DISNEYLAND – mirror, mirror on the wall – who’s the fairest of them all?
Tuesday – today we have a plan! That is another famous saying like ‘abandon all hope ye who enter here’ or ‘I shall return’.
But really – after our monumental day yesterday where it seemed as if we had to get everything done in one day because the world would end – we wake ready for day 2 in the Magic Kingdom.
I can’t help waking early – it’s a habit I have – but instead of rushing around and trying to break the sound barrier – – I wait for the other two to get accustomed to the morning – say hello to the car park – have a relaxing shower and then the first decision of the day – what are we doing for breakfast or should I say brunch?
We decide another visit to the Rainforest Cafe is in order – not only do they have great food but the jungle atmosphere is awesome. Our Ranger/Waiter is not as up tempo as the one in Vegas – but she gets the job done and in no time at all we have our food in front of us and as usual it is more than we can eat.
Now I hope you are sitting down because I am about to reveal that I did not take any photos of this Rainforest Cafe. Hard to believe? Sure is.
Must have had a lapse of giant proportions – but never mind – I have found one on the web! Such a wonderful invention! With brunch over and done with we head to the Disneyland Monorail to take us to the park.
Looking at our map we decide not to walk through Downtown Disney for the next 20 minutes to get to the park entrance. The monorail is not that far from the Rainforest Cafe and going into the station we show our passes so that when we arrive in Disneyland we just walk right on in.
The monorail is the only attraction that can be boarded outside of the Park to take you inside. The stations are at Downtown Disney – where we are – and Tomorrowland. During this journey you can see aerial views of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.
HISTORY LESSON: The fleet of trains comprise the Red, Blue and Orange trains. Computer monitored, the trains are operated and controlled by onboard pilots. Thanks to an innovative painting technique, the surface of the trains shimmer with a visual electricity. The colours shift with a brush of light — from red to crimson, from blue to teal and from orange to a golden sunburst.
It’s not just a stroke of technological innovation. It’s a work of art! The Disneyland Monorail was the first transportation system of its kind in America and was based on a system discovered by Walt Disney while travelling in Germany. It first appeared in Disneyland Park in 1959 with a space age look that was enormously popular during the 1950s. The Monorail celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 14, 2009 and it is still going strong.
This is another place of no photo wilderness. What has happened? I will certainly have to lift my game.
We reach our stop and alighting in Tomorrowland we discover that we are not far from the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
This ride was originally based on the USS Nautilus – a nuclear powered submarine. The ride started in 1959 and was scrapped in 1998. A new extremely popular movie now sees the submarine resurrected and given a new name.
This is one ride we wanted to experience but the lines are so long and full of kids that we decide to give it a miss and maybe come back later during the day. We didn’t! Bummer!
We walk around Tomorrowland which seems to lose something during the day. I think the pleasure of this land is the night lights – they give it a feeling of darkness with light bursts of galaxies and space.
We go past this rocket ship which in 1955 was once the Rocket to the Moon. It was atop a building where the audience sat in seats around central viewing screens (top and bottom of the centre of the room) so that they could see where they were going as they headed away from Earth and towards other worlds.
In 1967 it changed to ‘Flight to the Moon’; and in 1975 it changed to ‘Mission to Mars’.
This ride closed in 1992 and is now Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port. How the mighty space travellers have fallen.
Continuing on we discover the Honey I Shrunk the Audience attraction and decide to give it a go. This is a 3-D sequel to the Honey I Shrunk the Kids movie with Rick Moranis as the professor. We are given our 3D glasses (recyclable) and moved into the auditorium.
The basic story is that the professor is demonstrating his shrinking machine at an inventors’ awards show and accidentally shrinks us – the audience. We are given such impressions as getting sprayed when the dog sneezes, the auditorium moving, and mice crawling up our legs which was so realistic we tried to get our feet onto the seat – it was the creepiest of the lot. All in all it’s a lot of fun and we thoroughly enjoyed being shrunk!
Back outside and into the real world – we catch the Disneyland Railroad back to Fantasyland and once again pass through the magic diorama of the Grand Canyon and Prehistory.
