Today was our last day in CA. We made a list of our favorite rides in each park to ride before the end of the day. On the top of Jman's list - Peter Pan and Buzz Lightyear. Triguy wanted to ride Peter Pan and Tower of Terror and the Runaway Train rollercoaster. I wanted to ride Soarin' Over CA and Indiana Jones. Supergirl listed Space Mountain (roller coaster), Big Thunder Mtn Railroad (roller coaster), Matterhorn (roller coaster), Muholland Madness (roller coaster), and CA Screamin' (roller coaster) - see a theme here???
We were able to ride all of the rides. Our biggest focus of the day, though, was keeping warm. It was cloudy all day and it seemed to get colder and colder each hour. Thank goodness for layers. By the end of the day, we each had on coats, hats, scarves, and gloves.
Towards the end of the day, there were two rides that Triguy had ridden, but the rest of the family had chosen not to ride - the Maliboomer and the Tower of Terror. Everyone had opted out because both of these rides involved long vertical drops.
I am not sure what go into me - maybe the cold weather had frozen my brain, but I decided to try them both.
The first ride to try was the Maliboomer. This is a ride that is meant to simulate a carnival strength tester - the ones that you hit with a big hammer and send the ball flying to the top to ring the bell. The difference is that it is oversized and you are the ball that is flying to the top...180 feet (18 stories) straight up into the air in under 4 seconds. (Yes, I know, what was I thinking???) Waiting in line, my heart was racing, my palms were sweating and I almost ran out of the line at least 4 times - and the line was only 5 minutes long! (Another warning - short lines mean crazy rides that noone will do!) I didn't trust Triguy when he told me over and over that it isn't as bad as it looks. The guy in front of us in line said the same thing and I felt just a little better. I felt better, that is, until we went to get on the ride and I noticed a big plastic screen that comes down over your face. Ummmmm...why would they have a screen in front of your face????? All I could think of was some kind of vomit-shield. We asked the guy working the ride and he told us it was a "scream shield" meant to send the screams up into the air and limit the noise from the ride. Oh great - sounds more like a scream-magnifier for me! We boarded the ride and were strapped down. My heart was racing even faster. I clutched Triguy's hand. Suddenly, without warning, the ride blasted off into the air. Once the ride hits the top and heads back down, you get the feeling of weightlessness. Even though it only lasts for less than a second, it feels like you are hanging up there for a minute before your stomach is returned to you! It was a crazy ride...but I liked it :)
Right before we left the park, someone handed us two Fast Pass tickets to Tower of Terror. This is a ride I have wanted to ride for over 10 years, but have been too scared to ride. After conquering the Maliboomer, I thought Tower of Terror would be a piece of cake. The fast pass line moved pretty fast and we were on the ride in less than 10 minutes. We were "lucky" enough to get the front row of the elevator. The story behind the ride is that you have entered the Twilight Zone and this once nice hotel is now broken including the elevator you are riding in. It takes you up to the thirteenth floor. Things seem okay at this point. And then, the doors close and the elevator drops. Oh, but it doesn't just drop once. No, no, no. It drops over and over again. And it goes up and then drops again. And each time you don't know how far you are going to drop. And you are in the dark. It was TERRIFYING!!!!! When the ride stopped, I think I was glued to Triguy with my face buried in his shoulder and my stomach left somewhere on the 9th or 10th floor. I couldn't get off the ride fast enough. Not sure that I am going to ever do that ride again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least I did get applause from the family for being brave enough to try the ride. :)
We decided we were all too tired to watch any parades and because of the fog each night, you coudln't see fireworks, so we headed back to the hotel for dinner and an early bedtime. We were too tired to even ask for a free dessert at our last restaurant.
So...free dessert count for the week stands at 4.
Click here for pic from the last day
Saturday, January 3, 2009
New Year, New Friends, New Pace
Question: What is the best way to start a new year?
Answer: Spend it at Disneyland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This morning was a cold one. We woke up early and headed into the park with only one goal in mind - ride the Nemo ride. We rushed to the ride and there was already a 30 minute line (How does that happen???? We walk fast!) Since there was a line, Supergirl and Triguy took off for a quick ride on the Matterhorn. Jman and I made it to the front of the line and the other two had not returned, so we let lots and lots of people go in front of us. Triguy and Supergirl finally returned and we boarded the long anticipated new ride. I have to be honest here - this ride was not worth the wait. I guess, if you have 3-4 year olds, it would be a good one, but it was pretty boring. Not a big wow factor like the other Disney rides. That's okay, we checked it off our list.
We hung around Disneyland long enough to ride Buzz Lightyear again and then headed to California Adventure. CA Adventure is a smaller park than Disneyland and has a much more laid-back feel. Supergirl was anxious to ride CA Screamin' - the big rollercoaster in the park where you go upside down. The wait wasn't long, so we went ahead and rode it. Jman decided to opt out - a good thing - and so the rest of us rode the coaster. It was a blast and is my favorite roller coaster in the two parks.
