After I sent out my report for my Disneyland trip at the beginning of June, Andy, my best friend, called me up and said "You know, reading your trip reports makes us want to join you in a trip to Disneyland." I asked "So when do you want to go?" He answered "How does the beginning of August sound?" I said "Sounds' good to me." He then told me that he wanted to keep the trip as a surprise for his wife Michelle. Maybe Disney should give me a commission for this. ;)
Anyway, over the next few weeks we firmed up our plans (which did change over time). In the end we booked two rooms at the Magic Carpet Motel which is right across Katella from Disneyland and made our plans to drive down Thursday morning and return Sunday afternoon.
Even though I said we could come up with a good cover story for my accompanying them (I was going to claim we were going to San Diego), Andy decided to spring the surprise beforehand. I hand the reporting over to him:
One night during dinner I played the "Heigh Ho Mozart" CD. [Which I had "won" at the first ba-add trivia contest, but since I already had it, I gave it to them --Sean]
Remember, we saw Dori and Larry's wedding video last weekend. [Dori and Larry are mutual friends who live in Northdridge; they've been wonderful hosts for some of my other trips -S]
Remember the way you had looked? [I was fatter, had longer hair, and a beard in addition to my moustache. I resembled "Beast" -S]
Well, when the CD reached "Beauty and the Beast", I said, "Oh, this song reminds me, guess where Sean is going this weekend?"
She guessed "Disneyland."
"And who's he going with?"
At that point she figured it out.
Andy and I decided that we would leave on Thursday morning. Since I didn't want to cross the bay during commute hours, I decided to spend Wednesday night at their place in Redwood City. To kick off the evening, Andy and I went to watch the San Francisco Giants' class A farm team, the San Jose Giants battle the Modesto A's. San Jose features some of my favorite barbecue and they have one of my favorite promotions -- The Beer Batter; If the Beer Batter strikes out and it's not the 7th inning yet, beer is half price for the next 15 minutes. In all of the times that we have gone to San Jose this year, we had never seen the Beer Batter strike out (though we remember one time last year in which we saw the Beer Batter get a hat trick -- by his third time at bat, folks were lining up at the beer windows when he was on deck ;).
This time the best BBQ item (the chicken) was sold out, because about a thousand GE employees were in the park. Still, I enjoyed my Italian Sausage (with grilled onions and peppers) and potato salad. During the first two at bats, the beer batter had simple outs. Eventually, Andy and I wandered from the third base side (which is where the BBQ and our favorite beer stand are) to the stands on the first base side. After watching a competitive race around the bases, we eagerly awaited the beer batter. He fouled the first pitch off-- strike one. He wiffed at the second -- strike two. He fouled off the third. Then the pitcher threw the ball, and, wiff! Strike three! and as "Roll out the Barrel" was playing, we calmly walked back to the third base side beer stand (it's our favorite because it's the only one that serves something other than Bud or Heneiken.) We were shocked that only about 6 people were in front of. One of the vendors shouted up to the stands full of GE employees and said "C'mon GE people! Oh! You guys suck!" Andy and I enjoyed our half-price Hoppy Face Ambers ($2 instead of the ridiculous $4).
Another of our favorite contests at San Jose is one where the Giants players throw baseballs at a truck's headlights. Again, this year we had never seen a player even come close to shattering one of the lights. This time we were delighted by the satisfying "crash" of breaking glass.
To top off the evening, the Giants won the game in the bottom of the 9th after their "stopper" had blown the save in the top of the inning. A most satisfying evening.
We decided that we were going to wake up at about 6:30 the next morning so we could get to Anaheim by about 3pm. Unfortunately for me, I did not get that much sleep. Before going to sleep I got to a particularly interesting part of Ayn Rand's _Atlas_Shrugged_, which kept me up 'till about 1am (don't you hate it when that happens?). Then, I ended up waking up at 5:30am. It seems that before taking off for Disneyland, I have this habit of waking up during the hour of the wolf. I decided going back to sleep would be pointless, so I did some more reading and took care of what preparations I could without waking up Andy or Michelle.
Once they woke up, we all got ready. I got one surprise though. At 7:30, my cell phone rang. "Who would be calling you at this hour?", Andy asked. I had some guesses but they were wrong -- It was my friend Laura Ackley (whom we also call La) asking me for advice on where she and Steve (her SO) could stay around Disneyland that would be comparable to the Saga Inn. I couldn't remember the Anaheim Area Hotel web site but I knew the Disneyland Information Guide had a link. She found it and thanked me. She also mentioned that she was going to be in LA for SIGGRAPH and that maybe we could get together either Saturday or Sunday. If not, she said I should come down again the following weekend and join her and Steve in the park. [No, I didn't go down the following week, but I was tempted.]
