Trip Report Tu in ‘25

Minnie1986 · Thursday at 8:03 AM

Tuvalu said:
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.

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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!

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The poor souls in the standby queue.

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*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.

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

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The hanging corpse is very visible.

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

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

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Verdict? Let me ride a couple more times.

I'm glad that you enjoyed our version of HM; I'm excited to read your thoughts on the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay (Nightmare Before Christmas themed) when I post pics in September.

Minnie1986 · Thursday at 8:12 AM

Tony the Tigger said:
This was the highlight of our DL trip, as I had never experienced it at WDW. (I also got slightly panicky as claustrophobia crept in. It’s a very tight space.)

So glad that you got to enjoy Nemo; for me, it's either hit or miss. The last time I rode it, someone in the submarine had CRAZY B.O. and we all suffered greatly; time before that, it was lovely. I think I may still be traumatized from that last experience, though.

Minnie1986 · Thursday at 8:19 AM

lindawdw said:
We did that attraction on our last DL trip also and thought it was fun although we didn't feel the need to do it again.

It's definitely a one and done; enjoyable, but not something to run back on/repeat before you leave

Dave B · Thursday at 1:07 PM

I really wish WDW had all the fantasy land Dark Rides that Disneyland has, the ones at Disneyland are so good and fun

Tinkwings · Thursday at 2:21 PM

Tuvalu said:
We’re not waiting a stinkin’ year to ride BTMRR!

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DL BTMRR blows MK BTMRR out of the mine!

Literally.

This made my day Tu....

Tinkwings · Thursday at 5:10 PM

Tuvalu said:
Wednesday, con’t

Though we had just fueled up, Em and I were out of gas.

Despite fighting it this morning, jet lag had beaten us.

We made the wise decision to return to our room to nap. Once again it was so nice to use the park exit at the GC and be home!

I forgot to mention that the GC has nightly turndown service. Part of the service is drawing the drapes and turning on the soft up-lighting.

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Last night we received a postcard and 4 chocolates.

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We kinda wished our room had been turned down for our naps! But we were grateful our room had already been serviced and we wouldn’t be interrupted by housekeeping.

Too bad we couldn’t say that about our noisy neighbors. I wish people would be more self-aware in hotel rooms. Screaming at your kid WILL disturb those in the room next door!

Thankfully our tired bodies managed to get some rest. And I was able to book a couple LLs during our downtime.

Refreshed, Em and I went over to DL. I liked this tiny topiary outside the train tunnel.

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Not many walkers on the sunny side of the street!

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Heading for LL#4.

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It’s the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!

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Tinkwings · Thursday at 5:14 PM

Tuvalu said:
Wednesday, con’t

The queue for BTMRR is delightful when compared to the hot box at MK. And the old western town at the finale is a feast for the eyes!

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Turnstile still in use here.

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The trains load/unload from both sides of the platform.

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Em and I were very excited to ride for two reasons:
1. We did not get to ride BTMRR at MK this year.
2. We did not get to ride DL BTMRR in 2013 because it was down for refurb.

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Our wild ride exceeded our expectations! Great views, great hills and an explosive ending! Here’s hoping MK’s BTMRR will be a head-to-head competitor after its refurbishment.

Tinkwings · Thursday at 5:54 PM

@Tuvalu this was a perfect escape while I hibernate as our Air quality (smoke from Canadian wildfires) here is horrid right now. :hungover:

.....I still have 5 day park tickets for DLR from 2020 when they shut down and enough in Disney Reward dollars saved to stay at The Grand Californian........

. Someday hopefully soon...note taken on being able to do alot of stairs. Your trip reports are THE best!!!

Tuvalu · Friday at 6:05 AM

Thursday, con’t

You may recall that our ride on Alice in Wonderland did not go as planned.

It started off well and I managed to snap a few pics along our journey down the rabbit hole.

Suddenly our caterpillar stopped. And the Queen of Hearts was not happy about it.

Neither was I. Instantly the lights came on and an announcement was made that a CM would be by to get us.

Unlike the slower response at WDW (where a restart is sometimes attempted before evacuating guests), Disneyland does not mess around! There was no pausing when our caterpillar stopped - the lights just came on and our ride was done. We hadn’t even gotten to the outside part! :cry:

A CM immediately came through a nearby door to free us. We followed her into a backstage area and then down stairs to an exterior exit.

