to the hotel around 10:30pm that night after walking through the heavy crowds of leaving DCA that night. Most of the guests went on over to DL while the other half left the park that night just like us and called it for the night.

It was a nice day but not a great day where the crowds were heavy at the parks and also at the restaurants. This was a bad experience that night where we didn’t get to eat at our favorite restaurant that night and was denied of eating at another one. But we were able to do our usual holiday activities from the rides and shows. I was glad that we were able to see all the shows that day from the Viva Navidad Street Party, A Christmas Fantasy parade and World of Color Winter Dreams. It was nice that WoC Winter Dreams was updated from last years and it was better with a more Disney theme holiday version where it felt like a Frozen/Christmas theme with barely any other Disney characters.

We weren’t able to hang out with my cousins that night since they were all spread out at the DLR. But we had no problem with it since we are so use to being at the parks by ourselves. I heard that they were able to go on some rides that night and was able to see the other shows at the park. At least they had a great time just like us even though the crowds were very heavy that Saturday. Most of the runners during the Marathon ran during the 5K and Kids Race. Sunday was going to be the ½ Marathon Run which might be busy as well or not as busy like Saturday.

This concludes Saturday during the trip and stay tune for the last part of the trip which is on Sunday.

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[PrincessInOz]

Nice to see the comparison between last year's show and this year's show. I have to admit that I like to see lots of Disney characters in WoC. At least Disney seems to have added a few more in this year's Christmas version.

 

[ACDSNY]

Wonderful WOC pics. I enjoyed the show in November since I was able to see everything for a change.

 

[Leshaface]

Joining in for your latest trip and will be back to comment

 

[Leshaface]

Everytime we need a hotel on Harbor, i'll always check out the hotels right next to the main cross walk and BWAI is always booked. Must be a good place!

That's too bad about the Mad T Party! I've always enjoyed the music whenever i've been able to catch it. And it's always attracted a huge crowd. Will be interesting to see what they do with the Frozen theme.

Even though you weren't too happy with the parade spot, you got great pictures!


Strange, were guests required to sit down in Sept and Oct? I'd always thought that was a hazard?

Your pictures are beautiful, espcially the last shot of the fireworks show!


Still haven't been on the Jingle Cruise yet, but the pictures look great! Love the fruitcake on the water.

So they added projections to AiW? Did they do anything different to the ride when it goes outside for a little bit?

Obviously by my profile picture, I love everthing Nightmare Before Christmas, so HMH is my favorite ride during Christmas time!

I had no idea that Storyteller's was only for onsite guests now! When did they make that change?

Love the long exposure shots on IASW.

WoC is my absolute favorite show out of all Disney parks! Glad you enjoyed this version better than last years

 

[franandaj]

Great pictures from WoC Winter Dreams Bret! Looks like I won't be seeing it this year either. We are going out to the park on the day after Christmas but my parents wanted to have dinner and with them dinner is an event so we wouldn't be done in time to make it to WoC.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Nice to see the comparison between last year's show and this year's show. I have to admit that I like to see lots of Disney characters in WoC. At least Disney seems to have added a few more in this year's Christmas version.

It was nice to see the new version of World of Color Winter Dreams during my visit. It was way better than last years and adding more Disney characters made a big difference instead of focusing on Olaf like last years. But this years did put in a lot of “Frozen” scene and songs as well.

Wonderful WOC pics. I enjoyed the show in November since I was able to see everything for a change.

Thank you Angela. Glad that you were able to see the show last month. How do you compare WoC Winter Dreams to the original WoC show?

Joining in for your latest trip and will be back to comment

Thanks for following along Alicia.

Everytime we need a hotel on Harbor, i'll always check out the hotels right next to the main cross walk and BWAI is always booked. Must be a good place!

That's too bad about the Mad T Party! I've always enjoyed the music whenever i've been able to catch it. And it's always attracted a huge crowd. Will be interesting to see what they do with the Frozen theme.

Even though you weren't too happy with the parade spot, you got great pictures!


Strange, were guests required to sit down in Sept and Oct? I'd always thought that was a hazard?