That wasn't the only surprise call. Adrienne "AVBalloons" Vincent called to see if I could contact Ammy Hill who was moving to LA that day. I didn't know how to get in touch with Ammy, but I did refer her to the bay area a.d.d mailing list; Maybe someone on ba-add would know how to get in touch with her. At the same time Adrienne and I confirmed plans to meet in the park.
The rest of the drive down was uneventful. Andy took the first leg (I joked that it was because he didn't want me to instinctively turn onto 17 off of 85) taking 85 around the bottom of San Jose to 101, then 152 over Pacheco Pass to I5. I took over the driving duties, and after we stopped for lunch in Buttonwillow, we finished the journey to the Magic Kingdom, getting to the hotel at around 3pm. During the drive I laughed when I saw the first Light Magic billboard, strategically placed just before Magic Mountain (oops, I mean Six Flags California).
Our first stop was Rod's, where we met up with Tim Castro. Tim and Andy were roommates back when both were at Cal and hadn't seen each other since Tim moved back to LA last year. After a stop at the Village Haus for a snack, we made our way to New Orleans Square for rides on the Haunted Mansion and Pirates (I also stopped at Pieces of Eight, but Fortune Red wasn't working). We also stopped at the Gallery where I pointed out the Disney initials and some of the new Tomorrowland exhibit.
After that, we went over to see the 6pm Pocahontas show. I had never seen it before, and I wanted to see it before it went away. It was ok, but nowhere near as good as the old Beauty and the Beast show, or the Festival of Fools.
Since the sun was starting to set, we went over to the Jungle Cruise so they could get the daytime cruise. As we were in the queue of the CMs told a series of jokes, which I enjoyed.
Ok folks, it's time to play "name that attraction."
Name that attraction.
[CM makes wooshing and roaring sounds into the mic]
If you answered "The Matterhorn," you are right. Ping!
Name that attraction.
[CM makes the neighing sound of goat]
If you answered "Big Thunder Mountain," you are right. Ping!
Name that attraction.
[CM goes "Clop clop clop clop"]
If you answered "Main Street Horse Drawn Carriage,"
you are right. Ping!
Name that attraction.
[CM goes "Tick....Tock....Tick....Tock"]
If you answered 'it's a small world', you are right. Ping!
Name that attraction.
[CM pauses and then whines "Can we go now?"]
If you answered "Light Magic," you are right. Ping!
Our skipper, Katie (who did a great job and talked to the attacking natives), also did a Light Magic joke. At the return to civilization, she said "And, as you leave the parking lot tonight, be sure to enjoy Disney's newest parade -- 'Tail-light Magic'. The best part of this parade? You supply the music!". I thanked her for being a good skipper and she said "You're welcome. Have fun in the park."
By this time we were ready for dinner. We noticed the new menu at the Plaza Pavilion and decided that pasta was a good thing...and even better, we could be serenaded by Rod. As we finished our dinner, Light Magic started, and Andy and Michelle got their first glimpse of the "streetacular". I said that we should catch the second show.
During Light Magic, we went over to Indy, and I pointed out a few things in the queue: Tony Baxter's initials, where we crossed under the train tracks, John Cleese's voice, and the Eeyore sign (someone had set off the pole just as we entered the spike room). After we boarded our jeep (I got to drive), we were surprised to hear Sallah point out that the vehicle ahead was going to receive earthly riches (We'd never heard Sallah tell us about the vehicle in front of us before). Unfortunately, when we returned from our attempted view of the future, Sallah gave the Fountain of Youth spiel (drat).
We then went over to Tomorrowland to ride Space Mountain. Andy and Michelle had never experienced the music before. The ride was fun as always.
After that, we went back to Main Street where folks were getting ready for Light Magic. Andy and Michelle were tired, and had planned to use their early entry the next day. Even though I had less sleep, I was not tired and decided to watch Light Magic; I wanted to see how the show looked when the Pixies weren't wearing masks. We got a spot in front of the Blue Ribbon Bakery that was close enough that I could see everything that was going on. It was nice to see the pixies close up, interact with the kids, and so on. When they mentioned pixie dust, Tim and I did say "Don't do it Mickey! It's only free the first time." (Thanks again to Kimberly Rufer-Bach for the line) When the "Summer Shower" arrived, I made sure to watch all of the Tinkerbell effect, and then instead of watching the film, I watched Mickey and his pixie act out and react to what was being shown (very nice). So, yes, the show was better...but it still doesn't do anything for me...I'll watch FoF and Fantasmic instead.
After that, Tim and I hung around Rod's for the finale. We couldn't believe it, but a CM told us not to spin the umbrellas. Argh! Next stop? The jungle cruise. While we were waiting for our boat, the same CM whom had done the "Name that attraction" joke, jokingly commented to people in line not to bother Jacob, the CM behind the net. Then he added some more attractions to "Name that attraction":
Name that attraction.
