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!!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Did you have the biscuits at the Cathay? Those little beauties are the main reason I eat there.

 

[amjt660]

Day 2 cont'd
We rode HM right after the FW- it was the last day for this ride since it was going to be transformed into Nightmare before Christmas version of HM.

Then C said she wanted to ride Splash - at almost 11pm !
Luckily it was still warm enough

I got stuck in the front row

Ride selfie

T was scared s#@less and kept asking loudly to be evacuated!!!

And then we dropped - everybody into the pool!!

We had one free 5x7 with our vacation package so we went to get this one.
Our CM , Cam , was funny and really enjoying his job.
We joked around ( I asked if he thought it was ironic that a guy named Cam worked in a photo shop!!)

He noticed my button on my ball cap (I was wearing this one now)

He gave us more buttons and of course my family had him make this one

Two days later a CM wished me a "Happy Birthday Clarence"!!

We went back to the room after this - the park was closing and I was totally drenched and T was pretty wet too.

Curiously the one that really wanted to ride was dry (C was in the back).

Next up - Day 3 in DCA and a Baseball game.

 

[Kiwiduck]

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

It would probably be OK, I cant handle spinning rides in general but they are so slow and short. The only thing you would die of is boredom.

 

[Kiwiduck]

Groot bread and Carthay Circle- so jealous!!

 

[fractal]

Day 2 cont'd
We rode HM right after the FW- it was the last day for this ride since it was going to be transformed into Nightmare before Christmas version of HM.

Then C said she wanted to ride Splash - at almost 11pm !
Luckily it was still warm enough

I got stuck in the front row

Ride selfie
View attachment 232274

T was scared s#@less and kept asking loudly to be evacuated!!!

And then we dropped - everybody into the pool!!
View attachment 232276

We had one free 5x7 with our vacation package so we went to get this one.
Our CM , Cam , was funny and really enjoying his job.
We joked around ( I asked if he thought it was ironic that a guy named Cam worked in a photo shop!!)

He noticed my button on my ball cap (I was wearing this one now)
View attachment 232285

He gave us more buttons and of course my family had him make this one
View attachment 232287
Two days later a CM wished me a "Happy Birthday Clarence"!!

We went back to the room after this - the park was closing and I was totally drenched and T was pretty wet too.

Curiously the one that really wanted to ride was dry (C was in the back).

Next up - Day 3 in DCA and a Baseball game.

Love the diving pose Clarence!

 

[amjt660]

Did you have the biscuits at the Cathay? Those little beauties are the main reason I eat there.

Actually no we didn't
I guess we will have to go back!

Max

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Actually no we didn't
I guess we will have to go back!

Max

Tell me when, I'll join you. I wish I had some of those for breakfast today, well any meal really.

 

[Trisha Lynn]

Following now that I have the brain power to do so:

Best joke was when he had to scare the hippos but decided not to use his gun.
Instead he said

"I am going to use what scared away my last two girlfriends - I LOVE YOU!!!"

That's a good improv of that section. Only mildly prejudicial, but in a nice and self-deprecating way.

Disneyland Pirates is much better than WDW

Now that I've been on both, I can completely concur and agree wholeheartedly with this statement. Also, being at the WDW one made me realize that I really hate the Captain Jack Sparrow overlay in either park.

The storyline is better developed with the additional show scenes.

Hell yes. Before I read up on the real story behind the ride, I always thought that the first scenes were of the present day where the pirates are long dead and gone and their ghosts are all that are keeping the skeletons upright and doing the same things they used to do. After turning the corner in the darkened cavern, the battle sequence starts a reminiscence of what it was like for the pirates in the town before they died. The last part of the drunken battle in the ammunition depot is a scene that takes place before the last of the pirates still in town died.

At least that's how I reckoned it happened when I was a kid and still do to this day.

That is really the only part better than Florida - advantage WDW with Everest

Agreed, but for the nostalgia factor for me. Whenever I rode with my age contemporaries, we'd lean into the turns, like you'd do with a real bobsled and try to beat the people on the other track around the curves.

As others have said before there is no comparison between WDW and DLR versions

...

the lift scenes - especially in the blast tunnel seem better than WDW to me.

Also accurate. WDW doesn't even have cavern with the glowing pools under the stalagtites!

Then we caught most of the GOG Dance off

How did they rationalize adult Groot being in the dance off and Baby Groot being in the GOG attraction?

We had never ridden this version (it was the floating tires before)

IIRC, they've been wanting to put a hovercraft-type ride in the DLR since the beginning and the whiplash due to bumping scuttled it the first time.

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.

That's encouraging to hear.

"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)

Can one laugh at a sick burn? I know I am.

And then we dropped - everybody into the pool!!

Love this ride photo.

Dang, now you're making me want to plan a weekend trip to see my the DLR again (oh, well, and probably visit with my parents, too....).

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Late to the party as usual but loving this!!! You are the coolest dad and have a beautiful family! I need my dad to master family selfies!

Your report is giving me major Disneyland wanderlust. I cannot be a true Disney fanatic until I visit the original! The pictures of Walt seriously brought tears to my eyes! Why am I such a sap! There's a picture at Pop Century and it's of Walt and Shirley Temple and I seriously need it for my house. My two most favorite people ever.

