Disney's Aladdin - Finally!

9/23/11

On Friday night we went to see the 6:20 showing of Disney's Aladdin at California Adventure. It was fantastic!! It seems to me that we had seen it years ago and we were unimpressed. Either I'm remembering incorrectly, though, or they've drastically improved the show. This was a first-rate top-quality stage production. I saw the Lion King play in Las Vegas earlier this year, and Aladdin was just as good. Great acting, great sets, great costumes, etc. The Genie character was the best. He was very funny and his jokes were relevant to today's pop culture. And the best part is, once your in California Adventure, it's free! (I don't want to tell you how much we paid for the Lion King tickets.) 

I recommend getting to the theater a little early. We arrived at the theater about 1/2 hour before showtime. We were able to get seats in the orchestra section (8th row) and it was great.

After the show we had dinner at Wine Country Trattoria at the Golden Vine Winery. Unlike other recent dining experiences at the park, we were unimpressed here. Walt had the lamb, and said it tasted too gamy. I had a pasta dish with clams, and the garlic/olive oil sauce lacked flavor. The Caprese salad appetizer, however, was quite tasty and well presented.

We were going to go to the 9:00 showing of Fantasmic next. By 8:30, the viewing areas were already packed. We learned that you can get reserved viewing (on a chair no less) right up front. It includes complimentary snacks and beverage and you don't have to wait in line. The problem, though, is that it costs $60 per person. I just don't know if it's worth it. We'll see.... 

D-E-F Difficulties

I'm back!
I apologize for the long delay in posts. I suffered a family loss last month and was sidetracked for a while.

So - back to Disneyland. We left off on the D's, and there are still two that are unfinished. We went to the park last night at about 6:30. The last showing of Disney's Aladdin was at 6:20, so we missed that. And of course, Duffy the Disney Bear was nowhere to be found. We'll catch the Aladdin show another day, but I think it's time to write off Duffy. We did see him before we started this alphabetical adventure. He's simply another character that kids can sit with and have their pictures taken. What do you think, can we do without a picture of us with Duffy? No?? Okay, I'll go see him, but he's obviously now going to be out of alphabetical order. (I'll do anything for my followers. :))

One of the "stars" of the Enchanted Tiki Room

After dinner at the Plaza Inn on Main Street, we went to the Enchanted Tiki Room. A Disneyland classic. I remember it from way back, and it hasn't changed much. It's still fun. The Enchanted Tiki Room is a place with multiple rows of benches along all four walls for visitors to sit on. All of the benches face the middle of the room, but the "show" is all overhead. There are hundreds of talking & singing birds in this tropical setting. Even the birds of paradise join in the act, as well as other plants. Everything comes alive, including the totem poles, to sing and entertain the guests.

Next we headed over to California Adventure to finish our adventure at ElecTRONica. California Adventure is undergoing a lot of construction and it's like walking through a maze when you go in the front gate. As we were walking the maze, I was looking at the entertainment schedule and was surprised that ElecTRONica was not on the schedule. Then, I looked at the map of the park, and it didn't show there either. I'm getting concerned! We stopped at an information booth and found out that ElecTRONica is gone! We were told that Labor Day was its last day. The young lady told us that she didn't know much more than that. She's heard different stories ranging from it will re-open, bigger and better, in a few weeks to it's never coming back. :(  We'll wait and see.

Francis the Ladybug is no lady! (his own words)

So now - it's time to start on the "F" rides. There are two in California Adventure, and they're both rides meant for little kids in the newly revamped "A Bug's Land".  Francis' Ladybug Boogie has "cars" that look like ladybugs. They spin in circles while moving around a track, similar to the tea cups in Disneyland, but the passengers can't make it spin any faster. It's fun, and fairly tame for a spinning ride.

Flik's Flyers was our next stop. Here you ride in various food boxes - raisins, cookies, applesauce, Chinese food - and are lifted into the air and spun around in a circle. Another familiar concept adapted to the younger crowd. The nice thing about both of these rides is the number of passengers you can fit into a car. At least 4 in both cases. A nice ride for the whole family.

