Edward M
Strata Poster
I wish I could have made this a PTR however I love engrossing myself into the parks. Sometimes, I just don't think about taking pictures. Either way, enjoy the trip report, and I hope to write another one soon.
I woke up at 6:30 very tired. We had flown out at around 6 from Memphis which meant getting up at 4. We ate an early dinner/late lunch and went to sleep by 9 or so. It took a while for me to realize exactly where I was and why I was there, but once I did I was ready to start the day. Ever since my Disney World visit in November when I fell back in love with Disney, I have wanted to see Disneyland. It is usually considered the better of the two and pretty much universally loved. I kinda laid around a bit until I finally pulled myself out of bed and got ready. My dad had gone downstairs to get breakfast aka a croissant and muffin. We were staying at the Fairfield nearby which didn’t have the best breakfast options. I ate half of my croissant and was ready to go.
The walk from the Fairfield Inn to Disneyland was about 5 minutes and very easy. However, I must comment that Harbor Blvd looks very bad in general. It is string of slightly run down motels and chain restaurants. It is efficient for getting to and from Disneyland quickly however it takes you out of that “Disney Bubble” and brings you back into the real world. For the price and location though, it is your best choice to stay at while visiting.
We arrived at the entrance area and waited a few minutes until they let us out into Main Street. The way they let you into Disneyland is extremely slow because they have to get your signature and picture for your ticket while entering. While necessary, it can make a short line of people take a while. I hope they can find a more effective way of letting people in because getting in the parks every morning was a bit of hassle. Once we went under the train station, I saw the smaller Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street for the first time in nearly 10 years. I have always loved Main Street at Magic Kingdom, and Disneyland’s is no different. It is much different and much smaller, but there is this untouched charm and authenticity to it. It just feels like it has a rich history. Though I think the overall show and presentation of Main Street and the Castle at MK is better, DL’s is just unmatched in its feel. After exploring Main Street a bit, I turned right towards Tomorrowland and prepared myself for the race to the first mountain of the day.
The announcements came on and wished us a good day then the rope dropped and we all violently speed-walked down towards Space Mountain. Tomorrowland was a bit small and underwhelming, especially compared to Disney World’s Tomorrowland. As we approached the entrance, we slowed down and joined the queue. As you wind through the confusing queue, zig zagging over Redd Rocket’s Pizza booths, you see the big mountain. You then go through even more zig zagging corridors with touches of theming everywhere. We finally got into the station and got ready to board our rocket.
Space Mountain- The ride begins with a small lift and turn into a slow moving light tunnel. We then get into the largest lift with some very good effects leading up into the mountain as well as that amazing soundtrack. I will go ahead and say the soundtrack is great, exciting and really matches the ride. We finally got into the mountain and, I was disappointed. It seemed so tiny compared to Disney World’s. Perhaps I was too familiar with that version, but it always blew me away with how huge that dome is and how much it looked like space. This one was also nice and big but just disappointing in size. I was hoping the ride would make up for the lackluster size, but it didn’t. It was really just a lot of helixes. It always seemed like I knew where it was about to go. There was no element of surprise like in DW’s version. That version just felt so insane and even after 5 rides I couldn’t guess its next move. What DL’s version needed was a good drop. Honestly though, this is still a great ride and worth a ride for anyone cause most people think this version is better. Maybe I’m the odd one, but this just seemed a bit underwhelming. 8.8/10
After the ride was over, I headed back out into Tomorrowland and went to Star Tours. The queue said 5 minutes and I was on in about 3. I’ve always been a fan of Star Tours’s queue as well. It is just a great queue to wait in, full of theming and little nods.
Star Tours- When I went to Disney in November and rode the new Star Tours for the first time, I was blown away. It was one of my favorite rides of the trip because of how fun it was. However, after having ridden it about 7 times, I can say, it has lost its original charm. There’s nothing wrong with the ride, but I’m just no longer blown away. I always seem to get a weaker story than my first rides. Don’t get me wrong though, it is a great ride. You will always have a good time on it, and the illusion the ride provides is quite good. I’ll probably still ride it if I return to Disney World or Disneyland, but it is no longer one of my favorites. 8.7/10
I walked off Star Tours and thought, since I was in the area, I should go ahead and knock out Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters- I was looking forward to this one since I love the one at Disney World. However, I am one of the few who feels this one is inferior. Many complain about the guns at Disney World and the unmarked targets. I feel this provided a fun challenge. Over many rides at Disney World, I found all the best targets. At Disneyland, I already knew what they were based on their shapes. Yet again though, it is still a really good ride. It is one of the better shoot-em-ups, and it is always entertaining. My nostalgia towards the Disney World version may make me biased, but it’s still worth a ride. 7.5/10
I decided to go ahead to Adventureland to ride my most anticipated ride of the trip, Indiana Jones Adventure. The queue built it up perfectly with its long narrow corridors that were very well themed along with that amazing pre-show.
Indiana Jones Adventure- Wow, this one just blew me away. It was everything I expected and more. The ride just simply feels like an adventure. The effects were a little cheesy but in a great way. The environment of the main room is so rich with detail. The vehicles themselves are the most impressive I’ve seen on a ride. They are able to do so much and really give a thrilling ride. However, what makes the ride is the music. Music is so important to any ride I feel, but the Indiana Jones music on this is just perfection. I don’t want to just go on about how great the ride is, but I honestly have no issue with the ride. This is a perfect ride and my favorite at Disneyland. 10/10
After Indiana Jones, there was some drama involving sunglasses on Star Tours I had left. Long story short: they were stolen. We headed back into Adventureland towards New Orleans Square, but my dad wanted to ride Jungle Cruise so we walked right on.