A clandestine pic!

The CM told us that we could do one of two things. When the ride reopened, we could reenter via the load zone exit and tell the CM stationed there we’d been evacuated. We would then get to board the next available caterpillar.

Or we could see the CM “under the mushroom” who would give us a Multi-Experience LL. We could use the MELL for Alice by following the same procedure above. Or we could use the MELL at any attraction that utilizes LL.

We opted to see Mushroom CM who loaded the MELL into our app.

Then we went to visit an awesome themed restroom, which was adjacent to the door we evacuated from.

There was a different playing card on each stall door!

Tuvalu · Friday at 6:10 AM

Minnie1986 said:
I'm glad that you enjoyed our version of HM; I'm excited to read your thoughts on the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay (Nightmare Before Christmas themed) when I post pics in September.

I’m looking forward to your TR!

Dave B said:
I really wish WDW had all the fantasy land Dark Rides that Disneyland has, the ones at Disneyland are so good and fun

Agree!

Tuvalu · Friday at 6:24 AM

Tinkwings said:
@Tuvalu this was a perfect escape while I hibernate as our Air quality (smoke from Canadian wildfires) here is horrid right now......I still have 5 day park tickets for DLR from 2020 when they shut down and enough in Disney Reward dollars saved to stay at The Grand Californian......... Someday hopefully soon...note taken on being able to do alot of stairs. Your trip reports are THE best!!!

I’m glad I could provide you some entertainment during your hibernation from the smoke (which hopefully won’t linger much longer!)

I know you and I are similar in our hotel style preferences and am confident you will love the GC. To stay on reward dollars will be the cherry on top! Having your tickets pre-paid (albeit for the reason) will also be a nice savings.

Here’s to a DL vacation in a couple years!

Tinkwings · Friday at 9:58 AM

Tuvalu said:
Thursday, con’t

You may recall that our ride on Alice in Wonderland did not go as planned.

It started off well and I managed to snap a few pics along our journey down the rabbit hole.

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Suddenly our caterpillar stopped. And the Queen of Hearts was not happy about it.

View attachment 874132

Neither was I. Instantly the lights came on and an announcement was made that a CM would be by to get us.

View attachment 874134

Unlike the slower response at WDW (where a restart is sometimes attempted before evacuating guests), Disneyland does not mess around! There was no pausing when our caterpillar stopped - the lights just came on and our ride was done. We hadn’t even gotten to the outside part!

View attachment 874133

A CM immediately came through a nearby door to free us. We followed her into a backstage area and then down stairs to an exterior exit.

View attachment 874135A clandestine pic!

The CM told us that we could do one of two things. When the ride reopened, we could reenter via the load zone exit and tell the CM stationed there we’d been evacuated. We would then get to board the next available caterpillar.

Or we could see the CM “under the mushroom” who would give us a Multi-Experience LL. We could use the MELL for Alice by following the same procedure above. Or we could use the MELL at any attraction that utilizes LL.

We opted to see Mushroom CM who loaded the MELL into our app.

Then we went to visit an awesome themed restroom, which was adjacent to the door we evacuated from.

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There was a different playing card on each stall door!

That is on my DLR bucket list, but OH to see behind the attraction, and that well themed bathroom.......soooooooo cool.

Tinkwings · Friday at 10:03 AM

Tuvalu said:
Thursday, con’t

You may recall that our ride on Alice in Wonderland did not go as planned.

It started off well and I managed to snap a few pics along our journey down the rabbit hole.

View attachment 874128

View attachment 874129

View attachment 874130

View attachment 874131

Suddenly our caterpillar stopped. And the Queen of Hearts was not happy about it.

View attachment 874132

Neither was I. Instantly the lights came on and an announcement was made that a CM would be by to get us.

View attachment 874134

Unlike the slower response at WDW (where a restart is sometimes attempted before evacuating guests), Disneyland does not mess around! There was no pausing when our caterpillar stopped - the lights just came on and our ride was done. We hadn’t even gotten to the outside part!

View attachment 874133

A CM immediately came through a nearby door to free us. We followed her into a backstage area and then down stairs to an exterior exit.