[CM imitates the Fantasmic music]
If you answered "Fantasmic," you are right. Ping!
Name that attraction.
[CM sings "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me"]
If you answered "Pirates of the Caribbean," you are right. Ping!
Our skipper drew the ride out just long enough so he didn't have to go around again...After that, Tim and I went to Snow White's Wishing Well, where we did the traditional coin toss. We then strolled down Main Street, during which I jokingly said "Maybe I should give Cindy a call and see if she's still at work." No, I didn't call. After that, we took the tram out to Thumper, where Tim walked to his car, and I walked back to the Motel.
It had been a long day. And I slept very well.
I decided to kick off the next morning with a ride on Splash Mountain. Upon entering the park, I noticed something different about the Disneyland Today -- the show information on the front was tri-colored (red, blue, and green). It made the schedule much easier to read. Another thing I had figured out -- it was my 5th consecutive issue of DL Today (I had visited on July 6th, 17th, 18th, and 31st, so I was able to accumulate 5 weeks' worth) I had just missed rope drop, and by the time I had reached Splash Mountain, the line was already about 20 minutes long. The ride was fun as always. One thing about Splash Mountain--I've always wanted to go through the Zip-a-dee-doo-dah room when the train was passing through so I could wave at the passengers. As the log entered the room, I heard a whistle, which made me perk up. It turns out that the Doo-dah Lady sports a steamboat whistle which I had never really noticed before.
My next planned stop was Toon Town, but as I was walking past the River Belle Terrace, I spotted Andy and Michelle having breakfast. They mentioned that they had gotten into the park at about 7, and had hit Indy, and a few of the Fantasyland rides and finally Splash Mountain. I said "How does Toon Town sound?"
Our exploration of Toon Town began with a quick spin on Gadgets Go Coaster followed by a detailed exploration of Mickey's House. As I said after my visit on Disneyland's Birthday, I really appreciate the detail that was put into Mickey's House. After I pointed out the hidden Donald and Goofy in the piano roll, we went on to the movie barn to see The Big Cheese himself. We got to see the Band Concert stage, and I snapped a photo of Andy and Michelle with the Mouse.
To contrast, visiting Minnie's House is a pale reward. Minnie is at the front of her house, and that meant that the queue to see Minnie was all outside. We could tell that Friday was going to be a scorcher just by standing in that line. Minnie was fun though...I gave her a kiss and she blushed. When we said that we wouldn't tell Mickey she "laughed". After you visit with Minnie, you get to explore the rest of her house and stop at Minnie's wishing well.
We then stopped at Donald's boat, which is a bit more disappointing. Sure, you can toot the horn, look through the periscope, and press a few buttons, but Ho Hum. I'd have like to have seen Donald get a place for his memorabilia like Mickey and Minnie have.
To end the toon town visit on an up note, we played around with gadgets around the Gag Factory ("What do I look like? A mailbox or something?") and then did our first bit of shopping. Michelle needed a hat, and I saw a cute little Mickey Mouse pin which is now on my Cal hat. Michelle found a hat with several of the Disney characters on it. Another hat I liked was the "Mickey through the years" hat, but I didn't but it. We combined our purchases to take advantage of my AP discount.
As we exited Toon Town, we decided to spend 15 minutes in air conditioned torture, er, I mean splendor. Yes, we took the obligatory ride on "it's a small world". Now, I'll admit it...I enjoy it's a small world, but then again, I am a Disney wacko(tm). During my last visit, Judi Lane had commented that the music used to have more cultural variations. What I think happened was that when they redid the sound system, they turned up the volume of the background music which drowns out more of the individual audioanimatronics...then again, I could be wrong. As we were riding, I could see that the heat and the early morning wake up had taken it's toll on Andy and Michelle. I suggested that after we met up with Adrienne, they could take a nap...especially since it would be the hottest part of the day.
Our next stop was the classic Princess Storytelling. Those of you who have read my previous accounts know that I really enjoy this. Storytelling is kind of a poor name for it, because the princess and her assistant don't just read the story...they actually act it out, and get members of the audience to participate along. It's a lot of fun. We were treated to Cinderella and Justin as the assistant. Cinderella told her own story and Justin played all of the other speaking parts; He was awesome, as always. Andy and Michelle were really glad I took them to see it, and had me take a picture of them with Justin. Now unless you found the first act of Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods" utterly boring, you really should catch this. It takes place in Tinkerbell's Toy Shop every day at 11am, noon, and 1pm.
After some window shopping, we waited for Adrienne over at Rod's. She, Tony Phoenix and Bruce (a balloon twister who was visiting the area) didn't keep us waiting long. Andy and Michelle were tired and decided to retreat to the hotel for a few hours. We made plans to meet them at 5.