Jungle Cruise- Jungle Cruise is a personal favorite of mine. It’s very cheesy humor I just enjoy. The animatronics are very unimpressive and with a bad skipper the ride is horrible (more on that later), but it is one that I try to always ride whenever I go to a Disney park. There isn’t much to say about it honestly, I just enjoy it. 8/10
We exited Jungle Cruise back into Adventureland, and my dad wanted to get a banana since he was a bit hungry. I got some craisins as well. I sort of evaluated their Adventureland while I stood there and, while tiny, it has an interesting feel to it. It feels weirdly like a port city with all the stands and foods all around you. It fits the Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones rides very well. I rather like it actually. We continued onto New Orleans Square and got into the small queue at Pirates of the Caribbean.
Pirates of the Caribbean- Pirates is amazing. From the bayou to the caves to the burning down town, nearly every part of the ride is just great. The extra time in the caves really benefit the town portions. There are so many cool small details in there as well as some really great lighting and music in the caves. The town portion also has small details, but it is most impressive with how much it truly feels like you are riding through this town at night. It always impresses me every time I ride it. I also have to talk about how cool it is to go up the lift and suddenly feel like you are back in New Orleans Square. It is a nice, cool moment. The ride is one of my favorites and a true classic. 10/10
After we left Pirates, we headed towards Haunted Mansion, but we decided to take the small pathways of New Orleans Square. Having been to New Orleans multiple times, I was shocked at how well they encapsulated New Orleans. With little room, they captured a special mood here with the weird shops and the cool things on the balconies. All the small details around just give it a special vibe. It is my favorite land in Disneyland. We finally made it to the antebellum exterior of the Haunted Mansion and got into the short line.
Haunted Mansion- Haunted Mansion is amazing. It is a classic and a triumph of imagineering even nearly 45 years later. The effects still somehow blow me away. However, I can’t help but feel like I missed the first third of the ride whenever I ride it in Disneyland. DW’s is the one I know and am used to so I just can’t help, but feel this way. Without that first third, the ride just feels a bit incomplete. However, it is still great and features my favorite scene on any ride, the graveyard scene. It’s a true classic. 9.2/10
After Haunted Mansion, my dad and I went up to Splash Mountain and got our first FP of the day. Their Splash Mountain looked strange to me since it was so cramped into this area and seemed so much smaller in scope. Still, we thought we should go ahead and try to get a few Fantasyland rides out of the way now. We went across the park to Fantasyland, and its Fantasyland took me by surprise. I loved the place. It is one of the best lands out there. From the main area with all the classics to the Storybook area with Alice and the Storybook Boats to Small World’s whimsical facade to the Matterhorn’s dominating but charming presence, it is the juggernaut of Disneyland and gives New Orleans Square a run for its money. There is just this very distinct feeling there. That feeling really isn’t at DW. You can’t really describe the feeling, but I am willing to bet everyone who has been to DL knows this feeling. It just such a happy feeling all throughout Fantasyland. I would even say this feeling is throughout all of the park. It is a distinct, lovely feeling that doesn’t seem to be at any other theme park. This is what sets Disneyland apart from any other park I’ve been to. You can go on and on about how rich the history is, the amount of rides, how good they are, or anything like that. In the end, it is all about the feeling you get in a park that makes it. The feeling at Disneyland makes it the happiest place on Earth. Back to the report, we entered the 5 minute line for Mr. Toad and got on in about that.
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride- What can you say about Mr. Toad? The ride is woefully outdated since it hasn’t changed much since 1955 it seems, but it is just so lovable. How can you not love how crazy the ride is. I mean it ends where you get get drunk, are killed, and go to hell. It’s one I just love. 6.4/10
After Mr. Toad, we decided to go ahead and ride another Fantasyland dark ride. Of the 3 left, one didn’t interest me much and the other was a 70 minute wait, so I chose Snow White’s Scary Adventures. After a rather hot and very slow 10 minute wait, we finally got on board.
Snow White’s Scary Adventures- This ride is hard to pinpoint down. The beginning with the ride through Snow White’s house and the mines and even the parts in the castle are cute and fun. However, once you leave the castle, it just becomes a tad boring. I’m ok that the ride was dumbed down to be less scary, but you can just easily tell that it was dumbed down. The ride is alright though I don’t think I would suggest riding it. 5.5/10
After Snow White, it was time to go ride Splash Mountain. On the way, we picked up Big Thunder Mountain FPs for later. We went by Frontierland and New Orleans Square and finally arrived at the iconic attraction. We got in line and encountered the short line. We stood there for about 5 minutes waiting for the line to move when we were told the attraction was closed and for us to keep waiting. After another 10 minutes, I asked a Cast Member about the details and they explained the animatronics weren’t matching the music. She told us that we could go ahead and leave and get another FP for later. A man scanned our tickets and gave us a “Universal FP”. I asked if it worked at both parks, the man said it did. I then asked if it worked for Radiator, he said it would.
I told my dad we had gotten the coveted Radiator FP, and that we were going to California Adventure. We headed for the exit and went to DCA. My old memories of DCA are of a cheap and crap park. It is now much, much better. The Buena Vista Street opening is really good. It’s a nice and fitting introduction with some nice entertainment that always seems to be going through it. We just rushed towards Cars Land though. Cars Land had been built up quite a lot to me by most people calling it one of the new Disney greats. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I was wrong. It truly did. The scale and detail of the land is astounding. Exploring the details of the land is very entertaining. We entered the FP return line and, after some confusion, were finally let onto the ride.
