Somebody's Gonna Pee in a Cup, West Coast - Link to new TR 1/21

[afwdwfan]

FUn!

I was pretty surprised by it.

I'm just glad there weren't some PETA people hanging around the carousel... you know, being in California and all.

Work Smarter not Harder that's my motto.

And a great motto it is.

I couldn't help but laugh at the observation that you should never ask kids what they want to do when you're next to It's a Small World. Very good advice to follow.

Just one of those things you don't think about at the time.

Man, 6 rides on BTMRR...lucky DS! It'll be a bummer for him when his sister gets big enough to ride the coasters and there's no more rider swaps available.

I know. I mean, I'm jealous of him as it is...

Yikes, the after Fantasmic crowds sound nuts.

It's a great show and a neat stage to watch it on. But the whole viewing and crowd control process is just chaotic.

I'd never really thought of the fireworks being different at DL. But I can definitely can see how the smaller castle could affect the show. It plays a role in Wishes, after all. For what it's worth, I watched the updated version online and since they added the projections everywhere, I think DL upped the WOW factor.

I'm sure the Diamond celebration show is better... and Alison said as much earlier. The show we saw just paled in comparison to Wishes.

I'm sure some people would get sick of living right next to Disneyland, but that sounds awesome to me.

I think I could handle it. But I can understand not wanting to hear explosions at 9 or 10pm every night.

 

[afwdwfan]

Fools! Idiots! Imbeciles!

I almost used that one...

We’ll see if this doesn’t come back to haunt y’all later on.

Never!

Big boy stuff!

One fine way to start off an afternoon…

Can't go wrong with BTMRR.

Y’all did have to deal with a lot of closures; one potential downside to being there that time of year.
You did make the most of what was there though.

I think it was preparation for the 60th more so than the fact that it was January. They typically do have some significant closures during January, but we experienced well more than normal.

Did not know that…
But have never been, there is much I don’t know about the Flagship.
That needs to change.

Head on out there.

Excuse me, sir. Seeing as how the VP is such a VIP, shouldn't we keep the PC on the QT? 'Cause if it leaks to the VC he could end up MIA, and then we'd all be put on KP.


Sorry… couldn’t resist.
I’ll be good now.

A good plan regardless.

I mean it's no Dole Whip or Mickey bar, but it'll do.

Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggggg!

Well… OK… but still!

What can you do?

Odd.. that sounds somewhat familiar.

They might have borrowed a few concepts...

And something else I’ve actually never heard of.
Will have to consider that one as well.

It was a good one. Well worth checking out if you find yourself at Disneyland.

Sneaky!
Paying for it just a mite now, but sneaky…
Gonn’a have to keep an eye on that boy.

Oh yeah, he is sneaky. Not quite as sneaky as he thinks. But he sure tries.

Noooooooooooo!
You did not just do that!

Not the smartest thing we've ever done.

Well that’s a rolaids… errr… I mean relief
(television has harmed my spelling abilities rather dramatically).

But for future reference… Ponzi has determined the single best way to survive IASW.

Again…
I did not know that.

And now you do!

True and understandable.

Noted.

It's one of life's more important lessons.

This public service announcement brought to you by the good folks at I.G.G.I.
The Indiana Grain Growers Initiative…
Corn… It’s not just for moonshine any more.

Something like that. Have you ever had a grass fed steaks? No flavor at all. I don't like steak sauce, but we got a side of beef a couple of years ago. I didn't find out until after the fact that it was grass fed beef and I couldn't even eat the steaks without marinating them for about a day and then drowning them in steak sauce. Way too lean and tough.

Hummm… a chance for redemption.

Oh sure… exactly… without question… Their best interest is always the priority…
We’d all agree with you here.

Noooooooooo!
Drat! Foiled again.

But it was about the kids anyway.

It would have been selfish and foolish to do otherwise.

That was one heck of a bottle of Sprite.

Apparently so!

Oh boy, Oh boy!

I knew it! Yeeeeeeeee-Haw!

Well, it wasn't too hard to figure out...

No fool, he.

Not at all.

That one will become part of family lore and receive proper embellishment with each telling.

And a good theory too.

Works for me.

They don’t have the removable post and rope system that is used at MK all the time during the parades?
That seems rather odd.

Well, they do on Main Street. Apparently not in Frontierland though.

Yep… that lack of nap seem to be costing ya’ now.
I do feel bad for you though.
Rough on the feet and back.

It was. I thought I was going to be revisiting those orange bottles I had back in the room. I actually didn't need them though.

Well of course they did…

It's like we were targets for that stuff that evening.

