Trip Report Tu in ‘25

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tu in ‘25

These lyrics came to mind when I thought about my trip reporting. (I also thought, Here we go AGAIN but the above sounds much more poignant.) It’s now that time of year when my Disney trips are frequent. And this Disney Senior loves sharing her visits with y’all because your engagement makes it fun!

Yes, there will be stuff that’s the same. Yes, there will be surprises (too soon for the reveals). And yes, there will be sun rises!

Spring break countdown is at 4 days.

Since this intro needs a picture, here are Tu.

 

[cgersic]

That smile on Em's face is enough to get me out to California and DL!!!!

 

[Dave B]

Tuesday, con’t

Em liked what she saw on the menu.

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If you enjoy dining al fresco, the Disneyland Resort is your place. The seating areas of most restaurants are outdoors, usually under cover. Such a nice change from WDW (where the climate prevents it!)

I found a table while Em picked up our food. She had the brisket sandwich (which she declared her favorite food of the week) and I had the tasty brisket salad.

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Our view was wonderful! We watched the steamboat go by.

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And then it was the sailing ship’s turn.

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We were completely relaxed and fully immersed in the beauty of life on the river.

As we were eating, a huge smile suddenly appeared across Em’s face and she started bobbing her head. “Can you hear the song?” she asked me.

I hadn’t noticed the Hungry Bear music until now. I recognized “Try Everything”, the song Trixie sings in MK’s Country Bear Musical Jamboree - which is Em’s favorite number. Hence the smile!

We paid close attention to the following songs and all were the full-length versions (not clipped like in the attraction) of the tunes sung by the bears in CBMJ. How fun!

As we were leaving we saw each bear had a portrait on the restaurant wall. Sadly the glass was very reflective.

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Fun fact: this restaurant is so named because it was adjacent to DL’s Country Bear Jamboree attraction. The attraction closed years ago and was replaced by one of my faves….which is coming up next.

When you get on Pooh. look back after the third turn, I believe, and they still have the head of the talking moose up on
the wall from the old bear jamboree

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

When you get on Pooh. look back after the third turn, I believe, and they still have the head of the talking mouse up on
the wall from the old bear jamboree

Talking mouse? It is Max, Buff, and Melvin and they are a deer, buffalo, and moose. It is fun to see them on the wall but if you are in the back row of the Pooh ride vehicle it is harder to spot them.

 

[Tuvalu]

@Tuvalu these guys aren't the Dapper Dans they are the Straw Hatters.

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

Pooh! (But not Arty.)

There’s no interactive queue here because the queue is short and small! We waited 9 minutes according to Em’s watch.

Instead of a Hunny Pot, guests ride in a Beehive.

Three row seating accommodates more guests. (A comfortable 6 vs. a squished 6 at MK.)

Very realistic interior!

@Dave B and @ajrwdwgirl we had a quick glance back at the CBJ trophy, but it’s dark and hard to see.

Pooh is at his party here!

I loved the whimsy of the Beehive vehicles, but they don’t bounce with Tigger. The attraction is still fun, but I have to give MK’s Pooh ride the edge over DL’s.

 

[LadyBelle]

Want to know another difference between DL and WDW?

They also still use the pew pew during the ride, don’t they?

 

[Tuvalu]

They also still use the pew pew during the ride, don’t they?

Our skipper fired the gun with real gunshots!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Our skipper fired the gun with real gunshots!

Isn’t that fun to hear on the boats!?!. I read somewhere that Michael Eisner made them bring it back when he found out they had stopped. If that true or not I don’t know but it is a fun story. I guess it is also supposed to be to serve as a locator for the dock crew so they know that boat is close to docking and can also be used to signal boat distress (3 shots fired).

 

[mpaulam]

Haven’t been here in ages but was happy to see you had a trip to Disneyland! The more I read/hear about it, the more I think we need to visit…

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

I mentioned in my intro that Em wanted us to add Lightning Lane MultiPass to our tickets. It was an all-or-nothing deal, meaning we had to purchase LLMP for every ticketed day. When she told me that there were many attractions that didn’t utilize Lightning Lane, and that LLMP worked the same way as WDW’s former Genie+ (which I hated!), I was skeptical. Would spending extra money for it really be a good choice?

Well….

