First Class California - Day 16 Anaheim

Day 16 - Anaheim (Friday 31st May 2013)

The alarm went off at 6:30 for our last day, as we had an extra magic hour in DCA to try and get ahead of the crowds. We quickly showered and dressed, but skipped breakfast and headed straight to the park, arriving just before 8 am, we immediately headed towards the entrance to Cars Land and the rope that stopped any more progress at the end of Buena Vista street. The CM at the gate stated that Cars Land would open at 8am, but the Fast Passes would not be distributed till 9am, but that no-one but the EMH would be able to get in the queue until 9am.

We then decided to get some more done, so headed first to Soarin'. This is the same ride as Epcot, but the pre-show is so much more in line with the film, the film is also much crisper than on the east coast. We were on the first ride of the day, but even so after the ride we headed straight to Radiator Springs to see if we could get a ride before needing to get in the Fast Pass line. Now by the time we got there 8:20 am the main queue was 40 mins, but the CM at the entrance said that the single rider was a walk on, so we took that option so that we would get 2 rides today.

It is almost 3 rides in one, first a gentle drive through the country.

Then a dark ride in and around radiator springs.

then finally the actual race and the speed increase. It is one of the best rides that Disney have produced in years and for me is better than the Harry potter ride over at Islands of Adventure (but as I am not a HP fan, this could be affecting the decision). This ride is worth the trip over to California, but I would be surprised if Cars land does not make its way into WDW at some point soon, so that may be a shorter trip.
After the ride we started to make our way back towards the Fast Pass queue, but did stop for a go on Luigi's Flying tyres.

This was the least impressive of the rides in cars land, and is just a less controlled version of Dodgem cars, that with the slow loading I would expect that it will close at some point.
We then made it to the FP queue, and what a queue, it went all the way from just outside Cars land, back to the hub area and then down  the road in Hollywood land, almost all the way to the Aladdin theatre. This was just before 9am and what the CM had said early was WRONG, no-one was stopping the non EMH guests getting in the queue which was just making it even longer, but as Radiator springs was such a good ride I still wanted to ride again, so I got in the queue.

Finally a few minutes after 9 the queue started to move and then moved constantly till we got to the FP machines to get a time of 2:45-3:45, ah much closer to the time we wanted to be leaving than expected but this was the only option so now we had to plan the rest of the day (and grab some breakfast) but first as we were so close to Mater's junkyard, it would be wrong not to try the jamboree again. and again it made us smile.

After this ride, we had decided to call it a day in DCA and head to Disneyland after breakfast so went via Toy Story Mania in the hope that the queue was not that long, OOOPS, after 45mins we had finally made it on and off, a great ride but it had been a long long queue. I had beaten Celia again, probably from my scores on the flying tossers section.

After Toy Story we headed quickly out via the Grand Californian and grabbed some breakfast at Jamba Juice, Celia had her oats and I had a breakfast wrap and we both had smoothies, which we ate whilst walking back to the hotel, we had got an 11am checkout, and after a quick brush of our teeth and whilst Celia finished the packing, I headed to the reception to checkout and confirm that they could store our luggage. Luggage was left with bell services and the room was vacated. A quick monorail ride and we were back in Disneyland at 11:30.

As it was a ride I had never done, and even with a long 20 mins wait in a classic switchback only queue, we rode Alice in Wonderland, a nice little dark ride. From there we headed into Tomorrowland and a short queue for Buzz Lightyear Astro blasters, one of our favourite rides be it this version or the WDW or Disneyland paris versions. I sneaked a win again, but only with a last minute jump in my score.

From there we headed over the hub to New Orlean's square and Pirates of the Caribbean, post pirates lunch was calling and I had a want for a Monte Cristo sandwich, getting into the Blue Bayou was unlikely but we had a look at French Market and Cafe Orleans and decided on the sit down, we had a short wait 10 mins or so, before we were seated and I had my order in for a Monte Cristo.

