Trip Report Hippity Hoppity Easter Disneyland Solo Report

ajrwdwgirl · May 11, 2017

Time for Saturday, and I decided to go to California Adventure today. The crowd wasn't very heavy when I got there around 8:30 and even though the park didn't open officially until 9am guests were already being let in. I knew there would be a rope drop so I just took my time and enjoyed the scenery.

Walking to the park!

Heading towards security.

Everyone was rushing down Buena Vista Street, but not me. It's picture time!

A little hello to my friends!

Once I got to the Carthay I saw all the people bunching up at the rope drop, ready to rush to Radiator Springs.

ajrwdwgirl · May 11, 2017

So as others waited to rush to Radiator Springs I walked over to the Grizzly Peak area to ride Soarin'. They let us get into line there and wait for opening.

After my Soarin' flight I headed over to Radiator Springs, since I was a single rider I was able to get in that line and the wait was super short. I rode twice and then moved on to Luigi's.

Luigi's is a fun little ride. I like the music that plays while we "dance".

After that I headed through Bug's Land and decided to ride Heimlich's Chew Chew train. I had never been on it, the ride is short but cute. At one point your go through an animal cracker box and you even get the aroma of the crackers.

ajrwdwgirl · May 11, 2017

I made my way out of Bug's Land and headed over to check out the work on the Tower and perhaps ride Monsters. I did check out the Tower and it didn't look as bad in person as it did in the pictures I saw online. I'm not a Marvel fan but I do like the Guardians movies, so even though I love Tower of Terror I am ok with the Guardians moving in as long as Tower of Terror stays at WDW.

I so a little bit left of the Hollywood Tower in the area.

As walked into the Monsters Line, I heard a cast member say the ride just went down, and sure enough it had. So I headed over to Paradise Pier.

On my way I spotted Donald and Daisy. I thought I would get my picture taken but the handler said they were only going to play a game not do pictures. So I snapped these and moved on.

ajrwdwgirl · May 11, 2017

I made my way around Paradise Pier. Toy Story now has fast pass, so I grabbed a fast pass for it and got in line. I even rode California Screaming, I don't usually do upside down rides as they tend to give me headaches.

Hello Mr. Potatohead!

Carousel time!

I hadn't done the death swings in a while so I did that. I wanted to do Mickey's fun wheel but both lines were at least 20 minutes or more.

I also took a little trip on the Jumpin' Jellyfish.

After that I decided I needed a snack, and by snack I mean beer. So I head over to the gardens area and got a local beer flight. They were all delicious.

Then over to the AP corner to get my button.

MinnieM123 · May 12, 2017

OMG--all those rides look like so much fun! Disneyland is very unique in its own way, different from WDW.

I love the picture of the "death swings"!!! HA! Haven't ridden on those for many years (they used to be popular in local amusement parks in my area, back when I was a kid).

Really like that photo of the carousel--very different theme--not the usual horses you'd normally see!

You're touring style is like mine--just go with the flow. :cat:

amjt660 · May 13, 2017

I have not heard a lot of positives regarding Luigi s ride
I have not tried the new version it was the floating tires the last time I was there and it was open
Heimlich is a great, fun albeit short ride
Enjoying the dlr report!!
Max

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

amjt660 said:
I have not heard a lot of positives regarding Luigi s ride
I have not tried the new version it was the floating tires the last time I was there and it was open
Heimlich is a great, fun albeit short ride
Enjoying the dlr report!!
Max

Luigis is cute and a little fun, it could do more spinning or something as it is a little tame. I wouldn't wait more than 5 minutes for it. I do like the Mater ride, that has a little more excitement.

myhappyplace · May 14, 2017

Loving your report! I've not ever been to Disneyland, but want to get there someday, so I'm learning so much from your report!

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

I wondered back around Paradise Pier and headed to my lunch destination: the Carthay Circle theater. I wasn't doing a dinner package, I figured I didn't need it for World of Color since I had a fast pass. I probably should have gotten a package or done the dessert party.

I checked in and had a short wait but the lobby area has a lot of atmosphere. There is a little display case that seems to change up occasionally. This time it was Beauty and the Beast.

Soon I was seated and I had a seat near the kitchen which was fun to watch, but it was also in the main area of the restaurant so I got to look at the pretty ceiling too. Unfortunately, I didn't get a table with the evil queen hidden in the wood grain.

And for the real reason I booked a lunch here: the signature biscuits. These could have been my meal and they can only be ordered in the restaurant not the lounge. The butter that comes with it is an apricot butter which seems strange but really compliments the slight jalapeno flavor nicely. I had thought about ordering 2 orders so I would have one to go and I could eat it later in my hotel room, I'm glad that I did not. I had a couple leftover and I did take those and they do not reheat well in a microwave. I mean I still ate them but they weren't as good reheated.

Look at that cheese!

I got the Carthay burger. It was really good and I ended up taking half of this back to my hotel too.

I zoomed in what looked kind of like a hidden Mickey to me in the ceiling mural.

littleroo · May 14, 2017

Those biscuits look amazing! :hungry:

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

littleroo said:
Those biscuits look amazing!

They were. I've found a recipe online, but I haven't made them. I'm afraid that they either won't turn out and that the same time that they will. If they turn out then I will want to make them all the time, and my waistline doesn't need them all the time.