I had a great time hanging out with Adrienne, Tony, and Bruce... We hit a few rides: Space Mountain, Star Tours, the Matterhorn, and the Haunted Mansion. We also made an attempt to ride Splash Mountain, but as we were waiting, it went down. Before it went down I learned that if you spot some people switch off in a rented wheelchair to note the rental number and inform a CM. I wish I had thought of that during my last trip, in which I saw two jerks first toss some trash into the waterfall behind the Country Bear Playhouse exit queue, and then get into a rented wheelchair.
One note about the Haunted Mansion...This was my first ride on the Haunted Mansion with a wheelchair guest. We entered through the side door next to the original pet cemetery (Adrienne mentioned that enough CMs put cigarettes in the frog's mouth that she wondered if they ever got around to giving the frog "The Patch"). During the ride, Tony pointed out a few things that I should have known from the FAQ (see the ravens?) The next fun part was getting to stay in the Doom Buggy after the normal exit area, and ride back around past the control room into the loading area. The last fun part was riding "up" in the stretching room ("Is this room actually shrinking? Or is it your imagination?")
Our next stop was the Disney Gallery; Because we were with Tony, we got to take the elevator and wander through the Club 33 kitchen (oooh). The new exhibit is fantastic -- though the video running in the New Tomorrowland room gets annoying really quickly. At least in the Old Tomorrowland room, you get to hear the audio from several of the attractions that have now gone to yesterland; You have to spend quite a bit of time in there to hear it cycle through (and according to e-mail I've received, you shouldn't rest against the walls ;).
While Bruce, Adrienne, and Tony were looking in the Main Street shops, I went to Rod's to meet Andy and Michelle again. They said that they had a good nap, and were ready for a long evening. When everyone sle got back, we had to figure out where to eat. Adrienne and Tony were interested in pasta from the Plaza Pavilion, which we had eaten at the day before. We all ended up deciding to go to the Monorail Cafe.
Of course, we took the Monorail. Because the Monorail queue is wheelchair accessible, we didn't get to bypass it. Still, Adrienne and Bruce kept us and a bunch other kids amused by making some balloon animals (yes, they both packed plenty of balloons). One of the Monorail CMs said that he also could make balloon shapes, but always had trouble blowing up his balloons; Adrienne demonstrated her balloon inflation technique.
When we were seated in the Cafe, there were several tables with kids. They all received balloons, but that wasn't the highlight of the evening. During our meal, which was pretty good, we heard the staff lead everyone in Happy Birthday. Adrienne and Bruced jumped up and went to the birthday table and made more balloon animals. The folks at the table were so impressed, they gave Adrienne and Bruce a tip...which ended up going back to the staff of the Cafe.
After dinner, Bruce, Michelle, Andy and I went over to Balloo's Bargains, after a quick stop at Bruce's room (yep, he was staying at the DL hotel). He gave each of us one of the toiletries that was in the bathroom (I got the shampoo, which I needed since the Magic Lamp didn't have any). When we got to Balloo's, I pointed out the barrels of MSEP Key chains on sale for $1. A CM overheard me and said "and we have plenty more in stock." She said that they should lower the price. Andy suggested that they should give one away with every purchase.
We then took the hotel tram back to the park. Bruce had never seen Light Magic, and Andy and Michelle only got a brief glimpse. Adrienne and Tony secured a spot in the Disabled guests section, so I took Bruce, Andy, and Michelle to that place. I then took off for the Festival of Fools to meet up with Cindy Yan. Cindy showed up not too long after I had grabbed a spot with the Hunchies. After yet another outstanding show, we took off for the Rivers of America to help secure the prime Fantasmic viewing spot. While we waited for Adrienne, Tony, Bruce, Andy, and Michelle, we wished that guest control had done their job and prevented people from walking through the viewing area. I can't recall how many times we shouted "This is not a walkway. The walkway is back there!"
Anyway, once everyone else made it over, we got new CMs who had some type of a clue. At the same time, Adrienne and Bruce entertained our area with more balloon animals. During the show itself, we weren't too intrusive. We didn't shout out any lines; nor did we stand up. We did blow bubbles, which generated laughter and shouts of "hey! that's cool!" from the guests around us, and then a shout of "cut out the bubbles!" from one of the CMs (it didn't matter, that part was over by the time they complained). We also held up our marshmallows at the appropriate time. Andy and Michelle really enjoyed the experience. I can't wait for the Fantasmic 3-D meet on the 23rd.
After Fantasmic, some of us went to Rod's, while others went to Indy. This time we were allowed to spin the umbrellas. ;) We then waited at the Jungle Cruise for Adrienne, Tony, Bruce, and Cindy...they cut it very close. We managed to catch the last boat out. Our skipper didn't rush it, but I can't remember any of his jokes.
After the Jungle Cruise ride, we introduced Andy and Michelle to Walt's Little Friend, the Snow White coin toss, and the winter wonderland walk down Main Street. Thankfully, Cindy gave us a ride back to the Motel.