Radiator Springs Racers- Wow, although I had really built it up, it paid off. This is the best ride I have ever ridden. It may not be my favorite, but it is the best. The scope of it, my gosh. Just driving through Radiator Springs at the beginning is so amazing, especially with the music and the way it drives upwards, just perfect. Then the dark ride portion, it is so fast and fun yet so easy to take it all in. The animatronics, wow, best I’ve ever seen beating even the Seven Dwarfs just because it really felt like you entered a new world in this ride unlike the mine train. The most impressive part of the dark ride is Mater driving by you, there’s just something so cool about it. Then, the race, oh my gosh, this is just a blast. The landscapes are unbelievable, but you just fly by them. It is one of the most fun sections of a ride I have ridden. I can’t say much more about it just that it is the perfect ride. 10/10
After Radiator, we walked down Route 66 and decided to go ahead and eat at Flo’s V8 Cafe. The food was very good. I have standards for ribs, but these were quite good. The theming also stood out here with plenty of jokes at every corner. We decided to go ahead and go back to Disneyland. We wanted to save DCA for Tuesday (day 3), but we went ahead and got a Soarin’ FP for later. I must say, I love how easy it is to park hop here. I love how easy Disneyland is in general. With their Fastpass system, smaller parks, and great locations, it was never hard to get anywhere or really do anything. It was just a lot less stressful than DW. We decided to go ahead and go back to DL. We went ahead and saw Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln since we were on Main St.
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln- I don’t really know what to say about Great Moments. It was fine. I am not extremely patriotic however I love history. This just was not quite as interesting as it could have been. I feel there was a lot more to say about Lincoln, and what they chose just wasn’t that important. I mean they barely even mentioned that he abolished slavery. It was still pretty good. 6.9/10
After Great Moments, I searched for more things to do, but we were both feeling pretty tired. The crowds were getting a bit unbearable, so we went back to our hotel room and took a nap waiting for our Soarin’ FP. We woke up about 10 minutes before the return time and went ahead to DCA. We got into the queue for Soarin' and got a front seat for our flight to CA.
Soarin' over California - Soarin is a bit of a love it or hate it ride for most people. I would say I fall into the love it category. I have always felt it was so realistic whenever I rode it. There was just an amazing sensation of flight that no other ride seems to have captured. This was even better when they added the HD projectors. With these projectors, it looks better than it has in years. The quality is extremely fluent and clear. As for the ride itself, I just love it. It is such a great way to just relax after a hectic park day. With the nice breeze in your face as a release from the heat, it just feels like such a treat to ride. I also must say they seemed to have added more scents to the ride, and, since this was already one of my favorite elements, I was so happy to realize it. What really makes Disney rides for me is the music though, and this is my favorite Disney soundtrack. Oh it is just gorgeous to listen to. I mean the music not only matches the ride but soars with it. I’ve already said enough, its a great ride. (9.4/10)
I will say that I’m going to miss Soarin’ over California. It was always my dad’s favorite, and I have some great memories of us marathoning it as a kid. However, I’m excited to be able to ride Soarin’ Over the World later. I imagine it will also be great, but I’m always gonna miss flying over California (and especially that soundtrack).
After Soarin', we checked to see if they had a Grizzly River Run FP for later, but they were all out so we got a World of Color and another Soarin’ FP instead. We walked over to Disneyland and went towards the Blue Bayou for dinner. While we were walking towards it, it started to rain. I felt really bummed since it never seems to rain in California, and, while I’m here, it rains. We were happy we booked the restaurant for the Fantastic Dinner Package because we weren’t standing out in the rain like many others. We sat down an extremely long time for our table. I believe it was about an hour after our reservation time (and we had arrived early). The restaurant itself is beautiful. It is inside Pirates of the Caribbean which is great to watch while eating. The boats just float peacefully by. The food was very disappointing for the price. One of the worse meals of the trip (and by far the most expensive!), but we were happy to be able to see Fantastic front and center (though I was worried it would canceled) and just get out of the rain for its main downpour.
We decided to try for some Splash Mountain FPs for tonight. It had been closed since we arrived at the park, but we thought we would try our luck. We got to FP Distribution to see a closed sign, but the logs were running. It was only a 10 minute wait (70 for most of the day) so we ran into line and waited about 5. We were off towards the Briar Patch in no time.
Splash Mountain - Disney World’s Splash Mountain (at night) is probably my favorite ride. Though Indiana Jones is in most way better, it holds a deep place in my heart for helping me when I was in a bad place. I rode it 9 times one night, and one of those was completely by myself in the front seat in a log floating serenely floating through Frontierland as the fireworks went off overhead. It is a wonderful memory for me. The reason I mention this is because I don’t want to seem like I hate DL’s Splash Mountain, it was just angering to see it so much worse than my favorite. The main problem with DL’s Splash Mountain is the speed. The logs go far too fast to the point where no story is told and you can barely see the characters. Most people who love the DL version talk all about the animatronics however I really couldn’t see them since they were rushing by so fast. You really get no narrative for the ride. It is just a mess of animatronics and songs that don’t seem to match. I was so confused I couldn’t enjoy myself. You may say this is just nitpicking, but my dad completely agreed. He thought the story was rushed. Even the sections outside are over too quick. A ride that should be 13 minutes is more like 8. The ride also gets you soaked. I’m very used to nabbing the front seat at DW and getting a nice cool splashing. Here, I was wearing a poncho and I got more wet than I ever did at DW. My legs and shorts were soaked as were my shoes and socks. My dad got his socks so wet he had to leave soon after. Ok, the positives. It is still Splash Mountain. Most unfamiliar with DW’s version will likely love this ride and most people even familiar with DW’s version likely will. It is cute and fun, and I would say it is a must ride just to form your own opinion on it. I don’t want people to think I just loathe this ride, I really enjoy it. It just disappointed me since I know it could be better than it is. I also find DL’s final drop much more thrilling. Without restraints and in those small, tight logs, it is actually quite exciting to drop that far in the back of the log. I would say the drop may actually be the best part of the ride (which really isn’t a good thing). Lastly, sit in the very back, more legroom, much less soaked, and much more thrilling. (7.6/10)
Once I was getting off a CM told me that Fantasmic was not playing tonight (and we wouldn’t be refunded for my Dining Package). At that point, my dad was tired and now soaked with soggy socks. He was ready to go back to the hotel room so I told him to go ahead, and I would go and ride something else. I went to Main St and asked if the fireworks were happening, and the man said it probably wasn’t. I decided to just go ahead and ride the Matterhorn since it had a Single Rider line. I had heard it was best at night. I went to the Fantasyland line first. It was a slowly but surely moving 10 minute wait. I got the back seat on my toboggan through the Matterhorn.