The conductor keeps telling people not to use flash photography – but some people just don’t listen. I manage to get some film and photos – albeit a little dark – so the use of manual settings on the camera was next to useless and we were moving – but still this is the scene of the tyrannosaurus attacking the poor old stegasaurus. I don’t hold out much hope for Stega – but it is nature’s way so there you go. We really enjoy our ride on the train and sometimes we go around twice.
As we have decided that we will stroll leisurely around Fantasyland we start at the beginning – Main Street and while we are at the top of Main Street, Minnie Mouse makes an appearance.
It’s time to do the character stampede but we have fine tuned our act and are practically the first in line. We know we will be going to Toontown tomorrow for the early parade and most probably will see Minnie and Mickey but we are not taking any chances and will be having our photos taken with every character we see! Minnie is most obliging – as are all the characters we meet and greet.
Although it is a bit iffy sometimes when all you want to do do is give them a great big hug! These poor people must think – not another hugger – but that does not deter me. After our Minnie adventure it’s time to go to Fantasyland, but instead of walking we take the horse drawn street car – it is great.
Such a leisurely way to travel and I think I prefer it to the rush and zoom of traffic 2007!
I sometimes think I was born in the wrong time. The older I get – the more I want to return to an era of a slower lifestyle. There goes the imagination again.
Speaking of which – back to Fantasyland – the happiest Kingdom of them all! This has to be my favourite Kingdom. We enter this magic land through Sleeping Beauty’s Palace of course and I could spend all day here!
But it’s time to catch up on some more childhood memories and our first fantasy is Snow White’s Scary Adventures.
Our ride cars resemble the cars that the dwarfs use in the mine so it’s hi ho, hi ho, it’s on the ride we go. Snow White is the fairest of them all and charms everyone and every creature – except for her wicked stepmother the Queen.
You all know the story – we travel past the cottage of the seven dwarfs where Snow White took refuge, the diamond mine where the seven dwarfs work and the wicked Queen after she has changed into the wicked witch!
She offers us an apple and of course we do not accept. Sadly Snow White has bitten the apple and falls into a sleep and she can only be awakened by love’s first kiss. Finally Snow White’s Prince finds her sleeping in a glass coffin because the dwarfs could not bear to bury her – and with a kiss Snow White awakens and they live happily ever after.
To think that this movie was made in 1937 and it is still as fresh and enduring today. A real Disney Classic!
Back to reality – next stop Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.
We pass through Geppetto’s village – such quaint little houses – one of which is the setting for the Heraldry Association. We go in to have a browse and I end up ordering a certificate of the origins of my father’s name Mell.
Very interesting – the motto is – wait for it – Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful. Makes me feel like I should be either a US Marine or a Golden Retriever!
Back to Pinocchio – I cannot remember what sort of vehicle was used to transport us around Pinoccs Adventures – I must admit that it did not have the same fascination for me as Snow White but it was still a film of my youth and I do like the song ‘When you wish upon a Star’ which I did manage to hum because I was in a car by myself!
Passing by all the people still waiting in line for this ride we head on down to King Arthur’s Carousel where Merlin the Magician is going to attempt to find the next King Arthur!
Merlin selects a couple of hulky males from the crowd who use their strength to try and pull the sword out of the stone – but to no avail. They huff and puff and everyone laughs. What weaklings!
Then a young boy is chosen and without so much as raising a sweat he pulls the sword out with one hand. Of course everyone cheers and applauds and he is given a certificate and a special medallion while the unsuccessful adults skulk off into the background and plan sessions at the gym no doubt. What a hoot and the kids love it of course.
The carousel is brilliant – we don’t go on for a ride – it’s worth more than our life is worth to push kids out of the way for this let me tell you. But the music is great and we listen to it for quite some time and watch the happy little rug rats having a great time.
Next up is Mr Toad’s Wild Ride. You all remember Mr Toad from Wind in the Willows? So we line up again and get into our own little car – once again I am by myself which is great although I cannot remember a song for this ride! The car seems to hurtle at 100 miles an hour up and down dale, round corners, under the ground, it’s great.
When it is time to get out Ihave to gather up all the cameras and bags that are now all over the floor of the car. Doing this while getting ready to jump out before people jump in is no mean feat but I manage not to leave anything behind and we are on our way to the next adventure ‘Peter Pan’s Flight’.