The whole premise of A Bug's Land is that we're the little bugs in a big world. Notice the sign on the right for Flik's Flyers? It's like a piece of paper folded into an airplane. And that's a drinking straw next to it. And all over this section of the park are clovers that tower over us as if we were tiny bugs in an open field. Fun. :)

"D" Pics

Here's an interesting fact - 80% of the plants in Tomorrowland are edible. Chew on that!

And here is a video from the nosecone of the Disney Monorail...



"D"-Lightful, Part 3 of 3

I'm sorry to say, this post will not have any pictures (or decent formatting, for that matter). :(  I'm writing this on my iPad which apparently has some compatibility issues with Google blogging.I have the pictures on my iPad, but I can't get them into the blog.

Our last"D" attraction was the Disneyland Monorail. We had ridden half of it on our last visit, but this time we rode the whole loop. It starts in Tomorrowland and makes one stop in Downtown Disney, which is outside of the park. I have a nice video to show you, but I can't upload that right now either. Anyways, it's a 10-12 minute round trip including the stop. We sat in the nosecone for the whole trip, which was nice. All you have to do is ask, and as long as there's room, they will let you ride there. The monorail gives you a quick and brief tour of the park and is a good way to get to the "other end."

Although the Disneyland Monorail was our last "D", we're not really done with the D's. As I'd previously mentioned, we didn't get to see Duffy, and the Aladdin show was cancelled. We still have to do those. 

We still had a good portion of the evening ahead of us, and the six of us (Walt, Cindy, Natalie, Ryan, Wade, and Alexis) had dinner at Ariel's Grotto as part of the World of Color package (California Adventure). The dinner was expensive ($40/person) but good. Thank goodness we got 20% off with our season pass. The highlight of the dinner was the dessert platter which is set out for the whole table. Can you see all the yummy chocolates and desserts in the picture?  Oh, that's right, no picture. The dinner included preferred viewing tickets for the World of Color.

After dinner we saw the World of Color show. (It's not listed as an attraction - so we're not going out of order.) Wow! It's spectacular. If you haven't seen it yet, make a point to do so next time you can. The dancing fountains with all of their colors, the music, and the images projected on the walls of water are an incredible feat of showmanship and truly awe inspiring. There was even some fire dancing with the water.  This brief description doesn't do it justice - it's just something you have to see. 

Our last attraction of the evening was part of ElecTRONica. Yes, it's an "E", but as I mentioned earlier, we were thwarted with the D's. ElecTRONica is a multiple event attraction that takes over the Hollywood Backlot area. The street itself has lights and lasers and large screens showing TRON-like images. Adjacent to the street there's a DJ playing music and people (guests) dancing all around. There's a show called Laserman Revisited (I think) which is the best thing I've seen with lasers in a long time. It's a one-man show. The man is dressed in a TRON style suit and is manipulating a single green laser beam with his hands. He bends it, turns it, duplicates it, moves it around the stage, and more. This is another show that you must see to get the full effect.

On our next visit, we plan on finishing the D's and working on the E's, including completing the ElecTRONica experience.

"D"-lightful, Part 2

July 30, 2011, continued

Ryan & Natalie in Disney Animation

In addition to Disney's Aladdin – a Musical Spectacular and Disney Junior, Live on Stage!, the other "D’s" at California Adventure are Duffy the Bear and Disney Animation. Disney Animation is a large room surrounded by dozens of various size screens, each playing a scene from a different Disney tale. It would be easy to simply sit in the middle of the room and spend hours just watching the screens. This animated room is also the gateway to three other attractions: Animation Academy, Character Close-Up, and Turtle Talk with Crush.

Alexis and Wade at the Duffy display

The Duffy the Bear attraction is a designated place where Duffy, a giant bear, sits and greets guests and poses for photos. He only appears for a few hours each day. We went by his spot a few times, but we kept missing him. We'll have to catch up with Duffy next time.