Matterhorn Bobsleds - Both sides offer a similar experience, but Tomorrowland is much better with airtime and more craziness so ride it if you can only ride one side. This is both one of my favorite DL experiences and one of my least favorites. The ride is so gorgeous at night. Going through the wonderfully lit caverns is just one of those DL moments that is amazing. I would highly recommend doing both sides Single Rider at night for an amazing experience. However, this ride hurts. Not many non-OTSR rides hurt me, but this one hurt. It is very jerky and jolting but not in Space Mt DW kind of way. That is saved thanks to padding on the seats that make the turns really fun. Here there is no padding, just hard plastic. It is a painful experience. It also didn’t help that rain was pelting in my face, but this is why I loved it. The pain is what I remember the most. The rain gave it this blindness where I had no idea which turn was next, and the ride kept me guessing. When I think back on all the rides from my trip, this one sticks out as one of my favorite memories. The pain of being pelted by rain while bracing for the hard turns in the colorful taverns of the Matterhorn overlooking the gorgeous skyline of DL. An experience not to be missed at DL. (7.8/10)
Even though I got off the ride in pain, I took another round, and I could have kept riding. I thought I would try and ride BTMR so I walked towards Big Thunder Ranch. It was quiet in this certain corner and a nice escape. DL is the only park I’ve been to where it seems more crowded at night than in the day. I do prefer MK at DW at night for the lack of crowds after the fireworks where you can marathon rides or just quietly walk the large pathways seemingly by yourself. Plus it has many more amazing night rides to ride. I just can’t enjoy DL at night as much since it is so crazy still and the sidewalks are so much more narrow and hard to maneuver. I got to the entrance only to find out BTMR was closed.
I looked at the board of wait times and saw that BTMR, Splash Mountain, Pirates, and Indiana Jones were all closed. Something that irritated me this trip was all of the closing. Every day when the crowds hit a peak, it seemed like at least one major ride was closed. This made the pathways and other waits even more crowded. My last day at DCA ToT, Radiator, CA Screamin, and Grizzly River Run were closed. It was just crazy! I will say though, the waits never seemed to go much over 60 minutes unlike at DW. There they can go up to 120 or even 180 minutes during peak times. At DL, lines never went much past 70 which is amazing for such a packed park. Even classics like Pirates and Haunted Mansion never went over 30 minutes. The only ride that went over 60 or 70 was Splash which had 90 minute waits sometimes and was the most broken down ride during my trip. It seemed to be closed more often than not. DCA had some 90 minute or more waits during the day, but it mostly stayed at around 50 or 60 minutes.
Anyway, I decided to just go to DCA and try to see World of Color. As I was leaving, the fireworks and parade were officially canceled. I got to DCA and thought I would check out Cars Land at night waiting for WoC. Radiator was closed when I got there so I just got a chocolate milkshake from Flo’s. Cars Land lit up is such a beautiful sight. It seemed like I was one of only a few people there. I was drinking my chocolate shake when something zoomed went by. A car had raced by me and had passengers on board. Me and everyone around me high tailed it to Radiator. It had been closed since the rain started and just opened back up for the post WoC 9:00 crowd. I got in the single rider and walked right on. I was astonished at my luck. The ride was even better at night I would argue. Though the show lights were on during the dark ride portion, the animatronics were so impressive it doesn’t really matter. It is still amazing, but, wow, the outside portion was just astonishing. It looked so beautiful. Just how it was lit up with these rich lights all over and how you just raced by them. It was quite an experience. Once I got off I headed towards WoC and said my goodbyes to Cars Land. It was arguably the best land I’ve been to (I personally like New Orleans Square better and World Showcase if it counts). I got to WoC and gave my FP. I was expecting a crowd, but I was actually the only one there. It was just me. Though more people arrived, it still just felt like I was the only one there since it was so sparse around me. I wasn’t expecting much since I hadn’t heard much good about the show. I was very surprised.
World of Color - Celebrate - This is probably my favorite show at a Disney park. I like it even better than the famous nearby Fantasmic. Why? It is just so beautiful. Oh my gosh, just the colors and the water combination all of it, just flawlessly executed. The fog screens mixed right it, and were great for showing video. Honestly, it was all about how beautiful the show was. I especially loved the section when they played a Bob Dylan song. I mean I can’t imagine how much better it could get. A Bob Dylan song in a Disney show. I got a bit emotional, I'm not afraid to admit. I think the main reason I loved it though was that it really felt so personal. It was just what I needed to see at the time. Since I was front and center, it seemed like no one else was there. Like no else was even in the park, it was the most intimate show I’ve seen at a theme park. I can’t imagine a much more perfect show. I just love it. (10/10)
I left the show in a state of awe. I just couldn’t believe the show I had just seen. It was a perfect way to end the night and an unparalleled experience. I walked through the pretty Grizzly Peak with nearly no lights on and went home. I thought about going back Disneyland, but I had 2 more nights. Plus, I was exhausted. It had been such a long day, but it was an unbelievable one. I hope you enjoyed this report, and I should have another DL day up soon. These Disney reports do take much longer for me to write so just know that.