Of course everyone knows the story of Peter Pan and if you don’t then shame on you! Our carriages for this one are flying pirate ships that take us through all of Peter’s adventures in Neverland with Wendy, Michael and John – Tiger Lily and the Indians, the Lost Boys and of course Captain Hook, Smee AND the crocodile at which you never smile – – I know the story off by heart and the movie is another Disney Treasure.
This is one of the ORIGINAL Disneyland rides and it has lost none of its charm. Even the kids of today love it – so maybe there is hope for the younger generation after all!
After Peter, it’s time for the ‘Mad Tea Party’. These are the tea cups from Alice in Wonderland that spin around to represent the crazy ‘unbirthday’ tea party given by the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. You can turn the wheel to make them go fast or just enjoy a leisurely ride.
As Tyler does not travel well being spun around we take it nice and easy except for maybe 1 or 2 moments where we turn the wheel really fast – by accident of course. The music is like whistling tea pots and the three of us have a great time.
Across the way is Storybook Land Canal Boats. A wonderful place full of stories for the ankle biters.
We did not go into this one but when you get into the boat the actual entrance is the mouth of Monstro the Whale from Pinocchio.
Places inside include the house of the Three Little Pigs, Cottage of the Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan’s London and loads of other storybook places.
We still have a lot to see today – even though we are taking our time we seem to be fitting in as much today as what we did yesterday! Oh well, it’s all fun!
Character time – it’s Mary Poppins and Bert! Unfortunately we were not really quick off the mark and we practically have to hijack them as they are walking away.
Of course with Mary being ‘practically perfect in every way’ and Bert ‘ready for a jolly holiday’ they continue to smile while we pose. I just love this place!
After doing all of this – we decide to give the other park a visit – so it’s back out the entrance gates – and across to California Adventure Park.
This park is included in our Hopper Pass so we may as well make the most of it. After going through the entrance gates we walk under a small replica of the Golden Gate Bridge – and we are here.
There are sections dedicated to Toy Story – Buzz Lightyear and Woody and this place has everything Californian. Hollywood Pictures Back Lot done up to look like old Hollywood and even the sky is painted on a huge backdrop!
But before we go on any of the rides etc we must find something to eat as we have not had a substantial meal for quite some time. We are nearly at the other end of the park at Paradise Pier and we see that there is a tour of a Bakery that makes sour dough bread.
Really interesting and lots of free tasting but it isn’t enough to fill us so we visit the Pacific Wharf Cafe and get some clam chowder in a bread bowl of sour dough bread. Talk about scrumptious – it really hits the spot.
You just break off the bread, dip it in the chowder and then it’s down the hatch. Feeling nourished and hardly able to move it is now time to walk around and check out California!
We make mental notes on what we want to see but our first stop – yep back at the entrance to the park is the Muppets Vision 3D, so in we go and on go the special 3D glasses and it’s just like we are in the Muppet Theatre – even Statler and Waldorf are in their special box heckling everyone.
After laughing and thoroughly enjoying our visit with Fozzie, Kermit, Miss Piggy and all the characters we head to our next theatre where we will see the stage production of Alladin.
The show recreates many of the most famous scenes of the film and sometimes the actors even come out into the audience. Alladin and Princess Jasmine fly on the magic carpet around the theatre much to the ooooooos and aaaaaaaahs of the audience – yes I admit it, us included. I just love the genie – he is hysterical.
Coming out we walk past the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – another ride invented to put you into an early grave! This is the ride where you get into an elevator and it takes you to the top and then without any warning it drops you! I cannot for the life of me understand why people want to be frightened out of their shorts – it is another great mystery of life.
Walking back around the Hollywood Pictures Back Lot we come across a quartet singing songs of the 50’s and 60’s – just my speed – and of course I join in while K & T ‘Walk on By’. I am having a great time.
They finish and everyone gives a round of applause – thank you – thank you – and I make a dignified exit! We decide to continue our rather long walk so we head on down to Paradise Pier.
This area is based on a turn of the century amusement park – but I’m here to tell you that the rides here were much more sedate at the turn of the century! Our first glimpse of these rides especially after our feed of clam chowder, is not a good feeling and it does not take much for us to decide to give all these rides a miss!