A great last meal before we leave California, afterwards with the clock ticking down before our Fast pass time we headed back out of the park, I had hoped to grab a Dole whip but the queue was most of the way to the Jungle cruise, so that seemed a waste. Back in DCA we decide to watch the Aladdin show, another attraction I had never been to before, and again wow, there are lots of talk about broadway quality shows but this is the best one we have seen. The genie is the star and seems to spend most of the time ad-lbing and telling jokes, again a must see.

As the show went on I was starting to worry that we would not make our FP time as Disneyland had just started to enforce the window. But the show did finish with 15 mins to spare and we headed through the Bugs land area and discovered a third entrance to cars land, this one bringing us into Radiator Springs between Luigi's and Mater's rides. so we were quickly into the fast Pass queue and onto the ride once again.

It is just a good the second time round and I so wish we had more time to ride it again, and this time we didn't win the race, but we still left smiling.

After the ride we had been given a voucher for a free photopass on this ride (above) so we had a quick look in the stores here to find a nice relevant frame to display it when we got home. leaving Cars Land we headed back to Buena Vista street and whilst Celia had a look in Elias and Company, I headed over to Clarabelles Hand Scooped Ice, for some ice cream to make up for the lack of a dole whip. So with my Double scoop Mint chocolate chip we met back up and headed towards the Disneyland hotel.

So this was it, we got back to the hotel and whilst we waited for the bags we discovered a model of the Disney Fantasy, which we have booked on for next year (Nov 2014), which felt like a nice end to the trip seeing the next holiday in model form. Our room will be on the 9th Deck (first one with a balcony) at the rear of the boat.

Note; Since arriving back we booked another holiday in October 2013 and there is a feeling that the cruise will not remain the next holiday when we return from that one.

We loaded up the car and drove back to LAX, with no great dramas. Arriving at the Avis lot, we removed our bags and swapped shoes for the flight (i always fly in slip ons, having worn trainers all day). Back at the terminal we were swiftly checked in and through security and it too the first class lounge. Time for a shower and change of clothes after a sweaty day in the park, followed by some food and drink before we were called for our flight. On board, it was an older first class than the way out but all we really needed was a bed as this was the 9pm flight. There was a Russian who was just being a pain, and seemed to be incapable of waiting to get to sleep and seemed to think that lying down was the right way to take off.

With the flat bed, ear plugs and eye mask I am able to get some sleep and some hours later awoke to a wonderful breakfast of pastries and a cooked breakfast as we landed back at Heathrow. The cab was waiting and we were soon back home.

First Class California - Day 15 Los Angeles

Day 15 - Los Angeles (Thursday 30th May 2013)

And so we reach the point of moving to the last hotel of the trip, after a getting up and being board of the breakfast on offer at the hotel, we headed down to the Mercedes Bar and Grill that we had visited when we arrived at Marina Del Ray 4 days ago. The breakfast was tasty and different, but the service was a bit slow so we were slightly behind schedule by the time we checked out of the Jamaica bay, but we were soon on the freeways heading south to Anaheim. We had always planned to delay heading off to try and avoid the traffic and for the most part we had a good drive, there was a slight interesting phase as we switched from the I-105 to the I-5 where we were driving through a residential neighbourhood, and just after 10am we were driving into the Car park of the Disneyland hotel.

We left most of our bags in the boot of the car, and just took in the ones we didn't have space for (having planned this so all that we needed for the night was in these bags). The queues are checkin were long, but reasonably efficient, so we were soon given our keys to the land cards and pointed at our room  in the Adventure tower, 2nd floor (well first in our language) and a nice view over the pool.

Although the room was much smaller than any of the other hotels we had been in, it was gorgeous. but time was not on our side, we only had 29 hours before we had to head to the airport and had the whole of Disneyland resort to explore.

So after a quick bag drop we were walking through Downtown disney hoping to get to the fast pass machines for Radiator springs racers before they ran out of tickets, Almost ignoring Buena vista street we got to the machines to find that we were too late and they had run out for the day (it was just after 11am). So with a couple of hours till our lunch (1:30) at Cathay Circle, we started to explore, heading towards condor flats, but the queue for Soarin' was huge and we started to get the feeling that today (and probably tomorrow) were going to be busy days in the parks. Continuing to wander around, Grizzly river run was closed so we reached Ariel, now this was a walk on, so on we walked.

