Day Three-California Adventure

Day Three-California Adventure

We get down to the lobby and hop on the free shuttle over to Disney. The shuttle takes 10 minutes, and we’re at the entrance before the 10am opening. Today’s plan is visit California Adventure, as the hours don’t alter from 10-6 at all this week, but Disneyland will have later hours Friday and Saturday.

Our first order of business, after entering the gates and having our pictures taken, is to get something to eat. I split a cinnamon roll with older son and Ed and younger both get rice krispy treats. What the heck, it IS cereal! The shop was rather cool-the façade looked like a train.

Next stop was Condor Flats, where we walk onto Soarin’ over California. The ride itself is identical to WDW’s, but the queing area is themed differently-more like an old time airplane hangar. The orange smell is different, which Ed and I figure may be due to an attempt to make them more like the local orange groves. Florida’s smells more like the oranges, and California’s smell more like the trees.

We continue down the walkway and look at the outside of the Grand Californian. Sometime in the next few days, we need to go look at the lobby. J The Grizzly River Rapids come up on our left, and we head onto the ride. Riders coming off don’t look all that wet, so the propect of walking around drenched in 60 degree weather is unlikely. Yes, we’re cold-we’re now used to the Florida heat.

The ride is great, a more traditional rapids ride than Kali and no, not nearly as drenching. Later in the day, we take a second trip and the difference when it is warmer is that there is a waterfall at one of the bridges.

The kids wander around the play area for a little while, then we head over to Paradise Pier. There’s a variation on a swing ride that has larger vehicles, rather than individual swings. Little man is intimidated by it, but we strongly encourage him to go on-and we all enjoy. We take in all the rides in the area, except for the huge drop. I do a solo tour on California Screaming while Ed and the boys visit the carousel. The coaster is great, it looks like it’s a wooden coaster, but it’s steel.

Lunch was completed in two steps, first Ed and I get mexican, then the boys go for burgers and nuggets, with the revisit to the rapids.

Over to the Hollywood backlot. We take in Muppetvision 3D and then Monster’s, Inc. It’s a dark ride and rather entertaining. The animator’s tour is rather different here, you sit in a theatre and an animator shows you how to draw a character. We learn how to draw Goofy, with varying results.

Next was my attempt to ride the Tower of Terror-alas, the show elements 101 on us and eventually, the ride was ‘evacuated’. At this point, it’s near 6pm and we exit the park. We debate walking Downtown Disney or heading into Disneyland for two hours, but opt instead for returning to the hotel for the pool and dinner.

Ed and the boys head down to the pool while I upload all the pictures. By the time I get down there, I find they’re in the jacuzzi instead-the pool is too cold.

Dinner was found at another California based chain-but one we’re familiar with, thanks to the frozen food aisle. Marie Callendar’s was a pleasant and filling meal.

Lights out early and plans for some LA area activities for Thursday.