Ahhhh… much better.

Prudent
Sad, but prudent.

I know. It was a hard decision to make. DCA was open until 10, so it was almost tempting to run across and hit RSR one last time before closing... but I don't think DW and I both would have been able to get into the line before they closed.

A nice ending to the day there.
Very nice indeed.

Nothing could have been more fitting.

 

[afwdwfan]

So she did get a nap. All's well then.
Who cares if the kids are bouncing off the walls. She napped!

Exactly. I wasn't in trouble so I didn't care!

Looks like it!

He was a big shot.

I want that for adults.
Hmmm.... Maybe next vacay has to be with all three girls.
"Sorry ladies, but BTMRR rules are that only two people can go on and one has to be the primary member, so I'll just have to ride it three times."

Brilliant!!

Huh. Interesting.

Well, I thought so. But Alison corrected me earlier... apparently there's only 1 train like that and I happened to get that one.

Was the whole thing going under renovations? Or is that just the way it is?

They had the entire lands of Critter Country in DL and Condor Flats in DCA walled off completely for major refurbs.

Tomorrow Street. Mainland.

Creative! I like it!

One of the only things I know about DL. Saw it on another TR and it just stuck, I guess.

Yeah, that's one of those things that would stick.

Now if only they'd make Dinoland in AK more like a Dino land and less like a cheap amusement park.

Or make it like Jurassic World.

Awesome movie, by the way.

Subtract the "score" comment.
When a place is full, I don't look behind me, but if it's empty? Of course you do!

Well, most would.

I can!

Of course they did. Their work was done.

Yeah, sounds about right.

Interesting.

Then it must've been good.

Again? Well, that must be the last time.

You'd think so...

Was it a gallon???

It was a mini-fridge. I didn't think it would even hold that much!

Oh, God. Well, that'll learn ya.

They sure look happy!

So it was worth it after all.

I'll take your word for it. I don't dare risk it.
"Oh, sorry, the last running of IASW ended 10 minutes ago."

Oh, just pop in some AC/DC and go for it!

Aw, poor little thing.

I can't blame her.

She's been around a long time, but.... yep.

Really, when you think of Disney villains, she has to be one of the first that comes to mind.

Really nice shot! Love it with the castle lit up like that.

It certainly was a beautiful castle. Even if it was tiny.

Well, sure. He want's to beat all those other horses, right?

Exactly!

Two gallons?

At least.

Sure. Of course. For research.

It's only right.

Sure. And there's absolutely no bias in that statement whatsoever.

None at all. It's a fact.

Again?!?!?

That's what I said.

Sure, for the kids.

Aw, man. Too bad.

Just not in the cards for me.

Well, that's probably the best reason I've heard to see it.
I didn't feel like it on my solo trip.

I certainly couldn't blame you. I don't think I'd take the time to do it if I was going solo.

Oh, don't worry. Balloon lady didn't mind at all.

Oh, wait.
That's supposed to read "Balloon lady didn't have a mind at all."

My thought when I saw her was that she seemed to be by herself and she clearly seemed to old to be carrying a balloon.

Love it!

No. You've got to be kidding!

If only...

Lucky. See previous comment.

I wanna be a kid again.

Who doesn't? If I was a kid, I'd be enjoying summer vacation instead of sitting at work.

Poor little tyke.

Oh, she was comfy.

Yes! Absolutely. I totally missed it in MK. Not sure if it's even there still.

Um... I think it is. I've never even gone to the one there.

Young eyes.

Yeah, I'm half blind. I had my contacts in but I can't see crap without them.

Good theory

Makes sense to me.

Benches? Ropes not good enough? That's just weird.

Apparently ropes hadn't been invented in the days of the Disneyland Frontier.

See? Ropes!

They have them...

That sounds a little... tiring.

Oh, it was.

Huh. But then again, I'm not all that surprised.

I guess not. It was a letdown at the time though, for sure.

I get it. Too bad though.

Ya know, my first reaction was "Yes! I want them in my backyard!" and then I thought about it.
Every night? For the rest of my life?

Maybe not.

Yeah, that's kind of how I felt too!

Yeah, that will definitely put a dent in the enjoyment factor.
You can't just forget everything and enjoy when all you're thinking about is when will it end so I can sit down?

I remember hearing some Mary Poppins music, seeing a few fireworks and then it was over. All just a blur.

Sounds like you guys sure packed in a lot!
Thanks for the chapter!

Thanks for reading along!