I woke up at 6:30 very tired. We had flown out at around 6 from Memphis which meant getting up at 4. We ate an early dinner/late lunch and went to sleep by 9 or so. It took a while for me to realize exactly where I was and why I was there, but once I did I was ready to start the day. Ever since my Disney World visit in November when I fell back in love with Disney, I have wanted to see Disneyland. It is usually considered the better of the two and pretty much universally loved. I kinda laid around a bit until I finally pulled myself out of bed and got ready. My dad had gone downstairs to get breakfast aka a croissant and muffin. We were staying at the Fairfield nearby which didn’t have the best breakfast options. I ate half of my croissant and was ready to go.
The walk from the Fairfield Inn to Disneyland was about 5 minutes and very easy. However, I must comment that Harbor Blvd looks very bad in general. It is string of slightly run down motels and chain restaurants. It is efficient for getting to and from Disneyland quickly however it takes you out of that “Disney Bubble” and brings you back into the real world. For the price and location though, it is your best choice to stay at while visiting.
We arrived at the entrance area and waited a few minutes until they let us out into Main Street. The way they let you into Disneyland is extremely slow because they have to get your signature and picture for your ticket while entering. While necessary, it can make a short line of people take a while. I hope they can find a more effective way of letting people in because getting in the parks every morning was a bit of hassle. Once we went under the train station, I saw the smaller Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street for the first time in nearly 10 years. I have always loved Main Street at Magic Kingdom, and Disneyland’s is no different. It is much different and much smaller, but there is this untouched charm and authenticity to it. It just feels like it has a rich history. Though I think the overall show and presentation of Main Street and the Castle at MK is better, DL’s is just unmatched in its feel. After exploring Main Street a bit, I turned right towards Tomorrowland and prepared myself for the race to the first mountain of the day.
The announcements came on and wished us a good day then the rope dropped and we all violently speed-walked down towards Space Mountain. Tomorrowland was a bit small and underwhelming, especially compared to Disney World’s Tomorrowland. As we approached the entrance, we slowed down and joined the queue. As you wind through the confusing queue, zig zagging over Redd Rocket’s Pizza booths, you see the big mountain. You then go through even more zig zagging corridors with touches of theming everywhere. We finally got into the station and got ready to board our rocket.
Space Mountain- The ride begins with a small lift and turn into a slow moving light tunnel. We then get into the largest lift with some very good effects leading up into the mountain as well as that amazing soundtrack. I will go ahead and say the soundtrack is great, exciting and really matches the ride. We finally got into the mountain and, I was disappointed. It seemed so tiny compared to Disney World’s. Perhaps I was too familiar with that version, but it always blew me away with how huge that dome is and how much it looked like space. This one was also nice and big but just disappointing in size. I was hoping the ride would make up for the lackluster size, but it didn’t. It was really just a lot of helixes. It always seemed like I knew where it was about to go. There was no element of surprise like in DW’s version. That version just felt so insane and even after 5 rides I couldn’t guess its next move. What DL’s version needed was a good drop. Honestly though, this is still a great ride and worth a ride for anyone cause most people think this version is better. Maybe I’m the odd one, but this just seemed a bit underwhelming. 8.8/10
After the ride was over, I headed back out into Tomorrowland and went to Star Tours. The queue said 5 minutes and I was on in about 3. I’ve always been a fan of Star Tours’s queue as well. It is just a great queue to wait in, full of theming and little nods.
Star Tours- When I went to Disney in November and rode the new Star Tours for the first time, I was blown away. It was one of my favorite rides of the trip because of how fun it was. However, after having ridden it about 7 times, I can say, it has lost its original charm. There’s nothing wrong with the ride, but I’m just no longer blown away. I always seem to get a weaker story than my first rides. Don’t get me wrong though, it is a great ride. You will always have a good time on it, and the illusion the ride provides is quite good. I’ll probably still ride it if I return to Disney World or Disneyland, but it is no longer one of my favorites. 8.7/10
I walked off Star Tours and thought, since I was in the area, I should go ahead and knock out Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters- I was looking forward to this one since I love the one at Disney World. However, I am one of the few who feels this one is inferior. Many complain about the guns at Disney World and the unmarked targets. I feel this provided a fun challenge. Over many rides at Disney World, I found all the best targets. At Disneyland, I already knew what they were based on their shapes. Yet again though, it is still a really good ride. It is one of the better shoot-em-ups, and it is always entertaining. My nostalgia towards the Disney World version may make me biased, but it’s still worth a ride. 7.5/10
I decided to go ahead to Adventureland to ride my most anticipated ride of the trip, Indiana Jones Adventure. The queue built it up perfectly with its long narrow corridors that were very well themed along with that amazing pre-show.
Indiana Jones Adventure- Wow, this one just blew me away. It was everything I expected and more. The ride just simply feels like an adventure. The effects were a little cheesy but in a great way. The environment of the main room is so rich with detail. The vehicles themselves are the most impressive I’ve seen on a ride. They are able to do so much and really give a thrilling ride. However, what makes the ride is the music. Music is so important to any ride I feel, but the Indiana Jones music on this is just perfection. I don’t want to just go on about how great the ride is, but I honestly have no issue with the ride. This is a perfect ride and my favorite at Disneyland. 10/10
After Indiana Jones, there was some drama involving sunglasses on Star Tours I had left. Long story short: they were stolen. We headed back into Adventureland towards New Orleans Square, but my dad wanted to ride Jungle Cruise so we walked right on.
