Wednesday
After a good nights sleep, we were up, showered and dressed ready to hit the parks. By 8.30 we were in the queue for Disneyland and by 8.50 waiting at rope drop ready to head to our first ride, whilst Alice in Wonderland entertained us. While we were waiting we were able to grab our first fastpass of the day for the Matterhorn, using the new maxpass feature on the Disneyland App.
We hadn't made it onto my favourite ride - Peter Pan- the last time we were here due to the large lines for it, so we decided to hit it early and it paid off, we were through the line and riding through Neverland within 20 mins whoop!! An added bonus was that after exiting the ride we spotted Peter Pan. Next we fell down the rabbit hole into Wonderland on the Alice in Wonderland ride. Then our fasspass return time was ready and time to see if we could spot Bigfoot in the Matterhorn - yikes we did!
We do like a Mickey Pancake for breakfast and it's changed a little, now being served with bacon or sausage! We asked for the veggie option so ours came with a side of breakfast potatoes, adding another side of scrambled eggs it made a great breakfast for the two of us and even the ‘tame’ sparrows joined in, perched at the edge of or table begging for scraps. Of course we obliged them.
Our Star Tours fast pass was now active and we visited both Naboo and the Wookiee Planet, we then went to the Launch Pad for a meeting with Lord Vader!
Fun in the sun is exhausting so we shared a Coke before boarding our transport to the Temple of the Forbidden Eye, fortunately Indiana Jones arrived to save the day.
It's always great to do something new in the park and we noticed that the Davey Crockett Explorer Canoes were running so we grabbed an oar each and were soon circumnavigating Tom Sawyers Island with a crew of hearties! After which, something much more sedate a visit to Winnie the Pooh then an iced coffee at Starbucks.
We made our way to the entrance and met Mulan before photos in front of Main Street Station. Then back to the Partner Statue where Chris the Photographer took many photos for us. Lunch at the Bengal Grill followed, a vegetable kebab, tiger tail bread and hummus and crudities, another first for us and very tasty it was too.
The fast-pass for Space Mountain were now available for use and we made our way into the queue, getting to the front just as the announcement was made that operations would be stopped. Fortunately, just a few minutes later they resumed. Out of Space Mountain we went straight into Buzz Lightyear and were quickly blasting away at Zurg and his minions.
Time for another first, back in Adventure land we boarded the ferry and crossed to Tom Sawyers Island where we had a great time exploring and finding pirate treasure before crossing back and activating our Splash Mountain fast pass and riding the log flume through the Songs of the South, exiting rather damp we dried off in the queue to meet Tigger, Eyeore, Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh.
We saw on the program that Boba Fett would be making a rare appearance at the Mos Eisley Cantina so we made our way over there and were at the front of the line when he arrived. When asked if he would turn Victoria in if there was a bounty on her head Paul was rather too willing to do so. Even more likely if the Bounty has been a Star Bar!
We are rather flagging, so have another coffee to keep us going for the remainder of the day, enjoying it watching the world go by while we sit on some steps on Main Street. We head on to Phantom Manor to use our fast-pass but the ride is down so we make our way over to Toon Town but it was so busy there so instead queued for five minutes to get on to It's a Small World. It has been three days since and I just about have gotten that song out of my head!
Dinner time and another opportunity to try something new. We go to the Red Rose Tavern that does a Cauliflower ‘Steak’ Sandwich with is very nice. We also share a portion of ‘The Grey Stuff', it is indeed delicious.
We have been in the park for ages and have still not been on one of our favourite family rides, a short ten minutes in the queueing system and we are ‘yo-ho-ho-ing' along the Pirates of the Caribbean. Back to the Haunted Mansion we see that they are still having technical difficulties. It is rather dark now so we queued for about 15 minutes to get onto the Jungle Cruise which is great in the dark before climbing Tarzan's Tree House for some great views of the park at nighttime.
The Haunted Mansion is open again and the queue is empty, we are soon surrounded by ghosts and ghouls. A change of pace, we pick up a Dole Whip and take a seat in the Enchanted Tiki Room to enjoy the animatronic show. Fifteen minutes of sitting down and we both realise how tired we are, so we exit the park, catching some of the Electric Light Parade before walking back to the Super 8, stopping for a while on the roof terrace to watch the fireworks before crashing out in bed.
Thursday
We awake about 0730 and rub some life back into our calves then make our way to Disney’s California Adventure for another day of fun. Because we have Maxpass we eschew the rope drop and instead order a fast-pass for Toy Story Midway Mania while enjoying a breakfast at the Starbucks – moment of hilarity as Victoria orders a Pain au Chocolate, asking three times before realising it’s a chocolate croissant here.
Following breakfast we walk straight onto the Monsters Inc. Ride before having photos taken with Spiderman then more photos in front of the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride including the addition of Baby Groot. Passing through It's a Bugs Life we see that Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters has a very short queue so mount up for a ride.
The Toy Story Mania fast-pass we booked over breakfast is now active so we head on over to Paradise Pier, Victoria wins this one by quite a margin! We stay on Paradise Pier riding the Carousel, Jumping Jellyfish and Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. After only about 60 minutes in the park we've been on 5 rides and had a breakfast!
Before grabbing a well deserved coffee we have photos done at the entrance to Radiator Springs and at the Partner Statue. As Victoria has a Chase debit card we head on over to the special photo opportunity and have photos with Daisy Duck. Before heading back to Radiator Springs to make more use of the Maxpass with more photos. We meet Chip and Dale in the Redwood Creek Challenge then go back to It's a Bugs Life to ride old favourite, Heimlich’s Chew-Chew Train. Our Guardians of the Galaxy fast pass shall soon be active so we head on over there, stopping to get another iced coffee on the way. The Guardians of the Galaxy is a complete refurb of the old Tower of Terror, a much loved favourite of ours. We’ve not seen either of the Guardians of the Galaxy films, so don’t have a lot of context, but, the ride is very well done and seems to last longer than the old Tower of Terror one.
Ready for something to eat we go to the Cozy Cone in Radiator Springs for a veggie chilli cone then have a round of craft brews at Sonoma Terrace, helped down with a warm pretzel. The Buzz Lightyear meet and greet is open on Paradise Pier so we take a stroll over there then ride the Grizzly Rapids before doing the meet and greet with Oswald the Rabbit and a wander around the shops. It's very hot so Paul has a Butter Pecan ice cream at Clarabelle then Victoria an iced tea at Flo's Diner.
Another fast-pass is active for Toy Story Mania and Paul wins this bout – Victoria cries foul after getting a blister from firing the gun! Seeing a fast-pass opportunity for Goofy's Flight School we ride that and then the Golden Zephyr – why Golden? It's silver! The queue for Ariel's Undersea Adventure is non-existent so we ride that again, before another go on Monsters Inc. Then followed by rides on Francis's Ladybug Boogie, Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters and Maters Junkyard Jamboree. If you plan it right you can get on a lot of rides.
Time for dinner, we consider the old favourite of Maters ‘Tater Bake but instead opt for the Tomato Bisque at the Boudin Bakery.
Footsore and rather tired we head up to Buena Vista for a photo opportunity with Mickey Mouse before riding the Trolley and walking up to Paradise Pier for a final Toy Story Mania.
Exhausted, we exit the park and head back to the Super 8 for a good nights sleep before our Route 66 adventure starts tomorrow
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