 

[Steppesister]

Makes me think of this one. Here's the nightmare I have... when I was in college, there were a few classes that were ridiculously easy. Like I NEVER went to class. I'd skip class, but get the assignments turned in and go for Exams. My recurring nightmare, to this day, is forgetting to go to one of those classes on exam day. It never happened, I always made it and always did fine, but that is my version of "showing up in your PJ's."

That's classic! I wish ANY of my classes were ones I could skip. Well, actually in my undergrad Ed. degree, I could have skipped a ton of them, but never did, because I'm a total brown-noser like that. Yours actually sounds like my real life recurring nightmare where I forget to drop a class that I"ve decided not to take, so I get an F on my transcipt. Silly immature insecurities...

I definitely could see them every trip. I don't feel like I have to, but I wouldn't have a problem sitting through them every time.

At the very least, you could get a nice air conditioned nap.

Good point. I mean you don't see many threads on the DIS complaining about how nasty this snack or that snack is.

I had to really think about all of my various snacks I've consumed in my trips... and nope. Couldn't think of a single bad snack that I threw away. Some were meh, and some were phenomenal (Yes, there will be a snack post- becuase the Rice Cream is just that good!), but none terrible or didn't hit the spot.

I'm glad you're all caught up now. I hope the surgeon visit turned out well.

It did. No surgery, and he got away with a short cast.

Well, first off, I can pretty much tell you why they're dying.
And second, I would think that of the two that are still alive,
it would be exceptionally painful for the people who's rears you planted them in.

I'm not even going to ask since you have 10 trees and 7 rears, who got the shaft more than once!


OMG... I'm dying!

You are now responsible for coffee on my keyboard. Thank you for the AM Entertainment.

The soybeans this year look like crap so far but a lot can change.

Let's hope for that change. Although, I can't imagine that you're going to change the soy into tasting like anything BUT crap. Tofu and soy milk have always tasted like crap, and ain't no one gonna put anything into any soil that'll make it better.

bone dry all July

No way to irrigate? Our corn is irrigated.

We should see the combines in the fields harvesting wheat within days.

WOW, ours isn't usually combined until late July. But maybe cuz ours is Winter Wheat?? Edjumicate me.

 

[Steppesister]

Dinosaurs!
It wasn’t anything super special, but I thought it was kind of cool.

Your kids will remember that for a LONG time; they are super cool and a nifty surprise when you come across them.

And they chose to sit right in front of the kids.

Of course they did.

Never ask your kids what they want to do when you’re standing in view of It’s a Small World.

Ever. Although, the overlay does sound really cool!

Aurora’s Castle is actually an attraction itself

Funny how few people actually know this!

For research purposes, of course

Duh.

DS had to go to the restroom…

Wuuuu?!

because the kids love it!

Kids of all ages!

Wanna guess???

To get another Sprite?

I have no idea how he spotted her

Ummm... it's his mom...?

But it was worth every minute.

And that's the whole point. Never, ever been to a Disney day and at the end of it say, "Well, that wasn't worth it.?

 

[afwdwfan]

That's classic! I wish ANY of my classes were ones I could skip. Well, actually in my undergrad Ed. degree, I could have skipped a ton of them, but never did, because I'm a total brown-noser like that. Yours actually sounds like my real life recurring nightmare where I forget to drop a class that I"ve decided not to take, so I get an F on my transcipt. Silly immature insecurities...

Yes, they seem very similar. At least the end result would have been the same!

At the very least, you could get a nice air conditioned nap.

I had to really think about all of my various snacks I've consumed in my trips... and nope. Couldn't think of a single bad snack that I threw away. Some were meh, and some were phenomenal (Yes, there will be a snack post- becuase the Rice Cream is just that good!), but none terrible or didn't hit the spot.

Good point.

It did. No surgery, and he got away with a short cast.

I'm glad it wasn't worse.

You are now responsible for coffee on my keyboard. Thank you for the AM Entertainment.

Stupid auto correct.

Let's hope for that change. Although, I can't imagine that you're going to change the soy into tasting like anything BUT crap. Tofu and soy milk have always tasted like crap, and ain't no one gonna put anything into any soil that'll make it better.

I can't argue with that one...

No way to irrigate? Our corn is irrigated.

Nope. There's some irrigation around here, but we typically have enough rain that it almost isn't worth spending the money to put in an irrigation system. Yes, in 2012 when we had a severe drought, irrigation would have paid off big time. But probably 19 out of 20 years it won't. There's some sandy ground around here where it does, and there is irrigation on that stuff. But the ground we farm typically has enough moisture that it just isn't worth it.

