Day 2 - California Adventure

We soaked up the ambience at Disneyland our first day there but we also did the fast rides that day and on our next two days at the parks. Friday, October 24th, our second day, we spent at California Adventure. Alex has three favorite attractions there each with its own range of appeal: Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land,  Grizzly River Run at Grizzly Peak, and Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Paradise Pier.

For speed and thrills we rode the Radiator Springs Racers at Cars Land. It starts out slow with a Sunday afternoon type ride through scenic mountain passes, continues with a journey through auto shops getting prepped for a race, and ends in a heart pounding speed contest against another car.  I get car sick but I do this for Alex. At one point the car speeds over three rolling hills in quick succession. My stomach drops out on the third one but I say I can take it. Except it is followed by a hard bank to the right which jolts my clinging stomach over the left side door of the race car and deposits it somewhere splayed back there on the side of the race track... every @#$%#@ time... even though I know it is coming and I prepare for it. Alex loves every minute. We did this attraction three times, twice during the day and once with the evening lighting.  I guess I am a glutton for punishment.

This is our second of three rides on the racers. I was determined to smile for the photo
but I guess those hills and steeply banked curves got to me. Alex loved it all!

The evening illumination at the Radiators Springs Racers is just gorgeous. Here are Frank and Alex on our way to our third race of the day. We had dinner at Flo's V-8 Cafe in Cars Land... after the race of course!

While in Cars Land we also rode Luigi's Flying Tires, huge tires that floated on a field of air and were steered by which way we leaned. Frank and Alex took a turn at Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, jaunty square dancing tractors that swing your partner round and round.

For bumps, twists, and wetness, all three of us rode Grizzly River Run. It started out serene enough with a gentle float along a waterway, followed by a steady chugga-chugga climb up a wood slatted inclined belt power by a waterwheel where a few sprinkles of wayward water drops is the most thrill you can expect. Then our big circular raft was unceremoniously dumped into a raging turbulent downhill flash flood where we spun and dipped and lurched while huge sloshes of water drenched just about every bit of us. Alex squealed with glee and kept proclaiming "Wet! Wet!" Somehow the cool water negated my nausea sufficiently that I could survive this ride also. We rode this one twice, but not in a row. There was recovery time in between.

Well, what do you think Alex. Are you ready to get wet?

This photo was take from a helicopter 500 feet up.
I snatched it from a Disney website to illustrate how "calm" a ride it was.

Not far from Grizzly Peak is Condor Flats where we rode Soarin' Over California. We experienced the wind blowing in our face, the smell of orange groves, the splash of water from nearly dunking our feet as we flew over various areas of California just as if we were in our very own our hang-gliding craft. We made a stop at Hollywood Land for a hot dog lunch and to experience a ride through Monstropolis aboard the attraction Monsters, Inc. Mike & Scully to the Rescue.

We also had a brief foray into a bug's land where Frank and Alex shared a bumper car in Tuck and Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies. Part of the fun of that ride for me was watching them fit their two butts side by side in that bug-sized seat. We saw a 3-D It's Tough  to Be a Bug theatre show and Frank and Alex rode Heimlich's Chew Chew Train; it "maneuvered" among and about large scaled partially eaten watermelons slices, cupcakes, and other food tidbits that bugs would find gourmet pleasure in discovering abandoned on the ground. Alex also hung out amidst the shooting jets of water that arced their way randomly at Princess Dot's Puddle Park. I marveled at what a beautiful day it was as I looked up at the sky from under the large foliage scaled to give me an insect's perspective. 

Bumper cars are always fun, especially these rubber baby buggy bumpers.

Beautiful blue sky peeks in between the huge leaf coverage. 

For romantic Disney magic we rode the Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Paradise Pier. This attraction has clamshell shaped carts that take you smoothly and slowly "under the sea" and retells the story of The Little Mermaid Disney movie classic. The music is lovely and lively, the colors are soothingly serene at times, calypso cheery at others. I think Alex has a bit of a crush on Ariel so he likes this ride. It is more my speed. We rode it three times. Frank and Alex also rode the nearby mini-rollercoaster called Goofy's Sky School.  

The Little Mermaid is a favorite movie of mine and Alex's and this tame attraction really captures the mood, spirit and colors of the story. We could just relax and enjoy being under the sea for a few minutes.

We watched a parade in the late afternoon after which torrents of bubbles were pumped out over the path of the parade. Who doesn't love bubbles? Alex is a huge fan even at his age. But just remember, Lawrence Welk liked bubbles too and his TV variety show with its bubble theme was popular for over three decades.

So many bubbles to pop and so little time...

