Photo Fun at the Disney Parks

I can't say I call myself a photographer at all but I do love snapping pics! I most definitely know when I dislike a photo. I try to make all the subjects involved look as best as they can. If I notice I've accidentally given someone two chins, DELETE! As I walk through city sights or theme parks I can see bad photos being taken all over. You know, it is when the subject/persons are right up against a monument or signage I want to correct them. I definitely don't do that because it is just too odd. 

Anyway, Eric and I were at Disney California Adventure and Disneyland yesterday, and I messed around a bit with my iPhone 5. (Below, what is that shadow in the bottom, right corner?)

It was a warmer day than we anticipated. We almost wore shorts, but it was pretty breezy at home. I was sorry that I changed my mind. There wasn't a breeze at the park. But, I'm not complaining because regardless of what the groundhog said back in February, it's been cold for too long. 

We headed straight for the Paradise Pier area to the Paradise Garden Grill. Since I've recently gone back to being a vegetarian, I had the Veggie skewer. There were two chunks of tofu on my skewer plus veggies. I haven't had tofu in a while and found the texture mushy. It's one of those things you just accept if you're choosing to give up meat. The sauce is amazing and added great flavor!

We then waited a quick 8 minutes for Goofy's Sky School. There was a woman in our vehicle that was freaking out. It's a small coaster, but those turns really make one feel as though you'll fly off the track. She kept shouting, "This is too scary! Scarier than the big coaster!" Eric and I just laughed away at her. We ended up seeing that couple everywhere after that ride. See if you notice this happening to you next time you're at the parks. 

I could say we only took a trip to Cars Land with a plan to ride Radiator Springs Racers, but that would be a lie. Without a lot of convincing I told Eric we should grab a mud pie from Flo's V8 Cafe. Neither of us had eaten one in a while. It was as scrumptious as always!

Eric suggested we take the route of the single rider queue. We hadn't used it before because riders are split up. Luckily we ended up in the same vehicle, but separate rows. It's a little awkward when the rest of the car's riders are laughing and interacting with one another.....cut to me, laughing with my reflection in the car's rear view mirror (nice touch since it is suppose to be a race car).

We jumped parks and had a stroll through Fantasyland. This visit then confirmed to me that the area music was still being used. About a month ago Eric and I noticed that there is an orchestration playing along with the carousel calliope music. The new or once lost music is impressive as it is a counter melody to the calliope's feed. If you haven't noticed it heard this, check it out. 

At one point we wanted to ride the Matterhorn, but that ride broke down as we waited. "Let's try Alice in Wonderland" suggested Eric. 

Well, that ride had also been experiencing some issues. We also took a few steps toward Storybook Land and saw that the attraction had closed off the queue for the parade. 

So it was going to be a road trip through the English countryside! I wonder if our motor car will get us to a pal of ours in Poulton Le Fylde, England? As usual, we passed a crumbling bridge and a dynamite factory! It always ends with a trip to Hell. It seems J. Thaddeus Toad made a few bad decisions.  

It would seem that Eric and I were one of the last few to visit the Iron Man display at Innoventions. This is a building we never enter, but we now had a reason. There's no question that the suits were cool. It just seems that the long queues that once existed for the exhibit weren't necessary. 

With that promising look at tomorrow, we decided to end our Disney day. There's a Greek celebration this weekend that we might attend. I know there are a few few items, that don't have meat, that I'd like to try. Plus, Hercules will be walking around with his muscles exposed! I know Eric and I will be all over that! 

Seeking the Wild at Animal Kingdom

Since we had a few first timers to the resort, and one who works at the San Diego Safari Park, we tried to WOW our friends at Animal Kingdom. With our shorter than normal stay at Disney World we knew what offerings to skip. The 10 Miler run we'd soon be apart of the following night also dictated a shorter stay at this park. So, if you visit Animal Kingdom park on a short trip, maybe the type of day we had is for you.

It is said that the Safari attraction should always be visited early on in one's day. Eric and I steered our group left, toward the Safari. The eight of us made short stops along the way. A group, couple, or single person shouldn't be able to resist the views one comes across at this park.

Eric & Ricky couldn't resist an "afro circus" reference.

