Spencem & Angelmouse in LA Day 15

[spencem]

Saturday, Jan 3rd, Disneyland

We did briefly consider making use of our Magic Morning early entry last night, but then thought better of it as it would have meant Anglemouse getting up at 5am to give her pills time to do their thing before getting into the park at 7am.

As it was we made reasonable time (for us) and were in the gate just before 11am as you can see.



It was busier than Christmas day, but nothing like New Year's Eve. While the others sorted stroller and EVC rental I wandered under the bridge and took some photos of Town Square.



As I'd walked away a lady came out of the rental shop on an ECV, I joked to Eldest that it was the last one. When the others joined me it turned out not to have been so funny, I was right and Anglemouse was in a manual chair. Never mind, Disneyland is on the flat, unlike Magic Mountain.

We made our way up Main Street and turned left at the top for Adventure Land and Indie. As we got to the hub the crowd briefly parted and I snatched a snap of the partners.



Wait times were not bad at all, but I saw we would be Fast Passing Indie as normal.



Fast Passes safely in hand Pirates was our next stop where we were all quickly aboard and off to the Caribbean. We came out into New Orleans Square where I got some pictures of the Christmas decorations. This area looks lovely all year round, but at Christmas it is really special.







Comedy followed as various members of both families used restrooms and we got split up. By the miracle of mobile phones we discovered Teresa and the girls patiently waiting where we had left the stroller and wheelchair rather than at the restroom exit.

On the way to meet up I took this picture of the sailing ship just loading passengers.



Next we were off for another trip around the Haunted Mansion, the detailing on the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay is amazing, we noticed things this time around that we'd missed before. Eldest saw a hidden Mickey that I never did.



Because Little One doesn't like this ride Dave and Teresa did the baby swap thing which on this ride works as a Fast Pass for whichever parent rides second. The pass lets two people ride so we stayed with the girls while their parents rode together for once.

There was a brief debate about riding Splash, but the weather while sunny was not warm and there was a 40-minute wait by now. Common sense took over and we headed for Big Thunder instead.

Passing around the Rivers of America we passed the Disneyland Dream Suite, anyone know what will be done with it now Year of a Million Dreams is over? It used to house the fine art shop, but I can't believe having gone to all the effort to convert it they will put it back.




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[spencem]

The line for Big Thunder was about 20 minutes and we all enjoyed our wild ride in the wilderness.





By the time we came off thoughts were turning to lunch, but Angelmouse sensibly suggested we use our Indie Fast Passes first. Little one doesn't like the dark in Indie so she and her mum rejoined the BTMRR line as we walked off to Adventure Land.

For those who have not been out west a little explanation is in order for the Indiana Jones Adventure ride. Basically it uses the same ride system as Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom, but to much better effect. The ride is themed around someone opening up for tourists an abandoned south east Asian temple that Indie had explored previously. The queue explains that people have been disappearing and that Indie is back to investigate. As you ride around the huge temple you find him and it is touch and go whether you get out again. The detailing in the line, the exit and of course the ride itself are all top notch.



As we came off we got a little magic, seeing Teresa and Little One pass by on the Jungle Cruise through the trees. No need to call them to meet back up afer our ride, we exchanged waves with them.:laughing:

While we waited a few minutes for them I took a couple of pictures of Adventure Land.



A vote was taken and lunch in Pizza Port was decided upon, it was only as we passed Buzz that we remembered the stroller sat outside Jungle Cruise. Cue one of those chase around moments as Dave headed back for it, I caught him to get their tickets so I could pick up Fast Passes for Space Mountain, Eldest set off for pizza and Angelmouse for the bathroom. We all knew what we were doing honest.:laughing:

When I got to Space Mountain the Fast Pass return time was past 9pm and we needed to be elsewhere long before then. Instead I backtracked and got us all Fast Passes for Buzz. On getting back I found the kids playing with the granite ball, this weighs over a ton but because it sits on a column of water even Little One can spin it.



Not sure what these two were laughing at, but I suspect it was my attempts to get the shot of the kids through the crowd.




Once we were all back together we lunched, us three all had pasta rather than a pizza which was surprisingly good. Our hosts wanted to see Small World in it's Christmas overlay, but when we got up there the line was beyond Dave's tolerance for queuing. After some debate and with the parade preparations happening around us we set off for the front of the park.

We got a little strung out as Dave at the head tried to get down Main Street before the parade shut it. Son was behind with the empty wheelchair, Angelmouse having started feeling sick from the bouncing over the cobbles. She and I kept up the rear moving at her pace which enabled me to grab a few photos.

Sleeping Beauty's horse on the carousel



and her castle.


On reaching Main Street we split up, Angelmouse heading for the shops and me heading for a spot in front of the huge Christmas tree to photograph the Parade. Our hosts had joined the long line for the annual pass centre where they upgraded their 3-day hoppers to local resident annual passes for $5 each. A 3 day hopper out of the City Pass book has a face value of $169, a local resident (restricted) pass is $174, since Disney will credit you back the value of the ticket you used to get in that day with all they had to pay was $5 each for 247 days access.

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[budgie6741]

Great pics & report

[spencem]

While they waited Son came back to me and we nabbed our spot for the parade looking back up Main Street as it came down.

These guys were really playing those trumpets.






The main man




The horse was rocking under Woody




As the parade finished Son and I walked over to the Bank (annual pass centre) where Anglemouse had just arrived and Dave and co were just having their photo's done. We were due to all go and have dinner tonight at a mutual friend's in Irvine so when Dave came out he called them to confirm the times. He got voice mail so while we waited for a call back we decided to do a full tour of the park on the train. Disneyland has 4 stops to Magic Kingdom's 3 and also has a section with Dioramas of the Grand Canyon as you pass behind Space Mountain. Having originally been due to go out to Vegas and the real Grand Canyon I was tempted to text some pictures home.:laughing:

We got the call back while riding and we had just enough time for some last-minute shopping before heading off, so we headed into Down Town Disney which is just a short walk from the parks here.



We had a pleasant evening with our friends down in Irvine but had to cut it fairly short since none of us could keep our eyes open and we still needed to pack.


Tomorrow our last day in Disney before the long flight home in the evening.

[Guest]

Another great report with lovely photos

[Sarah84]

sounds like another lovely day, gorgeous photos

[DIBBadmin]

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