Jungle Cruise- Jungle Cruise is a personal favorite of mine. It’s very cheesy humor I just enjoy. The animatronics are very unimpressive and with a bad skipper the ride is horrible (more on that later), but it is one that I try to always ride whenever I go to a Disney park. There isn’t much to say about it honestly, I just enjoy it. 8/10
We exited Jungle Cruise back into Adventureland, and my dad wanted to get a banana since he was a bit hungry. I got some craisins as well. I sort of evaluated their Adventureland while I stood there and, while tiny, it has an interesting feel to it. It feels weirdly like a port city with all the stands and foods all around you. It fits the Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones rides very well. I rather like it actually. We continued onto New Orleans Square and got into the small queue at Pirates of the Caribbean.
Pirates of the Caribbean- Pirates is amazing. From the bayou to the caves to the burning down town, nearly every part of the ride is just great. The extra time in the caves really benefit the town portions. There are so many cool small details in there as well as some really great lighting and music in the caves. The town portion also has small details, but it is most impressive with how much it truly feels like you are riding through this town at night. It always impresses me every time I ride it. I also have to talk about how cool it is to go up the lift and suddenly feel like you are back in New Orleans Square. It is a nice, cool moment. The ride is one of my favorites and a true classic. 10/10
After we left Pirates, we headed towards Haunted Mansion, but we decided to take the small pathways of New Orleans Square. Having been to New Orleans multiple times, I was shocked at how well they encapsulated New Orleans. With little room, they captured a special mood here with the weird shops and the cool things on the balconies. All the small details around just give it a special vibe. It is my favorite land in Disneyland. We finally made it to the antebellum exterior of the Haunted Mansion and got into the short line.
Haunted Mansion- Haunted Mansion is amazing. It is a classic and a triumph of imagineering even nearly 45 years later. The effects still somehow blow me away. However, I can’t help but feel like I missed the first third of the ride whenever I ride it in Disneyland. DW’s is the one I know and am used to so I just can’t help, but feel this way. Without that first third, the ride just feels a bit incomplete. However, it is still great and features my favorite scene on any ride, the graveyard scene. It’s a true classic. 9.2/10
After Haunted Mansion, my dad and I went up to Splash Mountain and got our first FP of the day. Their Splash Mountain looked strange to me since it was so cramped into this area and seemed so much smaller in scope. Still, we thought we should go ahead and try to get a few Fantasyland rides out of the way now. We went across the park to Fantasyland, and its Fantasyland took me by surprise. I loved the place. It is one of the best lands out there. From the main area with all the classics to the Storybook area with Alice and the Storybook Boats to Small World’s whimsical facade to the Matterhorn’s dominating but charming presence, it is the juggernaut of Disneyland and gives New Orleans Square a run for its money. There is just this very distinct feeling there. That feeling really isn’t at DW. You can’t really describe the feeling, but I am willing to bet everyone who has been to DL knows this feeling. It just such a happy feeling all throughout Fantasyland. I would even say this feeling is throughout all of the park. It is a distinct, lovely feeling that doesn’t seem to be at any other theme park. This is what sets Disneyland apart from any other park I’ve been to. You can go on and on about how rich the history is, the amount of rides, how good they are, or anything like that. In the end, it is all about the feeling you get in a park that makes it. The feeling at Disneyland makes it the happiest place on Earth. Back to the report, we entered the 5 minute line for Mr. Toad and got on in about that.
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride- What can you say about Mr. Toad? The ride is woefully outdated since it hasn’t changed much since 1955 it seems, but it is just so lovable. How can you not love how crazy the ride is. I mean it ends where you get get drunk, are killed, and go to hell. It’s one I just love. 6.4/10
After Mr. Toad, we decided to go ahead and ride another Fantasyland dark ride. Of the 3 left, one didn’t interest me much and the other was a 70 minute wait, so I chose Snow White’s Scary Adventures. After a rather hot and very slow 10 minute wait, we finally got on board.
Snow White’s Scary Adventures- This ride is hard to pinpoint down. The beginning with the ride through Snow White’s house and the mines and even the parts in the castle are cute and fun. However, once you leave the castle, it just becomes a tad boring. I’m ok that the ride was dumbed down to be less scary, but you can just easily tell that it was dumbed down. The ride is alright though I don’t think I would suggest riding it. 5.5/10
After Snow White, it was time to go ride Splash Mountain. On the way, we picked up Big Thunder Mountain FPs for later. We went by Frontierland and New Orleans Square and finally arrived at the iconic attraction. We got in line and encountered the short line. We stood there for about 5 minutes waiting for the line to move when we were told the attraction was closed and for us to keep waiting. After another 10 minutes, I asked a Cast Member about the details and they explained the animatronics weren’t matching the music. She told us that we could go ahead and leave and get another FP for later. A man scanned our tickets and gave us a “Universal FP”. I asked if it worked at both parks, the man said it did. I then asked if it worked for Radiator, he said it would.
I told my dad we had gotten the coveted Radiator FP, and that we were going to California Adventure. We headed for the exit and went to DCA. My old memories of DCA are of a cheap and crap park. It is now much, much better. The Buena Vista Street opening is really good. It’s a nice and fitting introduction with some nice entertainment that always seems to be going through it. We just rushed towards Cars Land though. Cars Land had been built up quite a lot to me by most people calling it one of the new Disney greats. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. I was wrong. It truly did. The scale and detail of the land is astounding. Exploring the details of the land is very entertaining. We entered the FP return line and, after some confusion, were finally let onto the ride.