WOW, ours isn't usually combined until late July. But maybe cuz ours is Winter Wheat?? Edjumicate me.

Yeah, winter wheat here too. Soft red winter wheat, to be exact. Wheat harvest, straw baling and/or double crop soybean planting are what we do around the 4th of July around here. I worked the entire weekend of the 4th last year because that is precisely when wheat harvest hit its fever pitch last year.

Your kids will remember that for a LONG time; they are super cool and a nifty surprise when you come across them.

Of course they did.

Because, why not?

Ever. Although, the overlay does sound really cool!

It really is. I liked it a lot. And the soundtrack was a nice bit of relief.

Funny how few people actually know this!

I knew it!

Wuuuu?!

It never ends!

Kids of all ages!

To get another Sprite?

At least it wasn't caffeine...

Ummm... it's his mom...?

Ok, good point.

And that's the whole point. Never, ever been to a Disney day and at the end of it say, "Well, that wasn't worth it.?

Exactly.

 

[pkondz]

Exactly. I wasn't in trouble so I didn't care!

That's all that really matters.

Well, I thought so. But Alison corrected me earlier... apparently there's only 1 train like that and I happened to get that one.

Still interesting. Actually it's more interesting that one train is different.

They had the entire lands of Critter Country in DL and Condor Flats in DCA walled off completely for major refurbs.

What? Didn't they know how much you paid for this vacation?

Or make it like Jurassic World.

Awesome movie, by the way.

Oh, good! I read someone who said it was lousy... but you're the second person I've heard who've said it's good.

Oh, just pop in some AC/DC and go for it!

Really, when you think of Disney villains, she has to be one of the first that comes to mind.

Her and Evil Queen from Snow White.

My thought when I saw her was that she seemed to be by herself and she clearly seemed to old to be carrying a balloon.

So, old enough to know better.

Who doesn't? If I was a kid, I'd be enjoying summer vacation instead of sitting at work.

Those were the days.

Oh, she was comfy.

I'm sure she was!

 

[SarahDisney]

Here's how much the corn grew in just a little over a week.

Wow! That corn really does grow fast. Very cool!

Except we were supposed to get slammed with up to about 2" today and we got .2". That's not a bad thing but it seems to be a pattern. All the big clouds seem to be missing us.

So the corn grows this much even with less rain than expected? If you don't start getting the higher amounts of rain, will it kill the corn or slow the growth or neither?

I don't know if you can tell but there is a distinct color difference in the corn across the field.

I see that ... and I've actually seen that before on fields, I thought it was just something that happens, I didn't realize it meant different seeds (have I mentioned that I'm a city girl?). But that's a pretty cool way to figure out what seeds work well where!

We had FP for BTMRR and the window was already open. Naturally, this was our first stop once we were back in the park.

Of course ... it is the perfect first ride for after a nap (or before a nap, or pretty much any time other than during a nap)

We were riding along looking at a black wall and listening to a narration about Splash Mountain.

Well that sounds like lots and lots of fun ... that's exactly what you want to be looking at while listening to stuff about Splash Mountain (which is another one of those Disneyland things I've never done ... but I've never done it at WDW either).

We had a little bit of a surprise as we were riding the train. After you pass the Tomorrowland station, the train enters a tunnel. And the next thing you know…

Dinosaurs!

Very cool! I didn't know that existed - I'm going to have to check it out next time I'm at DL! (I actually don't remember if I've ever been on the railroad, but if I haven't, I definitely haven't seen that section)

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this show. But we arrived and at the theater’s entrance there were restrooms and carts selling snacks. It kind of led me to think that it was going to be a long show, so we grabbed a couple of frozen lemonades from the cart and went to find some seats.

Yes, but ... long is a relative term. Some kids need refreshments for a 10 minute show.

The show itself was great. I the premise is that Mickey is an apprentice and gets carried away trying to paint this spot on the magical map and he ends up being taken to visit characters from some Disney movies as a result.

It kind of reminded me of a live action Mickey’s Philharmagic, in a way.

This show consists of the Magical Map, which has some video aspects, but most of the show is live action and puppetry on the stage. And there are places for Mickey and actors to get up in front of the map and interact with it.

Sounds cool! I'm glad you guys enjoyed!

Its a good show. I think it lasts about 15 or 20 minutes though. When we walked in and saw the set and the theater and the fact that they were selling snacks, I figured we were settling in for a long show. It felt like it was over before it began.

20 minutes is long for some people! Kids (and some adults... like me) can't sit still through something much longer!

Word of advice.


Never ask your kids what they want to do when you’re standing in view of It’s a Small World.