If you're into photography, there are opportunities all around. Right at the start its easy to get side tracked taking group photos with the Tree of Life as your backdrop. Now when I say "side tracked", I don't mean that in a negative way at all. I can't stress how easy it is to suddenly become engrossed in the atmosphere. The enveloping theme draws you into a convincing, jungle-like world.

After moving through the plants and crossing a bridge, we all arrived in the park's section of Harambe. This area themed to a fictitious market place in Africa is the corridor leading us to the Kilamanjaro Safari. If you can resist the shops and various treats, you'll end up at the "upside down" tree. That tree marks the queue entrance and our journey to a jungle, savannah, and the mud pits.

Eric and I have ridden this tour many times and we usually have a different experience. The sequence of animals seen remains the same, but sometimes we see Lions and others trips we don't. This time I wanted all hands on deck because Kevin knows about Safari set ups like this, and so does his girlfriend Angie. Kevin and Angie would be the travelers to impress. Kevin works at the Safari Park in San Diego County and Angie has been there many times.

Angie/Kevin

Giving a complete play by play of what animals we saw would fill up this whole blog entry. I will say I had hoped to see a lot more during this Safari. If I recall correctly, Kevin and I did joke a little with an abridged Jurassic Park quote "Uh, you do have animals in your Animal Kingdom safari park, yes?" I hope our first timers, that also included Rey and Brandi, still had an enjoyable time while riding. Karla had visited before, but that was Fall of 2004.

Although the bumpy jeep ride through the safari is the main draw, Animal Kingdom has other attractions to offer. And, if you only have one day your group might leave not seeing key experiences. Sure "ignorance is bliss" but missing out on the unknown is a shame.

One of Eric's "not to be missed" items are both Pangani Trail (gorillas) and Maharaja Jungle Trek (tigers and bats). Both trails are lengthy but benches are provided as rest stops. More importantly, those benches being cooled by huge fans are there to take in this great environment. The trails themselves are in unique settings of an old palace and ancient ruins.

It was so fun to watch our friends try to find all the birds in the park's aviary section of the Jungle Trek. One of the Cast Members helped out Brandi as she tried to find a gold tailed bird. She found him in the end. But then the Cast Member spoke on and on about the bird's characteristics. Don't get me wrong. She was very informative, but our group was already in the next exhibit while Brandi and I patiently listened.

Jungle Trek passes through an abandoned palace

A key moment in the Pangani Trail is the grand finale of seeing gorillas in a good sized habitat. This gorilla habitat is a sight to behold as it surrounds the visitor on both sides of the trail. Some guests storm right through and others take a seat and just watch the gorillas for a chunk of time. It's certainly quite relaxing as you hear waterfalls cascading down the hills. I'm agreeing with Eric that these trails are "a must" when visiting this park.

The thrills of seeing giraffes and gorillas don't compare to the sensation of careening through a coaster track. If you don't know, this is where Disney erected Expedition Everest. The mountain themed after the Himalayas sits in Animal Kingdom's Asia section. As our group moved through the humidity and passed under authentically hung flags, we felt as though we were in Nepal. Every few minutes one can see the coaster's train climb high up the side of the mountain.

Whether one uses fast pass or not, the queue is usually not bad. I think the most Eric and I have waited is 30 minutes. That wait time was in the "off season" 6 years ago, when the attraction first opened. I would hate for someone to miss this great attraction because they felt the wait was too long. Of course with the new Fast Pass+ you'll be able to schedule your ride times before leaving home. That could definitely change the way folks maneuver the park.

Not to single out Rey but we were a little interested to see his reaction. I hear coasters/heights are not his favorite encounters. He is a trooper though and boarded with the rest of us. With that said, Rey loved it and so did everyone else in our group. There are a few surprises that I won't spoil for others that have yet to ride. The adrenaline sure gave everyone a perk to trudge along through the humid filled day.

Rick and Karla

Rey squeezing for dear life!!

If you're wondering about food, there is a good assortment from which to choose. During our time at the park we did take a few rests and used our Disney Dining Plan snack credits. Eric found this huge cupcake that he was not able to finish. I ordered too soon and picked out a regular cheese Danish. I wish I had chosen a cupcake similar to Eric. One should get the most out of the Dining Plan.