Your pictures are beautiful, espcially the last shot of the fireworks show!


Still haven't been on the Jingle Cruise yet, but the pictures look great! Love the fruitcake on the water.

So they added projections to AiW? Did they do anything different to the ride when it goes outside for a little bit?

Obviously by my profile picture, I love everthing Nightmare Before Christmas, so HMH is my favorite ride during Christmas time!

I had no idea that Storyteller's was only for onsite guests now! When did they make that change?

Love the long exposure shots on IASW.

WoC is my absolute favorite show out of all Disney parks! Glad you enjoyed this version better than last years

There are a lot of different hotels on Harbor Blvd that are very nice. I haven’t stayed at all of them since I mostly stay at the Best Westerns. The best short distance is BWPPI but BWAI does have great rates over BWPPI.

I am not a fan of the Mad T Party, EleTRONica, or Glow Fest at Hollywood Land but it does attract huge crowds at night in DCA which is a good thing as well. It will be interesting to see what the Frozen theme will be like.

The spot at Main Street Town Square that night was not that bad but it is not as those good spots right next to the parade route. Overall it was nice for the wait time we had that night.

When I went in Sept and Oct. I was surprised that the guests were not told by the CM’s to stand up. Mostly the guests are required to stand up for the fireworks in front of SB Castle. But for some weird reason the CM’s didn’t tell the guests to stand up. But during the November trip, it was back to the old ways where the guests had to stand up. During the Sept and Oct trip when we stake out a spot, the walkway that is in front between the castle and the guests watching the fireworks where the guests that are not watching the fireworks and want to head on over to their next destination was not happening. That was strange that mostly the walkway is open when the fireworks are happening. But in November it went back to the old ways with the walkway and the guests standing for the fireworks. It is always a hazard for guests to sit down during the fireworks since if someone has to leave the area and the guests are sitting down, someone might get step on during the fireworks.

The firework trail shots are getting better and better with each trip.

You will enjoy going on the Jingle Cruise. You should consider going back to the DLR during the holiday season which is always amazing.

AiW was updated during the summertime which it is now safe where they had those ugly tarps on the outside of the façade. They added some projections and type of monitors to the ride in which you see videos clips from the movie AiW. It is mostly at the beginning and in the garden scene. When you get on the outside at the top, it is now covered up and doesn’t have the leaf track anymore.

HMH is a nice ride for the Halloween/Christmas season at DL. I really enjoy the HMH over the original HM but some other people would consider otherwise.

When we were denied of eating at Storyteller’s that night which they told us that it was only for the guests. I would guess that since it was so busy that weekend (during the Avenger’s Marathon) DL wanted the restaurant to be hotel guests only since it was during the busy time of the day for dinner. The CM should have told us straight forward instead of what they said to DAF. We have walkup before at Storyteller’s in the past and I would guess that when it is busy the restaurant will be only available to hotel guests only.

Over the years since WoC debut in 2010 it is now becoming one of my favorite shows. It was nice that WoC Winter Dreams was way more improved over last years version.

Great pictures from WoC Winter Dreams Bret! Looks like I won't be seeing it this year either. We are going out to the park on the day after Christmas but my parents wanted to have dinner and with them dinner is an event so we wouldn't be done in time to make it to WoC.

Thank you Alison. Oh no. You will like this year’s version over last years if you have it last year. That is nice that you are going to have dinner with your parents the day after Christmas.


The next posts will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

[post=52731567]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 3 – November 16th, 2014 – Part 1

Cruising in the jungle during the Holiday Season.​

After another great day at the park in which we got to see and do for most part of the trip. The only problem during the trip was the Avenger’s Marathon in which the crowds did make a big difference in some ways. Saturday was very busy with the 5K and Kids Marathon going on while Sunday is the ½ Marathon. I don’t know what the crowds would be like that morning when the parks open at 9am so we just played it by ears and see how it goes.

This is always our saddest part of the trip which is the last day on any trip. It was sad to go back home that day but it was nice to go back as well since I have basketball season.