That actually sounds like something I should do (if I ever go with kids) ... but I also kinda like IASW (the first few times)

I mean let’s face it… There aren’t many characters that are scarier than Maleficent.

Yeah, I see Angelina Jolie and I run in the opposite direction. I don't know how Brad Pitt deals with it.

DS was using the end of his belt to whip his horse like he was trying to win the Triple Crown.

I'm guessing he didn't win the Triple Crown or American Pharoah wouldn't have been such a big deal

The one I had at Tomorrowland Terrace was good, but I remembered thinking that WDW just does burgers a little bit better. I wanted to give the DL burgers another try. For research purposes, of course.

Of course. There isn't enough published research in this area, so your contribution is definitely needed.

Grass fed is the trendy thing, but if you want good flavor it needs to be corn fed.

So now you're an expert on beef in addition to being a farm expert?
(I don't know that I've ever had grass-fed beef ... is there really a difference in taste?)

DW requested Snow White’s Scary Adventure since we couldn’t ride it at WDW anymore.

So here's an interesting story: When we were on a bus on our way back to AoA from Epcot in November, we were chatting with some people, and once it came up that we had been to DL, they asked for recommendations on what they had to do there. I said things that either never did or no longer exist at WDW ... like Snow White's Scary Adventures. They were shocked that there was a ride called Snow White's Scary Adventures. Apparently they had never been to WDW while it was open. I certainly hope they enjoyed it...

The show ended and DS had someplace he needed to go. Wanna guess???

Yeah, your DS and I are kindred spirits. Some days I feel like I see more of the Tangled bathrooms in MK than I do of the rest of the park ...

Thanks to those fantastic rider swap passes, DS was going to get to ride BTMRR after dark… twice!

Really? BTMRR after dark? I never would have guessed that you would enjoy that one ... (kidding)

But DS… the kid got 6 rides on BTMRR. And I think he’d have ridden it 6 more times if he could!

Well, who wouldn't want to ride it 12 times? (Come to think of it, why didn't I do it 12 times last time I was in CA - we got to use the shorter (wheelchair) line that trip!)

Apparently, they take all the benches in the area of Frontierland and line them end to end to form a wall for crowd control to keep people leaving Fantasmic! from heading straight to the hub or something? It looked like they were blocking it off so that the crowd would have to cut through Adventureland and go back to Main Street that way. Fantasmic! wasn’t even starting until 8:45 and it was before 8:30 when they made us get up so they could move the benches.

Okay then ... sounds totally normal ....

But we still had to wait 45 minutes before the fireworks would start.


And I was holding a sleeping 3 year old with no place to sit down.

And, don't forget, you had hurt your back the week before. So (even if your back was 100% better) this was definitely going to be a fun 45 minutes ...

And I’ve got to tell you, watching them over Aurora’s castle just isn’t the same as watching them over Cinderella Castle.

While I’m used to watching fireworks going off around a castle that is lit up beautifully… that’s just not quite how it worked in Disneyland. The castle was lit up somewhat, but the lights were dimmed and it was little more than a shadow underneath the fireworks that were going off way above it.

I honestly don't know that we've ever just stood and watched the fireworks, but just from seeing them in passing ... it's definitely a different experience. From what I remember (again, this may be based on seeing them while walking or out the window of a store), it seems more like fireworks in the sky than fireworks over the castle.

The park is close to a residential neighborhood. I mean literally if you look across the street from Disneyland hotel there are houses. Who wants to hear a huge firework show being shot off in their backyard all the time?

Me! I do!
Or at least I must feel that way seeing as how I randomly hear fireworks from my bed at night when I'm trying to sleep sometimes (and I generally have no idea where the fireworks are coming from)

I don’t know if or when I’ll ever get back out there

Have hope! You'll get out there again eventually!

 

[afwdwfan]

That's all that really matters.

Still interesting. Actually it's more interesting that one train is different.

Yeah. It was news to me.

What? Didn't they know how much you paid for this vacation?

Apparently not.

Oh, good! I read someone who said it was lousy... but you're the second person I've heard who've said it's good.

You know, the plot was pretty weak as was the character development of the human characters.

But Chris Pratt is a bona fide action star.

And so are the dinosaurs.

'nuff said.

Her and Evil Queen from Snow White.

So, old enough to know better.

Those were the days.

I'm sure she was!

I sure hope she was anyway. I certainly wasn't!

 

[pkondz]

You know, the plot was pretty weak as was the character development of the human characters.

But Chris Pratt is a bona fide action star.

And so are the dinosaurs.