Again, it was another long day...and again I slept well.
Andy and Michelle had made plans to have brunch with Andy's brother that morning, so I again headed off to the park on my own. We wanted to have a late lunch at the Blue Bayou, so my first stop was to make reservations for the three of us at 2:10. When I made my reservation I was given a simple sheet of paper to remind me of my reservation instead of the really nice cards they had handed out before. I asked the CM about it and she said "Oh, we ran out of the cards and are ordering new ones." That bothers me...You'd think that DL could get new cards printed up long before running out.
After that, it was off to Critter Country. Before I took off to the park, Karen O'Mara said to me "Be sure to ride Splash Mountain for me". Since I didn't want to break a promise, I did just that. It was only 10 minutes before I got to sit in the front of a log and get nice and wet. I still wasn't lucky enough to catch the train.
After that I decided to get a small bite for breakfast. A jazz trio (consisting of a string bass, baritone sax, and banjo) was playing next to the Veranda. I enjoy music with my meals, and was in the mood for an apple fritter. I then got my second NOS disappointment for the day...they no longer make the apple fritters. Instead you can buy three bite sized fritters with raspberry dipping sauce. I went ahead and got that with some coffee (No, I didn't buy one of the Fantasmic mugs, but I'll think about that next time) and orange juice. I sat for a while and wrote a short postcard to a friend.
I then wandered into Pieces of Eight, and got a surprise to counteract my disappointment -- Fortune Red was working! Here's what he said:
A light-hearted hand on the tiller brightens yer cruise an' all that ye do. What began as a voyage dull as the doldrums, has changed to a jolly passage because o' yer ability to take advantage o' favorable winds. But lay to, matey, afore yer zeal sails ye plumb out o' the blue round o' the sea. Take a leisurely stroll through the streets o' New Orleans Square and observe each charmin' detail. 'Twill put yer sights into proper perspective, for mark well me words, matey: Large gates swing on small hinges.
I followed Fortune Red's advice and took a nice stroll before heading over to Space Mountain. I got to ride up front, which is the best spot for Space Mountain, since you can't see what's in front. Usually when I've ridden Space Mountain, I've ended up on the right hand side of the "rocket". I didn't think about it until my last trip, when Judi Lane asked me "which side?" When I sat down this time, I still wasn't thinking, and sat on the right. I knew that I'd have to come back and sit on the left to see if there was any difference.
My next stop was the hub, where I took the Horseless Carriage to Town Square. I'd never used any of the Main Street transportation before, and since one of my goals for the trip was to say that I've finally been on every DL ride, I decided "Why not ride now?". For my return trip (after I mailed the post card and ducked into the Main Street Cinema to enjoy Steamboat Willie in air conditioned bliss), I took the Omnibus.
Watching Steamboat Willie made me decide to take another visit to Toon Town. I wanted a chance to visit another Mickey (I'd seen Band Concert and Tuxedo Mickey). This time the line was long enough that I was able to watch all of the previews in Mickey's Movie Barn. The previews and the projector gags are just one more "nice touch" for Mickey's house. Eventually I was able to see the Big Cheese himself on the set of The Sourcerer's Apprentice...but I got Tuxedo Mickey instead. Darn.
In my quest to ride more rides, I wandered back to the Rivers of America to paddle a canoe. I ended up being the odd man that evened out a canoe. It was a nice leisurely paddle, but I gotta say...is that it? All we did is paddle around the river. Don't the CM's do anything else? If I'm ever going to do this again, it's going to have to be with a group of people so at least we could crack jokes, make conversation, etc. At least this scratched one more item off of my list.
After my spin on the canoes, I decided to relax up in the Gallery before lunch. While I was there, there were several young girls dressed up as the Disney Princesses (Snow White, Cinderella, etc.) wandering around. Each one was also wearing a CM name tag with her own name on it and the word "guest" below the name (and no, they were not those Guest of Honor tags which you can buy at WDW). They all came out onto the balcony and so I chatted with the CM who was guiding them around. She said that they were in costume as a part of the Princess celebration that has been taking place in the park over the past few weeks. After the princesses left, I spotted Andy and Michelle walking on the streets below. They too had arrived a little early, and when they turned to go up to the balcony, Michelle spotted me. Michelle gets special points too, because when we were up in the balcony, she spotted a "jewel" which had obviously fallen off of one of the little princesses' costumes. I ended up talking to one of the Gallery CM's who thanked me and then immediately dashed off to catch up with the party of princesses.