Glad you liked mission breakout! I was one of those people constantly bashing it on twitter because I didn't want them to dare touch my beloved tower in Florida. Guess I need to stop being so negative and give the ride a try.

And Carsland is so well themed!! I am still hoping it comes to Disney World one day. I know it's "exclusive" to California but I want it on my coast!!! Is that selfish?

 

[amjt660]

Maybe from now on I will call you MAC.

That is one of my common spelling mistakes when typing
I can type 75 words a minute and about 42 are spelt right!!

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....

Just like Austin Powers I am an international man of mystery (I guess)

It would probably be OK, I cant handle spinning rides in general but they are so slow and short. The only thing you would die of is boredom.

I take it you did not like it - with only a 5 min wait we found it cute but would not go out of our way to ride it again.

Groot bread and Carthay Circle- so jealous!!

LG - life is good!!

Love the diving pose Clarence!

Tell me when, I'll join you. I wish I had some of those for breakfast today, well any meal really.

I would love to meet the two of you sometime in a Disney park

Dang, now you're making me want to plan a weekend trip to see my the DLR again (oh, well, and probably visit with my parents, too....).

Thank you for all the responses to my posts - I am enjoying your Live report too

Late to the party as usual but loving this!!! You are the coolest dad and have a beautiful family! I need my dad to master family selfies!

I am getting better at selfies as I continue to take them - although @Tuvalu should probably give me lessons
And thanks for the compliment - COOLEST DAD EVER!!! - I am sure there are many others on this board that can claim that title though

Max

 

[Tuvalu]

MAC ~
Max
Andrew
Clarence

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 Monday August 28 - DCA / Storytellers / Angels game
We did early entry ( 9am - not really that early I know) and entered through the Grand Cali entrance near Grizzly River Run
Our target was of course Radiator Springs Racers (RSR).
We talked to Jan the CM and she told us about the 6 different songs on Mission Breakout and which one (Born to be Wild) was her fav
We were released in only to be stopped again at the Embarcado (San Fran) area - then let in at exactly 9
Rushed to RSR but it was not operating ( I common occurrence from previous trips)
But Lightening McQueen was coming to town

So we went to Paradise Pier first and rode Toy Story Midway Mania with a small wait time.(5 min)

I had top score but it was only 175K.
Andy's room at the end of the ride

California Screamin had a 10 min wait so we hopped on

Probably should not post the next one - I will lose a lot of "cool" status points with @prfctlyximprct

As I stated early the next few shots are hard not to take - similar to taking pics of the castles

After Screamin we walked over toward Soarin and past GRR

I omitted from Day 2 that C and I rode this one just before going to dinner
It was very refreshing on a hot day (we got changed for dinner right after)

I also forgot to give insight into the weather
It was high 90's all week - very unusual for So Cal at the end of August/beginning of Sept
We normally get 80s with cooler nights.

We rode Soarin and were able to see the Disneyland ending (rather than Epcot)
I still do not like the redo - too fake for me with the distortions and over the top CGI.

 

[amjt660]

MAC ~
Max
Andrew
Clarence

I have to admit I like it


(not sure how to sign my posts anymore)

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 cont'd
Some pics from Soarin around the World
I received a badge of honour

(at least they kept Patrick)

Noticed on the app that RSR was finally running ( yes - the wifi works randomly)
We picked up FP at 10:30 in the morning (for 2-3pm in the afternoon)
Rode single rider at 10:35
Queue pictures

On in 20 min - I lost to C - my car was in the right lane
S and T rode in the right lane in their race and they won.

Doing single rider is cool because you can sometimes race your own family/friends

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 cont'd
More pics from RSR queue

This CM was overworked and under appreciated so I thanked her and asked if I could take her picture

Ride vehicles

Blurry shots of T in the front and S in the back and then C in her car and then my car.

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 cont'd
Route 66

Walked toward the front of the park

Did some shirt shopping - did not buy any of them though

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 - more shopping

S & C had gone back to the room for an early lunch (we had an early dinner)

Found Oswald!!!

Loved the sign just before the entrance to the Grand Californian hotel
How true - there is food and lodging ahead!!

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Ahhhh Oswald!!! And you'd never lose cool points from me!!! Everybody on these forums is SUPER COOL. Myself included right?!

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 cont'd Back to DCA to see the Frozen show
Back to the room for an early lunch and then into the park for our 2pm FP

We then rushed over to the Hyperion to see the "new for us" Frozen show

For those not familiar Frozen replaced Aladin in 2016.

Overall Aladin was a good show but the draw was the Genie
Every show was different and fun - because the Genie was basically a standup comedian act
Over the years that we went he would take shots at everything (I remember a lot of Twilight jokes about the moon in the set, he almost always had a joke about being an Avatar and near the end he had a line about Steve Harvey that was a killer).

So we walked into this new show be skeptical but hoping that Olaf would fill the same role.

No such luck - kept almost exactly to the movie script

Songs were fun but this one has not repeat appeal at all.

Compared to the Singalong at DHS it has a much higher production quality but I would go back to the singalong for the new jokes from the story tellers.

Anyway here are some pics - sorry for the quality but it is only an iPhone 7
I will even post the blurry ones just so you get a sense for the show.

 

[amjt660]

Day 3 Frozen cont'd