'nuff said.

Sounds good to me!

 

[Steppesister]

My son, at this very moment is trying to talk me into a matinee with him to see it. On top of a roller skating party tonight. (Pray I don't end up with a matching cast with my son). I'm not convinced it's going to be worth it. But first, 30 minutes on studying for his written driver's test. Obviously, I'm pretty excited for this as I'm still on here.

 

[afwdwfan]

Wow! That corn really does grow fast. Very cool!

It does. It really grows fast for the few weeks from mid June to mid July.

So the corn grows this much even with less rain than expected? If you don't start getting the higher amounts of rain, will it kill the corn or slow the growth or neither?

Well, if it was cold, the growth would slow. If it was too dry, the growth would slow. It isn't that we're getting less rain than expected right now... we're getting timely rains that are hitting at the right time, so the corn hasn't been short of water since we've planted it.

But overall, we don't have extra moisture in the soil around here. We're a few inches short of our normal rainfall for this area by this time of the year.

Now the northern part of the state has had too much water. Which isn't good. They've got water standing and that can drown out the crop in places. With corn being as tall as ours is right now, too much rain isn't likely to hurt it much unless we get a lot of flowing standing water to take the plants out. The roots are firmly planted into the ground and we've got healthy plants. Too much rain could have potentially hurt us more a few weeks ago while the plants were still young, but that was never even close to being a problem for us this year.

I see that ... and I've actually seen that before on fields, I thought it was just something that happens, I didn't realize it meant different seeds (have I mentioned that I'm a city girl?). But that's a pretty cool way to figure out what seeds work well where!

It could potentially be other things as well, but in this case, it is 2 different types of seed.

Of course ... it is the perfect first ride for after a nap (or before a nap, or pretty much any time other than during a nap)

Of all the rides I could nap on... this isn't one of them.

Well that sounds like lots and lots of fun ... that's exactly what you want to be looking at while listening to stuff about Splash Mountain (which is another one of those Disneyland things I've never done ... but I've never done it at WDW either).

You need to correct this!

Very cool! I didn't know that existed - I'm going to have to check it out next time I'm at DL! (I actually don't remember if I've ever been on the railroad, but if I haven't, I definitely haven't seen that section)

Well, yeah! You have to ride the railroad. Isn't that like a Disney rule or something?

Yes, but ... long is a relative term. Some kids need refreshments for a 10 minute show.

True. Ours are among that group.

Sounds cool! I'm glad you guys enjoyed!

We did!

20 minutes is long for some people! Kids (and some adults... like me) can't sit still through something much longer!

Ok, yeah, I get it. Good point. But Disney has a lot of 15 - 20 minute shows. Most of which don't have a snack cart at the theater entrance!

That actually sounds like something I should do (if I ever go with kids) ... but I also kinda like IASW (the first few times)

Yeah... the song is an earworm, but it is a classic that should be respected as such.

Yeah, I see Angelina Jolie and I run in the opposite direction. I don't know how Brad Pitt deals with it.

I'm guessing he didn't win the Triple Crown or American Pharoah wouldn't have been such a big deal

Well, I don't know. He's about the same size at this Victor Espinoza guy...

Of course. There isn't enough published research in this area, so your contribution is definitely needed.

I'm glad to do my part.

So now you're an expert on beef in addition to being a farm expert?
(I don't know that I've ever had grass-fed beef ... is there really a difference in taste?)

To me there is. Grass fed is probably healthier. But it is leaner and IMO a little bit tougher. Corn fed beef is more marbled. There's more fat, which is where the beef gets the flavor and juices. It's all personal preference though.

So here's an interesting story: When we were on a bus on our way back to AoA from Epcot in November, we were chatting with some people, and once it came up that we had been to DL, they asked for recommendations on what they had to do there. I said things that either never did or no longer exist at WDW ... like Snow White's Scary Adventures. They were shocked that there was a ride called Snow White's Scary Adventures. Apparently they had never been to WDW while it was open. I certainly hope they enjoyed it...

So... first time visitors to WDW and they liked it so much they wanted to do DL too?

Yeah, your DS and I are kindred spirits. Some days I feel like I see more of the Tangled bathrooms in MK than I do of the rest of the park ...

At least you're choosing some nice bathrooms to visit!

Really? BTMRR after dark? I never would have guessed that you would enjoy that one ... (kidding)

I know. Right out of left field, wasn't it?

Well, who wouldn't want to ride it 12 times? (Come to think of it, why didn't I do it 12 times last time I was in CA - we got to use the shorter (wheelchair) line that trip!)

