Trip Report A Walk in Walt's Footsteps: Max's California Adventure

Hello to All - As the title suggests the Max family has returned from a fun adventure in the Golden State.

For those who have not read the PTR I have copied a link below:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-going-to-do-i-am-going-to-disneyland.929704/

If you do not want to read the pre trip report I understand - there are so many PTR, TR ,Live reports on the go it is a lot of work to keep up with everything.

We will start with the players:

Me - Max - turned 51 a few days before we left (and yes I wore my Bday button proudly - more to come on that one though). Trip number 25 to a Disney Resort ( WDW, DLR, DLP and TDL)

My DW - T - age is just a number - She really likes Disney, really loves DCA and is over the moon on going back to San Diego (Trip number 23 to a Disney Resort (WDW, DLR and DLP)

My older DD - S - 22 - just finished her undergrad in Music Therapy, working at a summer camp and starting her mandatory intenrship to become certified in September. Trip number 20 (WDW,DLR,DLP)

My younger DD - C - 20 (not yet legal to drink in your country) - almost halfway through Biomedical Engineering - just finished a school term in August (co-op program) - starting to work in September - same trip count as her sister.

Next up: Day 1 travel day and first day in park all in one!!

 

[amjt660]

I will be sure to make time for this tr. I look forward to your puns.

Glad you could join us - will do my best to please

< Memo to self ~ if I ever have a Magic meet up with Max, do not allow him to take the selfie. >

And make sure he knows about purple walls, not just "nondescript" walls

Oooh, good one! I'd forgotten about his lame wall pic.

Hey - I don't have to come here and take this abuse you know
I just turn off the laptop and get this all day long at home.

Max

 

[Laurenciaa]

Day 2 - Sunday August 27 - DLR and DCA park hopping fun
As @bee mentioned in her report it is so easy to park hop between the two parks
@Laurenciaa knows what I am talking about - DLP is pretty much the same walk inbetween entrances of DL and the Studios.

As a frequent DLP goer.. Yes I can confirm.. I should count the steps between both just to see how close it really is

 

[75disney]

Wow! You met a lot of characters in such a short amount of time in FL. I agree with you about Guardians... It is fun, not scary. Due to lines, we only ride it once, but we all really enjoyed it. I thought the preshow in The Collector's office was really done, especially Rocket. I regret only riding it once. Oh well, I'll just have to do another DLR trip to ride it again!

 

[Longers]

I'm late! - oops, happy belated birthday and loving all the pictures.

I've never been to California so will eagerly follow to see the differences.
That's so good that the characters just wander that's something I miss from WDW as back in the day you used to get more character meet and greets.

And so glad @Tuvalu asked the question about the birthday button as I would have been asking otherwise!

Looking forward to more........

 

[fractal]

good to hear you enjoyed GotG Mission Breakout!

Seems like a cool ride - as long as they don't touch the original Tower or Terror.

 

[amjt660]

Wow! You met a lot of characters in such a short amount of time in FL. I agree with you about Guardians... It is fun, not scary. Due to lines, we only ride it once, but we all really enjoyed it. I thought the preshow in The Collector's office was really done, especially Rocket. I regret only riding it once. Oh well, I'll just have to do another DLR trip to ride it again!

Sounds like a good reason to go back , especially if you combine it with the opening of SW and the eventual Marvel area.
We were able to get on more than once, how many times you ask - STAY TUNED!!!

I've never been to California so will eagerly follow to see the differences.
That's so good that the characters just wander that's something I miss from WDW as back in the day you used to get more character meet and greets.

I understand the difficulty with getting from England to the West coast but I do strongly recommend a trip - just do it during peak times so that you can have enough hours in the parks and a better chance of everything being operational (not being refurbed).
The character interactions just feel more natural and less staged in DLR

good to hear you enjoyed GotG Mission Breakout!

Seems like a cool ride - as long as they don't touch the original Tower or Terror.

Yes I agree, TOT in Florida is better than DLR ever was and must remain

Max

 

[amjt660]

Day 2 cont'd- Disney California Adventure
So after watching the awesome dance off (Gamora even got into it, Star Lord was more of a joke but Groot was impressive) we moved on to Carsland

Not sure was I was not smiling - probably the heat

C and I wanted to do single rider on RSR (Radiator Spring Racers) so S and T relaxed in Flos with there Starbucks.
Unfortunately the single rider line was backed up so C and I rode Luigi's instead
We had never ridden this version (it was the floating tires before)
Then (2012)

and now(2017)

The cars dance together in a pattern - we had the mamba
It was cute and we had fun - but at the very end you do a couple of complete spins
When we showed it to S and T they decided to pass.