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

I finished my delicious lunch and made my way downstairs and out of the restaurant.

As I stepped outside I was pleased that the Newsboys Show was still going on and was near the beginning. I hate that the song Suitcase and a Dream is historically inaccurate about Walt but dang is it a catchy tune!

I decided to see what the Food and Wine center had to offer, and really it wasn't much. I did buy a tervis wine glass there. They were setting up a demonstration. So since Monsters was a walk on I decided to ride that and see what was going on with the demonstration after the ride.

I also looked around the store Off the Page. It is a fun Disney art shop.

.

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

A couple more Monsters scenes.

The cooking demo was now actually going on, and the chef was making a dish with chimichurri. I watched a little but I was antsy to move on. I went back to the Animation Building I was going to to the Animation Academy but it was a character I didn't care about learning to draw. So I just sat on the cushy bench/sofas in the lobby and enjoyed the music and the art on the screens.

I made my way over to Downtown Disney. I spent too much time in the World of Disney on the phone with my husband trying to decide which new dog harness to get and which size. Size was the big thing as she was the top end of a small and the bottom end of a medium. I ended up getting her two, the Minnie Mouse harness and the Black and White checkerboard Mickey head one, and over course the matching leashes. (I'll have to post pictures of her later.)

I saw this cool shirt too but it was only in a kids size.

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

As I exited the World of Disney, I exited out the door right by the Kayla's Cakes kiosk. Kayla's Cakes has the best macron cookies! So I bought a pack of 12 to take home and share with hubby. I forgot I didn't like the pistachio ones, so I was disappointed when we ate them at home. My favorites are the Belgium chocolate, hazelnut, salted caramel, lemon and vanilla.

These bunny ones were too cute to not get!

Oh YES!

These were cute too, but I didn't get them.

After all this taxing shopping I went back to the hotel and napped for a bit. Before heading back to Disneyland. I got back to Disneyland about 10 minutes before Soundsational and of course I had to watch it. Again that whole side of the street across from the Train Station was completely empty of people. So I decided to sit there but at a spot a little closer to the Lincoln side of Main Street. As I sat down I caught a whiff of something odd. I thought, maybe it would go away. But it continued to remain strong and I figured out it was a urine smell. I thought that was odd and then I looked up and I was right at the horsedrawn trolley stop! It figures! There was still plenty of space so I moved back to where I was the previous day, then I noticed there was lots of space in the shade at the top of the Train station. I ended up there and standing but it was fine, it was a great view.

Here was my view and see how empty the curb was!

Once the music started I couldn't stop myself from dancing. I did too, and I didn't give a hoot if people saw. I love the music in the parade. I didn't dance through the whole thing, just until Mickey came by.

I thought this looked kind of cool with a bit of Main Street, Tomorrowland, and Fantasy.

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

As the parade ended I made my way to the castle and to the little theater by it. I wanted to watch the Tangled show. It is well done with storyteller and Rapunzel & Flynn/Eugene retelling the story. There is a good amount of humor in it too.

After the show I made my way out of the park and headed over to DCA.

myhappyplace · May 14, 2017

I wish there was a Tangled show at WDW, it's one of my favorites!!

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

Once at DCA I decided to have a drink at the lounge at the Carthay Circle. I went with a mojito.

I also caught the end of the 5 and Dime show.

I decided my dinner would be some food from the Food and Wine booths.
I started with a cheese dish. The first bite was good but then it was incredibly sweet.

Then I got a beef tenderloin slider and a pork belly bun at the Garlic booth. Both of these were pretty good.

My next stop was the duck at the Lemon Grove. This was pretty disappointing. It had little flavor, and even though it was supposed to have lemon preserves there was no lemon flavor at all.

Next stop was at my favorite booth.

And this was my dinner view with what I ate at this booth.

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

myhappyplace said:
I wish there was a Tangled show at WDW, it's one of my favorites!!

Me too!

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

At the onion lair I got the Waygu beef, it was pretty tasty. I didn't eat a lot of the polenta but I did eat all my beans. I'm not big on beans but these were really fresh.

And of course I got the French Onion mac and cheese. It was delicious (again)!

I wandered around through Grizzly Peak, no rapids ride for me.

And I found the Goofy Easter egg.

After a ride on Soarin' I went into Carsland and was walking down the street when the Shaboom song came on and so did the lights. Just like in the movie! I also took a little ride on Mater's, no pictures though.

Then time for a single rider ride on Racers.

ajrwdwgirl · May 14, 2017

TIme to head out of Radiator Springs.

I found the blue area fast pass line and found a spot that I thought would be good for viewing. All the rails were taken and I didn't want to go into the wet zone. So I waited and occasionally took a few pictures, I played the World of Color game too when that came online.

Right when the show started a tall family rushed in and wedged their way in front of me. There were quite a few kids that popped up on shoulders and a lady with a giant ipad. I looked back at the dessert party people with envy. I eventually made my way through the crowd gaps and got a better view. It was nice to see an older version again, but did like the Celebrate version too.

Pirates, it was kind of cold so I liked when the flames came on.

Once the show ended I made my way to the front to get some pictures as the crowds left.

Trip Report Hippity Hoppity Easter Disneyland Solo Report

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