LLMP ended up being a great time-saver! The downside was we ended up criss-crossing the parks a lot (but hey, more daily steps in!) and we “pounded” rides (but hey, we got experience everything we wanted!)

For simplicity’s sake I will shorten LLMP to LL from this part forward. (And LL Single Pass to SP.)

At the Disneyland Resort, you have to be scanned into a park before making your first LL selection. You can make another LL after using the first or 2 hours after booking it, if the return time is later than two hours from the time of booking. So while it is possible to “stack” LLs, you do need to return during the “booked” hour window to use the LL. There’s not much of a grace period.

Em had booked a LL for Haunted Mansion the moment we entered DL. A little more than two hours later we were able to redeem it.

Em immediately commented that the hearse here is white, while MK’s is black.

I said it was probably to match the unassuming white mansion, where ghosts are supposed to be a surprise once you’re inside. The exterior of MK’s HM is creepy from the outset!

The poor souls in the standby queue.

*SPOILER ALERT*

“Is this room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination?” In Florida, yes - the room itself is stretching upward. But in California, the “stretching room” is actually an elevator which descends downward.

Upon entering, guests wait here for one of the two elevator doors to open.

The portraits on the wall seem taller here, though that may be an illusion.

The hanging corpse is very visible.

Once the doors open guests have a longer walk to reach the load zone.

And the “Hurry Back!” ghost is seen after you’ve disembarked your doom buggy and are on the exit escalator.

Verdict? Let me ride a couple more times.

 

[Loco_driver]

A comfortable 6 vs. a squished 6 at MK

The beehive seats are quite uncomfortable if you’re tall. I’m sure most have no issue with them though!

 

[dizfan917]

I've always enjoyed the "hairy back..." lady at the end of HM.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Thought of you @Tony the Tigger when I saw this print in the bathroom.

Because of the chipmunks?

Or because of the bathroom?

I’m told I went to Disneyland as a toddler, but clearly have no memory of going

But your userid is…

 

[lindawdw]

I am loving your DL TR!!! Every time we've visited DL, I find myself comparing everything to WDW. I think that the majority of DL attractions are better, but there is just something about the ambiance of WDW that I miss when I'm at DL. I am really enjoying your commentary of the rides. Staying on-site is just so much more convenient at DL especially when it's a short trip!

 

[Tuvalu]

The beehive seats are quite uncomfortable if you’re tall. I’m sure most have no issue with them though!

I've always enjoyed the "hairy back..." lady at the end of HM.

I’ll never be able to unhear that!

I think that the majority of DL attractions are better, but there is just something about the ambiance of WDW that I miss when I'm at DL.

I think I’ll miss the ambiance of DL the next time I’m at MK!

 

[Tuvalu]

Because of the chipmunks?

Or because of the bathroom?

 

[MickeyCB]

I still have many pages to catch up but had to comment here that I have to get that magnet.
During most of Seth's youth he said I was this lady! Even drew me a picture of her for Mother's Day one year!

 

[Tuvalu]

Tuesday, con’t

I knew there was a west coast Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, but I presumed it was located at DCA - the “studio” park.

Em had to correct me at least twice. I felt like such a newb!

For the record, MMRR is in Mickey’s Toontown at DL. And Em had gotten us a LL(#2) for it.

We stood in front of the attraction for a minute or so, trying to figure out what it replaced. Toontown isn’t very big.

“I think it was Mickey and Minnie’s houses,” Em said. “Remember we went in to meet Mickey and we weren’t very impressed?”

Vaguely. But she’d been right about everything else, so I agreed.

I won’t keep y’all in suspense. MMRR is far superior here! The theming of the exterior and interior of the venue is wonderfully cohesive with the Perfect Picnic cartoon. The attraction doesn’t feel shoehorned in like it does at DHS. With our LL we skipped most of the queue which is rich with details (and puns!)

 

[Tuvalu]

There are a few minor differences west coast vs. east and it was fun to spot them. Almost like riding MMRR for the first time!

 

[riverside]

I still have many pages to catch up but had to comment here that I have to get that magnet.
During most of Seth's youth he said I was this lady! Even drew me a picture of her for Mother's Day one year!

I’m promised @lindawdw that she could have mine. As I was reading this I was talking to R. I asked him if he wanted his & he said no so it’s yours!!
Seth said you were her!!