As we relaxed in the humid shade we were able to talk about our action plan for the 10 mile run. The Twilight Zone 10 Miler was the next night, but we had to pick up race packets. Having to do this made our Animal Kingdom day a little shorter. The packets were only given out until a certain time. Also, half of our group that hadn't yet seen the Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba were going to check out available tickets. After cementing our plan for that, Angie, Karla, and I danced to some African beats!

Dancing to the drums!

We heard Dinosaur, a turbulent ride a prehistoric time, was not running at the moment so we headed to the rapids. Eric and I normally skip this attraction because compared to Grizzly River Run at California Adventure, this ride is sub-par. But, I'm not exaggerating when I say it was sickly hot and humid!

Kali River Rapids is located in the Asia section and has great theming. The "thrill" factor is low, but it can still be fun. The queue consists of a few shrines and abandoned shops that give the feeling one is in India. The actual attraction experience has an environmental conscience message about deforestation. There's a strong image of a burning forest while lumber is hauled away. Our group left the attraction with a decent amount of water splashes. It sure felt great with the weather!

Our six hours in the park was passing by us quite quickly. Although we had our snack, the heat was bringing on hunger faster than we thought. Some great places to eat at this park are PizzaFari, Yak and Yeti, and the place we chose this day, Flame Tree BBQ.

The great traits about the Flame Tree BBQ are the food portions and the seating area provided. Right behind the kitchen building and along the water are many tables. As Eric and I have done in the past, our group grabbed a table with a great view of Expedition Everest. I have to add that it's also a quiet area to rest from the day's walking.

After lunch we found ourselves in the 2 o'clock hour. It was close to our departure from the park. Even though Angie is terrified of Dinosaurs, she decided to tough it out on the attraction of the same name. We checked our wait time app and saw that it was open with a 15-20 minutes wait (a typical length).

Eric and I always get so excited to get people on this attraction for the first time. I know when I had my first trip, I didn't expect what Dinosaur had to offer. Unfortunately the attraction broke down as we neared the front of the queue. After waiting it out a bit, the Cast Members cleared the building of all guests. I'm pretty sure Angie was relieved, but Eric and I were disappointed. We weren't sure when our friends would return so we hoped they would get the experience.

As we headed toward the main entrance, Ricky and Eric made a few last attempts to trade some pins. It's also usually the time when one asks himself, "Did I get a photo of The Tree of Life?" So a few pictures were taken of the tree as we headed out.

Ricky, Angie, Eric, and myself still had the packet pick up and RunDisney Expo at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. Also, since Kevin, Rey, Angie, and Brandi were heading to Cirque. The rest of us would continue alcohol tasting at Epcot. So you see, although not all attractions were ridden, you can still get a full day here. There is nothing worse than trying to cram everything in your day. It can sometimes be too hot and exhausting for that. Your friends, partner, or family are with you, and that's the important part. It's also okay to split up and regroup.

Disney World Food, Fast Pass Woes, and a Flight Through Space

Arriving at the airport one starts to ask himself, "Do I want to sleep the rest of the day or get going to the parks?" In the past we have slept a few hours after an overnight flight. For this trip we just dropped our stuff off and left the room to eat. We wanted to dive into our Disney Dining plan before leaving the hotel. Our group had never used the plan before. In fact, of the five travelers that arrived this day, two had never been there before. Rey and Brandi would be taking in this whole new experience and the dining plan??? That was quite a lot for them to swallow! But seriously, I was very excited for the two of them. Our friend Ricky also arrived with us on that first day and we all were hungry! You see, that is what happens when Airlines stop feeding their customers on an airplane.

We had all signed up for the Quick Service dining plan. That dining plan amounts to the following : 2 quick service meals a day comprised of 1 drink, 1 entree, and 1 dessert per person. We also were able to get one snack per day and a re-fillable mug that could be used at the hotel. For that first meal I grabbed a Chicken Quesadilla with a side of rice and beans. It was very good and was exactly what I needed after our flight! The pastry I chose wasn't anything special but still a tasty cupcake. Everyone was satisfied, but also ready to get on our way to Magic Kingdom. We were so jazzed to get started that the only shot I took was of this scary looking grasshopper from my iphone 5.