Radiator Springs Racers- Wow, although I had really built it up, it paid off. This is the best ride I have ever ridden. It may not be my favorite, but it is the best. The scope of it, my gosh. Just driving through Radiator Springs at the beginning is so amazing, especially with the music and the way it drives upwards, just perfect. Then the dark ride portion, it is so fast and fun yet so easy to take it all in. The animatronics, wow, best I’ve ever seen beating even the Seven Dwarfs just because it really felt like you entered a new world in this ride unlike the mine train. The most impressive part of the dark ride is Mater driving by you, there’s just something so cool about it. Then, the race, oh my gosh, this is just a blast. The landscapes are unbelievable, but you just fly by them. It is one of the most fun sections of a ride I have ridden. I can’t say much more about it just that it is the perfect ride. 10/10
After Radiator, we walked down Route 66 and decided to go ahead and eat at Flo’s V8 Cafe. The food was very good. I have standards for ribs, but these were quite good. The theming also stood out here with plenty of jokes at every corner. We decided to go ahead and go back to Disneyland. We wanted to save DCA for Tuesday (day 3), but we went ahead and got a Soarin’ FP for later. I must say, I love how easy it is to park hop here. I love how easy Disneyland is in general. With their Fastpass system, smaller parks, and great locations, it was never hard to get anywhere or really do anything. It was just a lot less stressful than DW. We decided to go ahead and go back to DL. We went ahead and saw Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln since we were on Main St.
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln- I don’t really know what to say about Great Moments. It was fine. I am not extremely patriotic however I love history. This just was not quite as interesting as it could have been. I feel there was a lot more to say about Lincoln, and what they chose just wasn’t that important. I mean they barely even mentioned that he abolished slavery. It was still pretty good. 6.9/10
After Great Moments, I searched for more things to do, but we were both feeling pretty tired. The crowds were getting a bit unbearable, so we went back to our hotel room and took a nap waiting for our Soarin’ FP. We woke up about 10 minutes before the return time and went ahead to DCA. We got into the queue for Soarin' and got a front seat for our flight to CA.
Soarin' over California - Soarin is a bit of a love it or hate it ride for most people. I would say I fall into the love it category. I have always felt it was so realistic whenever I rode it. There was just an amazing sensation of flight that no other ride seems to have captured. This was even better when they added the HD projectors. With these projectors, it looks better than it has in years. The quality is extremely fluent and clear. As for the ride itself, I just love it. It is such a great way to just relax after a hectic park day. With the nice breeze in your face as a release from the heat, it just feels like such a treat to ride. I also must say they seemed to have added more scents to the ride, and, since this was already one of my favorite elements, I was so happy to realize it. What really makes Disney rides for me is the music though, and this is my favorite Disney soundtrack. Oh it is just gorgeous to listen to. I mean the music not only matches the ride but soars with it. I’ve already said enough, its a great ride. (9.4/10)
I will say that I’m going to miss Soarin’ over California. It was always my dad’s favorite, and I have some great memories of us marathoning it as a kid. However, I’m excited to be able to ride Soarin’ Over the World later. I imagine it will also be great, but I’m always gonna miss flying over California (and especially that soundtrack).
After Soarin', we checked to see if they had a Grizzly River Run FP for later, but they were all out so we got a World of Color and another Soarin’ FP instead. We walked over to Disneyland and went towards the Blue Bayou for dinner. While we were walking towards it, it started to rain. I felt really bummed since it never seems to rain in California, and, while I’m here, it rains. We were happy we booked the restaurant for the Fantastic Dinner Package because we weren’t standing out in the rain like many others. We sat down an extremely long time for our table. I believe it was about an hour after our reservation time (and we had arrived early). The restaurant itself is beautiful. It is inside Pirates of the Caribbean which is great to watch while eating. The boats just float peacefully by. The food was very disappointing for the price. One of the worse meals of the trip (and by far the most expensive!), but we were happy to be able to see Fantastic front and center (though I was worried it would canceled) and just get out of the rain for its main downpour.
We decided to try for some Splash Mountain FPs for tonight. It had been closed since we arrived at the park, but we thought we would try our luck. We got to FP Distribution to see a closed sign, but the logs were running. It was only a 10 minute wait (70 for most of the day) so we ran into line and waited about 5. We were off towards the Briar Patch in no time.
Splash Mountain - Disney World’s Splash Mountain (at night) is probably my favorite ride. Though Indiana Jones is in most way better, it holds a deep place in my heart for helping me when I was in a bad place. I rode it 9 times one night, and one of those was completely by myself in the front seat in a log floating serenely floating through Frontierland as the fireworks went off overhead. It is a wonderful memory for me. The reason I mention this is because I don’t want to seem like I hate DL’s Splash Mountain, it was just angering to see it so much worse than my favorite. The main problem with DL’s Splash Mountain is the speed. The logs go far too fast to the point where no story is told and you can barely see the characters. Most people who love the DL version talk all about the animatronics however I really couldn’t see them since they were rushing by so fast. You really get no narrative for the ride. It is just a mess of animatronics and songs that don’t seem to match. I was so confused I couldn’t enjoy myself. You may say this is just nitpicking, but my dad completely agreed. He thought the story was rushed. Even the sections outside are over too quick. A ride that should be 13 minutes is more like 8. The ride also gets you soaked. I’m very used to nabbing the front seat at DW and getting a nice cool splashing. Here, I was wearing a poncho and I got more wet than I ever did at DW. My legs and shorts were soaked as were my shoes and socks. My dad got his socks so wet he had to leave soon after. Ok, the positives. It is still Splash Mountain. Most unfamiliar with DW’s version will likely love this ride and most people even familiar with DW’s version likely will. It is cute and fun, and I would say it is a must ride just to form your own opinion on it. I don’t want people to think I just loathe this ride, I really enjoy it. It just disappointed me since I know it could be better than it is. I also find DL’s final drop much more thrilling. Without restraints and in those small, tight logs, it is actually quite exciting to drop that far in the back of the log. I would say the drop may actually be the best part of the ride (which really isn’t a good thing). Lastly, sit in the very back, more legroom, much less soaked, and much more thrilling. (7.6/10)
Once I was getting off a CM told me that Fantasmic was not playing tonight (and we wouldn’t be refunded for my Dining Package). At that point, my dad was tired and now soaked with soggy socks. He was ready to go back to the hotel room so I told him to go ahead, and I would go and ride something else. I went to Main St and asked if the fireworks were happening, and the man said it probably wasn’t. I decided to just go ahead and ride the Matterhorn since it had a Single Rider line. I had heard it was best at night. I went to the Fantasyland line first. It was a slowly but surely moving 10 minute wait. I got the back seat on my toboggan through the Matterhorn.