It is a lovely dark ride and a nice telling of the story, we had a bit of a pause when we saw Ariel so got a good photo of her new hair doo. but I actually liked the ice cream swirl as it looked more like hair would look under water.

We continued around paradise pier, getting some water and just taking in the area. Celia does not do roller coasters or spinning rides so our options were limited, especially as I had been to DCA and DL before so had decided to not do any ride on my own, and only do rides and attractions that we could ride together. We did do the Sun wheel, but the non swinging version. It was only a 20 mins wait and gave some great views over the park and resort, but I do wish they could work out a way to protect the people below but not have a grid of wires across all the windows.

After the ride we had a wander around the shops on the boardwalk and with a very long wait for Toy story, we headed towards Cars Land. Now this was my main reason for visiting, and wow what a land, The area is spot on for Radiator Springs.

We had entered Cars land from the entrance by Fisherman's wharf and wandered away from Radiator racers so as we got almost to the end of Cars land we got to Mater's junkyard jamboree, and with some time before our restaurant reservation and a short queue, we decided to try it... WOW WOW WOW, now I had heard reviews stating that this is a little gem, but not a single riders seemed to come off the ride without a huge SMILE on their face. It is silly and simple, a slow loading ride but a wonderful wonderful ride, Mater sings little ditties and the "cow" trailers just go round in figure 8's but you are thrown about in the ride and it just makes you smile and laugh.

After this ride and with at least a small question on if we could ride again straight away, we decided that hunger was winning and we headed to Carthay Circle theatre for our lunch and fast passes for World of Color that night.

The meal was OK, although we had mentioned Celia's food issues on the reservation they didn't seem to have taken this is to account, and just expected us to work around the standard menu. Even the actual food was OK, nothing special and not sure I would eat here again.

After Lunch we wandered slowly through Buena vista street and I did get my photo with the man and mouse that started it all.

From there we switched over to Disneyland, turning right and taking in the Haunted Mansion and Winnie the Pooh, we did look at Splash mountain as it was a warm day and with tomorrow being our last day we were not looking at getting wet that day, but the queue was over an hour which is too long to wait for any ride. We then headed into fantasyland and a quick lap of the rail road, we then took in the new show "Mickey and the magical map", a great little show and the map is the real star.

After the show we headed to find a spot to watch the afternoon parade, which at Disneyland is much later than 3pm, only starting at 6:45 and it was 7pm by the time it had passed us by.

After the parade, we headed back via the Monorail to the Disneyland hotel for a quick break and to grab the tripod to try and get some late night photos.

But just over an hour later we were walking through the grand Californian and its back entrance to DCA, we had a slight diversion into the Redwood creek challenge trail, which in the dark of night was a lovely walk and would be a great place to take a little one, from there we found our spot for World of Color. Probably my personal favourite evening show in any Disney park, just ensure you have some water proof clothing as they do spray the crowd and it is not that warm at 9pm at night. We also were a little bit late and couldn't get a tripod space.

World of color does not photograph well without a tripod but afterwards we headed back to Radiator springs, this time via the main entrance to take in the neon lights. We didn't ride anything but just absorbed the atmosphere.

The hunger was starting to reappear well it had been 7 hours since lunch, and with DCA being handed over to Grad Nights, we switched back to Disneyland for food. We found some nice salads at River Belle Terrace, and after some chats with the Cast member over what we could have (well what Celia could have) they did gift us a Cinnamon roll (which was a bit strange as that is totally the kind of thing that Celia can't eat).

We had hoped to catch Fantasmic after the food, but it was chaotic and way too many people so we decided to get out of the way before it started and thought about trying to ride Alice in Wonderland but even at 10:30 at night it had a 30 min wait, so we decided that enough was enough and we had an early start tomorrow for Extra magic hours so we headed back to the hotel for the last nights sleep in the USA.