Continuing with the “D” attractions, we headed to Disneyland to ride Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes. These are actual canoes that seat about 20 people. There are two cast members - one in the front of the boat and one in the back. Each guest has a paddle and, if the guests don't row, the boat's not going anywhere. As we paddle around Tow Sawyer Island, the cast member in front entertains us with light banter. It's a pleasant attraction. It's nice to be on a ride where you do more than just sit.

After the canoes, we went to Disney Princess Fantasy Faire. What a mecca for little girls! The Princess Faire includes a theater for various princess related shows and a separate "throne room" where visitors can sit with and talk to the princesses. (By the way, according to our friend Rachel, there are 10 Disney Princesses. Do you know them all? A couple of them are rather obscure.) After visiting the princesses, you can go to the shop to purchase your own princess outfits and accessories.

Next stop: Donald's Boat in Mickey's Toontown. The large boat is a stationary structure that kids can walk on and through. A nice addition to Toontown but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there.

Our day isn’t over yet. In the next post will be: Disneyland Monorail, dinner at Ariel’s Grotto, World of Color spectacular, and ElecTRONica.



"D"-lightful - Part 1

July 30, 2011

What a delightful day at the Disneyland resort. Instead of our usual couple of hours, we were there all day. We got there at 1:00 with Natalie (Cindy's niece) and Ryan (Natalie's boyfriend). Later, at 7:00, we also met up with Wade and Alexis (Walt & Cindy's son and his girlfriend). Walt and I left at about 10:30, while the youngsters stayed a little later.

Rachel entertaining the kids at Disney

Junior - Live on Stage!

We did so much today! Let me start, though, by giving a shout-out to Rachel, a Disney cast member. (Rachel, I hope you don't mind that I'm posting your picture.) We met Rachel outside of Disney Junior - Live on Stage! She was asking trivia questions and just being all-around nice. Thanks, Rachel!

Ryan, Natalie, and Walt are waiting for the
show to begin.

Disney Junior - Live on Stage! is just what the name implies. It's a live stage show with a few real people and lots of real muppet-type puppets. Apparently, I was too old for this show because I didn't know who any of the characters portrayed by the puppets were. The target audience seemed to be under 6 years old. Nevertheless, it was a well done show and the kids obviously loved it.



Inside the Aladdin Theater

Today we also went to see Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular. This live broadway style show is in a big beautiful theater at the end of the Hollywood Backlot street in California Adventure. The show started, and we settled in to watch. After the first few minutes, the grand background music and narration came to a dead stop. There were 3 performers on stage just about to start their scene. At first, I thought this was a dramatic pause. But after many long seconds, 2 of the actors left the stage, the third jumped into the mouth of the large cave on set. The curtains came down. An annnouncement said that due to technical difficulties, the show would be postponed. We waited for about 5 minutes, and the show resumed. After the first act, the curtain came down for what we thought would be a scene change. We waited for the curtain to go back up. We waited. The curtain did not go back up. Instead, that same announcer from earlier stated that due to technical difficulties, the show was now cancelled!  Boo hoo. This show only plays a few times a day, and we knew we wouldn't be able to go back again today. Disney's Aladdin has not yet been crossed off of our list. :(

My next post will continue with Davy Crockett, Disney Princesses, Donald's Boat, and more. Stay tuned!

Disneyland Ad from Yesteryear

About half of Disneyland's guests have always been local residents. Here is an old ad encouraging people to come to the park.

Disney Dates

You probably know that Disneyland opened in 1955. But what about these other Disney properties? Check your answers below.

1. Which was opened first?
a) Tokyo Disneyland
b) Disneyland Resort Paris
c) Hong Kong Disneyland

2) When was the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida opened?
a) 1971
b) 1976
c) 1982

3) Put these Disney properties in order by the date they opened:
a) Disney's Animal Kingdom Park (Florida)
b) Blizzard Beach (water park, Florida)
c) Disney's California Adventure Park (California)
d) Disney's Hollywood Studios (Florida)

Answers:

1. a) Tokyo Disneyland, which opened in 1983. Disneyland Resort Paris opened in 1992. Hong Kong Disneyland opened in 2005.

2. a) 1971 is when the Magic Kingdom Park opened. Epcot Center opened in 1982.