Why stop at 12?

Okay then ... sounds totally normal ....

Seemed normal to them. Ticked me off...

And, don't forget, you had hurt your back the week before. So (even if your back was 100% better) this was definitely going to be a fun 45 minutes ...

Oh yes. I remembered. But being that it was the last night, I didn't have to worry about walking around the parks any more. I figured I'd need to hit the orange bottles back in the room, but I ended up doing fine.

I honestly don't know that we've ever just stood and watched the fireworks, but just from seeing them in passing ... it's definitely a different experience. From what I remember (again, this may be based on seeing them while walking or out the window of a store), it seems more like fireworks in the sky than fireworks over the castle.

I'd absolutely agree with that. It's like you couldn't really watch the fireworks and see the castle at the same time.

Me! I do!
Or at least I must feel that way seeing as how I randomly hear fireworks from my bed at night when I'm trying to sleep sometimes (and I generally have no idea where the fireworks are coming from)

Maybe they aren't fireworks?

Have hope! You'll get out there again eventually!

I hope so!

 

[afwdwfan]

Sounds good to me!

The original JP was a better movie. But this one may actually have better dinosaur scenes.

I liked it. I'd gladly watch it again.

My son, at this very moment is trying to talk me into a matinee with him. On top of a roller skating party tonight. (Pray I don't end up with a matching cast with my son). I'm not convinced it's going to be worth it. But first 30 minutes on studying for his written driver's test. Obviously, I'm pretty excited for this as I'm still on here.

Are you going to let him roller skate?????

Go to the matinee.

 

[Steppesister]

Are you going to let him roller skate?????

No. I'm going to.

 

[SarahDisney]

Isn't that like a Disney rule or something?

I'm terrible with rules. Just ask my high school principal.

So... first time visitors to WDW and they liked it so much they wanted to do DL too?

I don't know if they were first time visitors to WDW or just had only started visiting after 2012, but ... like you guys, it was more that they were in Southern California (I think also San Diego) and decided to stop at DL while they were in the neighborhood.

Why stop at 12?

Excellent point...

Maybe they aren't fireworks?

They're definitely fireworks. Some of them are in a park a few blocks away. Some of them are just loud.
When you hear airplanes flying over your house all the time, you learn to identify sounds.
Although there was one time when there was an earthquake and I thought it was just a low-flying plane... (in my defense ... the earthquake was in DC, we were just feeling the edges of it)

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

I love reading all your posts about the farm. I find it quite fascinating. Going to college in a fairly rural part of NC, there was a lot of corn around. And I remember my senior year, I was really looking forward to going back to one of the corn mazes, and sadly they didn't have it that year because we'd had SO much rain it literally washed the crop away.

And now I'm wondering if there's a particular type of corn used for mazes...any input?

BTMRR in the dark is amazing!! Doubly so if you can catch it during Wishes, which I've been lucky enough to do once.

As a vertically challenged person, I feel for your kids and wife. I hate when I get a view lined up in the crowd, and then someone steps in front of me. Lately DBF (who is 6'1") and I have employed the strategy of finding a railing or other solid object to stand behind, and then I stand directly next to it while he stands behind me. That way we take up minimal space and both of us can see.

Sad to see the DLR portion coming to an end!

 

[franandaj]

Jealous. So did you?

No I forgot.

But I can tell you the 60th Anniversary fireworks are really cool. I'll have a post on my PTR. I think I got some good pictures.

 

[MissMaryQC]

Whoa!

He's so cute!

Talk about a let down.

Woof. You'd think they'd at least put up a colorful tapestry or something. No bueno.

Dinosaurs!

Cool!

Because, dinosaurs.

Seriously.

they chose to sit right in front of the kids.

Why? What is wrong with people?

Oh well. Not a big deal by any stretch, but a minor annoyance.

Your nice.

It kind of reminded me of a live action Mickey’s Philharmagic, in a way.

Cool!

Apparently, while DW was asleep and I was in the parks, DS had helped himself to the rest of the Sprite that had been stashed in the fridge from when he was sick earlier in the week.

Nice. I see a trend starting here...

DD's face in this photo is everything!

Aurora’s Castle is actually an attraction itself.

WHAT?!?!

there is an entire walkthrough attraction. You see several dioramas that outline parts of the story of Sleeping Beauty.

Cool!

DD actually kind of freaked out on us a little bit.

OOps. Poor kiddo.

I mean let’s face it… There aren’t many characters that are scarier than Maleficent.

She is the most evil one.

Kind of spooky, but really cool!

