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.