3. d) Disney's Hollywood Studios, 1989 
b) Blizzard Beach, 1995 
a) Animal Kingdom, 1998
c) California Adventure, 2001.

Dumbo Monorail.5



After the ride, we found this stationary elephant
waiting for his picture to be taken.

 Can you guess what year the movie Dumbo was released? While you're thinking about that, I'll tell you about the Dumbo ride, which is consistently one of the park favorites for the little kids. It is a very nice ride for the young ones. Many of the rides in Fantasyland contain a scary element (e.g. Alice in Wonderland), but there's nothing scary about flying elephants. (Did I really just say that?) Two passengers can sit side-by-side in each "car". I prefer this seating arrangement to the front/back arrangement of the Astro Orbitor Rockets. Seating is more comfortable this way and either passenger can then control the altitude. I can see why it's a fun ride for the younger set, but it doesn't hold much attraction for us big kids.

Walt standing at the Downtown Disney
Monorail station.

There are two stations for the Disney Monorail. One starts outside of the park, at Downtown Disney. To board, you must already have a ticket to the park. The train takes you into the park and makes its only other stop in Tomorrowland, where all passengers must debark. On today's trip we only rode this half of the monorail, so I'll be reporting again when we do the other half.

Did you guess when the movie Dumbo was released?  It was 1941!

Disneyland This 'n That

July 9, 2011

I don't remember the first time I visited Disneyland, but I know I was very young. My father would take my sisters and I at least once a year when we came to visit him. It was a very special treat. As the years went by and I became a young adult, I would come with my friends to just hang out. One of my first dates with Walt was at Disneyland. As a mom, I would often bring the kids and suddenly, I was seeing Disneyland through different eyes. And now, Walt and I are seeing it again on our own. (We hope to someday enjoy the park with our grandchildren - but no hurry!)

At different ages I've had different reasons for coming to Disneyland, and a different outlook on the park each time. As a child, it was full of awe and wonder. As a teenager, it was a grown up playground. As an adult (before kids) it was adventurous and exciting. As a mom, it was all about the kids and passing the awe and wonder on to them. Now, it's about spending time with my husband, watching other people enjoy the park, and re-experiencing all of the happy moments of the past.

I'm really glad Walt and I agreed to visit every attraction. There are attractions I might not have visited because, after so many visits, some things just become invisible. Or, if I saw something 20 or 30 years ago, I might have felt like I didn't need to see it again. (Wrong!)

Today, we experienced a couple of attractions that I normally would have walked right by.

Let's start on Main Street with "The Disneyland Story Presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln." This is really two attractions in one. The Disneyland Story is an exhibit highlighting the history of Disneyland park. There are a lot of interesting things to learn about how the park was developed and how it progressed through the years. In addition to the wall hangings and display cases in the exhibit, there is also a film narrated by Steve Martin and Donald Duck. It's worth taking a few minutes to sit and watch the film.

Next to the Disneyland Story exhibit room, there is the ante room for the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show. The show, in a large plush theater, starts with a film about Abraham Lincoln. Then, Mr. Lincoln himself (rather an amazingly lifelike animatronic version of him) talks about liberty and this great country of ours. Once again, I take my hat off to Disneyland for inspiring patriotism and showcasing our great land.

The Disney Gallery is on Main Street, near the front entrance. I believe this is the gallery that used to be above Pirates of the Caribbean, but I'm not sure. The Gallery features artwork related to Disneyland, and changes from time to time. While not a "kick up your heels" exciting attraction, it's a nice diversion from the busy park.

Tonight we stayed to watch the nightly fireworks show, which I haven't done in years. We stood in the middle of Main Street, along with thousands of other people, and watched the grand show explode over Sleeping Beauty Castle. The fireworks were choreographed with music and, of course, Tinkerbell flew by in grand fashion. Tink wasn't the only one flying, though. Dumbo made a winged appearance as well! It was a great show that everyone should stop and watch at least once.

Disneyland Railroad

Oh shame on me! We started the D's on June 26 (the 2nd day of our weekend getaway) and I'm just now writing about it. My apologies!