View attachment 874135A clandestine pic!

The CM told us that we could do one of two things. When the ride reopened, we could reenter via the load zone exit and tell the CM stationed there we’d been evacuated. We would then get to board the next available caterpillar.

Or we could see the CM “under the mushroom” who would give us a Multi-Experience LL. We could use the MELL for Alice by following the same procedure above. Or we could use the MELL at any attraction that utilizes LL.

We opted to see Mushroom CM who loaded the MELL into our app.

Then we went to visit an awesome themed restroom, which was adjacent to the door we evacuated from.

View attachment 874136

There was a different playing card on each stall door!

OOOH the MELL option.....I would have chosen that too.....I really enjoy your relaying your interactions to the CM's on your adventure.....

I love that they let you go on again so it didn't mess with your LL.....

That has always been something memorable and appreciated as rounding out your adventure and minimizing snags that can become jewels......

Tinkwings · Friday at 10:04 AM

Tuvalu said:
I’m glad I could provide you some entertainment during your hibernation from the smoke (which hopefully won’t linger much longer!)

I know you and I are similar in our hotel style preferences and am confident you will love the GC. To stay on reward dollars will be the cherry on top! Having your tickets pre-paid (albeit for the reason) will also be a nice savings.

Here’s to a DL vacation in a couple years!

Yup I just have to pay any price increase on the tickets.....I had paid for MAXPASS each day so that will help soften it a wee bit.

Tuvalu · Friday at 12:44 PM

Thursday, con’t

Em and I continued our dark ride quest, hoping to avoid another evacuation. Gone from MK - but not forgotten - Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

A little time travel….

Fun fact: Em rode west coast Toad two months before east coast Toad was replaced by Pooh in June 1999. (Hold your pitchforks, but she and I are happier with Pooh.)

The chandeliers in Toad Hall are quite elegant.

Excuse the glare in the next two pics.

The ride has a quick in-and-out at the start.

A little something different to catch the attention of those waiting for their turn.

It is hard to sum up this attraction in one word. Wacky? Scary? Bizarre? Fun? What do you say about a ride where you get hit by a train and wind up in hell (where the literal heat is turned way up?)

Perhaps you say nothing and just go along for the ride.

Tuvalu · Friday at 1:26 PM

Thursday, con’t

On our first family visit to Disneyland, we noticed that every ride had a warning sign (appropriately themed to each attraction of course

) which stated:

Not to make light of these potential dangers, but you can imagine the joking between two adolescent boys that these signs invoked. The “cancer signs” became family fodder that continued on subsequent visits. Even Em and I made fun of them on our last trip in 2013.

I began noticing this replacement sign in each attraction yesterday.

Kudos - the same CA legal requirement is now posted in a less scary way!

Speaking of scary, Em and I were about to face the Wicked Queen.

Several of the classic dark rides have been updated with some modern-day touches, thanks to technology. The use of a few screens with animation really improve the storytelling and make the experience even better.

Em loved Snow White.

Tuvalu · Friday at 2:09 PM

Next up -

Oops, wrong photo.

Better.

“Wow - that was a dark dark ride!” Em said at the conclusion.

Needless to say, Pinocchio was a one and done.

But I would have given it another try.

Tuvalu · Friday at 4:25 PM

Three dark rides in 20 minutes along with the good news from Em that Alice had reopened!

We hurried there and joined the queue, as there was only about 15 people ahead of us.

But here’s a reminder from the live part:

Tuvalu said:
Update - ride reopened.
We got back in line.

Four people away from boarding, the ride shut down again!

Em: “At least we weren’t on it!”

So we pivoted to Plan B - the Storybook Land Canal Boats.

Each 12 person boat floats past mini models of enchanting homes and villages from classic Disney movies.

Since the ride occupancy is low, the wait time can grow quickly. We watched as a new boat entered the rotation.

This may have even been our boat. I can’t say for sure because the load/unload process takes awhile. The boat has to remain carefully balanced so it won’t tip over!

The Casey Junior MPB came down the track as we waited to board our boat. We’ve (uncomfortably) ridden this in the past and opted not to this time. The train goes by most of the miniatures we would see from the water anyway.