DebbieinLA
10-15-2005, 09:54 PM
It's Sat. night Oct. 15, 2005. My family and I were at Disneyland all day Fri., Oct. 14 (unusually super hot, up to 100*), for the morning of today Sat., Oct. 15, then California Adventure until 5:30 pm. Here is the report for Friday:
We had two 5 year old girls w/ us, cousins to each other, celebrating birthdays. Checked in early to Paradise Pier and arrived at the DL at 12:30. The lines to get in weren't long, because the park was already very crowded compared to other times I've been. There were long lines to meet the Disney Princesses, when they were visible around the Castle. We went to the Carousel, It's a Small World (great for the air conditioning and the RIGHT side entry line IS the faster line, as per the board here), fetched lunch take out at Bengal Barbecue (approx. $45 to hearily feed 4) in Adventureland, while girls and Uncle went to Tarzan's treehouse. Went to Pirates of the Caribbean (also an air-conditioned respite). I've been on PotC twice and the line moves swiftly for being so long, i.e. not a long wait. Then let the girls run amok on Tom Sawyer's Island for 15 min., before heading to parade at 3:15 pm (note: the start music for the parade began at 3:35 and parade ended by 3:55 pm). Very crowded up and down Main Street. Went to the bricks in the center island across from Railroad Station to find a shady viewing spot and we did.
We headed back to our hotel, Paradise Pier to rest and swim.
Returned to the gates by 7:20 pm and the lines to get into the park on this Friday night were wide and long, backed to the Monorail. It was dusk and as we entered, Main Street was jammed because the parade was ending making its way up toward Fantasyland.
We had a long wait at the Railroad Station(probably 20 min or more) to ride the train to Toon Town where we arrived at 8:00 pm and were told by a cast member Toon Town was closing at 8:30 pm for the fireworks. We rode the mini roller coaster, toured Minnie's house and went to Mickey's house. Half of Mickey's movie barn was filled w/ people waiting to meet Mickey, so not too croweded, but at 8:25 when we were ushered in to see him, there was a longer line and the cast members were anxious that the house hadn't been closed from the front.
We then walked through Fantasyland and rode the tea cups. Glad to have done it at night than during the hot day earlier. Onto Frontierland (a nice easy shortcut rather than going through the circle in front of the Castle) to get to the Fantasmic show at the Rivers of America, at 9 am. My first time seeing Fantasmic and let me tell you, it was FANTASTIC, almost like seeing an Olympics opening ceremony. The Disney Princesses were on boats and/or floats lit up on the water, there was fire that spread out on top of the water, things that climbed to the sky, fireworks, pyrotechnics, Mickey battling evil. Huge crowds on the banks.
Fantasmic ended and it seemed a minute later the shooting/falling star began the really wonderful fireworks show over the castle. A lot of pyro here too. It was cool seeing a human Tinkerbell somehow descending from a cable down the top of the Castle to I don't know where, couldn't see. It was over by 9:45 pm.
It was 9:45 pm and we still hadn't eaten dinner (had planned to get Mexican food at the Rancho del Zocato in Frontierland but the night shows waylaid us). We were tired and decided to head to Tomorrowland to get to the Monorail's hotel entrance to just get back to the hotel. But we went to the Pizza Port for a LATE dinner because the kids although tired, wanted to eat. Long lines at the registers. We passed by the 80s rock cover band at the Buzz Lightyear state and saw Mickey Mouse rocking out onstage to the song "Footloose" (title song from Kevin Bacon movie) being played live, as Pluto was dancing w/someone in the audience. How ironic that 80s music from my heyday of 20 to 25 years ago was being played in TOMORROWland.
Had a long wait in the Monorail line even for hotel guests like us. In bed between 10:30 and 11, just beat, but happy.
It seems like we didn't see a lot, but we did and the walking takes up so much time especially w/ two five year olds who at 45 " tall have much shorter strides.
Day two to come. I need sleep!
Debbie in Los Angeles
We had two 5 year old girls w/ us, cousins to each other, celebrating birthdays. Checked in early to Paradise Pier and arrived at the DL at 12:30. The lines to get in weren't long, because the park was already very crowded compared to other times I've been. There were long lines to meet the Disney Princesses, when they were visible around the Castle. We went to the Carousel, It's a Small World (great for the air conditioning and the RIGHT side entry line IS the faster line, as per the board here), fetched lunch take out at Bengal Barbecue (approx. $45 to hearily feed 4) in Adventureland, while girls and Uncle went to Tarzan's treehouse. Went to Pirates of the Caribbean (also an air-conditioned respite). I've been on PotC twice and the line moves swiftly for being so long, i.e. not a long wait. Then let the girls run amok on Tom Sawyer's Island for 15 min., before heading to parade at 3:15 pm (note: the start music for the parade began at 3:35 and parade ended by 3:55 pm). Very crowded up and down Main Street. Went to the bricks in the center island across from Railroad Station to find a shady viewing spot and we did.
We headed back to our hotel, Paradise Pier to rest and swim.
Returned to the gates by 7:20 pm and the lines to get into the park on this Friday night were wide and long, backed to the Monorail. It was dusk and as we entered, Main Street was jammed because the parade was ending making its way up toward Fantasyland.
We had a long wait at the Railroad Station(probably 20 min or more) to ride the train to Toon Town where we arrived at 8:00 pm and were told by a cast member Toon Town was closing at 8:30 pm for the fireworks. We rode the mini roller coaster, toured Minnie's house and went to Mickey's house. Half of Mickey's movie barn was filled w/ people waiting to meet Mickey, so not too croweded, but at 8:25 when we were ushered in to see him, there was a longer line and the cast members were anxious that the house hadn't been closed from the front.
We then walked through Fantasyland and rode the tea cups. Glad to have done it at night than during the hot day earlier. Onto Frontierland (a nice easy shortcut rather than going through the circle in front of the Castle) to get to the Fantasmic show at the Rivers of America, at 9 am. My first time seeing Fantasmic and let me tell you, it was FANTASTIC, almost like seeing an Olympics opening ceremony. The Disney Princesses were on boats and/or floats lit up on the water, there was fire that spread out on top of the water, things that climbed to the sky, fireworks, pyrotechnics, Mickey battling evil. Huge crowds on the banks.
Fantasmic ended and it seemed a minute later the shooting/falling star began the really wonderful fireworks show over the castle. A lot of pyro here too. It was cool seeing a human Tinkerbell somehow descending from a cable down the top of the Castle to I don't know where, couldn't see. It was over by 9:45 pm.
It was 9:45 pm and we still hadn't eaten dinner (had planned to get Mexican food at the Rancho del Zocato in Frontierland but the night shows waylaid us). We were tired and decided to head to Tomorrowland to get to the Monorail's hotel entrance to just get back to the hotel. But we went to the Pizza Port for a LATE dinner because the kids although tired, wanted to eat. Long lines at the registers. We passed by the 80s rock cover band at the Buzz Lightyear state and saw Mickey Mouse rocking out onstage to the song "Footloose" (title song from Kevin Bacon movie) being played live, as Pluto was dancing w/someone in the audience. How ironic that 80s music from my heyday of 20 to 25 years ago was being played in TOMORROWland.
Had a long wait in the Monorail line even for hotel guests like us. In bed between 10:30 and 11, just beat, but happy.
It seems like we didn't see a lot, but we did and the walking takes up so much time especially w/ two five year olds who at 45 " tall have much shorter strides.
Day two to come. I need sleep!
Debbie in Los Angeles