The Disneyland Railroad has 4 stops. At each stop, passengers can get on or off the train.

Trivia: It was originally known as the Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad.



I like this picture because, unintentionally,
Walt's image was caught in the reflection.



First leg: Main Street to New Orleans Square - on the way the scenery includes Native Americans and wildlife in the brush.



Second leg: New Orleans Square to Toontown - The New Orleans terminal is interesting but the journey to Toontown is uneventful.



A bit of trivia - The mayor of the real New Orleans was at the dedication for Disney's New Orleans square. He commented that it looked like the real thing, but he was dismayed when Mr. Disney pointed out that the new one was much cleaner.

Third leg: Toontown to Tomorrowland -Nothing exciting. Okay, honestly, I don't remember. 

Fourth leg: Tomorrowland to Main Street - There is a lot built into this stretch exclusively for the train passengers. You'll pass through the Grand Canyon and view abundant wildlife. You'll also travel back in time for a look at the dinosaurs in their natural habitat.



Cal Screamin' Chip 'n Dale Close Up

June 25, 2011

Hello Friends, I'm sorry about the delay on this posting. My adorable husband took this long to forward the pictures to me that he took with his camera phone. I'm going to start bringing my own camera! And I tried posting yesterday, but due to technical difficulties, I couldn't do it.

We had a fabulous weekend at the Disney Resort. Walt's birthday, the big five-o, was on Sunday. To celebrate, we booked a room at the Paradise Pier Hotel for Saturday night. Paradise Pier is one of the 3 hotels on the Disney property. The theme of the hotel is the beach and surf and sand. It's a lovely, comfortable hotel.

We had a "concierge" room which had some great perks. There's a concierge lounge that's only for special guests like us. They have complimentary snacks and cold beverages all day. From 5 to 7 each evening there are hot appetizers and wine and beer - again complimentary. In the morning there is a nice continental breakfast.

We had the option of going into either of the parks before it opened to the public, but we chose to sleep in instead. But here's the best perk of all. We each got two Fast Passes that can be used on any Fast Pass ride at any time. Unlike traditional Fast Passes, you can hold them simultaneously with other Fast Passes. We didn't have to use them during our stay - they're good until September. We will definitely be saving those to avoid some long lines.

Did you know that you can get a free birthday pin on your birthday? Just go to City Hall on Main Street and tell them it's your special day. They have pins for other occasions too. When wearing a birthday pin, almost every Disney employee wishes you Happy Birthday when you go by. It makes you feel special.

Inside Chip 'n Dale Treehouse

On Saturday evening we finished the "C" attractions. Our first stop was the Chip 'n Dale Treehouse in Mickey's Toontown. Ho hum. It's a big fake tree with a spiral staircase up the middle. After climbing the staircase you exit the tree on a platform and walk down another staircase back to ground level. Don't get me wrong, the tree is very cute. It's just not much of an attraction.

Chip 'n Dale Treehouse

We headed down Main Street to exit the park but stopped at far end of the street. The flags were being lowered from the flagpole and the Disneyland band played the Star Spangled Banner while we all sang. I asked a cast member why they were doing this, and he said it is a daily ceremony. After the flags were folded the band played a couple more patriotic songs while the Disneyland singers and guests sang along. It's nice to see Disneyland displaying such great patriotism!

At California Adventure, we went to the Hollywood Backlot and the attraction called Character Close Up. This is a small room with various displays on different characters. I assume the displays change regularly. In addition to the wall displays, in the center of the room is a large zoetrope. It is actually very cool. Take a look at the video and see what it does. Because of the concept itself, it's difficult to capture on video, but you'll get the idea. It's much more stunning in real life.

Next we headed for the roller coaster, California Screamin'. The wait was only 10 minutes, so there was no need to use one of our Fast Passes. This is a great ride! Anyone who likes roller coasters, even if you only like them a little, will love this ride. After departing from the loading station the coaster comes to a complete stop. After a short countdown it propels forward at light speed (or so it seems) and heads up the first hill. From that moment to the end of the ride it is nonstop action. There are short hills, long hills, turns, and even a 360 degree loop. The tracks are all steel, and it's a very smooth ride - no jerking or banging around. The extra touch that really makes it unique is the speakers placed next to each and every rider. As the ride progresses, lively, upbeat music is playing and keeps the mood elevated. Exhilarating ride!