 

[Tuvalu]

They ruined Luigi's. Loved the simplicity of the flying tires.
New cars are cute but the spins would kill me.

 

[amjt660]

Day 2 - More Carsland , lunch (almost too cute to eat) and then back to the park
So after that ride we decided to head back for an early lunch (probably around 11:30ish)

So the hunt was on for sour dough bread to eat with our hummus/guacamore dips that we purchased.
( We have food allergies and one vegetarian so the grocery store trip was essential)

Could not find any in the San Fran / Cannery row area near Boudin Bakery - we were directed to Hollywood land
We had a special bread in mind
A wonderful cast member named Slater went above and beyond the call of duty - guiding us around to two different shops until we found this:

Yes - Baby Groot sour dough - classic! - the eyes are olives.
Wine and bread on the balcony was amazing

Went back to DCA after lunch and took this pic - I swear I take it everytime but it is a hard one to skip

California Screamin ( Get it , dreaming, screaming) is an smooth roller coaster with one inversion and an amazing soundtrack

Not sure why they did not put the "g" on the end - probably budget cuts

Only a 10 min wait posted and S got this

Oh yeah - we know about the ride pic and where it is

Rode in the back row to get the full effect

Next up was Little Mermaid - same ride as WDW but the queue is no where close (see below).

The green army men were out doing some dancing drills as we walked out of Ariel's ride.

Walked back into Carsland

 

[amjt660]

Day 2 cont'd
We went to back to Guardians but only 3 rode it ( S decided to skip - she went to Animation - which is a cool(literally and figuratively))

Second ride and second song!
Pat Benatar - Hit me with your best shot

Best line? We get to the top - doors open up - Rocket says - "Hey is that Disneyland?"

Walked over to Animation and picked up S and went to dinner
This guy was outside to greet us

Dinner was here

Some of you might recognize this same building in DHS
It is the Carthy Circle Theatre - the location of the premiere of Snow White in 1937
High level restaurant with some really great photos on the wall

First is a display case in the lobby

 

[amjt660]

Day 2 cont;d - more Carthy Circle

One of my very few food pictures
My entré was a ravioli which was delicious and then they brought me out a birthday dessert

Excellent meal - best of the trip at Disneyland resort.

 

[Longers]

Love those display cases with pictures etc - and that TOT pic is classic

 

[DryerLintFan]

Day 2 - More Carsland , lunch (almost too cute to eat) and then back to the park
So after that ride we decided to head back for an early lunch (probably around 11:30ish) View attachment 231996
So the hunt was on for sour dough bread to eat with our hummus/guacamore dips that we purchased.
( We have food allergies and one vegetarian so the grocery store trip was essential)

Could not find any in the San Fran / Cannery row area near Boudin Bakery - we were directed to Hollywood land
We had a special bread in mind
A wonderful cast member named Slater went above and beyond the call of duty - guiding us around to two different shops until we found this:
View attachment 231997
Yes - Baby Groot sour dough - classic! - the eyes are olives.
Wine and bread on the balcony was amazing

Went back to DCA after lunch and took this pic - I swear I take it everytime but it is a hard one to skip
View attachment 231998
California Screamin ( Get it , dreaming, screaming) is an smooth roller coaster with one inversion and an amazing soundtrack

Not sure why they did not put the "g" on the end - probably budget cuts

Only a 10 min wait posted and S got this
View attachment 231999

Oh yeah - we know about the ride pic and where it is
View attachment 232000
View attachment 232002
Rode in the back row to get the full effect

Next up was Little Mermaid - same ride as WDW but the queue is no where close (see below).

View attachment 232004

The green army men were out doing some dancing drills as we walked out of Ariel's ride.
View attachment 232006 View attachment 232007

Walked back into Carsland
View attachment 232023

It's early and I'm exhausted and I totally forgot you were in Disneyland when I was reading this..... and maybe my point still stands.... but I was appalled reading that Boudins didn't have sourdough bread. The Boudins shop on the wharf is like a sourdough haven and we get it every time we go to the city!

 

[amjt660]

As a frequent DLP goer.. Yes I can confirm.. I should count the steps between both just to see how close it really is

The engineer in me says Yes - go measure the number of steps - but then I realize that I did not do it in DLR so I have nothing to compare it to!!!