We decided last minute to each lunch with the Princesses at Ariel's Grotto. I thought the kids might be too old for a character lunch...I was wrong. Jack was giddy the whole time - he convinced all of the princesses to kiss his autograph book (flashback to our last trip :) ) Supergirl tried to be cool, but you could see the delight in her face as each princess came to our table. (Check out the pics) The meal was pricey, but was very good. And it was nice to take a break in the middle of the day.
We left the lunch and went over to the Midway Mania ride - a new interactive ride based on Toy Story. The wait was 45 minutes, but we had nothing better to do, so we went ahead and got into the line. About halfway through, the ride broke down. We had already waited about 25 minutes, so we decided to stay a little longer to see if the ride would start. While we were waiting, we met a family with a 9 year old daughter and 7 year old son. The kids quickly became friends and we had fun talking to adults for a change. The ride never did start, in fact 3 of the big rides in the park broke at the same time. We left the line with a fast pass to return to the ride later in the day and new friends. The kids had fun hanging out with someone other than a sibling. They trotted off ahead of us and rode a few of the smaller kid rides together. We went to a 4D showing of Bug’s Life with them and also went on the Monster’s Inc ride together. It was the first time all week that we didn’t hear “I’m bored!” or “I’m hungry” or “He/She looked at me funny!” There was only one “bad” result – the little girl was a pin collector – that is a person that wears the necklace with the metal Disney character pins all over it. You can then trade the pins with other people or cast members in the park. Supergirl was intrigued – anything that you collect is a good thing! She ended up spending her vacation money on pins and a necklace at the end of the day.
We finished the day early again – around 6pm. It was a nice, slow, relaxing day for us – not our usual fast pace. What a wonderful way to start off the new year!
Oh yeah - we received a birthday song and free dessert at the Princess Lunch - free dessert count 4!
Click here to see pictures
Answer: Spend it at Disneyland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This morning was a cold one. We woke up early and headed into the park with only one goal in mind - ride the Nemo ride. We rushed to the ride and there was already a 30 minute line (How does that happen???? We walk fast!) Since there was a line, Supergirl and Triguy took off for a quick ride on the Matterhorn. Jman and I made it to the front of the line and the other two had not returned, so we let lots and lots of people go in front of us. Triguy and Supergirl finally returned and we boarded the long anticipated new ride. I have to be honest here - this ride was not worth the wait. I guess, if you have 3-4 year olds, it would be a good one, but it was pretty boring. Not a big wow factor like the other Disney rides. That's okay, we checked it off our list.
We hung around Disneyland long enough to ride Buzz Lightyear again and then headed to California Adventure. CA Adventure is a smaller park than Disneyland and has a much more laid-back feel. Supergirl was anxious to ride CA Screamin' - the big rollercoaster in the park where you go upside down. The wait wasn't long, so we went ahead and rode it. Jman decided to opt out - a good thing - and so the rest of us rode the coaster. It was a blast and is my favorite roller coaster in the two parks.
We decided last minute to each lunch with the Princesses at Ariel's Grotto. I thought the kids might be too old for a character lunch...I was wrong. Jack was giddy the whole time - he convinced all of the princesses to kiss his autograph book (flashback to our last trip :) ) Supergirl tried to be cool, but you could see the delight in her face as each princess came to our table. (Check out the pics) The meal was pricey, but was very good. And it was nice to take a break in the middle of the day.
We left the lunch and went over to the Midway Mania ride - a new interactive ride based on Toy Story. The wait was 45 minutes, but we had nothing better to do, so we went ahead and got into the line. About halfway through, the ride broke down. We had already waited about 25 minutes, so we decided to stay a little longer to see if the ride would start. While we were waiting, we met a family with a 9 year old daughter and 7 year old son. The kids quickly became friends and we had fun talking to adults for a change. The ride never did start, in fact 3 of the big rides in the park broke at the same time. We left the line with a fast pass to return to the ride later in the day and new friends. The kids had fun hanging out with someone other than a sibling. They trotted off ahead of us and rode a few of the smaller kid rides together. We went to a 4D showing of Bug’s Life with them and also went on the Monster’s Inc ride together. It was the first time all week that we didn’t hear “I’m bored!” or “I’m hungry” or “He/She looked at me funny!” There was only one “bad” result – the little girl was a pin collector – that is a person that wears the necklace with the metal Disney character pins all over it. You can then trade the pins with other people or cast members in the park. Supergirl was intrigued – anything that you collect is a good thing! She ended up spending her vacation money on pins and a necklace at the end of the day.
We finished the day early again – around 6pm. It was a nice, slow, relaxing day for us – not our usual fast pace. What a wonderful way to start off the new year!
Oh yeah - we received a birthday song and free dessert at the Princess Lunch - free dessert count 4!
Click here to see pictures
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