We arrived at the Bayou at 2 on the dot. After waiting about 5 minutes, we were escorted to our table. I decided to have the pork loin, while Michelle had a salad with grilled chicken, and Andy had the crabcakes. We didn't talk very much during our meal, so I guess that means we all enjoyed it. ;) Our server was nice and friendly, and was good at keeping my Iced Tea glass filled (though not as good at keeping Michelle's drink filled). I was content, and ready to top my scrumptious meal off with a chocolate treasure chest filled with chocolate mousse; Unfortunately the mousse is another casualty of the menu restructuring. When I asked our server about it, she said "Please be sure to fill in the comment card. Other people who remember the mousse also miss it." I did, and I included my note of sadness about the reservations cards being out too. Still, while they didn't get me to buy dessert from the Bayou, I enjoyed my meal.
Our quest for the afternoon was to catch the Hercules Victory Parade, Aladdin & Jasmine Storytelling, and ride the Mark Twain.
We first went to the parade route, and found a nice spot in the shade on Main Street USA close to Town Square. This was my third viewing of the parade, and I'm still impressed. The floats were all working, even Pain and Panic on the roller coaster. The most amazing thing this time though was how well the performers did in the heat. The day was one of the hottest in the year, and still all of the performers looked like they were having a great time.
Our next stop was the Mark Twain, where I had hoped to get Andy and Michelle up to the Wheelhouse, but the Captain had a couple of women he wanted to entertain--oh well. I pointed out a few features of the boat and enjoyed the cruise; Andy and Michelle were getting tired.
To get back to beating the heat, we went into the Enchanted Tiki Room. The CM wasn't as good as one's I've had previously. He didn't talk about the attraction, and he didn't even wake up Jose! Still, I sang along and had a fun time.
After the show, we got in line for Aladdin and Jasmine's Story Telling. The line was a little long, but mostly in the shade. Before we were let in to Aladdin's Oasis, two CMs did a little warm up...they even joked about the heat, and got us in the mood for the story. Like the Princess Storytelling in Tinkerbell's Toy Shop, they got the little kids involved in the story (one got to play Jafar, others supplied sounds) which they really enjoyed. Jasmine and one of the other CMs (playing a character called Kazoo) were the primary storytellers and did a good job telling the story of Aladdin and Jasmine. Still, if you must choose one of the two storytelling sessions, I'd go with the Princess Storytelling...the location isn't as comfortable, but I find it more enjoyable, since you'll different stories, and you're up close.
Our next stop was the Disneyland Railway...I was hoping we could take the Grand Circle Tour and then continue on to Toon Town station so we could then have dinner at Big Thunder BBQ and meet up with Adrienne and Tony at the last Festival of Fools. It didn't happen...We had to wait for two trains to go by before we could board. We ended up getting off at Toon Town right away and then went to the BBQ. We weren't as hungry after our lunch, so I took them to "Clopin's Cart" for a turkey leg and corn on the cob. That was a good choice for Andy and me...Michelle ended up going back to the Village Haus for a salad and garlic bread. I quickly finished my dinner and then told Andy and Michelle I wanted to hear the warm-up spiel that the gypsies give before opening the curtains. They were still eating, so I told them where they could find me once they got inside.
I had not heard the two gypsies do the spiel from close up, but this time I snaked along the side of the line and got close enough. The warm-up was enjoyable: They read a few rules, told a few jokes, asked a few trivia questions, and finally got everyone within earshot to pledge that when were curtains were opened we would walk into the theatre, since the theatre wasn't going anywhere. One thing that would make this work a little better would be some amount of voice amplification.
Once the curtains opened, I walked to the Hunchies' spot. John Frost asked me "How'd you get here so fast?" I simply walked around the other side of the center stage. Andy and Michelle had no problem finding me, and soon Adrienne, Tony, and (surprise!) Bruce showed up. We thought that Bruce wasn't going to make it back that day.
I warned Andy and Michelle that the show would take place all around them; and then the warm-up began. Andy and Michelle took it all in and got to see why the show is one of my favorite presentations at Disneyland. (They said, "Now we need to go out and rent the movie.") I know I'm going to miss it when it goes away.
Even after such an enjoyable event, they were still tired. We all said "Wait, don't go yet. Stay for the fireworks." They did, and were not disappointed (even though the show had a few dud lifting charges).
After Andy and Michelle left, I decided to join Adrienne, Tony and Bruce for Fantasmic. Dan was saving seats for us, so we had a chance to hit a couple of rides. Our first one was the best. We went to Big Thunder Mountain and sat in the last car of the train. I got an extra element of excitement as the CM left the lap bar well off of my lap. While you don't really get much "air" on Big Thunder, you do get whipped around the seat; I smashed into Bruce a few times. Another added element was when Tony and Adrienne told us about the "goat trick" -- After you go up the second chain, keep your body turned towards the goat. After we whipped around the curve I said "That was coooool!"
On our way towards the rivers of America, Adrienne used the radio to talk to Dan. He said that he was behind the control panel, but when we got there, he was no where to be found. What he meant to say was that he was between the control panel and the rivers edge. Oh well...he said we could hit a few more rides (thanks!)