They ruined Luigi's. Loved the simplicity of the flying tires.
New cars are cute but the spins would kill me.

The spins are not too bad but it did scare off T and S.
At least it has a better storyline than random floating tires.(and then they added random beach balls !!)

Love those display cases with pictures etc - and that TOT pic is classic

Switch the T for a G - GOG - Guardians of the Galaxy
We were trying for Home Alone!

Going to dinner at Carthay is similar to Brown Derby in DHS with all the photographs

It's early and I'm exhausted and I totally forgot you were in Disneyland when I was reading this..... and maybe my point still stands.... but I was appalled reading that Boudins didn't have sourdough bread. The Boudins shop on the wharf is like a sourdough haven and we get it every time we go to the city!

Just to clarify - Boudins had lots of sourdough bread - they just did not have Baby Groot - so that is what started the quest around Hollywood land.

Max

 

[Longers]

The engineer in me says Yes - go measure the number of steps - but then I realize that I did not do it in DLR so I have nothing to compare it to!!!


The spins are not too bad but it did scare off T and S.
At least it has a better storyline than random floating tires.(and then they added random beach balls !!)


Switch the T for a G - GOG - Guardians of the Galaxy
We were trying for Home Alone!

Going to dinner at Carthay is similar to Brown Derby in DHS with all the photographs



Just to clarify - Boudins had lots of sourdough bread - they just did not have Baby Groot - so that is what started the quest around Hollywood land.

Max

Oops, is GOG a similar ride to TOT?

 

[MinnieM123]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the black and white vintage photos of Walt.

 

[amjt660]

Oops, is GOG a similar ride to TOT?

Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout is a retheme of the Tower of Terror ride in Disney California Adventure park.
The ride was shut down in late 2016 or early 2017 and was changed by earlier this summer.
The uproar was big , especially in my house!!!, but by the end of the trip everyone admitted that they either liked it or loved it.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the black and white vintage photos of Walt.

The collection in the Carthay Circle is quite large - I didn't even make it around to all the little rooms and walls
More to look for next time!

Max

 

[amjt660]

Day 2 cont'd- After dinner , still in DCA by not much longer- DL is calling us
So after dinner we went into Hollywod land to ride a favourite of C"s
Monster's Inc Mike and Sulley to the Rescue
I have no pictures but for those not familiar it is a dark ride through Monstropolis and follows the movie story line (mostly)

However at the very end is Roz - an interactive AA that talks to each vehicle as it stops in front of her.
(think Tutle Talk with Crush but with a large AA)
This picture is from a 2007 trip

Well this time she spoke to me
"You, the man in the middle row, your name is now Clarence....."
then when we started to move
" Goodbye Clarence!!"

Now if you can imagine a Roz voice saying it then you realize how funny it could be.

So my name for the remainder of the trip became Clarence
(@Tuvalu - try to keep up - Max - Andrew - Clarence)

After this we watched a bit of the Marvel Avengers recruitment show - similar to Jedi Academy - where they select younger ones for the audience and have them battle members of Hydra on the stage with Hawkeye and Black Widow

Next we headed to Disneyland because this was our only night to see Fantasmic and Remember
Well we had Saturday but the air travel and time change knocked us out pretty good.
Monday and Tuesday has zero, yes zero, night time shows, FW or parades at Disneyland!!
The only thing left was World of Colour at DCA.

When we got to Indy it had a 30 min standby and we were 75 min away from Fantasmic
We went for it
Outdoor queue pics of the temple

Nice George Lucas tribute on the inside queue

Words to life by...

After we walked over to the Haunted Mansion and found an okay spot to watch both F! and the FW show - Remember
The new version of Fantasmic was really good - sorry no pics - I know @ajrwdwgirl took some great pictures for her TR.

Remember first debuted for the 50th in 2005
This is a special one for me as it was our first trip to Disneyland and we were with our good friends (see teacup shot for all the kids together).
So hearing it one (last?) time was special.
I also found out that the projections they normaly put on the castle are also projected on a water spray at the Rivers of America.
(learn something new everyday)
It also helped that it wasn't as crowded as the hub.

Next up - you want to ride what at 11pm???

 

[Tuvalu]

Maybe from now on I will call you MAC.

 

[blreinsel]

The Beauty and the Beast restaurant is so quaint and adorable!!! Too bad the food wasn't great.

And here I thought your name was Max....