                                             

We had Fast Pass Plus reservations at the Magic Kingdom. The test for the new technology was ending that day, so this would be our last chance to partake in this. By the time we were on our way to the park, it was getting close to 6:30PM, park closed at 9 PM. At this point we had already missed out on two attraction uses. As I noted in a previous post, our inbound flight landed at a time that basically rendered two passes as void. There is no way we would skip eating so that we may use this new Fast Pass system. Our next available Fast Pass usage was for Big Thunder Mountain. That coaster is literally the farthest from the from entrance and the Electrical Parade crowd would be in the way of getting there. Eric and I had a quick "one on one" meeting and decided to just toss the whole thing out the window. It really didn't make sense to try and push our exhausted party so that we could use a Fast Pass. And, we wanted our friends to take in the park for what it is and not run past it all.

Here we have Rey, Brandi, Eric, and Ricky that are ready to continue our long day in the Magic Kingdom. We had all been awake since about 4 AM that morning and it was now around 7PM. Even though we only had about 2 hours in the park, we experienced a decent amount of attractions. And, that was with having a leisurely time and not running from one to the other. We moved from Haunted Mansion through Fantasyland to see the Storybook Circus area, then took the connecting pathway from Fantasyland to Space Mountain/People Mover. At this point Rey and Brandi were pretty sure there was a big difference between Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. 

Rey and the rest of us flying through space!

I think I want to bring up an online debate in regards to Disneyland's Space Mountain and the coaster at Magic Kingdom. I have to say that they are two different coasters altogether. Florida's version is more of an elaborate "mouse coaster". It has more drops, is rickety, can hurt your neck (hurt mine for a few days), and can feel faster. The version at Disneyland is a smoother experience, has superior effects, onboard audio, is a little more dramatic in it's story, and it doesn't usually injure your neck. I have to say that I love both of these attractions and I recommend them to everyone who enjoys thrilling theme park experiences. During the course of our trip, we rode Space Mountain three times. We were lucky enough to ride the same track all three times. For those who don't know, it has two separate paths like the Matterhorn at Disneyland. The track we rode (right side) each time seemed to have more drops than the other loading area. Can anyone confirm this?

Ricky and I can't decide why they use Orange for a "castle" color.

We ended our attraction riding for the night by being one of the last groups on the People Mover. We even had a fun view for the Wishes firework show. Eric noted that the narration for this attraction seemed a bit "young" and up beat, not a bad thing. The narration was just different than from what we remembered. A favorite part is the slow pass through the Space Mountain show building. We were all surprised how quickly the fireworks ended during our People Mover trip. This show really made Disneyland's firework show seem so much longer.

Ricky looking like a Muppet needing animation.

I should note that if anyone reading this visits Disney World, it is best to find creative ways to wait out the long queues for the hotel buses. When the firework show ended, the crowd jammed all walkways toward the main gate. We certainly were in no hurry to deal with that, so we took our sweet time browsing. Speaking of sweets, we even stopped at the bakery to use a snack credit on a slice of chocolate cake. As one can see from my panoramic shot, the park was pretty empty when we made it to Town Square. I think we were all ready to go back and fall asleep for at least six to seven hours.

Magic Kingdom Celebrates a Birthday

Well look who turned 40!! Today we return to our 2011 Disney World adventure. One of the reasons Eric made the suggestion for our visit was because he felt it would be great to be apart of this day. He was correct! It would be awesome to think we were the only ones who had the idea, but that wasn't the case. And to be honest, the fact that so many other guests were excited made it that more special.

Approaching from the shuttles.

Taking in the crowd's size!

We were anticipating a big crowd at the main gate. Eric and I took our resort shuttle early, but we should have left 20 minutes sooner. Still, we were very patient and did I mention excited? The anticipation grew when we were able to see the grand crowd at the front of the Magic Kingdom! And, it was touching to see the groups of Cast Members that returned to celebrate. Some of them had shirts stating their years of service and where they worked. 

After the daily welcome show, we headed to grab our free birthday button, and get a spot for the show at the castle. We heard there would be a small re-dedication. There wasn't a lot planned for the festivities, but we wanted to be there for what we could see. We met up with our fellow SoCal friends Josh and Daniel, and found a spot on the "Liberty Square" side of the Partners Statue.