Since the parks don’t open until 9am, we got to sleep a little longer where we mostly go to the parks when it opens at 8am. During that morning, I spent part of the morning packing the bags up and putting them in the car since we had to check out of the hotel at 12pm.

We mostly would leave part of our stuff in the room until we head on out of the parks but we were planning on being in the parks after 12pm that Sunday since we were planning on seeing Alison and Fran perform at DCA. It was a coincidence that they are playing at DCA during our trip in which it was perfect since they will be playing the day we are about to leave. So this trip got a little extra special. I will get to them later on during these posts so continue back to the trip report that Sunday.

Before we head on over to the parks, we went up to have breakfast on the third floor of Best Western Anaheim Inn.

After finishing breakfast upstairs, we went back to the room to get any of our stuff out of the room. Then we checked out of the room and head on over to the DLR that morning. We left the car in the parking lot at BWAI so it won’t take too long until we got back to the car.

We went by ourselves at the park that morning instead of joining my cousins. Since we were planning on doing things that day by ourselves, we didn’t want to bother them.

We head on over to the DLR that morning before 9am and it wasn’t that bad. The other day it was crazy busy while this Sunday morning was not that bad. I would guess that since most of the runners were running on Sunday instead of Saturday, the Esplanade was not that busy. So this was a good start that morning.


We entered DL over DCA since there were some rides that DAF didn’t do the first two days.


The Christmas decorations on Main Street look amazing every time during the holiday season.


It was past rope drop and the park was now open.


When we were in DL that morning, the first ride that we had to do was Jingle Cruise. I was able to ride JC with my cousins. DAF was able to ride the JC last year where they didn’t have any decorations to the ride and was looking forward to riding the new JC.

Luckily the JC wait time was less than 5 minutes so we were able to ride it with no wait time. Luckily this was going to be easy to take pictures of the JC since when I rode it on Friday was when it was dark. So this time I was able to get nice pictures during the daytime. I always ask myself which is the better ride experience during the day or night. I do enjoy riding the JC at night and it is also great to ride it during the daytime.

A lot of garlands at the start of the ride.




The cobras like the fruitcake.


The elephants are all ready for Christmas






The baboons are all dressed up as Santa Clause with the hats, belts and boots.


The gorillas cooking something for the holidays.


The African elephants with the jingle bells


All the other animals are enjoying the holidays with what is inside crates.


The lions are enjoying the fake reindeers.


The safari party are decorations the pole and the rhinoceros is giving them another star to put on the top.


Fruitcakes are in the water with the hippos.


One is hungry for those fruitcakes.


The natives are enjoying the holidays and are dancing.


You can see the lights on but it was better when it was at night where the lights do make a big difference at night.


More fruitcake on shore.


Somebody trying to open the presents with the piranhas.


Even a snake is getting all wrapped up for the holiday season.


Trader Sam is getting all excited that he is getting ready for New Years instead of the holiday season.


We head on back to the port and got off the Jingle Cruise. Just before we left the port, I went on over towards the side where the other CM’s are and asked for a map of the JC. This is a great way to get a free map of the JC. They asked us to make an animal sound and we did an elephant and lion. Mine sound very awful that the CM laugh at mine. But we were able to get a couple of maps of the JC that morning.

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[mvf-m11c]

[post=52756624]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 3 – November 16th, 2014 – Part 2

Decorations on Storybook Land Canal Boats and It’s a Small World Holiday Again.​

After riding the Jingle Cruise that morning, we moved on to our next ride that morning. There was another ride that we haven’t done for quite some time in which I was able to ride it back in December 2013 with DAW. DAF didn’t get to ride it which was a couple of years ago. The ride I am talking about is Storybook Land Canal Boats. The good thing about this ride is that it also does have some Christmas decorations to the ride which is great. It doesn’t have a lot like It’s a Small World Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday or Jingle Cruise but it does have some little Christmas decorations to the buildings. I don’t know if they were up or not since the decorations for SLCB are mostly up around mid to late November.