This is a shot of the picture taken by the camera on the roller coaster.
Look at the reflection on the lower left. You can see both walt and I.

Tencennial

The following was printed in 1975 in the Disneyland Park Tencennial Promotional Supplement:

In all the world, there is but one Disneyland. Yet Disneyland is many different worlds, by day and by night, for every age and every mood. It is 1890 again on Main Street, U.S.A. and 1980 in Tomorrowland. It is the pioneer's hardy realm, Frontierland, and a jungle safari to far-off worlds in Adventureland. And it is a castle full of dreams - the classic tales of childhood "come to life" in Fantasyland.

I don't think much has changed since then - although there certainly has been a lot of growth. Can you imagine, though, 1980 was considered futuristic!

The List

This is the list I've created to keep track of the rides. In addition to the name of the attraction, the list identifies whether it's at Disneyland (DL) or California Adventure (CA). To the left of the ride name is the land where it can be found; for example Fantasy Land or Hollywood Backlot. On the far left the attractions are numbered. There are a total of 92 attractions. Once we have ridden the ride, we put the date to the left of it. The columns on the right let us know if there is a Fast Pass available and/or if there is a single rider line. (On a few rides, if you ride alone you can go to the front of the line.)

This list is a little wider than a business card, and a full 11" long. It is printed on both sides of a piece of card stock paper. It's folded into 4 sections so that I can keep it in my back pocket. 

Captain EO and Casey's Train

Friday, June 17

Today we started on the C's. Ironically, we had dinner at the Carnation Cafe on Main Street. What a nice little cafe. They have a couple of entrees, such as meatloaf, sandwiches, soup, and salad. It was very good and reasonably priced. It seems to me that eating at Disneyland isn't as expensive as it used to be. Perhaps that's because they know you've already given up your arm and leg just to get into the park.

In front of the Captain EO Theater

Our first attraction today was Captain EO Starring Michael Jackson. Captain EO is a 3-D film starring, you guessed it, Michael Jackson. This 15-minute film was originally made and shown in the 1980's. The folks at Disney recently dusted it off and brought it back to the screen. Wow - did we really look like that in the '80's? It was fun to watch what was basically an extra long music video. Unfortunately, the 3-D technology wasn't updated and my eyes hurt the moment I put the glasses on. I've seen a lot of 3-D movies at the theater lately, and the technology has come a long way. All in all, it was worth it to take a dancing step back in time.

A car in Casey Jr.'s Circus Train

Okay - Casey Jr. Circus Train is meant for kids. I think we were the only adults on the ride without children. It's a small train with a few regular cars and some animal cages, as you can see in the picture. It's interesting to note that the Casey Jr. Circus Train was originally designed to be the park's first roller coaster. That apparently wasn't meant to be, because the ride closed down immediately after it opened and was reworked into the mellow ride it is today.

Buzzing Big Thunder Bakery

We tackled all of the "B" attractions in one day! On Sunday we started at Disneyland and headed straight for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We picked up a Fast Pass and then headed to Big Thunder Ranch.



Entrance to Big Thunder Ranch



Big Thunder Ranch is basically a petting zoo, but there's also an old-fashioned cabin decorated with furnishings from back yonder. The little tykes can sit and do some arts and crafts. The "Ranch" also has a pen for Maggie, the cow. She wasn't in a talkative mood today.

This is what Daisy the Chihuahua would
look like if she was a cow.