We finished the evening with the 28 minute long show World of Color. In order to get a spot where Alex had good view while seated we had to be there at 7:40pm for a 9:00pm show to stake out a place in the front row of a slightly elevated area. We just hung out for that time. Alex chilled while Frank and I played the 7 Little Words game on our cell phones. Images of clips from movies were projected on a screen formed by sprays of water. It was pretty neat seeing Alex recognize and point out the gargantuan sized images of his favorites, Belle, Beast, Ariel, Woody and Buzz Lightyear. There were also fire, fog, fountain, and laser special effects. We were so close we really, really, felt the heat from the flames, even being outside the wet zone from the sky high fountains that spouted upward and swayed to and fro in time to the music. When the show finished we exited the park, shuffling among the throngs of guests and catching glimpses of the fireworks from Disneyland across the way. It was close to 10:30 pm before we arrived back at our hotel room and collapsed. Our fun-filled day at California Adventure had begun at 8:20am!

We had great seats. We were right up against the knobbed railing that's barely visible in the foreground.
At some points those fountains would shoot up six or more times that height and lean sideways 45° or so.

A Colorful Halloween Time at Disney

Orange-you glad to see the bright crisp colors of fall? Yes, I know Halloween also has its dark side with witch blacks, monster purples, and beast browns but I much prefer the bright yellows and oranges of smiling Jack O' Lanterns and fall foliage. Frank and I took Alex to Disneyland last week. This was the first time we have been there during this season of the year. Disney decorates right! This Halloween Day post is a pictorial tribute to the sites and colors of Disneyland at Halloween. Yes, we rode lots of attractions (the topic for another post about this trip), but even if we did not, the trip was worth it for the sights alone.

Once inside The Magic Kingdom is a huge pumpkin Mickey greeted the guests.
Frank, Alex and I posed for the professional photographer, who, by the way,
was also very agreeable to snapping us a few shots with our own cell phone.

Above the entrance gates to the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland, huge Jack O' Lantern carvings of the core Disney characters watch over the guests filing in. Hmmm... I wonder where Disney stores those heads the rest of the year...

Goofy sports his classic green hat, formed from green gourds, of course.

The Mickey Mouse Jack O'Lantern is perched center stage.
Each iconic ear is made from a pumpkin.

Donald Duck wears a pumpkin hat with the ribbons made of pumpkin vines.
His orange and yellow bill is formed of pumpkin side sections.

The buildings along Main Street, USA were festooned with candy-corn colored buntings.

Here is the Main Street Train Station viewed from within the park. 

City Hall had several rows of buntings at varying heights.

The Emporium at the corner of Main Street was decked out with buntings and pumpkins.

Buntings along the eaves and railing, pumpkins on the balconies, and banners on the lamp posts in front of the stores all created a festive fall atmosphere.

Scores of grinning pumpkins peer down at you from above the doorways into the stores.

Since this store was the Mad Hatter, the Jack O' Lanterns above it all wear jaunty hats.

At the train station end of Main Street we waited for a horse drawn carriage to take us to the castle end. Even the horse's tail was decked out in orange. Alex held his Disney-themed Visitor's Guide tightly throughout most of the trip. I think he really liked the pumpkin Mickey on the cover - orange, of course.

Alex waits for the horse drawn carriage to arrive.
He is ready to start his day. Have guide, will travel!

I love that even the horse's mane and tail are decorated.

At the far end of MainStreet, just in front of the Sleeping Beauty's Castle, the lamp posts were draped in broad streamers of soft orange and golden yellow and the mini-park area had more planted and hanging flowers.

Autumnal colored leaves at the top of these posts
let even Californians enjoy fall foliage.

The park bench area was just a pleasant place to sit.

 A ring of Jack O' Lanterns encircled the bronze statue of Walt Disney one for each land of the Magic Kingdom. There was Winnie the Pooh for Critter Country, Woody from Toy Story for Frontierland, Jack Skellington from the Nightmare Before Christmas for New Orleans Square, Tarzan for Adventureland, Buss Lightyear from Toy Story for Tomorrowland, Roger Rabbit for Toontown, and Tinker Bell for Fantasyland.

I took close-up pictures of every one of these intricately carved pumpkins.
They lit up with a soft warm yellow glow at night.

Winnie the Pooh was my favorite.

Although The Nightmare Before Christmas is not one of my favorites,
I could not omit Jack Skellington at Halloween time!

We visited all seven of these lands during our three days at the Disney parks. Here are Frank and Alex on their way into Toontown.

The train bridge spanning the entrance to Toontown was festooned with buntings.

The hearse outside the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square was also bedecked for Halloween.

There are glowing Jack O' Lanterns within this horseless drawn hearse.

I loved our time at the parks. Little details would bring a smile to my face as I delighted in them. Who else but Disney has seasonally decorated disposable popcorn boxes?

It is a very grey afternoon here in Livermore as I write this. The rain is gently but steadily coming down and we really need it with this drought. That is OK. I am getting my color dose from these pictures.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

These lush chrysanthemums (see, I can spell it) decorated Main Street.