Matterhorn Bobsleds - Both sides offer a similar experience, but Tomorrowland is much better with airtime and more craziness so ride it if you can only ride one side. This is both one of my favorite DL experiences and one of my least favorites. The ride is so gorgeous at night. Going through the wonderfully lit caverns is just one of those DL moments that is amazing. I would highly recommend doing both sides Single Rider at night for an amazing experience. However, this ride hurts. Not many non-OTSR rides hurt me, but this one hurt. It is very jerky and jolting but not in Space Mt DW kind of way. That is saved thanks to padding on the seats that make the turns really fun. Here there is no padding, just hard plastic. It is a painful experience. It also didn’t help that rain was pelting in my face, but this is why I loved it. The pain is what I remember the most. The rain gave it this blindness where I had no idea which turn was next, and the ride kept me guessing. When I think back on all the rides from my trip, this one sticks out as one of my favorite memories. The pain of being pelted by rain while bracing for the hard turns in the colorful taverns of the Matterhorn overlooking the gorgeous skyline of DL. An experience not to be missed at DL. (7.8/10)
Even though I got off the ride in pain, I took another round, and I could have kept riding. I thought I would try and ride BTMR so I walked towards Big Thunder Ranch. It was quiet in this certain corner and a nice escape. DL is the only park I’ve been to where it seems more crowded at night than in the day. I do prefer MK at DW at night for the lack of crowds after the fireworks where you can marathon rides or just quietly walk the large pathways seemingly by yourself. Plus it has many more amazing night rides to ride. I just can’t enjoy DL at night as much since it is so crazy still and the sidewalks are so much more narrow and hard to maneuver. I got to the entrance only to find out BTMR was closed.
I looked at the board of wait times and saw that BTMR, Splash Mountain, Pirates, and Indiana Jones were all closed. Something that irritated me this trip was all of the closing. Every day when the crowds hit a peak, it seemed like at least one major ride was closed. This made the pathways and other waits even more crowded. My last day at DCA ToT, Radiator, CA Screamin, and Grizzly River Run were closed. It was just crazy! I will say though, the waits never seemed to go much over 60 minutes unlike at DW. There they can go up to 120 or even 180 minutes during peak times. At DL, lines never went much past 70 which is amazing for such a packed park. Even classics like Pirates and Haunted Mansion never went over 30 minutes. The only ride that went over 60 or 70 was Splash which had 90 minute waits sometimes and was the most broken down ride during my trip. It seemed to be closed more often than not. DCA had some 90 minute or more waits during the day, but it mostly stayed at around 50 or 60 minutes.
Anyway, I decided to just go to DCA and try to see World of Color. As I was leaving, the fireworks and parade were officially canceled. I got to DCA and thought I would check out Cars Land at night waiting for WoC. Radiator was closed when I got there so I just got a chocolate milkshake from Flo’s. Cars Land lit up is such a beautiful sight. It seemed like I was one of only a few people there. I was drinking my chocolate shake when something zoomed went by. A car had raced by me and had passengers on board. Me and everyone around me high tailed it to Radiator. It had been closed since the rain started and just opened back up for the post WoC 9:00 crowd. I got in the single rider and walked right on. I was astonished at my luck. The ride was even better at night I would argue. Though the show lights were on during the dark ride portion, the animatronics were so impressive it doesn’t really matter. It is still amazing, but, wow, the outside portion was just astonishing. It looked so beautiful. Just how it was lit up with these rich lights all over and how you just raced by them. It was quite an experience. Once I got off I headed towards WoC and said my goodbyes to Cars Land. It was arguably the best land I’ve been to (I personally like New Orleans Square better and World Showcase if it counts). I got to WoC and gave my FP. I was expecting a crowd, but I was actually the only one there. It was just me. Though more people arrived, it still just felt like I was the only one there since it was so sparse around me. I wasn’t expecting much since I hadn’t heard much good about the show. I was very surprised.
World of Color - Celebrate - This is probably my favorite show at a Disney park. I like it even better than the famous nearby Fantasmic. Why? It is just so beautiful. Oh my gosh, just the colors and the water combination all of it, just flawlessly executed. The fog screens mixed right it, and were great for showing video. Honestly, it was all about how beautiful the show was. I especially loved the section when they played a Bob Dylan song. I mean I can’t imagine how much better it could get. A Bob Dylan song in a Disney show. I got a bit emotional, I'm not afraid to admit. I think the main reason I loved it though was that it really felt so personal. It was just what I needed to see at the time. Since I was front and center, it seemed like no one else was there. Like no else was even in the park, it was the most intimate show I’ve seen at a theme park. I can’t imagine a much more perfect show. I just love it. (10/10)
I left the show in a state of awe. I just couldn’t believe the show I had just seen. It was a perfect way to end the night and an unparalleled experience. I walked through the pretty Grizzly Peak with nearly no lights on and went home. I thought about going back Disneyland, but I had 2 more nights. Plus, I was exhausted. It had been such a long day, but it was an unbelievable one. I hope you enjoyed this report, and I should have another DL day up soon. These Disney reports do take much longer for me to write so just know that.