We had thought about going to Splash Mountain, but again, the ride was down (darn), so our next stop was the Haunted Mansion. This time Bruce and I sat together so Adrienne and Tony could have some time together. We had a different bonus this time...Maynard was working the unloading area, and serenaded us with opera! At the same time, we were all wearing balloon hats (mine included a parrot on a perch), so silliness was definitely in order. (we gave our balloon hats away after we exited the mansion).
By this time it was closer to the Fantasmic starting time. Tony wasn't up to staying and Bruce needed to get some sleep, so Adrienne handed the radio to me to give back to Dan. When I got to the spot, people in our group were demonstrating each one's talent (for example, someone sang "Out There" from Hunchback). When my turn arrived, my brain locked up...what should I do? If I had been thinking, I would have sung "When You Wish Upon a Star", which is my favorite Disney song. Anyway, I was told that I didn't have to show any talent this time. I have a feeling I'll get called upon the next time.
At some point around the start, Cindy, who had been in the park to help celebrate two of her friends' birthdays (with about twenty-something other people), showed up. Her first words were "I have another reason to hate Light Magic." After the show (which was great as always) she explained how she had tried to cross the "parade route" from Tomorrowland but ended up being redirected twice (argh!).
Oh well, we ended up heading over to Rod's for "Five Foot Two", "Take me out to the Ballgame", and the finale. Like Fantasmic, it was great as always...and we got to spin the umbrellas again.
Our next stop was Toon Town, where Cindy and I decided to skip the Car Toon Spin (which John Collin and some other folks decided to ride) and go to Gadget's Go Coaster. We only got ride once since there were other people waiting to ride when we pulled back into the station. We saw that we had just enough time to visit Mickey's house and say "Good night" to the Big Cheese. Tuxedo Mickey was on the set of "through the looking glass" (I still have to visit "Steamboat Willie") and enjoyed being wished "good night". We then waited for John and everyone else to finish their "spin" and kept ourselves amused with the props near the gag factory; We kept this up after they exited the ride.
Eventually it was time to go, but I ended up dragging Cindy to what's becoming another regular activity for me -- the Snow White coin toss. I made my wish (no, I won't tell you what it was, but it did come true) and then we left the park. Cindy, being the good friend that she is to me, gave me a ride back to the motel. (Thanks Cindy!)
Somehow we all managed to get up in time the next morning to check out of the hotel and get into the park just after the opening of the gates. Andy and Michelle wanted to ride Splash Mountain, while I wanted to ride Indy. I told them to meet me at the hub at noon (since that's when the a.d.d meet would be).
After my ride on Indy (in which I had my chance to see the future), I went back to the main street train station (courtesy of the horse drawn carriage) so I could knock something else off my list. I've always wanted to ride in the cab of one of the DL railway engines. Only 2 of the engines allow you to do this, and wouldn't you know it, only one of them was running. Actually this wasn't too bad...I got a little more reading done while I was waiting, and by the time Engine Number 1 returned, I was at the front. I asked the front conductor, "May I sit up in the cab?" He escorted me to the gate and waved at the engineers, who gave the o.k. When I got up to the cab, I said "Thanks! I've always wanted to do this."
The engines are genuine steam engines, but the fuel source is diesel instead of coal. It was cool to watch the engineers twist a few knobs, control the speed, blow the whistle, etc. At the same time, I savored being able to watch the scenery go by without having to hear the narration spiel. If I was more of a train enthusiast, I'd have probably asked more questions; Instead we ended up talking about the park (both CMs are excited about DCA and say they want to be working when it opens) and some other stuff. The only other train specific question I had was "Do you ever take it up to 'Big Thunder Mountain Railroad' speed?" They laughed and said "Nope, it wouldn't be safe." Oh well.
After our return to Main Street, I thanked the engineers again and walked over to catch the Fire Engine to finish my tour of DL rides [oops, I just remembered, I still haven't been on the Fantasyland Autopia...oh well, next time].
By this time it was almost 11am, and I decided "Hey, I can catch the Classic Princess storytelling." After going through the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough, I went to hear Belle and Justin tell an abridged version of Beauty and the Beast. Justin played most of the parts. To give you some idea of what you can expect, when Justin was playing Maurice, Belle said "So papa, what does your invention do?" "It makes stuffed animals. See you put some stuff in here" (as he acted out pouring something into a hopper) "turn this crank" (as he acted out turning a crank and made creaking noises) "and presto!" (and he pulled a stuffed Tigger from the shelf and held it up). Later, he had one of the audience members play Maurice in the dungeon (it turns out that the audience member was another a.d.der). Afterwards I thanked Belle and Justin again for such a good show.