So we head on over to SLCB that morning in which it shouldn’t be that busy and a walk-on. We went through the Hub and passing by Sleeping Beauty Winter Castle. The park was not that bad that morning where it was busy to get in the park on Saturday. It shows that most of the guests that were at the park on Saturday were not running and had time to go in the parks. So Sunday morning was the short time which was great.

Sleeping Beauty Winter Castle looks amazing every day I see it in person.


We walked on over towards SLCB and the wait time was about 5 minutes which was expected that morning. It has been a while since we rode SLCB and I was looking forward to see if the decorations are on the buildings in November.


Monstro the Whale


When passing by some of the little buildings, there were some that had some Christmas trees up which was nice to see.




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Heading on back to the port.


It was nice to see some decorations at SLCB during our trip. I thought that there wasn’t going to be any decorations up during the ride since it is mostly all up in December. Luckily there were some during our trip and we were able to see them again. It will be very interesting to see what the new SLCB will be like with the addition of Arendelle from the movie “Frozen”. We will wait and see what it will be like at SLCB. But it was nice to see the old version before it was changed.

After riding SLCB, we had plenty of time until it was time to head on over to DCA to see Alison and Fran perform. Since we were in Fantasyland, I ask DAF if she had no problem riding It’s a Small World Holiday. She had no problem with it so we head on over in that direction to ride it again. We rode it on Friday with my cousins so this time it was just the two of us.

While walking down IASW Plaza, I enjoy seeing the Christmas wreaths on the light poles. Each wreath represents a different country.














There were more wreaths at IASW Plaza but I was able to get them later on after we got off IASWH. Now we head on over to ride IASWH. Like every morning, it was a walk-on that morning. We were able to get a front row spot for the ride which is great.




Here are pictures from IASWH that Sunday morning.












More on the next post.

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[mvf-m11c]

[post=52756631]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 3 – November 16th, 2014 – Part 3

It’s a Small World Holiday Part 2​

Back with more from It’s a Small World Holiday.


It won’t be too long until it will be 2015.


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The new archway of Feliz Navidad scene
























After we got off IASWH, we head straight on over to our next destination that morning. But that will be another time. Stay tune for the next updates during the trip.

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[L2S2C]

 

[tksbaskets]

Great pictures of the Jungle Cruise - I really liked the festive changes. Your pics on IASWH turned out great! Did you use a long exposure to take the pictures? Mine are mostly blurry even with my DSLR.

Thanks for sharing!
TK

 

[PrincessInOz]

I always like seeing the holiday overlay in IaSW. So festive.

When did they start adding the wreaths from each country? I last saw the overlay in 2009. Was I totally blind in that trip?

 

[mvf-m11c]

Great pictures of the Jungle Cruise - I really liked the festive changes. Your pics on IASWH turned out great! Did you use a long exposure to take the pictures? Mine are mostly blurry even with my DSLR.

Thanks for sharing!
TK

Thanks TK. Are you talking about the nighttime shots of IASWH on the facade or the ride experience? For the ride experience, the settings were not that low. During the dark parts of the ride my settings were f/3.5, 1/50 to 1/80 shutter speed and ISO at 3200. There were times when the pictures were so dark that I had to use Lightroom to fix it.

Thank you for following along TK.

I always like seeing the holiday overlay in IaSW. So festive.

When did they start adding the wreaths from each country? I last saw the overlay in 2009. Was I totally blind in that trip?

It is amazing to see the holiday overlay at IASWH.

IASWH debut in 1997 and has been going on since than. I know that I have seen the wreaths at IASW Plaza in the early to mid 2000's. I can't remember when IASW Plaza added the wreaths but I would guess around that time when IASWH started in 1997. Maybe Sherry knows when the wreaths came up with IASWH.

The next posts will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

[post=52756639]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 3 – November 16th, 2014 – Part 4

More Wreaths and Last Ride on the Flying Tires​

We are now back at the docks of It’s a Small World and now started to move to our next destination that morning.


We still have time until it was time to head on over to DCA but before we head on over to DCA, I wanted to get the rest of the wreaths at IASW Plaza. These were on the other side which is across from IASWH.














After getting most of the wreaths at IASW Plaza, we started to head on out of the park and over to DCA.

I had to get pictures of the flowers at the Hub which is nice to look at.


Main Street was not that busy that morning where it didn’t feel that busy like the other two days. But I would have guessed that most of the runners and spectators during the Avenger’s Marathon were up most of that Sunday morning and went back to their rooms to rest up and come back later that day. Luckily we didn’t plan on staying that long that day where we plan on leaving around 1-2pm that day.


We were now exiting DL and now back at the Esplanade. Just when leaving DL and on over to DCA, there was a tow train on the Monorail track with another car. The way it looks like it that there was a problem with the track so maintenance crew is working on it. Also there were a lot of CM security blocking that area preventing the guests from going on under the track where the maintenance is going on.


The Esplanade looked very busy that morning but it didn’t took too long to enter DCA.

We were now in DCA and on our move to our next destination.


We decided to go on one of our favorite rides at DCA which was one of the first rides that opened in DCA back in 2001. You guess correct that it was Soarin over California. This is another ride that will be closed in early January to get new enhancements before DL 60th anniversary. This was our last time to see the old version until it gets refurbished.




It was nice to ride Soarin one last time until it gets shut down for 5 months when it will be ready for DL 60th anniversary. We still never get tired of this ride which is one of our favorites at DCA.

After riding Soarin, we still had time until we head on over to Hollywood Land that afternoon to see Alison and Fran perform. But we had time to go on one more ride until it was time. There was one more ride that I wanted to go on until we head on over to Hollywood Land.

After leaving Condor Flats, we were now in Cars Land with all of its holiday decorations.




The ride that I was talking a while ago was Luigi’s Flying Tires. This will be the last time we ride it since there are rumors that it will be converted to a new attraction in the near future. On the sites that says when it will be closed is till December 1st, 2015. So DL will have almost a year to work on the new attraction to replace Luigi’s Flying Tires. I was sad to hear the news that LFT is now going to be part of Yesterland. I never got the chance to see Disneyland original Flying Saucers back in the 60’s and got to experience at CL in 2012 to 2014 and seeing it go away is sad but I understand why they are closing the attraction and replacing it with something new.

Here are some of my pictures from LFT that day and a last look at it when it is changed later next year.




Inside the queue of Casa Della Tires.










White wall tires

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[post=52784911]Last Installment on the Trip Report[/post]

Day 3 – November 16th, 2014 – Part 5

Riding the Flying Tires and Watching Friends Play​

Walking in the next room inside Luigi’s Casa Della Tires building.






Now we were outside.


The signs at LFT are very neat to see.






Francesco Bernoulli topiary looks amazing since 2012






It took less than 5 minutes to get on the tired and ride it for the last time.




It was nice to ride LFT for the last time when it closes in early January. It is tough to see a ride close that early when it opened in 2012. Hopefully Disney will do something good in the future but we will wait and see what they will do.

After riding LFT, we had some time to relax until we head on over to Hollywood Land. While we were in Cars Land, I remember cousin Chris saying that there was a special going on at the Cozy Cone Motel which had to do something with the cones. She said that the Cozy Cone was selling Mac & Cheese in a cone with bacon in it. I do like Mac and Cheese and to have bacon with it makes it more interesting.

When we were at the Cozy Cone Motel, at Cozy Cone 3 which sells the Chili Cone Queso and Chicken Verde, we saw the menu that has the Bacon Macaroni & Cheese Cone which Chris told me and there was no question what I was having for lunch that day.


Just like the chili and chicken verde, there was Mac & cheese along with shredded bacon. It was delicious and good.


After having lunch, we started to walk on over towards Hollywood Land to get to the Hollywood Backlot Stage where Alison and Fran are performing. Alison told me a few months ago that they were playing at DCA during our trip which was great to see them perform. There band that was playing at Disneyland Resort Community Arts Showcase was the “Gay Freedom Band of Los Angeles”. This was a great treat to watch them perform where we got to see them on Friday during the trip.


