09-07-2012, 04:14 PM
Well, it was a great ride down with G & tQ. I think tQ remembers more details from my book than I do. And good to see the dogs and to eliminate once more in the fine commode of Lynch Manor.
After G dropped me off, I found my car exactly where S had said it would be with the hotel key in the glove compartment. I dropped my stuff off in our room at Paradise Pier, which had an amazing view of the California park (a free upgrade because the parks are so empty this week). Then I hustled down to D-land and met my family, almost at random, at the central hub. They had already done a lot of Tomorrowland & Small World, so it was off to the Tiki room, which remains a family fav. Then we did Pirates, twice in a row, just because we could as there was no line whatsoever. Spent the day in the original park and hit all the major rides - longest line was 10 mins and I think there were less than half a dozen of those. Unfortunately, Indiana Jones was dark, as was my fav, the Haunted Mansion, which is always dark for the Nightmare Before Christmas refit this time of year. It's a heavy price to pay for 5 min lines. Weather was overcast with welcome light sprinkles which gave a delightful cooling effect. We had a front row seat for the parade and then watched World of Color from our hotel room (there's a TV channel that simulcasts the soundtrack). I slept so well. The next day we spent mostly in original D-land, and cut over to CA-land in the afternoon. CA-land is hotter, less shade, and much more expensive. The lines were longer - T&I did one long one - 90 mins for the new Radiator Springs in Cars-Land. It's a good ride and I've never liked Cars. I've always thought that they could have done better with that franchise, tied it to Autopia like with Pirates. There's also a Tow-Mater ride that is surprisingly fun. S got way into Grizzly River Run, which we also rode twice in a row just to get extra wet. S went back and rode it 3x in a row while T&I were in the Radiator Springs line, and then jedi-ed her way to the front to join us for that. We caught World of Color, which is the best water show ever. EVER! And this is after just seeing the Bellagio show in Vegas from the Eiffel Tower restaurant. So #1 was World of Color. #2 was Radiator Springs. #3 was Star Tours, which is still fun. #4 was Captain EO which was such a funny flashback for S&I, and T liked it too. After World of Color, we drove home. S did the heavy lifting, barreling up I5 with a short stop at the Buttonwillow Denny's for a midnite breakfast. I took the pass at about 3AM. We were in bed by 4:20AM and I made it here to work just a little after 9.
I'm fading fast now. Been sucking on a Mountain Dew, but caffeine has lost it's punch. Just a few more minutes here at work, then home to sleep.
After G dropped me off, I found my car exactly where S had said it would be with the hotel key in the glove compartment. I dropped my stuff off in our room at Paradise Pier, which had an amazing view of the California park (a free upgrade because the parks are so empty this week). Then I hustled down to D-land and met my family, almost at random, at the central hub. They had already done a lot of Tomorrowland & Small World, so it was off to the Tiki room, which remains a family fav. Then we did Pirates, twice in a row, just because we could as there was no line whatsoever. Spent the day in the original park and hit all the major rides - longest line was 10 mins and I think there were less than half a dozen of those. Unfortunately, Indiana Jones was dark, as was my fav, the Haunted Mansion, which is always dark for the Nightmare Before Christmas refit this time of year. It's a heavy price to pay for 5 min lines. Weather was overcast with welcome light sprinkles which gave a delightful cooling effect. We had a front row seat for the parade and then watched World of Color from our hotel room (there's a TV channel that simulcasts the soundtrack). I slept so well. The next day we spent mostly in original D-land, and cut over to CA-land in the afternoon. CA-land is hotter, less shade, and much more expensive. The lines were longer - T&I did one long one - 90 mins for the new Radiator Springs in Cars-Land. It's a good ride and I've never liked Cars. I've always thought that they could have done better with that franchise, tied it to Autopia like with Pirates. There's also a Tow-Mater ride that is surprisingly fun. S got way into Grizzly River Run, which we also rode twice in a row just to get extra wet. S went back and rode it 3x in a row while T&I were in the Radiator Springs line, and then jedi-ed her way to the front to join us for that. We caught World of Color, which is the best water show ever. EVER! And this is after just seeing the Bellagio show in Vegas from the Eiffel Tower restaurant. So #1 was World of Color. #2 was Radiator Springs. #3 was Star Tours, which is still fun. #4 was Captain EO which was such a funny flashback for S&I, and T liked it too. After World of Color, we drove home. S did the heavy lifting, barreling up I5 with a short stop at the Buttonwillow Denny's for a midnite breakfast. I took the pass at about 3AM. We were in bed by 4:20AM and I made it here to work just a little after 9.
I'm fading fast now. Been sucking on a Mountain Dew, but caffeine has lost it's punch. Just a few more minutes here at work, then home to sleep.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse