This day was the Disney day I was most looking forward to. I must have reworked our Ridemax plans twenty times to get the "just right" itinerary. We got there for rope drop and carefully positioned ourselves to the far right to utilize the "wide right technique" which purportedly puts you in the right place to beat the crowds to the front of the line for Radiator Springs Racers. We were in the correct spot. We were pumped and ready. Then the crowd grew, and grew, and grew. We started questioning our sanity. Were we really up to the rope drop race to Radiator Springs? Just before the rope dropped, we decided we weren't cut out for it. Instead, JC and the girls headed straight to Toy Story Midway Mania while I gave up our prized right-hand side position to head left to get Radiator Springs Racers fastpasses. (The fastpasses aren't located near the ride, so it is a completely different strategy if you are heading there.) The line wasn't bad for fastpasses, so I started toward the others, assuming they had probably already ridden the ride. I texted JC to let him know I was on the way, and he told me that Toy Story Midway Mania had a delayed opening and they were still in line. What? Doesn't he know the first rule of getting to the parks early? Don't waste time in line! I got over there, and the ride was still closed. JC, Elise, and Nina headed over to California Screamin' while Addie and I decided to go meet Donald.
I then got another text from J.C. that California Screamin' had a delayed opening as well. WHAT? How is a rabid planner supposed to handle all these ride closures? They went back over to Toy Story which by now was open. They walked right on with no line at all and then went back over to California Screamin' which had no line either. I guess the delayed openings scared people off and worked to our advantage. Whew!
Addie and I hopped in line for Toy Story and had a blast. I love this ride.
Nina was feeling a bit queasy after California Screamin', so JC and Elise went on it again while Addie and Nina posed for their own California Screamin' picture!
I don't know that Nina was thrilled with Addie's suggestion of the carousel, but she was a good sport and went on it anyway. It was certainly more tame than the roller coaster! We went on Ariel's Undersea Adventure too.
By now, it was getting close to our fastpass time for Radiator Springs Racers. We left Paradise Pier and headed over to Carsland.
Carsland is just beyond amazing. Disney totally outdid themselves on this section of the park. I had been super excited to see Carsland, and it lived up to my every expectation. The details and theming are just perfection.
(Disney Photopass stock photo)
(Disney Photopass stock photo)
You feel like you're right there in the Radiator Springs, like you've been transported into the movie.
Radiator Springs Racers lived up to all the hype and expectations. People have called it the best themed ride at any Disney park, and that's the best way to describe it. So.Much.Fun! If you are contemplating a trip to Disneyland, it is worth it for Carsland and Radiator Springs Racers alone!
We visited Mater's Petting Zoo, and Elise and Addie went on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree.
They said it reminded them of the teacups? After that, we left Carsland and headed over to Pacific Wharf for lunch at Cocina Cucamonga. It was really good. Disneyland beats Disney World hands down when it comes to quick service food.
After lunch, we saw the Aladdin show which was wonderful. Then, I headed off to get Anna and Elsa fastpasses and nighttime Radiator Springs Racers fastpasses while J.C. and the girls went to Tower of Terror. We described Tower of Terror to Addie in great length, telling her again and again that it has "terror" in the name for a reason. We told her it was scary and that she probably wouldn't like it. She still wanted to go though. I have no idea why. She isn't terribly daring when it comes to rides. For whatever reason though, she really wanted to go on Tower of Terror.
It went about as badly as we had predicted. She spent almost the entire ride with her head tucked under Nina's armpit, nearly in tears. She came out and said, "I'm never, ever going on that ever again." We resisted the urge to say, "We told you so." It was so tempting though!
We then met up with Sully and rode Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue which was a cute ride.
At this point, it was crazy hot, and we made our usual family split. Nina and J.C. went back to the condo for naps. The rest of us soldiered on. Fortunately, the wait for Anna and Elsa was air conditioned. Even though we had fastpasses, we still had to wait quite a while. We couldn't complain though. The A/C was a welcome respite. Addie was so excited to meet Anna and Elsa - definitely a high point in the trip for her.
The heat was getting to us as well, so we stopped by Clarabelle's for hand dipped ice cream on our way out of the park. Yum!
Then we said hi to Oswald, got autographs and went back to join the others for naps.
When we came back in the evening, we had dinner in Downtown Disney at one of my favorite spots, Earl of Sandwich, and then we wandered around Downtown Disney a bit. Elise was pretty psyched to find Lego Hulk.
I had spent much of the day periodically calling the Ask Otto hotline to find out the fastpass return time for Radiator Springs Racers. My goal was to get a fastpass return time just after dark. I succeeded in that quest, so Radiator Springs Racers was our main goal for the evening. If I thought Carsland was neat during the day, it is absolutely spectacular at night. I loved it! I wish we had gotten there at dusk to see all the lights turning on, but we'll have to try for that another time.
(Disney Photopass stock photo)
(Disney Photopass stock photo)
Radiator Springs Racers almost feels like a completely different ride at night... an even better ride than it was during the day. Wow. Loved it.
Riding the Racers after dark was really our only goal for the evening. We ended up heading back over to Paradise Pier where we rode the Golden Zephyr
and the Silly Symphony Swings. Poor Addie looked like she was going to puke through the whole ride. I kept watching her, just sure she was going to hurl any second. When the ride finally came to a stop, she was looking a bit green. I don't think I'll take her on one of those swing rides again any time soon. This picture was taken before the ride, not after. She definitely didn't have a smile on her face after.
It was approaching bedtime for J.C. and Nina (are you sensing a pattern here?), so they went on back. The rest of us decided to stay for the World of Color show.
(Disney Photopass stock photo)
As a slight aside, in the above picture of the ferris wheel, do you see how the cars of the ferris wheel are on individual tracks within the wheel? In preparing for our trip, I've seen this referred to as "Mickey's Death Wheel", "Mickey's Wheel of Terror", "Mickey's Wheel of Doom", etc. It actually has barf bag dispensers in each car! It is supposed to be completely unnerving and terrifying. We did not choose to attempt it. It looks like such a pretty ride, but apparently it is evil. Given that Addie and Nina had already gotten a bit nauseous on calmer rides earlier in the day, I'm pretty sure at least one of them would have lost her dinner if we attempted the Wheel of Death.
Anyway, World of Color was... well... colorful.
(Disney Photopass stock photo)
We weren't that excited by it, so we bought some popcorn, and headed back to the condo before it ended to beat the crowds.
(Disney Photopass stock photo)
Radiator Springs Racers was enough nighttime fun for us. We had a blast that day, even if World of Color was a bit of a disappointment.
SoCal Day 7 Disney California Adventure Favorites:
Addison: Radiator Springs Racers
Nina: California Screamin', Aladdin, and Radiator Springs Racers at night
Elise: California Screamin' and Aladdin
Ann: Radiator Springs Racers at night
J.C.: California Screamin'
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