I love spooky and cool; that's what every dark ride should be!

Cuties!

Seriously? I didn’t even know we had that much Sprite left in the fridge!

For research purposes, of course.

Of course! Burger research is serious business!

You know, other than the fact that they can’t tell you anything about road closures. But I digress.

I finally got to see some CM’s who have worked in the parks for a long time, love their jobs and wanted to go the extra mile to make sure their guests enjoyed their time in the parks.

I'm so glad there were a few magical CM moments. Why work at the Happiest Place on Earth if you're a grumpy Gus who just doesn't care?

I had just finished eating when DS had to go to the restroom…

DW requested Snow White’s Scary Adventure since we couldn’t ride it at WDW anymore

YES! I really miss this ride. When I was last in WDW in 2012 we skipped it cause the line was long. If I'd known then what I know now I'd have ridden it at least twice.

So no Dole Whip for me.

There was a small round of applause in the theater at that point.

As there should have been. Rude balloon lady.

The show ended and DS had someplace he needed to go. Wanna guess???

Small World? To get a snack? BTMRR? Am I hot or cold?

Thanks to those fantastic rider swap passes, DS was going to get to ride BTMRR after dark… twice!

Nice!

But DS… the kid got 6 rides on BTMRR. And I think he’d have ridden it 6 more times if he could!

BTMRR pin after he and DW rode.

I quoted the wrong portion and I'm not going back. But I am not in the least surprised that DS chose a BTMRR pin; like father like son!

We waited some more. DS was getting grumpy. I was getting grumpy. We had to find something to do to kill the time.

Grumpy men is never good.

No better place to teach a 5 year old how to handle a rifle than the shooting gallery at Disneyland.

Seriously!

It was the only night they had fireworks while we were there.

What is that about?

DW and I were enjoying just being off of our feet and relaxing on a nice comfortable bench in the middle of Disneyland. It was a perfect evening.

A CM came over and told us we needed to get up because they needed the bench.

Excuse me?

Apparently, they take all the benches in the area of Frontierland and line them end to end to form a wall for crowd control to keep people leaving Fantasmic! from heading straight to the hub or something? It looked like they were blocking it off so that the crowd would have to cut through Adventureland and go back to Main Street that way. Fantasmic! wasn’t even starting until 8:45 and it was before 8:30 when they made us get up so they could move the benches.

Way to be SUPER unorganized DL.

But we still had to wait 45 minutes before the fireworks would start.

Ouch.

We still had almost a half hour until the fireworks started, and this really helped a lot.

Mega ouch. I mean my DD is only like 20 pounds but the idea of lugging that sleepy little thing around for an hour makes my back hurt.

And clearly that’s when Fantasmic! ended and everything got crazy!

We had a family of about 8 people with no respect for personal space cram into a little tiny area right in front of our stroller.

Inappropriate.

We looked on in awe.

It was a good show, don’t get me wrong. I’m glad we stuck around to see it. But it just didn’t seem as long or spectacular as the show we’re used to seeing in Wishes.

Man, DL misses the mark, again.

Who wants to hear a huge firework show being shot off in their backyard all the time?

I do! I mean, maybe not really. But I guarantee those folks bought those houses after DL was built.

I found Walt’s light in the window and took one last look. I don’t know if or when I’ll ever get back out there and I just had to take a moment to thank him for all the good times and great memories he has provided me with over the years.

AWE! This was really sweet. I'm glad you had a Walt moment or two in DL. Even if they got a few things wrong I love how close you felt to Walt while in DL; makes me wanna go.

 

[franandaj]

Well, I thought so. But Alison corrected me earlier... apparently there's only 1 train like that and I happened to get that one.

Keep in mind I haven't been on the train for a few years. Yesterday I noticed that the train in MS station had the cars facing the center of the park, but I didn't see any other trains that day. I could be totally wrong. I guess I need to go back and ride the train.

 

[jandlinz]

I'll do a little bit of a closing post about some of my thoughts about DL and look at some things in relation to WDW. But my must do's are going to be anything that you can't do at WDW and things that are slightly different at DL. How long do you plan to stay at DL?

We were planning on a week. I was thinking of doing a house/condo. I wanted to do Legoland, LA, and the beach as well as Disney. The last and first time I went was before California Adventure. Only the Disneyland Hotel was open. We stayed two nights. I was in maybe 7th or 8th grade, but wasn't impressed. I remember Small World being longer, but there was no water. It was just on a track. I remember loving Matterhorn though. I know we were sad to leave, but it just didn't feel the same. I'll be looking forward to the review.
-Lindsey