California Screamin’ might look like a turn-of-the-century roller coaster, but be prepared to be launched into the future! Everyone looks relaxed until over the loud speaker comes ‘Launch in five, four, three, two, ONE!’ and it takes off at the speed of light and yes – everyone IS Screamin’.
The cars climb and then it’s downhill all the way. You go past the waves splashing against the rocky jetty of Paradise Bay before you fly into the sky blue “scream tube” and then twist and turn until you reach a brief stop at the top and then it dives down into the loop that winds 360 degrees around Mickey’s face. Just standing on the other side of the bay is enough for me.
As if this is not enough – there are also other rides called the Maliboomer – a ride that catapults you up 180 feet into the air and then drops you back down – some fun eh? It is while we are looking at this piece of terror that Kylie shares some trivia about it – there are ‘barf shields’. That makes me feel even better!
These rides together with the Sun Wheel and the Orange Stinger where you swing around inside a giant orange, I am here to say, are only for the brave at heart and people who have not eaten all day.
Time to move on so it’s past the Golden State Park and we end up at Soarin’ Over California. Our tummies have settled so Kylie and I decide we will see what this is like – Tyler gives it a miss.
We are shunted into a long line of chairs and then we are lifted up so that the next lot of people can get on their line of chairs. By the time we are all in we are practically at ceiling height! Then on the screen in front – another 3D experience where we feel our legs dangle free – careful not to lose your shoes – and we are suspended up to approximately 45 feet in the air.
It’s like we are on a giant hang-glider! The screen in front is the whole wall of the complex and our adventure begins as we fly over the Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite National Park, Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs, San Diego harbour, Malibu at dusk and the lights of Los Angeles. The special effects are fabulous – from being sprayed by the misty salt water of old ‘Mother Bu’ to the finish of the flight over Disneyland where we get a Tinkerbell view and are caught up in a burst of fireworks. Brilliant!
The day is getting long and after uttering those immortal words at the start of the day ‘we have a plan’ we have done as much if not more than what we did yesterday. Something is seriously amiss! As we have an early entry day tomorrow and it’s also the day of the Toontown Parade for us Official guests (so we cannot be late), and as it is a l-o-n-g walk back to the hotel (thank you Disneyland) we decide not to re-enter the main Disneyland Park and head for home and bed!
BUT – spying a Build-a-Bear workshop we go on in to see what is on offer. We are Bear fanatics so needless to say we cannot help but build some little friends to accompany us on the remaining part of our journey. But what to choose – it is all too much. Disneyland is the only workshop where you can get the Disney outfits, they are sold no where else so of course that’s an excuse (as if we needed one) to spend our money.
There is an up side to this – we also have a discount voucher because we are staying in Disneyland and we really cannot let it go to waste! After choosing outfits for our beary good friends – Kylie and I both choose original Mickey Mouse club T-shirts, jeans and mouse ears but I also must have the pirate outfit. I want them all – but I tear myself away to the ‘birthing’ room before I get a chance to grab anything else. We pick the colour and type of bear we want then the fun begins.
His cuddly insides are put in with love and wishes and a special magic heart that will give him a wonderful life is placed inside his little chest and then after a final dust off it’s cuddle time. After we have chosen a name – K & T call their new family addition Jimmy Stans’beary’ and I call mine Jack, yes not very adventurous but seeing that I love Captain Jack Sparrow and he has on his pirate outfit complete with parrot it seems to fit.
We get a special Birth Certificate printed and they are ours for life! Our new friends are now sleeping restfully in their little carry boxes so it’s time to continue to head for home.
By this stage our feet and bodies are seriously bushwacked, nevertheless we are still mobile and coherent enough to order some ice-cream cones from Haagen-Dazs.
Walking through Downtown Disney yet again I buy some pretty green thongs with little yellow flowers (that remind me of Tinkerbell) so that I can get my tired tootsies out of their sneakers and into the fresh air – but they are beyond help.
We crawl into the hotel – collapse into the lift and on reaching our room – shower and bed.
Before our heads hit the pillows we are away with Peter Pan flying to the Second Star to the right and Straight on ‘til Morning’.
Love it – love it – love it!
Highlight of the day : Fantasyland in detail & Soarin’ over California!