After lunch, we added 2 more to our group as we migrated over to Disney California Adventure, affectionately known as DCA. Lately, it has also been called Disney Construction Adventure. There's quite a bit going on behind those construction walls.
There's still some of the original theming left, but for the most part, the old Sunshine Plaza is bare and ready for its next incarnation as the Buena Vista Plaza.
Not a whole lot of new stuff going on at The Carthay Circle Theater, but the pump house appears to be pretty close to being finished. A few new palm trees border it now.
Cars Land is where you can really see the progress; the rock work on this section of DCA is unbelievable.
Back to our regularly scheduled program; avoiding Phineas & Ferb, we ducked into Little Mermaid, where there was actually a bit of a wait.
Just as before, love the music and am blown away by a few of the animatronics...
yet overall, it underwhelms. The mix of sophisticated animatronics with the majority of static or extremely limited motion figures just seems a bit odd and makes the attraction seem like a snoozer. Snow White, Mr. Toad, and Peter Pan all have a fairly good pace, leaving you wanting more with their exciting vignettes.
It was time to raise the excitement level with Toy Story Mania; this attraction has yet to disappoint. The obligatory 3D glasses group shot:
Although not one of my higher scores, I still had a blast! I could probably ride this one for hours.
Kathy and Matt were in the spirit of the game as well:
Penny and I bypassed the Mickey Ferris Wheel; I felt no need to urp up my lunch from Celebration BBQ; the rest of the gang braved the swinging carts and lived to share the tale.
As if that wasn't enough, Dough, Mick, and Matt did the Silly Symphony Swings afterwards.
I snuck into the Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta to take a look around; not only does the interior of the restaurant look great, but the aroma of Italian cuisine immediately made me hungry.
Nothing like a glass of vino at the Golden Vine Winery while watching the daylight fade at the Disneyland Resort:
Back at the Anabella Hotel, which is less than a 15 minute walk from Disneyland, we had a few more cocktails at the Nectarine Bar while listening to live jazz. Couldn't have ordered up a better evening.
Located on Katella, this hotel really is a hidden gem. Clean, ideally located, and well designed, it's the perfect place to rest your weary bones after a full day at Disneyland.
As is typical with a Daveland Day at Disneyland, there is no rest for the weary. We all trudged back to Disneyland for a fantastic meal at Club 33. Chicken Pot Pie may not sound very high class, but the one I had for dinner ranks as one of the best.
All in all, it was as close to a perfect day as one gets. Thanks for sharing it with me!
See more DCA vintage & current photos on my Disney California Adventure web page.
5 comments:
Awesome Disneyland report as always! I have to say I disagree with you on the Little Mermaid...you have to let your inner child take over when you ride it. If you look at it through adult eyes, it's a different experience. Oh, and why didn't you ride the non-moving bucket on the Mickey Wheel? It's great and even though I hate heights, the views are wonderful.
What Connie Said.
I tried both of those rides for the first time recently, and had a riot.
My 25 yr old daughter grew up with the mermaid and she really enjoyed the ride. We could have used "more Ursula" but that wasn't a deal killer.
JG
I also failed to mention that on our Mermaid trip, the vehicles stopped right in front of the last scene...couldn't get the music out of my head for the next 2 days! JG - I'd love to see more Ursula, too!
Connie - Even the supposedly "stationary" vehicles move!
I think you're right about Fantasyland rides leaving you wanting more; I do like Little Mermaid okay, but having been on it quite a few times now, it does seem to drag a bit. The music helps, but only so much...they left out about half the movie, but it still doesn't seem tight enough.
I went on Mr. Toad for the first time in a long while, a favorite as a kid that really disappointed me the first time I rode as an adult, but with lowered expectations, it's a nice two-minute encapsulation of the spirit of the character, and a lovely way to decompress at the end of an exhausting day (and then hop behind the wheel and drive home to San Diego). I don't know if there's still a place for understatement in modern theme park design, but at least we still have those classics.
I agree with you Dave, about the mix of the high tech figures with too many static or limited-motion figures. Those fish that are attached to the wall as you enter the "Under The Sea" room should definitely be moving. The fact that they aren't makes them stick out like a sore thumb! It would be nice if the two storks just before the "Kiss The Girl" scene had some movement too.
I have been in the Pasta and Pizza place at DCA three times now and there has never been any kind of line or crowd in there. Maybe that will change after Buena Vista Street and Carsland are finished.
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