6/3-6/10 WrongWay and family do Sequoia and day 1 of DLR

[WrongWay]

I typed up a full report of what we did Saturday, but it got lost in cyber space. So, Reader's Digest version.

Dennys packed, slow. Disneyland packed. At 10:30 when we arrived, Space down, Buzz FPs 3 hours out with 25 min wait, Indy 40 min wait. Instead we did Mansion with 15 min wait. I finally got audio, only took until my 3rd ride post makeover.

After mansion, TSI. At 12:30 we got Indy FPs. 5 min wait to get the FP, and they had a 6PM return time(60 min stand by). Blew off BTMRR due to 30 min wait, and did 1PM Billy Hill. Then Tiki Room. TONS of unsupervised teens running amok. Heard there is some big high school band show/competition thingy.. dozens of bands with tousands of members and tens of thousands of family members.

At 2:30 we split and went to Newport Beach. 7PM got back to the parks. DCA packed. 25 min for ToT running full capacity. 15 min for Monsters (high capacity will kill this ride's reputation). 55 min posted for Soarin' and the queue is extended into roped off area behind the plane.

We did Redwood Creek and then MSEP. Ice Cream at Burrrbank. We decided to blow off SFMM for Saturday and come back next month for new pirates and SFMM. We decided we'd sleep in and just head home.

Esplanade packed with people watching fireworks...and lines to get into DL that reached to the letters. This isn't 12 lines merged to 3 back to the letters like Wed. This is 12 lines wide back past the letters, all smushed up against the DCA gates.

We blew off DL and did 10:40 Cars at AMC instead. Annoying 4 y/o that was up way too late behind us, crying, playing with noisy toy, and kicking Beth's seat. Great movie otherwise. Not a Nemo, Monsters, Incredibles, Toy Story or Bugs life... But still great when compared to any non-Pixar animated movies done recently. in my opinion. I'll give it an 8.3745 on a scale of 1-10.

[WrongWay]

summary:
Dennys, Mansion, TSI, Billy Hill, Tiki Room(Dole Whip), Newport Beach, (Taco Bell/Carl's Jr), ToT, Redwood Creek, MSEP, Burrrbank, Cars at DTD AMC.

[WrongWay]

Hey, I found the fuller version..... re-enjoy.




What a difference a day makes. Thursday was great for crowds with short lines and open walkways.

Friday, not so much. Took us 15 min to get seated at Dennys, and almost an hour to get our food. By the time we left, their entire inside and outside waiting areas were packed.

Every green at the crosswalk across Harbor was a mass of humanity. Every security gate was open and still there were fairly long (like 5 min) lines. Yesterday had half the gates open and was a walk through.

Once in the park (about 10:30) I fought my way to Space for FP, but it was closed. Grabbed Buzz instead(standby posted at 30 min), then met my family at Indy. Already a 40 min wait for standby. Skipped that and did Mansion (I finally got a car with the audio working.... only took 3 rides) with a 15 min wait. We then did Tom Sawyer Island. It was now 12:30, and even tough we couldn't yet use our Buzz FP, it was 2 hours after we got them. We went and grabbed Indy FPs. There was a 5 min line just to get FP.. With a 6PM return time. OUCH!

We thought about Big Thunder, but it too had a 30 min posted wait. Instead we did the 1PM Billy Hill, then the Tiki Room. Dole Whip... yummm.

We kicked around a little biit. Got pictures in front of the castle. Debated using FP for Buzz but no one seemed interesred. Sun was starting to break.... so at 2:30 we decided to head for the beach. On the way out I swung by Space to get FP, but they weren't issuing any. Didn't have the tick marks through the time like they do when they are out. Just times off and machines covered. Don't know if they were out or just not issuing. Standby posted 80 min. Grabbed FP to Autopia instead.

Walk to the room, change to swim suits, down the 55.... park the short bus right by Newport Pier at about 3:30. No sun here. Body surf(dang that water is COLD), build sand castle-y type stuff, 5PM-ish back in the van. Dinner is a combination of Taco Bell and Carl's Jr.(some wanted one, some t'other).

Boy, that 55/5 from Newport to DL is FUUUUNNNN at 5PM on a Friday evening.... Sure wish I could do that every day... NOT! Actually, my drive from Scottsdale to Glendale on AZ101 can take about as long... BUT it is 2.5 tames as far.

Anyway, back to the room, showers, and back to the parks about 7PM. Went into DCA. ToT was running full capacity and still had about 25 min wait. Soarin' wait posted as 55 min as we walked past. Monsters was only 15. High capacity is killing that ride's image. We then did Redwood Creek and grabbed spots for MSEP.

After the parade, we grabbed ice cream at Burrrrbank. While eating, I proposed we blow off SFMM for Saturday and just head home. All agreed. Long week, and no one wanted to get up at 7AM to pack, drive to Valencia, spend 6-8 hours there, then drive the 6 hours home to arrive at midnight. Instead we're sleeping in and driving home in the afternoon.

Ice cream killed enough time that it was "easier-er" to get out of the very packed DCA. The entrance area (Between gates and Sunshine Plaze) was packed with people watching the DL fireworks, as was the espanade.... Oh yeah, and the lines to get into DL that stretched past the CA letters. And weren't moving. I'm sure they were trickeling in people because Main Street was packed for fireworks. Glad we did that Thursday even if we missed the finale.

So.... we stood there trying to decide what to do. Wait an hour for fireworks crowd to leave so we can get in for 2 hours? Maybe try to catch the monorail into Tomorrowland? If we get in, what do we want to do that is worth waiting 30+ min for?

Cars was suggested. It won. So off to AMC in DTD for a 10:40 showing of Cars. Other than the VERY WHINY 4-ish y/o behind us that kept kicking Beth's chair and playing with a noisy (beep, beep, beep, boop, beep, bop) toy, the movie was good.

[cinder]

Good stuff. Sounds like you guys had fun.

[Pinocchio85]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

[WrongWay]

Test











Should be enough photos until I figure out how to open up a photo bucket album.

[WrongWay]

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g73/dshimel

[smitty-78]

Nice pics WrongWay...

[suttytx]

Great pics, Wrongway. Love the bear cubs. Thanks for sharing.

[Bob38dizfan]

Yes, nice pics. I have to get me and the missus back there someday.