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters





We left the ranch and headed for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. This is a fun interactive ride suitable for all ages. As your vehicle travels through space, each passenger can use their own Astro Blaster to shoot away at hundreds of targets. Your score lights up on a display in front of you every time you make a hit. In addition, either passenger can turn the car a full 360 degrees at any time using the control stick in the car. Walt's a much better shot than I am. My score was 27,800 and his was 73,400. Apparently, Walt's score was also considered low because the high scorer of the day got more than 1 million points.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

After the Blaster, we went back to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This is a great classic style roller coaster. The simple lap bar keeps you in place as the car goes up and down hills of various heights and around many curves. The scenery along the way brings you through a mountainous terrain where you can spot all kinds of wildlife. Beware, though, there's blasting going on and the goats got a hold of the dynamite!  It's a fun ride.

Bakery Tour

Our next stop was in California Adventure. The Bakery Tour has been there since it opened. When you first enter the bakery, a Disney employee greets you with a fresh piece of sourdough bread. It was a slow day, so she gave each of us two pieces. (Walt thinks she was flirting with him.) We put our bread in a pocket for now. Via television monitors, Rosie O'Donnell and Colin Mochrie guide the guests along a windowed corridor. They explain the process, and the history, of making sourdough bread. All the while, we can watch it actually being made. At the end of the tour we went into the adjacent restaurant and asked for a pat of butter. Then we sat down and enjoyed our fresh sourdough bread with butter on top. Yum!

 

Autopia, circa 1973


I spent my 13th birthday with my family at Disneyland. It was great, until my older siblings forgot about me and I got lost! When I was finally reunited with my family, my father bought me a Winnie the Pooh plush toy. I still have it.

I took this picture while waiting in line for Autopia.

Coming up - the "B's"

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Coming attractions:

• Bakery Tour (free bread!)
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Big Thunder Ranch
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

Autopia

What can I say about Autopia? A Disneyland classic since I wasn't even tall enough to see over the dashboard. The new cars are flashy and fun, but the ride has a very strict, and strictly enforced, "no bumping" policy. Then what's the fun? It's still an enjoyable ride and everyone walks away with their own "driver's license."

Ariel's Undersea Adventure & Astro Orbitor

Ariel's Undersea Adventure (CA)

Ariel's Undersea Adventure just opened last week. As a season passholder, we got to ride it before the general public. The long line moved very quickly, which was good, but I was disappointed in the ride itself. It was fairly short and it lacked any pizazz. It was colorful and well done, but as a new attraction I expected something more. Six-year old girls will love it, otherwise I'd wait until the line is 10 minutes or less.

Astro Orbiter (DL)

I loved the Rockets that used to be where the Astro Orbitor is now located. These new rockets, though, are just as good. It was a tight squeeze to get two adults into one ship. I was in front and I got to handle the controls. As the rockets circled around, ascending was fun, but descending was a blast! As we descended, the centrifugal force was very strong and it felt like we were going to fly right out of our seats! We probably had more fun than we should have!

Alice in Wonderland & Animation Academy

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland is a classic Disney ride. It's meant for the younger set, but all of the familiar characters make it enjoyable for
all.





Animation Academy (CA)





 Animation Academy on the Hollywood Backlot at California Adventure (CA) is an interactive attraction. An instructor teaches the audience how to draw a familiar Disney character. Each "student" is supplied with a clipboard, paper, and pencil. As the instructor draws and explains the figure, it is shown on a large overhead projection. Walt's finished product is shown here.

The Alphabetical Journey Begins

Walt and I recently bought season passes to Disneyland and California Adventure. Our kids are grown, we have no grandchildren. We've been to Disneyland a million times. (Well, almost.)  

This year, we want to do something a little different. Over the next 12 months our plan is to ride/see every attraction at both parks. To make it a little more interesting, though, we are going to do it in alphabetical order.

We will go alphabetically by first letter, but not within each letter. For example, we might go on Astro Orbitor before Alice in Wonderland, but we will take care of all of the A's before going on to the B's, etc.

I've compiled a list of attractions from the Disney website. If they listed it as an attraction, it's on my list. If they didn't list it as an attraction, it's not on the list.

We've already finished the A's which are:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Animation Academy
• Ariel's Undersea Adventure (new!)
• Astro Orbitor
• Autopia

Future posts will tell you about each attraction after we mark it off of our list. Pictures will be included when possible.