My next quest was to find a beautiful photo frame. During one of our visits to the shops, we saw this photo frame that had the Sleeping Beauty Castle with the various Disney princesses around it. It was beautiful and screamed "Buy me! You know someone who would just love to receive this as a gift" to me. After some thought, I decided "OK, I'll buy it." Now, I've been told that when you see something that you're interested in at Disneyland, you should buy it right away, because it'll probably not be there the next time. I walked into the photo shop and I was shocked -- the frame wasn't there! Noooooo! I turned to one of the CMs and asked "Two days ago you had these wonderful frames with the princesses on them, but I can't find them." She said "Yeah, we needed to change the display, but you should be able to find it at the Princess shop." Sure enough, I did. The CM was very helpful too; She helped me decide not to use package express since I wasn't sure how much longer I was going to be in the park. When she got one of the boxes from storage, we both inspected the frame for damage. After we saw that there was none, she packed it back up very carefully. After I finished my purchase, I thanked her again.
By this time it was getting close to noon. Still I decided to stop in the castle walkway and listen to "When You Wish Upon a Star". There was a nice cool breeze blowing through the entrance, and with the song playing, I didn't want to leave. Still, it was time to meet some other a.d.ders.
As expected, Al, John Frost, Glenn, John Collin, Cindy, and a few of the other regulars made it. There was also a first timer, whose name escapes me at the moment. The one surprise for me was seeing Ken (a maintenance CM) show up on his day off.
After a little discussion, we decided that it would be best to eat in air conditioned bliss. Michelle had lost her new hat while riding Pirates, so I told them to go Lost and Found and to meet up with us at the Plaza Inn.
The line at the Plaza was not too long, but while I was waiting, I got a surprise -- Tim Castro had shown up a little late, and was with our friend Laura Ackley who had called at the beginning of the trip. I was bummed that La hadn't been able to make it to the park on Saturday evening, and I was equally surprised to see her. They found me because they had stopped at the lockers and bumped into Andy and Michelle.
Andy, Michelle, Tim, La, and I got a table together and didn't mind that I was the only one eating (like I said, they're great friends). I passed around my photos from my earlier July visits. La had to ask about the Pixie hair photos and had a good laugh. Andy then told his story about how he revealed the trip to Michelle...and the bit about me resembling Beast came up. Everyone agreed that, yeah, Beast is a Disney Character that fits me. The funny thing though is over the past month I really identified with Quasimodo from the Disney version of Hunchback. We were able to match Disney characters with everyone but La.
After lunch, it was getting near time to go, but we all decided it's time for one more ride. We chose the haunted mansion, and we weren't disappointed because Maynard was working the stretching room. Andy and Michelle got to see why Maynard is one of the best CMs. La was glad to see Maynard too. Well, we all knew that the Maynard experience was the best way to leave the park, so we said our goodbyes and went off for the worst ride...the ride home.
Before we left LA, we stopped to meet Andy's brother Gary. As we approached on the freeway, I pointed out the "Hey Roger! What do you call the middle of a song?" bridge featured in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"; We ended up crossing the bridge to get to Gary's place. Gary lives in a nice little bungalow in a neighborhood between Griffith Park and Dodger Stadium. We had a nice short visit and then took off for the Bay Area. I let Andy drive the first leg, so I could sleep, and also get some more reading in before the sun set.
We ended up stopping in Kettleman City for dinner, and chose In and Out. I noted a few similarities between In and Out and Disneyland. First, the employees sport name tags that are very similar to Disney castmember badges. Second, the employees are called "associates." I opted for a double cheeseburger, fries, and a shake after I noticed that the numbered meals were just a simplified ordering method (meaning you didn't save anything by ordering by number). The burger was tasty, the shake was thick, and the fries were decent (not as good as Harbor Galley curly fries though). It was a good stop.
After dinner it was my turn to take over. The ride went quickly and we started to celebrate a few things: "Yay! we're off of I5. "Oooh! My cell phone just switched from 'Roam' to 'Local.' (just as we crossed Pacheco Pass) "Ahh! Smell the garlic!" and so on. Andy made the final leg from Gilroy back to his place so I could take a cat nap and be safe for my final drive home (thanks!)
After saying goodbye and thanks to Andy and Michelle, I started my drive home. It was 11pm, and so to think again of Disneyland, I popped in my tape of Fantasmic. Yes, I did shout out a few lines, and I even thought of a new one:
"But Hold, three lovelier maids I see."
"Can you hear them too?"
"And here, in Mickey's Toon Town,
love and beauty will always survive."
By the time I got home I was very tired, but not too tired to tell folks I had made it home and to say thanks.
Andy and Michelle: for bringing me along
Adrienne and Tony: for being great hosts
Adrienne and Bruce: for keeping us entertained
Tim, Cindy, and Laura: for being such good friends
the DL CMs: for being really nice and putting on a good show
even if the management didn't work as hard as you
guys did to make our trip so fun.
You: for reading this.