We showed up at least 10 minutes early so we can get a nice spot which was in the back where I was setting up my tripod along with my video camera. I did record the whole performance that afternoon and I don’t know if Alison has uploaded the video yet.


The performers are now coming on stage and we saw Alison and Fran on the ends. They were also able to see both DAF and me that day. I believe Fran was first clarinet


The conductor was Justin Raines.


When we were watching and listening to the band play that afternoon, we were impressed with the selection of songs from Disney movie songs, (Aladdin & Frozen) and other holiday songs. I forgot what the names of the songs that they played that day so Alison you will have to tell us what you played from the beginning to the end that day.


We were glad that we stayed a little longer at the park that afternoon to watch Alison and Fran perform at the Hollywood Backlot Stage at DCA. We were able to talk to them for a while until it was time for the two of us to head on out of the park. We stayed longer at the DLR that day since there performance started at noon. It was worth the extra time staying in Anaheim to see them perform with their band.

Just when we left Hollywood Land, we stopped at the Elias & Company store to get some last minute gifts for family and friends. It is nice to walk in the store where it is decorated during the holiday season.






When we did a little shopping around BVS, we saw the BVS Community Bell Ringers performing right at the entrance to the Los Feliz Five & Dime store. We watched the show for a while until it was time to head on out of the park and back to BWAI.


After watching the performance for a while, we now head on out of DCA and on our way out of the DLR. It was not that busy that afternoon which was not that bad around 12:30pm.


It was around 12:45pm when we got back to the hotel. For DAF and I is very late to leave the DLR and on our way back home to Sacramento. But it was well worth the extra time seeing Alison and Fran perform at DCA.

We left Anaheim around 1pm and a 7 hour drive back up north to Sacramento. Mostly when I am with DAF, we stop at Little Tokyo in Los Angeles on the way back. We mostly stop there to get something for my grandmother. But since it was a little late leaving Anaheim, we just head straight on back to Sacramento.

On the way back, we stopped at my grandmother’s house in Livingston to see how she was doing. It is nice place to stop on the way back home to Sacramento.

It was around 9pm when we got back home to Sacramento. This concludes Our 4th Annual Holiday Trip to Disneyland in November.

This was not like our usual holiday trip in November like we do these last few years. With the Avenger’s Marathon going on that weekend, it just caused even more crowds in which it did look like a low version of the Christmas break crowds. I have been during Christmas break (last year) and know what the park is like during the busiest time of the year. Instead of the crowds during that week, the whole trip was nice where it was me and DAF again. It was nice to see my cousins at the park that Friday. It was too bad that we didn’t spend much time the other days. They told me that they had an unbelievable time as well during the holiday season at the DLR. We mostly did our usual holiday rides like IASWH, HMH, Jingle Cruise (which has way more decorations than last year), and SLCB. We were able to see our usual holiday nighttime shows like “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks and World of Color Winter Dreams version 2.0. I was impressed how WoC Winter Dreams was this year and last year’s where it was much more Disney theme.

We were able to see Alison and Fran during the trip which was great. It wasn’t too long ago when we were able to hang out with them during the October trip with PiO and her family. This time we were able to watch them perform at DCA and we were impressed with their performance and the rest of the band. We had a blast watching them play that afternoon and was a good way to end the trip.

This concludes the November trip. Right now my next trip which I know for sure that I will be going back to SoCal is during the D23 Expo trip in August. It is likely that I will have another DLR trip all planned out before the D23 Expo in August. It will depend on when my DA’s want to go back to the DLR as well as me.

Right now, I am working on when to go back to Walt Disney World next year. Our time share is now available this year and we are still in the talks on when to go back to WDW. I want to go back to WDW during the holiday season but my basketball season is the busiest in December so I am thinking of going in early/mid November. The other one is during the Halloween season in which I did that with DB and DAW back in 2012. It is still in the talks and might take a while. But we don’t have too much time since we need to plan on what days we want to go back to WDW. I will keep you updated on when we plan on going back to WDW next year.

Stay tune for all the updates for the upcoming trips.