Self Guest Control with a little walkway?? 

In a crowd, I tend to listen into the surrounding conversations. Some were chatting about old times and where they use to work. Others spoke about the fact they were back after many years of not visiting. Everyone was just so happy! People even kept a walkway?? These were definitely Cast Members! Despite the "self guest control", a tall man managed to block Eric's view. However; we had a perfect spot for the cavalcade.

After a few words from a former Cast Member and executive the crowd was blanketed in steamers. It became a free for all as everyone began filtering out through the park. I had never seen the park this busy before. I was sure that prior to the end of the ceremony, the various attraction operators had an easy morning because all guests had to have been there with us. We made a quick plan with our friends to meet up again for the evening entertainment. Since we were on the Liberty Square side of the hub, Eric and I headed to the West end of the park.

Two of our favorite attractions are right near each other, Haunted Mansion and "it's a small world". Although the originals are at Disneyland, they are important in the Disney parks heritage. Eric and I were also curious about the new interactive  queue for Mansion. It was fun to set off the different gags and get photographed with the new busts. It can be bypassed, but it's cute enough to check out. If the queue was full to capacity I'm not sure how one would filter back to the normal queue. We were still one of the few that ran to this attraction. It seemed that a good amount of people were lining up for the special merchandise at the Golden Horseshoe. 

"it's a small world" is starting to need a rehab again. The first time I rode the Disney World version (2003) I was horrified! Then in the middle of the last decade, the attraction had a facelift that really bumped up the quality. Well it seems to be slipping again. While most people our age would skip this attraction, it's a must do for Eric and I. We met at the Disneyland version of "it's a small world", so riding the little cruise is special for us. 

We were about to board Peter Pan's Flight

Eric and I really enjoy the Fantasyland area. I will say that an odd aspect I do like is the whole 1970s look it has. I don't think people who have only ever visited Magic Kingdom would know what I mean because they are use to this look only. I could also say the aesthetic reminds me of the former look of Fantasyland in Disneyland. We all know that will change once the New Fantasyland opens this year at Magic Kingdom. Again most adults may skip this area, but we never could do that. In case you didn't figure it out, we don't skip areas because "that's kid stuff". We even had to say our last Good-Bye to the attraction, Snow White's Scary Adventure. That location will be a princess meet n greet in the near future.

All while sporting our 40th Birthday buttons, we pressed on through the various lands in the park. Jungle Cruise always seems to have a lengthy queue but the fast passes available were during parade time. Maybe next time Eric and I will grab a fast pass earlier in the day. Luckily after the wait, we had a Cast Member who gave us a few laughs. It's also fun to ride with groups that have no clue what's going on. For fun with those non-english groups, the skipper will go off script a bit, but not always. 

As twilight set in we started thinking of the night time entertainment. I may get made fun of, but I always enjoy the Electrical Parade. Does it need to be even more updated? Yes it sure does need more than a new soundtrack and one new float. But, I enjoy the parade for what it is and I do love the new music. We also met up with our friends Josh and Daniel! They too were enjoying their day and were ready for the Wishes fireworks and Electrical Parade. No matter if I've seen a Disney show before, I take more photos. I always try and get better shots than what I have. The one showing here isn't too bad.

Again, there was a crowd I had never seen before. Just as the fireworks ended, we stood up, walked two steps to the curb, and that became our parade spot. We couldn't move and had to stay there for two of the Magic, Memories, and You projection shows. Eric and I can't stand those projection shows, but obviously other guests enjoy it. We lucked out because our seats faced away from the castle. I caved and still took a few shots to pass time before the parade. Did I mention it was REALLY crowded?

One has to keep in mind that most guests visiting are in the park for "the long haul". These people leave when they are close to kicked out! As the park finally cleared out we took in the various shops on Main St by looking at everything. We don't really buy a lot of merchandise, but one shouldn't overlook the possibilities. Somewhere in all that could be a great find! Eric did buy a 40th Anniversay Duffy and we had some camera fun with him. 

 

All in all it was a normal day at Magic Kingdom but with a bigger crowd. If it hadn't been for the ceremony and cavalcade, an unsuspecting guest would never know the difference. At least Disney did do something. We have our buttons, our Duffy, and our photos to remember the day.